2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[icedwarrior]

contenders for what? Miami will be in the finals, unless Lebron and Wade get hurt for good

Anyway, monster game from Carmelo, he can be fun to watch

Fairly certain Blue is joking.

Watching the Lakers win is bittersweet - while it's great for them to win and make the playoffs (most likely), I doubt it'll mean much in the long run...I don't see them beating the Spurs or Thunder. Also, I'm not sure why this will be considered any less of a failure than missing the playoffs; the end result is a failure to win the championship. Might as well get a better draft pick (although, come to think of it, won't it be traded?)...

[Jibjabb]

I think Lakers could have a small shot at beating the Spurs because of the matchup. I however think the Thunder will run them out of the gym even though I am of the opinion the Spurs are the better team, just not big on the matchup vs LAL

[icedwarrior]

I think Lakers could have a small shot at beating the Spurs because of the matchup. I however think the Thunder will run them out of the gym even though I am of the opinion the Spurs are the better team, just not big on the matchup vs LAL

Well, obviously they have a "shot" at beating anyone, but it's just that: a small chance.

[buck008]

You've got to be kidding me. You wanna know what Jordan did in those playoff games without Pippen? Heres one playoff round for ya.
50.5 FG% 6.3 REB 5.7 AST 2.3 ST 1.8 BLK 43.7 POINTS PER GAME
Dont spew garbage like Jordan couldnt do anything without Pippen. Yes the team success wasnt great but that was more because of the rest of the team than anything Jordan did, he was an absolute monster even in his early years where they got knocked out in first round.

And as I said the whole argument that they cant win without Lebron is nil since Wade already won a title as the best player of a team with an aging Shaq as his wingman. Pippen never could do that and Rodman could never lead a team to anything without help. Wade and Bosh are straight up superstars with our without Lebron and to me thats what separates them, I appreciate offensive dominance over ineptitude. Please dont call Rodman a top 5 PF he doesnt even belong in the HOF dont make it any worse, hes a glorified Ben Wallace. Heck I can name 3 Power Forwards easily still in the game today that were miles better than Rodman ever was in Duncan, Dirk, and KG so I'm fairly certain hes not top 5.

As for the Cavs ofc they sucked after Lebron left the team was built around his skill set. Another thing people love to leave out was the fact that it wasnt the same team only without Lebron. Mo Williams likely their second best player was gone as was Shaquille O'Neal. Obviously Lebron's impact was felt the most, just saying they lost more than him, I wouldnt expect anything less than them to be a poor team afterwards.

But.. but... I though all Jordan did was win? I though the rest of the Bulls were scrubs who were lucky to play with His Airness and get carried to all those rings?

Come on. Jordan was good individually, but didn't win jack shit until he had a team around him. Pippen did lead those Jordan-less Bulls teams to some decent playoff successes while Jordan was definitely not suspended for gambling. Those were good teams that were put over the top by having the best player in the league playing for them. Exactly like the Heat.

I'm also sick of this "bought the team" nonsense. This isn't the Yankees just spending 350 million more than everyone else. There is a salary cap. Miami isn't number one in payroll. They aren't number two either. They have a whole bunch of veterans that took less money to play here. Building a team through free agency is, and always has been, a legitimate strategy for constructing a team. People only dislike it when it isn't their team getting the good players.

[icedwarrior]

I can't comment on the Bulls / Jordan because I wasn't interested in basketball until ~2000, and never have bothered to watch tapes / whatever, but...

I'm also sick of this "bought the team" nonsense. This isn't the Yankees just spending 350 million more than everyone else. There is a salary cap. Miami isn't number one in payroll. They aren't number two either. They have a whole bunch of veterans that took less money to play here. Building a team through free agency is, and always has been, a legitimate strategy for constructing a team. People only dislike it when it isn't their team getting the good players.

First off, full disclosure: I am a Laker fan. That said, I'm against "super teams". Tell me, what exactly is the point of the Eastern Conference at the moment? Honestly, there's no one that can legitimately challenge the Heat. Perhaps the Pacers might make it interesting, Bulls if they had Rose might be interesting, and the Knicks could almost challenge them if they get super-ridiculously hot from the field...but, again, the Heat should coast through the East without being challenged. This is boring. I prefer it when there's a challenge. I don't think it's a coincidence that I've lost interest in basketball around the time LeBron went to Miami.

Even though it appears it's either the Spurs or the Thunder, there's the Grizzlies, Nuggets, Clippers (Houston? I'm not familiar with them. Doubt it) that can be interesting, perhaps even make some noise. Point being, spread the wealth around; it's better for the fans -- even Laker fans -- if the players aren't all on a couple teams. Did the Heat "legitimately" form their team? Yes, yes they did, but eating smaller salaries to play on a stacked team that will play against weak competition is...I dunno, for lack of a better word, fucked up. Play against the best, imo.

[Blueobelisk]

First off, full disclosure: I am a Laker fan.

