Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday March 5th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
LeBron James - What a massive statement for LeBron in the last 10 games. He is getting the extended player of the week as James is averaging nearly 33 points a game along with being 52 percent from three and shooting over 60 percent from the field. Do you think James was a little pissed off at the hype Kevin Durant was getting? I bet LeBron reads Sportandfashion-news and sick and tired of seeing 'This week in Kevin Durant' therefore we are adding LBJ to the mix. James' strong play has become the difference in propelling the Heat winning the last eight of 10. I am happy this is a friendly rivalry and LeBron is taking over becoming more selfish because he damn well can whenever he wants due to being the best in the world.

Kevin Love - We should have given Love this honor last week, and I did not so this is my apology. Love had a massive February and it did not stop in March. He put 33 points and 19 rebounds against Denver on Monday dominating the Nuggets as well as getting a win against Sacramento where Love flirted with a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The last time Love did not have a double-double where he played in the game was January 27th against Chicago. If Minnesota finds themselves in the playoffs, Love deserves to get some MVP votes. I do not know expect him to win it, but he is more than deserving right now.

This week in Kevin Durant
After Oklahoma City lost three straight, they have won three straight beating the likes of Memphis, Charlotte and Philadelphia. Durant disposed of Philadelphia with 42 points and nine rebounds. He also added 37 points against the Grizzlies which is like scoring 50 on most defenses.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Owner of the Week
Mark Cuban -  Cubes thinks the D-League would be a better option than the NCAA. I disagree. What's broken is the fact guys only have to stay for a year. They honestly need to have a baseball system where either high school is the choice or two or three years in college. One-and-Done is broken. If you do not know believe it, look what's happening at Kentucky basketball.

Team of the Week
Chicago Bulls - Being a neighbor from the south, you typically do not root for Chicago. Honestly, I like the Bulls when they are not playing Milwaukee. It is hard not to like Tom Thibodeau and respect what he does with the little talent he has on the roster. What if he had a team full of stars, could he make them a 65 win team? I am dead serious about that question too. Bulls are fourth in the Eastern Conference and pushing towards the third spot. People do not want to face Chicago in the playoffs, and they are hot as of late winning their last 10 of 12 games.

Team of the Weak
Denver Nuggets - It is time Denver embraces the tank. Their entire team is injured and lost their last 14 of 17 games which is bailed out by a short two game winning streak against Los Angeles and Milwaukee in early February. Nuggets need to just shut it down and try to get as high of a draft pick as humanly possible. If the Nuggets could add a Marcus Smart to their team, they become instantly better with the wealth of good talent they are already have on this team whom all currently sitting on the bench or not playing right now. At least Ty Lawson blew up Corey Brewer's ankles. (h/t @cjzero)



Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Kevin Garnett - Tonight will be the third straight game where Garnett is missing for back spasms. Should this concern you are a Brooklyn fan? Absolutely. Garnett always had some issues with his back in recent years, and it appears to be acting up on him again. This could be damaging news for Brooklyn and their playoff hopes if Garnett battles back injury for the rest of the year.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else. 


This young Knicks fan is the greatest.  



John Wall did a step over on Kyle Lowry, respect. (H/T @Truth_About_It)

Check out @StephensonLance's 'Sir Lance A Lent' @and1basketball Aqua Mid PEs for tonight: http://t.co/KgJ9UdOQw3 pic.twitter.com/MUBykuAbjr
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 4, 2014

Lance Stephenson's Mardi Gras shoes last night. First, they are great. Second, I did not know AND1 still made shoes for NBA players.

Charlie. 

Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday February 5th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Al Jefferson - Big Al might have gotten snubbed from an All-Star spot, and he is playing like one right now as his last five games have been impressive to say the least as Charlotte is on a west coast road trip. Jefferson had 30 plus points in four of their last five games along with 10 or more rebounds in all of those games. Big Al's crowing achievement this week happened against Los Angeles Lakers where he had 40 points with 18 rebounds in a road win for Charlotte. He is a physical force playing efficiently shooting well over 50 percent in those games as well. It will be interesting to see if Jefferson gets an opportunity at an All-Star berth if a few players drop out.

