Season in review: 2010 NBA draftees
Check out USA TODAY’s comprehensive breakdown of how each of the 2010 NBA first-rounders fared last season.
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Scott Brooks: Should He Have Won Coach of the Year in 2010?
Scott Brooks burst onto the scene last season along with his young, upstart Thunder squad. They went from an abysmal season, to racking up 50 wins in a tough Western Conference. All of this contributed to Brooks winning Coach of the Year that season, which seemed to be solidified by the Thunder pushing the soon-to-be-champion Lakers to six games.
This season, the Thunder further improved, reaching 55 wins and rising from the eight-seed last year all the way up to the fourth seed this year. Again, many attributed this not only to the great talent found on the Thunder, but also to Brooks’ superb coaching.
However, after watching the Thunder every game throughout these playoffs, I can say with certainty that none of this success should be attributed to Brooks.
First of all, throughout the entire playoffs, there is a recurring theme that I see from Kevin Durant: he doesn’t move. Whenever they lose, simply watch Durant and you’ll see why. He stands on the wing or in the corner and watches the action, effectively taking himself out of the game.
This is partially his fault, but most of the blame lays at Brooks’ feet. Durant sees a minuscule amount of picks during games, if that, forcing him to get himself open and take every defender or double-team on by himself.
When you have a shooter and prolific scorer of Durant’s caliber, he should be running off screens the entire game. Brooks should take notes from Doc Rivers on this one. Ray Allen can be seen running off multiple screens on nearly every single possession. This leads to many open shots for him, allowing him to score with tremendous efficiency, even as he ages.
Second, Brooks does not discipline Russell Westbrook. Aside from Game 2 against Dallas, he has not taken any action to correct Westbrook. You can routinely see Westbrook holding the ball for entire possessions and then hoisting up a horrible shot as the shot clock goes off.
These are not isolated occurrences; they actually happen multiple times a game. Brooks needs to let Westbrook now that he has the best scorer in the league on his team. There is no reason why Durant should go consecutive possessions without even touching the ball, and Brooks needs to realize this before it’s too late.
Sitting Russell could get the message through to him, as it did in Game 2. In order for them to win, action must be taken to show him that it is hurting the team for him to waste so many possessions.
Lastly, Brooks is wasting a great scorer off the bench in Nate Robinson. Nate has played in only three games throughout the playoffs for a total of 11 minutes. For a player of his caliber, this is simply unacceptable.
He could form an outstanding tandem with James Harden off the bench, providing scoring and energy that Eric Maynor doesn’t bring to the table. The decision for Brooks to keep Nate benched is more understandable than his aforementioned transgressions because of his loyalty to Maynor and Nate’s immaturity, but I believe that it is hurting the team’s chances of winning this series against Dallas.
Overall, when taking a closer look at their team, it does not appear like Brooks is doing a good job at all. Right now, it seems like he is riding the coattails of Durant and Westbrook’s success, as he hasn’t done much to help this team progress through the playoffs.
He definitely needs to fix some critical flaws in his coaching scheme, or else the Thunder won’t have to start thinking about hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy for a long time.
What do you think? Let me know by voting in the poll and leaving a comment below.
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2010 NBA Mock Draft: Houston Rockets Buy Local and Select Tristan Thompson
With Yao Ming gone and a big shot blocker needed to fill the void in the paint, the Houston Rockets will stay local and draft Tristan Thompson out of the University of Texas. Thompson is a freshman who had a decent first season, posting average numbers of 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. The rebounding numbers are pretty impressive considering how he’s only 6’8″ and 225 pounds.
Yet, Thompson’s athleticism cannot be denied. He has a strong vertical leap and long arms. He averaged 2.4 blocks per game as a freshman!
He may be Canadian, but Thompson will continue his legacy in Texas and if all goes well, become a state legend. He will lead the Rockets to the glory that Yao should have, and the team will be flying high again.
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NBA Report Cards: Grading How Each Team Did in the 2010 NBA Draft in Retrospect
It is March, and that means everybody is watching college basketball. That means we are watching players like Jared Sullinger, Kemba Walker, Derrick Williams and Harrison Barnes.
