Post by Tigertecz on Jan 27, 2010 12:19:59 GMT -5
This article showcases each team's MVP for the season. It's not a most untradeable article or anything like that, it covers who the most impacting players are on each team. If each team gave out an MVP award, these are who I think would get it. I've tried to keep it a little light hearted at times, and hopefully the pictures all load up OK too!
Hope you enjoy the read!
Atlanta Hawks [/u]
Steve Nash PG 31 6'3'' 195 C A+ A+ C+ D+ C
19.3ppg, 10.3apg, 1.9spg, 93.3% FT%, 48.9% 3pt%
- The Nashty one is playing on the current Playoff bound Hawks and leads the league in APG. After the picture was taken he was quoted saying he likes balls… which is good as Atlanta kinda sucks balls at the moment, despite clinging on for 8th seeds. Webber is averaging a fine 22/11/4 statline, which has no doubt been helped out by Nash’s passing. Without Nash I don’t think this team would be Playoff bound at all, and would probably be languishing near the very bottom of the East. Props to him for keeping his team afloat… for now.
Boston Celtics [/u]
Carlos Boozer C 23 6'10'' 264 B+ C C+ B+ A- C
17.6ppg, 10.9rpg, 2.9apg
- Boozer signed a big contract to play in Boston, but his GM has abandoned the sinking ship in a season where many feel he would’ve been fired anyway. The best of this bad bunch is Boozer at the moment, who has picked up the slack in K-Mart’s absence. He’s doing his best, but the team is still awful, and they don’t look to be getting any better with new boy J-Rich continuing to have a disappointing season. Nonetheless, they’re a young team who should get better in the future, and Boozer is leading the way in Beantown.
Charlotte Hornets [/u]
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Dwight Howard C 19 7'0'' 248 B+ C- D A- A- B
16.4ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.1bpg
- D12 has shown all the promise in the world, and he will lead the Hornets as their core man for many seasons. His athleticism is amazing and he has a stellar prototypical big man’s game to go with his Superman-like flight abilities. He will continue to improve as well, and will soon push for being one of the dominant bigs in the game. Right now he is carrying the team on his back, and they aren’t getting very far, but that’s the plan. When Howard gets better, maybe he’ll be able to carry them to the Playoffs, but for now, all hopes lie with him for the future of this franchise, as they search for that third ring.
Chicago Bulls [/u]
Joe Johnson SG 24 6'8'' 229 B+ B+ B+ C C C
27.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 8.0apg, 1.5spg
- Joe Johnson joined the Bulls in a trade that saw Etienne Preira head out West. There was no way he’d be able to fill Preira’s shoes, but then that wasn’t asked of him. He’s come in at the point and is averaging fantastic numbers, albeit turning it over a bit too much in the process. He’s definitely trying his best to win games for the Bulls though, and the team lies 7th in the Eastern Conference as players like Alejandro Camby and Dejan Bodiroga refuse to give up. At only 24 years of age, JJ is certainly Chicago’s best player and will continue to be as his game develops. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him on an All League Team this season, but if he doesn’t make it this year, should do in the future.
Cleveland Cavaliers [/u]
Josh Howard SG 25 6'6'' 211 B B+ C A- C+ B
21.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.8apg
- His GM calls him the most underrated player in the league, and although the Cavs aren’t going to be competing for any titles this season, Howard’s great play has been winning them games. As Larry Hughes was out injured, he kicked it up a gear and carried the team on his own. Without him the team would probably have only won half of their 20 wins so far this season. He’s not one of the top 20 players in UOSLR, but he’s battling Hughes for the title of best in Cleveland right now. Due to Hughes’ injury problems, I’ve given the nod to Howard.
Dallas Mavericks [/u]
Damon Stoudamire PG 31 5'10'' 187 C A B+ A- C D
20.1ppg, 5.5rpg, 7.7apg, 94.8% FT%
- Mighty Mouse was the only player in the Dallas team who actually wanted to win games, and at times it seems like he single-handedly did so himself. That said, it looks like he’s heading to Los Angeles to form a partnership with Gilbert Arenas in the backcourt. How that’ll work out we are yet to see, but for his time at Dallas so far this season, he’s led them in points, steals and assists while continuing to hit free throws at an astonishing rate. Methinks the Clippers have a gotten a steal in Mouse, but at the same time it’s probably the right thing for the Mavs to gain a better draft pick. Anyway, Mouse was their MVP at the time of writing this article.
