My prediction from May 14…
[quote]therajraj wrote:
OKC-SAS conference final, OKC-MIA final and MIA takes it in 6[/quote]
Well it’s the Thunder vs. Heat finals. Should be a great one.
I’m rooting for the Heat. LeBron c’mon man just get your ring so we can stop with all this nonsense.
[quote]yvanehtnioj wrote:
[quote]chillain wrote:
No question Wade is among the very best 2’s period, and maybe they don’t need to blow it up if they fall short again.
Also, I’m not really big on comparing ‘bigs vs wings’ (say, Duncan vs Bryant, how exactly does one compare the two?) but I can say that Gasol or Gerald Wallace would NOT need the same perimeter touches that both James, Wade command.
But you are dead wrong about Gasol being HUGE downgrade vs anyone, really. Don’t let his current 3rd-wheel status, deflated production fool you the way many, many bandwagon LAL fans are currently fooled - he’s still a legit 7-ft big, and still the most skilled from that (short) list.
[/quote]
Maybe I was exaggerating a bit when I said Gasol would be a “HUGE downgrade,” but I still think he would be a downgrade. Wade is one of the most talented players and will be among the greats when he retires. He can and will have to change his game up eventually, and has the talent and skill to do it. Gasol is very talented too, but I don’t think he has anywhere near as much upside. Isn’t he turning 33 or so in a month? I still think it’s very premature to even consider trading Wade. He’s just too good to let go. It has more to do with the role players stepping up. [/quote]
I hear you, the whole Gasol topic/discussion was fresh on my mind from an email thread amongst our college crew where a few of us argued for absolutely trading Bynum ahead of Gasol. Not that I think that’ll happen but it seems a no-brainer (to me) for a variety of reasons.
And on that topic of ‘trades that won’t actually happen’ we can safely get back to D Wade and this upcoming James/Durant marquee matchup…
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…
Interesting article a buddy emailed me-
Take it for what it is, but there’s DEFINITELY something to it.
Also, remember what I’ve been saying about good guys vs bad guys? Good guys in 6.
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games
[quote]HS wrote:
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games[/quote]
Sorry, but this couldn’t be more wrong. In pro basketball, money is king. Remember several years when the NBA fucked the Suns (by far the leagues most explosive team) out of a title by handing the Spurs (a dynasty) the title? That’s what they’re trying to do here. OKC in 6.
^^^^ That was said half jokingly. Truthfully, if you take the refs outta the equation the most important thing in basketball is size and depth. Todays current NBA has no great big men. I hope there’s some young prospect somewhere watching clips of Olajuwon or Shaq instead of Garnett or Durant. That kid will grow up to dominate.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Todays current NBA has no great big men. I hope there’s some young prospect somewhere watching clips of Olajuwon or Shaq instead of Garnett or Durant. That kid will grow up to dominate.[/quote]
I’m beginning to wonder whether we’ll ever see this again. whether Hibbert and Bynum aren’t the last of the “true” big men.
Not that its no longer a big man’s game, more that younger players tend to develop perimeter skills and keep them sharp while they continue to grow (think: Durant’s 7-ft wingspan, Lebron’s handles etc) instead of really zoning in on back-to-the-basket skills.
In other words, I can easily envision a future NBA filled with long, do-everything types like Durants and Grangers (and Stacey Augmons?) and of course lightning-quick PGs, while “true” big men are exceedingly rare. Hmmm, that actually sound like how it already is…
[quote]therajraj wrote:
My prediction from May 14…
[quote]therajraj wrote:
OKC-SAS conference final, OKC-MIA final and MIA takes it in 6[/quote]
[/quote]
Unless you’ve actually got MIA clinching it on the road, you might just wanna revise that.
[quote]chillain wrote:
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Todays current NBA has no great big men. I hope there’s some young prospect somewhere watching clips of Olajuwon or Shaq instead of Garnett or Durant. That kid will grow up to dominate.[/quote]
I’m beginning to wonder whether we’ll ever see this again. whether Hibbert and Bynum aren’t the last of the “true” big men.
Not that its no longer a big man’s game, more that younger players tend to develop perimeter skills and keep them sharp while they continue to grow (think: Durant’s 7-ft wingspan, Lebron’s handles etc) instead of really zoning in on back-to-the-basket skills.
In other words, I can easily envision a future NBA filled with long, do-everything types like Durants and Grangers (and Stacey Augmons?) and of course lightning-quick PGs, while “true” big men are exceedingly rare. Hmmm, that actually sound like how it already is…
[/quote]
Think it’ll come back around. Imagine if there were a handful of good-to-great bigmen in today’s game? It would change the entire structure of today’s league. Shit, if there were even ONE really good big man, with athleticism, skill, footwork and touch he’d be the reigning MVP year after year. There’s literally no one out there who could guard him. What’s going on now is what I call “The KG effect”. All these big dudes want to step out and shoot and handle on the perimeter. And for some strange reason, most of these dudes are lighlty built. We will at some point return to the dominant big run league. There has got to be a handfu of coaches out there with their oversized 8 year olds just WAITING to unleash these dudes.
[quote]chillain wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
My prediction from May 14…
[quote]therajraj wrote:
OKC-SAS conference final, OKC-MIA final and MIA takes it in 6[/quote]
[/quote]
Unless you’ve actually got MIA clinching it on the road, you might just wanna revise that.
[/quote]
No mistake.