Kevin Love - Death. Taxes. and Kevin Love filling up the box scores. What a week for this guy. The last two games against Atlanta and Los Angeles Lakers have featured big stat dumps by Love with 43 points and 19 rebounds versus the Hawks in a losing effort. Then last night, Minnesota defeated the Lakers with Love going for 31 points and 17 rebounds. In 10 of Love's last eleven, he had more than 10 rebounds meaning he is continuing his tear as a double-double machine. Like Jefferson, he had 30 or more points in four of his last five games. Love justified why he deserves to be a starter at the All-Star Game next year. Also worth noting, Love's last 30-15 night was pretty special...

Crazy stat of the day: Kevin Love posted his 25th career 30-Pt, 15-Reb game breaking Kevin Garnett's T-Wolves record - in 582 fewer games.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2014

This week in Kevin Durant
After a great performance against Miami where Durant kept his 30-plus point scoring streak alive, it came to an end in a win against Brooklyn. Durant said 'it felt good to not have that pressure' meaning KD was pretty sick of everyone talking about how he was playing on a nightly basis. In January, Durant was the first player since Michael Jordan in 1987 with at least 550 points and 90 assists in a month. Only four other players have done it in a month. He also had 31 points, eight rebounds and assists in a win against Memphis. Oklahoma City as a team is still red hot despite their loss to Washington over the weekend.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Mike Dunleavy and Boogie Cousins - What exactly is the point at poking the bear that is Boogie Cousins. These two have apparent beef, and it appears like we need a good ole fashion brawl between the two guys to settle things. Cousins called Dunleavy a 'clown' after Sacramento's blowout win against Chicago on Monday night. Dunleavy pulled a seventh grade move and replied with 'He's the one that's a clown.' The classic 'I know you are but what am I?!' move from Dunleavy. If you guys are mad at each other, throw down on the court, not through the media.

Team of the Week
Memphis Grizzlies - Even though the Grizz fell to Oklahoma City this week, they have won eleven of their last 13 games pushing towards a playoff spot as they are one game back from Dallas for the eighth spot. It is still very early for the playoffs, but it feels like Memphis is rounding into form. Mike Conley's injury is not as serious as some people believed when it happened last Friday as he will only miss a week. I had my concerns with Memphis regarding the make up of their team, but it appears they have figured out how to make all work efficiently which is a good sign for the future.

Team of the Weak
Cleveland Cavaliers - Remember when this team traded for Luol Deng, and everyone thought they would make a push towards the playoff? This has not happened with the Cavs as they dropped their last five games and lost eight of their last 10 games. There were rumors about Kyrie Irving wanting out of Cleveland as well not making this losing streak any easier on the team. It is evident there is an issue with this game whether it is the front office, players or the lack of coaching. With the bad Eastern Conference bottom half, Cleveland is not completely dead, but they need to improve on their 5-20 road record if they want to put themselves back into contention.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Nate Robinson - He is done for the year with a knee injury which adds to mounting injury problems for Denver. Robinson is instant offense, and a great bench compliment to Ty Lawson. He will now be shelved along with Danillo Gallinari and JaVale McGee on this Denver team. Weirdly enough, you would think Andre Miller might get a chance, but that does not look like it's happening as Brian Shaw is going with a two point guard situation with Randy Foye and Lawson starting for them.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else

Randy Foye hit a game-winner on Monday that was tremendous. (H/T @JDonSports)



J.R Smith crosses over Anthony Bennett and throws it down.



Joakim Noah is upset. This might shock you but he was ejected and fined after this tirade.

If you somehow missed Tony Parker's free throw from last week, worth the view and if you have seen it, always helps to laugh again. (Barstool Sports: Chicago) 

Sportandfashion-news Future NBA Power Rankings: 19.) - 15.)

by Adam Hatlak, edited by Charlie Tritschler.  

Late December/early January is generally when the NBA starts to heat up. For this NBA season, this is especially true. With all of the injuries to major stars and one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent memory coming up, the landscape of the NBA is in store for a major shakeup. Due to all the changes, now is a good time to look at what the NBA will look like for the next 3-5 years. These Power Rankings were made from a fan’s perspective including many different variables: probability of future success, likeability of organization, trust in front office, and ability to acquire/retain quality players. All of the criteria are applied for the next 3-5 years, as anything further into the future is increasingly more difficult to predict. 

Teams ranked from 30.) - 25.) 
Teams ranked from 24) - 20.)
  

19.) Cleveland Cavaliers
Key Assets: Kyrie Irving, Luol Deng, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varejao.

