This week in the NBA

[alfdogg]

Sun, Dec. 23

LA Lakers @ New York, 12:00

Houston @ Detroit, 6:00

Golden State @ Cleveland, 6:00

Orlando @ Boston, 6:30

Denver @ Sacramento, 9:00

 

Tue, Dec. 25

Miami @ Cleveland, 2:30 ABC

Phoenix @ LA Lakers, 5:00 ABC

Seattle @ Portland, 8:00 ESPN

 

Wed, Dec. 26

Miami @ Philadelphia, 6:00

Washington @ Charlotte, 7:00

Indiana @ Atlanta, 7:00

New York @ Orlando, 7:00

Detroit @ New Jersey, 7:30

New Orleans @ Memphis, 8:00

Chicago @ San Antonio, 8:30

Milwaukee @ Denver, 9:00

Dallas @ Utah, 9:00

Boston @ Sacramento, 10:00

Minnesota @ Golden State, 10:30

 

Thu, Dec. 27

Cleveland @ Dallas, 8:00 TNT

Phoenix @ LA Clippers, 10:30

Boston @ Seattle, 10:30 TNT

 

Fri, Dec. 28

New Orleans @ Charlotte, 7:00

Washington @ New Jersey, 7:30

Orlando @ Miami, 7:30

Indiana @ Detroit, 8:00

Houston @ Memphis, 8:00

Milwaukee @ Chicago, 8:30

Toronto @ San Antonio, 8:30

LA Clippers @ Phoenix, 9:00

Philadelphia @ Sacramento, 10:00

Minnesota @ Portland, 10:00

Utah @ LA Lakers, 10:00

Denver @ Golden State, 10:00

 

Sat, Dec. 29

Atlanta @ Dallas, 1:00

Miami @ Washington, 7:00

Charlotte @ Orlando, 7:00

Detroit @ Indiana, 7:00

Cleveland @ New Orleans, 8:00

New Jersey @ Milwaukee, 8:30

Toronto @ Houston, 8:30

Boston @ Utah, 9:00

Minnesota @ Seattle, 10:00

[Failed Bridge]

This isn't a must-win for the Celtics seeing as how they have all of three losses so far but again, they need to start beating those top tier teams or they can't really be considered an elite team. That's what makes the game today against Orlando huge.

[Guest]

The Lakers nearly blew the game today, but Kobe was key in the end. When Kwame Brown gets healthy, I hope he stays on the bench or gets traded. I just know he's going to fuck up our positive momentum.

[Ripper]

I was praying that New York would win that game. Not that I cared, but Kobe taking threes from 5 feet behind the 3 point line in the third quarter to have fun with Chris Rock and Spike Lee made me wish they lost and would look back at that crap as wasted shots.

[Guest]

The game only got that close in the first place because the Lakers went away from Bynum. You throw the ball down there all game, he'd be a 20 and 10 player already.

[Ripper]

Seriously, its criminal how they misuse that kid. Plus he has a nasty streak on the defensive end that I love. A front line of him and Turiaf is fun. Real fun.

[Cartman]

Celtics are shredding the Magic in the 3rd, this is fun.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Well, Conventional Sports Wisdom™ says that you stick to Iverson and Anthony in that situation, and if Linas F. Kleiza beats you, then you tip your cap, but... goddamn...

[Rendclaw]

That was a heady play by Kleiza. You can't do anything but tip your hat to him.

 

And the Pistons keep right on rolling. I think it was Rip, but who said something about Yao's and McGrady's health being pivotal to the team's success. Its a "no duh" statement, but considering that they were in it until McGrady went down... yeah.

 

Granted the Rockets looked tired on the defensive end, but still.

[Brett Favre]

WTF! Scott Skiles got fired. Nice Christmas present there.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

wtf

 

So the Bulls have pretty much given up on the season and, by extension, the Energy Kids project. I expect another three years before they can compete again. Skiles was never the problem with this season's team. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Wallace are the ones on the hook for this awful shit, as well as Paxson failing to get Kobe Bryant because he couldn't part with his man-crush, again, Kirk Hinrich. (Or how about his shitty draft this summer, picking up an overrated Joakim Noah and a worthless stiff like Aaron Gray?) I'm not happy with this move at all. I'm sure Ripper feels so justified, though.

