The 2K10 & Beyond Project - Season 19/20: NBA Finals - Game 7

Playoffs: Conference Finals - Elimination Games


GS 98 @ HOU 95
GS wins 4-2

Warriors trump Rockets in OT, book Finals ticket


Eric Gordon came up huge against the Rockets finishing with 33 points in an overtime battle which saw the cinderella run of the Rockets come to an end.






CHA 82 @ BOS 76
CHA wins 4-2

Bobcats eliminate Celtics, maiden NBA Finals awaits


In a franchise first, the Charlotte Bobcats are Finals-bound, overcoming the veteran Celtics in a tight defensive battle at TD Garden.

NBA Finals: Playoff Tree



Season Review – Conference Finals Eliminations

4. Houston Rockets (41-41)
Notable upcoming Free Agents: Chase Budinger (70)

A dramatic change with Andre Iguodala coming in at the deadline really jumpstarted the Rockets into the second half of the season, and proved huge in tough playoff series' against the Thunder and Kings. With only Chase Budinger out of contract, this Houston team looks set to return with a well-versed offseason to gel together and win a Championship.


3. Boston Celtics (47-35)
Notable upcoming Free Agents: None

The band has already locked themselves in for another go-round next year, and this was a better-than-expected result with Kevin Garnett out for the postseason. No doubt this result can only fuel the Beantown fire more to get back to the top of the NBA mountain, but next year may truly be the last hurrah.



Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Charlotte Bobcats

There's fresh faces battling it out this season, with the youthful exciting Golden State Warriors coming up against the gritty defensive Charlotte Bobcats for the NBA crown.

Previous matchups

28/11: CHA 110 @ GS 103
17/12: GS 78 @ CHA 104

Battle of the captain swingmen



Both with more than 10 NBA seasons under their belt, team leaders Stephen Jackson & Gerald Wallace will meet for the chance to win their first Championship ring. Stephen Jackson has had a storied career, including early success in San Antonio and some not so savoury incidents with the Indiana Pacers, but has truly became a stalwart and leader of the Bay Area since his arrival in 06-07, and in particular his role in the "We Believe" Warriors. This would be a crowning achievement for Jax, who has held up the offensive production for the Warriors as their young core of Stephen Curry & Monta Ellis continued to grow, but now is starting to also play the role of facilitator as his teammates continue to progress. Gerald Wallace has waited a long time to get to this moment. As the original face of the franchise in his recruitment after the inaugural Charlotte Bobcats season, Wallace has been the pillar of consistency, and taken a team synonomous with losing into a perennial contender, including tying their franchise-record of last season with 49 wins. This would be the ultimate token of gratitude for a player who's been steeped in mediocrity for far too long, for a city that's been dying for some Championship success.

Hamilton returns to the Finals, new sharpshooters get their shot



At the trade deadline last season, when the Bobcats traded away their young prospect Gerald Henderson for the veteran sharpshooter Richard Hamilton, no one could've guessed the impact that "Rip" would have in changing the fortunes of the Charlotte Bobcats. Since his acquisition, the Bobcats have transformed into a defensively dominant, gritty team that echoes the former Pistons system that Hamilton thrived in so well. When you look at the other end of the court, you see two sharpshooters of the future. Stephen Curry and Eric Gordon, both under the age of 25, find themselves in a profound position, providing the outside scoring gusto that has lead them to this Finals berth. As the league seems to turn more towards an outside threat than an inside threat, it seems certain that the new tandem of Curry & Gordon will play a huge role in the Warriors high-octane offense as they try to secure their first ring in over 45 years.

NBA Finals: Game 1


GS 92 @ CHA 87
GS leads 1-0

Jax stars as Warriors take Game 1 in Charlotte


The Warriors have taken home court advantage from the Bobcats in Game 1 of the Finals, with captain Stephen Jackson putting up an impressive 25, 4 & 5.





Game Recording

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Last edited by jubba910 on Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

NBA Finals: Game 2


GS 101 @ CHA 95
GS leads 2-0

Curry, Warriors take 2-0 lead back the The Bay


Stephen Curry took over for the Warriors in Game 2, as Golden State now hold all the cards to their own fate, hosting the next three games in Oakland.





