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Coming off of a game in which they blew a 26-point lead in the fourth quarter last night, the Cavaliers blew an 11-point lead in the fourth in this game and eventually lost in overtime. Playing without LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland couldn’t get the job done down the stretch, despite an amazing game by Deron Williams (35/7/9). Hassan Whiteside (23/18/1) double-doubled in the must-win game for Mi
Now back with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James is back to his title-winning ways. He led the Cavs to their first-ever title last year and is gearing up to make a run at his seventh-straight NBA Finals this y
Listed at 6’7", Butler is a full 10 inches taller than Thomas, but has the physical gifts that it takes to stick with him for a long period of the game. Despite the major height difference, Butler respects Thomas’ versatile g
That will only be the case, however, if coach Fred Hoiberg doesn’t derail what’s working in the hopes of appeasing his future Hall of Famer’s desire to have the rock in his hands as much as he did earlier in the sea
As of Wednesday night, the 38-40 Chicago Bulls are in a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.Possessing the same exact record as both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, and just 2.5 games ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and 3.0 games ahead of the Detroit Pistons, a lot can happen between now and the playoffs, even if there are only a handful of games remaining.Bulls shooting guard Dwyane Wade has missed the last 10 games with an elbow injury (sprained with a small fracture) that he suffered on March 15.He was originally deemed out for the rest of the regular season as a result.However, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago, his recovery has progressed so well that he might be able to suit up as early as Saturday against the Philadelphia 76
In 2k12, the only players who had better ratings were LeBron James of Miami (98), Dwyane Wade of Miami (96), Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (94), Dwight Howard of Orlando (93) and Chris Paul of New Orleans (93). Rose's 92 was equaled by Kevin Durant of Oklahoma C
After spending last season with the Shandong Golden Stars in China, Cole signed a contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in March. He is now averaging 2.3 points and 1.1 assists in limited action as the team's third-string point gu
Big Dex was a favourite of everyone in the Heat locker room during the championship runs that saw LBJ claim two rings in South Beach. He would win a ring in 2013 with the incarnation of the squad that beat the San Antonio Spurs in a thril
"Enigmatic forward Nikola Mirotic averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 22.9 minutes while shooting 39 percent with Wade around. Historically the Bulls’ one-man version of March Madness is contributing 16.4 points and visit these guys 6.3 rebounds in 29.6 minutes while hitting 50.8 percent overa
Coached by Erik Spoelstra, who is still in charge of the Heat, the 2011-12 squad delivered the first of the back-to-back titles of the Big Three era. Here's where the starting five and key contributors from that year's team are
His time with the Heat provided flashes, but his body would betray him a lot during his only campaign with the team. The big man is now a student manager for the Ohio State basketball team while he tries to go on to earn his deg
Injuries have been the main cause for the derailment of such a promising career, one which looked like it could deliver his hometown Chicago Bulls its first NBA championship since the Michael Jordan d
Lesser stars like Kevin Love and Chris Bosh also chipped in to those rings. Having that help has aided his legacy when the lights burned brightest. So of all of his teammates, which of those players are the worst of the bunch? And where are they
The Warriors rested Klay Thompson and the Jazz were without All-Star Gordon Hayward due to a quad contusion in this matchup. Rudy Gobert (17/18/0) and company stole the win on the road from Steph Curry (28/4/4) and his crew. Interestingly, the Jazz made 13 three-pointers compared to Golden State’s n
"Point guard Rajon Rondo, demoted to the second unit earlier in the season, has the ball back in his hands and has averaged 8.4 assists, compared to 6.4 before Wade’s exit. He is averaging 10.9 points on 47 percent shooting (up from 7.2 on 39.4 percent). And defensively he has been energized, giving hard times most recently to Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Atlanta’s Dennis Schrod
Marion retired at the end of the 2015 season and left the locker room quickly wanting to be done with that chapter of his life. Now, he’s enjoying the retired life and happy that his 15-year-career included a championship ring with Dal
He played in a playoff game for the first time in three years and even banked home a winner against the Cleveland Cavaliers to put his team up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls would lose the ser
Anthony was a born scorer from the moment he stepped foot in the Rocky Mountains as a rookie. His reputation as a complete offensive force took a second to blossom. His Olympic resume and All-Star appearances speak for themsel
He spent two years in Cleveland and averaged three points a game, while players like Al Jefferson and J.R. Smith were drafted after him. Jackson currently coaches Northwest Christian University’s basketball t
After last June, there should be no argument that James isn’t one of the greatest players in NBA history. His performance in the NBA Finals further cements a legacy that should have been bulletproof years
While taking Thomas out of the game with his swarming defense would be wonderful for the Bulls, Butler knows that the Celtics still would have other pieces on their roster that his teammates would need to be ready
That season would prove to be his best as he averaged three points and two rebounds per game in 35 games of action. Pittman was in action for the Japanese B.League a member of the Toyama Grouses last y
West has been an All-Star twice while playing with Chris Paul in New Orleans during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The big man is averaging 14 points and six rebounds for nbaactioninsight.Com his career as he is now a role player for the San Antonio Sp
