NBA 2012-13 Discussion

[gblews]

SmoothieX wrote:

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At this point you really need to wonder if he's ever gonna be healthy for a full 82.

I think it's pretty much a given that he never will. But consider that the Lakers played for 3 championships with Andrew anchoring the center position in the playoffs. Of those 3 Finals appearances, the only one we lost, we lost because Bynum wasn't able to play.

The Sixers aren't the Phil jackson Lakers but he can still be a force even after being available for only the last third of a season.

BTW, I still say that if and when Bynum gets healthy and gets rolling iwthe the team, the Sixers will eventually convert the Celts into their personal bitches.

[Alidar Jarok]

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets faced off last night for the first battle between New York and Brooklyn since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. I missed who had the quote, but one Nets player pointed out that when they played in New Jersey against the Knicks, there were always more Knicks fans in the crowd. Now it actually felt like a homecourt advantage.

While, as a Sixers fan, it's certainly not in my personal interest for the Nets to be good, I do hope that the Nets and Knicks develop into a good rivalry because that would be really fun.

[gblews]

Hard for me to see the Knicks/Nets ever becoming more than just a regional thing that will, of course, be hyped like it's something that it isn't by the news media. The Knocks have a suprdemely talentd offensive player, Carmelo, who reminds me of Charles Barkley a lot; meaning, an offensive machine but a loser nonethless.

Nets have a better chance, I think. Their pieces do appear to at least fit, unlike the mish mash that is the Knick's roster.

The problem though is that great rivalries are built over time and, and as far as basketball is concened, these two haven't had enough of it.

[Alidar Jarok]

That's why the hope is that they will build one, not that they have one now.

[Drago-Kazov]

gblews wrote:

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Hard for me to see the Knicks/Nets ever becoming more than just a regional thing that will, of course, be hyped like it's something that it isn't by the news media. The Knocks have a suprdemely talentd offensive player, Carmelo, who reminds me of Charles Barkley a lot; meaning, an offensive machine but a loser nonethless.

Nets have a better chance, I think. Their pieces do appear to at least fit, unlike the mish mash that is the Knick's roster.

The problem though is that great rivalries are built over time and, and as far as basketball is concened, these two haven't had enough of it.

Melo comenting on Lin's contract was incredibly stupid.

[SmoothieX]

gblews wrote:

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Hard for me to see the Knicks/Nets ever becoming more than just a regional thing that will, of course, be hyped like it's something that it isn't by the news media. The Knocks have a suprdemely talentd offensive player, Carmelo, who reminds me of Charles Barkley a lot; meaning, an offensive machine but a loser nonethless.

Nets have a better chance, I think. Their pieces do appear to at least fit, unlike the mish mash that is the Knick's roster.

The problem though is that great rivalries are built over time and, and as far as basketball is concened, these two haven't had enough of it.

They haven't been good at the same time over the last 20 years or so that I've been following hoops. Doesn't make for much of a matchup.

I grew up in NY during the heyday of those Knicks teams of the 90s. Chicago, Indiana, and Miami were all bigger rivals. Even Boston is a bigger rival.

Games in the old Meadowlands were basically Knicks home games. I used to go whenever the Knicks 'visited' since you couldn't get tickets to MSG.

It's a unique dynamic having two of everything as far as pro teams go. It doesn't matter what the Nets, Mets, and Jets (whoa I made a rhyme) do, they'll never be as popular as the Knicks, Yanks, and Giants.

Intracity rivalries are inherently more likely to be regional since it only involves one city and the hype turns off people from other markets.

[Timby]

NBA fines the Spurs $250,000 for sending Parker, Duncan, Ginobili and Green home prior to last night's game against the Heat (who needed some last-minute heroics to win a 105 - 100 game).

I sure hope the Spurs take the NBA to court over this. Complete and utter bullshit. It is completely within Popovich's rights to rest his players when he wants to.

For reference, the Knicks were only fined $200,000 for illegal draft workouts that provide a competitive advantage.

Yep, the NBA is totally on the up and up.

[Drago-Kazov]

I am not an american, but i have UPC, which channels show NBA games?

[SmoothieX]

Timby wrote:

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NBA fines the Spurs $250,000 for sending Parker, Duncan, Ginobili and Green home prior to last night's game against the Heat (who needed some last-minute heroics to win a 105 - 100 game).

I sure hope the Spurs take the NBA to court over this. Complete and utter bullshit. It is completely within Popovich's rights to rest his players when he wants to.

For reference, the Knicks were only fined $200,000 for illegal draft workouts that provide a competitive advantage.

Yep, the NBA is totally on the up and up.

I'm with you. What a crock.

The point is to win a title, not pander to the Miami fans. They're an aging team, I have no issue with them resting players on the 4th game/5th night of a roadtrip. Or any game for that matter.

In baseball, players get sporadic days off all the time. In football, you regularly hear coaches say he would have played if it was a playoff game when a player sits with a minor injury.

Buying a ticket only entitles you to a seat. This is a ridiculous precedent.

[gblews]

Congrats to Kobe for joining only 4 others in the 30,000 point club and also becoming the youngest player to gain membership in that ultra elite group. A nice little individual award.

Along with fellow club members, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Wilt, and Karl Malone, Kobe is one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Please take note, 4 of the afoementioned 5 at one time wore the Lakers' purple an gold.

[SmoothieX]

In all fairness, Malone played one medicore year in LA. And while Chamberlain was there for a few years, it was on the tail end of his career and his numbers were nothing like his Philly days.

Kareem and Kobe are the only longtime Lakers on the list who put up their big numbers in LA.

[gblews]

SmoothieX wrote:

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In all fairness, Malone played one medicore year in LA. And while Chamberlain was there for a few years, it was on the tail end of his career and his numbers were nothing like his Philly days.

And in all honesty, Chamberlain put up great numbers while with the Lakers and Malone made it to his third Finals.

But regardless:

...4 of the afoementioned 5 at one time wore the Lakers' purple and gold.

[Alidar Jarok]

I think that just says that the Lakers seek out these people. Obviously, all but two were well-established at the time they went there (actually, really all but one). Malone was certainly trying to do a last-ditch effort to win the title that eluded him. Chamberlain was a bit different since the Lakers were seeking out a piece to go from championship contender to actual championship winner, since they hadn't won since Mikan left if I'm not mistaken (it's a shame they never won with Baylor).

Anyway, I'm not sure what it says that 4/5 were Lakers. It says something, but not really a lot.

[gblews]

Alidar Jarok wrote:

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I think that just says that the Lakers seek out these people.

Anyway, I'm not sure what it says that 4/5 were Lakers. It says something, but not really a lot.

Everyone "seeks out" these types of players -- but not every team finds and actually acquires as many of them and has the success the Lakers have had with them. It is just one of the reasons the Lakers are the league's primiere franchise. That's what it says.

[Alidar Jarok]

Well, Chamberlain was traded to the Lakers (I assume he demanded it, but it's mostly because Los Angeles could afford to pay a fuckton of money)

Abdul-Jabbar was traded for as well, but I don't know the story behind that.

I don't really consider Malone to be a Laker, but that was a weird situation of a team that looked like it could win but desperately needed something so a player took a last ditch chance to win by jumping on board. I'd have to think who else he could have signed with. Detroit, Sacramento, and San Antonio had big men. Maybe the Nets or the Celtics would have worked, but the team with Phil Jackson seemed like the smarter bet. Also, in the absence of Shaq, the Lakers had greater need.

So, aside from big pockets and well-timed good fortune, I'm not sure what it says.