After a lockout and shortened season in 2012, the NBA
fans were treated to a great year of basketball in 2013. There were ups
and downs for teams and players and huge shocks along the way. The
season was covered in drama from the get-go; beginning on opening night
with a renewal of a recent major rivalry between the Celtics and the
HEAT, to the final minute of the NBA season where the title came down to
one possession in Game 7 between Miami and San Antonio.
Here are 5 things we learned from the 2012-13 NBA season:
Team: Washington Wizards
Position: PG
No.: #2
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall / (Kentucky)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
18.5 Points, 7.6 Assists, 4.0 Rebounds, 1.3 Steals, 0.8 Blocks, .441 FG%, .267 3pt%, .804 FT%
John Wall demonstrated toward the end of this season that, when healthy, he is more than capable of carrying the Wizards to a low-seeded playoff berth. If Washington can bring in a few impact players over the summer, they will likely be able to compete for a spot in the postseason as early as next year.
For now, though, Wizards fans can take solace in the fact that John Wall appears to have taken another big step toward becoming a franchise-caliber talent in the NBA.
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
18.8 Points, 8.1 Assists, 4.2 Rebounds, 2.0 Steals, 1.2 Blocks, .467 FG%, .381 3pt%, .818 FT%
Team: Boston Celtics
Position: SF/PF
No.: #8
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall / (Georgetown)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
12.8 Points, 1.6 Assists, 3.9 Rebounds, 0.7 Steals, 0.8 Blocks, .476 FG%, .385 3pt%, .808 FT%
Team: Detroit Pistons
Position: C/PF
No.: #1
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall / (Connecticut)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
7.9 Points, 0.4 Assists, 7.6 Rebounds, 0.8 Steals, 2.7 Blocks, .538 FG%, .000 3pts%, .295 FT%
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Position: SF/SG
No.: #2
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15th overall / (San Diego State.)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
11.9 Points, 1.6 Assists, 6.0 Rebounds, 1.7 Steals, 0.6 Blocks, .494 FG%, .374 3pts%, .825 FT%
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
16.8 Points, 3.5 Assists, 6.9 Rebounds, 2.1 Steals, 1.4 Blocks, .565 FG%, .377 3pt%, .710 FT%
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: PG
No.: #30
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12th overall / (Davidson)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
22.9 Points, 8.1 Assists, 3.8 Rebounds, 1.7 Steals, 0.2 Blocks, .434 FG%, .396 3pts%, .921 FT%
Steph Curry, or as many are now beginning to call him, the 'Human Torch'. And that is a very accurate description indeed. Steph Curry is a bona-fide shooter, and quite possibly be the best shooter currently in the NBA. He seems to catch fire almost every night, draining 3 after 3 and blazing up to court. We witnessed to an amazing extent on February, 27, 2013 as Steph Curry went HAM. He dropped 54 points at the Garden:
As you can see from the above video, NOTHING was able to stop Curry. He was absolutely on fire, and this is what he was like in the playoffs. Many voters said that Curry was their MVP of the playoffs and the most exciting player to watch. Simply because of his shooting. But don't let that fool you, although he is a fantastic shooter and scorer, Steph can also pass the ball extremely well, which is needed at the PG positon.
Steph Curry is ready to show the league exactly what he's got. 2014 will be a HUGE season for Steph Curry... I mean the 'Human Torch' or... Iron Man?
25.0 Points, 8.4 Assists, 2.9 Rebounds, 1.8 Steals, 0.5 Blocks, .565 FG%, .401 3pt%, .910 FT%
Position: PG
No.: #0
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall / (Weber State.)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
19.0 Points, 6.5 Assists, 3.1 Rebounds, 0.9 Steals, 0.2 Blocks, .429 FG%, .368 3pts%, .844FT%
Damian Lillard's time is almost now. Winning the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year award confirmed what most of us already know about the Portland Trail Blazers guard—he's on the precipice of stardom. Lillard has joined the company of big names such as Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, among others.
