Apr 3, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz shooting guard Gordon Hayward (20) controls the ball during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at EnergySolutions Arena. The Nuggets won 113-96. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

With just 12 days left in the NBA regular season, nearly all of the playoff spots are locked up. Only the 8th seed in the West is left up for grabs. And with only a few games left, it has come down to a three-team race between the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.

Today, in Saving The Skyhook’s first roundtable discussion, our writers take a look at the race and give you their pick for who will wind up with that 8th and final spot.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – Give me Utah. Not only are they currently holding on to the 8th overall spot, but their remaining schedule has those two Minnesota games, and that’s where I think Utah will sneak in. Los Angeles has a tough set of remaining games, and so does Dallas. Utah has a brutal one, but Golden State, Minnesota (twice), and New Orleans seem like winnable games. If Utah can snag the Denver or Oklahoma City game, I think they get in. (Editor’s note – Submitted on Wednesday)

Taylor Armosino (@tarmosino) - The Jazz are the team that makes the most sense here due to their manageable schedule moving forward, including a crucial home and home with the mighty Timberwolves, and the fact that they hold the tiebreaker with the Lakers. Having said that, I can’t trust Tyrone Corbin to press the right buttons down the stretch, and so I’m going with the Lakers. They play 5 of their last 7 games at home, really 6 of 7 because one of those ‘road games’ is against the Clippers, where they’re 26-11 on the season. Tuesday night’s huge win over Dallas was possibly the best the team has looked all season and one would have to think they’re going to play with that same sense of urgency from here on out. Despite all their flaws, Bryant and Howard have played well as of late and they now have Pau Gasol back in the fold. Los Angeles has the talent to go on a small run here to end the season and I think they’ll probably go 5-2 in these last 7. Although the cards are stacked against them, given that they must finish with one more win than Utah, the Lakers are a much more talented than the Jazz and I think they pull out that 8th seed.

Mar 27, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) congratulates center Dwight Howard (12) following a basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Lakers won 120-117. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Sonny Giuliano (@SonnyCG) - Lakers. It absolutely has to be the Lakers. You would probably guess that this is either a chalk pick (Los Angeles has the slightest leg up in the standings on the date of publication), an talent-will-win-out pick, or a “Please let’s not watch Utah get manhandled by San Antonio in the 1st Round again” pick. I’m going against the grain, and I’m going to say this is a fate pick. I believe in the idea of Sports Gods, and Basketball Gods in particular. If there is such a thing, they will give us a Spurs/Lakers 1st round series. I want Kobe and Duncan, both in the middle of resurgent seasons of sorts, to battle one more time in the playoffs while father time, salary cap rules, and David Stern will allow it. It’s too perfect not to happen.

Reece Hooker (@ReeceJHooker) - Lakers – Following their convincing effort against the Mavericks, I’d be a fool to bet against the Lakers. They have all but one game at Staples for the rest of the season (including one ‘away’ game against the Clippers). Their one away game is one I predict them dropping, against the Blazers on the second half of a back-to-back at the Rose Garden, a venue where the Lakers are 6-23 since 1996 during regular season games. They face tough opposition in their final home run – the Grizzlies, Clippers, Warriors, Spurs and Rockets, but it all seems to be coming together for L.A. and I can’t see Kobe Bryant nor Steve Nash letting their team miss post-season action this year, not with so little time left in their careers.

Jack Maloney  (@jmaloney9) – With the Mavericks currently 3 games back of the Lakers, and only a few games remaining, the race will come down to the Jazz and the Lakers. The Lakers are holding on to the 8th seed by a 1/2 game over the Jazz at the moment, and have played one less game. And despite having the toughest schedule in this final stretch, the Lakers are my pick to get the final playoff spot. They looked fantastic in their crucial win over Dallas on Tuesday, Dwight Howard is starting to look like his old self recently, averaging 20 points and 15 rebounds in the last 5 games, and Kobe Bryant is still playing at an extremely high level. While they certainly haven’t looked like the dominant team myself and others expected them to be this season, I’ve always believed they would do enough to get to the playoffs, and I’m sticking with that belief.

Mike Hallihan (@MikeHallihan) -

I’m going with a simplistic and scientific method to predict who takes the 8th seed in the Western Conference. The almighty power of the simulation.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (39-36)

(Remaining games = 7 | 5 Home, 2 Away)

Vs. Grizzlies – WIN – Tough home win

@ Clippers – LOSS – Toss up

Vs. Hornets – WIN – Easy

@ Blazers – WIN – Blazers have too many injuries and are out of the picture

Vs. Warriors – WIN – Lakers owe the Warriors

Vs. Spurs – LOSS (Pop will probably “rest” some guys)

Vs. Rockets – WIN – Last game, Kobe finishes with a bang

Finishing Record: 44-38

The Lakers have got this. They aren’t going down without a fight and these last seven games, with the Jazz so close behind them, they’ll be desperate. They do have a collection of tough teams to play, but four of those games are at home and by the time the final three roll around, those teams might have little to play for, having clinched a spot (especially the Spurs, and we ALL know about Popovich’s “resting” strategies). I think even if the Lakers can go 4-3 (worst case scenario), they’ll hang on to the spot. With 5 at home (technically 6 with the Clippers), they should finish 5-2.

UTAH JAZZ (39-37)

(Remaining games = 6 | 3 Home, 3 Away)

Vs. Hornets – WIN – Pfft, easy

@ Warriors – LOSS – Overmatched in Oakland

Vs. Thunder – LOSS – Thunder on a mission to clinch top seed

Vs. Timberwolves – WIN – Home win

@ Timberwolves – LOSS – Timberwolves playing very well recently

@ Grizzlies – LOSS – Grizz as tough at home as Jazz are

Finishing Record: 41-41

The Jazz are already at a disadvantage with one more game played and one back in the loss column. They play so well at home, but only have three of their remaining six at Energy Solutions Arena. Having the Timberwolves back-to-back may look easy on paper, but this team has been playing very well of late and if Kevin Love comes back to get a few games in, they become really tough games. The Warriors and Thunder may or may not have anything to play for with seeding slots, but either way, they’re tough games. Even if the Jazz were to finish 4-2 in these six, that still puts them a game behind in my opinion. I think they end up going 2-4 down the stretch.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (36-39)

(Remaining games = 7 | 4 Home, 3 Away)

@ Kings – WIN – High scoring, close game, but a W

@ Blazers – LOSS – They have to lose at least one of these seven

Vs. Suns – WIN – Phoenix, bleh

Vs. Nuggets – LOSS – Nuggets fighting for playoff positioning, something to play for

@ Hornets – WIN – Tough game, but get the win

Vs. Grizzlies – WIN – Desperation

Vs. Hornets – WIN – 2nd win over Hornets in 3 games, strong finish to the season at home

Finishing Record: 41-41

The Mavs are already way behind the other two teams. Realistically, they’d have to rip off all seven wins to even finish with a 43-39 record, which still might not get the job done. The 1-point, last-second loss to the Nuggets REALLY killed them. They certainly do have some weaker teams remaining with the Kings, Hornets (twice), Suns and banged up Blazers. If I’m being generous and putting them at 5-2 down the stretch, that still leaves them short. The reality is that they’ve dug too deep a whole in the past week to dig out. Oh well, there’s always free agency coming up, right Cuban?

