A LEGEND IS BORN III

[Fresh8]

Seattle Holds Off Impending Deal

December 26, 2012

SEATTLE (AP) – An offer of former All-Star PF Elton Brand for Seattle PF David Lee has been held off but, reportedly, not off the table as Seattle is in the middle of an impressive slew of wins. The Philadelphia 76ers confirmed that they made an offer to the Seattle Stealth three days ago.

Stealth Head Coach Will Sit today confirmed that he had a meeting with the front office to discuss the deal. He openly commented, after his team’s shoot-around, his thoughts of the potential trade, “I think that kind of deal would help both teams. Elton might fit our game plan better than David, his experience could be what we need to get us where we want to go (to the) next level. David has been a fine player but when I signed him, I was expecting more. He’d fit perfectly in Philadelphia and I do think he would flourish in their system.”

When questioned about concerns that Brand’s poor performance was due to a decline in age Sit stated, “It wouldn’t bother me. Elton would be a great locker room presence. That’s an intangible and he would bring a lot to the table in terms of positives that you can’t measure in numbers. Experience, poise, hustles, leadership... those are things our team needs to get to the NBA Finals. David may be the more skilled and athletic player but it’s clear that we just can’t get him enough opportunities with the basketball so his skills are being wasted here.”

Despite all of the praise for Brand, Sit explained why a deal was not done, “The team is on a roll and David has shown an ability to be effective with the basketball. He’s shown a desire to stay and help the team. We’re winning and if we keep winning, David is safe.” It is understood that the Stealth declined the trade for now and requested that it remain on the table until the trade deadline.

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[Fresh8]

Durant Injured, Listed Day-to-day

January 1, 2013

SEATTLE (AP) – NBA second leading scorer Kevin Durant has been listed as ‘day to day’ with a sore back after a hard collision with Charlotte Bobcats second year forward Christopher Blake. Blake’s block attempt in the second quarter of the Bobcats’ loss to the Seattle Stealth turned ugly when Durant was hit onto the ground. The All-Star and three time scoring champion landed on his back and had to be stretchered off the court.

Durant returned to the court in the final quarter and was assessed by team doctors after the game. He complained of pain in his back as well as saying it was hard to sit or lie down. The loss of Durant has forced Trevor Ariza into the starting lineup for the Stealth as they prepare to face off against the lowly Detroit Pistons.

Coach Will Sit spoke about his star’s injury, “Losing Kevin will be tough but this could be a blessing in disguise as my guys will now be forced to not rely on him to bail us out. I want the whole team to step up.”

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[Valor]

Great to see you getting this running again, looking forward to more updates bro!

[Martti.]

Ty better score 50 against the Pistons.

[Fresh8]

Thanks Valor.

That's a pretty good prediction Martti.!

[Lamrock]

How's Liam "L-Train" Washburn doing?

[Fresh8]

Coming soon in the trimester update.

[Fresh8]

I'm just wondering if people are keen for this to continue. Or would everyone be bored of it?

[puttincomputers]

please continue!!!

[hova-]

I guess this is the usual summer slump as the game (2k10) itself gets a bit boring with new information out for 2k11 and there are still some striking deals to come which could turn around the league completely (like the Heat did).

Me personally, I don't have much time to follow any stories right now with four exams in the next two weeks. I also want to enjoy the german summer (yeah, we have one this year) with 35°C.
After that, I'm willed to follow again

[Fresh8]

I guess this is the usual summer slump as the game (2k10) itself gets a bit boring with new information out for 2k11 and there are still some striking deals to come which could turn around the league completely (like the Heat did).

Me personally, I don't have much time to follow any stories right now with four exams in the next two weeks. I also want to enjoy the german summer (yeah, we have one this year) with 35°C.
After that, I'm willed to follow again

Well, my game will be very outdated soon as I'm still using 2k9 haha!

But Lamrock has convinced me to continue and so have you two.

[Fresh8]

First Trimester Recap – Seattle Stealth Report

Team Report

Team Record: 20-10
Division: 1st
Conference: 2nd

There was a slow start to the season but the Stealth righted the ship to finish 2012 with a strong 20-10 record. True to the predictions, the Stealth have proven themselves to be an imposing force as they bamboozle teams with their spread of attacking talent.

The combination of two of the league’s most electrifying scorers in Kevin Durant and Reshawn Tyson has been more than a handful for every team this season. 3-Time NBA scoring champion Durant has been his usual self with his smooth scoring style but Tyson has been a revelation as he continues to up his scoring percentage from last season. The athletic 2-guard has been one of the most exciting scorers providing spectacular plays night in and night out. Sources say that the picked up play from the duo has been a result of an agreement from both players to set their differences aside. True or false, there has clearly been less tension in the Stealth locker room when compared to last season.

