Lebron's 2015 Finals Performance Over Exaggerated

This 2015 Finals performance by Lebron James has to be the most over exaggerated and media hyped performances in the history of the sport. Sure he had a lot of pressure and expectation on him, and his numbers looked good but that's only half of it.
Lebron averaged 35.8 ppg off of only 39.8% from the field, an average of 13 makes off 33 attempts. Can you imagine if Kobe or Westbrook did this and lost? The media would scrutinise them until the end of time.

The media then said that his minutes were off the charts and he should be expected to fall off. Well that isnt necessarily the case as seen here:

Lebron averaged 42.2 MPG over the playoffs over only 20 games.
Compare this with some greats:
Oscar Rob and Wilt both over 48MPG in 1965
Allen Iverson 2005, 47.6 MPG,
Kareem 1974, 47.3 MPG,
Gilbert Arenas 47.33 MPG, 2006
Shawn Marion, 2003, 47 MPG
Kobe, 2006 44.86 MPG
Iguodala 2009, 44.83 MPG
Derrick Rose 2009, 44.71 MPG

There are many more, in fact he is not even in the top 244 minutes per games played in playoffs in history!

How about in the Finals?
Lebron averaged 45.7 MPG over those 6 games

Compared to:
Kobe, 2001, 46.8 MPG
Iverson, 2001, 47.4 MPG
Kobe, 2004 46.2 MPG

and more

Support Cast Comparison

What about his supporting cast? Seen as one of the worst of all time. Well was it really?

Here we see the dominance of Mozgov and Tristan Thompson:

Let's compare to some other teams. I know some may seem quite crazy but this is what the media has led you to believe. 

2009 Lakers

I would like to discredit everybody saying Bynum was a beast when Lakers won the title, because it is incorrect. 

in 2009 Finals when Lakers won the championship v Orlando, Bynum averaged 18 mpg, 6ppg and 4rpg. If you are saying he was a major factor, thats just silly.
In contrast Tristan Thompson in the finals averaged 10ppg 13rpg and 1bpg. Clearly a more dominant player

Secondly Lamar Odom, he averaged 13.4 ppg and 7.8 rpg in 34mpg. Compared to Mozgov who averaged 14ppg and 7.5 rpg in only 28mpg

Next Ariza, he averaged 11,0 ppg and 6rpg in 37.6 mpg, JR averaged 11.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg in 33,6 mpg

Dellavedova averaged 7.5 ppg 2.7 rpg 2.7 apg to Derek Fisher's 11ppg 3.0 rpg and 1.8apg

So overall we see that the only real advantage lakers had was the difference of DFish to Delly and Pau Gasol, but TT was much more dominant than Bynum and Mozgov actually out statted Pau in per 36mpg. 

2010 Lakers

How about in 2010 I hear you ask? When Lakers beat the Celtics?

Pau Gasol: 18.6 ppg 11.6 rpg in 42 mpg
Timofey Mozgov: 14 ppg 7.5 rpg in just 28.3 mpg

Metta: 10.6 ppg 4.6 rpg in 36mpg
JR: 11.5 ppg 4.3 rpg in 33.6 mpg

D Fish: 8ppg 3rpg 2apg in 30.6mpg
Delly: 7.5 ppg 2.7rpg 2.7apg in 31.8mpg

Lamar: 7.6ppg and 6.6 rpg in 27 mpg
Tristan Thompson: 10ppg and 13rpg in 41mpg

Bynum: 7.4ppg and 5.1 rpg in 25mpg
Shumpert: 6.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg in 36mpg

Now can we stop overhyping Lebron?

2011 Mavericks

So we all know how the 2011 series went, Lebron brick city, but have a look at this. Come on now, you aren't telling me Jason terry and 37 year old Jason Kidd should've run the Heat out of their building?

Tyson Chandler: 9.7 ppg 8.8 rpg in 37 mpg
Tristan Thompson: 10ppg and 13rpg

Jason Terry: 18ppg 2rpg
JR: 11.5 ppg 4.3 rpg

Jason Kidd: 7.7 ppg 4.5 rpg 6.3 apg in 37mpg
Delly: 7.5 ppg 2.7rpg 2.7apg in 31.8mpg

Shawn Marion: 13.7 ppg 6.3 rpg
Timofey Mozgov: 14 ppg 7.5 rpg in just 28.3 mpg

JJ Barea: 8.8 ppg 3.2 apg
Shumpert: 6.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg

2001 76ers

Allen Iverson I would say had a better Finals series in 2001, taking a game off that Lakers team, than Lebron did in 2015. 

Both historically bad in efficiency, both seemingly leading their team to the finals. Iverson tiny in comparison to Lebron physically

Iverson came up against an incredible Shaq-Kobe team and took a game, Lebron came up against an inexperienced Warriors team and took 2 games. Lets look more in depth at the stats

Lebron: 35.8 ppg on 39.8% shooting, 13.3 Rpg, 8,8 Apg, 3.5 TO
Iverson: 35.6 ppg on 40.7% shooting, 5.6 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.8 spg, 2.2 TO

Also everyone was sooking about how many mins lebron played. He played 45.7 MPG compared to Iverson's 47.4 MPG.

