NBA

[Drederick Tatum]

terrible shooting from both teams. Kobe went 6-24. hardly a vintage performance. but the Celtics biggest weakness bit them in the ass in the biggest game of the year. the Lakers totally dominated the offensive boards. 23 to 8. Gasol especially put in work. 18 rebounds to Garnett's 3.

[mickill]

But half those boards ended up getting turned over seconds later. I'm just saying, the rebounds made very little difference when they weren't following them up with anything. There were dry spells for minutes at a time on both sides. I think it took Boston something like 5 minutes to get their first basket in the 2nd.

[Yeti]

My little known school Virginia Commonwealth University had a player taken in the 1st round for the 2nd consecutive year. Larry Sanders (Not Gary Shandling) was picked 15th by the Bucks. He is 6'9 with a 7'5 wingspan.
Last year Eric Maynor was picked-up by the Jazz and later traded to Okie City. Maynor had a decent rookie year and will have a long career as a point.

Oh, in other news.......The NBA just got a little less interesting.

There was nobody in the league like Rasheed Wallace, and he has decided to walk away, according to David Aldridge writing for NBA.com.

He battled through an injury plagued season and although he was owed nearly $13 million over the next two seasons he decided he didn't want to go through that again.

[Gareth]

apparently lebron will make an announcement on espn, thurs 9pm.
we shall see.
all the speculation about him, wade and bosh has been getting a little crazy.
really hope the talent gets spread around though.

[Yeti]

I say he will go to the Knicks or stay in Cleveland. I believe that he will be worried about joining D Wade's team because he will be looked upon as a 2nd fiddle since Wade already has a championship and Flash has been with the Heat from the get go. Chicago may be an option but he will be in Jordan's shadow. The Knicks makes sense because he wanted to play with Amare last season but the Cavs chose to pick-up Jameson. He is already raking in marketing cash in Cleveland but he would be a billionaire in NY. He would be a media mogul in the largest media market in the US. So I will go out on a limb and say he will go the the Knicks.......or stay in Ohio(I had to hedge my bet).

[Drederick Tatum]

I think it'll be either Cleveland or Chicago. with Amare now a Knick it gives NY a bit of hope.

ESPN say Bosh is going to Miami.

[Drederick Tatum]

Lebron now going to Miami too, media outlets are reporting.

[TurdBerglar]

yeah well he's officially in miami now

[Drederick Tatum]

this is massive. Dwayne Wade should be made a saint in Miami for helping bring this together. talk about networking.

off court these guys would seem to be good buddies, we'll have to see how this chemistry translates onto the court. as it stands I'm not convinced with the tactical cohesion of this Big Three. Still, if egos can be massaged and playing styles adapted then there's no reason why this shouldn't be a dominant team for years to come.

I hope it happens.

[checkyourprez]

heat = domination station


make the celtics big 3 look like the puny 3


it took the lakers 7 games to take that old celtics team down. good luck with the wade's, bron's and bosh's.

[TurdBerglar]

this is massive. Dwayne Wade should be made a saint in Miami for helping bring this together. talk about networking.

off court these guys would seem to be good buddies, we'll have to see how this chemistry translates onto the court. as it stands I'm not convinced with the tactical cohesion of this Big Three. Still, if egos can be massaged and playing styles adapted then there's no reason why this shouldn't be a dominant team for years to come.

I hope it happens.

wade and lebron play pratically the exact same way. that could cause problems.

the reason why the celtics worked before they just wore out was that their big three all played in totally different ways.

we'll see having two 30 ppg players on the same team that play the exact same way can work out.

and if lebron stops quitting like he did against the celtics....

[Yeti]

I always wear my Heat gear and I was ragged for it the last couple of years. I guess now when I wear it I will get ragged for being a bandwagon jumper.
I am surprised by this move since D Wade is the man in SFLA. I am happy and now it will be exciting watching Wade with some players. Wade is still the #1 man in my book even though I know that LeBron is a better overall player.
I am happy. I am hearing that Miller will come in to be the spot up jump shooter. This team will be the most exciting team in the NBA by a long shot. The question is will they be able to spread the wealth and play as a team.
I should be fun to watch.

[TurdBerglar]

don't worry. wade will still be winning the games for lebron.

[checkyourprez]

don't worry. wade will still be winning the games for lebron.


thats gay to say.

wade won because he had a still slightly at the end of his prime shaq daddy. he hasnt done anything since. no player in nba history has won titles on his own without another really good player with him. bron never had that guy. now he has 2.

[TurdBerglar]

im talking about games, dude. just games. not ever titles.


lebron doesn't have that end of game back up against the wall time to kill overyone mentality that wade has. lebron just runs and jumps over people and if you can stop him from running and jumping over people he doesn't seem to know what to do. the fucking guy just plain stop playing during the celtics series. he's got all the skill and ability in the world but he doesn't seem to fucking care.

the way he played during that celtics series was as if he didn't want to win so it would have been easier for him to get the fuck out of cleveland.

if they made it to the the finals or even the easter confrence finals he would have looked even more like a dick for leaving.

i have a feeling he just wanted out of cleveland the city. i just think he didn't want to be there and live there.

[checkyourprez]

im talking about games, dude. just games. not ever titles.


lebron doesn't have that end of game back up against the wall time to kill overyone mentality that wade has. lebron just runs and jumps over people and if you can stop him from running and jumping over people he doesn't seem to know what to do. the fucking guy just plain stop playing during the celtics series. he's got all the skill and ability in the world but he doesn't seem to fucking care.

the way he played during that celtics series was as if he didn't want to win so it would have been easier for him to get the fuck out of cleveland.

if they made it to the the finals or even the easter confrence finals he would have looked even more like a dick for leaving.

i have a feeling he just wanted out of cleveland the city. i just think he didn't want to be there and live there.

i dont blame him for wanting to leave cleveland. come on, miami or cleveland. but he did find out delonte was fucking his mom during that celtics series, that played a part id assume. (theres no way i know this for 100% but i have seen it and read it several places..)

[TurdBerglar]

that delonte shit is fake. you would have heard about it from real news sources by now if it were real.

that motherfucker just wanted out of cleveland. i don't think he EVER wanted to be there in the first place. he grew up there and it seems kinda dumpy. i don't blame him for wanting to get out. but c'mon this guy is suppose to be the face of the nba. win no matter what, right? so far he seems not all that interested as i would expect someone of his supposed caliber.

he flatout quit during the celtics series.

and it's not like he left a team that wasn't trying to help him. they brought in players left and right to help this guy. maybe some good choices maybe some bad choices. but in the end he(the MVP) is suppose to make the difference and he just gave up.

[checkyourprez]

that delonte shit is fake. you would have heard about it from real news sources by now if it were real.

that motherfucker just wanted out of cleveland. i don't think he EVER wanted to be there in the first place. he grew up there and it seems kinda dumpy. i don't blame him for wanting to get out. but c'mon this guy is suppose to be the face of the nba. win no matter what, right? so far he seems not all that interested as i would expect someone of his supposed caliber.

he flatout quit during the celtics series.

and it's not like he left a team that wasn't trying to help him. they brought in players left and right to help this guy. maybe some good choices maybe some bad choices. but in the end he(the MVP) is suppose to make the difference and he just gave up.

idk if its fake or not. and i dont blame him for not wanting to be there either, cleveland sucks. but he gave them 7 years of his life. took that team from a laughing stock to heights it had never seen.

and i do blame that organization for not giving him enough help, sure they tried, but it wasn't good enough. his teammates were not great. some good players no doubt, but there was no one that could help him out when he had a bad night. if he didn't play awesome, especially in the playoffs, they lost.

and the way the cavs owner is going about this is complete bush-league. grow up i say to him. bron was a free agent, he owes nothing to cleveland. he could have pulled an eli manning and said i dont want to play is this dump but he did anyways.

and he is picking winning over anything. why else form this team for the ages? to be close to his buddies so he can play video games on their off days? no, so he can whip everyones ass in the nba for several years to come. aka win.