LBJ is going to win it on a 3 pointer off an inbound play in the final seconds 
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Think it’ll come back around. Imagine if there were a handful of good-to-great bigmen in today’s game? It would change the entire structure of today’s league. Shit, if there were even ONE really good big man, with athleticism, skill, footwork and touch he’d be the reigning MVP year after year. There’s literally no one out there who could guard him. What’s going on now is what I call “The KG effect”. All these big dudes want to step out and shoot and handle on the perimeter. And for some strange reason, most of these dudes are lighlty built. We will at some point return to the dominant big run league. There has got to be a handfu of coaches out there with their oversized 8 year olds just WAITING to unleash these dudes.[/quote]
I agree. I think it’s a generational thing. When I was younger and just started playing around the late '80s and early 90s we had Olajuwon, Ewing and Kevin Willis out there to admire and emulate. Not to mention the respect of a guy as short and strong as Barkley who banged with the big fellahs and later on Larry Johnson. It used to be cool to bang down low if you had it in you. On the playground if you were a tall guy who didn’t play down low people called you a pussy and the older guys would constantly tell you to get under the basket. People called Divac, Kukoc, and the first European big men pussies when they started coming to the league way back. Over the years I guess it’s just been accepted and normal now especially with KG’s success as you said above. I also would love to see big men dominate again as well but I guess we’ll have to wait for someone to step up and make it cool again.
[quote]HS wrote:
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games[/quote]
Did the more explosive team win the Finals last year?
I predicted OKC-Miami in the last thread with OKC winning. I still think they will win but I don’t think they’re THAT much better than the Heat. The Lakers kept it close with the Thunder and I think the Heat have a better team than the Lakers this year when Bosh is healthy and playing.
[quote]sam_sneed wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games[/quote]
Did the more explosive team win the Finals last year?
I predicted OKC-Miami in the last thread with OKC winning. I still think they will win but I don’t think they’re THAT much better than the Heat. The Lakers kept it close with the Thunder and I think the Heat have a better team than the Lakers this year when Bosh is healthy and playing.
[/quote]
Everyone, notice how Sneed doesn’t mention the Spurs.
I think it’s pretty much general consensus among real NBA fans that the Spurs were a better squad than the Thunder. The Thunder got it done and won so all the props to them but that whole series just felt wrong after Game 3.
(Apologies) if I’m bringing up old news but I’m a Spurs man so I’m still experiencing some “post-traumatic” nostalgia or whatever you want to label it as.
[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:
[quote]sam_sneed wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games[/quote]
Did the more explosive team win the Finals last year?
I predicted OKC-Miami in the last thread with OKC winning. I still think they will win but I don’t think they’re THAT much better than the Heat. The Lakers kept it close with the Thunder and I think the Heat have a better team than the Lakers this year when Bosh is healthy and playing.
[/quote]
Everyone, notice how Sneed doesn’t mention the Spurs.
I think it’s pretty much general consensus among real NBA fans that the Spurs were a better squad than the Thunder. The Thunder got it done and won so all the props to them but that whole series just felt wrong after Game 3.
(Apologies) if I’m bringing up old news but I’m a Spurs man so I’m still experiencing some “post-traumatic” nostalgia or whatever you want to label it as.
[/quote]
Not sure what you’re getting at here. Why would I need to mention the Spurs? Are you making a point for the silly “In basketball, explosiveness is king” argument?
And there were plenty of real NBA fans and experts that put the Thunder in the West Coast finals over the Spurs.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
[quote]red04 wrote:
[quote]HS wrote:
No 1 in the NBA can beat the Thunder right now[/quote]
Sounds like the exact same thing everyone said about the Spurs 2 weeks ago…[/quote]
Not every1. In basketball, explosiveness is king. Thunder is the most explosive team in the NBA, yes more explosive than the Heat. As long as the Thunder executes and minimizes turnovers, Thunder in 6 games[/quote]
Sorry, but this couldn’t be more wrong. In pro basketball, money is king. Remember several years when the NBA fucked the Suns (by far the leagues most explosive team) out of a title by handing the Spurs (a dynasty) the title? That’s what they’re trying to do here. OKC in 6.[/quote]
LOL yea, the Spurs dyansty has made them SO much money. Such huge ratings they always get when they’re in the finals /sarcasm
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
[quote]chillain wrote:
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Todays current NBA has no great big men. I hope there’s some young prospect somewhere watching clips of Olajuwon or Shaq instead of Garnett or Durant. That kid will grow up to dominate.[/quote]
I’m beginning to wonder whether we’ll ever see this again. whether Hibbert and Bynum aren’t the last of the “true” big men.
Not that its no longer a big man’s game, more that younger players tend to develop perimeter skills and keep them sharp while they continue to grow (think: Durant’s 7-ft wingspan, Lebron’s handles etc) instead of really zoning in on back-to-the-basket skills.
In other words, I can easily envision a future NBA filled with long, do-everything types like Durants and Grangers (and Stacey Augmons?) and of course lightning-quick PGs, while “true” big men are exceedingly rare. Hmmm, that actually sound like how it already is…
[/quote]
Think it’ll come back around. Imagine if there were a handful of good-to-great bigmen in today’s game? It would change the entire structure of today’s league. Shit, if there were even ONE really good big man, with athleticism, skill, footwork and touch he’d be the reigning MVP year after year. There’s literally no one out there who could guard him. What’s going on now is what I call “The KG effect”. All these big dudes want to step out and shoot and handle on the perimeter. And for some strange reason, most of these dudes are lighlty built. We will at some point return to the dominant big run league. There has got to be a handfu of coaches out there with their oversized 8 year olds just WAITING to unleash these dudes.[/quote]
I think the league is cyclical. Ewing/Robinson/Olajuwon was sort of an era of big men. Right now we’re in an era of excellent PGs and SFs. The pendulum will swing back at some point probably.