San Antonio Spurs: For Old Time Sake | 2k13 Association

clippersfan86.com/articles/ginobili-flop-artist

Manu Ginobili is the dirtiest player in NBA history

It was hard for me to watch last night's game when the Spurs came to town. One would assume it was due to the loss, but no. I'm sick of watching Manu flop his way around the league and get away with it. His play last night nearly brought me to the point of vomiting. The referees turn a blind eye as he throws cheap elbows and grabs the necks of other players violently, yet whenever he decides to fly to the ground like a Hollywood actor, they blow that whistle all day long.

I was very sad when the Spurs extended his contract a short while ago. I was hoping he would just fade into obscurity somewhere in Europe, but those dumbasses thought it'd be good to degrade the quality of basketball for one more year.

You all sicken me.

Here's the perspective of another Clippers fan on this game

[url]http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8428774#post8428779[/url]

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]i really miss when fouls were called when players got knocked to the ground[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]it's okay. superstars win in the playoffs, not systems. clippers win in 6 games at max.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]i hope whoever stole papabitch's chain buries it in the ocean without swimtrunks. bitch.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]slim dunk >>> timmy dunc[/QUOTE]

lmao

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]lmao[/QUOTE]
Clippers should learn how to play their bench and not play Grant Hill at PF.

[QUOTE=Maniak]Clippers should learn how to play their bench and not play Grant Hill at PF.[/QUOTE]

forreal it's ridiculous how highly rated he is

[QUOTE=Al Thornton]forreal it's ridiculous how highly rated he is[/QUOTE]
Like I said in the OP I downloaded a different roster. It's really good in a lot of ways but they did not fix Grant Hill. I had thought about tuning him down before I started this assoc but I forgot.

Yo Kawhi is ****ing up the league, when will stats be updated?

[QUOTE=LamarOdom]Yo Kawhi is ****ing up the league, when will stats be updated?[/QUOTE]
The next game is against the Kings and then I think there might be another against the Trailblazers before the week is over.

So after that

How are the warriors doing?

:banana:

[QUOTE=Brujesino]How are the warriors doing?[/QUOTE]
I'll do a standings update and all as well after this in-game week.

I'm not positive I'll do anything tonight, though.

Kings and Trailblazers are a back-2-back. I won't do a preview for either. About to play the Kings game

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Rik3noz.png[/IMG]
POTG: Kawhi Leonard

Recap:
Sacramento saw the wrong side of a blowout last night, losing by 44 points to the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

Kawhi Leonard kept up his hot streak, shooting 8-9 from the field while scoring 18 points and grabbing 3 rebounds.

"I've been able to get good drives down the lane and our ability to spread the floor out with so many offensive threats gives me easy looks," Leonard said.

It was not a good night to be on the Kings, with nobody scoring in double figures. Their most notably absent player was Tyreke Evans, who only hit his shots from free throws (4-4) and made nothing from the field.

"Our guys just didn't have it tonight and the Spurs came in hot as can be. We need to not be devastated by the loss but move on and learn from the mistakes we made," Keith Smart said after the game.

The Spurs rotated the ball extremely well, with Tony Parker recording a career high 17 assists. This also makes him the current league leader for assists in a single game. San Antonio finished with 32 assists.

This is the Spurs first game of their back-to-back. Tomorrow they will be in Portland to face the Trailblazers (2-3) in an attempt to extend their winstreak to 7.

Kings scored 59 :oldlol:

And Kawhi gonna break Wilt's FG% record this season.

That third quarter was basketball excellence in its finest.

I think manu had around 10 straight points.

Are you still comfortable with starting Diaw over Splitter?

for now yes. i was planning on putting splitter over diaw for the lakers game but now im not so sure. we'll see how the trailblazers game goes.

it's a weird choice. even with this patch it made diaw better than he is and splitter still not as good as he is.

i'll run the same line-up for the blazers game (maybe with some small minute adjustments that aren't very noticeable) but will consider changing it against the lakers to see how things go.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/QGzc7FP.png[/IMG]
POTG: Kawhi Leonard

Recap:
The San Antonio Spurs remain undefeated with a 94-83 win over the Portland Trailblazers last night.

