NBA Dark Horse: Lou Williams

     Probably my favorite under the radar player, for years, not just this season, has been Sweet Lou Williams.  Williams is an offensive onslaught.  The man has a silky smooth jump shot and the speed of a beautiful jungle cat.  His handles and quickness allow him to carve through defenses for easy points, despite only averaging 25.4 minutes per game.  In this short amount of playing time, he has averaged 13.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, all on 43% shooting, which is staggering for a pure scorer.  

     Plus, he has laid down some hammers, including this one on Tyler Hansbrough, which defies his diminutive size.  Williams has earned a name as being one of the purest scorers in the NBA but to me has been underutilized and has come off the bench for his entire career.

        

   

Summer in December: Flips and Flops

   
     Well, we are a quarter of the way through the NBA season, and there have been some eye opening wins for teams and players, as well as some crushing defeats.  The Flips are those who have surprised the NBA thus far, and the Flops are, obviously, the biggest disappointments.
   

 Flips:  

     The Portland Trail Blazers: After many people (including me) doubted the strategy of the Trail Blazers in raffling off most of their players except Aldridge, they have made a name for themselves as a mid class team with an 11-12 record.  Damian Lillard, my pick for ROY since day one, is playing out of his mind with the maturity of a senior player.  Blazers be blazin.
             
     The Orlando Magic: Another ringer! Most people slammed the Magic for their lack of depth, but damn! This team, with absolutely no star power, has managed to put up an 11-13 record with their sturdy defense and complete unselfishness.  And I don't think i could put it any better than BoB, these guys definitely have the magic in them.
             
     The Black Mamba: Eh, I'll admit it, he's playing pretty well right now.  I still say that his percentages and points per game all drop off soon.  Kobe cannot continue to carry teams with his run and gun play, even if he is wrecking it out on the court now.

     The New York Knicks: Nobody doubted the validity of the Knicks at the beginning of the season, but NOBODY thought they'd be at the top of the East right now.  I'm still convinced that the Heat are a better all around team, but the Knicks are for real with Melo playing like a different player.

     The Atlanta Hawks: The screech that the other teams in the East are hearing from above is most definitely the Hawks.  Thought to be a faltering team, Atlanta has turned out to be a dark horse team that has been anchored by two big men, Horford and Smith, who are playing at All Star level.  The addition of the dangerous Lou Williams and some defensive players has solidified them in the East.
             

     Flops:  

     Blake Griffin: Ol' Blake is having the worst year of his career so far, probably because teams have realized that his game is very one dimensional.  He can dunk.  Despite his superhuman athleticism, Blake Griffin has not expanded his game beyond that.  His post game is weak and on the defensive end it is almost laughable sometimes.

     The Washington Wizards: Nuff said.

     The Los Angeles Lakers: I said at the beginning of the season that the Lakers would have some problems.  And that happened.  The same thing happened with Miami last year when The Big Three started learning to work together.  But this seems to be a bit worse.  The Lakers refuse to play defense, and as much as people are saying it will be fine when Steve Nash comes back, he has never been an asset on defense.
   

   
 The Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets have been one of my must see teams for years now and they have always played some amazingly entertaining ball, but this year, they still haven't clicked.  Andre Iguodala has not figured out his place in this system yet, but that is not helped by the fact that Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson are having one of the worst seasons in their careers.

   

   
  
   

Dunkadelic Vol.2, Dec. 4

Holy mother of hell did Mullens throw it down last night!

If you didn't see the highlight, here it is!

LaMarcus Aldridge, on one of the rarest occasions, was posterized by Charlotte Bobcat Center, Byron Mullens. BJ attempted a 3-pointer, missed, got his own rebound and dunked from the foul line. It was HUGE. The crowd (what crowd was there) roared.

Dunk of the year?

LaMarcus wasn't all that impressed, saying after the game:

"He dunked on me, but I think I had 25, 13, five and three. So you want to dunk on somebody or do you want that? I’m not going to worry about it. I’ve been in the league long enough to not be bothered by that."
The 25, 13, 5, 3 was referring to his stat line: points, rebounds, assists, blocks. 

Someone's salty.

Pau Gasol Trade Rumor

I stumbled across this article today, and while it's not in any way credible, I found the trade scenario they reported very feasible.

They brought up a 4-team scenario between the Timberwolves, Lakers, Pistons, and Hornets. Big, huh?

