New York, New York! Bringing a championship home

[zike_42]

February Player of the Month – John Johnson, Detroit Pistons – 36.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

February Rookie of the Month – Robert Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder – 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

After a 37-21 first quarter lead vanish behind Washington’s 31-23 third quarter it was very close. Marcus Randle had a shocker with 3/13 shooting but had 15 rebounds. Our supersub was the difference as a now healthy Tristan Thompson put up 16 points and 8 rebounds as we squeak out a 105-103 win over the Wizards. Andre Drummond fouled out in only 24 minutes (but still had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks) so it was Jake Chase who took the lead with 22 points. Off season pick up Andrew Owens had 19 points and 6 rebounds but turned the ball over five times. Here’s a funny stat line for you, Varlam Cherkezov’s – 9 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Dallas Mavericks 54-5

Our next game was much easier, as we blow out the Neon 108-86 to get back on track. Tristan Thompson was again sublime with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Jake Chase had 21 points. John Nemitz was the best for Nevada with 12 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Dallas Mavericks 55-5

Our biggest lead was 38 points against Denver but the biggest surprise was Royce White, who in all honesty is our third string SF. White had 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds to notch his first ever triple double as we smash the Nuggets 116-78. Jake Chase had 29 points, most of them coming from White. Chris Hampton made up for Chris Drexler’s 0/7 night with 20 points off the bench.

Dallas Mavericks 56-5

We only had three players in double figures but that is all we needed, as Marcus Randle, Jake Chase and Andre Drummond combined for 88 of our 115 points as we beat the Suns 115-96. Randle and Chase both had 33 points while Drummond scored 23 points. Nashon Smith led the way for Phoenix with 23 points and Reggie Dobbins threw in 11 assists from his unpreferred SG position.

Dallas Mavericks 57-5

It was Andre Drummond that took over in our 111-79 win over Boston with 29 points and 10 rebounds in a really easy game. Matt Brown also played well for 10 points and 17 assists. Raul Lopez shot 6/20 for 16 points and 10 rebounds but Varlam Chavchavadze had his worst night ever with a 2/16 game for only 8 points.

Dallas Mavericks 58-5

Sean Gilmore is now healthy and back in the starting line-up, scoring only 2 points and getting torched by Paul Orvis to the tune of 33 points but we still ran out comfortable winners, beating Toronto 121-99. Andre Drummond is loving being the focal point of the offence with 26 points and 8 rebounds while Marcus Randle put up 24 points and 11 rebounds. Royce White didn’t pout when he went back to the bench, shooting 7/8 for 18 points.

Dallas Mavericks 59-5

At three quarter time we down by three points to Toronto as Paul Orvis shot badly but played well for 20 points and 9 rebounds. Luckily for us we went on a 34-21 last quarter to win the game very unusually 94-84. Andre Drummond had 24 points and 8 rebounds to lead the game as Matt Brown shot 1/6 for 5 points and 19 assists. Kevin Love was fairly invisible with only 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Dallas Mavericks 60-5

Another low scoring game (for us) as we grind out a 98-79 win over Portland at the Rose Garden. Jake Chase woke up for 31 points while Marcus Randle added 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Blazers shot a woeful 29% from the field as their starters went 17/62 or 27%. Their best was Earl Oliver who scored 17 points on 21 shots.

Dallas Mavericks 61-5

When the best team in the league players the worst team in the league you expect a blow out, right? How about a biggest lead of 56 points as we demoralised the Knicks 117-63. Andre Drummond led seven Maverick players in double figures with 16 points as Joe Duggins had some quality court time with 13 points and 10 rebounds as the game was over before you could sit down.

Dallas Mavericks 62-5

That’s 17 wins in a row (again) as we took care of Indiana 124-102 behind Marcus Randle’s nice and even 22 points and 22 rebounds. Sean Gilmore chipped in 20 points and 9 rebounds while Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson added 10 points each. Darrell Hampton is turning into a nice little steal after being picked at the end of the lottery two years ago and had 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the loss.

Dallas Mavericks 63-5

In our last game of March Matt Brown had a game for the ages. This might be one of the best games ever from a Dallas player as he went 12/15 from the field for 30 points, 19 assists, 10 rebounds and 4 steals in a truly dominant display. Joe Duggins was way back in second place with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Oh yeah, we beat Seattle 144-96 but Matt Brown is the only thing that mattered tonight. Carl Farmer had 18 points for the losers.

Dallas Mavericks 64-5

Sure we lost two games this month (gasp!) we are still on track to beat the record for most wins in a season, we are gunning for 76 wins at this stage which is just mind blowing. Milwaukee are way behind us at 53-20 and Phoenix behind them at 43-27 so if you haven’t worked it out we have pretty much won the Western Conference. The Lakers are still last at 25-48 which isn’t too bad for a last placed team, with Minnesota two games ahead of them.

New Orleans might get to 70 wins as well, currently sitting at 61-11 with Detroit in the rear view mirror, way back at 52-22. Miami have nearly sealed the worst record in the league at 17-58 as New York had a little boost last month.

Dallas Top Points
Kevin Durant – 23.0
Andre Drummond – 19.6
Jake Chase – 19.2

Dallas Top Assists
Matt Brown – 14.2
Iman Shumpert – 3.9
Royce White – 2.2

Dallas Top Rebounds
Marcus Randle – 11.4
Andre Drummond – 8.5
Kevin Durant – 5.8

League Leaders
Points – Jimmy Forrest (MIL) – 28.4
Assists – Matt Brown (DAL) – 14.2
Rebounds – Derrick Favors (UTA) – 11.6
Blocks – Anthony Davis (NOH) – 3.9
Steals – Lewis Vines (NOH) – 2.6
Efficiency – Anthony Davis (NOH) – 28.8

Rookie Leaders
Points – Chris Jackson (LAL) – 13.1
Assists – Eric McIntyre (DET) – 4.7
Rebounds – Chris Jackson (LAL) – 6.1
Blocks – Chris Jackson (LAL) – 1.6
Steals – Chris Jackson (LAL) – 1.6
Efficiency – Chris Jackson (LAL) – 13.9

Last Round of NBA Draft Prospects
1. (1) SF Lars Ray (Belgium), 19 years old, 6’6”, 206lbs
2. (4) C Brian Caldwell (Missouri), Freshman, 6’9”, 245lbs
3. (2) C Antonio Henderson (North Carolina), Freshman, 6’11”, 262lbs
4. (5) SF Jamall Lewis (Nevada), Sophomore, 6’10”, 213lbs
5. (NR) PF Lance Ellis (USC), Junior, 6’10”, 22lbs

Thoughts – Ray must have read this last month because his play has exploded; now averaging over 20 points a game. Caldwell’s numbers have dropped but his play has been stellar in March Madness. If anyone was interested Vlado Prazina has bumped up to #8, and will probably be in the top five when it’s all said and done.

[zike_42]

March Player of the Month – Kyrie Irving, Houston Rockets – 26.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

March Rookie of the Month – Chris Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers – 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.

The Lakers played 20 games in the 31 days of March which would be brutal on the team. We have thirteen games left on the season and we need to win nine of those to break the single season record. The way we are going, 9-4 is very reasonable.

We don’t get out to a good start in our game against the Lakers, by our standards anyway, but our second half is too strong as we outscore LA 63-41 in the second half to win 118-95. Jake Chase leads the way with 32 points while Marcus Randle goes for 24 points and 12 rebounds. Joe Holmes rips into Matt Brown with 33 points, only missing three attempts out of 15 shots while Bryce Metcalf finally gets a start with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He has been starting since Jeff Cunningham went down but all I can think is ‘about damn time’. He is too talented to be rotting on the bench.

Dallas Mavericks 65-5

Not content with his 32 points in the last game, Jake Chase exploded for 46 points on 15/23 shooting in our 135-113 smashing of Memphis. Marcus Randle (24 points, 14 rebounds), Matt Brown (22 points, 11 assists) and Tristan Thompson (10 points, 10 rebounds) helped out with double doubles. There were five Grizzlies in double figures, led by John Wall’s 19 points and 11 assists and for some reason Randle, Drummond and Brown fouled out fairly early.

