NBA Opening week

[Kinetic 0]

There is nothing good about PBR.

 

I'll be in Washington this December, Rant. We could split a case, on me.

[Guest Vitamin X]

You're really taking this Portland thing and running with it, huh? You got a Columbia fleece and a Lucky Labrador t-shirt yet? Touting the virtues of PBR and Miller High Life?

You haven't been around for a while, have you. No Columbia fleece, though.

 

There is nothing good about PBR.

LIES

[Brett Favre 0]

Check out Kirilenko's statline:

 

9 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 blocks, 1 steal..

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

fucked around and got a triple double*

 

*almost

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

When and why did the Houston Rockets become a sexy pick to win the NBA Championship? I've seen several analysts choose them, including Ric Bucher and John Hollinger (two guys I actually respect). They were only the 5th or 6th best team in the West last year and they didn't do a whole lot in the offseason other than a coaching change and the acquisitions of a few mediocre talents.

[Ripper 0]

I guess people expect them to be healthy, an actual useful Bonzi Wells and some offense out of their back court is enough.

 

I personally don't think they could take San Antonio or Phoenix in the playoffs.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Yeah, it's probably the hope that Yao and McGrady play more than half the games together. I'm not too keen on a team that needs an injury-free season to be considered a contender.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

While we're on the subject of predictions, which is a stupid thing to dwell on I admit, anyone else bothered by so many people dropping Dallas completely out of the title picture? It seems like the concensus pick is third in the Southwest and 5th overall. This team cruised through the regular season last year with the best record in the league and just happened to wind up with an awful first round matchup that turned into an upset. I hardly think it's the onset of the team's downfall. There is no reason to believe that they won't be the same contender they were in '06 and '07.

[Ripper 0]

Yeah, it's probably the hope that Yao and McGrady play more than half the games together. I'm not too keen on a team that needs an injury-free season to be considered a contender.

 

 

Doesn't that almost apply for everyone?

 

Suns lose Nash and they will still win alot but they won't be a title contender.

 

Spurs lose any of their big three and I don't see them as winning it.

 

Mavs lose Howard and I don't think they will be much.

 

I think the "If healthy" think applies to everyone in the league right now. If healthy, Houston will be very good. I just don't think they can win it all. Especially when neither of their superstars have been out of the first round.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Actually, that's one of the reasons I'm always skeptical about Phoenix. Spurs and Dallas have a lot more supporting parts to keep them in strong playoff positions should Duncan or Parker go down for any length of time, even if a lot of those parts are getting pretty old.

[Ripper 0]

While we're on the subject of predictions, which is a stupid thing to dwell on I admit, anyone else bothered by so many people dropping Dallas completely out of the title picture? It seems like the concensus pick is third in the Southwest and 5th overall. This team cruised through the regular season last year with the best record in the league and just happened to wind up with an awful first round matchup that turned into an upset. I hardly think it's the onset of the team's downfall. There is no reason to believe that they won't be the same contender they were in '06 and '07.

 

 

Every other team around them got better. parker is a better player now, Duncan is healthy and Ginobli isn't as psychotic. I dont' think they could take San Antonio again. They definately wouldn't have taken the Suns in the WCF with Amare. I don't think they would have if Raja hadn't been hurt. The Suns also have gotten better (well better equipped against a team like Dallas). So I don't think they could take Phoenix again. Houston has gotten better and Dallas struggled with them anyway. I don't think they could take Houston in a first round playoff matchup. I honestly think that Utah would have taken Dallas last year. They are equipped to do so. A big, brusing point, a low post scorer that no one on Dallas can stop, a long athletic guy to give Dirk fits....yeah.

 

There are 4 teams I don't think Dallas could really beat. Thats not counting Golden State, but I don't think Golden State will make the playoffs this year so they won't matter.

 

I really could see them being the 5th best team in the west, although their record will have them in the top 3. I understand why people are counting them out.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Yeah, it's probably the hope that Yao and McGrady play more than half the games together. I'm not too keen on a team that needs an injury-free season to be considered a contender.

