Roundball Wrap-Up: Thursday March 13th

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 - It is really nice to see Jefferson is getting credit for the season he has having this season for Charlotte. Remember when he took this contract, people expected him to just cash a check on a biweekly basis and move on. That did not happen. Jefferson had another big week for Charlotte as the Bobcats have won four of their last five games. In the last five games, Big Al is averaging five points above his average with 26 points a game. He also pulled down two double-doubles this week maintaining with his average of 10 per game. Jefferson is probably a second or third team All-Pro this season. Maybe second is a little rash, but third seems like a given.


Blake Griffin - Pretty good week for Blake. He pissed a couple people off with P.J. Tucker throwing a chicken wing at him on Monday night and Jermaine O'Neal wanting to fight him after the game. Griffin had some gaudy stat lines in the past week. He dropped 37 points against Phoenix, and then he scored 30 last night against Golden State with 15 rebounds. Are people ready to give Blake's credit? He is a top ten player in the NBA. No question about it and he may be pushing towards the top five. Doc Rivers did wonders with Griffin along with him maturing into a better player.

This week in Kevin Durant and LeBron James 
Despite two losses, KD had another big week with a 42 point performance against Houston where they needed a victory and got one. Durant also had a triple-double against Los Angeles with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. For LeBron, Miami lost four of their last five with not many great games from LBJ in the process and the best one came in the only win against Washington with James having 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Rapper of the Week 
Lil' B - I have no idea what Kevin Durant to get himself into a diss song, but it happened as Lil B created     '---- KD' and actually it is extremely catchy as they use "Brown Paper Bag"'s beat and hook. But why do you want these problems Lil B? I hope Durant gets him at Rucker Park or Drew League and just torches him.

Team of the Week
Los Angeles Clippers - This team is truly rounding into form with a month left in the season. They are only two games back in third place in the Western Conference chasing the Thunder and Spurs but they are red hot right now winning nine of their last 10 games. In this winning streak, Los Angeles dumped Phoenix twice, Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston. That's a pretty impressive list for a nine-game winning streak. Western Conference has four or five teams I think can truly find themselves in the NBA Finals.

Team of the Weak
Miami and Indiana - Both are still on top of Eastern Conference mountain, but what I found interesting is how both teams have lost four of their last fives. If Miami were to get hot during that point, they are back on the one seed and if Indiana had been winning games, this team is farther away from Miami than just a two game lead. They will be obviously find, but the question is will they both get hot after this or will one flounder?

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Anthony Bennett - He has been a little better in the last couple months, but he is now bothered by a knee injury that could put him out until April. Once again, this is another bad mark on Bennett's rookie season. If he is truly hurt and Cleveland is not set up to make a push to the playoffs, just shut down Bennett for the season.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else.
Joakim Noah as a high school girl is excellent



James Harden is a cowboy.

oh wow. RT @jennydialcreech James Harden showed up in a hat and boots after his trip to rodeo yesterday. pic.twitter.com/n4zLJ4F51z
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) March 8, 2014

In other Noah news, Yannick Noah waving a finger in Chicago's win was fantastic.

Blake Griffin being a complete boss with post moves, not dunks.

Chipotle should be 24 hours
— Maurice Harkless (@moe_harkless) March 11, 2014

Truuuuu Moe Harkless.

Charlie.

NBA Trade Deadline: A Series of Minor Moves

Another trade deadline comes and goes with a whimper. If you aren't an NBA aficionado, there's a chance you had no idea that the deadline was a 2 PM central time today.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, because of different provisions and rules, teams are reluctant to move expiring contracts and back contracts left and right.

The move with the biggest names involved happened between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers sent Danny Granger east for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen. This marks the official end of the Granger era in Indiana. It's kind of sad when you think about it. He's the main guy that got that franchise turned around from the aftermath of the 'Malice at the Palace' featuring the artist formerly known as Ron Artest, and now he's just an expiring contract after injuries derailed the All-Star's career.

Incidentally, the Pacers get a solid wing to bolster their bench and a guy they could perhaps count on in the playoffs if Lance Stephenson isn't playing well or gets banged up. Also, if Turner plays well for the Pacers, they may have a backup plan if Stephenson gets an offer he can't refuse in restricted free agency this offseason.

As far as Philly, it's basically a lateral move. They trade Turner who was going to be a restricted free agent for an expiring in Granger. We'll see if they keep Granger after this season on a reasonable contract. The Sixers are in full on tank/rebuild mode and will give the Bucks a run for worst record this year.

Part of that tank for the Sixers was trading C Spencer Hawes to Cleveland for Earl Clark and a few second round picks. Hawes is a C that can step out a knock down a three or two...or two. He'll spread the floor nicely for Tristan Thompson to work in the paint.

For the Bucks, the deadline went about as well as we expected to. Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour both went to the Charlotte Bobcats for Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien. We knew that those two were going to get dealt, it was just a matter of where they were going.