Denver Nuggets [/u]
Luke Ridnour PG 24 6'2'' 178 C B+ A+ C C- C
20.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 9.7apg, 90% FT%
- The 20th pick in the draft a couple of seasons ago has improved each season and now has one of the best passing ratings in the league. He’s carrying the Nuggets while having a career season and has been instrumental in the games that Denver has won. So far none of the teams I’ve covered are looking to compete, and the Nuggets are no different, so in a team of pretty average players, Luke Ridnour stands out as their great white hope for the future, and is their best player right now anyway.
Detroit Pistons [/u]
Randolph Childress SG 32 6'2'' 196 C+ A B+ A- C- C
19.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.9apg, 1.6spg, 91.9% FT%
- The Pistons are really struggling. With the talent on their team they should be Playoff bound for sure. They have gunners in the form of Peja, Gordon and Childress, yet it’s not coming together as the likes of Ron Artest and Nazr Mohammed have had poor seasons. Rodriguez was brought in recently and has also failed to impress. The best player on this team though seems to be Randolph Childress, surprisingly, who is the closest in the team to that 20ppg mark, yet he has been unable to inspire the team to get more wins in a weakened Eastern Conference. They seem to be a sinking ship at the moment, but they have solid players who should be able to turn the ship around with some tactical changes. Childress is having the best season in his 11 year career, and he’ll hope that their luck changes soon.
Golden State Warriors [/u]
Etienne Preira SF 32 6'7'' 216 B- A- A- A- C C
25.7ppg, 7.1rpg, 4.9apg, 1.9spg, 2.5bpg
- The league’s MVP is also the Warriors’ MVP. S-Jax may be winning the personal duel for PPG, but Preira’s game elsewhere takes the title at the moment imo. He’s still capable of doing it all and the Warriors got a steal in trading for him when his market value was dwindling. EP can seriously do it all and will push his new team to a deep Playoff run in search of the franchise’s second ring and his fifth. He is the best player this league has ever seen and will continue to be until he retires. The Warriors became instant contenders when they acquired him, and with S-Jax by his side, this team should do well for years to come.
Houston Rockets [/u]
Mike Bibby PG 26 6'1'' 195 C A A A- D+ D
23.2ppg, 7.7apg, 48.5% FG%
- The Rockets are no longer a contending team and lie rock bottom in the West. My how quickly this franchise has gone from top to bottom then top and now bottom again. Bibby may not be in Houston for the next fluctuation back up to the top of the league, but right now he is the best player in the team by far. Any games the Rockets are winning, are down to him. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him in new colours pretty soon though, as he needs to be in a competitive team to be utilized fully. Great player on a poor team, but has long been at the heart of Houston’s success as their MVP. Some say he's evil though...
Indiana Pacers [/u]
Michael Redd SG 25 6'6'' 215 C+ A C C+ C B
28.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 4.7apg
- Are you kidding me? Indiana drafted stud scorer Carmelo Anthony, yet Michael Redd with only one good looking rating leads the team in scoring with a whopping 28.5ppg. How that is possible is beyond me, but right now he’s their best player by a mile as he not only scores, but also boards well for a guard and leads his team in passing too. He’s incredible and plays way beyond his ratings and at 25 isn’t even in his prime yet. If the Pacers can continue the run and make it far into the Playoffs, Redd will be praised the most as his contributions this season have been unreal.
Los Angeles Clippers [/u]
Yao Ming C 24 7'6'' 311 B+ C C- A- A- B
23.5ppg, 11.9rpg, 2.6bpg, 48.3% FG%
- Ming is a freak and he is playing some great basketball with Gilbert Arenas in his backcourt. The Clippers are a very strong team and was battling it out last season for the best team in California along with the Lakers. Bringing Mouse aboard should surely help Ming improve his stats even further as the team feeds the big man as much as possible. He’s hungry though, as you can see in the photo…
Los Angeles Lakers [/u]
Chauncey Billups PG 28 6'3'' 216 B- A- A- A C C
22.5pg, 5.8rpg, 8.6apg, 1.8spg
- LeBron James will take the place as MVP of the Lakers in due course, but right now, Billups is their best player. His ratings are insanely good (better than Preira’s) and he’s putting up great numbers too. The Lakers are certainly one of the teams to beat in this league and will look for another deep Playoff run this season on the back of Chauncey’s leadership. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them go all the way, but they’ll have to beat the likes of Vancouver, Minny and Golden State or course, who are also battling it out for top team out West. Billups can score inside and out, or dish the rock to an open shooter too, so he’s hard to stop. As you can see from the pic, Kobe’s found a way though… just gotta get in his face.
