Award Time
by Stop-n-Pop on Oct 26, 2009 1:15 PM CDT
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I thought it would be a fun idea to put up a list of awards at the beginning of the year, guess on them, and then see how everybody does at the end of the season. I'll put my guesses up top and you can put your picks in the comments. The winner gets 1.3 million Hoopus Points, which can be used on the good feeling of your choice.
- MVP: Dwight Howard
- 6th Man: Manu Ginobili
- Most Improved: Chris Douglas-Roberts
- Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
- ROY: Blake Griffin
- WC Finalist: Dallas
- EC Finalist: Orlando
- Champion: Orlando
What would a prediction segment be without a few made-up categories?
- Best Player on a New Team: Vince Carter
- Most Overrated: LMA
- Most Overrated (runner up): Danny Granger
- Most Underrated: Mike Miller (Yep, this one is going to sting a bit when he's finally placed on a team where his attempts to blend in actually work.)
- Best Coaching Performance: Rick Adelman
- Worst Coaching Performance: Brad Childress (It transcends league boundaries)
- Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
- Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
- Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Brandon Jennings
- Number of Wolves Trades: 2
- Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: San Antonio
- Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
- Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #1 (Come on folks, it's an inevitability; they finally get the #1 pick with the 2 best players likely being a PG and a PF.)
- Biggest 2nd Year Jump: CDR
- Biggest Rookie Flop: Hasheem Thabeet/Jrue Holiday/Jordan Hill/Gerald Henderson (4 way tie)
- Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Joe Alexander/Jerryd Bayless (tie)
- Championship window closes for: Boston, Dallas, and San Antonio
- First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Miami
- Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? No.
- Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Brian Cardinal + Ramon Sessions in a combo deal to either Philly, Memphis, or Portland. (BTW: Does it still boggle your mind that Portland didn't go after Sessions instead of Miller?)
Well folks, that about does it. What say you?
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Comments
Portland and Sessions
1. Portland not signing Sessions is a bit weird. It seems that many around the league must share the opinion of Scott Skiles, that Sessions is not a NBA starter, even over Luke Ridnour. I don’t quite understand that opinion, but it does seem to be an opinion.
2. Brewer, No, huh. That’s certainly the safe bet, while…
3. Dallas as WC finalist is not a safe bet. Wow. Do they run LA into the ground or do both Gasol and Bynum go down this year after Artest starts an on-court fight?
MVP: Lebron James
WC Finalist: LA Lakers
EC Finalist: Cleveland
NBA Champs: LA Lakers
4. Brian Cardinal and Ramon Sessions the rights to Ricky Rubio for to the Knicks for…Wilson Chandler and D’Antoni’s mustache.
Sessions/POR
Signing Sessions is an admission that Bayless is not the pg of the future, whereas Miller can be justified as a steady vet hand for the here and now.
Speaking of overrated young talent. How about them Blazers? Sure they are good, and deep, real deep. But, I don’t really buy Roy as a true superstar talent (never mind the injuries)…LMA is kind of a tweener and Webster, Oden and Bayless are all borderline busts, so far. Long story short, I think the Wolves win a title before Portland. From here it looks like they are good enough to get into the 2nd round and I don’t see a lot of upside.
I'll agree with you about LMA, Webster and Bayless
But Oden has looked really good in preseason and I think Roy is a true superstar talent.
Yeah, they lack that true superstar, but they have the fortune of hitting their stride right as the window is closing on numerous traditional powerhouse teams. Once LA starts to decline (following Kobe), they might get lucky.
When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.
As much as I hate to admit it, they're stacked
They are pretty damn far ahead of us and they’ll likely see a title before we do. Roy’s the third-best SG in the NBA (behind only two MVP-type guys in Wade and Kobe) and is on his way to being a supertar. Oden’s a defensive powerhouse who’s just going to keep improving into a monster unless he gets injured. Webster is underwhelming, but he’s worth playing as a shooter and is one of about 82 young quality SF on that team.
I know the Blazers are not as insanely good as everyone projected them to be after they assembled all that talent (thanks to shrewd/incredibly lucky Pritchard), but they’re still far and away the class of the up-and-comers. They’re still up-and-coming and they could plausibly be the 2nd best team in the West this year.
And on the topic of LaMarcus, I really think we sell him short here. We underrate the crap out of him as a reaction to BE overrating the crap out of him. I’d love to have him on our team even with Al and Kevin. There aren’t many big men more skilled or athletic than him out there, especially in a such a combo (similar reasons as to why Anthony Randolph’s potential is sending him into overrated territory). But I think he has reached the point where he’s become so attacked for being overrated that he’s becoming underrated.
