Buster's Second Round Recap

The second round of the NBA playoffs have officially ended. Some people are very happy with the results, others (us Thunder fans) are not! Two out of the four series ended in upsets, although many people predicted them to happen. Take a look at how the second round went.

Eastern Conference:
#1 Miami vs. #5 Chicago (Heat in 5)
Miami handled this series just as everyone thought. I personally thought the series would go to seven. After Chicago stumped Miami in the first game I thought maybe the world was wrong. Miami came out agressive and focused for the next four games. Miami has now won four straight games twice in two years. They won four in a row last year after losing to the Thunder in game 1 of the Finals, and four games in a row this year after losing game 1 to the Bulls. They may have the best player in the world on their team (and every NBA official) but this will be their last series to win this season. The Heat averaged 97.4 points per game in this series.

#2 New York vs. #3 Indiana (Pacers in 6)
I love it when I am right! Indiana took a quick 3-1 lead in this series that looked as if they weren't gonna lose another game. Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith were no match for George Hill and David West as they won this series in game six. I again predicted this series to go to game 7, but I am completely happy with the outcome of this series. The Pacers are a team that could have beaten Miami at this time last year, but lost due to their inexperience and the lack of a solid big man. This team now has both, and with David West joining the roster they are ready to take on the defending champions. The Pacers averaged a low 89.5 points per game in this series.

I went a solid 2-0 in the East! Now lets take a look at how I did in the West...

Western Conference:
#1 Oklahoma City vs. #5 Memphis (Grizzles in 5)
This is one of those ones where I was right, but I am very sad that I predicted it right. I did pick them to beat the Thunder in game 7, but Memphis only needed five to send us on vacation. I am okay with losing to the Grizzlies. They will be in the Finals, and have the best chance of bringing a title home to the West. With the loss of Russell Westbrook and the poor play of all of our big men (not just Kendrick Perkins) we stood no chance against Mike Conley and the big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. They were way to physical for us inside and on the defensive side of the ball. Say what you want, but the Thunder got straight up out played and out hustled. The Grizzlies averaged 93.6 points per game in this series.

#2 San Antonio vs. #6 Golden State (Spurs in 6)
This was the only series that I did not pick correctly. Golden State gave the Spurs all they wanted and more. No doubt in my mind that if David Lee is healthy and playing that the Warriors win this series or at least send it to game 7. San Antonio slipped through this series do to their excellent shooting and experience. The big question is, can they keep this going now that they are tired? I'm not completely sure they can, but I am terrified to doubt them. When you have the best power forward of all time and the most points scored in the playoffs by a point guard on your team it is hard to pick against them. The Spurs averaged the most points in the second round with 102 per game!

I went 1-1 in the West, leaving my total at three out of four. CMan beat me again this round, but I will see if I can get him in the Conference Finals!

Buster's NBA Playoff Second Round Matchups and Predictions

The first round went pretty much as expected with the exception of two games. But who really thought that Golden State would come back on Denver, and that Blake Griffin and the Clippers would be out coached and not physical enough. The first round is all about craziness. Now that things are a little more serious, lets see how I can do on the second round predictions. Lets start with the East and save the conference everyone really cares about for last.

Eastern Conference:

#1 Miami vs. #5 Chicago
Being rested up and 100% is one of the most important parts of being successful in the playoffs. Miami is well rested after the sweep of the Bucks. Chicago however, will be winded considering they just closed out a seven game series against Brooklyn yesterday. This series may be more about the return of Derrick Rose, rather than how this series actually plays out. Even with the return of D Rose, the Bulls cannot hang with the Heat for seven games. Rose will not be in game shape, nor is he likely to be feeling 100% if he does get a few minutes here and there in this series. Chicago will give Miami all they want, but in the long run they are no match for the defense and explosive offense of Miami. Miami wins this series 4-2.

