Mar 27, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Washinton Wizards center Emeka Okafor (50) attempts a dunk against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their third straight game last night beating the Washington Wizards 103-80 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Thunder held the Wizards to just 32.1 percent shooting from the field. John Wall, who scored 47 points in his last game vs. Memphis, had just 18 points and 12 assists last night.

The Thunder also took 41 free throws as a team and made 37 of them while Washington went just 21-for-29 from the line.

With the win, the Thunder pull to within a game and a half of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference.

Here are the Game Grades:

Kevin Durant – 31 minutes, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists – B

The starters didn’t have to play much this game and Durant went into distributor mode getting the most assists he’s had in a game since March 8. Durant went 4-of-10 from the field but was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. He also turned the ball over just twice.

Russell Westbrook – 25 minutes, 21 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds – B+

Westbrook picked up two quick fouls in the game and would sit for the rest of the first quarter. When he returned to the game, he was determined to get going and he did just that. He went 5-for-8 from the field and attacked the rim enough to take 11 free throws and make 10 of them.

Serge Ibaka – 29 minutes, 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks – C+

The last time Ibaka played the Wizards he scored a career-high 26 points. He wasn’t scoring last night as he shot just 2-of-8 from the field but he did other things like rebounding and blocking shots.

Kevin Martin – 23 minutes, 18 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound – B+

Martin has no problem going out there and torching a team like the Wizards. At least he did it but we’re still waiting for him to play this effectively against a team like the Spurs. He was 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from downtown.

Kendrick Perkins – 21 minutes, 6 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist – B

Perkins was a defensive anchor last night and was great on the defensive glass. His offense was solid too although he did turn the ball over three times. The Thunder were also only plus-three with him out there.

Thabo Sefolosha – 19 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal – B

Sefolosha knocked down a pair of threes and it feels like it’s been forever since he’s done that. He needs to knock down shots to be effective because it helps the rest of his game as well, opening up the drive more and making him more aggressive.

Nick Collison – 22 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists – B+

Collison was essentially flawless again. Right when he checked in he immediately had two assists to Martin getting him going. Collison really took advantage of the Wizards’ poor defense and made them look silly on those plays.

Reggie Jackson – 23 minutes, 7 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound – B

Jackson got a little extra burn with Westbrook in early foul trouble. He immediately came in and made an impact scoring twice on drives. His confidence level is at an all-time high these days and it will be interesting to see how he does in the playoffs.

Derek Fisher – 14 minutes, 2 points, 1 assist, 2 steals – C

Fisher missed all three of his field goal attempts, two of which were threes. Fisher has gone six games in a row now in which he has played at least 11 minutes in each game and not made a single free throw. He’s 0-for-17 with four total points. Wow.

Hasheem Thabeet – 17 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 blocks – B-

Thabeet did his usual scoring once then blocking a few shots and committing four fouls. Sounds about right.

Scott Brooks – B

This was an easy one for Brooks who didn’t have to do much to make sure the Thunder won. The key was him inserting Reggie Jackson in for Russell Westbrook after he picked up two quick ones instead of Derek Fisher. He’s still of course playing Fisher way too much which will always keep him from an A grade.

Mar 27, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) attempts a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Washington Wizards on Wednesday evening, easily winning 103-80 at home.

The Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook dynamic duo led the Thunder to the win, with 20 and 21 points, respectively. Kevin Martin also helped out, with 18. Kedrick Perkins and Emeka Okafor had big rebounding days for OKC, grabbing 11 and 10 boards each.

For Washington, John Wall led in scoring with 18 points, and additionally had 12 assists. Garrett Temple scored 13 points, while Cartier Martin and Kevin Seraphin each had 12 and Trevor Booker had 10 more.

Washington had won its previous two games against Oklahoma City, but numerous injuries and illness left the Wizards with only eight players in uniform and it was not enough to contain the Thunder for a third time.
The Wizards had to face one of the best teams in the West without Trevor Ariza (flu), Leandro Barbosa (torn left knee ligament), Bradley Beal (sprained left ankle), Nene (knee), Martell Webster (abdominen) and A.J. Price (groin).

Still, the Wizards managed to secure an early lead, and even kept it close through the opening minutes. However, an 8-0 run put Oklahoma City up 10-5 and the Thunder never fell behind again. The Thunder extended the lead to 45-34 after Westbrook sank a pair of free throws with 4:57 left in the first half, and then carried a 53-45 lead at the half.

The Thunder just kept on rolling after the half, especially Westbrook, who already had 15 of his 21 points before the break. He and Thabo Sefolosha hit back-to-back three balls to put OKC ahead 70-54 with nearly seven minutes left in the third quarter and the Wizards never could chip into that double-digit lead again.