Dallas Mavericks 66-5

Grr, the Hornets got one back on us, with a 29-21 last quarter run to beat us in New Orleans 98-91. Bill Gearhart is now at SG and still dangerous with 29 points while Anthony Davis racked up 16 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 3 steals and it would be a dream to have him. Andre Drummond led the way with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals but Jake Chase crashed back to Earth with 15 points and 6 turnovers on 7/18 shooting.

Dallas Mavericks 66-6

Oooh, scary devil number.

The Devil was at work in our away game against Seattle, unfortunately against us. There were 27 lead changes and 17 ties as Bret Davis was amazing with 32 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds and Carl Farmer notched 25 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks as the game went into overtime. Andre Drummond had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks and in a great relief Kevin Durant played for the first time since February with 11 points and 9 rebounds. The man of the hour was Jake Chase who was horrified with himself after his poor performance against New Orleans, this time scoring 38 points and dropping in the game winning shot with 3.7 seconds to go as we beat the Sonics 125-123. It’s great to have this Chase on our team so close to the playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks 67-6

We probably should rest our starters but with the record so close everyone and their dog wants us to go for it.

Our starters get plenty of rest as we humiliate the Wizards 135-88 in Dallas. Matt Brown led the way with 17 points and 16 assists while Joe Duggins filled in nicely at C with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Even Paul George got some playing time, scoring two points. Washington shot a respectable 45% from the field but we forced them to turn the ball over a whopping 28 times in the loss.

Dallas Mavericks 68-6

It wasn’t as bad but it was still pretty bad for our opposition, as we take out a 45-23 first quarter lead to beat Golden State 117-96. Marcus Randle led the way with 30 points and 11 rebounds and even though Kevin Durant shot 4/17 it was still great to see him nab 10 rebounds. The Buzzsaw had an off night with 18 points and 8/23 shooting as Lynn McMillian led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Dallas Mavericks 69-6

Good news – We beat the Lakers (again) 98-82 to notch our 70th win. The bad news is that Marcus Randle sprained his knee and will be out until the start of the playoffs. So I guess we will be resting one starter. Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson both scored 12 points as all of our starters apart from Matt Brown scored in double figures. Josh Jackson was agonisingly close to a triple double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists but did have 7 turnovers.

Dallas Mavericks 70-6

No Randle, no problems as Kevin Durant is close to his normal best with 25 points while Randle’s replacement, Tristan Thompson, had 15 points and 7 rebounds as we beat up on the Rockets 144-117. Matt Brown may have only had 6 points and 12 assists but his contribution to the team was holding Kyrie Irving to a 1/14 shooting night for 6 points. Chad Barrow led Houston with 20 points.

Dallas Mavericks 71-6

The record is now part ours as we smash the Bucks 118-78 as Andre Drummond gets his revenge on Jimmy Forrest with 38 points and 11 rebounds while holding the league scoring leader to 9 points and only 19 minutes before fouling out. Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Matt Brown set everyone up with 19 assists. Corry Hackworth led the way with 21 points.

Dallas Mavericks 72-6

We have four games to win one, the odds are with us.

So here it is, a home game against the 39-39 Sacramento Kings. The crowd is ready to be a part of history, I overheard a couple talk about telling their grandchildren about this day. For the Kings, Lisandro Perez can hold his team high with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists but the rest of the team can’t say the same thing as we break the single season record for wins with a 129-92 smattering. Matt Brown was the hero with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 4 steals to notch yet another triple double. Kevin Durant is fully healed and showed it with 30 points while Joe Duggins led the bench with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Dallas Mavericks 73-6

WE DID IT! After nearly 30 years the record has been broken and we are the greatest regular season team in history. There is still three games left as well.

Coach Garnett and I have a chat and we decide to rest our starters except for Matt Brown who wants to break the single season record for assists. He is currently on 1097, 67 behind John Stockton and it’s unlikely that he will break it. Our new starters are –

PG - Matt Brown
SG – Sean Gilmore
SF – Iman Shumpert
PF – Tristan Thompson
C – Joe Duggins

Matt Brown only goes for 18 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds as we drop our seventh game 125-106 to Milwaukee. Tate McKenzie was outstanding with 27 points while Jimmy Forrest had 22 points and Dion Waiters scored 23 points. Tristan Thompson led the way for us with 22 points while Iman Shumpert scored 21 points and dished out 7 assists.

Dallas Mavericks 73-7

That’s two losses in a row as we give up a four point fourth quarter lead to go down to OKC 115-106. Russell Westbrook was great for 29 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds while his running mate in MKG had 26 points and 9 rebounds. Matt Brown decided that because he couldn’t get the record he wanted to shoot as much as possible. That created his 9/26 night for 22 points and 6 assists in the loss. Tristan Thompson and Joe Duggins combined for 39 points and 24 rebounds.

Dallas Mavericks 73-8

For our last game of the season our starters wanted to play like a normal game, and that resulted in a 133-103 win to take our season tally to 74. Jake Chase scored 33 points and Marcus Randle put up 27 points on 15 shots. Antoine Martin was by far the best player for the Magic with 34 points and 9 rebounds and he is really enjoying playing in Florida for Orlando.

Dallas Mavericks 74-8

Western Conference Final Standings
1 – Dallas Mavericks – 74-8 (.902)
2 – Milwaukee Bucks – 59-23 (.720)
3 – Phoenix Suns – 51-31 (.622)
4 – Seattle Supersonics – 45-37 (.549)
5 – Golden State Warriors – 44-38 (.537)
6 – Utah Jazz – 43-39 (.524)
7 – Denver Nuggets – 42-40 (.512)
8 – Nevada Neon – 40-42 (.488)
Last – Los Angeles Lakers – 29-53 (.354)

We won the conference by 15 games which is enormous but the big news is that this is the first time that both expansion teams are in the playoffs at the same time. Seattle have been very impressive and will only get better because of their young squad.

Eastern Conference Final Standings
1 – New Orleans Hornets – 69-13 (.841)
2 – Detroit Pistons – 59-23 (.720)
3 – Charlotte Bobcats – 54-28 (.659)
4 – Atlanta Hawks – 53-30 (.639)
5 – Toronto Raptors – 49-33 (.598)
6 – Chicago Bulls – 47-35 (.573)
7 – Indiana Pacers – 43-39 (.524)
8 – Boston Celtics – 40-42 (.488)
Last – Miami Heat – 18-64 (.220)

Dallas Top Points
Kevin Durant – 21.6
Jake Chase – 19.8
Andre Drummond – 19.2

Dallas Top Assists
Matt Brown – 13.9
Iman Shumpert – 4.1
Royce White – 2.3

Brown finished with 1123 assists, good for equal 5th with Isiah Thomas’ 1984 season.

Dallas Top Rebounds
Marcus Randle – 11.2
Andre Drummond – 8.2
Tristan Thompson – 6.0

League Top Points
Jimmy Forrest (MIL) – 28.0
John Johnson (DET) – 27.5
Kyrie Irving (HOU) – 25.6

League Top Assists
Matt Brown (DAL) – 13.9
John Wall (MEM) – 10.3
Ricky Rubio (CHI) – 10.2

League Top Rebounds
Derrick Favors (UTA) – 11.6
Marcus Randle (DAL) – 11.2
Mark Lewis (UTA) – 10.7

League Top Blocks
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 3.9
Bismack Biyombo (ORL) – 3.1
Andre Drummond (DAL) – 2.7

League Top Steals
Raoul Dumas (ATL) – 2.7
Lewis Vines (NOH) – 2.5
Jay Warren (HOU) – 2.5

League Top Efficiency
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 28.3
Kyrie Irving (HOU) – 26.0
Jimmy Forrest (MIL) – 25.0

Rookie Top Points
Chris Jackson (LAL) – 13.1
Joe Curry (MEM) – 12.3
Robert Jackson (OKC) – 9.0

Rookie Top Assists
Kevin Jensen (SAC) – 4.8
Eric McIntyre (DET) – 4.6
Camah Williams (MIN) – 4.1

Rookie Top Rebounds
Chris Jackson (LAL) – 6.0
Joe Curry (MEM) – 4.5
Robert Jackson (OKC) – 4.5

[zike_42]

2024 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 New Orleans vs. #8 Boston
#2 Detroit vs. #7 Indiana
#3 Charlotte vs. #6 Chicago
#4 Atlanta vs. #5 Toronto

Western Conference
#1 Dallas vs. #8 Nevada
#2 Milwaukee vs. #7 Denver
#3 Phoenix vs. #6 Utah
#4 Seattle vs. #5 Golden State

We beat the Neon in all three of our encounters during the season and (I’ve been wrong before) I don’t think we will have much trouble.