While he was never that in Cleveland, he was serviceable but his efficiency never reached those heights again. Hughes also struggled with injuries and his absence is a large part of why the Cavs got swept in the 2007 Fin
Wade was picked at number five overall in the original draft as many people thought that big man prospects were probably a better fit for their rosters. Also, he is a little shorter than average for a two-gu
Listed at 6’7", Butler is a full 10 inches taller than Thomas, but has the physical gifts that it takes to stick with him for a long period of the game. Despite the major height difference, Butler respects Thomas’ versatile g
Like Kidd, Hall of Famer Thomas is firmly in the conversation when discussing the best point guards in history, he was a magician with the ball in his hands. However, unlike Kidd, Thomas at least had some rings to show for
LeBron stays at number one in this ranking and for good reason, he is still the de-facto best player on the planet and that hasn’t changed as the years have gone by. An otherworldly combination of skill and athleticism that we may never see ag
Though he's still an incredible mid-range shooter in the game, his other stats have diminished since his 2K9 peak. There are a number of reasons for that decline, and players often see their stats decrease as they age, but the biggest one is his new franch
Depending on who you ask, D-Wade is the third to fourth best shooting guard ever and by all accounts a sure-fire Hall of Fame candidate. He is still getting it done today and would have been huge wherever he was draf
His time with the Heat provided flashes, but his body would betray him a lot during his only campaign with the team. The big man is now a student manager for the Ohio State basketball team while he tries to go on to earn his deg
CB4 averaged 20 points per game for the Raptors before leaving to win two championships with his fellow draft classmates as a member of the Heat. His career averages are 19 points and eight rebounds a g
The Boston Celtics legend won an NBA championship with the franchise in 2008 after they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, but unfortunately for him, his prime years saw him playing for some bad Celtics teams which worked against
In the four contests against the Bulls this year, Thomas put up 24.8 points and 5.8 assists per game. However, he shot the ball very well against Chicago, going 53.8 percent from the field along with 48.4 percent from three-point ra
Westbrook and Harden have broken records this year and it's possible that they may never have better individual campaigns for the rest of their careers, so this could be their best shot at hoisting the MVP tro
"I look forward to that matchup," Butler said after Friday's practice . "Especially what he's done this year for that team. I know that it's going to come at some point in time. I don't know when -- but I'm going to make it tough for him. For anybody that I'm guarding. Not just me, it's going to be a team effort. I'm going to get beat at times, I'm going to need guys to be there. If not, then we'll do it over and over again 'til somebody is there if I'm beat. But I look forward to that challenge. I want th
Jackson was a huge name coming out of Oregon before being drafted at 10 overall by the Cavs in their first draft after getting LeBron. Needless to say the partnership that they envisioned never panned
"I don't know," he said . "I wish upper management could be answering these questions because I'm tired of answering the same ones every game. I don't know. I wish I had the answer, I don't ... I just want to get out there and try to play, try to le
Brogdon is easily the biggest surprise of this draft. The 24-year-old out of Virginia spent five years in college and he has reaped the benefits of honing his abilities there instead of making a quick leap into the
The Bucks were sensational from three-point range, going 16-for-28 on the night. Oddly enough, they attempted just five free throws in the victory, hitting three of them. Gianni Antetokounmpo (10/11/10) recorded a triple-double over 36 minutes played in the low-scoring contest. The Hornets played without Kemba Walker, who sat out to r
The 5’9" Thomas is in the midst of a spectacular, career-best campaign, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists. If you’ve watched the Celtics play this year, you know that their entire offense runs through him and he’s what makes them tick. Further, he's been the best fourth quarter scorer in the league, providing important points down the stretch of most ga
"I look forward to that matchup," Butler said after Friday's practice . "Especially what he's done this year for that team. I know that it's going to come at some point in time. I don't know when -- but I'm going to make it tough for him. For anybody that I'm guarding. Not just me, it's going to be a team effort. I'm going to get beat at times, I'm going to need guys to be there. If not, then we'll do it over and over again 'til somebody is there if I'm beat. But I look forward to that challenge. I want th
In 2k12, the only players who had better ratings were LeBron James of Miami (98), Dwyane Wade of Miami (96), Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (94), Dwight Howard of Orlando (93) and Chris Paul of New Orleans (93). Rose's 92 was equaled by Kevin Durant of Oklahoma C
The Spurs were back with payback in their minds after losing to the Heat in a seven-game series the previous postseason. San Antonio jumped all over the Heat, thrashing them in a 4-1 series that was never really close. The Spurs won by double-digits in each of their four victor
The Warriors rested Klay Thompson and the Jazz were without All-Star Gordon Hayward due to a quad contusion in this matchup. Rudy Gobert (17/18/0) and company stole the win on the road from Steph Curry (28/4/4) and his crew. Interestingly, the Jazz made 13 three-pointers compared to Golden State’s n
"I don't know," he said . "I wish upper management could be answering these questions because I'm tired of answering the same ones every game. I don't know. I wish I had the answer, I don't ... I just want to get out there and try to play, try to le
In the four contests against the Bulls this year, Thomas put up 24.8 points and 5.8 assists per game. However, he shot the ball very well against Chicago, going 53.8 percent from the field along with 48.4 percent from three-point ra
