Official NBA 2004-05 Season Thread

Pacers may have the best record, but they play in the East. I don't think the Pacers will win the championship this year. Artest is a great versatile player, but I don't see them winning much against the West powerhouses with JO as their dominant big man. JO is a step below Shaq, Duncan and Garnett.

I also didn't believe Shaq had much in the way of basketball skill, but the guy does. His size helps, but he still needs the skills. Mengke Bateer is a big man aswell, but most people don't know who he is. He doesn't have the skills for the NBA.

 

Pacers may have the best record, but they play in the East.


Don't you mean the Least?


And the only thing Shaq has going for him is his height. I'm sorry anyone that tall can play basketball by standing in the paint and just setting the ball in the net. Shaq is a terrible basketball player. I've always felt that way even when he was with the Olrando Magic.

If that is the case then why haven't other large players had as successful careers in the NBA as Shaq? Like Shawn Bradley, Manute Bowl (sp?), and George Mursean? Your argument and logic is flawed because anyone who plays basketball knows that being an inside presence requires a number of skills such as footwork, post moves, passing skills, etc. None of this suprises me though, I would be upset too if Shaq and the Lakers stepped all over my team for their first title four years ago. Your bitterness is understandable.

 

See thats where you're wrong. The Pacers can take any team in the west. They've beaten both of the teams in the Western Confernce finals this past year. The Pacers have the better passing game and a great bench. The bench is what wins them games. Because Carslie knows when to switch out his players and everyone generally gets a score on the board by the end of the night. The Pacers just play better basketball. And they are playing a lot different basketball then they were a few years ago when they faced the Lakers in the Finals.

The other thing is they plus their fans want the championship more then anyone else in the NBA right now. No one can deny them that. If you've not seen the Pacers play this year or this playoff series you should. Because even when they do lose they play great basketball. This is their year just watch and see.

~PK~

 

See thats where you're wrong. The Pacers can take any team in the west. They've beaten both of the teams in the Western Confernce finals this past year.


That is true but the regular season and the playoffs are two entirely different scenarios. The Pacers cracked under the pressure last year with basically the same team and were knocked out in the first round. It makes you wonder how they would react in a pressure situation in a crucial game in the Finals. In all honesty, at this point I feel the championship is the Lakers to lose and I don't feel there is a team left who can even come close to touching them if they play at their full potential. Whether or not they will do so remains to be seen. I would really like to see a Kobe/Artest match-up in the Finals though.

 

Pacers were 20-8 against Western Conference teams...and we split both sereis against the Lakers (1-1) and Timberwolves (2-2). On top of that, we have homecourt advantage over everyone else, so please keep on dismissing our chances, it fuels the small market chip on our shoulder.

Of course, hitting a last second shot to win a game is nothing new here...Reggie has been doing that for the better part of a decade now in just about every big game situation imaginable...just ask Spike Lee about it.

Edit:
You can't compare last year's team to this year, as Isaiah Thomas had absolutely no control over the team...Carlise & Bird have kept everyone in check and that's why we are where we are.

 

Thats true the Pacers do have homecourt advantage. And the team from last year and the team this year. Are entirely two different teams. The Pacers last year had the worst coach in NBA history in Issiah Thomas who didn't know how to get the job done and was well on his way on ruining what Larry Bird had done when he left the Pacers. Which mind you we've been to the finals before and we forced a game 7 against the Lakers.

The Lakers are beatable. To simply rule out the best team in the NBA is wrong on any level. The Pacers have what it takes to build a dynasty with who they have. They have the best playes in the leauge. The best home court record. Best road record. And as Sebulba said Reggies been hitting last second shots like theres no tomorrow in high pressure games. And if you missed the game Saturday night. There was another Pacer who hit a last second shot. His name Austin Croshire a true force to be reckon with once he becomes comfortable on the floor again.

Now I know there is more behind Larry Bird becomming the General Manager of the Pacers. I knew that when he fired Issiah Thomas before the season started and hired his old Assiatant coach and former teammate Rick Carslie. Rick salvaged Larry's team. The west better beware because that championship is coming home this year. Because its about time the East got the respect it deserves, especially Indiana when it comes to basketball.

