New York, New York! Bringing a championship home

[zike_42]

2042 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 Chicago vs. #8 Washington
#2 Brooklyn vs. #7 Orlando
#3 Charlotte vs. #6 Atlanta
#4 Detroit vs. #5 New Orleans

Western Conference
#1 Phoenix vs. #8 Seattle
#2 San Antonio vs. #7 Sacramento
#3 Dallas vs. #6 Los Angeles
#4 Oklahoma City vs. #5 San Diego

We won the series 2-1 after losing early on in the season but the way we have played in the second half of the season this shouldn’t be a problem.

Western Conference First Round – Seattle vs. Phoenix

Point Guard
Drew Martin vs. Michael Harmon
18.2 points, 7.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds vs. 21.9 points, 7.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds

Even though Harmon is the overwhelming favourite in this match-up, Martin has done well against the Suns in the past few encounters, having a 31 point, 10 assist game not long ago. He’s good and young which is great news for the Sonics but he’s no match for the Michael Harmon.

Winner - Phoenix

Shooting Guard
Ben Angeli vs. Cameron Brown
18.4 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds vs. 19.1 points, 7.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds

Angeli is another Sonic who has had success against Phoenix with a 24 point game in the year but again he’s just not at the talent level of Brown. Seattle are going to need Angeli and Martin to play well again if they are hoping of winning more than one game this series.

Winner - Phoenix

Small Forward
Maurice Marlow vs. Marshod Anderson
12.3 points, 2.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds vs. 24.0 points, 1.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds

This is probably the most one sided battle in the series as Anderson is one of the best scorers in the league while Marlow is just an average player. He’s also a brutally woeful defender who will probably get 30+ scored on him every game.

Winner - Phoenix

Power Forward
Jarrad Prewitt vs. Sam Russell
13.4 points, 1.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds vs. 9.1 points, 1.0 assist, 7.8 rebounds

If the Sonics are going to get anywhere in this series, then the two bigs are going to have to have big games on a regular basis. Prewitt has the capacity (just) but with Russell’s excellent defence it might be hard.

Winner - Draw

Centre
Mitch Edwards vs. Pin-zhen Yuan
16.1 points, 1.1 assists, 7.3 rebounds vs. 11.0 points, 1.0 assist, 9.2 rebounds

Out of Prewitt and Edwards in who will make a move this series, it’s Edwards who has the better chance. He’s going up against a second year guy who is on the up but the fourth year man has the edge here.

Winner - Seattle

Bench
Calvin Ash, Clifton Collier, Israel Payne vs. Darryl Abrams, Romanos Demosthenous, Keith Chapman

The Sonics have built a very good second unit, especially in their big man stocks. Ash and Collier are borderline starters while Payne is a fantastic ball distributor. The Suns also have great subs and will need to play well to give the starters a good rest.

Winner – Draw

Prediction – Phoenix in four. Harmon, Brown and Anderson are just too strong for Seattle and will take their team into the second round without much fuss.

Right on cue, Marshod smashes 30 points and Harms put up 28 points as we win game one comfortably 107-93. Pin fouled out early which gave Darryl the chance to add 16 points and 11 rebounds on 7/9 shooting to the score shett. Ben Angeli and Jarrad Prewitt were the leaders for the Sonics with 17 points but Drew Martin only had 9 points on 4/10 shooting.

Phoenix leads 1-0

Game two was done and dusted after the first quarter as we run off a 34-17 term to cruise to a 116-92 win and the Sonics are already on the ropes. Marshod and Harms had 32 points each while Cam played distributor with 21 points and 12 assists. Ben Angeli had 21 points while Mitch Edwards added 20 points but Drew Martin again had a stinker with 3 points and 6 fouls.

Phoenix leads 2-0

If the Sonics were on the ropes after game two they’re getting the ten count after game three as we blank them 101-87 as we are still in second gear. Marshod topped 30 points again with 31 points with Harms’ 17 points, 14 assists and 8 rebounds was great support. Drew Martin finally had a decent game with 18 points and 8 assists but they shot 43% from the field which just isn’t good enough.

Phoenix leads 3-0

Ben Angeli had 24 points, Jarrad Prewitt had 19 points and we shot 45% but they still couldn’t win as Marshod was again the Star with 28 points as the brooms come out with a 103-102 squeaker. Harms had a devil’s triple double with 22 points, 11 assists and 11 turnovers and I’m sure he’s happy to get past the Sonics.

Phoenix wins 4-0

There were two other sweeps with #1 Chicago beating out #8 Washington while Deon Fox put on a showcase for #3 Charlotte as they beat the #6 Hawks. Fox averaged 40.8 points and 10.0 rebounds on 69% shooting in the four games.

#4 Detroit, #2 Brooklyn and #2 San Antonio beat their opponents in five games while #4 Oklahoma City won in six games. That means that there was one series that went the distance with #6 Los Angeles causing the upset, beating #3 Dallas 114-104 in game seven.

