# Barkley: "The loud noise you hear is coming from the Portland Trail Blazers"



## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

He just said that on TNT in reference to the NBA powers out West. I'm so excited for our team!!!!!!!!!

GO BLAZERS!


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

Quite messing with me Eric!


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

I think people (fans of other teams) are under-estimating how much of a good team the Blazers could be.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> Quite messing with me Eric!


:biggrin:


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## VenomXL (Jan 22, 2008)

That's awesome. I'd also like to add that you guys have some boss avatars. :smoothcriminal:


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Thanks. Do you remember that game? Dr J vs Larry Bird for Commodore 64. Great game back then.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

The West is tough, but I think we've seen the last great year from the following teams: San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix. 

San Antonio is simply getting old. They couldn't hold leads in the Laker series, and couldn't come back when they needed to. Against New Orleans, they were fortunate that their experience and execution overmatched the Hornets, but next season, New Orleans will be smarter, tougher, and just as athletic. 

Dallas is in disarray. Without Avery Johnson, what toughness that team had is quickly evaporating. They don't have enough offense to outscore teams, and they don't have the defense to shut down good teams. Nowitzki is still a force, but the rest of the team is unreliable and inconsistent. 

Phoenix should never have traded for Shaq, and should not have let D'Antoni leave. Now they're a team in search of an identity, with Nash just getting older, and other players wondering what's next. 

Those three teams may all still make the playoffs, but they're not the "locks" they've been in the past. I think their decline opens the door wide for Portland. The Blazers played those teams with some timidity last year, but I don't think they will this coming season. I think the Suns', Spurs' and Mavs' games will be really competitive, and may determine whether Portland makes the post-season or not.


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## dpc (Dec 26, 2007)

For some reason whenever Chuck says something I feel its something to hold in high regards. I dont know why. Maybe it's because I think hes funny, but I can't think of anyone in basketball that I would rather here say that then Chuck. Maybe Ricky Davis... Maybe...


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## chairman (Jul 2, 2006)

I will say this....Usually when I am watching the conference finals I sit back and think "wow this team is sooo good. There is nothing we can do outside of a miracle that will put us in the same league as them" This year I am not thinking that. The remaining 4 teams (before tonight) in the playoffs have a lot of flaws. There is no dominate team. We (along with a lot of other teams) can catch them NEXT year. The Lakers are not that good and they will probably win it all.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

He's getting on that band wagon before it rolls all over this league for the next decade! Get on fatboy.....get on!


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

VenomXL said:


> That's awesome. I'd also like to add that you guys have some boss avatars. :smoothcriminal:


ZachAddy is messing with me! Quit stalking me!


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## Tortimer (Jun 4, 2007)

We are going to make the post season unless we have major injuries. I also think Denver probably will be worse next year. I think we have a good chance to be ahead of everyone except LA, Utah and NO. I think we have a chance to even be a 4th seed ahead of any of the other teams. We might end up a 7th or 8th seed but IMO we will make the playoffs next year.:yay:


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

I'm not sure it's a given that Utah WILL be ahead of Portland. Yes, they had a really good year and in their own right were young (and were insane once they got KK) but they were only 13 games better than Portland.

Think about this though. Portland was the 3rd youngest team in the history of the game (I think?). And if you take into account that the age of the team was even younger when you take off Raef's age and Darius' age, two players who didn't mean squat to the team, the number shrinks.

And the team win 41 games without Oden playing a minute.


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## VenomXL (Jan 22, 2008)

KingSpeed said:


> Thanks. Do you remember that game? Dr J vs Larry Bird for Commodore 64. Great game back then.


I was more of a NBA Jam fan myself. Nothing like busting out a helicopter dunk from half court with Clyde the Glide...

"HE'S ON FIRE!!!"


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## dpc (Dec 26, 2007)

VenomXL said:


> I was more of a NBA Jam fan myself. Nothing like busting out a helicopter dunk from half court with Clyde the Glide...
> 
> "HE'S ON FIRE!!!"


Wasn't there a sort of knock off College hoops type of game that was the same style as NBA Jam? We played that game religiously.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

Dan & Tortimer, I think we're on the same page. I was just making the point that while the West is tough, it's changing. 

It seems like the top tier may wind up being two teams: New Orleans and the Lakers, in the West. After that, who knows. Houston's good, but seems never able to have a complete season without someone important getting hurt. Utah is also good, but I'm just not convinced they're great. Then you've got the teams in decline: San Antone, Dallas, Phoenix, and perhaps Denver. The only team noticeably on the upswing, I'd argue, is Portland, though the Kings have their moments, and Golden State continues to be unpredictable, but decent. It'll be a wild year.


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## craigehlo (Feb 24, 2005)

chairman said:


> I will say this....Usually when I am watching the conference finals I sit back and think "wow this team is sooo good. There is nothing we can do outside of a miracle that will put us in the same league as them" This year I am not thinking that. The remaining 4 teams (before tonight) in the playoffs have a lot of flaws. There is no dominate team. We (along with a lot of other teams) can catch them NEXT year. The Lakers are not that good and they will probably win it all.


My thoughts exactly. I'm not blown away at all by the Lakers, they simply haven't imploded like the Spurs or Jazz. If we can get a veteran scorer to help out, we could make a nice run next year.


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## sa1177 (Feb 18, 2005)

craigehlo said:


> My thoughts exactly. I'm not blown away at all by the Lakers, they simply haven't imploded like the Spurs or Jazz. If we can get a veteran scorer to help out, we could make a nice run next year.


They just ran the defending champs out of the WCF in five. I think that's a little more then "not imploding"...I hate the Lakers as much as anyone but you have to admit they are playing quite well atm.


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## Mr. Chuck Taylor (Aug 2, 2004)

sa1177 said:


> They just ran the defending champs out of the WCF in five. I think that's a little more then "not imploding"...I hate the Lakers as much as anyone but you have to admit they are playing quite well atm.


And next year Bynum will be back


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## sasaint (Jun 28, 2005)

Yeah, but Barkley added that as an afterthought after he had already said that the top 3 next year would be the Lakers, Jazz and Hornets. I don't think it will dawn on people around the country, including a lot of talking heads, just how good Portland stands to be until training camp opens. THEN watch 'em get on the band wagon.



> We are going to make the post season unless we have major injuries. I also think Denver probably will be worse next year. I think we have a good chance to be ahead of everyone except LA, Utah and NO. I think we have a chance to even be a 4th seed ahead of any of the other teams. We might end up a 7th or 8th seed but IMO we will make the playoffs next year.





> I will say this....Usually when I am watching the conference finals I sit back and think "wow this team is sooo good. There is nothing we can do outside of a miracle that will put us in the same league as them" This year I am not thinking that. The remaining 4 teams (before tonight) in the playoffs have a lot of flaws. There is no dominate team. We (along with a lot of other teams) can catch them NEXT year. The Lakers are not that good and they will probably win it all.


The Lakers ARE good AND deep. They are very real, and will be even better with a healthy Bynum! I hope Portland competes with them next year, but realistically, that rivalry is really 2 years off.

Western conference playoff seeds next year: 1) Lakers, 2) Jazz, 3) Hornets, 4) BLAZERS, 5) Rockets, 6) Suns, 7) Mavs, 8) Spurs.


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## craigehlo (Feb 24, 2005)

sa1177 said:


> They just ran the defending champs out of the WCF in five. I think that's a little more then "not imploding"...I hate the Lakers as much as anyone but you have to admit they are playing quite well atm.


The Spurs team on display tonight wasn't the same team we are used to seeing in the last few post seasons. Parker was off, Manu was off and Duncan looked tired. The Lakers are solid, but it's a far inferior squad to their Championship teams with Shaq. I'm not worried about them as any sort of "dynasty." Ain't gonna happen. They are a team in the right place at the right time to get to the Finals.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

Sorry, but some of you need to put down the kool-aid. Barring some really disasterous off-season moves, Utah is still the big favorite in our division. Give Adelman a full season of Yao, and the Rockets will get better. The Spurs will still have their big 3, and a front office that won't just sit by and watch the team fall apart.

