NBA Basketball 2008-09: The Thread Part 2

[Headache in a Suitcase]

isiah tries to kill himself then blames it on his daughter.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

There is going to be an on court, trophy raising celebration in Orlando tonight.

 

[Diemen]

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[Lila64]

There is going to be an on court, trophy raising celebration in Orlando tonight.

 

[Diemen]

Damn Orlando. Way to make game 5 exciting.

 

[namkcuR]

Congratulations, Lakers fans. I would've rather seen the championship go to any team, ANY TEAM, other than the Lakers, but it is what it is. Kobe finally got his Shaq-less ring. Phil finally passed Auerbach. Enjoy it.

 

[impy13]

DJ Mbenga. Champion.

 

[namkcuR]

DJ Mbenga. Champion.

He's got more rings than Malone, Stockton, Ewing, and Barkley.

 

[Lila64]

don't know if this pic is from tonight or not...

Congrats LA LAKERS!

 

[LMP]

Damn Orlando. Way to make game 5 exciting.

The amount of Laker fans at the game tonight was staggering. They came out guns a-blazin', but like the rest of the series, the Magic bust ass and the Lakers do it effortlessly. That's just what better teams do, I guess.

Had an absolute blast this year watching the Magic get this far, wish it would've ended better, especially going into an uncertain off-season, but hey, still better than nothing.

Dwight's got nowhere to go but up.

 

[lazarus]

I wanted to see Kobe cry. Oh well, seeing him all smiles with his daughters at the end of the game will hopefully paint a better picture in people's minds then they are used to having.

Congrats to your team on a great season, LMP. I suspect you guys will be back in the thick of the hunt next year.

 

[CTU2fan]

Congratulations, Lakers fans. I would've rather seen the championship go to any team, ANY TEAM, other than the Lakers, but it is what it is. Kobe finally got his Shaq-less ring. Phil finally passed Auerbach. Enjoy it.

This.

Phil passing Red stings a bit though. I'm ready for next year...or at least draft night.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Good times.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

so... the draft is next week.

 

[Got Philk?]

Hmm, will the Clippers pick Jordan Hill?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i'm still hoping they trade the pick... they have a glutton of power forwards.

i know a team that could use a good one though

 

[speedracer]

i'm still hoping they trade the pick... they have a glutton of power forwards.

 

[lazarus]

Anyone read Simmons' latest column? It starts off anti-Kobe as usual, but ends pretty positive, at least in terms of his accomplishments.

Bill Simmons: Did Kobe Bryant really change for 2009 Los Angeles Lakers - ESPN

 

[Diemen]

That's a great read. I find myself feeling pretty similarly - I may not think Kobe has truly transformed this year into a great leader, but you simply cannot deny his incredible determination, talent and drive, and it is pretty damn awe-inspiring to see what the man has achieved.

 

[lazarus]

Well, while Simmons was correct in pointing out that Kobe's stats this year (at least in the playoffs) were nearly identical to last season's, I don't remember everyone saying how much he changed this time around. The transformation to a becoming a leader happened last season, but the Lakers came up against a great and hungry Celtics team in the Finals, and without Andrew Bynum. You don't need more of an excuse than that. They still managed to win two games, and lost two close ones.

What changed this year was Odom and Gasol, and while some of that may be attributed to Kobe's motivation, what I saw was the rest of the team finally playing to his level of intensity more than any adjustments he personally made to his game.

And finally, a telling stat, which has been oft-mentioned this week but omitted by Simmons, is that when the Lakers went on that 16-point run, Kobe only took two shots or something, focusing more on setting up the other guys. He may have taken too many shots at certain points during these finals, but he let the other guys take them in this crucial period, and won the game because of it.

 

[CTU2fan]

NBA Network is running old draft broadcasts all week, some of that should be interesting.

Lots of trade chatter, with the Clips at 1 and Chris Wallace and Memphis sitting at 2 there's an excellent chance for someone to execute an epic swindling.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i said a glutton of power forwards, not a gluttonous power forward.

by the way... i think it's fair to note that in today's basketball world a player like charles barkley would likely be a late 1st round pick if not a 2nd round pick due to his weight and lack of height.

6'6" my ass... he's 6'4" tops, if not 6'3"

nobody would take a 6'3" power forward that early in today's world... we'd have jay bilas talking about how he needs to change his game to succeed at the next level, and about his lack of tremendous upside potential.

larry bird might slip too for his lack of athleticism and "length"

 

[Lila64]

\random

Laker Parade and rally today! For those in L.A., it's on KTLA Channel 5 now!

 

[tpsreports2424]

LAKKKEEE SHOWWW

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Luke Harangody on why he pulled out of the draft and is returning to college...

"I'm not your prototypical NBA power forawrd, so it really didn't have anything to do with the development of my game," Harangody said. "It's just how they view me and the kind of stigma of me being undersized for the NBA."

NBA scouts tend to pigen hold potential first round prospects by weights and measures these days, despite their body of work, which may be why Harangody was ranked as low as the 19th best power forward by some scouting services.

"It was hard to come to terms with that," Harangody admitted. "You play, you go on the road, and all these NBA workouts, you've played against all these guys in the Big East, in tournaments, and you put up numbers against them and you have to prove all over again because they're the guys with potential, they're the guys with athleticism and wingspan."

"I liked being in that positon again. I haven't been in that position in a while where I have to prove myself. It was a challenge and I realized going into next year it's going to be the same thing.

"I think it's going to make me a better player."

this is a sad sad state of affairs in the basketball world today... guys being taken on hype, pure athleticism despite lack of skill, "tremendous upside potential"... all without any regard to what the player has actually accomplished in a competitive game.

it's not just at the NBA level... it's at the college and high school level, too. guys are taken based on their ability to play in undisciplined situations like AAU and on their athleticism and "upside," but then they get to college and have no idea how to play the game and need to be taught from day one, but then they leave after a year and get drafted and sit on a bench for 4 years before they actually develop into anything, if they ever do at all.

 

[Got Philk?]

Tyrus Thomas.

 

[phillyfan26]

i said a glutton of power forwards, not a gluttonous power forward.

by the way... i think it's fair to note that in today's basketball world a player like charles barkley would likely be a late 1st round pick if not a 2nd round pick due to his weight and lack of height.

6'6" my ass... he's 6'4" tops, if not 6'3"

nobody would take a 6'3" power forward that early in today's world... we'd have jay bilas talking about how he needs to change his game to succeed at the next level, and about his lack of tremendous upside potential.

larry bird might slip too for his lack of athleticism and "length"

Bilas would NOT be impressed with Barkley's wingspan.

 

[LMP]

Bilas would NOT be impressed with Barkley's wingspan.

Do you think he'd have the motor to make up for it?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto a Bucks source told ESPN.com.

 

[LMP]

I hate when the Spurs get better. Damn it.