NBA Season Preview & Updates: Your Sports First

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2011-12 NBA Season

Hello my Avenue! Welcome to another Your Sports First NBA edition. Last time we were anticipating the an agreement in the standoff that was the NBA Lockout. The two sides finally put their brains back into their heads and now we look forward to another jam packed NBA season!

I think I can speak for many when I say that I am tired of hearing the numbers talk when it comes to the two sides agreeing to a collective bargaining agreement. 50/50 this, basketball related revenur that, it all was about to make me throw away my chucks (sike, I don't own a pair of chucks). But we will take a look at some of the notable rule changes and games that you absolutely cannot miss!



Rules & Regulations

The Derrick Rose Clause

Chicago Bulls star guard Derrick Rose, set the bar last year at the age of 22, he earned a NBA MVP award, twice been voted All-NBA, and lead his team to the Eastern Conference Championships. He is now paving the way for young players who may want to follow in his footsteps. The Bulls star earned his nomenclature on a new clause that is apart of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. This "Derrick Rose Clause" allows a player finishing his rookie contract to make up to 30 percent of his entire team's salary. If he's twice been voted an All-Star starter, twice been voted All-NBA or won an MVP award. 




This came as a surprise to the humble Chicago native, 

"It's unbelievable," Rose told CSNChicago.com. "But the rule, I guess, it fits me for what I've achieved at a young age and hopefully there will be a couple more people like me."

Something tells me this is only the beginning of the "Rose Rules" era...


NBA alters shooting fouls


Stu Jackson, NBA vice president of basketball operations announced Wednesday that there would be several new rule interpretations implemented as a point of emphasis for the 2011-12 officiating staff. According to ESPN,

"Rip-through" moves, in which an offensive player swings the ball into a defender's outstretched arm and then attempts a shot once he has created contact, will be considered non-shooting fouls if the contact begins before the offensive player starts his shooting motion.

 Some of the other new interpretations include:

• On drives to the basket, a shooting foul will be called only if contact occurs after the offensive player has begun his shooting motion, not after he has initiated his leap toward the basket.
• Two horns will be sounded 15 seconds apart after every timeout. Teams whose players are not moving toward the court as soon as the second horn sounds will receive a delay-of-game warning.
• Substitutions will only be allowed before the final free throw of any trip to the line that is not for a technical or flagrant foul.
•  Instant replay will be utilized only during full timeouts, not 20-second timeouts, when necessary.
• Whether a player's foot is on the three-point line or midcourt line will be determined by where it last touched the floor, meaning a player could have a toe on the three-point line but if he leans back on his heels before he releases the ball a successful shot would be deemed a three-pointer.

Look for these calls to be overly empasized in the first part of the season, but probably die out as the season progress's.

Notable 2011-12 NBA Games (All of Christmas Day)

* Given that the free agency/trade period before seasons start hasn't transpired, the significance of some of these games may change drastically. 

Season opener: December 25, 2011 - Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks

This Christmas Day couldn't be sweeter. The NBA kicks off its season with a rematch of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. LeBron James will look to finish the season stronger than he finished the NBA Finals, as he suffered one of the most epic collapses in the history of the game for a superstar of his caliber. 

December 25, 2011 - Boston Celtics v.s New York Knicks

This is the culmination of vengeance games, as the Carmelo Anthony/ Amare' Stoudamire lead Knicks look to make up for a playoff sweep against the Boston Celtics. The new look Knicks were apart of one of th regular seasons best match-ups against the aged Celtics. But the veteran team gave the young Knicks alot to think about and plenty of time to do it by sweeping them in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Look for this game to be just as good as the regular season match-up last year. Plus Melo'.




April 1, 2012 - Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Chicago Bulls


This late season match-up between the two hottest young teams in the NBA could perhaps be a preview of future NBA Finals battles to come. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose looks to extend his reign as the league's best as he takes on another rising star point guard in Russel Westbrook. Kevin Durant looks to further establish himself as the leagues best scorer after earning the honors for the second consecutive year, and going on a tear during the NBA lockout, splashing nets and chains across the United States. 






Current notable transactions

• Eddie Curry will get another chance at being a relevant NBA player, as the Miami Heat signed the center just in time for training camp. Shane Battier also has agreed to terms on a contract with the Heat. 
• The Portland Trailblazers look to be one of the stupidest front office in the history of sports, agreeing in principle to terms on a new contract with brittle center Greg Oden. The $8.9mil qualifying contract offer is believed to be agreed upon, according to Oden's agent Bill Duffy.
• The NBA has allowed drug testing for PED's during summer league workouts, according to the Associated Press a few of the guidelines are as follows:

— A joint NBA-NBPA committee will discuss the age limit, which for now remains 19 years and one year out of high school.

 — Players with 3 years of service or less may be assigned to the NBA Development League, with no limit on the number of assignments. No player with more than three years of service may be assigned to the D-League without his consent.

—There will be a neutral review of any fines imposed by NBA Commissioner David Stern for players' on-court actions.

—Upon request, a player will wear a microphone for one nationally televised game per month, one locally televised game per month and up to two playoff games per round. The player must consent before the content can be aired live and can't be subject to discipline for content captured as a result of wearing a microphone.

—Neither the league nor a team may discipline a player solely based upon an arrest. 

• Tyson Chandler is reported to be inching toward an agreement with the New York Knicks.  

There may be alot to filter through, but at the end of the day there is finally an NBA season to look forward to! And that is really all you need to know! But thank you for reading another Your Sports First production!!!!