NBA Mock Draft – Version 5.0

NOTE: This version of the mock draft projects potential trades.

ACTUAL TRADE:
* New Orleans trades the 27th pick to Portland for cash considerations

OTHER TRADES:
* Miami trades the 2nd pick and the rights to Mark Blount to Seattle for the 4th and 24th picks and the rights to Luke Ridnour.
* Charlotte trades the 9th pick to Sacramento for 12th and 43rd picks and cash considerations.
* Portland trades the 13th pick and rights to Martell Webster and Channing Frye to Memphis for Mike Miller.
* Portland trades the 55th pick to Philadelphia for cash considerations.
* Seattle trades the 56th pick to Atlanta for cash considerations.
* Detroit trades the 59th pick to New York for cash considerations.

1. Chicago. Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis. I think we’ve heard enough about this. Did you know Rose was from Chicago? Ben Gordon will love this pick. Kirk Hinrich won’t.

2. Seattle (from Miami). Michael Beasley, SF/PF, Kansas State. With Pat Riley’s ambivalence about Beasley mixed with the Heat having multiple holes to address (PG, PF, C) and only one pick in the top 50, this trade makes some sense. Beasley is a much stronger fit in Seattle’s plans.

3. Minnesota. OJ Mayo, SG/PG, USC. Mayo is now the consensus third pick among the experts. Yes, I’m gloating, because the real media is now saying what I’ve said for months. Mayo realized he had teammates and started distributing the rock, and he got tougher on defense.

4. Miami (from Seattle). Brook Lopez, C, Stanford. Riles can thank me later for these amazing ideas. Lopez is an inside scoring threat who may have some defensive holes in his game. Without his twin brother (Robin), Brook may struggle. Not to mention, he’s playing the pros, and there’s this thing called defensive 3 seconds. Without a trade happening, Lopez may fall to the 9th pick.

5. Memphis. Kevin Love, PF, UCLA. If no trades happen with this pick, Love should be the guy at #5. Rated #12 on my big board, I’m not in love with this pick (no pun intended). Trading this pick for David Lee and other pieces is a stronger proposition.

6. New York. Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA. Though I think Augustin is the better pick, Westbrook’s versatility and defensive skills make him a great pick here. Bayless is an amazing talent, but it was determined rather early that he’d be a bad fit here by numerous sources.

7. LA Clippers. Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana. Barring a trade with the Phoenix Suns sending Corey Maggette and this pick for Leandro Barbosa and the 15th pick, Gordon is their guy. He’s just too good to pass up.

8. Milwaukee. Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia. The athletic Alexander provides a multi-faceted player who is a very good team defender and an explosive scorer.

9. Sacramento (from Charlotte). Jerryd Bayless, PG/SG, Arizona. If Bayless falls this far, which he likely will not, some team will jump back into the top 10 for his services.

10. New Jersey. Danilo Gallinari, SF, Armani Jeans Milano. Last week, the rumor mill dictated that unless the Italian received a Top 10 promise, he’d be opting out of the draft. He stayed in. Not to mention, he can drive to the hoop and shoot.

11. Indiana. DJ Augustin, PG, Texas. Augustin is a floor general that the Pacers badly need. His game has limitations due to his size, but at the end of the day, he makes his teammates better.

12. Charlotte (from Sacramento). Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas. Arthur provides athleticism, size and discipline. Arthur will need to work on consistency in order to see the floor. Do not be shocked one bit if the ‘Cats trade this pick for a veteran.

13. Memphis (from Portland). Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas. Exit Miller. Enter Rush. Brandon has quieted the critics and demonstrated the excellence that many expected three years ago when he was trying to decide whether to forgo college.

14. Golden State. Kosta Koufos, C, Ohio State. There’s a lot of bust potential here, but Koufos could be a major boon given his style for Team Uncertainty.

15. Phoenix (from Atlanta). Anthony Randolph, SF, LSU. Following their most recent ouster from the playoffs, the Suns need a defense-first player with the length to disrupt passing lanes and create mismatches.