The likes of Andrew Bogut, David Lee, Jason Kidd, and a bench headed by Trevor Ariza, Luis Scola, Aaron Karl make the Stealth one of the deepest rosters in the NBA this season. The star power is also immense with Durant (2nd among Western Conference Small Forwards in All-Star Voting), Tyson (2nd among Shooting Guards), Kidd (4th among Point Guards), and Bogut (1st among Centers) pushing for All-Star Game spots next month.

It hasn’t been all sunny weather however, with David Lee’s name being dangled in plenty of trade talk. The forward, coming towards the end of his contract, has picked up his play and insisted in his desire to stay in Seattle. The front office recently stated that Lee would not be dealt to put a stop to the rumors but many are expecting Lee to be gone by the deadline.

The other piece of bad news would have to be that of 2012 first overall draft pick Jao Wu. The blitzing scoring point guard has struggled to break into Head Coach Sit’s playing rotation. Sit has opted to start the older and slower Jason Kidd ahead of Karl, Wu, and Sebastian Telfair to the dismay of fans. Wu, in particular, has not been happy with the treatment although he said he was happy to back up Kidd at the start of the season. He recently told press that he didn’t think a first pick should be ‘subjected to the treatment’ that he is getting in Seattle.

With less than two thirds of the season left, the Stealth have interesting times ahead in terms of managing the blend of talent they have but it looks to be smooth sailing from here because the biggest issue from last season (Durant and Tyson) already seems resolved.

Team Statistics

[Martti.]

Doing very good so far. Nice to see this continue.

Durant is putting up great defensive numbers also, he has the potential to be a superb defender with those freakin long hands.

[Clutch]

It hasn’t been all sunny weather however, with David Lee’s name being dangled in plenty of trade talk. The forward, coming towards the end of his contract, has picked up his play and insisted in his desire to stay in Seattle. The front office recently stated that Lee would not be dealt to put a stop to the rumors but many are expecting Lee to be gone by the deadline.

you need to meet w/Chris Cohan (the Destroyer) and get yourself a budding All-Star, 2 solid bench guys and a future 2nd-rd pick. sigh.

[Lamrock]

Thanks for the recap. Refreshes my memory of this dynasty. Methinks you need to let A-Karl and Bassy go.

[Valor]

You have too many point guards man, try to make a deal and free up some time for Jao Wu

[kibaxx7]

I was starting to miss Ty & Co. Nice stats by him.

[Fresh8]

I hope that the presentation cuts it!

Doing very good so far. Nice to see this continue.

Durant is putting up great defensive numbers also, he has the potential to be a superb defender with those freakin long hands.

Thanks man. I'm going to make an effort to finish this story. Once I get back into it, will make it easier to churn out updates.

It hasn’t been all sunny weather however, with David Lee’s name being dangled in plenty of trade talk. The forward, coming towards the end of his contract, has picked up his play and insisted in his desire to stay in Seattle. The front office recently stated that Lee would not be dealt to put a stop to the rumors but many are expecting Lee to be gone by the deadline.

you need to meet w/Chris Cohan (the Destroyer) and get yourself a budding All-Star, 2 solid bench guys and a future 2nd-rd pick. sigh.

I wish man. I wish! Not looking at bringing in any more All-Star talent, I need willing bench players

Thanks for the recap. Refreshes my memory of this dynasty. Methinks you need to let A-Karl and Bassy go.

A-Karl could be Geroge Karl's long lost son! I think I will try and find Coby Karl (if he exists) and sign him to a contract I do have to admit that Bassy's time in Seattle may well be over...

And more trimester updates to come!

You have too many point guards man, try to make a deal and free up some time for Jao Wu

I will see what I can do... but priority is to make the playoffs. The team is very talented so don't know if I want to tinker too much.

I was starting to miss Ty & Co. Nice stats by him.

Thanks man. Don't forget it's still Kevin's Team.

[Fresh8]

First Trimester Recap – League Standings and Leaders

League Standings





League Leaders











League News

Trouble in Houston

January 1 2013, HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets are struggling mightily and the first move came on New Year’s Eve with the axing of Terry Porter as Head Coach. It is expected that more dominoes are to fall as the team is preparing to trade NBA veteran Chauncey Billups in a bid to fulfill his wish in playing for a contender to close out his NBA career.

Fourth Year SG Andrew Watson has endured a tough campaign as his averages have dropped across the board from the previous season. The New Zealander is not expected to be dealt by the Rockets who are looking to try and keep him on board after his contract expires at the end of the season. Watson, however, has stated his disgust in his playing situation and said that he sees himself in Europe next year.

