The Officail NBA Disscusion Thread

Well... We are a week in and no one has done it yet... May have something to do with that Barrack guy...



Anyway, the Season is on, and there are MANY great teams...

Heres my season preview.

Teams that KNOW they can win:
LA Lakers
Boston Celtics
New Orleans Hornets

Teams that THINK they can win:
Detriot pistons
San Antionio Spurs
Houstan Rockets
Toranto Rapters
PHX Suns

Teams that HOPE they can win:
Clevland Lebrons
Orlando Magic
Utah Jazz
Dallas Mavericks

Teams with Potential:
Portland Trailbalzer
Denver Nuggets
Chicago Bulls
Philly


Teams with Hope:
Everyone else...

reply to post by TKainZero


Hi TK,

What do you think about the Allen Iverson-Billups-McDyess trade?

I felt bad for Oden getting hurt again. At least it's just a foot sprain. Nothing major..

Spurs are getting old and without Manu they're not very good.

reply to post by TKainZero


Hey TKainZero - I agree with your initial predictions - I will say the one team that I have no clue what they will do (I have feeling defense wont be it) is Denver - with Chauncy, maybe Carmello can get rolling. Other than that, Denver is toast, and George Carl too.

CJ

I think it makes sense for both teams.

Den clears time up for JR Smith. AI and Melo never were a well oiled machine.

I think Detriots biggest weakness was down down. And they gave away their depth. The ONLY reason Detriot has in moving Chancy is giving Stucky more playing time.

BUT, AI comes in and takes that time.
Either way, i think the Nuggets win this one, but both teams come out ok.



I am a huge Laker fan, and i saw Oden, and for a min there, he grabed every rebound. Was a force on the defensive end, and then looked like a 45-year old man running down the court. I hope he comes back.

The Lakers are good this year.

Really good. Best I've seen in my life.
With Odom coming off the bench, and Gasol-Bynum owning the low post, and Radman/Ariza playing the 3.

Its working. Once their guards get their shooting stroke, it will be better.

The Lakers defense is intense this year. Lakers play 4 hard games in a row now. It will be a better test then the first 4. Even thought they will have played only 2 games in 8 days.

Im ready for the season to start rolling.


Poor clippers... They played Lakers and Jazz twice already. And Denver...


Standings
EASTERN
1 DET 4-0
2 ATL 3-0
3 BOS 4-1
4 TOR 3-1
5 CLE 3-2
6 ORL 3-2
7 MIL 3-2
8 NYK 2-2
9 MIA 2-2
10 CHI 2-3
11 NJN 1-2
12 IND 1-2
13 PHI 2-4
14 CHA 1-3
15 WAS 0-3

WESTERN
1 LAL 4-0
2 UTH 4-0
3 PHO 4-1
4 NOR 3-1
5 HOU 3-2
6 DAL 2-2
7 MEM 2-3
8 GSW 2-3
9 POR 2-3
10 OKC 1-3
11 SAS 1-3
12 DEN 1-3
13 MIN 1-3
14 SAC 1-4
15 LAC 0-5



Its been a intresting opening. Lets see if HotLanta can keep it up. I know they played the Celtics better then the Lakers last year, so they may be something we have overlooked.


I hate how the first couple weeks of the season have become some weird long TV drama. With so few games being played... Laker 2 games in 8 days... i know that has to happen to some other team the last 2 weeks.

And, if your in Colo, then you probaly know more about Denver then me. Just giving away Camby made me wonder. But Nene looks like he can play... finnaly... K-mart... finnaly... JUst about everyone is healthy in the start of the season./

**
And Scram.

You forget about ATS Fantasy Football... Were missing ya over there... and to the others who seemed to have disapeared from the leuage.


[edit on 11/7/2008 by TKainZero]

reply to post by TKainZero

You forget about ATS Fantasy Football... Were missing ya over there... and to the others who seemed to have disapeared from the leuage.

I know. After missing a few weeks I realized I was out of it and gave up. I'm never good at keeping up with those things. Part of the reason is I recently became a homeowner so I was without (home) internet for a couple of weeks and basically just had other things on my mind. I was also doing the yahoo sports "you pick 'em" football challenge with a couple friends. That only requires weekly picks and I couldn't even keep up with that. Sad I know...

reply to post by Scramjet76


Yea.. Stuff happens...

You could still come back and win a couple games...
FF is crazy with 12 teams...

Meanwhile, in the NBA...

Maybe we underestimated the ATL Hawks...

They might be good...

reply to post by TKainZero


I doubt it. The might just match up well with the Celtics. Plus Ray wasn't shooting the ball well during that series. As soon as he started playing like an All-Star they were set.... as seen by his play in the Lakers series.
The Hawks have a lot of potential... Al Horford and Marvin Williams... yup those boyz got skillz.

I'm convinced the Rockets can't win it all, after watching the them play the Trail Blazers the other night. Yao is just too soft. If the Rockets had a 28-year old Shaq...

Originally posted by Scramjet76
I'm convinced the Rockets can't win it all, after watching the them play the Trail Blazers the other night.

Come on. We're seven games in to the season. You know if you had to take one team to win it all out of Atlanta and Houston, you'd take Houston, as would most other sane individuals. That shows that no one truly takes things seriously this early on.