Mutombo: 16.8 ppg 12.2 RPG
TT: 10 ppg 13 RPG

Eric Snow: 12.6 ppg, 6apg, 4,4 rpg
JR Smith: 11,5 ppg, 4,3 RPG

Aaron Mckie: 8ppg, 6apg
Delly: 7.5 ppg 2.7 apg

Tyrone Hill: 6.6 ppg 6.6 rpg
Mozgov: 14 ppg, 7.5 rpg

Matt Geiger: 5.2 ppg
Shumpert: 6.5 ppg 3.8 rpg, 1.8 spg

Taking into consideration that Iverson came up against a superior opponent, and that LBJ had Kyrie in game one with a 23/7/6/4 game and still lost who do you think did better?

1994 Rockets

Hakeem the dream, compare this 1994 cast that he won with v Lebron 2015. Please tell me who is an all star for Hakeem 

Vernon Maxwell 36.5% FG, 13.4 PPG 3RPG 3APG
Mozgov 55% FG, 14 PPG 7.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG

Robert Horry 32.4% FG, 10.3 PPG 6RPG 3.7 APG
JR Smith 31% FG, 11.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG

Sam Cassell 10 PPG, 3RPG, 3 APG
Delly 7.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG

Otis Thorpe 9.3 PPG 11.3 RPG
Tristan Thompson 10 PPG, 13 RPG, 1BPG

Kenny Smith 5.6 PPG 1.4 RPG 3.1 APG
Shumpert 6.5 PPG 3.8 RPG 1.8 SPG

2003 Spurs

This is an interesting comparison, one I had no idea about and totally didnt expect until it was brought to my attention
The 2003 SPURS! Can you believe it. Tim Duncan may have actually had a worse support cast than 2015 LBJ.
Tony was only 20 years old and Robinson was on the way out 37 years old. Lets have a look

Tony Parker 39% FG, 14 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.2 RPG
Mozgov 55% FG, 14 PPG 7.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG

Stephen Jackson 38% FG 10.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG
JR Smith 31% FG, 11.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG

Malik Rose 7.7 PPG 3.8 RPG 0.7 APG
Delly 7.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG

David Robinson 10.8 PPG 7.3 RPG 1.8 BPG
Tristan Thompson 10 PPG, 13 RPG, 1BPG

Manu Ginobili 34% FG 8.7 PPG 4.5 RPG
Shumpert 6.5 PPG 3.8 RPG 1.8 SPG

Noticibly the FG% of Manu, Tony and Jackson were all quite low. Can we really say LBJs cast was that much worse than Duncan's here?

So overall we have found that Lebron's minutes weren't anything special, and his support cast wasn't THAT bad. We haven't even taken into consideration that Lebron had Kyrie and Love in the reg season and Kyrie for the playoffs, whereas the teams above made it on their own. 

Another case of media hype I guess

Who Had the Worse Support Cast

2015 Cavaliers

2001 76ers

2009/2010 Lakers

1994 Rockets

2003 Spurs

Poll Maker

Controversial Umpiring on Back to Back Nights

Wednesday night saw the Eastern heavyweights Indiana and Miami face off in an epic encounter. One that saw Roy Hibbert in foul trouble most of the night and a comeback win for Miami. Without going into detail, Pacers will be in the NBA Finals. During this match there was a controversial call as Paul George rose up for the three to tie the game in the dying seconds and we can see Lebron clearly holding him on the hips. If you see the video the legs also clash and Paul George's momentum is definitely affected and his shot is well out to the left. Many analysts agree with me that it was a clear foul. Coach Nick from BBALLBREAKDOWN went as far as to say it was "One of the worst no calls I've seen in some time." The play was later reviewed on a segment on his show where former NBA umpire Ronnie Nunn also came to the conclusion it was a foul. However do we really expect a foul to be called against Lebron James at home? No, nevertheless the Pacers will beat the Heat in the playoffs

Tonight when surely it couldn't get anymore dramatic than last night... IT DID. The Spurs were without Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan against the Warriors in Golden State. The Spurs got a tip in from Tiago Splitter with 2 seconds left for a two point lead. A tip in that clearly should not have been allowed as it was still on the cylinder. The NBA rules do not allow a review of goaltending unless goaltending was the original call made on court, in this case it wasn't so no review was allowed. Golden State were robbed in this sense. There should definitely have been an overtime in this game.

Good thing is this season we are seeing a game winner basically every night, but seriously these referees have to get better with their calls.

Kobe Out Six Weeks With a Knee Fracture

Kobe Bryant will be out about six weeks with a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in his left knee, the same side as his torn achilles. 

He was injured in the third quarter v Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday yet finished the game out and won with the fracture. He is the complete definition of a true warrior. 
This is a huge blow and will no doubt put question marks over retirement once again. He only played 6 games averaging 13.8 PPG and 6.3 APG going 2-4 in this time. 

Kobe Bryant timeline: •4/12: Ruptures Achilles •11/25: Signs 2-yr, $48.5M extension •12/8: Returns to lineup •12/19: Knee injury (Out 6 wks)

This adds to already injured Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar and Steve Blake Lakers backcourt with news that Nash will be out at least another month and raises certainty that over these two years we will never see a truly healthy Pau, Kobe and Nash play alongside each other.

