2004-05 NBA thread

[ibreak4coffee]

And the NJ Nets season is over:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1964617

Excuse me but I must have missed something... when had it started? ;) You didnt really think adding Vince Carter would mean a winning team??? :eek:

[skipshady]

I love Bill Simmons. He's the reason I got addicted to the internet. But, you have to wonder about Phoenix being a West Coast team. That's like saying Atlanta is on the Atlantic...
Well, in my book, as long as you're East of the Appalachian, you're East Coast - Atlanta qualifies, only barely. Still, because of the Pac-10 and the NBA alignment, I guess we tend to think of Phoenix as a Pacific Coast team when we're talking sports.

Agreed on Bill Simmons. His NBA columns might just be the best reason to learn to read, ever.

[TheSlipperyOne]

And Steve Francis inadvertantly outs himself and Cuttino Mobley as the first openly gay couple in the NBA:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1964511

[skipshady]

And Steve Francis inadvertantly outs himself and Cuttino Mobley as the first openly gay couple in the NBA:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1964511
Well, you had to figure it was a natural progression for a guy who once dated a WNBA player.

[microbrew]

Lol, outed.

Arizona is in the Pacific timezone for part of the year, and they have two teams in the PAC-10. Yes, I'm reaching.

Excuse me but I must have missed something... when had it started? ;) You didnt really think adding Vince Carter would mean a winning team??? :eek:

Season was mostly over when Kenyon Martin left. And it didn't start until Jason Kidd got into game shape, which was last week.

Adding Vince Carter, believe it or not, was an improvement. Besides Jason Kidd and RJ, the next most talented player on the team was, not counting the guy with one kidney, uh... Nenad Kristic? In the pitiful Atlantic conference, if you add another bigtime scorer, who knows?

Maybe the Nets curse is back. Not only are the Nets short of big men now, they're short of small forwards and swingman. My gut also tells me the odds of trading Jason Kidd has increased too.

[DevilDave]

And Steve Francis inadvertantly outs himself and Cuttino Mobley as the first openly gay couple in the NBA:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1964511

Mobley gay? That won't go down well with Kings fans. Monarchs fans, maybe. :D

But I will see your two queens and raise you a blubbering (former) King.

This evening, on a call-in show on the Sacramento Kings flagship radio station prior to the game versus Denver, Doug Christie was on air to say goodbye to the fans. He was calling from his home here in the area where he and his family are packing their stuff and leaving for Orlando tomorrow.

The following is the end of the call, as transcribed on the KingsTalk.com message board:


Co-host Mike Lamb: “Doug, how great is it to think about the fact that you won’t be forgotten by Kings fans. Because you know how it is with this city, when somebody leaves, they don’t really leave. Everybody still talks about the guys that were here and were very productive. You saw what happened when Vlade left and when Vlade came back. How important is that going to be to you that Kings fans are going to hold you in their heart?”

Doug Christie: "Man, in a business like this, that could just well be the biggest thing that happens in your career…" (He breaks down and puts down the phone.)

Co-host & Kings announcer Grant Napear: "Well, and you’ll be back next month Doug, and I’m telling you, we’ve been on this show yesterday for three hours and today and I haven’t heard one bad thing about you. People have been looking at the websites and stuff and fans are going to miss you. That doesn’t even mean whether or not it was a good trade or not, most people understand that it’s something that will take time. Everybody that we’ve talked to said they’re going to miss Doug Christie, that’s got to make you feel good."

Christie: (softly) "Yeah…"

Lamb: "It’s kind of an emotional thing isn’t it?"

Jackie Christie: "You guys, I’m sorry, he’s a little emotional right now—he just handed me the phone. It’s a real trying time, and I just want to say that the fans and everyone here have been fantastic. It hurts our heart, but we understand. And we’re just going to go, and Orlando will be our new place, but Sacramento is really our home."

Napear: "Jackie, we’re going to have a great tribute on our television show tonight, I hope you guys can check that out?"

Jackie: "OK, well we’re going to watch and we pray for you guys to have much success and God bless everyone and all the fans."

[ibreak4coffee]

Mobley gay? That won't go down well with Kings fans. Monarchs fans, maybe. :D

But I will see your two queens and raise you a blubbering (former) King.

This evening, on a call-in show on the Sacramento Kings flagship radio station prior to the game versus Denver, Doug Christie was on air to say goodbye to the fans. He was calling from his home here in the area where he and his family are packing their stuff and leaving for Orlando tomorrow.

The following is the end of the call, as transcribed on the KingsTalk.com message board:

Trust Jackie to make sure she gets a word in!!! I wonder what changes are in store now for the reality series. Is Jackie going to go around Isleworth trying to pick up rich athletes??? Is Doug going to dress up as Mickey and walk around the Magic Kingdom? The opportunities are endless!

