Dukies in the NBA 2012

[Billy Dat]

Battier Still Going All Out for a Title
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/sp...4ACjkm9ZMNs6Tw

[Meal Jar]

While watching the last Heat game, I saw Battier draw a charge and hit a three-pointer. I smiled, and deep within my soul I whispered, "Who's your daddy, Battier!"

I was very pleased.

-Meal Jar

[Kdogg]

I didn't want to start a new thread especially since the Bobcats are using the shotgun approach to hireing but it's good to see Quin's name in the mix.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/79...der-interviews

[UrinalCake]

The Draft Lottery is tonight. Anyone have any intel on which teams are high on Austin or Miles? I'd love to see Austin crack the lottery (everyone current projection I've seen has him safely there) and for Miles to get picked by someone.

[CDu]

The Draft Lottery is tonight. Anyone have any intel on which teams are high on Austin or Miles? I'd love to see Austin crack the lottery (everyone current projection I've seen has him safely there) and for Miles to get picked by someone.

Actually, I won't be surprised if Rivers falls just outside of the lottery (in the 15-18 range). He's a bit undersized for his position. Guys like Beal, Ross, and Lamb will probably go ahead of him for teams needing a SG, and guys like Wroten and Waiters will likely go ahead of him for teams looking for a combo guard with scoring ability. The mock drafts are all over the map with Rivers (ranging from 8 to 23). But Chad Ford, who is as tuned in to the draft process as anybody, thinks Rivers will go in the 15-18 range.

I suspect Miles will go undrafted, but you just never know.

[COYS]

Actually, I won't be surprised if Rivers falls just outside of the lottery (in the 15-18 range). He's a bit undersized for his position. Guys like Beal, Ross, and Lamb will probably go ahead of him for teams needing a SG, and guys like Wroten and Waiters will likely go ahead of him for teams looking for a combo guard with scoring ability. The mock drafts are all over the map with Rivers (ranging from 8 to 23). But Chad Ford, who is as tuned in to the draft process as anybody, thinks Rivers will go in the 15-18 range.

I suspect Miles will go undrafted, but you just never know.

Chad Ford has Austin going to the T'Wolves. This seems like a good fit for him, as Kevin Love is a major talent and can space the floor while Ricky Rubio is a talented and big point guard, which will perhaps allow the slightly undersized Austin to switch off between SG and PG on defense and offense from time to time. The biggest question is how well Austin can play off the ball. If he can learn to play off the ball part of the time in a way similar to . . . say . . . Jason Terry, I think he can surprise people with how good he can be.

[CDu]

Chad Ford has Austin going to the T'Wolves. This seems like a good fit for him, as Kevin Love is a major talent and can space the floor while Ricky Rubio is a talented and big point guard, which will perhaps allow the slightly undersized Austin to switch off between SG and PG on defense and offense from time to time. The biggest question is how well Austin can play off the ball. If he can learn to play off the ball part of the time in a way similar to . . . say . . . Jason Terry, I think he can surprise people with how good he can be.

I think Jason Terry is a great comp actually. Neither is great off the ball. Terry (when he was younger) was better defensively than Rivers, but Rivers is a bit taller and can play the SG spot more readily. But that's the type of role Rivers is best suited for - iso scorer. Unless Rivers gets better at the nuances of the game, he may actually be better suited as a sixth man than as a starter. That way he can have more free reign to run iso sets with the second unit.

[hq2]

I suspect Miles will go undrafted, but you just never know.

Probably; Shav did. I think most of the teams would likely just give him a chance to
play his way in, the way Shav did. He's actually a pretty good practice player and not
a bad rebounder, so you never know; some team that's short on the front line next
year may give him a 10-day.