Well, the day started with the biggest news of this free agency. Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are joining forces in Miami. The Miami Heat now have 4 players on the roster. Until I see how does Pat Riley fills that roster I'm not grading these moves. Sure, they are a heck of a star , if they get the right players they could really become the class of the East. In the other hand, 8 minimum players with two superstars and 2 roles players is not what you would call a "blueprint for success" ( Bad joke, sorry).
Something you have to give to the Heat, they are so far the winners of this free agency madness. They got two max agents and rumors point that Lebron is about to join them. Now you have to ask yourself, does a Bosh/Wade/Lebron teamed with Beasly, Chambers and 7 minimum players can win the title? It's all about those 7 players. If Riley get an enforcer, a couple of shooters, a pass-first point guard and smart players they would be the favorites.
A news came out in the middle of all this. Kevin Durant signed an 5 year extension ( $86m) with OKC. No meetings. No drama. No ESPN special. Just a little sign in the dotted line and get back to bastkeball. I tweeted about this and I'll say it again. Aren't we barking at the wrong tree? Isn't the way Durant is behaving how Lebron suppose to behave? Critics of Lebron have always say that he is more focus on becoming a global icon and make his "brand" stronger and stronger. Basketball appears just to be a way to get there.
After the Wade/Bosh announcement the Knicks/Bulls/Nets started to scramble around looking ways to entice Lebron. There were reports flying left and right about Knicks and Bulls talking to Boozer. The Nets were in talk with David Lee. Just after noon we heard that Boozer signed with the Bulls ( 5 yr/somewhere between $75m and $80m). Which makes things even more interesting. Now Lebron have a better idea of what are his choises:
1. Heat with 4 players on their roster ( Wade, Bosh. Chalmers and Beasly)
2. Bulls with a core of Rose/Noah/Boozer
3. Knicks with Amare and some help from Gallinari
4. Cavs
I don't know about him but Chicago is looking pretty hot.
At the end of the day was also reported the Ray Allen is going back to Boston (2yr/$10m).
As I'm typing this twitter has gone insane. Broussard is reporting Lebron is headed to Miami.
The last post i gave a list of 8 teams that actually are players in this cute lil summer. This is a grosso modo what are they offering:
New York Knicks: The same thing they have been preaching since Donnie Walsh came aboard. Faith. Mike Wilbon said it. They have nothing more than faith. I'm aware of New York city's glamour and appeal but the main targets are taking basketball based decisions. New York has nothing more to offer than a Spike Lee and the "Meca" of basketball. I think is pretty clear that whoever they get is going to have to wait 2 years atleast to start winning seriously.
They have room for two max players. But nothing else. You are telling me that Bron, Bosh, Gallinari and Wilson Chandler surrounded by less-than-2-million-per-year role players are going through Orlando , Boston or L.A.? Please!
New Yersey Nets: This is why is important to start thinking about this right now. 6 months ago nobody was giving the Nets a chance. Now they have this owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, who is worth bizillions. He has come to spent, to shake things up. He is like a mutant Mark Cuban, like Bill Simmons calls him. This guy plus the eventual move to Brooklyn plus Brook Lopez and Devin Harris and Derrick Favors, makes the Nets are pretty good place to consider.
The bad? Those supposedly two years in Newark could became three or four. Devin Harris is not that good and the russian might get bored on his new toy. All signs point that they guy is not like that at all. He is a successful guy, he takes care of his investments and his a fan but you never know....
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah could be in contention in a couple of years adding the right players to the mix. This is great nucleus already and they have room for two max players ( with a little paycut). There is also the big market, the "winning tradition", the great fan base. An owner that might not be perfect but he is willing to pay. The wrinkle in this is HOW much is going to pay. Every free agent is going to ask for the assurance that Rose and Noah are going to be Bulls for a long time, not sure Reinsdorf is going for that one.
Miami Heat: Everything is working for Miami. They have DWade recruiting. They can pair DWade with two more A list players ( with discount). They have the owner. The city. The fans.
Nothing is wrong with that picture but if they manage to add two more player to play with Wade then there is no money left for role players. Right now Miami only has Chalmers and Beasley under contract. If they go the other way and sign just one max player to pair with Wade they would have enough money to overpaid another B list player ( lets say Richard Jefferson or David Lee). Just an hint...
