http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/players/brian_roberts/54912 Recent articles about Brian Roberts en-us via NBA.com Not all of them are in this picture of last year’s lottery picks. There wasn’t a runaway winner, and the voting was very close. All in all, it wasn’t such a disappointing bunch. There are a couple of possible franchise cornerstones (Davis, Lillard) and some good fits. There were also some pleasant surprises. It might be too early to call anyone a bust (Royce White anyone?) but the NBA doesn’t give much time, with a new class coming next month. per NBA.com The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard, the unanimous selection for the 2012-13 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, headlines the 2012-13 NBA All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced today. Lillard was the lone unanimous First Team selection (58 points, 29 First Team votes), while the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal and the New Orleans Hornets’ Anthony Davis totaled 57 points each, including 28 First Team votes. Rounding out the 2012-13 NBA All-Rookie First Team are Dion Waiters of the Cleveland Cavaliers (50 points, 2... Wed, 15 May 2013 00:05:41 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/best_of_the_fresh_nba_all_rookie_teams_announced/13619777 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/best_of_the_fresh_nba_all_rookie_teams_announced/13619777 Best of the Fresh: NBA All-Rookie Teams announced http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/best_of_the_fresh_nba_all_rookie_teams_announced/13619777 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png As I’m sure you have heard by now, Kobe Bryant (35/5/4) left the game against the Warriors last night with an apparent Achilles injury that did not look good. Kobe went down like he had been shot and in the process suffered a complete tear to his left Achilles tendon. This is terrible news for Bryant owners who have been riding him in their final weeks of fantasy basketball, but it’s definitely worse news for Bryant. The Achilles injury is potentially career threatening, but I’ve bet against Kobe before on injuries and he never ceases to amaze us with what he will recover from, or play through. His recovery time is expected to be around nine months so there is a chance he will be ready for opening day next year. Let the Nike rehabilitation commercials begin! Now, I’m sure you Kobe owners are wondering who to grab, right? Well, the first guys who come to mind are Jodie Meeks (3/2/2) and Antawn Jamison (0/2/stl). I think Jodie Meeks becomes the starter, but there’s also a chance it co... Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:09:05 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/black_mamba_down/13391272 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/black_mamba_down/13391272 Black Mamba Down! http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/black_mamba_down/13391272 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Kobe Bryant did everything he could to try and lead his Lakers past the Warriors last night. He scored 34 points with 5 rebounds, 4 assists and hit four three pointers but the one thing he couldn’t do was keep from tearing his Achilles late in the game, trust me he tried. The MRI is scheduled for today, but Kobe is all but done for the season, and even his return for the start of next season is even in question. The Lakers managed to pull out the win, but its hard to look at this game as anything but a huge loss, not just to the Lakers, not just to your fantasy teams, but to the NBA. Lakers fan or not, Black Mamba in the playoffs is one of the best things about watching pro basketball, and you know Kobe & Co. would have put up a hell of a fight in the first round, number one seed be damned. No one wants to play the Lakers. Tough weekend for LA, first Zack Greinke, now the former MVP, five-time champion Bryant. On the bright side of the darkness, Pau Gasol put up a nice game with... Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:53:17 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_black_mamba_is_snakebitten/13391191 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/the_black_mamba_is_snakebitten/13391191 The Black Mamba is Snakebitten http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/the_black_mamba_is_snakebitten/13391191 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/3/53ef921838b3921963ce82c3bd87a2f225fbbea4/mini/6846180.jpg Alex Brandon/AP Photo Breakthrough: The Memphis Grizzlies, without their giant cuddly Marc Gasol bear in the middle, witnessed the first player in this season to drop 40+ points on them since Westbrook in the 2011 playoffs. And that player was none other than John Wall, who answered every single critic with a career high 47 points on 13 of 22 shooting, 7 rebounds and 8 assists to power the injury riddled Wizards (missing 6 of their players) to their sixth straight win. Emeka Okafor contirbuted to the effort with 21 points (9 of 15) and 9 boards of his own, to take full advantage of the porous Grizzlies’s defense. Mike Conley scored a team-high 23 points on 7 of 14 shooting, and dished out 7 assists for Memphis. Sting: The Denver Nuggets were just one win short of the most consecutive wins in franchise history (including ABA) and without Ty Lawson again last night, they would fail to complete the feat in the loss to the New Orleans Hornets. Down 21 at half, Denver could not get anyt... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:25:50 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/nba_rundown_march_25th_2013/13241521 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/nba_rundown_march_25th_2013/13241521 NBA Rundown – March 25th, 2013 http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/nba_rundown_march_25th_2013/13241521 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png    at  Boston Celtics (36-30) at  New Orleans Hornets (22-46) Wednesday, March 20, 20138:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #67 – Road Game #33TV: CSN-NE,  FSO, NBA-LP 760(BOS)/761(NOH)Radio:  WEEI, WWLNew Orleans Arena  Referees:   Joey Crawford,  Sean Corbin, Kevin Scott The Celtics begin a 3 game road trip in New Orleans as they look to avenge a loss to the Hornets at the Garden earlier this season.  Kevin Garnett, who missed the last 2 games with an adductor injury and some kind of illness, traveled with the team and word out of the shoot around was that he will be playing tonight.  On the other side, Anthony Davis is a game time decision due to illness.  .  Starting the trip out against the 22-46 Hornets, who are at the bottom of the Western conference,  could give the Celtics a chance to get the trip  started on the right foot.    The Hornets lost lost their fourth straight and 12th in 15 games  on Monday as they began a seven-game homestand. The Celtics had won seven of ... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:22:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/preview_and_official_report_hornets_320/13191001 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/preview_and_official_report_hornets_320/13191001 Preview and Official Report - Hornets 3/20 http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/preview_and_official_report_hornets_320/13191001 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/8/b89fefe167c5efa343e034fcb9df427db5f494c4/mini/6767410.jpg One full month into the NBA season is usually a good time for a quick rookie review. Keep in mind that some players dont show their real potential until their third year -- some even later than that. For instance, Lakers point guard Steve Nash didnt become a regular starter until his fifth year in the league. In Nashs first four NBA seasons, he averaged 3.3 points, 9.1 points, 7.9 points and 8.6 points, respectively. Now, hes a former back-to-back MVP and on his way to the Hall of Fame. So one month isnt always a good gauge. As a general rule, rookies shoot poorly and struggle mightily to defend. Almost everyone in the NBA was a major star as an amateur. So playing in the NBA is like playing in an All-Star game 82 times a year. It only makes sense for first-year guys to need some adjustment time. Lets take a look: Damian Lillard, PG, Trail Blazers. The No. 6 overall pick is second on the team in scoring (18.8 ppg) and first in assists (6.2). Most nights, he looks like a young Isiah Thomas. Colleges such Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:11:43 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/amico_report_lillard_leads_rookie_gems/12348028 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/amico_report_lillard_leads_rookie_gems/12348028 Amico Report: Lillard leads rookie gems http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/amico_report_lillard_leads_rookie_gems/12348028 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png By: John Fortney – Staff Writer Friday night was packed with thirteen games and not a whole lot for injuries so let get right down to the good stuff. Heat/Hawks The Dwayne Wade-less Miami Heat got a hard fought win over the Atlanta Hawks led by Lebron James and Chris Bosh. Wade was a late scratch with an illness so who got the start in his place? The Dirty Kernel! Who? None other than the South Dakota native, Mike Miller. The nickname comes from the fact that he always looks like he just rolled out of bed and threw his jersey on right before game time, coupled with his high school alma mater, “The Mitchell Kernels”. The nickname stuck after his three-point barrage in the clinching game of the finals last year. If you’re wondering what a kernel is, and I’m sure you are, it comes from kernel of corn, which we have a lot of here in South Dakota. We have so much that we have the Corn Palace, which is located in Mitchell. Yes, a Palace covered in corn. Soak that in for a minute…If you’re... Sat, 10 Nov 2012 16:29:30 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/friday_night_fantasy_basketball_roundup/12177337 http://network.yardbarker.com/nba/article_external/friday_night_fantasy_basketball_roundup/12177337 Friday Night Fantasy Basketball Roundup! http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/friday_night_fantasy_basketball_roundup/12177337 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png