2010-2011 NBA Thread

[chw42]

Rather than having an "uck no" reaction, my reaction is to ask "What would the Bulls do about the SF spot?"

 

Clearly, unless you want Ellis guarding James, that move only works in tandem with another.

 

Chicago's finest brew. Or maybe go out and sign somebody. I don't know.

 

I don't like the deal at all. You lose more defense than you gain on offense. Ellis is not a very efficient scorer, so I don't see it helping the team.

[southsider2k5]

Rather than having an "uck no" reaction, my reaction is to ask "What would the Bulls do about the SF spot?"

 

Clearly, unless you want Ellis guarding James, that move only works in tandem with another.

 

Eh, we all went through that when this first got posted last week.

 

 

 

[Balta1701]

Eh, we all went through that when this first got posted last week.

How did I miss that?

[southsider2k5]

How did I miss that?

 

Eh, is easy to do in this thread. It is practically a game thread.

[Soxbadger]

Im pretty sure there is a moratorium on trades anyway, so if there is any talk it would have to be pretty limited, especially with the CBA.

 

I could see the Bulls doing a deal where they give up Boozer + picks for Ellis.

 

Some rumors say Golden State would be interested in Nene, so maybe you can convince them that Boozer+ picks would be a great deal!

[Balta1701]

Im pretty sure there is a moratorium on trades anyway, so if there is any talk it would have to be pretty limited, especially with the CBA.

The trade moratorium will obviously end before the lockout starts since the draft happens before the lockout starts. If a team wanted to be aggressive, getting its moves done before the lockout starts is a gamble that might pay off.

[Soxbadger]

I just think that with no cba player movement will be limited outside of draft picks being traded for other picks.

 

With so much uncertainty im not sure it would make sense to take a large risk, unless all of the salaries were equal.

[chw42]

Im pretty sure there is a moratorium on trades anyway, so if there is any talk it would have to be pretty limited, especially with the CBA.

 

I could see the Bulls doing a deal where they give up Boozer + picks for Ellis.

 

Some rumors say Golden State would be interested in Nene, so maybe you can convince them that Boozer+ picks would be a great deal!

 

I don't think they want Boozer. They have David Lee already.

[Jenksismyhero]

More good stuff from Simmons on the NBA, the Finals and Lebron:

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/664910...-lows-today-nba

 

LeBron James: You know, just the run-of-the-mill stuff … like his legacy as a player. I watched him pretty closely in Game 5 from my seat: He doesn't seem comfortable, as if he lost his identity as a basketball player to some degree.11 Is it possible that he's so talented that he never ended up concentrating on one great thing? He never developed a go-to gimmick like Dirk's high-post game, Wade's one-on-one game, Kobe's one-on-one game, Duncan's low-post game … he's like one of those fancy diners that has a six-page menu loaded with options, only when you ask the waitress what's good, she says, "I don't know, everything!" But wait … I asked you what's good.

 

When his erratic 3-pointer was falling against Boston and Chicago, it made him seem unstoppable. Now it's gone again. What's left? He's doing a tremendous Scottie Pippen impersonation, right down to his numbers every game … and I'll let that sentence speak for itself. What's really shocked me: LeBron's inability to adjust to however these high-pressure games seem to be playing out. When Jordan's shot wasn't falling, he got to the rim. When Bird's shot wasn't falling, he went down low and crashed the boards. Magic learned to morph into whatever his team needed from him: He could run fast breaks, go down low, get Worthy going, feed Kareem, whatever; he always made the right decision. LeBron? It's like he can't figure it out. There's never a Plan B for him.

 

Dallas made a key adjustment in Game 4, sticking Shawn Marion on Wade and Kidd on LeBron — with the implication being, "We can do this because LeBron won't make us pay by taking Kidd down low and torching him" — and it worked like a charm. In the fourth quarter of Game 4, they mixed it up by throwing a zone at Miami, hoping LeBron would get confused, stand around, avoid long 3s, and stop moving. That worked, too. To repeat: The Mavericks built their defensive strategy around LeBron's limitations and predictabilities. Not a good sign for someone currently finishing his eighth season. What's at stake for LeBron? He already lost. The emperor has no clothes. He needs to unleash two of the most phenomenal performances in Finals history — not one, two — to change my mind on that one.

