2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[conscript]

The Heat are apparently looking to trade for Chris Kaman from the Hornets. Talk about making a ridiculously good team even better. Replacing Joel Anthony with a much better center would be a big upgrade. Kaman averages way more rebounds in the same minutes Anthony does plus is a much better scorer inside. Hell, LeBron averages nearly twice as many rebounds a night as the Heats center.

[Fahrenheit]

Pretty stoked, going to the Knicks game tomorrow, 2-17-12. Super Lintendo!

[conscript]

Speaking of Lin, Derrick Rose is skipping the All Star game with his back injury rumor has it. Stern should absolutely invite Lin. Shouldn't the biggest story in the sport by far be at its event that is supposed to be about popular players?

[Deleted]

Speaking of Lin, Derrick Rose is skipping the All Star game with his back injury rumor has it. Stern should absolutely invite Lin. Shouldn't the biggest story in the sport by far be at its event that is supposed to be about popular players?

Over Rondo, Williams, and Calderon? Well, OK, maybe only because of popularity. And I guess that's most of my problem. He hasn't done much more than succeeded to hide his talent somewhere. And thanks to need for stories of media people he's suddenly must popular player on planet. I still think those three deserve to be all stars more.

[mirodin]

Did you guys watch the rising stars draft? Team Shaq has 5 PG's lol. I think it will be an interesting game to watch, you can see Chuck's was tutored about his picks .

[conscript]

Over Rondo, Williams, and Calderon? Well, OK, maybe only because of popularity. And I guess that's most of my problem. He hasn't done much more than succeeded to hide his talent somewhere. And thanks to need for stories of media people he's suddenly must popular player on planet. I still think those three deserve to be all stars more.

Ya it certainly wouldn't be based on who deserves to be there (Rondobut would be about making money like most Stern decisions. They managed to add him to the Young Stars game and now he will be passing to Shumpert at the dunk contest.

[sheffield]

I don't think Lin should be in the all-star game.. NO WAY.. it's just not fair to put him in only after 7 games regardless of this magical run .. I'm also not too thrilled that he's playing in the Rising Stars game... I'm pretty sure Stern pressured/guilted him into participating.. but, I can see why it was warranted.

As a Knicks fan, I would've hoped that he would use the time off to rest.. as we've got Miami right before the break.. and then a pretty tough stretch of games.

Cleveland, @Boston, @Dallas, @SanAntonio, @Milwaukee, Philly, @Chicago

[Deleted]

Did you guys watch the rising stars draft? Team Shaq has 5 PG's lol. I think it will be an interesting game to watch, you can see Chuck's was tutored about his picks .

Eeeh, choice of players partly dictates it. There are 7 PGs from 20 players. And very few SG. Anyway, yes should be interesting game. My bid would be on Shaq team, because of brains (Rubio) and power (Griffin) combination. And if Monroe will defend Cousins a bit, should be sure thing. But considering that games like that usually are played on full offense, no defense mode, it can go anyway luck shines more.

[mirodin]

Stayed up to watch Lin last night, and man he commits a lot of turnovers, 5 in the first quarter! Anyway now i'm thinking Melo coming back will only do good for him. He won't have to force the issue and can just give it to Melo if he has no other solutions.

[conscript]

Stayed up to watch Lin last night, and man he commits a lot of turnovers, 5 in the first quarter! Anyway now i'm thinking Melo coming back will only do good for him. He won't have to force the issue and can just give it to Melo if he has no other solutions.

Ya adding Melo to the mix will certainly help cut down those turnovers big time. If you look game by game the ones where he has the fewest turnovers are the games where the Knicks have other guys producing. Last night it was him STAT and thats it. Chandler added 10 points, but Shump, Fields, Novak, and Walker couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Those four were a combined 7 for 31. You can't win games when the bulk of your team shoots 22%. Adding Melo gives them another huge offensive option. Adding JR Smith only improves that even more. A starting 5 of Chandler, STAT, Melo, Lin, and JR Smith is sick. Just sick. Lin has solved their biggest deficiency coming into the year. Adding JR is pure gravy. If there is a team that has any shot of beating the Heat now in the East it is the Knicks. Chandler completely locked down the interior on them in the Finals last year. Their big issue is that their perimeter defense is fucking atrocious with Smith, Lin and Melo. The Heat could massacre them if they are hitting shots plus the Heat play absolutely bonkers defense when they are invested in the game. The Bulls are a threat obviously, but they are still the Rose show offensively for most of the game, especially late, and that has hurt them in the past.