We underrate the crap out of him as a reaction to BE overrating the crap out of him.
True that.
Blazersedge mods suck
Plus..
….he’s a Longhorn. ;)
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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don't get me wrong...
they are very good and very young…but, Roy strikes me as a solid number two option, and they aren’t going to sniff the lottery for a long time. The new, old Utah Jazz perhaps.
Here's a question...
Have you watched Roy play at all?
Brandon Roy pretty much defines number one option. His stats, while impressive, do not tell the whole story.
He is poised beyond his years when it comes to leadership.
He is one of the best clutch players in the league.
He lead his team in scoring and assists(a team that tied for the second best record in a tough western conference)
Blazersedge mods suck
I agree with IRH86
Roy is one of the Top 6-7 players in the league.
by Jose Cordoba on Oct 26, 2009 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions
His stats, while impressive, do not tell the whole story.
his stats indicate that he’s a top 7 NBA player. sounds about right to me. roy is phenomenal and the closest player to joining the ranks of superstars in the league.
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
yes, I've watched him
Not as much as your average Blazers fan, of course, but enough. Like I said, he’s really good. But he also disappears for long stretches and doesn’t seem to have that fifth gear where he can regularly take over a game and dominate. I think top 6-7 is a bit too high…Lebron, Wade, Kobe, Howard, Paul, KG, Duncan, D Williams…that is 8 players who I think are notably better.
I’d put him in the 2nd tier with Pierce, Carmelo, Bosh, Durant, Ginoblli, Rose and whoever arises from this year’s rookie crop. He’s a go to, top player on a good team, but maybe the second best player on a championship team. Also, remember, the guy played four years of college, so he’s in the middle of this list age-wise and has probably about peaked.
He’s easily on par with Williams, and is at the top of the 2nd tier without a doubt. I just haven’t seen the elite athleticism/physical dominance that you get from the TRUE superstars. Bear in mind that when I say true superstar, I mean the LBJ’s/Dwights/Wades, formerly the KG’s/Duncans etc. There are very very few of those guys, so it’s not a slight to Roy. At some point it all boils down to your definition of superstar, so I’m just going to quit now and say that he’s a great player who I’d love to have here (oh wait..).
When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.
I'd love to have him too
But even if we did, my opinion wouldn’t change. I’d still think we’d need another star to pair with him to win a title.
It looks like POR struck out on Bayless, Webster and maybe Oden. So, I think they are kind of “stuck” with enough talent to be very good for the next five years, but not good enough to win a title.
That’s a hell of a lot better than most teams can say, but I am not ready to anoint them as them as the future perennial title contenders.
They will win a title
right after Bos, Spurs, Dallas and Lakers start to decline. It will be at least 2 and likely 3 more years.
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions
LOL
Well of course he’ll need other players to support him, even LeBron does and so far it wasn’t enough what he had in supporting cast. But Roy is easily a #1 option in the league. Statistically he is closer to Wade and Kobe than the other shooting guards in the league to him, and you can’t bake yourself a better team leader.
In terms of athleticism, he is underrated, but promised to show that a bit more this year. He has a 40+ inch vert, as shown in last year’s official NBA dunk of the year http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2009/07/30/nba_20090630_top10_dunks.nba/. And he has great game speed handling the ball and can change direction at any moment.
But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart
so...
who is your other star or how do you get him? Say LMA and I will be the one LOLing.
Say Love is the #2 on a championship team and I'll be LOLing again all day
Likely LMA will be the #3 once Oden steps up, definitely defensively. He had great rebounding percentages all last season, and this pre-season he duplicated Howard’s rebounding totals and had several double double games. He’ll not put up monster stats like you know who Mr. +/-, but make a big difference to actually winning games.
But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart
If you don’t believe it
But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart
Just to be Clear
In Similar Minutes Per Game- Kevin Love averaged about 2 more rebounds per game than Greg Oden. I’m a fan of Oden (Although I question his long-term durability)
As far as Kevin Love being a Number 2 this has never been the issue. The issue is what a player gives to a team that helps them win Basketball games.
An Elite Rebounder who gets to the line at a heavy rate is more valuable than a volume jump shooter.
http://www.wagesofwins.com/AldridgeJan2009.html
Kevin Love dominates 2 of the 4 Factors where as LMA dominates none.
This is why understand Dave Berri’s scoring System LMA is blown away by Kevin Love.
Even PER which tends to be more favorable to players like LMA has Love possessing a higher PER this year.
by Jose Cordoba on Oct 27, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions
The whole Love having a higher PER than LMA this year is purely speculation. I would actually lay down money that it doesn’t happen.
