Nba '08-'09 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

QuasiMondo · 10-27-2007, 05:13 PM

So, in the offseason, the big news was the Celtics' acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Little by little, the balance of power slowly moves back to the east, but the dynasty that is San Anonio, with Phoenix and Dallas never too far behind means it'll be a while before the Eastern Conference returns to being the powerhouse it was in the 90's.

So now, the burning questions:

Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets?
Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west?
When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman?
Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks?
Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team?

Where do you think your team will finish this season?

dlish · 10-29-2007, 07:23 PM

im a spurs fan through and through.

though i would like to say that the spurs will win, i personally didnt think that they were the number one side in the west lat year. more like the third best side, but at the end of the day, a championship ring is a championship ring. it doesnt really matter if in the regular season you came first or 4th in your division.

history will remember them as '07 world champs and the others as chokers.

bhamv · 10-31-2007, 07:40 AM

Based on the Lakers-Rockets game, it looks like this year's Lakers are going to be much like last year's... Kobe taking all the shots and doing all the scoring, but the Lakers lose nonetheless.

Cross-Over · 10-31-2007, 11:54 AM

Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets?

If winning a playoff series equals success, then I would say yes. In my opinion, they have the potential to, but won't reach the Western Conference finals.

Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west?

The Mavs made the NBA Finals two years ago, proving they can beat the Spurs in the playoffs. However, I don't see either PHX or DAL beating the Spurs this year.

When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman?

They have spent a lot of money on their roster, and are right up to the luxury tax. You can't blame the Cavs for Larry Hughe's inadequacies and injuries. Don't forget, they offered max contracts to both Ray Allen and Michael Redd a couple years ago, but were turned down by both. They resigned Big Z, being that he was the best free agent center available. They resigned Gooden at a bargain of only 24 million over 3 years. They brought in Damon Jones and Marshall to spread defenses with their long range shooting. I realize we want Lebron to win titles and be great, but reaching the NBA Finals was quite an accomplishment for the franchise.

Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks?

I like Aldridge, he is a quality big man. Webster is young, and he looked good last night. Roy showed his star power last year. I like the direction they are heading, and over a 10 year projection, I would probably take their roster over any other.

Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team?

Ha, definitely not. Randolph and Crawford can't and won't guard anyone. Marbury and Curry aren't good defenders either. That's 80% of their starters, case closed.

Where do you think your team will finish this season?[/QUOTE]

My hometown Wizards should finish around 5th or 6th. Lack of defense is still an issue, as is interior toughness with the losses of Etan Thomas and Michael Ruffin. I really like Blatche though, that kids the truth. My former hometown Hawks are aiming to squeak into the playoffs. Very young, but very athletic. There are some skilled rotation guys as well.

Jadast · 10-31-2007, 05:52 PM

I will mist likely not watch a game this year. I find the NBA to be uninteresting when compared to college ball.

Nimbletoe · 10-31-2007, 10:52 PM

Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets?
I think Denver's success is more dependent upon the health of the rest of their lineup. If somehow, the roster can stay healthy for a majority of the season, I think they have a chance to compete with anyone in the west. But, that's asking a lot. K-mart is coming off microfracture surgery, Atkins is out for the first six weeks, AI is getting old, Nene is well... Nene, Camby... they have a lot of fragile players.

Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west?
I like Phoenix's chances if they can keep Hill healthy and Marion plays with his heart in it. Dallas is going to have to show me something, but you can't count them out. A team not mentioned in these questions is Houston. Again, pending health issues, this could be the year they contend for a title. The west is more open then it's ever been, as I could see either the Spurs, Mavs, Suns or Rockets coming out of it, with the Nuggets and Jazz as the darkhorses.

When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman?
The Cavs have been horribly managed, and are basically screwed cap-wise until right around James can bail, which I expect to happen. They got lucky they beat Detroit last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even make the playoffs this year.

Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks?
No. They still made the right pick. Besides, this just means that next year they get another high draft pick. Sure, it sucks that we're missing a year of Oden, but in three years, this team will be competing for a title.

Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team?
Isiah will be gone by Christmas. The Knicks, if they even make the playoffs, will get bounced in the first round handily.

Where do you think your team will finish this season?
The window is closing from the Pistons, but it's still there. Sheed has lost weight and is ready to go, which is a great sign. Stuckey breaking his damn hand was a huge bummer, but he'll be back and become a regular part of the rotation before the playoffs. I really, REALLY like Maxiell. The guy is just a beast. If we can get contributions from Amir Johnson and Stuckey, I like us over anyone in the East, and believe we can compete with anyone in the West as well.

And btw, this year is 07-08, not 08-09 =)

Halx · 11-02-2007, 05:44 AM

Nimbletoe, I disagree about the Blazers. Oden may be young, but he looks old and his body is broken down. I think that team made the absolute wrong decision and they'll be paying for it for years.

Nimbletoe · 11-02-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halx

Nimbletoe, I disagree about the Blazers. Oden may be young, but he looks old and his body is broken down. I think that team made the absolute wrong decision and they'll be paying for it for years.

