"Detroit announced after the game that rookie Amir Johnson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3982) would report to the NBDL on Monday"

**link** (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260226008) - see bottom

looks like we have another team besides the pistons to start paying attention to :) if we sign delk i foresee acker headed down there with amir

Glad to hear that... I'll try to keep folks updated on Amir... they play NBDL games on NBA TV at least twice a week during the day..... hear that Lee?

My only question is... WHAT TOOK SO LONG?!?! Johnson should have been down there months ago. I'd rather he started the year in the D and then maybe brought up later in the season. Not to play - which he hasn't anyway, but just to get the feel of a playoff run on a Championship caliber team. They've done it all backwards IMO.

Something else to ponder. I wonder how differently the "Darko experiment" would have turned out had we had access to the NBDL 2 years ago?

jammer, at the beginning of the year no one in the NBA even knew how the NBDL would be structured and if it was a good option for the youngsters. plus i disagree with you, i think it was better that the rookies spend a lot of time with the team, learn the offensive and defensive sets, get comfortable with the system/players/coaches, and then go apply that to the NBDL.

jammer, at the beginning of the year no one in the NBA even knew how the NBDL would be structured and if it was a good option for the youngsters. plus i disagree with you, i think it was better that the rookies spend a lot of time with the team, learn the offensive and defensive sets, get comfortable with the system/players/coaches, and then go apply that to the NBDL.

Fair points Warthog, I guess I'm just a bit afraid of "the Darko" syndrome reering its ugly head again.

Is it better for an 18 year old to sit for an entire year and watch from the first row, or to play through his lumps in the D league? If he was the only player in that situation, then I probably wouldn't worry as much, but we also have Acker and Maxiell in their first year and Delfino (and Darko until last week) still trying to find their places on this team all ahead of AJ on the depth charts.

Amir is different from Darko in that he's dominated an entire season...even if it was at the high school level. Reports from Europe before Darko's draft showed that Darko dominated games but generally was pulled up to the next level before he could ever stand head and shoulders above his peers.

NBDL experience is decent for game time experience and I guess its good for a preps to pros guy but I don't think that's as good as a good college team.

This is great news. Hopefully Acker can get down there as well.

I will look forward to tracking his games. Hopefully he gets a ton of PT.

Please see my very recent post in the Win Now or Develope the Rookies thread!!!

The NBDL is specifically designed for Amir, Acker, Maxiel type players so they can get a lot of game experience against better-than-college competition. Is it the NBA? Of course not. Darko would have benefited GREATLY from two years in the NBDL. But he came out before it was available. From a $$$ standpoint, he made out well, from a development standpoint he lost out greatly, and so did we. (except we'll get another good #1 pick down the road - maybe HE can use the NBDL)

Fair points Warthog, I guess I'm just a bit afraid of "the Darko" syndrome reering its ugly head again.

Is it better for an 18 year old to sit for an entire year and watch from the first row, or to play through his lumps in the D league? If he was the only player in that situation, then I probably wouldn't worry as much, but we also have Acker and Maxiell in their first year and Delfino (and Darko until last week) still trying to find their places on this team all ahead of AJ on the depth charts.

oh i don't disagree with you at all. i wanted acker/johnson to head down to the NBDL after the all-star break (and maybe jmax too since it looks like dale davis will be just fine). i think it'd be great for them to start applying all of their gym rat and pistons knowledge stuff to game situations.

it would be cool for all three to go down there for a little bit. They can keep each other in line.

it would be cool for all three to go down there for a little bit. They can keep each other in line.

i think max is two players per team at a time isn't it?

This is great news. Hopefully Acker can get down there as well.

I will look forward to tracking his games. Hopefully he gets a ton of PT.If we get Delk, then Ack should go!

Too bad the Pats are by FAR the worst team in the NBDL, that could mess with whatever he may learn there.

Too bad the Pats are by FAR the worst team in the NBDL, that could mess with whatever he may learn there.

Just think of it as more PT for Amir.

My only question is... WHAT TOOK SO LONG?!?! Johnson should have been down there months ago. I'd rather he started the year in the D and then maybe brought up later in the season. Not to play - which he hasn't anyway, but just to get the feel of a playoff run on a Championship caliber team. They've done it all backwards IMO.

Something else to ponder. I wonder how differently the "Darko experiment" would have turned out had we had access to the NBDL 2 years ago?

Age and maturity was the determining factor. Dumars felt it would have been irresponsible to throw a youngster out there like that. I will look for the articles that spoke on it.

good for him. i hope he does great there.

Its cool because Mateen is on the Patriots too:nod:

He posted 35 points and 9 assists the other night.

Detroit Assigns Johnson To Patriots
(http://www.nba.com/dleague/fayetteville/Detroit_Assigns_Johnson_060227.html)AUBURN HILLS, Mich., February 27 - Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the Detroit Pistons have assigned rookie Amir Johnson to the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA Development League (D-League).


Amir Johnson heads to Lafeyetteville
(http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2006-02-27/amir-johnson-heads-to-lafeyetteville/)by Matt Watson

With the Pistons embarking on a week-long road trip, they've decided to dispatch 18-year-old rookie Amir Johnson to the Fayetteville Patriots, their NBDL affiliate. From the sounds of things, he'll be back when the Pistons come home, but either way it'll give us an excuse to check out some NBDL box scores the next couple of days.

Upcoming D-League Fayetteville Patriots Schedule

Friday, March 3
Roanoke @ Fayetteville 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 5
Fayetteville @ Florida 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 7
Fayetteville @ Florida 7:00 p.m.

**********************************************
Here are some answers to the most common D-League questions.

Q. Which team is Detroit affiliated with?

A. The Fayetteville Patriots. This team is also affiliated with the Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks organizations.

Q. Who can be sent to the D-League?

A. Any player with less than 2 seasons NBA service. On the Pistons roster, this includes Carlos Delfino, Jason Maxiell, Alex Acker, and Amir Johnson.


