Bleacher Report - NBA

New York Knicks: Reliving the Top Moments of the 2012-13 NBA Season

Thomas Duffy — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:32:44 -0400

The New York Knicks’ magical season, along with the team’s hope of a championship, collapsed Saturday night in a Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 2012-13 NBA playoffs.

New York should have beaten Indiana. The Knicks had the deeper roster, more experience and the best player on the court in Carmelo Anthony. While the outcome of this series can be largely attributed to the Knicks’ offensive struggles, a great deal of praise needs to be given to the Pacers team that outhustled, outworked and outplayed New York.

Lance Stephenson and Paul George are emerging as stars for Frank Vogel’s team, but the Knicks already have a bona-fide superstar. Roy Hibbert abused Tyson Chandler on the low block all series, but Chandler came into this season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. J.R. Smith, the 2012-13 Sixth Man of the Year, shot 28.9 percent from the field in the Eastern Conference semifinals, while D.J. Augustin came off the bench and averaged 8.2 points per game on 50 percent shooting.

There is no excuse for losing this series, and it’s going to be a long offseason filled with questions for Mike Woodson and the Knicks. However, while the team came up shorter than it wanted to in the postseason, New York had a phenomenal season overall.

With battle-tested veterans like Jason Kidd and older rookies like Chris Copeland (28 years old) and Pablo Prigioni (37 years old), the Knicks had the oldest roster in NBA history. Woodson never got the chance to work with a full squad as injuries decimated the team at nearly every position. The team rose together, and now they have fallen together—no one person is to blame for their success or their failure.

Looking back on it, New York really did have an amazing season. Here are some of the best moments of 2012-13 for the Knicks.

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Why Miami Heat Can Still Win 2013 NBA Title Without an Effective Dwyane Wade

Dan Favale — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:30:38 -0400

The Miami Heat has got this, even without a vintage Dwyane Wade.

Bothered by a bruised right knee, Wade's performance during the NBA playoffs has served as a harbinger of doubt. Averaging a career postseason low in minutes (32.9), points (13), shots (11.8) and free throws attempted (three) per game, Miami's star shooting guard has had a fraction of the impact he was supposed to.

Injuries have followed Wade throughout his career and this year was no exception, but after posting 21.2 points on 52.1 percent shooting during the regular season, the Heat expected more. He put up 22.8 points per playoff game during last year's championship run while plagued by a knee injury, so why wouldn't they? Wade plays through his physical afflictions. It's what he does.

And it's still what he does. Save for Miami's Game 4 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, he's appeared in each of the Heat's postseason bouts. And again, he's logging more than 30 minutes a night. He hasn't allowed his knee to remove him from the pursuit of a second-straight championship. Nor will he.

But he's not Wade.

Wade's physical grievances haven't swallowed him whole, but they've limited him. He hasn't been able to reach the rim as effortlessly as he's known for, and Miami's offensive efficiency has increased by nearly two points per 100 possessions with him off the floor.

On any other team, Wade's numerical (and bodily) transgressions would stand to cripple any and all title aspirations. But not the Heat's.

Russell Westbrook's absence all but sealed the Oklahoma City Thunder's fate against the Memphis Grizzlies. J.R. Smith's regrettable postseason left the New York Knicks embattled and unsuccessful against the Indiana Pacers. And Kobe Bryant's injury put the Los Angeles Lakers in a no-win situation (literally) against the San Antonio Spurs.

Miami isn't "any other team," though.

The Heat rely on Wade to aid in the thrashing of opponents. His offensive creativity—ever underrated playmaking abilities included—is a treasured commodity and his acute defensive sets have been an integral part of Miami's dominance overall.

Suggesting the Heat are not better off without him is fatuous, because they're not. Wade makes them better; he enhances their dynamic. They are, however, furnished with enough two-way firepower to successfully transcend his postseason-long limitations.

That guy you see on the court, who can do just about anything he wants to on command against anyone he pleases—that's LeBron James, the reigning MVP and undisputed greatest player in the world. He was also brought to South Beach to contend for (and win) championships. These plans won't be thwarted by an embattled Wade.

LeBron and the Heat are 8-1 on the postseason, and that's with Wade topping 15 points just three times in eight tries. They rank first in playoff offensive efficiency (109.1) and first in defensive efficiency as well (93.4). They've already found success, without Wade being Wade.

Series victories over the mediocre-at-best Bucks and decimated Bulls won't compare to what the Heat face in the Indiana Pacers and then potentially the San Antonio Spurs or Memphis Grizzlies, but that doesn't matter. Miami is built for this.

James has carried a less talented group of players to the NBA Finals on his own before (see 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers) so his current case in Miami hardly poses the most daunting of tasks. With him, the Heat are above crumbling under the weight of Wade's tribulations because they're not Wade's team.

Chris Bosh is a superstar in his own right, Ray Allen remains a lethal shooter and Shane Battier a renowned defender. Mario Chalmers goes hot-and-cold, but rarely shies away from "the moment", Chris Andersen is never short on effort and Norris Cole makes the most of his minutes. Even Mike Miller can get going when given the chance. Just ask the Thunder. And then there's Wade, who is still one of the most feared talents in the league.

Before them—all of them—there is LeBron, the ultimate catalyst.

Miami depends on each of those guys to do their job and do it well. When they don't, the task at hand becomes more difficult, not impossible. Nothing ever is when you're led by LeBron. Even when it's Wade who is being unceremoniously humanized.

Remember, Wade isn't the only player on Miami failing to meet expectations. Bosh is rebounding more (8.3), but scoring less (13.2). Battier is hitting on just 26.1 percent of his deep balls. Allen is connecting on just 37.8 percent of his after converting on nearly 42 percent for the regular season. Chalmers is shooting just 41.8 percent from the field overall. And LeBron himself is shooting just 31 percent from downtown for the playoffs, reinforcing the notion that the Heat aren't perfect.

Yet, look where Miami is—in the Eastern Conference Finals.

With Wade reeling and a handful of his teammates following suit, the Heat have the best record of any postseason team and remain title favorites.

Which isn't going to change. Wade can continue to average career-playoff lows in points scored, but the Heat aren't going anywhere. Not so long as LeBron is still on the floor.

He is Miami's end-all. That's why Wade has willingly deferred the team to him. He's fit to lead the Heat to a title under less than perfect circumstances

"I can achieve anything if I just make it a goal of mine,'' James said (via Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida). "I never made it a goal of mine [shooting 50/40/90]. If I decided to do it, I can make it happen.’’

Right now, LeBron's goal is to win another championship, an ambition that doesn't perish or become any less attainable with Wade playing the way he is.

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*All stats in this article were compiled from Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise noted.

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LeBron James Speaks Out on Pacers Head Coach Frank Vogel's Comment

Matt Fitzgerald — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:18:23 -0400

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are set to do battle in the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals beginning on Wednesday, May 22, and chatter between the two teams is already adding intrigue to the series.

As ESPN's Michael Wallace reports, Pacers head coach Frank Vogel made a dismissive comment with regard to the defending NBA champions following his team's closeout victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday.

Vogel stated that Miami is "just the next team" in the way of Indiana's quest for the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy, and Heat superstar and reigning MVP LeBron James took issue with that in Sunday's practice.

Wallace documented James' response to Vogel's barb at AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday:

We're not just another team. I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. That's not true. He said we're just another team in their way. We're a great team. If we're just another team, you really don't prepare for just another team. You have to prepare for us. ...

We're very confident. We'll be ready for them. We don't need bulletin-board material. We've heard everything, we've seen everything. But I would say we're not just another team, though.

Galvanizing a team as talented as the Heat doesn't seem like the soundest bit of strategy for Vogel to deploy, despite James' contention that his team doesn't need any added fuel in its pursuit of a repeat.

However, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman, who covers the Heat beat, feels the apparent controversy is a manufactured storyline being blown out of proportion by the media:

The Pacers are a hard-nosed defensive squad that did take a 2-1 series lead on Miami in last year's conference semifinals. They were the Association's top rebounding team during the regular season, while the Heat finished last in that category.

For what it's worth, Indiana also beat its impending opponent two out of three times throughout the 2012-13 campaign. As Wallace notes, though, the final double-digit loss drove the Heat to their 27-game winning streak—the second-longest in NBA history.

This series promises to be entertaining, and this exchange in the press between Vogel and James only increases the buzz.

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Kobe Bryant Uses Facebook to Hint at Major Announcement

Dan Favale — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:13:24 -0400

Kobe Bryant is full of surprises.

From 81-point outings to five championship rings to ambiguous retirement musings, the Black Mamba lives to shock and awe.

Still rehabilitating a ruptured Achilles, Kobe's mantra hasn't changed. He's still intent on remaining unpredictable.

Knowing that the Los Angeles Lakers' season is over and he is in no shape to ambush us on the hardwood, Kobe is going to different lengths to surprise us; lengths that include unforeseen announcements, not buckets.

On Sunday, Bryant took to Facebook with a cryptic message in anticipation of another message that would inevitably follow.

"You won’t want to miss the Sports Spectacular Livestream Sunday #mambavideo #surprise #announcement," his post read.

Naturally, we're left confused. Is he retiring from the NBA? Eventually being amnestied? Requesting a trade?

Slow your roll.

This isn't going to be the Mamba's version of "The Decision." Unless that decision is something only half-major and non-basketball related, that is.

Had Kobe's impending announcement been a declaration of untold truths or something as groundbreaking as any of the above, chances are we would have heard whisperings of it by now.

But we haven't. It's been all clear on the paralyzing news front. And if it weren't, Kobe wouldn't be holding a "Livestream" to address it.

There would be a press conference, a foray of flashing cameras and likely some hors d'oeuvres as well. There won't be any of that, though. This isn't what that is.

Expect this video to be a menial bulletin then, something that is arguably important but not earth-shattering or worth fretting over.

It could have something to do with any of the charities he is currently working with.

Perhaps he's switched from boxers to briefs and wants to let us know. Or maybe he and Dwight Howard have custom-made best-friend bracelets for one another and he wants to show us.

We just don't know, but we will soon enough.

So please, don't get your boxers or briefs in a bunch trying to figure it out.

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NBA Playoffs 2013: X-Factors for Each Team to Reach Finals

Steven Cook — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:48:24 -0400

Now that the "final four" of the 2013 NBA playoffs is set, stakes will be higher for the contending teams to execute on their respective X-factors.

Whether it's a certain bench player or a certain aspect of the game, no team—not even the almighty Miami Heat—is exempt from having a key portion of the game that will make or break their chances of reaching the NBA Finals.

We're sure to see two high-powered matchups, as the Heat and Indiana Pacers face off for the Eastern Conference title. The Memphis Grizzlies will make their first Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs in the West.

Let's take a look at each team and what they must execute if they want to reach the Finals.

Western Conference Finals

Memphis Grizzlies: Frequency of Post Shots

In just about every matchup they can play, the Memphis Grizzlies are fortunate enough to boast a commanding advantage down low with the burly combination of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

Gasol is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, but he put his offensive skills on display in putting away the Oklahoma City Thunder last round. He's becoming increasingly reliable from 18 feet—punishing teams with a swift jumper.

Z-Bo is no slouch, either. He can punish opponents if they put an inferior player on him at any time, and always steps up his game incredibly well in the playoffs.

It's the matchup the Spurs boast that makes it so important, though. Tim Duncan is reliable and will get his points, but Thiago Splitter is not the answer for either of these Grizzlies stars.

With Mike Conley playing so well in the backcourt and Tony Allen performing out of his mind, Memphis must be wary to not let the game become fast-paced and dominated by the guards. Those two will have huge impacts, but they have to remember where their biggest strength is.

The Grizz must capitalize on this huge advantage to cancel out the impact Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are bound to have if they want to secure their spot in the NBA Finals.

San Antonio Spurs: Wing Players Must Excel and Stay Foul-Free

While Parker, Ginobili and Duncan are still the main core of San Antonio, it's the excellent play they've received from players like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green that helped them slip past the pesky Golden State Warriors.

That must become a focal point yet again, as it may be the only aspect that the Spurs have the advantage in. And it won't be a big advantage, as Allen, Tayshaun Prince and Quincy Pondexter are all performing incredibly.

When Leonard is able to play his 35-40 minutes, he often makes a big impact on the stat sheet and with his shooting range. But when he gets into foul trouble, it's a different story and it takes him out of his game completely.

Green, on the other hand, had perhaps the most under-appreciated performance of these playoffs in the Warriors series. He averaged 12 points per game while hitting the boards for a team that struggles rebounding at times.

If Green and Leonard can shift from players to playmakers in this series, the Grizz will have no chance.

Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers: Cover the Three-Point Line

The Pacers play such a unique game and have so many even contributors that it's hard not only to find an X-factor, but to even find an Achilles heel altogether. In that case, we must look at their opponent.

It's almost impossible to stop the Miami Heat, but the best way to do so is to take away the three-point shot.

However, that's much easier said than done—especially against the Heat. You can't focus on just one or two players. You have to be wary of Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and sometimes even Chris Bosh.

You get the point.

If the Pacers want to stifle the three-point line, it will take a few different things. First, they must properly decide when to implement man defense based on the Heat's offense. Also, they'll have to refuse the double-team on LeBron most of the time in order to cover the sharp-shooter that he always kicks it out to.

Just the presence of James and Wade makes it incredibly difficult to defend the long ball while preventing their impact. But if Indiana wants to pull a huge upset in this series, they'll have to figure it out.

Miami Heat: Keep the Balance

Ironically enough, the Miami Heat struggle late in games when they rely on their superstar players.

This isn't about LeBron's late-game struggles (which have been exaggerated) as much as it is about the way Miami usually executes their offense.

It's incredibly rare to ever see anyone play selfishly, and that all starts with their superstars—who play as unselfish as they come. Their best attribute is the ability to handle double-teams and turn it into an open shot on almost every possession.

The Heat are at their best when they're working their system and passing until they find the open shot. While they don't always fall and they may lose a game or two due to cold shooting, they have more than enough talent to dominate this series with open shots.

As much as LeBron James fans would love to see him take over this series to the tune of 40 or 50 points—and he surely could—he gives his team a better chance to win when he's a pass-first player.

The Heat are fortunate enough to have the game's best player, but they also have one of the game's best passers. And he must learn how to balance that act appropriately and spread the rock around if he wants a second ring in 2013.

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2013 NBA Draft Breakdown and Scouting Report for Dennis Schroeder

Jonathan Wasserman — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:25:57 -0400

Dennis Schroeder had been making waves in 2013, but his true arrival came at this year's Nike Hoops Summit.

He dropped 18 points and six assists in a win over Team U.S.A., a team consisting of projected top-10 picks in the 2014 NBA draft. Schroeder quickly declared in 2013 after splattering his name across NBA radars.

Schroeder has pretty much locked up a first-round bid, and will enter this year's draft as one of those trendy names capable of catapulting up boards.

