The 2006-07 NBA Regular Season Thread

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

Cavs fall to 2-2 with losses to the BobCraps and the Hawks. Man, someone needs to get this team a fucking PG and a real head coach.

Yup, 2 nice wins by the Spurs and Wizards completely negated by two horrible losses.

We need a bench, because Hughes and Z are not consistent scorers, and currently we have no one else to step in and pick up the slack. Donyell Marshall is the only guy on the bench capable of putting some points up, and he spends far too much time shooting 3s. Outside of that we have Damon Jones getting far too much court time and David Wesley doing nothing at all with his time either. Meanwhile we draft one potentially electric scorer in Brown, and he barely hits the court. Against the Hawks, our bench scored 15 points on 6-24 shooting, 12 of which were from Marshall.

I understand that Coach Brown is all about the D, but you aren't going to win games shooting .363%, even with LeBron playing his best.

[Subby]

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Randolph, Bynum among early surprise studs

---

By John Hollinger
ESPN Insider

It's the most ancient early-season conundrum -- when is a good start merely a hot streak, and when does it signify something more? We're a week into the season and every team has a few games under its belt, so it's time to take a look at which players are vastly exceeding their expectations for this season. But that look has to be tempered by a bit of reality -- for most of these guys, we'd barely notice if they did the same thing during a five-game stretch in mid-January. What we would notice, however, is if they kept it up for the entire season. And for at least some of these players, that's probably what's going to happen. I look at it this way -- yes, I could go back and find a five-game stretch when Zach Randolph has played this well. But if I took a random five-game stretch of Randolph's career, it's exceedingly unlikely that I'd find a stretch when he played so well. On the other hand, turning this logic on its head yields a different approach. In a league with about 300 players seeing regular action, we'd expect several of them to play better than par in a five-game stretch just by random chance. So it's not unusual that a large number of players have stats at this point that are well above, or well below, the expectation. What I'm doing today, then, is highlighting not only the players who are playing far better than expected but also those whose performance is important or telling for some particular reason. Eleven players stand out in that respect, so let's take a look at them:

Zach Randolph, Blazers: Is it possible for somebody to win the Most Improved Award twice? Randolph won it three years ago but is playing ridiculously well to start this season, reminding everyone why the Blazers gave him that oft-ridiculed six-year, $84 million extension. Overwhelming the Sonics in the opener was one thing -- really, who doesn't? -- but hanging 35 and 37 on the two L.A. teams was an eye opener. He's obviously in much better shape, too, after struggling to return from knee surgery a year ago. Randolph leads the league in player efficiency rating and is fourth in scoring, helping Portland to a surprising 3-2 start. Now let's see if he can keep showing up on time for the games.

Carlos Arroyo, Magic: We're about to have a full-blown point guard controversy in Orlando, because it's getting tougher and tougher to justify keeping Arroyo off the floor. Starter Jameer Nelson hasn't been chopped liver, but with Arroyo scoring at a phenomenal rate (27.9 points per 40 minutes) in addition to his usual stellar playmaking, it's all but impossible to keep him on the pine. Not only does his jumper look vastly improved, but he seems to have calmed down on the hotdogging and is just making the play the defense gives him.

Charlie Villanueva, Bucks: Remember in the preseason, when Villanueva kept fouling like crazy and couldn't stay on the court? He sure seems to have figured things out pretty quickly, eh? We all knew Charlie V could score, but the surprise here is that he's turned into a monster on the boards, grabbing 9.6 per game while sporting one of the league's top per-minute rebound rates. I'm not sure he can keep rebounding at quite such a prolific clip, but suffice it to say the Bucks are more than pleased with the newcomer's production. But since Raptors fans keep telling me I'm preaching to the choir here, I won't mention anything about how Milwaukee obtained him.

Andrew Bynum, Lakers: Memo to Phil Jackson: You might want to consider playing this guy more than 21.2 minutes per game. Check out Bynum's 40-minute averages: 21.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Plus, he's shooting 65.6 percent. Not bad for a 19-year-old kid with limited game experience. While he's unlikely to play at such an exalted level for 82 games, methinks Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm aren't getting their jobs back.

Quentin Richardson, Knicks: He's an early contender for the prestigious "Let's Just Pretend Last Season Never Happened Award." Richardson's balky back is feeling much better, thanks, and he's picked up right where he left off two years ago in Phoenix. Actually, he's gone one better, hitting 54.2 percent from the floor while averaging 19.8 points and 6.8 boards. As one of the few Knicks who isn't a legend in his own mind, Richardson has become a solid pillar in New York's otherwise crumbling edifice.

