Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:02 pm
Tough loss, what happened with OJ? I also agree with Chaser, I like how you keep realistic scores. Unlike us, who get 100+ points every game. 
Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:04 pm
Too bad Mayo has been really bothered by the injury, hopefully he can get healthy again coz you really need him to win some games...
Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:25 pm
Grizzlies dominate Nets, 109-71
November 7, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 109 New Jersey 71
Rudy Gay dunks after a fast break.
Memphis, TN -- The Memphis Grizzlies played host to the New Jersey Nets in their second home game of the season, and it looked as if it was going to go the same way as the first one. New Jersey came into the game with a 3-1 record, but the Grizzlies weren't about to let that bother them. The 1st quarter played out evenly with no significant runs and similar stats across the board. OJ Mayo, coming off his left calf bruise, seemed determined to outplay NJ's Devin Harris. Mayo's 6 points in the 1st kept Memphis in it while Harris took almost all the shots for New Jersey. Harris scored 7 points on 3-10 shooting. The game was tied after the 1st, 21-21.
After playing such an even game in the first, New Jersey quickly jumped out to a 5 point lead. Memphis wasn't about to let the game turn this time, however, as they quickly went on an 8-0 run, taking a 3 point lead on Juan Carlos Navarro's 3 pointer with 6:30 left. The Grizzlies weren't done there though. Mayo continued the charge, pushing the run to 16-3 over 3 and a half minutes. The Nets still couldn't stop the bleeding the bleeding though, allowing Memphis to go on yet another 7-0 run to end the quarter. Whether it was Memphis's defense or the fact that New Jersey just couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, they shot a terrible 28% in the 2nd. The Grizzlies didn't allow the Nets to penetrate, forcing jumper after jumper with a hand in their face every time. Memphis, though, scoring one transition bucket after the other, leading to a 54% field goal percentage. Mayo scored 11 of his game-high 31 in the 2nd. Rudy Gay, after his paltry 1st quarter, stepped up his game scoring 9 points, making all 3 of the shots he took, including a huge 3 that capped the 16-3 run. Memphis still had more work to do though. They finished the 2nd on a 7-0 run, including a thunderous Darrell Arthur dunk, to take a 15 point lead into the break.
Halftime did nothing to stop the Nets' bleeding, or cool the Grizzlies' hot hands. It took New Jersey 2 minutes to score a basket to start the 3rd. In the meantime, Memphis took full advantage to push the lead to 23. When Mayo and Gay weren't pounding the ball into the paint to Arthur, they were driving the lane and knocking down jumpers. Memphis took New Jersey to school and OJ Mayo was driving the bus. His 8 3rd quarter points helped the Grizz get the lead all the way up to 31 near the end of the quarter. Think New Jersey couldn't shoot any worse than 28% and Memphis couldn't shoot any better than 54%? Think again. The Nets shot 27% from the field and the Grizz shot a whopping 70%. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team's ridiculously good 2nd and 3rd quarters. "I was as shocked as you guys are. That was one of the best quarters I've ever seen. Our defense, our passing, just everything. I wish we could play like this all the time."
With a 27 point lead and the game firmly in hand for Memphis, the 4th quarter got a bit wierd. Iavaroni actually played his starters for the first couple minutes, Gay was removed from the game only when he fouled out, and Vince Carter, who actually played a decent game, went to the locker room early with a chest injury. Details about the injury were not released after the game. After the injury though, Iavaroni finally placed his bench on the floor. It didn't seem to matter who played for the Grizz though, as they continued to extend their lead with every Memphis player scoring, eventually pushing it to the final, 109-71. The 38 point win was the largest win in Grizzlies history. Mayo was the high point man with 31, along with 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Arthur was next on the team with 22 points on 10-12 shooting and 3 blocks. Rudy Gay threw in 15 before he fouled out. Devin Harris and Vince Carter tied for the Nets team lead with 16 points, Harris on 5-23 shooting and Carter on 8-15.
Around the League:
November 6, 2008
Tracy McGrady scored 45 points to go along with 10 assists and 5 steals in a 10 point win over Orlando, 106-96.
Dirk Nowitzki continued his early season campaign for MVP with another stellar night, this time scoring 44 points on 18-29 shooting and grabbing 7 rebounds an a 111-100 win over Indiana.
November 7, 2008
There were several outstanding individual performances this night, but the best belonged to Kobe Bryant, who dropped 61 in a 118-111 OT win against Cleveland. Bryant's line: 61, 22-40 FG, 4-7 3PT, 13-15 FT, 5 rebounds, 7 assists. LeBron James scored 39 in the loss.
Dirk Nowitzki followed up his 44 point, 7 rebound night with a double-double(43 points, 11 boards) in a 96-85 OT win against Miami. Dallas as a team was perfect from the charity stripe, going 19-19.
Allen Iverson led the Nuggets to a 19 point win over the Gilbert Arenas-led Wizards, 102-83. Iverson scored 43 on 14-37 shooting, including 12 assists. Arenas had 38 points and 8 assists in the losing effort.
Memphis wasn't the only team that put a beatdown on their opponent tonight, as Utah smacked around Chicago 98-57. Chicago shot an abysmal 31% including 1-15 from behind the arc and only took 6 FTs.
November 7, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 109 New Jersey 71
Rudy Gay dunks after a fast break.
Memphis, TN -- The Memphis Grizzlies played host to the New Jersey Nets in their second home game of the season, and it looked as if it was going to go the same way as the first one. New Jersey came into the game with a 3-1 record, but the Grizzlies weren't about to let that bother them. The 1st quarter played out evenly with no significant runs and similar stats across the board. OJ Mayo, coming off his left calf bruise, seemed determined to outplay NJ's Devin Harris. Mayo's 6 points in the 1st kept Memphis in it while Harris took almost all the shots for New Jersey. Harris scored 7 points on 3-10 shooting. The game was tied after the 1st, 21-21.
After playing such an even game in the first, New Jersey quickly jumped out to a 5 point lead. Memphis wasn't about to let the game turn this time, however, as they quickly went on an 8-0 run, taking a 3 point lead on Juan Carlos Navarro's 3 pointer with 6:30 left. The Grizzlies weren't done there though. Mayo continued the charge, pushing the run to 16-3 over 3 and a half minutes. The Nets still couldn't stop the bleeding the bleeding though, allowing Memphis to go on yet another 7-0 run to end the quarter. Whether it was Memphis's defense or the fact that New Jersey just couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, they shot a terrible 28% in the 2nd. The Grizzlies didn't allow the Nets to penetrate, forcing jumper after jumper with a hand in their face every time. Memphis, though, scoring one transition bucket after the other, leading to a 54% field goal percentage. Mayo scored 11 of his game-high 31 in the 2nd. Rudy Gay, after his paltry 1st quarter, stepped up his game scoring 9 points, making all 3 of the shots he took, including a huge 3 that capped the 16-3 run. Memphis still had more work to do though. They finished the 2nd on a 7-0 run, including a thunderous Darrell Arthur dunk, to take a 15 point lead into the break.
Halftime did nothing to stop the Nets' bleeding, or cool the Grizzlies' hot hands. It took New Jersey 2 minutes to score a basket to start the 3rd. In the meantime, Memphis took full advantage to push the lead to 23. When Mayo and Gay weren't pounding the ball into the paint to Arthur, they were driving the lane and knocking down jumpers. Memphis took New Jersey to school and OJ Mayo was driving the bus. His 8 3rd quarter points helped the Grizz get the lead all the way up to 31 near the end of the quarter. Think New Jersey couldn't shoot any worse than 28% and Memphis couldn't shoot any better than 54%? Think again. The Nets shot 27% from the field and the Grizz shot a whopping 70%. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team's ridiculously good 2nd and 3rd quarters. "I was as shocked as you guys are. That was one of the best quarters I've ever seen. Our defense, our passing, just everything. I wish we could play like this all the time."
With a 27 point lead and the game firmly in hand for Memphis, the 4th quarter got a bit wierd. Iavaroni actually played his starters for the first couple minutes, Gay was removed from the game only when he fouled out, and Vince Carter, who actually played a decent game, went to the locker room early with a chest injury. Details about the injury were not released after the game. After the injury though, Iavaroni finally placed his bench on the floor. It didn't seem to matter who played for the Grizz though, as they continued to extend their lead with every Memphis player scoring, eventually pushing it to the final, 109-71. The 38 point win was the largest win in Grizzlies history. Mayo was the high point man with 31, along with 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Arthur was next on the team with 22 points on 10-12 shooting and 3 blocks. Rudy Gay threw in 15 before he fouled out. Devin Harris and Vince Carter tied for the Nets team lead with 16 points, Harris on 5-23 shooting and Carter on 8-15.
Around the League:
November 6, 2008
Tracy McGrady scored 45 points to go along with 10 assists and 5 steals in a 10 point win over Orlando, 106-96.
Dirk Nowitzki continued his early season campaign for MVP with another stellar night, this time scoring 44 points on 18-29 shooting and grabbing 7 rebounds an a 111-100 win over Indiana.
