[46-36]History in the Making ※ Playoffs Preview!

[Valor]

Loving r2mvp and all of that. Hopefully yi can maintain his all star caliber play.

Cheers Lamrock, hope you guys are liking the new presentation thus far. I've been trying to give my updates a bit more marks on the aesthetics side of things as that's never been my strong point. It's never going to be Thierry-class but hopefully it allows for a more enjoyable/easier read

Let me know if you guys have suggestions for more improvements

Yi has been great for me so far, but the rest of the team aside from Asik and AI have been frankly disappointing, maybe I'm just expecting too much though

[kibaxx7]

Still looking pretty good man! Everyone has its forte. Keep it up!!!

[Valor]

Struggling Spurs break losing streak as Panthers' run falls short
Game Story | Box Score | Team Stats | Player of the Game


There was just no stopping Manu Ginobili in this game

San Antonio, TX - Gregg Popovich can finally let out a small smile again, something that's been a rarity as of late.

Behind a second quarter outburst and the play of Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio Spurs built a large lead early on and was able to hold off a comeback attempt from the New Zealand Panthers as they hold on to take a 102-94 victory and snap their 5 game losing streak.

The Spurs have been miserable all season long, winning just 7 of their 25 games played prior to this game, falling to the last place in the Southwest Division and the 14th seed in the Western Conference. In retrospect, all of the other four teams in the Southwest have records above .600.

"When things are like this we just want to take it a game at a time" said Popovich, "I thought our guys did a fantastic job tonight"

Of course, losing starting center Dejuan Blair for 7 games hurt the team, but ultimately the team's age seems to have finally caught up with them.

However, they showed no signs of that tonight against the youthful Panthers.

The team's two veteran stars, Manu Ginobili (34, 10th season) and Tim Duncan (35, 15th season) stepped it up and was a huge factor in the win. Ginobili led the way with 27 points while Duncan notched 19 points and 15 rebounds, including 6 on the offensive glass. The Spurs actually outrebounded the Panthers, who leads the league in rebounds at just under 49 a game.

"They put more effort in at both ends and that was the difference" said Larry Brown, "I thought our guys kind of underestimated them because of their record and took the night off, you can't do that and expect to win the ball game"

Allen Iverson was the leading man for New Zealand, as he racked up a game high 29 points along with 8 assists. Yi Jianlian chipped in with 23 points and 10 boards while Omer Asik had 14 rebounds (6 offensive) with 6 points and 4 blocks.

However, the Spurs were able to get by with double teams on Iverson and Yi for most of the game, due to the inability of the Panthers' supporting cast to knock down jumpers tonight.

Shane Battier, usually a solid marksman, was a horrid 5 for 18 from the field, including a 1-9 performance from three point land. The Panthers as a team was 3-19 from the field, and it wasn't until the fourth quarter, where rookie Harrison Barnes scored 10 of his 13 points, did things open up for Iverson and YI.

By then, it was too late.

"I think he just had a bad night" said Iverson, "We know Shane's going to knock those down, so I don't think I made any bad decisions kicking out the ball to him. He was open"

To make matters worse, starting point guard Eric Maynor rolled his ankle on the foot of Spurs guard Tony Parker as they were fighting for position in the second quarter. He would return but was clearly affected by the injury as he finished with just 4 points and 4 assists, going 1-6 from the field and had 4 turnovers.

Maynor is listed as day-to-day and is questionable for the Panthers' game against the Knicks on Wednesday.

The Panthers are now 17-11 and falls behind the Houston Rockets (16-10) to 4th in the Southwest Division. They currently hold the 6th overall seed in the West and are 2-3 in divison matchups; while the Spurs now have a 8-18 record, they are still 14th place in the West and are behind the 8th seeded Trailblazers (16-12) by 7 games.

Game Highlights
　 　
　 　
　 　



Player of the Game Highlights

[Valor]

Still looking pretty good man! Everyone has its forte. Keep it up!!!

Thanks for the kind words man, my forte is probably the passion for the game of basketball and hopefully that can be felt by you all as the readers of my association stories

[Valor]

NBA Christmas Special Preview


Los Angeles (AP) The Last time these two teams took the floor together, Kobe and the Lakers completed a 4 game sweep of the Heat in the NBA Finals and sent Phil Jackson into the sunset with his fourth three-peat completed.

In a rematch of last year's NBA Finals, the Miami Heat will look to redeem themselves against the three-time defending champions at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

After struggling to start the season, Miami has picked themselves up and have been blazing hot as of late, winning 7 of their last 10 and are currently on another three game winning streak as they look to catch the top seeded Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Standings.

Meanwhile, behind the great play of Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have maintained themselves as the force to be reckoned with, as they have quickly amassed the best record in the NBA at 24-5. Coming off a loss to Chicago, their second of the season, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will look to bounce back with an emphatic win against the Heat on Christmas day.

With the addition of JJ Barea this offseason to replace the retirement of Derek Fisher, as well as the breakout season from Andrew Bynum, the Lakers are embarking on their quest of winning a fourth straight championship.

The game will, of course, be featuring the Miami Heat's big three of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Wade currently leads the league in points at 28.7 per game, just 0.6 more than the second placed Bryant; while Lebron James is coming off a 20-11-11 triple double performance in Phoenix as the Heat took the easy 114-76 victory over Steve Nash and the struggling Suns. James leads the Heat in assists at 6.7 per game, and is second in both scoring (23.3) and rebounds (7.4), putting up one of the most all-rounded statline in the NBA.

As previously mentioned, Kobe Bryant has been on an absolute tear this season, playing through a sprained wrist the last two weeks, Bryant was still able to keep up his scoring average at 28.1 points while stacking up 5.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds, not to mention adding 3.0 steals per contest, good for 3rd best in the league. Kobe also has plenty of help in Pau Gasol (17.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg), Andrew Bynum (16.2 ppg, 9.2 rpg), and this season's new starting point guard JJ Barea (13.2 ppg, 6.2 apg).

Both teams have been playing very well lately and it should be a close one, however, the odds are against the Heat as they have lost all 6 of their contests against the Lakers last season (0-2 regular season, 0-4 playoffs).

That being said, the Lakers (aside from Kobe Bryant) have a tendency to fade out in regular season games, as evident in the recent 96-106 loss to Chicago. Whether it's due to having just won three straight world championships, nobody knows, but with that being factored in, the game will still be up for grabs.

[Valor]

Derrick Rose gets new deal from Bulls
Dec 24th, 2011 7:24 PM EST



Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls have agreed upon a $94.8 million contract
extension, Bulls general manager Gar Forman announced in a press conference earlier today.

"He embodies all the characteristics that you look for," coach Tom Thibodeau said.
"It's a lot more than the talent. The talent is the obvious part. Then, when you look
at his will to win, basketball IQ, unselfishness, his humility -- I think those are the
things that you can build a championship-caliber team around."

"I don't think you can put a ceiling on what Derrick can become," Forman said. "It's
scary to think that I think he'll continue to get better and better throughout his career."

Rose didn't seek a player option in his contract, something that was sought by LeBron
James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh when they signed their first new contracts in 2006,

"Derrick absolutely didn't want that," he said. "He wanted a full commitment to the
Chicago Bulls and to stay in Chicago. To us, that's really special. He stepped up. The
maximum length he could sign is what he wanted to sign."

Rose played all 82 games last season, averaging 27.1 points and 7.5 assists per game
as he led the Bulls to a 56-26 record, earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference
for the postseason, where they ultimately fell to the Atlanta Hawks in 6 games. Capping
off a season where Rose became just the fifth player in history (along with Oscar
Robertson, John Havlicek, Michael Jordan and James) to post 2,000 points, 600 assists
and 300 rebounds in a single season. Rose finished second in MVP voting behind Kobe Bryant.

In 28 games thus far this season, Rose is third in the league in both scoring (27.5 ppg) and
assists (8.9 apg), leading the Bulls to an NBA-best record of 23-5. Behind the play of Rose,
the Bulls ranks as both the best defensive team in the NBA (89.7 Points Allowed) as well as
the second best team on offense (101.9 Points Scored). Their 12.1 point differential is by
far tops in the league, with the second place Lakers at 7.7.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city's
rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with his hometown team.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win
back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before
the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

"The Bulls are loyal," Rose said. "They've stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me
by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I'm just happy that I'm here."

Williams, Nets agree upon 4 year extension
Dec 24th, 2011 9:12 PM EST



Deron Williams will not be hitting the market in the summer of 2012.

The New Jersey Nets and Deron Williams have come to terms on a 4 year extension worth about
$75.8 million dollars and has a fifth year player option that's approximately $23.05 million dollars,
Nets general manager Billy King announced earlier.

Williams, the former Utah Jazz star, was acquired by the Nets back in the 2010 offseason. A
7th year veteran, Williams averaged 20.8 points and 7.8 assists last season for the Nets, who
went 46-36 and made the playoffs, but was eliminated in six games by the Atlanta Hawks in
the first round.

"We are ecstatic to have Deron for another 4 (seasons" Billy King said, "We've attained
success the moment Deron walked through these doors, and we will hope to have continued
success in the future."

Williams had said that there was a 90% chance he'll stay with the Nets when his contract was
up. It appears as though the Nets' surprisingly good start to the season has solidified that standpoint.

New Jersey holds a record of 21-10 and is in a tie with Miami for the second best record in the
Eastern Conference. They have won 6 of their last 10 and was once in a 7 game winning streak
earlier in the season.

Through the 31 games played thus far, Williams has averages of 18.4 points and 7.7 assists per
contest. While his numbers are down from last season, it's a result of lesser playing time (36.1
to 34.3 mpg) due to the level of talent the Nets have in the backcourt with OJ Mayo, Jordan Farmar,
and Anthony Morrow.

Love, Wolves agree on 4 year extension
Dec 24th, 2011 11:00 PM EST



The Minnesota Timberwolves have come to terms with a 4 year, $63.12 million dollar
extension with forward Kevin Love, general manager David Kahn announced earlier today.

Drafted by the 5th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and was subsequently
traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that included 3rd overall pick OJ Mayo, Love has
averaged 13.5 points and 10.1 rebounds in his career thus far.

The Timberwolves were a Western Conference-worst 28-54 last season, but Love believes that will
change quickly.

"We've got lots of young talent and a terrific coach in Flip (Saunders)" said Love, "The wins will
come eventually"

They are already coming quickly, as the Wolves (13-17) are already on pace to win 12 more games
than they did last season. Granted, a record of 36-46 isn't by any means eye popping, but they are
at least a start, the Wolves are on a 3 game winning streak and features Rookie of the Year hopeful
Ricky Rubio (10.0 ppg, 9.1 apg) alongside other talents such as sophomore Wesley Johnson (13.4 ppg),
another rookie of the year hopeful Alec Burks (16.5 ppg), and Love's fellow 4th year forward Michael
Beasley (17.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg).

In 30 games played so far, Love has averages of 16.4 points per game and is 5th in the league in
rebounding at 10.8 boards per contest.

Cavs Fire Byron Scott
Dec 25th, 2011 09:15 AM EST



Following a 27-55 record in the 2010-11 campaign and a 10-18 start this season, the
Cleveland Cavaliers have announced the firing of head coach Byron Scott.

Currently in his second year coaching for the Cavaliers, Scott has a career coaching record of
389-428. He received Coach of the Year honors back in 2008 with the New Orleans Hornets.

Scott will be replaced by Johnnie Woolridge, a former front office staff.

[Valor]

Kobe's Game Winner Waived Off As Heat Wins Finals Rematch
Game Story | Box Score | Team Stats | Player of the Game


Kobe's potential game winning three was just a fraction of a second too late

Los Angeles, CA - Down two points with time running out, Kobe Bryant sized up his defender, stepped back and launched the potential game winning three pointer.

Nothing but Net.

Just as the Lakers and the rest of the Staples Center crowd began to cheer, however, a shrill blast of the whistle interrupted the celebration; and just like that, the unthinkable had just occurred.

The referees have waived off the game winning basket by Kobe Bryant, and upon review on the video replay, the call stands.

The Heat can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Behind Dwyane Wade's fourth quarter heroics, the Miami Heat rally from a 15 point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, 105-103.

Revenge complete.

LeBron James was given Player of the Game honors after he led the game with 44 points and 12 rebounds, however, he would go 1-5 in the fourth for just two points.

On the other hand, Dwyane Wade struggled in the first half, but turned it on when the game was on the line as he scored 19 of his 27 points in the final period. Wade also finished with 6 rebounds and 4 steals, and turned the ball over just once in 38 minutes of playing time.

For the Lakers, it was a heartbreaking meltdown that even Kobe Bryant couldn't save.

Bryant finished with 39 points, but was just a fraction of a second too late for the 42 and the Lakers' W.

"I thought it was out, but apparently not" said Bryant, who declined to comment further on the matter, "We gave up a *expletive" 15 point lead, we deserve to lose it"

Bryant didn't have too much help either outside of big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, who both finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Gasol added 5 blocks but turned the ball over 5 times and shot just 6 for 17 from the field.

To make matters worse, starting point guard JJ Barea came down awkwardly after being fouled by James in the 3rd quarter, he made both of the free throws but did not return.

Barea was diagnosed with a sprained right knee and is listed as day-to-day. He finished with just 6 points and 3 assists in 27 minutes of play.

Like the Lakers, the Heat didn't really have any contribution outside their big three - Chris Bosh had just 10 points and 10 rebounds himself, but did do his part compared to the other players. Mario Chalmers went 2 for 13 and finished with just 6 points in 38 minutes while the bench went 6-17 for 16 points.

However, they didn't really need them as James and Wade took over the scoring load. James in the first three quarters while Wade finished the job in the fourth.

"It was a total effort from myself and D-Wade" said James, "Just business as usual"

When asked upon his lack of production in the fourth, however, James pointed out his defensive efforts.

"Dwyane was getting it done so I just let him do his thing" said James, "I did my job on the defensive end. Basketball isn't just played on offense, you know"

With this victory, the Big Three of the Miami Heat have finally snapped the 0-6 streak against Kobe and the Lakers, which of course included a 0-4 exit in last year's NBA Finals. They are now on a 4 game winning streak and improve to 22-10 while the Lakers fall to 24-6 and concede the best record in the NBA to the 23-5 Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference.

Highlights






Player of the Game Highlights

[Valor]

Eric Maynor Out For Season With Broken Ankle
Dec 27th, 2011 11:19 PM EST



Panthers guard Eric Maynor will miss the remainder of the regular season after
X-Rays revealed a broken ankle on his right foot, the team announced earlier.

Maynor injured his ankle following a rebound with 9:47 remaining in the second quarter of
the Raptors-Panthers game earlier this evening. He landed awkwardly on a rebound attempt
and collapsed to the court, remaining there for approximately two minutes before the medical
staff had to carry him off the court.

X-Rays were positive and Maynor will undergo surgery to repair the ankle. The surgery, which
has not been scheduled, is expected to keep him out for a minimum of 4-6 months.

It is the same ankle that Maynor suffered a minor sprain on last Sunday in San Antonio in the
Panthers' 94-102 loss to the Spurs.

In 30 games so far, Maynor has been averaging 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.3
steals in 28.1 minutes per contest, which is nearly double the stat-line of both his rookie and
sophomore seasons.

"We are extremely disappointed for Eric" said Panthers Head Coach Larry Brown, "He's worked
so hard to this point and was a big reason behind our team's success"

[kibaxx7]

Kobe would have reached the 40-point line again -- something Bron did. Great game!

[Martti.]

Last 2 updates just like real life, only the Lakers didn't have a shot agains the Heat. (Kobe scored 12 of his 24 points in the final 4 minutes of garbage time)

[Valor]

Kobe would have reached the 40-point line again -- something Bron did. Great game!

I thought LeBron was going to drop at least 60...he lived up to expectations and choked in the fourth though, D-Wade was amazing to watch in that final 12 minutes....

Last 2 updates just like real life, only the Lakers didn't have a shot agains the Heat. (Kobe scored 12 of his 24 points in the final 4 minutes of garbage time)

Yep...Kobe should really shut it down for a while, rest up and come back when he's healthy...

Stay tuned fellas, the deal (from Ch. 7) has been done and done written up. Get ready for a big shock

[Valor]

Grading the Deal: Four Team Deal Sends Steve Nash to New Zealand
December 27th, 2011


Steve Nash has always been loyal to Phoenix and it's fans, but he deserves one last shot at a title


Just a few months after the New Zealand Panthers orchestrated a massive four team trade on draft night, they have completed another one.

This time, it's a four-team, nineteen player deal.

In case you were wondering, rest assured. You didn't read it wrong, it's a grand total of nineteen players involved; as the New Zealand Panthers, the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Phoenix Suns decide to do a little wheelin and dealin and shook things up around the association.

The New Zealand Panthers have sent rookie Enes Kanter and guard Smush Parker to the Phoenix Suns, and center Eddy Curry to the Dallas Mavericks, while acquiring former two time MVP Steve Nash as well as rookie Iman Shumpert from Phoenix. The Suns also traded forwards Jared Dudley and Channing Frye to the Dallas Mavericks, and also guard Zabian Dowdell and forward Hakim Warrick to the Detroit Pistons; while receiving a grand total of 7 players, which also included guards Ben Gordon and Daequan Cook, swingman Tracy McGrady, as well as foward/center Jason Maxiell from the Detroit Pistons and Dominique Jones from the Dallas Mavericks. To complete the deal, the Dallas Mavericks also sent swingmen Rudy Fernandez and Caron Butler alongside rookie CJ Leslie and center Brendan Haywood to Detroit in return for swingmen Vince Carter.

Below is a complete breakdown of the deal.

New Zealand receives: Steve Nash (PHX), Iman Shumpert (PHX)
Dallas receives: Vince Carter (DET), Jared Dudley (PHX), Channing Frye (PHX), Eddy Curry (NZL)
Detroit receives: Rudy Fernandez (DAL), Brendan Haywood (DAL), Caron Butler (DAL), CJ Leslie (DAL), Hakim Warrick (PHX), Zabian Dowdell (PHX)
Phoenix receives: Enes Kanter (NZL), Smush Parker (NZL), Ben Gordon (DET), Tracy McGrady (DET), Jason Maxiell (DET), Daequan Cook (DET), Dominique Jones (DAL)

With a record of 9-20, it was clear that the Suns are headed for a complete rebuilding mode. While Steve Nash remained loyal to the franchise and never requested for a trade, the Suns have finally decided to "do the right thing" and send off their soon-to-be 38 year old two time Most Valuable Player elsewhere so he could have a final shot at the title. They managed to get solid value from Nash in the form of Ben Gordon, Tracy McGrady, and Jason Maxiell while Enes Kanter will certainly be capable for them to build around as a foundation in the future alongside the likes of Robin Lopez, fellow rookie Rodney Williams, sophomore Dominique Jones, as well as Aaron Brooks, whom the Suns resigned for 6 years and $83.67 million dollars to take over the reins from Nash.

For the Dallas Mavericks, who have somewhat struggled as of late (5-5 in last 10 games) and are undergoing intense competition in the Southwest Division (Hornets, Panthers, and Mavericks are 1.5 games within each other, with the Rockets just another 1.5 games behind), a shot in the arm was needed; and with their owner being Mark Cuban, big moves are of no surprises. While the wing duo of Caron Butler and Rudy Fernandez wasn't bad, it wasn't anything to marvel at either despite Fernandez having a breakout season at 12.4 ppg. Vince Carter would be a massive upgrade at the two spot, especially in terms of efficiency and more scoring, not to mention his veteran experience; The Mavericks also get more depth with Jared Dudley and Channing Frye. While losing Brendan Haywood will hurt their defense, Ian Mahinmi looks to be ready and dumping Haywood's horrid contract is never a bad thing.

In the case of the Pistons, it's pretty much similar to the situation in Phoenix except they are not letting an aged great player go, they are simply cleaning up their past mistakes. At 9-21, it was clear that the Carter-McGrady experiment wasn't working, and as evident in the last few seasons, the Ben Gordon-Charlie Villanueva signings didn't exactly do much either. They are still stuck with Villanueva's horrible contract and took back Brendan Haywood's, but at the very least they have acquired young talents in Rudy Fernandez and rookie CJ Leslie, while coming away with a veteran that's still in his prime in Caron Butler. Haywood will aid the Pistons defense tremendously while Butler will immediately take over the responsibilities on the offensive end and make life easier for Kemba Walker, who can finally run the point with McGrady, Carter, and Ben Gordon gone.

Finally, for the New Zealand Panthers, it was a major win for them in this deal. With Eric Maynor out for the remainder of the regular season, the Panthers brought in the two time MVP Steve Nash, who is a major upgrade at the position to say the least. The Panthers never really had any point guard production (Maynor led the team with 5.9 assists) and also lacked a third scorer. As a result, New Zealand is ranked 23rd on offense (in retrospect, they are ranked 6th in defense) and have the 3rd most turnovers per game as a team. The addition of Nash, who through 29 games is averaging 18.7 points and 6.4 assists per game, fits both of those needs immediately; and while a backcourt of him and Iverson might not slow anybody down, they still have great defenders such as Shane Battier, Thabo Sefolosha, and Omer Asik to fill the void. They gave up promising big Enes Kanter, but it is definitely worth it as the deal makes them a serious contender in the Western Conference Playoff hunt. However, by trading both Kanter and Curry away, they've lost a lot of depth up front and might need to get another center, whether via trade or the free agent market. As for the rookie Shumpert, who was drafted by Phoenix with the 41st overall pick, has yet to prove himself. He has just played 5 games thus far, scoring a grand total of 5 points in his NBA career. He should see some more time now that Maynor's out for the season, if he shows his potential, the Panthers are set for the future as well as the present.

For Nash, although the Panthers are not instant title contenders like the Lakers, Heat, Clippers, Magic, Hawks or even the Knicks; the second year franchise is still a solid team with Allen Iverson and Yi Jianlian leading the way, surrounded by good role players in Shane Battier, Thabo Sefolosha, Eric Maynor and Omer Asik while also having a future with rookies Harrison Barnes, Kenneth Faried, and (now) Iman Shumpert. With Nash joining the fold the Panthers will certainly be deep in the mix of the playoff teams of the Western Conference that could perhaps pull off upsets ala 07 Golden State Warriors. Nash is definitely better off in New Zealand than back in Phoenix.

Grade for Mavericks: B
Grade for Panthers: A
Grade for Pistons: C+
Grade for Suns: A-
Grade for Nash: A

[cavs4872]

though Yi is a bust i love power forwards who stretch the floor and what you're doing with him is great iron this thing out pretty quickly if you want a title soon though because you won't have nash for too many more years. with iverson, yi, and nash you aren't too far from a title; i think you just need to acquire a dominant center via trade or free agency

[Martti.]

Wasn't what I was expecting, but a nice move nonetheless. I guess Asik's spot as the startong C is safe.

[Valor]

though Yi is a bust i love power forwards who stretch the floor and what you're doing with him is great iron this thing out pretty quickly if you want a title soon though because you won't have nash for too many more years. with iverson, yi, and nash you aren't too far from a title; i think you just need to acquire a dominant center via trade or free agency

Yeah man, versatile fours are always great to have. I think I'm still a few more steps from being a real title contender since Nash isn't really that All-Star caliber point anymore, but we'll at least be competitive with him and our defense. Another 1 or 2 seasons might be needed to get the title though

Wasn't what I was expecting, but a nice move nonetheless. I guess Asik's spot as the startong C is safe.

I actually was planning to go either Bynum, Bogut, or Tyson Chandler..but Maynor's injuries changed my plans I'll need to find a center now that Kanter and Curry are both gone though...Sean Marks isn't going to be enough

[Valor]

Panthers, Kwame Brown Agree On Deal
Dec 28th, 2011



Free agent center Kwame Brown has agreed to terms on a one-year,
$3.5 million contract with the New Zealand Panthers.

Drafted 1st overall by the Washington Wizards in 2001, Brown has had career
averages of 6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds over 10 years and 592 games. He last
played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season, through 82 games, he averaged
3.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game.

After losing Enes Kanter and Eddy Curry in the four team trade that brought them
Steve Nash yesterday, the Panthers needed another center on the roster to fill
the void.

Brown is expected to fight for minutes with 36 year old Sean Marks at the center
spot behind Omer Asik.

[Lamrock]

[Valor]

Glad to see someone getting the joke so quickly

[Martti.]

Slamdumb hasn't had updates in over a year, that sucks, loved those comics.

Anyway, I think Kwame will do fine, a decent back-up C.

[Valor]

Slamdumb hasn't had updates in over a year, that sucks, loved those comics.

Me too man, those are hilarious

Anyway, I think Kwame will do fine, a decent back-up C.

I do hope he'll be somewhat decent in clogging the middle, not much choice out on the FA market really

[hova-]

Signing six fouls ... guess you could have gotten that cheaper than 3.5M$

[Warlock95]

Well, for a moment I thought you signed Kobe, then I wondered, "What would the Panthers give up to sign a player that good?" And it occurred to me, there WAS another KB in the league...

[kibaxx7]

Signing six fouls ... guess you could have gotten that cheaper than 3.5M$

It could have been worse: trading for DeSagana Diop.

[Valor]

Signing six fouls ... guess you could have gotten that cheaper than 3.5M$

Hey, it's cheaper than the $7M the Warriors paid IRL!! didn't have a choice really, it's only a one year deal so won't hurt me much, if at all

Well, for a moment I thought you signed Kobe, then I wondered, "What would the Panthers give up to sign a player that good?" And it occurred to me, there WAS another KB in the league...

That was the joke! Yep, there's ANOTHER player with the K.B. initials. This one a little less impressive than the Black Mamba

It could have been worse: trading for DeSagana Diop.

I'm not THAT bad of a GM....or am I? Maybe I should've tried to get Brendan Haywood in that deal for Nash, but his contract is way too long for my liking

[Valor]

Iverson drops 34 as New-Look Panthers Rally Past Clippers for Third Straight Win
Game Story | Box Score | Team Stats | Player of the Game


It took him a while (and a lot of shots), but The Answer was still able to welcome Steve Nash with a W

Los Angeles, CA – Larry Brown had but one simple message to the struggling Allen Iverson at halftime.

“I told him to just keep being aggressive” Brown said, “He’s never let his teammates down before and I never had a doubt that tonight won’t be the same”

Iverson did just that, scoring 26 of his game high 34 points in the second half (14/40 FG for the game) and leading the new-look Panthers to a 100-94 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center following a 17 point deficit in the first half.

“I was playing [expletive] in the first half” Iverson said, “I mean, it would’ve been easy for me to sit back and say we (the team) are not familiar with each other; but that’s just some bs excuses. I ain’t going to turn my back on my teammates. They got my back and I’ve got theirs”

The Panthers have just gone through a massive four-team deal that saw the arrival of former two-time MVP Steve Nash, rookie Iman Shumpert, and free agent signing Kwame Brown.

Nash, who finished with 15 points and 9 assists in his Panthers debut, said that he was unsure of what to expect from Iverson, but it was a pleasant surprise for him.

“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest.” Nash said, “So many different stories about him here and there, but tonight I saw it with my own eyes. He’s a great teammate and a fiery competitor. I’m glad to be on this team.”

“It wasn’t just him that played bad in the first, the whole team stank.” Nash continued, “But we fought hard as a team and came out with the W”

It was indeed a gritty effort for New Zealand, as evident by the career high 18 rebounds grabbed by center Omer Asik, who also added 10 points and 5 blocks. Yi Jianlian had 17 points and 11 boards, while Harrison Barnes and Thabo Sefolosha added 8 and 7 points respectively.

After shooting just 29% in the first half (LAC went 42%), the Panthers reversed their fortunes in the second as they finished the game having went 41 for 93 from the field. In comparison, the Clippers’ field goal percentage dropped to 38% (34/89) and went 1/9 from distance in the second half.

Eric Gordon led the charge for the Clippers with 29 points. Chris Kaman notched a double double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Rudy Gay added 12 points of his own while Blake Griffin grabbed 15 rebounds.

However, Griffin was shut down by the Panthers Omer Asik, as he went 3 for 11 from the floor to finish with just 8 points. Mo Williams was also struggling in the game, going 2 for 12 and finished with 7 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.

“We relaxed and got our [expletive] kicked in the second half” Vinny Del Negro said, “Bottom line is, we don’t stop playing until the final buzzer sounds”

Early on, it seemed like nothing was going to go wrong for LA. Eric Gordon was on fire from the get-go and already had 18 points by the end of the half, which included improbable fadeaway 3 pointers as well as shots from 30 feet out.

It all went downhill after that.

The Panthers now possess a 20-12 record, rising up the standings and are just half a game behind the 3rd seeded Clippers (19-10) and one game behind the Southwest Division leading Hornets (20-10).

Notes: Late in the second quarter, Yi Jianlian grabbed the ball out of Clippers center Chris Kaman’s hands on a put-back dunk attempt. Yi was called for goaltending…Rookie Iman Shumpert had two dunks for four points in his Panthers debut…New signing Kwame Brown notched 2 rebounds and 2 steals in his first game of the season...This is the first time in the last 16 games that Blake Griffin has failed to score in double figures…The Clippers have been said to be in discussions for Hornets guard Chris Paul, but a deal looks unlikely at this point…

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