2010/2011 NBA Thread

[sahyder1]

I really can't decide who I want to win this series. I want Nowitzki to get a ring and this may be his last shot. I would love the visual of David Stern having to fake a smile as he hands Mark Cuban the trophy. On the other hand the Heat winning would be great just because of the amount of people that are going to freak out.

[JStarr]

It'll be a real surprise if the Mavs can get back home with a split. Hard to believe Miami can play that badly at home again.

[Hickey]

Also, Dirk has a torn tendon in his left middle finger. It happened when he had the clean strip of Bosh that was called a foul. He'll wear a splint the rest of the Finals.

That sucks. It's looking more and more like Dallas is going down.

Honestly, I'm not a big Dirk or Dallas fan at all. I was hoping they wouldn't make it, but between Dallas and Miami, I'd choose Dallas in a heartbeat. I can't stand the way Lebron went about his stupid decision. I like Wade, but Lebron's an obnoxious douche.

Also, I've always thought Bosh was overrated. Solid player, but really not that special.

[gunnar hendershow]

Bosh would be a great player if he had just a little more size. Instead he's just a really good player. Wade and James are two of the four best players of their generation. Wade's easily the best leader in the NBA and will take the mantle from Kobe of the best assassin in close games. James is the best athlete and most talented player in the NBA. Together the two were bound to be unstoppable, I thought it would take a year or two to fill in the bench but it looks like Pat Riley knew better than I did. They also are benefitting from everyone getting healthy at the right time.

[Your Mom]

Big Shaq retired today. He had been playing as long as a lot of us had been alive though

[Hickey]

Bosh would be a great player if he had just a little more size. Instead he's just a really good player. Wade and James are two of the four best players of their generation. Wade's easily the best leader in the NBA and will take the mantle from Kobe of the best assassin in close games. James is the best athlete and most talented player in the NBA. Together the two were bound to be unstoppable, I thought it would take a year or two to fill in the bench but it looks like Pat Riley knew better than I did. They also are benefitting from everyone getting healthy at the right time.

Yeah well I hope the Knicks can find some solid role players and next year become a force. I like Billups, Stoudemire, and Melo better than Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

I'm not just saying it because I'm a Knicks fan.

[gunnar hendershow]

Knicks need a new coach. If you can't win a title with Nash, Marion, Johnson, and Amar'e in their primes then you should never be allowed to coach again.

No surprise on the Shaq retirement. Besides Jordan he was the first NBA player I really watched, I was 4 or so when he broke into the league so as long as I can remember watching basketball he's been around.

[Hickey]

Knicks need a new coach. If you can't win a title with Nash, Marion, Johnson, and Amar'e in their primes then you should never be allowed to coach again.

That's a great point, but who could replace D'Antoni? There's no one out there who's really available.

Besides, in terms of the playoffs and being a clutch performer, Billups is better than Nash. Also, Joe Johnson was young then and not as good as he is now. I don't want to comment on Marion because I'm biased. (I feel he's overrated, but maybe I'm just jealous because he's got the ugliest jump shot in the world, but still puts up stats. ) Plus, he never had Melo.

Maybe I'm just justifying because I'm a fan. But, I hope Stoudemire, Billups, and Melo are a better trio than Stoudemire, Nash, and Marion. (It is only hope though because I don't know that they will be.)

[Meacon Keaton]

I'm excited for us next year. Hopefully Billups can tape himself together for one last run.

[Hickey]

I'm excited for us next year. Hopefully Billups can tape himself together for one last run.

Same here. I mean he's older and a little more injury prone, but I hope he's still got a little bit of that magic left, that he once had.

[David Hassellhoff]

Even though it's a series, I saw enough from Game 1 that I would be incredibly shocked if Miami didn't win it all.

Dallas can't out rebound or outscore Miami in a seven game series. Miami has two guys who are unstoppable on the offensive end and will get a favorable whistle the majority of the time while Dallas only has one.

[rocksta]

Bosh would be a great player if he had just a little more size. Instead he's just a really good player. Wade and James are two of the four best players of their generation. Wade's easily the best leader in the NBA and will take the mantle from Kobe of the best assassin in close games. James is the best athlete and most talented player in the NBA. Together the two were bound to be unstoppable, I thought it would take a year or two to fill in the bench but it looks like Pat Riley knew better than I did. They also are benefitting from everyone getting healthy at the right time.