Oklahoma City has won nine of its last 10 home games, and have done so by an average of 22 points. Going into this game, they were one-and-a-half games behind San Antonio, who take on the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night as well.

With the win, the Oklahoma City Thunder advance to 53-19 on the season, and play the Minnesota Timberwolves next, on Fri., Mar. 29.

January 7, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (3) makes the game-winning basket in the final second over Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) at Verizon Center. The Wizatds won 101-99. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Wizards come to town as the Oklahoma City Thunder will look for their third consecutive win.

The Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers in their last game and have had two games off since.

The Wizards beat the Memphis Grizzlies two nights ago 107-94 behind a career-high 47-point performance by John Wall.

Wall has been playing at a very high level of late and it will be impossible to miss the point guard matchup tonight between he and Russell Westbrook.

They are two of the fastest and most athletic guards in the league and if the game becomes a track meet, it will be very entertaining to watch both of them.

Of course, the Thunder should blow out the Wizards, especially playing them at home. Washington is banged up too and the Thunder are still in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference if they close the year out strongly.

The Wizards beat the Thunder earlier this season on a game-winning shot by rookie Bradley Beal at the buzzer.

Kevin Durant had 29 points in that game and Westbrook had 17 on 4-of-17 shooting. Serge Ibaka scored 26 and Kevin Martin was very quiet with just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting.

That game was before Wall returned from injury and the two teams are much different now.

Ibaka really got going against Portland scoring all 16 of his points in the second half. The Thunder need him to start giving them big performances more consistently and it looks like tonight will be a good opportunity for him to do just that.

The game will tip at 8 p.m. EST.

Mar 25, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) celebrates on the court against the Memphis Grizzlies in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 107- 94. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

After missing the first 33 games of the season, John Wall has returned to the Washington Wizards and is having the best season of his career.

He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week two weeks ago and two nights ago, scored a career-high 47 points in a 107-94 win vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 2010 No. 1 overall pick seems to finally be realizing his potential.

What kind of player is Wall going to become as he matures? There were some resemblances to Dwyane Wade during his 47-point performance two nights ago. Wall might also be the most athletic point guard in the league other than Russell Westbrook.

Is Wall the next Westbrook?

They certainly share some similarities. Wall and Westbrook are two of the fastest players in the league with the ball and the forefront of the next generation of point guards that possess an athleticism previously unseen in this game.

Wall was always a point guard before coming to the NBA unlike Westbrook who was more of a two-guard prior to his time with the Thunder. Wall has a ways to go as a jump shooter similar to where Westbrook was when he first got to the league.

They both have the same problem where they know they can use their athleticism to get by their man. It’s a challenge for either to take a step back and realize that the best thing to do isn’t always to break down their defender one-on-one.

Wall is averaging 16.8 points, 7.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game this season, his third year in the league. Westbrook averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in his third season in the league.

Wall is certainly behind Westbrook’s pace but he has shown signs of late that he may have the potential to become the next Westbrook.

Tonight, we will see the two phenomenally gifted point guards go head-to-head in OKC.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the second game of a road back-to-back tonight against the Washington Wizards.

It’s the first meeting between the two teams this season. Right now, the Thunder have the best record in the league and the Wizards have the worst.

To make matters worse for Washington, they are still without point guard John Wall and are also playing a back-to-back losing on the road to the Miami Heat last night 99-71.

The Wizards have been a mess this season trying to find consistent offense. Jordan Crawford is their leading scorer averaging 15.6 points per game and coming off the bench recently.

The Thunder still have the most efficient offense in the NBA while Washington has by far the least. They are scoring just 92.7 points per 100 possessions while the second worst offense averages 97.8.

The Wizards haven’t been that bad defensively ranking 12th in the NBA overall in efficiency but they will certainly have their work cut out for them tonight against the Thunder.

The Wizards are also without Trevor Ariza however who would be someone that might be able to slow down Kevin Durant. Instead, Martell Webster will start at small forward and try to check the 3-time scoring champ.

The point guard matchup is even more lopsided with Garrett Temple – fresh of a zero point performance in Miami – tasked the impossible task of trying to slow down Russell Westbrook. Westbrook has been playing better lately too shooting the ball much better than he did in December.

Scoring is going to be hard to come by for the Wizards who are dead last in true shooting percentage as a team. They also are only 23rd in the league in offensive rebound rate while the Thunder are 10th in the league in defensive rebound rate.

The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. EST tonight as the Thunder start their longest road trip of the season so far.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Wizards turned down a trade proposal with the Oklahoma City Thunder this summer that would have sent James Harden to Washington, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post.

The trade would have sent rookie Bradley Beal and second-year forward Chris Singleton to the Thunder.

