*NBA THREAD* Abe will be missed (8 Viewers)

[JMon348]

I think Steve Blake is terribly overrated and people don't think a whole lot of him to begin with. He can't guard anybody because hes very slow laterally and is about this skinniest guy in the league. All he has ever done on offense is bring the ball up and immediately pass the ball and get out of the way (which kind of fits what LA wants) and about the only shot he can take or make is a completely uncontested jumper. He offers no value to an NBA team. Fisher is basically the same player, but he doesn't shoot as well and still thinks he is the 28 year old version of himself.

This problem hasn't mattered in the past, so it may not matter in the future, but if I were a Laker fan it would still bother me.

All the bolded points are just plain wrong. Blake is a good defender, not great, but definitely not terrible. A couple of years ago when Blake was on the Bucks he bothered Kobe a lot, Kobe even mentioned him after the game noting what a good job Blake did on him. He is a very smart defender and anticipates very well. I would even call his lateral quickness pretty good and not "very slow" at all.If you were the Lakers main target in free agency, I dont think you can be called terribly overrated or saying he doesnt offer any value to an NBA Team.

 

[Kev4029]

I think Steve Blake is terribly overrated and people don't think a whole lot of him to begin with. He can't guard anybody because hes very slow laterally and is about this skinniest guy in the league. All he has ever done on offense is bring the ball up and immediately pass the ball and get out of the way (which kind of fits what LA wants) and about the only shot he can take or make is a completely uncontested jumper. He offers no value to an NBA team. Fisher is basically the same player, but he doesn't shoot as well and still thinks he is the 28 year old version of himself.

This problem hasn't mattered in the past, so it may not matter in the future, but if I were a Laker fan it would still bother me.

All the bolded points are just plain wrong. Blake is a good defender, not great, but definitely not terrible. A couple of years ago when Blake was on the Bucks he bothered Kobe a lot, Kobe even mentioned him after the game noting what a good job Blake did on him. He is a very smart defender and anticipates very well. I would even call his lateral quickness pretty good and not "very slow" at all.If you were the Lakers main target in free agency, I dont think you can be called terribly overrated or saying he doesnt offer any value to an NBA Team.

I haven't seen a whole lot of him since he played in Denver, but when he was here I hated him. He always tried on D, but was constantly getting beat by his man either because he was too quick or too strong (Blake might be the weakest player in the NBA) and did nothing offensively. His 3 point shooting percentages are a little overrated because he never ventures inside of the 3 point line and typically just stands of to the side on the top of the 3 point line and waits for a kick out for wide open threes. He doesn't take very many contested shots at all. I guess he value is derived because he knows what he can and can't do and rarely tries to do more than he can. I don't like him as a player at all though.

 

[Yo Mama]

His 3 point shooting percentages are a little overrated because he never ventures inside of the 3 point line and typically just stands of to the side on the top of the 3 point line and waits for a kick out for wide open threes. He doesn't take very many contested shots at all. I guess he value is derived because he knows what he can and can't do and rarely tries to do more than he can.

That's what makes him a perfect PG for the Lakers.

 

[Major]

Utah looks like they may be the only challenger in the West to LA. That Millsap/Jefferson combo is a lethal scoring duo. Damn.

Very good team. Deron Williams for some reason seems to get ignored when discussing the best point guards. Very impressed with him last night.

I really like this team. Deron is the man. He's going to win a ring before it's over. Utah has legs.

 

[Voice Of Reason]

I'm not sure they want to wear down Wade in the regular season chasing down PGs. Maybe things will change in the playoffs.

There aren't many good, really quick PGs who would give Wade a ton of trouble and they can rotate him off. And it isn't like they don't need an excuse to get Bosh more involved on offense.

Rondo ran wild all over the Cavs in the playoffs for a reason. I have little faith LeBron can stop him.

For the Heat's sake, I hope they don't trade for Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson to defend Rondo in the playoffs.

 

[biggamer3]

Nuggets will beat Lakers tonight, bank on it

 

[Kev4029]

Nuggets will beat Lakers tonight, bank on it

I hope so, but with Shelden Williams and Melvin Ely getting significant PT against Odom and Gasol I wouldn't count on it. Nuggs really need to get Billups going, hes been pretty mediocre so far and had two terrible TOs in the last minute or so of the last Chicago game that may have lost the game for them.

 

[Mr. PadresLakers]

I'm not sure they want to wear down Wade in the regular season chasing down PGs. Maybe things will change in the playoffs.

