Lamrock's Blazers - Retired

NBA Rookie Rankings



March 1, 2014 - With just six weeks remaining in the NBA season, the rookie of the year race is controlled by Bobcats guard Marcus Smart. While the Bobcats are headed for their fourth consecutive trip to the lottery, he has put up borderline all-star numbers and looks to be a future star in this league. Cody Zeller, Jeff Withey and J.R. Young are the only other rookies to be holding down starting spots, and have both been instant impact players for their respective teams. Victor Oladipo and Trevor Mbakwe have been major difference makers for their squads as well.

1. Marcus Smart (CHA) | 15.0 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.9 RPG
The clear rookie of the year favorite - Smart and Kemba Walker form a formidable backcourt duo - on offense at least. Nonetheless, between him, Noel and a top 5 pick in this draft, there's plenty to look forward to in Charlotte.
2. Cody Zeller (MIN) | 13.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG
Zeller has stepped in and replaced Nikola Pekovic for the most part. The team remains awful, but Zeller is a double-double threat and should be a very solid starting Center for years to come.
3. J.R. Young (ATL) | 13.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG
As Kyle Korver's replacement, Young has exceeded expectations to become the team's long-term starter at the 3. Young leads all rookies in 3-point accuracy (.477%) and has shown a surprisingly well-rounded game.
4. Nerlens Noel (CHA) | 8.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Noel comes off the bench behind Marcin Gortat but ends up getting considerable burn at both the 4 and 5 positions. Noel's minutes continue to increase as his dominance on the defensive end is hard to overlook.
5. Victor Oladipo (OKC) | 7.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG
With a dunk contest win under his belt and a solid rookie season despite limited minutes, Oladipo is clearly the best asset attained from the James Harden trade. However, coach Scott Brooks still starts the veteran Kevin Martin.
6. Michael Carter-Williams (UTA) | 6.7 PPG, 4.9 APG
Carter-Williams has yet to wrestle the starting spot from Mo Williams, but has shown real promise as the team's sixth man. His shooting (.370%) has to be a concern though.
7. Trevor Mbakwe (MIA) | 6.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG
With Bosh missing time and Joel Anthony being Joel Anthony, Mbakwe has had a surprisingly large role for the Heat, despite being taken late in the second round. While his minutes have tapered off, he is a perfect fit on the Heat.
8. Glenn Robinson III (SAC) | 8.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG
Robinson is a solid reserve for the Kings with a good shot to ultimately lock down the starting small forward spot for years to come.
9. Jeff Withey (PHX) | 4.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG
With Gortat going to the Bobcats, Withey has become the Suns' starting center by default. He provides rebounding and size, but little more.
10. Alex Poythress (POR) | 7.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG
Poythress got off to a fast start, but a lingering sore knee and the acquisition of Vince Carter has seen his minutes and numbers go down.

Outside looking in: Martti Must (ORL); X Watson (BKN); Ben McLemore (WAS); Shabazz Muhammad (PHX); Julian Martin (BOS)

Looks like I'm a bust, not even top 10 among rookies. Still better then Kwame though.

You're an efficient 3-and-D guy but Tobias Harris starts over you. I'd not only put you above Kwame, but Olowokandi as well!

Can we see the NLSC stats? and yes I'm still lurking here even though I'm not posting.

Good writing, nice rookie rankings. Good to see Smart delivering for the Cats.

Glad to see that I'm in the top 15 projected picks. Can you do me a favour and add a armband to my player? Anyway your team is looking good, surprised that originally Batum was picked over Aldridge for the all-star game but overall your team is looking very solid and I project a really solid playoffs for you especially now with some solid additions with the like of Redd and the other white guy (forgot his name) The major I taught the rl Blazers had was their bench. Same thing during your first year, but looks its now gonna pay off. Good luck.

Blazers Ground Hawks In Fourth
3/1/2014 - Hawks 94 @ Trail Blazers 98

ATL 29 20 23 22 | 94 [24-34] - Horford: 18/10/5; N. Robinson: 22/4/2; J.R. Young: 16/5/4
POR 22 27 18 31 | 98 [37-22] - Lillard: 21/2/10; Hickson: 14/15/0; Aldridge: 16/7/3

Lillard's Steal, Hickson's Dunk Seal Big Road Win In Indiana
3/5/2014 - Trail Blazers 96 @ Pacers 94

POR 19 28 31 18 | 96 [38-22] - V. Carter: 20/5/6; Hickson: 14/14/2; Aldridge: 16/8/2
IND 27 20 21 26 | 94 [33-25] - G. HIll: 23/4/4; Augustin: 22/1/2, 4-7 3pt; P. George: 12/7/3