The trade breaks down like this:

Lakers Get
Derrick Williams
JJ Barea
Jonas Jerebko
Trevor Ariza

Timberwolves Get
Pau Gasol
Kim English

Hornets Get
Charlie Villanueva
Nikola Pekovic
Chris Duhon

Pistons Get
Emeka Okefor

Obviously the biggest players moved are Derrick Williams and Pau Gasol. From the start, I felt a trade straight up between the two would suffice, but Gasol's massive contract with (2 year/39mill) is the roadblock. The proposed trade gets other teams involved to make it work.

Gasol is intrigued in proposed trade, obviously. 

While the trade is quite out there, I think both Williams and Gasol could be moved by Feb. 21. Gasol because of the new offense D'Antoni is bringing to LA, and Williams because of the return of Love.

I like the idea of Gasol playing alongside fellow Spaniard, Ricky Rubio. Plus, Gasol could slip into the Center position he better excels in.

Just food for thought.

Poor Paul Pierce

Did you guys see Paul Pierce fall to his knees after Joe Johnson crossed him up? It was brutal. It was eerily similar to how Kevin Hart described Shaq falling down.

This is the latest in Pierce's growing resume of being victimized by opposing guards:

Jameer Nelson infamously knocked Pierce down awhile back.

The 35yr old SF is still throwing it down this season, leading the team in ppg (19.7), his most since 08-09. His stroke from outside the 3point line has been especially nice.

The Celtics aren't doing so hot thus far, sitting at 8-7. Pierce is going to have to play even better with Rajon Rondo suspended the next 2 games because of his fight with Kris Humphries of the Brooklyn Nets last night. 

NBA 2k13: Association Check In

I just finished my second season of my association mode. I went 21-8. (26-3 in my first season) I repeated as NBA champions with League MVP, Most Improved player, and Final MVP, James Harden (27.8ppg/6.0apg/5rpg) Last season, league MVP/Finals MVP was Derrick Rose.

Starting 5

 Derrick Rose               James Harden                   Rudy Gay                 Carl Landry             Andre Drummond

Season 3 (Current)
PG Derrick Rose, 98    $18mil
SG James Harden, 90   $15mil
SF Rudy Gay, 93      $18mil
PF Carl Landry, 80        $7.5mil
C Andre Drummond, 69       $2.6mil

Bench
PG Eric Maynor, 72      $2.5mil
SG Jeremy Lamb, 80        $2.5mil
SG Corey Brewer, 74      $1.5mil

PG Josh Selby, 65             $884K
SF Adam Morrison, 58      $494K
PF Fab Melo, 61               $494K
C Joel Pryzbilla, 58           $490K

Season 2
PG Derrick Rose, 96    $18mil
SG James Harden, 86   $14mil
SF Paul George, 84      $12mil
PF Josh Smith, 88         $12mil
C Chris Kaman, 75       $3mil
Bench
PG Austin Rivers, 72       $2mil
SG Jeremy Lamb, 75        $2mil
SF Kenneth Faried, 77      $1.5mil
PF Fab Melo, 59               $494K
C Joel Pryzbilla, 60           $490K
PG Josh Selby, 63             $884K
PF Brian Scalbrine, 44      $494K

In the original fantasy draft (season 1):
Rd. 1 Derrick Rose
Rd. 2 Roy Hibbert
Rd. 3 Paul George
Rd. 4 Kenneth Faried
Rd. 5 Jeremy Lamb
Rd. 6 Courtney Lee
Rd. 7 Austin Rivers
Rd. 8 Yi Jianlian
Rd. 9 Josh Hamilton
Rd. 10 Robin Lopez
Rd. 11 Josh Selby
Rd. 12 Brian Scalabrine
I immediately made a move to secure me a #2 player, James Harden. I traded Roy Hibbert and draft picks.
To fill the hole I created at Center, I moved Courtney Lee and draft picks for Chris Kaman.

So, just finished my second season in association mode. As I mentioned last check-in, I increased the difficulty to Superstar, and as such found myself in much lower scoring games. The games have been much tighter. I relied much on the passing game, making Josh Smith and James Harden my go-to scorers (Harden 28ppg/Smith 22ppg) while Derrick Rose drastically dropped to 14ppg, but increased in assists (9 to 13apg)

While my team has been very well-rounded and has won back-to-back championships, I find the lineup getting stale. I've gotten kind of bored playing games, so I thought I would shake up the roster.

In the offseason, I made a few big moves, with the biggest being the trade of Paul George and Josh Smith for Rudy Gay and Carl Landry.

Under normal circumstances, I would never in my life make that trade. I love Prince George and Josh Smith way too much. But, in the NBA finals the last two seasons, I faced the 76er's and their franchise guy was Rudy Gay. He would tear me up left and right; his inside game is disgusting and he can hit the 3 pointer need be. I thought it would be fun to nab him in exchange for 2 cornerstones of my team. I like to think I created some elaborate storyline in this alternate NBA universe.

