Lamrock's Blazers - Retired

[Valor]

Is that Bulls win in five or Pacers win in five? Good coverage though, JOAKIM NOAH DPOY!!!!!

[LegoLand]

Wow, Pacers defeat Bulls 4-1 what happened to Bulls? but still Miami go go go

[hova-]

Wow, Mavs sneak into Playoffs and make it past SAS? Nice. Tough for your Blazers. At least a lottery pick.

[Martti.]

OKC and SAS sent fishing by Dallas and LA? Bucks pushed Heat to 7 games? Damn, that's some crazy results.

[Lamrock]

2013 NBA Conference Semifinals - Headlines



Memphis 4-2 Dallas
Golden State 2-4 LA Lakers

Miami 4-1 Boston
New York 0-4 Indiana

Grizzlies Easily Defeat Mavericks
Though Dirk's game 5 heroics pushed it to six, there was little doubt who the better team was.

Kobe Carries Lakers To Conference Finals
Kobe's Lakers continue their unlikely playoff run as the #7 seed by eliminating the Warriors in six games.

Heat Make Quick Work Of Celtics
Miami had no problem eliminating the Boston Celtics for the third straight year.

Pacers Sweep Knicks
The latest chapter in the Knicks/Pacers rivalry sees the (slight) underdog Pacers eliminate New York in embarrassing fashion.



LeBron James Wins Fourth MVP In Five Seasons
26.7 Points Per Game
8.3 Rebounds Per Game
7.3 Assists Per Game
.555% Field Goal Percentage

Erik Spoelstra wins Coach of the Year Award
Miami Heat: 63-19, best record in NBA

All-NBA First Team
Chris Paul (LAC)
Kobe Bryant (LAL)
LeBron James (MIA)
Kevin Durant (OKC)
Tim Duncan (SA)

All-NBA Second Team
Russell Westbrook (OKC)
James Harden (HOU)
Carmelo Anthony (NY)
Blake Griffin (LAC)
Joakim Noah (CHI)

All-NBA Third Team
Kyrie Irving (CLE)
Stephen Curry (GS)
Paul George (IND)
David Lee (GS)
Brook Lopez (BKN)

All-Defensive First Team
Andre Iguodala (DEN)
Tony Allen (MEM)
Josh Smith (ATL)
Anthony Davis (NO)
Joakim Noah (CHI)

All-Defensive Second Team
Chris Paul (LAC)
Dwyane Wade (MIA)
LeBron James (MIA)
Serge Ibaka (OKC)
Larry Sanders (MIL)

All-Rookie First Team
Damian Lillard (POR)
Dion Waiters (CLE)
Bradley Beal (WAS)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA)
Anthony Davis (NO)

All-Rookie Second Team
Alexey Shved (MIN)
Thomas Robinson (HOU)
Jared Sullinger (BOS)
Tyler Zeller (CLE)
Andre Drummond (DET)

[Valor]

Pacers swept the Knicks?!?

[Lamrock]

2013 NBA Conference Finals - Headlines



Memphis 2-4 LA Lakers

Miami 4-0 Indiana

Lakers Defeat Depleted Grizzlies, Off To Finals
The loss of Zach Randolph finally caught up to the Grizzlies, who simply didn't have the firepower to compete against the Lakers
LeBron. Heat Sweep Pacers
After sweeping the Knicks, Indiana quickly had the wind taken out of their sails by the Heat.
Metta World Peace Tears Hamstring, Will Miss Finals
Lakers forward Metta World Peace tore his hamstring in game 5 against Memphis and will not play in the NBA Finals against the Heat.

Orlando Magic Win Draft Lottery
Top 3 Goes As Expected: 1. Orlando 2. Charlotte 3. Washington

The 2013 draft lottery was won by the NBA's worst team: the Orlando Magic. Appropriately, the second pick went to the second worst: Charlotte, and the third to the third worst: Washington. Marcus Smart, Ben McLemore and Nerlens Noel look like the most likely top picks but Trey Burke, Martti Must and CJ McCollum have been shooting up the draft boards. The lottery order is as follows:

1. Orlando
2. Charlotte
3. Washington
4. Phoenix
5. Detroit
6. Sacramento
7. New Orleans
8. Philadelphia
9. Cleveland
10. Oklahoma City (via Toronto)
11. Minnesota
12. Portland
13. Utah
14. Houston

[Martti.]

