NBA 2012-2013 Discussion, keep it classy

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

Bionic Poster
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.
 
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

G.O.A.T.
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.
 

Feña14

G.O.A.T.
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.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
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

Professional
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

New User
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...:?
 
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."
 
Last edited:
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

Professional
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

Professional
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.
 
Last edited:
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

Professional
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

G.O.A.T.
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 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.
 
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.
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
I have no idea what "Princeton" offense is supposed to be, but what seemed clear to me is that Nash didn't look like Nash. He looked befuddled and out of place.

Wouldn't it be better if the Lakers just let Nash run the type of offense he had been running most of his career and have the rest of the team feed off that?
 
LA looks bad. Only 2 games of course but Dwight is still hampered by the back and still can't shoot FTs, Kobe looks decent but isn't the Kobe of old, and this offense isn't built for Nash. Pau is the only one thriving, like the guys on TNT said last night bc this offense is built for him when he's only the 3rd/4th best player on the team. They'll get it together ala Miami in 2011, but things don't look good to start.
 

tennismonkey

Semi-Pro
LA looks comically bad. they have flashes of individual brilliance because they have some incredible players but that princeton offense and their team defense looks - like a team that was just slapped together.

i don't like dwight. i don't like kobe. i don't like metta. i'm indifferent about pau. but i love nash. but 1 love doesn't negate 3 don't likes. i'm gonna root and enjoy watching LA fail but hope nash plays great.
 

volleygirl

Rookie
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.



Good call on Harden not being able to handle the load. Who really needs a guy who put up 37 points and 12 assists in a system hes only been able to learn in 24 hours? You would really take either Curry or Ellis ahead of Harden?
 

hollywood9826

Hall of Fame
The modern NBA is all about getting to the rim and shooting threes. I dont have Curry (if when he is healthy) and Ellis's charts. But nobody IMO is better than Harden at only shooting layups and threes. Here is hardens chart.

grantland_kg_jharden_576.jpg


And kevin martins.

grantland_kg_kmartin_576.jpg


hardens is an excellent finisher and good enough three point guy. And he is a more than capable passer.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Harden has a career game, and you think he's the allstar of basketball?
MontaEllis scored over 40 more than 5 times. Is he your allstar
Good players get into the zone. Don't expect Harden to average 30 over 3 games.
 

volleygirl

Rookie
Harden has a career game, and you think he's the allstar of basketball?
MontaEllis scored over 40 more than 5 times. Is he your allstar
Good players get into the zone. Don't expect Harden to average 30 over 3 games.


I am not basing it on one game, I have thought Harden was better than either Curry or Ellis for a good while. The fact that he just signed a 5 yr 80 million dollar deal and the Warriors shocked people by giving Curry a 4 yr 40 million dollar deal shows that I am not the only one who would take Harden over Curry. I never said I thought Harden was a max player but I'd prefer him over the 2 you mentioned. Curry cant play 3 weeks without rolling his ankle.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
I thought OKC's offer for Harden was consideraby lower, and they should know better than Houston. OTOH, having already two allstars who want/can handle the ball, there's a glut there.
Houston tends to overpay, methinks.
Curry's downside is the ankle, which precludes any huge contract offers. The two are tied together, and separate from his ability on the court.
 

volleygirl

Rookie
I thought OKC's offer for Harden was consideraby lower, and they should know better than Houston. OTOH, having already two allstars who want/can handle the ball, there's a glut there.
Houston tends to overpay, methinks.
Curry's downside is the ankle, which precludes any huge contract offers. The two are tied together, and separate from his ability on the court.


OKC offered Harden 4 yrs and 55 million while he wanted 4 yrs and 60 million. For some reason they couldnt offer him a 5 yr deal so 4 yrs and 60 mill was the max they could offer and they came within 5 mill of that.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Harden is better than Ellis and curry. He can play multiple positions, has a very well rounded game, can defend as well. Ellis and curry are good but mainly just at scoring. Curry is a pretty good passer. I will give him that.
 

pepka

Professional
Lakers problem isn't Princetone offense. It's Mike Brown. His rotations SUCKS. He plays guys out of their positions. He can't make an in game adjustments to save his life. Then, there is his minute management. (Gasol was 2nd in minutes played last season in the entire NBA). Dude is 32y/o, 7' tall, white and plays for his national team. How can you play Kobe (on bum foot) 40mins on back to back nights? MB needs to go.
 

hollywood9826

Hall of Fame
I thought OKC's offer for Harden was consideraby lower, and they should know better than Houston. OTOH, having already two allstars who want/can handle the ball, there's a glut there.
Houston tends to overpay, methinks.
Curry's downside is the ankle, which precludes any huge contract offers. The two are tied together, and separate from his ability on the court.

