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1. Training camp is only a few days old and already Kenyon Martin has punched Nene in the eye for throwing elbows in practice.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

2. ESPN NBA 2k5 is the greatest video basketball game ever; buy it!!!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Hard to get too worked up about it after the Olympics proved that the sport played in the NBA is not basketball.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

3. The Chauncey Billups blog needs to get back to updating STAT, as that's the only way I'll be paying any mind to the NBA.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

4. Hey, Gary Payton in a Celtics uni! And he's not pouting as much as he could be!

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

FITE! The NBA Players Association vs. The Traveling Wilburys.

― Aimless (Aimless), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Roy Orbison trumps all. Jeff Lynne = the British Moochie Norris. Tom Petty = Eric Montross' shorter, thinner brother.

I'm not sure I actually dealt with the FITE issue up there.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Hard to get too worked up about it after the Olympics proved that the sport played in the NBA is not basketball

ew, did you actually watch the olympics? that shit wasnt basketball, it was a bunch of jump shots and layups. thank god i dont have to watch 'international' basketball all year long.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

BrianIA and philtoo both wrong, but let's not fight about it

5. Theo Ratliff locked up long-term by Blazers, countdown to the dumpage of Shareef Abdur-Rahim has begun

6. Jerome Kersey is now reunited with Terry Porter on the Bucks' bench, it's like the early 90s all over again

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

(they're both coaches, not players, duh)

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Ew, shooting.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ew, trapezoids.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

7. Pippen retires. World yawns.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

8. The Worm returns. World claps yawning mouth shut lest anything enter.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah briania, but that's the interesting part: after the Olympics drubbing and the shiny new NBA rings on the starless, team-oriented Pistons, will we see any changes in playing or coaching?

I dreamt about Kevin Garnett last night.

― Lukas (lukas), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

HE WAS AWESOME

― Lukas (lukas), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)

o god between getting married and moving and campaigning I totally forgot about NBA.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

So who are our conference favorites? In the east I'm gonna say the Pistons (natch), Bucks (shocker!) and Heat (can a two-man team win?). In the west the Kings (they'll choke when it matters), Spurs (injury-plagued regular season, but they pull it out) and T-Wolves (who will also choke when it matters). Heat-Spurs finals. Spurs win.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

9. Can we all agree that Derek Fisher was the single worst free-agent signing of the offseason?

If anybody's interested, I launched a blog covering the Memphis Grizzlies today. Once the season starts, it'll have live reports from home games and plenty of good Hubie Brownisms from the postgame press conferences. Link:

http://www.memphisflyer.com/grizblog.html

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

NICE!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Pistons repeat in the East. Wolves in the West if and only if Cassell is healthy and happy come playoff time, otherwise Spurs.

Yanc3y -- Bucks over Pacers?

(My surprise team pic -- Wizards)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Lukas OTM -- a league in which the Pistons are the new success model could get very interesting.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i hadn't thought of the pacers -- that was so so so off the cuff -- but yes they will be good. i really think the bucks will be great though. michael redd = best pure sg in the nba, and their kinda scrappiness should make them the grizzlies of the east.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Y- T.J. Ford's back is made out of nerf. Watch out for Houston...Yao and T-Mac are scarier then Shaq and Wade.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The T.J. Ford injury is a problem for the Bucks, but I think Mike James is a decent backup plan and Van Horn has a chance to finally fit in somewhere. Love Redd and Porter sure seems like a real good coach. I still say they're fighting the Cavs for third in the Central and thus one of the last playoff spots. The fact that the Cavs have Drew Gooden clearly gives Milwaukee the edge though.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

houston is totally my team, chauncey (i seriously look forward to the relaunch of yr blog, btw!), and has been ever since the twin towers days (unbelievably, they are the only professional sports team i consistently root for). but i fear the yao-tmac chemistry, and any team with BOB FUCKING SURA as a pg needs some help (i like howard and jimmy ball fucking hog jackson as supporting players, however).

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Drew Gooden is insane. Jeff McInnis lost his starting job to Eric Snow, and the Cav's are crazy thin in the middle. LeBron has to be on some King Arthur shit this season for them to make playoff noise.

― Chris Ryan (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

i think i'm gonna play an espn 2k5 game with every team against the '80s western conference allstars and use the results to formulate my blog's season preview. i have just decided this.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Houston's frontcourt reserves are horrible -- Mo Taylor and Mutombo, yech. I think they're probably a year away, providing they can add a couple more decent role players next year.

Can somebody give a link for the Chauncy Billups blog?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, by that Jeff McInnis thing I meant he will probably wind up doing the kind of things that get him punched in the face.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The supposedly infallible Jerry West after drafting Drew Gooden: "We have the rookie of the year."

I still cringe at the sight of Gooden breaking off plays to launch contested 19-foot jumpers the first few weeks of his rookie year. With him and Gordan Giricek both on the floor at the same time it was impossible to actually run an offense.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

ihttp://chaunceybillups.blogspot.com/

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey I call dibs on Bucks worship. I've left my Blazers, the love of my life like Badu, for them, so don't front on my year-long campaign for respect in Cream City. TJ is the key, but yeah James is ace. We played better last year with Santiago in the middle than with Skinner. Plus we now have ZAZA PACHULIA!

Oh, and I too look forward to everything that's being said about the blogs of the two Chrisses. But keep your eyes peeled, acause there's going to be a new blog in town soon.....

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Vince Carter's site is amazing by the way.

Q: Hey Vince! whas really good? But anyways my question is what was your most embarrassing moment ever?

Jesse from Detroit

A: Well, Jesse, one of my most embarrassing moments would have occurred during my college years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I was with Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams and a few of my other college teammates. We were coming from practice one day and the streets and sidewalks had ice on them from an ice storm the night before. I was walking, but not paying attention to what I was doing. I slipped and fell up in the air on my back. I had a 6 pack of apple juice in my hand. It went flying in the bushes. They laughed at me for 3 straight days.

Q: okay, first I just have to say that you are the sexiest man alive! Your fiancé is such a lucky lady *sigh* he he alright enough of that, I have to tell you that watching you play basketball is truly inspiring. Your hard work and dedication to the sport makes you an amazing role model for lots of people. My question for you is: how does it make you feel to know that so many children look up to you and want to be exactly where you are?

Naghmeh from Toronto

A: Hi Naghmeh. It's a wonderful feeling to have young people looking up to me. I enjoy helping people and trying to lead them in the right direction. When they listen, that makes it easier. If eel that one of my purposes on this earth is to help others. I try to help people choose THEIR course in whatever positive things they want to do. That way they find success and feel a sense of pride for doing so.

Q: Hey Vince, this is my second time writing. I just had my graduation yesterday and my dad bought me your jersey for a present. That was awesome. We are about to start summer training for JV and I was trying to remember my best moment from last season. I thought about when I hit a game winning 3 against Joshua Springs. All I remember is the crowd just screaming, my team rushing off the bench, and me being so excited. I think that’s been the best feeling I’ve ever had and it made me realize that’s y I play this game just because I love it. It reminded me of your game winning shot against the Celtics a while back. So I was wondering what’s your favorite part about hitting a game winning shot? You’re the best player and always my favorite. The championship is coming to Toronto next season

P.S. The jersey I got was probably one of my best presents I ever got and another one is if you would just write me back.

Paul from California

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Like I said last year, I hope the Knicks are contenders-- after making some dubious moves in the off season. I do like Jamal Crawford, but who cares about Junkyard Dog. Houston's on the wane and the center position leaves a lot to be desired. Prove me wrong Isiah!

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"apple juice"

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

mcd, he will

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

jamal crawford? glad that bitch is gone.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey Bucks fans:

At the game at Memphis last year, when Desmond Mason totally laid out Mike "Bad Back" Miller as if he was Roy Jones Jr. or something and Pau Gasol actually got in Mason's face about in what seemed for a minute was gonna become a big brawl -- was that at all a memorble Bucks moment or just for us?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

whats stromile swift up to?

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

it was a rare thing, chris, because the guys are pretty laid back. i guess you memphis thugz just bring out the worst in us. :-]

actually, the bucks won more games off of detroit in the playoffs than l.a. did.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

mcd, he will

I mean, the Knicks are in the Atlantic division along with Philly, NJ, Toronto and Boston. Hopefully that will make us look good.

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

So is it safe to say the consensus for the Eastern conference finishing order is:

1) Miami
2) NY / Boston
3) who gives a squirt?

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Miami is one gigantic ingrown toe-nail away from no playoffs.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

???????????????????????? In what year, David???

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Stro apparently turned down a mid-level type deal with the Grizz and was looking for an average of 10 mil. per. Since he didn't get an offer sheet from anybody else, he signed the one-year tender with the Griz.

My guess is that they'll try to start Stro and Pau together like they did at the beginning of last season and hope it works. Hubie didn't stick with it very long last year, though. I think Stro can be a very solid player if he can go somewhere that will give him 30 minutes a game at the 4. He's stuck behind Pau here, though.

I wish they could have worked out a trade this offseason, because now the likely scenario is that he walks next offseason and they get nothing for him.

Good shot blocker, improving mid-range game, and good for at least a couple of Holy Shit! dunks a week. And the best name in the NBA

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm biased but if Glen Robinson either a) revives his career or b) goes on a long, long walk without telling anyone about it, the Sixers could make noise in the East. Sam Delambert is not playing around.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

The Mavericks are gonna SUCK. Stackhouse will whine, Daniels and Howard are going to be bottled up sitting behind him and Finley, Dampier is going to sleep all season since he has his money locked up.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the Sixers to win the Atlantic (is it still called that?). They should have their best defensive team since they went to the Finals, what with Dalembert in the middle and O'Brien coaching. Big Dog is the x-factor, definitely.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

then they should call them the Siers because that x is gonna go missing

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

haha. totally disagree. d-bear and ai are good, yes, but i think that team needs to be blown up. as long as ai is the sole focus of the offense, they will always be at the mercy of his 41% field goal shooting. i really love him, think he's a great player and all of that, but there still isn't enough around him to make any serious noise. that said, it's time for me to finally study the new divisions.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll go with the T'Wolves winning the West but I think the Pistons will probably repeat no matter how wins on that side. Keeping my eye on Denver (love this line-up even more with K-mart) and Houston. Mavericks will be completely awful, yes.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

looking more closely at the 76ers, they have BOTH kenny thomas and scoreless williams, which is like 15 losses right there alone!!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:15 (twenty-one years ago)

williamsON

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Iverson is apparently finally starting at point, and Athens seems to have had a pretty significant impact on him. It really depends on whether any of the kids they have turn out to be players. Salmons, Iguodola (sp?), Korver....But then again I'm a Philadelphian so I excel at deluding myself about these things.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Kenny Thomas has game! In the Olden Polynice sense of the word.

― Chauncey (chrisryan), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, my pick of the Sixers to win that division has more to do with the division than the Sixers. Nets are going down the crapper, Celtics are still a muddle, Raptors suck, and I don't buy the Knicks for a second. I think that division is worse than the Southeast.

Re: Mavs. If Daniels sits behind Stackhouse then my fantasy team is fucked.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Should I get NBA 2k5 or NBA Live 2005? I'm used to playing the 2k series, but I read a couple of so-so reviews of it this year (messy isomotion, too easy to score?) and the franchise mode has always sucked. I hate the draft, because it's all so random who progresses and who doesn't, regardless of how they perform.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Is Willie Green gonna be any good?

(Brian Skinner was a nice pick-up off the bench too -- a bit more size at the four than Thomas)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

In the Olden Polynice sense of the word.

hahahaha! one of my favorite bill simmons moments was his 76ers preview last year:

9. Philadelphia 76ers
I just can't reward any team that signs Greg Buckner for six years and $18 million, then follows that beauty one year later by giving Kenny Thomas $50 million over seven years. Fifty million dollars for Kenny Thomas???? Are you KIDDING me? When Philly made that offer to Thomas's agent, do you think he started glancing around the room looking for Ashton Kutcher and the "Punk'd" cameras?

After I heard about the contract, I immediately called my buddy Joe House. Keep in mind, House follows pro hoops with the best of them. Anyway, here was our exchange:

Me: Did you see how much Kenny Thomas signed for with Philly?

House: How much?

Me: Guess.

House: I dunno ... three years, $10 million?

Well, he was four years and $40 million off. Good contract though. Savvy.

It's a combustible mix in Philly this season. Thomas got his long-term contract, as did Derrick Coleman -- who (like Odom) should never be paid more than a month in advance. Not a good start. Larry Brown bolted town. Not a good sign. Glenn Robinson arrived as yet another Second Banana for Iverson (following Stackhouse, Hughes, Kukoc, Mutombo and Van Horn) -- here's a proven CBC (cancer, ballhog and coach-killer), and you stick him with a force of nature like Iverson? They might fight to the death. Not a good trade. And while we're on the subject, isn't Iverson's body due to break down soon? How can somebody so little take this much of a pounding?

Hey, look at the bright side, Sixers fans: You get to watch Kenny Thomas for the next seven years. Believe me, he isn't going anywhere.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

is it too early to start bandying about the whole ILX Fantasy League thing?

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

milo i bought both. live has the slam dunk thing which is funfunfun, but the espn gameplay is smooth, improvised and totally fun. and yes the franchise shit (which i normally love) is really, really awful, but i don't feel like ea's is that much better. if yr getting one, get espn. i got both for $60 and it was totally worth it, tho.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Shit - I didn't mean the ENTIRE Eastern Conference - just the Atlantic Division. My bad.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

shit, i traded my ps2 for a gamecube and am totally regretting it now

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I really fell off as far as keeping track of my ILX team last year. I'll try to do better if there's a league this year.

My fave Sports Guy moment has to be doing the Griz preview in all Hubiespeak BEFORE Hubie was hired to coach the team.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Me too, I got killed because of the weird autodraft (all PGs for the first six picks) and flailed about until I couldn't flail no more.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I did jack somebody in a Van Exel for Jamison swap at the beginning though

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

you missed out. the winner was decided on the very last day of play.

its the first time i ever did fantasy basketball, and learned from some crucial lessons: DONT DRAFT FT%-KILLING SHAQ, and BALL-FUMBLING FRANCIS in the first two rounds. i was like near the top on all the categories, but dead last in ft% and turnovers.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

also, i had too many chicago bulls

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

here's another tip: DON'T BE THE GUY WHO LOSES ON THE LAST DAY.

― YeahThat'sMe (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:30 (twenty-one years ago)

If three people say 'go ahead set up the league' I'll be the commish this year

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

My other league is a points league (meaning all the individual stats are cumulative), so worrying about the percentage categories and having enough in every category is foreign to me.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

go ahead set up the league

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:43 (twenty-one years ago)

uno

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:49 (twenty-one years ago)

anyone know where i can find those amazing pics of nowitzki and nash really fucked up?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in Matt

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

good lord man use some punctuation

or some lube

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

oops

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

go ahead set up the league

― Symplistic (shmuel), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

go ahead and set yourself up...i mean set up the league

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

opening trash talk salvo!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

im going to trick leeeee into picking troy hudson in the 3rd round again. i cant wait.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:14 (twenty-one years ago)

didn't i wind up with hudson for a while? i kind of wanted him after he torched the lakers two years back.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

gp in a celtics uniform is a jarring sight

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

im going to make sure my browser doesnt crash so yahoo doens't auto-select brent barry for me in the 3rd round. but i guess it did pick peja for me in the 4th.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

retarded predictions ahoy:

East:
Detroit
Miami
Indiana
New Jersey
Milwaukee
New York
Cleveland
Orlando

West:
San Antonio
Minnesota
Sacramento
Denver
Houston
Dallas
LA Lakers
Phoenix

― Symplistic (shmuel), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

knicks can probably take the weak hotlantic division. philly could be a dark horse, there's some yammering about this iguodala kid and iverson is a good slash-&-shoot-first eastern style point. i think he has a decent year or two left in his body before he starts utterly coming apart at the seams.

celtics, god only know...they could really gel and they could rip themselves apart a few weeks in. pierce alone means they'll stay off the bottom of the division. when are they gonna get around to dealing ricky davis?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

dude, you forgot chicago.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:21 (twenty-one years ago)

there is no reason denver should not be your favorite team to watch this year

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

carmelo's hair. oh it hurts to look at.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

orlando making the playoffs?!?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

on second thought that team really could make the playoffs, or win 10 games

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

hi rob, sorry about AIM lately. also: NAME THE THING DAMMIT, or maybe we can just convert rasheedsbeard into it!

