The OaO 2003-2004 NBA Season Thread!

[Guest Redhawk]

I watched the Pistons take apart the Sonics tonight (without an injured Rip Hamilton) and I must say I'm now worried for my Pacers. Detroit looks good offensively, outstanding defensively (they've held three straight opponents to under 70 points), and with Rasheed Wallace now, they're that much better on both ends. I hope J.O., Artest, Reggie and the gang know what they're getting into with this team.

[Cuban Linx 0]

In the space of one day the Blazers have a 41 point turnaround, idiot Randolph gets himself suspended and they go from a 21 point win to a 20 point loss to the damn Clippers. I'd officially write them off if Denver still weren't losing, now the Nuggets have dropped 8 out of their last 9.

[Ripper 0]

I was almost worried that the Spurs would give up the 20+ lead in the final 5 minutes of the game when it dropped to 7 points. Did anybody see what made Michael Finely go crazy and attack Bruce Bowen for? How many players are now hating on Bowen's skills, Michael Finely, Ray Allen, etc.?

Maybe Bowen FOREARMING HIM IN THE FACE got to Fin...that MIGHT have been it.

 

Bowen is a great defender, no doubt, but the guy takes cheap shots all game long and Finley said fuckit and went at him.

 

Artest plays aggressive D, but doesn't take the cheap shots bowen takes(although he will foul the ever loving shit out of you).

 

Simply put, Yao is too tall to be a great rebounder. I know it sounds weird, but with his wingspan, he has to do twice the arm movement to get to a rebound as other guys. Rebounding is about reacting and he has to swing those big ass things around to get the ball. I think if he were to start keeping his arms closer to his body, when shots go up, he could reboud better...of course he would do a shittier job boxing out, but hey.

 

The best rebounders in league history all are around that 6'5" to 6'10 range with guys like Duncan and Garrnett being exceptions to the rule.

 

If you really think about it, there should never be a rebound that Shaq doesn't get, but he has the same problem that Yao has to a lesser extent. Yao has had monster rebound games and shitty ones. He will have big rebound games on guys who try to score inside and shitty wons on jump shooting teams. Thats just the way its going to be.

 

And what is up with all the Net hate in here. Once again, Detroit looks good. Indiana...look strong. But I don't think ANYONE can beat the Nets in the East. They are the perfect playoff team with their quick hands and transition game. The Nets will kick the shit out of the East again, and depending on what team comes out the west might win the championship.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I dunno, the Nets just have no real shot against any western conference team in a series. The Lakers and Spurs we've seen what happens there, The T- Wolves would get ugly quickly (K-Mart gets eaten ALIVE by guys like Garnett, Amare Stoudemire for example just bitchslapped him a couple games back, anyone he can't out muscle or jump over tends to own him) and the Nets high octane offense of getting up and down the court plays right into what the Kings and Mavs like to do. I honestly just don't think they have any shot there.

 

Great point on the Yao thing though. Garnett is basically a freak of nature at this point so it's understandable that he gets every rebound but yeah, Yao is at a disadvantage being that tall. If you notice, he does tned to tip the ball everytime it comes off the rib, he just can't reel it in is all.

[ant_7000 0]

Then there's Yao's conditioning which come into question, it seems like if plays for 5 mins (Game time) he gets winded. Maybe, thats why he doesn't rebound as well.

[Ripper 0]

I dunno, the Nets just have no real shot against any western conference team in a series. The Lakers and Spurs we've seen what happens there, The T- Wolves would get ugly quickly (K-Mart gets eaten ALIVE by guys like Garnett, Amare Stoudemire for example just bitchslapped him a couple games back, anyone he can't out muscle or jump over tends to own him) and the Nets high octane offense of getting up and down the court plays right into what the Kings and Mavs like to do. I honestly just don't think they have any shot there.

 

Great point on the Yao thing though. Garnett is basically a freak of nature at this point so it's understandable that he gets every rebound but yeah, Yao is at a disadvantage being that tall. If you notice, he does tned to tip the ball everytime it comes off the rib, he just can't reel it in is all.

What is with everyones memory? Even sportscastors act like the Nets got ran off the court by San Antonio.

