[quote]Xeneize wrote:
tmoney1 wrote:
Dwight Howard is a beast. What a star he would be in a major market.[/quote]
I had the privilege of listening to Pat Williams, VP of the Orlando Magic, give a talk at my school yesterday. Dwight Howard came up during the speech, and Williams said “Dwight Howard is not going anywhere for a long time. He’ll be with the Magic for many many years to come.”
Guess that answers your question LOL.
My apologies again, been really busy with school, working two jobs, and trying to wrap everything up for the semester. Plus, everytime I try to access T-Nation at my place, it never loads, but loads up at the library. Every other website loads at my place except this one. Weird.
Enough of the excuses. Nice job of everyone participating in the thread, greatly appreciated. Seems like the thread is better off this year than last year, better discussion and insight.
Keep up the good work everyone, and I will do a better job from here on out.
[quote]Kalle wrote:
Stupid Nuggets! The Warriors would have at least made it a interesting series. [/quote]
Hey at least you can cheer for the 8-seed counterpart in the East. Go Hawks, hold it down for the 8 seeds big Kalle!!!
Big ups to Hedo Turkoglu for winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award:
http://www.nba.com/news/hedo_mip_080428.html
And congrats to Byron Scott for winning the Coach of the Year award:
http://www.nba.com/news/scott_coy_080428.html
Also, congrats due to Grant Hill for taking home the sportsmanship award. Great guy, good model citizen, lot of bad breaks, but very very VERY happy to see Hill play this past year healthy and looking solid.
So what does everyone think about Avery Johnson getting released from Dallas as head coach? Is Mike D’Antoni next? GM Steve Kerr denies the reports, but do one or both deserve to get fired??
Thoughts/comments?
Wednesday, April 30th Recap:
Wizards defeat 4) Cavaliers 88-87: Caron Butler had 32 points and 9 boards, including the game-winning layup with under 4 seconds left, and the Wizards close the series to 3-2. LeBron James had 34 and 10 boards, but the Cavs were unable to close out the series at home, and now take the show to DC.
Celtics defeat 8) Hawks 110-85: Paul Pierce had 22, 7 boards and 6 assists, and the Celtics easily defeat the Hawks to go up 3-2 in the series. Joe Johnson had 21 points, and Al Horford added 14 and 10 boards, but were just outmatched today.
Stud of the Night: Caron Butler. 32 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, messed with LBJ’s head, and hit a game winning layup to make things interesting and send the series back to DC.
[quote]Malevolence wrote:
Kalle wrote:
Stupid Nuggets! The Warriors would have at least made it a interesting series.
The Warriors would have fucking beaten the Lakers for their 2nd consecutive 8th-1st seed upset. Then they would become known as the most feared first-round match-up, in a similar way that the Pistons were a feared conference finals match-up.[/quote]
We both sound really bitter don’t we 
Like T$ said a few months ago “I think to get a playoff spot in the west you will need to win 50 games.”
48 don’t cut it.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
Kalle wrote:
Stupid Nuggets! The Warriors would have at least made it a interesting series.
Hey at least you can cheer for the 8-seed counterpart in the East. Go Hawks, hold it down for the 8 seeds big Kalle!!![/quote]
I am cheering for them though it is hard to cheer for a team that was 10 games under .500. I am all for making the best of an opportunity though.
My favorite team in this playoffs is the Hornets, Chris Paul is sick.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
So what does everyone think about Avery Johnson getting released from Dallas as head coach? Is Mike D’Antoni next? GM Steve Kerr denies the reports, but do one or both deserve to get fired??
Thoughts/comments?[/quote]
I don’t think he was really the problem. I just don’t think of Dallas as having any real gritty players, and that’s something you need.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
So what does everyone think about Avery Johnson getting released from Dallas as head coach? Is Mike D’Antoni next? GM Steve Kerr denies the reports, but do one or both deserve to get fired??
Thoughts/comments?[/quote]
I think its stupid. When coaches are fired you have to ask who is the best possible replacement?
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
So what does everyone think about Avery Johnson getting released from Dallas as head coach? Is Mike D’Antoni next? GM Steve Kerr denies the reports, but do one or both deserve to get fired??
Thoughts/comments?[/quote]
I think letting Avery go is an odd decision. You immediately ask yourself “Who are you going to get to replace Avery that’ll make Dallas better?”
I don’t think there’s a reasonable answer to that question right now, so I’m scratching my head at cutting Avery. Dallas has made some questionable personnel moves lately such that I don’t think setting up Avery as the fall-guy is a smart move. Dallas is only two years removed from an NBA Finals appearance, and one year removed from a 67-15 record. I think Avery’s body of work earned the benefit of the doubt. Mark Cuban disagrees, I guess.
D’Antoni makes a little more sense in that it’s quite obvious by now that the run-n-gun, go go go Suns can’t get past the Spurs in the playoffs. Also, PHX’s current window is just about slammed shut, so it makes more sense to start over.
That Shaq deal was such a boneheaded move that, if it’s true that D’Antoni pushed for it over Kerr’s reservations, D’Antoni deserves to get canned for that. Talk about a square peg into a round hole; I don’t think you could find a player in the NBA that fit into PHX’s strategy worse than a 37 y.o. Shaq.