Reason for Hope: Irving is one of the best young players in the NBA and now with Paul George fully developed; Kyrie seems most likely to take the jump to true superstar status. Thompson has developed above what his early ceiling seemed to be, which also gives some hope for Anthony Bennett (Ed. note: Incredible the first overall pick of last year's draft is not a key asset nor does he deserve to be, what a world -CT). There’s a role for Waiters in the NBA, it’s just not as a starting guard, if the Cavs can find a way to make him a sixth man, his contributions will likely skyrocket. Varejao is a valuable trade chip for a desperate playoff bound team needing help on the front-line; he can be used to bring back some future value. Turning Andrew Bynum into Deng was a good move for the Cavs given that they can sign him long term.

Reason for Concern: The Cavs have been a mess this season, a season in which they hoped to turn the corner to playoff contender and set themselves up for a run at the future. Instead, they have taken a step backwards. Irving faced injury concerns throughout his career and possesses questions marks on the defensive end. Bringing in Bynum turned into a complete fiasco. There have been locker room problems, personality clashes, and a lot more losses. There was hope for a long time that LeBron James would come back, and pair with a new sidekick in Irving, but it is looking more and more likely that they will stay in the lottery for the near future.

Key Decision Looming: How do they keep Irving? There were long shot dreams of luring James back in free agency, now that those are gone, the team must focus on convincing Irving not to follow James’ path. Acquiring Deng was a step in the right direction, but needs additional follow-up. If Waiters and Irving continue to clash, the team will have to move Waiters, and keeping Thompson will likely need to stay as well. Regardless of what happens to Thompson and Waiters, Irving will need a quality running mate, either acquired in the lottery this season, or free agency. Cavs fans should be concerned about losing Irving for nothing.

18.) Philadelphia 76ers
Key Assets: Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams, Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, 2 first round picks in 2014, Sam Hinkie.

Reason for Hope: This team has so many assets for the future. Carter-Williams and Noel are a good haul from a weak 2013 draft, and they also possess two first round picks this year. Adding two potential lottery players to this team could make a solid rotation of four, with Noel potentially being the weakest link. If they hit on all of these picks, they could be a legit title contender in a few years. Although it seems unlikely, if Turner and Young were willing to stay on past the rebuilding point, they could be great off the bench players for a developing Philadelphia team. Hinkie seems like the type of basketball mind that will make the correct decisions in this year’s loaded draft. It is entirely possible that they walk away the winners of the 2014 draft.

Reason for Concern: There is a lot of young talent on this team, and future talent coming in as well, but they need to find some guys who can shoot. Noel, Carter-Williams, Young and Turner all seem to be players who struggle at shooting a high percentage. A team can handle having a few of those types of players on their team, but to have the core of the team with that issue will result in difficulties in half-court sets. Noel has high upside as he was the assumed number one pick for a long time, but definite concerns regarding his injury issues and a raw offensive game. There are questions if he will be able to develop above this ceiling. Turner and Young do not look like they will be part of the rebuilding in Philadelphia, which is a shame, as both could be useful players if their roles and salaries were limited. 

Key Decision Looming: Who do they select in the 2014 NBA Draft? The 76ers seem to be trying to follow the Oklahoma City model to building a title contender, as they have absolutely bottomed out in a hope to acquire multiple high lottery picks. Noel and Carter-Williams can be good building blocks, but it is merely just a start for this team. If Philadelphia is going to be a dominant franchise, they need to acquire their franchise star in this draft, along with a good second or third option. Allowing Carter-Williams and Noel to focus on defense and being role players on offense will be great for Philadelphia’s future.

17.) Detroit Pistons
Key Assets: Josh Smith, Andre Drummond, Brandon Jennings, Greg Monroe.

Reason for Hope: The Pistons were able to bring a big name free agent to a team without a superstar already in place, something that seems to be difficult to do in today’s NBA. Smith has long faced questions regarding his decision-making ability, but he can still play defense, rebound, and get his own shot. Detroit has so much depth up front that Greg Monroe seems likely to be the odd man out, a problem many franchises would love to have. Detroit might be able to acquire some wing players for Monroe,and would be wise to do so making him one of the best assets on the trade market. The biggest win for this team was getting Drummond where they did in the draft, teams that can get solid building blocks in picks 7-15 have an advantage to getting out of the lottery, since those picking around them are usually just acquiring rotation players.

