The Blueprint™ • The Formula Of Fear • Summer League (2)

[kibaxx7↑↓]

NEW JERSEY, July 11 -- Nets first round draft picks Derrick Favors and Damion James, along with second year player Terrence Williams, headline the Nets’ 2010 summer league squad, which will participate in this year NBA Summer League, to start July 14. Prior to the start of the games, the Nets held a five-day training camp at the PNY Center in East Rutherford, NJ, from Monday, July 5 to Friday, July 9. By the end of Tuesday, Terrence Williams was reminding every observer on the Nets practice facilities just how far he'd come since first stepping on an NBA court one year ago. As an intra-squad scrimmage wound down, Williams played half an hour at the point. One point to go and the loser set for sprints, he took a pass at the right elbow, crossed the lane in only one dribble, probed the defense with a second, stepped back and hopped to laser an overhand pass to center Pops Mensah-Bonsu for a wide-open game-winning layup.

Assistant coach Thierry Tirieux, who’ll be running the team's summer league this year, praised Williams for positioning himself to take control, labeling it a sign of the sophomore applying his NBA experience. Williams -- who was the most vocal presence on the floor -- agreed. “I feel like as far as basketball, going through 82 games and practices, you bring a different perspective to the team,” Williams said. “Especially with young guys; guys that are the same age as me that are asking me help for what to do: ‘How many seconds can we be in the key?’ or ‘What should I do off the pick-and-roll?’ I feel like the veteran, even though I’m not one yet. Just the veteran out here, compared to them.” After running through the practice, Williams kept chugging right through full-court conditioning, looking fit as ever as he gradually increased the height and velocity of his dunks at the end of each end-to-end sprint. He knows that an improved sophomore season begins not with training camp, but maximized effort in these practices and next week’s games against the other summer league squads.

The new staff has told the swingman they’re aware of what he can when the offense is flowing through him, and they’d like him to focus on becoming the lockdown defender they envision. Williams is thusly committed to defense and staying in shape, believing the rest will take care of itself. Williams has already begun friendly chirping with rookie forward James, whom Williams knows from college, as he joked that James fancies himself a guard and needles the rookie by constantly calling him “a big man, a 4, a 5.” During most of the scrimmage, James matched up with Williams on the perimeter, and held his own defensively, though Williams often denied James the ball and notably forced him into a tough turnaround jumper. That missed J turned into one of the session’s highlights, as No. 3 overall pick Favors fell out of the sky, in an attempt to slam the loose ball home. Had it went down, it’s likely the players would have just agreed to end things there. We had to settle at the ridiculousness of Favors “nearly hitting the shot clock” (James’ words) but missing the putback.

NEW JERSEY, July 14 -- Terrence Williams had one of those stretches that shooters dream about. “The basket seemed like it was getting bigger and bigger,” Williams said after scoring 25 points as the New Jersey Nets survived a late rally for a 93-89 victory Wednesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies, in the Summer League opener for both teams. “The guys were able to get me the ball and I was able to make a lot of open shots, something I did later in the second half when I was under a lot of defense.” Williams scored 10 of his 25 points in the first quarter, including a pair of long 3-pointers, when the Nets seemed to take control of the game, 31-20 after the first 12 minutes. “Terrence played a great game,” said Nets assistant coach Thierry Tirieux, whose team is trying to forget the disastrous 12-70 record of last year. “He showed his ability to get inside the defense with some curls and some mid-range shots, and that really opened up his 3-point game.”

Rookies Derrick Favors and Damion James added 23 and 14 points, respectively, for the Nets; Favors also had 10 points in the first quarter, and added 6 rebounds. James also contributed with 4 boards and four assists. “Derrick has been a factor for us today,” Tirieux said. “When we keep him in the game and he stays out of foul trouble, he clogs the middle, rebounds the ball, and gives us a shot at winning some games.” Favors also did a fantastic job of defending Grizzlies big Darrell Arthur -- for three quarters. New Jersey led 85-72 with 6:40 left before Arthur got untracked and Memphis used a 12-2 run to get behind by only 3 points, 87-84 with 2:04 left. But Sam Young missed an open 3-pointer that could have tied the games at 87, before the Williams and guard Gabe Pruitt iced the game from the charity stripe; Pruitt had a game-high 14 assists. Young led Memphis with 20 points while point guard Greivis Vasquez added 17 off the bench in 16 minutes; Arthur and rookie Xavier Henry added 12 each for the Grizzlies, which only had an advantage in bench points. Memphis' summer league squad also featured free agents Rashad McCants, Richard Hendrix and Robert Swift.

