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NBA Loud - by Travis

I’d like to post about the previously finished NBA Draft. A lot of trades were completed/proposed making this years draft exciting and noteworthy. In this first post I will be going through the top five picks and thereafter with updates and all you need to know up to the minute stats and transactions.

Let’s get this post draft analysis going with the first overall pick for the Chicago Bulls DERRICK ROSE. Rose out of Memphis has a solid NBA body and can take the punishment as a player in the paint. He will mold himself into whatever type of player his team needs him to be as evident by the video below. He is one of the most ready-type players to enter the league. A truly solid addition to any team, kind of makes me think of the miss of Jay Williams. In which whom the Bulls took as the savior type PG years ago before he had his motorcycle accident stifling his promising career. With this pick Chicago puts themselves back into contention for a playoff spot in the East.

This video shows how Rose can affect the game as he will become a solid NBA-PG.

# 2

Undoubtedly the Miami Heat selected MICHAEL BEASLEY out of Kansas State. This PF needs no introduction to basketball fans as his huge wingspan makes up for any negativity about his height at the four spot. One of the perfect teams for Beasley to go to, I think his character issues would only become apparent if he were to have to battle with a solid proven veteran for his starting spot. He will be going in battling Udonis Haslem who has seen his stock drop as he needs to create more of his own offence. The heat I am sure are not finished in tweaking their team for the 08/09 season. Marion though will alleviate any concerns of the rookie being overmatched down-low as he is almost like an extra PF out there sometimes with his rebounding efforts and hustle in trying to make the right plays.

# 3

Minnesota at the third spot went with OJ MAYO, who I have seen and been hearing about for a good number of years. Mayo will be a solid two as at 6’4” 200lbs he is limited in selected positions, but this guy is just a born scorer and if he ends up in Grizz-town, look for him to team up with Rudy Gay as Mike Miller was moved with Memphis making the choice to let him go after he admittedly carried the Grizzlies last season at times. In return Minnesota looks to get #5 Kevin Love. I am in love with this deal as the T-Wolves send Antoine Walker also to MEM. Minnesota gets the scoring they desperately need and character guys, to build around. I know what fans may be thinking and no this isn’t the second coming of Wally World, Mike Miller is a gamer playing all three spots from 1-3 for the Grizz and did whatever was asked, as he became a versatile and proven scorer, unlike streaky Szczerbiak.

# 4

Russell Westbrook a surprise at number four as the top three had virtually been decided weeks beforehand. Westbrook though an unexpected pick is an explosive guard that will do well in this league especially when Seattle gets all the parts and can continuously run up and down with Durant and Green. The Sonics clearly want a guard that can break down the D and get up and down the court at breakneck speeds. They have found that guy with Westbrook. People want to compare him to NBA champion Rajon Rondo and maybe Monta Ellis, he is long and skinny and extremely athletic, time will tell if he can make the right passes for a long career with Durant by his side.

# 5

Care of NBADraft.net

Memphis picks Kevin Love at the number five spot and in turn will be sending him to Minnesota in the deal outlined in the third pick paragraph. Love is solid, not an athlete like the Grizz love at the four spot, but the T-Wolves just need ballers in which Kevin is for sure. Down-low he will be helped by Al Jefferson for sure on defense. Also he will have a great passer in Mike Miller to get the ball to him in good spots. I like Kevin Love on a solid team a rebuilding team he may flourish or sink as he’ll need to create his own offence and may struggle with the speed of the NBA at first.

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New Years Eve NBA Games Sets Off Some Fireworks.

January 1st 2008 12:04

Hedo Turkoglu game winning shot against the Chicago Bulls.

Hedo Turkoglu...shoots...he scores! Game over! (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

We here at NBALOUD wish all of our wonderful readers a Happy New Year and hope that with a fresh 365 days upon us that it’ll be prosperous and righteous. Although, it’s the eve of a fresh year, doesn’t mean that pro-hoopsters get a night off. Well, they do, but a lot of players still have to put on their safety hats and get to work during the afternoon. Afterwards it’ll be Cristal and groupies.

Let’s begin with MVP candidate, Dwight Howard whose Orlando Magic played an exciting game against the Chicago Bulls. Although, Howard might be getting all the MVP love, Hedo Turkoglu his teammate is also quietly putting together an all-star calibre season.