Eh, he didn't look old playing in college last year. Yes, he's been prone to injury so far, but I still think he'll be a superstar in the league in a few years. I'm not saying that him going the path of Bowie is impossible, but we'll see.

QuasiMondo · 11-02-2007, 07:37 PM

45 points by LeBron...and the Knicks lose.

When do we start the Isiah countdown?

QuasiMondo · 11-14-2007, 11:14 AM

All this time, we expected all of the off-court drama to be coming from the land of the Purple-and-Gold, but surprise surprise, the circus has once again come to Madison Square Garden (and I'm not talking about Ringling Bros.)

Marbury Fined by Knicks For Skipping Game click to show

Lotta he said/he said here. Did Marbury recieve permission to leave the team? If he did, why wouldn't the Knicks confirm this? How much [stuff] does Marbury have on Isiah that won't sully his already sullied reputation, or is this just an idle threat?

I've never seen an organization in so muc dysfunction. It's easy to pin all of this on Thomas, but this team was falling apart back when Scott Leyden was their GM. I put all of this on James Dolan, and I wish somebody would take the team away from him, even if this means a hostile takeover of Cablevision, the Knicks' parent company.

10-27-2007, 05:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	Nba '07-'08 So, in the offseason, the big news was the Celtics' acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Little by little, the balance of power slowly moves back to the east, but the dynasty that is San Anonio, with Phoenix and Dallas never too far behind means it'll be a while before the Eastern Conference returns to being the powerhouse it was in the 90's. So now, the burning questions: Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets? Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west? When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman? Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks? Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team? Where do you think your team will finish this season? __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator Last edited by QuasiMondo; 11-01-2007 at 04:19 AM..

10-29-2007, 07:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	im a spurs fan through and through. though i would like to say that the spurs will win, i personally didnt think that they were the number one side in the west lat year. more like the third best side, but at the end of the day, a championship ring is a championship ring. it doesnt really matter if in the regular season you came first or 4th in your division. history will remember them as '07 world champs and the others as chokers. __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

10-31-2007, 10:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
Nimbletoe Junkie Location: Michigan	Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets? I think Denver's success is more dependent upon the health of the rest of their lineup. If somehow, the roster can stay healthy for a majority of the season, I think they have a chance to compete with anyone in the west. But, that's asking a lot. K-mart is coming off microfracture surgery, Atkins is out for the first six weeks, AI is getting old, Nene is well... Nene, Camby... they have a lot of fragile players. Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west? I like Phoenix's chances if they can keep Hill healthy and Marion plays with his heart in it. Dallas is going to have to show me something, but you can't count them out. A team not mentioned in these questions is Houston. Again, pending health issues, this could be the year they contend for a title. The west is more open then it's ever been, as I could see either the Spurs, Mavs, Suns or Rockets coming out of it, with the Nuggets and Jazz as the darkhorses. When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman? The Cavs have been horribly managed, and are basically screwed cap-wise until right around James can bail, which I expect to happen. They got lucky they beat Detroit last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even make the playoffs this year. Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks? No. They still made the right pick. Besides, this just means that next year they get another high draft pick. Sure, it sucks that we're missing a year of Oden, but in three years, this team will be competing for a title. Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team? Isiah will be gone by Christmas. The Knicks, if they even make the playoffs, will get bounced in the first round handily. Where do you think your team will finish this season? The window is closing from the Pistons, but it's still there. Sheed has lost weight and is ready to go, which is a great sign. Stuckey breaking his damn hand was a huge bummer, but he'll be back and become a regular part of the rotation before the playoffs. I really, REALLY like Maxiell. The guy is just a beast. If we can get contributions from Amir Johnson and Stuckey, I like us over anyone in the East, and believe we can compete with anyone in the West as well. And btw, this year is 07-08, not 08-09 =) __________________ Go Pistons! Last edited by Nimbletoe; 10-31-2007 at 11:00 PM.. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

11-02-2007, 05:44 AM	#7 (permalink)
Halx Please touch this. Owner/Admin Location: Manhattan	Nimbletoe, I disagree about the Blazers. Oden may be young, but he looks old and his body is broken down. I think that team made the absolute wrong decision and they'll be paying for it for years. __________________ You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals]

11-02-2007, 07:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	45 points by LeBron...and the Knicks lose. When do we start the Isiah countdown? __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

10-31-2007, 07:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
bhamv Upright	Based on the Lakers-Rockets game, it looks like this year's Lakers are going to be much like last year's... Kobe taking all the shots and doing all the scoring, but the Lakers lose nonetheless.

