'08/09 NBA Season

[jesuc jexus]

iconic jazz owner larry h miller aint likely to survive to the weekend. sad time for jazz fans.

[bucky]

Well the Gentry project is working well... My team is getting smashed.

Suns shooting 70% to be up 118 - 72 at 3 quarter time... and yes those numbers are correct.

Seems Gentry is doing the exact opposite to Porter. Over the last few weeks guys like Dragic and Lopez have hardly been getting off the bench but in todays game Lopez had the fewest minutes of the team with a respectable 12 minutes while Dragic got some good burn with 23 minutes for 12 points, 4 boards, 2 assists and 2 turnovers. Not too shabby and hopefully with more game time he can get even better and we might finally be able to give Nash some much deserved rest.

On another note from todays game, Clippers forward Zach Randolph was ejected in the first quarter for punching Suns louis Amundson.
Randolph knocked Amundson to the floor as they tangled for a rebound, then glared down at him. When Amundson stood to face Randolph, the Clippers forward threw a punch with his left hand and connected with a solid blow.

[Cussy]

So he Roald Amudsen?

[The Glove]

Well the Gentry project is working well... My team is getting smashed.

Suns shooting 70% to be up 118 - 72 at 3 quarter time... and yes those numbers are correct.

working hard at work I see mate :lol:

[Voice(s)]

On another note from todays game, Clippers forward Zach Randolph was ejected in the first quarter for punching Suns louis Amundson.
Randolph knocked Amundson to the floor as they tangled for a rebound, then glared down at him. When Amundson stood to face Randolph, the Clippers forward threw a punch with his left hand and connected with a solid blow.

Randolph has always been nothing but a fat punk.

[Da Houndawg #55]

Knowing Randolph's "defense" he's lucky Amundsen didn't throw the first punch...

[Clips]

Well the Gentry project is working well... My team is getting smashed.

Suns shooting 70% to be up 118 - 72 at 3 quarter time... and yes those numbers are correct.

Seems Gentry is doing the exact opposite to Porter. Over the last few weeks guys like Dragic and Lopez have hardly been getting off the bench but in todays game Lopez had the fewest minutes of the team with a respectable 12 minutes while Dragic got some good burn with 23 minutes for 12 points, 4 boards, 2 assists and 2 turnovers. Not too shabby and hopefully with more game time he can get even better and we might finally be able to give Nash some much deserved rest.
None of the starters played after 3/4 time from memory. Lopez played the whole final quarter.


On another note from todays game, Clippers forward Zach Randolph was ejected in the first quarter for punching Suns louis Amundson.
[quote:pf6wlh0d]Randolph knocked Amundson to the floor as they tangled for a rebound, then glared down at him. When Amundson stood to face Randolph, the Clippers forward threw a punch with his left hand and connected with a solid blow.[/quote:pf6wlh0d]Absolute fuckwit. He has been playing great since he was traded to a ridiculously injury ridden team, and now he goes and fucks things up further for us by getting himself suspended. Things were hard enough without Kaman, Camby or Skinner, added to the fact that DeAndre Jordan still can't help but foul anyone who steps within an arm span. There were times today when Al Thornton had to play the 5 against Shaq or Amare. No wonder we got pumped. :roll:

[Shannon Noll]

Saw that my OKC lost to New Orleans by 2 points, checked the box score to see that MAH-BOY Kevin Durant went for 47 points on 16/27 shooting!

This kid is the truth!

Watch out West, with a core of Westbrook, Durant, Green, and Chandler, OKC is in for a rapid rise.

[j-mac]

Hornets-Thunder trade has been rescinded (http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/Chandler_Rejoins_Hornets-301350-31.html) after Chandler failed his medical. :shock:

[j-mac]

Apparently the Bulls and Kings have agreed to a deal which sends Salmons and Miller to Chicago and Gooden, Noicioni, Ruffin and Simmons to Sacremento: source (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3916703).

[j-mac]

Amar'e on a tear: 29 points at halftime on 12-15 shooting plus 7 boards.
Although it is only against the Clippers minus Camby, Randolph and Kaman, but still...

