2021 NBA Finals Preview: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks

                                                (Credit: clutchpoints.com) 

The 2021 NBA Finals begins on Tuesday and will feature a matchup that nobody on earth predicted at the start of the season: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks. It's been a crazy journey for both of these teams to reach this point. Starting with the Suns, they took out the Lakers, Nuggets, and then Clippers to win the Western Conference crown. The Lakers were hobbled due to Anthony Davis not being at full strength, making them a vulnerable opponent. The Nuggets were without their star Jamal Murray, but they did have 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on their side. Jokic just wasn't able to do it all on his own in the end. As for the Clippers, Paul George and co. put up a real fight, but the absence of Kawhi Leonard also proved to be too much. 

As for the Bucks, they went through the Heat, Nets, and Hawks. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler like last year, but they weren't able to recapture the magic they had in the bubble a year ago. The Nets had injury issues of their own with Kyrie Irving and James Harden missing some time. Kevin Durant played incredible basketball, but once again, it's a team sport and one man can't do it all on his own. As for the Hawks, they played really well as a team and had Trae Young not gotten injured, they might have reached the NBA Finals. 

The commonality in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference brackets is that injuries played a big role in how things turned out. However, that isn't to say that the Suns and Bucks didn't have injury issues of their own. The Suns had to deal with Chris Paul missing action due to COVID protocols and Devin Booker had a busted nose. As for the Bucks, they've been without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the last two games due to a hyperextended knee and while there is no structural damage to his knee, it is unclear when he'll be back. Hopefully for Tuesday's Game 1. 

Ultimately, when looking at this upcoming Suns/Bucks series, a lot hinges on the health of Antetokounmpo. If he's healthy, the Bucks have a real shot to knock off the Suns due to their depth, length, and 3-point shooting. Khris Middleton has been a really nice number two option for them, shooting it well from the perimeter and giving Giannis the help that he needs. On top of that, veteran big man Brook Lopez and veteran guard Jrue Holiday have been playing well. The pieces around Antetokounmpo are definitely there. But he has to be present. 

As for the Suns, they appear to be pretty healthy right now. Paul is back from his COVID hiatus and while having a busted nose isn't fun, Booker hasn't been affected much by it. He also seems to pretty much be back from the injury anyways. Big man Deandre Ayton is getting it done inside (E.g. Valley-oop) and is giving the Suns the interior presence that they need. 

At this point, I do have to give the Suns the edge to win this series. They're the healthier team at the moment and they do have home court advantage. The NBA championship goes through Phoenix and not Milwaukee. Plus, it just feels like it's Chris Paul's time. He's paid his dues and he has the entire Suns team playing really good basketball. Everyone is feeding off his energy and I think everyone is extra fueled by the possibility of helping the great CP3 finally get a ring. 

In regard to how many games this series goes, I think if Giannis is able to go for the entire series, Suns win in 7. If he misses multiple games, then we could be looking at Suns in 5 or 6 games. After seeing such an injury ridden NBA playoffs, it would be nice to at least have an NBA Finals that features the best players of both teams. Hopefully the basketball world gets what they want. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Skyhook Sunday: The New Orleans Pelicans are on fire

When DeMarcus Cousins went down for the season due a torn Achilles, most people, including myself, assumed the New Orleans Pelicans were doomed and would find themselves back in the NBA Draft lottery. Instead of doing what we all expected, the Pelicans have decided to defy the odds makers and prove that they can still make some noise this season.

As of right now, the Pelicans are 4th in the Western Conference with a 36-26 record and have won eight straight games. Those eight wins have come at Brooklyn, at Detroit, vs. Los Angeles Lakers, vs. Miami, at Milwaukee, vs. Phoenix, at San Antonio, and at Dallas. While not the most intimidating schedule, the Pelicans still deserve a lot of credit for winning all of those games.

