well steve, that is the biggest brickwall for jim. but can the fans stay with jim on this?
New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season
- Thread starter Ron Party
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well steve, that is the biggest brickwall for jim. but can the fans stay with jim on this?
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
My guess is the season is tanked so I bet they will keep him as a lame duck but as to a replacement????
I'm not sure that Kurt Rambis is the answer
I agree about Brian Shaw
I'm not sure that Kurt Rambis is the answer
I agree about Brian Shaw
OKC has been on a roll, even without Westbrook.
Blazers and Warriors have been fading but the Grizzlies are ramping up with Marc Gasol back.
Clippers won again tonight, beating the Wizards. With CP3 still out, Clippers have stepped up. Even DJ hit 4 free throws in a row to close out Washington. Blake, Crawford and JJ Redick have played very well.
With Redick, Collison and Crawford pouring in the point production, the Clips have a good machine running, even without Paul. Of course, Blake is playing great ball the past few months and he has not been tentative anymore. He's got to know he's the main Clip out there.
That King James vs King Kevin shoot out was fun to watch. Both guarding each other and converting against each other, from 3 point land even. How I wish these 2 were in the same conference, and same division so they can clash more often than twice a year. Way to go, KD. Grab the MVP cup!
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
they've got a few injured players, kawhi leonard, splitter and danny green. that should disrupt their chemistry a bit. health is wealth.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
It'll be interesting to see how far into the playoffs the Clipps go. I just don't believe they can emerge as champions of the West
While I hope they do go to the finals, I am not expecting it either. Still need a good backup big and also need a better player at SF.
Should be a good battle with the Golden State tonight - no love lost between the Clippers and the Warriors.
That's the challenge of Doc with the Clippers. When KG and Allen came to Boston, I never expected them to win the title the first season either, and I was telling my friends here that it would take 2 years at least for them to win the title, but the group actually won it after going 7 games the first 2 rounds and 6 the next 2. What Doc does best is to extract the utmost effort from good players, and with young players like Blake, DJ, and CP3, Doc can do what he does best. And yes, Clips can do better with a couple more seasoned back up players. Doc had Sam Cassell, James Posey and PJ Brown who almost always do damage when they're on the floor. To me that is very important for a championship team.
Clippers vs Warriors is fun to watch. 2 high octane teams. Reminds me of those Dallas vs Phoenix playoff games in the 90s where I thought I was watching a ping pong game, my eyes kept moving from left to right at the fast paced action.
Looks like Pheonix has got Indy's number. Pacers in a bit of a hole going into the second have and have allowed more than 2/3s of their average in one half alone.
pacers just made a little run, closing the gap now at third. this dragic has improved a lot. beefier now too.
Steph Curry is one heck of a smooth shooter. Bogut was a stone wall. And the Warriors are looking good as a team. I think this guy Curry can shoot in his sleep. A few weeks ago, I saw him made a shot from the entrance of the dugout prior to a game, and the ball well straight through the net. Whattaguy.
If they stay together long enough, I'm pretty sure Curry and Thompson will be on the list of best backcourt duos of all time.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
A Realistic Trade for Russell Westbrook That Would Save the New York Knicks
By Del Pearson Yahoo Sports
COMMENTARY | Through the first half of the NBA season, much has been made about how the New York Knicks have grossly underachieved.
Entering the campaign with title aspirations, things have clearly not gone as planned as the Knicks would find themselves out of the playoffs if the season ended today. Notwithstanding this, and some terrible performances along the way, the news of the Knicks' demise has been far overblown.
Their struggles are not representative of a systematic breakdown like so many other disappointing teams in the Eastern Conference, such as having a terribly mismatched roster (Detroit Pistons), being a bit too old (Brooklyn Nets) or being a bit too young (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Instead, the Knicks' struggles can be easily fixed by addressing two main issues: an unhealthy frontcourt and inconsistent point-guard play. Both of these issues can be addressed in one fell swoop by acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder. I am not suggesting either a fantasy trade for New York that Oklahoma City would never agree to or something that would not be possible under the NBA's salary-cap rules.
Rather, there is a realistic trade possibility that would both catapult the Thunder into the driver's seat in the Western Conference and position the Knicks to challenge the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat in the East: Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Perkins and a future second-round draft pick for Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Raymond Felton and the right to swap future first-round draft picks.