Game Recording

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Looks like the Warriors will be breaking the drought a few years earlier than they did in real life.

NBA Finals: Game 3


CHA 65 @ GS 86
GS leads 3-0

Warriors take commanding 3-0 lead, look to sweep in Oakland


Could we see a second straight Finals sweep? If Stephen Curry plays like he did in Game 3, it looks likely.





Game Recording

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Bobcats looking like the 2007 Cavaliers.

NBA Finals: Game 4


CHA 88 @ GS 84
GS leads 3-1

Wallace, Bobcats avoid sweep, take series to Game 5


It looked destined to be another sweep in the NBA Finals, but a third quarter run by the Bobcats saw them claw their way into the series, surviving their second of three straight in Oracle Arena.





Game Recording

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NBA Finals: Game 5


CHA 72 @ GS 90
GS wins 4-1

Warriors take series in 5, win NBA Championship






The Bay Area has an NBA Champion for the first time in over 35 years, with the Golden State Warriors completing a convincing 4-1 series win over the Charlotte Bobcats on their home floor. Veteran captain Stephen Jackson claimed Finals MVP, averaging 21 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.3 APG & 1.5 SPG.





Game Recording

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Finally, a team I didn't jinx into blowing a series!

Player Retirements & Draft Lottery

Player Retirements


Steve Nash, Portland Trail Blazers, Hall of Fame Inductee
Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks, Hall of Fame Inductee
Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers
Ben Wallace, Dallas Mavericks
Marcus Camby, Oklahoma City Thunder
Andre Miller, New Jersey Nets
Derek Fisher, Los Angeles Lakers
Erick Dampier, Sacramento Kings
Maurice Evans, Atlanta Hawks
Antonio Daniels, Utah Jazz


NBA Draft Lottery

Lottery odds


Lottery results


Jazz secure #1 pick, new twin towers on the way?


Utah has jumped in from the fourth best odds to secure the #1 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, and will have first rights to consensus superstar in the making Anthony Davis. With a pairing of Paul Millsap and Davis on the block, it could be enough to retain the services of All-NBA PG Deron Williams in his contract year, but it's no guarantee, as we saw with Amare Stoudemire to the Heat last year.

Player/Team Options & Amnesties

Philadelphia 76ers
Jrue Holiday (T) – Accepted
Avery Bradley (2YRT) - Accepted
Al Farouq Aminu (2YRT) - Accepted
Taj Gibson (T) - Accepted
Hasheem Thabeet (T) - Declined
Elton Brand - Amnesty Clause

Charlotte Bobcats
Craig Brackins (2YRT) – Declined
Desagana Diop (P) – Declined

Milwaukee Bucks
Paul George (2YRT) – Accepted
Omri Casspi (T) – Accepted
Darius Morris (2YRT) - Accepted
Andres Nocioni (T) - Declined
Beno Udrih (P) - Accepted

Chicago Bulls
Derrick Favors (2YRT) – Accepted
James Johnson (T) – Accepted

Cleveland Cavaliers
John Salmons (T) – Accepted
Daniel Gibson (T) - Declined

Boston Celtics
Jordan Crawford (2YRT) - Accepted
Malcolm Lee (2YRT) - Accepted
E'Twaun Moore (2YRT) - Accepted

Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin (T) – Accepted
Lance Stephenson (T) - Accepted
Willie Warren (T) - Accepted

Memphis Grizzlies
Eric Bledsoe (2YRT) – Accepted
Solomon Alabi (T) – Accepted
Gani Lawal (T) – Declined

Atlanta Hawks
Jerome Jordan (2YRT) – Accepted
Jeff Teague (T) – Accepted

Utah Jazz
Darren Collison (T) - Accepted
Tyler Hansbrough (T) - Accepted
Dominique Jones (2YRT) - Accepted
Jordan Williams (2YRT) - Accepted

Utah Jazz
Eric Maynor (T) - Accepted
Luke Babbitt (2YRT) - Accepted
Deron Williams (P) - Accepted

Sacramento Kings
Tyreke Evans (T) - Accepted
Greg Monroe (2YRT) - Accepted
Brandon Jennings (T) - Accepted
Trevor Booker (2YRT) - Accepted
Chandler Parsons (2YRT) - Accepted
Etan Thomas (T) - Declined