Reason for Concern: Both Jennings and Smith take too many bad shots to see this team really jumping in the standings. Both would be seen differently five years ago when high volume shot takers were more appreciated. Having both on the court results in too many wasted possessions on bad shots. While Drummond’s ascension is great on the court, the Pistons would like to have the front court strength balanced out with the backcourt weakness. This just does not have the feel of a team that can take the next step into winning a few playoff series, so unfortunately for them, they may be at their ceiling now.

Key Decision Looming: What is Monroe’s future? Monroe has been a solid player on a struggling Pistons team for his whole career and now they have some better players to put around him. The tough part is, he style does not fully mesh with Drummond, who is a better future player, and Smith, who is a better current player with a high salary. Monroe seems to be the odd man out if he cannot adapt or take a lower salary. The Pistons should consider trading him before the deadline, otherwise they risk losing with no return. Teams like Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Denver and Memphis could be interested.

16.) Minnesota Timberwolves
Key Assets: Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic, Kevin Martin.

Reason for Hope: Love is a top-10 player in the league, and whenever a team has that type of star, they will be able to compete. If Love can continue at a high level of play, and get some help from other players on the team, the Timberwolves could make a leap. Rubio was acquired to run an offense in Minnesota with his passing ability and develop a solid pick’n’roll game with Love. If Rubio can start to develop out of where he currently is, this team could dominate. Having Pekovic as an additional inside threat is a problem many teams would love to have, and Martin has proven to be a quality addition for the team.

Reason for Concern: The optimism that comes from this team seems to mostly stem from the fact that they are out from under the old front office, but many of the problems that started a few years ago, are still largely issues. Love is not locked up for as many years as possible, and seems like a candidate for the superstar most willing to leave his team. Rubio has been going through well-documented struggles with his shot. If Rubio is unable to get his shot in order, teams will sag off on defense and take away passing lanes thus taking away his biggest asset. Love is the type of player who would attract a high quality running mate, but the Midwest seems like an unlikely place for that to happen, meaning Love would have to leave. 

Key Decision Looming: How do they convince Love to stay? For much of Love’s time in Minnesota, it  seems like a partnership doomed for a messy end. The development of Rubio and Pekovic made it seem like there was a chance that the Timberwolves would be able to keep the core long term, but Rubio got the contract Love wanted and took a step back, while Pekovic struggled playing at the same time as Love. In the end, the Timberwolves do not seem to have the inside track to retaining Love, perhaps increased development from Rubio could convince him to stay, but Love seems destined to end up in a large market in a few years.

15.) Denver Nuggets
Key Assets: Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari.

Reason for Hope: Lawson is one of the most entertaining point guards in the league due to his lightning quickness and constant improvement since entering the league. Faried is able to match Lawson’s intensity and energy, and helps the Nuggets do what they do best, run the court. The altitude has always been something that helps the Nuggets, especially given the high-paced brand of basketball they play. They were able to get one of the most impressive hauls of any team trading away a star player. Even though trading away Carmelo Anthony was a few seasons ago, the Nuggets never had to tank in order to get back into the playoffs, that type of rebound is impressive for an organization.

Reason for Concern: There was a lot of optimism around this team a few years ago after they were able to appear victorious after the Carmelo Anthony deal. Since then, they have made some decisions that have chipped away at that optimism. It seems like they overreacted to losing in the playoffs last year, firing George Karl in the process. While Brian Shaw has long been an upcoming star in the coaching ranks, Karl was able to overachieve with the roster he had. The team is now led by Lawson and Faried, whom are two quality players, but do not seem ready to advance far in the playoffs as the top two options. This team definitely needs a go-to option on offense, especially in the half-court set. Last year, they were a team with no superstar that was able to win playing ultimate team basketball, this year they are a team with no superstar that needs one.

Key Decision Looming: How do they acquire a star? The Nuggets are headed for the dreaded middle ground of the NBA, not good enough to contend, but not bad enough to get a high draft pick. Additionally, Denver has not traditionally been the type of team that attracts star free agents. The best chance this team has is going back to where they were a few years ago, where they were a team that had 10 guys who could play at a high level. They are still a deep team, but the strength in their depth has decreased slightly. If they are able to become deep again, they might be able to get by without a star.

The Battle of Minnesota's Two Kevin's.

