Arena The Third Basketball Draft

Week Three Recap

42 110, Dwightmare on Elm Street 100
42 105, Dwightmare on Elm Street 100
Ball Don't Lie All-Stars 101, The Ayatollahs of Rock 'n' Rolla 88
The Ayatollahs of Rock 'n' Rolla 112, Ball Don't Lie All-Stars 103
Bird is the Word 107, Good Asspicks of Los Angeles County 101
Good Asspicks of Los Angeles County 99, Bird is the Word 92
M.E.H. 109, the blue shells 82
the blue shells 111, M.E.H. 109
Game, Blouses 111, L.A. Courtsiders 99
L.A. Courtsiders 117, Game, Blouses 112
WIFZ 127, H&W 103
WIFZ 121, H&W 90

Player of the Week:

Kevin McHale- I'm too lazy to calculate his averages, but he was a beast. And I can't give it to the same player every week.

Standings - Click to view

Next Round of Games:

CONFERENCE GAMES - 1-2-1 format

Dwightmare on Elm Street (RX_Sith) vs. We're in the ******* Zone (blackoutChristmas)
Good Asspicks of Los Angeles County (PRENN) vs. The Ayatollahs of Rock'n'Rolla (JM1511)
Game, Blouses (Point Given) vs. the blue shells (tom)
Heffalumps and Woozles (heels) vs. 42 (TAFKA Trimaj)
Ball Don't Lie All-Stars (NYJ) vs. L.A. Courtsiders (Tunes)
Bird is the Word (DLOTE) vs. Most Excellent Hoopsters (Gunny)

No changes allowed to rosters at this time. Try to get up lineups ASAP. I go on vacation on Thursday, so I might be on very limited time after that.

 

Sorry, heelsy, but that's one of the funniest recaps I've seen.

 

same lineup.

 

Same lineup.

 

Bird Is The Word

*Starters in BOLD

PG: Gary Payton (40 Minutes)/Mookie Blaylock (8 Minutes)
SG: Joe Dumars (36 Minutes)/Sidney Moncrief (9 Minutes)/Alex English (3 minutes)/Dennis Johnson (0 minutes)
SF: Larry Bird (38 Minutes)/Alex English (10 Minutes)
PF: Elvin Hayes (40 Minutes)/Willis Reed (8 Minutes)/Charles Oakley (0 Minutes)
C: Patrick Ewing (38 Minutes)/Willis Reed (10 minutes)/Nate Thurmond (0 minutes)

 

Same lineup

 

tweaking!

pg: oscar robertson (34min) / steve nash (14 min)
sg: reggie miller (30 min) / oscar robertson (10 min) / kevin durant (8 min)
sf: kevin durant (38min) / connie hawkins (10 min)
pf: dennis rodman (38 min) / connie hawkins (10 min)
c: artis gilmore (44 min) / walt bellamy (4 min)

 

Same lineup as well.

 

PG: Jason Kidd 24 min./Gilbert Arenas 14 min./Sam Cassell 4 min
SG: Kobe Bryant 30 min./Manu Ginobli 18 min
SF: Dominique Wilkins 34 min/ Marques Johnson 14 min.
PF: Moses Malone 32 min/Zach Randolph 14/LeMarcus Aldrigde 2 min.
C: Yao Ming 23 min/Elton Brand 23 min./LeMarcus Aldridge 2 min.

 

So, which of you is going to use NBA 2k to create a slam dunk contest mid season and post videos here?

 

omg someone please do that

EDIT: And same lineup!

 

I could try if you guys submit a roster. It will be iPhone video of the TV though.

 

i just got 2k for my ps4 and it's amazing.

 

that really is amazing. whoever bought your ps4 for that much is a sucker. or maybe you have like a special edition gold ps4 with diamond buttons, in which case you might have been ripped off. i don't know though. i can't imagine you would ever sell a ps4 like that. it belongs in a museum!

 

certainly makes getting another one a lot easier.