Xavier Henry will start at Point Guard now, a position that coming into the season the Lakers expected to be very deep at.

It may be a good idea to keep Kobe out for the season make sure he comes back 100% healthy and tank for a good draft pick now so the Lakers could compete next season. Either way we just hope Kobe can come back to his mamba best. Sad day in basketball

Steve Blake Out 6 Weeks

The last Lakers point guard, Steve Blake, will be missing the next 6 weeks with a torn UCL in his shoulder. The injury came November 26th against the Wizards. With Nash and Farmar still out this puts the Lakers in a dire position to sign a point guard. Possilbly Leandro Barbosa otherwise they can just tough it out

Blake said today that he will not have surgery but will instead get Platalet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy on his elbow.

In the meantime Kobe will run the point guard in only his third game back from a major injury and with the Lakers playing OKC tomorrow except Westbrook to have a huge game! 

Injury problems have been huge for the Lakers over the past 2 seasons and with the West being so strong this could destroy the Lakers hopes of making the playoffs. 

Rudy Gay Traded to the Kings

Rudy Gay has been traded to the Kings today. In return the Raptors will receive John Salmons, Vasquez, Patterson and Hayes. Along with Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray will be traded to the Kings too. The deal was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Rudy Gay was sent to the Raptors from the Grizzlies last season in a three team deal with the Pistons for Ed Davis, Jose Calderon and Tayshaun Prince. Gay is averaging 19.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG so far this season off an atrocious 18.6 FG attempts per game. He has been a consistent 19-20ppg guy throughout his career and a high volume shooter.

Kings plan on using Rudy Gay as a stretch power forward & see Gay & Derrick Williams as interchangeable guarding either forward. Kings Potential Starters: PG Thomas, SG McLemore, SF Gay, PF Thompson, C Cousins with Derrick Williams and Carl Landry to come off the bench. They look like a solid team now however they will need to play perfect to make the Playoffs in the West as they have a 2nd worst 5-13 record.

The Raptors look like they will be tanking for Wiggins now and yes this means Rudy will not be playing in Kobe's return tonight. Vasquez is a nice pick up averaging 9.8 PPG and 5.3 APG, Patrick Patterson a 6.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG player and in his 6th NBA season. Salmons and Hayes are veterans, one has to wonder why the Raptors didn't attempt to get a pick in this trade.

Who won the trade?

How Will the Lakers Fare with Kobe's Return?

Credit: Beyond The Buzzer

Kobe Bryant is set to return in tomorrow's game against the Raptors. You know he loves to play the Raptors, he scored 81 on them in 2006 and last time against Toronto was an epic comeback game with three ridiculous threes to send it to OT and then win with the dunk. Now we can't expect any heroics like that so early in his return especially as D'antoni has said he only wants to play Kobe 20 minutes at the moment.

The Lakers are 10-9 now and are 10th in the Western Conference. I always said that if they could be at 500 or better without Kobe they would make the playoffs. Without Kobe the team has been flowing, the ball movement has been outstanding and the chemistry perfect. Kobe's return adds even more depth to the already deepest roster in the league. Now Meeks who has been a top 3 scorer for the Lakers and having a breakout season will come off the bench adding another weapon to the league's highest scoring bench. Some doubters believe the ball movement and chemistry will be ruined once Kobe comes back and he will take too many shots. However look at last season where the Mamba had a few games with 14 assists and ended with 6 assists per game the highest from any shooting guard.

Kobe coming up Clutch v Raptors

In fact I believe the ball movement will be improved and other players will find themselves with better looks than they have gotten this season. This will be instrumental for Shawne Williams who has yet to find his mark from 3 and should help Meeks, Young, Blake and Wes Johnson who are already having incredible seasons!

This team is still missing Nash and Farmar will be out until early January however I think they may be able to compete come playoff time. This team is eerily similar to the 08-09 team that beat Orlando in the Finals. Wes Johnson can hit the three ball and has proven early in the season to be an athletic defender just like Trevor Ariza was, Nash or Blake is an upgrade on Derek Fisher who only averaged 10 PPG and 3 APG. Steve Blake is orchestrating the offense better than D-Fish did however the Lakers did play the Triangle back then. Off the bench you have Meeks who is similar to Vujacic except Meeks can put the ball on the ground. Farmar and Nash as the two back up point guards are better than a younger Farmar in 09 and Shannon Brown who only averaged 3 PPG in season and 5 PPG in playoffs. Now they don't have a Lamar Odom coming off the bench however they have Nick Young, Shawne Williams and Chris Kaman. Jordan Hill and Sacre (Who is suprisingly playing well) are taking the spot of Bynum. Bynum only averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds in the playoffs of 09 so Hill/Sacre are actually an upgrade in terms of the stat sheet, and obviously there are two of them as opposed to one Bynum. Kobe and Pau would need to play at their respective levels and I believe both can. Pau will play better with Kobe and Kobe will continue being Kobe. D'antoni is a great coach he is receiving incredible amounts from his players, no one expected this team to be above 500. It is a long stretch to say the Lakers can win the championship this season but hey it's not impossible. And you can't deny this squad is eerily similar to the 09 squad but now they are deeper and more versatile.