There aren't many good, really quick PGs who would give Wade a ton of trouble and they can rotate him off. And it isn't like they don't need an excuse to get Bosh more involved on offense.

Rondo ran wild all over the Cavs in the playoffs for a reason. I have little faith LeBron can stop him.

For the Heat's sake, I hope they don't trade for Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson to defend Rondo in the playoffs.

My point is if Lebron can shut down Rondo why is that he never guarded him in the playoffs?No one thought it would be a good idea to stop the guy averaging 22 ppg, 10+ assists and 7+ rebounds on insane efficiency in the franchise killing loses of Games 4, 5 and 6?

 

[Spartans Rule]

My point is if Lebron can shut down Rondo why is that he never guarded him in the playoffs?No one thought it would be a good idea to stop the guy averaging 22 ppg, 10+ assists and 7+ rebounds on insane efficiency in the franchise killing loses of Games 4, 5 and 6?

Because he was holding Paul Pierce to 11.8 points per game on 34.5% shooting.If they switch LeBron on to Rondo, you've got Parker/West guarding Pierce and Mo/Gibson guarding Ray Allen. That would've been far uglier.

 

[Mr. PadresLakers]

My point is if Lebron can shut down Rondo why is that he never guarded him in the playoffs?

No one thought it would be a good idea to stop the guy averaging 22 ppg, 10+ assists and 7+ rebounds on insane efficiency in the franchise killing loses of Games 4, 5 and 6?

Because he was holding Paul Pierce to 11.8 points per game on 34.5% shooting.If they switch LeBron on to Rondo, you've got Parker/West guarding Pierce and Mo/Gibson guarding Ray Allen. That would've been far uglier.

Couldn't have been much uglier than Game 5 when Pierce dropped 21 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists on Cleveland's home court in root to a 120-88 massacre. Whatever amazing defense he may have played the other 5 games was irrelevant if the net result of the play was Rondo strolling down the lane for layup after layup.

 

[bg0546]

Utah looks like they may be the only challenger in the West to LA. That Millsap/Jefferson combo is a lethal scoring duo. Damn.

Very good team. Deron Williams for some reason seems to get ignored when discussing the best point guards. Very impressed with him last night.

I really like this team. Deron is the man. He's going to win a ring before it's over. Utah has legs.

Yeah, and then he and John Stockton can compare rings.

 

[timschochet]

Celtics just killing Heat early. Rondo with a huge slam, 22-10.

 

[Gr00vus]

Celtics just killing Heat early. Rondo with a huge slam, 22-10.

Ilgauskas will fix it.

 

[timschochet]

Celtics just killing Heat early. Rondo with a huge slam, 22-10.

Ilgauskas will fix it.

No, Stackhouse will. He's coming in now.Actually the Heat are slowly working their way back into it.

 

[timschochet]

I figured Miami would struggle with the great teams in the league like Boston, Orlando, the Lakers. But I also thought they would have a pretty easy time of it with most of the rest of the NBA. That's why I was willing to make the bet with JMon that they would win 65. Gotta admit, it really doesn't look very good right now...

 

[Gr00vus]

Celtics just killing Heat early. Rondo with a huge slam, 22-10.

Ilgauskas will fix it.

Awesome put back there.

 

[timschochet]

Everyone on the Heat is just trying to create their own shot. They all stand around watching Wade, or watchiing Stackhouse, etc. There's no crisp passing, the kind you see on really good teams.

 

[Gr00vus]

Shaq looks like Uncle O'Grimacey in the road greens.

 

[JMon348]

I figured Miami would struggle with the great teams in the league like Boston, Orlando, the Lakers. But I also thought they would have a pretty easy time of it with most of the rest of the NBA. That's why I was willing to make the bet with JMon that they would win 65. Gotta admit, it really doesn't look very good right now...

65 a push, 66 you win.

 

[timschochet]

I figured Miami would struggle with the great teams in the league like Boston, Orlando, the Lakers. But I also thought they would have a pretty easy time of it with most of the rest of the NBA. That's why I was willing to make the bet with JMon that they would win 65. Gotta admit, it really doesn't look very good right now...

65 a push, 66 you win.

Yeah, thanks for reminding me!

 

[Gr00vus]

The more interesting bet is when Riley kicks Spolstra to the curb and himself. I see zero offensive or defensive structure for the Heat right now.

 

[timschochet]

I see zero offensive or defensive structure for the Heat right now.

That's just it. There's no team!

 

[timschochet]

Wow! What a shot by Pierce to end the half.