Western Conference First Round – Nevada vs. Dallas

Point Guard
Darren Banks vs. Matt Brown
12.1 points, 9 1 assists, 3.7 rebounds vs. 11.2 points, 13.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds

The two year Australian has been fantastic this season, a real breaking out year. He can score but his true love is to pass the ball and get his teammates involved. Sounds exactly like Matt Brown, with the Playoff Warrior being a few years in front of Banks.

Winner - Dallas

Shooting Guard
Greg Lavin vs. Jake Chase
14.0 points, 2.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds vs. 19.8 points, 1.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds

Lavin is the polar opposite of Chase. Sure they can both score well (Chase being better though) but Lavin is a better passer and rebounder and a hell of a lot worse defender than Chase. In summary – Chase is the better scorer and defender, Lavin the better passer and rebounder.

Winner - Dallas

Small Forward
Ryan Garris vs. Kevin Durant
16.2 points, 1.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds vs. 21.6 points, 1.4 assists, 5.8 rebounds

Garris is a special player. He is an amazing defender and I’m not exaggerating, he would be a top five defender in the league and I can’t think of any other perimeter defender as good as Garris. He can score and rebound as well but has been overshadowed by his draft mate Raul Lopez. This might be his breaking out party against one of the best scorers ever. If Garris can slow down Durant it will be a major win for the Neon.

Winner - Draw

Power Forward
John Nemitz vs. Marcus Randle
14.2 points, 1.4 assists, 8.9 rebounds vs. 17.3 points, 1.1 assists, 11.2 rebounds

If anyone can cause the upset it’s Nemitz. He is only 22 years old, a budding scorer, rebounder and defender. He averaged 2.1 blocks per game in the regular season and will need to be on his game against arguably the best up and comer in Randle. Another news story if Nemitz can stop Randle.

Winner - Dallas

Centre
Peter McCaffery vs. Andre Drummond
10.9 points, 1.0 assist, 6.2 rebounds vs. 19.2 points, 1.2 assists, 8.2 rebounds

McCaffery is a solid starter. He can score, rebound and defend above average but nothing special. Drummond on the other hand is something special, as he is a massive unit who has a deft touch and has been on a tear ever since Kevin Durant went down with injury.

Winner - Dallas

Bench
Kawhi Leonard, Cedric White, Bernard Neal vs. Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Sean Gilmore

Leonard should be starting somewhere in the league but it’s White who could be the X-factor. He is able to draw fouls like a prime Shaquille O’Neal and could trouble Dallas’ big men. Neal is irrelevant. The Mavericks’ bench have come up big all season, with Thompson, Shumpert and Gilmore giving huge performances when their starters went down with injury.

Winner – Dallas

Prediction – Dallas in four. The Neon could win one game but that would be the extent of it, the Mavericks are just too strong.

There is an air of inevitability in the stadium for game one, as the Dallas fans think that this series is just a formality. The team thought that too, getting out to a 35-21 first quarter lead even after Andre Drummond fouled out in an astonishing 10 minutes. We led from start to finish to show our muscles 120-92. Tristan Thompson was amazing off the bench, scoring 19 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking 9 shots to take the player of the game award. Marcus Randle beat up on John Nemitz with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals in the win. Greg Lavin was the best for the Neon with only 13 points as the visitors shot 39% from the field and turned the ball over a whopping 23 times.

Dallas leads 1-0

Game two was more of the same, as our biggest lead was 33 points as we blow out the Neon 105-75. Tristan Thompson was again our best with 14 points and 10 rebounds as it was our bench who did the damage with Sean Gilmore pummelling Nevada for 17 points in only 18 minutes. Andre Drummond had a better game with 11 points and 10 rebounds. There were only three Neon players in double figures with Ryan Garris leading the way with 15 points and 9 rebounds but John Nemitz and Peter McCaffery combined for 13 points on 3/22 shooting.

Dallas leads 2-0

Wow, how about that. The Neon showed some signs of life, getting out to a 28-19 first quarter lead before we pulled back to be even at three quarter time. Nevada didn’t want to be swept in their home game and the team responded with a 42-31 last quarter to steal a game 117-104. John Nemitz was outraged after his last performance, bouncing back with 23 points and 13 rebounds as Ryan Garris added 26 points. Matt Brown was held to 4 points and 10 assists in only 24 minutes before fouling out while Darren Banks also fouled out. Our best was Jake Chase with 26 points but we shot 39% compared to their 52%.

Dallas leads 2-1

In an almost exact score line the game was decided 117-105. Luckily for us we were on the right side of the score, going up 3-1 in the series. Kevin Durant fought back with 24 points while Marcus Randle and Andre Drummond combined for 33 points and 24 rebounds. Darren Banks was the best player on the court with 26 points, 12 assists and 9 turnovers but was outdone by Greg Lavin’s 2 points on 0/11 shooting. One more game and we will be done with these pesky Neon.

Dallas leads 3-1

There was one series sweep with #5 Toronto overwhelming #4 Atlanta in four games.

Game five is over before it starts, as we blow out the Neon 68-47 in the first half and then it’s part time. Our bench gets some nice play as we take the series 133-105. Marcus Randle shooting 15/22 for 36 points and 8 rebounds while Matt Brown chips in 12 points and 21 assists. Tristan Thompson was again amazing with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks before fouling out. Greg Lavin makes up for last game with 19 points while Ryan Garris added 16 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. The Neon played well but we shot 56% from the field to obliterate Nevada back to Earth.

Dallas wins 4-1

The #1 Hornets are going through, beating #8 Boston 4-1, as did #2 Milwaukee over #7 Denver. Jimmy Forrest is on fire, averaging 33.0 points per game in the first series.

#5 Golden State says goodbye to Seattle’s playoff chances with a 4-2 series win but it was #7 Indiana who stole all of the headlines. They have removed the very scary #2 Pistons in six games and have made New Orleans’ NBA Finals chances much, much better.

In the two series that went all the way, #3 Charlotte outlasted #6 Chicago while #3 Phoenix halted #6 Utah’s Cinderella run in the first round. Thank goodness for that, I didn’t want another Utah blast like last season.

[zike_42]

2024 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 New Orleans vs. #5 Toronto
#3 Charlotte vs. #7 Indiana

Western Conference
#1 Dallas vs. #5 Golden State
#2 Milwaukee vs. #3 Phoenix

We dropped a game against Golden State during the season, pretty easily actually (110-89) but the other two games were very one sided in our favour.

Western Conference Semi-Final – Golden State vs. Dallas

Point Guard
Ledaryl McMillian vs. Matt Brown
20.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds vs. 12.0 points, 11.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds

It’s hard to imagine that McMillian is only 22 years old and in his second season. He is a devastating scorer but still loves dropping dimes to his teammates. The Buzzsaw is just that, a machine that rips through oppositions without mercy. Brown is the opposite, wanting to get his teammates involved in every position. He is a good defender and will need to slow down McMillian to negate the Warriors.

Winner – Golden State

Shooting Guard
Charles Canady vs. Jake Chase
21.5 points, 7.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds vs. 16.2 points, 1.8 assists, 2.2 rebounds

The real point guard of the Warriors, Canady brings a level headedness to McMillian’s madness. He is a great ball hander and will be the primary distributor; the only reason he is at SG is because he is 6’6” and McMillian is 6’0”. Chase was a little disappointing in the last series and will be hoping to blast out like everyone knows he can.

Winner - Dallas

Small Forward
Cederic Mapp vs. Kevin Durant
21.3 points, 2.3 assists, 6.5 rebounds vs. 16.4 points, 2.0 assists, 6.2 rebounds

Another player who was disappointing in the series against Nevada, Kevin Durant was well and truly held by Ryan Garris. He will have a much better time against the 6’7” Mapp. Cederic had a great first series but will crash back to Earth trying to guard Durant.