[TurdBerglar]

im talking about what he did during the celtics series where he clearly wasn't trying to win.

[checkyourprez]

im talking about what he did during the celtics series where he clearly wasn't trying to win.

its a shame no one else on his team was capable of winning a game besides him...

[Drederick Tatum]

im talking about what he did during the celtics series where he clearly wasn't trying to win.

you don't know that. you're just parroting what some pundits and a bitter owner have said. apart from the last minute of game 6 where he was exasperated at doing it all himself I don't recall any major moments where it was clear that he didn't want to win.

Mo Williams clearly wasn't trying to win with his .211 3p% in the Conf. Semis?

[Yeti]

don't worry. wade will still be winning the games for lebron.

One thing I do know is that when they win multiple championships D Wade will have 1 more than LeBron.

You know, the more I read and hear about LeBron's decision to join the Heat the more I am dumbfounded by the people and owner of Cleveland. The owner of Cleveland that bashed Lebron should be ashamed. Dan Gilbert is a real douchebag! James lined Gilbert's pockets for 7 years. The Cleveland franchise was worth a dime before LeBron joined the team. He should be thanking him for his 7 years of service. James was brought in out of High School on a steal and he honored his contract. Free agency is a time for athletes to benefit from their hard work and talent. These people that are burning his jersey and getting all worked up really need to get a life. Does LeBron really mean that much to your life?
Anyway, I watched a great documentary on Lebron and his high school teammates called More Than a Game. It is fantastic and after viewing the film I had a new understanding of James. He has been a superstar since he was 15 yet holds his family and friends very close to the vest. The media and some people tried to tear him down for his success. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior. ESPN aired his high school games. Then he was vilified by some while worshipped by others. They said he accepted favors and was driving a Hummer. It was sick how he was portrayed. he lived in a bubble. Now, here we go again. He is the son of a single mother who had problems with addictions. His life was his friends and basketball. Let him decide his future and get off his back. He will probably leave Miami and go to another team in the future. Who knows? I love to watch him play.
I love to enjoy and watch sports. I never get worked up by trades and athletes misgivings. People would ask me about Tiger Woods. I don't know Tiger Woods. He is a golfer and I like to fall asleep on the couch while listening to the golf announcers whisper. I don't know LeBron but I like when he slams on some poor schmuck.
Cleveland fans need to come to grips with the fact that their owner screwed the pooch on this deal. He never got players to surround Lebron plain and simple.

[TurdBerglar]

this article pretty much sums up how i feel about lebron.

http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/jul/10/reid-lebron-james-quitter-and-should-be-ashamed-hi/


he's just another one of those numbers getters. can't really win a game but can get shitloads of numbers and when does win, wins by stuffing numbers. he has no grit in him whatsoever.

over the past ten years stern has drastically changed the rules and officiating to accomidate these type of players. basically these rule and officiating changes have made the game easier. defense is lacking compared to 10/15 years ago creating easy scoring oppurtunties so these guy can entertain the casual fan.

lebron is the epitome of all this shit. he's entertainment.

[Yeti]

We will have to agree to disagree on this subject. Defense is lacking in the NBA but LeBron would have averaged 28 points 10 or 15 years ago. David Thompson and George Gervin averaged something like 40 points 30 years ago. NBA has always been about sports entertainment. Dr J, Pete Maravich, etc...... The NBA wants a run and gun style thats why they instituted the 3 point line and the shot clock.
The article was written by a person that admits they do not like LeBron. I happen to think he is a class individual. He made his choice and thats that. I wish him luck.

[TurdBerglar]

sure lebron seems like a nice guy. so what. all i care about is what a player does on the court for the most part. and he doesn't compete as much as i think he can or should. so many of his games i've watched and he disappears in the last 5 minutes of a game.

lebron would not be getting the same numbers 15 years ago.

he pretty much has free will on the court. some of it has to do with his freakish athleticism which is great but some of it also has to do with the rule chages that don't allow you to play any type of tough defense.

sure sports is suppose to be entertaining. that's the idea. but to make the game easier so there's more chances of "entertainment" happening is cheap way to do things.

and those players that you mention i believe were much better competitors than lebron. i don't know first hand because i've never seen them play.

maybe it's wrong of me to compare him to the jordans and ewings and birds. but that's who he's suppose to be, right? that's what he gets payed to be and that's what he leads us to believe. he doesn't have that same level of competitiveness in him. that fire. that edge. it's not there.

will it ever be ther? we'll see.

[Yeti]

I get your point but I do see a competitive spirit in his play. Magic had Worthy, Kareem, Wilkes, Scott and many other very good players. Bird had Parrish, McHale, Johnson, Maxwell and many other good players. LeBron did not have a good nucleus of players surrounding him. LeBron likes to spread the wealth but when you have guys missing open jumpers that he created by slashing I am sure it is frustrating. We will see. I think he is a freak and he will be the all-time leading scorer by his mid-30s. I think the reason that you think he lacks competitive spirit has to do with the fact that he has been shouldering such a large load on a team. We will see what happens. I am sure if he does win a championship there will be those detractors that say it was only because he joined an all-star team. I guess by that thinking the Yankee players are not deserving. I just think people are being to hard on him.

[Drederick Tatum]

I agree that Lebron's personality is different from some of those that turdberglar mentions. I think he's more calibrated towards the team aspect of the game. the act of playing well with others could be what he enjoys most, not the act of winning and success. it's almost if he sees winning as a natural by-product of playing well together, and if that's not happening then perhaps it isn't really worth winning at all.
totally different to Kobe Bryant, who couldn't care less if everyone in the entire building was unhappy as long as he's winning. both are noble enough beliefs, but for me basketball has always been primarily a team sport played with friends. Lebron merely got big enough to be able to make what, in the context of the NBA, is really an extremely radical decision that gives him the opportunity to play with friends who are capable of playing at his high level.

the players on the Cavs were just not good enough. starting frontline of 34yr old Jamison and 38yr old O'Neal? Williams as a second scoring option?...someone whose main weapon deserted him when it was most needed? not championship players.

[checkyourprez]

I agree that Lebron's personality is different from some of those that turdberglar mentions. I think he's more calibrated towards the team aspect of the game. the act of playing well with others could be what he enjoys most, not the act of winning and success. it's almost if he sees winning as a natural by-product of playing well together, and if that's not happening then perhaps it isn't really worth winning at all.
totally different to Kobe Bryant, who couldn't care less if everyone in the entire building was unhappy as long as he's winning. both are noble enough beliefs, but for me basketball has always been primarily a team sport played with friends. Lebron merely got big enough to be able to make what, in the context of the NBA, is really an extremely radical decision that gives him the opportunity to play with friends who are capable of playing at his high level.

the players on the Cavs were just not good enough. starting frontline of 34yr old Jamison and 38yr old O'Neal? Williams as a second scoring option?...someone whose main weapon deserted him when it was most needed? not championship players.

agree 100%. this is what everyone is forgetting who says he is not as good as people say or hes just entertainment.