 

[bosoxs45]

When did Miami sign Jerry Stackhouse?

 

[Abraham]

Miami looks bored. They've looked bored in every game I've watched except the Orlando game. THe fans look bored, the coaches look bored. Riley looks bored. It's a look of "this will work itself out and we'll win" that we've seen in the past with teams like LA and San Antonio. Only difference was those teams were coming off titles and had coaches that had proven they knew how to get their teams in shape as the season wore on. I realize it's early in the season, but the Heat need to be careful getting in too big of a hole in the WL column early in the season.

 

[Gadfly]

Perhaps TNT needs to better plan out the schedule of its games. The fourth quarter of one game begins 3 minutes before the next game is scheduled to start.

 

[Ghost Rider]

30 minutes ago, Paul Pierce tweeted this:

It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis

 

[Major]

30 minutes ago, Paul Pierce tweeted this: It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis

well played

 

[Abraham]

30 minutes ago, Paul Pierce tweeted this: It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis

 

[timschochet]

Pretty tight Lakers/Nuggets game. Tied with 5 minutes left. Will the Lakers lose their first of the season?

 

[Major]

Pretty tight Lakers/Nuggets game. Tied with 5 minutes left. Will the Lakers lose their first of the season?

Lakers looked poor in the 4th. Uninspiring play. Seemed tired.

 

[timschochet]

Pretty tight Lakers/Nuggets game. Tied with 5 minutes left. Will the Lakers lose their first of the season?

And the answer is yes.

 

[Voice Of Reason]

My point is if Lebron can shut down Rondo why is that he never guarded him in the playoffs?

No one thought it would be a good idea to stop the guy averaging 22 ppg, 10+ assists and 7+ rebounds on insane efficiency in the franchise killing loses of Games 4, 5 and 6?

Because he was holding Paul Pierce to 11.8 points per game on 34.5% shooting.If they switch LeBron on to Rondo, you've got Parker/West guarding Pierce and Mo/Gibson guarding Ray Allen. That would've been far uglier.

Couldn't have been much uglier than Game 5 when Pierce dropped 21 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists on Cleveland's home court in root to a 120-88 massacre. Whatever amazing defense he may have played the other 5 games was irrelevant if the net result of the play was Rondo strolling down the lane for layup after layup.

Yeah, LeBron the GM in Cleveland must have really screwed up in bringing in guys to defend Rondo or Pierce so he could guard the other.

 

[Masked Vigilante]

Miami looks bored. They've looked bored in every game I've watched except the Orlando game. THe fans look bored, the coaches look bored. Riley looks bored. It's a look of "this will work itself out and we'll win" that we've seen in the past with teams like LA and San Antonio. Only difference was those teams were coming off titles and had coaches that had proven they knew how to get their teams in shape as the season wore on. I realize it's early in the season, but the Heat need to be careful getting in too big of a hole in the WL column early in the season.

Almost seems like Miami doesn't want home court for the playoffs. I don't blame them for not wanting to play a game 7 in a half filled arena.

 

[lumpy19]

30 minutes ago, Paul Pierce tweeted this: It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis

I just came to this thread to see if this was being talked about. I can't stand pierce mostly because of his over reacting on the court to every little thing but this made me

 

[wadegarrett]

30 minutes ago, Paul Pierce tweeted this: It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis

guy had that one ready to go for a while

 

[Workhorse]

Lebron's quote after last night's game:

“I think Coach Spoe, he’s trying to figure out the minutes, trying to figure out exactly the lineups that he wants to play,’’ he said. “For myself, 44 minutes is too much. I think Spoe knows that. I think 40 minutes for D-Wade is too much. We have to have as much energy we can to finish games out.’’

Could you imagine Jordan, Kobe or Bird saying that they're playing TOO MUCH????Outside of their top 3 guys, this is a deeply flawed team with major weaknesses that good teams should exploit all season long.

 

[Masked Vigilante]

Lebron's quote after last night's game:

“I think Coach Spoe, he’s trying to figure out the minutes, trying to figure out exactly the lineups that he wants to play,’’ he said. “For myself, 44 minutes is too much. I think Spoe knows that. I think 40 minutes for D-Wade is too much. We have to have as much energy we can to finish games out.’’

Could you imagine Jordan, Kobe or Bird saying that they're playing TOO MUCH????Outside of their top 3 guys, this is a deeply flawed team with major weaknesses that good teams should exploit all season long.

Lebron lacks the killer instinct. He will never be Fulgore.

