April 17, 2013; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) thanks the Blazers

Reports are circulating that Damian Lillard is set to receive the Rookie of the Year award today in Portland. After the end of the season, we asked our writers who their pick for the award was. These are their responses:

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – Damian Lillard

At the beginning of the season, many people expected Anthony Davis to run away with the Rookie of the Year Award. But a series of injuries limited the big man to just 64 games. So in stepped Damian Lillard. The point guard out of Weber State was relatively unknown coming into the season. His performance this year quickly changed that however. He averaged 19 points, 6.5 assists a night, while playing all 82 games and logging the most minutes in the league. He also won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award every single month of the season. Anthony Davis may end up being the better player moving forward, but for this season, the most impressive rookie was the Trail Blazer’s Damian Lillard.

Reece Hooker (@ReeceJHooker) – Anthony Davis

Hold the pitchforks, Portland! I’m almost certain Damian Lillard will sweep this award but I’m convinced that despite the big games and poise, Lillard deserves to come second in this vote. Lillard gathered steam early in the year, leading the Blazers to a fast start while Anthony Davis struggled to stay on the court with injury. But by the end of the season, Davis has managed a credible 64 games which I believe has given us enough of a picture to crown him the best rookie in 2012-13. The biggest issue is defense – Lillard is abhorrently bad at stopping his opponent, while Davis is fantastic. Of course, Lillard’s strength is offense. But even then, he only edges the first overall pick in that category. Putting aside Lillard’s inefficiency, he only narrowly outscores Davis when statistics are adjusted to per 36 minute pace (17.8 vs 16.9). Chuck in Davis’ 10 rebounds a game and 2 blocks at 36 minute pace, and you can’t go past the ‘brow for Rookie of the Year.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) - Anthony Davis

Here’s the thing: Damian Lillard has looked great, and arguably increased the ceiling of Portland’s to unknown heights. However, Anthony Davis has been pretty good in New Orleans, and no one has seen it. To be honest, I wasn’t even hip to Davis’ work in New Orleans until this past week. He’s 9^th in block percentage, he’s the only true defender for the Hornets, and when he was hurt, New Orleans has struggled. I’m giving Davis the ROY, even though Lillard has stood out more.

Vijay Shravah – Damian Lillard

This has long been a foregone conclusion, though I don’t think the likely runner-up, Anthony Davis, was as far behind as others.  Regardless, Lillard has been given the ultimate green light by Terry Stotts and the Trailblazers.  Leading the team in minutes per game, Lillard has had the free reigns – more so than any other rookie this year – to run this team.  Even with LaMarcus Aldridge having a breakout All-Star season, Portland is fully invested in developing Lillard as their new franchise player.

Sonny Giuliano (@SonnyCG) – Damian Lillard

It was a pretty disappointing field of rookies this year, but Blazers point guard Damian Lillard just about made up for it. Lillard, the relative unknown from Weber State has made an early splash in his NBA career and garnered big time endorsements from LeBron James “I just think of how under control he is. It’s like he’s been here before. He’s never out of his comfort zone. He’s never too fast. He’s never too slow. He plays in his own lane. His ability to shoot the ball and his ability to drive the ball makes him a threat” and Kobe Bryant “He was out there cooking with gasoline tonight. He was fantastic”, and those sources are much more credible than me.

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-USA TODAY Sports

It has been almost two years since Brandon Roy last played a game for the Portland Trail Blazers. Continuing knee problems forced him to retire, and even though he has tried to make a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Roy has only been able to play 5 games, before reinjuring his knee.

Roy was, and still is, a beloved figure across the league, but especially in Portland. He was supposed to be part of the future in the Rose Garden, along with Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge. Unfortunately, injuries derailed that plan.

Tonight, even though he’s out injured, Roy and the Timberwolves made their way to Portland. It was Roy’s first trip back as a member of another NBA team.

Early in the 1^st quarter, during a stop in the action, the crowd showed their appreciation for everything Roy did as a member of the Trail Blazers. Roy’s face immediately lit up with a huge smile.