[Ripper]

Yeah, this year wasn't his fault, but fuck Scott Skiles, so I am not upset.

 

Still, Paxon should have made the Kobe deal, or the Gasol deal, or have traded for Randolf. Instead he stuck with what he had which anyone could see wasn't good enough.

 

But the Hinrich love might have cost them this season. Sad.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

MIGHT'VE? MIGHT'VE? That's EXACTLY what cost them this season!

[Kurt Angle Mark]

After getting killed by Houston and Boston I felt there was no choice for the Bulls than to fire Skiles.

 

Still I'm surprised it actually happened.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

These bastards quit on him. Gordon and Deng are packing their bags. They don't want to be here. I think Skiles was a great coach for this team. Maybe he took them as far as he could.

[Brett Favre]

It's tough when you have your offense revolve around perimeter scoring and Hinrich and Gordon aren't high percentage shooters. I would've traded Deng for Gasol.

[MrRant]

Clearly they will bring in Larry Brown.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

I've seen like three Bulls games all season. I haven't been this out of the loop since the first year of the dark ages.

[Cartman]

Gee, fired on Christmas Eve. That's harsh.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

It happened to Tim Floyd, too!

 

Stupid Bulls. On a day when the town is abuzz with the shitty Bears blowing out the Packers, the Blackhawks getting back on track after a skid, and a minivan crashing into the studio during the 10 o'clock news, the poor moribund Bulls try to get any attention they can get.

[Cartman]

Ha, I knew there had to be a reason.

 

The Knicks should fire Isiah tomorrow, just because.

[Ripper]

Saddest thing is, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon have spent the whole year shooting their trade value to nothingness. I don't think the Bulls could pull a big trade now if they wanted to.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I'm going down to GA for Christmas, and I'll be taking my pops to see the Hawks and Pacers, so I really hope I they don't suck that night.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH!]

Prediction: At some point in the next month the Bulls will make a trade for Eddy Curry.

[bobobrazil1984]

the bulls stuff is just as much the players fault and front office but its a helluva easier time dumping your coach rather than the whole roster who gave up on him. A lot of players have problems with skiles tho so im sure that factored into it. Hey if jkidd ever got traded the bulls would already be out pf running caise of skiles. Also its started coming out that the bulls didnt offer nearly as much to deng and gordon as they initially leaked out. Negotiating tactic to make them look bad?

[Guest]

Also its started coming out that the bulls didnt offer nearly as much to deng and gordon as they initially leaked out. Negotiating tactic to make them look bad?

I call it, extremely distracted by the Kobe situation. They were so focused on Kobe that it ruined their season.

[Guest Vitamin X]

11 straight for Portland! Kevin who?

 

And they've got two games coming up against the Timberwolves, one against the Sixers, another against the Jazz who they've beaten twice in the streak, and then the Bulls in Chicago.

 

This is good stuff. Their next tough opponent seems to be (aside from Utah, who isn't quite playing like they were a year ago) Boston on January 16th. I don't expect the streak to last quite THAT long, but in the event that it does, that could be a huge game.

[King Kamala]

This is good stuff. Their next tough opponent seems to be (aside from Utah, who isn't quite playing like they were a year ago) Boston on January 16th. I don't expect the streak to last quite THAT long, but in the event that it does, that could be a huge game.

 

 

And a certain beloved poster from the East Coast Portland will be in attendance. I bought those tickets back in November- when only tickets against shit teams were available, never imagining it would be of any importance.

[alfdogg]

I kinda had a feeling Skiles' days were numbered, but shit, I thought they'd at least keep him through the rest of the season.

 

Pacers/Hawks should be a fun game tommorrow, shame I won't be able to see it.

[Rendclaw]

I seem to remember the majority of people throwing Skiles under the bus earlier this year, and rightly so. You can only be a complete dick to your players and keep your job for only so long.

 

Personally, I thought his martinet tactics were going to get him fired. When the Ben Wallace afro thing broke, I just shook my head at just how inflexible he can be. It couldn;t have happened to a nicer guy. This is another example of someone's attitude that made him almost beloved as a player makes him an asshole as a coach.