Bulls Outlast Blazers In Double-OT
3/6/2014 - Trail Blazers 117 @ Bulls 125 [2OT]

POR 30 25 22 30 7 3 | 117 [38-23] - Aldridge: 24/8/4; Lillard: 16/3/11; Carter: 21/5/5
CHI 28 26 18 25 7 11 | 125 [30-31] - D. Rose: 34/3/3; Boozer: 21/14/2; Deng: 18/5/0

Lillard Drops 38 As Blazers Defeat Pistons
3/8/2014 - Trail Blazers 100 @ Pistons 85

Portland made a run in the second quarter to take control of the game and never let go. In a game between the #2 seeds from each conference, Damian Lillard scored 38 points and dished 8 assists as the Pistons suffer a rare loss at home. With the twin towers of Drummond and Monroe combining for just 19 points (25 boards though), Detroit's offense simply couldn't keep up.

Brandon Knight and Kyle Singler had meaningful contributions, but any time the Pistons would make a run, Portland would answer right back. Portland improves to 39-23 with the win, and trail the Thunder by mere decimal points for first place in both the division and conference,

POR 27 28 24 21 | 100 [39-23] - Lillard: 38/3/8; Aldridge: 17/12/2; Maynor: 16/0/2, 7-10 FG
DET 23 18 25 19 | 85 [38-24] - Singler: 19/4/4; Knight: 17/3/7; Monroe: 10/13/1

Blazers' Late Comeback Falls Short In Boston
3/9/2014 - Trail Blazers 92 @ Celtics 95

Down 13 with under three minutes to go, some were leaving for their cars. However, after struggling all night, particularly on the glass against a notoriously poor rebounding team in Boston, the Blazers lost in wire-to-wire fashion as Vince Carter game-winning three point attempt clanked off the rim.

Damian Lillard struggled from the field in the first half as the Celtics led by 10 at the half. Wes Matthews and LaMarcus Aldridge kept Portland in the game but an early run to open the fourth put Boston up by as many as 15. Portland made a late rally in the last three minutes, with Vince Carter notably blocking two shots but he couldn't give them one last shot to force overtime. Boston continues its ascension in the Eastern Conference standings, while Portland loses ground in its race for the top seed.

POR 17 25 22 28 | 92 [39-24] - D. Lillard: 24/6/9, 8-21 FG, 4-12 3pt; Aldridge: 22/8/4; Matthews: 18/7/1
BOS 25 27 21 22 | 95 [34-26] - Rondo: 12/5/8; A. Bradley: 14/6/3; T. Williams: 18/1/3

Blazers Run Over Bucks In Fourth
3/11/2014 - Bucks 89 @ Trail Blazers 99

MIL 26 31 17 14 | 89 [30-36] - Jennings: 15/3/4; Ellis: 16/3/1; Lai: 8/9/0
POR 30 29 18 22 | 99 [40-24] - Hickson: 19/15/0; Lillard: 19/4/8; Carter: 15/4/4

Wolves Upset Blazers For Rare Victory
3/13/2014 - Trail Blazers 87 @ Timberwolves 94

POR 19 23 26 19 | 87 [40-25] - Aldridge: 22/6/3; Hickson: 8/16/1; Lillard: 13/2/6
MIN 34 21 21 18 | 94 [19-46] - Love: 21/14/1; Rubio: 13/5/9; F. Smith: 13/0/1, 8 minutes

Playoff Picture

Western Conference

1 Oklahoma City 40-23
2 Portland 40-25
3 New Orleans 38-28
4 Golden State 35-31
5 San Antonio 38-28
6 Denver 38-29
7 Houston 36-29
8 Utah 35-30
LA Clippers 34-33
Memphis 32-35
LA Lakers 32-35
Sacramento 29-37

Eastern Conference

1 Miami 42-24
2 Detroit 40-25
3 Toronto 37-29
4 Indiana 35-29
5 Philadelphia 35-30
6 Boston 34-29
7 Washington 34-31
8 Orlando 32-32
Chicago 32-34
New York 30-35
Brooklyn 30-35
Milwaukee 31-37

Tough Eastern road trip but at least you got the close win in Indiana and defeated the Hawks. 40-25 is still so overachieving for your squad. It's tough to really say which team would hurt you the most, but I guess Houston would be okay for you in the first round.

I was expecting a low playoff seed (which could still happen I guess) but it's been a fun cinderella run. In hindsight though, the Batum trade was awful - team would be worse with him instead of Hickson only because of team need, but in the end, cap relief and two marginal draft picks were all I got for an all star. Mind you, Felton made it...