~PK~

 

I am not disrespecting the Pacers but the Lakers will be a tall order for them, if they make it out of the West. They have a match-up advantage at every starting position basically and no one to guard Shaq.

 

I think the Wolves fans want it pretty bad too and they also have tremendous depth.

 

I'd like to see the Timberwolves and the Pacers in the finals personally. I think that would be a great all around 7 games. And yes the Pacer do have an answer for O'Neil. We can shout outside of the paint. And our guys who can drive to the hoop aren't the guys that Shaq will be guarding. I gurantee that if it was Pacers Lakers Shaq would be guarding Artest leaving the hole open for O'neil, Tinsely, Miller, Foster, Bender, and Harrington. Which you know whats worst about the Pacers that the only two people on the team who can't really shot threes are O'Neil and Foster.

Plus our defense is a lot better. You don't win games with Offense. Anyone score baskets. Games are won with great defense first. Plus all of the Pacers have gone to the Reggie Miller school of fouling and how to draw a foul. And even if we foul someone it'll be on Shaq everytime. The worst free throw shooter in all of the NBA. Which if you've watched any of the Eastern Confrence Playoff games. You would see that our games are being fought a lot harder then any of those cozy games that the West has been playing.

~PK~

 

Just wait until Malone really starts throwing elbows. Then we'll see how "cozy" Western conference game are.




go spurs.

 

I gurantee that if it was Pacers Lakers Shaq would be guarding Artest leaving the hole open for O'neil, Tinsely, Miller, Foster, Bender, and Harrington.

You are aware that this statement makes no sense because Shaq is a center and Ron Artest is a shooting guard, and this match-up would never exist because of the mismatch right?


Plus our defense is a lot better. You don't win games with Offense. Anyone score baskets. Games are won with great defense first.

You are right, defense does win games and that is why the Lakers won four straight. That and the fact that we shut down multiple time MVP winner and probably the most fundamentally sound player in the NBA, Tim Duncan.


Which if you've watched any of the Eastern Confrence Playoff games. You would see that our games are being fought a lot harder then any of those cozy games that the West has been playing.

Your credibility is going down the drain by making statements like these, you realize that right? If the Least is so good and competitive, maybe you can explain to me why they haven't won an NBA title since the 1997-1998 season and have won a combined total of 5 games in the last four NBA Finals? I rest my case.

 

Its simple one the Pacers should have come back the following year and beat the Lakers but Issiah Thomas ruined the team. Now the difference is that the Lakers aren't the best team in the west. They aren't the best team anymore. They had an incridble sucky season for a team that is made of Champions. The last four years they were the best team. But why are they such a diffrent team this year?

Personally out west I'm rooting for the Timberwolves. I think they're the better team. They're the only team that deserves to be the Western Conference Champions. They had a great season. Just like the Pacers desreve to be the Eastern Confrence Champions. Yes Artest isn't a center. But if you notice Artest spends most of his time going to the hoop not shooting from the outside.

Every team who has played the Pacers this playoff season has had to make changes to try and stop Ron Artest. Shaq isn't a problem because the Pacers have already shut him down a couple times this season. I'm not worried. They're going to win. And if they don't its because they played the Timberwolves. Because the TImberwolves are the only team that can go toe to toe with the Pacers.

~PK~

 

Not to nit-pick, but Ron Artest normally plays small forward, with Reggie as our shooting guard. Foster is at a huge disadvantage at the center spot versus Shaq, but I think between Foster & Jermaine double team, they'll be able to do as decent of a job guarding Shaq as anyone can. That will probably leave Malone open more than I'd like, but we're good enough defensively to swarm about. I think both teams are pretty good depth wise, but I honestly don't pay any attention to the Western Conference teams until the playoffs, so I don't know who has the advantage there...and I really only know what I do about the Lakers because every media outlet jams their comings and goings down my throat at every possible chance.

