NBA Season 2007-08

[Pro A.]

Season starts on Wednesday, I believe. Are you ready? I, for one, am. I can't wait to see the Bulls and their 11-deep rotation. The power remains in the West with stalwarts like Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, and even Houston is coming along. Looks like Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, and Detroit will be the challengers on the other side.

Boston will probably be the most exciting team to watch with Garnett, Allen, and Pierce, but I wonder how long the three of them can hold things together. If the Suns can't win six or seven-deep, how the hell are the Celts gonna do it with three guys? They'll make the playoffs, for sure, but that lack of depth is gonna be a killer after 82 games plus playoffs.

Who else is set for the opening tip?

[Dwhitten]

I'm wondering what team Kobe will end the year playing for. I'm pulling for the Bulls, but I think the Lakers want too much and it would hurt the Bulls in the long run by gutting the team.

[Zac]

The Blazers are going to spoil ring night tomorrow! Well maybe if I say it enough times it will be true.

[Dwhitten]

I feel kind of bad for the Blazers. They just came off drafting the number 1 person in college and he gets hurt. I look at the Blazers to be like the Bulls in the next couple of years talent wise.

[Zac]

The Bulls wish they had they stockpile of young talent the Blazers do. The Oden injury is a major setback though.

[Pro A.]

I'd be enthused about getting Kobe, but we'd have to give up Deng, Gordon, and Thomas, which is far too high a price. Deng is our replacement Elton Brand and he could be just as good after this year. Thomas can be cultivated into a tough power forward, which gives them the low-post presence they badly need. Gordon is streaky, yes, but when he's on... well, you've seen the clips. Kobe would be a fine player, no doubt about it, but would he make the team better? I don't think so.

We have young talent, Zac. The entire team, minus Wallace, is filled with talented youngsters. Hell, this team could theoretically run 11 deep with Hinrich, Nocioni, Gordon, Wallace, Thomas, Deng, Sefolosha (did not spell that right, I know), Noah, Gray, Duhon, and Curry. Which is why the losses of Noah and Wallace, though unfortunate, will not seriously hamper this team to the point where they're going to be dropping games left and right.

I do like the Blazers. I think Jack is going to be an excellent PG and this year will be proof of that. Roy is a stud (he won ROTY for a reason) and Miles and Frye should provide the needed muscle. Aldridge is the guy who needs to show his mettle. He'll need to sacrifice his body as the center since Oden is out of the year. They're not going to make the playoffs, but they might make some noise for most of the year.

[Zac]

I hope Miles never plays another minute for the Blazers. Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw might emerge this year at the SF position. The play of Joel Przybilla will be key this season as well, he will be the starting C.

[Pro A.]

Yeesh... thats not comforting, is it? Przybilla strikes me as a stiff.

[Zac]

He's a notch above a stiff, but he's supposed to have some new shot or something this year. We'll see if it does him any good

[D3adcell]

Well just heard that the mavs are signing Juwan Howard. But they also let DJ Mbenga go. Not that they ever played Mbenga but he seemed like given the right chance and coaching he could be a real good player.

Mavs are my team, maybe this year they will be able to pull together and get a championship.

[seahorse]

i like the cavs

[Pro A.]

Well just heard that the mavs are signing Juwan Howard. But they also let DJ Mbenga go. Not that they ever played Mbenga but he seemed like given the right chance and coaching he could be a real good player.

Mavs are my team, maybe this year they will be able to pull together and get a championship.

Mmmm... two Howards on one team. Nice. Not sure they needed this Howard, though, unless they're that pressed for points.

[Dwhitten]

Przybilla will always be a Luc Longley to me.

[Pro A.]

Now there's a name that brings back memories... always had problems staying out of foul trouble, as I recall.

[Zac]

The Blazers played pretty well last night. It was an even game other than the turnovers which decided it.

[Pro A.]

Aldridge was the big surprise. Blazers might have a chance if he keeps dropping 27 a night.

[curryking1]

Kobe should play for Toronto.

>.>

<.<

Oh I think I know how mega bad ass that would be.

I bow down to my Raptors btw.

