Mar 27, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and point guard Mario Chalmers (15) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Bulls beat the Heat 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

In case you missed it, this NBA regular season is REALLY close to its conclusion. That’s right. Believe it or not, there are only 15 days until the playoffs start. Sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? Once April 20^th hits, basketball fans will only care about who wins 16 games first. That’s all that matters. But let’s be real, the regular season isn’t just a five and a half month waste of time. It’s a five and a half month odyssey that produces a bulk of storylines and a fair amount of winners and losers of its own before we even get to the winning and losing that casual fans will remember.

In case you missed it, I’m not a casual fan. I’m weird. I’m a certified basketball nerd who follows the NBA like it’s my religion, and this benefits my life in no specific way whatsoever, other than allowing me to discuss the winners and losers of the NBA regular season with close to complete confidence in what I’m saying. On that note…

WINNER: LeBron James
We might as well get the most obvious winner of the season out of the way right off the bat. I’m keeping this section short since next week I’ll breaking down my extended MVP ballot, and a large part of that will consist of semi-biased, although completely warranted gushing about the greatest overall basketball player in the last decade or so, who happens to be in the midst of perhaps his finest season of his career. Just know that if the Heat close this season out with a title (still a while down the road, but it doesn’t seem totally out of the question to assume it might happen), LeBron will take a major leap forward in the “Greatest of All-Time” discussion thanks to back to back titles, and a regular season for the ages.

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (left) and teammate small forward LeBron James (right) react during the first half against the New York Knicks at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

LOSER: Dwyane Wade
You’re probably wondering why Dwyane Wade would be considered a loser of this season, when conventional standards wouldn’t justify that at all. He has been a vital part of the best team in the Eastern Conference, put up extremely good numbers all year long, and could very well end up a top 25 player ever by the end of his career… but nobody is noticing. Dwyane Wade is making just a tad over $17 million this season playing in the sunshine state, but doesn’t need to spend a single penny on sunscreen… you know, because he’s spending so much time in LeBron James’ shadow. Word play at its very finest. Speaking of guys being in LeBron’s shadow…

LOSER: Kevin Durant
28 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 50-40-90 club… and he’s a distant second in the MVP race. No need for sunscreen in Oklahoma City either.

WINNER: Erik Spoelstra
30 years ago it was a common belief that you needed a dominant big man to win a title in the NBA. Today, the best team in the NBA puts five players around the perimeter, plays without a center, and posts up their shooting guard and small forward more than their power forwards and centers. Erik Spoelstra could be called a basketball innovator. And to think he was one loss away from being fired last spring until LeBron walked into the TD Garden and killed the Celtics.

LOSER: Fired Coaches
Happy trails to Mike Brown, Avery Johnson, Alvin Gentry, and Scott Skiles, who were all relieved of their duties within the season, even though three of their respective teams will probably end up in the playoffs. The bright side for Mike Brown and Avery Johnson is they have ESPN experience. The bright side for all four guys is there will surely be teams that would be more than willing to hire any of them within the next couple of years, because some teams are just that desperate.

WINNER: Dwight Howard
Congratulations Dwight! You’ve come a long way, and it surely has been a bumpy road, but you’re no longer the biggest diva and piece of crap in the NBA. That title belongs to Andrew Bynum/Frederick Douglass/Pete Weber, or whoever he wants to pretend to be. I’ve already gone out on a limb on Twitter, and I’ll say it again here so everybody knows that I mean business; I don’t think Andrew Bynum will ever play another game in the NBA again… in part because of two chronically bad knees, but also because he does stupid things like going bowling while he is rehabbing said bad knees. So let me raise the question, who lucks out more than Dwight in this situation? Nobody! His biggest competition at the center position in the league has chronically bad knees, and a beyond questionable motor and desire to play basketball for a living.

LOSER: Philadelphia 76ers
Let’s break this down: On August 10^th Philadelphia traded away Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic and Mo Harkless, and in return got Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson. Andrew Bynum was coming off his best season, Jason Richardson would seemingly be a nice complementary piece to the Bynum/Holiday duo, Andre Iguodala needed a change of scenery, and nobody even knew who Nikola Vucevic and Mo Harkless were. All the way around, that trade made sense on paper, especially since Philadelphia wasn’t going to contend for the title with the team they had in place. But the funny thing is, NBA games aren’t played on paper. On paper we didn’t take into account that chances were, Andrew Bynum wasn’t going to be able to play a full season, or even one game. On paper it didn’t necessarily say that Jason Richardson was past his prime, and would only play 33 games himself. That paper certainly didn’t say that Nikola Vucevic was going to be a double-double machine. All that metaphorical paper said was Philadelphia could challenge in the Eastern Conference because of this trade. Not quite.

WINNER: Houston Rockets
Here is an example of a trade that did work out exactly how it looked like it should on paper. When Oklahoma City and James Harden couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension before the season started, Houston was more than willing to ship over whoever they needed to in order to bring in James Harden, his massive beard, and his potential to be one of the ten best players in the league. You could say that both teams won this trade: Oklahoma City has the 2^nd best record in the Western Conference, Kevin Martin has had a nice season coming in off the bench, and the Thunder don’t need to worry about giving a third player a max contract. But let’s be real, if this trade doesn’t go down Houston wouldn’t be close to sniffing the playoffs even if the playoffs were covered in Icy Hot, and Oklahoma City’s upside could only be higher than it is right now.

LOSER: Danny Granger
If Danny Granger was a lost puppy and the Pacers were his owner, would they have already taken down the posters they put up around town, or would they leave them up for a while? If I had to guess, I’d say they took them down and already found a new puppy (Paul George).

WINNER: FGCU
Come on, I had to show some love for my school somewhere on The Skyhook. The Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles improbable run to the Sweet Sixteen prompted a whole bunch of school spirit, more bandwagon fans than you could imagine, the unofficial renaming of Fort Myers to Dunk City, and even a very well-received piece on what it’s like to be a student at FGCUas our basketball program ascends.  Check it out!

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) reacts during the second half against the Miami Heat at the AT

LOSER: Father Time
Father Time is undefeated, and will remain undefeated for the rest of eternity unless we find the spring water that the people were drinking in Tuck Everlasting or everybody goes to Germany like Kobe did. But this year Pops Time took a nasty right hook to the jaw in the form of great seasons from Kobe Bryant (27 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6 assists, 46% shooting, 17^th season) and Tim Duncan (17.4 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 50% shooting, 16^th season), a very good season from Paul Pierce (18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 43% shooting, 15^th season), good seasons from Dirk Nowitzki (17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 48% shooting, 15^th season), Kevin Garnett (14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 49% shooting, 18^th season), and Ray Allen (10.8 points, 46% shooting, 17^th season), and varying contributions from Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Andre Miller, Antawn Jamison, and Steve Nash, all of whom are at least 35 years old.

