Lv06|ROCKETS-2| Officially Closed.

[Chaser7]

How in the world were you able to do a 5 team deal?!?!? In LIve I thoguht you could onyl trade betwen 2 teams with 3 players each... also the Clippers basically just gave away their team... Essentially Maggette + Kaman for Green and Ridnour... what??? also why would fans point the finger at Deron Williams if it isn't his fault, they drafted another point guard, and he's the starter and doing better
anyways good luck dude, ive been following you since ur GSW days, so i hope you do well

[Clutch]

TheMC5 - it's a whole new ballgame so we'll see what happens; but i'm also really looking for the Williams/McGrady vs Tankosic/Green matchup as well;

dragonkillerq - yeah D-Will aint no second fiddle but this is before his breakout season last year so he's only rated at 74 overall currently; i'm hoping to train him into the 80's with time but first we'll just have to see how he does in a Rockets uni playing with Yao and TMac;

nbarulez - hahah! you mean your version can't do uber multi-team trades? that's weird...

nah, actually it was just a series of single trades (ie., HOU/LAC, HOU/POR, HOU/UTA etc) that took place over the 8 day gap/break before the Rockets next game vs WAS; but since the players were immediatedly 'shipped out' so to speak, before playing any games with Houston, i just grouped it into one epic trade for story effect;

as for LAC? those two guys are not "their team" - Elton Brand is their team; if you look at their record, they suck really bad (2nd from the bottom) and picked up a playmaker, #2 overall draftpick and bench support; i tried to only involve teams that were struggling and/or lotto-bound in my current season;

as far as D-Will, his numbers dropped off huge in practically all categories (from 18pts last season to 5.5 this year for ex); so my story behind it is that he just wanted out; i don't think any starter appreciates having their job replaced by a rookie;

anyway thx for following and posting comments guys; i'm gone for the weekend w/my gf but hopefully the new Rocket recruits can help break the losing streak when i get back!

[Its_asdf]

Holy Canolies!
Wow, that sounded really homo, but that literally was my initial reaction at the trade

I'm suprised you managed to make it that fair and balanced for each team, especially with a trade of that magnitude. You still go tthe best deal though, every single player that you had gotten has the potential to seriously make some noise if given enough minutes, especially Deron Williams. I'm hoping for a 06-07-esque break out year for him. He and Webster will definitely improve that poor shooting that has been hurting your team. Great move man.

[Clutch]

Its_asdf - thx man; yeah like i mentioned, i tried to only involved teams that were bottom-of-the-barrel (LAC, POR) or looking for that missing edge to get over the hump (UTA, CHA); it's silly to say, 'realistic' in a fantasy dynasty but i tried to keep it somewhat fair and not just rape all the other teams (it's gotta be challenging otherwise i'd prob get bored)

plus i'm diggin' the thought of some of the potential rivalries and the thought of D-Will taking a back seat to that golden boy Tankosic in Utah made me (Tanko)sick; time well tell if Deron can put that upstart back in his place
__


MORE PLAYER/COACH REACTIONS TO THE TRADE:
Sat February 2nd, 2008

Tracy McGrady, "Man, <expletive> yeah I was crazy surprised. I'm gonna miss Gerald for sure; he was kinda like a younger brother to me and I taught him a lot... I didn't teach him everything though, so next time we meet? School's back in session"

Deron Williams, "This season wasn't going too well for me over in Utah for a lot of reasons; but the Rockets had faith in me and gave me a fresh start. I'm grateful and don't plan on letting them down"

Phil Jackson, "I tried everything I could to convince Les (Alexander) to keep the trades minimized but unfortunately the losses were piling up; when I knew he wanted to move Luke (Ridnour), the only option he proposed which I agreed to even think of pursuing as a replacement, was Deron (Williams)"

Corey Maggette, "We're excited man. This is a fresh start for Chris (Kaman) and I; of course the 'Cats have their problems but this organization has shown us nothing but love since we've been here. When you get support like that, you wanna do everything you can to help get some wins"

Luke Ridnour, "Surprised? Kinda, but I've been through trades before; it's a business and these things happen. I think it's a bit more of a shock for JC (Cotton) since he's still a rookie but I'm sure he's going to learn a lot from Elton Brand. It's going to be work but we're gonna do everything we can to get this franchise back on track"