Joe Johnson, Hawks: With Al Harrington gone, the Hawks basically asked Johnson to pull a Kobe and just take every shot. Amazingly, it's working. Only Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade have a higher usage rate than the Hawks' guard, but it hasn't seemed to impact Johnson's efficiency at all -- his true shooting percentage of 58.0 remains well above the league average. Throw in a few over-their-head-efforts from Zaza Pachulia and Tyronn Lue and the Hawks are shockingly on top of the East at 3-1 -- a sight far better than the 2-16 egg they laid to begin last season.

Andris Biedrins, Warriors: I'm still kicking myself for leaving him off my All-Breakout Team, because coach Don Nelson abandoned his small-ball lineup after one game and put this Latvian lefty in as the starting center. It's not unusual to see players with incredibly high or low shooting percentages this early in the year (that means you, Fabricio), but in Biedrins' case it's more legit than most -- he shot 68.9 percent a year ago, so his 81 percent mark so far this year shouldn't be too big a shock. Throw in his 2.6 blocks a game, and it looks like the starting center job is his. By the way, what's up with all the good big-man prospects having the initials "A.B."? -- there's Bynum, Bogut, Biedrins and Bargnani, and Washington fans will add Andray Blatche to that group. Somewhere in Europe right now I'm sure there's a kid named Aleksandar Brzszyfjwz ready to take the league by storm.

Kevin Martin, Kings: When I made my All-Breakout Team, I said, "Martin won't shoot as well as he did a year ago..." Perhaps I spoke too soon. Martin is hitting 54.2 percent from the field while averaging 23.4 points per game for the Kings, including a 30-point outburst against Detroit Wednesday night.

Sam Cassell, Clippers: This was supposed to be the year that the old, fading Cassell gave way to young stud Shaun Livingston and transitioned into a Yoda role, teaching Livingston the ways of the force but rarely participating in battle. One snag: Cassell can still play. Sam I Am singlehandedly pulled out the Denver game, and he has stayed on fire since. He's averaging 22.8 points per game in just 29.8 minutes, and he's doing it with just 15.8 shots a game because he's getting to the line so much.

Etan Thomas and Antawn Jamison, Wizards: While Washington is only 2-2, its frontcourt has been far better than expected. Jamison doesn't seem the least bit winded from his run with the U.S. team this past summer, carving up opposing power forwards to the tune of 24.3 points, 58.0 percent shooting and the league's No. 4 PER. (By the way: Five of the top six players in PER so far played international ball this summer. Just saying.) Meanwhile, The Poet has provided the interior toughness Washington hoped for, at least when he isn't practicing kung fu with Brendan Haywood in the locker room. He has hit 76 percent of his shots, pulled down his share of boards, and most importantly, defended the rim, with 10 blocks in the first four games.

John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. To e-mail him, click here.

[miami_fan]

Phoenix is determined to try and win a championship without playing any sort of defense. It won't work that way.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yup, 2 nice wins by the Spurs and Wizards completely negated by two horrible losses.

We need a bench, because Hughes and Z are not consistent scorers, and currently we have no one else to step in and pick up the slack. Donyell Marshall is the only guy on the bench capable of putting some points up, and he spends far too much time shooting 3s. Outside of that we have Damon Jones getting far too much court time and David Wesley doing nothing at all with his time either. Meanwhile we draft one potentially electric scorer in Brown, and he barely hits the court. Against the Hawks, our bench scored 15 points on 6-24 shooting, 12 of which were from Marshall.

I understand that Coach Brown is all about the D, but you aren't going to win games shooting .363%, even with LeBron playing his best.

So after those 2 losses, they destroy what many called a championship calibre Bulls squad. At least it appears that they realize david Wesley is done, and are going to give Pavlosuck a chance to get minutes off of the bench.

[stevew]

Yeah, so whomever has the Larry Hughes Voodoo doll, you could put it away sometime.

And KMart and DMiles are both already done for the season. Kmart being away from Denver all year will probably end up being a +EV situation for them anyways.

