Official 2008-2009 NBA Thread

[RockRaines]

Seriously, this Celtics team couldnt hold a candle to the 72-10 bulls team. They are so soft on D, and have zero depth.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Seriously, this Celtics team couldnt hold a candle to the 72-10 bulls team. They are so soft on D, and have zero depth.

 

What???!!! Please tell me you're talking about tonight's game only. Yes, this team isn't at the level of the '96 Bulls. No team since that team has been at that level. Their depth isn't as good as it was last year with Posey and P.J Brown. But I wouldn't say they have zero depth. They've got a pretty solid 9-man rotation. Their bench could probably use another big (I hear they're interested in Mutombo), and another wing player who can D up and knock down the open jumper/3 (sounds like James Posey). Other than that, they're without question the best team in the league.

Edited December 20, 2008 by Jordan4life

[ThunderBolt]

I agree with your premise Rock, but the Celtics are the best defensive team in the league.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I agree with your premise Rock, but the Celtics are the best defensive team in the league.

 

I think last year's team and the '04 Pistons are the best defensive teams of the decade.

[Jordan4life_2007]

At least we hung tough for a half. lol. Rondo/Perkins looked like Malone/Stockton tonight. We're going to be real sorry we didn't take better advantage of our earlier schedule. We've got some really tough games coming up.

[DBAHO]

I agree with your premise Rock, but the Celtics are the best defensive team in the league.

You can thank Tom Thibodeau for that.

 

Still can't believe the Bulls chose Vinny Del Negro over him.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Think Devin Harris wanted to send Mark Cuban and the Mavs a little message tonight? 41pts/12ast/3stl/14/25fg%/5-9 from 3. What a terrible trade from the Mavs' point of view. Much worse than the Nash debacle.

Edited December 20, 2008 by Jordan4life

[Brian]

Think Devin Harris wanted to send Mark Cuban and the Mavs a little message tonight? 41pts/12ast/3stl/14/25fg%/5-9 from 3. What a terrible trade from the Mavs' point of view. Much worse than the Nash debacle.

Didn't Nash leave via Free Agency?

[rangercal]

No better than Ben Gordon.

 

I love BG as much as the next guy, but I mean c'mon.

[nitetrain8601]

I love BG as much as the next guy, but I mean c'mon.

 

He's no better as I said. Ben has scored 50 before and has pretty great efficiency. Ben is at the same level as Roy IMO. He's not at a Kobe-type superstar level like some people would like to think. And again, we already had a SG on the team named Ben Gordon, so that would have been a waste of a pick unless you move Hinrich or Ben which would have been dumb at the time considering both guys were playing good basketball and their problems were in the front court. Get on them for not keeping LaMarcus Aldridge.

[nitetrain8601]

Is this based on anything other than just wanting to say something that will shock people?

 

It shouldn't shock people. There's a reason people were waiting for OJ since 7th grade.

 

 

Um, I don't even know what to say.

 

Both on the same tier. I don't consider one better than the other really in terms of impact.

[Chisoxfn]

He's no better as I said. Ben has scored 50 before and has pretty great efficiency. Ben is at the same level as Roy IMO. He's not at a Kobe-type superstar level like some people would like to think. And again, we already had a SG on the team named Ben Gordon, so that would have been a waste of a pick unless you move Hinrich or Ben which would have been dumb at the time considering both guys were playing good basketball and their problems were in the front court. Get on them for not keeping LaMarcus Aldridge.

Whoa...don't ever compare Ben Gordon and Brandon Roy. One of is a complete player and one of the best guards in the league and the other is a good 3rd option on a team. I don't necessarily disagree with you on your love for Mayo, I often said pre-draft (as did you) that Mayo might end up being the best guy in the draft.

[nitetrain8601]

Whoa...don't ever compare Ben Gordon and Brandon Roy. One of is a complete player and one of the best guards in the league and the other is a good 3rd option on a team. I don't necessarily disagree with you on your love for Mayo, I often said pre-draft (as did you) that Mayo might end up being the best guy in the draft.

 

Check the PERS and opposition PERS. Ben Gordon is the best guard on this team this year, his efficiency is nuts. His defense this year has been oustanding actually, but I'm guessing since he's 6'3, that's not possible. He's faced some pretty tough SG's already and the only SG to go off on the Bulls was Vince Carter and Luol Deng covered him all game. The whole Ben could only score and that it's myth is really bothersome, especially when it's so apparent that he's much much much better.

[RockRaines]

I agree with your premise Rock, but the Celtics are the best defensive team in the league.

Thats doesnt say much, they dont stack up at all defensively to the 72-10 Bulls. Who is the celtics best defender? So match him up with Jordan. Who is next? Match him up with Pippen. Already they arent as good. Add in Harper, Longley and Rodman to that mix. Defense has taken a back seat nowadays. I implore you to watch a Bulls game from any of those years and look at the difference in defensive energy.

[whitesoxfan101]

The Celtics have a shot at 70+ wins for the same reason the Bulls made it to 70+ wins and 69 wins in back to back years. The league now, as it was then, is very down overall with lots of bad teams. The league was better at that time in terms of the teams (the players are better now I think overall), and those Bulls teams were better than last year and this years Celtics teams (even if they break 72 wins), but that is how stuff like that happens in my opinion.

 

As for Ben Gordon, I'm not going to get into a Ben Gordon argument with nite, that is like getting into a Tyson Chandler argument with the dude that used to post in the NBA threads a lot who was a big fan of his, but Ben is having BY FAR his best NBA season. His defense has been the best I've seen it this year (which isn't saying a lot, plus the Bulls defense is just pathetic, but at least he's improved and appears to be trying) and his shot selection this year has been the best of his career, with the only year comparable in terms of his offense being 2006-2007. He still takes bad shots, but not nearly as many, and most of his "bad shots" this year have been when he was shooting well in that individual game, and thus at least made sense.