I don't understand why Houston is so heavily scrutinized. During their 22 game winning streak, people nit-picked at some of the opponents they beat, only to turn around and claim the Spurs were great when they went on their smaller win streak around the same time. I don't know if people don't realize it or just don't care, but both teams are in the same division and play the same opponents.

So Houston lost to Portland. So what? Portland looked good last year and is 5-3. New Orleans lost to Charlotte, yet I don't hear anyone saying they can't win it all. That's what I don't understand. Am I just more sensitive to it because I'm a Rockets fan? Or is it because Houston has three big stars and everyone is looking for an excuse to not accept them as an elite team?

Houston is going to lose games. They're going to lose games they should probably win. But so is LA. So is Boston. So is New Orleans. Thats how it goes.

To this point, Houston, especially Yao and McGrady, hasn't proved they can show up when it is needed the most - the playoffs. But this is a different team this year. They now have not only a great player, but a guy who can lead - something they have lacked - in Artest. Artest loves playing for Rick Adelman, and we all know a focused and dedicated Ron Artest is a pretty big weapon in this league.

If their early struggles continue at the All Star break, then there may be something to that not being able to win it all thing. But right now, they have 75 games left.

Hey TKZ,

your thoughts on Camby/KMart/Nene together are right on...Denver got rid of the only two guys who ever played d - Camby and Najera - interesting to see how Chauncy has made an immediate impact in Denver's d - we held Charlotte to 80 in their own building the other night - I know, the Bobcats and all but still...also, the Hawks finally lost last night -I think that they will be a decent team this year - only based upon what they did at the end of the season - as has been pointed out, there's a lot of ball to be played. It's nice to see the Clippers back where they belong.

CJ

Lakers lost tonight

Now no more Undefeated Teams, and no more winless teams...


We are into the season now...

Everyone knows im taking the Lakers... Even if Kobe isn't playing well this season... His pinkey is more messed up then anyone wants to admit

1 BOS 10-2
2 CLE 9-2
3 ORL 8-3
4 DET 7-3
5 ATL 6-4
6 NYK 6-5
7 MIA 6-5
8 PHI 5-5
9 TOR 5-5
10 IND 5-5
11 CHI 5-6
12 MIL 5-7
13 NJN 4-6
14 CHA 3-7
15 WAS 1-7

WESTERN
1 LAL 8-1
2 PHO 8-4
3 UTH 7-4
4 HOU 7-4
5 DEN 7-4
6 NOR 5-4
7 POR 6-5
8 SAS 5-5
9 GSW 5-6
10 DAL 4-7
11 MEM 4-7
12 SAC 4-8
13 MIN 1-8
14 LAC 1-9
15 OKC 1-10

Not a huge NBA fan, but I am enjoying the Blazers this year. They really have good chemistry and a lot of young talent.

Rudy Fernandez is really shaping up to be a great rookie.

Oden went 22-10 last night so he is starting to be a factor. I think once the team adjusts to playing with Oden that they will be a difficult match up for a lot of teams.

Hopefully they can put it together soon and be a playoff team this year.

reply to post by Karlhungis


Yeah, Blazers could be good this year. They've been building a better team for a while now. And Karlhungis? Your avatar scares the bejeezus out of me everytime I see it. I assume you've seen the film - check out the book if you haven't read it. Good read, if you like horrifying evil creeping towards you.
Nuggets now 6-1 with Chauncey.
Is anyone else fed up with Charles Barkley's act? It's like he couldn't care less what comes out of his mouth and he seems bitter. I used to think the round mound of rebound was sort of funny but man is he depressing to listen to.

ColoradoJens

reply to post by ColoradoJens


Charles Barkely is a Morom...

But at least he is honest...

And ill take the more Honest moron, over the genious who is SO comprimised, that he will not even PRETEND to say the truth...



As for Portland...
They are deep, but too young...
If Oden can stay healthy, then they can be a Force...
Roy is a top 10 player, and Rudy Fernadez is a force...


And Denver has looked better then i though with Chancy...
JR smith has Yet to show up...


I still say the Lakers are the Favorite... but... i might be biased there...

Den is definatly a playoff conterder, and if things go right, they could challenge in the playoffs...

I just cannot imagine them matching up against Bynum/Gasol or Shaq/Admare

Denver has Nene, and K-Mart...
Last playoffs, K-Mart tried to guard Kobe...
I just cannot see Den Matching up well in the playoffs...

Originally posted by TKainZero
reply to post by ColoradoJens

 

Charles Barkely is a Morom...

Yeah, he's TARible!!!!

How bout those CAV's huh? AI will get his due tonight!

[Teams that HOPE they can win:
Clevland Lebrons

u mean the ones that won 8 in a row?

reply to post by NovusOrdoMundi


Sweet avatar!

Miss the old dude in 'wranglers'?

OT

old CW in AZ ain't doing bad either....

Lakers and Nuggets play...


This should be a good game

Denver is looking stronger then anyone thought in the West
And the Lakers are just insane this year.

It will be a good test for both teams.

I think the Rockets will contend this year. They've got some issues, but watching them, I believe they haven't pulled it all together thus far, yet they have a top 5 record in the league. I believe their full potential is still to come.

I'm not saying they're ready to take down LA in the West, but they're the team to beat in the Southwest.