NBA Regular Season Thread & Playoffs

[MaBigTip]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Unbelievable ending to the Suns-Spurs game. Suns run a perfect inbound play for a Grant Hill dunk. Spurs counter in 7 seconds for a three to win the game by 1. Suns really have to start winning these types of games.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=DHSC link=topic=28209.msg761863#msg761863 date=1230264018]
[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=28209.msg761030#msg761030 date=1230107028]
wow ... Celtics 27-2 ... unreal, best start in NBA history ...
[/quote]

27-3 now.

What a fantastic game! I was late for work because of it.

Huge plays by Gasol in the last 3 minutes. Scored 7 of the last 11 points and a huge block off the 3 by Ray Allen.
[/quote]

Celtics are in a slight slide recently ... Even the Bobcats and Knicks are taking 'em to school.

Celtics lose for 5th time in 7 games after falling in OT

 

[Whaddapie]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Yep, they look very stale.

They couldn't be expected to maintain such intensity for the entire season though, and they honestly don't care about the regular season, other than trying to get home field throughout... They'll be ok again, and soon.

They'll still be the team to beat in the East, though I don't think the Lakers are losing to anybody this season - Bynum's back and they were humiliated last season. They'll have a point to prove, and once Gasol isn't the no.2 banana, they'll be tough to stop.

 

[The Slugmonster]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Word on the grapevine on some New York papers is that Marbury wants to become a Celtic. Doc rivers said he couldn't comment on it (which was after the Celtics loss to the Knicks) but Garnett said he would welcome it and feels Marbury still has a lot of basketball to play in his career. General response is that it could ruin the Celtics team spirit as Marburys' selfishness could creep in.

 

[Jack the Lad]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

rumours swirling that Dallas, Charlotte and OKC will be doing a deal this week.

Felton to Dallas, Watson to Charlotte and Diop to Charlotte......not sure exactly what OKC get though. Might just be cash.

Dont see why the Mavs would want Felton. He's to good to be a backup really, unless they realise that Kidd only has a couple more years at the top and can teach Felton the game better than anyone. Felton has a heap of potential, but as of yet hasn't put it all together.

Also rumours that the Bucks and Grizzlies are in talks about a Conley for Sessions swap. If Sessions goes to Memphis then look out. He will rack up dimes in that system.

 

[The Slugmonster]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=Jack the Lad link=topic=28209.msg775729#msg775729 date=1231741700]
rumours swirling that Dallas, Charlotte and OKC will be doing a deal this week.

Felton to Dallas, Watson to Charlotte and Diop to Charlotte......not sure exactly what OKC get though. Might just be cash.

Dont see why the Mavs would want Felton. He's to good to be a backup really, unless they realise that Kidd only has a couple more years at the top and can teach Felton the game better than anyone. Felton has a heap of potential, but as of yet hasn't put it all together.

Also rumours that the Bucks and Grizzlies are in talks about a Conley for Sessions swap. If Sessions goes to Memphis then look out. He will rack up dimes in that system.
[/quote]

Draft Picks for this years draft i would reckon. Have a lot of rebuilding to do after they moved the franchise before the start of this years season.

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Spurs vs Lakers tonight in San Antonio, could be interesting, rematch of the Western Conference Finals, first time to meet this season.

I take the Spurs in a close one they still know how to defend despite their age.

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3879472

NEW YORK -- Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum will miss eight to 12 weeks after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Bynum was hurt in the first quarter of Saturday night's win at Memphis. Kobe Bryant drove to the basket, missed the shot and crashed into Bynum's right leg. Bynum immediately grabbed his knee.

The diagnosis Monday was a relief to Bynum, who initially feared he might be out for the season.

"It's better news than I expected to hear because of the shot that I took," Bynum said before the Lakers played at the Knicks on Monday night.

Bynum, who was carrying but not using a crutch, noted the eerie similarities between the two injuries. But he's confident one aspect will be different: This time, he'll be back when expected.

Bynum hopes his comeback occurs closer to the eight-week mark, which would give him about 10 games to prepare for the postseason. Twelve weeks would mean the playoffs had already started.

Bynum's injury isn't expected to require surgery, and he plans to rest for a week or two before beginning rehab.

Bynum is the Lakers' third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, averaging 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

The 7-foot, 285-pound Bynum's injury brought back bad memories of last season for the Lakers.

He went down in mid-January and was expected to be sidelined eight to 12 weeks after bruising a bone in his knee and briefly dislocating his kneecap.