WINNER: Western Conference
A lot is at stake during the next week and a half in the NBA. Imagine this: If the Lakers manage to sneak into that 8 seed in the Western Conference (my personal belief is they will), we could potentially be treated with seven straight Western Conference playoff series’ that at the very least will be legitimately interesting from a hype standpoint. Just check out the 1^st round matchups and imagine the possibilities of where this wild ride could lead us:

Spurs/Lakers: One last Duncan/Kobe battle. Sign me up as many times as possible. If you can only sign up once, I’ll use aliases.
Clippers/Grizzlies: Rematch of the 7 game 1^st round series they played last year that saw the Clippers prevailing on the road in game seven.
Nuggets/Warriors: Two very fast, young, and talented teams + Stephen Curry = A playoff series I would thoroughly enjoy watching.
Thunder/Rockets: This has to happen. If there is such a thing as basketball Gods (I believe that there is), they will make sure James Harden plays the Thunder, and delivers at least one “Screw You Guys, I’m The Best Guy Out Here” performances.

LOSER: Eastern Conference
A legitimate question that was posed in a podcast I recently held with my cousin and a friend of mine from New York: If the Eastern Conference put together a team of All-Stars (all players must be healthy right now), could they beat Miami in a seven game series? Common sense would say yes, with the amount of depth they could put on that roster, even with guys like Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Anderson Varejao, Danny Granger not available, they should win… but the fact that all three of us has to think pretty hard about it shows how far ahead of everyone else in the Eastern Conference Miami is.

WINNER: NBA
The NBA will always be the ultimate winner at the end of the day. We all watch it, we all speculate about it, and we all love it… no matter how things go down during the season.

Feb 01, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum (33) prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Kings 89-80. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

After trading for Andrew Bynum over the summer, there was a lot of excitement in Philadelphia for this season. But Bynum is still yet to play this year, and his absence has been felt, especially offensively. The Sixers are currently 29^th in points per game (92.3) and 27^th in offensive rating (98.9).

The good news for the Sixers (currently 22-29 and only 4 games out of the playoffs) is that Bynum’s return should be soon. Earlier today, Bynum spoke to reporters and indicated that he is closing in on a return.

Bynum says he will practice in a week … or two.

— John R. Finger (@jrfingerCSN) February 19, 2013

Bynum added that he’s 100 percent sure he will play this year.

— John R. Finger (@jrfingerCSN) February 19, 2013

Bynum, when healthy, is one of the best big men in the game. His return to the court would benefit the Sixers in two ways. The first is obviously his offensive post game. But secondly, he would draw attention from opposing defenses, making everyone else’s job on the court easier.

Without Bynum, the team has had to rely on its solid defense and the young Jrue Holiday. Holiday is having a breakout season, and has turned into one of the best young point guards in the league. Should the Sixers get an engaged, healthy, Andrew Bynum back soon, they should be able to do enough to sneak into the playoffs.

Jan 5, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) goes up for a dunk against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 95-80. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

Delightfully, my quams with the NBA All-Star rosters are at a minimum this season (compared to past seasons). With a few minor exceptions, I think they got it almost right this year.

The starters are set in stone and while it’s typical for some fans act outright delusional and warrant restricted access to All-Star voting, there’s nothing us realistic fans can do to change it. Besides, other than Kevin Garnett, I’m actually fine with the ten starters. Normally I could rant all day about the flaws with fan voting, but I’ll leave it alone while the going is good for this season.

Even though the reserves (announced Thursday night) were in decent shape, there are always exceptions. Coaches of the NBA, you did alright, but there’s always an opportunity for improvement. Let’s discuss.

 What They Did Right

• Jrue Holiday. Of all the All-Star selections, the Jrue Holiday one pick is my favorite. There is no secret to how I feel about the Holiday All-Star scenario. With the guard situation in the East, he deserves to go over Deron Williams, over Brandon Jennings and even despite their better record, he certainly deserves to go over J.R. Smith. If you want the full rant, check the list posted above. Even though he’s already been named, I’ll slide in that he posted a career-high 35 points earlier tonight.
• Paul George. I was extremely happy to see the coaches select George to his first All-Star appearance in the Eastern Conference. Sitting at 26-18 (only 4 games out of 1st) someone had to represent the Pacers in this game right? With the absence of Roy Hibbert, who’s having an abomination of a season, George has stepped up big time to lead Indiana back after a disappointing start to the season. David West certainly warrants some consideration, but George has put together the complete package or scoring, rebounding and defense (he even averages 3.7 assists per contest). Logging a heavy 36.7 minutes per game, I personally thought George was a no-brainer. I’m glad the coaches felt the same way.
• The omitting of Paul Pierce. This was exactly right. I listened to someone on a podcast the other day drive my view on All-Star selections home perfectly. The All-Star game is played every season, so we should be honoring those players that are having the very best CURRENT seasons. Past performance should be such a minor consideration. In the case of Paul Pierce, he’s clearly not at the All-Star level in years past. His numbers are way down and if you simply watch him play, he’s no longer a dominant player. And his disappointing Celtics are under .500 in the mediocre East. To put Paul Pierce in the All-Star game this season would have been a travesty. Thank you again coaches.

What They Did Wrong

• LaMarcus Aldridge over Stephen Curry. Look, I’m actually a huge LaMarcus Aldridge guy and I particularly love watching the Blazers play, especially that starting five. I think Aldridge is one of the premier post players in the league. However, Steph Curry is having a more fantastic season. He’s averaging 20.9 points (8th in the league), .450 from 3-point range (2nd) and a very healthy 6.5 assists per game (14th). He’s stayed relatively healthy while his Warriors are a very solid (and overachieving) 26-17, currently good for the 5th seed in a tough Western Conference. David Lee was became the first Warrior All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in 1997, Steph Curry should have been the second one.
• Chris Bosh over Brook Lopez. I get it, the “Big Three” need major representation. I’ve actually grown to like Bosh’s role in Miami as the third wheel as well. He’s become extremely efficient and compliments James and Wade well. But really, he doesn’t have All-Star numbers. Even though their numbers are pretty close (Bosh is at 17.2 pts, 7.2 rebs, 1.4 blks while Lopez is at 18.6 pts, 7.3 rebs, 2.1 blks), Brook Lopez should have been selected to represent the Nets in the game. Both Joe Johnson and Deron Williams are having down seasons (to say the least) and the Heat already have two guys in the starting lineup. It’s no coincedence that the Nets are where they are and it frustrates me that not a single player from the East’s #4 seed is in the game. Besides, Lopez has consistently been one of the best bigs in the entire league this year. He should be going to Houston, period. The coaches messed this one up big time.
• Luol Deng. I have nothing against Luol Deng, I just think his spot deserved to go to one of Josh Smith, Al Horford or Brook Lopez. The Bulls have a solid record (without Derrick Rose), but already have one All-Star representing them in Joakim Noah, which the the right choice. The Nets (26-18) or the Hawks (25-18), who I also feel are overachieving aren’t represented in the game. Both Hawks players have better overall numbers than Deng’s 17.4 pts, 6.4 rebs and 3.0 asts per game. As you can probably tell, I’m a fan of maximizing team representation (within reason) and while Deng is a very solid and important player to the Bulls, I think the coaches whiffed here.

