This week in the NBA

[alfdogg]

Sun, Nov. 11

Washington @ Atlanta, 2:00

Miami @ New York, 6:00

New Orleans @ Philadelphia, 6:00

Houston @ Charlotte, 6:00

Milwaukee @ San Antonio, 8:00

Detroit @ Seattle, 9:00

Cleveland @ L.A. Clippers, 9:30

 

Mon, Nov. 12

New Orleans @ New Jersey, 7:30

Cleveland @ Denver, 9:00

Sacramento @ Utah, 9:00

 

Tue, Nov. 13

Miami @ Charlotte, 7:00

Seattle @ Orlando, 7:00

Boston @ Indiana, 7:00

Houston @ Memphis, 8:00

Philadelphia @ Dallas, 8:30

L.A. Lakers @ San Antonio, 8:30

New York @ Phoenix, 9:00

Detroit @ Portland, 10:00

 

Wed, Nov. 14

Utah @ Toronto, 7:00

Indiana @ Washington, 7:00

Charlotte @ Atlanta, 7:00

Orlando @ Cleveland, 7:00

New Jersey @ Boston, 7:30

Seattle @ Miami, 7:30

Memphis @ Milwaukee, 8:00

Philadelphia @ New Orleans, 8:00

Sacramento @ Minnesota, 8:00

L.A. Lakers @ Houston, 9:00 ESPN

Portland @ Denver, 9:00

New York @ L.A. Clippers, 10:30

Detroit @ Golden State, 10:30

 

Thu, Nov. 15

San Antonio @ Dallas, 8:00 TNT

Chicago @ Phoenix, 10:30 TNT

 

Fri, Nov. 16

Indiana @ Toronto, 7:00

Portland @ Philadelphia, 7:00

Miami @ Boston, 7:30

Orlando @ New Jersey, 7:30

Seattle @ Atlanta, 7:30

Utah @ Cleveland, 7:30

New Orleans @ Memphis, 8:00

Houston @ San Antonio, 8:00 ESPN

Washington @ Minnesota, 8:00

New York @ Sacramento, 10:00

Detroit @ L.A. Lakers, 10:30 ESPN

L.A. Clippers @ Golden State, 10:30

 

Sat, Nov. 17

Portland @ Washington, 7:00

Seattle @ Charlotte, 7:00

Utah @ Indiana, 7:00

Miami @ New Jersey, 7:30

New Orleans @ Minnesota, 8:00

Atlanta @ Milwaukee, 8:30

Phoenix @ Houston, 8:30

Memphis @ Dallas, 8:30

New York @ Denver, 9:00

Chicago @ L.A. Clippers, 10:30

[Precious Roy]

Big western swing for New York. This is a tonesetter. 2 out of 4 is a must, and all games must be hard fought. I can excuse a loss to Phoenix, but LA on the back to back is a must win either way. They shouldn't lose to Sacramento, but I think that's the game Artest comes back, so that's a wildcard. Denver is due for payback, it's a character check game for the Knicks. I honestly don't care if they win that game, I just hope they step up and punch someone in the mouth.

[Guest]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Lakers lose all three. But they'll probably beat Houston and San Antonio to shock the hell out of me. This is a gutcheck week for a lot of teams.

[Ripper]

Someone needs to check and see if Mike WOodson is betting against the Hawks. There is not knowing how to coach and there are pure commen sense blunders that he continues to make. The Hawks will be 2-4 after this loss to the Wizards. They should be 4-2 at worst with the losses coming to New Jersey and Boston.

 

Instead he continues to find ways to give away games to teams. This time it was giving the watching the team turn to shit the second he put in Tyronne lue in the 2nd quarter and refusing to take him out AGAIN.

 

All of the teams lapses of offense have come when Lue is in the game because much like when he was in washinton, and being accused of only passing the ball to Jordan, he only passes the ball to Joe, otherwise he holds the ball the entire shot clock and stops the offense. On defense, he can't stop anyone and is ruining otherwise solid defense efforts all over the floor.

 

He is also completely ignoring how much better the team plays with Salim Stoudimire on the floor, they lose nothing offensively or defensively when he is the sub for Acie Law, yet he keeps going to Lue. SOMEONE has to fire this guy or this season is going to be lost.

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

The Bulls are the worst team in the league right now, no question. I'm sure Ripper will feel vindicated when Scott Skiles takes the fall for Tyrus Thomas being a drooling retard, though.

[Precious Roy]

I don't understand why they're playing Ben Wallace when he's clearly injured. He's playing around 25 minutes a game and has yet to hit double digits in rebounds. Just sit him down and roll with Smith, Thomas, Noah and Gray, they can't be any worse than Wallace at this point. And what happened to Aaron Gray, I thought Skiles liked his low post ability but the guy is nailed to the bench.

 

The Bulls have too much talent to be this bad though, they'll still make the playoffs.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Artest comes back against Minnesota.

[alfdogg]

So Miami and Washington got their first wins today, leaving Golden State, Minnesota and Seattle as the only winless teams.

[Rendclaw]

I am watching the Pistons slowly give away this game to the Sonics. I fucking hate it when the Pistons start the game going to the basket and then they start settling for jump shots... they had a lead near 20, and now its down to 4.

[Ripper]

I don't understand why they're playing Ben Wallace when he's clearly injured. He's playing around 25 minutes a game and has yet to hit double digits in rebounds. Just sit him down and roll with Smith, Thomas, Noah and Gray, they can't be any worse than Wallace at this point. And what happened to Aaron Gray, I thought Skiles liked his low post ability but the guy is nailed to the bench.

 

The Bulls have too much talent to be this bad though, they'll still make the playoffs.

 

Noah, in his baby minutes, out Ben wallace's Ben Wallace. I think Ben would throw a tantrum if they sat him down though, so they don't want that to happen.

 

I think Joe Smith is a pretty good addition to the team though. They should be okay, but they are looking particularly horrible right now.

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

And what happened to Aaron Gray, I thought Skiles liked his low post ability but the guy is nailed to the bench.

Our sports radio station says if you play Aaron Gray, you're conceding the game, because you're putting in a big slow white guy, and you can't win with a big slow white guy. Their words, not mine.

[MrRant]

The Bulls are the worst team in the league right now, no question. I'm sure Ripper will feel vindicated when Scott Skiles takes the fall for Tyrus Thomas being a drooling retard, though.

 

The Bulls actually have some wins.

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

The Bulls are the worst team in the league right now, no question. I'm sure Ripper will feel vindicated when Scott Skiles takes the fall for Tyrus Thomas being a drooling retard, though.

 

The Bulls actually have A win.

 

EFA.

[MrRant]

My bad. I thought they won 2 off the top of my head.

[alfdogg]

Power rankings

 

1. San Antonio

2. Boston

3. Houston

4. Phoenix

5. Dallas

6. Detroit

7. Utah

8. Orlando

9. New Orleans

10. LA Lakers

11. Toronto

12. Cleveland

13. Denver

14. New Jersey

15. LA Clippers

16. Portland

17. Charlotte

18. Indiana

19. Atlanta

20. Milwaukee

21. Chicago

22. Miami

23. New York

24. Washington

25. Golden State

26. Philadelphia

27. Sacramento

28. Memphis

29. Minnesota

30. Seattle

[Golgo 13]

JR ran it up a little bit by sinking a quick 3 in the final minute. Iverson goes for 37, Smith puts in 29.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Power rankings are such bullshit; there's no way that we're only the fourth-worst team in the league. I would gladly take any of the three teams "ranked" below us instead of what we've got; at least they all have an upside...

[nogoodnick]

Power rankings are such bullshit; there's no way that we're only the fourth-worst team in the league. I would gladly take any of the three teams "ranked" below us instead of what we've got; at least they all have an upside...

Yeah but Sacramento has more wins than the 3 of them combined.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

So what? They have more wins than Golden State and Washington combined, and ESPN doesn't seem to think that those guys are worse than Sacramento...

[naiwf]

According to Mike and the Mad Dog, Marbury has apparently left the Knicks, but is welcome to come back and play tonight. There was a report going around saying that he was going to get bought out or have his minutes decreased.

[Brett Favre]

This came out of nowhere.

 

Apparently he got upset that he wasn't going to start tonight. Why he wasn't going to start tonight I have no idea.

[Ripper]

It didn't come out of nowhere. The reports that the Knicks want to buy him out probably isn't news to him.

 

But honestly, has anyone else been playing better that the point guard position for them? the problem hasn't been Marbury from what I have seen, and I definately don't think the team will get better moving jamal over and starting Q at the two. maybe they are trying to get more time for Balkman or something, but between Marbury and Nate, i really don't see Point guard as the problem they are having.

 

 

[Brett Favre]

The problem has been Q not doing well the first few games, and Curry's inconsistent play. The Knicks have been playing well except for the last two games. Well, from the 3rd quarter on in the Magic game.

 

And it looks like Mardy Collins will take his place.

[Ripper]

LOL. OKAY.

 

I like Collins and all, but comeon. Marbury is obviously the best option at point, letting him go is kinda crazy. Maybe he could sign with the Lakers.

 

Seriously.

 

...

[Cheech Tremendous]

According to Mike and the Mad Dog, Marbury has apparently left the Knicks, but is welcome to come back and play tonight. There was a report going around saying that he was going to get bought out or have his minutes decreased.

 

 

Well, it took all of 11 days for this year's Knicks to fall apart. I was thinking they could make it until Christmas.

[Failed Bridge]

Celts remain undefeated but I'm still not going to completely believe they're this good until they face and beat a Detroit/San Antonio/Pheonix type team.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Portland still undefeated at home, beating a damn good team in the Pistons 102-94. Great fuckin' game. I almost went to it since it was cheap, but I thought the Blazers were going to get whooped.

[MrRant]

Speaking of whooping.

 

SuperSonics 76, Magic 103

[Guest]

The Lakers wouldn't have won anyway, but the officiating was definitely the worst I've seen this season.

[Ripper]

You must have missed the Hawks/Celtics game where the officials let both teams know that the fans were there to watch them, not the players.

 

No team got screwed more than the other, it was just a horrible officiated game all around.

 

 

And the as for the Celtics, people will beat them, but I honestly don't believe there is a team in the NBA that could take them in a 7 game series. They are too stacked at every level. They are essentially the perfect team. They have a dominant inside force that is a monster on the boards, they have a rugged SF that is nearly perfect from the midrange, and can abuse opposing SF with his bulk and strength, you have a deadly 3pt shooter with a underrated slashing aspect to his game. Then to top it off you have a lock down defensive point guard, a shotblocking tough defensive center, a bench with a mix of shooters, defensive stoppers, and role players.

 

I personally think they are better defensively than offensively and they are monsters on that end too.

 

The only team i could see in the East giving them a run would be the Pistons because they match up in every way including their bench. But they also are a bunch of whiney headcases when things don't go their way and lose focus easily.

 

Out west, honestly, I think Phoenix would be their biggest obstacle. KG always brings the best out of Amare, Raja on Ray would work and Shawn could go at Pierce. They would murder the Suns on the boards though.

 

I know some will say the Spurs, but the Celtics matchup with them with KG/Duncan, Posey and Ray/Manu(Ray is also a very underrated defender) and Rondo can actually stay in front of Parker. offensively, Duncan has never shown the ability to slow down KG, Paul Pierce just abuses Bruce Bowen the same way Bonzi Wells does, and Manu doesn't like running through screens. San Antonios bench is basicially the Celtics bench only older. Bonner and Horry = Scalabrine and Pollard, Finley and Barry = Posey and House.