NBA, NHL and other sports thread Fall 2010

[Shortline Bus]

Feel free to discuss other sports as the NHL(underway almost 2 weeks ago)and the NBA get started this week.

 

With the NBA starting feel free to offer picks for the 2010/11 season and playoff spots. Will the Miami Heat live to the most hyped ever for a pre season pick to win the world pro hoops title. Or will the Lakers 3-peat?

 

 

I offer my picks later.

[553 Bridgeton]

The Lakers for 2011 NBA Champs. The addition of Matt Barnes, Theo Ratlif and Steve Blake is just great. Barnes backs up Ron Artest, so you have a good defender on the court for 48 min. The west got weaker, so the Lakers have it by a longshot. The Nuggets are looking to deal Carmelo Anthony and he wants to go to New York or New Jersey. Dallas they are a good team but when it comes to the playoffs they cant get it done. This is a team that went 65-17 a few years ago and lost to the 8th seeded Warriors.

 

This is how I see it in the West.

 

1. Lakers

2. Dallas

3. Utah

4. Portland

5. Suns

6. Spurs

7. Houston

8. Nuggets or Warriors, if Melo gets delt then its the Warriors for the 8th spot.

 

Now the East, it will be a bust for the Heat. Boston or Orlando will battle for the NBA Finals Spot.

This is how I see it for the East.

 

1. Miami

2. Orlando

3. Atlanta

4. Boston(Because they will have injury problems with Shaq)

5. Bucks

6. Philadelphia

7. Chicago

8. New York or New Jersey

[Shortline Bus]

[bro where the OKC Thunder in this playoff picks? They took LA to a surprising 6 games in the 1st round of the playoffs last season. :eek: Kevin Durant is maybe the best all around young player since Lebaron. Durant if he stays healthy IMO is a possible future superstar in the making.

 

 

The Lakers for 2011 NBA Champs. The addition of Matt Barnes, Theo Ratlif and Steve Blake is just great. Barnes backs up Ron Artest, so you have a good defender on the court for 48 min. The west got weaker, so the Lakers have it by a longshot. The Nuggets are looking to deal Carmelo Anthony and he wants to go to New York or New Jersey. Dallas they are a good team but when it comes to the playoffs they cant get it done. This is a team that went 65-17 a few years ago and lost to the 8th seeded Warriors.

 

This is how I see it in the West.

 

1. Lakers

2. Dallas

3. Utah

4. Portland

5. Suns

6. Spurs

7. Houston

8. Nuggets or Warriors, if Melo gets delt then its the Warriors for the 8th spot.

 

Now the East, it will be a bust for the Heat. Boston or Orlando will battle for the NBA Finals Spot.

This is how I see it for the East.

 

1. Miami

2. Orlando

3. Atlanta

4. Boston(Because they will have injury problems with Shaq)

5. Bucks

6. Philadelphia

7. Chicago

8. New York or New Jersey

[Forest Glen]

I have tickets to the Knicks Christmas game against the Bulls. I know the Knicks are going to lose, but I at least get to see Amare, Derrick Rose, and Carlos Boozer.

[553 Bridgeton]

I dont think OKC will make the playoffs. Last year was a surprise season and they are a young team. If they make the playoffs they will squeeze into the 7th or 8th spot. I have tickets for the Lakers-Kincks at MSG so I cant wait for that and I also have for the Lakers-Nets and Lakers-76ers.

[Shortline Bus]

Now my playoff picks for 2011 post season in the NBA.

 

East

1. Heat

2. Celtics

3, Magic

4. Bulls

5. Bucks

6. Hawks

7.76ers

8. Knicks

 

After the big 3 in the East IMO, there very little differencce between the next 6-7 teams in the East. There be a wild chase for the last few post season spots in both divisions at end of season.

 

 

West

1. Lakers

2. Mavs

3. Jazz

4. Rockets

5. Suns

6. Spurs

7. Blazers

8. Thunder

 

 

If I am David Stern he should be concerned not only with the Lockout after this season, but the biggest gap between the League's best team i.e Heat, Lakers, Magic and Cavs with the worst team i.e Grizzlies, Clippers in NBA history.

 

B35, 553 what you think about David Stern plan to 'contract' 2 teams from the NBA and bring it back to a 30-team league :confused:? In the last 2 years since this mega recession began, attendence league wide has dropped 10-15%. A secret ESPN the main home of the NBA, does not report on 'sportcenter.'