__

DEBUT UPDATES

Gerald Green didn't surprise fans with his offensive prowess in his debut versus the Minnesota Timberwolves but more so on the defensive side of things finishing the night with 5pts, 7 boards, 3 ast, 4 stls for the 98-81 victory;

Jafari Cotton failed to take a single shot in 30 mins but managed to hit 2 free throws in a Clipper debut victory over the Memphis Grizzlies 90-88; JC's final line of the night: 2 points, 6 boards, 2 assists, 1 block with no shot attempts; maybe not exactly what Clipper fans were hoping for but then again he is a rookie and only 21;

Luke Ridnour faired better in his debut tallying 12 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block but shot somewhat poorly at 4-of-12 from the field; unfortunately, bad news for Clipper fans continued as Ridnour would sprain/injure his foot in the third quarter and is projected unable to play no earlier than 2 weeks

[dragonkillerg]

nice writing on reactions , gotta start following your dynasty, but man break out or no breakout , Dwill+Tmac+Yao = Scary thats if they have great chemistry

[Clutch]

WIZARDS VS ROCKETS McGrady and Rockets, "Back in Business"

Wed February 6th, 2008 Toyota Center, Houston, TX

BOXSCORE WAS 102 HOU 108 Final
Players at the Half
Player of the Game


"We're back in business," said Tracy McGrady as he returned to the lineup after a five-game injury absence to help the Houston Rockets snap a 7-game losing streak against the visiting Washington Wizards

McGrady was not only introduced to a slew of new faces but also to a revamped arena floor design - a sleek, clean, throwback feel, rich-toned hardwood with lighter-stained wood inside the 3-point arc and the heavy red inside the paint and surrounding boarder removed. "It's clean and has a nice 'retro' feel; I like it a lot," said McGrady (note: special thx to JaoSming for a bit of guidance during my floor revamping experiment; it's not completely accurate to the 'real life' new design (cropped arena corners, missing red free-throw stripe for instance) so it's not perfect; but it was fun to make)

The Rockets got off to a fast start playing on their new hardwood, mostly thanks to the new recruits acquired in last Friday's blockbuster trade involving five teams - a colossal thirteen player swap being referred to simply as, "Big Friday"

Of the new acquisitions to debut for the Rockets, Martell Webster, a swingman previously of the last-place Portland Trailblazers, blazed the brightest with a brilliant 6-of-6 shooting performance including a few difficult drives to the basket and a number of clean mid-ranged jumpers which hit nothing but the bottom of the net. "I'm just thankful for the opportunity," said Webster after the game. "I didn't see much playing time back in Portland so here, I just want to savor every minute," and if Webster continues to play as he did tonight, chances are good he and Rockets fans will get to savor a lot more. Webster finished the night with an impressive 12 points, an assist and steal going 6-for-6 in 11 minutes

After the first quarter the Wizards would find themselves facing a 7-point deficit but rallied around the tremendous effort of 10-yr veteran, Antawn Jamison, and 6'10 264lbs rookie Center, Henri Myhres. The 37th overall pick from Haifa, Israel, Myhres played like a top ten baller, racking up 14 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks and doing a nice job against Rocket's center, Yao Ming. Yao would later say of the rookie, "He was great tonight; quick feet and a lot of quality moves in the paint. Even though they lost, they've got some good talent to build on so they can't hang their heads too much." Ming finished with a team-high 26 points while collecting 9 boards, 5 assists, 2 blocks

The third quarter saw both teams trade blows like heavyweight juggernauts and it was a chance for Brevin Knight and Sean May to showcase their game while the starters rested for the 4th quarter finale. Knight had a shaky shooting debut, going 2-for-6 under the pressuring defense of Arenas but managed to keep Houston's offense running smoothly with Mike James on his wing at the two-guard position. Knight finished his debut with 4 points, 4 assists, a steal and rebound and most importantly, zero turnovers. Meanwhile, 3rd year Power Forward, Sean May, made his impact felt in the paint going 3-of-4 from the field and ending with 7 points, 2 boards and a steal. May said after the game, "The knee feels great, pretty much 100% so it's exciting. I'll still wear the brace though just as a precaution and reminder for me to play efficient and within my abilities"

Caron Butler would exert himself early to start the fourth trying to give the Wizards a comfortable lead approaching the closing minutes. But on cue, McGrady would step up his game matching Butler point-for-point and reclaiming the lead for the Rockets. McGrady looked fluid and seemed more inclined to set up teammates at times rather than force a shot. "Being injured gave me a good chance to watch and talk to Phil about what I needed to do to help this team win." McGrady finished the match with 21 points, 3 boards and 3 assists going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc while Butler led Washington with 26 points, 2 assists and a steal