The 08-09 Lakers and the 13-14 Lakers are very similar

Will Lakers make the playoffs and if so what seed? Do they have a shot at the ring if healthy?

Kobe Signs Two-Year Extension With Lakers

Kobe Bryant signed a two-year extension on his contract worth 48.5 million dollars, 23.5 in the first year and 25 in the second year making him still the highest paid player in the NBA

“This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization,” Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released by the team. “We’ve said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that happens. To play 20 years in the NBA, and to do so with the same team, is unprecedented, and quite an accomplishment. Most importantly however, it assures us that one of the best players in the world will remain a Laker, bringing us excellent play and excitement for years to come.”

The salary cap has been a big talking point of the Lakers as they don't have many other contracts for next season and were primed to make a big splash in Free Agency namely Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James. The Lakers still have enough money to offer a max contract next season but that would make it virtually impossible to keep Pau Gasol as he has stated he wont take a pay cut, also it would be hard to see how they keep Jordan Hill, Farmar, Steve Blake, Meeks, Kaman and Wes Johnson should they spend their remaining 22 million on a max contract.

This extension adds more questions about the Lakers' future now with many fans hoping Kobe would take a Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett style pay cut and accept a 10-15 mill contract.
Kobe is all about winning but we have to wonder was this the best option for a ring? He will most likely be a Laker for life now unless he is traded down the road.

The Mamba has been Cleared to Return to Lakers!

Kobe Bryant has received full medical clearance to return to the Lakers.

From Lakers.com:

The Lakers got some good news over the weekend: Kobe Bryant has been fully medically cleared to resume all basketball activities.

As reported by Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding, Bryant has no restrictions on his continued progress in his rehabilitation from the torn left Achilles tendon suffered seven months ago.

Bryant made his much-anticipated return to practice on Saturday, where he went through 5-on-0 drills and did some half court drills with his teammates.

"He looked real good," said Jordan Hill of Bryant at practice after his own career-high game against Detroit. "He was going real hard. I thought he wasn't going to be able to go that hard but he was really pushing it. And, I know he's not ready yet but he's coming along and he should be ready pretty soon."

The Lakers do not play again until Friday against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center, no word on whether he will play in that game but he will be back very soon. The Lakers are 5-7 currently and could definitely use his 25+ points per game and coming up big down the stretch in the 4th quarter as they have struggled so far in the final quarters of games. His return also further bolsters the bench which is already averaging the most PPG, as Jodie Meeks would most likely come off the bench and he is averaging a team best 13.7 PPG so far!

Celtics SHOCK Miami!

Up by 4 points with 3.6 seconds left, the Miami Heat managed to choke away their lead. 

Miami shot 66.7% from the field in the fourth quarter and still found a way to lose the game to the Boston Celtics still without Rajon Rondo

Down the stretch it was Avery Bradley making a tough 3 and a floater to keep the Celtics within striking distance. Dwayne Wade lost the game with bad plays on offense and defense!

With 3.6 seconds left Gerald Wallace hit a quick contested layup and immediately fouled Dwayne Wade with 0.6 on the clock. Wade missed the first and intentionally missed the second so that time would decrease however he failed to hit the rim which gave the ball straight back to Boston with 0.6. It was then an incredible inbounds play which say Jeff Green catch the ball in the opposite end of the court and make an impossible three with Lebron's hand outstretched.

Green ended with 24 points, Bradley 17 and Crawford 15

Lebron had 25 points 10 assists and 8 rebounds, Bosh 20 & 7, Wade 18 & 7 assists

Celtics are now 3-4, Heat 4-3

Steve Blake hits three over Dwight for the WIN!

The Los Angeles Lakers finally got their chance to play against Dwight Howard's Houston Rockets and it was an incredible game winning 99-98.

Some roster changes were made for the Lakers, Kaman started in place of Sean Williams which worked very well early in the game also Nick Young started in place of Xavier Henry. Henry was quiet for only 3 points, Young had 11 but didn't have as much court time because of Jodie Meeks' incredible shooting performance.

At one stage the Lakers held a 19 point lead and were up by 14 at the half. However the Rockets, led by James Harden came storming back and had a 6 point lead with around 2 minutes remaining. The Lakers went Hack-A-Howard in which he was 5-12 from the line.
Jodie Meeks had a great game going 5 from 7 from deep and was the high man for the Lakers with 18 points. Wesley Johnson has really found his groove and has showed his talent this season he had another great game today with 16 points, 2 blocks, 4 rebounds including three threes!
The Lakers bench had 54 points again today! Jordan Farmar another solid all around game 11 points 7 assists and 4 rebounds. The Laker bench is averaging an NBA-high 57.8 PPG, (current league avg = 32.9). Bench accounting for 57.5% of team's points!

Dwight's face LOL

Pau Gasol was underwhelming with only 2 points and 12 rebounds

For the Rockets James Harden was outstanding and got them back into the game. He finished with 35 points 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals
Dwight Howard had 15 points and 14 rebounds and you can bet Laker fans are happy beating him!
Houston had 52 attempts at the line compared to Lakers just 15
It was Steve Blake's three that was the story of the night. 1.3 seconds remaining and he made the shot over Dwight Howard!