A versatile inside/outside power forward that runs the floor well and plays good defense is much more important to the Blazers than a Love type player seeing as the Blazers have elite rebounding with both Oden and Przybilla.
I know you wolves fans like to root for your players but if you really believe that Kevin Love is a better player than LMA right now, there is nothing I can do for you.
Blazersedge mods suck
I would just like
to point out that your determination of value is coming from the “fit” perspective. fielding a good team is all about complementary players. I get it. Let’s be honest, there is a serious bias in favor of scorers in the NBA. I understand that Love would not be as valuable as LMA on the blazers.
Love will never be a better scorer or athlete than LMA, but Love is a complete player who is an elite rebounder. A team who has an elite rebounder and an elite scorer will most likely win…reason being that they have more opportunities to put points on the board then their opponents.
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions
there
are many different ways to get this combination. If you have good C depth and they are all really good rebounders, then you don’t need your other forward to be really good rebounders, but it doesn’t hurt either. with too many good rebounders you see diminishing returns. Same goes with too many scorers (thinking Grizz here).
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree completely
If the Blazers didn’t get the rebounding production that they do out of the center position I would probably be on LMA’s case about the lack of rebounding. He has all the physical tools to be a good rebounder, and in fact is a very good offensive rebounder, but it all comes down to desire. Kevin Love has the desire to rebound that I wish Aldridge did but his scoring and defensive abilities offset his lack of rebounding.
All things considered both teams have a lot to feel good about with their power forward position but I just happen to think Aldridge is the more complete player.
Blazersedge mods suck
fair enough
Like I said, its all about finding complementary players.
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, I agree, but a team with a few near-all stars and great depth can win one if the timing is right (see: Detroit, Pistons). I’m not one to crown anyone before they earn it, but the media has to have some darlings, and they looooove the Blazers. All I’ll say is that it’s going to be fun to watch our division in the next few years. I wish the Wolves could hurry this thing up, but I’d rather they take their time and do it right than screw it up.
When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.
For one; Roy is better than Williams according to the coaches. KG and Duncan were better in their primes but are just too old now. Here’s how I would list them.
LeBron—Kobe—DWade—Howard—Paul—Roy—Duncan—Carmelo
Also, remember, the guy played four years of college, so he’s in the middle of this list age-wise and has probably about peaked.
Usually guys peak at around 27-28 so he’s got a few more years yet.
Blazersedge mods suck
really?!
seven game series, you have your life savings on the line…and you’d select Roy over Tim Duncan or KG?
I get that he has a lot more games ahead of him than these two but, but come on.
Frankly, if it came down to one game, I’d rather have (a healthy) Ginoblli over Roy. Roy’s more complete, but Manu is more dynamic.
A young Duncan yeah, but a 33 year old Duncan with bad knees, no. Duncan is absolutely one of my favorite players but he is just getting too old. In fact I like to think of Roy as sort of a Tim Duncan of guards.
I would rather have Brandon Roy over KG in a seven game series. Roy has proven that he can step it up in the playoffs. Besides LMA, no one on the Blazers other than Roy showed up last year and that is why they lost. Not saying KG is a slouch in the playoffs but one of the knocks on him is he has never really been able to put a team on his back in the crunch time of games and come up with clutch baskets and assists like Roy has.
Ginobli is great but without Timmy and Tony he would never be able to carry a team through the playoffs as a number one option.
Blazersedge mods suck
yeah
KG was too busy carrying them into the fourth quarter to do anything more. :)
If Cassell didn’t go down that year…title. I think people would be talking about him a little differently if that happened……oh well. $%^ Happens.
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions
That's just silly
KG is the single most important reason that team won a championship. Roy’s very good and I support him as a superstar. But he doesn’t dominate a whole game like KG does. KG is the most dominant defensive player in the league and is the reason why that defense is as good as it is. He’s also no slouch on offense and is more clutch than you’d think.
Granted, in terms of health and age I’d take Roy in a second. MCHAAAAAAALLLLEEEE!!!!!
Ok you got a point.
But as of right now, Brandon Roy is more valuable to a team than KG. In KG’s prime he was a very dominant player but his health and situation in Boston won’t allow him to dominate like he once could.
Blazersedge mods suck
Just a quick point..
….being valuable to a team is another subject than being valuable enough in relation to league-wide performance. Al Jefferson is valuable to the Wolves; probably every bit as much as Roy is to the Blazers. I’d never argue that Jefferson is a better player than Roy or that he could lead the Wolves to a better record as the A1 option. Likewise, KG, even now, makes Boston a championship contender in a way that Roy has yet to match with Portland. He may get there one day and I realize that a lot of this has to do with his supporting cast, but KG, to this very day, makes his team a championship contender. Without him, they barely beat the Bulls. With him, they’re the best defensive team in the league and they present huge matchup problems on the offensive end. Boston probably doesn’t lose as much with KG out as Portland would with Roy, but he also gives them a much higher top end. In that sense, KG is still a dominant player in a way that Roy is not.
PS: Let’s also not forget that KG was far and away the best performing player on the team that won the championship a mere 2 years ago. The Ticket had a PER over 24 with a team-high Roland Rating, adj +/-…just about everything you can think of, he was the guy. If they come back and win a championship this year, and he is healthy and puts up numbers like he did 2 years ago, he’s still a top 5 player.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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The question
I always ask is does the player make those around him better? I can say 100% with KG, but admit that I haven’t watched enough Blazer games to consistently see Roy’s impact on both ends of the floor to say the same thing.
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 27, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Without question
Roy makes his teammates better. He hasn’t been real impactful on the defensive side of the floor to this point but from what he has been saying, he hopes to focus more on that end this year with Miller taking a little more of the playmaking duties on the offensive end.
Blazersedge mods suck
If oden and LMA
are as good as you think they are, then Roy will lead you to a championship. If they…or he isn’t, then you won’t win a championship. Then can we put to rest who is the better player question?
Fact is that KG led a Spreewell/Cassells team to the WCF. These were two players who were on a serious decline. Has Roy done even that yet?
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 28, 2009 8:05 AM CDT up reply actions
KG/Duncan
Are at the point in their careers where they are happy to blow off regular season stats in order to be healthy in the playoffs. The statistical slides are really not indicative of what they are still capable of with an important game on the line. Roy has not moved ahead of either IMO.
btw
would KG have enough fingers for all his rings if he’d been drafted by the Spurs with Popovich running that team?
If you look at the stats...
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Brandon Roy
…and look at the latest playoff years for each. Brandon Roy actually has performed just as well. He has avereaged quite a few more points per game. His rebounding numbers aren’t as good but thats to be expected when comparing guards to forwards but it isn’t too bad. Then you add in another year for each of them and I believe Roy will outperform both in the playoffs.
Blazersedge mods suck
I was thinking...
If KG had been fortunate to have been drafted by a well run organization in Duncan’s place. Call me a homer, but I’ve always thought he was the better player. He pretty much owned Duncan when they went head to head, and has a lot more facets to his game.
KG + Duncan would have been ridiculous. They’d have made Jordan’s Bulls looks like Jefferson’s Timberwolves.
Homer ;-)
To me, Duncan is the greatest power forward to ever play. KG would be third behind Karl Malone.
Head-to-head stats here.
The only category that KG has a clear advantage in would be FT%. Not really owning.
Blazersedge mods suck
The thing is with stats you can twist them to support any argument you want to make. If you ask me, WoW is a bunch of garbage.
Blazersedge mods suck
This is true
If memory serves, KG never had much on Duncan when they played each other. Timmy tended to get the better of him.
Your memory
serves you wrong. Maybe SA had the edge in W-L (probably), but I don’t recall a single game where Garnett did not individually outplay Timmy.
Great article Jose! Game-set-match, that is exactly the kind of analysis I had always wished someone would put together. I guess that I am two years behind the times.
Also, forgot to rank Dirk ahead of Roy earlier. Sorry Dirk.
I look at it...
…like something along the lines of Johan Santana vs. CC Sabathia. CC will probably end up winning more but he also plays for the Yankees. KG played with crappy players for the vast majority of his career. The two times he has been surrounded with 2 other competent players, he has gone to the WCF and won the championship. You don’t even need to be a stat geek to understand this simple point.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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Yeah, looking at those head-to-head stats, it would seem they were played each other pretty close to even. My memory does not serve, if the box scores are to be believed. And really, the argument that KG never had good teammates and when he did he was successful doesn’t put him ahead of TD, it just puts them on the same level. And I think everyone can agree that they’re both great, great players.
You avoid the basic point..
….that KG never had the talent that Duncan had around him while he was in Minny and when he finally was surrounded with comparable talent, he promptly won a championship. As I mention below, you don’t even need stats to recognize this fact.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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I could go further
But Stop N Pop basically summed it all up.
by Jose Cordoba on Oct 28, 2009 7:08 AM CDT up reply actions
It's Bush's Kerry quote in reverse...
…I was against him before I was for him. Maybe I’m picking up on the Straussian neocon belief in that the ends justify the means. Maybe I don’t believe a word I say and I’ll do whatever it takes for attention. Hey, it worked for Bill Kristol ;)
To be serious for a second, I think Brewer can become a productive role player but I’m not so sure he can start without a dynamic 3 next to him. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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agree, and there's nothing wrong with that
Two months ago, I had doubts the guy even belonged in the NBA. Role playing starter or sixth man at the 2/3 sounds about right for his ceiling. But, hey…we need one of those right?!
You know if Ellington is legit, he and Brewer would really complement each other well at the 2. Throw in a little Rudy Gay at the three…things would be looking up.
* MVP: Lebron James (finally playing a lil pf)
* 6th Man: Barbosa
* Most Improved: Corey Brewer
* Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
* ROY: James Harden followed by Flynn, followed by Griffin
* WC Finalist: Denver
* EC Finalist: Clev
* Champion: Denver
What would a prediction segment be without a few made-up categories?
* Best Player on a New Team: Anthony parker. (Not for stats, but put a spacer next to LBJ and Shaq and he will have success
* Most Overrated: Durant
* Most Overrated (runner up): LMA
* Most Underrated: Granger (better than Durant but only fantasy people know)
* Best Coaching Performance: Flip Saunders (I love the hawk system)
* Worst Coaching Performance: Dunleavy
* Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
* Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
* Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Brandon Jennings
* Number of Wolves Trades: 2
* Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: NY
* Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
* Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #4
* Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Randolph
* Biggest Rookie Flop: Ty Evans (not a pg, not a shooter and does not get FT) (Hasheem Thabeet is a cheap guess)
* Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Joe Alexander/Jerryd Bayless (tie)
* Championship window closes for: Boston, Dallas, and San Antonio
* First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: NY
* Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? Yes.
* Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Brian Cardinal + Ramon Sessions in a combo deal to either Philly, Memphis, or Portland. (You took the best answer) Sactown is another option if Evans/Martin does not work.
Love Brew is over?
My vote is for Brewer to win Most Improved this year.
As for a couple of the others:
Boston as EC Finalist
WC Finalist? That’s tough. The Lakers are such an easy choice. If I had to choose someone after them, I’ll go with Denver over Portland or any Texas team.
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
Can Joe Alexander really flop two years in a row?
MVP: LeBron
6th Man: Jason Terry
Most Improved: Jamario Moon
Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: San Antonio
EC Finalist: Cleveland
Champion: San Antonio
Best Player on a New Team: Richard Jefferson
Most Overrated: Hedo Turkoglu
Most Overrated (runner up): Allen Iverson
Most Underrated: Rajon Rondo
Best Coaching Performance: Rick Carlisle (between him and Pop)
Worst Coaching Performance: Vinny Del Negro
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
Rookie PG with most wins: Jeff Teague
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn (he can be both, right?)
Number of Wolves Trades: 3
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick: Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010: #3
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Brook Lopez
Biggest Rookie Flop: Jordan Hill
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Kevin Love
Championship window closes for: Cleveland, Phoenix, Boston
First team to flinch: New York
Will Corey Brewer becoming a legitimate starting NBA 2/3: No
Which T-Wolf gets traded first: Ryan Gomes (to San Antonio for Roger Mason)
MVP: LeBron
6th Man: Manu Ginobili
Most Improved: Courtney Lee
Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: San Antonio
EC Finalist: Orlando
Champion: Orlando
What would a prediction segment be without a few made-up categories?
Best Player on a New Team: Shawn Marion
Most Overrated: Marcin Gortat
Most Overrated (runner up): LMA
Most Underrated: Randy Foye (and that will hurt more than anything Mike Miller does….)
Best Coaching Performance: Rick Adelman
Worst Coaching Performance: Nellie
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Stephen Curry (watch Simmons turn himself in knots over it)
Number of Wolves Trades: 1
Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: Minnesota
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes (although I’d love to hand it over)
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #6 (Aldrich will go at #4 and Evan Turner at #5)
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Courtney Lee
Biggest Rookie Flop: Hasheem Thabeet
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Joe Alexander
Championship window closes for: Boston, Dallas
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Toronto
Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? A SG yes.
Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Gomes + Pecherov for some guy who gets bought out.
Judd: "...I've since watched some Steven Seagal movies and I realise that pressure points are no laughing matter.".
MVP: LeBron
6th Man: Ginobili
Most Improved: Andrew Bynum
Defensive POY: Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: Lakers
EC Finalist: Celtics
Champion: Lakers
Best player on a new team: Ron Artest
Most Overrated: O.J. Mayo
Runner Up: Turkoglu
Most Underrated: Kevin Love
Best Coaching Performance: Flip Saunders
Worst Coaching Performance: Lionel Hollins
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
Rookie PG with most wins: Rodrique Beaubois
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Brandon Jennings (was this one made for him?)
Number of Wolves trades: 3
Where Rudy Gay ends up: Minnesota
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? 5
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Russell Westbrook
Biggest Rookie Flop: Ricky Rubio (buh-zing.)
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Anthony Randolph
Championship window closes for: Dallas, Boston, San Antonio
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Toronto
Will Brewer becaome a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? No :(
Which Wolf gets traded first: Sessions to Memphis in a Rudy Gay blockbuster
RR
I’m sure that was meant as sarcastic, but lets remember, you can’t be a rookie until you’ve signed a contract and played a game. Yes, I might be a little defensive about “the Spanish kid” until he gets here.
Timberwolves - NBA champs 2013!
(used with permission - Wolf in MO)
by frankenhoops on Oct 27, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Can you imagine
the trade rumors next summer if the Wolves do finally get the #1 pick!
Wow, could Kahn have fun next summer.
I'll Try
Wolves Record (can’t remember if this is elswhere, but i’m putting my guess here): 26-56
MVP: LeBron
6th Man: Jamal Crawford (not that I think he’s good, just that I think he’ll put up offensive #s, which is all people will care about)
Most Improved: Ty Thomas
Defensive POY: Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: Lakers
EC Finalist: Cavs
Champion: Lakers
Best player on a new team: V. Carter
Most Overrated: Gay
Runner Up: Shaq
Most Underrated: Deron Williams
Best Coaching Performance: L. Brown
Worst Coaching Performance: P. Westphal
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
Rookie PG with most wins: Lawson
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Rubio
Number of Wolves trades: 0
Where Rudy Gay ends up: Golden State
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? 5
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Gallinari
Biggest Rookie Flop: Thabeet (this one seems so likely, I’ll go with a 2nd: Curry)
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: E Gordon (not because I think he’s bad, but Griffin + healthy BD means less touches for him) Beasley has a chance here too . . .
Championship window closes for: Dallas, Boston, San Antonio, Cleveland
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Toronto
Will Brewer becaome a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? Nope
Which Wolf gets traded first: I don’t think there will be a trade but if there is it will either be Gomes or Cardinal
• MVP: Lebron James
• 6th Man: Jason Terry
• Most Improved: Andrea Bargnani
• Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
• ROY: Blake Griffin
• WC Finalist: San Antonio
• EC Finalist: Cleveland
• Champion: Cleveland
What would a prediction segment be without a few made-up categories?
• Best Player on a New Team: Antonio McDyess (not necessarily best player, but best addition)
• Most Overrated: OJ Mayo
• Most Overrated (runner up): Carmelo Anthony
• Most Underrated: Troy Murphy
• Best Coaching Performance: Rick Adelman
• Worst Coaching Performance: Don Nelson
• Best Rookie PG: Ty Lawson
• Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
• Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Ty Lawson (Because he’s not on the wolves)
• Number of Wolves Trades: 0
• Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: Memphis
• Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
• Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #7
• Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Danillo Gallinari
• Biggest Rookie Flop: Jordan Hill
• Biggest 2nd Year Flop: OJ Mayo. Improvement = None
• Championship window closes for: Cleveland (Lebron leaves)
• First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Cleveland! Not sure what this question means.
• Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? Yes
• Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? I don’t think we make any trades. Does that count as a guess?
MVP: LeBron James
6th Man: Rudy Fernandez- Batums injury is going to allow Rudy a lot more playing time
Most Improved: Greg Oden- Oden shows the world why he was #1
Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: LA Lakers
EC Finalist: Orlando Magic
Champion: LA Lakers
Best Player on a New Team: Vince Carter
Most Overrated: Kevin Durant- the love for Durant amazes me as he is one of the worst defenders in the league. Another overrated chucker.