You can put me in the fan club of this deal. They moved a few of the redundant veterans on this team for a few expiring contracts in Sessions and Adrien. I'm mainly a fan of this move because it rids us of Neal's $3.25 million that the Bucks were on the hook for next year. Also, because Gary Neal just wasn't really all that fun to watch. I'm sure we'll be having an official Sportandfashion-news Gary Neal Trade Potluck at some point in the near future. That's definitely going to be BYOB.

All jokes aside, Neal wasn't really happy here (even though he signed on the dotted line) and wanted to go to a contender...so Hammond sent him to the Bobcats. I do respect Neal for being a professional while falling out of the rotation for most of the year.

Bon voyage, Gary, I hear the grass is typically greener in Charlotte this time of year.

Here's a list of the other minor moves in the NBA this week:

• Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn for Jason Terry and Reggie Evans.
• Steve Blake to Golden State for MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore.
• Andre Miller to Washington, Jan Vesely to Denver, Eric Maynor and picks to Philadelphia.
• Aaron Brooks to Denver for Jordan Hamilton.
• Antawn Jamison to the Hawks for the rights to Cenk Aykol who was drafted by Atlanta in 2005.
• Clippers send Byron Mullens and second round pick to Philadelphia for a second round pick.
• Austin Daye from Toronto to San Antonio for Nando De Colo
• The Heat basically gave Roger Mason to the Kings for nothing.

That's it. You're up to date on the deadline that was in the NBA.

Sportandfashion-news Future NBA Power Rankings: 9.) - 5.)

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.)
Teams ranked from 19.) -15.) 
Teams ranked from 14.) - 10.) 

9.) Portland Trail Blazers
Key Assets: LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews.

Reason for Hope: The team’s start this season has brought more hope to the franchise than anything in recent memory. This franchise has been fairly tortured over the last decade or two, with the “Jail Blazer” years as well as some painful playoff losses plus Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. Aldridge is playing on an MVP candidate level, and this team is following his lead. People believed Lillard to have a low ceiling, but still he projected as an NBA ready player. Not only has Lillard been impressive in his first two years in the league, he also seems like he is improving as time goes on, a good sign that Portland has its point guard of the future. Batum and Matthews help round out the starting five with solid defense and efficient offense.

Reason for Concern: With any team who takes a huge leap in wins from season to season, there is always a concern about regression. The Blazers are a candidate for regression, as they had an easier schedule to start the year than some of their peers, and they had players playing above the level they played for most of their careers. Before this season started, Aldridge seemed likely to move on from Portland after his contract was up. Although that seems less likely now, there is still a risk that Aldridge wants to join up with other superstars, perhaps on a team like Houston. If Aldridge leaves, it will be very difficult to replace him, but there is enough talent on the rest of the team to guarantee the Blazers will not be picking at the top of the draft.

Key Decision Looming: Will Aldridge stay in Portland? It seemed to be a given that Aldridge would be leaving Portland when his contract was up after next season, so much so that there were even trade rumors around him. Has this year’s team convinced him to stay in Portland? A lot of that will depend on their playoff performance. If Aldridge does not believe they can contend for a title, he might end up in a city like Houston. In the end, Portland does not seem like a strong enough contender to keep Aldridge from testing the free agent market, and if that happens, he might fully move on.

8.) Los Angeles Clippers
Key Assets: Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford, DeAndre Jordan, Doc Rivers.

Reason for Hope: Any team with Rivers and Paul quickly becomes a playoff team and a contender to make the conference finals. Rivers showed an ability to lead star players, and the Los Angeles market certainly has the ability to attract such players. Perhaps no star in the league, outside of LeBron James, Paul makes his teammates better. Paul consistently increased the talent of those around him through leadership, superior passing and underrated scoring ability. Griffin has incredible athleticism and is a great second option on offense. He is still young enough to improve in a few of the areas he has weaknesses.

Reason for Concern: There’s a slight possibility that this team has maxed out its potential. The team has a lot of talent and capable of reaching the conference finals numerous times over the next few years, but it is tough to see them raising a championship banner in the coming seasons. Despite his ability to make those around him better, Paul has not played with a superstar wing player, if he were to get an improvement on Jared Dudley and JJ Redick, things could be different. Griffin is almost becoming underrated at this point, with so many people talking about his lack of all-around game, but he will need to step his game up to another level to win a championship. Jordan never became the player the Clippers hoped he would, and without that development, this team will struggle in a couple years.

Key Decision Looming: Can they win a title with Griffin as the number two option? Although he has not yet, Paul seems like the type of player that can lead a team to a championship, especially if he has a quality running mate. He’s a superstar in this league, but there are questions on if Griffin can win a championship in a star-driven league. Although the rumors were quickly dismissed, Clippers would be smart to trade Griffin for another star to pair with Paul, if that star is an upgrade on Griffin. It is more likely that Griffin stays put, but he will be rumored as long as there appears to be a ceiling on the Clippers future.

7.) Boston Celtics
Key Assets: Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger, Brad Stevens, 2 first round picks in 2014, 2016, 2018.

