April 09, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) after scoring a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-89 to clinch a playoff berth. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest strength for the Warriors: Outside shooting.

The Warriors were the best 3 point shooting team in basketball this season, shooting 40.3% on the season. They boast three players who shot over 40% from beyond the arc in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jarrett Jack. In hitting an NBA record 272 threes on 45.3% shooting, Curry had the greatest shooting year in the history of the league. Three point shooting is the biggest advantage the Warriors have over Denver as well as their path to victory. Barring some bizarre happenstance where the Warriors all the sudden turn into a defensive stalwart, the only way Golden State wins this series is if they shoot Denver out of the gym.

Biggest strength for the Nuggets: The Pepsi Center.

Denver was 38-3 this season at home, as opposed to 19-22 on the road. It’s very difficult for opposing teams to last four quarters in that altitude with the Nuggets running in transition the entire game. The Nuggets are going to be without Danilo Gallinari, who tore his ACL, and Ty Lawson likely won’t be playing at 100%. Denver is far from a lock to win this series, but it’s hard for me to pick against them knowing that they’re going to have three of the first five games of the series,as well as a possible game seven, at home.

Biggest weakness for the Warriors: Inside defense.

Andrew Bogut is a shell of his former dominant self while Carl Landry and David Lee are atrocious on that end of the floor. Denver should be able to get to the rim in transition whenever they choose. In the half-court, the Nugget frontcourt excels in spacing the floor and forcing opposing bigs to play effective help defense in order to get stops. David Lee will likely be eaten alive. Denver will attack him constantly in pick and rolls or force him to make rotations as a helper, neither of which bodes well for the Warriors. They could play Festus Ezeli, but his complete and utter lack of an offensive game makes him very difficult to play for prolonged stretches against good teams. Andris Biedrins makes me laugh.

Biggest weakness for the Nuggets: Outside shooting.

Whereas the Warriors were the best outside shooting team in basketball, Denver was the 25th best hitting at just a 34.3% clip on the season. This becomes more of a factor because Gallinari is injured and Lawson likely won’t be at full strength. The Nuggets are going to rely on Wilson Chandler greatly to hit outside shots and they need Corey Brewer to shoot well in the corners. They’ve been playing around with Evan Fournier, but who knows how many minutes he’s realistically going to get. It’s likely Prof. Andre Miller will get most, if not all, the minutes Fournier could potentially play alongside Ty Lawson or as the backup point guard. Because the Warriors are a foul prone defense and don’t boast a defensive stopper, I imagine they’re going to try and bait Denver into as many threes in the half-court as possible. It’s easier said than done, but if the Warriors can get Denver taking 22-27 threes a game they might just be able to get enough stops to win a few games.

Apr 15, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Denver won 112-111. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction: Denver in 6

A month ago I would have called Denver winning this series a straight up lock. I still think they take it, but I don’t feel nearly as confident as I did previously. Against an average to slightly above average team like the Warriors, they should be able to overcome Gallinari’s absence. What worries me is Lawson’s torn plantar fascia. He’s invaluable as the trigger man to that offense and probably their best outside shooter. Golden State likes to defend pick and rolls by forcing the ball handler into a 16 foot pocket and try and get him to shoot mid-range shots, a strategy adopted by many of the teams in the league. Lawson shoots slightly above league average on mid-range shots, but if he’s injured and drops below league average Denver will have problems.

Best case scenario for Golden State is that they shoot the ball with ridiculous efficiency, slow the game down, and pack the paint. Lawson isn’t 100% and the Nuggets have to throw up a bunch of threes. However I don’t see this happening enough for the Warriors to win 4 games. I don’t trust the Warriors defense at all and part of me doesn’t trust Thompson or Jack to produce either. Thompson seems to be either super hot or super cold and if the Warriors get the latter than they’re probably screwed. Jack is the same way and if he’s missing on long 2′s and pull up 3′s, Denver should turn those misses into transition points.

In the end, I think it’s very hard to overcome the other team scoring points in transition. I don’t think Golden State can control the pace consistently, nor do I think they can keep Denver out of the paint. However, the Nuggets are much more vulnerable than they were a month ago and Golden State could absolutely shoot them right out of the playoffs. Of all the first round series, I think this will be one of the best and certainly the most entertaining. I like Denver in 6, but I don’t have a ton of confidence in that pick.

The big Italian was driving to the basket and when he planted on his left knee, it gave out and buckled. He started hopping on his right leg and grabbing his left knee. As he sat down on the court, he looked to be screaming in pain.

He was unable to put any pressure on his left leg, and was eventually wheeled off to the locker room on a cart. Hopefully for Gallinari and the Nuggets, the injury isn’t too serious, and he will be able to return for the playoffs.

(H/T to @talkhoops for the video)

UPDATE:

@WojYahooNBA is reporting tonight that Gallinari has a torn ACL.

Initial exam suggests likely torn ACL for Denver’s Danilo Gallinari, source tells Y! “Ligament was loose,” source says. MRI Friday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) April 5, 2013

Mar 19, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) attempts a shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

After going on a 15 game win streak that was pretty low key due to the Heat’s historic run, the Denver Nuggets have lost their last two games. Tonight the Nuggets will try to end their little slide when they take on the Brooklyn Nets.

Unfortunately, Denver will once again be without their starting point guard Ty Lawson. The team announced earlier this morning that Lawson, who had missed three of the last four games, is suffering from torn plantar fascia in his right foot.

#Nuggets PG @tylawson3 has a plantar fascia tear in his right heel. No surgery required. Out tonight vs Brooklyn. Status day-to-day.

— Denver Nuggets (@denvernuggets) March 29, 2013

According to the United States National Library of Medicine, plantar fascia is the tissue that “connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.” While the team says that his injury is improving, this can be a very painful injury.

Lawson is #Nuggets leads team in scoring & assists. Athletic training staff says his injury is improving & treatment remains the same.

— Denver Nuggets (@denvernuggets) March 29, 2013

Lawson is averaging almost 17 points and 7 assists a game, both of which are tops on the team. He is also vital to getting the Nuggets out on the break and keeping the tempo up. If the Nuggets hope to make a deep run in the playoffs, they will need a healthy Ty Lawson to run the show.

The latest players to break the rules were the Houston Rockets’ Omer Asik and the Denver Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari.

Asik’s incident came during the Rockets game against the Spurs last Sunday. As you can see in the video, Asik takes a little nudge from Tim Duncan and goes spinning around with his arms flailing. This was Asik’s second infraction, so he was fined $5,000.

Gallinari’s flop was even more outrageous than Asik’s. The Italian was the one who made contact with the Hornets’ Robin Lopez first, and then fell to the ground as if he’d been run over. This was Gallo’s first offense of the rule, so he was only given a warning.

Mar 15, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos (41) shoots the ball during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 87-80. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

After last night’s 114-104 victory over the Thunder in Oklahoma City, the red-hot Denver Nuggets have now won 13 straight games in large part to not only great offensive play, but lockdown defensive play as well. During the streak, Denver is allowing just 98.6 points per 100 possessions, which would be the third best figure in basketball if prorated throughout the entire season to date. An unsung hero of Denver’s run, and really of their entire 47-22 season, has been starting center Kosta Koufos. Often thought of as a scrub due to his goofy looking appearance and the follicly challenged nature of his hair, he is actually one of the more underrated big men in the league. Though Denver seems to get better the smaller they go, Koufos gives George Karl a viable option not only against smaller opponents, but also to match up against bigger teams with multiple effective big men. Koufos is the ideal role player, as he is rock solid defensively and craftily efficient on offense. While he’s not the most versatile player, he has a particular set of skills that he performs well and at a consistently high level.

Spacing is important in any offensive scheme, but this is especially true in George Karl’s offense. The Nuggets shoot the league’s sixth worst mark from three point range, but they’re still able to take the most field goal attempts at the rim. Part of this is due to how many fast break baskets they get, but also they make a concerted effort to attack the rim on offense and have the spacing to do so effectively. Without quality spacing, their attack would be far less effective than it is; Denver boasts the league’s third best offense at 107.6 points per 100 possessions. With Koufos on the floor, Denver is scoring 109.4 points per 100 possessions, nearly two points more than their season average. This may come across as surprising as Koufos isn’t a great post up threat or shooter and he isn’t a dominant pick and roll big. So why is Denver’s offense so successful with Koufos on the floor?

