The New Jailblazers | BAD NEWS

Hey man, caught up with this as best I could. As everyone else has already said - hopefully your Blazers can climb up the ladder and avoid an OKC/Lakers matchup in first round!

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 2 of 3

In this second edition of the 2013 NLSC scouting reports, the spotlight shifts its focus to four more hoops hopefuls. From big name schools like UNC to small ones like Portland State, this deep draft will be filled with intrigue.

Julian Martin (UCLA)
PF - 6'10", 245 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Top 5
UCLA's Julian Martin has shot up the draft boards in recent months, with an exceptional tournament performance and the lack of viable power forwards in this draft. Martin is still raw, but teams are salivating at his size and athletic frame. Some have said Martin might become the next Blake Griffin.

Fresh Smith (North Carolina)
SG/PG - 6'0", 180 lbs | Age 19 | Proj. Mid Lottery
Explosive combo guard Will Sit is vastly undersized for the shooting guard position, but his tenacity and ability to score at will has drawn comparisons to Allen Iverson, Worst case scenario, he's Jason Terry with a busted jumpshot, but the sky's the limit for the cocky Aussie.

X Watson (Portland State)
SG/SF - 6'3", 225 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Mid-Late Lottery
"X marks the win" has become a motto at Portland State University. Watson looks to be a savvy veteran out of the gate, boasting both the athleticism and basketball IQ of a player ten years older. X (his real name, seriously) figures to be a lottery pick, despite his perceived lack of upside.

Martti Must (England)
SF - 6'6", 187 lbs | Age 19 | Proj. Late Lottery
England's Martti Must is a raw, but intriguing swingman prospect. Though he needs to pack on about 20 pounds of muscle, Must should be able to come in and help a team with his defense, distance shooting and tenacity on the boards. He's a Must Have!

Good coverage of NLSC draftees again, how's the playoff race shaping out now?

Must Have, a good slogan/nick name for my guy. I would be great for a Playoff team, ala Kawhi Leonard.

Week 24: Apr. 7 - Apr. 13, 2013
Team Record: 44-35 (3-0) | 4th in division, 7th in conference, 8th in Power Rankings (^4)



The week was a tremendous success for the Blazers, who are riding a five game winning streak and got a huge boost in the Power Rankings. Fully healthy and peaking at the right time, the Blazers face a tough final week but could earn themselves a winnable first round match-up if they play their cards right. With all eyes on the playoffs, each of the Blazers' final three games will have playoff-type atmosphere. Exciting time to be a Blazers fan to say the least.

Blazers Clinch Winning Record With Win Over Mavs
4/7/2013 - Mavericks 89 @ Blazers 94

The Dallas Mavericks will miss the playoffs for the first time in thirteen seasons, but Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs proved they hadn't lost their pride. Despite the Blazers leading most of the way, Dallas played a very good game, containing LaMarcus Aldridge and fighting to the end. Ultimately, Portland would come away with the win, thanks to a solid game from the roster down. They improve to 42-35, clinching a winning season and improving to 7th place.

DAL 31 18 16 24 | 89 [32-45] - Nowitzki: 28/5/1; Mayo: 18/4/2; D. Collison: 9/2/6
POR 30 24 15 25 | 94 [42-35] - Lillard: 20/5/5; Aldridge: 14/13/1; Terry: 13/2/2

Blazers Open Fourth With 24-2 Run, Clinch Playoff Seed
4/10/2013 - Lakers 75 @ Blazers 100



The Lakers have always had a tough time winning in Portland, and with no Kobe Bryant, this time was no exception. The first quarter was very physical, with both teams going into the penalty and posting a 21-21 tie. The second saw Portland's defense pick up, and with no Kobe Bryant, the Lakers were forced to turn to Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison for scoring, with diminishing returns.

The Lakers fought their way back to a tie after trailing by double digits in the third, but a late run sparked by Jason Terry gave Portland a 7 point lead and momentum entering the fourth. In the fourth, the Laker offense went completely cold and the Blazers would go on an incredible run, scoring the first 18 points of the first quarter to rout the Lakers. Lillard and Aldridge were instrumental, while the Blazers' +27 advantage from beyond the arc was the difference.

The win is Portland's straight, improving them to 43-35 on the season. They currently sit in seventh place and were the playoffs to start today, would face the Lakers. Bryant is questionable for the first round. It is also a milestone as they officially clinch a spot in the playoffs, with their 43rd win. The Lakers meanwhile fall to 50-29, taking a hit in their campaign for the top seed.