The trade did not happen reportedly because Wizards owner Ted Leonsis did not want to commit an $80 million deal to Harden.

At this point, a report like this is far from a big deal and who knows exactly how true it is. We do know that Thunder GM Sam Presti really liked Beal around the time of the NBA Draft. There was speculation back then that Presti would have considered dealing Harden for the second pick in the draft to take Beal.

The Thunder of course ended up trading Harden to the Houston Rockets and got in return a pretty good package. Kevin Martin helps them now while a deal with Beal and Singleton wouldn’t have nearly as much.

Getting Beal instead of Jeremy Lamb as the young, future replacement for Harden would have been an upgrade. Beal was selected 3rd overall by the Wizards and is a great outside shooter that would have fit in well alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Singleton also would have been a nice addition. Adding another athletic wing with good size that could potentially be thrown on LeBron James is something the Thunder still need.

The Thunder got a bunch of draft picks from Houston in the trade that actually went down, something they probably couldn’t have hauled back from Washington, especially considering that their owner wasn’t as high on Harden as Rockets GM Daryl Morey.

If you are a Washington fan, you probably are a little mad you didn’t end up with Harden this offseason when it apparently was pretty possible. A duo of Harden and John Wall would have been very potent down the road and would have probably made the Wizards a playoff contender this season.

Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Washington Wizards Team Overview

The Wizards won their last six games of the season last year to finish with a 20-46 record, second worst in the league behind only Charlotte.

In his second season in the league, the 2010 No. 1 overall pick stayed about the same as he was in his rookie campaign. John Wall averaged just over 16 points per game and eight assists. He was also one of the worst 3-point shooters in the league all season going 3-for-42 on the year.

In March, the Wizards traded away JaVale Mcgee to Denver in exchange for Nene. McGee had the reputation of being a headcase while Nene is being paid a lot but still much more proven than McGee.

This offseason the Wizards made some more moves. They traded for Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza and drafted Bradley Beal with the third pick in the NBA Draft. All of a sudden, a lot of people feel like this Wizards team has the potential to make a real jump next season.

Beal is the perfect compliment beside Wall in the backcourt. Beal can really shoot it from deep and is a solid playmaker in the pick-and-roll as well. It may be just what Wall has needed to really breakout and have a big year.

The Eastern Conference is not very strong and the last few playoff spots are there for the taking. The Wizards look like a team with a decent chance to make a push for one of those spots.

Last year

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Wizards once last season on Jan. 18 in Washington. Washington shocked the Thunder beating them 105-102 to improve to 2-12 on the year while the Thunder dropped to 12-3.

Kevin Durant is from D.C. and in his return home scored 33 points but went just 2-for-10 from three. Russell Westbrook scored 36 points to go with seven assists for the Thunder. James Harden had 13 off the bench.

Wall led Washington with 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in 45 minutes. He made 13-of-14 free throws in the game.

Nick Young also played a big role for the Wizards scoring 24 points and making 5-of-10 threes.

The Wizards shot just 38.4 percent from the field but attempted 43 free throws. They also grabbed 19 offensive rebounds while the Thunder committed 21 turnovers on the other end.

The matchup

The Wizards had the 27th best offense in the NBA last season in terms of points per possession. They were weak all-around but noticeably at their best when they were running and pushing the tempo.

Washington was 9th in the league on transition plays and 16.8 percent of their offense came in transition. They were just 28th on spot-up plays and the pick-and-roll though.

Washington’s defense wasn’t much better ranking 22nd in the league overall. They were 5th best vs. pick-and-roll plays and 12th best vs. isolation plays which is partly why they matched up okay vs. the Thunder.

Next year

The Wizards team that beat the Thunder last year will now look a little different this coming season. If all goes well, Washington is a team that has a chance to come close to making the playoffs which would be a pretty big jump from their horrible record this past season.

The Thunder play the Wizards twice next season first in Washington on Jan. 7 then in OKC on March 27.

The matchup of Wall vs. Westbrook is a very intriguing one between two of the most athletic point guards in the league. It is probably one that maybe doesn’t favor Wall but Westbrook is one of the elite point guards he’d prefer to play against.

The addition of Ariza gives Washington someone to match up with Durant as well. Beal vs. Harden will also be interesting and the Wizards also have some decent size in Okafor and Nene to combat the Thunder bigs.

Washington has some good talent and when they play to their potential, can play right with a team like OKC. But overall, no one will ever anticipate the Wizards knocking off the Thunder.

Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been pretty quiet this summer in terms of free agency. They had three roster spots open up with Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey’s contracts being up and they filled them pretty quickly.

The Thunder drafted Perry Jones then signed Hasheem Thabeet and undrafted rookie Hollis Thompson.