L.A Clippers: They are the perfect fit for Lebron. Everything! Is like a glove! The players, the city, the scenario of stealing Kobe's spotlight. Good God that would be priceless. But no , Donald Sterling still running the show over there so too bad. I'm pretty sure they are going to grab a free agent. No big name but somebody is going to give it a shot.
Wizards: They have been helping teams unload contracts lately ( Nets and Bulls) so I think they holding to their cap space and "collect" those favors come February when they try to unload Arenas. You know, three or four team deals are hard to pull off.
Kings and Bucks: They are going to add somebody, some JJ Redick or Shanon Brown type of name. Both are young teams willing to roll a dice a little bit.
Celtics: I think they are staying put. They are going to spent big resigning Pierce. Don't expect any big moves from Ainge unless he decides to blow things up which is very likely now that Doc is returning
We have been waiting for this for more than 2 years. This is when I'm giggling like a school girl because we finally know most of the facts that we need to take an EDUCATED GUESS ( I don't think ESPN are familiar with this concept. They know things like " HITS" and "POPULARITY" things me or the Basketball Gods have no idea )
This is what you need to know:
1. The Cleveland Cavaliers did not win the championship. They didn't even get close to it. My thoughts were if Lebron wins a ring in Cleveland there is no way he's leaving. No way in hell. If the had gotten close, lets say game 6 or 7 of the NBA Finals, he wasn't going to leave neither. But he got pwned in the second round by the Boston Celtics. At that point I said "60-40" on he leaving.
2. The L.A. Lakers won the championship. Proving that you need two big GAME players to make it. Lebron does not have that on Cleveland, neither does Bosh on Toronto. Cleveland try to pull on of those shameless steals ala Pau Gasol and all they got was Shaq and Antawn Jamison.Not bad players to have in your roster but there is no way they are second bananas. Third option in Jamison case. First big from the bench for Shaq.
3. The cap will be $56.1.
4. This are the teams that cap and cards on this game:
1. New York Knicks
2. Chicago Bulls
3. New Jersey Nets.
4. Miami Heat
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Boston Celtics
7. Washington Wizards
8. L.A. Clippers
5. All the big names you were expecting to opt-out did. Also crashing the party came: Dirk, Paul Pierce and Richard Jefferson
6. Something you already now , just in case lets put it on paper, one or two free agents are going to get seriously overpaid. This is a huge factor to keep an eye on. Lets say Atlanta offers Joe Johnson 13 millions but the Russian guy goes out an offer the max ( around 16.7 millions). Guess were JJ is going....
I don't know how much sense i'm going to have after a game like that!
The first half the Celtics play amazing basketball, their D was suffocating. All time highs! Amazing. But in the other end the were committing turnovers left and right, specially Rondo. At the halftime they were up by 6 shooting like 60%. The Lakers were smiling. Believe me!
The third quarter was epic! Epic! Best quarter of basketball I've seen in years. Kobe got off, 19 points. 15 of them he got them in a hardest way possible . Then Pierce got hot too. They started coming back at each other for at least 4 possessions. Pierce was less effective. He scored 11. Still it was something to see, Kobe's show, Tony Allen block on Pau Gasol. KG played solid 12 minutes defensively . Just amazing basketball.
At this point I was really sure i was seeing a future classic, that until the 6 minute point. The Lakers totally went cold. They made 2 baskets in the final 6 minutes but somehow managed to cut a 11 point lead to 5 working they way into the score from the free throw line. Artest and Fissher took bad shots. Kobe had a couple of forced passes the ended up being lost possessions. The Cs decided to make the game interesting and shoot themselves in the foot having 4 straight empty trips and going 0 from 3 from the floor while the Lakers were taking free throws. Neither had that cold blooded clutch perfomance. Both teams missed free throws. Both teams made mental mistakes ( Fisher won a jump ball against KG, Artest went for the uncontested lay up but Piercer fouled him. He made the first one, he missed the second one which got rebounded by Kobe but Pierce snatched the ball right out of his hands). The Celtics just did enough to hold on the lead.
Three key aspects of this game that could easily affect game 6:
1. Artest is about to snap. He was on the verge the entire second half. He gave two crazy look in the fourth. One to the Celtics bench that yelled at him when he was about to shoot and another one to Pierce when he walk in front of him between free throws. He could easily go bananas in game 6 given the motivation needed....
