7th Men of the NBA

 I've been mulling the idea for awhile, and believe some credit or investigation at the very least should go to finding the NBA's best seventh men. The Sixth Man of the Year Award is handed out annually to the player who most impacts his team from the bench. Guys like Manu Ginobili, James Harden, Lamar Odom and Jamal Crawford have been recognized for their contributions while out of the starting lineup, but the teams with depth who can made the first substitution of the game a double are truly dangerous. Obviously injuries, coaching strategy, and other circumstances shift a player's role, but here's an attempt at making a top 10 for the season so far,

1. Eric Bledsoe, LAC - 10.1ppg, 3.0apg, 50%FG, 0 games started, behind sixth man Jamal Crawford
2. Jeff Green, BOS - 9.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 45%FG, 0 games started, behind sixth man Courtney Lee
3. Derrick Favors, UTA - 9.3ppg, 7.5rpg, 2 games started, behind sixth man Randy Foye
4. Larry Sanders, MIL - 7.6ppg, 7.7rpg, 3 games started, behind sixth man Mike Dunleavy 
5. Steve Novak, NYK - 8.6ppg, 47 3s, 0 games started, behind sixth man JR Smith
6. Amir Johnson, TOR - 7.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 50%FG, 0 games started behind sixth man Jose Calderon
7. Nick Collison, OKC - 6.1ppg, 3.9rpg, 64%FG, 0 games started behind sixth man Kevin Martin
8. Stephen Jackson, SAS - 7.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 2 games started, behind sixth man Manu Ginobili
9. CJ Watson, BRK - 6.7ppg, 1.8apg, 1.3rpg, 0 games started, behind sixth man Andray Blatche
10. Taj Gibson, CHI - 5.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 0 games started, behind sixth man Nate Robinson

Also... Udonis Haslem, Andre Miller, JJ Barea?

Love Me Sexy

An ABA Legend 

Wendell Ladner was a 6-4, 220-pound forward for four teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA) over his five-season career, playing with Memphis, Kentucky, Carolina, and New York between 1970 and 1975.

Legendary for his uncanny likeability, Wendell was loved by fans and ladies for his charm and hustle. He played larger than his size, always running down loose balls, errant passes and often his own ill-advised three-point attempts.

In Game 6 of the 1973 playoffs, he lunged headfirst into a glass water cooler by the bench, shattered it, and took 48 stitches. Ladner wanted to re-enter the game, but settled for Game 7 the next day where he helped his Kentucky Colonels advance.

Like an over-grown kid, he always tried to have a good time. A handsome guy with a hairy chest, the Colonels made a Burt Reynolds-inspired hairy chest poster that has since taken on a life of its own. Women gravitated to him, his posters sold out, and he once went to the doctor's office where they actually explained to him he needed to have less sex.

Averaging 11.6 points and 8.1 rebounds over his career, Ladner made the ABA All-Star team in 1971 and 1972, while off the court he was one of the league's most popular and entertaining players.

Built like a linebacker, Ladner had no fear, would fight anyone at any time, an extension of his rough and tumble game on the court. He led the league in personal fouls his first two seasons in the pros.

In Terry Pluto's book on the history of the ABA, Bob Costas remembers a particularly characterizing story about Ladner,

"In the second playoff game in 1975 between St. Louis and New York, the Spirits had a 30-point lead over the Nets at Nassau Coliseum," said Costas, then an ABA broadcaster. "Ladner was running after someone and ran right out of his shoe. Freddie Lewis was dribbling the ball away from Wendell, who was hobbling around in one shoe."

"Wendell was so frustrated that he threw his shoe right at Lewis, hitting Freddie in the back. Freddie was a little guy, but he was a fighter and his initial instinct was to take a swing at whoever had hit him with the shoe, but when he turned and saw it was Wendell, he just smiled."

On June 24, 1975, Ladner died in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 in New York City. Medical examiners were able to identify him because he was wearing his 1973-74 New York Nets ABA championship ring. He was 26 years old. Over 600 people attended his funeral where Julius Erving delivered one of the eulogies. Ladner's number is one of six retired by the Nets.

Link to Wendell Ladner Profile on RememberTheABA.com

New Orleans Pelicans

I was going to compose my artistic interpretation for the new team colours and logo of the proposed nickname change from the New Orleans Hornets to the New Orleans Pelicans, but then I found this logo by Guru Design and he job was taken care of it for me. The jersey colours of navy blue, deep red, yellow and white plus a flair of classic and retro, rather than overly cartoonish would help the maturity of the young club. This wouldn't be bad at all, plus Louisiana is the Pelican State. This way the Charlotte franchise can grab back their old Hornets nickname, and New Orleans gets an identity fully its to embrace for the Anthony Davis era.

Other teams that were named wrong include...

1. Utah Jazz - New Orleans should have gotten this name back somehow
2. Los Angeles Lakers - The name shouldn't have come too when the team moved from Minneapolis
3. Memphis Grizzlies - Grizzlies roam Vancouver and deserve to stay there if the NBA returns north

Raps Wrap: November

"Five Feet Under"- Kyle Lowry

In the eighteen years the Raptors have roamed in Toronto, there have been a fair share of rough starts.

Twice the dinos have opened the campaign’s first 16 games with a lowly single win, going 1-15 in 1997-98 and again in 2005-06, and only four times has the team had a winning record at this point of the season.

Other than those two one-win debacles, the Raptors current record of 3-13 is the lowest in franchise history, a crushing debut for a team that was expected to be able to turn the tide this season with new acquisions and developed players.

Sure, they’ve faced some injuries. Kyle Lowry missed six games with an ankle sprain, Alan Anderson missed ten games with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, and Landry Fields played in just five games before undergoing surgery on his right elbow.

And sure, they’ve lost a couple of close ones that they probably should have won. The Raps lost in multiple overtimes to Utah and San Antonio and lost consecutive games by a single point to Charlotte and Detroit.