The Mavs are a better candidate for a fall - but you know Cuban isn't afraid to make big moves to try to fix things. 

The Suns are in trouble as well, and are handicapped by having an owner who watches the bottom line more intently than the games.

The Western conference is still going to be a dog-fight.....and the Blazers are still the puppies.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

Dan said:


> I'm not sure it's a given that Utah WILL be ahead of Portland. Yes, they had a really good year and in their own right were young (and were insane once they got KK) but they were only 13 games better than Portland.
> 
> Think about this though. Portland was the 3rd youngest team in the history of the game (I think?). And if you take into account that the age of the team was even younger when you take off Raef's age and Darius' age, two players who didn't mean squat to the team, the number shrinks.
> 
> And the team win 41 games without Oden playing a minute.


Well Utah is way ahead of us in the point guard position, but we are ahead of them in all other positions except for coaching. I think Rudy Fernandez will be the wild card. I am hoping he is that special.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

All this crazy talk usually comes from ZachAddy! I think the Blazers get the 7th seed next year, and it won't be easy!


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> All this crazy talk usually comes from ZachAddy! I think the Blazers get the 7th seed next year, and it won't be easy!


I would be happy if they make the playoffs and be competitive in the first round. Baby steps.


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## craigehlo (Feb 24, 2005)

Lakers, Jazz, Mavs, Spurs and Hornets should all be above us in the standing next season. The 6th seed is possible but the roster still needs tweaking to get there.


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## sasaint (Jun 28, 2005)

craigehlo said:


> Lakers, Jazz, Mavs, Spurs and Hornets should all be above us in the standing next season. The 6th seed is possible but the roster still needs tweaking to get there.


I live in San Antonio, and I root for the Spurs, Hornets and Blazers. If the Hornets and Blazers BOTH don't beat out the Spurs next season, I will be stunned. The Spurs may be heading into a period of gradual decline into real mediocrity.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves. Sure, I think there is a decent chance that we win ~50, but it is far far from a sure thing. 

1) If you take away the 17 of 18 win streak in the middle of the season, the Blazers only played .375 ball the rest of the year. That would only translate to 31 wins for the season. 

2) One reason we went on our streak last year was cause chemistry was clicking so well. That can easily change with 3 new players (Oden, Rudy, #13) or with trades that send out stabilizing personalities. Also, chemistry could be killed by people feeling like they are not getting playing time they need for their careers since the team is so deep. 

3) Injuries happen, and with the blazers, we have a lot of players who have a bad track record. Oden, Joel, Aldridge, Roy and Jones have all missed long stretches at times. 

4) We will be relying a lot on Oden as our starting center, and although I fully believe that he will be a GREAT center in time, it may take quite a few missteps to get there. Same with Rudy.

Sure, there are some things we have going in our favor too, like another year of experience for Roy, Aldridge and the rest of the youngsters, and hopefully Oden will come out the blocks on fire, but I just think that people are getting a little too ahead of themselves and setting themselves up for disappointment. Next year is still a learning year, we will have a rookie starter and hopefully Rudy will be getting lots of playing time as well. The year after, I think all the wheels will be in motion more and we should be able count on winning a lot, but this coming season is still shaky.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

Public Defender said:


> The West is tough, but I think we've seen the last great year from the following teams: San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix.
> 
> Those three teams may all still make the playoffs, but they're not the "locks" they've been in the past. I think their decline opens the door wide for Portland. The Blazers played those teams with some timidity last year, but I don't think they will this coming season. I think the Suns', Spurs' and Mavs' games will be really competitive, and may determine whether Portland makes the post-season or not.


I agree. Those teams will be desperately trying to bring in quick fixes and FAs but they still will be the same team revolved around the same core of players.

This is our door right now to come through, and I can't wait for next season to start and a renewed Blazers-Lakers rivalry to begin again.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

GOD said:


> I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves. Sure, I think there is a decent chance that we win ~50, but it is far far from a sure thing.
> 
> 1) If you take away the 17 of 18 win streak in the middle of the season, the Blazers only played .375 ball the rest of the year. That would only translate to 31 wins for the season.
> 
> ...


Damn! That was such a good post, it looked like something i would say! I'm speechless! Mods, lock the thread. Nothing more can be said!


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

chairman said:


> I will say this....Usually when I am watching the conference finals I sit back and think "wow this team is sooo good. There is nothing we can do outside of a miracle that will put us in the same league as them" This year I am not thinking that. The remaining 4 teams (before tonight) in the playoffs have a lot of flaws. There is no dominate team. We (along with a lot of other teams) can catch them NEXT year. The Lakers are not that good and they will probably win it all.


thats my take on it, I told a co-worker that I dont think the 4 finals teams weren't elite teams like some of the teams in the past.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

VenomXL said:


> I was more of a NBA Jam fan myself. Nothing like busting out a helicopter dunk from half court with Clyde the Glide...
> 
> "HE'S ON FIRE!!!"


NBA Jam was AWESOME. That is why I bought a SuperNintendo machine in college. Because I was playing at arcades all the time. But Dr. J vs Larry Bird goes back about 10 years before NBA Jame.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Mr. Chuck Taylor said:


> And next year Bynum will be back


Will he? Did he have his surgery yet?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^Yes he did, they claim he will be ready by the beginning of training camp


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

craigehlo said:


> The Spurs team on display tonight wasn't the same team we are used to seeing in the last few post seasons. Parker was off, Manu was off and Duncan looked tired. The Lakers are solid, but it's a far inferior squad to their Championship teams with Shaq. I'm not worried about them as any sort of "dynasty." Ain't gonna happen. They are a team in the right place at the right time to get to the Finals.


Duncan looked tired? Duncan averaged 23 pts, 18 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in the first four games of the conference finals. I hope Oden is that "tired" next season. I think people are writing off the Spurs way too soon. They will still be a great team next season. Duncan is still a great player and Parker hasn't even reached his prime yet. And Manu was just hurt. That's all. He'll heal and Udoka will ease into Bowen's role as Bowen ages. I don't think the Spurs are going to slip as much as people think. Remember- they made it to the WCF in a very competitive year. Give them credit for that.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> ^Yes he did, they claim he will be ready by the beginning of training camp


Wow. Lakers will win 65+. Odom, Pau, Bynum line is tough.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Oh-- and Duncan had a triple double tonight.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Yeah, Duncan was doing his thing. During the game they said that this is the highest REB avg he has had for any one playoff series


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

sa1177 said:


> They just ran the defending champs out of the WCF in five. I think that's a little more then "not imploding"...I hate the Lakers as much as anyone but you have to admit they are playing quite well atm.


Only after Utah beat them only to be cheated by officiating AGAIN. This is like the 3rd or 4th time that's happened that I remember. This Lakers vs Celtics Nostalgia Re-match tour has been so completely orchestrated by the league that I'm pretty sure Stern is channeling his inner Vince Mcmahan.

When the league treats teams and players equally, I'll have respect for them all. But when certain teams and players are "helped" to excel above others they lose any hope of gaining my respect.


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## nikolokolus (Jan 29, 2008)

If we get 48+ wins and get the eighth seed next year, I'll be ecstatic. I'm firmly in the "don't count your chickens before they hatch" camp. Could the blazers do a lot better and could all of these perennial powerhouses like the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs be irrelevant door-mats next year? Yeah I guess anything is possible, but I don't see the fall-off being that dramatic, unless they all start blowing their teams up.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^give it up...That refs favored the *home team* in every game in that series


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## craigehlo (Feb 24, 2005)

KingSpeed said:


> Duncan looked tired? Duncan averaged 23 pts, 18 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in the first four games of the conference finals. I hope Oden is that "tired" next season.


