Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday December 11th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Kevin Durant - Without question, the Most Valuable Player so far this season. Durant is averaging 29 points
a game with eight rebounds and six assists to boot. Durant deserves this one so far without question. KD won this honor not like a Susan Lucci's career award rather he is currently in an amazing five game stretch. Durant had 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists against Indiana which to me said 'Alright we are giving Paul George too much love' and he just tore up the court. Actually, he said that in a way telling media row 'Write about that.'  In his last five games, three of them have been double-doubles for Durant which was a past knock on KD that all he could do was get buckets. Durant is also doing more in the paint as he is not shooting much from three. I would pay thousands to watch a playoff series with KD and George going at it.

Andre Drummond - This is more like a Susan Lucci as it seems we have it with SnoTap's second POY. Drummond did have a monster effort against Milwaukee last Wednesday with 23 points and 19 rebounds, but Dre is doing big things in his second year with Detroit. Drummond is averaging nearly 13 rebounds a game with 13 points per game. When big men are doing these sorts of things in their second year of professional basketball, it is pretty telling. Drummond can definitely be one of the best in the next coming years. I realize that might sound like hyperbole, but Dre is truly a great player.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Kobe Bryant - This might be a troll move by me here, but I will go with it because people expected so much from Kobe in his first couple games back with the team. People drew up unrealistic expectations for a 37-year old coming off an ACHILLES injury. I saw folks saying he would score over 30 points in his first game back with the team on Sunday against Toronto. He struggled mightily, and played a little bit better against Phoenix yesterday when he had 20 points on 6/11 shooting. The microscope on Kobe will be large for awhile especially if he keeps struggling to Kobe's standards. I think he will be fine, but I am glad to see people tempered their expectations.

Team of the Week
Oklahoma City Thunder - Not only does KD get the POY, Oklahoma City wins Team of the week with winning eleven of their last twelve games. The Thunder are now at 16-4 with one game back of Portland for the best record in the Western Conference. They had impressive wins against Indiana, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver, San Antonio, Golden State as well as beating Atlanta. They head to Memphis tonight in what is always a spirited rivalry especially with Kendrick Perkins and Zach Randolph if he plays. Oklahoma City is rounding into form nicely, and showing it really does not matter about the supporting cast in the regular season as long as Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the starting five.

Team of the Weak
Orlando Magic - It appears Orlando has fallen back to earth in the recent games. No one expected much from Orlando, but they were hanging around with sub-500 group of teams who could have turned it around ending up in the playoffs. Now Magic look like they are heading for Tanksville USA. Orlando dropped six straight games and they are not doing it in close fashion either minus a defeat to a fellow tanker, Philadelphia. In their five losses during this streak, they have fallen by 75 points combined including a 38 point defeat to New York Knicks.

SnoTap Medical Injury Report  
Tyreke Evans - Not many serious injury issues, but Tyreke Evans will miss two weeks with an ankle injury. This does not help New Orleans one bit whose already lost Anthony Davis. They have a brutal stretch of games until the New Year with two games against Denver and Portland including other hard battles with Golden State, Memphis and Los Angeles Clippers. New Orleans needs to find a way to remain .500 by the end of the month if this team wants to at least still have a voice in the playoff hunt. If Evans is back then Davis should be back by mid-January.

Trading Places
I know I shit on Rudy Gay's deal earlier in the week, but honestly, it is not a bad trade for Sacramento honestly with the players they gave up in the deal. They did not give up a draft pick which is important. Kings gave up John Salmons, Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Maybe Vasquez turns out to be something, but he might be the only one where Kings fans are saying 'We should not have dealt him.' Sacramento getting Quincy Acy is a sneaky good piece as well whom could turn into something.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else 
This Knicks fan is not happy about the lost to the Celtics. (H/T Barstool New York) 



Steve Nash having a good time at the Jay Z concert where they chanted 'Kobe' yet he needs to drink quicker.

Jigga....it's been real. Me.....wait I got 2 beers left.
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) December 10, 2013

Channing Frye announces Miles Plumlee has a new nickname. No word whether he still gels his hair.

Everyone calls @milesplumlee13 PlumDog he told me, he wishes everyone would call him MC PlumLord!!!!!! Do you like that nickname?
— Channing Frye (@Channing_Frye) December 10, 2013

Charlie. 

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Roundball Wrap-up: Thursday November 14th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

(H/T Steve Noah)

Hey Evan Turner, do you know how to wear a headband bro?  True story, I never wore a headband when I played basketball but I did a couple times at the gym like I was a 65-year old. I wore to keep the sweat out of my eyes and it worked for me so I do not care how much you judge me. 

Players of the Week 
Anthony Davis - Many people believed 'The Brow' would have a big second year and they would be right thus far. Davis is currently averaging 20 points a game with 10.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks a game. Davis had a massive double-double against Los Angeles last Friday where he had 32 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks. Davis' Pelicans have lost their last three games which included Davis in a bit of foul trouble especially against the Lakers on Tuesday. It is imperative Davis stays out of foul trouble for New Orleans to even have a chance against teams. The Brow followed up a bad night with a big 29 and 15 once again in a losing effort against Utah last night.