March recap coming up next - recaps should speed up now.

Trading decent players is always tough, but an All-Star appearance doesn't say nothing. You look at the real life blockbusters like Pau, Melo and Dwight and you notice that the "betrayed team" that gave away their superstar always profited from the trade. (whilst the team who got the star only profited in Pau's case).

Batum is no superstar, but it's the same here. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward. The 2014 draft pick you acquired ... which one was it?

March 2014 In Review



Boasting a 45-29 record going into the final month of the regular season, playoffs are all but a certainty for the Trail Blazers. However, their seed is far from set in stone. They are just a couple games behind OKC for the division crown and #1 seed, but will need to keep their composure to hold off the Hornets, Spurs and Rockets. Portland can't feel too bad about their chances though with the way they've been playing. Boasting a top 5 offense, the Mavericks felt the full brunt of it, suffering a 35 point first quarter deficit.

Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge continue to dominate while the rest of the team knows their role and bomb away from three. The Blazers are a young bunch, but I doubt many teams are hoping to draw them in the post-season. The eight remaining regular season games will loom large though.

Headlines

Thunder, Heat, Pistons Clinch Playoff Berths
Miami and OKC unsurprisingly are the first teams to lock up playoff berths, but Detroit also solidifies a spot as their Cinderella season continues.
Thunder Top Power Rankings, Blazers 4th
After a slow start, the Thunder have made a run to ascend to first place in the West and clinching a playoff spot
Stephen Curry, Brook Lopez named Players of the Month
Curry and Lopez win player of the month awards for keeping their teams in the playoff hunt with their dominant play.
Marcus Smart, Cody Zeller named Rookies of the Month
Smart Smart and Stellar Zeller continue to be the two best rookies this season, March being no exception.
Warriors Center Andrew Bogut out for season with broken back
Devastating news for Golden State, who are in the running for both the 8 seed and the 4 seed, courtesy of the weak Pacific Division and disappointing Clippers.
Cavaliers Center Anderson Varejao out for season with Broken Jaw
*obligatory season ending injury for Varejao
Hornets point guard Greivis Vasquez out 4-6 weeks with torn hand ligament
Tough break (get it?) as the Venezuelan point guard will miss the first round of the playoffs.
Anthony Randolph out for season with broken arm
Story of Meal Ticket's life.

NBA Standings

Western Conference

x-1 Oklahoma City 46-27
2 Portland 45-29
3 New Orleans 43-31
4 Houston 42-31
5 San Antonio 42-32
6 Denver 41-33
7 Golden State 39-35
8 Utah 38-35
LA Clippers 37-37
Memphis 37-37
LA Lakers 33-41
Sacramento 33-41
o-Phoenix 26-48
o-Dallas 26-48
o-Minnesota 22-52

Eastern Conference

y-1 Miami 47-28
x-2 Detroit 45-27
3 Indiana 41-32
4 Boston 40-32
5 Toronto 41-33
6 Philadelphia 40-33
7 Chicago 37-35
8 Washington 37-36
Brooklyn 35-38
Orlando 34-39
New York 34-40
Milwaukee 34-41
Cleveland 32-42
Atlanta 30-44
o-Charlotte 27-47

Results

Blazers Beat Mavericks By 51 Points
3/16/2014 - Mavericks 84 @ Trail Blazers 135

The Blazers set numerous franchise records by avenging their earlier home loss to the lottery-bound Mavericks in the very best way possible: a 51 point victory. After an incredible first quarter that saw the Blazers outscore the Mavs 49-14, the game was a laugher as eight Blazers scored in double figures.

DAL 14 15 34 21 | 84 [22-43] - Lillard: 26/6/3; Sessions: 18/4/4; Hickson: 17/15/2
POR 49 22 33 31 | 135 [41-25] - Mayo: 22/7/4; Dominique Jones: 12/7/8; Nowitzki: 22/3/1

Blazers Eke Out Third Straight Win, Defeating Boston
3/18/2014 - Celtics 96 @ Trail Blazers 101

After suffering from a heartbreaking loss in Boston, the Blazers have returned to their winning ways with three wins in a row, clinching their first winning season since 2010-11. Aldridge led the way with 21 and 9 in a game that was close until the end, but ultimately went Portland's way. The Blazers now lead the Western Conference again with the win.