February 9, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) and center Al Jefferson (25) react after being called for a foul during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings defeated the Jazz 120-109. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA trade deadline came and went, and nothing happened. After names like Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, Carlos Boozer, and Dwight Howard saw their name attached to rumors, fans sadly watched as Jordan Crawford was moved to Boston, Sebastian Telfair swapped to Toronto, and J.J. Redick sent to Milwaukee. The reason? Due to the new, harsher CBA repeater tax, and the value of those first round draft picks, we saw various rumored trades shot down. That sad part about this is that this is just the first year. The trade deadline might be even more boring as teams begin to pay the tax, and lose their exceptions. While teams like Milwaukee, Houston, and Oklahoma City should benefit from their deals, there’s a ton of teams that disappointed me as well, whether it was their reluctance in making a trade, or not making a move at all. (more…)

Feb 13, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings (3) sets up a play during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the 76ers 94-92. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

With the trade deadline fast approaching, here are some of the latest news and rumors regarding potential trades around the league.

Brandon Jennings:

Is he happy in Milwaukee or not? Conflicting reports have surfaced about the young point guard’s future in the recent days.

Chad Ford of ESPN.com cited sources saying that Jennings has

“irreconcilable differences”

with the Bucks. Jennings, however, refuted those claims, saying,

“that stuff never came out of my mouth.”

We can’t know the truth, but Jennings did turn down a long-term deal earlier in the year.

If the Bucks do decide to trade Jennings, they will certainly have suitors. According to Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks would be one of those teams.

Mavs, I’m told, do have interest in Brandon Jennings and will be in mix for him if Bucks opt to make RFA-to-be available b4 Feb. 21 deadline

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 13, 2013

The Mavericks recently traded for Darren Collison, but Jennings would be an immediate upgrade at the point guard position.

Utah Jazz:

With an excess of big men, rumors have long been swirling about the Jazz making a move before the deadline. Most people thought that Paul Millsap would be the first one to go, but that may not be the case.

According to Rich Bucher,

“While I noted several days ago that Paul Millsap appeared to be the likelier Jazz big man to be dealt before the February trade deadline, an opposing team executive said there is more league-wide interest in Al Jefferson”

Whether or not they deal one of their many big men, the Jazz will likely not be able to afford both Millsap and Jefferson, especially with Gordon Hayward coming up for an extension soon.

December 23, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) shoots a three pointer in the first half of the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Millsap has served six long seasons in the Salt Lake City for the Utah Jazz. The first four were spent shackled to the bench as he played behind the once dominant Carlos Boozer before Boozer bolted to the Chicago Bulls. Since Boozer’s departure, Millsap has developed into one of the Jazz’s unlikely stars alongside fellow big man Al Jefferson. With Millsap set to become a free agent in 2013, Jazz fans have been debating all season who to sign this coming offseason – Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap? The team has remained tight-lipped on the situation, but it is beginning to appear more and more likely Jefferson will return for Jazz next season while Paul Millsap suits up in a new jersey.

Millsap’s numbers are currently sitting slightly above his career averages, indicating little room for improvement for the 27-year-old former second round pick. However, despite seeming already reaching his peak, there are still a whole lot of teams that would be more than happy with what the 6’8” power forward can bring to the table in his current state.

Fuelling speculation that Millsap will find his way elsewhere either through a mid-season trade or in the coming free agency period has been recent coaching decisions by Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin. Millsap hasn’t seen more than 30 minutes in a game since a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on the 12^th of December. That’s nine straight games – two wins and seven losses – where Millsap has failed to his minute average from last season. He had seen over 30 minutes in seven out of the nine games prior to this stretch. If he was playing 27-30 minutes consistently, it wouldn’t be a concern. But nights like the 20 minute performance against the Clippers last Sunday are a cause for concern for those who want Millsap back in Utah next season.

The expressive Millsap also sat out the entire last quarter, despite the Jazz only trailing by 3 at the final break. Coach Corbin instead gave the nod to promising back-up Derrick Favors who contributed 11 points and 7 rebounds in the double-digit loss. When asked whether he was frustrated with Corbin’s decision post-game, Millsap let his feelings be known.

“What do you think?” he told Jody Genessy from the Deseret News, “I’ll let you answer that.”

Benching Millsap was a bold statement by Corbin who felt that the Jazz had a better chance at victory with 21-year-old Derrick Favors. For an undecided free agent, it’s moves those that will linger in his mind when the organization attempts to convince him that he’s a valued member of the team; and that’s if they try to convince him to stay.

Putting aside the money and production, the reason the Utah Jazz must stick with Al Jefferson over Paul Millsap is very simple – the Jazz already have their future power forward, but need their current Center. In a cruel twist, the Utah Jazz has the wonderful headache that they had 2010: an embarrassment of riches at power forward.

Just as the Jazz let Carlos Boozer walk in 2010 because they had their new power forward in Paul Millsap, they look set to and rightfully should depart with Millsap in 2013 to make way for an increased opportunity for Derrick Favors. Since being drafted third overall in 2010 for the Nets, Favors has began to develop a potent post game while improving his already stellar interior defense to become one of the Jazz’s best two-way players.

While the Jazz have a ready-made replacement for Millsap in Favors, they lack one in Jefferson. Only Enes Kanter sits behind Jefferson in the depth chart and is yet to show any sign of being a capable starter just yet.

With Kanter still far too raw to assume starting responsibilities into the future, the Jazz would have to seek a new starting Center if they decide to try to keep Paul Millsap and let Al Jefferson walk. The 2013 free agency doesn’t yield much promise, unless the small-market Jazz can miraculously woo top flight prospects Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum away from the shores of sunny Los Angeles and the hometown tidings of Philadelphia respectively. Besides those two, the next best options would be Dallas’ Chris Kaman and Milwaukee’s Samuel Dalembert. Alternatively, the Jazz could try to boldly snare a Center in the upcoming draft which is set to be heavy with big men. Centers that may be within the Jazz’s draft range include Pittsburgh’s Steven Adams and Kansas’ Jeff Whithey. They could also trade up to take Maryland’s Alex Len or Frenchman Rudy Gobert.

Ultimately however, the Jazz would be taking a radically risky approach by trying to find a new starting Center through the draft, and the 2013 free agent pool is very bare at Center. It doesn’t make sense to let your only quality Center go while keeping a disgruntled quality power forward to start over another young power forward with a tonne of potential. It must also be noted that Derrick Favors could opt out of his contract in 2015 and hit free agency, so the Jazz must try to appease their young gun in the next two seasons or risk losing him.

The decision in the Utah front office going forward should not be whether or not to resign Paul Millsap when the season finishes, but only what deal to take when trading him before the deadline. He’s been a loyal and solid contributor to the franchise for almost seven years, but it’s in the best interest of the player and the team that Millsap finds a new team before the trade deadline in February.

Dec 3, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) controls the ball while sitting on the floor in front of Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-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…

Trail Blazers (8-10) 118 @ Bobcats (7-9) 112 - OT

• Leading scorers: POR – LaMarcus Aldridge 25, CHA – Ben Gordon 29.
• Talk about clutch. With the win, the Blazers amazingly improved to 4-0 this season in overtime games.
• Big games from both LaMarcus Aldridge (25 pts, 13 rebs, 5 asts, 3 blks) and Nic Batum (17 pts, 13 rebs, 7 asts) in this one.
• Ben Gordon was on fire for Charlotte with 29 points on 9-16 shooting, including 8-12 from behind the arc.
• Byron Mullens put up a double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Cavaliers (4-14) 79 @ Pistons (6-13) 89

• Leading scorers: CLE – Anderson Varejao 17, DET – Brandon Knight 17.
• The Pistons held the Cavs to an abysmal 33.7% (32-95 FG, 3-20 3PT) shooting night.
• Jason Maxiell is certainly improving as a shot blocker. He had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks in this game.
• Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond combined to grab 26 rebounds.
• How automatic is Anderson Varejao right now? Another 17 points and 18 rebounds in this game.

Bucks (8-8) 81 @ Hornets (5-11) 102

• Leading scorers: MIL – Brandon Jennings 25, NOH – Ryan Anderson 22.
• The Hornets used a 49-31 second half and only 8 turnovers in the game to knock off the Bucks.
• Ryan Anderson led the Hornets again with 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
• Robin Lopez was very efficient with his 21 points, going 8 for 10 from the field.
• Even in limited minutes, Larry Sanders is becoming a force off the Bucks bench. In this game he had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 more blocked shots.

Clippers (11-6) 105 @ Jazz (9-10) 104

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin 30, UTA – Mo Williams 20.
• The Clippers escaped with a 1-point win despite going only 4-21 from 3-point range.
• Blake Griffin had his best statistical game of the season with 30 points on 14-20 shooting (also had 11 rebounds).
• Jamal Crawford poured in another 20 points (7-19 FG).
• Mo Williams stepped up with 20 points and 12 assists for the Jazz.
• Al Jefferson posted 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Raptors (4-14) 110 @ Nuggets (9-9) 113

• Leading scorers: TOR - Kyle Lowry 24, DEN – Corey Brewer 19.
• Corey Brewer was part of the bench that lifted the Nuggets with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals.
• JaVale McGee was great as well with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks.
• Kyle Lowry finished with 24 points (11-11 FT), 7 assists and 3 blocks. Not bad for a PG.
• Rookie Terrence Ross put up 12 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes.

Magic (7-10) 102 @ Warriors (10-7) 94

• Leading scorers: ORL – Glen Davis, Aaron Afflalo 24, GSW – Stephen Curry 25.
• Wow, the Orlando Magic. First the Lakers, now the Warriors, both on the road. Jacque Vaughn has to be pleased with 7-10.
• Big games all around for the Magic. Glen Davis (24 pts, 6 rebs), Aaron Afflalo (24 pts, 9-16 FG), Nik Vucevic (14 pts, 15 rebs) and J.J. Redick (22 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts) led the way.
• Steph Curry played almost the whole game (44 mins) and put up his third straight 20-10 with 25 points and 11 assists.
• Jarrett Jack provided the bench work with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

Nov 30, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Utah Jazz guard guard Earl Watson (11) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. 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…

Suns (7-10) 97 @ Raptors (4-13) 101

• Leading scorers: PHX – Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Jared Dudley 14, TOR – DeMar DeRozan 23.
• Leading rebounds: PHX – Marcin Gortat 6, TOR – DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis 8.
• Leading assists: PHX – Michael Beasley 6, TOR – Jose Calderon 9.

76ers (10-6) 104 @ Bobcats (7-8) 98

• Leading scorers: PHI – Evan Turner 25, CHA – Ben Gordon 19.
• Leading rebounds: PHI – Evan Turner, Lavoy Allen 10, CHA – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 8.
• Leading assists: PHI – Jrue Holiday 15, CHA – Kemba Walker 9.

Nets (11-4) 98 @ Magic (5-10) 86

• Leading scorers: BKN – Joe Johnson 22, ORL – Glen Davis 16.
• Leading rebounds: BKN – Reggie Evans 10, ORL – Moe Harkless 7.
• Leading assists: BKN – Deron Williams 7, ORL – J.J. Redick, E’Twaun Moore 4.

Trail Blazers (6-10) 78 @ Celtics (9-7) 96

• Leading scorers: POR – LaMarcus Aldridge 23, BOS – Jeff Green 19.
• Leading rebounds: POR – LaMarcus Aldridge 8, BOS – Paul Pierce, Jared Sullinger 8.
• Leading assists: POR – Will Barton 4, BOS – Paul Pierce, Courtney Lee 5.

Wizards (1-13) 87 @ Knicks (11-4) 108

• Leading scorers: WAS – Jordan Crawford 17, NYK – Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith 20.
• Leading rebounds: WAS – Kevin Seraphin 10, NYK – Tyson Chandler 10.
• Leading assists: WAS – Jordan Crawford 4, NYK – J.R. Smith 6.

Cavaliers (4-12) 113 @ Hawks (9-5) 111

• Leading scorers: CLE – Jeremy Pargo 22, ATL – Josh Smith 25.
• Leading rebounds: CLE – Anderson Varejao 18, ATL – Al Horford 11
• Leading assists: CLE – Dion Waiters 7, ATL – Jeff Teague 7.

Pistons (5-12) 78 @ Grizzlies (12-2) 90

• Leading scorers: DET – Greg Monroe 17, MEM – Rudy Gay 18.
• Leading rebounds: DET – Jason Maxiell 9, MEM – Marc Gasol 11.
• Leading assists: DET – Tayshaun Prince 4, MEM – Mike Conley Jr. 6.

Jazz (9-8) 94 @ Thunder (13-4) 106

• Leading scorers: UTA – Enes Kanter 18, OKC – Kevin Durant 25.
• Leading rebounds: UTA – Al Jefferson 11, OKC – Russell Westbrook 13.
• Leading assists: UTA – Earl Watson 8, OKC – Russell Westbrook 8.

Bucks (7-7) 85 @ Timberwolves (7-8) 95

• Leading scorers: MIL – Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings 18, MIN – Luke Ridnour 16.
• Leading rebounds: MIL – Larry Sanders 12, MIN – Nikola Pekovic 16.
• Leading assists: MIL – Brandon Jennings 4, MIN – J.J. Barea, Alexey Shved 5.

Pacers (8-8) 97 @ Kings (4-11) 92

• Leading scorers: IND – David West 31, SAC – DeMarcus Cousins 19.
• Leading rebounds: IND – David West 11, SAC – DeMarcus Cousins 16.
• Leading assists: IND – Paul George 9, SAC – John Salmons, Chuck Hayes, Jimmer Fredette 3.

Nuggets (8-9) 103 @ Lakers (8-8) 122

• Leading scorers: DEN – Danilo Gallinari 19, LAL – Antawn Jamison 33.
• Leading rebounds: DEN – Jordan Hamilton 8, LAL – Dwight Howard 20.
• Leading assists: DEN – Ty Lawson 5, LAL – Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Chris Duhon 8.

