Author Topic: The NBA thread (Read 1520701 times)

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #900 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:06:22 PM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on January 17, 2011, 07:02:12 PM

Jeez, every team in the league is playing today I guess.

And the black man gets screwed out of his own holiday. How ironic.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #901 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:20:52 PM »

Blake had a pretty nasty game tonight.

47 pts. 17 rebs.

FG 19-24

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #902 on:** January 17, 2011, 08:46:31 PM »

Griffin really impressed me with his footwork in college, and his ballhandling is damn good too. I just wonder how long he'll keep this pace up as the losses start stacking up over the years. Sort of like how players get "Lionized" here in Detroit: they arrive on the team ready to work, and after a few seasons they're just collecting pay checks.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #903 on:** January 17, 2011, 09:02:49 PM »

I may be proven wrong but I think he's already over that phase of Clipper depression. In the early going, he was fired up like now, but the team didn't respond (specifically Baron). That was followed by a slump, wherein they lost games and Blake's body language went in the shitter. Lots of moody glares and slumped shoulders - you know, like a real Clipper. But they seem to have gotten past that. Baron has bought in, and they have their own energy (i.e. they don't need a big opponent like the Lakers to lift them so much).

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #904 on:** January 17, 2011, 09:37:56 PM »

I've been really surprised by how good Blake has been. When Blake was drafted by the Clippers, I checked out his college highlights and thought that at best, he was gonna be an almost All-Star for the first couple of years in Clipperland. What's weird is that Blake wasn't as explosive in college as he is now, even though it's much easier to dominate the college game with athleticism. His average jump now looks at least six inches higher which is quite significant. It's also clear that Blake has gained much upper body strength since leaving college while maintaining his agility. Kudos to him for putting that much hard work into the gym. It's rare to see someone who's already an elite athlete improve so much in such a short time.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #905 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:11:39 PM »

Blake has turned me into a believer. I wasn't that big on him but he's such an athletic freak and he seems like he wants to improve his game which is always the key element. Chris Webber was also an amazing athletic freak. But he never really developed into what you thought he could become if he worked at his game more. We'll see if Blake has that desire which takes awhile to gauge into an NBA career. He does need to leave the clippers the first chance he gets though. Resigning with them would be the biggest mistake ever.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #906 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:23:36 PM »

Nah, as a huge Webber fan (his Kings #4 is the only jersey I own), he's nowhere near as athletic as Blake. And I'd say he did develop his game fully. He just was never a defensive intimidator 'cause that wasn't his personality - otherwise his game was as well-rounded as anyone to ever play that position, and he was a legit MVP candidate at points. Not sure he had much upside left, other than obviously playing more years without injury.

Blake strikes me as halfway between LeBron and Shawn Kemp. He has a lot of skills that we're only just beginning to see.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #907 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:32:42 PM »

Blake remind me a lot of Shawn Kemp which is awesome since Kemp is one of my all-time favorites. At the same age, Blake is more developed offensively but Shawn was a more consistent and better defender. Athletically, Shawn probably had a slight advantage but Blake seems to have better hands, which allow him to do stuff with the ball quicker and more frequently.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #908 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:35:02 PM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on January 17, 2011, 10:23:36 PM

Nah, as a huge Webber fan (his Kings #4 is the only jersey I own), he's nowhere near as athletic as Blake. And I'd say he did develop his game fully. He just was never a defensive intimidator 'cause that wasn't his personality - otherwise his game was as well-rounded as anyone to ever play that position, and he was a legit MVP candidate at points. Not sure he had much upside left, other than obviously playing more years without injury.

Blake strikes me as halfway between LeBron and Shawn Kemp. He has a lot of skills that we're only just beginning to see.