Deron Williams, the Rocket's biggest yet controversial new acquisition from Utah, had a quiet offensive debut but seemed to step up in the closing minutes in response to a sudden offensive outburst by Wizard's Allstar guard, Gilbert Arenas. Arenas seemed to wake from dormancy at the close of the game determined to steal a road win, including a huge trey with 36.7 seconds remaining to close the Houston lead 98-101; but Williams matched him with a series of tough drives to the basket and hounding defense of his own. In the end, Arenas would foul out as a result of Williams' aggressiveness and determination to get to the rim which resulted in several trips to the free throw stripe for the ex-Jazz point guard. Williams' clutch freethrows with seconds on the clock sealed the victory for the Rockets and snapped a 7-game losing streak, much to the delight of the raucous Toyota Center crowd. Agent Zero finished the game with 15 points, 4 rebounds, an assist and steal while Williams ended the night with a near double-double of 9 points, 3 boards, 9 assists and a steal in his Rockets debut

Coach Jackson commented after the game, "Both Deron and Brevin struggled a little to find their shots tonight but did a great job keeping everyone else involved. Deron did an especially nice job defensively on Arenas at the end there, as well as hit some key free throws down the stretch for us"

Houston's last two newest faces, free agent rookie guard, Garrick Briggs and rookie forward, Anthony Sato, did not debut tonight but may get their chance on Saturday as the Rockets hit the road to square-off against one of the West's best - Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks

After a 5 game injury leave, TMac returned without skipping a beat, including this trey with 1 second on the shot clock

Knight's drive and kick to a wide open Williams | Webster impressed fans with 6-for-6 shooting and this 1st qtr buzzer beater

Jamison's awkward but effective shot owned the 2nd qtr | Graham retaliated with an especially nasty dunk

A look at the new arena at the half | Sean May corrals the rebound to open the second half

More Sean May, "The knee feels great"

Arenas and Butler lead Washington's fourth quarter assault

Yao punished the smaller Wizards defenders all night | Graham going airborn once again

Williams locked down on Agent Zero in the final qtr but he still managed a ridiculous trey to pull the Wizards in striking range

Ultimately, Williams' aggressiveness to the basket fouled Arenas out and a series of clutch free throws sealed the Rockets win

McGrady pumping his fist to the roaring crowd after a made trey | Williams finally cracks a smile as the final buzzer sounds off




A look at the new Toyota Center as McGrady connects on one of his three treys on the night

[Clutch]

dragon - thx for following and the comments man; looks like the "Big Three" are off to a good start but next up is Dallas and them runnin' gunnin' fool Mavericks - Dirk and Co. have been Rocket killers so far so we'll see what D-Will can do

[TheMC5]

Man, I love the new look of your team. The only guy I don't like on your roster is Deron Williams (I know I'm hard on Joey Graham, but he seems like a solid dude in real life, just a scary player to have on your fav team), but he definitely fits your team really well. Good luck with the rest of the season.

[Clutch]

TheMC5 - thx man but what's NOT to like about D-Will? he's potentially the second coming of J-Kidd! (one of my all-time favorites); actually it'll be a long while before that comparison is justifiable in my dynasty; D-Will's good, but at 74 overall, he's a work-in-process

i hear ya though; i'm not sure why certain players just rub wrong both in real life and in the game - tyrone lue and devon george come to mind for me; if i pick a team and either of them are on it, they're always the first to go

[Clutch]

ROCKETS VS MAVERICKS "Rockets overcome Dirk's big night"
Sat Feb 9, 2008 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

BOXSCORE HOU 96 DAL 90 Final
Player of the Game

Despite a monstrous game by Allstar, Dirk Nowitzki, the Houston Rockets would prevail on the road for their second straight win defeating the Dallas Mavericks 96-90 at the American Airlines Center

Nowitzki led an explosive start for the Mavericks, setting the example both offensively and defensively and provided Dallas with a comfortable eight point lead after one

The Rockets, however, would respond in the 2nd quarter led by their own, Tracy McGrady. McGrady attacked Mavericks defender, Josh Howard, at every opportunity and as a result, forced Howard into early foul trouble. McGrady also clamped down hard defensively on Howard who struggled from the field shooting 1-for-6 and finished with 2 points, 2 boards, 3 assists and 5 fouls on the night

