Nick and Roll

Draft Amendments

2011-06-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am not going to waste my time making a whole new mock draft, but I feel like some of the top spots have changed, and I am gonna try to tweak those

3. Enes Kanter, C, Utah Jazz - Apparently, Kanter has moved ahead of Knight here, and Knight may fall a long way because of it. If they stay here, they might be in a spot to get a good PG at 12

4. Jonas Valunciunas, C, Cleveland Cavaliers - There are all kinds of teams plotting how to get him right now. The Cavs want him, but don't wanna take him at 4. Almost certainly, somebody will trade up, or down, to get him

5. Brandon Knight, PG, Toronto Raptors- This pick is still unsettled. I would think the Raps would be happy if Knight falls here, but Biyombo is still a dark horse to go here.

12. Kemba Walker, PG, Utah Jazz - Maybe I moved Kemba here just to make things work out, but I think they would consider him if they actually take Kanter at 3. If Fredette is still on the board, he will definitely be hugely in the talks as well. Chris Singleton is also a name to look at here

Here are some other random draft tidbits I'm finding all over the web....

Julyan Stone, a name unfamiliar to many, has many suitors in the second round. I could see the Lakers picking him
Charlotte is said to covet Tristan Thompson, but Detroit may get to him first. These two teams are involved in cat and mouse trade talks with Cleveland, who wants Valunciunas, but not at 4
76ers may consider Donatas Motiejunas at 16, or Jordan Hamilton
Sacramento seems almost certain that they will move pick #7. Perhaps they are eyeing a veteran PG, like Tony Parker or Ray Felton
Miami loves Reggie Jackson
Dallas may be looking at Isiah Thomas
Jimmy Butler might get a look from the Celtics in the first round
If Miami can trade back into the second round, they may choose Jon Leuer
In my mock draft, I have Jackson going to OKC. Now they are said to be either trading the pick or looking for a hard worker. This is not Jackson....maybe Kyle Singler or Nolan Smith
BREAKING NEWS: Charlotte has acquired the 7th pick for Stephen Jackson in a three way. Maybe they take Tristan Thompson now, or they package the 7 and 9 and move up?

My Mock Draft 2011

2011-06-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

If any year's mock drafts are an exercise in futility, 2011 tops the list. When all is said and done, I wouldn't be surprised if 10-15 of the first round picks get traded. For this mock draft, I am not going to try to predict these moves. Also, I have just stuck to the first round, as most of the second round picks get moved as well.

Many analysts have described this as a two star draft. Almost every player beyond Kyrie Irving and Derrick Wiliams have major flaws or question marks. With that said, this is being the worst draft in years. Interestingly, this draft has a heavy international flavor, as 5 of these players will likely be drafted in the top 20.

Without further ado...

1. Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers This seems like a no brainer here. The Cavs obviously don't have Baron Davis in their future plans, and only have one "untouchable" in J.J. Hickson. What is interesting is how the times have changed. 5 years ago, it was almost imperative to go big with a number 1 pick. Coming off a year where former number 1 Derrick Rose won the MVP, teams now realize that just because a player may be the best big man in the draft class doesn't mean they need to go first. While I don't see Irving as being as explosive as Rose, I could definitely see him as an All-Star in 3-4 years.

2. Derrick Williams, F, Minnesota Timberwolves If Minnesota holds this pick, it will be Williams. Of course, this would mean that Michael Beasley needs to get traded again. Williams, an athletic monster, would become part of an interesting core with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. What I am not sold on is Williams' jumpshot. I see him as a more powerful Josh Smith, who would be better at the 4, where he is not expected to shoot 15 times a game.

3. Brandon Knight, PG, Utah Jazz Utah has two options here, Knight or Enes Kanter. I personally don't see the dire need for another big man. If there was an elite SG in this draft, I have to believe that is who the Jazz would be taking. However, it is understood that the Jazz brass don't see Devin Harris as their franchise point, so Knight steps into this role. Keep in mind that the Jazz have a second lottery pick, which makes for interesting trade scenarios.

4. Enes Kanter, C, Cleveland Cavaliers With Irving on board, the Cavaliers obviously need to go big. If Jonas Valunciunas had been able to play in the NBA next year, I think he may have been the pick here. Kanter has no such hangups. This pick may also get traded as the Cavs could be in the market for an established scorer for Irving to dish to.

5. Kemba Walker, PG, Toronto Raptors This team is a mess. The argument could be made that they could use an upgrade at every position. Bryan Colangelo is apparently impressed with the winning attitude and leadership of Kemba Walker, so he is the likely pick here. However, at UConn, he was a volume shooter who couldn't hit from the outside. I don't think he brings much to the table defensively, so this likely won't end well for the Raps. A dark horse here would be Bismarck Biyombo, while Kawhi Leonard is also in consideration.

6. Jan Vesely, F, Washington Wizards Yet another pick that could be traded, as Javale McGee's name has been getting tossed around a bit. If they stay, Vesely could fill a nice role for them. The grossly overpaid Rashard Lewis needs to be replaced, and Vesely, who doesn't play a finesse style like the the typical skinny overseas big man, could take over smoothly. The Wizards have shown no hesitation in drafting international players in the past.

7. Kawhi Leonard, SF, Sacramento Kings Apparently, the Maloofs really want Jimmer here. If they are convincing enough to the basketball minds, maybe he goes here, which would likely be a mistake. Instead, they could go with Leonard, who reminds many of former King, Gerald Wallace. Also, if Kemba falls here, the Kings grab him in a heartbeat.

8. Tristan Thompson, PF, Detroit Pistons I don't see Thompson really being the best fit here, but apparently he has impressed in his latest workouts. If the Pistons believe Greg Monroe is a legitimate 5, than I can see how Thompson fits. Biyombo will also get a strong look here, as he could receive tutelage from the player some compare him to, Ben Wallace.

9. Bismarck Biyombo, C, Charlotte Bobcats This is where things get sketchy. This is where the picks can start going in so many directions, or where teams start trading up to get their guy. Some mocks have the Bobcats taking a scoring guard like Burks, while others go with the defensive stopper, Chris Singleton. Marcus Morris may also go here. Personally, I don't see how they can pass up on a 5, unless they really want to start Kwame Brown or DeSagana Diop next year.

10. Alec Burks, SG, Milwaukee Bucks With Michael Redd's contract finally up, the Bucks need a SG to plug into the roster. Two big options seem right at this spot, Burks or Klay Thompson. I've seen Burks here a bit more often, so I give him the nod. This would allow John Salmons or Corey Maggette to come off the bench.

11. Klay Thompson, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors If Monta Ellis gets dealt, or when, Stephen Curry would be solidified as the teams PG, and the team would need a SG. Either Thompson or Burks would be the best fits here. The Warriors would love for Biyombo to fall to them. Marcus Morris, who can play a little SF, may also get a look here.

12. Jonas Valunciunas, C, Utah Jazz The only reason Valunciunas has fallen this far is because his buyout situation means he won't play until the 2012-2013 season. Some people believe he is more talented than Enes Kanter. If this pick doesn't get traded, and the Bucks have already grabbed a lead guard, they would feel comfortable stealing Valunciunas and stashing him away for the year.

13. Jimmer Fredette, SG, Phoenix Suns If someone doesn't reach on Fredette before here, I believe he perfectly fits the Suns uptempo system. The Suns are looking to buyout the rest of Vince Carter's contract, which means he could step in and start at the 2. I think drafting Jimmer as a point guard is a mistake. Avoiding the obvious white guy comparisons, I see Jimmer as a somewhat more well-rounded Eddie House, a very undersized 2 who will never hesitate to shoot from anywhere.

14. Nikola Vucevic, C, Houston Rockets Daryl Morey is trying to trade up as we speak, but nobody really knows for who. If they stay, which seems unlikely, I could see them taking the biggest prospect in the draft, and perhaps one of the fastest risers. Anything that lets them stop starting 6'6" Chuck Hayes at the 5 is a good thing. Apparently, they are also considering the second tier PG's here, which would be Darius Morris and Iman Shumpert.

15. Marshon Brooks, SG, Indiana Pacers Larry Bird came away from Brooks' workout very impressed, and he fits a need, so he makes lots of sense here. The team is reportedly trying to move Brandon Rush, so a 2 is a must in this draft. If Danny Granger does get traded on draft night, this pick will likely be involved in some way.

16. Marcus Morris, PF, Philadelphia 76ers I don't really know how Morris has fallen this far. I doubt he actually does on draft day. If somebody covets him enough, they will trade up to get him. The 76ers would love to have him succeed the aging Elton Brand. Just like with the Pacers and Granger, if Igoudala gets traded, this pick may be along for the ride.

17. Chris Singleton, SF, New York Knicks Singleton is rumored to be high on the Jazz's list, so this is a fall for him too. Seeing as the Knicks lack any sort of defensive identity, he would fill a huge need for them. Donatas Motiejunas, who has played in Italy, which we all know gets Mike D'Antoni excited, may get considered here.

18. Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Washington Wizards Yet another pick that has been discussed in a ton of trades. It's hard to see the 7'0 Motiejunas falling this far in such a weak draft for big men. Even with Vesely on board, I think the Wizards would love to add another big body who can develop with a young core.

19. Jordan Hamilton, SG, Charlotte Bobcats The Bobcats may be targeting Hamilton at 9, so they would be ecstatic to see him here. One of the better shooters in the draft, he would be able to bring some bench scoring to a team that ranked 25th in scoring last year.

20. Nikola Mirotic, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves If this pick stays here, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wolves grab an international player to allow to stay overseas for a few years. The plan actually worked with Rubio, and people are saying Mirotic has the talent to go much higher.

21. Kenneth Faried, PF, Portland TrailBlazers The Blazers don't have a really stinging need other than for all their guys to get healthy. Reportedly, they have taken a liking to Faried, who would be a ferocious rebounder coming off the bench. For some reason, rebounding champs in college often get drafted lower than they should, like Paul Millsap. What Faried lacks in size, he more than makes up for in intensity and grit.

22. Markieff Morris, PF, Denver Nuggest Yet another fall for a Morris brother. Markieff, the bulkier of the two, is rumored to be in the talks for the Pistons at pick 8. Denver would jump all over him here. K-Mart may not be back, and besides Al Harrington, who is more of a 3 in my mind, the team has no other PF's.

23. Darius Morris, PG, Houston Rockets In all the mock drafts, the Rockets are slated to take a PG here, usually either Morris or Iman Shumpert. I question whether either of these guys will bring much more to the table than Kyle Lowry or Goran Dragic. If the Rockets end up moving up, this pick is in some other team's hands

24. Reggie Jackson, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder Supposedly, Jackson has received a promise that he would be drafted here, and that the team is currently shopping backup point, Eric Maynor....if you say so.