Duncan's shooting percentage tells the real story. 48% - 43% - 47% - 38% - 36%. 

Dude has been on a downward trend with a game 3 bump at home.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

FG% isn't the whole story. Not when you're rebounding your misses and putting them back in. Dude got a triple double. Every one has bad shooting nights. Kobe has had some horrible shooting nights this season. Didn't mean he was getting tired.


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## Darkwebs (May 23, 2006)

The Spurs may be on their way down, but their still a tough team. They still have Splitter coming over from Europe and they have a great GM who will no doubt reinject their bench with some youth. Parker is still a young gun. And Duncan may be old, but his game isn't based on athletic ability, so his game and body won't deteriorate as fast.

I doubt we will pass them next year. I could see us being a 6th or 7th seed next year, but I hesitate to declare our team as a top Western team. 

Of course, there's a chance that we could pull a Hornets-like quantum leap next year. That would be sweet. In fact, it appears that we are following New Orlean's footsteps. They had a Rookie of the Year in 2006, we had one the year after. They got the 13th pick last year after a season of injuries and then vaulted to the front of the Western conference this year. We have the 13th pick this year after a season of injuries, and I guess it's possible that we become dominant next season. Only time will tell.


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## RoyToy (May 25, 2007)

There's literally not one team in the NBA in a position I wish the Blazers were in. It's easy to say the Lakers, but in time, I believe the Blazers will be there.

I've watched the whole playoffs and haven't been jealous one bit. I know the Blazers time is coming and it's just a matter of time before the league is screwed.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

Darkwebs said:


> The Spurs may be on their way down, but their still a tough team. *They still have Splitter coming over from Europe *and they have a great GM who will no doubt reinject their bench with some youth. Parker is still a young gun. And Duncan may be old, but his game isn't based on athletic ability, so his game and body won't deteriorate as fast.
> 
> I doubt we will pass them next year. I could see us being a 6th or 7th seed next year, but I hesitate to declare our team as a top Western team.
> 
> Of course, there's a chance that we could pull a Hornets-like quantum leap next year. That would be sweet. In fact, it appears that we are following New Orlean's footsteps. They had a Rookie of the Year in 2006, we had one the year after. They got the 13th pick last year after a season of injuries and then vaulted to the front of the Western conference this year. We have the 13th pick this year after a season of injuries, and I guess it's possible that we become dominant next season. Only time will tell.


Rumor today from ESPN was that Splitter will not be coming over. He is signing a two year deal with Tau.


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## VenomXL (Jan 22, 2008)

KingSpeed said:


> NBA Jam was AWESOME. That is why I bought a SuperNintendo machine in college. Because I was playing at arcades all the time. But Dr. J vs Larry Bird goes back about 10 years before NBA Jame.


You're five years older than me, so I suppose that works out time-line wise. Back to the thread topic, I have high hopes that we'll claim the eighth spot and give the other team a challenge in the first round. It'll be tough though, I sure hope some of these teams in the West fall off.eace:


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

A first round meeting with the Lakers would be great.


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## Redeemed (Feb 2, 2008)

Is it just me or is the West not as good as advertised?


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## Entity (Feb 21, 2005)

Double Dribble!

Anyway, I'm going to choose not to talk about where other teams will be until we get into July and August, when most of the transactions have already taken place. I'm very confident, though, that Portland will be a playoff team either way.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Tortimer said:


> We are going to make the post season unless we have major injuries. I also think Denver probably will be worse next year. I think we have a good chance to be ahead of everyone except LA, Utah and NO. I think we have a chance to even be a 4th seed ahead of any of the other teams. We might end up a 7th or 8th seed but IMO we will make the playoffs next year.:yay:


Yeah, you won't be better than those three teams that Chuck mentioned or the Spurs next year, but other than that, the Blazers should be right there.

In all honesty, the only teams that have no shot in the West next year are Seattle, Minnesota and Memphis. If the Clippers have Brand, Maggette and that #7 pick, they're in the mix, and the Kings with Artest and Martin all year are competitive too.


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

The Blazers will have to fight like hell and stay healthy just to land the 7th or 8th seed. Don't forget, a talented Golden State team couldn't even make the cut, and Sac is getting close to a turnaround. While I think the Blazers have more promosing young players, Oden needs time to heal.

The margin of error is pretty small in the Western Conference... even Golden State finished only 9 games out. While I expect some implosion in Phoenix and Dallas, both have enough talent to make the cut. I have a gut feeling Denver and Golden State will be slightly worse next season, and that will allow the Blazers to close ranks the lower-tier playoff contenders next season.

What does it all mean? A trade for a quality vet would help immensely.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

So, they need Lamar Odom to stay healthy?

They were 9 games out of the playoffs, and that was without a player that people who follow the game say WILL make a big impact on the team next year. Don't underestimate just how impressive 41 wins were for a team that was supposed to barely win 25 games.


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## Tortimer (Jun 4, 2007)

I'm not saying we will be a 4th seed for sure. I was saying if we don't have any major injuries and Oden isn't a compete bust we will make the playoffs. I think it is possible we could be anywhere from 4th to 8th seed. If I had to make a bet I would say 6-7 seed. I even think there is an outside chance we win more games then Utah but probably not. This is without even adding a PG upgrade but just adding Oden and Rudy with everyone else. I'm still hoping KP can upgrade our PG this off season.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

To tell the truth, I'm not totally sold on NO being an elite team next year either. Paul is certainly an amazing star player, but I think that a lot of his help really played to the absolute best of their ability this year. West, and especially Chandler have a chance to dip and stumble next season if they don't stay completely vigilant this offseason and stay focused next year. And perhaps most important is that Peja could slip big time or not be as healthy as he was this year. This past season Peja played 77 games. The year prior he played 44 games, 40 the year prior and 66 the season before that. They very well may be an elite team, and Paul is certainly an elite player, but I am just not convinced yet.


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

GOD said:


> I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves. Sure, I think there is a decent chance that we win ~50, but it is far far from a sure thing.
> 
> 1) If you take away the 17 of 18 win streak in the middle of the season, the Blazers only played .375 ball the rest of the year. That would only translate to 31 wins for the season.
> 
> ...


Sorry, but this is a ridiculous premise... Those 18 games represent over a fifth of the season- you can't just disregard them. If you take away Houston's 22 game win streak they had kind of a bad season, right?. How about we take away a stretch of games where we played poorly?-- then we'd look better than we really are. Facts are this team won 41 is adding the most anticipated big man of this era, the best player in Europe, and the rest of the core will be a year older/more mature. Injuries are going to be a factor for everyone, in every season. This is a severe case of over analyzing.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Damian Necronamous said:


> Yeah, you won't be better than those three teams that Chuck mentioned or the Spurs next year, but other than that, the Blazers should be right there.


I think that people are writing off the Spurs a bit quick too. Manu obviously wasn't himself in that Laker series probably due to impaired mobility, but he did have arguably his best season. I really doubt he's on a slippery slope fading away to mediocre at age 31. Duncan's game has never been about explosiveness so I doubt he's going away if he stays healthy like he's been for a few years now, and Parker will be just 26. 

I think some fans are just tired of them but that doesn't have anything to do with whats what.

STOMP


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

I was very unimpressed with the Lakers/Spurs series. San Antonio looked nothing like the team that beat the Hornets. Parker especially. It seems like Tony Parker only got up for the matchup with Chris Paul, because I didn't see the same play against the Lakers.

The Spurs are in serious trouble. Outside of Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili, who do they have? Their entire bench is between 34-36 years old. Finley is done, Horry is done, Barry still has a couple years left. Bowen is getting old. That team has maybe one or two years left. The scary thing is, how will they upgrade their roster? It's not like they have a ton of assets to use. Is there any player on that team you would trade for other than Parker, Duncan, or Ginobili? 

