Following The Rookies: Top 3

Though we are only two weeks into the 2012-2013 NBA season, it becomes clear pretty quickly which rookies are ready to contribute now and which players need more seasoning in the D league.  Here, we examine a few of the players from the 2012 NBA draft and how they look so far in the infancy of their careers:

Damian Lillard (18.4 ppg, 6.6 A, 3.1 R, 1.3 S):  Lillard is off to an incredible start to his NBA career, dazzling crowds with  great speed and an ability to score from anywhere on the court.  While Lillard has great athleticism, which he uses effortlessly to create seperation when driving in the lane, whether through spin moves, step backs or hesitations, he doesn't use his athleticsm on shots.  A quick release makes up for his somewhat flat footed shot and allows for him to get this off on any defender.  He has also shown excellent court vision through his first eight games. Not only did the Trail-Blazers make a great pick with Lillard, but they may have found the star compliment to pair next to Aldridge and Batum to take them to the promise land of a Larry O'Brien trophy.  I love this kid, he will be a franchise caliber player.

Anthony Davis (17.3 PPG, 8 R, 2.7 B): Davis is living up to the enormous hype that followed him from high school and his lone year at Kentucky.  So far, Davis has shown he is a highly efficient scorer shooting 53%, and, as expected, is a playmaker on defense (1.3 SPG/2.7 BPG). Another franchise caliber player, he has the speed and agility of an NBA small forward with the size of a power forward.  While his sample size is small, only 3 games as he missed 2 due to a concussion, Davis is a lock for NBA all-rookie first team, one of the top 2 candidates for ROY(along with Lillard) and has the skill set and drive to a future hall of famer.  The upside here continues to be through the roof.

Dion Waiters (14.5 PPG, 2.3 A, 2.1 R): So far, Waiters has played about as well as Cavs brass could have hoped.  Playing on this very young Cavs team, Waiters is being asked to carry a heavy scoring burden which he has succeeded in.  While his 44% shooting percentage isn't great, it's good enough at this point in his career to believe he will be able to grow into the scoring punch Byron Scott wanted opposite Kyrie Irving.  Waiters is undersized for a shooting guard and has been exposed on defense by players abilty to shoot over him, however i expect him to improve his footwork to make sure he keeps players in front of him. Waiters has all-star level potential, now lets see him show some consistency to his game.

Next Time I will spotlight 3 different rookies as well as looking at some rooks who don't seem quite ready for the NBA.

Beautiful Happy New Year 2013 Greeting Card as well as Desktop Wallpapers

Beautiful Happy New Year 2013 Greeting Cards as well as desktop wallpapers. You can set these wallpapers on your desktop screen. You can share wallpapers friends and family members. I hope you like them.

Happy New Year 2013 Greeting Card & desktop wallpaper

Happy New Year 2013 greeting card & desktop wallpaper

When does Detroit get their first win?

(It has been a bit of a struggle for the Pistons to say the least.)

We have been poking fun as of late when talking about the Detroit Pistons struggles. Along with an 0-8 record, here are a few stats that accompany the Piston's slow start.

Points Per Game: 91.3 (25th out of 30 teams)
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.5 (25th out of 30 teams)
Rebounds Per Game: 37.6 (29th out of 30 teams)
Field Goal %: .419 (23rd out of 30 teams)
Differential: -10.2 (30th out of 30 teams)
Opponents Field Goal %: .460 (24th out of 30 teams)


While the Pistons actually rank in the top half of the league in forced turnovers, team turnovers, and assist to turnover ratio, their isn't much else that you can say that is positive about this team. Stuckey and Knight have been very underwhelming, Greg Monroe can get any help from his teammates or the referees, and they look lost on defense as a team. So looking ahead at the schedule, where does Detroit get their first win? We take a look at their next 5 games and

 Wednesday @ Philadelphia:
-Don't see this happening. Playing a team quicker, better defensively on the road who has wins over the Celtics and Nuggets? Probably not. Plus, I don't see either Piston's guard being able to keep with either Holliday's speed or handle Turner's physical nature. 

Friday vs. Orlando:
-This is probably Detroit's best chance at a win in the next five games. Orlando has looked awful of late, and is playing the Knicks tonight. The problem however, is that Orlando doesn't play another game until this Friday matchup. With three days rest, this is an Orlando team that has shown it can get hot against poor defenses(see above stats). If Detroit doesn't begin to improve their exterior D, the Magic could shoot the Pistons right out of the building.