[Balta1701]

More good stuff from Simmons on the NBA, the Finals and Lebron:

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/664910...-lows-today-nba

Don't tell anyone, but if there's a Game 7, Disney makes an extra $110 billion (all numbers approximate). You might see everyone on Dallas foul out in Game 6. I think Tyson Chandler already has 2 fouls and the game doesn't start for another 48 hours.

[Soxbadger]

Simmons is just stating the obvious, what made Lebron in Cleveland was that the entire offense went through him. Some games hed drive, some games hed make shots, some games hed post. But no matter what happened the guy was going to be able to take 20+ shots and get his game going.

 

In Miami there is a tension between Wade/Lebron. When one of them is going its hard to decide, do you get the other guy going or do you stick with the hot hand. Its hard to have a team where there are 2 players competing to be "the man" and Lebron seems to the player most affected by it.

 

I dont think its because he didnt develop his game, I think its because Lebron is thinking to much and trying to make everything work. He seems to second guess himself, whether he should take over the agme or whether he should facilitate. That is just not a good place for him to be.

 

He will never be the player he could have been had he stayed in Cleveland, he will always be something different. You can say he is in his 8th year, but this is his first year being on a team where its not Lebron and his merry men. There will be an adjustment period, its just a matter of what is the adjustment.

 

The problems are further exasperated because Wade is streaky too. Some games hes hot (Dallas) some games hes cold (Bulls), it puts a lot of pressure on Lebron to try and work everything out.

 

The Heat were a poorly designed team and the only reason the design could possibly work, is if Lebron can fill all of the different holes. Lebron has become a jack of all trades, master of none, but its not really his fault, its the system he has been placed in.

 

Hes still the same guy who won back to back MVP's, he just doesnt have the ball in his hand every possession, so he isnt in the flow as he once was. Wade/Lebron is always going to be hard to coexist. I dont think its a negative that Lebron is being Pippen, its just the role that hes been given.

 

Which goes back to my original point in this thread, that when Lebron went to Miami he never was going to be the greatest of all time.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Soxbadger

[Steve9347]

Which goes back to my original point in this thread, that when Lebron went to Miami he never was going to be the greatest of all time.

Somehow, in an article with this quote,

 

...don't bring up the triple-double to me — it meant nothing. Empty calories. He disappeared in the fourth quarter yet again.

 

you have managed to spin things to make it look like you were right all along. I am not falling for it.

 

Great article, as usual, by Simmons. I love the site design that allows for such perfect placement of the footnotes.

[Soxbadger]

Look at my progression of posts:

 

1) Lebron will never be the greatest of all time if he goes to Miami.

 

2) People are being to hard on Lebron after game 5, because Miami didnt lose because of Lebron.

 

3) People are expecting to much out of Lebron because they are trying to compare him to all time great players, when Lebron made decisions to take himself out of the running.

 

4) I dont care what Lebron does in the 4th quarter of a few games, he clearly did a ton of things in the 4th quarter against the Bulls. Its annoying how inconsistent writers are. After the Bulls series Lebron is the best ever, now during the Mavs series Lebron isnt that good. People need to quit making knee jerk reactions, if Lebron scores 100 points in the next 2 games, it doesnt make him the best ever, if he scores 0 it doesnt mean he wont be in the Hall of Fame. The point of all this is that Lebron's role with the Heat is not to be the primary scorer, his role is to do everything else because that is what they need.

 

Its just absolutely annoying to read a writer say Lebron is the best ever 1 week and then torch him a week later. It makes no sense, and that is my beef. If you are going to bag on Lebron, be consistent and bring up the fact that if it was not for Lebron, the heat arent even in the Finals.

 

I guess I dont care about all the hyperbole and nonsensical knee jerk reactions, I just want to talk about basketball and have legitimate conversation about games

Edited June 10, 2011 by Soxbadger

[lostfan]

Yup. Guess what he's good at, midrange jumpers and getting to the hoop, two things that are outcomes of having a good post game at his size.

