The Basketball Thread

[AussieLFCfan]

I'm old enough to have seen live every major basketball player in the last 45 years. Oscar averaged a triple double in points, assists and rebounds over five straight NBA seasons. No one will ever do that again. Wilt (who always played for teams I did not support) scored 100 points in a game and averaged close to 40 points a game one season. When the always sensitive to criticism Wilt had had enough of being labeled a one dimensional scoring machine, he spent an entire season passing and led the league in assists while still scoring over 20 points a game. Malone was the greatest combination of scoring and rebounding 4 man ever.

I had Georgetown season seats from 1980 to 2005 so I saw a massive amount of great college basketball in those years. Prior to that I lived in the NYC area and attended loads of college and Knicks games. So I can say I saw live every home college game that Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Morning, Allen Iverson ever played (as well as every other game on TV). I also saw Wilt, Oscar, Kareem, Baylor, West, Frazier, Monroe, Reed, Bradley, and many many more as pros.

I don't watch the NBA much anymore. I still see about 10 college games a year in person and a lot more on the tube. It is a co-equal addiction with sawker.

You're really showing your age now mate! ;):p

Would loved to have seen some of those fellas go around in their prime...i'm in awe!

[AussieLFCfan]

This is for you, then....

http://bp2.blogger.com/_aQHUmSB16UM/RdeXIS5kD-I/AAAAAAAAArY/A41ucivoqP8/s400/starks2_mini.jpg


John Starks! lmao that's from the vault!

[QUOTE=liverbird;17138980]Well his real problem was he was in the same era as Jordan. /QUOTE]

That was stockton and malone's problem too. :(

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OR1l8Wilj1M/SIlsnRM1OhI/AAAAAAAABpw/SOTSb1EoK-c/s400/jordan-drexler2.jpg

ahh...still hurts

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

What would be your list of the 10 best players in league? Here's mine...

1) Lebron
2) Kobe
3) Paul
4) Wade
5) Deron Williams
6) Howard
7) Garnett
8) Pierce
9) Duncan
10) Bosh

I would put Wade above Paul. Howard above Williams. Duncan above Pierce.

Enough about Pro Ball, it really takes a back seat to college ball. I like college basketball infinitely more than pro basketball, and these last two weeks plus the next month are going to be awesome!!!

[Twenty26Six]

Well his real problem was he was in the same era as Jordan. /QUOTE]

That was stockton and malone's problem too. :(

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OR1l8Wilj1M/SIlsnRM1OhI/AAAAAAAABpw/SOTSb1EoK-c/s400/jordan-drexler2.jpg

ahh...still hurts

Poor, Bryon Russell. Jordan pushed off BIG time. I was rooting for the Jazz that year. Too bad for them.

Speaking of runners up to Jordan...
http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/bhof/graphics/clyde-drexler-wide.jpg

[poopoobigelow]

my fav five:

pg - deron williams
sg - lebron james
c - dwight howard
pf - kevin garnett
sf - caron butler

top ten players

1 - lebron
2 - kobe
3 - howard
4 - wade
5 - deron
6 - pierce
7 - paul
8 - durrant
9 - duncan
10 - devin harris

top ten players if all you watch of the nba is sportscenter:

1 - lebron
2 - kobe
3 - wade
4 - paul
5 - shaq
6 -200 - doesn't matter... don't talk about them, don't show them...

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

my fav five:

pg - deron williams
sg - lebron james
c - dwight howard
pf - kevin garnett
sf - caron butler

top ten players

1 - lebron
2 - kobe
3 - howard
4 - wade
5 - deron
6 - pierce
7 - paul
8 - durrant
9 - duncan
10 - devin harris

See, I am not a huge Deron Williams fan. I think he had one, maybe one and a half good years, but he has been pretty disappointing and injury prone other than that. I do really like your picks of Kevin Durant and Devon Harris as part of your top 10.

Durant is underrated, if he keeps progressing at the rate he is going he will be putting up ridiculous numbers for his position. Harris is fun to watch, I still can't believe Dallas made that trade for him.

If I was going to pick my fav 5, it would probably go like this for pros:

C - Howard
PF - Duncan
SF - Durant
SG - Lebron
PG - Paul

For the college level it would be like this:

PF - Dejuan Blair
PF - Blake Griffin
PF - Kyle Singler
SG - Gerald Henderson
PG - Ty Lawson

Dang. With that talent, it's really no wonder the USA has regained dominance in basketball.