Curry is always hurt. The ability maybe there but will we ever know?

Ellis is one of the least effiecient scorers in the league.

I will take Harden over both of them.

I garuntee you the Spurs would have rathjer face Ellis coming of the bench when they were up 2-0 to OKC. Harden killed them.

Harden is better than Ellis and curry. He can play multiple positions, has a very well rounded game, can defend as well. Ellis and curry are good but mainly just at scoring. Curry is a pretty good passer. I will give him that.

Gimmie Harden all day over both of them guys.

Curry is decent when he is on the florr at 100%. Haden does have more body so can guard a few of the bigger guys that curry cant.

Ellis is also small to be guarding SGs.
 

hollywood9826

Hall of Fame
Lakers problem isn't Princetone offense. It's Mike Brown. His rotations SUCKS. He plays guys out of their positions. He can't make an in game adjustments to save his life. Then, there is his minute management. (Gasol was 2nd in minutes played last season in the entire NBA). Dude is 32y/o, 7' tall, white and plays for his national team. How can you play Kobe (on bum foot) 40mins on back to back nights? MB needs to go.

Agree with Brown. He took a team with Lebron into teh NBA finals and got swept. Im sorry you have LeBron you should at least be able to win one game.

He is not a good head coach. There really are not many in the NBA that are. Brown has had time to learn enough to figure it out.

Remeber Doc Rivers was not very good his first couple years. Then he figured it out. Brown will not.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Maybe I"m not the wisest of the basketball critics.....
How can 2-3" of height make any difference in defense? Even giving away 20-30- lbs shouldn't matter much, because defense is positioning, and the desire to stay between your man and the basket. Defense is about being active, moving your feet, staying in balance, and knowing what's behind you and where to steer your man.
I know commentators are always pointing out pure physical size. They are pointing out only the basics for the average beer drinking, tv watching joe.
Lots of great defensive players are not bigger than the guys they defend. They have to be smarter, to WANT to play defense, to be active with their feet AND their hands, to watch film to notice tendencies, and to play tough when possible.
2-4" at the point makes no difference, just like that difference at the 2 or 3 or 4 makes no difference.
 
Good call on Harden not being able to handle the load. Who really needs a guy who put up 37 points and 12 assists in a system hes only been able to learn in 24 hours? You would really take either Curry or Ellis ahead of Harden?

It's one game...against the Pistons. Let's not get carried away here and give Houston the title or anything.

Houston's still the youngest team in basketball. They'll have their growing pains eventually.
 
Last edited:
OKC offered Harden 4 yrs and 55 million while he wanted 4 yrs and 60 million. For some reason they couldnt offer him a 5 yr deal so 4 yrs and 60 mill was the max they could offer and they came within 5 mill of that.

"In addition, newly signed contracts now have a maximum duration of five years for players with Bird rights and four years for all other players (including sign-and-trade acquisitions)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_salary_cap#Maximum_individual_contracts_under_the_CBA
 
Agree with Brown. He took a team with Lebron into teh NBA finals and got swept. Im sorry you have LeBron you should at least be able to win one game.

He is not a good head coach. There really are not many in the NBA that are. Brown has had time to learn enough to figure it out.

Remeber Doc Rivers was not very good his first couple years. Then he figured it out. Brown will not.

When your 2nd best player is Boobie Gibson and you're going against a dynasty, you get swept. LeBron's the only reason they even got to the finals and past Detroit. Brown is on the hottest of hot seats already, If LA is under .500 after November he'll get canned.

Doc was decent in Orlando, then had a terrible roster his first few years in Boston before the big 3 came in. Plus Doc at least was a good player and players will respect that. Brown on the other hand....

in other news, to go back to a story from last year - Eric Gordon, who was supposed to be NO's great return in the CP3 trade, is still 'hurt' and sitting out. The coach doesn't buy it though.

http://updates.deadspin.com/post/34718963316/there-is-something-fishy-about-eric-gordons-knee
 
Last edited:
Don't look now, but the team everyone always ignores (except for me), San Antonio looks ready to make another run at it. They were the team to beat last year before OKC did just that. Still one of if not the deepest lineup in the league, and a system they know works.
 
Don't look now, but the team everyone always ignores (except for me), San Antonio looks ready to make another run at it. They were the team to beat last year before OKC did just that. Still one of if not the deepest lineup in the league, and a system they know works.

I don't know if they were the team to beat from the get go last year, but they undeniably became the team to beat.

When you have Pops and Timmy, you can do a lot of things wrong and still win. They're not flashy, never been, but they get easy buckets, and that's always fun to watch. So I don't understand why people say they're boring.

As Kenny Smith said last year: "They're surgical."
 
I don't know if they were the team to beat from the get go last year, but they undeniably became the team to beat.