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:25 (twenty-one years ago)

cleveland and orlando are both pretty dicey picks. but not as dicey as boston or (ahem) washington. I figure an all-star PG is all you really need to make the playoffs in the east.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Yancey -

http://www.danm.us/images/dirkncheeks.gif
http://www.danm.us/images/earpull.gif
http://www.danm.us/images/triplets.gif

And even better/worse, Dirk/Nash slash. http://germadian1341.tripod.com/id4.html

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

You heard it here first: Warriors to make the playoffs!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Name the league DIRK-N-CHEEKS!!

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

10. "You're firing Phil without telling me. You're doing this and doing that. I'll tell you what, you can have this. I've been the scapegoat for too long. 'Phil took us to the Finals three out of the five years and you want to fire him and want to bring in Mike Krzyzewski? Come on, man. That's like being married to J-Lo, then dropping J-Lo for a girl that's 5-10, 480 [pounds]. They asked me when I was out there, 'Why do you want to be traded?' I said, Me staying here is like divorcing my wife and marrying someone who looks like me. That's backwards, man." -- Shaq.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

11. "We're going to be in bed with each other. It's like a marriage." -- Stephon Marbury, on his relationship with Jamal Crawford.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

denver is too dependent on camby, doubtful he'll hold up for two seasons in a row, he's got to have a migraine that keeps him out for 40 games this year especially after signing a new deal. i wonder if mcdyess will have a rebirth in detroit?

― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

basketball.fantasysports.yahoo.com

Click on free league
League name: Kermit Washington Was Framed
ID #: 56370

I only have 12 in for maximum teams, I can change that if people are all really excited. How many did we have last year?

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 7 October 2004 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Yahoo wants a password along with the League ID, unless I went to the wrong spot

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:02 (twenty-one years ago)

oh sorry password is ohnoyoudidnot

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:07 (twenty-one years ago)

sweetness

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:19 (twenty-one years ago)

damn, full 9 categories including TURNOVERS...bane of my existence

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i liked it when FGM and FTM were categories, so it put more emphasis on scoring, which um, i think is like the most important in real basketball. but oh well

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:31 (twenty-one years ago)

i'll still play. and hopefully come in 4th

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:39 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck, kermit really was framed

― Symplistic (shmuel), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Phil, I thought about that, but then I figured we already have points and it doesn't make sense to have categories that recapitulate themselves. Let's just get people signed up and then we can talk about those categories. Nothing's set in stone.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 7 October 2004 01:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the idea of certain categorical redundancies is a hierarchization of categories, i.e. what is the point in basketball it is to score points (at least theoretically). In an extreme hypothetical context, let's say there are two categories, Points and Rebounds. Team A wins Pts, B wins Rebs; they are effectively tied, even though IRL rebounds don't necessarily lead to points. So a thing to do is to weight points, give pure pointage extra heft.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 7 October 2004 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, okay. But we could also include things like Offensive Rebounds as opposed to Defensive Rebounds, or Flagrant Fouls, if we wanted to. There are a lot of categories. As long as FGM and FTM are right up alongside FGP and FTP, I'm down with that. I just was never that great a shooter, so I'm all like 'eh offense stinks it's overrated anyway'. The personal and the political, it's like that. I'm not proud.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 7 October 2004 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

omg flagrant fouls would be awesome

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 7 October 2004 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Western Conference picks:

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Probably not Sacramento or Dallas or the Lakers so it has to be someone new. Denver? Houston? Memphis?

Eastern Conference picks:

1. Detroit
2. Indiana
3. Miami

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 7 October 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh! I'm off ILX for a couple days and I miss the start of the NBA thread!

I don't think I have time to do a fantasy game this year but after the last two years I've decided the best scoring categories are:

Points (The McGrady category)
Rebound (the Ben Wallace category)
Assists (the Jason Kidd if he weren't injured till Feb category)
TO (the Allen Iverson category)
FT% (the Shaq category)
FG% (the Yao category)
Steals + blocks ... I wish there were a good way to combine these. Otherwise, use them both.
Field Goals Made - like Phil said, this was good for emphasizing scoring.

All those other categories just clutter things up and wind up making the game unrealistic. MAYBE flagrant fouls for the knuckleheads.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 7 October 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

we can totally do field goals made and free throws made. i'm not really thinking that flagrant fouls is a great category or anything.

I wonder if we should set up I Love Basketball.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 7 October 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

we should do i love basketball just so that those of us (*cough*WARSHAW*cough*) with a subscription can post fancypants espn insider chad ford articles.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 7 October 2004 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Do it up! We should just de-google-ize it cuz ESPN sometimes does searches to see if anyone is posting their content.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 7 October 2004 19:47 (twenty-one years ago)

BUMP. we only have seven teams so far, shooting for at least eight, maximum of 12. if not enough people show up, I'm filling it with Cibula children again. and you DO NOT want that...or do you?

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 9 October 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

join! and show up to the draft so we dont have people drafting on yahoo-auto-pick

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 9 October 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

word. it's set up for Oct. 24 (Sunday) at 12 EST, I think.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 9 October 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

who wakes up that early on sunday??

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 9 October 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

hm, most people i guess. okay, i'll set my alarm

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 9 October 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

The Sunday time should work well for me.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Sunday, 10 October 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

. The Worm returns. World claps yawning mouth shut lest anything enter.

there's not a lot of chance for me to keep up on basketball over here, it's sad really. (i'm too poor to get the north american sports network, boo)

is this true? oh, i used to love him. it's like 3am and i'm too drunk to actually look this up. please inform.

― colette (a2lette), Sunday, 10 October 2004 00:48 (twenty-one years ago)

colette they have this thing called the internet now! it's awesome! they have basketball information on it and everything!

and yeah, rodman wants to come back but no team wants/trusts him. which means of course he'll end up on the clippers or something. damn with my luck he'll be a blazer by december.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Sunday, 10 October 2004 01:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Rodman's what, 43 now? Publicity stunt. He won't be on a roster.

There are some people down here suggesting the Grizzlies should take a chance on Alonzo Mourning.

People -- let them go.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Sunday, 10 October 2004 04:33 (twenty-one years ago)

NBA 2k5 is $14.99 at Best Buy this weekend, for anyone looking.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 10 October 2004 04:47 (twenty-one years ago)

damn, if I hadn't just broken my playstation 2....

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Sunday, 10 October 2004 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Etan Thomas on the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq. Bonus poetry content!

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Monday, 11 October 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, internal rhyme!

Between him and Adonal Foyle, the NBA has some surprisingly sharp guys.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Monday, 11 October 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

the pistons always insisted that rodman is like 5 years older than he claims to be.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 11 October 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

while he's no charles barkley, that's a pretty good analysis.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Monday, 11 October 2004 07:15 (twenty-one years ago)

based on tonight's performance against seattle, the lakers have some work to do. not only that, kobe's mission to win a scoring title may not to translate to the lakers being a fun team to watch. don't tell anyone i said that though.

(it seems like only last month when they were rolling through houston, san antonio, and minnesota!)

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 04:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Who had Oct. 13 in the First Blazer Suspension/Arrest pool?

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 04:14 (twenty-one years ago)

DOGFIGHTING?!?!?!? Hahaha, so glad I'm a Bucks fan now.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 04:21 (twenty-one years ago)

NBATV lied to me. It said it was showing that Lakers/SOnics, but when I turned over because the Red Sox/Yankees game was too demoralizing it wasn't there.

I really wish I was surprised about the Qyntel Woods thing, but I'm not. (Remember, this is the same guy who got pulled over by the cops last year and tried to use one of his basketball cards as I.D.)Dogfighting, geesh. Makes me glad I traded that bum from my fantasy team last season. He is, however, responisible for perhaps the best dunk I've ever seen in person (and I see Stromile Swift in the flesh 41 games a year), at a summer league game here in Memphis when he was still in junior college: takes a rebound, heads down floor, takes off around the free-throw line but at a 45 degree angle from the basket and throws down a tomahawk dunk on a defender.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Is there a 2004 NBA Fantasy League thread? If so, I had trouble locating it. I want in!

― mcd (mcd), Thursday, 14 October 2004 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

mcd, get in where ya fit in!

basketball.fantasysports.yahoo.com
Click on free league
League name: Kermit Washington Was Framed
ID #: 56370
password: ohnoyoudidnot

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 14 October 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah those nu-lakers are a fascinating mess. why is kobe playing 40 minutes in exhibition? he looks unstoppable though. i kind of love lamar odom now, he's such an oddball player. he can't really bang as a pf, he's huge for a sf, he can pretend he's a point guard and actually handles the ball really well, and even made a decent substitute center when duncan spent most of athens in foul trouble. what a weirdo. perfect for a team that has basically two set position players (atkins at point and divac at center.)

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 14 October 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Should we do H2H for this also?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 14 October 2004 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think eight combined assists from their PGs are going to be enough for the Mavs this year.

I really wish Cuban hadn't mortgaged the future for Dampier. Harris-Howard-Daniels-Dirk makes for a nice young nucleus, Finley becomes tradeable in a couple of years as his contract winds down, and maybe Podkolzine or DJ Benga become the real deal or the NBA finds an undiscovered cache of big men somewhere.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 14 October 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

mcd, get in where ya fit in!

Excellente!

― mcd (mcd), Friday, 15 October 2004 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Mavs 0-2 - bad D, too many turnovers, not good on the break, no passing.

Wha' miss Nash? Wha'?

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 18 October 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

still looking for a couple more teams for the league! we've got, what, 8? that's not bad if we roll with it but i definitely do not want to get served by the junior members of the begs2differ clan, which is what will happen if we don't fill out a couple more teams. anyone in?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in!

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm in too!

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

woo hoo!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

teeny, don't draft reggie miller this year!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

get stephen jackson instead

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

oh and begs2differ is unable to make a sunday nite draft either due to a) trying to help us avoid election apocalypse and b) hanging out with kidz; SO it looks like the draft is on for sunday morning at 11 am pacific/2 pm eastern. you mountain and central weirdoes can do your own math.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

in the yahoo rankings, ten of the top ten come from the mighty west.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:40 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, i hadn't noticed that because i still think of t-mac as being in the east. i still think the overall balance of power is pretty heavily tilted toward the west, even if the best team and arguably the most game-changing player are now in the east.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

who's the best team?

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

detroit?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

i mean i don't feel totally confident saying that but they are the defending champs, didn't lose anyone significant over the offseason, are starting a full season with the double wallaces up front, a supposedly healthy mcdyess coming off the bench, and larry brown wanting revenge after a frustrating olympic run.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd put both minnesota and san antonio above detroit, but not by a lot.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh fuck it I'm going to join. I'll see if my roommate wants in too (he mentioned wanting to do one this year).

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 21 October 2004 03:29 (twenty-one years ago)

minnesota vs. san antonio will be a great series.

― Sympatico (shmuel), Thursday, 21 October 2004 06:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Heya is there any way to bump up the number of teams? My roommate wants to join but we're up to 12.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 21 October 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm on it, Aaron W. We'll move it to 14 teams.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 21 October 2004 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

what is the DRAFT ORDER?

― dan (dan), Thursday, 21 October 2004 21:12 (twenty-one years ago)

oops--it's on the site as "randomly determined approximately 30 minutes before the draft".

― dan (dan), Thursday, 21 October 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

please god let me have kevin garnett

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 21 October 2004 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

did we decide about FGMs at all?

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 21 October 2004 23:17 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, and I think I want to keep that one out of it, as it double-counts points. sorry, but a lot of time went into the decision.

also: apparently I fucked up and changed the draft time, it is now SUNDAY OCT 24 at 2:00 EST!!!!!!!!!!! Check the site to make sure that's right, my bad, I was investigating other times and it clicked wrong I guess.

BAD COMMISSIONER.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 22 October 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

it's been like that for a while, croney!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 22 October 2004 00:37 (twenty-one years ago)

SI reports that Tim Duncan has shrunk an inch.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 22 October 2004 01:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Osteoperosis is a bitch. Drink your milk, kids!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 22 October 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks for bumping it up to 14! I'll let the roomy know. Rules look awesome... I'm excited for the season!

Meanwhile, Carmelo is a clown:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1906525

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 22 October 2004 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Why don't my friends ever leave their drugs in my bag/truck/house? Athletes have generous friends!

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 October 2004 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Saw your Bucks up close tonight, Begs. Redd was money, as usual, but the rest looked a little sketchy. (Yes, I know, preseason, blah blah blah.) The two Bucks highlights were an electic Marcus Haislip dunk on most of the Griz frontline (who knew?) and Zaza Pachulia getting punched in the face by Lorenzen Wright after a couple of sharp elbows to Ren's chin.

Man, Toni Kukoc is really getting gray.

(In other news, Bonzi Wells jacked up a shot every time he touched the ball and got a technical foul for breathing too hard. Guess that means we're ready for the season to start!)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Friday, 22 October 2004 03:25 (twenty-one years ago)

That game sounds awesome! Bucks are really gonna miss TJ Ford... Sounds like his career might be in jeopardy, not just the season.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 22 October 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Ford was there in street clothes, so at least we know he can still walk. I like Mike James and all, but he ain't gonna get it done with only Mo Williams as a backup.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Friday, 22 October 2004 03:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm hoping carmelo makes a statement about how he's shocked and saddened by his friend's apparent drug problem.

― dan (dan), Friday, 22 October 2004 05:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I still maintain that this will be a good year: Mike James was Fantasy Gold for me last year, Chris. And we just beat the Mavericks the other night, so what does any of this mean? Nuttin', honey. I'm just glad we have a player named Zaza Pachulia.

I gotta get to some games this year. Maybe I'll take up a second job.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

shut up about mike james already

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 22 October 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm still annoyed that i dropped him last year

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 22 October 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck off

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

OH SNAP IT'S A FITE

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

pah

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not gonna distract you from your pre-rankings, i'ma just let you sit back and play yourself automatically

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

that's almost as funny as your log-in name, WTF with your big antoine walker head

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 22 October 2004 23:26 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.hofgroup.com/ProductImages/fb/antoinewalker.JPG

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 23 October 2004 01:17 (twenty-one years ago)

haha my son has an awesome NBA Lego set and one of the players is Antoine, he's got little fake Lego stubble and everything

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 23 October 2004 04:41 (twenty-one years ago)

but yeah the Tony Parker Lego guy has MORE stubble
http://www.kickz101.com/v1/catalogue/stuff/nbalegoallstars/pics/3561.jpg

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 23 October 2004 04:42 (twenty-one years ago)

that is the least convincing lego representation of tony parker i've ever seen

― Sympatico (shmuel), Saturday, 23 October 2004 08:26 (twenty-one years ago)

BUMP DRAFT TOMORROW! BUMP DRAFT TOMORROW!

