Official NBA Discussion Thread

[soulpower]

Amar'e HAS to stay. He'll benefit from playing with Yellow Jesus due to the fact that he can actually run the Pick and Roll (Unlike all the other PG's on the roster).

Melo is likely to be the one that will fuck things up when he returns, but the Knicks won't ever consider trading him.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

Melo's problem this year was that D'Antoni had him running the point AND playing SF at the same fucking time :/. They'll use Lin as a true PG and have him dish it to Melo.

Stat's going to boost Lin's play when he returns with an extra option to throw an oop to.



If they do decide to trade anyone tho, I see it being Melo.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

^^^I never saw Melo trying to run point. If by run point you mean isoing and chucking ill advised jumpers and missing more than he usually misses, all the meanwhile getting fatter, lazier and not even chasing down rebounds Matt Bonner could get, then yes, he was running point. Just goes to show how shitty a player Melo really is (I'd rather Monta Ellis for pure scoring if thats what you want to classify Melo as) and how much shittier D'Antonio is as a coach.

 

[soulpower]

All he does is Lin

 

[Luke Flywalker]

I'm all for Jeremy Lin, but Jesus Christ.

I shouldn't open NFL.com and see THREE pieces about him on the main page.

I shouldn't have NFLNetwork on TV and see 4 slots during Around the NFL talking about him.

I shouldn't be watching the Wizards @ Clippers with John Wall and Chris Paul and hear Jeremy Lin's name 7-9x a quarter with no reference to either team playing, just them talking about Lin.

This is getting to be ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. It's worse than Tebowmania.




Anyways, the Wizards are starting to play a little better, Wall has been fucking amazing recently, and JaVale McGee is still kicking ass, but damn he needs a PF who can help crash the boards with him, because it's constantly him vs. 3 defenders for a rebound. Lewis sucks, and the young guys don't have that fire yet.

But Blake Griffin is David Stern's God-damned golden goose! The refs don't call anything on Blake Griffin, at all. He constantly gets away with shoving players when they're driving or when they're going for a rebound, he mugs guys away from the ball, he constantly yells at refs when he doesn't agree with blatant fouls they call on him (last night Trevor Booker was shooting free throws in the 4th and Griffin was yelling at the top of his lungs at a ref right in front of him under the basket during Booker's shot, and then stepped out into the middle of the paint to talk to that ref mid-free throw from Booker and they didn't call a lane violation), and that should be a technical foul. I also can't count how many times I've seen him shove guys into the lane during free throws to force lane violations on the other team.

BTW, is there anything worse than the NBA's technical foul in professional sports? Again, using the game from last night as the example and how Blake Griffin got his star treatment and yelled the ref down and nothing was called... but Blake Griffin GRABBED John Wall who was driving and THREW HIM TO THE FLOOR and nothing was called, so John Wall yelled out "BLOW THE WHISTLE" from the ground and they called a technical on him and eliminated his amazing alley oop to JaVale McGee.

I've seen techs called on guys who were in full sprint trying to steal a long pass an because they didn't stop on a dime when the foul was called for contact, they get a T added on top of it, I've seen them called on players for staring down a referee for calling a foul on a player... all a referee has to do to defend his call is say "He impeded my ability to referee the game for 2 seconds" (that's literally in the Rule Book) and David Stern will fully support his fucking mafia.

I'm tired of the NBA's stupid fucking technical. And one of these days, these players you're trying to keep from being violent, are going to implode from years of holding in frustration over horrible calls and they're going to assault a ref on the court...

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Jeremy Lin is sheer exploitation. Nothing more, nothing less. The NBA will do ANYTHING that the NFL does successfully as long as it doesn't disturb the Major Market culture that is ruining the L. It's a dream for the NBA. He's the NBA Tebow, but he's Asian and is looking like he has staying power, Tebow will fade away because he really isn't good, just a good story. Lin is good AND he's in New York. Triple bonus for the NBA. The NBA is HUGE in Asia because of Yao, and they are banking on the idea that Linfluenza will catch on over there. They are going to whore this guy to all hell. It's a good story, Lin's a great player and the real deal, but bottom line is it's sheer exploitation because the NBA needs everything it can get.

On a side note, I can't wait for the Spurs to get their hands on the Knicks. No one is talking about the Spurs, but seriously, outside of the Heat, a healthy Spurs team is probably the most deadly team in the league. They are showing glimpses of their famed D coming into place, plenty of young talent that can score and Tiago Splitter per 36 is the third best big man in the league. I know it's a big "if" but if healthy the Spurs can win the West and I have ZERO worries about anyone out East except the Heat. I don't fear the Bulls, they seem alot softer than last year and Derrick Rose's injury will come back to haunt them.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

I wish someone would buy ABA rights off of the NBA and start their own league and play the game the proper way.

It'd be a win-win. You'd get good basketball, and it would give the NBA a competitor which would push the NBA to do what's right.