New franchise player. Part of my new big 3 along with Rose and Harden

While Gay was the focus point of the trade, Landry was almost as important. He had a very cap-friendly contract for his rating (80) and he had the player skills/inside game that would still give me a scoring presence inside, with Smith gone (Hibbert was my guy in season 1.) I may move Landry for draft picks for cap relief, though. With 3 large contracts in Rose, Harden, an Gay, I'm strapped for cap room.

For my next move, I traded Kenneth Faried for Andre Drummond and a 1st Rd. Pick. 

Faried's morale has been quite low all season, with many minutes going to Jeremy Lamb. At one point, I was going to trade him, but as HUGE Kenneth Faried fan, I couldn't pull the trigger. Well, I finally did after it seemed he was inconsolable. The move didn't do much for improving my team, but it did create a challenge for me:

New project. Code-named Operation Big man, bigger stick.

Andre Drummond was the 9th overall pick (in real life) by the Pistons this past year and while he is raw and has tons of upside, his 2k13 rating is piss-poor. (59) He possesses the 'Eraser' player skill and has a very high dunk rating (87) and solid rebounding. I thought it would be a real challenge to take the 19yr. old, 6'10" C and make him great. He has a decent potential (B) and I increased it in camp with the 'Unlock Potential.' The move saves me lots of money (signed him to a 5 year deal, 2mil/yr,) too.

I also let Chris Kaman and Austin Rivers walk because of cap reasons. Very, very sad to part with Rivers.

Brian Scalabrine retired and I brought in Adam Morrison (Just need someone who won't be angry sitting on the bench.) I picked up Corey Brewer and Eric Maynor is Free agency. The latter was a pick made before the Gay trade to replace Rivers and save 1mil/year. His 2.5mil cap hit is a bit too much for me. I may trade him and bump Selby to backup PG.

I am currently under the cap $875k

While the roster shakeups weren't necessary, it keeps it fresh. It's fun to explore more players. The only mainstay will be Derrick Rose. That guy isn't leaving my team ever! Cheers fellow 2Kballers!

Things Found In James Harden's Beard: Nov.2012

James harden has had a busy November.

Dunkadelic Issue 1, Nov. 7

     The first Dunkadelic award ever has to go to "Sweet" Lou Williams for his MONSTER SLAM over Tyler Hansbrough last night.  I know there were a few other huge jams (Im talking to you Andre and Manimal) but just the sheer power coming from that little shooting guard as he skied over Hansbrough was SO intense and unexpected I have to give it to him.  Thats a poster I would buy.  I don't expect you to make the Dunkadelic spotlight many times, so savor it, Lou.  Savor it like baby back ribs during the apocalypse.

     If you haven't seen it, check it out here, its worth drooling over.

NBA2K13: Dunk n Donuts

You want to learn how to do every dunk in NBA2K13? Look no further, Kyle Korver.

Vanilla Dunk

Hold RT, then push X

Reverse Dunk

Hold RT and move LS away from the basket & press X

Spin Dunk

Hold RT, double tap B, and press and hold X (under hoop)

-Must start move with space to the basket.

360 Dunk

Hold RT, double tap B, then press and hold X (at end of spin)

Between the Legs Dunk

Hold RT, press X

-Make sure you are coming off your left hand

(Not all players can do this dunk. Must be in their dunk package)

Between the Legs 360 Dunk

Hold RT, double tap B, then press and hold x

-Make sure you are coming off your left hand

(Not all players can do this dunk. They must have it in their dunk package)

Jordan's Foul Line Signature Dunk

Hold LT and RT and press X at foul line

(exclusive to Michael Jordan only)

Remember, every player has their signature variations of the moves above. Josh Smith's reverse dunk will look different than Vince Carter's and so on. Vanilla dunks have the most room for signature dunk variations. Players like Paul George will routinely 1 hand, windmill jam it. Try out dunking will all sorts of players. JR Smith and LeBron James are my favorites to use.

                                                          Nothing is more satisfying than a fastbreak highlight dunk.

Granger Out, Prince George In

If the crown fits, then wear it.

Well, the bad news is in. Indiana Pacer All-Star SF Danny Granger is out for 3 months with patellar tendinosis in his left knee. The loss of their outspoken leader of the 2011-2012 Playoff Pacers is going to hurt an already struggling Pacers squad. 

The Pacers forward, with a career average 18.2ppg, is going to be a huge blow for the Pacers chances of returning to their glorious playoff form. Averaging nearly 20 turnovers a game, the Pacers need to not only clean up their game, but need all the help they can get to put points on the board. They are currently 25th in the league in scoring (91ppg.)

