2012-2013 NBA thread

[Jordan4life_2007]

Not to defend Bosh here but I feel his struggles are more a product of a system than they are of Bosh. And that's not a shot at Spo cause they have 2 titles but I feel if Bosh went else where, he'd be the Toronto guy again.

 

Yeah, they have to do something with him next year. His skill-set is too good to be standing around the perimeter like Steve Kerr.

[Rowand44]

Wade had an off post-season. His regular season numbers were elite. Which one is which? We'll see. Wade doesn't have to be '06 Wade for the Heat to win. But Rose has to be '11 Rose for the Bulls to have any chance at all. By the time next season rolls around, Rose will have not played in an NBA game in damn near 20 months. Forgive me if I question if he can get back to the same level in year 1. I'll believe it when I see it.

You gotta remember too that the Bulls actually have a starting level NBA sg which they haven't had in this LeBron era. And once again, there's just no reason to believe that Derrick wont be himself, no matter how much I'm pissed off at the guy.

[chw42]

I think Leonard and Jimmy Butler are extremely similar players. Leonard is a bit ahead of Butler in terms of his development, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind if Butler turns out to be what Leonard is now.

[Jordan4life_2007]

You gotta remember too that the Bulls actually have a starting level NBA sg which they haven't had in this LeBron era. And once again, there's just no reason to believe that Derrick wont be himself, no matter how much I'm pissed off at the guy.

 

Honestly, I just don't trust the Bulls to ever be healthy enough to really compete. They just never are.

[ZoomSlowik]

Wade had an off post-season. His regular season numbers were elite. Which one is which? We'll see. Wade doesn't have to be '06 Wade for the Heat to win. But Rose has to be '11 Rose for the Bulls to have any chance at all. By the time next season rolls around, Rose will have not played in an NBA game in damn near 20 months. Forgive me if I question if he can get back to the same level in year 1. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

This isn't his first hiccup. We were having the same discussion last year in the playoffs (though he was better) and he was mediocre to start the season when he had his last injury. Eventually, it will catch up to him. They need him to be reasonably close to that, we saw an offensively challenged Indiana team push them to the brink this year without Granger. He's not the only one either, they need to keep squeezing solid performances out of guys like Allen, Miller and Battier.

 

Rose doesn't have to be MVP-caliber for them to have a chance, if he has a 2012-like season they'll be a tough out. The rest of the lineup is pretty solid now that they don't have Keith Bogans at SG.

 

 

 

 

[ZoomSlowik]

I think Leonard and Jimmy Butler are extremely similar players. Leonard is a bit ahead of Butler in terms of his development, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind if Butler turns out to be what Leonard is now.

 

Meh, at least so far, give me Leonard by a decent margin. When Butler was playing basically the entire game, he was about as productive as Kawhi is in 30-35 minutes. Butler should be a solid 2, but Leonard looks like a fringe All-Star in the near future.

Edited June 21, 2013 by ZoomSlowik

[Rowand44]

Meh, at least so far, give me Leonard by a decent margin. When Butler was playing basically the entire game, he was about as productive as Kawhi is in 30-35 minutes. Butler should be a solid 2, but Leonard looks like a fringe All-Star in the near future.

Kawhi is so deceptively strong. He'll improve his offensive game soon enough because of that strength and he'll be one of the elite defenders in the game. I love Jimmy but Kawhi is and will be better through out his career.

 

 

[MexSoxFan#1]

The Heat need to figure out what they are gonna do about Wade. I really do think he's on full mode decline. He's still very good when he's healthy but the older you get, the more injury prone you become and the longer it takes a body to heal. He's had a history of being injury prone and it's only gonna get worse. LeBron, as good as he is, can't do it alone.

[Jordan4life_2007]

The Heat need to figure out what they are gonna do about Wade. I really do think he's on full mode decline. He's still very good when he's healthy but the older you get, the more injury prone you become and the longer it takes a body to heal. He's had a history of being injury prone and it's only gonna get worse. LeBron, as good as he is, can't do it alone.

 

What do you mean figure out what they're gonna do? They're gonna ride or die with him. He's not going anywhere. Soxfest will make a post that consists of more than 1 line or 6 words before they trade Wade.

[Jordan4life_2007]

It just hit me that Juwan Howard has two rings.

[Jordan4life_2007]

 

King of the f***ing sports world. So strange to be on the other side.

Edited June 21, 2013 by Jordan4life

[caulfield12]

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/di...0620/daily-dime

 

j4l will like this article, not because it claims that he's the best ever, but it shows how much he has evolved as a player...

 

that said, we're not here if not for Chris Bosh/Ray Allen (who were both terrible yesterday, but James and Wade compensated)

 

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id...pionship-appeal

Why the Heat championship (and near loss) had an appeal to all sports fans around the globe

Edited June 21, 2013 by caulfield12

[jenksycat]

It just hit me that Juwan Howard has two rings.

 

They'll go good with the nice suits he wore to every game.

[SoxAce]

Kawhi is so deceptively strong. He'll improve his offensive game soon enough because of that strength and he'll be one of the elite defenders in the game. I love Jimmy but Kawhi is and will be better through out his career.