Lakers are now 3-3 and have to be happy with their first win on the road and all of this without Kobe and will play in New Orleans tomorrow night.
Rockets now 4-2

Kobe Bryant to Return on the 15th of November?

After speculation the mamba may return around Christmas time, his last tweet has led us to believe he will return on the 15th of November against the Memphis Grizzlies.

His latest tweet was: #blackout #bearhunt
Black out= Hollywood Night
Bear Hunt= Memphis Grizzlies

After tearing his achilles in April Kobe Bryant was expected to be out 6-9 months however he has indicated he is slightly ahead of schedule. His twitter avatar was 1225 in regards to ESPN's outlandish projections of the Lakers finishing 12th in the West and Kobe being the 25th best player in the league, however some believe this was his return date for Christmas day. 

So far the Lakers are 2-2 and would play only another 6 games without Kobe before his return. They have received impressive performances by Xavier Henry, Nick Young, Jodie Meeks and Jordan Farmar. The bench has definitely been a surprise, beating the Clippers in the last quarter and scoring 50+ points in most of the games thus far. 

NBA DAILY WRAP UP November 3rd

Detroit Pistons V Boston Celtics

Boston scored 13 points in a row to take a 65-63 lead in the fourth but the Pistons then answered with a 10-0 run.

Brandon Jennings made his Detroit Pistons debut tonight!
Finished with 14 points, 4 steals and 4 assists
Andre Drummond had 15 points12 rebounds, Greg Monroe 15 & 10, Josh Smith 15 & 7 as Detroit beat the Celtics 87-77

Rookie Kelly Olynyk had 15 points and 8 rebounds for the Celtics Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford had 13 a piece

NOTE: Greg Monroe recorded his 69th double double since the 2011-12 season which is an Eastern Conference high

Boston is now 0-3, Detroit 2-1

Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards

Miami led by as many as 23 points and won 103-93. There record improves to 2-2, Wizards remain winless 0-3

Lebron James had 25 points and 5 assists, Chris Bosh 24 points and 7 rebounds, Dwayne Wade 20 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds

Marcin Gortat had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards, Bradley Beal led the way with 19 points, John Wall with 11 points and 9 assists.

Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets

Orlando continue their surprisingly good form with a 107-86 win over the Nets and move to 2-2, Nets now are 1-2

Nikola Vucevic 19 points 12 rebounds, Victor Oladipo had 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and an incredible 360 dunk. Aaron Afflalo had 16 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds, Nicholson had 17 points and 11 rebounds

For Brooklyn, Brook Lopez was the standout with 21 points and 6 rebounds, Paul Pierce  was also good with 16 points and 7 rebounds

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns

25 turnovers have killed the Suns today, but they look much better than expected!
OKC come out with the win 103-96

Derek Fisher with key plays on both ends down the stretch
Russell Westbrook with 21 points 5-16 FG 7 assists and 4 rebounds
Kevin Durant with 33 points and 10 rebounds

ERIC BLEDSOE IS THE REAL DEAL 26 points 14 assists 7 rebounds and 3 steals!!!
Gerald Green 21 points and 8 rebounds, Channing Frye 19 points

Suns take their first loss and move to 2-1, OKC are now 2-1 as well.

New York Knicks vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Wolves survive a late scare to beat the Knicks 109-100. The Knicks came back from a 20 point deficit in the third to with two points 100-98 with 4:49 remaining

Kevin Love 34 points 15 rebounds 5 assists having a great start to the season probably leading MVP in early stages
Kevin Martin has been a great addition he scored 30 points today

Carmelo Anthony had a great game too 22 points 17 rebounds
Metta World Peace had 17 points

Timberwolves remain undefeated and move to 3-0! Knicks are 1-2.

 NOTE: Timberwolves are averaging 37.3 PPG in the first quarter so far this season it was 40-19 at quarter time.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks

Xavier Henry started in place of Nick Young who came off the bench and it helped Nick Young who ended with 13 points 4 assists and 4 rebounds.

LAKERS WIN 105-103!!
Pau GASOL hit 2 FREETHROWS AND BLOCKS THE POTENTIAL GAME WINNER!! WOW
He finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds

Lakers coughed up an early 21 point lead, it was tied 103-103 with 36 seconds left. Lakers missed a shot and the big Jordan Hill came up with the offensive rebound to reset the clock. With 5 seconds left Pau attacked the basket and the call ended up needing a review to decide it was a blocking foul. Incredible moments down the stretch.

Wesley Johnson was great in the second half he ended on 9 points 7 rebounds and 3 blocks!
Xavier Henry 18 points
Steve Nash 13 points and 6 assists
48 bench points for the Lakers, Jordan Hill MASSIVE Down the stretch!

Kyle Korver was incredible for the Hawks six three pointers and ended with the game high 22 points
Al Horford had 12 points and 16 rebounds, Paul Millsap 14 and 7
Jeff Teague with 14 points 6 rebounds 4 assists

Lakers improve to 2-2 Hawks now 1-2

Russell Westbrook's Return!