...it's either that or get David Stern the fuck out of here. For every great thing he has done for the league (and there ARE some very great things), there's 15 completely horrible claims on his name.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

^^^You know there has been an ABA for awhile now, right? It's where Isiah Thomas got his coaching and GM start like 15 years ago. I remember that much and I googled it to see if the league was still kickin, it is. There is no possible way ANY sports league will rise up and compete with any of the major competitors. First you would have to entice enough truly rich owners. Nobody is going to invest in an alternative, they want the real deal. You would need to share the big markets which just won't happen and these rich owners would need state of the art arenas which is already a majorly stupid problem in all of sports (I will die when Fenway and Wrigley are put out to pasture and I aint even a baseball fan) and towns won't foot the bill for a secondary league team if they aren't doing it for Major leagues. And then here's the biggest problem: these rich owners who will have to fight tooth and nail to get an arena, good market and TV exposure to compete with the NBA are going to have to siphon talent from the NBA. NBA players OWN the NBA, they were locked out and things didn't change one iota. The players know where their bread is buttered and they know where they will get top dollar. The NBA is hurting, but it is still a proven commodity and with player salaries as inflated as they are, there just isn't a player with enough star power to make any new league compete with the NBA anymore than it will be competing with the ABA, NBDA, CBA and NCAA. It's not the 70's, professional sports are giant conglomerate entities now. It is nothing more than a pipedream. Only kind of league that could feasibly compete with it's major league counterpart is a Soccer league and MLS is just an glorified farm league from the European big leagues.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

^That's not the same league, and the NBA has sent them a cease and desist letter over illegal use of the name...

I'm telling you tho, if someone had the propensity to challenge them... get a deal with NBC Sports... and had some names. I'm sure there are some players who would jump, especially if the focus of the other league was strictly on basketball and nothing else... and that alone would draw your casual and less-than-casual NBA fan-base back into the sport, and your die-hards would jump over. People DON'T fuck with the NBA anymore. Ticket prices are ridiculously low and while viewership of the Finals has grown the last several seasons (mainly with international support), attendance isn't growing... it's staying the same or dropping. Ticket SALES are even dropping, and you can argue it's the economy all that you want, but the NFL's selling tickets just fine in many of the same markets, even outselling in the north, which is basketball terrain.

It's telling that more people watch college basketball than the NBA on any given night, and that March Madness shits on the NBA Playoffs... it's not all based on tuning in to watch your alma mater in a rivalry either... there's just a lot of people who tune in to watch good basketball... with a focus on the sport and not the refs or David Stern or his monopoly.

A competitive league to the NBA could and would be successful if the focus was strictly on basketball.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Luke, you are thinking like a wrestling fan. It's like saying RoH will rise up to compete with the WWE because people want to see good wrestling and the WWE's numbers are sagging yet they are still the undisputed top dog in their industry. You are failing to address a few things:

Here's what you're failing to address:

1. No matter how you want to coat it, and you are grossly over exaggerating, the NBA isn't failing as miserably like the NHL in 04. Small markets are stinkin, but Forbes reported only 12 teams operated in the red last year. Contraction is the answer.

2. Owners with $$$$. No one is going to go balls in to compete with the NBA regardless of what you think. The NBA can't even sell the Hornets, you think you can get a minimum of 16 owners to develop a halfway decent league that could financially compete with the NBA for player salaries, arena leases, exposure and branding? No sir. You can't find 1 person to buy 1 team, how are you going to get 8-16 guys to pony up $$$ for players, exposure, arenas and start up costs to go up against the established league? Remember how some rich folk put together the USFL and it went belly up. And you want them to sign with NBC??? Yup, whole lot of good it did for Arena League and the XFL.

3. Major markets that will house a B league competitor. There isn't a major market team struggling at the gates or in the ratings except Dallas because of their insanely high luxury tax payments. But San Antonio is a larger city, but is considered a small market, but they've been profitable for over 20 years now. Go figure. Big cities will not foster another team that will compete against their NBA counterparts, especially when you consider that major stars only want to play for major markets. No one's going to hop fences to play for a team that will be viewed as the bastard, inferior team.

You're describing a pipe dream that has no possibility. Sorry, just like the WWE people aren't going to tune in to watch "good basketball". Major sports are star driven. The NBA is established, and while some teams are stinkin, you have no substantial evidence to prove that a competitive league would rise up. There simply isn't enough people willing to take the risk. They'd rather take a shot with a failing NBA franchise and hope that David Stern is closer to death than he looks.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

No, we already know people don't want wrestling, they want entertainment. Only the smarks want wrestling.

Basketball's different. Sure, there's people sipping at the poison that is a LeBron James... people moist over this Jeremy Lin shit... but people WANT basketball. I've seen Kris Humphries booed out of every arena he's been in this year... yet the disdain of him is nothing in comparison to how fans bash the referees. At the end of the day, it IS the National Basketball Association, not the National Basketball Entertainment Association. WWE can pass with limited wrestling because it's a soap opera no matter how you look at it... basketball is fading.

Your other points, I can't argue. However, Stern has blocked 2 people from buying the Hornets in the past year, mainly because people believe he will make of New Orleans what he made of a celebrated, honorable Seattle franchise, and nobody wants their name beside David Stern's in that press-release. It also doesn't help the way he runs the entire league anyways, and the trouble of purchasing stock back from the other 29 owners in the NBA who hold a piece of the Hornets themselves. You're right though, people will not compete with the NBA major markets. But again, this is why I said it could come down to NBCSports and their future network(s) to boost faith in buyers looking to sell a team to particular markets.

