NBA Unofficial Thread

What do you think about the new Miami Heat team (Wade, Lebron, Bosh)?

Awesome! They're going to win multiple championships!	32.8%	[ 45 ]
Good, but not enough to compete with the Lakers.	29.2%	[ 40 ]
Terrible. You are a sell-out, Lebron.	38.0%	[ 52 ]
Total Votes:			[ 137 ]

[Foxdilfer]

Ok now the call for this game where the ball does or doesn't touch the rim was a bad one.
The Mavs no call was understandable. But here in this game the ball hits the bottom of the net which is hard to do if it touches the rim. (not saying it absolutely didn't) They huddle up and what could each of them have possibly come up with really? None of them could've possibly seen it.
The Magic got the stop there...and well worked for the stop....and Rondo had to settle for a shot he doesn't want to take even if hes wide open. Should of been Magic ball.

But anyway its funny how Ray Allen is like Reggie Miller. You don't want them to touch the ball off a screen on the wing ever. I remember one time when the Bulls were playing the Pacers it was the same exact play almost but off an inbound pass. MJ's reaction when he saw Miller go up for the shot was pretty much "thats going in" and he was heading to the locker room. (and was obviously pretty angry)
Thats what I get with Ray Allen but more so when hes catching and shooting off a screen its like thats automatic.

Heh Iggys at the Rockets-Laker game.

[insom nom nom niaa]

I don't think a Cavs-Celtics series would be as easy for the Cavs as everyone's dismissing it as. After all, if you listened to the analysts, this series was supposed to be a given for the Magic. Pierce's defense on Lebron shifts into another gear in the playoffs, Rondo can easily stay with Mo Williams, Celts biggest problem will be Z spreading the floor and the Cavs players slashing. The most Lebron has ever scored against the Cs was 45 in the classic Paul Pierce shootout last year. If the Celts can play the championship calibur defense that's giving them the clutch stops against the Magic, they can give Cleveland problems.

[Foxdilfer]

A lot of analysts say that based on talent and matchups. And honestly a lot of them aren't that good but here I can see why they thought so. It could easily be swung 3-2 or 4-1 right now but sometimes it comes down to mentality. Even in the Bulls series you could say they could of got that in 5. So wasn't way off I think.
(some did pick the Celtics in 6 and 7 though)

The Celtics are mentally tougher and their game plan is smarter. (or possibly better carried out)
Orlandos offense the end there was a combo of not having their leader Jameer (and no one taking his place) the Celtics defense of course and they rely on ball movement like they don't have a post presence at times. (not that there shouldn't be ball movement of course)
Also Celtics play great pick and roll defense there every time I see the Magic try that at the end of games. (I guess KG has been passing on to Perkins and Baby)

Anyway Cavs are a different breed to me. If its 86-86 in the 4th they aren't going to get stagnant on offense. And if they have a lead I wouldn't expect them to relinquish it unless they have Lebron sitting for a while. Then they have to rely on a ton of ball movement but that team is disciplined on both sides of the ball.
I'd say 5 games but the Celtics have shown a lot in this series so if it went 6 I wouldn't be terribly surprised.
Still Pierce won't be able to offset Lebrons production with his own I believe. Their guards are pretty quick (maybe put Delonte on Rondo) and their team defense is better than the Celtics without KG.
But I do think some people overrate some of the guys on the Cleveland bench saying its a starting 5 coming off the bench. But they have more versatility in that department coming off the bench.
And I think the Orlando and the Bulls are pretty stoppable both don't have a very reliable offense. The Cavs are committed more to defense too but you got a superstar ready to close the game out.

[Drill Sergeant 21]

Magic are a joke. They clearly have the better talent but they are throwing games in the last minutes.

[[Salieri]]

I used to be a great supporter of SVG, but he's looking more and more like a regular season coach.

As for the Lakers today, I said if they didn't win these games by 20, they had no shot at winning it all. A sexy 40 point win and the Rockets should be through. The LeBrons will beat the Celtics in 4 or 5 and the Lakers will be going at it with the tough denver nuggets. Things are starting to get interesting. whee

[Heir Kaiba]

God that game was boring.

The Rockets are done.

[Foxdilfer]

Oh wow Dwight asking for more touches?

[Heir Kaiba]

******** Howard he's not Shaq, he's never going to be Shaq. Sure a big man like Duncan, Garnett, and Shaq are immediate changers, however Howard isn't.

I bet you if they traded him they would be better off.

[Drill Sergeant 21]

Foxdilfer

Oh wow Dwight asking for more touches?

The guy grabs rebounds he's supposed to grab. 20 rebounds is nothing if your team gets out of the way in every miss by the opponent.

His only weapon in offense is a putback dunk, and the Celtics took that away. He can't be depended on freethrows, he doesn't have a midrange game, he doesn't even have the soft touch Shaq has around the baskets, nor the power and size Shaq used to simply dunk over opponents.

He simply needs to learn more moves. Ask Hakeem, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to train him and they'd be better. I don't know, Ewing didn't seem to teach him much.

[Mr Fiasco]

Heir Kaiba

God that game was boring.

The Rockets are done.

They was done when Yao got hurt obviously.