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday have both really stepped up for the Pelicans during this stretch. Davis has had four games of 40+ points and one game of 50+ points while Holiday has had scored 20+ points in each of these games including a 36 point game at Milwaukee and 30 point game at Dallas. These guys are being asked to carry the load for their team and are doing so in spades.

The big question is whether or not the Pelicans can keep this up or if they will fade as we head into March. When looking at the schedule, I think there's good reason to think they can keep this up.  They do have games against the Rockets, Warriors, Celtics, and Spurs left, but they also have games left with the Clippers, Kings, Jazz, Hornets, and Mavericks. Their schedule isn't a cakewalk by any means, but it is manageable. What helps is teams behind them like the Timberwolves and Spurs are dealing with injuries of their own, so it isn't like they are at full strength either.

My personal prediction is that the Pelicans will make the playoffs, but it's honestly too soon to say whether or not they will hang onto home court advantage in the first round. Seeds 3-8 seem to be changing every day, so it really is anybody's guess of as to how those positions will shake out. But that all being said, the very fact that the Pelicans are even in discussion to get home court advantage in the first round is remarkable. They are definitely turning into one of the feel good stories of the season.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Saturday Slam: What exactly are the New Orleans Pelicans becoming?

The New Orleans Pelicans are becoming something, but what is it, exactly? In an effort to build around Anthony Davis, they've traded for DeMarcus Cousins, re-signed Jrue Holiday to a 5-year, $126M deal, and now added Rajon Rondo on a one-year deal. The combination of Davis, Cousins, Holiday, and Rondo is certainly interesting, but will it produce the results the Pelicans want?

Before I dive into the concerns that I have with what the Pelicans are doing, let me quickly say why this could work. First, Anthony Davis is the best big man in the NBA. He averaged 28.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game last season. The dude is a beast. When you got him as your franchise centerpiece, you got a shot to be really good.

Second, DeMarcus Cousins is arguably the second best big man in the NBA. He's been in need of a change of scenery and paring him with a guy like Davis could be what he needs to reach his full potential. When you got two of the best big men in the NBA, there's good reason to think you'll succeed.

As for Holiday and Rondo, both have proven their value as elite level point guards. Rondo has tailed off since his best days in Boston, but he's still a very good pass-first point guard. As for Holiday, he averaged 15.4 points and 7.3 assists per game last season, which are very solid numbers.

The concerns I have with the Pelicans has nothing to do with the individual talent they are adding. It has to do with the blend of talent that they are adding, specifically putting DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo together. The very best of teams can handle one head case if they have a strong leader and know what they are doing. The Pelicans have added two head cases in Cousins and Rondo without having the pedigree of a championship level team. That alone raises serious concerns.

As far as what these guys bring to the court from a pure basketball standpoint, it's unclear how Holiday and Rondo will play together as pass-first point guards. As for Davis and Cousins, there are legitimate concerns about their ability to matchup against smaller and quicker teams, especially in a league that is moving towards positionless basketball.  Such a frontcourt may find better success in an era with more traditional big men.

The bottom line with the Pelicans is that while they are adding talented players to their roster, it's unclear whether or not they are the right fit for each other. If they can find a way to work together and get the most out of each other's talents, the Pelicans could be a really good team. When you consider the upside and also potential for failure, this really is the ultimate example of a "boom or bust" team. I smell bust, but I'm willing to withhold my judgment and see where they are at come playoff time.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Saturday Slam: How dangerous are the New Orleans Pelicans?

With both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most intriguing teams in the NBA. Such a front court duo has the potential to do a lot of damage, especially when you add a talented guard like Jrue Holiday to the mix. Davis is averaging 27.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game while Cousins is averaging 27.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. As for Holiday, he is averaging 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

At the moment, the Pelicans are 23-36 and 3.5 games back of the 8th seeded Denver Nuggets. After landing DeMarcus Cousins, the Pelicans are clearly the front runners to finish 8th in the Western Conference standings and face off against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. The big question that's on everybody's mind is how dangerous are these Pelicans given their place in the standings at this point of the season?

