The NBA thread

[Aeroblacktyl]

When you compare teams, you can't play the "if blah and blah aren't doing this good" then we'll win.

If you can't beat teams when they're at their best on paper, then definitely not in game. That's a whole lot of papering considering we don't even know the extent of J'Oneal recovery. And Brand would perhaps beat 1 of them, not both, cause the other will sure as hell outscore Dalembert. Or if Rashard/Hedo not make threes? That's a big if considering they can shoot 40% from the 3 and you'd just think "oh just an average day." And Lebron has proven time after time that it doesn't matter who your other 4 players are, if there's Lebron, there's a way. He nearly single handedly beat Boston ffs.

So keep the paper basketballing to a minimum please!

P.S. Camby on Clippers!

 

[-k0Mbo]

When you compare teams, you can't play the "if blah and blah aren't doing this good" then we'll win.

If you can't beat teams when they're at their best on paper, then definitely not in game. That's a whole lot of papering considering we don't even know the extent of J'Oneal recovery. And Brand would perhaps beat 1 of them, not both, cause the other will sure as hell outscore Dalembert. Or if Rashard/Hedo not make threes? That's a big if considering they can shoot 40% from the 3 and you'd just think "oh just an average day." And Lebron has proven time after time that it doesn't matter who your other 4 players are, if there's Lebron, there's a way. He nearly single handedly beat Boston ffs.

So keep the paper basketballing to a minimum please!

P.S. Camby on Clippers!

Exactly what I was saying...

Camby to Clippers was a huge surprise.

 

[Flash Ketchum]

Any of you guys watching the NBA Summer League games? I dont know about you guys but Portland's looking amazing with all that young talent. Jerryd Bayless was great in todays game for Portland( I played against him his senior year in highschool)


EDIT: Just read Zeros reference to summer league =/

 

[Judgement]

I'm pretty sure that NBA.com has webcasting for summer league games. I'll definitely have to watch some of Portland's games. I think that they will be in the mix in 2009 since they were already pretty good and some of the teams who were good this year are falling behind, like Dallas.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

When you compare teams, you can't play the "if blah and blah aren't doing this good" then we'll win.

If you can't beat teams when they're at their best on paper, then definitely not in game. That's a whole lot of papering considering we don't even know the extent of J'Oneal recovery. And Brand would perhaps beat 1 of them, not both, cause the other will sure as hell outscore Dalembert. Or if Rashard/Hedo not make threes? That's a big if considering they can shoot 40% from the 3 and you'd just think "oh just an average day." And Lebron has proven time after time that it doesn't matter who your other 4 players are, if there's Lebron, there's a way. He nearly single handedly beat Boston ffs.

So keep the paper basketballing to a minimum please!

P.S. Camby on Clippers!

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Also, if we didn't discuss things on paper, then there'd be nothing to discuss in the offseason.

 

[darkie]

Bayless and Kaponen look good.

 

[Limitless]

Any news on when Joe Dumars is going to inact his plan to get the Pistons to the top again? It has been quite a while since he made his bold statement of "All my starters are on the table." Being a Pistons fan (I live in Michigan) I'm a little disappointed on how fast his changes are happening, but I guess they will happen eventually.

 

[Judgement]

James Posey just signed with New Orleans. This is definitely going to be a big improvement for them since Posey is a great guy to have on the bench, as Boston and Miami have shown in recent years.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Also, if we didn't discuss things on paper, then there'd be nothing to discuss in the offseason.

Uh he also went to the finals destroying the Pistons by himself the year before...

And his 'almost' against Boston is sure as hell a lot closer than anything Sixers will still be able to do. Lebron by himself is more clutch than the whole starting line up on Sixers together

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

For one, THADDEUS hasn't gotten a chance to prove how clutch he can be yet, and Brand has pretty much played on superiorly shitty teams his whole career, save the one time the Clips went to the playoffs two years ago.

Yes, LeBron is perhaps the best player in the NBA and if not that, at least the beast of the East, but the greatest players need help. Even Jordan had Pippen (one of the 50 best players ever) and for the last three titles, Rodman (a top 5 rebounder in history). Who does LeBron have? Ben Wallace? LOL. Please.

LBJ is a game-changer and he can win series by himself, but as of right now, I think the Sixers have a better overal TEAM, and if they get a legit 2-guard/scorer, they're right up there with Boston as the East's real powerhouses.

 

[Ancien Régime]

Has anyone figured out that Marcus Camby is ridiculously overrated?

He can't play post defense worth shit (he's like amare defensively, awesome block numbers but gets beaten in the post all the time because all he does is jump for blocks rather than lock his man down in the post).

He has really no offense and he's playing out of position (though not now in LA)

If you keep Camby at the 4 he's fine as a weak-side help defender. But at the 5 he's terrible.

laughing at philly fans btw.

nobody on that team has a consistent jump shot

you'll understand when your team shoots like 32% from 3 and everyone's stats go down because they can pack the paint and let Philly win from long distance.