The Celtics moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with the victory. Led by Isaiah Thomas (27/4/3), Al Horford (19/8/4) and Avery Bradley (18/5/2), the Celtics led the Nets to 36.0 percent shooting for the game. In the loss, Brook Lopez (25/7/2) became the Nets’ all-time leading sco
The Celtics selected Brown with the third pick and under the guidance of Brad Stevens, he has shown he can become a premier defender. The 20-year-old has had a steady first campaign and unlike the aforementioned players, he has been fortunate enough to be on a winning team as Boston owned the Brooklyn Nets' p
Once again, though, he entered simply click the next web page playoffs as the No. 2 seed. Similarly, it was a non-issue again. The Cavaliers swept the Celtics in the first round, easily elimiminated the Bulls (4-2) and brought out the brooms again against the Atlanta Ha
Coming off of a game in which they blew a 26-point lead in the fourth quarter last night, the Cavaliers blew an 11-point lead in the fourth in this game and eventually lost in overtime. Playing without LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland couldn’t get the job done down the stretch, despite an amazing game by Deron Williams (35/7/9). Hassan Whiteside (23/18/1) double-doubled in the must-win game for Mi
Injuries have been the main cause for the derailment of such a promising career, one which looked like it could deliver his hometown Chicago Bulls its first NBA championship since the Michael Jordan d
Paul George (27/2/5) scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half as the Pacers offense clicked all night long. Shooting 57.6 percent from the field, Indiana held the 76ers to 46.7 percent shooting. In the loss, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (24/5/3) set a career-high in points and went 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from th
"A lot of people have a lot of things they can say about Fred as a coach, but I will defend him on this: This is a tough situation he's put in right now," Wade noted . "That's why sometimes I'm glad I'm on this side of the coin. I'm glad I got a jersey on; I don't have to make certain decisions, because it is tough. But no one is really going to care too much. Fred gets a nice paycheck, I get a nice paycheck, Jimmy gets a nice paycheck, blah, blah, blah -- so people don't care when you get paid good. So we all have to figure it out together. We're all in this togeth
"He's a big part to what they do," Butler explained . "We all know that. I think they know that. But you can't take him out the game and think that you can win. Because they got a lot of other really good players, role players that make shots, create for others. They guard, they rebound, pass the ball. They got a really good team; they're really good at what they
Injuries have been the main cause for the derailment of such a promising career, one which looked like it could deliver his hometown Chicago Bulls its first NBA championship since the Michael Jordan d
An ankle injury hurt the beginning of his sophomore season, but as reflected by the outstanding 85 rating, Rose made his first All-Star Game and led the Bulls to the playoffs for the second straight sea
He played in a playoff game for the first time in three years and even banked home a winner against the Cleveland Cavaliers to put his team up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls would lose the ser
He was a walking triple-double during his outstanding 19-year career in the NBA. J.Kidd made it to 11 All-Star games with five First Team All-NBA selections, but the MVP award never came his way as a result of tough competition and talent in the league at the t
The Australian may not have played a single game all season but from what we saw of him in college and in the Summer League, he is still easily the best player from this class and would be selected with the number one pick all the t
Just last month, the 19-year-old posted an impressive 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and five blocks in a loss to the Sacramento Kings. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in February and he will be an important piece of a young core for the Suns in the fut
"I look forward to that matchup," Butler said after Friday's practice . "Especially what he's done this year for that team. I know that it's going to come at some point in time. I don't know when -- but I'm going to make it tough for him. For anybody that I'm guarding. Not just me, it's going to be a team effort. I'm going to get beat at times, I'm going to need guys to be there. If not, then we'll do it over and over again 'til somebody is there if I'm beat. But I look forward to that challenge. I want th
Despite a 12-70 season for the New Jersey Nets, there was reason to believe good things were on the way. Prokhorov wanted stars to help facilitate a move to Brooklyn that was still two years away, and despite the lottery balls not falling in their favor to land John Wall, the Nets still had the third pick in the dr
While taking Thomas out of the game with his swarming defense would be wonderful for the Bulls, Butler knows that the Celtics still would have other pieces on their roster that his teammates would need to be ready
In 2k12, the only players who had better ratings were LeBron James of Miami (98), Dwyane Wade of Miami (96), Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (94), Dwight Howard of Orlando (93) and Chris Paul of New Orleans (93). Rose's 92 was equaled by Kevin Durant of Oklahoma C
The 5’9" Thomas is in the midst of a spectacular, career-best campaign, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists. If you’ve watched the Celtics play this year, you know that their entire offense runs through him and he’s what makes them tick. Further, he's been the best fourth quarter scorer in the league, providing important points down the stretch of most ga
This would be the third of five straight seasons the Warriors would miss the playoffs, and while Curry's rookie year provided some fun moments, he was still two seasons away from feeling the full effects of ankle problems that would threaten to derail his car
"Point guard Rajon Rondo, demoted to the second unit earlier in the season, has the ball back in his hands and has averaged 8.4 assists, compared to 6.4 before Wade’s exit. He is averaging 10.9 points on 47 percent shooting (up from 7.2 on 39.4 percent). And defensively he has been energized, giving hard times most recently to Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Atlanta’s Dennis Schrod
With all of the ridiculous numbers being put up by players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Isaiah Thomas and the entire Golden State Warriors these days, it's easy to lose sight of the most ridiculous stat going in the lea
West finished second in the MVP voting four different times, losing out to Wilt Chamberlain in 1966, https://nbaactioninsight.com Willis Reed in '70, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in '71 and again in '72. In the '65 ballot, West finished third, behind only Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson. It's certainly no shame losing out to those na
With Russell Westbrook and James Harden battling it out for one of the most hotly contested MVP duels in recent years, it will be a shame to see one of these players miss out on the award after both enjoying incredible seas
"He's been that height for a long time now, so he's mastered it," Butler said . "He's really good at what he does. Coming off, pulling up, shooting shots. Getting to the rim, getting to the free throw line. 5[-foot-]8, 6-8, whatever it is, the guy knows how to put the ball in the bask
After spending his entire eight years with the Bulls, the fan-favorite was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline, along with Doug McDermott, for an underwhelming package headlined by point guard Cameron Pa
The Blazers won on a ridiculous last-second play. All 13 Spurs players played over 12 minutes in the close battle. With their eighth seed clinched, Portland rested both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, which opened the door for Shabazz Napier (32/6/5) to have the game of his l
The Australian may not have played a single game all season but from what we saw of him in college and in the Summer League, he is still easily the best player from this class and would be selected with the number one pick all the t
David West was originally selected at 18 and no one could have known that he would still be in the NBA playing his rugged style after all these years. Coming out of Xavier, the Hornets were the team that got
At 31 years old, Deng is getting a career-lows in points with 7.6 per game, the first season out of 12 in the single-digits. He is under contract for the next three seasons at an average of about $18 million per y
They balanced things out and finished the season as the No. 2 seed, then dominated the Eastern Conference. They beat the Philadelphia 76ers (4-1), Boston Celtics (4-1) and Chicago Bulls (4-1) before they were stopped in their tracks by German engineer
Just last month, the 19-year-old posted an impressive 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and five blocks in a loss to the Sacramento Kings. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in February and he will be an important piece of a young core for the Suns in the fut
The 2003 NBA Draft looked like there would be some great players, possibly some franchise defining stars available in its ranks. After all these years, there are multiple-time All-Stars and a handful of champions from this dr
Brogdon is easily the biggest surprise of this draft. The 24-year-old out of Virginia spent five years in college and he has reaped the benefits of honing his abilities there instead of making a quick leap into the
They went on to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA events|https://Nbaactioninsight.com/ Finals and absolutely thrashed them in a 4-1 beat down. LeBron captured his first of three NBA titles, and on top of eliminating the Thunder, they effectively ended the James Harden era in Oklahoma C
Anthony was a born scorer from the moment he stepped foot in the Rocky Mountains as a rookie. His reputation as a complete offensive force took a second to blossom. His Olympic resume and All-Star appearances speak for themsel
It didn't take long for LeBron to make his first NBA Finals appearance, accomplishing the feat in just his fourth season since jumping to the league straight out of high school. The Cavaliers did it as the No. 2 s
The Clippers outscored the Rockets 36-12 in the third quarter and at that point, the game was essentially over. James Harden (14/7/6) only played 24 minutes and went just 2-for-9 shooting in the game. Meanwhile, the Big Three of Chris Paul (19/5/9), Blake Griffin (18/8/2) and DeAndre Jordan (14/11/2) all produced efficiently and none of the three logged 30 minutes on the court due to the blow
With the disappointment of this draft class, we're all ruing the fact that Simmons wasn't able to suit up this year. He is the only player from this group that has real star potential and could become a perennial All-S
LeBron decided it was time to go home and lick his wounds after the beat down the Spurs put on the Heat, returning to the Cavaliers. The homecoming went smoothly, with King James teaming up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin L
LeBron's teams have entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed five times, each time making it to the NBA Finals. If there was doubt brewing from their seeding, that should wipe it clean out of the equat
The 2011-2012 season was a strange one, though, with the NBA having a shortened regular season following a nasty lockout. Players and league executives engaged in a bitter standoff that cut the NBA season down by 16 games and condensed the schedule sever
Paul George (27/2/5) scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half as the Pacers offense clicked all night long. Shooting 57.6 percent from the field, Indiana held the 76ers to 46.7 percent shooting. In the loss, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (24/5/3) set a career-high in points and went 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from th
After last June, there should be no argument that James isn’t one of the greatest players in NBA history. His performance in the NBA Finals further cements a legacy that should have been bulletproof years
Ingram was the second youngest player drafted in 2016 at the age of 18 and it will take him time to prove that he deserved to be the second overall pick. His first season in Los Angeles, for one of the biggest franchises in the NBA, has unsurprisingly been to