 

[wadegarrett]

Lebron's quote after last night's game:

“I think Coach Spoe, he’s trying to figure out the minutes, trying to figure out exactly the lineups that he wants to play,’’ he said. “For myself, 44 minutes is too much. I think Spoe knows that. I think 40 minutes for D-Wade is too much. We have to have as much energy we can to finish games out.’’

Could you imagine Jordan, Kobe or Bird saying that they're playing TOO MUCH????Outside of their top 3 2 guys, this is a deeply flawed team with major weaknesses that good teams should exploit all season long.

fixedBosh is an average player on that team

 

[shake zula]

Miami looks bored. They've looked bored in every game I've watched except the Orlando game. THe fans look bored, the coaches look bored. Riley looks bored. It's a look of "this will work itself out and we'll win" that we've seen in the past with teams like LA and San Antonio. Only difference was those teams were coming off titles and had coaches that had proven they knew how to get their teams in shape as the season wore on. I realize it's early in the season, but the Heat need to be careful getting in too big of a hole in the WL column early in the season.

Almost seems like Miami doesn't want home court for the playoffs. I don't blame them for not wanting to play a game 7 in a half filled arena.

I was watching that game last night and that arena was not half empty.

 

[Kev4029]

Watching some non-Laker games over the week, I'm sure seeing a surprising number of empty seats - Denver, Dallas, Utah, Atlanta, Indiana...WTF?

All the Nuggets need to fill their stadium is 8,000 Lakers fans every game. The Pepsi Center was full last night, even with this fairly ####ty weather here in Denver.I went to an Avalanche game this week though, I would bet that the arena was somewhere between a third and a half full. It wasn't more than a few years ago when the Avs had the best crowds in all of hockey.

 

[Gr00vus]

Watching some non-Laker games over the week, I'm sure seeing a surprising number of empty seats - Denver, Dallas, Utah, Atlanta, Indiana...WTF?

All the Nuggets need to fill their stadium is 8,000 Lakers fans every game. The Pepsi Center was full last night, even with this fairly ####ty weather here in Denver.I went to an Avalanche game this week though, I would bet that the arena was somewhere between a third and a half full. It wasn't more than a few years ago when the Avs had the best crowds in all of hockey.

I think the whole economic downturn thing has much to do with this.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Watching some non-Laker games over the week, I'm sure seeing a surprising number of empty seats - Denver, Dallas, Utah, Atlanta, Indiana...WTF?

All the Nuggets need to fill their stadium is 8,000 Lakers fans every game. The Pepsi Center was full last night, even with this fairly ####ty weather here in Denver.I went to an Avalanche game this week though, I would bet that the arena was somewhere between a third and a half full. It wasn't more than a few years ago when the Avs had the best crowds in all of hockey.

I think the whole economic downturn thing has much to do with this.

Not for nothing, but I think the fact that only one NBA title in the last quarter century has been won by a team without an All-NBA, easily Top 50 of all time-type player might have something to do with it.Denver has one of those guys, but he wants out of town. None of the other teams you listed has one. At some point it's hard to spend thousands of dollars for season tickets on a team that history tells us has virtually no chance of winning an NBA title in the foreseeable future.

 

[Kev4029]

Watching some non-Laker games over the week, I'm sure seeing a surprising number of empty seats - Denver, Dallas, Utah, Atlanta, Indiana...WTF?

All the Nuggets need to fill their stadium is 8,000 Lakers fans every game. The Pepsi Center was full last night, even with this fairly ####ty weather here in Denver.I went to an Avalanche game this week though, I would bet that the arena was somewhere between a third and a half full. It wasn't more than a few years ago when the Avs had the best crowds in all of hockey.

I think the whole economic downturn thing has much to do with this.

It definitely plays a part, but here in Denver I think people are disinterested in the Nuggs because everybody assumes Melo is gone soon and don't want to invest into a team thats going to be completely different in 2 months. For the Avs, it just hasn't been the same since the lockout and people just don't recognize the names like they used to and miss Sakic, Forsberg and Roy.The Nuggets are about dead center of the league in attendance through 4 games (Utah, Dallas, Clippers, Lakers) with about 1000 fewer fans than last year per game.

 

[Abraham]

Not for nothing, but I think the fact that only one NBA title in the last quarter century has been won by a team without an All-NBA, easily Top 50 of all time-type player might have something to do with it.