NEW JERSEY, July 15 -- Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek earned extra attention from the assembled media after a mid-practice announcement that the duo were signed to non-guaranteed contracts. “Both have had great college careers,” said Tirieux. “Ben's a big point guard. He can defend, but now we've got to see if he can run an NBA team; we’re trying to teach him that, know the guys you’re on the court with, where they like the ball. Then Brian; you can never have enough physical players on your team. He’s a physical presence in the paint. We want to see if he can protect the paint defensively, if he can finish around the rim offensively.” Uzoh scored 4 points and 3 assists, while Zoubek had 2 points but 7 rebounds for New Jersey in the triumph over the Grizzlies. Both will play again today, against the Detroit Pistons.

Uzoh said the Nets are looking for him to defend, be a leader and run the point. Uzoh, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound combo guard, played four years at Tulsa averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting .343 from three-point range and .457 overall. He feels capable, though he knows there’s a lot of information coming the new guys' way as they try to learn the foundations of new head coach Avery Johnson’s offensive and defensive plays. Glad to have earned an extended opportunity to showcase his talents, Uzoh’s focusing on directing and getting players the ball in proper position, describing his game as steady, but aggressive. He is aware of all the recent moves made by the Nets organization, and is excited by the direction in which the franchise is headed. “It’s a building process. They are clearly rebuilding,” Uzoh said. “They want to do something good. They’ve started bringing in pieces and planning for the future, and I want to be part of that. Good things are gonna happen here.”

The 7-1, 260 lbs. Zoubek also holds high hopes for his future contributions, ready to defend and rebound aggressively, with an eye on serving as a competent sub for starting center Brook Lopez. Also a four-year senior, he won the NCAA national championship with Duke last season while posting a nightly line of 5.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in just 18.7 minutes. He is committed to improving on offense, but feels most confident in his ability to set screens for perimeter guys making plays. “I’ve been doing that my whole career,” Zoubek said. “I had three guys on the perimeter that I was setting screens for all day, and if I wasn’t good at it, I wasn’t going to play. I had to develop that skill, be aware off the pick-and-roll and had to set a good screen. I think our guards will like that.”

NEW JERSEY, July 15 -- The New Jersey Nets were patiently waiting for a monster performance from their highly-touted No. 3 draft pick. They didn't have to wait long. In the second game of the Summer League, the scene repeated itself often: one of them would make a layup, then wink at his fellow rookie teammate. Derrick Favors scored 20 and grabbed 12 rebounds and Damion James added a game-high 23 points in 9/12 shooting as the Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons, 95-82, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. “I'm beyond disappointed in our team,” Pistons assistant coach Brian Hill said; Hill's coaching the Pistons summer league squad. Terrence Williams had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists, flirting with a triple-double (most of his 37 minutes playing point guard, directing traffic on both ends), while centers Josh Boone and Pops Mensah-Bonsu added 12 points each for New Jersey.

“A lot of people are doubting this team and underestimating our ability to go out there and perform at a high level after last season,” Boone said. “But we continue to prove doubters wrong. We're going to go out there and leave it all on the court every game.” Darius Miles and Ben Uzoh scored 8 points each for the Nets. “I can't explain it,” said Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko, very angry. He finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds. “There's no excuses. There are none. I have none. We didn't hardly even try.” Pistons rookie Greg Monroe had 23 points, 7 boards and 5 assists in his best game so far, while free agent Damien Wilkins and rookie Terrico White added 12 each. Austin Daye finished with only five points on 3/9 shooting in 32 minutes. Detroit got within five points three times, every time on scores by Monroe, in the final period, only to see New Jersey answer before the margin got any smaller. And eventually, the Nets put Detroit away. James delivered the dagger with 1:55 left: a long 3-pointer that made it 90-80. The Nets also won the battle in the paint, 60-42. Detroit's summer league roster featured free agents Wilkins, Alex Acker, Maurice Ager, Marcus Haislip, Mike Sweetney, Oleksiy Pecherov and Patrick O'Bryant.

NEW JERSEY, July 16 -- The flashes from a photographer's camera at the baseline kept popping while Derrick Favors pulled up for a jumper. Then again when Greg Monroe was taking free throws. Neither one flinched, neither complained; neither, really, seemed to notice the distracting flashes, not usually tolerated on the baseline in just their second pro outing. They might be ready for the big time yet, “but it was rough,” Monroe said. “When they flashed, my eyes went black. I couldn't see. It's something I have to get used to,” added, laughing. Welcome to the pros. The 3rd and 7th overall picks in this year's draft showed off their potential Friday night. In the most decorated matchup of young hopefuls at this week's NBA Summer League, Favors had 20 points to help the New Jersey Nets beat Monroe and the Detroit Pistons, 95-82; Monroe had 23 points, seven boards and five assists. “I just wanted to get my rhythm, flow and timing back,” said Favors, who added 12 rebounds. “I got them back sooner than I expected.” So far, Favors showed he might be worthy of the high selection by the Nets, who had the league's worst record last season but slipped to No. 3 in the draft lottery; he torched Memphis for 23 and 6.