 

I would pick Memphis and the Clippers in worst case. LA does not need '2' NBA teams.

[553 Bridgeton]

I didnt hear about this? If it were up to me, they need to relocate the Clippers. There under the rust bucket under the lakers. I feel sorry for that team. They cant get any spotlight because of the Lakers are so good. The NBA needs to lower the ticket prices for one. I paid $400 bucks for courtside seats to the Lakers-76ers game in Dec. at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. Staples Center Courtside seats are $1200 easy. When I went to the Lakers-Rockets 7 Game Series in 2009 I paid 500 x 2 for mid level seats at Staples Center for me and my now ex. And these players get paid way too much money. What they really need to do is cut teams for maybe 8-10 players like what is done for the playoffs.

 

What is the point of having 14-15 players on a team if players 11-15 wont even play in the reg. season and then in the post season players 9-15 wont even play one bit. Thats where the major problem is. Just to sit on the bench as player 14 or 15 on average earn about $700,000 to about 1.8 Million, and thats to keep the bench warm.

 

Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks got inked 127 Million over 5 years which is just crazy.

[Shortline Bus]

I didnt hear about this? If it were up to me, they need to relocate the Clippers. There under the rust bucket under the lakers. I feel sorry for that team. They cant get any spotlight because of the Lakers are so good. The NBA needs to lower the ticket prices for one. I paid $400 bucks for courtside seats to the Lakers-76ers game in Dec. at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. Staples Center Courtside seats are $1200 easy. When I went to the Lakers-Rockets 7 Game Series in 2009 I paid 500 x 2 for mid level seats at Staples Center for me and my now ex. And these players get paid way too much money. What they really need to do is cut teams for maybe 8-10 players like what is done for the playoffs.

 

What is the point of having 14-15 players on a team if players 11-15 wont even play in the reg. season and then in the post season players 9-15 wont even play one bit. Thats where the major problem is. Just to sit on the bench as player 14 or 15 on average earn about $700,000 to about 1.8 Million, and thats to keep the bench warm.

 

Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks got inked 127 Million over 5 years which is just crazy.

 

While I am also an NBA fan, being fair if the attendence problems was in MLB or NHL it would be big news on ESPN. Since they carried the NBA for almost a decade now, they rarely report on 'bad news' from the NBA on sportscenter. As you know the Clippers were oringally the Buffalo Braves that moved to San Diego in the late '70's and later to LA in the late '80's. The Clippers Owner Donald Sterling admits he not big of a NBA fan and according to rumors used the team he owns for media publicty as Southern California richest Attorneys.

 

Instead of contraction or thinking about getting ready of at least 2 teams, IMO I think you idea is brilliant 553. Actually unless it was recently changed, I thought the NBA roaster is 12 players along with 3-4 on a back-up/emgerncy list.

It should be 10 men per team a game with 2 on the reserve list.

 

I been to Staples Center in 2002 and saw a Clipper and Kings NHL Hockey game and it a real beautiful arena. With that said the Clipper should re-locate maybe to Seattle and become the new Sonics. Seattle was robbed when the oringal Sonics left for Oklahoma a couple of years back.

 

Also Memphis is too small/region of a city to have a NBA team. Memphis is a college football/basketball hotbed and also 2-3 hour or less drive to either Dallas, New Orleans and Oklahoma as well which now all have NBA teams. I always thought a NBA should be somewhere in Kentucky such as Louisville, which does not have a major pro team i.e NBA, NFL, NHL or MLB. Not to mention they have the Kentucky Wildcats, the Yankees of College Basketball. And from years ago the Cononals which was one of the old ABA's most successful teams.

 

As our friend Forest Glen says which i agree there too many NBA teams in America's Southwest/Mid-South region.

 

The issue of the gap between the league best '5' teams i.e Heat, Lakers, Celtics, Magic and maybe the Mavs vs. the worst i.e the Grizzlies needs to be raised.

 

Reactions 553 or anyone else?

[553 Bridgeton]

Yeah the Staples Center is an amazing place! I do say keep cut it to 8 and 2 on the reserve list

 

This is what I dont like. Why move the Nets to Brooklyn when the Knicks are only a train ride away.

 

Aww man Seattle was robbed in a big way. That was sad what they did. What they should do now is move the Clippers to Seattle and move Memphis else where.

