New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[steve williams]

and so the slump continues

0-4 in their last 4 games and Dallas breathing down their backs at one game behind with 3 games to play. If they end up in 3rd place they get Portland in the first round and if they totally implode and end up in 4th they get Denver

Who would have thought that with 3 games left in the season, the Bulls are only one game behind the Spurs for overall best record

 

[jadis]

Who would have thought that with 3 games left in the season, the Bulls are only one game behind the Spurs for overall best record

I never thought that was probable too, Steve. Until a friend mentioned that to me yesterday and it dawned on me that the Bulls are making a serious run at the title with home court ad all the way if they catch the Spurs. Right now what cracks the minds of coaches too, I imagine, will be the question of asking your players to give an all out performance to win each of the next 3 games for home court advantage, at the risk on the other hand, of incurring possible injuries to your big stars. That is the problem for older teams like the C's, Spurs and the Lakers who have had big stars coming off an on from injuries.

 

[Ron Party]

So jadis, how 'bout you come visit the Bay Area in June for some music and NBA finals action with Steve and me? Maybe we can even coax Jack to tag along!

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I am not ready to press the panic button, not yet anyway... If the season was to be over today ... It looks good for the Spurs, lakers, Celts and Bulls who would (will?) play respectively Memphis, New Orleans, Philly and the Pacers ... Not so great for the Heat who have to battle the increasingly ambitious Knicks or for Oklhaoma who have to spar with the revived Denver ...

It is a matter of pairing and at this juncture resting your players .. not winning all games and homecourt advantage at all cost... These are nice but don't win you championships .. Healthy players do ...

 

[jadis]

So jadis, how 'bout you come visit the Bay Area in June for some music and NBA finals action with Steve and me? Maybe we can even coax Jack to tag along!

Thanks, Ron. That would be a great thing to be there with you guys and I'm sure it'll be a blast once we get together but probably not this year as I'm tied up with some matters at the moment. It would be great to visit there too once the next NBA season starts so at least I can attend a live NBA game at the Warriors arena. I haven't done justice to myself by not being to an NBA game in my visits to the States mainly due to bad timing (visiting at off-season). At least I had attended an NFL game of the 49'ers before.

 

[steve williams]

Thanks, Ron. That would be a great thing to be there with you guys and I'm sure it'll be a blast once we get together but probably not this year as I'm tied up with some matters at the moment. It would be great to visit there too once the next NBA season starts so at least I can attend a live NBA game at the Warriors arena. I haven't done justice to myself by not being to an NBA game in my visits to the States mainly due to bad timing (visiting at off-season). At least I had attended an NFL game of the 49'ers before.

Jadis

let's make it Lakers vs Warriors here in Oakland

or Celts vs Warriors

 

[jadis]

Jadis

let's make it Lakers vs Warriors here in Oakland

or Celts vs Warriors

Steve,

That would be FANTASTIC!

 

[steve williams]

well after watching basketball here all day I can say that the Bulls are for real, Miami is playing great as a team and the Celts could be fading

Lakers-OKC at 6:30

 

[jadis]

Yeah, both Chicago and Miami are playing very fine and very sound basketball, and winning. As funny or strange as it may sound, the C's hope may be a healthy Shaq in the playoffs, but that does not sound to well either as Shaq's hip, legs, or foot are so fragile. But looking back at November and December, Boston was winning easily with Shaq in the middle and being healthy then, he was a 'go to guy' for whatever minutes he plays. Or, maybe the C's are saving their energy to give it all in the playoffs, afraid on any serious injury to its starters. It's proven that the C's need the homecourt ad in the playoffs to win. In '08, they won the first 2 rounds in Game 7 at home, and last year they lost Game 7 on the road. At present, they do not have the luxury of healthy young players like OKC, Chicago and Miami. Call the C's a 'vintage' team, that's what they are. One thing for sure, they are not the 'favorites' now to win it all. they're just gonna be 'chugging' along like an old freight train.

 

[steve williams]

double grrhhh

0-5 losing a close one to OKC who I still feel can win the west.

KD and Russell Westbrooke are amazing. KD makes every basket effortless. He is long and lanky and has amazing shot accuracy.

Well now that last week they were thinking of a run at the Spurs and now could possibly finish 4th

Wow

 

[jadis]

double grrhhh

0-5 losing a close one to OKC who I still feel can win the west.

KD and Russell Westbrooke are amazing. KD makes every basket effortless. He is long and lanky and has amazing shot accuracy.

Well now that last week they were thinking of a run at the Spurs and now could possibly finish 4th

Wow

Steve,

I can feel how how you feel. The Celts have been having the same downward spiral tumble lately as the Lakers. And both have basically a solid nucleus of starters but they haven't been delivering the 'wins'. I can see how that can drive their coaches crazy. But a thought just occured to me. That these younger challengers are so pumped up to win and the physical energy is not only there but overflowing. The C's and the Lakers seems to have quick spurts every now and then but cannot sustain ALL 4 quarters unlike these younger contenders who are flying all over, specially the likes of Durant, Westbrooke, Rose, et al. Boy, it's a good thing Griffin's and Love's team are not yet in the hunt as for sure, they will wreak even more havoc if they are in the playoffs. LOL But what a season. I can't remember a season as exciting as this. And if Miami wins it all, people will now marvel at the decision of LeBron. He might just have the last laugh.

 

[steve williams]

Kobe just can't cover Westbrooke for a 48 minute game. He is one of the fastest point guards in the league and Kobe can't keep up.

 

[FrantzM]

Kobe just can't cover Westbrooke for a 48 minute game. He is one of the fastest point guards in the league and Kobe can't keep up.

Well it doesn't work that way ... Kobe doesn'thave to cover him for 48 minutes. He will have / defer interior defense with his big guys blocking the lanes to the basket and the Lakers have arguably among the best set of truly big man in the NBA with Gasol, Bynum and Odom/Artest. Remember Tony Parker is fast, the Kid from Orlando is likely faster than both Westbrooke and Parker. It is not always a game of speed but of interior defense when playoffs time comes. The Lakers had no problem with them(Spurs, Magic) really. I do fear Derrick Rose though because it has it all. Speed, court vision and an outside shot and teammates the feed off his game and respect him as their leader.

True, the Lakers lost 4 in a row but let's suddenly think that the Lakers can't play anymore and that OKC will win it all. They (OKC) will have to play very hungry teams and that will expose their weaknesses. Meanwhile the league still has no answer for Gasol, Odam/Artest or Bynum when they are at their best. Gasol remains the best power Forward in this league this side of Tim Duncan and the league wishes Bynum doesn't wake up during the playoff ...What about the Lakers bench? meanwhile Kobe remains the best player in the game and the most dangerous person to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line since MJ... Come on Lakers fan!! it won't be a walk in the park but neither is it the time to hang our heads ...
As for the Celts .. I am no longer sure but if Shaq comes back all bets are off .. Miami looks good but I still find their midle defense suspect for playoff. I wouldn't bet on Igaulkas to match with the Front Lines in the east (Knicks, Celtics, Atlanta and Chicago)... I really would like to see a Chicago/LA series ... but I will never count Boston out .. Their coach is too good and the team strives on hardship

 

[Ron Party]

I really would like to see a Chicago/LA series

Or a Chicago - OKC series.

 

[steve williams]

Or a Chicago - OKC series.

Not only is it possible but it would be a thriller

 

[rblnr]

That would be a wow series for me and a passing of the torch type thing for the NBA.

 

[Ron Party]

If it were to be, which team do you pick? I'd go with Chicago for 2 reasons: (1) home court advantage (which in my book is and always is the #1 factor); and, (2) better defense.

 

[rblnr]

I'll buy those reasons. And while I know you're talking about team defense, I think Deng is the right kind of guy to harass Durant. They may even throw Noah on him for a bit. Matchups are interesting across the board.

That said, I'll still take the Lakers over OKC. Just don't think they're quite ready to topple the champs yet.

 

[steve williams]

If it were to be, which team do you pick? I'd go with Chicago for 2 reasons: (1) home court advantage (which in my book is and always is the #1 factor); and, (2) better defense.

I agree but what a series it would be

 

[steve williams]

Miami locks up 2nd in the East as the Celts continue to fade.

Dallas wins and is now in 2nd in the West 1/2 game ahead of the Lakers and OKC who are red hot are in 4th place, 1/2 game behind the Lakers.

Lakers could end up in 4th however Lakers do own the tiebreaker against the Mavs and OKC based on their season series

It will be interesting to see how the Lakers play the Spurs tonight