Check out a video of the standing ovation below.

It was a great moment to see, and brings back all the memories of the great moments Roy had as a Trail Blazer. But sadly, it also makes you wonder what could have been if he was able to stay healthy.

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

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat might be the best team in the NBA, but concerns about their inability to rebound seem valid (they are the league’s second worst rebounding team according to ESPN.com). Hey, that’ll happen when you’re undersized. Has an NBA club ever been more infatuated with players of 6-feet-8-inches? The bottom line is that when you jack up hasty shots and don’t, well, rebound, poor stats follow. Forward Chris Bosh said the team needed to figure out a way to fix the problem. Here’s a suggestion Chris – try rebounding.

Houston Rockets superstar, James Harden, no longer second fiddle in Oklahoma, has taken the league by storm since his relocation. Harden top scored for the Rockets in most of their December games and also dropped 20-plus points in a 14 straight contests (at the time of writing). His beard, too, continues to be the benchmark for NBA facial hair, and has moved past Bill Walton’s werewolf era fuzz on the all-time list.

Like Washington’s politicos, the city’s Wizards face an unnerving precipice, one which could see its entire future fall into disarray. Okay, let’s be honest: the Wiz haven’t cast a good spell since Harry Potter sought the Philosopher’s Stone. And yet, amid all the turmoil, the ineptitude and disgrace, rookie Bradley Beal has been a beacon of hope on The Hill. Beal led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.4 ppg) and total assists with (41) in December. He also had six games with 15-plus points during the month.

It took an unlikely opponent in the Brooklyn Nets to upend Oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak with a recent 110-93 victory. This was, in part, helped by the ejection of a rather conversational Kevin Durant. The other part was a combination of Joe Johnson scoring 33 points, and Deron Williams taking charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Amazing how quickly he’s adjusted to his new coach, isn’t it?

Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons are motoring, winning five of six en route to a 12-22 overall record (as of January 4). Sure, their record is still woeful, but we’re talking about the Eastern Conference here folks, where a sub-500 record is fashionable, and making consecutive free-throws is cause for All-Star consideration.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are flat out of luck, losing four straight and dropping below .500. Most alarmingly, the Cs have lost each of these game by an average mark of 20 points. Things haven’t been this bad in Beantown since the Celtics 15-win season of 1996-97 on the back of Antoine Walker’s 33% from three-point land. Good times.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, has fast become Rookie of the Year favorite. With the Blazers playing mid-tier ball, it was surprising to see them rattle the New York Knicks at home, let alone beat them. But Lillard is a big reason for that. He’s fearless, and plays an all-around game—scoring, rebounding, passing, you name it. For the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire returned to a standing ovation. He then proceeded to light up Madison Square Garden with 6 points, one rebound and two turnovers. Spike Lee was beside himself.

No round-up would be complete without something about Kobe Bryant. In recent days, the league’s best scorer has called his Los Angeles Laker team “old” and “slow”, and admitted that their Staples Center roomies, the once lowly Clippers, are in the mix for the NBA crown. Kobe even called the Clips, currently among the Western Conference’s elite, “one of the top contenders”. Presumably L.A. reporters are now seeking Bryant’s view on Daniel Day Lewis as an Oscar favorite, and his take on other outrageousness circling the internet.

Jan 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) looks to drive around Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Wesley Matthews (2) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-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…

Mavericks (13-19) 103 @ Wizards (4-25) 94

•  Leading scorers: DAL – Vince Carter 23, WAS – Bradley Beal 22.
•  The Mavs finally snapped a 6-game slide in which they used a 35-19 3rd quarter to get past the Wizards.
•  Vince Carter was inserted into the starting lineup and responded with 23 points on 9 for 14 shooting in 30 minutes.
•  Dirk continued to work his way back with 11 points (5-7 FG) and a couple of rebounds in 17 minutes.
•  Shawn Marion posted 11 points and 14 rebounds.
•  Bradley Beal put up 22 points (4-7 3PT) for the Wizards.