Kawhi Leonard remained on the same course he's been on all season, scoring 20 points on 8-10 shooting and grabbing 2 steals.

The Trailblazers were led by Damian Lillard, who scored a season-high 20 points.

San Antonio's bench also continued it's positive ways, outscoring the Blazer's bench 29-12.

Portland's detractor was their 3 point shooting and their defense of the Spurs' 3. The Blazers went 5-14 from 3 while San Antonio went 9-14, a near 30% difference.

The Spurs will enjoy 2 days off as they head to Los Angeles to play the struggling Lakers, who despite their star studded additions are only 2-5 on the season.

Updated the playoff race and the Spurs team statistics.

Each month I will do Stat updates somewhere, I'll inform you when this occurs.

I may do the preview for the Lakers game tonight but I don't plan on playing the game.

Again, please provide feedback/suggestions and hope you enjoy!

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/A95DMtD.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TDcPkqE.png[/IMG]
POTG: Tony Parker

Recap:
A scrappy, hard fought battle ended in Los Angeles with the Spurs beating the Lakers 88-83. The Spurs remain undefeated after this victory.

They were led by Tony Parker, who scored 21 points on 9-16 shooting from the field. He also added 4 assists and 3 rebounds.

"This was a very important win. We consider the Lakers as somewhat of a rival and it's even moreso a rivalry now that [Steve] Nash is on their team. It feels good to beat them, especially on their turf," Tony Parker said post-game.

The Lakers had very solid performances from Kobe Bryant (26 points and 6 assists) and Dwight Howard (19 points and 11 rebounds) however the contributions from there were not enough.

"Against a team like San Antonio that can throw 12 different guys at you in a variety of different ways, everyone needs to step it up. We're all responsible and I hold myself to saying I won't let this happen again," said Kobe Bryant.

The Spurs gave the ball to Manu Ginobili in the final minute, and he cashed in 6 free throws and a field goal to help the Spurs hold on to their lead when it mattered most.

The Spurs outscoring the Lakers 23-9 in the second quarter was a big difference maker, as they held the lakers to just 28% shooting from the field.

"Fantastic defense for a minute or two doesn't mean quite as much as when you have fantastic defense for a straight quarter. Our errors were minor in the second and it's hard to come back from that," said Tim Duncan after the game. Duncan added 12 points on 4-6 shooting in the win.

With another W in the books for San Antonio, the big question mark is who will stop them. New York hopes to be that team as the Knicks will be in San Antonio on Thursday for a game against the Spurs.

This was...much longer than I expected. I got really carried away and hope you enjoy.

[CENTER][U]How Deep?[/U]
[SIZE="2"][I]A look at the San Antonio Spurs title hopes this season.[/I]
[/SIZE][/CENTER]

This will most likely be posted around a day or so after the Spurs came off a huge victory in Staples Center over the Lakers. It marks their second win in that arena already (beating the Clippers 96-88 on the 7th of this past month) this season, and for their sake, hopefully not the last.

To me, this is the twilight of this Spurs era. After this season, players like Duncan and Ginobili may be gone (don't let the Manu extension fool you into thinking he's a lock to retire in San Antonio) while a new era of Spurs basketball will be ushered in. Led by players like Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and DeJuan Blair. The big three is getting up in years and getting down in production. As the hottest team in the West, the question on people's minds surely is how long can they keep it up?

Well don't expect any records broken from them this year in terms of overall record or winning streak. I assume they'll surpass 50 wins just like they have for over a decade and secure a nice top seed in the West. That's not the question, the question is how far do they go from there?

Obviously your guess is as good as mine, but as someone who has watched all 8 of the Spurs games (as you may have not) I'd like to provide some insight on where I see them this year.

First off, let's start with the story that has put more people to switch over to the Spurs games than in years past. Kawhi Leonard. A rookie who earned a starting spot under Gregg Popovich last year obviously has to be doing something right, and boy is he ever. Now in his sophmore campaign he's #1 in the league for FG% and has brought a quick fastbreak pace to the Spurs that people aren't used to seeing. I don't expect this number to stay this high all season, of course. However, his ability to play such fantastic basketball on both ends of the floor is astonishing, and as long as that jumpshot's consistency improves and he's able to step out to the three point line and be a true threat, teams will be vying for this kid for years to come. Not only that, but he'll be an integral part of the title push for the Spurs this year.