The Warriors rested Klay Thompson and the Jazz were without All-Star Gordon Hayward due to a quad contusion in this matchup. Rudy Gobert (17/18/0) and company stole the win on the road from Steph Curry (28/4/4) and his crew. Interestingly, the Jazz made 13 three-pointers compared to Golden State’s n
He was a walking triple-double during his outstanding 19-year career in the NBA. J.Kidd made it to 11 All-Star games with five First Team All-NBA selections, but the MVP award never came his way as a result of tough competition and talent in the league at the t
After coming into the league with the Denver Nuggets, Anthony became a star in his 7.5 years with the team. But, as the trade deadline approached in the 2010-11 season, Melo decided he wanted out and forced a trade to New York to play for the Kni
The Clippers outscored the Rockets 36-12 in the third quarter and at that point, the game was essentially over. James Harden (14/7/6) only played 24 minutes and went just 2-for-9 shooting in the game. Meanwhile, the Big Three of Chris Paul (19/5/9), Blake Griffin (18/8/2) and DeAndre Jordan (14/11/2) all produced efficiently and none of the three logged 30 minutes on the court due to the blow
Like Kidd, Hall of Famer Thomas is firmly in the conversation when discussing the best point guards in history, he was a magician with the ball in his hands. However, unlike Kidd, Thomas at least had some rings to show for
West finished second in the MVP voting four different times, losing out to Wilt Chamberlain in 1966, Willis Reed in '70, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in '71 and again in '72. In the '65 ballot, West finished third, behind only Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson. It's certainly no shame losing out to those na
This would be the third of five straight seasons the Warriors would miss the playoffs, and while Curry's rookie year provided some fun moments, he was still two seasons away from feeling the full effects of ankle problems that would threaten to derail his car
Anthony was a born scorer from the moment he stepped foot in the Rocky Mountains as a rookie. His reputation as a complete offensive force took a second to blossom. His Olympic resume and All-Star appearances speak for themsel
With Russell Westbrook and James Harden battling it out for one of the most hotly contested MVP duels in recent years, it will be a shame to see one of these players miss out on the award after both enjoying incredible seas
Westbrook and Harden have broken records this year and it's possible that they may never have better individual campaigns for the rest of their careers, so this could be their best shot at hoisting the MVP tro
The Boston Celtics legend won an NBA championship with the franchise in 2008 after they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, but unfortunately for him, his prime years saw him playing for some bad Celtics teams which worked against
LeBron stays at number one in this ranking and for good reason, he is still the de-facto best player on the planet and that hasn’t changed as the years have gone by. An otherworldly combination of skill and athleticism that we may never see ag
Rumors abounded that Melo could be on the move at this year's trade deadline, but nothing serious ever materialized. Though Anthony loves living in New York City, the best thing for his career (both real and virtual) may be a move to a team where he can be part of a big three (maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers or Los Angeles Clippe
Wade was picked at number five overall in the original draft as many people thought that big man prospects were probably a better fit for their rosters. Also, he is a little shorter than average for a two-gu
David West was originally selected at 18 and no one could have known that he would still be in the NBA News|Https://Nbaactioninsight.Com/ playing his rugged style after all these years. Coming out of Xavier, the Hornets were the team that got
With all of the ridiculous numbers being put up by players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Isaiah Thomas and the entire Golden State Warriors these days, it's easy to lose sight of the most ridiculous stat going in the lea
Despite a 12-70 season for the New Jersey Nets, there was reason to believe good things were on the way. Prokhorov wanted stars to help facilitate a move to Brooklyn that was still two years away, and despite the lottery balls not falling in their favor to land John Wall, the Nets still had the third pick in the dr
Clearly, while he was with the Nuggets, Melo was one of the game's elite all-around offensive players (though his defensive stats definitely left a lot to be desired). But, once he forced his way to the Knicks, the steady decline be
By the final update to the NBA 2K12 game, Melo saw his overall rating plummet to an 81. From there, things didn't get much better for the former elite player, as his overall ratings never again rose above an
Though he's still an incredible mid-range shooter in the game, his other stats have diminished since his 2K9 peak. There are a number of reasons for that decline, and players often see their stats decrease as they age, but the biggest one is his new franch
With all of the ridiculous numbers being put up by players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Isaiah Thomas and the entire Golden State Warriors these days, it's easy to lose sight of the most ridiculous stat going in the lea
Despite a 12-70 season for the New Jersey Nets, there was reason to believe good things were on the way. Prokhorov wanted stars to help facilitate a move to Brooklyn that was still two years away, and despite the lottery balls not falling in their favor to land John Wall, the Nets still had the third pick in the dr
Depending on who you ask, D-Wade is the third to fourth best shooting guard ever and by all accounts a sure-fire Hall of Fame candidate. He is still getting it done today and would have been huge wherever he was draf
After coming into the league with the Denver Nuggets, Anthony became a star in his 7.5 years with the team. But, as the trade deadline approached in the 2010-11 season, Melo decided he wanted out and forced a trade to New York to play for the Kni
Coming off of a game in which they blew a 26-point lead in the fourth quarter last night, the Cavaliers blew an 11-point lead in the fourth in this game and eventually lost in overtime. Playing without LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland couldn’t get the job done down the stretch, despite an amazing game by Deron Williams (35/7/9). Hassan Whiteside (23/18/1) double-doubled in the must-win game for Mi
Speaking of Philadelphia, they have the fourth-best odds going into lottery night. They're the last team with double-digit odds of being No. 1 (11.9%), with a 24.5 percent chance at a top-two pick, and 37.8 percent shot at a top-three p
His time with the Heat provided flashes, but his body would betray him a lot during his only campaign with the team. The big man is now a student manager for the Ohio State basketball team while he tries to go on to earn his deg
Well, Prokhorov gave away a whole bunch of future assets to be decent for beginners a few years, Derrick Favors was shipped to Utah before his rookie season ended, and now the Nets are going nowhere for the foreseeable fut
Clearly, while he was with the Nuggets, Melo was one of the game's elite all-around offensive players (though his defensive stats definitely left a lot to be desired). But, once he forced his way to the Knicks, the steady decline be
There are tantalizing talents at the top, like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, Malik Monk and a number of other top picks. That's without considering the typical risers whose stock is elevated during the combine and pre-draft worko
Playing without John Wall was no problem for the Wizards, as Bradley Beal (33/2/3) stepped up to fill the scoring column. While Washington lost the turnover battle 17-10, they were able to hold off Ish Smith (16/2/9), Tobias Harris (22/5/2) and the Pistons down the stre
LeBron stays at number one in this ranking and for good reason, he is still the de-facto best player on the planet and that hasn’t changed as the years have gone by. An otherworldly combination of skill and athleticism that we may never see ag
Oden’s story is a sad one as the hyped number one overall pick from Ohio State was looking to prove the doubters wrong in Miami. Pat Riley took him on as a project and things looked like they might work
Now, the Celtics are set to cash in. The Celtics have a 25 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick, 46.5 percent chance to land in the top-two and are essentially guaranteed a top-five pick at minimum through Brook
Paul George (27/2/5) scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half as the Pacers offense clicked all night long. Shooting 57.6 percent from the field, Indiana held the 76ers to 46.7 percent shooting. In the loss, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (24/5/3) set a career-high in points and went 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from th
The Warriors rested Klay Thompson and the Jazz were without All-Star Gordon Hayward due to a quad contusion in this matchup. Rudy Gobert (17/18/0) and company stole the win on the road from Steph Curry (28/4/4) and his crew. Interestingly, the Jazz made 13 three-pointers compared to Golden State’s n
Big Dex was a favourite of everyone in the Heat locker room during the championship runs that saw LBJ claim two rings in South Beach. He would win a ring in 2013 with the incarnation of the squad that beat the San Antonio Spurs in a thril
By the final update to the NBA 2K12 game, Melo saw his overall rating plummet to an 81. From there, things didn't get much better for the former elite player, as his overall ratings never again rose above an
Rumors abounded that Melo could be on the move at this year's trade deadline, but nothing serious ever materialized. Though Anthony loves living in New York City, the best thing for his career (both real and virtual) may be a move to a team where he can be part of a big three (maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers or Los Angeles Clippe
With all of the ridiculous numbers being put up by players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Isaiah Thomas and the entire Golden State Warriors these days, it's easy to lose sight of the most ridiculous stat going in the lea
In 2k12, the only players who had better ratings were LeBron James of Miami (98), Dwyane Wade of Miami (96), Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (94), Dwight Howard of Orlando (93) and Chris Paul of New Orleans (93). Rose's 92 was equaled by Kevin Durant of Oklahoma C
The 5’9" Thomas is in the midst of a spectacular, career-best campaign, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists. If you’ve watched the Celtics play this year, you know that their entire offense runs through him and he’s what makes them tick. Further, he's been the best fourth quarter scorer in the league, providing important points down the stretch of most ga
James has made the finals a ridiculous six straight times with two different teams, losing in the finals to Dallas with the Miami Heat and then beating Oklahoma City. The Heat then topped and then were topped by San Antonio in consecutive years before he moved on to Cleveland for a two-year split with the Warri
Despite a 12-70 season for the New Jersey Nets, there was reason to believe good things were on the way. Prokhorov wanted stars to help facilitate a move to Brooklyn that was still two years away, and despite the lottery balls not falling in their favor to land John Wall, the Nets still had the third pick in the dr
The last NBA finals game played without LeBron in the lineup was on June 17, 2010 when Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers topped Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace (!!) and the Boston Celt
An ankle injury hurt the beginning of his sophomore season, but as reflected by the outstanding 85 rating, Rose made his first All-Star Game and led the Bulls to the playoffs for the second straight sea
"He's a big part to what they do," Butler explained . "We all know that. I think they know that. But you can't take him out the game and think that you can win. Because they got a lot of other really good players, role players that make shots, create for others. They guard, they rebound, pass the ball. They got a really good team; they're really good at what they