Don't lie to these people. You're just an anti-Lebron James fan.

Knicks are playing Hawks tonight. I'm hoping Knicks win ogm@@@ Spurs are playing Orlando and Nets are playing Cleveland but whatever my teams should crush those games.

Tomorrow is Brooklyn vs. Chicago, which could be a playoff series. And then is :OOOO OKC vs. Spurs Western Conference Finals Foreshadowing AND Rematch.

[icedwarrior]

Don't lie to these people. You're just an anti-Lebron James fan.

I am both. Moreso a Laker fan, but...

And what, no mention about

contenders for what? Miami will be in the finals, unless Lebron and Wade get hurt for good

? I am disappoint, Blue.

[Jibjabb]

Come on. Jordan was good individually, but didn't win jack shit until he had a team around him. Pippen did lead those Jordan-less Bulls teams to some decent playoff successes while Jordan was definitely not suspended for gambling. Those were good teams that were put over the top by having the best player in the league playing for them. Exactly like the Heat.

Its nothing like the Heat because the Heat won before Lebron was on the team. If Jordan came to a team that Pippen had already carried on his back to a championship I would be more inclined to agree, yet that isnt the case. If you want to attribute their titles to anyone besides Jordan the next candidate would be Phil Jackson anyways.

[buck008]

Its nothing like the Heat because the Heat won before Lebron was on the team. If Jordan came to a team that Pippen had already carried on his back to a championship I would be more inclined to agree, yet that isnt the case. If you want to attribute their titles to anyone besides Jordan the next candidate would be Phil Jackson anyways.

The only two players shared between teams were Wade and Udonis Haslem. And most people said they never should have won that one. Hardly a dynasty. That Bulls team absolutely could have won without Jordan. It's not likely, but it could have. They wouldn't have won 6. Or won 72 games. But they could have won a title. It's only revisionist history that doesn't consider those Bulls teams loaded.

[Skarsguard]

I don't think they could have won without Jordan would they have been a contender sure but not a champion. I mean you still had the Kemp led Sonics, Ewing led Knicks, Barkley led Suns, Stockton/Malone led Jazz, and a bunch of great players on the Rockets. IDK I think Miami would have a better chance without Lebron then Chicago would have without Jordan and that is mainly due to the east not being good this year.

[Blueobelisk]

And what, no mention about

? I am disappoint, Blue.

Knicks W10@@@ Melo 40 points tonight.

I'd be lying or I'd be a retard if I didn't think Miami was absolute favorite for East Conference Winner, but...the Knicks have like a 5% chance of winning a series against Heat.

[Deleted]

That is the key word - SERIES. They can get hot - 1, 2 games? Maybe Heat will play REALLY BAD And Lebron & Wade will have 30points combined one more game, but what about the other 4 games? I don't see it happening, really. Not only because i'm heat or lebron fan, I like Melo and the Nicks aswell, but they are not on the heats level in best of 7 matchup

[Jibjabb]

The only chance a Eastern Conference team has at beating the heat is to get really hot from the outside for an entire series (like 45%+) or to hope Lebron chokes. But even in that possibility Lebron's only true terrible series have come in the finals and never before then.

[Blueobelisk]

Wtf is with baseball season. I'm not getting Nets games anymore because the TV channel is playing stupid Yankees games.

[Skarsguard]

I thought all the Yankees games was played on YES TV.

[Blueobelisk]

Ya "YES TV" hosts both Yankees and Nets games but I think if they'll show a Yankees game over a Nets one. "MSG Channel" hosts Knicks and Rangers, but since they both play in Madison Square Garden there aren't too many/usually any conflicts since both teams can't play home games at the same time.

Oh but the Nets/Bulls game is on TNT right now so lol.

[Skarsguard]

Ya "YES TV" hosts both Yankees and Nets games but I think if they'll show a Yankees game over a Nets one. "MSG Channel" hosts Knicks and Rangers, but since they both play in Madison Square Garden there aren't too many/usually any conflicts since both teams can't play home games at the same time.

Oh but the Nets/Bulls game is on TNT right now so lol.

LOL yeah I would think that the station that Yankees built would probably play Yankee games over the Nets.

[Blueobelisk]

I feel bad for the bulls. They have like 5 people injured atm and are rolling with a roster of 10? All these foul calls suck on them because they have to play certain guys and rotate minutes so no one gets too tired. I can really empathize with them, Knicks are like that sometimes during the season.

Although I still want my home team Nets to win, just like I want my home team Spurs to win against OKC.

---------- Post added 2013-04-04 at 09:53 PM ----------

What a shock. The Nets choke in the last minute. Lol//////

[Valeron]

Possible torn ACL for Gallinari. Well shit, just as we are getting close to the playoffs we start getting all of these injuries.

[Arcsecant]

I would say the knicks have a tiny chance of winning that series but after last years knicks/miami series I can see no way where the knicks can win bar serious injuries. I mean the heat were up by like 40 at one point in game 1 last year i think.