2. Kobe is not going to trust no one in game 6 or 7. I have the feeling that if the Lakers get behind in the second half for more than 5 points he is going to start shooting anything in sight. I mean anything. The basketball, towels, Phil's table, Vujacic's head. My point: Bad news to the Lakers.
3. Ray has missed 16 straight three pointers. He is due. This is not a streaky shooter we are talking about. This is Ray Allen. Just saying...
Everything looks like crap for the Lakers. But...
4. KG is not getting shot illegal stuff in his body at L.A.
5.Odom and their bench tend to play much better at home.
KG was 2-5. Pierce was 2-11 and Big Baby managed to attempt 13 shots making 4 of them. And the Celtics won.
Gasol was 7 - 10, 11-13 from the free throw line. Bynum played 40 minutes. Kobe had a 20-5-5. And the Lakers lost.
A better game than game 1. A more physical game too courtesy of the Celtics. A better played game specially from the C's. Their defense was way more active and they needed it. Pierce still hasn't figure out how to shake off Artest. Expect better games from the Truth at Boston.
Garnett looked bad. Fuck it, Vujacic played better than him. Something is up with this guy that the C's are not telling us. He is jumping with one knee , he has no elevation, he's trying to rebound one handed. He's shooting bricks.He's getting torched by Gasol. Easily.
That was the bad, the good: Ray Allen. I'm so in love with his jump shot. He played a perfect first half. He didn't waste any opportunity and let it go the second he got the ball. The result was a 27 point, 7-8 from three first half. Pure beauty. Lakers D got to zero on him on the second half as he was running through screen the Lakers got to start switching once the premier defender got behind on one of those screens. That let the door open to what Rondo did , and that was make the Lakers D pay. They let him open and they let him roam around and he totally controlled the fourth quater. Wasn't only his rebounds or the jump shot from the left wing, he controlled the pace of the game doing a great job looking for other options rather than KG and Pierce. Defensively he sealed the game, the block on Fisher and the steal from Kobe that became Kobe's fifth and pretty much caged him for the rest of them game, were probably the plays of the game.
32 points and 8 threes by Allen and he still wasn't the best player in the court. Remember what I told you about Rondo figuring Lakers'D out. It happened sooner than I expected
The Lakers got the best game they are going to get out of Bynum. He played 40 minutes because they needed him. Odom hasn't arrived to the Finals yet and that creates 0 production from their bench ( Their bench is so thin without Lamar's production that Phil's orders for Farmar and Brown is just " attack the basket". They are not event trying to run any freaking triangle. He just need something out of his bench. He played Vujacic again for crying out loud). Bynum was a force at both ends. 7 rejections ( at least three on Rondo) and 21 points. Easily towered over the Celtics D for a lot of easy points. The Lakers cannot ask more of him. Gasol played as aggressive and fearless as I had see him played. He still a little "hesitant" against Sheed but against any other C he is straight up taking to their bodies. 25 points, 8 boards, 6 blocks. He faded somehow at the end of the game. He is not the closer.
That was the good, the bad: Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher and Ron Artest. They were 4-21 with 5 TO's. Nobody can win when your best man of the bench, your starting point guard and small forward play like that. With around 45 seconds to play Artest got the ball in the right wing, started dribbling, moved to the top of the key, twirled his way to the left side just in front of Doc Rivers, pick up the dribbled, pump faked twice and shot a brick. It took him 22 seconds. You just can't win like that.
The Celtics got their bounce back, the energy they showed was nothing like game 1. This was the fighting and scrappy team that won 6 straight games against Cleveland and Orlando - Big Baby got block like 6 times and while getting like 3 offensive rebounds in one sequence. Next play: Big Baby scored against Gasol. This are the Celtics that can win this series. The Lakers in the other hand played the first half in cruise control. One get the feeling they were just waiting for a run in the second half to take control of the game. These are not the Utah Jazz. These are not the Oklahoma City Thunder. They better snap the shit out of that mindset or we might be seeing a 5 game sweep
First surprise of the night was the play of Ron Artest. The guy played under control, with the offense, no crazy shots and more importantly play physical defense on Paul Pierce. That not only took Pierce out of the game ( still got 24 points and 9 rebs) but the entire Lakers team fed off of that energy. Kobe doesn't have that effect. Truly a great game by Ron Ron.