Last year, however, we were watching the likes of John Wall and Evan Turner.
They ended up being drafted first and second by the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers respectively.
Almost every other team in the league was involved in the draft as well. They combined for the standard 60 draft picks, and 45 of the drafted players are in the NBA as of right now.
Armed with the knowledge we have gathered from watching the season play out, we can now grade each team’s draft more accurately.
Let’s get to it.
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NBA Draft 2010 Review: The Top Rookie Report
Nearly a season after last year’s March Madness stars entered the league and with the NBA Season drawing to a close, it’s time to look back on the Rookies who made an impact in the league this year. For the purposes of this list, they had to be drafted in 2010 to be considered. For example, players like Blake Griffin who were drafted in ’09 and sat out a year were not on this list, as well as players who were undrafted or first-year players from over seas like Gary Forbes, Samardo Samuels, or Gary Neal were left off this. So lets take a quick look at the contributions and production of these Rookies in 2010-11 NBA season, and their prospective futures in the league.
That said SwishScout.com Presents “The 2010 NBA Draft Review.”
Note: On most players, you can click their name or school to take you to a more detailed profile for a more extensive scouting report on the respective prospect.
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
NBA Draft: Why the T’Wolves 2010 Draft Will Be Remembered as the Worst Ever
In the midst of March Madness, this idea just came to me. Surprising, I know, but this was an article that had to be published as soon as possible.
Let me first express (before my T’Wolves bashing) that I am one of the biggest Timberwolves fans you will ever come across, especially considering there are so few of us these days.
Looking back now, if I were to give the Timberwolves a grade for their draft day performance, it would be an F–.
Now, David Kahn gets some bonus points for raking in ultra-talented forward Anthony Randolph at the deadline for pretty much nothing.
Randolph, by the way, had 31 points and 11 rebounds on 14-of-20 shooting in the absence of Kevin Love tonight. That was a little off topic, but we had to look to a bright spot before setting in on this monstrosity of a draft.
Let’s start at the top. The Timberwolves lost out on the lottery, and had to settle for the fourth pick in the draft. With this pick, the Timberwolves decided to select Wes Johnson, a forward out of Syracuse. Personally, I thought this was the wrong pick at the time and I still feel that way.
I watched Syracuse play six or seven times that year, and it seemed to me as if Wes Johnson was more of a big man than a wing in college. He led the team in rebounding and played in the post quite a bit.
The problem is, none of those skills would translate to the NBA because he is extremely undersized for a big man. He stands at 6’7, and a lean 205 pounds, which makes him a stretch at small forward.
This season for the T’wolves, Johnson is averaging nine points and three rebounds in 26 minutes a game. He gets sixth-man minutes, but he doesn’t really do all that much with them.
His PER or Player Efficiency Rating is a nightmarish 10.4, but hey, it’s the Timberwolves so it would make sense that it’s low, right? Wrong.
His 10.4 is tied for 10th on the team with Kosta Koufos. You saw that right. Kosta Koufos, and to think Johnson was a top-5 pick. Our lottery pick can’t even pass up Kosta Koufos, who averages less than nine minutes a game. That’s how you know he’s bad.
Surprisingly enough, the worst thing about Wes Johnson is yet to come. The biggest problem with Johnson is that he’s already 23 years old, and he’ll be 24 in less than four months.
He’s only six months younger than fellow Timberwolf and six-year vet, Martell Webster. Webster came out of high school, and is playing in his sixth season. Johnson was just drafted in 2010.
There are two significant drawbacks to drafting a 23-year-old player. First, he will have a relatively short career. Second, he has less room to develop. Think about it: Derrick Favors, who was taken just one pick before Johnson, is almost exactly four years younger.
This means that when Favors has been in the NBA for four years, he will be right where Johnson is now. Johnson will be almost 28. Think of how much development can take place in four years. Johnson is going to miss out on all of it.