November 7, 2008
There were several outstanding individual performances this night, but the best belonged to Kobe Bryant, who dropped 61 in a 118-111 OT win against Cleveland. Bryant's line: 61, 22-40 FG, 4-7 3PT, 13-15 FT, 5 rebounds, 7 assists. LeBron James scored 39 in the loss.
Dirk Nowitzki followed up his 44 point, 7 rebound night with a double-double(43 points, 11 boards) in a 96-85 OT win against Miami. Dallas as a team was perfect from the charity stripe, going 19-19.
Allen Iverson led the Nuggets to a 19 point win over the Gilbert Arenas-led Wizards, 102-83. Iverson scored 43 on 14-37 shooting, including 12 assists. Arenas had 38 points and 8 assists in the losing effort.
Memphis wasn't the only team that put a beatdown on their opponent tonight, as Utah smacked around Chicago 98-57. Chicago shot an abysmal 31% including 1-15 from behind the arc and only took 6 FTs.
Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:43 am
wow what a blowout
Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:02 am
Knicks pick up first win, beat Memphis 91-83
November 9, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 83 New York 91
Marc Gasol throws it home against New York
Memphis, TN -- The New York Knicks brought it's $89.84 million payroll in to town to face the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. While the Grizzlies have nearly half the payroll New York does, they came into the game with the better record. In fact, the Knicks hadn't even won a game this season, coming in with an 0-5 record. After destroying New Jersey 2 nights ago, Memphis had every intention of doing the same to the Knicks. New York had other intentions though, and managed to keep it close through the entire game. The 1st quarter played out evenly, with each team, going on short spurts, scoring 5-7 points each time. The only big run in the first was New York's 11-2 run to end the quarter. Quinton Richardson spurred on New York's offense in the 1st, scoring 7 points on 2-5 shooting. Memphis was led by Darrell Arthur, who had 6 points, all dunks, and 4 rebounds in the 1st. Rudy Gay had 6 points as well, his on 3-7 shooting. After scoring 31 against the Nets, OJ Mayo couldn't hit a shot whether it was an open jumper or a layup, as he went 0-7 with 0 points in the 1st. Despite only shooting 38%, Memphis went to the 2nd quarter down by 4.
The 2nd looked to be much kinder to Memphis, looking to rekindle the fire they showed 2 nights ago. Arthur continued his excellent play, leading Memphis to shoot 60% in the 2nd. The Grizzlies defense held New York to only 36% from the field. Arthur went to the break with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mayo didn't get his first point until a minute in to the 2nd on a transition jam. The dunk were his only points of the half, as he went 1-11 from the floor. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley helped spur on a 12-4 run to end the half, knocking down a wide open 3. He finished the 2nd with 9 points on 4-7 shooting and 4 assists. 7 of New York's 14 2nd quarter points were scored by 1st round pick Danilo Gallinari on 4 of 8 shooting. Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni on his team's 2nd quarter performance, "I was really pleased with the way they played. It looked like we were gonna have a great game, no matter how bad OJ shot. Concerning him, he was taking good shots, he just wasn't hitting."
The way the 3rd started wasn't the way Memphis had envisioned. They watched their 8 point halftime lead disintigrate into a tie game at the 6:45 mark. Gallinari and Richardson combined for 14 points in the 3rd and helped New York hold the Grizz to only 27% shooting. Mayo was a big part of the reason Memphis shot so badly, scoring 5 points on 2-7 shooting, pushing his game totals up to 7 points and 3-18 from the field. The Knicks did a much better job locking down Arthur in the 3rd, as well. He didn't score a point in the 3rd, only grabbing 2 rebounds. New York used a 10-0 run in the last 2 minutes to grab a 5 point lead, but Conley sunk 2 free throws with 3.2 seconds left to cut the lead to 3 heading into the break.
With Memphis pushing to regain the lead, the 4th quarter became the Gallinari/Crawford show. Jamal Crawford, after sitting out much of the 3rd due to foul trouble, helped Gallinari and the Knicks push the lead up to 9 with 5 minutes left to go. The Grizzlies were doing their best to keep up, but with their star rookie on the bench and the rest of the team struggling, the game was starting to slip away. With 4 minutes left in the game, Iavaroni put Mayo in. It wasn't his shooting that pulled Memphis within 4 however, it was his superb passing, dishing it out to Gay and Arthur. It was to no avail though, as the Grizzlies couldn't sink a 3 in the final 1:30 and allowed New York to escape with their first win of the season, 91-83. Gallinari led all scorers with 24 points on 10-18 shooting. Eddy Curry added a double-double as well, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Gay and Arthur scored 16 a piece to lead the Grizzlies.
Next Game: November 12 @ LAC (4-5)
Around the League:
November 8, 2008
Ben Gordon had a great game against the Clippers, scoring 30 points, grabbing 8 boards, and giving out 9 assists. Chicago won the game, 99-88.
Minnesota didn't have an answer to Dwayne Wade last night, as Wade did it all with a line of 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks. Miami won, 91-84.
Rip Hamilton scored a game-high 21 points but tossed 16 assists in a 109-82 win against Dallas. Nowitzki scored 21 in the loss.
November 9, 2008
LeBron James had a monster game against New Orleans tonight, scoring 37 points on 14-36 shooting, including 12 boards and 7 assists. David West and Chris Paul combined for 48 points on 21-39 shooting in the 91-88 loss.
Golden State signed rookie PF Joey Dorsey to a 1 year contract worth $5 million.
November 9, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 83 New York 91
Marc Gasol throws it home against New York
Memphis, TN -- The New York Knicks brought it's $89.84 million payroll in to town to face the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. While the Grizzlies have nearly half the payroll New York does, they came into the game with the better record. In fact, the Knicks hadn't even won a game this season, coming in with an 0-5 record. After destroying New Jersey 2 nights ago, Memphis had every intention of doing the same to the Knicks. New York had other intentions though, and managed to keep it close through the entire game. The 1st quarter played out evenly, with each team, going on short spurts, scoring 5-7 points each time. The only big run in the first was New York's 11-2 run to end the quarter. Quinton Richardson spurred on New York's offense in the 1st, scoring 7 points on 2-5 shooting. Memphis was led by Darrell Arthur, who had 6 points, all dunks, and 4 rebounds in the 1st. Rudy Gay had 6 points as well, his on 3-7 shooting. After scoring 31 against the Nets, OJ Mayo couldn't hit a shot whether it was an open jumper or a layup, as he went 0-7 with 0 points in the 1st. Despite only shooting 38%, Memphis went to the 2nd quarter down by 4.
The 2nd looked to be much kinder to Memphis, looking to rekindle the fire they showed 2 nights ago. Arthur continued his excellent play, leading Memphis to shoot 60% in the 2nd. The Grizzlies defense held New York to only 36% from the field. Arthur went to the break with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mayo didn't get his first point until a minute in to the 2nd on a transition jam. The dunk were his only points of the half, as he went 1-11 from the floor. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley helped spur on a 12-4 run to end the half, knocking down a wide open 3. He finished the 2nd with 9 points on 4-7 shooting and 4 assists. 7 of New York's 14 2nd quarter points were scored by 1st round pick Danilo Gallinari on 4 of 8 shooting. Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni on his team's 2nd quarter performance, "I was really pleased with the way they played. It looked like we were gonna have a great game, no matter how bad OJ shot. Concerning him, he was taking good shots, he just wasn't hitting."
The way the 3rd started wasn't the way Memphis had envisioned. They watched their 8 point halftime lead disintigrate into a tie game at the 6:45 mark. Gallinari and Richardson combined for 14 points in the 3rd and helped New York hold the Grizz to only 27% shooting. Mayo was a big part of the reason Memphis shot so badly, scoring 5 points on 2-7 shooting, pushing his game totals up to 7 points and 3-18 from the field. The Knicks did a much better job locking down Arthur in the 3rd, as well. He didn't score a point in the 3rd, only grabbing 2 rebounds. New York used a 10-0 run in the last 2 minutes to grab a 5 point lead, but Conley sunk 2 free throws with 3.2 seconds left to cut the lead to 3 heading into the break.
With Memphis pushing to regain the lead, the 4th quarter became the Gallinari/Crawford show. Jamal Crawford, after sitting out much of the 3rd due to foul trouble, helped Gallinari and the Knicks push the lead up to 9 with 5 minutes left to go. The Grizzlies were doing their best to keep up, but with their star rookie on the bench and the rest of the team struggling, the game was starting to slip away. With 4 minutes left in the game, Iavaroni put Mayo in. It wasn't his shooting that pulled Memphis within 4 however, it was his superb passing, dishing it out to Gay and Arthur. It was to no avail though, as the Grizzlies couldn't sink a 3 in the final 1:30 and allowed New York to escape with their first win of the season, 91-83. Gallinari led all scorers with 24 points on 10-18 shooting. Eddy Curry added a double-double as well, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Gay and Arthur scored 16 a piece to lead the Grizzlies.
Next Game: November 12 @ LAC (4-5)
Around the League:
November 8, 2008
Ben Gordon had a great game against the Clippers, scoring 30 points, grabbing 8 boards, and giving out 9 assists. Chicago won the game, 99-88.
Minnesota didn't have an answer to Dwayne Wade last night, as Wade did it all with a line of 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks. Miami won, 91-84.