Edited December 20, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[RockRaines]

Ben should just never dribble the ball. He would be perfect in a shooting/coming off screens role.

[lostfan]

This article is a little old, but Tyrus Thomas is a lot more mature and accountable for himself than I thought:

Thomas, disappointed in his play this season said, "It will take time, but we need to hurry it up. I take ownership on a lot of it. I just have to find a way to get it going. Ain't no excuses, no youth, new offense, none of that b.s. I've just got to get it going. I haven't done a good job at all."

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/blogentries...orcGDKIZK9SoYtK

[Jordan4life_2007]

Didn't Nash leave via Free Agency?

 

Yes. And letting that happen was a big mistake even before he went on and won damn near 3 MVPs in a row.

[SoxFan1]

His defense this year has been oustanding actually

 

The guy still can't get around a f***ing screen. You hit the Kool-Aid hard.

 

He's having his best season, but he's still too inconsistent to me. He'll have some great shooting nights and some terrible shooting nights, but he'll still get 16 points, which averages out his scoring. The only thing he does really well is shoot, everything else is mediocre to below average (defense, dribbling, passing, etc). He's also a selfish prick and tends to try to run the offense too much when Rose is on the court (same for Hughes). Brandon Roy is by far a more complete player, and considering he plays in the Western Conference, I don't think it's even that close.

 

Also, tonight is one of the reasons I hate the Bulls. We beat a good Jazz team (twice now, once w/o Williams) but we can't beat the Bobcats? Kaman would be such a welcomed addition to this squad if he's healthy, but I just don't see a fit at all with LAC. Miller would be an OK addition but we'd still be bad defensively on the interior. I suppose it's good to hear that Pax is allegedly working the phones hard.

 

And I LOVED hearing this from Rose after the game...

 

Now, Rose vows to be more aggressive.

 

“I was relaxed a little bit, but now it’s aggressive for now on,” Rose said. “If they stop me, then that’s what I have teammates for. If they don’t I’m going to get a layup or a jump shot.”

[Palehosefan]

Just posting about a trade I thought of.

 

Heat trade: Marion, Beasley, Chalmers, DQ cook

Bobcats trade: Okafor, Wallace, Felton

 

 

Matches up financially. Okafor would have to ok the trade.

 

Heat would get a starting 5 of Felton, Wade, Wallace, Haslem, Okafor to compete for the East immediately.

 

Bobcats would get younger potential starters at 3 positions and a huge expiring salary of Marion.

 

Am I shorting one team?

[knightni]

The Heat wouldn't trade Beasley.

[Palehosefan]

The Heat wouldn't trade Beasley.

 

Eh, Heat weren't exactly enamored with drafting him. His playing time has been shrinking as the season wears on.

[nitetrain8601]

 

The guy still can't get around a f***ing screen. You hit the Kool-Aid hard.

 

He's having his best season, but he's still too inconsistent to me. He'll have some great shooting nights and some terrible shooting nights, but he'll still get 16 points, which averages out his scoring. The only thing he does really well is shoot, everything else is mediocre to below average (defense, dribbling, passing, etc). He's also a selfish prick and tends to try to run the offense too much when Rose is on the court (same for Hughes). Brandon Roy is by far a more complete player, and considering he plays in the Western Conference, I don't think it's even that close.

 

Also, tonight is one of the reasons I hate the Bulls. We beat a good Jazz team (twice now, once w/o Williams) but we can't beat the Bobcats? Kaman would be such a welcomed addition to this squad if he's healthy, but I just don't see a fit at all with LAC. Miller would be an OK addition but we'd still be bad defensively on the interior. I suppose it's good to hear that Pax is allegedly working the phones hard.

 

And I LOVED hearing this from Rose after the game...

 

Tell me who has gone off on Gordon this year? No one. His defensive PER is top 3 if not the best on the team. So it does look like you haven't done your research. His efficiency this year is by far the best of any Bulls player. Dribbling has been his biggest problem this year. On all things to worry about this year, Ben is towards the bottom of the list. I could see why you post here and not RealGM with uninformed statements like he can't get around a screen.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

I could see why you post here and not RealGM with uninformed statements

 

 

 

 

realgm is trash and watching games > analyzing stats

[SoxFan1]

Tell me who has gone off on Gordon this year? No one. His defensive PER is top 3 if not the best on the team. So it does look like you haven't done your research. His efficiency this year is by far the best of any Bulls player. Dribbling has been his biggest problem this year. On all things to worry about this year, Ben is towards the bottom of the list. I could see why you post here and not RealGM with uninformed statements like he can't get around a screen.

Give me a f***ing break. If I wanted to talk with 14 year old nerds about the NBA, then I'd post at RealGM. Sorry, I don't make up fantasy trades and envision a team full of Tyrus Thomas clones.

 

I don't need defensive PER to see that Ben Gordon can't play defense. The entire Bulls team can't play defense. He's top 3 on a s***ty defensive team, awesome. Let's give him a f***ing award. No matter what you choose to see, he still can't get around a f***ing screen to save his life. Maybe you should keep posting about the NBA at RealGm because obviously my eyes are deceiving me and I'm just making uninformed statements.

 

BG4DPOY!!!!111!1!one Saying his defense is outstanding is not only a travesty, but an insult to players in NBA and throughout NBA history who have actually played outstanding defense and actually give a s*** about their teams.