Johnson is an explosive leaper, and he does have a pretty good jumper, but keep in mind he is shooting just 41 percent from the field (11th on the team) and 35 percent from downtown (seventh on the team). The one thing he’s supposed to be good at (shooting), he’s below average at.
Remind me again why we drafted this guy. I put the over/under of how many All-Star teams this guy will make at .5. I’ll take the under.
What makes this pick much, much, much worse is that Demarcus Cousins was taken right after Johnson. Yes, the Wolves frontcourt is crowded, but for Cousins, you make room. They should have traded the players they have on that team, because Cousins is an absolutely special player. He actually has potential to make All-Star teams.
This season, Cousins is third on the Kings in scoring, and first in rebounding, averaging 14 points and almost nine rebounds a game. Those are some solid rookie numbers, and he will only continue to get better.
I know people are worried about his attitude, but I’d rather have a potential 10-time All-Star with some maturity issues than a career seventh man. Come on, Kahn, just take Cousins. Johnson is a scrub.
The next pick the Wolves had was the 16th overall pick. With this pick, they selected Luke Babbitt and traded his rights for Martell Webster. Webster’s statistics this year are eerily similar to Wes Johnson’s.
So much so that it’s almost scary. Look them up. Seriously.
It also doesn’t help the case for this pick that Webster has improved his scoring average by three points and his rebounding average by .8 from his rookie season five years ago.
Basically, the Timberwolves took Wes Johnson again with their 16th pick, except with even less upside and a few chronic back injuries. Great. Webster will undoubtedly suffer from injury on and off throughout his career.
Either Webster or Johnson will see the door at some point seeing as they are almost the exact same player. So much for that pick. With James Anderson, Eric Bledsoe, and Damion James still on the board, the T’wolves took Martell Webster.
The Timberwolves would then trade the 23rd overall pick and the 56th overall pick for the 30th and 35th overall pick. With their next pick, the Timberwolves would reach for Trevor Booker who is then traded to Washington.
It looks like an odd choice at the time, but Booker would end up having a decent PER (15.3) in his rookie season. Too bad he’s with the Wizards. (Hamady Ndiaye was the other pick traded to the Wizards, but that’s irrelevant).
The last three picks are really the icing on the cake. First, the Timberwolves took Lazar Hayward with the last pick in the first round. Hayward was 56th on Chad Ford’s Big Board prior to the draft, and the Timberwolves reached for him. Although this wouldn’t be their biggest reach. Or their second biggest reach. Oh boy.
Hayward is a 6’6 (power?) forward who just doesn’t seem to fit in. He played in the post at Marquette and is seen as undersized. His PER with the Wolves this season is 10. It doesn’t get much worse than that.
Some day he may be a decent defender, but I would be surprised if he ever averages double-digit points a game in a season. So now you think, it’s an upside pick, right? Wrong again. Lazar Hayward turned 24 a couple months ago. At this point, I’m as confused as you are about this pick.
With the 35th overall pick, the Timberwolves selected Nemanja Bjelica. He was 67th on Chad Ford’s Big Board, making his selection a huge stretch. Although he is 6’10, Bjelica resembles a point guard more than a power forward. He isn’t good enough to bring the ball up the floor, so where does he fit?
If you have ever seen current Timberwolf Anthony Randolph, he is thin as a twig. Bjelica is about the same height, but he is 15 pounds less. He should probably put on at least 25 pounds before coming to the NBA, and also learn how to play in the post.
Something tells me that’s not going to happen. Bjelica turns 23 in six weeks and certainly will not be in the NBA in the near future. Landry Fields was taken four picks later. Chalk this one up in the loss column. Yet another terrible pick.
The Timberwolves’ last pick was 45th overall. They took Brazilian Center Paulao Prestes who was ranked 77th on Chad Ford’s Big Board. Prestes is a very physical player, but outside of that there isn’t really much to say. He can rebound, but he is extremely raw in every aspect of the game.
He probably won’t be NBA-ready for at least three more years, which puts him at 26 years old. That’s if he still wants to come to the NBA by then. At least this was the last pick.