Observing Koufos’ shot chart, we see that 390 of his 419 shot attempts have come at the rim and that he’s shooting 62.6% on those attempts. While detractors would argue that his limited offensive game would detriment him defensively, the fact that Koufos knows his limitations and plays to his strengths makes him a positive on the offensive end of the court. Rather than wasting possessions taking bad shot after bad shot, he spaces the floor and is efficient with the basketball when scoring chances present themselves. While he’s not the most gifted or skilled offensive threat, Koufos really knows how to play and has a good feel for the game. He excels at spacing the floor to open up driving lanes to the hoop and has great timing and instincts when cutting to the basket. The constant penetrating nature of Denver’s perimeter threats cause opponents to often help off of Koufos, allowing him to move around and receive the ball in a position to score. According to Synergy sports, Koufos shoots 64.6% on cuts to the basket. He has attempted shots on 168 cuts in 68 games, or 2.47 a game. That doesn’t sound like much, but those shots add up, especially when they’re going in 64.6% of the time. Koufos can also contribute in pick and roll sets, as his particular strength here is slipping screens and being nimble enough to finish in rhythm around the rim, like this:

Though efficient on offense, the defensive end of the floor is really where Koufos makes his mark on this team. With him on the floor, Denver allows just 100.5 points per 100 possessions, nearly two points less than their seasonal average of 102. While he does not possess disruptive athleticism, Koufos is a technician and his defensive positioning is excellent more times than not. He has an good grasp of what Denver wants to do in the pick and roll game and anchors one of the best pick and roll defenses in basketball. According to Synergy, Denver is fifth best in defending both pick and roll ball handlers and roll men, allowing 0.75 and 0.93 points per possession respectively. Koufos is also a strong help defender and averages 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes, a higher mark than Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan and Kendrick Perkins.

During Denver’s 13 game winning streak, the team is allowing just 99.4 points per 100 possessions with Koufos on the floor. In last Friday’s 87-80 victory over Memphis, Koufos was especially effective. Alongside his 18 points and 16 rebounds, he did a masterful job defending in the post against a Memphis team that is one of the more effective post up offenses in the league. Koufos defended 7 shots in post up situations, 5 from Zach Randolph and one each from Marc Gasol and Ed Davis. The Grizzlies were able to get just 2 of those 7 shots to go. This kind of defensive effectiveness is indicative of Koufos’ success defending post ups this season, allowing opponents to shoot just 37.7% and score 0.76 points per possession.

Kosta Koufos is one of Denver’s most valuable players. Their most used five man lineup of Ty Lawson, Andre Iguodala, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, and Kosta Koufos has killed the competition, outscoring opponents by 7 points per 100 possessions in 785 minutes played. When Koufos is on the floor, Denver outscores teams by 8.9 points per 100 possessions, a team high mark for an individual player. Without him, they outscore teams by just 2.8 points. The metrics all imply that he is a valuable commodity to the team and the eye test backs that up. He is not flashy or explosive, but Kosta Koufos is rock solid and he fits very nicely into what Denver wants to do on both ends of the floor. Koufos deserves more recognition than he gets (and arguably more minutes too) and is one of the most underrated big men in the NBA.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Synergy Sports

Earlier tonight, he showed us why, as he showed off his athleticism by denying Lamar Odom with a huge block.

Check out the video below. (H/T to @maxamillion711)

Tonight, he made his way there thanks to his long wingspan and a great pass from Andre Miller.

Late in the 1^st quarter, Miller found himself with the ball in the backcourt after a Nets’ miss. As he looked up, he spotted McGee sprinting down the floor towards the Nuggets’ basket. With a quick flick of his wrists, Miller threw an inch perfect lob from three-quarters court to McGee, who slammed the ball home with authority.

Miller finished with 8 points and 10 assists, while McGee added 14 points and 3 rebounds. It was not enough however, as the Nets defeated the Nuggets 119-108 in Brooklyn.

Jan 26, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson (3) controls the ball in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Nuggets currently sit at 29-18, which is good for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Sitting above Utah and Houston, it doesn’t seem likely they’ll fall lower unless there’s some major trades in the West before the deadline, but they’ll have a tough time passing Golden State and Memphis, and the trio of OKC/San Antonio and the Clippers seem locked into the the top three spots. That likely means that unless they manage to climb to fourth before the season closes, Denver will be locked in one of the must-see first round match-ups of the Playoffs. The Nuggets are a quality side and have been for years, but 2013 seems to be another year where George Karl’s men are running in place, and destined to be Playoffs fodder for the real heavyweights. Unless Denver can flip the script, they appear headed for another first or second round exit which leaves us wondering, when will they ever take the next step?

For George Karl, this season would mark the ninth consecutive time that his squad has appeared in the Playoffs. Only the Spurs and Mavericks can attest to that feat, though the Nuggets lack the championship that both the other squads won during that tenure. Furthermore, both the Spurs and the Mavericks made it to Finals at least twice, while the Nuggets had their best run in the 2008-09 season when they fell in the Conference Finals. The Nuggets are also the only team of the three to never finish with the top seed, and have bowed out in the first round eight out of nine times.

Looking at it from a glass half-full perspective, you could say the Nuggets are a pillar of consistency despite enduring the Melodrama, a bungled Iverson trade and not being a free agent hot-spot location-wise. However, from a glass half-empty standpoint, the Nuggets are a franchise that has failed to take the final step  of development for nearly a decade and are led by a coach who has failed to get a championship in 28 years of head coaching.

The Nuggets are without a doubt a quality side, but the time has come for them to take the next step and become a serious contender. Going forward, the Nuggets are pretty restrained cap-wise with JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson all locked into long-term eight-figure deals going forward. Andre Igoudala’s player option at the end of this season gives them a bit of flexibility at the end of the year, but not a lot. Coupling in the location, and the Nuggets seem like they won’t be acquiring their definitive piece through free agency.

However, when you have a front office as creative and capable as Denver’s, that may not be an issue. Armed with the expiring contracts of Corey Brewer and Timofey Mozgov, the Nuggets are in a position to deal and possibly pick up another bargain that vaults from them from a solid team to an elite one. Paul Millsap has been linked to the Nuggets, and the Heat are reportedly interested in Timofey Mozgov.

The only other solution for the Nuggets is internal improvement, and judging by their finances, that’s indeed what they’re banking on. Ty Lawson is already a solid young point guard in the NBA but may have peaked already. His statistics this season don’t show a leap in production as you would expect from a young guard. His better-than-expected start his career may be all he can offer, but that’s not something the Nuggets should be disheartened by. Lawson is, right now, one the better point guards in the NBA with blinding pace.  Danilo Gallinari is a brilliant two-way player, but isn’t poised to suddenly turn a 14 point career scoring average into anything that can carry a team to a championship. JaVale McGee poses the best chance for the Nuggets to take the next step without making any significant changes. We saw McGee monster a legitimate (when healthy) franchise Center in Andrew Bynum during the Playoffs last season, when McGee was engaged. Of course, keeping McGee engaged and focused has always been the battle and was the reason the Wizards booted him out at last season’s deadline. The talent is there in McGee, but the consistency and maturity still appears to be distant.

JaVale McGee may ultimately be the deciding factor for the Nuggets. If he can develop into the franchise carrying Center he’s hinted at possibly being, the Denver Nuggets should instantly be thrown into championship talk. The issue is, he’s not showing to be any closer to maturing this year than he was in Washington. The Nuggets awarded him a 4 year, 44 million dollar contract in the offseason which makes him the only player alongside Gallinari and Lawson to carry guaranteed money into 2015-16 (Kenneth Faried and Jordan Hamilton have received modest qualifying offers). If he fails to turn his talent into anything tangible, he could hamstring the Nuggets’ attempts at a championship and leave them lingering in no man’s land for another half-decade.

The Denver Nuggets right now are a very good basketball team and probably will be when the season finishes. But a very good basketball team doesn’t beat the Thunder, the Spurs, the Clippers or the Heat in a best of seven playoffs series. Very good cannot be good enough anymore if Denver are serious about winning their first NBA championship anytime soon, they need to be great. It’s time for the front office to get serious about taking the next step.

January 11, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) directs his team during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

This week’s Skyhook’s NBA Power Rankings provide a delightful twist, as we have additional contributions from Reece Hooker and J.P. Pelosi, two of our current featured writers on the site. Breaking that down, we each exclusively ranked our 30 teams, then mashed them together to get some average weighted rankings, which is what you see below as the finished product.

We all obviously agreed that the Pacers, Nuggets (breaking into the Top 10), Blazers and Nets are rolling, while the Lakers and Hawks are struggling.