LAL 21 21 21 12 | 75 [50-29] - P. Gasol: 9/11/2; D. Howard: 12/6/1; Nash: 10/2/4
POR 21 26 23 30 | 100 [43-35] - Aldridge: 22/3/1, 9-13 FG; Lillard: 16/3/12, 7-18 FG: Terry: 15/3/5, 6-8 FG

Aldridge Scores 37 As Blazers Beat Thunder
4/12/2013 - Thunder 81 @ Blazers 94



In the final meeting between rivals and potential first-round opponents Portland and OKC, the Blazers benefitted from a rare occurrence: Russell Westbrook fouling out. From the start, the streaking Blazers came out of the gates the more energetic team. With OKC fighting for the top seed and Portland for essentially the right not to play the Thunder, only the stars came to play. Fortunately for Portland, their stars played better.

The Blazers led throughout the entire game, going up by 13 at the half. The Thunder's defense kept them in the game throughout, but in the fourth quarter, it was all Aldridge. The big man played the entire and scored 14 of his game high 37 points in the fourth period, carrying Portland to their fifth straight victory. Russell Westbrook was limited to just 18 minutes with persistent foul trouble, and fouled out midway through the fourth.

After the game, the two locker rooms had very different moods. Scott Brooks and Russell Westbrook are expected to be fined for comments about the refs favoring the Blazers, Aldridge in particular. With three games remaining in the season, Portland will face Denver, the Clippers and Golden State. With all three teams relevant to the Blazers in the playoff picture, they control their own destiny in a sense. If Portland can win in Denver, there's a good chance they'll be facing them in the first round.

OKC 19 22 19 21 | 81 [51-29] - Durant: 25/7/3; K. Martin: 14/1/3; Westbrook: 8/2/3/6 fouls
POR 27 27 15 25 | 94 [44-35] - Aldridge: 37/11/2; Lillard: 25/6/8; R. Price: 7/2/5

Playoff Picture:

y-1 LA Lakers 51-29
y-2 Oklahoma City 51-29
x-3 Denver 47-32
y-4 San Antonio 43-36
x-5 Minnesota 46-34
x-6 LA Clippers 45-35
x-7 Portland 44-35
x-8 Golden State 43-37

Perfect week!

Nice job taking down OKC never an easy team to face, and the Lakers even without Kobe can be a Bitch !

Good job on the two big wins over Lakers and OKC. Now you just need to continue the streak and push for 6th place!!

Congrats on clinching a playoff berth. Relatively satisfying to see you rout the Lakers, what a week!

Great week and recap!!! Wins against OKC and LAL can def boost you, but you still don't wanna face em come playoff time!

Wow! All those wins and still the #7 seed? That's crazy, but an awesome week. You got LA and GSW, coming up, and I bet those games impact the schedule.

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 3 of 3

The third and final scouting report covers not only the final two NLSC'ers but also the consensus top 3 prospects in the draft. Center Brendan Snow and scoring guard Calbert Willis look to be can't miss all-stars but Axel Gomez and Da'Vonte Hughes have potential to be effective guards.

Axel Gomez (Houston)
PG/SG - 6'3", 190 lbs | Age 19 | Proj. Mid Lottery
Axel Gomez has been considered one of the best point guard prospects in the draft given his potential and well-rounded game. Axel has drawn comparisons from Jrue Holiday to Chris Paul.

DaVonte Hughes (Georgia)
PG/SG - 6'4", 224 lbs | Age 19 | Proj. Mid First Round
Combo Guard DaVonte Hughes out of Georgia can't shoot but his size and athletic ability make him an intriguing player. Hughes could be a good closer with his ability to create his own shot and defend two positions.

Brendan Snow (Florida State)
C - 7'0", 259 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Top 5 Pick
Snow is the consensus #1 prospect at this point. A skilled seven foot center, Snow is a franchise-type player. While his defense could use improvement, he is an offensive force.

Calbert WIllis (Utah)
SG/PG - 6'3", 183 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Top 5 Pick
Calbert Willis is a bit undersized to play the 2 but has drawn comparisons to Dwyane Wade thanks to his ability to score at will. Willis can run an offense however, and may be the most NBA-ready player in this draft.

Geoffrey Ross (Valparaiso)
SF - 6'7", 216 lbs | Age 20 | Proj. Top 5 Pick
Valparaiso's Geoffrey Ross enjoyed an incredible sophomore season and looks to be a star in the making. A prolific scorer and competent defender, Ross is the top small forward in this draft.

Good job with the scouting reports. Look very good

What's Dame averaging for season?

I see 2K still has 50-55 win teams winning conference.

Nice scouting reports.

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 2 of 3

In this second edition of the 2013 NLSC scouting reports, the spotlight shifts its focus to four more hoops hopefuls. From big name schools like UNC to small ones like Portland State, this deep draft will be filled with intrigue.