What They Should Do Next Season

Just go ahead and expand the damn rosters to 13 players! The regular season rosters are now permanently set at 13, so the league needs to mix in some common sense and mirror that for next year’s game in New Orleans. Consider it redemption for this Pelicans fiasco.

October 13, 2012; Atlantic City, NJ, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

In the year 2013, it should be a clear understanding among true NBA fans that the voting system for the NBA All-Star game is completely flawed. Sure, a couple of inappropriate choices slide in under the radar every season, but that doesn’t mean that the coaches have to screw it up to.

Which is the likely scenario this season with the Nets’ Deron Williams and Sixers’ Jrue Holiday. The higher-ups are likely to send Deron Williams to Houston over Holiday because of his past performance,  name recognition and exciting style of play (comparable and arguable). The fact remains that Williams is having his worst season in years, and almost his whole career.

Of course, where the debate gets sticky is the ”team success” factor. While the Nets are currently riding a 7-game win streak and sit at 23-15 (slightly out of 2nd place in the East), the Sixers have fallen apart and at 16-23, are not currently a playoff team. Does that all rest on each one of these players individually? Certainly not. One could always toss in the counter argument that Williams has a much better team around him (true) and the Nets should be this good. You can call the Sixers  a bad team, but without Holiday, they would be an ever bigger mess. When we go down the ”value to their team” avenue, Brooklyn has enough to stay afloat while Philly would be lottery bound. That’s at least true for this particular season.

Besides, are we not rewarding outstanding individual behavior with the All-Star labeling? In 10 years, nobody will remember that the Nets were a mid-tier Eastern Conference playoff team and the Sixers missed the playoffs. We will however, see the “X”-time All-Star on each player’s career resume. Personally, I want to be able to see that Jrue Holiday made at least ONE All-Star team, while Deron Williams will have more than a few under his belt.

When we look at numbers (because sometimes that’s the bottom line), Holiday has been better, with less talent around him, and far more consistent:

Deron Williams
37 GP, 16.8 pts, 7.7 asts, 3.2 rebs, 1.0 stls, 40.6 FG%, 32.0 3PT%, 85.7FT%

Jrue Holiday:
35 GP, 19.0 pts, 8.8 asts, 4.2 rebs, 1.37 stls, 45.8 FG%, 37.5 3PT%, 78.3 FT%

Even though Williams has the undoubtedly more talented nucleus around him, Holiday has been superior (and some significantly) in every major category except free throw percentage and he does average more turnovers per game. If you used the anonymous “Player A-B” comparison approach, you’d have to agree that Holiday has been an All-Star caliber player.

The coaches need to do the right thing with their votes and get Holiday in the game. Even Deron Williams agrees.

Dec 16, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) gets past Philadelphia 76ers guard Damien Wilkins (8) during the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. The Lakers defeated the Sixers 111-98. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-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…

Rockets (11-12) 96 @ Raptors (6-19) 103

• Leading scorers: HOU – James Harden 28, TOR – Alan Anderson 24.
• Kudos to Numero Ohco Jose Calderon, for unleashed his second career (and second of the season) triple double with 18 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
• In 25 minutes off the bench, Alan Anderson put up 24 points on 6-12 shooting, including 9-9 from the charity stripe.
• The Raptors recorded 13 blocks as a team (Amir Johnson with 5).
• James Harden had 28 points, mostly from the free throw line, where he went 14-15.

Lakers (11-14) 111 @ 76ers (12-12) 98

• Leading scorers: LAL – Kobe Bryant 34, PHI – Nick Young 30.
• The Lakers were making it rain with threes, as they connected on 14 of their 34 attempts.
• Even though Kobe dropped 34 points (12-21 FG) in his return to his native Philly, Metta World Peace had the line of the game with 19 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
• The point guard combo of Chris Duhon and Darius Morris combined for 29 points (10-19 FG, 7-15 3PT).
• Nick Young did some of his own raining as we went 6-12 from downtown on his way to scoring 30 points.
• Dorell Wright recorded 9 assists to go along with his 6 points and 7 rebounds.

Nuggets (13-12) 122 @ Kings (7-16) 97

• Leading scorers: DEN – JaVale McGee 19, SAC – Isaiah Thomas 20.
• The Nugs continued their balanced attack with every single player scoring in the game and 6 in double figures.
• Denver outscored Sacramento in the paint 64-38.
• Andre Iguodala flirted with a triple double with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
• Isaiah Thomas had 20 points off the bench, going 13-15 from the free throw line.

Hornets (5-18) 94 @ Trail Blazers (11-12) 95

• Leading scorers: NOH – Ryan Anderson 26, POR – J.J. Hickson 24.
• Nic Batum had an amazing 5×5 game, the first since 2006. He finished with: 11 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals and 5 blocks.
• Damian Lillard earned his first “cold blooded” reference by buring a deep three ball with 0.3 seconds left to beat the Hornets. He finished with 16 points and 4-10 behind the arc for the game.
• J.J. Hickson led the frontcourt with 24 points and 16 rebounds.
• Ryan Anderson contined his sharpshooting ways with 26 points, going 7-10 from 3-point range.
• Greivis Vasquez posted a double double with 23 points and 11 assists.

Nov 24, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. The Thunder defeated the Sixers 116-109 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-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…

Thunder (10-4) 116 @ 76ers (7-6) 109 – OT

• Leading scorers: OKC – Kevin Durant 37, PHI – Thaddeus Young 29.
• Kevin Durant played an unbelievable 50 minutes, finishing with 37 points (10-22 FG, 15-17 FT), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks.
• Russell Westbrook poured in 30 points and 9 assists.
• Serge Ibaka posted solid numbers once again with 18 points (8-12 FG) and 9 rebounds, with 8 of those boards coming on the offensive glass.
• Thaddeus Young had a monster game with 29 points (13-23 FG) and 15 rebounds in 44 minutes.

Bobcats (7-5) 108 @ Wizards (0-11) 106 – 2OT

• Leading scorers: CHA – Byron Mullens 27, WAS - Martell Webster 21.
• Byron Mullens got back to shooting the three ball, but was making them this time. He finished with 27 points (9-15 FG, 5-11 3PT) and 8 rebounds.
• Kemba Walker struggled from the field, going 3 for 17, finishing with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
• The Wizards combo of Bradley Beal and Jordan Crawford combined to shoot 7 for 27 from the field.
• Chris Singleton had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 4 steals off the bench.
• The Wiz did outrebound the Bobcats 53-40, but still couldn’t get the win.

Clippers (8-5) 93 @ Hawks (8-4) 104

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin 22, ATL – Jeff Teague, Zaza Pachulia 19.
• Blake Griffin (22 pts, 11 rebs, 7 asts) and Chris Paul (19 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts, 7 stls) had great all around games for the Clips in the losing effort.
• The Hawks were led by double doubles from the deadly duo of Jeff Teague (19 pts, 11 asts) and Zaza Pachulia (19 pts, 12 rebs).
• The Clippers outscored the Hawks 33-19 in the final quarter and still lost by 11 points.

