AF1: 2014 NBA FINALS GAME 7 PREVIEW (Heat vs. Kings)

[kibaxx7]

Damn, still struggling. But I love you acquired Splitter.

[Martti.]

Decent record, considering you almost have a brand new team this year. Will be interesting if you face the Heat in the Playoffs.

How the hell did Trevor 'Brick' Ariza get an All-Star spot?

[Grandmama Johnson]

I think you are on your way, step for step

GZ Paul and Granger making the All Star team.

btw i like that GM Style- so you have the opportunity to play over some years and see developement and changes.

Thanks, man. I think having that opportunity to play over many years is important when you start with a team in rebuilding mode. I've seen some rebuilding teams have some pretty quick turnarounds on these forums (thatwizardguy and his great Cinderella playoff run comes to mind). However, those are definitely the exception (not the rule), especially if you're relying on the CPU to get results with your team.

I love your style dude. I have thought of this before, but becomes lazy. haha. I'm always thierry-ing my associations.-.-

Good Luck with this and get some rings.

Haha, the first official "thierry-ing" reference on this thread. Thanks, Karl. I think our "title window" hasn't completely opened yet, but I expect the team to be contending as early as next year. If we make the playoffs and catch fire this year, that would be great, but there is still more focus on the future.

Decent record, considering you almost have a brand new team this year. Will be interesting if you face the Heat in the Playoffs.

How the hell did Trevor 'Brick' Ariza get an All-Star spot?

Very good question. With CP3 gone, Ariza has become the focal point of their offense, leading to a boost in his stat line. The virtual All-Star voters seem to value players who put up big numbers, even if it's for mediocre teams. It's a very similar situation as the one that got Antawn Jamison on the East roster in 2011 (1st season of "All For One").

Damn, still struggling. But I love you acquired Splitter.

No joke, I was thinking you were gonna like this trade the moment I made it. He's definitely helped the team, as you'll see in the final regular season update. Speaking of which, somebody's almost at the end of the regular season himself Looking forward to the playoffs in RWC

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 PLAYOFF PREVIEW

TOP HEADLINES

BOSTON AND OKC LOCK UP TOP SPOTS
Usual suspects Celtics (57-25) and Thunder (56-26) enter playoffs seeded first

FOUR OF A KIND: LEBRON WINS MVP
James wins fourth MVP, all within the last five years
28-year old shows no signs of relinquishing his grip on the award

“THE HORSE” DELIVERS
Rookie Chester Horsley (20.2 PPG) wins ROY, powers Raptors to playoffs
Second consecutive ROY for the Raptors (2012—Clifford Oliver)

SPURS AND LAKERS MEET AGAIN
Los Angeles and San Antonio will do battle in the first round for the third consecutive year
Lakers won the prior two series, but this 4-5 matchup promises to be highly competitive


PLAYOFF PREVIEW

WEST
(1) Thunder vs. Suns (8)
Top-seeded OKC (56-26) opens its title defense against a sub-.500 Suns squad. With All-NBA Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook firing on all cylinders, the defending champs should have little trouble with their Phoenix opposition.

(4) Lakers vs. Spurs (5)
For the third consecutive year, Los Angeles and San Antonio meet in the first round. The Lakers got the better of their Texas rivals on both occasions. However, the aging Lakers have seemingly lost a step this season (not to mention losing injured Ron Artest for most of the series). This should be a tight, 4-5 matchup.

(3) Nuggets vs. Jazz (6)
Two years after losing Melo to free agency , the Nuggets find themselves with the third seed, while their former star will be watching the postseason at home. Nuggets cornerstone Kevin Love will miss 2-4 weeks, but they’ll hope to still have enough to hold off All-NBA duo Al Jefferson and Deron Williams.

(2) Grizzlies vs. Rockets (7)
The Grizzlies (55-27) made a huge step into the NBA elite this season, pushing the Thunder down the wire for the West’s top seed. Rudy Gay has emerged as a bonafide star with O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol providing plenty of support. Will it be enough to prevent an upset from the dangerous Rockets?

