Yeah, I can't wait 'til this season. So many possibilies...it makes the NBA such a great sport to watch. Who'll win this year? Who'll suprise us all? It'll be a fun season no doubt. My pick are the Suns depending on how Amare's knee is holding up. If Amare is back for sure then the Suns are a dangerous team. Amare, K. Thomas, Diaw, Bell, and Nash will be very interesting to watch.

Much to answer, let's go step by step:

#32 wrote:If LeBron could carry the talent-less Cav's into the second round, there's no reason Carmelo (with a healthy Camby, an Andre Miller, Kenyon Martin, and the newfound, off the bench toughness of Ruben Patterson) can't lead a very-talented (yet cursed) Denver roster deep into the playoffs. It's a long shot, but it's still a shot.

I'm not doubting Carmelo. There's a chance that can happen, and I like Furious George as a coach... what I'm saying is that there are a lot of if's on that team. It could happen, but it's as you say, a long shot.

btw, Ruben Patterson was traded to Milwaukee for Joe Smith (a move I can't say I like for Denver).

#32 wrote: I'm not sure if I can agree with this. Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich led this team last year... and there's hardly a defensive bone in either's body. They're excellent offensive players, though. Chicago had a lot of fire power last year. I don't expect that to change simply because of Ben Wallace's aquisition.

Chicago is, above any other consideration, a defensive team. That has always been the case since Skiles was hired. That won't chance this year. If anything, it will be emphasized with PJ Brown and Ben Wallace inside, and Nocioni, Deng, Duhon and Hinrich (who is underrated defensively). Those players are enough to have them as the best defensive team of the league for the next season. Tyrus Thomas will be able to help on defense, too.

Gordon sucks on the defensive end... but he makes up for that by being the best offensive player of the team... something that most of his teammates aren't good at. They have a shot at winning the east.

#32 wrote:Flip's got a LOT of good players, though... even HE can't screw that up two years running.

Flip is a bad coach. Period. Bad rotations, a tendency to get outcoached in playoff games... He's one of those coaches that, somehow, someway, has a reputation of being good without ever excelling at anything. He'll have the Pistons out of the playoffs in the second round (if they make it there).

Lebron can't always win by himself. I think he can go, at best, till the conference finals, but still needs something more from his teammates to make to the finals. Just an opinion, tho. (like everything I'm posting).

Now migya:

migya wrote:
Nestrovic and Mohammed were Centr by committee! No difference now with Butler and Elson, only question is can they be as effective. Elson seems more of an outside shooter, finesse player than both Nest and Mohammed are. Elson could be very effective and make the defense of the opposition spreadout alot more, giving Duncan more space to work with.

You haven't seen Elson much, did you?. Elson is not a finesse player... if anything, Nesterovic and Butler are the finesse players out of that crop. Elson can't score outside (and not much inside) but he'll add hustle and defense. Similar to Mohammed, just a bit worse. I think it can work.

migya wrote:If Nash was to get injured, then forget it, the Suns would not get it done at all (unless Marcus Banks, a very good PG, can run the team similar to Nash, Ain't that right TMC Mr. Green ).

Marcus Banks sucks. They should trade him for Nick Van Exel. Ask #32.

migya wrote:The Pistons just came off the best regular season in franchise history! They have a great chance of winning the championship! Mohammed is the type of player that can play the defense and play his role well and should fit in well with the Pistons. I expect McDyess to be used more than he ever has with the Pistons and he might possibly start at either Center or PF this season

See the previous comment about Flip. I also think the Pistons have the personnel to win it all... just not the head coach to do it. They'll have the same problem we had with Monty last year, but, due to their better roster, they'll make the playoffs.

Mohammed was a good addition, tho, and I'd like to see him play 30 minutes per night, something he hasn't done in his whole career. I think he can be a pretty good center, but we have only seen flashes of that.

TMC wrote:I'm not doubting Carmelo. There's a chance that can happen, and I like Furious George as a coach... what I'm saying is that there are a lot of if's on that team. It could happen, but it's as you say, a long shot.

btw, Ruben Patterson was traded to Milwaukee for Joe Smith (a move I can't say I like for Denver).

Ooooh, yeah... I forgot about that trade. Joe Smith is a good player, off the bench, for quick boards and scoring... but his defense (while solid) isn't as annoying and constant as Patterson's. Could be a good move (if Martin stays healthy), could be a bad one.

TMC wrote:Lebron can't always win by himself. I think he can go, at best, till the conference finals, but still needs something more from his teammates to make to the finals. Just an opinion, tho. (like everything I'm posting).

I believe LeBron's beginning to tap his ability of making those around him better. Varejo and Gooden in the playoffs were big examples. Remember: Michael Jordan basically made Scottie Pippen. If LeBron can turn Drew Gooden into the post threat he should have been out of college, than the team's got a real shot. I dunno if Drew can TOTALLY dominate the paint with Big Z's shadow underneath, but if Drew averages 16, 10, and 1.5... that should be more than good enough for Cleveland.

TMC wrote:Marcus Banks sucks. They should trade him for Nick Van Exel. Ask #32.

My Dragonzord beating the shiit out of Nick Van Exel's Beverly Hills chateau.

Die, bitch.





God I hate him.

#32 wrote:
My Dragonzord beating the shiit out of Nick Van Exel's Beverly Hills chateau.

Die, bitch.





God I hate him.

New week... new post of the week.

And, to think... I owe it to Nick Van Exel...

TMC wrote:I'm not doubting Carmelo. There's a chance that can happen, and I like Furious George as a coach... what I'm saying is that there are a lot of if's on that team. It could happen, but it's as you say, a long shot.

Seems like everyone forgets how amazing the Nuggets played once Karl took over as coach! The Nugs are a great team and had a very bad season last season, they should get back to their previous form. They do need an outside shooter and I thought Voshon Lenard was decent but they traded him which was strange. They should have tried real hard to get Peja because he could have been the SG or SF (switching with Carmelo) and that could have worked out great

TMC wrote:Flip is a bad coach. Period. Bad rotations, a tendency to get outcoached in playoff games... He's one of those coaches that, somehow, someway, has a reputation of being good without ever excelling at anything. He'll have the Pistons out of the playoffs in the second round (if they make it there).

Flip is bad coach............ hmmmm......... the Pistons just came had their best regular season ever and they had hall of fame coach larry Brown before they got Flip

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:Nestrovic and Mohammed were Centr by committee! No difference now with Butler and Elson, only question is can they be as effective. Elson seems more of an outside shooter, finesse player than both Nest and Mohammed are. Elson could be very effective and make the defense of the opposition spreadout alot more, giving Duncan more space to work with.

You haven't seen Elson much, did you?. Elson is not a finesse player... if anything, Nesterovic and Butler are the finesse players out of that crop. Elson can't score outside (and not much inside) but he'll add hustle and defense. Similar to Mohammed, just a bit worse. I think it can work.

I haven't seen Elson play at all but I've read reviews that say he is not that much of a strength player and likely will never be. If he has no outside shot, that will be bad for the Spurs because they need a tough center to get the rebounds, putbacks and block the occassional shot

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:If Nash was to get injured, then forget it, the Suns would not get it done at all (unless Marcus Banks, a very good PG, can run the team similar to Nash, Ain't that right TMC Mr. Green ).

Marcus Banks sucks. They should trade him for Nick Van Exel. Ask #32.

Looks like you have a bias against the TWolves (where Banks was last season). Banks is decent and will do better than most backup PGs replacing Nash, should Nash get injured. The Suns would be in major trouble though if Nash did get hurt

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:The Pistons just came off the best regular season in franchise history! They have a great chance of winning the championship! Mohammed is the type of player that can play the defense and play his role well and should fit in well with the Pistons. I expect McDyess to be used more than he ever has with the Pistons and he might possibly start at either Center or PF this season

See the previous comment about Flip. I also think the Pistons have the personnel to win it all... just not the head coach to do it. They'll have the same problem we had with Monty last year, but, due to their better roster, they'll make the playoffs.

Mohammed was a good addition, tho, and I'd like to see him play 30 minutes per night, something he hasn't done in his whole career. I think he can be a pretty good center, but we have only seen flashes of that.

Again, the Pistons just had their best regular season ever. Enough said

I think the Pistons have another year (maybe 2 for a stretch) in which they're in title contention.

migya wrote:

TMC wrote:Flip is a bad coach. Period. Bad rotations, a tendency to get outcoached in playoff games... He's one of those coaches that, somehow, someway, has a reputation of being good without ever excelling at anything. He'll have the Pistons out of the playoffs in the second round (if they make it there).

Flip is bad coach............ hmmmm......... the Pistons just came had their best regular season ever and they had hall of fame coach larry Brown before they got Flip

That's a good point. I forgot about that.

Yeah, Flip is a pretty good coach, I do think Brown was suited to their team more though...

dude your sig is huge lmao

Yeah it is kinda big I'm thinking about changing it.

John Patrick wrote:8) Yeah it is kinda big I'm thinking about changing it.

Big like dunnyboy is a big loser

JP & broe got the biggest sigs on the site.

migya wrote:Flip is bad coach............ hmmmm......... the Pistons just came had their best regular season ever and they had hall of fame coach larry Brown before they got Flip

With a roster created by Joe Dumars and previously coached by Larry Brown. A team with no changes since his championship year, playing in the East, which, like it or not, is the lesser conference... They were bound to have a great season even if Monty were the coach.

migya wrote:I haven't seen Elson play at all but I've read reviews that say he is not that much of a strength player and likely will never be. If he has no outside shot, that will be bad for the Spurs because they need a tough center to get the rebounds, putbacks and block the occassional shot

Elson will add hustle... not more, not less. That's more than what Nesterovic did for them. But he doesn't have an outside shot. In fact, he doesn't have an offensive game... but he's a decent rebounder for his size.

Butler is the one that has a bit more polished offensive game, although that's what the Knicks say... he hasn't played enough to prove it.

migya wrote:Looks like you have a bias against the TWolves (where Banks was last season). Banks is decent and will do better than most backup PGs replacing Nash, should Nash get injured. The Suns would be in major trouble though if Nash did get hurt

I don't particularly like them, but I'm not biased against them. Actually, I'm biased against KG since he broke Rick Rickert's jaw in an offseason workout for just scoring on him. Of course, Minny cut Rickert before it became a bigger issue. Since then, I consider KG as an asshole and McHale as his bitch.

btw, the Marcus Banks bashing is more of a tongue-in-cheek joke... I don't think he's that bad, just ok as a backup... but having him as one of the best future pgs of the NBA in another thread made me bash him more than he deserved, but in a funny way.

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:Flip is bad coach............ hmmmm......... the Pistons just came had their best regular season ever and they had hall of fame coach larry Brown before they got Flip

With a roster created by Joe Dumars and previously coached by Larry Brown. A team with no changes since his championship year, playing in the East, which, like it or not, is the lesser conference... They were bound to have a great season even if Monty were the coach.

Having good players is a start but only a very good coach knows how to use them and then lead them to the best regular season they have ever had! If Larry Brown is a better coach, the Pistons would have won more games with him than with Flip. Flip just gets alot of heat for not taking the TWolves further in the playoffs but look at them now, they aren't even in the playoffs anymore