2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[conscript]

One if the most fouled teams in the NBA were afraid of Howard under the basket and settled for long fadeaways, that's why no FT's. And Magic collected offensive rebounds and passed ball inside. Plus intentional foul on Howard at the end of 4th. And they were trailing at the last minutes of OT, so here comes intentional fouls again. I actually just watched the game so I actually know what I'm talking about. If Heat won't figure out something better than long jumpers against teams with tall frontcourts, they will run into same problems as they did in last years Finals.

Ya I watched it to, well flipping back and forth between that and the college game, and ya the Orlando number was inflated thanks to Hack a Dwight. Miami certainly didn't go to the lane enough, but there were plenty of non-calls. Not that that excuses Miami from losing that game. They missed a shit ton of wide open looks late in the game. Battier missed several wide open threes, LeBron missed a wide open three.

[buck008]

In the same way that getting Sunny Delight is better than dying of thirst. Better, but only because of the void that would be there if you didn't fill it with that awful concoction.

---------- Post added 2012-03-14 at 11:07 AM ----------

According to the New York Post, Carmelo Anthony wants out of New York. The reason he has taken so few shots during huge stretches of games lately is that Lin and the rest of the team refuse to go to him because Carmelo won't run D'Antoni's offense. Apparently Lin and the rest of them have been trying to get him to play the system but he has been refusing to compromise. He also may or may not want an assurance that the Knicks are going to fire D'Antoni, something he believed was going to happen after the playoffs last year, if they fail to succeed this season and he wants input on personnel decisions like a number of other stars have.

D'Antonio deserves to be fired because this team quit on him when Melo came back and wouldn't play ball. Which is why I say you'll never win if Melo is your best player. For all his talent, he's a whiny little punk who sulks when he doesn't get his way. The coach takes an equal share of the blame in this case, though, because the team totally bought into the system when Melo went down and Lin was playing well. That went to shit the very day their star player came back, and D'Antonio didn't do anything at all to get him in line. Teams fall apart when the stars play by different rules than everyone else. Especially when you're losing. Congrats to Carmelo Anthony, the first ever, to my knowledge, double Ewing Theory player!

[mirodin]

According to the New York Post, Carmelo Anthony wants out of New York. The reason he has taken so few shots during huge stretches of games lately is that Lin and the rest of the team refuse to go to him because Carmelo won't run D'Antoni's offense. Apparently Lin and the rest of them have been trying to get him to play the system but he has been refusing to compromise. He also may or may not want an assurance that the Knicks are going to fire D'Antoni, something he believed was going to happen after the playoffs last year, if they fail to succeed this season and he wants input on personnel decisions like a number of other stars have.

Carmelo said that he is not used to playing behind the 3-point line, so that he spreads the floor. He wants to get the ball at the elbow, and post-up his defender. And the solutions to the Knicks problems are simple. You either
A) Fire D'Antoni
B) Trade Melo and
C) Hope that Melo start playing D'Antoni's way
Also i hear that B. Diddy was pissed at his playing time.

Whether you can win with Melo as your best player i think he proved that when they reached the WCF with the Nuggets. And imo D'Antoni should have benched Melo the second he refused to run his offense, the one which gave them the 7 game win streak. With that he basically gave Melo all the power.

[conscript]

According to Broussard, the Magic have made it known that they will be trading Dwight Howard by the trade deadline if he doesn't commit for an additional season by then.

[buck008]

Except they didn't win. They had a good season, but he's never even played in the NBA Finals. The fact that he won't play in that offense, because "it's not what he's used to" is exactly why he'll never win. First off, D'Antonio has always run the same offensive scheme back to his days in Phoenix. Melo is in his second season. That bullshit excuse may have flown last year, but not now. He's not stupid. He understands the system perfectly, but he doesn't think it benefits him or his game, so he plays the way he wants. He definitely should have been benched when he decided he wasn't going to play ball, though.

Here's the thing. He demanded a trade last year, killed Denver's season, and forced the Knicks to send any tradable assets they had to Denver. He was going to be a free agent in the offseason and was going to New York anyway. Why demand the trade? Here's the repercussion: they had nothing to offer New Orleans for Chris Paul with Galinari et al, gone. So now he's fucked two teams because he's a selfish ass. Denver came out alright in the end because they players they got back are doing well. Meanwhile, the Knicks can't get him to buy into their system at all. The system of the team he wanted to play for so badly he forced a stupid midseason trade to make it happen. That's the kind of guy you can't win with regardless of how good he is.