New York Knicks
DeMarcus Cousins (2YRT) - Accepted
Toney Douglas (T) - Accepted
Jordan Hill (T) - Accepted
Andrew Goudelock (T) - Accepted
Dexter Pittman (T) - Accepted
Chris Paul (P) - Accepted

Los Angeles Lakers
Andrew Bynum (T) - Accepted
Greivis Vasquez (2YRT) - Accepted
Lamar Odom (T) - Declined

Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard (P) - Accepted
Ryan Anderson (P) - Accepted
Rashard Lewis - Amnesty Clause

Dallas Mavericks
Rodrigue Beaubois (T) - Accepted
Larry Sanders (2YRT) - Accepted
Keith Benson (2YRT) - Accepted

New Jersey Nets
Landry Fields (T) - Accepted
Gordon Hayward (2YRT) - Accepted
DeAndre Liggins (2YRT) - Accepted

Denver Nuggets
Patrick Patterson (T) - Accepted
Earl Clark (T) - Accepted
Josh Harrellson (T) - Accepted
DeMarre Carroll (T) - Declined

Indiana Pacers
Ty Lawson (T) - Accepted
Xavier Henry (2YRT) - Accepted
Hamadu N'Diaye (T) - Accepted
Dahntay Jones (P) - Declined

Detroit Pistons
Ekpe Udoh (2YRT) - Accepted
Gerald Henderson (T) - Accepted
Cory Joseph (2YRT) - Accepted
Darington Hobson (T) - Accepted
Austin Daye (T) - Declined
Jason Maxiell (P) - Accepted

Toronto Raptors
Demar DeRozan (T) - Accepted
James Anderson (2YRT) - Accepted
Quincy Pondexter (2YRT) - Accepted
Trey Thompkins (2YRT) - Accepted
Mo Williams (P) - Accepted

Houston Rockets
Jonny Flynn (T) - Accepted
Davis Bertans (T) - Declined

San Antonio Spurs
Dejuan Blair (T) - Accepted
Daniel Orton (2YRT) - Accepted
Jeremy Evans (T) - Accepted
Vernon Macklin (2YRT) - Accepted

Phoenix Suns
John Wall (2YRT) - Accepted
Terrence Williams (T) - Accepted
Jon Leuer (2YRT) - Accepted

Oklahoma City Thunder
James Harden (T) - Accepted
Serge Ibaka (T) - Accepted
Ed Davis (T) - Accepted
Devin Ebanks (T) - Accepted
Lavoy Allen (T) - Accepted

Minnesota Timberwolves
Wayne Ellington (T) - Accepted
Justin Harper (T) - Accepted
Hassan Whiteside (T) - Accepted
Ramon Sessions (P) - Declined

Portland Trail Blazers
Damion James (2YRT) - Accepted
Martell Webster (T) - Declined
Travis Leslie (T) - Accepted
Jeff Pendergraph (T) - Accepted

Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry (T) - Accepted
Cole Aldrich (T) - Accepted
Jeremy Tyler (T) - Accepted
Elliot Williams (T) - Accepted
Derrick Caracter (T) - Accepted

Washington Wizards
Evan Turner (2YRT) - Accepted
Wesley Johnson (2YRT) - Accepted
Tyler Honeycutt (2YRT) - Accepted
Kevin Seraphin (2YRT) - Accepted
Terrico White (T) - Accepted

Paul, Howard, Williams all accept Player options



The Free Agency pool has dried up significantly with the accepted player options of the three landmark stars of the offseason. Of the three however, Dwight Howard still seems the most likely to be wearing a different jersey next year, as the Magic look to be on verge of a rebuild.

NBA Draft

Draft Board



Jazz land Davis, dawn of new era in Utah?



With no surprise, the Utah Jazz officially drafted Anthony Davis with the #1 pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, creating a formidable new connection of Deron Williams & Anthony Davis, set to revive the PG-Big man combination of Stockton & Malone at the Energy Solutions Arena.

Free Agency

D12 heads to Brooklyn in sign and trade


The Barclays Center finally has their superstar, with the Orlando Magic sending their Center to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez, SF Gordon Hayward and Rudy Fernandez. Pairing with Carlos Boozer & Devin Harris, plus rookie Dion Waiters, the Nets may not be done moving pieces to become another beast in the East.