As we can clearly see, the Wolves screwed up every single pick they made throughout the draft. Every single one of them. Sometimes, it’s really painful being a Timberwolves fan. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and examine the picks without emotional attachment. David Kahn is a terrible drafter.
Let’s say for a second you really want Hayward, Bjelica, and Prestes (why, I don’t know). Trade for the last three picks in the draft and take them then.
It’s possible that Hayward might be gone, but the other two would almost certainly be there. Why waste such valuable picks when you could get the same players much later in the draft? It just doesn’t make any sense.
There is no doubt this is one of the worst drafting jobs ever done in the history of the NBA. Every pick is worse than the last. Basically three 23-year-olds, and a 24-year-old. So little production, so little upside.
The Timberwolves have had so much trouble rebuilding for a reason, and being a fan is more exhausting than ever. Someday, the Wolves will make a comeback, but for now let’s take it one step at a time and shoot for a C- in the 2011 NBA draft. Look at the bright side, it can’t get much worse.
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Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard: The NBA’s REAL MVP of 2010
When LeBron James made his “Decision” to move to Miami, not only did he give up his legacy as a franchise player, he also forfeited his reign as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Now, you could debate if LeBron is even the Miami Heat’s MVP.
2010 is going to make way for a new MVP of the NBA, and everyone has the Chicago Bull’s Derrick Rose pegged to take home that honor at season’s end.
Almost everyone.
There is no doubt that D-Rose is the MVP of the Chicago Bulls. Getting acclimated to new personnel, fighting through injuries to Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer and improving his outside game to become a more rounded player have all made D-Rose one of the most exciting players in the NBA. Not to mention helping his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference.
But does that make him the Most Valuable Player in the NBA? No.
“Value” is more than being the best player on your team. Or scoring the most points. (I can name three PG’s that are better than DRose: Nash, Dwill and CP3.)
“Value” is more than money. It’s more than statistics. It’s more than how many games you win. It is more than championships.
“Value” is intrinsic excellence. It is desirability. It is dominance. It is elevating oneself. It is being outstanding. It is being the one player that is the most important to the sport.
There is only one Dwight Howard.
He’s had to deal with everything that D-Rose has and more: injuries, trades, improving his game, leading his team to one of the best records in the Eastern Conference. He takes more of a beating than Dwade and LeBron combined, and it usually isn’t called.
And he still smiles.
Find me a single team that wouldn’t kill to have Dwight on their team. I dare you.
Ask the players, ask the coaches, ask the GM’s and the owners.
No one dominates the game like Dwight does. No one has been this dominant since Shaq. And honestly, the NBA would be lucky to ever find a player like Dwight again.
Dwight Howard isn’t just the most valuable player on his team, he isn’t just the Defensive Player of the Year. He is the most valuable player in the NBA.
And last I checked, that’s what M.V.P. stands for.
More about the NBA here:
Phoenix Suns Playoff Hopes Hinge on Whether Alvin Gentry Starts Marcin Gortat
NBA Expansion: 10 Cities in 10 Years
Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets Could Make the Playoffs THIS Season
LeFall of LeBron: Losing a Legacy
Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
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2010 finalist Butler faces top seed Pitt (AP)
As the top seed in the Southeast Regional, Pittsburgh is an obvious favorite over Butler. The Panthers are not, however, a fan favorite. That distinction goes to Butler, a mid-major darling that has built a reputation in the NCAA tournament as a can-do underdog. After working their way into the national championship game last year, the Bulldogs showed Thursday they haven’t lost the magic touch.
View full post on Yahoo! Sports – NCAA Men’s Hoops News
Butler rekindles 2010 magic with tourney’s 1st buzzer-beater
You remember these Butler Bulldogs. Still magical in March, still beating NCAA Tournament teams that look as if they could wad them up like a …
View full post on USATODAY.com College Basketball News
Butler rekindles 2010 magic with tourney’s 1st buzzer-beater
You remember these Butler Bulldogs. Still magical in March, still beating NCAA Tournament teams that look as if they could wad them up like a …
View full post on USATODAY.com College Basketball News
