This week in the NBA

[Damaramu 0]

I'm not saying that it is. Those new players are a hell of a lot of help and they've improved the guys around them.

But I am saying that the crowd does give them an edge they didn't have last season. Not that it's the sole reason. But it does play a part in the turnaround. Maybe not a big part but it still plays a part. Don't downplay it. I heard one writer say that some people are shocked that there are actually people in Oklahoma that can go to the games and that can afford it.

I'm sorry but we're not this backwater redneck state that we're stereotyped to be.....that's Arkansas.

[Guest]

I do think that it's the best place for them to be, just that I think the players are probably the sole reason for the turnaround. The thing about OKC is that it's going to be extremely tough to attract free agents to that area of the country.

[alfdogg 0]

Don't you think that Chris Paul and Desmond Mason have something to do with them winning these games?

I'd say moreso Speedy Claxton and David West than Mason. He's been a pretty big flop this year, IMO.

[Guest]

I just added in 2 guys that weren't there at all last year. David West is progressing into a really nice player and Claxton is finally living up to the potential that he had when he was drafted by Philadelphia.

 

I haven't seen the Hornets play yet, but I will soon.

[Damaramu 0]

Well they're like night and day between home and the road if that tells you anything.

I think it'd suck for them to move back to New Orleans. OKC is such a better market for them and I heard the league was really impressed with the arena and the city.

And the players love it here. I hear you can see them in downtown OKC hanging out all the time.

People at ESPN though still accuse us of trying to "steal" the team and I think it was Woody Paige that made us out to be bad guys.

[Guest]

I think New Orleans should get back their team at least for a little while, and the Magic should be moved to Oklahoma City or Kansas City.

[Brett Favre 0]

I might have read your post wrong, but I'd say that Knick fans are the most realistic and smart fans when it comes to being a sports fan in NYC. To me, the Knicks could go either way. If Curry and Frye mature, then this team could get really really good. People can say this team can't win with Marbury, but it's not true. Give Marbury an actual "team" around him, and he'll make it work. Lee and Robinson aren't going to be superstars, but their going to be good role players. If Brown can get Crawford to play a complete game, which hes done somewhat, and all those other things happen, this will be a good team. If Frye and Curry stay average, this team is fucked beyond words with a payroll above the cap until forever, and with no chance at a lottery pick for the next two years. for now, I'll continue to not really care about winning, and just enjoy watching the rookies bring a shitload of energy, and a shitload of hope for the future.

 

 

See that's realistic. I was only referring to CW specifically, because he didn't seem to admit any fault/problems with the team. You actually admit there are potential pitfalls while still maintaining hope that it could all end up good.

 

I said I like the potential, and rationalized some of the moves he made that you said were horribly horrible, when in fact, like I said, he's never gotten the worse player in a trade.

[Matt Young 0]

They just announced on PTI a few minutes ago that Antonio Davis was suspended for 5 games.

[Guest]

Fair.

[Damaramu 0]

I think New Orleans should get back their team at least for a little while, and the Magic should be moved to Oklahoma City or Kansas City.

 

I wonder how OKC would react to losing the Hornets and then being given a new team and told to cheer for it after they invest themelves in the Hornets?

[Guest]

I don't know, but the Magic are going to be headed out of Orlando and they're going to have to go somewhere, but the irony in what you said is that New Orleans lost their team already, and how would they feel if they were going to be gone forever? It doesn't matter that they don't draw, considering that the population and subsequent fanbase there likely didn't have money to pay for tickets.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Well they're like night and day between home and the road if that tells you anything.

I think it'd suck for them to move back to New Orleans. OKC is such a better market for them and I heard the league was really impressed with the arena and the city.

And the players love it here. I hear you can see them in downtown OKC hanging out all the time.

People at ESPN though still accuse us of trying to "steal" the team and I think it was Woody Paige that made us out to be bad guys.

Never mind that Ray Nagin stole the Charlotte Hornets, or at least gave them an impressive offer.

 

I'm with Dammy. It'd be horrible to move them back to New Orleans. The team's future was just as tenuous in the antediluvial days. Empty arenas, very little connection to the team, which had only been there for three seasons, where they were known for a first-round exit in the worst series of the 04 playoffs, and then going like 0-20. Now you have a nice arena with great crowds who, coinciding with the recent influx of talent and the void of other pro teams, are going to be very popular in Oklahoma City. New Orleans is not going to be able to support pro teams for quite some time. Shinn knows this, Benson knows this, Tagliabue tells Benson "no you don't SHUT UP." The Hornets aren't going to make a dime in New Orleans, and probably won't be missed. All the focus has been on saving the Saints, and I mean ALL the focus. The New Orleans City Council allegedly started advising Benson who to hire as the new head coach. Slow day at the office?