Amnestied Brand, Lewis find new homes


After being dumped by their respective teams due to inflated contracts, Elton Brand & Rashard Lewis will find themselves wearing different jerseys this season, both joining contenders in the Miami Heat & Houston Rockets.

Signings

Golden State Warriors sign Eric Gordon 4yr/38.96m

Washington Wizards sign Ramon Sessions 4yr/24.01m

Minnesota Timberwolves sign JaVale McGee 4yr/23.34m

Los Angeles Clippers sign Chris Kaman 3yr/22.02m

Dallas Mavericks sign Spencer Hawes 3yr/16.8m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Andray Blatche 3yr/14.91m

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Goran Dragic 3yr/13.76m

Atlanta Hawks sign Jordan Farmar 3yr/12.15m

Houston Rockets sign Rashard Lewis 2yr/9.72m

Miami Heat sign Elton Brand 2yr/7.84m

Denver Nuggets sign J.J. Redick 2yr/7.83m

Atlanta Hawks sign T.J. Ford 2yr/6.85m

Charlotte Bobcats sign Darko Milicic 1yr/5.09m

Dallas Mavericks sign Kirk Hinrich 2yr/4.77m

Charlotte Bobcats sign D.J. Augustin 1yr/4.38m

Phoenix Suns sign Jerryd Bayless 1yr/4.16m

Milwaukee Bucks sign Jason Thompson 1yr/4.13m

Golden State Warriors sign Anthony Randolph 1yr/4.05m

Chicago Bulls sign Mareese Speights 1yr/3.82m

Indiana Pacers sign Vince Carter 1yr/3.51m

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Antawn Jamison 3yr/3.44m

Brooklyn Nets sign Courtney Lee 1yr/3.22m

Brooklyn Nets sign Rudy Fernandez 1yr/3.08m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Delonte West 1yr/3.07m

Toronto Raptors sign Josh McRoberts 1yr/2.17m

Milwaukee Bucks sign Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 1yr/1.08m

Houston Rockets sign Chase Budinger 1yr/994k

Team Depth Charts

Philadelphia 76ers
PG: Jrue Holiday/Louis Williams/Shelvin Mack
SG: Avery Bradley/Marcus Thornton/Orlando Johnson/Will Barton
SF: Trevor Ariza/Al-Farouq Aminu
PF: Taj Gibson/Thomas Robinson
C: Anderson Varejao/Robin Lopez/Bismack Biyombo/Hasheem Thabeet

Charlotte Bobcats
PG: Raymond Felton/D.J. Augustin
SG: Richard Hamilton/Raja Bell/Darius Johnson-Odom
SF: Gerald Wallace/Mike Miller
PF: Boris Diaw/Craig Brackins/Arnett Moultrie
C: Tyson Chandler/Darko Milicic

Milwaukee Bucks
PG: Kemba Walker/Will Bynum/Beno Udrih/Darius Morris
SG: Paul George/Michael Redd
SF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute/Omri Casspi
PF: Jared Sullinger/Chris Wilcox
C: Andrew Bogut/Jason Thompson

Chicago Bulls
PG: Derrick Rose/Jose Calderon/Mario West
SG: Randy Foye/Jordan Hamilton
SF: Luol Deng/Thaddeus Young/James Johnson
PF: Derrick Favors/Marreese Speights
C: Joakim Noah/Meyers Leonard

Cleveland Cavaliers
PG: Aaron Brooks/Jarrett Jack/Tyshawn Taylor
SG: J.R. Smith/Austin Rivers/Daniel Gibson
SF: John Salmons/Derrick Brown/Linas Kleiza
PF: J.J. Hickson/Carl Landry
C: Jonas Valanciunas/Ryan Hollins

Boston Celtics
PG: Rajon Rondo/Reggie Jackson/E'Twaun Moore
SG: Ray Allen/Jordan Crawford/Malcolm Lee
SF: Paul Pierce/Marquis Daniels
PF: Kevin Garnett/Glen Davis/Andrew Nicholson
C: Kendrick Perkins/Ognjen Kuzmic/Shelden Williams