[Icy]

Watch out for Portland's 20 years old rookie Sergio Rodriguez. He was not playing at all and Portland was thinking on sending him to the DL to get used to the NBA rules and play style while learning English language, but... they gave him a few minutes in the last 2 games and he showed why he is thought as one of the most promising young European players. Look at his two last games assists numbers:

He didn't play at all before this two last games, then...
12 minutes 8 assists 1 turnover
26 minutes 8 assists 1 turnover

He scored only 2 points per game as he is more focused now on passing, but he averaged 19ppg in Spain so he knows how to shoot too.

If he is given play time he will show why he is one of the best passers in Europe and the best in Spain and he is only 20 years old. He is really quick both with his feet and brain.

His main problem now is that he knows zero English so he is having communication problems with his team mates and coach. Imagine how he can team-play once he knows at least some English.

[bulletsponge]

His main problem now is that he knows zero English so he is having communication problems with his team mates and coach. Imagine how he can team-play once he knows at least some English.

since hes on the Jailblazers his first american words he will learn are; Ho, refer, Gat'

[TroyF]

My thoughts on the early season:

The Jazz are playing out of their mind.
The Heat are horrible. Not just bad, they are horrible.
Dwight Howard is a beast.
The Lakers are better than I thought.
KG is going to blow up in 3, 2, 1. . .
The Joe Johnson signing looks better and better everyday. . .
Mainly because Boris Diaw has forgotten how to play basketball.
There is a very good chance the Bulls trade of JR Smith for Howard Eisley and 2 second round picks will be one of the top ten worst trades in league history. The kid can play. He's raw as hell, but damn does he have talent.
Memphis really, really, really misses Pau.

[Bad-example]

Monta Ellis has quickly become my favorite NBA player. The kid is awful quick and has a lot of poise for such a youngster. How did he last into the 2nd round last year?

[Neuqua]

Anyone see that *sick* block Kobe had on Deron Williams' dunk attempt last night?

Wow.

[miami_fan]

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com



NBA commissioner David Stern, in a stunning reversal, has decided to shelve the new microfiber composite basketball after just a few months of use and switch back to the old leather model for all games starting Jan. 1, according to sources close to the situation.


The decision will be formally announced by the league Tuesday, sources told ESPN.com.


Despite an avalanche of player complaints about the new synthetic model from the first day of training camp in October, skepticism was high among players that Stern would consent to a change during the season. But with a number of prominent players complaining of cuts on their hands caused by the new ball's high-friction cover -- Phoenix's Steve Nash and New Jersey's Jason Kidd among them -- Stern was forced to concede that an in-season swap was unavoidable with the new ball inflicting injuries.


Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.



Is King David going soft? Nah

[Groundhog]

I'm surprised Stern changed direction on this, but with the finger cuts it's probably unavoidable.

I'm no GM of a professional sport league or anything, but maybe next time they should try and thoroughly test new equipment before unleashing it in the league? But I guess it's only the freakin' ball, so it's not like it's important to the game or anything... :P

[jbmagic]

Here's a look at this week's rankings (records and statistics are through Dec. 10).

L.A. Lakers 1. Los Angeles Lakers (14-6, Last ranking: 2) – The Lakers are showing their depth. Mo Evans gets 22 in Kobe's place after the sprained ankle, and L.A. beats the Hawks. Then Bryant returns and all five starters score in double figures in a win over San Antonio.

San Antonio 2. San Antonio Spurs (15-6, Last ranking: 4) – The Spurs beat three opponents by a combined 89 points, but then got shut down by the Lakers in L.A. Still, not a bad week.

Dallas 3. Dallas Mavericks (14-6, Last ranking: 1) – Rumors of an Iverson trade can't be true, can they? Perhaps losses to Washington and Detroit will sway Mark Cuban into making a pitch for A.I., but what a risk that would be.

Utah 4. Utah Jazz (15-5, Last ranking: 3) – Slow week for the Jazz. Only two games on the docket, which they split. This week will be tougher: Four games, including dates with the Mavs and Clippers.

Phoenix 5. Phoenix Suns (13-6, Last ranking: 7) – Ten in a row for the smoking hot Suns. The 114 points they put up in Charlotte were the fewest they've scored in the past five games.

Detroit 6. Detroit Pistons (13-7, Last ranking: 9) – Rasheed Wallace made seven combined threes in back-to-back road wins over Dallas and Orlando. When he shoots well, Detroit usually wins.

Houston 7. Houston Rockets (14-6, Last ranking: 8) – Yao Ming is emerging as an early season MVP candidate: He's putting up 25.5 points and grabbing 9.4 boards and shooting 53 percent.

