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2011 NBA Mock Draft

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Here is my first and final 2011 NBA Mock Draft.  There is no way I will get every pick correct.  There might be trades, and then there are NBA GM’s who have no clue what they are doing.  My picks are based on logic and  where I believe players should fall according to team needs and what I’m hearing from the few connects I’ve acquired over the past couple years since my days at broadcasting school.

 
2011 NBA Mock Draft (First Round):

1 Kyrie Irving
  Cleveland

2 Derrick Williams
  Minnesota

3 Enes Kanter
  Utah

4 Jonas Valanciunas
  Cleveland

5 Brandon Knight
   Toronto

6 Jan Vesely
   Washington

7 Kemba Walker
   Sacramento

8 Tristan Thompson
   Detroit

9 Kawhi Leonard
  Charlotte

10 Klay Thompson
   Milwaukee

11 Alec Burks
   Golden State

12 Jimmer Fredette 
   Utah

13 Marcus Morris
   Phoenix

14 Nikola Vucevic
   Houston

15 Markieff Morris
    Indiana

16 Bismark Biyombo
    Philadelphia

17 Chris Singleton
   New York

18 Marshon Brooks
    Washington

19 Kenneth Faried
    Charlotte

20 Iman Shumpert
   Minnesota

21 Tobias Harris
    Portland

22 Tyler Honeycutt
    Denver

23 Donatas Motiejunas
    Houston

24 Jordan Hamilton
    Oklahoma City

25 Jeremy Tyler
    Boston

26 Nikola Mirotic
    Dallas

27 Reggie Jackson
    New Jersey

28 Justin Harper
    Chicago

29 Norris Cole
    San Antonio

30 Shelvin Mack
    Chicago
Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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My Top 60 Prospects for the 2011 NBA Draft

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

The NBA Draft is tonight at 7pm and here are my top 60 prospects available.  This was finally composed after watching these guys play during the past college and Euroleauge seasons.  I had help from my friend John Dimopoulos of http://www.eurojohnbball.com with scouting reports of the Euro guys.  Make sure you go checkout his site as well.  He knows his stuff.  I watch the games and I rank the players according to how I feel they will translate to the pro game and also on potential of growing once getting to the NBA.