16. Philadelphia. Marreese Speights, PF, Florida. The Sixers are in sore need of a scoring big. If they do not pull a trade for Josh Smith, Speights will be a part of the path they travel.

17. Toronto. Nicolas Batum, SG, Le Mans. There is a dearth of playmakers for the Raptors, so Batum fills a huge gap. Admittedly, I was scared when reading about his heart problems, but he has checked out fine.

18. Washington. Robin Lopez, C, Stanford. Robin, the more agile of the Lopez twins, will do three things well: play defense, alter shots and rebound.

19. Cleveland. Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown. After giving up millions of dollars to return to school, Hibbert adds scoring punch and can alter shots in the lane. Though more polished than some of his colleagues, Hibbert still needs to work on his footwork and add imagination to his game.

20. Denver. Mario Chalmers, PG, Kansas. A cagy on-the-ball defender, Chalmers is equally excellent in terms of anticipation. Though not a true PG, Chalmers has demonstrated the aptitude to lead a team in workouts.

21. New Jersey (from Dallas). Jason Thompson, PF, Rider. Thompson averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds for little-known Rider during his junior and senior year. Thompson’s biggest transition will go from being the man to being a role player.

22. Orlando. Courtney Lee, SG, Western Kentucky. This is the first reach of the draft; however, Lee fills a major team need at shooting guard and can push for the starting job immediately.

23. Utah. DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M. Despite struggling in early workouts, Jordan is a talent and has an NBA-ready body. All he needs now is an NBA-ready mind and all that comes with it.

24. Miami (from Phoenix via Seattle). JaVale McGee, C, Nevada. After free-falling due to maturity issues, Miami latches onto its second big. McGee provides the defensive spark that Lopez may still yearn for.

25. Houston. Alexis Ajinca, C/PF, HTV Hyeres-Toulon. Ajinca provides the agility and length to alter shots and rebound effectively. He is still getting accustomed to the game and has little to no offensive game despite some excellent workouts. During the workouts, scouts have been wowed his Ajinca’s work ethic and a number of mock drafts have him going 13th to Portland!

26. San Antonio. Donte Greene, SF, Syracuse. Another free faller due to being an upside guy. Greene may go 11 picks higher or up to five picks lower. With the right coach and the necessary work ethic, he could be a major contributor by January.

27. Portland (from New Orleans). Serge Ibaka, PF/C, L’ Hospitalet. Per Aran Smith of NBADraft.net, Ibaka is a “tremendous athlete blessed with insane length and leaping ability” who “conjures up memories of Shawn Kemp”. An impressive YouTube video montage was supplemented by earning MVP honors at Eurocamp. With solid footwork, an existing jumpshot (great form to boot) and an awesome work ethic, Ibaka is much further along than many other project bigs.

28. Memphis (from LA Lakers). JJ Hickson, PF, NC State. Hickson’s talent is unquestioned. His ability to mesh with other talented players is.

29. Detroit. Bill Walker, SG/SF, Kansas State. Walker should have returned to school, but he did not. Walker can be a star in this league and the Pistons realize that.

30. Boston. Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG, Memphis. At the 30th pick, CDR is a steal. Though he has had difficulty adding weight, CDR can get to the line via the mismatches he creates in addition to his ability to score off the dribble. His long arms can disrupt passing lanes as well.

2nd Round

31. Minnesota (from Miami). Nikola Pekovic, PF, Partizan Belgrade. A back to the basket player, Pekovic has demonstrated explosiveness near the rim. To round out his game, he will need to work on his jumpshot.

32. Seattle. Nathan Jawai, PF/C, Cairns Taipans. After selecting OJ Mayo, the Wolves set their sights on Nathan Jawal, an Australian big who actually enjoys getting physical. Like most aggressive players, Jawal will need to refine much of his game while continuing to learn the game.

33. Portland (from Memphis). DJ White, PF, Indiana. This pick is likely for someone else. White has 1st-round talent, but has had numerous injuries. He’s our best player available at this point.

