A LEGEND IS BORN III

[Chic]

Wow, you play against Blazers again? That'll be epic.. can't wait to see Roy/Durant matchup.. It's payback time

[kibaxx7]

Rematch against Portland, I see

[hova-]

Really a bit confusing how you wrote that 1st round ...

[Fresh8]

Sweet writing dude. Umm for my player just increase defensive and offensive awareness equally as possible (My time in the NBA is developing me mentally )

Instructions noted.

2012 First Round Series Summary

1. Portland Trailblazers defeated 8. Memphis Grizzlies 4-1
4. Utah Jazz defeated by 5. Seattle Stealth 4-1
3. New Orleans Hornets defeated 6. Golden State Warriors 4-3
2. Sacramento Kings defeated 7. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1

1. Cleveland Cavaliers defeated 8. Boston Celtics 4-1
4. New York Knicks defeated by 5. Orlando Magic 4-1
3. Miami Heat defeated by 6. Washington Wizards 2-4
2. Atlanta Hawks defeated 7. New Jersey Nets 4-3

I see what you did there! Trying to confuse us...

Didn't realise I did that.

Damn you defeated my Jazz.

Damn right.

Glad that Hawks won't win it all. Melo is a traitor

Melo just couldn't carry his own team.

Wow, you play against Blazers again? That'll be epic.. can't wait to see Roy/Durant matchup.. It's payback time

Yep, the recap will be up soon! Three years in a row we play them.

Rematch against Portland, I see

Third time lucky.

Really a bit confusing how you wrote that 1st round ...

What do you mean?

[hova-]

I mean the "defeated" and "defeated by" ^^ was a bit confusing, might have been easier if you wrote Cavs - Celtics 4-1

[Fresh8]

I mean the "defeated" and "defeated by" ^^ was a bit confusing, might have been easier if you wrote Cavs - Celtics 4-1

Ummm... I thought you learn English in Germany?

[The X]

Hova is right, it was poor & inconsistent use of English

[Fresh8]

Hova is right, it was poor & inconsistent use of English

Inconsistent, yes.

Poor, no.

[Valor]

and i've noted yet another typo Sit

Many Ginobili

[Fresh8]

and i've noted yet another typo Sit

Many Ginobili

Thanks. LOL That's a funny typo tho.

[Valor]

and i've noted yet another typo Sit

Many Ginobili

Thanks. LOL That's a funny typo tho.

It is isn't it? the most funniest one i've seen

get on msn btw, i'm stuck at home today due to viruses....

[kibaxx7]

As the Argentinian I am, I know all about the argentinian players' personal life Many is Manu's wife's nickname. Seriously

[Fresh8]

and i've noted yet another typo Sit

Many Ginobili

Thanks. LOL That's a funny typo tho.

It is isn't it? the most funniest one i've seen

get on msn btw, i'm stuck at home today due to viruses....

I will get on later and talk with you.

As the Argentinian I am, I know all about the argentinian players' personal life Many is Manu's wife's nickname. Seriously

You serious or not?

[Fresh8]

April 30, 2012
Five Prospects To Look Out For
By Aaron Jones

Five players you should look out for in the upcoming Draft!

1. Liam Washburn: 6’10” 244 lbs SF, Washington, 22

A horrific car accident in his sophomore year robbed him of his athleticism but Liam Washburn came back stronger in his senior year at Washington and led the Huskies deep into the NCAA tourney to become the feel-good story of College basketball in 2012. After a year of rehabilitation and an additional 6 months working on his skills and conditioning to make a comeback, Washburn exceeded all expectations.

A high school prodigy, Washburn was brilliant in his freshman year with the Huskies averaging double digit scoring. Bad decision making and luck followed as he was involved in a late night car chase, resulting in a collision that almost killed him. But the damage was done as the accident robbed him of his explosive hops. Washburn was forced to change the style of play to suit his physical capabilities (in this case - incapabilities).

Now he is a smarter basketball player who relies on a much improved jump shot and instincts on the floor. He worked hard on his conditioning and has never been fitter while garnering the attention of NBA scouts once again. This feel-good story does not end at the Elite Eight where his side lost to Duke in a 1-point ballgame (Washburn couldn’t get free for a final shot attempt) – Washburn looks like he’s headed to the NBA.

Any team looking for a great shooter, smart and tough-minded player should not look past Washburn. Expect for him to be a top 5 pick in this Draft. Taking that into consideration, it’s scary to think about how good he could have been without the accident that nearly left him crippled.