Hedo actually had a game that was marred by turnovers and poor decision making, but he came good when the Magic needed him the most – crunch time. With 0.7 seconds left in the overtime period, Turkoglu hit a fadeaway jump shot over defensive beast, Ben Wallace to seal the game for Orlando. Well, done big fella. We can bet he’ll have a rocking new year.

Speaking of Ben Wallace, his old team the Detroit Pistons battled the Milwaukee Bucks and slaughtered them 114-69. This was massacre of epic proportions. Kind of like the Brazilian national football team playing against the Solomon Islands.

It was Detroit’s biggest victory win since 2003 when they crunched the pre-Garnett Celtics by 52 points. The ‘D’ is looking threatening for the Eastern Conference title.

Performance of the Day.

Have you our wise and wonderful readers seen the Golden State Warriors play yet? Well, if you haven’t do it now! Do it, because it’ll enliven your lives. Seriously, this writer was once blind, but now can see due to watching the Warriors play. Oops, the scam is up, but the team from G-State are gold.

The Warriors, who aren’t from Coney Island, took out Houston, 112-95. What was most impressive about this victory was Warriors coach, Don Nelson actually got tossed out of the game in the second quarter for arguing against the refs.

Luckily, for G-State, Baron Davis took control of the game scoring 23 points and dishing off seven dimes. It was a masterful display of dominant basketball.

Today’s video is of the top 10 dunks for 2007! Some righteous jams here.

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Posted By: Stanley - Category: Games, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets

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Golden State are so Hot, they Make the Scoreboard Catch Fire.

December 3rd 2007 11:42

The G-State Warriors light up the scoreboard, literally. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

The marquee match-up between the two leading lights of the Eastern Conference didn’t turn out the way many would expect for such a big game. Firstly, LeBron James was still missing through injury. Also, a mid-afternoon start saw both a listless Boston crowd and Celtics performance combine for one unappealing package. In an uninspired game the Celts beat the Cavs, 80-70.

Ray Allen paced Boston with 20 points, but Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce each scored under 10 points! It must be stated that it is a very impressive effort that the Celtics still won with two of the big three firing blanks. On the flipside, this also illustrates how desperately the Cavs need King James in uniform as well.

Boston remains undefeated at home this season, thus far, and has notched up their 14th win as well. Why would this seemingly benign stat be of any importance? Well, it took their 56th game last season to win their 14th game. What also must be remembered is that there are 82 games in an NBA season. So it took over half of the basketball year to reach the milestone they have notched up so quickly this time around.

Last year’s team would also have been blown away by a LeBron-less Cavs. How times have changed.

Backcourt running mates, Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups both blew up for the Detroit Pistons, scoring a combined 37 points on 12-of-19 shooting. When the two Piston all-stars are playing such good ball, they don’t usually lose, and today was no exception as they crushed the New Jersey Nets, 118-95.

Both Hamilton and Billups have been hampered by injuries in the first month of this season and it has been a rare sight for the two guards of the ‘D’ to play such beautiful basketball. Unfortunately, for the Nets they combined wonderfully today.

"It's fun to play like this," said Billups. "We're moving the ball well, and that's the key for us."

Like, Dr. Claw in relation to Inspector Gadget, the Nets will be seeking revenge on the 'D' next time they meet. (Image from wikipedia)

(AP, 2007)

New Jersey’s triple-threat also played inspired basketball, but the Pistons proved to be far too kick ass on this occasion. In the words of Dr. Claw: “We’ll get you next time, Detroit. Next time!”

Speaking of teams that got their behinds handed to them on a platter, the struggling Miami Heat was annihilated by the Denver Nuggets, 115-89.

Any semblance of a contest was thrown out the window when Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin and Allen Iverson did whatever they pleased to the Heat. To make matters worse for Miami, Shaquille O’Neal had a season-low six points.

Shaq scoring six points was once unimaginable. Now, the nastiest baller on the planet isn’t as frightening as he once was.

Performance of the Day.

In a rarity for the prestigious NBALOUD performer of the day, we’re handing out this plaudit to the whole Golden State Warrior team! Not only did they utterly humiliate the Seattle Supersonics 109-96 in their home. G-State was so hot, that they literally made the scoreboard catch on fire!