EAST
(1) Celtics vs. Raptors (8)
Two of the NBA’s biggest surprises of the season meet in the first round. The Celtics (57-25) rebounded from Kevin Garnett’s retirement and came back even stronger than before, adding Andray Blatche (18.4 PPG) and notching an NBA-best 57 wins. Meanwhile, the Raptors have gone from an NBA-worst 25-57 last year to a playoff spot in 2013. Rookie of the Year Chester Horsley (20.2 PPG) has led the charge, along with super-soph and 2012 ROY Clifford Oliver.

(4) Bulls vs. Nets (5)
Chicago will begin its road back to the NBA Finals after their 2012 Eastern Conference championship. Meanwhile, the Nets will provide a stiff test, having improved 14 wins from last year. If Brook Lopez can bring his top form, then an upset may be on the cards.

(3) Hawks vs. Cavs (6)
The Hawks will continue their push into the NBA’s elite, hoping to avoid another first-round upset after last year. Their opponents from Cleveland will look to provide plenty of fight, led by new acquisitions Chris Paul and Danny Granger. (SEE SEPARATE SERIES PREVIEW ARTICLE).

(2) Heat vs. Sixers (7)
Last year, Miami finished off Philadelphia in the first round. However, the series took six games and perhaps softened the Heat up for Chicago in the quarterfinals, who went on to defeat the “Big Three”. This year, the Sixers will seek to eliminate the Heat themselves, but the odds are squarely in Miami’s favor.


STANDINGS

EAST
Celtics 57-25
Heat 52-30
Hawks 50-32
Bulls 48-34
CAVS 47-35
Nets 47-35
Sixers 44-38
Raptors 43-39
------------------
Pacers 41-41
Magic 38-44
Bucks 36-46
Knicks 33-49
Bobcats 32-50
Wizards 29-53
Pistons 28-54

WEST
Thunder 56-26
Grizzlies 55-27
Nuggets 51-31
Lakers 46-36
Spurs 46-36
Jazz 45-37
Rockets 45-37
Suns 39-43
-------------------
Kings 37-45
Mavs 36-46
T-Wolves 35-47
Clippers 33-49
Blazers 32-50
Warriors 26-56
Hornets 23-59

AWARDS
MVP: LeBron James (SF—Miami Heat—age 28) 27.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.4 APG
ROY: Chester Horsley (SG—Toronto Raptors—age 21) 20.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.3 APG
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (C—Orlando Magic—age 27) 14.1 RPG, 2.3 BPG
Coach of the Year: Scott Brooks (Memphis Grizzlies) 55-27

All-NBA 1st Team
Derrick Rose (PG—Chicago Bulls—age 24) 28.7 PPG, 8.1 APG
Kobe Bryant (SG—Los Angeles Lakers—age 34) 30.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.6 APG
LeBron James (SF—Miami Heat—age 28) 27.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.4 APG
Kevin Durant (SF—Oklahoma City Thunder—age 24) 29.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG
Dwight Howard (C—Orlando Magic—age27) 21.7 PPG, 14.1 RPG

All-NBA 2nd Team
Rajon Rondo (PG—Boston Celtics—age 27)
Tyreke Evans (SG—Sacramento Kings—age 23)
Rudy Gay (SF—Memphis Grizzlies—age 26)
Amar’e Stoudemire (PF—New York Knicks—age 30)
Brook Lopez (C—New York Nets—age 25)

All-NBA 3rd Team
Deron Williams (PG—Utah Jazz—age 28)
Russell Westbrook (PG—Oklahoma City Thunder—age 24)
Carmelo Anthony (SF—Indiana Pacers—age 28)
Danny Granger (SF—Cleveland Cavaliers—age 30)
Al Jefferson (C—Utah Jazz—age 28)