The one bright spot for the Rockets is the improvement of rookie PG and second overall pick Ifeanyi Ndiaye. Ndiaye’s athleticism has helped him hide his questionable fundamentals and he is looking to take over Billups’ spot if the veteran’s trade wishes are granted. Ndiaye is averaging 7.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.8 spg, and 1.1 bpg from off the bench.

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Nixon: I Want A Bigger Role

January 1 2013, GOLDEN STATE – Louis Nixon seems to have had enough of Don Nelson benching him in Golden State. A crowd favorite for the Warriors and 2-time Sixth Man of the Year, the third year player has been lobbying for a trade if Nelson doesn’t have plans of starting him alongside All-Star guard Monta Ellis. Said Nixon, “I can start next to Monta. We’d be the quickest guard combo in the league. I don’t know why it’s not happening.”

Nixon has received a lot of interest from other teams. That includes Washington who have been rumored to be offering All-Star SG Gilbert Arenas in return. The struggling Wizards have been said to see a younger Arenas in Nixon; the interesting fact is that the two players are actually friends with Nixon treating Arenas as a mentor since entering the league. Arenas would get a chance to return to the team where he started his career in as a second round draft pick.

Other teams interested in Nixon have been the Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, and Toronto Raptors.

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Chris Paul Open To Joining Other Teams

January 1 2013, NEW ORLEANS – Champion and former MVP Chris Paul claims that he is comfortable with the Hornets but would not argue against a trade provided that it pairs him up with a superstar talent. Paul apologized to All-Star teammate David West and stated that he would love to play alongside the likes of LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Jay Gray.

The Cavs and Bucks have enquired about the availability of Paul in a bid to upgrade their starting point guards. Paul would be a coup for either team but it is expected that New Orleans would only accept a deal where they got a considerable amount of talent in return.

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Awards

R2MVP: December 2012 Edition

January 1, 2013 NBA.com – After losing in the NBA Finals, Sacramento King Moses Chara became more hungry than ever. The former Blue Devil is once again averaging close to a triple double and leading his team to new heights as the Kings have stayed atop the Standings all season so far. His closest competitor, individually, is Cleveland’s LeBron James but James’ MVP credentials fall short of Chara’s thanks to the Cavs’ mediocre record.

As Chara stated last week after his Kings defeated the Cavs in a thrilling overtime match, “Everyone call’s him King James. But I am the King of the Kings – actually, the NBA.”

1. Moses Chara, SF, Sacramento Kings (26.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 8.8 apg) - He may not be the most athletic but he is the most talented player in the league. He makes up for a lack of athleticism with outstanding smarts and freakish court awareness. Shooting touch is still unmatched even if it is a little ugly and one of the most intimidating players in the league. Absolutely lethal.

2. Martti Must, PF, Memphis Grizzlies (19.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 7.2 apg) - The Euro forward plays a beautiful game. He is unselfish and graceful and has proven all his doubters wrong. Who would have thought he’d be, arguably, the second best player of his draft class. And yes, ahead of Reshawn Tyson.

3. Michael Beasley, PF, Miami Heat (23 ppg, 10 rpg, 1.4 apg) - If I could, I would say that Wade and Beasley tie for third place but I had to pick one ahead of the other. Many ask me who the leader of the Heat is and I have to say that Wade is the player on the team you want with the ball in their hands in a tight game. However, Beasley does all the inside work and never has a bad game. You can see that all of his teammates respect him; including Wade.

4. Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat (25.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 8.1 apg) - Wade is no slouch and on a bad team, he would be scoring 30 a game. He is lucky he has an exceptional teammate in Beasley. That definitely makes things easier for him!

5. LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (27.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 6.8 apg) - Always a great player but always struggling to carry the Cavs. Had it not been for the emergence of Moses Chara, LeBron James is the ‘once in a generation player’ who could have won 10 MVPs in a row based only on sheer talent. With Chara around, team results become the tiebreaker between these two superstars.

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Rookie Rankings

January 1, 2013 NBA.com – It’s a bit of a travesty for the NBA number 1 draft pick not to be playing much. Even Kwame Brown got a better chance in Washington than Jao Wu is getting in Seattle right now. The last time a player selected high didn’t much of an opportunity? Darko Milicic in 2003, the second draft pick. And look at what happened to him. Seattle had better be careful Wu doesn’t quit on himself after showing so much promise for Team China and Maryland.

1. Liam Washburn, SF, Milwaukee Bucks (15.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.4 apg) - Washburn has proven that he is the most NBA ready talent of the Draft (who has gotten minutes). His shooting touch and court vision has set him apart from his rookie counterparts and he is a perfect complement to All-Star Jay Gray. Gray, Washburn, and the Bucks are looking likely to make the playoffs for the first time in Gray’s NBA career.

