NBA Thread - 2009-10

[BooCocky]

King Beck-ah, so you all would rather praise players like Kobe Bryant, an accused rapist,

He was accused, doesn't mean he actually did it.

and Ron Artest, someone who went up into the stands and punched a fan in the face,

I don't praise Ron Artest. I just said he's better than Trevor Ariza. And as an AI fan you have no right talking about someones motives. Trouble maker since his teenage years. He allegedly hit a women in the head with a chair.

Why do you all fail to address that shit coach that the Piston's had.

Coaches get fired though, and he wasn't that bad.

Iverson or Hamiliton should have not have came off the bench for anybody else on that team because nobody else on that team was as good as they were.

Those players have played on the same unit for years though. They were always in sync, so the coach chose the ball hog. He should have to come off the bench if the coach asks him to. Wouldnt be the first time AI refused to come off the bench.

I agree with Iverson, he was by far the best player on that team so how was it best for him to come off the bench?

He should come off the bench because the coach asked him to. And he wasn't the best player on the team. You fail to see that though because your head is so far up his posterior it isn't even funny.

You also fail to address how the Pistons said, "We AI to BE AI!" When he attempted to be AI everybody threw a shit fit because they wanted him to be Billups and they will be no better this season without Billups, I guarantee it.

Np, they wanted him to be a scoring presence off the bench. We've already addressed this.

And you're right, he isn't in the top ten in total points scored however among active players he is second and he has the third highest scoring avg for his career only behind Wilt Chamberlin and Michael Jordan.

yet he takes a lot of shots and both Jordan and Chamberlain shot at a higher percentage. Jordan has a shooting percentage of like 49.7... Wilt at 54. Both are more efficient scorers... And I'm sure other people on that list are more efficient than AI. Kobe Bryant shoots at 45% which is still more efficient...

 

[SSJPhenom]

Who was better than AI on that team? Who had more accomplishments in an individual standpoint on that team than Allen Iverson. To say that Iverson was not the best player on the Piston's last season is the craziest thing I believe that I have ever heard from anyone on this forum.

Coming off the bench is not what they signed AI for. If Michael Jordan was still playing. I guarantee you that he would get a starting position based off of respect alone. Why doesn't Allen Iverson deserve this? The only thing that Jordan has done that alludes Iverson is winning a championship.

Of course Wilt Chamberlin has a higher FG percentage. He was the only person playing at that time that was as tall or as big as he was. I guarantee you that if he were playing today that he would amount to a bench player.

 

[Big Sexy]

Big Sexy, you failed to address the horrible coach that the Pistons had, you know, the one that got fired! So why does all the blame go to AI?

Not all of it does, but most of it does. Curry deserved to get fired because he didn't have the balls to put Iverson in his place, however if Iverson just would have come off the bench like Curry wanted then none of this would have happened.

You also failed to address how the Pistons said, "We want Allen Iverson to be Allen Iverson!" When he attempted to be Allen Iverson, everyone threw a fucking fit. The wanted Allen Iverson to be Chauncy Billups, not Allen Iverson, because they couldn't play without Billups and they will do better this season.

Detroit wanted "Iverson to be Iverson" with the second unit. They wantd him to take all of the shots when he was on the floor with guys like Maxiell, Walter Herrmann, Kwame Brown, and Aaron Afflalo. Th Pistons starting lineup didn't need him. Stuckey was being groomed to replace Billups and the rest of the starters had played together for years. Iverson fucked up the team by acting like a bitch when asked to come off the bench.

Of course Iguodala was going to average more with AI gone, because, believe it or not, AI was still the focal point of their offense, so take him away and your next best offensive player will get more shots. Take Bryant away from LA and Odom and Gasol's averages will go up too. This goes for any team that as an All Star player on it. This was really a shit arguement. What happened when Brand went to the Sixers? Baby AI's average dropped again because Brand was now the focal point. It went back up when he got injured. He was trying to say that Baby AI wouldn't be as good as he is now without Iverson's help in the first place.

And how do you know that Igoudala wouldn't be as good of a player if he never played with Iverson? What exactly could Iverson have taught him? How to score 30 points on 30 shots? That's a great skill to have. Iguodala and Iverson are two completely different players. They play different positions and have different styles. I highly doubt Iverson had any part in Iguodala's progression.