Russell Westbrook has surprisingly been cleared to play tonight after he tore his meniscus in Game 2 of the playoffs against Houston. He was forced to have 2 surgeries which delayed his recovery and was not expected to play for at least another 2 weeks however he was cleared by doctors this morning:

"Russell Westbrook has gone through a methodical rehab process jointly created by our medical and performance teams and treating physicians," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in the release. "The process has been instrumental in getting Russell to this point and has included various physical and medical benchmarks. The final benchmark being unrestricted basketball activity. After hitting the necessary marks, all parties, including the team, consulting physicians, Russell's representatives, and most importantly Russell, jointly determined that returning to play was the correct next step."

This is a timely return for the Thunder who desperately need his presence. OKC are 1-1 currently they needed 42 points from superstar Kevin Durant to only just beat the lowly rated Jazz 101-98 and then got destroyed against the Timberwolves 100-81. Last season Westbrook averaged 23.2 PG 5.2 RPG 7.4 APG and 1.8 SPG and is one of the premier point guards in the league.

Philadelphia 76ers RIDICULOUS Start to the Year!

The biggest surprise of the year so far is no doubt the Philadelphia 76ers. They have started 3-0 against the Heat, Wizards and now the Bulls. Vegas had them projected to only win 16 games for the entire season and had them at 9,999 to 1 odds at winning the championship! Most expected them to tank for Wiggins, so far they are not doing a good job at that!

Carter-Williams impressive debut! Artwork:Beyond The Buzzer

VS the Heat

They played their season opener at home against Miami the reigning champions. Before the game Allen Iverson had his retirement speech and the 76ers were noticeably fired up and raced out to a 19-0 lead and ultimately won 114-110. The rookie Michael Carter-Williams almost had a quadruple double in his first game with 22 points 12 assists 7 rebounds and 9 steals (the most steals in a debut game), Evan Turner had 26 points including a dunk on Lebron, Spencer Hawes had 24 as the Sixers outscored the Head 29-16 in the final quarter!

VS the Wizards

They faced a 12 point deficit in the 3^rd quarter. John Wall tore apart the first half with 23 points but the Sixers managed to comeback. Carter-Williams hit a three with 6.28 remaining to give the Sixers their first lead and they didn’t look back. He only finished with 14 but Thaddeus Young scored 29, Evan Turner 23 and Spencer Hawes added 16 points with 14 rebounds!

VS the Bulls

Today the Sixers managed what may have been their biggest upset yet. Down 20 points at one stage they again found a way to snatch a victory. Led again by their rookie Carter-Williams with 26 points, 10 assists and 3 steals who was key down the clutch and had 13 in the 3^rd quarter comeback. Spencer Hawes was again impressive with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Incredible win against the Bulls Artwork: Beyond the Buzzer

Overall
Key performers:

Michael Carter-Williams 20.7 PPG, 9.0 APG, 4.3 SPG, 4.7 RPG in 35 MPG

Evan Turner: 23 PPG 4.0 APG 4.3 RPG in 37 MPG

Spencer Hawes:  19.3 PPG 11.3 RPG in 31 MPG

Thaddeus Young: 17.3 PPG 7 RPG in 32 MPG

Tony Wroten off the bench: 11.7 PPG 4.7 RPG in 21 MPG

New Head Coach: Brett Brown formerly Head Coach of the Australian Boomers at the 2012 London Olympics

Coached NBL teams North Melbourne Giants and won Coach of the Year and the Championship in 1994.

He was an assistant coach for the Spurs in 2007

Remember they are doing this with their starting center Nerlens Noel the 6^th pick in this years draft who may miss the entire season due to his ACL injury.

Can the 76ers continue to shock and make the playoffs, or will they eventually come back to Earth?

2014 NBA Award Predictions

Rookie of the Year

1. Trey Burke
UPDATE: Trey has an injury and is out indefinitely

Burke will be the starting Point Guard for a rebuilding Jazz team. They really don’t have any other possible candidates for this position which will mean Trey will have a lot of time to show how good he is. At NCAA level he won 5 national player of the year awards, led the Big 10 in APG, minutes played and came second in PPG. Four out of the last 5 ROY winners were in a similar situation: Point guard on a rebuilding team (Lillard, Irving, Evans, Rose.)

2. Kelly Olynyk/ Michael Carter Williams
Olynyk had the best summer league out of all the rookies. He averaged 18 PPG on 57.8% shooting 7.8 RPG and 2.4 APG. He is playing for Boston so he will get ample playing time, he has a great skill set including a large range for a big man. Could possibly be a poor man’s Dirk Nowitzki. Finished on top of the Rookie Ladder post Summer League.
Michael Carter Williams looks like a beast almost got a quadruple double in his first game!

3. Victor Oladipo

Oladipo is an incredible athlete and NBA-ready. He will see a lot of playing time in Orlando which will help. He is a lock down defender and ranks second in steals per 40 minutes. Orlando will love him because of his high intensity on defense and has been likened to Tony Allen. However his offense needs work he shot only 24% from 3-point range in his first two seasons for Indiana. He averaged 19 PPG 5.0 APG and 4.3 RPG for Indiana and is the favorite to win the award by most analysts.

4. CJ McCollum

Portland have drafted another gun in McCollum. He has a lethal jump shot and can score from anywhere, hitting on 52% from three last season. He is pretty good on the boards too and averaged 2.1 steals a game. May be affected by playing time if Portland decide to make him a backup to Lillard. Averaged 21 PPG in summer league.

5. Cody Zeller
He averaged 9.3 RPG and 16.3 PPG during summer league and sits second on the Rookie Ladder. He is NBA-ready and offensively versatile and has a habit of getting to the line. Will he play backup to Jefferson or start alongside him? This will determine whether he has a real chance at ROY.

Coach of the Year

1. Mike Brown (Cleveland Cavaliers)
This may seem a surprising pick however the Cavaliers have a real chance to make 6^th seed in the East. To do that they would need around 45-48 wins, which would be more than a 20 game, increase over last season. If this happens Mike Brown has a great chance at COY, especially if the Cavs can challenger the top tier teams.

2. Frank Vogel (Indiana Pacers)

The Pacers only had 49 wins last season and were the 23^rd best offensive team. Now with Granger returning, Cj Watson, Scola and Copeland being added the Pacers should aim to drastically increase their offensive production while enhancing their defense as well (They were 2^nd last year in fewest points allowed per game). They have a 60+ win roster which would make Vogel a candidate for COY.

3. Rick Adelman (Minnesota Timberwolves)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are primed to make a run for the playoffs this season. They need their core of Love, Rubio and Pekovic to stay healthy for once. Early last season it looked like they could be a real hard team to beat until Love was injured and they fell apart. The signing of Kevin Martin adds great scoring off the bench but the loss of Kirilenko will affect them. Minnesota only ended up with 31 wins last season, don’t be surprised if they achieve 50 this season. If they end up in the top 6 seeds Rick Adelman could be a lock for COY.
4. Doc Rivers (Los Angeles Clippers)

A lot of early love for Rivers to win the Coach of the Year but I’m not sold. The Clippers would have to finish top 2 in the West and have about 60 wins to be considered a dramatically changed team. Yes Doc does add a championship caliber to a team that has struggled to pass the first round of the playoffs but I still don’t know if he can produce the results expected by everyone.

5. Mike D’antoni (Los Angeles Lakers)

I haven’t seen any Lakers personnel in any predictions whatsoever. Which is strange because when the expectations are low the upside is high. Mike D’antoni can coach yet because of last season’s failure with the Lakers he has been made out to seem like some sort of fool. He has not had a preseason with the Lakers yet, he arrived mid-season and was taking the place of what was believed to be Phil Jackson’s job. This season the Lakers have been doomed to fail dramatically according to ESPN and finish as low as 12^th with less than 40 wins. The Lakers chemistry will increase and so will their offense. Mike D’antoni is about to prove once again that is a coaching genius. Don’t be surprised if he wins Coach Of the Year

Brian Shaw coached under PJ while at the Lakers

Special Mentions: Brian Shaw (Denver Nuggets)/Mark Jackson (Golden State Warriors)
Brian Shaw is a great coach and will do wonders for the Nuggets however I don’t think he can win this award because the Nuggets improved dramatically last season and will probably struggle without Igoudala and Gallinari for half a season.
Mark Jackson could justifiably win it. But to do so would require a top 2 finish in the West and a real possibility of winning the championship. It is definitely possible but the expectations are high.

Most Improved Player

Jeff Green had a breakout season last year... Could he win MIP this season?

1. Eric Bledsoe

Is moving from being a backup at the Clippers to being the star at Phoenix. Averaged 8.5 PPG and 3.1 APG in 20 minutes per game last season. We are about to see a new star emerge.
1.5:  Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe is on the verge of a breakout year. He averaged 16 PPG and 9.6 RPG last season and now with Detroit’s growing expectations he will need to continue at this production and maybe increase it. 

Andre Drummond
He is killing it in preseason and like his teammate Monroe is set for a breakout year after averaging 7.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG last season as a rookie. 
Anthony Davis
Not entirely sure if he is in real contention but he is killing it in the preseason with 21, 26 and 29 points in 3 of his games. Is the in form player of the preseason.
2. Enes Kanter
Utah offloaded Millsap and Jefferson, which will allow Kanter and Favors to be the starters and have drastically more playing time. Kanter averaged 7.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG in only 15 minutes per game. He will have a much more important role next season.

3. Tobias Harris

An extremely promising athletic SF for the Orlando Magic, Harris averaged 4.9 PPG and 2.0 RPG in Milwaukee before the trade to Orlando where he averaged 17.3 PPG and 8.5 RPG. Expect more of the same this season as he will be a big part of Orlando’s growth.

4. Jonas Valanciunas

Averaged 8.9 PPG and 6.0 APG in 23 minutes per game last season, his first in the NBA. He was named summer league MVP averaging 18.8 and 10. Now with the departure of Bargnani he will see more playing time and a larger role.

5. Jimmy Butler/Kahwi Leonard

Both had stellar post seasons mostly on the defensive side. Butler played the whole season and averaged 8.6 PPG (13 PPG in the postseason) and 4 RPG he will be the starting SG for the Bulls again this season. Kahwi is the future of the Spurs and showed it against Miami.

