2010/2011 NBA Thread

[livid]

I think the Knicks talent puts them right about where they landed this year if not a bit better. D'Antoni is just a scapegoat for a group of people who expect levels of unrealistic success.

I'm not a Knicks fan nor did I expect a whole lot from their team this year and even I don't think D'Antoni's a good fit. I don't think they'll go very far if they don't bring someone else in. That said, their biggest issue this year was the fact that they have nobody around Amare and Carmelo because they had to give up any player that was worth a damn in order to get Melo.

With time, I'm sure they'll be able to add some pieces but they're going to need to get rid of D'Antoni if they really want to accomplish anything.

[gunnar hendershow]

Mike D'Antoni failed to reach the Finals with Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Joe Johnson all in their primes. He obviously is not the right guy wherever he goes. If Phil or Pop had that foursome they would have had a threepeat.

[rocksta]

Meh I'm not trying to be a D'Antoni apologist but I just feel like a coach deserves at least a full season with his team...and I wouldn't call the knicks before this year a team >_>

[jrtdot]

Dear San Antonio,

The playoffs have started.

Regards

A concerned fan.

I think they have FINALLY got the message, hope they can eek it out for Game Six in Memphis.

Speaking of teams waking up, hello Lakers!

[ROZAY]

There's talk that the Knicks are going to force D'Antoni to hire a defensive coach. Hopefully he doesn't refuse like he did back in Phoenix with Thibs. Then again, hopefully he does refuse so we can get rid of him.

Z-Bo destroyed the Spurs last night in the fourth quarter. Memphis wins their first playoff series and became the second eighth seed to beat the number one seed in a seven game series.

So, the second round has OKC/Memphis and LA/Dallas for the West, and Chicago/Atlanta (who will probably end up being the reason Dwight Howard leaves next year) and Miami/Boston in the East.

Edited April 30, 2011 by The Aztec Warrior

[Meacon Keaton]

I'm going to go with the obvious choices (well, Miami/Boston can go either way) and say OKC/LA in the West finals and Chicago/Miami in the East.

[Mr Evil Guy]

THE GRIZ!!!

[ROZAY]

Even though I'm sure everyone knew he was the obvious choice, Derrick Rose has been named MVP. Congratulations to him, he had a phenomenal year and really deserves it.

[gunnar hendershow]

That Kendrick Perkins trade has really been helping the Celtics in this series with Miami. I'm not going to count a team with Rondo, Allen, KG, and Pierce out of anything, but it certainly looks like they are just not on the same level as the Heat.

[gunnar hendershow]

WOW. Not even David Stern can save the Lakers now.

[DMN in the House]

Well, it was fun while it lasted^*. Dwight in '11!

Go Memphis? Yeah, fuck it, go Memphis.

^{* DMN reserves the right to take back this statement should Kobe activate god mode and stomp a mudhole in the Mavs}

[gunnar hendershow]

In all honesty there are only 3 players in NBA history I'd consider a threat to lead a comeback from being down 0-3. Jordan of course, Magic, and Kobe. The first 2 never did it, though how many opportunities did they have? But winning 4 in a row in a sport like basketball is always hard. One night where your shooting is off, one night where your body just feels a little sore, that's all it takes. Lakers might yet win Game 4 or even 5, but no way this goes beyond 6.

I guess the whole notion of veteran teams winning is true, nobody is more of a veteran team than the Mavs.

Yeah, guess we can look forward to Dwight Howard joining the Lakers next year.

[DMN in the House]

Well, except the Lakers and Spurs, but I think they've gone right past 'veteran' and are now 'old'. Well, the Lakers are more 'dysfunctional', but you get the idea.

I don't even want Dwight that much. Bynum is actually really fucking good, but they don't run the offense through him enough. Pau either hasn't, or can't, adjust to actually playing with him, and Kobe is pressing too much. That said, if LA can somehow rattle off three wins (pro-tip: Dallas can't stop Bynum), then I like our chances in a Game 7 in LA. I don't see that happening, because the wheels are rapidly falling off if they haven't already.

Bynum, Artest, Brown (if he opts to come back) for Dwight sounds fair, maybe some picks, but that's not really a trade I'd want to make from either side. LA doesn't loose much, but I think Bynum's upside is better than Dwight's, especially offensively, and that would basically maintain the status quo in Orlando. The real problem is that, outside of Odom, LA has no bench, and we need a young, athletic, point.