 

[BooCocky]

Who was better than AI on that team? Who had more accomplishments in an individual standpoint on that team than Allen Iverson. To say that Iverson was not the best player on the Piston's last season is the craziest thing I believe that I have ever heard from anyone on this forum.

The Pistons played team basketball though, that is something Iverson never did. Iverson wasn't finishing in traffic, he was a liability on the defensive end, and he was forced to play team ball for the first time in his entire career and he failed miserably. The whole Pistons team was better than the lonely AI.

Coming off the bench is not what they signed AI for. If Michael Jordan was still playing. I guarantee you that he would get a starting position based off of respect alone.

Bull shit, no one in there right mind would start a 40 some year old man over some 25 year old shooting guard. It just isn't going happen. Michael Jordan would know he isn't going to be a beast so he would take a seat on the bench.

Why doesn't Allen Iverson deserve this? The only thing that Jordan has done that alludes Iverson is winning a championship.

You have no proof that Michael Jordan wouldn't come off the bench. Jordan was never selfish, he was just that damn good. AI wishes he could kiss Jordans jock strap. You do play to win the game. Something Jordan did six times to Iversons zero.

Of course Wilt Chamberlin has a higher FG percentage. He was the only person playing at that time that was as tall or as big as he was.

So Bill Russell wasn't big? Thurmond, or Petit?

I guarantee you that if he were playing today that he would amount to a bench player.

Obviously, the size of those people would be a lot different. People are just bigger now. But you can't discredit Chamberlain when he played in an Era of several dominant players, and centers.

 

[SSJPhenom]

I would like to start off by saying that Allen Iverson is my all time favorite NBA player. He is the one that got me into basketball and he is the one that I have idolized for as long as I can remember. He was and, IMO, still is one of the best scorers in the history of the NBA. He is one of those dynamic players that can change the face of a singal game or several games. He can change the face of an entire playoff series. He is a true warrior and he deserves the respect and admiration of NBA fans all over the world. So he missed a few practices, big deal! So he used to be selfish. He had to be on the Sixers team that he was on.

Enough of my rant.

As far as the question goes. He can be a pivital influence for guys like Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo. He can also be that one player that they need to generate offense as they were the second worse offensive team last season. If Allen Iverson comes in this season with a win first attitude and a sense of redemption for himself, they can really be a special team because there are no ends to the talent on their roster. However, if he comes in trying to do it all like the A.I. that we all know and some of us love, it will be horrible.

I think that Iverson will do the right thing this time around. His career is coming to a hault and he needs to do something to have that legacy and redemption story. How cool would it be for him to go out as the guy that got Memphis to the conference finals or the finals? I think that A.I. will be just fine this season and I think that the younger guys will benefit greatly from his influence.

What do you guys think? Will he be "The Answer" for Memphis or will he just tarnish what is left of his legacy?

 

[gd]

I don't see how this can end well. AI never stuck me as the ideal team players. He always seemed more concerned with himself and his stats than the success of his team. You can't deny that he was extremely talented and was willing to lay it all out on the line, but he never seemed like a great guy to me.

I think this Memphis situation will end up disastorous. They have some talented young guys like Mayo and Gay, but overall they are a pretty awful team. Even with the addition of Iverson, they aren't going to be very good. AI will be extremely frustrated when they start out 5-20 and he'll just mail it in.

Not to mention there aren't going to be enough shots to go around. Mayo and Gay are both scorers, guys who need the ball in their hands. Throw AI into the mix, and you have a very crowded back court. I just don't see how there are enough shots to go around. The addition of AI is just going to lead to hurt egos and possibly stunt the developments of Memphis' young players.

I could be wrong and AI could come in and take a backseat to the younger guys and help them out, but I really don't think there is a good chance of that happening. AI will always think that he's one of the best players in the league, but he just isn't anymore.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Allen Iverson has always been my favorite NBA player. He's shown that the size of your stature shouldn't matter as much as the size of your heart. At only 6'0" tall, Allen Iverson has been able to become one of the league leaders in points and steals. He's a multi-time All-Star, among other things.

I don't feel that his tenure on the Memphis Grizzlies will benefit him as much as it might benefit the other players. For such a great basketball player, it's a shame that Allen Iverson never had a championship ring to go with all his accomplishments. Unfortunately, with him at 34 years old, and with this likely being his last season, a championship doesn't seem likely at all. He's still one of the best players who never won a single title.

