2004-05 NBA thread

[dark knight]

I wouldn't rank Peja that high. He may be a good player, but if I'm picking a team, I'd probably take 5-7, and 9 before him. And I'd probably take Parker over Nash.


ESPN Insider published its list of the current 20 best foreign players in the NBA. For those of you who dont have Insider and are interested, here's the list. Would be interested in different reactions, because I think generally its correct.

1) Dirk Nowitzki, Germany
2) Steve Nash, Canada
3) Andrei Kirilenko, Russia
4) Peja Stojakovic, Serbia
5) Yao Ming, China
6) Manu Ginobli, Argentina
7) Pau Gasol, Spain
8) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Lithuania
9) Tony Parker, France
10) Jamaal Magloire, Canada
11) Marko Jaric, Croatia
12) Primoz Brezec, Slovenia
13) Hedo Turkgelou, Turkey
14) Nene, Brazil
15) Memhet Okur, Turkey
16) Vladimir Radmonvic, Serbia
17) Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rico
18) Jiri Welsch, Czech Republic
19) Rasho Nesterovic, Slovenia
20) Gordan Giricek, Croatia

Generally I think this list is accurate. However, I'd put Samuel Dalembert (Haiti) over Giricek.

[Metros Striker10]

I'm glad to see we now have Metrostriker West. (Just some ribbing of you impressively optimistic guys.)
:D At least I'm remembered as the really, really, really optimistic guy! lol

therealronaldo7...I'm sorry, but I think everyone here can agree when I say that NY has a good team this year. They are 7-6 and they still growing as a team. They are young team that's gelling. It seems as if they are in every single game, except for like 3. Tonight's game against the Hawks would have been a loss a year ago. Big lead that vanished. Now, they keep their heads up and fight until the end. The result? Jamal Crawford hits his first 3 of the night for the W. They've faced teams like the Spurs, the T-Wolves, the Mavs, Rockets and Indiana (pre-fight). Give them some time. Let them gell and wait until H20 comes back. Just tonight, Marbury had 34 points, Jamal has 24 and Nazr had 22. Three guys with 20+ points. It was against the Hawks, but hey, a win is a win is a win. :)

I know I said some very optimistic things in the past about players that don't even play any more, but dang, Nazr Mohammad is simply crazy. He was fasting at the start of the season for religious reasons,but now he's getting like 15 points and 15 rebounds a game. Tonight he had like 22 points and 15 rebounds. That's nuts. The guy simply has put Vin Baker on the bench indefinately. Vin has 42 minutes total so far in 13 games! He was supposed to be a big part of the team this year. Okay, I'll stop now before I get people mad. :)

[Ian McCracken]

ESPN Insider published its list of the current 20 best foreign players in the NBA. For those of you who dont have Insider and are interested, here's the list. Would be interested in different reactions, because I think generally its correct.

1) Dirk Nowitzki, Germany
2) Steve Nash, Canada
3) Andrei Kirilenko, Russia
4) Peja Stojakovic, Serbia
5) Yao Ming, China
6) Manu Ginobli, Argentina
7) Pau Gasol, Spain
8) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Lithuania
9) Tony Parker, France
10) Jamaal Magloire, Canada
11) Marko Jaric, Croatia
12) Primoz Brezec, Slovenia
13) Hedo Turkgelou, Turkey
14) Nene, Brazil
15) Memhet Okur, Turkey
16) Vladimir Radmonvic, Serbia
17) Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rico
18) Jiri Welsch, Czech Republic
19) Rasho Nesterovic, Slovenia
20) Gordan Giricek, Croatia

I'd put both Gasol and Ginobili way over Yao Ming.

My top 5:
1) Dirk Nowitzki, Germany
2) Pau Gasol, Spain
3) Manu Ginobili, Argentina
4) Andrei Kirilenko, Russia
5) Steve Nash, Canada

[afgrijselijkheid]

please please please let my superSUNS keep that starting lineup healthy all year

nash and co. school the jazz for their 8th straight win (12-2 overall)

[therealronaldo7]

therealronaldo7...I'm sorry, but I think everyone here can agree when I say that NY has a good team this year. They are 7-6 and they still growing as a team. They are young team that's gelling. It seems as if they are in every single game, except for like 3. Tonight's game against the Hawks would have been a loss a year ago. Big lead that vanished. Now, they keep their heads up and fight until the end. The result? Jamal Crawford hits his first 3 of the night for the W. They've faced teams like the Spurs, the T-Wolves, the Mavs, Rockets and Indiana (pre-fight). Give them some time. Let them gell and wait until H20 comes back. Just tonight, Marbury had 34 points, Jamal has 24 and Nazr had 22. Three guys with 20+ points. It was against the Hawks, but hey, a win is a win is a win. :)

