2013-14 NBA Schedule Released; Season Starts Strong

Derrick Rose's first game back with Chicago could be the season opener against the Miami Heat. (fullcourtpumps.com)

The NBA may be in the heart of the offseason, but with the 2013-14 schedule released last night, teams and fans can start looking ahead and circling games on their calendars.

The first days everyone looks for when the schedule finally comes out is the season opener and Christmas Day, and the NBA has made sure neither day will disappoint. In terms of storylines, the first night of the season, Oct. 29, couldn't get much better. The Miami Heat will welcome Chicago in what should be Derrick Rose's first game back in more than a year. A healthy Chicago squad has been thought of the past few years as one of the best changes of ending Miami's reign as champions. That night will also feature a completely upside down rivalry when Doc Rivers makes his coaching debut with the Los Angeles Clippers against the Lakers, who has a completely new lineup, except for Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Basketball fans will have a feast of five games on Christmas Day and while Chicago will face the new-look Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City will play the New York Knicks, Miami will travel to LA to take on the Lakers and Dwight Howard's Houston Rockets will challenge San Antonio, the most exciting game on the schedule could be the night cap, where the Clippers travel to Golden State. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin versus Stephen Curry and the young-but-talented Warriors should be a high-tempo, high-scoring contest that will be fun to watch.

Obviously these are just two days on a very busy 82-game schedule for teams, and every team has a few games worthy of mention here. Dwight Howard's return to Los Angeles and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett's return to Boston are just two that will bring national attention. If you're just interested in finding your favorite team's schedule, Dan Devine at Yahoo! Sports compiled links to every team's schedule on the Ball Don't Lie blog for your enjoyment.

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Warriors Land Iguodala: Iggy Iggy Iggy, Can't You See?

Andre Iguodala has signed with the Golden State Warriors. The deal inks Iguodala to $48 million over the next four seasons and sends Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins (both equipped with expiring contracts) as well as Brandon Rush and a future first-round pick to the Utah Jazz. The Warriors also waived the rights to veterans Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, clearing cap space.

Iggy jumps on a Golden State ship that emerged on the horizon of relevancy to the Western Conference last season. Guards Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry showed how far two elite perimeter shooters can carry a team. While Iguodala doesn't have same shooting prowess as his teammates, he isn't a slouch from the perimeter, either. His biggest impact will come while playing defense, though. Iguodala is lengthy and agile, making him capable of locking down opposing scorers playing both on and off the ball.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. (Rodney Widner)

Warriors coach Mark Jackson faces a dilemma (Editor's note: one most coaches would love - Alex). Iguodala and Harrison Barnes are both swingman and neither possesses size or skills of a power forward. It's absurd to think either would take minutes away from Thompson at shooting guard, thus sparking the question: how do the two co-exist? It's uncertain, but Jackson playing Barnes at the 4 in small-ball line-ups during the post2season proves he isn't a coach afraid of being a little unorthodox.

Iggy's defensive tenacity and knack for finding ways to include himself in the nightly highlight reel will make the Golden State Warriors just that much more exciting to watch this season.

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Warriors' David Lee Finally Reached The Playoffs Before Injury Cut His Opportunity Short

It took David Lee eight seasons to reach the playoffs only to have him forced to watch from the sidelines again. (nba.com)

It took seven years, two teams and a lot of patience for David Lee, now in his eighth season, to finally make it to the playoffs. A very productive forward/center, Lee was subject to playing for a New York Knicks team that suffered through years of turmoil under head coach Larry Brown and much-maligned general manager Isaiah Thomas. He was traded to a young team in the Golden State Warriors that, despite their talent, was still trying to find an identity for themselves as his old team (the Knicks) made the playoffs.

Then, finally, the talent of the Warriors began to also find consistency and win games. Lee was finally a part of a winning team. A playoff team. Lee and the Warriors took the court for the first game of round one against the Denver Nuggets, a team nearly as potent offensively as the Warriors themselves. It promised to be a heated series with plenty of scoring and excitement. Lee had finally made it.

And then it was all taken away in one sharp, painful moment.

After waiting for seven years to make it to the postseason, Lee will watch the remainder of this one from the sidelines due to a torn hip flexor. After suffering through losing teams, poor coaching and waiting for a young team to come of age, Lee will have to wait just a little bit longer to realize his dream of playing deep into the second season.