Q. What is the purpose of the D-League?

A. To provide an atmosphere for NBA rookie and sophmore players to gain playing time that would be otherwise unavailable on the major league affiliate. Of course, young NBA talent will dramatically increase the talent level and marketability of what is clearly a "B" league.


Q. How long can a player be kept in the D-League?

A. As far as I know, there are no restrictions on length of time spent in the minors.


Q. Do NBA players get paid less when playing in the D-League?

A. No. They earn their major league contracts, just as they would if riding the bench for their NBA club.


Q. Can a player be brought back up to the NBA club from the D-League?

A. Yes. With the new roster rules implemented over the summer, NBA linups are set in a similar fashion to baseball, prior to each game. The "game lineup" can be up to 12 players declared active (of a 15 man roster).


Q. Can teams send their players up and down all season?

A. No. Each player may only be assigned to the D-League a maximum of twice in one season.


Q. If the Pistons send a player to Fayetteville, does that open up a roster spot on the big league club?

A. No. Only players on the Pistons 15 man roster may be sent down, and while with the minor league affiliate, they will count as one of the 3 inactive players on the game roster.


Q. Can the Pistons send all 3 of this year's rookies down simultaneously?

A. No. Only a maximum of 2 players from the same major league club can be assigned at the same time.


Q. Who coaches the D-League team? Can the Pistons dictate playing time and roster decisions?

A. While the D-League team may take the major league affiliate's wishes under advisement, they are run as independent clubs, with their own coaches and front office staff.

Sounds great, thanks for the info...

I look forward to tracking his stats in the d-league. I hope Joe keeps him down there for a while.

with the aquistion of tony delk do you think alex acker will go to the d-league as well?

according to the DetNews, Acker's already there.

according to the DetNews, Acker's already there.

i could of sworn i saw him on the bench against the nuggets yesterday.

Yes Acker was sent down today.

Yes Acker was sent down today.

thats good. more time for him to play.

Rookie Joins Teammate Amir Johnson in NBA Development League (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/acker_060302.html)
Pistons Assign Acker To Fayetteville

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the Detroit Pistons have assigned rookie Alex Acker to the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA Development League (D-League).......

The dynamic duo... this should make both players more comfortable... especially if Acker is controlling the ball.
I'm looking forward to this... unfortunately I don't see any TV games on the horizon.

Not sure if this is really the right thread for this, but:

Why do we need a development league? Development league should be college.

Dumb kids who only want to play and not get edumacated drain resources from colleges.

Not sure if this is really the right thread for this, but:

Why do we need a development league? Development league should be college.

So we don't have baby Darko's running rampant on the association :P

The age restriction is comming into effect for this springs draft. No more highschoolers can be picked.

So I don't know what they are going to do if they do not want to go to college. I think this D-league is only for players that were drafted and given contracts.

Kind of strange how Johnson and Acker are sent down right after the Darko trade. Dumars got sick of these young guys hanging around or something. Or perhaps just trying to set the playoff rotation. At least Acker/Johnson got a chance to get into the books.

I thought that I read that Joe D sat down with Acker and told him that this was his big chance to prove himself after Arroyo left. So, after that, he gets 4 minutes of game time and then a trip to the minor leagues?

Joe D wants to prevent another Darko situation. Keep the kids playing so they dont have time to sit on the bench and get upset.

The age restriction is comming into effect for this springs draft. No more highschoolers can be picked.

So I don't know what they are going to do if they do not want to go to college. I think this D-league is only for players that were drafted and given contracts.
If I'm not mistaken High schoolers can go directly to a D-League team (just not drafted)... they'll get paid whatever the D-League team decides.... they are not affiliated with an NBA team.

I would imagine that Acker plays SG down there... as Hotsauce mention Mateen is playing well for them (also shot 14 for 19).

It sounds like Amir is gonna play PF for the Patriots.

Here's a nice piece on AJ (http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=227710)

Man, I hope they start winning. It would be nice to see that team improve b/c of our 2 rookies...

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060303/ROAFAY/livestats.html

Pats were down by 8 in the 1st, but came back big in the 2nd and outscored uh... whoever they are playing :confused: by 10 to lead 58-56 at the half. This explosion was sparked by none other than ALEX ACKER! :hail:4-5 from the field, 1-1 3pt, 4-4 FT for 13 points, all in the 2nd. Amir played in the first but sucked it up and got 3 fouls, no points.

It's half time, you can listen live if you are waiting for the pistons game to start.

If I'm not mistaken High schoolers can go directly to a D-League team (just not drafted)... they'll get paid whatever the D-League team decides.... they are not affiliated with an NBA team.

That would make sense, otherwise it would just be a bunch of 2nd round hacks.

Patriots 132 Dazzle 120

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060303/ROAFAY/boxscore.html

good night for the young pistons... also note mateen cleaves with back 2 back 30+ point games.

Great showing for Ack and Amir. :nod:

I guess they dont believe in defense over there...

Looks like the sophmore-rookie game.

Our boys look like they were all business down there. Very efficient.

28 for Acker, 16 for Johnson.

don't forget that Mateen Cleaves racked up 34 pts. Or a Anthony Grundby 39- I'm not quite sure about the niveau of this league...

If anyone wants to listen to the Patriots game live (it started at 5:00)... you can go here (http://www.nba.com/dleague/)... then look at the top right for "listen live"

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060305/FAYFLA/livestats.html

Acker lighting it up, but he's got 2 PF in short minutes.

AJ had a bad turnover, but he's cleaning the boards.

And he's doing all that in zero minutes too :^)
Well we know that A.A. is playing SG... wonder if this is what Joe had in mind when he sent Alex down...
Also the Pistons where working on A.J. as a SF... sounds like he's playing PF down there.

Feed was down, but its back up and they are interviewing someone from the Pistons player development staff. HURRY! (see Merc's post above).

Company Line. You didn't miss much.

