NBA 2010/11

[Mr. Gayle]

[Mr. Gayle]

Rookies v Sophmores gonna be interesting

Shud be very gd this year, NBA I feel is getting back to how it was in in the golden era

[Superstition]

The NBA talent pool is defo impressive these times, the upcoming decade feels like it will be a madness

John Wall has been sick, 16/9 for a rookie PG is great stuff and he kills teams in the open court. But he doesn't have a reliable jumpshot yet, and so struggles when he's kept out of the lane, lots of turnovers too

Blake however will take ROY, he's been phenomenal, 22/13 on 50%+ shooting is truly f*cked for a rookie (last five rookies to average 20/10: Brand, Duncan, Mourning, Shaq, D.Robinson. Good company). Plus his playing style is MUCH more SportsCenter-friendly, and he's turned the Clippers from a shambolic depressing embarassment into one of the most (maybe the single most?) exciting team to watch.

Surely, winning a 6th ring and taking the Lakers to a fourth successive final, which would be f*ck*ng monumental, is more important than individual records. I mean, I know he likes to have his superman moments, but to me, the rings have been the most important thing to him in the last few seasons.

ofc he still wants championships, but imo this stuff matters to him too, the signs are there. Is it coincidence that the Lakers' slide this season begun as he neared/started racking these milestones? I couldn't find Pau's quote after the Jerry West game in the old topic, but articles from round that time confirm. Kobe wants to be the considered the best ever, and these records are mountains for him to climb to try and get there.

He's always had the black hole element to his game, his instinct is to score and receive the glory even when the on-court situation is calling for him to facilitate/defer. I reckon when the milestones creep up, he sees his name in the record books and gets tunnel vision. Zen Master barbs him about it often: post-Spurs game last week (Lakers lose, Kobe with 21 points from 27 shots): "If I was playing, I probably wouldn't pass him the ball next time."

The worry is that these spells become more frequent as he gets older and scoring gets harder. See how much has changed between 2006/07 and now? Few years back he could score 45, 50 points at will. In 2011 there's not the same lift on his jumper. And after 1200+ NBA games you can't go to the rim 15 times a night. You can't breeze round a defender like you did at 25. Points are harder to come by. How many ill-advised fallaways will you see if he feels his chance at these records slipping away?

[Superstition]

(And by implication, are Kobe-led championships already obsolete in today's NBA? The last one very nearly didn't happen...)

Don't sound too happy

Bruv I explained, last season I was rooting against Kobe getting a 5th ring due to Michael/Scottie having 6

However this season I am rooting for anybody who isn't Miami, so an infallible Lakers powerhouse out west is advantageous to me

[Superstition]

Matt Barnes torn cartilage in his right knee

Good times are rolling in Lakerland.

[Mr Q]

DERRICK ROSE>>>>>

[Mr Q]

Jeee, Lakers absolutely raped the Cavs. And LeBron tweets that it's Karma.

[Mr. Gayle]

Jeee, Lakers absolutely raped the Cavs. And LeBron tweets that it's Karma.

lol may see more scenes like this

[Mr Q]

I really really really hope Bron doesn't get a ring for at least 2 yrs.

Guy is jarring, should shut up and play ball, some of the reactions were stupid and over the top, but the way he longed out the process was shameless. He is some Stern lover as well, all about himself.

[Trilliam]

Detroit coach John Kuester unveiled a new starting lineup of Chris Wilcox, Tayshaun Prince, Greg Monroe, Tracey McGrady and Rodney Stuckey. Richard Hamilton went to the bench...and never got off of it.

The explanation?

Said Kuester: "Don't read anything into that. We shortened the rotation and changed the lineup. That's it."

Prince had an alternate explanation.

Said Tayshaune: "Buffoonery. Do you all know what that means?"

PMSL

[Superstition]

Detroit does seem to have the 'things fall apart' vibe to it, apparently Pistons are trying to finalise the blockbuster Carmelo trade, which would send Rip Hamilton to New Jersey along with Billups and Melo. Dunno where that leaves Tayshaun

Detroit (Joe Dumars) f*cked up anyway.. they freed up so much capspace in '08 by trading Billups and releasing Sheed. Had a clean slate, could have made a run for the 2010 free agency. But threw their flexibility away in 2009 overpaying Ben Gordon and Villanueva who can't defend and only shoot jumpers. Now they're already trying to rebuild again and have idiotic albatross contracts on their books

/ Meanwhile

Steve Nash becomes the NBA's all time leader in free throw percentage.

+ Ray Allen is 35 makes away from overtaking Reggie Miller as the all-time 3-point shooter.