I think C-Webb always had a shit post game (as in actual post moves rather than just dunking the ball up close) and for a guy to be that big and powerful that was disappointing and a glaring hole in his game for me. Some players are thin and sleight and tall so I understand why they sort of devolve into jump shooters but I never liked his post game and it often cost him big during clutch moments when I watched him. (Although I admit I didn't watch the Kings every night during their runs)

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #909 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:36:05 PM »

To clarify - Webber was definitely a physical freak in some ways (amazing wingspan, huge soft hands, great agility for his size) and he was certainly above average athletically for his position, but not #1 in the league or anything. It's not hard to find plenty of players that played when he did that had him beat for sheer athleticism at the 4 - Rodman, Kemp etc

Blake's athleticism is also probably comparable to the young Karl Malone, but Malone of course didn't have any outside game 'til quite a bit later. Blake's full package is looking much more like LeBron - great unselfish passer, can lead the break, can hit jumpers out to 20 feet, can score with either hand around the basket...what doesn't this guy do? Maybe weak-side shot block? But clearly he will be devastating there once he gets the timing down and learns better positioning.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #910 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:40:05 PM »

Stoney - yeah, Webber had the baby hook later in his career and that was about it for post game. Which is why the prospect of Orlando getting him and Shaq in consecutive years is so tantalizing. They'd have ruled the league (well ok, not the Bulls. But everybody else). But I'd take a player with clearly defined strengths and weaknesses rather than all-round mediocrity any day. Like with Rondo - ok, he can't shoot much. But he makes it work! It gives drunks in sports bars who only see the Celtics twice a season an easy talking point, and an excuse not to put him on the All Star team maybe, but it doesn't make much practical difference. He wins games, and so did C-Webb.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #911 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:46:52 PM »

Webber's biggest advantage was his ball handling ability, which probably wasn't matched by anyone at his size besides Magic. However, that also became his greatest weakness as he depended on his face-up game far too much, which is always less effective in the playoffs.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #912 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:48:51 PM »

I hear ya

What always struck me about Webber was that small man in a big man's body thing. His body size and type is similar to blake. Both around 6 ft 10 in and both played around 245 to 250. But they were both far more athletic than people are who usually exist around that combination weight and size. That's why Webber's relative softness around the bucket always so disappointed. I would traded some of his other skills for some ferciousness near the rim and I honestly think he would have been a better player. That's not to take anything away from Webber who had a good career. I just think he should have had an absolutely all time great career with the talent level he had when he entered the NBA.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #913 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:53:02 PM »

Well, that was the Curse of MJ, right? Every kid wanted to Be Like Mike. It's still affecting the league - LeBron should be a 4 as well, the stats back this up resoundingly.

etiolate · « **Reply #914 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:54:33 PM »

I don't think Webber was that soft around the bucket. The Princeton offense just features the big man at the high post. You also have to get whistles to play inside and Blake already gets star treatment. You take a lot of bruising inside and if you don't get whistles, you don't keep going inside. It's just not worth shortening your career to take punishment which leads to tougher shots and then have nothing to show for it.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #915 on:** January 17, 2011, 11:04:24 PM »

Yeah, but that's why they installed the Princeton offense

Webber ran out of GSW cause they wanted him to play in the paint. And leaned on Rasheed in Washington.

etiolate · « **Reply #916 on:** January 17, 2011, 11:46:49 PM »

they installed the princeton because Rick and Petrie are butt buddies with Pete Carroll

the old man is still around when everyone else is gone

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #917 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:24:43 AM »

Form looks pretty good here. Scary as hell if his outside efficiency just reaches the level of Amare.

Mandark · « **Reply #918 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:51:10 AM »

It's not like he played differently when he was a Bullet, though.

His FT/FG ratio is about half that of aggressive PF's like Malone, Kemp, Stoudemire, etc. He always preferred the midrange face-up game to crashing the rim.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #919 on:** January 18, 2011, 01:54:03 AM »

Exactly. He was much more interested in being Magic or MJ than Malone. Just like LeBron.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #920 on:** January 18, 2011, 10:32:57 PM »

Various injuries of course but the heat have dropped 4 in a row. Shows how utterly thin they are. If somebody gets really hurt or has to miss any real time, they suck.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #921 on:** January 18, 2011, 10:38:43 PM »

The good news for the Heat is that they're so dominant on the road. A lower seed might not matter if they're healthy come playoffs time. Of course, they'll have to take the risk of getting screwed by typically shitty home-biased NBA officiating.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #922 on:** January 19, 2011, 06:36:37 PM »

Quote

Nets drop Carmelo Anthony deal

NEWARK, N.J. -- New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has told the team to end discussions on the Carmelo Anthony deal.