The Spurs overall game plan has been very interesting to watch this year. They've pushed the break and attacked the basket rather frequently. Although the Lakers game last night was more slowed down, presumably because of how much they got burned by turnovers early on. Getting 10-15 shots up for Tim Duncan isn't that big of a deal right now, which is my first and largest question mark.

This teams three point shooting has helped carry them for several nights. With so many options beyond the arc available at the same time, teams like the Thunder and Clippers have been unable to stop the barrage. This is not something you can rely on in a seven game series, and when those aren't falling this team needs someone to go to. I think that their frontcourt rotation is a problem for them right now. Duncan is seeing a career low in minutes and he's really the only good post scorer on this team. When they've looked to Tiago Splitter to give them something down low it hasn't been fantastic, and guys like Diaw and Bonner are much more comfortable fading off the pick to the three point line. Blair saw his shot last night at a starting gig probably disappear as he failed to score any points over a team who was playing two small forwards at the same time for a majority of the game. Forgive me for questioning the mind of Popovich, but I think this team will have to start giving Duncan significantly more looks and Splitter significantly more open looks if they want to not live and die by the three.

I'd be shocked if this team is rocking the same rotation come April. Unless Aron Baynes can hop off the injured reserve into a starting role and prove he's some prolific post scorer in his first year in the NBA, the Spurs front office will need to look to find a trade and acquire a second big man option who can take up a hunk of minutes.

San Antonio has struggled with turning the ball over a little bit too much. This is something that becomes more evident when a team begins to lose, however clutch play from guys like Parker and Ginobili have put Proactiv on this blemish. Ultimately this team only has one really good passer with Tony Parker. Again, this issue may become more evident later on. I worry about them facing the Heat later this month. 15 turnovers can easily turn into 30 points against that team. This may be another reason they should slow it down and not force the break but rather look to Duncan down low. I'll reference back to the Lakers game again. I remember a string of posessions in a row that the Spurs would get the rebound when Parker was on the bench, and when the rebounder gave the ball to Gary Neal he decided not to risk the pass but rather slow it down and set something up. This was quite successful and I think had this not been done and Neal instead threw up a pass, the outcome of the game could be very different.

There's more I could touch on (like the strengths of the Spurs bench and the team's league-leading FT%) but I'll instead go to how I see this team in the postseason.

The way they match up to the Clippers is very very good and if they do add another post scorer or that situation is remedied in some way I see that series as very one-sided (sorry lob enthusiasts). The other LA team will have to worry about beating the slower Spurs pace that was exhibited on Tuesday and out-performing/shutting down the bench.

The other big name is the Thunder, who beat the Spurs in the conference finals last year. I think the Spurs still don't have the ability to beat this team in seven games. If they want to win, the Spurs will need to slow the pace down like they did against the Lakers and force people who arent Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to be the scorers, or at least limit those two to less than 30 points. Getting the Thunder big men into foul trouble would be extremely problematic with the slashing of Parker/Ginobili/Leonard and the post proficiency of healthy and rested postseason Tim Duncan.

If there's someone I could rest the burden of my questions on it'd be Gregg Popovich. I'm sure him along with the Spurs front office will find solutions this season to be as dangerous as ever in this potential last go 'round. Even without any trades I could see this team fully healthy take the West in the regular and post season. As for how they match up against the East, that's a totally different story. A story that will begin to be written November 29th as they face the Heat for the first time this season.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/5wnNA8Y.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/hhBEvMD.png[/IMG]
POTG: Tony Parker

Recap:
The San Antonio Spurs continued their wining ways while the New York Knicks felt another road loss as the Spurs convincingly won 105-78.

The Spurs were led by Tony Parker, who scored 21 points and dished 6 assists, while holding the point guard duo of Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd to just 6 points and 4 assists on just 10% from the field.

"I wanted to take it to them. It's our first game back home in a short while so it's nice to be back and win. As a team we shot the ball well and outscored them in the paint, while holding them back very well in terms of our defense. Very happy," Parker said after the game.