After halftime, Dallas would surge once again led by an unconscious Nowitzki; but he would run out of gas by the 4th where Houston's balanced attack would help reclaim the lead and keep the Mavericks at bay for the nice road victory

"I don't need to drop 40," said McGrady after the game. "I could, but I don't need to; there are a lot of scoring options on this team now and the more we can mix it up and keep teams guessing, the better for us"

Nowitzki led all scorers with 35 points also collecting 15 rebounds, a steal and block in the process; McGrady finished an efficient, all-around performance with 23 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals and zero turnovers. Teammate, Yao Ming, had another solid double-double with 14 points, 12 boards and 2 assists

On a back-to-back, the Rockets return home to face Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and the visiting Miami Heat tomorrow night

Dirk's monster swat on Yao and the Rockets' poor early shooting helped get the Mavericks off to a fast start

Williams celebrates after converting on a wide-open trey courtesy of T-Mac


Dirk was unstoppable regardless of who guarded him but McGrady's all-around game would lift the Rockets to victory

[dragonkillerg]

man nice win over dirk and co. and nice to see yao having a double double

[TheMC5]

TheMC5 - thx man but what's NOT to like about D-Will? he's potentially the second coming of J-Kidd! (one of my all-time favorites); actually it'll be a long while before that comparison is justifiable in my dynasty; D-Will's good, but at 74 overall, he's a work-in-process

i hear ya though; i'm not sure why certain players just rub wrong both in real life and in the game - tyrone lue and devon george come to mind for me; if i pick a team and either of them are on it, they're always the first to go

Yeah, he's just one of those dudes that always rubbed me the wrong way. Plus, his comments about AK47 over the summer weren't very becoming of a teammate. I do respect D-Will's game, for sure.

And I'm right there with you on Lue. George, I can tolerate, but I'll deal him promptly if I can get something better for him.

[jonthefon]

Two games in a row now! Time to repair what you lost previously.

Your roster is fresh with new faces, which means you have a good chance of making a run yet again.

[Its_asdf]

Glad to see you get back on track, a win against Dallas when Dirk is on fire is definitely not an easy thing to do. Good job on keeping key role players like Josh Howard and Jason Terry at bay, which is something I can never seem to do.

I'm liking how Joey Graham has shaped up these past two games. He's become the player that I've always wanted him to become. Oh why Graham, why art thou suck in real life?

[Clutch]

dragon - yeah the Big Fella's definitely stepped up his game lately; doesn't hurt to have a 'Big Man' trainer with nice ratings in Yao's ear 24/7 either

mc5 - actually had to look into this a little since i wasn't quite sure what exactly Williams said about AK-47; i came across this article: http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_6970226

after reading that? i think i like D-Will now more than ever! the guy wants to win and can't blame him for slamming a teammate's work ethic (or lack of it); maybe there's more to it and he probably could've been a little more tactful about it and not single AK out; but then again maybe Kirilenko was the sole-source of the losses... which, ironically, parallels what rookie 'Golden Boy' Tankosic did to D-Will in my bizarro dynasty lol

jtf - yeah major damage control in progress. it's going to be tough; TD has teh Spurs on an 8+game tear right now and looking freakin' unstoppable

asdf - i only play/control the game from a coach pov (subs, timeouts) and usually only in the final minutes if at all; otherwise it's comp v. comp like viewing a real game; i must say, watching Dirk in that one had me floored and saying, "WTF!? STOP HIM SOMEONE!" outloud

Graham is a straight up baller and one of my favs on the team right now. His game is slowly becoming something of a Corey Maggette/Joe Johnson mix - he just drives and draws fouls whenever he can't find anyone open; i could train him in passing but right now the focus is on his toughness, inside scoring and strength; he'll never be a finesse player making fancy passes off the drive to open teammates and frankly it's not what the team needs from him; and with the size and strength to overpower smaller guards, why bother!

[Marquis]

I see you put a lot of effort in it. I like the work with photos

Too bad I haven't followed this dynasty from the very start.