The KG- Gasol matchup we were all expecting was like watching bizarro Finals 2008. After halftime that is. Gasol still shit his calzones a little bit when he saw Garnett but after intermission ( I'm guessing Ron Ron or Phil pretty much told him "Stop crying and shivering you puto! He's playing in one leg. Fuck it, Bynum is in better shape!!" or something like that). The final two quarters Gasol just took it to KG, no contest. Gasol 2010 vs one legged KG is not a matchup, is like Lebron posting up Larry King in their little P-I-G game. Too bad Sheed can't be kept under control for entire quaters 'case Gasol looked waaaaay more hesitant against Sheed. He just doesn't like contact.
A lot of thing went wrong for the Celtics in the logic of " they didn't get beat, they lost the game".
Ray Allen foul trouble took him completely out of the game. Rondo didn't seem all there, Lakers are too long for him, we just need to give him some time. The main reason they lost , besides the Gasol schooling KG, was that they didn't play with the same intensity. No sense of urgency. No diving for loose balls. The second half -- minus some 6 solid minutes in the fourth quater where they almost seemed to start kicking it in -- all the Celtics were like expecting some sort of energy explosion from Rondo or Piercer that never happened.
Can't believe I'm saying these but the tougher, meaner team last night were the Lakers. If you think about it makes sense. The Lakers have one the more physical wing defenders in Artest ( which is good as long as he is under control) and the C's have their head "jackal" ( as Phil Jackson referred to Scottie Pippen in the 2000 Conference Finals) KG playing in less than half of what he is (was). This is up to Paul Pierce to pick up the slack not only being the vocal leader KG was supposed to be but also taking his aggressiveness against Artest another notch. He can't not allow Artest to treat him like he was Kevin Durant. You are a big boy PP, step up!
We have reached the finals after a rather boring playoffs. I've never been more bored watching NBA since 1999 but that is not the point of this post.
Lets take a look at how the Lakers got here: They cruised-control better part of the second part of the season, never managed to jell Artest into the offense, Bynum look worn out and Kobe insisted to put up 30 shots a game to get his 25 points while Gasol complained that he could get those points in half the tries. Experts didn't gave them a shot at the tittle. Kobe and Co. gave those experts more fuel to add to the fire with their performance in the first 4 games against the Thunder in the first round ( They barely escaped with the win in game 2 and got blown out of the building in game 4) They finished with two straight wins but needed a timely tip in by Gasol to win game 6. Not what would you call championships performance against a 8 seed.
They were lucky enough to run into a small Utah team which they destroy with their length. Sweep.
At this point they had won 6 straight games, they stretched that run to 8 games after easily winning the first two games against their Western Conference Finals rivals the Phoenix Suns. Then the Suns threw a curve ball and started playing zone defense which throw off the Lakers so bad they forgot they to play defense. The result: They gave up 115 and 118 points in two loses at the desert. They won at home thanks to buzzer beater put back by Artest and after blowing a double digit lead in the final quarter they needed the best 2 minutes of Kobe Bryant to eliminate the Suns.
So, they get to the Finals for the third straight year with a shitload of luck and another truck full of the best stretch Kobe has had all year long.