Los Angeles Clippers
PG: Gilbert Arenas/Malik Wayns/Willie Warren
SG: Monta Ellis/Lance Stephenson
SF: Carmelo Anthony/Danny Green
PF: Blake Griffin/Jajuan Johnson/Royce White
C: Chris Kaman/DeAndre Jordan/Justin Hamilton

Memphis Grizzlies
PG: Mike Conley/Eric Bledsoe
SG: O.J. Mayo/Terrence Ross
SF: Rudy Gay/Kawhi Leonard/Renaldo Balkman
PF: Zach Randolph/Darrell Arthur/Quincy Acy
C: Marc Gasol/Chuck Hayes/Solomon Alabi

Atlanta Hawks
PG: Jeff Teague/Mike Bibby
SG: Jamal Crawford/DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Joe Johnson/Andrei Kirilenko/Terrence Jones
PF: Josh Smith/Kenneth Faried/Amir Johnson
C: Al Horford/Jerome Jordan/Zaza Pachulia/Kyle O'Quinn

Miami Heat
PG: Kyrie Irving/Mario Chalmers
SG: Dwyane Wade/Wesley Matthews/Daequan Cook
SF: Wilson Chandler/Quentin Richardson/James Jones
PF: Elton Brand/Travis Outlaw/Perry Jones III
C: Jermaine O'Neal/Timofey Mozgov

New Orleans Hornets
PG: Darren Collison/Chris Duhon
SG: Klay Thompson/Josh Selby/Dominique Jones/Tomas Satoransky
SF: Tobias Harris/Shane Battier
PF: David Lee/Tyler Hansbrough/Jordan Williams
C: Emeka Okafor/Andre Drummond/Gustavo Ayon

Utah Jazz
PG: Deron Williams/Eric Maynor
SG: Leandro Barbosa/Ronnie Brewer
SF: Jimmy Butler/C.J. Miles/Jae Crowder/Luke Babbitt
PF: Paul Millsap/Hakim Warrick
C: Anthony Davis/Mehmet Okur/Kosta Koufos

Sacramento Kings
PG: Brandon Jennings/Brandon Knight
SG: Tyreke Evans/Francisco Garcia
SF: Chandler Parsons/Kevin Martin/Donte Greene
PF: Tyrus Thomas/Trevor Booker/Furkan Aldemir
C: Greg Monroe/Fab Melo

New York Knicks
PG: Chris Paul/Toney Douglas/Pablo Prigioni/Charles Jenkins
SG: Shannon Brown/Jared Cunningham/Andrew Goudelock
SF: LeBron James/Danilo Gallinari
PF: Al Harrington/Jordan Hill
C: DeMarcus Cousins/Dexter Pittman

Los Angeles Lakers
PG: Isaiah Thomas/Grevis Vasquez
SG: Kobe Bryant/Mickael Pietrus
SF: Metta World Peace/Luke Walton/Jeff Taylor
PF: Pau Gasol/Lamar Odom
C: Andrew Bynum/Channing Frye/Robert Sacre

Orlando Magic
PG: Jameer Nelson/Armon Johnson/Royal Ivey
SG: Iman Shumpert/Rudy Fernandez/John Jenkins
SF: Jared Dudley/Gordon Hayward/Kris Joseph
PF: Marcin Gortat/Ryan Anderson/Brandon Bass
C: Brook Lopez/Jeff Foster

Dallas Mavericks
PG: Kirk Hinrich/Rodrigue Beabois
SG: Jason Terry/MarShon Brooks/Anthony Morrow
SF: Shawn Marion/Josh Howard/Tornike Shengeila
PF: Dirk Nowitzki/Larry Sanders
C: Spencer Hawes/Miles Plumlee

New Jersey Nets
PG: Devin Harris/Keyon Dooling
SG: Dion Waiters/Courtney Lee/Deandre Liggins
SF: Landry Fields/Chris Douglas-Roberts/Quincy Miller
PF: Carlos Boozer/Yi Jianlian/Donatas Motiejunas
C: Dwight Howard/Eddy Curry

Denver Nuggets
PG: Chauncey Billups/Marquis Teague
SG: Arron Afflalo/J.J. Redick
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Chris Singleton/Joey Graham/Kostas Papanikolaou/DeMarre Carroll
PF: Patrick Patterson/Earl Clark
C: Nene/Chris Andersen/Josh Harrellson

