NBA Thread 2011-12

[Maxx]

Yeah, but every Ricky has that.

[Quom]

There is more that one Ricky? (Oh Ricky Davis?) It's not a popular name over here. I went to school with a Ricky he used to shit himself every day. He was a lovely kid though, just shocking parents.

[Quom]

Poor Rubio It's a shame because he's having a great game besides his shooting and early foul trouble. Poor little tyke is too scared to shoot.

[Maxx]

Go console him! Bring him one of those comically large lollipops.

[Quom]

He does so many little things. He's going to be an amazing PG if he can stay healthy. He's really good on defence and just the way he can spark the entire team into a run is incredible.

Rubio is meant to play the whole 4th quarter. This isn't going to help his confidence

[Maxx]

Why the hell is the Staples Center so much darker during Lakers games? Compared to Clippers games there, it looks like they're playing with the house lights off.

[Quom]

So nobody realises just how bad Jack Nicholson looks.

[Maxx]

HEY! HEY! HEY! RUBIO!

[Quom]

What's that, Rubio clutch as fuck? Damn fucking right he is.

[Quom]

What's that? Rubio just blocked the fuck out of you? Clutch as fuck.

[Quom]

Okay end the season. Game of the Year just happened.

[phatman]

I'd love to see the Timberwolves sneak into the playoffs... I just think the West will be too difficult for them to do that this season...

If they can keep Kevin Love and Rubio together for the long haul and build around that pair, I think that the Timberwolves will be competitive for years to come... It really just depends on what they surround them with as I don't think that Michael Beasley is what they need and Derrick Williams just isn't there yet...

[naiwf]

If they can keep Kevin Love and Rubio together for the long haul and build around that pair, I think that the Timberwolves will be competitive for years to come.

If you mean competing for a 6 seed, then yes, they'll be competitive. You're never going to get quality free agents to go sign in Minnesota and Rubio and Love aren't going to be enough to ever get them to the top in the West.

So how much longer until D'Antoni gets fired and the Phil Jackson taking over the Knicks in 2012-2013 rumors start?

Firing D'Antoni should have happened long ago. Now his team can't play defense OR offense.

[Quom]

I'd consider trying to swing Beasley as part of the Howard trade to NJ.

Okur (NJ), Morrow (NJ) and Ridnour (Min) go to Milwaukee,

Bogut (Mil), Beasley (Min) to Orlando

Howard (Orl) to NJ

Turkoglu (Orl), Lopez(NJ) and Delfino (Mil) to Minnesota

Throw in some draft picks to balance. The trade is unlikely to happen (Mil are getting raped) if Lopez and Okur were switched it would balance more but Lopez is on the last year of his rookie contract. If he can sign an extension and does so then he should go to Milwaukee but it takes the value away for Minnesota. But something similar could work (I mainly like the Beasley and Bogut for Howard part as to me it's a good swap).

[theburninator77]

East- Rondo, Wade, James, Anthony, Howard

West- Paul, Bryant, Durant, Love, M Gasol

Mine is fairly much the same except I have Kyle Lowry instead of Chris Paul and Andrew Bynum instead of Gasol.

[DYSI]

I'd consider trying to swing Beasley as part of the Howard trade to NJ.

Okur (NJ), Morrow (NJ) and Ridnour (Min) go to Milwaukee,

Bogut (Mil), Beasley (Min) to Orlando

Howard (Orl) to NJ

Turkoglu (Orl), Lopez(NJ) and Delfino (Mil) to Minnesota

Throw in some draft picks to balance. The trade is unlikely to happen (Mil are getting raped) if Lopez and Okur were switched it would balance more but Lopez is on the last year of his rookie contract. If he can sign an extension and does so then he should go to Milwaukee but it takes the value away for Minnesota. But something similar could work (I mainly like the Beasley and Bogut for Howard part as to me it's a good swap).

Yeah, I doubt Milwaukee would take that... but as a Nets fan I would take that trade in a heartbeat.

[Maxx]

So, Team USA Finalists are:

Kobe Bryant

Lebron James

Dwayne Wade

Chris Bosh

Carmelo Anthony

Dwight Howard

Chris Paul

Deron Williams

Kevin Durant

Derrick Rose

Tyson Chandler

Eric Gordon

Rudy Gay

Kevin Love

Lamar Odom

Chauncy Billups

Russell Westbrook

Andre Igudola

Blake Griffin

LaMarcus Aldridge

You can only take 12 to London with you, who's it gonna be?

Personally, I'm not sure I'd bring Kobe along, given that he's obviously in a terrible mood this season and I don't trust him not to get mercurial again. But it's also likely his last Olympic opportunity, and he's Kobe Bryant, so I'd say he's a lock. I think you can safely rule out Gay, Odom, Igulola and Gordon. Billups is somewhat unnecessary given the amount of point guards in camp. I think Westbrook is makes alternate, at best, they don't need him trying to upstage the entire roster. Griffin's not quite there yet, but I expect him to make the next one. I'm thinking the 12 will be:

Rose

Paul

Wade

Bryant

Lebron

Melo

Durant

Bosh

Howard

Love

D-Will

Chandler

They're going to bring the three point guards, for sure. Wade and Kobe are locks, as is LeBron, who can play guard if need be. Carmelo always plays better in international competition, so I'd be shocked to see him not brought along. Durant is too damn good to be left off. Personally, I'd take Aldridge over Bosh, but I doubt Conlangelo will. Howard is a no-brainer. Kevin Love needs to make the team for his rebounding ability alone, but also given his shooting range and his out passes, they'd be stupid to leave him off the final roster. I round it out with Tyson Chandler as the token "tough defense" guy that they like to bring along. He also fills in nicely as the a guy who's not the same caliber as the rest of the team, that these teams always have, like Christian Laettner, Mitch Richmond, Shareef Abdul-Raheem, Tayshaun Prince...most of the 2004 squad, etc. And I'd say Chandler is better than all of those guys.

This is likely going to be the most talented US National team since the Dream Team, and if the level of competition was the same as what they faced in 92, they'd probably win games by just as big a margin, if not larger. Still, it should be a really fun team to watch, I expect a rematch against Spain for the gold, especially since Mark Gasol has elevated his game.

[naiwf]

Barring injury the team will definitely have these 9 guys - Kobe Bryant (SG), Lebron James (SF), Dwayne Wade (SG), Carmelo Anthony (SF), Dwight Howard, © Chris Paul (PG), Deron Williams (PG), Kevin Durant (SF) & Derrick Rose (PG).

That leaves 3 spots for Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin & LaMarcus Aldridge. The others have no shot.

With 3 better PGs on the roster already, Westbrook is out. Chandler is the only true back up center, so he's in. So some combo of Bosh, Love, Griffin and Aldridge get the two remaining spots since there are currently no PFs on the roster and they all play that position. I can't imagine that they won't include Griffin because he's one of the league's new golden boys and they will want to hype LOB CITY, and my guess is that Bosh gets in over Love based on name value. Aldridge probably deserves a spot but is the least likely to get it.

3 PG - Paul, Rose, Williams

2 SG - Bryant, Wade

3 SF - Anthony, Durant, James

2 PF - Bosh, Griffin

2 C - Chandler, Howard

Edited January 21, 2012 by naiwf

[Maxx]

They aren't really doing it based on name value or golden boy status though. Last team had Michael Redd and Tayshaun Prince on it for instance. I think when you look at what Love and Griffin can offer the team, Love wins by a landslide.

[Meacon Keaton]

My roster would look exactly like Maxx's. Just substitute Griffin for Love.