 

I don't buy the "OKC can't lure free agents" line. You can even get drunk and laid in Salt Lake City, if that's what you're getting at. I don't see it as a redneck place, I envision it as being a relatively comfortable, well-spread-out, white-bread, mid-sized city that's just kinda there, like Omaha. Sure, it's not as perpetually alive as New York, or as bustling with giant black asses as Atlanta, but I'm sure it's an enjoyable enough place to spend half your schedule. If they really are night and day home and road, that's gotta say something. Why does an enthusiastic crowd stop mattering after college? I think that's universal. The record won't always show it, but almost everyone would rather play in front of people who gladly paid to watch you perform than just an empty gym, field, or rink.

 

It's not a feel-good story at all, but it's smart business to permanently set up shop in Oklahoma City. Just like everyone else, there's nowhere to come home to.

[alfdogg 0]

Antonio Davis got five games, according to ESPN Radio.

 

Baron Davis was also suspended for a game for swinging at Luke Ridnour.

[Guest]

Never mind that Ray Nagin stole the Charlotte Hornets, or at least gave them an impressive offer.

He's a piece of shit and everyone knows it, so I don't have sympathy for him.

 

I'm with Dammy. It'd be horrible to move them back to New Orleans. The team's future was just as tenuous in the antediluvial days. Empty arenas, very little connection to the team, which had only been there for three seasons, where they were known for a first-round exit in the worst series of the 04 playoffs, and then going like 0-20.

Good point, but I think that New Orleans should get a team back when the economy is back and running in that area.

 

Now you have a nice arena with great crowds who, coinciding with the recent influx of talent and the void of other pro teams, are going to be very popular in Oklahoma City.

Isn't OKC going to be getting a new arena soon? That does further the point that they should have a team.

 

New Orleans is not going to be able to support pro teams for quite some time. Shinn knows this, Benson knows this, Tagliabue tells Benson "no you don't SHUT UP." The Hornets aren't going to make a dime in New Orleans, and probably won't be missed. All the focus has been on saving the Saints, and I mean ALL the focus. The New Orleans City Council allegedly started advising Benson who to hire as the new head coach. Slow day at the office?

Yeah, they won't be ready to have an NBA team back in the city for at least 6-7 years, possibly further.

 

I don't buy the "OKC can't lure free agents" line. You can even get drunk and laid in Salt Lake City, if that's what you're getting at. I don't see it as a redneck place, I envision it as being a relatively comfortable, well-spread-out, white-bread, mid-sized city that's just kinda there, like Omaha. Sure, it's not as perpetually alive as New York, or as bustling with giant black asses as Atlanta, but I'm sure it's an enjoyable enough place to spend half your schedule.

I think that they will be able to lure good free agent players, but I meant that they wouldn't be able to get a star to take a maximum contract to play there. In the current NBA, those guys are going to want to play in those bustling cities.

 

If they really are night and day home and road, that's gotta say something. Why does an enthusiastic crowd stop mattering after college? I think that's universal. The record won't always show it, but almost everyone would rather play in front of people who gladly paid to watch you perform than just an empty gym, field, or rink.

As far as the home and road records, I think it's more of a comfort level thing for the players.

 

It's not a feel-good story at all, but it's smart business to permanently set up shop in Oklahoma City. Just like everyone else, there's nowhere to come home to.

Yeah, I agree with that, but I don't like completely tossing New Orleans to the side. If it's not going to be near to what it once was, there's no reason to put a team there. If NO comes back and becomes a bustling city again, then it's something they should look at.

 

As far as putting a different team in New Orleans in the future, the Magic are going to be leaving Orlando very soon.

 

New Orleans will never get the Hornets back, and I don't have any problem with that.

[Damaramu 0]

We have a brand new arena. It's only like 5 years old. And it ranks among the top in the NBA quality wise.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Good point, but I think that New Orleans should get a team back when the economy is back and running in that area.

But the NBA has never been a spectacular draw, Jazz and Hornets both.

 

Isn't OKC going to be getting a new arena soon? That does further the point that they should have a team.

This is the new arena

 

I think that they will be able to lure good free agent players, but I meant that they wouldn't be able to get a star to take a maximum contract to play there. In the current NBA, those guys are going to want to play in those bustling cities.