Trail Blazers (16-14) 105 @ Knicks (21-10) 100

•  Leading scorers: POR – Nicolas Batum 26, NYK – Carmelo Anthony 45.
•  Almost unbelievably, Carmelo (45) and J.R. Smith (28) combined for 73 of the Knicks 100 points scored (73% for you non-Math majors out there). I’m sure when two players score three quarters of your team’s points, it’s not a good thing.
•  Melo had 45, but Smith had the better overall game with 28 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.
•  Nic Batum knocked down six threes as part of his team high 26 points.
•  Damian Lillard finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.

Kings (11-20) 97 @ Pistons (12-22) 103

•  Leading scorers: SAC – DeMarcus Cousins 21, DET - Brandon Knight 20.
•  Greg Monroe finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks for the Pistons.
•  Before getting ejected for a flagrant foul on Isaiah Thomas, Charlie Villanueva was 3-5 from behind the arc.
•  DeMarcus Cousins posted a double double of 21 points and 14 rebounds.
•  Jimmer Fredette poured in 14 off the bench in 24 minutes.

Hawks (20-10) 95 @ Hornets (7-24) 86

•  Leading scorers: ATL – Josh Smith 23, NOH – Ryan Anderson 23.
•  Josh Smith stuffed the stat sheet in this one. His finishing line: 23 points (11-20 FG), 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks. Now THAT is contract year material!
•  The Hawks had 30 assists on 41 made field goals (73% assist rate).
•  Zaza Pachulia had a 12 and 10 double double in only 20 minutes.
•  Greivis Vasquez was only 1 rebound shy of a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds.
•  The Hornets were only 4-12 from the free throw line.
•  Ryan Anderson continued his 3-point barrage, knocking down another five in this game.

Clippers (25-7) 78 @ Nuggets (18-15) 92

•  Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin, Eric Bledsoe 12, DEN – Danilo Gallinari 17.
•  The Clippers streak ENDS at 17 wins. And with 78 points and 38.5% shooting, it wasn’t pretty.
•  Andre Miller started and put up 12 points and 12 assists.
•  The Nuggets had six players score in double figures.
•  DeAndre Jordan had the best Clipper game with 11 points (4-4 FG but 3-10 FT), 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.

76ers (15-17) 103 @ Lakers (15-16) 99

•  Leading scorers: PHI – Jrue Holiday 26, LAL – Kobe Bryant 36.
•  Jrue Holiday (26 pts, 10 asts) and Evan Turner (22 pts, 13 rebs, 5 asts) led the Sixers to a solid road win over the Lakers.
•  Spencer Hawes was solid against the Lakers bigs with 13 points (5-9 FG), 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks in 27 minutes off the bench.
•  Kobe put up 36 points on 14 of 29 shooting.
•  The Lakers were 3-22 from downtown.
•  Metta World Peace had 13 points and 9 rebounds, but shot only 6-17.

Dec 1, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Portland Trail Blazers small forward Nicolas Batum (right) celebrates after making a three-point basket in double overtime in a 118-117 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-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 (11-5) 89 @ Heat (12-3) 102

• Leading scorers: BKN - Andray Blatche 20, MIA – Dwyane Wade 34.
• I have to admit, I was beginning to worry a bit about Dwyane Wade, but he proved me wrong tonight with 34 points on 14 for 20 shooting.
• LeBron only had 21 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
• Ray Allen had 13 points (5-7 FG) off the bench.
• In Andray Blatche’s second start of the season, but put up 20 points (8-12 FG) and 8 rebounds.
• Down 9 points at the half, the Heat used a 52-30 second half to easily put away the Nets.