 

 

And I LOL'ed at the commentators comments last night about Dirk. First saying that this is the first time that people will know who he is, and second putting him up there as a GOAT. He's very awesome, but I think of him as more of a Hakeem quality player.

Comparing anyone to Hakeem is a mega-compliment and is kind of ceding that said player is one of the GOAT at their position... who are your top 5 centers of all time? I'm thinking Hakeem's gotta be in there somewhere

 

(in no order but just off the top of my head)

Kareem

Wilt

Shaq

Hakeem

Russell

[RockRaines]

Comparing anyone to Hakeem is a mega-compliment and is kind of ceding that said player is one of the GOAT at their position... who are your top 5 centers of all time? I'm thinking Hakeem's gotta be in there somewhere

 

(in no order but just off the top of my head)

Kareem

Wilt

Shaq

Hakeem

Russell

But not GOAT player. Thats the difference. I agree its a huge compliment, thats why I said it.

[lostfan]

From a 2 second google search:

 

"Everywhere I've been, I've been the best player. I love being a leader, and I love being the best. I just want to get better. It's not about being cocky or selfish or anything like that. It's just how I am." (USA Today, Nov. 21, 2005)

 

I doubt he's said "i'm the greatest ever, f*** you all, including MJ." But his actions and his complete acceptance of that view from his "crew" (including ESPN) express the same point. He's the exact opposite of a guy like Rose, who's humble almost to a fault.

What is wrong with him believing that, exactly? I mean it's not much different than Rose saying "why can't I be MVP" or anything like that.

[lostfan]

But not GOAT player. Thats the difference. I agree its a huge compliment, thats why I said it.

I don't think Dirk is a GOAT-type player either, but to back up that statement I'd have to go pull a bunch of stats and prove the argument... he's not really that far off.

[lostfan]

Look Lebron is a cocky guy. But Im never going to hate on a player for wanting to win more championships.

 

Ive yet to see anywhere in a clip where Lebron proclaims himself the best player. People said that he deserved more criticism because he calls himself the greatest ever (its just not true).

He does have a tattoo across his body that says "THE CHOSEN ONE"

 

edit: f*** posting in this thread a whole day after everyone else

Edited June 11, 2011 by lostfan

[Soxbadger]

I responded to that already, its like saying Rose is Merlin because he has got a wizard on his arm.

 

Im also pretty sure that Lebron got that tat when he was 18, a lot of us grow up after then.

[Balta1701]

I responded to that already, its like saying Rose is Merlin because he has got a wizard on his arm.

 

Im also pretty sure that Lebron got that tat when he was 18, a lot of us grow up after then.

Because if theres one thing I think of when I think of today's Lebron... It's...grown up?

[Soxbadger]

I really dont think anyone was as hard as Lebron over the summer, but honestly Lebron has earned my respect over the entire season.

 

I get that piling on Lebron is the in thing to do, but Lebron is not as bad of a guy as people are making him out to be.

 

[Balta1701]

I really dont think anyone was as hard as Lebron over the summer, but honestly Lebron has earned my respect over the entire season.

 

I get that piling on Lebron is the in thing to do, but Lebron is not as bad of a guy as people are making him out to be.

What on earth could a person say Lebron has done this year that has increased his or her respect for him?

[RockRaines]

I really dont think anyone was as hard as Lebron over the summer, but honestly Lebron has earned my respect over the entire season.

 

I get that piling on Lebron is the in thing to do, but Lebron is not as bad of a guy as people are making him out to be.

Based on......

[Soxbadger]

Lebron has sacrificed his own game to try and win a title.

 

Lebron has done everything thats asked of him.

 

Lebron shows up and plays every day, he plays more minutes than anyone.

 

(edit)

 

Why do I think Lebron isnt a bad guy?

 

What has he done to ever hurt anyone? He doesnt get duis, he doesnt hurt people.

 

Hes a "villain" in basketball, I guess I dont get caught up in the face/heel thing, thats just all how the media portrays it.

Edited June 11, 2011 by Soxbadger

[kjshoe04]

I don't think Lebron is a bad person. He's just an annoying, arrogant, douchebaggy, piece of s***.