NBA 2012-2013 Discussion, keep it classy

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

The season is finally here!

I'll start, Kobe should stop playing pre-season games, seems like he always hurt himself in games that don't matter.

James Harden traded to the Houston Rockets and projected to start in the backcourt with Jeremy Lin. I don't know if that's a good thing for the Rockets. Jeremy Lin is a potent scorer and a good facilitator, and James Harden can score with the best of them. But if Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry didn't work for the Golden State Warriors, I don't think Harden/Lin will for the Rockets. And it comes down to the same reason, it's an undersized backcourt that can't stop anyone.

[LeeD]

I think Houston has better shotblockers than GS had last year. Every guard get's beat to the hole. It's up to the 4 and 5 guys to change his layup.
My take is Curray and Ellis were better players than Harden. Harden thrived as a 6th man. How many 6th men come into their own starting?
Lin is 6'3", Harden a couple inches taller. Big enough.
And no, I"m not a believer in guards winning anything by themselves. You still need the rebounders, the intimidators, and some change of pace.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Here's how I have for conference semifinal this year:

West- LA vs LA
Lakers look like a Western Conference All-Star team
Clippers are deepest team in the West.

Side note, Denver Nuggets will surprise some people, they always do somehow.

East - Boston vs Miami
Miami with their Big 4 (Yes, I'm throwing Ray Allen in there)
Boston has gotten deeper in place of Ray Allen.

[Feña14]

So guess what? ESPN appear to of lost the rights to it here in the UK.

I've been looking forward to this season all summer, they did the same with the NHL too. Looks like finding streams online is my only option.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Feña14

So guess what? ESPN appear to of lost the rights to it here in the UK.

I've been looking forward to this season all summer, they did the same with the NHL too. Looks like finding streams online is my only option.

TNT is streaming tonight's games.

http://tntovertime.nba.com/overtime13/

Enjoy!

[Feña14]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

TNT is streaming tonight's games.

http://tntovertime.nba.com/overtime13/

Enjoy!

That would of been perfect! It says I have to be in the US to view it though.

I'm not really sure what the NBA are thinking, not televising it in Britain. It's one of the areas they are looking to grow the game and get more fans into the sport, to not have it on tv kills any plans for that to happen.

It probably comes down to them wanting to get as much money from ESPN UK as they can, it's a shame.

[bezs]

Poor Dirk the Dallas roster looks horrible, back to mediocrity.

[1972murat]

A Miami-Lakers final seems unavoidable. I hope my Raptors improve and make the play-offs.

[LeeD]

Pardon my ignorance...
Aren't the Raptors team similar to the Nuggests? No stars who try hard?
I can stand being wrong, because I seldom watch either team.

[Disgruntled Worker]

The Thunder were the favorites in the West until they got rid of Harden. Now it looks like the Spurs will meet the Lakers in the Conference Finals. In the East the Bulls will return with Derrick Rose. I look for them to meet either Miami or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.

[1972murat]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Pardon my ignorance...
Aren't the Raptors team similar to the Nuggests? No stars who try hard?
I can stand being wrong, because I seldom watch either team.

No problem . Raptors have the habit of not being able to keep their stars. Vince Carter, T-Mac, Bosh (if you call him a star)...This year, they do not have one star like you said, but some good pieces in Kyle Lowry, Bargnani, DeRozan, Fields and the rookie Ross. Also the rookie from last year who had play overseas for a year, Valanciunas looks very promising...We shall see...

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

The best thing about the NBA season coming back is:

TNT's Inside the NBA is back! And man, they're coming down hard on the Lakers, hahahahaha. Coach Mike Brown took a lot of heat!

Barkley sums it up with this shot at Shaq: "With that Princeton offense, Shaq can come back and play for them."

[pepka]

Two things:
1: Lakers should fire Mike "Potatohead" Brown.
2: TNT needs to fire Shaq.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by pepka

Two things:
1: Lakers should fire Mike "Potatohead" Brown.
2: TNT needs to fire Shaq.

Yeah I agree. I don't think Mike Brown is coaching based on the players that he has, but Mike Brown is coaching because this is how Mike Brown coaches.

He had LeBron and Cavs walk the ball up and down for 5 - 6 years? How did that end up?