The playoffs seemed like a climactic moment for Lee and his career to this point. He had been part of bringing a young team from the rank of bottom feeder to one of the most feared offensive units in the NBA. He had a large contract that set him, his children, grandchildren and all future pets for life. The playoffs seemed like a fitting capstone after a career of waiting for such a moment.

However, while this is a tough setback to what should have been a wonderful moment, Lee can look forward to many other seasons where the Warriors will be a part of the postseason. The young, talented and offensively lethal Warriors will be back in the playoffs. With the likes of Stephen Curry, Andrew Bogut, Klay Thompson and Carl Landry, Lee will most certainly be returning for a run in the postseason. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.


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Stephen Curry Breaks Ray Allen's 3-Point Season Record

Stephen Curry is the new record-holder for most 3-pointers in a season. (cbssports.com)

Record Tying 3-pointer: Double screen on the left wing. Curl hard. Don’t give the defender space to get over the top. Pass received. Three hard dribbles to the right. Post man shows trying to help the screened defender. No problem. He doesn’t commit. Doesn’t want to get beat off the dribble, so he throws a half-hearted hand out before running into his own man. Perfect. Wide open. Let it rip.

Rattles home.

Even with Ray Allen now. Got to get one more.

Record Breaking Three: No more waiting. Pass is on its way. Grab it and just let it go. Forget the defender. He’s out of position. Don’t think. Just shoot. Catch and release. Like a million times before.

Swish.

And just like that, Stephen Curry held the record for the most 3-pointers made in a single season.

There have been many truly sensational 3-point shooters that have graced an NBA court. The likes of Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash and Ray Allen have all consistently watched a long ball nestle itself into the nylon. The engaging and compelling debates of “who’s the best” are never ending and will more than likely never be decided. However, every now and again a new player will throw his or her name into the discussion. By passing Ray Allen for most 3's in a single season, Golden State Warriors’ guard Stephen Curry is the most recent player to do so.

During his time at Davidson University, Curry was a dynamic scorer and a brilliant shooter.  Averaging more than 20 points a game throughout his college career, Curry exemplified what a scorer should be. He shot at least 45 percent in each of his seasons, and nearly 90 percent from the charity stripe. He also showed good defensive prowess, picking the pockets of his opponents twice per contest. The one thing that separated Curry from other guards was his jump shot and that has continued to be, among his many assets, his most lethal weapon.

Curry has a lightening-quick release that would challenge even Allen’s and a fearless demeanor that makes any shot seem like a good one for Curry. This same attitude helped him lead his Wildcats to the Elite Eight before falling to the Kansas Jayhawks in a tightly contested game in 2008. After having a career year in the 2008-09 season, where he averaged nearly 29 points a game, six assists a game and more than two steals a game, Curry left for the NBA. And this is where his path to true greatness as a shooter began.

Curry hit the ground running in his rookie season. He established himself as a lethal shooter from downtown, firing more than 43 percent from behind the arc. He led the Golden State Warriors from the point guard position with a combination of scoring and passing that quickly led to the discussion of where he ranked in the league among the position’s best. He was named to the Rookie All-NBA first team and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans. He made 166 3-pointers his rookie season, more than Allen, Miller and Bird did in their respective rookie years and each of them played full seasons, albeit Miller coming off the bench. While it is still early in his career, Curry has yet to shoot less than 43 percent from long distance, something none of the other names mentioned did. To bring things full circle, in Allen’s recorded setting year, when he made an astonishing 269 threes in a season, he shot 41 percent from downtown, an impressive number to say the least. However, Curry not only broke his record, he did with more efficiency. In conjunction with his 272 made 3-pointers, Curry shot a blistering 45 percent from behind the arc. He not only took Allen’s record, but did it in fewer shots and with more precision, something nobody could have believed would happen.

I do have an admission I must confess: I did not expect Curry to be a starter in the NBA, let alone the player he has become. I saw a skinny, undersized shooting guard who would get pushed around by the larger, stronger athletes at his position in the NBA. Not only has he proved me wrong, he’s made me look like a complete fool. While he is arguably the deadliest shooter in the NBA, he is also a dynamic point guard who creates opportunities for his teammates consistently. He grabs rebounds, racks up assists and, of course, shoots it as well as anyone in the game today. He is lightning quick on his feet, an exceptional ball-handler and a leader for his team, even though he is only 25 years old. To top it all off, now he has inserted his name into the record books, passing one of the greatest shooters to ever pick up a basketball, and his career is just getting started.

So let’s start up those debates again, and discuss who’s the bet from behind the arc.

This time, add Curry’s name to the list.