And in regards to the Lakers, I'm not blown away by that team either. Outside of Kobe, I really didn't see much scoring ability. Gasol played good defense on Duncan and he rebounded, but it seemed like LA was afraid to run plays for him. Fisher wasn't the scorer that I remember. Farmar and Walton are sketchy. Vujacic played alright, but he's not exactly a go to player. Odom is not at all what I remember from his days with the Clippers. That guy was supposed to be a star. 

In the end it seemed like the Lakers were a mess without the ball in Kobe's hands. When he goes out that team is like a ship without a rudder. I don't think that bodes well for the future of that franchise. You need more than ONE guy. I've never been sold on Gasol, and Odom isn't playing anywhere near as well as he should be. They have some decent players, but they're not at all the powerhouse that some people are making them out to be. "The Lakers will be there for the next four or five years." I just don't see it. When it was Kobe and Shaq you knew that team was going to be a tough matchup. Do you honestly feel that way about this current Laker squad? I sure don't.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Dan said:


> They were 9 games out of the playoffs, and that was without a player that people who follow the game say WILL make a big impact on the team next year. Don't underestimate just how impressive 41 wins were for a team that was supposed to barely win 25 games.


Dude... 9 games is a lot. It's not like we BARELY missed the playoffs... and we had Golden State between us and the 8 seed.

Portland should make the playoffs next year, but asking for HCA is asking too much IMO.

Ed O.


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## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> I
> And in regards to the Lakers, I'm not blown away by that team either. Outside of Kobe, I really didn't see much scoring ability. Gasol played good defense on Duncan and he rebounded, but it seemed like LA was afraid to run plays for him. Fisher wasn't the scorer that I remember. Farmar and Walton are sketchy. Vujacic played alright, but he's not exactly a go to player. Odom is not at all what I remember from his days with the Clippers. That guy was supposed to be a star.
> 
> In the end it seemed like the Lakers were a mess without the ball in Kobe's hands. When he goes out that team is like a ship without a rudder. I don't think that bodes well for the future of that franchise. You need more than ONE guy. I've never been sold on Gasol, and Odom isn't playing anywhere near as well as he should be. They have some decent players, but they're not at all the powerhouse that some people are making them out to be. "The Lakers will be there for the next four or five years." I just don't see it. When it was Kobe and Shaq you knew that team was going to be a tough matchup. Do you honestly feel that way about this current Laker squad? I sure don't.


kobe, gasol, odom and bynum. that's 4 guys who are at minimum above average for their positions. that's a young nucleus. gasol is averaging 18 ppg on 53% fg% for the playoffs (15 games). they were the #2 offensive team in the league this year, without having their nucleus together, and they were #7 defensively with 2 of their top defenders (bynum and ariza) not playing alot of games. they're young, they're deep, they play both ends, and they have a superstar anchor. how can you not see them being there for the next 4 or 5 years?


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

B_&_B said:


> Sorry, but this is a ridiculous premise... Those 18 games represent over a fifth of the season- you can't just disregard them. If you take away Houston's 22 game win streak they had kind of a bad season, right?. How about we take away a stretch of games where we played poorly?-- then we'd look better than we really are. Facts are this team won 41 is adding the most anticipated big man of this era, the best player in Europe, and the rest of the core will be a year older/more mature. Injuries are going to be a factor for everyone, in every season. This is a severe case of over analyzing.


Well as I said, there is a decent chance that the Blazers do win ~50 next year, but I just think there are too many uncertainties. It's not like Houston who played so well late, the Blazers had their win streak in the middle of the season. From Jan 13th to the end of the season, April 16th, over the final 3 months of play, the Blazers only played .404 ball (19 of 47). What is a better indication of where the Blazers are, how they played in a stellar stretch in December/early January, or over the final 3 months of the season. 

There is a ton of talent on the Blazers with a ton more on the way, but the Blazers are still a very young team and will have bumps along the way. If those bumps are extended, or if Oden or Rudy have a hard time adjusting, or if there are PT issues causing conflict, then the Blazers may suffer through some losing stretches. This is not to say that the Blazers will not be great in the future, I fully believe that we have the makings of a title contender, I just think the cake needs a little time to rise. Expectations should be in the low to mid 40's, not in the 50's.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

GOD said:


> Expectations should be in the low to mid 40's, not in the 50's.


Of course injuries could derail any team's season, but I don't think much else could cause struggles... Rudy and Greg have roles that meet their abilities waiting for them with players that compliment their talents surrounding them.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else is theirs. I'm expecting Portland to be a 50+ wins... but then I was one of three posters I can recall that thought this team would win 50 games last year with a healthy GO. That they finished 500 without him and should be adding Rudy as well makes me more confident in this projection.

STOMP


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## e_blazer1 (Feb 3, 2004)

kflo said:


> kobe, gasol, odom and bynum. that's 4 guys who are at minimum above average for their positions. that's a young nucleus. gasol is averaging 18 ppg on 53% fg% for the playoffs (15 games). they were the #2 offensive team in the league this year, without having their nucleus together, and they were #7 defensively with 2 of their top defenders (bynum and ariza) not playing alot of games. they're young, they're deep, they play both ends, and they have a superstar anchor. how can you not see them being there for the next 4 or 5 years?


About the only thing you can say is that the Lakers' bench is pretty anemic and they don't have much to work with to improve it. Of course, it seems that they always get around that problem by having guys at the end of their careers signing on for near minimum wages in order to have a shot at a title and the spotlight that the Lakers always get. They're going to be good for quite a few years, barring injury to Kobe. That said, I think the Blazers are going to be right there with them inside of 2-3 years.

Blazer fans really shouldn't complain too much about the Lakers return to prominence. What fun is it to have young Jedi warriors if there's no Evil Empire to fight?


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

craigehlo said:


> Lakers, Jazz, Mavs, Spurs and Hornets should all be above us in the standing next season. The 6th seed is possible but the roster still needs tweaking to get there.



Mav's? Are you kidding me? That team looked as close to finished at the end of this year as any team I have seen. Jason Kidd does not fit there, he can't shoot from the outside. They have no physical presence on the front line that is actually worth a damn. They are a jump shooting team, with no dominant rebounders. They will win as many games as they shoot good. No more than that.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

GOD said:


> Well as I said, there is a decent chance that the Blazers do win ~50 next year, but I just think there are too many uncertainties. It's not like Houston who played so well late, the Blazers had their win streak in the middle of the season. From Jan 13th to the end of the season, April 16th, over the final 3 months of play, the Blazers only played .404 ball (19 of 47). What is a better indication of where the Blazers are, how they played in a stellar stretch in December/early January, or over the final 3 months of the season.
> 
> There is a ton of talent on the Blazers with a ton more on the way, but the Blazers are still a very young team and will have bumps along the way. If those bumps are extended, or if Oden or Rudy have a hard time adjusting, or if there are PT issues causing conflict, then the Blazers may suffer through some losing stretches. This is not to say that the Blazers will not be great in the future, I fully believe that we have the makings of a title contender, I just think the cake needs a little time to rise. Expectations should be in the low to mid 40's, not in the 50's.


I would point out one thing that will change, that a lot of folks don't really think about. Remember when Sabonis was here, and there would just be some nights where teams had absolutely no way in dealing with his size and presence on the floor? The games where you could roll into places like Golden State who play small ball and just post up and pick and roll them to death? I can guarantee there will be at least 10 games next year where the opposing team just has no answer for our inside physical presence. Maybe more.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

hasoos said:


> I would point out one thing that will change, that a lot of folks don't really think about. Remember when Sabonis was here, and there would just be some nights where teams had absolutely no way in dealing with his size and presence on the floor? The games where you could roll into places like Golden State who play small ball and just post up and pick and roll them to death? I can guarantee there will be at least 10 games next year where the opposing team just has no answer for our inside physical presence. Maybe more.