[Don Boppero 3000]

I think the Bulls have finally put things together. We have the real deal in Chicago. Inside game and an outside game. Ben Gordon is the younger version of Reggie Miller, but with better atheltic skills. Bulls last night smoked the weak Sixers.


http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/BGordon_200_050112.jpg

[Microwave]

Ben Gordon is the younger version of Reggie Miller, but with better atheltic skills.


Seems like everytime a new young guy comes out with a decent jump shot he is considered the new Reggie Miller. None of these clowns can hold Reggie's jock (when Reggie was in his prime).

Are any of these guys able to carry a team on their back in key playoff games? Are any of them gonna be able to hit game winning shots time after time afte time? Are any of them gonna be able to hold their own in playoff series against Michael Jordan (1998) and outplay Kobe Bryant (2000)?

As for the Bulls, maybe they should have kept Elton Brand and their situation would be a lot better today than it is. You still gotta lot of losing ahead of you my friend.

[hangthadj]

Seems like everytime a new young guy comes out with a decent jump shot he is considered the new Reggie Miller. None of these clowns can hold Reggie's jock (when Reggie was in his prime).


Half them can't hold Reggie's jock even now...

[Cweedchop]

Seems like everytime a new young guy comes out with a decent jump shot he is considered the new Reggie Miller. None of these clowns can hold Reggie's jock (when Reggie was in his prime).

Are any of these guys able to carry a team on their back in key playoff games? Are any of them gonna be able to hit game winning shots time after time afte time? Are any of them gonna be able to hold their own in playoff series against Michael Jordan (1998) and outplay Kobe Bryant (2000)?



Ughhhhhhh, haven't like Jordan and Bryant both won about 10 NBA rings between them?

Winning a one-v-one battle against great players is fine and all, but me, I'd rather win the whole thing..

And it's debateable whether or not Reggie outplayed those guys..

[Microwave]

Ughhhhhhh, haven't like Jordan and Bryant both won about 10 NBA rings between them?

Winning a one-v-one battle against great players is fine and all, but me, I'd rather win the whole thing..

And it's debateable whether or not Reggie outplayed those guys..


Yes I know winning the title is better, but this was about so and so being the new Reggie Miller. The fact that the Pacers havn't won a title falls more on other players as Reggie did his job.

As for if he outplayed those guys, in 1998 he and Jordan pretty much played evenly. Reggie hit the game winning shot in Jordans face in game 4. The series went 7 games and if you remember there was some controversy about the officiating the entire series as the Bulls were allowed to rape MArk Jackson in games 1 and 2 until the media starting asking questions....the pacers then won 4 of the next 5 games when there was a noticable difference in the officiating. The Bulls, like the Lakers after them, were pretty much allowed to cheat.


In the 2000 NBA finals Reggie averaged 25 points per game and Kobe averaged around 18 points per game if I remember correctly. Reggie really lit it up in the PAcers home games in the series.

In 2001 in a regular season game Kobe and Reggie were trash talking back anf forth and then Reggie proceeded to hit several 3 pointers in Kobe's face and ended up scoring 17 points in a 5 minute span of the fourth quarter....and Reggie flipped off Kobe on national TV and was fined. Reggie, even in his upper 30's has had moments where he has owned Paul Pierce, Tracey McGrady, Michael Finley, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant. In his games against the Bulls when both Jordan and Reggie were in their primes, Reggie Miller held his own against Jordan and Reggie was one of the few players who wasn't afraid of Jordan, one of the few players who talked trash to MJ and got away with it. In the 2000 playoffs Reggie Miller made Allen Iverson look like he belonged in grade school when he averaged over 30 points a game for the series and Iverson couldn't keep up with the constant running that Miller was doing.

Mcgrady and the others have nice dunks and flashy moves, but the things Reggie has done were far more impressive.

[Metros Striker10]

I agree Microwave. I'm a Knick fan...but I'd rather have a player who plays like Reggie played in his prime, than an AI or a Kobe who only do one thing...dunk or drive into the lane.

[Bluto11]

Yes I know winning the title is better, but this was about so and so being the new Reggie Miller. The fact that the Pacers havn't won a title falls more on other players as Reggie did his job.

As for if he outplayed those guys, in 1998 he and Jordan pretty much played evenly. Reggie hit the game winning shot in Jordans face in game 4. The series went 7 games and if you remember there was some controversy about the officiating the entire series as the Bulls were allowed to rape MArk Jackson in games 1 and 2 until the media starting asking questions....the pacers then won 4 of the next 5 games when there was a noticable difference in the officiating. The Bulls, like the Lakers after them, were pretty much allowed to cheat.


In the 2000 NBA finals Reggie averaged 25 points per game and Kobe averaged around 18 points per game if I remember correctly. Reggie really lit it up in the PAcers home games in the series.

In 2001 in a regular season game Kobe and Reggie were trash talking back anf forth and then Reggie proceeded to hit several 3 pointers in Kobe's face and ended up scoring 17 points in a 5 minute span of the fourth quarter....and Reggie flipped off Kobe on national TV and was fined. Reggie, even in his upper 30's has had moments where he has owned Paul Pierce, Tracey McGrady, Michael Finley, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant. In his games against the Bulls when both Jordan and Reggie were in their primes, Reggie Miller held his own against Jordan and Reggie was one of the few players who wasn't afraid of Jordan, one of the few players who talked trash to MJ and got away with it. In the 2000 playoffs Reggie Miller made Allen Iverson look like he belonged in grade school when he averaged over 30 points a game for the series and Iverson couldn't keep up with the constant running that Miller was doing.

Mcgrady and the others have nice dunks and flashy moves, but the things Reggie has done were far more impressive.
remember when Reggie was "In the Zone" against the Knicks?

i can't even remember the specific game, I just remember the phrase and all the stuff on Sportscenter.

oh, and Go Bulls!!! 7 straight!!!! I finally do not want to rip my ears off when I listen to the Bulls when I drive home from work.

[therealronaldo7]

I agree Microwave. I'm a Knick fan...but I'd rather have a player who plays like Reggie played in his prime, than an AI or a Kobe who only do one thing...dunk or drive into the lane.
MetroStirker, my Bulls beat your Knicks two in a row this weekend. What's going on out there? The Bulls are for real people!!!!

[therealronaldo7]

As for the Bulls, maybe they should have kept Elton Brand and their situation would be a lot better today than it is. You still gotta lot of losing ahead of you my friend.
While I do not think the Bulls are gonna win a title, I do think that the Bulls days of losing 50-60 games a season are over.
I know the Elton Brand trade was risky and probably not worked out quite as we expected it to, but finally Chandler and Curry are becoming solid players for the Bulls. Nothing against Elton Brand, but I do not want to build a team around him. He is a solid 20/10 guy, but does he really make his team or his teammates much better? That is actually besides the point.
To say the Bulls have a lot of losing left is just not true. As I said, they may not win a title, but they are progressing very well right now as a team. Credit to Paxson and Skiles for drafting well and coaching well in their times in charge.

[ibreak4coffee]

Huge win by the Raptors in Minnesota tonight. Wow... seven games under five hundred, only three wins on the road all year, and they're two games out of the Atlantic division title :)

Garnett seriously looked like he wanted to strangle the rest of the team. Wow its going to be a long year in Minnesota. If they keep playing like they did tonight, the playoffs arent even guaranteed... how the mighty have fallen.

[ibreak4coffee]

MetroStirker, my Bulls beat your Knicks two in a row this weekend. What's going on out there? The Bulls are for real people!!!!

The Lenny watch though is on by the minute, not the day now.

The Knicks look exactly like the Raptors team that Lenny guided to only 24 wins. Injuries, overpayed stars, and little fight. The team looks like they've definitely quit on Lenny. It will be a disaster for the Knicks if they lose in Toronto on Wednesday, and if he isnt gone by then I suspect Lenny's last NBA game behind the bench.

[chinesefootballfan]

MetroStirker, my Bulls beat your Knicks two in a row this weekend. What's going on out there? The Bulls are for real people!!!!

um............ A little too early to say the Bulls are for real. They are doing good lately, I'll give you that. Their success comes from rebounding. The game vs the Knicks in NY, 4 guys in double figures in terms of rebounding. That's amazing. Great defence.

Don't count out the Knicks though. Remember, the Knicks made it all the way to the championships in the short season while they were 8th seated in the playoffs. I just hope they struggle against my raptors this wednesday.

[skipshady]

Don't count out the Knicks though. Remember, the Knicks made it all the way to the championships in the short season while they were 8th seated in the playoffs. I just hope they struggle against my raptors this wednesday.Well, all the Knicks have to do is win the Atlantic, and really, how hard is that? Right now, Philly, Boston and NY are tied for the division lead and the 18th best record in the league (and the crazy thing is, whoever comes out on top will have the #4 seed in the East).

Now, Boston is in a position to make a trade as the deadline approaches, and I think a coaching change could really fire up the Knicks. At this point, I think the advantage goes to the Celtics - their young talent is showing promise and if they can make a decent deadline deal, they can seal the Atlantic.