So welcome back to The Skyhook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Week 11 – January 14, 2013

Biggest jump: Rockets, Trail Blazers (+6) | Biggest drop: Lakers, Hawks, Bucks (-7)

1. Oklahoma City Thunder | 29-8 | Won 3 | Last rank: 2

I think we’ve found the Thunder’s kyptonite in the form of the Washington Wizards. Good thing they won’t be meeting in the NBA Finals anytime soon. Meanwhile, Durant continues to dominate in wins over the Wolves and Lakers/Blazers on the road. – Mike

2. Los Angeles Clippers | 28-9 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 1

The Clippers have already lost more than games this month than they did December, but don’t take that as an issue. After dropping two straight to start the year, the Clips padded their 10 game home winning streak with 3 straight wins before an uncharacteristic loss to the Magic on Saturday. - Reece

3. San Antonio Spurs | 29-11 | Won 1 | Last rank: 3

A potentially bold statement, but as the Spurs continue their ever-consistent run year after year, one might now be inclined to say that Tony Parker should now be considered a lock for the Hall of Fame. The Spurs consistency is unheard of in sports. – Mike

4. Memphis Grizzlies | 24-11 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 4

Before a minor blip in Dallas, the Grizz had won three straight on the road, including two statement wins over the Warriors in Oakland then a grinder against the Spurs in overtime at home. The question will be – what will this team look like when the Rudy Gay dust settles? – Mike

5. Golden State Warriors | 23-13 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 7

The Golden State Warriors sit fifth in the Western Conference right now, a position that fans would have been hopeful for with a healthy Andrew Bogut, let alone without. A lot of that success has been due to the brilliance of Stephen Curry, who posted a double-double in their win against Portland. – Reece

6. Miami Heat | 24-11 | Won 1 | Last rank: 6

The Heat have opened 2013 with uncertainty, going an uncharacteristic 4-3, but recent losses are nothing to worry about. Crockett and Tubbs didn’t always come out on top, right? Every season has these episodes – especially when you don’t rebound, which is emerging as a must-get. – Reece/J.P.

7. New York Knicks | 24-13 | Won 1 | Last rank: 5

A rough week for the Knicks as they drop important inter-conference games to the Celtics, Pacers and Bulls (two of them at home). Suddenly they find themselves barely holding on to that #2 seed. Anyone else excited for Mel0-KG round 2 in Boston on the 24th? – Mike

8. Indiana Pacers | 23-15 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 10

Ten wins in a row at home, including one against the defending champs, the Heat, and old rivals, the Knicks. This defense is stifling. – J.P.

9. Denver Nuggets | 23-16 | Won 5 | Last rank: 13

After the Broncos collapse, at least the Nugs are currently one of the hottest teams in the league right now. They’ll have 6 of their next 8 at home and could very well find themselves near the top of the rankings in a couple weeks’ time. – Mike

10. Houston Rockets | 21-17 | Lost 3 | Last rank: 16

Consider this a retroactive bump for the Rockets recent “hotness,” as they hit a wall last week, though it was all on the road. With they way they score the ball, we still like them more than 2/3 of the rest of the league, at least for now. – Mike

11. Portland Trail Blazers | 20-17 | Lost 2 | Last rank: 17

This is a team to watch out for in the playoff race in the West. A snapshot of January for the Blazers: Wins – @NYK, @MEM, @MIN, MIA. Losses – @GSW, OKC. Quality wins and even the losses are respectable. After his 37 against the Warriors, Dame Lillard keeps improving. – Mike

12. Chicago Bulls | 20-15 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 9

They’re prone to sleep on some lighter teams, but when push comes to shove, the Bulls will bang and bruise against the elite. And Rose is still to come! – J.P.

13. Brooklyn Nets | 22-15 | Won 6 | Last rank: 14

With that #2 seed wide open in the East, the scorching Nets are making their run before the All-Star break with a 6-0 January start, with an impressive average margin of victory of 15 points per game. It’ s obvious, but Brook Lopez has outplayed the two other “All-Stars.” – Mike

14. Boston Celtics | 19-17 | Won 5 | Last rank: 18

The C’s have been making their own run with 5 straight wins, and over some high quality opponents in IND, @ATL, @NYK and HOU (a combined record of 89-60). Avery Bradley, game changer? Certainly feels like it. – Mike

15. Atlanta Hawks | 21-15 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 8

The Hawks went 1-3 this week, closing with an embarrassing 10 point loss to the Wizards. Yes, those Wizards. Josh Smith continues to delight and disturb Hawks fans with his inconsistent performances. Can Larry Drew turn it around, or will those trade winds pick up again? – Reece

16. Utah Jazz | 20-19 | Won 1 | Last rank: 19

This Jazz team just can’t sustain any moment. At times they show flashes of brilliance, other times look lottery bound. With 6 of their next 7 at home (where they’re 11-4), hopefully they can grab a cushion over .500 and slip into that 8th spot. – Mike

17. Minnesota Timberwolves | 16-18 | Lost 3 | Last rank: 15

You really have to feel bad for this team, they can’t catch a break. First Rubio suffers set backs then love re-breaks his hand and is out 8-10 weeks, likely crushing their playoff hopes. In the meantime, more minutes for Derrick Williams to prove himself? – Mike

18. Los Angeles Lakers | 16-21 | Won 1 | Last rank: 11

After an 0-6 start to the month/year, Mike D’Antoni says the season BEGINS Sunday for the Lakers. A good thing in the background is that won’t face pressure about seeding, as it’s “win to get in” time. Losing Jordan Hill, who was playing well, will hurt. – Mike

19. Milwaukee Bucks | 19-17 | Won 1 | Last rank: 12

It’s pass the buck time. Jim Boylan inherits a rather one dimensional offense that lacks the ability to compete because they don’t share the ball. – J.P.

20. Toronto Raptors | 14-23 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 21

The Raps (once up 20 in the 1st quarter) really needed that W against the Bucks and finished their homestand only 3-3. It seems with each game that passes, the Kyle Lowry experiment in Toronto is failing. Shout out to Amir Johnson and Ed ‘Boss’ Davis, playing well in the frontcourt. – Mike

21. Detroit Pistons | 14-24 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 26

So they gave up a few games early season, but keep an eye on these Pistons. They can shoot, their center, Greg Monroe is dominating the paint, and wow, Jason Maxiel can really throw it down. – J.P.

22. Philadelphia 76ers | 16-22 | Won 1 | Last rank: 20

After a horrible start to January, the Sixers have a light 2-game week, hosting the Hornets/Raps. ASG comparison: Player A – 16.8 pts, 7.7 sts, 3.2 rebs, .409 FG%. Player B – 18.7 pts, 8.8 asts, 4.1 rebs, .454% ( Player A = Deron Williams, Player B = Jrue Holiday). I rest my case. – Mike

23. Dallas Mavericks | 15-23 | Won 2 | Last rank: 22

According to insiders, there is a 100% probability that Mark Cuban makes a deal(s) before the deadline. Are we really going to bet against this man? The question will be: Will the roster in a month from now be good to make a last-ditch playoff run? – Mike

24. Phoenix Suns | 13-26 | Won 1 | Last rank: 23

The Suns win the award for the most mundane team in the league right now, hands down. With Michael Beasley registering consistent DNP-CD’s lately, this team is in total flux. Not sure what happened in Chicago the other night. – Mike

25. Sacramento Kings | 13-24 | Lost 4 | Last rank: 25

The DeMarcus Cousins circus keeps on rolling. After 31 points and 20 rebounds in Toronto, the big man gets ejected against the Mavericks for his foul jab at Vince Carter. A huge loss to the HEAT summed up a disappointing week for the Kings. – Reece

26. New Orleans Hornets | 11-26 | Lost 1 | Last rank: 28

Stolen from Marc Stein: Hornets are 0-15 when they fail to score 100 points. But what an extremely satisfying week for the Hornets, going 3-1 with wins over the Spurs (yes!), Rockets and Timberwolves (holding them to a combined 86.3 points per game). – Mike

27. Orlando Magic | 13-23 | Won 1 | Last rank: 24

The Magic ended a 10 game slide with a Saturday upset of the Clippers. They have a chance to steal some wins with games against Washington and Charlotte coming up. Nikola Vucevic has averaged 17 boards a game during the last week. And Magic fans thought all the great centers had already bailed on the city. – Reece/J.P.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers | 9-30 | Lost 2 | Last rank: 27

They should have more wins given Kyrie Irving is so damn dynamic. Rookie Dion Waiters is pairing up nicely with his point, offering a view to what this Cavs team might become. – J.P.

29. Washington Wizards | 6-28 | Won 2 | Last rank: 29

John Wall is back! John Wall is back! That has a nice ring to it. The Wiz have actually won TWO straight games with hopefully more wins to follow. – J.P.