[Clutch]

Marquis - a labor of love man, you know how it is; but thx, appreciate your checking in/comments even if only once in a while
you planning to start an '08 dynasty anytime soon? i'll keep an eye out for it

[Clutch]

"ROOKIE CHALLENGE" STARTERS ANNOUNCED
Sat February 9th, 2008



ROOKIES

#40 JUWAN RICE (LAL) - 7'0" 264lbs Center from Dakar, Senegal; picked 8th overall by LAL

In the shadow of Kobe Bryant's incessant whining and demands for a trade from the Lakers, rookie big man, Juwan Rice, has been a breath of fresh air and shimmer of hope for the franchise's bright future, sans Bryant. Not since LeBron James has a player erupted onto the league and earned a starting spot in both Rookie Challenge and All-Star game in only their rookie season. Leading the Lakers in scoring, blocks and 3rd in rebounding, Rice has the future of the Lakers looking bright indeed

#13 HOWIE BOWELLE (TOR) - 6'10" 235lbs, Power Forward from Trikala, Greece; selected 42nd overall by Toronto

One of the league's early success stories, the second round-picked Bowelle has surprised many franchise owners who passed on him in the 2007-08 draft. Under the tutelage of All-Star, Chris Bosh, Bowelle has blossomed into one of the leagues most promising big men, second on the Raptors in ppg, rebounds, and blocks

#44 TANNER HARDAWAY (LAC) - 6'8" 221lbs, Small Forward from Georgetown; drafted 10th overall by LAC

The versatile Tanner Hardaway has been a bright spot in the Clippers otherwise dismal season. His development was partly the reason the Clippers felt comfortable trading away longtime Clipper, Corey Maggette, to Charlotte in the 'Big Friday' trade of a few weeks back. A strong, offensive-minded forward, watch for Hardaway to be one of the high scorers in the Rookie Challenge

#32 MARIO MALIQ (WAS) - 6'4" 197lbs, Shooting Guard from Cairo, Egypt; drafted 7th by Washington

Mario Maliq is quickly becoming a favorite among Wizard fans with his solid outside jumper and point-guard-like passing ability. Already he has proven to be an excellent compliment to Gilbert Arenas and currently leads the Wizards with 6.1 assists per game

#45 SERGEI TANKOSIC (UTA) - 6'1" 201lbs, Point Guard from Beirut, Lebanon; 2007 #1 overall draft pick by Utah

To say Sergei Tankosic is an 'impact player' is an understatement. Going from boos and hisses of disapproval on draft night to fan favorite, in a few short months rookie sensation Tankosic has established himself as Utah's starting point guard, scoring leader at 21.3 ppg, assist leader averaging 6.2 apg and is second on the team in steals. He can simply do it all - and he's only 24. Along with Juwan Rice, Tankosic is easily one of the favorites to capture "Rookie of the Year" honors

SOPHMORES

#5 DEAN KARPOVTSEV (IND) - 7'5" 282lbs, Center from Bruges, Belgium; drafted 10th overall in 2006 by Indiana

In his second season, Karpovtsev has established himself as a prolific inside scorer for the Pacers, using guick feet and all 89 inches of height to his advantage

#13 GLEN HSU (NJ) - 6'10" 239lbs, Power Forward from Yokohama, Japan; drafted 28th overall in 2006 by NJ

Hsu, who spent his rookie season in the Dev League, did not play in a single game for New Jersey in 2006; this year all his hardwork has paid off in the form of a starting position with the Nets where he's currently 4th in ppg, 3rd in rebounds and leads the team in blocks with 1.15 a game

#72 MALCOLM STAFFORD (NY) - 6'6" 206lbs, Small Forward from Cal State Fullerton; drafted 1st overall by NY in 2006

Last year's #1 draft pick, Malcolm Stafford is gradually finding his niche within a loaded Knicks roster. With an all-around skill set and solid fundamentals, Stafford has become 4th in scoring on the team, 3rd in both rebounds and blocks and 2nd in assists

#25 VINCE DEHERE (ORL) - 6'5" 248lbs, Shooting Guard from Kinshasa, Zaire; 6th overall draft pick in 2006 by Orlando

Dehere's growing confidence has helped Orlando maintain first place in the Southeast division with his tremendous shooting and nice ability to finish with authority at the rim. While bulky in stature, Dehere has extraordinary hops which has made him a crowd favorite around the league. Look for Dehere to challenge for most points scored in the Rookie/Soph matchup

#4 TONI KARENGA (MIA) - 6'1" 200lbs, Point Guard from Harare, Zimbabwe; drafted 50th overall by Miami in 2006

