Arena The NBA Thread

Parts lucky, parts Kobe & parts Nash/a timely MWP 4th quarter 3-pointer led to the Lakers very exciting & thrilling 1 point win tonight, improving their record to 13-5 since being a hideously low 7 games under .500 (17-25). Being back at .500 (at 30-30, on 3-3-13 ) is quite a sight for this team, given the inconsistencies/terrible play that plagued so much of their season (particularly in January), but damned if it isn't good to finally see them there. Still 2 1/2-3 games out of a playoff berth (only 3 games behind Golden State!), but I haven't been this optimistic all season of their chances to make the postseason.

 

i definitely see why they were doing poorly. that collapse was just sad. (first chance i'f had to watch any basketball all season). they just look sooooooo old and slow on fastbreaks that it's not even funny. the thunder or clippers would pretty much run them out of the building.

 

annnnnd double postiness! yay!

anyway, if you were wondering where lebron got all of his post moves all of a sudden... here's a video of him training with hakeem.




as a slight aside... i really have to wonder how good hakeem was at soccer... or would have been.

 

so pretty much where everyone goes to get post moves.

 

So...why is Wally Szczerbiak doing half time analysis for this Knicks-Cavs game?

 

You'll never get answer.






It's been little over 2 years now since those 2 were sitting courtside for a Clippers/Lakers game, and still no explanation was ever given for that. Nothing for 2 years!

 

I would have been pissed if I was sitting behind them

 

To remind us of the good old days ... When blowing a twenty point least was playoff common happening and not an unusual regular season happening.

 

OKC began the game on 7-0 run, and ended it on a 14-0 run, but the sections of the game in between were respectable enough for the Lakers, which included a couple of ridiculous 3-point shots made by Kobe, one of the them ending in a 4-point play. I'm calling it now... OKC will win the title in June.



!




A tale of 2 games:

39-20: The 2nd quarter score, the Pelicans Hornets flat out embarrassing the Lakers. Though the Lakers won the 3rd quarter by 1 point, it began to look like a forgettable night, one of many from this season.

33-9: The 4th quarter score, the Lakers ending the game on 20-0 run. Kobe + Meeks + Howard (a couple of free throws, plus timely rebounds & blocks) leading the way, salvaging the night (from grumpy Tunick to happy Tunick), and maybe, just maybe their playoff hopes. One of my favorite games of this season.



http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...omments-disrespectful-20130306,0,2360934.post


Dwight: SHUT UP about your time in Orlando.

 

rose cleared to play

he still says he's not ready and the bulls aren't rushing him, but still good news for our resident bulls fan epic

 

this is unfortunately a lost season for the sixers. it will be interesting to see what kind of offers bynum gets in the offseason and if the sixers pursue him.

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba


But here's the real killer. Multiple sources have told me that, when Oklahoma City's Sam Presti decided to shop James Harden, Golden State was his first call. He wanted Klay Thompson and a pick.


Hmmm, why the hell didn't Golden State take Presti up on that? Big mistake.


http://www.buzzfeed.com/ktlincoln/your-official-nba-eastern-conference-rooting-guide

 

because it's golden state and they have a history of stupidity on their hands?

 

no, because they couldn't afford to sign harden to an extension unless the thunder (or someone else) took on one of their bad contracts. the article says as much. yes, in retrospect they should have jumped on it and figured out their cap situation later, but let's also not forget that thompson hasn't exactly been terrible or that no one really predicted exactly how good harden could be as the number one option on a team.

 

but they also have a history of making bad contract and personnel decisions. at least for the last couple decades. otherwise they'd have been in a position to take advantage of the harden offer.

EDIT

and i STILL think it was INCREDIBLY stupid on presti's part to break up that trio. that would have been a killer, killer trio for years. better than manu, parker and duncan ultimately i think.

 

that's a fair point. i took your post to mean "just another in a long line of stupid decisions", when they actually did have valid reasoning this time. also thompson is a keeper and part of a solid young core. when bogut, biedrins and jefferson do come off the books after next year this could be a franchise that's finally in decent shape.

edit: i think it's still too early to judge the harden trade from the thunder's standpoint. martin has been very good for them. but they're in a position after last year where anything short of an nba championship will be a disappointment. ultimately (fairly or not) that's how the trade will be judged, on whether they win a title or not.

 

understandable i suppose.

and i guess we'll see on the warriors. i just wouldn't be terribly shocked if they did something else to goof things up, given the track record (unless they have a new GM recently, then it's kinda a guessing game).

 

yeah, they have a new gm this year. also they're moving into a new stadium on the san francisco waterfront in 2014, which is what i think their rebuilding process is gearing toward. that said, they'll most likely make the playoffs this year (their schedule is really favorable the rest of the way) which is already a step up.

 

Glad to hear he's physically fit, tho the mental factor will obviously be harder to get through. Understandably. If that knee goes again thats his career. I do think he needs to get on the court this season though, otherwise that mental factor will be there all off season.

 

The Blazers absolutely crushed the Spurs tonight.