'05-'06 NBA Season Notes

[xfactor]

The NBA Regular Season is over and it couldnt end a moment sooner

A few things I wanted to get guys' opinions and comments on that happened during the year:

1) Does the 76ers' 38-44 record and fall from the Eastern Conference playoff picture prove that Maurice Cheeks is overrated as a pro head coach? I mean he did have 1 HOF, 1 perenial all star, and 2 or 3 good players to build a playoff calibre team around. Is Willie Green that much of an impact to the team that allowed them to fall 3 games under .500? What was the 76ers problem this year?

2) Does anyone think that Wobe Bryant will try to emulate his play this season of taking FGA after FGA with reckless abandon, entirely disregarding the TEAM game to go for individual records and cost the lakers even more games? Or will he see that that style of play doesnt work and actually CHANGE after they get swept in the playoffs by Phoenix this year?

3) Has LeBron James proven this year to be the most important player on his team not named Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal? I still thought Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade were better players than him until the start of this season but LeBron has proven that his play is unmatched by anyone from his draft class and he can only get better over time.

Lastly...

4) Has Ron Artest proven he was the REAL reason the Pacers were a contender the past few seasons? Without him, they clearly fall back into the middle of the pack.

 

[cranrab]

1) Does the 76ers' 38-44 record and fall from the Eastern Conference playoff picture prove that Maurice Cheeks is overrated as a pro head coach?

No. the case can be argued that coach cheeks is overrated, but i don't think THIS season is evidence of it. i would NOT argue that coach cheeks is overrated AT ALL, considering that he did get the tree blazers into the playoffs...

I mean he did have 1 HOF, 1 perenial all star, and 2 or 3 good players to build a playoff calibre team around. Is Willie Green that much of an impact to the team that allowed them to fall 3 games under .500? What was the 76ers problem this year?

AI2 is simply not that good a player. but then i'm biased against pac 10 backcourt players.

does KK even bring to the table what matt harpring did? KK is another ineffectual SF in a long line of SFs since geoge lynch left. how else to describe a player who loses his starting gig to john salmons?

SD started off very active, and made me question my original evaluation of him (which wasn't favorable). but, consistency and work ethic proved to be too much to ask for, and i ended up being correct.

microfracture surgery irreparably harmed CW's game, but he's still more talented (a sad commentary on the league's current condition) than many players at the same position. CW can still contribute on different levels, but can anyone argue that he's NOT a defensive liability?

but NONE of those players caused as much harm to the 76ers as did the acquisition of coach bibby. some argued (and PREDICTED) that the 76ers would implode after coach cancer arrived, and the 76ers record after his arrival speaks volumes...

2) Does anyone think that Wobe Bryant will try to emulate his play this season of taking FGA after FGA with reckless abandon, entirely disregarding the TEAM game to go for individual records and cost the lakers even more games? Or will he see that that style of play doesnt work and actually CHANGE after they get swept in the playoffs by Phoenix this year?

i have no reason to waiver on my opinion that i've had for the past TEN years. tobe is TOO STUPID a player to learn how to become a team player. tobe is a DUMB EURO who can't discern reality from his delusion.

EXAMPLE:

what coach says: tobe, you've got to share the ball with your teammates.
what tobe hears: tobe, you have to take fewer FGAs.
what tobe says: fuck you, coach.

what coach says: tobe, your teammates need to become comfortable with the O, so let's run the O and get a few looks before you take a shot.
what tobe hears: tobe, you have to take fewer FGAs.
what tobe says: fuck you, coach.

what coach says: tobe, if we're going to play WINNING basketball, you need to involve your teammates in the O.
what tobe hears: tobe, you have to take fewer FGAs.
what tobe says: fuck you, coach.

the funniest thing is that faker fans and tobe supporters have been crediting tobe with the increase in wins from last season. too bad they forgot to take into account the HEALTH of lamar odom and the influence of coach jackson.

3) Has LeBron James proven this year to be the most important player on his team not named Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal? I still thought Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade were better players than him until the start of this season but LeBron has proven that his play is unmatched by anyone from his draft class and he can only get better over time.

for me, the book is still out on young mr. james. while undoubtedly an impact player with a variety of skills, i believe we haven't witnessed how he responds to the adversity and challenge of playoff basketball. let's revisit this question during the post season. will lebron james awe us? or will he give us a tracy mcgrady?