All-Rookie Team
Chester Horsley (SG—Toronto Raptors—age 21
Lonny Haynes (SG—Los Angeles Clippers—age 22
Quinn Buckner (SG—Washington Wizards –age 22)
Darrell King (C—Charlotte Bobcats—age 23)
Clifford Hood (C—Cleveland Cavaliers—age 25)


SEASON LEADERS

POINTS
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 30.5 PPG
Kevin Durant (OKC) 29.3
Derrick Rose (CHI) 28.7
LeBron James (MIA) 27.6
Amar’e Stoudemire (NY) 26.4

REBOUNDS
Dwight Howard (ORL) 14.1 RPG
Joakim Noah (DET) 12.5
Al Jefferson (UTA) 11.5
Brook Lopez (NYN) 11.1
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 11.0

ASSISTS
Rajon Rondo (BOS) 10.0 APG
Chris Paul (CLE) 9.0
Deron Williams (UTA) 8.7
Darren Collison (IND) 8.4
Derrick Rose (CHI) 8.1

[Grandmama Johnson]

CAVS THIRD TRIMESTER REPORT


RISING UP: Thanks to high-flying Cameron Stribling and improved team chemistry, the Cavs are back in the postseason

RECORD: 47-35 (6th in East)

TEAM HEADLINES

CLEVELAND BACK IN PLAYOFFS
Cavs return to the postseason after missing the playoffs last two years
47-35 record good enough for sixth seed, 12-win improvement over last year’s record
Cleveland will face off against Atlanta in the first round

CAVS REEL OFF 12-2 RUN
Mid-February to Mid-March surge solidifies team’s playoff position

NOTABLE GAMES

(2/27) 2OT Loss to NJ Halts Streak
Cavs’ four-game winning streak snapped, 131-130
Stribling plays most minutes in a game this NBA season (50)
T. Williams (NJ) 25 pts, 6 reb
Stribling (CLE) 31 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast
Paul (CLE) 23 pts, 8 reb, 13 ast

(3/27) Cavs Thrash Hawks, Make Statement
41-pt blowout of highly-ranked Hawks (130-89) puts league on notice
Granger (CLE) 37 pts, 4 reb
Paul (CLE) 19 pts, 16 ast

(3/30) Invading LeBron’s Castle
Cavs pick up win at Miami, 106-103
Paul (CLE) 16 pts, 6 reb, 14 ast
James (MIA) 33 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast

(4/6) Cavs Clinch Playoffs
110-86 win over NY sends Cleveland to first postseason since 2010
Stoudemire (NY) 21 pts, 14 reb
Granger (CLE) 36 pts
Paul (CLE) 21 pts, 13 ast
Jamison (CLE) 16 pts, 10 reb

(4/9) Chicago Wins Decisive Game to Capture Division
Bulls defeat Cavs, 96-93, in third-to-last game of regular season
Cavs’ fourth loss of last five games
Chicago goes on to win division by one game
Rose (CHI) 33 pts, 6 ast
Paul (CLE) 21 pts, 7 reb, 9 ast

TOP PERFORMERS
Danny Granger (SF) 25.0 PPG (7th in NBA) , 4.2 RPG
Cameron Stribling (SG) 18.0 PPG
Chris Paul (PG) 17.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 9.0 APG (2nd in NBA)
Antawn Jamison (PF) 12.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG
Ramon Sessions (6th Man) 10.9 PPG, 4.4 APG
Clifford Hood (C) 4.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG (2nd among rookies)

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 PLAYOFFS
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
FIRST ROUND PREVIEW

(ATLANTA)—After two years outside the postseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers make their return to the playoffs tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. It’s been a long road of rebuilding since LeBron James’ departure, but the sixth-seed Cavs have reloaded behind Chris Paul, Danny Granger, and Cameron Stribling, who lead the franchise into their first round series.