New coach = good move. As long as they can beat teams that aren't called the Clippers.

[Clips]

Amar'e on a tear: 29 points at halftime on 12-15 shooting plus 7 boards.
Although it is only against the Clippers minus Camby, Randolph and Kaman, but still...

New coach = good move. As long as they can beat teams that aren't called the Clippers.
Same as yesterday. We can't match up the size and strength of Amare and Shaq when our top 4 (3 players above + Skinner) starting centre options are out.

Luckily we have a 3 day break, before a 5 game week in which Lamarcus Aldridge goes mental on us, aswell as Boston, but thankfully Warriors, Kings and Bobcats round out the stretch.

Hopefully by the end of next week we should have at least 3 of the 4 back in the line up. (or all 3 if we can trade Chri$ Kaman away)

[j-mac]

Magic acquired Rafer Alston. (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/david_aldridge/02/19/trade.20090218/index.html)
Good replacement for Nelson, who had season-ending shoulder surgery (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/nelson.surgery.ap/index.html?rss=true).
It was interesting to hear David Aldridge talk about this deal, he reckons Alston will get Lewis and Turkgolu more/better 3 point looks. :shock:
And he probably has a better 3 shot than Nelson.

[Voice(s)]

More problems in Phoenix, Amare is out for eight weeks and could be out for the rest of the season with a detached retina.

[Da Houndawg #55]

As is Lethal Vertical for the Spurs... it seems his other eye has been getting so mistreated its now tried to flee the rest of his body in search of external nourishment...

[Clips]

The trade deadline passes and Amare goes down quicker than a Thai hooker.

With Porter gone, the Suns have won their last 3 games averaging scoring 140 points, but are giving up an average of 112 on the other end, against opposition that lacks an (active) inside presence or multiple offesnsive weapons.

Obviously the franchise would be on a big high with their results, but it should be interesting to see where they go from here if Amare is done for the season.

WIll they go after Mikki Moore?

[djrod]

Phoenix giving up 112 is the same as the Spurs giving up 90!

When you are playing the type of game they are and scoring 140 ppg then the opposition will get a lot of opportunities... their defence isn't bad AT ALL.

[Clips]

Phoenix giving up 112 is the same as the Spurs giving up 90!

When you are playing the type of game they are and scoring 140 ppg then the opposition will get a lot of opportunities... their defence isn't bad AT ALL.
With Phoenix making such a huge shift to focusing on defence this season, have given up an average of 110 points per 100 possessions. It won't get any better under Gentry.

110 points against per 100, puts them in line with elite teams such Minnesota, Washington and the Clippers, and worse than Oklahoma and D'Antoni's Knicks.

Boston, San Antonio, LAL and Cleveland average about 102 points against per 100.

[Clips]

Luckily we have a 3 day break, before a 5 game week in which Lamarcus Aldridge goes mental on us
28 points at 65%, 10 boards in 32 minutes as mental enough in a blow out. Same game, Steve Blake drops 14 dimes in a quarter to tie the all time record for assists in a quarter. He finished with 17 in 25 minutes.


The Suns let Boston minus KG shoot 63% to win by 20 in PHX. Gentry era is 116 ppg against and counting..

[Voice(s)]

The Suns let Boston minus KG shoot 63% to win by 20 in PHX. Gentry era is 116 ppg against and counting..

At least Nash is having fun though. Like I said before the Gentry era started, their season is now officially over as now Nash doesn't need to pretend to even play defense.

[Clips]

OMGDEVINHARRISWTFDOOD!!!!11! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU_4mCNE0z0)

[Dunkin' Dan]

That was pretty sweet right there

[j-mac]

Celtics sign Mikki Moore (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/24/celtics.moore.ap/index.html?rss=true)
Good move.

[j-mac]

Marbury waived by Knicks. (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/24/marbury.waived.ap/index.html?rss=true)
Long been rumoured to be heading to Boston; now possible; David Aldridge says it will happen.