It's was the P's player development guy Ryan Hoover.

Another good game by the pistons in the dleague...

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060305/FAYFLA/boxscore.html

Johnson with 16 and 9.
Acker with 14, 5 and 5

two game winning streak for Patriots...:whoo:

i wish i had nbatv....or just cable for that matter:frusty:

I listened to the game streamed on the net, basically Fayetteville would not be able to win right now without Acker and Johnson.

They were rock steady today. I'm starting to think that Joe is a better drafter than people give him credit for.

During halftime, the Pistons bigwig of player development described AJ as freakishly athletic, and Acker as having a natural feel for the game. He said that the game comes easily to Acker.

Rick Rickert outscored the two Pistons but he picked up his points in garbage time. The guys who helped get the Patriots to a 25 point lead were our rooks.

Nice to hear... thanks Micro.
My fear is that someone else is gonna discover our rooks... I think they'll be back on the Pistons bench within a couple weeks...Shhhh

nice 2 games for acker and johnson!!

I live in near the flame arena and went to the game. It is a converted ice arena so they have to put boards down. I sat about three rows behind bench of fayetville patriots. Both players have an extra Piostons logo on their jerseys above their numbers in the back. Neither player started but AJ went in as a PF with Rickert at center. AJ challenged every shot took no plays off and can really jump. He made free throws and some put backs. When Acker came in Cleaves was running point. Cleaves was not impressive, he was OK at best but hogged the ball a little too much. Briefly Acker ran the point and he looked solid as a ballhandler. I had to watch him shoot before I could tell if he was right or left handed. But the thing you notice is that his arms are super long. He is a good shooter; he did not miss until the game was way out of hand. He also gave a lot of defense effort and helped down low with reboundibg. At one point when rickert left and AJ was at center he seemed to be most comfortable and was everywhere help defense, rebounds, creating havoc. Acker and Johnson had good chemistry on court. Nobody complained to officals about calls. I hope you enjoy update.

I hope you enjoy update.
Very, very much. Thank you.

this is a GREAT thread. thanks to everyone who contributes. I hope we get to see them rooks in action at some point in the season.

Looks like the Patriots won again. Very nice line from Amir Johnson: 16 points, 9 rebounds on 6-7 shooting and 4-4 from the line. Looks like he is prone to pick up fouls, however. Amir was whistled four times in 26 minutes.

From what I can tell, the Patriots were 5 and 24 before Johnson and Acker arrived, and have now won 3 straight with our kids coming off the bench.

Here's a little excerpt from the recap:

The Patriots took control of the game in the third quarter as Amir Johnson and Alex Acker, both on assignment from the Detroit Pistons, tallied 10 points combined in a 17-7 run over the final 5:44 of the period to grab a commanding 84-69 lead heading into the fourth.


Nice job, fellas. Sounds like they are earning their pay down in the Fayetteville ice rink.

i wonder if the NBA rookie sideshow draws a decent amount of fans to the games.

i wonder if the NBA rookie sideshow draws a decent amount of fans to the games.
Sure can't hurt... I know if these kids were playing somwhere in this state I'd make the trip...
Should be interesting to see where the expansion leads next year.... but I think they were only talking about having roughly 13 teams by next season... so they'll still be sharing with another club... maybe this time in the Midwest (they're supposed to add at least two teams in the Midwest)

There is another game in southwest florida tomorrow. If one hangs around the ticket office someone is always giving away tickets otherwise they range from $9 - $22. So I think I'll go. The attendance on sunday looked about 600 people. Hockey at the arena will draw about 4,000 but the team is an affiliate of carolina hurricaines and established for 7 years. It will be interesting to see how these teams hold up financially........ I know the only reason I was aware of the game because I went and played a game at the arena as a coaches game sponsored by a local YMCA. One traveling call and they froze me out ..I felt like Jordan at an all-star game......I checked out the schedule and saw Fayetville was playing two games in three nights. ...Sorry about previous typos from an earlier posting but I was in a hurry and at work so I didn't have time to check. Nothing like a public eduation for shoddy grammar.

I'm starting to think that Joe is a better drafter than people give him credit for.
Joe is a good drafter, when it comes to late- round picks. He drafted Okur, Delfino, Prince and these two guys we're currently talking about at late positions.
His weakness is drafting at early positions.

amir, and alex did great in the patriots win against the flame just to let you know.

recap: http://nba.com/dleague/games/20060305/FYAFLA/recap.html

boxscore: http://nba.com/dleague/games/20060305/FYAFLA/boxscore.html

Joe is a good drafter, when it comes to late- round picks. He drafted Okur, Delfino, Prince and these two guys we're currently talking about at late positions.
His weakness is drafting at early positions.

With perhaps the exception of Okur, Joe has just picked the best of what was left over. There's no great genius in that. Genius is seeing what others do not see. And in this case it means passing on the general consensus pick and reaching for the diamond that others can't see.

When Joe picked Johnson and Acker in the 2nd round, there were no raised eyebrows. They were not taken ahead of other guys that were considered "better" by the "experts". If these guys turn into NBA players, it says more about all the other GMs (that passed up these guys) than it does about Joe.

It will interesting to see how Maxeill pans out. He is a case where Joe didn't just pick a guy who was generally acknowledged as one of the best left on the board.

Joe is saying with this pick (Maxiell) that he sees something different than the other GMs - and that he's willing to take a risk/gamble. Let's hope Joe proves to be right.

With perhaps the exception of Okur, Joe has just picked the best of what was left over. There's no great genius in that. Genius is seeing what others do not see. And in this case it means passing on the general consensus pick and reaching for the diamond that others can't see.

When Joe picked Johnson and Acker in the 2nd round, there were no raised eyebrows. They were not taken ahead of other guys that were considered "better" by the "experts". If these guys turn into NBA players, it says more about all the other GMs (that passed up these guys) than it does about Joe.

It will interesting to see how Maxeill pans out. He is a case where Joe didn't just pick a guy who was generally acknowledged as one of the best left on the board.