They never really did in Charlotte (Kobe threatened to hold out IIRC), and at least got to the second round.

 

As far as the home and road records, I think it's more of a comfort level thing for the players.

But not all teams have such disparity between the two.

[Guest]

But the NBA has never been a spectacular draw, Jazz and Hornets both.

I think it's economical. Considering the area of both of those teams, that isn't much of a surprise. The Saints have never drawn too well either, IIRC.

 

This is the new arena

I'm dumb.

 

They never really did in Charlotte (Kobe threatened to hold out IIRC), and at least got to the second round.

They were better managed then. They developed players well through their system and Glen Rice was a big performer. Prior to that, they had Grandmama and Zo, but they couldn't hold onto them. I'll chalk it up to management.

 

But not all teams have such disparity between the two.

They are very young. Oddly, that team has never had many veteran players.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The one real problem with Oklahoma City is that they were going to receive a boost in attendance simply because the NBA is a new, fresh attraction in their city. All expansion/relocated teams see boosts in their attendance the first few years. The question is whether it is sustainable.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I think OKC is a more suitable sports market than New Orleans, though, and with the young core of the Hornets, they can get a few great years of support before things might go sour. Also, it's a one-team town, which the NBA typically does well in. Hornets failed because the Saints have always been their team, they're not subordinate to any other pro teams. Miami will always place the Dolphins above all in a similar fashion. Just have to co-exist with the Sooners

[alfdogg 0]

No Marbury tonight either, it seems.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

speaking of the antonio davis thing, I switched to best damn sports show and while they were talking, they showed this video of the stands before the Antonio thing happened, and it really did seem like the wife was giving the other guy shit. She was standing up, facing him (who was behind him sitting), doing all these motions junk talk in his face, while the guy's sitting there trying to get security to come. kinda funny actually

[Ripper 0]

All kind of stories are all over the place. There are reports that the guy yelled at Davis's kids because they were blocking his view, the wife got in his face about yelling at his kids, and thats what it was.

 

The only thing that matters to me is that Davis was suspended 5 games, and that is simply bullshit.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

It'd be incredibly hypocritical of Stern to not issue a suspension after a full year of insisting "you may not enter the stands at all for ANY reason!!!" and the huge suspension to artest... to suddenly go "well, we understand HIS reasons, so forget about the suspension."

5 still seems high though, 2 or 3 would have done it. whatever.

 

Its like the "automatic suspension for leaving the bench" or a player getting suspended for punching somebody that shoved him or hit him first. We would all defend ourselves if somebody hit us first and we'd probably all jump off the bench if somebody was fucking wtih our friend. But for the sake of rules we still get the suspension.

 

and on that note, i dont get is why people seem to think "i would have done exactly the same thing" means anything to anybody? we arent the center of the universe, it means nothing to the question of punishment, unless there was some reason to think that "I" would have gotten a different punishment. I woulda done the same thing, and I woulda gotten suspended for it.

[Guest Vitamin X]

The only thing that matters to me is that Davis was suspended 5 games, and that is simply bullshit.

 

 

... heeeere we go again...

[alfdogg 0]

BRAD F'N MILLER~

[Guest]

The only thing that matters to me is that Davis was suspended 5 games, and that is simply bullshit.

You're kidding me right?

[bobobrazil1984 0]

wow, i dont watch the Lakers that often, but the rest of the team is erally really bad here. THey just dump it to Kobe, and he launches over 2 or 3 defenders. Luckily for them he's good enough to make many of them, but still, its like nobody has any concept of how to get a GOOD shot. I mean if Luke Walton and Smush are gonna stand at the top of the key with the ball, lost while trying to dump it to Kobe, i mean... why doesn't Luke set a pick for Smush to run around, maybe get open, draw a defender, whatnot? i'm echoing the tnt guys here, but these mediocre teams really dont seem to have any sense of shot recognition.

[Guest]

Smush plays well every other game, Luke Walton is fucking terrible, and a lot of the guys don't really play well in a hostile environment. They had guys foul out, but that's no excuse for the way they played in overtime.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Yessir!

[bobobrazil1984 0]

here's what I dont understand. In the stretch, Kobe routinely had 2 or 3 guys running after him. Did the other players suddenly forget how to set a pick? You can knock off a defender that way, if you're lucky, kobe can even curl around and get open, and that's gold. they just stand around instead while kobe shoots.