10-31-2007, 11:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
Cross-Over Psycho	Will the Iverson/Anthony combination finally mean success for the Nuggets? If winning a playoff series equals success, then I would say yes. In my opinion, they have the potential to, but won't reach the Western Conference finals. Will Phoenix or Dallas finally dethrone the Spurs as the kings of the west? The Mavs made the NBA Finals two years ago, proving they can beat the Spurs in the playoffs. However, I don't see either PHX or DAL beating the Spurs this year. When will the Cavs finally realize that Lebron can't carry the whole team on his shoulders and finally get him a wingman? They have spent a lot of money on their roster, and are right up to the luxury tax. You can't blame the Cavs for Larry Hughe's inadequacies and injuries. Don't forget, they offered max contracts to both Ray Allen and Michael Redd a couple years ago, but were turned down by both. They resigned Big Z, being that he was the best free agent center available. They resigned Gooden at a bargain of only 24 million over 3 years. They brought in Damon Jones and Marshall to spread defenses with their long range shooting. I realize we want Lebron to win titles and be great, but reaching the NBA Finals was quite an accomplishment for the franchise. Are the Trailblazers cursed when it comes to lottery draft picks? I like Aldridge, he is a quality big man. Webster is young, and he looked good last night. Roy showed his star power last year. I like the direction they are heading, and over a 10 year projection, I would probably take their roster over any other. Will the Knicks play defense as vigorously Isiah Thomas' legal team? Ha, definitely not. Randolph and Crawford can't and won't guard anyone. Marbury and Curry aren't good defenders either. That's 80% of their starters, case closed. Where do you think your team will finish this season?[/QUOTE] My hometown Wizards should finish around 5th or 6th. Lack of defense is still an issue, as is interior toughness with the losses of Etan Thomas and Michael Ruffin. I really like Blatche though, that kids the truth. My former hometown Hawks are aiming to squeak into the playoffs. Very young, but very athletic. There are some skilled rotation guys as well.

10-31-2007, 05:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jadast Upright Location: Summerville, SC	I will mist likely not watch a game this year. I find the NBA to be uninteresting when compared to college ball.

11-14-2007, 11:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	All this time, we expected all of the off-court drama to be coming from the land of the Purple-and-Gold, but surprise surprise, the circus has once again come to Madison Square Garden (and I'm not talking about Ringling Bros.) Marbury Fined by Knicks For Skipping Game click to show NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks fined Stephon Marbury more than $180,000 for skipping Tuesday night's game at Phoenix. The Knicks sent the guard a letter informing him of the fine, according to a person with knowledge of the penalty who spoke to The Associated Press. He requested anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss it. The Knicks would not confirm the fine. Marbury's status for tonight's Knicks game in Los Angeles against the Clippers remains murky. Knicks vice president of media relations Jonathan Supranowitz said he doesn't know if Marbury will be at the game. Supranowitz told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand that he has been unable to reach Marbury on Wednesday. "We are just going to see how it plays out," Supranwoitz said. According to the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, players are docked 1/110th of their salaries for a missed game. With Marbury scheduled to earn $20.1 million this season, that would be about $182,800. Marbury told the New York Post on Tuesday he had permission from coach Isiah Thomas to leave the team, but Thomas would not confirm that. He did say Marbury would be welcome. The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday the trouble started during the team's flight to Phoenix, when Marbury learned from teammate Eddy Curry that Thomas planned to use him as a backup and start second-year guard Mardy Collins. A person close to the situation told the Daily News that Marbury reportedly marched to the front of the plane to confront Thomas over the situation, then returned five minutes later and claimed he had leverage on Thomas. "Isiah has to start me," Marbury reportedly said, according to the Daily News. "I've got so much [stuff] on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can [get] me. But I'll [get] him first. You have no idea what I know." Several of Marbury's teammates said his departure took them by surprise, but they expressed no hard feelings. "You always support your teammates," forward Jared Jeffries said Tuesday night. "A lot of people on the outside don't understand what guys go through with their family, their friends, with this team, with anything. Whenever somebody goes through a tough time you support your teammate." Marbury played poorly down the stretch in New York's 75-72 loss to Miami on Sunday, and the Daily News reported Tuesday the Knicks were trying to reduce Marbury's role or get rid of him entirely. That created tensions between Marbury and Thomas -- neighbors in Westchester County who share the same agent. The two reportedly even fought on the plane to Phoenix, which the Knicks denied. "There is no truth to that whatsoever," said Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz, who was on the flight. Marbury is still one of the Knicks' best players, averaging 15.2 points and 6.8 assists. But he and Thomas clashed early last season after Thomas benched him in the second halves of two games, and Marbury caused the Knicks some more headaches this summer. He behaved erratically during a televised interview, then testified in a sexual harassment trial against Thomas and Madison Square Garden that he had a sexual encounter in his truck with a team intern, smiling and singing on his way out of the courthouse. Marbury is under contract with the Knicks through next season, scheduled to earn about $42 million. That makes him difficult to trade, especially since he has created problems off the court and never won a playoff series on it. Lotta he said/he said here. Did Marbury recieve permission to leave the team? If he did, why wouldn't the Knicks confirm this? How much [stuff] does Marbury have on Isiah that won't sully his already sullied reputation, or is this just an idle threat? I've never seen an organization in so muc dysfunction. It's easy to pin all of this on Thomas, but this team was falling apart back when Scott Leyden was their GM. I put all of this on James Dolan, and I wish somebody would take the team away from him, even if this means a hostile takeover of Cablevision, the Knicks' parent company. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator