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2013 NBA Draft: Full 2-Round Mock

  By Dan Cutter | May 31, 2013 - 5:24 PM |
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Rejoice, as the NBA Draft is less than a month away! About a week ago, I mocked the lottery. But here is the first full, “Official” NBA Mock Draft!

First Round

1. Cleveland Cavaliers- Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

Chad Ford recently reported that the Cavs will consider Alex Len along with Porter, McLemore, and Noel for the number one pick… don’t buy it. Noel is number one unless some concrete info comes out.

2. Orlando Magic- Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

Every GM in this draft is in love with and wants Oladipo. The Magic will also consider Burke and McLemore, but Victor is the safest of all three.

3. Washington Wizards- Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

Just a perfect fit next to John Wall and Brad Beal.

4. Charlotte Bobcats- Alex Len, C, Maryland

Byron Mullens is the Bobcats’ starting center… ‘nough said.

5. Phoenix Suns- Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

Phoenix is ecstatic for arguably the most talented player in the draft who also happens to be a position of need fall to number 5.

6. New Orleans Pelicans- Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Greivis Vasquez had a very good year, but Burke has a higher ceiling, and a co-existing backcourt of the two would be interesting.

7. Sacramento Kings- Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

The Kings get to stay- so let’s draft them a player who will excite the fans with his passing and leadership.

8. Detroit Pistons- Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV

Is he a ‘tweener, or a stretch, small forward version of Paul Millsap? The latter would make Detroit a very talented, big team.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves- C.J. McCollum, SG, Lehigh

The T’Wolves have great building blocks, but have no one who can create their own shot. McCollum was one of the NCAA’s best at that the last 4 years.

10. Portland Trail Blazers- Rudy Gobert, C, France

The Blazers need to draft a big here, or Joel Freeland could end up seeing nearly 30 minutes a night next year. Gobert fits nicely as a rip protected next to the offensive Aldridge.

11. Philadelphia 76ers- Cody Zeller, C, Indiana

Zeller improved his stock at the combine by testing very well athletically, he could end up much higher than this if interviews go well.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto)- Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville

Kendrick Perkins needs to go, and Dieng would be an excellent replacement. Gorgui was the defensive anchor for the best defensive team in college basketball the last two years, and his great size and athleticism should transfer well at the next level.

13. Dallas Mavericks- Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Adams dominated the combine after a pedestrian freshman year at Pitt. Dallas is ancient in the frontcourt and needs to get younger, Steven provides exactly that.

14. Utah Jazz- Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

Utah has very little scoring from the wing, and Shabazz would be a nice inside-out combo with whichever big men stick around in Utah.

15. Milwaukee Bucks- Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

The speedy point guard supposedly received a top-20 promise at the combine. I think it’s either Dallas, Utah, or Milwaukee. The Bucks could very well be fed up with the inconsistent growth Brandon Jennings has shown, and it might be time to part ways.

16. Boston Celtics- Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

Some think Saric might be the best international player in the entire class. His 6’10” frame and ability to stretch the floor make him a player loaded with potential.

17. Atlanta Hawks- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

Kentavious has gunner written all over him. Let’s just hope he goes more of the J.R. Smith route rather than the Jordan Crawford way.

18. Atlanta Hawks (from Houston)- Sergey Karasev, SF, Russia

Karasev is a skinny 19 year old international prospect, which would lead many to believe that he’s very raw. Quite the contrary. Sergey plays 30 minutes a night for for team overseas, and is a polished scorer and passer. His potential isn’t quite as high as the other international prospects, but he should contribute right away.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Los Angeles)- Reggie Bullock, SG, North Carolina

When both Irving and Waiters were both injured last season, the Cavs had nobody who could create their own shot. Enter Bullock, a fantastic 3-point shooter whose frame and play style reminds me of Rip Hamilton a bit.

20. Chicago Bulls- Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan

After three up-and-down seasons at Michigan, Tim Jr. impressed scouts with the shooting clinic he put on. His play there likely solidified his status as a 1st-rounder.

21. Utah Jazz (from Golden State)- Shane Larkin, PG, Miami (Fl)

The Jazz currently have no point guards under contract for next season. Larkin probably isn’t the long-term answer, but he should provide valuable minutes at the point for many years.

22. Brooklyn Nets- Glen Rice Jr., SG, Rio Valley Grand Vipers

After being kicked out of Georgia Tech, Rice dominated the D-League this year with a combination of shooting and penetrating. Brooklyn could use an explosive scorer to come off the bench.

23. Indiana Pacers- Allen Crabbe, SG, Cal

The Pacers could always use more outside shooting, and Crabbe is one of the best available, after consistently hitting around 40% of his 3s in college.

24. New York Knicks- Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas

A highly touted prospect who had to enroll at UNT for academic reasons, Mitchell’s numbers fell from his awesome freshman year (57/44/74) to just 44/30/68 during his sophomore campaign. Hard to tell if the first year was a fluke, or if the second season was just a bad streak. What we do know is Mitchell is an athletic freak.

25. Los Angeles Clippers- Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

Olynyk’s stock is falling after he tested poorly at the combine, having just a 6’9” wingspan despite being 7’0”. Not a good sign. Kelly’s lack of length and explosiveness could be hidden if he was playing next to one of the two most athletically gifted big men in the NBA.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis)- Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

If Nikola Pekovic leaves, Minnesota definitely needs a big man. But even if he stays, they still need a defensive presence inside, as Pekovic and Love are offensive big men. Withey is a dynamic shot blocker and has the potential to be a good, 3rd big man for a long time.

27. Denver Nuggets- Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Greece

A typical foreign, late-1st round prospect, Giannis is big on size and athleticism (was the primary ballhandler for his Greek team despite being 6’10”), but is extremely raw. He’s only player in Greek youth leagues. However, Denver is a team with great depth that could afford to take a developmental player. The biggest question about Antetokounmpo though is if his last name can fit on a jersey.

28. San Antonio Spurs- Mike Muscala, C/PF, Bucknell

Muscala is a fascinating player. He only attempted 67 threes in his four years of being a Bison, yet he absolutely crushed it from deep at the combine. There’s a spot for you on most teams when you’re a seven footer who can hit from behind the arc, as evidenced by a certain White Mamba on the Spurs. That’s why I like Muscala here- Matt Bonner is getting really old, and San Antonio needs a token big white dude who can hit threes.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder- Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego St.

For the second straight year, the Thunder get great value late in the 1st. Franklin is a late lottery talent, who isn’t a very good shooter, but is a great athlete and defender.

30. Phoenix Suns (from Miami)- C.J. Leslie, F, NC State

The Suns biggest need is guys who are good at basketball. C.J. Leslie is. In three years at NC State he consistently scored and played hard defense night in and night out. Leslie isn’t great at any one thing, but is good at many.

Second Round

31. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Magic)- Ricky Ledo, G/F, Providence

Cleveland took a proven player at 19 in Bullock, and now the complete opposite at 31. Ledo didn’t play a single game at Providence as he was partially inelligible. However, Ledo has phenomenal offensive talent and was a 5-star recruit. The Cavs can afford to gamble on this pick, and if it plays out, Waiters or Bullock become expendable.

32. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Bobcats)- Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil

If Perk is indeed amnestied, the Thunder’s biggest need will be depth. Nogueira is a super long, athletic foreign prospect who could go in the late first.

33. Cleveland Cavaliers- Livio Jean-Charles, F, France

Jean-Charles exploded onto the scene at the Nike Hoop Summit, and has been rising up draft boards ever since. Right now he’s too skinny (only 217 pounds on his 6’9” frame, 7’2” wingspan) and he isn’t a dynamic athlete, but he’s a smart player with lots of potential on both sides of the ball. Look for him to potentially shoot up into the first round.

34. Houston Rockets (from Suns)- Mouhammadou Jaiteh, C, France

Omer Asik might be trade bait, but even if he stays, the Rockets could use some more size. Jaiteh is a good offensive player, but has a ways to go on defense, despite his size (6’11”, 250 lbs) and length (7’4” wingspan).

35. Philadelphia 76ers (from Hornets)- James Southerland, SF, Syracuse

This Orange Alum does two things well; 3-point shooting and hard defense. That’ll be enough for him to be a rotational player in the league. Think Quincy Pondexter.

36. Sacramento Kings- Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

Another 5 star prospect turned 2nd round draft pick, Goodwin struggled at Kentucky, with a split of just 44/27/64 and 3.1 turnover for every 2.7 assists. He really could have used another year, but apparently doesn’t want to compete with the incoming freshman. Loads of talent.

37. Washington Wizards- Deshaun Thomas, F, Ohio St

Thomas is a good complementary option for Washington for when Otto Porter comes out of the game, as Deshaun is the kind of player who looks to score first, contrary to Otto.

38. Detroit Pistons- Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor

Detroit could lose Jose Calderon and Will Bynum this offseason, and Brandon Knight is more of a combo guard than a true point. Jackson could be a great spark plug off the bench, like Jose Barea, Nate Robinson or Leonardo Barbosa.

39. Portland Trailblazers (from T’Wolves)- Lorenzo Brown, PG, NC State

Despite only playing point guard the last two seasons at NC State (he was previously a shooting guard), Brown has shown great promise as a passer, averaging 6 and 7 assists in those two years respectively. His turnovers are a little high (3.5) but that’s to be expected for a brand new 6’5” point guard.

40. Portland Trailblazers- Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State

Jackie would be an instant fan favorite in Portland, with his relentless hustle and solid back-to-the basket game. As I said earlier, Portland is crazy thin everywhere, but specifically the frontcourt. Carmichael provides good depth.

41. Memphis Grizzlies (from Raptors)- Isaiah Canaan, G, Murray St

If Jerryd Bayless walks in free agency, Canaan would be a good replacement. He isn’t a true point guard, but neither was Bayless, and he had a nice role as a gunner with them.

42. Philadelphia 76ers- Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech

Green had a breakout senior season for the Hokies, averaging 25 points on an efficient 17 shots. He’d be a nice combo guard behind Jrue Holiday, and could be similar to when Philly played Holiday and Lou Williams at the same time.

43. Milwaukee Bucks- Grant Jerrett, F, Arizona

A third 5 star prospect who left after his freshman season to be a likely 2nd rounder, Jerrett is a stretch forward, who shot an impressive 40% from downtown but a worrisome 41% from the field. The Bucks could use a big guy who can stretch the floor next to LARRY SANDERS!!!

44. Dallas Mavericks- Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit

Rodrigue Beaubois and Darren Collison aren’t guaranteed to be Mavericks next year (and neither is Chris Paul) so the Mavs should probably start getting some depth. McCallum played 3 good seasons for his dad at Detroit University, despite being a highly touted prospect.

45. Portland Trailblazers- James Ennis, SF, Long Beach St

Ennis is just good! He has prototypical size, is a good shooter and rangy defender. He likely will never be starter-caliber, but could be a great bench player on a title contender.

46. Utah Jazz- Ryan Kelly, PF, Duke

Even though he’s just a 3 point shooter, Kelly will find a team. All he’ll have to do in Utah is stand in the corner and jack up shots. That sounds like lots of fun.

47. Atlanta Hawks- Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota St

Kyle Korver is a free agent, and not to sound like a broken record, but great 3 point shooters are at such a premium. The John Jenkins pick didn’t really work last year, so the Hawks are gonna try and see if the former Jackrabbit works.

48. Los Angeles Lakers- Kenny Kadji, PF/C, Miami (Fl)

Kadji was the best center athletically at the combine and the Lakers could really use some explosiveness at this spot. I’m trying to make it through this without saying his na- DWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT AGHHHHHHHH. He’s totally gone.

49. Chicago Bulls-Dewayne Dedmon, C, USC

The Bulls really missed Omer Asik this year, especially since Joakim Noah always seems to be playing through some injury. Dedmon is a big body with a good interior presence, although very limited offensively.

50. Atlanta Hawks- Colton Iverson, C, Colorado St

C.I. is one of the biggest dudes in the draft, towering at a legit 7’ and 265 lbs. He’s a good post scorer, something Atlanta could use off the bench, but his defense is porous and he doesn’t do much else.

51. Orlando Magic- Andre Roberson, F, Colorado

Roberson is an intriguing prospect, because despite his 6’7” height, he was one of the NCAA’s rebounding leaders at over 11 a game. If you can grab lots of boards at one level, you can usually do it at any level. That being said, Roberson is only 205, so he doesn’t have a true position.

52. Minnesota Timberwolves- Bojan Dubljevic, PF/C, Montenegro

Dubljevic is in the mold of Kevin Love, as a 6’10” power forward who shoots it well from deep. With Love’s injury issues last year, the T-Wolves really missed that ability to stretch the floor. Bojan is apart of a deep international class.

53. Indiana Pacers- Trevor Mbakwe, PF/C, Minnesota

Mbakwe never quite lived up to his potential coming out of high school, but was still a productive player in college. He’s a little short (6’8”) but his 7’4” wingspan makes up for it. David West is an unrestricted free agent and Tyler Hansbrough is a restricted, so the Pacers could use some depth.

54. Washington Wizards- Erik Murphy, PF, Florida

Another great 3-point shooter, Murphy could go off the board as early as the 30s if a team really wants a big who can shoot it from deep. Range isn’t exactly a term you’d used to describe the tandem of Emeka Okafor and Nene, so Murphy is a nice change of pace to that.

55. Memphis Grizzlies- Alex Abrines, SG, Spain

Memphis can afford to stash the talented but raw Abrines overseas for a few more years.

56. Detroit Pistons- Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona

The Wildcats leading scoring goes to a team that needs a steady, reliable source of points. Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight are too inconsistent to rely on night in and night out.

57. Phoenix Suns- Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas

Kabongo has the talent, but character and elgibility issues plagued his short career at Texas. He could relieve Goran Dragic, as well as potentially play beside him.