30. Charlotte Bobcats | 9-27 | Lost 3 | Last rank: 30

Good news for the Bobcats is they’ve finally snapped that huge losing streak. The bad news is they’re back to being awful, only managing to steal the outlying victories against an off Chicago Bulls and overtime against the dreadful Detroit Pistons. A double-digit loss to the Raptors was typical of a Bobcats season that’s gone from promising to poor in a blink. – Reece

January 6, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) lays on the floor after being fouled by Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (34) in the second half of the game at the Staples Center. Gasol left the game. Nuggets won 112-105. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Thunder (26-7) 104 @ Raptors (12-22) 92

•  Leading scorers: OKC – Russell Westbrook 23, TOR – Alan Anderson 27.
•  Russell Westbrook (23 pts, 7 assts) and Kevin Durant (22 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts) seemingly took it easy on the Raptors.
•  For the second time this season, Durant only attempted 11 shots for the game, his second lowest output of the season (he attempted only 8 in the 54-point blowout of the Bobcats).
•  The Thunder were 22-24 (91.7%) from the free throw line.
•  Alan Anderson lit it up for the Raps, scoring 27 while shooting 10-14 (4-8 3PT) from the field.
•  Amir Johnson, in his first start of the season, had 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks and only 1 personal foul in 38 minutes.
•  The Raptors had 28 assists on 34 made field goals (82.4% assist rate).

Wizards (4-28) 71 @ Heat (23-9) 99

•  Leading scorers: WAS – Kevin Seraphin 14, MIA – LeBron James 24.
•  The Heat had an uncharacteristic 50 rebounds to the Wizards 39.
•  LeBron had only 2 of them.
•  Chris Bosh had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.
•  From the bench, Ray Allen and Mike Miller combined for 33 points on 12 for 17 shooting, including 5 for 9 from downtown.
•  The Wiz shot a woeful 35.8% from the field.

Bobcats (9-24) 108 @ Pistons (13-23) 101 – OT

•  Leading scorers: CHA – Kemba Walker 20, DET – Tayshaun Prince 21.
•  Bismack Biyombo had a solid game for the Bobcats with 10 points and 17 rebounds in 34 minutes.
•  Off the bench, Ben Gordon had 18 points on 7-12 shooting.
•  Greg Monroe had a great game for the Pistons with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists.
•  Tayshaun led Detroit in scoring with 21 points (9-15 FG) and 7 rebounds.

Grizzlies (21-10) 92 @ Suns (12-23) 81

•  Leading scorers: MEM – Zach Randolph 21, PHX – P.J. Tucker 17.
•  Z-Bo was the model of efficiency, scoring 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting and grabbing 8 rebounds.
•  Marc Gasol had a solid all-around line of 10 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.
•  Jerryd Bayless was perfect off the bench with 9 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 0 turnovers in 25 minutes.
•  The Grizzlies shot a very tidy 53.6% from the floor.
•  P.J. Tucker of all people, led the way for Phoenix with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Nuggets (20-16) 112 @ Lakers (15-18) 105

•  Leading scorers: DEN – Ty Lawson 21, LAL – Kobe Bryant 29.
•  It’s usually not a good thing when you’re opponent gets up 101 shots in a non-overtime game, which the Nuggets did in this one.
•  They had six players score in double figures.
•  The point guards really did a number with Ty Lawson having 21 points and 10 assists while Andre Miller putting up 12 points and 10 assists.
•  Nuggets outscored the Lakers in the paint 60-38.
•  Despite a costly turnover late in the 4th, Dwight Howard had a monster game with 14 points, 26 rebounds and 4 blocks.
•  Kobe finished with 29 points, recording his 17th straight game with at least 27 points.

January 3, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jose Barea (11) drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets forward Corey Brewer (right) during the first half at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Spurs (26-9) 83 @ Knicks (22-10) 100

•  Leading scorers: SAN – Gary Neal 12, NYK – Carmelo Anthony 23.
•  Amar’e Stoudemire improved vastly in his second game. All the way up to 10 points and 2 rebounds. And yes, that was sarcasm.
•  Tyson Chandler has a double double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
•  Steve Novak went 5 for 7 from behind the arc and finished with 15 points.
•  The Knicks outrebounded the Spurs 48-35.
•  There were no impressive games for the Spurs, as they shot only 36.4% and had a very un-Spur like 14 assists for the game.
•  The game featured only 9 total fast break points.

Timberwolves (15-14) 101 @ Nuggets (18-16) 97

•  Leading scorers: MIN – Alexey Shved, J.J. Barea 17, DEN – Ty Lawson, Kosta Koufos 16.
•  The Timberwolves improved to 6-10 on the road with an impressive win in Denver.
•  Kevin Love put up 12 points and 17 rebounds.
•  J.J. Barea and Alexey Shved both had exactly 17 points, 4 rebound and 5 assists.
•  The Wolves outrebounded the Nugs 52-39.
•  Andre Miller started for the Nuggets and had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
•  The other Andre, Iguodala, put up 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
•  Even in the loss, the Nuggets had 11 steals and 11 blocks as opposed to the Wolves 2 and 3.

December 1, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Jarrett Jack (2) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) after making a half-court shot against the Indiana Pacers to end the third quarter at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pacers, 103-92. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE

After a “well rested” Spurs team outlasted the Grizzlies in overtime, they reclaim the top spot this week, with the hot hot Heat right on their trail. The Warriors make the biggest jump of the week, up 7 spots and crack the Top 10 with a sweet little 3-game winning streak and hosting the Magic on Monday night before heading out for a 7-game road test. Some awesome things this week (in no particular order): Magic get #Dwightmare revenge on Lakers, Batum’s corner three, the Wizards first win, Larry Sanders! Enjoy the analysis.

Welcome to The Skyook’s NBA Power Rankings, where any given week, things can change faster than a James Harden trade.

Previous weeks: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Week 5 – December 3, 2012

Biggest jump: Warriors (+7) | Biggest drop: Nuggets (-6)

1. San Antonio Spurs | 14-4 | Last week: 2

Forget the hot water that Popovich and the Spurs got into for their “resting with the stars” espisode against the Heat this week (which they did only lose by 5). More importantly, they outlasted the Grizz in an OT battle, giving me no choice but to crown them Power Ranking Kings again.

2. Miami Heat | 12-3 | Last week: 3

So much for those tests against the Spurs and Nets, as they captured wins in both games. Currently riding a 6-game win streak, the Heat are starting to make it look easy. Could Wade’s 34-point effort against the Nets be an awakening of sorts?

3. Memphis Grizzlies | 12-3 | Last week: 1

The Grizz didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, but the other two are just hotter right now. They turned up the defensive pressure last week by beating the Cavs, Raps and Pistons (as they should) by an average of 13 points while allowing an average of only 79 points in those games.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder | 14-4 | Last week: 5

One could make a very solid case for the Thunder to be on top of the Rankings after a 4-0 week where they destroyed opponents by an average of 25 points per game. Russell Westbrook’s 23 pts, 13 rebs, 8 asts, 7 stls, 8 turnover stat line against the Jazz was certainly one of a kind.

5. New York Knicks | 12-4 | Last week: 4

They did lose to their new Brooklyn rival, but the Knicks defense bounced back this week, going 3-1 and allowing an average of only 92.5 points per game. With the Suns win, they improved to 7-0 at the Garden. Rasheed’s ejection after playing only 1:25 is probably a record, even for him.

6. Los Angeles Clippers | 10-6 | Last week: 6

Welcome back Chauncey Billups! Now let’s see how the sharing of minutes with this team will work. The Hornets loss at home (without Davis) was inexplicable, but they finished the week strong with two wins. Watching Lamar Odom jog around out there is now at embarrassing levels.

7. Brooklyn Nets | 11-5 | Last week: 7

During their 3-1 week, the Nets were involved in a couple of division “battles.” First, they beat the Knicks in the new battle of New York, then they literally, physically battle with the Celtics that results in a win and a 2-game suspension of Rondo. Win win.

8. Atlanta Hawks | 9-5 | Last week: 9

Josh Smith’s lesson for the week will be: box out. His lapse cost the Hawks a 7-game winning streak in dropping that brutal game to the Cavs. Other than that incident, he’s picked up his play slightly, averaging 18.8 pts, 7.8 rebs, 4.2 asts, 3.2 blks and 1.8 stls over his past five games.

9. Golden State Warriors | 10-6 | Last week: 16

The Warriors make the biggest jump of the week, up 7 spots into the Top 10 and currently riding a 3-game win streak with impressive wins over the Wolves, Nuggets and Pacers. Klay Thompson’s last 5 games: 21.2 pts on .467 shooting. Festus Ezeli is becoming a fan favorite.