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 23 October 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

TROY MURPHY IN THE THIRD ROUND!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Saturday, 23 October 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

hahaha!!

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 23 October 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

well my browser crashed last year and the autopick drafted brent barry in the 3rd round for me. wtf.

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 23 October 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha... My consolations didn't help.

(Thanks for the invite out last night, Phil... I was asleep by 12 after another day in the bibliotech which is Spanish for stockade.)

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 23 October 2004 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

ok call me tonite, its kevins birthday

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 October 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

BUMP! 2 hours. Qyntel Woods and Jamal Mashburn in the first round!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 24 October 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i will be there for the first round at least. aaron, you coming over today? poker + baseball. you know you wanna.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Sunday, 24 October 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm #1! hahah.

I'd love to Yanc3y... I have a 40% of my grade paper due on Monday, though. Maybe I'll stop by on my way home.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 24 October 2004 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Poker + Baseball is on my menu tonight also.

#5 is the best ever draft position I've ever had.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 24 October 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

D'OH!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 24 October 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Jesus, I can't draft this year.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 24 October 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

UGH, GLENN ROBINSON?????

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 October 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

woo-hoo, only one Maverick, I should be safe this year.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 24 October 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Way to get drunk, Phil.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 24 October 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

it was kevin's birthday party like a block from your house! we were all wearing wigs. i looked like a hooker. someone trade me a SG and/or a C.

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 October 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

if either nazr or raef puts up mvp numbers this thing could be wrapped up very quickly.

― dan (dan), Sunday, 24 October 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah i would have picked raef instead of antonio davis if my stupid browser didnt get stuck

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 October 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

steve kerr checks in with a genius pick for pacific division champs!!!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=sk-pacific102504&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

― dan (dan), Monday, 25 October 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

"Those two will need shooters surrounding them, so Chucky Atkins can play a major role as a shooting guard."

"Chris Mihm [is] being counted on for defense and rebounding"

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 25 October 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

mihm has looked pretty good in preseason!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 25 October 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

for an awkward white boy with a nice smile, but that goes without saying

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 25 October 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

look into the eyes of pacific division inside power

http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/chris_mihm.jpg

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 25 October 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

wait, are those lego players kind of offensive? they clearly have one "darker" skin tone color that they use. clearly ignoring parker's euro-ambiguous racial composition.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 25 October 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

oh crap I let it autopick for me and I got PAUL PIERCE!!! I hate that guy!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

drop him and take someone else, teenz

oh and everyone better check out this site, it's kinda good.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

SHAQ = GRAPE APE! MAKE IT SO!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Troy Hudson looks like a fraggle!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 30 October 2004 00:04 (twenty-one years ago)

So does Spree! I love this, I really want this year to be known as "The Year Everyone Had Fuct-Up Hair."

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 30 October 2004 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

OPENING DAY Y'ALL

and boo-ya, Devin Harris is starting down in Dallas! Call Gordo and Miranda, Lizzie's boyfriend is rockin' it!

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 15:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Finley will start despite missing the last four preseason games with a hamstring injury. Sixth man Jerry Stackhouse may be available to play, too, as his bruised thigh is healing faster than he'd anticipated.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

― Sympatico (shmuel), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

haha

here's some bonus devin harris/lizzie mcguire content: http://www.slamonline.com/links/06212004/index2.html

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Danny Fortson is litigious.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

slam magazine is so great. am i right or am i right?

― Sympatico (shmuel), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never read it before now, but yeah I think it's pretty cool.

To see my predictions for this year, hit up Post Up Moves today.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

philly and phx at no. 2??? you so crazy. but i love your previews!

― Sympatico (shmuel), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

nice preview--i love sac not making the playoffs, and picking the lakers to go to the western finals shows a tremendous understanding of the game. let's hope you're right.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 01:23 (twenty-one years ago)

it's starting!

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

nachbar, baby

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 02:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Sweet! My fantasy team leads the league in ejections! Way to go, McDyess.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 02:53 (twenty-one years ago)

The nuMavs looking good. Dirk put up 19 and 7 in 23 minutes so far

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

God I forgot how much I love the Pistons.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 03:10 (twenty-one years ago)

the pistons looked good. the story of the night, though, is chris mihm who toyed with nene, k-mart, and camby. they had NO ANSWER for the new face of western conference inside power, who had a career high 23 points and 12 rebounds.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 07:25 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, kinda makes me feel stupid for picking up brian grant!

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

add stephen jackson to the list of fuct up hair pls

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 4 November 2004 00:23 (twenty-one years ago)

another reason to love him, including the fact that he is currently TEARING UP the cavs...sixth man indeed

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 4 November 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

lebron looking like a goddamn pimp so far though. obvious prediction: he is going to have a hell of a year

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 4 November 2004 00:25 (twenty-one years ago)

hey the jazz are looking pretty good so far!

― dave k, Thursday, 4 November 2004 05:12 (twenty-one years ago)

houston has been a little disappointing

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Thursday, 4 November 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

it's only the second game of the season, let the rockets jel first

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 4 November 2004 06:12 (twenty-one years ago)

THE BULLS WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! ...some day

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 4 November 2004 06:15 (twenty-one years ago)

AK47 with six-plus blocks against the Lakers, damn.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 4 November 2004 06:19 (twenty-one years ago)

The Jazz looked awesome last night... I seriously thought I was watching a college team the way they were moving the ball, defending, and everybody was hitting midrange jumpers and driving to the lane for layups.

I wasn't sure how they'd play with all the changes but man I'm convinced they're for real. And that Jerry Sloan is second to none as an NBA coach.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 4 November 2004 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Breast implants, a koala, and a recording studio... there's a joke in there somewhere.

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?&idq=/ff/story/0001/20041106/1236921870.htm

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 6 November 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

The Bulls came back from a 27 point deficit against the Nets and took the game to double OT. They would've won it in regulation if they Hinrich and Nocioni didn't choke on the foul line.

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 6 November 2004 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw the boxscore... Hinrich was like 12-30 with 6 three pointers.

I watched the Pistons lose to the Raptors last night (NBA League Pass = the greatest invention evah). The Pistons bench looks terrible... I'm sure they're start to work the kinks out (not having LB sucks) but man they miss Corliss right now.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 6 November 2004 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Seeing the Cavs come back from being down 19 at the beginning of the 4th against Phoenix tonight was awesome. I gotta admit I really like Lebron.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 11 November 2004 04:43 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, z's three was incredible.

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Thursday, 11 November 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Totally. So was that dunk that Lebron had down the lane.

Feels like there's way more parity in the league this year than in the past... Methinks it's goings to be an exciting season.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and we can start the Jeff Bzdelik death watch now. I give him until game #20.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and just in case you thought that Ron Artest wasn't nuts anymore. Good for Carlisle for benching him. Bad for not doing it sooner.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Leading the Mavs in assists for their last win.... Dirk. With two.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:17 (twenty-one years ago)

NBA quote of the year: "I don't know what that means," Artest said. "They probably expected a little more; expected me to play every game. Everybody's different. It's early in the season, so I feel like I could take some time off early and be ready for the long stretch."

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Ron Artest is the Manny Ramirez of Brick City.

x-post
and yeah I guess Devin Harris is having problems or something.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 11 November 2004 05:20 (twenty-one years ago)

So what's worse... Losing 102-68 for Indy's worst home loss in history? Or doing it against the Clippers?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 11 November 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm sittin' courtside at Grizzlies-Warriors watching the pre-game shootaround. Andris Biedrans looks raw, and not in the Big Daddy Kane sense. Where's Leee?

This current Ron Artest thing is a little too Iversonian, doncha think? I liked it much better when he was with the Bulls and working a second job at Circuit City for the employee discounts on stereo equipment.

Seven minutes to tip-off. I'm smelling a blowout. Brian Cardinal's revenge!

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Saturday, 13 November 2004 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know how long it will last, but Dirk is looking like a monster this year. 41-10-4 last night (leading in assists yet again). Having a true center (even a gimp like Dampier) is helping.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 13 November 2004 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

someone let me know when the bulls win a game

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 13 November 2004 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

hey artest was on my fantasy team last year and did great for me! I only have one pacer this year.

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 13 November 2004 02:53 (twenty-one years ago)

wait does jamal tinsley have any records coming out?

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 13 November 2004 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

hey what does this mean?

Advisory: You may not drop or "dump" players from your team for any reason other than attempting to improve your own team and/or its standing within the league.

why else would you do it?

(I just know this is going to be one of those things that's obvious to everyone but me but so what I'm drunk)

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 13 November 2004 03:01 (twenty-one years ago)

collusion...bottom-shelf owners might dump players in concert with others picking them up...total asshole maneuver

ooh that didn't sound the way I wanted it to

OR DID IT

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Saturday, 13 November 2004 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost

NBA thread messages from courtside rule! Drunk NBA thread messages rule too.

I'm in the library high on sudafed and illness. That does not rule so much.

Dirk looked awesome last night... I can't believe that Cuban has actually managed to put together a decent team this year that can actually, oh, defend someone every once in a while.

Anyway, Teeny, basically you can't dump players just to fuck up the league. It's mostly a problem in public leagues where kids get bored and decide to waive their entire team. Just play to win and all is good.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 13 November 2004 03:24 (twenty-one years ago)

ah, I thought it was more like, don't drop Marcus Camby just to hurt his feelings, you big meanie you.

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 13 November 2004 03:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The Warriors backcourt rotation shot 4-34 last night; apparently Golden State didn't get the league-wide memo that scoring is up this season. It looks like Atlanta might not be the only team worse than the Bobcats this season.

I was assisting the AP writer last night because his regular right-hand man was a no-show and he made me go to the Warriors locker-room to get quotes, which was not a fun place to be. I pondered telling Jason Richardson that he was really killing my shooting percentage in the Kermit Washington Was Framed league, but under the circumstances I figure he would have strangled me.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Saturday, 13 November 2004 14:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Nowadays, he can afford to! The big lunk of chump.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Saturday, 13 November 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah good rule. last year leeee was offering me his whole team for mike dunleavey

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 14 November 2004 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

did both conferences get weaker when memphis went from the east to the west?

― dan (dan), Monday, 15 November 2004 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

New Orleans went to the West, Memphis was already in.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

And I'd say no. The West stayed about as strong - LA and Sacramento got weaker, looks like Utah, Dallas and Phoenix got better, Houston may have stayed the same, San Antonio, Minnesota probably stayed the same. (That's halfway ignoring early records.)

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 15 November 2004 01:20 (twenty-one years ago)

and the east got better by subtracting new orleans, since they're definitely on the way down, and by adding shaq, resurrecting orlando, improving cleveland, etc. i'm ignoring charlotte b/c expansion teams have no choice but to suck. oh but then there is new jersey, boston and chicago, all of which have chosen to suck. ok, it's a wash in the east but the east's upper echelon seems like it is now as exciting as the west's...almost

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

also, having watched three of cleveland's 4 game winning streak: lebron is fucking dynamite. my favorite thing he does is steal the ball- he does it like bird and jordan did, he hangs back a step, not exactly where he's supposed to be, watches the pass coming and just suddenly steps in and takes it. classic.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

bzedelik death watch: i say he's gone within nine or ten games, right a stretch where they play the cavs, heat and magic and probably lose them all.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 05:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Pistons got back to Pistons basketball tonight (even though I only got to see the last 2 minutes of the game). Nice to see Larry Brown back on the bench.

Last night, the Bobcats TOTALLY should've beat the Jazz if not for being an expansion team and having no idea how to win games. As usual, the predicted "worst team ever" isn't going to come true. I think they're good for 20-25 wins, which given their roster would be a huge success.

And, Seattle broke the most awesomest record last night: they were the first team to shoot more 3-point shots than regular field goals. I love the NBA!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 18 November 2004 04:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Bill Walton just quoted "Visions of Johanna"! Sweet.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 18 November 2004 04:27 (twenty-one years ago)

oh no, wait, it was "She Belongs to Me"; my bad

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 18 November 2004 04:29 (twenty-one years ago)

someone look at my fantasy basketball team and make an offer. trying to unload a F in exchange for a competent SG. plz.

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 18 November 2004 04:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't take long to hit the first Dampier injury of the year.

I feel bad for whoever traded Jason Richardson for Jason Terry a few nights ago, I haven't heard anything about the MRI on his ankle.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 18 November 2004 05:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow the Knicks are look like 5 strangers out there... How many times can Tim Thomas go 1 on 5 or jack up a bad shot in the first 3 minutes of a game??

I'm starting the Lenny Wilkins death watch right now

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 19 November 2004 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

did yall vote for the all-star game?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 19 November 2004 03:03 (twenty-one years ago)

that was me on the Terry trade. I needed help on steals and assists and also figured that, considering their team situations, Terry would also be better on FG% and turnovers, and those are my four weakest categories. Course, that was before he got injured. Plus I'd just talked to Richardson after their godawful loss here and was worried that I'd jinxed my team.

I think the Bobcats could concievably be a playoff contender as early as next year. Wallace/Okafor/Brezic looks like a legitmately good young frontcourt; add some backcourt help in the draft or free agency (Michael Redd?) and they could be in good shape.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Friday, 19 November 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

i just want to say that i love fantasy basketball so much that it's sickening.

phil--manu ginobli could be available.

― dan (dan), Friday, 19 November 2004 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Carter to the Blazers rumors this morning... The sticking point will be that the Raptors want Jalen Rose and his crappy contract to be included. Dunno why that of all things would stop the Blazers though. And besides, they need to corner the market on headcases.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 19 November 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

do you know I made it through the entire last season without having an injured player? not so this season. :(

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 20 November 2004 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG Pacers-Pistons fisticuffs!!!

Go Big Ben go!!!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 20 November 2004 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

ARTEST LOSES MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 20 November 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

HOLEEEE. FUCKING. SHIT.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 20 November 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 20 November 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Ugh. That fight and the way the crowd reacted might've been the single ugliest thing I've seen.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

But, I must say, things are pretty fucked when Rick Mahorn is trying to break things up:

ihttp://sports.espn.go.com/nba/photos?photoId=634088&gameId=241119008

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 04:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Try that again:

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/DTP10411200430.jpeg

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 04:43 (twenty-one years ago)

who's got artest this year?

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 20 November 2004 05:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Say what you will about the "detroit fans" ... but Ron Artest has a big BIG problem on his hands...

That fat ugly mook who jumped out of the stand onto the court as Artest was walking away? All he did was adopt a fighting pose. Balling his fists and hopping and so forth. Artest threw the first punch. And boy did it land.

That dumb mook got exactly what he wanted: grounds for a big-time lawsuit.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 20 November 2004 05:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The video is astonishing.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 20 November 2004 07:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The look on the guy's face in the stands when Artest goes after him is AMAZING.
I'm also stunned by how poorly these guys fight.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 20 November 2004 07:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I wouldn't think the guy who came onto the court would have much of a case. He invaded Artest's workspace, confronted him, and gestured like he was about the start throwing punches. Now, the "oh shit" guy in the stands that Artest went after, who apparently WASN'T the one who threw the beer, he might have a case.

As crazy as Artest is and as unneccessary as it was to go into the stands after getting hit with a flimsly plastic beer cup, I put a lot of this on Ben Wallace. We were watching it live, and before the melee broke out, we thought Wallace had lost his mind. He's was going after Artest for like two minutes before things escalated, and in response to a foul that was hard but not exactly unprecedented or any anything.