Instead, he missed the final 46 games of the season, as the Lakers lost in the NBA Finals. He underwent arthroscopic surgery May 21 to remove cartilage debris and smooth some rough spots on the underside of his kneecap.

"This is a team that went to the Finals last year that we put on the floor, so they're confident in what they can do," coach Phil Jackson said at the Lakers' shootaround Monday afternoon, before they announced the severity of the injury. "We know we're going to miss his presence, his rebounding ability. But this is a very capable team."

The injury came as the 21-year-old seemed to be taking a major step forward in his fourth NBA season.

In the five games before he was hurt, he was averaging 26.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks and shooting 65.3 percent from the field.

Bynum's injury will mean more playing time for Lamar Odom, who is averaging 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in about 27 minutes a game.

"Without Andrew in the lineup of course we still feel really confident," Odom said. "We still feel very confident of our ability to play at a high level. It's too bad we have to do it without him, because we love having him around."

Bryant said it will be a different Lakers team without Bynum.

"It changes our team, and the rhythm that we're playing with," Bryant said at the shootaround. "Obviously we found a great rhythm there with him in the lineup, particularly the last week or so. So we're going to have to make some adjustments."

Bryant insisted the Lakers could still win a title without Bynum.

"There are teams that lost in the Finals that go back and win the next year," he said. "I think having Andrew in the lineup makes us a dominant team.

"With him out of the lineup, we're still a great team. You put him in the mix, it takes us to another level."

Oh damn.

On another note, Kobe just torched the Knicks with 61 points.

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

I can not stand Kobe, he is a fine player no doubt, but his attitude and personality make him so easy to despise. Plus all the preferential treatment he gets from officials.

 

[Whaddapie]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Well, we'll beat them tomorrow night for ya, kiddo...

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

I think we play you coming up sometime soon, in Boston too.

 

[The Slugmonster]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Lebrons got 18 in the first 1/4 against the knicks, its like he's only giving it his all because kobe dropped 61 at the garden last night.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

What a game by Lebron - a triple double and joins Jordan as the only visiting players to hit 50 more than once at the Gaaaarden.

Mavericks have rebounded nicely from a poor start. I think they could be a dark horse this year in the playoffs, but I cannot see them winning it at all.

 

[Ryan]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

DEE... TROIT... BAS... KET...BALL...!

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=28209.msg797850#msg797850 date=1233813354]
DEE... TROIT... BAS... KET...BALL...!
[/quote]

Sorry Ryan, don't think Detroit will make a splash this year. The Iverson trade mucked up the team chemistry and Curry persists in playing with a 3 guard lineup. They will get overwhelmed by bigger teams.

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Big game tomorrow.

Lakers @ Celtics.

Lakers in the 5th game of a 6 game road trip and have won all their first 4 games. Celts on a 12 game winning streak. The second game for the Lakers on a back-to-back. Gasol logged 44 mins today so I hope he wont be drained. Garnett having the flu so don't know if he will be back at 100%.

After the Celtics, it's on to Lebron and the Cavs!

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=28209.msg797848#msg797848 date=1233812858]
What a game by Lebron - a triple double and joins Jordan as the only visiting players to hit 50 more than once at the Gaaaarden.

Mavericks have rebounded nicely from a poor start. I think they could be a dark horse this year in the playoffs, but I cannot see them winning it at all.
[/quote]

Nowitzki is playing well, deserved his all-star call up. Terry is the impressive one though, Sixth man award this year Wizzy? I though Odom could make a run for it in the beginning of the season but the lazy punk seems to have dozed off.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=DHSC link=topic=28209.msg797889#msg797889 date=1233819404]
[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=28209.msg797848#msg797848 date=1233812858]
What a game by Lebron - a triple double and joins Jordan as the only visiting players to hit 50 more than once at the Gaaaarden.

Mavericks have rebounded nicely from a poor start. I think they could be a dark horse this year in the playoffs, but I cannot see them winning it at all.
[/quote]

Nowitzki is playing well, deserved his all-star call up. Terry is the impressive one though, Sixth man award this year Wizzy? I though Odom could make a run for it in the beginning of the season but the lazy punk seems to have dozed off.
[/quote]

Terry is like Ginobli in that sense. He's really a starter, and should be - but he seems to play better as a 6th man. Not sure why. We also have some solid contribution from Bass and the other reserves. I wish we could sign a 'big' player to partner Nowitzki - we could challenge then. But as long as it's him alone, we have no chance. The window is almost closed imo.