58. San Antonio Spurs- Richard Howell, PF, NC State

A great low post-scorer, NC State’s coach mark Gottfried said that Howell was the best player on the Wolfpack last season, despite Leslie and Brown going well before him. His size is his major downfall, but the Spurs could use a scoring forward.

59. Minnesota TImberwolves- B.J. Young, G, Arknasas

B.J. has gunner potential; he’s not efficient, but can get very hot and score in bunches. Minnesota has little perimeter scoring.

60. Memphis Grizzlies- Vander Blue, SG, Marquette

Tony Allen will probably stay a member of the Grizz, and Blue could battle with Tony Wroten to be his eventual replacement. Blue has good enough size (6’5”), athleticism, and motor to be a god NBA defender one day.

About Dan Cutter

Full-time University of Nebraska-Omaha student, hotel front desk worker, speech and music nerd, overall swell guy. Add me on facebook or follow me on twitter @KidCutskey

San Antonio Spurs Win Game 2 93-89 Over the Memphis Grizzlies: Recap

  By Josh Planos | May 22, 2013 - 7:57 PM |
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parker

I’m guessing Tony Parker slept pretty well last night.  Although the San Antonio point guard has been dealing with a troublesome left calf, set to be evaluated on Thursday, he showed no signs of hesitation Tuesday night.  Parker had 15 points and a career-best 18 assists in San Antonio’s 93-89 Game 2 win against Memphis in the Western Conference Finals.  A game that went to overtime via a Mike Conley and Jerryd Bayless inspired 15-2 run over the final 8 minutes of regulation, the Spurs showed signs of deceleration down the stretch.  Signs, that were far from present throughout the first three quarters.

-Back to Parker.  Good god did that man have it going on Tuesday night.  For a while there it felt as though if Parker wasn’t draining an off-balance jump shot, he was setting up another Spur, flying across the court for all of his 42 minutes on the court.  A well balanced offense and cohesive defense in overtime were key for the Spurs as they took an important 2-0 lead on Memphis, who must now win both games at home to keep this from being a series decided on the road.  Tim Duncan looked as young as ever in overtime, coming up with 1 of his 4 blocks in the deciding quarter and scoring the Spurs first 6 points of OT, taking apart Zach Randolph’s exhausted attempts at defense.  It appears he has some gas left in the tank, and San Antonio fed off it Tuesday night.

Possibly the first smile of Tim Duncan’s career

On the Memphis side of things, it was the same story different tune for Zach Randolph.  Stats wise, ZBO had a pretty decent game with 15 points on 6-18 shooting along with 18 rebounds and 2 blocks, most of which came in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  However, what isn’t present in his stat column is how much he hurt the Grizzles down the stretch Tuesday night.  Clearly gassed from 45 minutes of play, Randolph was slow and taxing throughout overtime, hurting Memphis defensively (he guarded Tim Duncan most of the quarter, and Duncan went off) and taking off-balanced shots, which couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net.  Mike Conley had the game that he needed (18pts, 4 dimes), bringing the Grizzlies back in the closing minutes, but he’s going to need offensive help come Game 3.  While Jarryd Bayless also had a great night (18pts on 7-18 shooting), the last two shots of overtime were downright abysmal.  Down three with 14.6 seconds left, Bayless hoisted an off-balance three that drew a horrified and disappointed expression from Lionel Hollins.  Clearly, Bayless was hyped after his great night and thought he could be the hero Tuesday, but that shot has to go to your leader, Conley.  Even dumping it into Gasol or a cutting Tony Allen would’ve been a better decision, but hey, Bayless is 24-years-old.  It’ll be interesting to note whether Tayshaun Prince chooses to show up in Game 3, as he continued his poor play Tuesday night with just 2pts and 2rebs.

One thing’s for certain, if Memphis wants this series, they’re going to have to do much more than make a later run in the 4th, because the Greg Popovich that I know, won’t allow San Antonio to make those same mistakes again.

About Josh Planos

Can the Pacers Beat the Heat?

  By Dan Cutter | May 22, 2013 - 10:10 AM |
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james

Nope.

Just kidding. It won’t be easy, though. This year’s version of the Miami LeBrons is the best yet. Each of the Big Three shot over 50% from the field, with James checking in at 57% (as well as 41% from 3). Five players shoot over 40% from 3, with Rashard Lewis just behind at 39% and Norris Cole at 36%. One of those five shooting 40+% is not Chris Bosh, who is makin’ it rain from beyond the arc in the playoffs with his blistering 47% mark. Basically, last year’s most physically dominant and athletic team is now one of the most (if not THE most) efficient teams shooting wise AND they are healthy too. People seem to forget Bosh’s injury at the beginning of last year’s series in the Conference Semifinals against Indiana but that certainly had an impact as well. So everyone is screwed, right?

