NBA Discussion

[sgoodcore]

Orlando's best player doesnt have anyone even close to being on the same level as D-Wade or Kobe tho. All he has is a bunch of 3-point shooters.

Howard is still really young and raw so its hard to say he's peaked. The guy is still learning how to score in the NBA consistently. I agree he needs a lot of work on the offensive end. He's extremely atheltic for being as big as he is tho and I have no doubt that within 2 years or so he's going to be a serious offensive threat, especially working with Ewing.

Sure, all true but that means for my money Orlando is not a top-tier team. They don't have the horses yet.

I don't begrudge anyone from taking the team seriously. All I'm saying is I don't. And nothing is going to change my mind about that except them playing a few good games of basketball against a very good team like the Celtics.

[kurtz]

How many teams do you consider "top-tier" Sammy?

I don't get how a team can make the finals last year, have the second best record in the league this year and make at least the conference finals this year, yet not be considered a top-tier team.

[sgoodcore]

How many teams do you consider "top-tier" Sammy?

I don't get how a team can make the finals last year, have the second best record in the league this year and make at least the conference finals this year, yet not be considered a top-tier team.

The Celtics were injured last year. KG was nowhere to be found. It seems its the Lakers and the Celtics + 28 other teams at this point. No other team is an elite, top-tier team in the NBA.

[danthemjfan23]

on july 8, feel free to add the bulls to that list, sammy.

[travis]

I wonder if LeBron was talking about changing his number after this year cause he was already planning on going to Chicago if Cleveland didnt get done this year.

I think he's either going to NY or staying in Cleveland tho.

Im hoping he sticks it out with Cleveland.

[kurtz]

How many teams do you consider "top-tier" Sammy?

I don't get how a team can make the finals last year, have the second best record in the league this year and make at least the conference finals this year, yet not be considered a top-tier team.

The Celtics were injured last year. KG was nowhere to be found. It seems its the Lakers and the Celtics + 28 other teams at this point. No other team is an elite, top-tier team in the NBA.

Fair enough. When I think of the NBA's top tier, 5 or 6 teams come to mind.

also, on june 24, feel free to add the wizards to that list, sammy.

[travis]

Well Odom had another "lucky" game.

Can we just get this Lakers/Celtics Finals on the way already?

Orlando is done and the Suns are about to be done.

[danthemjfan23]

I wonder if LeBron was talking about changing his number after this year cause he was already planning on going to Chicago.

this was literally the first thought that went through my head immediately after hearing he said that at the beginning of the year. everybody laughed at me. lebron is a great businessman. he knows exactly what he's doing and he knows exactly how significant a number is to an athlete.

[MattyIceyo]

Well Odom had another "lucky" game.

Can we just get this Lakers/Celtics Finals on the way already?

Orlando is done and the Suns are about to be done.

I appreciated the "Bring on Boston" chants last nite..

I would kill to hit the staples for a LA/Boston finals..whats the prices like?

[adammuzzy]

why this 4 day gap in between games for both series?

[travis]

why this 4 day gap in between games for both series?

I dont think there is. Boston/Orlando on Sat. and LA/PHX on Sun.

[travis]

Well Odom had another "lucky" game.

Can we just get this Lakers/Celtics Finals on the way already?

Orlando is done and the Suns are about to be done.

I appreciated the "Bring on Boston" chants last nite..

I would kill to hit the staples for a LA/Boston finals..whats the prices like?

Yea everyone wants Boston again. I cant wait, both teams are playing great right now. You can tell Kobe wants it REAL bad. Aside from being just a Laker fan I really do think they are gonna win it all this year.

Tickets for the Finals are going to cost a ton. No idea how much.

[Japes]

Is everyone in here a Celtics/Lakers fan? Haha. I see so many.

[adammuzzy]

why this 4 day gap in between games for both series?

I dont think there is. Boston/Orlando on Sat. and LA/PHX on Sun.

celtics game was tuesday. tuesday > saturday = 4 days

lakers game was yesterday. wednesday > sunday = 4 days

[sgoodcore]

I wonder if LeBron was talking about changing his number after this year cause he was already planning on going to Chicago.

this was literally the first thought that went through my head immediately after hearing he said that at the beginning of the year. everybody laughed at me. lebron is a great businessman. he knows exactly what he's doing and he knows exactly how significant a number is to an athlete.

LeBron should have known when he entered the league he should not have worn 23. Every single "great" player had a number. Odd I should say this given Kobe's jump to 24. That all said, no one wears 66 or 99 in the NHL. There's a reason for that.

[danthemjfan23]

eh, i'm not sure about that because of the circumstances surrounding his entrance into the league. everybody knew he was going to be the #1 pick in the draft from his sophomore year in high school. teams were saying if he could have left after his junior year, they STILL would have taken him #1. so with all that national exposure before he even hit the league, everybody was familiar with the fact that he wore #23.

if he would have come to the league and worn a different number, people would have asked why he changed it after wearing it his whole life to that point. if his answer was "i'm trying to create my own brand by aligning myself with a number that isn't recognized the world over as another player's..." can you imagine how cocky he would have sounded? everybody would have been turned off by it, and written him off as a stuck up little brat who thinks he deserves the world.

the other thing is, he's choosing to wear #6, which is hardly a number that hasn't been worn by great players before. should Bill Russell and Julius Erving be offended that they're not good/famous enough in lebron's eyes to be respected in such a way?

[travis]

I dont think there is. Boston/Orlando on Sat. and LA/PHX on Sun.

celtics game was tuesday. tuesday > saturday = 4 days

lakers game was yesterday. wednesday > sunday = 4 days

Oh I was just thinking you meant 4 days between games, not that they are playing on the 4th day.