“I was nervous at the beginning of the game, and I just wanted to get that all out of the way,” Favors (only 2 points in the first period) said. “I'm glad it is, and now I'll come back and be ready to go.” The college standouts are bringing big expectations to their struggling pro franchises. Favors, the 18-year-old forward from Georgia Tech and the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, has an NBA body and tons of pro potential. Monroe, widely acknowledged as the best passing big man in college basketball, is a highly skilled frontcourt performer with an advanced feel for the game. The matchup was good enough to have the NBA move the game from the early afternoon to prime-time on NBA TV. The five-day, eight-team summer league is crammed daily with about 200 people -- mostly players, coaches, general managers and media -- but is not open to fans.

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Last edited by kibaxx7 on Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:19 am, edited 3 times in total.

[kibaxx7↑↓]

Can't teach on old dog new tricks they say. The only use I have for Thierry's story threads are for interacting with you guys that are regulars here in the Association section.

I will have to step up then. But I'm pretty happy with the first update.

Why not wait for 2k11? Or did I miss something.

I think he's doing the pre-season with 2K10 and then move on to 2K11. Though you never know with Thierry.

Yep, summer league and preseason with 2k10, then regular season and beyond in 2k11.

Comments? Criticism? Go ahead.

[Lamrock↑↓]

shadowgrin, I thought the rehab had changed him.

Can't teach on old dog new tricks they say. The only use I have for Thierry's story threads are for interacting with you guys that are regulars here in the Association section.

What's new Shad? Ever considered doing an association story?

Recaps look fine, standard Thierry-fare. Nothing to complain about. Good luck with your 3rd Nets association!

[shadowgrin↑↓]

What kind of idiot will read all that tiny ass text?
I have nothing against reading but that much for articles that contribute nothing to the story development?
Heck fuck, the longest ones are the ones that mean shite like signings and declaring the roster.

Ever considered doing an association story?

This.
If I can ever come up with a 'realistic' way (trade or free agency) to have Chris Paul and Kevin Durant in one team without raping the other team's lineup.
I also wanted to do that second idea, but not enough 'good' players that fit my desired roster.

I thought the rehab had changed him.

Can't teach on old dog new tricks they say.

standard Thierry-fare.

....

I will have to step up then

[Lamrock↑↓]

You could probably pull off Mo-Pete's expiring and Westbrook (plus some picks and phantom rights to Euro's who'll never come over) for Paul, though then you have to use the stinky Thunder.

Another idea is to take your favorite franchise (preferably one with assets and/or cap), sim a couple years, trade for KD (realistic if the Thunder have a couple poor years) and sign CP3 in 2012. Then you also have the hook of the NBA's climate being two years advanced.

[shadowgrin↑↓]

use the stinky Thunder

Oh shite why didn't I think of it that way.

Using NOH, I was trying to trade for Durant. Even if I was ready to gut my roster by giving Okafor/West, Collision (before trade) or Ariza . It would just say that the Thunder needs SFs even though I also packaged some SFs (Ariza, Posey), so still no go with the trade.
Never occurred to me to use the stinky Thunder for that to happen. Their jerseys suck and their home court is boring. Maybe I'll try it.

Also tried the simming a few years idea using NOH but the Thunder always come off good and Durant stays with them. In one sim OKC even became the 2012 champs.

Last edited by shadowgrin on Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Houndy↑↓]

Theirry, I might steal that preseason in 2k10 and season in 2k11, cause its sort of smart

[kibaxx7↑↓]

Recaps look fine, standard Thierry-fare. Nothing to complain about. Good luck with your 3rd Nets association!

Thanks Lamrock. Yep, 3rd Nets story. As they say, hope 3rd time's a charm.

What kind of idiot will read all that tiny ass text?
I have nothing against reading but that much for articles that contribute nothing to the story development?
Heck fuck, the longest ones are the ones that mean shite like signings and declaring the roster.

Tiny ass? Only a little smaller than the one in a quick reply.
IMO, it contributes to the development. I'm searching for the 15th guy in the roster. Not important, but still.
Still practicing for my journalism after the Blazers fiasco.
KD would look nice in a Hornets jersey.

Theirry, I might steal that preseason in 2k10 and season in 2k11, cause its sort of smart

Thanks man, go ahead if you want. Wouldn't call it smart, just a way to kill some time until I get 2k11.

No love for Darius Miles? I assembled the team, but let the CPU play both games, like Clutch did in the start of his Warriors story.