Joe is saying with this pick (Maxiell) that he sees something different than the other GMs - and that he's willing to take a risk/gamble. Let's hope Joe proves to be right.

KP, I can't put my hands on it right now, but maybe two months ago someone researched the draft position of all starters and discovered that >85% of them were first round picks. If Johnson and Acker turn out to be players they will defeat the odds, making Joe look pretty good.

It was SKLuck.

http://www.pistonsforum.com/detroit-pistons-general-discussion/1015-some-info-about-draft-position-starters.html

It will go into the article gallery one day. I promise.

Amir Said the right things:
“The Pistons are a great team to be with,’’ Johnson said. “Everyone in the organization has taken me under their wing, from the coaches to the players, everybody. The team has a swagger when they go out on the court. They know they’re going to win, and that’s exciting to be part of that.
“But now I think they want to see me get out there on the court and show what I’ve learned. And I’m fine with that. I’m really anxious to get out there tomorrow night. I’m going to be playing hard.’’

Acker and Johnson haven't just filled stat sheets, they've contributed to winning. :thumb:

The guys have put up pretty good numbers while averaging 22MPG or so.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/fayetteville/roster/index.html

KP, I can't put my hands on it right now, but maybe two months ago someone researched the draft position of all starters and discovered that >85% of them were first round picks. If Johnson and Acker turn out to be players they will defeat the odds, making Joe look pretty good.

Agreed, Joe will look pretty good - especially if they become starters.

What I was trying to suggest was that Joe's reputation is more on the line with his pick of Maxiell than his picks of Johnson and Acker.

None of the "experts" have suggested that Johnson or Acker are "reach" picks - they just fell to him and he judged them to be the best players available. Everyone was a bit stunned by his selection of Maxiell.

If Johnson or Acker happen to make it as players, but the "experts" are proven correct on Maxiell (that he wasn't the best available), what does that say about Joe's draft accumen? Does he still look pretty good?

according to the recap acker and amir were a big part of the patriots run in the 3rd quarter. keep it up.

They got a game today. Against the Flame again.

I'm gonna predict Acker with 17pts 5ast
Johnson 21pts 10reb

3:40 to go and pats down by 7...

should be a good finish. Cleaves is having another good game.

well they lost this one... 99 to 90
It turned out to be a pretty good game.

Amir Johnson had 8 points and 7 rebounds in only 13 minutes.
Acker had 4 points and 5 assists in 24 minutes.

I think that Amir should be getting 25-30 minutes every game. He is really a good rebounder, lead his team tonite with 7 in only 13 minutes as I said.

Acker was 1-9 shooting with 5 turnovers. Not good.

I went to the game last night. Kind of a sloppy game for Patriots. Flames came out and just out hustled and out shot patriots. But pats came back within 5 I believe. Cleaves really doesn't run plays for others. AJ picked up fouls for just holding defensive postion (not good calls). At one point in the second half AJ athletism and defense helped reduce the deficit. Acker had a nice drive and was fouled but they called a charge. Also Acker ran around some screens turned and fired ala hamilton but he missed. Highlights watching AJ repeatedly jump up high and his free throws look much better than his normal outside shot. Acker has nice rotation and form on his shots and really good ballhandler. ...... Also AJ AA and rickert were at outback after sundays game and a vacationing riverview family sat next to them. Well they starting talking and the players gave them tickets to the game. We were cheering Pistons and so we started chatting.

thanks jetscreamer for the info!! hopefully our boyz continue to grow and prepare themselves for the bigtime :)

How sweet is that having fan scouts reporting on the rookies.
OK who's going to Fayetteville NC for the next game?

amir will bring us great rebounding. acker had a tough shooting night, but i like his game as well

AMIR JOHNSON


http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060309/FLAFAY/boxscore.html


....I'm convinced :first: :thumb: :thumb:


well i've been convinced but a great game from him.

AMIR JOHNSON


http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060309/FLAFAY/boxscore.html


....I'm convinced :first: :thumb: :thumb:


well i've been convinced but a great game from him.

Looks good! 22 and 10 for Mr. Johnson tonight. Not to mention 4 steals and 1 blocked shot. Way to go. Man, I wish I could watch Patriots Ball. The D-league looks like alot of fun.

ever since our guys came in they've won more, but it's only 3 games.

I am going to suggest we keep Amir Johnson on for playoff roster as the twelth man. I know he is not as polished as JMax or even Acker. It is just I don't think J Max can help over a 5 minute span like AJ can. His defense and hustle are incredible. Just his energy and athletism could help for a few precious minutes especially if there are foul problems. I think don't he is a savior just has more useful short term NBA skills for a championship run. Acker no because Delk is redundant. If Cato is still on IR then Johnson should get the nod. I am probably in the minoirity but I thought I'd put it out there for debate.

Patriots win again,

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060311/FLAFAY/boxscore.html


:thumb:

Another big game for our rooks.

Looks like Amir is now starting.
Cleaves must be injured (DNP)...AJ didn't start at PG but played a very effective 40 minutes.

Box score (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060312/AUSFAY/boxscore.html)

this is great, fayetteville goes from the worst team, to winning 4 of 5 since our rooks went down there.

tonight:

johnson - 21 points on 9/12 shooting, 5 boards 2 assists 1 block in 27 minutes
acker - 23 points on 8/15 shooting, 5 boards 8 assists 3 steals 1 block in 40 minutes (and only 2 TOs)

so far through 5 games:

acker is shooting 45% (43% 3-pointers), and 94% (16/17) from the line
johnson is shooting 60% (100% 3-pointers), and 92% (23/25) from the line

that's nuts!! 23/25 from the line for johnson? a forward? i'm liking the sound of that :)

Well we know Amir ain't no Ben on the stripe.
Would really like to see if he's cleaned up his shooting form from outside.