The inability to close out games is an issue and the numbers don’t lie.

Currently, the team sits 27^th in points allowed, giving up 101.5 points per game. The Raps are allowing opponents to shoot .459 from the field, 26^th in the league, and .383 from deep, 27^th in the league. They’re also fouling opponents 23.8 times per game, second most in the NBA.

The defence is broken, and all the progress the team made last season on that end of the court has once again been forgotten.

The offence isn’t much better. Through 16 games Toronto is shooting just .422 as a team, 25^th in the league.

Andrea Bargnani is supposed to be a shooter, yet he’s not hitting his shots. He’s 46% from in the key, 38% from midrange where he takes the most of his shots and just 36% from three-point range.

In clutch time (the final five minutes of a game within five points or overtime) he’s shooting 28% from the field and 60% from the line, according to NBA advanced stats.

As Andrea stumbles, so do the Raptors

 Toronto will have to ride and die with the “enigmatic Roman” as head coach Dwane Casey made clear in the 2OT home loss to the Spurs where he kept going to Bargs down the stretch though he was just 2-19 in the game.

The seven-footer’ defensive awareness is woeful, and he was blocking twice as many shots and grabbing 1.5 more rebounds in 2009-10 (pre-Casey) despite the improvements the coach has preached. He’s now averaging 4.7 boards for the season, often becomes lost on rotation defence, and is unable to step into the lane when opposing perimeter players penetrate.

As inconsistent as ever if his shot isn’t falling he’s nearly useless, and his latest injury to his ankle won’t help his rhythm.

New point guard Kyle Lowry is averaging 16.5 points, a career-high, but he’s also taking 12.5 shots per game and sinking just 42%, which is his career average.

Jose Calderon is shooting just as poorly at 42% but attempting just 8.8 shots per contest, often off the bench though he returned to the starting lineup in Lowry’s absence. The veteran Spaniard and long-time Raptor is also dishing 7.3 assists per game to Lowry’s 5.8

Lowry is able to get to the rim more allowing him to get to the line 5.8 times per 36 minutes compared to just 1.5 for Jose and they provide different skillsets depending on the matchups.

The 5.9 rebounds per contest that Lowry reigns in are far more than Bargnani who is a foot taller, and he leads the league for rebounds by a point guard.

Hopefully the Raps won’t crush Lowry’s competitive spirit and drive to win, and Calderon can continue to behave and be a real sport whether he’s a starter or not.

DeMar DeRozan is averaging a career-high 18.1 points (on 44% from the field and a career-high 32% from deep) and also pulling in a career-best 4.7 rebounds. He’s been good, but not a world-beater and when teams focus their defence on him he has a tough time adjusting to jump-shooting if he can’t get to the rim.

Pietrus will add some scoring and leadership

The small forward position continues to plague the Raps.

Alan Anderson started the season well, in place of struggling-then-injured Landry Fields, but both are now out. Dominic McGuire is a poor man’s James Johnson, which isn’t saying much and he’s been released as the team signed veteran swingman Mickael Pietrus to help fill the position. Linas Kleiza is hot and cold, and rarely dependable.

The rookies have been a case of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas has been better than expected. I didn’t picture him as a starter to begin the campaign, but there he was, and he’s shined starting every game so far. He’s averaged 9.3 and 5.8 while shooting 51% from the field and 35% from mid-range.

He’s a long, sharp player who sets hard screens and cuts hard to the rim on pick-and-rolls. He doesn’t understand taking possessions off and plays his heart out and Casey is beginning to trust him more to close out games.

This being said, Big V has a slow, wonky release on his jumper from midrange and is best around the basket, but will be even more effective as he grows from a skinny 20-year old.

Terrence Ross has been used sparingly, getting some minutes on the win just recently with all the injuries, but shows signs of athleticism, defence and shooting that are encouraging.

Quincy Acy has splinters from riding the pine so much. He’s appeared in just three games and logged 21 minutes total, doing nothing of substance in his limited time and been less of a vocal rallier from the bench than I expected. He may need a stint in the D-League to get his legs back under him.

The rest of the team has been a mixed bag; Amir Johnson and Ed Davis are decent backup big men, but not much more, and John Lucas’ strong pre-season looks like a fluke.

If the current group can’t pick up the slack moving forward I expect a move before the trade deadline, especially if the Wizards gain some ground and the Raptors fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

But there’s always hope. How could things get any worse?

Thunder Post

Pharaoh Perkins and Sir Chewbacca hold down the post in Oklahoma City

Fast-breaking, quick shooting, youthful, with a boy-next-door brand of stars, the Thunder’s stay in Oklahoma City has wrought great success that has been met with equal fan appreciation.

OKC is an offensive marvel with two of the league’s top-five scorers in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but the wins don’t come without the underappreciated work on the other end by its defensive stalwarts.

While the Thunder’s calling card has been explosive, high-flying scorers, 6-10 centre Kendrick Perkins and 6-10 power forward Serge Ibaka have solidified the team on the other end of the court.

Their place on the team has been reinforced by a few tough decisions made in the history of the team currently with the shortest history in the NBA.

Since the inception of the Thunder in the 2008-09 season, they’ve made multiple moves to shore up their defense, at the cost of an explosive backcourt player, eschewing the “Big Three” scorers model for interior defenders.

Under general manager Sam Presti, the Thunder traded up-and-coming forward Jeff Green, a 24-year-old 6-9 forward averaging 15.2 points and 5.6 rebounds, to the Boston Celtics in 2010-11 in exchange for physically imposing centre Perkins.

Perkins earned a reputation as the rock of the Celtic defence alongside Kevin Garnett that led the C’s to the NBA title in 2008, and was known throughout the league as the anchor to the NBA’s toughest defence.