Cleveland 8. Cleveland Cavaliers (12-7, Last ranking: 10) – Second-round pick Daniel Gibson has started the last two games in the backcourt, and he's produced, shooting a combined 8-for-14 from the floor (including five three-pointers) and scoring a total of 26 points.

Orlando 9. Orlando Magic (15-7, Last ranking: 5) – Dwight Howard has the potential to be unstoppable in the paint, so it was good to see him take 43 shots in his last three games. He's much too dominant to only average 10 shots a game (his season average).

Denver 10. Denver Nuggets (11-7, Last ranking: 6) – All four games are on the road this week, but fortunately for the Nuggets, they play three Atlantic Division teams.

L.A. Clippers 11. Los Angeles Clippers (10-9, Last ranking: 12) – Chris Kaman is starting to show signs of life, and Elton Brand put together several great games last week. The Clippers' vaunted inside game is on the way back.

Minnesota 12. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-9, Last ranking: 20) – Kevin Garnett leads Minnesota to four straight wins, then makes a public plea for A.I. The problem? Wolves owner Glenn Taylor won't want to pay another guy $20 million per year, will he?

Chicago 13. Chicago Bulls (10-10, Last ranking: 15) – The Bulls' seven-game winning streak was finally snapped by the Wolves, but Scott Skiles seems to have found the right rotation. Ever since Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni were put in the starting lineup together, Chicago has rolled.

Indiana 14. Indiana Pacers (11-11, Last ranking: 14) – Another day at the office: Stephen Jackson is banished from the bench after a first-half altercation with Rick Carlisle in the Pacers' blowout loss to Cleveland.

Washington 15. Washington Wizards (9-11, Last ranking: 23) – Big win over Dallas might get the Wizards on track. They won three of four games last week.

New Orleans 16. New Orleans Hornets (9-10, Last ranking: 16) – How about the week ahead for the Hornets? Cleveland, San Antonio and Dallas. They are just trying to keep their heads above water in the deep West.

Miami 17. Miami Heat (8-11, Last ranking: 17) – Like the Counting Crows song, Miami is "Hangin' Around" until Shaq gets back.

Seattle 18. Seattle SuperSonics (10-11, Last ranking: 21) – The Sonics win three in a row, all without Ray Allen. Luke Ridnour is enjoying a fantastic season at the point.

Golden State 19. Golden State Warriors (10-11, Last ranking: 11) – It took five tries, but Nellie finally gets his 1,200th win. The question is, can he keep the Warriors in the playoff hunt in the West? Six of Golden State's next eight games are on the road.

Sacramento 20. Sacramento Kings (9-10, Last ranking: 13) – The Joe Johnson-less Hawks were exactly what the Kings needed to break a five-game losing streak. Brad Miller is beginning to pick it up after an early season injury slowed him.

Atlanta 21. Atlanta Hawks (8-11, Last ranking: 18) – Joe Johnson's streak of 376 straight games played was finally snapped in Sacramento, and his absence proved how valuable he is to the Hawks. He has led or tied his team in scoring in every game he's played this year.

Milwaukee 22. Milwaukee Bucks (8-12, Last ranking: 24) – Bobby Simmons is out for the season, but Charlie Villanueva came back. He had 24 and 8 in a loss to the Knicks.

Portland 23. Portland Trail Blazers (8-14, Last ranking: 27) – Still waiting for Brandon Roy to return. Meanwhile, Jarrett Jack is showing why the Blazers were willing to let Sebastian Telfair go. Jack just missed a triple double in the Toronto win.

New Jersey 24. New Jersey Nets (7-12, Last ranking: 19) – Tough week for Lawrence Frank. He berates himself for his late-game decisions in the heartbreaking Phoenix loss, then faces more scrutiny after putting Jason Kidd on Paul Pierce (who hit the game-winning shot) in a last-second loss to Boston.

New York 25. New York Knicks (8-14, Last ranking: 29) – Can't wait for the Stephon Marbury talk show to come out. I'm guessing it will be like "The Magic Hour" only not quite as good.

Toronto 26. Toronto Raptors (7-13, Last ranking: 22) – The Raptors were out-rebounded 56-34 without Chris Bosh against Portland, and Bosh will miss two more games with a bruised knee.

Boston 27. Boston Celtics (6-13, Last ranking: 25) – Danny Ainge announced that Doc Rivers is his coach for at least the rest of the season. The question remains: Can the young players develop?