It's not sure what Miami coach, Pat Riley, saw in the late 2nd-round draft pick; but it's certain he's not regretting his decision. Karenga has been an excellent backup PG for the Heat with an explosive first step, tremendous leaping ability and uncanny ability to protect the ball. Karenga has only 5 turnovers in 21 games, driving defenders nuts with his crazy mad handles. It'll be an interesting matchup as he faces the tremendous defensive pressure of the rookie sensation, Sergei Tankosic, during All-Star Weekend

[Clutch]

ALL-START WEEKEND INVITATIONS RECEIVED


ALL-STAR STARTERS ANNOUNCED



THE EAST

#32 SHAQUILLE O'NEAL (MIA) 7'1" 325lbs Center from LSU; drafted 1st overall in 1992 by ORL

At 16-34 the Miami Heat may have the second worst record in the league... but they have the leading candidate for MVP in Shaquille O'Neal. Now in his 16th season, the "Diesel" is just as dominant as ever, leading the league in points scored, points per game, field goals made/attempted, free throws attempted, rebounds, minutes and minutes played as well as leading the Heat in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. If your team is going to quit on you, might as well pad your stats as much as possible - who says there's no "I" in team?


#4 CHRIS BOSH (TOR) 6'10" 232lbs Power Forward from Georgia Tech; 4th overall pick in 2003 by Toronto

Why Bosh isn't being considered an MVP candidate is beyond logic and reason as the 5th year Forward exemplifies all that being a "Leader" is about. Not only has he taken rookie second-round draft pick, Howie Bowelle, under his wing and made him into an Allstar, Bosh has also taken the Raptors on his shoulders and guided them to a tie with New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division. At only 23 and just re-signed with a 6-year, 56.76M contract, the Raptors have nothing but promising times ahead

#23 LEBRON JAMES (CLE) 6'8" 247lbs Small Forward from St. Vincent - St. Mary (HS); drafted 1st overall in 2003 by Cleveland

King James has guided the Cavs to a 32-14 record this season, second only to the San Antonio Spurs in the entire league. Leading his team in points, assists, steals and third in both rebounds and blocks, there's no questioning why LBJ is considered a serious threat to O'Neal for league MVP

#2 JOE JOHNSON (ATL) 6'7" 241lbs Shooting Guard from Arkansas; 10th overall pick in 2001 by Boston

Now in his 7th year and leading the Hawks in scoring, the versatile Joe Johnson has lifted Atlanta to second place in the Southeast Division, only a game and a half behind first place Orlando. Not bad, not bad at all.


#5 JASON KIDD (NJ) 6'4" 212lbs Point Guard from California; drafted 2nd overall by Dallas in 1994

Leading the Nets in assists and steals, second in scoring and fourth in rebounds, Jason Kidd continues to be complete package at the point. Now in his 14th season, Kidd has taken a ragtag collection of talent and guided them to the second best record behind Cleveland in the East

THE WEST

#40 JUWAN RICE (LAL) - 7'0" 264lbs Center from Dakar, Senegal; picked 8th overall by LAL

What more can you say about the stellar season this kid is having? Leading the Lakers in scoring, blocks and 3rd in rebounding, Rice is the only rookie to earn a starting spot in both the Rookie Challenge and All-Star game, a true testament by fans in recognition of his dominance. You'd think Kobe would be grateful for the much needed frontcourt help

#42 ELTON BRAND (LAC) - 6'8 276lbs Power Forward from Duke; 1st overall pick in 1999 by Chicago

Despite the Clippers third worst record in the league, Elton Brand continues to lead his team in points, rebounds and blocks and will challenge O'Neal for league MVP before all is said and done

#15 CARMELO ANTHONY (DEN) - 6'8" 211lbs Small Forward from Syracuse; drafted 3rd overall in 2003 by Denver

Now in his 5th season, Anthony has continued to develop into a premiere player at his position and has lifted the Nuggets to first place in the Northwest Division with a record of 32-19

#20 MANU GINOBILI (SAS) 6'6" 202lbs Shooting Guard from Argentina; drafted 57th overall in 1999 by San Antonio

San Antonio is off to a blistering 37-11 start, thanks in large part to the all-around contributions of 6th-year guard, Manu Ginobili. Second in scoring and assists, third in rebounds, fourth in rebounds and blocks, Ginobili is a big reason the Spurs currently sit atop the Association with the league's best record and are heavy favorites to dethrone the two-time defending Champion Phoenix Suns

#13 STEVE NASH (PHO) 6'3" 200lbs Point Guard from Santa Clara; 15th overall pick in 1996 by Phoenix