[zike_42]

2042 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 Chicago vs. #4 Detroit
#2 Brooklyn vs. #3 Charlotte

Western Conference
#1 Phoenix vs. #4 Oklahoma City
#2 San Antonio vs. #6 Los Angeles

We won the season series 3-0 and apart from a four point win the other two were blow outs.

Western Conference Semi-Finals – Oklahoma City vs. Phoenix

Point Guard
Axel Rancik vs. Michael Harmon
No games played in playoffs vs. 24.8 points, 9.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds

Rancik is coming off a broken toe so didn’t play in the last series and won’t be 100% for the first two games. He’s as close as you can get to Michael Harmon but he’s not quite there, so expect Harmon to take advantage of that sore toe in games one and two.

Winner - Phoenix

Shooting Guard
Matt Cook vs. Cameron Brown
19.8 points, 3.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds vs. 17.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds

The numbers of Cook are a bit misleading and should drop considerably with Rancik coming back into the team. He’s just an average player who got the chance to shoot a lot and will be exposed by Brown’s superior all around game.

Winner - Phoenix

Small Forward
Matt Wood vs. Marshod Anderson
10.3 points, 1.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds vs. 30.3 points, 3.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds

The only good thing about Matt Ward is that he is an excellent defender. Unfortunately for the Thunder, their usual starting SF in Chri Morrison went down with a serious leg injury so Ward is going to have to be the David to Anderson’s Goliath. It’s not going to end well as Anderson was on a massive tear last series and will hope to continue it here.

Winner - Phoenix

Power Forward
Zan Tepavac vs. Sam Russell
21.8 points, 0.8 assists, 6.5 rebounds vs. 11.0 points, 1.5 assists, 7.3 rebounds

The best OKC player on the roster, Tepavac needs to channel every heroic performance he can think of to get this team to an upset win. He’s a fantastic two way player and with a guy like Russell breathing down his neck, the Thunder will need to get him open at all times.

Winner – Oklahoma City

Centre
Kelly Moreland vs. Pin-zhen Yuan
16.3 points, 1.0 assist, 5.8 rebounds vs. 8.8 points, 1.3 assists, 11.0 rebounds

Filling in admirably for the out-for-the-season Brandon Bailey, Moreland is quality. He’s only 22 years old and should already be starting for teams but the loss of Bailey is a killer. Yuan has gobbled up rebounds for a while now and will match up well against Moreland. This is probably the closest duel in the series.

Winner - Draw

Bench
Adonis Molnar, Torian Roma, Wesley Reynolds vs. Darryl Abrams, Romanos Demosthenous, Keith Chapman

Another Thunder player who is injured, Molnar has a sprained ankle and will be hobbling for the first three games while the rest of the bench aren’t really that good, it’s just that they have had to go deep because of the injuries. Phoenix on the other hand are fully fit and will look to extend leads when their starters have a breather.

Winner – Phoenix

Prediction – Phoenix in five. Without the injuries this series would be a very interesting one but right now the Thunder just don’t have the bodies to go with the Suns.

That’s the crux of it, as the Thunder’s injuries are just too much to overcome and is perfectly shown by our 125-93 dismantling. Marshod had his way with 32 points and 7 rebounds while Cam and Harms combined for 38 points and 15 assists. Compare that to Axel Rancik and Matt Cook who went 6/24 for 14 points it’s not enough. Zan Tepavac had a good game with 23 points and 8 rebounds but he needs help.

Phoenix leads 1-0

Game two was much the same and not even a 21-14 last quarter by OKC could save them from a beat down as Marshod scored 35 points to lead us to a 102-87 win. Cam and Harms did the duo thing again with 38 points, 18 assists and 12 rebounds while Sam had 5 blocks. Axel Rancik had a better game and he’s so close to being healthy with 18 points but the Thunder missed 16 free throws and turned the ball over 19 times which are never good stats.

Phoenix leads 2-0

The Thunder played much better, shooting 52% from the field and forcing us to turn the ball over a whopping 25 times in their first home game of this series but it wasn’t enough. Zan Tepavac might have had 28 points but they also turned the ball over too much (23 times) as we win again 104-98 in a much closer game. Cam did the damage with 32 points but both he and Harms turned the ball over eight times. Each. Yikes. Marshod had a tough game with 15 points as Axel Rancik is now fully healthy and had 16 points, 13 assists and 5 steals.

Phoenix leads 3-0

We finally get the battle of the giants that we were promised as both Harms and Rancik went toe to toe. Ranick had 27 points and 14 assists while Harms shot back with 30 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds. They also got help as Kelly Moreland and Zan Tepavac had 21 points apiece while Marshod and Cam put up 23 points apiece. The defining factor was that we just shot better, 54% to 48% as we sweep another team to stay perfect 122-112. Bring on the WCF!

Phoenix wins 4-0

Deon Fox has continued his supernova start as the #3 Bobcats beat the #2 Nets in five games and after nine games Fox is averaging 36.9ppg and 8.8rpg. Wow. #2 San Antonio wasn’t going to let the #6 Lakers cause another upset and won in five as well. #1 Chicago needed one more game to move on as they beat #4 Detroit 4-2.