Miami Heat [/u]
Kobe Bryant SG 26 6'6'' 195 B+ A- B- A- C C
26.2ppg, 7.7rpg, 5.2apg
- See I told you Kobe found a way to guard Chauncey… Anyway, the Heat have been trying to return to the glory days when Malone helped Kobe get his first ring. Kobe’s now carrying the Heat on his own, and has been putting up great numbers every season. This season is no different, and he’s certainly the leader in Miami. The Black Mamba will be hoping for another postseason run, and to upset some of the big teams on his way.
Milwaukee Bucks [/u]
Allen Iverson PG 30 6'0'' 175 B- B+ A A- C- D
23.2ppg, 9.1apg, 2.7spg
- Ray Ray may be Milwaukee’s answer to Kobe, but AI is their star man. He’s matured into a great floor leader, averaging an excellent 9.1apg, while playing great defense along with his gunner like approach when attacking. He’s leading the Bucks team to another high Playoff seed, and will look to win a second ring this season.
Minnesota Timberwolves [/u]
Shaquille O'Neal C 33 7'1'' 320 A D+ C A+ A- C
25.8ppg, 13.2rpg, 3.9apg, 2.2bpg, 50.5% FT%
- Welllllll… well it’s the Big Show… The Diesel is UOSLR’s very own Big Show and he’s brought his top notch big man game to Minnesota, which hasn’t been this stacked since the days of H2O and J-Kidd were in town. I think Shaq is still able to fight for the league’s best center accolade and he’s certainly a top 5 big. He may be on the wrong side of thirty now and people may think he’s past his best, but he’s not showing it. A ring at the end of this season will prove people wrong!
New Jersey Nets [/u]
Vince Carter SF 28 6'7'' 215 A- A C+ B- C B
31.7ppg, 6.1rpg, 3.5apg
- The Nets have always threatened to push for the Playoff ever since they laid eyes on DeSharn Stevenson, who is having a great season running the point for NJ. However, once VC came to New Jersey, the goal was clearer for the franchise. He’s the league’s best scorer and is hard to be stopped. The Nets will be looking for him to be unstoppable until the end of the Playoffs, and they have a real shot this year of going all the way. Vince is in his prime right now, while DeShawn is still improving. I fully expect Stevenson to take the team’s MVP role away from Vince soon though.
New York Knicks [/u]
Manu Ginobili SG 28 6'6'' 212 B A C+ A- C- C
29.9ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.7apg, 1.7spg
- My doesn’t Manu look pleased? He’s the leader of the Argentine national team and is now leading the Knicks as T-Mac seems to have slowed his game down this season taking on a secondary role to his wing partner. Manu leads a very talented team in scoring and is having a career year. He’s pushing for top scorer in the league too, which is some feat considering the other talented offensive players in UOSLR.
Orlando Magic [/u]
Allan Houston SG 34 6'6'' 212 B A+ C+ C+ C D
28.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 3.5apg, 52.0% FG%, 90.3% FT%
- Another big time scorer on a very talented team, Allan Houston is getting better with age it seems. 34 years old and still pushing the 30ppg barrier is very impressive. His team are atop the Eastern Conference right now, very much thanks to his lethal shooting. As a pure scorer, he is efficient and deadly, with nobody else able to match him. He’ll be looking for a second ring, and if the Magic manage to pull it off this season with so many other talented teams around, H2O may retire on top too.
Philadelphia 76ers [/u]
Pau Gasol C 25 7'0'' 235 B+ C C B B+ B
22.5ppg, 11.0rpg, 2.4apg
- The Sixers know how valuable Pau Gasol is. Deron Williams may be their future, but Gasol ist fighting already. I don’t think he’s reached his peak yet and he puts up very solid numbers, despite being on the worst team in the East. I do hope he uses deodorant though, for J-Kidd’s sake in the picture above.