The Celtics get to the Finals against all odds, Phil Collins would be proud. From game 1 in round 1 they started to fight. They dispatched a Heat that had very little, ok they had nothing ,besides DWade. "Experts" weren't that surprise but they already had wrote the C's tombstone by the buzzer of game 5 against the Heat. They were against Lebron James and the 61 win Cleveland Cavaliers. They were dead. That was it. Why bother? It was going to be a sweep , a 5 game sweep if they were lucky. And lucky they were, they managed to get a win in Cleveland but got manhandled in game 3 at home. After that it was all Boston and their defense. Jamison never figured out how to drive past the one legged Garnett that outplayed him all series long in both ends. Shaq was never a factor. Mo Williams played in small controlled spurts and was pretty much abused by Rondo. But the biggest problem was Lebron's elbow. He hurt his elbow at some point in the last month of the season and actually did some drama in the closing minutes of game 5 against the Bulls shooting a left handed free throw. In the final two games of the series Lebron wasn't there. My take is the elbow was really bothering him in game 5. This is the first injury that had produced real limitation in Lebron's game. He didn't actually knew how to play with it. I mean, have you seen this guy? It takes a lot to take down a guy built like that. In game 5 he was hurting and nobody on his team step up. He got all the blame and all the heat from the media. Nobody else. Game 6 , same history. Lebron seemed limited and outside the first half of Mo Williams, the Cavs never knew what to do. Not Shaq. Not Mike Brown. No Antawn Jamison. They just roll over and saw how the Celtics took control of the game ( and the franchise future). That's the biggest break of luck of this playoffs ( I know dealing with injuries is part of the game but if you are a C's fan you ought admit it was pretty cool having Lebron injured for the series)
Then it was the Magic at the Conference Finals. Those first three games, joined with the last three games of the Cleveland series, were a defensive clinic. The Celtics not only defeat those teams, they broke them. They pull out their spirit and their fighting chances right out of their chest. I was amazing. They won that series in 6. Luck was also involve in getting the Celtics back to the Finals but defense and intensity has been the trademark of this team the last 6 weeks. They would love to stretch that for another 3 weeks or so.
Can the result of this Finals be read in how the 2008 Finals played out? The Celtics are a very different team more so than the Lakers. Rondo is now the second best player behind PP. Perkins is a better defender. KG is half the player it was back then. The bench is thinner and they have Rasheed Wallace now ( you make the call if that is good or bad ). The Lakers are slightly different too. Kobe is playing better this post season. So is Gasol although he showed some of those "soft qualities" against the Suns. Their bench is terrible. They are slower. They are bigger now. This series is not going to be decided on matchups ( both teams have a good answer for every player of the other team ) or adjustments ( Are we really going to be surprised when Kobe starts defending Rondo? Or when Bynum see the entire final quater from the bench? I hope we get a comment from Phil referring to Gasol's testicular fortitude). This series is going to be about swing points. Bear with me here:
1.How soon does Rondo manage to figure out Lakers' D? I see him having some issues trying to navigate through the length of the Lakers but he'll crack it open eventually. If it happens too soon it might not have such a heavy effect since the Lakers are expecting that and preparing for it, if Rondo struggles to get inside the Lakers might relax ( even great teams do that) and give him opportunities to attack.
2. Artest vs Pierce. I've never considered Paul Pierce in my top 10 players.Never. He does have one quality as an scorer: He manages to get his points on his terms. You know what I mean? He is not Kevin Durant or Lebron James, players that can score in any ways you can imagine, he has a number of ways to score and he does not tries anything else. Ron Artest is not the great defender he once was but he is a physical defender and still quick enough to stay with Pierce. If Artest manages to shut down Pierce or at least force him into turnovers or bad shots, Lakers' chances improve dramatically. In the other hand if Pierce wiggles his way inside Artest head (As we speak Piercer is getting training from Sheed on how to achieve this in less thatn 2 games) that could potentially swing the series. If Artest have to be kept away from Pierce, Kobe has to defend him. That leaves Artest on Allen or Rondo and there is no way Artest can chase any of those guys without committing a minimum of 3 fouls per 12 minutes fighting of screens from the Celtics' bigs
3. Sheed and Odom: Two players whose focus drifts in and out of game like an Magnum condom on a small dick. Sheed has been way more consistent and productive since the Cleveland series and Boston doesn't need his scoring to win game. It needs his edge , his aggressiveness, his mojo. LA needs Odom to play some serious basketball or they don't get anything from their bench. Phil Jackson can't play his starters all 48 minutes. Kobe showed some signs of tiredness games 3, 4 and 5 against the Suns in the fourth quater. Bynum is not even playing 25 minutes. Fisher needs to be rested for the final 6 minutes. If Odom fails to get "lucky" at getting a double double - or something close - L.A. might be in trouble specially as the series goes on.
4. Perkins suspension: He is getting that T sooner or latter. Boston can only hope he gets it sooner but not in game 3. They cannot afford to loose the first game in they home floor, no matter what is the state of the series. Boston is loosing the game Perkins doesn't play. Lakers would love to be game 6 or 7 ( Believe the Basketball Gods, after game 5 the Lakers are really going to go after Perkins "tender demeanor")
Now this next on is the BIG ONE. This is THE swing point . I can't bold this enough.