[zike_42]

2042 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 Chicago vs. #3 Charlotte

Western Conference
#1 Phoenix vs. #2 San Antonio

In the season series against the Spurs we won the first two games before they absolutely smashed us 133-104 on their home court so we have to be careful with this team.

Western Conference Finals – San Antonio vs. Phoenix

Point Guard
Mack Haston vs. Michael Harmon
26.1 points, 12.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds vs. 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, 5.4 rebounds

Out of the frying pan and into the fire as Harmon goes from superstar Axel Rancik to superstar Mack Haston. With a team that runs completely through him, Haston needs to continue his amazing form for the Spurs to win while Harmon has back up in Brown and Anderson to help him over the line.

Winner - Phoenix

Shooting Guard
Gustavo Fonseca vs. Cameron Brown
19.9 points, 2.7 assists, 5.5 rebounds vs. 21.0 points, 7.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds

The best contract in basketball today, Fonseca is a scoring machine. He can’t do much else which might be his undoing but that’s all San Antonio needs from him right now. Brown has upped his numbers in the last two series and will be looked upon to really take on the passing duties with Harmon dueling with Haston.

Winner - Phoenix

Small Forward
Dave Smith vs. Marshod Anderson
21.7 points, 1.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds vs. 28.4 points, 2.1 assists, 5.5 rebounds

Smith has come out of nowhere, averaging great numbers this post season to go with his real nice ones in the regular season. Not only is he a great scorer, he’s also a fantastic defender, and even though he is only 6’4” he could make 6’5” Anderson very uncomfortable.

Winner - Phoenix

Power Forward
Moshe Nagid vs. Sam Russell
6.8 points, 1.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds vs. 10.3 points, 1.3 assists, 7.9 rebounds

This is the battle of the defensive centres as Nagid is averaging 2.1 blocks a game this post season while Russell is swatting away 4.0 shots so far. This will be interesting because if either team can get some bonus scoring from these guys it might push the needle in their direction.

Winner - Draw

Centre
Shaheen Mason vs. Pin-zhen Yuan
15.1 points, 0.5 assists, 6.2 rebounds vs. 9.6 points, 1.3 assists, 9.4 rebounds

Mason has been the rock of this team, he’s puts up points and does the little things to help the team win. He’s also a fantastic leader but he’s a shocking rebounder. Yuan on the other hand is a dynamic rebounder but he hasn’t had to do much else for the team with the likes of Harmon, Brown and Anderson.

Winner - Draw

Bench
Tarrell McMahon, Paul Gilbert, Josh Venner vs. Darryl Abrams, Romanos Demosthenous, Neith Chapman

The three listed for the Spurs are all important members of the team and could probably start for lesser clubs out there but they don’t have much depth at PG behind Haston which has forced him to play lots of minutes. Speaking of lots of minutes, the Suns’ big three have all played over 42 minutes a game on average in these playoffs so having a good performance out of their bench will be paramount to keeping the title defence train running.

Winner – Draw

Prediction – Phoenix in six. The Spurs has a team that is so much more than the sum of its parts and play flawlessly as a team. They run everything through Mack Haston so he needs to keep firing otherwise Phoenix’s big three will tear them to shreds.

The Spurs goes through Mack Haston and if he plays well, the team plays well. So when he puts up 22 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds the other guys lift. Which is what happened in game one as Moshe Nagid had 21 points and 10 rebounds as we are held to 42% shooting, forcing us to give up home court advantage with a 103-91 shock loss. Marshod had 25 points and 9 rebounds but the rest of the team was horrible with Harms fouling out in 34 minutes with only 8 points to his name.

San Antonio leads 1-0

Game two needs to be a statement game. We need to not only beat the Spurs, but destroy them. As you can expect, this team came out red hot and stayed hot, winning every statistical category to win 109-86. The hero wasn’t who you would expect as Sam Russell took Moshe Nagid apart, going 6/8 for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks and steals. He had help of course, with Harms having a much better game with 24 points and 12 assists while holding Mack Haston to 2/10 shooting (he did have 10 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds though).

Series tied 1-1

Going into Texas we need to take a win here, otherwise it’s going to be very hard to come back against this team. Our big three combined for 70 points but that wasn’t enough with Shaheen Mason going bananas with 31 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs won handsomely 111-98. It’s because we just couldn’t stop them scoring or going to the foul line, as they shot 51% and 39 free throws in the game.

San Antonio leads 2-1

It’s strange to have a game where Mack Haston dominates so completely but they didn’t win. He went 13/24 for 36 points and 6 assists but the rest of the starters didn’t come to the party, going 17/51 as we take back HCA with a 111-90 victory. It was only the third quarter that blew this game open as we went on a 24-9 rampage to put the game out of reach. Marshod finally had the game we know he can have with 29 points while Harms didn’t embarrass himself against Haston with 26 points.

Series tied 2-2

We might have broke the Spurs last game as they had so much momentum, just for us to take it away. So when Haston goes 2/7 for 5 points and 6 fouls you know it’s lights out for the Spurs as we take game five 108-82. Cam had the game we know he can have with 32 points while Marshod continued his fine shooting with 27 points. It’s been a bit disappointing that Pin hasn’t done that much this post season on the offensive end but he’s done well on the other side, keeping Shaheen Mason to 3/10 shooting.

Phoenix leads 3-2

This is it, our first chance of finishing off the Spurs. I don’t really want to chance it in a game seven even though we’re pretty awesome on our court but doing it now will be a better alternative. Mack Haston had other ideas with 29 points and 12 assists with Shaheen Mason helping out with 19 points but they had no answer for our all around offense. Not only did Marshod and Cam combine for 43 points but Pin finally had a great offensive game with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The guy who did most of the damage was Darryl Abrams, who put up 12 points and 13 rebounds off the bench with Sam being troubled by fouls. We’re heading to our second consecutive NBA Finals!

Phoenix wins 4-2

Chicago withstands a 38 point, 20 rebound monster performance from Deon Fox to win their series in six games to make it to their first NBA Finals series since Michael Jordan in 1997. They haven’t made it out of the first round in the last 30 years as well! So you can expect their fans to be rabid.

[zike_42]

2042 NBA Finals

#1 Chicago vs. #1 Phoenix

Point Guard
DJ Forbes vs. Michael Harmon
19.3 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds vs. 20.6 points, 7.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds

It’s good to see Forbes have some success because unlike a lot of the other fantastic point guards, he’s toiled away in Chicago for 11 years and had never made it out of the first round but he’s still stuck around. He’s going to have a hard time here against the best point guard in the game today who is gunning for another title.

Winner - Phoenix

Shooting Guard
Randy Canal vs. Cameron Brown
16.1 points, 9.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds vs. 20.4 points, 7.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds

Brown is only 6’4” but when he goes up against 6’0”, 182lb Canal it’s going to be like he’s seven feet tall. Canal is a very good player who has finally got the playing time he deserves after floundering on Brooklyn’s and Minnesota’s benches but he’s just outmatched here against one of the best SG going around.

Winner - Phoenix

Small Forward
Santo Tommasini vs. Marshod Anderson
20.3 points, 1.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds vs. 26.5 points, 2.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds

Who would have thought that there would be another Tommasini in the league? He can score alright and will be leaned on by the Bulls to shoulder that load. Unfortunately he didn’t get the defensive gene from Tiburcio as Santo is a horrible defender and will be crunched by Anderson.

Winner - Phoenix

Power Forward
Victor Hoiberg vs. Sam Russell
16.9 points, 0.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds vs. 11.7 points, 1.7 assists, 8.4 rebounds

It’s good to see guys like Hoiberg get a run because on other teams he might just be an average bench player. He’s a good scorer (shown by his averages) and an above average defender but can’t rebound to save himself. If Russell can stop Hoiberg from putting up 15-17 points a game it will be a huge plus for the Suns.

Winner - Draw

Centre
Kevin Morrison vs. Pin-zhen Yuan
16.9 points, 1.1 assists, 8.9 rebounds vs. 10.6 points, 1.1 assists, 9.0 rebounds

The X-Factor. Morrison is 23 years old now and really coming into his own and if he can have a massive series here it could tip the series. He’s got that much talent. Yuan might be younger than Morrison but he’s still a very good player who will want to shut his opponent down to give his game more credibility.

Winner - Chicago

Bench
Terry Whitworth, Andre Walker, Derek Whitworth vs. Darryl Abrams, Romanos Demosthenous, Keith Chapman

The Whitworth brothers make this Chicago bench very dangerous as not only are they decent scorers they are great defenders. This whole Bulls bench is built on teamwork which might rattle the more fancied Phoenix second unit.

Winner – Phoenix

Prediction – Phoenix in six. This Bulls team is built on team ball. They might have a fantastic leader in Forbes but the rest of the squad are as equally important. Unfortunately they don’t have the absolute star power that the Suns have and will most likely be overrun by the likes of Michael Harmon, Cameron Brown and Marshod Anderson.

The Phoenix crowd can practically feel the championship parade through the streets of the city even before the game had begun. And after the 35-24 first quarter lead we amassed it was almost a done deal. Harms had 28 points while Marshod added 20 of his own. But after half time it was like we didn’t even show up as the Bulls exploded for a 47-15 third quarter to bust this game and the series wide open with a game one 136-104 win. Santo Tommasini channeled his uncle with 33 points and they had five other players with 14 points or more. Andre Walker was the catalyst for that third term rampage with 14 points in 8 minutes in the term. We need to regroup as this team looks shaken after such a performance.

Chicago leads 1-0

In game two we just couldn’t shake the Bulls and they couldn’t shake us, the perfect balance for an NBA Finals game. Santo Tommasini and Marshod had a great battle with Santo having 28 points and Marshod putting up 34 points as the game went into extra time. After that, it was all Cam Brown who scored 14 of our 20 points in overtime as we outscore them 20-8 to level the series 129-117. Cam had a great game with 28 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds and force DJ Forbes (who moved to SG) to a 1/7 shooting night.

Series tied 1-1

It’s been 45 years since Chicago has made the NBA Finals and they haven’t even got out of the first round since I’ve been the league! And I’ve been in the league for a long time now. So to say that the Chicago fans have been waiting for this moment is a huge understatement. If I was to give one word to this crowd it would be ravenous.

They’re hungry and we need to take the crowd out of this contest. It didn’t help that they got out to a 10 point lead early in the second quarter and I couldn’t hear myself think, let alone clap whenever we did something good. After that it was all Michael Harmon. He might only be 28 years old but this game was vintage Harms, going 13/19 from the field and 13/13 from the line for 43 points and 11 assists as we take back home court advantage 128-120. We kept that 8-10 point lead throughout the second half as they just couldn’t peg it back. Cam was a huge help as well with 28 points and 11 rebounds with Marshod having a tough night with only 9 point on 14 shots. Victor Hoiberg was the star for Chicago with 30 points but DJ Forbes had another rotten night for only 12 points and 5 fouls.

Phoenix leads 2-1

We might have had the two highest scorers in the game with Marshod and Harms having 22 points apiece but the sheer depth of Chicago’s line-up was just too much as they level the series with a 121-107 game. Kevin Morrison only went 4/11 from the field but he shot 13/14 from the stripe and put our bigs in foul trouble for 21 points and 11 rebounds as they had seven players in double figures which was too deep for us. We also shot the ball at 43% and turned it over 5 times more than they did.

Series tied 2-2

This might have broken the back of Chicago as they threw everything at us, with DJ Fobes finally having a good game with 20 points and 8 assists, Santo Tommasini having 23 points while Kevin Morrison added 19 points and 3 blocks and it still wasn’t enough. It was always going to be the battle between their depth and our star power and the power won out, with Harms, Cam and Marshod combining for 79 points, 22 assists and 11 rebounds as we go to within one game with a 121-106 win. Pin had a great game as well and in a few years we might have a big four with 16 points and 17 rebounds. One more game.

Phoenix leads 3-2

The back has been broken. Our star filled back court is just too impressive as after the first quarter of game six the title was ours. We outscored the Bulls 37-23 as Cam and Harms combine for 63 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds as we cruise to a 115-98 win as this year’s NBA Finals goes out with a whimper. I’m not complaining as winning on our home court is so much sweeter. Kevin Morrison had 23 points and 16 rebounds for the losers.

Phoenix wins 4-2

The Phoenix crowd is pandemonium, with people screaming like the place is on fire. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of people with no voices tomorrow. I take my time getting down to the court this time around, drinking in all of the atmosphere that is my eleven championship. The players have no interested in taking it slow as they form a massive huddle in the middle of the court before running to every corner of the court and getting mobbed by the still screaming crowd.

Many thought that Michael Harmon should have won the Finals MVP award with averages of 27.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals but Cameron Brown was also a very worthy winner with numbers of 26.2 points, 7.8 assists and 6.0 rebounds to take home the trophy.

[zike_42]

Back to Back – The Phoenix Suns

After winning the 2041 NBA Finals with a comfortable series win over Atlanta, the Phoenix Suns had a team that would not need changing. Nearly all of the main components of the championship winning team was already in place so only fine tuning was needed to get ready for their defence. The increase in experience for Pin-zhen Yuan and Sam Russell made this team a force inside and out and were the overwhelming favourites. They didn’t disappoint, smashing the regular season with a record of 68-14, which would have been higher if they hadn’t sta their stars for the whole month of April. The playoffs were also a straight forward affair, only losing four games on their way to another title. Here are the guys who made it possible.

#21 SG Bernard Polite (Connecticut), 6’4”, 207lbs, 6 year pro
Season Stats – 48 games, 0 starts, 6.2 minutes, 1.4 points, 0.3 assists, 0.8 rebounds, 0.1 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – DNP
Acquired by – Free Agency

#43 SF Josh Louis (Creighton), 6’8”, 202lbs, 3 year pro
Season Stats – 47 games, 0 starts, 8.1 minutes, 1.7 points, 0.6 assists, 1.1 rebounds, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – DNP
Acquired by – Free Agency

#41 PF Tarrell Gates (Oklahoma State), 6’8”, 226lbs, 9 year pro
Season Stats – 57 games, 0 starts, 6.8 minutes, 3.5 points, 0.2 assists, 1.2 rebounds, 0.1 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – DNP
Acquired by – Free Agency

#17 PG Olaf Milosz (Poland), 6’0”, 157lbs, rookie
Season Stats – 52 games, 11 starts, 13.8 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.0 assists, 1.5 rebounds, 0.2 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – 4 games, 0 starts, 3.0 minutes, 2.0 points, 0.8 assists, 0.3 rebounds, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Acquired by - Draft

#53 C Eddie Grace (Colorado), 6’10”, 279lbs, rookie
Season Stats – 2 games, 0 starts, 1.5 minutes, 0.0 points, 0.0 assists, 0.0 rebounds, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – 8 games, 0 starts, 5.3 minutes, 1.4 points, 0.3 assists, 0.6 rebounds, 0.0 steals, 0.3 blocks
Acquired by - Draft