#2 New York vs. #3 Indiana
This series is the one to watch for this second round if you ask me. I strongly believe the winner of this series will beat Miami. Indiana was an outstanding team last year who barely lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. They are eager to make it past this round of the tournament, and I think they will do so. As my buddy CMan mentioned Carmelo Anthony is having shoulder problems, and with JR Smith you never know what you are gonna get. One night he comes off the bench and shoots 50% for 19 points and the next he is shooting 21%. This is a series that very well could be finished in just five games. But having the scoring champion and the sixth man of the year will buy the Knicks two, maybe three games. The Pacers win this series 4-3

Western Conference:
#1 Oklahoma City vs. #5 Memphis
I have been dreading writing about this series ever since I found out we would be playing the Grizzlies. It is gonna come down to who I think will win this series, and who I want to win this series. Everything in me wants me to pick the Thunder to win this series, but Memphis is just too quick and physical on the inside. Without the offensive explosiveness of Russell Westbrook I think the Thunder will struggle to score against Tony Allen and the defensive player of the year Marc Gasol. Can the Thunder win this series? Absolutely, and I will be pulling for them as hard as I possibly can. Reggie Jackson will need to continue his play, while Nick Collison gets more minutes off the bench. Kevin Martin is going to have to step up like he did in game 6 against Houston, and Kendrick Perkins is going to have to shut down Zach Randolph on the defensive side of the ball. This series could go either way, but I think the Grizzlies win 4-3.(I hope I am wrong!)

#2 San Antonio vs. #6 Golden State
This is really going to be a fun series to watch! The slow and fundamental play of the Spurs, against the fast pace offense of the Warriors. I think that Golden State will win this series if they play their best possible basketball (I know, I know, I picked two upsets in the West). The question will be if they can play their best possible basketball and shut down Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Golden State averaged more points than anyone in the playoffs last round with 107.2 points per game. I really do not think that the Spurs can slow them down, or put up the amount of points that Golden State will. Again I am picking a seven game series, Golden State wins 4-3.

There it is, my second round predictions! Make sure you give us a follow on the top right side of the blog so you never miss any of the action! Keep checking in throughout the second round to see how we did on our predictions!

CMan's NBA Playoff First Round Matchups and Predictions

It's Playoff time again in the NBA! Welcome to the longest and most drawn out playoff format in professional sports. But, it's why they play the regular season.

I am going to do a quick breakdown of the first round match ups with predictions. Buster and I will be going head to head throughout the playoffs. May the best (or luckiest) man win.

To keep you interested, I am going to start in the East. This should force you to read all match ups until I get to the one everybody is waiting for, The Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here we go;

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE:

#1 Miami (66-16)  vs #8 Milwaukee (34-44)

 To begin with, any team that can't play .500 basketball during the regular season shouldn't qualify for the playoffs. But, we don't make the rules and they do need 8 teams to be fair. On the other hand, if the Heat were given a bye in this round, the results would be the same. The Bucks are a scrappy team but the Heat will want to take advantage of extra rest by sending the Bucks fishing early. Miami wins in a sweep, 4-0.

#2 New York (54-28) vs #7 Boston (41-40)

The Celtics have an emotional edge in this first round match up. The Boston marathon bombings are fresh in the minds of every American and the loss of Rajon Rondo for the season spurred Boston to pretty decent play in his absence. However, the emotion of recent events will probably only last until the tip-off of game 3 in The Garden, and maybe not even then if the Celtics limp in 0-2. Carmelo Anthony proved in the last half of the season that he can do what he wants if he puts his mind to it. The supporting staff led by Tyson Chandler will have winning on their mind and nothing else. I think emotion will give Boston at least 1 win in the series, maybe 2. The Garden remains one of the toughest home court advantages in the East and the Celtics still have Pierce and Garnett. But, it won't be enough to win the series. Knicks win 4-2.

#3 Indiana (49-32) vs  #6 Atlanta (44-38)

The Pacers are the best bet to unseat the Heat in the East this year. The Pacers won 2 of 3 from Miami this season and played them well. But,  they have to get past the Hawks first. The Atlanta Hawks, much like their NFL counterpart the Falcons, seem to play well in the regular season but falter in the playoffs. The Pacers pose a real threat. They are a complete team with out a real stand out superstar. They play solid team defense and score enough to win more often than lose. They are a tough match up for anyone. The Pacers have their eyes on a trip to Miami in the conference finals and they will see this series as warm up. I'll give the Hawks a game at home but I see the Pacers winning easy in the series. Pacers win 4-1.