I hope the Heat sweep the Finals.

[Valor]

I hope the Lakers sweep the Finals.

Corrected, you are welcome

[Lamrock]

2013 Draft Prospects - Part 4

X Watson (Portland State)
SG/SF - 6'3", 225 lbs | Age 21 | DRAFT STOCK: Late First Round
At little-known Portland State University, X Watson was like a stocky, white, 6'3" LeBron James, dominating in all facets of the game to lead the team in scoring, assists and rebounding. The Aussie native may have questionable upside and athleticism and boasts tremendous basketball IQ and is surprisingly quick. He'll be a steal for a team that can find a place for him.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: poor man's Brandon Roy
WORST CASE: Charlie Bell

Axel Gomez (Houston)
PG/SG - 6'3", 190 lbs | Age 19 | Proj. Mid-First Round
Axel Gomez isn't the most NBA ready point guard prospect but he has the potential to be one of the best. Gomez has all the tools to be a very good point guard but currently struggles with consistency.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Jrue Holiday
WORST CASE: Jonny Flynn

Mason Plumlee (Duke)
PF/C - 6'11", 245 lbs | Age 23 | DRAFT STOCK: Mid Lottery
Duke's Mason Plumlee is a very polished big man, having played four seasons at Duke. While he doesn't have superstar potential, Plumlee should be an effective player right out of the gate with his size and efficient scoring.
Best Case Scenario: Greg Monroe
Worst Case: Shelden Williams

Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA)
SG/SF - 6'6", 225 lbs | Age 20 | DRAFT STOCK: Top 5
Swingman Shabazz Muhammad was once the top prospect in this draft class but a lukewarm season at UCLA has led to him drawing comparisons to the likes of DeMar DeRozan. Nonetheless, Muhammad has potential to be an all-star shooting guard.
Best Case Scenario: Vince Carter
Worst Case: DeShawn Stevenson

Trey Burke (Michigan)
PG - 6'0", 180 lbs | Age 20 | DRAFT STOCK: Mid Lottery
Michigan's Trey Burke had a fantastic tournament and is a top point guard in this draft. While undersized, Burke put up great stats for the best offense in college basketball and should
Best Case Scenario: Ty Lawson
Worst Case: Norris Cole

[mp3]

BEST CASE SCENARIO: poor man's Brandon Roy
WORST CASE: Charlie Bell

So in other words ...

BEST CASE SCENARIO: poor man's Brandon Roy
WORST CASE: Brandon Roy 2013

[Fresh8]

My arch-nemesis in this story can be Trey Burke.

[Axel The Great]

Not sure if I'd want my ceiling to be Jrue Holiday, but that wouldn't be too shabby.

[Lamrock]

THE MIAMI HEAT ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS AGAIN!!!



2012-13 NBA Champions:
Miami Heat
Coach: Erik Spoelstra
Regular Season: 63-19
Playoffs: 16-5

LeBron James Wins Finals MVP
29.6 PPG, 8 RPG, 7.1 SPG, .55% FG

Retiring Players



Jason Kidd (Knicks) | Age 40 - HOF
Grant Hill (Clippers) | Age 40
Jerry Stackhouse (Nets) | Age 38
Marcus Camby (Knicks) | Age 39
Derek Fisher (Thunder) | Age 38
Kurt Thomas (Knicks) | Age 40
Mike James (DAL) | Age 37
Earl Watson (Jazz) | Age 34

[Durant35]

Disappointed that my Thunder got ousted in the first round. Any plans for the draft?

[Valor]

Heat won again!?

[The X]

Seems about right with Heat winning

[Fresh8]

Seems about right with Heat winning

I can't complain as Lakers made the finals.

[Martti.]

At least 2K got the champs right.

[mp3]

At least 2K got the champs right.

I thought you were a Bucks fan !?!

[Lamrock]

2013 Off-Season Part 1

Blazers Keep Terry Stotts As Coach, Trainer Jay Jensen Fired



After a better-than-expected 39-43 season for the Portland Trail Blazers, Terry Stotts signed a two-year extension with the team to remain as head coach. Additionally, new prospect scouts Bryce Hill and Kenneth Gilbert were signed to three year deals. The biggest movement though was the firing of longtime trainer Jay Jensen. Jensen has been criticized in the past for his handling of Brandon Roy and Greg Oden's injuries. He was replaced by Robert Gale, who was signed to a three year deal.

Coaching Carousel

Bobcats fire Mike Dunlap
Bobcats head head coach Ken Anderson

Jazz fire Tyrone Corbin
Jazz hire head coach Irvin Hope

Mike Woodson retires
Knicks hire head coach Anderson Kerr

Magic fire Jacque Vaughn
Magic hire head coach Courtney Woodson

George Karl retires
Nuggets hire head coach Samuel Wilks

Free Agency News

C Marcin Gortat to become free agent
G/F Carlos Delfino to become free agent
G Mario Chalmers to become free agent
G/F Andre Iguodala picks up option with Nuggets for 2013-14 season

Sasha Pavlovic released.
Blazers extend qualifying offers to PG Eric Maynor (1 yr, $3.36M) and SF Luke Babbitt (1 yr, $2.66M)
Qualifying offers not extended to SG Elliot Williams and G Nolan Smith

Blazers to offer C/PF J.J. Hickson to 4 yr, $35M extension (fourth year player option)
Blazers to offer PG Eric Maynor 2 yr, $5M extension

Nerlens Noel Falling In Latest Draft Boards

1. PG Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State)
2. SG Ben McLemore (Kansas)
3. SF Martti Must (Duke)
4. C Nerlens Noel (Kentucky)
5. PF Mason Plumlee (Duke)
6. SF Glenn Robinson (Michigan)
7. PG Trey Burke (Michigan)
8. SG Shabazz Muhammed (UCLA)
9. PF Julian Martin (UCLA)
10. SF Victor Oladipo (Indiana)
11. C Cody Zeller (Indiana)
12. PG CJ McCollum (LeHigh)
13. SG Fresh Smith (North Carolina)
14. SF Otto Porter (Georgetown)
15. PF Anthony Bennett (UNLV)
16. SF Alex Poythress (Kentucky)
17. SG Leo Lai (New Zealand)
18. SF JR Young (Duke)
19. C Isaiah Austin (Baylor)
20. PG Axel Gomez (Houston)
21. C Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga)
22. SG X Watson (Portland State)
23. PG Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse)
24. SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Georgia)
25. PF Rudy Gobert (France)
26. SF Chris Hova (Germany)
27. SG Archie Goodwin (Kentucky)
28. PG Da'Vonte Hughes (Georgia)
29. PF James McAdoo (North Carolina)
30. SF Ryan Alexander (Syracuse)

[Fresh8]

Mock Drafts are rigged. I should be top 5.

[Lamrock]

2013 Off-Season Part 2

Depth Chart:

Lillard / Maynor
Matthews / Barton
Batum / Babbitt / Claver / Pavlovic
Aldridge / Jeffries / Freeland
Hickson / Leonard

10/12 Players
RED - denotes free agent

Pre-Draft Workouts

Blazers' Picks:
#12, #49, #55

With three picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Blazers managed to bring in 20 prospects for pre-draft workouts. In a draft light on stars but very deep, Portland could add some solid players with their modest picks. Victor Oladipo, Alex Poythress and C.J. McCollum were standouts, but there was plenty of intriguing talent on display.



Pre-Draft Workout #1:
G C.J. McCollum (LeHigh) vs. G Nolan Smith (Blazers free agent)
Smith led early on as McCollum struggled to get his bearings, but three consecutive long range bombs gave him an 11-7 victory in an impressive workout.

Pre-Draft Workout #2:
Shootaround with G Fresh Smith (North Carolina)
Smith showed flashes of potential but he missed a lot of shots, got tired quickly and is probably a year or two away from being an effective NBA player.

Pre-Draft Workout #3:
SF Martti Must (Duke) and C Alex Len (Maryland)
vs.
C Victor Claver (Blazers) and C Meyers Leonard (Blazers)
Must and Len got off to a rough start but rallied to tie it at 6. Things fell apart for them however when Must couldn't get open looks or find them for Len. Claver scored 8 for his side.

Pre-Draft Workout #4:
Shootaround with SG Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA)
Shabazz Muhammed only made a couple jump shots, but he dazzled the Blazers scouts with an array of dunks. While his closest comparison was DeMar DeRozan, he'd definitely get a look if he slides to #12.