I fear that at this stage of his career, Allen Iverson cannot turn the Memphis Grizzlies into real contenders. Like it's been said, besides O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, the team doesn't have any other dominant players to back these three up. Iverson can still play remotely good for his age, but he's not a miracle worker. I'm sure the Grizzlies will be able to improve their record by a few games, but I wouldn't bet on them making the playoffs. Especially, with so many teams that didn't make the playoffs in the '08-'09 season really improved their bench.

With Allen Iverson signing only a 1-year contract with Memphis, I hope that he teaches the young players what they need to know in order to become contenders. I'm sure the Grizzlies will improve with Iverson on the team, but not as much as some may hope. Sadly, Allen Iverson will retire a man without a championship.

 

[People's Champ]

This will not be good for the Grizz. A.I has always thought about himself. This was evident in Detroit. He rather not play then help the team and come off the bench. That was on a team that still had some type of playoff hopes. The Grizz are not a playoff team. I have a feeling A.I will take advantage of that.
The Grizz has a lot of young talent that will make this a serious team in a couple years. But how can they develop if half the shots are taken by A.I? I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see A.I changing. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. A.I may see to change to start but the old A.I will come, which will be nothing but bad for both involved.

 

[Big Sexy]

With the NBA pre season underway I figured it was time to start some conversation on the NBA. Post all of your NBA news and predictions in this thread.

I'm going to start with some predictions on how I think the season will go.

Eastern Conference

1. Orlando- They lose Turkoglu, but get an upgrade in Vince Carter. Rashard Lewis is back to his normal small forward position and Brandon Bass is a nice addition at power forward.

2. Cleveland- Everyone is talking about Shaq, but I really like some smaller moves they made. They were able to get Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon which really adds depth to a bench that was weak last year.

3. Boston- The addition of Rasheed Wallace helps, but not as much as people think. This is an older team and they don't have many years left to compete for the title.

4. Detroit- I think people are vastly underrating the Pistons. The additions of Gordon and Villanueva were very good. They also made some other nice moves picking up Chris Wilcox and bringing back Ben Wallace for some veteran leadership.

5. Atlanta- Almost the exact same team, except they were able to upgrade by replacing Flip Murray with Jamal Crawford as the sixth man.

6. Miami- D Wade will once again have to carry the team on his back. If he goes down then the Heat's season is over.

7. Washington- Arenas is back, but who knows how long that will last. However, the Wizards should be much improved regardless.

8. Philadelphia- Andre Miller is gone, but Elton Brand is back and he has something to prove.

Western Conference

1. LA Lakers- The Lakers resigned Odom and picked up Ron Artest. There might be some distractions, but I'm sure they wouldn't have it any other way.

2. San Antonio- The additions of McDyess and Jefferson will help if the Spurs have injury problems again. They will have a bounce back year.

3. Denver- The Nuggets will build on last years success and have another great year.

4. Portland- Portland's young team will continue to improve and they will make some noise in the playoffs this year.

5. Dallas- Shawn Marion had an off year last year and I see him coming back with a vengeance in Dallas. The Mavericks could be a dangerous team.

6. New Orleans- I believe Okafor will play very well with the Hornets. CP3 is the best point guard in the NBA and they should play much better then last season.

7. Phoenix- The Suns won't miss the playoffs again. Amare is motivated and Channing Frye is a nice addition to their starting line up.

8. Utah- Carlos Boozer is in a contract year and he knows he's not returning to Utah next season. We'll see if that helps or hurts the Jazz this season.

NBA Finals Predicition

Lakers over Cavaliers 4-2.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I will just pick certain NBA teams and give my opinion/prediction on what I believe their 2009-2010 season will be like.

Eastern Conference...

Boston Celtics: The Celtics are a very tough team. In the 2007-2008 NBA season, adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the team is just what they needed to win their 17th championship. They did just that. Last season, the injury of Kevin Garnett caused them to lose in the 2nd round of the playoffs. The four-man tandem of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and the newly acquired Rasheed Wallace will be a force to be reckoned with. Especially, considering they have the ever-growing Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis as back-up.

New Jersey Nets: The Nets have never been a very consistent team. The loss of Vince Carter won't be doing them any favors. However, the addition of Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Tony Battie might help, as they might have a chance to shine in New Jersey, unlike in Orlando. Devin Harris will need help in order for the Nets to succeed.