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=28209.msg797890#msg797890 date=1233819640]
[quote author=DHSC link=topic=28209.msg797889#msg797889 date=1233819404]
[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=28209.msg797848#msg797848 date=1233812858]
What a game by Lebron - a triple double and joins Jordan as the only visiting players to hit 50 more than once at the Gaaaarden.

Mavericks have rebounded nicely from a poor start. I think they could be a dark horse this year in the playoffs, but I cannot see them winning it at all.
[/quote]

Nowitzki is playing well, deserved his all-star call up. Terry is the impressive one though, Sixth man award this year Wizzy? I though Odom could make a run for it in the beginning of the season but the lazy punk seems to have dozed off.
[/quote]

Terry is like Ginobli in that sense. He's really a starter, and should be - but he seems to play better as a 6th man. Not sure why. We also have some solid contribution from Bass and the other reserves. I wish we could sign a 'big' player to partner Nowitzki - we could challenge then. But as long as it's him alone, we have no chance. The window is almost closed imo.
[/quote]

You did!

Desagana Diop! Oh wait...

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=DHSC link=topic=28209.msg797888#msg797888 date=1233819198]
Big game tomorrow.

Lakers @ Celtics.

Lakers in the 5th game of a 6 game road trip and have won all their first 4 games. Celts on a 12 game winning streak. The second game for the Lakers on a back-to-back. Gasol logged 44 mins today so I hope he wont be drained. Garnett having the flu so don't know if he will be back at 100%.

After the Celtics, it's on to Lebron and the Cavs!
[/quote]

WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

God I hate the Lakers, wish I would have watched the game, looked like it was entertaining except for the outcome of course.

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Sources: Suns shopping Stoudemire

The one-year anniversary of the Shaquille O'Neal trade was a busy day on the phones for the Phoenix Suns.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the Suns on Friday entered into preliminary discussions with numerous teams on possible trade scenarios, mostly featuring All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire but also a few involving O'Neal as the franchise embarks on a potentially radical makeover just 12 months removed from O'Neal's arrival on Feb. 6, 2008.

Although sources close to the situation insist that no deal is imminent, there is a growing belief around the league that the Suns will almost certainly move at least one of their big names before the league's Feb. 19 trading deadline, with Stoudemire sounding as though he expects to be the next to leave in comments Friday to reporters in Phoenix.

The Arizona Republic, in a story posted Friday on its Web site, quoted Stoudemire as saying: "I know for sure, wherever I go, we're going to definitely be playoff contenders. I bring a lot to the table."

Sources told ESPN.com that the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers are among the many teams with whom Phoenix has exchanged trade concepts, with the Bulls and Heat believed to be pursuing Stoudemire hardest at this early stage.

Almost every team in the league has some degree of interest in Stoudemire, but sources close to the process maintain that the Suns will only part with the 26-year-old in a deal that delivers at least one decent-sized expiring contract along with younger talent and/or draft considerations.

ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported Friday night that, according to one rival GM, Phoenix hopes to clear up to $40 million from its 2009-10 payroll before the trading deadline. Given the Suns' long-held stance that two-time MVP Steve Nash is an untouchable, they can only slice that much money off the club's books by moving Stoudemire and O'Neal, both of whom possess contracts which run through the '09-10 season.

Yet it's widely presumed that trading Stoudemire will be far easier than re-routing O'Neal, in spite of a personal return to fitness and statistical resurgence that has earned the 36-year-old a spot in the All-Star Game to be played in Phoenix next week, courtesy of the West coaches who voted him in.

Stoudemire used to share Nash's "untouchable status," but the Suns have mostly been fading since losing a heartbreaking Game 1 of last spring's first-round series with San Antonio in double overtime. Phoenix went into the playoffs on a 15-5 run -- with O'Neal starting to have the sort of impact Phoenix had hoped for when it broke up a one-of-a-kind running team by dealing Shawn Marion to Miami to get the center with four championship rings -- but never recovered from the devastating defeat and lost to the Spurs in five games.

That was followed by the acrimonious departure of coach Mike D'Antoni, whose teams averaged 58 wins over four seasons after he hooked up with Nash starting in 2004-05. Team president Steve Kerr chose former teammate Terry Porter to replace D'Antoni, but the Suns have slid to a humbling ninth in the Western Conference despite Friday's 115-105 victory over Golden State at home, which has apparently convinced Suns' management that it's time to enter into a more aggressive rebuilding program.