25. Iman Shumpert, PG/SG, Boston Celtics The Celtics would love to find a 5 here, but I don't know if they would want to plug Jeremy Tyler into a veteran locker room. They could grab Shumpert here, as their bench is looking awfully bare for next season, and they haven't shown much confidence in last year's pick, Avery Bradley

26. Davis Bertans, SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks The Mavericks won't have many roster spots next year as they still need to find one for Dominique Jones, so they will likely grab an international prospect who can sit overseas for a year or two. Lucas Nogueira also fits that bill.

27. Tobias Harris, SF/PF, New Jersey Nets Harris would fill two positions of need for the Nets. They overpaid Travis Outlaw, and may not be able to afford resigning Kris Humphries, so they could use a boost at both the 3 and 4.

28. Josh Selby, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls At one time, Selby was one of the top recruits in the nation. Character issues are holding him back. However, this late in the first round, the Bulls could take a waiver on someone who could potentially fill the gap they have at SG

29. Jeremy Tyler, C, San Antonio Spurs This team could potentially look very different next year. Tony Parker is on the chopping block, which would push George Hill to start. The team has lacked a legitimate 5 for years, and they could take a change on the mysterious Tyler, who spent his first year out of high school playing in Japan.

30. Tyler Honeycutt, SF, Chicago Bulls Like the Mavericks, the Bulls lack roster spots. I don't see them keeping both picks. I do see Honeycutt winding up somewhere in the first round. Any kid who plays under Ben Howland learns to play defense, and Honeycutt will certainly find a suitor because of it.

Shot in the Dark: 2010 Offseason Predictions

2010-06-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

After years of waiting, franchises that have tanked purposely over the past couple of seasons have finally reached their day of salvation, July 1, 2010. It all started with LeBron....the two time MVP all-world small forward has had several franchises drooling ever since teams began to realize that the possibility of him leaving his home state was all too real. Soon, other free agents noticed how much general managers were targeting this summer, and began setting plans on getting in on the fun. The question is, with all of the talk lately about summits and collaborations of James, Wade, Johnson, Stoudemire, Bosh, and whoever else, is it really about forming a super team and creating a dynasty.
For James, I dont think it is. I dont think he wants to go to Miami and play with Wade, where they will be considered a duo, not James as the leader. I also dont think he really wants to go to Chicago, which would invite constant comparisons to MJ, which at this point in his career would be hard to live up to. I also dont see him returning to Cleveland, because in all honesty, they arent going to be able to put a much better team around him than the one that just lost in the second round. This leaves a few teams....the Knicks and Nets...and the outsiders with no cap room, Dallas and Houston. I dont see the Nets being big enough of a market for LBJ, so my prediction: LeBron James signs with the New York Knicks.
Dwyane Wade is the obvious number 2 in this class. To me, his free agency has only two real options....his current team, the Heat, or his hometown Chicago Bulls. The determining factor for him is who he will be playing with.....he wants another ring.....I dont see the Heat walking away from this offseason without at least two top 10 free agents. For this reason, Dwyane Wade re-signs with the Miami Heat.
If your GM says you are probably headed out of town, then you probably are. Chris Bosh has a big list of options. I dont see the Knicks having a huge pursuit of him, and I dont think he wants to play in a small market like New Jersey. Bosh wants to go back to playing power forward, and the issue with Heat is that they currently do not have a legitimate center on the roster.....the Bulls have Joakim Noah, as well as rising point guard Derrick Rose. This should tip the scales, and Chris Bosh signs with the Chicago Bulls.

There is little doubt in my mind that Dirk Nowitzki really has any interest in leaving his longtime home of Dallas. He simply wants to see how comitted Mark Cuban is to winning now. Dirk Nowitzki re-signs with the Dallas Mavericks.
Something tells me that Mike D'Antoni wouldnt mind having Amare Stoudemire. Something also tells me that LeBron James wouldnt mind playing with Amare. He would be considered LeBron's second fiddle. Even LeBron knows that you cant win a title without a big man. Stoudemire's best years were in the run-and-gun system, and I think he wants back in. Amare Stoudemire signs with the New York Knicks.
Joe Johnson also had some pretty good years in D'Antoni's system. Most people see him going back to NY, but if LeBron and Amare end up going, the numbers dont work out. I dont see him and Wade fitting very well together, and I think his best shot at winning is joining a core of Rose, Deng, Noah, and potentially, Chris Bosh. Of all the teams creating massive cap space, this team would end being the most succesful if these predictions were to end up true. Joe Johnson signs with the Chicago Bulls.
Carlos Boozer is the black sheep of this free agent class. Teams say that they want him, but in reality, he is a backup plan when you miss out on Amare or Bosh. He really isnt a superstar, but a solid presence in the paint. He really seems to want to go to Miami, and I think he would be able to pull in Wade, while still allowing room for them to sign a center, like Brendan Haywood. Carlos Boozer signs with the Miami Heat.
Rudy Gay starts the next tier of just below elite players. He certainly will not demand anywhere near a max contract, but can bring 20 points per game to any team. He could potentially end up being a third whell in New York or Miami, but I dont see winning immediately as that important to him. Instead he would like to move to a budding team and a rich owner that will covet him more than anyone else....Rudy Gay signs with the New Jersey Nets.
I dont know if David Lee re-signing with the Knicks would be enough to draw in LeBron....I think the Knicks abandon him in hopes of Bosh or Amare, so Lee is left to find another option. Even with the Nets adding Derrick Favors, Prokhorov is very interested in putting a winning team on the court right now, and Lee would certainly help. If the Nets could add a solid 2 guard on the cheap, like Ronnie Brewer, they could solidify a very nice lineup with current borderline All-Stars Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. David Lee signs with the New Jersey Nets.

NBA Draft 2010 Grades

2010-06-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

For the record....I dont grade teams that dont end up with any prospects

Washington: B John Wall, Kevin Seraphin, Trevor Booker, Hamady N'Diaye

John Wall is the no brainer here, even if you already have a franchise point guard. I like Trevor Booker as a player, but I think they reached on him. N'Diaye is not a bad pick at 56, but I doubt he ever makes the roster. The question mark is Kevin Seraphin, who was acquired alongside Kirk Hinrich. Lots of people are knocking this trade for setting up a potential Chicago dynasty, but Hinrich brings leadership, something this franchise needs to improve their image.

Philadelphia: B+ Evan Turner

I do think Turner is the better player than Favors at the 2 spot, but I dont see him fitting in all that well in Philadelphia with Igoudala. They really didnt have a better option here, and I dont see the Sixers making the playoffs next year...but Turner is a good building block.

New Jersey: A- Derrick Favors, Damion James

I think Favors will eventually turn into a very solid PF, but it will take 2-3 years....The Nets may be able to find someone to teach him through free agency though, possibly David Lee or Carlos Boozer. Even as a Texas fan, Damion James doesnt strike me a difference-maker. With that said, he should be be able to contribute on a team that may not have money left to spend on a bench when all is said and done.

Minnesota: C- Wesley Johnson, Lazar Hayward, Nemanja Bjelica, Paulao Prestes

To me, something about Wesley Johnson screams bust. I dont ever see him becoming an All-Star. Lazar Hayward also doesnt seem like anything special. I dont really see him being any better than Wayne Ellington. I doubt we see either of the foreign players on the roster this season...maybe they show up when Rubio does.

Sacramento: B DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside

So many teams coveted DeMarcus Cousins, so the Kings think they may have got the best big man in the draft here. I still have doubts as to his work ethic. Whiteside was a very good value pick in the second round, as some mock drafts had him at 14 to Houston. As of right now he is pure potential, but he may learn a few things from Sam Dalembert

Golden State: D+ Ekpe Udoh

It is understandable that the Warriors couldnt find a solid value at the position that they really needed here, a wing scorer. Drafting size is never a bad idea, but the Warriors already have Andris Biedrins, who is solid, and Greg Monroe was the better prospect.

Detroit: B Greg Monroe, Terrico White

Although lots of Pistons fans are pulling out their hair over this draft, I think they did well. The Pistons were said to be taking Ed Davis, but made a wise choice and filled a need with Monroe, who could start at center. The agonizing pick for most was another combo guard in White, but I am not convinced it is all bad. A pure point may have been a better pick though.

L.A. Clippers: A- Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, Willie Warren

Aminu really fits a position of need for the Clippers, and should start right away. I dont think he will ever be a star, but a solid rebounding forward should help put them closer to the playoffs. The grade really gets a boost from drafting two solid PG's later. I highly doubt both will flop out of the league. At one point, Warren was discussed as a lottery pick this year. All in all, a very solid draft

Utah: C+ Gordon Hayward, Jeremy Evans

As much as I like Gordon Hayward, and I know he wont ever be short on effort, I find it hard to believe he is worth the 9th overall pick. I want to see him succeed, I just dont see it happening. He does fill a need for the Jazz though. Jeremy Evans will likely fade into obscurity, but Western Kentucky did produce a solid player in Courtney Lee.

Indiana: B- Paul George, Lance Stephenson, Magnum Rolle

This roster is still encumbered with bad contracts, so dont expect them to improve much this year. George is the NBA's version of a workout warrior, so I dont know what to expect from him. I love the Stephenson pick in the second round...Magnum Rolle, not so much.

Oklahoma City: A- Cole Aldrich, Tibor Pleiss, Latavious Williams, Ryan Reid

On a team with few holes, they managed to fill them and roll over assets to next year's draft. Although Aldrich doesnt have a high ceiling, he should at least be able to push Nenad Krstic. Pleiss may be a steal if the Thunder can wait a year or two. Its hard to see how the other two fit on the roster.

Memphis: B+ Xavier Henry, Grievis Vasquez

I really love both of these players...my only problem is that they both play the same position. I dont see Vasquez as a point guard, which the Grizz could really use. Also, if they cant resign Rudy Gay, the only SF on the roster is Sam Young.

Toronto: C Ed Davis, Solomon Alabi

Players who dont produce in college when given the chance dont impress me....Davis will likely have a big spot to fill next year when Bosh leaves.....good luck. Alabi was a nice pick up in the second round for a team who could use an actual true center

Houston: B Patrick Patterson

As a Rockets fan, I originally wasnt excited about this pick. Patterson is ho hum, and the Rockets already have Jordan Hill, David Anderson, and potentially can resign Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola. However, I didnt think Carl Landry was much either, and that worked out for the Rockets. Never doubt Daryl Morey

Milwaukee: C+ Larry Sanders, Darington Hobson, Tiny Gallon

I like the moves the Bucks have made heading into the draft more than the picks. Adding Maggette and Douglas-Roberts should provide scoring punch on the wings, so the Bucks obviously felt the need to beef up inside. None of these players I find particularly impressive though. Sanders was a reach at 15. However, if they can find a contributor amongst this group, they will look strong in the East next year.