Strengths: Great shooter… Exceptional awareness on both ends of the floor… Surprisingly efficient on the glass…
Weaknesses: Poor inside scorer… Needs to get stronger… Not a good leaper… Questionable passing and handles…
Projected: Top 5

2. Janis Kalnins: 7’ 280 lbs C, Latvia, 22

The Golden State Warriors’ Andris Biedrins speaks highly of Kalnins, who has been on NBA radars for some time now. Kalnins plays for Zalgiris, a strong European basketball club based in Basketball-mad Lithuania. Kalnins has been scouted by NBA teams since the age of 17 when he signed his first contract with Zalgiris. In the past year, he led his team to the domestic title with averages of 15.4 ppg and 9.5 rpg.

Kalnins and Biedrins both spent time together training for the Latvian national side. With the two of them in the Latvian frontcourt, the national side was able to surprisingly qualify for a spot in the upcoming 2012 Olympics. Biedrins praised Kalnins’ performance, “What a player! He is one of the best not in the NBA. He is young but has great experience after playing for Zalgiris. I think he can be a successful player for any NBA team.”

Kalnins has a sweet stroke from beyond the arc and is a good rebounder. What the young man has lacked is leadership and the ability to keep a cool head in tough situations. Zalgiris has never kept Kalnins on the floor in single digit ballgames with only minutes left. This is the reason that the player has slipped from being a coveted top 5 draft pick to a lottery prospect who could well fall deeper into the first round. The Latvian has also shown that he has a short fuse, being ejected 4 times in the past year. His other main weaknesses are, surprisingly, free throw shooting and, unsurprisingly, his strength.

In a league where talented big men are a rarity, Kalnins has the tools to become a solid NBA starting centre. Reaching All-Star level is not a given but winning a championship in a secondary or supporting role could well be on the cards. Where Kalnins goes will be interesting because it should dictate how his NBA career will unravel. If he is selected by a team needing a star and leader, don’t expect too much. If he is on a team that needs a bit more depth, then expect for him to flourish.

Strengths: Quick release and can shoot from anywhere on the court… Works hard on the glass on both ends of the floor… Good weak-side defender and shot blocker…
Weaknesses: Does not seem to have the mental capability to be a leader… Chokes in clutch moments… Needs to build upper body strength… Does not play in the post despite being a 7 foot centre…
Projected: Lottery

3. Eric Smith: 6’10” 271 lbs PF, Duke, 20

Eric Smith and Duke had a strong year in his sophomore season. He was able to lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four with averages of 22.4 ppg and a nation-leading 11.2 rpg. A scorer with an impressive repertoire of weapons ranging from his honed jumper and finesse post moves, Smith has proven that he can put up points with the best of them. The issues that are scaring a lot of NBA teams are his lapses on the defensive end as well as inability to defend in the low post and his poor shot selection.

Duke had a deep team that helped to hide his deficiencies on the defensive end as well as bailing him out from some wild shot attempts. In the NBA, Smith may be exposed on defense so he needs to work hard on improving his game there. Depending on the role he has and the coach he will play for, Smith may not get the playing time he believes he deserves.

Smith looks like a sure-fire NBA star with many comparisons to the Toronto Raptors’ Chris Bosh. It may not happen right away but with the right mentoring and patience, it should happen one day. A few NBA teams are interested in drafting him because he is clearly one of the most talented prospects for 2012. e could even be the second overall pick after PG Wu Jao.

Strengths: Excellent scorer… Great rebounder… Has shown exceptional leadership qualities during his time at Duke…
Weaknesses: Poor low post defender… Not a team player... Could work on his fitness…
Projected: Lottery

4. Leo Lai: 6’7” 205 lbs SG, China, 20

This guy came out of nowhere to make a name for himself during a string of exhibition games for the Chinese National Team last Summer. A wiry swingman with surprising athleticism for an Asian and a penchant for scoring on ambitious drives to the hoop – Leo Lai has shot up mock drafts in just a matter of months. He averaged double digits during his handful of international games for an under strength Chinese team including a respectable 16 points against Spain.

Before he was selected to play with China, Lai spent two years playing for the Guangzhou Tigers (New Jersey Nets Yi Jianlian’s former team) in the Chinese domestic league; the CBA. Lai came off the bench in his first year and was merely a development player but was starting in his second year. He averaged 28.7 points a game in his full season as a starter in the weak CBA.