Friday Roundtable: Best First-Round Playoff Matchup

Denver against Golden State is one of the first-round playoff matchups we're most excited to watching. (nba.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: With the NBA Playoffs beginning Saturday, what first-round matchup we are most looking forward to watching?

Alex:
There are plenty of interesting matchups in the first round of the playoffs this year. It's OK to admit it. Secretly, you're not going to dismiss the possibility of the Lakers ousting the Spurs or the Hawks...well, the Hawks will continue to be the Hawks we see every year around this time.

Fortunately, though, it shook out that two young, small market teams are set to give us a noteworthy series in the West. Denver, as the conference's No. 3 seed, is speedy and attacks inside without fear, whereas Golden State (no pushovers in the quickness department, either, if there is such a thing) beats opponents with an outside-in game. The Nuggets have been great in Denver this season and, despite slipping a bit after a strong start, the Warriors' Oracle holds one of the feistiest home-court advantages in the NBA.

There are seemingly few scenarios in which this series doesn't last at least six games (i.e. if it goes just four or five games) with as evenly matched as the teams are. Ty Lawson vs. Steph Curry is the main course, but Kenneth Faried is -- and there may not be a better way to relate this -- fun to watch. He embodies what Denver-Golden State will provide viewers: high energy and tough competition.
These are soon-to-be perennial contenders and they happen to be opponents this year. Stay ahead of the curve and enjoy it now.

Kyle:
If the first round on paper is any indication, this year's NBA Playoffs will be a fun one for the fans. Fans get a good rivalry in Boston vs. New York, giants of the West in San Antonio vs. the Los Angeles Lakers and two up-and-coming, exciting teams in Denver vs. Golden State.

Even with those storylines, I'm most looking forward to Oklahoma City against Houston. The obvious reason is James Harden facing his former team in the playoffs and hoping to spoil the favorite to return to the NBA Finals in the Thunder. These are also two of the highest scoring teams in the country, with the Rockets averaging 106 points per game and the Thunder close behind at 105.7 ppg. This series probably will not go to seven games, but Houston's ability to hit 3-pointers at will and the number of stars and players who have sparked a buzz in the NBA (Linsanity!) makes this an exciting series to watch.

Fred:

I’m looking forward to the Lakers vs. Spurs series. While the Spurs are ranked as the No. 2 seed, and the Lakers are the No. 7 seed, these teams may be more evenly matched than their records suggest. Since Jan. 23, the Lakers are 28-12. The Spurs’ record since Jan. 23 is 24-13.

The Lakers lost Kobe Bryant recently and have a very banged up Steve Nash, but the Spurs have recently released Stephen Jackson and have less than 100 percent versions of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Lakers still have Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, and possibly Steve Nash, which poses a challenge for the Spurs. Tim Duncan is looking youthful and the Spurs have the best coach in the league with Gregg Popovich.

The Lakers will be fighting to prove their teams isn’t a complete failure, while the Spurs will be fighting to avoid the embarrassment of an upset.


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Friday Roundtable: Best NBA Playoff Matchup

The newly heated rivalry between Indiana and Golden State is just one of the possible playoff matchups
we would love to see. (gamedayr.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among three of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: As the teams near the middle of NBA standings shuffle for the last playoff seed, which match-up would you like to see in postseason (other than Miami Heat-Oklahoma City Thunder)?

Alex:
Indiana Pacers vs. Golden State Warriors. Hear me out now, since neither of these teams is an especially sexy pick on their own, let alone in a series with the other one. The Pacers and Warriors split the two games they played this season, each grabbing an 11-point victory. The last contest, on Feb. 26, was chippy as Golden State tried to prove it had the fortitude to rebound from a six-game losing streak they had recently ended. Picking the Pacers to do it against was the right choice, but trying to pick on Indiana? Not so much. Roy Hibbert was ejected before he and David Lee were hit with suspensions for starting the skirmish. Three other players incurred $35,000 fines, but the fight ended up as the Warriors’ secondary story of the week after Stephen Curry dropped 54 points against the Knicks the following night. The two teams may not have a long, contentious history, but they have a fresh memory to feed off.

From a basketball perspective, Golden State and Indiana are fundamental opposites. The Pacers are a gritty, defense-oriented team. They rank first in defensive efficiency (a 95.5 rating, according to ESPN’s John Hollinger) and are tied for first in rebound rate (52.7). Indiana plays an inside-out game that is far removed from the Warriors’ strategy centered around efficient perimeter scoring and using their offense as the “best” defense. They are top 10 in offensive efficiency for the NBA (103.8), but clean the defensive glass better than Indiana despite trailing in total rebound rate (50.9) and being far behind in defensive efficiency (103.4).

