NBA 2003-2004 Regular Season [R]

[microbrew]

Which means the Nets can "bribe" the Bobcats to take Alonzo Mourning, and his big salary will come off the cap, correct?

The Nets could do that, though I'd think the Knicks, the Mavericks and Pistons would be more likely to throw players, money and draft picks at Charlotte to lower their salary cap numbers.

In a possible playoff preview, last Friday with out their All-Stars, the Nets walked over the Knicks. I'm starting to worry about Jason Kidd.

[skipshady]

Watching Spurs vs Lakers yesterday, it seemed like the best way to stop Kobe was to score on him. When Bruce Bowen scored, Kobe would try to return the favor, playing right into Bruce Bowen's hands and getting the Lakers away from what they were doing on offense.

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This is my favorite site for pure NBA nerdery: http://www.dfw.net/~patricia/contracts
Looking at the Mavs situation:
Other than Steve Nash and Antoine Walker, both of whom can opt out at the end of this season, following players are under contract. Jon Stefansson, Scott Williams, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, Tony Delk, Danny Fortson, Shawn Bradley, Michael Finley, Josh Howard, Antwan Jamison, Eduardo Najera and Dirk Nowitzki

I'm thinking they'll protect Nash, Walker, Williams, Finley, Howard, Jamison, Najera and Nowitzki. They're probably hoping the Bobcats will take Fortson or Bradley off their hands, and it might work if they offer Antawn Jamison as "bribe". Jamison has a max contract so he'll hog a lot of cap space, but he's a Charlotte native who has always been active in the community, so he'll be the perfect ambassador to the city after George Shinn alienated the entire city and took off to N'awlins.

Honestly, I have no idea if this will get the Mavs anywhere close to being under the cap, but they can stand to save a lot of money this offseason if they play it right.

[TheSlipperyOne]

Kidd, Jefferson, Martin and Planicic are protected for sure

Won't K-Mart be a free agent this summer?

[skipshady]

Won't K-Mart be a free agent this summer?
K-Mart is only a restricted FA since he's coming off his rookie contract, thus eligible for the expansion draft.

[Fah Que]

Rasheed Wallace will be a free agent. Troy Hudson of Minnesota will be one too. He will be too expensive for MN to keep because they are already at cap limit. He is a great player and very underrated. Sam Cassell and injuries are keeping him on the bench. I am sure Juan Howard and Wally Szerbiak won't be protected. I think your will be surprised to see many big names who won't be protected.

[Metros Striker10]

So, when the draft comes, all a team needs to do is "protect" 8 players? Will the Bobcats have to pay the contracts of the players not selected? Or will the intial team have to pay a percentage? If its the former, the Knicks could get a nice salary cap relief with this.

The Knicks will most likely keep Marbury, T. Thomas, K. Thomas, Nazr, Houston, DeMarr Johnson (he's showed some promise so far), Sweetney and maybe Hardaway.

K. Thomas could get traded for a player like Jamison. Baker could get resigned depending how well he plays. He'll be a good pick up for the Bobcats if he'll be unprotected.

Also, the Bobcats will get the second overall pick? I don't think this team will do well even though they'll be in the East.

[skipshady]

So, when the draft comes, all a team needs to do is "protect" 8 players? Will the Bobcats have to pay the contracts of the players not selected? Or will the intial team have to pay a percentage? If its the former, the Knicks could get a nice salary cap relief with this.Only the players they keep will count against their cap. So players who aren't picked will simply go back to their old teams with their cap slots intact.
Also, the Knicks cannot protect unrestricted free agents since they're ineligible for the draft - both Dermarr Johnson and Vin Baker will be out of contract so they won't be involved in the process.

Honestly, it's hard to tell who they will protect since they have a few players who are overpaid. I'm sure they'll try to package one of their more manageable contracts (Othella Harrington's contract comes off the books in '05) to entice the Bobcats into taking on, say, Shandon Anderson or Tim Thomas.

Now, how will the Bobcats do next year? The good news is, they will be in the new Southeast Division with Heat, Hawks, Magic and Wizards, so they have a pretty good chance of not finishing last. The bad news is, they will still suck.

[BlueMeanie]

The depths to which the Warriors have sunk trying to put butts in the seats:

http://www.nba.com/media/warriors/whpopup.jpg

Then again, William Hung is to singing as the Warriors are to basketball.

[dark knight]

The depths to which the Warriors have sunk trying to put butts in the seats:

Then again, William Hung is to singing as the Warriors are to basketball.

This is a joke right? Not to be overly humorless and PC, but having William Hung sing on Yao Ming night is like picking Sean Connery to play Bruce Lee in a movie biography...okay I'm still working on the analogy but it's a little insultamating or something. Maybe they could wait until Houston plays the Lakers and Shaq could do a ching chang chong rap sampling to accompany William's rendition of "She Bangs". :rolleyes:

[dark knight]

Speaking of the Lakers, they're currently down by 22 in the third to Portland in LA. Sacramento is blowing out Memphis.