There are two answers to this question. The first answer is that in the short term, the Pelicans are dangerous enough to make the playoffs and maybe win a game or two against the Warriors. Given that it usually takes at least half of a season for stars to gel, the rest of the season can be viewed as extra time for DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis to gel before training camp of next season. In other words, the trade to land DeMarcus Cousins was much more of a move for next season and beyond than it was for this season. This season, the best the Pelicans can hope for is to make the playoffs and get a playoff series under their belt before next season, which is no small thing. Having a playoff series together before they enter their first full season together would be huge for Davis and Cousins as the go forward as the co-faces of this franchise. It should prove to be growing experience that will help them immensely next season and beyond.

Beyond that, there's nothing to expect out of this season. The Warriors are a vastly superior team given that they have had a lot more time to gel and on paper are still a much better team. The Pelicans won't get past the Warriors by adding DeMarcus Cousins. He's a talented player, but let's keep in mind there's a reason the Kings traded him. He has flaws and the Pelicans have to learn how to deal with those flaws and get past them, something that the Kings couldn't do or weren't willing to do. This season is all about working out some of the kinks so as to hit the ground running next season.

As far as next season's expectations are concerned, this team projects to be a playoff team and possibly a top-four team in the Western Conference. If I could start a franchise with any player in the NBA right now, I would choose Anthony Davis. He's a versatile big man that can do it all on both ends of the floor. When you give him another all-star big man by his side like DeMarcus Cousins and a quality point guard like Jrue Holiday, you could have something special on your hands.

The biggest challenge for the Pelicans will be to figure out how to combat "small ball" lineups, which benefit from having quicker guys on the floor. We saw the Pelicans get torched by the Houston Rockets' "small ball" lineup 129-99 in DeMarcus Cousins' debut. Going forward into next season and in the seasons to come, the Pelicans will need to figure out who else to add to their roster to give them more flexibility against teams that will look to go small against them. If the Pelicans can figure out how to combat smaller and quicker lineups with Cousins and Davis, they could have themselves a championship contending team.

The bottom line for the Pelicans is that with DeMarcus Cousins added to the fold, they have the potential to be really good in the seasons to come, but as presently constituted, they still have work to do both on the court and in the front office. The core players that are certain to stick around like Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis will need to figure out how to play with Cousins and benefit from having him on the floor. As for the front office, their challenge will be to figure out what other complimentary pieces need to be added in order to make their team a true championship contender.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Daily Dunks: 8/31-9/6/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for August 31, 2015 through September 6, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Vlade Divac is now the Kings' VP of Basketball Operations and GM (Click here for details).

#2. DeAndre Jordan parted ways with his agents (Click here for details).

#3. The Clippers signed power forward Chuck Hayes (Click here for details).

#4. The Bucks signed guard Charlie Westbrook to a non-guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#5. Point guard Marcelo Huertas has left FC Barcelona to sign a one-year deal with the Lakers (Click here for details).

#6. The Suns have no intention to trade Markieff Morris (Click here for details).

#7. Cavaliers second round pick Sir'Dominic Pointer will spend the season in the D-League (Click here for details).

#8. Click here for an update on the Tristan Thompson drama

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Hawks will retire Dikembe Mutombo's number in November (Click here for details).

#2. The Cavaliers don't fear LeBron James leaving if they don't keep Tristan Thompson (Click here for details).

#3. The Pistons signed forward Eric Griffin to a non-guaranteed deal (Click here for details).

#4. The Wizards expect Tomas Satoransky to join them in the summer of 2016 (Click here for details).

#5. Forward Greg Whittington signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Heat (Click here for details).

#6. Peja Stojakovic's role with the Kings is Director of Player Development (Click here for details).

#7. Michelle Roberts, executive director of the NBA Player's Association, hopes to make basketball the world's favorite sport over soccer (Click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Liberty 80 Dream 75. Fever 81 Sun 51.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Cavaliers officially re-signed J.R. Smith (Click here for details).