I'd trade for Kapono or Battier, someone who can stretch the D (and be an upgrade over Willie Green)

They might be a 50 win team but they'll get shut down in the playoffs unless they get a shooter.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

I'm pretty sure most Sixers fans you talk to, myself included, will tell you that we need a consistent perimeter scoring threat who can create his own shot before we can really contend. But you can't discount the addition of the best "classic" PF in the game not named Tim Duncan, especially when considering the rest of the Eastern Conference.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

"if they get.." seriously we're playing that now? If Lebron gets another All Nba player, if Lebron gets another game changer, if Lebron gets another MVP...you are illogically trying to buff your team up with arguments that can be used for anyone else.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

Playing what? It's called addressing a team need. Nothing illogical about that. But since you asked, yes, if LeBron got another superstar, the Cavs would be an odds-on favorite to win it all. Here's where you're pulling stuff out of your butt... it's a lot more plausible for the Sixers to get a 2 than it is for the Cavs to get a Scottie to LBJ's Jordan.

Ed Stefanski has shown in the short time that he's been Sixers' GM that he knows how to manage the cap and that he'll make smart trades to open up space to acquire a big name in Elton Brand (and if you don't think he's a big name, especially in an Eastern Conference with exactly two big men better than him and only one big man who plays back-to-the-basket who's better than him, you're the one being illogical). Danny Ferry? He made an illogical trade to take on Ben Wallace, a declining player with an albatross for a contract.

The closest time we'll be seeing LeBron James playing with a superstar caliber teammate is if/when he signs with the Brooklyn Nets and gets to play with Devin Harris.

As for the Sixers... it's not an "illogical buff" to say they're a top 4 team in the East *right now* Many experts will agree with that. I think you're just set in your beliefs and just want to look at anyone defending the Sixers as homers when we're clearly not.

 

[omni]

lol Brooklyn Nets. I heard rumors that stadium hasn't even begun with a blueprint yet. It's been what, 5 years they planned that now?

Go Camby to the Clips! Hes gonna torch the Nuggets when he plays them. He seems pissed about the whole issue, but I think he'll fit in with the Clips, maybe end his career there, who knows.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

It was less of Ed and more of David and anyone naive enough to believe otherwise is clearly ignorant, especially when Ed was trying to get Josh Smith in the first place.

It is not illogical to say that Lebron will get another superstar, because within 2 years, Ferry is definitely out, and even if he doesn't, Lebron is the ONLY contract left on the ENTIRE ROSTER. And with Lebron, it doesn't even matter who your other 4 is.

And because you continue to waste my time with your homerism, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett, that's THREE.

P.S. Those same experts expected the Lakers to win the championship.

P.P.S. I'm not the one who first said "oh. if people aren't on fire, then we're definitely a top3 team in the east" in your initial post, meaning you weren't defending jack shit because no one said shit for you to defend. -That- is ignorance.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

Chris Bosh is softer than a down comforter. Elton Brand will eat him for breakfast. Bank on that. I'd tell you that whether Brand was playing for the Sixers, Clippers, Bulls or even the Washington Generals. The only thing holding Brand back is injuries, and that is a major problem for him.

Also, within two years, LeBron becomes a free agent, and he's said he wants to play in New York. Jay-Z and the Nets ownership group can pony up the bucks to bring him there too.

PS - People in the know in the league knew that Josh Smith was a smokescreen to divert people from Stefanski's true motives (seeing that everyone knew the Hawks were matching for both Joshes no mateter what)

PPS - Hypothetical arguments are not ignorance.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

Okay you are just naive and blinded by your homerism. Whatever, I'm done.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

Done what, dismissing someone because they're new without ever presenting something that could be construed as an argument? If that's the case, by all means, please stop, because it's fucking annoying.

But it's not illogical to think that a team that compiled one of the best second-half records in the NBA could carry that momentum in the next season. It's not naive homerism to think that a team that took Detroit to 6 games without an answer to Rasheed Wallace in the low post would improve with the addition of Elton Brand, a premier classic power forward. It's not stupid to believe that the Sixers, with the addition of Brand, could make the jump from 7 seed to 4 in an Eastern Conference where not many teams can sport a game in the low post.

But by all means, please stop, because you've added nothing to the conversation. If you'd like to add some more, I'd like to see it, because you obviously at least care enough about the NBA to do so.

 

[UltimoVenusaur]

Josh Childress to... Greece? Olympiakos swooped in and signed the Hawks FA without fear of the Hawks matching. Carlos Delfino and Juan Carlos Navarro jumping to Europe is understandable, but Childress? This could open the door for a whole lot of mid-level talents heading overseas for the money and the chance at superstardom abroad.

 

[Zero]

Do you guys think Team USA can take home the gold this year?

 

[SmellsLikeNick]

eh mabe they can, Argentina will be a problem as usual

 

[Zero]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3510261

Rockets to get Artest?

Also I think we should make a new NBA thread? This one is tl;dr filled with last season's shit. We should make one anew for the Olympics.

 

[Zero]

It's official now, Rockets got Artest.

That makes them a top contender in the West IMO, with Artest playing solid defense.