Not if the bad-boy, rock ‘em sock ‘em crew that is the Indiana Pacers have anything to say about it. Indy is about as close as you can get to an antithesis of the Miami Heat. The Pacers are slow, big, and methodical, while the Heat fly up and down the court, play small ball, and shoot lots and lots of 3s. It’s Miami’s unstoppable force of an offense against the immovable Indiana defense. The old adage says defense wins championships, but that isn’t applicable to the current landscape of the NBA. The last defense-first oriented team to win a championship was the 2004 Detroit Pistons, and that was a different league. Not to say that Indiana is incapable offensively. Danny Granger’s season-ending injury set them back at the beginning of the year, but they came in since the All-Star Break to finish in the top 15 as a team offensively.

In order for Indiana to beat Miami, they’ll have to play the Heat’s game a little bit. They don’t want to run up and down the court with them, that would mean a quick 4-game sweep for Miami; but the Pacers are going to have to make 3s. The biggest question is how? Without a reliable penetrator or shot-creator, shooting 3s isn’t the easiest of tasks. Indiana and Miami played three regular season games this year, with Indy taking the first two and Miami winning the third. There were two main differences in the contests. In the first two, the Pacers shot over 40% from 3 and obliterated Miami on the boards (including 22 offensive rebounds in the first game), but in the series finale, the Heat shot 50% from downtown and evened out the rebounding margin. Everything else, turnovers, fouls, free throw shooting, was fairly similar. What this tells us that in order for Indiana to be productive against Miami, they have to dominate the glass, both offensively and defensively (especially offensively), as that’s one of the best ways for them to get open shots. Paul George, George Hill, and Lance Stephenson are all better 3 point shooters than their playoff numbers suggest (27%, 32%, and 27% respectively) so hopefully that will balance out for them in this series. Miami also plays very aggressively on pick-and-rolls, so David West will be crucial this series as a distributor. Think back to the Golden State piece I wrote about a week ago. On pick-and-rolls, when the defense is aggressive, often times the rotating big man will get into the ball handler’s face, so the handler will dump it off to the guy rolling to the hoop, in this situation for Indiana, it’s usually David West. The defense will then rotate to prevent an easy West bucket, usually leaving one of the corners open, where D.J. Augustin/Hill/Stephenson/George, etc. will be waiting for the open shot.

We know what Indiana is going to do. They’re gonna play really good defense, and they aren’t going to be afraid to hit Miami in the mouth first. But the Heat will come back with a full head of angry LeBron-fueled steam. Will Indiana be able to answer for when the inevitable happens and James snaps into God Mode? For the sake of an awesome series, I sure hope so.

The matchup everyone will be watching is Paul George, one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, guarding the King himself. LeBron destroys his foes in numerous ways, and one of his favorites is by forcing them into foul trouble. If George can’t stay on the court, the Pacers are done. They are paper-thin behind him because of the injury to Granger. Sam Young and Gerald Green don’t stand a chance against James. Paul needs to be able to play great defense on James without hacking him or taking any stupid fouls, because he’s going to need to match every single one of number 6’s minutes. Considering that Kevin Durant was exhausted guarding LeBron in last year’s finals, and it caused his offense to suffer (also he couldn’t stay on the court due to foul issues that Lebron created), the idea of George locking down LeBron and being the primary, or even second, weapon on offense is difficult to swallow. That makes it all the more imperative that Hill, Augustin, and the other role players hit those 3s.

In all likelihood, Miami is going to win this series. I think in 5 games. However, to say they don’t stand any chance is ignorant. Indy could absolutely catch fire from 3, Hibbert could snag 5 offensive boards a game, and David West could elbow Chris Bosh in the Adam’s apple so hard that he doesn’t look like a velociraptor anymore. The Pacers are the kind of team who fully believe that they can and will knock the Heat out. It’s not likely. But crazier things have happened. Just look at this guy.

http://www.droppin.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/hansbroughheadbandgoggles2.jpg

 

About Dan Cutter

Full-time University of Nebraska-Omaha student, hotel front desk worker, speech and music nerd, overall swell guy. Add me on facebook or follow me on twitter @KidCutskey

Western Conference Finals Outlook: San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

  By Josh Planos | May 19, 2013 - 11:03 PM |
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parker

In case you hadn’t heard, the San Antonio Spurs are pretty good.  They’ve been good for quite a while actually.  This greatness was in jeopardy this past offseason, but Tim Duncan, being the demigod that he is, agreed to halve his salary in order to keep the team intact.  He’s now the 4th highest Spur on the team although he has 14 All-Star appearances, four championships, 3 NBA Finals MVP’s, and an obvious place in the HOF upon retirement –but back to the Spurs.  All they were told all season long was how age would catch up to them.  San Antonio had the best record in the Western Conference this year.  And they just went up 1-0 on the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals.  The first game wasn’t close.

