NBA News 2012: Lawson Agrees To Four-Year, $48M Extension

English: Ty Lawson, formerly of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ty Lawson and the Denver Nuggets have agreed upon a four-year, $48 million contract extension.

Lawson was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Lawson recently changed agents to be represented by Happy Walters.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/224231/Lawson_Agrees_To_Four_Year_$48M_Extension_With_Nuggets

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NBA News 2012: Nuggets Re-Sign McGee To Four-Year, $44M Deal

English: , American basketball player for the Washington Wizards (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Denver Nuggets have re-signed JaVale McGee to a multiyear contract.

Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! reports that the deal is for four seasons and $44 million.

McGee was acquired via trade from the Wizards before the 2012 trade deadline.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/222481/Nuggets_Re_Sign_McGee_To_Four_Year_$44M_Deal

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NBA News 2012: Lakers-Nuggets series: Five things to watch in Game 4

LA Lakers huddling with coach Phil Jackosn (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Things to watch when the Lakers play the Denver Nuggets Sunday night at Pepsi Center. The Lakers have a 2-1 series lead.

1. Which Andrew Bynum will show up? It's sad to wonder if any professional athlete will bring his full effort in a playoff game. But Bynum admitted that he arrived late for warmups in Game 3 and didn't really try, resulting in a scoreless first half. Sounds odd for someone who said only days ago that he wants to have perfect games. But this is Bynum we're talking about, who has repeatedly derailed his progress with immature behavior. Spare me the nonsense that is part of his growing process. Being prepared is a basic and expected requirement. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Bynum either doesn't get it or just doesn't care.

2. The Lakers can't force outside shots. Kobe Bryant mostly blamed the Lakers' Game 3 loss on their six-of-25 mark from three-point range more than Bynum's scoreless first half. I disagree slightly since Bynum's passiveness made it easier for the Nuggets to defend the Lakers, outrebound them and then push the pace on the open floor. But remaining trigger-happy from the outside is hardly a good formula, either. Even if the Lakers are facing double teams in the post, they need to quickly move the ball. Because of their recent inconsistencies, the Lakers should step in a few feet should they receive open three-pointers.

3. The Lakers need to outrebound the Nuggets. A disturbing trend has developed in this series whereby the Lakers have progressively worsened while the Nuggets have substantially improved. That's most notable in the rebounding area, which the Nuggets won in in both Games 2 (52-48) and 3 (54-44). This is alarming on many levels. The Lakers dominated this category all season. They feature two seven-footers and surprising reserve Jordan Hill. And the Nuggets' front-line combinations in rookie Kenneth Faried, reserve JaVale McGee and starting center Timofey Mozgov hardly boast the same skill set. Dominating in this area would give the Lakers their best opportunity to reduce the Nuggets' chances in pushing the ball in transition. That's because the Lakers don't have the speed and athleticism, but they have the size. Now it's on them to use it.

4. Will the Lakers feature Kobe Bryant any differently? At first, Bryant appeared unstoppable. Whether he met double teams or single coverage, Bryant punished the Nuggets with two 30-point plus performances in the first two games. That came to a crashing halt in Game 3, where he scored 22 points on only seven-of-23 shooting. Bynum's lack of aggressiveness partly contributed to Bryant taking some difficult shots. Perhaps it reflects his 20-of-74 mark this year through three games at Pepsi Center. But a lot of Bryant's shooting struggles in Game 3 came with him taking the same difficult shots he took in Game 2, but this time they just didn't drop in the basket.

5. The Lakers need more from their bench. It seems as if we're always asking for more from the Lakers bench. But even in a playoff series that features tightened rotations, the Lakers can't afford a significant drop-off in play among the reserves. The Nuggets have outscored the Lakers' bench by an average of 28.7 points per game. Matt Barnes has connected on only four of 20 shots. Steve Blake has shot only 26.7% and scored three points since the second quarter of Game 1. Jordan Hill usually provides hustle points, but he was scoreless and had only six rebounds in Game 3.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-la-lakersnuggets-game-4-five-things-to-watch-20120506,0,1848084.story

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NBA News 2011: Griffin revives, revs up dunk contest

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Welcome back, dunk contest. We missed you.

An event that had become a tired, trite exhibition in recent years was saved from jumping the shark Saturday; instead, Blake Griffin jumped a car.

And while some may complain about home cooking in the judging, the dunk contest has always been about entertainment rather than objectivity. This was the most entertaining one in years, and it had the best execution to boot.

The general pattern of the last several contests was to feature the same dunks embellished only by increasingly hokey pranks. This year's, in contrast, didn't feature cape-wearing or other bizarre, attention-seeking props. What it did have, instead, was several spectacular jams that we'll remember for years.

Washington's JaVale McGee didn't win, but he raised the bar several notches for future dunk contests by completing two of the most difficult dunks ever seen in the first round. He did a dunk on two rims separated by several feet, a feat that only a player with his incredible wingspan could pull off, and then did a dunk with three basketballs, two of which he dunked himself and the third he alley-ooped.

On both, McGee had to "no look" dunk with his left hand to focus on catching the ball in mid-air with his right. In the final round, he added to his performance with a swooping, cradling reverse dunk that required him to tuck in his head to avoid impaling it on the backboard.

Unfortunately, he knew the outcome was all but predetermined after Griffin jumped the car in front of the home crowd. Facing an act he couldn't follow, McGee's final dunk was a perfunctory off the backboard slam.

"He came prepared with the car," said McGee, "and nothing's going to beat the car unless I bring a plane or something."