November 23, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts to a call during the second half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz defeated the Kings 104-102. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-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…

Hawks (7-4) 101 @ Bobcats (6-5) 91

• Leading scorers: ATL – Al Horford 26, CHA – Ramon Sessions 22.
• Al Horford dominated in this game with 26 points (13-17 FG), 13 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• Atlanta totalled 15 blocks as a team, which the Hawks guards had 9 of them.
• The Hawks shot better from the field overall (53.8%) than they did from the free throw line (42.9%).
• Ramon Sessions led the team with 22 points while MKG had 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Cavaliers (3-9) 104 @ Magic (5-7) 108

• Leading scorers: CLE – Dion Waiters 25, ORL – Jameer Nelson 22.
• The Magic shot 52.4% (11-21) from downtown and 50% overall for the game.
• Jameer Nelson was on point with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
• Anderson Varejao continued his All-Star play for the Cavs with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists.
• Dion Waiters poured in 25 points and 5 assists.

Thunder (9-4) 100 @ Celtics (7-6) 108

• Leading scorers: OKC – Kevin Durant 29, BOS – Paul Pierce 27.
• The streak  continues with Rondo adding another 16 assists in this game. I know he’s the ultimate facilitator, but shouldn’t Rondo be taking more than 5 shots in a game?
• Pierce dropped 27 points on 8 for 16 shooting (4-6 from three).
• Durant (29 pts) and Westbrook (26 pts, 7 rebs, 8 asts) did their thing, but it wasn’t enough.
• Serge Ibaka continued his improved offensive game with 17 points (7-11 FG) and 13 rebounds.
• Kevin Martin was practically non-existent in this game, going 1-7 from the field for only 3 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists in a hefty 32 minutes.

Clippers (8-4) 76 @ Nets (7-4) 86

• Leading scorers: LAC – Blake Griffin, Chris Paul 14, BKN – Brook Lopez 26.
• Brook Lopez took twice as many field goal attempts (24) than anyone else, but finished with 26 points and 3 blocks.
• Reggie Evans had 6 points, 12 rebounds and 0 flops.
• Joe Johnson shot the ball well (8-12 FG) in getting his 19 points, but had only 1 rebound and 0 assists.
• DeAndre Jordan had the best all around game for the Clips with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
• A good sign for the Clips was that they did outrebound the Nets 45-35, which is an area they’ve struggled with.

Raptors (3-10) 90 @ Pistons (3-10) 91

• Leading scorers: TOR – Andrea Bargnani 34, DET – Greg Monroe 19.
• The Pistons bigs had a field day with the Raps inside, as they outscored them 52-26 in the paint.
• Monroe (19 pts, 11 rebs, 5 asts) and Drummond (13 pts, 13 rebs) were the main source of that damage.
• The Raps on the other hand wasted Andrea Bargnani’s best game of the season with his 34 points (13-20 FG), 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
• Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan had his worst game of the season with only 5 points (2-9 FG), 1 rebound and 1 assist in 34 minutes.
• After putting up great numbers as a starter, Jose Calderon was used very little in this game (17 mins, 5 pts (1-2 FG), 3 asts).

Spurs (10-3) 104 @ Pacers (6-8) 97

• Leading scorers: SAN – Tony Parker 33, IND – David West 22.
• Tony Parker with an unbelievable game of 33 points (15-23 FG) and 10 assists as the Spurs erased a 17-point deficit.
• Tim Duncan continues to be incredible with 22 points (10-19 FG) and 17 rebounds.
• Ginobili completed the Spurs “big three” performance with 19 points off the bench.
• David West led the Pacers with 22 points and 8 rebounds while Roy Hibbert posted another double double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Even the Pacers bench was decent with Tyler Hansbrough grabbing 12 rebounds and D.J. Augustine dishing out 8 assists.

Lakers (6-7) 98 @ Grizzlies (9-2) 106

• Leading scorers: LAL – Kobe Bryant 30, MEM – Rudy Gay 21.
• Mike Conley was the key in this game, as his 19 points (also 6 asts and 4 stls) included a couple of late game daggers.
• Zach Randolph recorded his 11th straight double double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
• All five Grizz starters scored in double figures.
• Kobe had 30 points but was limited to 7-23 shooting (the majority of his points came via the free throw line, 13-14).
• The Grizzlies bigs held Dwight Howard to only 7 points (2-7 FG). He only grabbed 7 rebounds as well.
• They also held Pau Gasol in check, as he only had 6 points and 4 rebounds.
• Antawn Jamison finally put a respectable stat line together with 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Knicks (8-3) 103 @ Rockets (6-7) 131

• Leading scorers: NYK – Carmelo Anthony 37, HOU - James Harden 33.
• Are teams starting to prove the “Knicks are good defensively” myth wrong? The Rockets had no problem dropping 131 points on them while shooting 56% (14-25) from behind the arc and 51.7% overall.
• James Harden (33 pts, 4 rebs, 9 asts) and Chandler Parsons (31 pts, 5 rebs, 4 stls) did a big chunk of that damage.
• Omer Asik with another big double double with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
• The Knicks made their usual bulk of threes (17-39), but it wasn’t enough without the defense showing up.
• Melo took 12 of those 39 threes (making 7 of them) and finishing with 37 points on 14-24 shooting overall.

Warriors (7-6) 91 @ Nuggets (7-6) 102

• Leading scorers: GSW – David Lee 21, DEN – Andre Iguodala 29.
• People have been on Iggy’s case about stepping up on the offensive end. Well 29 points (11-19 FG) is a pretty good start.
• The Nugs were only 5-19 from 3-point range (Gallinari 0-5, Brewer 0-3).
• David Lee with a double double of 21 points and 10 rebounds.
• Carl Landry (19 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts) and Jarrett Jack (17 pts, 4 asts) led the Warrior bench mob.
• Festus Ezeli didn’t give much on offense, but had 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in 18 minutes.

Kings (3-9) 102 @ Jazz (7-6) 104

• Leading scorers: SAC – Tyreke Evans 19, UTA – Gordon Hayward 23.
• Derrick Favors went back to the bench in this game, but it didn’t matter, as he posted 16 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks in 28 minutes.
• Gordon Hayward stayed on the bench, but led the team with 23 points (7-16 FG).
• With no Mo Williams, Jamaal Tinsley got crunch time minutes and produced 12 assists.
• The Kings did knock down 10 of 17 threes in the losing effort.
• Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

Hornets (3-8) 108 @ Suns (6-7) 111

• Leading scorers: NOH – Ryan Anderson 34, PHX – Markieff Morris 23.
• Even though the game went to overtime, the Suns only grabbed 35 rebounds total.
• Markieff Morris had a breakout game with 23 points (9-12 FG, 2-2 3PT).
• Jermaine O’Neal turned back the clock in this game with a 13 point, 11 rebound, 2 block performance.
• Ryan Anderson was ridiculous for the Hornets, scoring 34 points on 13-23 shooting, including 8-13 from downtown.
• Greivis Vasquez’s night was just as impressive with 25 points on 10-13 shooting and 14 assists.