 

I love the NBA and im a big Lakers fan.

[Shortline Bus]

Yeah the Staples Center is an amazing place! I do say keep cut it to 8 and 2 on the reserve list

 

This is what I dont like. Why move the Nets to Brooklyn when the Knicks are only a train ride away.

 

Aww man Seattle was robbed in a big way. That was sad what they did. What they should do now is move the Clippers to Seattle and move Memphis else where.

 

I love the NBA and im a big Lakers fan.

 

 

And why is in the world is Oklahoma still in the Northwest Division? They left Seattle like 3-4 years ago. Stern should have by now, realigned them and put the Thunder in the Southwest Division. That would IMO create a great rivalry with the '3' Texas NBA teams(Mavs, Spurs and Rockets) and New Orleans.

 

The jury is still out if the Nets will be successful in Brooklyn. Personally they should stayed permanently in Newark the so-called "Rock' is a beauty. I plan to check out either a Nets or NHL Devils game there during this season. And this is coming from a guy raised in Brooklyn who felt the arena should had been either in Coney Island or Flushing Meadow(Citifield/Mets Stadium.) It's too late now though.

 

Plus as you said 553, move the Clippers to Seattle and have them in the Northwest Division. And IMO move Memphis to say Louisville, Ky.

[Forest Glen]

I paid $55 (taxes/service charge/etc included) for nosebleed seats at the Garden. That's not even the game I wanted to see. I wanted to see Knicks vs. Heat on December 17, but the cheapest ticket price was $109.

 

I don't think contraction is a good idea. Relocation is a better idea. The Clippers should move to San Diego or Las Vegas. They'll always be in the shadow of the Lakers.

[Grand Concourse]

Yeah the Staples Center is an amazing place! I do say keep cut it to 8 and 2 on the reserve list

 

This is what I dont like. Why move the Nets to Brooklyn when the Knicks are only a train ride away.

 

Aww man Seattle was robbed in a big way. That was sad what they did. What they should do now is move the Clippers to Seattle and move Memphis else where.

 

I love the NBA and im a big Lakers fan.

I agree about moving the Clippers to Seattle. I mean they are always gonna be 2nd fiddle to the Lakers. If not Seattle, then jersey would be a good alternative when the Nets moves out.

 

When the Nets comes to Brooklyn, the Islanders should move in too and escape the dump that is the Colliseum.

[Shortline Bus]

I paid $55 (taxes/service charge/etc included) for nosebleed seats at the Garden. That's not even the game I wanted to see. I wanted to see Knicks vs. Heat on December 17, but the cheapest ticket price was $109.

 

I don't think contraction is a good idea. Relocation is a better idea. The Clippers should move to San Diego or Las Vegas. They'll always be in the shadow of the Lakers.

 

 

 

I don't think contraction is happening either and it's a 'scare' tacit' used by Stern and the NBA owners in talks with the NBA players union.

 

What will happen is maybe a tighter salary cap though and maybe as 553 said reduce the team size from currently 12 players to 10-11 per club.

 

And there a reason Vegas has not had a pro team. The leagues are fearful of betting corrupting the poential Vegas team and thus their entire league.

So unless Vegas bans gambling for that team/league, there not getting a team period.

 

I can see maybe a NHL or NBA team but never an NFL or MLB since Vegas is a couple of hours to either LA or Phoenix.

 

Also on you FG, getting trying to get for the Miami Lebraon/Wades LOL i meant Heat at MSG, I am surprised there still any tickets at all left for that game. Again blame the economy but as the game nears I am sure it be a sell-out.

 

This should be an intresting NBA season but I try to block out when i can the Lebraon/Wade Heat mania hitting America sponored by ESPN.

[Shortline Bus]

I agree about moving the Clippers to Seattle. I mean they are always gonna be 2nd fiddle to the Lakers. If not Seattle, then jersey would be a good alternative when the Nets moves out.

 

When the Nets comes to Brooklyn, the Islanders should move in too and escape the dump that is the Colliseum.

 

If the Isles stay in the NY area, the new Brooklyn arena is a great fit. It be at least several years if ever if an arena is bulit in Nassau County for them.

[553 Bridgeton]

James should have stayed wit the Cavs. it would have been better for him to win the Championship on his own. I just hate all this talk that James is the best player in the world. How can they classify this guy as the best player and couldnt even lead the Cavs. He went to the Heat because he knew he couldnt lead his team. James will never be as good as Bryant for Jordan. Besides they only good players they have around James, Bosh, Wade is Eddie House and Udonis Haslem and they just signed Jerry Stackhouse. I say maybe the Heat wins it in the next years.