I am going to start out off my first post of the year with a huge cliché: life is full of choices. You know it (Ron Burgundy voice). Soak that little ditty in another time (Burgundy again). You probably just thought about all the choices you make on a daily basis (my voice or Ron’s if you want I guess)….”Should I eat cereal or eggs this morning?”, “Is this 3^rdcup of coffee the one that is going to make me shit?”, “Should I masturbate a 2^ndtime today?”, “Should I wear my Jordan’s or my sweet loafers?”, “Hard shell tacos or soft shell?”, and of course “Should I rock my ponytail or let my beautiful hair flow?”.  All of these decisions prove crucial, as they will dictate how the day will ultimately unfold, and of course, there are an array of other decisions that do not get addressed.

I would like to think that I am a forward thinker. Recently, I had a day dream that I am sure will become a reality. I figure soon enough[1]holograms will be able to look so real, that we will be able to go to any event, from any situation, simulated live in front of us, with unexpected results. Let me explain more…

Youremember when “Tupac” showed up at Coachella?

Yeah, it was awesome, but it still looked a little sketchy. I like to think these holograms are going to improve in time, and probably looks even better indoors. I do not think it is out of the question to think that this technology will transfer over to sports seamlessly. Which, of course, it could end some age-old arguments.

If things progress in that field like I figure, and these things end up being REALLY REAL LOOKING, then I think that we will have the opportunity to watch a 24-year-old springy MJ against a post-accusations pissed off Kobe Bryant. It would come with a cost of course; royalties would need to be figured out. You would have to pay the original (actual) players because their talents would be being re-sold, and of course arenas and such to hold these events. But how sweet would it be to watch a game that featured MJ, Scottie, Oscar, Bill Walton, and Steve Nash against Kobe, LeBron, Bill Russell, Karl Malone and Allen Iverson? Or whatever match-up it ends up being. The possibilities are seriously endless. How can you tell me you would not pay for this in 40 years?  

Not to mention how cool this would be from a historical teaching standpoint. The “old greats” that are forgotten as generations past would be brought back to life for people to enjoy. I seriously think this could happen. Plus, everyone want to know how LeBron James stacks up against every good player in the last 60 years. 

I’m from western Wisconsin. I stay true to my state in my sports fandom. But a lot of Twin Cities’ influence infiltrated my home city. In football debates, the Cites influence can sometimes become shout-worthy. This is mainly because Green Bay Packers fans are stubborn as hell, and mostly correct, and furthermore because Minnesota Vikings fans generally lack ammo. But when it comes to Minnesota Timberwolves/Milwaukee Bucks arguments, differences are minimal, if even present at all. This is because we both generally suck. So with the Timberwolves becoming a somewhat exciting team in recent years, the NBA fans around the area have collectively cheered.

As a questioner and sports fan, I find it my duty to create some mild confrontation from time to time, even if it is in a friendly manner, seeing as that I definitely cheer for the Wolves in most games they play in. A trend that I have recently noticed is that Timberwolves fans really really go to bat for Kevin Love. Which is honorable for a number of reasons. One reason being he can grow a lumberjacks beard, and another is that he is wet from downtown. Super soaker wetness[2].

I found out this dedication by simply voicing my opinion that I think it would be smart for the team to trade Love straight up for Blake Griffin. The die-hards fly off the handle with this one. And I can understand why I guess… But why wouldn't they rather lock into at least five years of Ricky lobbing to Blake and finishing .500 or better, instead of only 2 more years of K. Love stroking lonely 3-pointers, as they struggle to go .500[3]?  Then Kevin Love would happily re-sign with the Clippers, and everyone is locked in for awhile, and we have a structure in the league. Kevin is happy back in his college town of LA, while Blake is considerably colder then he ever imagined he would be while playing in the League, but he is going to suck it up and dunk, and maybe (and hopefully) it pisses him off so much that he got traded that he becomes a high-flying Karl Malone. Then with Ricky Rubio, you could be potentially be talking about the next Stockton and Malone!!!

For some reason, potentially becoming the next Utah Jazz does not appeal to Wolves fans around here, and it kind of confuses me. That, however, was not the intention of this jargon, because what I take away from their short-sighted opinion with Kevin Love is actually the admiration they really have for him. They love the guy.

He breathed some positive air in that franchise and the fan base greatly appreciated it. They never want to see him, his beard, and his 3-ball leave town...ever. But when I noticed their dedication to him, I had to start asking the tough one.....