But this was the first....FIRST time I saw Tmac on the bench disappointed and disgusted. I don't think he should be disgusted at the team, the Rockets just don't have enough...he should be disgusted that him and Yao are always in friggin SUITS!

Also you guys need to stop doubting the Celtics. I'm done doubting these guys, Magic are in big trouble. Gotta win at home and in Boston, I like Boston to win this series.

While I like the Cavs to beat Boston...no way they sweep Boston. No "Fo' Fo' Fo' " for them.
It will be a 6 game series I bet. Unless the Magic come back but like I said...the Magic have to beat the Champs TWICE now...that is a hard task.

[Heir Kaiba]

Mr Fiasco

Heir Kaiba

God that game was boring.

The Rockets are done.

They was done when Yao got hurt obviously.

But this was the first....FIRST time I saw Tmac on the bench disappointed and disgusted. I don't think he should be disgusted at the team, the Rockets just don't have enough...he should be disgusted that him and Yao are always in friggin SUITS!

Also you guys need to stop doubting the Celtics. I'm done doubting these guys, Magic are in big trouble. Gotta win at home and in Boston, I like Boston to win this series.

While I like the Cavs to beat Boston...no way they sweep Boston. No "Fo' Fo' Fo' " for them.
It will be a 6 game series I bet. Unless the Magic come back but like I said...the Magic have to beat the Champs TWICE now...that is a hard task.

I think honestly Tmac should be disgusted that he always is injured not as his teammates.

His teammates are trying and lest Yao made it to the second round. Only Artest and Yao should get credit no Mr. Tmac who didn't show up last year and now is apparently disgusted of his teammates trying.

I honestly think that Tmac sometimes should be traded, Artest is a better player than Tmac, and look what Yao did for them, they made it to the second round without Tmac! I know Wilbon disagrees that Tmac should be traded but this year with Ron and Yao they did extremely well.

[Mr Fiasco]

Drill Sergeant 21

Foxdilfer

Oh wow Dwight asking for more touches?

The guy grabs rebounds he's supposed to grab. 20 rebounds is nothing if your team gets out of the way in every miss by the opponent.

His only weapon in offense is a putback dunk, and the Celtics took that away. He can't be depended on freethrows, he doesn't have a midrange game, he doesn't even have the soft touch Shaq has around the baskets, nor the power and size Shaq used to simply dunk over opponents.

He simply needs to learn more moves. Ask Hakeem, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to train him and they'd be better. I don't know, Ewing didn't seem to teach him much.

Hakeem would do it too, he has a big man camp or something Yao Ming worked with Hakeem and Thabeet has or maybe is still working with Hakeem.

Ewing has helped Dwight on the defense though, Ewing was more of a defensive center more than anything. I think Big men need a mentor. Yao had Deke, Hakeem, and Even Ewing.

Dwight has improved his offensive game. He has a little hook shot now this season he didn't have before, problem is he has to be close to the rim to do it and i've only seen him do it when he's facing the front of the rim. So it's limited but he has been working on it he's going to get better offensively.

But the Magic best players other than Dwight are jump shooters. They had one slasher in Jameer and he's hurt. Turkoglu can be a slasher but it depends on whose guarding him. Jameer would also give Dwight the ball also where he likes it, those others guys don't.

[Mr Fiasco]

Heir Kaiba

I think honestly Tmac should be disgusted that he always is injured not as his teammates.

His teammates are trying and lest Yao made it to the second round. Only Artest and Yao should get credit no Mr. Tmac who didn't show up last year and now is apparently disgusted of his teammates trying.

I honestly think that Tmac sometimes should be traded, Artest is a better player than Tmac, and look what Yao did for them, they made it to the second round without Tmac! I know Wilbon disagrees that Tmac should be traded but this year with Ron and Yao they did extremely well.

IDK what Tmac was looking like that for, i'm guessing he was just pissed off his team was losing like that like any normal fan. Yao had the same look on his face everytime they showed him but Tmac probably was upset at not being out there. It's gotta be hard to be Tmac right now because everyone is dissing him even his own fan base.

I think when healthy though Tmac is better than Artest because Artest bricks a lot of shots and creates a lot of turnovers. Artest main role this year was to come off the bench and give us a spark and finish games sometimes. The Rockets never really experimented with their full lineup so Artest's role changed a lot.

IDK if they will trade him or not, but the Rockets don't have a stupid GM so they will be very careful with what is done with him. If he is traded it will be at the trade deadline, they are going to give him a chance to redeem himself and I hear he's working very very hard to get back in shape. He's working with Tim Grover who worked with many top players like Jordan and Dwade to get back into shape. While he did have Microfracture, it was only a small part of his knee and not as serious as other ones.

I honestly think he will be back. I think his pride is on the line and not only that it's a contract year so yeah.

[Drill Sergeant 21]

Dwight's baby hook is useless when Perkins is muscling him out 5-6 feet away from the basket.

[Mr Fiasco]

Drill Sergeant 21

Dwight's baby hook is useless when Perkins is muscling him out 5-6 feet away from the basket.

Thats why it is limited. He still averages 20ppg though and that is mainly because he's quick and strong. Problem with the Celtics front line like i've said many times though....Perkins and Baby are really strong also and quick.

Dwight is more of a defensive center though, but his offense isn't bad it's just limited.