Physical Tools

Schroeder makes an impression just by standing there with a jersey on. At 6'2'' with strong shoulders and long arms, you'd think he was an NBA guard if we covered his face with a mask.

As a true point guard, Schroeder has a lightning quick first step he uses to torch perimeter defenses. He's a good athlete, but not a superstar athlete, and will need to put weight onto that 164-pound frame.

Schroeder's footwork is tremendous. He's able to change directions and speeds on a dime. Check out Schroeder tie his man's shoelaces together without making contact:

Ball-Handling

I wish I was able to control anything the way Schroeder controls the basketball. He's got a shake-and-bake handle that puts defenders on ice skates. Between that and his quickness, Schroeder can be a nightmare to stay in front of.

His hesitation dribble is deadly, which goes back to his ability to change speeds.

Here he is using the hesitation dribble off the ball screen to break down the defense and set up an easy bucket for a teammate:

Schroeder is lethal in the open floor. With room to run, he can take it the distance and get to the rack before the defense can set up.

Watch him go coast to coast, turning a potential half-court possession into an easy transition layup:

Creator and Playmaker

Because of his ability to beat his man off the dribble, Schroeder creates four-on-threes and two-on-ones. And as a willing playmaker, he's able to exploit the advantage and set up teammates for easy buckets.

Check out Schroeder burning two defenders before forcing the help and finding the open man:

Shooting

Schroeder shot 40.2 percent from behind the arc for his team in Germany this year, a standout number that he'll need to translate.

What really enhances the threat Schroeder poses is his improved ability to shoot off the dribble. Given his quick first step and athleticism, he's capable of creating separation by stopping and popping. If he can convert these jumpers routinely, Schroeder could end up being one of the tougher covers out there.

Watch Schroeder knock his man off balance with the pull-up off the dribble:

Weaknesses

Schroeder's weaknesses have been linked to his on-court maturity and decision making. This season he averaged 3.3 assists to 2.5 turnovers, not the greatest numbers in the world. However, the NBA style of play is built for Schroeder's game. He's going to have to control his urges at times and learn to efficiently quarterback the offense when the game is slowed down. Being able to control the pace of a game will be his challenge moving forward.

Finishing at the rim could also be a obstacle. At the NBA Combine, Schroeder only got off the ground for a 34-inch max vertical, while many of the other point guards registered verticals over 40 inches.

The good news for Schroeder is his promising frame and near 6'8'' wingspan, a monster number for a 6'2'' guard.

Draft Breakdown and NBA Outlook

Schroeder will be competing for draft position with guys like Shane Larkin of Miami, Michael Carter-Williams of Syracuse and C.J. McCollum of Lehigh. The best thing going for Schroeder is upside.

He has all the tools in order to become a solid starting point guard. He's got the size Larkin doesn't, the shooting touch Carter-Williams lacks and the pass-first mentality McCollum needs to develop to run an offense.

Trey Burke seems to be the consensus top point guard with Michael Carter-Williams at No. 2, but Schroeder should be right in the mix as a potential late-lottery option.

Some have compared him to Rajon Rondo based off his quickness and length. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I'd bet on Schroeder becoming a household name over the next few years.

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LA Lakers Should Do Little or Nothing This Offseason

Mannie Barling — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:09:31 -0400

It seems that every article about the Los Angeles Lakers’ future must start with some analysis of last season.

The 2012-2013 Lakers were either snake-bitten or cursed by an old gypsy in a black and white horror movie. It may also be a case of karma coming back after all those lucky, injury-free years of championship seasons. It happened. So, get over it and stop blaming Jimmy Buss, although he certainly shoulders a large portion of blame.

Last year's Lakers started with one foot in the bucket with Howard recovering from back surgery, a worn-out Pau Gasol and a slew of injuries that converted Showtime into an episode of M*A*S*H*. Then, in a moment of being shortsighted, D’Antoni played Kobe as if he were a common plow horse until, like a horse, he broke down in the home stretch.

Now, pundits, sportswriters and nearly every Angeleno in their car listening to talk radio are exercising their divine right to morph into a member of the cast of any of the CSI shows and do a lengthy autopsy on the nightmare season past. The operative question is whether the 2013-2014 Lakers’ team will suffer from the past season or find good health and an offensive system that fits their twin towers.

But, first and foremost, Dwight Howard will re-sign with the Lakers because he has nowhere else to go that can offer him the additional $29 million that the Lakers can offer, plus revenues from advertising and the other financial perks that go with living in Los Angeles or New York.

Lakers fans, on the other hand, need look no further than the NBA playoffs to see the importance of a "traditional" center who can defend, rebound and block shots.

Marc Gasol and Roy Hibbert have demonstrated the need for strong "traditional" center play in the playoffs when the game typically slows down and points in the paint are a premium. Both the Pacers and Knicks gave the Heat fits in the regular season, with more to come from Hibbert in the Conference Finals.

The Pacers took the Heat to a sixth game last year on the strength of Hibbert’s play. This year, Hibbert forced the Knicks into a jump-shooting team and beat them in six games, partly because of Hibbert’s 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. Meanwhile, Marc Gasol turned the Westbrook-less Thunder into a mediocre jump-shooting team by shutting down the paint, rebounding and blocking shots.

A healthy Howard is as good, if not a better defensive player than both of them.

It should be noted that the weakness of the Miami Heat is at the 5 position, where Hibbert, Gasol and Howard excel. The secret to beating the Heat is at the center position, where good big men shut down the drives into the paint and control rebounds.

It also helps to have a strong 4, such as David West, Zach Randolph or Pau Gasol, who can match up with Chris Bosh. When Wade and James cannot drive to the rim, or shoot short jumpers in the paint, the Heat are just another jump shooting team, but with an effective bench.

While going small and spreading the court may produce results in the regular season, it is not a recipe for winning the NBA championships. Fans should look no further than the playoff losses by the Warriors and the Knicks to see what happens to jump-shooting teams in the playoffs.

Defense, rebounding and protecting the paint are the principal ingredients of a title-winning team. Without Howard, the Lakers have simply no chance of winning an NBA title while the Heat play their style of game and Marc Gasol and Roy Hibbert play theirs.

The first change the Lakers should make is to amnesty Metta World Peace. Any Laker fan who thinks that World Peace will opt out this summer fails to see how much he likes the "Hollywood" culture and that he has no place to go. He is now an old, slow one-dimensional player who is worth no more than the veteran minimum.

If the Lakers are going to keep Pau Gasol at the 4, then it is time to experiment by moving Earl Clark to the 3 and playing a power lineup. With Jordan Hill and Antawn Jamison as backups, the Lakers would have a tall, offensive-minded front line that could rebound and play defense. This front line could reduce easy baskets in the paint, rebound defensively and stop the opposing teams’ lay-up line that haunted last year’s team.

The next step would be to clean out the dead weight at the end of the bench and stop experimenting with Darius Morris at point guard. He is not that good a defensive player, cannot initiate the offense and is a horrible jump shooter. Every time he graced the court last season, the Lakers dropped further behind or lost a lead.

Mike Brown made a mistake picking Morris over Andrew Goudelock last year. At least Goudelock can score and is a competitive player. Chris Duhon was worthless on offense and defense, while Devin Eubanks has not panned out despite numerous opportunities.

The Lakers still need to improve their backcourt, where Kobe is now questionable, Steve Nash is entering his senior citizen, injury-plagued years, and Steve Blake, despite a terrific return to action from groin surgery, is another year older and another year slower.

The Lakers would have been better served signing Jarrett Jack as a free agent last year than trading for Nash. That mistake will haunt them for the next two years because of salary cap issues and the lack of availability of a good point guard in free agency.

If point guard is now a problem, then the potential loss of Kobe Bryant, or the Achilles injury turning him into an average player, is the greatest threat to the Lakers’ future. I saw what an Achilles tendon injury did to Elgin Baylor and Dominique Wilkins. It wasn’t pretty.

Kobe may be the only player I have seen with the mental and physical ability to come back from this injury. But he is not invincible, especially at his age.

This brings us to coaching. Mike Brown was horrible, and Mike D’Antoni should have never been hired. His foolhardy attempt to mold the Lakers into something they were not caused them so many losses that the team never recovered. It was obvious to Laker fans by March that the Lakers could go nowhere in the playoffs and it was time to play for next year.

Instead of a common-sense decision to wait until next year, D’Antoni played Kobe Bryant until he suffered an Achilles injury. Had D’Antoni listened for just one moment to James Worthy and Robert Horry on the pre-game shows, when they warned that Kobe's minutes may lead to an injury, fans would not be worrying about Bryant’s health today.

Certainly Worthy knows a little about playing too many minutes. Playing the last part of a season with a bad leg, which doctors told him would not get worse, shortened his career by a few years and damaged the Lakers' post-Magic Johnson transformation for several years afterward. No Laker fan wants to see a repeat of the early '90s teams. They were ugly and not representative of Laker basketball.

The Lakers' problems in 2012-2013 were simple. Howard returned to the lineup way too soon. He should have rehabilitated his injury until at least January before playing. Pau Gasol should have rested more after the Olympics and dealt with his knee issues sooner.

Furthermore, Mike Brown should have been fired in the offseason or the minute he decided to run the Princeton offense with the Lakers line up. Every Laker fan could see the Princeton offense was going to be a disaster.

Mike D’Antoni should not have been hired as a square peg being forced into the round Lakers roster. If D’Antoni is to remain the coach, as GM Mitch Kupchak says, then he needs to reinvent himself and fit his coaching into a style that fits his lineup, like George Karl and Larry Brown have done for years.

Any less will result in failure again. As they say, being foolish is doing the same thing over and over again in the face of failure.

The Lakers need to find a good young point guard to take over for Nash and Blake as soon as possible. Neither Jody Meeks nor Goudelock are tall enough to play the 2-guard position against most other 2-guards in the league. Look no further than Klay Thompson, a 6'8" shooter, who could and would score easily over both of them.

Both could be good backup guards, with Goudelock a candidate to move over to the point guard position, where he could be a fruitful backup at the very least. He was a better candidate to become a point guard than Darius Morris. It is unlikely Goudelock can stay in the league if he must play defense on shooting guards.

The Lakers need to take some lessons from Greg Popovich and the Spurs by making small changes that allow its players to get healthy and play up to their potential, which can easily happen for a Laker team with a front line of Howard, Gasol and Clark.

Their inherent size must be peppered with younger, quicker guards who can shoot. It is the search for young point and shooting guards that will define the Lakers in years to come, or immediately, if Bryant is not effective upon his return to the lineup.

The Lakers succeeded under Jerry Buss by keeping their lineup steady while searching for the missing part. In the '80s, those missing parts ranged from Bob McAdoo to Mychal Thompson. In the '90s, it was Shaq and a teenage phenomenon named Kobe Bryant. A few years ago that missing part was Pau Gasol. Who will be that missing part now?

Who knows, but the Lakers better start searching far and wide, even across Europe, to find such a player. Until then, the Lakers will be close every year, but no cigars. Hopefully, Jimmy Buss will receive an apparition from his father and turn himself into the Lakers leader he has failed to be so far in his brief career at the top.

Though the Lakers have many good pieces in place, they need to amnesty World Peace and improve their guard position with younger, more athletic players this offseason in order to put themselves in a good position going forward.

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Grizzlies vs. Spurs Game 1: Live Score, Highlights and Analysis

Ken Dorset — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:19:40 -0400

Keep it locked right here as we bring you live Grizzlies vs. Spurs coverage!

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Bold Predictions for 2013 NBA Playoffs Eastern and Western Conference Finals

Dan Favale — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:43:58 -0400

And then there were four.

The Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies are the only NBA teams left standing as we head into the conference finals.

Miami and San Antonio feature some of the most seasoned (and dominant) veterans in the Association, while Indiana and Memphis' components are relatively new to the bright lights of being four victories away from an NBA Finals berth.

But will that matter?

We know so much about how the Grizzlies match up against the Spurs, and how the Pacers stack up against the Heat, but it's what we don't know or don't see coming that could determine the outcome of these series.

What is it that we might not see coming?

The conference finals are a time to be bold, so let's be bold.

*All stats in this article compiled from Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise noted.

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NBA Lottery 2013: Date, Time, TV Schedule and More

Timothy Rapp — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:43:39 -0400

Are you ready for the NBA draft lottery?

If you live in one of the 14 cities that has a team with ping pong balls in play, you most certainly are. Nothing is as exciting for fans of struggling teams as finding out your team will have the top overall pick in the draft.

This year, the Orlando Magic will have the best odds of winning the top pick. But the team and its fans probably shouldn't get their hopes up—the team with the best odds has won the lottery just two times in 22 years.

It's an exciting time for teams that didn't offer a lot of excitement this past season. Let's preview this year's NBA draft lottery.

When: Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Disney/ABC's Times Square Studios, New York City, New York

Watch: ESPN

Odds of Winning Top Overall Pick

1. Orlando Magic, 25 percent

2. Charlotte Bobcats, 19.9 percent

3. Cleveland Cavaliers, 15.6 percent

4. Phoenix Suns, 11.9 percent

5. New Orleans Pelicans, 8.8 percent

6. Sacramento Kings, 6.3 percent

7. Detroit Pistons, 4.3 percent

8. Washington Wizards, 2.8 percent

9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 1.7 percent

10. Portland Trail Blazers, 1.1 percent

11. Philadelphia 76ers, 0.8 percent

12. Toronto Raptors, 0.7 percent

13. Dallas Mavericks, 0.6 percent

14. Utah Jazz, 0.5 percent

Remainder of Draft Order

15. Milwaukee Bucks

16. Boston Celtics

17. Atlanta Hawks

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets)

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers)

20. Chicago Bulls

21. Utah Jazz (via Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors)

22. Brooklyn Nets

23. Indiana Pacers

24. New York Knicks

25. Los Angeles Clippers

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies)

27. Denver Nuggets

28. San Antonio Spurs

29. Oklahoma City Thunder

30. Phoenix Suns (via Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat)

Lottery Notes

Per Sean Highkin of USA Today, if Portland's pick falls outside of the top 12, it will then belong to the Bobcats. And if the Raptors don't land a top-three selection, their pick will be transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk, the Pistons won a tiebreaker over the Wizards, the Sixers won a tiebreaker over the Raptors, the Rockets won a tiebreaker over the Bulls and Lakers (the Lakers then won a tiebreaker over the Bulls) and the Clippers won a tiebreaker with the Grizzlies.

Top Prospects

There may not be a can't miss superstar in this class, but there is plenty of talent throughout.

Nerlens Noel from Kentucky is probably the top prospect in this class. The one-and-done star is a force in the middle and averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game this season. He is recovering from a torn ACL suffered this season, but he's loaded with talent and potential.

After that, the order of the prospects taken will likely depend on the lottery and team needs.