Phoenix Suns [/u]
Rashard Lewis SF 24 6'11'' 240 C+ A C B+ B+ C
24.4ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.6apg
- Jah was criticized for signing Lewis to such a large contract when, at the time, he wasn’t so good. His faith in Shard has been restored though as he is now one of the league most versatile scorers as he can play 2, 3, and 4. He’s leading his team to a decent record and a playoff berth, outscoring Lamar Odom for top gunner in Phoenix, and is no slouch on the boards either. If he continues to improve there’s no doubt he’ll be the best player in Phoenix for a long time.
Portland Trailblazers [/u]
Mike Miller PG 25 6'8'' 218 B- A- B- C C C
19.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 6.6apg
- Right now… the Blazer suck. When Mike Miller is your MVP, that kinda confirms it. Nonetheless, they may be good in the future as they have some youth on their side. Nene looks to be a solid prospect, Outlaw too, and Maggette may have a little left in the tank. Right now though, the best player on the team is still Mike Miller.
Sacramento Kings [/u]
Tony Parker PG 23 6'2'' 180 A- C+ A- B+ D+ B
20.5ppg, 9.1apg, 1.5spg
- Lucky bastard with Eva… anyway… um… the Kings suck too right now. It surprising when they have two young studs like Parker and Wagner on their team, but hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Parker is the floor leader of the Kings though, and is locked up for a long time. If the Kings get lucky in FA and draft well, they could well be on for a dynasty. Parker is still improving and will continue to do so in Sacramento, but the best part about him is that Eva sits courtside for most of his games.
San Antonio Spurs [/u]
Emeka Okafor PF 22 6'10'' 256 B C- C- A A- B
15.4ppg, 12.8rpg, 3.9bpg
- Meka has developed a mean streak this season. Still young and still improving, he has already proved himself to be one of the best defensive bigs in the league, while his offensive game is far from bad. His efforts are propelling a young Spurs team to a borderline Playoff team right now, when they really should be lower down the standings. He still has plenty of upside and should be able to lead this team in the future just like he already is right now at 22. Beastly.
Seattle Supersonics [/u]
Caron Butler SF 25 6'7'' 246 B+ B C A C+ C
23.6ppg, 8.5rpg, 3.8apg, 2.2bpg, 49.0% FG%
- The Sonics are currently sitting in a Playoff spot and All Star, Caron Butler, is helping their cause. They may not be good enough to knock off the main teams out West, but he’s doing his best this season to show that the team can hang with the big boys. Their GM will be praying that he sticks around after this season when his contract is up though, for sure, as they won’t want to let him go.
Toronto Raptors [/u]
Dirk Nowitzki SF 27 7'0'' 253 B- A C A- A- C
22.3ppg, 10.2rpg, 3.8apg
- The Raptors are really struggling on the court. Nobody knows for sure why they’re flopping this season with superstar talent on their roster. The best performer of the lot though, is in that picture. Well, that’s what she said anyway. Maybe there’s a lack of chemistry on the court as the Raps try to find chemistry off the court instead? I dunno, but Dirk’s still playing alright, and the best in the team right now. Something needs to change anyway in order to make this season less painful for Toronto.
Utah Jazz [/u]
Jameer Nelson PG 23 6'0'' 192 B- A C+ B C B
26.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.6apg, 1.8spg, 49.9% FG%, 90.8% FT%
- Jameer Nelson is balling! He’s scoring at a very high rate on fantastic percentages, and is Utah’s best player right now, yes, even better than LJ. That’s some high praise. Rumour has it though that he’s looking to leave the Jazz and join the Blue Man Group. Photographic evidence has been found, but hasn’t stopped him putting up sick numbers this season.
Vancouver Grizzlies [/u]
Wang Zhi-Zhi C 28 7'1'' 284 B C+ F+ A A- C
26.9ppg, 12.3rpg, 50.0% FG%
- The Wangmeister is one of the league’s best bigs. He’s come out of nowhere in the second round of a draft, to the leader of the Grizzlies team today. He has a good all-round game and is cruising his way to being a part of a top Western Conference team in search of a championship. The Grizzlies are stacked with Wade and Duncan on the team too, but Wang outscores them all and is even a good free throw shooter (86.4%). He’s certainly one of the top 5 bigs in this league.