#2. Free agent Glen Davis is out 6-12 weeks after having surgery on his left ankle (Click here for details).

#3. Dwight Howard tried to bring a loaded gun through airport security (Click here for details).

#4. Shaquille O'Neal  says he and Kobe Bryant could have won six titles together (Click here for details).

#5. The Clippers are planning to create a mascot (Click here for details).

#6. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons says he'll be ready for opening night (Click here for details).

#7. The 76ers are interests in point guard Kendall Marshall (Click here for details).

#8. Grizzlies forward Jarell Martin has undergone surgery to repair a foot fracture (Click here for details).

Wednesday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mercury 73 Mystics 53.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Heat signed guard Briante Weber for training camp (Click here for details).

#2. The Heat fully guaranteed Hassan Whiteside's contract for next season (Click here for details).

#3. Markieff Morris: "My future will not be in Phoenix" (Click here for details).

#4. Forward Eric Moreland has re-signed with the Kings for one season (Click here for details).

#5. Gilbert Arenas' former assistant has been convicted of stealing $2.1M from a player (Click here for details).

#6. J.R. Smith's salary with the Cavaliers becomes fully guaranteed on Monday (Click here for details).

#7. Free agent guard Landry Fields is out 5 months after undergoing surgery on his hip to repair a labrum (Click here for details).

#8. Mikhail Prokhorov is nearing a deal to buy all of the Nets and Barclays Center (Click here for details).

#9. The Cavaliers are holding firm at $80M and aren't communicating much with Tristan Thompson (Click here for details).

Thursday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Sky 82 Liberty 60. Shock 85 Storm 67. Sparks 93 Mystics 91.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Tom Gores now owns 100% of the Detroit Pistons (Click here for details).

#2. Nate Robinson is considering an offer in China (Click here for details).

#3. Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (knee) expects to be ready for the start of the season (Click here for details).

#4. The 76ers are signing guard Kendall Marshall to a multi-year deal (click here for details).

#5. Jrue Holiday will be back with the Pelicans for training camp on minutes restrictions (Click here for details).

#6. Report: The Timberwolves want to trade Ricky Rubio (Click here for details).

#7. Report: The NBA would still get national TV money during a lockout (Click here for details).

#8. The Rockets signed four guys for training camp (Click here for details).

#9. Kevin Durant reportedly is interested in joining the Knicks (Click here for details).

#10. JaVale McGee says he'll be healthy to start the season (Click here for details).

Friday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Lynx 81 Fever 65. Sun 73 Stars 72.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Suns are unveiling black alternate jerseys soon (Click here for details).

#2. The Pistons concluded a week of MMA training (Click here for details).

#3. Nets small forward Bojan Bogdanovic suffered a concussion at Eurobasket. He is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#4. Josh Powell is leaving his job as an assistant coach with the Rockets to sign a non-guranteed deal with the Bucks (Click here for details).

Saturday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Mercury 82 Stars 52.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The sexual assault case against Michael Beasley has been dismissed (Click here for details).

#2. Sasha Kaun is signing a two year deal with the Cavaliers. First year is for $1.2M (Click here for details).

#3. Jerrelle Benimon has signed a training camp deal with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#4. The 76ers signed undrafted forward Christian Wood (Click here for details).

Sunday's WNBA Final Scores: 

Dream 73 Mystics 67. Sparks 92 Shock 73. Sky 93 Storm 65. Liberty 75 Lynx 71.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Daily Dunks: 1/19-1/25

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

Here are the Daily Dunks for January 19, 2015 through January 25, 2015. This page will get updated throughout the week with all the important news. So keep checking this page until a new page is created next week.

Monday's Daily Dunks

#1. The Bucks signed power forward Kenyon Martin to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#2. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge suffered a left thumb injury (Click here for more info).

#3. Hornets center Al Jefferson returned against the Timberwolves from his groin injury. He had 8 points and 5 rebounds.

#4. The Knicks signed power forward Lou Amundson and small forward Lance Thomas to second 10-day contracts (Click here for more info).