Philadelphia 76ers: I'm really upset about Andre Miller's departure, but with the right tools, this could be one of the Sixer's best years. New coach Eddie Jordan will want to re-imburse himself after getting fired from his last coaching position. Elton Brand is healthy now, and wants to make a name for himself in Philly. Andre Igoudala and Samuel Dalembert will continue doing what they were doing in previous seasons. Jason Kapono will use his beautiful 3-point shooting, Primoz Brezec will make a great back-up Center for Dalembert. Rookies Jrue Holiday and Dionte Christmas want to make an impact in their rookie year. I really hope my home team will go far without Andre Miller.

Toronto Raptors: I don't know how effective of a team they will be this season. However, I know that they have had A LOT of switched players. The star will be Hedo Turkoglu, with Chris Bosh at number 2.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: THIS IS THE BEST TIME AS EVER FOR THE CAVALIERS TO WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP! THEY ARE DUE! I CAN'T HAVE MANY MORE DOMINANT TWO-MAN TEAMS BESIDES LEBRON JAMES AND SHAQUILLE O'NEAL. You got Zydrunas Ilgauskas returning, but he might have less of a role with Shaq likely to be the starting Center. You had a solid team before Shaq, and now with the addition of Shaq, the team just got that much better.

Miami Heat: The Heat haven't been the same since winning the championship in 2006. Dwyane Wade has the whole team on his back, but it doesn't take one man to go to the top. The whole team needs to contribute in order for the Heat to become a championship contender team again. They've been struggling to do that.

Orlando Magic: The addition of Vince Carter is just what the Magic needed, considering the lost of Hedo Turkoglu. They will remain a championship contender team. Carter stated that he will allow Dwight Howard to still be the star of the team, and you can't go wrong with the team of Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, my man Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson (who said he will be back to All-Star form), J.J. Redick and the later strings.

Western Conference...

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets will use the momentum they gained last season to help him this season. I'm a bit surprised that the Nuggets lost their pre-season game against the Utah Jazz by 16, but they'll go back to form by tip-off. Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony will give it their all.

Portland Trailblazers: The Blazers are a very solid team. Adding Andre Miller adds to the solid-ness of the team. Greg Oden is a very good player also. The whole team is soild and with the correct plays by the coach, the Blazers just might make it to the playoffs.

Los angeles Lakers: The defending champions. The Lakers make the playoffs nearly every year since the franchise began. Since 2000, the Lakers have won the championship 4 times, and made it to the championship 7 times. They just get better or a little weaker, but never worse. Kobe Bryant will be there for the 13th straight season, Pau Gasol is still going strong, Ron Artest will be making a big impact in his first season in L.A. Andrew Bynum, Luke Walton, and Derek Fisher will be getting points. Lamar Odom is back... the team is pretty much the same, but with the addition of Ron Artest, subtracting Trevor Ariza.

HOUSTON ROCKETS: THIS IS MY FAVORITE NBA TEAM, BUT I DO NOT LIKE THEIR CHANCES THIS SEASON. Tracy McGrady won't be returning until mid-season at the earliest. Yao Ming will miss this entire season. Ron Artest is gone. Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, and Luis Scola will have will give it their all in order for the Rockets to have a chance in the playoffs. Even when T-Mac returns, he won't really be 100%, until maybe the start of the 2010-2011 season.

San Antonio Spurs: It was very uncharacteristic of the Spurs to lose in the first round of the playoffs. The first time since 2000. The Spurs have a reputation of being a consistently dominant team, the injury of Manu Ginobili hurt the team as a whole, last season. Now he's healthy. You still have Tim Duncan for the 12th straight season. Tony Parker. Michael Finley is still going strong for his age. And... adding Richard Jefferson will do nothing but elevate the Spurs back to the top.

Memphis Grizzlies: All I have to say is, "We have to see what role Allen Iverson will play for the Grizzlies." Outside of O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, the team doesn't have many great players. Iverson can help them learn a lot, as long as he wants to help them learn that is. I think A.I. wants to prove that he can change. We will just have to wait and see.