Therefore, it has been much easier for the California product to play without any real pressure and contribute to a winning team. In various stages this year he has shown his amazing athleticism and dunking ability and he will only get better in the years to come. The C's have an exciting prospect on their ha
Hughes is still one of the more puzzling members of those pre-return LeBron teams, as he was looked at as a legitimate sidekick for The King at the time. He had just averaged 22 points per game with the Wizards and led the league in ste
This would be the third of five straight seasons the Warriors would miss the playoffs, and while Curry's rookie year provided some fun moments, he was still two seasons away from feeling the full effects of ankle problems that would threaten to derail his car
He was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in December and also won MVP of the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge after posting a game-high 36 points (9-14 3FG) and a game-high 11 assists. The Canadian is a star in the mak
Well, Prokhorov gave away a whole bunch of future assets to be decent for a few years, Derrick Favors was shipped to Utah before his rookie season ended, and now the Nets are going nowhere for the foreseeable fut
Injuries have been the main cause for the derailment of such a promising career, one which looked like it could deliver his hometown Chicago Bulls its first NBA basketball tips|https://nbaactioninsight.com/ championship since the Michael Jordan d
Listed at 6’7", Butler is a full 10 inches taller than Thomas, but has the physical gifts that it takes to stick with him for a long period of the game. Despite the major height difference, Butler respects Thomas’ versatile g
Ingram was the second youngest player drafted in 2016 at the age of 18 and it will take him time to prove that he deserved to be the second overall pick. His first season in Los Angeles, for one of the biggest franchises in the NBA, has unsurprisingly been to
He played in a playoff game for the first time in three years and even banked home a winner against the Cleveland Cavaliers to put his team up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls would lose the ser
King James is near the end of season number 14 for him in his career. He’s played almost an additional season of basketball if you count the postseason and the Finals. In the championship rounds he’s had the aid of players like Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irv
"He's been that height for a long time now, so he's mastered it," Butler said . "He's really good at what he does. Coming off, pulling up, shooting shots. Getting to the rim, getting to the free throw line. 5[-foot-]8, 6-8, whatever it is, the guy knows how to put the ball in the bask
The Milwaukee Bucks guard usurped free agent signing Matthew Dellavedova as the starting point guard earlier this year and under the tutelage of the legendary Jason Kidd, has come on leaps and bounds. He is in the discussion for ROY and many teams are kicking themselves for not spotting him earlier in the dr
In the four contests against the Bulls this year, Thomas put up 24.8 points and 5.8 assists per game. However, he shot the ball very well against Chicago, going 53.8 percent from the field along with 48.4 percent from three-point ra
Brogdon is easily the biggest surprise of this draft. The 24-year-old out of Virginia spent five years in college and he has reaped the benefits of honing his abilities there instead of making a quick leap into the
While he was never that in Cleveland, he was serviceable but his efficiency never reached those heights again. Hughes also struggled with injuries and his absence is a large part of why the Cavs got swept in the 2007 Fin
Now back with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James is back to his title-winning ways. He led the Cavs to their first-ever title last year and is gearing up to make a run at his seventh-straight NBA Finals this y
The Matrix was pretty much hooked up to a dial-up modem by the time he made his way to Cleveland. He saw minutes early in the season but never really got used by head coach David Blatt, even when his team was gasping for air on offence with 7 bodies in the Fin
The Celtics selected Brown with the third pick and under the guidance of Brad Stevens, he has shown he can become a premier defender. The 20-year-old has had a steady first campaign and unlike the aforementioned players, he has been fortunate enough to be on a winning team as Boston owned the Brooklyn Nets' p
At 31 years old, Deng is getting a career-lows in points with 7.6 per game, the first season out of 12 in the single-digits. He is under contract for the next three seasons at an average of about $18 million per y
Injuries have been the main cause for the derailment of such a promising career, one which looked like it could deliver his hometown Chicago Bulls its first NBA championship since the Michael Jordan d
An ankle injury hurt the beginning of his sophomore season, but as reflected by the outstanding 85 rating, Rose made his first All-Star Game and led the Bulls to the playoffs for the second straight sea
In 2k12, the only players who had better ratings were LeBron James of Miami (98), Dwyane Wade of Miami (96), Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (94), Dwight Howard of Orlando (93) and Chris Paul of New Orleans (93). Rose's 92 was equaled by Kevin Durant of Oklahoma C
Hughes is still one of the more puzzling members of those pre-return LeBron teams, as he was looked at as a legitimate sidekick for The King at the time. He had just averaged 22 points per game with the Wizards and led the league in ste
Lesser stars like Kevin Love and Chris Bosh also chipped in to those rings. Having that help has aided his legacy when the lights burned brightest. So of all of his teammates, which of those players are the worst of the bunch? And where are they
Coached by Erik Spoelstra, who is still in charge of the Heat, the 2011-12 squad delivered the first of the back-to-back titles of the Big Three era. Here's where the starting five and Nbaactioninsight.com key contributors from that year's team are
A few Rose surgeries, a firing of coach Tom Thibodeau (now in Minnesota), and some fan favorites on the move later, and the Bulls are fighting for their playoff lives this spring after missing the playoffs altogether a year
