New York, New York! Bringing a championship home

[zike_42]

Part Five of the Decade Recap of the Rookie Six





SEASON


PLAYOFFS


What’s to be said about Jack Dawkins that hasn’t already been said? He’s a bonafide superstar and as good a leader as you’re ever going to see. At only 30 years old he’s led his team to four championships and he’s still got a chance to add to that total. He’s a dynamite scorer, passer and rebounder that is shown by his statistics. A crowd pleaser and a hero of his teammates, he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame at this stage. And just think, the Pacers had one game of him before shipping him off, what could have been.

2x Rookie/Sophomore Game Starter (2025, 2026)
6x All Star Game Reserve (2026, 2027, 2030, 2032, 2033, 2034)
1x All Star Game Starter (2028)
1x All NBA First Team (2032)
4x All NBA Second Team (2027, 2028, 2033, 2034)
1x All NBA Third Team (2030)

[zike_42]

Part Six of the Decade Recap of the Rookie Six





SEASON


PLAYOFFS


Talk about a fine wine, Stevenson just keeps getting better. It was touch and go in his tenure with Boston but he started coming out of his shell in San Diego. But it was when he signed with Cleveland in 2029 that he really busted out. With Jamil Fleming and Oskar Carlsson feeding him the rock, “The Big Artisian” has been going from strength to strength with an All Star selection in 2033. Who knows, maybe he still hasn’t finished growing and could make an All NBA team by the time he’s finished.

1x All Rookie Second Team (2025)
1x All Star Game Reserve (2033)

[PointGuard]

I like McKenzie's scoring and (in particular) rebounding consistency from year to year.

[zike_42]

I like McKenzie's scoring and (in particular) rebounding consistency from year to year.

I'm surprised with all six of the guys consistency. Apart from Stevenson they have been great for a long time and will be for a couple of years yet.

[zike_42]

I’m torn. On one hand I don’t want to give up my beliefs on winning another championship but I really like it here in Brooklyn and it seems Brooklyn really likes me. Do I cave and blow up the defending champions because of money or do I stick to my guns and run the very real risk of getting fired? I think you all know the answer to that, let’s go for a repeat!

2035 NBA Draft

It’s going to be a boring draft for the Brooklyn Nets as we have loads of salary tied up in our big four and not enough to give up for anyone with the rest of the team. We have the picks #22, #23 and #25 so I’m going to try and trade all three for one pick higher up.

1 – Memphis – C Salvador Rios
Wow, I didn’t expect him to go this high but good on him. He’s an absolute beast in the gym and if he can stay away from injury he will be an All Star this year. The bolter but definitely a good pick.

2 – Detroit – C Jamie McMillian
Not sure about this one. I think the Pistons were hoping Rios fell and picked the next best thing at centre. He will be good but will underachieve for a number two pick.

3 – San Antonio – SF Paul Gilbert
Nice here as Gilbert can seriously put the ball in the hoop. He’s a good defender and rebounder which are major pluses but he needs to be more unselfish.

4 – Los Angeles – SF Arthimus Smallwood
I really like Smallwood and believe that he could be a multiple All Star. He’s raw at the moment but with tutelage from Lars Ray he could be a star. Good pick.

5 – New York – SF Brandon Meade
One of the most NBA ready players, Meade is similar to Gilbert. Great scorer, can do other things well but needs to pass the ball more. Another good pick here.

6 – Charlotte – C Bernard Leis
This draft is full of players who will never be superstars but will still contribute well to a team. Leis is one of those guys. He’s a decent centre that needs to learn how to shoot free throws but he’ll help the Bobcats. Not the best pick but definitely not the worst.

7 – Houston – PG Ehrhart Albertz
The German drops a little after poor workouts but he’s still the best point in the draft. He could start for the Rockets as well if he keeps it up which is great news for Cameron Brown.

Utah are looking for smaller salaries so agree to the trade of our #22, #23 and #25 for their pick #10 which is pretty skewed in our favour.

8 – Toronto – PG Flavian Pesmazoglou
Another team where their target went just before their pick, the Raptors flubbed this one. Pesmazolgou might be a decent point guard eventually but he’ll have to work hard to get there.

9 – Miami – C Rick Erickson
Not sure about this one with Luigi Cannavaro still on the board. Erickson might be more refined than the Italian but he won’t be as good in the end. Still, for pick number nine it’s a tick.

10 – Brooklyn – C Luigi Cannavaro
Of course we make the right pick. Cannavaro is rawer than sushi but in a few years he could be a great player and we have the patience to wait on him.

11 – Boston – SF Derek Whitworth
He can score but when you pick another SF in Alan Patton last year this is just doubling up. Not a good one.

12 – Orlando – PF Ratko Nedic
He’s got plenty of potential but his work ethic will let him down and is why he dropped to #12. A steal if he can turn it around but don’t bet on it.

13 – San Diego – SF Rick Ballis
The talent level is dropping off harshly now as Ballis might be the last decent player left. He can score but that’s about it.

14 – Sacramento – PF Carl Willis
Played his heart out in Sacramento and will overachieve in Sac-Town with Jaymes Kincaid and Joe Adras getting him the ball. A little bit of a steal at the end of the lottery.

15 – Orlando – PG Du Yip
Umm… not a good pick. Not even an average pick. Yip should have been a second rounder who somehow got into the lottery. Yuck.

16 – Golden State – PF Anthony Coley
Meh.

17 – Cleveland – SG Marcelle Ransom
18 – New Orleans – SG Quintin Scott
19 – Chicago – C Bryan Bradley
20 – Nevada – SG Charlton Davis
21 – Oklahoma City – C Dan Bonney
22 – Utah – PF Bob Benton
23 – Utah – PF Scott Oates
24 – Philadelphia – SG Craig Mitchell
25 – Utah – C Ruben Sheffer
26 – Seattle – SG Ben Angeli
27 – Washington – SG Ed Kent
28 – Orlando – C Eddie Walcutt
29 – Milwaukee – PG Jarvis Pringle
30 – Indiana – SG Davin Arthurs
31 – Charlotte – SG Jason Johnson
32 – Minnesota – PF Ben Jones

Average trades in the draft with some OK ones but nothing too exciting.

Toronto trade:
SG Curtis Anderson

Miami trade:
SG Travis Grigsby
2035 2nd round pick

Winner – Miami. Talent wise it’s a win for the Heat as Grigsby isn’t as good as he used to be at 33 years old but he is an expiring contract while Anderson has two years left.