Washington Bullets [/u]
Zydrunas Ilgauskas C 30 7'3'' 264 B C C B- B C
17.2ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.4apg
- Big Z is often described as a lovable character. As you can see in the picture, he’s super friendly. Despite his poor ratings though, he performs very well on the court and is a big reason why the Bullets are almost in the Playoff spots. His contract is coming to an end though so he may not be the main man in Washington for long.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Atlanta Hawks [/u]
Steve Nash PG 31 6'3'' 195 C A+ A+ C+ D+ C
19.3ppg, 10.3apg, 1.9spg, 93.3% FT%, 48.9% 3pt%
- The Nashty one is playing on the current Playoff bound Hawks and leads the league in APG. After the picture was taken he was quoted saying he likes balls… which is good as Atlanta kinda sucks balls at the moment, despite clinging on for 8th seeds. Webber is averaging a fine 22/11/4 statline, which has no doubt been helped out by Nash’s passing. Without Nash I don’t think this team would be Playoff bound at all, and would probably be languishing near the very bottom of the East. Props to him for keeping his team afloat… for now.
Boston Celtics [/u]
Carlos Boozer C 23 6'10'' 264 B+ C C+ B+ A- C
17.6ppg, 10.9rpg, 2.9apg
- Boozer signed a big contract to play in Boston, but his GM has abandoned the sinking ship in a season where many feel he would’ve been fired anyway. The best of this bad bunch is Boozer at the moment, who has picked up the slack in K-Mart’s absence. He’s doing his best, but the team is still awful, and they don’t look to be getting any better with new boy J-Rich continuing to have a disappointing season. Nonetheless, they’re a young team who should get better in the future, and Boozer is leading the way in Beantown.
Charlotte Hornets [/u]
Dwight Howard C 19 7'0'' 248 B+ C- D A- A- B
16.4ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.1bpg
- D12 has shown all the promise in the world, and he will lead the Hornets as their core man for many seasons. His athleticism is amazing and he has a stellar prototypical big man’s game to go with his Superman-like flight abilities. He will continue to improve as well, and will soon push for being one of the dominant bigs in the game. Right now he is carrying the team on his back, and they aren’t getting very far, but that’s the plan. When Howard gets better, maybe he’ll be able to carry them to the Playoffs, but for now, all hopes lie with him for the future of this franchise, as they search for that third ring.
Chicago Bulls [/u]
Joe Johnson SG 24 6'8'' 229 B+ B+ B+ C C C
27.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 8.0apg, 1.5spg
- Joe Johnson joined the Bulls in a trade that saw Etienne Preira head out West. There was no way he’d be able to fill Preira’s shoes, but then that wasn’t asked of him. He’s come in at the point and is averaging fantastic numbers, albeit turning it over a bit too much in the process. He’s definitely trying his best to win games for the Bulls though, and the team lies 7th in the Eastern Conference as players like Alejandro Camby and Dejan Bodiroga refuse to give up. At only 24 years of age, JJ is certainly Chicago’s best player and will continue to be as his game develops. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him on an All League Team this season, but if he doesn’t make it this year, should do in the future.
Cleveland Cavaliers [/u]
Josh Howard SG 25 6'6'' 211 B B+ C A- C+ B
21.1ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.8apg
- His GM calls him the most underrated player in the league, and although the Cavs aren’t going to be competing for any titles this season, Howard’s great play has been winning them games. As Larry Hughes was out injured, he kicked it up a gear and carried the team on his own. Without him the team would probably have only won half of their 20 wins so far this season. He’s not one of the top 20 players in UOSLR, but he’s battling Hughes for the title of best in Cleveland right now. Due to Hughes’ injury problems, I’ve given the nod to Howard.
Dallas Mavericks [/u]
Damon Stoudamire PG 31 5'10'' 187 C A B+ A- C D
20.1ppg, 5.5rpg, 7.7apg, 94.8% FT%
- Mighty Mouse was the only player in the Dallas team who actually wanted to win games, and at times it seems like he single-handedly did so himself. That said, it looks like he’s heading to Los Angeles to form a partnership with Gilbert Arenas in the backcourt. How that’ll work out we are yet to see, but for his time at Dallas so far this season, he’s led them in points, steals and assists while continuing to hit free throws at an astonishing rate. Methinks the Clippers have a gotten a steal in Mouse, but at the same time it’s probably the right thing for the Mavs to gain a better draft pick. Anyway, Mouse was their MVP at the time of writing this article.