 

He is also close to two years younger. Gonna be a good one to watch develop over the years. BTW, to my man J4L, LeBron has to catch Kobe first before you throw Jordan's name in a sentence son.

[caulfield12]

In lighter news, Bryant barely hesitated on Thursday in giving his list of the five greatest players in NBA history, and it’s hard to argue with Kobe’s take.

 

From ESPN 710 in Los Angeles, via For the Win:

“It’s not very difficult for me. I’d go Magic, Jordan, Bird, Russell and Jabbar.

[…]

“I will say as the years go on people really forget how great Larry Bird was,” Bryant said. “He was ridiculous. And I grew up in LA — just like everyone else here — hating his guts. Dude — the guy was just money.”

 

Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West (the man that traded for Kobe Bryant out of high school back in 1996) may raise a rightful hackle, but it’s hard to not only take issue with that list, or think of a more impactful starting five.

 

www.yahoo.com

 

Tim Duncan might also say hello, since they claimed he was the greatest power forward in NBA history last night.

[Balta1701]

Honestly, there's no reason to believe that those 3 wont be themselves by the time the playoffs roll around, sure it might take them a few weeks during the regular season but unless all 3 of them get hurt again, I have every reason to believe that they'll be themselves come playoff time. Wade is a completely different animal than those 3.

The other thing people are forgetting about the Heat is that at least one, if not a couple quality ring-chasing veterans will sign with them for pennies this offseason.

[zenryan]

The Heat need to figure out what they are gonna do about Wade. I really do think he's on full mode decline. He's still very good when he's healthy but the older you get, the more injury prone you become and the longer it takes a body to heal. He's had a history of being injury prone and it's only gonna get worse. LeBron, as good as he is, can't do it alone.

 

 

 

They wont be able to do anything with Wade. He wont be traded because no one will want to trade for a guy making 20M a year who is starting to break down. He has two player options remaining for 20M in 14-15 and 21.5M in 15-16. He wont sniff that in the open market so he'll opt in.

 

 

 

[Boogua]

They wont be able to do anything with Wade. He wont be traded because no one will want to trade for a guy making 20M a year who is starting to break down. He has two player options remaining for 20M in 14-15 and 21.5M in 15-16. He wont sniff that in the open market so he'll opt in.

He also helped orchestrate (along with Riley) the whole big 3 to Miami thing. I really don't think they would get rid of him regardless.

[Balta1701]

He also helped orchestrate (along with Riley) the whole big 3 to Miami thing. I really don't think they would get rid of him regardless.

Hell, James might well insist on Wade staying in order to re-up next offseason.

[Rowand44]

 

King of the f***ing sports world. So strange to be on the other side.

Still wanna punch this dude in the face.

[southsider2k5]

Still wanna punch this dude in the face.

 

Especially because he still disappears for long stretches of the game.

[witesoxfan]

There's a difference between respecting the past and clinging to it. There's never, ever been a player like LeBron James. The 4th quarter and OT of game 6 and all of tonight just proved that. He impacts the game in more ways than any player ever. His defensive versatility, rebounding, play-making and tonight with the jumper. LeBron, like MJ at the same age, has it on lock now.

 

Well, that's ridiculous. How much Magic Johnson did you watch in the early 80s? I admit to having watched zero Magic Johnson in the early 80s, but that's because my parents were out whooping it up still and only just beginning to start making babies. But if you are going to tell me that there's never been a player like LeBron James - a 6'8 freak of an athlete who can run an offense, shoot, drive, pass, rebound, and defend, then you are wrong. In fact, Magic Johnson was all of that and more, considering he also had position versatility, which is something LeBron could not do.

 

I'm not arguing who's better - I have my opinion, you have yours, and I'm quite sure we disagree. All I'm debating is that there's never been a player like LeBron when quite clearly there has.

[Rowand44]

The other thing people are forgetting about the Heat is that at least one, if not a couple quality ring-chasing veterans will sign with them for pennies this offseason.

I'm not forgetting that but they're going to need Wade to be Wade next year. If he's not they will not win the championship.

 

Taking nothing away from the Heat(well maybe a little ) but there were just stars everywhere that were injured. It should be a much better NBA next yr and if Wade isn't Wade then the Heat are going to be worse no matter what vets they pick up.

[Jenksismyhero]

Lol:

 

http://deadspin.com/espn-cuts-off-bill-sim...ddres-527260514

 

Think ESPN has an agenda with Lebron?

[witesoxfan]

I'm not forgetting that but they're going to need Wade to be Wade next year. If he's not they will not win the championship.

 

Taking nothing away from the Heat(well maybe a little ) but there were just stars everywhere that were injured. It should be a much better NBA next yr and if Wade isn't Wade then the Heat are going to be worse no matter what vets they pick up.

 

LeBron just keeps getting better and better, but they either need to incorporate Bosh more (if they keep him) or they are going to get worse. Wade simply can't stay healthy for 100+ games or whatever he ends up playing and it's only going to get worse in time.