This is one of those stats that is true (Pistons over Lakers) but reveals a bigger issue in the NBA: there are far fewer title winners in the NBA then any other pro sport. People complain about the Yankees in baseball or football dynasties, but the NBA is where the issue is most significant. Unless my hangover is messing with me, 6 teams have won 29 of the last 30 titles with Miami being the only team to break through the stanglehold of Spurs, Bulls, Pistons, Lakers, Celtics, and Rockets.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Miami looks bored. They've looked bored in every game I've watched except the Orlando game. THe fans look bored, the coaches look bored. Riley looks bored. It's a look of "this will work itself out and we'll win" that we've seen in the past with teams like LA and San Antonio. Only difference was those teams were coming off titles and had coaches that had proven they knew how to get their teams in shape as the season wore on. I realize it's early in the season, but the Heat need to be careful getting in too big of a hole in the WL column early in the season.

Almost seems like Miami doesn't want home court for the playoffs. I don't blame them for not wanting to play a game 7 in a half filled arena.

I was watching that game last night and that arena was not half empty.

Correct. Transplanted Bostonians filled it up.

 

[Gr00vus]

Not for nothing, but I think the fact that only one NBA title in the last quarter century has been won by a team without an All-NBA, easily Top 50 of all time-type player might have something to do with it.

This is one of those stats that is true (Pistons over Lakers) but reveals a bigger issue in the NBA: there are far fewer title winners in the NBA then any other pro sport. People complain about the Yankees in baseball or football dynasties, but the NBA is where the issue is most significant. Unless my hangover is messing with me, 6 teams have won 29 of the last 30 titles with Miami being the only team to break through the stanglehold of Spurs, Bulls, Pistons, Lakers, Celtics, and Rockets.

I think you forgot the 76ers.But your point is valid.My original point wasn't the non-sellouts, it was the degree of the non-sellouts. Tons of empty seats in the lower bowls of these stadiums. I don't remember seeing it to this extent any time in the recent past. They all looked like Clipper home games.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Not for nothing, but I think the fact that only one NBA title in the last quarter century has been won by a team without an All-NBA, easily Top 50 of all time-type player might have something to do with it.

This is one of those stats that is true (Pistons over Lakers) but reveals a bigger issue in the NBA: there are far fewer title winners in the NBA then any other pro sport. People complain about the Yankees in baseball or football dynasties, but the NBA is where the issue is most significant. Unless my hangover is messing with me, 6 teams have won 29 of the last 30 titles with Miami being the only team to break through the stanglehold of Spurs, Bulls, Pistons, Lakers, Celtics, and Rockets.

Yup. I think the lack of parity and obvious slant towards the superstar product of a couple things. Referee bias is certainly part of it, and probably the only part that can possibly be corrected. Otherwise, it's just part the nature of the game. With only five players on the court at a given time, a single player has far more influence on the game than in any other sport except maybe football quarterbacks. And football's single elimination playoffs give it the parity that the NBA does not have.Speaking as a Wizards fan, it's easier for me to justify spending my money on tickets now, even though the team is bad, than it was in in the middle of the last decade, when they were a perennial playoff team. The reason is that even though we suck now as compared to then, there's hope that we can be a contender in a couple years because we might have one of "those guys," whereas back then there was very little chance of competing for a title any time soon even though they were a winning team. I suspect that fans in places like Atlanta, Dallas, Utah, etc. are feeling that sort of fatigue.

 

[wadegarrett]

Lebron's quote after last night's game:

“I think Coach Spoe, he’s trying to figure out the minutes, trying to figure out exactly the lineups that he wants to play,’’ he said. “For myself, 44 minutes is too much. I think Spoe knows that. I think 40 minutes for D-Wade is too much. We have to have as much energy we can to finish games out.’’

Could you imagine Jordan, Kobe or Bird saying that they're playing TOO MUCH????Outside of their top 3 guys, this is a deeply flawed team with major weaknesses that good teams should exploit all season long.

Rome is ripping on him for just this. What a #####.

 

[Mr. PadresLakers]

Most of all, James found himself in postseason shape, closing a loss to the Boston Celtics with a missed layup, two missed free throws and a corner 3-pointer off the side of the backboard.

They created something that they played make-believe about embracing. They talked tough about reveling in a world that despises them, only to find it’s a bigger burden of scrutiny than they ever imagined.

Times are tumultuous, and here was LeBron James, claiming that 44 minutes had worn him out, that he had nothing left in the end, and that Wade had played too much as well. One night, and King James had an issue with too many minutes on the floor. Always easier to blame some vague force, always easier to escape the responsibility. There you go, Coach Spo. There’s your star. Enjoy him.

Woj