 

Most teams need to be injury-free when concerning their top stars in order to be a contender. If the Spurs lost Tim Duncan, or if the Suns lost Nash, or if the Celtics lost Garnett, they wouldn't have much of a shot either.

[Ripper 0]

Actually, that's one of the reasons I'm always skeptical about Phoenix. Spurs and Dallas have a lot more supporting parts to keep them in strong playoff positions should Duncan or Parker go down for any length of time, even if a lot of those parts are getting pretty old.

 

I strongly disagree. Parker or Duncan go down and the Spurs are struggling to make the playoffs. Especially Duncan. His length at the rim makes people think that San Antonio is actually a good defensive team when in reality, people can get by their defenders with ease, its just Tim makes them have to pull up once they are by them. Take out Tim and its a layup line. Tony adds too much to their offense. Without him you are counting on Darius Washington and Jaque Vaughn.

 

The Suns, if Nash goes down, will have Leandro Barbosa and Marcus Banks and DJ Strawberry at the point, and while that is a major step down, they are all very talented players. Plus they still have playmakers in Hill and Diaw, and Amare is going to be Amare regardless. I think Phoenix is the deepest of the good teams, but utilize it less than anyone else.

 

Dallas, I don't see any real depth there. They can handle maybe Jason Terry going down because they have Howard. Thats about it. Josh Howard goes down and you have to move Stackhouse to the starting line up and your bench becomes George. Ugh.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

No contender can afford to lose their best player and still hope to have any chance at a championship. If Duncan, Dirk or Nash were lost, their teams might not even make the playoffs. If you are talking about ancillary parts going down, Dallas and San Antonio are best equipped to weather the storm. Phoenix is just paper thin, especially in the front court. Losing Marion or Amare would be disastrous for them but Nash is good enough to keep them afloat against the lesser teams.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

The Celtics are going 82-0, right?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Celtics are going 82-0, right?

 

 

I'm not sold on the Celtics being a contender this year. They have the big three and literally nothing else. They'll probably win their division, but it'll take another offseason to get enough parts around them to be a legit threat.

[alfdogg 0]

Hey guys, I heard that Kobe Bryant might get traded. They mentioned this on TNT a few times last night. Did anyone else hear this?

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

The Celtics are going 82-0, right?

 

 

I'm not sold on the Celtics being a contender this year. They have the big three and literally nothing else. They'll probably win their division, but it'll take another offseason to get enough parts around them to be a legit threat.

I'm tellin' ya, if they draw the Nets in the first round, they're out in 6. That's even if they do go 82-0 as forecasted.

[alfdogg 0]

Sasha Pavlovic came to terms with the Cavs today on a 3-year deal. The amount was not revealed.

 

This reminds me, I assume Bynum's not getting an extension from the Lakers? There was no formal announcement ever made on this, and I think you have to work one out by the time the season starts. Andris Biedrins didn't get one, either, and he'll be a restricted free agent this summer.

[Guest]

He had a team option for next season, and that was picked up.

[Ripper 0]

No contender can afford to lose their best player and still hope to have any chance at a championship. If Duncan, Dirk or Nash were lost, their teams might not even make the playoffs. If you are talking about ancillary parts going down, Dallas and San Antonio are best equipped to weather the storm. Phoenix is just paper thin, especially in the front court. Losing Marion or Amare would be disastrous for them but Nash is good enough to keep them afloat against the lesser teams.

 

Could've sworn people said something like this about the suns a couple of years ago. Diaw and Skinner take a bigger role if either of them go down and the team still wins 48-55 games.

 

Suns definately make the playoffs without NAsh. They don't get close to sniffing a championship, but they easily make the playoffs. Not underrating what Nash does for the team, but comeon.

 

Once again, I ask, what is this depth that dallas has to which people speak?

 

I can KINDA understand the argument with San Antonio, but Dallas?

[Ripper 0]

The Celtics are going 82-0, right?

 

 

I'm not sold on the Celtics being a contender this year. They have the big three and literally nothing else. They'll probably win their division, but it'll take another offseason to get enough parts around them to be a legit threat.

 

 

They have one of the better defensive point guards in the NBA, Tony Allen coming off the bench, Brian Scalabrine being able to do what he is supposed to do(support start players, not try and be one), Kedrick Perkins, if he can stay out of foul trouble, is a solid starting Center defensively and can rebound and finish around the basket well enough, another strong defensive player that can help with James Posey who also excels at hitting the three off of double teams, a hustle player in Scott Pollard who will get in there and annoy the fuck out of everyone around him, and Eddie House who can come in and score in bunchs.

 

Not to mention guys like Leon Powe, and Glen Davis who I don't expect big things from this year, but will be able to help in spots.

 

The Celtics have 3 hall of famers and a bunch of players that are very good at what they do (a guard that can basically only shoot, a couple of Centers that can only rebound and hustle, a wing man that can defend and shoot).

 

The Bulls in the late 90's had 3 hall of famers and a bunch of players that were very good at what they did. The only difference here is that A: All three of the Celts hall of famers can score and B: None of them are as automatic as Jordan and C: Doc River ain't Phil Jackson.

 

So while I don't expect 70 wins like those bulls teams, I don't see how you can say they have nothing around them. If nothing else, House, Scalabrine, Posey and Pollard are proven support players in winning systems.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

Dan Bernstein is reporting that there's some sort of three-team Kobe to the Bulls deal involving Hinrich and Artest, and it's never been closer to happening than it is right now. We'll see, I guess.

[Guest Smues]

I sure hope if the Celtics do go 82-0 we get a Stuart Scott Poetry Jam over the highlights of each win!

[alfdogg 0]

Was this mentioned at all during the game last night?

 

HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom suffered a slight concussion in a two-car accident Tuesday.

 

Odom, who is inactive for the Lakers because of left shoulder surgery in the offseason, was on his way to the team's pregame shootaround prior to Tuesday night's season opener against Houston, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

 

The paper reported that Odom went to the hospital in an ambulance and was given a CT scan. That showed the slight concussion.

 

Odom's Mercedes-Benz was totaled, the paper reported. The woman driving the other car in the accident had to be taken out by the jaws of life.

 

Odom later attended the Lakers' 95-93 loss to the Rockets.

[alfdogg 0]

I was just reading HoopsHype, and found a couple interesting tidbits. Well, the first one is more amusing than anything.

 

DeSagana Diop said that he was stopped on the street by a Cavs fan, who said that if the Cavs still had him they would have beat the Spurs.

 

A writer for the Altanta Journal-Constitution said that he overheard a discussion on the visiting bench during a preseason game, regarding the fact that Josh Smith wasn't getting an extension from the Hawks. a "star point guard" was quoted as saying “They’re not going to sign Josh Smith to an extension. That’s crazy. I wish I had him. With all the shit he can do, he’d be an All-Star if he played with me. I hope they’re crazy enough to let him go. I’ll take him right now.”

 

Going through the Hawks' preseason opponents, that definitely sounds like Gilbert Arenas.

[Ripper 0]

Yeah. It probably was Gilbert. But I am sure alot of others are thinking it too. Really dumb decision by the Hawks

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Yeah. It probably was Gilbert. But I am sure alot of others are thinking it too. Really dumb decision by the Hawks

 

Kind of sums up their last decade, really.

[alfdogg 0]

Last trade scenario just parlayed by Ric Bucher on ESPN. He said it was in discussions, but was not going to happen.

 

Kobe to Chicago

Ben Gordon and Kwame Brown to Sacramento

Ron Artest and Ben Wallace to the Lakers

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think that could work. No one loses a lot except for the Lakers, who lose out on a ton of offense there but get some back in Ron Artest. If they switched around Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace in that deal, that would work, although that would fuck Sacramento pretty bad as well.