Granger is out for the next 3 months.

Although a heavy load of blame needs to be placed on team play: the turnovers and the lack of passing (they are 28th in the league in assists) the Pacers have yet to have a player step up and lead the team. Last year, Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert took charge, but with Granger out, and Hibbert playing extremely poor thus far, it's time for a certain 6'9" SG to put his crown on and establish himself. I'm of course referring to one of Paul's and my favorite players: Paul George.

At the moment, Geore is averaging 14pts, 10.5reb, and 4ast. Those are definite improvements for the 3rd year player from Fresno. I think the Prince can make an even large leap in productivity. With Granger out, he has every opportunity to take the team by the reigns.

It isn't crazy to think George can bump his ppg over 21 and continue to rebound and distribute the ball effectively. George has all the physical tools to be a LeBron James-esque player. George is a defensive-minded player with an exceptional outside game and fully capable of ruling the paint with highlight dunks.

I'm not saying he can be a King like James, but I don't think its absurd to think he can be a Prince. His time to shine as a franchise cornerstone is coming. I think its now.

Kobe Bryant Logo Meaning

Uma Thurman AND Kobe Bryant are the Black Mamba

So, I'm doing some graphic design work and watching Kill Bill Vol. 1 late last night. I happen to glance over at the screen to catch the character, Bill, holding onto the Bride/Black Mamba's sword. I was like: "Kobe Bryant makes samurai swords?" But, in all seriousness, I was super surprised. I mean, I have never known the meaning behind Kobe's logo. I've seen it everywhere (including my own Kobe Bryant basketball shoes) and just chalked it up to bad design.

Well, after I saw this scene, I went on a google frenzy.

From what I read, Kobe says his logo represents raw talent within a sheath.

From Esquire, 2007:

Kobe's logo, which you will hear more about in the coming years, is called the Sheath. It is drawn to resemble the sheath of a samurai's sword. The sword is the raw talent, Kobe explains. The sheath is the package it's kept in -- everything you go through, your calluses and your baggage, what you learn.

Mind you, this logo was revealed 2007/2008, FIVE years after the first Kill Bill. Part of me thinks Kobe Bryant is an avid Kill Bill fan. 

I mean, it seems a huggggge coincidence that the Main character of Kill Bill happens to have the same logo and nickname of a certain 6'6" shooting guard.

Contenders or Pretenders

     And now folks, we have come to segment of our show where I, the dashingly handsome Paul, will break down what exactly is goin on with the choices some teams are making in the greatest of basketball leagues, the NBA, and make my decision whether they are a genuine threat or a future dud.

Rockets:  After becoming a "rebuild squad" and selling off their best players in hope of a fresh start in the future years, Houston bets it all and gets James Harden.  So now the Rockets have Jeremy Lin (which I still am not sold on at all), Harden, and some other people.  Are they rebuilding? Nope. They have no real draft picks in the recent future.  Are they elite?  Hell no.  Harden may go off for oodles of points a game, but the players around him are still the same.  My verdict, The Rockets are setting themselves up for the same kind of "good team but not great" mediocrity that they have had for the past half a decade.  PRETENDERS.  

Thunder:  I have seen a lot of reports lately that say the Thunder aren't clicking completely and that something is wrong with their system all the sudden.  Well, I say that these people aren't looking at the facts, which are:

   1.  We are like three games into the season.

   2.  Your two star players were just ripped away from your third star player in a trade.

   3.  In that trade, you received players that aren't as good.

   4.  It has been a week since the trade.

     Come on folks, lets give it time.  Verdict: CONTENDERS.

Nuggets:  The blockbuster trade that brought Iggy to Denver had huge ramifications throughout the league, like a rippling hair in the stache of Adam Morrison.  Iggy seems to be a perfect fit in Denver, and the Nuggets brought him in it for cheap, which is always a plus.  There is no doubt that the Nuggets will be a contender this year, but I can't see them beating a Laker team that crushed them last year because of their bigs, and has only gotten more bigger now because of a trade they themselves facilitated.  I don't think this will be the year, but with an aging Kobe and Gasol, as well as an impatient Howard, their time as kings of the west might be on the horizon. Verdict: CONTENDERS.  

     Break it down now y'all.

Uncle Drew Chapter 2 (with Wes)

They brought their A-game...and their prune juice.

Pepsi Max's new advertising campaign is going Viral. The latest chapter in the ever-expanding story of Uncle Drew has taken a turn: time to get the team back together. Drew reunites with Wes (finding him in a hardware store) and they decide to surprise some Los Angeles street ballers with their epic oldman moves.