:worthy:

[Zac]

Looks like the blazers are horrible again. No surprise. They should tank the season and get a PG

[Pro A.]

Bulls 0-3. No surprise there. They always start slow. I just hope this doesn't evolve into a trend. Should be 2-1, but thats always the way it is.

[curryking1]

The Bulls are definitely in an intermediate phase, that has to do a bit with it too, they're just inbetween two places right now.

[Hisham]

Raptors surpised me. Winning so decisively over NJ. They aren't doing so well against the Celtics right now though.

[curryking1]

Man, if you knew the Raptors that really shouldn't have suprised you.

Bosh & Bargnani. Star player and a guy who runs you, slashes you and drops threes all over you. Nuff said.

TJ Ford and Calderon. 2 amazing point guards.

Kapono and Delfino. 3 pt shot is money and now he has the freedom to shoot whenever he wants unlike in Miami and the mad defense and total hustle pack guy trained straight from Rip and the rest of Detroit's team.

Jorge Garbojosa and Anthony Parker, two solid veterans that still produce and like most of the rest here are serioulsy consistent in effort and play.

Then you got like Nesterovic and Baston and Dixon and so on filling up the rest of the spots. Humphries is solid energy off the bench.

That lineup is deep. Really, really mother ***king deep. And these guys have had like a year to work together. They've only brought in unselfish and team-play players. They just keep gelling as they keep playing more and more.

The guys on Raptors.com or whatever put it sweet. Boston vs. Toronto is the triplet All Stars vs. the 12 man team. And it sucks because I can't watch this ***king game....

VC is washed up. He'll have some 30 and 40 point night every now and then but he's nowhere near where he was before, he's a trainwreck dragging himself along with his multimillion dollar contract.

P.S. I like how they said they managed to form a team representative of Canada and the new effort to bring Canada to everyone, nice parallel by one of the bloggers on Raptors.com.

[Hisham]

Nah, It didn't surprise me that they won, it is just how badly they destroyed NJ. I know they are a good upcoming young team, but I didn't expect them to totally destroy NJ. Although it did seem like NJ just gave up half way into the 3rd quarter and was just playing there bench. Still though, winning by 35 or so points is equavliant of getting raped in basketball LOL.

[Pro A.]

The Raptors are the sleeper. They might have enough to make a run, but with Boston now commanding the Atlantic they'll have a difficult time pulling together a top-4 bid.

[curryking1]

Commanding?

People have been too quick to name them the winners of the Atlantic division.

They are good. KG is good, Ray Allen is good, The Truth is good.

But from the Celts-Raps game last night it was very apparent this team is missing a real point guard as well as some meaningful front court off the bench. Did you see Rajon Rondo get run by TJ Ford? The stat sheet and highlights showed that really, really well.

TO played terrible in that game. Their FG% was like 30 in the first half and for the game it was 38 and they still managed to keep it the game that close, but of course not without a bit of luck.

Boston's strengths are in your face as they have clear all stars on their team, but their weaknesses are also readily apparent.

One can't expect the big three to manage 40 minute games every game night and not burn out.

Toronto isn't exactly a sleeper either, they are a well known threat. They managed a 47 win season last year through a remarkable makeover by Colangelo. Their first step towards positively rebuilding their team resulted in a berth in the playoffs. Toronto is definitely a good story though.

[Zac]

Maybe I spoke too soon. Portland with 3 straight wins on this homestand beating a previously undefeated New Orleans team, a bad Memphis team and a really good Dallas team.

[curryking1]

That's something to boast about, that's impressive, good for them :)

[Zac]

Portland beats the 5-1 Pistons 102-94 to sweep the 4 game homestand. This pretty much came out of nowhere. Nice job on Nate McMillan's part to change the lineup after that tough 3 game road trip to start the season.

[curryking1]

Portland is doing nuts, that's awesome for them.

Glad my Raps got back on track. Jamario Moon, the 27 y.o. rookie is Class A material, solid, solid player. Athletic, long, quick, strong on the defensive, and well conditioned. Serious awesome stuff.