 

Same lineups as the last round for the Courtsiders.

 

My apologies for the delays, folks. I'll get this entire round simmed this weekend.

 

no worries inty. you're busy, we get that.

 

Dwightmare on Elm Street (RX_Sith) vs. We're in the ******* Zone (blackoutChristmas)

Early returns has WIT*Z as absolute juggernauts. Dwightmare on Elm Street has been a middle-of-the-pack team thus far. Will this see LeBron and company dance to a victory party with Jay-Z? Or will the Dwightmare be able to give them a rude awaking and bring them back to earth in something of a "trap" game?

Dwightmare on Elm Street @ We're in the ******* Zone

We're in the ******* Zone 104, Dwightmare on Elm Street 97
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

The Dwightmare came out looking like they might just upset In The Zone and steal a game on the road. They scored the first seven points of the game, and kept In The Zone off the board for almost the first full two minutes.

They pushed the lead as high as nine in the first quarter, and exited the first period with a three-point lead.

That wouldn't last however, and LeBron James' dominance would take over.

James ended the game with 27 points, 13 rebounds, 13 assists, and 5 blocks. Tracy McGrady equaled his scoring with 27 points, but no one was able to match his sidekicks: 22/10/5 for Scottie Pippen and 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks for Bill Walton.

We're in the ******* Zone @ Dwightmare on Elm Street

We're in the ******* Zone 120, Dwightmare on Elm Street 95
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

Unstoppable.

It seems to describe LeBron James. And his entire team at this point in time.

James had a massive game -43 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.

That triggered a massive game from his entire team. They shot 53.7% from the field. They hit 50% of their triples. They held a 56-37edge on the glass, including 17-5 on offensive rebounds. They generated more turnovers (18) than their opponent did free throws (15), and blocked nearly as many shots (14).

Scottie Pippen had a glorious game with a triple double - 27 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, while Bill Walton (13 points, 18 rebounds) and Dikembe Mutombo (10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks) owned the paint.

Dwight Howard had 19/8 for the overmatched hosts.

We're in the ******* Zone @ Dwightmare on Elm Street

We're in the ******* Zone 100, Dwightmare on Elm Street 79
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

We're in the ******* Zone is a reporters fantasy.

The same copy can be filed every night, you just change a few of the numbers to reflect the statistics for that particular game.

Once again, LeBron James came up massive - 40 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists.

Once again, In the Zone dominated the glass (55 to 40) and especially the offensive glass (15 to 5). Once again, they shot the ball well (51.1%), and once again they got great supporting help for James (15/14 from Bill Walton, 14/11 from Kevin Garnett, 21/8/7 from Scottie Pippen, and 10/8/3 from Dikembe Mutombo).

It was a little tougher to find a standout player for the hosts, but we'll give it to "Tiny" Archibald, for scoring 10 points in just 16 minutes.

Dwightmare on Elm Street @ We're in the ******* Zone

We're in the ******* Zone 89, Dwightmare on Elm Street 88
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

And, for all that dominance, there was almost no sweep.

Dwightmare on Elm Street left everything they had on the court.

Their defense, tremendous. They held the juggernaut offense of In The Zone to 43.7% shooting. They severely narrowed the gap on the glass (56 to 46).

But, at the buzzer, Allen Iverson's shot hit the front of the rim, and clanged away, giving In The Zone the win and the sweep.

It certainly helped In The Zone that they blocked TWENTY TWO shots during the game, 5 from Kevin Garnett, and 4 each from Scottie Pippen, Bill Walton, Dikembe Mutombo and Andre Dummond. It also didn't hurt that Bill Walton added 24 points and 16 rebounds to his blocks, while Scottie Pippen added another triple-double (14 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) to his.

The agony of the win that got away was magnified for the Dwightmare by the monster game their superstar enjoyed. Dwight Howard scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, but all for naught.

 

Heffalumps and Woozles (heels) vs. 42 (TAFKA Trimaj)

Fresh off the asskicking of the century, Heffalumps and Woozles will attempt to rebound. Their fanbase have faced the unenviable question: which is worse, getting absolutely mauled and run over by an opponent, or losing a close, heartbreaking game. They've experience both in the last two series, and now just want to move on and experience something new: winning. 42, on the other hand, find themselves near the top of the league, and an early favorite to make the playoffs. They'll be looking to continue their recent run of form and continue to build on a good start to the season.

Heffalumps and Woozles @ 42

Heffalumps and Woozles 115, 42 101
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

There are many immutable facts of life when it comes to sports in Cleveland.

Among them, thankfully for Heffalumps and Woozles: never bet against Michael Jordan in Cleveland.

Jordan willed his team to a hard-fought road win, scoring 30 points, dishing out 9 assists, grabbing 5 rebounds, and adding 3 blocks and 3 steals. That all-around performance lead his team to a sizzling offensive performance as they shot 56% from the field. Chris Paul scored 19 and added 5 rebounds and 5 assists in support, and Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 points, dished out 11 assists, and pulled down 7 rebounds.

Shaquille O'Neal had a mammoth 33 points and 10 rebounds to lead his team, but they fell in love with a three-point shot that didn't love them back (they hit only 5 of 17), keeping them from supporting the Big Aristotle.

42 @ Heffalumps and Woozles

Heffalumps and Woozles 111, 42 109
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

Could the Heffalumps finally be grabbing some momentum?

25 points and 15 rebounds from Dirk Nowitki says maybe.

A defense lapse by 42 that gave Kevin Love a game-winning layup at the buzzer says probably.

A second-consecutive win? That just felt good, and you can call it whatever you want.

After Rick Barry nailed a triple with 11 seconds left to tie the game, it looked as if Heffalumps would completely collapse and give away a 9-point lead with less than 2 minutes to play. But, Love broke free of the defense and got an easy layup at the buzzer, leaving the Heffalumps with nothing but joy, and 42 with nothing but questions.

Chris Paul played the role of facilitator perfectly - scoring 15 points and dishing out 14 assists. And, Kevin Love added just enough offense (14 points, 10 rebounds) on a night when Michael Jordan was contained (11 points on 4/10 shooting).

Jerry West had 25 points for 42 in the losing effort.

42 @ Heffalumps and Woozles

Heffalumps and Woozles 127, 42 99
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

Momentum? Confirmed.

Chris Paul scored 31 points, and handed out 11 assists, and threw in 5 steals for good measure.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kevin Love topped that with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Jordan scored 17, threw in 7 assists, and even blocked four shots.

All of that added up to a blowout win that wasn't even as close as the final score depicted.

This one, for all intents and purposes, was over in the first quarter. The Woozles scored the first 8 points of the game, and pushed the lead to double digits just over 4 minutes in. The lead was 28-8 with 3:40 to play in the first, and got as high as 22 in the first quarter alone. The lead reached as high as 40 in the second quarter, when a Chris Paul Triple made it 73-33 with just under a minute left in the half.

Shaq had a stat line that looked okay enough in this one at the end of the losing effort - 22 points, 8 rebounds.

Heffalumps and Woozles @ 42

42 126, Heffalumps and Woozles 101
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

Returning home angry and desperate to avoid a sweep and further embarrassment, 42 got the win they needed.

Shaquille O'Neal dominated the paint, scoring 24 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and helping his team grab a monstrous 54-41 edge on the glass. Kevin McHale added 19 points and 9 rebounds, Rick Barry scored 20.

42 used a dominant third quarter to power their way to the win. It featured a 14-0 run that pushed the lead from 14 to 28, and removed most of the doubt.

Michael Jordan had 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, but didn't get the supporting efforts he needed to complete the sweep.