10. Los Angeles Lakers | 8-9 | Last week: 10

The Lakers were on their way to breaking further into the Top 10 until that travesty against the Magic happened last night. 40 points in the 4th quarter to Orlando, seriously!? Now under .500 again, the Lakers play 7 out of their next 8 on away from Staples Center.

11. Boston Celtics | 9-8 | Last week: 11

The Celts have been a model of inconsistency this season. They’ll welcome Rondo back from suspension with open arms, but what this team really needs is a shot blocker (no one averages even close to 1 per game – Garnett/Bass 0.76). What Joe Johnson did to Pierce was elder abuse.

12. Philadelphia 76ers | 10-7 | Last week: 13

The Sixers will have a chance to make a statement in a very important home and home series against the Celtics this week for division position. Don’t look now but we’re seeing some solid progression from Evan Turner, now averaging 14.1 pts, 7.1 rebs and 4.1 asts on the season.

13. Chicago Bulls | 8-7 | Last week: 14

The Richard Hamilton injury will hurt the Bulls, but thankfully they play in the Central Division, where they are currently duking it out with the Bucks for the top spot at 8-7. Speaking of which, they’ll play the Pacers, Cavs and Pistons in their next three.

14. Denver Nuggets | 8-9 | Last week: 8

Have to drop the Nuggets down again after another 0-3 week. For those keeping track, Denver’s first 17 games: 3L, 4W, 3L, 4W, 3L. Don’t look for another four straight wins though, as the Nugs are about to embark on a 5-game road trip after a home date with the Raps.

15. Milwaukee Bucks | 8-7 | Last week: 12

What a week for Larry Sanders! First a triple double on Friday against the Wolves (10 blocks), followed up with a 18 point, 16 rebound, 5 block effort in a big win against the Celtics. Are we sure the Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings combo is working out?

16. Utah Jazz | 9-9 | Last week: 15

Like water is wet, the Jazz improve to 6-0 at home and play 4 of their next 5 there. Although the Derrick Favors injury will force an already small team to adjust, the Gordon Hayward bench experiment has been good, as his 16.3 point average over the past three games suggests.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves | 7-8 | Last week: 19

What a Christmas present that would be in Minnesota if Ricky Rubio (who was at practice last week) were to return in a few short weeks. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang will be fighting to keep the ship at .500 until the full squad has returned to good health.

18. Houston Rockets | 8-8 | Last week: 21

Forget the hyped backcourt as there are lots of things to love about the way this Asik-Parsons-Patterson frontcourt is coming together. Let’s see if the Rockets can continue to put up major points against the Thunder, Lakers and Spurs in their next three games.

19. Indiana Pacers | 8-9 | Last week: 22

Coming into the season, with the major focus on Hibbert, George and Granger, who’d have thought that it would be David West and George Hill leading the way for the Pacers. While 8-9 isn’t ideal, leading the league in rebounding and being 3rd in points against is certainly respectable.

20. Dallas Mavericks | 8-9 | Last week: 17

Like this team wasn’t old enough, they ink Derek Fisher last week, who was 1 for 8 shooting in his debut. With 6 of their next 7 on the road and against better opponents, I expect this team to keep fading. Let’s hope that when Dirk does come back, it’s not too late.

21. Portland Trail Blazers | 7-10 | Last week: 20

Blazers just barely snapped a 4-game losing streak in Cleveland with a desperate Batum corner three-ball to beat the lowly Cavs in double overtime. What the heck is up with this completely inept bench unit for Portland? Nothing has been easy for this squad so far.

22. Charlotte Bobcats | 7-8 | Last week: 18

Nothing screams “reality check” like a 45-point loss. Yes, it was the Thunder, but scoring 24 points in a half is unacceptable. It will be interesting to see how this new, exciting Bobcats team responds. The Walker-Sessions combo has been really fun to watch.

23. Orlando Magic | 6-10 | Last week: 24

What an extreme high for the Orlando Magic last night in Los Angeles in taking down the Lakers and avenging the #Dwightmare. If nothing else, they have at least that this season. Although sweeping theminOrlando might be their NBA Championship once the playoffs are out of sight.

24. Phoenix Suns | 7-11 | Last week: 23

Defensively, this team is the epitome of “horrible,” as losing to the Pistons by 40 and giving up 117 points in the process, will attest. Michael Beasley seems to be getting worse as the season goes on. I have to admit, Goran Dragic is holding up better than I expected.

25. Detroit Pistons | 5-13 | Last week: 29

Even with a 2-2 week, the Pistons are showing some signs of life and have battled back to go 5-5 after starting the season 0-8. Putting that kind of hurting on the Suns overrides losing in Memphis and Dallas. Brandon Knight’s development continues on an upward trend.

26. Toronto Raptors | 4-13 | Last week: 26

Just me, or does it feel like the Raptors play ALL their games on the road? At least they got a close one against the Suns on Friday, one they’ve regularly blown this season. If nothing else, the Mickael Pietrus signing should slightly help in getting Casey’s defensive mojo back.

27. New Orleans Hornets | 4-11 | Last week: 25

Losers of 8 of their last 9 games, the Hornets one (ironic) win came against Chris Paul and the Clips. How long is this Anthony Davis injury going to linger? He’ll soon be approaching Eric Gordon territory. Not really, but get back soon AD.

28. Sacramento Kings | 4-12 | Last week: 27

Of course, the one guy that has stepped up his game recently (Tyreke Evans), goes down with an injury. Among the many flaws of this team, they are just too small at the point guard spot with Aaron Brooks, Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-13 | Last week: 28

What a weekend for the Cavs. First a tip-in victory over a good Atlanta team on the road, then a ridiculous Batum buzzer-beater from the corner in double overtime at home. At what point do we just start feeling bad for Varejao? Until he gets traded, that’s when.

30. Washington Wizards | 1-13 | Last week: 30

Wanted to move the Wiz up, even just one spot, after their ugly first win against Portland at home Wednesday. Couldn’t do it. Even the force that is Nene is being brought down by the Wizards curse: In 4 games played, only 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.

November 29, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward Carl Landry (7, top) grabs a rebound against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 106-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

 Spurs (13-4) 100 @ Heat (11-4) 105

• Leading scorers: SAN – Gary Neal 20, MIA – LeBron James 23.
• Well, the story for the Spurs isn’t too deep in the numbers, but the fact that Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green all sat out this National TV game against the Heat with DNP – Not With Team’s.
• Starting in their place was this murderer’s row: Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Nando de Colo.
• Even with those starters, the Spurs only lost to the Heat by 5 points.
• Gary Neal put up 20 points and 7 assists on 20 shot attempts.
• The Red Rocket Matt Bonner put up a double double of 10 points, 10 rebounds.
• Tiago Splitter finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds.
• For Miami, Chris Bosh finished with a double double of 18 points and 12 boards.
• Ray Allen had 20 off the bench (7-15 FG), including a very late three-ball that helped the Heat hang on.

Nuggets (8-8) 105 @ Warriors (9-6) 106

• Leading scorers: DEN – Andre Iguodala 22, GSW – David Lee 31.
• David Lee was ridiculous in this game with 31 points (on insane 13 for 15 shooting), 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
• Steph Curry finished with 20 points and 10 assists.
• Klay Thompson also scored 21 (10-19 FG) and grabbed 9 boards.
• Jarrett Jack poured in 18 points off the bench.
• Iggy led the Nuggets with 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
• The Manimal put up 10 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.

November 10, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) is fouled during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at ORACLE Arena. The Nuggets defeated the Warriors 107-101 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

76ers (4-2) 93 @ Raptors (1-5) 83

• Leading scorers: PHI – Thaddeus Young, Nick Young, Jrue Holiday 16, TOR – Andrea Bargnani 23.
• Evan Turner has rebounded the ball well of late. Another 12 boards in this one, along with 8 points and 4 assists.
• Spencer Hawes delivered 12 points and 11 rebounders off the bench in 23 minutes.
• The Raptors knocked down 12 of 26 three point attempts.
• Jose Calderon posted a double double with 14 points and 11 assists.

Wizards (0-5) 85 @ Pacers (3-4) 89

• Leading scorers: WAS – Emeka Okafor, Bradley Beal 17, IND – Paul George 20.
• Roy Hibbert had 12 rebounds but had only 7 points on a poor 3-15 shooting performance.
• Gerald Green had 15 points and 8 rebounds off the Pacer bench.
• A.J. Price played a team-high 37 minutes and posted a double double of 12 points and 14 assists.