1 guy can only do so much. jordan was not winning without pippen. kobe was not winning without shaq and gasole. garnett and peirce were not winning without each other and allen. i dont get how people can't see that.

[Whatitis]

I'm not a fan of Labron by any means, well, other than his ability, but do think he made a great move joining the Heat. He could of taken more money in Cle, Chi. or NY but went with his best shot to win a championship asap with the choices he had. That being said, I think he handled the Cleveland team poorly with the whole ESPN debacle last Thurs. by announcing to the media his intentions before talking with the team or the organization first. No, he dosn't really 'owe' it to them but it's unclassy IMO. That is the reports of the situation, if he did otherwise without the news getting out before the 'decision' it's news to me. I heard Mark Cuban brought the issue of players talking to eachother about future signings while still under contract as Labron, Wade and Bosh did. I think this is a big issue and actualy agree with him. Phil Jackson was fined a while back just because he mentioned that he liked a cirtain free agent to be player for his ability, not for Jacksons team, during an interview. Should players be held to this standard as well? Granted it would be harder to police but I don't see why not. They are under contract.





Don't believe the hype, lets let it play out.

[TurdBerglar]

1 guy can only do so much. jordan was not winning without pippen. kobe was not winning without shaq and gasole. garnett and peirce were not winning without each other and allen. i dont get how people can't see that.

it's not the whole actual winning aspect. it's the effort at the right time aspect. every great team has a closer and the closer is usually the best guy on the team. usually a guard or swingman. closing a game is more important than some numbers stuffing stat fest. sometimes the best player on a team has to be selfish and just take over. lebron doesn't seem to be able to do that or just doesn't want to. almost every team that has ever won at the end of june has an outright closer on their team.

lebron is not a closer. he is not clutch one bit.

but now that he has a closer in wade things are gonna be different for him.

[checkyourprez]

it's not the whole actual winning aspect. it's the effort at the right time aspect. every great team has a closer and the closer is usually the best guy on the team. usually a guard or swingman. closing a game is more important than some numbers stuffing stat fest. sometimes the best player on a team has to be selfish and just take over. lebron doesn't seem to be able to do that or just doesn't want to. almost every team that has ever won at the end of june has an outright closer on their team.

lebron is not a closer. he is not clutch one bit.

but now that he has a closer in wade things are gonna be different for him.

semi agree. but i think hes a lot like jordan in the sense. raw and atheletic younge. hard to be a closer when your still not a lights out jump shooter. jordan didn't develop that until later in his career. kobe is so money right now because he is being gaurded with tremendous defense and still hits a jumper hand in his face. bron can't really do that yet. he does everything else quite well. we forget he is only 25. jordan didn't really start to blossom until around this time and later, and jordan is the standard everyone is measured to.

[TurdBerglar]

jordan was the complete opposite of lebron. he was too selfish at first.

jordan was probably the most selfish guy on the court his first few years. trying to win everything himself. there were a lot of people that hated jordan the same way i hate lebron but for the complete opposite reason.

again im not talking about the actual winning or the making of baskets. im talking about effort when it's truely needed at the most crucial times.

lebron just doesn't seem to do anything when it's crunch time.

[Drederick Tatum]

lebron is not a closer. he is not clutch one bit.


im talking about effort when it's truely needed at the most crucial times.

lebron just doesn't seem to do anything when it's crunch time.

yeah okay, keep regurgitating your preferred narrative. http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM

[Drederick Tatum]

you want more? http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

sidenote: "Kobe fans don't like to hear it, but while their man is #4 in the league in total game winners hit, he holds the top spot in a less glamorous category: most game winning opportunity missed shots."

[checkyourprez]

again im not talking about the actual winning or the making of baskets. im talking about effort when it's truely needed at the most crucial times.

lebron just doesn't seem to do anything when it's crunch time.

yeah okay, keep regurgitating your preferred narrative. http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM

you want more? http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

sidenote: "Kobe fans don't like to hear it, but while their man is #4 in the league in total game winners hit, he holds the top spot in a less glamorous category: most game winning opportunity missed shots."

burn.

[TurdBerglar]

those stats represent this era as much as or even moreso than they do lebron james. lebron james is as much as of byproduct of this era as he is of his own talents.

the league has been catered more and more to players like lebron james for the past ten years. stern has been clammering to get the fanbase back and increase it since jordan left and then the lockout of 98-99 happened. what he did was make the game loads easier with all the rule and officiating changes to make the game faster pace and more high flying with less defense. perfect for casual fans and perfect for players like lebron.

then there's dwight howard. he's pretty much considered the preeminent center now. a center that doesn't have a post up game or jump shot.... the only reason he gets the numbers he can get is because you can't push players around anymore. he's given free will on the court. just dunking over people.

the reason why i mentionoed howard is because he's just another example of the state the league is in now. another byproduct.

lebron wouldn't be getting those numbers 10-15 years ago as i have been saying.

[Turchinator]

those game winning stats don't go past February of the 08-09 season...

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/0910kobegamewinners.html

kobe hit at least 7 this season alone.

[Drederick Tatum]

those game winning stats don't go past February of the 08-09 season...

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/0910kobegamewinners.html

kobe hit at least 7 this season alone.

Kobe is clutch, no argument there. Lebron is also.

[Echewta]

Hockey rules!!!

[Whatitis]

I guess Ilgauskas isn't really that tied to Cleveland after all. What a joke he/they pulled off last season.

[TurdBerglar]

so the nba might institute the FIBA goatending rule


HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – The gap between the NBA game and the international game of basketball continues to shrink at a rapid pace.

FIBA instituted NBA-style rule changes earlier this year (including the dumping of that trapezoid lane, the no-charge zone under the basket and the extended 3-point line). Now comes the NBA’s move towards closing the gap from the other side.

The NBA D-League announced today that is has tweaked its goaltending and overtime rules, the goaltending rule will now mirror the FIBA rule that allows a player to knock the ball away when it is on the rim. Since it serves as, in the words of NBA D-League President Dan Reed, the NBA’s “Research and Development” department, it’s reasonable to assume that it’s just a matter of time before this new goaltending rule is implemented in the NBA.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has been a vocal supporter of changing the rule for years. “As far as I’m concerned, FIBA has it right: It’s in play and the only thing the referee has to judge is, Did it hit the rim? That’s it,” Stern said told Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen last year. “To me, that’s a sensible rule, and it would make foul shooting more fun too.”

The NBA D-League tested the adidas-developed NBA Revolution 30 uniforms you will see on your favorite NBA players this season. So this wouldn’t be the first time the “R&D department” delivered the goods.

If the new goaltending rule is a success in the D-League it could pave the way for one of the most significant rules changes the NBA has seen since the 3-point shot was adopted in the 1979-80 season.

Seriously, can you imagine how crazy it would be to have guys like Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith and even an aging but cagey veteran like Kevin Garnett going after the ball while it’s on the cylinder?

