SHOREWOOD, Minn. — The Show goes on, thanks to Stephen Curry. Shorewood (46-16) heads into its second straight week as sole possessor of COMO's No. 1 seed. Curry (44.33-bone average over three starts) was the primary reason Bobby Finstock's squad went 3-1 with huge wins over Chaska, Rio and Newport Beach. "There are three rules that I live by," Finstock said. "Never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never design a play that doesn't go to Steph. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese." The past two seasons, Shorewood has been out of the regular season title race by mid-February. Now, they're in the driver's seat. But will the Show still make another deadline deal in their quest for a championship three-peat? "We've got our eye on a few players," GM Alex Smith said. "There are always options available. But the guys we currently have in our rotation are making it clear they don't need any help."
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SHOREWOOD, Minn. — Did we just witness the evolution of Giannis Antetokounmpo? Last week, most basketball fans would have said the 7-foot stud was still another season or two from COMO Player of the Week status. But Antetokounmpo just posted a 33.00-bone average in four starts while Shorewood went 4-0. Now, the Show (43-15) are all alone in first place, and the "Greek Freak" could shape the league's playoff push. Instead of trading for another team's star at the deadline, Shorewood has a homegrown bone collector. "There are three rules that I live by," coach Bobby Finstock said. "Never get less than 12 hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never put Giannis on the bench. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese." Shorewood's eight-game winning streak has broken it out of a tie with Duval United (42-16) at the top of the standings. "We're looking damn good," general manager Alex Smith said. "There are still plenty of deadline options, but we're light years ahead of where we were in November." ST. PAUL — Fans in Minnesota's capital city have now seen two "building block" players and first-round draft pick thrown out the window this week. But in return, they get what is perhaps the best lineup in the country. Two days after shipping a package that included Hassan Whiteside to Hollywood for 2014-2015 COMO MVP Anthony Davis, general manager Matthew Taylor sent injured point guard Eric Bledsoe and an unprotected 2017 first-round pick to Sunnyvale for former Chill star Carmelo Anthony. Now, a fringe power broker (31-23) is perhaps the favorite to win it all this spring. The Chill's new lineup includes guards Kyrie Irving and Brandon Knight, wing players Gordon Hayward and Anthony, and a murderer's row of Davis, Rudy Gobert and Kevin Love in the post. "Melo" played for Minnesnowta from 2013-2015, earning second-team All-COMO honors in his first season. Citing a large cap number, Taylor cut him this past summer, and Anthony wound up heading to Nova Scotia on a $20 million deal in free agency. Now, he's back in the gym where he became the Chill's all-time leader in bones and points. "Welcome home, kid," Taylor said. "Welcome home." Sunnyvale (19-35) — currently tied for the No. 8 seed — hurt its playoff prospects with the deal, but that's the last thing on general manager Matthew Quammen's mind. "All my vets are available," he said Wednesday night. "I'm trying to be a dynastic championship contender, not an 8 seed." Quammen called Anthony, who's been averaging just over 21 bones this season, a "fat loser." Now, the Slayers' assets include Bledsoe — a second-team All-COMO selection last year — and two 2017 first-rounders. "We are looking to build to the future," Quammen said. "Young assets are welcome in Sunnyvale." OFFICIAL DEAL
We're still more than a month from the trade deadline, but Hollywood general manager Aaron Connolly Nutting has seen enough from his last-place Hornets. Standing at 11-41, the GM decided to shake up the league's power structure by sending 2014-2015 MVP Anthony Davis to Minnesnowta for star power forward Hassan Whiteside, young projects Gorgui Dieng and Dante Exum, and a 2017 second-round pick. Connolly Nutting referred to the transaction as "cleaning up the mess past ownership left" and "turning the page." "While AD is a promising young star, it is clear that he belongs on a contending team right now," the GM said. "The pieces we are getting back will help us build the groundwork for a team past management left with little depth, which will now be a championship team in 2018." Minnesnowta GM Matthew Taylor was elated with his capture of the 22-year-old MVP, which should propel the Chill (31-23) from contenders to favorites this spring. While the trade cost him Whiteside, a budding star, the other pieces — Dieng, Exum and a second-rounder that Shorewood can still flip as it pleases — won't really be missed. This is already Dieng's second trade and fourth COMO team. Exum, the No. 3 overall pick in 2014, has been slowed by injuries. 'Snowta somehow made this trade while holding on to its talented backcourt — Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Kyrie Irving —and its future first-rounders. "I tried my hardest to make this deal without including Whiteside," Taylor said. "But Hollywood just wouldn't budge ... I couldn't pass up on a chance at having AD." Davis was listed as the No. 1 contract in this spring's Trade Value report. Dieng (No. 44) and Whiteside (No. 48) were also named. OFFICIAL TRANSACTION • Hollywood sends Anthony Davis ($40) • Minnesnowta sends Hassan Whiteside ($4), Gorgui Dieng ($1), Dante Exum ($2) and a 2017 second-round pick (Shorewood owns rights to flip spots) |
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