Cleveland trade:
PF Jesse Rucker

Nevada trade:
SG Peter Willis
2035 2nd round pick

Winner – Nevada. This is a terrible deal for Cleveland as Rucker is a much better player and Cleveland aren’t even getting an expiring out of it. Great steal from the Neon.

Washington trade:
PG Eric McIntyre

Sacramento trade:
SG Jon Williams

Winner – Neither. Washington get a useless player with a terrible contract while Washington gets a near starter that will be stuck as a third rate PG behind Jaymes Kincaid and Joe Adras. Lose-lose.

[zike_42]

I renounce Nashon Smith, Tony Myers, Jerome Brown and Jason Wilks while holding onto Mitch Wolthers. I’m not sure we will re-sign him but it’s good to have the option.

I get a knock on my office door and Reggie Smith entered.

“Hey Mr MacMillan, I’ve got something to talk to you about.”

“Hi Reggie, what is it?” I answer.

He squirmed a little. “Look, I’ve loved it here and winning a championship was great but I’m my own man and I want my own team. I don’t want to play as a third or fourth option, I want to be the man!”

Great, sounds like Schuyler Vanderwerken all over again.

I counter. “I’ll see what I can do but don’t expect me to just palm you off to another team. If I can’t find a suitable trade then I won’t deal you.”

“Yeah, whatever.” And he left.

It seemed that he lost all civility when he thought he wouldn’t be traded and showed his diva side that has got him traded from a few teams already. Truth be told, I didn’t really want him in the team as he was the odd one out of our big four and I want to slash a bit of salary. I tried to get Michael McQuay from Atlanta but it seems that Smith’s fourth option season has hurt his stock. Great.

I find a suitable trading partner and even though I might have sold low it does what I wanted.

Brooklyn trade:
PF Reggie Smith

Memphis trade:
C Salvador Rios
SF Danny McArdle
PF Jason Mason

Winner – Memphis. The Nets wanted to slash salary so they sold low. Smith is an All NBA player and even though he has a terrible attitude he is worth more than this. Sure, Rios was the number one pick this season and McArdle is an expiring contract, it’s just not enough value.

I realise that but on the plus side Rios is a gym rat, the fans already love him and he could probably start right now. We save about $10 million which is good but still won’t save my bacon if we don’t win the title.

Anyway, we’ll see how Rios does as he, Ryan Lemeke, Abel Williams, Jason Mason and Luigi Cannavaro are invited to the summer league circuit.

Wow, Sal (Salvador Rios) was amazing in our first SL game with 23 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes as we withstand a furious fightback from Washington to win 115-113. Abel Williams had 6 points, Ryan Lemeke put up 14 points and Luigi added 9 points off the bench. Ed Kent was the best for the Wizards with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Sal had another good game, going 8/11 for 19 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks and five other Nets were in double figures but we couldn’t slow down Houston who shot 58% from the field for a 120-110 loss. Abel Williams was also great with 16 points and 9 rebounds with Ryan Lemeke having 15 points and Luigi having foul trouble. Tavaras Neely put on a show with 33 points for the Rockets while #7 pick Ehrhart Albertz had 9 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 turnovers.

We may have beaten the Mavericks in the NBA Finals but it wasn’t a repeat in the summer league as their youngsters took us all the way with a 105-100 loss. DeVante Stephens had 26 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds to destroy us. Sal had his usual good game with 16 points and 7 rebounds and I’m getting more comfortable with the trade while Abel Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Luigi had his best game with 14 points on 7/10 shooting.

The Celtics have their way with us, outscoring us in the last term 34-25 to snatch the 109-102 win. Last year’s #5 pick Alan Patton went off for 32 points as they shot 52% from the field. Sal had 17 points and 7 rebounds but wasn’t helped from his usual partner as Abel only had 6 points and 6 rebounds. Luigi had 12 point and 8 rebounds in 17 minutes for his best game so far.

Our last game was a positive one as we smash the Heat 119-98 behind Sal’s 25 points and 10 rebounds. Luigi also had a great game with 18 points with six total Nets in double figures. Kennedy Bracey had 23 points to lead Miami.

All in all, it was a great showing from our young guys. Sal averaged 20 points and 9.4 rebounds, Luigi started slowly but finished with 14, 12 and 18 points in his last three games, Abel averaged 8.2 points and 7.6 rebounds and Ryan had double digit points in all five games.

Onto free agency and it will be a boring one for Nets fans as we have twelve players under contract and at $9.9 million over the cap we don’t have any wriggle room. Here are the top ten free agents –

SG Cameron Brown*
SG Cliff Havens*
C Schuyler Vanderwerken
PF Mark Lyday
C Jerry Benton
C Brian Benton
PG Lou Beck*
SG Frank Slaughter*
PG Nick Hughes
SG Kelly Pryor

This is the Yaxley MacMillan trip down memory lane crop with five of the top ten players have played for one of my teams over the years (Havens, Vanderwerken, Lyday, Beck and Pryor).

In a move that surprises no-one, the Riders re-sign Cliff Havens to a five year maximum deal.

The next day Cameron Brown, Frank Slaughter and Diego Acosta re-sign with Houston, Cleveland and Sacramento but the big news is that Miami have signed Lou Beck to an offer sheet. It would be stupid for Orlando not to match it but crazier things have happened.

Wow, I did not expect Orlando not to match Lou Beck’s offer so now Beck is officially a Heat (if that makes sense. Heatian?)

Apparently there have been reports that Shoo wants to come back to Brooklyn now we have a title and a really good chance of repeating. I’m not going to have a bar of it, as even though he’s an elite player he jumped ship when things were hard so I’m not letting someone like that back into this family. Also we only have the MLE which is only $3 million a year which I don’t think he’ll accept no matter how good we are.

There were heaps of good/great players re-signing to their respective teams and it’s not worth listing them all but I will say that Kresimir Balas gets mad paid for a 5 year, $53 million deal and the Mavericks are now $28 million over the cap and Mr Hill has the gall to bitch to me about spending too much money.

It’s tender offer acceptance day which knocks out most of the rest of the good players while Miami sign Schuyler Vanderwerken to a four year deal to play with Lou Beck again. The two Benton brothers go back to Washington and New Orleans on five year deals. I offer Curtis Mueller and Curtis Anderson a minimum and MLE deal.

They both sign here a few days later as does Matias Perez and I wish we had some more positions available as there is still some quality players looking for a team like Alan Millford, Russell Haymon, Mike Jospeh, Andrew Brown, Adarrial Faye, Torian Roma, Magnus Carlsson and Justin Willis. Hell, I’m sure if you had all of those players as a team they wouldn’t be last in the league by a fair margin. But alas, we are done at 15 players and $15.3 million over the cap so if we don’t win it all I’m out.