“Would you take Kevin Love or Kevin Garnett?”

To me the answer is easy; it’s KG all day, everyday, even though I might be scared of him. I will get to KG momentarily, but here's why it is at least honorable to want Kevin Love…Love, or as some call him, “Mr. Buttersworth[4]”, has big brass nuts. They are heavy. He has a skill set that is elite. Presently, he is scoring 26.3 points per game, which ranks second in the league. That is paired with 13.5 rebounds per game, which is tied for first with DeAndre Jordan. Only three other players boast per game averages that rank in the top ten of two of the three “big stat” categories;those being Steph Curry (23.3ppg (7^th)/9.6apg (2^nd)), LaMarcus Aldridge (23.2 points (8^th)/11.0rpg (6^th)), and DeMarcus Cousins (23.1ppg  (9^th)/ 11.4rpg (5^th)), and none of them are as substantial as ranking second in both category.  Love does certain things most guys just do not/cannot do. He stretches the floor while simultaneously rebounding everything. For his career, he averages 3.9 OFFENSIVE rebounds per game. That number, my friends, is absurd.

This season he has also started sharing better (A formidable act), averaging 4.1 assists per game. His offensive game is blossoming into uncharted territories. If he had one other consistent scorer on his team, or if Rubio would just start figuring how he is going to score in this league himself, then Love has the opportunity to end this playoff drought that Minnesotans thirst for. Not to mention, he is fantastic for the Midwestern demographic he resides in (Again he looks like a lumberjack, people around here get down with the thought of a burly lumberjack tearing up the NBA.).

But to take him before Kevin Garnett is tomfoolery.

Before I go much further, I will say that many of the people I was asking to make this decision are under the age of 22, and by and large do not remember a lot of the Big Ticket’s best years. But some of the trusted Wolves fans I talked to thankfully backed my opinion of KG’s superiority.

The really obvious first reason the choice is KG starts with the defensive end. Success in basketball almost always starts with defense. You get a lot farther, especially postseason-wise, with good defense. KG plays defense. Kevin Love does not. While no T-Wolves team in history has ever been defensively historic, it should be noted that KG’s MVP season doubled as the team’s most efficient defensive season of their short history, posting an efficiency rating below 100 for the only time, and it resulted in them going all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

While Garnett's offensive numbers neared career bests that season (averaging 24.5ppg/13.9rpg/5.0apg), his contributions on the defensive side of the ball that proved just as devastating to his opponents. He swiped the ball 1.5 times per contest, while also accumulating 2.2 blocks per game.  He was everywhere.

The snowballing of hustle stats like these are what ultimately trump Love. Love has never averaged more than one block or steal per game in any season, while KG to contrast has only came up short of averaging at least a steal and block in three of his 19 seasons. He also has been a better passer (KG:3.9apg/KL:2.2apg) for his career, and his defensive rebounding is tied with Love at eight per game. What numbers do not capture however, is voice.

Garnett's personality seems to be on par with exactly the kind of person it takes to be a great winner. An asshole. KG is a fiery asshole. One of my buddies told me they were at an open gym in the cities once at Hastings High School, and occasionally Timberwolves players would drop by and run games with them.  He relayed to me KG once berated some scrubby string bean of a 16-year-old for not securing rebounds. An NBA MVP is going to going to yell at a 16-year-old who will not even being playing competitively in two years for not securing rebounds in a June scrimmage? If you did not already guess it, I’m pretty sure KG would hate me. And I’m almost positive I would not agree with him on most things (Mainly because I don’t deal with assholes), but I am also pretty sure KG will say anything to anybody, and that is a major reason why he was the leader he was.  

I’m taking Kevin Garnett over Kevin Love because I know that when he steps on the court, he morphs into something that is so intense, I reckon his own mother does not enjoy seeing it. But it sets the tone for the team, and no one wants to be on KG’s bad side. Kevin Love just does not posses that same intense pressure to compete. He lacks the will to sacrifice for the team the way KG did.

If you need a final reason to really sway you to Kevin Garnett, it can be that his teams were much more successful. While Love is young, and will surely get his due in the league, KG dragged Minnesota to the playoffs eight times. Love is threatening to never bring them to the playoffs in his time spent there, which is now rolling through its sixth year.