5. Pau Gasol softness. This is as simple as it gets. If Pau Gasol still poop his calzones when he thinks of KG, this is going to be a very green summer! One of the reasons why the Lakers lost in 2008 was because Gasol was too intimidated by KG - and the other C's - intensity and physical play. After the Lakers won the title last year nobody was talking about Gasol's manhood. He was a champion. Everything was dandy!. During this season and the first two rounds of this playoffs Gasol emerged as perhaps the best big men in the league.
Facing a 0-2 hole in the Western finals while being abused in the inside Suns' coach Gentry made two adjustments. Play zone defense and show some tough love to Gasol. Phil Jackson eventually figured out how to beat the zone defense but once again Gasol softness popped out . We saw a different Pau in the last 4 games. He still got his numbers but his aggressiveness was nowhere to be found. If the Lakers get his soft and tender Gasol in the finals the C's are eating them alive. There is no meaner ( for good or for bad ) team in the league than the Boston Celtics. Even Big Baby is meaner than Gasol. This is the guy the really gives another dimension to the Lakers, a very efficient post presence which is very needed if Kobe is not shooting high percentages. Can the Lakers win with a scared Pau Gasol? No if the Celtics are healthy. Is that simple in my book. Can the Celtics win against an aggressive Gasol? Yes but they would need very strong contributions from the bench and play very very smart basketball.
If you take a look at this teams in paper you would give the advantage to the Lakers and nobody would say " You are crazy!", specially considering how good Kobe has been this past month. But the fact that the Lakers haven't seen a defense - an intensity- like the Celtics play in this playoffs is a major factor to consider forecasting this series. I'm feeling a 7 or 6 game. Lakers title. Kobe a well deserved MVP.
One more title run? This is it for the Celtics. Whatever happens this is going to be the last time we see this Celtics group winning 50 games, having home court advantage or being "favorites" in a playoff series. I still see one more push, one more explosion in the engine room, one more stretch of good basketball. Its all about defense and Bostons has the tools to be a lock down team, specially against a one man team like the Heat. If somehow they re-encounter themselves with the defense intensity that gave them a ring a couple of years ago they could really become a spoiler for the Cavs-Magics Conference Finals everybody is yapping about.
Could also be the last time we see Miami win more than 30 games in a season. If this is Wade's last season in Miami ( I think he is staying) and if you are a fan, please enjoy this few days. You are going to miss them.
Miami is going to need 2006 Wade ( and 2006 refs. They are still there. Don't worry) . Wade have been playing at that level this year. Is a given that Wade is going to have a big series. If Boston's defensive schemes ( Tom Thibodeau time!) make him a jump shooter and/or a passer, the Celtics are going to the next round. Is that simple. If he manages to attack the basket drive after drive, the Heat are going to the next round. Boston doesn't have the big basket protectors other teams have. Perkins is the only capable enforcer down there and he is not a shot blocker. Garnett can't jump. Wallace won't even try. Its going to be up to the Allens ( yeap the other one too) Rondo and Pierce to try to maintain Wade in check.
That and a few lucky bounces and Wade's crappy supporting cast is all Boston needs to be in the next round.
Basketball Gods prediction: Celtics in 7
Win Scale (From 1: "The refs gave them that game. Are they really this bad?" to 10: " This is the best team ever! Make me yours" ) 4.5
I left Larry Bird for the next year because he belonged to that draft class. The Blazers got great help in Michael Ray Richardson to continue their search to get back to a championship level. The championship teams of Philly and LA got a big hit as two of their main players (Maurice Cheeks and Michael Cooper respectively) got drafted by different teams.
Championship Builders: Blazers, Knicks and Warriors
Biggest Jump: Michael Cooper from 60 to 3
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
1. Blazers-- Michal Ray Richardson (G,4)
2. Kings-- MychalThompson (C, 1)
3. Pacers-- Michael Cooper (G, 60)
4. Knicks -- Maurice Cheeks (G, 36)
5. Warriors -- Reggie Theus (G, 9)
6. Celtics-- Purvis Short (F, 5)
7. Blazers-- Dave Corzine (C, 18)
8. Celtics -- Mike Mitchell (F, 15)
9. Bulls -- John Long (C, 29)
10. Hawks -- Freeman Williams (F,8)
11. Jazz-- Phil Ford (G,2)
1979
History in the making here as the Chicago Bulls drafted Larry Bird pretty much scratching the 80’s matchup between the Lakers and the Celtics. The Pistons franchise also got a big hit to their future championship run as, Seattle Sonics, took two of their main guns with the 6th and 7th pick although they got Sydney Moncrief and Mark Eaton with their picks.