Indiana Pacers
PG: Ty Lawson/Steve Blake
SG: Vince Carter/Xavier Henry/Evan Fournier
SF: Danny Granger/Mike Dunleavy
PF: David West/Troy Murphy
C: Roy Hibbert/Nikola Vucevic/Hamady N'diaye

Detroit Pistons
PG: Luke Ridnour/Cory Joseph
SG: Rodney Stuckey/Ben Gordon
SF: Harrison Barnes/Tayshaun Prince/Austin Daye/Darington Hobson
PF: Jason Maxiell/Charlie Villanueva/Jonas Jerebko
C: Ekpe Udoh/Enes Kanter/Bernard James

Toronto Raptors
PG: Mo Williams/Ronnie Price/Kendall Marshall
SG: Demar DeRozan/James Anderson
SF: Caron Butler/Hedo Turkoglu/Darius Miller/Quincy Pondexter
PF: Chris Bosh/Josh McRoberts/Trey Thompkins/Luke Harangody
C: Andrea Bargnani/Tristan Thompson

Houston Rockets
PG: Kyle Lowry/Jonny Flynn
SG: Tracy McGrady/Jeremy Lamb/Willie Green/Kim English
SF: Andre Iguodala/Chase Budinger/Rashard Lewis
PF: Luis Scola/Markieff Morris
C: Amare Stoudemire/Omer Asik

San Antonio Spurs
PG: Tony Parker/George Hill/Nolan Smith
SG: Manu Ginobili/Gary Neal
SF: Maurice Harkless/Matt Barnes/Richard Jefferson
PF: Tim Duncan/Mike Scott/Jeremy Evans/Vernon Macklin
C: DeJuan Blair/Tiago Splitter/Daniel Orton

Phoenix Suns
PG: John Wall/Jerryd Bayless/Jimmer Fredette
SG: Jason Richardson/Terrence Williams/Brandon Rush
SF: Dorrell Wright/Josh Childress/Kevin Murphy
PF: Michael Beasley/Udonis Haslem/Jon Leuer
C: Greg Oden/Tyler Zeller/Joel Anthony

Oklahoma City Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook/Norris Cole/Shaun Livingston
SG: James Harden/Thabo Sefolosha
SF: Kevin Durant/Devin Ebanks/Robbie Hummel
PF: Jeff Green/Ed Davis/Lavoy Allen
C: Serge Ibaka/Brendan Haywood/Festus Ezeli

Minnesota Timberwolves
PG: Goran Dragic/Ricky Rubio
SG: Nate Robinson/Bradley Beal/Corey Brewer/Alexey Shved/Wayne Ellington
SF: Derrick Williams/Ryan Gomes/Draymond Green
PF: Kevin Love/Antawn Jamison/Drew Gooden
C: Nikola Pekovic/JaVale McGee

Portland Trail Blazers
PG: Damian Lillard/Patrick Mills
SG: Delonte West/Travis Leslie
SF: Nicolas Batum/Damion James/Khris Middleton
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge/Marcus Morris/Jeff Pendergraph
C: Andray Blatche/Samuel Dalembert

Golden State Warriors
PG: Stephen Curry/C.J. Watson
SG: Eric Gordon/Alec Burks/Elliot Williams/Tony Wroten
SF: Stephen Jackson/Corey Maggette/Alonzo Gee
PF: Anthony Randolph/Jeremy Tyler/Derrick Caracter
C: Ronny Turiaf/Andris Biedrins/Cole Aldrich

Washington Wizards
PG: Ramon Sessions/Baron Davis
SG: Nick Young/Marco Bellinelli/Doron Lamb
SF: Evan Turner/Wesley Johnson/Tyler Honeycutt/Marvin Williams
PF: Jan Vesely/John Henson
C: Al Jefferson/Kevin Seraphin

Last edited by jubba910 on Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.

2012-13 Season Preview

After the chaos of last year's playoffs, it seems safe to say that anything can happen. With the second straight season of neither Conference's top 2 seeds making the NBA Finals, making the playoffs seems to mean everything in a highly competitive NBA landscape.