Training camp comes and goes and it’s up and down. Ryan Lemeke will again play in the D-League as he has loads of potential but he’s not there yet. Luigi will too but he made great progress and will be a valuable contributor next season. Jason Mason on the other hand will play down there but he doesn’t have any potential and will not be on the roster next season. Sal looks great and will start alongside Marlin Bain, giving us a great one-two defensive punch. Abel Williams has also come along and will be the second big man off the bench.

The pre-season rankings were announced and I’m pretty happy with us being #1.

Eastern Conference Pre-Season Rankings
1 – Brooklyn Nets
2 – Indiana Pacers
3 – Atlanta Hawks
4 – New York Knicks
5 – Chicago Bulls
Last – Detroit Pistons

The top five looks good and if New York can gel and stay healthy then they will be dangerous. I cannot understand why Washington are pegged #15 as they still have Rowan Taylor and Brian Benton which is better than most teams.

Western Conference Pre-Season Rankings
1 – Dallas Mavericks
2 – Minnesota Timberwolves
3 – Oklahoma City Thunder
4 – Seattle Supersonics
5 – Phoenix Suns
Last – San Antonio Spurs

The Mavericks have 38 year old Magnus Carlsson starting which will be interesting to say the least but the rest of the top five looks good. I would probably switch Phoenix for someone like Portland or Sacramento as any team with Jason London is doomed. Also, Milwaukee shouldn’t be at #13 but the Spurs absolutely should be last.

Pre-Season All NBA First Team:
Cort Majishun, Brooklyn Nets
Kenneth Long, Brooklyn Nets
Tiburcio Tommasini, Brooklyn Nets
Michael McQuay, Atlanta Hawks
Schuyler Vanderwerken, Miami Heat

Pre-Season All NBA Second Team:
Michael Taylor, Milwaukee Bucks
Cameron Brown, Houston Rockets
Jack Dawkins, Dallas Mavericks
Reggie Smith, Memphis Grizzlies
Jason Harriman, Denver Nuggets

Pre-Season All NBA Third Team:
Camah Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves
Mike Bickerstaf, Oklahoma City Thunder
Enrique Mendez, Minnesota Timberwolves
Ishmael Faye, Indiana Pacers
Jerry Benton, New Orleans Hornets

No pressure guys, just three pre-season All NBA first teamers on the squad…

Here they are, you’re 2035-2036 “Win or bust” Brooklyn Nets –

PG – Cort Majishun
SG – Kenneth Long
SF – Tiburcio Tommasini
PF – Marlin Bain
C – Salvador Rios
6th – Curtis Anderson
7th – John Brown
8th – Matias Perez
9th – Curtis Mueller
10th – Abel Williams
11th – Robert Jackson
12th – Ben Herrion
D-League – Jason Mason
D-League – Ryan Lemeke
D-League – Luigi Cannavaro

Honestly, our bench would be a decent starting five of Matias Perez, Curtis Anderson, John Brown, Abel Williams and Robert Jackson and would probably be a fringe playoff team.

[zike_42]

There was some good news and some very bad news in our first game. Good news was that we won comfortably over the Cavs 128-110 as Ken led the way with 32 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. The bad news is that Marlin broke his elbow four minutes into the game and will be down for at least two months. Great. John Brown filled in for him with 20 points. Art Stevenson led Cleveland with 25 points.

Brooklyn Nets 1-0

JB will be starting at PF for the time being and even though he’s a little small at 6’9”, 225lbs, he will be fine.

It was a tough, swinging game where we got out to a 10 point first quarter lead before seeing that evaporate in the second. We went down to the Hornets by seven in the third before rattling off a 36-24 last quarter to win 117-110. Jerry Benton was spectacular with 35 points and 10 rebounds but was upstaged by Cort’s 38 points on 12/20 shooting. JB had another good game with 16 points and holding John Nemitz to only 8 points.

Brooklyn Nets 2-0

Cort continued his great start to the season with 24 points as we take care of the Hawks 112-100 and that is making them look good as our biggest lead was 26 points. TT went 5/21 from the field but made up for it going to the line 16 times for 23 points. Sal had his best game so far with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Michael McQuay was too much for JB (he’s too much for 99% of the league) with 29 points and 14 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 3-0

In one of the highest scoring games OF ALL TIME, the Blazers outlasted the Thunder 165-158 in three overtimes. Both teams shot over 50% from the field as Brad Largent led the winners with 30 points. He had loads of help with three other players with 25 points or more and four more players in double figures. Calvin Ash played a whopping 58 points. Mike Bickerstaf nearly won the game by himself with 46 points on 20/22 FTs and was helped by Axel Rancik's 22 points and 13 assists. OKC lost it because they ran out of bodies as four players fouled out (including Bickerstaf and Rancik) while another two had five. Wow, talk about a battle of attrition.

We drop our first loss to a very underwhelming Detroit outfit 112-98. Kurt Harrington of all people was the star with 31 points and 9 rebounds as they shot 60% from the field compared to our paltry 41%. Cort was our shining light with 23 points, 10 assists and 6 steals.

Brooklyn Nets 3-1

TT and Ish Faye go head to head in our away game in Indy and it was the PF who got the upper hand with 36 points and 11 rebounds to the SF’s 34 points and 6 fouls as the Pacers give us a losing streak with a 121-111 loss. Josiah Williams was also great with 16 points and 14 rebounds as we let a late lead slip. TT, JB and Sal all fouled out which stuffed us.

Brooklyn Nets 3-2

That’s more like it! Ken hits 10 three pointers on his way to 39 points and 12 assists as we blast the Raptors 139-119. JB had his best game so far with 21 points and 18 rebounds as he’s filling in nicely at PF. Travis Grigsby had 28 points and 8 assists for Toronto but they are missing Marshod Anderson who broke his foot in his second game of the season.

Brooklyn Nets 4-2

Julius Hobbs has been playing out of his mind so far (20 points, 15 rebounds per game) but couldn’t get it going in game one of the Subway series as we stomped the Knicks 122-81. TT was everywhere with 45 points while Curtis Anderson and Matias Perez added 25 points in 21 total minutes. Hobbs finished at 6/20 FG for 15 points and 8 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 5-2

It was our defence that won our game in Charlotte (and Cort’s near triple double) as we bounce the Cats 105-89. Cort finished with 20 points, 12 assists and 8 rebounds which made people forget he shot 5/21 from the field. Sal is learning something new everyday and had 16 points and 7 rebounds. Joe West put up 16 points but the Bobcats shot 41% from the field.