There’s a reason why we love the Playoffs, the stories that they provide, which are then recounted and burned into our basketball-allotted-memories for the rest of time.  Pick a storyline and I guarantee you can find a version of it covered in this series.  Can youth trump experience?  Can a team who hasn’t been there defeat the Goliath of its conference?  Can a city earn its first trip to the NBA Finals in team history?  Can a coach whose legacy has been torn apart, spit on, and re-amended by the city he once played for, finally find a signature win?  Where the hell did Tracy McGrady go?  Everything can be found in this series.

Back to the first game.  This was a dominant effort by San Antonio.  Before the game I felt that the key factor in this series would be the boards, San Antonio ended up losing that battle by two, and still won by 22 (105-83).  Turns out if you shoot 52.6% from the field it doesn’t matter who wins the glass.  We all know the Spurs start fast, leading after the first quarter in all but two games this postseason, but Sunday felt different.  The only time Memphis had a shred of hope was after they won the opening tip.  The Spurs went on to take the first quarter to the tune of 31-14, dismantling the Grizzlies offensive game plan with stifling defense.  Tiago Splitter gave some great defensive minutes, and some awful offensive ones, and showed Lionel Hollins that him and Duncan refused to forfeit the paint.  Matt Bonner, Danny Green, and Kawhi Leonard played great supplemental offensive minutes to the big three and San Antonio never looked back.  Basic pick n roll offense spread Memphis’ defense, allowing for a variety of breakdowns and missed assignments throughout the second half.  San Antonio’s shooting couldn’t have been purer.  And then shots like this went down.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, TRACY MCGRADY IS STILL AROUND!  I used to buy this guy’s shoes!  A tired and out-of-shape McGrady hasn’t scored this post season but damn it if he wasn’t going to try Sunday, attempting two three-pointers in the closing minutes.  Neither went in.  Damnit. He did however, hilariously wave off a screen and try to score in isolation against Richard Jefferson in the Warriors season, which was hilarious.

As my fellow work-associate Davis Mattek commented, if Mike Conley can play his matchup with Tony Parker to a draw, the Grizzlies have a chance.  He didn’t.  Tony Parker demonstrated vintage form, with 20 points & 9 assists, commanding his team to a victory over the inexperienced Conley.  It was evident early on that Popovich and Duncan want that fifth ring.  Tim Duncan’s offensive game was hindered by Marc Gasol (reigning Defensive POY) but was still able to grab 10 boards and make Zach Randolph’s trip to San Antonio one to forget.  Randolph, the leading scorer for the Grizzlies, ended with 2 points on 1-8 shooting, a far cry from his 28pt, 14reb performance to seal Oklahoma City’s fate.

Randolph must find his form if the Grizz want too compete.

For the first time in a series or two, Mike Conley was human.  He made mistakes in the half court, missed open shots, turned the ball over, and lost command of his team.  However, the Grizzlies are nothing without the 25-year-old and will look to him for guidance and to have him deliver OKC-series-numbers in the games to come.  If Memphis has a chance to win this series, it’s on the glass.  It’s going to come down to Randolph, Gasol, Darrell Arthur and possibly Ed Davispushing San Antonio around offensively and defensively, and Hollins most assuredly won’t allow for the defensive breakdowns in Game 1.  Yes, Memphis technically won the rebounding battle and still lost the game handedly, but when you consider that neither Randolph nor Gasol made their presence known in the paint during Game 1, this can be a lopsided statistic that the Grizzlies need.  Rebounding is an opportunity.  Rebounding will slow down the game, allow for Gasol and Randolph to find an offensive rhythm, and supply lanes for Conley, Bayless, Prince, and Allen to run through.  In total, Memphis must rise to the occasion, for although they have never been here before, to approach this series with a tourist mentality will mean imminent doom for a team that so badly wants to experience what San Antonio has relished in over the past 15 seasons.  As of now, Memphis doesn’t have a jersey number retired yet (only been around since 1995), but whoever can bring them back in this series will most assuredly be on their way to those rafters.

About Josh Planos

The Dwightmare Moves On

  By Dan Cutter | May 9, 2013 - 2:18 AM |
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howard

With the first round of the playoffs wrapping up, I decided that it’s time to give all you basketball fans a chance to hit pause on this so far phenomenal postseason, and look towards the offseason. While we all love our playoff basketball, over half the league’s fans are now sitting at home watching other teams that we don’t really care about but still love to see because it’s the freaking playoffs! Note how I say we, as I’m a Cavs fan. I need a bit of escape from watching successful teams and could use some time to speculate on how Cleveland will obviously win the 2014 NBA title.