#4 PG Jason Collins (Villanova), 6’4”, 172lbs, 15 year pro
Season Stats – 75 games, 1 start, 12.1 minutes, 4.9 points, 3.2 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – 19 games, 0 starts, 4.4 minutes, 1.4 points, 1.4 assists, 0.7 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.0 blocks
Acquired by – Free Agency

#36 PF Keith Chapman (Oklahoma State), 6’11”, 231lbs, 11 year pro
Season Stats – 82 games, 0 starts, 10.2 minutes, 5.2 points, 0.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.8 blocks
Playoff Stats – 19 games, 0 starts, 6.1 minutes, 2.0 points, 0.3 assists, 1.0 rebound, 0.2 steals, 0.5 blocks
Acquired by – Free Agency

#16 SG Nyah Elliott (Saint John’s), 6’2”, 189lbs, rookie
Season Stats – 11 games, 11 starts, 34.2 minutes, 14.5 points, 1.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 8.4 minutes, 3.5 points, 0.6 assists, 0.9 rebounds, 0.1 steals, 0.0 blocks
Acquired by - Draft

#35 SF Romanos Demosthenous (Greece), 6’6”, 227lbs, 4 year pro
Season Stats – 82 games, 12 starts, 18.4 minutes, 9.3 points, 1.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.8 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 12.2 minutes, 5.9 points, 0.7 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks
Acquired by - Trade

#49 C Darryl Abrams (Pittsburgh), 6’9”, 272lbs, 12 year pro
Season Stats – 82 games, 6 starts, 21.1 minutes, 6.8 points, 0.6 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 20.4 minutes, 5.5 points, 1.0 assist, 5.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks
Acquired by - Trade

#45 C Pin-zhen Yuan (China), 6’10”, 266lbs, 2 year pro
Season Stats – 81 games, 79 starts, 30.6 minutes, 11.0 points, 1.0 assist, 9.2 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 30.2 minutes, 10.0 points, 1.1 assists, 9.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.9 blocks
Acquired by - Draft

#40 C Sam Russell (UT-Chattanooga), 6’10”, 253lbs, 2 year pro
Season Stats – 82 games, 79 starts, 28.2 minutes, 9.1 points, 1.0 assist, 7.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 2.9 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 34.3 minutes, 11.5 points, 1.8 assists, 8.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 3.4 blocks
Acquired by - Draft

#26 SF Marshod Anderson (Stanford), 6’5”, 200lbs, 8 year pro
Season Stats – 71 games, 71 starts, 37.7 minutes, 24.0 points, 1.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 42.0 minutes, 24.7 points, 2.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks
Acquired by - Trade

#22 PG Michael Harmon (Creighton), 6’4”, 157lbs, 9 year pro
Season Stats – 71 games, 71 starts, 36.8 minutes, 21.9 points, 7.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 39.7 minutes, 22.8 points, 7.9 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks
Acquired by - Trade

#18 SG Cameron Brown [CAPTAIN], 6’4”, 209lbs, 11 year pro
Season Stats – 69 games, 69 starts, 36.4 minutes, 19.1 points, 7.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 42.0 minutes, 22.2 points, 7.9 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks
Acquired by – Trade

Head Coach – Jeremy Jones, 58 years old, 21 years experience, 4th year with Phoenix, 2nd championship
First Assistant – Tanner Williams, 57 years old, 23 years experience, 5th year with Phoenix, 2nd championship
Second Assistant – Billy Warren, 65 years old, 6 years experience, 5th with Phoenix, 2nd championship
Third Assistant – Neil Dixon, 39 years old, 2 years experience, 2nd year with Phoenix, 2nd championship
General Manager – Yaxley MacMillan, 62 years old, 30 years experience, 4th year with Phoenix, 11th championship

[zike_42]

Do you remember this trade?

Phoenix trade:
SF Arthimus Smallwood
SG Chris Jones
C Tavorris Hancock
2042 1st round pick
2042 2nd round pick

Houston trade:
SG Cameron Brown
2040 1st round pick
2041 1st round pick
2042 1st round pick

Well that 2042 1st round pick that Houston traded to us just happens to now have the second best odds of getting the number one pick due to their horrible 26-56 record. Talk about good luck.

16 – Indiana (0)
15 – Miami (0)
14 – Nevada (0)
13 – Portland (0)
12 – Cleveland (0)
11 – Denver (0)
10 – Utah (0)
9 – Toronto (0)
8 – Milwaukee (0)
7 – Memphis (-2)

Boston and Philadelphia jump.

6 – New York (-2)
5 – Minnesota (-2)
4 – Phoenix (-2)

Dammit.

3 – Boston (+3)
2 – Golden State (-1)
1 – Philadelphia (+6)

Are you freaking serious! That’s four number one picks in the last six years! This team needs to fold, they have wasted their chances and are still one of the worst teams in the league. They should be ashamed of themselves. Ugh.

It’s awards season time and we should get at least something, right?

Most Valuable Player:
Joe Adras, Sacramento Kings – 25.4 points, 7.8 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks

Good on him, it’s his first MVP award after being the forgotten superstar PG with the likes of Michael Harmon, Axel Rancik and Mack Haston.