Ben McLemore is a versatile shooting guard with dynamic athleticism.
Otto Porter Jr. is probably the most NBA-ready prospect and doesn't really have any weaknesses. He's a small forward who can defend multiple positions and is a team-first guy.
Trey Burke is a classic dual-threat point guard, capable of beating teams as both a scorer and facilitator.
Anthony Bennett is an extremely athletic power forward (albeit a slightly undersized one) who has solid range on his jumper and likes to run the floor.
Victor Oladipo is an amazing athlete and a lock-down defender. He needs to work on his offensive game, but he'll instantly contribute as a high-energy, defensive stalwart.
Shabazz Muhammad has dropped down boards, mostly because he's primarily a scorer. That being said, he's probably the draft's best pure scorer.
C.J. McCollum, Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Gorgui Dieng, Dario Saric, Mason Plumlee, Michael Carter-Williams and Kelly Olynyk are also possibilities to crack the top 10.

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NBA Playoff Schedule 2013: Conference Finals Viewing Info and Predictions

Justin Onslow — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:27:59 -0400

And then there were four.

The Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies traversed the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs without much resistance to secure a place in the conference finals, but don’t expect any of the four teams to waltz into the NBA Finals without some bumps along the way.

In the Eastern Conference, Miami faces arguably its most difficult matchup of the season in the Pacers, who finished the regular season second in scoring defense and stifled the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. Miami demolished the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls, but it will be in for a monumental test against Indiana in the conference finals.

Like Indiana, Memphis boasts a stifling defense (No. 1 in the regular season) and surprised many with upsets over the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. In each of those series, the Grizzlies dispatched their opponent in six games or fewer, never encountering enough resistance to suggest Memphis can’t upend the No. 1 Spurs in this series.

Let’s take a look at Game 1 for each conference finals series and preview each matchup, complete with viewing information, regular-season series records and predictions for each game’s score.

Date	Matchup
May 19	San Antonio vs. Memphis (3:30 p.m. ET on ABC)
May 21	San Antonio vs. Memphis (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
May 22	Miami vs. Indiana (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT)
May 24	Miami vs. Indiana (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT)
May 25	Memphis vs. San Antonio (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
May 26	Indiana vs. Miami (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT)
May 27	Memphis vs. San Antonio (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
May 28	Indiana vs. Miami (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT)
May 29	San Antonio vs. Memphis (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
May 30	Miami vs. Indiana (8:30 p.m. ET on TNT)
May 31	Memphis vs. San Antonio (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)

*Full schedule can be found at ESPN.com.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs

Where: AT&T Center; San Antonio, Texas

When: Sunday, May 19, at 3:30 p.m. ET

Television: ABC

Season Series: 2-2

Memphis Injuries: None

San Antonio Injuries: Kawhi Leonard (knee, probable)

Betting Lines (per Bovada.lv): Spurs minus-4.5, Over/Under 183

The Spurs have been one of the most dominant NBA franchises of the last decade, but how much longer can we expect that dominance to continue?

If this year’s playoffs are any indication, San Antonio is far from finished, and Tim Duncan and company appear focused on securing their first title since 2007.

But it certainly won’t be easy.

The Grizzlies have embarked on one of the best postseason runs we’ve seen in recent years, taking the No. 5 seed all the way to a marquee matchup with the old guard of the Western Conference. There isn’t a better defensive team in the league, and this matchup has the potential to be a thrilling seven-game affair.

While all eyes have been fixed on Tim Duncan as he attempts to lead his team to at least one more title before his eventual retirement, Tony Parker has quietly put together one of the most impressive playoff performances of the season. In 10 postseason games this year, the point guard is averaging 22.4 points and 6.3 assists, including four performances of 25 points or more in San Antonio wins.

Memphis counters with an exceptional point guard of its own in Mike Conley, who has averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 assists in 11 postseason games. While there’s sure to be a lot of action in the paint in this series, the matchup between Parker and Conley will be a lot of fun to watch.

As well as both teams have played this postseason, home-court advantage will play a huge role in this series. Look for the Spurs to edge out the Grizzlies on their home floor in Game 1 by a slim margin and create some momentum for Game 2 on Tuesday.

Game 1 Prediction: San Antonio 89, Memphis 86

Series Prediction: Spurs in seven

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena; Miami, Florida

When: Wednesday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Television: TNT

Season Series: Pacers 2-1

Miami Injuries: None

Indiana Injuries: George Hill (head), Danny Granger (knee, out for season)

Betting Lines: Unavailable as of May 19 at 11 a.m. ET

If there’s any team in the Eastern Conference that matches up well against Miami, it’s Indiana.

The Pacers have been phenomenal at the defensive end this year and rebound as well as any team in the league. Against a Heat squad predicated on perimeter scoring, the Pacers hold a big advantage in the paint and on the glass.

Indiana edged out Miami in their regular-season series 2-1—a good sign that we could be in for a long series in the Eastern Conference Finals.

But the Heat haven’t exactly looked shaky thus far. In fact, they’ve looked unstoppable.

Miami dismantled Milwaukee in four games in the opening round and went on to decimate a depleted Bulls squad in the second round. In nine playoff games, the Heat are averaging 98.6 points per game, led by LeBron James and his 24 points per contest.

For Indiana to have a chance in the conference finals, it has to continue rebounding at a torrid pace to limit Miami’s second chances at the offensive end. If the Pacers can build on their 47.3-reounds-per-game clip in the postseason, Miami will be at a serious disadvantage.

But like the Memphis-San Antonio series, home-court advantage stands to play a big part in how this series shakes out. The Heat are well-rested and on a roll, and they shouldn’t struggle too much in taking Game 1 from Indiana at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Game 1 Prediction: Miami 94, Indiana 87

Series Prediction: Heat in seven

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Amar'e Stoudemire Questions Role with New York Knicks After Disappointing Season

Dan Favale — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:34:27 -0400

Amar'e Stoudemire wants answers.

After appearing in just 33 games this season (playoffs included), the New York Knicks superstar-turned-injury-riddled-disappointment wants to know where he stands within the organization.

Following New York's season-ending 106-99 Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers, he said he plans to sit down with head coach Mike Woodson and get his answers.

"We didn’t give it a chance," Stoudemire said of re-entering the starting lineup (via Marc Berman of the New York Post). "We need to understand exactly what my style of play is and what I bring to the table. It’s something I have to sit down with Coach Woody and express to him."

If Stoudemire seems frustrated, that's because he is.

Not only was he forced to battle through knee injuries all season, but he saw himself relegated to a seventh-man role and in for a total of 13 minutes in New York's final two games against the Pacers. For a six-time All-Star, that has to be difficult to stomach.

My advice to him, though? Stomach it. I've been one of Stoudemire's biggest supporters all year, but even I'll admit he's not in a position of power here.

Stoudemire has embodied a "team-first" mantra all season. He embraced his role as a reserve and willingly handed the reins of the Knicks over to Carmelo Anthony. He's made sacrifices. Boatloads of them. And it's only natural for him to be upset and confused.

But he has to understand that these were the playoffs. The Knicks didn't have time for him to play through his rust the way he needed to, let alone insert him into the starting lineup. That just wasn't an option.

If Stoudemire weren't a former All-Star earning nearly $20 million this year, he probably wouldn't have played at all. He should think about that.

Leading into next season, Stoudemire is right, the specifics of his role need to be discussed. He's owed more than $45 million over the next two seasons, so he's not going anywhere. The Knicks will have to find a place for him in the rotation, and he needs to know where it's going to be.

But now? After this loss? Before New York's roster for next season is even close to etched in stone? The Knicks can't offer him that type of clarity.

The futures of J.R. Smith, Chris Copeland, Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni all need to be determined before the Knicks make any definitive decisions about next season. Free-agency and trade dust needs to settle before Amar'e can get any answers. And more light needs to be shed on his health before he begins to lodge any inquiries.

"It’s alright—as long as we won the game," Stoudemire previously said about his Game 5 benching. "That’s all that matters."

All that matters now is that Stoudemire remain patient. He's not the only one with questions.

The Knicks have plenty of their own.

Follow @danfavale

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Indiana's George Hill Releases 'All Gold Everything Pacers' Rap Song

Dan Favale — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:51:59 -0400

Trinidad James would not be proud.

Indiana Pacers guard George Hill released an "All Gold Everything Pacers" rap song just before the NBA playoffs began. He along with a few of friends—one of whom included Mike Epps—wrote and recorded the song in less than 48 hours.

“With Mike Epps and I being from here, we thought it would be a good collaboration,” Hill told Scott Agness of Pacers.com. “We just had fun and tried to interact with the fans and get the fans involved. That’s what we tried to do.”

To their credit, the idea was good. Great, even.

Playing off Trinidad James' "All Gold Everything" (NSFW language) made sense because, well, the Pacers wear all gold (and blue). And being a native of Indianapolis, who better to pay tribute to the city, its team, players and the fans than Hill himself?

The execution, while somewhat comical, did have a local feel to it. Here's an excerpt from Hill's not-so-masterul rendition (via Agness):

All I bleed is blue / old-school but it’s new / shout out to Broad Ripple because I do this for you / I started from the bottom, 34th is my home / my jump shot is too sweet and it tastes just like Long’s / a trey-ball or layup, to me it’s all the same / it feels like the West Rink when I’m skating all in that lane

Don't you just see a Grammy in Hill's future? Yeah, me neither.

A few parts of the song were downright hysterical, and pointed out the obvious.

"The playoffs, we in it."

Um, thanks?

Aside from rapping about the blatantly apparent—"Pacers is our name"—and fellow teammates (Danny Granger included), Pacers head coach Frank Vogel earns a mention as well.

"Frank Vogel, you a good coach and we down with ya."

Even if the Pacers hadn't advanced past the New York Knicks, it doesn't seem Vogel's job would be in jeopardy. Not when his team is so down with him.

Speaking of the Knicks, they're discussed (once again, briefly) as well.

"I don't mess with no Knicks, so don't tell me they winning."

This song was released nearly a month before Indiana unseated New York, so Hill's accurate premonition is to be admired.

As for the rest of the song? Not so much. Should you hail from Indiana, specifically Broad Ripple, perhaps this tune can be held dear to your heart.

The rest, though? We're just left hoping Hill ignores any desire to release a follow up.

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2013 NBA Mock Draft: Simple Solutions to Every Team's Draft Needs

Maxwell Ogden — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:00:00 -0400

With the 2013 NBA draft scouting combine taking the world by storm, countless fans and analysts are trying to analyze what every measurement and interview truly means. While some will overvalue the power of a high vertical or strong bench press, others will find the true meaning.

Regardless of what they do, every team is looking for the simple solution for their draft needs—so what are they?

Some teams enter the draft with specific needs, while others are simply looking for the player that can turn their organization around. In that same breath, there are a select few squads that are doing quite well but need to add youth or athleticism.

One way or another, the draft will do wonders to shape the next generation of the NBA.

1. Orlando Magic: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky Wildcats

The Orlando Magic can go in a variety of directions here, but it truly depends on how much they believe in Nikola Vucevic. Orlando's 22-year-old center was second in rebounding and third in double-doubles during the regular season, but he isn't quite the dominant defender Nerlens Noel projects to be.

Noel has a significantly higher upside, and Vucevic is one heck of a trade piece—I'm going out on a limb.

The Magic have two options here, as the versatile Vucevic could go out to play the 4 due to his ability to back an opponent down or step out for a mid-range J. Keep in mind, Vucevic shot a strong 43.3 percent from mid-range.

As a 22-year-old center.

If Vucevic is unable to play the 4, the Magic have a dominant interior presence in Noel to protect the rim. This not only creates a bright future defensively, but it also opens the door for the Magic to take advantage of one important truth.

Vucevic's trade value is phenomenal, and the Magic could construct quite the impressive package to acquire another early selection in a deep 2014 NBA draft.

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas Jayhawks

The Charlotte Bobcats are a team with many holes, as Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist serve as their only true building blocks. With Nerlens Noel off of the board, this opens the door for Charlotte to create the trinity along the perimeter.

With Walker serving as a dynamic playmaker and Kidd-Gilchrist a defensive specialist, the Bobcats add a potentially elite scorer in Ben McLemore here.

McLemore could go first overall, as he is a creative scorer that can create his own shot and attack or work off of screens to shoot the three. Most importantly, McLemore is an exciting athlete that can score in transition and has high defensive potential.

Landing Noel would be the dream pick, but McLemore is hardly a poor fallback plan.

Keep in mind, the Bobcats were 27th in both three-point field goals made per game and three-point field goal percentage. In order to move forward in a positive manner, Charlotte must cure its shooting woes.

Ranking 26th in scoring offense offers a fair glimpse into what's wrong in Charlotte—well, part of it.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown Hoyas

Unless Nerlens Noel drops to the Cleveland Cavaliers, this pick will not change any time soon. Not only do the Cavaliers need a small forward, but they've needed one since LeBron James left the team.

In 2010.

Cleveland addresses that need by drafting the most well-rounded player in this year's draft class in Otto Porter out of Georgetown. Not only is Porter a dynamic offensive player, but he possesses extraordinary length and defensive prowess.

A strong comparison would be Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger.

Porter is a poised player who finished the 2012-13 season with averages of 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. He also shot 48.0 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Those numbers are a testament to what Porter can do—each of those skills is translatable, and his versatility could make him an instant starter.

4. Phoenix Suns: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana Hoosiers

The Phoenix Suns enter this position with a variety of options, but it really comes down to shooting guard Victor Oladipo and power forward Anthony Bennett. With their best options at the 2 currently Jared Dudley and Shannon Brown, the decision has been made.

Victor Oladipo is the only rational option.

Phoenix has athleticism in Brown and polished fundamentals with Dudley, but no combination of the two. Fortunately, Oladipo has that rare combination, which makes him something that few are acknowledging: a potential All-Star.

Oladipo can defend at an elite level, smothering players at any of the three perimeter positions with his combination of length and explosive athleticism. Offensively, Oladipo is far more developed than the average fan gives him credit for.

Phoenix lands the player who, in terms of upside, is far above the rest.

5. New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan Wolverines

The New Orleans Pelicans have multiple needs and a roster that management appears to be delusional about. Eric Gordon is a fan favorite without legitimate star power, Greivis Vasquez is a quality facilitator with no other skills, and Robin Lopez can only take this team so far at the 5.

In a point-guard-driven league, the target is clear.

Trey Burke is the best point guard available, and it goes well beyond skills and athleticism. Burke has the uncanny ability to make the right play, which cannot be valued enough at the next level.

You can debate his upside, but when you see players such as George Hill and Mike Conley playing so well in late-game situations, Burke's niche is determined.

Burke's greatest strength is not his clutch scoring, which has many scouts and general managers drooling. Instead, it's his decision making, as Burke rarely turns the ball over, despite having such a high usage rate.

New Orleans has been a bottom-feeder since Chris Paul departed, and Burke is the perfect player to team with Anthony Davis for a turnaround.

6. Sacramento Kings: Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse Orange

The Sacramento Kings are deep in terms of talent but lack any form of chemistry or direction. Their new management should help in that regard, with one thing becoming perfectly clear.