Either way its dumb tho, they drag these playoffs out for so long.

[sgoodcore]

eh, i'm not sure about that because of the circumstances surrounding his entrance into the league. everybody knew he was going to be the #1 pick in the draft from his sophomore year in high school. teams were saying if he could have left after his junior year, they STILL would have taken him #1. so with all that national exposure before he even hit the league, everybody was familiar with the fact that he wore #23.

if he would have come to the league and worn a different number, people would have asked why he changed it after wearing it his whole life to that point. if his answer was "i'm trying to create my own brand by aligning myself with a number that isn't recognized the world over as another player's..." can you imagine how cocky he would have sounded? everybody would have been turned off by it, and written him off as a stuck up little brat who thinks he deserves the world.

the other thing is, he's choosing to wear #6, which is hardly a number that hasn't been worn by great players before. should Bill Russell and Julius Erving be offended that they're not good/famous enough in lebron's eyes to be respected in such a way?

#23, #66, and #99 are iconic in their respective sports. There's a difference and you know it sir.

And he could have said "I'm changing my number to #XX because I am not Michael Jordan and #23 is and always will be his number. I want to be LeBron not Michael."

[danthemjfan23]

of course, i'm just playing devil's advocate and i think you know that, sir.

however, the interesting point remains... there are TWO teams with the #23 retired in the NBA. so there is a possibility of him positioning himself like this to come to chicago, or to go to "the other team."

you mentioned Kobe's number change earlier, and i'm not sure i see the parallel. kobe came in wearing #8 (not an iconic number) and changed to #24 (also not an iconic number). what are your thoughts on that whole situation? there were rumors while it was happening, but did anything ever come out in LA that maybe i just didn't hear as to the real reason why he switched?

[sgoodcore]

of course, i'm just playing devil's advocate and i think you know that, sir.

however, the interesting point remains... there are TWO teams with the #23 retired in the NBA. so there is a possibility of him positioning himself like this to come to chicago, or to go to "the other team."

you mentioned Kobe's number change earlier, and i'm not sure i see the parallel. kobe came in wearing #8 (not an iconic number) and changed to #24 (also not an iconic number). what are your thoughts on that whole situation? there were rumors while it was happening, but did anything ever come out in LA that maybe i just didn't hear as to the real reason why he switched?

For the Kobe case its not the same but generally its a weird number situation, which is why I brought it up before someone else could.

I'm not really sure why he changed. He never, that I remember, gave a good reason.

[wheresmyjuice]

this was literally the first thought that went through my head immediately after hearing he said that at the beginning of the year. everybody laughed at me. lebron is a great businessman. he knows exactly what he's doing and he knows exactly how significant a number is to an athlete.

LeBron should have known when he entered the league he should not have worn 23. Every single "great" player had a number. Odd I should say this given Kobe's jump to 24. That all said, no one wears 66 or 99 in the NHL. There's a reason for that.

The only reason that LeBron couldn't do it this year is because you can't change a number mid-season without paying a fine. It's all about mandates from the league it has nothing to do with LeBroom being a swave businessman.

Travis, puff puff give dude if you really think Orlando is a top-tier team. To say that Boston, who was left for dead a month ago is the ONLY team on the top line of talent is absurd. Orlando and LA definitely have the talent.

Also, the Turkoglu/Carter trade was anything but minor. They both do VERY different things and to think that taking away the guy who controlled the ball is not going to critically affect the flow of the offense is absurd.

[travis]

Im confused, are you saying Orlando is or is not a top tier team?

I think they are. I think them and Boston are the best teams in the East.

Lakers are obviously hands down the best team in the West (and I think in the whole NBA) but Im not sure who the next best team the West is. I will say Im most scared of Denver than any other team in the West, even tho they did get bounced in the 1st round.

[danthemjfan23]

The only reason that LeBron couldn't do it this year is because you can't change a number mid-season without paying a fine. It's all about mandates from the league it has nothing to do with LeBroom being a swave businessman.

nobody said he was trying to change his number mid-season. at the beginning of this year, he said he would change his number to 6 during this upcoming offseason because he didn't think anybody should wear 23 anymore out of respect for MJ. he's been in the league 7 years now... what's with this newfound respect for the greatest player to ever live?

what he's doing is trying to create his own brand. everybody who knows anything about sports knows that 23 = michael jordan. no matter how great lebron is and will become, 23 will always be michael jordan's number and part of his identity. so before lebron starts winning his championships, he's going to change to a number that is not as closely identifiable to any one particular player, thus creating his own brand that will last for decades. it's an INCREDIBLY smart business move.

[danthemjfan23]

also, the fine the NBA would give is (i think) $5,000 per game. so it's not like he would give a shit about that. that's chump change to lebron. not to mention, Nike would have paid that fine for him anyway because they would sell millions of jerseys with his new number on it. if you remember, when MJ changed from 45 back to 23 when he un-retired, he was assessed that same fine and just put up with it.

just like he was assessed fines every single game he wore the Air Jordan I's when they came out because they had unapproved colors. Nike paid those fines, too, because they knew they would make more money selling shoes than they would lose paying those tiny fines every game. 25 years later, they're still selling those shoes...

[sgoodcore]

Travis, puff puff give dude if you really think Orlando is a top-tier team. To say that Boston, who was left for dead a month ago is the ONLY team on the top line of talent is absurd. Orlando and LA definitely have the talent.

I think LA and Boston are the only top-tier teams. When they play their best it doesn't matter what the team they're playing against does.