Charlotte 28. Charlotte Bobcats (5-15, Last ranking: 28) – Adam Morrison was ice cold all week – 3 for 29 field goals for a total of nine points in three Bobcat losses. On the bright side, Sean May is playing the best ball of his career.

Memphis 29. Memphis Grizzlies (5-15, Last ranking: 30) – The sale of the team to Brian Davis appears to be falling through. Until something happens on that front, Jerry West's hands are tied – he can't make any moves.

Philadelphia 30. Philadelphia 76ers (5-14, Last ranking: 26) – It's all come undone in Philly. The impending Iverson trade is critical to the Sixers' future. Can they clear cap space and pick up a good young player?

.

[chris3627]

Barkley to join Albert courtside in Kerr's absence
Associated Press

ATLANTA -- Charles Barkley can critique Kobe Bryant's game all he wants Thursday night from an unfamiliar spot: courtside.

Barkley will take a week off from his usual role on TNT's studio show to join Marv Albert in calling the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Sacramento.

Barkley will be a courtside analyst for the first time in nearly five years and only the fourth time since he began working with the network. Albert requested the former NBA star because partner Steve Kerr had back spasms and was unavailable.

Bryant was bothered by Barkley's criticism after the Lakers' Game 7 loss to Phoenix in last season's playoffs. Bryant scored only one point and took just three shots in the second half. Barkley said Bryant was selfish for not trying to take greater control of the offense.

Bryant told Barkley he was angry in text message responses. They patched things up before Bryant appeared as a studio guest during TNT's coverage later in the postseason.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Probably a train wreck in the making, which would be interesting to watch, I'll tune in for a while at least. But with the success TNT has with their announcing crews (I can't think of a national network that does better in any sport) maybe the two bald men will do a good job.

I saw this other article in late December and didn't see it posted anywhere here and thought it was worth a look. Etan Thomas (vice president of union) has a blog on slam online and when talking about the ball change posted this tidbit.

The league would love to transform us into the NFL, and they will continue to attempt to chip away at guaranteed contracts. During his attempt to gain “cost certainty,” the Commissioner has previously offered during collective bargaining to simply pay one guaranteed amount and allow the players to divide it among ourselves — so long as the amount is fixed in advance, and the owners need not pay even a dollar more than the guaranteed amount. In essence, that would completely cut out the NBA’s middle class. (Interesting how there are so many parallels to a certain administration.)

During this last Collective Bargaining negotiation, David Stern put an offer on the table saying that he would be willing to do completely do away with the salary cap if the players would agree to non-guaranteed contracts. Don’t think for a moment this proposal is not going to come up again.

The whole article is here hxxp://slamonline.com/online/2006/12/etan-thomas-the-dawn-of-a-new-era/

I personally love this idea, while I don't think you can go to fully non-guaranteed contracts, cause then the league will become like baseball where the free agent dollars of NYC and LA will kill Mil, Sac, SLC or any of the other small markets. I think you can have contracts guaranteed for 3 or 4 years max, thus getting rid of some of the deadweight contracts you see (CWebb, just about every Knick.) Making trades actually about the players instead of these annoying "acquiring cap space" deals.

[stevew]

So, word out of Philly is that Chris Webber surrendered about 5 million, and pocketed about 27 million out of the 32 or so left on his contract for a buyout. While he may not be a 20 million dollar player, as a minsal player for a playoff calibre team he should be a pretty big boost to whomever he signs with.

[Neuqua]

He'd be a great fit for the Bulls if only Skiles weren't our coach.

[stevew]

Big Trade Today....

The Pacers traded Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson to Golden State for forwards Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy in a large, bold deal to shake up two struggling teams.

The Pacers also sent guard Sarunas Jasikevicius and forward Josh Powell to the Warriors, who gave up forward Ike Diogu and guard Keith McLeod. According to Chris Mullin, the Warriors' vice president and a former player for both teams, the wholesale shuffle will benefit everyone involved.

Pacers get 2 white guys on huge (unwarranted) contracts in Murphy and Dunleavy, Warriors get overpaid Al Harrington, and the leagues #1 jackass, Steven Jackson. Should be an interesting trade

[Bad-example]

Not sorry to see Dungleavy go, but Murphy is a good player that just can't stay healthy and was a poor fit with Nellie's system. If he can stay on the court, he should do much better with a team that plays more half court offense. Diogu is raw but should end up being a good player for them too.