 

Bird is the Word (DLOTE) vs. Most Excellent Hoopsters (Gunny)

Not much separates these two teams in the early going in the standings, as both are looking to get positive results and remain in the thick of the playoff chase. Both know that a setback here could put them a hole that would be tough to climb out of, while a great result here could springboard them to the season they want. Both are coming off splits in their last series. Will either of them be the aggressor here and try to get better than a split? Or will they both play conservative and try to get just enough to keep pace? Better yet, It's Stockton vs. Payton: two great point guards who couldn't win a ring while playing with Karl Malone. Who disappoints in this one? Let's find out.

Most Excellent Hoopsters @ Bird is the Word

Most Excellent Hoopsters 105, Bird is the Word 104
Full Box Score
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These two teams are so evenly matched, it seemed logical that the first matchup would be decided in the final possession.

Of course, what no one expected was a one-point game to have such a poor ending.

Neither team was able to score over the final 84 seconds of the game, with Grant Hill's layup with 1:24 remaining counting as the game winning basket. Larry Bird twice missed potential go-ahead/game winning shots in the final 1:08, and Patrick Ewing was rejected by David Robinson on another attempt. Of course, Robinson (twice), Grant Hill, and Karl Malone also missed shots in the final minute that would have given the Hoopsters a larger lead and a little breathing room. But, then again, their team won, so they won't remember those misses quite as much.

Robinson ended up with a great game overall - 22 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 8 blocks. John Stockton added 18 points and 10 assists.

Patrick Ewing's 21 points and 11 rebounds lead Bird is the Word, who will lament their 1-for-10 shooting on three point shots, including 0-for-5 from Gary Payton.

Bird is the Word @ Most Excellent Hoopsters

Bird is the Word 101, Most Excellent Hoopsters 91
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Patrick Ewing powered Bird is the Word to an important road win to even the series. Ewing scored 26 points, grabbed 11 rebounds (5 of them off the offensive glass) and blocked five shots to fuel the win.

Bird is the Word again struggled from downtown - shooting an even worse 0-for-6 this game. However, they were rescued by being aggressive in attacking the basket, as they ended up with a 26-to-17 advantage in free throws, hitting 17 of them.

M.E.H. just couldn't get going, turning the ball over 22 times. 14/12/6 from Karl Malone lead the team in a losing effort.

Bird is the Word @ Most Excellent Hoopsters

Most Excellent Hoopsters 99, Bird is the Word 75
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play
A big night from Karl Malone and some great team defense finally saw the home team win a game in this series.

Malone scored 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and handed out 5 assists. He even added 3 steals for good measure.

But the real key in this game for M.E.H. was their defense. They limited Bird is the Word to 37.7% shooting from the field. BitW again struggled from long range, connecting on 2 of their 10 three-point attempts. Gary Payton was harassed all night - he was 1-for-8 from the field, and had 9 turnovers.

Joe Dumars' 20 points was the bright spot for the visitors.

Most Excellent Hoopsters @ Bird is the Word

Bird is the Word 108, Most Excellent Hoopsters 107
Full Box Score
Play-by-Play

In what could have been a mirror of the opening game, Bird is the Word was able to get the last laugh and even up the series.

After David Robinson put M.E.H. up with 1:12 to play, Patrick Ewing, Robinson, and Karl Malone all missed shots. It seemed we were doomed for another anticlimactic ending to a tight game.

Not quite.

Elvin Hayes put his team on top after a nice pass from Gary Payton, only to see Robinson answer five seconds later on a great feed from Vince Carter. Patrick Ewing put his team back on top with a 2 foot jumper with sixteen seconds left, and that would stand as the game winning shot, as David Robinson had a turnover right around the buzzer to end the game.

Larry Bird was the player of the game, scoring 23 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, handing out 5 assists and blocking three shots.

Bird is the Word still couldn't hit a three, but were at least more selective this game, going 2-for-7.

Robinson lead M.E.H. with 22 points and 7 rebounds.

 

ITT inty goes SIM beastmode

 

Lost my first home game of the tourney, but won my first road contest. Not all bad.