6. Jeff Green
Last year he averaged 12.8 PPG 3.9 RPG in only 27.8 Minutes per game. He was Pierce’s backup for most of the season and now with him gone, Green will be a starter. His best performances last year came with Avery Bradley playing the Point, so his looks and production should increase even more with Rajon Rondo returning.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Roy Hibbert
Hibbert was incredible against the Heat in the ECF and throughout the whole playoffs. Defensively he altered so many shots around the basket and was a big reason why the Pacers had a chance to take the series. If he plays like this in the regular season instead of waiting for the postseason to make his mark he will have a good chance at winning the award. When asked why he wasn’t near the top of voting last year he said: “You know what, because y’all m----f---‘s don’t watch us play throughout the year to tell you the truth”

2. Dwight Howard

Already a three time defensive winner and could make it four now he is with Houston. Was overlooked last season because of the Lakers overall poor defense however individually he did pretty well averaging 2.4 BPG and 12.4 RPG (and altering many more shots).
3. Joakim Noah
Noah is one of the most intense big men and throws his body at loose balls on either end. He averaged 2.1 BPG and 11.1 RPG last season and is an outside chance to win the award.
4. Serge Ibaka
Serge is one of the most athletic big men and probably the best shot blocker in the league. He averaged 3.0 BPG this season and 3.7 BPG the year before leading the league both times. However he only averaged 7.7 RPG which he will want to increase this season.

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Jarrett Jack
He finished 3^rd last year in this award when playing for Golden State. Now he is at Cleveland backing up Kyrie and Dion. He is the veteran out of these three and will be expected to bring some experience and influence over the young core of the Cavaliers. He averaged 12.9 PPG 3.1 RPG and 5.6 APG on 45% shooting last season and should small improvements as he may get a little extra time on court.

2. Harrison Barnes

With Iguodala coming to the Warriors, Barnes likely will move to the bench. While he showed a really good performance in the playoffs (16.1 PPG and 6.4 RPG) he was below average in the regular season only averaging 9.2 PPG and 4.1 RPG. What helps his case though is that he is a good lockdown defender as well, which could give him an advantage over the other candidates.

3. Tyreke Evans

He averaged 15.2 PPG 4.4 RPG and 3.5 APG last season as a starter for the Kings. He has come out and said he would be happy to come off the bench for the Pelicans and if that is true he could easily win the award. He is extremely athletic and used to carrying a team’s offense. He will have a very important role for the Pelicans and is essential to their success.

4. JR Smith

The reigning sixth man of the year has to get some mention. He had a great regular season averaging 18.1 PPG and 5.3 RPG however he was terrible in the playoffs. Furthermore he is out for four months with a lateral meniscus tear, he should be back for the start of the season but he may have restricted minutes early and struggle to find his rhythm.

5. Jamal Crawford

Averaged 16.5 PPG last season but doesn’t do much else apart from play offense. Now with the additions of Reddick and Dudley his minutes will probably be reduced and so will his role. He came second last year but I don’t think he has a great chance at it this season.

Most Valuable Player

1. Kevin Durant

The Thunder have no bench anymore so it’s starters will have to take on a lot more responsibility. Namely Kevin Durant, it is time to step up. He turns 25 this season still only entering his prime, which is scary. He averaged 28.1 PPG 7.6 RPG and 4.1 APG last season; this will increase with the loss of Kevin Martin. If OKC have any chance of competing Durant and Westbrook will have to have big years. A prime chance for MVP

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe isn’t even in ESPN’s top 10 for MVP. Incredible. In fact Kobe isn’t on anyone’s MVP list. However the Lakers will surprise this year, most people have written them off for dead. For them to surprise Kobe needs to have an MVP like year. This is largely dependent on whether the Lakers are going to compete this year or tank for a good draft pick so Kobe could get his 6^th next year. Assuming that they try to win this year Kobe will need to do a lot of the work. If he weren’t coming off an injury I’d have him in number one spot to win the MVP and like Chris Palmer number 1 to lead the league in scoring.

Credit: Source24Designs

3. Lebron James
Lebron may be the best player in the world but not necessarily the most important for his team. You take him off the Heat they still make playoffs, you take Kobe off the Lakers they will be lucky to surpass 20 wins, take Durant off OKC they miss playoffs. That is what the most valuable player means, which is why some people are confused to as why he won it last year.  He has already won 4 MVPs and he will most likely win another one. Remember the media are the ones who decide the MVP.

4. Chris Paul

Chris Paul was incredible last year for the Clippers, probably deserving of the MVP award if we go by the strict interpretation. When he was out injured the Clippers backtracked immensely and fell into a slump losing a lot of games during this period. He is the focal point of their offense and without him they are lost. However with a coaching change, Doc Rivers may not rely on him as heavily as Vinny Del Negro did. He will have to make them less dependent on Paul for the Clippers to be championship material.

Lebron with his 4 MVP Awards

Rounding out the Top 10
5. Carmelo Anthony
6. Derrick Rose
7. Paul George
8. Stephen Curry
9. Russell Westbrook

10. Kevin Love/ James Harden/ Kyrie Irving

Take note this is ESPN's MVP prediction:

1. LeBron James

2. Kevin Durant

3. Chris Paul

4. Derrick Rose

5. James Harden

6. Dwight Howard

7. Carmelo Anthony

8. Stephen Curry

9. Paul George

10. Tony Parker

Comment your predictions!