Rip Hamilton scored a game-high 21 points but tossed 16 assists in a 109-82 win against Dallas. Nowitzki scored 21 in the loss.
November 9, 2008
LeBron James had a monster game against New Orleans tonight, scoring 37 points on 14-36 shooting, including 12 boards and 7 assists. David West and Chris Paul combined for 48 points on 21-39 shooting in the 91-88 loss.
Golden State signed rookie PF Joey Dorsey to a 1 year contract worth $5 million.
Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:17 am
Wow not only did it take him 2 quarters to get his first points,but Mayo also went 3-21.Hopefully he does better next game.
Sun Jul 27, 2008 2:55 pm
*Just for the record I had to simulate both of these games. My Live crashed the second each game started. Since I had to simulate you guys don't get the full recaps. Sorry 
Gay leads Grizzlies to win over Clippers, 94-91
November 12, 2008
Los Angeles, CA -- Rudy Gay scored 34 points on 11-21 shooting, including 3-4 from behind the arc and 9-11 from the charity stripe to lead Memphis to a 3 point win over Baron Davis and the Los Angeles Clippers. The game wasn't even close until the 4th quarter, with Memphis holding a 19 point lead after 3. Davis led a furious 4th quarter comeback, hitting a 3 to pull within 1, but Gay sunk 2 FTs with 6.1 seconds left to seal the win. OJ Mayo, coming off a terrible shooting night against New York, scored 7 points on 3-10 shooting with 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Gay's line held 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Davis led all scorers with 38 points on 16-24 shooting, adding 5 assists. Memphis stays in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers next.
Grizzlies knock off Lakers in final seconds on Gay's 3
November 15, 2008
Los Angeles, CA -- Memphis and Los Angeles put on a display that played out to be one of the best games of the season thus far. Memphis seemed to have the game in hand, taking a 13 point lead into halftime. The young Grizzlies went on another one of their patented cold streaks coming out of the break, handing the lead over to Los Angeles midway through the 3rd. The Lakers kept pushing and took an 8 point lead to start the 4th. Memphis found their shooting touch and clawed their way back into it, finally tying the game with less than a minute left. Grizzlies PG Mike Conley fouled Kobe Bryant with 16.2 seconds left on the clock. Bryant sank both free throws to give the Lakers a 2 point lead, and himself 50 points. Memphis rookie OJ Mayo took the ensuing inbound, crossed halfcourt with LA pressing, and dished to Rudy Gay who drained a 3 with 2.1 seconds left to give Memphis the win over the defending Western Conference champions, 103-102. The loss was only the Lakers' second of the season. Memphis is over .500 for the first time this year. Kobe led all scorers with 50 points on 21-34 shooting and 8 steals. Pau Gasol tossed in 36 with 9 rebounds. Gay had a team-high 23 points on 50% shooting, including 4-7 from behind the arc. Grizzlies top pick OJ Mayo added 16 on 6-11 shooting and PG Mike Conley had 9 points with 12 assists. Memphis travels to Seattle next for a game against the Supersonics.
Around the League:
November 15, 2008
Dirk Nowitzki dropped 40 points and 10 rebounds to lead Dallas to a 19 point win over Seattle, 104-85.
Golden State continued their free agent signing, adding PG Sebastian Telfair. The deal was reportedly worth $16.21 million for 3 years.
November 16, 2008
Marcus Camby had a great game, leading the Clippers to a 43 point win over Portland, 114-71. Camby had 32 points on 10-19 shooting, including 12-12 from the free throw line and 9 rebounds.
Gay leads Grizzlies to win over Clippers, 94-91
November 12, 2008
Los Angeles, CA -- Rudy Gay scored 34 points on 11-21 shooting, including 3-4 from behind the arc and 9-11 from the charity stripe to lead Memphis to a 3 point win over Baron Davis and the Los Angeles Clippers. The game wasn't even close until the 4th quarter, with Memphis holding a 19 point lead after 3. Davis led a furious 4th quarter comeback, hitting a 3 to pull within 1, but Gay sunk 2 FTs with 6.1 seconds left to seal the win. OJ Mayo, coming off a terrible shooting night against New York, scored 7 points on 3-10 shooting with 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Gay's line held 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Davis led all scorers with 38 points on 16-24 shooting, adding 5 assists. Memphis stays in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers next.
Grizzlies knock off Lakers in final seconds on Gay's 3
November 15, 2008
Los Angeles, CA -- Memphis and Los Angeles put on a display that played out to be one of the best games of the season thus far. Memphis seemed to have the game in hand, taking a 13 point lead into halftime. The young Grizzlies went on another one of their patented cold streaks coming out of the break, handing the lead over to Los Angeles midway through the 3rd. The Lakers kept pushing and took an 8 point lead to start the 4th. Memphis found their shooting touch and clawed their way back into it, finally tying the game with less than a minute left. Grizzlies PG Mike Conley fouled Kobe Bryant with 16.2 seconds left on the clock. Bryant sank both free throws to give the Lakers a 2 point lead, and himself 50 points. Memphis rookie OJ Mayo took the ensuing inbound, crossed halfcourt with LA pressing, and dished to Rudy Gay who drained a 3 with 2.1 seconds left to give Memphis the win over the defending Western Conference champions, 103-102. The loss was only the Lakers' second of the season. Memphis is over .500 for the first time this year. Kobe led all scorers with 50 points on 21-34 shooting and 8 steals. Pau Gasol tossed in 36 with 9 rebounds. Gay had a team-high 23 points on 50% shooting, including 4-7 from behind the arc. Grizzlies top pick OJ Mayo added 16 on 6-11 shooting and PG Mike Conley had 9 points with 12 assists. Memphis travels to Seattle next for a game against the Supersonics.
Around the League:
November 15, 2008
Dirk Nowitzki dropped 40 points and 10 rebounds to lead Dallas to a 19 point win over Seattle, 104-85.
Golden State continued their free agent signing, adding PG Sebastian Telfair. The deal was reportedly worth $16.21 million for 3 years.
November 16, 2008
Marcus Camby had a great game, leading the Clippers to a 43 point win over Portland, 114-71. Camby had 32 points on 10-19 shooting, including 12-12 from the free throw line and 9 rebounds.
Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:29 am
Memphis wins 3rd straight, beats Seattle, 101-82
November 17, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 101 Seattle 82
OJ Mayo lays it in in the 2nd quarter against the Sonics.
Seattle, WA -- After spending the past few days in LA, Memphis continued their West Coast swing, heading to Seattle to take on Kevin Durant and the 5-5 Supersonics. The Grizzlies were looking to carry the momemtum of the last 2 wins with them tonight, but Seattle wasn't about to cooperate. Well, at least for the first few minutes they wouldn't. From the tipoff, both teams traded buckets until midway through the first, when Seattle's porous defense allowed Memphis one open shot after another. The Grizzlies knocked down those baskets, going on a 12-3 run. The Grizz couldn't hold it though, letting Seattle back within 3, before OJ Mayo's 2 free throws with 3.6 seconds left in the quarter get the lead to 5 before the start of the 2nd. Mayo's FTs gave him 6 points in the 1st. Darrell Arthur woke up in the 1st quarter as well, already scoring in double digits with 10. Seattle PG Russell Westbrook led the Sonics with 8 points on 3-6 shooting. 07-08 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant had only 5 points in the 1st.
After playing a fairly sound 1st, the 2nd quarter got sloppy in a hurry. Westbrook picked up his 3rd foul 42 seconds into the quarter. Memphis PG Mike Conley, who had just nailed a wide open 3 to put the Grizzlies up by 9 30 seconds beforehand, grabbed his 4th foul in the 2nd. 2 minutes later, Westbrook picked up his 4th as well. 15 seconds later, Memphis' Juan Carlos Navarro buried a 3 from the right wing to put his team up by 10. Memphis' stifling defense continued to push Seattle right out of the game. With 28 seconds left and down by 16, Seattle looked to hold for the shot and reduce the lead before the half, but a stray pass was wrangled by Mayo. He lobbed the ball to Kyle Lowry, who had raced up the court to lay it in and give Memphis and 18 point lead heading to the locker room. At the break, the Sonics had shot a measley 26% from the floor, including 0-7 from behind the arc. Memphis fared much better, shooting 50% in each quarter. Seattle couldn't figure out how to pass the ball either, taking only 4 assists into halftime, 3 of which were from Westbrook. Memphis rookies Mayo and Arthur combined for 28 points in the 1st half, while Seattle stars Durant and Westbrook combined for 24. Mayo's shooting struggles continued as he only hit 5 of 13 from the field. Durant couldn't hit as well, shooting 5-12 but only 1-6 from behind the arc.
The 3rd quarter would have fared a bit better for Seattle, as they outshot and outscored Memphis, but Sonics Head Coach PJ Carlesimo allowed his foul-plagued but hot-shooting PG to start the 3rd. The move didn't work as Westbrook picked up his 5th and final foul 2 minutes in. Durant did his best to work some magic however, scoring 11 3rd quarter points and leading Seattle on a 10-2 run midway through. Memphis was able to pick it back up and steady the lead after C Marc Gasol dunked over Nick Collison, giving him a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Arthur also had a double-double in the 3rd with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. The 3rd ended with the Grizzlies up by 14.