4) Has Ron Artest proven he was the REAL reason the Pacers were a contender the past few seasons? Without him, they clearly fall back into the middle of the pack.

too many variables in indiana to come to that conclusion. jamal tinsley not healthy. jermaine o'neal not healthy. the whole team psyche (from management on down) wasn't healthy after ron artest opened his mouth. let's revisit this question too, after we see how ron artest performs against the san antonio speuros.

 

[TrojansFan]

The NBA Regular Season is over and it couldnt end a moment sooner

A few things I wanted to get guys' opinions and comments on that happened during the year:

1) Does the 76ers' 38-44 record and fall from the Eastern Conference playoff picture prove that Maurice Cheeks is overrated as a pro head coach? I mean he did have 1 HOF, 1 perenial all star, and 2 or 3 good players to build a playoff calibre team around. Is Willie Green that much of an impact to the team that allowed them to fall 3 games under .500? What was the 76ers problem this year?

2) Does anyone think that Wobe Bryant will try to emulate his play this season of taking FGA after FGA with reckless abandon, entirely disregarding the TEAM game to go for individual records and cost the lakers even more games? Or will he see that that style of play doesnt work and actually CHANGE after they get swept in the playoffs by Phoenix this year?

3) Has LeBron James proven this year to be the most important player on his team not named Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal? I still thought Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade were better players than him until the start of this season but LeBron has proven that his play is unmatched by anyone from his draft class and he can only get better over time.

Lastly...

4) Has Ron Artest proven he was the REAL reason the Pacers were a contender the past few seasons? Without him, they clearly fall back into the middle of the pack.

1.) If I had to make a decision right now... I would say Mo Cheecks is overrated as a coach. But, I would like to reserve my opinion until somebody gives him a competitive team to work with. Portland's roster when he was there was a joke and this 76ers whole team (with the exception of AI) decided to take the season off. Maybe the coach is responsible for not motivating his team to go out and give their best effort, but I believe the 76ers have a bunch of players on their roster who really don't care about winning (with the exception of AI), just there to collect a paycheck and enjoy the lifestyle. In addition, their fall from the playoffs was not as much a result of them playing significantly worse than last year, but the other teams in the East improved and they didn't.

2.) I still can't figure out why you insist on calling Kobe outside his name. (Did he fuck your sister or something?) Anyway, you can critisize his play all you want, but he has the Lakers back in the playoffs so his play so far this season has been sucessful! Until the Lakers aquire another legitimate scorer, Kobe will continue to take 20-25 FGAs per game, and he better because the Lakers only have 3 players who can create offense on their own (Odom and late-season surprise Kwame are the others). Remember, Kobe is a shooting guard and the shooting guards primary function in the offense is to shoot and score, he is not a point guard so stop expecting him to play like one (not saying he couldn't improve in the assist department, but that is not his role in the offense). By the way, he did average 4.5 assists this season (which was good enough for 38th in the league) so he is far from a ballhog. And I guarantee the Lakers WILL NOT get swept by the Suns!!!

3.) I totally was in agreement with you that before the season Carmelo and Dwayne were better players than LeBron, but he has vastly improved his game this season! However he is not more important to his team than Nash is to his!!! He has however more important to his team than Sahquille O'Neal or Tim Duncan. Just because they are great players doesn't make them indispensable to their teams. Because of injury Duncan has been a shell of his former self and not even close to dominate yet the Spurs still have the second best record in the league. Likewise, Dwayne Wade is the more important to his team than Shaquille O'Neal. Just look at how the team performed in last year's playoffs without O'Neal (2-0) vs without Wade (0-1).

4.) Yes I totally agree with you here. I did realize just how good Ron Artest is. But watching how the Pacers have fallen apart without him (although there are other reasons for their collapse) and how he has completely turned around the Kings there is no doubt left that he is a top 25 player in the league. That being said, you still never know when he might blow a fuse again!

 

[RunawaySlave]

Yet another person to blame for poor Allan's team

 

[TimRock]

2) Does anyone think that Wobe Bryant will try to emulate his play this season of taking FGA after FGA with reckless abandon, entirely disregarding the TEAM game to go for individual records and cost the lakers even more games? Or will he see that that style of play doesnt work and actually CHANGE after they get swept in the playoffs by Phoenix this year?