When it comes to prospecting sports, there is never a right answer.  I have faith these debates will someday be put to rest with futuristic life-like holograms, but only time will tell that fantasy. And so in the meantime, sports bars and dorm rooms everywhere will have to banter on swapping opinions and defending their choices between swigs of beer, and chomps of ground beef.

But just know that if someone asks you if you would rather have Love or Garnett that you want Garnett. Everyday, and all day.

~Andrew

---

[1]Anywhere between I would say 40 and 90 years.

[2]This link is specifically for the white girls that are reading!!  I don’t listen to this shit at all!!!

[3]Both versions of the team would significantly increase winning percentage if Rubio could score at all, and they had a viable second option.

[4]Okay, only I call him that.

NBA Roundball Wrap-Up: December 18th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Kevin Love -  I am fairly confident this is the second POW award for Love this season on the Roundball wrap-up. He had some big games last weekend and this week deserving the honor as he is averaging 30.3 points per game and 13.6 rebounds per game plus making 47 percent of the 3-point shots. Love is on straight fire. He had a great game in a losing effort against San Antonio where he had 42 points, 14 rebounds and made seven threes. For the month of December in the games he played in, only once has Love pulled in less than 10 rebounds per game, and that number was nine. He is a deserving All-Star without question and probably should be starting for the Western Conference this year if he stays healthy. What's awesome is he's been at full strength almost the whole year which is different than years past.

Damien Lillard - What a week for this guy? He had not one but two buzzer-beaters on the road as Portland is out east for a four-game road trip where they could sweep it if they beat Minnesota tonight. Lillard beat both Detroit and Cleveland. In last night's game, Lillard had 36 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds which was the pinnacle of his games this week and honestly, he did not have the best week yet still gets the honors for his buzzer-beaters. Lillard is showing no signs whatsoever of a sophomore slump. None. Zero Zlitch. He is here to stay for a long time. On to the buzzer-beaters....

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Dion Waiters - For the second time, Dion Waters had to deny trade rumors. Dude, just say you want to be dealt and be done with it. They should just give Waiters to Houston for Omer Asik and call it a day. I mean there would be other people who need to be involved yet Waiters coming off the bench for Houston would be awesome. Or deal him to Chicago for Luol Deng. I find it hard to believe Waiters and Kyrie Irving have these many issues so early is shocking. Back to Houston for a second, Waiters was a great 6th man for Syracuse in college. I do not know if he will figure out off the bench, but it could be an encouraging thing.

Team of the Week
Phoenix Suns -  I never saw this coming at all. Phoenix is 14-9 with a five-game winning streak currently including a win against Golden State on Sunday. They play San Antonio tonight meaning the streak could come to an end tonight, but without Tony Parker, their guards will be able to do some things. Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic's chemistry is much better than anyone expected. People thought Dragic was gone by the end of the year, and now, it looks like this team could contend for a low playoff spot. Another big thing for Phoenix is how they have six double-digit scorers on their team right now. Jeff Hornacek is doing some big things for them.  

Team of the Weak
Philadelphia 76ers - AND WE ARE COMING TO YOUR TANKING!! Philadelphia finally has come down to earth in the last week as they have lost their last seven and also 11 of their last 12 games. Michael Carter-Williams is banged up right now meaning this team is completely awful. Sixers are slowly but surely joining Orlando and Milwaukee for the tank. We all expected it but their bad play took awhile to get here.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Amar'e Stoudemire - Now there is discussion on Amar'e's knee and the health of it. New York says he is going to be out until the end of December but Amar'e says he is fine and everything is all good to go. Actually Stoudemire was looking better than expected in the last couple of days. Given what we have heard from the New York media is it seems like it has been an overreaction by the coaches meaning STAT could be back on Saturday. Gotta love New York.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else 
Roy Hibbert put icy hot on his balls which is an unfortunate thing to do.

I looked angry during the game its cause I used flexall/Bengay on my knees under my black tights. Somehow it got on my balls. Burned so bad
— Roy Hibbert (@Hoya2aPacer) December 14, 2013

Nikola Pekovic tried to run a fast break and it went about how well as it did when I played point guard in garbage time. (H/T @cjzero) 

After Tony Romo choked again on Sunday, Atlanta Hawks had a great troll tweet

If Tony Romo needs advice in late-game situations, we know a guy he can call... pic.twitter.com/VrfP2NovAm
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 16, 2013

Charlie.