Division Previews


Eastern Conference – Atlantic Division



The Big Apple has to be out for vengeance after a disappointing second round exit against the rival Celtics last year. With CP3 back with LeBron and the continued growth of DeMarcus Cousins, the Knicks are in their prime as the King hopes to get back to the Finals for the first time in 6 years. It looks to truly be the end of a Celtics Big 3 era this season, will all chips on the table as their aging core has one more shot to win it all, hoping all can be healthy for the length of a grueling NBA season. There's a new superstar in a new city, as the Brooklyn Nets lead by Dwight Howard hope to bring the borough a new lease on life, while the 76ers and Raptors again limp into the two bottom slots of the division, however there's particular promise in the Sixers core from their acquired pieces from the Iguodala trade.


Eastern Conference – Central Division



After a terrible 11-12 season, the Bulls are still the favourite to take out a central division that looks destined to clog the middle part of the playoff picture. After a stellar first year from ROY Kemba Walker pairing with superstar in the making Paul George, Milwaukee looks to take the next step this year. With a full offseason of Ty Lawson learning the Pacers offense, hopes are high that Indy could end in a much better spot than the 8th seed at the end of this season. Cleveland last year experienced a better than expected spike in their success, though unless pieces around J.R. Smith & Sixth Man of the Year J.J. Hickson step up, it could be a step back for the Cavs, while the Pistons still juggle large contracts amongst young talent such as Rodney Stuckey, Enes Kanter & freshly drafted Harrison Barnes.


Eastern Conference – Southeast Division



South Beach was left hanging last season after a disappointing first round exit to their division rival Atlanta, but with Kyrie Irving firming as a true superstar, Dwyane Wade and the Heat faithful should be in for another successful year on the way to a top 4 finish. The Hawks and Bobcats met in the ECSF, though it seems as if they're passing ships in the night. Atlanta looks hotter than ever, with Jeff Teague back after a torn MCL, while the Bobcats will have a ton of pressure to back up their Finals appearance which saw them outmanned by the Warriors. The city of Orlando is no longer the home of Dwight Howard, though the acquisition of Brook Lopez seems to fill out their franchise center role quite well, while there's hope that Gordon Hayward may blossom into a solid pickup to heal the wounds left by D12. Washington finds itself in another weird season, with Most Improved Player Evan Turner needing to take that next step with Al Jefferson to make the Wizards a team to fear.


Western Conference - Pacific Division



Coming off their best season ever, with all 5 teams making the playoffs, it looks to be another ultra-competitive season in the Pacific division. The Battle of LA still rages at the top, with Kobe & Pau vs Melo & Griffin set to be the marquee matchup of the season, while the reigning NBA Champion has a huge mountain to climb to repeat last seasons efforts in the Bay Area. There's plenty of promise still in the Suns & Kings, though returning to the playoffs will be a tough task.


Western Conference – Southwest Division



Even coming off their first miss of the playoffs in over 13 years, the Spurs still reign supreme as the top team in the Southwest division. Hot on their heels however is the Iguodala-Stoudemire Rockets, looking to bounce back off a WCF exit against the Warriors. A lackluster season from the Grizzlies needs to be redeemed this year, with their roster on-paper one of the best in the league. While in Dallas, the loss of Jason Kidd & Ben Wallace could prove to be a major factor in the fate of the Dirk-led Mavericks, and the Hornets continue their rebuild with Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris & Klay Thompson looking like the new blood to propel the Big Easy for years to come.


Western Conference – Northwest Division



It was a season to forget for the Northwest Division, with the Thunder being the lone team to make the playoffs. Oklahoma City are still head and shoulders above any team in the West and should hold the top spot in the division comfortably, though the #1 draft pick in Utah and the rise of Minnesota's youth could prove to create a few speedbumps in the division and even the Conference. The Trail Blazers suffered more than anyone in the past offseason, losing both Steve Nash & Brandon Roy to retirement, putting their franchise PF LaMarcus Aldridge in an awkward position to ignite a new tandem with Damian Lillard. The Nuggets are still suffering from the Melo-hangover, but there's more hope in #2 pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to give Denver the scoring charge they've been missing.



Award Predictions


Most Valuable Player

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

A second straight MVP for Kevin Durant looks more than likely, as the Thunder try to climb back to the top of the NBA mountain.