 

[X]

[QUOTE="Cool Guy" Jensen;1417130]Boston Celtics: The Celtics are a very tough team. In the 2007-2008 NBA season, adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the team is just what they needed to win their 17th championship. They did just that. Last season, the injury of Kevin Garnett caused them to lose in the 2nd round of the playoffs. The four-man tandem of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and the newly acquired Rasheed Wallace will be a force to be reckoned with. Especially, considering they have the ever-growing Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis as back-up.[/quote]

You've basically summed up just about everything I was going to say. The Big Three may be getting a bit older, but to think they can't still dominate is ridiculous, especially considering how successful they were in the postseason without KG. Add a healthy KG, Rasheed Wallace, and a star on the rise in Rajon Rondo and I have great expectations out of this year's Celtics team. Obviously I'm a Boston fan if you haven't been able to tell that yet.

We've got the talent to win another title, and barring any injuries I don't see any reason we won't. The Lakers are still going to be great, as are the Cavs and Magic, but I think if everyone can stay healthy on the Celtics squad that we can raise banner number nineteen.

I'm greatly looking forward to the start of this season, still have a couple of weeks though.

I'm definitely going to try and go up to catch a game this year at the Garden, love that place.

Oh, and watch out for Rondo this year. When this kid is on, he is scary good. Just needs to be more consistent.

 

[Big Sexy]

You've basically summed up just about everything I was going to say. The Big Three may be getting a bit older, but to think they can't still dominate is ridiculous, especially considering how successful they were in the postseason without KG. Add a healthy KG, Rasheed Wallace, and a star on the rise in Rajon Rondo and I have great expectations out of this year's Celtics team. Obviously I'm a Boston fan if you haven't been able to tell that yet.

I never said they still couldn't dominate. I'm just saying that their window of opportunity to dominate is starting to close. One of the things that happens as you get older is you have more frequent injuries. That's exactly what cost them last year. If they can stay healthy then they can win the east, but it won't be easy. The conference has vastly improved.

 

[Hip2bsquare]

Well I will give my predictions a go. They will most likely be way of but here goes.

Eastern Conference

Boston: Yes they are old but that doesnt mean they wont be good still. They have added Wallace and have also made the underrated acquistion of Marquis Daniels. A lot will depend on the fitness of KG, but if he is fit I think the Celtics have what it taks to take the number one seed in the East.

Orlando: Losing Turk really hurts. I feel that Vince is a better player but Turk was perfect for the Magic and helped create mismatches on the offensive end with his height and ball handling. His loss means Lewis will shift over to the 3, and I'm not sure thats a good thing, again offensive mismatches. However getting Anderson, Barnes and Bass was huge for them I still think they can hang onto number 2.

Cleveland Yes the Cavs have LeBron. Yes they got SHaq and added nice pieces in Moon, Parker and if he can back to fitness Powe. Im just not sure how well Lebron will mesh with Shaq. In all reality the first 3 could be put in any order and I just think the Celtics and the Magic have improved more than the Cavs. But who knows perhaps they will dangle Z for another good player.

Atlanta Was a pretty good season for the Hawks last year and I think they will improve again this season. Adding Crawford was an ok move as he will provide instant offense, Joe Smith will be an okish pickup and Teague was a good get in the draft. They are a young team on the improve and hopefully with Crawford coming on board some of the pressure on Joe Johnson will lessen. But hopefully Joe not signing an extension wont be a distraction.

Washington This could all depend on Gilbert and his health. He gets thru a large part of the season and the Wizards improve a lot, he misses chunks then their fate is in the balance. Adding Foye and Miller was good for them. However the lack of defense on this team is a real worry. But I think they will have the pieces to do well this season.

Miami Again a team that depends on the health of its star player. Wade gets thru the season withou missing big chunks and the Heat could move up even further. Need O'Neal to revert back to the player he once was and Beasley to offer a second option to Wade, whether starting or off the bench.

Chicago Another year for Rose, Deng returns from injury. Yes they lost Gordon but I think Dengs return and the play of Salmons could be enough to overcome this, also added Pargo who I htink will help the Bulls.

Detroit I find it hard to pick the Pistons this year. Picked up Gordon and Charlie V, neither of whom strike me as Piston material. Although I like Stuckey they have no real Point Guard and they also have a whole in the middle to be filled by Ben Wallace, Kwame Brown, Wilcox and Maxiell, non of whom fill me with confidence. Would not surprised to see one of, or both Prince and Hamilton traded and a complete Piston revamp.

 

[NSL]

I don't follow any teams, and rarely watch a lot of games, but I do have a few favorite players, and get excited during playoff time.