Mavericks (4-3) 97 @ Bobcats (2-3) 101 – OT

• Leading scorers: DAL – O.J. Mayo 22, CHA – Kemba Walker 26.
• The Bobcats already have 2 wins in 5 games after having only 7 in 66 games all of last season.
• Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led the way for the Bobcats with 26 and 25 points respectively.
• Walker also had 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 steals.
• Vince Carter hit 5 threes off the bench and totalled 19 points for the game.

Timberwolves (4-2) 80 @ Bulls (4-2) 87

• Leading scorers: MIN – Nikola Pekovic 18, CHI – Nate Robinson 18.
• While Joakim Noah had a solid game (17 pts, 7 rebs, 4 blks), Carlos Boozer did not (2 pts, 0-5 FG).
• Nate Robinson with another 18 off the bench.
• Andrei Kirilenko had a great all around game with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Derrick Williams managed to go 0-10 from the field in this one.

Pistons (0-7) 82 @ Rockets (3-3) 96

• Leading scorers: DET – Brandon Knight 16, HOU – James Harden 20.
• The Pistons are now 0-7, that’s a stat in istelf.
• Greg Monroe posted his 4th straight double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds (and a couple of blocks).
• Omer Asik had a season low 8 rebounds, but he did add 14 points and 4 steals.
• Marcus Morris had a nice game off the Rockets bench with 12 points (6-7 FG), 8 rebounds and 2 steals.

Celtics (3-3) 96 @ Bucks (3-2) 92

• Leading scorers: BOS – Paul Pierce 25, MIL – Monta Ellis 32.
• Rajon Rondo has had double digit assists in every game this season. His 10 in this game is actually his season low.
• Pierce posted 25 points and 9 rebounds.
• Monta Ellis had a season high 32 points (11-24 FG) and 8 assists while Brandon Jennings had his worst outing so far with 4 points on 1-11 from the field.
• Larry Sanders continues to impress off the Bucks bench with 10 points and 12 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Suns (3-4) 81 @ Jazz (3-4) 94

• Leading scorers: PHX – Luis Scola 21, UTA – Al Jefferson 27.
• The Jazz outrebounded the Suns 52-37.
• The two teams combined to shoot 6-30 from behind the arc.
• Al Jefferson had a monster game with 27 points (12-20 FG) and 14 rebounds.
• Jamaal Tinsley (yes, that one) had a strange line of 0 points and 14 assists in 41 minutes.
• Marcin Gortat had 8 rebounds, but recorded only 1 point (0-6 FG).

Spurs (6-1) 112 @ Trail Blazers (2-4) 109

• Leading scorers: SAN – Gary Neal 27, POR – Nicolas Batum 33.
• Gary Neal took over this game in the second half, where he had 20 of his 27 points (11-16 FG).
• Tim Duncan with another solid game with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. His season averages: 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
• Nic Batum led the five starters in double figures with 33 points.
• LaMarcus Aldridge wasn’t far behind with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Nuggets (4-3) 107 @ Warriors (3-4) 101 – 2OT

• Leading scorers: DEN – Danilo Gallinari 21, GSW – Klay Thompson 23.
• Andre Iguodala led the Nuggets with a near-triple double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.
• Gallinari had 21 points, but shot only 8-22 from the floor.
• Klay Thompson managed to put up 15 3-point attempts in this game, making 5 of them and finishing with 23 points.
• Carl Landry had another 22 points and 9 rebounds off the bench and is now averaging 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds on the season.
• Andris Biedrins might have his greatest stat in the past two seasons: 2 for 2 from the free throw line!

October 25, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (right) drives to the basket during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Bucks (3-4) 100 @ Bobcats (1-6) 90

• Leading scorers: MIL – Tobias Harris 18, CHA – Kemba Walker 20.
• Say what you want about the Bucks, but they are going to be good defensively. Evidence tonight: Bucks had a +18 (56-38) rebound differential and a +9 (11-2) blocked shot differential.
• Speaking of blocked shots, Sam Dalembert had 6 and Larry Sanders had 4. Sanders also had 8 points and 13 rebounds.
• Brendan Haywood played 34 minutes off the bench and posted 8 points and 13 rebounds.
• The Bobcats had only 8 turnovers in the game.

Trail Blazers (3-4) 91 @ Jazz (5-3) 97

• Leading scorers: POR – Wesley Matthews 24, UTA – Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter 21.
• With the Blazers starters getting extended minutes, LaMarcus Aldridge (19 pts, 11 rebs) and Nicolas Batum (17 pts, 10 rebs) both posted double doubles.
• Portland committed 25 turnovers in the game.
• Enes Kanter is absolutely killing it for the Jazz so far in the preseason. Tonight he put up 21 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
• The Jazz had 18 steals in the game (Millsap 5, DeMarre Carroll 4, Tinsley 4) and took only 5 threes (2-5).

Kings (5-2) 94 @ Lakers (0-8) 82

• Leading scorers: SAC – DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas 20, LAL – Devin Ebanks 14.
• Yes, the number is correct, the Lakers are 0-8 now in the preseason. I know it’s preseason, but still.
• Devin Ebanks (14 pts, 7 rebs) was the only Laker in double figures.
• Jordan Hill will figure to get a bulk of the big man minutes off the bench. 9 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists will help his cause.
• The Kings killed the Lakers in transition with 24 fast break points to the Lakers 2.
• DeMarcus Cousins producing! 20 points, 13 rebounds in only 27 minutes.

Clippers (5-3) 106 @ Nuggets (3-3) 94

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin 25, DEN – Corey Brewer 15.
• Blake Griffin with a crazy game: 25 points (10-13 FG) and 11 rebounds in only 27 minutes.
• Look out league, DeAndre Jordan (a career 44% free throw shooter) went 5-6 from the line.
• Chris Paul had a double double in 29 minutes with 10 points and 12 assists.
• JaVale McGee posted 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in limited time (20 minutes) off the bench.

October 15, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (center) is stripped of the ball by Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (left) during the second half at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Celtics (1-3) 75 @ 76ers (2-1) 107

• Leading scorers: BOS – Paul Pierce 16, PHI – Spencer Hawes 17.
• One would have to really reach to find anything of note for the Celtics in this one. Brandon Bass had 11 points and 6 rebounds. Yep, that’s all I got.
• The Sixers were incredibly efficient with 32 assists on 43 made field goals.
• Spencer Hawes (and his ridiculous haircut) was productive off the bench with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in only 18 minutes.

Magic (0-3) 111 @ Cavaliers (3-2) 114 – OT

• Leading scorers: ORL – Glen Davis 27, CLE – Kyrie Irving 22.
• Big Baby had a huge game with 27 points, 8 rebounds and got to the line 13 times (9-13).
• The Magic bench outplayed the starters in this one. J.J. Redick, E’Twaun Moore and rookie Andrew Nicholson combined for 47 points (19-33), 13 rebounds and 15 assists.
• Kyrie Irving finally got his (free throw) shooting in order. He was only 5-8 from the field, but 11-11 from the line in scoring 22 points.
• The Cavs were 11-24 (44%) from behind the arc.

Wizards (1-3) 88 @ Nets (2-0) 98

• Leading scorers: WAS – Martell Webster 18, BKN – Brook Lopez 18.
• The Wiz took the loss, despite only have 8 turnovers in the game.
• Martell Webster led with 18 points that included 10-10 from the three throw line, which further included 2 3-point plays from behind the arc.
• With production like this (18 pts, 11 rebs), Brook Lopez could end up an All-Star this season.
• I was a fan of the Andray Blatche signing since day one, even though he’s as potentially crazy as he is talented. The Nets would take 16 points and 8 rebounds every night.

Rockets (2-2) 104 @ Mavericks (2-1) 123

• Leading scorers: HOU – Kevin Martin 23, DAL – O.J. Mayo, Jae Crowder 20.
• While Jeremy Lin had the night off, his backcourt teammate Kevin Martin led the Rockets with 23 points on 8-15 shooting.
• Just a thought here, but I wonder how long it’ll be before Jae Crowder replaces Shawn Marion in the Mavs starting lineup? With nights like this (20 pts, 5 rebs), it might be sooner than anyone thinks. Love this guy.
• The Mavs shot 52% from the field in the game and blocked 10 shots.

Warriors (3-1) 98 @ Nuggets (3-0) 104

• Leading scorers: GSW – Stephen Curry 25, DEN – Danilo Gallinari 18.
• Steph Curry’s ankle must be getting stronger with each game. He had 25 points on an excellent shooting night (10-15 FG, 4-5 3PT).
• The Warriors as a team shot 11-20 (55%) from downtown.
• Proof that the Nuggets are going to be tough out every single night? They shot the ball marginally worse than the Warriors (48% to 40%) and still got the win.
• Kosta Koufos grabbed 13 rebounds in only 16 minutes off the bench.