[shadowgrin↑↓]

NEW JERSEY, July 15 -- Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek earned extra attention from the assembled media after a mid-practice announcement that the duo were signed to non-guaranteed contracts. “Both have had great college careers,” said Tirieux. “Ben's a big point guard. He can defend, but now we've got to see if he can run an NBA team; we’re trying to teach him that, know the guys you’re on the court with, where they like the ball. Then Brian; you can never have enough physical players on your team. He’s a physical presence in the paint. We want to see if he can protect the paint defensively, if he can finish around the rim offensively.” Uzoh scored 4 points and 3 assists, while Zoubek had 2 points but 7 rebounds for New Jersey in the triumph over the Grizzlies. Both will play again today, against the Detroit Pistons.

Uzoh said the Nets are looking for him to defend, be a leader and run the point. Uzoh, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound combo guard, played four years at Tulsa averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting .343 from three-point range and .457 overall. He feels capable, though he knows there’s a lot of information coming the new guys' way as they try to learn the foundations of new head coach Avery Johnson’s offensive and defensive plays. Glad to have earned an extended opportunity to showcase his talents, Uzoh’s focusing on directing and getting players the ball in proper position, describing his game as steady, but aggressive. He is aware of all the recent moves made by the Nets organization, and is excited by the direction in which the franchise is headed. “It’s a building process. They are clearly rebuilding,” Uzoh said. “They want to do something good. They’ve started bringing in pieces and planning for the future, and I want to be part of that. Good things are gonna happen here.”

The 7-1, 260 lbs. Zoubek also holds high hopes for his future contributions, ready to defend and rebound aggressively, with an eye on serving as a competent sub for starting center Brook Lopez. Also a four-year senior, he won the NCAA national championship with Duke last season while posting a nightly line of 5.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in just 18.7 minutes. He is committed to improving on offense, but feels most confident in his ability to set screens for perimeter guys making plays. “I’ve been doing that my whole career,” Zoubek said. “I had three guys on the perimeter that I was setting screens for all day, and if I wasn’t good at it, I wasn’t going to play. I had to develop that skill, be aware off the pick-and-roll and had to set a good screen. I think our guards will like that.”

NEW JERSEY, July 15 -- Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek earned extra attention from the assembled media after a mid-practice announcement that the duo were signed to non-guaranteed contracts. “Both have had great college careers,” said Tirieux. “Ben's a big point guard. He can defend, but now we've got to see if he can run an NBA team; we’re trying to teach him that, know the guys you’re on the court with, where they like the ball. Then Brian; you can never have enough physical players on your team. He’s a physical presence in the paint. We want to see if he can protect the paint defensively, if he can finish around the rim offensively.” Uzoh scored 4 points and 3 assists, while Zoubek had 2 points but 7 rebounds for New Jersey in the triumph over the Grizzlies. Both will play again today, against the Detroit Pistons.

Uzoh said the Nets are looking for him to defend, be a leader and run the point. Uzoh, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound combo guard, played four years at Tulsa averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting .343 from three-point range and .457 overall. He feels capable, though he knows there’s a lot of information coming the new guys' way as they try to learn the foundations of new head coach Avery Johnson’s offensive and defensive plays. Glad to have earned an extended opportunity to showcase his talents, Uzoh’s focusing on directing and getting players the ball in proper position, describing his game as steady, but aggressive. He is aware of all the recent moves made by the Nets organization, and is excited by the direction in which the franchise is headed. “It’s a building process. They are clearly rebuilding,” Uzoh said. “They want to do something good. They’ve started bringing in pieces and planning for the future, and I want to be part of that. Good things are gonna happen here.”

The 7-1, 260 lbs. Zoubek also holds high hopes for his future contributions, ready to defend and rebound aggressively, with an eye on serving as a competent sub for starting center Brook Lopez. Also a four-year senior, he won the NCAA national championship with Duke last season while posting a nightly line of 5.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in just 18.7 minutes. He is committed to improving on offense, but feels most confident in his ability to set screens for perimeter guys making plays. “I’ve been doing that my whole career,” Zoubek said. “I had three guys on the perimeter that I was setting screens for all day, and if I wasn’t good at it, I wasn’t going to play. I had to develop that skill, be aware off the pick-and-roll and had to set a good screen. I think our guards will like that.”

See the difference?
Even at normal size your article is already long and boring enough to read now you want to strain the eyes of the reader too?
A good comparison for long articles would be Sit's. I agree that the significance of an article is relative to the reader but at least Sit doesn't intend his reader to go blind from eye strain by using a smaller font for his long articles. (or are Sit's articles that long because of the font size? Dunno).

I'm searching for the 15th guy in the roster. Not important, but still.

NEW JERSEY, July 15 -- Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek earned extra attention from the assembled media after a mid-practice announcement that the duo were signed to non-guaranteed contracts. “Both have had great college careers,” said Tirieux. “Ben's a big point guard. He can defend, but now we've got to see if he can run an NBA team; we’re trying to teach him that, know the guys you’re on the court with, where they like the ball. Then Brian; you can never have enough physical players on your team. He’s a physical presence in the paint. We want to see if he can protect the paint defensively, if he can finish around the rim offensively.” Uzoh scored 4 points and 3 assists, while Zoubek had 2 points but 7 rebounds for New Jersey in the triumph over the Grizzlies. Both will play again today, against the Detroit Pistons.

