NBA '09/'10 Season Thread
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Skyraider22
The One and Only Big Daddy
You are not kidding he went off in the 4th period:thumbsup:
I hate this comparison. Drafting Bowie was a fuck up. Drafting Oden was a necessity. Portland is a Center away from being a major contender. Durant wouldn't make Portland any better.
Besides, Oden can only be compared to Bowie if Durant goes on to become a top 5 player of all time and starts a dynasty in OKC.
I think Portland made the right decision. He just needs to stay healthy.
Skyraider22
The One and Only Big Daddy
Yeah that is the only problem staying healthy,You gotta feel for the guy as long as he has being around he ha had an injury even at Ohio State he played with a broken wrist:dunno:
Skyraider22
The One and Only Big Daddy
The Bulls have to fire Vinny del Negro right now - this team has regressed from last year, Vinny is not taking advantage of Derrick Rose's talent, they don't run set plays on offense most of the time, and the whole squad lives and dies by the jumpshot. Worse of all, defense is non-existant from this team, too.
1st quarter analysis.
Big surprise, Eastern Conference: Atlanta.
The Hawks won 47 games and advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year, and they've only gotten better, adding guard Jamal Crawford to bring some offense off the bench. They've won on the road against top teams—Boston, Dallas, Portland—and are close to breaking into the league's elite.
"It's OK if people don't consider us on that level. Remember Miami in 2006, no one was talking about them," Crawford said, referring to the Heat's championship season. "We feel we can be that kind of team."
Big disappointment, Eastern Conference: Washington.
With Gilbert Arenas back and new guards Mike Miller and Randy Foye on hand, the Wizards looked ready for a revival. Hasn't happen. Miller was injured, Foye has been ineffective and the team has devolved into selfishness and an excess of jump shots—the Wizards rank in the bottom six in the league in shooting percentage and assists. There's still time to get back on track. Miller will soon return from his calf injury and new signee Earl Boykins has brought life to the lineup. But it will have to happen soon.
Big surprise, Western Conference: Phoenix.
The Suns dumped Shaquille O'Neal for nothing in return, instead deciding to hand the reins back over to 35-year-old point guard Steve Nash and see if they could recapture some of their run-and-gun magic. They have, getting back up to second in the league in scoring and ranking among the top three teams in the West.
"I know a lot of people outside didn't think we could get back to this," Jason Richardson said. "But in the locker room, we all know how we can play."
Big disappointment, Western Conference: New Orleans.
Two years ago, the Hornets looked like a team that was prepared to challenge the Lakers in the West for the foreseeable future. Injuries and a lack of depth knocked the team off course last year, and things fell apart this season as coach Byron Scott was fired, upsetting star guard Chris Paul. The Hornets may yet be a playoff team, but they're not a group that can carry any championship delusions.
First quarter MVP: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers.
There are some intriguing candidates—Nash and Carmelo Anthony, as well as the usual field of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard—but ultimately, Bryant has been consistently terrific for the league's best team. He took on a bigger scoring role for his team when Pau Gasol was out and now has the Lakers playing a better team game. He's shown few weaknesses.
First quarter top rookie: Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee.
It's nip-and-tuck for rookie of the year, between Jennings and Sacramento's Tyreke Evans. Momentum belongs to Evans, but since this is a first-quarter award, we've got to recognize Jennings' accomplishments.
"I still need to learn consistency," Jennings said. "I have to be able to help my team every night, not just once in a while."
Offseason payoff: Vince Carter, Orlando.
The Magic are still working Carter into the offense, trying to find the right balance between getting him to be aggressive and dominate, and getting him to be one of the cogs on a very talented team. But so far, things have gone well, as Orlando sits tied for the best record in the East.
"Vince is going to be fine," Howard said. "He's been great for us, and the more he gets used to what we do, he is only going to get better."
Offseason bust: Richard Jefferson, Spurs.
The slow start by San Antonio is not all Richard Jefferson's fault, of course, but he has not been nearly as useful in the lineup as the Spurs had hoped. He was supposed to provide some insurance in case Manu Ginobili was injured, but he has struggled both when Ginobili was healthy and when he was out. His shooting has been terrible (43.4 percent), especially his 3-point shooting (33.3 percent). Even his free-throw shooting is off—he's at a career-low 68.3 percent.
Three good stories:
1. The East race. The Magic, Celtics and Cavaliers are all on pace for at least 60 wins, and will slug it out all season. There haven't been three 60-win teams in one conference since 1998-99.
2. The hang-tough Rockets. They aren't going to win a championship, but the Rockets' role players have managed to scrape above .500. There's no Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady, but they've been adequately replaced by Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry.
3. Rising in OKC. They hustle. They play defense. They have better-than-expected depth. The Thunder are on the way up, and there's a lot more to this group than Kevin Durant. They're going to challenge for a playoff spot.