The matchup people had their eyes on between Carmelo Anthony and Kawhi Leonard ended arguably with Kawhi on the winning end. They scored the same amount of points, and Kawhi only had 1 more rebound and 3 less assists. However, Kawhi shot at 70% from the field while Carmelo only shot 44%.

"I knew I had a big task ahead. Carmelo is one of the deadliest scorers in the game of basketball. I think I got the slight upper hand in the end as well as the victory, so that feels great," Leonard commented.

The Spurs told a familiar tale statistically. They shot very well from 3 point land and the free throw line, while their bench outscored the opposing teams. However they still lacked offensive rebounding (and thus, second chance points) and blocks, not to mention they turned the ball over 13 times.

"I know where we're faltering and I'm trying to correct these things on the fly to maintain our streak. Our shooting and defense that doesn't show up on the stat sheet has risen above everything else, but sooner or later these things will bite us," Popovich commented.

San Antonio will look to extend their streak to double digits against the Denver Nuggets (5-4) on Saturday at home.

I decided to simulate the following games:

Nuggets vs Spurs - W (10-0)
Clippers vs Spurs - L (10-1)
Spurs @ Celtics - L (10-2)
Spurs @ Pacers - W (11-2)
Spurs @ Raptors - L (11-3)
Spurs @ Wizards - W (12-3)
Spurs @ Magic - W (13-3)

Next up is the Miami Heat. I will do a preview for that game and then update standings, stats, and do some monthly stuff following me playing it. I think I will simulate through the month of December. I'll consider playing the Thunder game. January I will most likely simulate through. Maybe play the Laker game, maybe another game or two depending on what teams we lose/win to in December.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/jy69X6D.png[/IMG]

Kind of a boring preview :oldlol:

Also I forgot to put the right date there, sorry.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/qSEHvjT.png[/IMG]
POTG: Tony Parker

Recap:
The San Antonio Spurs handed the Miami Heat their first home loss of the season, winning 96-74.

It wasn't the tight tooth and nails game most were expecting, rather the Spurs winning every quarter. They were led by Tony Parker, who had 23 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

"We were able to maintain control and hold down their stars. It was a good win for us as a team and really strengthened our confidence," Tony Parker commented.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade struggled all night long, scoring 20 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 turnovers on 38% from the field combined. Instead the Heat were led by Ray Allen, who scored a season high 21 points in 21 minutes, only missing 1 shot (8-9 FG).

Once again the Spurs bench stood tall, outscoring the Heat's 45-19. Danny Green led bench scorers with 13 (3-5 3pt).

San Antonio Spurs went 9-7 through the month of December.

Will be updating a bunch of stuff.

Updated lots of stuff on the front page. Check it all out! If you're curious about anything going on within the league as the season goes along please feel free to ask and I will provide the information.

Are these sliders too easy for you?

[QUOTE=Wavves]Are these sliders too easy for you?[/QUOTE]
i think that they're much more realistic and enjoyable than 2k normally is.

as for too easy...not necessarily. i have a hard time finding the right spot between easy and rage inducing. this is close to the middle but not quite there.

i'm going to write an article about 30 players from all 30 teams that have potential to be traded. or in some format like that.

then there may be a trade...maybe not...

...maybe a blockbuster trade....

...

...

:)

also, in the month of january i plan on playing the lakers game and if i do make a trade i'll play the game where that player debuts (if its not the lakers game)

or players...

...

...


oh i actually might play the mavs game as well. we're pretty close in the division. there are 2 memphis games this month but they're last in the division so meh.

[QUOTE=Maniak]i think that they're much more realistic and enjoyable than 2k normally is.

as for too easy...not necessarily. i have a hard time finding the right spot between easy and rage inducing. this is close to the middle but not quite there.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I know what you mean, I always have to have the most realistic gameplay as possible, but finding the spot where it's still difficult but your still having fun is a challenge.

[QUOTE=Wavves]Yeah I know what you mean, I always have to have the most realistic gameplay as possible, but finding the spot where it's still difficult but your still having fun is a challenge.[/QUOTE]
i may try another slider set and what-not after im done this association project. might be able to find something more enjoyable, but next thing you know 2k14 will be out.