How many teams can boast that? Well, the Warriors probably can’t be held accountable for a spotlight on the main scoreboard lighting up, but their hot performance may as well contributed to the maiming of the scoreboard.

Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington led the way for the Warriors with 20 points apiece. Whilst, Baron Davis chipped in with a solid 14 point, eight rebound and nine assist performance.

Carmelo Anthony would probably have gotten the performance of the day nod if the Seattle scoreboard didn’t light up like a firecracker during Chinese New Year. However, to make amends to ‘Melo, today’s video is of his ad for the Air Jordan kicks he rocks.

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Posted By: Stanley - Category: Games, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors

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Carmelo Anthony: More than a Thug Baller.

August 18th 2007 08:05

Lovers of NBA basketball would be acutely aware that the league has

Don't let the tattoos and cornrows fool you. 'Melo is a nice guy. (Image from nba.com)

a somewhat negative image. We here at NBALOUD have discussed at length at why this is the case, when sports such as the NFL far too often receive a free pass for the player shenanigans that happen there. In a nutshell the prevalence of Black players that rock the cornrows and hip hop lifestyle makes it far too easy to unfairly disparage the league.

Carmelo Anthony the star Denver Nuggets forward is one of those players that is loved and loathed in equal measure. ‘Melo has both Puerto Rican and African-American roots, so he not only is a baller with cornrows, but has a Latin and Black heritage, which makes him ripe for criticism at any perceived misstep.

But here at NBALOUD it is nothing but love for the ‘Melo man, so here is a pound to the future of the Nuggets.

Date of Birth: 29 May, 1984
Height: 6’8” (203cm)
College: Syracuse
Draft: 2003 (3rd Pick)
Average Points Per Game: 24.1
Average Assists Per Game: 2.9
Average Rebounds Per Game: 5.7
Awards: NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, All-Rookie First Team Member, Rookie All-Star Game MVP, 2007 All-Star, ’05-’06 All-Third Team, 2006 USA Basketball Athlete of the Year, Bronze Medallist in the 2004 Olympics.

Basketball greatness was always going to happen to Carmelo Anthony from the moment he played his high school basketball at Oak Hill Academy. The prep school is seen as one of the greatest places for nurturing basketball talent, and ‘Melo was no exception.

Heavily recruited and pawned over by colleges across the nation, Anthony, would spend one lone season at Syracuse University, turning it into one of the most incredible years on record.

Anthony was so great, that many critics have labelled his collegiate career as one of the great runs, even if it didn’t last beyond his freshman season. The statistics bare this out, averaging 22.2 points and 10 rebounds, ‘Melo was an unstoppable force that led his school to their first championship in history.

After one of the best years in NCAA basketball, ‘Melo would then make the 2003 NBA Draft great as well adding his name into the mix. Who were some of his fellow draftees? Do the names LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and, er, Darko Milicic impress anybody? Well, besides Darko, Anthony’s contemporaries have made a gigantic impact in their young careers already.

The third pick (after Darko!) came out with all guns blazing as his rookie season continued

'Melo showing off his hops. (Image from nba.com)

where he left off at Syracuse. In fact, he led his team, which was mediocre to say the least to the playoffs! A feat that not even King James himself could replicate.
James and ‘Melo had similar statistical rookie seasons, with the added bonus that Anthony actually led his team to the playoffs, but who got the love? It was Bron-Bron, with Carmelo out in the cold.

Just how effective was the presence of Anthony on the Denver squad? The season before he came on board, 17-65, and the next? 43-39, baby!

This past season ‘Melo kicked it up a notch as he teamed up with Iverson to form a duo that was so full of hip hop flavour that even the Wu-Tang Clan have to concede their freshness. Kicking up his scoring average to an impressive 26.5 ppg, whilst proving his clutch abilities by hitting five game winning shots in the season. Want more? ‘Melo became the second youngest baller in NBA history to score 5000 points as well, just behind LeBron.

Coming from an underprivileged ‘Melo understands the importance of giving back, especially now that he has the means to do so. Anthony is no stranger to donating millions of his own money to his centre in Baltimore, or dropping a tidy sum to help out the Asian Tsunami victims.

Oh, one more thing – he happens to call uber-sexy MTV VJ La La Vasquez as his fiancée too. Word!

So, the next time that anyone piles the hate on ‘Melo, remember to give him some love instead.

Today’s video is ‘Melo rocking the rim.