34. Minnesota. Omer Asik, C, Fenerbache Ulker. Asik is a 7’0” in the truest sense (physical, active, long reach). Additionally, he’s athletic. He has plenty of room for improvement on offense, but is improving. Discussions of a five-year extension with his current team may scuttle draft prospects.

35. LA Clippers. Kyle Weaver, PG/SG, Washington State. One of the headiest players in the draft pool, Weaver is a tenacious defender. He will need to refine his offensive game if he wants to be the man down the stretch. His ball-handling skills allow for him to be an effective point guard who can cause matchup problems due to his height.

36. Portland (from New York). DeVon Hardin, PF, California. Hardin adds a defensive-minded who requires few shots to be effective. His ability to play solid defense without taking too many chances is attractive to many teams. The Blazers may actually hang onto this pick.

37. Milwaukee. Joey Dorsey, PF/C, Memphis. In an effort to toughen up the frontline, the Bucks take Dorsey, who will outhustle and outmuscle most opponents. However, his offensive game outside of three foot is limited to non-existent.

38. Charlotte. Goran Dragic, PG, Union Olimpija. A tall point, Dragic is no stranger to the lane and scores most of his points there. He has been considered unselfish to a fault and the Slovenian likely needs a couple more seasons in Europe.

39. Chicago. Ryan Anderson, SF/PF, California. Though he may not slip this far, Anderson is a proven scorer with an inside/outside game.

40. New Jersey. Jamont Gordon, SG/PG, Mississippi State. You have to love versatility to make this pick. Gordon is a grinder who’s tough and gives you a tougher option at the point.

41. Indiana. Richard Hendrix, PF, Alabama. It’s time for the Pacers to add some muscle. Hendrix lacks overall speed, but he makes up for it with physicality and basketball wherewithal.

42. Sacramento (from Atlanta). George Hill, PG, IUPUI. Hill is fundamentally sound and knows how to play bigger than his size. Additionally, Hill was rumored to have received a promise to be drafted. Even if Beno Udrih is re-signed, this is a good pick.

43. Charlotte (from Sacramento). Semih Erden, C, Fenerbahce Ulker. A pure seven footer, Erden has athleticism and lateral quickness to match his size; however, Erden needs vast improvement in the defense and rebounding departments.

44. Utah (from Philadelphia). Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, SF, UCLA. The Prince’s ability to hustle and defend up to three positions makes him the perfect Jerry Sloan Pick.

45. San Antonio (from Toronto). Gary Forbes, SG, Massachusetts. Throughout his collegiate career, Forbes increased his basketball IQ and consistency. At 6’6” and 220 pounds, Forbes will have a size advantage over most shooting guards and be comparable to most small forwards. Also, he is very coachable, which is an attractive proposition for Pop.

46. Seattle (from Portland via Boston). Ante Tomic, PF/C, KK Zagreb. Though skilled in the post, Tomic has a frail body and can be taken advantage of. His ability to become stronger will define his career.

47. Washington. Walter Sharpe, PF, UAB. I’m no genius, but I read on multiple rumor boards that Washington invited him back for a 2nd workout. That’s enough to think a promise may be in place.

48. Phoenix (from Cleveland). Trent Plaisted, PF/C, BYU. In the current Warriors system, Plaisted’s athletic ability and face-up game make him a fantastic fit. Could be a 10-year veteran role player in the league.

49. Golden State. Davon Jefferson, SF, USC. Jefferson is an athletically gifted player but lacks the functional skills (shooting, dribbling) to dominate. Jefferson can be an energy guy for any roster in the very least and can become a star if he works on shooting and dribbling. The open court system should suit Jefferson.

50. Seattle (from Denver). Will Daniels, SF, Rhode Island. Daniels is a basketball player with great hands. He knows his strengths and exerts effort at all times. On the flipside, Daniels has the tendency to get into foul trouble and take bad shots. At the end of the day, the Sonics are probably drafting for someone else.

51. Dallas. Josh Duncan, PF/SF, Xavier. Duncan is an agile, versatile forward who is very tough. Critics say Duncan lacks upside, but he’s a winner who is fundamentally sound. Dallas may also reach for a center.

