Last time on The New Millennium, the Atlanta Hawks finally put the pieces together, as LeBron James got his first ring. For the second straight year, the Spurs had the first overall pick, and used it to select UConn big man Andre Drummond. Fellow top big man Anthony Davis fell to the Utah Jazz, while Damian Lillard was taken by Seattle, who continue to attempt to fight off relocation rumors. The SuperSonics would ship off top point guard Rajon Rondo to Vancouver and sent veteran scorer Brett Moran to Indiana, re-working their team on the fly. How will these changes affect the 2012-2013 regular season?
Eastern Conference
1. Indiana Pacers(63-19)
2. New Jersey Nets(58-24)
3. Miami Heat(52-30)
4. Atlanta Hawks(50-32)
5. Chicago Bulls(49-33)
6. New York Knicks(45-37)
7. Boston Celtics(43-39)
8. Philadelphia 76ers(43-39)
9. Detroit Pistons(43-39)
10. Charlotte Hornets(42-40)
11. Cleveland Cavaliers(36-46)
12. Washington Wizards(35-47)
13. Orlando Magic(34-48)
14. Toronto Raptors(27-55)
15. Milwaukee Bucks(24-58)
Thanks to the emergence of young point guard Darrel Fordham(12.4 ppg, 9.1 apg) and another good year from Klay Thompson(21.5 ppg), the Pacers have gone from the basement back to the top of the East in just two years. The Heat improved big with a career year from Derrick Rose(19 ppg, 8.6 apg), as did the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony(24.1 ppg, 6 rpg, 4.4 apg). Boston and Philly just snuck into the the playoffs, mostly thanks to Detroit's struggles in the tough Central Division. Young teams in Toronto and Milwaukee continue to struggle, while the Orlando Magic now lack a star with Tracy McGrady(13.5 ppg) on the decline.
Western Conference
1. Vancouver Grizzlies(54-28)
2. Dallas Mavericks(53-29)
3. Houston Rockets(49-33)
4. Los Angeles Lakers(46-36)
5. Minnesota Timberwolves(44-38)
6. Golden State Warriors(41-41)
7. Utah Jazz(41-41)
8. Seattle SuperSonics(40-42)
9. Portland Trail Blazers(38-44)
10. Denver Nuggets(37-45)
11. Phoenix Suns(32-50)
12. Sacramento Kings(29-53)
13. San Antonio Spurs(29-53)
14. New Orleans Pelicans(28-54)
15. Los Angeles Clippers(25-57)
New acquisition Rajon Rondo(15.9 ppg, 8.9 apg) did just enough to edge Vancouver ahead of Dallas, who wisely let Stephen Curry(28.3 ppg, 11.8 apg) loose after last year's disaster. Houston got a tremendous season out of Blake Griffin(23.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg) to secure the third spot, while Minnesota, who led the West at the All-Star Break, dropped all the way to fifth. The Carmelo Anthony trade finally paid off for the Warriors, as Ellis Carlisle(20.7 ppg) led Golden State back to the playoffs. Young Anthony Davis(19.9 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 2.9 blkpg) had one of the best rookie seasons in history, but the biggest story was in Seattle. Despite getting rid of some of their best players, the gamble paid off, as rookie Damian Lillard(18 ppg, 5.9 apg) and DeMar DeRozan(22.2 ppg) formed a lethal duo to just hang on to a playoff spot. Despite signing Sherman Conway(17.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg), the Kings were still miserable, and after making the Finals last year, the Clippers had a season to forget, as their defense was the second worst in the NBA.
Awards
MVP: Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks
Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis, Utah Jazz
Sixth Man: Gordon Hayward, Portland Trail Blazers
Defensive Player: LeBron James, Atlanta Hawks
Most Improved: Ellis Carlisle, Golden State Warriors
Coach of the Year: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers
It is safe to say that the "Splash Brothers" have taken over The New Millennium, as Klay Thompson led his team to the best record in the East while Stephen Curry took home the MVP. Will either sharpshooter follow their real life success, or will a new power emerge? Find out next time on The New Millennium!
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