Cavaliers (3-10) 108 @ Heat (10-3) 110

• Leading scorers: CLE – Jeremy Pargo, Dion Waiters 16, MIA – LeBron James 30.
• LeBron did his thing with 30 points (10-16 FG), 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
• Ray Allen had 17 off the Heat bench on 6-11 shooting (3-5 3PT).
• The Cavs had 8 players score in double figures.
• Anderson Varejao posted yet another double double of 10 points and 15 rebounds (also 4 assists and 4 steals).

Lakers (7-7) 115 @ Mavericks (7-7) 89

• Leading scorers: LAL – Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Antawn Jamison 19, DAL – Vince Carter 16.
• The Lakers crushed the Mavs on the boards, outrebounding them 61-39.
• They also had their most balanced team output of the season so far with points scored (Bryant, World Peace, Jamison 19, Howard 15, Gasol 13, Meeks 11).
• Antawn Jamison put together impressive games back to back with 19 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes.
• Darren Collison struggled in this one with only 2 points (1-10 FG) and 4 assists.
• Jae Crowder and Vince Carter combined to shoot 7-14 from behind the arc and had 31 total points.

Bulls (6-6) 93 @ Bucks (6-5) 86

• Leading scorers: CHI – Carlos Boozer, Richard Hamilton 22, MIL – Brandon Jennings 23.
• Carlos Boozer had a monster game with 22 points (10-15 FG) and 19 rebounds.
• The Bulls cleaned up on the boards, outrebounding the Bucks 54-40.
• The teams combined to shoot 7 for 33 from downtown.
• Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 23 points, 7 assists and 5 steals.

Jazz (7-7) 97 @ Kings (4-9) 108

• Leading scorers: UTA – Randy Foye 17, SAC – Tyreke Evans 27.
• The Kings shot a blazing 54.1% (40-74) from the field for the game and used a 57-41 second half to beat the Jazz.
• Tyreke Evans had his best game of the season so far with 27 points (9-17 FG), 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
• With Mo Williams out again, Jamaal Tinsley stepped in with 14 points and 7 assists.

Timberwolves (5-7) 85 @ Warriors (8-6) 96

• Leading scorers: MIN – Nikola Pekovic 17, GSW – Klay Thompson 24.
• Despite scoring 24 points, Klay Thompson shot 1 for 8 from 3-point range.
• Harrison Barnes rebounding remained impressive with 11 rebounds (also 10 points).
• Carl Landry with another 18 points and 9 rebounds off the Warriors bench in 30 minutes played.
• Kevin Love struggled with his shot in this game (6-20 FG), but did have 15 points and 15 rebounds.
• The Timberwolves shot a pretty pathetic 5 for 27 from behind the arc.

Oct 17, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Nick Young (1) and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson (1) go for a loose ball during the fourth quarter at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Cavaliers 113-99. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-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…

Wizards (1-4) 101 @ Raptors (3-1) 104

• Leading scorers: WAS – Trevor Booker 12, TOR – Landry Fields 15.
• I’ve been waiting to jump all over Kyle Lowry’s first game as a Raptor. The result: 14 points (4-10 FG), 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals.
• Jose Calderon and John Lucas backing him up: 17 points, 11 assists, 1 turnover.
• Jonas Watch: 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Jordan Crawford continues to get his shots up. Another 14 FGA’s in this game, along with 7 assists. Huh?

Cavaliers (3-3) 99 @ 76ers (3-1) 113

• Leading scorers: CLE – Kyrie Irving 23, PHI – Nick Young, Maalik Wayns 19.
• The Sixers made 12 of their 25 3-point attempts in this game (48%).
• Maalik Wayns (who should easily sure a roster spot) and Nick Young combined to shoot 14-22 off the bench, scoring 38 points.
• Interesting line for Spencer Hawes (a center) in this one: 4 points on 1-10 shooting, 2 rebounds, 7 assists.
• Another solid Tristan Thompson game with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 more blocked shots.

Grizzlies (2-2) 102 @ Rockets (3-2) 109

• Leading scorers: MEM – Mike Conley Jr. 18, HOU – Kevin Martin 22.
• Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol struggled shooting in this one, a combined 5-23 from the field.
• Mike Conley led the Grizz for the second straight game in scoring with his 18 points.
• Jeremy Lin’s shooting woes continued (only 3-9) but he did chip in with 12 assists and 4 steals.
• I know it’s still preseason, but does anyone have the odds on Kevin Martin winning the scoring title? I may just entertain that prop bet. 22 points again tonight.

Suns (2-1) 100 @ Mavericks (2-2) 94

• Leading scorers: PHX – Jared Dudley 16, DAL – Chris Kaman 16.
• Markieff Morris with a dreadful  2-14 from the field.
• My Jae Crowder love continues to grow. In 26 minutes he had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks. Impressive stuff yet again.
• Dirk missed his 3rd straight game with a knee injury (which Mark Cuban isn’t worried about at all).

Nuggets (3-1) 80 @ Trail Blazers (2-2) 97

• Leading scorers: DEN – Kenneth Faried 17, POR – Wesley Matthews 19.
• Very unlike the Denver Nuggets to only score 80 points in a game. However, shooting only 38% (27-71) overall and 10% (2-20) from downtown will not help the cause.
• Kenneth Faried was the only Nugget in double figures in scoring (17). He also had 11 rebounds.
• Solid game for Blazers backup point guard Nolan Smith with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in 31 minutes of action.

Warriors (4-1) 98 @ Kings (2-1) 88

• Leading scorers: GSW – Stephen Curry 19, SAC – Isaiah Thomas 13.
• The Kings three highest scorers, Cousins, Evans and Thornton combined to shoot just 8-32 (25%) from the floor.
• Embarrassingly, the Kings managed only 9 assists for the entire game and shot a terrible 3-21 from three.
• David Lee continues his stellar preseason with another double double (16 pts, 14 rebs), despite only shooting 5-18 overall.
• Steph Curry led the team again with 19 points (also 5 rebs and 4 assists) before fouling out of the game.

Jazz (3-2) 94 @ Clippers (2-2) 96

• Leading scorers: UTA – Randy Foye 17, LAC – Blake Griffin 23.
• Monster game for DeAndre Jordan with 11 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. Now, if he could only make some damn free throws (5-13).
• Real nice game also for Blake Griffin with his 23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.
• Jamaal Tinsley got the start in this one and while he dished out 7 assists, he had 0 points (0-5 FG).
• Jeremy Evans had 4 blocked shots in this game, one of which may have led to the most exciting highlight(s) of the preseason so far.

May 16, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) handles the ball while being guarded by Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) during the second half in game two of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Andrew Bynum
Resume: 18.7 points (career best), 11.8 rebounds (3rd in league, career best), 1.9 blocks (6th in league), 35.2 minutes (career best), 37 double-doubles (5th in league), 56% FG (4th in league), and 69% FT… Team record in games played: 38-22 (3-3 without)… Playoffs: 16.7 points (career best), 11.1 rebounds (career best), 3.1 blocks (career best), 48% FG, 78% FT, 5-7 record… All-Star, 2nd Team All-NBA

The most interesting subplot coming into this season that doesn’t have every angle covered by the media is probably the Andrew Bynum situation. I’m thoroughly intrigued at how this could turn out, because really there is a stark contrast in possibilities.