Enter Dwight Howard, the biggest name in this year’s free agency class, who was just embarrassingly eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. With no extension signed, persistent back problems, and a year that was somehow scrutinized more than his final year in Orlando (and remember how disastrous that was? *shudders*) under his belt, it’s likely that Dwight will be seriously considering any and all options that present themselves, specifically the ones that take him away from the hard gaze of Kobe Bryant. Howard certainly does have quite a few options that range from the “Not Going to Happen” to the “Could Happen Since David Stern is Commish and Gets What He Wants” to the “Most Likely”. Keep in mind that the final two years of Dwight Howard’s time in Orlando was fueled by wild speculation and bad decisions by the big man himself, where he was influenced to say and do many things by often times the wrong people, very similar to LeBron and the Decision. Dwight Howard is not a bad person. He’s a human being who has spent the past three years being extremely frustrated, first on a terrible team with a coach he couldn’t get along with, and second on one of the most criticized teams in recent NBA history (with exception to the 2010-11 Miami Heat, of course). He’s partially brought it on himself, as he has been immature at times, but he can’t control the injuries that have plagued him or the unfortunate luck that befell his teams. Howard is, when healthy and motivated, the best center in the league. The best opportunity for him to rise back to that spot he once occupied is by getting a fresh start, and not a fresh start in a city that was just waiting to chew him up and spit him out to dry. So let’s look at the different options DH12 has!

The “Not Going to Happen But Will Still Be Mentioned” Candidates

Boston Celtics

Boston might not be a name thrown around a lot for Dwight as a sign-and-trade option, but since they are such a big name team that is in need of a facelift, I’m sure people will begin mentioning them once the sweepstakes for Superman’s services begin. Boston has quite a few decent assets on solid contracts that include Courtney Lee, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass, Jeff Green, Jason Terry, Jordan Crawford, Jared Sullinger, and hell, let’s throw Fab Melo in here. If Timofey Mozgov was the make-or-break part of a deal (the Melo to the Knicks trade) then why can’t a grown man named Fab? A package of those players and midrange first round picks will almost assuredly not be the best package LA could get, as they would probably have to part ways with Rondo too, something that I don’t think Boston is willing to do. It also means that the Lakers’ two best players would be coming off an Achilles tendon tear and a torn ACL, which isn’t exactly a reliable way to be successful. The stricter penalties for going over the salary cap also take effect next year, which is why we saw so many teams become desperate to dump salary. The only way the Celtics can make a sign-and-trade deal happen is if Paul Pierce retires after this season, which isn’t completely out of the question, but I think he comes back. Even then, the Celtics would be strapped for cash, because of Garnett’s remaining 24 million over two years and Jeff Green’s 28 over three years. Investing 42 of the roughly 59 million you have in cap space on three players when those specific guys have A. a bad back B. are old and have a bad everything and C. are a few years removed from major heart surgery, isn’t really the way to go if you want to build a winner. Dwight to Boston ain’t gonna happen.

Brooklyn Nets

One of the most popular destinations mentions, and Dwight’s preferred landing spot, is Brooklyn. I’ll keep this one short and sweet. Because Brooklyn is grossly over the salary cap, has such huge contracts, and signed Brook Lopez to a big deal, there is no way a trade could happen. I feel like I’ve let Blue Ivy down. Sorry, Jay.

Chicago Bulls

Dwight to Chicago is an interesting pairing with Derrick Rose when (if) he comes back, but since the Bulls, like the above two teams, are over the salary cap, a deal would be difficult to reach. A package of Boozer, Gibson, and Butler plus picks is likely enough for the Lakers to agree, why would Chicago want to destroy their front court depth again (Asik’s play in Houston has to be killing Bulls fans) as well as trade their best young player not named Derrick and heir apparent to Luol Deng just to add another injury-riddled player who plays center? They already have Joakim Noah, who is a skinnier, much, much hairier version of Dwight in the sense of injury plagued centers. I don’t see this happening.

Cleveland Cavaliers

I have to include the Cavs in this due to the fact that I’ve heard grumblings from fellow Cavs fans about the possibility of a Howard pursuit. Let me put those to rest now- nope, just stop it. Cleveland won’t be using a significant portion of it’s cap space until 2014, and they will first be taking care of Mr. Irving before looking at other max-level free agents. Also, why sign Dwight when we have Tyler Zeller? He may be awkwardly smiling but make no mistake, that is the face of a killer.