Though Perkins has never ageraged more than 5.1 points in Oklahoma City, it’s his rebounding, ability to play physical in the post, intimidate, and play opposing centres rough that has been his bread and butter since he entered the league straight out of his Texas high school as the 27^th pick in the 2003 draft.

Serge Ibaka has had quite a different journey to the NBA, but the shot-blocking master has proven himself in OKC by quickly developing a basketball I.Q. to match his raw skill-set, and an ever-improving offensive game.

When the Thunder traded James Harden to the Rockets shortly before the beginning of the current season, they chose defence over offence and couldn’t pay both.

With Harden in the backcourt, the Thunder had an armory of scorers and ball-handlers unmatched in the NBA. But the question became who would be harder to replace – a scoring, distributing two-guard, or a defensive dynamo and league leader in blocks at power forward?

Ultimately, OKC made the same difficult choice they made with Jeff Green and opted for the strong defence of Ibaka for the next four years at roughly $12 million per season, to back up the perimeter weapons of Westbrook and Durant, and dealt Harden to Houston for a package of players.

Ibaka, one of eighteen brothers and sisters, moved from his native Congo to Spain as a teenager after the death of his mother and imprisonment of his father during the Second Congo War.

“Air Congo” was drafted by Seattle 24^th overall in the 2008 draft, then spent another season in Spain’s ACB league before joining the team in Oklahoma City.

The fourth-year NBA pro helps lead the offence with his blocks and ability to get out in transition, throw down alley-oops or step out and hit the 16-footer. He’s also increased his free-throw shooting percentage from 63 per cent to 88 per cent.

A newfound focus on passing the ball has turned the Thunder from last in the league in assisted baskets a year ago to seventh this season, with Ibaka being the prime beneficiary of the new, less ball-dominating tactic.

From the time he entered the league until now, Ibaka has improved his scoring from 6.3 points per game to 14.5, rebounds from 5.4 to 7.6, and blocks from 1.3 to 2.9.

Ibaka has blocked 580 shots since entering the league, led the league in total blocks the past two seasons, averaged a ridiculous 3.7 blocks per contest in the 2011-12 season (the most since Theo Ratliff in 2003-04) and recorded the rare triple-double with blocks on February 19^th 2012 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 14 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and swatting a career-high 11 shots.

With Spain, Ibaka has won the Eurobasket 2011, and earned a Silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games, and greatness at the NBA level should follow his international success.

The Thunder post features a pair of intimidating defensive presences. One is a grizzly, earth-bound statue, a rock of ages with an NBA ring, the other a high-flying, shot-erasing, jet of energy with international credentials.

In tandem, Perkins and Ibaka are the perfect defensive counter to the brilliant offence of the perimeter and an underrated reason Oklahoma City will be competing for the NBA title for years to come.

Magne-Bo

Zach Randolph was leading the league in rebounds for a while to start the season 

and currently sits third in the NBA at 13.2 per game. 

All this despite a five-inch vertical leap. 

How does he do it? 

Must be magnets...

New Jerseys: Ranked

The 2012-13 season marked the debut of several new jerseys in the NBA, giving teams a fresh look on the court and fans something new to sport in support of their franchise.

Of the eight sets of new duds, some of them are an excellent addition to the collection of jerseys, while others are, well, duds.

Now that I've had a chance to see each of the new collection in action, here's what I think of the lot,

8. SPURS Alternate Gray

All kinds of plain just like the Spurs. The central logo in the middle of the uniform seems more like a hockey sweater trait, and it doesn't really fit, bumping the number up onto the shoulder. It's been said these look more like practice uniforms and I am of that same opinion. Dud.

7. BOBCATS new "Cats" jerseys

I had wondered how the Bobcats could get any less cool, and laughed when I saw their new Cats look. Maybe they can corner the market on NBA fans/pet owners. They've made the new jerseys look pretty good though, as Charlotte is playing well, sitting above .500, and are poised to soon eclipse their 7 wins of last season. Change is good.

6. CAVALIERS alternate gold jerseys

Pretty similar to their new ones from last year when they moved on post-Bron, the Wine and Gold color scheme is pretty nice, but these are pretty yellow and plain. Not much to break up all the gold here, and very basic large-print letters. They're okay, but leave me saying "meh" and don't do much to pique my interest.

5. KNICKS new classics

New York took their look back to a classic style that's simple and basic and clean looking. You'd almost never know they were different at all, it's such a subtle change. Nothing wrong with them though, they stick to a tried and true formula.

4. NUGGETS alternate yellow retros

Denver brought back an awesome classic with a twist, and I happen to like it. They're very yellow yes, but the other shades of blue and white balance out the dominant color. The thick stripe around the centre and the team name break up the pattern and the alternating stripes down the sides of the shorts remind me of some of the best college get-ups.

3. BLAZERS alternate "stripes" red

Portland recently went back to a classic stripes look with their home whites and away blacks, but the new red alternates have an extra stripe and are pointier. The line is more aggressive and gives movement to the shirt and flow to the shorts. The red unis also take advantage of the little bit of color that the team has, and are a nice addition alongside the white and black regular set.

2. THUNDER alternate navy

After a long wait, OKC finally debuted an alternate uniform bringing their dark blue/ navy color to the forefront as I thought they would. With their already rainbow-colorful home and away uniforms, the classic look of the new alternates is a welcome change. The lettering down the side of the shirt may be a little hard to read sometimes when the team is on the court, but this team has come a long way in a short time from upstart to western conference champions. These are pretty nice, one of the better additions to the league.

1. NETS new Brooklyn style

The Nets made the move from New Jersey to Brooklyn and began their tenure at the Barclays centre in style. Nets part-owner Jay-Z added his personal touch to the team and lent his sense of style to the uniforms and arena. While simple, they're clean and elegant in a trendy, classic, yet retro-gangster way. Making something "look new" isn't always a good thing, and establishing team culture in Brooklyn got a huge kickstart when Jay-Z himself was the first one to show off the new uni.

