2005-06 NBA Season Discussion (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

Maybe Larry Brown will decide that Sacramento is his new "dream Job".

 

[Andy Sheets]

Maybe the Rockets and Kings could trade Van Gundy for Adelman

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

He's been in New York for what, 10 months now, so yeah Its about time for a change figuring 10 months with that time is like 2 years with an NBA team.

 

[Jan H]

Steve Nash may or may not be the best player in the league, but he is unquestionably the MVP this year. Congrats to the Suns on an amazing comeback, down 3-1.

The Lakers have some soul-searching to do. Smush Parker will find his way back on a New York blacktop sooner than he likes.

Go Clippers!!

 

[Kirk Tsai]

The Suns showed a lot of heart to come back. If Stoudamire and Thomas, and they sign Tim Thomas or an equivalent player, I can see them having the best record in the league next year. They have so many versitile weapons on the floor.

Not counting the last three games, I'm pretty happy with the Lakers' season overall. The team made significant improvements throughout the season, and the individual play of Odom and Brown showed a lot of promise for next year. Considering how young the team is, and how many close games they lost, I think somewhere around 50-52 wins can be a realistic goal for next year. Of course, the Lakers overall had very few injuries this year, so our lack of depth was not thoroughly exposed by other teams. Improving our depth should be MK's biggest goal for the offseason. Players such as Smush and Walton probably wouldn't start for most teams, and signing a PG that can properly defend and hit the outside shot should be a priority. Still, we are in a much better place than when the end of the 04-05 season. Besides the progress of the team, this year will of course be remembered for Kobe's sensational season. It was amazing.

Predictions for the 2nd round:

Mavs over Spurs in 6
Clippers over Suns in 7

Pistons over Cavs in 5
Nets over Heat in 7

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, Shaq is having a good laugh today, his team is still in the playoffs, while Kobie's team is not.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

ESPN is reporting that Ben Wallace has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for the 4th time in 5 years. It's well deserved. Big Ben is among the league leaders in rebounds, blocks and steals, and he can guard any opposing player (he's even guarded opposing point guards, and picked up defense on LeBron some today). Never has a player who does so little offensively meant so much to a championship-caliber team.

 

[Raasean Asaad]

I think Rodman might have to say something abouit that last statement....

 

[Brandon_T]

I love them both, doesn't really matter, but Rodman could hit the three. Also if I recall Rodman only won the award twice. I think they are pretty well equals. BTW, welcome to serious playoffs Cleveland.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Rodman was very close, but Ben is also a leader in the locker room. Rodman was more of a follower (until he went wacko). Both are/were great defenders, though.

 

[Raasean Asaad]

Rodman needed the firm hand of say an isiah or a daly, ben's advantage is that he has hisown discipline.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Knicks may buy out Brown's contract. Larry could get up to $40 million from the Knicks to leave. Add that to the buyout from the Pistons last offseason, and Brown would have accumulated about $60 million just to leave town a couple of times.

Gee, who could possibly have predicted that Larry Brown wouldn't complete the contract of his "dream job"?

The article also mentions that Isiah could take over as coach. And we all thought things couldn't get any worse with the Knicks.

 

[Hunter P]

$60 mil? Nice. I wish I could get that kind of jack every time I quit something.

I wouldn't mind him coming to Sacramento for a year or two. But then again, does this team really need the added drama? Hmmm.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Some great round ball in the I-35 series last night, as the Mavs tough it out over the Spurs to go up 2–1. Two great games that either team could have won and one blowout, so the current results seem about right.

Both these teams have to worry about a slugfest that weakens them for the West finals.

 

[Jan H]

Rasheed Wallace needs to shut the hell up.

"I ain't worried about these cats," he said. "There's no way in hell they beat us in a series. They played well. I give them credit. We lost. We shot 30 percent and they had to play their best to beat us."

Wow. Does that mean we all get some money from him?? I guess a guarantee doesn't mean what it used to.

Wallace is what he always was, I guess: An ignorant thug, who, while talented, is as classless a player as the NBA has ever seen, and reason enough to root for any team but the Pistons. I hope LeBron (or anybody else) takes these guys out. Even if it means Shaq gets another ring.

 

[Lew Crippen]

After watching the second game last night, I’d not be too quick to award the championship to a team from the East.

 

[Haggai]

As classless a player as the league has ever seen? I must have missed the times when Rasheed choked his coach, shoved a referee, charged into the stands, beat his wife, complained about his multi-million salary, etc. All things other guys have done, not him. Obviously he's very arrogant and easy to dislike, and the guarantees are stupid, no doubt about that. If he wasn't playing for my team, I'd be booing him like everyone else in opposing arenas. But let's not get carried away.

He is right, of course, that the Pistons were crap last night (not that he helped very much). I haven't seen them play that badly in a long time. Sheed was wrong about the Cavs playing their best, though, as they also stunk it up for a lot of the game, but they were less bad than the Pistons in the 4th quarter. I'm still not worried about losing this series, but they're obviously going to have to play considerably better to beat Miami and whomever comes out of the West.

Miami has definitely looked good in the last few games, although I wouldn't be so quick to assume that they've answered all their questions about perimeter defense, Shaq's stamina, etc. The Nets have displayed no heart AT ALL in dropping the last two games at home, which is just pathetic.

I regret that I was too tired to see all of Spurs/Mavs last night, looks like it was a great finish. The Mavs are getting incredible production from Terry, Harris, and Howard (though he didn't shoot too well last night), plus Dirk and Stack, so that's 5 legit scorers who are all clicking. They've erased any doubt, at least in my mind, that they've successfully made "the leap" into legitimate title contention, right now.

 

[Brandon_T]

Oh for sure. Because I am sure that none of those much superior west teams never have a bad night or two in the playoffs where they look horrible. Definately not when the 8th seeded Kings beat the defending champs by 30. Thats why they play the games. I'm not worried about the Pistons at this point and quite frankly I think this will be the toughest test until the finals. Miami does seem to be playing better, but as long as you have Antwan Walker and Gary Payton on your team your not winning anything. The team that worries me is Dallas, Avery Johnson has them playing very well and they have SA on the ropes. Personally, if the Pistons don't win it all, I am rooting for the Clippers.

As far as Rasheed goes, yeah, he is loud and obnoxious, but thug? Not to sure about that. You may not like him, but this was the first time his promise hasn't come true. I look for him to come out very strong in the next game and put a stranglehold on the series.

One last thing. I feel bad for the Nets. As a person who really doesn't care who wins that series it is pretty tough playing 8 on 5. Considering New Jersey was at home you would have thought that they could get fair calls if not even a little home cooking but no, its pretty sad when you see blatant missed calls or flat out wrong calls.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Of course every team has off nights Brandon. And while this is the playoffs, the teams with 60 wins in the regular season still look the best to me, Miami not being in that category (which was my point to Jan).

Put another way, if the Pistons don’t advance, it is hard for me to see the Heat beating either team from Texas, although they probably could handle either of the other two teams from the West.

I expect Detroit to win the next two and advance to play Miami.

 

[Brandon_T]

Ah I see Lew, I think I just mis interpreted your comments, my apologies.