First-Year Team Looks To End Seven-Year Skid

[duncan228]

Edit: Headline has been corrected, it's Six-Year Skid, not seven.

First-year team looks to end seven-year skid
By David Kendrick - Express-News

First and second-year players meet at 8 tonight in Phoenix in the Rookie Challenge on TNT. Here’s a look at the game.

History

Since this game became a rookie-sop re challenge, the second-year players lead 7-2. Last season, Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson hit 11 3-pointers to lead the sop res to a 136-109 victory, giving them six-straight wins. The last rookie team to win was the 2002 squad, featuring Tony Parker.

This season

Kevin Durant is having a huge season, and he’ll get the spotlight tonight and Saturday in the H-O-R-S-E compe ion. But this rookie class is tough and could end the sop res’ streak. The first-year team boasts impressive backcourt depth and plenty of quality size with Brook Lopez and Greg Oden.

Rookie roster

PLAYER, TEAM AND POSITION — *STATS

MICHAEL BEASLEY, Heat F — 13.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.9 APG
No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft hasn’t started since November.

RUDY FERNANDEZ, Blazers G/F — 10.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.2 APG
Led all rookies through Thursday with 101 3-pointers made.

MARC GASOL, Grizzlies C — 11.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.0 BPG
Pau’s little brother has 11 double-doubles this season.

ERIC GORDON, Clippers G — 14.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, 2.4 RPG
Has emerged as one of Clippers’ most dependable scorers.

BROOK LOPEZ, Nets C — 12.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG
Idolizes Tim Duncan and doing well himself so far.

O.J. MAYO, Grizzlies G — 19.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.8 APG
Leads his team — in this game, and in the NBA — in scoring.

GREG ODEN, Blazers C — 9.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Top pick in 2007, but didn’t play last season because of injury.

DERRICK ROSE, Bulls G — 16.9 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.6 RPG
Has started every game this season. Leads all rookies in assists.

RUSSELL WESTBROOK, Thunder G — 15.0 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.7 RPG
Has thrived since becoming a starter in late November.

Sop re roster

PLAYER, TEAM AND POSITION — *STATS

AARON BROOKS, Rockets G — 10.3 PPG, 2.6 APG, 2.0 RPG
One of Houston’s key reserves, has hit 67 3-pointers this season.

WILSON CHANDLER, Knicks F — 13.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.1 APG
Has been a starter most of the season for New York.

KEVIN DURANT, Thunder F — 25.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.8 APG
Ex-Longhorn was ‘08 Rookie of Year, has been star this season.

JEFF GREEN, Thunder F — 16.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.1 APG
Move to power forward this season helped jump-start ex-Hoya.

AL HORFORD, Hawks C — 10.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.5 APG
Runner-up to Durant for rookie honors last year.

LUIS SCOLA, Rockets F — 12.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.2 APG
Ex-Spurs pick has started all of the Rockets’ games this season.

AL THORNTON, Clippers F — 16.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 APG
Has been a consistent scorer for his injury-plagued team.

RODNEY STUCKEY, Pistons G — 13.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.4 RPG
Took over as starting point guard after Chauncey Billups trade.

THADDEUS YOUNG, 76ers F — 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.2 APG
Athletic player has helped team deal with loss of Elton Brand.

* through Wednesday’s games

[gaKNOW!blee]

The rookies are definitley going to win this year. Even with Durant on the Sohphs.

Mayo and Rose are gonna go off. I could also see Gordon tearin up.

[duncan228]

From The Sports Network.

WELCOME TO PHOENIX

The Eastern Conference has dominated the All-Star game of late, winning three of the last four meetings. The West was actually favored in last year's event but the East, behind LeBron James, controlled the game from start to finish, opening up a 13-point lead after three quarters before closing it out by six, 134-128.

However, the West was robbed of its main gun, as an injured Kobe Bryant was limited to only three minutes of action without even attempting a shot. Two years ago Bryant was the game's MVP with 31 points as the West walked off with an easy 21-point score.

It looks as if the oddsmakers believe the Lakers star will be the difference in this one, as they have installed the West as the early five-point favorite. The play here is the East as their roster is stronger from top to bottom.

For those looking for a game that historically is as one-sided as any series can be in sports, look no further than the Rookie Challenge.

This exhibition should be put out of its misery since the sop res have made a mockery of this game of late. Not only have the second-year players won the last six meetings, they have out-dueled their rookie counterparts by an average score of 134-109, with the lowest margin of victory being 10 points.

The older players are simply much more polished at this stage of their careers and it shows in every single installment of this series. For example, two seasons ago, the sop res controlled the game from the start, opening up a 29-point halftime lead, en route to a 155-114 victory. Did the team that got trashed fall flat against the rookies the following season? Quite the opposite, as the second-year stars prevailed 136-109.

Look for the super sop res to reign supreme for the seventh consecutive time with another handy victory.

[Chieflion]

Didnt happen. Behind Durant's 46 points, the Sop res came out with the victory.

Beasley's 29 was a good consolation for the Rookies though.

[m33p0]

durant >>> oden


just throwing it out there.

[024]

thank goodness durant didn't wind up in portland. aldridge + durant + roy would be devastating.