I've gotta check the archives but I think we have Amir's rights for two years and can match any offer as long as we have the MLE available on his contract year...
This is not the case for Acker... we have to be careful that he doesn't blow up in the D-League where there could be some stiff competition trying to re-sign him next year.... don't be surprised if A.A. lands back on our bench soon.

I'm suprised Amir managed a solid game. He picked up 3 fouls halfway through the 1st quarter, so I thought he was going to have an uneventful game. But listening to the 2nd half, he had an array of hook shots, layups, and a couple dunks from Acker dishes.

"I like that kid, Acker," said Toros coach Dennis Johnson, the Boston Celtics great who played at Pepperdine in the early seventies. "I've followed his career for a while, watched him a lot on TV. He's silky smooth and he plays with a lot of confidence."

That's it... get his ass back over here on the bench... we don't need other teams liking him a lot {:^)

man i'm loving our picks, all 3 will be great for us.

man i'm loving our picks, all 3 will be great for us.

...or somebody else. Which seems to be the trend lately. But hopefully for us.

...or somebody else. Which seems to be the trend lately. But hopefully for us.

i'm thinking that we'll try to keep all these guys, but what do I know?

patriots win again. not the best free-throw numbers from acker and johnson (1/5 and 1/4), but another good game. i listened on the link from nba.com ... it's funny because they keep the recording w/o commercials so you can hear the guy when he doesn't think he's live.

acker 6 assists to 2 turnovers, 3 steals. johnson 2 steals and 3 blocks.

the story was the last 30 seconds though. the game was close - could acker and johnson play well under pressure and pull out the win? here's how it went down in those 30 seconds:

- johnson blocks a shot
- don't remember
- johnson blocks a shot
- with 6 seconds left and the patriots up by 3 and their opponent looking to foul on the inbounds pass, somehow acker finds johnson who breaks for an open dunk with 1 second left. game over.

i'd say they passed that test, eh? :)

How is Cleaves in the DL? Isn't he a "veteran"? I mean, does that mean we could send DD down there to get in game shape? I mean... what the...?

patriots win again. not the best free-throw numbers from acker and johnson (1/5 and 1/4), but another good game. i listened on the link from nba.com ... it's funny because they keep the recording w/o commercials so you can hear the guy when he doesn't think he's live.

acker 6 assists to 2 turnovers, 3 steals. johnson 2 steals and 3 blocks.

the story was the last 30 seconds though. the game was close - could acker and johnson play well under pressure and pull out the win? here's how it went down in those 30 seconds:

- johnson blocks a shot
- don't remember
- johnson blocks a shot
- with 6 seconds left and the patriots up by 3 and their opponent looking to foul on the inbounds pass, somehow acker finds johnson who breaks for an open dunk with 1 second left. game over.

i'd say they passed that test, eh? :)

does that make the last place patriots 4-1 since our guys came in? our guys are great.:nod:

patriots win again. not the best free-throw numbers from acker and johnson (1/5 and 1/4), but another good game. i listened on the link from nba.com ... it's funny because they keep the recording w/o commercials so you can hear the guy when he doesn't think he's live.

acker 6 assists to 2 turnovers, 3 steals. johnson 2 steals and 3 blocks.

the story was the last 30 seconds though. the game was close - could acker and johnson play well under pressure and pull out the win? here's how it went down in those 30 seconds:

- johnson blocks a shot
- don't remember
- johnson blocks a shot
- with 6 seconds left and the patriots up by 3 and their opponent looking to foul on the inbounds pass, somehow acker finds johnson who breaks for an open dunk with 1 second left. game over.

i'd say they passed that test, eh? :)

Thanks for the update WH, we can use all the eyes/ears we can get.
I know PF22 has also been keeping close tabs on these guys...
might be worth having our southern posters take a look at the Patriots schedule to see if they're coming to a town close by...

Things I would like to find out:

Is Amir's perimiter shot coming around or is it most dunks at put backs
How well is Acker staying in front of his man (especially when @ PG)
Is AJ able to hold his ground against physical PF like fizer (just called up)
Both Handling pressure situations (thanks again WH)

How is Cleaves in the DL? Isn't he a "veteran"? I mean, does that mean we could send DD down there to get in game shape? I mean... what the...?

Mateen is down there cuz he was cut from the league. If we wanted Dale to go down there, we'd have to waive him.

Patriots lost by one point...
Acker is now starting... pretty good game with 29 pts... Amir came up big tonight

Box score (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060315/FAYROA/boxscore.html)

Both guys are playing well, but Amir Johnson is putting together some eye-opening numbers. 18 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 blocks, .632 from the field. For an 18-year-old kid playing against guys anywhere from 2 to 5 years older, that's pretty remarkable. Plus he seems like a kid with his head on straight, happy to be playing ball for the Pistons no matter where it is.

For an 18-year-old kid playing against guys anywhere from 2 to 5 years older, that's pretty remarkable.

Where have we heard this before?... just makes ya wonder how much more advanced DMC would have been with steady D-League play...now he's 20 playing his rookie year.

Back to our kids.... yes this is very impressive... a lot of their competition was drafted in the 2nd round... some 1st round... just shows how deep last years draft was with all of the HS kids coming out because of the new CBA.... I would bet that Amir would be close to the lottery in the next draft.
I say Joe should trade the Orlando pick for a 2nd rounder:P

Patriots win again:

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060317/TULFAY/recap.html
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060317/TULFAY/boxscore.html

"The teams stayed close the rest of the way until the 2:43 mark of the fourth when Acker took over. With the score tied at 104-104, he hit a short jumper, then stole the ball and fed Rickert for back-to-back layups. He then set Johnson up with an alley-oop slam and followed with a pair of free throws that made the score 114-104. The 66ers couldn't recover from the run. "

Acker - 48 mins, 25 points, only 6/20 FGs and 0/5 from 3, but 13/13 from the line with 8 assists to 2 turnovers, 5 boards, 4 steals, and only 1 foul
Johnson - 31 minutes, 24 points on 9/13 FGs, 5 boards, 1 block

Nice. Thanks 'hog

Fayettville had 80 points in the paint! That is impressive.