The 22-year-old point man out of Weber State was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft and finished his first season as a pro averaging 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, shooting 42.9 percent. He also knocked down 36.8 percent of his deep balls.
And so, for Lillard, Rookie of the Year honors aren't the end. They're not the culmination of anything.
The award is merely a representative of something bigger. Of something better. Of a future star. Whose future isn't far off.
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
19.9 Points, 7.8 Assists, 3.4 Rebounds, 2.7 Steals, 0.3 Blocks, .517 FG%, .341 3pt%, .796 FT%
Here are 5 things we learned from the 2012-13 NBA season:
#3 - The Rising Stars.
PHOTO: Kawhi Leonard out of San Diego St., had a great season this year. (via rantsports.com) |
Paul George
Team: Indiana Pacers
Position: SG/SF
No.: #24
Draft: NBA Draft
2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall / (Fresno State)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
17.4 Points, 4.1 Assists, 7.6 Rebounds, 1.8 Steals, 0.6 Blocks, .419 FG%, .362 3pt%, .807 FT%
As evident, Paul George is set for a monster 2014. Not just by looking at his stats, but if you tuned into the ECF Pacers vs. HEAT, you would see the confidence oozing from the Fresno State star. He looked confidence on offense, handing out multiple posterzers and highlight reel material throw-downs. In addition, on defense, he strived tremendously, matching-up with LeBron and helping to limit his offensive production.
George has all the skill sets, charisma, IQ and athleticsm to become the next big star in this league. We will just have to see how his 4th year as a pro in the NBA shapes out.
2013 - 14 NBA Predicted Averages:
22.3 Points, 4.8 assists, 7.7 Rebounds, 1.9 Steals, 0.6 Blocks, .415 FG%, .444 3pt%, .855 FT%
John Wall
Team: Washington Wizards
Position: PG
No.: #2
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall / (Kentucky)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
18.5 Points, 7.6 Assists, 4.0 Rebounds, 1.3 Steals, 0.8 Blocks, .441 FG%, .267 3pt%, .804 FT%
The PG out of Kentucky, had a weird start to the season. After injuries and watching his team play abysmally, John Wall returned to Wizards and immediately improved their play. Obviously he wasn't going to get them into playoff contention, but rather save them from hitting rock-bottom. With a pretty nice season from the PG, many still wondered if he was elite-caliber. Well he showed them:
John Wall demonstrated toward the end of this season that, when healthy, he is more than capable of carrying the Wizards to a low-seeded playoff berth. If Washington can bring in a few impact players over the summer, they will likely be able to compete for a spot in the postseason as early as next year.
For now, though, Wizards fans can take solace in the fact that John Wall appears to have taken another big step toward becoming a franchise-caliber talent in the NBA.
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
18.8 Points, 8.1 Assists, 4.2 Rebounds, 2.0 Steals, 1.2 Blocks, .467 FG%, .381 3pt%, .818 FT%
Jeff Green
Team: Boston Celtics
Position: SF/PF
No.: #8
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall / (Georgetown)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
12.8 Points, 1.6 Assists, 3.9 Rebounds, 0.7 Steals, 0.8 Blocks, .476 FG%, .385 3pt%, .808 FT%
Andre Drummond
Team: Detroit Pistons
Position: C/PF
No.: #1
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall / (Connecticut)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
7.9 Points, 0.4 Assists, 7.6 Rebounds, 0.8 Steals, 2.7 Blocks, .538 FG%, .000 3pts%, .295 FT%
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Position: SF/SG
No.: #2
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15th overall / (San Diego State.)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
11.9 Points, 1.6 Assists, 6.0 Rebounds, 1.7 Steals, 0.6 Blocks, .494 FG%, .374 3pts%, .825 FT%
The San Antonio Spurs will keep their winning tradition because Kawhi Leonard is that good.