Trail Blazers (7-10) 118 @ Cavaliers (4-13) 117 – 2OT

• Leading scorers: POR – Damian Lillard 24, CLE – Alonzo Gee 22.
• Damian Lillard, looking calm and collected, led the Blazers with 24 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds.
• Nic Batum had 22 points on 7-15 shooting (3-4 3PT), including the game winning corner three ball (pic above).
• Anderson Varejao contined to dominate the glass with 17 rebounds (he also had 19 points and 5 assists).
• Tyler Zeller collected his first NBA double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

76ers (10-7) 88 @ Bulls (8-7) 93

• Leading scorers: PHI – Jrue Holiday 23, CHI – Luol Deng 25.
• Luol Deng had his best game of the season with 25 points (10-16 FG), 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Joakim Noah was close to a triple double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Thaddeus Young also filled the stat sheet with 22 points (10-16 FG), 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks.

Thunder (14-4) 100 @ Hornets (4-11) 79

• Leading scorers: OKC – Kevin Durant 20, NOH – Ryan Anderson 21.
• Russell Westbrook’s assist numbers continue to be steady with another 10 in this game to go along with his 18 points.
• Kevin Martin provided the bench punch with 19 points on 6-13 shooting.
• The Thunder led in fast break points 18-4 for the game.
• Ryan Anderson led the Hornets again with 21 points and 10 rebounds. As usual, he attempted a ton of threes (3-11).

Jazz (9-9) 116 @ Rockets (8-8) 124

• Leading scorers: UTA – Gordon Hayward 21, HOU – Patrick Patterson 20.
• The Rockets spread their offense out in this game as 7 players scored in double figures and all of them had at least 13 points.
• Patrick Patterson led the Rockets again with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Omer Asik was his usual efficient self with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Gordon Hayward contined his bench success with 21 points on 8 for 12 shooting.
• The Jazz backcourt of Mo Williams and Randy Foye went 15-28 from the field for 36 points and 13 assists.

Celtics (9-8) 88 @ Bucks (8-7) 91

• Leading scorers: BOS – Paul Pierce 19, MIL – Larry Sanders 18.
• Larry Sanders didn’t just lead the team in scoring. Coming off his triple double in the last game, he put up 18 points (7-11 FG), 16 rebounds and 5 blocks in this game.
• Drew Gooden, Tobias Harris and Sam Dalembert all registered DNP – Coach’s Decisions in this game.
• Jason Terry did his best Rajon Rondo (suspended) impression with 15 points and 11 assists in 40 minutes.
• An impressive win for the Bucks, as the Celtics started this game out with a 17-0 lead.

Grizzlies (12-3) 95 @ Spurs (14-4) 99 – OT

• Leading scorers: MEM – Marc Gasol 20, SAN – Tony Parker 30.
• After “resting” on Thursday against the Heat, the Spurs three amigos were at it again. Parker (30 pts, 6 asts), Duncan (27 pts, 15 rebs), and Ginobili (10 pts, 6 asts, 6 stls) led the Spurs to victory over a tough Grizzlies squad.
• While those three were dominant, the other three starters in DeJuan Blair (0-0 FG), Gary Neal (4-16 FG) and Danny Green (0-7 FG) were pretty bad from the field.
• Zach Randolph (17 pts, 12 rebs), Rudy Gay (15 pts, 10 rebs) and Mike Conley (18 pts, 12 asts) all had double doubles for Memphis.
• The teams combined to shoot 11 for 44 from 3-point range.

Pistons (5-13) 77 @ Mavericks (8-9) 92

• Leading scorers: DET – Brandon Knight 20, DAL – O.J. Mayo 27.
• After trailing at the half, the Mavs outscored the Pistons 50-29 in the second half.
• O.J. Mayo (6-9 3PT) and Vince Carter (4-6 3PT) were incredible with their long distance shooting.
• Elton Brand had a solid game off the bench with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks in 28 minutes.
• Greg Monroe had 15 rebounds, but struggled with his shot, going 4-17 from the floor.
• Jason Maxiell had 10 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Kings (4-12) 81 @ Clippers (10-6) 116

• Leading scorers: SAC – Marcus Thornton 20, LAC – Jamal Crawford 17.
• The Clippers had 7 players score in double figures, all between 11 and 17 points.
• The next phase of Chauncey Billups’ return was 6 points (2-5 FG), 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 18 minutes.
• The Clippers shot 54.7% and had 12 steals to the Kings 2.
• Jason Thompson was the more effective King, according the box score at least. He had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists.