[poopoobigelow]

See, I am not a huge Deron Williams fan. I think he had one, maybe one and a half good years, but he has been pretty disappointing and injury prone other than that.

you need to watch him more... which, i know, is hard because they only show lakers, cavs, celtics, suns, and spurs games on tv, when they play each other... i have nba season pass, so i see a lot of out of market, non-tnt/espn games...

i got caught up in the chris paul hype like everyone else and thought the jazz were dumb to take williams instead... the media has made a huge deal about paul and williams being picked 3 and 4... paul was the 'sexier,' flashier player and, therefore, espn decided that he is the better player... and for their first season and a half, they were right...

however, williams is getting to the point that he is almost unguardable, and he is a clutch player -- he wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line... he can come off a screen and hit the 18-foot jumper, he can take it to the hole, and is one of the best passers in the game... williams lead the jazz in his second year to the western conference finals, and they lost in six to the lakers last year in the semis... he is also a leader... he does what the team needs to win... recently he had 5 games where he scored 30 plus points, but still got at least 12 assists in most of those games... but then, last week, he had a six point, 20 assist game... it was what the team needed...

as for injury prone, he missed a few weeks this season, but other than that he's been an 80 game player...

to me, williams is like mascherano... he's so good, and does his job so well, without ego, that he doesn't get much press... he doesn't beat on his chest, doesn't show up his teammates, takes the blame for loses and deflects praise for wins...

paul is still a great player, but, i think williams is better and will only continue to get better...

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

you need to watch him more... which, i know, is hard because they only show lakers, cavs, celtics, suns, and spurs games on tv, when they play each other... i have nba season pass, so i see a lot of out of market, non-tnt/espn games...

i got caught up in the chris paul hype like everyone else and thought the jazz were dumb to take williams instead... the media has made a huge deal about paul and williams being picked 3 and 4... paul was the 'sexier,' flashier player and, therefore, espn decided that he is the better player... and for their first season and a half, they were right...

however, williams is getting to the point that he is almost unguardable, and he is a clutch player -- he wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line... he can come off a screen and hit the 18-foot jumper, he can take it to the hole, and is one of the best passers in the game... williams lead the jazz in his second year to the western conference finals, and they lost in six to the lakers last year in the semis... he is also a leader... he does what the team needs to win... recently he had 5 games where he scored 30 plus points, but still got at least 12 assists in most of those games... but then, last week, he had a six point, 20 assist game... it was what the team needed...

as for injury prone, he missed a few weeks this season, but other than that he's been an 80 game player...

to me, williams is like mascherano... he's so good, and does his job so well, without ego, that he doesn't get much press... he doesn't beat on his chest, doesn't show up his teammates, takes the blame for loses and deflects praise for wins...

paul is still a great player, but, i think williams is better and will only continue to get better...

Do you ever read Bill Simmons on ESPN.com?

He always writes about the NBA and has written several columns that contain his thoughts on Paul vs Williams. He likes Paul.

It really is too bad that Williams or Paul aren't paired up with a big man like Bosh, Duncan, Howard, or Garnett. They would be infinitely better. I still consider Boozer and Chandler to be second-tier NBA big men.

I do like Williams as a player too. I think he is a better shooter than Chris Paul, especially in the clutch like you said. Obviously being a Spurs fan I prefer Tony Parker over either of them. :D

The Spurs can still win the title, they just need to keep the Big Three healthy during the entire playoffs. I still think the Lakers will emerge victorious from the West, but the Jazz or the Spurs could give them a run for their money. Everyone else in the West are just pretenders to the crown.

In the East, I won't decide who goes through until the seeds are decided. If Cleveland or Orlando take first, then I think they will go through. The Celtics need the home-court throughout the playoffs, otherwise they won't win. That's just my opinion.

Other than the Spurs, I would really like to see Lebron win the title (a little over optimistic/hopeful). Mainly, because I would love to see him stay at the Cavaliers.

[liverbird]

For the college level it would be like this:

PF - Dejuan Blair
PF - Blake Griffin
PF - Kyle Singler
SG - Gerald Henderson
PG - Ty Lawson

Dang. With that talent, it's really no wonder the USA has regained dominance in basketball.

EEEEEWH! Way too much Duke stink. Kyle Singler are you f'ing kidding me? Sam Young, Jeff Adrien. Earl Clark. Terrence Williams. Hell Harangoty. Psycho T. All better.Henderson?? I'd much rather have (Make It) Wayne Ellington.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

EEEEEWH! Way too much Duke stink. Kyle Singler are you f'ing kidding me? Sam Young, Jeff Adrien. Earl Clark. Terrence Williams. Hell Harangoty. Psycho T. All better.Henderson?? I'd much rather have (Make It) Wayne Ellington.