The 4th quarter belonged to Memphis though, as they shot out in the final frame with a 10-0 run to extend the lead to 24. The Sonics didn't make their first FG until 5:40 left in the game. By that point it was all over, as Seattle didn't get much closer. Memphis won the game, 101-82. Darrell Arthur finished the game with 26 points on 12-19 shooting with 10 rebounds. Memphis' other rookie had 16 on 6-19 shooting, with 5 boards and 6 assists. Grizzlies SF Rudy Gay added another quiet 16 points. Kevin Durant led the Sonics with 22 points on 8-22 shooting, going 2-10 from 3PT land. Westbrook had 15 points with 4 assists and 2 steals before fouling out. The win gave Memphis 3 straight to push their record to 7-4. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team, "I'm thrilled with the way we've played recently. I'm hoping we can go down to Houston and keep this up. I've been preaching teamwork this whole time and its getting through. A lot of teams are going to underestimate us and it's going to cost them."
Next Game: November 21 @ HOU (6-5)
Around the League:
November 17, 2008
Amare Stoudamire outshined Tim Duncan in a battle of the bigs in Phoenix. Stoudamire scored 34 on 15-21 shooting, adding 11 rebounds in the 110-88 win. Duncan scored 18 and grabbed 16 rebounds.
November 18, 2008
Paul Pierce led the Big 3 and the Celtics to a 106-98 win over Miami behind his 52 points on 22-35 shooting, including 4-8 from behind the arc. Miami star Dwayne Wade had 40 points in the loss.
November 19, 2008
Kevin Martin did his best to outduel Baron Davis in the Kings-Clippers game. Martin dropped 41 with 6 assists in the 104-98 loss. Davis had 37 with 5 assists.
Elton Brand had 41 points on 15-22 shooting, including 4-5 from behind the arc and 7-7 from the stripe, pushing Philly past Boston, 90-86. The Celtics Big 3 combined for 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Gilbert Arenas led Washington's form of the Big 3 to a 105-93 win over Charlotte. Arenas had 53 points with 13 assists. Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler combined for 88 of the Wizards' 105 points on 32-62 shooting.
Tracy McGrady dropped 44 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals against Dallas, but it wasn't enough, as the Rockets fell, 108-99. Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 and grabbed 13 boards in the win.
November 20, 2008
Golden State continued their free agent signing binge, inking SF Darius Miles to a 5 year contract worth $28.95 million.
Philadelphia's starters combined for 96 of the team's 114 points in a 21 point beating of Boston. Kevin Garnett led Boston with 26 points and 7 boards in the Celtics' 3rd straight loss.
November 17, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 101 Seattle 82
OJ Mayo lays it in in the 2nd quarter against the Sonics.
Seattle, WA -- After spending the past few days in LA, Memphis continued their West Coast swing, heading to Seattle to take on Kevin Durant and the 5-5 Supersonics. The Grizzlies were looking to carry the momemtum of the last 2 wins with them tonight, but Seattle wasn't about to cooperate. Well, at least for the first few minutes they wouldn't. From the tipoff, both teams traded buckets until midway through the first, when Seattle's porous defense allowed Memphis one open shot after another. The Grizzlies knocked down those baskets, going on a 12-3 run. The Grizz couldn't hold it though, letting Seattle back within 3, before OJ Mayo's 2 free throws with 3.6 seconds left in the quarter get the lead to 5 before the start of the 2nd. Mayo's FTs gave him 6 points in the 1st. Darrell Arthur woke up in the 1st quarter as well, already scoring in double digits with 10. Seattle PG Russell Westbrook led the Sonics with 8 points on 3-6 shooting. 07-08 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant had only 5 points in the 1st.
After playing a fairly sound 1st, the 2nd quarter got sloppy in a hurry. Westbrook picked up his 3rd foul 42 seconds into the quarter. Memphis PG Mike Conley, who had just nailed a wide open 3 to put the Grizzlies up by 9 30 seconds beforehand, grabbed his 4th foul in the 2nd. 2 minutes later, Westbrook picked up his 4th as well. 15 seconds later, Memphis' Juan Carlos Navarro buried a 3 from the right wing to put his team up by 10. Memphis' stifling defense continued to push Seattle right out of the game. With 28 seconds left and down by 16, Seattle looked to hold for the shot and reduce the lead before the half, but a stray pass was wrangled by Mayo. He lobbed the ball to Kyle Lowry, who had raced up the court to lay it in and give Memphis and 18 point lead heading to the locker room. At the break, the Sonics had shot a measley 26% from the floor, including 0-7 from behind the arc. Memphis fared much better, shooting 50% in each quarter. Seattle couldn't figure out how to pass the ball either, taking only 4 assists into halftime, 3 of which were from Westbrook. Memphis rookies Mayo and Arthur combined for 28 points in the 1st half, while Seattle stars Durant and Westbrook combined for 24. Mayo's shooting struggles continued as he only hit 5 of 13 from the field. Durant couldn't hit as well, shooting 5-12 but only 1-6 from behind the arc.
The 3rd quarter would have fared a bit better for Seattle, as they outshot and outscored Memphis, but Sonics Head Coach PJ Carlesimo allowed his foul-plagued but hot-shooting PG to start the 3rd. The move didn't work as Westbrook picked up his 5th and final foul 2 minutes in. Durant did his best to work some magic however, scoring 11 3rd quarter points and leading Seattle on a 10-2 run midway through. Memphis was able to pick it back up and steady the lead after C Marc Gasol dunked over Nick Collison, giving him a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Arthur also had a double-double in the 3rd with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. The 3rd ended with the Grizzlies up by 14.
The 4th quarter belonged to Memphis though, as they shot out in the final frame with a 10-0 run to extend the lead to 24. The Sonics didn't make their first FG until 5:40 left in the game. By that point it was all over, as Seattle didn't get much closer. Memphis won the game, 101-82. Darrell Arthur finished the game with 26 points on 12-19 shooting with 10 rebounds. Memphis' other rookie had 16 on 6-19 shooting, with 5 boards and 6 assists. Grizzlies SF Rudy Gay added another quiet 16 points. Kevin Durant led the Sonics with 22 points on 8-22 shooting, going 2-10 from 3PT land. Westbrook had 15 points with 4 assists and 2 steals before fouling out. The win gave Memphis 3 straight to push their record to 7-4. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team, "I'm thrilled with the way we've played recently. I'm hoping we can go down to Houston and keep this up. I've been preaching teamwork this whole time and its getting through. A lot of teams are going to underestimate us and it's going to cost them."
Next Game: November 21 @ HOU (6-5)
Around the League:
November 17, 2008
Amare Stoudamire outshined Tim Duncan in a battle of the bigs in Phoenix. Stoudamire scored 34 on 15-21 shooting, adding 11 rebounds in the 110-88 win. Duncan scored 18 and grabbed 16 rebounds.
November 18, 2008
Paul Pierce led the Big 3 and the Celtics to a 106-98 win over Miami behind his 52 points on 22-35 shooting, including 4-8 from behind the arc. Miami star Dwayne Wade had 40 points in the loss.
November 19, 2008
Kevin Martin did his best to outduel Baron Davis in the Kings-Clippers game. Martin dropped 41 with 6 assists in the 104-98 loss. Davis had 37 with 5 assists.
Elton Brand had 41 points on 15-22 shooting, including 4-5 from behind the arc and 7-7 from the stripe, pushing Philly past Boston, 90-86. The Celtics Big 3 combined for 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Gilbert Arenas led Washington's form of the Big 3 to a 105-93 win over Charlotte. Arenas had 53 points with 13 assists. Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler combined for 88 of the Wizards' 105 points on 32-62 shooting.
Tracy McGrady dropped 44 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals against Dallas, but it wasn't enough, as the Rockets fell, 108-99. Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 and grabbed 13 boards in the win.
November 20, 2008
Golden State continued their free agent signing binge, inking SF Darius Miles to a 5 year contract worth $28.95 million.
Philadelphia's starters combined for 96 of the team's 114 points in a 21 point beating of Boston. Kevin Garnett led Boston with 26 points and 7 boards in the Celtics' 3rd straight loss.
Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:45 am
Camby scoring 32 points and the Clippers winning by 43?? That's ridiculous!!!
EDIT: This is a comment on the Nov. 16 game between clippers and portland.
EDIT: This is a comment on the Nov. 16 game between clippers and portland.
Last edited by dansensei on Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:04 pm
This and Chaser's are like the only good dynasties that have been updated in the last few days. Good job.
Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:01 pm
It's so much fun blowing out the Sonics for some reason. Haha, nice work. 
Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:09 pm
lamrock. wrote:This and Chaser's are like the only good dynasties that have been updated in the last few days. Good job.
2nd that. Very consistant dynasty.
Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:22 am
It will be interesting to see what trades you will be doing in the future.
Nice Dynasty.
Nice Dynasty.
Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:26 am
dansensei you had the game right, but the wrong team winning. I know its ridiculous. I'm just the simulater. There aren't a whole lot of blowouts though so I don't mind one every now and then.
lamrock thank you. I appreciate the love you guys show me. I'm doing my best to keep it going.