The Thunder may not be done yet this offseason and could be interested in signing another player. According to the Washington Post, the Thunder have expressed interest in Roger Mason, Jr.

While the Thunder do have 15 players on the roster right now, they could still sign another and move someone down to the D-League during the season.

Mason is a player that can find his way on to any team because he is a great spot-up shooter and career .381 percent 3-point shooter. Mason played 52 games for the Washington Wizards last season and averaged 5.5 points per game, made 1.1 threes per game and was .383 percent from beyond the arc.

Surrounding the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden with shooters is always a good idea. Daequan Cook plays that role now and does a pretty good job of it. Thompson was a very good shooter in college for Georgetown but it is unknown yet if he will be able to play right away in the NBA while Mason is already an established veteran.

Mason has said that he does not want to sign another 1-year deal for a minimum salary and that’s something that may make the Thunder stay away from him as they are interested in trying to save as much cap as possible to try and keep Harden and Serge Ibaka long-term.

The new direction of the league is going smaller with more versatile players on the floor surrounded by a lot of shooters. That’s what the Miami Heat are doing and adding a guy like Mason could be a good move for OKC.

Here are draft grades for every team:

New Orleans Hornets
No. 1 overall – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
No. 10 overall – Austin Rivers, G, Duke
No. 46 overall – Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky

The Hornets really couldn’t go wrong possessing the first overall pick in the draft and chance to take Anthony Davis. Davis has a chance to be a franchise changer and playing alongside Eric Gordon in New Orleans is a good start. The Hornets took Rivers 10th overall which is what they wanted to do. The Hornets believe Rivers can play some point for them although he is a scoring guard at heart. Gordon is a good playmaker himself though so the two may be able to share ball handling duties a la Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Darius Miller pick is nice too. He is an athlete that could make it in the NBA and was a teammate of Davis’ at Kentucky.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 28 overall – Perry Jones, III, F, Baylor

To win a championship, sometimes it takes a little luck. The Thunder got the steal of the 2012 NBA Draft with the No. 28 pick. Perry Jones III we knew was going to fall because of concerns mainly surrounding his knee but sliding this far to a franchise that is perfect for him just seems unfair to the rest of the league. It was a Spurs-like snag for OKC and they know it already. Jones III has lottery talent and top-5 pick potential. One knock on him is that he never really stepped up and dominated and was more of a supporting role type of mindset and player. Well, come on down to OKC that sounds just fine!

Grade: A+

Charlotte Bobcats
No. 2 overall – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
No. 31 overall – Jeffrey Taylor, G/F, Vanderbilt

The Bobcats were supposed to either trade the No. 2 pick or take Thomas Robinson if they couldn’t. Instead, they shocked everyone selecting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall. MKG is a player that will shine no matter where he plays, even in Charlotte. He has the potential to be the second best player in this draft class and it was a wise choice to make here by Michael Jordan. Jeffrey Taylor is a good pick too in the second round. Taylor was projected to go a little earlier in the draft and is a nice value find at 31.

Grade: A

Washington Wizards
No. 3 overall – Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
No. 32 overall – Tomas Satoransky, G, Czech Republic

The Wizards got the man they wanted at No. 3 but had to hold their breath and pray before doing so. As the Bobcats were shopping the No. 2 pick, any team that may have gotten it was probably going to take Bradley Beal second overall. The Wizards desperately wanted an elite shooter and wing to place alongside John Wall and they believe Beal is that guy. Beal measured just under 6-foot-5 so he’s not huge but he is physical and can do a lot of things on a basketball court. Tomas Satoranksy in the second round apparently is friends with Jan Vesely which makes that pick awesome too.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings
No. 5 overall – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

It was impossible not to fall in love with Thomas Robinson watching him break down after being selected fifth overall by the Kings. He won over a lot of fans with that reaction. Robinson is touted as one of the surest things at the top of this draft. The Kings wanted him bad too at No. 5, more than anybody else. Sacramento was going to pull off a trade with this pick with Houston if Robinson was off the board but obviously that didn’t happen. Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins are going to be able to get a lot of rebounds playing together.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons
No. 9 overall – Andre Drummond, PF/C, Connecticut
No. 39 overall – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

The Pistons are extremely happy that Andre Drummond fell to them. Before the draft, they were hoping for this but planning to settle on John Henson. Drummond has as much upside as anyone in this draft. There are questions surrounding him but he is very young. It was the right pick here for Detroit without question. Khris Middleton isn’t someone that jumps out as a great pick here but at No. 39, there’s not a lot to expect.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks
No. 14 overall – John Henson, PF, North Carolina
No. 42 overall – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Bucks were pretty happy to see John Henson at No. 14 especially after trading down from 12 with Houston. Henson is the kind of guy Milwaukee wanted and someone who will block a lot of shots and grab some rebounds but really needs to put on some weight first. Doron Lamb is another player they were happy to see at No. 42. He could have gone in the first round and is an irrational confidence guy who can shoot and play some D too.