The original trade for O'Neal was made in part because of the Suns' long-standing struggles to placate both Stoudemire and Marion. This season, though, finding room in the offense for both O'Neal and Stoudemire has proved tougher than any of the Suns' former locker-room challenges, with the defense and versatility Marion used to give them having been subtracted.

Another big change is Stoudemire's standing locally. It was long believed Suns fans would protest vehemently if Stoudemire -- who has made perhaps the most convincing return from the dreaded microfracture knee surgery that this league has ever seen -- was traded away. That's no longer the case. Fan frustration with Stoudemire is tangible in Phoenix for the first time.

Nash, meanwhile, told ESPN.com this week that this has "been the toughest year of my career."

"By far," Nash said.

Speaking to reporters Friday in Phoenix, Nash added: "I love playing here. I want to see it work out here. I apologize to the fans that it's been a tough year. It's killing me, and I'm sure it's really hurting the fans. I want to see a positive outcome and a resolution to the trouble."

After meeting privately with Stoudemire, Kerr acknowledged that the Suns have been taking "a lot of calls" on Stoudemire and told local reporters: "We're not playing to our capabilities, so that's the way it goes when that happens. I think we can still be good this year, but we also have to make sure we can sustain our success. The last five years, we've made a concerted effort to keep our talent around. We've built up a really big payroll. We've traded some first-round picks [to do that], some young assets, so we've got to keep that in mind, too."

Responding to Stoudemire's claim that he has been blamed excessively for the Suns' struggles, Porter said: "To whom much is given, much is expected."

Yet Porter is also fielding questions about his job security, not even halfway through his tension-filled first season in Phoenix.

During an interview for ESPN's broadcast of the Suns-Warriors game, Porter said: "The biggest thing is just we're working every day to try to get this team better. So I haven't had any conversations with Robert or Steve to the point where they've said we're not satisfied with what you've done."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3890478

Trade deadline is on February 19, can't wait to see what deals will be made. Anyone wants to see a particular trade for his/her own team?

 

[Jack the Lad]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Amare will end up at Chicago i reckon. They desperately need a big guy with his offensive repertoire. Rose and Stoudamire would rock

 

[Whaddapie]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Had great seats for the Paul Pearce Vs Dirk Nowitski show last night...

F@#!ing brilliant stuff.

Early on, Dirk couldn't miss - He was amazing. He did start missing a little more when our defense really clamed down with about 15 minutes left though...

Conversely, The Truth started slowly, but outscored the Mavs BY HIMSELF in the 4th, when it really mattered. He was insane - The whole building knew that we were coming to him EVERY TIME down the floor, but there wasn't a thing they could do to stop him.

In the end, we came back from a 15 point deficet mid-way through the 3rd to win by 7. Fantastic game (in the end).

Pearce is unstoppable when in this form.

 

[DHSC]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=28209.msg804096#msg804096 date=1234543647]
Had great seats for the Paul Pearce Vs Dirk Nowitski show last night...

F@#!ing brilliant stuff.

Early on, Dirk couldn't miss - He was amazing. He did start missing a little more when our defense really clamed down with about 15 minutes left though...

Conversely, The Truth started slowly, but outscored the Mavs BY HIMSELF in the 4th, when it really mattered. He was insane - The whole building knew that we were coming to him EVERY TIME down the floor, but there wasn't a thing they could do to stop him.

In the end, we came back from a 15 point deficet mid-way through the 3rd to win by 7. Fantastic game (in the end).

Pearce is unstoppable when in this form.
[/quote]

Cool, I wish I could see an NBA game too.

Did you hear what Doc Rivers say to get himself ejected?

 

[Whaddapie]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

No mate, but the officiating was abysmal last night.

For the first three quarters, the Mavs got EVERYTHING. And in the fourth, we did.

Dreadful stuff.

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

All Star game last night, what a joke.

The only thing I enjoy watching is the three point shootout, sometimes the slam dunk contest.

At least in the all star game in Baseball they play for something

 

[Jack the Lad]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Shaq and Kobe MVP's my ass. Chris Paul nearly had a triple double FFS!

I guess they were the same judges that stiffed Rudy Fernandez in the dunk comp. What a joke that was.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

Cuban goes bonkers, Mavs beat Spurs ... He should go bonkers before every game!

 

[Karl Hungus]

Re: NBA Regular Season Thread

I loathe Mark Cuban, he is a complete tool. It was a good game though.