I know I said some very optimistic things in the past about players that don't even play any more, but dang, Nazr Mohammad is simply crazy. He was fasting at the start of the season for religious reasons,but now he's getting like 15 points and 15 rebounds a game. Tonight he had like 22 points and 15 rebounds. That's nuts. The guy simply has put Vin Baker on the bench indefinately. Vin has 42 minutes total so far in 13 games! He was supposed to be a big part of the team this year. Okay, I'll stop now before I get people mad. :)
I don't think the Knicks are terrible and you are right about Nazr Mohammad. he is killing right now. We will see what happens. The Atlantic is not very good. Perhaps Philly or Toronto will keep up with the Knicks. I do not know. We will see what happens.

[therealronaldo7]

I wouldn't rank Peja that high. He may be a good player, but if I'm picking a team, I'd probably take 5-7, and 9 before him. And I'd probably take Parker over Nash.
I would have agreed with you on Nash until this season. I guess I never realized how good Nash was and how good he made everyone else until he joined the Suns. He has really helped that team a lot. Besides Quentin Richardson, who is not playing all that well, Nash is the only difference between this years team and last years. There is a reason they are 12-2 and Nash is a big reason. Not to say that Parker is not good, but I think Nash is the best point guard in the NBA right now.

[Val1]

1) Dirk Nowitzki, Germany
2) Steve Nash, Canada
3) Andrei Kirilenko, Russia
4) Peja Stojakovic, Serbia
5) Yao Ming, China
6) Manu Ginobli, Argentina
7) Pau Gasol, Spain
8) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Lithuania
9) Tony Parker, France
10) Jamaal Magloire, Canada
11) Marko Jaric, Croatia
12) Primoz Brezec, Slovenia
13) Hedo Turkgelou, Turkey
14) Nene, Brazil
15) Memhet Okur, Turkey
16) Vladimir Radmonvic, Serbia
17) Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rico
18) Jiri Welsch, Czech Republic
19) Rasho Nesterovic, Slovenia
20) Gordan Giricek, Croatia

Have to quibble a bit with the list, in that while Nash and Magliore are Canadian citizens, they are products of US basketball. They both played collegiately here in the states, and Nash, at least, spent a ton of time here playing AAU ball and doing the camp routine. So it's not like they are really "foreign" in the terms we've generally used.

I'd agree with the comments that Yao is a little overrated. He has gotten quite a pass on the publicity front. He is good, great passer, good rebounder and shooter, etc, etc, etc, but I've only seen him play half a dozen times, and not yet this year (I'm not that big an NBA watcher) but he has never impressed me. 7'5" centers need to learn to demand the ball. Yao's gotta take the next step.

[ibreak4coffee]

Have to quibble a bit with the list, in that while Nash and Magliore are Canadian citizens, they are products of US basketball. They both played collegiately here in the states, and Nash, at least, spent a ton of time here playing AAU ball and doing the camp routine. So it's not like they are really "foreign" in the terms we've generally used.

I'd agree with the comments that Yao is a little overrated. He has gotten quite a pass on the publicity front. He is good, great passer, good rebounder and shooter, etc, etc, etc, but I've only seen him play half a dozen times, and not yet this year (I'm not that big an NBA watcher) but he has never impressed me. 7'5" centers need to learn to demand the ball. Yao's gotta take the next step.

Val while we usually agree almost all the time, let me disagree with you here. True, Magloire and Nash both played college ball in the U.S. But they didnt grow up here, and Magloire in particular was a high school standout in Toronto. They developed their skills in Canada, without having the luxury of facing competition day in day out like players here.

If there is a Canadian player who is really Canadian in name only, that would be Rick Fox... but he doesnt even play anymore.

[Garcia]

And they just now finished that eastern trip with a 5-1 record.

I don't think they're this good, either. Their rebounding has vastly improved, however, and that's making a huge difference.

When the season started, I would have guessed 30 wins. I'm now thinking more like 45-48 (they'd only have to go 34-35 to finish with 45 wins, at this point).

Of course, this is all contingent on Ray Allen staying healthy.
I'd suggest that rebounding is overrated for a jumpshooting team...when you are making shots at a good clip. This is why people don't want to put too much stock in this early "best record in the NBA". But, who cares if you keep winning? But, even with his antics, Danny Fortson seems to have made them tougher but only plays about 17 minutes a game.