Skillmatic indeed it was fun blowing out the sonics. it's fun blowing out anybody actually. I'm just glad I don't do it every game.
Jing thank you as well bro
Dustball I haven't been looking at much as far as trades are concerned. I've been pretty happy with my team so far. I'm debating on if I want a better PG or not. I shot an offer at Phoenix for Nash but it was a no go. I've gotta revise it a bit.
lamrock thank you. I appreciate the love you guys show me. I'm doing my best to keep it going.
Skillmatic indeed it was fun blowing out the sonics. it's fun blowing out anybody actually. I'm just glad I don't do it every game.
Jing thank you as well bro
Dustball I haven't been looking at much as far as trades are concerned. I've been pretty happy with my team so far. I'm debating on if I want a better PG or not. I shot an offer at Phoenix for Nash but it was a no go. I've gotta revise it a bit.
Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:21 am
oops, sorry. i still can't accept that camby is with the clippers now... edited it now..
Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:29 pm
Damn Arthur did really well last game, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Looks like a steal.
Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:40 pm
WHAAAT?
ELTON BRAND SINKING 4 THREE POINTERS???
That's sick xD
ELTON BRAND SINKING 4 THREE POINTERS???
That's sick xD
Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:11 pm
wow,hopefully when you face Houston, McGrady wont go for 44 points
Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:46 am
I just want to take a minute to recognize Papa Jack and his work. He was a great patcher who will be missed. 
Grizzlies win 7th straight, beat Phoenix 105-102
November 27, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 105 Phoenix 102
OJ Mayo jams it home against Phoenix
Memphis, TN -- In the midst of a 6 game winning streak, Memphis hosted Western Conference foe Phoenix tonight. There were several questions coming in to tonight, one of which was how Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies would handle Phoenix's several stars. Those questions were answered before too long, but the answers and the results were quite confusing. Phoenix's stars shined bright, but they found themselves constantly digging themselves out of holes dug from their own doing. Shaquille O'Neal had 10 points before they even got out of the 1st quarter, but he didn't have any rebounds. Former NBA MVP Steve Nash had his skills on full display as well, scoring 8 and dishing out 6 assists in the 1st period. The Suns, though, completely forgot how to play defense and let Memphis drive the lane over and over again. Grizzlies PG Mike Conley did his best impression of Nash in the first, making all 3 of his shots and tossing 3 assists. Memphis rookie OJ Mayo decided to show everything he could do, leaving the 1st with 4 points on 2-3 shooting, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. The Grizz shot 60% in the 1st, yet only led by 1.
The 2nd quarter was a much different story. In the 1st, it seemed like Memphis kept trying to make a run, but never could. This time around, they actually did. Midway through the quarter, the Grizzlies went on a 12-2 run, pushing their lead up to 11. Taking Coach Iavaroni's teachings to heart, the Grizzlies were playing a true team game, despite their leader having an OJ Mayo-like shooting night in the 1st half. Rudy Gay couldn't find the basket to save his life, scoring only 4 points on 2-13 shooting. He was helping in other ways though, with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Mayo continued his own show, finishing the half with 8 points, 4 boards, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Nash scored only 2 but gave out 5 more assists to give him a double-double before the break. Suns PF Amare Stoudamire picked up much of the scoring with O'Neal on the bench, dropping 15 on 7-15 shooting, including burying a halfcourt 3 pt shot at the buzzer. The 3 cut the Grizzlies lead to 8 heading into the break. Iavaroni commented on his team's first half, "I was happy with the way we played, but we were having trouble shutting down their stars. I was also happy with the fact they're listening to what I've been saying and it's paying off."
The 3rd quarter didn't have much bang to it, but it did allow Phoenix to get back into it. They continued to chip away here and there and eventually got the lead down to 5. Memphis continued to bury open shots to carry their lead and let Phoenix know they weren't about to give it up easily. Gay found his shooting touch in the 3rd, knocking down 4 of 8, including a wide open 3 from the corner, quieting the Suns just as it seemed they were picking up some momentum. Phoenix's stars were doing everything they could to keep it close though. Stoudamire scored another 8 points, giving him 23 for the game, Nash upped his totals to 14 points and 16 assists, and O'Neal had 22 with 3 boards. Despite shooting only 45% and allowing Phoenix to shoot 50%, Memphis still carried the lead into the 4th, 76-71.
The two teams went back and forth to start the 4th, with Phoenix getting the lead down to 3. Memphis quickly broke it back open though, going on a 9-0 run, including a wide open corner 3 from Juan Carlos Navarro to start the run, getting the lead back up to 12. Phoenix wasn't about to be denied however, as Nash scored 14 of his game-high 28 points in the 4th to keep his team in it. The Suns continued to cut the deficit, thanks to porous defense and terrible free throw shooting in the last minute by Memphis. Nash fouled Kyle Lowry, picking up his 5th and final foul, with 23.4 seconds left. Lowry made the first of 2 and Phoenix grabbed the rebound, down by only 3. Raja Bell couldn't shake Mayo, however, and missed the tying 3. At the end, Memphis walked away victorious for the 7th straight game, with a final of 105-102. Lowry was the top scorer for Memphis with 19 points. Lowry was 7-7 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Mayo pitched in 16 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists. Rudy Gay came just short of his first career triple-double, scoring 18 on 8-24 shooting with 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Nash and Stoudamire both had 28 points, with Nash dishing 19 assists and Stoudamire grabbing 5 rebounds and a block. Shaq finished with 26 points, 7 boards, and 3 steals. Memphis stays at home for their next game, hosting the struggling Trailblazers.
Next Game: vs. POR (3-11)
Around the League:
November 27, 2008
Kevin Martin scored 35 points, with 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 steals in leading Sacramento to a 90-65 drubbing of Seattle. Only 2 Sonics were in double figures, each with 10.
*I just wanted to make a note here that I completely forgot to post my game against Minnesota. I didn't realize that until about halfway through writing this one. I can't remember the score off-hand and I don't even have any screenies of the box scores. It was squeezed in between the Seattle and Phoenix games, and it was a win obviously if I've won 7 straight. I just hope Live hasn't gotten too easy.
Grizzlies win 7th straight, beat Phoenix 105-102
November 27, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 105 Phoenix 102
OJ Mayo jams it home against Phoenix
Memphis, TN -- In the midst of a 6 game winning streak, Memphis hosted Western Conference foe Phoenix tonight. There were several questions coming in to tonight, one of which was how Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies would handle Phoenix's several stars. Those questions were answered before too long, but the answers and the results were quite confusing. Phoenix's stars shined bright, but they found themselves constantly digging themselves out of holes dug from their own doing. Shaquille O'Neal had 10 points before they even got out of the 1st quarter, but he didn't have any rebounds. Former NBA MVP Steve Nash had his skills on full display as well, scoring 8 and dishing out 6 assists in the 1st period. The Suns, though, completely forgot how to play defense and let Memphis drive the lane over and over again. Grizzlies PG Mike Conley did his best impression of Nash in the first, making all 3 of his shots and tossing 3 assists. Memphis rookie OJ Mayo decided to show everything he could do, leaving the 1st with 4 points on 2-3 shooting, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. The Grizz shot 60% in the 1st, yet only led by 1.
The 2nd quarter was a much different story. In the 1st, it seemed like Memphis kept trying to make a run, but never could. This time around, they actually did. Midway through the quarter, the Grizzlies went on a 12-2 run, pushing their lead up to 11. Taking Coach Iavaroni's teachings to heart, the Grizzlies were playing a true team game, despite their leader having an OJ Mayo-like shooting night in the 1st half. Rudy Gay couldn't find the basket to save his life, scoring only 4 points on 2-13 shooting. He was helping in other ways though, with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Mayo continued his own show, finishing the half with 8 points, 4 boards, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Nash scored only 2 but gave out 5 more assists to give him a double-double before the break. Suns PF Amare Stoudamire picked up much of the scoring with O'Neal on the bench, dropping 15 on 7-15 shooting, including burying a halfcourt 3 pt shot at the buzzer. The 3 cut the Grizzlies lead to 8 heading into the break. Iavaroni commented on his team's first half, "I was happy with the way we played, but we were having trouble shutting down their stars. I was also happy with the fact they're listening to what I've been saying and it's paying off."
The 3rd quarter didn't have much bang to it, but it did allow Phoenix to get back into it. They continued to chip away here and there and eventually got the lead down to 5. Memphis continued to bury open shots to carry their lead and let Phoenix know they weren't about to give it up easily. Gay found his shooting touch in the 3rd, knocking down 4 of 8, including a wide open 3 from the corner, quieting the Suns just as it seemed they were picking up some momentum. Phoenix's stars were doing everything they could to keep it close though. Stoudamire scored another 8 points, giving him 23 for the game, Nash upped his totals to 14 points and 16 assists, and O'Neal had 22 with 3 boards. Despite shooting only 45% and allowing Phoenix to shoot 50%, Memphis still carried the lead into the 4th, 76-71.