Denver Nuggets [/u]
Luke Ridnour PG 24 6'2'' 178 C B+ A+ C C- C
20.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 9.7apg, 90% FT%
- The 20th pick in the draft a couple of seasons ago has improved each season and now has one of the best passing ratings in the league. He’s carrying the Nuggets while having a career season and has been instrumental in the games that Denver has won. So far none of the teams I’ve covered are looking to compete, and the Nuggets are no different, so in a team of pretty average players, Luke Ridnour stands out as their great white hope for the future, and is their best player right now anyway.
Detroit Pistons [/u]
Randolph Childress SG 32 6'2'' 196 C+ A B+ A- C- C
19.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.9apg, 1.6spg, 91.9% FT%
- The Pistons are really struggling. With the talent on their team they should be Playoff bound for sure. They have gunners in the form of Peja, Gordon and Childress, yet it’s not coming together as the likes of Ron Artest and Nazr Mohammed have had poor seasons. Rodriguez was brought in recently and has also failed to impress. The best player on this team though seems to be Randolph Childress, surprisingly, who is the closest in the team to that 20ppg mark, yet he has been unable to inspire the team to get more wins in a weakened Eastern Conference. They seem to be a sinking ship at the moment, but they have solid players who should be able to turn the ship around with some tactical changes. Childress is having the best season in his 11 year career, and he’ll hope that their luck changes soon.
Golden State Warriors [/u]
Etienne Preira SF 32 6'7'' 216 B- A- A- A- C C
25.7ppg, 7.1rpg, 4.9apg, 1.9spg, 2.5bpg
- The league’s MVP is also the Warriors’ MVP. S-Jax may be winning the personal duel for PPG, but Preira’s game elsewhere takes the title at the moment imo. He’s still capable of doing it all and the Warriors got a steal in trading for him when his market value was dwindling. EP can seriously do it all and will push his new team to a deep Playoff run in search of the franchise’s second ring and his fifth. He is the best player this league has ever seen and will continue to be until he retires. The Warriors became instant contenders when they acquired him, and with S-Jax by his side, this team should do well for years to come.
Houston Rockets [/u]
Mike Bibby PG 26 6'1'' 195 C A A A- D+ D
23.2ppg, 7.7apg, 48.5% FG%
- The Rockets are no longer a contending team and lie rock bottom in the West. My how quickly this franchise has gone from top to bottom then top and now bottom again. Bibby may not be in Houston for the next fluctuation back up to the top of the league, but right now he is the best player in the team by far. Any games the Rockets are winning, are down to him. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him in new colours pretty soon though, as he needs to be in a competitive team to be utilized fully. Great player on a poor team, but has long been at the heart of Houston’s success as their MVP. Some say he's evil though...
Indiana Pacers [/u]
Michael Redd SG 25 6'6'' 215 C+ A C C+ C B
28.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 4.7apg
- Are you kidding me? Indiana drafted stud scorer Carmelo Anthony, yet Michael Redd with only one good looking rating leads the team in scoring with a whopping 28.5ppg. How that is possible is beyond me, but right now he’s their best player by a mile as he not only scores, but also boards well for a guard and leads his team in passing too. He’s incredible and plays way beyond his ratings and at 25 isn’t even in his prime yet. If the Pacers can continue the run and make it far into the Playoffs, Redd will be praised the most as his contributions this season have been unreal.
Los Angeles Clippers [/u]
Yao Ming C 24 7'6'' 311 B+ C C- A- A- B
23.5ppg, 11.9rpg, 2.6bpg, 48.3% FG%
- Ming is a freak and he is playing some great basketball with Gilbert Arenas in his backcourt. The Clippers are a very strong team and was battling it out last season for the best team in California along with the Lakers. Bringing Mouse aboard should surely help Ming improve his stats even further as the team feeds the big man as much as possible. He’s hungry though, as you can see in the photo…
Los Angeles Lakers [/u]
Chauncey Billups PG 28 6'3'' 216 B- A- A- A C C
22.5pg, 5.8rpg, 8.6apg, 1.8spg
- LeBron James will take the place as MVP of the Lakers in due course, but right now, Billups is their best player. His ratings are insanely good (better than Preira’s) and he’s putting up great numbers too. The Lakers are certainly one of the teams to beat in this league and will look for another deep Playoff run this season on the back of Chauncey’s leadership. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them go all the way, but they’ll have to beat the likes of Vancouver, Minny and Golden State or course, who are also battling it out for top team out West. Billups can score inside and out, or dish the rock to an open shooter too, so he’s hard to stop. As you can see from the pic, Kobe’s found a way though… just gotta get in his face.