Most Overrated (runner up): Kevin Love- mostly just at Canis Hoopus ;-)
Most Underrated: Troy Murphy- doesn’t get enough attention for being a top ten PF
Best Coaching Performance: Rick Adleman- the Rockets will surprise people this year because of their coaching
Worst Coaching Performance: Vinny Del Negro
Best Rookie PG: Stephen Curry
Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Brandon Jennings
Number of Wolves Trades: 1
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick: Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010: #2
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Michael Beasley
Biggest Rookie Flop: DeMar DeRozen
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: OJ Mayo
Championship window closes for: San Antonio, Boston
First team to flinch: New York
Will Corey Brewer becoming a legitimate starting NBA 2/3: No
Which T-Wolf gets traded first: Brian Cardinal
Blazersedge mods suck
My Awards
MVP: Lebron
Defensive POY: Rajon Rondo
6th Man: Rudy Fernandez
ROY: Blake Griffin
Most Improved: Corey Brewer
EC Finals: Orlando
WC Finals: Portland
NBA Champions: Orlando
Best Player on a New Team: Vince Carter
Most Overrated: While LMA, Durant, Gay, and Granger are all excellent Choices- I’ll go with OJ Mayo
Most Underrated: Anderson Varejao
Best Coach: Rick Adelman
Worst Coach: Mike Dunleavy
Best Rookie PG: Stephen Curry
Most Wins Rookie PG: Tricky Ricky
Most Frustrating: Jonny Flynn
Wolves Trades: 2
Wolves Keep Clippers Pick- #5
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Eric Gordon
Biggest Rookie Flop: Hasheem Thabeet
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: OJ Mayo
Championship Window Closes: San Antonio, Boston, Dallas
First Team to Flinch: Cleveland acquiring Stephen Jackson
Will Corey Brewer: Yes
First T-Wolf Traded: Brian Cardinal
First Team to Flinch: Cleveland acquiring Stephen Jackson
i will say a little prayer every night for that to be true.
and i’d also like to second the notion that thabeet is too easy of a pick for biggest rookie flop. can you be a flop when no one expects you to play in year one?
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
You can if you were pick #2
and a number of the guys that follow do well.
Judd: "...I've since watched some Steven Seagal movies and I realise that pressure points are no laughing matter.".
MVP: lebron (too easy)
6th man: jason terry gets it, but paul millsap deserves it (if boozer stays healthy and in utah)
most improved: you had to know i was going anthony randolph, right?
DPOY: dwight howard
ROY: blake griffin
WC finalist: spurs
EC finalist: cavs
champion: cavs
best player on a new team: begrudgingly, i’ll give this to VC.
most overrated: rudy gay (he needs to make a huge leap to deserve the hype he’s getting) or LMA.
most underrated: david lee
best coaching performance: probably flip saunders, but this one is wide open
worst coaching performance: vinny del negro
best rookie pg: ty lawson
most frustrating rookie pg: brandon jennings, and i’ll also award him the “most frustrating career from a pg from this year’s rookie class”
number of wolves trades: 2
wolves 2010 draft position: 6
biggest 2nd year jump: anthony randolph
biggest rookie flop: derozan
biggest 2nd year flop: oj mayo
championship window closes for: spurs, celtics, mavs (if it was ever there) and (it’s more possible than you think) lakers.
first team to flinch: either the knicks or raptors
brewer a legit starter?: no
first t-wolf traded: cardinal
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
You are the Bill Simmons of Wolves bloggers, always fishing for reactions from Blazers fans :)
But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart
MVP: LeBron James
6th Man: Manu Ginobili
Most Improved: Greg Oden
Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
ROY: Was Blake Griffin, now Tyreke Evans
WC Finalist: San Antonio
EC Finalist: Cleveland
Champion: Cleveland
Best Player on a New Team: Richard Jefferson
Most Overrated: Hedo Turkoglu
Most Overrated (runner up): Rudy Gay
Most Underrated: Deron Williams
Best Coaching Performance: Mike Brown
Worst Coaching Performance: Don Nelson
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn (I don’t consider Evans a true PG)
Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Brandon Jennings
Number of Wolves Trades: 2
Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: stays in Memphis
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #5
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Anthony Randolph
Biggest Rookie Flop: Stephen Curry/Jordan Hill
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Mario Chalmers
Championship window closes for: Boston and Dallas
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Knicks
Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? Not yet. But we’ll be on the road to that happening next year.
Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Gomes to the East.
MVP: LeBron
6th Man: Manu Ginobili
Most Improved: Courtney Lee
Defensive POY: Dwight Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC Finalist: Lakers
EC Finalist: Cavs
Champion: Lakers
What would a prediction segment be without a few made-up categories?
Best Player on a New Team: Richard Jefferson
Most Overrated: Honestly, no big names jump out at me. Can’t really say Vince, AI or T-Mac anymore. I’ll go with Rudy Gay.
Most Underrated: Carl Landry
Best Coaching Performance: Rick Adelman
Worst Coaching Performance: George Karl
Best Rookie PG: Jonny Flynn
Rookie PG with most wins: Ty Lawson
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Stephen Curry/Brandon Jennings (tie)
Number of Wolves Trades: 2
Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: This year? Memphis. Expect the unexpected with Chris Wallace.