Portland: C+ Luke Babbitt, Elliot Willams, Armon Johnson

I am skeptical to like Babbitt, especially after seeing a Luke Jackson comparison. If he turns out to be a gunner like Kyle Korver, this grade should be higher. I dont see Williams or Johnson panning out, but the dealing of Martell Webster for Babbitt and Ryan Gomes, who was promptly cut, was a good cost cutting move.

Boston: A Avery Bradley, Luke Harangody

I really like Avery Bradley....if Ray Allen leaves, he will play a major role for the Celtics next year, and Doc Rivers should love his defensive presence. Harangody probably wont bring much to the table, but Brian Scalabrine's contract is up, so the Celtics needed a tall ginger on the bench.

San Antonio: B James Anderson, Ryan Richards

Many are calling Anderson a steal, but I'm willing to bet the Spurs would have preferred Avery Bradley. Either way, he fills a need and may start if the Spurs still want Manu to come off the bench. The Spurs have some of the best international scouts, so Richards is likely a good find.

New Orleans: C+ Craig Brackins, Quincy Pondexter

Not very exciting picks for a team trying to get over the hump. Both were picked above where they should have been, and neither will play a major role for the team this year, but they did need depth at center, which Brackins may be able to provide.

Dallas: C Dominique Jones

The Mavs really must not care about tax to buy a pick in the first round and grab a scoring guard when they already have Rodrigue Beaubois, J.J. Barea, and even DeShawn Stevenson. Jones seems like a decent guard, but I dont think the Mavs will be able to get him many minutes.

Atlanta: C+ Jordan Crawford, Pape Sy

I would like to have seen the Hawks take a player who can contribute immediately. Crawford is still raw, and Sy likely wont play here now. The Hawks only have one PF on the roster, and he starts at center for them every night. However, if Joe Johnson leaves, Crawford may take on a large role.

Orlando: A- Daniel Orton, Stanley Robinson

I didnt really like Orton coming into the draft, but under the tutelage of Dwight Howard, anything is possible. Robinson is an athletic freak, and given a year or two in the D-League, could be a good rebounder in the League.

Miami: A Dexter Pittman, Jarvis Varnado, Da'Sean Butler

Brilliant moves for a team looking to basically have zero money on the books. The salaries of second rounders dont count right away and the Heat basically just need to add bodies. That is not to say the players are scrubs. Pittman needs to slim down, but can contribute right now. Varnado is a great shot blocker, and Butler is a dynamic and clutch scorer, and someone who can provide leadership to what will likely be a young bench.

New York: B- Andy Rautins, Landry Fields, Jerome Jordan

Rautins and Fields likely could have been had as free agents, but you cant blame the Knicks for getting the guys they want. It is hard to draft players when you have zero clue what your team's identity will be next year. Rautins is a good spot up shooter, and Jordan could develop into a big time center. Fields put up good number in the underwhelming Pac 10, but the Knicks have had more success finding obscure talent than one might imagine.

L.A. Lakers: B- Devin Ebanks, Derrick Caracter

The Lakers take fliers with two interesting talents. Ebanks is very raw, and wont see the roster this year. Caracter could provide depth to the Lakers frontline, but needs to mature and prove he wont create problems for a solid locker room.

Phoenix: B+ Gani Lawal, Dwayne Collins

The team needed size for the bench, so I like both of these picks, especially Lawal. Like many other teams, the draft picks could be pushed into action depending on free agency, in this case the departure of Amare.

My 2010 NFL Mock Draft

2010-04-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

1. Sam Bradford, QB-St. Louis- I think this is pretty obvious, even if he hasnt signed yet. Releasing Marc Bulger means The Greatest Show on Turf needs a new ring leader

2. Ndamukong Suh, DT-Detroit-Rumors are that the Lions like Suh more than McCoy, so this pick isnt surprising either. Suh and Vanden Bosch teamed up might actually mean a decent line for the Lions

3. Gerald McCoy, DT- Tampa Bay-The Bucs biggest area of need also fits with the best player available, as they find a replacement for the Chris Hovan or Ryan Sims

4. Russell Okung, OT- Washington- Time to protect your assets. With Donovan McNabb on board, and Chris Samuels retired, a new blindside protector is necessary

5. Bryan Bulaga, OT- Kansas City- The Chiefs really like what they have in Branden Albert, but he may be better off at guard. The question here is Bulaga or Trent Williams....sources say Bulaga

6. Trent Williams, OT-Seattle-In a similar situation to Washington, the Seahawks need to replace Walter Jones. They may be better off picking a quarterback,(you really trust Charlie Whitehurst?) but Jimmy Clausen shouldnt be picked this high

7. Eric Berry, S- Cleveland- The Browns also could use a quarterback, but they need a safety even more. Even with Earl Thomas gaining ground, Berry should still be the first safety picked

8. Bruce Campbell, OT- Oakland- Mocking the Raiders is really deciding how dumb you think Al Davis is. After picking workout warrior Heyward-Bey last year, Im going to say he repeats his mistakes and picks athletic freak Bruce Campbell. In all seriousness, Derrick Morgan or Dez Bryant would be a better pick to fill their needs

9. Jimmy Clausen, QB- Buffalo- Again, Clausen doesnt impress me that much. But Trent Edwards shouldn't be a starter anymore, and Clausen is one of the few quarterbacks that can actually contribute this year

10. Earl Thomas, S- Jacksonville- Even with two young safeties, the Jaguars would still be willing to take Thomas, one of the rising players in the draft. Joe Haden and Brandon Graham are also considerations here.

11. Rolando McClain, ILB- Denver- The Broncos have bigger needs, but the values wouldnt warrant the pick here. Either they trade down, select another problem-child receiver in Dez Bryant, or select McClain, who can start right away

12. Brandon Graham, OLB- Miami- The Dolphins are said to be very interested in NT Dan Williams, but their current outside linebackers are awful, and Brandon Graham can provide some pass rush that they desparately need

13. Joe Haden, CB- San Francisco-If Jimmy Clausen lasts until this pick, the 49ers have a tough decision. However, adding putting Haden besides Nate Clements would make the Niners secondary interesting

14. Derrick Morgan, DE- Seattle- Continuing to improve their lines, the Seahawks should pick Morgan, whose stock has slipped, but may be the best pure pass rusher in the draft

15. Sergio Kindle, OLB- New York Giants- The Giants focus should be almost entirely on defense, other than getting another running back. Both the ILB and OLB spots could use improvement, and Kindle is the best available

16. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE- Tennessee- If Pierre-Paul is available, the Titans shouldnt hesitate. With Vanden Bosch gone, the Titans D-Line is anemic. The incredibly athletic Pierre-Paul should develop into a solid DE somewhere down the road

17. Anthony Davis, OT- San Francisco- Part of the problem with Alex Smith's development was that he got battered. Drafting Davis could help reverse this

18. Maurkice Pouncey, C/OG- Pittsburgh- With Holmes and possibly Roethlisberger gone, the Steelers have more needs than they can fill. However, finding a successor to the aging interior of the offensive line should be a priority

19. Dez Bryant, WR- Atlanta- The Falcons really need a pass rusher, but none fit right here. They are team that can afford to take a chance on a player with character concerns, so Bryant would give Matt Ryan another target

20. Kyle Wilson, CB- Houston- Dunta Robinson is gone, and the Kyle Wilson is the clear cut number 2 cornerback. Taylor Mays might also fit

21. Taylor Mays, S- Cincinnati- If Mays lasts this long, the Bengals will likely jump all over Mays, who started the whole draft process as a top 5 pick. Something tells me the Bengals dont trust Roy Williams at safety

22. C.J. Spiller, RB- New England-It really isnt like the Patriots to take a skill position player this high, but Spiller would provide a nice complement to Maroney, and the Patriots can get defensive players with their three second round picks

23. Jerry Hughes, OLB- Green Bay- After cashing in with Clay Matthews last year, the Packers could use someone to play beside him. The hybrid OLB/DE Hughes would fit nicely

24. Kareem Jackson, CB-Philadelphia- The Eagles also need a pass rusher, but a 4-3 DE or OLB doesnt fit right here. Instead they take a guy who can play nickelback, and maybe replace Ellis Hobbs as a starter

25. Dan Williams, NT- Baltimore- Nobody thinks Williams will last this long, but if he does, the Ravens will have the heir to Kelly Gregg's NT spot

26. Everson Griffen, DE- Arizona- The Cards biggest need is a pass rusher, and they might reach to get Griffen here

27. Charles Brown, OT- Dallas- After not having a first or second round pick last year, the Cowboys get back into it by finding a replacement for cap casualty Leonard Davis

28. Ryan Matthews, RB- San Diego- By no means can Matthews replace LT, but he could provide a versatile, bruising complement to the tiny Darren Sproles

29. Mike Iupati, OG- New York Jets- Speaking of LT, the Jets could use some more blocking to free up LT and the young Mark Sanchez. Iupati could start now, and learn a lot from Alan Faneca

30. Nate Allen, S- Minnesota- The Vikings could have made it to the Super Bowl with a better secondary. A good first step would be drafting Allen to replace either Madieu Williams or Tyrell Johnson

31. Jared Odrick, DT- Indianapolis- The Colts biggest area of need coincides with one of the best players available, and Odrick can start this year for the Colts

32. Sean Weatherspoon, OLB- New Orleans-Instead of resigning Scott Fujita to a large contract, they wisely let him go to the Browns. Weatherspoon could fill in nicely

Round 2

33. Golden Tate, WR- St. Louis
34. Devin McCourty, CB- Detroit
35. Carlos Dunlap, DE- Tampa Bay
36. Demaryius Thomas, WR- Kansas City
37. Navarro Bowman, OLB- Philadelphia
38. Jonathan Dwyer, RB- Cleveland
39. Brian Price, DT- Oakland
40. Patrick Robinson, CB- San Diego
41. Rodger Saffold, OT- Buffalo
42. Arrelious Benn, WR- Tampa Bay
43. Major Wright, S- Miami
44. Daryl Washington, OLB- New England
45. Damien Williams, WR- Denver
46. Chris Cook, CB- New York Giants
47. Jermane Gresham, TE- New England
48. Lamarr Houston, DT- Carolina
49. Koa Misi, OLB- San Francisco
50. Sean Lee, ILB- Kansas City
51. Jon Asamoah, OG- Houston
52. Brandon LaFell, WR- Pittsburgh
53. Corey Wootton, DE- New England
54. Rob Gronkowski, TE- Cincinnati
55. Chad Jones, S- Philadelphia
56. Vladimir DuCasse, OT- Green Bay
57. Dominique Franks, CB- Baltimore
58. Eric Norwood, OLB- Arizona
59. Mardy Gilyard, WR- Dallas
60. Jahvid Best, RB- Seattle
61. Jason Worilds,OLB- New York Jets
62. Jerome Murhpy, CB- Minnesota
63. Jared Veldheer, OT- Indianapolis
64. Tyson Alualu, DT- New Orleans