The Spurs probably can't catch Sacramento or Minnesota at this point, but it would be great if they could overtake the Lakers for 3rd place.

[Garcia]

This is a joke right? Not to be overly humorless and PC, but having William Hung sing on Yao Ming night is like picking Sean Connery to play Bruce Lee in a movie biography...okay I'm still working on the analogy but it's a little insultamating or something. Maybe they could wait until Houston plays the Lakers and Shaq could do a ching chang chong rap sampling to accompany William's rendition of "She Bangs". :rolleyes:
No way. William Hung is the bomb!

April 6th was the date he released his new CD and Video!
You gotta get the guy out to his public on such a day. He is a local guy, too.

[dark knight]

I guess I am overly PC, but William Hung is about as much fun as a barrel of Jar Jar Binkses.

Man I hate the NBA sometimes, phantom foul call gifted to the Lakers who are now within 8.

[skipshady]

It's looking like Cleveland won't make the playoffs (3 games out with 5 left).
There is hope for Denver though, as they're only half a game out of 8th and 2 games behind Houston, who have lost 5 straight.

Miami's leapfrogged New Orleans to 5th place. I really hope they make the 2nd round.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings?season=2004&group=conference&column=playoffs&order=null&seasontype=2

[Garcia]

I guess I am overly PC, but William Hung is about as much fun as a barrel of Jar Jar Binkses.


No, you just have a different perspective. It's all good.

I really like the fact that the kid is making the best of his 15 minutes, some money and his Can-Do attitude. I look up to him for it.

[Metros Striker10]

Woo-hoo!! Knicks are officially going to the playoffs. My pre-season prediction was correct!! :D

Although it was the Bulls, Deke deserves some props. The dude was out for like, a month after having surgery, plays 30 minutes in his second game back, and records 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Right now, the Knicks better get him some playing time to dust off the rust because Deke is a starter come playoff time.

[dark knight]

Anyone know the tiebreakers in the Western Conference? Interesting game tonight between Minnesota and Sacramento in Sacramento. 1st place may not be totally out of reach for the Spurs, but I'm just hoping they can get out of 4th and a date with the Mavs.

Spurs remaining schedule: 53-25
Fri 9 Portland Tickets KENS 5 8:00 PM
Sun 11 at LA Clippers Tickets 9:30 PM
Mon 12 at Portland Tickets 10:00 PM
Wed 14 Denver Tickets FOX SW 8:30 PM

Sacramento's schedule: 54-23
Thu 8 Minnesota Tickets TNT TNT 10:00 PM
Fri 9 at Phoenix Tickets ESPN 10:30 PM
Sun 11 LA Lakers Tickets ABC ABC 3:30 PM
Mon 12 at Denver Tickets 9:00 PM
Wed 14 at Golden State Tickets 10:30 PM

Minnesota's schedule: 54-24
Thu 8 at Sacramento Tickets TNT 10:00 PM
Fri 9 at Golden State Tickets 10:30 PM
Mon 12 Utah Tickets 8:00 PM
Wed 14 at Memphis Tickets 8:00 PM

Lakers Schedule: 53-25
Fri 9 Memphis Tickets FOX WEST 10:30 PM
Sun 11 at Sacramento Tickets ABC 3:30 PM
Tue 13 Golden State Tickets FOX WEST 10:30 PM
Wed 14 at Portland Tickets KCAL 9 10:00 PM

[NORML]

Tiebreakers in the west from the T-Wolves perspective and tonights game against the Kings.

"If the Wolves (54-24) win, they would leapfrog Sacramento (54-23) for the best record in the Western Conference and have three games left to hold off the Kings, Lakers and Spurs. They also would hold the first tiebreaker -- head-to-head play -- on Sacramento and L.A...."

"If the Wolves lose, well, they still will wake up Friday morning in first place in the Midwest Division. But the second-place Spurs have one extra game left to close the gap and, since the teams split 2-2 this season, hold the likely edge in the second tiebreaker (conference record). Finishing second in the Midwest might mean a drop to fourth in the West bracket...."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/511/4711109.html

[dark knight]

Thanks - Wolves won last night and I can't believe they are now in the drivers seat for first place in the West. I'm sort of rooting for them to go out in the first round just for the comedic value. I still don't believe they are a contender, but of course I haven't seen them play this year. :)

[DevilDave]

I was at the Kings-Wolves game last night and I am still fuming right now. :mad:

The T-Wolves turned it on in the fourth, while the Kings went to sleep on both ends of the floor. Now for the Kings to get at least the 2 seed, they are going to have to win at least three of the last four... three road games against non-playoff teams, and the Lakers at home on Sunday. :(

[dark knight]

Three-way tie for 2nd in the West as the Kings lose to Phoenix in Phoenix. With the Lakers playing the Kings, 3rd place is in the Spurs own hands, but Portland away won't be a cake walk.