This season I think it'll come down to Orlando and San Antonio. Orlando has a good team, and it would be nice to see them go on a run to the finals. As far as the Spurs; why not? They're always at the top of the West, and they managed to get even better in the off-season. As far as who ultimately wins, I'll go with the Spurs. You add my favorite player (RJ), and that happens.

 

[KillBill]

As a Celtics fan, I'm excited. This team should be better than the 1 that won the title. Yes they are older, but the big 3 won't have to play as much with a solid bench. Rasheed is good, and people are forgetting about Marquis Daniels, who is also good, and has averaged 15 or so points for his career. My only concern is the backup pg, after Rondo, there is no true point guard.

 

[The Todd]

In Britain we have just had a Chicago Bulls/Utah Jazz pre-season friendly shown live to hype the NBA in the UK, just like the NFL have done. They picked a good match to show, with the winning basket coming right on the buzzer.

The point of the match was to put Britian's Luol Deng into the limelight in a hope the British public would follow his career and thus invest into the NBA. David Stern said "Deng can be Britian's Jordan" in regards gaining interest and viewers.

I would just like to know how Deng is viewed over there? I am presuming he is no where near a superstar, like the media is trying to suggest, but is he seen as a good player? He won't become a mainstream superstar over here whatever happens, but it's nice to see that Brit's can make it over there (even if they do have to move there at an early age).

 

[jmt225]

I would just like to know how Deng is viewed over there? I am presuming he is no where near a superstar, like the media is trying to suggest, but is he seen as a good player? He won't become a mainstream superstar over here whatever happens, but it's nice to see that Brit's can make it over there (even if they do have to move there at an early age).

He's a very good player, who has unfortunately just been a bit injury prone (he missed the entire season last year). However, I'm sure most have the opinion that with Deng healthy, it makes puts Chicago in the top tier of Eastern Conference teams. Hell, I personally believe if Deng were healthy last year, the Bulls could have made it all the way to the championship (especially since KG was out) and perhaps even win it. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that opinion.

While Deng will never be a superstar in the states (and that's only because he doesn't have any flash, by the way), I'm sure he'll eventually become one of the most respected players in the game (basically a Small Forward version of Tim Duncan, if you ever heard of him).

Also, as a person... there aren't many better in professional sports. He does a TON of charity work, and is just all around a classy guy.

 

[Big Sexy]

He's a very good player, who has unfortunately just been a bit injury prone (he missed the entire season last year). However, I'm sure most have the opinion that with Deng healthy, it makes puts Chicago in the top tier of Eastern Conference teams. Hell, I personally believe if Deng were healthy last year, the Bulls could have made it all the way to the championship (especially since KG was out) and perhaps even win it. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that opinion.

A healthy Deng might have put Chicago as the 4 or 5 seed, but they still wouldn't have made much noise in the playoffs. They might have gotten by the first round but that's it. As far as this year goes, without Ben Gordon the Bulls are once again a 7 or 8 seed at best.

While Deng will never be a superstar in the states (and that's only because he doesn't have any flash, by the way), I'm sure he'll eventually become one of the most respected players in the game (basically a Small Forward version of Tim Duncan, if you ever heard of him).

He won't become a superstar because he isn't good enough. He's very good, but definitely not great. When healthy he'll give you 18 ppg, but he's not a superstar that you can build your team around.

Also, as a person... there aren't many better in professional sports
. He does a TON of charity work, and is just all around a classy guy.

This I do agree with.

 

[Hip2bsquare]

Ok I said would be back with my view on the Western Conference. It took a while but here I am.

LA Lakers: Defendind champions, swapped the superior Artest for Ariza, Bynum maybe fit for the season. The Lakers should reall take out the West. Should. There is the possibility of injuries, an Artest blowup. Im not convinced with the Lakers point guard postion with Fisher getting on and Farmar while ok not great. But I think they have enough talent all over the court to take the number one seed.

San Antonio: Picking up Jefferson, McDyees and Blair was a great off season for the Spurs. Hopefully for them it means less minutes during the regular season for Timmy D and him being cherry ripe for the playoffs. A lot will depend on te fitness of Duncan and Manu but a high playoff seeding is there for the taking.

Portland: I believe that the Blazers will continue to rise. A good young team that added an important piece in Andre Miller. Hopefully Oden is fit and Aldridge and Roy improve. Getting Webster back will be good for them also. Think they can can continue their climb up the Western Conference. Will also be cheering on the Aussie boy, Patty Mills.