If you are unfamiliar with the campaign, Uncle Drew is Cleveland Cavalier ROY, Kyrie Irving, disguised as a brittle old man, dunking on strangers. (Check out Chapter one if you haven't already)

Can you guess what NBA superstar plays Wes?

Check out the latest installment. You will break your hip laughing.

Durantula on the Mic

More NBA players rapping. I wonder when the Kevin Love mixtape is coming out?

The great Kevin Durant is trying his hand at rapping. Ch-ch-ch check it out.

He comes in at 1:44

Privaledge (feat. Kevin Durant)

" Wired (Paid in Full) "

NBA History Lessons: Alex English

So Paul and me were exchanging some texts today: all about basketball of course. Knowing I'm a huge Denver Nuggets fan, he asked: "Who is the greatest player in Nuggets history?" He mentioned the finger-wagging Dikembe Mutombo. At one point, I agreed. How would anyone say the the 4 time NBA Defensive player of the year, arguably the best shot-blocker in NBA history isn't the best player to don a Nuggets jersey? Well, a little bit ago, around June, I went on a Denver Nuggets history/research binge. I really wanted to know the ins and outs of the team I call "my team."

I stumbled upon one 6'7" guard, Alex English. Considered one of the most explosive players of the 1980's. I felt so ignorant not knowing who he was. Well, Mr. English, in his 10 years with the Nuggets, averaged about 27ppg (and 4+ assists per game.) That's pretty crazy. Carmelo Anthony, another Franchise great, only averaged about 24ppg.

I know its not all about points, but English is 13th in total points in NBA history; he was 7th when he retired in 1991. But, the real sticking point, for me at least, is English's role in transforming a franchise who was near the rock bottom, to annual playoff contenders (much like Carmelo Anthony's impact when he was drafted in 2003.) English led the Nuggets to the playoffs 9 times (Mutumbo, 3, Anthony, 6) 

English is arguably the best player in Denver Nuggets history

The title for best player in Nuggets franchise history is up for debate, but generally a competition between Alex English, Dikembe Mutombo, and Carmelo Anthony. I like to think these have been our 'franchise' players. English was with the Nuggets 10 years (Mutombo, 5, Anthony, 7) and I believe had a much bigger impact than the other 2 players, granted Mutombo probably is the most recognized/decorated player.

I do credit Carmelo Anthony for being a close 2/3. Not only is he one of the best players the Nuggets ever had (and drafted) but he holds personal significance with me. Without him, I do not know if I would have ever developed a strong love for the Nuggets, or the NBA for that matter. Living in Colorado for much of my childhood, I grew up with John Elway and the back-to-back Superbowl winning Broncos. It seemed only natural to gravitate to the Denver NBA team as well (it didn't hurt that Pittsburgh, where I moved to after Colorado, doesn't have an NBA team.) Melo really made me an NBA fan. For that, I thank that New York-loving asshole (I kid.)

NBA's Fireballs and Ice-Cubes: Nov.2

FIREBALLS

James Harden 45pts, 7reb, 2ast
Harden is managing to outplay his max contract. Thunder looking foolish. Harden/Lin have chemistry.

Chris Paul 18pts, 15ast, 6reb
Despite Kobe's 40pt performance, Paul leads the Clips past the struggling Lakers. 

Glen Davis 29pts, 10reb, 2blk
Did Glen Davis seriously put his name in consideration for the Magic's best player?

Brandon Jennings 21pts, 13ast, 6stl
Jennings drives and dimes his way past one of the East's best.

ICE-CUBES

Kyrie Irving 15pts (6-15), 4TO
Irving fails to get the team into a rhythm, only connecting with 4 assists. 

Nicolas Batum 3pts (1-11), 1reb
An awful game for Batum. The Thunder are atop the west, Portland nowhere near. Lillard impress though.

Tyreke Evans 6pts (3-14), 2TO
Tyreke continues to struggle in SAC's offensive system. He desperately needs a change of scenery. 

Ray Allen 5pts (2-5), 2TO
Miami's bench as a whole underperformed. Allen played 27min and had no impact.

Rapping Shumpert

Highlight dunks, a hightop fade, and he raps. We are not worthy.

Did you know the New York Knicks talented guard can rap? Since he's currently rehabbing an ACL injury and mixed up in one of the deepest backcourt rotations this year with NY, maybe he will start on taking over the rap game.