Pacers (8-9) 92 @ Warriors (10-6) 103

• Leading scorers: IND – David West 23, GSW – Klay Thompson 22.
• Steph Curry put up his second 20 and 10 in two games with 20 points and 11 assists in this game.
• Jarrett Jack had an extremely efficient game with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
• For the Pacers, David West continued his solid play with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
• Paul George was held scoreless in the entire game, going 0-7 from the field and he did not make it to the free throw line at all.

Nov.. 16, 2011; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) passes the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-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…

Jazz (4-6) 93 @ 76ers (5-4) 99

• Leading scorers: UTA – Paul Millsap 22, PHI – Jrue Holiday 26.
• Jrue Holiday led the team in scoring again with 26 points. He also added 6 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Jason Richardson is now back to getting regular minutes (36) and had 20 points and 8 rebounds.
• Lavoy Allen put up 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench.
• Paul Millsap has been shooting the three-ball more this season (2-4 in this game) and finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds.
• DeMarre Carroll with a perfect night off the bench with 17 points (6-6 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-4 FT).

Mavericks (5-5) 83 @ Pacers (4-6) 103

• Leading scorers: DAL – O.J. Mayo 19, IND - David West, George Hill 15.
• The Pacers took care of the ball with only 8 turnovers and the Mavs getting only 4 points off those.
• All 5 Pacers starters scored in double figures.
• Sam Young put up 14 points (6-11 FG), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals off the bench.
• The Mavs starters combined for a -70 point differential.
• Vince Carter had 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench but didn’t register a number in any other category.

Magic (3-5) 110 @ Pistons (1-9) 106

• Leading scorers: ORL – J.J. Redick 23, DET – Greg Monroe 23.
• The Magic cleaned up on the glass, outrebounding the Pistons 44-30.
• The Pistons, now 1-9, shot 53.7% from the field and still managed to lose the game.
• Three Magic players posted double doubles: Glen Davis (17 pts, 13 rebs), Nikola Vucevic (11 pts, 13 rebs) and Jameer Nelson (13 pts, 10 asts).
• Brandon Knight had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists.

Thunder (7-3) 110 @ Hornets (3-4) 95

• Leading scorers: OKC – Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin 27, NOH – Ryan Anderson 15.
• The Thunder went 14-29 (48.3%) from deep.
• Kevin Martin had an explosive game off the bench with 27 points (6-11 3PT), 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
• The Hornets were also efficient from behind the arc, going 7-12.
• Ryan Anderson led the way with 15 points (3-3 3PT) and 7 rebounds.

Warriors (5-4) 106 @ Timberwolves (5-4) 98

• Leading scorers: GSW – David Lee, Harrison Barnes 18, MIN – Derrick Williams 23.
• Harrison Barnes’ comfort level looks to be growing. He dropped another 18 in this game and grabbed 9 rebounds.
• David Lee with a double double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.
• The Warriors got the win despite going 2-15 from downtown. Perhaps the rebounding edge of 50-34 helped.
• A decimated Wolves roster had Derrick Williams (23 pts, 7 rebs, 4 blks), Alexy Shved (22 pts, 7 asts) and Andrei Kirilenko (18 pts, 6 rebs, 4 blks) leading the way.

Knicks (6-1) 95 @ Grizzlies (7-1) 105

• Leading scorers: NYK – Carmelo Anthony 20, MEM – Marc Gasol 24.
• The hot shooting continued for the Knicks, but they died by the long ball, as they were only 5-19 from three.
• Rasheed Wallace had his best Knick game yet with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in 24 minutes.
• Zach Randolph ran his double double streak (20 pts, 15 rebs) to 8 games.
• Marc Gasol scored a team-high 24 points and went 12-13 from the free throw line.