Why the Thunder Would Do It
Beyond any doubt, one of the main drags on the Thunder's starting lineup has been Perkins. His general lack of athleticism is not a fit with the fast-paced Thunder. This would be cured tenfold with the addition of Chandler, an athletic rim protector who will provide the team protection when Serge Ibaka strays out of the paint.
Also, any veteran leadership lost with Perkins would be made up for with former NBA champion Changer. At the same time, Shumpert would fill a need for an athletic two-guard and Felton can slide in and provide depth as the backup point guard.
While Westbrook has been out injured, Reggie Jackson has played at an extremely high level and appears ready to take over as the regular starting point guard. This will more than soften the blow of losing Westbrook. Plus, cutting ties with him now would once and for all quiet the "can Kevin Durant and Westbrook co-exist" talk that seems to distract the team every postseason.
Why the Knicks Would Do It
For the Knicks, the benefit is obvious: Westbrook would be by far the best point guard to call Madison Square Garden home since Walt "Clyde" Frazier. He would provide a sense of athleticism that the Knicks desperately need at the position, and create the kind of matchup nightmares they are usually faced with against teams with better point guards.
Perhaps even more importantly, Westbrook's arrival as a bona-fide star would further reduce the already small chance that Carmelo Anthony would leave the Knicks in free agency in the offseason, seeing that Westbrook is currently signed to a long-term deal. Finally, Westbrook would thrive under the bright lights on Broadway with his impeccable style and likable personality.
As great as Chandler has been for the Knicks, the fact remains that they have too many big guys on the roster for too few minutes. With Chandler gone, and once Amar'e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin get healthy, head coach Mike Woodson will have reason to employ a small lineup to give many teams trouble with the speed of Westbrook and company. Perkins would essentially be a throw-in but could provide some depth on the Knicks' second unit, which generally does not push the ball much anyways.
Finally, having to give up a first-round draft pick hasn't been an impediment for the Knicks in the past and would certainly not be when it comes to acquiring a superstar like Westbrook.
Assuming that Westbrook is able to return to the court soon, it doesn't make sense for the Knicks not to make a run at him. By acquiring such a superstar point guard, it is clear that the Knicks would quickly shoot towards the top of the Eastern Conference. Not only would that save this season, but it would also go a long way towards keeping Anthony in New York to build a budding dynasty around the two stars.
By Del Pearson Yahoo Sports
COMMENTARY | Through the first half of the NBA season, much has been made about how the New York Knicks have grossly underachieved.
Entering the campaign with title aspirations, things have clearly not gone as planned as the Knicks would find themselves out of the playoffs if the season ended today. Notwithstanding this, and some terrible performances along the way, the news of the Knicks' demise has been far overblown.
Their struggles are not representative of a systematic breakdown like so many other disappointing teams in the Eastern Conference, such as having a terribly mismatched roster (Detroit Pistons), being a bit too old (Brooklyn Nets) or being a bit too young (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Instead, the Knicks' struggles can be easily fixed by addressing two main issues: an unhealthy frontcourt and inconsistent point-guard play. Both of these issues can be addressed in one fell swoop by acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder. I am not suggesting either a fantasy trade for New York that Oklahoma City would never agree to or something that would not be possible under the NBA's salary-cap rules.
Rather, there is a realistic trade possibility that would both catapult the Thunder into the driver's seat in the Western Conference and position the Knicks to challenge the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat in the East: Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Perkins and a future second-round draft pick for Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Raymond Felton and the right to swap future first-round draft picks.
Why the Thunder Would Do It
Beyond any doubt, one of the main drags on the Thunder's starting lineup has been Perkins. His general lack of athleticism is not a fit with the fast-paced Thunder. This would be cured tenfold with the addition of Chandler, an athletic rim protector who will provide the team protection when Serge Ibaka strays out of the paint.
Also, any veteran leadership lost with Perkins would be made up for with former NBA champion Changer. At the same time, Shumpert would fill a need for an athletic two-guard and Felton can slide in and provide depth as the backup point guard.
While Westbrook has been out injured, Reggie Jackson has played at an extremely high level and appears ready to take over as the regular starting point guard. This will more than soften the blow of losing Westbrook. Plus, cutting ties with him now would once and for all quiet the "can Kevin Durant and Westbrook co-exist" talk that seems to distract the team every postseason.
Why the Knicks Would Do It
For the Knicks, the benefit is obvious: Westbrook would be by far the best point guard to call Madison Square Garden home since Walt "Clyde" Frazier. He would provide a sense of athleticism that the Knicks desperately need at the position, and create the kind of matchup nightmares they are usually faced with against teams with better point guards.
Perhaps even more importantly, Westbrook's arrival as a bona-fide star would further reduce the already small chance that Carmelo Anthony would leave the Knicks in free agency in the offseason, seeing that Westbrook is currently signed to a long-term deal. Finally, Westbrook would thrive under the bright lights on Broadway with his impeccable style and likable personality.
As great as Chandler has been for the Knicks, the fact remains that they have too many big guys on the roster for too few minutes. With Chandler gone, and once Amar'e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin get healthy, head coach Mike Woodson will have reason to employ a small lineup to give many teams trouble with the speed of Westbrook and company. Perkins would essentially be a throw-in but could provide some depth on the Knicks' second unit, which generally does not push the ball much anyways.
Finally, having to give up a first-round draft pick hasn't been an impediment for the Knicks in the past and would certainly not be when it comes to acquiring a superstar like Westbrook.
Assuming that Westbrook is able to return to the court soon, it doesn't make sense for the Knicks not to make a run at him. By acquiring such a superstar point guard, it is clear that the Knicks would quickly shoot towards the top of the Eastern Conference. Not only would that save this season, but it would also go a long way towards keeping Anthony in New York to build a budding dynasty around the two stars.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I was just reading in The Bleacher Report that one GM in the NBA who wasn't named said it's a done deal that Kevin Love comes to the Lakers when his contract is up
An eye opener in an otherwise blah Lakers season as they lost again at home to Charlotte last night
An eye opener in an otherwise blah Lakers season as they lost again at home to Charlotte last night
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Well are you ready for this one.....
Report: Pacers expected to sign Andrew Bynum
UPDATE 8:53 a.m.: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that “barring an unforeseen snag,” Indiana will sign Andrew Bynum today.
8:00 a.m.: Conventional wisdom has been the only reason the Indiana Pacers were in the discussion to sign Andrew Bynum was to keep him away from the Heat. However, since Greg Oden has played fairly well in limited minutes for Miami, talk of signing Bynum to bring him to South Beach kind of cooled and interest in Bynum overall seemed lukewarm.
Now it appears the Pacers are close to inking a deal with Bynum.
At least that’s the report from the Indy Star, something confirmed by Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Bynum and his agent met with the Pacers Friday night, according to the Indy Star.
Bynum’s agent David Lee told The Indianapolis Star that he and Bynum were in town. According to Lee, Bynum and the Pacers have not reached a contractual agreement.
“(Bynum) has not signed as yet,” Lee said on Friday night.
The Pacers have All-Star center Roy Hibbert as the starter and bring Ian Mahinmi off the bench in a rotation that has worked very well — the Pacers at 35-10 have the best record in the East. They are strong up front, a defensive force — they are not signing Bynum to plug a hole in their rotation. Which makes the signing curious, if it goes through.
Bynum started the season injured under contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He went on to play 24 games for them, starting 19, and he averaged 8.4 points a game on just 41.9 percent shooting, plus he grabbed 5.3 rebounds a game. On the court he was limited and with that lost favor with coach Mike Brown. Off the court he was enough of a distraction that the team suspended Bynum the day after Christmas. The Cavaliers traded his contract at the deadline to the Bulls, who instantly waived him.
Bynum has ongoing knee issues which have required multiple surgeries and there are questions of if Bynum has the will, dedication and love for the game to push through them in play.
Bynum was a free agent for more than two weeks and what was holding teams back was both the concerns about his desire and that he reportedly wants more than the league minimum to play (and teams were loath to offer that)
If the Pacers do sign Bynum at whatever may get a little run, but mostly this would be a preventative strike.
Report: Pacers expected to sign Andrew Bynum
UPDATE 8:53 a.m.: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that “barring an unforeseen snag,” Indiana will sign Andrew Bynum today.
8:00 a.m.: Conventional wisdom has been the only reason the Indiana Pacers were in the discussion to sign Andrew Bynum was to keep him away from the Heat. However, since Greg Oden has played fairly well in limited minutes for Miami, talk of signing Bynum to bring him to South Beach kind of cooled and interest in Bynum overall seemed lukewarm.
Now it appears the Pacers are close to inking a deal with Bynum.
At least that’s the report from the Indy Star, something confirmed by Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Bynum and his agent met with the Pacers Friday night, according to the Indy Star.
Bynum’s agent David Lee told The Indianapolis Star that he and Bynum were in town. According to Lee, Bynum and the Pacers have not reached a contractual agreement.
“(Bynum) has not signed as yet,” Lee said on Friday night.
The Pacers have All-Star center Roy Hibbert as the starter and bring Ian Mahinmi off the bench in a rotation that has worked very well — the Pacers at 35-10 have the best record in the East. They are strong up front, a defensive force — they are not signing Bynum to plug a hole in their rotation. Which makes the signing curious, if it goes through.
Bynum started the season injured under contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He went on to play 24 games for them, starting 19, and he averaged 8.4 points a game on just 41.9 percent shooting, plus he grabbed 5.3 rebounds a game. On the court he was limited and with that lost favor with coach Mike Brown. Off the court he was enough of a distraction that the team suspended Bynum the day after Christmas. The Cavaliers traded his contract at the deadline to the Bulls, who instantly waived him.
Bynum has ongoing knee issues which have required multiple surgeries and there are questions of if Bynum has the will, dedication and love for the game to push through them in play.
Bynum was a free agent for more than two weeks and what was holding teams back was both the concerns about his desire and that he reportedly wants more than the league minimum to play (and teams were loath to offer that)
If the Pacers do sign Bynum at whatever may get a little run, but mostly this would be a preventative strike.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Done deal...the carpet bagger strikes again....
Pacers sign free-agent center Andrew Bynum
Adrian Wojnarowski By Adrian Wojnarowski
.
Andrew Bynum (USA TODAY Sports)
The acquisition of Bynum could deliver the Pacers a formidable bench presence as they try to get past the Miami Heat and reach the NBA Finals.
After a failed partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bynum was suspended and ultimately traded to the Chicago Bulls, who released the former All-Star center on Jan. 7.
There's still intrigue about Bynum's ability to overcome chronic knee problems and become something of a force again, despite an uneven performance in averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Cavaliers over 24 games. Bynum met with Pacers president Larry Bird and team officials in Indianapolis on Friday, the Indianapolis Star reported.
"We are obviously happy to have him join our team," Bird said in a news release. "He gives us added size, he is a skilled big man and he has championship experience. With the minutes he gets, he should be a valuable addition."
Bynum will join the Pacers sometime next week, the release said.
Behind All-Star center Roy Hibbert, Bynum could help give Indiana one of the biggest and deepest front lines in the league.
After averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2011-12 season, Bynum missed the following season after a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Pacers sign free-agent center Andrew Bynum
Adrian Wojnarowski By Adrian Wojnarowski
.
Andrew Bynum (USA TODAY Sports)
The acquisition of Bynum could deliver the Pacers a formidable bench presence as they try to get past the Miami Heat and reach the NBA Finals.
After a failed partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bynum was suspended and ultimately traded to the Chicago Bulls, who released the former All-Star center on Jan. 7.
There's still intrigue about Bynum's ability to overcome chronic knee problems and become something of a force again, despite an uneven performance in averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Cavaliers over 24 games. Bynum met with Pacers president Larry Bird and team officials in Indianapolis on Friday, the Indianapolis Star reported.
"We are obviously happy to have him join our team," Bird said in a news release. "He gives us added size, he is a skilled big man and he has championship experience. With the minutes he gets, he should be a valuable addition."
Bynum will join the Pacers sometime next week, the release said.
Behind All-Star center Roy Hibbert, Bynum could help give Indiana one of the biggest and deepest front lines in the league.
After averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2011-12 season, Bynum missed the following season after a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers.
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