[j-mac]

Marbury signed with Boston, played against Indiana today.
8 points on 4/6 shooting, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 3 TO

[Dunkin' Dan]

How bout Shaq pouring in 45 points - a 6 year high - against Toronto :)

[Voice(s)]

I just finished my post-orgasm cigarette. A week shy of his 37th birthday Shaq had 45 points and 11 boards on 20-25 FG and 5-8 FT in the Suns big win over Toronto even without Nash and Amare. It was also the 49th 40 point game of his career.

To quote that dud from And1, "Oh Baby!" :)

[Da Houndawg #55]

I just finished my post-orgasm cigarette. A week shy of his 37th birthday Shaq had 45 points and 11 boards on 20-25 FG and 5-8 FT in the Suns big win over Toronto even without Nash and Amare. It was also the 49th 40 point game of his career.

To quote that dud from And1, "Oh Baby!" :)
"Even without"???

Don't you mean "in large part because they were without"?

[Voice(s)]

What the hell are you meant to be talking about? It was a big win even without the sevices of Amare and Nash.

[Da Houndawg #55]

I read that as his big numbers occurring even without Nash and Stoudemire and it occurring in a win.

I was suggesting that those numbers were largely possible because with those two guys out there's a lot more reason to play at a tempo which most favours Shaq.

[Durbansandshark]

Reason to Hate The Now Deservedly Crumbling Evil Laker Empire #3768790 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUENlW0s0Ow) :argh:

The NBA needs to step in and send a very serious message about these flagrant fouls on a breakaway before somebody gets hurt or worse. Sure Ariza gets ejected for that and deserves it, but he didn't get a massive suspension?! :evil: C'mon now! I suggest if you do that, your ass gets at least two or three games and a big fine. Sure they were frustrated with that much-deserved thrubbing by Portland, but that shows how oppressive and malicious they can be! Ariza didn't intend to hit him (maybe), but he did it in a prone position like that. Odom, according to the rules, shouldn't get off the bench and gets suspended, which I don't necessarily agree with that rule (look what happened to poor Amare and Boris in 2007 against the Rotten Ass Cheaters and an injured Reggie Miller in street clothes in the Malice At the Palace in 2004), as you know. In this context though, it may be deserved here. Was he coming off the bench swinging, though? But it's a non-issue because of what Ariza did that started it. Guess we're dealing with the NDCELE and what it can get away with, right?

[bucky]

Reason to Hate The Now Deservedly Crumbling Evil Laker Empire #3768790 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUENlW0s0Ow) :argh:

The NBA needs to step in and send a very serious message about these flagrant fouls on a breakaway before somebody gets hurt or worse. Sure Ariza gets ejected for that and deserves it, but he didn't get a massive suspension?! :evil: C'mon now! I suggest if you do that, your ass gets at least two or three games and a big fine. Sure they were frustrated with that much-deserved thrubbing by Portland, but that shows how oppressive and malicious they can be! Ariza didn't intend to hit him (maybe), but he did it in a prone position like that. Odom, according to the rules, shouldn't get off the bench and gets suspended, which I don't necessarily agree with that rule (look what happened to poor Amare and Boris in 2007 against the Rotten Ass Cheaters and an injured Reggie Miller in street clothes in the Malice At the Palace in 2004), as you know. In this context though, it may be deserved here. Was he coming off the bench swinging, though? But it's a non-issue because of what Ariza did that started it. Guess we're dealing with the NDCELE and what it can get away with, right?

Can you explain the Crumbling thing?

As far as I was aware the Lakers were far from Crumbling.......

[Durbansandshark]

Until they win another NBA title, which we should all hope that never happens, I will continue to call them as such.

Yes, they sadly have another winning record, but they can still get wrecked in the postseason. They should be finishing no higher than 12th in the West.