Brooklyn Nets 6-2

TT and Cort combined for 56 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists as we take care of business against the Rockets, beating them 120-108. Sal and JB had a tough time, combining to shoot 2/13 against Brian Caldwell and Andy Kante who had 42 points and 24 rebounds together.

Brooklyn Nets 7-2

It will be interesting to see how two of my old guys are doing in their new digs as Shoo, Lou Beck and Miami come to town. Not well it seems as they combined for 17 points and 10 fouls as we smash the Heat 122-102. Cort and Sal were much better with 43 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists while Matias Perez had 14 points in 10 minutes off the bench.

Brooklyn Nets 8-2

Halfway through the month I want to do two shout outs to two guys who are tearing up the league. First is Axel Rancik who I was gagging for at the draft but was taken one spot above our pick. Well he tearing up the league so far, averaging 23.8 points, 11.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 steals a game in his second season. Keep going young fella!

The other is a guy who I did draft but traded away. That guy is Juia Henchoz who after a hiccup last season is taking on the world now, averaging 28.1 points and 7.0 rebounds for the Magic in his third year in the league. I hope him all the best in the league as he is a great guy.

The Cavs have been pretty hopeless so far and we heap on some more despair by beating them 121-110 on their home court. Ken had 29 points and 12 rebounds while TT match him with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Ben Herrion went 6/6 for 15 points in only 8 minutes which is insane. Torraye Driggers had one of his best nights with 27 points and 7 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 9-2

So much for talking up Juia Henchoz who was held to only 3/15 shooting as TT ran right over the top of him for 37 points as we put the Magic in their place with a 107-74 win. Everyone had at least two points for us as we hold Orlando to only 35% from the field.

Brooklyn Nets 10-2

Cort had his best game so far this season with 37 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds as we demolish the Raptors 128-104 and we’re rolling. Ken added 24 points and 8 assists as we shoot 21 three pointers on the game. Lionel Guiden had 24 points and 8 rebounds for the losers but they are still missing Marshod Anderson.

Brooklyn Nets 11-2

We shoot 52/59 from the foul line and we needed every one of those as we only hit 39% compared to Phoenix’s 53% but we still won 120-117 to keep our streak alive. Cort was again our best with 37 points while Ken and TT combined for 43 points and 18 rebounds. Danny Perez had 28 points while Jason London ‘only’ had 20 points before fouling out, six below his average.

Brooklyn Nets 12-2

God damn **** mother ****, damn damn damn damn! In the first minute of our 127-106 win over OKC TT gets fouled and hits both free throws. He then hobbles to the bench, and then into the change rooms. After about five minutes I’m given the grave news, Tiburcio Tommasini has torn his right knee tendon and will be out for just shy of a calendar year. Damn. Ken and Cort combine for 54 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds but we’re all in shock. Axel Rancik had 22 points for the Thunder but it’s just a numb feeling.

Brooklyn Nets 13-2

Curtis Anderson will slide into the SF position.

Our first game was always going to be huge as we all did our best to do it for TT. The final score was 148-111 as Curtis does TT proud with 25 points while Robert Jackson, Ben Herrion, Jason Mason and Matias Perez combine to shoot 20/25 for 47 points off the bench. Nathaniel Jackson had 31 points.

Brooklyn Nets 14-2

Curtis Anderson is relishing the additional minutes and in our eleventh win in a row against San Antonio (114-92) he had 23 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists. Sal had a great game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks but it was Cort who did the damage with 28 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds. The Spurs had six players in double figures but only one got to 15 points.

Brooklyn Nets 15-2

It was bound to happen but I wish it didn’t happen against Orlando as Juia Henchoz got back on his last game with 19 points and 7 rebounds and more importantly the 106-101 win. Cort and Ken combined for 62 points but we had no-one else. That’s what happens when we don’t have that third proper option.

Brooklyn Nets 15-3

After a really long month where we had some bad injuries (Marlin still has 40 days to go) we are sitting first in the conference, one game ahead of the Heat and four games in front of the Pacers. New York have fallen off a cliff after winning their first couple and are sitting at 3-13.

It’s strange to see the Mavericks at only 6-6 and not even in the eight but father time is catching up rapidly. Denver and Portland are leading the way with 11-2 record with the Kings a little further back. Golden State have started a rebuild effort and are at 3-11.

Brooklyn Top Points
Cort Majishun – 25.7
Tiburcio Tommasini – 24.5
Kenneth Long – 20.9

Brooklyn Top Assists
Cort Majishun – 8.9
Kenneth Long – 4.8
Curtis Anderson – 2.8

Brooklyn Top Rebounds
Salvador Rios – 6.9
Kenneth Long – 6.5
John Brown – 6.4

League Leaders
Points – Lars Ray (LAL) – 32.2
Assists – Earl Harris (PHO) – 14.1
Rebounds – Terry McKenzie (DAL) – 11.8
Blocks – Erik Morris (MIL) – 3.1
Steals – Earl Harris (PHO) – 3.1
Efficiency – Ish Faye (IND) – 31.5

Rookie Leaders
Points – Jamie McMillian (DET) – 14.6
Assists – Ehrhart Albertz (HOU) – 3.2
Rebounds – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 6.9
Blocks – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 1.3
Steals – Ryan Ansley (CHA) – 0.6
Efficiency – Jamie McMillian (DET) – 14.9

[zike_42]

November Player of the Month – Ish Faye, Indiana Pacers – 29.1 points, 1.1 assists, 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 2.8 blocks per game.

November Rookie of the Month – Jamie McMillian, Detroit Pistons – 14.6 points, 0.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 0.2 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

There were no trades last month as everyone is still working their teams out.

I keep forgetting how good a scorer Curtis Anderson is but tonight he showed everyone with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists as we stomp the Knicks 135-106. Cort had 34 points and 9 assists while Abel Williams had his best game of the season with 10 points and 8 rebounds in 9 minutes. That’s right, you read that right. Chris Jones had 15 points and 10 assists to lead New York.

Brooklyn Nets 16-3

The Heat are playing well at 12-5 and it should be a good game in Florida. I said should because it really wasn’t as we cruise past them 104-91. Cort has become our outright leader on and off the court and tonight showed it with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Another stand out of the game was Sal, who even though only had 7 points and 7 rebounds he fouled Schuyler Vanderwerken out in 12 minutes.