BOS 20 28 28 20 | 96 [34-31] - Rondo: 10/5/11; B. Wright: 19/5/1; Bradley: 15/3/1
POR 22 29 23 27 | 101 [42-25] - Aldridge: 21/9/0; Matthews: 16/7/4; Lillard: 16/4/7

Batum Drops 29 On Former Team In Win
3/20/2014 - Trail Blazers 87 @ Hornets 97

POR 18 24 21 24 | 87 [42-26] - Lillard: 26/5/5; Aldridge: 18/8/3; Carter: 15/3/1
NO 25 20 28 24 | 97 [40-28] - Batum: 29/6/4; R. Lopez: 14/6/2, 7-7 FG; A. Davis: 10/11/4

Blazers Bounce Back With Blowout Win In Memphis
3/22/2014 - Trail Blazers 123 @ Grizzlies 96

POR 26 35 30 32 | 123 [43-26] - Carter: 23/5/3; Aldridge: 20/7/5; Lillard: 19/1/8
MEM 27 26 19 24 | 96 [33-36] - Billups: 24/3/2; M. Gasol: 12/12/1; Conley: 11/3/5

Millsap Has Best Game As A Rocket In Win Over Blazers
3/24/2014 - Trail Blazers 93 @ Rockets 107

POR 21 22 27 23 | 93 [43-27] - Lillard: 24/3/6; Hickson: 10/10/2; Poythress: 12/2/2
HOU 22 26 31 28 | 107 [40-30] - Millsap: 30/10/2, 13-17 FG; Harden: 26/6/4; Asik: 9/9/4 blks

Lillard Leads Blazers To Close Win Over Sixers
3/25/2014 - 76ers 91 @ Trail Blazers 95

PHI 26 18 21 26 | 91 [38-32] - A. Bynum: 22/7/0, 9-13 FG; J. Holiday: 11/6/15, 3-14 FG; J. Richardson: 14/6/3
POR 24 28 17 26 | 95 [44-27] - Lillard: 33/2/5; Aldridge: 17/5/5; Hickson: 8/15/1

Suns Continue To Baffle Blazers
3/27/2014 - Suns 98 @ Trail Blazers 84

PHX 31 12 29 26 | 98 [26-46] - Dragic: 19/8/7; Marcus Morris: 25/8/0; Scola: 15/7/3
POR 21 19 27 17 | 84 [44-28] - Aldridge: 22/13/1; Lillard: 18/4/3; Carter: 9/2/3

Blazers Overcome Shooting Woes To Get Crucial Road Win In Utah
3/29/2014 - Trail Blazers 86 @ Jazz 84

POR 12 20 27 27 | 86 [45-28] - Aldridge: 22/8/0; Sessions: 15/1/2; Carter: 10/4/5 stls
UTA 19 27 16 22 | 84 [37-35] - A. JEfferson: 17/10/1; G. Hayward: 22/3/3; D. Favors: 13/10/3 blks

Nets Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With Key Win In Portland
3/30/2014 - Nets 104 @ Trail Blazers 97

BKN 25 26 24 29 | 104 [35-38] - B. Lopez: 23/10/0; G. Wallace: 15/8/3; D. Williams: 13/1/8
POR 31 22 18 26 | 97 [45-29] - D. Lillard: 21/5/4; Aldridge: 17/15/1; Matthews: 12/9/2

Somehow I think you won't get the first seed, but with the season as good as it's been, it won't be surprising.

Toronto is 41-33, whoo.

If you don't mind, can you update me on how they've been doing during your season? (leading scorer, any trades, etc.)

The Raptors have more or less kept the 12-13 team around, but healthy and with a full season of Rudy Gay, they're a mid-seed playoff team. Rudy leads the team in scoring, but Kyle Lowry was an all-star snub with averages of 15/6/7. Bargnani's still on the team and puts up 15 PPG on the same low efficiency.

At this point I don't think you're overachieving anymore, I think you were being underestimated the whole time. The first seed isn't much of a reach, especially if the Thunder go on a minor losing streak and if you string together a few wins. Still, I don't think you'll drop any lower than third if you continue to win at the current rate.

April 2014 In Review



With a 5-3 April, the Blazers finish off a very solid 50 win season, good enough for the 2 seed this year. The first round matchup will be Houston, a team that won only 44 games but split the season series with Portland and had a slew of injuries. Now finally healthy, they pose a formidable threat. Oklahoma City finished with homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, edging Portland for the division title as well. The post-season is just a couple days away, and this year, it looks like anyone could win it.

2014 NBA Playoffs First Round Matchups

1 Oklahoma City Thunder [53-29] vs. 8 Utah Jazz [43-39]
4 Golden State Warriors [44-38] vs. 5 Denver Nuggets [47-35]
3 New Orleans Hornets [49-33] vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs [46-36]
2 Portland Trail Blazers [50-32] vs. 7 Houston Rockets [44-38]

1 Miami Heat [51-31] vs. 8 Washington Wizards [42-40]
4 Toronto Raptors [44-38] vs. 5 Philadelphia 76ers [44-38]
3 Indiana Pacers [47-35] vs. 6 Chicago Bulls [44-38]
2 Detroit Pistons [48-34] vs. 7 Boston Celtics [44-38]

NBA Standings

Western Conference

z-1 Oklahoma City 53-29
x-2 Portland 50-32
y-3 New Orleans 49-33
y-4 Golden State 44-38
x-5 Denver 47-35
x-6 San Antonio 46-36
x-7 Houston 44-38
x-8 Utah 43-39
LA Clippers 42-40
Memphis 39-43
LA Lakers 38-44
Sacramento 35-47
Phoenix 29-53
Dallas 27-55
Minnesota 25-57

Eastern Conference

z-1 Miami 51-31
y-2 Detroit 48-34
x-3 Indiana 47-35
y-4 Toronto 44-38
x-5 Philadelphia 44-38
x-6 Chicago 44-38
x-7 Boston 44-38
x-8 Washington 42-40
Brooklyn 40-42
Orlando 38-44
Milwaukee 38-44
New York 37-45
Atlanta 36-46
Cleveland 35-47
Charlotte 31-51

Results

Blazers Clinch Playoff Spot With OT Win Over Jazz
4/1/2014 - Jazz 102 @ Trail Blazers 107

Portland clinches their first playoff berth in three seasons with an OT win over Utah. The Jazz meanwhile, see their playoff hopes take a hit.

UTA 23 21 28 24 6 | 102 [38-36] - Favors: 24/9/0; Mo Williams: 17/4/8; Hayward: 13/3/6
POR 13 27 29 27 11 | 107 [46-29] - Aldridge: 26/5/0; Hickson: 14/19/0; Lillard: 14/9/5

Nuggets Overcome Lillard's 38 By Dominating The Paint
4/3/2014 - Nuggets 107 @ Trail Blazers 99

Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge were absolutely incredible, but the team's lack of interior D really showed against the Nuggets, who were unstoppable down low.

DEN 35 25 22 25 | 107 [42-33] - McGee: 27/8/2 blks; Faried: 23/9/0; Lawson: 14/3/9
POR 26 26 28 19 | 99 [46-30] - Lillard: 38/3/7; Aldridge: 28/12/2; Hickson: 9/10/1

Blazers Choke Down The Stretch Against Spurs
4/5/2014 - Spurs 100 @ Trail Blazers 97

The veteran Spurs showed why they were still relevant with a big road win in Portland. Portland held a 7 point lead in the fourth at one point, before San Antonio came storming back from outside.

SA 19 32 18 31 | 100 [43-33] - D. Green: 19/2/8, 5-7 3pt; T. Parker: 24/3/5, 9-31 FG; Duncan: 12/8/2
POR 20 30 21 26 | 97 [46-31] - Lillard: 29/5/9; Aldridge: 23/4/4; Sessions: 10/3/7

Blazers Officially Eliminate Lakers From Playoff Picture
4/7/2014 - Trail Blazers 102 @ Lakers 92

The Los Angeles Lakers will not make the playoffs. Kobe and co. played their best, but could not stop the all-star duo of Lillard and Aldridge.

POR 37 17 25 23 | 102 [47-31] - Lillard: 32/4/4; Aldridge: 21/12/3; Carter: 10/9/6
LAL 31 24 15 22 | 92 [34-43] - K. Bryant: 26/4/5; S. Nash: 14/7/6; P. Gasol: 10/10/4 blks

Hickson Saves The Day With Tip-In As Blazers Squeak By Wolves
4/9/2014 - Timberwolves 99 @ Trail Blazers 100

It looked like the Blazers would suffer another loss to the lowly Wolves when Damian Lillard's jumper with 5 seconds clanked off the rim, but Hickson's rebounding instincts got them the score and the win.

MIN 25 11 29 24 | 99 [23-55] - Rubio: 13/5/8; D. Williams: 16/8/0; Ridnour: 14/3/7
POR 20 31 23 26 | 100 [48-31] - Hickson: 19/19/0; Lillard: 13/1/7; Aldridge: 15/8/1

Thunder Clinch #1 Seed With Blowout Win In Portand
Thunder 92 @ Trail Blazers 70

At home with their last hope of winning the division on the line, the Blazers laid an egg, getting blown out by the Thunder, 92-70.