Championship Builders: Lakers, Bulls, Sonics
Biggest Jump: Mark Eaton from 107 to 10th
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
1. Lakers-- Magic Johnson (G, 1)
2. Bulls-- Larry Bird (F, 6 (1978))
3.Knicks-- Bill Cartwright (C, 3)
4. Pistons-- Syndey Moncrief (G, 5)
5. Bucks-- Calvin Natt (F, 8)
6. Sonics -- Bill Laimbeer (C, 65)
7. Sonics -- Vinnie Johnson (G, 7)
8. Nets-- Clifford Robinson (F, 11)
9.Knicks-- Dave Greenwood (F, 2)
10. Pistons-- Mark Eaton (C, 107)
11. Nets-- Jim Paxson (G, 12)
12. Blazers -- James Donaldson (C, 73)
1980
A very weak draft, pretty much a 2 player draft as the Warriors got a great power forward to pair with their center Robert Parish (weirdeh?) and the Jazz and the Bulls got quality players.
Championship Builders: Warriors, Jazz
Biggest Jump: Kurt Rambis from 58 to 8.
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
1. Warriors-- Kevin McHale (F, 3)
2. Jazz-- KikiVandeweghe (F, 11)
3. Celtics-- Joe Barry Carroll (C, 1)
4. Bulls-- AndrewToney (G, 8)
5. Nuggets-- Jeff Ruland (C, 25)
6. Nets-- Darrell Griffith (G, 4)
7. Nets-- Rick Mahorn (F, 35)
8. Sixers-- Kurt Rambis (F, 58)
1981
The expansion team Dallas Mavericks got ahell of a building stone with Isiah Thomas but the winner of the draft must be theNets who got two quality big guys. Again the great drafting by the Boston Celtics in this era is shown as another piece of their championships is stolen from them as Danny Ainge is selected in the7th spot instead of landing in Red Auerbach lap until the 31th pick.
Championship Builders: Nets, Hawks
Biggest Jump: Danny Ainge from 31to 7.
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
1. Mavs-- Isiah Thomas (G, 2)
2. Pistons-- Mark Aguirre (G, 1)
3. Nets-- Tom Chambers (C, 8)
4. Hawks-- Rolando Blackman (G, 9)
5. Sonics-- Larry Nance (F, 20)
6. Bulls-- Buck Williams (F, 3)
7. Kings-- Danny Ainge (G, 31)
8. Clippers-- Orlando Woolridge (G, 6)
9. Mavs-- Eddie Johnson (F, 29)
10. Nets-- Steve Johnson (C, 7)
11. Bullets-- Alton Lister (C, 21)
1982
Another weak draft basically a 4 player draft where the 57 win newly crowned Lakers team got the man they originally selected and the Mavs show the poor drafting they did as a young franchise first passing on Isiah Thomas a year ago and now taking a guy named Bill Garnett instead of Rickiee Pierce or Fat Lever.
Championship Builders: Lakers
Biggest Jump: Derek Smith from 35to 7.
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
1. Lakers-- James Worthy1
2. Clippers-- Dominique Wilkins3
3. Jazz-- Terry Cummings2
4. Mavs-- Ricky Pierce18
5. Kings-- Fat Laver11
6. Knicks-- Sleepy Floyd13
7. Bulls-- Derek Smith35
8. Pacers-- LaSalle Thompson5
1983
One of the strongest draft until that date gave us one great big guy and a bunch of quality shooting guards but one guy was head and shoulders above all those guards and that was Clyde Drexler. His drafting by his hometowne Rockets gave them a hell of a stepping stone for years to come and takes out the Blazers from contention in the late 80’s and early 90’s.The Rockets walk away with the scoringprowess of Jeff Malone. Meanwhile the Pacers don´t do to shabby as they select Ralph Sampson to pair with Herb Williams
Championship Builders: Rockets, Pacers
Biggest Jump: Doc Rivers from 31th to 9
Pick Order. Picking Team Player Selected ( Position, Original position drafted)