Some of the best games come out of these kinds of matchups. Pacers-Warriors wouldn’t be particularly popular – or statistically likely, since they would have to meet in the Finals – but it would be a great series. Trust me.

Kyle:
I would love to see a Western Conference matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets. This would be an offensive explosion, as both rank in the top nine in points per game (Nuggets third, Clippers ninth) and average more than 100 ppg. The other intriguing part of this matchup is these teams are both so good at home. Denver has only lost three games at the Pepsi Center this season (27-3), while LAC isn't doing much worse at 24-7. Both teams can also get on hot streaks. The Clippers won 17 games in a row earlier this season and the Nuggets are currently riding a seven-game streak. This screams a six or seven-game series that could come down to which team can steal a win on the road.

While the Nuggets, or Clippers for that matter, will not get the attention in their conference that the Spurs, Thunder and Lakers do, this matchup would include its share of firepower. The Nuggets have a hall of fame coach in George Karl, and this series would provide great matchups in the post (Blake Griffin vs. Kenneth Faried) and at the point (Chris Paul vs. a blooming Ty Lawson). Both of these teams are extremely entertaining, making this series a must-watch. 

Fred:
With the Lakers struggling, the Clippers are seeking to make a name for themselves in Los Angeles. What better way to show the NBA that you're serious than with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Both teams rank in the top 10 in points per game and are filled to the brim with young, athletic players. A very quick, uptempo series is certain with OKC being the third best scoring team off the fast break, the Clippers just five spots below. OKC is coming off a stinging finals loss against the Miami Heat, but the Clippers are carrying nearly 33 years of mediocrity on their back. Both teams have a lot to prove to not only doubters, but to themselves.

A playoff series between the two would combine explosive dunks from DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, showstopping blocks from Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant pouring in points, a Westbrook and Chris Paul matchup and the marquee showdown between Billups and Fisher.


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Report: T-Wolves to Offer Brandon Roy Two-Year Contract

For all of his questionable roster decisions, Minnesota Timberwolves GM David Kahn tentatively redeemed himself by bringing in Ricky Rubio to form a one-two punch with Kevin Love. 

In addition to acquiring Chase Budinger in a trade with the Houston Rockets on Tuesday morning, Kahn is now poised to take the first step in adding another veritable competitor, as ESPN Radio 1500 Minneapolis reported Monday night that the T-Wolves plan to offer Brandon Roy a two-year contract. 

Brandon Roy to Minnesota? (Getty Images/Jonathan Ferrey)

This comes less than two weeks after Roy took to his former college teammate’sTwitter account and announced his intention to return to the pro game. Roy retired prior to the 2011-2012 season due to degenerative knees.

Bringing Roy into the fold would give the Wolves a reliable scoring guard to compliment Love’s bucket-filling forward role. But it’s been well documented that the cartilage missing in Roy’s knees is not something that can be grown back or replaced.

Given starter’s minutes, Roy averaged 22.6 and 21.5 points per game as a Portland Trailblazer in ’08-’09 and ’09-’10, respectively. When it became obvious that Roy’s knees could not support 37 minutes each contest, he took a diminished role, posting an average of 12.2 points during his nightly 28 minutes on the floor in ’10-‘11. Productive, yes, but at a price – Roy played in only 47 games that season, sometimes on an every-other-night basis.

Another issue that could make the Wolves’ offer a dream rather than a reality is that Roy has also been tentatively linked to the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, according to the New York Post's Peter Vecsey. Of the three, only one team can contend for a championship immediately, and no one could blame Roy if he committed himself to chasing a ring now, given his circumstances.

Due to the amnesty clause the Blazers used on him, Roy is not constrained by the rules applicable to other free agents. He can talk to teams at his leisure, and take his time in signing anywhere.

Minnesota does hold a couple links to Roy, though. Swingman Martell Webster shared a Portland jersey with him as recently as 2010, and Wolves assistant coach Bill Bayno is apparently the driving force behind convincing head coach Rick Adelman and Khan that Roy is worth the risk.

A year off means Roy's joints have had time to rest, even with the training he's been doing in his hometown of Seattle to get back into NBA shape. The story of an All-Star career being derailed by injury is already set in stone, but it hasn't written out the possibility of a postscript to retirement.


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