What do we know for sure? Well, Philadelphia traded away the guy who has been the cornerstone of the franchise for eight years (Iguodala) and a legitimately stable locker room guy. In return, they received Andrew Bynum; the unanimous choice as at least the 2^nd best center in the NBA, but also someone who has had more than a handful of moments that lead you to believe he is not only moody, but has the potential to tear down a locker room like Bane brought down Gotham City in The Dark Knight Rises. This was a part of a larger trade that brought Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers, basically sending the message to Bynum “We needed an upgrade at your position. Thanks for 7 injury plagued years. Have fun in Philadelphia.”

Here are the things we don’t know: We don’t know whether or not Andre Iguodala was being restricted in Philadelphia (something I touched on when I discussed Iguodala). We don’t know if Philadelphia’s lack of extended success over the last few years was due solely to the fact that they didn’t have a big man. Most importantly, we have no effing idea how Andrew Bynum is going to respond to being “the man” for Philadelphia. Will he act like a moody, immature 15 year old whose parents told him they wouldn’t extend his curfew, or will he grow up, quit the pouting act and make a legitimate case that not only is he the best center in the league, but that the Lakers effed up for trading him for Dwight Howard.

Personally, I hope Bynum does succeed. This stems mostly for my bitterness towards Dwight Howard, but what is the downside to having Andrew Bynum make the next step? As a basketball fan I want as many great players in the league as possible, and I see Bynum as someone who currently possesses a treasure chest of potential, he just hasn’t unlocked it yet. He’s good enough that there is at least a warranted conversation that Dwight Howard might not be the best center in the league. Do I agree with that statement? Unfortunately, I don’t. Bynum is a more naturally gifted offensive player, but that is really the only edge he has on Dwight. This season could change the course of that whole conversation though. Dwight Howard made average Orlando teams close to great, and Bynum could do the same exact thing in Philadelphia. Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, Nick Young and Spencer Hawes provide a pretty decent supporting cast, but the key to Philadelphia contending in a bolstered Atlantic Division is Bynum.

Is Bynum ready for the pressure of being the go-to-guy in Philadelphia? Is he going to give the typically critical Philadelphia crowd and media a reason to criticize him, or revere him? These are the questions I am asking myself 15 days from the NBA season, because he could either make Philadelphia completely relevant for the first time since Allen Iverson was there, or the whole situation could end up a total mess.

October 13, 2012; Atlantic City, NJ, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) spins past Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-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…

Nets (1-0) 108 @ 76ers (1-1) 105 - OT

• Leading scorers: BKN – Brook Lopez, C.J. Watson 19, PHI – Nick Young 21.
• The “Brooklyn” Nets won their very first NBA game, with the ironic twist that the game was actually played in New Jersey. The Nets three biggest acquisitions (Johnson, Watson and Blatche) combined for 46 points on 16-29 (55%) shooting.
• Rookie Mirza Teletovic did not fair as well. He shot 2-11 from behind the arc and 2-13 overall.
• Even through Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner shot a combined 9-29 from the field (24 points), they did contribute elsewhere with 13 rebounds and 12 assists.
• An important non-stat: Andrew Bynum, 0 minutes played… again.

Knicks (2-0) 98 @ Celtics (1-2) 95 - OT

• Leading scorers: NYK – Carmelo Anthony 23, BOS – Jared Sullinger 14.
• The Knicks hung on the for the win, but it certainly wasn’t because of their long range shooting or their points in transition. They were 3-29 (10%) from 3-point range and had only 2 fast break points.
• Rookie Chris Copeland, hoping to make the team, contributed 21 points, all in the 2nd half.

Wizards (1-2) 99 @ Cavaliers (2-2) 95

• Leading scorers: WAS –  Bradley Beal, Jordan Crawford, Brian Cook 14, CLE – Tristan Thompson 18.
• Jordan Crawford (who once claimed he could be better than Michael Jordan) could potentially lead this team in field goal attempts… he loves to put ‘em up. He went 5-16 in this game and put up almost double the shot attempts than any other teammate.
• The Cavs must be happy to see the numbers Tristan Thompson put up. He had an impressive 18 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks.
• After shooting 3-13 in this game, Kyrie Irving is now shooting 11-46 (24%) in 4 preseason games.

Bulls (1-2) 75 @ Timberwolves (2-1) 82

• Leading scorers: CHI – Kirk Hinrich 15, MIN – Nikola Pekovic 16.
• What an ugly game. The teams combined to shoot 47-135 (35%), including 7-29 (24%) from long distance.
• Double doubles from: Joakim Noah – 14 pts, 13 rebs and Nikola Pekovic – 16 pts, 17 rebs.

Pistons (1-2) 91 @ Bucks (2-0) 108

• Leading scorers: DET – Andre Drummond 19, MIL - Ersan Ilyasova 22.
• While everone wants to hand the award to Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond as a serious opporuntity to make a run at Rookie of the Year. If he consistently produces double doubles like in this game (19 pts, 10 rebs), he’ll be right there.
• Speaking of rookies, how about John Henson? 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks in 27 minutes off the bench.
• The Bucks had 14 blocked shots in the game (Henson 4, Tobias Harris 4, Larry Sanders 5).

Jazz (2-1) 99 @ Lakers (0-3) 86

• Leading scorers: UTA – Marvin Williams, Enes Kanter 14, LAL – Kobe Bryant 18.
• Enes Kanter with another beastin’ double double: 14 points, 14 rebounds.
• Rookie Robert Sacre got another start and posted 9 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Kobe led all scorers with 18, most of which came from the free throw line (12-14). He also chipped in with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple of steals.

April 15, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward Brandon Bass (30) drives to the basket and scores as he is defended by Charlotte Bobcats center Byron Mullens (22) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

• BRANDON BASS, PF, Boston Celtics
  Last season: 31.7 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 14.21 PER
  The Celtics certainly have a new look to them this season. The biggest changed occurred at the 2-guard spot with Ray Allen taking his shooting stroke to South Beach and the C’s bringing in Jason Terry and Courtney Lee to replace him (though Avery Bradley will eventually be the starter). However, the key guy in the Celtics equation isn’t a new addition of one of Rondo, Pierce or Garnett. It’s Brandon Bass, and particularly his growth in an increased front court role this season. The guy averaged almost 32 minutes per game last season, but beyond Pierce and Garnett, the Celtics had a lot of trouble scoring (26th overall) and rebounding (30th) up front. With the return of Jeff Green from heart surgery, the drafting of two very young forwards (Sullinger and Melo) and the career question mark this is Chris Wilcox, the Celtics depth at forward for at least this upcoming season is unknown. This is where even more weight shifts to the shoulders of Bass, who showed flashes of ability last season.
• 

  Apr 8, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket against New York Knicks power forward Shelden Williams (13) at the Prudential Center. New York Knicks won116-93.Mandatory Credit: Jim O

  BROOK LOPEZ, C, Brooklyn Nets
  Last season: 27.2 MPG, 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 21.96 PER (5 games)
  As the “backup plan” to Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez cashed in with a HUGE contract this offseason, despite only playing in 5 games last year. With the Nets being truly thin at the center position, Lopez will need to be THE guy, meaning he has to stay on the floor for the whole season. Even though the Nets have some very high profile names on their roster (and of course added Joe Johnson), it’s Lopez that should feel the pressure to be an interior force, particularly defensively, in the middle. The Nets hope that the alarming 3.6 rebounds per game from their 7-footer in 5 games last year will be closer to triple that amount for this season.

• 

  April 15, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton (5) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the first quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

  RAYMOND FELTON, PG, New York Knicks
  Last season: 31.8 MPG, 11.4 PPG, 6.5 APG, 13.46 PER
  After the Knickerbockers missed out on Steve Nash this offseason, they brought over Jason Kidd to handle mentorship duties. Kidd will provide endless leadership, but the real impact to the point guard position and to the team, will be the question of whether or not Ray Felton can have a bounce back season. Yes, Melo, Amar’e and Chandler are the stars, but the Knicks need Felton to really RUN this team for the important game stretches. After a terrible year in Portland and once again hearing the punchlines about his weight, he should have plenty of motivation to push this team to a playoff run. The Knicks may know right away how deep the commitment is when Felton and his frame show up for training camp.

• 

  May 12, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Evan Turner (12) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (back) during the first half of game one in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

  EVAN TURNER, SF, Philadelphia 76ers
  Last season: 26.4 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 12.69 PER
  It’s obvious that the Sixers will live or die based on the degree of dominance displayed by Andrew Bynum. But aren’t we at a point of make-or-break with Evan Turner? A former #2 overall pick and once considered the best player in college basketball in his draft year, Turner’s Pippen-like point forward versatility has not translated to the NBA. With Thaddeus Young, Dorell Wright, Jason Richardson and Nick Young requiring a significant amount of minutes at the SF and SG spots, they will push for Turner’s playing time, especially if he starts slow. He needs to build upon Doug Collins’ increased trust factor in the playoffs where he played 34.5 minutes per game. That 12.69 PER has to come up.

• 

  Mar 29, 2011; Newark, NJ, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry (7) drives to the basket against New Jersey Nets point guard Jordan Farmar (2) and power forward Kris Humphries (43) at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

  KYLE LOWRY, PG, Toronto Raptors
  Last season: 32.1 MPG, 14.3 PPG, 6.6 APG, 18.89 PER
  One could easily argue that Jonas Valanciunas will be just as big an X-Factor as Lowry. As of now, he’s the only “true” center on the Raptors roster. But without seeing a single minute of NBA action, it’s hard to set realistic expectations. Lowry however, acquired via trade and coming off a fantastic year in Houston, was given the keys to the entire offense in Toronto, while pushing Jose Calderon to the bench. Whether he averages close to 20 points or 8-9 assists per contest, production out of point guard position is something the Raptors sorely lacked. Combine that with his unquestioned toughness and he has a chance to be THE guy that leads the Raptors back to a playoff birth.

May 14, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers power forward Lavoy Allen (50) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics center Greg Stiemsma (54) during the first quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: With Philadelphia reserve big Lavoy Allen on the floor this postseason, the Boston Celtics have been outscored by 8.3 points per 48 minutes.
• Take: There are a seemingly infinite number of takeaways and observations gleaned from Philly’s big man rotation, but this stat farther illustrates what’s been so obvious throughout the first five games of this series – Lavoy Allen needs more playing time.  A lot more.  His +8.3 plus/minus, while impressive, isn’t even the mark that best conveys how much better the Sixers fare when he’s on the floor.  No, what does is that Boston enjoys a plus/minus of +17.9 when Allen, the 50th pick 0f the 2011 NBA draft, is on the bench.  And digging deeper into individual numbers that trio has compiled in this back-and-forth series, the correlation between success on the scoreboard for Philly and Allen being on the floor becomes even more obvious.  Plus, there seems an obvious move Doug Collins should make in cutting one of these guys’ minutes.  Let’s mini-bullet for emphasis and the use of color:
• Boston +/- per 48 minutes with Elton Brand…
• On Court: -19.1
• On Bench: +3.8
• Boston +/- per 48 minutes with Thaddeus Young…
• On Court: +8.3
• On Bench: +1.5
• Boston +/- per 48 minutes with Spencer Hawes…
• On Court: +7.7
• On Bench: +1.3
• What sticks out here? See those five numbers in a brighter and darker shade of green? They’re all within 2.5 points of each other, on the low “+” side for Boston, come with each player on the bench, and are much less than their on-court marks.  So this, again, points to the overwhelmingly positive impact that Allen’s presence has on the Sixers.  But wait, there’s a harsh blood red in there right at the top!  It’s the sole “-” in the metrics listed! And it’s a whopping -19.1! Yes, that’s the Celtics’ plus/minus per 48 minutes when Elton Brand is on the floor, a dismal number that more than doubles Allen’s effect on Boston.  Let’s assume, then, that Brand and Allen each deserve substantial minutes.  That begs the question – can they play together? Well, evidence suggests not.  The two have played just 48 minutes in the playoffs and registered a plus/minus of -10.5, and Allen’s numbers in particular are far superior when he’s playing without his much older doppelganger.   So what’s the best frontcourt combination for Philly, then? Collins’ favorite duo has been the starting tandem of Brand-Hawes.
  

  May 18, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young (21) shoots a jump shot during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in game four of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sixers defeated the Celtics 92-83. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

  They’ve played 185 minutes together in the postseason – by far the most of any Philly frontcourt duo – and register a manageable plus/minus of -1.6.  Next up is Young-Allen at 112 minutes and a solid +2.6, while Young-Hawes has played 71 minutes and garnered -10.6.  You’ll notice a potential frontcourt pairing among this quartet is missing, and that’s because it’s the most seldom used and the most effective: Allen-Hawes.  They’ve comprised of Philly’s bigs for just 28 minutes in the playoffs but enjoy a stellar plus/minus of +20.6 (yes, the “small sample size” thing definitely applies here).  It’s anyone’s guess why Collins refuses to play the two of them simultaneously more often, but one suspects it has to do with the fact that Allen’s regular season rise coincided with Hawes’ injury, and as a result they could lack a certain cohesiveness.  The numbers suggest otherwise, obviously, but don’t expect Collins to suddenly try them in the lineup for extended minutes as the Sixers face elimination in tonight’s game 6.  Deviating from a plan that’s been used to mild success is always a difficult thing to do, and Collins isn’t the type of coach that goes out on limbs of which he doesn’t know the strength.  He should with Allen–Hawes, though, and in that same vein he should limit the undersized Young’s minutes altogether and ride his three true big men.  We mentioned on Monday that rebounding is paramount in this series, and Allen, Hawes, and Brand can exploit Boston there in ways Young can’t.  So, what are all those takeaways from Philadelphia’s bigs rotation that we mentioned earlier? The ones touched on above:

• Allen needs to play.
• Brand does too.
• Allen-Hawes is an underused weapon.
• And Young’s playing time should be cut in half.
• Again, Collins is very unlikely to try combinations he’s rarely used and is as equally so to limit the minutes of Young in the biggest game of the season.  Pay special attention to his substitution patterns with regard to Philly’s bigs, though, as they’ve tended to pose a drastic impact in each game of this series.