With the loss of budding Forward and defensive specialist, Boris Diaw, to Orlando in free agency this season, many believed the two-year reign of the Phoenix Suns might be coming to it's end... but Steve Nash would tell you otherwise. Guiding the Suns to a 31-18 record, second only to the Spurs in the Western Conference, Nash, in his 12th season, has seen his productivity rise in every category from points to blocks, proving to the league that he's only getting better with time and that the Diaw-less Suns are more than capable of pulling off a third consecutive championship

[Phantom18]

I envy your Game Recap skills, this is a Top Notch dynasty. Do you think we could speak over some Instant Messaging Client regarding Tips on Game Recaps ? I'd appreciate that alot BD#5 Either way, keep up the excellent work.

[Clutch]

snarky08 - hey thx man! unfortunately I'm rarely on IM much and do all the prep update stuff 'offline' only logging in to preview/post when ready; as far as tips? Hmmm I'd say:

Accept that it's not going to be perfect. For me, I like to think of the dynasty as a 'Work-In-Progress' that way you're not too worried about making mistakes. It's your dynasty so if something's not working for you, you can always change it;

Follow/comment on other people's dynasties. I don't mean just comment to comment, but really take an interest in what the person is trying to do. You'll begin to see things that work for you and stuff that doesn't and you can apply that to your own. More important, you'll slowly get to meet other dynasty makers and your comments will generally be appreciated as long as they are constructive and not dissin' just to be a prick;

Don't worry about 'story' too much. You can start with something - might be a big trade, a fired coach, signing a free agent (for me it was bringing Phil Jackson to Houston), which is okay; but afterwards the storyline starts to unfold by itself and becomes more and more it's own thing with time. When I first started mine, I thought for sure my rookie Jafari "JC" Cotton would be the anchor Power Forward of my team for years until he retired - now he's on the Clippers and Marvin Williams has stepped up to play a major role! Also, Miami's at the bottom of the barrel with the league's second worst record, Shaq's running for MVP and an upstart rookie has replaced Deron Williams as Utah's starting PG! I couldn't have planned things that way if I tried. Basically, there's no way of knowing where things are headed once you've started but that's half the fun;

Lastly, keep it fun, for YOU that is. Whether that means just trying to rebuild a lowly underdog or expansion team and get them to the playoffs or stacking your team into a powerhouse and trying to shatter the Bulls 72-10 record, it's your dynasty so do what's fun for you

After a dozen recaps or so you'll soon find it's not easy keeping an online dynasty; but then again it's not supposed to feel like a job either. You might even ask, "What's the point?" especially when nobody's commented in a while or seems to give a hoot. That's when you really must ask yourself - what exactly IS the point? - and remind yourself. For me, being able to go back and read about an exciting game or seeing the progress (or decline) of players or reading about major turning points in the team's season is the point; getting the Rockets past the first round is the point

At times it can feel like work (especially when you've played 2, 3 games and haven't recapped and have a backlog of info and images); when it starts to feel too much like work, that's when you gotta take a breather and do something else for a while; people don't mind and would rather you take a holiday and come back refreshed and interested again rather than quitting on your dynasty after only a few games; then again if something's just not working, maybe a full restart with a different team could be just the thing too. The point is, if you're interested it will show in your dynasty and chances are, others will be too; if you're not, well then the same still applies

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head; if there was something more specific, feel free to drop me a PM - good luck!

[Phantom18]

BoomDizzle#5,

WOW major props BD#5 that is ALOT of top-notch advice, and I will drill it in my head. I can not thank you enough for that, but thanks. I appreciate the help so much. Thanks, and good luck to yourself. BTW, get em past the First Round BTW, if you would like I just posted a Pre-Game Show thing I'm going to be doing before every game, your thoughts on that would be much appreciated. Keep up the good work though on your dynasty. I am enjoying it. Once again, thanks.

[Clutch]

snarky08 - np man; good luck!

[Clutch]

HEAT VS ROCKETS "YAO vs SHAQ - the Real MVP?"
Sun Feb 10th, 2008 Toyota Center, Houston TX

Hardwood Classics Week begins...