52. Miami (from Orlando). Damjan Rudez, SF, KK Split. Admittedly, I know very little about Rudez, other than that he has recently shot up draft charts. He’s 6’10” and only 200 pounds, so adding weight is a necessity. Otherwise, he’s very skilled, athletic and plays with moxie.

53. Utah. Mike Taylor, PG/SG, Idaho Stampede. Taylor has impressed in workouts and he is the best point guard remaining on the board.

54. Houston. Sonny Weems, SG, Arkansas. A very good shooter who can slash to the basket, Weems is only starting to show his ball skills. To stay on the floor, he must reduce turnovers and become efficient.

55. Philadelphia (from Phoenix via Portland). Shan Foster, SG, Vanderbilt. You can never have enough shooters and that’s exactly what Foster is. Do not be surprised at all if Foster goes up to 15 picks earlier.

56. Atlanta (from New Orleans via Seattle). JR Giddens, SG, New Mexico. Athletic and explosive, Giddens can only be held back by himself. Shot selection and decision making has long plagued the guard. If he becomes more coachable, he could be a starter in the Association.

57. San Antonio. Drew Neitzel, PG, Michigan State. After not being on the radar, Neitzel impressed at the pre-draft camp and did enough in workouts to garner 2nd-round pick consideration.

58. LA Lakers. Darnell Jackson, PF, Kansas. Why not? Jackson is a winner and knows his role. Team and defense come first.

59. New York (from Detroit). James Gist, SF/PF, Maryland. On the good side, Gist has plenty of talent and is extremely athletic. On the bad side, much of this talent is unrealized to this point.

60. Boston. Othello Hunter, PF, Ohio State. And here goes the run on athletic fours. The hard-working Hunter is an instant energy player who will make hustle plays and use every ounce of his talent.

NBA Draft Lottery Tidbits

Desperate for a floor general, many NBA teams are rating Derrick Rose ahead of Michael Beasley.

Credit: Pictopia

Going into tonight's draft lottery, the two-headed monster of Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley are stealing headlines. Also, that team in New Orleans forgot to cover Manu Ginobili in a decisive Game 7 and paid for it. At least, they now have time to buy new rods. The Spurs played their signature lockdown defense and avoided a third-quarter collapse that proved symptomatic in their three previous games in The Big Easy.

Returning to the draft lottery (airing tonight), the Miami Heat and Seattle Supersonics have a 46% and 39% chance, respectively, to select either Rose or Beasley.

Here one's more tidbit.

• One game separates the third (Minnesota) and sixth picks (New York). The sixth pick has a 25.5% chance of gaining a top 5 pick, whereas the third pick has a 95% of doing the same thing.

PHSports 2008 NBA Mock Draft – 1st Round

Greetings one and all to our first of many collaborative NBA Mock Drafts here at PHSports. While sooner than later we’ll dive into the foray of a two-round mock, today’s installation is focusing only on Round 1.

Syracuse fans aren't too devastated from Green's early departure. He might be after he sees his draft stock continue to slip.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

We’re taking a leap of faith as several potential prospects won’t make their official decision to declare their intention to enter the draft until the deadline (April 27th). Even more may not sign an agent and end up returning to their college team before June’s draft.

To avoid too much controversy over staying/going, we’ve decided to take an all-or-nothing approach. We’re assuming quite a bit with who may be leaving or staying…but at least we’ll be consistent.

We (Pay & Clement) have decided to be duel it out as a consensus of head coach, player personnel direction, scout, owner/president, and general manager. We LOVE that type of power. Then again, who wouldn’t?

Without further banter, let’s roll!

Rating the Lopez-twins, both all but assured to go before the end of Round 1, is a bit tricky.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

1) Miami Heat
Selection: Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State
Comments: You can’t overvalue PG in this draft or in the NBA, despite how talented Rose is.

2) Seattle Supersonics
Selection: Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
Comments: The foundation is starting to build.

3) Minnesota Timberwolves
Selection: Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
Comments: Randy Foye may not be an elite PG, but Minnesota needs a big next to Jefferson.

4) Memphis Grizzlies
Selection: OJ Mayo, SG, USC
Comments: We would trade. Are they set at the 1,2, or 3 (assuming they keep Miller)? Gun to the head …

5) New York Knicks
Selection: Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona
Comments: Somewhat unenviable position here. Shocker with the Knicks involved. Could they potential trade and dump a contract or two?

6) Los Angeles Clippers
Selection: Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
Comments: He can find his own shot and oddly reminds us of Sam Cassell. Even if Gordon isn’t the prototypical PG.

7) Milwaukee Bucks
Selection: DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M
Comments: The new Los Angeles Clippers. Year by year, they compile lottery picks. In the NFL, they’d be screwed. This pick was downright brutal. In the end, he’s 7-feet tall and won’t take up too many shots. Don’t put any stock into this DeAndre, Milwaukee needs a center…and you’re just about it right now.

8) Charlotte Bobcats
Selection: Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas
Comments: Remember: it’s Jordan. Will Okafor leave? Either way, they need bigs. Gallinari is yet again a victim of not being a proper fit to the needs and system of a team. Shocked by the pick? He can hit the mid-range jumper, plays great defense, RUNS and played on a winning team (which MJ loves).

9) Indiana Pacers
Selection: DJ Augustin, PG, Texas
Comments: Look at the roster, they need a point guard. One that won’t get shot at either (Pay made the joke, Clement demanded it be posted). Augustin has to overcome that Memphis performance in workouts. Get in the gym and get stronger, young man.

10) Chicago Bulls
Selection: Danilo Gallinari, SF, Armani Milan (Italy)
Comments: It’s finally time to take the best player available. Fortunately for Chicago, he has a boatload of talent.

Now that one European has gone. When will another (i.e. Batum) follow?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

11) New Jersey Nets
Selection: Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
Comments: They like their 1, 2, and 3. Even if we HATE their 2 (stop chucking!). They have plenty of bodies up front (Boone, Diop, Swift, Krstic and Williams to name a few). Although, several are in a contract year. To be honest, we’re not gaga over Love at #11. No chance.

12) Sacramento Kings
Selection: JaVale McGee, C, Nevada
Comments: Blake Griffin has ruined this draft by staying in school. He has made far too many “second-choices” for teams. We basically flipped a coin between Lopez and McGee.

13) Portland Trailblazers
Selection: Anthony Randolph, SF, LSU
Comments: They need to take the best player available and honestly can take a risk, on talent and NOT character. Fantastic value on this squad.

14) Golden State Warriors
Selection: Nicolas Batum, SG/SF, Le Mans (France)
Comments: B Diddy with a player option is key: but he’s gonna stay (we think). Free agent Monta Ellis is such a major factor. We’re struggling between potential and fit. Clement still loves this guy.

15) Phoenix Suns [from Atlanta]
Selection: Brandon Rush, SF, Kansas
Comments: Likely with Shaq’s contract ($40 million over 2 years), they’re trading this pick. Are they going to build for the future (PG) OR try and stockpile a talented reserve?

16) Philadelphia 76ers
Selection: Robin Lopez, C, Stanford
Comments: Pay and Clement debate if Andre Iguodala is worth a potential $70-million contract. Either way, they’re going to be forced to pay him. Nice work, Billy King. Clement is weary, but Pay’s confidence easily wins out.

17) Washington Wizards
Selection: Darren Collison, PG, UCLA
Comments: Agent Zero: what are you going to do? The same can’t be forgotten about Mr. Consistency Antawn Jamison. Is there a big worth jumping over a PG? Probably not at this point.

18) Toronto Raptors
Selection: Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG, Memphis
Comments: Swingman, that’s all we decided. Is Clement forcing Russell Westbrook to plummet?

Is the "hate" towards Westbrook as illegitimate as his point guard capabilities?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

19) Cleveland Cavaliers
Selection: Russell Westbrook, PG/SG, UCLA
Comments: Fortunately, the HATE has ended. Honestly, I don’t mind Westbrook at all. But is he a true PG? We’ll see.

20) Denver Nuggets
Selection: Mario Chalmers, PG, Kansas
Comments: Defense and he can get off his own shot (evident in the title game, right?). Suddenly, for the first time, the name Lawson is mentioned.

21) Orlando Magic
Selection: Earl Clark, SF/PF, Louisville
Comments: A lot of cap flexibility and a lot of potential as the playoffs arrive.
Can the Magic be as illogical as I am: not taking Hansbrough due to Redick being an overachieving ACC player. Clark needs to grow, from the waist.

22) New Jersey Nets [from Dallas]
Selection: Donte Greene, SF, Syracuse
Comments: Rock solid value at this spot, especially since they can wait on Greene for a season or two. The kid still has a high amount of potential. He was second in the Big East in scoring.

23) Utah Jazz
Selection: Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown
Comments: In a word…keep your depth and trade. Wait, that was several words. Another word: project. Especially since Brewer has had a solid year. We’re taking Hibbert over Thabeet, who is an enigma wrapped in a mystery right now.

24) San Antonio Spurs
Selection: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut
Comments: Pay wants Dorsey. I want Thabeet out of the Big East. Seattle is devastated. Another project center.

25) Seattle Supersonics [from Phoenix]
Selection: Jason Thompson, PF, Rider
Comments: They have their PG of the future. Shocker: they need a BIG. Don’t take Psycho T, that’s an MJ-pick. Hendrix has a lot of upside, but he might suck too. Ryan Anderson is too much of a 3. Can Jeff Green play the 4 and allow Alexander to play the 3? Gotta love when Rider guys go 1st-round.

26) Houston Rockets
Selection: Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona
Comments: There isn’t a 5 here worth taking. Sorry. So they can use depth at the 3, offensively, at least.

27) Memphis Grizzlies [from LA Lakers]
Selection: Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina
Comments: You MUST go big. YOU MUST! He is a character guy who can attract fans and haters. Hometown-esque pick of Dorsey? Not so much.

28) New Orleans Hornets
Selection: Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia
Comments: They need a playmaker off of the bench, not a role player. We’re very interested in Julian Wright and his potential progression. This is a luxury pick. You can have a lot of fun with this. We’re wondering: Alexander or Damion James? We like Weaver a lot too. What a fun pick.

29) Detroit Pistons
Selection: Joey Dorsey, PF/C, Memphis
Comments: What’s the deal with McDyess? So much is set, although they’re getting older. The question is: 4/5? Don’t Amir Johnson & Jason Maxiell need help: Dorsey can rebound, play defense, and go away on offense. CHECK!

30) Boston Celtics
Selection: Damion James, SF, Texas
Comments: Will he come out? Who cares, he’s a potential steal and a stud reserve on this talented roster. If he doesn’t come out, then there’s a boatload of talent here anyways. Notably, Tyler Smith.

Dont' cry Joey. A spot on the Piston roster is perfect for you.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

You know we want YOUR comments...NOW!!!!

Until next mock...

Culmination of March Madness…in April: Championship Night

Tonight is the zenith of the college basketball season. Despite the Women’s Championship Game taking place tomorrow night, in all reality, this is the nexus of the college basketball universe.

Four teams arrived in San Antonio, with UCLA & UNC both bowing out much earlier than their fans, as well as more than a few experts, had anticipated.

Is this THE top moment from the 2008 Final Four? Just maybe...
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Fortunately, an all #1-seed Final Four leaves us with two very enticing details:
1) The National Champion must defeat two fellow #1-seeds.
2) Memphis or Kansas will be a highly deserving champion.

No flukes this season. The best team will walk away national champs. Or, so we hope…

Before we dive head-first into tonight, let’s rewind back to Saturday night (as tough as that is for one of our writers) and give a few thoughts each on the national semifinal matchups.

Memphis defeated UCLA 78-63.

Derrick Rose & Robert Dozier must be chuckling that more than a few "experts" had them out well before title night.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

-Derrick Rose is as poised a freshman leader as Carmelo Anthony was in 2003 (Syracuse plug!).
-Joey Dorsey made up for the “David v. Goliath” debacle with Greg Oden and Ohio State last season.
-Ben Howland and the 3-time Final Four Bruins are slowly becoming the new Buffalo Bills. Last night’s loss had to be their most painful.

Kansas defeated North Carolina 84-68.

Bill Self, finally, got over a real hump (sorry, Davidson) in the tournament.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

-Once Kansas went up 40-12, they were as out of control (with countless justifiable offensive fouls) as I’ve ever seen a team with a 28-point lead.
-Wayne Ellington won’t be a factor in the NBA. Yeah, Clement said it.
-Kansas won’t have their so-called “revenge” on Carolina-born Roy until they win a national championship…no matter who is in the way.

As for tonight, let’s do this!

[38-1] Memphis vs. [36-3] Kansas

Heady play, on both sides of the ball, will be key for Sherron Collins (as well as any other player on the court Monday night).

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

KEY PLAYERS:

It’s obvious to even the weakest of analysts that both teams have an extreme amount of depth. As painful as the injury to Kansas senior Rodrick Stewart was to watch, it is not as pivotal as the suspension of Memphis’s Andre Allen. While I felt Allen’s chucking would outweigh his defense against the Bruins, I’m not so sure Calipari won’t miss his defensive prowess against the four talented guards of Kansas [Chalmers, Rush, Robinson & Collins]. As for players actually in the game, Memphis will rely on four players doing what they do best: Derrick Rose dominating the ball, CDR making plays in and out of the lane, Joey Dorsey banging and bruising in the paint and Antonio Anderson locking defenders down on the perimeter. Want a wild card? Robert Dozier, despite looking shaky with the ball outside the paint on Saturday night, might need to pull a double-double (and then some) against the big, bruising and athletic Kansas big men.

As for the aforementioned Rock Chalkers, Bill Self has four guards that make plays on both sides of the ball throughout the game. However, more responsible for Kansas’s early 28-point lead was their big men. In fact, it wasn’t even the big men you might first expect (Arthur, Kaun & Jackson). Six first-half points and rebounds from freshman reserve Cole Aldrich were indispensable in spelling foul trouble and tired legs for the Jayhawks. Even more important was his ability to avoid illegal screen calls and emphatically denying several Tar Heel interior attempts. While Kansas will require a total team effort to run ’n’ gun with the Tigers, the Jayhawks need to put Dorsey, Dozier & Taggart where they can hurt Bill Self’s crew the least: on the bench. Forcing Dorsey into tough double-teams on offense and attacking him on his weak-side on defense are vital for Kansas to control the paint and eventually, the closing moments.

Here’s one final nugget to consider. What do Drew Neitzel, DJ Augustin and Darren Collison? All three are small guards and all were dominated by Memphis. Though Kansas’s backcourt quartet is strong physically, Brandon Rush is the only to be taller than 6’1”. Perhaps, Derrick Rose’s fondness for sweets may prevent him from playing at his best.

Coach Calipari's Tigers own a new record for 38 wins in a season. They won't matter without win number 39.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

MOMENT OF TRUTH:
The first six minutes of this game are likely to be a track meet. Outside of strict officiating, I find it hard to believe the game will reach the first TV timeout before the 14-minute mark. Baskets will be traded and momentum will be established. The problem is: Will either team be able to build an early double-digit lead OR will neither team be able to pull away early and establish what we all want…a shootout from start to finish.

THE WINNER WILL …
-Avoid foul trouble in the closing four minutes of the first half and opening four minutes of the second half.
-Limit their shots from the three-point line (higher percentage will easily take out more attempts in this matchup).
-Be the best team in college basketball this season. Period.

PREDICTIONS:

[Paymon] Memphis wins 76-68
MVP: Chris Douglas-Roberts

[Clement] Kansas wins 90-89 [OT]
MOP: Brandon Rush

Could Memphis center Joey Dorsey be an MOP candidate without scoring a meaningul basket. YES!
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Enjoy tonight!