Point guards are vital in the NBA, and the Kings need one more than any other team in the league.

The Kings lack any form of direction on the floor, often falling into isolation sets and damaging their odds of winning games. In order to cure that devastating woe, they target this year's top facilitating prospect: Michael Carter-Williams.

The 5'9" point guard Isaiah Thomas is a strong player, but Carter-Williams stands at 6'6" and has two-way potential. Not only was he third in the nation in assists, but he was sixth in steals per game.

He may not be able to shoot, but Carter-Williams is the best fit here.

7. Detroit Pistons: Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA Bruins

The Detroit Pistons are in a pinch here, as they needed a point guard, but all rational options are off of the board. Their choices here are thus limited to a crop of players that one could make the case shouldn't be drafted this high.

For that reason, Detroit will look to trade down—unfortunately, no suitors present ideal value.

So the Pistons take a gamble here and pursue Shabazz Muhammad out of UCLA. Muhammad's stock is dropping, but Detroit has its interior of the future and needs a source of instant offense.

That's exactly what Muhammad provides, as the swingman attacks the basket with power and possesses strong defensive potential.

Muhammad may be a reach at No. 7, especially after a lackluster showing at the scouting combine, but Detroit is limited in options here. It's better to take Muhammad now and build towards the future than make a senseless trade.

Limited options make this choice pretty clear.

8. Washington Wizards: Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV Rebels

The Washington Wizards are in the running to select Alex Len out of Maryland, as he's a local product and they need a long-term option at center. They're also in position to find a small or power forward.

Len is an option, but his inconsistency is concerning, and Anthony Bennett's upside is unquestioned—Washington lands the latter.

The Wizards are a strong, young team that thrives defensively, ranking eighth in scoring defense and ninth in rebounding. Len is a legitimate option, but Bennett is viewed as a potential star, and there's strong reason.

Bennett weighs in at 6'8" and 240 pounds with a 7'1" wingspan and explosive athleticism.

If that's not enough, Bennett is a nightly double-double threat when he's focused on the glass and avoiding big man iso-ball. With John Wall running the show and Bradley Beal at shooting guard, there are few situations as ideal for Bennett.

Having Nene Hilario and Emeka Okafor as mentors certainly isn't a bad way to go, either.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: C.J. McCollum, G, Lehigh Mountain Hawks

The Minnesota Timberwolves can go in multiple directions here, as center Nikola Pekovic is a free agent and the team simply cannot shoot the three-ball. For that reason, they take a fast-rising name in C.J. McCollum out of Lehigh, a combo guard that always appears to be in control of the game.

McCollum stands just over 6'3" but has a 6'6" wingspan and has one heck of a jump shot. Not only can he work off of screens and complement Ricky Rubio, but he can create his own shot.

Something the T-Wolves lacked in 2012-13.

Alexey Shved can attack, and Rubio is a dynamic playmaker, but the Timberwolves need a long-term replacement to J.J. Barea and Luke Ridnour. By creating a three-man rotation of Shved, Rubio and McCollum at the guard spots, the T-Wolves would certainly have a bright future.

With a healthy Kevin Love and Pekovic potentially returning, Minnesota would have a bright future.

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia Bulldogs

The Portland Trail Blazers have their starting lineup intact, whether J.J. Hickson returns at center or not. Meyers Leonard was a lottery pick in 2012, which suggests that Portland is set in their front court.

Where they're well below ideal, however, is on their bench.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a rangy shooter with the ability to take it to the basket off of the bounce and defend at a high level. For a Trail Blazers team that was dead last in second unit scoring, adding a scoring spark is the key.

Caldwell-Pope can provide just that.

Will Barton has high upside as an athletic slasher, averaging 12.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in April. By pairing him with Caldwell-Pope along the perimeter, Portland could have a two-way tandem worth marveling off of the bench.

Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum need rest, and those two players can provide that to prevent another season of fatigue and overworking.

11. Philadelphia 76ers: Alex Len, C, Maryland Terrapins

The Philadelphia 76ers need to create depth at center, regardless of what happens with Andrew Bynum during the upcoming offseason. For that reason, they take the best available big man in the upside-driven Alex Len.

Standing at 7'1" with a near 7'4" wingspan and a varied skill set, Len certainly offers intrigue.

Len's greatest strength is his offensive versatility, as he's capable both with his back to the basket and facing up. With a strong mid-range game and the ability to pass, that makes him one of the toughest players to defend in this draft.

As a quality shot-blocker, Len's risk is often overstated, although his star potential can be called into question. Fortunately, Philly needs a security blanket at the 5.

Len can be that player.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Raptors): Cody Zeller, C, Indiana Hoosiers

The Oklahoma City Thunder need an offensive alternative down low, as they currently lack any form of a back-to-the-basket presence. Even if they do hold onto Kendrick Perkins as their defensive specialist, they need a scorer.

Enter Cody Zeller.

Zeller may not be a star, but he weighed in significantly bigger than we'd previously believed. After coming into the draft process at a believed 6'11" and 210 pounds, he weighed in at 7'0" and 230 pounds.

More importantly, he was the most explosive leaper at the combine.

Who saw that coming?

With a strong face-up game and an improving back-to-the-basket attack, Zeller is ideal here. For a Thunder team that doesn't need a star, this is as low-risk as it comes.

Zeller would be a very strong fit.

13. Dallas Mavericks: Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville Cardinals

The Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA championship led by the tandem of power forward Dirk Nowitzki and center Tyson Chandler. That created a balance of elite offensive production and a strong rim protection.

Without Chandler, the Mavericks have been nothing close to that team.

By drafting Gorgui Dieng, they'd find a player with a similar, if not higher, upside to Chandler. Not only is he a powerful defender that protects the rim with his length, athleticism and anticipation, but he's also an underrated offensive product.

With an improving mid-range game and precise passing skills, Dieng is the perfect fit for a Mavericks team that needs an interior defender. In fact, Dieng is the dream selection for Dallas.

Defense wins championships, and Dieng certainly has the pedigree after leading the Louisville Cardinals to the 2013 NCAA Division I title.

14. Utah Jazz: Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

The Utah Jazz have the opportunity to go in a variety of directions, including a step towards creating depth along the interior. With that being said, Utah's top void is its lack of perimeter playmakers that can create for others.

Enter Dario Saric.

Saric has extraordinary size for the position, standing at 6'10" with a 6'11" wingspan. Not only is he a capable facilitator, but he creates well off of the bounce and has the upside to be a threat from beyond the arc.

When his feet are set, he's already a strong option in that regard.

Saric would benefit from bulking up and could draw NBA comparisons to Jan Vesely. With that being said, Saric appears to have a more defined skill set that simply needs honing.

The upside is there for big things.

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State Aztecs

The Milwaukee Bucks have the opportunity to trade down here, as they need to create depth on their thin roster that pairs inexperience with aging veterans. They do just that by adding one of the most intriguing athletes in this year's draft: Jamaal Franklin out of San Diego State.

Franklin stands just over 6'5", possessing a 6'11" wingspan and explosive leaping ability. Not only does he run the floor well, but he also attacks with power in the half court and rebounds as well, if not better than, any other perimeter player available.

For a Bucks team that could lose Monta Ellis, you couldn't think of a replacement that fits their needs quite as well as Franklin.

16. Boston Celtics: Jeff Withey, C, Kansas Jayhawks

The Boston Celtics have multiple options, as they need to find an interior defender that can protect the rim and must get more athletic. Boston can tackle one of those issues by drafting Jeff Withey.

The key here is the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mason Plumlee is the more ideal fit due to his athleticism, but Memphis has sent a statement during the postseason. Pairing Withey with Jared Sullinger would make, arguably, the least athletic frontcourt in the NBA, but here's the kicker.

Sullinger has powerful offensive upside, Withey could be an All-Defensive Team selection, and the two suddenly appear to be similar to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol in terms of playing style—a calculated risk.

17. Atlanta Hawks: Mason Plumlee, C, Duke Blue Devils

Trading down here is a legitimate option, but the Atlanta Hawks need to add more players to their very thin roster. With back-to-back picks, they'll field offers, but take advantage of the fact that they can draft two strong players.

Atlanta's selections here will go a long way towards defining their future.

For starters, the Hawks address their greatest void, bringing in an athletic center in Mason Plumlee out of Duke. Not only is Plumlee one of the draft's top athletes, but he's a player that has improved in every season he's played.

With Plumlee, a walking alley-oop threat with solid interior fundamentals, the Hawks would find a safe pick at a low-risk draft spot.

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Rockets): Glen Rice Jr., SG, NBA D-League

The Atlanta Hawks can go value here, as they look to build their roster of the future with quality players at every position. They make an intriguing selection here, going with a defensive-minded swingman that would bring a sense of consistency to Atlanta's perimeter: the fast-rising Glen Rice Jr., formerly of the local Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Rice Jr. was dismissed from the Georgia Tech team during the 2011-12 season and spent this past season playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the Developmental League.

Rice Jr. weighed in at just under 6'6" with a 6'9" wingspan and enticing athleticism. Not only is he a legitimate deep threat that can space the floor at every turn, but Rice Jr. also thrives defensively and can lock down an NBA slasher or shooter.

For a Hawks team that appears to value the three-ball but lacks any form of perimeter defense—prior to free agency, of course—going local makes sense here, with Rice Jr. as the pick.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Suns, from Heat): Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh Panthers

The Cleveland Cavaliers could trade up with their abundance of second-round draft choices, thus selecting Steven Adams in the early 20s. With that being said, few players were as impressive as Adams at the NBA scouting combine.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again—Adams is a future All-Star, and he will end up in the lottery before it's all said and done.

Adams weighed in at 7'0" and 254 pounds with a 7'4.5" wingspan and powerful athleticism. More importantly, he was making jump shots at the combine and was one of the most impressive players per 48 minutes during the college season.

In limited action, Adams put his abilities on display with quit telling statistics—7.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 23.4 minutes of action.

20. Chicago Bulls: Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Chicago Bulls are in dire need of depth at multiple positions, but none quite as significant as center. Joakim Noah has proven capable of playing through devastating injuries and topping 40 minutes, but Tom Thibodeau needs an alternative.

Consider Kelly Olynyk to be Thibodeau's new Omer Asik.

Much like Asik, Olynyk is an aggressive player that plays with passion, energy and an unquestioned motor. The difference here is that Olynyk's offensive upside is significantly higher than Asik's, as he finishes well around the basket both in transition and in the half court.

Chicago proved that they need depth this postseason, and Olynyk is a dream fit at No. 20.

21. Utah Jazz (via Warriors): Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

Dennis Schroeder is quite the physical specimen, weighing in at 6'2" with a near 6'8" wingspan. While he has a build like Rajon Rondo, Schroeder plays like Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson.

With his paralyzing stutter-step, blazing quickness and an uncanny ability to finish around the basket, the stage has been set for Schroeder to experience a strong NBA career.

For a Utah Jazz team that lacks playmakers, Schroeder is the ideal selection at No. 21. Not only is Schroeder's ability that of a starting NBA point guard, but his upside is on par with the top two point guards in this year's draft.

Schroeder is a safe gamble here for Utah.

22. Brooklyn Nets: Rudy Gobert, PF, France

The Brooklyn Nets are a legitimate threat to trade down here, as they will not find very many value picks here that fit their needs. With that being said, Rudy Gobert is an intriguing player due to his 7'1" height and 7'9" wingspan.

Brooklyn needs a power forward, so why not invest in the future?

The Nets are strong enough at the 4 with Reggie Evans dominating the glass, but they need a future power forward. Gobert can be that player, as his raw game will take years of honing and his body is as intriguing as humanly possible.

Brooklyn takes a gamble, but one with little risk.

23. Indiana Pacers: Sergey Karasev, SG, Russia

The Indiana Pacers are a strong team through and through but lack the necessary depth to produce offensively. Danny Granger's potential return offers reason for intrigue, but Paul George is the team's small forward of the future, and Lance Stephenson keeps on getting better.

It's time for Indiana to find their sixth man.

Sergey Karasev has a strong offensive skill set, as he is more than capable of taking it off of the bounce and attacking the rim. Equally as importantly, Karasev can also step out for a three-point shot, which is something Indiana needs to improve.

They could be more inclined to land a college prospect such as Allen Crabbe, but Karasev is legitimate, and the Pacers will take that chance.

24. New York Knicks: Shane Larkin, PG, Miami Hurricanes

The New York Knicks need interior depth, but there just aren't enough qualified big men to make it work here. Instead, the Knicks will acknowledge what has proven to be the key to their success and the reason for their failure.

New York lives and dies by their point guard play, and two of their top floor generals are older than 35.

In order to cure those aging woes, they land one of the best point guards available in Shane Larkin out of Miami. Larkin doesn't have size on his side, but he's a fierce defender that racks up steals and locks down his man.

With dynamic playmaking ability and strong defensive abilities, Larkin gives the Knicks a clear cut choice at No. 24.

25. Los Angeles Clippers: Allen Crabbe, SG, California Golden Bears

The Los Angeles Clippers could go in multiple directions here, but it all ties back to the shooting guard position. They need to improve in the offensive half court, as they possess few players that can create their own shot or hit the three-ball with consistency.

Fortunately for L.A., Allen Crabbe possesses both of those traits and more.

Crabbe, a member of the California Golden Bears, has deep three-point range and a tight handle. He often played as a combo guard at Cal, which displays his ability to step up as a facilitator on top of being able to score.

The clincher here, however, is that Crabbe stands at 6'6" with a 6'11" wingspan and possesses a strong skill set with defensive upside—why pass up on this golden opportunity to land a local product with high two-way upside?

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Grizzlies): Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo is an enticing prospect, as he is a 6'9" point guard. With that being said, most fans and analysts that are jumping on his bandwagon are basing their evaluation off of YouTube clips and size.

Antetokounmpo is still a major risk, but not enough to fall any further than this.

Antetokounmpo could go in the lottery, albeit questionably, and thus help transform the image of a team. With that being said, it's the Timberwolves that appear most likely to gamble on a European prospect.

Not only is that a part of their identity, but they won't find much better value at No. 26 than this young man.

27. Denver Nuggets: Isaiah Canaan, PG, Murray State Racers

The Denver Nuggets are an elite offensive team, ranking first in scoring offense and third in assists per game. With that being said, Denver has a 37-year-old backup point guard and cannot shoot the three-ball.

It's time to address both of those needs.

Canaan stands at 6'0", but he has a wingspan just under 6'5" and shoots with range and consistency. He's strong, physical, quick and explodes off of screens both as a scorer and facilitator, which fits perfectly into what Denver needs in the half court.

Canaan is the type of player you'll be hearing a lot about as he develops into a fine NBA point guard.

28. San Antonio Spurs: Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky Wildcats

The San Antonio Spurs are a team with depth at every position, but they have an undeniable need to get younger and more athletic. Kawhi Leonard is a legitimate building block for the future, while Danny Green is a very strong defender with consistent three-point shooting ability.