1. Kyrie Irving 6-3 191  PG Duke Fr.

2. Derrick Williams 6-8 248 SF/PF Arizona  So.

3. Enes Kanter 6-11 259 PF/C Kentucky Fr.

4. Alec Burks 6-6 193 PG/SG Colorado So.

5. Tristan Thompson 6-9 227 PF Texas Fr.

6. Kemba Walker 6-1 184 PG UConn Jr.

7. Brandon Knight 6-3 177 PG/SG Kentucky Fr.

8. Kawhi Leonard 6-7 227 SF San Diego St.  So.

9. Marcus Morris 6-8 230  SF/PF Kansas Jr.

10. Klay Thompson 6-7 206 SG/SF WashingtonState Jr.

11. Jan Vesely 6-11 230 SF/PF Czech Republic 1990

12. Jordan Hamilton 6-8 228 SG/SF Texas So.

13. Tyler Honeycutt 6-8 187 SG/SF UCLA  So.

14. Markieff Morris 6-9 241 PF Kansas Jr.

15. Jimmer Fredette 6-2 196 PG/SG BYU Sr.

16. Donatas Motiejunas 7-0 224 PF  Lithuania 1990

17. Chris Singleton 6-9 230 SF/PF Florida St. Jr

18. Marshon Brooks 6-5 195 SG Providence Sr.

19. Tobias Harris 6-8 223 SF/PF Tennessee Fr.

20. Jonas Valanciunas 6-11 240 C Lithuania 1992

21. Bismack Biyombo 6-9 243 C/PF Congo 1992

22. Justin Harper 6-9 228 PF Richmond Sr.

23. Norris Cole 6-1 174 PG Cleveland St. Sr.

24. Nikola Vucevic 7-0 260 C USC  Jr.

25. Kenneth Faried 6-7 225 PF Morehead St. Sr.

26. Iman Shumpert 6-5 222 PG/SG  Georgia Tech Jr.

27. Darius Morris 6-4 190 PG Michigan So.

28. Reggie Jackson 6-3 200 PG/SG Boston College Jr.

29. Jeremy Tyler 6-10 262 PF/C Tokyo Apache 1991

30. Shelvin Mack 6-2 205 PG/SG Butler Jr.

31. Josh Selby 6-3 195 PG/SG Kansas Fr.

32. Jon Leuer 6-11 223 PF Wisconsin Sr.

33. Malcolm Lee 6-5 198 PG/SG UCLA Jr.

34. Travis Leslie 6-4 205 SG/SF Georgia Jr.

35. Kyle Singler   6-9 228  SF Duke  Sr.

36. JaJuan Johnson 6-10 220 PF Purdue Sr.

37. DavisBertans 6-10 211 SF Union Olimpija 1992

38. Nolan Smith 6-3 189 PG/SG Duke Sr.

39. Jimmy Butler 6-7 222  SF Marquette Sr.

40. Nikola Mirotic 6-10 225 SF/PF Real Madrid 1991

41. Cory Joseph 6-3 186 PG Texas  Fr.

42. Jordan Williams 6-9 247 PF Maryland  So.

43. ChandlerParsons 6-10 221 SF  Florida   Sr.

44. Andrew Goudelock 6-2 198 PG/SG Charleston Sr.

45. Charles Jenkins 6-3 216 PG/SG Hofstra Sr.

46. Matthew Bryan-Amaning 6-10 232 PF Washington  Sr.

47. Malcolm Thomas 6-9 223 PF/SF San Diego St. Sr.

48. DeAndre Liggins 6-6 202 SG/SF Kentucky Jr.

49. David Lighty 6-6 216 SG/SF OhioState Sr.

50. Julyan Stone 6-7 200  PG UTEP  Sr.

51. E’twaunMoore 6-4 191 PG/SG Purdue Sr.

52. Rick Jackson 6-9 242  PF Syracuse Sr.

53. Bojan Bogdanovic 6-7 195 SG/SF Fenerbahe Ulke 1989

54. Keith Benson 6-11 217 C/PF Oakland Sr.

55. Kevin Anderson 6-0 170 PG Richmond Sr.

56. Greg Smith 6-9 253 PF/C Fresno St. So.

57. Jon Deibler 6-6 197 SG Ohio St.Sr.

58. Jamie Skeen 6-8 242 PF VCU Sr.

59. Brad Wanamaker 6-4 208 PG/SG Pitt Sr.

60. Gilbert Brown 6-6 213 SG/SF Pitt Sr.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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LeBron James: Performance Befitting a King?

Monday, June 13th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

A dejected LeBron approaches the podium after Game 6 of the NBA Finals

Last night as I watched the Dallas Mavericks win their third straight game and capture the first NBA title in franchise history, I still couldn’t believe how LeBron James wilted under the pressure in the biggest games of the season.  James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to “take his talents” to South Beach and join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in what was supposed to be a super power this season and for seasons to come.  I had no real problem with him joining the Heat. He had no shot of winning with the Cavs the way they were constructed and I thought it was big of him to go to a team where he wouldn’t be the sole guy.  It’s a known fact that it was Wade’s team and he had a proven track record of clutch play as he was the finals MVP in 2006. The only problem I had was with the whole “Decision Show”, and the WWE- like celebration the next day, like they had already won something.  He asked for all of the ridicule and verbal thrashing he received because of these things.

Everyone who has followed my sports blog knows that after LeBron’s performance against the Celtics and Bulls en route to the NBA Finals, I finally thought James had ascended to “that level” of a player.  I even went out and said he was now better than Kobe Bryant (http://warroomsports.com/blog/2011/05/12/lebron-scores-10-straight-to-close-out-the-celtics-is-that-clutch-enough-for-you/).
First of all, I would like to apologize to the “Black Mamba” for spewing that blasphemy from my mouth before LeBron even won a single title.  But I really thought I had seen him take it to another level.  He was closing out games down the stretch by hitting killer shots and after watching the way he defended Derrick Rose, I was sold.