Who does Rickert belong to? He seems pretty solid.

Who does Rickert belong to? He seems pretty solid.

Here's some info on Rickert. He belongs to Minny.

http://www.nba.com/draft2003/profiles/RickertRick.html

http://nbadraft.net/profiles/rickrickert.htm

I wonder why the T-Wolves aren't playing him. He looks like he could probably help them out some.

Minny does not have a clue. They have Eddie Griffin who could be a bad mo fo but they hardly play him. I dont know why he even resigned with them he hardly played last year too.

Another "W" for the Patriots... Amir is Mr. consistent with his points and shooting %... Had 7 T.O's today though

Box score for 3/19 (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060319/TULFAY/boxscore.html)

yah 7 TOs for johnson but 10 boards (5 offensive), 9/14 shooting, 4/6 from the line, and a block.

acker only shot 5/15 but was 7/8 from the line with a solid 7 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals, and a block. he only had 4 TOs in 48 minutes of play (1 per quarter i'll take it)

Another "W" for the Patriots... Amir is Mr. consistent with his points and shooting %... Had 7 T.O's today though

Box score for 3/19 (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060319/TULFAY/boxscore.html)

Looks good for the Pats...yea you can tell that Amir is definitely a rook with his turnovers. He is definitely improving his all-around game, though:nod: .

The Patriots with another 70 points in the paint?! What is going on down there?

Man, if only we had this league a couple of years ago. I wonder how differently the "Darko Experiment" would have gone? :tape:

he said he would never play there. there is a difference in attitude vetween him and amir.

^^^You got that right.

if you read the Recap in the daily news articles, that's the 2nd or 3rd game it has stated that acker took over in the final couple of minutes. very cool.

since our guys have been there patriots have been 7-2, but they're till in last place. who knows about the playoffs in the d-league because there could be a good chance that our guys lead them to the playoffs.

I think it's only the top four, so it's one of those not mathematically eliminated but pretty close to it kind of things.

What kind of NBA league only lets in half the teams?

i wish jmax had gone down there for a little bit. 9-0 man. the one thing you can't take away from these kids is that they went down there and they brought the W. That's more than the stat line. Hopefully, next season, we'll see them more.

I think it's only the top four, so it's one of those not mathematically eliminated but pretty close to it kind of things.

What kind of NBA league only lets in half the teams?

roanoke has the 4th spot, and if you're right than patriots are 7 games out of the playoffs, but if fayettville wins there last 8 games and roanoke loses there last 5 they'll still come short .5 a game.:ohwell:

This is hilarious, I am listening to the live feed of the Patriots game. This guy doesnt know that we can still hear him during "official timeouts".
This guy is like "yeah i had BBQ chicken tonight...finger-lickin-good, yes sir..."
Then he would be like "5 seconds until we're back on...3..2..1..and welcome back to Fayetteville.":laugh: :laugh:

Its entertaining though :nod: .

Game box score for 03/22 (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060321/TULFAY/boxscore.html)

Game box score for 03/22 (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060321/TULFAY/boxscore.html) One of these two will average 10 PPg next year

One of these two will average 10 PPg next year

I hope you're right brother.

One of these two will average 10 PPg next year

Do you think it will be with the Pistons? or somewhere else?

I still really can't see anyone breaking into this line up next year - unless we make a major move involving one of the top 6.

Do you think it will be with the Pistons? or somewhere else?

I still really can't see anyone breaking into this line up next year - unless we make a major move involving one of the top 6.The new word on the street is that grant Hill will be willing to come here next year for the league minimum as the 7th man. That would give us a bench of Dice, Hill, Delk, Delfino, Hunter, Max, Acker and AJ and our draft picks with no back up center. Who is the odd man out? IF......?

I think Acker should stay down there and play PG full-time. Then the following year he could possibly be an effective combo guard if he develops. Amir should come up and be groomed for dice then eventually sheed if he develops. The Grant Hill thing makes me wonder maybe this is part of the Darko trade... you buy out hill and pistons get him cheap. Another hungry veteran looking for a ring.

Amir Johnson shook loose for 21 points and 10 boards, and the Patriots outscored the Thunderbirds by 13 in the second half of Friday night's 106-89 victory (http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060331/ABQFAY/recap.html). Alex Acker also had a strong offensive game, scoring 20 points.

here is the whole recap and box score
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060331/ABQFAY/recap.html

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060331/ABQFAY/boxscore.html

acker had a phenomenal game the next night - 31 points on 52% shooting, 4 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals. amir has hit 14 of his last 15 FTs.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060401/ABQFAY/boxscore.html
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060401/ABQFAY/recap.html

acker had a phenomenal game the next night - 31 points on 52% shooting, 4 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals. amir has hit 14 of his last 15 FTs.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060401/ABQFAY/boxscore.html
http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20060401/ABQFAY/recap.html
harr, they played against "Glynnie", who seemingly failed to show anything (according to the boxscore).

At 11:15 pm tonight, the "NBA Insiders" hosts on NBA.TV said they were going to interview Amir Johnson, then went to a segment with Ronnie Nunn instead. Maybe they'll rerun it later.