Trail Blazers (1-2) 100 @ Kings (2-0) 117

• Leading scorers: POR – Damian Lillard 20, SAC – Marcus Thornton 23.
• Rookie Damian Lillard has now led the Blazers in scoring on all 3 preseason games by adding another 20 tonight.
• For anyone on Adam Morrison watch: 5 minutes, 0 points (0-2 FG), 1 personal foul, -6 rating.
• I hope this is a typical Nic Batum game: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists. Although some blocked shots are in his range as well.
• DeMarcus Cousins will make a serious All-Star push this year. Tonight? 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks.

Oct 12, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) drives to the basket under pressure from San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and Tiago Splitter (22) during the first half at the AT

Welcome all stat geeks! “Box Score Bulletin’” is sifting through, analyzing and summarizing all of the NBA box scores from the previous day and night, so you don’t have to! So sip your coffee and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly…

Timberwolves (1-1) 91 @ Pacers (1-1) 96

• Leading scorers: MIN – Derrick Williams 25, IND – Paul George 19.
• I’m sure the Timberwolves would thrilled if this is what Derrick Williams gives them with significant playing time. In 38 minutes, he had 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block.
• The Wolves recorded 13 blocks in the game, including 6 by Dante Cunningham.
• In Roy Hibbert’s absence (DNP – Coaches Decision), Ian Mahinmi turned in 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in only 24 minutes.
• Only one of the Hansbrough brothers played in this game. The younger Ben had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists.

Pistons (1-1) 75 @ Raptors (1-1) 82

• Leading scorers: DET – Rodney Stuckey 14, TOR – DeMar DeRozan 14.
• This was an ugly game and the Pistons bench helped contribute to that ugliness. They shot a combined 14-39 (36%) from the field.
• Raptors rookie Jonas Valanciunas got increased minutes in this game (29) and posted 11 points and 8 rebounds.
• John Lucas continued his strong bench play with 9 points and 8 assists.

Cavaliers (2-1) 86 @ Bulls (1-1) 83

• Leading scorers: CLE – Dion Waiters 18, CHI – Kirk Hinrich 14.
• Even though the Cavs picked up the win, it was a horrible shooting night for Kyrie Irving as he finished just 2-15 from the floor.
• Rookie Dion Waiters was the exception, leading with 18 points, including 4-4 from 3-point range.
• You think the Bulls shooting 1-19 as a team from behind the arc had something to do with the loss? Maybe.
• Nate Robinson managed to put up 11 shots in 16 minutes and made only 1 of them (10%).

Hornets (3-1) 75 @ Rockets (2-0) 95

• Leading scorers: NOH – Al-Farouq Aminu 15, HOU – Kevin Martin 17.
• The Hornets only played 9 players in this game with rookie Anthony Davis recording a “DNP Rest.”
• The starting backcourt of Austin Rivers and Greivis Vasquez combined to shoot 7-25 from the field.
• The Rockets outscored the Hornets 27-6 on fast break points.
• Omer Asik ripped down 15 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Nuggets (2-0) 97 @ Spurs (2-1) 91

• Leading scorers: DEN – Corey Brewer 24, SAN – Tim Duncan 21.
• The Nuggets were led by Corey Brewer, who had 24  points off the bench in 22 minutes. He also got to the free throw line 12 times (however, only made 6 of them).
• The aging Tim Duncan continues to linger, even in the preseason. Duncan ended the game with 21 points (8-11 FG), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Not bad for an old guy.
• Despite better shooting nights (3-11 FG), Kawhi Leonard continued to prove his value: 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks.

Thunder (0-2) 81 @ Jazz (1-1) 97

• Leading scorers: OKC – Perry Jones III 14, UTA – Mo Williams 15.
• Cole Aldrich with his second double double in 2 games for the Thunder with 11 points and 10 rebounds (also 3 steals, 3 blocks).
• Some experts have been saying that evidence from Thunder camp suggests that rookie Perry Jones III should be ready to handle big minutes and contribute right away. Tonight: 30 minutes = lead the team with 14 points.
• Utah’s Enes Kanter has lost a significant amount of weight, but that didn’t affect his rebounding. He posted 12 points and 12 rebounds in only 18 minutes off the bench.
• The Jazz  had 15 guys get minutes in this game.

Trail Blazers (1-1) 93 @ Suns (1-1) 104

• Leading scorers: POR – Damian Lillard 15, PHX – Markieff Morris – 14.
• Rookies Lillard and Leonard had solid games for the Blazers with a combined 29 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
• He’s definitely no Steve Nash, but Goran Dragic put up 8 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds.
• The Suns 3-point shooting was on the money, as they buried 10 of 20 attempts.

May 14, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers small forward Andre Iguodala (9) drives the ball against Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (34) during the second quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Andre Iguodala
Resume: 12.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.7 steals (6th in league), 35.6 minutes, 45% FG, 39% 3PT (career best), and 62% FT… Team record in games played: 33-29 (2-2 without)… Playoffs: 12.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 38% FG, 39% 3PT, 59% FT, 7-6 record… All-Star

I ask you to give me three paragraphs to set up an overly-complicated analogy that compares the way I look at eating to the NBA. I promise it will all make sense in the end when it ties to Andre Iguodala. At least that’s what I’m hoping for.

Over the course of an average school week (Monday thru Friday) I’ll eat about 15 meals. In general, there are great meals, average meals and poor meals. Being a poor college kid I’ll eat about 5 poor meals a week. Some mornings I oversleep and have time for about half of a pop tart before I have to catch a shuttle to class. There are some miserable nights where shopping mishaps cause me to rely on macaroni and cheese for dinner. Even at the dining hall there are the typical poor selection nights like BBQ riblet sandwiches and the least Italian eggplant parmesan you could find.

Usually there are about eight meals a week that I’d classify as average. A bowl of cereal for breakfast; delicious Campbell’s Chunky soup for dinner; corn dogs (yes, I enjoy corn dogs), chicken sandwiches or old reliable (a turkey wrap with American cheese, lettuce, onion and mayonnaise) at the dining hall. If that is my slate of meals for a day, I’m a happy camper. But then I get maybe two days a week where I might go out on a date, or maybe I’ll go to the Subway, Taco Bell or Chick Fil A conveniently located right on campus. I’m jacked up for those meals.

One final part to this analogy is that any snacks consumed over the course of a week can drastically improve the way you view what you ate for the last 5 days. Every once in a while me and some roommates will throw a frozen pizza in the oven and go to town on that at midnight. On Monday nights I have popcorn while I watch WWE Monday Night Raw after Monday Night Football. Who doesn’t love an occasional Red Baron pizza or some Orville Redenbacher popcorn?

Now, let me get to the meat of this analogy. I look at the meals I eat during the course of the school week the same way I’d look at an NBA roster. In most cases, if an NBA team has two stars (2 great meals), eight rotation worthy players (8 average meals), and five scrubs (5 poor meals), they can be successful. The snacks come in to play as outside factors that have an impact on a team (coaching, a great crowd, style of play, easy division/conference, etc.) Now obviously not every NBA team is constructed in the style that I just put forth. The 2011 Dallas Mavericks had a ton of success with one star player (Dirk Nowitzki doing his best 20 oz. T-Bone Steak impersonation), a whole bunch of rotation guys who stepped up in the postseason (Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Peja Stojakovic, J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson) and some killer snacks along the way (great coaching, historically good 3 point shooting and LeBron melting down in the NBA Finals).

For so many years the Philadelphia 76ers relied heavily on Andre Iguodala to be a Buffalo Chicken Sub from Subway when in reality he is more of a Campbell’s Chicken Corn Chowder. I love Iguodala’s game, but he’s not suited to be a traditional number one guy. It’s not his strong suit. Philadelphia has had an offense in the bottom half of the league for the last 5 years. Iggy isn’t meant to be playing in grind it out games. He should be flying around the court wreaking havoc and showcasing his incredible athleticism. Enter the Denver Nuggets.