But then came the NBA Finals and the unexplainable, passive play of the most physically talented athlete I’ve seen in my life.  It’s just a flat out choke job, no other way for me to explain it.  D-Wade said last night after the game that the phrase “choke job” is used too often in sports, and he might be right in some situations.  But in this case, his homie, his teammate, was a flat no show when the Heat needed him the most.  The Heat had a chance to take control of the series.  They were up by 15 points in the fourth quarter with seven minutes and change to play and coughed up the lead, being outscored 22-5 to end the game.  LeBron scored two points during the fourth period of the game, and didn’t make a single basket during the run Dallas went on to steal Game 2.

In six games, LeBron James scored 18 fourth quarter points.  He seemed to defer to Wade and even to his other teammate when he could have forced the issue.  He just seemed disinterested, passive, and scared to take over the game when he clearly was the most talented player on the court.  Last year in the playoffs, James clearly quit on his team in Games 5 and 6 against the Boston Celtics and I couldn’t believe it.  I can’t say he quit on his team this time around, but he wanted no part in making a difference in the outcome of this series.  Watching him drive and dump the ball off to the likes of Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony instead of taking the shot himself was frustrating to watch.

Scottie Pippen’s (who played with arguably the best basketball player of all time) unmitigated gall to say that LeBron James was (or could be) better than Michael Jordan was irresponsible.  I don’t know what personal vendetta he has with “His Airness”, but you see he later took those words back the next day. The lowest point outcome in an NBA Finals game by Jordan was 22 and I’ve seen him carry the Bulls to a victory and nearly pass out coming off the floor due to the flu. People also want to compare LeBron to Kobe Bryant, who might be the closest thing to MJ we will ever see, but Kobe never disappeared in the fourth quarters of games.  And one thing I can say about Jordan and Kobe, they never loss for lack of effort.  Yes, D-Wade made some costly mistakes in the 4th quarter of last night’s game, but he made those mistakes playing his game and going hard.

The bottom line is this: a player with his talent, the hype, the self-given nickname, the cocky attitude and arrogance, should expect to get ripped the way he is today and will continue to during this off-season and until he wins a title.  And his post-game comments aren’t going to help him either.  His whole “I’m better than you at the end of the day” attitude and the “my life is still better than yours” thing is just going to get him more” haters”.  He acts like the fans are the reason why he was out-played by Jason Terry in a Finals playoff series.  “Prince” James has no one to blame but himself for the lack of testicular fortitude it takes to win a title.  He had more talent than he had in Cleveland and he still couldn’t get the damn job done.  So until he wins a title, don’t dare compare this man to the likes of Jordan, Magic,Bird, Shaq, and Kobe.  He doesn’t deserve it.  You know what LeBron is?  He’s the equivalent of having a 12-inch penis (pause) that doesn’t get erect.  Ok, I’m done with this guy.  I’m looking forward to the NBA Draft and hopefully a full 16-game football season.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, Blogger for War Room Sports

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Monta for Iggy???

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

This morning I wake up to check my email and I come across a report by Mark J. Miller of Yahoo sports (http://goo.gl/YsEgH) saying that there are strong rumors going around that the Golden State Warriors would be willing to trade guard Monta Ellis to the Philadelphia 76ers for forward/guard Andre Iguodala.   ESPN’s and former NBA point guard Mark Jackson was named head coach last night and the Warriors are looking to make changes to their franchise.  The trade makes some sort of sense for both teams and I’ll tell you why from my point of view.

The Warriors started a talented backcourt of Ellis and 2nd year point guard Stephen Curry, and they were effective offensively.  But their lack of size and defensive ability was a hindrance all season.  Both of them are only 6’2”-6’3” and teams would use their bigger guards to post up and put them in pick and roll situations.  A trade for Iguodala would give the Warriors a bigger wing player to go alongside Curry and a legit defender that this team desperately needs.  Golden State plays an up-tempo type of basketball and Iguodala would be the perfect fit.

The Sixers lacked a legit number one scoring option this season and because Iguodala was the highest paid player, most Sixers fans thought he should be that.  But he’s not, and he caught hell during his career here after he signed that big contract a few years ago, for not developing into the player the Sixers thought he would.  Monta Ellis would give the Sixers a legit scoring option on the perimeter and go to guy.  Ellis has averaged 24.5 ppg over the last two seasons, but has the tendency to take shots early in the shot clock and makes no effort on the defensive end.  He also has three years left on a contract paying him $11 Million per year.