#4 Brooklyn (49-33) vs #5 Chicago (45-37)

This series is a tough one to call. The Nets have been up and down this year and the Bulls have been dealt some bad breaks. The Bull's have proven that they can win in the playoffs with out Rose and win big. They went in to the playoffs last year as the team no one wanted to play, they come in this year the same way. I'm not sold on the Nets yet and won't be till they win a series. The Bulls have history and tradition, the Net's have a new name and address. I'm going to call this a back and forth series coming down to a 7th and deciding game. If the Bulls can get it to a game 7,  I say they take the series. Chicago, in a tough series, 4-3.


THE WESTERN CONFERENCE:


#1 Oklahoma City (60-22) vs #8 Houston (45-37)

I'll try not to be a homer here. When you look at this match up from a purely statistical standpoint, it's pretty darn even. Heck,  the Rockets even top the Thunder in several statistical categories. I covered most of Oklahoma City's weaknesses in my previous blog. They seem to have corrected most of them in the last two weeks of the season. This is the first round of the playoffs - statistics are thrown out the window, at least for the first couple of games. The Thunder tasted both sweet success and bitter defeat last year and they want redemption. They are a better team than the Rockets and when they play to their potential, they don't often get beat. They also have recent, valuable playoff experience that the Rockets lack. I'll give the Rockets a home win, just for the Harden factor, but the Thunder win the rest. OKC  wins 4-1.

#2 San Antonio (58-24) vs #7 LA Lakers (45-37)

Once the Spurs realized that the Thunder would likely take the top seed, they promptly secured the #2 seed by losing a couple of their last games. Kobe Bryant predicted that the Lakers would reach the playoffs, and they did, but they will have to go forward with out him. the Lakers did win their last game against the Rockets,  assuring that they wouldn't have to face their nemesis in Oklahoma City. LA has no desire to play the Thunder in a series. They won't fare much better with the Spurs. Popovich doesn't lose many series, especially in the first round. The Lakers can play well without Kobe, but not against quality competition, and not for a 7 game series. Will the Lakers win a game? Maybe. Will they challenge for the series? No. Spurs win, 4-1.

#3 Denver (57-25) vs #6 Golden State (47-35)

This should be a lopsided series in favor of the Nuggets. George Karl knows playoff basketball and Denver plays tough all the time. The loss of Gallinari will be tough to overcome in a 7 game series but Denver should find a way. Golden State is a good team but they don't have the year in year out playoff experience that the Nuggets do. The Warriors will compete but, in the end, the the Nuggets should win the series pretty easily. In fact, Denver in a sweep, 4-0.

#4 LA Clippers (56-26) vs #5 Memphis (56-26)

This series matches two teams that couldn't be any different. The high flying Clippers against the stingy, defensive minded Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are the team that no one wants to play in the West. They are playoff hardened and hungry. The Clippers are coming off a record season for the historically worst team in the West. They do have the best all round point guard in Chris Paul and the ever improving Blake Griffin. The Grizzlies counter with attitude and a simple lack of fear for any opponent. If the Clippers play fast, team ball and Paul controls the environment,  they will win. However, I think this comes down to a game 7 in the City of Angels. Clippers win, in a tough series, 4-3.

There you have it. If you were looking for a stat filled blog with statistical reasons for winners and losers, I apologize but that blog would have been long and boring. Hey, It's the first round. We will get a little deeper in to the numbers in the latter rounds, when they really matter.

I still believe the Oklahoma City Thunder will get through the West and claim their second consecutive Western Conference Championship. I'm not so sure about the Heat. They can't be near as hungry as they were last year. Although, they have proven that they can turn their game on and off at will. The Pacers and Knicks will have something to say about it before the dust settles. If I am wrong, get ready for a rematch of last years NBA finals.