Reason for Hope: Rondo still has top five point guard potential, and his passing will allow for young players around him to get good looks while developing into a better player. Another option available for Boston is trading Rondo for additional future assets, which would surely bring back one of the best hauls on the trade market. Regardless of the players, it is not too early to put a lot of faith in head coach Brad Stevens. It seems like anybody who comes to Boston will maximize their potential.  Right now, Danny Ainge has a bevy of players/picks with future value, and he delivered a championship the last time that happened, he should be able to do something with the value.

Reason for Concern: No doubt, Celtics have a positive outlook on the future, but much of that is based on variables and assumptions. The team is hoping Rondo can return to 100% and become a leader for a young team. They’re also hoping that they hit on one or two studs in the 2014 draft. They also have their fingers crossed that Brooklyn Nets continue to implode and the picks they acquired stay in the lottery. Ideally, Stevens will prove that his fast start is a sign of things to come. All of these are more likely to end up in Boston’s favor than not, but there are too many variables to feel overly confident.

Key Decision Looming: Is Rondo part of the rebuild? The Celtics seem to be taking a conservative approach to Rondo’s recovery, a smart move in a year they will not contend in. On the court, Rondo is the type of player you would  like to see on a developing team, he is able to make those around him better. Off the court, Rondo might be unwilling to participate in a rebuild or may cause unnecessary friction. If the decision is made swiftly, Celtics can maximize Rondo’s value, either as a trade asset or a future leader, and it seems to be a true coin flip situation.

6.) Golden State Warriors Key Assets: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, David Lee, Andrew Bogut.

Reason for Hope: This team broke out in a major way last postseason, defeating Denver Nuggets and giving San Antonio Spurs a run for their money. Curry and Thompson are one of the more entertaining duos in the league. This team was a surprise contender in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes this offseason, and instead settled for Iguodala, whom has been one of the best free agent acquisitions this year. Iguodala serves as a calming presence for Thompson and Curry, allowing both to focus more on finishing open jump shots. Bogut continues to provide interior defense and toughness to a team that desperately needs both.

Reason for Concern: Curry’s ankle issues always represent a potential issue to this team, losing him would drop the team multiple spots on this list. This team also does not have a lot of cap flexibility for the future, after signing Bogut to a long-term deal in the offseason. Lee brings a lot on the offensive end, but he is notoriously bad on defense and struggles to match the pace of the rest of the offense. Iguodala was a great addition in the offseason, but is aging meaning will this team be able to jump another level in the playoffs before Iggy becomes less effective?

Key Decision Looming: Is David Lee still important? This team has very limited cap flexibility now with many of its stars signed to long deals. Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes and Bogut seem like sure bets to stick around, and despite his production, Lee seems to be the odd man out. Do the Warriors think they can get enough in return to move on from Lee, or do they focus instead on the interior offensive game he brings to the team that counter balances the outside gunners? Due to their recent winning streak, signs point towards them making a run with Lee in the lineup.

5.) San Antonio Spurs
Key Assets: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Tiago Splitter, Greg Popovich.

Reason for Hope: The Spurs have long been one of the most consistent franchises in the NBA. When Duncan and Ginobili are ready to move on, Parker will take on an increased role for this team, and he is capable of doing so. Popovich is one of the very best coaches in the league and as long as he is in San Antonio, this team will be one to watch. They are able to get the most out of the role players they sign, as it seems they can plug various people into roles without skipping a beat. If Leonard is able to take the leap many expect him too, the team will have a different strength, but he will give Parker a high quality running mate.

Reason for Concern: It seems like we have been talking about the demise of the Spurs for forever, but it does seem like it is getting closer and closer. Duncan and Ginobili are getting up there in years, and it sounds like both have considered retirement. Splitter and Green are suitable depth while Duncan and Ginobili are on the team, but having them take on bigger roles will represent a drop off. Splitter also signed a larger contract in the offseason, so replacing Duncan will be slightly more difficult. Leonard is still a young talent with potential to grow, but does not seem to be the type of player that is going to take over games. When the big stars retire, the team’s success will fall even more to Parker, a player who relies greatly on speed, but is already 31-years-old.

Key Decision Looming: When do Popovich and Duncan retire? Regardless of who is left behind, a large part of the Spurs’ identity will leave when Popovich and Duncan retire. Duncan seems destined to retire within a season or two, and it will be interesting to see if Popovich retires in the same season. It would be tough to blame Popovich, a tireless worker of not wanting to restart once his franchise star retires. It seems likely both will leave in the same season, and logic suggests that they might already be retired if Ray Allen misses one more 3-pointer.

DOY: Blake Griffin

BLAKE BACK! BLAKE BACK.  THE DOY BASED GAWD returns to his throne. Let's be honest, no one is taking the DOY crown from Blake Griffin until Ohio State's Sam Thompson gets to the league. He is a contender without question. There seems to be a victims list of who Blake has put on a proverbial poster. But Kris Humphries joins Pau Gasol as the only person to get dunked on twice by Griffin. Humph is the first one for it to happen on different teams. If you missed the first one, here you go.  Let's not have a discussion on whether this is a dunk or not. It is a dunk. He made the act to dunk the basketball and that's exactly what he did. I am not in the mood to have this debate. Clippers won 111-105 with 29 points, eight boards and six dishes from Blake The DOY Gawd.

Charlie.