BREAKING: Shawn Marion is the third player this season to face a Torn MCL. He will be out for the remainder of the season.

[CENTER]Trades anyone?
[I][SIZE="2"]Looking at all the NBA teams and at least 1 player from each team that may be gone.
[/SIZE][/I][/CENTER]

Hello everyone, I hope you're settling nicely into 2013. We're going to take a look at some players who might not settle into the jersey they wore through the 2012 part of the 2012-13 NBA season for much longer. With no trades made yet this season, and the deadline just over a month away, something is surely up.

[B]Philadelphia 76ers:[/B] The 76ers are below most peoples expectations right now, with a 16-19 record. One of the main issues they are facing is the fact that their PG rotation consists of 4 pure points who can't really play the 2 very well, and then their SG spot only has 2 players. Two talented players in Nick Young and Jason Richardson, however when one of them (J-Rich) is injured, the 76ers backcourt situation looks bleak. The 76ers should look to remedy this using[B] Lavoy Allen[/B] as a part of their trade package. He's seen reduced minutes this year behind guys like Bynum, Hawes, and Thad. Young, however at the young age of 23 this guy has a lot of potential to give solid minutes to a team. I'm sure there's plenty of teams that would snatch up a young big in exchange for a combo guard.

[B]Charlotte Bobcats:[/B] The Bobcats starting 5 isn't all that bad. Beyond that, things get bleak. They especially lack a post option (unless you think Byron Mullens should be your go-to guy down low) and have two bigs in Haywood and Diop who are contributing next to nothing. When he comes off his injury, the Bobcats should try to package off [B]Ben Gordon[/B] with some of their low-contributing bigs. Gordon has been overshadowed by Gerald Henderson all season and Jeff Taylor looks to be a suitable enough backup (in Bobcats terms). A team vying for a title this year could look to the services of a healthy Ben Gordon to provide a shooting spark off the bench.

[B]Milwaukee Bucks:[/B] The Bucks are gelling and above .500. They look to be a playoff team in the East this season and have quite a few young pieces. This team might need to look for a third string Small Forward, especially with Mbah A Moute out (torn meniscus, expected to be gone for at least 2 more weeks). They have somewhat of a logjam at power forward with five guys, many who are not earning significant enough minutes. [B]Ekpe Udoh[/B] proved he's at least a valuable roleplayer last season. He deserves more than the 9 minutes he's getting now in Milwaukee. A team willing to lose a small forward might enjoy his shot blocking and rebounding services.

[B]Chicago Bulls[/B]: The Bulls are arguably the best defensive squad in the NBA. They lack height, so why not trade their shortest player? [B]Nate Robinson[/B] has proved valuable in limited minutes and when he has been given a minute increase (whether its been Rose or Hinrich out) he's proven his worth with many double digit scoring and 5+ assist games. Teams know what they're getting with Nate, and one that needs guard depth and could do for losing a big might like the scrappy guard.

[B]Cleveland Cavaliers:[/B] Despite adding solid rookie contributor Dion Waiters (15ppg on 41% shooting) the Cavs are still unable to put together wins. Although another high lottery pick couldn't do them any harm. They still lack a consistent contributor at the small forward spot, and might want to try to see what teams can offer them for [B]Alonzo Gee or C.J. Miles.[/B]

[B]Boston Celtics:[/B] The Celtics backcourt is a toughie, and it only becomes more of a toughie when Courtney Lee returns from his broken arm any day now. Although they just recently acquired him, [B]Jordan Crawford[/B] may be the odd man out. The Celtics could do for another solid big man if they plan on making the playoffs (seriously, how is this team NOT in the playoffs?) and Crawford's high usage low percentage style may not fit in Boston for much longer that it already has.

[B]Los Angeles Clippers[/B] - With Caron Butler out of the picture (Torn MCL), the Clippers may want to add another small forward to the mix, despite the fact they already have Barnes and Hill. If they do go for another SF, chances are it'll be in a [B]pick+Trey Thompkins type of deal.[/B]

[B]Memphis Grizzlies [/B]- [B]Ed Davis and Darrel Arthur[/B] seem to be somewhat redundant, if you ask me. Neither are true Centers and with Dexter Pittman out the Grizz have no real backup for Marc Gasol. Memphis may benefit from making a big man swap involving one of those two.

