jesse Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 What turmoil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgoodcore Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 What turmoil? Uh, the public airing of everything to do with Rondo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I think the Celtics with everyone healthy could match up well with the Lakers. I also think whatever contender Rasheed decideds to sign with (Boston, Orlando, San Antonio, or Cleveland) will be able to challenge the Lakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 What turmoil? Uh, the public airing of everything to do with Rondo. Uh, that's not a big deal. Rondo sat in his car instead of the locker room once. Not exactly cheating on his wife with some sloozy in Colorado. Haha, I couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaime Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 RASHEED WALLACE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 yeah, that's huge... as much as i hate the celtics, they really do worry me as a lakers fan. it seems like the celtics are building the same type of lineup as the pistons had when they wert to 902 straight conference finals, and now all the main guys on their roster have championship experience. even without KG next year (because even if he comes back, i can't imagine he'll be 100% for 82 games + a deep playoff run), by adding rasheed they're going to have a really solid team. if i were doc rivers, KG wouldn't play more than 55-60 games for me next season, and when he did play, i wouldn't let him play more than 30 minutes a night. the celtics don't need KG to get to the playoffs, they just need him IN the playoffs. i'm sure david stern is stoked to have the celtics and lakers be powerhouses in this league again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgoodcore Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Honestly, and I'm being as truthful as I can be, if Artest keeps his shit together, the Lakers re-sign Odom, and Gasol continues to play well I can't see anyone beating the Lakers 4 times in 7 games. I'd be shocked if the current Lakers squad loses more than 12 games all regular season, barring major injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 sammy, the first part is predicated on 2 really big "if"s. i think gasol will continue to play well (i can't see why he would stop now), but there's no guarantee that odom resigns, and artest keeping his shit together is a toss-up, too. i'd love to see them all happen, but i just am not 100% sold yet. and, as for your last statement... be prepared to be shocked. nobody will win 70 games in a season again. nobody places the same importance on the regular season (especially a team with a coach battling health issues who understands the grind of the playoffs, and how being fresh in april, may and june is MUCH more important than winning 70 games in the regular season) as teams did back in the 70s, 80s and 90s. a lot of that has to do with the expanded playoffs now compared to back then. today, you barely need to finish above .500 to make the playoffs. i'm not saying they're gonna tank games on purpose, because obviously they won't. i'm just saying, they're not gonna win 70 games. nobody is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgoodcore Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Maybe, maybe not. I think Phil can keep Artest going down the right path. He did it with Rodman and I think Rodman was/is at least as much, if not more, of a headcase than Artest. As for Gasol, I think he's turned a corner in his career to a degree and he's also coming in to his prime. Obviously a lot of things are "if"s but I think the one of the bigger "if"s is Garnett being in great shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 absolutely. we agree on that. the rodman/artest comparison is a good one, for sure. just remember, though... rodman spent his career in cities like San Antonio, Detroit and Chicago. there weren't exactly the same opportunities for him to get into huge trouble like there will be for Artest in LA. i'm not saying i think anything will happen with Artest this year, because i am leaning toward thinking that nothing will... i just wouldn't be so quick to say one way or the other. i'm keeping my fingers crossed (as i'm sure you are, too), though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I don't think Artest is a head case. The guy got a drink thrown on him in the middle of a tussle with Ben Wallace, and he responded. He responded in an extreme manner but I wouldn't go so far as to say he's a head case. There is no reason to believe he'll be anything other than an ideal citizen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 jesse, there have been a NUMBER of other instances in his career where he has shown less than perfect decision making skills. not just that one instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Artest definitely has issues but he's been fine for a while now. I think he'll do just fine in LA. I think he's stoked to finally be on a great team and doesnt want to fuck that up. He knows he's finally got a really good chance of winning a title. Odom will resign and having Kobe/Artest at the guards and being able put Odom, Gasol and Bynum behind them makes them the best team in the NBA. Of course they can be beaten but I like their chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 jesse, there have been a NUMBER of other instances in his career where he has shown less than perfect decision making skills. not just that one instance. Such as. . .? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 jesse, there have been a NUMBER of other instances in his career where he has shown less than perfect decision making skills. not just that one instance. Such as. . .? He's got a section on his wikipedia page about all the controversy he's had in his career. That says something. Im not really worried about him tho. I think he'll be fine in LA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Artest#Controversy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 sorry, my dad called and i was on the phone with him... but yeah, i would have just directed you toward that wikipedia page. he also threatened to retire when he was with the bulls at one point, saying he was going to work on his rap career. no question the dude is a talent, but he's not exactly the strongest mental player. hopefully kobe (who, in my opinion, IS the strongest mental player) can help him with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 My question was more rhetorical, but I had forgotten about that domestic violence shit. Still I don't think people need to qualify this Artest signing, i.e. "if Artest doesn't explode the Lakers will be great." I'd say there is a 0% chance he's anything other than a great player for LA. He's a team player who ALWAYS plays hard. He's quirky and has a quick trigger but he's not a coach or a team killer. If you're going to look at track records I think it would be hard to make a case that Artest is a bigger head case than Kobe. Kobe drove away the most dominant big man of my generation, demanded a trade for months, blocked said trade when he didn't like what would have been left to work with in Chicago, spent two years being a world class ball hog/horrible teammate, is at best guilty of adultery, at worst rape. So I guess I could say if Kobe doesn't go nuts and sink the team, the Lakers should be the class of the west next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Like Dan said, Kobe is the strongest mental player in the NBA. Artest is on the opposite end of that. At the end of the day this is a great pick up and will make the Lakers that much better. All should be just fine in LA next season with no drama coming from Artest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Umm, one Timothy Duncan takes umbrage with Dan's opinion, and wants to fight to settle the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 LOL @ Lebron. http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/15942689 I don't care how much you guys like this guy, there is no defending this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Thats pretty weak if its true. Is it really that big of a deal to get dunked on? It happens to everyone. Its not like anyone would have thought less of LeBron as a player if some college kid dunked on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaime Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 yea i had just read this elsewhere. fucking hilarious...but obviously as trav said, if its true. WITNESS...only when i want you to, and only then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthemjfan23 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaime Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 ahahah those are hilarious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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