NBA Basketball 2007-08: The Thread Part II

[namkcuR]

The thread finally got locked, so here's the new one. I guess this will last all the way until the 2008 preseason starts, at which point a new thread will be created for a new season.

Carry on.

 

[namkcuR]

although i am turned off that the guy appears to be an absolute egomaniac...

LeBron James ended his news conference with this statement: “A LeBron James team is never desperate.”

he does call himself the king, and tattooed his own slogan about how we are apparently wittnesses to his poor shooting decisions on his leg and all... but yea, he needs to be with a coach that is going to take full advantage of his abilities. mike brown is simply not that coach.

Well, that's what happens when shoe companies start going after a guy when he's pre-pubescent and giving him 90 million bucks before he's ever played a second of basketball on any level other than high school while telling him how amazing he is.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'll kick this thread off with a prediction:

The Lakers will win the 2008 National Basketball Association world's championship.

 

[Lila64]

I like it!

I saw most of the game last night (American Idol in between ). I was getting a little worried when Utah started to come back and then tied it. Liked Gasol's rebound/score after Vujačić missed that 3 pointer (did he even make a shot last night?). I won't be home tomorrow night, but hope they can win a game on the road, otherwise we got a game 7 situation at home coming up

 

[LMP]

The potential Hornets-Lakers series would be so flippin' entertaining.

I love watching the Hornets play.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

don't rule out a spurs-jazz wcf just yet.

 

[Lila64]

 

[LMP]

don't rule out a spurs-jazz wcf just yet.

Not gonna, but any series without the Spurs is infinitely more entertaining.

Unless you like Argentineans.

 

[jay canseco]

I wonder how cavalier fans feel. The vultures are circling......

 

[Hewson]

horry of course made a dirty play last year... but he's always been a class act and that seemed to be more of a momentary thing.

I think we can officially change his nickname from "Big Shot Bob" to "Cheap Shot Bob" now.

 

[CTU2fan]

OK so I'm in & out of the Spurs/Hornets game last night, and I'm relatively certain that I heard somebody (Van Gundy I think) say Manu is his favorite player to watch in the NBA. The NBA. Like, the whole entire league. I was like, are you f'in serious?

Edit: Just remembered, I think he used the word "man-crush"


So can the C's build on the 2nd half the other night? Isn't it funny how with all the talk about the "big 3" it's apparently Rondo driving this bus. I think the worm turns tonight, I mean can you really count on Wally and Joe Smith? They can't go to that well all the time, there's a reason those guys are what they are.

 

[U2@NYC]

I told you my masterplan was right... That shot by Horry was weird. Better yet, I do not think it was necessary as the Spurs were already routing the Hornets.

Headache was also right about the Spurs winning game 6 by a wide margin. Now I need him to be right about Duncan's 40+ points performance in Game 7 and the Spurs winning the series.

 

[CTU2fan]

Re: the Horry thing...I hate the Spurs as much as anybody but I don't think the Horry pick was particularly dirty. It was borderline, and a hard pick, but no worse than some of the ones I've seen from others. The one KG got Zaza with in game 7 was as bad. If I'm a Spurs fan I love the play, love it. But I'm a hockey player so my mentality is a little different, maybe.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the horry play was an old school message... it wasn't malicious, but it was certainly on purpose. it's usually the kind of play you see given to a guy who delivered an elbow or other cheap shot to someone on your team earlier in the game... rather than fight or take out their legs or something, you just wait for the right moment when his back is turned to you and you set a nice, hard, clean back-screen. send the message without taking the guy out.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

ya gotta give the spurs credit where credit is, um, due, i think

they certainly have this flop thing down to a science. they have such good body control that the second a player pushes off they go sprawling to the floor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuPQjtpB0m8

now part of me thinks it's ridiculous that they continue to do this, but part of me also thinks that they haven't called the offensive push off consistantly since really pre-jordan's second 3 championships that i kinda almost agree with the spurs flopping.

i mean take richard hamilton for example... everytime he goes to the basket he gives a barry sanders stiff arm, yet it's never ever called. paul and west pushed off with their forearms in these plays, but if not for the spurs over exaggerating of the actuall effects of these push-offs, they never would be called and would give the offense a clear advantage.

but the spurs do it so often that sometimes it really just gets silly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ukde193ivM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEef1T_lqwA


which makes it all the funnier when the flop gets used against them and they try to complain about it with the tim duncan face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNN9ZiH38fs

 

[namkcuR]

Cavs beat Celtics. I didn't watch but apparently neither team could score tonight.

I want Boston to win it all for KG, but they still haven't won a game on the road.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

to be fair, if the celtics lose game 7 KG deserves to be placed right alongside tracy mcgrady. the only reason he isn't already is probably because people like garnett, myself included. but he's only gotten to the conference finals once in his career, and if he can't get there this year, his legacy is going to take a serious hit.

 

[lazarus]

Much credit to the Jazz tonight for an amazing comeback and making it a real thriller.

But of course the most credit goes to Mr. MVP for putting a stop to the Utah rally with that unbelievable 3-pointer under pressure, and then following it with that insane jumper over two defenders and drawing the foul.

Wow.