The Cavs will be matched up against the third-seed Atlanta Hawks (50-32), led by All-Stars Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. According to Cleveland head coach Byron Scott, Atlanta will pose the Cavs a unique set of challenges.

“It’s going to be a battle of who best neutralizes the other team’s stars,” Scott said. “We’re going to need Cameron [Stribling] to step up and match Joe Johnson and for Antawn [Jamsion] to hang with Josh Smith. They [Atlanta] are going to have to find a way to contain Chris [Paul] and Danny [Granger].

The matchup will mark Cleveland’s first playoff game since 2010, when the Cavs were eliminated in the quarterfinals. The series loss ended LeBron’s tenure with team, which has since rebuilt from 30 and 35-win seasons. Entering tonight’s Game 1 with a 47-35 regular season record, the Cavs will be plenty formidable and perhaps worthy of an upset.

“We’re coming into this series as equals,” Scott said. “We’ve showed we can hang with these guys in the regular season. We’ll show it out there again when we tip-off.”

Games 1 and 2 will take place in Atlanta before the series shifts to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4. Officials are expecting a sell-out crowd at Quicken Loans Arena for Games 3 and 4, ready to spur the Cavs on to the next round.


Projected Lineups

ATLANTA
PG Jeff Teague
SG Joe Johnson
SF Corey Maggette
PF Josh Smith
C Al Horford

CLEVELAND
PG Chris Paul
SG Cameron Stribling
SF Danny Granger
PF Antawn Jamison
C Clifford Hood

[Houndy]

Play the games

[puttincomputers]

TTHHUUUUUNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nutellar]

Good luck, maybe your chances are few but i hope you win the first round.

Nice to see the Raptors on seed 8- who knows what the can achieve in the next years with their two ROYs.

Indiana with the Bubble position- for sure not what Melo is looking for

[karlsanada10]

Good to see my Rockets on the playoffs.

[Grandmama Johnson]

Hey guys, crazy weekend. Will have the series results up soon for the first round.

I also wanted to let you all know that there was a name change in the league this season. As you know, this is 2012/2013 in the story and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn is scheduled to open in summer 2012. Therefore, the New Jersey Nets moved before the start of this season and changed their name to:

New York Nets

Not a huge change, but since we are already in the playoffs and forgot to mention it, I thought now was a good time to do so. The change was made because (1) the move is a foregone conclusion, (2) many insiders believe the team will use "New York" instead of "Brooklyn", because it will open the team to a larger fan base, and (3) the team was originally known as the "New York Nets", so the change is a classy acknowledgment of the franchise's roots.

[Houndy]

Did you change it? Or did the CPU do it?

[Grandmama Johnson]

Did you change it? Or did the CPU do it?

I changed it for purposes of the story, only because it is 100% guaranteed to happen. That's the only reason why there would ever be a relocation/name change in the story. In contrast, the Kings will stay in Sacramento. This is because their move is not 100% guaranteed and the city may still step in to fund their arena.

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 PLAYOFFS
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
FIRST ROUND

Game 1 @ ATL: Hawks 115-94 Cavs
Hawks Roll in Series Opener
Maggette (ATL): 24 pts, 6 reb
Horford (ATL): 20 pts, 19 reb
Granger (CLE): 25 pts, 7 reb

Game 2 @ ATL: Cavs 100-99 Hawks
Cavs Steal Homecourt Advantage
Johnson (ATL) 28 pts, 8 ast
Stribling (CLE) 20 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast

Game 3 @ CLE: Hawks 103-99 Cavs (OT)
Atlanta Storms Back, Wins in OT
Hawks down 8 heading in final quarter
Smith (ATL) 12 pts, 14 reb, 10 ast (triple-double)
Paul (CLE) 20 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast

Game 4 @ CLE: Hawks 103-91 Cavs
Hawks Take Two at the Q
Johnson (ATL) 32 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast
Horford (ATL) 10 pts, 21 reb

Game 5 @ ATL: Hawks 115-90 Cavs
Atlanta advances in 25-point Romp
Johnson (ATL) 33 pts, 5 ast
Maggette (ATL) 27 pts, 5 reb
Paul (CLE) 25 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast


ATLANTA WINS SERIES, 4-1

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 NBA PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND RECAP

WEST
(1) Thunder defeat (8) Suns in 4 games
(5) Spurs defeat (4) Lakers in 4 games
(3) Nuggets defeat (6) Jazz in 4 games
(2) Grizzlies defeat (7) Rockets in 5 games

EAST
(1) Celtics defeat (8) Raptors in 7 games
(5) Nets defeat (4) Bulls in 6 games
(3) Hawks defeat (6) Cavs in 5 games
(2) Heat defeat (7) Sixers in 4 games

Analysis:

A tale of two conferences here. In the West, the crème has incontrovertibly risen to the top. Three sweeps (OKC, SA, DEN) with the other series only lasting 5 games (MEM-HOU). The Spurs finally get revenge on the Lakers for eliminating them the past two years. Their prize? A date with Durant and the Thunder.

In the Eastern Conference, there were similarly few surprises. The New York Nets gave their new town something to cheer about, upsetting the Bulls and eliminating the reigning Eastern Conference champions. The youthful Raptors also gave the Celtics all they could handle. Toronto pushed Boston to 7 games, only to come up short in the decisive game.


QUARTERFINALS

WEST
(1) Thunder vs. (5) Spurs
(2) Grizzlies vs. (3) Nuggets

EAST
(1) Boston vs. (5) Nets
(2) Heat vs. (3) Hawks

[Grandmama Johnson]

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
2012/13 SEASON REVIEW

BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS
Star-Studded Cavs Return to Postseason, Lose in First Round


Sophomore Cameron Stribling (left) continued to emerge as an impact player, but not enough to overcome Atlanta (right)

2012/13 was one of the most eventful years in franchise history for the Cleveland Cavaliers, marked by big signings and a return to the NBA Playoffs. The Cavs offseason acquisition of Chris Paul and Danny Granger grabbed headlines and led to a 12-win improvement, culminating in the team’s first playoff appearance since 2010. However, the journey would eventually end in the first round, as the Atlanta Hawks swept the Cavs aside in 5 games.

“We need to get better.” head coach Byron Scott bluntly told media in Atlanta. “We have a great collection of talent here and a lot to be proud about this season, but we need to improve even more if we are going to challenge the league’s elite teams.”

Indeed, the Cavs have plenty to be proud about for the 2012/13 campaign. The team posted a 47-35 record this year, reversing the 35-47 mark from 2012. The 12-win improvement was good enough to lock up the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Cavs’ 17-9 finish to the regular season showed a team beginning to play to its high potential.

However, Cleveland would run into a determined Hawks squad in the First Round, who eliminated the Cavs in five games. While Cleveland won Game 2 in Atlanta and took a 1-1 series back home, the Hawks broke Cleveland’s spirit with an overtime, comeback victory in Game 3. The Hawks clinched the series in Atlanta, suddenly making a talented Cavs squad look very ordinary.

As the 2013/14 series looms, the Cavs will look to build on their playoff appearance and push further into the postseason. The team is still in a favorable salary cap position and adding another potential impact player, perhaps the missing piece to title contention, is not out of the question.

“We’re in a great position,” said general manager Chris Grant, who has overseen 5 and 12-game improvements over the past two years. “We fully expect to be better next year and to bring back the core of our team.”

[karlsanada10]

WHAAAAT!? What's Hawks' Roster?

[hova-]

Oh cmon, tough to see you loosing in the first round. But you have a high potential squad you can build on.

[kibaxx7]

Tough loss man, hopefully you can build a little more in the offseason. How did the Hawks acquire Maggs?

[Nutellar]

It seems the Hawks were just to strong for you. Maybe you can do better next season.