Third Round

65. Brandon Ghee, CB- St. Louis
66. Dexter McCluster, RB- Detroit
67. Javier Arenas, CB- Tampa Bay
68. Linval Joseph, NT- Kansas City
69. Colt McCoy, QB- Oakland
70. Ben Tate, RB- Philadelphia
71. Ricky Sapp, DE- Cleveland
72. Terrance Cody, NT- Buffalo
73. Cam Thomas, NT- Miami
74. Tim Tebow, QB- Jacksonville
75. John Jerry, OT- Chicago
76. Brandon Spikes, ILB- New York Giants
77. Thaddeus Gibson, OLB- Tennessee
78. Tony Pike, QB- Carolina
79. Reshad Jones, S- San Francisco
80. Greg Hardy, DE- Denver
81. Toby Gerhart, RB- Houston
82. Torell Troup, NT- Pittsburgh
83. Alex Carrington, DE- Atlanta
84. Mitch Petrus, OG- Cincinnati
85. Amari Spieviey, CB- Cleveland
86. Joe McKnight, RB- Green Bay
87. Brandon Lang, DE- Philadelphia
88. Anthony McCoy, TE- Arizona
89. Eric Decker, WR- Arizona
90. T.J. Ward, S- Dallas
91. Geno Atkins, NT- San Diego
92. Taylor Price, WR- Cleveland
93. Dan LeFevour, QB- Minnesota
94. Akwasi Owusu-Onsah, CB- Indianapolis
95. Morgan Burnett, S- New Orleans
96. D'Anthony Smith, DT- Cincinnati
97. J.D. Walton- Tennessee
98. Roddrick Muckleroy, OLB- Atlanta

???

2010-03-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

Yet another long break....it is really hard to be committed to this...yet, something makes me want to come back for some more...from now on, I am going to try to get something up on here at least a couple times a week...mostly just my observations of the sports world from a biased or unbiased point of view

For now, it is tourney time...the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament has consumed my entire weekend. At first my bracket looked good...I had Kansas, Kansas State, Texas (yes....Texas), and Duke in my Final Four. My final two had Kansas matching up against the Dukies, with the Blue Devils winning the championship. It was a great bracket in my opinion, with my personal biases represented (Duke and Texas), and a significant amount of upsets (Tennessee in the Elite 8, Texas in the Final 4).

When the smoke of the first round cleared, Texas had been lost, but my bracket didnt look too shabby, with only 6 wrong. Other than Texas, my Sweet 16 teams were all still intact.

Then the second round started....first, Nova went down.....sure...no big deal, I had them in the Sweet 16, Omar Samhan and that goofy guy with the two-toned mouthguard deserved their time to shine. But then......Ali Farokhmanesh, the Brothers Koch, and the big dude with the sideburns decided they wanted Kansas's season to end....and in the process, sent brackets everywhere into the garbage can.

Even with two of my Final Four teams gone, I am still satisfied. My bracket still has a chance...albeit, a small one....to win me some money. More importantly, the games have been phenomenal this year....phenomenal. There have been so many good games, I cant even start to name them...and even though Northern Iowa just laid waste to my bracket, I can't help but root for them. As long as Bill Raftery is announcing, you know the Tournament is going to be something to watch.

NFL Conference Championships: Unit Ranks

2010-01-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, the Super Bowl matchup will be decided as the Colts and Jets square off to find the AFC champion, while the NFC Championship will pit the Saints against the Vikings. Here's a look at my ranks of the final four team's individual units

Quarterbacks: 1. Colts 2. Saints 3. Vikings 4. Jets

The fact that Brett Favre is number 3 out of 4 is really a testament how badly you need a superstar quarterback to compete for a championship. Peyton is the sharpest, but Brees and Favre aren't far behind. Sanchez obviously lacks big game experience, which is probably the same reason Brees is not number 1

Running Backs: 1. Vikings 2. Jets 3. Saints 4. Colts

With all due respect to Chris Johnson, I still believe that Adrian Peterson is the best back in the NFL, hence the number 1 spot. Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones provide a really solid 1-2 punch that Colts need to be worried about. The Saints have a found a good mix getting Bush, Bell, and Pierre Thomas the ball, but I don't see Bush having a huge impact. The Colts are unspectacular with Addai and Brown, but steady.

Receivers: 1. Vikings 2. Colts 3. Saints 4. Jets

Two years ago, the Vikings receivers were non-existent. Now, with Rice, Berrian, Harvin, and the unheralded Visanthe Shiancoe, they are a force to be reckoned with. The Colts have managed to get production out of young guys Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon, but the best receiver still in the playoffs is Reggie Wayne. The Colts also have the best TE in Dallas Clark. The Saints receivers are quiet, but produce when needed. Despite the addition of Braylen Edwards, the Jets receivers still are lacking.

Offensive Line: 1. Jets 2. Vikings 3. Colts 4. Saints
The left side of Jets offensive line is remarkable with D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Alan Faneca, and you could throw in C Nick Mangold. The Vikings have solid tackles and G Steve Hutchinson but are inexperienced at C. The Colts are solid as always, as are the Saints led by young and unheard of players like Jermon Bushrod and Jahri Evans, who played their college ball at Towson and Bloomsburg, respectively

Defensive Line: 1. Vikings 2. Colts 3. Saints 4. Jets
The Vikings defensive line is number 1 by a mile. The Williams' and redneck Jared Allen are some of the best in the business. The Colts as always are going to be pressuring the quarterback with ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The Saints will count on Will Smith to get to Brett Favre. As for the Jets, other than DE Shaun Ellis, their D-line is unimpressive

Linebackers: 1. Jets 2. Saints 3. Colts 4. Vikings
The Jets 4 starting linebackers are going to give the Colts running game fits, especially Bart Scott and David Harris. The Saints linebackers aren't outstanding, but have good chemistry after many years together. The Colt's backers aren't Pro-Bowlers, but Gary Brackett is an excellent defender. This is clearly the Vikings biggest hole, as Chad Greenway is their best linebacker

Secondary: 1. Jets 2. Saints 3. Vikings 4. Colts
Revis Island has obviously got a lot of attention lately, but Kerry Rhodes and Lito Sheppard are both pretty good too. The Saints are headlined by Darren Sharper, but young corners Tracy Porter and Malcolm Jenkins are improving and will have to play big roles. The Vikings secondary is a mixture of old and young with Winfield and Madieu Williams next to young guns Cedric Griffin and Tyrell Johnson. The Saints will try to pick on Griffin. As for the Colts, Braylen Edwards could have a big day against the lackluster corners Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers, and Jakub Lacey.

Special Teams: 1. Vikings 2. Jets 3. Saints 4. Colts
Ryan Longwell has been outstanding this year and the Vikings also have the best returner of the bunch. The Jets have Jay Feely and dangerous former QB Brad Smith returning kicks. Reggie Bush could make an impact in special teams, returning punts. The question is whether the Saints trust Garrett Hartley to make a big kick in the clutch. The Colts don't anything really special, other than Adam Vinatieri

My picks: Colts over Jets 21-13
Vikings over Saints 34-27

I'm Back

2010-01-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

After a long hiatus, I have decided to take up blogging again. Now that I have plenty of free time to dedicate to blogging about sports, I figured I might as well decide to start putting them back on the internet...

However, I have decided that I am no longer going to focus solely on basketball. In order for me to be able to generate more timely and interesting content, I am going to cover aspects of all of the four main sports....

Enjoy!

The rich getting richer: The offseason thus far

2009-07-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

Only a few weeks following the draft many of the major offseason moves have already fallen into place. Although the 2010 offseason will likely decide the fate of the league for the next decade, their is still a championship to be won next June. The theme of this summer seems to be that the teams that were almost good enough to win it this year are going all out for what could be their last chance. Several trades have solidified what appear to be this year's uber-contenders:

Vince Carter to Magic: Essentially, the Magic have replace Hedo with Vince Carter...not a bad tradeoff. The Eastern Conference champions will have a ridiculous starting 5, one of the most accomplished seen in a long time, and also made a big move in signing Brandon Bass, a undersized but rugged power forward who can give a different look coming off the bench behind Rashard Lewis. They still seem to be lacking some depth, especially after dealing Courtney Lee, but they are without a doubt one of the favorites

Shaquille O'Neal to Cavs: The Cavs are getting what they need, a big body in the post to defend Dwight Howard and rebound with intensity. That was not "the Big Z". Currently, the Cavs are also looking to add a SG, and Anthony Parker is a name being thrown around. They will be back strong next year, but still need more consistent perimeter scoring.

Shawn Marion to Mavs: The Mavs add yet another talented piece in acquiring "The Matrix". The Mavs have never lacked talent though. It will be interesting to see how Josh Howard and Marion play together. Will they have to share time or will one of them be traded. The Mavs have also re-signed Jason Kidd, so they definitely want to win now, but their window is closing fast. However, they did sign a legitimate post player in Marcin Gortat, filling a huge need...but he seems to do a lot of the same things as the now departed Brandon Bass. If their star players (Terry, Kidd, Marion, Howard, Nowitzki) mesh well and play defense, they can be the best team in the West...but that is a big if

Richard Jefferson to Spurs: Although Jefferson's contract is a burden, they knew their big 3 wasn't enough to put them over the top. So the Spurs traded spare parts and Bruce Bowen for a guy who has consistently averaged 15 to 20 points a game for the last 5 years. The addition of Antonio McDyess and rookie DeJuan Blair should help to fill the gaps left by the trade, and barring injury, the Spurs will challenge for the title.

These 4 trades have just made a plateau between teams that were in contention and teams that made the playoffs but never really had a shot (the Jazz, the Hawks, the Sixers....etc.) While it is debatable, if Gilbert Arenas is fully healthy, the Wizards trade for Randy Foye and Mike Miller could be added to that group. You don't give up the 5th pick unless you believe you can win now...

Also, 2 other teams have solidified in their spots in championship contention through free agency...