Talk about a potential game-changer for some of the league’s elite athletes and craftier players, a new goaltending rule in the NBA could revolutionize the game for some teams and players (the difference in rules go a long way in explaining why some NBA players flourish during international competitions and other struggle, same for the international players that thrive in their game and don’t always make a smooth adjustment to the NBA).


while i think this is possibly a good rule change as it will benefit the hustle players and may encourage more hustle, im getting sick of all these damn rule changes the past ten years.

all these rule changes have blurred the lines between positions. there's less and less specialized players especially among big men. which i think is making the game less interesting.

[jabumbo]

but it will allow for more slam jams, so everyone will love it

[TurdBerglar]

no i think you can only tap the ball away from the rim if it's in the cylinder. i don't think you can actually grab it.

[Yeti]

Well the season is underway and I am surprised that Turdberglar did not brag about his Celtics victory over my Heat. I am watching the Heat wax the Magic at this very moment. They are swarming defensively and clicking on all cylinders. I was not disappointed by their defensive effort in the Celtics loss. The Heat will start to click offensively and it should be a constant highlight film. They have sooo many good players it is ridiculous. They might have to ask for rule change to allow 2 balls during a game.

[Drederick Tatum]

these new rules regarding techs are total bullshit. personally they definitely diminish the appeal of the NBA product. but I guess I'm not the audience Stern is trying to attract. he wants women and kids to get interested. in his shrewd little weasel mind, he thinks large black men showing competitive emotion is not the way to connect with this demographic.

[NicRN77]

Surprising no one is talking about bball! Celtics were on fire yet again last night.

RONDO! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqL2mI_LHqw&feature=share)

[Turchinator]

Kevin freaking Love with 31 and 31.

this guy was jockeying for minutes just a few nights ago...

[sjp]

I predict another 50 point game by brandon jennings tonight.

[Drederick Tatum]

Kevin freaking Love with 31 and 31.

apparently he's the first player in 28 years to do that. over the last 5 games he's averaging 18 rebounds a game. not bad for someone who can't jump.

he's the clear early season frontrunner for MIP.

T'Wolves seem to be playing with a little chip on their shoulder. good for them I say. pity their front office will probably find a way to undo all their good work.

[Yeti]

http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2010/11/23/chris-andersen-looks-awesome/

Check out the Birdman's new tattoos.

[saz]

23 point comeback (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVk3TA2Qp1w). now that's what i'm talking about.

[saz]

he's the clear early season frontrunner for MIP.

i'm afraid not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqFwcYX-an4), but...

I watched a great documentary on Lebron and his high school teammates called More Than a Game. It is fantastic and after viewing the film I had a new understanding of James. He has been a superstar since he was 15 yet holds his family and friends very close to the vest. The media and some people tried to tear him down for his success. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior. ESPN aired his high school games.

espn is the unofficial lebron james network. there are so many of their correspondents etc who will vote for him for mvp.


Also, Rose seemingly has almost no chance to be MVP because of the ESPN/ABC effect. Jeff Van Gundy made a convincing case during the game for Rose or Dwight Howard being the MVPs, and then he said he’d vote for James, who plays with two All-Stars, one a starter. ESPN has an awful lot invested in James going back to their years of promotion, televising his high school games all the way to his “Decision” TV show last summer. They’ve hired several reporters from around the country to just cover James and have regular updates about him on their various programs and web sites. They also have a disproportionate number of MVP votes in their far flung media operations. Sure, you say I write for the Bulls site so I have to favor Rose. OK, even if I do, it’s one vote. I’m not saying every ESPN reporter would see it that way. I don’t know. But you hear them make cases for others and then always come back to James. Who would you rather have taking your last shot? LeBron James or Derrick Rose?

link (http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_110214.html)

[TimDoolan]

Derrick Rose is incredible! 42 Pts! Let the good times roll!

[saz]

MVP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQHlcweY114)

[Turchinator]

m. I. p.

Most Improved Player

yeah I can see that going to Love

[Drederick Tatum]

Love's still gotta be the favourite.

D.Rose MVP cause without him the team don't have a chance and Stacey King doesn't have a job. http://www.nba.com/bulls/stacey-king-soundboard.html

[saz]

.

[Turchinator]

saz- Love for Most Improved, Rose for Most Valuable.

that is the argument being presented here.

and nobody is arguing that with you.

unless you are trying to say Rose is deserving of both awards?

[saz]

ah, i just re-read the post from november. i mistook the i for a v.

anyways, maybe i'm in the minority, but i do not understand the panic regarding the lakers.

[Turchinator]

the Lakers have a 4 game losing streak and two 3 game losing streaks this year. this is unprecedented in the Phil Jackson Championship years.

I know some might see this as insignificant, and that the Lakers can "turn on the switch", but this year is different.

their offense has been nothing to write home about and they have been soft on defense for the last two seasons now...

Kobe, Artest, Fisher, all losing a step...

[saz]

the Lakers have a 4 game losing streak and two 3 game losing streaks this year. this is unprecedented in the Phil Jackson Championship years.

in the lakers championship years or all of jackson's championship years? in the '92-'93 and '97-'98 seasons, the media were all over the bulls and proclaiming that they may not succeed, that they weren't playing up to their true form in those regular seasons.

you can never count the lakers out. kobe, gasol, fisher and a great front court. sure, the spurs and mavs look scary, but really if the lakers do end up with the third seed in the west, all they really need is one win on the road in a series.

[Turchinator]

in the lakers championship years or all of jackson's championship years?

none of Phil's 11 championship squads ever went on two 3 game losing streaks according to what I read...

LA is coming off a terrible road losing streak with that atrocious effort against Cleveland.

I honestly think it's their defense that will eventually be their downfall.

but you are right, when Odom and Gasol are on, there is no stopping them.

[Drederick Tatum]

Carmelo is finally a Knick.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=6145912

Mike D'Antoni is pumped 'cause now he has not one, but two superstars who don't play defence. perfect.

I think Denver did pretty well to get as much back as they did. although all four of the players they got have never really shown that much outside of this season.

Corey Brewer might also be a good trade for the Knicks. I've always thought he underperformed and was underrated because of playing on such a bad team. we'll see.

[saz]

^ha, d'antoni and donnie walsh did not want to gut their roster for melo, but james dolan, receiving advice from the incompetent isiah thomas, did it anyways. now they have two excellent scorers who can't play defence, chauncey billups who is only getting older at 34, and no team or bench. plus there's a new cba coming down the road, and maybe a stingier salary cap? and as steve kerr pointed out, amare and melo in d'antoni's offence might not be a sure thing as they both demand the ball and have offences work through them.

[TimDoolan]

MVP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQHlcweY114)

Thanks Saz

[Drederick Tatum]

lots going on in the NBA.

Deron Williams to the Nets for some players who aren't him.

Mo Williams to the Clippers for Baron Davis. I kinda fell sorry for both Davis and the Cavs fans. Davis would've been perfect for the Lebron Cavaliers, feeding off the crowd's energy, but now he's headed to the worst team in the league to play for a coach he's previously had problems with. he's gone from throwing lobs to Griffin in LA to JJ Hickson in Cleveland(I kinda like Hickson though). I give him a quarter and a half before he checks out.
Williams on the other hand probably can't believe his luck.

[Burnout18]

agree with SAZ. only thing i have to add is they have no big man either. Mozgov could have been nice. but nooo.

[TurdBerglar]

baron davis hasn't done shit in years

[TimDoolan]

Chicago beats Miami again, this time with LeBron.
Bulls are the best!