Dallas: I think they have put some good pieces alongside Dirk this year. Getting Marion, Gooden and even Tim Thomas was a little underrated to me. But I'm not a fan of Josh Howard probably playing SG, perhaps a trade might be in the offing. Lot will depend on the fitness and play of Kidd. For that reason I could see them as high as 4 and as low as 7 or 8.

Denver: Had a great season last year. Have Melo and Billups, but for some reason I am not a fan of this team. Can Nene continue his good play from last year? Will Graham be a good defensive replacement for Jones? Will JR Smith step up? Can see them finishing higher but I have them at 5.

New Orleans: Will be interesting to see the impact of the Okafor and Chandler trade. Emeka offers them more on the offensive end but can he offer the defensive presence that Tyson did? I like Ike Diogu and hope he gets some minutes. Then there is Chis Paul, as long as he is playing the Hornets are a chance.

Utah: Not a fan of the Jazz, dislike them a lot. I think Boozer will be moved by the dealine, for what? Who KNows. However as long as he Williams, AK47 and Millsap are there the Jazz will be in the mix.

LA Clippers: Ok will probably get ridiculed for this pick, maybe fair enough, but they are my smoky. I think they have the talent with Baron, Eric Gordon, Camby. I think Griffen hs shown in the preseason that he will make an impact. Hopefully Kaman has an injury free year and I think the pick up of Butler is a good one. If they sacked Dunleavy and brought in a new coach and gameplan their chances will increase.

I beleive that Phoenix and Oklahoma City will be sniffing around the edges of a payoff spot.

As for the East, I forgot my fav team the Toronto Raptors. I belive they can finish anywhere from 10th to 5th.

Looking forward to the season.

 

[Big Sexy]

LA Clippers: Ok will probably get ridiculed for this pick, maybe fair enough, but they are my smoky. I think they have the talent with Baron, Eric Gordon, Camby. I think Griffen hs shown in the preseason that he will make an impact. Hopefully Kaman has an injury free year and I think the pick up of Butler is a good one. If they sacked Dunleavy and brought in a new coach and gameplan their chances will increase.

Really? The Clippers? Talent isn't the problem. The problem is that Donald Sterling is a shit owner and Mike Dunleavy needs to focus on just coaching because as a GM he is horrible.

Maybe if the Clippers were in the Eastern Conference, had a healthy B Diddy, a healthy Camby, and Gordon, Thorton and Griffin all played out of their minds then maybe they would have a shot at the 8 seed. In the West they have no shot. There are just too many good teams in the West and too much history that proves the Clippers suck.

 

[Hip2bsquare]

Really? The Clippers? Talent isn't the problem. The problem is that Donald Sterling is a shit owner and Mike Dunleavy needs to focus on just coaching because as a GM he is horrible.

Maybe if the Clippers were in the Eastern Conference, had a healthy B Diddy, a healthy Camby, and Gordon, Thorton and Griffin all played out of their minds then maybe they would have a shot at the 8 seed. In the West they have no shot. There are just too many good teams in the West and too much history that proves the Clippers suck.

Talent isnt the question with the Clippers no. I agree Stirling suck as an owner and has for a long time but at this moment his ownership skills dont matter its not the preseason and he doesnt need to resign anyone. Unless they decide to move guys just because of the money and that will only happen if they crash and burn early.

Dunleavy would help them by giving up the coaching reigns. His style doesnt fit the players he has at his disposal. He needs to unleash Baron not reign him in. As for his GM work, he has assembled a roster that you just said was talented no??

Yup like you said they do need things to go their way to make the playoffs no doubt. A long injury to Baron will stuff them up and they need good seasons from all the guys you mentioned. However I think overall with even guys like Kaman, Butler, Telfair, Ricky D that you didnt mention can still offer something. Yes the Clippers have sucked in the past but I think they have the tools to make it. But then I wont be surprised when/if they dont. As you said the West is deep but Im not that thrilled by Phoneix and I still think the Thunder are a year away.

 

[Big Sexy]

Dunleavy would help them by giving up the coaching reigns. His style doesnt fit the players he has at his disposal. He needs to unleash Baron not reign him in. As for his GM work, he has assembled a roster that you just said was talented no??

Talent doesn't always win. Just look at the Redskins in the NFL. It's one thing to get talented players, it's another to get talented players that play well together and fit into the system that the team is running.

You said yourself that Baron doesn't fit into Dunleavy's system. They need to be running more of an offense like Phoenix. With athletes like B Diddy and Al Thorton, a great shooter in Eric Gordon, and athletic big men in Camby and Griffin the Clippers need an up tempo offense. Get rid of Dunleavy and they might have a chance, but we all know Sterling won't make the right move.

 

[jmt225]

Big Sexy, how do you think Ben Gordon will fit into the line-up of your Pistons? Think he'll start? Also, do you think they'll finally ship Rip or Tayshaun away someplace else before the trade deadline is over?

So this doesn't end up being spam... let me just state that Ben Gordon is one of the most talented players in the NBA in my opinion, and I can't wait to see what he does in Detroit. However, I'm torn whether or not he should start over Rip. Honestly, I would just go ahead and trade Rip for a big man or a Point Guard. I love Rip Hamilton, but I really think his stay in Detroit should come to an end now. I'd rather see him go somewhere where he's vastly needed, than see him come off the bench, which is what I think is going to happen to him if he stays in Detroit.

 

[Big Sexy]

Big Sexy, how do you think Ben Gordon will fit into the line-up of your Pistons? Think he'll start? Also, do you think they'll finally ship Rip or Tayshaun away someplace else before the trade deadline is over?

So this doesn't end up being spam... let me just state that Ben Gordon is one of the most talented players in the NBA in my opinion, and I can't wait to see what he does in Detroit. However, I'm torn whether or not he should start over Rip. Honestly, I would just go ahead and trade Rip for a big man or a Point Guard. I love Rip Hamilton, but I really think his stay in Detroit should come to an end now. I'd rather see him go somewhere where he's vastly needed, than see him come off the bench, which is what I think is going to happen to him if he stays in Detroit.

In Detroit Ben Gordon is basically going to have the same role that he did in Chicago. It's also the role that the Pistons wanted Allen Iverson to have last year. Stuckey and Rip have some good chemistry in the back court and Rip is better suited as a starter then a bench player. Gordon does a great job coming off the bench and basically taking over the game. Joe D kind of sees this as an Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson type deal like the Bad Boys had. You will also at times this season see Stuckey at the point, Gordon at the 2, and Rip at the 3.

As far as trading either Rip or Tayshaun, if the right deal comes along then Joe D will pull the trigger, however, he isn't going to just give away either player. Tayshaun would be a little easier to trade then Rip because at this point he has more upside and Rip signed a three year extension last season. The Pistons also used all three draft picks on small forwards. Austin Daye, Dajuan Summers, and Jonas Jerebko have all impressed in the pre season. The Pistons are really just a dominant big man away from being title contenders so if they could get one by trading away Rip and/or Tayshaun then I believe they will.

 

[SSJPhenom]

I'm not going to list out the entire playoffs or anything like that. I'm just going to say who I think will win it all and that is:

Boston Celtics

With Boston, you have a supposedly healthy KG and if he's healthy, they are basically unstoppable. They've also added Rasheed Wallace to the line up. He will back up KG and can do pretty much the same things that KG can do. He can shoot, post up, play D, and he has the long ball. If for some reason KG goes down again, you have a great insurance policy in Rasheed Wallace. This Celtic team is much deeper than it was in the '07-'08 season and if that's the case, they are going to be a tough one to out. I don't see any team being better then they will be.

Now that I have said that, I want to rant about Detroit.

I'm fucking pissed off by Detroit. I just recently watched an interview of Rip Hamilton and he said this, "We are going to try the three guard line up this season a lot with me at the 3, Ben Gordon at the 2, and Stuckey at the 1." That's great and all, it really is. My complaint is, why didn't Hamilton want to try this last season with AI? He is damn sure a better player than Ben Gordon. Why did Hamilton raise such a fuss last year when they tried a three guard line up, but he is fine with it now? That's bullshit. For that, I hope Detroit doesn't make the playoffs. His objection to the three guard last year was the reason for him coming off the bench and for AI coming off the bench. Ben Gordon is like AI. Ben Gordon is a scorer first. He may be a better shooter, but he is a scorer first like AI. If the three guard wouldn't work with AI, it isn't going to work with Ben Gordon.