Ron Artest to Lakers: While this signing leaves Lamar Odom's future somewhat questionable, getting Ron Ron to replace Trevor Ariza is an excellent move. Ron is still a world class defender, and can hit jump shots when needed. The only worry is that he can get a little shot-happy at times, but the Rockets actually needed his offense, so I don't see that being a big problem

Rasheed Wallace to Celtics: I don't really love this move. I guess Rasheed is a good backup to Perkins and Garnett, but he doesn't rebound very much, so I would rather have kept both Leon Powe and Glen Davis...but now one will probably end up leaving. Nonetheless, the Celtics signing a veteran like Sheed shows their commitment to winning now, and means that they make other moves to back up this idea

Other than that here are the other moves not made by the 6 super-contenders:

Houston signs Trevor Ariza: With the potential of Yao being out for all of next season, the Rockets decided to let Artest go and get younger with Ariza. Now, with T-Mac coming off the books after this year, they have put themselves in solid position to nab a big name in the summer of 2010

Detroit signs Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva: Both of these guys are solid starters, but this team can't compete for a title with this roster...they need a dominant big man. They can definitely make the playoffs though. With McDyess leaving for SA, the Pistons still have room for 1 or 2 more players. Trading away Rip Hamilton might be in the works as we speak too

Toronto acquires Hedo Turkoglu: Portland wanted Hedo, but ultimately he choose the more metropolitan city, Toronto. The Raptors still have some cap room to play with, and they need a center, in a big way. With DeMar DeRozan filling a big hole, this team could surprise a few people this year.

Minnesota acquires Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksiy Pecherov and the 5th draft pick: Everybody knows that with the 5th and 6th picks GM David Kahn selected two pass first PG's, Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio, what seems to be the ultimate bonehead move. Maybe Rubio not playing here for a couple of year was all a part of Kahn's master plan. The idea is that by the time Flynn's rookie contract runs out, Rubio comes back to the US ( while still being only in his younger 20's) and takes over at the PG spot. Or maybe Kahn is just a huge idiot

Washington acquires Mike Miller and Randy Foye: While both of these guys are solid players, where do you fit in an aging shooter (Miller) and an undersized shoot first point guard (Foye) to your core of an eccentric injury prone superstar (Arenas), two potentially solid guards (Nick Young and Jarvaris Crittenton) and a guy who can't feel his face (DeShawn Stevenson). As if things weren't already tough enough in the nation's capital...

2009 Top 10 Free Agents

2009-06-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are...one year away from the biggest, most important offseason in the history of the basketball universe. However, there are still free agents this offseason. These guys need a home. This year's crop is strongest at the forward positions, but still even isn't that great there. Good luck finding a decent center in free agency this year. The only guy who graces the top 25 list (see sidebar) is the Big Z, an aging jump shooter who got embarrased in the Eastern Conference Finals. This year's class is lacking of star power, but is full of bargains who can help put a team in title contention. Lets get started...

1. David Lee- Clearly a double-double machine for the Knicks last year. Still improving all aspects of his game. I don't think he will ever be a superstar, but he is an excellent guy in the post to eat up rebounds, and work guys down low. The Knicks have tendered him a qualifying offer, but Detroit and Portland are very interested

2. Steve Nash- Unless something changes, Nash will likely exercise his team option with the Suns. However, if he were to opt out, several teams would be interested, including the Knicks.

3. Ben Gordon- An undersized 2 guard, Ben Gordon may be the streakiest shooter in the League. He wasn't always given ample playing time in Chicago, but he has the propensity to score in bunches. Also, he has shown the ability to come through in crunch time. There aren't many teams looking for a 2 guard, but his possible suitors include Toronto, Detroit, Dallas, and the Bulls will also consider re-signing him. He is the best scorer of this class

4. Lamar Odom- Odom has earned himself a bunch of money and interest through the playoffs this year. He is a lanky SF who can do pretty much whatever he wants to on the court...assuming he wants to. The Lakers will likely resign both him and Trevor Ariza, but if they don't, Lamar may wind up in New Jersey and Toronto, as they both could use a player of his caliber at a wing spot

5. Jason Kidd- Despite his age, 36, Kidd is still an elite point guard. Remarkably, at his age he is still one of the top 5 guys most likely to get a triple double on any given night. He is an excellent rebounder for his size, and still is one of the best passers in the game, period. The Knicks have expressed strong interest so far. Mark Cuban may decide he still wants Kidd as well.

6. Charlie Villanueva- Essentially, this is a bigger, stronger version of Lamar Odom. Both guys run the floor well, are good shooters, and are mainly downgraded because they may not have a burning desire to play the game. The only reason Odom is higher on this list is because he proved himself in the playoffs. Villanueva hasn't had that chance. Cleveland has already expressed interest. Other good fits would be Detroit and Memphis. Milwaukee did not extend a qualifying offer due to insufficient funds

7. Hedo Turkoglu- With Vince Carter entering the Magic's picture, Hedo Turkoglu has chosen to opt out because the Magic will probably not be able to pay him what he desires. The playoffs stoked the fire for his suitors, as everybody was able to see what Hedo brings to the table, a veteran point forward who can knock down clutch shots...however, he is still somewhat of a defensive liability, as seen in the NBA Finals. Detroit and Portland are both interested

8. Ron Artest- Ron Ron has already stated that he would like to resign with the Rockets. Although he can get a little shot-happy at times, he is still an excellent defender, and a guy who can put up 15 points with great consistency. Other teams who might show interest are Portland and Toronto

9. Shawn Marion- Marion might be the most interesting free agent in this class. He has boatloads of talent, but people say he is stuck between positions and can only play in certain systems. I believe Marion is a SF, but people try to put him at the PF, which he does not enjoy. As far as the other criticism, Marion thrives in up-tempo systems like Mike D'Antoni's, but he can be a solid 3rd option on pretty much any team. In most other years, Marion would cost a ton of money, but I think he could be an excellent bargain for a team looking for some rebounding and versatility. The Raptors may resign him, but if the Hawks cannot resign Marvin Williams, they might take a look at Marion

10. Rasheed Wallace- As a fomer Pistons blogger, I know about the game of Rasheed Wallace. As a Pistons fan, I would rather see him leave, even if we only had to pay him 5 to 6 mil a year. Rasheed is one of the most physically gifted players in the league, but he simply chooses not to use these gifts, and ends up on the perimeter, putting up jumpshots. He would be best in the post, but he often avoids banging down low. Nonetheless, he is still a veteran who can provide consistent points and decent rebounding. The Cavaliers are his biggest suitors

Fireside Draft Chat Part 2

2009-06-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

31. Sacramento Kings- Josh Heytvelt
32. Washington Wizards- Jonas Jerebko
33. Portland Trail Blazers- Patty Mills
34. Denver Nuggets- Nick Calathes
35. Detroit Pistons- Jeff Pendergraph
36. Memphis Grizzlies- Wayne Ellington
37. San Antonio Spurs- Leo Lyons
38. Portland Trailblazers- Derrick Brown
39. Detroit Pistons- Rodrigue Beaubois
40. Charlotte Bobcats- Jon Brockman
41. Milwaukee Bucks- Jermaine Taylor
42. Los Angeles Lakers- Dajuan Summers
43. Miami Heat- Dante Cunningham
44. Detroit Pistons- Robert Dozier
45. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dionte Christmas
46. Cleveland Cavaliers- Alade Aminu
47. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dante Cunningham
48. Phoenix Suns- Sergio Llull
49. Atlanta Hawks- Jack McClinton
50. Utah Jazz- Vyacheslav Kravtsov
51. San Antonio Spurs- Marcus Thornton
52. Indiana Pacers-Danny Green
53. San Antonio Spurs- Henk Norel
54. Charlotte Bobcats- Patrick Beverly
55. Portland Trailblazers- Jodie Meeks
56. Portland Trailblazers- Vitor Faverani
57. Phoenix Suns-Paul Harris
58. Boston Celtics- Chris Johnson
59. Los Angeles Lakers- A.J. Price
60. Miami Heat- Jeff Adrien

Fireside Draft Chat Part 1

2009-06-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

Since everybody has now jumped all over the concept of the mock draft, I am posting a draft discussion. This post will eventually cover the all of the picks by Wednesday. To avoid a super-massive length, I am not doing analysis on my second round picks.

1. Los Angeles Clippers- Well, this is pretty simple. Everybody and their momma knows the Clippers are going to take Blake Griffin. He is in a tier above everybody else, and could be a 20 and 10 guy in the League (just like Michael Beasley, right?) However this creates a logjam, as the Clippers already have 4 competent bigs: Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan, and Zach Randolph. Look for at least one of them to be traded during the offseason, probably Kaman.
Pick: Blake Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies- Clearly, this pick will set the tone for the entire draft. A top pick will once again be decided by an unruly agent (see 2009 MLB Draft.) The pick comes down to two players. Rubio seems to be the better fit, as Mike Conley has yet to show he can fully lead a team. However, Dan Fegan may have already thwarted this idea, leaving the Grizzlies with Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet is solid, but I wonder if he is worthy of a #2 selection. Really, the next few picks will be decided by the mettle of the Grizzlies decision makers. I think they will cave, but the possibility of them dealing the pick is very high
Pick: Hasheem Thabeet

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- If the Grizzlies let Rubio fall into the Thunder's lap, I think they have to take him. Either that, or they trade the pick. He fits a need. He could step in and play the point, letting Russell Westbrook move to the 2. If Rubio is gone, Harden is the pick here, with Thabeet in consideration. This team needs a G and a C.
Pick: Ricky Rubio

4. Sacramento Kings- Well, they got screwed. After having the worst record, they get pick #4. They could use an upgrade at just about every spot, except maybe shooting guard. Sources say, they have narrowed their choices down to Rubio, Tyreke Evans, and Jonny Flynn. Between the two left, I like Flynn better, but I think the Kings take the explosive Evans. To me, he seems more like an undersized 2, but they would let him play the point.
Pick: Tyreke Evans

5. Washington Wizards-This team should not be this bad. With a healthy Gilbert Arenas, they are a top 6 team in the East. With this pick, they either need a big man or a backcourt mate for Gil. Even with Harden still on the board, I think they go with Jordan Hill. He can learn from Antawn Jamison and even play the 5 a little. Their is also a strong possibility that the Wizards trade this pick and move down.
Pick: Jordan Hill

6. Minnesota Timberwolves- Much of this decision is based on something I am not sure of, whether the Wolves consider Randy Foye a 1 or 2. He is a combo guard for sure. With the draft obviously heavy on PG's, I think they will strongly consider Stephen Curry and Jonny Flynn. However, the best decision here is to take the best player available. That means James Harden, an NBA ready 2 guard, hardened by the Pac-10. This was Brandon Roy a few years back, who the Wolves drafted then traded. Now, they can't let Harden slip away.
Pick: James Harden