May 18, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) gives the ball to the official after a foul call during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sixers defeated the Celtics 92-83. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: In Philadelphia’s 92-83 game 4 win over Boston, they out-rebounded the Celtics 52 to 38 and collected 17 offensive boards.
• Take: Getting pounded on the glass like this is something the Celtics are used to.  They had one of the lowest offensive rebounding rates of all time during the regular season and ranked as the 28th best overall rebounding team in the league.  Philly, while far from worldbeaters on the glass before the playoffs, fared better then Boston in both categories, finishing 25th and 19th.  So coming into this matchup the Celtics had little reason to worry that their rebounding deficiencies could swing a series against a similarly challenged team like the Sixers; if Boston could at least come close to hanging with Philly here, rebounding wouldn’t be a series-deciding factor.  And through games 1, 2, and 3 that was exactly the case, as the Celtics played Philly to an even stalemate with regard to overall rebounds and were just -8 on the offensive glass.  That’s not the most telling part of how influential rebounds are to each team’s success, though.  In the two Boston wins, they’ve out-rebounded the Sixers by seven and four, respectively.  Philly? In their game 2 and game 4 victories, they crushed the Celtics by 11 and 14 on the glass.  Obviously, there’s no way to truly know whether or not the rebounding victor will be in position to win each remaining game of this series.  But the results of the first four games point to that aspect of this matchup as being one the series’ most important, something the Celtics no doubt expected if they got dominated on the glass the way they often did during the regular season.

LA Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 ET on TNT): Thunder lead series 3-1

May 19, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a basket and foul in the second half of game four of the Western Conference semi finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Thunder won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: The Los Angeles Lakers’ +/- per 48 minutes in this series with Russell Westbrook on the floor is -15.2.  When OKC’s point guard is on the bench, LAL’s +/- jumps 27 points to +11.8.
• Take: The obligatory “small sample size” thing with regard to the Lakers’ performance concerning Westbrook merits mention, as he’s sat for 53 total minutes through the first four games of this series and has played a surprisingly low 34.8 minutes per game thus far.  Some of that has to do with the nature of OKC’s blowout game 1 win when he played just 27 minutes, but Westbrook was on the court for just 34 and 35 minutes in games 2 and 3, each of which was decided by a single possession in the final moments.  So the margin for statistical variance here is actually smaller than you’d initially expect considering considering Westbrook played a whopping 42.7 minutes per game during the teams’ three regular season outings, a number well above his season-long average of 35.3 minutes a night.  This and LA’s woeful performance when Westbrook has been on the floor stands to reason that if Scott Brooks had played his star point guard more in OKC’s 99-96 game 3 loss, this series might already be over.  But he didn’t and it’s not, so examining Westbrook’s major, major influence on either end of the floor in this series is still worth examining.  Let’s bullet for emphasis and proficiency:
• LAL defensive rating (DRtg) with Russ on floor – 122.0
• LAL DRtg with Russ on bench – 87.3
• LAL offensive rating (ORtg) with Russ on floor – 104.1
• LAL ORtg with Russ on bench – 94.3
• So the Lakers allow 35.3 fewer points per 100 possessions when Westbrook’s on the bench compared to when he’s on the floor, and score 9.8 points more when he’s on the floor compared to when he’s on the bench.  This particular Catch-22 for the Lakers, then, is hardly as simple as “we’re better offensively when Westbrook is playing and and worse defensively when Westbrook is playing.”  The numbers, clearly, tell us that his individual impact – with respect to both teams – on the game is much bigger on offense than defense, and for that reason and the team’s incurable struggles defensively, the Lakers need to somehow find a way to get him on the bench.  Of course that’s easier said than done, considering Westbrook covers point guards and Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake hardly strike fear in the heart or put much pressure on the heart of opposing defenses.  Sessions, though, can be a playmaker off the dribble in the pick and roll game that Blake can’t, and attacking – yielding Westbrook fouls most hopefully, but energy and enthusiasm, too – is his and the Lakers’ best bet at limiting Westbrook’s playing time and effectiveness.

• Stat: In his 29 point performance in the Celtics 92-91 game 1 victory, Kevin Garnett made six of nine (66.6%) attempts from 16′-23′.  During the regular season, he averaged 2.9 makes out of 6.0 attempts from that distance per game, good for a conversion rate of 48.0%.
• Take: Few expected Garnett’s season-high 28 point explosion in game 6 of round one against the Atlanta Hawks, and even fewer saw him replicating that performance and establishing a new season-high in points in the opener of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Philadelphia.  Obviously, though, it’s time we stop doubting that Garnett is incapable of such outings, as a convincing case can be made he’s been the MVP of the postseason as we near the midpoint of the playoffs.  In analyzing his 57 point explosion over the last two games, much has been made of KG’s new commitment to establishing position on the block and scoring from there a la big men of lore.  And while it’s true that in the playoffs he’s looked more comfortable and adept working in the post than he did for most of the season, the majority of Garnett’s shot attempts his last two outings have been the mid-range jumpers that have been the staple of his offensive repertoire since arriving in Boston.  Thirteen of his shots came from outside ten feet but inside the three point line in the Celtics’ final game against Atlanta, and he took thirteen more from that range in Saturday’s game 1 win over the Sixers.  That’s 26 of KG’s last 39 shot attempts that have come via the mid-range jumper, a percentage of 66.7 that is actually higher than his regular season per game average of 63.8%.  So the notion that Garnett’s adjusted his game and changed his favorite spots on the floor to spur this recent scoring outburst is far from the truth.  The bigger takeaway – and one that should worry Boston given the notoriously fickle nature of jump-shooting – is that he’s converted on a seemingly impossible-to-sustain rate of long two-point shots, and that’s never been more true than in game 1 against Philadelphia.  In fact, three of Garnett’s last four attempts in game 1 came from outside seventeen feet, shots Philly isn’t necessarily displeased with Boston getting in crunch time.  The only problem for the Sixers is that he made two of them, the first pulling the Celtics within a point with 4:26 left and the second putting them ahead by four with 2:16 remaining.  If Garnett misses those shots and goes a pedestrian 4-9 on jumpers from 16′-23′ as opposed to a scorching 6-9, the Sixers likely leave the TD Garden with a 1-0 lead and the hobbling Celtics perhaps irrevocably damaged.  Instead, the narrative’s the opposite – KG’s playing as well as he ever has in Green, the Celtics escaped a good effort from Philly despite a poor shooting night from Paul Pierce, they had a day to heal, and are in control of the series.  Such is the make-or-miss way of the NBA, and taking that into consideration Boston cannot count on similar output from Garnett every game, because it’s likely he will revert to the mean with a cold shooting night or two sooner rather than later.