[Zac]

Blazers have won 8 in a row and are now over .500, doing most of it without Lamarcus Aldridge. Watch out when we get Odn back, NBA

[Zer0-Sum]

I live in Portland and the Blazers RULE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!:pinky: WHUPPING Y'ALL DOWN ON THE COURT AND GOIN TO THE FINALS!!! w00T!!!! 22-13! Get ready to be owned peeps....

[curryking1]

I knew Portland would run out of steam soon. The West is too strong and they are just too young. They will be amazing later so it's not much issue of skill really. The only issue is keeping them all together.

The only thing that sucks is that they have a reasonable record but may not make playoffs whereas some teams in the East are only getting tickets with worse to far worse records.

Think of their huge win streak as essentially a stroke of luck and the magic of low probability making a statement.

--

Raptors are weaksauce right now. True... weaksauce... true... lame.

They have so many good pieces to make an excellently functional team yet lack the toughness, discipline, and tenacity for that final spice to make it truly work night in and night out.

That is why they are mad failz right now. Raptors = mad failz. If any team needs 'conditioning,' it's the Raptors. Easily.

It's disappointing to see such an enthusiastic and supportive Raptors fan base and city of Toronto be let down like this. Toronto is one of the most ideal cities for essentially anything and good sports teams are included.

Playing with heart here and bringing it everyday and being competitive all the time may be more appreciated than winning in Toronto. This crowd has given the team standing ovations for games that have been fiercely competitive even though the team may have lost at the end of them.

Winning is great, but because losing happens often because of mistakes and lazy half efforts. P

Playing hard and being competitive every single game is far more exciting. There's a simple life lesson in there that the Raptors might want to apply. Work hard and don't slack at all. Slack and you get slapped in the face big time, but you earn the slap.

The Raptors lack that essence and that's just frigging lame and disrespect to the fans and city. Skill is great, pieces are great, cohesion is great, but it's nothing without toughness, heart and tenacity.

[the poe collector]

Is anyone watching the playoffs?

Anyone?

Anyone?

[Shadow19]

Is anyone watching the playoffs?

Anyone?

Anyone?

I am. I hope the Celtics win it all. But as long as the Lakers don't win the Championship I'll be happy.

[the poe collector]

Thank you, Shadow19. I would really like to see someone new win the championship, so more than rooting for one team I'm rooting against the Pistons and Spurs. And Lakers.

[Dakota Grabowski]

Boo... Pistons all the way. We haven't won since 2004, so I don't see why you are complaining. Sure, we are the Atlanta braves of the NBA being so damn good, but c'mon... Heat won it also but they suck now, so that means you are against them... and the bulls, and the rockets, etc.

i want the Pistons and Spurs in the finals so the Pistons can beat the Spurs like they should have in 2005.

But, as long as the lakers, Celtics and Cavs don't win it, I am fine. All of those bandwagon fans who only like "superstars" that the NBA feeds to the media, it's dispicable. The NBA wants a Celtics/Lakers finals, and that's what I exactly don't want. Thank god the Jazz won tonight.

[the poe collector]

Boo... Pistons all the way. We haven't won since 2004, so I don't see why you are complaining. Sure, we are the Atlanta braves of the NBA being so damn good, but c'mon... Heat won it also but they suck now, so that means you are against them... and the bulls, and the rockets, etc.

The Pistons are in the mix for a championship every year, unlike those other teams. For me, they're one of those teams like the Patriots where if you aren't a fan, then you just can't stand them.

Same thing with the Spurs, which is why this is exactly what I don't want to see:

i want the Pistons and Spurs in the finals so the Pistons can beat the Spurs like they should have in 2005.

[Dakota Grabowski]

Haha, you aren't a diehard NBA fan then. You are coming off as a casual watching fan that doesn't like when teams become dynasties. I am all for dynasties as I want to be able to look back when I am elderly and say "there's nothing like the teams that started the new millenium, now those are some fine teams right there"

[Hisham]

Haha, you aren't a diehard NBA fan then. You are coming off as a casual watching fan that doesn't like when teams become dynasties. I am all for dynasties as I want to be able to look back when I am elderly and say "there's nothing like the teams that started the new millenium, now those are some fine teams right there"

It is because they play boring basketball. Sure it is the way it is supposed to be played, but I think Pistons and the Spurs are the reasons ratings are down for the NBA playoffs. When there is something significant on the line, both teams play a defensive game, and rebounds and turnovers is what they want. Rather than having an explosive offense, they would rather play defensively, and make sure the opponents score is low. While that is the right attitude in the post season, and the best way to win games, it really makes for boring basketball to the average viewer.

Not that I am against that. Hell, I'd love to see Detroit in the finals. But I do hope it is against anybody but the Spurs. Iunno, I just don't like them.

[the poe collector]

Haha, you aren't a diehard NBA fan then. You are coming off as a casual watching fan that doesn't like when teams become dynasties. I am all for dynasties as I want to be able to look back when I am elderly and say "there's nothing like the teams that started the new millenium, now those are some fine teams right there"

I always root for the underdog, unless my team is the favorite. You expect the Pistons to win, you expect the Spurs to win. There's no surprise there when they do win because it was supposed to happen that way. It's more interesting to me when a team like New Orleans takes a lead on the defending champs and has a real shot at beating them.

it's not about how they play either. I like a good defensive game just as much as a high scoring one. It drives me insane when teams play shitty defense and just run back and forth trading points.

And I don't care about being called a casual fan. I'm just trying to pass the time until football starts.

[Dakota Grabowski]

It is because they play boring basketball. Sure it is the way it is supposed to be played, but I think Pistons and the Spurs are the reasons ratings are down for the NBA playoffs. When there is something significant on the line, both teams play a defensive game, and rebounds and turnovers is what they want. Rather than having an explosive offense, they would rather play defensively, and make sure the opponents score is low. While that is the right attitude in the post season, and the best way to win games, it really makes for boring basketball to the average viewer.

Not that I am against that. Hell, I'd love to see Detroit in the finals. But I do hope it is against anybody but the Spurs. Iunno, I just don't like them.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the ratings have steadily declined every year so that's not the fault of the Pistons and or the Spurs. The NBA has this thing where they love to favor their superstars (Kobe / Lebron / etc.) and thus we have "superstar" foul calls that are meerly bumps and favoritism. this is what drives the casual fans nuts since the game isn't being called correctly as it should. When the Pistons won the title in 2004, the NBA changed the rules since the game was more aggressive and defensive. Now the NBA has players looking for fouls after every shot and hoping the refs bail them out for their poor shooting percentages. This is where I get upset and start to tune out; when the NBA players begin to complain, whine, and cry foul, this is when it becomes boring and unsatifsying.

And the Detroit pistons aren't without their whiners but we got rid of our biggest (Ben Wallace) since he was horrible on offense and always looked for fouls.

Anyway, Detroit and the Spurs aren't the reason to blame for bad ratings, its the NBA and how they have changed the league.

[Hisham]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the ratings have steadily declined every year so that's not the fault of the Pistons and or the Spurs. The NBA has this thing where they love to favor their superstars (Kobe / Lebron / etc.) and thus we have "superstar" foul calls that are meerly bumps and favoritism. this is what drives the casual fans nuts since the game isn't being called correctly as it should. When the Pistons won the title in 2004, the NBA changed the rules since the game was more aggressive and defensive. Now the NBA has players looking for fouls after every shot and hoping the refs bail them out for their poor shooting percentages. This is where I get upset and start to tune out; when the NBA players begin to complain, whine, and cry foul, this is when it becomes boring and unsatifsying.

And the Detroit pistons aren't without their whiners but we got rid of our biggest (Ben Wallace) since he was horrible on offense and always looked for fouls.

Anyway, Detroit and the Spurs aren't the reason to blame for bad ratings, its the NBA and how they have changed the league.

Not really.

1999 onwards the ratings just dropped for some reason, and in the succesive years is when the Spurs and Pistons started to dominate the league.

http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/image002.gif

http://www.humanvictorycigar.com/2006/11/29/taking-the-measure-of-nba-finals-television-ratings/