For Buster.

Buster's NBA Playoff First Round Matchups and Predictions

We have made it through all 82 games of the regular season, and it is finally time for the payoff. There is nothing more exciting to watch in the sports world than the NBA Playoffs, unless of course, your team didn’t make it.(Sorry once again Bobcat fans)

Here is a quick breakdown of the first round match ups with predictions. My buddy CGilmartin and I will be going head to head throughout the entire playoffs. The winner of each round will be announced on our Twitter page.


Eastern Conference:

#1 Miami (66-16) vs. #8 Milwaukee (34-44)
Anyone who says that the Eastern Conference is better than the West should just take a look at this matchup to realize that they are wrong. When the eighth seed in your bracket has lost ten more games than they have won, something is seriously wrong. Miami will have no problem winning this series, but will give up one game in Milwaukee. It is bound to happen, its Miami, they always give up one! Miami wins 4-1.

#2 New York (54-28) vs. #7 Boston (41-40)
Wow, so much to say about this one and the city of Boston. Such a tragedy where it is very difficult to find any good out of what happened. The entire city will want to show to the world that they are going to overcome this. There isn't a better chance than to make a run in the playoffs. However, without the leader in assist in the NBA, Rajon Rondo, it will be difficult for this team to find that offensive spark they once had. Carmelo Anthony is showing no signs of slowing down his offensive pace and will run right through Boston. I hate to say it, but New York wins in a sweep 4-0.

#3 Indiana (49-32) vs. #6 Atlanta (44-38)
The Pacers are the team that I predicted to be in the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the beginning of the season. Despite the adversity and injuries this team had to overcome, I am going to stay with that prediction. Josh Smith and Al Horford will give Indiana all they want on the boards and through scoring, but Paul George and Roy Hibbert won't be having any of that as they defeat Atlanta in six games. Indiana wins 4-2.

#4 Brooklyn (49-33) vs. #5 Chicago (45-37)
This series has the potential to be one of the sloppiest series of the entire first round. Chicago has proven to be a team who can win without D Rose, and will have to continue to do so in order to win. Because there is no sign of his return anytime soon. Keep an eye out for Nate Robinson to continue his hot steak off the bench. He will give Chicago that spark they need to make it through this series. Brooklyn will look for their big man Brook Lopez to lead them with his 19.4 points per game. Joakim Noah is listed as doubtful for the first game of this series, however, this will not be enough for Brooklyn to make it through this one. Chicago wins 4-2.

Western Conference:

#1 Oklahoma City (60-22) vs. #8 Houston (45-37)
Isn't it crazy that here we are one year from last year playing against once our very own, James Harden? If you would have told me at the beginning of the season that we would be playing Houston in the first round against James Harden, I would have said you're crazy! I am not a big believer in "Linsanity" but I do think that Harden and Lin are good enough to steal one from the Thunder in Houston. This should be a very easy series for the Thunder to manage, they win 4-1.

#2 San Antonio (58-24) vs. #7 LA Lakers (45-37)
The Lakers had one of the worst starts to a season in a long time. Bringing in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash should have solved all of their problems from last year right? Well it obviously didn't as this team had to win their final games to qualify for the playoffs. The tragic loss of Kobe Bryant due to his torn Achilles, kill all chances of the Lakers even winning a game this year in the playoffs. I wish for a speedy recovery for Kobe Bean, because he will be needed, next season. San Antonio wins in an easy sweep 4-0.

#3 Denver (57-25) vs. #6 Golden State (47-35)
Golden State is one of my favorite teams to watch in the NBA. The Warriors will give Memphis all they want in this one. Stephen Curry and David Lee will provide real problems for Denver. They combine for one of the best duo's in the league. The Nuggets will be led by Ty Lawson and the defense over Kenneth Faried. Denver will barely escape from this one, and win the series 4-2.