Yeah well I hope the Knicks can find some solid role players and next year become a force. I like Billups, Stoudemire, and Melo better than Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

I'm not just saying it because I'm a Knicks fan.

Knick fans are truly delusional.

Edited June 2, 2011 by rocksta

[phatman]

I don't really care too much for either team in the final... I cheered Miami on in 2006 to beat Dallas but I think I'd rather see Jason Kidd get an NBA title this year... I think he definately deserves to win a championship...

I've never thought Chris Bosh was all that good of a player, he was just on a team with no other star in Toronto and that's why he stood out... Yeah he had decent numbers there but I can't believe Miami didn't make a harder push to get Amare Stoudemire there instead of Bosh... God, Amare went cheaper to New York than what Bosh did to Miami...

Glad to see Shaquille O'Neal retire... Whilst he was fun to watch and is a great personality, it's definately time... He spent majority of the year battling injuries and was a big disappointment for the Boston Celtics this season...

[sahyder1]

Big Shaq retired today. He had been playing as long as a lot of us had been alive though

The most dominant player I have ever seen. He was pretty quick for a guy his size too. I'm sure we'll be seeing some talk in the next few days about where he ranks all time amongst centers.

[gunnar hendershow]

I said it recently here. Wilt, Kareem, and then it's a debate between Russell and Shaq.

[Hickey]

Bosh would be a great player if he had just a little more size. Instead he's just a really good player. Wade and James are two of the four best players of their generation. Wade's easily the best leader in the NBA and will take the mantle from Kobe of the best assassin in close games. James is the best athlete and most talented player in the NBA. Together the two were bound to be unstoppable, I thought it would take a year or two to fill in the bench but it looks like Pat Riley knew better than I did. They also are benefitting from everyone getting healthy at the right time.

Yeah well I hope the Knicks can find some solid role players and next year become a force. I like Billups, Stoudemire, and Melo better than Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

I'm not just saying it because I'm a Knicks fan.

Knick fans are truly delusional.

I told you I was hoping. I didn't say it was true.

[Meacon Keaton]

Bosh would be a great player if he had just a little more size. Instead he's just a really good player. Wade and James are two of the four best players of their generation. Wade's easily the best leader in the NBA and will take the mantle from Kobe of the best assassin in close games. James is the best athlete and most talented player in the NBA. Together the two were bound to be unstoppable, I thought it would take a year or two to fill in the bench but it looks like Pat Riley knew better than I did. They also are benefitting from everyone getting healthy at the right time.

Yeah well I hope the Knicks can find some solid role players and next year become a force. I like Billups, Stoudemire, and Melo better than Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

I'm not just saying it because I'm a Knicks fan.

Knick fans are truly delusional.

It's true. We're almost as bad as Eagles fans.

[Meacon Keaton]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6617479

Rubio to Minnesota, after all?

[Guest JukeboxHero]

Hopefully now that Shaq has retired, he can finally get to work on a sequel to Kazaam.

[JStarr]

I said it recently here. Wilt, Kareem, and then it's a debate between Russell and Shaq.

I'm trying to get some Athlon editors together and roundtable this debate. My Top 5 (and I know I'll catch some shit for it, but WTF):

5. Wilt

4. Shaq

3. Russell

2. Hakeem (and...duck & cover >_< )

1. Kareem

And if either Wilt or Shaq could shoot foul shots worth a damn, they'd be ahead of Russell. Love Russell, but I subscribe to the "he had half the Hall of Fame surrounding him" argument about his 11 titles. There are dozens of guys who were more skilled offensively.

As for Hakeem, yes, he won two charity rings while Jordan was gone. But when you ask me to choose between Russell winning titles with Cousy, Sharman, Heinsohn, Havlicek, et al and Hakeem winning the first one (second one had the last really good, healthy year from Clyde Drexler) with Otis Thorpe, Kenny Smith, and Vernon Maxwell, I'll take Hakeem. And there are next to no centers who were better offensively than Hakeem.

Discuss?