With Manu Ginobili aging, however, the Spurs need to find a slasher to take his place in the long-term—Archie Goodwin can be that player.

Goodwin stands at 6'5" with a 6'9" wingspan and possesses the type of slashing athleticism necessary to thrive at the next level. His jump shot is less than consistent, but the Spurs have a long history of turning poor shooters—Leonard, for example—into strong ones.

Goodwin has very high upside and would be a very good fit in San Antonio.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Reggie Bullock, SF, North Carolina Tar Heels

The Oklahoma City Thunder have quality players at virtually every position, especially after they found their offensive center. With that being said, OKC still has a significant void that they must address at this point of the draft.

Their bench can't score when Kevin Martin's shot isn't falling.

Reggie Jackson has upside, and Martin is a sharpshooter, while Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III are young with potential. Even with that being known, however, the Thunder must find shooters if they're to continue living by the jump shot.

Reggie Bullock just so happens to be one of, if not the, best pure shooter in the draft.

30. Phoenix Suns (via Cavs, from Lakers): Tony Snell, SF, New Mexico Lobos

The options are limitless here, as the Phoenix Suns can either choose the best value or go for a player that fits a need, Conveniently, the Suns will be able to do both of those things at once by landing Tony Snell out of New Mexico, an athletic dynamo with consistent three-point shooting ability.

I'd rather see Phoenix go with Deshaun Thomas, as he has the upside to be a starting small forward at the next level. With that being said, the Suns were 28th in three-point field goal percentage during the 2012-13 regular season.

Snell's athleticism and three-point marksmanship are just too much to pass over, especially after he measured at 6'7" with a 6'11" wingspan, thus displaying defensive upside.

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Miami Heat Playoff Run Demonstrating the Real Problem with the Decision

Andrew Brining — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:45:00 -0400

"The Decision" was such a monumental nightmare that it obscured the real problem with LeBron James' actual decision to take his talents to the Miami Heat.

Namely, their collection of talent virtually guarantees them an annual trip to the NBA Finals regardless of whether they play their best basketball. Which means they can (do) coast along on the brute force of that advantage, even in the postseason, when intensity is supposedly maxed out.

And lackadaisical basketball on the sport's biggest stage isn't a good look for anyone, least of all the class of the league.

When King James joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh down in South Beach, you had a triumvirate of talent unlike anything else in the league.

LBJ is undoubtedly the best basketball player currently walking Planet Earth, and he's probably the most physically gifted cager of all time. Wade is well into the back nine of his career, but he was one of the most dynamic players in the Association during his peak years and can still channel a similar standard of play when feeling right.

Bosh takes a lot of heat (thank you) because much of what he does is awkward and, thus, hilarious to the Internet. But the man was drafted by the Toronto Raptors as a franchise centerpiece and was doing a decent impersonation of one before pulling up stakes for warmer climes and an infinitely better team.

Yes, Miami failed in its first bid for the hardware, but even transcendent talent will take a while to mesh when you're talking about any endeavor practiced at its highest level.

A reality evidenced by the Heat's 2012 Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and the others they're about to win. Even with Wade in decline, you've still got James and Bosh in their physical primes. Meanwhile, you're starting to see aging-but-still-effective athletes gravitate toward the American Airlines Arena and the promise of glory offered within—Ray Allen, Chris Andersen, Shane Battier and Rashard Lewis jump to mind.

Those guys aren't useful as primary, secondary or even tertiary options, but that's why Pat Riley has 'Bron, D-Wade and Bosh. When used as and sold on being role players—as they must be if they're even considering a contract with the franchise—they're significant weapons (granted, that might be too generous with regard to Lewis).

Really, though, it's about the Big Three.

With the trio acclimated to each other and relatively healthy, the Heat should breeze through the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and then beat either the San Antonio Spurs or Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Finals.

The Grizz could give LeBron and company a run for their money with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol inside, but the modern NBA is engineered to maximize the more fan-friendly perimeter play, which is Miami's bread and butter.

Consequently, while Memphis seems to stand the best chance, it's not a good one from where I sit.

Of course, the Heat's recent charlie foxtrot versus the Chicago Bulls has convinced a lot of people otherwise and for good reason.

Did you watch that series?

Some of the mess was Chicago's fault because Tom Thibodeau's crew made a conscious effort to slow things down in an attempt to neutralize their adversary's aforementioned bread and butter.

But Miami did its part to make the series an unsightly war of physical/mental attrition.

Most obviously, the South Beach boys fell for the Bulls' trick. They allowed themselves to be dragged into the muck, getting technicals of their own and generally taking the bait. But, hey, basketball is an emotional game, and it's never easy absorbing cheap shots, so let's give them a mulligan for that.

What was inexcusable was the Heat's blatant lack of focus and heart.

Instead of showing the pride of a champion and dismissing an overmatched team from the playoffs with extreme prejudice, Miami let Chicago hang around when it had no business doing so. The Heat dropped Game 1 in South Beach and let Chicago scratch its way back into Game 5 before clinching the series and moving on to the conference finals.

At first blush, that doesn't sound so bad.

Favorites lose a game or two in the postseason every year, and the Heat held on to win the decisive game after squandering a big lead.

Except that the Bulls are probably outgunned against the Heat even when 100-percent healthy, i.e. when Derrick Rose is on the court wreaking havoc in hyperdrive.

As you might've heard, D-Rose was not in uniform, but neither were Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich. Additionally, Joakim Noah was playing with plantar fasciitis, which is no picnic from what I hear, regardless of severity.

An underdog under ideal circumstances got exactly zero minutes from its Miana (Rose), regular-season leader in minutes per game (Deng), regular-season leader in points per game (Deng again) and regular-season leader in assists per game (Hinrich, who also finished fourth in minutes per game). For his part, the hobbled Noah was the club's regular-season leader in the rest of the major statistical categories and checked in at No. 2 with regard to minutes per game.

Consequently and with all due respect, you can take your "anyone can beat anyone at this level" platitudes and light them on fire.

A determined and focused Miami Heat team would've blown the doors right off their weakened opposition. You don't even have to take my word for it—just go back and watch tape of the Game 2 shellacking, the Game 4 romp or the stretches in Game 5 where LeBron and friends took Chicago behind the woodshed.

So how did the Heat drop Game 1 and allow the others to be so close?

Whatever happened to the "playoff mode" bluster?

I get that these are professional athletes, and they all have pride, but that's really the point: If they all have pride and Miami had a massive edge in talent...well?

Which brings us back to King James' decision.

This is why many call it the easy way out. He and his buddies have assembled a dazzling array of talent around an other-worldly nucleus. They've also created a buffer that can absorb lapses in concentration and/or effort that result in mediocre (for them) basketball.

And they're using that buffer.

You can't totally fault LeBron for choosing this route because it's smart from a competitive perspective. The goal is win a championship every year, and the game is unpredictable so, if you want to achieve the goal, you create as much margin for error as possible.

But it lacks a certain element of heart.

It's not Drake soft (Ghostface Killah's words; I don't know the man), but it's hard to imagine Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant making the same decision. For all their faults—and both men have their share—they went about their careers with a sort of wild competitive abandon that is more congruent to the world of sports than The Chosen One's colder, more calculated approach.

The drive to be the best seemed organic in MJ and Kobe while it almost feels like a marketing necessity for James.

While that's a meaningless distinction in the grand scheme of things, it's an important one if King James wants to be remembered as the greatest of all time.

The safety net of talent all but assures the championships necessary to be in the G.O.A.T discussion, but it's likely to keep LeBron James from gliding by the other legends in it.

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Figuring out What Went Wrong in New York Knicks' 2nd Round Loss

Mike Benjamin — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:25:39 -0400

We all know what the goal we had set. Everybody wants to win the championship: that’s the goal, that’s the ultimate goal…We’ll take this time off this offseason to regroup and come back better and stronger next season. – Carmelo Anthony, NBA.com.

Ay Dios mio! What happened?

This Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks played out like the tune of a disorganized swing band at the Hollywood Bowl. A brawl broke out between the brass and woodwind sections, and the thin Knicks got their reeds snapped.

New York wasn’t always this pitiful. Perhaps this Knicks team emptied their can of smack on the wrong set of foes, trampling most of the NBA—including the Pacers—during their season-ending 15-1 run. Carmelo Anthony was the headliner, stealing the scoring title fair and square from Kevin Durant.

The Knicks were the toast of the town and were primed to make good on their great expectations.

However, despite those great leaps, the second season’s start pointed to apparent demise. After a J.R. Smith elbow made sweet chin music with Jason Terry’s face in the Eastern quarterfinals, the Knicks began to play possum and feign doom. It was a move worthy of a daytime Emmy.

God bless the Boston Celtics. They play a mean live underdog. But the Knicks protected their house.

No matter. As the beautiful Dionne Warwick sings, a house is just not a home. The younger Pacers marched into Madison Square Garden with their work boots on and muddied up the pristine parquet, snatching Game 1 and forcing the Knicks to win a game under the yellow sea of Indiana Pacers tees.

As expected, road Game 3 was a total Knicks cop-out. Big Roy Hibbert danced on the Knicks with the grace of Alvin Ailey and the savvy of a certain San Antonio Hall of Famer, leaving Coach Woodson more shaken than Mobb Deep.

In fear, Coach Woody disavowed the small lineup pledge and instead gave his erratic hothead Kenyon Martin Game 4 starting minutes at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. It was a move that failed spectacularly.

Suddenly, with more Carmelo isolations and J.R. bricks than ever before, the Knicks were a game away from defeat.

Thank God for a good home crew. Those Gotham fans chewed their cuticles and cheered this squad back to Indianapolis, even though both teams played a disgusting Game 5.

It’s tough to be out of the playoffs, period…it hurts right now. That’s all I can really say. It hurts. – Raymond Felton, MSG Network.

Alas. Game 6, the Knicks' entertaining final number, would be given short shrift on the Pacers stage. It was Indianapolis’ night and season, with New York falling apart down the stretch like Bleek Gilliam’s final solo in Mo’ Better Blues.

J.R. Smith was 4-of-15 in Game 6. Raymond Felton was 0-of-7. Carmelo Anthony got his dunk blocked. And Jason Kidd flat left his hoop game in Macy’s Christmas Santaland. The Pacers were smarter, tougher and wiser, beating the older Knicks with a young man’s interpretation of the old man game.

Still, a round of applause is due the Knicks. New York won 60 games and a playoff series, racing to an exciting Game 6 finish like the thoroughbred horses that ran the Pimlico short track a few hours earlier. Like those stallions, the Knicks were slowed by a downpour (courtesy of Lance Stephenson) and now watch as their future becomes their present.

What happens now?

Yeah, it’s tough. It’s never easy to sit there and watch…it’s something that I think I’ll have to sit down with Coach Woody and express to him. – Amar'e Stoudemire, MSG Network.

Amar'e Stoudemire is owed more than $40 million in guaranteed dough over the next two seasons. Smith makes less than he's worth and is going to ask for more money. Tyson Chandler already has 12 good NBA years under his belt and is closing in on his 31st birthday. Anthony is at his physical peak. And the old guys (Kidd, Marcus Camby, et al) aren’t getting any younger.

Can the New York Knicks hold their championship window open for another season? Or will they just tease their fans like a girlfriend playing hard to get? Together, we’ll watch this new tale get told.

Vaya con Dios, Nueva York.

Mike Benjamin is an NBA Featured Columnist with Bleacher Report. Check out his stuff here and elsewhere, or just hit him up on Twitter: @MBauthor.

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5 Teams Guaranteed to Have an Interest in Trading for Pau Gasol

Hadarii Jones — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:01:36 -0400

I'm not sure which direction the Los Angeles Lakers will take when it comes to the future of forward Pau Gasol, but if he is made available this offseason there are at least a few teams that would be interested in acquiring the Spaniard.

Gasol is no longer the same player that he was in 2008, but he's still one of the most fundamentally skilled big men in the league, and the fact that his $19 million contract expires at the end of next season doesn't hurt either.

It shouldn't be difficult to draw interest for a player who has Gasol's talent and an expiring $19 million contract to boot, and the following slides will explore the teams who will be standing in the front of the line if the Lakers place Gasol on the open market.

Unfortunately for the Lakers there is little to no chance they will receive fair market value for Gasol if he is made available, so management must be creative by seeking a combination of young players and draft picks that offer a window into the future.

Begin Slideshow

NBA Draft 2013: Prospects Who Will Be Busts at Next Level

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

There’s plenty of impressive talent coming out of college and getting ready for the NBA, but some of these prospects are going to disappoint at the next level.

Players like Victor Oladipo and Anthony Bennett are likely going to become big names in the NBA, but a few guys likely won’t be able to progress at the next level. Whether it’s due to being unable to develop or playing against tougher competition, it simply seems like these guys won’t be the big names they want to be in the pros.

Here are a few players that likely will disappoint in the NBA.

Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

The Indiana Hoosiers were glad to have a force like Zeller on their team for the past few seasons, but it seems like his skill set won’t transition to the pros.

Zeller did a good job of penetrating the paint and playing in the post in college, but he seemed too soft inside. When going up against stronger opponents, Zeller struggled greatly.

His small frame makes him less likely to play center, and focus more on playing as a power forward. If he does play as a forward, he will need to work on his jumper, which he rarely used in college.

It’s hard to see Zeller being a great player in the NBA unless he works on his jumper or becomes tougher inside. Until either of those happens, Zeller has bust written all over.

Alex Len, C, Maryland

Len is a sexy pick at center, listed at 7’1’’. However, Andy Katz of ESPN reported that Len had surgery due to a stress fracture.

For big men, injuries can be really bothersome. Names like Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum quickly come to mind. Even if Len is able to come back healthy and make plays for a time, it feels like Len will struggle to stay healthy in the long run.

Even at 7’1’’, Len struggles with playing in traffic as a big man. When he gets to the next level, he will have to be able to guard strong athletics guys like Dwight Howard and Roy Hibbert. Free-throw shooting is also a concern, but that’s not surprising for a big man.

You never want to see a player have a career cut short due to injury, but Len is certainly a very risky pick after two solid but not incredible seasons at Maryland.

Shane Larkin, PG, Miami

Larkin is an incredible athlete, and there’s no denying it. According to Steve Kyler, Larkin had some impressive numbers at the NBA combine.

Even though Larkin is a freak athlete, that doesn’t always transition to the NBA. At 5’11’’, Larkin lacks the height he needs to have an edge on other point guards in the league. He still hasn’t developed an effective midrange game or a runner, and those are things you really need at the pro level.

Athleticism is always nice, but it feels like Larkin’s athleticism is making him too overhyped. He will likely disappoint quickly in the NBA when going up against point guards who are stingy defenders.

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What We Learned About the NY Knicks from Their 2nd-Round Playoff Series

Mathias Ask — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:06:40 -0400

The New York Knicks are out of the playoffs after losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games. The Knicks struggled offensively for most of the series and have only themselves to blame for missing out on a chance to play the Miami Heat in the conference finals.

After winning 54 games in the regular season, the Knicks didn’t live up to the expectations in the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers are a solid basketball team, but the Knickerbockers have every reason to be disappointed. With so many missed shots from their star players, they have to feel like they missed out on an opportunity to make something happen.

Here’s what we learned about the Knicks from their second-round matchup with the Pacers.

Carmelo Anthony’s playoff legacy remains up in the air

Whether or not this postseason was a success for Melo depends on whether you’re a glass half-full or a glass half-empty person.

On the plus side, Anthony helped the Knicks beat the Celtics and got out of the first round, which had been a hurdle for him and the Knicks in the past few years. Additionally, he had postseason highs in points and field-goal percentage in Game 6 against the Pacers.

On the other hand, many Knicks fans aren’t going to be satisfied by all those things. A division title is nice and beating Boston is always appreciated, but what these fans are really yearning for is a championship. As long as Melo can’t deliver on that promise, they will deem him a failure.

Melo was uninspiring in Games 3 and 4, which put the Knicks in a 3-1 hole that they never recovered from. He is 29 years old, and his time is running out.

Jason Kidd should strongly consider retirement

Jason Kidd didn’t have an amazing statistical season, but every Knicks fan would agree that he brought a lot more to the team than his regular-season averages of 6.0 PPG, 3.3 APG and 4.3 RPG.

That being said, his playoff performance was abysmal. When the Knicks needed him to be a leader and guide this team on the way to the conference finals, he was nowhere to be found.

His playoff stats are so horrible it’s almost hard to believe. He didn’t score a single point in the entire second round despite averaging 14.7 minutes. In fact, the last time Kidd scored at least one point was in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Boston Celtics.

If this is all Kidd has left in the tank, then he shouldn't come back for another season.

Iman Shumpert is the real deal

When the Knicks found themselves with a 10-point deficit late in the third quarter on Saturday, it wasn't Carmelo Anthony or even J.R. Smith who stepped up to get them back into the game. Instead, it was Iman Shumpert who knocked down three straight three-point shots to cut the Pacers’ lead to one point.

Saturday’s Game 6 was one of the best performances from Shumpert in the playoffs. Unlike a certain Smith, who shot just 28 percent from the field in the series and 4-of-15 in Game 6, Shumpert didn't cower. He showed that he’s someone the Knicks can count on in the future.

Shumpert is just 22 years old and one of the few players on this roster who could stay in New York for the long term. Knowing the Knicks, they will probably try to trade him soon and actually came close to a deal this season, but that would be a huge mistake.

The Knicks' big men let them down

There’s a lot of blame that can be put on the Knicks’ scorers, but the thing that hurt New York the most was that the Pacers were allowed to do whatever they wanted in the paint.

A mere week ago, Tyson Chandler was named to the All-Defensive First Team as the first Knick since Charles Oakley in 1994. Against the Pacers, Chandler didn’t look like he belonged in anyone’s defensive lineup.

He was completely dominated by Roy Hibbert, who averaged 13.3 PPG and 10.3 RPG in the series. While Chandler fouled out of Game 6 with just two points and six rebounds, Hibbert stepped up with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, including this rejection of Melo’s dunk attempt.

That being said, while Chandler deserves the lion’s share of the blame, he didn't get a lot of help from Amar’e Stoudemire or Kenyon Martin. The latter averaged just seven points and 3.7 rebounds in the series, and like Chandler, he fouled out of Game 6.

Stoudemire’s return to the court was one of the most anticipated events of the season, yet it ended up being completely anticlimatic. He averaged just 8.3 minutes and had no impact whatsoever on the series.

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NBA Playoff Schedule 2013: Where to Watch Conference Finals Action

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

The NBA Conference Finals are right around the corner, and the TV schedule has officially been released.

Few people are surprised that the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are still alive, but the Memphis Grizzlies have certainly turned some heads after toppling the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The winners of these two series will advance to the NBA Finals. Each team just needs four wins to be one step closer to a championship. With that being said, let’s go ahead and take a look at the schedule.

Note: Schedule provided by USAToday.com

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

All games on TNT at 8:30 p.m. ET

Game 1 – Wednesday, May 22 at Miami

Game 2 – Friday, May 24 at Miami

Game 3 – Sunday, May 26 at Indiana

Game 4 – Tuesday, May 28 at Indiana

Game 5 (if needed) – Thursday, May 30 at Miami

Game 6 (if needed) – Saturday, June 1 at Indiana

Game 7 (if needed) – Monday, June 3 at Miami

The Miami Heat are searching for their third straight appearance in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the the Pacers haven’t reached the Finals since 2000.

It’s no question that the Heat are the heavy favorite to win this series. After an incredible win streak of 27 games and a regular season record of 66-16, there’s little wonder why.

LeBron James will be looking to continue his goal of “not one, not two, not three” rings in his career.

For the Pacers, they’ve been relatively under-the-radar all year. With the absence of Danny Granger, this team wasn’t expected to do a lot. However, Frank Vogel and the starting five have done an excellent job keeping this team relevant thanks to solid scoring and incredible defense.

Paul George has been the star for this team, but David West has been the leader. The team is filled with young talent, but West has brought a veteran presence and has done a great job being a productive scorer while also motivating his team.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

All games on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET, excluding Game 1

Game 1 – Sunday, May 19, 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC at San Antonio

Game 2 – Tuesday, May 21 at San Antonio

Game 3 – Saturday, May 25 at Memphis

Game 4 – Monday, May 27 at Memphis

Game 5 (if needed) – Wednesday, May 29 at San Antonio

Game 6 (if needed) – Friday, May 31 at Memphis

Game 7 (if needed) – Sunday, June 2 at San Antonio

Surprisingly, the Spurs haven’t been to the Finals since 2007, when they beat LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Grizzlies have never been to the finals, but the franchise has continued to show signs of improvement over the past few years.

The Big Three of the Spurs in Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are getting old, and the chances of them winning another NBA championship are beginning to dwindle. They will be looking to potentially finish their careers on a high note, because there aren’t going to be many more chances after this season.

The Grizzlies were the best defensive team in the league during the regular season, allowing only 89.3 points per game. They don’t have a superstar, but they have some great players in Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley. This franchise has continued to get better year after year, and now they are in the hunt for an appearance in the finals.

Who will advance to the NBA Finals? The next few weeks should tell us that. Until then, get ready for some great basketball between some talented teams.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

2013 NBA Mock Draft: Projecting What Each Round 1 Team Must Do

Alex Kay — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:01 -0400

The 2013 NBA draft is rapidly approaching, with the scouting combine in the past and the lottery just around the corner.

Before the ping pong balls are pulled, it’s worth it to take another look at how the first round could play out and which prospects some of these teams may be interested in.

While the order likely won’t look like this after Tuesday’s drawing, this mock will serve as a guide for which players each club should gun for in June’s draft.

Let’s take a closer look at each pick and provide some analysis on how each player will impact the franchise that selects him.

1. Orlando Magic: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

If the Magic select Noel this pick, they will immediately improve their frontcourt once he gets on the floor.

The big man may not be available until Christmas time, but the Wildcats star is a perfect fit here. He’s a freakish athlete with incredible shot-blocking abilities, plus a nonstop motor and a high ceiling for the rest of his game.

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

The Bobcats direly need to bring in a top-notch scoring prospect, as they have been mired in the league’s basement for years now.

McLemore could help shoot the team out of there, as he possesses one of the best strokes in the class and is capable of lighting up the scoreboard in a hurry.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

Porter may not be the best pure scorer, but he does all the little things that will help turn the Cavs from a lottery team into a playoff contender.

The Hoyas star can defend, nail open treys, clean the glass, generate second-chance opportunities and more. He’s the ideal SF to compliment a backcourt featuring Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

4. Phoenix Suns: Cody Zeller, C, Indiana

Zeller improved his stock tremendously at the NBA scouting combine late last week, proving that he’s an athlete as well as a skilled finisher and excellent court-runner. The Suns need that sort of production in their frontcourt.

The Hoosiers star is ready to play now and could contribute significant minutes during his rookie campaign.

5. New Orleans Pelican: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

If he’s still on the board at No. 5, Burke will be nearly impossible for the Pelicans to pass up.

The Michigan point guard has all the intangibles and upside that current starter Greivis Vasquez is lacking, although it’s certainly possible that the team finds a way to play both players for significant stretches.

6. Sacramento Kings: Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

On paper, the Kings may not need another shooting guard, but the selection of Oladipo is much more about the culture and attitude of this club than its positional desires.

The IU guard is a relentless and infectious defender who doesn’t need the rock in his hands to make an impact. He can knock them down from anywhere when need be, but he won’t cost this team wins if he’s unable to fire up 15 shots in an evening.

7. Detroit Pistons: Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

Muhammad is the perfect wing player for a point-starved Detroit offense.

He has to work hard to prove that he can contribute in other areas, but as a pure scorer, the UCLA product is worthy of a top-10 selection.

8. Washington Wizards: Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

The Wizards will be elated to see Bennett fall to them here, as he could potentially go as high as No. 2 come draft day.

The UNLV star is a bit of a tweener, but his three-point range, slashing abilities, strength and rebounding skills allow him to play both the 3 and 4 with great effectiveness.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: C.J. McCollum, SG, Lehigh

Minnesota has to find a way to install a serviceable shooting guard next to Ricky Rubio in the backcourt this summer.

Free agency is one option, but drafting McCollum seems to be the wiser choice. This Lehigh product can simply score the basketball and will be a nightmare to match up with defensively due to his quickness and range.

10. Portland Trail Blazers: Alex Len, C, Maryland

Len is only scratching the surface of his potential, meaning he could become a rare big-man draft pick for the Blazers that actually pans out.

The Terps star has to become more aggressive and attack the basket with more ferocity, but he has the low-post moves to score at will and make a huge impact coming off the bench or possibly even starting during the 2013-14 campaign.

11. Philadelphia 76ers: Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

Olynyk will help the Sixers move past the failed Andrew Bynum era in a hurry, as he’ll be able to immediately come in and score the basketball.

It may take some time for this prospect’s defense to catch up, but he’s worth the risk here at No. 11

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto): Rudy Gobert, C, France

The Thunder have the luxury of taking a high-risk, high-reward player here, as they are still an NBA Finals contender with a fully healthy roster.

Gobert is a huge body with immense upside, but he has to work to improve in nearly every facet of the game before making the leap overseas.

13. Dallas Mavericks: Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

Saric is the top international star in this class. He’s young with solid size for the 3, displays a natural talent for passing, has a great feel for the game and could blossom into an elite scorer.

The Mavs are stuck in limbo right now, being too good to bottom out and not good enough to make a serious run, so it would be wise to take a risk in this weak draft.

14. Utah Jazz: Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

Carter-Williams is the perfect fit for Utah.

He’s a lengthy point guard who can easily defend, plus he grades out as the top facilitator in the class. The Orangeman should help set up Enes Kanter and the other up-and-coming Jazz bigs that will be looking to make the leap next season.

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Adetokunbo, SF, Greece

The Bucks are going to have a tough time landing a superstar in free agency, meaning their best bet to improve drastically is via the draft.

Adetokunbo is a super risky but potentially rewarding pick, as the “Greek Freak” is showing flashes of ridiculous upside and could possibly play anywhere on the court for this organization.

16. Boston Celtics: Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville

The C’s direly need to add size to prepare for the inevitable retirement of Kevin Garnett.

Dieng is the best big on the board and he has championship experience, helping lead the Cardinals to a national title in 2013. He’s raw offensively, but the center can protect the rim and defend his position.

17. Atlanta Hawks: Mason Plumlee, PF, Duke

Plumlee is a blue-collar prospect who likely won’t ever develop into a superstar, but will find a way to contribute on a nightly basis in the NBA.

He’s going to make a living banging for boards, defending his man, looking for a second-chance opportunity and winning the 50-50 balls. The Hawks need a “garbage man” on their roster, making this an ideal fit.

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston): Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

If Adams ever reaches his ceiling, the Hawks will have a legit center that could guard his position and possibly be an above-average scorer in the post.

However, the New Zealand native is years away and will need time in the D-League or end of the bench before he’s ready to play significant minutes in the NBA.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Lakers): Glen Rice Jr., SF, D-League

Don’t be surprised when the Cavs flip this pick to move up, bring in a veteran or score a future pick in another draft. They simply don’t need another rookie on a team chock-full of young pieces.

However, if they stand pat, Rice Jr. is the best available. He can back up both Waiters and Porter and has lit up the D-League with his scoring, rebounding and passing skills.

20. Chicago Bulls: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia

Chicago’s backcourt will look vastly different next season, with Derrick Rose healthy and KCP possibly contributing some defense and long-range shooting.

Considering that's all the Bulls really need from their off-guard, this pick almost makes too much sense.

21. Utah Jazz (via Golden State): Sergey Karasev, SF, Russia

The Jazz will need to bring in a long-range gunner to offset Carter-Williams’—their pick earlier in this mock—shooting deficiencies.

Karasev is the top sniper on the board and will be able to make an impact on American soil immediately. He can knock down shots from anywhere on the court, and that skill will translate seamlessly to the Association.

22. Brooklyn Nets: Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

Withey is a perfect backup center in Brooklyn. The seven-footer can defend his position and protect the rim. He’s not an offensive force, but he will give a good 15 to 20 minutes per night solely based on his size and capability to shield the paint from attackers when the starters are off the floor.

23. Indiana Pacers: Alex Abrines, SG, Spain

Abrines is an all-around 2 who may develop into one of the better players in this draft when all is said and done.

But that could take years, which is why a deep team like the Pacers will likely select the Spaniard and then stash him in Europe until he’s ready to make the leap.

24. New York Knicks: Shane Larkin, PG, Miami

Larkin put himself on the map at the combine, as he was one of the fastest and most athletic prospects to ever participate in the event.

That should put him firmly in the first round this June, with the New York Knicks snapping up the Hurricanes star in this mock.

Because of the age, injury and free agency concerns in the Knicks backcourt, there is a good chance Larkin could see major minutes at both the PG and SG spots next year.

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis): Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State

The T’Wolves will get an insurance policy for McCollum here and try to develop him into a serviceable backup and potential trade piece.

Franklin has to continue to work on his jumper before he’s a true NBA weapon, but the upside and athleticism is here.

26. Los Angeles Clippers: Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

Schroeder came to the Nike Hoops Summit and put on a clinic, helping lead the international team to victory against some of the best prep players in the country, numerous ones projected to be future lottery picks.

He’s a drive-and-dish point guard who can get into the lane and kick it out or score with equal proficiency. That would make him an ideal backup and possible replacement for Chris Paul and/or Eric Bledsoe in L.A.

27. Denver Nuggets: Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan

The Nuggets are deep, but they could always use another shooter.

Hardaway Jr. has to improve his shot selection and handle, but when he’s feeling it, this young man can rain buckets down on the opposition.

28. San Antonio Spurs: Allen Crabbe, SG, California

Crabbe is another streaky gunner who can impact a game with his volume chucking from the outside.

The Cal star is a bit prone to mental lapses and low percentage attempts, but he can be brilliant from deep when he’s on point.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

The Thunder would be adding another hyper-athletic talent to their roster with Goodwin at No. 29, but they would need to spend a lot of time developing him into a serviceable player.

Goodwin is inconsistent with his jumper and dribbles with reckless abandon—two areas that he must improve on in order to see minutes outside of blowouts.

30. Phoenix Suns (via Miami): Tony Mitchell, PF, North Texas

Mitchell is an athletic freak who can defend both forward positions and grab rebounds with ease.

If he ever comes along as a scorer, the Suns will have the steal of the draft on their hands.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

NBA Playoffs 2013: Biggest Weakness for Each Remaining Team

Tyler Brooke — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400

The five teams still in the NBA playoffs are all quite talented, but there are weaknesses that each team must work on fixing if they hope to take home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

These remaining teams have some big names and solid scorers, but what are they lacking? Each team has a weakness, and whether or not the opposing team exploits it will likely decide who will advance.

Indiana Pacers: Lack of Bench Scoring

The Pacers boast a solid starting five that can all score and play solid defense. Paul George has become the star player for the team, but the whole starting lineup has been playing very well.

While the starting five play well, they are lacking true scorers on the bench.

This team has been too consistent with scoring off of the bench all year. Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin have finally showed some flashes, but other than that, the Pacers bench hasn’t made much of an impact. Tyler Hansbrough has had some big games over the season, but during the playoffs he’s only averaged 4.5 points per game.

The absence of George Hill in Game 5 showed how badly this team needs its starters. If one or two players get into foul trouble early, the team is in trouble.

Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade Is Hurting

There are few weaknesses on the Heat, and that’s why they’re the favorite to win in the NBA Finals. The big problem right now is dealing with the injury concerns with Wade.

Wade has been dealing with a knee injury for some time now, and was day-to-day during the series against the Chicago Bulls. He looked a bit better in Game 5 of that series, scoring 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting. He also had a nice putback dunk late in the game, showing that maybe the knee isn’t too much of an issue.

Even with the big performance in his last game, the knee still has to be a concern. Whomever the Heat play in the conference finals will likely attack Wade more aggressively than they would have if he were healthy.

Memphis Grizzlies: Three-Point Shooting

The Grizzlies have been winning playoff games thanks to solid defense and scoring in the frontcourt. While those are two great strengths to have, this team isn’t doing much from long range.

So far in the playoffs, the team is only shooting 31.4 percent from downtown. Only three players are shooting over 30 percent from behind the arc, with Quincy Pondexter leading the way shooting 42.9 percent.

The absence of a deadly three-point shooter could spell trouble for the Grizzlies as they go against the Spurs. The Spurs match up well with the Grizzlies and their frontcourt, and that spells trouble for Memphis in the conference finals.

San Antonio Spurs: Dependence on the Three-Pointer

While the Grizzlies struggle shooting the three, the Spurs seem to depend heavily on it. When the shots from long range aren’t going, this team tends to have problems.

During the playoffs, the Spurs have attempted 20.2 three-pointers per game. On average, almost one in every four shots they take is a three-pointer. When those shots aren’t falling, this team has issues.

A team with a feisty backcourt can give the Spurs a lot of trouble. The Golden State Warriors were able to give them some trouble, but it wasn’t enough. The Grizzlies will need to stay aggressive and keep contesting shots behind the arc in order to upset the Spurs.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

Game Predictions for Grizzlies vs. Spurs in Western Conference Finals

Tom Firme — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:40:53 -0400

As the Memphis Grizzlies make not only their fans, but many other NBA fans believe this team can shake their sad past and reach the NBA Finals, they meet a San Antonio Spurs team determined to defy its core's age. While this Western Conference finals series is a rematch of a first-rounder from 2011, the Grizz and Spurs are situated quite differently now.

The Grizzlies' complexion is a bit different. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph share the frontcourt more evenly than they did then. Since the Rudy Gay trade, Mike Conley has started to play more like a lead guard than a caretaker.

The Spurs have shifted to deal with their age. Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green are settling into their scoring roles.

The Grizz shook aside the absence of Gay and took advantage of an injury to Manu Ginobili as they upended the top-seeded Spurs in six games. Randolph had three 25-10 games. Tim Duncan struggled mightily, averaging 12.7 points per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and turning it over 3.1 times per game.

Duncan is looking like his younger self in this postseason, averaging 18.7 points per game while holding a 27 percent usage rate and allowing 97 points per 100 possessions.

The two teams appear to be moving in opposite directions. Memphis is playing in their first conference finals in franchise history, with Conley and Gasol each arriving in his brilliant prime. The Spurs are transitioning from one dynasty's core to a future core. Their present outlook isn't pretty, considering how they haven't made the finals since 2007.

Here's a game-by-game look at whether the Grizz will grind forward to another first or the Spurs will step closer to reclaiming their old glory.

Advanced metrics come from basketball-reference.com.

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NBA Players Who Are Stepping Up and Stepping Down in 'Clutch Time' of Playoffs

Bryan Toporek — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:30:00 -0400

The 2013 NBA playoffs have featured no shortage of clutch heroics...just not from the usual suspects.

While stars like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry struggled at the end of close playoff games, the 5'9" Nate Robinson took over and dominated.

Nate Rob isn't the only surprisingly clutch player through the first few weeks, either. Through two full rounds, it's been a postseason of nontraditional stars stepping up in clutch situations.

Only 34 players have taken at least five field-goal attempts within the final five minutes of a game with their team ahead or behind by no more than five points. Of the 10 with the most clutch shot attempts, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah and Robinson, respectively, have been the most efficient.

With that in mind, let's take a look at which players and teams earn the "clutch" and "choker" labels through the second round of the 2013 playoffs.

Note: This is not a referendum on a player's overall career. I'm looking strictly at clutch stats in the playoffs here, nothing more. "Clutch time" means the final five minutes of a game in which neither team is ahead or behind by more than five points. All advanced statistics come from NBA.com/stats, unless otherwise noted.

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What LA Lakers Need from Kobe Bryant Next Season

Richard Le — Sun, 19 May 2013 05:14:51 -0400

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering next season with probably the most uncertainty they have faced in close to a decade. With their season in flux, the Lakers will need Kobe Bryant in a multitude of facets in order to keep their season and their future afloat.

Even their previous transitional period following the departure of Shaquille O'Neal was more secure because they knew they had Bryant (who was arguably the best player in the league at the time) to build around.

As the Lakers' tumultuous future approaches, the Lakers are going to need Bryant to be receptive to different scenarios. He is going to have to be open to doing what is best for the team and to stay loyal no matter what happens.

There is a very real possibility that Bryant can miss the majority of next season and come back as a shell of his former self.

In terms of on-court production, the Lakers can't expect the 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game he gave the Lakers this season. If Bryant does end up back in a Lakers uniform before the end of the regular season, expect some rust and some very mitigated minutes for the veteran.

While Bryant's drive and determination will urge him to try to be the Black Mamba of old, it's going to take Bryant some time to adjust. The Lakers cannot place the onus of the responsibility on Bryant to keep the team relevant once he does return.

Making roughly $30.0 million next season, perhaps Bryant's most useful contribution to the team is the fact that he is eligible for the Lakers to use the amnesty clause on.

By eradicating Bryant's contract from hindering the Lakers' salary cap, the Lakers will have a lot more capital with which to rebuild their roster.

Whether or not they re-sign Dwight Howard or not, amnestying Bryant will allow the Lakers a lot more financial flexibility to sign the types of players they need to either retool or to conform to Mike D'Antoni's original, run-and-gun vision.

Consider the fact that Kobe Bryant only has a year left on his contract. By using the amnesty clause on Bryant, the Black Mamba can spend the entire season rehabbing and working his way back into form.

This will allow Bryant more time to recoup instead of trying to rush back prematurely and will seriously relieve the Lakers' salary cap space.

If Bryant would be willing to do so, he can re-sign with the Lakers following the 2013-2014 NBA season on a discounted contract to finish his career with the Lakers in hopes that they've retooled sufficiently enough to contend for a championship one last time before he retires.

While it may seem like a slap in the face to Bryant if they were to amnesty him after all of his loyal years of service and the numerous titles he helped them win, it could really help the Lakers if Bryant were to conform to this plan.

What the Lakers really need from Bryant is a little more sacrifice and to absorb a blow to the ego. Amnestying Bryant could be the best thing to jump-start the Lakers back into the playoff picture.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

Ranking Best Coaches Remaining in 2013 NBA Playoffs

Stephen Fenech — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:16:25 -0400

Only four head coaches remain in the NBA playoffs, and they all guided their team to the conference finals in a different way.

None of the teams that are still alive have been forced to play in a seven-game series, but that could very well change in the upcoming rounds. The remaining teams are all very well coached, so it will take crisp and efficient performances to win games moving forward.

Don't expect many coaching errors as the end of the postseason draws near, as each head coach thoroughly understands their team and how to maximize its' strengths.

The coaches will be ranked using various criteria, with past success, their team's current form and overall performance this season each factoring in.

Just because a coach is having success with one team doesn't mean that same success could be easily extrapolated to a different situation. Just like anything else, certain coaches are better at dealing with certain players due to both personality and personnel reasons.

Who would you want leading your favorite team when it matters most?

Leave your preferred coach and reasoning in the comments section.

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Ranking Best 2013 Free Agent Fits for James Harden's Houston Rockets

Marshall Zweig — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:05:44 -0400

James Harden's Houston Rockets are back on the NBA map as a destination for available players. And with a Brinks truck full of cap space at their disposal, the Rockets are likely going to land a big-time free agent.

The Rockets have about $15 million to spend, and with arguably the most creative accounting department in the NBA at their disposal, they might be able to come up with a few more bucks on top of that.

The only starting rotation spot currently up for grabs is the power forward position. I am bullish on Thomas Robinson, but he needs time to develop.

Thus, every player I offer up, even the ones that are best known for playing the center position, I propose would play at the 4. Omer Asik would remain at the 5.

Also, this article is about best fits, so issues like whether or not the player is likely to get a better salary offer from his current team, for example, will not be discussed.

Time to play prognosticator.

Which potential max-contract guy would make the biggest difference on these Rockets?

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How the NBA Playoffs Would Have Played out Without Injuries to Stars

Luke Petkac — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:02:34 -0400

That's right. The NBA playoffs with no injuries. How great would that be? For once there wouldn't be any second-guessing or any talk of asterisks being thrown onto titles. We would definitively know the best team in the NBA.

Of course, since that's never going to happen, we'll just have to dream it up instead. Let's start by re-seeding each conference. If each team is perfectly healthy, the regular season standings change quite a bit and the playoff seeding has to reflect that. We'll start with the East.

Eastern Conference

Miami Heat
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
New York Knicks
Brooklyn Nets
Atlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers
Boston Celtics

The top three seeds are cemented.

We know that Miami's good for 60-some wins, and Chicago's good for around that as well, so they're an easy choice for the top two seeds. Indiana gets third since it's way scarier with a healthy Danny Granger in the lineup—he provides just the kind of outside shooting they need (38 percent from three last year) and Paul George has proved that he can play the 2 and the 3 interchangeably (per 82games.com).

New York and Brooklyn both slide down to their respective spots, setting up a fun first-round matchup. Atlanta gets Lou Williams back, but still slips to No. 6 in the new standings, and at No. 7 sits our lone new entrant in the East, the Andrew Bynum-led Philadelphia 76ers!

Obviously we don't really know how the 76ers would do with Bynum at the helm, but he is one of the best offensive centers in the game and certainly a better defender than Spencer Hawes (though Spence can give him a run in the hair department). Since the 76ers still run a a bizarre (read: terrible) offensive system that favors mid-range jumpers (per NBA.com), the seventh seed seems about right.

Boston at No. 8 might sound weird—injuries hurt this team a lot, and Rajon Rondo is a legitimate superstar. But the Celtics were 20-23 before Rondo's injury and significantly better offensively with him on the bench (per NBA.com). It's hard to imagine them missing the playoffs with or without him, but anything higher than No. 8 would be a stretch.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Lakers

You could make a case for San Antonio as the first seed if Tony Parker is healthy for the whole season, but other than that, the first five seeds are easy picks. Minnesota makes the biggest jump of any team in the league since Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and Brandon Roy (just to name a few) all missed significant time this year.

A 31-win season may not sound all that impressive, but no team was hit harder by injuries this year. Minnesota was getting serious minutes from the very, very end of their bench. Fully healthy, the Timberwolves absolutely could have been a 50-win team. They get the sixth seed.

That knocks Golden State down to No. 7 and leaves the eighth seed open for...the Los Angeles Lakers. The Dallas Mavericks come close—they won nearly 60 percent of their games after Dirk Nowitzki returned to the starting lineup—and the Houston Rockets are also in the mix. But the Lakers were hit hardest by injury and squeak into the playoffs despite some big roster issues.

Sorry, Mavericks and Rockets fans. Better luck next year.

Now let's get to the games.

Conference Quarterfinals:

Miami Heat over Boston Celtics, 4-2

Even a healthy Rondo isn't likely to save the Celtics from the Heat, but Boston could still give Miami a hell of a series. The Celtics have always played this Heat team close, and Avery Bradley and Jeff Green guard Dwyane Wade and LeBron James as well as or better than just about anyone.

Plus, playoff Rondo is a one-of-a-kind game changer/triple-double machine. But even in a tight series, the Celtics just don't have the athleticism or speed to keep up with the Heat over seven games.

Chicago Bulls over Philadelphia 76ers, 4-1

Not a lot of good for Philadelphia in this series. The Bulls match or exceed the 76ers in their two main areas of strength (point guard and center), but they have a significantly better defensive and offensive system. The Bynum-Jrue Holiday pairing is enough to steal a game in Philly, but this series is all Bulls.

Indiana Pacers over Atlanta Hawks, 4-2
For obvious reasons. Sorry, Lou Williams. I'm sure you tried your best.

New York Knicks over Brooklyn Nets, 4-2

Now this would be a fun matchup. Brooklyn and New York split the regular season series 2-2 and looked pretty evenly matched throughout.

On paper, the Nets look more than capable of beating the Knicks. Deron Williams is still a top-flight point guard, Brook Lopez is arguably the league's best scoring center and Gerald Wallace is a big wing defender who won't get bullied in the post by Carmelo Anthony. Looks pretty good.

However, the Nets also finished 20th in the league at defending the three-point line (per NBA.com)—a huge liability against the sharp-shooting Knicks. It's also hard to look at the Nets' lack of depth (glaring) and repeated meltdowns against the Bulls (even more so) and expect too much from them.

Oklahoma City Thunder over Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1

This is pretty much the nightmare of all matchups for the Lakers, who just can't compete with the Thunder's athleticism and prowess in transition. Dwight Howard has had some struggles against Kendrick Perkins historically, and Steve Nash has virtually no chance of even slowing down Russell Westbrook.

OKC is also deeper and younger, and its small-ball lineups can murder Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant is always good to steal a game or so, but the Lakers don't have much of a chance in this series.

San Antonio Spurs over Golden State Warriors, 4-1

Yeah, yeah, Golden State just took two games off of San Antonio. But here's the thing—that was without David Lee. With Lee healthy, the Warriors are actually less likely to beat the Spurs.

It's not like Lee is a bad player. Sure, he's a poor defender, but he's a good low-post scorer, has a solid mid-range game and is an excellent passer for his size. However, it wasn't until Lee was injured that the Warriors discovered just how much better they were when Stephen Curry had the ball in his hands.

As Grantland's Zach Lowe wrote after Game 2 of the Warriors-Spurs series:

Giving Curry the ball more, and allowing him a certain degree of selfishness, has turned out to be a brilliant idea. That one change, and all the ripple effects that stem from it, have absolutely broken two very good NBA defenses through eight postseason games — an admittedly small sample size. A 45 percent 3-point shooter given total freedom to shoot off the dribble on the pick-and-roll is an anomaly for which NBA defenses just aren’t prepared. It is a glitch in the program.

Basically, no one knew how to defend stuff like this.

Danny Green was eventually able to bottle up Curry and help secure a Spurs series victory, but the Warriors discovered their true identity after Lee's injury. They're a small-ball team that excels thanks to Curry's off-the-screen brilliance and its top-ranked three-point shooting. The team's just plain better with Curry running the show. So they only take one game from the Spurs.

Denver Nuggets over Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-2

Minnesota certainly has the best player in the series in Kevin Love, but Denver is still ridiculously deep and a league best 38-3 at home. In fact, if the Nuggets' schedule wasn't absurdly difficult to start the year (17 of their first 23 games were on the road), they would have easily been in the mix for the top seed in the West.

The Nuggets also have far more small-ball options with a healthy Danilo Gallinari, and the Timberwolves won't be able to run with them or protect the rim for a full 48 minutes. Minnesota's superior passing and outside game would be fun to watch, but the Nuggets take the series.

Memphis Grizzlies over Los Angeles Clippers, 4-3

Yet another series that actually happened. Blake Griffin's improved health is enough to steal the Clippers another game, but everything we saw a few weeks ago suggests that Los Angeles has no answers for the Grizzlies' physicality and lockdown perimeter defense.

Conference Semifinals

Miami Heat over New York Knicks, 4-2

New York won the regular season matchup handily, but the playoffs are a whole different ballgame and not one that favors the Knicks' offense. As we're seeing against the Pacers, the Knicks just can't score when they're not hitting threes.

The Pacers protect the three-point line better than anyone, and they've held the Knicks to 33 percent shooting from behind the arc (per NBA.com). Miami doesn't have quite the defense Indiana does, but it's just as athletic (if not more so) and after struggling to start the year was among the best teams at defending the three-point line by its end (per NBA.com).

It's worth pointing out that the Heat don't have an elite defensive big to funnel ball-handlers towards like the Pacers do, but their pressure defense would also be a big nuisance to the Knicks' pick-and-roll attack. And that means a lot of Carmelo Anthony isos. Maybe he can go supernova every game (as he did against them earlier in the year), but it's not something to count on.

Chicago Bulls over Indiana Pacers, 4-3

This is clearly a defensive battle and one in which Chicago has to be slightly favored. Slightly.

The Bulls have two elite wing defenders to throw at Paul George and Danny Granger, and their defensive strategy is actually perfect against a team like the Pacers. Chicago collapses hard on any dribble penetration and forces ball-handlers to kick the ball outside or take a heavily contested shot at the rim. It doesn't work against a great three-point shooting team, but against a team with one or no knockdown shooters...it's devastating.

It's hard to see the Pacers mustering up enough points to knock off the Bulls even if the series is tightly contested. And since Derrick Rose finally gives Chicago the shot creator they beyond desperately need, they have just enough firepower to win a grind-it-out series.

Oklahoma City Thunder over Memphis Grizzlies, 4-2

Russell Westbrook gives Oklahoma City a fairly hefty edge here.

Memphis murdered the OKC starting lineup without Westbrook, holding them to a net rating of -17.7 for the series (per NBA.com). Basically, the Grizzlies were able to roam free of almost every other Thunder player on the court. They'd double team Kevin Durant off of picks, trap him, collapse on him every time he drove...not a fun series for the Thunder star.

Westbrook changes all of that. With Westbrook, the OKC starting lineup was second best in the league statistically (via NBA.com), putting up a net rating of 12.3. Not only does Westbrook take some play-making pressure away from Durant, he's also a sneaky good off-ball player, and he and Durant have a great two-man game established.

The series is still closer than the final tally would indicate, but Westbrook is more than enough to push the needle OKC's way.

Denver Nuggets over San Antonio Spurs: 4-3

This is a tough one. San Antonio's a well-rounded machine, but Denver was a second-half juggernaut (they went 34-9 following Wilson Chandler's return) and has all the tools to beat them.

Chandler and Danilo Gallinari give the Nuggets nearly unmatched flexibility when they go small, something that the Spurs can't match even with Kawhi Leonard at the 4. San Antonio's also surprisingly weak in its transition defense, giving up the sixth-most fast-break points per game (via NBA.com). Not great against a team that likes to run as much as Denver.

San Antonio does have the advantage in the half-court, but Denver was much-improved by the end of the year, and the Spurs have a surprising tendency to get mid-range dependent against good defenses. Denver takes it and finally gets the “stars don't matter” win George Karl has always wanted.

Conference Finals

Miami Heat over Chicago Bulls, 4-3

Derrick Rose and Luol Deng obviously provide Chicago a huge boost and make the series a whole lot tighter. But in the end, the Bulls are still faced with the same problem they had when they lost to the Heat in 2011—they have no other playmaker to take pressure off of Rose.

There's nothing to stop Miami from keying on Rose and forcing the other Bulls to create their own shots, which as most people have noticed, they can't really do. Nate Robinson might be the exception, but a Robinson-Rose backcourt would get chewed up defensively no matter who's on the floor with them.

This Chicago team, when healthy, is better than the 2011 team. But the Heat have taken a big step forward too, and the holes in its roster are much smaller than those of Chicago. The Bulls fight hard all the way, but come up short in a tight series.

Oklahoma City Thunder over Denver Nuggets, 4-3

As good as a healthy Denver squad is, a healthy OKC squad is even better. That's all there really is to it.

The Nuggets actually won a really close regular season series 3-1, but playoff basketball is very different, and the Thunder neutralize a lot of their biggest strengths. Not only does OKC have the athletes to run with Denver, it actually has even better small-ball options.

Anytime Denver goes small, OKC can simply counter by throwing Durant at the 4, where he's been absolutely petrifying this season (per 82games.com). The Nuggets thrive on their smaller lineups, and with that advantage out the window, they're pretty vulnerable.

Of course, that's assuming that Scott Brooks actually chooses to go small rather than just play Kendrick Perkins, which isn't totally out of the question (more on that later).

The Thunder have by far the two best players in the series. Ty Lawson has always been strangely passive when he faces Russell Westbrook (he averaged just 12 points and five assists per game against OKC this season via ESPN) and Durant in particular has had some big playoff moments against Denver in the past. The Nuggets are near unstoppable at home, but it's not enough to take down the Thunder.

NBA Finals

Miami Heat over Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-2

NBA Finals rematch!

It's worth mentioning that last season's Finals was much closer than it appeared. Every game was tight and swung on three or four plays despite the fact that James Harden had a truly terrible series (so even his loss doesn't really factor in). It's genuinely a pretty even matchup.

So why do the Thunder lose in six? Because they play big too much, that's why. When the Heat go small (which they do roughly 80 percent of the time), the only way to beat them is to match their speed, athleticism and outside shooting or to go big and hope to crush them on the glass.

OKC seemed to try the latter last season, playing Kendrick Perkins nearly 25 minutes per game in the series. Perk certainly has his value, but it lies in his post defense, not in his rebounding (he averaged just six boards per game this season). He wasn't able to defend Chris Bosh at the elbow, and offensively he was a non-factor. It was a disaster.

That was last season, but after witnessing the Thunder lose to the Memphis Grizzlies in five, it's clear that nothing has changed. Perkins still plays too many minutes in games in which he doesn't provide much value, and the Thunder suffer because of it.

That's the biggest reason the Thunder don't beat Miami in these imaginary Finals. In last year's Finals, Durant averaged a scorching 31 points per game on 55 percent shooting and Westbrook had a pantheon performance in Game 4, and it still didn't matter.

The pair could probably surpass those numbers this season, but it doesn't change the fact that the Thunder don't always have the right guys out on the floor or that LeBron James happens to be really, really good at basketball. Miami takes it all.

Conclusion

It may not be the most exciting conclusion, but there it is. Miami takes home the trophy. Whether or not that's what's going to happen in the real playoffs...only time will tell.

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Mike Woodson After Playoff Exit: 'I Take Full Responsibility'

Daniel O'Brien — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:16:58 -0400

In the aftermath of the New York Knicks' series-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, head coach Mike Woodson faced many questions about his approach in the postseason.

In his postgame press conference, he didn't point any fingers at anyone but himself:

"At the end of the day, we didn't get it done. And, me being the head coach, I take full responsibility of that."

Woodson's squad allowed Indiana to pound the ball in the paint and consistently get to the free-throw line. In Game 6, New York committed 34 fouls and gave the Pacers 46 foul tosses.

While Knicks fans were tempted to blame officials for the loss, Woodson would do no such thing:

"I'm not blaming the officials.We had our chances and just didn't get it done." - Mike Woodson
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 19, 2013

Woodson's approach to this series wasn't approved by everyone, as many questioned his personnel decisions and offensive strategy.

Did he play Chris Copeland enough? Did he play Amar'e Stoudemire enough? Why did he let J.R. Smith ruin the series? Why couldn't he adjust quickly enough to get New York out of its stagnant offense?

All of these questions will be thrown at Woodson in the coming days, as there are some who think he should be on thin ice:

Mike Woodson is a good coach; he also grossly mismanaged this series. The Knicks have to think about this during the offseason.
— Noam Schiller (@noamschiller) May 19, 2013

But when you really look at it, was it his fault the Knicks are going home early?

New York was a veteran-laden group, and the only post player who could supply offense was the oft-injured Amar'e Stoudemire.

It was a perimeter-based roster that struggled to win whenever the outside shooting suffered. And the Pacers were a matchup nightmare from a personnel standpoint.

You could argue Woodson should have tweaked the offense better mid-series, but there was only so much he could do with the group of aging shooters he had on the team.

Do you think Woodson failed the Knicks, or was he just doing the best with the roster he had? Make your voice heard in the comments section below.

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2nd-Round Draft Prospects Guaranteed to Interest the Dallas Mavericks

Ross Bentley — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:07:12 -0400

While much of the attention is being focused on what will happen in the NBA lottery, there can be potential value in all 60 picks on draft night.

Just in recent years, Marc Gasol, Gilbert Arenas, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Boozer are among the players picked in the second round of the NBA draft who went on to become All-Stars in their NBA careers.

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks picked up Jae Crowder in the second round, who ended up being a solid rotation player for the club, and Bernard James, who got some playing time at the center position as well.

While this may not be a strong draft class up front, plenty of players who are currently projected not to be first-round picks could end up making a serious impact in the NBA.

The Mavericks need all the help they can get if they want to get back into the playoff mix, and if they play their cards right, they could end up getting a second-round pick who can help their squad.

Here are some potential second-rounders who will be capturing the Mavericks' attention in the next month.

C Jeff Withey

Depending on where you look, Jeff Withey is either projected as a late-first- or early-second-round draft pick, and if he does slip into Round 2, the Mavericks should do whatever they can to bring him in.

The Mavericks are in need of a big man who can make a difference defensively, and that is certainly where Withey could come in.

Withey is a legitimate 7-footer who averaged over eight rebounds and three blocks a game at Kansas last year. He is excellent at protecting the basket and could give the Mavericks a great backup, or even starting, center for years to come if he can develop his offensive game.

PG Myck Kabongo

Myck Kabongo is an under-the-radar point guard prospect who could easily fall into the mid-second round come draft night.

However, Kabongo has shown in his college career that he has the ability when he is on the court to be a serious playmaker.

Kabongo is an excellent passer and is extremely quick in the open floor, and he also operates very well in the pick-and-roll.

Kabongo isn't a good shooter and still needs to get much stronger defensively, which is why he will slip to the second round. However, if the Mavericks can bring him in and slowly build him into the rotation, he could end up being a huge bargain.

SF Adonis Thomas

Adonis Thomas out of Memphis is a player who could be exactly what the Mavericks are looking for late in the draft.

Thomas is a work-in-progress on the offensive end, but the former Memphis standout is an extremely tough and gritty player who can end up being a bruiser defensively.

Thomas can use his athleticism to rebound the ball effectively at the pro level, and he could be a player who develops into a stopper if he can work on his perimeter game.

The Mavericks already have a player similar to Thomas on their roster in Jae Crowder, but if Dallas decides to part ways with Crowder via a trade in the offseason, it would be nice to have Thomas there to take on that role.

PG Nate Wolters

Nate Wolters may end up being limited on the defensive end and needs to bulk up and improve his quickness if he wants to make it in the NBA.

However, one thing is for sure, Wolters can flat-out score the basketball.

Wolters can shoot from distance, get into the lane, hit free throws, and he also has the ability to get his teammates involved in the game.

He has a great presence on the court and a high basketball IQ. It would be smart for the Mavericks to at least consider Wolters if he is still on the board when Dallas picks in the second round.

C Dewayne Dedmon

If Dallas still finds itself without a big man in the second round, it may want to look into USC big man Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon without a doubt had a disappointing college career. He never made the impact that many believed he would in SoCal and has big strides ahead of him if he wants to make it in the NBA.

Still, Dedmon has serious potential, especially on the defensive end. Considering that he didn't even pick up basketball until age 18, Dedmon has come a long way and should only continue to improve.

Make no mistake, Dedmon is a project, but with his shot-blocking ability to go along with his athleticism, he could be worth taking a flyer on in the second round.

SG Vander Blue

Anyone who watched Marquette's run to the Elite Eight in last year's NCAA tournament can tell you: Vander Blue can straight-up play.

Blue's jump shot may be unconventional, he needs to improve his ball-handling, and his basketball IQ simply must get better.

However, Blue is a playmaker, and even though his jumper is a bit unconventional, it is still highly effective. He can create for himself off the dribble and hit the jumper, or get to the rim. Defensively, Blue's quickness and athleticism should make him a good NBA defender.

The Mavericks took a chance last year in the middle of the second round on a Marquette player who was undervalued, and they may be smart to do the same this year with Vander Blue.

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