The two teams went back and forth to start the 4th, with Phoenix getting the lead down to 3. Memphis quickly broke it back open though, going on a 9-0 run, including a wide open corner 3 from Juan Carlos Navarro to start the run, getting the lead back up to 12. Phoenix wasn't about to be denied however, as Nash scored 14 of his game-high 28 points in the 4th to keep his team in it. The Suns continued to cut the deficit, thanks to porous defense and terrible free throw shooting in the last minute by Memphis. Nash fouled Kyle Lowry, picking up his 5th and final foul, with 23.4 seconds left. Lowry made the first of 2 and Phoenix grabbed the rebound, down by only 3. Raja Bell couldn't shake Mayo, however, and missed the tying 3. At the end, Memphis walked away victorious for the 7th straight game, with a final of 105-102. Lowry was the top scorer for Memphis with 19 points. Lowry was 7-7 from the field and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Mayo pitched in 16 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists. Rudy Gay came just short of his first career triple-double, scoring 18 on 8-24 shooting with 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Nash and Stoudamire both had 28 points, with Nash dishing 19 assists and Stoudamire grabbing 5 rebounds and a block. Shaq finished with 26 points, 7 boards, and 3 steals. Memphis stays at home for their next game, hosting the struggling Trailblazers.
Next Game: vs. POR (3-11)
Around the League:
November 27, 2008
Kevin Martin scored 35 points, with 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 steals in leading Sacramento to a 90-65 drubbing of Seattle. Only 2 Sonics were in double figures, each with 10.
*I just wanted to make a note here that I completely forgot to post my game against Minnesota. I didn't realize that until about halfway through writing this one. I can't remember the score off-hand and I don't even have any screenies of the box scores. It was squeezed in between the Seattle and Phoenix games, and it was a win obviously if I've won 7 straight. I just hope Live hasn't gotten too easy.
Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:02 pm
Wait you are missing like 2 other games do though? Anyways nice update, and damn 7 wins in a row for Memhpis haha
Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:49 pm
Kevin Martin scored 35 points, with 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 steals...
9 steals
whoa
9 steals
whoa
Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:45 am
Chaser7 wrote:Wait you are missing like 2 other games do though? Anyways nice update, and damn 7 wins in a row for Memhpis haha
You're right Chaser, I was missing two. I had to simulate the Rockets and the Clippers games which were after the Seattle game. I still haven't figured out why I can play some but not others. Just gotta go through my sgsm folder. You can find the outcome of the games further down. By the way, I pulled one of your stunts (I believe it was yours). You'll find that one in the next post
Alejandrov011 Yeah this happens on occasion in the simulated games. PF's love taking 3's when they score 30+. I checked Brand's 3PT rating: it's a 5. Even with all the wonderful work by Kris, EA's aiact just has too many holes.
blaccmao Martin has been a beast for the Kings this season. I wish I had him on my team
Memphis explodes in 3rd, beat Rockets, 103-90.
November 21, 2008
Memphis, TN -- Memphis continued their home stand against the 6-6 Houston Rockets tonight. After a first half that went back and forth, Memphis went into the break with a 2 point lead. The 3rd quarter was all Grizzlies, though, as they outscored Houston 29-17. Despite Tracy McGrady's best effort, the Rockets couldn't close the gap, falling to Memphis, 103-90. McGrady led all scorers with 26 points on 12-15 shooting, adding 9 assists, 7 steals, and 2 blocks. Juan Carlos Navarro led the Grizzlies with 25 points and 7 assists. Rudy Gay had 21 points and Memphis rookie OJ Mayo added 20 points with 4 steals. The win was Memphis' 4th straight, and the Rockets suffered their 3rd straight loss.
Around the League:
Dirk Nowitzki had a big night to lead Dallas to a blowout over New Orleans, 116-83. Nowitzki scored 43 points, grabbed 12 boards, with 4 assists.
The Seattle Sonics made a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks last night, acquiring SF Desmond Mason in exchange for PF Chris Wilcox.
Grizzlies use defense to win 5th in a row, beat Clippers, 82-70.
November 23, 2008
Memphis, TN -- Memphis added another W to the win column tonight, this time using defense to stifle the Clippers' offense. The Grizzlies used a season-high 17 steals and 10 blocks and shutdown defense on LA's new high-priced free agent to win their 5th straight game. Clippers PG Baron Davis had at least one hand in his face every time he shot, shooting only 9-25 from the field. He had trouble passing the ball as well, as Memphis was consistently jumping into the passing lanes, holding Davis to only 6 assists. LA PF Tim Thomas was the only other Clipper in double figures, with 10 points. Memphis' 2 young stars, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo, combined for 32 points on 10-26, including 11-12 from the FT line and 6 steals. Marc Gasol also pitched in a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The win pushed Memphis to 9-4, but dropped LA to 8-8.
Around the League:
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers in a big way tonight, scoring 47, grabbing 9 rebounds and 9 assists, in a 119-109 win over San Antonio.
Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:36 pm
Blazers drop Memphis 99-94, end Grizzlies winning streak
November 29, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 94 Portland 99
Rudy Gay dunks along the baseline against Portland.
Memphis, TN -- With the Memphis Grizzlies on an 8 game winning streak, facing the team that started the streak, and playing better than everyone thought they were capable of, nothing could stop them, right? How about a Portland team every bit as young as Memphis is and struggling more than everyone thought they would? If you saw the first quarter, you probably wouldn't have believed your eyes. The first minute proved Memphis' aerial skills, with their first 3 shots all coming on dunks. The Blazers weren't dazzled though, reeling off 10 straight points to push the lead to 13 before Memphis could get another point. The Grizzlies brought the lead down a bit, cutting the lead to 10 on a Mike Conley 3 at the buzzer. The main reason Memphis found themselves down by so much? Rebounding; Portland outrebounded the Grizzlies 14-4 in the 1st. Memphis also allowed the Blazers to shoot 62% while only shooting 33% themselves. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scores in the 1st with 11.
The Grizz weren't anywhere close to giving up though, starting the 2nd quarter on a 12-2 run to tie the game. Both teams traded baskets from there, with Portland heading into the break with a 1 point lead. Memphis SG OJ Mayo continued his shooting struggles, scoring 9 on 4-10 shooting. SF Rudy Gay added only 6 before the break. Backup PG Kyle Lowry continued his terrific play from the Phoenix game, scoring 7 points on 3-3 shooting, including 1 3 pointer with 3 assists. Aldridge led Portland with 13 points and 5 rebounds. SF Travis Outlaw added 9 points. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team's performance, "It was like watching 2 different teams out there during that first half. The first was my worst nightmare but the second was the team I've been seeing the past 7 games. I didn't even know what to expect for the second half. I don't even know how I feel about that half."
The 3rd quarter played out much the same as the last half of the 2nd quarter. Rudy Gay buried a 3 from the corner early in the 3rd to tie the game at 48, but it was as close as the Grizzlies got. Mayo and Gay did their best to keep it close with OJ scoring 5 and Rudy dropping 8. Memphis had no answer to Aldridge though, as he scored 9 3rd quarter points and grabbed 5 more rebounds. 2006-2007 Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy upped his point total to 13 in the 3rd as well. Portland took a 5 point lead into the final frame.
One of the staples of the Grizzlies' winning streak was the fact they've been able to capitalize on their opponents mistakes and take the victory from a close game. Memphis got a break when Roy picked up his final foul midway through the 4th. They failed to capitalize however, and let Portland run the lead back up to 10. The Grizzlies chipped away at the lead, getting it back down to 5 but time was running out. It seemed like Portland wanted to let Memphis win though. Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan kept PG Steve Blake out on the floor, despite his horrible free throw shooting ability. He kept getting fouled and kept missing his FT's. Juan Carlos Navarro got the ball, drove the floor and buried a 3 with 24.4 seconds left. Blake got the ball back, got fouled again, and missed 2 FT's again. Darrell Arthur grabbed the rebound and gave it to Navarro. Down by 3, Juan Carlos drove down the court and took a hasty 3. He missed but was able to get his own rebound and he still found time to launch another 3. That one clanged off the rim as well, this time with a Blazer waiting in hand. After being fouled with 3.1 seconds left, Rudy Fernandez made both of his free throws to seal the win and snap Memphis' 7-game winning streak, 99-94. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scorers with 25, adding 13 rebounds, 7 of which were offensive, and 3 blocks. Brandon Roy had 15 points before fouling out. After torching Memphis for 35 points in their Nov. 2nd meeting, Jerryd Bayless only had 9 points, with 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
Travis Outlaw also added 17 points. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 22 on 9-16 shooting. Juan Carlos Navarro was the only other Grizzly in double digits with 17.
Next Game: Dec. 1 @ Miami
Around the League:
November 28, 2008
Richard Hamilton dropped 41 on Miami, leading the Pistons to a 100-83 win. Rip was perfect from the line, going 12-12, and shooting 54% from the field.
Tony Parker did his best for San Antonio, scoring 36 and dishing 10 assists, but Mike Miller's 3 at the horn won the game for Minnesota, 103-101.
Dirk Nowitzki had 46 on 18-31 shooting, including 10 rebounds in a 105-92 win against Portland.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined for 69 points, going 28-45 from the field in a 20 point win over the Bobcats, 118-98.
LeBron James had a monster game for Cleveland, but still couldn't get the win against the Wizards, 91-89. James had 41 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks.
November 29, 2008
Kevin Martin led his Sacramento Kings to a 95-91 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Martin had 45 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds.