BOXSCORE MIA 83 HOU 85 Final
Player of the Game

Shaquille O'Neal has been the mountain to climb for Yao Ming ever since the two stepped onto the same hardwood back in 2002. They've had many epic battles over the years but tonight, Ming took a giant stride towards establishing himself as the league's most dominant big man, carrying his Rockets to an 85-83 victory over the visiting Heat

"No, I wasn't out to prove anything; Shaq's still the best as far as I'm concerned," Ming modestly told reporters after the game. But those who watched Yao play tonight might argue otherwise

Both teams wore retro, early 70's, throwback uniforms signifying the start of Hardwood Classics Week and coming Allstar Weekend's festivities. But before the game started, a somber atmosphere seemed to hover over the Toyota Center like a rain cloud as Rocket fans found out earlier in the day that neither Yao Ming nor teammate, Tracy McGrady, would make this year's cut

"It's outrageous," said 61-year-old Jed McFly, owner of 'McFly's Bar & Grill' and 14-year season ticket holder. "I know that rookie in LA is doing nice things...but to NOT vote either of our guys in? Outrageous!"

"I'm sad," said 7-year old Rocket fan, Lucy McClane, who held a large "YAO MVP!" sign and had her face painted with a red and white stars

But soon after tipoff the mood began to lift and cheers grew louder as the crowd sensed their Center, Yao Ming, on a quest to have a magical night

Ming erupted from the starting block, unstoppable offensively in the post and denying everything Miami tried to take in the paint. Yao's early dominance would bench O'Neal early with 2 quick fouls and give Houston a 9-point advantage after the first

To make matters worst, Heat starting Power Forward, Udonis Haslem, strained his lower back in a collision trying to contain Ming and was forced to sit the remainder of the 2nd quarter; Haslem would return in the second half but in limited minutes

Yao sat most the 2nd quarter as well after the collision which gave Miami's other star, Dwyane Wade, the green light to go on attack mode. Led by an aggressive Wade, the Heat bench clamped down on the Rockets, at one point forcing them to miss 11 consecutive shot attempts while Miami managed to narrow the lead to 43-42 by halftime

To begin the third, the Heat continued with tough defensive pressure but also pressed hard offensively with O'Neal back in the lineup. The Rockets looked to be unraveling as the Heat took a temporary 57-51 lead; but after a Phil Jackson timeout, Mike James responded, igniting Houston's second unit and neutralizing Miami's charge. A Brevin Knight buzzer-beater brought both teams to a 64-64 deadlock to start the 4th and set the stage for the Rocket's big man

With the game's outcome still in the balance, Yao Ming simply took over the final period, scoring at will while disrupting Miami's offense. Ming's aggressive defense forced the Heat to miss their first 6 shots of the quarter and had Miami trailing by as many a nine points at one point. Dwyane Wade led a final Heat push to close the gap but Ming's rock-solid free-throw shooting to crowd's deafing chant of, "MVP!" would snuff any hopes of a Miami miracle and seal the Rocket's third consecutive win

MVP candidate, Shaquille O'Neal, led the way for the Heat with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and an assist but was eclipsed by Ming's "Player of the Game" performance of 27 points, 19 rebounds, 2 blocks and an assist. A good portion of Yao's damage came from the freethrow stripe where Ming shot an impressive 13-of-15 from the field

"Big Fella came out pumped tonight. Yao's a great player; he knows he's gotta go through me to be the best," said O'Neal. "He's stepping up his game, doing what he needs to do. I'll be first to say - he should've made the All-Star team"

"(I) haven't given it much thought," Ming said of not making the All-Star squad. "Right now Tracy and I are only focused on getting this team back on track"

Next up, the Rockets take to the road to face Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and one of the league's most exciting young teams - the Northwest division leading Denver Nuggets

Yao's quick start gets Shaq in early foul trouble | TMac can't help but laugh as D-Will and Yao toy with Miami's reserves

In the 2nd quarter, Haslem tweaks his back trying to stop Ming; he would return to play in the second half

The Rockets go ice cold with Yao on the bench, missing 11 straight and forcing coach Jackson to burn a timeout

In the third, Wade catches fire offensively while Shaq gets physical with Yao

James helps stop the bleeding on this basket-and-1 | Knight sinks a buzzer beater tying the score to end the third

Webster shows coach Jackson another aspect of his game - the long trey | Yao shows newcomer Sean May how it's done

Wade's dunk leads a final Miami push | Shaq forced to foul, the victory safe in the steady hands of Yao at the FT stripe


___

[TheMC5]

Holy crap, monster game from Ming! Do you know if 19 boards is Ming's career-high in your dynasty?

Rough night for the rest of your team, though, especially Graham and Williams. But at least you still got the win.

Oh, and those Heat jerseys are hideous.