Grade: B+

Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 4 overall – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
No. 17 overall – Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

It wasn’t a huge shocker that Cleveland took Dion Waiters No. 4. They were planning on possibly doing so and after being unable to trade up to No. 2 and take Beal, Waiters was the next guy on their list, probably just ahead of Harrison Barnes. It wasn’t an overly popular pick but Waiters has an NBA-ready body and next to Kyrie Irving should do well. With Tyler Zeller sliding in the draft, the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade with Dallas to get to No. 17 and take the North Carolina center. They gave up three picks for Zeller so they must really like him. Now with a core of Irving, Waiters, Thompson and Zeller, Cleveland’s future looks kind of alright.

Grade: B

Portland Trailblazers
No. 6 overall – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
No. 11 overall – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No. 40 overall – Will Barton, SG, Memphis

Before the Draft, Portland was intent on keeping their 6th and 11th picks and they also loved Damian Lillard. Six may sound high for Lillard but Portland did something smart: picking their favorite guy and not caring where they did it. They then filled a need at 11 with Meyers Leonard, the center from Illinois. Portland was projected in some mocks to take Andre Drummond and either Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb. That sounds a little better than what they ended up with. They get Will Barton at No. 40 which is another solid value pick as he was projected late-first by many.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors
No. 7 overall – Harrison Barnes, G/F, North Carolina
No. 30 overall – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
No. 35 overall – Draymond Green, F, Michigan State
No. 52 overall – Ognjen Kuzmic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Despite his overall disappointing feeling, many still feel Harrison Barnes can be an All-Star in the NBA. Getting him at No. 7 was a pretty solid pick for the Warriors, who are starting new next year post-Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut. Festus Ezeli with the last pick of the first round is understandable too and he is a high-character guy who will work hard for them. Draymond Green is another good pick to get in the second round. The Warriors didn’t have a flashy draft but they made some value picks and that’s always a good strategy.

Grade: B

Houston Rockets
No. 12 overall – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
No. 16 overall – Royce White, F, Iowa State
No. 18 overall – Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Rockets were stockpiling draft picks with one thing on their mind: Dwight Howard. That hasn’t happened yet and now feels like it won’t. They were hoping to move up to No. 5 to take Andre Drummond but since Thomas Robinson fell to the Kings there, they weren’t trading that pick. The Rockets will settle for three pretty solid players starting with Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 who has a lot of pro potential as a scorer. When they took Royce White at No. 16, you knew they weren’t trading their picks anymore. White has gotten a lot of buzz this draft as a more athletic Boris Diaw who plays a little like Charles Barkley too. Terrence Jones two picks later is another talented forward that can do a variety of things. You always feel players Daryl Morey drafts are guys who can find a spot in the NBA. The Rockets just had bigger sights for this draft than this.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns
No. 13 overall – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

It’s just about official now that Steve Nash is on his way out in Phoenix. Kendall Marshall is their point guard of the future. Marshall was one of the best assists men in college the past two seasons and has drawn comparisons to Mark Jackson and Andre Miller so yeah, he’s not quick. He’s fun to play with and will make the players around him better. They like that in Phoenix.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls
No. 29 overall – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

The Bulls were either going backup point here or combo-guard shooter. Marquis Teague is a talented player with this pick and someone who may be able to play alongside Derrick Rose some. It’s nothing special for the Bulls but a good pick nonetheless. Bulls fans were dying for Perry Jones III to slip one more pick into their laps.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors
No. 8 overall – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
No. 37 overall – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor
No. 56 overall – Tomislav Zubcic, PF, Croatia

The Raptors would have loved to see Harrison Barnes fall one more pick into their laps. They would have loved even more to move up and snag Dion Waiters. They settle for Terrence Ross who can do things that will make him have a solid NBA career: shoot threes and defend. Quincy Acy in Round 2 could be a Reggie Evans type which is something this franchise has experience with. Tomislav Zubcic will not come over right away. If Toronto gets Steve Nash, a lot of their problems will appear solved.

