2011 NBA Statistics

NBA 2K11Here are some initial late-night thoughts about the 2011 Draft. More to come later on Friday.
The Year of the Boo Birds
  When David Stern first appeared on stage to introduce the draft, the boos from the Newark, NJ, audience were loud and constant as he said his spiel until he specifically mentioned the city they were in. Obviously the fans are upset with Stern and the NBA owners for being the main culprits behind the impending lockout that’s coming in a week.Transcend 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E

The audience continued to boo every time Stern appeared on stage to announce a pick; yes, all 30 times. Before stating the final pick of the first round, the always asshole-ishly smug Stern said “thank you for that” to the booing audience, and a little bit later “thank you fans for your enthusiasm,” which was received with more booing. Shortly after the pick, salary cap guru Tom Penn explained how the new cap situation would work with the Miami Heat’s roster. Predictably, the fans booed. Transcend 32 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS32GSDHC10E
Best Team Drafts

Through a series of trades and picks, the Denver Nuggets ended up with rebounder-of-the-decadeKenneth Faried (#22), versatile scoring threat and rebounder Jordan Hamilton (#26), and D-League nobody Chu Chu Maduabum (#56), who is supposed to be an athletic shot blocker, but no one really knows. The Chicago Bulls got a legit International scorer in PF Nikola Mirotic (#23) who will be stored overseas for a while, and the hustling, unselfish SF Jimmy Butler (#30) whose D and spot-up shooting makes him a great fit for the Bulls. The San Antonio Spurs traded George Hill, their back-up PG, for a SF with super D and a great motor in Kawhi Leonard (#15), plus they picked up a PG who can knock down 3’s, play D, and won’t turn the ball over in Cory Joseph (#29) (yeah, I wasn’t too jazzed about the pick at first either, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized they just got a younger George Hill), and two Internationals with legitimate potential down the road in Davis Bertans (#42) and Adam Hanga (#59).Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD
Worst Team Drafts

The Detroit Pistons picked up a PG who makes bad shooting and passing decisions in Brandon Knight (#8), a SF with literally zero NBA skills in Kyle Singler (#33), and a senior C who is a pretty bad rebounder in Vernon Macklin (#52). The New York Knicks again under-impressed their fans on hand, including Spike Lee, by taking the terribly inefficient PG Iman Shumpert (#17) and hefty center Josh Harrellson (#45) who wasn’t expected by anyone to be picked. The Portland Trail Blazers got combo-guard Nolan Smith (#21) who has an all-around game that likely doesn’t translate to the NBA at all, SGJon Diebler (#51) who lacks every attribute and skill you’d want from a pro player other than his spot-up shooting, and the draft’s Keyser Soze, Tanguy Ngombo (#57). The Sacramento Kings got the much debated Jimmer Fredette (#10) who lacks PG stats/skills and SG size/athleticism, the weak and passive and injury-prone Tyler Honeycutt (#35), but they did alright with Isaiah Thomas (#60) at the end of the draft, but he’s 5-feet-10 and will have a hard time making the team since they’re kinda committed to Tyreke Evans and Jimmer.Transcend 8 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS8GSDHC10E
Most Memorable Suit

San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard was the 15th pick of the draft and wore a dark blue suit with white trim around the lapels. The shape of the white trim resembled a wooden plaque that hangs on a wall, which had the unintended effect of making Leonard’s head look like a shot animal head hanging on a hunter’s wall. Leonard was selected by Indiana but traded to San Antonio.SanDisk 16 GB microSDHC Flash Memory Card SDSDQ-016G (Bulk Packaging)
Worst Pick of the Lottery

I was really curious what the Cavaliers were going to do with the #4 selection after Enes Kanter was snatched up by Utah at #3. They need interior scoring help and apparently didn’t want to wait to see what comes of Jonas Valanciunas’ buy-out situation. Instead they took Texas freshman Tristan Thompson. The young PF has the motor and long arms to do some real damage in the paint, but he is also as inconsistent as they come, a pretty bad trait for someone drafted fourth overall, presumably with the intention of becoming a starter in the NBA. His points-rebounds-blocks numbers in his last three games were 3-6-4, 17-10-7, and 7-2-1.Flip UltraHD Video Camera - Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (3rd Generation) NEWEST MODEL

Thompson wasn’t projected to go any higher than 7th, and even that was pretty much all on athletic potential, plus he lacks the midrange jumper you’d expect from a scoring big man. It will take time for Thompson to develop a solid game that can be relied upon – probably less time than it would have taken to get the far more ready Valanciunas out of his EuroLeague contract. Among Jay Bilas’ comments about Thompson was this gem: “He needs to learn how to play.”Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
Best First Round Picks After The Lottery

San Antonio ended up with Kawhi Leonard (#15), an athletic and versatile defender who forces nothing on offense but who is still a quite capable scorer, Kenneth Faried (#22) gives Denver an ultra-committed rebounder and defender in the frontcourt who everyone is comparing to Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman, Reggie Jackson (#22) can be a solid pro PG on both sides of the ball and gives OKC an absolute glut of 1’s (already have Russell Westbrook and Eric Maynor), and Chicago nabbed Jimmy Butler (#30), a SF who is all hustle and hard work and good attitude and able to hit knock-down 3’s—more or less a great back-up for Luol Deng. Sony 4 GB Memory Stick ProDuo MSMT4G/2NQT (Black)
Phoenix Twins

The Phoenix Suns shocked a lot of people by taking Kansas’ Markeiff Morris with the #13 pick because his twin brother Marcus was considered the better pro prospect and hadn’t yet been selected (Houston made him the next pick). Robin Lopez, the less skilled twin brother of Brook, has been on the Suns for the past three seasons after Phoenix made him the #15 pick in 2008. In 2009, Phoenix selected Taylor Griffin, the less skilled older brother of Blake (not twins, but they look pretty similar), in the second round of the draft; he played in 8 games for the Suns in 2010. As the old timers may remember, twin brothers Dick and Tom Van Arsdale both played for the Suns during the 1976-77 season.
Pick Most Likely To Cause A Fight

The Memphis Grizzlies are pretty much at maximum capacity for head cases, with Zach Randolph being the poster child for criminal and deviant behavior that is detrimental to his team (but somehow staying out of the police blotter and not punching any teammates for the past year), O.J. Mayo has had a long string of questionable and stupid actions from early in his high school days until now (just in the past six months, he was in a fight with teammate Tony Allen and suspended for using PED’s), and Tony Allen was charged with aggravated battery in an incident that lead to a shooting in 2005 (plus he was in that fight with Mayo five months ago). Well now you can throw in #49 pick Josh Selby, a SG/PG out of Kansas who has been one disastrous decision after another that lead to multiple high school expulsions (according to rumors), multiple college commitments, a 9-game suspension to start his college career, and all-around uncoachability problems. The Grizz are already flirting with trouble with Z-Bo, Mayo, and Allen, but adding in the super-athletic, super-inefficient Selby could spell doom to team chemistry.Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD
Hottest Moment In Draft History

Jan Vesely, who went to the Wizards with the #6 selection, may have trouble making an impact at the NBA level, but he’ll certainly be remembered for his first action as an NBA player.
Best Second Round Picks

1. Charles Jenkins, #44, Golden State: I guess the Warriors want another combo guard, and Jenkins is one with super shooting and passing numbers – quite possibly the best PG in the draft after Irving.

2. Isaiah Thomas, #60, Sacramento: With the last pick in the draft, the Kings picked up a gutsy PG with elite quickness, an improving shot, and great instincts.

3. E’Twaun Moore, #55, Boston: Moore is probably the most complete SG in this draft, and his attitude will allow him to fit anywhere.

4. Darius Morris, #41, Los Angeles Lakers: Morris is a smart, 6-feet-5 PG who can drive to the hoop all day in order to get his own shot or to create for others – might be one of the draft’s three best PG’s.

5. Keith Benson, #48, Atlanta: Benson is a versatile scoring center who has averaged 10.3 rpg and 3.5 bpg over the last two seasons.Canon Powershot A800 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom (Silver)SanDisk Ultra 16 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SDSDRH-016G-A11Canon PowerShot SX210IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 14x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)Case Logic DCB-304 High/Fixed Zoom Camera Case (Black)