Hawks (4-4) 112 @ Kings (2-7) 96

• Leading scorers: ATL – Kyle Korver 22, SAC – Jason Thompson 19.
• Kyle Korver had an especially efficient scoring night with 22 points on 7-9 shooting, including a perfect 5-5 from behind the arc.
• Josh Smith has a well rounded 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks and 1 Lakers trade rumor.
• Lou Williams off the Hawks bench with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
• DeMarcus Cousins only scored 9 points (4-15 FG) in his return from a 2-game suspension, but did grab 16 rebounds and dish out 7 assists.
• Jason Thompson had another good game with 19 points (8-12 FG) and 10 rebounds.
• Tyreke Evans with yet another intriguing stat line: 14 points (5-11 FG), 0 rebounds, 1 assist in 27 minutes.

Rockets (4-5) 117 @ Trail Blazers (4-5) 119 – OT

• Leading scorers: HOU – James Harden 29, POR – Nicolas Batum 35.
• Despite only a 2-point win, the Blazers three stars combined to manhandle the Rockets in the box score. Batum, Aldridge and Lillard combined for 91 of the team’s 119 points (76%), while shooting 33-56 (58.9%).
• Batum also recorded 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks and 7 turnovers.
• The Portland bench only recorded 10 points (Leonard 8, Price 2) in a total of 64 minutes played.
• Harden led the Rockets with 29 points (11-12 FT), 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
• Omer Asik (44 minutes) and Chandler Parsons (48 minutes) each posted double doubles of 16 points, 16 rebounds and 19 points, 11 rebounds respectively.

Suns (4-6) 102 @ Lakers (4-5) 114

• Leading scorers: PHX – Goran Dragic 22, LAL – Kobe Bryant 31.
• The Howard-Gasol combination had 34 points (14-25 FG), 22 rebounds and 6 blocks.
• Kobe’s shooting slipped a little (10-24) but he was 11-12 from the line in scoring his 31 points.
• Of the Lakers 48 rebounds, 17 were off the offensive glass.
• Michael Beasley dished out a season-high 9 assists (also had 14 points and 5 rebounds).
• Jermaine O’Neal was effective with his 20 minutes off the bench with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Oct 22, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard (11) tries to put up a shot on Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter (0) and Utah Jazz power forward Derrick Favors (15) in the first quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-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 (2-4) 95 @ Raptors (5-1) 104

• Leading scorers: MIL – Monta Ellis 26, TOR – DeMar DeRozan 21.
• Both teams had 24 points in the paint and 12 fast break points.
• Ellis (11-24) and Brandon Jennings (3-15) ended up taking 42.4% of the team’s total field attempts. While Ellis finished with 26 points, Jennings had only 6.
• Mike Dunleavy had 21 points (8-12 FG), 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 31 minutes off the bench.
• Jonas Valanciunas took only 3 shot attempts, but got to the line 10 times (8-10) in scoring 10 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and blocking 4 shots.

Knicks (2-3) 90 @ 76ers (6-1) 98

• Leading scorers: NYK – Raymond Felton, Carmelo Anthony 23, PHI – Jason Richardson 23.
• Carmelo shot only 7-23 (30.4%), but finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Can’t we all start to hear the “when Melo shoots too much, the Knicks lose” conversations starting to happen already? He’s really fallen in love with the 3-ball so far in the preseason (another 8 attempts in this game) and let’s face it, he’s no Steve Novak.
• Thaddeus Young and Jason Richardson had really strong games for the Sixers. Thad was 10-12 (23 pts) from the floor with 8 rebounds and 3 assists while Richardson took 12 threes (6-12) and finished 23 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Hornets (3-3) 74 @ Mavericks (3-3) 87

• Leading scorers: NOH – Ryan Anderson, Robin Lopez 14, DAL – O.J. Mayo 13.
• The Hornets destroyed the Mavs on the glass, outrebounding them 62-40. Four Hornet players had at least 8 rebounds (Aminu 8, Anderson 9, Lopez 11, Davis 17).
• Other than an impressive 17 rebounds, Anthony Davis finished shooting 2-12 from the field (6 pts) and had a -25 rating.
• Despite his team-leading 13 points, O.J. Mayo shot 4-16 from the floor.
• Rookie Jae Crowder, once again getting the start, finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.