2. Janis Kalnins, C, Minnesota Timberwolves (7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2 apg) - David Kahn may be more open to dealing Al Jefferson with the addition of Kalnins. With trade rumors swirling around Jefferson, Kahn is said to be endeared with the idea of making Kalnins the starting big man and shipping Jefferson for an All-Star talent on the wing. The latest rumours have Sacramento Kings SG Kevin Martin being brought in.

3. Albano Spagnoletti, SG, Indiana Pacers (12.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 4.0 apg) - The Argentinean project is boxing above his weight as he splits minutes with Brandon Rush. Spagnoletti has been a surprising success story for the Pacers as he is scoring in double digits and also fitting in seamlessly alongside the spectacular Ricky Rubio. The new Pacers are also leaps and bounds better than last season’s outfit; they’re actually competing for a playoff berth.

4. Eric Smith, PF, Chicago Bulls (11.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 apg) - Smith has been underwhelming. Many pundits thought that the talented Duke PF would be a double double threat every night but his lack of desire and laziness on defense and on the glass has prevailed. Chicago fans who were celebrating their ‘prize catch’ are now scathing him and demanding that he play harder or get traded. Looks like the Bulls front office must be really regretting using the fourth pick on him; a guy who seems content with coming off the bench and cashing in his pay cheque. This guy was supposed to be like Chris Bosh but he’s turning out to be a broke man’s Derrick Coleman.

5. Darnell Love, PF, Phoenix Suns (7.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.7 apg) - The Suns might breathe a sigh of relief. They really wanted Smith but ended up with Love. At least Love hustles and plays 10 times harder than the Bulls’ Smith. Love is not the most talented player nor is he particularly strong either but he is still only 19 years old and looks like he could improve a lot over time.

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Other Awards Favorites

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, PF, Orlando Magic (18.5 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 3.4 bpg)
Sixth Man of the Year: Louis Nixon, PG, Golden State Warriors (15.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.9 apg)
Most Improved Player: Daequan Cook, SG, Milwaukee Buck (13.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.2 apg)

[Lamrock]

Liking the Trimester update. Works very well for dynasties like this (in their fifth season). Really surprised to see Martti doing so well. Also, you're holding your own in the West, but you might want to cash in a surplus PG or two for a player to get you over the hump. An X-Factor, if you get my drift.

Also, I am the fucking man. I am ROYalty. Y'all got nothin' on the L-Train!

[Fresh8]

First Trimester Recap – NLSC Report

Washburn Settling In Nicely

January 1, 2013

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Liam Washburn knows that playing with one of the best players in the league has its perks. And he is loving it.

“Jay (Gray) gets all of the defensive attention and that means a load of open shots for me. The best thing about him is that he knows when to kick it out and he knows when to go for the shot himself. He is the best player I have ever played with and also the best I’ve ever seen before,” Washburn notes, “He gives us the strength and confidence we need to be a winning ball club.”

The former Washington player has had his fair share of experience as being ‘The Man’ back in his college days before a horrific car accident cut short his life of being a ‘super athletic freak’ (as he puts it). “After the accident, I had to adapt and play to the speed that I could move at. There’s no point trying to drive and dunk on people like I used to because it would just mean having the ball sent into the stands every shot attempt,” the modest forward states.

Compared to Lamar Odom, Washburn has been a solid addition to the Milwaukee squad. His all-around game and accurate shooting has been welcome by the Bucks who look likely to finally make the postseason after years of disappointing results. Washburn is said to be the perfect teammate as he tries to stay modest about his talents and has slotted into the Bucks’ starting five as a ‘perfect fit’ next to the dominating low post presence of Gray.

A keen student of the NBA, Washburn shows off his NBA know-how, “I think we have a playoff caliber team. I might not be the reason but we probably have the best Bucks team since the guys who got to the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2001. I remember that when I was really young but I’ve got to admit that I was rooting for Iverson and Philly.”

The Bucks indeed have their best squad since those 2001 Bucks led by Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson. Washburn can rest assured that he is a big part of that – whether he is ready to admit it or not.

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NLSCer Statistics

[Lamrock]

Loving it. Fantastic article. Even though I was do recall rooting for Ray Allen's Bucks, its pretty much spot on. I'd liken myself more to a Peja Stojakovic than a Lamar Odom (Odom can't shoot and eats too much candy!), but I can't complain with the exposure I'm getting.

Rookie of this year. Most valuable player of the next. Full steam ahead for the L-Train!

[puttincomputers]

oh yeah! 15.7 ppg!

[Valor]

I demand more minutes from the Mavs because i could easily triple my scoring average in a starting role

extra note: at least im averaging more than Kobe in his first season

[Martti.]

I'm the real 'Black Mamba'. (Must is Estonian for black)