The “Might Happen” Candidates

Los Angeles Lakers

A return to LA shouldn’t be ruled out. There’s always a possibility that the recent “team chemistry” exhibited by the Lakers over social media lately isn’t as manufactured and hollow as everyone thinks. Dwight’s biggest incentives to stay are 1) another year on his max-level contract and 2) the chance to play for one of the greatest franchises in NBA history and 3) the opportunity to play with one of the best players in NBA history. This could also be a negative due to Kobe’s age, injury, contract, style of play, and attitude towards Dwight. It depends on how badly Howard wants to earn his respect (if he even feels like he needs to).

Dallas Mavericks

Mark Cuban essentially let Tyson Chandler leave after he helped propel the Mavs to the 2011 title because he didn’t want to tie up too much money in an aging center who can’t score, he recognized Dallas needed to begin rebuilding, and he also wanted a shot at Deron Williams. That obviously hasn’t panned out too well for the league’s most outspoken owner, so look for Cuban to be very aggressive this summer. Dirk is entering the final year of his monstrous $20 million contract so the Mavs will really have cap flexibility in 2014, but they will have roughly $10 million in cap space (Kaman, Morrow, Beaubois, Collison, Brand and Wright are all free agents whose contracts total close to 20 mill, Dallas in 3 mill over the cap and assuming they resign a few of those players, 10 million is a safe assumption) which is enough to make a reasonable trade for Dwight. The question is if they can pile together enough assets to make a lucrative package for him, but considering the trade LA put together to get him, and Cuban’s desire to win, Dwight playing in Dallas is a definite possibility with a few hiccups along the way.

Utah Jazz

The absolute biggest hurdle for the Utah Jazz obtaining Dwight Howard is that whole Utah thing. Definitely an issue when it comes to attracting star players to play for them. However, the Jazz will have roughly $30 million in cap space, so they can afford him. Both Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are likely leaving for free agency, which opens up playing time for Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors, two players who have shined in limited playing time. A 3-big man rotation of Dwight with Favors and Kanter has the possibility of being great. Or, the Jazz could get really interesting, and resign Jefferson and/or Millsap, trade two of the four big men (say Jefferson and Favors) for something like Evan Turn and Thaddeus Young (just spitballin’ here) and sign a veteran point guard on the cheap (Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack?). All of a sudden the Utah Jazz are rolling out Jarrett Jack, Gordon Heyward, Evan Turner, Paul Millsap, and Dwight Howard with Enes Kanter and Thaddeus Young coming off the bench. That’s a better supporting cast then what he had when he took Orlando to the Finals in 2009. Why am I not an NBA GM?!? Because it is way harder than this, and Utah pulling all of that off is unlikely. But with their cap space and valuable pieces, the Jazz should not be ruled out.

The Most Likely Landing Spots

Houston Rockets

Forget that Russell Westbrook was hurt. Yes, that obviously was a huge blow to OKC, but the Rockets winning two games in that series is still a significant step for a franchise on the rise. Houston has built one of the most exciting young teams in the league through smart deals in free agency and trades, not making dumb draft picks (ok, Royce White, sure) and having the awesomest GM in the league (MOREY!!!). The Rockets have loads of assets and cap flexibility to go along with it, which make them prime candidates to land Dwight (if they chose to). I wrote the first two sections of this column BEFORE the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs. With the Clippers untimely exit, and his contract expiring, Chris Paul has to be considering switching teams. He isn’t a fan of Vinny Del Negro, and with reported issues within the locker room, Chris might look to change scenarios once again. Houston could definitely make a strong run at Howard, but I think they would rather have Chris. It would make for a hell of a backcourt duo, and it’d be interesting to see how Harden and Paul coexist, but both are two entirely selfless players who would likely find a way to make it work.

Atlanta Hawks

Dwight’s hometown Hawks are my frontrunner to acquire him this offseason. Atlanta will have close to $40 million (!!!) in cap space this summer, and even more so if they get Howard and chose to trade Al Horford. They also currently only have Al, Lou Williams, Deshawn Stevenson, Mike Scott, and John Jenkins under contract for 2013-2014, so they need a lot of help. Howard is a great place to start. If Howard left for home, he’d immediately become the savior Atlanta fans always wanted Joe Johnson to be. Dwight would then be a strong incentive to other lucrative free agents to join him there. Remember how teams spent almost two years carving out space to make plays for all the big names in the 2010 free agency class? The Hawks have done the summer, but with their eyes on Dwight, as well as Chris Paul. They could make it work financially, and veterans would flock to Atlanta on minimum and mid-level exception deals for the opportunity to play with them, just like with Miami. This summer’s free agency frenzy will likely not be as hectic as 2010’s, but it could potentially change the landscape of the NBA like 2010 did. That is, until LeBron opts out in 2014…

About Dan Cutter

Full-time University of Nebraska-Omaha student, hotel front desk worker, speech and music nerd, overall swell guy. Add me on facebook or follow me on twitter @KidCutskey