X Watson (Portland State)
SG/SF - 6'3", 225 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Mid-Late Lottery
"X marks the win" has become a motto at Portland State University. Watson looks to be a savvy veteran out of the gate, boasting both the athleticism and basketball IQ of a player ten years older. X (his real name, seriously) figures to be a lottery pick, despite his perceived lack of upside.

look at that hairline. Classic. Luvin' the Big Sky styles. I remember playing against Portland State in CH2K8.

Ah, I have a fair bit to catch up on. NLSC scouting looks awesome. I'll do my best to check in more often

Sit, Cheers, Will. Next season's going to be a lot of fun.

The X, Lillard's averaging something like 19 points and 7 assists. He's become a borderline all-star over the course of the season.

Your guy was a lot of fun to make. Glad you approve.

badreligionau, Yeah, I've been catching up on everybody else's. That does give me an idea though...

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Catching Up With The New Jailblazers

2013 All-Star Weekend
Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum participated in Friday and Saturday events, respectively, but LaMarcus Aldridge was snubbed at the Blazers had no representives in the All-Star game.

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 1 of 3
Chris Hova, Ryan Alexander, J.R. Young, Leo Lai

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 2 of 3
Julian Martin, Fresh Smith, X Watson, Martti Must

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 3 of 3
Axel Gomez, Da'Vonte Hughes, Top 3 Prospects

Week 24: Apr. 7 - Apr. 13, 2013
The Blazers used a strong stretch of the season to secure a playoff seed. Sitting in seventh place, Portland is likely headed for a first round match-up with the Lakers or Thunder, but still has a chance to move up to sixth place for a much easier series against the Nuggets or Clippers.

Hopefully my player does as well if not better than he did in your last story.

7th seed!!!!

Week 25: Apr. 14 - Apr. 20, 2013
Team Record: 46-36 (2-1) | 4th in division, 7th in conference, 9th in Power Rankings (-1)



Portland's finishes with a 46-36 record to match their 2010-11 mark and qualify for the 7th seed in the playoffs. Though a win over the Clippers in LA would've given them a huge winning streak and a more favorable first round match-up, the Blazers should be pleasantly surprised just to have made it this far, starting with no bench and getting their leadership from a rookie.

Blazers Hold Off Nuggets For Sixth Straight Win
4/14/2013 - Blazers 101 @ Nuggets 94

Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge gave all-star performances as the Blazers upset the Nuggets in Denver for their sixth straight victory. The Blazers took a commanding lead in the third, and overcame a late Denver run to win, 101-94. Portland clinches the 7 seed and will have a chance to push further up the standings with a game against the Clippers in LA. Denver meanwhile will hope to secure the 3 seed in the final week of play.

POR 28 24 29 20 | 101 [45-35] - Aldridge: 22/11/3, 10-14 FG; Lillard: 28/4/10; Matthews: 21/4/3
DEN 28 19 20 27 | 94 [47-33] - Lawson: 17/3/10; Faried: 16/11/1; McGee: 13/8/0

Clippers Blow Out Blazers To Clinch Top Six Seed
4/16/2013 - Blazers 77 @ Clippers 109

Portland's six game winning streak was halted in another crucial game for playoff positioning in LA versus the Clippers. The Clippers led throughout. With Damian Lillard struggling mightily in the first half, the Blazers were unable to make a run and entered the half trailing by 19 points.

The Blazers stayed in the game with hot three point shooting in the first, but the Clippers made an early run in the fourth to finish off the Blazers, and the discouraged Blazers bench ended up letting the deficit over 30 points as they lost 109-77. Paul, Griffin, Crawford and DeAndre Jordan led the way for the Clippers, who clinch a top 6 seed, and could move up to a seed as high as third if they play their cards right. Portland meanwhile will hope the Clippers win their final game so that they could have a chance to avoid OKC in the first round by winning in the final game to tie 46-36 Minnesota.

POR 24 17 27 7 | 77 [45-36] - Matthews: 20/3/5; Aldridge: 15/10/1; Lillard: 10/3/3, 4-21 FG
LAC 29 27 26 26 | 109 [46-35] - Griffin: 20/8/1; Paul: 12/5/14; Crawford: 18/4/1

Blazers Defeat Warriors, Will Still Play Thunder In First Round
4/18/2013 - Warriors 92 @ Blazers 102

Prior to the game, the Trail Blazers were informed that their final game of the season against the Warriors would be meaningless to their playoff seeding. Nonetheless, they went out and played hard, handling the Warriors at home 102-92. Portland finishes the season with a 46-36 record and the 7th seed, and will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. Damian Lillard led all scorers with 31.