 

Do I need to remind everyone that the series went 6 games and it took a 4th quarter comeback on the shoulders of Stephen Jackson to get away from a seventh game and the Spurs(and Nets for that matter) wins were all close games. A couple of months later everyone acts like the Spurs swept them with 4 straight blowouts or something. If Kenyon Martin had even thought of showing up for game 6, the Nets could have very well won the title.

 

Yes, the Lakers did sweep the Nets, but it was a hard fought sweep...well...games 2-4 were. The Nets were without experience then and there was just too much Shaq. I definately think they could play better this year.

 

But bottom line, when push comes to shove, I think that the Nets can play with anyone in the league(although KG would go for 35/20 every night if it was the wolves) and they are still the team to beat in the East.

[Guest Redhawk]

The Nets cannot win the NBA title, simply because I won't be able to handle an entire offseason of "Lawrence Frank is the greatest coach ever in the history of basketball" stories.

[alfdogg 0]

Bowen is a great defender, no doubt, but the guy takes cheap shots all game long and Finley said fuckit and went at him.

 

Finley doesn't strike me as the type of guy that would do something like this just over good defense, so I can believe there were some cheap shots involved. Allen is just a big pussy.

 

But I don't think ANYONE can beat the Nets in the East.

 

Had the Pacers had a REAL coach last year, we would have beat Boston and we'd know this for sure. The Nets have yet to play a Pacer team with great chemistry in the playoffs (2002 was the year of the big trade involving Jalen Rose, remember), but they may get that chance this year. We have major trouble with New Orleans though, and that's likely who we'll end up with in Round 2.

 

(K-Mart gets eaten ALIVE by guys like Garnett, Amare Stoudemire for example just bitchslapped him a couple games back, anyone he can't out muscle or jump over tends to own him)

 

Which I think is the main reason NJ bitchslapped the Celtics the last couple years...Antoine refused to get his ass in the post and put a body on Martin, electing instead to spend the series outside the arc. But fuck, I recall Kirilenko torching K-Mart earlier this year, too.

 

I think that the Nets can play with anyone in the league

 

The Nets proved they can play with the Spurs...but I still think if they get Sac, Minnesota or LA (or Dallas if they somehow make it) they have no chance.

 

I still agree that Jersey is the team to beat in the East, if only because saying no would make me a hypocrite...no matter how good Sac and Minnesota are right now, I'm still riding the Spurs until they're actually eliminated from the playoffs.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I'll give you the Spurs point, you're right they did hang with them but that is as close as it's gonna get IMO. The Kings just pick the Nets apart everytime they play, The Lakers have a 500 pound moose in the middle and Garnett is...well he's Kevin garnett. K-Mart just cannot hang with anyone who is ready to battle him, although I do think they'd have a shot agains the Mavs but the Mavs ain't making it that far.

 

When it comes down to it, Jason Kidd can't win it alone or even with Jefferson and Martin on, they need EVERYONE to produce just to hang with a Kings or Lakers team. And that's just not gonna happen.

[Gert T 0]

Garnett is basically a freak of nature at this point so it's understandable that he gets every rebound but yeah, Yao is at a disadvantage being that tall. If you notice, he does tned to tip the ball everytime it comes off the rib, he just can't reel it in is all.

Amen, Garnett is averaging like 13.5 rebounds per game and it still looks like he isn't even trying to get rebounds. I mean that as a compliment too.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Yeah, exactly Garnett doesn't even full jump, he just gets his arms as high as possible and kind of hops a bit. The ball never touches his chest it seems, he just keeps it above his head and away they go, it's textbook and he somehow makes rebounding look spectacular.

[alfdogg 0]

Just read in the paper that Terrell Brandon has officially retired.

[Guest Redhawk]

Remember when some people were calling Terrell Brandon the best overall point guard in the league? In fact, between him and Andre Miller, the Cavs had two guys given that title in recent years, not to mention Mark Price and now LeBron (well, he's a PG on my video games).

[alfdogg 0]

Andre Miller is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He's still a top 5 PG and should have been an All-Star this year IMO.

[ant_7000 0]

Andre Miller is underrated, but his rep as a selfish player (I don't see it) might be a reason why he doesn't get any Pub.

