2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[Jibjabb]

Just talking scoring forward or as an all around player? It's Lebron first either way, but after that it's iffy.

I think Durant is clearly the better scorer than Lebron. He has a more all around offensive game (when it comes to scoring) than Lebron mostly because of hes so good at range and can still finish at the hoop and fouling the guy is just giving him 2 points. Melo and Lebron is debatable. I think Melo is a better scorer if they had to take the same shots but the thing is with Melo... hes an idiot. And he just holds onto the ball and gives himself tough shots time and time again rather than moving the ball around and getting better looks. Lebron is smart and gets a lot of easier looks at the basket, open jumpers or fast break plays. If they just played how they normally play Id trust Lebron to give me more points than Melo consistently.

---------- Post added 2013-05-03 at 01:20 PM ----------

Brook Lopez's defense is severely underrated. The fact is the guy is relatively athletic and his presence is big. The only reason people knock him is because he's 7 feet and doesn't grab as many rebounds as he could.

I'll let you guys in on a secret. Remember those top 5 defensive front court I mentioned that super teams need?

1. Dwight
2. Ibaka
3. Marc Gasol
4. Tyson Chandler
5. Brook Lopez

4-5 are arguable. I wanted to include Tim Duncan but he's old.

"But Blue, Miami is a super team and Chris Bosh isn't on your list!"

Well Miami is a special case in that Lebron and Wade carry a huge weight and Bosh is probably a top 20 or 25 player, so that compensates for the lack of "defense." EspeciAlly with best player in world up there with Bosh in front court.

As far as offensive centers though Stomped, I think I'd give it to Marc Gasol over Brook Lopez. Brook Lopez gets set up a lot from Deron Wlliams, but Marc Gasol is an assisting center who can somewhat score! Guy is a stud.

Wha Brook Lopez? That guy isnt good at defense. Noah is 100x better than he is defensively and so are a lot of other big men, like Bogut and Asik.

---------- Post added 2013-05-03 at 01:24 PM ----------

Yeah, but Lebron actually led his team to wins in playoffs, while KD obviously can't. It still bugs me that people actually tend to compare them and put them in the same league, sorry, but Bron is WAY TO GOOD.

Because Durant lost 2 games to Houston without Westbrook he cant lead his team to wins? Really? Durant has done more in his first few years in the league than Lebron did with his.

Im not sure if you realize this but theres a big difference between playing a season without someone and all of a sudden losing them and having to adjust. If Durant went the whole season without Westbrook he and more importantly the team would be better used to how to win without him, asking him to learn that in 2 games isnt realistic. Just look at the Bulls, they lost Derrick Rose against the 76ers (the 8th seed) and fell apart. Now having a whole season without him they are giving the Nets a run for their money, and the Nets are a better team than those 76ers were.

---------- Post added 2013-05-03 at 01:26 PM ----------

My picks for tonight are:

Pacers close out the Hawks
Celtics forces the Knicks to game 7
Thunder close out the Rockets
Grizzlies close out the Clippers (even though I picked the Clippers to win that series initially)

[Blueobelisk]

Ya 4-5 were all interchangable. It's hard to tell. It was done as if I was a front office and Bogut is always injured and Noah is having foot problems (although I love Noah's work ethic and Bogut is tearing shit up). Asik is actually a great rebounder, not sure about his defense, but I'd have to see who my other 2 in my Big 3 are to see if they can work with Asik since Asik isn't that offensively great.

[Skarsguard]

Besides the Spurs and the Heat the first round of playoffs has been pretty solid and very competitive which is always great.

[Blueobelisk]

I'm picking:

Pacers wrap this up.
Knicks wrap this up.
Uhhhh Houston OKC is a tough call. I wanna see Houston win. The game is in Houston I believe, so I'll just say Houston. I don't think Lin is playing. Realistically it wouldn't surprise me if OKC wins and I wanna lean toward OKC but meh. You know what? I change my mind, I pick OKC. OKC lost game 5 because Kevin Martin and other teammates were slacking off, they can't play as badly this time. I pick OKC.
I think Memphis is gonna win this shit. It'll be in Memphis too. And Blake is hurting so...Memphis wins.

[Jibjabb]

Asik is a very good defender its what got him on the court in the first place for the Bulls. Hes usually in good position and his height and long arms to block/alter a lot of shots. Obviously he isnt quick so if he had to guard any sort of perimeter big he stands no chance, but any scoring in the paint hes one of the best interior defenders.

Oh I forgot Larry Sanders. That dude is a defensive stud.

[Stommped]

You'd take Melo over LeBron?

Blue was just ranking the best "scoring" forwards in the NBA and for my money, Melo is better pure scorer than Lebron. He's a better outside shooter, tad better at getting himself an open shot, and a much better free throw shooter. He's not as efficient as Lebron but that's because the Heat's transition game is so much better than the Knicks which leads to dunks, and it's also ten times harder to double team Lebron than it is Melo, otherwise you are just going to end up leaving Allen/Bosh/Wade/Chalmers etc. wide open for a shot.

