Be interesting to see what Captain Jack will add to the Spurs...
(2011)-2012 NBA Season
- Thread starter Alidar Jarok
- Start date
Cripes, my Thunder are stinking up the joint again tonight. Sheeeeeesh.
More to the point, how did Chicago lose to fucking Portland?
Even without D-Rose
Yes, one of the greatest of them all. Just watch the fight to get his jersey up on the Staples wall when he retires. There will be a full scale insurrection if the Lakers continue their policy of only retiring the jersey's of Lakers who make the Hall of Fame.
We will miss his clutchiness in the playoffs for sure and his steady presence in the lockeroom but the change had to be made when the deal involving Michael Beasley fell through.
There is talk that the Rockets will buy out Derek's contract which means that any other team can sign him for the rest of the season (except the Lakers). If this happens if I were a Thunder or Heat fan, I'd be praying that my team signs Fish and that the other one does not. Both the Heat and Thunder are in need of a player who brings what Fish brings to the table. The Thunder needs him even more than the Heat, in the event the Thunder get by the Lakers and the Spurs and Clips, now that they've acquired Nick Young, to make the Finals.
More to the point, how did Chicago lose to fucking Portland?
Even without D-Rose
Just a bad game. I wouldn't worry too much.
With Rose in the line up (even without him with the capable J Lucas III at back up PG) Chicago is the most balanced team around. They have the one thing my Thunder seems to have lost over the all star break--composure and maturity. With a healthy Rose, I wouldn't be surprised to see them win it all. Ahhhhh, Fisher at the point. Westbrook at the point. Interesting thoughts brought up here. Yeah, OKC and Miami might like that after their recent games. You fight back from a 27 point deficit to get it within 2 points....your point guard can't settle down enough on 3 possessions to make a pass and set up a shot. San Antonio was on the ropes. Yet Russell kept taking bad shots--immediately--in the shot clock. Got over a 27 point hump, couldn't make 2 lousy points for over 5 minutes. He just wouldn't calm down. San Antonio didn't succumb to panic. OKC gets it back within 4 with less than a minute, then Hardin of all people promptly throws it away on an easy pass.
San Antonio scores 7 more points in less than a minute to finish it 114-105. That's much more of a worry than one bad game by the Bulls, who continue to impress me, I'm jealously sad to say. Have the Bulls given up an 11 point lead with 2 minutes left in the game like OKC the other night? Nope. Have the Bulls had to fight back from a deficit in every single game (save pathetic Charlotte) since the All Star break? Nope. The Bulls are in good shape. Something is going on with my Thunder and they'd better figure out a way to fix it or they can just hand their tickets to San Antonio and save themselves the trouble.
The Knicks won during the Linsanity period because they got that "missing superstar psych boost" NBA teams sometimes get when one or more of it's stars is out. It happens every year to various teams. The schedule doesn't much matter during these periods. These teams play great because the pressure is off the guys who are left. The ball gets swung around more because the offense no longer has a real focal point and the basket looks like it is 10 feet wide because...no pressure. It comes suddenly and leaves just as suddenly, usually corresponding with the star's return or the announcement that the star is out for the season.
The Knicks though had other bad stuff going on, most of it surrounding D'Antoni. But frankly, I don't think the Knicks are that good personnel-wise. They have mismatched parts that don't work well together with respect to winning in the higher levels of the playoffs. Melo and Amare have big names and reps but they both only play on only one end of the court and don't have a clue as to how to win.
I'm hearing the new guy in charge is thinking of benching Lin. That's a stark turn of events, no?
Agreed.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMuCMu5RLis[/yt]
Just revel in that for a while...
More to the point, how did Chicago lose to fucking Portland?
Even without D-Rose
Karmic balance for a victory over the Miami Heat earlier this week, also without Rose.
^ You & Dorian make good points. Good teams can still lose to bad ones once in a while.
As long as it's a long while and as long as Chicago sticks to one game losing streaks it'll be OK.
As long as it's a long while and as long as Chicago sticks to one game losing streaks it'll be OK.
Chicago will be more than okay. At this point, barring unforeseen injuries, I fully expect them to make it out of the East over the Heat who, like the Thunder have incredible talent, but not the maturity and composure needed to sustain.
I'm curious to know what Chicago has done to make you think they have more maturity and composure than the Heat. I would say that after being eliminated by the Heat last season the Bulls have had another year to mature. But by the same token the Heat has a humiliating loss which can only make them hungrier than ever this season which might easily trump whatever gains the Bulls have made mentally.
Perhaps it's only perception, but Chicago seems all business to me. There are no outrageous egos competing. No one trying to be a brand instead of a player. Less drama. At least that's the way it appears on the surface. They're a team of players, not personalities and showboaters.
The Heat may well be hungry after humiliating losses, but those egos of theirs are still a liability.
The Heat may well be hungry after humiliating losses, but those egos of theirs are still a liability.
Compared to LeBron with all the dancing, raging ego, blistering sense of entitlement, and other foolishness, most teams and many players seem more mature. But I don't think the aforementioned is what has interfered with LeBron's and last season's Heat's, winning the championship. That, I think, has been due to other "on-court" personality flaws which have led to a complete lack of understanding of the type of player LeBron really is by Heat coaches and teammates.