[ant_7000 0]

Props for T-Mac dropping 62 pts, 10 boards, and 5 dimes on the Wizards. Arenas had 40 pts probably the most quiet 40 pts in league history.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Another bad game for Minnesota. I'm seriously starting to think despite all of KG's efforts a 1st round exit yet again.

 

Funny story. Shaq is having some kind of party at Bar in my home town Thursday night. Strange because it's not really close to populated part of the Twin Cities, which is most big events take place.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Garnett must have stopped minding his P's Q's...

[alfdogg 0]

The arbitrator ruled that Vin Baker is eligible to sign with any team.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Mcgrady scores 62 points. And his team squeaks by with a 9 point win, it was actually down to 6 i nthe final minute. Pretty much says it all about that team.

[Ripper 0]

The guys coming back from injury have put the Wolves in a litte disarray, nothing that they won't fix. Right now Zerb, Kandi and Hudson coming back has them trying to learn each other, but in the long run they will be better for the team in the playoffs....if they don't play the lakers because everyone knows the Wally is Rick Fox's BITCH.

[King Kamala 0]

Does anyone think Karl Malone should have stayed with Utah (Besides Jazz fans)? He could have gotten the scoring title a whole lot sooner and he wouldn't have to live under the media microscope. I don't know but to me Malone doesn't seem like an LA or NY player.

[Ripper 0]

Does anyone think Karl Malone should have stayed with Utah (Besides Jazz fans)? He could have gotten the scoring title a whole lot sooner and he wouldn't have to live under the media microscope. I don't know but to me Malone doesn't seem like an LA or NY player.

No. Andre Kirilinko wouldn't have had his breakout season, and a couple of other guys would have been stuck in "give Karl the Ball so he can break his fucking record" mode. Keeping Karl would have allowed them to become the Boston Celtics...hung on to your old guns for way too long while youngsters came and went, and when they all retire, you are one of the shittiest teams in the league. I love Kevin Mchale, but someone should've been getting his minutes in his final years. Same here. Malone is done, whether he knows it or not.

[Guest Redhawk]

Does anyone think Karl Malone should have stayed with Utah (Besides Jazz fans)? He could have gotten the scoring title a whole lot sooner and he wouldn't have to live under the media microscope. I don't know but to me Malone doesn't seem like an LA or NY player.

No. Andre Kirilinko wouldn't have had his breakout season, and a couple of other guys would have been stuck in "give Karl the Ball so he can break his fucking record" mode. Keeping Karl would have allowed them to become the Boston Celtics...hung on to your old guns for way too long while youngsters came and went, and when they all retire, you are one of the shittiest teams in the league. I love Kevin Mchale, but someone should've been getting his minutes in his final years. Same here. Malone is done, whether he knows it or not.

Which young guns would have left Utah had Malone stayed one more year? The thing is, they're going to be just as good this year without Malone as they would have been with him. They'll either sneak into the playoffs and exit Round 1, or miss them. But with Malone, the fans have a reason to come out since he's a legend and all of that. Plus, he'd break the record sooner and retire sooner. As long as Kobe/Shaq/Payton are around, Karl's gonna be in L.A. for three years trying to break that record.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

As a fantasy owner of Karl Malone, I can assure you all the result would have been the same no matter where he played. He would have been on injured reserve half the season, completely SCREWING my fantasy team in the process.

 

Not that I'm bitter.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Kenny Thomas deserves an MVP award for this game alone.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Wizards don't know what the word Defense means.

 

62 to T-Mac the other night

 

138 to the Hawks tonight (42 to Jackson and 4 other guys with 20 points)

[The Electrifyer 0]

I thought Stackhouse said he was out for the season? How did he go from that to 29 points, 6 rebs and 6 asts?

[Cuban Linx 0]

Stackhouse said there was a chance he might still appear in a few games, and i guess this was one of them. I don't know why he'd risk further injury playing for a team that's going nowhere though.

[Guest Redhawk]

Stackhouse initially came out and said he wasn't going to play the rest of the year after whatever injury he had was still bugging him. The Wizards were like, "Um, don't we get any say in this?" and had him checked out. After that it was deemed that he could play.