7. Golden State Warriors- Everything I just said about Randy Foye and the Wolves holds true for Monta Ellis and the Warriors. They need a guard, and this draft obliges. The Warriors have plenty of guys who can hit shots, so I don't see Stephen Curry going here. Jrue Holiday wouldn't have to go far, but he probably won't go this high. This leaves Brandon Jennings and DeMar DeRozan. The Warriors have a glut at SG (Jackson, Crawford, Azubuike, Bellinelli) so the pick is Brandon Jennings. However, I don't know how a Jennings-Ellis backcourt will hold up defensively...but really, when have the Warriors ever played defense?
Pick: Brandon Jennings

8. New York Knicks- Even though Jonny Flynn played at nearby Syracuse, I don't see the Knicks picking him. They already have one midget point guard. Many people believe that they place alot more value in Stephen Curry. He should fit well as a spot up shooter in Mike D'Antoni's system
Pick: Stephen Curry

9. Toronto Raptors- Assuming Shawn Marion is gone after the season, the Raptors obvious need is a slasher. For this reason, the pick has gotta be DeMar DeRozan. He doesn't seem like a future All-Star to me, but I guess it is better than starting Roko Ukic. The Raptors could also consider Gerald Henderson
Pick: DeMar DeRozan

10. Milwaukee Bucks- With Ramon Sessions future still up in the air, the Bucks probably will go with the best player available and pick a PG. The question is: Flynn or Jrue Holiday. Flynn has impressed a lot of people lately in his workouts, so I think he wins out.
Pick: Jonny Flynn

11. New Jersey Nets- To be honest, I really don't know what the Nets plan to do. Almost every mock draft has them taking a PG, but they have Devin Harris. They really need a starting SF, but I think they believe Ryan Anderson is a decent find, so they go with value and pick Jrue Holiday, to back up Harris and Vince Carter. Earl Clark is my second choice
Pick: Jrue Holiday

12. Charlotte Bobcats-The Bobcats need a SG...to either start or backup Raja Bell. This pick comes down to two players then, Gerald Henderson and Terrence Williams. The Bobcats love picking local players, but I think they pick a defensive player and choose Williams, who has really shot up a lot of draft boards
Pick: Terrence Williams

13. Indiana Pacers-Troy Murphy puts up solid numbers all day, but I get the feeling the Pacers front office would replace him in a hot second. Two PF's fit the bill here, James Johnson and DeJuan Blair. Blair is kind of slow, which means him in the frontcourt with Roy Hibbert would end badly.
Pick: James Johnson

14. Phoenix Suns-Well, if things play out like this, the pick seems pretty obvious. The Suns will need a SF when Grant Hill leaves in free agency. Enter the new Boris Diaw
Pick: Earl Clark

15. Detroit Pistons- If I were Joe Dumars, I would have a hard time passing up Jeff Teague. However, in his mind they already have two point guards in Stuckey and Bynum. For this reason, I think the Pistons go with Austin Daye, a skinny shooter who can backup Tayshaun and play the PF a little. Hopefully, they don't screw up and pick B.J. Mullens
Pick: Austin Daye

16. Chicago Bulls- I think Ben Gordon has his mind set on leaving, so the Bulls will need a new SG. Gerald Henderson is still there, but I think they might go big with this pick. The pick comes down to three players, DeJuan Blair, Tyler Hansbrough, and B.J. Mullens. Blair brings hard-nosed rebounding to the table, which is what they really need.
Pick: DeJuan Blair

17. Philadelphia 76er's- Around this pick last year the Sixers found solid value in Marreese Speights. They should find another good value when they draft a replacement for Andre Miller. The best PG on the board is Jeff Teague, with Eric Maynor and Ty Lawson close behind.
Pick: Jeff Teague

18. Minnesotat Timberwolves- If they Timberwolves move their sixth pick, this pick is probably moving too. But I can't say it will for sure. Anyways, the Wolves already got a guard in James Harden. They could use another, but I think they choose a big guy. B.J. Mullens is that guy. The Timberwolves can let him develop and play Al Jefferson at C. If he really turns out to be a star ( I seriously doubt it), the Wolves could move Jefferson to the PF, and trade Kevin Love, or make him play the SF (probably not though)
Pick: B.J. Mullens

19. Atlanta Hawks- Mike Bibby will probably be back, so the Hawks probably won't go PG (even though Lawson and Maynor are excellent values here). Instead, the Hawks will go big...cause they might, but probably won't, but might trade Josh Smith. Hello, Psycho T
Pick: Tyler Hansbrough

20. Utah Jazz- Usually, this team makes pretty sound decisions. I think they go value here and pick a PG, because D-Will could use a backup, and so could Ronnie Brewer. The best fit of the remaining PG's is Eric Maynor. If a good PF is here (Blair, Johnson, Hansbrough), I think they pick one to potentially replace Carlos Boozer
Pick: Eric Maynor

21. New Orleans Hornets-Since it is too early to start picking from the next tier of PF's, the Hornets choose the second best player available, SG Gerald Henderson. Even though his status has been falling, I seriously doubt Henderson falls this far
Pick: Gerald Henderson

22. Dallas Mavericks- The Mavericks certainly need to go big with this pick. I guess the guy they could go with is DeMarre Carroll. I know very little about this guy, but this is where most experts have him, late first round. The Mavericks would be better off with a C, but the next best C is Jeff Pendergraph, who will likely go in the second round. Taj Gibson and Omri Casspi are also options
Pick: DeMarre Carroll

23. Sacramento Kings- At this point, the Kings would be best off taking the best player available. They already will probably get a guard early on (I have them taking Tyreke Evans) but that won't stop them from taking another. They could go with Ty Lawson, who probably won't fall this far either. He would could play in the backcourt with Evans, and Kevin Martin could play the 3. This pick might end up in someone else's hands
Pick: Ty Lawson

24. Portland Trail Blazers- The Blazers are solid at every position, however they are looking for upgrades at the 1 and 3 spots. The elite PG's are now gone, so their best option is Sam Young, one of my favorite players in the draft. In my mind, he could definitely start over Nicholas Batum. I wouldn't be surprised if they give a long look at Omri Casspi
Pick: Sam Young

25. Oklahoma City Thunder- Sam Presti knows how to get value out of every move he makes. A good decision right here would be Omri Casspi, a tough and versatile player who can backup the 3 and 4 spots. Chase Budinger might fit too.
Pick: Omri Casspi

26. Chicago Bulls- Now that the Bulls got their big guy, they need that replacement for Ben Gordon, or somebody who can at least back up John Salmons. The Bulls may go with Chase Budinger, who could knock down open looks provided by Derrick Rose
Pick: Chase Budinger

27. Memphis Grizzlies- Since the Grizzlies didn't get one of the elite point guards with the second pick, they go after a guy who might turn out to surprise a lot of people, Darren Collison. Collison could give Conley a run for his money.
Pick: Darren Collison

28. Minnesota Timberwolves- When in doubt, go big. You can never have too many bigs, so that is probably what the Wolves will look at here. Lots of guys are coming into consideration, Taj Gibson, Josh Heytvelt, Jeff Pendergraph. However, I would not be surprised if they choose an international player
Pick: Victor Claver

29. Los Angeles Lakers- The Lakers need a guy who can relieve Gasol or Bynum. Why not go with a local guy. They could easily choose USC bruiser Taj Gibson
Pick: Taj Gibson

30. Cleveland Cavaliers- Although the Cavaliers need a backup C because of Ben Wallace's cloudy future, the value for the position doesn't exist at this spot. Instead they go with a guy who could potentially start at the SG spot, Toney Douglas, who is also a decent PG. Wayne Ellington and Jack McClinton could also be considered
Pick: Toney Douglas

Nick and Roll 2009 Season Awards

2009-04-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

As the season draws to a close, it's hardware time, so without further ado...here are your winners

MVP: Dwyane Wade Runner-Up: LeBron James

Even though Kobe and LeBron both have much better team records, neither of these guys was on a team that only won 15 games the prior year. As of right now the Heat have 41 wins, guaranteeing them at least .500. Wade is leading the league with 29.9 points per game, and has carried the team to a probable 5 seed in the East. All of this has been accomplished with a supporting cast that really doesn't come close to L.A. or Cleveland. Along with all of his scoring, Wade is posting 5 boards, 7.5 dimes, 2.2 steals (second in the league) and 1.4 blocks (17th in the league) per night, showing he is now a pest on defense as well.

Coach of the Year:Rick Adelman Runner-Up: George Karl

While many coaches have led their teams to outstanding records, no team has had uncertainty in their roster like the Houston Rockets. Sure, they may not win as many games as last year, but if you would have asked anybody how the Rockets would do without Rafer Alston and Tracy McGrady, I doubt they would have answered 50 wins. Now Yao, Ron Artest, and Luis Scola have meshed together well with Adelman at the helm, and the Rockets look poised to finally get out of the first round.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose Runner-Up: Brook LopezWhen the Bulls picked Derrick Rose, I was very skeptical. I mean how can you pass up a big time scorer like Michael Beasley? After one year, Rose has changed my mind. He is currently in top 10 for rookie in scoring, assists, rebounding, and steals, averaging 16.2 points and 6.2 assists per. However, his biggest impact has been on the team. While O.J. Mayo may score more than Rose, he was not able to bring his team anywhere near the playoffs. Rose has the Bulls sitting in the 7th seed. In a surprisingly good rookie class, Rose is the gold standard.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard Runner-Up: Chris Paul

To stay with the yearly theme of this award, I am giving to the league's leading shot blocker. Dwight, of course, fits that role, averaging almost 3 a game. Now, Dwight is also the best rebounder in the League, bar none, averaging almost 14 per. This means that when he is in, the other team is not getting many second chance points, which can be a deciding factor in many games. Plus, with his size and scary athleticism, other teams are very wary of going anywhere near the paint

Most Improved Player of the Year: Kevin Durant Runner-Up: Chris Duhon

Most of the time this award is given to players who move from "average" to "good." Instead, the award is going to Durant, who moved from "good" to "great." He has made strides in virtually every area of his game. He 5 points more, putting him at 25.7 per. He is grabbing 2 more rebounds each game. He is shooting 5 percent better from the field. He is shooting 14 percent better from downtown. Most importantly, he has given the Thunder hope for the future. The Thunder have actually been able to hang with opponents (especially the Spurs) and they will only get better with time

Comeback Player of the Year: Shaquille O'Neal Runner-Up: Nene
After looking like his career was over, Shaq was re-energized this year in Phoenix. Last year, the Suns could not figure out what to do with Shaq. Now they don't know what they will do without him. His numbers didn't make huge leaps (except for his scoring, up 5 to 18 per game), but he made it back to the All-Star Game, and made sure people remembered that he is still a dominant center.