I’m in favor of moving Iguodala for sure, but I don’t want another big contract back in return (like Rudy Gay).  Monta Ellis is a good player, but is he good enough for the Sixers to avoid being a 7 or 8 seed yearly, and make it out of the first round of the playoffs?  The right medley of front office decisions can take you from a laughing stock to a game away from the conference finals (check out the Grizzlies), and even though the Sixers will have to deal with the Miami Heat for the next five years, along with the Bulls and Knicks, they need to make progress.

I’m all about winning it all, not making lateral moves to just stay in the middle of the pack or stay afloat.  The way the NBA is currently structured, the only way to get out of purgatory is to dump salary and/or get lucky in the NBA lottery and make the right draft pick.  The Cleveland Cavaliers have a $14 Million trade exception they can use and if I were the Sixers, I would try my best to ship Iggy’s ass there.  But hey, I’m not the General Manager.  I’m just tired of the circle of mediocrity this franchise has displayed since the trip to the Finals in 2001.  It has been a damn decade and it has to stop.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, Blogger for War Room Sports

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What Can Dallas Do To Win Game 2 and Tie The Series Up?

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

The Dallas Mavericks lost game one of the Finals on Tuesday and there were plenty of reasons why they did.  The question is: what can they do to avoid going down 2-0 and tie the series up?  Here are a few things I believe they can do to have a chance to win tonight.

1. Rebound the basketball: They were out-rebounded 46-36 in game one and allowed Miami to grab 16 offensive rebounds.  Dallas held the Heat to 39% shooting from the field but they allowed too many extra possessions.  Part of playing defense is securing the rebound and ending the team’s offensive possession.  Tyson Chandler’s four rebound performance is a flat out joke and he needs to play better in the paint.  Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are great rebounders for their positions and the Mavericks’ guards need to commit to rebounding and not leaking out.

2. Better production from the bench: The Mavericks bench scored 17 points in the last game, 12 of them by Jason Terry who didn’t score a point in the 2nd half.  The Heat put Lebron James on Terry and took him right out of the game.  J.J. Berea went 1-8 from the field and had two points and 3 assists in 18 minutes of play.  The Mavericks need better production from him running the second unit against the Heat’s second unit.  The bench averaged 40 points per game during the season and 39 points during the playoffs and they are a big reason the Mavs are even here.

3. Stop Chris Bosh: Lebron and D-Wade are going to get theirs either way you put it, but if Dallas can contain Bosh and hold him under the 19 points and 9 rebounds he had in game one, they will have a way better chance to win.  Bosh had 5 offensive rebounds in game one and Dallas needs to keep him off of the O-boards tonight.

Yes, it’s easier said than done, especially when you have Lebron and Wade taking turns down the stretch making plays.  But hey, Dallas has to win this game tonight or they can chalk it the hell up.

Prediction: Miami is a 4 1/2 point favorite tonight and I like the Heat as a straight up winner tonight over the Mavericks.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon On Sports, Blogger for War Room Sports

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2011 NBA Finals Preview

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Well the NBA Finals start on Tuesday night and Lebron James and the Miami Heat will face off against Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks for the NBA title.  I will break down the series from my point of view and give you who I think will win it all.  I know everyone likes the Heat and believes Dallas will be pushovers, but don’t count them out that easily.

Coaching

Miami: Erik Spoelstra came into this season with the heavy task of getting his new players to mesh together offensively while earning their respect. Miami going through early season struggles and learning from them has paid off and he has his team in the NBA Finals.  He is a very good coach, especially defensively and I look forward to seeing what schemes he hatches to stop Dirk Nowitzki.  He has also been quoted as saying Lebron James will see time guarding J.J. Berea when the Mavs go to their small lineup, where they play Dirk at the 5.

Dallas: Rick Carlisle has the Mavericks back in the NBA Finals 5 years after their last appearance, a series in which the Heat defeated them 4-2.  But this is a different team Dallas will put on the court in this series and Carlisle wasn’t the coach then as well.  He has the Mavs playing with discipline, toughness and they now put forth effort on the defensive end of the court as well.  This is clearly the best team Dallas has put on the floor in the time Dirk Nowitzki has played for the franchise and Carlisle is a big reason why.  I’m looking forward to seeing how he defends Lebron James and the Heat, and how he utilizes Dirk offensively.

Advantage: Push

 

Frontcourt

Miami: Lebron James is playing out of his mind right now and he has taken his game to another level by finally deciding to be the lockdown defender we all thought he could be.  His size, strength, speed, and agility is like no other we have seen in the NBA and that allows him to defend multiple positions effectively.  Look for him to check J.J. Berea at times as well as Dirk Nowitzki.  But now that Udonis Haslem is back in the mix and they have Chris Bosh as well, the Heat will try to use them more on Dirk to keep James out of foul trouble.  We know what Lebron brings offensively and that’s a given, but Bosh’s production as the team’s 3rd scorer could be the difference in the series.  He should have an advantage against Nowitzki and should look to be aggressive and get him in foul trouble.  Haslem and Joel Anthony will do the grunge, dirty work on the boards and defensively, and Haslem’s championship experience will be big for the Heat.

Dallas: Dirk Nowitzki is playing the best basketball of his hall of fame career and a championship would put him in the class with the all time greats.  The Mavericks need him to show up and carry this team if they have any chance of beating Miami in a seven game series.  Shawn Marion will most likely draw the assignment of Lebron James and Tyson Chandler’s shot blocking, ability to run the floor, and offensive rebounding will be key for the Mavericks.  Chandler brings a toughness in the paint that Dallas has never had in past seasons.

Advantage: Push

 

Backcourt

Miami: Dwayne Wade is a former NBA Finals MVP (2006) and is a stone killer down the stretch of games.  Yes, Lebron James is the better player, but Wade has a proven track record in the finals.  I expect Wade to play better than he did in the series against the Bulls.  The Heat needs him to play much better than the 18.8 ppg and 40% shooting from the field that he produced against Chicago.  Dallas is a way better team than the Bulls and they have the ability to put up points.  Mike Bibby is the starter at the point and the Heat could use a better shooting performance from him as well.  He will get plenty of open shots and he needs to make better than the 30% of his shots he made last series.

Dallas: Jason Kidd is at the end of his career, but is still a very effective point guard, playing off of guile and smarts as his physical tools aren’t what they used to be.  He sets the table for this team, gets the ball to the right players in the right spots, and has become sort of a dependable shooter from the three-point line as well.  DeShawn Stevenson is a good defender who will spend the majority of his time checking Wade.  He is the Mavericks best bet to slow Wade down if it’s possible.

Advantage: Heat

 

Bench Play

Miami: After getting virtually nothing from their bench during the season, the Heat has gotten some solid contributions off of the pine in the last series.  After missing most of the regular season with a foot injury, Udonis Haslem has brought back the toughness, leadership, rebounding, and hustle the Heat had been missing all season.  Mike Miller has woken up and had a great game four against the Bulls, scoring 12 points and grabbing 9 rebounds as well.  The more production and solid mistake-free minutes they give the Heat off the bench, the better.

Dallas: The Mavericks have firepower coming off the bench and knock-down shooters as well.  Jason Terry is one of the best 6th men the league has seen and can get you 20 plus points off of the bench on any given night.  J.J. Berea is very effective getting into the lane creating for himself and for others.  When Dallas goes to the small lineup with Dirk at the center position, Berea is the key to that lineup working as well as it does.  Peja Stojakovic has been coming off of the bench and hitting open three-point shots for the Mavs on a consistent basis.  Brendan Haywood could start for most teams at center and provides another big active body for Dallas to throw at the Heat.

Advantage: Mavericks

 

My Prediction: When Lebron James decided to join Wade and Bosh in Miami, this is what they envisioned, playing for an NBA title.  They are now four wins away from accomplishing this feat.  Yes, Dirk Nowitzki is balling right now, but I don’t think Dallas has enough star-power to win 4 of 7 against Miami.  People think Miami runs right through Dallas easily, but I don’t.  I like The Heat in 6 games and Lebron James takes home the Finals MVP award.

Brandon Pemberton of “Brandon on Sports”, Blogger for War Room Sports

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