#4 LA Clippers (56-26) vs. #5 Memphis (56-26)
These teams having the same record had pretty much an identical season. Both teams looked like they could win the Conference at times, but also had times of being one of the worst teams. The high flying and explosive Clippers will be a great match up for the outstanding defense of Memphis. Memphis will give the Clips some struggles, but Blake Griffin and Chris Paul will take care of this one in six. The Clippers win 4-2.

There you have it, the very simple predictions of the first round. We will get more into detail as the playoffs continue. But right now this is all you get. I really do believe that the Thunder have what it takes to get back to the Finals again. Miami on the other hand, they will have to turn their game up to make it back. The Pacers WILL beat the Heat and make it to the NBA Finals. Make sure you subscribe to our blog for updates throughout the entire playoffs. You won't want to miss anything!

The Thunder are a great team.........of players.

During the Thunder/Pacers game the other night an interesting stat was flashed on the screen.The stat illustrated that the Thunder were the fourth worst team in the NBA at assist per field goal made at just over 56%. Oddly enough, the Thunders next opponent, the New York Knicks were the worst. The Spurs lead the NBA at just over 65%.  For the Record the Thunder's ratio in Sunday's loss to the Knicks was 51% to New York's 48%.

Anyone that knows me as a person and a coach will tell you that I am a team guy. If you follow my Thunder tweets,  I constantly mention the number, or lack of, helpers. I'm not just looking at the guards for helpers, they should come from everyone. The Knicks beat the Thunder Sunday, in part, by ball movement. They found the open shooter more often than not. Having said that, It would be unfair to not point out that while they found the open man, the shots didn't always fall. The Knicks put up 93 shots to the Thunder's 78. OKC was certainly more efficient. However, we do have some glaring weaknesses that are not shared by past NBA Champions or other championship contenders. Allow me to break them down.

Team ball....

This is a team sport and, as such, requires the participation of each man on the court. Otherwise, we should just throw Durant and Westbrook out there by themselves and call it a game. Any one up for a little 2 on 5? I didn't think so. To be fair, the Thunder do play a great game of team ball..most of the game. And, when they do, they are almost unbeatable. But, it is my contention, that Champions play team ball for an entire game. The Spurs do,  but their age is catching up to them. The Heat can turn it on and off like a light switch and they do, depending on their mood or opponent. in fact, our reserves often keep or increase a lead by playing really good team ball. A big reason the reserves play solid team ball is that Durant and Westbrook are on the bench and outside of Kevin Martin we don't have a real go to guy on the second or third team. To put it simply, they have to.

Extended isolation....

Our starters, on the other hand, seem to depend to much on isolation plays or taking quick jumpers. When it works its great. When is doesn't, the quick jumper leads to short possession's and almost always a defensive rebound, in part because the rest of our team hasn't had time to get back to the paint and block out. It also typically provides a fast break opportunity for the opponent. The isolation play allows the defense to stack on the player with the ball and freezes the rest of our players as they literally watch the isolation play unfold. This usually leads to a poor shot, a deflection or a steal. If the shot does hit the rim, our players, still frozen, are often not in position to fight for the rebound.

Panic Ball......

Our starters have a tendency to try and speed up the game when they are behind. It's as if they are attempting to take the lead in a series of quick possessions. They seem to forget that an NBA game is a long game and leads are built with a combination of sustained offensive efficiency and defensive stops. This behavior typically leads to quick, contested shots, sloppy passing and turnovers. Panic ball is easily recognizable. It is usually led by Westbrook and is followed by the, now famous, chorus of fans bemoaning the Westbrook groan that can be heard throughout the Thunder nation. The scene unfolds like this; Westbrook receives an outlet pass from a rebound and quickly races to his favorite spot at the top corner of the paint and releases a frantic jumper that, usually misses, and is quickly rebounded by the opponent. On occasion he will pass to a heavily guarded Durant, who either puts up a quick three or turns the ball over. in either case the success rate is probably less than 20% and leads to a Brooks timeout.

The Opponents offensive rebound...