"He's a big part to what they do," Butler explained . "We all know that. I think they know that. But you can't take him out the game and think that you can win. Because they got a lot of other really good players, role players that make shots, create for others. They guard, they rebound, pass the ball. They got a really good team; they're really good at what they
After spending last season with the Shandong Golden Stars in China, Cole signed a contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in March. He is now averaging 2.3 points and 1.1 assists in limited action as the team's third-string point gu
After spending his entire eight years with the Bulls, the fan-favorite was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline, along with Doug McDermott, for an underwhelming package headlined by point guard Cameron Pa
He played in a playoff game for the first time in three years and even banked home a winner against the Cleveland Cavaliers to put his team up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls would lose the ser
Listed at 6’7", Butler is a full 10 inches taller than Thomas, but has the physical gifts that it takes to stick with him for a long period of the game. Despite the major height difference, Butler respects Thomas’ versatile g
Oden’s story is a sad one as the hyped number one overall pick from Ohio State was looking to prove the doubters wrong in Miami. Pat Riley took him on as a project and things looked like they might work
"I look forward to that matchup," Butler said after Friday's practice . "Especially what he's done this year for that team. I know that it's going to come at some point in time. I don't know when -- but I'm going to make it tough for him. For anybody that I'm guarding. Not just me, it's going to be a team effort. I'm going to get beat at times, I'm going to need guys to be there. If not, then we'll do it over and over again 'til somebody is there if I'm beat. But I look forward to that challenge. I want th
This would be the third of five straight seasons the Warriors would miss the playoffs, and while Curry's rookie year provided some fun moments, he was still two seasons away from feeling the full effects of ankle problems that would threaten to derail his car
LeBron stays at number one in this ranking and for good reason, he is still the de-facto best player on the planet and that hasn’t changed as the years have gone by. An otherworldly combination of skill and athleticism that we may never see ag
Well, Prokhorov gave away a whole bunch of future assets to be decent for a few years, Derrick Favors was shipped to Utah before his rookie season ended, and now the Nets are going nowhere for the foreseeable fut
With hindsight firmly set in, let’s look back at the 2003 Class and re-do these first selections armed with the information from over the past decade and change of watching these players go from prospects to superstars at the NBA le
With all of the ridiculous numbers being put up by players like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Isaiah Thomas and the entire Golden State Warriors these days, it's easy to lose sight of the most ridiculous stat going in the lea
"He's been that height for a long time now, so he's mastered it," Butler said . "He's really good at what he does. Coming off, pulling up, shooting shots. Getting to the rim, getting to the free throw line. 5[-foot-]8, 6-8, whatever it is, the guy knows how to put the ball in the bask
The Boston Celtics legend won an NBA basketball tips|https://Nbaactioninsight.com/ championship with the franchise in 2008 after they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, but unfortunately for him, his prime years saw him playing for some bad Celtics teams which worked against
Of Sunday’s loss, he explained , "We're still experimenting. Like I said the other day, we're going to take some lumps; some of them are going to be big lumps. Some of them are going to be small lumps. Tonight was a big o
Like Kidd, Hall of Famer Thomas is firmly in the conversation when discussing the best point guards in history, he was a magician with the ball in his hands. However, unlike Kidd, Thomas at least had some rings to show for
The team in the absolute best position is the Boston Celtics, which seems a bit crazy considering they're the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference heading into the playoffs. The Brooklyn Nets were crazy enough to trade their own unprotected first-round pick to Boston years
Wade was picked at number five overall in the original draft as many people thought that big man prospects were probably a better fit for their rosters. Also, he is a little shorter than average for a two-gu
Developing younger players like the newcomer Payne, along with some rookies and second-year players, has cut into the playing time of veterans like Wade and Rondo. And you can make the clear argument that the focus on giving the youngsters playing time has resulted in on-court struggles and los
Westbrook and Harden have broken records this year and it's possible that they may never have better individual campaigns for the rest of their careers, so this could be their best shot at hoisting the MVP tro
"A lot of people have a lot of things they can say about Fred as a coach, but I will defend him on this: This is a tough situation he's put in right now," Wade noted . "That's why sometimes I'm glad I'm on this side of the coin. I'm glad I got a jersey on; I don't have to make certain decisions, because it is tough. But no one is really going to care too much. Fred gets a nice paycheck, I get a nice paycheck, Jimmy gets a nice paycheck, blah, blah, blah -- so people don't care when you get paid good. So we all have to figure it out together. We're all in this togeth
"He's a big part to what they do," Butler explained . "We all know that. I think they know that. But you can't take him out the game and think that you can win. Because they got a lot of other really good players, role players that make shots, create for others. They guard, they rebound, pass the ball. They got a really good team; they're really good at what they
James has made the finals a ridiculous six straight times with two different teams, losing in the finals to Dallas with the Miami Heat and then beating Oklahoma City. The Heat then topped and then were topped by San Antonio in consecutive years before he moved on to Cleveland for a two-year split with the Warri