Uzoh said the Nets are looking for him to defend, be a leader and run the point. Uzoh, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound combo guard, played four years at Tulsa averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting .343 from three-point range and .457 overall. He feels capable, though he knows there’s a lot of information coming the new guys' way as they try to learn the foundations of new head coach Avery Johnson’s offensive and defensive plays. Glad to have earned an extended opportunity to showcase his talents, Uzoh’s focusing on directing and getting players the ball in proper position, describing his game as steady, but aggressive. He is aware of all the recent moves made by the Nets organization, and is excited by the direction in which the franchise is headed. “It’s a building process. They are clearly rebuilding,” Uzoh said. “They want to do something good. They’ve started bringing in pieces and planning for the future, and I want to be part of that. Good things are gonna happen here.”

The 7-1, 260 lbs. Zoubek also holds high hopes for his future contributions, ready to defend and rebound aggressively, with an eye on serving as a competent sub for starting center Brook Lopez. Also a four-year senior, he won the NCAA national championship with Duke last season while posting a nightly line of 5.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in just 18.7 minutes. He is committed to improving on offense, but feels most confident in his ability to set screens for perimeter guys making plays. “I’ve been doing that my whole career,” Zoubek said. “I had three guys on the perimeter that I was setting screens for all day, and if I wasn’t good at it, I wasn’t going to play. I had to develop that skill, be aware off the pick-and-roll and had to set a good screen. I think our guards will like that.”

For the last spot on your roster. Who's probably not even going to play (assuming you don't quit this after the first game). 3 paragraphs. 466 words. That much for a scrub. He/They aren't even Brian Scalabrine.

[puttincomputers↑↓]

they? you think he should sign a wnba player and have her sit out an entire season due to the nba contesting the idea?

[|)e8*↑↓]

Damn Favors is beastly

[shadowgrin↑↓]

they?

Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek

There's the possibility that he will get both to fill out his roster (14th and 15th spots) and waving another player just so he could have both of them.
Grammar shmrammar.

you think he should sign a wnba player and have her sit out an entire season due to the nba contesting the idea?

FUCK YOU. Don't pass on to me your misogynist views.

Women should be allowed to engage in sports that men do as long as they go back to the kitchen and make me a sandwich after the game.

Last edited by shadowgrin on Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Lamrock↑↓]

Oh god. I do not like the direction this thread is going in. ("LOCKED: Criticism of recaps - stay tuned for Mavs: Passion, Hustle & Teamwork. Gee I really do have Thierry-itis ")

[J@3↑↓]

I agree with the tiny font. You already type too much for these filler things that barely anyone reads (standard introductions to the team, roster, real-life off-season recap etc) doing it in tiny font may make it look like you've typed less but it just makes it harder to read in reality.

Your game recap for example, too long + tiny font + no boxscores or anything = I scrolled right past it without even realizing it was a game recap. Then I wanted to just see how the players did, I wasn't interested in the made-up quotes or actual recap itself (I'm the same with my stories, that's why I include boxscores because if I was reading it I probably wouldn't give a shit about the actual recap) but I couldn't do that because a) the player performances were hidden within the recap between all the quotes and stuff, and b) the font was so tiny that when you bold the player names/points it doesn't stand out.

This:

Welcome to the pros. The 3rd and 7th overall picks in this year's draft showed off their potential Friday night. In the most decorated matchup of young hopefuls at this week's NBA Summer League, Favors had 20 points to help the New Jersey Nets beat Monroe and the Detroit Pistons, 95-82; Monroe had 23 points, seven boards and five assists.

- Boxscore

>>

This:

NEW JERSEY, July 16 -- The flashes from a photographer's camera at the baseline kept popping while Derrick Favors pulled up for a jumper. Then again when Greg Monroe was taking free throws. Neither one flinched, neither complained; neither, really, seemed to notice the distracting flashes, not usually tolerated on the baseline in just their second pro outing. They might be ready for the big time yet, “but it was rough,” Monroe said. “When they flashed, my eyes went black. I couldn't see. It's something I have to get used to,” added, laughing. Welcome to the pros. The 3rd and 7th overall picks in this year's draft showed off their potential Friday night. In the most decorated matchup of young hopefuls at this week's NBA Summer League, Favors had 20 points to help the New Jersey Nets beat Monroe and the Detroit Pistons, 95-82; Monroe had 23 points, seven boards and five assists. “I just wanted to get my rhythm, flow and timing back,” said Favors, who added 12 rebounds. “I got them back sooner than I expected.” So far, Favors showed he might be worthy of the high selection by the Nets, who had the league's worst record last season but slipped to No. 3 in the draft lottery; he torched Memphis for 23 and 6.