After getting the attention of scouts, Lai went on to play a season in Europe with CSKA Moscow. Whilst only getting limited minutes, the young gun proved that he was a great scorer but often outmuscled by his older and stronger opponents. CSKA Moscow went on to compete in the Euroleague Final Four. They came third and Lai played his two best games in the semi-final and the third place match. In a semi-final loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, Lai came off the bench and registered a team high 15 points in just 18 minutes of court time. In the third place match against Olympiacos, Lai scored 8 points in 24 minutes of game time and held former NBA forward Josh Childress to 5 points.

Lai’s European experience was under the close scrutiny of NBA scouts with the Chicago Bulls serious suitors if he were to fall into the second round. It’s unsure whether the Bulls would select him with a lottery pick. However, Chicago has scheduled for him to work out with the team closer to the Draft and if he performs, Lai could be a sleeper to be picked in the lottery.

Strengths: Great leaping ability as well as a quick first step… Drives to the rim with aggression and fearlessness… Able to pull up for the mid-range jumpshot…
Weaknesses: Not strong enough to hold his own on the defensive end. As good as gone if he is posted up… Will need to work on general court awareness on both ends of the floor… Likes to pretend he can’t understand English despite being born in an English-speaking country; New Zealand…
Projected: Mid-Late First Round

5. Abano Spagnoletti: 6’6” 238 lbs SG, Argentina, 19

Albano Spagnoletti could improve his draft stock with good workouts for NBA teams. The Argentinean youngster is expected to crack the Argentine national team roster for the London Olympic Games later this year but don’t be fooled - he is merely a project if he were to be picked by an NBA team.

Currently spending time in Europe, Spagnoletti is athletic and possesses surprising court vision and awareness. He’s a big unit and that’s actually made coaches use him as a backup point guard so that he can outmuscle shorter playmakers and use his height to create mismatches. Spagnoletti has a decent mid range jumper but is not a polished enough player to keep a defense honest. It will take some time for him to be able to open up the court; he just needs to add a three point shot and learn to take the ball to the hoop.

His fitness is a major concern for NBA scouts. This kid could rise up the Draft depending on his workouts. He’s an interesting prospect because of his age, which beckons teams to believe that he has upside. But the question is how much potential do people realistically think he has. Is he worth a first round pick? Right now, the answer would probably be a no.

Strengths: Unselfish team player who can knock down the open jumper… Athletic… Sees plays before they happen…
Weaknesses: Poor defender… Needs to work on his conditioning to be able to play at a high level… Fairly one-dimensional player…
Projected: Second Round

[kibaxx7]

You serious or not?

Yep, it's true

I'm also seeing myself as a second round pick, lol. Now I think about it, I need more defense. Gotta have some good workouts for the teams.

[Lamrock]

Top 5 projected. Cool story to boot!

[Valor]

Although i hate the fact that i'm only a Mid-Late first round projected prospect, love the story, you are spot on
Now lets hope that i'll get drafted by the Bulls in the lottery

Oh btw, when i see Lamrock's description i can't help but think of a forward version of Brad Miller, minus the passing

[Lamrock]

I think of myself as Dirk meets Peja. Tall, sharpshooting white combo forward with sub-par athleticism

[puttincomputers]

wow i missed a bunch!

[Fresh8]

You serious or not?

Yep, it's true

I'm also seeing myself as a second round pick, lol. Now I think about it, I need more defense. Gotta have some good workouts for the teams.

Yeah man. You still got time to rise up the ladder.

Top 5 projected. Cool story to boot!

Glad you enjoyed your story.

Although i hate the fact that i'm only a Mid-Late first round projected prospect, love the story, you are spot on
Now lets hope that i'll get drafted by the Bulls in the lottery

Oh btw, when i see Lamrock's description i can't help but think of a forward version of Brad Miller, minus the passing

Don't hate. That's what your player is.

I think of myself as Dirk meets Peja. Tall, sharpshooting white combo forward with sub-par athleticism

mmmm... wait till you see who 2K9 compared you to...

wow i missed a bunch!

Yes?

Also, FYI, all the 5 draft prospects are NLSCers. The other two are C-77 and newc.