[gunnar hendershow]

My big scenario is for LA to trade Bynum for Howard, sign Paul in free agency, and make one last run with Kobe. I would have the attitude that there's no way to anticipate what will happen post-Kobe. The Lakers have been real good retooling for half a century now, but there's just no guarantee the next Kobe is gonna fall right in their laps. Especially if a hard cap comes into effect, it'll make getting the next "guy" in free agency even harder. I'd just go all in an try to get Kobe his sixth and seventh in the twilight of his career, worry about the future after that.

[HeyThereVelvet]

My big scenario is for LA to trade Bynum for Howard, sign Paul in free agency, and make one last run with Kobe. I would have the attitude that there's no way to anticipate what will happen post-Kobe. The Lakers have been real good retooling for half a century now, but there's just no guarantee the next Kobe is gonna fall right in their laps. Especially if a hard cap comes into effect, it'll make getting the next "guy" in free agency even harder. I'd just go all in an try to get Kobe his sixth and seventh in the twilight of his career, worry about the future after that.

While I can see your first scenario playing out for the Lakers to get Howard, I don't think there is any way that Chris Paul is not going to New York if they have the room. CP3 is about as determined to get to NYC as Carmelo was, and, if they can make the room, he's going there.

After seeing the Lakers fall to the Mavs the way they are, I think the run is over and Phil Jackson knows it, hence why this is his last year. I think this will be Derek Fishers last year also, and if they can't get a reliable PG to replace him, the Lakers are in trouble even with Dwight Howard.

[DMN in the House]

My big scenario is for LA to trade Bynum for Howard, sign Paul in free agency, and make one last run with Kobe. I would have the attitude that there's no way to anticipate what will happen post-Kobe. The Lakers have been real good retooling for half a century now, but there's just no guarantee the next Kobe is gonna fall right in their laps. Especially if a hard cap comes into effect, it'll make getting the next "guy" in free agency even harder. I'd just go all in an try to get Kobe his sixth and seventh in the twilight of his career, worry about the future after that.

I definitely agree. Keep trying to reload as long as Kobe is around, and then rebuild. I have full faith that the Lakers will get it done, hard cap or none. They're the best run organization in the NBA.

I'd just rather do it with Bynum than with Dwight, that's all.

[gunnar hendershow]

The Lakers are never in trouble, they're the best-run franchise in sports. Their problems this year have been minor, the same that plagued them in 2002-2004. They went to the Finals twice in those years and won in 2002. If I am an NBA player who wants to win a trophy and make money I look at LA as my first choice. If the 2010 free agency bonanza happened conveniently in a year when the Lakers needed to retool you'd be looking at the nWo Hollywood instead of nWo South Beach. After Magic's early retirement due to HIV it took a grand total of 5 years for the Lakers to put in place the foundations of the next dynasty. It might take a little longer this time, especially with a hard cap. This rationale is why I go all-in and try to put the best cast possible around Kobe for his final years.

Bring in Rick Adelman as coach and the Lakers don't miss a beat next year.

[HeyThereVelvet]

The Lakers are never in trouble, they're the best-run franchise in sports. Their problems this year have been minor, the same that plagued them in 2002-2004. They went to the Finals twice in those years and won in 2002. If I am an NBA player who wants to win a trophy and make money I look at LA as my first choice. If the 2010 free agency bonanza happened conveniently in a year when the Lakers needed to retool you'd be looking at the nWo Hollywood instead of nWo South Beach. After Magic's early retirement due to HIV it took a grand total of 5 years for the Lakers to put in place the foundations of the next dynasty. It might take a little longer this time, especially with a hard cap. This rationale is why I go all-in and try to put the best cast possible around Kobe for his final years.

Bring in Rick Adelman as coach and the Lakers don't miss a beat next year.

While I can respect your statements, IMO, the Lakers are in trouble. Is there really one superstar FA, (Chris Paul, Dwight Howard) that will want to sign a long term deal with the Lakers knowing that Kobe has 2-3 good years left in him? Or do they go to the NYK and build a core with Amare and Carmelo for the better part of the next decade?

I know if I were Chris Paul I would choose NYC knowing that the only formidable opponents that you can look forward to are the Heat, Bulls and MAYBE the Celtics; And while the East is catching up with the West in terms of power balance, you still have OKC, Dallas, an up and coming Memphis team, Houston (If Yao Ming can possibly stay healthy) , a GREAT young Portland team and a Clippers team that is one piece away from becoming a formidable opponent to any team in the league.

The Lakers were so up and down this year, we saw flashes of greatness, and flashes of them being sub par and mediocre. I want Kobe to get at least 6 rings more than any one, but I feel like the window for L.A. is slowly closing, players know this, so they will go else where to win a championship sooner.

[Guest Mr. Smokes]

I'll fucking cry if lakers get swept

[Meacon Keaton]

Why? It would appear you're an Atlanta fan.