#5. Pistons center Andre Drummond has been warned for flopping (Click here for more info).

#6. The Heat have put point guard Norris Cole on the trade block (Click here for more info).

#7. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley returned from his ankle injuries and played against the Mavericks.

#8. Nuggets small forward Danilo Gallinari is targeting a Friday return (Click here for more info).

#9. In the Knicks' win, shooting guard Langston Galloway had 21 points and 5 rebounds.

#10. J.R. Smith had 20 points for the Cavaliers in their win over the Bulls.

Monday's NBA Final Scores

Hornets 105 Timberwolves 80. Warriors 122 Nuggets 79. Mavericks 103 Grizzlies 95.
Wizards 111 76ers 76. Hawks 93 Pistons 82. Clippers 102 Celtics 93. Rockets 110 Pacers 98.
Knicks 99 Pelicans 92. Cavaliers 108 Bulls 94. Raptors 92 Bucks 89. Trail Blazers 98 Kings 94. Suns 115 Lakers 100.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. 76ers guard Tony Wroten is flying to California to see a knee specialist (Click here for details).

#2. Jazz rookie guard Rodney Hood is out until after the all-star break with a left foot inflammation (Click here for details).

#3. The Nuggets assigned guard Erick Green to the D-League to join the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Click here for details).

#4. The Spurs assigned forward Kyle Anderson to the D-League to join the Austin Spurs (Click here for details).

#5. The Pistons recalled forward Gigi Datome and  guard Spcncer Dinwiddie from the D-League (Click here for details).

#6. Heat center Hassan Whiteside (ankle) is day-to-day and did not travel to Charlotte (Click here for details).

#7. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James (flu) didn't practice and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Jazz (Click here for details).

#8. The Bucks signed forward Kenyon Martin for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#9. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge didn't travel to Phoenix. He will see a hand specialist and get an MRI (Click here for details).

#10. Spurs point guard Tony Parker had 18 points and 7 assists.

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 94 Heat 86. Spurs 109 Nuggets 99.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bucks and power forward Larry Sanders are working on a buyout  (Click here for details).

#2. The Celtics signed guard Andre Dawkins to a 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks signed forward Lance Thomas to a second 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis returned from a three-game absence. He had 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 4 blocks.

#5. LeBron James has talked with Ray Allen about a return (Click here for more info).

#6. The GM of the Bulls denies that head coach Tom Thibodeau is in the hot seat (Click here for more info).

#7. Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer will coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game (Click here for more info).

#8. Zach LaVine, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Oladipo, and Mason Plumlee are in the dunk contest (Click here for more info).

#9. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant tore his rotator cuff against the Pelicans (Click here for more info).

#10. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook scored 32 points and Thunder small forward Kevin Durant scored 34 points in their win over the Wizards.

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Cavaliers 106 Jazz 92. Mavericks 98 Timberwolves 75. Grizzlies 92 Raptors 86. Warriors 126 Rockets 113. Knicks 98 76ers 91. Hornets 78 Heat 76. Hawks 110 Pacers 91. Pistons 128 Magic 118. Pelicans 96 Lakers 80. Thunder 105 Wizards 103 (OT). Suns 118 Trail Blazers 113. Nets 103 Kings 100.

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls plan to match any offer sheet for Jimmy Butler (Click here for more info).

#2. Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum has a wrist injury (Click here for more info).

#3. Hawks small forward Kyle Korver headlines the 3-point shootout at All-Star Weekend (Click here for more info).

#4. The Knicks are shopping guard Pablo Prigioni (Click here for more info).

#5. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has been cleared to play extended minutes (Click here for more info).

#6. The Grizzlies signed forward Tyrus Thomas to a 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#7. Here are the NBA All-Star Starters: Eastern Conference: John Wall, Kyle Lowry, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Pau Gasol. Western Conference: Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Anthony Davis, Marc  Gasol, and Blake Griffin.

#8. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has a ligament tear in his thumb and will miss 6-8 weeks after surgery (Click here for more details).