Man, has Utah fallen..fast.

[DevilDave]

I wouldn't rank Peja that high. He may be a good player, but if I'm picking a team, I'd probably take 5-7, and 9 before him. And I'd probably take Parker over Nash.

As one of the only Kings fans on the board, it pains me to agree with you... but I do. :(

Personally, I think the ESPN Insider rankers overestimate Peja's offensive ability. But I feel that if he played slightly better defense, he would probably be worthy of #6 or #7.

[ibreak4coffee]

As one of the only Kings fans on the board, it pains me to agree with you... but I do. :(

Personally, I think the ESPN Insider rankers overestimate Peja's offensive ability. But I feel that if he played slightly better defense, he would probably be worthy of #6 or #7.

Even though he's having a tough year, I think Nene should be a little higher too... somewhere in the 9-12 range.

[therealronaldo7]

The Lakers are good enough for 4 they are even good enough for 2 they could win the Pacific. They have a good team a deep team. If you have a deep team that helps in March or April. All of the players are now starting to play team basketball if that stays then the Lakers could get a 4.It was gonna take awhile to start playing good Basketball but, now they seem to have found their game.
How is the Bulls lose sitting Fulhamfc3? I am not sure if you are aware of this, but the Bulls stink. Not a good sign for your Lakers when they lose to them.

[Fulhamfc3]

The Lakers lost to the Bulls but, its still early in the season.Its only 16 games into the season out of 82.The Lakers usually have problems with the Bulls for some reason.

[therealronaldo7]

The Lakers lost to the Bulls but, its still early in the season.Its only 16 games into the season out of 82.The Lakers usually have problems with the Bulls for some reason.
You are right about that. I never understood why that was.

[DevilDave]

So how far have the Pacers fallen with all their injuries and suspensions?

Well, they've been playing well since the Detroit fiasco. But a couple of notes from tonight's 113-87 smackdown by Sactown are pretty telling.

- The Kings, the league's WORST rebounding team, outrebounded the shorthanded Pacer frontline by 29. Chris Webber & Brad Miller had 21 boards between them, including 9 offensive rebs.

-29 was also the number of points Webber had tonight, who played out of his mind. 13 of 19 from the field.

-Despite the score (and the fact that the Kings once led the game by 32), Indiana actually had more fast break points than Sac: 12 to the Kings' 8. So what does that mean? The Kings' half-court offense was unstoppable all night.

There'll be a rematch at Conseco coming up next Saturday, and Reggie Miller should be back. So I expect the Kings should only win by about 15 then. :D

[Ian McCracken]

The Pistons, in their first game back with Ben Wallace, fall a little short 80-77 in San Antonio. They fell behind by 21 but mounted a furious 4th quarter comeback, led by Chauncey's 18 in the quarter. Ben was obviously rusty and did not play well at all. Still, some encouraging signs that the team may finally start to jell, given their big comeback and their shellacking of Houston on the road two nights earlier.

[black sunday]

There'll be a rematch at Conseco coming up next Saturday, and Reggie Miller should be back. So I expect the Kings should only win by about 15 then. :D


so....people are saying that will all the suspensions that Reggie Miller will be the savior of the Pacers. Isn't he a little old? He hasn't been the hall of fame Reggie for about 4 years now, has he?

[DevilDave]

Since that loss to the Wolves, the Sacramento Kings have put together another small win streak, beating Boston tonight.

The Celtics actually led by 20 points at one point, but Sac woke up just before halftime and ended up beating the visitors by 14. :D

[therealronaldo7]

Since that loss to the Wolves, the Sacramento Kings have put together another small win streak, beating Boston tonight.

The Celtics actually led by 20 points at one point, but Sac woke up just before halftime and ended up beating the visitors by 14. :D
I do not know if anyone was watching this game on the NBA Pass last night, but Tommy Heinsohn, the color man for the Celtics was quoted as saying, "I am not saying that Webber is having a bad game, he just seems to be in a permanent jog." I was laughing my ass off.

[DevilDave]

I do not know if anyone was watching this game on the NBA Pass last night, but Tommy Heinsohn, the color man for the Celtics was quoted as saying, "I am not saying that Webber is having a bad game, he just seems to be in a permanent jog." I was laughing my ass off.

C-Webb has not exactly been the same since his injury two seasons ago. He's had various flashes of brilliance, but not really consistency.

Even for a Kings fan, that line by Heinsohn is a keeper. But I think I'll shorten it. Fans here in Sacramento are pretty used to seeing Webber "perma-jog" his way through most of the games this season.