2004-05 NBA thread

[afgrijselijkheid]

the SUNS look destructatory - i'll get an NBA game tonight on canal+ in that time slot, either us smashing the bulls ot hou/mem

i'm crossing the fingers

[therealronaldo7]

the SUNS look destructatory - i'll get an NBA game tonight on canal+ in that time slot, either us smashing the bulls ot hou/mem

i'm crossing the fingers
I am gonna go out on a limb and say that the Suns will lose tonight in Chicago against my Bulls or tomorrow against LeBron and the Cavs in Cleveland.

[afgrijselijkheid]

I am gonna go out on a limb and say that the Suns will lose tonight in Chicago against my Bulls or tomorrow against LeBron and the Cavs in Cleveland.


i can see them losing a close one in cleveland, but im gonna go out on a limb and say they handle the bulls

[therealronaldo7]

i can see them losing a close one in cleveland, but im gonna go out on a limb and say they handle the bulls
It is probably wishful thinking on my part to think the Bulls might win tonightm, but you never know.

[Val1]

Now that the NBA looks like the NFL did until recently (two three-division conferences), how are the playoffs going to look? Division champ and five (?) wildcards? Top eight records overall, no real change from last year.

TIA

[therealronaldo7]

Now that the NBA looks like the NFL did until recently (two three-division conferences), how are the playoffs going to look? Division champ and five (?) wildcards? Top eight records overall, no real change from last year.

TIA
For a minute there I thought you were thinking that the NBA is turning into a White Trash fest like the NFL, but I was happy you did not go there. As for the Playoff format, I was wondering the same thing myself. I just checked NBA.Com and found the following:

The three regular season divisional winners in each conference will earn a playoff berth and one of the conference's top three playoff seeds based on regular season record. The remaining five playoff berths for each conference will be based on regular season records with no regard to divisional alignment.

Home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs will be based solely on regular season record, not playoff seeding, thus a divisional winner that has a higher playoff seed than an opponent will not necessarily have home-court advantage in the playoff series.

This should explain it.

[skipshady]

The three regular season divisional winners in each conference will earn a playoff berth and one of the conference's top three playoff seeds based on regular season record. The remaining five playoff berths for each conference will be based on regular season records with no regard to divisional alignment.The bolded part, I do not like. I mean, Toronto's unbeaten right now, but if they fall back down to earth and none of the other Atlantic teams step up, we could have a near-.500 team at #3 and Indiana or Detroit at #4.

I guess it's not that big a deal though, since home court will be assigned by regular season record.

[therealronaldo7]

I guess it's not that big a deal though, since home court will be assigned by regular season record.
I do not think the numbers really mean all that much personally. As long as the home court advantage is in the hands of the team with the better record, I am cool with it.

[Czar Pazzo]

The Jazz beat Denver again last night, not by as much but it was still pretty much smooth sailing. I am biased as a life-long Jazz fan but if you haven't seen these guys play, try to catch a game whenever they are on TV, they are so much fun to watch. Kirilenko is everywhere, I don't know how he does it. So you NBA forum regulars tell me: Are my Jazz for real? I mean I know they are good enough to get into the playoffs but are they as good as they've seemed the last few days? Will they compete with Minn and SanAn for the Western conference crown?

[therealronaldo7]

So you NBA forum regulars tell me: Are my Jazz for real?
I think your Jazz are definitely for real. They play like a team and are a great defensive team. If Okur can step up and be a good center, that is just an added bonus. I like the point guard headached Sloan will have too. I think this team will be in the thick of things in the end.

[DMunited]

I’m also biased as a life long Jazz fan but, right now this team is amazing. We’re not even as good as we will be in theory once: 1 Arroyo and Lopez get back, 2 we learn how to work in Okur more as he plays himself into shape, 3 we develop blue chip rookies Synder and Humphries. This team is loaded with talent, the pieces all fit nicely, and we play the right way on offense and defense. We could be like Detroit was last year, only with actual offense.

Their performance is also reflective of how overrated other teams are

1. Houston: two players do not a team make
2. Denver: When you stockpile egotistical overrated players who don’t compliment each and add a lame duck coach you get: a giant overrated mess
3. LA: How many times will we see this headline: “Kobe goes for 30+ in Laker’s loss”? 40? 50?. No matter how good he is, he can’t overcome the fact this is a poorly constructed and weak team. Michael Jordan would do anything to win. Kobe will do anything to convince people he’s the next Michael Jordan. There is a huge difference between those two mentalities.

As for the Jazz, I don’t think we can go all the way this year but we are going to be a contender for a long time. I sure wouldn't want to play us.

My rankings right now in the west

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Utah
4. Phoenix

And Minnesota is looking very fragile.

[therealronaldo7]

I’m also biased as a life long Jazz fan but, right now this team is amazing. We’re not even as good as we will be in theory once: 1 Arroyo and Lopez get back, 2 we learn how to work in Okur more as he plays himself into shape, 3 we develop blue chip rookies Synder and Humphries. This team is loaded with talent, the pieces all fit nicely, and we play the right way on offense and defense. We could be like Detroit was last year, only with actual offense.

Their performance is also reflective of how overrated other teams are

1. Houston: two players do not a team make
2. Denver: When you stockpile egotistical overrated players who don’t compliment each and add a lame duck coach you get: a giant overrated mess
3. LA: How many times will we see this headline: “Kobe goes for 30+ in Laker’s loss”? 40? 50?. No matter how good he is, he can’t overcome the fact this is a poorly constructed and weak team. Michael Jordan would do anything to win. Kobe will do anything to convince people he’s the next Michael Jordan. There is a huge difference between those two mentalities.

As for the Jazz, I don’t think we can go all the way this year but we are going to be a contender for a long time. I sure wouldn't want to play us.

My rankings right now in the west

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Utah
4. Phoenix

And Minnesota is looking very fragile.
Good assesment of the Jazz. It will be interesting to see how things shake down up in Minnesota with Sprewell and all that. Also, San Antonio got bounced up in Seattle the other night. Seattle stinks too! I would love to see Phoenix and Utah battle it out in the Western Conference finals in May.

[Megatron]

So you NBA forum regulars tell me: Are my Jazz for real?
Yeah I think they're for real the western conference is tough, but they have arguably the best coach in the NBA, and they should be able to compete on most nights

[ZiggyGalaxy]

Go Lake Show and Rudi T!

[Jeff]

I went to the Nuggets game tonight. They are the disappointment of sports at the moment. 1-4, looked absolutely scared and clueless vs. a mediocre Seattle team, and Carmelo Anthony threw the coach under the bus with a "I don't know what the game plan was" post game comment. Not good, this team is in deep trouble. Disappointed, after seeing Thursday's playoff like win.

[romagol10]

Portland and New Jersey set the record for fewest field goals in a game with a total of 44, they shot something like 30% combined from the field. I'm glad I wasn't able to watch this on tv.

[NonStop4]

Portland and New Jersey set the record for fewest field goals in a game with a total of 44, they shot something like 30% combined from the field. I'm glad I wasn't able to watch this on tv.

Yeah, boring game but good to see Zo' Back to his old form. :)

BTW I heard an interesting rumor from my friend about Ron Artest retiring (?):

Indiana beats Minnesota 102-101 : Big story wasn't the Pacers beating the mighty Wolves, but did so without Ron Artest...Indiana sat their All Star for unspecified reasons, but broadcasters of the game on NBATV stated they had it on good authority that Artest told Pacers officials he's contemplating retirement

[hangthadj]

Ron Artest is gonna drive me nuts this season. **************!

I'll tell ya what though, Jackson was a helluva pickup for the Pacers. This is a damn good team right now.

[therealronaldo7]

and Carmelo Anthony threw the coach under the bus with a "I don't know what the game plan was" post game comment.
I am not sure who I hate more, Kobe or Carmelo. Carmelo is such a piece of crap. His comments, his gestures on the court and his crappy play are all reasons I have really come to dislike this guy. The Denver offense has absolutely no flow to it at all. It is stand around watch someone go one on one and miss a jumper. Melo sucks!

[therealronaldo7]

I was at the Bulls-Suns game last night and as a Bulls fan, I was disappointed. I finally have completely given up on both Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. They both stink! Going up a supposedly smaller lineup against the Suns, Curry had 3 points and 5 boards. Chandler had maybe 7 points total and 5 boards. These two are worthless. As a long time fan of the Bulls, I am tired of hearing, "be patient, they will come around" talk. I am here to burst the bubbles of those that think that. Such things will not happen with these two players. These guys were so brutal that the entire Bulls offense now revolves around guards just shooting jump shots. The only bright spot is Luol Deng. He is aggressive and while he does take some ill advised shots at times, he at least looks comfortable out there like he is in the game to play, not just pick up a pay check like Curry. For a team trying to build around these two giraffes, it is unfortunately time to pull the plug on this failed experiment and start fresh. I hope they can trade Curry to a gullible suitor before the trade deadline.