Grade: C+

Orlando Magic
No. 19 overall – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
No. 49 overall – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

The Magic are in a weird situation and have been ever since Dwight Howard started pouting. Howard ran their head coach and GM out of town and still wants out himself. He hasn’t gotten it yet but it’s really only a matter of time. Orlando’s picks of Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn may have been logical, but they won’t make their fans feel better yet

Grade: C+

Boston Celtics
No. 21 overall – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
No. 22 overall – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
No. 51 overall – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

We knew Jared Sullinger would drop, we just didn’t know how far. The Celtics are in a rebuilding stage now and looking to bulk up their front court with Sullinger and Fab Melo. The Celtics were hoping for Royce White here or to trade up and take Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers in the lottery. The best case scenario for Kris Joseph (taken No. 51 overall) is Gary Forbes, according to DraftExpress.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers
No. 15 overall – Maurice Harkless, SF, St. John’s
No. 27 overall – Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

Philadelphia fans are not happy with the decision to take Maurice “don’t call me Moe” Harkless 15th overall. When you draft a guy who plays the same position as your best player at No. 15, it never feels like it makes sense. Harkless came out after just one year at St. John’s and is said to have some pro potential but he’s nothing special. The 76ers traded up with Miami to get Arnett Moultrie at No. 27. It’s just another lateral move here for Philly. Their fans want more than that.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets
No. 20 overall – Evan Fournier, SG, France
No. 38 overall – Quincy Miller, G/F, Baylor
No. 50 overall – Izzet Turkyilmaz, PF, Turkey

The Nuggets surprisingly went with Evan Fournier at No. 20 despite some talent sitting on the board. Fournier will not come over to the NBA next season but was the highest rated international prospect of the draft. The Nuggets clearly weren’t looking to try and strike gold with late first round picks this year. They’ve already accomplished that with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Their pick at No. 38 felt a little better. Some fans wanted Quincy Miller with the 20th pick so getting him this late is a win in that sense. Miller is young with a ton of potential but has the usual question marks. Denver went with another international product late in the second round that we won’t see in the NBA right away.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks
No. 23 overall – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
No. 43 overall – Mike Scott, F, Virginia

Nothing special here for Atlanta. John Jenkins could be decent but he won’t turn any heads. He can really shoot it though and might get some run for the Hawks where Josh Smith is on the way out. It would have been great if Atlanta had decided to draft Marquis Teague here and run an all-Teague backcourt with his brother Jeff. Love the Mike Scott pick.

Grade: C

Dallas Mavericks
No. 24 overall – Jared Cunningham, G, Oregon State
No. 33 overall – Bernard James, C, Florida State
No. 34 overall – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

It doesn’t seem like Dallas was trying to do a ton in this draft. They dealt their 17th overall pick to Cleveland probably because there was no one they were in love with. They got three picks back for it and didn’t do anything crazy with them. One of the cooler moments in the draft though was Bernard James having his name called and walking to the podium. The crowd started chanting “U-S-A” because James served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dallas’ main priority this offseason is wooing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard.

Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies
No. 25 overall – Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

The Grizzlies wanted a point guard and a lot of mocks had them going with Marquis Teague but they choose Tony Wroten, Jr. instead. Jay Bilas calls Wroten, Jr. a taller Rajon Rondo. That means he’s a good passer and can’t shoot a lick. Maybe it’s what Memphis needs and there is some upside there.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz
No. 47 overall – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

Utah has enough young players from the last few drafts that they didn’t care too much about this year. Kevin Murphy is the only player from this draft to score 50 or more points in game last year in college. Why not?

Grade: C

Miami Heat
No. 45 overall – Justin Hamilton, C, LSU

Miami could have had Perry Jones III at No. 27 and it would have been just as scary as OKC getting him if not more so. They just didn’t want to have to pay a first rounder this year. Their cap space will be tight the next few seasons. They trade down here and get a 7-footer which they need. Something tells me we won’t see a ton of Justin Hamilton playing for the defending champs.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs
No. 59 overall – Marcus Denmon, G, Missouri

The Spurs drafted him so he’ll be an All-Star in four years. Marcus Denmon feels a little Patty Mills/James Anderson. The Spurs probably aren’t expecting too much from Denmon though.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
No. 48 overall – Kostas Papanikolaou, F, Greece

Not doing anything here. The home crowd really loved this pick at least.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers
No. 53 overall – Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey

Love this pick. He may never play in the NBA but he is a great rebounder and can only score on putbacks, according to Fran Fraschilla. What’s not to love?

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers
No. 55 overall – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette
No. 60 overall – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga

Darius Johnson-Odom plays the wrong sport. He’d be an awesome football player and used that to his advantage in college for Marquette. He will look a lot smaller in the NBA. If Robert Sacre is playing for the Lakers next season, it won’t be a good thing.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets
No. 41 overall – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
No. 54 overall – Tornike Shengelia, PF, Georgia
No. 57 overall – Ilkan Karaman, PF, Turkey

Brooklyn not trying to go crazy here. They are just praying for Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to hookup in their new city. Tyshawn Taylor might make it as a backup point in this league but nothing more. Tornike Shengelia goes by “Toko” and is a 6-foot-9 scorer who is good at attacking and can score around the rim well but has no jumper. Ilkan Karamen has a ton of tattoos and may “never play in the NBA” according to Fran Fraschilla.