NBA First-Team:
G: Dwyane Wade
G: Kobe Bryant
F: LeBron James
F: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Dwight Howard

NBA Second Team:
G: Chris Paul
G: Tony Parker
F: Tim Duncan
F: Carmelo Anthony
C: Yao Ming

NBA Third Team:
G:Deron Williams
G: Joe Johnson
F: Kevin Durant
F: David West
C: Al Jefferson

NBA Defensive-Team:
G:Chris Paul
G:Dwyane Wade
F:Ron Artest
F:Tim Duncan
C:Dwight Howard

NBA All Rookie Team:
G: Derrick Rose
G: Russell Westbrook
F: O.J. Mayo
F: Kevin Love
C: Brook Lopez

NBA All-Rookie Second Team:
G:D.J. Augustin
G: Mario Chalmers
F: Luc-Richard Mbah a Moute
F: Jason Thompson
C: Marc Gasol

NBA All Sophomore Team:
G: Ramon Sessions
G: Rodney Stuckey
F: Kevin Durant
F: Luis Scola
C: Al Horford

NBA All Sophomore Second Team:
G: Aaron Brooks
G: Wilson Chandler
F: Al Thornton
F: Jeff Green
C: Spencer Hawes

Playoff Wishes

2009-04-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

The Playoffs are almost here, they start Saturday April 18th, and cream is starting to rise to the top (well, except for the Bulls, WTF?). Since I am not afraid to own up to my bias', here are some of my wishes before the end of the season

The Bobcats to stroll in and get the eighth playoff spot, hopefully taking it away from the Bulls. I really just want to see what Larry Brown can do if the Bobcats get in. To me, the Cavs don't seem unbeatable. Sure, they have only lost one game at home, but I think if some of their role players go cold, the Bobcats could beat them.

First round matchups in the East: Atlanta vs. Philadelphia and Orlando vs. Miami. Why? I would love to see Atlanta advance a round, plus this would set up the battle of Florida with the Magic and Heat squaring off

The Houston Rockets to face any other team in the first round but the Utah Jazz. I mean come on, the Jazz just seem to have the Rockets number. I am ready for the Rockets to advance to the second round, even if T-Mac won't be apart of it. Besides, the Jazz and Rockets don't really play what you would call up-tempo basketball. Other than the intensity between the two teams, the actual half court basketball can turn into a snoozefest

Watch Out! Tourney Players with NBA Potential

2009-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

This is not going to be a list of the big name guys, because if you don't know names like Blake Griffin, Haseem Thabeet, and James Harden, then get out from under you're rock. Rather, this is a top 10 list of guys that might be in the League in a few years that you need to watch, and hope that they don't upset your favorite team. Most of my info is from nbadraft.net, in my opinion the best site for NBA Draft info

1. Eric Maynor-VCU Sr.- The notorious Duke Killer, he is back this year with a matchup against UCLA, a popular upset pick. I see him as a combo guard, even though he is only PG size. However, his shooting and defense currently have him pegged as a first round pick this year

2. Austin Daye-Gonzaga So.- An excellent shooter with 6-10 height, Daye is being closely watched by many NBA teams. He needs to get stronger, but will probably wait until the 2010 draft, where he could be a lottery pick.

3. Toney Douglas-Florida St. Sr.- A 6-2 point guard hardened by the ACC leads the Seminoles into the tourney. He could improve his current secound round potential with a win over the defensive minded Wisconsin

4. Jeff Pendergraph-Arizona St. Sr.- James Harden can't do it alone. Pendergraph adds a post presence to the Sun Devils. He is an efficient shooter, hitting on 58% of his shots. He will have to face Temple in the first round.

5. Dionte Christmas-Temple Sr. -Speaking of Temple, here is the man that dragged them to the tourney. Though he lacks outstanding athleticism, he can score from anywhere. You've been warned

6.James Anderson-Oklahoma St. So.- The Cowboys are capable of pulling major upsets. If so, James Anderson will be mostly responsible, as he could be a second round pick in 2010

7. Tyrese Rice-Boston College Sr.- Even though he only stands at 6-0, Rice is nearly impossible to stop. Any opponent of BC needs to watch out for this PG, who reminds me of Leandro Barbosa

8. Jarvis Varnado-Miss. St Jr.- Miss St. is not usually a powerhouse, but they have a beast in the paint. At 6-9, Varnado is the nation's leading shot blocker, and could be a first round pick in 2010

9. Raymar Morgan- Michigan St. Jr.- As much as I hate to say it, I think we could see a long tourney run by the Spartans, meaning we will see a lot of Morgan. The athletic wing could be a second round pick in two years

10. Edwin Ubiles-Siena Jr.- The best basketball school you've never heard of has produced Ubiles, a 6-6 2-guard who could be selected in 2010

Toney Douglas, Tyrese Rice, Dionte Christmas, Eric Maynor, Jarvis Varnado, Edwin Ubiles, , Austin Daye, James Anderson, Jeff Pendergraph, Raymar Morgan

Thursday Heat Check

2009-03-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Three Up:

Nate Robinson-Uhh, what is going on. Sure he can drive, and the big guys can barely see him, but how is he scoring this much? Last night, the surging Knicks beat the Pistons behind Nate's 30. Besides the game he missed, he hasn't scored less than 10 since January 17th. Also, his 4.1 rebounds per make a lot of taller guys feel embarrased

Atlanta Hawks- After a bad last week, they have now rolled off 3 straight wins against playoff teams, including potential 1st round matchup Detroit. Josh Smith's double-doubles have helped, but Joe Johnson's play is near angelic!

Dallas Mavericks-Just when you think the Mavericks are glue, (sorry if I offended any horses) they win 3 straight. A win over Washington at home is no big deal, but they did beat Portland and Phoenix. Jason Terry has caught fire, scoring 24, 25, and 33. However, I think the Mavs are relaxing because they really don't have anybody on their tail anymore. And really, they are only 1.5 games out of the second seed. The Western Conference is crazy.

Three Down:

Boston Celtics: After a huge win over the LeBron's, they trip and fall against the Magic and the Heat. I really don't expect this to continue. Over the next two weeks, they play the Grizz twice, the Bucks, the Bulls, and the Clippers

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets fell how far? After starting March 2-5, they are now the 7th seed in the West, and the Suns and Mavs are licking their chops. The perimeter D is looking a little shaky, especially after giving up 14 3-Pointers in a loss to Sacramento

Toronto Raptors: I thought there would be big things in store for this team this year. I did not mean a draft pick. The Raptors are nearly out of contention, which is pretty hard to do in the East. I thought Shawn Marion would help get this team to the playoffs. Perhaps they need to give more minutes to Roko B. Ware

Tonight:

Lakers at Spurs: The two best teams in the West square off (sorry, Houston.) I like the Spurs, who should grind it out against a Lakers team that already had a tough game against the Rockets last night. Give me the Spurs by 2.

Cavs at Suns: The big questions is how many LeBron can score. I however would like to see if the Suns can keep hanging on to the hope of a playoff spot. I have the Suns by 6.

Tourney Wrap-Up

2009-03-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

Once again, I apologize for my absence. I was deciding if I should begin blogging for mysportspen.com, but I decided I would rather devote my efforts here. Anyways, since I am not really getting any comments, I'm gonna wrap this tourney up right now

First the rosters of the other eight teams

Georgia Tech: UCLA:
PG: Stephon Marbury PG: Baron Davis
SG: Jarvaris Crittenton SG: Russell Westbrook
SF: Matt Harpring SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Thaddeus Young PF: Kevin Love
C: Chris Bosh C: Dan Gadzuric
Bench: Jarrett Jack, Mario West Bench: Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes,
Jordan Farmar, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute,
Jason Kapono, Earl Watson

Georgetown: Michigan State:
PG: Allen Iverson PG: Charlie Bell
SG: Patrick Ewing Jr. SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Jeff Green SF: Morris Peterson
PF: Roy Hibbert PF: Zach Randolph
C: Dikembe Mutombo C: Paul Davis
Bench: Othella Harrington, Mike Sweetney Bench: Maurice Ager, Shannon Brown,
Eric Snow

Stanford: North Carolina:
PG: Brevin Knight PG: Ray Felton
SG: Casey Jacobsen SG: Vince Carter
SF: Josh Childress? SF: Marvin Williams
PF: Robin Lopez PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brook Lopez C: Rasheed Wallace
Bench: Jason Collins, Jarron Collins, Bench: Brendan Haywood, Sean May,
Mark Madsen Rashad McCants, Jerry Stackhouse,
Brandan Wright

Ohio State: Arizona:
PG: Mike Conley PG: Mike Bibby
SG: Daequan Cook SG: Gilbert Arenas
SF: Michael Redd SF: Andre Igoudala
PF: Kosta Koufos PF: Luke Walton
C: Greg Oden C: Channing Frye
Bench: None Bench: Jerryd Bayless, Richard Jefferson,
Jason Terry, Marcus Williams

Remaining Round 1:
U-Conn rolls LSU
Georgia Tech upsets UCLA
Georgetown eeks by Michigan State
North Carolina obliterates Stanford
Arizona gets a buzzer beater over Ohio State

Elite Eight:
Duke gets a close victory over Texas after Coach K deploys Shane Battier to shut down the Durantula

U-Conn dominates Florida, shooting 60% from the floor in the surpringly easy victory

Despite Iverson's scoring, Chris Bosh takes over down low and the five man squad from Georgia Tech advances again

Sheed and Jamison assert themselves down low, revealing how weak Arizona has been at producing low post guys. North Carolina wins by 10

Final Four:
Here we go. From the onset, these teams begin trading baskets back and forth. The teams are almost evenly matched at all the starter positions. The difference is in the bench, when the Dukies take a rest, Ben Gordon and Rudy Gay wreak havoc on Redick. Once the starters come back, Elton Brand goes to work on Charlie Villanueva, and the game gets tied back up. Ray Allen fakes a 3, then dishes to Rip, who knocks down an easy mid-range jumper. With 4 seconds left, Hill inbounds to Deng, who catches at halfcourt, starts to drive, then turns, shoots...and misses. Where is Christian Laettner when you need him?

