Phoenix Suns

MIAMI -- LeBron James made a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night.

My takeaways from the second round series: ---------- Miami beats Chicago 4-1 After a valiant game one effort the Bulls finally succumbed to the injuries that have plagued them throughout the regular and postseason. It would have been interesting to see how the Bulls fared if they would have had five players healthy enough to suit up for the games. The Heat prevailed with half of Dwyane Wade against half of the Bulls roster, but will the Pacers prove a more dangerous adversary if Wade isn't at full speed? Indiana beats New York 4-2 The Knicks hero ball style was exposed by Indiana's teamwork and stout defense. Carmelo Anthony, who finished third in MVP voting (really?), managed to chuck up 18.75 shots for every assist he dished during the series. His appurtenance in the black hole philosophy, J.R. Smith, shot a putrid 29%. Roy Hibbert made Tyson Chandler look like a little boy. The series went six, but it didn't really feel that close. Credit Indy's hermetic defense for that. They forced the Knicks into becoming a jump shooting team with their inside presence, then turned them into a downright crappy offense with their stellar perimeter d. Memphis beats OKC 4-1 This series cemented the value of Russell Westbrook. The critics that propounded he was holding Kevin Durant and the Thunder back were summarily silenced. Oklahoma City was a completely different (worse) team with him off the court, and Westbrook's injury may have been the single biggest event that changed the postseason landscape. The Grizzlies smelled blood and capitalized by imposing their style on the series. Memphis, who had the slowest pace and allowed the fewest points during the regular season, stifled the Thunder by holding them under 100 points in every game during the series. San Antonio beats Golden St. 4-2 The Spurs entrenched themselves as the horror movie villain that never dies and the Warriors proclaimed that they have arrived as an up and coming team (if they can stay healthy). While Stephen Curry had pundits gushing over his performance, a nagging injury (bet you've never heard nagging injury and Stephen Curry in the same sentence before!) may have caused his production to dwindle as the series went on. This, compounded by David Lee's absence, helped seal the team's doom. That and the fine tuned machine of excellent role players led by all-star Tony Parker. Anybody else notice how most of the "stars" are already sitting on their couches? ---------- Now the results you've all been waiting for (or have already looked at by skipping my inane ramblings): NashMV3 still leads the way, but MMotherwell, who has the Spurs advancing, and Yttriot are still right on his heels. The ouster of OKC knocked out the majority of people's, myself included, Western Conference representative for the NBA Finals. Chances are it will be a photo finish so make sure your score is correct!