OKC 18 27 23 24 | 92 [51-28] - Westbrook: 35/4/9; Durant: 21/14/2; J. Lamb: 11/1/1
POR 22 17 19 12 | 70 [48-32] - Hickson: 12/8/1; Lillard: 10/7/7; Aldridge: 11/7/2

Blazers Win Rematch In OKC Behind Aldridge's Big Game
4/15/2014 - Trail Blazers 103 @ Thunder 99

In the second game of a home-and-home in which the Thunder won the first, LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers to a narrow victory to get the team's 49th win and bolster their pursuit of homecourt advantage in the first two rounds. Portland had control early on after the Thunder came out lethargic but OKC's offense came alive in the second half thanks to Kevin Martin's hot shooting.

Portland held on to a very narrow lead for the entire third quarter as Aldridge kept them in the game amid Lillard's struggles. Portland committed a plethora of turnovers but stayed in the game thanks to a very favorable rebounding margin. With the game tied and three minutes left, Aldridge outplayed Durant down the stretch, and Lillard padded his stats while finishing off the Thunder at the foul line for a 103-99 victory.

POR 28 28 23 24 | 103 [49-32] - Aldridge: 27/10/3; Lillard; 19/6/8, 6-20 FG; Sessions: 13/3/4
OKC 18 34 24 23 | 99 [52-29] - Westbrook: 23/2/13; Durant: 22/5/3; K. Martin: 23/1/2

Blazers Secure #2 Seed With Exciting Win In Dallas
4/17/2014 - Trail Blazers 89 @ Mavericks 88

In a game that came down to the wire, the Blazers defeated the lottery-bound Mavericks by a single point to earn the second seed in the Western Conference and a first-round date with the Houston Rockets.

Mavericks 2nd worst team in the NBA!? Man, that's so wrong. Good job grabbing the 2nd seed, although I think the Rockets will be tough to beat for you. Harden's tough to stop. Parson's a pain in the ass. Utah would have been way easier. Good luck nevertheless.

Solid finish to the season, nice job getting to 50 wins. Even though it is a 2 & 7 matchup, it's not going to be easy beating my Rockets. Good luck!

NLSC Player Season In Review



J.R. Young (Duke) | SF/SG | Rookie | Atlanta Hawks
2013-14: 14.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 31.8 MPG, 69 games [.440%/.419%/.835%]
J.R. Young has been one of the biggest surprises of the year, taking over the starting small forward spot for the Hawks and being one of the most impressive rookies of the year. Shooting .419% from deep and averaging 14.3 points per game, Young finished third in rookie of the year voting. The Hawks however didn't quite have enough to make the playoffs.

Leo Lai (New Zealand) | SG/SF | Rookie | Milwaukee Bucks
2013-14: 4.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 8.9 MPG, 82 games [.417%/.320%/.720%]
It wasn't quite the rookie season Leo Lai had envisioned as he struggled to get minutes on a Bucks team that missed the playoffs by just four games. He did show promising scoring ability in limited minutes, but could be dealt this summer.

Julian Martin (UCLA) | PF/C | Rookie | Boston Celtics
2013-14: 4.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 9.6 MPG, 55 games [.533%/.000%/.458%]
Julian Martin played well in limited minutes for a Celtics team that was deep up front. After the Celtics finally cleared space in the rotation for him, a knee injury cut his season short. Regardless, Martin will be one to watch next year.

Chris Hova (Germany) | SG/SF | Rookie | Los Angeles Clippers
2013-14: 5 PPG, 2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 10.8 MPG, 79 games [.489%/.350%/.745%]
Hova found himself a niche in the Clippers rotation late in the season. Unfortunately, the Clippers' disappointing season concluded with several losses down the stretch to cost them a playoff berth. If Hova can continue to hone his defense and shooting, he can be a good player in this league.

Martti Must (Duke) | SF/SG | Rookie | Orlando Magic
2013-14: 5.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 12 MPG, 82 games [.407%/.357%/.809%]
After being taken first overall in the draft, Must was surprisingly outshined by former teammate J.R. Young as he couldn't get off the bench in his rookie season. While his minutes inched up late in the year, Must is already starting to get a "bust" label. "It's not fair, man," says starting small forward Tobias Harris.

Da'Vonte Hughes (Georgia) | PG/SG | Rookie | Orlando Magic
2013-14: 3.9 PPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 RPG, 7.7 MPG, 61 games [.425%/.363%/.582%]
Scoring guard Da'Vonte Hughes has been fun to watch in limited minutes, but he now sits behind three point guards. Making matters worse, the team was a huge disappointment despite adding Dwight Howard and a #1 overall pick.

X Watson (Portland State) | SF/SG | Rookie | Brooklyn Nets
2013-14: 5.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, .9 APG, 9.4 MPG, 82 games [.477%/.424%/.825%]
The Brooklyn Nets narrowly missed the playoffs and X Watson let it slip that he thinks he could have made the difference with more playing time. The undersized shooting guard had fantastic shooting percentages in limited minutes, but is stuck behind Gerald Wallace and shares time with Mo Harkless.

