New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[FrantzM]

Hi

Methinks the Nets will be The disappointment of the coming NBA season. I frankly don't see what's special about the team. Others will certainly disagree. My hopes are not high. The Pacers are the team to watch and perhaps the Knicks on the wings

 

[steve williams]

I agree Frantz although no one has been talking up the Bulls so far

 

[jadis]

I'm pinning my hopes in the east on the Pacers. I can't see the Bulls or the Knicks in the eastern Finals. I'm taking the Nets over the Knicks this coming season. Aside from the Rose comeback, my doubts rest on the fact that even if the Bulls make it to the EF, Lebron will shackle Rose, and I wonder where the scoring will come from as Nate Robinson, who was a big contributor last season is gone. The Nets are the interesting team as we'll get to see if the Yankees' model will work for them. Their first 'black eye' happens to be their suspended coach. Interesting.

 

[steve williams]

Howard fires back at Abdul-Jabbar

By The Sports Xchange

Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard responded to Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's criticism that he does not have a high enough basketball IQ to be a great player.
"Dwight is an extraordinary athlete and has incredible athletic ability, but basketball is a game where the most important muscle that you use on the court is the one between your ears," Abdul-Jabbar said on ESPN's "First Take" show Thursday. "Dwight's basketball IQ is not up to speed for him to be a dominant player."
Howard, who signed with the Rockets this summer after one forgettable season with the Los Angeles Lakers, defended himself.
"You can't win three Defensive Player of the Year trophies and be stupid. That can't be done," he told the Houston Chronicle. "And I don't think any coach that has ever coached me has said I have a low IQ for basketball.
"Have I done some dumb stuff on the floor? Yes, every player has. Have I done some stupid things in life? Yes, it's life. We make mistakes and learn from them. It is what it is. I think I am very intelligent when it comes to the game of basketball. I have been playing since I was 3 years old. Each year, I get a little smarter.
"People will have something to say. Is what it is. I'm in (Houston) now. This city has my back and we are going to ride together."
Howard, a seven-time All-Star, has averaged 18.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over a nine-year career. He made it to the NBA Finals in 2009 against the Lakers when he was a member of the Orlando Magic.
Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time MVP with six NBA titles, averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks over a 20-year career.
The Lakers had high expectations for Howard when he joined the Lakers last season, but injuries and a first-round playoff ouster cemented a brief and disappointing stint in Los Angeles.
"When I joined the Lakers I was the greatest center. When I left, I was the worst," Howard said. "Mentally, I wasn't capable of playing center. I understand a lot of things are said out of emotion. I will say, if he has anything to say, I am here in Houston. We can talk man to man. That's how I feel."
Howard said he spoke to Abdul-Jabbar once in Los Angeles and asked that they not talk about basketball.
"There is no need for me to go back and forth with him," Howard said. "One thing I would say is that he is old enough to where whatever I do shouldn't even matter. He is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If I'm Kareem, I'm like why? Four championships, five championships, whatever. I've been in Airplane and done movies with Bruce Lee. I am not worried about the young whippersnapper.
"I wish him good luck. People do things different and when I am done playing, I will do what I can to help the younger generations."

 

[jadis]

While DH has a point with his 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards, he can only silence his critics by getting a ring. His best friend now would be the media critics, just like Lebron being bashed constantly and using a ring to silence his critics.

 

[steve williams]

While DH has a point with his 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards, he can only silence his critics by getting a ring. His best friend now would be the media critics, just like Lebron being bashed constantly and using a ring to silence his critics.

But seriously can you see it happening any time soon

 

[jadis]

But seriously can you see it happening any time soon

Well Steve, though I can't see it in this season or next, I can't rule him out entirely. He and his Magic went to the Finals with guys like Jameer and Hedo, and some guys. He had no issues then, at least no major ones till he caused the firing of Stan later on. If he takes on that mindset, then that's a good thing for him and his team. But the other issue is that I feel Houston is one big, reliable power forward away, something like a KG guy when he arrived in Boston or Gasol when he came to LA.

 

[steve williams]

How about this??

Warriors drop preseason opener to Lakers 104-95

Lakers had lost 10 straight exhibition games, including all eight last season. Los Angeles hadn't won a preseason game since Oct. 22, 2010, also in Ontario against the Warriors

 

[rblnr]

I agree Frantz although no one has been talking up the Bulls so far

I'll take up the Bulls! And not just because I'm a fan. Anybody see D. Rose against the Pacerd last night? Rusty but absolutely full speed in a directions. I'm down on both NY teams, particularly the Knicks. Don't see why anyone would be optimistic about them.

 

[jadis]

A 'Big 3' in Clippers Nation? Guess who is the 3rd? I saw the Clippers in practice on TV the other day and Chris Paul was talking about the big role of 'DJ' this coming season. I had to think a bit who he was talking about and the name rung like an old Celtics guard.


Doc wasn't a fan of KG and Jordan trade



For once Doc isn't jabbing the Boston Celtics, or is he? Maybe he's taunting them, maybe he's saying "you could of had Jordan, and I know you wished you had him, but I do". That sounds like Doc these days. He makes sure he doesn't offend his former defensive anchor Kevin Garnett, but Doc has made it clear this offseason. Jordan is his guy, and he's hyping this guy up every other day.

ESPN LA/Boston

It was a side deal that the NBA nixed because such side deals go against league rules. Rivers said he's happy the deal fell apart. He had hoped there would be a way for the Clippers to land Garnett, but not at the expense of Jordan.

"I couldn't get involved in that whole thing," Rivers said. "That was the strangest thing in the world. I was seeing the trade talks and I was saying, 'Wait a minute! We don't want to give away that guy!' We wanted that other guy, too. That was the home run to get both.

"[Jordan] is just too young and too gifted to let walk out your door, bottom line. He's a game changer defensively. He can single-handedly change a game with his defense. There's five guys, and that number maybe too high, that can do that single-handedly with their size and athleticism and he's one of them. When you have one of those guys, you want to keep them."


Doc believes Jordan should be, and could be defensive player of the year. Doc even made sure that Jordan was photographed with CP3 and Griffin. He also called the trio the "Big 3". Doc sounds like a man looking to the past, and where's the new slogan in LA Doc? Will you dust off "Ubuntu"?


Follow Shawn on Twitter- @Celticstitletow

Photo From Yahoo Sports

 

[jadis]

If somebody gets fired early on, George and Lionel will still be available.



Sunday, October 6th, 2013 at 12:12 pm | 21 Comments
George Karl Says He Doesn’t Understand Why the Nuggets Fired Him


The Nuggets replaced former head coach George Karl with Brian Shaw this past offseason, a move that some thought was unnecessary and uncalled for. And according to the Boston Globe, Karl is still unsure why he was axed: “Karl, along with Lionel Hollins, who guided the Grizzlies to the Western Conference finals, are unemployed, a testament to the volatile nature of the relationship between coaches and the new generation of club management. ‘I was amazed at how quickly I accepted what happened,’ Karl said, ‘because I had 8½ great years and last year was probably my most fun coaching any basketball team I’ve ever been associated with. I don’t have a lot of bitterness other than I don’t understand. But not understanding — when you are working in a world of millions, millions, and millions of dollars, there’s a lot of things I don’t understand. There’s a lot of contracts we give players that I don’t understand. There’s a lot of trades that I don’t understand. There are a lot of decisions I don’t understand. I can’t deny there’s an anger and frustration. But there’s much more celebration in my heart than anything else.’ Karl reached the NBA Finals once in 25 years as a head coach but racked up 1,131 victories and helped resurrect franchises in Seattle, Milwaukee, and Denver.”

 

[jadis]

How about this??

Warriors drop preseason opener to Lakers 104-95

Lakers had lost 10 straight exhibition games, including all eight last season. Los Angeles hadn't won a preseason game since Oct. 22, 2010, also in Ontario against the Warriors

Saw highlights of that game. The sight of D'Antoni makes me wonder if I would ever prefer him over Boston's new coach Brad Stevens. I think I'll take Brad still, and I haven't even seem him at all.

 

[jadis]

Larry bird is walking through that door!!! Bird and the Pacers have landed in the Philippines!!!

 

[steve williams]

who took the pictures

 

[jadis]

Our local media, Steve. Waiting on the tarmac it seems. I would have gladly offered my free services to fetch Larry Bird.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/sports/10/07/13/pacers-rockets-arrive-manila-pre-season-game

 

[steve williams]

well seems one of them was actually on the plane

 

[steve williams]

even though it's only preseason I can only imagine the satisfaction Brian Shaw got when his Nuggets beat the Lakers yesterday

 

[jadis]

well seems one of them was actually on the plane

yes. one of them then posted it on Twitter. where I saw a tweet of Paul George announcing the team's landing. this is such a basketball crazy country, they land Monday and do 2 or 3 days city wide promotional tours and play on Thursday night. If Boston and L.A. comes in it really could be a 1 week holiday

 

[jadis]

even though it's only preseason I can only imagine the satisfaction Brian Shaw got when his Nuggets beat the Lakers yesterday

true. he could have been the most logical choice for L.A.

 

[jadis]

First game of college coach Stevens with the C's. A comment of his after the game will raise eyebrows of a C's fan like me:

''Really, really different just because it's a 48-minute game, something to get used to because of the timeouts,'' Stevens said. ''It's a little unique and different. There's eight more minutes (than college) and a lot more possessions because of the 24-second shot clock. Hopefully I'll get used to it in seven (preseason) games, but hopefully it doesn't last much longer than that. But it is different. It's unique.''

Well, is Rick Pitino walking through that door? Deja Vu.

I think Brad is signed for FIVE years.