“I was nervous at the beginning of the game, and I just wanted to get that all out of the way,” Favors (only 2 points in the first period) said. “I'm glad it is, and now I'll come back and be ready to go.” The college standouts are bringing big expectations to their struggling pro franchises. Favors, the 18-year-old forward from Georgia Tech and the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, has an NBA body and tons of pro potential. Monroe, widely acknowledged as the best passing big man in college basketball, is a highly skilled frontcourt performer with an advanced feel for the game. The matchup was good enough to have the NBA move the game from the early afternoon to prime-time on NBA TV. The five-day, eight-team summer league is crammed daily with about 200 people -- mostly players, coaches, general managers and media -- but is not open to fans.

IMO anyway.

[|)e8*↑↓]

Oh god. I do not like the direction this thread is going in. ("LOCKED: Criticism of recaps - stay tuned for Mavs: Passion, Hustle & Teamwork. Gee I really do have Thierry-itis ")

[kibaxx7↑↓]

See the difference?
Even at normal size your article is already long and boring enough to read now you want to strain the eyes of the reader too?
A good comparison for long articles would be Sit's. I agree that the significance of an article is relative to the reader but at least Sit doesn't intend his reader to go blind from eye strain by using a smaller font for his long articles. (or are Sit's articles that long because of the font size? Dunno).

Ok, I'm gonna edit the font size and try to short them a little. Looked really good here in my monitor, but hey. Thanks

For the last spot on your roster. Who's probably not even going to play (assuming you don't quit this after the first game). 3 paragraphs. 466 words. That much for a scrub. He/They aren't even Brian Scalabrine.

I know they are scrubs, just wanted you guys to get to know them because of the weird last names

they? you think he should sign a wnba player and have her sit out an entire season due to the nba contesting the idea?

There's the possibility that he will get both to fill out his roster (14th and 15th spots) and waving another player just so he could have both of them.
Grammar shmrammar.

Women should be allowed to engage in sports that men do as long as they go back to the kitchen and make me a sandwich after the game.

In fact, Nets just released Sean May IRL. Never liked him anyway. May keep both Uzoh and Zoubek.

And can't agree more.

Damn Favors is beastly

Yep he's killing everything in sight

Oh god. I do not like the direction this thread is going in. ("LOCKED: Criticism of recaps - stay tuned for Mavs: Passion, Hustle & Teamwork. Gee I really do have Thierry-itis ")

No. I don't mind. I said I wanted comments & criticism and I have to take it. So keep that criticism coming like shadow & Jae did (smaller paragraphs, bigger text size, etc.)

I agree with the tiny font. You already type too much for these filler things that barely anyone reads (standard introductions to the team, roster, real-life off-season recap etc) doing it in tiny font may make it look like you've typed less but it just makes it harder to read in reality.

Increasing font size and will try to short the recaps next time.

Your game recap for example, too long + tiny font + no boxscores or anything = I scrolled right past it without even realizing it was a game recap. Then I wanted to just see how the players did, I wasn't interested in the made-up quotes or actual recap itself (I'm the same with my stories, that's why I include boxscores because if I was reading it I probably wouldn't give a shit about the actual recap) but I couldn't do that because a) the player performances were hidden within the recap between all the quotes and stuff, and b) the font was so tiny that when you bold the player names/points it doesn't stand out.

I thought it was an ok size for the recap. Oh well... Yep, the boxscores are in the team names. "New Jersey Nets" "Detroit Pistons" "Memphis Grizzlies" in the first paragraph of the recaps. Only took a screenshot with Fraps of the best performers. The last article I did it to talk about both PFs playing against each other (Favors and Monroe), never thought of it as a game recap. The recaps are the one with the pics reel. BTW, how do the pics look with the dark saturation?

[Murat↑↓]

Thierry. is back! With 37th career!

[kibaxx7↑↓]

NEW JERSEY, July 16 -- The New Jersey Nets' push to win the Summer League title rolled into Philadelphia on Friday night, and rookie forward Damion James delivered seven straight jumpers to help push his team to a 104-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. James finished 11/18 from the field, adding three rebounds and two assists on his way to a game-high 22 points. Philadelphia jumped out to an early lead, leading by six after one period -- 26-20 -- with Evan Turner scoring 15 points in a perfect 6/6 shooting. Though the Sixers shot 54 percent from the field in the first quarter, New Jersey managed to shoot 55 percent from the floor on the whole game and even collected 18 less free-throw tries than the Sixers, but with much more effectivity. James' 22 points led three other Nets in double figures, as Derrick Favors notched a double-double with 16 points and 15 boards, and Josh Boone kicked-in 20 points and 7 rebounds. “We just came out and played,” Favors said. “We were very physical tonight and my teammates were looking for me and we were looking for each other.”