[conscript]

And cancel those Melo trade rumors, Mike D'Antoni has resigned as the head coach of the New York Knicks.

---------- Post added 2012-03-14 at 02:54 PM ----------

Seeing as Woj broke the D'Antoni story, he also says that Portland is discussing a deal to send Crawford to Minnesota. Considering Portland wants to move him I can't imagine the Wolves are sending back something significant like Beasley or Pek. Darko is in a similar price range so is Martell Webster.

[Masqerader]

knicks seem to be falling fast.

[Deleted]

It's hard to compare Anthony Davis.... I feel sorry for him though because he will probably go to the Bobcats or Cavs.

For some reason I really want to see him go to the Bobcats and play in tandem with Bismack Biyombo. If that is the case, Charlotte could be fun to watch eventually.

[fizzbob]

One if the most fouled teams in the NBA were afraid of Howard under the basket and settled for long fadeaways, that's why no FT's. And Magic collected offensive rebounds and passed ball inside. Plus intentional foul on Howard at the end of 4th. And they were trailing at the last minutes of OT, so here comes intentional fouls again. I actually just watched the game so I actually know what I'm talking about. If Heat won't figure out something better than long jumpers against teams with tall frontcourts, they will run into same problems as they did in last years Finals.

the way you beat miami is you play tight inside and hope they miss 3s

this year they're a top 3pt shooting team, last night battier was 0-4 on wide open looks in 4th/OT, chalmers was 2-8 in the whole game and missed 3 open looks in the 4th and OT

if your gameplan to beat someone depends on them not executing, then you are saying you can't beat them but hoping they'll beat themselves. it worked last night. barely. let's not forget the bosh shot that was counted then not counted and instead of being tied in OT with a FT coming up, it turned into the ball being inbound from the side

ORL played good enough, they're a top 3 team in the east, but miami missed wide open shots, 11 of them in the final 6 of the 4th and OT

they're a top shooting team, that was an anomaly, after 2 days off they're not playing good and haven't all year. they need a big without a doubt, but defensively they can guard any team in the league however they want, lebron can shut down a 7 footer, but on offense they need some tall help inside. offensive boards and points.

but still, to beat them in a series, you gotta hope they miss open shots and that's usually not where you wanna be

[conscript]

Update to that Portland dealing Crawford story. Apparently it is a three team trade involving Los Angeles. The Lakers would get at least Beasley back in the deal. No clue what other pieces are moving.

[mirodin]

knicks seem to be falling fast.

This was a step in the right direction. They were fucked with him. Lets see how Woodson does.
I tried using that ESPN Trade Mashine, trading Dwight for Scola and Dalembert. Would add +10 wins to Houston, and how awesome would it be to have Lowry, Martin and Dwight. And they are 10 times better then the Nets + you have one of the best big man ever as a coach.

[Deleted]

Is Carmelo Anthony the modern day Stephon Marbury?

They both had early success, then killed every team afterwards.

[Jibjabb]

i think its premature to say hes killing the knicks. Hes long been overrated Ive never been a huge supporter of his but I cant sit here and say he is Marbury somebody who didnt even try half the time and just gutted the team with his financial situation and refusal to put an effort. Melo tries he just isnt a real superstar plain and simple. When hes on he can score with the best of them and thats about all he can do. He doesnt really make players around him better by drawing the double teams in. He doesnt really rebound. He is a poor defender. He doesnt move without the basketball very well. All these things limit the chance of success your team can have with him. I dont think any team can win if hes your best player. If he wants to win a championship he has to be the #2. Amare isnt good enough to be the real #1 of that team. Chandler isnt a big enough bandaid to make that defense worth anything when your 3 primary players (Melo, Amare, Lin) are well known bad defenders.

[conscript]

i think its premature to say hes killing the knicks.

I really don't think it is to early to say that at all. Well, it isn't really Melo killing the Knicks, it is Dolan, but that isn't the point. Melo killed the team when he came to New York and they moved a ton of assets for a player knowing damn well he was going to sign with them in the offseason anyways. He kills the Knicks now on the floor by being an absolutely abysmal shooter this season, taking too many shots, and being a completely broken wheel on the D'Antoni offensive system. He apparently is killing the Knicks off the floor seeing as they just fired D'Antoni a few hours after Melo reportedly let it be known that he wanted to be traded if D'Antoni was still around. Denver is a better team without him and was only ever really good when they had a ridiculous cast around him that could keep the ball out of his hands. The Knicks were way better with him injured just a few weeks ago. The team was motivated and excited to go out there every night. Everyone on the team has gotten worse since Melo has come back. Lin's numbers have plummeted. Fields numbers have plummeted. Their PPG against has went up. The team just can't function right now with Melo just like everyone feared. Maybe it is a system issue maybe it is a Melo issue. It is going to be impossible to implement a new system in New York with the way the schedule is laid out this season though. If the Ellis trade works out at all for the Bucks or the Pistons and Cavs keep playing good, the Knicks are fucked. What a great offseason that will be if they miss the playoffs.