Consider this interesting, but scary pair of stats. The Thunder are #2 in the league at denying opponents a defensive rebound, but are 28th in the league at preventing the opponents offensive rebound.  In most cases we are headed to our offensive end as the opponent shoots in anticipation of a fast break opportunity leaving our opponent by themselves to get the rebound and put back. Translation - Our guys grab our missed shots at a pretty high pace but they also allow the opponent to grab more of their misses. The result is that we are every bit as good on our offensive end as we are bad on our defensive end at getting and giving second chance shots. Unfortunately we are 28th in the league in second chance scoring.

The turnover...

The turnover is probably our biggest Achilles heel. Kevin Durant has increased his rebounding totals and assist numbers this year by  astonishing margins. he has also become a turnover machine as a result. As a team the Thunder rank 28th in turnovers (15.1 per game), 27th in assist to turnover ratio (1.385) and 25th in turnovers per possession (1 every 15.9). Most of our turns are the result of ill advised passes in to the paint. The others are mainly poor ball handling. Turnovers have plagued the Thunder from the beginning of their existence. Too many - too often.

Am I being to hard?......

Look, the Thunder are a championship caliber team. They have won consecutive division titles and are in position for a third. They have a conference championship and played for the NBA title. Fifty wins a season has become common for this team and they win in the toughest conference in the NBA. They have proven themselves to be solid contenders for an NBA title every year. However, the weaknesses in their game are real and not shared by the other top teams in the NBA.

The pass....

I've been a soccer coach for years and the first lesson I teach my teams is that the ball moves faster than a defender. Passing is the best offensive weapon you have and the better you are at passing, the more dangerous the weapon. You end up forcing the defense to chase the ball,  preventing them from solidifying a defensive position. And, it wears them out. The same philosophy applies to basketball. The Knicks proved that on our floor Sunday afternoon.The Spurs and Heat show us every time we play them. Efficient ball movement, coupled with timely and effective picks, opens passing lanes, driving lanes and leaves shooters with mostly uncontested shots.

Rebounding....

This is a no-brainer. Offensive rebounding extends the possession and enhance scoring chances. Most are simple put backs by the rebounder. Perimeter chances are enhanced by the fact that the defense is in the paint and not guarding the perimeter allowing for timely passes out for efficient jumpers. Defensive rebounding simply results in a stop. The more stops we get the better chance we have to win. We can start the fast break but our bigs need to stay back and protect our paint.

The good news...

When we play as a team we are really good. When we play as a team we can beat anyone, and usually do. Our team is still very young despite our success. A lot of our mistakes can be explained by youth and a growing mental toughness. Russell Westbrook is a great example a player whose growth in mental toughness has been experienced by every Thunder fan. Our coach is still young and growing in his profession. Scott Brooks and the team have progressed every year and I am confident that Sam Presti and Clay Bennett will continue to make more good decisions than bad ones. I know we, as fans, want it all now but we must remain patient. Consider that Michael Jordan played 6 years before winning his first championship. LeBron James waited 8 years and played for two teams before he won his first. Patience. Will we win the NBA championship this year? I don't know. But, I am confident that we are doing the little things required each and every day, in games and practice, that will eventually result in one or more Championship rings.

For Buster.

Thunder Update 5: Eric Maynor Trade

The Oklahoma City Thunder are now on a three game losing streak. The Thunder lost in Utah last Tuesday by a score of 109-94. After flying back home to the "Peake" the next Thursday, they suffered a 110-100 loss to the Miami Heat. Kevin Durant did out score LeBron with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to push through the rest of the Heat and their explosive defense. OKC had almost an entire week off due to the all-star break until they played in Houston last night. Oklahoma City got off to a slow start trailing 36-29 at the end of the first quarter. The Thunder rallied a come back and headed into halftime with the 62-57 lead. Oklahoma City would lead for the entire third quarter and until the 1:11 mark of the fourth quarter. The Thunder had a 12 point lead with 4:30 minutes remaining in the game. With Nick Collison fouling out and Kevin Durant not being able to through a rock into the ocean, OKC just couldn't hold on to the lead. The Thunder lost a heartbreaker with the final score being 122-119. In spite of the tough loss, Kevin Durant recorded his second career triple double. He finished with the stat line of: 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Thabo Sefolosha was the performer of the game with 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assist.