Brooklyn Nets 17-3

JB (23 points, 11 rebounds), Ken (22 points) and Sal (21 points) did all the damage as we knock down the Hornets 121-100. We shot 50% from the field to pull away in every quarter. Jerry Benton led the way for NOH with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Brooklyn Nets 18-3

With a good passer at SF in Curtis Anderson, Cort has begun scoring the ball more and in our 113-85 win over Minnesota he had 28 points. Anderson had 14 points and 8 assists as we blank the Wolves with only Camah Williams and Enrique Mendez scoring in double digits.

Brooklyn Nets 19-3

That’s five wins in a row as Cort again top scores with 36 points as we wallop the Celtics 130-109. Curtis had 21 points and 8 rebounds while Matias Perez added 13 points in 6 minutes. Varlam Chavchavadze led the way for Boston with 20 points and 14 assists.

Brooklyn Nets 20-3

Cort Majishun might have scored 25 points but it was Curtis and JB who won it for us as they combined for 41 points and 21 rebounds as we win again, this time a 133-108 victory over Philly. We shoot 55% compared to their 45% as Chris Canal was the only Sixer to shoot well for 20 points.

Brooklyn Nets 21-3

I don’t know how we won seeing as we shot 37% compared to the Raptors’ 44% but we did 103-93. Cort shot 10/31 for 28 points while Sal added 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Travis Grigsby had 18 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists and 8 turnovers. Ah that’s how we won, they had 24 turnovers compared to our 10.

Brooklyn Nets 22-3

A 41-20 first quarter blitz sucked all the air out of our game against Charlotte as no-one played more than 34 minutes on either side as we won comfortably 132-89. Cort led the way with 23 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds as Matias Perez had a stunning 10 assists in 14 minutes. I recall Luigi Cannavaro from the D-League as I think we are a bit thin in our big man stocks and he does well in his first game, having 7 points and 2 blocks in 18 minutes. Lavar Smith was the high man for the Cats with only 15 points.

Brooklyn Nets 23-3

In the complete opposite of the last game, we outlast the Pistons in a real ground out battle 94-86. Both teams shot less than 42% and we went at a healthy 7% from three. Ken led the way with 20 points and 9 rebounds while Curtis added 22 points. Detric Jones had 19 points before fouling out for Detroit.

Brooklyn Nets 24-3

That’s more like it as we outlast the Neon in a different way as both teams shot over 100 shots as we won 115-93. Neither team shot well but the sheer number of shots taken it was bound that some went in. Cort had 38 points while four of our guys had double doubles in Ken (23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 blocks), JB (14 points, 12 rebounds), Sal (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Curtis (10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists). There were 118 rebounds in the game as ex-Net Phillip Rude went 2/18 for only 6 points.

Brooklyn Nets 25-3

That’s eleven wins in a row as we take care of the Neon again thanks to a 32-9 second quarter to win 103-91. JB was the standout with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals while Cort was close to a triple double with 14 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. Phillip Rude had another shocker with a 3/13 night as Brian Burks led Nevada with 21 points and 5 steals.

Brooklyn Nets 26-3

Cort and Ken combined for 47 points, 16 assists and 13 rebounds, Sal ripped down 14 rebounds as we keep rolling with a 133-100 away win in Chicago. We shoot 57% from the field and 52% from three as the Bulls couldn’t contain us all game. Gustavo Fonseca had 27 points for the losers.

Brooklyn Nets 27-3

We get Christmas Day off to spend with our families but we probably should have trained as the Bucks stomp us 117-98 to snap our streak. Michael Taylor was amazing as usual with 34 points and 12 assists but was helped by Kebu Clark’s 28 points and 7 rebounds. Cort had 29 points but needed 33 shots as I think he tried to stay with Taylor without thinking of the team.

Brooklyn Nets 27-4

That eggnog must still be sitting in their stomachs as we lose again, this time at home to Chicago 124-115. Damon Ashburn had 26 points and 14 rebounds while Patrick Blizzard added 29 points for good measure. Ken and Cort were again the standouts with 45 points between them and Sal did well with 9 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks before fouling out but we just didn’t play well enough to get the win.

Brooklyn Nets 27-5

Our last game of 2035 was a good one as Ken and Cort combined for 62 points and Abel Williams added 6 points and 9 rebounds off the bench as we rout the Wizards 119-94. The Wiz were doomed from the start as Rowan Taylor has torn his knee tendon and Brian Benton has broken his arm. They were also missing Jason London who was traded to Washington today but didn’t suit up in this game. The full trade recap will be in next month’s report.

Brooklyn Nets 28-5

After another magnificent month we're are still on top of the East, four games ahead of Miami. It’s a bit more than that as we have played 33 games to their 28 but it’s still pretty close. Indiana and Cleveland are tied for third. Charlotte are at the bottom of the table at 6-26 but have company in New York and Boston.

In the West it’s surprising to see Seattle at the top of the ladder at 23-8, in front of Denver, Portland and Dallas. The Lakers are still last and are still kicking themselves for not getting the number one pick and are hoping for it this off season.

Brooklyn Top Points
Cort Majishun – 25.7
Tiburcio Tommasini – 24.5
Kenneth Long – 20.9

Brooklyn Top Assists
Cort Majishun – 8.5
Kenneth Long – 4.2
Curtis Anderson – 3.8

Brooklyn Top Rebounds
John Brown – 7.6
Salvador Rios – 7.5
Kenneth Long – 6.6

League Leaders
Points – Lars Ray (LAL) – 32.8
Assists – Earl Harris (PHO) – 13.4
Rebounds – Julius Hobbs (NYK) – 11.1
Blocks – Erik Morris (MIL) – 3.0
Steals – Earl Harris (PHO) – 3.0
Efficiency – Tobe Slaughter (POR) – 31.0

Rookie Leaders
Points – Flavian Pesmazoglou (TOR) – 16.2
Assists – Flavian Pesmazoglou (TOR) – 3.4
Rebounds – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 7.5
Blocks – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 1.5
Steals – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 0.5
Efficiency – Flavian Pesmazoglou (TOR) – 15.8

First Round of NBA Draft Prospects
1. PG Gamal Hicks (Houston), Freshman, 6’4”, 203lbs
2. C BJ Watson (High Point), Freshman, 6’9”, 263lbs
3. SF James Carroll (Florida State), Freshman, 6’5”, 195lbs
4. C Shaheen Mason (Western Kentucky), Sophomore, 6’10”, 273lbs
5. PG Ryan Cornell (Michigan State), Freshman, 6’4”, 177lbs

Thoughts – Watson and Mason are top flight big man prospects but might get upstaged by Hicks out of Houston. He’s big and strong for a point guard and even though his passing skills aren’t quite there yet (only 5.9apg) he is learning every day.

[zike_42]

December Player of the Month – Michael Taylor, Milwaukee Bucks – 34.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

December Rookie of the Month – Paul Gilbert, San Antonio Spurs – 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

One massive trade last month which is a double edged sword in every sense of the term.

Washington trade:
SG Ed Kent
SG Greg Lavin

Phoenix trade:
SG Jason London
2036 2nd round pick

Winner – Phoenix. Jason London is a freak, he averages 26 points a game on 59% shooting on his career. He’s also a freak because Washington is now his sixth team in his ten years in the league and is known to alienate his teammates. The two guys the Suns receive are pretty basic but they get out from London’s toxic cloud.

Golden State trade:
SF Ronald Barnes
SG Dwayne Corner

Boston trade:
C Akin Feaster
2036 2nd round pick

Winner – Golden State. This is a good trade for both teams as the Warriors get a very good starting centre in Feaster while the Celtics finally take care of their jam at the five position. Barnes and Corner will be decent off the bench so nice all around.

Marlin Bain is only a week away from coming back into the team which is great news, but in the mean time we withstand a 22 point, 19 rebound performance from Julius Hobbs to take a 97-87 win over New York. It was Cort, Ken and Curtis who did the damage as the three combined for 60 points, 21 rebounds and 13 assists.

Brooklyn Nets 29-5

John Brown must be worried that his starting days are soon to be over and made the most of it with 24 points and 4 steals as we take a 131-120 win over Chicago that wasn’t even that close. Cort had 32 points and 10 assists while Sal added 12 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks and he’s getting better every day. Paul Cunningham and Gustavo Fonseca led the Bulls with 48 points between them.

Brooklyn Nets 30-5

In fact, Marlin is back! The doctors gave him the all clear to play four days earlier so he slides into the PF position with JB at SF and Sal at C. Curtis Anderson goes back to the sixth man role.

He does pretty well in his first game with 12 points and 10 rebounds as we start slow but finish in a rush, beating the Cavs 107-90. Cort and Ken were on fire with 62 points, 16 assists and 13 rebounds to decimate Jamil Fleming and Frank Slaughter. Art Stevenson is truly having an All NBA season and showed it tonight with 22 points and 6 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 31-5

A great performance from Marlin (26 points, 11 rebounds) pushed us over the top of the Lakers 107-81 and it really shows that he is a great player. Cort had 28 points but this was all Marlin. Lars Ray must be hating it in LA as he is the only, and I mean only good thing on that squad as David Stetson is decent but he’s a headcase. Ray had 20 points in the loss.

Brooklyn Nets 32-5

It was a team effort in our 102-84 win over Detroit as eight of our guys were in double figures. The best of the bunch was Luigi Cannavaro who had 11 points, 4 rebounds and 5 fouls in 19 minutes in his best game so far. Detric Jones led the way for the Pistons with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists and even though they shot 49% to our 41% we forced 25 turnovers to our paltry three. Marlin, Ken and Abel you guys are doing sprints for your lack of ball handling! Geez, one turnover each? Inconceivable!

Brooklyn Nets 33-5

The Heat are 24-11 at the moment but they were no match for us as we stomp them into a fine mist with a 127-99 shellacking. Cort led the way with 23 points but every played and everyone scored at least four points. Shoo had 14 points and Lou Beck added 10 points and 11 assists but they were just outmatched.

Brooklyn Nets 34-5

Oh dear, it’s not Hell Week, it’s Hell Fortnight with thirteen games in seventeen days. Ouch. First up was a good start as we smash the Celtics 118-97. Sal had an amazing game, going 8/12 for 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way while Cort added 24 points and 11 assists. Neil Prato was the best for the losers with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 35-5

Next up is the quite good Blazers. Good but not great was we take care of business 123-109 as Marlin took the whole Portland team to the sword with 28 points and 18 rebounds. Cort was also great with 31 points as we shoot 51% from the field. Tobe Slaughter and Brad Largent had 25 points each for the Blazers. It was surprising to see Jimmy Forrest still playing at 36 years old. Good on him, he’s not playing much but at least he’s still going.

Brooklyn Nets 36-5

Onto Charlotte, NC and again we win with a 30-17 second quarter blitz as we go on to a 127-117 win. Cort and Ken combined for 53 points, 19 rebounds and 14 assists to blast Nick Hughes and Joe West. Luigi is getting more playing time as the first centre off the bench and had 12 points in 18 minutes. The Cats don’t have that marquee player with Derrick Culuko being the ‘star’ as he was a number one pick but isn’t a superstar but still had 30 points tonight.

Brooklyn Nets 37-5

It’s our third ten game winning streak of the season already as we utter and completely humiliate the Sixers 133-77. We shot 58% to their 40% as Ken led the way with 24 points and 5 steals. Curtis Mueller had a good game with 17 points in 13 minutes. Curtis Anderson started at SF with JB gong to PF but Curtis had a shocker with 2/12 shooting. Padorin Ivelitsch led the way for Philly with 14 points.

Brooklyn Nets 38-5

This team just keeps getting better if that’s possible. I don’t have words for our win over Toronto, so here is a shot of the box score –



Brooklyn Nets 39-5

JB, Ken and Cort put together one hell of a game with 81 points as we cruise past the Nuggets 128-108. Ken himself only took six shots for his 23 points. Jason Harriman had 31 points for Denver and it’s good to see my old guys playing well.

Brooklyn Nets 40-5

Ah, it was bound to happen as we lose our first game of this Hell Fortnight pretty comprehensively, going down to San Antonio 110-88. Rookie sensation Paul Gilbert had 23 points and 7 rebounds while Doc Hinton who I have never heard of before had 8 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Cort was our best with 29 points but we shot 39% from the field.

Brooklyn Nets 40-6

If I said that Joe Adras and Jaymes Kincaid combine for 53 points and 25 assists you would assume that we lost, right? No such luck for Kings fans as Cort Majishun has a night for the ages, going 15/22 from the field and 9/14 from three for a whopping 46 points and 14 assists as we take the high scoring game 138-129. JB added 27 points and Ken put in 21 points but this was all Cort. Phew, what a game!

Brooklyn Nets 41-6

Good news – we win 110-102 over the Sonics as Ken nabs 19 points and Sal doubles up. Bad news – Cort Majishun twists his ankle and will be out of action for at least a week. Great. Eryk Charnowski had 21 points but Eryk, Alfons Dietz and Ray Haymon all fouled out which really hurt Seattle down the stretch.

Brooklyn Nets 42-6

Matias Perez will now start for Cort for the time being.

And he plays quite well with 14 points and 10 assists. Too bad Michael McQuay went into beast mode with 32 points and 12 rebounds on 16/20 FTs as the Hawks knock us down a peg with a 105-99 win. Curtis Mueller had a great game with 18 points in 17 minutes but it didn’t matter as no-one could slow down McQuay.

Brooklyn Nets 42-7

Curtis Mueller has become the Matias Perez of the team with 11 points in 9 minutes and Matias Perez has become the Cort Majishun of the team with 25 points and 10 assists as we beat the Celtics 123-116. Marlin and Sal have 17 points each to compliment Perez. Neil Prato was the best for the Celtics with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 43-7

This team is Cort’s team and without him we are lacking an identity a little. We played well without TT because we still had Cort as our leader but right now we are a little lost. Jerry Benton had 28 points as the Hornets take us our 124-112. Matias is trying his best with 19 points and 12 assists but we really need our guy back if we are going to keep going at this pace.

Brooklyn Nets 43-8

OK forget what I said as we smash the Blazers 139-119 because of our bench. The two Curtis’ were electric as C.Mueller had 31 points, 8 assists and 6 steals in 27 minutes while C.Anderson added 20 points 24 minutes in the win. Tobe Slaughter and Brad Largent were again the best for Portland with 26 points and 27 points respectively.

Brooklyn Nets 44-8

Even with our little stumble at the end of the month where we went 4-3 in our last seven we are still the best team in the league as we have a seven game lead already over second placed Chicago and nine over Miami. Charlotte are trending the other way at 7-36, five games behind New York.

The Mavericks have taken over top spot in the West at 25-11 and have opened up a decent lead over the 32-17 Sonics. The Lakers are flailing at 12-29 as they only have Lars Ray and there is only so much one guy can do.

Brooklyn Top Points
Cort Majishun – 26.1
Kenneth Long – 19.7
John Brown – 12.2
(Tiburcio Tommasini – 24.5ppg in 15 games)

Brooklyn Top Assists
Cort Majishun – 8.1
Kenneth Long – 4.3
Curtis Anderson – 3.5

Brooklyn Top Rebounds
Salvador Rios – 7.3
John Brown – 7.0
Kenneth Long – 6.2

League Leaders
Points – Michael Taylor (MIL) – 32.0
Assists – Lou Beck (MIA) – 12.8
Rebounds – Julius Hobbs (NYK) – 11.0
Blocks – Ish Faye (IND) – 2.7
Steals – Earl Harris (PHO) – 2.8
Efficiency – Michael Taylor (MIL) – 31.1

Rookie Leaders
Points – Paul Gilbert (SAS) – 14.6
Assists – Flavian Pesmazoglou (TOR) – 4.6
Rebounds – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 7.3
Blocks – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 1.5
Steals – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 0.5
Efficiency – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 14.4

Second Round of NBA Draft Prospects
1. PG Gamal Hicks (Houston), Freshman, 6’4”, 203lbs
2. C BJ Watson (High Point), Freshman, 6’9”, 263lbs
3. PF Steve Respert (South Carolina), Senior, 6’10”, 251lbs
4. SF James Carroll (Florida State), Freshman, 6’5”, 195lbs
5. C Shaheen Mason (Western Kentucky), Sophomore, 6’10”, 273lbs

Thoughts – I still think it will be a Hicks/Watson/Mason top three (in no particular order) but there is a depth to this draft. Carroll should be good but he will play SG in the pros while Respert is a bolter that has Basketball IQ off the charts. He probably won’t go top five but he is still a quality prospect.

[zike_42]

January Player of the Month – Jason London, Washington Wizards – 37.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.

January Rookie of the Month – Paul Gilbert, San Antonio Spurs – 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

Only one trade last month again as it seems that either teams are set on their squads or are waiting for this month’s trade deadline.

Washington trade:
PG Jesse Smith
PG Cugat Cortez
PF Jermaine Gibson

Houston trade:
C Brian Caldwell
2036 2nd round pick

Winner – Houston. The three players that Houston gave up are nothing special at all but pairing Brian Caldwell with Jason London is just asking for trouble. Yes Rowan Taylor has done his knee tendon but there has to be someone better (and saner) than Caldwell. Trust me, there could be police involved soon, that’s how crazy London and Caldwell are.

Our first game of Feb was always going to be tough as we went to Dallas with a banged up Cort who wanted to start. It was bloodshed from the get go as the Mavericks got out to a 32-17 first quarter lead and never let it go, winning 123-115. Ledaryl McMillian had a blast with 28 points while Terry McKenzie and Kresimir Balas had 27 rebounds between them. Marlin Bain had his best ever game with 23 points and 24 rebounds but if we shoot 39% from the field against the Mavs we aren’t ever going to win.

Brooklyn Nets 44-9

We get our revenge two nights later when the Mavs come to our home and we blast them out of the water, winning 101-83. Cort and Ken combine for 42 points as even though we shot 40% from the field we held Dallas to only 41% and 20 turnovers. Jack Dawkins had the best game for the losers with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Brooklyn Nets 45-9

Cort is fully healthy but it was Ken who stole the show with 28 points and 10 assists as we stroll past the Magic 122-86. Cort had a great game as well with 23 points and 8 assists while Sal and Marlin added 34 points and 17 rebounds. Juia Henchoz is going gangbusters for the Magic and had 30 points but they’ve got so much young, raw talent it’s going to take a while for it all to fit together.

Brooklyn Nets 46-9

The Bucks just aren’t as good as they used to be and we showed that by beating them 127-110 on our turf. Ken had 24 points while Cort added 18 points and 18 assists and even Luigi got into the action with 17 points. All in all, a good team effort. Michael Taylor is doing it alone with 38 points and 8 assists but had no help from anyone else.

Brooklyn Nets 47-9

Art Stevenson had 26 points and 11 rebounds but was upstaged by Marlin Bain’s 15 points and 20 rebounds as we sneak past the Cavs 103-98. Cort and Ken combined for 48 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists and if it wasn’t for those three we would have been sunk. Torraye Driggers matched Stevenson’s 26 points but shot much worse.

Brooklyn Nets 48-9

It was a strange game against the Riders as the only players over the 20 point margin were on their team as Kevin Epps had 21 points and Brennen Perdue added 22 points but we still won, with ten players with five points or more to take the game 109-98. Marlin Bain has been on a tear recently and had 18 points and 9 rebounds. There was even a newspaper article written about him which is exciting for the young guy.