[chadwix]

Lebraun mvp again, he is the best player, not the most valuable to his team.

Melo gonna prove 2009 was fluke by losing again in the first round

[Thallidomaniac]

Celtics still haven't broke 50 points and it's 10:20 left in the 4th quarter. Not good at all.

[Blueobelisk]

*waiting with nervousness*

---------- Post added 2013-05-03 at 09:58 PM ----------

Okay great.

YAY Knicks made it to second round. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH.

Pacers finished it too. So far I'm 2/2 and Jib is 1/2 (damn Knicks doubter!).

We both also got Memphis and OKC winning. So either way I win!

[Pendulous]

Memphis has won barring a miracle. Oh well, would have liked to see the Clippers do well. Either way we have a historically bad team making it to the second round. I can go either way.

[Blueobelisk]

Don't talk about the Knicks like that Pendulous.

[Fahrenheit]

Knicks round 2 opens up on Sunday @ 3:30 PM, nothing like a lighting fast turn around when your star player has a dislocated shoulder. Pacers will be targeting that shoulder non stop.

[Blueobelisk]

So the real results were:

Heat in 4.
Knicks in 6.
Pacers in 6.
? In 7.

OKC in 6.
Spurs in 4.
Golden State in 6.
Memphis in 6.

Here's how I'm scoring me and Jib:
+1 for every game you predicted correctly
-1 for every game you predicted incorrectly

Heat in 4 +4
Knicks in 7 +5
Pacers in 5 +4
Nets in 7

Thunder in 6 +6
Spurs in 6 +2
Nuggets in 6 +2
Clippers in 6 +2

+23 so far for Jib.

Kay.

Heat in 4. +4
Knicks in 6. +6
Pacers in 6. +6
Bulls in 7.

Thunder in 4. +2
Spurs in 5. +3
Golden State in 6. +6
Clippers in 6. +2

+29 for me

Jib is getting raped. I must be able to see into the future@@

If you guys wanna make predictions for round 2, feel free and I'll score us again.

OKC vs. Memphis
Spurs vs. Golden State

Knicks vs. Pacers
Heat vs. Who Gives a Fuck Heat in 4.

---------- Post added 2013-05-04 at 07:53 AM ----------

Lol Jib underestimating Warriors was really the nail in the coffin.

---------- Post added 2013-05-04 at 07:56 AM ----------

Round 2 Predictions:
Memphis in 6
...I can see Golden State getting hot from 3 and hurting Spurs....But Spurs are boss status.
I'll tentatively say Golden State in 7. Golden State's home court is really nice.

Knicks in 7...? I honestly think Pacers will win but Knicks are better! + Amare should be coming back.
Heat in 4 if it's Nets, Heat in 5 if it's Bulls.

[Deleted]

okc-mem 4:2
gsw-sas 2:4
ind-nyk 4:1
mia-whatever sweep

[conscript]

Memphis-OKC 4-1 I don't see how OKC can possibly beat Memphis without Westbrook
San Antonio-Golden State 4-2 although I'd love to see Golden State move on.
New York-Indiana 4-2
Miami-Chicago 4-1
Miami-Brooklyn 4-0

[Skarsguard]

Memphis-OKC 4-2 OKC will make it a decent series but in the end losing Westbrook is just going to be to much
Spurs-Warriors 4-2 I actually think this is going to be a good series Warriors match up pretty well against the Spurs
Pacers-Knickerbockers 4-3 both teams struggled against their teams but I think it took more out of the Knicks for their win.
Miami-Chicago 4-1 didn't really matter who they played but now since it's Chicago I think that it will be 4-1 with nets it would have been 4-0

[Valeron]

Memphis was already a tough match up for OKC with westbrook healthy. With him out, I see Memphis winning in 6 games.

[Blueobelisk]

Skars pick a number for Miami series! Miami in 5 or 6.

And Doozer you should make some more picks.

Hurry up and make your selections guys, the games start tomorrow early, 1 PM East, not at night.

Looks like Bulls are gonna win. Poor Jib, this must be embarrassing. My God like clairvoyance.

---------- Post added 2013-05-04 at 09:17 PM ----------

Oh and I'm gonna revise my shit since Amare COULD come back Game 3 next series.

Pacers in 6.
Heat in 4 against Nets.
Heat in 5 against Bulls.

Memphis in 6.
Spurs in 5.

[Valeron]

Memphis in 6
Spurs in 5
Miami in 5 (irregardless who they play)
NY in 7

[Blueobelisk]

+5 for Jib; +7 for me.

28 total Jib. 36 total me. Raped him. Also correctly predicted Bulls would win, and the exact # of games. I should buy lotto tickets.

---------- Post added 2013-05-04 at 10:51 PM ----------

Oh I forgot to yell. Not only did Joe Johnson not step up, he took shots at the end that just fucked everyone since those were important possessions.