[Fresh8]

2011-12 Recap Part 6 – 2012 Playoffs: Second Round

Stealth Finally Break Blazers Hoodoo

For the past two postseasons, the Blazers easily dispatched the Stealth and sent them packing for home. In 2010, Seattle met the Blazers in the Western Conference Finals and were outclassed for much of the series. In 2011, the teams met in the second round and once again, Portland proved too talented for Seattle. This postseason, Seattle finally broke their Blazers hoodoo to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Game 1 in Portland was an exciting affair to start the series. Ben Gordon led Portland with 23 points, which included a three pointer to put the Blazers ahead by 1 point with 3.2 seconds left. Seattle, who had led throughout the game, called a timeout and set up Andrew Bogut with the final shot and using Kevin Durant as a decoy. The move paid off as Bogut converted a game winning layup with less than 1 second left in the game. Bogut finished with 17 points and Jason Kidd added 8 rebounds and 13 assists. NBA scoring leader Durant scored just 14 points.

The 1 point loss prompted the Blazers to start talking tough but in Game 2, they failed to walk the walk. Portland fell to Seattle at home 111-103 despite 17 point performances from Ben Gordon and Steve Nash. Reshawn Tyson bounced back from his woeful Game 1 performance by scoring 34. Durant added 22 while Bogut had a double double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Seattle then took a surprising 3-0 lead in the series with a Game 3 103-91 win at home. In front of their home crowd, Seattle got 22 points out of Durant and 21 points, 9 rebounds from Bogut. Greg Oden played great but did not get any support; he finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

The Stealth had a chance to finish the series and sweep their opponents but the Blazers held on to the very end; recording a narrow escape from elimination. A three pointer from Gordon at the buzzer help Portland record a 123-120 win. Gorodn finished with 26 points, Brandon Roy had 21, and Nash scored 20. Durant scored 25 to lead the Stealth with Tyson adding 24.

The nail-biting Game 4 win seemed to reinvigorate the Blazers as they recorded back-to-back double digit wins to level the series. Nash led the team with 22 points, 7 assists in a 109-94 Game 5 win. Oden also had 16 points, 9 rebounds and Carlos Boozer added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Durant had 17 and Tyson added 16 but both still had subpar nights. Nash put in another huge performance the next game as he lit up the Stealth for 36 points in a 129-109 thrashing to force a seventh game. Gordon was also solid with 32 points as was Boozer’s 20 points and 8 rebounds. Durant’s 25 points were clearly not enough to make up for his teammates’ poor efforts.

Although the odds were always against the Blazers, the players tried to come out and create history by winning the series after trailing 0-3. The stage was set for a famous comeback but that never happened as the Stealth pulled off another emotionally charged upset. Portland led most of the way but the Stealth would be put on Jason Kidd’s back in the final quarter and Seattle came away with a 2 point victory over the rivals.

Kidd finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists to lead his team. His 7 fourth quarter points and poise down the stretch helped his team cross the finish line. It was Kidd’s dime that set up Durant with the final shot and series winner. With scored locked at 88-88, Kidd hit Durant with a brilliant pass in wide-open position. Durant finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks while Bogut had 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks. Tyson was also important as he led the team in scoring with 23 points and added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.

Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists but it just was not the home team’s night as they crumbled against the Stealth’s defensive pressure. Roy shot just 4 for 15 from the field. Ben Gordon had 14 points on 5-14 shooting and Steve Nash had a forgettable night also with 10 points on 5-13 shooting. It was a heartbreaking result for the Blazers with the Stealth triumphant after their recent struggles against this team.

Seattle advances to face the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference Finals. This will be a greatly anticipated series as it pits former College rivals Tyson and the Kings’ Moses Chara against each other.

2012 Second Round Series Summary

1. Portland Trailblazers defeated by 5. Seattle Stealth 4-3
3. New Orleans Hornets defeated by 2. Sacramento Kings 4-3

1. Cleveland Cavaliers defeated 5. Orlando Magic 4-0
2. Atlanta Hawks defeated 6. Washington Wizards 4-0

[kibaxx7]

OMG! Ty-Chara! THE duel! Can't wait

[newc]

i just hope Warriors aren't looking to draft me, don't wanna be the second latvian, who sinks there

[Fresh8]

Great recap again, finally you made it! I can see a ring coming...

btw is my player in the next draft, too?

You will find out soon enough.

OMG! Ty-Chara! THE duel! Can't wait

No one can.

i just hope Warriors aren't looking to draft me, don't wanna be the second latvian, who sinks there

Would be funny if you were on the same team as him.

[Mark.]

1. Cleveland Cavaliers defeated 5. Orlando Magic 4-0

I knew it, this story is based on the nightmare I have every night!