Rookie of the Year

Anthony Davis, Jazz

No one looks to make as big of an impact than Anthony Davis in Utah, set to be a once-in-a-generational talent being paired with an All-NBA PG Deron Williams.


Defensive Player of the Year

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

After trading the the award over the past 3 seasons, the award will be heading back to J-Smoove after a year with D12 for his third DPOY award in four years.


Most Improved Player

Paul George, Milwaukee Bucks

After a breakout year last year, Paul George looks set to jump into the upper echelon of the league, taking the Bucks with him.


Sixth Man of the Year

Ben Gordon, Detroit Pistons

With Rodney Stuckey starting, it could be time for Ben Gordon to finally earn his big contract and provide numbers off the bench.


Coach of the Year

Rick Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves

Following the footsteps of the Bucks last season, the Timberwolves look set to make some noise this season and break their playoff drought, with the help of NBA Champion coach Rick Adelman providing a Coach of the Year performance in the process.


Roster Download

If you fancy playing with a team or this season yourself, I've uploaded the roster to the NLSC Downloads page, which you can download here.

Opening Night Double-Header

DAL 102 @ LAL 97
28th October 2012

Terry goes off for second straight opening day


Topping his 34 points from last year, Jason Terry teed off on the Lakers with 39 points as the Mavs kicked their season off on the right note.






BOS 91 @ MIA 120
28th October 2012

Wade scores 41, trounce Celtics in Miami


Dwyane Wade starred on the American Airlines floor, with a near 40+ triple double, finishing with 41 points, 7 rebounds & 8 assists.

MEM 98 @ GS 76
2nd November 2012

Grizzlies demolish Warriors on Ring Night


The Memphis Grizzlies dismantled the defending champions on their home floor, highlighted by a horror shooting performance by re-signed SG Eric Gordon, going 6-26 and 0-8 from downtown.

PHX 90 @ UTA 110
10th November 2012

Williams' triple double ends Suns' streak at 6


Deron Williams has risen to a level above, finishing with an instrumental triple-double of 27 points, 11 rebounds & 13 assists as the Jazz handed the John Wall-less Suns their first loss of the season.

LAC 101 @ OKC 119
21st November 2012

Thunder take advantage of Melo-less Clippers


With star SF Carmelo Anthony out with a sprained foot, the 1-2 punch of Durant & Westbrook tore apart the Clippers defense.

Monthly Report: November 2012

Conference Standings




League Leaders





Injury Report



Stories

Wall suffers season-ending injury

In a catastrophic blow for the Phoenix Suns, star John Wall is set to miss the entire season with a torn MCL. This looked to be the most promising year for the Suns yet, but with their franchise PG out and Goran Dragic now in Minnesota, all eyes are now on Jerryd Bayless & sophomore Jimmer Fredette to fill a chasmic hole in the Suns playmaking abilities.

Timberwolves hot start

The Timberwolves seem to be firing on all cylinders under Rick Adelman, off to their best start in almost a decade. Could this be the year Minnesota finally turns the corner, or is it too early to tell?

Big 3's last hurrah turns sour?

In a sight no-one could have predicted, the Boston Celtics currently sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a record of 4-12. Could we see the Big 3 be dealt away in a rebuild before the deadline if this form continues?

An early career derailment/setback for Wall in this reality.

MIN 97 @ NO 98
11th December 2012

Collison ices TWolves at the buzzer in the Big Easy


It took a buzzer beater from Darren Collison to stop the red-hot Timberwolves, handing them their first loss in 10 games as they battle it out at 2nd and 3rd in the Western Conference.

BKN 105 @ NY 104
19th December 2012

Howard, Nets take tight win in MSG


Dwight Howard starred for Brooklyn (35 points, 10 rebounds), as the Nets took their second win from their cross-town rival for the month.

Christmas Day Double-Header

OKC 102 @ MIA 111
25th December 2012

Wade, Heat win top of Conference battle


Dwyane Wade rose to the Christmas Day occasion, taking out the Thunder in South Beach.






HOU 107 @ CHI 104
25th December 2012

Rockets take W from Bulls on the road


The Rockets came to play in the Windy City, lead by Andre Iguodala's 26 points, 7 rebounds & 8 assists.