November 29, 2008
Box Scores: Memphis 94 Portland 99
Rudy Gay dunks along the baseline against Portland.
Memphis, TN -- With the Memphis Grizzlies on an 8 game winning streak, facing the team that started the streak, and playing better than everyone thought they were capable of, nothing could stop them, right? How about a Portland team every bit as young as Memphis is and struggling more than everyone thought they would? If you saw the first quarter, you probably wouldn't have believed your eyes. The first minute proved Memphis' aerial skills, with their first 3 shots all coming on dunks. The Blazers weren't dazzled though, reeling off 10 straight points to push the lead to 13 before Memphis could get another point. The Grizzlies brought the lead down a bit, cutting the lead to 10 on a Mike Conley 3 at the buzzer. The main reason Memphis found themselves down by so much? Rebounding; Portland outrebounded the Grizzlies 14-4 in the 1st. Memphis also allowed the Blazers to shoot 62% while only shooting 33% themselves. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scores in the 1st with 11.
The Grizz weren't anywhere close to giving up though, starting the 2nd quarter on a 12-2 run to tie the game. Both teams traded baskets from there, with Portland heading into the break with a 1 point lead. Memphis SG OJ Mayo continued his shooting struggles, scoring 9 on 4-10 shooting. SF Rudy Gay added only 6 before the break. Backup PG Kyle Lowry continued his terrific play from the Phoenix game, scoring 7 points on 3-3 shooting, including 1 3 pointer with 3 assists. Aldridge led Portland with 13 points and 5 rebounds. SF Travis Outlaw added 9 points. After the game, Grizzlies Head Coach Mark Iavaroni commented on his team's performance, "It was like watching 2 different teams out there during that first half. The first was my worst nightmare but the second was the team I've been seeing the past 7 games. I didn't even know what to expect for the second half. I don't even know how I feel about that half."
The 3rd quarter played out much the same as the last half of the 2nd quarter. Rudy Gay buried a 3 from the corner early in the 3rd to tie the game at 48, but it was as close as the Grizzlies got. Mayo and Gay did their best to keep it close with OJ scoring 5 and Rudy dropping 8. Memphis had no answer to Aldridge though, as he scored 9 3rd quarter points and grabbed 5 more rebounds. 2006-2007 Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy upped his point total to 13 in the 3rd as well. Portland took a 5 point lead into the final frame.
One of the staples of the Grizzlies' winning streak was the fact they've been able to capitalize on their opponents mistakes and take the victory from a close game. Memphis got a break when Roy picked up his final foul midway through the 4th. They failed to capitalize however, and let Portland run the lead back up to 10. The Grizzlies chipped away at the lead, getting it back down to 5 but time was running out. It seemed like Portland wanted to let Memphis win though. Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan kept PG Steve Blake out on the floor, despite his horrible free throw shooting ability. He kept getting fouled and kept missing his FT's. Juan Carlos Navarro got the ball, drove the floor and buried a 3 with 24.4 seconds left. Blake got the ball back, got fouled again, and missed 2 FT's again. Darrell Arthur grabbed the rebound and gave it to Navarro. Down by 3, Juan Carlos drove down the court and took a hasty 3. He missed but was able to get his own rebound and he still found time to launch another 3. That one clanged off the rim as well, this time with a Blazer waiting in hand. After being fouled with 3.1 seconds left, Rudy Fernandez made both of his free throws to seal the win and snap Memphis' 7-game winning streak, 99-94. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scorers with 25, adding 13 rebounds, 7 of which were offensive, and 3 blocks. Brandon Roy had 15 points before fouling out. After torching Memphis for 35 points in their Nov. 2nd meeting, Jerryd Bayless only had 9 points, with 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
Travis Outlaw also added 17 points. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 22 on 9-16 shooting. Juan Carlos Navarro was the only other Grizzly in double digits with 17.
Next Game: Dec. 1 @ Miami
Around the League:
November 28, 2008
Richard Hamilton dropped 41 on Miami, leading the Pistons to a 100-83 win. Rip was perfect from the line, going 12-12, and shooting 54% from the field.
Tony Parker did his best for San Antonio, scoring 36 and dishing 10 assists, but Mike Miller's 3 at the horn won the game for Minnesota, 103-101.
Dirk Nowitzki had 46 on 18-31 shooting, including 10 rebounds in a 105-92 win against Portland.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined for 69 points, going 28-45 from the field in a 20 point win over the Bobcats, 118-98.
LeBron James had a monster game for Cleveland, but still couldn't get the win against the Wizards, 91-89. James had 41 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks.
November 29, 2008
Kevin Martin led his Sacramento Kings to a 95-91 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Martin had 45 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Last edited by almightyx on Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:00 pm
do you have a timeout with 24.4 secs left?? i think you should have called one if you have. that hasty three is really costly..
Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:37 pm
Monthly Recap: November 2008
Western Conference
Southwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies (10-5) 0 GB
Dallas Mavericks (10-7) 1 GB
Houston Rockets (8-10) 3.5 GB
New Orleans Hornets (5-11) 5.5 GB
San Antonio Spurs (5-11) 5.5 GB
-- The toughest division in the NBA has become the most surprising. After sending 4 teams with 50+ wins to the Playoffs last year, the one team that couldn't even win 30 is the one with the early lead. The Grizzlies have gelled early, rolling off a 7 game win streak to take the early lead. SF Rudy Gay is the only Memphis starter with more than 2 years of NBA experience, and he only has 3. Dallas has done its best to keep pace behind the MVP-like play of PF Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs are in an excellent spot to jump Memphis for the lead. Don't be surprised to see this team in the lead come January. Despite SG Tracy McGrady's Player of the Month award, Houston can't seem to find its game, losing several close games. Even though New Orleans re-signed one of the best PG's in the NBA (Chris Paul) and inked one of the better SF's in free agency (James Posey), it hasn't guaranteed them wins. The Hornets have struggled mightily, along with San Antonio, out of the gate. Both teams find themselves in spots they weren't expecting. If either team can get it going, don't be surprised to see a repeat of last year.
Northwest Divison
Utah Jazz (9-7) 0 GB
Minnesota Timberwolves (10-8) 0 GB
Denver Nuggets (7-7) 1 GB
Seattle Supersonics (7-10) 2.5 GB
Portland Trailblazers (4-12) 5 GB
-- No surprise to see the Jazz on top, returning all of its starters from last year's division title-winning team. The T'Wolves are the story of this division though, tied for the early lead. Expected to be a middle of the road team, newcomers Mike Miller, Shaun Livingston, and Kevin Love have pushed Minnesota to the front. Denver continues its underachieving play, ending November with a .500 record. Seattle was predicted to be the cellar-dwellar this year, but they've managed to keep it respectable behind the play of 07-08 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant. The Blazers have done significantly worse than expected so far, only managing 4 wins. Predicted to be a dark-horse playoff contender, things are looking bleak for the young squad. Portland's only bright spot so far? Ending Memphis' 7 game win streak.
Pacific Division
Sacramento Kings (12-4) 0 GB
Los Angeles Lakers (9-5) 2 GB
Phoenix Suns (10-7) 2.5 GB
Los Angeles Clippers (9-9) 4 GB
Golden State Warriors (6-8) 5GB
-- Sacramento holds the early lead out West, behind the strong play of SG Kevin Martin. If he can stay consistent, expect the Kings to be a player. The reigning Western Conference champs shot out the gate, starting the season 6-1, but dropping 3 straight to fall back to 2nd. No surprise here if the Lakers have the lead back by January. The Suns have played well also, refusing to fall back behind the play of their stars. If they avoid injuries, Phoenix could make this a very good 3 team race. The Clippers have played .500 ball so far, about where everyone had expected. Had they kept PF Elton Brand, LA could have easily thrown their own name into the mix for the lead. Golden State has signed almost all of their cap space away but have little to show for it, proving that signing all the high-priced free agents you can doesn't guarantee wins.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors (10-6) 0 GB
Philadelphia 76ers (9-7) 1 GB
Boston Celtics (10-8) 1 GB
New Jersey Nets (8-7) 1.5 GB
New York Knicks (4-9) 4.5 GB
-- The Atlantic Division has been the closest race so far, with 3 teams 1 or 1.5 games behind the early leader, Toronto. The Raptors trade for PF Jermaine O'Neal has proven fruitful at this point, as has Philly's signing of Brand. The 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics have kept pace as well, despite being inconsistent early. They have showed flashes of their play from last year, so don't be surprised if they win the division again. New Jersey has played a bit better than expected, especially after trading SF Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee. The Nets don't have the firepower to keep up with the teams above them though, so one would think this isn't going to last. New York returned almost the same expensive team (if you could call it a team) from last year, with the same results. Even with Isaiah Thomas gone, this team is far from playoff contention.