(And I don't blame any other Pacers players for anything. I can totally understand how they felt like 12 against 20,000 and panic and survival instincts took over.)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Saturday, 20 November 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not excusing Wallace of the Detroit fans, but Artest is an idiot. Lying on the scorer's table was nothing but provocation. And then running into the stands after the WRONG guy was just insane. No one is blameless in this at all. I'd expect Wallace, Artest, Stephen Jackson, and maybe Jermaine O'Neal to be suspended for a long time.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

12 against 20000?

― Andy K (Andy K), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Judging by the punches that O'Neal and Artest landed on that dude on the court, the 12 won.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah. You're the visiting team in a sold-out arena and fans and throwing things at you and running on the court. Psychologically, I can see how you'd feel besieged.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

My three-year-old nephew ALMOST broke out his brass knuckles.

― Andy K (Andy K), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Psychologically, I can see how you'd feel besieged

So don't run into the stands, for crissakes.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

This is outrageous. Why doesn't Ron Artest play for the Blazers!??!?

― Aimless (Aimless), Saturday, 20 November 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

This bee whizzed by my head on front porch this morning. It also took a little peck on my arm. I know it came from the hive that's in my back yard. I am going to go hit the hive with my baseball bat. I will be pissed if any bees come out.

― Andy K (Andy K), Saturday, 20 November 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Artest, Jackson, O'Neal and Wallace are suspended "indefinitely" until the league can figure out how to levy the punishments.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 20 November 2004 19:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, Indiana only had 6 players suited up tonight.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2004112011

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 04:53 (twenty-one years ago)

And they still almost won?!!?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Sunday, 21 November 2004 05:02 (twenty-one years ago)

while artest et al. deserve what they get, it's a little gross that the people who win out from the suspensions are the Pistons and their fans. This is going to basically remove their top Eastern rival from contention. If only there was a way to punish the fans and the players.

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Sunday, 21 November 2004 07:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I wouldn't be surprised if Stern fines the Pistons organization for failure to have enough security or something along those lines.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

And Artest needs to go away for a long, long time (the NBA takes into consideration a player's history). I read that some people think he might be suspended for the season, which would be deserving.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, at least he'll have time to promote his CDs. Maybe when the beer hit him, he thought "cool, here comes my vacation!"

One of the heads was saying that the Pistons staff, Palace staff and cops would look over all the footage and that season tickets were going to be yanked.

What is it this weekend? First the basketball game and then the Clemson-South Carolina brawl yesterday. Athletes be buggin'!

― I Am Curious (George) (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 21 November 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

The thing that really sucks is that the Pistons organization, from the owner Bill Davidson to Joe Dumars down, is really a consistently class act. Unfortunate that a bunch of knuckleheads managed to ruin the club's organization in about 3 minutes.

But, again, if Artest hadn't 1) fouled Wallace with 45 seconds left when the Pacers were up twelve 2) monkeyed around on the scorers table 3) run into the stands (he ran over the Pacers color commentator who was trying to stop him) and 4) started punching everyone in sight..... I don't think any of this would've happened.

I hope he has fun promoting Allure CDs.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

It also wouldn't have happened if Ben Wallace hadn't overreacted to the foul and tried to fight through other players to get at Artest for what seemed like about two minutes, which is part of what incited the local crowd. (His throwing the towel at Artest preceded and probably provoked the fan throwing the beer.)

I'm not condoning Artest's actions at all. He needs to go away for a long time. But I'm not a fan of either team and when my friends and I were watching it, we all thought Wallace had lost his mind well before Artest went into the stands.

I think the only person that might be getting a bum deal here is Jermaine O'Neal, who wasn't involved in the altercation between players and never left the court. He just got involved when jackass fans started pouring onto the court looking for a fight.

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Sunday, 21 November 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, that's a strange way of looking at o'neal coming in five minutes late and absolutely cold-cocking a fan(jackass or not). it all started with joey porter and william green the sunday before, myabe there is a tail of a comet making everyone crazy it could be just like maximum overdrive, only with people.

― keith m (keithmcl), Sunday, 21 November 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

damn this fight was just bananas....I'm with chris h a little bit though, I've had Vikings season tickets for a long time, and there's a ton of fans that use games and their logic of "I spent X amount of dollars on this ticket so I have the right to do anything I want to" as an excuse to get as drunk and belligerent as possible. I wince when I see some of the stuff going on around kids and families.

Fan behavior at sports events is every bit as out of hand as the behavior of athletes....it's not just the players, although I'm totally for Artest being suspended for a LONG time...basically I'm of the mind that: Players belong on the court (Therefore all the players that went into the stands should be suspended) and Fans belong in the stands (those dudes that came out on the court and tried to take swings got what they deserved).....

Yeah, and chris h is OTM about Wallace overreacting....yeah it was a hard foul, and a little flagrant but it wasn't complete out of the norm for an NBA game...fouls that hard happen all the time....

GO WOLVES!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Sunday, 21 November 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

(Also CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT: OMG ARTEST DID THIS ON PURPOSE SO HE COULD GET THAT MONTH OFF HE WANTED TO PROMOTE HIS R&B RECORD!!)

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Sunday, 21 November 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

word and also props to Artest for his work to take the mantle of being the "what's wrong with athletes today?" sports radio whipping boy from my boy Randy Moss!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Sunday, 21 November 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Wallace overreacted, no doubt, and I expect him to get a long suspension. But I've watched like 90% of the games he's played in a Pistons uni and can count the number of times Wallace actually become visibly angry at another player on one hand. Artest knew exactly what he has doing with that foul. Game was at hand, Wallace is just going up for a layup to run out the clock. Classless to foul a guy from behind. Then lying on the scorer's table and jumping in the crowd, etc. etc.

Also, I honestly think from the fans it was more dumb, stupid, machismo to blame than beer. Beer is retardedly expensive at the Palace and I've never seen as much drinking than at, say, a football game. Dudes just watched too much wrestling or something.

And OTM that the dude who came on the court got what he deserved.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 19:49 (twenty-one years ago)

haha yancey has artest!

― teeny (teeny), Sunday, 21 November 2004 21:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Artest got 30, Jackson and O'Neal got 20, and Wallace got 5 games.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/3936202/detail.html

I'm a Pistons fan, but if Stern doesn't punish the organization in some way -- god, even make them film PSAs or donate to an anti-violence charity -- he's an idiot.

But, I guess the message is don't punch the fans.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 21:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Dudes, you think Wallace was only reacting to that one hard foul? I'm sure Artest was provoking him all game long and Wallace (who NEVER gets upset) finally had enough.

― mcd (mcd), Sunday, 21 November 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I just heard Artest got 30 games.

― mcd (mcd), Sunday, 21 November 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

wow.

Artest DONE for the SEASON.

wow.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 November 2004 22:48 (twenty-one years ago)

longest suspension in NBA history

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 November 2004 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

My local Fox station lied, I guess b/c es

― mcd (mcd), Sunday, 21 November 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

oops. you know what I mean.

― mcd (mcd), Sunday, 21 November 2004 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1928540

Plus, "The penalties issued today deal only with one aspect of this incident -- that of player misconduct."

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

On the plus side, Darko's going to get some minutes tonight.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 21 November 2004 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm assuming they're suspended without pay?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 21 November 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Yup. Artest will retire.

― mcd (mcd), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I like Marc Stein's suggestion - the rest of their games this year (at least in Detroit) have to be closed to fans. I can't imagine how surreal that would feel on the court.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

to clarify - rest of the games between IND-DET that is, not all of them

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, what an interesting idea. Would they do that?

― mcd (mcd), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I doubt the league would cost the team(s) that much revenue - what if they made it to a playoff series between them? - but it's a great idea. (borrowed from FIFA)

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

can you imagine how weird that would look on TV? Two teams playing an NBA game in an empty arena?

I can't imagine it happening. The NBA would have to compensate the Pistons for that revenue. It's not the Pistons organization's fault that Artest went nuts.

No, they'll just have, like, a gazillion cops there. And no beer sales.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Monday, 22 November 2004 00:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it's a great idea... won't happen though (tickets are already sold blah blah). I predict a fine in the neighborhood of $500,000.

Pistons-Bobcats into double overtime... Pistons have six players available at the moment (Hamilton and Rasheed fouled out). And Darko is STILL on the bench!!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 22 November 2004 01:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy shit, after McDyess fouled out (Pistons only had 5 players available), Tayshaun with a crazy dunk over Okafor to win the game.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 22 November 2004 02:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow. Artest and Jackson probably got what they deserved, especially since Artest has a history and Jackson went into the stands to fight, not pull Artest back. But I really think Jermaine O'Neal is getting a raw deal. The NBA suspended Vernon Maxwell 10 games for punching a fan *in the stands* and they suspend O'Neal 25 for punching a fan who came *onto the court* and got into a fight with his teammates. Considering that the Artest and Jackson suspensions already cripple the Pacers, losing O'Neal that long almost seems like cruel and unusual punishment.

The basketball upshot of this is that Stern justed handed Detroit the division, which isn't much of a punishment for knucklehead Piston fans, so given the way things happened, he didn't have much of a choice (on Artest and Jackson).

Let me reiterate that I'm not defending Artest AT ALL, but if they know who threw the beer at him, he needs to be banned from NBA games for life. I sit in the courtside media section for NBA games, and I don't want fans sailing things at my head trying to some player. (I don't want Ron Artest stepping on my face in a rush to attack people behind me, either.)

Is the "Oh Shit" Guy a Detroit celebrity yet?

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Monday, 22 November 2004 02:58 (twenty-one years ago)

God I hope he's not a celebrity. I wouldn't be surprised if O'Neal's suspension gets shortened on appeal. Although Stern said that he was trying to get into the crowd as well.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 22 November 2004 03:01 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't remember the vernon maxwell thing, but was what he did so much milder than this??

― dave k, Monday, 22 November 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

well, I can only go by what the cameras showed me. If O'neal was getting into it with fans in the stands, then that's a different thing.

I guess notoriety is a better word for the Oh Shit Guy than celebrity. His facial transition from "Yeah, a fight!" to "Oh shit, not *me*" was the comedic highlight of this thing. (Jamal Tinsley trying to come back out wielding a dustbin or whatever is the runner up)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Monday, 22 November 2004 03:22 (twenty-one years ago)

One of my friends is arguing with me over IM, blaming it on negligence by the NBA. I asked him if security had time to respond before Artest went nuts and he just kind of got quiet.

I can't believe anyone's defending Artest in this.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 22 November 2004 05:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Frankly all of the suspensions seem entirely justified to me (O'Neal walked up and ATTEMPTED to basically brain a guy who was restrained, not paying attention and basically incapable of a) fighting back or b) defending himself--O'Neal can just thank his lucky stars he slipped and didn't land the punch with full force cuz if he had he might be looking 2-5 in jail rather than 25 games.) I hope they revoke the invloved fans' season's tickets and ban them, but the I'm completely fine with the suspensions.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 22 November 2004 05:58 (twenty-one years ago)

It looked like a bunch of endorphin-addicted jock thugs fighting a bunch of beered-up jock-thug wannabees (who are also stoopid enough to pay $200 to sit courtside). I'm shocked it doesn't happen more often.

And yeah, you don't lay on the scorer's table like a fucking drama queen after a fight.

Another reason to stick solely to baseball, the team sport with the lowest quotient of asshole violence.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 November 2004 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Unless your name is Milton Bradley.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 22 November 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone in my fantasy league has Artest, Stephen Jackson, JO, and Ben Wallace. I felt sorry for about five seconds then burst out laughing.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Monday, 22 November 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Maha.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 22 November 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I've got Jermaine. The computer drafted Kittles for me, but he might be back soon. Finley's out, Wade's been out, Shaq might be out at any time. Argh.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 22 November 2004 19:57 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yay, the fantasy team that i didnt pick went from last place to like 5th.

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 22 November 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

if i can figure out a way to add hank gathers to my team, i might start artest the rest of the year.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 22 November 2004 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Great time for Jonathan Bender to go down for six weeks. (Yes, I have him on a fantasy team and was hoping for a breakout season.)

― chris herrington (chris herrington), Monday, 22 November 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

― San Carlos, Monday, 22 November 2004 22:16 (twenty-one years ago)

This makes me really sad:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1929385

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 23 November 2004 07:07 (twenty-one years ago)

four weeks pass...

Nash for Dampier is looking like a brilliant move, isn't it? "Hey there's a lazy stiff with one good season - sounds like seven years and a ton of money to me!"

At least Kidd won't be coming back to Dallas.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 21 December 2004 05:04 (twenty-one years ago)

my other fantasy team is in 2nd place. how can that be. look at my lineup.

PG: Steve Nash
SG: Michael Finley
G: Jason Kidd
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Kevin Garnett
F: Shareef Abdur-Rahim
C: Ben Wallace
C: Mark Blount
Util: Rafer Alston
Util: Bobby Simmons
Bench: Kyle Korver
Bench: Al Harrington
Bench: Jeff McInnis

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 21 December 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

PF: Kevin Garnett (points, rebounds, blocks, assists)
PG: Steve Nash (assists)
SF: Grant Hill (points)
Util: Rafer Alston (steals)

not that surprising, really

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 21 December 2004 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I really hope that Phoenix can keep playing like this thru the entire season.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 22 December 2004 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

not that surprising, really

i mean, how am i not in first by a wide margin??

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 22 December 2004 07:40 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

i love how in our ilx league, my inactive part of my roster has 2 injured guys (glenn robinson, marko jaric), 2 NA guys (jim jackson, stephen jackson), and fucking lee nailon. is glenn robinson going to play at all this season? i should just give up on him. like how i finally did with samuel dalembert. why did i hold on to him this long.

i need help. im willing to trade chris webber. maybe peja, but he's too sexy to trade

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 13 January 2005 04:58 (twenty years ago)

and whoa, the bulls are gonna make the playoffs!!!

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 13 January 2005 04:59 (twenty years ago)

I'm slowly gaining points, now that I have a real lineup.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 13 January 2005 05:01 (twenty years ago)

"gaining points" = "I'm not next to last, I'm fourth from last!"

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 13 January 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

Saw Phoenix toy w/ Miami Tuesday evening. Holy shit.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 13 January 2005 05:06 (twenty years ago)

aaron, do you have cable tv? can i come over and watch basketball some time?

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 13 January 2005 07:04 (twenty years ago)

Oh, my poor Knicks. Nice way to lose to the Hornets!

(I love the NBA playoff structure - whoever wins the Division of the Damned, in which the 17-18 Knicks are currently in first place, will get the third seed in the East!)

― Daniel Cohen (dayan), Thursday, 13 January 2005 08:19 (twenty years ago)

haha, knicks are suckers for taking jamal crawford.

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 13 January 2005 08:28 (twenty years ago)

phil i think glenn robinson is basically sitting on his injury because he doesn't want to play in o'brien's system- he apparently demands defense and robinson has never really played a lick of it. i wouldn't rule out him getting dealt to someone with a hole at sf before the trade deadline.

new jersey? that poor team is cursed this year. jefferson going down is just a huge blow to morale. they still looked like they had some fight in them against houston last night, but they're probably in for a lot of "bob sura has career high" type nights for the next month or two.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:44 (twenty years ago)

also, is there anyone in the league who can look more disgusted with his own play than yao?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:45 (twenty years ago)

i hope everyone copies phoenix's euro-ball approach next season!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:46 (twenty years ago)

also, this is so lebron's league in about a year- maybe even this year. i mean duh...but seriously, the kid would be college freakin' sophmore right now. all he has to do is learn how to fully take over games ala jordan. they already have a supporting cast almost as good/crappy as jordan's championship teams- my money is on varajao to bust out as his pippen-esque sidekick in a year or two.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

i mean, how can you not love a guy with that much hustle and amazing hair? best hair in the league. and this in a year that has revived the man-pigtail.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

Is it too early to send heckling e-mails to Mark Cuban about Dampier's contract-to-performance ratio?