Surprising the Spurs swept the Lakers, i think the Lakers kicked the Spurs last time?

Raptors almost beat the Celtics , battle of generations?

[Grandmama Johnson]

WHAAAAT!? What's Hawks' Roster?

They got a pretty good group. Maggette, Horford, Smith, Joe Johson, and Jeff Teague are the starters. Jamal Crawford, Jordan Crawford, Zaza, and Tayshaun Prince off the bench. A very deep roster that's hard to match!

Oh cmon, tough to see you loosing in the first round. But you have a high potential squad you can build on.

Thanks, Hova. The loss was tough, but I really think our potential title window starts next year. Should be exciting!

Tough loss man, hopefully you can build a little more in the offseason. How did the Hawks acquire Maggs?

They aquired Maggs through a mid-level trade in 10/11, if I remember correctly. Didn't seem like a big move at the time, but it's been paying dividends now.

It seems the Hawks were just to strong for you. Maybe you can do better next season.

Surprising the Spurs swept the Lakers, i think the Lakers kicked the Spurs last time?

Raptors almost beat the Celtics , battle of generations?

You're right--the Lakers had knocked off the Spurs in the previous two playoffs. This was some good revenge for Thierry and San Antonio
Raptors series was great too. We definitely haven't seen the last of them.

[kibaxx7]

OMG I JUST SAW THE SPURS SWEEP!!!111!1!!

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 NBA PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINALS RECAP

WEST
(1) Thunder defeat (5) Spurs in 6 games
(2) Grizzlies defeat (3) Nuggets in 6 games

EAST
(1) Celtics defeat (5) Nets in 7 games
(3) Hawks defeat (2) Heat in 7 games

[Grandmama Johnson]

2013 NBA PLAYOFFS
CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (2) Memphis Grizzlies


The Thunder and Grizzlies will vie for a spot in the NBA Finals, signaling a clear changing of the guard out West. Traditional powers like the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavs have given way to the youth of Oklahoma City and Memphis, who intensely battled for the West’s regular season crown and now meet in the conference finals.

The Thunder (56-26) are defending NBA champs and looking like good bets to repeat. Their first-round sweep of the Suns and 4-2 dispatching of San Antonio demonstrated the confidence of champions. Meanwhile, both of OKC’s stars are in fine form, as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both averaging over 26 points per game in the playoffs.

The Grizzlies (55-27) will be looking to knock off the champs, having gone from the lottery to the final four in only one season. Rudy Gay (22.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG) has driven his team into uncharted territory, sending the Grizzlies to their first ever conference final after several unsuccessful seasons. O.J. Mayo (22.5 PPG) has also matured into a star over the past two years, creating a dangerous tandem with Gay. If Memphis can knock off their favored opponent, the Grizzlies will continue their unprecedented postseason run into their first NBA Finals.


EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Atlanta Hawks


It’s an enticing battle in the East, as Atlanta and Boston meet for a spot in the Finals. Both squads have already overcome adversity this postseason, looking to take one last step into the league’s championship series.

After a shocking first-round exit in 2012, Atlanta (50-32) has rebounded with an impressive path to the 2013 conference final. The Hawks first eliminated the star-studded Cavs in 5 games before upsetting the favored Miami Heat in a dramatic quarterfinal series. Behind Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Atlanta stormed into Miami and defeated the Heat, 94-92, in Game 7.

In order to win their first conference title in 52 years, the Hawks will need more of that resiliency to knock off the Celtics. Boston (57-25) is making its fourth consecutive trip to the Eastern final, but many analysts didn’t even expect the one-seed to be there at the start of the season. Kevin Garnett’s retirement put question marks over the team’s ability to remain contenders, but the offseason addition of Andray Blatche has proven invaluable to rejuvenating the lineup. With Ray Allen announcing that this will be his final NBA season, the pressure will be on to return this storied franchise back to the Finals.

[Houndy]

Let's go Thunda!