Situation in Sacramento

When I saw a video clip of something falling from the roof onto the court during the game in Sacramento, I immediately assumed the worst (some hunk of concrete probably), but it turned out to be just a small banner of material quickly scooped up by Kings coach Keith Smart.

So, for now, crisis diverted. But it's telling of what has been going on with the only "Big 4" sports franchise in Sacramento, and could eventually serve as an emblematic moment should the team be forced into relocation.

The on-and-off struggle to keep the Kings in Sacramento has lasted a few years now, but the newest news I've seen has the Maloof brothers, team owners since 1999, meeting with Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and city officials about the proposed $350-million arena in Virginia Beach, VA.

"We have been approached by several cities over several years about moving the Kings, and we will not comment other than that," said George Maloof Jr.

At the end of the 2011 season, the NBA and David Stern momentarily agreed to extend the Kings stay in Sacramento after hearing proposals by both the Maloofs and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson.

Then on February 27, 2012 the Kings' owners, the city, and the NBA came to a tentative deal on the construction of a 387 million dollar facility in the rail yards in downtown Sacramento.

The city would pay up-front more than 250 million dollars, raised by leasing city-owned parking lots to a private company. The Maloofs would contribute 75 million up-front as well as the money from the sale of the current Sleep Train Arena. In addition they would pay a five per cent surcharge on ticket sales to generate another 75 million through the span of the deal. Arena operator AEG was to contribute another 60 million up-front for the right to operate the arena. With this agreement, it was expected that the Kings would play in the new arena as early as 2015. The deal was approved by city council May 7, 2012.

But the 75 million the Maloofs were to contribute became an issue for the brothers, wanting to avoid further debt, and they have since attempted to pull the plug on the deal.

While it's still up in the air, and the Maloofs say they have no plans for relocation, they have met with officials in other cities with NBA-ready arenas, and maintain their stance that unless what is now called Sleep Train Arena (formerly ARCO) can be updated significantly, or a new arena is built, they may have no choice.

The NCAA hasn't played in the arena since 2009, citing unfit playing conditions, and any update would be a small temporary fix for an arena that's been out of date since shortly after it was built.

The people of Sacramento have done everything in their power to keep the team in town (#HereWeStay), and the big hole downtown at the Sacramento rail-yards, called the “largest urban infill project in the entire country” is the ideal location, but this isn't 1985 when the team first came to town without burdening taxpayers at all.

Taxpayers have stepped up and committed their fair share, now if the Maloofs want to keep the team in Sacramento, it's on them to step up and reap the reward of some of the loudest, most passionate and dedicated fans in the Association. A new arena would help the city immensely, bringing in other stadium shows, surrounding businesses and creating jobs.

Having learned from the situation in Seattle that relocation CAN happen, supporters of the Kings franchise have backed the team early and often, but it may not be enough.

Expect to hear more news about Sacramento ownership and possible relocation in the near future, but until then watch the documentary Small Market, Big Heart for all of the background on the team and its struggle to stay.

 

SLAM BATTLES

Back in 2011, SLAM magazine released a special issue called "Slam presents NBA Battles," in cooperation with NBA2k12 which had recently been released and featured a collection of unlockable legends teams.

With the likenesses of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan on the cover of 2k12, the motto in the ad was "15 Legendary Teams. All of Today's Squads. One Big Question: Which is the Greatest Team of All Time? END THE DEBATE."

I have recently finished simulating and playing through the matchups prescribed in the magazine for this years' NBA2k13 game. Though not all of the exact same teams and players remain, the matchups are intriguing as always and worth the argument.

Players

Magic Johnson < LeBron James

LeBron's cutting down on his outside shooting, but his shot is still much more effective than Magic's shotput. I used the 86-87 Lakers rather than the 91 ones for a younger Magic, but Kareem isn't in 2k13 so that put L.A. at a disadvantage but also turned Magic into the definitive option. LeBron carried the ball in the full-court as well as Magic did, and was able to drive the lane better as well.

Isiah Thomas > Chris Paul

Both PGs defended hard, but Thomas was all over the court on both ends and his shot seemed to be hitting more consistently than CP3's. Thomas was also longer and larger and it worked to his advantage as the tough Pistons shut down Lob City led by Zeke.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs Hakeem Olajuwon

Due to contractual disputes KAJ, Dr. J and C-Webb don't appear in 2k13. Too bad because when I matched them up in 2k12 last year it was an epic battle with Kareem coming out on top, scoring more than Hakeem and defending him hard enough not to have his dreams shaken very often. Does Kareem forfeit this one? probably...

Larry Bird > Dirk Nowitzki

The obvious matchup for the obvious reason, Legend killed Dirk on both ends grabbing rebounds, distributing, and scoring from all over the floor. Dirk never really got it going, and even when matched up with each other defensively the 6-9 Bird didn't have a problem with the height advantage of the 7-0 Nowitzki. One of the more lopsided matchups, especially Celtics over new-look Mavs.

Elgin Baylor vs Julius Erving

The contract dispute with 2k13 kept Dr. J out of this game, (another forfeit?) but when they went head to head in 2k12 Baylor came out on top thanks to his more dependable shooting.

Patrick Ewing vs Yao Ming

So sad this matchup would never come to be. Yao likely would have won, and that's no slight to Ewing, but Yao simply dominated videogames his entire career. A 7-6 guy that could shoot from anywhere remotely close to the rim and get it in, and was a defensive nightmare with his titanic frame? We'll chalk it up to Yao in his honor, though he likely forfeits this one. Maybe he'll be in a future 2k game as a legend.

Wilt Chamberlain < Shaquille O'Neal

Big bodies collided for Laker post domination and Shaq really bullied the Big Dipper. When Shaq put his shoulder into Wilt, he wilted. Through Chamberlain had his moments, Shaq was more active on both ends, and free-throws were a wash.

