NBA Roundtable Discussion

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

10. As we sit at the midpoint of the regular season, which story line or situation interests you most? Will a team that lacks defensively as the Suns do win the championship?

 

Phoenix has a top 10 defense, if not top 5. Don't be fooled by the points allowed.

[Guest]

I disagree. It's not bad, but it's not good. Very middle of the road.

[Ripper 0]

I disagree. It's not bad, but it's not good. Very middle of the road.

I don't get how you can disagree. Whats middle of the road about it? They force alot of turnovers, they keep the opponents field goal percentage down, they don't allow alot of points in the paint for a team that is so mall in the interior. I don't see whats wrong with their D.

 

If you say points against, that is a product of them taking most of their shots within 10 seconds of the shot clock. Most teams get twice as many chances to score.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Defensive Efficiency measures the number of points surrendered per 100 possessions. The Phoenix Suns allow 102 points per 100 possessions, which is sixth in the league, about 0.1 points behind Dallas and ahead of a lot teams with good defensive reputations (Detroit).

[Just John 0]

I don't know if it's so much that Phoenix's D is good, rather than they are just good at beating the shit out of people who try to play their pace. When some team like San Antonio slows down the game on them, they don't win a lot.

[Ripper 0]

I don't know if it's so much that Phoenix's D is good, rather than they are just good at beating the shit out of people who try to play their pace. When some team like San Antonio slows down the game on them, they don't win a lot.

San Antonio slowing down the game on them is a myth. In their play offs series both team averaged over 105 per game. Season series is much of the same. San Antonio has the ability to play at a high pace and a slow pace.

 

And San Antonio STILL would have lost that series had Joe Johnson not broken his face against Dallas.

 

Speaking of San ANtonio

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2751379

 

One of the greatest on the ball defenders I have ever seen and one of my favorites growing up. Goddamn he is a fuck up though.

[Guest]

I don't know if it's so much that Phoenix's D is good, rather than they are just good at beating the shit out of people who try to play their pace.

That's what I was trying to say. So many teams take shitty shots against the Suns.

 

It's not so much the slowing down part, it's just that lots of teams take open 3's early in the shot clock against Phoenix and miss.

[Just John 0]

I agree with that, but that isn't to discredit the Suns at all. They've built their team around the philosophy of "get everyone to shoot quickly" and very few teams are disciplined enough to not take those tempting shots early in the shot clock. The Suns just sucker people into their game, and then kill 'em. It's usually just them out-smarting their opponents. They have 7 guys who are legit double-figure scoring threats playing every night. Occasionally, the opponents might have an equally good shooting night and win, but more often than not, the Suns simply overwhelm people with their high shooting percentage. A high shooting pecentage (esp. from 3) plus taking more shots is why they really rack up the point differential. The only points for their D actually being good is that they draw charges and get steals because of their quickness. Other than Marion, they're undersized at most positions and don't bother many shots.

 

I don't know why Suns fans take offense when people say they don't play great D. The Suns are a really good team, but their strength lies in their offense and game strategy.

[Guest]

Why does everyone think the Lakers played so well against them in the playoffs last year? It was only because they didn't rush, and when they did, Phoenix usually came back as was the case in the last 3 games of the series.

[Ripper 0]

Why does everyone think the Lakers played so well against them in the playoffs last year? It was only because they didn't rush, and when they did, Phoenix usually came back as was the case in the last 3 games of the series.

 

 

Or because they posted up Kwame Brown and Lamar Odem and killed the Suns on the offensive boards. It had nothing to do with rushing. Midway through game 4 of that series the Suns saw a chink in the Lakers armor, namely their bigs rotated horrible off dribble penetration (which is why Barbosa went absolutely apeshit in the last game) and they didn't go out to cover big guys that could shoot (Tim Thomas killing them). Had nothing to do with pace of the game.

[Rendclaw 0]

Manu might dethrone 'Sheed as the league's most T'ed up player just for being himself if soccer diving is no longer allowed.

