***Official NBA Thread***

[duffer]

Ugh, I keep forgetting to try and get AI and Melo back into the starting lineups. I wish we could vote for the other events on the weekend as well. Really need to see a LeBron vs D12 showdown in the Dunk Contest.

 

[nightprowler10]

Seems Rose did it to Baron Davis today with less spectacular results. Has been in bad form for the past couple of games. Shot about 30% in today's OT win over the Clippers and fared even worse yesterday against the Bobcats. Don't like the look of this team right now even if they are playoff hopefuls.

 

[duffer]

Yeah don't think you guys are doing anything without more in the frontcourt. When Hinrich gets back you could probably package him and a Thomas or Gooden to get someone who'll imprve the team. Sure they'd be quite a few teams interested in Thabo as well.

 

[NUFAN]

Andrew Bogut is so frustrating.

The previous two games he's been brilliant, getting double doubles with ease. Today he scores 6 points from 2/2 shooting and fouls out in the 4th quarter. Why on earth does someone who shoots so well only take 2 shots in 30 odd minutes of game time? They deserved to lose.

Good to hear Jawai is back on the roster with the Raptors too.

 

[duffer]

Andrew Bogut is so frustrating.

The previous two games he's been brilliant, getting double doubles with ease. Today he scores 6 points from 2/2 shooting and fouls out in the 4th quarter. Why on earth does someone who shoots so well only take 2 shots in 30 odd minutes of game time? They deserved to lose.

Good to hear Jawai is back on the roster with the Raptors too.

They don't run plays for Bogut. Everything has to go through guys liek Redd, Villanueva or RJ otherwise they'll go to the press and bitch and moan. I thought the best thing for him would've been a new team who need a big and would use him a lot better or he'll stagnate. Shame he's such a loyal bloke and never complains because he could do so much better.

Chuffed for Jawai too, if his health is alright then he can get some serious minutes as Bargnani is quite simply stinking th eplace up these days and J.O is already complaining of fatigue by playing so many minutes. He's the type of bruising volume rebounder who would be really welcome there.

 

[Anil]

the spurs in orlando on the verge of losing their 2nd straight...get the feeling that this team needs to be shaken up a bit..

 

[ohtani's jacket]

The Spurs are pretty much finished. For an organisation that did such a good job with its draft picks earlier this decade they sure haven't done much of late.

 

[Anil]

The Spurs are pretty much finished. For an organisation that did such a good job with its draft picks earlier this decade they sure haven't done much of late.

don't know about finished...they still have duncan, parker and ginobli and they still have popovich..they just need to get rid of some of the older elements in the team and build a younger, more energetic structure around the big 3...mason and hill have proved to be good additions, they need other more useful role players, not necessarily very experienced(their superstars have more experience and leadership capability than most of the top guys on other teams)...

 

[Anil]

the lakers lose to the heat, they have been giving away games to some decidedly average teams this season...the celtics look like they are in contention for an 80-2 record...

 

[nightprowler10]

Yeah would be interesting to see if they can beat Bulls' record of 72-10.

 

[nightprowler10]

Looking forward to the D Will and D Rose matchup. Bad start for the Bulls so far.

 

[nightprowler10]

Rose owned. Oh yeah.

 

[Anil]

d-wade has been singlehandedly keeping miami in playoff contention...exceptional performances from him...

 

[nightprowler10]

Yeah definitely a contender for MVP along with LBJ.

 

[duffer]

I love D-Wade as much as anyone but what Bron is doing with that team is scary. Take him out and they'd be under .500 but they're destroying teams left right and centre. The guy is on a whole new level right now and is better than anyone I've seen apart from MJ. Just needs a couple of rings to confirm his greatness.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

don't know about finished...they still have duncan, parker and ginobli and they still have popovich..they just need to get rid of some of the older elements in the team and build a younger, more energetic structure around the big 3...mason and hill have proved to be good additions, they need other more useful role players, not necessarily very experienced(their superstars have more experience and leadership capability than most of the top guys on other teams)...

Stuff like that just doesn't happen in the NBA. The Celtics were able to win a championship five years after their dynasty ended in '69, but that was a different era. Really the Spurs got that extra championship you're alluding to in 2007. I can't see Duncan getting a fifth.

 

[duffer]

Maybe it's just because I dislike Ginobli so much but I can't wait for that particular empire to crumble.

 

[Anil]

Stuff like that just doesn't happen in the NBA. The Celtics were able to win a championship five years after their dynasty ended in '69, but that was a different era. Really the Spurs got that extra championship you're alluding to in 2007. I can't see Duncan getting a fifth.

right now the celtics, the cavs, the lakers and maybe even the magic are better than the spurs...and teams like the hornets, the rockets and the jazz can give them a tough fight over a 7 game series....so it's difficult for me too to see the spurs win it all this year but i am not talking about necessarily winning a championship here, i am talking about making the team better...

they still have three brilliant players who are playing at a high level, bowen is still one of the best defenders in the nba, they still have arguably the best current coach in the nba(phil jackson would be his only competition), they also have a couple of very useful role players that i alluded to earlier...if they can beef up their bench strength this year or at least next year, they would become strong contenders again....admittedly the window for duncan, bowen and ginobli are closing because of their age but they do have the experience and the pedigree to make another serious run at the title...

 

[Anil]

Maybe it's just because I dislike Ginobli so much but I can't wait for that particular empire to crumble.

why do you dislike him? he is one of my favourite players to watch...

 

[Anil]

there are a lot of brilliant young players in the nba right now who are potential future hall-of-famers:

james - barring injury will reach there
wade - one nba title, finals mvp and outstanding stats across the board and getting better all the time, probably 90% in right now
paul - barring injury will reach there
anthony - has the potential, but his greatness is still a question mark, he needs to lead his team into big stages and make his presence felt more
bosh - has the potential but not gonna happen with the raptors...needs to make a wise move in 2010
howard - barring injury will reach there
roy - has the potential and the young, hyper-talented trail blazers could take him there
williams - has the potential and he is in a good team as well, need to start making his mark soon
boozer - solid player, excellent stats and a ring or two might help him take that final step into the hof
rondo - has shown tremendous improvement, already has a ring and if he progresses like this, a definite chance
rose, oden, mayo, durant, harris et al - too early to tell...