In a news conference before Wednesday night's game against Utah, Prokhorov said he decided on Tuesday to stop pursuit of the Nuggets' All-Star forward, unhappy with how things played out in public.

The new owner says the deal took too long and became too expensive.

"I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now," said Prokhorov. "It has taken too long. It has been played out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players and I believe that it has cost us several games. I think management did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I'm instructing our team to walk away from the deal.

"And the meeting that our management was supposed to have in Denver with Carmelo [on Thursday] is hereby canceled."

Prokhorov said the goal is still to win a championship within five years.

Previously, New Jersey had offered to ship six players and at least two first-round draft picks to Denver in a deal that would have sent Anthony to the Nets along with former Pistons teammates Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton.

Derrick Favors, the 19-year-old rookie who was rumored to be the centerpiece in the multiple-player deal, was shocked upon hearing the news in the locker room before the game.

"I don't have to worry about it no more," Favors said. "It's over with. This is my first time hearing it. I'm excited."

Said Prokhorov: "We will come back to the table every time we need the right player for the team. But really I'm not ready to overpay. Because as soon as you make a mistake in the NBA, you can wait for the next chance for the next five or six years. That's why I prefer to be really patient and I want to thank the New Jersey fans for their patience."

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=6038636

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #923 on:** January 19, 2011, 06:50:23 PM »

If he wanted to buy championships he should have just bought a baseball team. Nets aren't going anywhere with Miami and Orlando in the conference. And the Lakers in the west

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #924 on:** January 19, 2011, 10:07:53 PM »

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #925 on:** January 19, 2011, 10:22:04 PM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 09, 2011, 06:36:49 PM

Melo is just a 2nd tier superstar who won't lead any mid-level team to a championship.

Nailed it.

Dummy NBA teams took half a season to come to the same conclusion.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #926 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:09:54 PM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 10:22:04 PM

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 09, 2011, 06:36:49 PM
Melo is just a 2nd tier superstar who won't lead any mid-level team to a championship.

Nailed it.

Dummy NBA teams took half a season to come to the same conclusion.

Gimme your list of FIRST tier stars that led mid-level teams to a championship please. Not even Jordan's Bulls qualify there. Kobe couldn't do it. LeBron couldn't do it. Dwight Howard couldn't do it. Chris Paul couldn't do it. In other words, no current superstar (and very few in the past) has demonstrated the ability to do what you're describing. So why the hate for Melo? The question should be: is he better than say Wilson Chandler and Danilo Malinari? Hell yes he is. Make the trade.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #927 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 PM »

I haven't checked out all of Jordan's championship teams but his last team to win it all was definitely mid level at best. Pippen and Kukoc were the only other two players with a PER greater than 15 which is really rare for a championship team.

Also, just because Lebron failed, it doesn't mean that his failure puts him at the same level as Melo. I don't hate Melo but I just think the gap between him and Lebron/Dwyane is much bigger than most believe. It's just not worth the trouble to get him when 1) he won't turn the teams trying to get him into legit contenders this year, 2) it's obvious that he's not extending with anyone but the Knicks. Like I said in my original post, all the hype over a Melo trade only makes sense if he's going to a top 8 team, which most likely won't happen. You have to wonder, if Melo's really that damn good, why no top contender is going for a blockbuster trade to put them over the top,at least for this season.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #928 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:48:28 PM »

Pippen took that same team to the Conference Finals without Jordan? No way were they a 'mid-level team' - which is about 40 wins, 8th playoff seed.

I'll grant that Melo is not as good as LeBron/Wade but again, that's not the issue. New York and the Nets tried and failed to get those guys. It's not happening. The issue is whether it's worth moving some of the fairly mediocre talent they have plus some picks to try to get a guy who has been an All-Star virtually his whole career, and barring injury, will be one of the all-time scoring leaders in league history.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #929 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:52:33 PM »

Poor ch1nchilla is trying to convince himself that Melo ain't all that, and that J.R. Smith is 'the future'

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #930 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:57:47 PM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on January 19, 2011, 11:48:28 PM

Pippen took that same team to the Conference Finals without Jordan? No way were they a 'mid-level team' - which is about 40 wins, 8th playoff seed.

I was talking about the very last of the 6 championship teams, not the last of the 1st three peat. And yeah, that Pippen led team was pretty damn good. I've always believed the 1st 3-peat Bulls were more talented even though they didn't get the 70 win season.

Mandark · « **Reply #931 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:01:55 AM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 PM

You have to wonder, if Melo's really that damn good, why no top contender is going for a blockbuster trade to put them over the top,at least for this season.

Cause no top contender has the assets to get him without giving away a core piece of their team, plus several of them already have an elite scorer¹. You think Orlando wouldn't have jumped at the chance to get him?

Carmelo's not as good as LeBron or Wade, but he's absolutely a franchise player you could build a championship team around. There are relatively few guys at that level, and if you can get one of them you do it.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[1] Which is a big part of what's made them top contenders.²

[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[2] Which is why you go after players like Carmelo Anthony!

[close]

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #932 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:03:57 AM »

Man, it seems like forever since the Mavs last won a game. Thankfully they pulled through tonight, maybe this means they're finally getting things turned around.

Mandark · « **Reply #933 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:04:10 AM »

20 in a row for the Wizards!

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #934 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:04:23 AM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 11:57:47 PM

Quote from: Cormacaroni on January 19, 2011, 11:48:28 PM
Pippen took that same team to the Conference Finals without Jordan? No way were they a 'mid-level team' - which is about 40 wins, 8th playoff seed.

I was talking about the very last of the 6 championship teams, not the last of the 1st three peat. And yeah, that Pippen led team was pretty damn good. I've always believed the 1st 3-peat Bulls were more talented even though they didn't get the 70 win season.

Well, even if I give you that one, all that is really proving is that Melo is not quite MJ. Put MJ in his prime on any Nuggets team of the past 6 years and they'd have won at least 3 rings. But you are still asking waaaaay too much of Melo. Some team is gonna get really lucky now, and it's probably gonna be the Knicks. I'm not saying the Knicks are going to be instant contenders in the East, because that's a very top-heavy conference right now. But they'll definitely be better and anybody not named Amare should be considered in the trade talks.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #935 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:07:51 AM »

Quote from: Mandark on January 20, 2011, 12:01:55 AM

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 PM
You have to wonder, if Melo's really that damn good, why no top contender is going for a blockbuster trade to put them over the top,at least for this season.

Cause no top contender has the assets to get him without giving away a core piece of their team, plus several of them already have an elite scorer¹. You think Orlando wouldn't have jumped at the chance to get him?

Carmelo's not as good as LeBron or Wade, but he's absolutely a franchise player you could build a championship team around. There are relatively few guys at that level, and if you can get one of them you do it.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1] Which is a big part of what's made them top contenders.²
[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[2] Which is why you go after players like Carmelo Anthony!
[close]

I think "franchise player" is thrown around too often. Franchise player makes me think of guys like Magic, Bird, Kareem, Jordan, Shaq, Duncan and yes, Lebron, who dominated most of the playoff series they played in. Melo with a career playoff PER of 19.4, clearly isn't on that level. It doesn't mean that he won't win a championship, he'll just need a lot more help than the aforementioned true franchise players.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #936 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:15:03 AM »

People fall into the same trap with Melo as they did with Webber - focusing on the glaring weakness rather than the multitude of strengths.

OK, Melo can't or won't defend much. Ergo he is not as good as LeBron, who plays both ends. Sure, that's an easy talking point. You will win every barroom argument with that one. But try to keep it in perspective. Damn near everyone in the NBA has these weaknesses, and every good coach or GM knows how to work around them. Example: Steve Nash. The Suns aren't going to start Goran Dragovic over Steve Nash because he is a better defender. Sure, if they could get Chris Paul or Rondo, they'd consider trading Nash. But there aren't many players that would be significant improvements, and what they'd have to give up to get that player would likely weaken them at 2 or 3 other spots. There is very little point in all these attempts to grade players vs some theoretical perfect player. If Jordan was playing today, there would be people who bitched about his long-range shooting, I guarantee. Who cares, he won games! He was playing beside Kerr, Pippen and Kukoc, some of the all-time great 3pt shooters! That's how you need to approach someone like Melo.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #937 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:16:37 AM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 20, 2011, 12:07:51 AM

Quote from: Mandark on January 20, 2011, 12:01:55 AM
Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 PM
You have to wonder, if Melo's really that damn good, why no top contender is going for a blockbuster trade to put them over the top,at least for this season.

Cause no top contender has the assets to get him without giving away a core piece of their team, plus several of them already have an elite scorer¹. You think Orlando wouldn't have jumped at the chance to get him?

Carmelo's not as good as LeBron or Wade, but he's absolutely a franchise player you could build a championship team around. There are relatively few guys at that level, and if you can get one of them you do it.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1] Which is a big part of what's made them top contenders.²
[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[2] Which is why you go after players like Carmelo Anthony!
[close]

I think "franchise player" is thrown around too often. Franchise player makes me think of guys like Magic, Bird, Kareem, Jordan, Shaq, Duncan and yes, Lebron, who dominated most of the playoff series they played in. Melo with a career playoff PER of 19.4, clearly isn't on that level. It doesn't mean that he won't win a championship, he'll just need a lot more help than the aforementioned true franchise players.

Oooh, hindsight! Now I gotta ask - did you consider Jordan a franchise player before he beat the Pistons? Did you think KG was a perennial loser before he came to the Celtics?

Mandark · « **Reply #938 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:21:02 AM »

Okay, if "franchise player" means top-7 all time in the history of the NBA, then yes, he's not that. I already conceded that Wade and LeBron are better players.

But then you're getting into the Bill Simmons area of making distinctions within excellence. Which is all well and good to do as a fan, but basically misses the point of whether a team should be going after him.

Could he be the most important, influential player on a championship team or contender? Definitely yes.

Is it easy to acquire players with a similar level of talent? Definitely no.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #939 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:26:13 AM »

The other major problem i have with the 'glass half full' mentality I'm attempting to describe above is that people tend to just say that's why Player X didn't win a championship. But really, could Webber have won against Kobe and Shaq in their primes if he'd played more in the post? Or AI if he'd taken better shots? Could Nash have beat the Lakers with Kobe, Pau and Odom if he's played more D?

The reality is: NO. They needed better personnel more than they needed to work on those weaknesses. Like any RPG character, you get a lot more mileage out of maxing out strengths than shoring up weaknesses.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #940 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:26:23 AM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on January 20, 2011, 12:16:37 AM

Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 20, 2011, 12:07:51 AM
Quote from: Mandark on January 20, 2011, 12:01:55 AM
Quote from: Smooth Groove on January 19, 2011, 11:35:54 PM
You have to wonder, if Melo's really that damn good, why no top contender is going for a blockbuster trade to put them over the top,at least for this season.

Cause no top contender has the assets to get him without giving away a core piece of their team, plus several of them already have an elite scorer¹. You think Orlando wouldn't have jumped at the chance to get him?

Carmelo's not as good as LeBron or Wade, but he's absolutely a franchise player you could build a championship team around. There are relatively few guys at that level, and if you can get one of them you do it.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1] Which is a big part of what's made them top contenders.²
[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)
[2] Which is why you go after players like Carmelo Anthony!
[close]

I think "franchise player" is thrown around too often. Franchise player makes me think of guys like Magic, Bird, Kareem, Jordan, Shaq, Duncan and yes, Lebron, who dominated most of the playoff series they played in. Melo with a career playoff PER of 19.4, clearly isn't on that level. It doesn't mean that he won't win a championship, he'll just need a lot more help than the aforementioned true franchise players.

Oooh, hindsight! Now I gotta ask - did you consider Jordan a franchise player before he beat the Pistons? Did you think KG was a perennial loser before he came to the Celtics?

As a kid, I thought it was pretty clear that MJ was an all-time great even before he won a championship. When I got a little older and gained a little more understanding of statistical analysis, it was also clear to me that KG was actually a pretty damn good playoff performer.

In the case of Melo, it's not just his D that is subpar. The rest of his game is also overrated. Like I mentioned before, his career playoff PER is only a 19.1. PER is mostly affected by offensive performance and rebounding. A 19.1 means that a player is very good but far from elite. Melo has played enough playoff games that it's not just an anomaly from a small sample.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #941 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:26:55 AM »

also, Mandark, I'm so wet for you right now. Seriously. Dripping.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #942 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:30:27 AM »

Average PER over his whole playoff career doesn't mean that much right now - out of the past 4 yrs he's been 22-24

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #943 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:31:17 AM »

Even "choker" Karl Malone had a 23.9 career playoffs PER despite the last 3 years as an old dude dropping him quite a bit.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #944 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:33:23 AM »

Hmm, methinks if the Knicks or the Nets had the chance to sign Karl Malone in his prime they wouldn't sweat that too much.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #945 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:36:28 AM »

Actually I'm not sure if I'm really disagreeing with you guys. I guess my main point was just that the public perception of Melo's value is quite a bit higher than it really is but you could probably say that about many other athletes.

Mandark · « **Reply #946 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:42:32 AM »

Yeah, I've been saying. I don't think anyone here places Anthony at the same level as Jordan or LeBron, but those guys are so great that you can drop off a bit and still be a worthy cornerstone in the NBA.

PS Melo's playoff PER the last four years is ~22.6, higher than all but two of Larry Bird's postseason campaigns.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #947 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:43:33 AM »

I think most people have it about right. Perennial All-Star, elite scorer, not god-tier but certainly a top 10 talent, has some weaknesses that likely won't be fixed...who disagrees with that?

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #948 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:44:59 AM »

All right everybody, we have established that we love each other again. Let's get naked and make merry like real men do.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #949 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:47:36 AM »

Let's talk about how the Lakers lost by 10 pts tonight even with Kobe, Gasol and Odom all having good games.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #950 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:50:45 AM »

ooh goody. Will check that out later. Watching Boston - Detroit now, will probably check out the Blake Griffins later

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #951 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:52:54 AM »

This T-Mac revival is kinda startling. It's actually looking like he could play a good 3-4 more years. Like KG, I thought he was done but maybe it was genuinely injury rather than general decrepitude that's holding him back. No real reason why he can't be Grant Hill for a good team.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #952 on:** January 20, 2011, 01:02:40 AM »

Speaking of the Blake Griffins - this is how to go one on five:
[youtube=560,345]5ZgYBp_-KP8[/youtube]

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #953 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:05:07 PM »

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]
[youtube=560,345][/youtube]
[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #954 on:** January 24, 2011, 03:44:06 PM »

Weird situation there in Detroit with Rip.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6053584

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #955 on:** January 24, 2011, 03:50:03 PM »

Rip Hamilton is a jerk, news at 11. Dude has been out of control for the last 3-5 seasons.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #956 on:** January 24, 2011, 03:51:31 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on January 24, 2011, 03:50:03 PM

Dude has been out of control for the last 3-5 seasons.

How so?

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #957 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:15:13 PM »

His bullshit with Kuester+helping run Flip out of town? I haven't been a fan of the Pistons in years, but I watch them because they're the home team. After the Pistons won in 04 their persona did a complete 360. The championship swagger/arrogance is nothing new in sports - in fact it's pretty expected; the Lakers seem bored as hell this year, just waiting to get back to the playoffs. But that 04 team simply wasn't as talented as the current Lakers team, or the old 3-peat version, or the Spurs, etc. But in the Pistons case the arrogance was even more blatant in juxtaposition to the previous "Going To Work" underdog everyman persona they once had.

I remember assuming Rasheed Wallace was the cancer in the locker room, but in the following years it's become obvious nearly the entire core of that team was a problem. Flip didn't have their respect from day one, and they gave up on him. They don't respect Kuester either; I just don't believe this team is as bad as the record implies. Every year you hear a story about players disrespecting their coach, but this shit has been happening for half a decade here.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #958 on:** January 25, 2011, 07:04:38 PM »

What are you guys watching tonight? Clippers - Dallas should be fun...Blake is now a Top 3 'must see' player for me, alongside Rondo and LeBron, and elbowing out Derrick Rose. Jazz - Lakers is almost always fun of course. Will probably watch a quarter or so of Celtics - Cavs just to confirm the slaughter but would be shocked if that one goes the distance.

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #959 on:** January 25, 2011, 10:21:54 PM »

Why's Brandon Jennings in the dunk contest? Dude's gonna be one of the worst short competitors of all time.

Javale McGee will probably also be a disappointment even though he's been one of the best in-game dunkers this season.

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