[quote]deputydawg wrote:
White Flash:
Lets put this to rest concerning SA vs. Pho last year. Last night Bell fouled Parker just as flagrantly as anything Horry did to Nash last year when he gave Parker a forearm shiver to the head while Parker was in the air sending Parker practically into the bleachers. Bell did not go for the ball at all. Did Duncan and Ginobli come off the bench with fists flailing looking to start a fight? No. That's the difference between the two teams. One team has mental discipline and the other lacks it. [/quote]
Fists flailing? Stoudemire had a towel around his neck with both hands on it. And, the series was tied when the foul happened. The Spurs capatalized on the Stoudemires absence, with the help of some shady calls courtesy of a now incarcerated cheating ref. My statement still stands. Trading Marion for Shaq was one of the worst trades in NBA history. Point blank.
[quote]tGunslinger wrote:
D’Antoni makes a little more sense in that it’s quite obvious by now that the run-n-gun, go go go Suns can’t get past the Spurs in the playoffs. Also, PHX’s current window is just about slammed shut, so it makes more sense to start over.
[/quote]
I was thinking along these lines myself. The whole system in Pheonix isn’t working. I’m surprised D’Antoni wasn’t the one to go.
[quote]timbofirstblood wrote:
tGunslinger wrote:
D’Antoni makes a little more sense in that it’s quite obvious by now that the run-n-gun, go go go Suns can’t get past the Spurs in the playoffs. Also, PHX’s current window is just about slammed shut, so it makes more sense to start over.
I was thinking along these lines myself. The whole system in Pheonix isn’t working. I’m surprised D’Antoni wasn’t the one to go.[/quote]
I gotta disagree guys. With Marion, the system was working. I’d put money on it that the Suns win that series without Horry’s body check and the gambling ref interfering. It’s a moot point, of course, 'cause we’ll never know. The Suns arent gonna start over, at least not yet. They gave up so much to get Shaq that they’re gonna give it at least one full year before they scrap it. Their problems are only getting worse now. Nash, while never a standout defender is getting older and slower and is getting ABUSED by any top shelf point in the league. Shaq isn’t 28, or even 33 and is being asked too much of his old, flabby body. Stoudemire is entering the prime of his career, but would be wise to ask to get traded to a contender so he can get away from this impending mess. If the Suns could get a big, athletic 2 who can put pressure on the opposing D while containing penetration from someone like Ginobli they’d be taking steps in the right direction, but I don’t know who they’d give up to get that. Guess they never shoulda let Joe Johnson go either…
[quote]deputydawg wrote:
SA vs. Pho… That’s the difference between the two teams. One team has mental discipline and the other lacks it. [/quote]
That pretty much sums it up. The Suns have plenty of talent. But that will to win in crunch time just isn’t there.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
Big ups to Hedo Turkoglu for winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award:
http://www.nba.com/news/hedo_mip_080428.html
And congrats to Byron Scott for winning the Coach of the Year award:
http://www.nba.com/news/scott_coy_080428.html
Also, congrats due to Grant Hill for taking home the sportsmanship award. Great guy, good model citizen, lot of bad breaks, but very very VERY happy to see Hill play this past year healthy and looking solid.
http://www.nba.com/news/hill_sportsmanship_080425.html[/quote]
Hear, hear. I feel you on Grant Hill. I used to be a sportswriter and Hill was definitely the nicest guy I ever interviewed. Gracious in victory and defeat. As good a guy in person as his image. Nice to see a guy like that be able to contribute. Could have been a true great if he could just stay healthy.
[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
So what does everyone think about Avery Johnson getting released from Dallas as head coach? Is Mike D’Antoni next? GM Steve Kerr denies the reports, but do one or both deserve to get fired??
Thoughts/comments?[/quote]
I agree with the rest of the guys here that Avery was made a scapegoat. Avery didn’t ask for the Jason Kidd trade.
From what I gather, the team just wasn’t responding to him, as Cuban had sort of trivialized Avery, so maybe it was for the best. He’ll coach again soon.
As for Dantoni, I hear there is some friction between him and Kerr. I’m not a fan of Dantoni, especially after his cocky-ass quote of “we’ll just kick the Lakers’ ass like we always do.” I wouldn’t be sad to see him go.
Damit,The Celtics won. If the Hawks win, it will be the biggest upset ever. Bigger than the miracle on ice, bigger than the Giants upset,bigger than Tyson/Douglas,bigger than… my Balls!!!
Xeniese:
I love that avatar. It's like a magnet that keeps disturbing my thought processes.
Avery Johnson is a great guy. He’s proven himself as a coach in just a short period of time. Unfortunately for him he’s taking the rap for the last two seasons playoff performances. It’s too bad. But he’ll be fine. The rumour has been that they have been on the outs for a while now with Cuban supposedly telling A.J. that he wanted different players to get more time and A.J. basically saying I’m the coach. In the long run it is probably best for everyone and A.J. will get another job.
Cuban is the perfect example of an owner that is also a general manager that makes impulsive decisions.