[Disgruntled Worker]

I don't envy Mike Brown at all. Even though it's been 3 or 4 years since the Zen Master has retired, it's extremely difficult to live up to a legend with TEN 'chips. The players know it. The fans know. He knows it!

[NickC]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Yeah I agree. I don't think Mike Brown is coaching based on the players that he has, but Mike Brown is coaching because this is how Mike Brown coaches.

He had LeBron and Cavs walk the ball up and down for 5 - 6 years? How did that end up?

Not to mention he rarely (read: never) was able to sign players of any level of talent to compliment LBJ. I don't know what the Lakers front office and president saw in him to hire him. He's a smart dude and obviously knows his basketball, but I never saw him as head coach material. In fact, he's a worse coach than Isiah Thomas. And this is coming from a Knicks fan.

If he doesn't win a ring this season he deserves to get canned. Hell, I could win a ring with Kobe, Nash, Dwight and Pau.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by NickC

Not to mention he rarely (read: never) was able to sign players of any level of talent to compliment LBJ. I don't know what the Lakers front office and president saw in him to hire him. He's a smart dude and obviously knows his basketball, but I never saw him as head coach material. In fact, he's a worse coach than Isiah Thomas. And this is coming from a Knicks fan.

If he doesn't win a ring this season he deserves to get canned. Hell, I could win a ring with Kobe, Nash, Dwight and Pau.

Here's what I think about Mike Brown and the Lakers offense and their use of the Princeton offense. From what I've read on wikipedia, you basically pass, pass, and pass again until you find a shot, and shown by last night's opener, it looked stagnant.

4 of the 5 starters on your team are offensively better than most players in their perspective positions. Beat them to the punch instead of taking your sweet time and letting the defense set.

And let Steve Nash run the offense, why else did you sign him during the off-season?! And he ain't cheap.

I know it's just the opening game, but the way they played wasn't much different than the way they played last season.

[NickC]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Here's what I think about Mike Brown and the Lakers offense and their use of the Princeton offense. From what I've read on wikipedia, you basically pass, pass, and pass again until you find a shot, and shown by last night's opener, it looked stagnant.

4 of the 5 starters on your team are offensively better than most players in their perspective positions. Beat them to the punch instead of taking your sweet time and letting the defense set.

And let Steve Nash run the offense, why else did you sign him during the off-season?! And he ain't cheap.

I know it's just the opening game, but the way they played wasn't much different than the way they played last season.

I completely agree. Steve Nash is great for the Princeton system, the way he moves about the court searching for open looks. Why he's not taking the ball up is beyond me. Kobe doesn't need to run the offense, nor does Pau, Dwight, or anyone else. They just need to get open.

[soyizgood]

I guess this is the official NBA thread. I was posting on the other one. I posted this about the Lakers before their first game.

Originally Posted by soyizgood

I am not that sold on the Lakers. Then again, being in LA I am used to the Lakertards going oohs and ahhhs over any and everything Laker-related.

My issues with them:
* Brown is a DEFENSE-oriented coach that is not keen on running an up-tempo offense
* Brown is also a wimp. He can criticize the team and bench players, but Kobe, even with his 7-28 days, is uncoachable.
* Not enough balls for the big 4. Kobe will cramp Nash's ball-handling when forced into a half-court set.
* Free throws. Hack-a-Howard in effect.
* Hot heads. Kobe, Artest, and Howard are perennial technical foul magnets.
* Old legs. Kobe is running out of tricks to keep his knees working. Nash is headed for the same wall that struck Jason Kidd. Gasol doesn't mind being the 3rd or 4th option, but he can't be counted on to step up when it matters most.
* Defense and 3-point shooting. Lakers have been very sub-par in both areas the past two years. Howard doesn't do anything that much better than Bynum, while teams can go right past Nash. Not to mention Lakers can't figure out how to defend the pick-and-roll and kick-outs.

We shall see what happens.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by soyizgood

I guess this is the official NBA thread. I was posting on the other one. I posted this about the Lakers before their first game.

I think Kobe will still and continue to be an offensive nightmare. He maybe older and has more mileage than others, but my god he can still out-dance the best defenders with his footwork and get a shot off.

With Nash (supposedly) running the offense, Kobe can go back to his bread and butter, the mid-range jump shot. He can be a spot-up shooter because Nash and all the other starters should command double teams. Unlike Jordan, where he became a great shooter, Kobe was a great shooter to begin with.