Three bad stories:
1. The Nets chase infamy. They were finally able to stop the losing streak at 18, but the Nets now have to be concerned about this number: 9-73. That's the all-time worst record, held by the 1972-73 Sixers.
2. The Blazers' tough luck. Portland is dealing with some especially difficult situations. Owner Paul Allen was diagnosed with lymphoma. Coach Nate McMillan blew out his Achilles. And Greg Oden's comeback was cut short by another season-ending knee injury.
3. Warrior mentality. The Warriors dealt disgruntled guard Stephen Jackson, but in his wake is a team that has been battered by injury and still has an unhappy star Monta Ellis on board.
Big surprise, Eastern Conference: Atlanta.
The Hawks won 47 games and advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year, and they've only gotten better, adding guard Jamal Crawford to bring some offense off the bench. They've won on the road against top teams—Boston, Dallas, Portland—and are close to breaking into the league's elite.
"It's OK if people don't consider us on that level. Remember Miami in 2006, no one was talking about them," Crawford said, referring to the Heat's championship season. "We feel we can be that kind of team."
Big disappointment, Eastern Conference: Washington.
With Gilbert Arenas back and new guards Mike Miller and Randy Foye on hand, the Wizards looked ready for a revival. Hasn't happen. Miller was injured, Foye has been ineffective and the team has devolved into selfishness and an excess of jump shots—the Wizards rank in the bottom six in the league in shooting percentage and assists. There's still time to get back on track. Miller will soon return from his calf injury and new signee Earl Boykins has brought life to the lineup. But it will have to happen soon.
Big surprise, Western Conference: Phoenix.
The Suns dumped Shaquille O'Neal for nothing in return, instead deciding to hand the reins back over to 35-year-old point guard Steve Nash and see if they could recapture some of their run-and-gun magic. They have, getting back up to second in the league in scoring and ranking among the top three teams in the West.
"I know a lot of people outside didn't think we could get back to this," Jason Richardson said. "But in the locker room, we all know how we can play."
Big disappointment, Western Conference: New Orleans.
Two years ago, the Hornets looked like a team that was prepared to challenge the Lakers in the West for the foreseeable future. Injuries and a lack of depth knocked the team off course last year, and things fell apart this season as coach Byron Scott was fired, upsetting star guard Chris Paul. The Hornets may yet be a playoff team, but they're not a group that can carry any championship delusions.
First quarter MVP: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers.
There are some intriguing candidates—Nash and Carmelo Anthony, as well as the usual field of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard—but ultimately, Bryant has been consistently terrific for the league's best team. He took on a bigger scoring role for his team when Pau Gasol was out and now has the Lakers playing a better team game. He's shown few weaknesses.
First quarter top rookie: Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee.
It's nip-and-tuck for rookie of the year, between Jennings and Sacramento's Tyreke Evans. Momentum belongs to Evans, but since this is a first-quarter award, we've got to recognize Jennings' accomplishments.
"I still need to learn consistency," Jennings said. "I have to be able to help my team every night, not just once in a while."
Offseason payoff: Vince Carter, Orlando.
The Magic are still working Carter into the offense, trying to find the right balance between getting him to be aggressive and dominate, and getting him to be one of the cogs on a very talented team. But so far, things have gone well, as Orlando sits tied for the best record in the East.
"Vince is going to be fine," Howard said. "He's been great for us, and the more he gets used to what we do, he is only going to get better."
Offseason bust: Richard Jefferson, Spurs.
The slow start by San Antonio is not all Richard Jefferson's fault, of course, but he has not been nearly as useful in the lineup as the Spurs had hoped. He was supposed to provide some insurance in case Manu Ginobili was injured, but he has struggled both when Ginobili was healthy and when he was out. His shooting has been terrible (43.4 percent), especially his 3-point shooting (33.3 percent). Even his free-throw shooting is off—he's at a career-low 68.3 percent.
Three good stories:
1. The East race. The Magic, Celtics and Cavaliers are all on pace for at least 60 wins, and will slug it out all season. There haven't been three 60-win teams in one conference since 1998-99.
2. The hang-tough Rockets. They aren't going to win a championship, but the Rockets' role players have managed to scrape above .500. There's no Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady, but they've been adequately replaced by Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry.
3. Rising in OKC. They hustle. They play defense. They have better-than-expected depth. The Thunder are on the way up, and there's a lot more to this group than Kevin Durant. They're going to challenge for a playoff spot.
Three bad stories:
1. The Nets chase infamy. They were finally able to stop the losing streak at 18, but the Nets now have to be concerned about this number: 9-73. That's the all-time worst record, held by the 1972-73 Sixers.
2. The Blazers' tough luck. Portland is dealing with some especially difficult situations. Owner Paul Allen was diagnosed with lymphoma. Coach Nate McMillan blew out his Achilles. And Greg Oden's comeback was cut short by another season-ending knee injury.