[saz]

^and we swept the season series. take that (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5way491d6Y), espn.

and congratulations kevin love for breaking moses malone's record (http://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2011/3/9/2041031/kevin-love-sets-new-nba-double-double-record), 52 straight double-doubles (y)

[saz]

baron davis hasn't done shit in years

but cleveland got the clippers first round pick in that deal, so the cavs could potentially have two top draft picks = dan gilbert (http://www.cio.com/images/content/articles/body/2008/10/Mr_Burns_150x176.jpg)

[Drederick Tatum]

wow NCAA title game and college basketball showpiece sucked hard. all the emotion and 'real' basketball is worth a combined 94 points.

it's not a good sign when total points is nearly outscored by total rebounds. 94-91

[TimDoolan]

The bulls walloped the Celtics last night. The teams they are facing next are not as good.
60+ wins. :)

[Turchinator]

I know my Laker hating ass jinxed Kobe and the gang to go 17-1 after the All Star break, but add another 3 game losing streak to this season's record...

[NicRN77]

The bulls walloped the Celtics last night. The teams they are facing next are not as good.
60+ wins. :)

what a horrible game for the Celtics. :(

[marsdaddy]

Dorrell Wright might be most improved.

*Vote Monta Ellis for 2012 All Star game*

[Drederick Tatum]

marsdaddy out of nowhere. how are the kids?

[TimDoolan]

The Bulls are painting a picture. The trophy will be the frame.

[saz]

^ now that's what i'm talking about (y)

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/pippen-bulls-line-seventh-championship.html

the lakers still scare the crap out of me

[Yeti]

Heat will win it all.

[NicRN77]

Heat will win it all.

no they won't.

[Yeti]

How do you know? I am a long time Heat fan so I have to be confident. Oh, and you better worry about the Knicks.

How about CP3 and the Hornets taking down the Lakers?

[saz]

How do you know?

they're essentially three players and not a cohesive, tight-knit team with tremendous chemistry. incredibly talented and dangerous, yes, but they're not complete yet.

the pricks have no defence and d'antoni's run and gun philosophy isn't what usually takes down experienced, efficient defensive units like the celtics, despite making dumb trades like perkins to okc.

but eh, i guess we'll see.

[NicRN77]

Was at the C's game tonight in Boston. What a nail biter. Ray Allen for THREEEEEEE!

I am happy to see the Lakers lost. I feel Chicago is gonna take it this year. I love my Celtics, but I don't see it happening.

[TimDoolan]

Good game. Ray Allen is the man.

Nice Derrick Rose behind the scenes footage "Home Away from Home." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOlTEB8bAlA)

[saz]

danny granger owned (http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2011/04/27/granger-on-noah-hes-a-dirty-player/)

[Brother McDuff]

so glad to be a Chicagoan right now. gonna be an exciting playoff. (y)

[Yeti]

I will say it one more time just to be on record so I can be ridiculed or championed at a later date.

The Heat will win it all(y)

[saz]

okay, we get it.

barkley says the lakers are done. meanwhile, he might want to work on his golf swing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQwa0VrdLsQ).

[Turchinator]

down with Purple & Gold.

[Yeti]

Heat vs Thunder

[Turchinator]

the writing was on the wall for the Lakers this season.

no pick & roll defense, Derek Fisher exposed, Pau played Soft.

down 3-0 with their backs against the walls, the Lakers showed their true class and character with cheap shots and finger pointing.

The Mavs in Game 4
:eek:

their bench equaled the Entire Lakers team offensive output.

the Mavs had more assists than the Lakers had field goals.

and those 3 pointers...

my prediction:

2006 repeat- Dallas exorcises demons of past and wins the title


#8 Memphis looks real good at home

[Yeti]

Udonis! I like his effort and it felt like 2006 tonight. I like it when the old Heat players can get in the mix.

[Turchinator]

Haslem is going to need to bring that type of energy more than once in five years if the Heat are going to win a title against the very deep Mavs...

[Yeti]

Really? The Mavs have depth? I can't wait for that series.

That is if your deep Mavs can get by the Thunder.

[Turchinator]

lol, nice game by the Thunder last night.

do the Mavs have depth? do they not have Jason Terry leading the bench? peja? marion? barea? kidd?

the mavs are one of my most hated teams in the League, btw. I do love me some objective analysis though.


the heat, or 2 1/2 Men as they have been billed (although Bosh was ballin'- hey girlfriend!) sure have their defense going for them this postseason, and their record at home is fantastic.

but who are the role players? korver? haslem? mario chalmers?

do you think they have what it takes to step it up in the Finals?

that is, if they can get past the Bulls.

[saz]

(y)

lol, nice game by the Thunder last night.

do the Mavs have depth? do they not have Jason Terry leading the bench? peja? marion? barea? kidd?

[TimDoolan]

My prediction bulls 109 miami 105. We are going to be surprised that there are more points, less D.

[Turchinator]

Korvers a Bull. My bad. It's Mike Miller contributing tonight

[Yeti]

do you think they have what it takes to step it up in the Finals?
that is, if they can get past the Bulls.

The Heat will be ready for the Mavs..... 2006 repeat.

I still wear that championship t-shirt.

[saz]

:rolleyes:

[saz]

wow, so much for brian shaw (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/25/mike-brown-lakers-coach_n_866900.html) :/

[Turchinator]

Interesting move indeed. Kobe with the "no comment"

To me it was Jim Buss making the complete move from the Phil Jackson era and the team his father constructed.
Jacksons shadow would have lingered with his asst Shaw at the helm.

Was there a better coach available than Brown?
I hear Houston will hire Kevin McHale.

So... who's going to guard Dirk in the Finals?

[saz]

lebron would guard dirk for miami. for chicago, deng and/or gibson.

[Turchinator]

Epic

[Drederick Tatum]

Lebron will see some time against Dirk, but he'll primarily be defended by J.Anthony, Bosh, and Haslem. I suspect Haslem especially will see increased time against Dirk considering the decent job he did on him back in 2006.

[Yeti]

Flash aaaaaa King of the Universe!

[Turchinator]

...Barea and Terry and Kidd and Chandler, and DIRK aaaaaaah

speaking of King, has anyone seen LeBron James in this series?

too busy tweeting "NOW OR NEVER" and making fun of Dirk's flu?

[Yeti]

Should be fun on Sunday night. I have always said it would go 7. It is not over yet.

[Yeti]

Dammit!

[Turchinator]

dial-a-Laker fan, Heat guy, you just got dominated...

[Thundercracker]

somebody get lebron and d-wade some cough medicine :)

[Lyman Zerga]

im happy for dirk, i like him and he deserves it

[yeahwho]

Simply Mav-elous!

[abbott]

I lived in Plano, just outside of Dallas for 5 years and the Mavricks were always an easy ticket to get and tough to get read of.

I was 4-9 years old and we would take toys to play with in the concourse while our parents drank. Not to mention that if they wanted another beer, often you had to walk half way around to find an open vender.

I just figured we have the cowboys, so I guess nobody cares about the Basketball team. I saw bigger crowds at the high school football games.

anyway, I never thought I would see the day...

whats next? Rangers get a world series?

[DIGI]

I just figured we have the cowboys

Sorry.

I'm glad to see Dallas wrap it up. They handled themselves with class. Miami's had an arrogance about them all season and when they reached the Finals, you could tell that they just expected to win. I'm having trouble recalling an athlete's popularity plummeting so quickly without a criminal offense like LeBron's. That dude's a piece of work. He can't even tone down the attitude in defeat. Much like what John Saunders said "You can fake cough all you want to take shots at Dirk, but make sure after this series you aren't clearing your throats." That's exactly what they're doing. Punks.