#9. Cavaliers small forward Shawn Marion will retire after this season (Click here for more info).

#10. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is out 2-4 weeks with a stress reaction in his right leg (Click here for more info).

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 101 Bucks 99. Bulls 104 Spurs 81. Celtics 90 Trail Blazers 89. Clippers 123 Nets 84.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is likely done for the season (Click here for more info).

#2. The Pelicans signed guard Nate Wolters to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#3. Celtics center Kelly Olynyk is out one month with an ankle sprain (Click here for more info).

#4. Nets forward Mirza Teletovic is out for the season due to due multiple blood clots in his lungs (Click here for more info).

#5. The Celtics assigned guard Andre Dawkins to the D-League (Click here for more info).

#6. 76ers guard Tony Wroten has a partially torn ACL in his right knee. He'll kneed surgery and is out indefinitely (Click here for more info).

#7. Nuggets guard Ty Lawson got arrested for a DUI (Click here for more info).

#8. Klay Thompson scored 52 points and an NBA record 37 points in the Warriors' win over the Kings.

#9. LeBron James had 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Cavaliers in their win over the Hornets.

#10. Rockets shooting guard James Harden had 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in their win over the Suns.

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pelicans 92 Timberwolves 84. Warriors 126 Kings 101. Raptors 91 76ers 86. Hawks 103 Thunder 93. Cavaliers 129 Hornets 90. Heat 89 Pacers 87. Knicks 113 Magic 106. Bulls 102 Mavericks 98. Spurs 99 Lakers 85. Celtics 100 Nuggets 99. Rockets 113 Suns 111.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge decided put off thumb surgery. He played against the Wizards and had 26 points and 9 rebounds (Click here for more info).

#2. The Jazz signed guard Elijah Millsap to a three-year deal (Click here fore more details).

#3. Rockets center Dwight Howard injured his ankle and is out indefinitely (Click here for more info).

#4. The Clippers signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#5. Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings suffered a torn left Achilles' tendon, ending his season (Click here for more info).

#6. Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade says NBA players need to be protected from crazy fans (Click here for more info).

#7. The Lakers will make a final decision on Kobe Bryant's injury on Monday (Click here for more info).

#8. Cavaliers players  have "lost faith" in their season (Click here for more info).

#9. Grizzlies small forward Jeff Green had 18 points against the 76ers.

#10. Jazz small forward Gordon Hayward had 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals against the Nets.

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 101 76ers 83. Jazz 108 Nets 73. Hornets 76 Knicks 71. Bucks 101 Pistons 86. Trail Blazers 103 Wizards 96.

Sunday's Daily Dunks:

#1. Metta World Peace is done in China. He's hoping to sign with an NBA team (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings signed forward Quincy Miller to a second 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#3. Pistons center Andre Drummond  has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#4. The Pistons need another point guard with Brandon Jennings out and the Knicks are trying to unload Pablo Prigioni. A trade could happen (Click here for details).

#5. The Hornets and Nets are reportedly discussing a Lance Stephenson/Joe Johnson swap (Click here for details).

#6. Timberwolves forward Robbie Hummel has a fracture in his right hand and is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#7. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has won 1,000 career games (Click here for details).

#8. Clippers guard J.J. Redick has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#9 Heat center Hassan Whiteside had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 blocks against the Bulls.

#10.  Danilo Gallinari returned for the Nuggets on Friday from his knee injury (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Hawks 112 Timberwolves 100. Warriors 114 Celtics 111. Heat 96 Bulls 84. Cavaliers 108 Thunder 98. Pelicans 109 Mavericks 106. Pacers 106 Magic 99. Clippers 120 Suns 100. Spurs 101 Bucks 95. Raptors 114 Pistons 110. Wizards 117 Nuggets 115 (OT). Rockets 99 Lakers 87.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for more NBA news

Painful Re-Boot Ahead In Philadelphia

                                                                 (image from twitter.com)