Axel Gomez (Houston) | PG/SG | Rookie | Denver Nuggets
2013-14: 4.2 PPG, 1.9 APG, .9 RPG, 8 MPG, 82 games [.452%/.421%/.781%]
Axel Gomez caught a break with the Nuggets dealing backup point guard Andre Miller, but he still hasn't been able to get consistent minutes. Gomez has proven to be a threat from outside and hopes to make his mark in the playoffs against Golden State.

Ryan Alexander (Syracuse) | SF/PF | Rookie | Houston Rockets
2013-14: 4.3 PPG, 2 RPG, 8.5 MPG, 72 games [.444%/.344%/.813%]
Ryan Alexander has had a difficult time cracking the Rockets' rotation, but has been vocal in his belief that the Rockets can win their first round match-up with the Portland Trail Blazers. As a stretch 4 with size but little athleticism, he has been compared to Brian Scalabrine.

Fresh Smith (North Carolina) | SG/PG | Rookie | Minnesota Timberwolves
2013-14: 5.8 PPG, 1.1 APG, .7 RPG, 9.1 MPG, 82 games [.433%/.398%/.787%]
Things have been going downhill for Fresh Smith ever since he slipped in the draft and landed in Minnesota. The combo guard has been unable to get off the bench for an awful Wolves team after being lauded as a potential lottery pick. Smith will hope that either he, or Luke Ridnour is dealt this summer.

Looks like Lillard had a really good start to the month and has cooled off quite a bit. I have a lingering feeling that you're not going to let him play like ass in this series though....

Decent numbers for my player. Hopefully next season he'll get an expanded role.

Rockets Destroy Blazers On The Glass, Steal Game 1
Rockets 106 @ Trail Blazers 96

Damian Lillard had 34 points in his playoff debut, but it was in a losing cause. Houston had 20 offensive rebounds against a Blazers team that actually out-shot them from the field. James Harden was a threat throughout, countering the Blazers' runs with three point bombs. Paul Millsap also proved to be a major difference maker, playing Aldridge to a standstill.

The game was close in the first quarter with Damian Lillard scoring 14 points. However, things got a bit out of hand with second chance points in the second quarter and that would prove to be the theme of the game. The Asik/Millsap frontline badly outplayed Aldridge/Hickson and to avoid an upset, the Blazer bigs will need to step up and box out. When asked if this game was a must-win, LaMarcus Aldridge said "absolutely".

HOU 23 29 28 26 | 106 - Asik: 14/15 (6 offensive)/4; Millsap: 21/13/1; Harden: 16/4/6
POR 23 21 25 27 | 96 - Lillard: 34/5/5, 14-23 FG; Aldridge: 18/8/4; Matthews: 11/7/3

Rockets lead series 1-0.

Around the NBA
Thunder 119, Jazz 78 [OKC leads 1-0]
Nuggets 117, Warriors 89 [DEN leads 1-0]
Hornets 112, Spurs 86 [NO leads 1-0]
Heat 108, Wizards 89 [MIA leads 1-0]
Raptors 119, 76ers 106 [TOR leads 1-0]
Bulls 108, Pacers 106 [CHI leads 1-0]
Pistons 102, Celtics 92 [DET leads 1-0]

Wade out 1-2 weeks with sore foot.
Axel Gomez with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in playoff debut
Julian Martin posts 6 points, 2 rebounds on 3-4 shooting in playoff debut
Ryan Alexander scoreless with 2 rebounds in playoff debut



Blazers Easily Tie Series With Rockets' Abysmal Shooting Night
Rockets 78 @ Trail Blazers 101

J.J. Hickson and Damian Lillard posted big double doubles, but it was the Blazers defense that helped them dominate game 2 to knot the series. Omer Asik, who killed Portland on the boards in game 1, saw just 19 minutes due to foul trouble and the Blazers were +13 in rebounding on the night.

The game was close in the first quarter with the teams feeling each other out but Portland's offense kicked into gear in the second period, while Houston slumped to a 34 point first half. The Blazers didn't quite pull away until the fourth, where Vince Carter scored 10 of his 18 points and secured a crucial must-win game. The series will now shift to Houston for games 3 and 4.