Miami Heat [/u]
Kobe Bryant SG 26 6'6'' 195 B+ A- B- A- C C
26.2ppg, 7.7rpg, 5.2apg
- See I told you Kobe found a way to guard Chauncey… Anyway, the Heat have been trying to return to the glory days when Malone helped Kobe get his first ring. Kobe’s now carrying the Heat on his own, and has been putting up great numbers every season. This season is no different, and he’s certainly the leader in Miami. The Black Mamba will be hoping for another postseason run, and to upset some of the big teams on his way.
Milwaukee Bucks [/u]
Allen Iverson PG 30 6'0'' 175 B- B+ A A- C- D
23.2ppg, 9.1apg, 2.7spg
- Ray Ray may be Milwaukee’s answer to Kobe, but AI is their star man. He’s matured into a great floor leader, averaging an excellent 9.1apg, while playing great defense along with his gunner like approach when attacking. He’s leading the Bucks team to another high Playoff seed, and will look to win a second ring this season.
Minnesota Timberwolves [/u]
Shaquille O'Neal C 33 7'1'' 320 A D+ C A+ A- C
25.8ppg, 13.2rpg, 3.9apg, 2.2bpg, 50.5% FT%
- Welllllll… well it’s the Big Show… The Diesel is UOSLR’s very own Big Show and he’s brought his top notch big man game to Minnesota, which hasn’t been this stacked since the days of H2O and J-Kidd were in town. I think Shaq is still able to fight for the league’s best center accolade and he’s certainly a top 5 big. He may be on the wrong side of thirty now and people may think he’s past his best, but he’s not showing it. A ring at the end of this season will prove people wrong!
New Jersey Nets [/u]
Vince Carter SF 28 6'7'' 215 A- A C+ B- C B
31.7ppg, 6.1rpg, 3.5apg
- The Nets have always threatened to push for the Playoff ever since they laid eyes on DeSharn Stevenson, who is having a great season running the point for NJ. However, once VC came to New Jersey, the goal was clearer for the franchise. He’s the league’s best scorer and is hard to be stopped. The Nets will be looking for him to be unstoppable until the end of the Playoffs, and they have a real shot this year of going all the way. Vince is in his prime right now, while DeShawn is still improving. I fully expect Stevenson to take the team’s MVP role away from Vince soon though.
New York Knicks [/u]
Manu Ginobili SG 28 6'6'' 212 B A C+ A- C- C
29.9ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.7apg, 1.7spg
- My doesn’t Manu look pleased? He’s the leader of the Argentine national team and is now leading the Knicks as T-Mac seems to have slowed his game down this season taking on a secondary role to his wing partner. Manu leads a very talented team in scoring and is having a career year. He’s pushing for top scorer in the league too, which is some feat considering the other talented offensive players in UOSLR.
Orlando Magic [/u]
Allan Houston SG 34 6'6'' 212 B A+ C+ C+ C D
28.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 3.5apg, 52.0% FG%, 90.3% FT%
- Another big time scorer on a very talented team, Allan Houston is getting better with age it seems. 34 years old and still pushing the 30ppg barrier is very impressive. His team are atop the Eastern Conference right now, very much thanks to his lethal shooting. As a pure scorer, he is efficient and deadly, with nobody else able to match him. He’ll be looking for a second ring, and if the Magic manage to pull it off this season with so many other talented teams around, H2O may retire on top too.
Philadelphia 76ers [/u]
Pau Gasol C 25 7'0'' 235 B+ C C B B+ B
22.5ppg, 11.0rpg, 2.4apg
- The Sixers know how valuable Pau Gasol is. Deron Williams may be their future, but Gasol ist fighting already. I don’t think he’s reached his peak yet and he puts up very solid numbers, despite being on the worst team in the East. I do hope he uses deodorant though, for J-Kidd’s sake in the picture above.
Phoenix Suns [/u]
Rashard Lewis SF 24 6'11'' 240 C+ A C B+ B+ C
24.4ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.6apg
- Jah was criticized for signing Lewis to such a large contract when, at the time, he wasn’t so good. His faith in Shard has been restored though as he is now one of the league most versatile scorers as he can play 2, 3, and 4. He’s leading his team to a decent record and a playoff berth, outscoring Lamar Odom for top gunner in Phoenix, and is no slouch on the boards either. If he continues to improve there’s no doubt he’ll be the best player in Phoenix for a long time.