The Knicks are exactly identical to Washington in the NHL. Both teams are loaded with star power. Both teams have failed to live up to expectations big time thanks to malfunctioning offensive systems and abysmal defensive commitment.

Melo still isn't Marbury though. That guy is a whole different level of suck.

[Skarsguard]

I'm kinda sitting back laughing at the Knicks right now. Mike was out the door a month ago but Jeremy Lin saved him a couple weeks look I don't know if its Melo's fault or if its Mikes fault but look at there sch when Linsanity was going on and look at the last 2 weeks they played way tougher teams and players started guarding Lin pretty hard and Melo didn't shoot good at all. I really think the team just had more chemistry before Melo and the Goggle came back but also had an easier sch so IDK now that Mike is gone its all on Melo.

[Kikistos]

As much as the Knicks struggles are Mike D'antoni's fault (For not tailoring his scheme around his players), this speaks more to just how incompetent James Dolan is. The Knicks had Carmelo anyway, he was going to sign in NY in the offseason regardless, and then he overrode Walsh and traded half his talent for a player that would've been going to NY anyway...then he goes in the offseason and picks up Billups' option, only to amnesty him a few weeks later to sign Tyson Chandler...when the plan in place was to save that money for Dwight Howard/ Chris Paul/ DeRon Williams this off-season, rather than overspend on a talented big man that has yet to prove he can stay on the floor. (Though at least they didn't pull a Golden State and trade a top 20 Guard + a promising young PF for a guy that hasn't been relevant since 2008)

[Thallidomaniac]

And the Knicks win by 40+. Whether or not it was related to D'Antoni's resignation, I see this as just a mere fluke unless Melo get's his attitude in check.

The refs also missed a call late in the Heat/Bulls game. The ball bounced off of Korver but the refs said it was Bulls ball, which could have led to a 3 point play if the refs got that call right.

[conscript]

And the Knicks win by 40+. Whether or not it was related to D'Antoni's resignation, I see this as just a mere fluke unless Melo get's his attitude in check.

The refs also missed a call late in the Heat/Bulls game. The ball bounced off of Korver but the refs said it was Bulls ball, which could have led to a 3 point play if the refs got that call right.

Teams almost always win the game after they fire their embattled head coach. The Chiefs beat the formerly unbeatable Packers in the NFL this year a couple days after firing their coach. It happens all the time. Plus they were playing the Blazers are absolutely abysmal on the road.

Reportedly, Dwight is going to sign his waiver and remain with Orlando through next season. It isn't signed yet though and the Magic are still pursuing trade options if he doesn't sign it by 3 pm.

---------- Post added 2012-03-15 at 01:35 PM ----------

Okay wtf Nets. So you appear to lose out on Howard after he flip flopped back to wanting to be in Orlando and instead you "improve" your team by trading away Okur, Shawne Willians, AND a 1st round pick for Gerald Wallace a free agent at the end of the year with a player option for next season? Why? The pick is top 3 protected so they are going to have to tank the rest of this season to keep it to make this deal even possibly viable. They seriously can not afford to lose that pick in a draft that is this good. Huge steal for the Blazers if the Nets land at 4 or above.

---------- Post added 2012-03-15 at 01:38 PM ----------

Lakers get Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga for Luke Walton and the Lakers 1st this year.

---------- Post added 2012-03-15 at 01:53 PM ----------

Toronto sending Barbosa to Indy for 2nd round pick and cash. Great move for the Pacers.

---------- Post added 2012-03-15 at 02:18 PM ----------

Hope Stephen Jackson didn't unpack his bags yet, looks like he will be on the move from Golden State to San Antonio in exchange for Richard Jefferson. Pop apparently like Jackson and is well respected enough to control him.

---------- Post added 2012-03-15 at 02:25 PM ----------

Blazers stay busy by trading Marcus Camby to Houston. Blazers get back a 2nd and expiring deals (probably Thabeet and Flynn)

[buck008]

Dwight Howard officially stays with Orlando through next season. I think he just wanted some attention.

[dgarner32]

Go nuggets!!