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the 2012-2013 NBA All-Rookie First Team has been announced

G Damian Lillard
G Bradley Beal
G Dion Waiters
F Harrison Barnes
F Anthony Davis

Damian Lillard was the only unanimous selection for the NBA All-Rookie First Team

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Stephen Curry sprained his ankle late in game 3 against the Spurs. He wasn't having a good game, but any missed time or a limited production from him going forward could be damaging to the Warriors chances in this series.

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ESPN just reported that if this were the regular season, Griffin's ankle injury would take about 3 weeks to fully heal. However, this being the playoffs, Blake Griffin is going to try and play through it.

Looks like Lob City might be grounded for awhile.


~MTK

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David Lee returned to the lineup last night only 2 weeks after tearing his hip flexor. He only played about a minute and a half, but it was amazing to see him return so quickly from tearing the hip flexor.

Who thinks he will start playing more minutes as the playoffs continue? Or will he continue only playing 0-5 minutes a night?

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Russell Westbrook who held an iron man streak of consecutive games played in a row is officially out indefinitely.  He tore his meniscus and is having surgery.  Will the Thunder be able to even beat the Rockets without him?

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Charlotte has reportedly fired their head coach after just one season.  The Bobcats were expected to be pretty bad this year, so perhaps they are clearing Dunlap to bring in a big name (Jordan?).

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This article is brought to you by our friends at Fantasy Furnace...
 
As we have reached the end of the NBA season, this much we know…MVP honors will probably be going to LeBron James with Carmelo Anthony a close second. Sixth Man of the Year Award will be between Jamaal Crawford and our pick-J.R. Smith. The top Rookie of the Year leader is Damian Lillard with Anthony Davis right behind. And a front-runner for Most Improved Player should have Greivis Vasquez on that list.
 
But what about the Coach of the Year? There are many deserving ones out there to be sure. The list includes Erik Spoelstra, Scott Brooks ,Gregg Popovich, and there’s even been a few fans calling for Mark Jackson. All worthy candidates to be sure. However not one of them made our short list which is comprised of two coaches, that to us anyway, should be the clear-cut favorites to garner this year’s prestigious award.
 
The first is George Karl. You have to give props to a coach who has led his team to the most wins (56) in the history of the franchise as well as the most home wins in a season, currently at 37. Denver’s home record of 37-3 rivals that of the Heat, Spurs, and Thunder so why not give it to a coach who doesn’t have one player that averages 20 points a game?
 
Karl’s naysayers will tell you that his resume in the post-season since joining the Nuggets is underwhelming at best, losing in the first round seven times while making it to- but losing in- the Conference Finals in 2008-’09. This is quite true, however Coach of the Year honors go to a coaches body of work during the regular season, notafter it.
 
We realize that Karl’s illnesses (prostate, throat, and neck cancer) should not enter into the equation for the voters, but on a personal note, one cannot even imagine how he was able to deal with and overcome these dreaded diseases and still stay focused on his team when he returned to the court. (His son Colby out of Boise State University, played in the NBA & other leagues, and he too is a thyroid cancer survivor).
 
Our second choice for Coach of the Year is...
 
Read more here...

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Cleveland has had a 64-166 record in the past three seasons under Byron Scott.  He has been let go by the team.  Yes, this is post-Lebron, but the Cavaliers rebounded with the talented Kyrie Erving last year, so expectations were raised especially for this season.  Playoffs were rather unlikely, but Cleveland was expected to finish better than 3rd worst in the East with a 24-58 record.

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http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2079509

Kobe and his Lakers postseason chances seemingly are down the tube now. Tough break for them.

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Article brought to you by our friends at Fantasy Furnace...

No, Phil Jackson did not return to coach the Knicks nor will he do so anytime soon… He was just one of many who returned Friday night to commemorate the last championship team that the Knicks have had in four decades. What sort of reception would the most successful coach in NBA history receive from the Garden faithful?

It was almost a year ago, June 2012, that ex-Knick and 11 time NBA Championship coach Phil Jackson, scoffed at the notion of coaching the Knicks, stating, ” They have a clumsy team!” Personally, I feel that Phil was just saying that out of disappointment for the Knicks for not even offering him the post occupied by Mike D’Antoni before Mike Woodson was named the interim and later the head coach.

“There’s just too much work that has to be done with that team, they don’t fit together well. Phil Jackson stating his disinterest in the Knick's coaching job. Photo:
“There’s just too much work that has to be done with that team, they don’t fit together well.” Phil Jackson stating his disinterest in the Knick’s coaching job In June 2012.

If you remember, he also told the press that he didn’t want to travel because he wanted to spend as much time as possible on his Montana estate and New York was just too far away for his liking. The press here as well as countless bloggers, chastised the Knicks for not even extending Jackson an invitation to discuss the possibility of taking over the head coaching job.

Knick fans, after all of Jackson’s sound bites had filled the newspapers and the internet showcasing his ‘disinterest’ in the vacancy, turned sour on the Hall of Famer, especially once the season began. D’Antoni was soon shown the exit sign, and then Linsanity took over New York City and the sportsworld at large.

Fast forward to last night’s festivities at Madison Square Garden. Legends night. The commemoration of the 1972-1973 NBA Championship; the last one the Knickerbockers would win over the past 40 years. All the players from that legendary team, save for Dave DeBusschere who passed in May of 2003 at the age of 62, were there as speeches and awards filled the World’s Most Famous Arena.

The former superstars would be announced to the capacity crowd once halftime was underway and I thought to myself, “I wonder what kind of greeting PhilJ ackson will receive from the throng of Knick supporters on a night the team would be gunning for its 11th...

Read more here..