Portland Trailblazers [/u]
Mike Miller PG 25 6'8'' 218 B- A- B- C C C
19.3ppg, 5.2rpg, 6.6apg
- Right now… the Blazer suck. When Mike Miller is your MVP, that kinda confirms it. Nonetheless, they may be good in the future as they have some youth on their side. Nene looks to be a solid prospect, Outlaw too, and Maggette may have a little left in the tank. Right now though, the best player on the team is still Mike Miller.
Sacramento Kings [/u]
Tony Parker PG 23 6'2'' 180 A- C+ A- B+ D+ B
20.5ppg, 9.1apg, 1.5spg
- Lucky bastard with Eva… anyway… um… the Kings suck too right now. It surprising when they have two young studs like Parker and Wagner on their team, but hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Parker is the floor leader of the Kings though, and is locked up for a long time. If the Kings get lucky in FA and draft well, they could well be on for a dynasty. Parker is still improving and will continue to do so in Sacramento, but the best part about him is that Eva sits courtside for most of his games.
San Antonio Spurs [/u]
Emeka Okafor PF 22 6'10'' 256 B C- C- A A- B
15.4ppg, 12.8rpg, 3.9bpg
- Meka has developed a mean streak this season. Still young and still improving, he has already proved himself to be one of the best defensive bigs in the league, while his offensive game is far from bad. His efforts are propelling a young Spurs team to a borderline Playoff team right now, when they really should be lower down the standings. He still has plenty of upside and should be able to lead this team in the future just like he already is right now at 22. Beastly.
Seattle Supersonics [/u]
Caron Butler SF 25 6'7'' 246 B+ B C A C+ C
23.6ppg, 8.5rpg, 3.8apg, 2.2bpg, 49.0% FG%
- The Sonics are currently sitting in a Playoff spot and All Star, Caron Butler, is helping their cause. They may not be good enough to knock off the main teams out West, but he’s doing his best this season to show that the team can hang with the big boys. Their GM will be praying that he sticks around after this season when his contract is up though, for sure, as they won’t want to let him go.
Toronto Raptors [/u]
Dirk Nowitzki SF 27 7'0'' 253 B- A C A- A- C
22.3ppg, 10.2rpg, 3.8apg
- The Raptors are really struggling on the court. Nobody knows for sure why they’re flopping this season with superstar talent on their roster. The best performer of the lot though, is in that picture. Well, that’s what she said anyway. Maybe there’s a lack of chemistry on the court as the Raps try to find chemistry off the court instead? I dunno, but Dirk’s still playing alright, and the best in the team right now. Something needs to change anyway in order to make this season less painful for Toronto.
Utah Jazz [/u]
Jameer Nelson PG 23 6'0'' 192 B- A C+ B C B
26.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.6apg, 1.8spg, 49.9% FG%, 90.8% FT%
- Jameer Nelson is balling! He’s scoring at a very high rate on fantastic percentages, and is Utah’s best player right now, yes, even better than LJ. That’s some high praise. Rumour has it though that he’s looking to leave the Jazz and join the Blue Man Group. Photographic evidence has been found, but hasn’t stopped him putting up sick numbers this season.
Vancouver Grizzlies [/u]
Wang Zhi-Zhi C 28 7'1'' 284 B C+ F+ A A- C
26.9ppg, 12.3rpg, 50.0% FG%
- The Wangmeister is one of the league’s best bigs. He’s come out of nowhere in the second round of a draft, to the leader of the Grizzlies team today. He has a good all-round game and is cruising his way to being a part of a top Western Conference team in search of a championship. The Grizzlies are stacked with Wade and Duncan on the team too, but Wang outscores them all and is even a good free throw shooter (86.4%). He’s certainly one of the top 5 bigs in this league.
Washington Bullets [/u]
Zydrunas Ilgauskas C 30 7'3'' 264 B C C B- B C
17.2ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.4apg
- Big Z is often described as a lovable character. As you can see in the picture, he’s super friendly. Despite his poor ratings though, he performs very well on the court and is a big reason why the Bullets are almost in the Playoff spots. His contract is coming to an end though so he may not be the main man in Washington for long.