Brooklyn Nets 49-9

All Star weekend rolls around and as usual my team didn’t have any participants in the skills challenges. Sacramento’s DeShawn Wesley came from behind to beat Toronto’s Marshod Anderson in the Dunk Contest 66-58 whie Portland’s Thomas Perkins was simply the best guy on the night in the Long Distance Shootout, beating Dallas’ Ledaryl McMillian and Eddie Harris.

The Rookie/Sophomore game was one of the most one sided games I’ve ever seen, with the second year guys hitting 34/67 from three to win 170-111. Marshod Anderson and Chris Bailey were joint MVPs with 31 points each with David Forrest had 22 points and 15 assists and Pete Edgerson and David Baxley added 48 points. We had two rookies play with Sal starting and having 14 points and 8 rebounds while Luigi Cannavaro played seven minutes for one point. Anthony Coley led them with 28 points but they were vastly outmatched.

It’s great to see Luigi get some recognition as he was always going to be a D-Leaguer this season but with the injury to Marlin Bain he made it back to the pros and has gone from strength to strength from there so it’s great to see him playing here.

The All Star game wasn’t as bad as the Rookie/Sophomore game but it was still pretty one sided as the East led the game for all but two minutes to take the game 150-132. In his second season and first All Star game, Marshod Anderson took out the All Star MVP award with 23 points in 16 minutes off the bench as eight other East players were in double figures. Our only representative was Kenneth Long who had 10 points and 5 assists. Nathaniel Jackson led the West with 24 points in the loss.

Eastern Conference All Star Starters
Michael Harmon, Indiana Pacers (Second Selection)
Jason London, Washington Wizards (Sixth Selection)
Juia Henchoz, Orlando Magic (First Selection)
Ish Faye, Indiana Pacers (Second Selection)
Art Stevenson, Cleveand Cavaliers (Second Selection)

Eastern Conference All Star Reserves
Jamil Fleming, Cleveland Cavaliers (Sixth Selection)
DJ Forbes, Chicago Bulls (Second Selection)
Kenneth Long, Brooklyn Nets (Sixth Selection)
Reggie Smith, Memphis Grizzlies (Fourth Selection)
Marshod Anderson, Toronto Raptors (First Selection)
Lou Beck, Miami Heat (Third Selection)
Kurt Harrington, Detroit Pistons (First Selection)

Western Conference All Star Starters
Michael Taylor, Milwaukee Bucks (Eighth Selection)
Mike Bickerstaf, Oklahoma City Thunder (Eighth Selection)
Lars Ray, Los Angeles Lakers (Fifth Selection)
Nathaniel Jackson, Utah Jazz (Fifth Selection)
David Stetson, Los Angeles Lakers (First Selection)

Western Conference All Star Reserves
Joe Adras, Sacramento Kings (First Selection)
Jack Dawkins, Dallas Mavericks (Eighth Selection)
Camah Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves (Sixth Selection)
Cliff Havens, San Diego Riders (First Selection)
Terry McKenzie, Dallas Mavericks (Seventh Selection)
Jason Harriman, Denver Nuggets (Second Selection)
Enrique Mendez, Minnesota Timberwolves (Seventh Selection)

Will we get our 50th win or 10th loss first? Behind Marlin’s and Sal’s 59 points and 17 rebounds we get our 50th by the score of 121-105 over Golden State. Our other players didn’t do much but when a destructive big man duo goes off like that, you just sit back and watch. Apolinary Dembowski led the Warriors with 25 points.

Brooklyn Nets 50-9

Zan Tepavac has a broken finger so it means we get a 112-96 gimme over OKC as Cort is back to his best with 25 points. Marlin backed him up with 22 points but went 4/11 from the foul line and had 5 turnovers. Mike Bickerstaf had 20 points in the loss.

Brooklyn Nets 51-9

Our last game of February was a surprisingly close game against the terrible Celtics but we held on in the end, winning 118-112. Cort led the way with 29 points and 10 assists but Ken and Sal fouled out very early. Varlam Chavchavadze has been playing in Boston for 14 years now and it would be great if he stays there until he retires, but that won’t be for a while if he keeps putting up 23 points and 7 assists like he did here.

Brooklyn Nets 52-9

I know February is a short month but we only played nine games in it which was great as we got most of our heavy lifting done in the previous months. We went 8-1 and extended our lead to a whopping ten games over Indiana and Miami and hopefully by the end of the next month we can wrap up home court advantage. Boston have dropped to the bottom at 14-47 and are looking for next season.

Dallas have extended their lead to six games over Oklahoma City at 38-16 and it’s strange to see eleven teams with a +.500 record as San Diego would be sixth last in the conference at 30-29. It drops off a cliff from there as the Lakers still hold onto bottom spot at 19-34.

Brooklyn Top Points
Cort Majishun – 25.1
Kenneth Long – 19.5
Marlin Bain – 12.6

Brooklyn Top Assists
Cort Majishun – 8.2
Kenneth Long – 4.4
Curtis Anderson – 3.3

Brooklyn Top Rebounds
Marlin Bain – 7.4
Salvador Rios – 7.2
John Brown – 6.8

League Leaders
Points – Micheal Taylor (MIL) – 32.3
Assists – Lou Beck (MIA) – 13.4
Rebounds – Julius Hobbs (NYK) – 10.8
Blocks – Ish Faye (IND) – 2.8
Steals – Jason Collins (OKC) – 2.8
Efficiency – Michael Taylor (MIL) – 30.6

Rookie Leaders
Points – Paul Gilbert (SAS) – 15.3
Assists – Flavian Pesmazoglou (TOR) – 4.9
Rebounds – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 7.2
Blocks – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 1.6
Steals – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 0.5
Efficiency – Salvador Rios (BKL) – 14.7

Third Round of NBA Draft Prospects
1. PG Gamal Hicks (Houston), Freshman, 6’4”, 203lbs
2. C BJ Watson (High Point), Freshman, 6’9”, 263lbs
3. SG Andre Betts (Tennessee), Freshman, 6’2”, 194lbs
4. C Shaheen Mason (Western Kentucky), Sophomore, 6’10”, 273lbs
5. SF Cain Davis (High School), Senior, 6’8”, 225lbs

Thoughts – The high schoolers have been really underwhelming so far and it would be good to see them step up their game. I’m really surprised that Hicks still holds onto that number one position but anything could happen at draft time.