HOU 16 18 23 21 | 78 - Millsap: 19/5/0; Harden: 13/6/8, 3-16 FG; Lin: 11/6/4
POR 19 29 21 32 | 101 - Lillard: 21/3/10; Hickson: 15/10/0, 7-9 FG; Matthews: 18/7/3, 4-6 3pt

Around the NBA
Thunder 100, Jazz 78 [OKC leads 2-0]
Warriors 113, Nuggets 102 [Series tied 1-1]
Spurs 117, Hornets 114 [Series tied 1-1]
Heat 111, Wizards 75 [MIA leads 2-0]
Raptors 119, 76ers 83 [TOR leads 2-0]
Bulls 107, Pacers 88 [CHI leads 2-0]
Pistons 96, Celtics 89 [DET leads 2-0]

Tough luck rebounding in Game One but nicely done adjusting for Game Two. I'd imagine the Asik-Millsap duo is hard to contain on the boards. Now you have to return the favor and take one on the road in Houston to have a fighting chance.

It's always a bummer to lose home court advantage in the playoffs. I'm confident that your perimeter guys can run circles around Lin and Harden though. Those two aren't exactly defensive minded players.

Lillard, Aldridge Dominate As Blazers Steal Game 3
Trail Blazers 110 @ Rockets 103

In one of the more exciting games of the playoffs so far, the dynamic duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard helped the Blazers take back homecourt advantage in a seven point win. It wasn't easy though, thanks to a near triple-double from James Harden, 19 from Paul Millsap and a deafening Houston crowd.

The first quarter was tightly contested, but the Rockets were able to close it out on an 8-0 run. Houston was able to stretch their lead to 12 before coach Stotts called for time and went with a smallball lineup with rookie Alex Poythress at the 4. The result was a complete momentum shift, as the Blazer offense caught fire.

The third quarter saw both teams play well on offense and struggle to push away from each other. The final period was when Damian Lillard came alive. After Aldridge did much of the heavy lifting earlier on (Lillard had just 4 points at halftime), Lillard got going from beyond the arc, and found himself also flirting with a triple double. The Rockets wouldn't go away, and it wasn't until a pair of consecutive turnovers from Jeremy Lin, that Portland would breathe a sigh of relief, and win it, 110-103.

POR 21 32 26 31 | 110 - Lillard: 32/8/11; Aldridge: 26/9/3, 11-16 FG; Poythress: 11/5/2, 5-7 FG
HOU 28 25 28 22 | 103 - Harden: 19/10/9; Millsap: 19/3/0; Lin: 9/6/11

Around the NBA
Thunder 88, Jazz 86 [OKC leads 3-0]
Nuggets 108, Warriors 105 [DEN leads 2-1]
Spurs 110, Hornets 106 [SA leads 2-1]
Wizards 111, Heat 100 [MIA leads 2-1]
Raptors 84, 76ers 78 [TOR leads 3-0]
Bulls 101, Pacers 87 [CHI leads 3-0]
Celtics 97, Pistons 95 [DET leads 2-1]



Lillard's Buzzer Beater Off The Mark As Rockets Hold Off Blazers
Trail Blazers 102 @ Rockets 103

The Blazers nearly finished up a demoralizing comeback in game 4 against the Rockets, but Lillard's potential game winner bounced off the rim as Rockets fans breathed a sigh of relief. Dominating the Blazers with a barrage of threes, they held an 89-73 lead going into the fourth period.

With LaMarcus Aldridge struggling, the Blazers knew it would take a defensive change if they were to get back in the game and that's exactly what they did, locking down on the Rockets' three point shooters, ultimately limiting them to 14 points in the fourth. Wesley Matthews was the man in the fourth, but James Harden kept his composure down the stretch. Lillard got a decent look from mid-range, but it was off the mark as Houston escaped with a 103-102 win.

James Harden and J.J. Redick combined for 50 points, including eight three pointers. Damian Lillard had a quiet game by his standards but still had 19. Aldridge was a major disappointment with 13 points and three boards. With the series knotted at two games apiece, there will definitely be a game 6 in Houston. Damian Lillard guaranteed a game 5 win at the Rose Garden.

POR 25 24 24 29 | 102 - Matthews: 21/6/2; Lillard: 19/1/4; Hickson: 13/7/1
HOU 23 31 35 14 | 103 - Redick: 24/1/2, 10-12 FG, 4-6 3pt; Harden: 26/2/6; Asik: 12/10/3

Around The NBA
Jazz 127, Thunder 122 [OKC leads 3-1]
Nuggets 126, Warriors 113 [DEN leads 3-1]
Hornets 114, Spurs 102 [Series tied 2-2]
Wizards 108, Heats 98 [Series tied 2-2]
76ers 103, Raptors 96 [TOR leads 3-1]
Pacers 97, Bulls 92 [CHI leads 3-1]
Pistons 96, Celtics 89 [DET leads 3-1]