Timberwolves (5-6) 95 @ Trail Blazers (6-6) 103

• Leading scorers: MIN – Kevin Love 24, POR – Wesley Matthews 30.
• The Blazers backcourt of Matthews and Lillard combined for some major production. 58 points (23-34 FG, 9-14 3PT), 11 assists and only 2 turnovers.
• The Portland bench only contributed 9 points.
• J.J. Hickson with another double double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
• Kevin Love’s second game wasn’tquitehis first one, but 24 points and 13 rebounds isn’t too shabby either.
• The Wolves were only 3-18 from behind the arc.

Nov 12, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) is pressured by Toronto Raptors forward Linas Kleiza (11) and center Jonas Valanciunas (17) at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-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 (4-4) 140 @ Raptors (1-6) 133 - 3OT

• Leading scorers: UTA – Paul Millsap 34, TOR – DeMar DeRozan 37.
• With 3 overtimes, this box score was stuffed with numbers, including 4 players with marginal double doubles: Al Jefferson (24 pts, 17 rebs) Mo Williams (17 pts, 14 asts), Jose Calderon (20 pts, 17 asts) and Amir Johnnson (11 pts, 14 rebs).
• DeMar DeRozan tied a career high with 37 points on 16-33 shooting in an insane 60 minutes played.
• 7 players played over 40 minutes in this game: DeRozan 60, Calderon 50, Mo Williams 50, Jefferson 49, Bargnani 49, Favors 45, Millsap 44.
• Derrick Favors and Randy Foye scored 35 of the 36 Jazz bench points.
• The Jazz shot 14-26 (53.8%) from behind the arc.
• Linas Kleiza played 30 minutes off the bench and put up 20 points and 7 rebounds.
• DeRozan finished with 37 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

Bucks (4-2) 105 @ 76ers (4-3) 96

• Leading scorers: MIL – Brandon Jennings 33, PHI – Jrue Holiday 25.
• In a battle of young point guards, Brandon Jennings (33 pts (12-21 FG), 5 rebs, 8 asts 4 stls, 2 blks) got the best of Jrue Holiday (25 pts, 6 asts).
• Mike Dunleavy Jr. contributed 13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench.
• Jason Richardson returned from an ankle injury to score 20 points in 36 minutes.

Thunder (6-2) 92 @ Pistons (0-8) 90

• Leading scorers: OKC – Russell Westbrook 33, DET – Rodney Stuckey 19.
• Durant and Westbrook combined for 58 points, but shot only 19-47 (40%) from the floor. Maybe that’s why they only beat the Pistons by 2?
• Durant (4) and Serge Ibaka (6) combined for 10 blocked shots.
• Greg Monroe had 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals and is now averaging 1.9 steals on the season.
• Rodney Stuckey finally put up a decent shooting line: 19 points on 7-13 shooting.

Celtics (4-3) 101 @ Bulls (4-3) 95

• Leading scorers: BOS – Rajon Rondo 20, CHI - Luol Deng 26.
• Rondo with his regular near-triple double with 20 points, 10 assists,  8 rebounds (and only 5 steals).
• The Celtics were only 3-16 from behind the arc.
• Luol Deng and Joakim Noah combined for 43 points and 12 rebounds.
• The Bulls bench only gave them 18 points for the game.

Heat (6-2) 113 @ Rockets (3-4) 110

• Leading scorers: MIA - LeBron James 38, HOU – Chandler Parsons 25.
• LeBron with an absolute monster game in Houston. 38 points (14-26 FG), 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
• Chris Bosh continued his efficient scoring run. 24 points on 10-14 shooting.
• Udonis Haslem made an appearance with 10 points and 7 rebounds off the bench in only 15 minutes.
• Omer Asik added some scoring to his game with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
• Chandler Parsons put up 25 points in 40 minutes.
• The Rockets attempted 34 3-point attempts (making 12 of them).

Timberwolves (5-2) 90 @ Mavericks (4-4) 82

• Leading scorers: MIN – Nikola Pekovic 20, DAL – Darren Collison 21.
• AK47 is carrying this team right now. In 44 minutes in this game, 16 points 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Luke Ridnour had a solid game with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Alexey Shved was also strong with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks off the bench.
• The Wolves outrebounded the Mavs 49-35.
• Darren Collison led the Mavs with 21 points and 5 assists.
• The Mavs only had 8 turnovers for the entire game, but still lost.

Nuggets (4-4) 100 @ Suns (4-4) 110

• Leading scorers: DEN – Andre Iguodala 17, PHX – Goran Dragic 21.
• The Suns snapped the Nuggets 4-game win streak by putting together a 110-point performance with only 6 turnovers and 7 players scoring in double figures.
• Markieff Morris might have had the best all-around game with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in 25 minutes.
• Kenneth Faried with another double double (14 pts, 11 rebs) and Andre Iguodala (17 pts, 9 rebs, 5 asts, 3 blks) led the way for Denver.

Hawks (3-3) 95 @ Trail Blazers (2-5) 87

• Leading scorers: ATL – Josh Smith 19, POR – Nicolas Batum, J.J. Hickson 19.
• The Hawks get another impressive road win behind double doubles from Al Horford (15 pts, 10 rebs) and Josh Smith (19 pts, 11 rebs).
• J.J. Hickson pounded the glass for the Blazers, finishing with 18 rebounds to go along with his 19 points.
• Think the benches had anything to do with this game? The Hawks bench outscored the Blazer bench 26-6 for the game.

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.

October 8, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz guard Mo Williams (5) passes the ball back to forward Paul Millsap (24) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Utah Jazz 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-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…

Real Madrid (N/A) 95 @ Raptors (1-0) 102

• The Raptors second unit were the true stars of this game, especially in the second half. Linas Kleiza, Amir Johnson, Terrence Ross and John Lucas were a combined +67 while the starters (Bargnani, Gray, DeRozan, Fields, Calderon) finished a combined -34, all of them being in the minus.
• Jose Calderon had a typical Calderon-esque assist-to-turnover gem with 8 assists and only 1 turnover.
• Raptor rookie Quincy Acy’s line: 0 minutes, -3 (what the box score doesn’t tell you is that he entered the game with 18 seconds left. Trust me, I was there).
• Real Madrid’s Nikola Mirotic had a nice ball game and stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks before fouling out.

Siena (N/A) 85 @ Cavaliers (1-0) 92

• Cavaliers rookies Tyler Zeller and Dion Waiters’ preseason debut went like this: 6-14 FG, 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists.
• Cavaliers outscored Siena 46-24 with points in the paint.
• Siena’s backcourt (featuring former NBA player Bobby Brown and Matt Janning) put this line up: 13-32 FG, 10-21 3PT, 43 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists.

Jazz (0-1) 80 @ Warriors (2-0) 83

• Looks like sophomore Enes Kanter is pushing to be “freed” from his bench role. In only 24 minutes, he posted a double double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Starters Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward and the re-acquired Mo Williams combined to shoot 6-27 (22%) from the field for only 18 points.
• David Lee logged a somewhat surprising 36 minutes and had an excellent game for the Warriors, posting 19 points (9-14 FG), 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.

• 

  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.