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 15 January 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

the Bulls are 15-18, unreal. Ben Gordon is great, Hinrich is looking solid, Deng is ace, Eddy Curry is coming around, Tyson Chandler is tall.

― Riot Gear! (Gear!), Saturday, 15 January 2005 02:45 (twenty years ago)

is anyone really surprised, re: dampier?

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 15 January 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

the espn2 annonucer just said that the mavs were missing "star center" erick dampier.

― dan (dan), Saturday, 15 January 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

That's what I can't figure out - I've never seen, heard or met a single individual who thought the Dampier signing was a great idea. It just made no sense. You let Nash go to save money and build for the future. So you sign an unmotivated, oft-injured center who'll be completely worthless in three years?

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 15 January 2005 03:42 (twenty years ago)

also, is there anyone in the league who can look more disgusted with his own play than yao?

Darko!

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Saturday, 15 January 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

Darko made me think the Pistons were losing the finals last year, in game 5, 4th quarter

― Riot Gear! (Gear!), Saturday, 15 January 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

wtf darko is he ever going to be nba star because pistons could have camrmelo even though hes a bitch with drug problems or dwayne wade who i rthink is amazing and pissed because the bulls were supposed to draft him but got stuck with the white guy with bad haircut but he ended up being prettyu okay! excpt he shoots like 38 percent. i think wade went to hs in chicago area / not remember. shawn marion did but i never saw him play i remember going to this one hs basketball tournmaent with keving garnett and ronnie fields who is my fave basketball player ever except for jordan and shawn kemp and peja because hes hot and also michal wright was on the same team. they played against my friend's sisters boyfriends hs and smooshed them, then the friends siters bf ended up playing at southern illinois for a year but then dropped out ebcasuse he was kinda dumb. but had a great stutter step move that he used to get around the slow white guys in the catacholic school league

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 15 January 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

darko actually did get injured while shooting free throws in that game, right?

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Saturday, 15 January 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

rooting for whichever team steve nash plays for has really paid off

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Saturday, 15 January 2005 23:35 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad this "will the suns win 70 games?!" hysteria is cooling off. They're fun to watch, but they're not THAT good.

Since I love basketball but don't have a favorite team, I've decided to adopt the Charlotte Bobcats. It's been a tough year, but we're developing nicely, and next year... playoffs?!

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Sunday, 16 January 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

the bobcats are totally worth adopting! they scrap pretty hard so far and have had a lot of close games, and next year okafor will start winning some of those games for them. brevin knight is actually freakin' great (2nd in the league in assists for much of the season, i think) and they'll have both a good draft pick and $ to sign free agents next summer.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 17 January 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

nene lost all the respect he had gained from my by dropping his last name when i found out that he fights like an eight year old girl.

well, the headbutt was worth something.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 17 January 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)

rob stop being 'the daily quickie" thanks

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Monday, 17 January 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Revived because the Spurs are now 37-10. SA-Town.

― Matt Chesnut, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 07:14 (twenty years ago)

I hope Rudy Tomjanovich actually does step down from the Lakers... I always thought he was too classy for that organization.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 23:27 (twenty years ago)

the lakers are probably the classiest organization in sports.

― dan (dan), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 23:49 (twenty years ago)

okay, prior to letting jerry west walk, the lakers were without a doubt the classiest organization in sports.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:00 (twenty years ago)

aaron, your fantasy team is really good.

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:03 (twenty years ago)

Thanks!

Yeah, I mean, Lakers circa handing over the reigns to Kobe in 2004-5. Rudy sure seemed like he was in a shit position.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:23 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and way to go Uncle Spliffy.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:42 (twenty years ago)

educated guess on rudy's thinking:

the lakers gave the impression they were going to bring in some big guns to help out, but they're not. they're hunkering down, saving cap space for amare or yao. that's fine, but it's not quite what we'd talked about.

i beat cancer and i've got money in the bank and life is too short to have a job where i'm expected to win with these idiots (kobe or no kobe).

(who else is looking forward to seeing amare in the purple and gold?)

― dan (dan), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

Not me, and I don't agree about the Lakers being the classiest organization in sports. I don't know who is, but I disagree that it's the Purgolders.

― The Obligatory Sourpuss, A Trailblazers and Bucks fan so what the hell do I know, Wednesday, 2 February 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

I think that you're kidding yourself if you think that free agents are still going to flock to LA. Everything I've read is that the chemistry there is whack and no one likes playing for Kobe's team. Rudy quitting only seems to confirm that.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:05 (twenty years ago)

after amare gets eliminated twice by the spurs and gets sick of phoenix, the opportunity to play alongside kobe and lamar (who will be 29 and 28 and really at their peaks) will look really good. plus the city of la has things going for it which make it uniquely appealing to a handsome young man with lots of money. don't underestimate this--i see amare around town on occasion, and he doesn't even play here!

i'm kidding myself, but only a little bit.

what would knicks fans give for the lakers problems?

― dan (dan), Thursday, 3 February 2005 02:50 (twenty years ago)

what would knicks fans give for the lakers problems?

Isiah Thomas.

― Matt Chesnut, Thursday, 3 February 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

I am very sad that reggie miller might retire without a ring.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 3 February 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

Okay Steve Nash (assuming he stays healthy and they keep winning at this rate and I see no reason why not) total shoe in for MVP?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 February 2005 05:10 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Nash sure does look like the top choice for MVP (although I'm kind of suspect about how the Suns are going to do both down the stretch and in the playoffs). I really hope it happens because it might cause Cuban to explode, judging from this psychotic rambling in reference to Chad Ford's ripping of Cuban for letting Nash go.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 3 February 2005 05:31 (twenty years ago)

360 mania! anyone see jason richardson's beserk 360 against the kings? somebody must have caught vince carter's spinning underhanded layup on the lakers the other night on sportscenter...

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

aaron, i'm still totally high on the suns. nash's health is the biggest question mark, but it's pretty clear that if he stays healthy these guys will still run like horses on crack through the end of the season. their bench is super short but the other big four guys are all very young and incredibly durable (joe johnson missed his, like, first games EVER this season, amare seems to be made wolverine-style titanium bones) and jim jackson seems to have worked in perfectly and will give them a nice nasty presence that could help in the playoffs.

that said, if and when they meet san antonio, they will probably get schooled.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:01 (twenty years ago)

oh and no brainer...unless lebron and the cavs put together some kind of 15 game plus winning streak and swipe the entire east, nash is going to walk home with the mvp.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

http://wm.gannett.speedera.net/wm.gannett/wfmy/video/news/020105bbsnipeslive1.wmv

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

that's just fucking incredible

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

Cuban's just bitter that he'll have to write 37-year old Dampier a check for $14 million.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

What is that link Yanc3y (at work, no sound)?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 February 2005 22:50 (twenty years ago)

Revived because the Spurs are now 37-10. SA-Town.

Yeah, and I really hope the Spurs win against the Lakers (ha, almost typed out "laggers") tonight, because if that's the case, then they'll hold onto the "best record in the league" distinction throughout the All-Star break and Popovich will get to have head coaching responsibilites for the Big Game. I really, really wished Manu could've made it to the all-star lineup, though. I'm not at all sure he will.

Also: I've never heard of this "SA-Town" nickname. Heh.

― Surreal Addiction (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 4 February 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

"that's just fucking incredible"

No kidding (now that I can follow what was going on.) That's ridiculous.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 4 February 2005 03:46 (twenty years ago)

oh shit...

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 4 February 2005 04:19 (twenty years ago)

EIGHTY FIVE FEET?!?!?!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 4 February 2005 05:22 (twenty years ago)

I think Manu still has a decent chance of making the All-Star team as a reserve. I mean, it's smart from a ratings standpoint because the ENTIRE NATION OF ARGENTINA would watch this. His numbers are pretty good, too. 16 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4 apg, and he's up there in steals.

I think the SA-Town business is pretty much known amongst the natives (myself included).

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 4 February 2005 05:26 (twenty years ago)

AW YEAH PUDDIN', HE'S IN! Mr. Manu's All-Star bound! Rock on!

*laugh* Yeah, now I wouldn't be surprised if the whole of Argentina just decided to make the day of the All-Star Game a national holiday. Not that I'd fault them for that; Mr. Ginobili is perhaps the most famous Argentinian in the world at this moment and he's proving to be a great cultural ambassador for his homeland, even if it's in an unofficial capacity.

I think the SA-Town business is pretty much known amongst the natives (myself included).

!!!! You a local?!?!?!?! Just 22 months on this interweb mentalist forum community and I run into the first fellow San Antonian I've ever encountered on a discussion community thing? Holy crap. (Um, and FYI, I've never heard the "SA-Town" term before. Ha.)

― Surreal Addiction (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 10 February 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'm at UNT now, but that's my stomping grounds. And I wouldn't imagine many San Antonians would be on ILX given that the local scene has a predisposition for emometalxcore whatever-the-fuck-they're-calling-it-now. So threads with over 1000 posts about Daft Punk might not be up a lot of folks' alley.

― Matt Chesnut, Thursday, 10 February 2005 02:46 (twenty years ago)

Ahhh. Wow. Ha ha ha, yeah, "emometalxcore whatever-the-fuck-they're-calling-it-now" is the PERFECT description of what mos people seem to go for around here, which as you well know means that those acts are the ones who pass by our fair city, letting almost all the cool artists go to Austin -- save for Depeche Mode, that is. And yeah, I can't picture too many people locally going for Daft Punk or Chemical Brothers or their ilk or anything that would require synthesizer action (except for maybe Lostprophets, which would be totally laughably ironic since I don't know how many people locally know how much of an influence synthpop has on Lostprophets' sound). *ahem* But anyway. Way coolness -- someone else to commisserate (sp?) with as far as this crazy place is concerned!

― Surreal Addiction (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 10 February 2005 02:57 (twenty years ago)

If you care to continue this exchange, I can be AIMed at sedatedyeti.

― Matt Chesnut, Thursday, 10 February 2005 03:37 (twenty years ago)

(the year i followed this, the lakers were playing the pacers and i thought reggie miller was great.)

― youn, Thursday, 10 February 2005 03:42 (twenty years ago)

I like how the Suns are stocking up on hungry 30-something role players like Walter McCarty and Jim Jackson. Those are totally the sorts of players who make a difference in the playoffs, a la Elden Campbell against the Lakers last year. And don't get me wrong... I would LOVE for a team like the Suns to win the championship this year.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 10 February 2005 05:06 (twenty years ago)

There went the ax on Flip Saunders.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 13 February 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

Lousy move. McHale should've waited for the season to finish to let the cancerous Spree and Cassell walk, then get some different pieces around Garnett. Firing Flip is some Class A scapegoating.

― Matt Chesnut, Sunday, 13 February 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

I agree, but it's the nature of the biz. Sounds like McHale would love to get rid of Spree and Cassell but the first guy is a nut and the second is injured.

Meanwhile, Pistons making a strong argument that Rip Hamilton and/or Chauncey Billups should've made the all-star team over both Jamison and Arenas by going up 20.

And don't look now but there's a really good race for 2nd place in the East between Detroit, Washington, and Cleveland. I don't see Miami falling from 1, but it should be a good dogfight for #2.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 13 February 2005 02:30 (twenty years ago)

But, uh...

A. Iverson
17-36FG, 24-27FT, 60 Pts
4 Rebs, 6 Assists, 5 Steals, 3 TO

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

holy shit

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:29 (twenty years ago)

fuck nash, AI is the mvp

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:29 (twenty years ago)

Gat damn!

― Matt Chesnut, Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

BronBron BronBron BronBron BronBron BronBron!!! KING JAMES!

Yanc3, on your bloggo, you made a post about Dukie players being crappy pros & why NBA teams bother w/ their dead asses - I posted a comment sorta questioning your logic (re: calling Grant Hill & Boozer "sorta" successful) (& giving pseudo-props to Laettner for this year), but YOU FORGOT ABOUT ELTON BRAND (& Corey Maggette, too)!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 17 February 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

Lest we forget Luol Deng!

― Matt Chesnut, Thursday, 17 February 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

Seriously, do Danny Ainge and Isiah Thomas have a bet over who's going to go down as the worst GM in the history of the league?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:18 (twenty years ago)

haha as soon as i saw that i thought 'celts must've got walker back'

― j blount (papa la bas), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:20 (twenty years ago)

hahah.... at least now I can start hating the Celtics again. One of the highlights of my life was during the 2002 playoffs. Pistons were playing the Celtics at the Palace. Fatoine Walker was in foul trouble and kept shimmying and jumping around on the bench. So during a lull, I yelled at the top of my lungs, "SIT DOWN WALKER!" Walker kind of turned around to see what was up. And needless to say he kept his shimmying to himself after that.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

Oh and seriously, is NY where bad contracts go to die??? I can't wait till 2 years from now when Isiah is gone and all those terrible contracts are still lingering around the Garden.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:29 (twenty years ago)

ok, so why is Philly wearing unis that say "Nats" on them?

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

They used to be the Syracuse Nationals... I think this is Rivalry Week or some such. The NBA has gone crazy with throwback jerseys lately.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

I don't think I've ever seen a more subdued, depressed sounding Isiah Thomas than in that interview with Craig Sager just now.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 25 February 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)

Whoa AW's only shooting 54% from the line?!?!??

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)

i think ainge is doing a pretty good job. After the Hawks waive Payton and the Celtics pick him back up, he'll have pretty much the exact same team he had when he got there plus Lafrentz and Payton, but with a core of young players and 3 1st rounders in the next two years. The worst move they made (getting rid of Joe Johnson) happened before his tenure.

Thomas on the other hand... whooo boy.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

Malik Rose is a class act, but his contract iss ridonkulous. Only the Knicks would be dumb enough to take it. And we got Nazr Mohammed in return? I am switching to Islam.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 01:07 (twenty years ago)

Joe Johnson didn't really have anywhere to play on that Celtics team, though - didn't they have Pierce AND Walker AND Mercer @ the time? (My NBA knowledge is so damn spotty, so don't pull any punches if I'm wrong.)

BTW, look @ Ben Gordon! Guy's almost averaging 20 ppg this month, AND is shooting 52% from 3-point land! Granted, all he does is score, but, still, that's a nice 6th-man to have on your team.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:12 (twenty years ago)

And whoa WEBBER'S A SIXER??!?!?!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:15 (twenty years ago)

Mercer isn't anything special, and he wasn't on the team when Ainge took over.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:17 (twenty years ago)

If the Celtics re-sign Payton than the trade makes way more sense for the Celtics. I kind of thought it smacked of "oh shit we have to keep up with the Sixers" desperation.

If I had the time to write blog entries, I would write one about how the difference between a good GM and everyone else is that a good GM makes moves to improve their team. Everyone else just juggles pieces around and moves sideways. And then a bad GM juggles pieces around and in the process takes on $120million in salaries.

I can't believe that Sacto couldn't get more for Webber... At least they should've gotten Dalembert or Glenn Robinson (and his cap space)!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

The problem with Webber on the Kangs was the whole "too many cooks in the kitchen" dilemma. Getting Webber the touches he needed to be effective meant fewer for Stojakovic, Bibby, Miller and now Mobley. Big Dog is well past his prime and would've just slowed down this offense that is gonna run like the cops is after 'em now.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 02:14 (twenty years ago)

The thing about Glenn Robinson is that he's got a $12million contract that expires this summer.... You're right, he's worthless as a player though. I think the biggest problem with Webber was how he called Peja soft. And then Peja started pouting and playing badly. He should be happier now, though.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 02:31 (twenty years ago)

Waah, I liked Speedy!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Friday, 25 February 2005 02:31 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, poly, you're right about Mercer (on both counts) - was JJ part of the Rodney Rogers / Tony Delk trade? (That doesn't make any sense, actually, since RR & TD were mid-season acquisitions, & JJ didn't play a game for the Celtics.) At least they kept Joe Forte, though!

I really don't buy the whole "Webber's not getting his touches" - he was doing just fine w/ Bibby & Stojakovic & Vlade & Miller & Christie & whomever else they had a few (two?) years ago. I can't see how this trade helps the Kings in any way (apart from the reasons Aaron W mentions).

And I just love that, all season, Payton was saying "I wanna play for a contender, I wanna play for a contender", and now he's on an even crappier Eastern Conference team. Who's playing point for the C's now? Cousy?

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 03:58 (twenty years ago)

Also, who wants to start up w/ the "gee, if only they kept Chauncey" talk?

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

David, if you saw the Kings play last year when Webber was out for long periods of time, they were a much more fluid team. When he returned, they weren't nearly as cohesive. I think this trade makes Sacto a little more dangerous now that Peja is the clear number one option.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

The Mavericks love them some tall white dudes, don't they?

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 25 February 2005 05:11 (twenty years ago)

why would anyone trade for keith van horn? the nba makes no fucking sense.

― Shmool McShmool (shmuel), Friday, 25 February 2005 06:59 (twenty years ago)

Actually, Matt, I do remember the Kings just chuggin' along fine w/ Webber on the bench in his finery, looking like "well, damn". Have things changed over the last couple of years, or is Bibby still the go-to guy @ the end of games? (I remember the awful awful ending to that Lakers / Kings playoff series where EVERYONE except Bibby was coming up short by about 10 feet on every damn shot.)

Looking @ the T-Wolves / Clippers box score today: Elton Brand played 41 minutes, shot 12 for 24 (all from inside the 3, of course), and didn't take ONE free throw? How did that happen?

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 25 February 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

Bibby is the clutch guy. Peja is gonna get his during the first three quarters, but if the game's close in the last five minutes, he's a ghost.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

Chris Webber is no longer a fast-breaking great passing ballplayer of yore. He's become a rather typical though still good half court back to the basket guy, except that when he tries to be a REALLY typical "back my man down Charles Barkley-style" forward where he's maybe the worst ever making bad decision after bad decision. And unfortunately lately he's been acting like a dope who still thinks that the whole team should be revolving around him even though that was never his game to begin with. The Kings are better off without him, but also I think the slower less fast-breakin' 76ers will be much better with him. One of those strange trades that should benefit everyone involved. Some of the other deals are baffling though.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 25 February 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

Again, Malik Rose is a 6'7" power forward with four years left on his deal and the Spurs got a true center in return! Isiah Thomas, I kiss you.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

Do the Knicks have anyone over 6'9" on their roster now?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

If they sign Randy Johnson.

― Matt Chesnut, Friday, 25 February 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

Tim Thomas is their tallest player, he's maybe 6'10."

He's also a small forward.

And a shit one at that.

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Friday, 25 February 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

Heh, Fatoine is wearing the ultra-slimming number 88 now. He looks like the Michelin Man.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 26 February 2005 02:39 (twenty years ago)

Well... I'm really going to miss Malik. Mostly because I watch WOAI's news predominantly and I remember him doing all manner of on-air things for the sports department there. And I'm starting to wonder -- is he finished with his degree yet? If not, what is he going to do now? Surely he can't continue at UTSA -- where would he transfer to? What is a UTSA equivalent in NYC? (And I seriously doubt it's NYU because that university's way too expensive to be an appropriate counterpart.)

― Surreal Addiction (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 26 February 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

(Or wait -- which one's doing the marketing degree right now, again?)

― Surreal Addiction (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 26 February 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

That'd be Bruce Bowen, Dee. Malik graduated from Drexel already.

― Matt Chesnut, Saturday, 26 February 2005 05:31 (twenty years ago)

im glad paxson kept my baby bulls together. we're going to the playoffs!!! but wtf fatoine back to boston? and wtf kings doing. all the chicago papers this year talking about how we're gonna make a run for peja when hes a free agent. i hope so. hes so hot. so so so hot. why do i only post to this thread when im drunk. i got drunk before our little fantasy draft and i ended up with glenn robinson so thats what i get.

aaron can i come over and watch bulls games, and when the tournament starts i come and watch ncaa. yay. u better come to my birthday

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 26 February 2005 09:48 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Genius!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 14 March 2005 02:55 (twenty years ago)

WHA HAPPEN?

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 14 March 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

Hahha, Fred Willard + NBA = comedy gold

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 14 March 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

NIQUE!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 14 March 2005 03:59 (twenty years ago)

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/spo/med/2005/03/ipt/1110816351.jpg

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

I DON'T THINK SO!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

Can I just mention that the Pistons didn't score a single FG in the 4th Quarter last night and still won?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

that's disgusting. they should be demoted to the nbdl for that. of course they go and hang 114 on atlanta the next night, just to confuse us.

but hey everybody! it's SEASON ENDING INJURY TIME! brad miller! jermaine o'neal! zach randolph!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 23:01 (twenty years ago)

Mah not disgusting, the Pistons always have swings like this (having won 9 in row in February). They're going to go in coast mode now that they've settled into the two seed and be just fine for the playoffs.

Anyone see that shot that Wade made to win in NY? Sick.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 17 March 2005 00:14 (twenty years ago)

Whoa, fuck. Nellie resigned this afternoon, Avery Johnson takes over as Mavs coach.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 19 March 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

Lebron plays 48 minutes and scores 60 points --> Paul Silas gets fired

Crazy stuff. Although there's no way it happened without Lebron's say-so.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 21 March 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Why didn't anyone tell me the fun-n-gun Celtics were NINE GAMES over .500? This is, like, wow! The Fat One is all giddy, Ricky Davis recently finished up some crazy 19 ppg, 50% from the floor homestand, Tony Allen & Al Jefferson are contributing good stuff, LaFrentz hasn't gotten hurt, and the games are fun to watch even w/out the WALTAH! factor. MADNESS!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

they've been playing GREAT lately. allen in particular.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

oh and does the cleveland job opening up mean that phil jackson returns to coaching next season for another "challenge"?

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

The scariest thing about the Celtics' success: Danny Ainge might've been right all along! (Even if he did trade Walker in the 1st place.) Though I'm still confused / charmed by the whole "let's trade you Gary Payton for Antoine Walker so you can release Payton so we can resign him to play point for our much improved team thanks!" thing.

Were there any other Cav player/coach flare-ups this year besides the Eric Snow / "speaking Chinese" debacle?

Also, I'd imagine Phil would make like the prodigal son & save the team he once played for (them being the Knickercockblockers). Now THAT would be a challenge.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

I love Paul Silas but he's an awful, awful X's and O's guy. It'll be really interesting to see what happens in Cleveland.... They basically have two years to make that team into a contender before waving bye-bye to Lebron. And yeah, another challenge for Phil Jackson.

The craziest thing about the Celtics is how well Ricky Davis has been playing.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

flip saunders must be eyeing that cavs job as well! didn't he play high school or college ball in cleveland?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Monday, 21 March 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)

is this an outstanding duel for second place in the fantasy league or what? four teams within one point of each other! even haikunym's blackguardz could make a last minute push.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

this could yet happen
considering I just yoinked
VICTOR KHRYAPA

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

the fantasy race for second exemplifies all that is true and beautiful in athletic competition.

― dan (dan), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

No lead is safe! Following the recent trend of fired NBA coaches, I'm thinking about dumping mine and promoting assistant William Bedford to lead my team.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

Wow, I was trying to remember back to the 96-97 Pistons team which won 54 games and found this:

http://www.basketballreference.com/leagues/leagueyear.htm?lg=N&yr=1996

Check out the disparity between the East and the West. That was the last time the Clippers made the playoffs, and they did it with a 36-46 record.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

Whoa I didn't realize the Bulls came one win shy of winning 70 two years in a row!

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 21:31 (twenty years ago)

god shammgod is my new assistant coach!

basketball reference is awesome.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

yeah i remember those years when the west sucked bad outside of the top four teams (seattle, la, utah, houston)...that's why every few years when one conference gets the upper hand all the sports columnists FREAK OUT and seem to forget that there is a draft and crazy gm's willing to trade their best players to the other conf.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

haha it kind of goes with shaq! wasn't 96-97 his first lakers year? obviously after that the west took over, now the pendulum is swinging back east a bit. it's not all mr. o'neal (duncan, pistons, etc among other factors) but he seems to be the bellwether.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

Heh that's totally true. And Shaq does make one giant bellweather.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

Not an obese bellweather, tho, let's get that shit straight.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 22:20 (twenty years ago)

quotatious, gentlemen!

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 23:27 (twenty years ago)

(btw that was shaq discussing his penny-kobe-wade/"godfather" analogy, "i'm a very quotatious guy")

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Tuesday, 22 March 2005 23:28 (twenty years ago)

real sports on hbo has a segment this week on how whipped doug christie is.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

Was the word "whipped" used? Did they employ appropriate sound effects? DID THEY USE DEVO?

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 02:21 (twenty years ago)

the word 'whipped' was used

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

exactly a year ago i attended a bachelor party in Vegas at which the prospective groom was forced to wear a Doug Christie jersey everywhere

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" getting played over the PA at the Cavs-Pistons game tonight was right there on the ILX-NBA crossover scale with Dizzee Rascal getting played at the Nets game I went to earlier this year.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 23 March 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

Miami officially > Suns imo, the road to the ring is considerably less wide open, especially with Duncan limping. Wade is sick. I'm still all about the Lakers but they (Kobe)need to see Shaq kiss a new trophy, stupid fuckers.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Saturday, 26 March 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

All this is about basketball?

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Saturday, 26 March 2005 03:59 (twenty years ago)

junk-time Mavs, DJ Benga and Pavel Podkolzin on the floor, holy shit they look bad. Podkolzin makes Shawn Bradley look like Lebron

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 27 March 2005 02:54 (twenty years ago)

HURRAH!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 27 March 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

The Best Idea in the History of the NBA.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

OMG hiring Bill Walton as a coach would do SO MUCH to improve the game of basketball! It'd be the best butterfly-effect thing ever! (And it'd allow Billbo a chance to show us what "championship basketball" is all about.) (Also, he can hook his players up w/ the good stuff.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

This is assuming that the networks don't hire someone WORSE than BW as a color guy. Stephen A. Smith, for instance - not good.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 31 March 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)

Like the Blazers need their coach getting busted for possession too.

oh damn, pot joke already made.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 31 March 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

poetic justice for my Lakers(Kobe & Friends), bounced into 'expansionism' the same night Shaq and the Heat clinch top seed in the east. I'm digging that the season is blowing up in their face but it won't be funny too much longer unless progress is made through trades or something. at least lower the ticket prices for this crap I mean GODDAMN

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 06:22 (twenty years ago)

and they were passed in the standings by the clippers! when was the last time that happened?

shaun livingston looked outstanding and came within a hair (ha) of notching a triple-double. if the clips don't get hit by a truckload of injuries again next year they could actually be playoff contenders. of course that is donald sterling's cue to liquidate everyone other than elton brand this summer.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:15 (twenty years ago)

did you guys see reggie on the Daily show on monday night? or at MSG last night? awwwwww.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

also anyone see nocioni's extra swat at dwyane wade after the hard foul last night? i think the bulls have started believing their own "scott skiles made us super tough" hype. are they gonna be the hack'n'slash knicks of the late 00's?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

http://www.indystar.com/images/pics2/image-234753-1276.jpg

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

ADORABLE

they chanted "reggie!" at msg! it warms my heart that they would fondly send off they guy who stuck the knife in them so many times.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

noce plays HARD every single minute, and took exception to the lil bit of elbow wade gave him after noce made the initial foul. one incident does not define a team, and the bulls are generally not a bunch of hackers.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

oh i don't think they're hackers at all. i love how hard they play now, it's even caught on with curry and chandler. it just got me thinking that a nice nasty edge to their game (or at least the reputation of it) would be a great complement to ben gordon's 4th quarter assassinations- it would make them a really exciting team to see in the playoffs.

aka the oakley factor

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 20:57 (twenty years ago)

well i don't know about curry! he does have his moments though, esp in the 1st quarter.
I do agree with you, but I don't want to see them get that nasty edge if only because I hate hate hated the Pistons and then the Knicks for mugging Jordan and Pip.
They're already a very exciting team to watch in the reg. season, and if not this year, then starting next year they're gonna be a serious force come playoff time.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:02 (twenty years ago)

it's a shame the tv networks can't juggle the games they're showing midseason- it would have been great to see more nationally televised bulls (and washington!) games this year instead of this week's edition of minnesota tanking.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

yeah I was thinking that last week when TNT showed the Bulls/Charlotte (where Ben went nuts in the 4th, scoring 22 pts in that qtr alone. most by anyone in the 4th all year) game, followed by the headliner...Twolves vs. Lakers!!!! How could you go wrong with a rematch of last year's Western conf final?!

I've seen nearly every Bulls game this year, and only a few lacked some type of excitement (last night's vs. the Heat, for one). They rarely get blown out, and they really blow others out. Unfortunately I happened to be there in person for their worst loss of the season, to New Orleans. That one hurt.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:12 (twenty years ago)

Hi!

― Hey give the Warriors some love too! (Leee), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:16 (twenty years ago)

xpost
They should be more flexible with the TV schedules that way, I can only read about some of the more exciting young teams, I seldom even saw the Suns on TV this year. My Chicagoan brother-in-law gets to gloat now like I gloated when the Lakers ascended, I haven't seen a Bulls game are they really that solid(beyond this season, mainly)?

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

What do you mean beyond this season? Were they good last year? or will they maintain in the coming years?

I wish I was able to see more of the Suns, too. From what little I've seen, they're a fun team to watch.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

I saw one Suns game (on NBA TV) (I might've mentioned it upthread) where they scored 40 in the FIRST QUARTER. Madness.

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Bulls game on now vs Magic. They were down 16 but got it down to 1 now, halfway through the 2nd qtr. They are without Curry, Othella, and Deng, all of whom have started for them. I fucking love how this team never gives up and always thinks they can win -- an attitude which is 180 degrees from where they were just a year ago.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

the suns are unbelievably fun to to watch. i've caught enough games between a free nba-tv preview, the few national games and matchups with clippers and lakers to say that they are probably the most fun team to watch in years, with the possible exception of some of nelson's weirder mavs experiments. they whip the ball around like crazy looking for open jumpers, run the floor even when they don't really have a fast break, and just seem to love playing the game.

plus shawn marion's hinky-looking jumper is just amazing

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

*well, they don't really seem to love playing defense, but amare bails them out sometimes, and marion is always a threat to block anyone's shot

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 23:53 (twenty years ago)

im so stupid. im refreshing the yahoo chicago/orlando game all thru overtime hoping bulls win - but then i realize that im home in chicago visiting parents and i could have turned on the damn TV to WGN-Superstation and watched it live. gah.