Sunday vs Boston:
-If you think I'm picking against the Celtics you're crazy. Here is exactly what will happen: The Celtics will go up 20, settle into a groove, allow the Pistons to get back in the game late, and then Rajon Rondo will once again realize he's by far the best player on the court and take over the game. Rondo could easily drop 15+ assists on this defense.

Wednesday @ Orlando:
-It is very difficult to beat a team twice when the games are close. The Pistons however, have lost their road games by an average of 11 points(including the 29 points blowout against the Lakers). It will be tough to pick this team all year on the road unless they are playing the likes of the Wizards, Bobcats, or Raptors. Wait a minute....

Friday vs. Toronto:
-If the Pistons haven't picked up a win yet, this is their best chance to do so. A Friday night home game against a Raptors team who could still be without Kyle Lowry(reports today indicated no return date) and is just as bad defensively(Opponents shooting .470 against them). Beyond that, there isn't a big man in Toronto that can defend Greg Monroe if he plays up to his potential. They should win this game.

If they can't pick up a win here, it could be a long road ahead. Their next five games are at New York, home against Portland and Phoenix, and then on the road against Memphis and Dallas.  It is very realistic that you could see the Pistons at 2-16 or 3-15 after these games are played. Sorry, Detroit.


Until next time, here is your awesome NBA YouTube Clip!

-Bford

 

Fantasy Pickups: Good Guys on Bad Teams

(He looks so happy to be in Charlotte. At least he isn't in Detroit.)

When going through fantasy pickups, most of the time it makes sense to look for role guys on great teams. Guys like Ray Allen, Jason Terry, Taj Gibson, or Shawn Marion can have big fantasy games because of their team's success because in the past they have played with guys like Lebron James, Paul Pierce, Derrick Rose and Dirk Nowitzki. But what about the role players on the bad teams? Guys on the Wizards, the Bobcats, or the Pistons. Is it worth to look for a diamond in an already deep rough? Here are five guys on bad teams who could help you this year in fantasy.

1. Ben Gordon, Charlotte Bobcats
-Gordon used to be a superstar on the rise in this league, especially after his unreal performance in the 2009 playoffs against the Celtics(24pts, 3rebs, 3asts a game in that 7 game series.) After three very underwhelming years within a disruptive Detroit system, Gordon was traded to the Bobcats this offseason with a chance at a new start. In just 24 minutes of action, Gordon is averaging 14 a game while grabbing 3 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists. Even better, he shoots 85% from the FT line. Gordon could be a good scorer to stash on your bench.

(Kevin is all smiles to help out your fantasy team.)

2. Kevin Seraphin, Washington Wizards
-While we have mentioned him before, Seraphin is averging career highs in minutes, points, rebounds and FT% thus far in 2012. While the numbers aren't anything impressive (10 and 5), Seraphin is going to see run on a bad team as a young player if the Wizards continue to lose. Keep an eye on him, and maybe pick him up if those rebound and block numbers continue to rise.

(Get Drummond now, dance with him later.)

3. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
-If you are in a keeper league, I would consider picking up Drummond soon if he is available. The Pistons are bad. Very, very bad. While he is only playing 15 minutes, he is still grabbing 5 boards and putting in 6-7 points a game. Much like Seraphin, the Pistons are going to look towards to the future, and it starts with Drummond. The more he plays, the more he will polish that talent that was shown in the preseason. Grab Drummond now, and get rewards later.

(E'Twaun didn't have a chance to sniff the floor in Boston. He's proving he's worth it in Orlando.)

4. E'Twaun Moore, Orlando Magic
-I already have given my love to J.J. Redick, but there is more love to go around on helpless Orlando. While Glen Davis is throwing crazy shots straight into opponents arms, E'Twaun Moore has been quietly creating a resume that says he could be a quality backup point guard in this league. Since taking over the starting job due to Nelson's injury, Moore has averaged 13.5, 3.5 and 4 through six games. While his numbers may dip a bit once Nelson comes back, Moore has proven he deserves to be on the floor. He doesn't make alot of mistakes, and also can grab steals for you on the defensive end. 

(Gee, the former D-League star has become to forgotten man in Cleveland.)

5. Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers
-Iriving, Waiters, and Varajeo have taken most of the fantasy buzz from Cleveland. Yet if you are really desperate, Alonzo Gee could be someone to help you down the road. He's averaging double digits in points, and also is grabbing 2 steals a game as well. His FG% isn't anything special(39%), but Gee is someone who will be consistent in what he is offering right now.

More to come tonight, but until then here is your amazing NBA YouTube clip.

-BFord






 

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