:D

I said my favorites not the best players.

Henderson is a baller, and I would take him over Ellington.

But yes, I would concede that all of those players that you listed above are better than Singler. But...once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil. I just can't help myself.

Plus, I dislike Psycho T so much!!! I have respect for Lawson and Ellington though.

I went to the Marquette-Syracuse game this saturday with my dad and my brother. My pops is a Marquette graduate, from the Warrior days. It was a good game. Went into overtime, Jonny Flynn for Syracuse is a very good player. Marquette really, really misses Dominic James.

[poopoobigelow]

It really is too bad that Williams or Paul aren't paired up with a big man like Bosh, Duncan, Howard, or Garnett. They would be infinitely better. I still consider Boozer and Chandler to be second-tier NBA big men.


when boozer is healthy -- which is rare, though -- i'd put him in the top tier... he has a nice jumper, and finishes better than any player with his off hand... his weakness is playing with his back to the basket...

chandler isn't even in the fourth or fifth tier of big men... he's a rebounder and shot-blocker... david west is the force in the post for the hornets, and he's a fantastic player... i'd take him over bosh and garnett at this point...

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

when boozer is healthy -- which is rare, though -- i'd put him in the top tier... he has a nice jumper, and finishes better than any player with his off hand... his weakness is playing with his back to the basket...

chandler isn't even in the fourth or fifth tier of big men... he's a rebounder and shot-blocker... david west is the force in the post for the hornets, and he's a fantastic player... i'd take him over bosh and garnett at this point...

Basically Chandler only scores when Paul alley-oops it to him.

I would love for the Hornets to go after Bosh when the next big free agency opens up.

I really recommend this (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090212) Bill Simmons column for anyone who is interested in Basketball. He does one every year, it's just the NBA Trade Value Rankings Of Every Players. It's a long read, but really, really good.

I am a regular reader of his columns. He is my favorite writer. He is funny, inappropriate at times, and very knowledgeable about sports.

Though he sometimes gets too involved into the wicked awesome (:D) Boston sports scene that he is a fan of. He is originally from Boston.

I am also going to buy his book that is coming out on Basketball. The Book Of Basketball By Bill Simmons coming out in October of '09

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

North Dakota State Defeats Southern Utah, Advances To Championship Game (http://www.thesummitleague.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21767&SPID=1768&DB_OEM_ID=3900&ATCLID=3689044)

This is the school I went to last year, and I still go to their games because I live right by their campus. I had classes with some of the basketball players so I know a couple of them well. First year that they are tourney eligible, four seniors that have been playing together for five years. They all redshirted to go for the Big Dance in their last year of eligibility. They play in the Championship game tomorrow for their chance to go to the Big Dance! Their game will be on ESPN 2 I think.

Go Bison!

[liverbird]

:D

I said my favorites not the best players.

Henderson is a baller, and I would take him over Ellington.

But yes, I would concede that all of those players that you listed above are better than Singler. But...once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil. I just can't help myself.

Plus, I dislike Psycho T so much!!! I have respect for Lawson and Ellington though.

I went to the Marquette-Syracuse game this saturday with my dad and my brother. My pops is a Marquette graduate, from the Warrior days. It was a good game. Went into overtime, Jonny Flynn for Syracuse is a very good player. Marquette really, really misses Dominic James.

Syracuse is the only team below Duke in my cosmos of basketball dislike:D

Flynn is ok but needs to develop a shot before you could label him as really good.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Syracuse is the only team below Duke in my cosmos of basketball dislike:D

Flynn is ok but needs to develop a shot before you could label him as really good.

No love for Jim Boeheim?

Jim Boeheim

[liverbird]

No love for Jim Boeheim?

Jim Boeheim (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn3kPBww2w0)

Hate the whiny shtt and Coach K Eyechart too

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

You hate Coach K?!

Those there are fightin' words!

[Twenty26Six]

top ten players if all you watch of the nba is sportscenter:

1 - lebron
2 - kobe
3 - wade
4 - paul
5 - shaq
6 -200 - doesn't matter... don't talk about them, don't show them...

Sad, but true.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Sad, but true.

They have started talking about Dwight Howard a lot.

[Twenty26Six]

I still consider Boozer and Chandler to be second-tier NBA big men.

That's a rough comparison. Boozer is better than Chandler by a bit, IMO.