Defensive Player of the Year:
Adam Bell, Memphis Grizzlies – 17.8 points, 1.8 assists, 8.8 rebounds, 1.0 steal, 4.6 blocks

Just see that block average, re-donk-ulous.

Sixth Man of the Year:
Jordan Williamson, Atlanta Hawks – 20.2 points, 1.0 assist, 5.7 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.4 blocks

This is a bit of a cheat as Williamson started 37 games but he’s definitely a star player.

Rookie of the Year:
Jabari McPherson, Milwaukee Bucks – 14.3 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 steal, 0.4 blocks

No one was close.

Coach of the Year:
Jeremy Jones, Phoenix Suns – 68-14 (.829)

Yay! Great news for our off court leader.

All NBA First Team:
Joe Adras, Sacramento Kings
Nathan Gordon, Los Angeles Lakers
James Carroll, Houston Rockets
Lewis Jones, New Orleans Hornets
Luigi Cannavaro, Brooklyn Nets

All NBA Second Team:
Lou Beck, Portland Trailblazers
Shaun Tebbs, Dallas Mavericks
Glen Abrams, Nevada Neon
Kennedy Bracey, Memphis Grizzlies
Rick Erickson, Miami Heat

All NBA Third Team:
Mack Haston, San Antonio Spurs
Daniel Brazzles, Toronto Raptors
Juia Henchoz, Orlando Magic
Deon Fox, Charlotte Bobcats
Adam Bell, Memphis Grizzlies

All Defensive First Team:
Randy Canal, Chicago Bulls
Williams Shine, Detroit Pistons
Ryan Holcomb, San Diego Riders
Abel Williams, Indiana Pacers
Adam Bell, Memphis Grizzlies

All Defensive Second Team:
Joe Adras, Sacramento Kings
Phil Magnum, Utah Jazz
Rich Muckle, Brooklyn Nets
Tarrell McMahon, San Antonio Spurs
Brandon Bailey, Oklahoma City Thunder

All Rookie First Team:
Brodney Smith, Orlando Magic
Jabari McPherson, Milwaukee Bucks
Andre Miller, Philadelphia 76ers
Phil Walker, Washington Wizards
Brian Forman, Indiana Pacers

All Rookie Second Team:
Olaf Milosz, Phoenix Suns
Anthony Merton, Denver Nuggets
Damien Armstead, Los Angeles Lakers
Solomon Nichols, Portland Trailblazers
Moshe Nagid, San Antonio Spurs

So the team that is light years ahead of all the competition, wins the championship with three of the best players on the planet gets all of a second team All Rookie nod? Seriously, we are going to smash this league so much harder next season for this.

The official mock draft is announced and I really, really, really want Rashon Woods in a Phoenix Suns uniform next season. Seriously, when a guy averages 19 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks a game you go get him but I don’t think he’ll be there at #4.

1 – Philadelphia – PF Delawn Hooks
2 – Golden State – PF Mathias Wabbes
3 – Boston – PF Quin Crosby
4 – Phoenix – PF Mike Ward
5 – Minnesota – SG Derion Perez
6 – New York – C Rashon Woods
7 – Memphis – PG Marcus Johnson
8 – Milwaukee – SF Marcus Jenkins
9 – Toronto – PG Scott Clark
10 – Utah – C Michael Porter
11 – Denver – SG Vitali Gurevich
12 – Cleveland – PG DeAntoine Favors
12 – Portland – SG Chris Wilcox
14 – Nevada – PG Matt Wrenn
15 – Miami – SF Craig Fox
16 – Indiana – PG Jimmy Martin

[color="Red"]BREAKING NEWS –[/color] For the last seventeen years the Rookie Six has captivated audiences with their stellar play and tight knit storyline that has joined those six players together forever. This was never going to last and the first two players of this group have decided to hang up their boots and retire. You won’t know until next time where an in-depth report on both their careers will be presented. [color="Red"]Who will it be?[/color]

[zike_42]

Dallas, TX – After seventeen years in the league and too many awards and accolades to count, Terry McKenzie has decided to call it a day. Gaining exposure after a fantastic first four years in New York, he will be best known for his three championships with the Dallas Mavericks and multiple All NBA team awards.

He said in his retirement speech, “Just getting to the NBA was a dream come true but going to the Knicks and leading them for many years was mind blowing. However, my time and Dallas was the highlight of my career and not only have I got three rings, I have so many lifetime friends out of it. I still keep in touch with those guys and hopefully we can still be playing together 20, 30, 40 years from now. Thank you to all the people out there that made this dream come true and thank you to the Hall of Fame committee for seeing me as being worthy of joining their ranks.”

That’s right, joining career long teammates Enrique Mendez and Camah Williams in the 2041 crop, the man they called “T-Mac” has been inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. Congratulations all around.

So how did he get there? As said previously, he started out in New York and instantly became their number one option and grew from there in the four years he played in the Big Apple. He averaged 22.5 points and 9.4 rebounds and his second consecutive All NBA First Team award in only his fourth year and was arguably the best power forward in the league. After rumours that he was uncomfortable with losing so much, he was traded to Dallas to team up with superstars Ledaryl McMillian and fellow Rookie Six member Jack Dawkins. These three formed an unstoppable trio, winning three titles and also getting to the NBA Finals three other times.

With such fire power on one team, someone would be forced to let go of the reigns and let the others take control. Some say that McKenzie was the guy to let McMillian and Dawkins excel and judging by his numbers you could conclude that but that wasn’t the case. McKenzie was as clutch as can be, with the Mavericks going to him whenever the game was on the line. And in most cases, he did what was needed to get the win. After the 2038 season his game took a downward slope, with him not getting a contract in 2039 from any NBA team. The Miami Heat signed him for the 2040 season but mostly for veteran experience as he played less than ten minutes a game.

He will be remembered for his stellar play in New York and being a third of one of the best ‘big threes’ in history, so congratulations to Terry McKenzie on a career that will go down in the history books.

[color="Red"]EDIT:[/color] I forgot to mention that McKenzie has had his #32 jersey retired by the Dallas Mavericks.

PF Terry McKenzie (UCLA), 6’10”, 256lbs, drafted round 1: pick 2 (2025)
Teams represented – New York, Dallas, Miami

Career Highs
Points – 49
Assists – 6
Rebounds – 22
Blocks – 5
Steals – 6
Double Doubles – 512
Triple Doubles – 0
Player of the Game – 163
Player of the Week – 3
Player of the Month – 0
Titles Won – 3
All Star Games – 7

Career Averages
Points – 16.3
Assists – 1.1
Rebounds – 8.4
Blocks – 0.8
Steals – 1.0

2x Rookie/Sophomore Game Starter – 2025, 2026
1x All Rookie First Team – 2025
3x All Star Game Starter – 2029, 2032, 2033
4x All Star Game Reserve – 2028, 2031, 2034, 2035
4x All NBA First Team – 2027, 2028, 2031, 2033
3x All NBA Second Team – 2029, 2030, 2032
1x All NBA Third Team – 2034

[PointGuard]

Great consistency for McKenzie, particularly those middle 10 years.

[zike_42]

Great consistency for McKenzie, particularly those middle 10 years.

Absolutely, and great stamina as well. He missed a total of 15 games in his first 14 seasons and going seven seasons without missing one.

[zike_42]

New York, NY – Just like in their careers, it’s fitting that the Rookie Six are joined in retirement. Chris Jones started out as the international man of mystery, averaging nearly a triple double in England’s premier league at only 21 years old. He was a solid player that was overshadowed by his Rookie Six counterparts but that doesn’t change the fact that he was an All Star in 2029 and one of the best passing shooting guards in the league.

He said in his press conference that “His career had run its course” and that “he had no regrets”. “I was able to play at the highest level of basketball with some of the greatest players of all time and hold my own, how can I complain about that?” Asked if he was going to go back to England and try to try and grow the sport of basketball as he has been the only player from England to make a dent in the NBA, he responded, “Of course! I was given this gift and opportunity and it would be foolish and selfish of me not to share it.”

Unlike his fellow Rookie Six comrade, Chris Jones did not get invited to the Hall of Fame.

“The Wizard” was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the number three pick in the 2025 draft and was a sudden success, starting all but one game. To be expected from a foreigner, he had trouble conditioning to the NBA rings so his shooting was off but unlike other overseas players, this problem troubled him for his entire career. A deft passer and sneaky ball thief, Jones lived up to his nickname, pulling off amazing passes and stealing the ball from opponents like they weren’t there. His great play earned him his only All Star appearance in 2029 as a reserve for the East.

After five years in Atlanta he jumped to Phoenix in free agency looking for more involvement in scoring the basketball. Unfortunately for him the Suns didn’t use him properly and forced him to be a pure point guard which worked in some instances but left him wanting. He did average 12 points, 9.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in his last season at Phoenix but he had had enough and asked for a trade. He was dealt to Brooklyn where he had a troublesome time and his tenure with the Nets lasted only one year.

He moved across the river to New York and felt that he was home. Not only did he get a go at scoring the ball this time but he had a great relationship with his coaching staff. After the 2037 he was renounced by the Knicks and after two season with Phoenix again that was sporadic at best he decided that his playing days were over.

He will be remembered as the best thing to come out of England (basketball wise) for a very, very, very long time and the only thing that held him back was his below average shooting percentage. That and “The Wizard” was a very apt nickname.

SG Chris Jones (England), 6’6”, 200lbs, drafted round 1: pick 3 (2025)
Teams represented – Atlanta, Phoenix, Brooklyn, New York, Phoenix

Career Highs
Points – 39
Assists – 20
Rebounds – 14
Blocks – 0
Steals – 9
Double Doubles – 191
Triple Doubles – 10
Player of the Game – 49
Player of the Week – 0
Player of the Month – 0
Titles Won – 0
All Star Games – 1

Career Averages
Points – 13.7
Assists – 7.0
Rebounds – 4.3
Blocks – 0.0
Steals – 1.4

2x Rookie/Sophomore Game Reserve – 2025, 2026
1x NBA All Rookie Second Team – 2025
1x All Star Game Reserve – 2026