[Turchinator]

yeah forget actually playing the series!

LeBron, The Heat, and their fans were just ready to be handed 7 titles in a row!

why didn't D Wade tell him it's not easy to win a championship?

Really? The Mavs have depth? I can't wait for that series.

lol the Mavs were the deeper and more complete team! how could you watch the LA series and not see this coming?

"Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't"

-LeBron James, 0-2 in the NBA Finals

[saz]

(y)

Sorry.

I'm glad to see Dallas wrap it up. They handled themselves with class. Miami's had an arrogance about them all season and when they reached the Finals, you could tell that they just expected to win. I'm having trouble recalling an athlete's popularity plummeting so quickly without a criminal offense like LeBron's. That dude's a piece of work. He can't even tone down the attitude in defeat. Much like what John Saunders said "You can fake cough all you want to take shots at Dirk, but make sure after this series you aren't clearing your throats." That's exactly what they're doing. Punks.

just like many of their "longtime" douchebag fans


lol the Mavs were the deeper and more complete team! how could you watch the LA series and not see this coming?

[TurdBerglar]

all that shit i said on pages 29-30 about lebron...


still all true


lets see what happens next year?


old school teams are still gonna win until there's none left.


all lebron has proven he can do is bully average/good teams. when faced with a real fucking team he just disappears year after year. he's great against good teams but horrible against great teams.

[DIGI]

Chicago's going to be wrecking shop. If they could land a big guy like Howard, game over for any other team in the East. Noah's not bad. I think he's a good defender, but Dwight and Rose? Voltron shit.

[TurdBerglar]

they need another player that can attack the basket/get their own shot more than anything else. rose is the only option when it comes to crunch time. rose already has enough responsibilities being the point guard. he needs somebody else that can losen the pressure off him so he can concentrate on either being the point guard or shooting guard during pressure situations.

dwight howard would just give rose more responsibilities having to feed him the ball for dunks all the damn time.

boozer needs to step up too. a post player with the post skills he has should be doing a lot more to help rose. or atleast be more reliable.

[saz]

dwight howard would be a disaster for the bulls. turd is spot on, all he can really do is dunk and rebound and has no mid-range game nor jump shot for that matter. besides, howard is only interested in playing in, and living in warm, preferably tropical climates. he is a notorious complainer when on the road. any other likely destination as opposed to orlando would likely be los angeles, or perhaps another western conference team. regardless, no team is likely to make any major moves until a new cba is in place.

boozer was awful in the playoffs and it was apparently leaked to the chicago media that management was not impressed with his post-season efforts. but, after winning 62 games, having the coach of the year, the mvp and making it to the eastern conference finals, i won't blame management for not making any serious changes prior to the upcoming season, if there is one that is. still, it would be much more prudent to start gibson again and move boozer, seeing as we drafted taj, he's younger, a superior defensive player who performs well in clutch situations, is developing a decent offensive game and brings an emotional and motivational intensity which is very similar to noah's. they also play very well together, whereas boozer and noah still need to play an entire season together and see if they can gel.

we'll see what happens. i just hope the new cba can get sorted out soon.

[DIGI]

True. Boozer's complicated to figure out. If he ever gets back to producing like he did when he was with Utah 5 years ago, they'll be solid.

What happened to Ben Gordon? Although I'm a Pitt fan and it's hard to muster sympathy for a UConn alum, I do feel bad for the guy. Detroit's such a shell of what it used to be.

[saz]

boozer's soft. he doesn't have the defensive chops like noah and gibson.

gordon has been in basketball hell aka detroit because he got greedy. the bulls offered him 50 million, but the pistons offered 60 million. there's been some noise in the chicago media about reacquiring gordon, as detroit is looking to do some serious salary dumping. a rose/gordon backcourt or gordon as our sixth man would be great. or rip hamilton. or both. we could probably only afford one, but if we could get rid of boozer and pick up gordon and hamilton, that would be pretty sweet.

[Turchinator]

it's no big surprise that fans and media in big and small market towns alike all think they are the frontrunner for the Dwight Howard Sweepstakes.

Laker fans have all but written him on the roster...

[cubsfirstplace]

First two weeks of the regular season have been canceled. ughhh. looks likely that a lot more games will end up getting canceled.

[NicRN77]

First two weeks of the regular season have been canceled. ughhh. looks likely that a lot more games will end up getting canceled.

It is so disappointing

[Turchinator]

I heard they could still salvage all 82 games by cramming them in the remainder of the season...

that wouldn't bode well for older teams like the Lakers.

[TurdBerglar]

HBO "Real Sports" host Bryant Gumbel took a harsh stance against NBA commissioner David Stern, saying he has acted like a "plantation overseer" during the league's contentious labor battle.

Gumbel, who has not been shy about making racially tinged comments in recent years, placed the blame for the NBA lockout squarely on the shoulders of Stern Tuesday night.

"[Stern's actions] have been typical of a commissioner who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern plantation overseer, treating NBA men as if they were his boys," said Gumbel, who added it has been Stern's "m.o." to try to prove that he "is the one keeping the hired hands in their place."

"Some will, of course, cringe at that characterization, but Stern's disdain for the players is as palpable and pathetic as his motives are transparent," Gumbel said.

He labeled Stern as "ego-centric" and said if the NBA lockout is resolved it will be "in spite of Stern, not because of him."

The comments aired while the NBA owners and players were in the midst of a 16-hour negotiating session before federal mediator George Cohen in the hope of salvaging the season.

Stern, after canceling the first two weeks of the season, said last week that if the current set of talks do not yield considerable progress, games could be called off through Christmas and the entire season would be in jeopardy of being scrubbed.

Gumbel has invoked race on other occasions in his show-ending comments, including in 2006 when he likened the Winter Olympics to a GOP convention for its "paucity" of black athletes.

In another comment that many viewed as racially tinged, Gumbel slammed former NFL Players Association chief Gene Upshaw as incompetent in Aug. 2006.

Speaking just after Roger Goodell had taken over for Paul Tagliabue as NFL commissioner, Gumbel advised Goodell, to "have Paul Tagliabue show you where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash," adding that Upshaw had acted during his tenure as Tagliabue's "personal pet."


http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/HBO-Real-Sports-host-Bryant-Gumbel-invokes-slavery-in-rant-against-NBA-commissioner-David-Stern-101911

i think this is the first time i've ever agreed with a crazy racially charged comment like this. stern is such a snivelling little rat king.

[Turchinator]

I dont understand how he can remain commissioner. his reign is tarnished and it is time for the NBA to find a new commish or for smug Stern to step down.

last year was a success on all fronts. then he shuts it down like this.

[Whatitis]

Horrible analogy on Gumbel's part. Irresponsible journalism at best.

[jabumbo]

Alls I know is my alma mater just showed up at #11 in the preseason polls. Games start next week!

[Turchinator]

Happy NBA day!

clippers, knicks, rockets are my teams till i die

[Whatitis]

Lakers til I die but the Clippers are a close second, no bandwagoning, just an OU fan(been a fan of OU sports for 25+ years) digging what Griffin and the Clips got going for them.

[Turchinator]

I ain't mad, whatitis, really excited for the clippers since they landed Paul.