Central Division
Detroit Pistons (14-4) 0 GB
Cleveland Cavaliers (11-7) 3 GB
Indiana Pacers (7-10) 6.5 GB
Chicago Bulls (4-12) 9 GB
Milwaukee Bucks (3-12) 9.5 GB
-- Detroit's start to the season has gone swimmingly, as they posted the best record in the NBA at the end of November. Can the Pistons make it 7 straight Conference Finals? Only time will tell, but things are looking good. Despite all of the talk about LeBron James leaving for free agency after the 2009 season, Cleveland has done well behind his play, sitting comfortably in second. Indiana has played a bit better than expected so far, sitting in 3rd, but still below .500. Chicago is doing their best Denver impression, underachieving with a talented team. Ben Gordon can only do so much, but apparently that's enough for the Bulls leadership. Milwaukee traded for SF Richard Jefferson in the offseason, with the expectations that he would help them compete in the East. The Bucks have done the exact opposite however, as they hold the worst record in the NBA.
Southeast Division
Washington Wizards (10-6) 0 GB
Atlanta Hawks (10-7) .5 GB
Orlando Magic (8-7) 1.5 GB
Miami Heat (7-9) 3 GB
Charlotte Bobcats (7-11) 4 GB
-- Washington has held off Atlanta for much of November, ending the month with a 1/2 game lead. PG Gilbert Arenas's resigning has paid off for the Wizards early on, but the real question is whether he can lead them out of the 1st round this time. The Hawks are continuing their strong play from 2008's second half, knocking on Washington's door for the division lead. Don't be surprised to see this team with the division lead going into January. Orlando's frontcourt has played well early, keeping the Magic in the hunt. PF Rashard Lewis is posting MVP-calibur numbers, holding Orlando above .500. Miami seems poised to surpass their win total from last season. Then again, if your win total from the previous year was only 15, you can only go up right? The Heat are going up, just not at the rate expected. ROY candidate PF Michael Beasley has played well for Miami, but they just can't seem to win games they should. If they figure it out though, don't be surprised to see Miami back in the Playoffs. Charlotte continues to play doormat for the division, and expect them to remain so until their management actually gets it right for once.
If the NBA Playoffs were to start today...
West
1. Sacramento
2. Memphis
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Utah
5. Dallas
6. Phoenix
7. Minnesota
8. Los Angeles Clippers
East
1. Detroit
2. Toronto
3. Washington
4. Cleveland
5. Atlanta
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
8. New Jersey
Players of the Month
West PotM: Tracy McGrady, HOU 28.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.33 BPG, 2.33 SPG
West RotM: Kevin Love, MIN 13.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.83 BPG, 1.06 SPG
East PotM: LeBron James, CLE 31.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.78 BPG, 1.89 SPG
East RotM: Michael Beasley, MIA 10.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.0 BPG, 0.56 SPG
Western Conference
Southwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies (10-5) 0 GB
Dallas Mavericks (10-7) 1 GB
Houston Rockets (8-10) 3.5 GB
New Orleans Hornets (5-11) 5.5 GB
San Antonio Spurs (5-11) 5.5 GB
-- The toughest division in the NBA has become the most surprising. After sending 4 teams with 50+ wins to the Playoffs last year, the one team that couldn't even win 30 is the one with the early lead. The Grizzlies have gelled early, rolling off a 7 game win streak to take the early lead. SF Rudy Gay is the only Memphis starter with more than 2 years of NBA experience, and he only has 3. Dallas has done its best to keep pace behind the MVP-like play of PF Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs are in an excellent spot to jump Memphis for the lead. Don't be surprised to see this team in the lead come January. Despite SG Tracy McGrady's Player of the Month award, Houston can't seem to find its game, losing several close games. Even though New Orleans re-signed one of the best PG's in the NBA (Chris Paul) and inked one of the better SF's in free agency (James Posey), it hasn't guaranteed them wins. The Hornets have struggled mightily, along with San Antonio, out of the gate. Both teams find themselves in spots they weren't expecting. If either team can get it going, don't be surprised to see a repeat of last year.
Northwest Divison
Utah Jazz (9-7) 0 GB
Minnesota Timberwolves (10-8) 0 GB
Denver Nuggets (7-7) 1 GB
Seattle Supersonics (7-10) 2.5 GB
Portland Trailblazers (4-12) 5 GB
-- No surprise to see the Jazz on top, returning all of its starters from last year's division title-winning team. The T'Wolves are the story of this division though, tied for the early lead. Expected to be a middle of the road team, newcomers Mike Miller, Shaun Livingston, and Kevin Love have pushed Minnesota to the front. Denver continues its underachieving play, ending November with a .500 record. Seattle was predicted to be the cellar-dwellar this year, but they've managed to keep it respectable behind the play of 07-08 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant. The Blazers have done significantly worse than expected so far, only managing 4 wins. Predicted to be a dark-horse playoff contender, things are looking bleak for the young squad. Portland's only bright spot so far? Ending Memphis' 7 game win streak.
Pacific Division
Sacramento Kings (12-4) 0 GB
Los Angeles Lakers (9-5) 2 GB
Phoenix Suns (10-7) 2.5 GB
Los Angeles Clippers (9-9) 4 GB
Golden State Warriors (6-8) 5GB
-- Sacramento holds the early lead out West, behind the strong play of SG Kevin Martin. If he can stay consistent, expect the Kings to be a player. The reigning Western Conference champs shot out the gate, starting the season 6-1, but dropping 3 straight to fall back to 2nd. No surprise here if the Lakers have the lead back by January. The Suns have played well also, refusing to fall back behind the play of their stars. If they avoid injuries, Phoenix could make this a very good 3 team race. The Clippers have played .500 ball so far, about where everyone had expected. Had they kept PF Elton Brand, LA could have easily thrown their own name into the mix for the lead. Golden State has signed almost all of their cap space away but have little to show for it, proving that signing all the high-priced free agents you can doesn't guarantee wins.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors (10-6) 0 GB
Philadelphia 76ers (9-7) 1 GB
Boston Celtics (10-8) 1 GB
New Jersey Nets (8-7) 1.5 GB
New York Knicks (4-9) 4.5 GB
-- The Atlantic Division has been the closest race so far, with 3 teams 1 or 1.5 games behind the early leader, Toronto. The Raptors trade for PF Jermaine O'Neal has proven fruitful at this point, as has Philly's signing of Brand. The 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics have kept pace as well, despite being inconsistent early. They have showed flashes of their play from last year, so don't be surprised if they win the division again. New Jersey has played a bit better than expected, especially after trading SF Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee. The Nets don't have the firepower to keep up with the teams above them though, so one would think this isn't going to last. New York returned almost the same expensive team (if you could call it a team) from last year, with the same results. Even with Isaiah Thomas gone, this team is far from playoff contention.
Central Division
Detroit Pistons (14-4) 0 GB
Cleveland Cavaliers (11-7) 3 GB
Indiana Pacers (7-10) 6.5 GB
Chicago Bulls (4-12) 9 GB
Milwaukee Bucks (3-12) 9.5 GB
-- Detroit's start to the season has gone swimmingly, as they posted the best record in the NBA at the end of November. Can the Pistons make it 7 straight Conference Finals? Only time will tell, but things are looking good. Despite all of the talk about LeBron James leaving for free agency after the 2009 season, Cleveland has done well behind his play, sitting comfortably in second. Indiana has played a bit better than expected so far, sitting in 3rd, but still below .500. Chicago is doing their best Denver impression, underachieving with a talented team. Ben Gordon can only do so much, but apparently that's enough for the Bulls leadership. Milwaukee traded for SF Richard Jefferson in the offseason, with the expectations that he would help them compete in the East. The Bucks have done the exact opposite however, as they hold the worst record in the NBA.
Southeast Division
Washington Wizards (10-6) 0 GB
Atlanta Hawks (10-7) .5 GB
Orlando Magic (8-7) 1.5 GB
Miami Heat (7-9) 3 GB
Charlotte Bobcats (7-11) 4 GB
-- Washington has held off Atlanta for much of November, ending the month with a 1/2 game lead. PG Gilbert Arenas's resigning has paid off for the Wizards early on, but the real question is whether he can lead them out of the 1st round this time. The Hawks are continuing their strong play from 2008's second half, knocking on Washington's door for the division lead. Don't be surprised to see this team with the division lead going into January. Orlando's frontcourt has played well early, keeping the Magic in the hunt. PF Rashard Lewis is posting MVP-calibur numbers, holding Orlando above .500. Miami seems poised to surpass their win total from last season. Then again, if your win total from the previous year was only 15, you can only go up right? The Heat are going up, just not at the rate expected. ROY candidate PF Michael Beasley has played well for Miami, but they just can't seem to win games they should. If they figure it out though, don't be surprised to see Miami back in the Playoffs. Charlotte continues to play doormat for the division, and expect them to remain so until their management actually gets it right for once.
If the NBA Playoffs were to start today...
West
1. Sacramento
2. Memphis
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Utah
5. Dallas
6. Phoenix
7. Minnesota
8. Los Angeles Clippers
East
1. Detroit
2. Toronto
3. Washington
4. Cleveland
5. Atlanta
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
8. New Jersey
Players of the Month
West PotM: Tracy McGrady, HOU 28.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.33 BPG, 2.33 SPG
West RotM: Kevin Love, MIN 13.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.83 BPG, 1.06 SPG
East PotM: LeBron James, CLE 31.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.78 BPG, 1.89 SPG
East RotM: Michael Beasley, MIA 10.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.0 BPG, 0.56 SPG