It's obviously early in the process, but not too early. We have draft combine information in the books and now we have the order set thanks to the Draft Lottery. That let's think more about how specific players, especially in this draft, might fit with specific teams. Here's our first 2013 NBA Mock Draft. For more, be sure to visit NBA Draft Insider. 1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Otto Porter Jr. 6-8.5, 197 lbs. SF Georgetown, So. Sometimes luck is on your side and that is exactly the case for the Cavaliers as they won the lottery for the second time in three years since the departure of The King. Now they have a major choice to make, but when you look past Big Boards it may be easier than one would think. The Cavaliers need a glue player to balance the dynamic nature of Kyrie Irving and Porter Jr. is just the guy with his ability to do a little bit of everything on the court. 2. Orlando Magic - Ben McLemore 6-4.75, 189 lbs. SG Kansas, Fr. The Magic could use a number of different things including point guard with this pick which is exactly where they were before the lottery. Trey Burke and Ben McLemore have to be the top two choices here, but McLemore has All-Star potential in a situation where he can develop. 3. Washington Wizards - Nerlens Noel 6-11.75, 206 lbs. C Kentucky, Fr. Maybe the best player in the draft falls in their lap as the athletic shot-blocking machine Noel has the chance to be paired with John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Co coming off of his ACL tear. With an aging front-court Noel comes in at exactly the right time. 4. Charlotte Bobcats - Victor Oladipo 6-4.25, 213 lbs. SG Indiana, Jr. they seem to like building around defense and advanced statistics in Charlotte, so the New Hornets add Oladipo who is the highest riser in the draft as well as the best overall defensive player on the board. 5. Phoenix Suns - Rudy Gobert 7-2, 234 lbs. C France, 1992 The draft takes a left turn in Phoenix as the Suns need talent and new GM Ryan McDonough will look to add the best long-term prospects to the roster. Gobert has great length and the potential to be the best big man in this class. 6. New Orleans Pelicans - Trey Burke 6-8, 240 lbs. PF UNLV, Fr. As well as Greivis Vasquez has been for the New Pelicans the league is all about greatness at the point guard position. Burke has the skill-set and resume to be the leagues next great point guard. 7. Sacramento Kings - Anthony Bennett 6-6.25, 221 lbs. SF UCLA, Fr. The 2013 version of Grandmamma lands on a team that lacks toughness, which Bennett has in spades. He can physically dominate a game while providing a compliment to the potential star power of DeMarcus Cousins. 8. Detroit Pistons - Shabazz Muhammad 7-2, 234 lbs. C France, (1992) Shooting and scoring are in need of a major upgrade in Detroit. As limited as his offensive game may be Muhammad makes a lot of sense stretching the floor and completing the front-court of the future in Mo Town. 9. Minnesota Timberwolves - Alex Len 7-1, 225 lbs. C Maryland, So. But, they already have Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic? That is true today and Len provides insurance for tomorrow even though the team may need shooter, the potential of Len is too much to pass on while reaching for shooting. 10. Portland Trail Blazers - C.J. McCollum 6-3, 197 lbs. PG Lehigh, Sr. The worst bench in the league needs to add depth. No matter position this is a team that simply needs talent and McCollum gives the Blazers shooting, play-making, and Damian Lillard a break. 11. Philadelphia 76ers - Cody Zeller 7-0, 230 lbs. C Indiana, So. What was once considered the Andrew Bynum Experiment now seems to be over and the team needs to move on. Zeller may not have All-Star potential, but he is a talented big man that can do a lot of the little things a team like the 76ers need. 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto) - Mason Plumlee 7-0, 238 lbs. PF Duke, Sr. The rich get richer as the best team in the Western Conference add another lottery pick to the fold.

At some point in my life someone once said, “Fate is a fickle mistress, my friend. You never know when she’ll turn on you.” On second thought, I don’t know anyone that wise or eloquent, so I must have read it somewhere. It’s a quote I didn’t fully comprehend until coming to New York for Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery. As I’ve chronicled on this blog over the last few days, I was in search of my own luck for the Suns in the Big Apple. I wasn’t alone in my crusade either. As I walked alongside President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and President of Business Operations Jason Rowley towards the home of the NBA Draft Lottery, ABC’s Times Square studios, the two decided to make an impromptu and unique stop. As is the case in New York City, you can find pretty much anything on the street corner and on this afternoon, we all happened to find ourselves staring at the crystal ball of a fortune teller. Both of these successful businessmen with law degrees, who had worked their way up the ladder by making well-educated decisions, decided to have a little fun and see what the universe had in store for them. The universe, or the fortune teller’s prognostications, were about as clear as the Phoenix skyline on a high-pollution advisory day. “She covered all of the bases,” Babby recalled. “She said I was going to be lucky, but maybe unlucky. She said I was going to live a long life, but be careful. I think she is pretty experienced (laughs). No matter what the situation was, she had it covered. She said I will have luck in 2014. Whatever that means, I will take it.” That pretty much sums up life. You may or may not be lucky. What she didn’t mention in her reading was that it all has very little to do with what a person does. Despite bringing a handful of lucky charms (not the cereal with its colorful marshmallows) from Phoenix and doing everything to bring luck to the team, it all had about as much impact as the Great Gatsby on the summer box office (although, I hope the writing was more entertaining). It wasn’t all for naught, though. Spending time looking for luck helped remind me why we’re all Suns fans. We long for an emotional connection to something bigger than ourselves. Something that can be a common language between us regardless of our status in life, political beliefs or age. That connection made this trip successful even without returning with the No. 1 pick. Being able to give fans a look behind-the-curtain of one of the NBA’s biggest events was just as enjoyable for me as getting the top pick. (OK, that’s a lie, but I imagine it was almost as enjoyable). Yes, “Fate is a fickle mistress” and I’m okay with that. While she may not have delivered the Suns the No. 1 pick, she did allow me to experience something truly unique and see both team presidents have their palms read by a street psychic. So I guess we can call this one a draw. At least until next year. We hear 2014 might be a lucky year.