Check out Iman Shumpert in

" Rollercoaster Ride "

NBA 2K13: Association Check In

I just started my second season of my association mode. I went 26-3 in my first season, going on to win the NBA Championship with League MVP and Final MVP, Derrick Rose (28.8ppg,7.4apg)

                                 Derrick Rose          James Harden          Paul George          Josh Smith          Chris Kaman

                                                    Austin Rivers                Jeremy Lamb                   Kenneth Faried

                                                  Fab Melo             Josh Sleby           Joel Pryzbilla       Brian Scalabrine

Starting 5
PG Derrick Rose, 96    $18mil
SG James Harden, 86   $14mil
SF Paul George, 84      $12mil
PF Josh Smith, 88         $12mil
C Chris Kaman, 75       $3mil

Bench
PG Austin Rivers, 72       $2mil
SG Jeremy Lamb, 75        $2mil
SF Kenneth Faried, 77      $1.5mil

PF Fab Melo, 59               $494K
C Joel Pryzbilla, 60           $490K
PG Josh Selby, 63             $884K
PF Brian Scalbrine, 44      $494K

In the original fantasy draft:
Rd. 1 Derrick Rose
Rd. 2 Roy Hibbert
Rd. 3 Paul George
Rd. 4 Kenneth Faried
Rd. 5 Jeremy Lamb
Rd. 6 Courtney Lee
Rd. 7 Austin Rivers
Rd. 8 Yi Jianlian
Rd. 9 Josh Hamilton
Rd. 10 Robin Lopez
Rd. 11 Josh Selby
Rd. 12 Brian Scalabrine
I immediately made a move to secure me a #2 player, James Harden. I traded Roy Hibbert and draft picks.
To fill the hole I created at Center, I moved Courtney Lee and draft picks for Chris Kaman.

This roster was good enough to win and it stayed under the cap. A good bit of help came from the 4 rookie contracts.

In the offseason, I picked up FA Josh Smith and extended the contract of Paul George. I was able to resign George, and go over the cap, because of his 3 Bird years.

I like to challenge myself and stay below the cap every season, even if I can get by through loopholes. So I moved Yi, Hamilton, and Lopez for Fab Melo, Pryzbilla, and future draft picks.

I am currently under the cap $1.5mil.

I increased the difficulty in the last 5 games of the first season to All-Star and think I may move up further to balance out an improved team.

As it stands, the morale of all players is extremely high, with the only exception being Jeremy Lamb, who is unsatisfied with his role as 6th man. I may move Faried to free more minutes at the SF spot. I feel Lamb is more valuable because he has 2 years remaining on his rookie contract (to Faried's 1) and at 6'5, he is a beautiful replacement for James Harden off the bench (just like Rivers is for Rose.) I can probably grab a future draft pick and about $1mil in cap in cap relief.

All players beside Scalbrine, Pryzbilla, Selby, and Melo are under contract for at least 2 more seasons (assuming I move Faried.)

The team is so much fun to play with. Cheers fellow 2Kballers!

Who Be Ballin? Damian Lillard 10-31-12

Damian Lillard had an insane performance in a win against the Lakers and showing he is ready for the NBA.  He put up 23 points, 11 assists, and 3 rebounds in his debut in the black and red.  I know that Anthony Davis had a big game down in New Orleans, but Lillard was making some important shots and the crowd was absolutely LOVING IIIIIT.  At the close of the third quarter, Lillard drove and threw up a rain drop layup through heavy traffic and drained it off the glass to beat the buzzer, the crowd just EXPLODED. And they also toppled the "juggernaut" Lakers. The folks at Portland definitely have a reason to smile.

Who Be Ballin? James Harden 10-31-12

James Harden (I know, I know, not again) was lookin good in a game against the Pistons with 37 points, 6 boards, and 12 assists.  He had a hot hand and his teammates knew it.  There were a lot of good lines out there today, but to put up these numbers in a system that you JUST joined.  I mean, its like he just stepped off the bus then put up almost 40 points.  He basically played point and Jeremy Lin kind of disappeared (Im calling this out Linsanity snobs).  Althooooooooooooough, I do hafta give a shout out to Dwight Howard who put up 33 points, 14 boards, and 5 assists.

Mindfreak: Andrea Bargnani

Criss Angel has nothing on this disappearing act.

Since being drafted 1st overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2006, Bargnani has been trying to find his niche in the Toronto Raptors frontcourt. Bargnani was drafted to pair with then Franchise PF Chris Bosh. Together, they were supposed to provide an intimidating force in the paint. However, it never really panned out, only reaching the playoffs twice in their 4 years together (2007: 3rd Seed, 2008: 6th Seed.) Once Bosh decided to take his talents to South Beach in 2010, following a bitter breakup with Toronto, Bargnani was given the reigns to the franchise.