[Aristeia]

I'd rather start Fields over Smith, for the better rebounding and defense.

[mirodin]

I'd rather start Fields over Smith, for the better rebounding and defense.

Was thinking the same, have JR come of the bench just like Harden does/did for OKC.

[sheffield]

JR looked good in his debut today... making it a tough decision for D'antoni.. which i'm sure is a problem most coaches wouldn't mind having

[Aristeia]

Heh, the refs have NO clue how to call a good foul when the Oklahoma City Thunder are involved...

You looked at KD! FOUL!

You frowned at Westbrook! FOUL!

Seriously, I don't see other teams treated quite like that.

[Thallidomaniac]

Heh, the refs have NO clue how to call a good foul when the Oklahoma City Thunder are involved...

You looked at KD! FOUL!

You frowned at Westbrook! FOUL!

Seriously, I don't see other teams treated quite like that.

Jeeze, what's next? Getting a Technical Foul for breathing?

[Aristeia]

Jeeze, what's next? Getting a Technical Foul for breathing?

I wouldn't be shocked.

Forgot to add

Ty Lawson has a guy jump into him while he's shooting! No call!

[Pendulous]

What's the opposite of deep? Because OKC seems to have that as far as a team goes. If Durant and Westbrook have bad games, they're boned.

And Utah screws the pooch again. If they play bad/mediocre teams this bad, they have zero chance in the playoffs. At this point I wonder if they're still even gonna make it.

[conscript]

What's the opposite of deep? Because OKC seems to have that as far as a team goes. If Durant and Westbrook have bad games, they're boned.

And Utah screws the pooch again. If they play bad/mediocre teams this bad, they have zero chance in the playoffs. At this point I wonder if they're still even gonna make it.

And what team in the NBA can claim to be able to win games if their two best players have off nights? The only team close to that would be the Heat, but that would take a monster night from Bosh for them to stay close if LeBron and Wade aren't putting up 20+. The Thunder could use another offensive option (Ray Allen cough), but they are just as deep or deeper than most teams in the West with harden coming off the bench.

As for the Jazz, I don't think they have a real good shot to make it. They are a areal young team still rebuilding that has exceeded expectations big time so far. Lakers, Clippers, Thunder, Mavs, and Spurs are playoff locks which leaves three spots for Memphis, Utah, Houston, Minnesota, Portland, and Denver. Memphis is only going to get better over the course of the season when they get Randolph back in March. Houston is getting great play from Lowry and should easily compete for one of those spots. Portland is a total wild card that should make it but plays ridiculously inconsistent. Denver out works basically everyone and will only get better when Galinari comes back. Minnesota and Utah are basically in the same boat. They are young teams still building, Minnesota is in toughly year 6 of rebuild mode thanks to Kahn, that are probably .500 at best teams right now in the West.

The Pistons are finally not looking like total garbage over the last few weeks. They are a real solid defensive club and are finally getting offensive production. They beat the crap out of Boston the last two games. They don't feel close to competing for the bottom of the East playoffs which shockingly enough will take a .500 record this year rather than being 8 games under .500 like the Pacers were last season (East r good), but there is a glimmer of hope that they might not be awful for the forseeable future once some of their 15 guards come off the books.

[Fahrenheit]

And what team in the NBA can claim to be able to win games if their two best players have off nights? The only team close to that would be the Heat...

Isn't half the reason why Lin has had such a meteoric rise? No Amare or Melo for 3-4 game and the Knicks won all of them.

[conscript]

Isn't half the reason why Lin has had such a meteoric rise? No Amare or Melo for 3-4 game and the Knicks won all of them.

You could say that, but Lin also appears to be their second best player behind Melo since STAT has been wildly mediocre this year.