Gabe Pruitt almost chipped-in a double-double of his own with 19 points and 9 assists. No. 2 overall pick Turner paced Philly with 20 points and six assists, while invitee Dee Brown finished with 14 points and other six assists. Turner had his moments where he looked like a rookie -- particularly on a turnover in the fourth quarter when they were trying to mount a comeback -- but he calmly shook off the miscue and finished strong down the stretch, knocking down a 3-pointer, but then Pruitt drove to the hoop for a layup to put the game out of reach for Philly. “Something has to happen right now because we can't afford to lose games like this,” Brown said. “We imposed our will early in the game but we couldn't keep it on the next quarters, in the second period they ran over us. As a result, we got beat badly at home.” Brown, Sasha Pavlovic, Mickael Gelabale, Ronald Dupree, Nathan Jawai, DeVon Hardin, Greg Stiemsma and Goran Suton were the free agents invited by the 76ers for their summer league team.

NEW JERSEY, July 17 -- Derrick Favors and Damion James admit that both don't know or care too much about baseball, but are learning. Since being drafted by the New Jersey Nets last June, Favors and James have made tours of both New York City ballparks, as last month they watched the New York Yankees defeat the Texas Rangers, 6-3, in the Bronx, and last week stopped by Citi Field to watch the Mets’ 5-2 fall against the Washington Nationals. Leaning against the rail of the visitors’ dugout at Yankee Stadium, James, a 6-foot-7 forward who was selected 24th overall in the draft, watched the Yankees take batting practice with Favors. James diplomatically said that he was not a fan of either New York team and that he did not know any of the players personally as it was his first Yankees game.

“I’m getting into it, though,” said James, who played four years at Texas. “They invited me and Derrick up here, so we came. We’re just enjoying the game.” That's a good thing for two rookie teammates: creating a bond, as they will surf the NBA waves together for the first time. And it's paying dividends, as James and Favors combined for 39.3 points per game in the Nets' 3 wins in the Summer League so far. Favors said that the draft experience was challenging and that he was excited to get back into an arena in which he is a little more comfortable. As for the topic on everyone’s mind in the NBA -- free agency, or what's left of it, as Miami swept the floor -- Favors did not have any more insight than the Nets fans wondering what will happen if the team courts some other unrestricted free agents. “We just got to wait and see what happens,” he said. “Hopefully we get a good player from what's left on the free agents pool.”

NEW JERSEY, July 17 -- This time had to be different. But it wasn't, not even in a summer league contest. On October 29, 2009, the Wizards built a 11-point halftime lead for a win over the Nets. On January 29 of this year, the Nets had a 8-point lead after a quarter but ended up losing by 2 on a Earl Boykins buzzer-beater. The story repeated itself two other times as Washington swept the season series with New Jersey. This time, the Washington Wizards almost blew a 15-point first quarter lead but a 16-2 run in the fourth led to a 101-77 win over the New Jersey Nets. The loss was the first for the Nets (3-1) in this Summer League, as John Wall earned Player of the Game honors, leading the way with 18 points and a game-high 13 assists and Lester Hudson contributed a game-best 22 points. JaVale McGee was also a force with 19 points and 10 boards.

“We need to carry this momentum into the coming games,” Wall said. “We had a good lead in the first periods and they came back on us in the third, but thankfully we had that big run in the last quarter and won the game.” The second half lacked a certain intensity but Nets assistant coach Thierry Tirieux felt it was more than just one half for his team. “I wish I could blame everything on the first quarter,” he said. “I don't think we came out and played hard from the beginning of the ball game. I was disappointed with our effort throughout the entire game.” New Jersey never led and never crept within double digits until the last period of the game. Rookies Derrick Favors and Damion James led the Nets with 14 points apiece, as Gabe Pruitt added 11 and Pops Mensah-Bonsu 9, as the Wizards were better in almost every category, except for turnovers. Washington invited Hudson, Sun Yue, Jeremy Richardson, Tarence Kinsey, Alando Tucker, Cartier Martin, Dwayne Jones and Steven Hill to their summer league team.

NEW JERSEY, July 18 -- Nervous. Despondent. Sorrowful. This is how LeBron James came across on the day that was supposed to be filled with joy. Imagine how he’ll look when he realizes exactly what his decision will bring. He has guaranteed a venomous reception the next time he steps foot in midtown Manhattan... or Chicago... or Los Angeles... or Newark... or every arena north of Miami, to sum it up. He has transformed his image from a universally worshiped superstar to a basketball villain, one who better win a championship or six if he ever hopes to change that back. Maybe most of all, a sickening episode for sports in general, as LeBron was the architect of the biggest “me me me” moment in the history of pro sports, with ESPN as an accomplice. James, asked about the reaction in Cleveland, actually said the fans there “can have mixed emotions.” Mixed? Oh, they’ll be well sorted. He has no clue what this decision -- and how it was handled -- is going to do for his image across the country, not just in his home state. But the biggest loser is LeBron himself. His good-guy image? Gone. His home-state adulation? Waaaay gone. The whole “global-icon” thing? Hard to accomplish when you’re not even the most popular player on your own team.