John Stockton < Deron Williams

D-Will dominated his Jazz counterpart with size in a head-to-head matchup that isn't about running a team. Stock just couldn't keep up to Williams' scoring, and while he got a sneaky bucket or two Williams showed his overall game and wins the individual matchup.

Oscar Robertson > Jason Kidd

To be fair, the Big O was in his prime in the 1970-71 season that he represents in the game, while Kidd is now 39 years old and past his prime. The triple-double threats were both all over the floor, neither shooting from very deep, both hitting the boards, but Robertson took over the game while Kidd was forced to defer too often.

Bill Russell < Dwight Howard

The greatest defensive player of all time against today's greatest big man wasn't as close as it should be. Dwight is a hulk in the video game and his size allowed him to crush the 6-9, 215 Russell who is actually the same size as Howard's Laker teammate Devin Ebanks. Dwight still has work to do to become a reliable offensive force, but his skills were enough to win this contest.

Karl Malone > Amare Stoudemire

The size and strength of Malone let him bully Amare. Amare wasn't as fast or athletic as he was in his prime as a member of the Suns and just couldn't bang with the likes of Malone. 

Jerry West < Dwyane Wade

No disrespect to the logo, but Wade crushed this matchup. West occasionally got free and launched a jumper that was sure to go in, but Wade dominated in the open court using strength, speed and ability to finish around the rim to win this one convincingly.

Allen Iverson > Derrick Rose

Rose, if healthy, is a great point guard with a lightning-quick crossover and a developing jump shot. That being said, he's no AI. Though the Bulls won the matchup and Rose led them in scoring and was usually able to get to the rim, Iverson erupted for the highest point total of any of the matchups. He shot from all over the floor, and always got his shot off even while contested. Iverson is a scoring machine in 2k13.

Scottie Pippen < Kevin Durant

Even the 1995-96 Pippen coming off two seasons as the Bulls alpha dog couldn't slow Kevin Durant, an absolutely lethal video game player. Duant's unique combination of size (6-10), long arms, quickness, and unstoppable jump shot including three pointers let him score on anybody. Pippen is an all-time great defender and did an admirable job, but couldn't match KD's production on the other end.

Michael Jordan > Kobe Bryant

In 1998 MJ was 35 years old, pretty close to Kobe's current age of 34 making this a great time to compare the two. They played a pretty similar game, but Jordan was just a little more effective all-around, especially on the defensive end. Kobe shot from deep a little more often and had success, but Jordan got to the rim and scored on jumpers and turnarounds. This matchup was actually very close in 2k13, but Jordan narrowly edged his wannabe.

Teams

1985-86 Celtics < 1997-98 Lakers

Though the mag matchup has the much more formidable 2000 Lakers, the 98 Lakers are the ones to make an apprearance in 2k13. The team matchups are much more objective than individual matchups; if you win, you win. In this one, the Celtics front line of Parish, McHale and Walton were demolished by Shaq, Kobe showed flashes of brilliance, Bird was Bird but wasn't transcendent, and Derek Fisher was the surprise player of the game as the Lakers narrowly won.

1988-89 Pistons > 1997-98 Spurs

Again, the mag matchup features a later edition of the Spurs with young versions of both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but an old David Robinson. In 1998 The Admiral was still averaging 21.6 and 10.6 and Duncan was coming into his own. This game was closely contested with the brilliant defence you might expect until Joe Dumars won the game in spectacular fashion with a buzzer-beating three.

1964-65 Celtics > 1984-85 Sixers

Maybe it had something to do with Dr. J's absence fromt he game, but 2k13 went with an edition of the Sixers two years later than the mag matchup 83 version. The Moses Malone vs Bill Russell contest lived up to its billing, but the difference was KC and Sam Jones in the Celtic backcourt who took over the game and won it for Boston with a late burst of scoring.

1971-72 Knicks > 1986-87 Lakers

Clyde lit it up in this game, taking it to the rim against a Kareem-less Laker team that still had plenty of showtime. Magic wasn't all that effective in the game and both teams had significant contributions from the bench, but Frazier was the real difference.

1971-72 Lakers < 1995-96 Bulls

The ultimate matchup of the 69-win Lakers and the 72-win Bulls was pretty close, but Wilt wasn't able to dominate like you'd assume. The Bulls perimeter defenders harassed West and Gail Goodrich, who had a decent game. Jordan set up Pippen more often than normal and let him do the bulk of the damage. Close, but not close enough for the second best team of all-time, as the most dominant team of all proved why.

#KobeWatch 2012-13 Edition

In a recent interview with CNN Turkey, Kobe Bryant said he hopes to play until he's 40 years old.

This means another six years of 'Bean,' in contrast to his earlier declarations that he was planning to retire when his current contract ended following the 2013-14 season.

"My aim is to play until I'm 40 years old and I believe I can do that. This year, we added very good players to our squad," he said.

While he may not make it quite that far, he's obviously been reinvigorated by the recent additions the Lakers have brought to L.A.

Here at the #KobeWatch that's exciting news as we've watched him climb the all-time NBA scoring list from about 13th place all the way up to fifth place, surpassing former teammate Shaquille O'Neal's 28,596 points last season.

Kobe currently sits at 29,591 points after he notched 107 through his first four games of the new campaign. That's an average of 26.8 points per game, and though he likely won't keep up that pace the rest of the season he also likely won't decline much from his career average of 25.4.

If it's fair to assume Kobe could average 24 points per game this season, a very reasonable expectation and his lowest in a decade, he'd score 1872 more points through a full 82-game season.

That estimate would bring Kobe up to 31,463, enough to pass Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 for fourth on the all-time scoring list.

First, he has to eclipse the 30,000 point plateau, and it'll happen soon. At 24 points per contest, Kobe would need just 17 games to become the fifth player in NBA history to crack 30K.