Kings (4-2) 88 @ Suns (3-2) 103

• Leading scorers: SAC – Thomas Robinson 17, PHX – Jared Dudley 25.
• The Kings, still trying to narrow down their roster, had 16 players get minutes in this game.
• DeMarcus Cousins, only playing 9 minutes, still managed to put up 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in those limited minutes. I’m expecting a Boogie Cousins All-Star birth this season.
• Kings rookie Thomas Robinson busted out with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
• Jared Dudley was hot with 25 points on 9-12 (4-6 3PT) shooting.
• Markieff Morris with a solid game off the bench: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in only 21 minutes.

Jazz (4-3) 114 @ Trail Blazers (3-3) 120

• Leading scorers: UTA – Enes Kanter 18, POR – Nicolas Batum 27.
• Another gem from Kanter, going 7-7 from the floor and grabbing 6 boards in 22 minutes.
• Nic Batum’s 27 points were certainly efficient: 9-15 FG, 5-8 3PT, 4-4 FT.
• Damian Lilard’s Rookie of the Year campaign in full swing: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals.
• The teams combined to shoot 54.5% from the field (84-154) in the game.
• On a completely unrelated stat or game note, Al Jefferson went with the #2 overall pick in my fantasy draft last night. Yes, #2!

Warriors (5-2) 71 @ Clippers (3-3) 88

• Leading scorers: GSW – Jarrett Jack 14, LAC – DeAndre Jordan 18.
• The Warriors, dropping to a still-respectable 5-2, shot only 32.9% from the field in scoring only 71 points.
• Jack now with solid back-to-back outputs: 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
• Welcome to the DeAndre Jordan coming out party everyone! Jordan with 18 points (8-11 FG), 12 rebounds and 3 blocks in 24 minutes.
• A couple of other Clipper notables: Blake – 14 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts. Ryan Hollins – 10 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blks.

Apr 6, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) waits for play to resume against the Dallas Mavericks during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Trailblazers defeated the Mavericks 99-97 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

LaMarcus Aldridge
Resume: 21.7 points (7^th in league), 8.0 rebounds, 36.3 minutes, 51% FG (career best), and 81% FT… Team record in games played: 26-29 (2-9 without)… All-Star

When I read that Sporting News ranked LaMarcus Aldridge as the 2^nd best power forward in the NBA I have to admit I was slightly shocked. Even after I read that Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett (natural power forwards) weren’t added to the list because they spend a fair amount of time playing center for their teams, it still didn’t quite make sense to me since I had Aldridge ranked as the seventh best power forward in the NBA. First, let me say that I think as time goes by there is going to be less and less emphasis on positions in the NBA since the game is evolving so much and players are being taught from a young age to be able to play every position instead of just one. Second, saying that Aldridge is the seventh best power forward in the NBA is in no way supposed to be an insult to him. In my top 50 I have roughly 14 power forwards (again, it depends on how you classify certain players) and there were 4 more in the 15 toughest omissions. Saying that Aldridge is 7^th best, and 22^nd overall is a huge compliment.

Perhaps my ranking of LaMarcus Aldridge is a bit unfair. The only plausible weakness you could find in Aldridge’s game is that he isn’t an elite rebounder, and you can make that same argument against Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, and present day Kevin Garnett. The list of things Aldridge does well dwarfs the negative list. He’s an efficient scorer who can get his points posting up or stepping outside. He’s a willing passer, good defender, and smart basketball player. So why the heck is there 6 power forwards ranked ahead of Aldridge? I thought about if any of those six teams would rather have their power forward for one do-or-die game or Aldridge.  In all six cases I couldn’t see Aldridge being the guy picked.

Maybe I just didn’t see enough of Aldridge last year. That isn’t how it was supposed to be, 5 years ago. The way this should’ve worked out was a Portland Trailblazers run of success with Aldridge, Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. Well, that isn’t exactly what happened. It turned out Brandon Roy’s knee ligaments were made of Play-Doh and Greg Oden didn’t just look like a 70 year old man, he was also as fragile as one. Now Aldridge, the only remaining piece of the short lived trio that was supposed to turn Portland into a title contender, is alone and the apparent centerpiece of a rebuilding effort. Blazers coach Terry Stotts has said that he plans on using Aldridge the same way that Dallas has used Dirk Nowitzki over the years. Well for Portland to have the success that Stotts had when he was in Dallas they’ll need a lot more than just Aldridge doing his best Dirk Nowitzki impersonation (I say he gives a pretty damn good one). Does Nic Batum make the next step this year after junk punching Juan Carlos Navarro during the Olympics? Will Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard have successful rookie campaigns? Can Adam Morrison make the Blazers roster? I hope for the sake of Aldridge the answer to all 3 questions is yes. And I hope he proves me ranking of him wrong.

• 

  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.

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

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

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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…)

The 2011 are right around the corner, and are sure to be the most competitive NBA Playoffs we’ve seen in years.  While the 2^nd round and beyond, are the rounds everyone’s anticipating, there are a few things we need to be on the look-out for.  Here are 10 of them…

1^st Round Upsets

1.  The New York Knicks vs. The Boston Celtics

How can this happen, you ask?  Simply put, Youth and Hunger.  The Knicks are considerably younger, and faster than their Boston Counterparts.  The running style that they live by, is the exact opposite type of game that the C’s want to get in to.  Yes the Knicks have had their struggles versus the Celtics this season, but have also had their moments.  When their backs were against the wall, their closer showed up. Carmelo Anthony put the team on his back on multiple occasions, and performed like the star that he is.  These are the leadership qualities that I spoke of before, that are there, just inconsistent.  If Melo can maintain that drive, and killer instinct throughout the series; The Celtics are in Trouble.  Now the likelihood of an upset isn’t in the Knicks’ favor.  However, the Celtics haven’t been the same team since the Perkins trade, and are injured across the board.  The funny thing about this series is that the Knicks lack that “Inside Toughness,” but then again, so do the Celtics.  Yes of course KG is still the backbone of the team, but then what?  You have an old and injured Shaq, who’s paired with another old and injured Jermaine O’neal.  Either way, the Knicks will make a series vs. ANYONE they play this year; you can put money on that! (more…)

1. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls continue to come on strong, led by MVP candidate Derrick Rose (24.9 PPG, 7.8 APG on the season). The Bulls have held their opponents under 85 points seven times in the month of march and have won eight of their last ten.

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For today’s report, I’ve highlighted a few important news items in the world of the D-League and included a list of all the D-League Call Ups and Assignments so far this season. Enjoy!

(more…)

As for the other game, the Orlando Magic were great defensively in a 89-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Like most have said, the Lakers looked tired, and the Magic just took it to them in the second half.

You can bet that some of yesterday’s games had an impact in our power rankings this week, so let’s get right to them! (more…)

But now that the Super Bowl is officially in the books, the NBA takes center stage, and as we start to hit the stretch run of the season, there are some teams that are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Therefore, it’s time once again for STS’s super duper mega awesome power rankings. Or something like that.

We’ve got the whole crew assembled this week, and we’ve got our list ready. Our opinions differ on several spots, but hey, if we had the same list from top to bottom, that would be rather boring wouldn’t it? (more…)

So without any further ado, here’s a look at the rankings: (more…)

Let’s take a look at this week’s power rankings, and see which teams are in good shape…..and which teams are already searching for that Top 5 draft pick that will change the culture of their franchise. (more…)

And if we’re gonna talk about basketball tradition, we have to talk about the Pistons. Detroit has won three NBA titles in the past 22 years, and while that’s not a ton, it sure as heck is more than most teams can say they’ve won.

We remember the era in the late 80s. It was hard-nosed, aggressive defense that won the Pistons back-to-back championships in ’89 and ’90. Oddly enough, the same formula that allowed the Pistons to win in those two years (great point guard play and a defensive focus) also helped them win the title in 2004. (more…)