In fact, his seven words, already remixed into songs by DJs -- “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” -- have effectively ended New Jersey’s frustrating and fruitless flirtation with pro basketball. The chance that the Nets would provide one final moment of basketball joy disappeared tonight with barely a whimper. To think, the Nets actually thought they had a chance to get James, and when “The Decision” rolled around, ESPN rarely bothered to mention them as part of the process. The Nets entered the best free-agent market in history with $30 million to spend and end up with an oft-injured player who averages 9.1 points a game and plays a position they already have filled, former Clipper and Trail Blazer Travis Outlaw. Professional basketball in this state will almost certainly end in a way that befits its history here -- in the draft lottery, watching the ping-pong balls bounce, likely for the benefit of another team. The best the fans in Newark will get is a chance to boo him when he visits in a few months, but that will be short-lived and unfulfilling. New Jersey is just one of the losers in this “Decision”. James himself is much higher on the list. The biggest one might be sports overall.

NEW JERSEY, July 18 -- The big smile on Gabe Pruitt's face said it all. Hopping off the bench to greet his teammates during a fourth quarter timeout, he wore the grin of a player that had demolished his opponent and won a summer league title in the process. While they didn't score like 130 points, the New Jersey Nets did use a 101-78 victory over the Dallas Mavericks to win the Summer League. With Terrence Williams not even entering the game in the fourth, the Nets dismantled the Mavericks to finish the Summer League with a 4-1 record and lift the trophy. “You're going to get beat. Sometimes teams are better than you,” Mavericks rookie Dominique Jones continued. “They were better than us. They smoked us today.” Rodrigue Beaubois and invited free agents Adam Morrison and Marcus Landry all had 11 points each for Dallas. Also invited were Rob Kurz, J.R. Giddens, Nick Calathes, David Noel and Cheikh Samb.

While Williams scored a game-high 20 points for the Nets, to go with six boards and six assists, the story for New Jersey was their teamwork as five Nets scored in double figures. Pruitt had 19 points and 10 assists while Derrick Favors added another double-double with 12 and 10 rebounds. The Nets also enjoyed 12 points apiece from Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Josh Boone. In addition to Williams spending the fourth quarter cheering on his teammates from the bench, Pruitt and Favors were the only New Jersey starters to play at least 30 minutes. While the Nets were working as a team on both ends of the floor, the Mavericks seemed to have elected not to help each other on defense and instead settled for watching the Nets blow by them to the hoop or swing the ball to find the open man for jumper after jumper, for 33 assists on 44 field goals made. Shooting 56 percent for the game, the Nets were patient on the offensive end, waiting until they got just the shot they wanted. More often than not, it was an uncontested one. “We are just trying to get good ball movement, get penetrations and make the easy plays,” assistant coach Thierry Tirieux said of the team's offensive efficiency. “In the second period we really did that and we extended the lead, and we went to the locker room at halftime up by 20. Then coming out of it we knew we didn't want to let up and let those guys back into the game.”

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[Bucket↑↓]

Favors is the man

[Murat↑↓]

Can swear that this dynasty will end mostly at page 6.

[kibaxx7↑↓]

Thierry. is back! With 37th career!

Yeah. I want it to last.

Favors is the man

Yes he is, him and James make a great duo. Can't wait to play with them in 2k11.

Can swear that this dynasty will end mostly at page 6.

[Bucket↑↓]

Are you sure?

[kibaxx7↑↓]

Yes. And I'm waiting for some not-spam replies / comments.

[Lamrock↑↓]

Can swear that this dynasty will end mostly at page 6.

STFU with your bad posts and schadenfreude, Badger! That obviously won't happen!

He may not hit page 3

[shadowgrin↑↓]

FUCK YOU BADGER! You aren't even here in the forums for a year so you have no idea how many Thierry has abandoned in the past. That gives you no right to mock him. Fuck you. Fuck you both.



The links are an improvement, but your damn articles are still too long.
Those "interviews" are unnecessary for a summer league game, even if it is you make it appear so serious like a regular season game in the article, which makes it longer. Fuck, if you remove those interviews each topic would have about a paragraph each, which is ideal.

Mentioning LeBron's free agency? What a waste of time and effort on your part and waste of NLSC space in posting that. You think a basketball related site doesn't know about that and the vomit inducing coverage it had with sports news? What makes you think people would want to read 2 paragraphs about it again when we've been bombarded by it in the past when every time we get our fix of basketball news?