The Warriors got better, both in terms of pure talent and getting players the coach can best utilize. They also got some salary cap relief to help pay guys like Pietrus, Ellis and Biedrins in the near future. It is always a concern bringing in a guy with the baggage Jackson is hauling around.

[miami_fan]

How the hell does Mullin sell this one to the fans? No way would I have taken Jackson.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

How the hell does Mullin sell this one to the fans? No way would I have taken Jackson.

Mullin is too busy doing his best Isiah impression to care.

In other news, watch Tony Allen absolutely destroy his knee on a totally stupid move.




Hey Momma, I'm going to dunk when it doesn't count.....ouch there goes my acl/mcl.

[stevew]

Rumor Has it.....

Pau Gasol was inactive Friday night, despite not being hurt. The Bulls are supposedly close to a deal that will send Gordon, PJ Brown and i believe the so-called "Oden Pick" of the Knicks to Memphis for Gasol. Bigtime aggresive move for the Bulls, and I think it takes them out of the East.

[Coffee Warlord]

Of the Big Four Youngin's (Hinrich, Deng, Nocioni, Gordon), Gordon is the one I would trade first. I like it if it's true.

*AS LONG* as the Knick's pick is conditional.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Of the Big Four Youngin's (Hinrich, Deng, Nocioni, Gordon), Gordon is the one I would trade first. I like it if it's true.

*AS LONG* as the Knick's pick is conditional.

The Knicks are *gasp* probably going to make the playoffs. If not, they still will not get enough balls to be a viable threat to get Oden or Durant. So if you're looking at maybe trading the draft rights to Joakim Noah for Pau Gasol, I think you pull that trigger, cause you can win a title this year....

[Crapshoot]

I wonder if the Bulls ought to give Garnett one last shot before doing this deal - Gasol is a great player, but KG is a top 10 talent, and Gordon/Brown/Thomas and the no 1 pick might get it done (Thomas doesn't seem to have any apparent place on the Bulls).

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by stevew

The Knicks are *gasp* probably going to make the playoffs. If not, they still will not get enough balls to be a viable threat to get Oden or Durant. So if you're looking at maybe trading the draft rights to Joakim Noah for Pau Gasol, I think you pull that trigger, cause you can win a title this year....

It's the Knicks. They can still blow it in amazing fashion.

You gotta protect that pick if it somehow it turns into the #1 overall (stranger things have happened), but I doubt that'd be a sticking point anyway. Pretty standard fare.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

I wonder if the Bulls ought to give Garnett one last shot before doing this deal - Gasol is a great player, but KG is a top 10 talent, and Gordon/Brown/Thomas and the no 1 pick might get it done (Thomas doesn't seem to have any apparent place on the Bulls).

I just don't think the Bulls can part with enough to make it work. You can't blow up half the team for one player, and Garnett ain't getting any younger. And dammit, I do not want them to give up on Thomas.

By the by, if the Gordon / Gasol trade is actually true, that puts the Bulls rookie I'm *really* impressed with, Thabo Sefalosha, theoretically in the starting lineup. Bulls with a guard who is taller than 6'3" appeals to me greatly.

[stevew]

Um, now I feel all jb, but supposedly Gasol had a minor strain of his foot. Still very odd to notice that he was out, with swirling trade rumors, and no real injury notices out anywhere.

[Neuqua]

The only reason I am hesitant to trade Gordon is that he is the only player on this team who has shown a *killer instinct* when the game is on the line. He has ice in his veins and you can't teach that.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

The only reason I am hesitant to trade Gordon is that he is the only player on this team who has shown a *killer instinct* when the game is on the line. He has ice in his veins and you can't teach that.

Except that really hasn't shown up this season. Gordon or not, the Bulls have blown several leads, they haven't pulled off those insane Gordon-led comebacks of last season, etc. When it all boils down, he's an undersized, ~20ppg shooter. Doesn't suck to have, but not a key component.