[B]Atlanta Hawks [/B]- The Hawks have already had [B]Anthony Tolliver[/B] on the block for quite some time, and I've heard trade rumors from plenty of teams. The latest news in this front is something surrounding a deal with the Bulls. We'll see if anything comes of fruition, but I think the Hawks would be wise to lighten up the PF position and strengthen their small forward and center spots.

[B]Miami Heat[/B] - The champs could seriously use some shot blockers and rebounders (both sides of the court). James Jones and Mike Miller have both been rumored to be dished off. If you ask me, I'd want to package off [B]Joel Anthony, James Jones, and some picks.[/B] Mike Miller has a lot of value on this team, although his low spot on the depth chart could play into his departure.

[B]New Orleans Hornets [/B]- [B]Xavier Henry, Austin Rivers, Roger Mason[/B]. At least one of these three Eric Gordon back ups should try to be shipped off by the Hornets. They could use a guy who could play the 3 and 4 spot. With Anthony Davis seeing lots of minutes at center , Jason Smith hasn't been the answer for the backup power forward behind Ryan Anderson. Despite Aminu's growth, the 3 is still somewhat of a weak spot for this team.

[B]Utah Jazz[/B] - With Al Jefferson signing a lengthy and pricey contract extension earlier this season, it seems likely Millsap won't be around. Most teams in the league could use what [B]Paul Millsap [/B]brings, and more minutes for Derrick Favors to develop could benefit the Jazz in the long run. Millsap could bring in some picks, as well as a young point guard.

[B]Sacramento Kings[/B] - The Kings are really struggling this season. I don't see [B]Marcus Thronton[/B] sticking around as Tyreke Evan's backup, so getting as much value out of him as possible could be a good plan. Picks and small forward are keys for this team.

[B]New York Knicks[/B] - Unless Kurt Thomas, Rasheed Wallace, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby all return to their former glory (or merge together to bring back their old power) sometime soon, the Knicks need scoring bigs with Stoudemire out long-term. T[B]hey could do with losing one (or two) of Felton, Prigioni, Smith, Kidd, Shumpert, and White, along with some bigs+picks packaged.[/B]

[B]Los Angeles Lakers[/B] - The Lakers aren't where they'd hoped to be (#1 in the west) at this point. They could use a truly solid backup for Nash (guys like Blake and Duhon don't cut it for a guy that needs significant rest at age 38). [B]Devin Ebanks[/B] is young and expiring with potential. A combo of him and one or two point guards could bring in something nice for the short-term situation of the Lakers.

[B]Orlando Magic[/B] - Although it seems like he just arrtived, the Magic might want to dish out [B]Arron Afflalo[/B]. He's not really part of a long-term plan in my eyes and developing SG talent like Doron Lamb and E'Twaun Moore could do them good for the remainder of this loss-filled season.

[B]Dallas Mavericks[/B] - Elton Brand has not been too strong for this team so far this season. With Shawn Marion out for the season and Brandan Wright sucking up a lot of minutes at center, this team could use another power forward. Anthony Morrow has been the center of rumors involving Orlando and Toronto. We'll see what transpires there.

[B]Brooklyn Nets[/B] - [B]Marshon Brooks[/B] deserves more than the 12 minutes a game he's gotten his past 4 games, as well as his overall low minutes this season. Gerald Wallace is injured and not in his best form this season, and seeing as none of Johnson, Bogans, or Stackhouse is a true SF, the Nets should deal Brooks to a team that can bring them an SF and give him significant minutes.

[B]Denver Nuggets - JaVale McGee[/B] is seeing 11.8mpg behind Kosta Koufos, despite the fact he got a nice pay-day this offseason. Don't be surprised to see a team take a stab at McGee before the deadline. The Nuggets could use improved perimeter shooting, mostly in the backcourt.

[B]Indiana Pacers - Lance Stephenson's[/B] improvement could be better utilized by a team that can give him minutes. The Pacers could use another backup at small forward and/or center.

[B]Detroit Pistons[/B] - The Pistons are struggling this year. With their frontcourt seemingly set and figured out (starters, at least) with Monroe/Drummond, the Pistons may want to move [B]Rodney Stuckey [/B]whose been struggling of late, but shown good games earlier this season. They could really use a solid small forward and frontcourt depth

[B]Toronto Raptors[/B] - Toronto has been bit with the injury bug. As of typing Bargnani is out for the season, Rudy Gay and Amir Johnson are both out for the next couple weeks, and Valanciunas is being effected by a dislocated finger. They have too many small forwards and to me it's very likely either [B]Alan Anderson or Linas Kleiza[/B] will be gone by the deadline.

[B]Houston Rockets[/B] - Houston will need more than Motiejunas and Smith being their primary center backups, we've learned as Omer Asik has been injured with a broken finger. They may need to [B]sacrifice some picks[/B] if they want to begin making true playoff pushes.

[B]San Antonio Spurs:[/B] Obviously the Big Fundamental is going nowhere, but his lowest statistical contributions in nearly every category in his career aren't helping lead this front court. Diaw has been shooting at a very nice percent (51% from the field, 56% from 3pt), but scoring just under 5ppg as the starting power forward. This team is still a serious contender but their frontcourt is a big question mark in a 7 game series. [B]Stephen Jackson[/B] may be on the outs with reduced minutes and stats, not to mention his upcoming expiring contract that will entice a lot of teams.

[B]Phoenix Suns[/B]: [B]Shannon Brown[/B] has seen great statistical improvement this season. However the Suns are a multi-year rebuild at this point and they'd be wise to get the most they can out of him before he dashes. Some picks and youth at the center position could be nice for this squad.

[B]Oklahoma City Thunder[/B] - DeAndre Liggins has been heard in rumors. It'll take more than dealing a guy who hasn't suited up this season to clean up the shooting guard log jam in OKC. I can't imagine Sefolosha being traded, so maybe [B]Ronnie Brewer plus Lamb or Liggins[/B] will head off for some more front court depth.

[B]Minnesota Timberwolves[/B] - The Timberwolves need a solid center backup. They could afford to lose [B]Ridnour or Barea[/B] from their backcourt.

[B]Portland Trailblazers[/B] - Portland needs a better bench. They have three small forwards ([B]Babbitt, Claver, and Pavlovic[/B]) who are quite jammed up. Something should be done there, and the Blazers should seek some picks as well as a better backup for Aldridge.

[B]Golden State Warriors[/B] - Could use for a better center backup. [B]Richard Jefferson[/B] has seen reduced minutes that another team may enjoy giving him. Maybe that other team has a center to offer?

[B]Washington Wizards[/B]:[B] Jan Vesely [/B]may never be what the Wizards wanted him to be. Now he just keeps the bench and garbage time warm. Washington would be wise to see what they could get for him.

January 5, 2013

The Phoenix Suns have traded Channing Frye to the Indiana Pacers for Ian Mahinmi.

Frye has 2 years at $6.0 million and $6.4 million respectively, as well as a $6.8 million player option for his third year. He averaged 5.9ppg and 2.4rpg on .42% from the field with the Suns this season in 10.5mpg

Mahimi has 4 years left on his contract, $4.0 million each of those years. He was averaging 1.9ppg and 2.7rpg on 52% from the field in just 8.1mpg with Indiana.

In other trade news, it is rumored that Stephen Jackson will not be travelling with the San Antonio Spurs to New Orleans. Sources confirm it is not an injury and Jackson is perfectly healthy.

January 8, 2013

The rumor of Stephen Jackson not going to New Orleans was proven false last night, as he played 11 minutes in the Spurs 99-73 victory over the Hornets. Sources say he is booked on the plane today heading back to San Antonio, but nothing is for sure.

In other news, Thabo Sefolosha was not seen at today's shootaround in Oklahoma despite the fact he played last night against the Wizards and the Thunder are set to play at home again tomorrow against the Timberwolves.

Theres no way the warriors are getting out of Richard Jeffersons contract:(