[Poida]

Fking LOL @ J-Rich's 360 attempt being blocked by LeBron. What a douche. Way to keep your team in the game :lol:

[Antipodean2007]

the trade by the phoenix suns for shaq has been an epic failure! simply because of the game style phoenix is traditionally implementing, it doesnt matter if phoenix score 110 points per game, if doesnt matter if shaq's numbers go back up, the bottom line is: are they winning? if the answer is : no, then its a failure

the oddest thing is they were constantly talking down the suns' chances of ever contending for (i dunno - ever) because they never had a legitimate big man in the middle, they got by on having guys like john williams, wayman tisdale and joe kleine filling the hole in the middle

you'd think that "team culture". has a lot to do with it

[Antipodean2007]

another thing that bugs me about the nba is the overofficiating in the comp over technical fouls assessed to players making statements for monster dunks

i was watching jr smith go "BOOM BABY, YEAH!"

and the ref takes the F-U out of "FUN" by assessing it a technical because he enjoyed leaping the dunk and dunking all over the top

oh another thing ive noticed is they have brought back the jump ball instead of the possession arrow when the ball is tied up

[smittys07]

another thing that bugs me about the nba is the overofficiating in the comp over technical fouls assessed to players making statements for monster dunks

i was watching jr smith go "BOOM BABY, YEAH!"

and the ref takes the F-U out of "FUN" by assessing it a technical because he enjoyed leaping the dunk and dunking all over the top

oh another thing ive noticed is they have brought back the jump ball instead of the possession arrow when the ball is tied up

uh, AFAIK they never used the possession arrow, did they?

[RaMarQabLe]

the trade by the phoenix suns for shaq has been an epic failure! simply because of the game style phoenix is traditionally implementing, it doesnt matter if phoenix score 110 points per game, if doesnt matter if shaq's numbers go back up, the bottom line is: are they winning? if the answer is : no, then its a failure

the oddest thing is they were constantly talking down the suns' chances of ever contending for (i dunno - ever) because they never had a legitimate big man in the middle, they got by on having guys like john williams, wayman tisdale and joe kleine filling the hole in the middle

you'd think that "team culture". has a lot to do with it


Shaq was brought in because they were going to go away from the run and gun and focus more on defence.... enter terry porter... that plan didn't really work according to steve kerr... exit terry porter... now they are back to the run and gun and shaq wants out because of a rumoured trade of him possibly going to the cavs before the trade deadline.

[Durbansandshark]

Uh, trade deadline passed a few weeks ago. Cavs just clinched the Central Division, its first since 1975-76. Do they really need Shaq? Not necessarily, but some inside presence would be needed deep in the postseason.

PS: Pistons owner William Davidson has died. :( www.nba.com/pistons (http://www.nba.com/pistons)

[Voice(s)]

Shaq was brought in because they were going to go away from the run and gun and focus more on defence.... enter terry porter... that plan didn't really work according to steve kerr... exit terry porter... now they are back to the run and gun and shaq wants out because of a rumoured trade of him possibly going to the cavs before the trade deadline.

Pretty much the whole thing wrapped up. The Porter plan was working at 11-5 but Nash didn't like it (it wasn't "fun") and was complaining to the media during it and eventually Porter relented and started playing what could be considered a return to run and gun. By that stage it was too late Nash and to a lesser degree Amare had already quit on him and even though the style was what most Suns players wanted it was clear maximum effort was not going to be given under Porter again. Enter Alvin Gentry and now the season is over.

Supposedly Shaq does want out and I dare say it might have a bit more to do with having a look at who's around him than being miffed about being almost traded to the team with the best record in the East (the Suns pulled out of the Shaq deal). He hasn't got long left in his career and it's obvious (even to Suns fans now) that Nash has no interest in ever playing anything resembling defence. He's been having guys put up season or career high's on him all season and his response just seems to be to run faster. Clearly he's more interested in having fun than winning and given that Sarver said everyone on the team was on the block excluding Nash at the trade deadline hints that Sarver/Kerr have no designs on getting rid of the weak link. IMO, Shaq should've been over the moon he almost got out of there and on to a championship contender although I don't really see how he would've fit on the Cavs (they were offering the Suns Wallace and Pavlovic).

If unsuccessful in winning a championship this year I wouldn't be surprised if the Cavs revist talks with the Suns in the off-season.

[Lethal Vertical]

What are we thinking about the Spurs chances now that they've signed Gooden?

That extra big man depth will help against the Lakers, especially if Bynum returns.