Winner - Dallas

Power Forward
Lynn McMillian vs. Marcus Randle
12.5 points, 1.0 assist, 5.5 rebounds vs. 20.4 points, 0.4 assists, 9.4 rebounds

With Chase and Durant struggling, Randle rose to the top. His play was outstanding and really took the reins. He should continue his fine form as the other L.McMillian is a woeful defender. He is an average scorer and rebounder but he will be ripped to shreds by the new leader of the Mavericks.

Winner - Dallas

Centre
Willis Owens vs. Andre Drummond
16.0 points, 1.5 assists, 8.8 rebounds vs. 12.6 points, 0.2 assists, 6.8 rebounds

Drummond was in foul trouble all series against a pretty average Peter McCaffery but should be OK against Owens. He is a PF first and foremost but with the new run and gun offence of the Warriors Owens fits right in at C. He is a terrible rebounder and defender and Drummond loves these kinds undersized centres.

Winner - Dallas

Bench
Drew McAfee, Arnold Woodman, Raul Rivera vs. Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Sean Gilmore

Tristan Thompson’s first round stats – 16.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks in only 25 minutes per game. That is just ridiculous for a bench guy. It’s crazy for anyone and will be a great boost for the Mavericks. McAfee will be tasked with guarding Drummond when Owens fouls out while Woodman will be injured for the first two games with a sprained ankle. Rivera is an afterthought.

Winner – Dallas

Prediction – Dallas in six. I can see the Buzzsaw being let loose and winning a couple of games off his own back but this Dallas side is just too powerful.

Game one against the most dangerous, streaky teams in the league. If the Warriors lock on their targets they can run with anyone, even 74-8 teams. They ran with us for the first half, taking a one point lead into half time. Jake Chase didn’t like that, so put on a show to get us out to a 10 point lead at the final break to lead us to victory 113-100. Chase finished with 29 points while Andre Drummond took Willis Owens to school with 23 points and 5 blocks. Matt Brown held Ledaryl McMillian to only 23 points and 4 assists while also handing out 21 assists of his own while Kevin Durant and Marcus Randle combined to shoot 8/28 but did haul in 28 rebounds between them. Cederic Mapp was the reason why Durant was ineffective, going 14/24 for 29 points in 42 minutes. Two bench bigs were fantastic for their respective teams, as Drew McAfee had 12 points and 9 rebounds while Tristan Thompson put up 8 points and 8 rebounds.

Dallas leads 1-0

Our next home game was a barn burner, as both teams were over 110 points fairly early in the final term. Ledaryl McMillian fouled Matt Brown out in only 19 minutes on his way to 22 points and 10 assists while Cederic Mapp continued his form with 23 points and 10 rebounds. However, it wasn’t enough to stop two of our players who took the game on between them as we won again 121-114. Kevin Durant was outstanding with 35 points but it was Marcus Randle who stole the show with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 8 steals to take home the player of the game award. Both teams shot over 50% from the field but we went to the line 38 times compared to their 17. Good start to the series.

Dallas leads 2-0

The Warriors haven’t been to the playoffs since 2017 where they just snuck in at 39-43 and were very comfortably bounced in the first round. Since then they haven’t won more than 34 games five seasons after that and before this season. As you can expect, the Bay Area crowd were in a frenzy. That all came crashing down as we show our dominance, leading the first quarter 37-21 and never looking back, winning wire to wire 132-97. Kevin Durant was again the driving force with 30 points while Matt Brown added 17 points and 16 assists. Not even Drew McAfee could stop Andre Drummond, as our big centre went 10/13 from the field for 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. In fact, the Warriors couldn’t stop any of us as we shot 56% from the field. Ledaryl McMillian was again the stand out for the Warriors with 25 points and 7 assists but Cederic Mapp is getting fatigued chasing Durant around and went 6/15 for only 14 points.

Dallas leads 3-0

If the Buzzsaw is going to start he needs to do it here, in a close out sweep situation. He had 25 points and 6 assists and fouling Matt Brown out in 19 minutes while the other L.McMillian had 23 points and 11 rebounds but it just wasn’t enough, as Andre Drummond stomped Golden State’s centres for 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks as we finish the Warriors off 105-94. Marcus Randle was also great with 17 points and 17 assists as we again shot a worse percentage but made up for it at the free throw line. Story of the series, here are the game by game breakdowns –

Game One – GSW FG% - 44.1%, FTA – 20; DAL FG% - 41.5%, FTA – 40
Game Two – GSW FG% - 51.0%, FTA – 17; DAL FG% - 50.6%, FTA – 38
Game Three – GSW FG% - 45.3%, FTA – 17; DAL FG% - 55.9%, FTA – 20
Game Four – GSW FG% - 44.2%, FTA – 17; DAL FG% - 42.9%, FTA – 25

So apart from game three they shot a better FG percentage while we had more free throws. I have raged about the umpires’ bias before but I think this has an explanation, as we go down low and get into the key a lot while the Warriors have better ball movement (as a team, we just have Matt Brown) and get better jumpshots from McMillian and Mapp.

Dallas wins 4-0

#3 Charlotte also get some time off as they sweep the #7 Pacers, while the other two series are tied at 2-2.

It didn’t last long, as the top seed won the next two games and went through to the next round. #1 New Orleans took care of #5 Toronto in six while we get to have our revenge on #2 Milwaukee who also win in six over #3 Phoenix.

[zike_42]

2024 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference
#1 New Orleans vs. #3 Charlotte

Western Conference
#1 Dallas vs. #2 Milwaukee

After losing to the Bucks last season in the playoffs we tied the season series 2-2. I would really love to smash Milwaukee and show it to that smug Jimmy Forrest, who has been running his mouth all season long about how we are just a good regular season team and they will wipe the floor with us. Bring it Forrest.

Western Conference Finals – Milwaukee vs. Dallas

Point Guard
Tate McKenzie vs. Matt Brown
12.0 points, 7.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds vs. 10.9 points, 11.9 assists, 2.2 rebounds

After spending a few years on the bench for the Clippers, McKenzie gets his chance to start. He is an amazing defender and should give Brown fits with his suffocating pressure. He isn’t the best scorer but his passing and ball handling skills are above average. For the Dallas’ sake, hopefully Brown can utilize his skills for more than two or three games in a series, after having a very up and down series trying to guard the Buzzsaw.

Winner - Draw

Shooting Guard
Dion Waiters vs. Jake Chase
17.2 points, 5.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds vs. 19.1 points, 1.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds

Waiters is the glue guy everyone wants to have. He was phenomenal for the championship Hornets, doing all the little things take make the team win. Unfortunately squeezed out of their roster because of salary cap issues, Waiters is loving having more freedom on this Bucks outfit. He will need to put on his defending pants, as Jake Chase is a great scorer and can light up oppositions in a couple of minutes. He has taken games away from their opponents off his own back in the past and is willing to do it again.

Winner - Dallas

Small Forward
Corry Hackworth vs. Kevin Durant
8.3 points, 3.1 assists, 9.2 rebounds vs. 19.4 points, 1.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds

One of the best rebounding SFs in the league, Hackworth was one of the stars in Milwaukee’s upset of Dallas last year. Even though Durant is another year older and his production is dropping off, he is still a great scorer and leader. It’s a sad day that Kevin Durant is only a draw against someone like Corry Hackworth with absolutely no disrespect to Hackworth.

Winner - Draw

Power Forward
Andrew Graham vs. Marcus Randle
17.7 points, 1.5 assists, 7.8 rebounds vs. 19.7 points, 0.8 assists, 11.4 rebounds

I still can’t for the life of me work out why Graham is starting here instead of Dennis Freymond. Without a doubt he is one of the worst defenders in the entire league, which makes him starting seem almost insulting because apart from the equally woeful Enrique Mendez (who makes up for it on the other end) all the other terrible defenders are bench warmers. Marcus Randle has been on a tear lately and should continue his fine form against this turnstile.