During the 2011-12 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers had one of the more exciting and promising teams in the NBA with swingman Andre Iguodala, guard Jrue Holiday, and guard Lou Williams as their nucleus along with power forward Thaddeus Young. They weren't a team with one definitive star, but rather a team made up of young athletic players who loved to run the fast break and score easy buckets in transition due to their defense, which was one of the top five defenses in the entire NBA. They ended up finishing 8th in the Eastern Conference that season, but thanks to Bulls point guard Derrick Rose tearing his ACL, they got out of the first round before being knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. At the end of that season, everybody who followed the NBA believed that the 76ers were a team that was going to be competitive for a very long time. They were yet to show that they were serious contenders for a championship, but the pieces were there to work with, and that for 76ers fans was very exciting.

                                                      (image from docsports.com) 

In the summer of 2012 after that season ended, the Philadelphia 76ers tried to capitalize on their young nucleus of talent and turn it into a contender right away by trading away small forward Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets in a four way trade with the Magic, Nuggets, and Lakers that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers and Andrew Bynum from the Lakers to the 76ers. I'll spare you the nitty gritty details of that trade, but it is suffice to say that the 76ers gave up their best player Andre Iguodala to land Andrew Bynum who at the time was one of the most promising young centers in the NBA. The one problem with Andrew Bynum was that he had a history of being hurt, but at the time, the 76ers were confident he would play for them that upcoming season, and also were confident that they could convince him to stay in Philadelphia long term. 

                                                         (image from nba.si.com) 

Well, it's been a year since that trade went down and Andrew Bynum has not played a single minute for the Philadelphia 76ers. He had plenty of time to grow a wild Afro and go bowling, but he was never healthy enough to see one minute of playing time during the 2012-13 NBA season. To make things worse, he isn't with the team anymore, and he is now the potential headache of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who gave him a softball offer of $6M guaranteed over two seasons with as much as $24M total should he play and stay healthy. In addition to losing Bynum and Iguodala as a result of getting Bynum, the 76ers no longer have Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday, or young promising center Nikola Vucevic (who was traded to Orlando as part of the Bynum deal).  In addition to losing all those players, the team also is no longer coached by Doug Collins, who stopped coaching the team back in April at season's end. As for finding his replacement, the 76ers are more than three months into their head coaching search, and they still haven't found anybody. The current Philadelphia 76ers team is merely a shell of what it was during the 2011-12 NBA season, and it hasn't even been 18 months! The team has suddenly gone from thinking they were on the cusp of winning a championship to being one of the bottom feeder teams in the Eastern Conference. Upon retracing their steps from 18 months ago, it is truly unbelievable that they are in the position that they are now in.  To call it a shock is an understatement. The sky appeared to be the limit for this young team and now the limit seems to be 30 wins. 

In terms of what the next step is for this team, I personally think it is to act as if they've been rebuilding for quite a while, rather than remembering where they just were. It's time for the entire Philadelphia 76ers front office to start bringing out the whisky in an attempt to binge-drink the Andrew Bynum trade out of their memory. A trade that they thought was going to bring the city their first NBA championship since the Michael Jackson Thriller album has instead sunk the team so low, that tanking for the heavily anticipated 2014 NBA Draft seems to actually be the best solution for the team at this point. The only thing that could make this all right in Philadelphia would be if they somehow won the 2014 NBA Draft lottery and selected Kansas freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins. That would truly cap off a crazy roller coaster ride for the franchise with a happy ending. But that is all just wild speculation at this point, and what is really important is for the Philadelphia 76ers organization to start looking towards building around young shooting guard Evan Turner and rookie power forward/center Nerlens Noel, who many thought was going to be the number one overall pick. Whether they like it or not, this team is going to be in the draft lottery next season, and unless the basketball gods smile on them and give them a top three pick in next year's draft, the process of re-booting this team into another exciting young team will be slow and painful. Bring out the fishing rods Philadelphia, your 76ers might be going fishing for quite a while. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord