General Chat / NBA

I miss the old days of blowouts.

How'd Dirk do?

Dirk was carrying them, he had like 25+ i think, he hit a 3 with 4 seconds left to tie it, but then AI hit a half court boom and won it for the USA

Haha...and now the Glove got traded....

The NBA is turning into a wtrade-whore-fest. Peja wants out of the Kings, everyone moving...fun stuff.

The NBA is so exciting.....

Payton got traded?? YES!!!

*checks ESPN*

Crap, we got crap in return. WTF? Now we have no point guards!!! This is low. When you get ripped off by DANNY AINGE THE GM, that's gotta tell you something.

Geez, we just bunked out of the playoffs. Seriously... we have no one great except Kobe... and watch him get hurt or something. Funny that Fox is returning to Boston tho.

Dammit, that's twice where I wouldn't have minded a trade, except the one made was absolutely SHIT. Hell, even if we had let Kobe go, we still probably would have retained Karl, Shaq, and Payton. I'd take that over an adulterer anyday.

Oh it was great. Germany is down by three, everyone watching knows the ball is going to Dirk. He gets it, they're all over him. He throws up the three anyway, and it goes in! Man the USA has really blown it. They've got 3 seconds now. Their only chance is if Iverson just runs down the court and throws up a prayer....shit did I just see that? It went in? There's no way the US deserved to win that game. It's just like the Lakers. They play way beneath themselves for the whole game and then by divine intervention they win anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing Team USA fail miserably in the playoffs. Maybe next time they won't be so arrogant.

I really don't see the Kings trading Peja. It's really disappointing to read that he wants out. I was hoping he would stay for a long time. When his contract is up, he may be gone. What a shame. And all because Webber wanted Vlade off the team. Webber was right, if the Kings want a championship, Vlade had to go. He didn't care about winning as much as the rest. On the other hand, now Peja wants off the team, Bobby Jackson is as good as gone when his contract is up cause he wants to be a starter (and he should be really), and Christie and Webber may only have a few seasons left. Anyway, the Kings won't trade Peja cause they can't get equal value for him. They would be stupid to trade him. But they don't have control over whether he stays in the longterm. Everyone in Sacramento is talking about how the Kings may be leaving anyway because our stupid city council can't agree on a plan for a new arena. How hard can it be really? Well whatever. It's not like we're the only team with problems.

Cork, if I were you, I would be happy that you at least dumped that bum Rick Fox. The guy can't hit the broadside of a barn.

VOTE=Payton and Pierce.

Go Celtics.

Webber is the worst thing that's ever happened to the Kings. The Kings didn't need to trade Vlade Divac in order to win, they just needed to start Brad Miller. If Webber didn't alienate half the team, then maybe there would be some better team chemistry. Right now it's Mike Bibby and Chris Webber vs. Peja...and to be honest, most teams would rather have Peja. Statistically, it's a fact that the team did better without Chris Webber last year then they did with. When he was out, Peja was playing MVP basketball...and when he came back, the whole team, including Peja fell apart. If that's not the definition of a team cancer, then I don't know what is. Bobby Jackson will bolt the second he can unless Christie hurries up and retires so Jackson can start. And although it's an unpopular decision, I'm positive Payton has some good years left in him...just not under Phil Jackson. He would have been a big factor in LA, and he'll be an even bigger one in Boston playing the second in command behind Paul Pierce.

It's kind of funny...but I think we're just starting to see the shift in power from the west to the east. The Lakers, Kings, and Mavs all seem to be on the decline, while teams like the Heat and Knicks are making the right moves. Now, Kidd is gonna bolt from NJ...so whoever lands him will be huge.

@ Lakers, Nets, and Kings.

My Playoff Predictions:

West:
1.San Antonio Spurs
2.Sacramento Kings (process of elimination)
3.Minnesota Timberwolves
4.Phoenix Suns
5.Houston Rockets
6.Dallas Mavericks
7.Denver Nuggets
8.Memphis Grizzlies

East:
1.Detroit Pistons
2.Miami Heat
3.Indiana Pacers
4.Milwaukee Bucks
5.New York Knicks
6.Cleveland Cavaliers
7.Philadelphia 76ers
8.Washington Wizards

Predictions, eh? Here are mine....


West
1. Spurs
2. Wolves
3. Kings
4. Rockets
5. Mavs
6. Nuggets
7. Grizzlies
8. Suns

East
1. Pistons
2. Heat
3. Pacers
4. Knicks
5. Bucks
6. 76ers
7. Cavaliers
8. Nets

About the Payton trade...I like it for the Lakers. They get good young talent for ageing veterans. They are looking toward the future since they didn't have much of a chance with Payton.

Kings over the Wolves? I doubt that Iris.

WEST
1. Spurs
2. Wolves
3. Kings
4. Rockets
5. Nuggets
6. Mavericks
7. Grizzlies
8. Jazz
9. Blazers
10. Suns
11. Hornets
12. Lakers
13. Sonics
14. Warriors
15. Clippers

EAST
1. Detroit
2. Heat
3. Celtics
4. Pacers (because they're in the same division as Detroit, they can't get above #4 unless they win the division)
5. Bucks
6. Magic
7. 76ers
8. Cavs
9. Knicks
10. Nets
11. Bulls
12. Raptors
13. Hawks
14. Bobcats
15. Wizards

Also, when you trade for the future... get players that WILL be good, not players that will not.

I forgot about the new divisions in mine...so consider mine the way the old divisions were set up, which is why I had Sac #2

Oh. Okay, that works.

It's gonna be tricky... I had to look up NBA.com to see how the East was aligned. And damn, the Northeast is weak! It's funny, because six months ago, we were saying the Southeast would be a shithole. Well, aside from Orlando and Miami, it still is, but the Northeast is weaker on average. But the west... STACKED. Northwest and Southwest are loaded.

It's kind of funny...but I think we're just starting to see the shift in power from the west to the east.

Actually, it's more of a shift from the west to the center of the country. Your elite teams are San Antonion, Minnesota, Detroit, and Indiana. Add in Sacramento and Miami and you have two coastal teams balancing each other out (just consider Sac-Town coastal for this argument.... it's close enough on a map compared to the rest of the continent). You also have strong teams like Denver, Utah, Dallas, and Phoenix, all of which are far enough inland to be considered middle of the continent. So yeah... that's basically it.


*hopes that the Lakers land Kidd to fill in their PG lapse... then remembers dreams aren't real*

The Lakers have nothing that the Nets want. I like the payton trade because you got a lot of role players and a good young talented Point gaurd in Marcus Banks. He has some really good skills, almost like a slightly less talented Dewane Wade.

Sacramento, my thoughts, Peja isn't going anywhere. He has two years left on his contract and honestly we couldn't get anything of equal value in return. The Pacers have basically offered Ron Artest for him, but I don't see that happening. Chris Webber is showing how valuable Vlade was to us, Vlade was the locker room glue. Chris will be told shortly to "shut up" by Petrie, and things will be back the way they were. Honestly I think we will win the division and face the Spurs in the West Finals. I can see a shift from Webber, Bibby, and Peja to Bibby, Peja, and Miller as the main three..

The arena will be placed out where Arco is now, and honestly it will be better there than Downtown (I still think that was a bad place to put it). The Kings will stay because the fans are extremely loyal and will line the Maloofs wallets with over priced ticket and concesions sales.

I am so sick of these athlete bitches whining and complaining all the time. If it wasnt for raw love i would stop watching the NBA & NFL. Take Jason Kidd for example, he sqeezes out all the money that NJ could give him becuase he is an ego maniac. Then his team has to cut the other all stars on the team and now he wants out. Its his fucking fault that they need the salary cap space. If he wasnt such a greedy bitch, K-mart and Kittles would still be on the Nets.

And fuck Peja right in his ear! You have two years left on your contract, be a man and finish that shit out. Just becuase your team traded your girlfriend doesnt mean that you leave too. Man up and stop being such a pussy.

Now on to the moron Lakers. Do they realize that Chris Mihm is a fucking bum?!?! He is not "good young talent," he sucks balls. He couldnt even keep a spot on the Cavaliers roster. And for the team we had when he was here, thats pretty damn sad.

This NBA as a soap opera thing is really getting old. Whats next, is Detroit going to trade Ben and Rasheed to Utah for Greg Ostertag and a draft pick?!?! This is just gettin out of control and I wish David Stern would get his league under control, before its turns to complete shit. Hell, if it wasnt for LeBron bringin excitement back to Cleveland's lame Gund Arena I probably wouldnt even be paying attention to basketball at all. I just hope that him and 'melo dont become corrupt as well, because thats our future to watch and once they get sucked in its all over.

Ostertag is the man, dude. I don't know what you're smoking.

Also, when you trade for the future... get players that WILL be good, not players that will not.

Marcus Banks is better than you think.

Heres my take on all the NBA stuff...

Off-Season Losers

The Lakers got completely ripped off. Gary Payton for Marcus Banks and Mimh?? Come on! If you are the Lakers, you have to ask for either rookies Delonte West and Tony Allen to be involved. Those two are both more talented than Banks, younger, and have far more potential to be good. Even though payton is old and rusty, the lakers could have gotten much more for him. Oh yeah, they also lost Shaq too.

Cuban has run the Mavs into the ground. First he gave up Steve Nash (HUGE mistake, you have to resign him), ruining the run-n-gun 3-point style of play they had and getting Jason Terry. They didnt get any better on defense, and they got worse on offense. Jason Terry is good, but Steve Nash is a far better PG. They lost both Tawn' and Tione', and got a *lazy* Jerry Stackhouse who wount amount to anything for the rest of his career. I see them struggling to make the playoffs next year in the dominant west.

I put the Magic in this category because they have no clue the trauma and torment that Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley will put their fans through. They are the absolute worst combo in the league and are frustrating as hell to watch. I feel sorry for the Magic fans. They lost T-Mac who is probably the second best player in the NBA slightly behind Kobe and got a highlight-producing and ballhogging duo in return. On the upside, they do have Jameer Nelson who will be a great NBA guard someday. They also do have Dwight Howard, but I dont see him being good until 5 years down the road (And probably longer as Francis wont dish the ball to him).

The Nets....wow. Richard Jefferson is all that will be left, lottery time for them.


Off-Season Winners

Phoenix has become a near-western power. With Steve Nash now at the reigns, they will be fast, explosive, and nearly impossible to defend. Upcoming stars Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson will only get better, and 3rd year phenom Amare Stoudemire (He will be a top power forward someday) continues to improve. They need a good center because they are in the West, but it still shouldnt stop them from winning 50 games.

The Knicks did well in picking up Jamal Crawford, who will be a good SG (Allan Houston is always hurt and is getting old). They will rank higher in the East next season.

The Nuggets are also a new power, as they have an incredible starting lineup with Miller, Melo, Lenard, Camby, and K-Mart. They also still have Earl Boykins and Nene, which is a solid backup unit. I see them going deep into the playoffs, maybe second round possibly.

The Rockets (YEAAA!) are now a contender, and here is why. If you believed Kobe and Shaq were dominant, wait till you see Yao and T-Mac a couple of years down the road. They have arguably the best SG in the league (could make a case for kobe as well), and the new upcoming mde (320 pound [yes, i have heard that is what he should weigh at the start of next season], 7-6 center who can shoot from 20 feet out!!). Jim Jackson will be solid and his numbers will rise, as he will be a leauge leader in 3 point percentage due to the double teams Yao and T-Mac will command. Juwan Howard also will be a solid power forward, with he and Mo Taylor sharing minutes to create a great duo. We need a PG, but for now Lue will do.

Even though the Heat got Shaq, and still have Dwayne Wade, they wont go anywhere as long as Detroit and Indiana own the Eastern Conference. I hope you enjoyed your titles while you won them Shaq.
Still, they will go deep into the playoffs, that is until they face the Pacers or Pistons.


Predictions.......

WEST
1. Spurs (65+ wins)
2. Wolves (60+ wins)
3. Kings (55+ wins)
4. Rockets (55+ wins)
5. Suns (50+ wins)
6. Nuggets (50+ wins)
7. Grizzlies (50 wins)
8. Jazz (45+ wins)
9. Mavericks (45+ wins)
10. Blazers (40+ wins)
11. Hornets (40+ wins)
12. Lakers (40+ wins)
13. Sonics (35+ wins)
14. Clippers (35+ wins)
15. Warriors (30+ wins)


EAST
1. Detroit (65+ wins)
2. Heat (50+ wins)
3. Celtics (45+ wins)
4. Pacers (60+ wins)
5. Bucks (45+ wins)
6. Cavs (45+ wins)
7. 76ers (40+ wins)
8. Knicks (40+ wins)
9. Magic (35+ wins)
10. Bulls (35+ wins)
11. Raptors (30+ wins)
12. Hawks (30+ wins)
13. Wizards (25+ wins)
14. Bobcats (20+ wins
15. Nets (20+ wins)

Title Predictions??

WCF - Spurs vs Rockets
ECF - Pacers vs Pistons

Finals - Spurs vs Pistons

Champ - Spurs (4-3)

Indiana proved this year that they couldnt do it. And now with Shaq in the East, they certainly wont do it now. The Pacers dont have the front court to compete with the Pistons or the Heat. The knicks, with all of these trades, are going to need a year to gel. After that, they should def. be on the rise. Not to mention my Cavaliers. They gave the top teams a run for their money last year. This year they are that much more dangerous. Once all of this offseason bullshit settles, this should be a pretty interesting season to watch with lots of blossoming teams with new rosters. Thank goodness i am ordering digital cable with a DVR this week so i can practice taping tv and not miss a game.

Hey Fatha'....you're forgetting about the Suns landing Q-Rich too.
But otherwise, you seem to be on the ball with things, other then the Heat. Shaq is too dominant for the East, and only the Pistons could POSSIBLY take them in the playoffs I think, but I doubt that will happen. With a Kobe-less Shaq, he's happier and he gets about 15 more touches and 10 more shot attempts a game. That's a possible MVP Season for Shaq right there. Not to mention that absolutely insane Dwyane Wade. Also, Eddie Jones will get a huge boost from Shaq, who will open up the three point line for EJ as Shaq gets doubled. Plus they lost Brian Grant which is a positive, not negative.

And stop hatin on Steve Francis...I agree on Mobely, but Francis really is a 'franchise' player (no pun intended). He steps up in big games, and he did dish Yao the ball an awful lot, it's just that Yao was too unselfish and usually gave it back. Mobely is talented, but amazingly selfish and way too full of himself, but Francis is one of the best three point guards in the league in my opinion (with Kidd and Marbury).