And how old was Sabonis and how many years of experience did he have when he joined the Blazers? I hear what you are saying and part of me agrees, and all of me hopes that you are right. I just am not so sure we will be able to rely on rookie center on a repaired knee who just missed an entire season. I think he will end the year extremely strong, but that may take losing many games early to get him adjusted to his teammates and the NBA, and to refine his skills. I think he will eventually be the best Center in the NBA, better than Howard or anyone else currently playing, but I think a little patience will be needed. Just a little.


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## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

LOL @ the person who said the Lakers are deep.

Really?

Their bench is hilarious. Turiaf, Farmar, Vujacic, Walton, Mbenga. I suppose it will improve when Bynum comes back and Radmanovic goes to the bench, but not by much. And there's no certainty about Bynum's injury. I'm hearing whispers that his knee is in worse shape than what's being reported. I wish the kid well, but doesn't anyone else think it's a little strange that they still don't truly know what's wrong with his knee?

Their starters are good, and Kobe's a beast, but let's be honest. The Lakers can be had. They ran into an uninterested Denver team, an intimidated Jazz team, and an old and tired Spurs team.

I think we most closely mirror the struggles the Jazz had; the intimidation factor; because of the youth on our team. But those guys managed to push the Lakers to the most difficult series they had. And the Lakers' main weakness (their interior defense) is going to get exploited ten ways 'til Sunday with Aldridge and Oden.

-Pop


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

LOL at the poster who LOL that the Lakers are deep


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

e_blazer1 said:


> About the only thing you can say is that the Lakers' bench is pretty anemic and they don't have much to work with to improve it. Of course, it seems that they always get around that problem by having guys at the end of their careers signing on for near minimum wages in order to have a shot at a title and the spotlight that the Lakers always get. They're going to be good for quite a few years, barring injury to Kobe. That said, I think the Blazers are going to be right there with them inside of 2-3 years.
> 
> Blazer fans really shouldn't complain too much about the Lakers return to prominence. What fun is it to have young Jedi warriors if there's no Evil Empire to fight?




I'll take the bait.

Why would you consider the Laker bench anemic? It is easily one of the strongest benches in the NBA.


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

angrypuppy said:


> I'll take the bait.
> 
> Why would you consider the Laker bench anemic? It is easily one of the strongest benches in the NBA.


Strong how? Who on the Lakers bench would you consider a solid 6th man of the year candidate? Farmar? Turiaf? Walton? Quite frankly, I wouldn't want any of those players on the Blazers. I think the Lakers bench is sub par, at least from a scoring standpoint.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

31.7 ppg from just Sasha, Walton, Ronny, and Farmar on 46% shooting...that is not sub par for a bench by any stretch of the imagination.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Oldmangrouch said:


> Sorry, but some of you need to put down the kool-aid. Barring some really disasterous off-season moves, Utah is still the big favorite in our division.



They are the odds on favorite, but "odds on favorite" doesn't mean lock.



> Give Adelman a full season of Yao, and the Rockets will get better.


how many years do we have to have McGrady get hurt or Yao get hurt..or McGrady AND Yao get hurt, before we stop giving them the benefit of the doubt?


> The Spurs will still have their big 3, and a front office that won't just sit by and watch the team fall apart.


they have an OLD team, with a lot of contract issues.



> The Mavs are a better candidate for a fall - but you know Cuban isn't afraid to make big moves to try to fix things.


This ain't your Trader Bobs CBA anymore. They're hamstrung by 2 HUGE contracts, one of which is of a player who's no longer a threat because playing in the western conference means you actually have to be able to shoot.



> The Suns are in trouble as well, and are handicapped by having an owner who watches the bottom line more intently than the games.
> 
> The Western conference is still going to be a dog-fight.....and the Blazers are still the puppies.


And what were the Jazz? Hound dogs? What about the "old" Hornets?


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

angrypuppy said:


> I'll take the bait.
> 
> Why would you consider the Laker bench anemic? It is easily one of the strongest benches in the NBA.


I would not characterize the Lakers' bench as one of the strongest in the league ...far from it. There is no scoring threat to speak coming off their bench. Its full of role players. The way I see it, it will be more competitive next in the Western conference.

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Utah
4. San Antonio
5. Houston
6. Dallas
7. Phoenix
8. Portland

With the 3-10 positions completely interchangeable.


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

i think people just havent seen the lakers bench much. turiaf is a beast, and gets good rebounding position, sascha's as good as jack, radmonavic can play, farmar could start on a few teams, much better than any pg we have, and walton is a great spot starter. that makes 5 players that can play average at least.

but....imo

farmar > sergio
sascha = jack
walton < outlaw
radmonavic < frye
turiaf < pryz

starters they kill us, at least on paper

fisher = blake
kobe >> roy
odom > martell
gasol > or = LMA
bynum = Oden (for now )


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> 31.7 ppg from just Sasha, Walton, Ronny, and Farmar on 46% shooting...that is not sub par for a bench by any stretch of the imagination.


Our top 4 off the bench averaged 38 ppg (and I would guess about the same %)..and I wouldn't exactly call our bench too much above sub-par.


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

NateBishop3 said:


> Strong how? Who on the Lakers bench would you consider a solid 6th man of the year candidate? Farmar? Turiaf? Walton? Quite frankly, I wouldn't want any of those players on the Blazers. I think the Lakers bench is sub par, at least from a scoring standpoint.




Having a sixth man of the year candidate does not constitute having a deep bench. And having a surplus of talent that does not mesh doesn't mean your bench is particularly effective either. Look at Chicago, for example... spearheaded by that awesome Sixth Man of the Year Ben Gordon. What exactly has that bench accomplished? 

The strength of the Laker bench is that they work well together as a unit. I wouldn't expect you to watch many Laker games, but if you had, you'd realize that Phil leaves them in for extended periods of time. They've repeatedly outscored the second units of other teams throughout the season. As a unit, they have shotblocking (Turiaf), shooting (Sasha Vujacic, Vlad Radmanovic), playmaking (Farmar), and a high IQ player who helps run the triangle offense smoothly (Luke Walton). It's a good mix, and while they are young, they have postseason experience.

As a testament to Laker depth, LA has lost both its starting Center and starting Small Forward... and still advanced to the NBA Finals.

Maybe you wouldn't want these players on the Blazers, but I wouldn't blame you. I distinctly remember the Blazer fans saying they didn't want Shaq either, back during the 1999 to 2000 season. It's a matter of personal taste... some like crow.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan said:


> Our top 4 off the bench averaged 38 ppg (and I would guess about the same %)..and I wouldn't exactly call our bench too much above sub-par.


Well I crunched the number the same way I did the Lakers and here is what I got for you guys. The four players I used were the top 4 in minutes played while still being a bench player. They were Jack, Sergio, Jones, Outlaw. They produce 33.7ppg at 41.3%


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> 31.7 ppg from just Sasha, Walton, Ronny, and Farmar on 46% shooting...that is not sub par for a bench by any stretch of the imagination.


You're right, sub par wasn't the right choice of words. I just don't think it's above average. I don't see anyone on that bench who can carry the scoring load. No Manu, no Nick Van Exel (from the Mavs days), no Bobby Jackson (from his King days). They don't knock me off my feet.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Well I crunched the number the same way I did the Lakers and here is what I got for you guys. The four players I used were the top 4 in minutes played while still being a bench player. They were Jack, Sergio, Jones, Outlaw. They produce 33.7ppg at 41.3%


Sergio!?

How the hell did you get Sergio in that group??

Channing averaged more minutes (twice as many) and had a bigger role on the team than Sergio did.