Pre-Draft Workout #5:
C/PF Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga) and SG Allen Crabbe (California)
vs.
PF/C Joel Freeland (Blazers) and SG Will Barton (Blazers)
Kelly Olynyk had a fantastic workout for the Blazers, showing solid post moves and adequate rebounding. Unfortunately, Allen Crabbe was terrible and they lost 11-8. Still, while Olynyk may be a reach at #12, Portland seems enamored with the big man.

Pre-Draft Workout #6:
SF Alex Poythress (Kentucky) vs SF Victor Claver (Blazers)
Poythress blew the Blazers scouts away in his 12-10 win over Victor Claver. While his defense was suspect, he looked like Carmelo Anthony with his ability to score from everywhere on the court.

Pre-Draft Workout #7:
PG Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse)
SG Victor Oladipo (Indiana)
SF JR Young (Duke)
PF Mason Plumlee (Duke)
C Jeff Withey (Kansas)
vs.
PG Da'Vonte Hughes (Georgia)
SG Leo Lai (New Zealand)
SF Glenn Robinson III (Michigan)
PF Rudy Gobert (France)
C Isaiah Austin (Baylor)

Victor Oladipo shined early but his team ultimately fell short 16-14 in a tight game. Leo Lai and JR Young played well, but point guards Da'Vonte Hughes and Michael Carter Williams weren't too impressive. Ultimately forwards Rudy Gobert and draft riser Glenn Robinson III led their side to a hard fought victory.

----------

NLSC Mock Draft Challenge

Post a mock draft! Predict how the first 14 picks will go down. Picking a player going to the correct team is worth 3 points, and 1 point is given if the player at least is taken in the lottery. Below is the draft order and the top 30 draft prospects.

DRAFT ORDER
1. Orlando
2. Charlotte
3. Washington
4. Phoenix
5. Detroit
6. Sacramento
7. New Orleans
8. Philadelphia
9. Cleveland
10. Oklahoma City
11. Minnesota
12. Portland
13. Utah
14. Houston

TOP 30 PROSPECTS

1. PG Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State)
2. SG Ben McLemore (Kansas)
3. SF Martti Must (Duke)
4. C Nerlens Noel (Kentucky)
5. PF Mason Plumlee (Duke)
6. SF Glenn Robinson (Michigan)
7. PG Trey Burke (Michigan)
8. SG Shabazz Muhammed (UCLA)
9. PF Julian Martin (UCLA)
10. SF Victor Oladipo (Indiana)
11. C Cody Zeller (Indiana)
12. PG CJ McCollum (LeHigh)
13. SG Fresh Smith (North Carolina)
14. SF Otto Porter (Georgetown)
15. PF Anthony Bennett (UNLV)
16. SF Alex Poythress (Kentucky)
17. SG Leo Lai (New Zealand)
18. SF JR Young (Duke)
19. C Isaiah Austin (Baylor)
20. PG Axel Gomez (Houston)
21. C Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga)
22. SG X Watson (Portland State)
23. PG Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse)
24. SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Georgia)
25. PF Rudy Gobert (France)
26. SF Chris Hova (Germany)
27. SG Archie Goodwin (Kentucky)
28. PG Da'Vonte Hughes (Georgia)
29. PF James McAdoo (North Carolina)
30. SF Ryan Alexander (Syracuse)

[Solaris Phase Two]

DRAFT ORDER
1. Orlando- Marcus Smart
2. Charlotte- Martii Must
3. Washington-Nerlens Noel
4. Phoenix- Ben Mclemore
5. Detroit- Shabazz Muhammed
6. Sacramento- Glenn Robinson III
7. New Orleans- Cody Zeller
8. Philadelphia- Victor Oladipo
9. Cleveland- Anthony Bennet
10. Oklahoma City- Trey Burke
11. Minnesota- Otto Porter
12. Portland- Alex Polythress
13. Utah- Mason Plumlee
14. Houston- Isaiah Austin

[Fresh8]

1. Orlando - Smart
2. Charlotte - McLemore
3. Washington - Noel
4. Phoenix - Plumlee
5. Detroit - Must
6. Sacramento - Robinson III
7. New Orleans - Burke
8. Philadelphia - Martin
9. Cleveland - Muhammed
10. Oklahoma City - Zeller
11. Minnesota - Oladipo
12. Portland - McCallum
13. Utah - Fresh Smith
14. Houston - Bennett