Grade: C-

Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 58 overall – Robbie Hummel, SF, Purdue

Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and now Robbie Hummel. Good luck rest of league.

Grade: C-

Indiana Pacers
No. 26 overall – Miles Plumlee, PF, Duke
No. 36 overall – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

This may have been the worst draft pick ever, worse than Sam Bowie. With names like Perry Jones III, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli on the board, Indiana elects to take the worst Plumlee brother, Miles. If they weren’t Indiana and known for their white hoopsters, this would be an even worse pick. It’s still so horrible though words can’t describe it. There’s nothing that could make this pick ever make sense. They get Orlando Johnson from UCSB in the second round who was a 20-point scorer last year and might do something for them.

Grade: F

• The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in moving up into the lottery. The Celtics have the 21st and 22nd picks in the first round. Their number one target is reportedly Duke guard Austin Rivers, son of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
• The New Orleans Hornets also have Rivers atop their list for the No. 10 pick. This means that Boston would have to try and move into the top nine to take Rivers. The only teams who could conceivably move out of the top 10 are the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors although neither seems likely.
• Kings and Rockets trade talks for the No. 5 pick have intensified. The Rockets are looking to get the fifth pick to take Andre Drummond. Sacramento doesn’t seem to be sold on any player to draft except for Thomas Robinson. Once Robinson is drafted, if it is before No. 5, the Kings will likely pull the trigger on trading the fifth pick to Houston for a few of their first round picks and Kyle Lowry.
• The Charlotte Bobcats who have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now have reportedly narrowed down the candidates to the Cavaliers and Rockets. The Rockets number one mission is to get pieces to send Orlando’s way for Dwight Howard. The Cavs have the 4th and 24th pick in the first round and any deal for the No. 2 pick with Charlotte would include both of those.
• This means the Thunder are 99% not trading James Harden. It never felt like it was really going to happen anyway.
• The player most teams seem to want to get at No. 2 is Bradley Beal, unless the pick stays with Charlotte in which case they’d likely pick Thomas Robinson. Beal will not drop past Washington at No. 3.
• If Beal is off the board at No. 3, the Wizards would still likely look for a shooter as opposed to picking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They went into the draft many believed having Harrison Barnes high on their board and would also possibly take Dion Waiters instead of MKG.
• The Portland Trailblazers really want Damian Lillard. They have the 6th and 11th overall picks. They have heard that Lillard will not be available at 11 so they may have to take him at 6.
• The Detroit Pistons will reportedly select John Henson at No. 9 if he is there. Drummond may drop to No. 9 but if he doesn’t, Detroit is probably going with Henson.
• The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking to pick a player at No. 28 that will play next year. That means they could be leaning toward Evan Fournier from France and also now Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.

The Charlotte Bobcats have the best chance of landing the number one pick and Davis who compares his game to Kevin Garnett and Serge Ibaka’s.

He said he mirrors his game after Boston’s Kevin Garnett offensively — “he can shoot mid-range and still score in the post” — and defensively after Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka — he “can alter shots and he’s now the best shot blocker in the league.”

Via ESPN’s Andy Katz.

Davis certainly shares similarities to Garnett and Ibaka and if he can become a hybrid of the two then he will surely be worth the first overall pick.

Davis dominated the college game this season leading the Kentucky Wildcats to a national championship, head coach John Calipari’s first.

Davis played center for Kentucky and was the best shot blocker the college game had seen in a long time. Davis also possessed guard skills and was initially recruited by colleges as a guard before having a giant growth spurt at the end of his high school career.

Davis could play some center in the NBA but his truer position might be the power forward slot in the stretch-four fashion.

Davis would definitely thrive alongside a dynamic point guard like John Wall in Washington or he may have trouble really proving his value if the Bobcats land him and have little talent to surround him with.

Davis and his family can only wait until tonight to find out where he will end up and they are very anxious to.

“We’ve been on edge,” Davis Sr. said. “All the guessing will be done (Wednesday) and we’ll know where he’ll go. He’s been focusing on the workout and basketball but we’ll find out which way the (ping pong) balls will drop (Wednesday).”

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN before Game 2 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Anthony Davis will be mentioned a few times tonight.

Davis is the coveted, without question number one pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and tonight we will all find out where he will be headed.

The Charlotte Bobcats had the worst record in the NBA this season, the worst winning percentage in a season ever and are rewarded with a 25 percent chance of landing the number one pick and Davis.

The next few teams with the best chance of snagging Davis are the Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets.