Sergio!? I hope you didn't use the criteria as the guys who came off the bench and started the least # of games, because Channing didn't start for any other reason than LaMarcus being out early in the year, and JOel being out late.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

angrypuppy said:


> Having a sixth man of the year candidate does not constitute having a deep bench. And having a surplus of talent that does not mesh doesn't mean your bench is particularly effective either. Look at Chicago, for example... spearheaded by that awesome Sixth Man of the Year Ben Gordon. What exactly has that bench accomplished?
> 
> The strength of the Laker bench is that they work well together as a unit. I wouldn't expect you to watch many Laker games, but if you had, you'd realize that Phil leaves them in for extended periods of time. They've repeatedly outscored the second units of other teams throughout the season. As a unit, they have shotblocking (Turiaf), shooting (Sasha Vujacic, Vlad Radmanovic), playmaking (Farmar), and a high IQ player who helps run the triangle offense smoothly (Luke Walton). It's a good mix, and while they are young, they have postseason experience.
> 
> ...


No, thats a testament to *Kobe Byrant*, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Don't think otherwise.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan said:


> Sergio!?
> 
> How the hell did you get Sergio in that group??
> 
> ...


My bad, you are right, I forgot about Joel. Since he was injured he wasnt on the depth chart I looked at.
new numbers: 38ppg on 44.7%fg

So for the people who say the Lakers bench is no good...What team does have a good bench. Give me something like your top 3


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

Balian said:


> No, thats a testament to *Kobe Byrant*, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. Don't think otherwise.




That is a good point. Blazer fans should hold the Laker Big 3 in high esteem, before it becomes the Big 4 with Andrew Bynum.

The Laker bench did outperform other teams on a consistent basis. I haven't heard one paid commentator or journalist suggest that the Laker bench was weak. Contrary to the perception on a Blazer board, the bench has been praised for being deep.

That being said, Kobe was asked to play heavier than normal minutes during the Spur series. That was to finish the defending Champion off, as nobody does it better.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

angrypuppy said:


> That is a good point. Blazer fans should hold the Laker Big 3 in high esteem, before it becomes the Big 4 with Andrew Bynum.
> 
> The Laker bench did outperform other teams on a consistent basis. I haven't heard one paid commentator or journalist suggest that the Laker bench was weak. Contrary to the perception on a Blazer board, the bench has been praised for being deep.
> 
> That being said, Kobe was asked to play heavier than normal minutes during the Spur series. That was to finish the defending Champion off, as nobody does it better.


I never said their bench is weak. At the same time, its not a very strong either. Its a serviceable bench.

Big Four? Please. Blazers could potentially have the Big Five.

Oden
Roy
Rudy
Outlaw
Aldridge


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

Balian said:


> I never said their bench is weak. At the same time, its not a very strong either. Its a serviceable bench.
> 
> Big Four? Please. Blazers could potentially have the Big Five.
> 
> ...




I'm looking forward to it!

By then, the Laker Dynasty should be firmly established. Upstarts and pretenders to the throne will be heartily welcomed!


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

angrypuppy said:


> That is a good point. Blazer fans should hold the Laker Big 3 in high esteem, before it becomes the Big 4 with Andrew Bynum.


Feb 29th, Blazers 119 - Lakers 111
April 8th, Blazers 112 - Lakers 103

We hold you exactly where you belong... in the loss column.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> My bad, you are right, I forgot about Joel. Since he was injured he wasnt on the depth chart I looked at.
> new numbers: 38ppg on 44.7%fg
> 
> So for the people who say the Lakers bench is no good...What team does have a good bench. Give me something like your top 3


Since I didn't say that, I won't. 

I still stand by my statement (that I said somewhere) that the Blazers future (aka, the "window") is better (or, "bigger") than the Lakers. That doesn't mean that ours is guaranteed, or that theirs is not going to be a fruitful one. Injuries, other teams getting stars, etc...will all play a role.

Odom is a good player, but he's a good 3rd player. I think LaMarcus will end up being a better PF than he is. Maybe not as "complete", but a better PF. Oden I think will be a better player than Bynum, by a significant margin (much like Kobe is better than Brandon Roy. Roy is a good, but Kobe is "holy bleep stick!" great). 

Gasol has all but been a non factor in the games against LaMarcus (iirc? Maybe I'm remembering wrong). 

Next year? I would hope the Lakers would have a better record (well, I don't hope it..but you'd expect it)..but after that, I don't know. I think, all together, our top 4 (if you include Rudy in that) will be better than the Lakers top 4.

A point of emphasis though. Part of that is because the Lakers top 4 is older, and Kobe has a lot of miles on his body. He is still better than any of our top 4. By a wide margin. But his age will catch up with him. And since none of our top 4, as of right now, is over 24, they have almost 4-6 years to catch up to what the Lakers are at age wise. Only 1 of the Lakers top 4 is under 27.

Another reason is that in 4-6 years, Odom will be 32-34, Gasol will be 32-34, Kobe will be 34-36. And thats assuming they'll all still be playing on the Lakers. In 4-6 years, the Blazers top 4 (again, assuming they all stay in Portland) will be 25-26, 27-28, 24-25 and 26-27.



It's a lot like how the Celtics big 3 are all over 30, with the youngest being 30. Their window is a lot smaller.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

I cant wait until next year for you guys. If you guys play amazing or crappy at least I wont have to hear all the projections like the one above(post 83). Before you team has a "big 5"  it would help if they made an all star team.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan said:


> Odom is a good player, but he's a good 3rd player. I think LaMarcus will end up being a better PF than he is.


Its a good thing Odom will play SF then...a 6'10" SF :biggrin:

Bynum
Pau
Odom
Kobe
Fisher

=uh oh for all other teams


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

unless the lakers win this year, they are upstarts and pretenders as well.


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## angrypuppy (Jul 5, 2005)

NateBishop3 said:


> Feb 29th, Blazers 119 - Lakers 111
> April 8th, Blazers 112 - Lakers 103
> 
> We hold you exactly where you belong... in the loss column.




I know... the worst part is, my favorite team doesn't even hang Western Conference Championship banners. Can you imagine?


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> I cant wait until next year for you guys. If you guys play amazing or crappy at least I wont have to hear all the projections like the one above(post 83). Before you team has a "big 5"  it would help if they made an all star team.


Make ya a bet DaRizzle... 

The Blazers will have more All-Stars next season than the Lakers. 

I think it's a pretty good bet. The Blazers have a lot of talent.

You've got Kobe down for sure unless he hurts himself.

Odom? No.

Gasol? I don't think so.

Bynum? He's your best shot at a second All-Star.

What do ya say? :biggrin:


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## e_blazer1 (Feb 3, 2004)

Man, I can hardly wait for next season.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> I cant wait until next year for you guys. If you guys play amazing or crappy at least I wont have to hear all the projections like the one above(post 83). Before you team has a "big 5"  it would help if they made an all star team.


I don't see Outlaw as part of the big "5" myself, but Roy did make the all star game (although I think thats a poor barometer, considering it's a popularity contest). 

Also, only Kobe has made the all star game as a Laker, so I don't know if thats really a valid comparison.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> I cant wait until next year for you guys. If you guys play amazing or crappy at least I wont have to hear all the projections like the one above(post 83). Before you team has a "big 5"  it would help if they made an all star team.


All-star? Lets compare who made the All-star team this year:

Blazers - Brandon Roy
Lakers - Kobe Byrant

Ah, its a tie. Thanks for playing.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> Make ya a bet DaRizzle...
> 
> The Blazers will have more All-Stars next season than the Lakers.
> 
> ...


Really? I think that it's about as likely that Gasol or Odom make the All-Star game as any Blazer.

Given that Kobe is a shoe-in and the Blazers have no shoe-ins, I think it's a bad bet, Nate.

