[Angered Fists]

Lots of threads about football, but not too much about basketball. I'm a big VC fan, even though he hasn't really been delivering lately, but the Raps are playing some nice ball this season. Managed to come back to within 5 for halftime against the Kings. Lets see how things work out.

I'm also a big Detroit fan (yes, since before they won the title). Gotta give huge props to Ben Wallace, he's the real deal, and Rick Hamilton has proven himself to be an elite player. Billups and Rasheed were proven before they made it to Detroit, they've just elevated their game, everyone else is just a role player.

Who else loves the NBA?

 

[NYY]

im not really into nba. Im a knicks "fan" because i used to watch basketball back in the day when i lived in ny, but i just want them to win now, i dont really watch basketball anymore

i do watch college basketball more often now. It seems a lot more interesting to watch a basketball game without the egos/money/controversy

 

[Angered Fists]

New York can't win in basketball because of the salary cap . College basketball is fun to watch too, but I only really get into it during March Madness.

 

[NYY]

well new york has done pretty well considering they have to work around all of the stupid moves the gm's made in the past like houstans 100mil contract

 

[Angered Fists]

Yeah, Houston is not worth the money, then again niether has Vince been over the past 2 seasons, lets hope he can turn it around. Wish he hadn't requested that trade though, makes me want to jump off the bandwagon. Especially since if he continues to put up big numbers his value will go up so they will actually be able to trade him easily.

Knicks aren't progressive enough, Ewing never had what it took to be a dominant player, niether does Houston. Knicks need to sign some young up and coming stars to reasonable contracts, let them overachieve and build a supporting cast. They just have bad management. Not that they could get rid of Houston's contract if they wanted to, but they gotta do something.

 

[NYY]

back in 98 or whenever it was they were in the finals, they didnt really have any amazing players, but they definately had chemistry

 

[Gabriot]

I'm goin with Detroit all the way this season. They are the funnest to watch, super amounts of energy.

 

[vpraidersfan1]

Lakers all teh way... i cant imagine givin up on my team... im not a bandwagon or anyting so yaaa.... i always liked teh LAKeRS!!

 

[Angered Fists]

Brutal. The Kings are still a good team, but they're not playing great ball this year. They just couldn't miss tonight and the Raptors offense wasn't working, too much standing around, not enough motion. Needed to penetrate a lot more and just swing the ball more. Brutal.

 

[SpYder craZy]

lakers win it all this year

 

[JG.]

Does skip still play for teh raptors?

 

[cubsfan4life021]

I could honestly care less about the NBA. NCAA on the other hand...It just seems like they actually TRY, unlike NBA 'ballaz' who basically play 1 on 1 the whole game. College is just more fun to watch.

 

[SpYder craZy]

Does skip still play for teh raptors?

yup, his name is rafer alston. He was one of the best players on that team last year

 

[Angered Fists]

yup, his name is rafer alston. He was one of the best players on that team last year

Well, he might have been... if he had played for the Raptors last year... He played for them two years ago, I think he played for Miami last year. But yeah Rafer Alston AKA Skip to my lou has mad skills. Not too many players can hold their own on the street and in the NBA.

 

[Barber]

I watch a little NBA now and then. The NBA got a little more fair this year with Shaq going to Miami. I think the Pistons have the best chance to win the East this year, and the West doesn't really have a powerhouse team, so maybe Garnett and the 'Wolves can step it up and finally beat the Lakers that have knocked them out for the last few years. The 'Wolves can really dominate if they play some good ball with the talen they have. I have to say that KG is one of the most talented players ever to come along. It's kind of hard to find a big guy that can make some tough jumpers and still get 20 rebounds a night. With Spreewell and Sczerbiac in the back court they really have a good team. If Cassel gets over his back problems I say the Timberwolves win the west.
The East on the other hand will probably be dominated by 3 teams like it always is. The Heat this year look like they could do something. With Dwayne Wade, who should have been the rookie of the year, because he unlike the LeBron led his team to the playoffs and played better than LeBron. Now that there is a center in Miami for the first time since Alonzo the Heat could become a perrenial playoff team as long as the injury bug doesn't break them mid season. I think the Pacrs will be the number two or three team in the league if O'Neal keeps healthy and Artest is traded or learns how to control himself. They have a real good roster, but with 5 players hurt and Artest suspended one in ten games things look sort of bad for them. I think a mid season trade of Artest will happen, I just don't know where he will go and what the Pacers will get out of it. I really wanted to see T-Mac come to Indy for Artest and Bender but it didn't happen. Stephen Jackson came in though and he is looking crazy good so far this year. But I still think the east will be won by the Pistons, whose roster didn't have much off season change except for Antonio McDyess coming in. I don't think losing Corliss will hurt to bad, and DC may add a little more defensive pressure but not a whole lot of points.
But when the season s all said and done I think that the Pistons win the champoinship again and defeat the 'Wolves in 6.

 

[NYY]

im so glad to see the lakers split up

ive always hated phil jackson because he is so extremely overrated and thinks hes a god. Lets see him win some rings without players like kobe and jordan. But whenever he loses his star players gues what he does....goes to a new team with star players. Amazing how good he is huh?

Shaq is an ahole...nuff said

kobe is okay, i think hes had to deal with a lot of aholes, but i think hollywood is getting to his head

 

[Barber]

I think that Kobe has so much talent it's crazy. He could be the best ever if his ego would shrink a little.

Shaq is the worst basketball player ever to happen. Not too hard to dominate when you are 7'2'' 300+ pounds, when you are being defended by a skinny white guy. He shouldn't even be in the NBA, he can't even make free throws.

 

[Angered Fists]

I don't really like Shaq that much either As you stated, there is nobody in the league, more than likely they world, that can deal with his size, but that his hardly his fault, and if you were in his position I'm sure you would use it to your advantage as well. He does have some pretty nice touch around the basket at times, even if he can't make a free throw to save his life. I just don't like him because he doesn't work at his game. He's the most dominant player in the game right now, without putting nearly as much effort into his game as a lot of other players have put in. KG couldn't knock down outside shots when he entered the league, but he worked at it, and he's now the most difficult defensive match up in the game, because you have to honor his outside shot, and he can get the job done down low. There are lots of other examples.

Kobe will never be as great as he could be, because I feel he lacks the desire. Michael Jordan did whatever it took to win games, if that meant relying on someone else at times, he did it, he knew when it came down to it, he was the man. Kobe couldn't put aside his ego to let Shaq carry his share of the load, they let their personalities affect the way they played the game, and they lost.

I actually like what I'm seeing from Vince this year, he sees that he doesn't need to score 35 points per game in order to win games this year because his team has some other offensive options, and he has been able to defer to them early in the season to get the job done. I'm not saying that he is the next Jordan either, just that he has shown some maturity despite some of his off court actions leading us to believe otherwise. Go Raps.