Bargnani has yet been able to be the franchise player they were hoping he'd become, given new spotlight. This is not to say that he hasn't been working on it. Following Bosh's departure, Bargnani improved his PPG drastically, going from 17.2 ppg (2009) to 21.5 (2010) and 19.5 (2011.) On a lesser note, he did increase his APG from 1.2 (2009) to 1.8 (2010) and 2.0 (2011) and taking his FT shooting percentage from .75 (2009) to .85 (2011.)

However, he has steadily dropped in many key categories: Blocks, rebounds, Shooting% and 3pt%.

The issue with Bargnani is that he has yet to overcome the "John Wall" as my fellow blogger, Paul, has coined. He hasn't improved his game to franchise player levels. As a C/PF, he is too soft inside, only eclipsing 6 rebounds once in his career. In 2009 it seemed he turned the corner when he had averaged 1.4 blocks per game (with the lone season of 6.2 rebounds) but, he drastically dropped to .5 in 2011.

The player often compared to Dirk Nowitzki, a big man with a good stroke outside the perimeter, has become increasingly and frustratingly less dependable outside.

Bargnani can score. There's not doubt about it. Give him the ball, give him about 35min/game, he will get you about 20 points every outing. His lack of production in rebounding and lack of defensive presence inside, it hurting the Raptors immensely. I think the Raptors are fine with letting him gradually improve in those categories if he maintained his offensive production, but it seems he's regressing in efficiency. Is the increased playing time, and spotlight minimizing him as a player? I have no clue, but he played his best basketball next to Chris Bosh when there wasn't nearly as much expected out of him.

Bargnani is one of my favorite players. Ask anyone. At 7', he can tower over people in the backcourt and knock down threes left and right. He has a nasty fade away, too. I just don't know why his game hasn't rounded out.

I am curious to see if Lithuanian big man, Jonas Valanciunas can take some pressure off of Bargnani inside. Maybe his presence will allow Bargnani to roam outside the paint where he seems the most comfortable. The additions of Kyle Lowry, Landry Fields, and the hopefully improvements of Ed Davis and DeMar DeRozan (new franchise player?) will give Bargnani breathing room to be himself, instead of the franchise player role that was forced upon him after Chris Bosh left. 

Who Be Ballin? LeBron James 10-20-12

LeBron James. It's not a secret that my favorite player is the King himself, but even unbiased viewers have to appreciate the line that he put up.  With 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, (all while not playing in the 4th quarter) he showed us all why he is the best player in the world.  All hail the King.

Author Spotlight: Josh Martin

Name: Josh Martin

Loves: The sound of a swish on a long three, chicken bacon ranch pizza, semi-creepy basketball courts, the Bulls, snap backs with any cool team logo, sleeves, tanks, his Kobe shoes, the Nuggets, Kyle Korvers' hair, Ty Lawson, slushies after game time, the Broncos, waffles, Alison Brie, dribbling, inventing handshakes, Natalie Portman, all nighters of 2K, Derrick Rose

Hates: Casual 2K players, layups, pancakes, intensely physical players in a freaking friendly game of basketball, dicks, Greg Odens' face, me talking about LBJ

Known Aliases: Jaws, El Fuego, J-Mart, BigVeeGee, Wayne Campbell

Ball Profile: What can I say? Are you an NBA squad in search of the next Chris Anderson type crowd pleaser with the silky spot up touch of Kyle Korver?  Then look no further.  My friend, author, and co-baller with benefits Josh Martin, is a pure three point genius.  Doves shoot from his fingertips as he puts up the long J.  And that J isn't for jumper, either.  Its for Just-Watch-This-Swish-In-It's-Gonna-Happen-Bro.
     Now, some of you at home might be saying, "Man, this sounds a little over dramatic" but I assure you folks, I am being honest.  With a short dribble to hesitate and a hopstep, that ball releases from his golden demigod hands and into the net, which proceeds to burst into flame.  Only the crystalline tears that are cascading down my face can extinguish that blessed fire.              
     Ya, I'm in love with this guy.

"The John Wall"

     Today, on the most fitting of days, the first day of the NBA season, I have coined a new term.  It is a term that describes the imaginary barrier that a player who has high potential cannot seem to pass to become a franchise player.  That barrier, is "The John Wall".

     John Wall, a guy who came into the NBA with such high hopes that he seemed to be the savior of Washington D.C., was a media phenom.  Although I was not one of the rabid followers who flocked to him, I definitely saw why there was hype.  This guy is a beast on paper.  He is 6'4", 195 pounds, and damn fast, with handles to match his speed.  One thing he did lack though, was a shooting stroke.  That tends to be a problem for high flyers going into the NBA though, so not a huge problem off the bat.