Here's to many years of relentless basketballing excellence

[Aquaman]

Heat @ Bulls yesterday no comments? Heat shouldve won without bron and bosh

Wade was beasting but missed some cluth FTs had a nice back n forth with Rose, Korver with a clutch 3 at the end

[MEIRELES.]

Blake Griffin >>>

Guy is a BEAST of a baller. Will become a great if he stays on the right track.

[Mr Q]

Perkins is back for Celts, should be a good game on Saturday.

[Mr Q]

Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, Dwight Howard

Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Yao Ming

Happy for D.Rose, first Chicago all-star starter since MJ!

China stays putting Yao into the line-up. Thought he was still injured.

In fact - 5 games!!! 20min per game too!!! All star starter...

[Mr Q]

Kobe becomes 8th all time best scorer, Lakers lose. Who couldn't see that coming.

[Mr Q]

See Kobe too busy doing this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-8YEF5eIxk&feature=player_embedded

[Mr Q]

An already strange season for the Los Angeles Lakers shifted into crazy mode today with the news that Ron Artest is hoping to be traded by the team he helped win a championship eight months ago.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak indicated that the Lakers would be open to dealing someone in order to energize things. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein has “a source” that indicate Artest is hoping he is the man that is moved:

WTF is wrong with him?!

[Mr. Gayle]

When is his mixtape out lol

[Mr. Gayle]

King James beasting with 51 pts last night

[Superstition]

Lakers/Spurs last night was sick, battle of the Western Conference powerhouses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ4zgMHzauw

Check the buzzer-beater at 0:25, and the buzzer-beating tip-in for McDyess to win the game at the end San Antonio are really running away with sh*t atop the West. They are a machine, the experienced core (Ginobili, Parker, Duncan), the veteran role players (McDyess, Jefferson), the dynamic young guys who can contribute (George Hill, DeJuan Blair, Gary Neal). Lakers have the first two groups, but not the latter. They've been slipping - especially at home, 13 teams leaguewide have fewer home losses. Kobe's milestone tunnel vision can't be helping things.

[Superstition]

On another note, All-Star rosters have been finalised. The starters were voted in online fan polls, the benches by NBA coaches.

EAST: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard

Reserves: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Al Horford

WEST: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Yao Ming

Reserves: Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin, Pau Gasol, Tim Duncan

Thoughts:

- Rose starts Dude is the MVP so far this year, his performances have been insane. There would be more Bulls there (Noah, Boozer certainly) if they hadn't been injured recently.

- Four Celtics on the bench is a surprise. Even though they're topping the East, you couldn't really single out anybody who's having a really exceptional season. They just grind out the wins as a team - guess it impresses the coaches.

- Where is Steve Nash?

- LOL at Yao Ming being there, he played 5 games back in October and has been injured since. Chinaman are locked into this online voting thing.

- Pau Gasol should take Yao's place due to injury. I then want Kevin Love to take Pau's place on the bench. If Love misses out entirely he's been robbed, he's been beasting.

- Duncan is a questionable addition... he's slowed considerably this year, the years and playoff runs are catching up to him. Fewer minutes, smaller offensive load to carry, less dominating defensive performances. His rep earned him the call-up.

- SICK that Griffin is there... just imagine CP3, Deron, Westbrook, Kobe throwing him lobs ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!??!

[Mr Q]

The Lakers and the Denver Nuggets have had preliminary discussions about a blockbuster trade that would send Carmelo Anthony to Los Angeles, according to league sources. The Lakers' package would be built around Andrew Bynum.

Talks are in the preliminary stages, but it appears that another option besides the New York Knicks has materialized for the Nuggets.

"There have been discussions between the two teams," one of the sources said. "The Lakers are definitely an option."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6101304

IF THIS HAPPENS!!

[Trilliam]

This is not happening

[Superstition]

Apparently Jim Buss shot down the idea coz Bynum is his pet project, and Phil and Kobe were disappointed

Melo as a triangle operative could be bonkers. He can play the wings, post-up, shoot the corner three, play weakside high post. He even has the stature and the game to succeed Kobe as the next celebrity Lakeshow star in the Player Power Era. But would Kobe be ready to hand over the reins? He'd likely see Anthony as his eventual successor as No 1, but Melo can already score easier than Kobe. Would he agree to shoot less and just play quarterback? It could get ugly... I can see games where they'd combine for 65-70 FGAs. On the other hand, Kobe might embrace it, understand his body's limitations and see it as a chance to extend his career by setting up a perennial All-Star scorer.

And despite Bynum's health problems.. in the playoffs, it's him and Gasol on the boards that make the Lakers virtually impossible to beat. NBA calibre 7 footers who play their size and can score, defend, rebound are gold dust. As long as this Laker squad is a contender you have to keep Gasol, Bynum & Odom together