I know one of the asst coaches for the Clip Show so I have been pulling for them for a few seasons now.

now, when the Lakers and Mavs both lose on the same day, that's the gift that keeps on giving for the rest of the year :D


epic 5 year nba thread, turd

[TurdBerglar]

jeremy fucking lin

[checkyourprez]

beasties gotta be pretty happy with the kid. bet he shows up in a rap of theirs in the future.

[Uru-Nitro]

yesterday I saw the match vs raptors and of course he is a great player,
but in fact I was surprised that the guy everybody's talking about can't bounce the ball with the left hand. check it out, he just can't.

[DIGI]

I don't think you should be sucking each others dicks over Lin just yet. No doubt the kid's had an unreal 5 game stretch, but it's just that. 5 games.

The Clippers are looking fucking meeeeeean. Blake posterizes like 3 mother fuckers a week.

[Turchinator]

the Clip Show just lost Chauncey Billups, but guys like Caron Butler ought to be able to fill in his absence. they are also looking at JR Smith, but I hear Smith is now looking to join Melo and Linsanity.

as for Jeremy All I Do is Lin,


"Lin has more points in his first five starts (136) than anyone since the ABA-NBA merger, topping stars like Michael Jordan (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Athletes/NBA/Michael+Jordan) and Shaquille O'Neal (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Athletes/NBA/Shaquille+O%27Neal)."

no big deal. just 5 games. game winning three. complete trust in his teammates and vice versa.

[checkyourprez]

wellll 6 game stretch. he didnt start 6 games ago but still had 20 something points and they won. soooo that puts an end to your theory buddy.

[Turchinator]

Eastern Conference Player of the Week. 38 points and a win against the LA Kobes. 6 Straight wins to put the Knicks back on the map.

dude was playing in the D League putting up triple doubles about three weeks ago. this was bound to happen.

[DIGI]

wellll 6 game stretch. he didnt start 6 games ago but still had 20 something points and they won. soooo that puts an end to your theory buddy.

The kid hasn't even played a weeks worth of games and espn is giving him the Tebow treatment. That company is nothing but a bunch of sport clip premature ejaculators anymore. It's not that I don't enjoy watching Lin play. I do. But having to watch like 40 minutes of Lin during an hour long show is a bit much.

[Turchinator]

he is nothing short of Linspirational... a Linderella story...

and it's been two weeks since he was given the chance to show what he's worth. his last game was a very point guardian effort of 10 points and 13 assists, in another win, without playing in the fourth quarter blowout against the Kings.

I agree the Tebow Mania and Linsanity is a bit much but he's got the fans in New York excited again and from a marketing standpoint, he's got half the world's support in the Asia market after Yao's retirement.

it's like the Clippers getting CP3- entirely changing the face and direction of the franchise in a good way. JR Smith almost certain to sign with New York now.

[TurdBerglar]

so the knicks have j.r. smith now...

awesome. another great team player to go along with the other great team players in anthony, baron davis, and amare. what the fuck is wrong with the person that runs this team.

[Turchinator]

honestly the emergence of Lin brought balance to the force. they were ready to self destruct- Mike D was on the verge of being fired. Amare's brother died and Melo had missed about 9 games straight...

I agree about JR Smith being another knucklehead but I think it's actually going to work. Lin's a turnover machine but he dominated the defending champ Mavericks last night.

okay maybe they should trade Carmelo.

this weekend was exciting for the NBA- Westbrook and Durant combined for 91 points (almost as much as the Lakers average!) after being down 5 with a minute left v Denver, Ibaka with a triple double with 11 blocks in an Overtime game!

the Spurs held on to their winning streak in Overtime after being handed the win against the Clippers. Chris Paul committed a costly turnover up by three with about 15 seconds left.

Kyle Lowry shot 7-8 3 point range to run away from the Jazz.

and the Suns crushed Kobe and Company, forcing a public statement by Bryant- trade or no trade, do something!

Minnesota's tearing it up right now.

The Heat will likely win the title.

[DIGI]

So how about ESPN used the headline "Chink in the Armor" after the Knicks lost the other day?

Jesus.....

[checkyourprez]

So how about ESPN used the headline "Chink in the Armor" after the Knicks lost the other day?

Jesus.....


inappropriate but kinda funny in a wtf kinda way.

[Turchinator]

you would think that was a funny photoshop but sure enough someone approved that headline for the mobile platform.

they fired him and another employee was put on leave for 30 days. the one on leave used the phrase on air, but the dude is maried to an Asian lady and has a mixed race baby, so he gets a pass.

meanwhile Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports tweeted during Lin's storybook rise:

"Some lucky lady in NYC is going to feel a couple inches of pain tonight"

and SNL had a skit on the Lin double standard

[yeahwho]

Pearl Jam Sings “Jeremy (Lin)” (http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2012/02/pearl-jam-sings-jeremy-lin/)

[Turchinator]

hehe. pretty awesome.

Sheed about to come out of retirement and sign with the Lakers.

something's about to go down.

Kobe a no show at the All Star media session.

[TurdBerglar]

well well well


anthony and stoudamire come back from injury and the knicks are shit again...

[Turchinator]

Linsanity is through. I wouldn't be surprised if they put him or Melo on the trading block.


Jr smith fined for tweeting a photo of a half naked chick he was nailing.


Do you think howard will move? Or gasol for that matter?

[TimDoolan]

The Bulls will crush the knicks.

[Turchinator]

Mcmillan out.

D'Antoni out.

Gasol and Howard stay put.

the Blazers blow up their team sending Camby to Houston and Wallace to the Nets.

Jackson back to Golden State and then back to the Spurs.

Nene to the wizards.

the Rockets get the draft pick from the Lakers Odom deal and Derek Fisher (and Camby).

Jefferson and Bogut to the Warriors.

Ellis to the Bucks.

Lakers get Ramon Sessions and Jordan Hill.

Nick Young to the Clippers.

Javale McGee to the Nuggets.



a bunch of mostly lateral moves but an exciting trade day nonetheless. who do you think made out the best? I would say the Spurs Lakers and Clippers will all be set. the Warriors will make a serious push for the 8th seed now that Rubio is down in Minnesota.

[TimDoolan]

The bulls run deep, so deep, so deep put LeBron to sleep.

[Turchinator]

chicago falls finally without Rose, to okc. the Bulls have been playing out of their minds.

and the Heat still sucking it up, losing bad against Boston. I still think they will face the Thunder in The Finals. not so sure they can win it all tho.

they have only won 3 out of the last 9 road games.

did anyone see Kobe save the Lakers season last night? 0 for 15 until he got hot and hit the game winning three, avoiding their 4th home loss in 5 games against an short staffed Hornets squad. the Lake show is still underwhelming.

Amare out for the season, Linsanity over with, the Knicks are doomed.

[Micodin]

New York fell off since Snoop came through and knocked down the buildings...

[yeahwho]

Game 7 at Boston. (http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320607002)

The most un-hyped playoff series ever.

Oklahoma (who?) wins the West.

This short season just became exciting to me. I will be watching Saturday nights game for sure.

[Heather_D]

I can't wait for Game 7! Go Boston!

http://carlapacione.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/bf15fede332d11e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg

[yeahwho]

I can't wait for Game 7! Go Boston!

http://carlapacione.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/bf15fede332d11e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg

Great T Shirt.

Agreed.

Boston let's do this.

