NBA 2012-13 Thread

[Plubby]

I won't have another bad word, either express or implied, about Steve Nash!

The rest of the Lakers, on the other hand....

[DMN in the House]

Don't see how the lakers will implode. Three only volatile one is Ron, and the leadership on the team is strong. Don't think Nash and Kobe will have a problem playing together, and Dwight doesn't need the ball to be effective. The pieces fit together to well, and there isn't the ego of the last laker super team.

[livid]

They won't implode but if they start buying into what everybody else is saying about OKC not being a threat anymore, I can definitely see them underachieving. I think people are overestimating Harden's value to the Thunder and that could be dangerous for anybody who's buying into it.

[Toe]

The Lakers, with Nash dishing to Gasol and with Howard bruising inside, should be good. I just hope Kobe takes a small step back - he doesn't need all the touches for this team to succeed.

[Maxx]

But he does need all the touches, because he's Kobe.

[thatshortguy]

But he does need all the touches, because he's Kobe.

Bingo. The Lakers do have an ego here; three, in fact. Kobe, MWP, & Howard can all be very moody when things don't go their way. If this team gets a few games below .500, I fully expect some immature brooding from Howard, MWP to try too hard and Kobe to try and convince everyone else he's still King B.

[Plubby]

I think that Kobe took all the touches because he felt he was playing with pylons and needed to. I think the doubters might be overplaying Kobe's ego.

[livid]

The "he needs all the touches cuz he's Kobe" thing is being so overplayed. First of all, that's never really been true and second, even if it was, he's not dumb. He knows that this team gives him the best shot at #6 and that's more important to him than anything else.

[thatshortguy]

The "he needs all the touches cuz he's Kobe" thing is being so overplayed. First of all, that's never really been true and second, even if it was, he's not dumb. He knows that this team gives him the best shot at #6 and that's more important to him than anything else.

I think the only way we'll know for sure is if either Kobe gets into a terrible funk or the Lakers as a whole dig into a sub-.500 hole at some point in the season. I would personally love to see Steve Nash with a ring, so I'm actually not opposed to the Lakers taking the title...unless it's somehow a Lakers-Hawks final, in which case I will burn L.A. down like I was Bad Religion.

[Mofoticon]

Lin and Asik are both due more than $14.5 mill in their third year of the deal apparently... Which is why both New York and Chicago were never going to match the deals they signed... and with Harden set to be on and around the same as well... The luxury tax penalties that they were going on about a couple of months back will be absurd too, I really just can't see them spending that much on another player...

They may be due 14.5 mil, but the Rockets are able to balance that out to an even total every year on the cap, which is around 8.3 mil. If the Knicks and Rockets matched they would've been on the hook for 14,5 mil in year 3. It's a CBA flaw.

[gunnar hendershow]

Predictions!

East

1- Miami Heat

2- Indiana Pacers

3- Boston Celtics

4- Brooklyn Nets

5- Chicago Bulls

6- Philadelphia 76ers

7- New York Knicks

8- Atlanta Hawks

West

1- San Antonio Spurs

2- Oklahoma City Thunder

3- Los Angeles Lakers

4- Los Angeles Clippers

5- Memphis Grizzlies

6- Denver Nuggets

7- Utah Jazz

8- Dallas Mavericks

East Finals

Miami over Boston

West Finals

LA Lakers over LA Clippers

NBA Finals

Miami over LA Lakers

[Maxx]

Hi DMN!

[Plubby]

Clips could go that far. Give the ball to Turiaf!

[VerbalPuke]

I am actually very excited for this season as a Pistons fan. Dumars has done a fine job in the last few drafts and has assembled a nice young core. I expect Greg Monroe to push for an all-star spot, and I'm hoping Drummond is slotted in the starting line up sooner than later. Drummond played very well in pre-season and might be a bit more seasoned than initially thought. On top of that, we have some expiring deals that we can move for a good player, or wait it out and have some cap flexibility going into the off-season.

I think it will be fun watching the young guys gel, and possibly push for that last playoff spot. I am also hoping to see this team develop some sort of identity.

[DMN in the House]

Hi DMN!

Gg, Maxx.

[Maxx]

Yeah, you could definitely tell once the Lakers work out the kinks, they're going to absolutely steamroll people.

[gunnar hendershow]

I predict the Lakers have a slow start, a couple nicks and bruises along the way, cruise around at about 5th or 6th seed land until around the trade deadline and pull off a vintage Lakers deal for bench depth, then they get everyone back healthy and have the best record in the NBA for the last month or so which gives them just enough to win the division, and then absolutely destroy everyone in the West in the playoffs.

ESPN will say "Is Mike Brown on the hot seat?" roughly 54,759 times this year. "Is Kobe over-the-hill?" around 78,002 times. And "Is Dwight Howard overrated?" somewhere in the 10 million mark.

[maninblack]

Yeah. It's just the first game. The LeBron/Wade/Bosh Heat lost the first time they played together too. Against Boston, if I remember it right.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Damn, Harden was on fire for Houston 37 points, 12 Assists, 6 rebounds & 4 steals!

[gunnar hendershow]

OH MY GOD THE LAKERS ARE 0-2 FIRE MIKE BROWN, TRADE KOBE, TRADE GASOL, BRING BACK BYNUM, ASK MAGIC TO COME OUT OF RETIREMENT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!