But yes, it is more wishful thinking than having any basis in reality on my part... but I'm sure I'm one of a vast majority who thinks wishfully.

 

[PeepShow]

Sup Enzo

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Sup honey. No excuses. Bulls played good. I think the results would have easily been different had the Spurs had their two top 2s, but that's not who played and tonight this Bulls team beat this Spurs team. But fuck, Tim showed he isn't even close to being done. And Joakim Noah deserves to get his ugly fuckin mush pushed in with his stupid fucking pistol taunts. "Oooo, look, I learned how to hit a jumpshot. I'm now 1.5 dimensional instead of 1 dimensional. Celebrate" Good game though.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

Joakim Noah better keep working on that jumpshot tho... if the Bulls are going to contend.

I still maintain this is OKC's to lose... fuck the Heat. LeBron showed in the All Star game exactly who he is, and exactly why he won't win a championship. He's a bitch who can't handle missing a game winner, and won't taker a chance at hitting the game winner because of that fear. He's terrified of the big moment. What kid doesn't grow up shooting against the imaginary countdown? LeBron's a damn joke. All the talent in the world, but no killer instinct. Kobe even told him after that Blue pass, "Are you fucking kidding me!? SHOOT THE FUCKING BALL!" Kevin Durant accepted MVP of the game baffled because it was LeBron's MVP had LeBron put up (and made) that shot.

People say left and right how LeBron just needs to gel with this team and get used to them and rah rah... NO! LeBron is good though 3 1/2 quarters, and then chokes... whether it's a game, or a season, or a series. LeBron will build a 20 point lead, or get top 3 seeds.... he'll blow it in the 4th, or the finals. The kid is a sham man... a fucking sham. Never seen someone call THEMSELVES King, wear 23 in honor of Jordan, who is perhaps the most clutch player ever, the most fierce competitor of all time, and quite possibly the basketball player who WANTED the pressure shot more than anyone... be so terrified of everything in crunch time.

No, LeBron doesn't need the Heat to grow. This is the same shit that happened in Cleveland, it's the exact same thing that happened last year.

I'm done with any belief LeBron will win a ring. When I see it, I'll believe it... but right now, there's 0 hope.


Kevin Durant is the absolute best player in the league right now. He's the 2nd best scorer behind Melo (but that's because Melo has a developed post-game)... he's the best pure shooter though... and he's comfortable in the clutch. He's not terrified of the big moment. He's 23 years old and already the best... and he's got so much room to grow, and he's one of those talents that you KNOW will grow and become the complete, ultimate player. He'll develop everything. He'll develop the muscle to play physical in the paint. He'll get better on defense. He'll get even better shooting. I can concede that maybe I give OKC too much credit because Westbrook's a very volatile character... but Kevin Durant is an outright beast.

 

[NinoBrown]

NBA trade rumors: Rajon Rondo, Monta Ellis could be on the move
By Matt Brooks
The NBA trade deadline is fast approaching, and if you believe the rumors, there could be an unprecedented number of stars relocating between now and March 15.

Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard have been mentioned as potential trade candidates since before the lockout-shortened season, and both could still find themselves pulling on a new jersey before season’s end.

But it’s a pair of point guards whose names re-emerged this week as teams prepare to jostle for playoff position or look toward the future.

During the preseason Chris Paul sweepstakes, the Boston Celtics were rumored to be shopping Rajon Rondo for a possible swap. Now ESPN’s Chris Broussard is reporting that Rondo is on the block once more.

Meantime, as the Orlando Magic continue to consider roster additions that might appease the disgruntled Howard, Golden State has come into focus as a possible trade partner. Citing league sources, ESPN reports the Magic have reached out to the Warriors about trading for Monta Ellis. But it sounds like the Warriors might only be willing to give up the league’s seventh-leading scorer for Howard himself.

Back in January, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge denied trying to deal Rondo, who is fresh off his third straight All-Star selection.

“There’s a big difference between trying to acquire a player and trying to trade a player,†Ainge told WEEI at the time.

But it’s no secret that Rondo and Celtics coach Doc Rivers have had their issues off the court, and as the team prepares for a necessary overhaul with the Big Three at the tail end of their careers, Boston must decide if Rondo is in the future plans.

Despite playing only 22 games in the first half of the season, Rondo is averaging a career-high 14.1 points per game, 9.6 assists and 1.6 steals. On Wednesday he recorded his third triple-double of the season in a win at Milwaukee.

The Warriors and Celtics reportedly discussed a Rondo for Stephen Curry swap in December, but now Golden State may have moved onto bigger things.

If the Magic are intent on keeping Howard, they may need to get another team involved in a trade to bring Ellis to Orlando. As of now, such a deal is a long way off

Never understood the need to trade Rondo but Monta needs to get traded like yesterday. That's a talent that will always be on a team that ends up 8th or 9th in the West at the end of the season.