FINAL OVERALL STATS

Amir Johnson
18 Games
Minutes: 27.6
Points: 17.3
Percentages: 67.2% FG, 100% 3FG, 70.4% FT
Rebounds: 7.2
Assists: 1.17
Steals: 0.88
Blocks: 1.47
Turnovers: 2.33
Fouls: 3.55

Alex Acker
17 Games
Minutes: 35.3
Points: 17.8
Percentages: 43.5% FG, 36.8% 3FG, 81.8% FT
Rebounds: 4.8
Assists: 4.8
Steals: 2.0
Blocks: 0.6
Turnovers: 2.93
Fouls: 2.4

Game-by-Game Stats
March
Fri 3 Roanoke 7:30pm (132-120 W)
Alex: 21 min, 28 pts (8-13 FG, 10-10 FT), 3 boards, 1 Ast, 2 stls, 1 blk
Amir: 18 min, 16 pts (5-12 FG, 6-8 FT), 8 boards, 1 ast, 2 stls, 1 blk

Sun 5 @ Florida 5:00pm (113-93 W)
Alex: 16 min, 14 pts (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG), 5 boards, 5 Ast
Amir: 19 min, 16 pts (6-7 FG, 4-4 FT), 9 boards, 2 ast, 2 blk

Tue 7 @ Florida 7:00pm (90-99 L)
Alex: 24 min, 4 pts (1-9 FG, 0-3 3FG), 1 boards, 5 Ast, 5 TOs
Amir: 19 min, 8 pts (2-5 FG, 4-4 FT), 7 boards, 1 blk

Thu 9 Florida 7:30pm (135-95 W)
Alex: 29 min, 13 pts (5-10 FG, 1-2 3FG), 3 boards, 4 Ast, 2 steals 1 TO
Amir: 28 min, 22 pts (9-15 FG, 4-4 FT), 10 boards, 1 blk, 4 steals

Sat 11 Florida 7:30pm (101-82 W)
Alex: 26 min, 9 pts (3-10 FG, 2-2 FT), 4 boards, 1 Ast, 1 stl, 1 blk
Amir: 29 min, 18 pts (6-8 FG, 1-1 3FG, 5-5 FT), 6 boards, 4 blk

Sun 12 Austin 5:00pm (120-110 W)
Alex: 40 min, 23 pts (8-15 FG, 5-6 FT), 5 boards, 8 Asts, 3 stl, 1 blk
Amir: 27 min, 21 pts (9-12 FG, 3-4 FT), 5 boards, 2 asts, 1 blk

Tue 14 Austin 7:30pm (99-94 W)
Alex: 33 min, 14 pts (6-17 FG, 1-5 FT), 4 boards, 6 Asts, 3 steals, 1 blk
Amir: 30 min, 17 pts (8-14 FG, 1-4 FT), 6 boards, 3 blk, 2 steals

Wed 15 @ Roanoke 7:00pm (114-115 L)
Alex: 40 min, 29 pts (10-24 FG, 7-9 FT), 7 boards, 3 Asts, 4 steals
Amir: 29 min, 25 pts (10-14 FG, 5-8 FT), 6 boards, 3 blk, 1 ast

Fri 17 Tulsa 7:30pm (120-110 W)
Alex: 48 min, 25 pts (6-20 FG, 13-13 FT), 8 boards, 8 Asts, 4 steals
Amir: 31 min, 24 pts (9-13 FG, 6-8 FT), 5 boards, 1 blk

Sun 19 Tulsa 5:00pm (106-102 W)
Alex: 48 min, 18 pts (5-15 FG, 7-8 FT), 7 boards, 6 Asts, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 TO
Amir: 34 min, 22 pts (9-14 FG, 4-6 FT), 10 boards, 1 blk, 1 ast, 7 TO

Tue 21 Tulsa 7:30pm (106-120 L)
Alex: 48 min, 19 pts (7-20 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 boards, 7 Asts
Amir: 19 min, 12 pts (5-6 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 boards, 6 PF

Thu 23 @ Austin 8:30pm (101-116 L)
Alex: 39 min, 18 pts (9-17 FG), 3 boards, 2 Asts, 2 stls
Amir: 31 min, 12 pts (6-9 FG, 0-2 FT), 4 boards, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Sat 25 @ Albuquerque 3:00pm (86-98 L)
Alex: 15 min, 6 pts (3-7 FG), 3 boards, 5 Asts, 6 PF
Amir: 33 min, 11 pts (5-8 FG, 1-3 FT), 8 boards, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Sun 26 @ Albuquerque 9:00pm (84-99 L)
Alex: DNP
Amir: 9 min, 7 pts (3-7 FG, 1-2 FT), 7 boards, 2 ast, 1 blk

Fri 31 Albuquerque 7:30pm (106-89 W)
Alex: 37 min, 20 pts (7-12 FG), 6 boards, 5 Asts, 1 steal, 2 blks, 5 TO
Amir: 36 min, 21 pts (6-10 FG, 9-10 FT), 10 boards, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO

April
Sat 1 Albuquerque 7:30pm (88-106 L)
Alex: 47 min, 31 pts (12-23 FG), 4 boards, 5 Asts, 4 steal, 3 TO
Amir: 36 min, 13 pts (4-5 FG, 5-5 FT), 4 boards, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 6 TO

Fri 7 Roanoke 7:30pm (115-106 W)
Alex: 45 min, 23 pts (10-20 FG), 6 boards, 5 Asts, 2 steal, 4 TO
Amir: 21 min, 19 pts (7-7 FG, 5-9 FT), 2 boards, 2 blk, 1 TO

Sat 8 @ Florida 7:00pm (95-107 L)
Alex: 39 min, 12 pts (5-13 FG), 7 boards, 5 Asts, 3 TO
Amir: 41 min, 25 pts (10-12 FG, 5-8 FT), 14 boards, 4 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 1 TO, 4 PF

The turns and fouls are very high. I will assume that is because it is chaos down there.

Man, 40, 48, 48, 48, and 39 minutes in eight days for Acker. Good thing he's young.

They should be behind the bench Wednesday night...
There's a good chance we'll get to see them play extended minutes before the reg season ends... just gotta win a couple more games.
Looking forward to seeing Brahma, AA & AJ playing together.

Looking forward to seeing Brahma, AA & AJ playing together.
Ditto. This could be Joe's best draft. I just have a good feeling about these guys. Maxiell lived up to expectations coming in cold against Orlando. Let's hope it is a glimpse of what is to come.