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 7 April 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)

...and the Bulls come back to beat the Magic in overtime in Orlando!!! haha fuck you Steve "I'm gonna hurl my body into you to draw a foul" Francis!!
Tyson Chandler had a double-double, with 21 rebs.

xpost

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 01:07 (twenty years ago)

it was on comcast not WGN, phil, so if your parents have a dish, you couldn't have seen it anyway

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 01:08 (twenty years ago)

though wait, i remember my friend who has satellite telling me he can now get comcast sportsnet. they must've settled shit between their lawyers.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 01:09 (twenty years ago)

oh. yeah they have dish network

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 7 April 2005 01:14 (twenty years ago)

man if Tyson ever learns some decent post moves and obtains body control while driving to the hoop, watch the fuck out.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 01:19 (twenty years ago)

watching the suns is like watching a highlight reel

― Sym Sym (sym), Thursday, 7 April 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

Their entire starting five is averaging over 15 ppg. When was the last time that happened?

― Matt Chesnut (Matt Chesnut), Thursday, 7 April 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

I dunno if I appreciate how my fantasy team has chosen to make the last 8 games of the season so interesting.

As much as I hate that team, I gotta give serious props to the Pacers for the way they've been playing sans O'Neal. Carlisle might have a 9 foot rod stuck up his ass, but he's done a hell of a job coaching this season.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 7 April 2005 02:44 (twenty years ago)

Does 6 wins in a row including two against the top four seeds in the West mean nothing to you people?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 7 April 2005 02:58 (twenty years ago)

A winstreak like this from a team that's missed the playoffs for over a decade. This is newsworthy!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 7 April 2005 02:59 (twenty years ago)

Any team that will be paying Adonal Foyle 7.3million next season gets no love from the masses.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 7 April 2005 03:04 (twenty years ago)

they'll probably get (slightly) more national TV love next year with Baron Davis, I haven't even seen them since the trade.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 7 April 2005 03:19 (twenty years ago)

()ops I was wondering about the Bulls' prospects for the next few years, does this unit have the potential to graduate from upstarts to elite or quasi-elite in the near future? I'd rather ask someone who follows them than consult their record or whatever, not having seen them.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 7 April 2005 03:28 (twenty years ago)

The Lakers are far worse this season than I thought they'd be. I truly believed they'd make the playoffs as a lower seed. Caron Butler is looking like a keeper, though.

Go Bulls! I'm realistic, I just want them to win one playoff series. In the future they look good, with Deng, Gordon, Hinrich, and Curry/Chandler. I wouldn't bet against them grabbing a major free agent, one who's seen 'em this season and thinks he can take 'em to the next level.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Thursday, 7 April 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

yeah gear otm. Apart from Antonio Davis and Othella Harrington, their main contributors are young. very young. Curry and Chandler are in their, what 5th season? yet are still under 25. Hinrich is in his second year and plays like a 10 year veteran. very rarely do you see him make a mental error. solid player through and through. reminds me of Stockton, probably a better defender though. seeing him play in person i'm amazed at his defensive technique. Gordon has the potential to be a 20, 25 ppg player (though I have this sinking feeling that the league will "figure him out". mostly cause he makes things look so easy). Deng will be scoring 15 ppg soon, slashing to the hoop and knocking the midrange shot from the side. Nocioni, a rookie too, initially impressed me with his defensive tenacity, infuriated me with his shot selection, but has shown to be able to take it to the hole consistently and make better decisions. Even Duhon, yet another rookie, one who NOBODY talks about and barely even made the team, is going to be a dependable player for years to come.
So you have this lineup developing of Hinrich and Gordon in the backcourt, Chandler and Deng at forwards, with Curry in the middle (if they're gonna trade anyone though, I vote for him. Doesn't seem to have the will to win), plus Noce and Duhon providing some spark off the bench.

The team chemistry is perfect right now, and I'd be wary of any big name coming in and screwing it all up with his ego. I have extreme faith in Paxson (the GM) and Skiles being aware of that and choosing wisely, though.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 04:10 (twenty years ago)

I could go on all day about these Bulls. I love em more than I did the teams of the Jordan years, and I was basketball crazy back then. You expected Jordan and co. to win, so the wins weren't as exciting and the losses more excruciating. With the present team, not only are they more fun to watch (granted, nothing is as good as watching Jordan play, but he was only one man out of 12) but they're total over-acheivers.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 04:18 (twenty years ago)

yeah, can we get one "HOLY SHIT!" for the bulls about to get home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs???

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 7 April 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

I know right! They were fucking 0-9!
Man I have about 10 mild heart attacks per game, and i'm not normally one of those people who get all into it while watching sports . I don't know if I can make it through a playoff series.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 7 April 2005 04:39 (twenty years ago)

I have extreme faith in Paxson (the GM)

Couldn't the Bulls have had a frontcourt of Brand, Artest, and Brad Miller, and probably have played in the conference finals the last few years? Or was Paxson not the GM responsible for those trades? It has all worked out in the long run, I suppose, but the Bulls could have had the best frontcourt in the league.

― Sym Sym (sym), Thursday, 7 April 2005 05:30 (twenty years ago)

You've confused Paxson with that fat guy who took credit for all those championships in the 90s.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 7 April 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that fat guy (JERRY KRAUSE) kept on hitting the Bulls behind the knees w/ a lead pipe. Are they still on the hook for Jay Williams' contract?

I was happy to see Caron light it up a few nights ago for a Kobe-free Laker team. He hasn't had the best year, tho - I dunno his season numbers, but every box score I've seen, he's 3-9 w/ 2 rebounds & 5 fouls. I really hope he does well, tho - he was fun to watch in college.

And, dear god, w/ the Bulls & the Celts (assuming Antoine makes it back from whatever) & the Heat & the Reggie Miller Farewell Tour & Bron Bron, could the Eastern Conference playoffs actually be worth watching this year? (Not counting last year's Heat run.) (& the Nets / Celts series where the Celts came back from 283 down in the 2nd half.) (OK, I'm full of it.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 7 April 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

we need mad scientists to splice wade and iverson's dna and create the ideal guard. RIGHT NOW

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 15 April 2005 02:11 (twenty years ago)

based on this heat/76ers game, i am totally rooting for the sixers to get in that 8th spot so we can watch these guys duel to the death in the first round.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Friday, 15 April 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

how beautiful would it be to see the sixers take down the heat?

― dan (dan), Friday, 15 April 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

this is pretty great. usually by now im reading stuff about potential lottery picks, draft analysis, etc - but this year bulls in playoffs!! haha wow. sucks for that team that has the bulls 1st round pick this year. i bet they thought it would be top-5. har-har.

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

hmph, I was all ready for the mavs - Lakers game last night (we don't get too many games) only to find out that it wasn't on after all and I had to wait three hours for a late broadcast of the nets - sixers game. Jason Kidd was amazing in the first quarter of that though, shame I was falling asleep atthat point.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

are you in the uk?

this year is just a practice run for the bulls. with deng and curry out, even the deep end of their bench will get some playoff experience, in addition to all the additional time they've gotten already during the reg season. next year they'll be THE BORG. no true stars, no true bench, just 10 or so interchangeable parts that can be plugged in and out to adapt to the opponent.

― ()ops (()()ps), Monday, 18 April 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

certainly am, I always used to watch back in the day when channel 4 showed it - days of Bird vs Johnson then into the full-on Jordan years. Then it all disappeared and I stopped playing, but when we were in Dallas a couple of weeks ago we saw the Mavs walk over the Spurs and it kind of re-kindled my enthusiasm

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

good matchup to see to get a person interested again. you should start playing again too. i stopped playing for awhile and forgot how much fun it is.

― ()ops (()()ps), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

I was supposed to have a game with Tracer while he was over but it never happened :(

The game was fantastic, but it was shocking to see SA play so poorly, Duncan looked so miserable on the bench too. Parker and Ginobili teamed up well though, they were the Spurs only redeeming feature. The Mavs were pretty damn hot that night though, great no look pass from Finley (iirc).

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

well finley is a chicago-area product like me and therefore better than most the rest, so i'm sure you are correct

― ()ops (()()ps), Monday, 18 April 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

haha, Finley had one game last week where he scored zero points in 25+ minutes. The local press has been ragging on him non-stop for not living up to his $100mln contract (when they should be ragging on Cuban for signing an aging lower-tier All-Star guard to a $100mln contract).

w/ 9 left in the fourth, Nash's line: 26 mins, 8 pts, 13 assists
if it comes down to Mavs v. Suns during the playoffs I don't know who I'll root for.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

Bill Simmons comes through yet again:

I was reading a USA Today article yesterday about how the Hawks clinched the worst record in the league, followed by the line, "Utah center Andrew Bogut is expected to be the first pick." Congratulations, Hawks fans! You just watched your team tank consecutive seasons so they could end up with Josh Childress and Andrew Bogut. They should play the theme from "M*A*S*H" when they're introducing Atlanta's starting lineup next year.

So, is my team going to coast into a championship or have we blown it during the stretch??

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

Meanwhile, Darko Milicic got the first start of his NBA career and according to the boxscore got three personal fouls in 7 minutes.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:01 (twenty years ago)

BULLS NOW HAVE FUNDERBURKE. ALL OTHER TEAMS HAVE 24 HOURS TO SURRENDER OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:05 (twenty years ago)

http://guenael64.free.fr/image/FUNDERBURKE33.jpg

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

http://www.canmag.com/images/front/fantastic/thing1.jpg

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

Iverson is fucking fantastic. What's great is that when it's all said and done, he'll be remembered as this tough guy who played through pain and carried a few teams on his back and into the playoffs. Even if he never wins a ring, he's probably going to be more highly regarded than Kobe down the line.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Reggie Miller should be knighted for how he has carried the Pacers the past few weeks and at age 39. It is also cool that Dale Davis is back in Indianapolis, as he is an alltime favorite of mine. Dale looks like a superhero when you see him in person. I hated seeing Dale and Antonio Davis leave a few years back, but that is the basketball biz.

Still for the Pacers to finish 43-38 and with these key players only playing this many games, it is amazing.

Games played:
Artest- 7
O'Neil- 42
Jackson- 49
Tinsley- 40
Foster- 59

Larry Funderburke is nuts. That guy actually went to I.U. for a week in a half until him and Bobby Knight realized their insanities were not compatible. Still...if he could have worked with Knight, the Calbert Chaney era IU team would have been even more stocked, as he would have been on the front line with Alan Henderson and Matt Nover. Funderburke had a couple of big games for Ohio State (Knight's alma mater) against I.U.

If you start splicing Wade and Iverson DNA, you better get some Reggie Miller or some other shooter DNA, as neither one of those guys is very consistent on the outside shot.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Tuesday, 19 April 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

Wade and Iverson's DNA plus Steve Nash's hair.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 00:23 (twenty years ago)

as a longtime bulls fun i guess it's up to me to say that you only need the DNA of one man to have the perfect guard.

another exciting as hell bulls game where they eeked out a win, sewing up home court adv for the first round. series vs the wizards is gonna be very interesting. there's already bad blood between them plus they're pretty evenly matched overall. wizards won when they played last week, but the Nocioni was serving a suspension and Chandler got tossed in the 1st qtr.
Optimistic fan says bullies in 6. Pessimistic fan says wizards in 5.

Iverson is a phenomenal player (esp considering dude is only 6 feet) but I will always think he's a bit of a cock because he showboated after barely beating the bulls last year. i think the bulls were like 19-234 at that point.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 05:18 (twenty years ago)

For the record, Darko came back in the second half and had the best game of his career. Playing against the Atlanta Pingpongballs might've helped, but still.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 12:51 (twenty years ago)

any other UK folks reading this - I plan to be watching a few of the playoff games whebn they show them at Bodeans bbq, should be good for a laugh, and the food is good, it's no Sonny Bryan but hey.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

Lebron is fucking amazing. halfway through the 4th, 27 pts, 13 boards, 14 assists.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Thursday, 21 April 2005 00:09 (twenty years ago)

haha Reggie Miller gets T'd up on Reggie Miller night! *that* close to getting tossed.
Reggie, I hated you with a passion back in the 90s, but you're a fucking stud and I'll miss watching you play the game.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 21 April 2005 00:47 (twenty years ago)

Hahha... I saw that too. It was going to be like that awful Billy Crystal movie where he plays a ref and kicks out Kareem on his farewell night.

It's weird rooting FOR the Pacers because I don't want the Pistons to face them in the first round.

Lebron is definitely a stud, but the way that Dan Gilbert fucked up that team and everyone BUT Lebron laying down was just plain sad. Seriously, Lebron is out the door as soon as he can, isn't he???

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 21 April 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

Bulls miss a shot at the buzzer to force overtime. Indiana had their A squad in most of the 4th qtr while Skiles resigned less then halfway through --- Pacers' starters*barely* able to notch a victory against the lineup of Jannero Pargo, Eric Piatkowski, JARED FUCKING REINER, FUNDERBURKE!!!, and Adrian Griffin. And yet the Indiana crowd was going NUTS. Good job! Way to beat our scrubs by a basket!

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 21 April 2005 01:51 (twenty years ago)

Charlotte won their last game, bringing them to 18-64. Way to exceed dismal expectations!

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Thursday, 21 April 2005 02:11 (twenty years ago)

Lebron is definitely a stud, but the way that Dan Gilbert fucked up that team and everyone BUT Lebron laying down was just plain sad. Seriously, Lebron is out the door as soon as he can, isn't he???

honestly, i kind of doubt it- it's great sportstalk fodder but i think he will stay. gilbert totally messed up by firing silas in the middle of a losing streak, it's likely silas would have pulled them out of it. the current cavs team really isn't much better than .500 but silas had them playing together for stretches early on, and i think they would have finished better than that and into the playoffs had he been allowed to work them through it. the offseason would have been the time to make changes.

lebron has 2 years left on his contract, and that is a long time to fix what amounted to a 1/4 season long swan dive. the cavs pulled the same crap in slightly less dramatic fashion last year, so it's clear there need to be some changes. i'm sure over the summer they will bring in a new coach and make some roster changes. obv. if they are as big a disaster as the silas firing, lebron will ask to be traded, but i can't see it going that bad.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 21 April 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't Silas indiscriminantly benching players left & right, tho? Not to get Gilbert off the hook, but I think Silas (or the Silas / player relationship) WAS the reason for the slide. I dunno if local reports say otherwise, tho.

Also: I hope the Nets get housed. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 21 April 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

i'm all about the BOBCATS next year! 18 wins is not bad for an expansion team, seriously, and they took down some of the league's better teams in those wins. they move into their own arena next year, okafor will be a year better, the management can sort through the expansion draft detritus and keep the proven guys (brevin knight, hello), make a few deals with their mad cap space. oh and they should have a good draft with two lottery picks, their own and now cleveland's, which they own through some deal.

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 21 April 2005 16:01 (twenty years ago)

i think silas was doing some benching to try to wake them up out of a slump, but there rumblings that he was being told who to give PT to as well- i think?

― metonymus prime (rgeary), Thursday, 21 April 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

brevin knight is one of those players who is exciting to watch even if he doesn't take a shot the entire game.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

Re: the Cavs. I just think if you're an owner who takes over mid-season, take a back seat and wait until the off-season before firing people. Silas might've deserved to get canned, but the team didn't respond well and all it did was add more turmoil. And about Lebron leaving... A lot has been made of the fact that he has a huge kicker in his contract if he plays in LA, Chicago or NY. And since he'll be making max dollars anyway, he'll basically be able to decide if he wants to stay or go.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and I think we need to make an NBA Playoffs thread... this one is getting kind of unwieldy.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Jim Paxson canned by the Cavaliers.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

oooh, lebron to chicago. pretty please.

its really too bad that the bulls are without curry and deng. i dont know if they'll be able to beat the wizards now - which is funny to say considering how dreadful both teams were last year.