North Carolina starts to celebrate to early and find themselves down early against the scrappers from Georgia Tech. At halftime, Roy Williams screams at the Tar Heels, and they come out motivated. Sheed decides to play defense against Bosh, and shuts him down. Marbury isn't having much trouble scoring, until Vince Carter switches onto him. Jamison abuses Young in the low post, and Tar Heels get their act together and roll to a 16 point win

The Championship Game:
Duke's loss means we avoid the dream matchup of Duke vs. UNC. Instead we have the U-Conn Huskies matched up against the Tar Heels of North Carolina. Heres a recap of the lineups

U-Conn UNC
Marcus Williams - Ray Felton
Ray Allen Vince - Carter
Rip Hamilton - Marvin Williams
Charlie Villanueva - Antawn Jamison
Emeka Okafor - Rasheed Wallace

Ben Gordon - Jerry Stackhouse
Rudy Gay - Rashad McCants
Caron Butler - Sean May
Josh Boone - Brandan Wright
Hilton Armstrong - Brendan Haywood

Early on, the game starts out quick with Ray Allen and Vince Carter going back and forth hitting jumpers. Marcus Williams starts feeding it to Rip Hamilton, who is usually open because Marvin Williams can't keep up with him. In the post, Jamison scores on Villanueva a few too many times, so Villanueva switches to sheed. When Ray Felton scores on the 2 straight drives, Ben Gordon subs in for Marcus Williams. Gordon and Jesus Shuttlesworth go off, and combine for 4 straight 3's. The Huskies head into the half up by 8. After the break, the boys in baby blue give it their all, as Rasheed starts heating up, and Vince Carter knocks down a few 3's. But Caron Butler heads in and shuts down VC. Rudy Gay also subs in, and UNC can find anybody to shut him down. The Huskies never let game even get close, and win by 15 points

The Connecticut Huskies are the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament Champions

Connecticut vs. LSU

2009-03-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

U-Conn:
PG: Marcus Williams
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Rip Hamilton
PF: Charlie Villanueva
C: Emeka Okafor

Bench: Hilton Armstrong, Josh Boone, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay, Ben Gordon, Donyell Marshall, Kevin Ollie

LSU:
PG: Ronald Dupree
SG: Brandon Bass
SF: Tyrus Thomas
PF: Glen Davis
C: Shaquille O'Neal

C'mon, this really isn't fair. LSU is quite inept at producing guards. Dupree is barely NBA level, and Bass is really a PF. I honestly think U-Conn's backup would beat LSU, and by double digits, easy. U-Conn has the best pure shooter (Ray Allen), the best mid-range shooter (Rip Hamilton), and one of the best streak shooters (Ben Gordon) in the world. How is Shaq gonna stop that. He could try flopping?

Previous Winner:
The post combo of Lee-Horford was too much for the Wildcats. Prince took over the game, scoring 26, and holding Corey Brewer to 6, but Rondo resorted to throwing his crapola jumper up too often, trying to keep pace with Mike Miller. Also, Jason Williams showed why he should still be in the NBA

Kentucky vs. Florida

2009-02-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Kentucky:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Keith Bogans
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: Chuck Hayes
C: Nazr Mohammed

Bench: Jamaal Magloire, Randolph Morris, Antoine Walker

Florida:
PG: Jason Williams
SG: Mike Miller
SF: Corey Brewer
PF: David Lee
C: Al Horford

Bench: Matt Bonner, Udonis Haslem, Joakim Noah, Mareese Speights

Well, two SEC foes. Kentucky hasn't had a great program lately, and Florida has done a lot of catching up. Both of these teams should have solid additions in the future when Nick Calathes, Jodie Meeks, and Patrick Patterson all join the League. For now, it looks like Florida has the upper hand. Florida has really cranked out solid post players in the past five or so years. What team wouldn't want Lee, Horford, Noah, and Speights? Even Bonner is proving to be decent. Could the Rondo-Prince connection be deadly? Will we get to see Antoine Walker shimmy?

You decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Previous Winner:
Thanks for the info guys...sigh. It is pretty clear that Duke was going to win this game. Even with the new class of Kansas guys, they still weren't enough. Deng proves that Paul Pierce is not the best player in the world, driving all over him for 22 points. Duhon dishes out 13 assists, 7 to J.J. Redick who hits 9 3-Pointers. Kirk Hinrich attempts to counter with his Hinrich maneuver, but only hits 2-9 from beyond the arc. The most impressive Jayhawk was Julian Wright, who fared well against the lax defense of Mike Dunleavy. In the end, the Blue Devils win by 8, and Brand, Boozer, Maggette, and Grant Hill all escape without majorly hurting themselves

Uh-Oh

2009-02-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't been watching TNT, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. The guys at the Dream Shake were right. The Rockets are a better team without Tracy McGrady. Tonight they faced off against an "Elite" Eastern Conference team, the Cavaliers. LeBron took 21 shots, and hit 7 of them. The Cavs were held to 34% shooting. Without T-Mac, opposing teams now have to start the game off playing against two of the best man-to-man defenders in the League in Ron Ron and Shane Battier.

Granted, tonight they were really hot shooting the ball, but you cannot not take much away from a 93-74 against the team with the best record in the East (well not anymore.) I think they don't really miss T-Mac that much, and trading Rafer Alston was brilliant. Aaron Brooks is showing that he can start. He had an off night, going 1-7, but he knew when to stop shooting, and to get the ball to the post.

If the Rockets stay in their current position, 4th, they would face the Blazers in the first round. Yes, the Blazers are exciting and all, but I don't know how many points they could put up against a defense this smothering. Also, I really don't think Oden could hang with Yao down low. They have an excellent shot at getting out of the first round this year. Of course, if this hypothetical situation were to happen, they would next have to play the Lakers. If Andrew Bynum isn't back by this time, the Rockets can beat the Lakers in a 7 game series

Kansas vs. Duke

2009-02-26T10:12:00.000-08:00

Kansas:
PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Paul Pierce
SF: Julian Wright
PF: Drew Gooden
C: Nick Collison

Bench: Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, Raef LaFrentz

Duke:
PG: Chris Duhon
SG: Luol Deng
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Elton Brand
C: Carlos Boozer

Bench: Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy, Corey Maggette, Josh McRoberts, J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams

This appears to be one of the best first round matchups squaring off two powerhouses. Kansas appears to be better at the guard positions, but continuously sent pretty good wing players to the NBA. Will Paul Pierce take over? Would J.J. Redick find his stroke if he put on the Duke uni one more time? Can Raef LaFrentz contribute anything besides cap relief?

You Decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Previous Winner: Texas rolls over the Tide. T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin drive through Alabama's soft interior repeatedly and dish to Durant, who rains 3's. Mo Williams gets a few fast breaks and throws the alley-oop pass, but realizes LeBron is still in Cleveland, and that Robert Horry is slow and old. Antonio McDyess puts up 30 points against the non-existent defense of one Chris Mihm

Texas vs. Alabama

2009-02-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

Texas:
PG: T.J. Ford
SG: Daniel Gibson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Chris Mihm

Bench: D.J. Augustin, Maurice Evans, Royal Ivey

Alabama:
PG: Mo Williams
SG: Gerald Wallace
SF: Robert Horry
PF: Richard Hendrix
C: Antonio McDyess

Bench: Jermareo Davidson

Alabama just slipped into the tourament, the last team to avoid getting their bubble burst. Now they face a game Longhorns squad. Mo Williams may not have LeBron, but he does have G-Force himself, Gerald Wallace. Will Mihm be able to stop McDyess in the post? How many points will Durant score? Will Big Shot Bob come through again?

You Decide! Or if you don't, I will!

Introducing the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament

2009-02-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Here is something I've been working on for a while. This is the 2009 NBA Alumni Tournament. With March Madness drawing near, it got me thinking, which college has the most impressive group of current NBA players? So I decided to create this. Each day I will write post one game, and through your comments, I will pick a winner. Without bias, I selected these 16 teams, as they all have very impressive NBA alumni. The matchups were then drawn at totally random. The only team that just missed out was Wake Forest. They only have 4 players, but 3 of them are Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, and Josh Howard. So anyways, let it begin

2-23 Recap

2009-02-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

First off, you have to see this. Devin Harris is the man. Somewhere, Mark Cuban is crying. Just seeing the crowd go nuts is awesome. And I don't even like the Nets. Devin Harris gets player of the night obviously for that

Runner up however was pretty good. I don't know what got into him, but Krypto-Nate Robinson scored 41 points on 18 shots last night. The Knicks fed off this and got a 123-119 win over the Pacers, despite the best efforts of saboteur Al Harrington. He should never take 10 3-pointers in one game. He should not take 10 3-pointers in one week, or even one season.

Boston rolled again last night, beating up on the Nuggets. The Nuggets do not seem like a 3 seed in the West. I don't see them winning a playoff round.

Old Trade News

2009-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

This is just my post from Motown Ballin. It wasn't really centered around the Pistons, so I figured I would post it here:

I did not know this but a Pistons trade went down on Monday. Nothing big but still, I don't know I haven't heard about this. Alex Acker was sent back to California, the L.A. Clippers, for a 2011 second round pick and a conditional 2013 second round pick. Maybe he will get a chance to play over there

On Tuesday, I announced that Tyson Chandler would be traded to OKC for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox. No Dice! Apparently, Chandler has a messed up toe. Now, this is gonna create a really awkward situation for everyone involved.

Boston traded Sam I Am Cassell to the Kings for a 2015 second round draft pick. Yes, 2015, the same year Sam Cassell will turn 60.

The biggest trade so far went down last night. The Bulls dealt Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons to the Kings for John Salmons and B-Rad Miller. The Kings immediately released Sam Cassell and then pulled off a steal in acquiring Ike Diogu from the Blazers for Michael Ruffin. This trade doesn't really seem like it will help the Bulls all that much. Miller doesn't play much defense, so I don't see him making much of an impact. The Kings get three nice players out of this deal in Gooden, a good rebounder, Nocioni, a tough defender, and Diogu, a decent post player. Plus, they can now let Spencer Hawes develop

Chris Mihm got shipped to the Grizz for a draft pick. Apparently the Lakers were protecting their superstar player, D.J. Mbenga

Sources from ESPN are saying that the Kings will send Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown to the Timberwolves for Calvin Booth and Rashad McCants. Sources from Motown Ballin are saying whoopdee freakin doo.

Yahoo has a small blurb that says an Eastern Conference official is saying that the Bulls have dealt Larry Hughes to the Knicks for Jerome James and Tim Thomas. I believe that Hughes still has some game left. I like this trade for the Knicks. Jerome James is a walking example of buyer's remorse.

Chris Wilcox has been traded after all. He will be headed to the Knicks in exchange for Malik Rose. Wilcox and Lee should be fun to watch

The best news I've heard all frickin day, at least for a Rockets fan like myself. The Rockets have traded Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston to the Magic. The Magic will send a first round pick to the Grizz, and the Rockets will receive Kyle Lowry and Brian Cook. I don't really like Cook or Lowry that much, but Rafer getting exiled is just awesome. Plus, now Aaron Brooks gets his shot.

Welcome to Nick and Roll

2009-02-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Nick, as you may have already figured out. I had a blog on blogger, Motown Ballin, or motownballin.blogspot.com. However, I kind of got tired of blogging about team, especially a team that isn't even my favorite. So this is my new blog, which will be about the NBA in general, and I may discuss NCAA basketball every once in a while too. So the Pistons, are not my favorite team, that distinction goes to the Houston Rockets. Hope you enjoy my new blog.