Damn, you love Kobe. Why do you care what he does if your not a kobe fan? You are obsessed.

 

[xfactor]

Yet another person to blame for poor Allan's team

So you think that Iverson is the problem with Philadelphia and not Igoudala's inconsistency, or Webber's defensive liablities, or Kyle Korver fading away down the stretch? Not to mention the team's lack of defense all around?

Damn, you love Kobe. Why do you care what he does if your not a kobe fan? You are obsessed.

Not really but contrary to your belief, I do like the Lakers. Been a fan of theirs since I was 8 back when I wanted Magic Johnson to beat Jordan and the BULLS in the '91 NBA Finals. I just dont like that trash style of play that Wobe brings to the team and completely throws their chances of winning games. Unless you have any insight, opinion, or analysis to add, stay the fuck out of this thread.

 

[xfactor]

AI2 is simply not that good a player. but then i'm biased against pac 10 backcourt players.

does KK even bring to the table what matt harpring did? KK is another ineffectual SF in a long line of SFs since geoge lynch left. how else to describe a player who loses his starting gig to john salmons?

SD started off very active, and made me question my original evaluation of him (which wasn't favorable). but, consistency and work ethic proved to be too much to ask for, and i ended up being correct.

microfracture surgery irreparably harmed CW's game, but he's still more talented (a sad commentary on the league's current condition) than many players at the same position. CW can still contribute on different levels, but can anyone argue that he's NOT a defensive liability?

but NONE of those players caused as much harm to the 76ers as did the acquisition of coach bibby. some argued (and PREDICTED) that the 76ers would implode after coach cancer arrived, and the 76ers record after his arrival speaks volumes...

I thought that Steven Hunter would come in and be a spark off the bench like he was for Phoenix last year but they try to trade the guy in the middle of the season when its clear they are soft down low in the post. Like you, I think Billy King made a HUGE mistake giving a marginal player like Dalembert a $60 million dollar contract

I think Korver could be an asset if he's not asked to do too much. His athleticism is lacking and he needs serious work on his ball handling. As far as Igoudala, I think he can be a GOOD wing player 18-6-4 if he was aggressive with the ball everynight and became more consistent. The guy has the skill, talent, and athleticism... Just doesnt seem to have the heart.

As far as Webber, you're right about the fact that he is a huge defensive liability but I think they could have utilized him better. He's probably the best passing post in the NBA (Why not run more of the offense through the high post and let him work?) I think he's better at distributing the ball than Iverson but I havent seen many 76ers games.

As far as Coach Bibby... Dont know much about him but didnt he coach at USC? I hear he wasnt even a top coach there, let alone NBA assistant material.

2.) I still can't figure out why you insist on calling Kobe outside his name. (Did he fuck your sister or something?) Anyway, you can critisize his play all you want, but he has the Lakers back in the playoffs so his play so far this season has been sucessful! Until the Lakers aquire another legitimate scorer, Kobe will continue to take 20-25 FGAs per game, and he better because the Lakers only have 3 players who can create offense on their own (Odom and late-season surprise Kwame are the others). Remember, Kobe is a shooting guard and the shooting guards primary function in the offense is to shoot and score, he is not a point guard so stop expecting him to play like one (not saying he couldn't improve in the assist department, but that is not his role in the offense). By the way, he did average 4.5 assists this season (which was good enough for 38th in the league) so he is far from a ballhog. And I guarantee the Lakers WILL NOT get swept by the Suns!!!

I've been calling him Wobe for a while now. Dont really mean to do it but its kind of habit. For you to say that he got the Lakers back into the playoffs is looking at this thing with tunnel vision. Did you not notice the impact of Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson being the REAL reasons the Lakers are back in the playoffs? Granted Bryant has put on some great scoring exhibitions, he is really more of a hurt than a help to the team. Like I posted on the main board, the Lakers are 2-18 when Odom doesnt play since he joined the team... 2-16 when Kobe plays but Odom doesnt. I think that pretty much says it all right there.