Winner - Dallas

Centre
Jimmy Forrest vs. Andre Drummond
30.6 points, 1.2 assists, 7.9 rebounds vs. 15.4 points, 0.7 assists, 7.9 rebounds

This is the match-up to end all match-ups. Sure Forrest is a brat, a diva, and he can’t defend to save his life but he has been a revelation on the offensive end. Over 30ppg on amazing percentages (58.3% FG, 83.7% FT) has made him the talk of the league in these playoffs. He has even rebounded more in the post season. Can he put this team on his back and cause another upset? Or will Andre Drummond shut him down and take all the glory? This is the type of hype that makes this league so special.

Winner - Draw

Bench
Dylan Callier, Stephen Curry, Flye Austin vs. Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Sean Gilmore

Steph Curry was the main reason why the Bucks won last season’s series but he has got older and slower. Callier is only 21 years old and still has a lot of growing to do while Austin is just average. Look for the Mavericks’ second unit to really have an advantage here.

Winner – Dallas

Prediction – Dallas in six. With Forrest, McKenzie and Waiters this team has talent but they will need to play out of their minds to cause another upset.

Before the game Andre Drummond addressed the team, saying that he ‘has got this’, and doesn’t want any double teams on Jimmy Forrest. He was embarrassed with his play against Forrest during the season and last season’s playoffs and wants to get his revenge on the league scoring leader. He does just that in our first game, scoring 22 points and blocking 4 shots while holding Forrest to 7/17 shooting for ‘only’ 26 points. This equated to a 38-26 first quarter lead and a 78-48 half time lead on our way to a 131-106 game one victory. Kevin Durant shook off the ‘old’ calls from the media with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists while Matt Brown had 13 points and 20 assists. Marcus Randle was also great with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Dylan Calliler filled in nicely for Andrew Graham who had foul trouble with 21 points in 22 minutes off the bench but the Bucks shot 44% from the field to our 51%.

Dallas leads 1-0

We wanted to make a statement in game two, really go for the throat and make sure these Bucks don’t get up again. The good news is that Jimmy Forrest only played 26 minutes for 14 points and Andrew Graham played even less with 16 minutes because of foul trouble. Tate McKenzie was also in foul trouble, limited to only 11 minutes. The bad news was that Andre Drummond and Marcus Randle played 30 minutes combined because of the crazy quick foul calls. Jake Chase and Matt Brown combined for only 21 points on 9/37 shooting and it looked like we were staring down an upset. That all changed when Tristan Thompson and Joe Duggins came off the bench. Thompson was electric with 26 points and 13 rebounds with Duggins handsomely helping out with 16 points and 18 rebounds as we take game two easily 128-86. I have never seen two bench players stand up so strongly, going 18/30 from the field in a dazzling display of post play. Dylan Callier led the way again with 23 points and 7 rebounds after being needed early in the game but Waiters and McKenzie combined to shoot 4/20 from the field.

Dallas leads 2-0

The Milwaukee crowd still think that they can come back in this series, even if they lost the first two. That all changed after the first, second and third quarter when we outscored them by over 10 points in each to get out to a 42 point lead, eventually winning 123-85. Kevin Durant was again fantastic with 27 points and 4 blocks while Andre Drummond went 7/10 from the field for 18 points and held Jimmy Forrest to only 12 points. After the game Forrest was seen kicking a fire extinguisher, and a piece flew off and struck Corry Hackworth, injuring his arm. They had to be separated by team officials which is just gold on our end. Hackworth will be less than 100% for the next game because of the arm injury.

Dallas leads 3-0

Game four was closer, it needed to be. We got out to a 35-24 first quarter lead before the Bucks finally showed some signs of life, clawing back with a 34-15 second quarter to take the lead at the long break. Again we got out first, winning the third 35-26 to take a 85-84 lead going into the last quarter. Tate McKenzie was spectacular with 30 points and 5 assists but Jimmy Forrest only had 18 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out. Matt Brown went head to head with McKenzie the only way he knows how, scoring 14 points and dishing out 20 assists. Those assists came in handy as we took the last quarter, the game and the series 123-112 to move onto the NBA Finals. Marcus Randle was the best of the best with 27 points and 4 steals and as he had done all series, Andre Drummond demolished Jimmy Forrest with 22 points and 8 rebounds. His speech before the series was dead on, he didn’t need any help chopping down the Forrest.

Dallas wins 4-0

In the Eastern Conference Finals, New Orleans will be going back to the NBA Final for the fourth successive year, sweeping the Charlotte Bobcats with a game four shellacking 92-68. Anthony Davis had 29 points, 23 rebounds and 5 blocks in the series clinching win.

[zike_42]

2024 NBA Finals

#1 New Orleans vs. #1 Dallas

Everyone knows that these two teams have a storybook rivalry; they even split the season series 1-1. It’s starting to look like no-one will ever play in the NBA Finals again.

Point Guard
Lewis Vines vs. Matt Brown
12.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds vs. 10.9 points, 13.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds

Even though Brown’s numbers are at his usual gaudy level his play has been hit and miss so far. Some games he will hand out 21 assists and the Mavericks will have an easy win and others he will foul out in 20 minutes. He will need to be on point against Vines, who is also struggling for consistency. He defence is spectacular but he hasn’t been able to get other parts of his game going.

Winner - Draw

Shooting Guard
Hillar Petrauskas vs. Jake Chase
13.7 points, 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds vs. 17.2 points, 1.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds

Hillar is finally starting for a team after three years of being on the bench with Phoenix and New Orleans. He is the perfect ‘everything’ guy, he does pretty much everything on the court without causing a fuss. Very similar to Dion Waiters before. Chase has been disappointing so far during these playoffs but is due for a massive game or two against the 6’3” Lithuanian.

Winner - Draw

Small Forward
Bill Gearhart vs. Kevin Durant
15.1 points, 2.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds vs. 20.7 points, 1.8 assists, 6.1 rebounds

Who knew that Gearhart would be such a clutch performer in the playoffs for so many years? He is only 6’4” playing SF, his defence is only average and even though he can score well all signs point to him being just the fifth starter. So his output during the Hornets’ championship runs has been astonishing. He is going up against his personal bunny in Kevin Durant who in all rights massacre Gearhart but the plucky 29 year old has made Durant his personal whipping boy. Will it happen this time?

Winner - Draw

Power Forward
Anthony Davis vs. Marcus Randle
20.6 points, 1.7 assists, 13.1 rebounds vs. 19.0 points, 0.8 assists, 10.5 rebounds

The best player in the league, hands down. Anthony Davis can do anything and everything in the league and does most of it like no other. His career best is the five main statistical categories are 44 points, 23 rebounds, 17 blocks, 9 assists and 9 steals; nearly double digits in all of them. Marcus Randle is no pushover though; he will battle Davis with all his might. Randle is another fantastic defender and if he can limit Davis this series it will have a trickledown effect on the whole New Orleans squad.

Winner – New Orleans

Centre
Bill Mallet vs. Andre Drummond
13.4 points, 0.9 assists, 5.3 rebounds vs. 16.5 points, 0.7 assists, 7.3 rebounds

Usual starter for New Orleans, Bryan Plowman, has a broken foot and will be out for most, if not all of this NBA Finals. His replacement is a 6’8” PF who can’t rebound or score well but he is decent enough defender. Andre Drummond on the other hand is one of the premier centres in the league and if the Mavericks want to win they should look for Drummond as much as possible.

Winner - Dallas

Bench
Chad Carney, Brian Griffith, Cameron Ray vs. Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Sean Gilmore

Carney is only 23 years old and a very good bench point guard but Griffith and Ray are only average bench players at best. This is Dallas’ best opportunity as Thompson, Shumpert and Gilmore could be starting on other teams and will need to be on their game to get their side the win.

Winner – Dallas

Prediction – Dallas in seven. Yes the Mavericks won 74 games this season but the Hornets were that far behind at 69-13. This will be an NBA Finals for the ages and I’m sure everyone in the world is frothing at the mouth for this series to start.

Frothing is right; the Dallas crowd is in a frenzy. Mr English sprung for special white T-shirts that had “Best Team Ever” on the front because of our 74-8 record. We are also 12-1 in the playoffs so far and have not lost on our home court all season, currently 48-0 in 2023-24. This is our house, and we don’t take intruders trying to take a win from the Graveyard lightly. The American Airlines Center has been renamed “The Graveyard” because oppositions come here to die. Pretty awesome stuff, I reckon.

To the game, it was all level at half time with all the usual suspects playing their parts. Kevin Durant finished the game with 32 points while Jake Chase had 30 points to help out. Matt Brown led the way with the ball with 21 assists. We got out to a four point lead at three quarter time and the crowd was raucous. Anthony Davis finished with 23 points and 9 rebounds and Hillar Petrauskas added 20 points and 8 turnovers. Unfortunately for us Bill Mallet had his best game ever, with 23 points and 7 rebounds while holding Andre Drummond to only 4 points, 5 rebounds and 5 fouls as the Hornets stun the Graveyard 114-108 to take home court advantage away from us. I’m sure you could hear a pin drop when the final siren went.

New Orleans leads 1-0

Our bench players were pissed about their performance last game, only combining for 16 points compared the Cameron Ray’s 11 points by himself. Tristan Thompson was the catalyst as he is seen as the leader of the second unit. In game two, he had 16 points and 6 rebounds in only 21 minutes after Andre Drummond was again neutralized with only 8 points and 8 rebounds before fouling out. Bill Mallet wasn’t as good as last game with 13 points and 8 rebounds but he did his job with Drummond. At half time we held a slim five point lead and we didn’t want to let this one slip. At half time it was Jake Chase’s turn to tell the team that ‘he got this’; exploding in the third quarter for 11 points, which was the amount we outscored the Hornets as we held on to a 118-95 blowout and the crowd was happy again. Chase had 37 points in the win and after his 30 points last game he might be breaking out. Matt Brown only scored 2 points in the win but did hand out 19 assists. Anthony Davis was the best for the Hornets with 24 points and 14 rebounds but he only had 1 block.

Series tied 1-1

With three home games in a row, the Hornets have a big chance to take this championship away from us.

The New Orleans fans have been spoiled lately, as this is the fifth trip to the NBA Finals in a row for their team. They know what needs to be done and they have complete faith that their guys will get it done. Kevin Durant and Bill Gearhart play to a stalemate with Durant scoring 35 points which was nearly matched by Gearhart’s 32 points but it was Anthony Davis and Hillar Petrauskas, and a 43-22 third quarter blowout that won the game for the Hornets 127-111. Davis had another MVP worthy game with 27 points and 11 rebounds while Petrauskas added 21 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Matt Brown had a strange game for him with 6 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds but turned the ball over five times. The Hornets shot 55% from the field and we are staring down the barrel.

New Orleans leads 2-1

There is an air of smugness from the New Orleans crowd in game four, they believe that because they won game one and have three straight home games this championship is in the bag. They were soon shut up as we stun the Hornets with a 35-20 first quarter blast. It was done by one usual and one unusual Maverick, with Kevin Durant scoring double figures in the first quarter on his way to 38 points and 9 rebounds with Tristan Thompson grabbing seven rebounds in the first term on his way to 18 points and 12 rebounds as Marcus Randle was shut down again by Anthony Davis. The next three quarters were won by the Hornets but by only three, one and one point respectively as we take back home court advantage 110-97. Matt Brown had Lewis Vines’ number with 18 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds while Andre Drummond broke out of Bill Mallet’s vice with 17 points and 9 rebounds. That means that if we want to win this thing we have the luxury of doing it at home.

Series tied 2-2

The battle between Anthony Davis and Marcus Randle has been like an elephant with laser eyes versus a mouse with no legs, completely one sided. Here are the stats so far (four games) –

Anthony Davis -25.0 points (40/65 FG, 61.5%), 11.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.3 steals, 2.0 blocks
Marcus Randle – 9.3 points (12/41 FG, 29.3%), 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks

The last home game of the season for the Hornets and they want to make it count. Marcus Randle was a little better with 6 points and 10 rebounds but again was outmatched by Anthony Davis, who had 25 points and 13 rebounds as the Hornets made the game count with a 115-97 victory to go one game away from glory. Lewis Vines finally had a good game with 27 points while Bill Gearhart added 15 points and 11 rebounds. This game was over really quickly, as New Orleans held a double digit lead in the first quarter and extended it in each of the remaining quarters. Kevin Durant again had a good game with 35 points but only Jake Chase with 19 points was in double figures.

New Orleans 3-2

Finally. That’s all I can say for Andre Drummond. Our big man, our rock, our heart of this team finally had a proper game with 29 points and 14 rebounds on 13/17 shooting as we blowout the Hornets to push the series to a final game with a 112-90 win. There was no point in ramping up the suspense for this one, as we outscored New Orleans 36-24 in the first quarter and just powered on from there. Kevin Durant had 22 points but Tristan Thompson was our second best player with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. I know I’m just repeating myself but Anthony Davis took Marcus Randle to school, with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 8 blocks but was hampered by foul trouble trying to guard Thompson. In a strange move, Jeff Van Gundy started now fully healed Bryan Plowman at SF, and benching Bill Gearhart. It didn’t matter, as both of those players combined to shoot 6/31 for only 13 points as Lewis Vines was the only other Hornet (apart from Davis) to score in double figures with 20 points.

Series tied 3-3

This is it. This whole campaign comes down to one game. Win and eternal glory, lose and no one will remember us. This is our house, the Graveyard which just had its mystique shattered after the Hornets won game one and we want to get that back. The first quarter was a back and forth affair, but we ended up with a 20-19 lead. Bill Gearheart started the game at SF with Bryan Plowman going back to C with Bill Mallet being squeezed out to the bench but that didn’t matter, as Gearhart had three fouls in the first quarter so Plowman went to SF and Mallet played a bulk of time at C. This change was beneficial for the Hornets, as they struck back for a three point lead at half time as Anthony Davis was getting what he wanted but at least Marcus Randle pushed back. We broke open the game with a 32-27 third quarter and ran away with the lead, getting out to a double digit lead in the fourth quarter and it was party time in Dallas. The final score was 110-99 and I’m delirious. First some numbers – Kevin Durant led the way with 29 points while Joe Duggins was the hero off the bench with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Marcus Randle had his best game of the NBA Finals with 15 points and 12 rebounds but was overshadowed by Anthony Davis’ 25 points before fouling out. Bill Mallet played 36 minutes because Gearhart could only manage 10 minutes and had 21 points off the bench.

Dallas wins 4-3

WE DID IT! The streamers bellow down from the ceiling as the crowd is practically throbbing. Our oldest player, Dwight Howard, is mugging our youngest in Reggie Blake as both of them having won their first ever title while Marcus Randle and Matt Brown are on the scorer’s bench screaming to their fans. The photo of the NBA Finals is Kevin Durant hugging the Larry O’Brien trophy and his Finals MVP trophy as he averaged 30.6 points and 5.7 rebounds on 45% shooting in the seven of the longest games in his career. Some reporters have speculated that our captain was so overwhelmed with his second title is that he now has one more title than his long time rival Lebron James, who only won in 2012 with Miami. I raced down the steps from my private box to jump into Coach Garnett’s outstretched arms, who has had a dream first season as head coach. In the locker room the champagne is flowing like water and I don’t think this party will end any time soon. We have plenty of time until the team needs to come back to reality.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2023-2024 NBA CHAMPION DALLAS MAVERICKS!

[jcomey]

Awesome! I'm now looking forward to the eventual breakdown of this team. Since I appear to be rather ill, I hope there are a few updates over the weekend.

[zike_42]

Awesome! I'm now looking forward to the eventual breakdown of this team. Since I appear to be rather ill, I hope there are a few updates over the weekend.

Thanks mate, great to see your reading. Someone is going to have to be squeezed out of the team because of salary cap issues but I'm not sure yet.

[zike_42]

How the Dallas Mavericks won the championship

From the start of the regular season to game seven of the NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks were the favourites to win it all. From their star laden starting five to their insurmountable bench this team had it all. Led by captain Kevin Durant the team won their first eight games of the season and showed that last season’s second round playoff loss was a fluke and this team meant business. A few losses later they were still top of the league but no-one could have predicted what kind of run this championship favourite team could have gone on. From December 23rd to February 11th, Dallas did not lose a game, winning 31 straight battles to come two wins short of the all time record. They probably would have broken it if Kevin Durant didn’t break his elbow on their 28th win in a row. It didn’t matter, because after two straight losses before the All Star break Dallas went on a 19 game winning streak, well and truly becoming the best team in the league. Being the best team in the league just wasn’t enough for this squad, they wanted eternal glory. Finishing the season with a 74-8 record, they became the greatest regular season team of all time, taking the mantle from the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.