Kevin Love - For my money, he is the Western Conference Player of the Month so far. He has been dominant in his first eight games of the season. Love is a rebounding machine again averaging 15 boards a game and last night's game against Cleveland was the first time he did not get double figures in rebounds this year. Love is putting puts in people's faces as Rudy Fernandez once said. He is averaging 26.4 a game with half of his games featuring at least 30 points. Love is also answering post-game questions like a boss. Throwing passes like a boss. (H/T @cjzero)

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Rudy Gay - He is really not helping his trade value this week. Against Houston this week, Gay went a stunning 11 for 37. I have no idea how you can shoot 37 times even if it is in double overtime. That is absolutely ludicrous. This cannot help Toronto's cause to trade Gay, something that is heavily rumored by NBA people whom know things. In the last five games, Gay is only averaging 38 percent from the field when there are some guys who average near 60 percent. He needs to be better for this Raptors team.

Team of the Week
Phoenix Suns - One of the teams everyone thought would tank started off the year winning five of their first eight games. They are playing great under new head coach Jeff Hornacek. Their losses have come against Oklahoma City San Antonio and Portland, all by less than 10 points. Markieff Morris and Miles 'I still gel my hair' Plumlee have been pleasant surprises for the Suns as well as Eric Bledsoe getting off to a fast start scoring 20 along with nearly eight dishes a game.

Team of the Weak
Detroit Pistons - I am not going to overreact to a team starting off losing five of their first seven, but it is not good in the D thus far. Josh Smith found himself on the bench for the Golden State game which the Pistons lost by 18. Their real problem is Chauncey Billups starting at the two. The man is a goddamn albatross at the two position. I realize there is a seniority thing with him, but he is washed up. Billups would be better off in rec league ball. Pistons will figure it out, but they might need a two guard when December to January rolls around.

SnoTap Medical Injury Report  
JaVale McGee - Denver has won the last three of four games, but they lost their star center to a stress fracture in his lower leg specifically in his tibia. This is a big loss for Denver. McGee was an integral part to this team and now I am starting to think if this continues, this team might be moving towards the latter part of the Western Conference. J.J. Hickson might deliver DOY's but him starting at center just guarantees every big man is scoring near the basket. One encouraging part could mean McGee will be out of his mind on Twitter in the next couple of weeks.

This Week in GIFs & Videos 
GIF: Kevin Durant embarrasses Vince Carter. VC never really played much defense, but KD just takes old man Carter to school.

Video: While Vince Carter getting crossed over was cool, Corey Brewer completely falling over with a Chris Paul crossover is fantastic because Brewer laughs on the other end.



GIF: Toronto Raptors center Quincy Acy looks like he is well in his 40's but he denied Dwight Howard from putting him on a poster in a big way. (H/T @MattMooreCBS)   ;

Weird NBA Store item of the Week 

These could not be more creepier. They are legit facemasks of NBA players for only 12 dollars. Why would anyone buy these? I have no idea because they are straight up nightmare fuel. If anyone wants to distract LeBron, they all buy facemasks and sit behind the baskets. 

Charlie. 

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SnoTap NBA Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder

For the month of October, Mitch Pratt, Andrew Kasmarek and Charlie Tritschler will be previewing the NBA teams for the exciting 2013-2014 season. 

By Mitch Pratt

The Oklahoma City Thunder will begin their third full season as a legit title contender. They've come up short in their first two runs at it but this time they'll be without star guard Russell Westbrook (injury) or sharp-shooter Kevin Martin (free agent to Minnesota), and let us not forget they traded James Harden immediately prior to last year. His loss will be felt for a while.

Many pundits feel that OKC failed this offseason by not finding a competent center to replace Kendrick Perkins or a shooter off the bench to replace Martin. The Thunder appear to be adopting the Ted Thompson method and are going to be relying pretty heavily on youth to produce at a nice clip. I'm looking at you Jeremy Lamb.

Having said all that, they still have Kevin Durant so they'll be very good. I could leave it at that...but I won't.

Durant in his rookie year with the Sonics. RIP.

The X-Factor: The play of Reggie Jackson - No one knows for sure when Westbrook will be back from his knee injury so the Thunder will be relying on Jackson to lead the offense. When Westbrook went down last season, they relied on Jackson and the team fell far short of the championship they are chasing. Jackson will need to step up and be a facilitator for Durant. And if and when Westbrook does come back, will he be the same?

The Big Question: Can Steven Adams make an impact? - Perkins has pretty much become a joke around the league for his big man play. Sure, he defends the paint a bit and will put you on your back if you test him but that's about all he's good at. If Adams, the 12th overall pick in this past June's draft, can make an impact right away offensively, the Thunder will be a force. Hasheem Thabeet ain't gonna cut it.

Key Additions: None - Ryan Gomes?

Key Departures: Kevin Martin - Martin provided scoring punch for the Thunder averaging 14.0 points per game, all off the bench. The Thunder are expecting Jeremy Lamb to move into Martin's role in this his second year.

Thunder Draft: Adams, Andre Roberson, Alex Abrines, Grant Jerrett - It's pretty obvious that the Thunder are running their franchise "the right way". Collecting draft picks and developing/keeping your own guys is the way to go in a small market...ahem...Herb. Roberson's impact in year one will likely be minimal and Abrines is being stashed in his native Spain for the time being. Jerrett was traded for cash considerations on draft night.

Prediction: Not exactly brain surgery here: the Thunder will more than likely be the number one seed in the West this year. The Lakers are reeling and will somehow end up with the #1 pick (I can feel it), even though the Bucks will do their best to challenge them (they've been horrid in their first three preseason games). The Spurs are officially ageless. It's absolutely the Thunder's conference heading into the season.

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