     So why can't Wall establish himself as a franchise point guard?  In his seasons playing for the Wizards, his shooting has gotten worse, especially from behind the arc, where he shot 3 for 42 (I'm disgusted and Josh Martin knows that is saying something coming from me).  John Wall also struggles to play the half court game.  He is a cold blooded killer on the break (which I dream of from time to time), but cannot establish himself in the part of the game that concerns his teammates the most.

     Rajon Rondo still seems to be struggling as a "franchise" player.  He has a similar issue that Wall does, with a shooting stroke that just can't seem to be fixed.  He can score in droves from time to time, and pass the ball with the best of them but teams shrug him off at the perimeter, which makes him less of a threat.  This season especially more people are doubting his real potential.

     I know it probably hurts Josh, who has the three point stroke of a golden demigod, to watch players without the long range game he loves.  Damn, it hurts me to watch it and I only put up three's when I think its absolutely necessary, but I think it hurts us both more, to see John Wall struggling to climb "The John Wall".  

     Will John Wall become a franchise guy?  Honestly, in my opinion, I say no.  I was hesitant from the beginning and after seeing his jumper just get worse, I cannot see him progressing into a franchise player.  I know that it seems like blasphemy, but I just can't say he'll be a superstar.  

     For reference on future star point guards, refer to the article below"Thunderstorm in Cleveland" by Josh Martin.  Its about a guard who for sure is a star.  (If John Wall is reading this, highlight that page.) 

   

Thunderstorm in Cleveland

Might as well be a middle finger to haters like me.

Kyrie freaking Irving. I was wrong. I eat crow. I bow before you. I remember like it was yesterday playing basketball with Mr. Kaspick in the shadiest of shady basketball courts behind a Pizza Hut in Edinboro, PA. Between layups and botched crack deals, we regularly talked everything basketball. EVERYTHING. From NBA2K, to NBA trade rumors, to the ugliest players the NBA has ever seen (I'm not looking at you Greg Oden.) But, one conversation that really stood out was our mutual distain for the Cavaliers drafting of PG Kyrie Irving. We both agreed the guard wasn't exceptionally athletic, not an exceptional scorer, and pretty much couldn't kick rocks next to the legacy LBJ left in Cleveland. 

Needless to say, we were both wrong about Uncle Drew. He went on to have a fabulous season averaging nearly 19pts/6ast. a game. He established himself as the Cavaliers franchise PG. 

But, so far, even with high draft picks in the last 2 years, the Cavaliers have yet to surround with him with anything that resembles talent. 

I have no clue the drafting strategy of the Cavaliers. Waiters (2012) Zeller (2012) and Thompson (2011) are players with small ceilings that were drafted way too high. The Cavaliers must rely on Irving to make these players better: that means an increase in distribution; I'm talking improving from 5 assists/game to 8 or better. He is being asked to do what John Wall has been trying his damnest to do in DC (Wall averaged 8 assist/game in both seasons as starting PG.)

Drafting aside, the rest of the roster isn't good either, minus the consistent play of big man Anderson Varejao. Gee, could be a good role player, however. But, c'mon. There isn't anything for Irving to work with besides the recent high draft picks Waiters, Thompson, and Zeller.

It's not going to be easy, but the key to success for the Cav's is for Irving to pull a LBJ and make everyone around him better. Good luck, Cleveland, having lightning strike twice.

Mo Monroe in Mo Town

I was going to comment on Pauls post, but figure I had enough to say to make a legit post myself.

Andre Drummond AND Greg Monroe need to step up. Monroe has improved in every possible category from his rookie season, bringing in almost 16pts/10reb. But, he hasn't been a strong inside presence defensively. If Monroe can continue to develop his already strong offensive/rebounding game (18ts/11reb is a  realistic improvement) AND start to get some blocks and anchor the Paint (6'11 is a lot to work with) the Pistons will continue to improve. I haven't even mentioned Villanueva, Jerebko, and Maxiell. The Pistons have players inside, they just don't produce as much as they should; they have yet to show any indication they will be anymore than role players. Drummond and Monroe are the Piston's only real hope for starting-caliber frontcourt players.

Drummond was a gamble pickup with tons of upside, but from everything I'm reading, it's 50/50 if he works out. If he live up to his 'potential' and I say that based on other peoples' reviews of him, the Pistons will be successful. I think strong play from Drummond HAS to matched by an improved Monroe to make the Pistons, as a team, more dangerous in the Central Division.

I feel like a strong performances in the paint will naturally improve the play of the backcourt. Knight and Stuckey are talented guards that can score, but both don't really distribute the ball. If Detroit Big men show up, I'm sure team assist totals will increase.