The first three rounds of the playoffs were like a training run, losing only one game to Nevada in the first round before sweeping both Golden State and the team that knocked them out of last season’s playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks. At the end of the line was a familiar foe, the New Orleans Hornets who made it to their fifth consecutive NBA Finals. After going 48-0 during the regular season and playoffs at home, the Mavericks were stunned in the first game, losing 114-108 to relinquish home court advantage. The next five games alternated, with each team tied after six contests, forcing a game seven. With their captain leading from the front, the Dallas Mavericks prevailed 110-99 to take their second title in three years and to break the Hornets’ stranglehold on being champions.

Here are the men that made it all possible –

#11 SG Reggie Blake (Auburn), 6’6”, 198lbs, rookie
Acquired by – Draft
Stats (D-League) – 46 games, 46 starts, 36.8 minutes, 12.7 points, 7.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks
Playoff Stats – Did not play.

Blake was magnificent in the D-League, even recording a triple double against the Warriors in January. He is still raw but his work ethic is off the charts and should see decent minutes next season with the Mavericks as Iman Shumpert winds down.

#45 C Dwight Howard (High School), 6’11”, 265lbs, 19 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 27 games, 0 starts, 7.8 minutes, 3.1 points, 0.4 assists, 2.1 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks
Playoff Stats – Did not play.

After 19 years Superman finally gets his prize. Even though he didn’t play much during the regular season and none during the playoffs, having him around has been priceless for the growth of both Andre Drummond and Joe Duggins. His knowledge and experience in the game forced those two to adapt to a smarter type of play instead of relying on their freakish physical tools.

#16 SF David Forney (UTEP), 6’6”, 205lbs, 6 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 42 games, 0 starts, 6.0 minutes, 2.2 points, 0.3 assists, 0.8 rebounds, 0.1 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – Did not play.

He may have been squeezed out of the rotation by Iman Shumpert and Sean Gilmore but Forney took it all in his stride. Even though he is only 29 years old he has a coaches brain and I wouldn’t be surprised that when he retires he will go straight into some kind of elite level coaching.

#25 PG Eric Bledsoe (Kentucky), 6’1”, 192lbs, 13 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 74 games, 0 starts, 9.0 minutes, 3.2 points, 1.1 assists, 1.0 rebound, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks
Playoff Stats – 19 games, 0 starts, 3.7 minutes, 1.3 points, 0.3 assists, 0.5 rebounds, 0.2 steals, 0.2 blocks

Brought aboard this off season as the third string point guard, his regular season play was immense. After back-up point guard Iman Shumpert got injured along with Sean Gilmore, Bledsoe took to being the first bench PG like a duck to water. His numbers dropped significantly but at 33 years old he is ecstatic to get his first ever championship ring.

#28 SF Paul George (Fresno State), 6’9”, 215lbs, 13 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 58 games, 1 start, 7.1 minutes, 3.0 points, 0.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.2 blocks
Playoff Stats – 11 games, 0 starts, 3.7 minutes, 1.3 points, 0.2 assists, 0.4 rebounds, 0.2 steals, 0.0 blocks

When he was signed by Dallas he was still only 33 years old, on the downward trend of his career but he could still add plenty of firepower as a sixth man on any other squad. He picked Dallas because he wanted a ring. A five time All Star and a former player of GM Yaxley McMillian at Memphis, George knew that this team was special and wanted to get on it. His wisdom from playing a baker’s dozen seasons was evident, pushing the younger guys like Sean Gilmore and Matt Brown to improve them.

#24 SF Royce White (Iowa State), 6’8”, 261lbs, 11 year pro
Acquired by – Trade
Stats – 64 games, 6 starts, 13.9 minutes, 4.2 points, 2.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.2 blocks
Playoff Stats – 16 games, 0 starts, 3.5 minutes, 0.9 points, 0.9 assists, 0.8 rebounds, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks

Bouncing around the league and playing for seven teams in eleven years, he seems to have found his spot with Dallas. His regular season form was impeccable, being a point forward for most of his time on the court when Matt Brown needed a rest. He didn’t get much time in the playoffs because of a contracted depth chart he still loved being on this team. He loves it here so much that he signed a four year deal worth only $6.9 million where he could have got nearly double that in the open market.

#40 C Joe Duggins (Long Beach State), 6’11”, 255lbs, 3 year pro
Acquired by – Trade
Stats – 72 games, 2 starts, 11.9 minutes, 5.2 points, 0.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.3 blocks
Playoff Stats – 19 games, 0 starts, 11.6 minutes, 5.3 points, 0.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 0.3 steals, 0.2 blocks

Seen as an afterthought in the Jake Chase/James Harden trade, Duggins has been fantastic off the bench. Combining with Tristan Thompson they created a big man duo that was unmatched on any other team’s benches. At only 26 years old he still has some growing to do and re-signing him this off season will be a huge priority for the team.

#2 SG Sean Gilmore (North Carolina), 6’7”, 203lbs, 4 year pro
Acquired by – Trade
Stats – 69 games, 20 starts, 18.1 minutes, 9.3 points, 1.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 13.2 minutes, 6.6 points, 0.8 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 0.4 steals, 0.1 blocks

Another player seen as an afterthought in a trade, he was brought in when Iman Shumpert was traded for Thomas Cooper, who then went to Charlotte and Shumpert was brought back through free agency. Gilmore is a magnificent scorer, and one of the best bench shooter around. He scores at nearly a point every two minutes he is on the court, and he showed that during the season where he would score 15-17 points in only 13-15 minutes. He is on a very cheap four year contract and will be a Maverick for a long time in the future.

#6 SG Iman Shumpert (Georgia Tech), 6’5”, 222lbs, 12 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 79 games, 5 starts, 17.3 minutes, 7.1 points, 4.1 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 18.1 minutes, 6.2 points, 4.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.2 blocks

Shump has been on eight different teams during his 12 years as a player, with Yaxley McMillan trading him three times. A legendary ball thief, his passing should not be overlooked either. Even though Iman only started five games he was seen as a sixth starter, being out there when the team needed him the most. At 33 years old (and 34 when next season starts) he is in his twilight years his defence and tenacity will always be around.

#38 C Tristan Thompson (Texas), 6’9”, 227lbs, 12 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 82 games, 5 starts, 20.1 minutes, 9.9 points, 0.8 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 1.5 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 0 starts, 22.2 minutes, 12.4 points, 0.8 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 1.7 blocks

Even though he won’t likely win Sixth Man of the Year, he is definitely the most deserving. His playoff numbers per 36 minutes are off the charts – 20.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks and a hell of a lot of leadership. I’m sure if TT was on another team he would be starting and probably leading the league in rebounding, that is how good he is and how humble he is to take this bench role with such enthusiasm.

#14 SG Jake Chase (Cincinnati), 6’5”, 204lbs, 10 year pro
Acquired by – Trade
Stats – 81 games, 80 starts, 32.9 minutes, 19.8 points, 1.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.0 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 37.3 minutes, 18.5 points, 1.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.1 blocks

A lot of Dallas fans didn’t want to see James Harden go, but the front office knew that if they wanted to beat New Orleans they needed someone like Chase. He is a dynamite scorer and his defence is world class. He got a little rattled in the post season but he was a catalyst for this record breaking season.

#19 PG Matt Brown (Southern Illinois), 6’2”, 165lbs, 4 year pro
Acquired by – Draft
Stats – 81 games, 79 starts, 33.2 minutes, 11.2 points, 13.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 0.2 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 33.9 minutes, 9.5 points, 13.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 0.6 blocks

The first ever selection by Yaxley McMillan for the Dallas Mavericks, Brown has been the home run of all home runs. His passing and vision are off the charts, shown by his ungodly 9.1 assist to turnover ratio in the regular season. His “Playoff Warrior” title took a hit this post season as he looked shaky at times, but you can’t argue with those numbers. He was so close to the all time season record of assists and he has vowed to do it next season.