[YoungRemy]

just curious yeahwho, are you rooting for Boston from a Seattle got screwed perspective to see OKC go down, or an anti Heat angle?

or you just like the Celts?

[yeahwho]

I've been to well over a few hundred Sonics games and it was sickening to see them leave... but to stay in Seattle with the owner they had would of been worse

I'm over the Sonics, when the CEO of Starbucks Howard Schultz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Schultz#Sports) bought the team back in the 90's he immediately up'd the fans ticket prices and lowered the teams payroll. Once he realized he was a failure he shopped the team around like a venture capitalist. He basically pimped them then sold them.

That's life and that's business. I have no ill will towards the the Thunder, in fact it's awesome they're currently playing better than any other team on the planet.

Also I genuinely like the Celtics. More than the Heat. I will root for Oklahoma if the Heat end up winning. If the Celtics win it'll be a toss up.

Either way things just got cranked up to 10.

[Heather_D]

I'm rooting for OKC too if the Heat magically win tonight. TBH, if it were BOS & OKC, as much as I love the Celtics & would root for them, I would be happy for OKC if they won. All around, they are a great team.

[yeahwho]

Boston gave it's all, but in the end Miami controlled the pace. Really good basketball game, Miami actually stayed onpoint, did not get emotional and won. Great playing and very scary for Oklahoma.

Onto the finals. Here's the TV Schedule (http://www.nba.com/schedules/national_tv_schedule/index.html).

[Heather_D]

I'm still sad Boston lost, but at least I don't have to worry about staying up too late for the finals. I would've liked to see them win again, especially since rumor has it Garnett's gonna retire. I probably will catch a couple games over the weekend since I'm on vacation.

[yeahwho]

Oklahoma takes game 1 and continue to prove they're playing better basketball than any team on the planet. Just unreal what they've been doing this past month. To watch them comeback yet again after being behind for almost 3 full quarters was amazing.

Great Game. Low Key. Fucking Awesome.

[Yeti]

I am a Miami fan and I am disappointed.

Durant is phenomenal and Westbrook will give Wade fits on his hobbled knee. OKC plays like a well oiled machine and Miami is fractured as a team. This in my opinion is coaching. OKC has the better coach in Brooks. The Heat need to step up on Thursday or this will get ugly:eek:

[Heather_D]

It somewhat amazes me that Spolstra is still coaching that team

[TurdBerglar]

well i guess lebron has finally proved himself and finally played the correct way. no dancing on the side line. no expectations to win every time. no extreme and unjust arrogance. just focused and determined.

i was totally expecting another playoff meltdown as that was his norm.

[yeahwho]

Miami just killed it. Good for LeBron, I like his post game schtick where he said he had to get back to basics, quit playing the game from a point of anger and play from the heart, for love of the game.

Mike Miller was off the charts. Seven 3s'! He has to feel ecstatic right now and probably for the next few months waking up with that stat.

Back to the full season 2012/2013.

82 regular season games.

[Yeti]

Heat Baby!

[YoungRemy]

congrats to Shane Battier, an integral part of this Championsjip Heat team.

imo he is the player that put them over the top

[TurdBerglar]

so kobe tore his achilles.

valiant effort, kobe. but his career may be over. it takes about a year to recover for that, no? then another 6 months to a year to get back into top form? shit. I hope it's not as grim as that.

[YoungRemy]

I would never wish injury like that to any player regardless of how I feel about them.

I wanted to see him go down with the ship but now he is just done, and that sucks for him. I respect that he is one of the greatest of all time.

I hate the Lakers, but Kobe was a warrior who was run into the ground trying to will his team to the playoffs and beyond. I really think this season was a disaster from the get go but the writing was on the wall since they were swept by dallas in 2011.

on this year's team, he was a man amongst underachieving boys.

[TurdBerglar]

I didn't like kobe in the beginning. he was a little bitch that couldn't stand playing second fiddle to shaq while shaq was the most dominating thing the league had seen in a long time. but when shaq left he must have realized how their success was based mostly on shaq. he seemed to change his attitude. he got smacked in the face and it changed him into this warrior.

[TurdBerglar]

seems like LeBron is playing like a bitch again. role players and bench riders are doing more for their team than he is. why does he have such a hard time against old school defensive teams?

do you think he'll snap out of it and start killing the spurs like the mvp he's suppose to be?

maybe he's in cahoots with david stern and adam silver to make this a 7 game series to draw as many viewers in as possible....

[Yeti]

seems like LeBron is playing like a bitch again. role players and bench riders are doing more for their team than he is. why does he have such a hard time against old school defensive teams?

do you think he'll snap out of it and start killing the spurs like the mvp he's suppose to be?

maybe he's in cahoots with david stern and adam silver to make this a 7 game series to draw as many viewers in as possible....

It is more about those support players than Lebron. He is playing tough D, rebounding, playing every position on the floor. I think he will score more in game 4 and attack. As a Heat fan I am dismayed that the team is not playing with a sense of urgency and a hatred to lose. All the greats had that sense of I will NOT lose. Lebron is kind of a turn it on turn it off guy and I wish he was just plain mean and nasty all the time. The Spurs are tough and if they go back to Miami with a 3-2 lead it might be too much for the Heat.
I bet you that Lebron will end up going back to Cleveland one day and playing with Kyrie Irving. Bosh is killing me! Please let him know that he is 6'11. Sheesh!!

[TurdBerglar]

I don't get LeBron at all. he's the most gifted player probably ever. but there's just so many times he just doesn't do anything on the floor. he just stands there and holds the ball then either passes it off or takes a shitty jump shot near the three point line. he should be attacking every chance he gets.

how can kawhi leonard be stopping him? he's half LeBron's size!

[TurdBerglar]

if he keeps doing what he did in game 4 the spurs should be scared

[TurdBerglar]

but not if he keeps doing what he did in game 5...

[Yeti]

Game 7!
Lebron will be on the attack just like the 4th quarter in Game 6.

[TurdBerglar]

the spurs just couldn't keep from shooting themselves in the foot

[YoungRemy]

Battier does it again

[Yeti]

After a recount Manu Ginobli has been named Finals MVP.

[TurdBerglar]

I don't know if ginobili needs to retire or if he just had a bad playoffs. that guy has been playing since he was like 15. he doesn't take the summers off because he plays for his national team back home in argentina. that guy has probably played more pro basketballs minutes than anyone else ever in pro basketball.

[Yeti]

During the offseason he is getting a nose job so he can maintain his balance.

[TurdBerglar]

So apparently the heat are willing to make strong moves to get Carmelo signed this summer.....

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11068709/miami-heat-discussing-options-target-carmelo-anthony-free-agency


what the fuck is this shit. this would be like Jordan, Wilkens, and Reggie Miller all deciding to go play on the same team. It's so much better for the league for these guys to play AGAINST each other. there's no more rivalries anymore. what we would have all have missed out on if those three guys didn't want to kill each other day in and day out during the 80's and 90's.

I hope it doesn't happen. melo definitely needs to leave the knicks. but not to the heat.

[YoungRemy]

the same reporter Marc Stein says that Melo will only consider Mavs, Bulls, and Rockets this summer.



that's why I don't pay attention to NY/LA leaning espn stories.

[TurdBerglar]

Lebron is going back to the Cavs. this guy is weird. bails on the heat the same he bailed on the cavs to go back to the team that he bailed on.

[TurdBerglar]

kobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y64OsZNYhp0