The Bobcats are by no means guaranteed winning the top pick. Since the lottery began in 1985, only four times has the team with the worst record in the league won the first pick with the last time being in 2004 when the Orlando Magic ended up with Dwight Howard.

While most of the attention will be surrounding the first overall pick, there are a few other important storylines to not overlook especially with this draft being considered such a deep one.

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Gerald Wallace this year trading away their first round pick which is top-3 protected. That pick has a 7.5 percent chance of being the number one selection but it is more likely Portland will end up with two lottery picks.

The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors are also both very interested in tonight’s results. The Warriors had the seventh worst record this season and if they fall with a top-7 pick in the lottery, they will keep that pick. If not, Utah gets it and after making the playoffs this year with a promising young core, it could really be a huge pick for them.

If you want to see a simulation of how the lottery might unfold, head on over to ESPN’s Lottery Mock Draft machine.

Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

The biggest names this trade deadline stayed put. Dwight Howard will remain with the Orlando Magic through next season. The Lakers did not deal Pau Gasol and the Nets kept Deron Williams.

A few contenders did make some noise and one team let the world know they would begin tanking. Let’s start with the 3-team deal that broke just after 3 p.m.

Nuggets, Clippers, Wizards

Denver received JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf, Washington received Nene, Brian Cook and a pick and Los Angeles received Nick Young. Other players and picks might be included.

The Nuggets get rid of Nene who perennially is at the top of the league in field goal percentage. The Nuggets have had trouble finding a closer in games and Nene was one guy they could go to for offense. Now they have McGee who is basically a head case but with tons of talent. Maybe George Karl can help with that.

Nene to Washington might be a good fit over there to help John Wall out. McGee and Young were the main headcases over there and it’s definitely somewhat of a plus to get rid of them.

The Clippers have needed a shooting guard all season and they get a talented one in Young without giving away much. While he may have attitude problems you have to think Chris Paul could help with that.

Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers made it clear that they have given up on the season. Not too long ago the Blazers were the most feared team by me as a potential playoff matchup with the Thunder. Today they dealt Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace for Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Shawne Williams and Mehmet Okur.

They sent Camby to the Rockets for Thabeet, Flynn and a future second-round pick. They sent Wallace to New Jersey for Williams, Okur and a top-3, protected first-round pick.

The Blazers also fired head coach Nate McMillan.

Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers addressed a few needs today and parted ways with one of the all-time Lakers greats, at least according to their fans. The Lakers sent Derek Fisher and a first-round pick (via Dallas) to Houston for Jordan Hill.

Los Angeles also sent Luke Walton, Jason Kapono and a first-round pick to Cleveland for Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga. The Lakers have upgraded Fisher to Sessions who is one of the more underrated point guards in the NBA. Sessions however is a player that needs the ball in his hands a lot to be productive, but nonetheless is an upgrade from Fisher.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs will reunite with Captain Jack. San Antonio sent Richard Jefferson and a conditional first-round pick to Golden State for Stephen Jackson.

Jackson played for the Spurs from 01-03 and won the NBA title with the team in the 2002-03 season as a starter. Jackson played with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on those teams and was very clutch during their playoff run in 2003.

Jackson was traded from Milwaukee two days ago to Golden State in the Monta Ellis deal.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets have added Camby and Fisher and a first-round pick while giving up no one in their rotation. Houston is fresh off a victory against the Thunder and beat the team with the best-record in the West two out of four times this season.

Camby paired with Samuel Dalembert will be a tough interior presence in blocking shots and rebounding on both ends. Fisher will also bring some experience and leadership. The Rockets will be a scary matchup for anyone once the playoffs role around if they can get healthy.

Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

New Jersey Nets

The Nets got rid of a few players that rarely play and a first-round pick to get Wallace from Portland. Wallace is a great chemistry guy who can fit in anywhere on a basketball court. Wallace looked like the key ingredient for Portland this year and last as they looked to make a playoff run.

The Nets now have Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez. This could help them land Dwight Howard in a few ways whether it be adding Wallace into a deal to try and get Howard eventually or enticing him more so to come because Williams and Wallace would be nice players around him.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers quietly added Leandro Barbosa from the Toronto Raptors. They sent the Raptors a second-round pick and also received point guard Anthony Carter in the deal.

Indiana has been a pleasant surprise this season and could appear in the second round of the playoffs this year. Barbosa is a nice pickup for them adding depth and scoring to their backcourt. Barbosa also has been in the top 10 in isolation scoring in the NBA the past two seasons.

As expected the Oklahoma City Thunder did not make any moves during the trade deadline. There wasn’t a lot out there for them and they didn’t have much they would be willing to part ways with. San Antonio, Houston, the Clippers and the Lakers all made moves to improve and that could spell some trouble for the Thunder.