2007-2008 NBA Thread

[jonnycomelately]

I hadn't seen a NBA thread for the upcoming season yet but with summer leagues in full swing and free agency off to a sluggish start I felt it would be time to get some mid-summer conversation going about the ole NBA.

I'm gonna start it off with my early predictions for 2007-2008 surprises award winners and eventual champion. Since it is only July this will all be subject to change (little disclaimer for when I have to explain why my MVP pick plays less games than Eric Piatkowski.)

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant, Seattle- Not really going out on a limb on this one but it just can't really be anyone else right now because he is on a really bad Sonics team where he will be asked to do the majority of scoring and rebounding. I think he will handle his share of both but he won't get much help.

Other possibilities: Marco Belinelli (Golden State), Acie Law (Atlanta), Al Thornton (LA Clippers)

NBA MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers/???- I think it is just a matter of time before Kobe takes his 30+ pt. clutch performances to greener pastures because the Lakers aren't getting any better and it will only take a couple of 1-4 weeks against the tough West to get Kobe chirping trade again. With this being said I feel that if he can get traded early enough in the season to an Eastern Conference team that his production will just go up and he can put a team in the JV on his back to the Finals.

Other possibilities: The Usual Suspects AKA Dirk, Nash, Duncan

Surprise Team of the Year: New York Knicks- Being a Knicks fan this is just blind optimism at this point but I feel that if New York can acquire Artest without giving up David Lee and keep him and Zach Randolph under control in the most out of control city in the league, NYC, then I feel the Knicks can easily make some noise in the Atlantic and possibly win a couple rounds in the playoffs. But more realistically, Stephon Marbury will go on TV high a couple more times, they won't get Ron Artest but give their mid-level exception to Vitaly Potapenko and just prolong my drinking problem during the NBA months.

Other possibilities: Charlotte Bobcats, LA Clippers, Mavericks actually getting it done

NBA Champion: Phoenix Suns- They were a Bob Horry body check from doing it last year. This will be their year.

Other possibilities: San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, noone else

Edited July 18, 2007 by jonnycomelately

[DMN in the House]

Kobe's not going anywhere, and the Lakers, when healthy, can compete in the West.

[thuganomic]

Kobe's not going anywhere, and the Lakers, when healthy, can compete in the West.

[Mofoticon]

Kobe's not going anywhere, and the Lakers, when healthy, can compete in the West.

[DMN in the House]

The Lakers, when healthy, which they weren't by the second half of last season, are probably the fourth best team in the West. Now add Jermaine O'Neal, who they might get, and there you go, especially since they added a solid, experienced PG in D-Fish.

Portland is going to have to prove something more to me before I think they're better than the Lakers.

As for Golden State, I'm the biggest Baron Davis fan in the world (UCLA ftw), but they were a team that got hot at the right time. I wouldn't be suprised to see them miss the playoffs this year.

[Your Mom]

The Bulls could do better this year I bet. Seeing them play the Pistons was sad

[livid]

Syco's right, the Lakers are probably the fourth best team when healthy and they weren't healthy last year. Odom missed a lot, Mihm (while he's not exactly going to set the world on fire, he's a decent big man) was hurt, Kwame Brown was hurt, hell even Kobe missed a few games (more for suspension reasons, but still), so it's not like they had everybody healthy the entire season and ended up as the seventh seed.

And yeah, right now Portland's just a team with a bunch of young guys, they haven't even played any games together (with Oden) and you're saying that they're better than a playoff team? Yeah, okay. And Golden State, I don't know, that's a tough one. Baron Davis is great when he wants to be, it's just he has a hard time finding the time when he wants to be and he's the guy that makes the team tick. Though, I am interested in seeing how Brandan Wright will do if it is indeed the perfect fit for him offensively.

But yeah, don't be fooled by the fact that the Lakers were far from healthy last year.

Oh and Kobe's definitely not going anywhere, it's not even the last year of his contract so there's no reason to trade him. Besides, I think it's more of him being frustrated about not winning than him actually wanting out.

[thuganomic]

The Lakers, when healthy, which they weren't by the second half of last season, are probably the fourth best team in the West. Now add Jermaine O'Neal, who they might get, and there you go, especially since they added a solid, experienced PG in D-Fish.

Portland is going to have to prove something more to me before I think they're better than the Lakers.

As for Golden State, I'm the biggest Baron Davis fan in the world (UCLA ftw), but they were a team that got hot at the right time. I wouldn't be suprised to see them miss the playoffs this year.

[livid]

The Jazz? C'mon, until they prove they weren't a one year wonder (like the Warriors) then we can start talking about them being better, but they had a fairly easy road to the Western Conference Finals all things considered. And the Nuggets, yeah I'll give you them if they can put it together, but they didn't in the time they were together (AI and Melo I'm talking about) last year, so I don't know. And the Rockets? That's a toss-up, as good as Yao and T-Mac are, I don't think that the rest of the team is that great and T-Mac's by far not as good as Kobe and Yao's just Yao, he's a monster sometimes and a fairy the next.

Honestly, you could make an argument for a lot of teams to be the fourth best team in the West, but in the end, it's all relatively moot as none of them have a real chance to unseat any of the Big 3 unless a team like LA goes out and gets an impact player through a trade (ala KG, not O'Neal). I may just be a huge Odom fan, but I'd hardly consider Jermaine O'Neal THAT much of an upgrade over Odom, especially considering Odom is a bit more athletic.

[Mofoticon]

The Jazz being a 1 year wonder is still 1 year more than what the Lakers have been without Shaq...they are a mediocre team who have no chance at winning a playoff series anytime soon.

[thuganomic]

The Jazz? C'mon, until they prove they weren't a one year wonder (like the Warriors) then we can start talking about them being better, but they had a fairly easy road to the Western Conference Finals all things considered. And the Nuggets, yeah I'll give you them if they can put it together, but they didn't in the time they were together (AI and Melo I'm talking about) last year, so I don't know. And the Rockets? That's a toss-up, as good as Yao and T-Mac are, I don't think that the rest of the team is that great and T-Mac's by far not as good as Kobe and Yao's just Yao, he's a monster sometimes and a fairy the next.

Honestly, you could make an argument for a lot of teams to be the fourth best team in the West, but in the end, it's all relatively moot as none of them have a real chance to unseat any of the Big 3 unless a team like LA goes out and gets an impact player through a trade (ala KG, not O'Neal). I may just be a huge Odom fan, but I'd hardly consider Jermaine O'Neal THAT much of an upgrade over Odom, especially considering Odom is a bit more athletic.

[livid]

Umm, no, considering while they're not exactly a high seed, the Lakers have still made the playoffs the last two years, which is one more year than the Jazz in the same time period. And like I said, the Jazz had a fairly easy road to get the Western Conference Finals.

And yeah that's a crock. The Lakers could win a series against teams, but guess what? They just so happened to face a team that's, by in large, the second best team in the league.

And yeah, I'll agree with you on Odom, he is very inconsistent until the playoffs, when he seems to get his mojo going to an extreme. And I don't know, maybe it's just me, but Yao seems to be pretty timid at times and I guess that's where I draw that from. Still, on paper, that team shouldn't be a 5 seed, they should be a great team, but they're not. Whereas, it's kind of the opposite with the Lakers; on paper, they're not much, but if they're healthy they can easily be a team that's (at least somewhat) feared. And yeah, I think while it's not a huge upgrade, having a guy like O'Neal who can consistently rebound and has low-post presence (something that Lakers never have, even on a good night for Kwame) then it'll help them. I guess, looking at it more, I can see why they'd want to go in that direction. Personally, I'm also excited to see what Crittenton can do, as he's like Phil's dream at the Point.

[thuganomic]

Umm, no, considering while they're not exactly a high seed, the Lakers have still made the playoffs the last two years, which is one more year than the Jazz in the same time period. And like I said, the Jazz had a fairly easy road to get the Western Conference Finals.

And yeah that's a crock. The Lakers could win a series against teams, but guess what? They just so happened to face a team that's, by in large, the second best team in the league.

And yeah, I'll agree with you on Odom, he is very inconsistent until the playoffs, when he seems to get his mojo going to an extreme. And I don't know, maybe it's just me, but Yao seems to be pretty timid at times and I guess that's where I draw that from. Still, on paper, that team shouldn't be a 5 seed, they should be a great team, but they're not. Whereas, it's kind of the opposite with the Lakers; on paper, they're not much, but if they're healthy they can easily be a team that's (at least somewhat) feared. And yeah, I think while it's not a huge upgrade, having a guy like O'Neal who can consistently rebound and has low-post presence (something that Lakers never have, even on a good night for Kwame) then it'll help them. I guess, looking at it more, I can see why they'd want to go in that direction. Personally, I'm also excited to see what Crittenton can do, as he's like Phil's dream at the Point.

[livid]

I think they might have a Horace Grant in the making in Turiaf if that counts.

But yeah, I wasn't being that literal with the "dream" term, but yeah. That being said, I don't seem them having to give Crittenon up in a trade, I think it's more Odom and Farmar plus next year's first or something. I don't know for sure, I'm basically basing that off my hopes.

[DMN in the House]

Honestly, there's only four Lakers I wouldn't give up in a trade right now, and Kobe's not one of them.

Give me Turiaf, Bynum, Luke, and Farmar, and you have a nice, really young, but nice, nucleas.

[ACCBiggz]

NBA Champion: Phoenix Suns- They were a Bob Horry body check from doing it last year. This will be their year.

Other possibilities: San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, noone else

Edited July 19, 2007 by ACCBiggz

[thuganomic]

WHOOOO

I love the idea of Franchise heading back to Houston. He loves it there, the fans love him. He'll be very happy, with the atmosphere being enough to satisfy his ego. I don't think he should start though, but I don't know if he'll be happy coming off the bench.

[ACCBiggz]

NBA Betting scandal. Apprently a NBA ref got involved with the mob trying to pay off his debt and they had a scheme where he'd call some fouls and try to cover the spread.

[BFG]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19868741

That is what ACCBiggz is talking about. It's pretty crazy to hear something like that.

But I'd rather talk about something else. I do love the Stevie Franchise going back to Houston. It's a good move Houston.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP...tml?source=mypi

And when Seattle traded a conditional 2nd round pick to Phoenix for Kurt Thomas (and his huge contract), a 2008 1st round pick, and a 2010 1st round pick, so Phoenix could free some cap, it looks like the smartest trade of all time for Seattle, but the more and more I think about it, it just makes Seattle look even more like they're trying to build for the future, so they will be set when they move to either Oklahoma or Kansas City. They already traded away Ray and Rashard, they're going to try and draft even more 1st rounders.

God it's hard being a Seattle resident, when you know they're trading away their top stars for the future relocation. It sucks.

[VerbalPuke]

And for the record, the ref in question is Tim Donaghy.

I'd post an article, but it's all at espn.com for you guys to gander at, plus they're longer reads and I don't want to flood the topic.

Obviously, a lot of fans are going to be wondering what games they may have been cost by Donaghy if any. This has been a bad few months for sports in general.