Ed O.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Eblazer1, SodaPopinski, NateBishop, and Balian...please tell what team(s) have the best benches in the NBA.

NateBishop-that is an interesting bet, let me think about that for a few


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## noknobs (Sep 14, 2007)

SodaPopinski said:


> LOL @ the person who said the Lakers are deep.
> 
> Really?
> 
> Their bench is hilarious. Turiaf, Farmar, Vujacic, Walton, Mbenga. I suppose it will improve when Bynum comes back and Radmanovic goes to the bench, but not by much. And there's no certainty about Bynum's injury. I'm hearing whispers that his knee is in worse shape than what's being reported. I wish the kid well, but doesn't anyone else think it's a little strange that they still don't truly know what's wrong with his knee?


Why would you include Mbenga and not Ariza? Come now. The Lakers don't have anyone close to a sixth man of the year candidate, but a bench of Ariza, Farmar, Vladimir, Turiaf, Sasha, and Walton is not shabby. They play their roles well and play hard. With the starters they have that's all they need. And I'm sure they'd be the first choice for any veterans in the twilight of their careers looking for a ring. 



e_blazer1 said:


> Blazer fans really shouldn't complain too much about the Lakers return to prominence. What fun is it to have young Jedi warriors if there's no Evil Empire to fight?


Right. But this isn't a movie and we don't know as of yet if our band of heroic underdogs will ultimately triumph over the morally deficient and corrupt Laker goons. I get your point though: It raises the stakes, which makes it more fun.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> Really? I think that it's about as likely that Gasol or Odom make the All-Star game as any Blazer.
> 
> Given that Kobe is a shoe-in and the Blazers have no shoe-ins, I think it's a bad bet, Nate.
> 
> Ed O.


Me too, especially with a (still) loaded West. I think we were given our "token" all star roster spot, until Oden or LaMarcus goes nuts and starts kicking everyones ***.

Not saying they WILL, but thats what (imho) it will take for them to make it.


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Ed O said:


> Really? I think that it's about as likely that Gasol or Odom make the All-Star game as any Blazer.
> 
> Given that Kobe is a shoe-in and the Blazers have no shoe-ins, I think it's a bad bet, Nate.
> 
> Ed O.


It's for fun Ed. DaRizzle is known for his bets, so I figured I'd get in on the action. I think Oden, Roy, and Aldridge all have a shot at the All-Star team next season. I think it's a good bet, not necessarily a safe bet, but good.



> Eblazer1, SodaPopinski, NateBishop, and Balian...please tell what team(s) have the best benches in the NBA.
> 
> NateBishop-that is an interesting bet, let me think about that for a few


I'll look at some teams and get back to you.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Damnit Dan and Ed stop giving Nate good advice!

Ill take the bet if you still want to Nate :cheers:


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

DaRizzle said:


> I cant wait until next year for you guys. If you guys play amazing or crappy at least I wont have to hear all the projections like the one above(post 83). Before you team has a "big 5"  *it would help if they made an all star team.*



umm roy made the all star team last year

not sure if kobe made it 2nd year.

i would venture to say that lma and oden will have more combined all star apearances than pau/bynum. might be close though.

odom of course is a perennial all star. top 10 player in the nba, just ask a laker fan. 15 sf's had a higher per this year than odom, so that actually makes him quite average for his position.

not that outlaw and martell are better, but guess what, they arent far behind, and are ALOT cheaper and ALOT younger. but you dont see us including them in our "big three".

if anyone is deserving of that label from the lakers i would say jordan farmar, he is superior to any pg in portland.

and i know you guys are in love with bynum, whats not to love. but i would be shocked if oden doesnt surpass his numbers by season(as in 1st compared to 1st, 2nd compared to 2nd, etc.)

we both rule, i am content to leave it at that.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

NateBishop3 said:


> I'll look at some teams and get back to you.


So you *dont know* of a good bench team but you *do know *the Lakers bench isnt good....got it :biggrin:

What team forum am I on? I forgot :biggrin: :cheers:


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

noknobs said:


> Why would you include Mbenga and not Ariza?


probably because Ariza played 24 games as a Laker, of which he had 6 decent games


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> *Damnit Dan* and Ed stop giving Nate good advice!
> 
> Ill take the bet if you still want to Nate :cheers:


Hey, how'd you find out my nickname as a kid?


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan...Ariza is way higher on the totem pole than Mbenga. Ariza makes his impact in the game with reb and defense. I will be the first to admit he has a sub par offensive skill set


----------



## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

bad bet nate, but a safer one would be that the lakers dont have more all stars than us.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^oh hell no...a push is a push if that bet goes down


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> Damnit Dan and Ed stop giving Nate good advice!
> 
> Ill take the bet if you still want to Nate :cheers:


I'm down. Gonna be a long bet, but I think it will be fun to watch.

Only stipulation, if either team trades for an All-Star right before the game it does not count. The tally should only include players that make the All-Star team because of their play ON the team. So like, Allen Iverson going to Denver. Agreed? 

Terms... I'd say something more interesting than the spoils you've already claimed from Kingspeed and that other guy. Any ideas?


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Dan...Ariza is way higher on the totem pole than Mbenga. Ariza makes his impact in the game with reb and defense. I will be the first to admit he has a sub par offensive skill set


Oh, I know that, but he got annointed awful quick. James Jones had the same kind of quick impact, but I don't know if he's really a key bench figure, per say (yes I know I included him in my "bench" scorer, but he played twice as many games as Ariza).


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> I'm down. Gonna be a long bet, but I think it will be fun to watch.
> 
> Only stipulation, if either team trades for an All-Star right before the game it does not count. The tally should only include players that make the All-Star team because of their play ON the team. So like, Allen Iverson going to Denver. Agreed?
> 
> Terms... I'd say something more interesting than the spoils you've already claimed from Kingspeed and that other guy. Any ideas?


You allow "JR" to get mad at losing a game and kick the basketball into the wall because all of us know he's really just a break away from being an NBA star!






that's an inside joke only Nate and I will get.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Dan said:


> You allow "JR" to get mad at losing a game and kick the basketball into the wall because all of us know he's really just a break away from being an NBA star!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hahaha. Yeah... That guy was a real tool. Of course, that was like 10 years ago, so I'm sure he's probably already playing pro ball... or in prison.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

NateBishop3 said:


> I'm down. Gonna be a long bet, but I think it will be fun to watch.
> 
> Only stipulation, *if either team trades for an All-Star right before the game it does not count.* The tally should only include players that make the All-Star team because of their play ON the team. So like, Allen Iverson going to Denver. Agreed?
> 
> Terms... I'd say something more interesting than the spoils you've already claimed from Kingspeed and that other guy. Any ideas?


The opposite must also be true since it is within the realm of possibility that Odom gets traded by the all star break of next season. If Odom is traded before the beginning of the season then the bet is off.

How about the same as the bet with KingSpeed(1 month avatar&sig) *PLUS* a 2-3minute video giving honest high praise of the other team, and proclaiming yourself a huge fan of that team. It will be posted on the the Lakers and POR team forum :biggrin:

Im open to other ideas


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> hahaha. Yeah... That guy was a real tool. Of course, that was like 10 years ago, so I'm sure he's probably already playing pro ball... or in prison.


shut up..that wasn't 10 years ago.





holy crap..that was 10 years ago!?!? God, what were you doing in college at 16!!?

Btw, I could totally kick your *** at basketball!!!!!!


if it weren't for the fact I sprained my knee this week, and I'm a fat ***.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle, I want to re-state that it's a fresh breath of air having you (as a Laker fan) being here. You're good people. Remember, there's always a spot on the bandwagon for you.