I'm not seeing much in the way of an edge for Chicago in on- court poise and maturity over the Heat. But even if this were the case, I don't think an edge in this area alone is going to be enough to get the Bulls by the Heat this in the playoffs this season.
Bottom line is that from what I've seen, the Bulls just don't create enough match up problems for the Heat. Also, add the Heat's current position; that is, they HAVE to win a championship. This gives the Heat the psychological advantage. I don't mean to say that I don't think the Bulls can eliminate the Heat, but if they do I think it will be because they will play out of their minds which is the only way they can beat the Heat in the playoffs.
One last thing, with all of the head problems they have, I don't see any "competing egos" on the Heat. In fact, I'd say that your team has more of a problem with that than the Heat. I'm speaking of Westbrook here.
Yeah, but with Fisher on board now Russell will (hopefully) be forced to contemplate a little since he'll have a chance to sit for more than a minute at a time. Before, with Maynard (sp?) still injured and only Reggie Jackson at back up, Westbrook knew they had to play him 40 minutes plus. Now Fisher can come in for 5 to 15 (max) minutes a game and give Russell a chance to rest and calm the hell down when need be.
OMG, my Thunder, your frustrate me no end. 
It takes 2 overtimes to beat a Rubio-less Minnesota at home. Seriously? You give up 140 points, 51 to Love alone. 
Thank the maker the Heat isn't in town until Sunday night. I'd hate to think what would happen were it tomorrow. I'm not at all easy thinking about the game being on Sunday after that stellar display. Sheesh. 
It takes 2 overtimes to beat a Rubio-less Minnesota at home. Seriously? You give up 140 points, 51 to Love alone. Thank the maker the Heat isn't in town until Sunday night. I'd hate to think what would happen were it tomorrow. I'm not at all easy thinking about the game being on Sunday after that stellar display. Sheesh. I think adding Fisher was a very smart move, depending on how much he has left in the tank. If only to help settle Westbrook down a bit.
I do, too, if for no other reason than Westbrook won't be as physically exhausted as he would have been at playoff time had Reggie Jackson been the only back up option.
I wish Fisher had been an option when Westbrook got his STUPID technical (which he deserved) during the last 2 minutes of the now infamous Houston game during which they gave up 13 points. Westbrook was so incensed that the other player was giving him the business that he totally lost it right in the thick of things. If the Thunder had needed to come from behind that would have been one thing, but they were sitting on an 11 point lead and blew it. Westbrook's tantrum might have been averted if Fisher could have come in and stabilized things. But Westbrook knew they couldn't sit him. If he'd known that they could, he might not have been as quick to blow up.
I wish Fisher had been an option when Westbrook got his STUPID technical (which he deserved) during the last 2 minutes of the now infamous Houston game during which they gave up 13 points. Westbrook was so incensed that the other player was giving him the business that he totally lost it right in the thick of things. If the Thunder had needed to come from behind that would have been one thing, but they were sitting on an 11 point lead and blew it. Westbrook's tantrum might have been averted if Fisher could have come in and stabilized things. But Westbrook knew they couldn't sit him. If he'd known that they could, he might not have been as quick to blow up.
I hope OKC didn't sign Fish for what they think he has left in the tank. He has very little, believe me. But it was a smart signing because of what he may be able to give you in the playoffs game-wise, and for the calming strength and vast experience he brings with him. Not only might Westbrook benefit but Durant too AND their relationship - remember, Fish played on the same team with a warring Shaq and Kobe.Dorian; said:
But don't expect too much in the regular season. Fish lacks a lot as a point guard, like quickness - you're going to see some guys go around him like he is nailed to the floor - and the ability to finish at the basket. In fact, when he gets into the lane you're going to see some funny s***.
But in the playoffs, I guarantee he will save at least one game for you with a shot, a defensive play, by taking a charge, talking Westbrook off the ledge, or something totally unexpected. I love Fish, he is a great person and I wish him nothing but success EXCEPT when playing the Lakers.
Oh, he's got some deficiencies. I definitely noticed against Minnesota. JJ Barea, formerly of champion Dallas and now in the great white north, still gives him fits. Trust me. 
It's more of a temperament/calming influence that we're hoping for. Westbrook can be sooooo phenomenally good, dropping in 30-40 points and making unbelievable shots, but what makes him such a great player also makes him a poor player at times. Hopefully Fish can calm Mr. Westbrook and save a critical play off game. I'm thinking San Antonio is going to be the bear. I don't believe the Thunder plays them again this regular season.
How they fare against the Heat tomorrow night in OKC is going to be very telling. If Fish kept Shaq and Kobe from killing each other, I'm sure Durant and Westbrook can be kept in check. Their egos aren't nearly as hard to manage.
It's more of a temperament/calming influence that we're hoping for. Westbrook can be sooooo phenomenally good, dropping in 30-40 points and making unbelievable shots, but what makes him such a great player also makes him a poor player at times. Hopefully Fish can calm Mr. Westbrook and save a critical play off game. I'm thinking San Antonio is going to be the bear. I don't believe the Thunder plays them again this regular season. How they fare against the Heat tomorrow night in OKC is going to be very telling. If Fish kept Shaq and Kobe from killing each other, I'm sure Durant and Westbrook can be kept in check. Their egos aren't nearly as hard to manage.