The Lakers seem to have single individuals step up in their big wins, where I think the Pacers normally have everyone playing above average in theirs. I hope the Pacers do play the Lakers in the Finals, because if they do have a rematch and we pull out a victory, I want it against the team that's percieved as the best, and not have people putting asteriks on the trophey because the Lakers weren't the opponent (like people do to Houston when Jordan took a vacation). Even then, I'm sure some will still say that the Western conference is so tough that the teams wore each other out or some crap like that.

Still...I'm not looking past Detroit...they are very tough and I think they'll pose more problems for us than the Nets will if they win tonight. And I don't think the Lakers are taken their championship for granted either, as Minnesota is riding a pretty good buzz right now, and it wasn't too long ago when the Lakers were on the verge of imploding via Kobe's trial and their own internal bickering/underperformance...I think they're still on the verge, so we'll have to see how they handle these first couple games in Minneapolis.

 

Yeah now the Pacers facing the Pistons thats going to be an intresting match-up. Reggie vs. Brown, Carslie vs. Pistons. Brown has never taken a team to the NBA Finals. Brown is facind his old team which he helped build to at least go to the Eastern Confrence finals. And Carslie whose first year as head coach for the Indiana Pacers after leaving Detroit. Thats going to be a great 7 game series. I can't wait till Saturday.

~PK~

 

The Lakers are more than beatable. If Flip Saunders makes the right decisions, the T-Wolves will beat the Lakers in 6.

"Still...I'm not looking past Detroit...they are very tough and I think they'll pose more problems for us than the Nets will if they win tonight."

The Nets will have an easier time with the Pacers than they did/will with the Pistons. If the Nets win tonight, you will see why.

Go New Jersey Nets!!!

 

If its the Nets the Pacers will take the Nets in 5 maybe 6. The Pacers already faced one of the hardest teams in the East when they faced Miami. And the only reason Miami was such a hard team to beat. Was because of their winning streak at home and Wade. He's going to be a force to reckon with in the coming years in the NBA. Either way we'll maintain the Home Court Advantage, which Pacer fans aren't that quiet and tend to stay charged the whole game. Unlike most stadiums where the team slows down the crowd quiets down and then when they start to get some steam so does the crowd. Not in Conseco.

There were people waiting at 1 in the morning to buy tickets for this Saturdays game. It's going to be an awesome series, whoever we play.

~PK~

 

You guys will have to shoot me a PM on how you like your crow because you'll be eating plenty of it in the coming weeks.

 

Go Timberwolves!

 

Pacers in 6, T-Wolves in 7. Final will be Pacers in 6.

 

Pacers in 6, T-Wolves in 7. Final will be Pacers in 6.

Bib, you do know I am on perfectly legal terms to ban you for such an outlandish prediction?

 

I like his predictions.

~PK~

 

Bib, you do know I am on perfectly legal terms to ban you for such an outlandish prediction?

Leave us alone, you nassssty Mods! We hates them, yes, Precious. They stole our postses, didn't they, my love?

 

I dunno, I can see Cassel lighting up the Lakers. I'm still waiting for Spree to choke (in a game, not his coach), though. But I think the Lakers will win the series and demolish the Pacers and Pistons, two similar teams (which is what makes the Eastern Conference Finals so boring).

 

I'm too tired to read the whole argument, but I gotta say that Shaq wants another title, and the Lakers will get it. The Pacers have a nice young group. Miller is the really the only veteran off the top of my head with lots of play-off experience. The Lakers are oozing with it. And with the way Shaq destroyed my beloved Spurs, the only team which basically stood between the Lakers and title number 4, I've got to go with them.

KG and co will give them a good run, but I think the Lakers will have it, probably in 7 games.

 

I dunno, I can see Cassel lighting up the Lakers.


I have to disagree, while Cassell will get his points one way or another, I don't see him lighting us up. He has a bad back and with Troy Hudson out for the playoffs, he's going to have to pull at least 40 mins a night with very little rest against both Gary Payton and Derek Fisher. The odds aren't in his favor.