3. Warrior mentality. The Warriors dealt disgruntled guard Stephen Jackson, but in his wake is a team that has been battered by injury and still has an unhappy star Monta Ellis on board.
Nice analysis, but I'm surprised you didn't mention how disappointing Philly has been this year. Just a few months ago they played brilliant basketball going into the playoffs, but a long off season and losing Andre Miller really changed the dynamic of this team. Not to mention the return of Elton Brand.
Brand has to be the most overpaid player in the league. Anybody who thought Brand could turn Philly into a playoff contender was had. I'm not really surprised at how bad Philly is playing this year.
Anybody paying attention for the All Star voting this year? It is absolutely ridiculous. Fans shouldn't be allowed to vote and here is why.
Tracy McGrady is 2nd behind Kobe for Western guards. 2nd. Tracy McGrady. He hasn't even played a game this year. Ahead of Steve Nash and Chris Paul. :rollseyes: China gets every Houston game broadcast on television so they just vote for Houston players. I'm surprised Yao Ming isn't on the ballot. Also, Nash has never started an All Star game and for at least 4 seasons, he has been the best PG in the league, and he is behind T-Mac. HA.
Things are no better in the East. Lebron obviously leads all forwards, but Garnett is 2nd when Bosh is having a waaay better season. Wade leads all guards, and Carter is 2nd. Vince (I'm hurt and I don't feel like trying tonight) Carter. He is ahead of Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and Gilbert Arenas. Crazy.
It is just a popularity contest. Great players get burned every year because people vote for the name, not the game.
Anyway, here are my starting lineups. Let's hear yours.
East
C-Dwight Howard
PF-Chris Bosh
SF-Lebron James
SG-Dwayne Wade
PG-Joe Johnson
West
C-Andrew Bynum
PF-Dirk Nowitzki
SF-Carmello Anthony
SG-Kobe Bryant
PG-Steve Nash
Tracy McGrady is 2nd behind Kobe for Western guards. 2nd. Tracy McGrady. He hasn't even played a game this year. Ahead of Steve Nash and Chris Paul. :rollseyes: China gets every Houston game broadcast on television so they just vote for Houston players. I'm surprised Yao Ming isn't on the ballot. Also, Nash has never started an All Star game and for at least 4 seasons, he has been the best PG in the league, and he is behind T-Mac. HA.
Things are no better in the East. Lebron obviously leads all forwards, but Garnett is 2nd when Bosh is having a waaay better season. Wade leads all guards, and Carter is 2nd. Vince (I'm hurt and I don't feel like trying tonight) Carter. He is ahead of Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and Gilbert Arenas. Crazy.
It is just a popularity contest. Great players get burned every year because people vote for the name, not the game.
Anyway, here are my starting lineups. Let's hear yours.
East
C-Dwight Howard
PF-Chris Bosh
SF-Lebron James
SG-Dwayne Wade
PG-Joe Johnson
West
C-Andrew Bynum
PF-Dirk Nowitzki
SF-Carmello Anthony
SG-Kobe Bryant
PG-Steve Nash
As of today, Allen Iverson is 2nd among Easten conference guards, trailing behind D-Wade - like he really is well-deserving of the notion.
Steve Nash just passed up Tracy McGrady on the Western side, trailing only leading overall vote getter Kobe Bryant.
Looks like Vinny Del Negro is still the Bulls skipper for now - at least he didn't get the pink slip on Christmas Eve; we'll see how much longer he survives.
Steve Nash just passed up Tracy McGrady on the Western side, trailing only leading overall vote getter Kobe Bryant.
Looks like Vinny Del Negro is still the Bulls skipper for now - at least he didn't get the pink slip on Christmas Eve; we'll see how much longer he survives.
The Bulls should hire Terry Porter.......the Suns record aint any better since he was fired (look it up) and he did a decent job with a crappy Bucks roster...and as a former PG he can develop Derrick Rose....
They're my team, so I hate to say this, but jesus the Lakers are freakin crybabies.
No team has a bigger sense of entitlement.
And worst of all, when things don't go their way they tend to get really sloppy, or even quit, like a bunch of spoiled little bitches.
They got their asses handed to them yesterday, fair and square. So man up and deal with it. I understand being competitive, and I understand getting frustrated. I can also understand inviting the occasional technical to fire up the troops. But the constant whining has got to stop.
You're right man. It seems like the Lakers expect to get a free ride to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. I'm not worried though. Artest will shove some attitude into these guys by seasons end. These Lakers will be some tough SOB's by June.
alexpnz
Lord Dipstick
Laker fans not happy with the officiating yesterday!
http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/frustrated-laker-fans-throw
http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/frustrated-laker-fans-throw
There's a report saying that Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton drew guns at each other during a gambling dispute - now this is fucked up material.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4787825
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4787825