Apr 14, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) dunks the ball during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeated Utah Jazz 103-98. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

Al Jefferson
Resume: 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 34.0 minutes, 31 double-doubles (7th in league), 49% FG, and 77% FT (career best)… Team record in games played: 32-29 (4-1 without)… Playoffs: 18.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 53% FG, 0-4 record

If you don’t know me personally, I should let you know that I’m a 6’1 kid who isn’t incredibly athletic, but had a pretty good high school basketball career because I play have the ball handling skills and passing instincts of a point guard, but spent a lot of time playing in the post because I’m built bigger than a lot of guys I played against. If I’m surfing around YouTube and not watching Best of Gus Johnson clips or classic moments in wrestling, I’m probably watching one of two different kinds of basketball highlight videos: Passing highlights of players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Steve Nash, and Rajon Rondo, or highlights of guys like Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin McHale,  and Al Jefferson, doing their work down low. It might sound a little blasphemous to include Al Jefferson with two of the greatest low post scorers and shot creators of all-time, but in today’s age of NBA basketball, Al Jefferson is the closest thing we have to greats like Olajuwon and McHale.

Jefferson is an old-school throwback; someone who plants himself on the block and can either face up or make back-to-the-basket moves that aren’t just based on being bigger and strong than everyone (cough, cough, Dwight Howard, cough, cough). Jefferson’s footwork is so good that he can create space with a couple of jab steps and he can get to just about anywhere he wants near the rim. His hook shot, which looks more like a flip shot, is just about impossible to block. And don’t even get me started with his shot fake. Good God. I’ll start to sound my mom talking about how good I was as Santa Claus in the 5^th grade play. Just click on Jefferson’s name above, watch the video, and pay attention to what he does to Roger Mason 9 seconds in, Brendan Haywood at 1:10, DeMarcus Cousins at 1:29, and Larry Sanders at 2:09. Throw in a series of sweep-thru’s and spin moves, and Jefferson becomes one of the toughest big guys to guard in the NBA.

As I was doing my research on Al Jefferson, I came to notice what a unique career he’s had. He entered the NBA Draft as a much ballyhooed high school prospect, averaging 42.6 points, 18 rebounds and 7 blocks per game at Prentiss High School. He was drafted by Boston and during his 3^rd season averaged a double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds per game) for the in-the-process-of-tanking Celtics. Here is where things get interesting: In the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery the Boston Celtics had the 2^nd best odds of securing the number one pick. Let’s just assume that instead of ending up with the 5^th pick, the lottery would’ve played out as expected and the Celtics would’ve had the 2^nd overall pick in the draft. Now consider, the Celtics at this point already had Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Al Jefferson. It would be interesting to see how Celtics fans would answer the following question… Are you content with “The Big Three” era, or would you have rather gone forward with Kevin Durant (the likely 2^nd overall pick), Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson. Maybe in the short term, trading the 5^th pick for Ray Allen, and Al Jefferson as the centerpiece of a move for Kevin Garnett, was the better move, but how good does a young nucleus of Rondo, Durant and Jefferson look moving forward, along with at least 5 good years of Paul Pierce? That’s a tough one to answer.

Jefferson was traded to Minnesota, and was eventually teamed up with Kevin Love for 2 years. Now once again play the what-if game, and look at if Minnesota doesn’t trade Al Jefferson to Utah for two future first round picks (which the Timberwolves have turned into Brad Miller) and Kosta Koufos. So basically, the Timberwolves would’ve been better off trading for a bag of skittles, four new water boys and cash considerations. Imagine if the Timberwolves had kept Jefferson, and Love still improved as greatly as he did after playing for Team USA in 2010 at the World Championships. Minnesota had already drafted Ricky Rubio, so you could only argue that with an extra year of Jefferson the Timberwolves wouldn’t have had the number two pick last year. Let’s assume they finish 9^th in the west, which gives them the 14^th pick which could’ve been someone like Kawhi Leonard or Iman Shumpert. Let’s say going into last season the Timberwolves have a starting lineup of Ricky Rubio, Iman Shumpert, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and Al Jefferson. That’s a team good enough to make the playoffs, right? Give the Timberwolves the 16^th pick in the 2012 Draft, say they draft Royce White, Tyler Zeller or Terrance Jones. Now Minnesota is going forward with one of the most unselfish young point guards in the league (Ricky Rubio), a solid perimeter defender (Leonard or Shumpert), the best power forward (Kevin Love), one of the best interior scorers in the league (Jefferson) and whatever draft picks/free agency pick-ups they make along the way.

Instead, Jefferson is in Utah where he has very little help outside of Paul Millsap (#47 in my rankings). Just imagine the teams that could’ve been built with Al Jefferson as an All-Star center focal point. Normally I don’t like to look at what ifs. It’s an excuse you use to try to make up for something you aren’t pleased with. But man, I would’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing more Al Jefferson than I most likely will now.

April 13, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) against the New Orleans Hornets during the first half of a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets defeated the Jazz 95-86. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Paul Millsap
Resume: 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds (career best), 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals (4th in league, career best), 32.8 minutes, 50% FG, and 79% FT (career best)… Team record in games played: 34-30 (2-0 without)… Playoffs: 12.0 points, 11.0 rebounds (career best), 2.5 blocks (career best), 37% FG, 50% FT, 0-4 record

It’s time for me to look into my oh-so-trusty crystal ball for the first time and make a prediction 10 months before it will actually happen. For the sake of this argument, let’s focus on the Utah Jazz perspective.

It’s July 1^st, 2013. Free Agency is just getting underway. There is yet another star-studded free agent class highlighted by Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Manu Ginobili, Josh Smith, Andrew Bynum and James Harden. Sorry to any Utah natives, but in reality, no superstar is going to want to play in Utah when bigger markets like Dallas and Atlanta are going to have just as much cap space. Next summer the Jazz will have eight unrestricted free agents, which is more than any other team in the league. Keep in mind that this means Utah should have plenty of cap room next summer, so what I’m about to tell you they are going to end up doing isn’t a money issue. Before and during the season Utah will do their best to sign center unrestricted free agent Al Jefferson to some type of a contract extension, and if they can’t come to an agreement then a hard push will be made to resign him once free agency begins. In all likelihood, Utah overpays a little for Jefferson to keep him from going elsewhere, which is a good thing for Utah considering Jefferson is still to come on the list. Plus, they can afford to do so since they are going to have plenty of cap space, remember? All things sound fine and dandy in Salt Lake City, right? Well, think again.