 

 

A-fucking-men to that. I like Manu's game but I have always said that he needs to stop playing like he's in the MSL.

[alfdogg 0]

From Mark Cuban's blog

 

Dwayne Wade a Leader ?

Feb 9th 2007 12:53PM

 

I hope Dwayne Wade was misquoted in an article today in the Miami Herald. I know the Herald has issues with accuracy and they are still probably looking for the boat I dont own in Miami, but according to the Herald, and i have a hard time thinking even the Herald could get this quote wrong, Wade said the following:

 

DIG AT DIRK

 

After the Heat practiced Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena, Wade was asked if he believes players are ultimately remembered for what they do at the end of games.

 

Wade, who usually is selective and subtle with his criticisms of opposing players, took the opportunity to take a jab at Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, who has failed to give the Heat credit for beating the Mavericks in the Finals last season.

 

''At the end of the day,'' Wade said, ``you're remembered for what you did at the end. . . . I think that's the reason -- Dirk says they gave us the championship last year, but he's the reason they lost the championship, because he wasn't the leader that he's supposed to be in the closing moments. That's because of great defense by us, but also he wasn't assertive enough as a leader's supposed to be.''

 

 

 

Say what ? Is this the DWade of some of the lamest, boring commercials known to man? Commercials that are singlehandedly responsible for selling more commercial skipping Tivos than anything else on TV?

 

Dwayne I don't blame you for not looking at tapes of the finals. You obviously didn't. You would have seen your unbelievable skills and some other unbelievable elements that if I could discuss honestly here I would get fined for.

 

You are right, endings are remembered. And the ending of 3 of the games of the Finals will be remembered alongside Game 6 of the King vs Lakers Conf Finals a few years ago.

 

I guess you have earned the right to criticize Dirk with an obvious display of your own leadership skills.

 

I know Shaq appreciates your leadership as well. He called out your team a few weeks ago saying it was "embarassing'. Great leadership DWade. Your coach sat players for being fat. I guess you couldnt lead them away from the buffet.

 

You are an amazing player Dwayne. I love watching you shoot free throws. What you know about Dirk's leadership skills is non existent. You don't have a clue. Your ability to evaluate leadership skills....well you obviously have an overinflated value of your own. Did you take business classes at Marquette?

 

Now we know why Charles won't put you in his 5.

 

And Im pissed for one more reason. Im going to have to miss our next game against the Heat on Feb 22. A previous engagement. I guess its just a missed opportunity to bring a local business class to the game and try to let them interview you about your leadership skills.

Fuckin' awesome.

[Rendclaw 0]

And David Stern wants to squelch him... there are times I wish a younger, more forward-looking commissioner was in charge... he was great during the 80s and 90s, but he is just making mistake after mistake over the last several years, and I think that this personal vendetta against Cuban is going to be his downfall.

[Just John 0]

To be fair, Cuban is being an immature ass.

[Rendclaw 0]

On some points, yes. But on others, such as being close to the bench to hear and evaluate his players and coaches (such as his decision to hire Avery Johnson as head coach, a move he himself said he probably would not have made had he not seen the goings on up close), it makes good sense. All of his histrionics and antics aside, he is more of a hands-on owner than any other in the league, maybe even in all of sports (with the possible exception of Jerry Jones, and thats in a bad way IMO), but this is where the reputation he has built up in the first few years of his ownership is coming back to bite him in the ass.

 

That being said, it cannot be denied that David Stern has a hard-on for him, and is trying to aggravate and bully Cuban into selling the team. When the commissioner is making rules that affects one, and only one owner in the league, I would say that its a vendetta.

[Just John 0]

I was just talking about Cuban being an ass in this situation, which is undeniable after reading that blog entry that sounds like something written by a bitter high-schooler.

 

He jumps into a situation where no one calls him out, takes all kinds of cheap shots at Wade, and then attacks the rest of the Heat as well for no reason. I hated the Game 5 officiating as much as the next guy, but seriously Mark, get over it. At least Wade's being the bigger man and not dignifying Cuban's bullshit with a response.

[Guest]

I think Mark Cuban is hilarious, but he needs to pick and choose his battles. This is not one that he should pick.

[Fökai 0]

He's responding because Dirk won't bother to respond. And no, I'm not defending Cuban, but that's all he doing. If he had planned to take potshots at Wade, he would've done it last June. Cuban is right on his points, though...how can Wade question Dirk's leadership skills, when he hasn't even taken control of his own team? Today's game was the first time in months that the Heat looked to be on the same page.

[Rendclaw 0]

And how much of a coincidence is it that Wade has become more vocal, actually calling out Shaq last week?

 

That in itself is long overdue, since Shaq is well on his way to becoming a waste of space due to his terrible conditioning.

 

On top of that, part of Cuban's frustration is that of every team and player that goes up against the teams with the superstars, with Wade and LeBron and Kobe topping that list in that order. All of a sudden its like the player gets a two to three-foot space around him, and if a defending player invades that space, a foul is called. Some of the calls that Wade was getting in the Finals were ridiculous, and I can;t blame Cuban for thinking that the league is out to get him in some ways, even though he did a lot to bring that onto himself and his team.

[Mecca 0]

Unfortunatly I don't think the clip is up on Youtube anymore but there was one where I believe against Portland no one touched Wade and he slipped and fell down.....and they called a foul. And you can just hear the Portland announcers and how ridiculous they found it.....

 

The league is trying to make Wade into it's next superstar face and you know what it isn't working. The calling in the Finals did nothing but piss me off, he got foul calls for people breathing on him.....

 

When 1 guy has 20 FT's in 1 game and it happens on a consistent basis that is bullshit, I'd have been going balistic if I owned the other team.

 

Personally I think Cuban is being nice, Wade was a great player at the foul line in the finals and the refs helped them win......he could have called him a little overrated bitch hey I would have.

[Rendclaw 0]

The thing is that Wade has more than enough talent to be the next superstar. Unfortunately when someone exhibits that level of talent, David Stern gets this need bordering on obsession to do anything in his power to make him the next Michael Jordan. What makes it worse is that Wade has been flopping and doing a lot of whining when he doesn't get calls, which is rare unto itself, which tells me that he has bought into or is at the least taking advantage of it. I can't blame him in that, I would do the same if I was him. Its just not necessary.

[Just John 0]

This whole situation is really stupid, and everyone is in the wrong to some degree.

 

Dirk shouldn't have made his comments to begin with, because they were disrespectful. It's not like the Mavs lost to the Hawks or anything... They lost to a team that was playing quality basketball in the NBA Finals. Wade got some bad calls in Game 5, but to say that was the entire reason they lost is ridiculous.

 

Wade should've not commented or at least come back with something better than personally attacking Dirk. Stand up for your team but don't single anyone out from the other team, even if you don't like their comments.

 

And Cuban is wrong for jumping in late and taking even more personal shots at the Heat team. The argument between Dirk and Wade concerned on-court stuff... None of which concerned Cuban.

[Guest]

I don't really see LeBron getting too many calls. I think Wade and Kobe get the most, but Wade gets more than anyone I've ever seen.

[Black Lushus 0]

ah, I remember the days of Michael Jordan not getting his first foul called on him until the 4th quarter.

[Matt Young 0]

Jesus Christ... You'd think he could at least spell his fucking name correctly.

[Rendclaw 0]

ah, I remember the days of Michael Jordan not getting his first foul called on him until the 4th quarter.

 

 

That was his rookie year, was it not?

[Black Lushus 0]

Brotha, that was every year, INCLUDING the Wizard years.

[Rendclaw 0]

Sorry I misread that...

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

So, according to the last twenty minutes of ESPN Radio that I've been listening to, I guess Tim Hardaway hates gay people.

[Broward83 0]

No shit man... I just saw the story. When they put up Timmy I was thinking

 

"oh shit...fuckin Timmy Hardaway's gay too.. damn"

 

..but yeah. That was a bit of a shocker to hear what he said and how he said it