Getting traded to Denver is the biggest blessing in Andre Iguodala’s career. He gets to run and gun with a slew of talented young players in Denver instead of being forced to do everything for Philadelphia (and getting them damn close to the Eastern Conference Finals last May). Even though Denver doesn’t have the traditional “Meal plan” that I presented, theirs gives Iguodala a better chance to succeed than Philadelphia’s did. Iguodala is playing with the most talented supporting cast of his career; one top 50 player (Ty Lawson), one honorable mention (Kenneth Faried) and a few other talented pieces (Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, JaVale McGee) that make Denver slightly intriguing. Add in a few snacks (good crowd, good coach, visiting teams being forced to play at a much higher altitude than normal, and most importantly, a rejuvenated Andre Iguodala playing in a style that masks the fact he is a Chicken Corn Chowder and not chicken parmesan) and the Nuggets are a legitimate sleeper as a contender in the Western Conference. Even if you don’t buy into the Nuggets hype, it’s hard to imagine Iguodala not thriving this year.

• 

  April 9, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (34) reacts to his basket and foul against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Warriors 123-84. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

  JAVALE MCGEE, C, Denver Nuggets
  Last season: 25.2 MPG, 11.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 19.90 PER
  McGee is on just about everyone’s radar to gain most improved player recognition this season. A big reason is because of his well-publicized workout sessions with the great Hakeem Olajuwon in the offseason, leading us to believe that he’s going to have endless post moves this season. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing these “tweaks” in game action to see if there’s a noticeable difference. Whether McGee’s offensive game is truly more polished or not, it’s his defense that the Nuggets will be depending on. We know this team will be able to score the ball (1st overall in points and assists last season), but they’ll need McGee to continue with his dominant shot blocking in the middle. You’d like to think McGee will take the young Kenneth Faried under his wing defensively and improve the Nuggets interior. McGee’s development may just be that crucial factor in the Nuggets contending the the LA’s and OK’s in the West or being just another middle-tier playoff team.

• 

  March 30, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Brandon Roy (7) against the New Orleans Hornets during the third quarter at the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets defeated the Trail Blazers 95-91. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

  BRANDON ROY, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
  Last season: Did not play.
  Since he had the Wolves winning ball games last year, the X-Factor here could easily be Ricky Rubio, but let’s look past a certain degree of obvious here. Rubio won’t be ready to start the season, so only his absence will be a factor right away. The return of Brandon Roy on the other hand, will be huge for this team. The knee questions will be abundant in the beginning stages of the season and with the Wolves being extremely thin at shooting guard (Alexey Shved (rookie) and Malcolm Lee currently listed on the depth chart), they’ll need big minutes from Roy. Can he handle it? We’ll see. But Minnesota’s playoff shot depends on it. If Roy can return to even 80% of his peak form, he’ll be an excellent second option to Kevin Love. A season away, a fresh start, a new team… will the ‘Return of Brandon Roy’ be enough to propel the Timberwolves into postseason? Certainly an intriguing storyline.

• 

  June 4, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) reacts against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half in game five of the Western Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at the AT

  KENDRICK PERKINS, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
  Last season: 26.8 MPG, 5.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 8.69 PER
  Everyone’s an X-Factor on this Thunder team. I need not label Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka as merely important, but rather they are collectively expected to produce. Perkins is that wild card. Even though he’s now a league veteran, he needs to become more than just the guy who leads in the league in Technical Fouls-to-Smiles ratio. The team needs defense and rebounding out of their 5-spot, certainly not scoring, with all the other All-NBA talent on the team. But doesn’t it seem like a starting NBA center that averages 27 minutes per game should have a higher PER than 8.69? If Perkins is so strong and solid defensively, why does he only average 6.6 rebounds per game? Part of the reason is foul trouble, he has to stay on the floor. Obviously the Thunder won’t have trouble competing in the West, but when it comes time to face the Dwight Howard’s in meaningful games, will Perkins be the X-Factor?

• 

  July 19, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives in the first half of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Cox Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

  DAMIAN LILLARD, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
  Last season (at Weber St, 32 games): 34.5 MPG, 24.5 PPG, 4.0 APG
  Boy has this team flipped it’s roster upside down over the past season. It seems there will be plenty of opportunity for some new faces, as well as rookies… including the co-MVP of the Vegas Summer League, Damian Lillard. After a stellar NBA summer and incredible college career at Weber St., Lillard should be featured immediately in the Blazers starting lineup. On top of that, after LaMarcus Aldridge and likely Nicolas Batum, Lillard could figure to be the third scoring option on this team, considering he averaged 24.5 ppg in college last year. Combine that with a lot of Rookie of the Year talk, and that’s a ton of pressure. Fortunately, expectations for the Blazers are not very high in this “transition” season.

• 

  October 1, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz small forward Marvin Williams (2) poses for a portrait during media day at the Zions Bank Basketball Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

  MARVIN WILLIAMS, SF, Utah Jazz
  Last season: 26.3 MPG, 10.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 15.87 PER
  This is beginning to feel like Groundhog’s Day. We’ve been waiting for the Marvin Williams “breakout season” for about 5 years now… let’s just face reality, it’s not happening. As I look up and down the Jazz roster, they are the weakest at the small forward position, where Marvin currently occupies the starting spot. Right now, the Jazz are a borderline playoff team with most of their offense coming from the Jefferson/Millsap combination. If Marvin doesn’t adjust well to his new team and he’s deemed “limited” offensively, we could see a Derrick Favors or Enes Kanter spike in minutes or take over the starting spot. Who knows, maybe Marvin will adapt better to a new situation and a switching of conferences? For the Jazz to have an overachieving (think mid-low playoff seed) campaign, Marvin Williams will have to be worth every penny of the $8,287,500 he’s owed in 2013.

May 10, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) drives to the basket during the first half of game six in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

Ty Lawson
Resume: 16.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists (10th in league), 1.3 steals, 34.8 minutes, 49% FG, 37% 3PT, and 82% FT… Team record in games played: 36-25 (2-3 without)… Playoffs: 19.0 points (career best), 2.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists (career best), 51% FG (career best), 32% 3PT, 63% FT, 3-4 record

Did you know that the starting point guards on the last two North Carolina Tar Heels NCAA Championship teams were both selected after one of their teammates in an NBA Draft, and so far both are enjoying better careers than their counterparts? Back in 2005, it was Raymond Felton picked after Marvin Williams. At the time (and still today) this seemed like a head scratcher considering Marvin Williams didn’t even start for North Carolina and because the next 3 picks went Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Raymond Felton. Let me run this at you again… Atlanta passed on not only future All-NBA caliber point guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams (by far the two best players from the 2005 draft) but also the best player on North Carolina’s championship team, apparently because they felt comfortable going to war with Royal Ivey, Salim Stoudamire and Tyronn Lue as their point guard stable. You aren’t going to believe this, but Atlanta finished 14^th in the East that season.

Fast forward to 2009 when Indiana grabbed North Carolina power forward and college basketball icon, Tyler Hansbrough, with the 13^th pick. Five picks later Minnesota (pick later traded to Denver) drafted North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson, reigning ACC player of the Year. Just three months earlier, there was genuine panic amongst Tar Heels fans and anyone who picked North Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament in their bracket because Ty Lawson was suffering from an injured Sgt. Hulka.

This is how we arrive at Ty Lawson, ranked number 46 on my list of the top 50 players in the NBA. Let’s flash back one more time the 2009 Draft (we’re done with time travel after this one, I promise), a draft that was rich with point guards. Lawson is topped on my list by only one point guard from that draft and by only 3 players from the 2009 class overall; impressive when you consider that Lawson was selected 18^th. Lawson was a steal for Denver at 18 considering he was being brought into a high-octane, fast-paced, full-throttle, all-the-quips-about-speed-and-tempo-you-want type offense, which suits Lawson extremely well. After two years as the back-up to Chauncey Billups, Lawson became the starter and thrived, posting career bests in every statistical category.

You expect a player who gains a bigger role and more minutes to improve statistically, but at just 24 years old Ty Lawson is mature beyond his years. By all accounts he is a great locker room guy, and he already seems to have learned what not every point guard realizes throughout his career. He finds a way to vacillate between being the facilitator of an up and down offense, and also as the Nuggets late game closer. Not every point guard can effortlessly do that. And it’s still not totally there for Lawson. Even though he was probably Denver’s best player in their seven game series against the Lakers (highlighted by a 32 point, 6 assist, 5 rebound gem of a Game 6), he wasn’t great statistically in the “clutch” minutes of the game, whatever that means. I saw Lawson score over 24 points four times in the series, foreshadowing what Russell Westbrook was going to do in the 2nd round.

Remember though, Lawson is only 24 and will be getting much better with a lot of young talented pieces around him, including a shiny new toy in Andre Iguodala. There is buzz in NBA circles that Denver may be able to play spoiler in the west. I seriously doubt they could handle the size of the Lakers or the Thunder trio of Durant, Westbrook and Harden, but for some time Denver should remain one of the most entertaining teams in the league.