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? Yes
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #1, STP’s right on with his comment about us finally getting it this year with Wall and Favors being the top 2 guys who play 2 positions we can’t take.
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: CDR
Biggest Rookie Flop: Hasheem Thabeet
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Jerryd Bayless, just won’t get the minutes.
Championship window closes for: Boston
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: New York won this awhile ago.
Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? No.
Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Al Jefferson for Richard Hamilton. Really, I have no idea, all bets are off. I could imagine about anyone at this point.
I like your pick for most underrated. Carl Landry doesn’t get enough credit for his play.
But your pick for second year flop is where I have to disagree. The main reason is because he really didn’t do all that well in his rookie year so i don’t know how he could be considered a second year flop. Also with Nic Batum going down for five months I expect Bayless to get a few more minutes than last year. In the preseason it looked like MacMillan trusted him a little more and i really think he has improved.
Blazersedge mods suck
I’d assume you’ve paid more attention to Blazer preseason than I have, so if you say he’ll get more minutes because of Batum being out, I’ll just have to trust you. But does that mean they’d play him at the 2?
The only reason I put him down as being a flop is that people have expectations for him. Maybe not as an All Star, but people expect him to be a good, effective player. Including me, I like him. I just think he’s on the wrong team at the wrong time to make that happen this year. He should be making a jump in his career, and on a lot of other teams he’d be getting more of a chance to do that. He’s stuck behind Blake and Miller and his team is going for the big time this year.
Yeah
If he sees any time on the floor it would be in a combo guard role more than strictly point. He could be in a three guard line-up with Blake and Roy as another penetrator on the opposite side of Roy with Blake to space the floor.
I agree that he won’t get enough minutes this season to make a jump into the player that Portland drafted him to be but if he sticks it out and fills his role, in a couple years with Miller gone he should be ready to step into a more important role. Hopefully.
Blazersedge mods suck
obvious troll is obvious
MVP: Brandon Roy
6th Man: Rudy Fernandez
Most Improved: Greg Oden
Defensive POY: Greg Oden
ROY: Dante Cunningham
WC Finalist: Portland
EC Finalist: Boston
Champion: Portland
Best Player on a New Team: Andre Miller
Most Overrated: Kevin Love
Most Overrated (runner up): Al Jefferson
Most Underrated: LaMarcus Aldridge
Best Coaching Performance: Nate McMillan
Worst Coaching Performance: Kurt Rambis
Best Rookie PG: Patty Mills
Rookie PG with most wins: Patty Mills
Most Frustrating Rookie PG: Johnny Flynn
Number of Wolves Trades: 5
Where Rudy Gay Ends Up: Atlanta
Will the Wolves keep the Clipper pick? No
Where will the Wolves draft in 2010? #1
Biggest 2nd Year Jump: Rudy Fernandez/NIc Batum (even with shoulder injury)
Biggest Rookie Flop: Johnny Flynn/Wayne Ellington
Biggest 2nd Year Flop: Mario Chalmers
Championship window closes for: Boston and Dallas
First team to flinch in the face of 2010 free agency: Wolves
Will Corey Brewer become a legitimate starting NBA 2/3? Never.. out of the league in 2 years
Which T-Wolf gets traded first (bonus points for picking the right team)? Jefferson to the Clippers for Baron Davis
by GreatOden'sRaven on Oct 27, 2009 5:48 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
This is excellent
I love how we end up with the #1 pick, but still somehow lose it to the Clips.
by Rascal Flatts on Oct 27, 2009 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions
how exactly
do the wolves lose the clippers pick and still get the #1 pick?
by TheEvilProfessor on Oct 28, 2009 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions
MVP: LeBron
6th man: Manu
most improved: Ryan Anderson
DPOY: KG
ROY: Blake Griffin
WC finalist: spurs
EC finalist: Magic
champion: Magic
best player on a new team: VC.
most overrated: Shaq
most underrated: Nene
best coaching performance: Flip Saunders
worst coaching performance: Mike Dunleavy
best rookie pg: Tyreke Evans
most frustrating rookie pg: Stephen Curry
number of wolves trades: 1
wolves 2010 draft position: 7
biggest 2nd year jump: Brook Lopez
biggest rookie flop: Hasheem Thabeet
biggest 2nd year flop: Jason Thompson
championship window closes for: Jazz, Mavericks, Spurs
first team to flinch: Cavs, Warriors
brewer a legit starter?: not on a title contender but a role player for any team
first t-wolf traded: Pavlovic (he’s going to get beaten out by Damien Wilkins and dumped McCants-style)
by pagingstanleyroberts on Oct 28, 2009 12:34 AM CDT reply actions
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