[miami_fan]

Eastern Conference
Starters
Gilbert Arenas, G* Washington
Dwyane Wade, G* Miami
LeBron James, F* Cleveland
Chris Bosh, F* Toronto
Shaquille O'Neal, C* Miami

Chauncey Billups, G Detroit
Caron Butler, F Washington
Vince Carter, G New Jersey
Richard Hamilton, G Detroit
Dwight Howard, F Orlando
Jason Kidd, G New Jersey
Jermaine O'Neal, F Indiana

Western Conference
Starters
Kobe Bryant, G* LA Lakers
Tracy McGrady, G* Houston
Kevin Garnett, F* Minnesota
Tim Duncan, F* San Antonio
Yao Ming, C* Houston (injured)

Reserves
Carlos Boozer, F Utah (injured)
Allen Iverson, G Denver
Shawn Marion, F Phoenix
Steve Nash, G Phoenix
Dirk Nowitzki, F Dallas
Tony Parker, G San Antonio
Amare Stoudemire, F Phoenix

First things first, though I am a big Heat fan, there is no way Shaq should be starting or even on the team. Dwight Howard should be starting and Andrew Bogut is porbably worthy of a backup slot if needed. Nice to see Chris Bosh recognized. In the West, I have a bigger problem with Nowitzki not starting than I do Nash. The selection of Boozer is interesting since he was injured prior to the announcement and allows Carmelo Anthony to make his way onto the team.

[miami_fan]

Rookies
Andrea Bargnani Toronto
Jordan Farmar L.A. Lakers
Randy Foye Minnesota
Jorge Garbajosa Toronto
Rudy Gay Memphis
Paul Millsap Utah
Adam Morrison
Brandon Roy Portland
Marcus Williams New Jersey


Sophmores

Andrew Bogut Milwaukee
Andrew Bynum L.A. Lakers
Monta Ellis Golden State
Raymond Felton Charlotte
Danny Granger Indiana
Luther Head Houston
David Lee New York
Chris Paul NOK
Deron Williams Utah

[stevew]

Hopefully LeBrick will get suspended for like 5 games for assaulting Wade, and miss out on the (meaningless) game and festivities. He can spend his current time shooting 10k free throws. Gah, I'm pissed right now.

[stevew]

Thank god there is a lottery, cause the Celtics aren't even being subtle about losing this year. I understand how Pierce being injured can hurt your team, but they are like 2-20 without him, including 14 straight losses. Is it really expected that this group of losers is actually going to do something when Pierce and Oden/Durant are on the squad? Cause CBA'ers should be able to win at least 5-8 out of 22 games.

#7 pick for Telfair, and now the guy can't get off the bench? At least Curry is playing this year, sadly Isiah >>>>>>>>Danny Ainge

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Thank god there is a lottery, cause the Celtics aren't even being subtle about losing this year. I understand how Pierce being injured can hurt your team, but they are like 2-20 without him, including 14 straight losses. Is it really expected that this group of losers is actually going to do something when Pierce and Oden/Durant are on the squad? Cause CBA'ers should be able to win at least 5-8 out of 22 games.

#7 pick for Telfair, and now the guy can't get off the bench? At least Curry is playing this year, sadly Isiah >>>>>>>>Danny Ainge

At what point are the C's going to stop the youth movement? 10 members of the 15 man roster have three years experience or less.

[stevew]

Okay, the Celts are now 0 out of 18....they play Milwaukee on wednesday, that's possibly winnable for them. Then it's @Sac, @PHX, @LAL, @ UTAH, @HOU after the break. Sac is pretty mediocre, but Arco is still hard to play at. Pretty solid chance this thing gets over 20...

Wed 28th vs NY, Friday Mar 9th vs Seattle are probably winnable.... but honestly it could go 30 if PP doesn't explode now that he's back...

[miami_fan]

The trade deadline is almost here. The biggest rumor is Jason Kidd going to the Lakers in exchange for garbage (except for Jordan Farmar). Seriously, any combination of Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, Smush Parker, and Brian Cook make no sense for the Nets whatsoever. The Cavs are looking for a point guard (Mike Bibby?) and the Pau Gasol trade talk to the Bulls seems to have fizzled. As for the Heat, they may make a minor deal for a guard but I would much rather them stay put. Picking up Eddie Jones and getting Shaq is as good as any trade they could make at the deadline.

[MikeVic]

Do you think Pippen will indeed make a comeback? And if so, where?

I don't believe he will... I just can't think of a team that would need him right now.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

The trade deadline is almost here. The biggest rumor is Jason Kidd going to the Lakers in exchange for garbage (except for Jordan Farmar). Seriously, any combination of Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, Smush Parker, and Brian Cook make no sense for the Nets whatsoever. The Cavs are looking for a point guard (Mike Bibby?) and the Pau Gasol trade talk to the Bulls seems to have fizzled. As for the Heat, they may make a minor deal for a guard but I would much rather them stay put. Picking up Eddie Jones and getting Shaq is as good as any trade they could make at the deadline.