Griffin's contest will be remembered for jumping the car, but his other final-round slam was no slouch either -- an up-to-his-elbow dunk that compared favorably with a similar one by Vince Carter in the 2000 contest. Unlike Carter, Griffin threw it off the board to himself first. A close-up afterward showed a rim-shaped impression on his inner arm.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/allstar2011/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=hollingerdunkcontest-110220

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NBA News 2010: The 10 Most Freakishly Athletic Players in the League

Image via Wikipedia

10. JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards

9. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers

8. Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats

7. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

6. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

5. Nate Robinson, Boston Celtics

4. Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies

3. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

2. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/520923-absolute-freaks-the-10-most-athletic-players-in-the-nba

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NBA News 2010: New deal for Wizards’ Blatche: 5 years, about $35M

Image via Wikipedia

WASHINGTON (AP)—The Washington Wizards have signed forward Andray Blatche(notes) to a contract extension that will pay him around $35 million over the next five years.

The Wizards also exercised their fourth-year contract option on center JaVale McGee(notes) on Friday.

Blatche’s extension adds three years to his current contract, which had two years remaining.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-wizardsmoves

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NBA News 2010: Washington Wizards Center JaVale McGee: The Year of The Beast

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The Washington Wizards went from being a perennial playoff team to one of the worst teams in the NBA to one of the potential surprise teams heading into the 2010-11 season.

The smart money points to John Wall being the main reason for the positive outlook, but third-year center JaVale McGee may just open some eyes come October.

But has he done enough to become the inside presence the Wizards have lacked for so many years?

A first-round selection in 2008, McGee was a relatively unknown prospect from the University of Nevada-Reno. He was lanky and his game was unpolished, but he had the kind of athleticism that had to be harnessed in some way shape or form. He has played sparingly through his first two season, playing behind Brendan Haywood and coming off the bench when struck by inconsistency, but McGee has shown improvement each year.

He showed even more in the Wizards Vegas Summer League by growing an inch and adding some muscle to his frame. He even got a look from the U.S. National team for this year's World Championships.

While he did not make the national team and Summer League play is worlds away from the regular season in terms of competition and defense, McGee averaged 19.5 points on 69-percent shooting and nine-and-a-half rebounds in the Wizards' five games.

His length and athleticism have allowed him minor success thus far, but he will need to refine his game to be the beast he let the world that was watching the Summer League know he can be.

If there was one thing apparent in McGee's first two years, it was his excitement.

After a monster dunk or big block, he would storm down the court like he had just beaten the world. Passion is great, but sometimes his would get the better of him and it would lead to a bad play on the other end of the floor.

Based on his physique, athleticism, and positioning, it is no stretch of the imagination to envision McGee as Dwight Howard 2.0. Howard was a defensive player and a rebounder, first and foremost, before developing his offense around the basket. McGee wasn't expected to be a centerpiece, and hasn't had that type of focus in his training.

Superstars are rarely born overnight, and they rarely last for decades afterward. McGee has a nose for the rim, whether off of pick-and-roll situations, following shots, or just running the floor. With Wall and Arenas as starting guards for Washington, running the floor will be the norm for McGee and the Wizards. In tandem with the finesse style of post-mate Andray Blatche, McGee has the opportunity to get a lot of offensive put backs.

He is a bit behind in terms of coming into his own, but only because of the turmoil around him and his asthma. Rest assured, resting beneath the lanky, baby-faced exterior is a double-double machine waiting for the season opener to start churning out the stats and stuffing the box score.

Wall may get the headlines and press coverage, but this is the year of JaVale McGee.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/451506-washington-wizards-center-javale-mcgee-the-year-of-the-beast

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NBA News 2010: Fantasy Basketball: Five Mysterious Fantasy All-Stars

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With the NBA season coming up fast, many fans will be heading into fantasy basketball drafts. Keeping that in mind, I've decided to write up an article on some mystery players to select that will take your team from being a middle of the road team to a league-winning team. So without further adieu, here we go!

1. Corey Maggette, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks

Last year with the Warriors he put up solid numbers. He averaged 19.8 PPG and 5.3 RPG. Like I said, he doesn't sound like a flashy player but given those numbers, you can see that he will make an impact on your fantasy team.

2. John Salmons, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks

Down the stretch of the season, Salmons was putting up almost 23-25 every single night, but he wasn't heralded much about it. Last season, he averaged 15.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.2 SPG.

3. Al Jefferson, PF/C, Utah Jazz

Last season, Jefferson put up 17.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 1.3 BPG. Look at those numbers and tell me that Jefferson isn't a huge factor when he's on the court? Sure, if he gets injured you'll just have to drop him for another big man, but almost averaging a double-double is something you can't pass up on.

4. Anthony Randolph, PF, New York Knicks

Last year Randolph averaged 11.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. Take into consideration that he 749 minutes all season in 33 games because of an injury. That's pretty impressive, because if you do the math that comes out to only being 22.7 MPG. If he can put up those kind of numbers in that kind of time, what will he do in New York if he is somehow able to win the starting power forward job?

5. Andray Blatche, PF, Washington Wizards

Personally, I would make Blatche a Top Four round pick, if not Top Three or Top Two. He proved last year that he could put a team on his back, and even though he did make a couple judgement mistakes because of his youthful thinking, he still put the team on his back and carried them.

Blatche averaged 14.1 PPG and 6.3 RPG, but again I would challenge you to look up what kind of numbers he put up in the last half of the season. He's going to pick up his numbers again this year after an offseason of hard work, although he did break his foot and that has hampered some of his ability to work on his game.

Most defenses will be focusing on John Wall, and with the growth of JaVale McGee, that opens up some post room for Blatche to go to work. 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/443825-all-about-statistics-5-mysterious-nba-fantasy-all-stars

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