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30ET on TNT): Game 1

• Stat: The Thunder’s offensive rating against the Lakers this season with Kendrick Perkins on the bench is 117.1.  With Perkins on the floor, OKC’s offensive efficiency drops to 97.6.
  

  April 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) reacts to a foul call against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half of the game at the Staples Center. Lakers won in double OT 114-106. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

• Take: Much has been made of Perkins’ hip injury and his status for game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.  Without Perkins altogether or even if he’s limited, the story goes, OKC is incapable of dealing with the strength and girth of Andrew Bynum and will get thrashed on the interior.  While that may look the case on paper, the advanced statistics paint a much different story.  The Lakers as a whole and Bynum individually performed worse offensively when Perkins was on the bench, yes, but nary enough to paint his absence as a net negative.  LAL’s offensive efficiency was just 1.3 points better without Perk on the floor, while his impact on Bynum was more stark but still manageable at six additional points per 36 minutes for LA’s enigmatic center.  Perkins’ abysmal +/- numbers have been chronicled at StS and elsewhere this season, so that pundits and fans continue to point to his playing status as a potential major swing in this series is surprising.  In that vein, something that should shock absolutely no one (and finally circles back to our stat of the day) – the Thunder have fared remarkably better against the Lakers in 2012 with Perkins riding the pine.  On the strength of that awesome offensive rating of 117.1, OKC outscores LAL by 14.6 points without Perkins compared to just .9 points when he’s on the floor acting as nothing better than a space-eater on defense and space-detractor on offense.  The major, overarching, and perhaps cynical takeaway is that the Thunder are better off with Perkins’ injury lingering for a bit longer.  Unfortunately, then, he’s a game-time decision but seems likely to play in game 1.  Watch his movement and effectiveness, though, as if he’s laboring through pain and can’t push Bynum off the block Scott Brooks surely won’t be reluctant to replace him in the lineup.  And if that happens, the Thunder are no doubt better off.

Dec 16, 2010; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts to a call on the floor during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: With Rajon Rondo on the bench compared to when he’s on the floor, Boston’s offensive efficiency drops from 101.5 to 94.4.
• Take: Rondo is unquestionably the straw that stirs the drink for Boston’s at-best mediocre offense, and when he’s on the bench the Celtics’ 94.4 offensive rating would rank only above the lowly Bobcats over the full regular season.  Of course, there’s a major difference between Rondo taking a breather and not being available to play at all.  The Celtics, no doubt, will look much different offensively tonight than they have all season long without the services of Rondo and Ray Allen.  Paul Pierce will handle much of the playmaking and ballhandling duties, a task he’s been up to in the past without Boston’s mercurial leading man by his side – he averages 4.3 more assists per 36 minutes when playing as a de-facto point guard.  But Pierce needs to act as a scorer for the Celtics first and foremost, which is why it will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers doles out minutes to Avery Bradley and Keyon Dooling.  Each is obviously more of a combo guard, but the latter appears more comfortable than the young Bradley initiating sets and getting a team into its offense.  Regardless, it will take extra big individual nights from Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and an ancillary piece or two for Boston to come away with an unlikely win and even this series at 1-1.

Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls (8:00ET on TNT): Bulls lead series 1-0

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday (11) is defended by Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) during the third quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the United Center. The Bulls won 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: Jrue Holiday’s scoring average per 36 minutes against Chicago with Derrick Rose on the court is 17.0.  When Rose is inactive or on the bench, that number jumps to 24.0 points per 36 minutes.
• Take: Team-wise, the advanced statistics paint a much Rose-ier (pun!) picture for Chicago in this series without the reigning MVP than public perception would indicate.  The Bulls actually outscored the Sixers in the regular season by 2.7 points per 48 minutes when Rose was not playing; conversely, Philly was +3.9 against Chicago with Rose on the floor.  That sample size needs to be taken with a grain of salt, obviously, but in terms of getting out of the first round all is clearly not lost for the East’s top seed.  But what does Rose’s absence mean for Philly? The Sixers fared far better in efficiency on both ends of the floor with Rose playing, but – offensively, at least – none of that had to do with Holiday. The young point guard becomes ultra-aggressive matched up against CJ Watson or John Lucas III, and rightfully so; he’s a got a significant size, strength, and athleticism advantage over each Chicago reserve.  Holiday struggled his way to 16 points on 7-18 shooting Saturday matched up with Rose, so considering that performance and the regular season’s results look for him to have a big night.  Whether he helps lead Philly to a win against the Rose-less Bulls, though, is a different story.

In an era of NBA basketball in which superstar players are subject to worship and one- on-one basketball is placed at a premium by fans, no team is better representative of that era than the 2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers.

The 01’ Sixers were comprised of gritty role players like George Lynch, Tyrone Hill, Eric Snow and Aaron McKie; as well as Dikembe Mutombo, an aging defensive anchor acquired  in a mid season trade.  But, the player you are most likely to remember is the player the team was built around, Allen Iverson.  Iverson acted as the undisputed leader and heart and soul of this team; contributing some flash to an otherwise gritty, and bland offensive unit. Iverson’s emergence as a basketball icon was due in large part to his contributions to this specific 76ers team. (more…)

Stefanski has been the general manager in Philadelphia since 2007 and has been responsible for a number of important moves for the franchise, including signing Elton Brand, hiring Doug Collins and drafting Evan Turner with the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

It has long been rumored that Stefanski was a possibility for the Raptors GM job; throughout the summer Bryan Colangelo has been interviewing possible candidates, including Jeff Bower of the New Orleans Hornets and Dennis Lindsey of the San Antonio Spurs. (more…)

For those who follow the league, rumors regarding a possible trade of Andre Iguodala are nothing new; due to the size of this contract—$13.5 million next season, $ 14.7 the following season and a player option for $15.9 in the final season—it is widely held that the Sixers are looking to move him in order to save some cash and help facilitate the growth of their young team; but obviously, they are looking for a little more than a salary dump, which, given the fragile nature of team chemistry, could prove to be a difficult task. (more…)

Today, Saving the Skyhook kicks off our Finals coverage with some very exciting news. We have three new writers joining the team today: Alex McNamee, Neil Noonan and Scott Campsall. Blake and I have been reading their stuff, and we’re pumped to have these guys join the team. You’re going to enjoy what they can do. In the coming days, we’ll be updating the site’s About Us page with their information, but for now, we have a Finals Roundtable for you to pursue while you wait for tonight’s game (9pm ET, ABC).

Give this a read, and please welcome the team to the site!

(more…)

We now have the official draft order for the upcoming NBA Draft:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Utah Jazz

(more…)

And with the first round about ready to get underway, we’ve gathered our STS staff together for some predictions.

Anyone think one of the top teams are in trouble? Well let’s find out:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Bulls vs. #8 Pacers (more…)