The
21-year-old is the future of an organization that for so long has been
headlined by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. While the
veteran core should remain intact, it’s the Spurs’ young wing who will
carry San Antonio into its next era.
Leonard is of
another generation, and by the time he finishes his Spurs career,
Duncan could be in his 50s. When Duncan was drafted with the No. 1 pick
on June 25, 1997, Leonard was just four days away from turning six
years old.
GIF: Kawhi Leonard's POSTERIZATION of Mike Miller, Game 6, NBA Finals |
Leonard has just finished his second season, but he appears to be the real deal.
Kawhi Leonard: 14.6 Finals PPG is 5th best ever by player under 22 (Alvan Adams, @MagicJohnson, Dolph Schayes, @kobebryant) - @EliasSports
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 21, 2013
The Spurs lost, but Kawhi Leonard was outstanding. Before this series, I predicted this would be his coming out party. I think it was.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 21, 2013
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 21, 2013
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 21, 2013
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
16.8 Points, 3.5 Assists, 6.9 Rebounds, 2.1 Steals, 1.4 Blocks, .565 FG%, .377 3pt%, .710 FT%
Steph Curry
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: PG
No.: #30
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12th overall / (Davidson)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
22.9 Points, 8.1 Assists, 3.8 Rebounds, 1.7 Steals, 0.2 Blocks, .434 FG%, .396 3pts%, .921 FT%
Steph Curry, or as many are now beginning to call him, the 'Human Torch'. And that is a very accurate description indeed. Steph Curry is a bona-fide shooter, and quite possibly be the best shooter currently in the NBA. He seems to catch fire almost every night, draining 3 after 3 and blazing up to court. We witnessed to an amazing extent on February, 27, 2013 as Steph Curry went HAM. He dropped 54 points at the Garden:
As you can see from the above video, NOTHING was able to stop Curry. He was absolutely on fire, and this is what he was like in the playoffs. Many voters said that Curry was their MVP of the playoffs and the most exciting player to watch. Simply because of his shooting. But don't let that fool you, although he is a fantastic shooter and scorer, Steph can also pass the ball extremely well, which is needed at the PG positon.
Steph Curry is ready to show the league exactly what he's got. 2014 will be a HUGE season for Steph Curry... I mean the 'Human Torch' or... Iron Man?
.@StephenCurry30 is known as the Human Torch, but is he now Iron Man? pic.twitter.com/B9wxqKpjT72013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
— SportsNation (@SportsNation) May 6, 2013
25.0 Points, 8.4 Assists, 2.9 Rebounds, 1.8 Steals, 0.5 Blocks, .565 FG%, .401 3pt%, .910 FT%
Damian Lillard
Team: Portland TrailBlazers
Position: PG
No.: #0
NBA Draft: NBA Draft 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall / (Weber State.)
2012 - 13 NBA Season Averages:
19.0 Points, 6.5 Assists, 3.1 Rebounds, 0.9 Steals, 0.2 Blocks, .429 FG%, .368 3pts%, .844FT%
Damian Lillard's time is almost now. Winning the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year award confirmed what most of us already know about the Portland Trail Blazers guard—he's on the precipice of stardom. Lillard has joined the company of big names such as Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, among others.
The 22-year-old point man out of Weber State was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft and finished his first season as a pro averaging 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, shooting 42.9 percent. He also knocked down 36.8 percent of his deep balls.
And so, for Lillard, Rookie of the Year honors aren't the end. They're not the culmination of anything.
Blazers G Damian Lillard officially named the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year pic.twitter.com/JNu4e39VVO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2013
The award is merely a representative of something bigger. Of something better. Of a future star. Whose future isn't far off.
2013 - 14 NBA Season Predicted Averages:
19.9 Points, 7.8 Assists, 3.4 Rebounds, 2.7 Steals, 0.3 Blocks, .517 FG%, .341 3pt%, .796 FT%
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