FINAL OVERALL STATS

Amir Johnson
18 Games
Minutes: 27.6
Points: 17.3
Percentages: 67.2% FG, 100% 3FG, 70.4% FT
Rebounds: 7.2
Assists: 1.17
Steals: 0.88
Blocks: 1.47
Turnovers: 2.33
Fouls: 3.55

Alex Acker
17 Games
Minutes: 35.3
Points: 17.8
Percentages: 43.5% FG, 36.8% 3FG, 81.8% FT
Rebounds: 4.8
Assists: 4.8
Steals: 2.0
Blocks: 0.6
Turnovers: 2.93
Fouls: 2.4

Game-by-Game Stats
March
Fri 3 Roanoke 7:30pm (132-120 W)
Alex: 21 min, 28 pts (8-13 FG, 10-10 FT), 3 boards, 1 Ast, 2 stls, 1 blk
Amir: 18 min, 16 pts (5-12 FG, 6-8 FT), 8 boards, 1 ast, 2 stls, 1 blk

Sun 5 @ Florida 5:00pm (113-93 W)
Alex: 16 min, 14 pts (6-9 FG, 2-3 3FG), 5 boards, 5 Ast
Amir: 19 min, 16 pts (6-7 FG, 4-4 FT), 9 boards, 2 ast, 2 blk

Tue 7 @ Florida 7:00pm (90-99 L)
Alex: 24 min, 4 pts (1-9 FG, 0-3 3FG), 1 boards, 5 Ast, 5 TOs
Amir: 19 min, 8 pts (2-5 FG, 4-4 FT), 7 boards, 1 blk

Thu 9 Florida 7:30pm (135-95 W)
Alex: 29 min, 13 pts (5-10 FG, 1-2 3FG), 3 boards, 4 Ast, 2 steals 1 TO
Amir: 28 min, 22 pts (9-15 FG, 4-4 FT), 10 boards, 1 blk, 4 steals

Sat 11 Florida 7:30pm (101-82 W)
Alex: 26 min, 9 pts (3-10 FG, 2-2 FT), 4 boards, 1 Ast, 1 stl, 1 blk
Amir: 29 min, 18 pts (6-8 FG, 1-1 3FG, 5-5 FT), 6 boards, 4 blk

Sun 12 Austin 5:00pm (120-110 W)
Alex: 40 min, 23 pts (8-15 FG, 5-6 FT), 5 boards, 8 Asts, 3 stl, 1 blk
Amir: 27 min, 21 pts (9-12 FG, 3-4 FT), 5 boards, 2 asts, 1 blk

Tue 14 Austin 7:30pm (99-94 W)
Alex: 33 min, 14 pts (6-17 FG, 1-5 FT), 4 boards, 6 Asts, 3 steals, 1 blk
Amir: 30 min, 17 pts (8-14 FG, 1-4 FT), 6 boards, 3 blk, 2 steals

Wed 15 @ Roanoke 7:00pm (114-115 L)
Alex: 40 min, 29 pts (10-24 FG, 7-9 FT), 7 boards, 3 Asts, 4 steals
Amir: 29 min, 25 pts (10-14 FG, 5-8 FT), 6 boards, 3 blk, 1 ast

Fri 17 Tulsa 7:30pm (120-110 W)
Alex: 48 min, 25 pts (6-20 FG, 13-13 FT), 8 boards, 8 Asts, 4 steals
Amir: 31 min, 24 pts (9-13 FG, 6-8 FT), 5 boards, 1 blk

Sun 19 Tulsa 5:00pm (106-102 W)
Alex: 48 min, 18 pts (5-15 FG, 7-8 FT), 7 boards, 6 Asts, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 TO
Amir: 34 min, 22 pts (9-14 FG, 4-6 FT), 10 boards, 1 blk, 1 ast, 7 TO

Tue 21 Tulsa 7:30pm (106-120 L)
Alex: 48 min, 19 pts (7-20 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 boards, 7 Asts
Amir: 19 min, 12 pts (5-6 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 boards, 6 PF

Thu 23 @ Austin 8:30pm (101-116 L)
Alex: 39 min, 18 pts (9-17 FG), 3 boards, 2 Asts, 2 stls
Amir: 31 min, 12 pts (6-9 FG, 0-2 FT), 4 boards, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Sat 25 @ Albuquerque 3:00pm (86-98 L)
Alex: 15 min, 6 pts (3-7 FG), 3 boards, 5 Asts, 6 PF
Amir: 33 min, 11 pts (5-8 FG, 1-3 FT), 8 boards, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Sun 26 @ Albuquerque 9:00pm (84-99 L)
Alex: DNP
Amir: 9 min, 7 pts (3-7 FG, 1-2 FT), 7 boards, 2 ast, 1 blk

Fri 31 Albuquerque 7:30pm (106-89 W)
Alex: 37 min, 20 pts (7-12 FG), 6 boards, 5 Asts, 1 steal, 2 blks, 5 TO
Amir: 36 min, 21 pts (6-10 FG, 9-10 FT), 10 boards, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 TO

April
Sat 1 Albuquerque 7:30pm (88-106 L)
Alex: 47 min, 31 pts (12-23 FG), 4 boards, 5 Asts, 4 steal, 3 TO
Amir: 36 min, 13 pts (4-5 FG, 5-5 FT), 4 boards, 3 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 6 TO

Fri 7 Roanoke 7:30pm (115-106 W)
Alex: 45 min, 23 pts (10-20 FG), 6 boards, 5 Asts, 2 steal, 4 TO
Amir: 21 min, 19 pts (7-7 FG, 5-9 FT), 2 boards, 2 blk, 1 TO

Sat 8 @ Florida 7:00pm (95-107 L)
Alex: 39 min, 12 pts (5-13 FG), 7 boards, 5 Asts, 3 TO
Amir: 41 min, 25 pts (10-12 FG, 5-8 FT), 14 boards, 4 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 1 TO, 4 PFBest post of the year!!!Very in-depth. Thanks, Fresh-one!!