GS 23 21 30 20 | 92 [43-39] - Curry: 27/5/4; Lee: 18/7/0; Thompson: 16/1/3
POR 30 23 28 21 | 102 [46-36] - Lillard: 31/5/3; Aldridge: 18/10/1; Terry: 21/1/2

1 LA Lakers 53-29
2 Oklahoma City 52-30
3 Denver 48-34
4 San Antonio 44-38
5 LA Clippers 47-35
6 Minnesota 47-35
7 Portland 46-36
8 Golden State 43-39

Good job sneaking into the Playoffs. From now, every series can be won, just need a tad of luck.

OKC, tough break.

I think if you had got up to 6 & matched up against Denver then you'd have a better chance. OKC just so tough. I think they'll take you down in 6 or 7 very tough games.

Nice work getting into the playoffs! Now make sure you survive!

Do your best man!

OKC will be tough. Hope you don't get swept.

I really want to root for you man, but it's gonna be very tough. Thunder in 6

2012-13 NBA Season At A Glance



NBA Standings

Western Conference:

1 LA Lakers 53-29
2 Oklahoma City 52-30
3 Denver 48-34
4 San Antonio 44-38
5 LA Clippers 47-35
6 Minnesota 47-35
7 Portland 46-36
8 Golden State 43-39
Houston 39-43
Phoenix 38-44
Utah 35-47
Dallas 34-48
Sacramento 34-48
New Orleans 34-48
Memphis 31-51

Eastern Conference:

1 Miami 64-18
2 Philadelphia 57-25
3 Brooklyn 53-29
4 Chicago 49-33
5 New York 47-35
6 Boston 39-43
7 Detroit 39-43
8 Indiana 38-44
Atlanta 35-47
Orlando 33-49
Washington 31-51
Toronto 31-51
Milwaukee 31-51
Cleveland 29-53
Charlotte 29-53

Blazers Player Averages:

L. Aldridge: 22.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, .537% FG, 22.6 PER, .584% TS
D. Lillard: 19.3 PPG, 7.1 APG, 4 RPG, 1.2 SPG, .410% 3pt, .886% FT, 3 TPG, 18.7 PER, .571% TS
N. Batum: 15.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 BPG, 14.6 PER, .537% TS
W. Matthews: 13.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 12.6 PER, .561% TS
C. Hayes: 2.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 9.9 PER, .542% TS
J. Terry: 10.1 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.6 RPG, .421% 3pt, .924% FT, 19.1 PER, .599% TS
M. Leonard: 3.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, .563% FG. 12.4 PER, .613% TS
R. Price: 3.7 PPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 RPG, 13.9 PER, .502% TS
T. Honeycutt: 3.2 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 15.7 PER, .555% TS
J. Posey: 3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 8.2 PER, .595% TS
L. Head: 2.5 PPG, 8.2 PER, .439% TS, 6 games
C. Wilcox: 2.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG

League Leaders:

Scoring: C. Anthony (NY): 27.7 PPG
D. Wade (MIA): 25.3; K. Durant (OKC): 25.1; L. James (MIA): 24.9; K. Love (MIN): 24.2 | 9. L. Aldridge: 22.5

Rebounding: K. Love (MIN): 11.6 RPG
B. Griffin (LAC): 11.3; A. Bogut (GS): 10.7; A. Varejao (CLE): 10.7; P. Millsap (UTA): 10.1 | 25. L. Aldridge: 8.6

Assists: G. Dragic (PHX): 9.9 APG
R. Rondo (BOS): 9.7; S. Nash (LAL): 9.4; J. Kidd (NY): 9.3; J. Wall (WAS): 9.0 | 20. D. Lillard: 7.1

Steals: K. Lowry (TOR): 2.3 SPG
C. Paul (LAC): 2.2; S. Curry (GS): 2.1; L. James (MIA): 2.1; R. Rondo (BOS): 2.1 | 53. D. Lillard: 1.2

Blocks: S. Ibaka (OKC): 2.1 BPG
B. Lopez (BKN): 2.1; J. McGee (DEN): 2.1; A. Bogut (GS): 2.1; R. Hibbert (IND): 2.0 | 31. N. Batum: 1.1

Field Goal %: D. Howard (LAL): .618% FG
A. Bynum (PHI): .589%; K. Faried (DEN): .585%; J. McGee (DEN): .574%; N. Pekovic (MIN): .557 | 12. L. Aldridge: .537%

Three Point %: M. Miller (MIA): .469% 3pt
R. Allen (MIA): .467%; K. Korver (CHI): .465%; K. Lowry (TOR): .455%; S. Nash (LAL): .452% | 16. J. Terry: .421

Free Throw %: J. Crawford (LAC): .944%
J. Terry (POR): .924%; K. Martin (OKC): .916%; S. Curry: .908%; S. Nash: .897%

How come the Spurs are the 4th seed when they are 44-38, doesn't that mean you should be in the 6th seed up against Denver?