#1 C Andre Drummond (Connecticut), 6’11”, 279lbs, 11 year pro
Acquired by – Free Agency
Stats – 80 games, 80 starts, 30.3 minutes, 19.2 points, 1.2 assists, 8.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 2.7 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 30.6 minutes, 15.5 points, 1.1 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 2.8 blocks

The whole reason this dynasty in the making ever got together is because of Andre Drummond. Signing here in 2020 with Brad Beal and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist caused a momentum shift towards better days. A free agent in the off season, Drummond will be looking to stick around and at only 30 years old he still has many years of top flight form to come. One of the best centres in the league and arguably the best defensive big man around (apart from Anthony Davis).

#52 PF Marcus Randle (California), 6’8”, 253lbs, 3 year pro
Acquired by – Draft
Stats – 78 games, 77 starts, 32.1 minutes, 17.3 points, 1.1 assists, 11.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.2 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 30.3 minutes, 15.7 points, 1.1 assists, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 0.5 blocks

The definition of ‘phenom’. Being drafted #3 in the 2020 draft, he was raw as sushi but willing to learn and potential falling out his ears. Fast forward three years and he is one of the best PFs in the league. He can score from everywhere and loves stepping out to the three point line where he shot a respectable 38% from down town. A ball magnet on the glass and a lock down defender, this kid still has growing to do. He is a free agent this off season and nearly all of the teams around the league will be throwing money at him to try and steal him from Dallas.

#29 SF Kevin Durant [CAPTAIN] (Texas), 6’9”, 215lbs, 16 year pro
Acquired by – Trade
Stats – 56 games, 55 starts, 33.7 minutes, 21.6 points, 1.4 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks
Playoff Stats – 20 games, 20 starts, 35.4 minutes, 24.2 points, 1.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.7 blocks

After 16 years in the pro league your body doesn’t work as well as it used to, shown by Durant’s broken elbow during the season. That didn’t stop him from exploding in the playoffs, leading the team in scoring and leading from the front. A true professional, the captain finally has his second championship ring after all these years.

Coach – Kevin Garnett, 46 years old, sixth year with Dallas, 74-8, 74-8 overall, first championship

Talk about easy pickings. After Jaymes Bekale retired after his first championship, Garnett took over and led the team to victory. Don’t count out his contribution, because massaging all of those egos into a cohesive unit would be extremely hard and to make this team run smoother than hot butter was a great achievement.

First Assistant – Luke Battier, 50 years old, first year with Dallas, first championship
Second Assistant – Glendon Woni, 53 years old, seventh year with Dallas, second championship
Third Assistant – Mike McDade, 35 years old, first year with Dallas, first championship
General Manager – Yaxley McMillan – 44 years old, fifth year with Dallas, third championship

[zike_42]

After what seems like an eternity but didn’t seem long enough, I’m back to work watching the NBA Draft lottery, with Miami having the highest chances in a draft that doesn’t have that ‘can’t miss’ prospect.

16 – Houston (0)
15 – Oklahoma City (0)
14 – Sacramento (0)
13 – San Antonio (0)
12 – Brooklyn (-1)

Los Angeles Clippers and their 0.9% chance have jumped! This is the excitement that has been missing for a while.

11 – Chicago (-1)
10 – Minnesota (-1)
9 – Portland (-1)
8 – Los Angeles Lakers (-1)
7 – Philadelphia (-1)
6 – Philadelphia (-2)

Chicago’s second lottery pick has jumped as well.

5 – Orlando (-2)
4 – Miami (-3)

The worst possible outcome for the Heat, who by and large the worst team in the league.

3 – Los Angeles Clippers (+9)
2 – New York (0)
1 – Chicago (+4)

The winning slot was not Chicago’s own pick, it was Houston’s. In a trade that I didn’t report because I didn’t think that it would come of anything, Chicago traded SF James Swygart for Houston’s PG Justin Claxton, PG Mike Conley and their 2024 1st round pick. That happened last season when the Lakers stole the #1 pick from New York and maybe I should report more trades with first round picks in them, however small the possibility of them becoming the number one pick.

[color="Red"]IN BREAKING NEWS the Los Angeles Clippers are moving to San Diego to get out of the Lakers’ shadow. They now become the San Diego Riders, retaining the same colour scheme but changing their logo, effective immediately.[/color]



It’s awards time and I can’t see anyone taking the MVP award from Anthony Davis but I would love to see Matt Brown get an All NBA nod.

Most Valuable Player:
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets – 19.7 points, 2.3 assists, 10.5 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 3.9 blocks

Defensive Player of the Year:
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets

Like clockwork.

Sixth Man of the Year:
Chris Hampton, Denver Nuggets – 14.2 points, 1.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks

Nice win for Hampton but I still think Tristan Thompson got robbed because of his contribution to a record breaking team.

Rookie of the Year:
Chris Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers – 13.1 points, 1.9 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.6 blocks

Well deserved but I still think that Camah Williams will be the best player in this crop.

Coach of the Year:
Jeff Van Gundy, New Orleans Hornets – 69-13 (.841)

What? This is rigged! How did Van Gundy beat a first year coach who led his team to a 74-8 record AND beat JVG to the NBA championship? Unbelievable.

All NBA First Team:
Kyrie Irving, Houston Rockets
John Johnson, Detroit Pistons
Paul Orvis, Toronto Raptors
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Jimmy Forrest, Milwaukee Bucks

All NBA Second Team:
Matt Brown, Dallas Mavericks
Bradley Beal, Atlanta Hawks
Christopher de Castro, San Diego Riders
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
Andre Drummond, Dallas Mavericks

All NBA Third Team:
Damian Lillard, San Antonio Spurs
Alexander Verhaeren, Indiana Pacers
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Oklahoma City Thunder
Brad Largent, Chicago Bulls
Ian Ransom, Washington Wizards

Great selection of Matt Brown and it just goes to show that points aren’t the only thing that matters.

All Defence First Team:
Nashon Smith, Phoenix Suns
Hillar Petrauskas, New Orleans Hornets
Paul Orvis, Toronto Raptors
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Andre Drummond, Dallas Mavericks

All Defence Second Team:
Lewis Vines, New Orleans Hornets
Ron Winston, Cleveland Cavaliers
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Oklahoma City Thunder
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings

All Rookie First Team:
Kevin Jensen, Sacramento Kings
Haven Roberson, Chicago Bulls
Chris Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Robert Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder
Antonio Mims, Sacramento Kings

All Rookie Second Team:
Eric McIntyre, Detroit Pistons
Jerrold Wesby, Orlando Magic
Joe Curry, Memphis Grizzlies
Charles Means, San Antonio Spurs
Ryan Wadley, Chicago Bulls

It was a carbon copy from two years ago when Mr English bowled me over after we won. This time I was a little bit more prepared but I still got knocked down. Talk about very excited, especially when I guaranteed the title to him last season. We go over the usual, how we will go next season (looking to repeat) and how much it will cost (over the luxury cap) but that is where he stops me.

“Look, I’ve given you a lot of leeway in the past but I can’t keep writing cheques, no matter how well the team plays. I know this team is great, even all time great, but you need to get to below the luxury cap.”

I don’t like it but he’s the boss, so I agree.

The NBA Mock Draft is announced and it seems on point for the most part –

1 – Chicago – SF Lars Ray
2 – New York – SG Vlado Prazina
3 – San Diego – PF Robert Williams
4 – Miami – PG Luke Owens
5 – Orlando – PG Michael Taylor
6 – Philadelphia – PG Tim Westbrooks
7 – Philadelphia – PF Lance Ellis
8 – Los Angeles – SF Jamaal Lewis
9 – Portland – C Antonio Henderson
10 – Minnesota – SG Tom Bryant
11 – Chicago – PG Marcus Barnes
12 – Brooklyn – SF Jason Sears
13 – San Antonio – C Brian Caldwell
14 – Sacramento – C Chad Gaines
15 – Oklahoma City – SG Adarrial Faye
16 – Houston – C Matt Piatowski

For once I like this mock draft. I could see Caldwell sneaking into the top ten but overall it looks pretty spot on. Prazina had been climbing the ranks all season so it’s good to see him get some recognition.