 

[Lila64]

I was at a concert last night, so I TiVo'd the game. Maddy texted me during the concert that the Lakers had won. We knew they were up a lot before the first half was over. We got home pretty late & I proceeded to watch the entire first half, and almost passed out. Caught part of the 4th before my eyes sealed shut. Will catch up on the full second half probably later today. What a game!!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if you're a coach, and you have kevin garnett, ray allen and paul pierce on your team... and you come out in game 7 and the first person to take a shot for your team is kendrick perkins, you should be fired

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

meanwhile, if you're a coach, and you have lebron james and a bunch of dee de dees on your team, and it's 3 minutes into game 7 and lebron hasn't taken a shot yet, you, too, should be fired

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Re: Re: NBA Basketball 2007-08: The Thread Part II

he does call himself the king, and tattooed his own slogan about how we are apparently wittnesses to his poor shooting decisions on his leg and all... but yea, he needs to be with a coach that is going to take full advantage of his abilities. mike brown is simply not that coach.

Well, that's what happens when shoe companies start going after a guy when he's pre-pubescent and giving him 90 million bucks before he's ever played a second of basketball on any level other than high school while telling him how amazing he is. [/B][/QUOTE]

oh i agree... shit i have freshman who are egomaniacs because their AAU coaches have been telling them how good they are for years. i can only imagine the level of ass kissery that lebron has gotten over the course of his life.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i would love to go to a clinic on mike brown's offense... just to see how short it would be.

"give the ball to lebron, let him dribble around with no purpose while everyone else stands still. repeat"

ok i'm done posting to myself.

 

[thetitans2k]

Pretty entertaining game. Paul Peirce really came to play. I'm suprised PJ got those minutes down the stretch and really came up big for the celtics. Lebron did just about all he could they should get him some help in the offseason.

I'm going to pick the pistons in 6.

 

[No spoken words]

I try to imagine a world where LeBron has either:

A) A good coach. Not even a great one, just a good one.

B) A good teammate. Someone who is reliable every game. Not saying they are good for 20 points a night, but, wow, LeBron's supporting cast: not one of them, can be counted on to provide the same performance two games in a row. How can you be a legit playoff team when you have no legitimate 2nd scoring option?

I am sure that LeBron's ego is out of whack, etc, but, man, I'd like to see him with a Gasol or Boozer or Garnett/Pierce or Rip Hamilton or David West or Parker/Ginobli or even Rashard Lewis. All of these cats advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs. I like Big Z and all, but, he's a nice 3rd best player for a legit contender. Anyway, just frustrating to me to see such a gifted playmaker with nobody to throw the ball to.

 

[Got Philk?]

^some day you will see LeBron with someone...in New York. I predict.

I said it before and I'll say it again. I really like Paul Pierce to have the ball when it matters. And yes...I'll say it again...I like him with the ball even more than I do Garnett.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

^ I too have heard little whispers here and there about the possibility of Lebron landing on the Knicks. Personally, I think it would be a good fit. We will have to see and wait, of course.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i don't like paul pierce because i think he historicly takes too many bad shots... but he was great today.

as for lebron... well... i'd still love to see him play on a team that, ya know, runs an offense. but as far as the teammates issue goes... larry hughes was supposed to take the pressure off lebron... then he was traded and wally was supposed to be the guy who would knock down the open shot for lebron...

i know he hasn't had a great #2 yet, but he's had a bunch of "supposed to" guys, and eventually after you have enough "supposed to" guys with you who don't, the finger starts turning around at you.

i do believe it's a product of a terrible offensive system and a coach who lets him do whatever he wants. frankly i think he played his best ball when he was coached under paul silas.

and i know what you're going to say... lebron had 40+ points... he played great. but i disagree... he was great, but he could have been even better. and it's not his fault... there's only so much you can do when your entire offense is built around you dribbling around while everyone else stands still. if they had even a fragment of an offense lebron still could have had his 40+, maybe more, maybe less... but other guys would have had better looks, and cleveland no doubt would have won that game. but hey... what can you expect when you're coached by this guy...

oh... and i absolutely despise the fact that lebron, himself, is comparing his performance today with dominique wilkens vs. larry bird. that is so cocky it's ridiciulous.

 

[No spoken words]

I don't have a major problem with LeBron being cocky because I think he backs it up. I do have a problem with him comparing himself to Nique, cos I think he's selling himself short with that comparison. LeBron took a crap team to the finals at age 23. I mean, come on, that's no small feat at such a young age. As for Hughes, he's been a mindless shooter and a me-first guy at every stop. Yeah, he was "supposed" to be a solid #2 for LeBron, but, he clearly was not and I don't really think that's anyone's fault but Hughes'.

On another note, I cannot recall a softer mega-star than KG. He fucking disappears in the 4th quarter just about every time I watch him. When I was living in NYC a lot of people used to rag on John Starks, and a lot of Knick fans think he cost the Knicks Game 7 vs. Houston, but, I always admired his guts. He had no fear of big shots, and Pierce showed no fear today, while Allen rode the pine and KG looked to pass cos he's "unselfish". With the $$$ he makes, he might want to be selfish now and again.

 

[Hewson]

oh... and i absolutely despise the fact that lebron, himself, is comparing his performance today with dominique wilkens vs. larry bird. that is so cocky it's ridiciulous.

Well he got the part right in that he was the loser.