It's exciting as a suns fan to have a GM who really knows what he's doing. Analyzing the draft is his specialty and what better way to start then the number 5 pick. My one fear is that our good friend Sarver will scare him away or under value his expertise, like he has done to anyone with talent that has been connected to the Suns organization. I feel the Suns need to trade some of their current players for a true scorer and use this pick for the most talent and upside possible. Anthony Bennett would be a great choice. It's exciting as a suns fan to have a GM who really knows what he's doing. Analyzing the draft is his specialty and what better way to start then the number 5 pick. My one fear is that our good friend Sarver will scare him away or under value his expertise, like he has done to anyone with talent that has been connected to the Suns organization. I feel the Suns need to trade some of their current players for a true scorer and use this pick for the most talent and upside possible. Anthony Bennett would be a great choice.

PHOENIX — The head coaching search for the Phoenix Suns is mightily complicated, moreso than expected. Newly-appointed general manager Ryan McDonough’s chops in the NBA world will truly... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The question now becomes: Who will be available for the Phoenix Suns with the No. 5 Overall Pick? It is not a drastic difference from where they were at No. 4, but one slot could mean the player you absolutely love and the player you really like...

In a draft devoid of that next great superstar, it's not the end of the world to pick 5th. The 5th pick has less pressure to excel than the top 1 or 2, for both the team and the player, and yet might have the same or better upside. "The guy who goes there might not be much different, or any different, than guys who go in the top three," Phoenix Suns General Manager McDonough said after the Suns learned they would pick 5th. "We're excited about it," he continued. "We're going to get a good player. There are at least five players. I think there are more than five good players in this draft." McDonough said they would likely be able to get all the top guys to come to Phoenix, and that they would focus most effort on 8-10 guys for that #5 pick. Yet it's the later pick, currently slotted at #30, that holds the key to this draft. We can hope that the Suns brain trust, led by serious young man Ryan McDonough, will identify the best players in the draft. One or more of them will be off the board by the 5th pick, and certainly by the 30th. But that doesn't mean the Suns can't or won't pull one over on their brethren. Every draft has winners and losers. It would be nice if the Suns were in the "winnners" bracket for once. "I think in every draft there are a few star players," McDonough said at the post-lottery press conference on May 21 at US Airways Center. "And they don't always go according to form. It's not always one, two, three, in that order. There are some good players here. I don't know if there is a franchise changer, but I'm confident we'll get somebody really good who is able to help the Suns next year." McDonough identified guys like Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley in prior drafts as gems. He reportedly even had Rondo as #1 or #2 overall in 2006. McDonough has spent eight seasons drafting 19th or lower. He's used to working that much harder to find gems. Drafting 5th is different, I think, and possibly easier. When you're drafting 5th, you're picking from the already-known cream of the crop, and the pressure to pick a known quantity is high but the downside is less worrisome. Most of the top-5 picks are successful in the NBA. It's that later pick that has a bigger bust potential, but also requires the best scouting to get a difference-maker that no one else expected to be so good. Rondo. Bradley. McDonough has pieces in hand to get the guy he wants later in the draft. The Suns have the #30 pick and some nicely-priced veterans to trade to a playoff contender for their mid-round pick if he really identifies a diamond in the rough. The Suns also have the cap space to absorb more salary than they send out, up to $10 million more. Maybe you take the known quantity at #5 (Oladipo, Bennett, McLemore) and then trade up for the gem no one's taking high, like the Celtics did when they acquired the #21 pick. Early rumor has it that some picks are for sale (Dallas, for one) to save money for free agency. Several teams have two first round picks and may not want both young players on their roster with guaranteed multi-year contracts. My money says the Suns stay at #5, take the best available known quantity, and then get creative with their second pick currently slotted at #30. A perfect scenario has Phoenix drafting a player like Oladipo or Bennett or Len at #5, and then taking "the next Rondo" with their second pick in a trade-up scenario. ESPN's Chad Ford has the Suns taking Oladipo at 5 and Reggie Bullock at 30. SI.com's Chris Mannix has the Suns taking Bennett at 5 and C.J. Leslie at 30. NBADraftInsider's Kris Habbas has the Suns taking two international prospects at 5 and 30: Rudy Gobert and Livio Jean-Charles. Check out the link and Kris' site for explanation as to why...