I'm pretty desperate for Bibby, but I hope they don't trade Verejao or Gibson to bring him back. I think that some combo of Gooden/Hughes/Marshall/others may get it done, especially with a 3rd team involved. Should be interesting anyways.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by stevew

Okay, the Celts are now 0 out of 18....they play Milwaukee on wednesday, that's possibly winnable for them. Then it's @Sac, @PHX, @LAL, @ UTAH, @HOU after the break. Sac is pretty mediocre, but Arco is still hard to play at. Pretty solid chance this thing gets over 20...

Wed 28th vs NY, Friday Mar 9th vs Seattle are probably winnable.... but honestly it could go 30 if PP doesn't explode now that he's back...

And of course, they beat Milwaukee. I hope Oden and durant stay in school.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Do you think Pippen will indeed make a comeback? And if so, where?

I don't believe he will... I just can't think of a team that would need him right now.

I could see him going to L.A. Phil Jackson and all that. Especially if L.A. ends up trading away some depth in order to get Jason Kidd.

Otherwise, maybe he makes sense for a contender who has a regular rotation player go down with an injury. In that instance, he could log some good minutes off the bench.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Do you think Pippen will indeed make a comeback? And if so, where?

I don't believe he will... I just can't think of a team that would need him right now.

Do I think he should? No

Do I think he will? Yes

Do I think someone will sign him? Yes

If Cliff Robinson, Robert Horry, and Dale Davis are all still in the league, Scottie Pippen can give a team something. From what I have read, the Cavs have an interest. This is the type of team I think would sign him. A team that is young and would benefit for getting a player with Scottie's experience. Especially if they don't have to trade anyone to get him. I would also put Toronto in that category. I am not so sure I want him on the Heat either though that is where he would like to play. Kapono is beginning to show he can play a role on the team, Eddie Jones can get some minutes at the three. Add on Posey and I can see a numbers crunch if they sign Pippen.

All that being said, I don't think he should come back. While the Cavs and/or the Raptors would benefit from getting a Scottie Pippen, I am not sure Scottie Pippen would benefit for those teams. To my knowledge, Pippen has not embraced the whole "mentor role" that is needed to join a young team. Every "old" team already has a player to fill the role that Scottie would fill. I am guessing Pippen is looking at 15-20 minutes a night with whomever he signs with. I am not sure he gets that with a veteran team.

[MikeVic]

I thought about the Lakers and Raptors are options too. Lakers make the most sense in my opinion, but I just don't think it'll happen. The Raptors have such a good chemistry right now, and have a role for all their players. I think Pippen would do more harm than good right now.

Haven't thought about the Cavs...

[miami_fan]

I forgot all about the Lakers. Not sure how I could do that with Jackson as coach. With those injuries, I might make that move before I worry about getting Kidd. It would be interesting to see how he follows the leadership of Kobe.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

It would be interesting to see how he follows the leadership of Kobe.

"You're nothing compared to Jordan."
*WACK*

[miami_fan]

Sounds like the Nets are holding out for Andrew Bynum. Do the Lakers want Jason Kidd that badly?

[kingfc22]

That D-Wade injury does not look good for the Heat.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Sounds like the Nets are holding out for Andrew Bynum. Do the Lakers want Jason Kidd that badly?

Hopefully NJ changes their mine and want Kwame Brown, along with Cook plus Chris Mim and Aaron Mckie expire contracts this off season plus a 1st round pick.

If the Lakers can end up keeping Bynum and Farmar that will be great.

A team with Odom, Kobe, Walton, Bynum, Farmar, Turiaf and Jason Kidd the future is great. Then go after Kevin Garnett next season.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Sounds like the Nets are holding out for Andrew Bynum. Do the Lakers want Jason Kidd that badly?

I'm sure they could get Andrew Bynum.

But only if they threw in two first round picks and Richard Jefferson?

[sooner333]

Somehow, despite losing Paul, West, Peja (who is still out), and Bobby Jackson for a month at the same time, the Hornets would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The team did a good job of doing somewhat decent with a lineup of Tyson Chandler, Desmond Mason, Devin Brown, Rasaul Butler, and Marc Jackson. Now they are getting their stuff together for a run for the playoffs.

[stevew]

C'mon Ferry, get me some Bibby today. As long as it doesn't cost Verejao or LeBron(duh).