NBA Roundtable Discussion

[alfdogg 0]

I've changed my mind again. I want to go with Caron Butler in Pierce's spot. He's been fantastic.

[Guest Princess Leena]

That looks quite photoshopped.

[Black Lushus 0]

That looks quite photoshopped.

 

that site has other photos from the same event...it's him.

[Narcoleptic Jumper 0]

Is that Ben Affleck next to Nash in the yellow shirt?

[dh86 0]

I have waited for Chris Webber to finally be a Piston....now im hearing Jalen is getting a buy out and may join him here....im so happy

[bobobrazil1984 0]

^ I don't think Jalen is going to come. However, I'm hoping the Webber rumors are true (not a fan of Nazr and Dice has had a shitty season).

[Guest]

 

I'm starting to want Webber because this team has serious depth issues with Lamar and Kwame out. I hate the guy, but he's a big guy that can shoot a mid-range jumper. That's a good fit for the team.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, Mavericks, Suns

 

How would you rank the five best teams in the league right now?

 

I've got

 

1. Mavericks (Just have the feel of the best all-around team in the league)

2. Suns (they are scoring AT WILL, but the defense could still use some work. They are the Mavericks from 3 or 4 years ago.)

3. Lakers (they are getting the job done as long as Kobe is on the roster, and he supports his other teammates)

4. Spurs (They're the Spurs)

5. Rockets (Even without McGrady and Yao, they're keeping up with the Suns. After doubting them at the start of the season, I like them and hope Yao gets better soon. And McGrady stays uninjured.)

[alfdogg 0]

Actually, two of those teams will be the five and six seed, since you have to figure in the NW division winner (probably Utah). Meaning, four of those six teams will end up meeting in the first round.

 

But, I think that's how I've got to rank those teams at this point, too. LA is starting to look more and more like real threats in the West, though I still can't see myself betting on them over the Mavs, Suns, or Spurs, despite the impressive showing tonight. I just don't think they've got the experience as a team yet. At this rate, however, I think Kobe's got to be the runaway MVP.

 

Houston, in addition to the health issues, needs more consistency in the backcourt, particularly at the point. Rafer reminds me a lot of Jamaal Tinsley, in that he's certainly capable of running a team, but he just goes into these phases, where he thinks he's still on the And 1 tour. For a good example, refer back to the OT game on ESPN against the Lakers, where he pretty much single-handedly lost the game for them with his questionable decision-making.

 

All that aside, McGrady has to start winning and advancing in the playoffs. Most of it's not his fault, of course, but it's getting hard to justify ranking him ahead of LeBron (which I did at the start of the season) when LeBron's already threatening deep runs in the playoffs.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

Actually, two of those teams will be the five and six seed, since you have to figure in the NW division winner (probably Utah). Meaning, four of those six teams will end up meeting in the first round.

 

But, I think that's how I've got to rank those teams at this point, too. LA is starting to look more and more like real threats in the West, though I still can't see myself betting on them over the Mavs, Suns, or Spurs, despite the impressive showing tonight. I just don't think they've got the experience as a team yet. At this rate, however, I think Kobe's got to be the runaway MVP.

 

Houston, in addition to the health issues, needs more consistency in the backcourt, particularly at the point. Rafer reminds me a lot of Jamaal Tinsley, in that he's certainly capable of running a team, but he just goes into these phases, where he thinks he's still on the And 1 tour. For a good example, refer back to the OT game on ESPN against the Lakers, where he pretty much single-handedly lost the game for them with his questionable decision-making.

 

All that aside, McGrady has to start winning and advancing in the playoffs. Most of it's not his fault, of course, but it's getting hard to justify ranking him ahead of LeBron (which I did at the start of the season) when LeBron's already threatening deep runs in the playoffs.

 

FUCK. I forgot about the whole Utah thing. That makes the whole thing that much more interesting. Two of these teams will be gone by the final 8. Scary thought.

 

And Kobe as MVP. I'm not a Kobe-hater like a lot of people. I think he is a GREAT candidate for MVP, but for me, he's sitting behind Steve Nash who is having an insane year for him, stat-wise, and my current MVP, The Zero Gilbert Arenas. Arenas is carrying Washington in nearly every way possible. He's been truly amazing this year.

[Black Lushus 0]

as it stands right now, the MVP has got to come down to Nash and Arenas...I would wager that Arenas edges him out, which may or may not be purely based on the fact that Nash already won it twice.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Dirk should be MVP.

Last year's finalists, having a tremendous season, the best team in the league record-wise. He has a group of solid players around him (terry, howard, stack), but none of them are all star caliber.

 

Unquestionably the best player on the best team. There isn't even a question of that like there was with injured Duncan on the Spurs or Billups on the Pistons last year.

[Black Lushus 0]

yeah, good point. I'm sure it will be anyone BUT Nash just because...

[bobobrazil1984 0]

if Phoenix passes Dallas and is the best team in the league, I wouldn't be averse to Nash winning it, I think he has a better claim this year than last year, but I feel Dirk is unfairly overlooked, especially as Dallas has just been more or less tearing it up last season AND this season. Even last year they had a GREAT record which was overshadowed by the Pistons and Spurs, and they felled the Spurs in an epic series. He was sort of a token outside mention during last year's discussions, and I think he should of at least been the #1 runner up.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Nash will not win it because I don't think the writers could handle Steve Nash, three-time MVP. It's unfair, but it's the way things go.

[Cartman 0]

Maybe it shouldn't be up to the Biased, Agenda-ridden Writers? Maybe it should be Players, Coaches, Fans, etc. voting for the league MVP. Hell why don't we get BCS like and throw stats in a computer and see who is more valuable along with the Human vote!

[Black Lushus 0]

Nash will not win it because I don't think the writers could handle Steve Nash, three-time MVP. It's unfair, but it's the way things go.

 

That's pretty much what i was thinking. I like the guy and I think he deserves a legitimate shot at 3-peating. I'm not a Sun's fan, but dude is just fun to watch.

[Guest]

With what Kobe's done so far this season, how is he not the leading MVP candidate.

[naiwf 0]

As of today I'd go Mavs, Suns, Lakers, Spurs, Rockets, everyone else in the West.

 

In the playoffs though the Suns will get a walk to the WCF because Dallas will be the 1, LA/San Antonio will be the 4/5 pairing and Phoenix' 2nd round opponent will be the winner of Utah/Houston. Unless Yao and T-Mac are unstoppable Phoenix won't need more than 10 games to get to the WCF while Dallas/LA/SA will have basically murdered themselves to get there.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

espn.com has now incorporated daily NBA Power Rankings on their site, based on a complicated formula developed by John Hollinger. It accounts for margin of victory, strength of schedule, recent performance and home/road splits. Sort of interesting, and I suggest you check it out. Here are the top 10:

 

1. Phoenix

2. Dallas

3. San Antonio

4. Houston

5. Chicago

6. Orlando

7. Cleveland

8. LA Lakers

9. Toronto

10. Utah

[alfdogg 0]

I'd say Dallas and Phoenix are pretty much locks for the top two seeds at this point. I'm guessing we'll see Utah/LA in the 4/5 matchup, and probably SA/HOU in the 3/6. The last two seeds will come down to Denver, Minnesota, and I think Golden State has to be considered now after the trade. I don't see the Kings or Clippers bouncing back at this point.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

With what Kobe's done so far this season, how is he not the leading MVP candidate.

 

If I was ranking them, I'd go Nash, Dirk, Kobe, Arenas. It's still way too early to get a read on this sort of thing though. Any of those four guys has a legitimate claim.

[Brett Favre 0]

I'd go with Tracy McGrady if he didn't get hurt so much. The team is, if I counted correctly, 23-9 when he's playing. They've also played better when he's on the floor and Yao isn't, than when Yao is on the floor and he isn't.

[Special K 0]

I hope the damn Sonics move. I don't like basketball and they've always sucked 9at least during my lifetime)

 

Seattle cares a lot about the Mariners and Seahawks, but the Sonics management is just being bitchy.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I hope the damn Sonics move. I don't like basketball and they've always sucked 9at least during my lifetime)

 

Which makes you what, about 7 or 8 years old (if we aren't counting 04-05 season, when they were one of the five best teams in the league..

[nogoodnick 0]

I hope the damn Sonics move. I don't like basketball and they've always sucked 9at least during my lifetime)

 

Seattle cares a lot about the Mariners and Seahawks, but the Sonics management is just being bitchy.

Are there actually any Sonics fans? Living in Portland I've never really seen any and the few I've met I can count on one hand. Somehow those few seem to think they have a rivalry with the Blazers but to Blazer fans they're just that team up north with shitty jerseys and Luke Ridnour.

[Guest]

With what Kobe's done so far this season, how is he not the leading MVP candidate.

 

If I was ranking them, I'd go Nash, Dirk, Kobe, Arenas. It's still way too early to get a read on this sort of thing though. Any of those four guys has a legitimate claim.

I've got it Kobe, Dirk, Arenas, Nash. 0 is having a very similar season to the one Kobe had last year.

 

My view of MVP has always been, if you take the candidates off of the team and added a player playing at the league average or the player's backup, the one whose team would wind up being the worst would get the nod from me. I tried to make it sound like it made more sense, but it's kinda hard.

[Precious Roy 0]

Kobe for MVP. He's doing this without Odom, without Kwame Brown, without Chris Mihm. Look at the Lakers roster! They really have no business being as good as they are, and they're doing it in arguably the toughest top to bottom division in the better conference.

 

Nash is great, back to back MVP etc. etc, but he's also got Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudamire back at close to full strength, Barbosa becoming a stud, and one of the best coaches in the league. The first MVP he got it for turning the Suns into one of the best teams in the league, last year he got it for keeping them in the conversation without Amare, he's got great stats this year and the Suns are playing outstanding ball, but giving him the award AGAIN when the Suns are at full strength and the roster/coaching has been together for a couple of years now is overkill to me.

 

Gilbert Arenas is a candidate, but the Wizards also have Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison having great years, and you'd like to see them have a better record. They'll probably be a top 3 seed in the East, but it's the East! If anyone from the EC wants to win the MVP their team needs to have a killer w-l record IMO. The Wizards are also 6-13 on the road. No way you can give it to Arenas over Kobe.

 

Dirk would get my 2nd place vote, and I wouldn't have a problem with him winning. Dirk or Kobe.

[alfdogg 0]

I'm getting really tired of seeing Wade mentioned as a candidate. The Heat are looking up at the playoffs in the East right now, for fuck's sake. Obviously that will change as the season goes on, but I could probably name at least ten guys who are more deserving at this point.

 

And as has been said, it's hard to get behind Arenas as an MVP candidate since they're not really expected to be a great team, even in the East. I'd say Carlos Boozer deserves as much consideration as Arenas.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

Nash is great, back to back MVP etc. etc, but he's also got Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudamire back at close to full strength, Barbosa becoming a stud, and one of the best coaches in the league.

 

I like D'Antoni and his system has definately turned the Suns into winners, but I find it hard calling him one of the best coaches in the league when he does not know how to use the bench. Every year people claim the Suns bench is weak, every year it gets stronger and the same thing happens.