Michael Jordan sits in third place with 32,292, and Kobe would have to average 33 points per contest to top the player he's most compared to if he hopes to accomplish the feat this season. Though he's done something like it before (an absurd 35.4 points per game in 2005-06) it's extremely unlikely with the teammates around him and his current age that he'd attempt do to so.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record 38,387 points are almost untouchable at this point, but if Kobe can continue at a pace of 24 points per game for 367 more games he'll set the all-time record. That's four and a half full 82-game seasons, and if Kobe continues to play for six more years and can stay healthy, it's worth a dream.

So while we wait and watch, Kobe keeps plodding through his 17th campaign with a shot at climbing the ladder once again. And if he does as this season draws to a close, we'll be here ready to celebrate another milestone.

THE LADDER

38,387

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

 36,929

Karl Malone

32,292

Michael Jordan

31,419

Wilt Chamberlain

29,591

Kobe Bryant

NBA 2012/13 Season Predictions

Eastern Conference

1 Miami Heat 65-17

2 Boston Celtics 53-29

3 Indiana Pacers 50-32

4 New York Knicks 47-35

5 Chicago Bulls 45-37

6 Brooklyn Nets 44-38

7 Atlanta Hawks 43-39

8 Toronto Raptors 42-40

9 Philadelphia 76ers 40-42

10 Milwaukee Bucks 35-47

11 Washington Wizards 33-49

12 Detroit Pistons 33-49

13 Cleveland Cavaliers 30-52

14 Charlotte Bobcats 19-63

15 Orlando Magic 18-64

Western Conference

1 Oklahoma City Thunder 62-20

2 Los Angeles Lakers 54-28

3 San Antonio Spurs 53-29

4 Los Angeles Clippers 48-34

5 Denver Nuggets 48-34

6 Memphis Grizzlies 47-35

7 Utah Jazz 45-37

8 Minnesota Timberwolves 45-37

9 Dallas Mavericks 43-39

10 Golden State Warriors 38-42

11 Portland Trail Blazers 35-47

12 Phoenix Suns 35-47

13 Sacramento Kings 29-53

14 Houston Rockets 27-53

15 New Orleans Hornets 24-58

MVP - LeBron James

Finals MVP - LeBron James (Heat over Lakers in Six)

Scoring Champ - Kevin Durant

DPOY - Dwight Howard

Rookie - Anthony Davis

Sixth Man - Jason Terry

Most Improved - East, Jeff Green/ West, Kawhi Leonard

Bust Potential - East, Andrew Bynum/ West, Jeremy Lin

Coach - Frank Vogel

Highlight OTY - Blake Griffin dunk

All-NBA First Team - Paul, Rondo, James, Durant, Howard

All-NBA Second Team - Westbrook, Bryant, Anthony, Griffin, Love

All-NBA Third Team - Parker, Williams, Wade, Bosh, Pau

All-Rookie - Lillard, Beal, Kidd-Gilchrist, Davis, Valanciunas

got beef? talk to me @devingray33

Jonas Valanciunas: Ready to Launch

Jonas Valanciunas lay on the court early in the second half and stared at the ceiling of the Basketball Arena in London, a trail of sweat marking his slide along the baseline, his hands clutching his throat as if he were choking.

It was the end of the seven-footer’s night, the victim of a simultaneous –though inadvertent – elbow to the neck and knee to the groin by Kobe Bryant, another setback in a much-scrutinized Olympic debut for the Raptor prospect.

Rather than saying his prize rookie ‘choked’ in London, Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo sees Valanciunas’ impact on the Games as an indication of what to expect early on, another example of the ‘wait-and-see’ approach Toronto is taking with the 20-year-old though he’s now finally ready to take the court.

“I had a chance to see him play multiple games and he did pick up some quick fouls which put him in a tough situation as far as being able to get back on the court,” said Colangelo at training camp in Halifax. “The coach would insert a veteran player and feel a little bit more comfortable.”

“The bottom line is, you saw what he was capable of doing in spurts [he played the tenth most minutes on the team]… it was energy, it was hustle, it was making plays when he needed to, it was knocking down free throws – a very good trait for a big man of his capabilities – but you can’t look at that one little bit and say that’s who he is as a player.”

Olympic averages of 4.2 points and 4 rebounds, three total blocks, not a single assist, and 13 fouls in 69 minutes of play aren’t numbers that will jump off the stat sheet, but Colangelo reinforces the patient approach.

“I look at the whole body of work and I know that as a 20-year-old to have the kind of energy, the kind of enthusiasm and personality as a seven-footer, it’s a tough package to find, but we found it and we think some good things are going to come of it.”

Fellow countryman and Raptor teammate Linas Kleiza notched a team-high 25 points in that unexpectedly close 99-94 loss to a stacked American squad. He’ll play the role of mentor this season as Valanciunas adjusts to life in the NBA.

“He had a great summer this summer, but this summer was a little different for him because everybody put very high expectations on him and everybody expected him to be that guy right away and he just wasn’t 100 per cent ready to do that,” Kleiza said at Raptors media day at the ACC.

“But the sky is the limit for him. He has everything he needs and I think he’ll be one of the top centres in the NBA in three or four years… He’s got the tools, the physical ability, the offensive talent, it’s just going to take some time.”

The Raptor rookie comes from a basketball-crazed country, whose 1992 bronze medal is still a source of national pride.

Valanciunas has experienced Lithuania’s love of the game first-hand though he doesn’t remember the 1992 games – he was just two-and-a-half months old.

Due to the lockout-shortened season, the fifth overall pick in 2011 was stashed overseas for a year in his comfort zone, playing for his hometown Lietuvos Rytas, the team he grew up rooting for as the tallest kid in his class who chose basketball over dance.

Impatient Toronto fans have already waited a year now for the seven-footer’s post presence, and after he suffered a calf strain working out with the team prior to training camp, they’ve had to wait a little longer.

“Obviously we’re still not putting any timetable on anything here, but I think we’ve witnessed here this week that he’s progressed,” said Alex McKechnie, the Raptors director of sports science, while in Halifax.

“You see him progressing, today for example he did a lot of reactive drills and it’s about getting endurance back and getting back in shape so that we can get him back into the mix.”

“No timetable, we’re not going to rush him back. Whenever he’s ready, they’ll let us know,” added head coach Dwane Casey.

When Valanciunas finally hits the court, the wait won’t be over necessarily as hype exceeds ability for the time being.

As McKechnie said, it will likely take three or four years before the young Lithuanian is comfortable enough to excel in the NBA and begins to meet his considerable potential.

“I’m working to get back as soon as possible [this week] I hope so,” an anxious Valanciunas said in Halifax.

“This year is my first year in the NBA and I’m really excited to be here and see what I can do in this league.”

For now, just wait and see.

 For more on the Raptor rookie, watch Centred: The Jonas Valanciunas Story

Seeking a Home

NBA training camps open today for all teams, and there are a collection of talented players who have yet to sign a contract or crack a roster.

Limbo-ing freely, these players could change title hopes for some teams, and playoff dreams for others.

Let's look at the most intriguing pieces still on the market,

10. Greg Oden
He's said he plans to take the 2012-13 season off to continue rebahilitation of his knees, and if the former first overall pick can find any of the luck that recently un-retired Brandon Roy, a Blazers teammate, found in his comeback there are certainly some teams that would give him a chance. He'd make a decent backup in Indiana or Miami depending on what he's looking for in a team.

9. Baron Davis
Boom Dizzle is still recovering from a nasty knee injury suffered against Miami in the first round of the 2012 playoffs. The Knicks seem to like Sheed and have loaded up on point guards with Pablo Prigioni, Ray Felton, and Jason Kidd. Davis seems to be staying with the Knicks in a "multifaceted" role, hoping to make a comeback.

8. Mickael Pietrus
The 6-6 wing spent last season with the Celtics and didn't leave much of a mark. He'll contribute to a team that needs an athletic defender to match up with other teams' scorers. He won't be back in Boston and he says he's narrowed his search down to two teams and will sign soon.

7. Gilbert Arenas
Hibachi hasn't been the same player since returning from suspension. He doesn't take the same shots and same risks in clutch situations, and really isn't given the chance either. He averaged just 4.2 points in 17 games with the Grizzlies last season and has since been working out at the Lakers facilities, but there may be no room for him in LA. China seems like an option for the 30-year-old.

Gilbert Arenas leads a sour crew of guys still searching for an NBA club to suit up for in 2012-13

6. Josh Howard
The 32-year-old still has some upside in limited minutes off the bench and he could be looking at New York if Ronnie Brewer has to miss any extended amount of time, but most likely he'll end up as Corey Magette's replacement on the Charlotte Bobcats where he worked out most recently. He'll have more of a chance to make an impact there, in Philly, or if he returns to Utah than he would in NY, and he could provide the most depth and experience as a 'Cat.

5. Michael Redd
The 33-year-old former team USA gold medallist made a nice comeback last season in the land of the setting Suns, averaging 8.2 points per game. He could stay in Phoenix but the team is transitioning and he may as well. He was reportedly close to signing in Minnesota, but changed his mind at the last minute before training camp began. He was also talking to the Wizards and Grizzlies.

4. Tracy McGrady
Last year in 52 games off the Atlanta bench, T-Mac scored 5.3 points, grabbed 3.0 rebounds and handed out 2.1 assists per game as a reserve. He looks like a ninth or tenth man at this point, but if he chose to go to, say, Charlotte he'd be about the eighth or even seventh man. If he wants to go to the Celtics or the Spurs, he'll play about eight minutes a game. It'll be interesting to see which direction the still-32-year-old goes this season.

3. Derek Fisher
Fish isn't exactly an NBA starting point guard at this point of his career, unable to keep up with the speed and quickness of the new PG generation, but there's still plenty the vet can provide. The 38-year-old stepped onto the Thunder last season in time for a solid playoff run as a backup guard, clutch three-point shooter, and coach-like presence. He's been working out in LA during the offseason, so expect him to be a Laker if he doesn't return to OKC.

2. Kenyon Martin
Not a starter any more without the raw athleticism that made him so amazing in the early-2000s, K-Mart has made his own signing difficult by insisting he be paid more than the minimum salary while trying to select only a handful of teams he'd like to play for. He's turned down overseas offers, and the Knicks are bringing in Sheed instead of him. His options are limited but the Nets would make nostalgic sense as the team he began his career with and took to the Finals.

1. Leandro Barbosa
Steve Nash tried to lure the Brazilian blur to LA with him, but after the Lakers signed Jodie Meeks there's not much room for scoring shooting guards off the bench. A return to Phoenix would be intriguing to join a back court of Goran Gragic, Shannon Brown and Kendall Marshall, but he may end up signing for a year somewhere in Brazil. He's the best available talent.

The Season of Peace

How freakin awesome is it that a whole season stretches out before us, a championship hanging in the balance, and the one man who can really tip the scales is Metta World Peace?
... before I continue...
Yeah, he's not the best player.
And no, I'm not saying that he's the guy to take over big playoff games.
BUT, if he's consistently good, the Lakers could be bringing Larry O'Brien back to LA.
Why? because at his best World Peace is a hype man; somebody that always gets the team up and going for the big games,
He's the biggest wild card in the NBA right now; hard to prepare for.
Who can predict if he'll come up with a crucial rebound or hang around the perimeter? If he'll hit the open three when it's given to him or just chuck it up? If he'll masterfully get inside the head of whoever he wants, OR just distract himself in the process?
Sure he looks blockier each year as his career drags on (this'll be his 14th season) and he moves more and more like he's straight out of NBA Live 2003 on the original Playstation, but he still finds a way to be effective.
We know what we're getting from the Spurs, the Thunder will be the same or just a little bit better, and the Heat added Ray Allen but we know what he brings. The Lakers have the most questions of any title contender, and if World Peace can contribute consistently he will boost LA tremendously.
Last season World Peace averaged 7.7 points, just fewer than the number of jerseys you'd have if you collected one of each of his constantly-changing uniforms (another example of his unpredictability). That 7.7 was a career-low, and far below his career average of 14.2, and he was below his career average in almost every statistical category.
This year, however, World Peace will be playing alongside Lakers' all-star additions Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Antawn Jamison, and that could either motivate him or see him get lost in the shuffle; an eighth man with no plays run for him on the offensive end and lengthy pine rides.
That being said, I would bet on a World Peace who believes. When he says he thinks the Lakers could win 73 games to surpass the all-time record he's exaggerating, but it shows how high he is on this team, and a championship-minded Metta could turn the tides of a game at any moment.
‘I think people still have to go through the Lake Show. I think everything goes through the Lake Show," he explained.
"With the way the Lakers are looking this year, I don’t see anybody getting past us this year at all."
You can believe him, or you can say he's just talking. And I wouldn't blame you. After all, he went on to say: "I saw Jamison today and people forget that he is one of the best offensive rebounders in the game, he has the best touch out of everybody in the NBA, he has the best touch out of all the big men in the game."
So maybe Metta has a penchant for extra extrapolation, but that's what makes the game so fun for him and for us as he rides out the bucking rhino of his career.

 

Art by Devin Gray (me)

Reggie Miller enters the Hall of Fame

The marquee entrant to this years' Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame class was Reggie Miller, who last night made his speech in front of his peers and former rivals. It was short but sweet, and well-said. The most genuine moment was after Reggie said the top three players all time were Jordan, Magic and his sister Cheryl, and he almost lost it thanking his sister who "grew up across the hallway." One of the most clutch players in NBA history he once scored eight points in nine seconds, held his own in the Jordan-era Central division and led the NBA in career three-pointers made until he was surpassed by Ray Allen. Though he never even made the second team All-NBA, Reggie's a Hall-of-Famer, a testament to his legacy.

USA Olympic Depth

While watching team USA trounce undefeated through the international competition once again this summer at the London 2012 Olympics, I couldn't help but ask questions about parity and the growth of the global game. It seemed like the USA was unmatchable even though they were missing many of their key players from 2008 in Beijing and the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. It has been sufficient time since the USA basketball recruits fell in Athens in 2004 and while the rest of the world seemed to be catching up, maybe the USA has once again sprinted ahead. Let's take a look at the 2012 roster and some notable missing players to comprise a first and second team.

The London 2012 Gold-Medal Winning USA Men's Team

London 2012 Team USA
C - Tyson Chandler
F - LeBron James
F - Kevin Durant
G - Kobe Bryant
G - Chris Paul
6 - Carmelo Anthony
B - Deron Williams
B - Russell Westbrook
B - Kevin Love
B - James Harden
B - Andre Iguodala
B - Anthony Davis

Second Team All-USA
C - Dwight Howard (back surgery)
F - Blake Griffin (knee surgery)
F - Chris Bosh (abdominal strain)
G - Dwyane Wade (knee surgery)
G - Derrick Rose (knee surgery)
6 - Rudy Gay
B - Eric Gordon
B - LaMarcus Aldridge (hip surgery)
B - Danny Granger
B - Joe Johnson
B - Paul Pierce
B - Rajon Rondo

That All-Injured starting five would have surely made the 2012 Olympic roster had they been healthy, and the rest of the players listed could surely form a gold-medal supporting cast to either this second team or first team. In fact, if any of the second team's bigs were able to go it's unlikely Anthony Davis would have made the Olympic team and may be tough for him to crack the second team too, not to take anything away from what he brought to the team. Rudy Gay and Eric Gordon were the final cuts for the London squad in favour of Harden and Iguodala and they could have easily slotted into the gold-medal team. Pierce and Rondo are underrated picks while Johnson and Granger are perennial all-stars. It seems safe to say that Team USA could have sent an entirely different squad (if healthy) to London and still come away with gold, but what about a podium sweep? If team USA and the other participating nations were allowed to send however many teams they wanted as long as they qualified, could the USA "C-Team" still hold off the likes of Spain, France, Brazil, Russia and Argentina to capture a medal? Let's look at who they could field,

USA 2012 C-Team
C - Andrew Bynum
F - Al Jefferson/Amare Stoudemire/Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett/Zach Randolph/DeMarcus Cousins
F - Josh Smith
G - Monta Ellis
G - Kyrie Irving
6 - Ray Allen
B - Tyreke Evans
B - Stephen Curry
B - John Wall
B - Mike Conley

The plethora of power forwards that remain unattached to the first two teams is staggering. Team USA-C could pick any three of the aforementioned PFs and field a strong front-court with Andrew Bynum and the versatile Josh Smith. And there are still names like Millsap, Boozer, and West who you could also make a case for. Greg Monroe could have also provided some size and depth in the front-court. Ray Allen is deadly as ever, and should he not be able to go, Jason Terry seems primed to fill his spot. The point guard spot is very strong with reigning rookie-of-the-year Kyrie Irving, and backed up by Curry, Wall and Conley the C-Team would likely play two of them at one time. Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, Kyle Lowry and Jeremy Lin could also garner consideration here. And Shane Battier could hold this team together if a spot opened up. It seems unlikely, but with the collection of talent assembled here, a team USA-C team could conceivably win bronze while USA sweeps the podium. What do you think? Did I leave anybody out? Am I crazy and severely underestimating international talent and moxie? In any case, the argument could be made...

Links
Team Spain 2012 Roster
Team Russia 2012 Roster
Team Argentina 2012 Roster
Team France 2012 Roster
Team Brazil 2012 Roster