When you have Pops and Timmy, you can do a lot of things wrong and still win. They're not flashy, never been, but they get easy buckets, and that's always fun to watch. So I don't understand why people say they're boring.

As Kenny Smith said last year: "They're surgical."

They were 2nd in scoring and 1st in FG & 3pt pct last year. Just because they don't have the big name superstars or play in the big market they get no love from casual fans and most of the media, while schmuck teams like the Nets and Knicks get the spotlight. Most real fans know that SA can get it done if they stay healthy.

Oh and Westbrook (soy's boy) still stinks as a clutch player and true PG. He was literally lost on that last play.

rytu2a9y.jpg
 
They were 2nd in scoring and 1st in FG & 3pt pct last year. Just because they don't have the big name superstars or play in the big market they get no love from casual fans and most of the media, while schmuck teams like the Nets and Knicks get the spotlight. Most real fans know that SA can get it done if they stay healthy.

Oh and Westbrook (soy's boy) still stinks as a clutch player and true PG. He was literally lost on that last play.

They do have a superstar, he just doesn't abuse his stardom like most others do.

And on Westbrook, I agree with you that he's not clutch, but they have Kevin Durant for that.

However, as far as him not being a true PG, I think people need to give him some slack there. He's really a shooting guard but assumed the role of point guard because the team doesn't have one, and he's the next best thing.

But, I do have the opposite opinion on his shot selection, on-court decision, and defensive capability.
 
Last edited:

Feña14

G.O.A.T.
Don't look now, but the team everyone always ignores (except for me), San Antonio looks ready to make another run at it. They were the team to beat last year before OKC did just that. Still one of if not the deepest lineup in the league, and a system they know works.

I don't think you're the only one :)

I sat up at 3am watching them on a crappy stream that kept cutting out, it was a nice win though so I can't have any complaints.
 
They do have a superstar, he just doesn't abuse his stardom like most others do.

And on Westbrook, I agree with you that he's not clutch, but they have Kevin Durant for that.

However, as far as him not being a true PG, I think people need to give him some slack there. He's really a shooting guard but assumed the role of point guard because the team doesn't have one, and he's the next best thing.

But, I do have the opposite opinion on his shot selection, on-court decision, and defensive capability.

Not if Westbrook decides to outshoot Durant on a night in night out basis. The thing w/ Westbrook is that he's a scoring guard and will likely always have that shoot first mentality, even when his teammate, the best scorer in the league, is wide open. He needs to sit down with some of the great PGs of the game and let them drill that into his head, bc obviously Scott Brooks isn't doing a good enough job of it.
 
Not if Westbrook decides to outshoot Durant on a night in night out basis. The thing w/ Westbrook is that he's a scoring guard and will likely always have that shoot first mentality, even when his teammate, the best scorer in the league, is wide open. He needs to sit down with some of the great PGs of the game and let them drill that into his head, bc obviously Scott Brooks isn't doing a good enough job of it.

No doubt, there's never a good reason for a point guard to out-shoot a scoring champ.

It goes back to his decisions and shot selection. For example, if some fools is face-guarding you Westbrook, PASS THE BALL. Don't jack up a 3 with someone's hand in your face with at least 10 seconds left on the shot clock.
 
Don't look now, but the team everyone always ignores (except for me), San Antonio looks ready to make another run at it. They were the team to beat last year before OKC did just that. Still one of if not the deepest lineup in the league, and a system they know works.

San Antonio's gunmetal jerseys are sweet!
 
Spurs look scary, they have so many options late in the game. That, and Duncan looks young!

Holy crap, Westbrook was 6/21?! 21 ATTEMPTS?!
 
Last edited:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diXbI2sl5B4 :twisted:
Also, funny quote from Parker:

Westbrook: "Oh I want some popcorn from the crowd."
Ibaka: "Wait hold on, I'm not supposed to be checking point guards out in the perimeter! F*** your popcorn man!"

Meanwhile, on the Spurs side of things

Tony Parker: "I know I injured my eye during the off season, but really? Y'all gonna give me a wide open shot with 5seconds left in a tied ball game? Alright, what's the worse that can happen if I miss? Overtime?"
 
Last edited:

Feña14

G.O.A.T.
Westbrook: "Oh I want some popcorn from the crowd."
Ibaka: "Wait hold on, I'm not supposed to be checking point guards out in the perimeter! F*** your popcorn man!"

Meanwhile, on the Spurs side of things

Tony Parker: "I know I injured my eye during the off season, but really? Y'all gonna give me a wide open shot with 5seconds left in a tied ball game? Alright, what's the worse that can happen if I miss? Overtime?"

Parker has had a good start to the season, he was amazing last year and I heard some people thinking he might not be able to keep it going this time round. So far so good!
 
Top