As far as his assist numbers, as much as he dominates the ball, they could be a lot higher. He simply is not an efficient scorer or team player but a reckless gunner with little regard for his teammates on the court. To be honest, I dont think Phil Jackson will allow them to get swept, even if it comes down to putting Wobe on the BENCH for an extended stretch (which I am almost certain will happen in atleast 1 game) but like cranrab stated in his playoff post unless a key player on Phoenix gets injured or thrown out of the game, there is no way the Lakers are winning this series.

 

[cranrab]

Did you not notice the impact of Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson being the REAL reasons the Lakers are back in the playoffs?

i know some jackass with no grasp on reality will be ready to argue you down, but here is the TRUTH:

2004-05 fakers record on 3/17 after 64 games: 32-32
2005-06 fakers record on 3/21 after 64 games: 33-31

wow. not very much difference there, huh? but these dates are significant because in 2004-05, lamar odom missed the rest of the season.

2004-05 fakers record after 3/17 and 18 games: 2-16
2005-06 fakers record after 3/21 and 18 games: 12-6

wow. the difference? lamar odom HEALTHY, and coach jackson.

for the tobe revisionists, DON'T EVEN TRY IT. some of us remember that in 2004-05 tobe missed 2 weeks of games and the fakers still posted a 32-32 record. what's the excuse for being only 1 game better in 2005-06?

 

[SpiritualPorn]

the funniest thing is that faker fans and tobe supporters have been crediting tobe with the increase in wins from last season. too bad they forgot to take into account the HEALTH of lamar odom and the influence of coach jackson.



for me, the book is still out on young mr. james. while undoubtedly an impact player with a variety of skills, i believe we haven't witnessed how he responds to the adversity and challenge of playoff basketball. let's revisit this question during the post season. will lebron james awe us? or will he give us a tracy mcgrady?



too many variables in indiana to come to that conclusion. jamal tinsley not healthy. jermaine o'neal not healthy. the whole team psyche (from management on down) wasn't healthy after ron artest opened his mouth. let's revisit this question too, after we see how ron artest performs against the san antonio speuros.

Great observations as usual

I get better shit listening to you than most of these BS commentators that tow the company line.

The Bulls will beat the HEAT!?!?!?!


I can't beleive Mark Jax really beleives that shit.

For all the inside dirt former players have on the NBA and we get this company line : Kobe is great...Lebron is the best...Shaq is slow.... It's like selling beer . It looks alot better than itt tastes.

 

[SpiritualPorn]

S




Not really but contrary to your belief, I do like the Lakers. Been a fan of theirs since I was 8 back when I wanted Magic Johnson to beat Jordan and the BULLS in the '91 NBA Finals. I just dont like that trash style of play that Wobe brings to the team and completely throws their chances of winning games. Unless you have any insight, opinion, or analysis to add, stay the fuck out of this thread.

Then who would keep it interesting?

(I really agree, however)

 

[xfactor]

The Bulls will beat the HEAT!?!?!?!


I can't beleive Mark Jax really beleives that shit.

SP,

I posted in TrojanFans playoffs thread about some of the bullshit that spewed out of Mark Jackson's mouth today but I didnt know he said that too.

 

[TimRock]

Not really but contrary to your belief, I do like the Lakers. Been a fan of theirs since I was 8 back when I wanted Magic Johnson to beat Jordan and the BULLS in the '91 NBA Finals. I just dont like that trash style of play that Wobe brings to the team and completely throws their chances of winning games. Unless you have any insight, opinion, or analysis to add, stay the fuck out of this thread.

So now you are the Thread Security? If you dont like his style of play, watch another game. Its that simple. Evertime an NBA thread is created, Kobes name is mentioned. There are 500 or so other players in the league. I saw a thread about Shaq, how did I know Kobes name would get mentioned. XFactor, Spritual Porn and CranRab, yall are the real Kobe fans. Its ok to come out the closet.

 

[TimRock]

The Bulls will beat the HEAT!?!?!?!


I can't beleive Mark Jax really beleives that shit.

For all the inside dirt former players have on the NBA and we get this company line : Kobe is great...Lebron is the best...Shaq is slow.... It's like selling beer . It looks alot better than itt tastes.

I agree, Mark is bugging. He picked a lot of the under dogs to win. I guess if they really do win, he wants to be the first to say "I told you so".