Oklahoma City will play their next game on Friday night in the "Thunder Dome" against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game will be played at 7:00pm. The Thunder have not lost four games in a row since Russel Westbrook joined the Thunder. OKC has beaten the Timberwolves in 13 out of their last 14 meetings. The Thunder are 2-0 this season against Minnesota. The first match up was a rather close game with the final score being 99-93. As for the second matchup, not so close, the Thunder won by a score of 106-84. Oklahoma has not lost four in a row since the 2008-2009 season. We have won sixteen straight home games against Western Conference teams. On top of all this, the defense will be greatly improved with the return of Kendrick Perkins from his knee injury. Oklahoma will have to stay focused after the departure of teammate Eric Maynor who was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Thursday, February 21, just minutes before the trade deadline Eric Maynor was traded to the Portland Trailblazers. Maynor did lose his job as back up point guard to Reggie Jackson 25 games into the season. Maynor averaged less than 11 minutes per game in the 37 games he played for the Thunder this year. Eric Maynor was traded for for 2.2 million dollar trade exception and the draft rights of Giorgio Printezis. Giorgio Printezis was drafted in 2007 as the 58 overall pick. His draft rights have been tossed around from team to team until finally landing here in Oklahoma City. Giorgio Printezis is currently playing in Athens for the Olympiacos. Eric Maynor will have a better career in Portland and receive much better playing time. Also just before the trade deadline we were informed that Ronnie Brewer will be traded to Oklahoma City for a second round draft pick in the 2014 draft. Ronnie Brewer will bring to the table just as much defense as Thabo Sefolosha as well as a whopping 3.6 points per game. If your looking for Ronnie Brewer to bring the leadership and team chemistry that Dereck Fisher did last season, your not gonna find it. It will be interesting to see how the Thunder bring the new team together as they make a push to return to the NBA Finals again.

Giorgio Printezis left, Ronnie Brewer right.


Here are the current standings through 54 games:
*2/21/13 Note Worthy: Washington passes Orlando for third place in the Southeast division.
Eastern Conference Standings:

Atlantic:
New York(32-19)
Brooklyn(33-22)
Boston(28-26)
Philadelphia(22-30)
Toronto(22-33)

Central:
Indiana(33-21)
Chicago(31-22)
Milwaukee(26-27)
Detroit(22-34)
Cleveland(17-37)

Southeast:
Miami(37-14)
Atlanta(29-23)
Washington(15-37)
Orlando(15-39)
Charlotte(13-41)

Western Conference Standings:

Southwest:
San Antonio(43-12)
Memphis(35-18)
Houston(30-26)
Dallas(24-29)
New Orleans(19-36)

Northwest:
Oklahoma City(37-12)
Denver(32-18)
Utah(28-22)
Portland(25-24)
Minnesota(18-28)

Pacific:
LA Clippers(39-17)
Golden St.(31-23)
LA Lakers(26-29)
Sacramento(19-36)
Phoenix(18-37)

NBA Standings 1/24/13

Eastern Conference Standings

Atlantic:
New York(25-14)
Brooklyn(26-16)
Boston(20-21)
Philadelphia(17-25)
Toronto(15-27)

Central:
Chicago(25-16)
Indiana(26-17)
Milwaukee(22-18)
Detroit(16-26)
Cleveland(11-32)

Southeast:
Miami(27-12)
Atlanta(24-18)
Orlando(14-27)
Charlotte(10-32)
Washington(9-31)

Western Conference Standings

Southwest:
San Antonio(34-11)
Memphis(27-14)
Houston(22-22)
Dallas(18-24)
New Orleans(14-28)

Northwest:
Oklahoma City(33-10)
Denver(26-18)
Utah(23-19)
Portland(21-21)
Minnesota(17-22)

Pacific:
LA Clippers(32-11)
Golden St.(26-15)
LA Lakers(17-25)
Sacramento(16-27)
Phoenix(14-28)