 

Clippers to New Jersey would be a good fit also since NJ is getting robbed also.

[Shortline Bus]

James should have stayed wit the Cavs. it would have been better for him to win the Championship on his own. I just hate all this talk that James is the best player in the world. How can they classify this guy as the best player and couldnt even lead the Cavs. He went to the Heat because he knew he couldnt lead his team. James will never be as good as Bryant for Jordan. Besides they only good players they have around James, Bosh, Wade is Eddie House and Udonis Haslem and they just signed Jerry Stackhouse. I say maybe the Heat wins it in the next years.

 

Clippers to New Jersey would be a good fit also since NJ is getting robbed also.

 

I agree with you that Lebron should stay in Cleveland. With that said the 1-hour special on his decision made him looked him a diva and ESPN kissing his butt.

 

What James and his people don't get is the reason why NBA fans blasted his special is 1)Not Telling his former boss the Cavs Owner prior to the show he was leaving Ohio 2)He could have still donated the $5 Million from his new contract with the Heat and not look like a fool on National TV with just an old fashion press conference.

 

The Heat will be under the most intense to at least get the Finals or else it's a bust.

 

Lebraon is a great player and future Hall of Famer. However he has and will never be an immortal like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Chamerlain, Erving, or West, no matter what ESPN or his supporters say.

[Forest Glen]

Playing Devil's Advocate, it's not like he was surrounded with talent in Cleveland. As for the Heat, they'll win 75 games and the NBA championship.

[553 Bridgeton]

Playing Devil's Advocate, it's not like he was surrounded with talent in Cleveland. As for the Heat, they'll win 75 games and the NBA championship.

 

So your saying there going to go 75-7? I say more like 65-17 or 61-21. They will not win the NBA Championship and mark my word. Lets wait and see when the Heat play the Magic next week and see if the sorry Heat can stop Orlandos 3Pt shooting. There isnt that much talent behind Wade, Bosh, James. You have Z but he is old and have bad ankles. Mike Miller is already out until January, and dont forget that Wade has only played 3 mins the entire preseason. Wade is also injury prone. This is a Miami Heat team that is 90% all new players. Only Wade and Haslem are the only 2 from last year. This team is not going to gel as quickly as people think.

 

In about 3hrs the Heat@Celtics.

[Shortline Bus]

Playing Devil's Advocate, it's not like he was surrounded with talent in Cleveland. As for the Heat, they'll win 75 games and the NBA championship.

 

I agree with 553, the Heat won't win 75 games this season. The 72-win '96 Bulls team with Jordan and Pippin was together for several seasons(Other than Micheal brief retirement missing the 1993-94 year)The only major new addition to that club was former rival and Piston "bad boy' Dennis Rodman.

 

Miami has a bunch of new players and it will take time for them to click. I think 65 regular season wins is the high mark they make.

[553 Bridgeton]

Heat down 31-18 right now. They are way too small.

[SevenEleven]

Heat down 31-18 right now. They are way too small.

 

I just did a little analysis over at NYC Talk. Check it here. The Heat wasn't keeping it together in the first half with missed passes and turnovers. Right now, they are getting dominated by the Celtics. In nearly 4-5 minutes, the Heat only scored 5 points. They need to work on the inside game to get easy points. (But that's just common sense)

 

On the other hand, Shaq has to be careful with his fouls. He's going to be vital in the second half.

[553 Bridgeton]

Ray Allen is going nuts.

[SevenEleven]

Ray Allen is going nuts.

 

James is trying to come back scoring those points to knock the lead down to single digits. With Wade in now, let's see if Miami can get it back together.

 

4:38 - 70-81, Celtics in the lead. This is getting good. I still have my money on the Celtics.

[553 Bridgeton]

83-70 now. Man this game feels like Game 1 of the Conf. Finals.

[SevenEleven]

83-70 now. Man this game feels like Game 1 of the Conf. Finals.

 

Make that 83-80, with only 1:10 to go. The Celtics used their last timeout while Miami has one of each. Those timeouts can use those to advance the ball to halfcourt in the last seconds.

 

86-80, 49.8 - That 3 put down by Allen was much needed.