While Jefferson is signing on the dotted line and cashing in on a serious pay day, a 28 year old just-entering-his-prime Paul Millsap will also be testing the free agency waters. You can be certain that Millsap will be a hot commodity during the summer of 2013 (which is why he decided not to sign a contract extension with Utah), and foolishly, Utah might not be his biggest suitor. With Jefferson likely the top free agency priority and young big man Derrick Favors highly regarded, it’s unlikely that Utah will give Millsap the contract offer a player of his caliber deserves. Instead, they’ll likely look for added depth on the perimeter, which sounds good, but in turn Utah is losing someone that the Jazz fans love, and the last remaining piece of their Conference finalist team from 2007. And this is if Utah doesn’t trade Millsap before then. Totally possible by the way.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Paul Millsap on your team, you know that your bread is being buttered and you do just about everything to keep him unless that means drastically overpaying him. In the upcoming season Millsap will likely average somewhere between 15 and 18 points, 8 and 10 rebounds, but his biggest contributions will be made in areas where statistics don’t really tell the story. He’s a gritty, hard-working, undersized power forward who whose motor and heart is bigger than his actual size (he’s listed as the same height and weight as LeBron James). Conversely, he’s versatile enough to slide over and play the small forward position to accommodate a supersized line-up of Jefferson, Favors and himself. Millsap is a relentless rebounder (the only player in NCAA history to lead the country in rebounding 3 years in a row), a late game scoring option (Heat fans probably remember his 11 points in 28 seconds explosion back in 2010), and a legitimate big game player. In Utah’s last regular season game, a must-win in order to make the playoffs, Millsap delivered his best game of the season, putting up 26 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a truck load of big plays down the stretch. Utah doesn’t win that game without Millsap. As good as Jefferson is, and as good as Favors will be someday, Utah doesn’t make the playoffs without Millsap. Ultimately when Millsap goes elsewhere Utah is going to regret it. At least that is what my crystal ball is telling me.

March 23, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin talks with forward Derrick Favors (15) during the first quarter at Energy Solutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Super-Secret Stat: In the 113 minutes they played together in the 2012 regular season, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, and Al Jefferson posted a plus/minus (per 48 minutes) mark of +30.9.  That number led all three-man units that played at least 100 minutes by a full eight points.

Analysis: Utah has one of the brightest young rosters in the league and is coming off a surprise playoff appearance in 2012.  So on the surface all should be right in Salt Lake, the team and its notoriously dedicated fans content to watch green players develop and revel in hardly league-changing but shrewd offseason moves.

But the Jazz are facing a problem and it will only get worse as time goes by, even if it’s one any team would be happy to have.  Utah needs to address their roster’s redundancy in the post, and that’s something we’ve known for a long, long time.  Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson would be an awesome frontcourt tandem if the Jazz weren’t counting on them to be their two top players, and especially if the organization hadn’t acquired youngsters like Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter in 2010 and 2011.

But wait… what was that stat again? Utah can play their three best big men – who just so happen to be their three best players – on the floor at the same time? To actual success? And the sample size isn’t as tiny as you’d expect? Interesting.  Very interesting.

Millsap, Jefferson, and Favors all deserve minutes and each have a legitimate claim to status as Utah’s franchise player.  The former is one of basketball’s most unique and underrated two-way players (and a StS favorite), the median might be the league’s best post scorer, and the latter has a combination of size, athleticism, raw skills, and youth the other two don’t come close to matching.  But they’re clearly all big men, and even in today’s positional-revelatory NBA the prevailing thought is there isn’t enough space on the floor or enough opposing players for three post players to guard.

But this trio is an exception and they’ve made that clear in the limited time coach Ty Corbin has eschewed convention and played them all together.  And more stats than raw +/- paint that same beautiful, potentially game-changing picture for the Jazz.

Some quick statistical nuggets displaying their prowess and cohesion (in bullets for time and convenience).  They average (per 48 minutes):

• 106.7 points, 9.1 more than the team average
• 33.9 free throw attempts, 9.1 more than the team average
• 59.7 (!) rebounds, 16.4 more than the team average
• 11.0 turnovers, 3.9 fewer than the team average
• 75.8 (!) points allowed, 21.2 fewer than average
• 31.6% (!) opponent field goal %, 13.6% fewer than team average

March 12, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz small forward Josh Howard (8) looks to pass while defended by Detroit Pistons small forward Tayshaun Prince (22) during the second half at Energy Solutions Arena. The Jazz defeated the Pistons 105-90. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: In Sunday’s loss to San Antonio, Josh Howard went 0-7 from the field, was held scoreless in sixteen minutes of playing time, and had a net point differential of -14.6.
• Take: That Howard struggled so mightily against the Spurs on Sunday should not have been surprising.  He missed the last month of the regular season before coming back for its final two games, playing just six minutes in the one-game playoff against the Suns before logging 25 in a meaningless win in Portland.  For all intents and purposes, he hadn’t seen regular court time in anything but a glorified scrimmage since mid-March, making Ty Corbin’s decision to start him in the postseason opener even more perplexing.  Howard, a poor outside shooter at this point in his career and hardly the slasher or defender he used to be either, played into San Antonio’s hands by taking two long jumpers on offense and serving as little more than flotsam on either end of the floor.  Bearing this miniscule sample size in mind, Corbin would be best served starting DeMarre Carroll at small forward and using active rookie Alec Burks as his primary perimeter backup.  The former offers size and defense Howard can’t while recognizing his limitations on offense, while the latter brings much needed tempo and aggression to a Jazz attack that rarely scores in transition.  Howard was hardly Utah’s only problem Sunday, but his presence in the starting lineup and rotation posed issues on both ends of the floor that the Jazz could potentially eradicate by giving the lion’s share of his time to Carroll and Burks.

Indiana Pacers at Orlando Magic (7:30ET on NBATV): Series tied 1-1

Apr 28, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers shooting guard George Hill (3) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic shooting guard Jason Richardson (23) during game one in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Orlando defeated Indiana 81-77. Mandatory Credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: In Monday’s 93-78 win over Orlando, the Indiana Pacers assisted on nine of their 33 field goals.  Their assist percentage of 27.3 was barely half their season-long average of 52.2%.
• Take: The Pacers fixed their finishing woes in game 2 by shooting 72.8% at the rim, a key change that we chronicled on Monday.  And their offense, unsurprisingly, thrived as a result.  Indy’s 106.9 offensive rating on Monday night was better than 20 points higher than their Saturday mark, a feat having to do with their newfound accuracy at the rim as much as their proficiency in getting to the free throw line.  The Pacers shot 28 free throws Monday (making 25) for a free throw rate of 36.4, an impressive number not much higher than their regular season average.  So perhaps Indiana’s shockingly low assist rate was affected by Orlando fouls, but such wouldn’t normally account for such a stark decline in assists.  All this goes to say is that the Pacers should be careful if they want to win relying on this style of offense again tonight.  Free throw rate and one-on-one scoring are notoriously fickle on a game to game basis, a fact they’d have to worry about less by getting a few more easy baskets out of offensive sets that yield assists.

Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies (9:30ET on TNT): Clippers lead series 1-0

Apr 9, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Los Angeles Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe (12) dribbles the ball up the court during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 94-85. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: LA’s Chris Paul/Eric Bledsoe backcourt combination played just 78 minutes together in the regular season, but posted an impressive plus/minus per 36 minutes of +10.9 that was the best mark on the team.  The two also posted a mind-boggling +/- of +79.2 in game 1.
• Take: The Clippers made their epic comeback run on Monday with the little-used on-floor quintet of Paul/Bledsoe/Nick Young/Blake Griffin/Reggie Evans.  While Young provided the fireworks with three treys in succession to cut a twelve point to lead to three and Evans has been universally lauded for his pick and roll defense and rebounding, little has been made of Bledsoe’s sizable impact.  It should be noted that Bledsoe didn’t play until the beginning of the game-deciding run and was on the floor until the clock struck zero.  So what was the defining and ever-present aspect of this Clippers comeback? Pace.  Lots of pace that the Clippers didn’t play with for the game’s first three quarters.  And that has to do with Bledsoe.  Not unlike Boston’s Avery Bradley, Bledsoe is known as a raw guard with little distribution or shot-making skill but elite athleticism and defensive ability.  On the surface that wouldn’t seem to fit with a player like Paul, but Bledsoe’s presence on the floor often forces LA’s uptempo-averse leading man to get out on the fastbreak where he, Bledsoe, Griffin, and a sharpshooting athlete like Young are deadly.  Go back and watch the run; Bledsoe’s defensive pressure, incisive offensive spacing, and ability to run the floor changed the game for the Clippers.  LA doesn’t have the size, skill, or discipline to slow things down with the Grizz in the halfcourt.  Bledsoe helps curb Paul’s natural tendency to play that way, and the 15-20 minutes the second-year guard will hopefully get from this point on will be huge in determining the winner of this series.

Apr 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) and Paul Millsap (24) during the second half of game one in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

“I wouldn’t say it was a rude awakening,” Jazz point guard Devin Harris said. “But they did what they were supposed to do. We’ve got to respond now.”

No, Devin. “A rude awakening” is exactly what I would call it. It certainly was not a happy awakening.

Entering the game on Sunday, the Jazz were riding high atop a five game winning streak, including a crucial victory over the Phoenix Suns to nail down the eighth and final playoff spot in the last game of the regular season. Any feel-good vibes left over from their impressive end to the regular season were extinguished when the good ol’ posse from Texas lassoed them back down to earth.

The Jazz hung close for the first 3 quarters, led by 20 points and 9 rebounds from Paul Millsap. Gordon Hayward and Al Jefferson chipped in with 17 and 16 points, respectively. They will need a lot more firepower than that if they hope to win a duel with the battle hardened Spurs.

Tony Parker led the way for the top-seeded Spurs with a game-high 28 points. His 8 assists were also the high mark on Sunday. The crowds chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP!” may actually hold some merit (let’s be honest, they usually don’t) in this case. Parker has emerged as the clear leader of this San Antonio team, and he has been a very impressive force all season long. Many feel that he should be included in MVP discussions this year. He may very well end up finishing third in MVP voting if the voters have been paying close attention during this lockout-shortened season.

Utah’s frontcourt should know better than to call Tim Duncan “old,” but if they didn’t before Sunday’s game they sure do now. Duncan recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The future Hall of Famer was clearly not intimidated by the size and youth of the deep Jazz frontcourt. There is no substitute for experience, and Timmy sure knows it. His impressive performance helped the Spurs to their first series opening victory in four long years.

The score remained close for the better part of three quarters, but you would be foolish to feel any semblance of confidence while you’re on the court with the NBA’s best 3-point shooting team. The Spurs blew things open a bit towards the end of the third quarter by sinking three from long range during a two-minute span to end the 3rd and deflate this young Utah team.

Despite the Jazz’s best efforts, they would not find themselves nipping at the Spurs’ heels again in game 1. They could not cut the deficit any lower than eight points. Game 1 belonged to the Spurs, and while a fifteen point, blowout victory insinuates pure domination, the final score is rather misleading. This game was surely closer than that. To sell the Jazz short would be unfair, as they were alive and kicking in this game until midway through the fourth quarter.

Utah head coach, Tyrone Corbin, has got his work cut out for him during these next three days. He must go back to the drawing board and attempt to figure out which adjustments he must make to give his team a better chance to compete with the heavily favored San Antonio club.

The Jazz have to try and figure out a way to contain Tony Parker, or least limit his effect on the game.  It’s obviously a tall task to completely contain a player like Parker, but if you let him burn you for 28 and 8 every nihgt then this series is going to be over in the blink of an eye. In this case,  that “blink of an eye” will be on May seventh in Salt Lake City.

San Antonio had no difficulty getting into the paint and dealing some serious damage to their younger opponents. Corbin needs to utilize his roster’s depth at the power forward and center positions to give the Spurs a hard time whenever they try and take it to the rim. Even if Utah manages to correct this weakness in game 2, that would open things up for San Antonio’s sharpshooters to light up the scoreboard. Have I mentioned that they are the NBA’s top 3-point shooting club? Good, Just making sure.

Apr 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) drives the lane against Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors (15) during the first half of game one in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the AT

As if Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli weren’t enough of a handful already, they have to better prepare for the x-factor of game 1, recently acquired Stephen Jackson. The veteran swingman has returned to San Antonio for a second tour of duty and he has succeeded in strengthening this already-powerful roster.

I get the feeling that these Spurs are on cruise control. They know what they need to do and they are doing it. I bet they would barely miss a beat if the coaching staff went on vacation and had a randomly selected fan replace them on the sidelines. I don’t know about the later rounds but they would likely continue rolling in this opening round regardless of who is coaching this veteran squad.

Unfortunately for Utah, the Spurs coaching staff is not on vacation. The man behind the sidelines is Greg Popovich, a future Hall-of-fame coach who needs no introduction. Does he honestly need to make adjustments for his club to win game 2? Maybe not, but if you know Pop, you know he is probably making some adjustments right now as we speak.

Can Coach Corbin refocus his young team and put them in a position to score the upset in Game 2? First and foremost, he needs to address his point guard’s terrible game. Devin Harris seemed to have shed his earlier season struggles after consistently impressing with his hot play in April. He needs to brush this one off  and get back to playing well again if the Jazz are to have any chance of making some noise in this series. Game 2 is Wednesday evening in San Antonio.

This years remarkable NBA Finals capped off with a remarkable Game 6, one watched by 23.5 million people, producing ABC’s best non-Oscar sunday in five years (and the most watched game 6 since Jordan beat the Jazz in 1998.

Now that the season is done, we’ve got plenty of time to get into intricate detail on how this year’s series stacks up against the greats. We’ve also got a lot of cool things a’brewing here at Saving the Skyhook for the offseason, including a live blog during the NBA Draft, but for now, I’d like to offer up some love for the first time NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.

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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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Remember how the Jazz were sitting atop the Northwest Division in early December? They were 15-5 and looked to be very capable to keep the Thunder and Nuggets at bay. Remember how people were saying that you can’t count out of the Jazz as long as they were armed with their never-say-die coach Jerry Sloan and superstar point guard Deron Williams?

Flash forward to last night, with the Jazz losing in overtime to a lowly Washington Wizards team, possibly their last win of the season. Since December 1st, they’ve lost 34 games, their franchise point guard, their Hall of Fame coach, and their identity.

So… how did that happen?

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Marcus Cousin Ready for Jazz, His Uniform… Not So Much

Marcus Cousin signed a ten-day deal to join the Utah Jazz on Tuesday and were excited to get him involved quickly. He joined the team in Toronto as the Jazz began a four game road trip with a number of players (Paul Milsap, Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Price, Francisco Elson, Kyrylo Fesenko and Mehmet Okur) injured.

Unfortunately, things happened so quickly, that the Jazz failed to make up a new uniform for Cousin in time for his first game, so he had to wear a number 0 jersey with no name on the back.

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