I can't seem to sleep tonight, so why the heck not? I'll give my pick based on position, and then thoughts on potential trades. 1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Nerlens Noel Noel and McLemore are the 1st tier in this draft, and the Cavs just drafted a SG at #4 last year, who they are unlikely to give up on so quickly. Cleveland needs a real center, as both Anderson Varajao and Tristan Thompson are really power forwards, so Noel it is. Trade Watch: Cleveland also needs help at SF, and could potentially trade down to get Otto Porter. 2. Orlando Magic - Ben McLemore Because Noel is already off the board, and he's the other best player in this draft. Trade Watch: Orlando needs PG help, and some mocks even have them taking Burke at #2. Doubt it - if they want Burke, I think they trade down a few spots. 3. Washington Wizards - Otto Porter The primary need for the Wizards is shooting. Porter shot 42% on the long ball on over 3 attempts per game. The secondary need for Washington is to replace or extend Trevor Ariza and/or Emeka Okafor, as their contracts will expire after this season. Porter may replace Ariza, for cheaper, freeing them up salary to extend Wall, which is another need. Trade Watch: The Wizards could really use a frontcourt player who can shoot, and it is conceivable that they could trade their suddenly-valuable pick in order to acquire veteran help there. 4. Charlotte Bobcats Hornets - Victor Oladipo The Bobcat/Hornets are set at PG and SF, with gaping holes everywhere else, but especially at SG, as they don't currently have a classic SG on roster that's worth mentioning. Oladipo's also ready to contribute now, which the Horn-cats need, as they are in win-now mode (lol) as evidenced by their pulling their coach... again. Trade Watch: The Cats have a long and glorious history of trading back into the bottom of the 1st round to pick up marginal wing players, who they then give major minutes to. Carolina sharpshooter Reggie Bullock is a hot local player who fills a need, and should be somewhere near the bottom of the 1st. 5. Phoenix Suns - Alex Len New GM McDonough needs to build a completely new team, not patch the existing one up, and those sorts of projects often start with a big man. With Marcin Gortat set to be an unrestricted FA after next year, and Jermaine O'Neal potentially retiring, the Suns also address a need. The Suns legendary training staff and willingness to suck next year to get another high pick make Len's injury less worrisome. Trade Watch: This is a fire sale, so the possibility of existing players being dealt for current/future draft picks is certainly there. 6. NOLA Pelicans - Shabazz Muhammed The Pelicans are stacked with young talent in the frontcourt, and appear committed to the Austin Rivers experiment at shooting guard, based on comments from their brass at the draft lottery. With Xavier Henry and Al-Fariq Aminu's contracts expiring, Muhammed addresses a positional need. Trade Watch: Shabazz is a little stretch at 6, and it would make sense for the Pelicans to trade down a few spots to acquire him, netting them perhaps another pick. 7. Sacramento Kings - Anthony Bennett Let's assume they pass on Trey Burke, given that undersized guards Isaiah Thomas, Jimmer Fredette, and Aaron Brooks are already on roster, and the Kings are finally Maloof-free. Bennett is the best talent in the mock here, having dropped somewhat, and UNLV is close enough to Sac for people there to know who Bennett is. Trade Watch: The Kings roster is filled with marginal contributors. The Kings need to move some of those contracts out, and contending teams might be tempted to take a Travis Outlaw or a Patrick Patterson in exchange for their late 1st rounder. 8. Detroit Pistons - Trey Burke Detroit needs backcourt help. Burke is a local hero after playing at Michigan. Is there any way the P's don't take Burke if he's on the board? Trade Watch: With almost $34M coming off their books in

As had predicted by many, this draft is a weak class, but actually it is draft class full of surprise, excluding the usual suspects, here are some sleepers that might actually help us in the 30th pick http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1646713-nba-draft-2013-under-the-radar-prospects-that-will-sneak-into-first-round there is mock draft predict us to take Tony Snell at the 30th, which i think is a good pick, and Tim Hardaway Jr is actually not included in the top 30 , which is a nice surprise.. so one of these 2 might be the uncut diamond for us