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 21 April 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

yeah my friend has been licking his chops over the possibility of getting Lebron to come to Chicago. I dunno though, he may be too big of a star to fit into the system that's in place (and obv working pretty damn well). the one big name player I think would fit in well is Garnett. Curry and, say Deng plus a draft pick for KG sounds good to me.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 21 April 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

Okay, fearless prediction.... Pistons repeat. Too much has been made of their bench. Larry Brown goes down to a 7-8 man rotation anyway, and McDyess, Hunter, Arroyo, and then Campbell and Dupree in spot minutes will get the job done. Fact is that Rasheed is 100% this year and not hampered by a bad foot, Tayshaun is maybe playing the best basketball on the team, Rip and Billups have learned how to pass, and Ben is Ben. Other than San Antonio, I don't think any other teams stand a chance in a 7 game series, and San Antonio will get worn out making it out of the West like the Lakers did last year.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 24 April 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

i dont think the bulls have a #1 to offer in 2006 because they dont have one this year, and i think theres a rule that you cant be without a #1 2 years in a row. but maybe i made that up. not that the bulls would get garnett or lebron, except in dreamland. maybe peja? oooh

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 April 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

NOTE TO STEVE KERR STOP KIRK HINRICH IS A 2ND YEAR PLAYER STOP STOP CALLING HIM A ROOKIE YOU ASSHAT STOP ALSO WHAT IS UP WITH THE ROOKIE IN PLAYOFFS THING STOP STICK TO CO-PIMPING ORNALDO BLOOMPS MOVIES STOP

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 24 April 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

whoa. the bulls won.

so this is the first bulls game ive been able to watch in its entirety... but does anyone ever purposely pass the ball to tyson chandler or does he get all his points off of offensive rebounds? can he post up at all??

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 24 April 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

Ben Gordon is such a stud.

During the little bit of the game I got to watch, Kerr was riding on Phil Jackson about how "Jackson would always play all his players during the season so they'd be ready in the playoffs." This comment was elicited by the tenuous fact that Lawerence Funderburke had just entered the game. I also love how Kerr has to mention about one bazillion times that he played with Michael Jordan (c) on the championship teams. Just in case anyone forgot.

Denver-San Antonio is going to be a good first round, yeah?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Sunday, 24 April 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Fudge that - it's all about PHO MEM!

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 24 April 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

tnt could probably use some better camera work.

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 25 April 2005 01:33 (twenty years ago)

ANDRE MILLER STOP SHOOTING PLEASE

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 25 April 2005 01:40 (twenty years ago)

What an awesome game.... Denver outdefending the Spurs. I still think SA wins the series but this is going 7.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

GOD, DIE PLZ.

FUCK AN UPSTART DENVER NUGGETS.

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

And Earl Boykins is still my favorite 5'5" player in teh league. Eastern Michigan University Eagles reprezent. (xpost... not trying to rub it in or anything)

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:04 (twenty years ago)

yeah. nazr mohammed killed on the offensive glass though (chicago morgan park high school reprezent)

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:17 (twenty years ago)

btw wtf happenned to mike fratellos hair

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:19 (twenty years ago)

and wtf happenned to the spurs in the 4th quarter

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 25 April 2005 02:49 (twenty years ago)

I don't know, but that game shaved two years off my life.

The Spurs were 38-3 this year on their home court...21-20 away. Things are not looking up.

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

oh god fratello's hair. there aren't the words. well unless "hahahahaha" is a word.

phil, tyson has virtually no offensive skills. NEVER seen him post up. lately he's been doing this decisive yet out-of-control run towards the hoop to get a layup, but it seems that he either loses the handle, misses the shot, or gets called for the off foul more often than not.

aaron your pistons are lucky the bulls have to go through Miami to get to them!! they only managed to tie the season series up cause of some bullshit call (a piston airballed, wallace tipped it, then tyson just plain snatched it outta the air cleanly. foul on tyson.) that being said I think it'd be hard for the bulls to win 4 games without Curry's presence inside.

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:06 (twenty years ago)

I should have put money on the Rockets.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:11 (twenty years ago)

Yao is going nuts tonight.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:13 (twenty years ago)

god, they'd be ahead by 10 if Dirk wasn't choking

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:46 (twenty years ago)

Tracy McGrady's sleepy eyes are kind of creepy.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 02:46 (twenty years ago)

So absurd. It's funny that Nellie got pushed out to focus on D, the team could never make stops at the end, etc. - and now they're suffering on offense AND STILL CAN'T MAKE A STOP.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 03:33 (twenty years ago)

Absolute best part of the game was Yao hugging Tracy after the game-winner. Yao looked like an excited little kid, Tracy looked like his dignity was offended.

― Lukas (lukas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

Avery Johnson is hilarious.

"You can't play everybody in the playoffs. Have you ever been to the playoffs before? Ok. Well, you can't play everybody in the playoffs."

Damn, he's twitchy. Is this a Saturday Night Live parody?

― Lukas (lukas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 04:01 (twenty years ago)

He tried to go after one of the officials after the last game. I don't think playoff stress is doing him good.

Maybe they lose the next one, he freaks out and has to take a medical leave, Nellie comes back to lead them to a championship and then retires for good. Yeah, that's it.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

boy keith van horn really blew a couple plays at the end there... i haven't seen dallas play much this year, but i was under the impression that dirk had been playing really aggressively, etc... i was expecting him to be a lot more demanding of the ball today... my favorite part was when everyone on inside the nba started doing avery johnson impersonations....

― dave k, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 04:31 (twenty years ago)

I want to spend the rest of my life watching Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady play basketball. Every waking moment.

THAT MEANS YOU MOTHERFUCKERS BETTER KEEP WINNNING.

― Lukas (lukas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

That's right: winnning. T-Mac puts the fucking N on, bitch.

― Lukas (lukas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

jeez mcgrady is, like, really fucking good, sleepy eyes and all. did he have an off year or two in Toronto? Kinda seems like he fell off the radar for awhile.

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:15 (twenty years ago)

Last year in Orlando = longest losing streak eva; led to his trade outta there.

― I DESIRE...MACARONI NECKLACES AND SOAP SCULPTURES (Matt Chesnut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:22 (twenty years ago)

phil, tyson has virtually no offensive skills. NEVER seen him post up.

um is tyson going to get a max contract with no offensive skills at all? it was ridiculous. i saw him like totally wide open, and still nobody would pass the ball to him. no post up moves at all??? wtf! hes 9 feet tall!

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:29 (twenty years ago)

Sorry about that. I promise you my roommate suffered more tho.

― Lukas (lukas), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:41 (twenty years ago)

I don't think he'll get or is worth ridiculous dollars, but he's valuable enough to the team for them to shell out a fairly hefty sum for him. He's one of the best shot blocker/help defenders and rebounders in the league and plays with intensity every minute, every game.. Rodman with a wingspan (i don't remember, but I'm sure he, w/almost no off skills, pulled in a big salary ). With Curry on the team, Bulls don't really need him to score (sure, it'd be nice) and, like, a blocked shot is -2 pts for the other team so when he gets one it's as if he did score! or something.

I don't like this whole 2 days off thing. The biggest advantage the Bulls have is their depth, and giving the Wizards starters so much rest diminishes that.

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 05:43 (twenty years ago)

I kind of want to hate the Rockets for embarassing the Mavericks, but I'm totally on board with watching McGrady and Ming for the rest of the playoffs.

It was just pathetic watching the Mavs defend T-Mac in the fourth quarter, some serious Looney Tunes shit. Yao sets a pick, Dirk/Van Horn/Howard bounces off him into a pratfall, two guys come over to try and stop T-Mac in the lane, he does a little pirouette (complete with Bugs Bunny tutu outfit) and dances around both then finishes with lay-in.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

I'm a complete Jinx aren't I? the mavs were incredible when I saw them and then remained undefeated, as soon as I try and find somewhere shoing one of their playoff games...... they start sucking big time :o(

I'm still going to watch a few play-off games at Bodeans though.

― ceebee, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

when did first round games go to best-of-7? wtf

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

both games last night were incredible! it was fascinating watching mavs-rockets after celts-pacers: the level of play was so so so so so much higher. the west is still ze best.

i see you posted yao's line from last night on my blog, phil. i said he would have one game of 20-10! so that was the one! the rockets will keep advancing cuz of that backcourt, though: sura + barry = the hotness.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

Speaking of the Celts (& how they gave Indy yesterday's game) - what's Pierce's defensive rep? I ask because, near the end of the game, he was on Stephen Jackson, & Jackson did a give & go where the giver (& the giver's defender) set up a screen so SJ could go baseline. Pierce, instead of going behind the screen to try & get in front of the would-be streaking SJ, tries to go AROUND THE TOP of the screen, in effect putting himself in the position to eat some dust while watching SJ's ass as he dunks.

The fact that no other Celt was watching this & came over to help is quite WTFish, too. Of course, the one Celt that was closest was Ricky Davis, who A) was stuck w/ 5 fouls, and B) is, um, well, y'know, with the defense, not so much.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

david, i dunno if you've noticed this, but NO ONE guards the pick and roll well anymore. the only team i've seen defend it well are the pistons, and that's entirely thanks to prince, who rotates very quickly to help on the man drifting toward the basket.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

I'm a fair-weather pro basketball fan, Yanc3 - the only things to interest me of late are the Heat, the Suns (& baby Sun teams like the Wizzzerdz) & the run & fun Celts - so while I figgered fundamentals are seen as more mental than fun in the pros, that play just looked SO BAD. I think Tommy Heinson DEDUCTED a Tommy Point from Pierce's stat sheet, it was so bad.

Of course, Antoine, right after that play, had what seemed like a wide-open red-carpet opportunity to go baseline for the jammie, and instead tried laying it up over the back of the rim, which wasn't the way to go.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

It seems like the trick to defending high screens is for the big man to be able to flash out on the dribbler until the guard can catch up. Pistons are so good at this because the Wallaces are athletic. But watch what happens when, say, Webber has to do it with his one good leg. Anyway, this seems to be one of the key differences between good and bad defensive teams.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

it was fascinating watching mavs-rockets after celts-pacers: the level of play was so so so so so much higher. the west is still ze best.

Well I don't think it's entirely fair to use the celts or the pacers to represent the east in a comparison, and the west in general cannot play defense for shit ("level of play" these days usually is tied into putting on an offensive display), but yeah, the west does have a couple more quality teams than the east (still can't play d though)

― ()ops (()()ps), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

the worst player i have ever seen at defending the pick and roll is actually yr old kissing cousin, aaron: mehmet okur. he ALWAYS looks lost, and ends up guarding a slab of parquet rather than a man.

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

Oh man you could see Carlisle and Larry Brown (and I'm sure Sloan) aging prematurely every time Okur missed an assignment, didn't guard a pick and roll, and inevitably gave up an easy layup. It's funny how I haven't really missed him too much this season.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

http://www.dallasnews.com/img/photo/04-05/2mavs11.jpg

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Sura's threes were important and all, but I'm not sure he needs to join the Ming-McGrady hugpile.

http://www.dallasnews.com/img/photo/04-05/2mavs15.jpg

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

That dunk was ridiculous. STAND UP TALL SHAWN!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:02 (twenty years ago)

i can't believe we're two games into the series and we still haven't had The Shawn Bradley Freakout!

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

what is a Shawn Bradley freakout?
I have an ESPN clip entitled "top ten dunks on Shawn Bradley" and it was harrowing, especially Shaq's, and they couldn't even fit some of the ones I'd considered the best, I almost feel sorry for him until I remember he's set financially for life for using 1/100 of his potential in his given profession.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sure Shawn Bradley ever had potential outside of being monstrously tall. He only played one year at Mormon U and then had his missionary trip before getting drafted. The hit to flop ratio for players 7'4" and above isn't very good.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:58 (twenty years ago)

even assuming he has no more talent than he has shown, 99% of his potential could = smacking the shit out of anyone attempting monster dunks, most of which are express attempts to embarrass and discredit you and your professional reputation. I think anyone could live with that, even David Stern.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:07 (twenty years ago)

Skinny 7'6" people break easy.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

Who all thinks Phil Jackson's going back to the Lakers? The notion seems like pure girlfriend-induced madness to me.

― Curious George (1/6 Scale Model) (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

I can't believe he'd go back after Kobe punked him and ditched Shaq. You know Kobe isn't going to listen to a word he says.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

It would probably serve Phil Jackson right if he did go back.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

no one else seriously knows what a shawn bradley freakout moment is ?????????? i know aaron does...

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

http://espn.starwave.com/i/magazine/new/040429_bradley.jpg

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

http://www.yaomingmania.com/graphics/02_11_21_bradley_grabs_jersey.jpg

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

http://www.patandkat.com/pat/weblog/images/webber-dunk1.jpg

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

This is very heartening for USA Basketball. D'Antoni has to be a front-runner for coach, right?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 22:49 (twenty years ago)

FUCKING SA-TOWN IS BACK IN THIS BITCH.

63-32 at the half!

― The Father of Honky-Crunk (Matt Chesnut), Thursday, 28 April 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

HINRICH!!!

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:36 (twenty years ago)

I think the Spurs might've made a few adjustments in game 2.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

like microsurgery on td's ankle?

― Lukas (lukas), Thursday, 28 April 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

Happy Birthday Hinrich!

― Antawn Jamison (()()ps), Thursday, 28 April 2005 02:40 (twenty years ago)

Nice block, Q

― Sym Sym (sym), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:22 (twenty years ago)

That was awesome (he's from chicago though so it's expected) but Nocioni had *the* block of the night when he denied Hughes' dunk attempt.

― ()ops (()()ps), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:29 (twenty years ago)

I think it's time to talk Paul Shirley: http://www.nba.com/suns/news/shirley_playoff_blog.html

― Sym Sym (sym), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:36 (twenty years ago)

sports guy

"If you like basketball at all, if you've ever cared about it, you need to catch one of these Mavs-Rockets games and see what Tracy McGrady is doing. He just submitted the two best all-around playoff performances by a non-big man since MJ."

TRUTH

― Lukas (lukas), Thursday, 28 April 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

Did he submit them in triplicate? Otherwise, NULL AND VOID!

(Bless that Game 1 dunk.)

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 28 April 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Speechless...

http://static.espn.go.com/i/page2/swf/hey_shaq.swf

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 28 April 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

xxpost not to be a homer, and I can't stand him now, but Kobe has been more brilliant or at least as brilliant many more times than twice against much stiffer competition since MJ (see: sweep of the Queens and Suns in 2001, forgot what his numbers were but damn; also Spurs series 2002)

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 28 April 2005 20:12 (twenty years ago)

yeah but shaq opens the floor up in a way that yao, much as i love him, does not

― Lukas (lukas), Thursday, 28 April 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

hahaha, Jay-Z and Ludacris sitting together at the Nets game ... and dumbass Craig Sager doesn't even acknowledge Cris. Weak, man.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

so i was about to post that vince is the least clutch player ever...

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:06 (twenty years ago)

Don't tease me like this, Mavericks.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:06 (twenty years ago)

yao, much as i love him, does not

Especially tonight. Fuck!

― Lukas (lukas), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:07 (twenty years ago)

Yao has the ugliest hair in the NBA. You'd think someone could hire him a stylist.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:10 (twenty years ago)

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