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> The opposite must also be true since it is within the realm of possibility that Odom gets traded by the all star break of next season. If Odom is traded before the beginning of the season then the bet is off.
> 
> How about the same as the bet with KingSpeed(1 month avatar&sig) *PLUS* a 2-3minute video giving honest high praise of the other team, and proclaiming yourself a huge fan of that team. It will be posted on the the Lakers and POR team forum :biggrin:
> 
> Im open to other ideas


I'd say if a player from either team makes the All-Star squad and THEN is traded, they would still count. If Odom makes All-Star then the team trades him, I'd still count it. But if Odom is traded before the season I don't think that should nullify the bet. 

The conditions are simple, the Blazers will have more All-Stars next season than the Lakers. Yes or No?

The terms: avatar&sig for one month AND pictures of the loser at the next available Lakers/Blazers game in the opposing teams colors?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^ my evil plan is working then :biggrin:

lol at being suspended by one of your mods before for being happy in a thread you guys started about the Gasol thread


----------



## noknobs (Sep 14, 2007)

Dan said:


> Oh, I know that, but he got annointed awful quick. James Jones had the same kind of quick impact, but I don't know if he's really a key bench figure, per say (yes I know I included him in my "bench" scorer, but he played twice as many games as Ariza).


Well it helps when you're not injured. Since I assume we're talking about their bench next year, I will also assume that Ariza will be healthy and one of their bench players who gets consistent minutes. 

By the way... Thanks for pointing out Ariza only played 24 games. I'm sure that as you wrote that you were aware Mbenga only played 26 games and his stats were much worse. So again, why include Mbenga instead of Ariza, especially when talking about next year? That's a rhetorical question, I'm sure soda was just trying to make their bench look worse than it actually is.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Dan said:


> shut up..that wasn't 10 years ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I finished high school at PCC. 

You might want to rethink that challenge Dan. I'm not the player you saw 10 years ago :biggrin:


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

DaRizzle said:


> The opposite must also be true since it is within the realm of possibility that Odom gets traded by the all star break of next season. *If Odom is traded before the beginning of the season then the bet is off.
> *
> How about the same as the bet with KingSpeed(1 month avatar&sig) *PLUS* a 2-3minute video giving honest high praise of the other team, and proclaiming yourself a huge fan of that team. It will be posted on the the Lakers and POR team forum :biggrin:
> 
> Im open to other ideas


odom??? really??? all star sf??????? maybe he would have a chance at pf but he just doesnt put up all star numbers, especially at sf.

he played well at pf since gasol came over, but at sf i just dont see it.

lma will make the all star team before odom does.


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## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

the lakers have a better chance of having multiple all-stars because they'll have a much better chance of being a dominant team heading into the all-star break. the better their record, the more pressure to take multiple lakers. of odom and bynum have comparable stats to lma and oden, it's more likely the lakers will go because it's more likely they'll have the superior record. and right now, gasol's simply better than lma.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

NateBishop3 said:


> I'd say if a player from either team makes the All-Star squad and THEN is traded, they would still count. If Odom makes All-Star then the team trades him, I'd still count it. But if Odom is traded before the season I don't think that should nullify the bet.
> 
> The conditions are simple, the Blazers will have more All-Stars next season than the Lakers. Yes or No?
> 
> The terms: avatar&sig for one month AND pictures of the loser at the next available Lakers/Blazers game in the opposing teams colors?


Im down for the terms of the bet but I cant promise I will be at the LA/POR game, thats sorta tough to promise.

How about the one month bet plus a pic in the other teams jersey looking excited and giving the thumbs up? Im sure I can find a POR jersey at the 99 cent store :biggrin:

(having fun chatting but I gotta pick up some grub, be back in a bit)


----------



## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Ed O said:


> Really? I think that it's about as likely that Gasol or Odom make the All-Star game as any Blazer.
> 
> Given that Kobe is a shoe-in and the Blazers have no shoe-ins, I think it's a bad bet, Nate.


a healthy Kobe is a given, but health isn't a given to anyone and becomes less likely the older one gets.* Does it count as an appearance if a player makes the team but doesn't play?*

IMO the next two most likely guys from either roster are Greg and Brandon. I see the forward spots as a lot more contested then the center and guard positions. 

I like Nate's odds.

STOMP


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> Im down for the terms of the bet but I cant promise I will be at the LA/POR game, thats sorta tough to promise.
> 
> How about the one month bet plus a pic in the other teams jersey looking excited and giving the thumbs up? Im sure I can find a POR jersey at the 99 cent store :biggrin:
> 
> (having fun chatting but I gotta pick up some grub, be back in a bit)


How about Laker or Blazer colors? I don't want to have to buy a Lakers jersey and I know you probably don't want to buy a Blazers jersey. 



> IMO the next two most likely guys from either roster are Greg and Brandon. I see the forward spots as a lot more contested then the center and guard positions.
> 
> I like Nate's odds.


That's what I'm sayin.


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## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

and a key to the lakers bench is that they have enough starters who can be the primary scorer for short stretches that they don't need a vinny johnson or bobby jackson. and guys like farmar, vujacic and radmanovic can create some scoring opps. they don't just stand around. now, they don't always make smart decisions with the ball. 

and as much as odom is generally mediocre, he does create matchup problems and is better at stepping into a #1 role for limited minutes than most other generally mediocre players (webster).


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

Eh, bad bet Nate. Lakers have one guarranteed all-star no matter what. If Blazers underachieve, they won't have any. If Lakers underachieve, Bryant is still going to get voted in. 

You're basically better that Roy will have to make the all-star game, and the Blazers will have a good enough record for LMA to get voted in. (No way Oden is going to put up enough numbers to be in the game)

Not likely. 

On the other hand, Lakers have Bryant and Gasol who might get voted in if the Lakers have a really good record, which they probably will.


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

hmm actually, i can see oden being voted in. everybody hates shaq now. as long as duncan is on the ballot as a pf, i think its a pretty good chance actually.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

drexlersdad said:


> hmm actually, i can see oden being voted in. everybody hates shaq now. as long as duncan is on the ballot as a pf, i think its a pretty good chance actually.


All-Stars must put up at least semi-big numbers unless their team has an AMAZING record. I don't see any way Oden does that. 

And there's also Bynum to contend with.


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## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

B-Roy said:


> All-Stars must put up at least semi-big numbers unless their team has an AMAZING record. I don't see any way Oden does that.
> 
> And there's also Bynum to contend with.



you're saying oden can't be averaging a double double with 2.5 - 3 bpg and high fg%?


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> All-Stars must put up at least semi-big numbers unless their team has an AMAZING record. I don't see any way Oden does that.
> 
> And there's also Bynum to contend with.


Yao's first year he averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He was an All-Star. You don't think Oden can match/exceed that?


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

kflo said:


> you're saying oden can't be averaging a double double with 2.5 - 3 bpg and high fg%?


He's going to foul A LOT, and he's only a rookie. I find it very hard to believe he's going to do that. 

And even still, that might not get you into the game. 13/10/2 isn't that great. That's what Bynum was putting up before he got injured.

And he's basically fighting for one spot. Yao Ming is going to get voted in. Let's ignore the 2 "any player" resevers because there's more than enough talented fowards and guards in the West. That leaves one reserve C spot to fight for.

He'll be going against Camby, Bynum, Chandler, Okur, etc. As a rookie, I don't see it happening.

He could prove me wrong. He can come out and average a 20/10 like Brand did as a rookie or something. But come on, how likely is that?


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

NateBishop3 said:


> Yao's first year he averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He was an All-Star. You don't think Oden can match/exceed that?


He was voted in by the fans. He's got a giant chinese fanbase voting for him. He wouldn't have been voted in by the coaches.

Yao will get voted in by the fans again provided he's not injured.


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

First thing we need to worry about is getting roy back in, after that, i think oden has the best shot, and then lma.

chances of making it imo (in order):

kobe
roy
oden
gasol
lma
bynum


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

drexlersdad said:


> First thing we need to worry about is getting roy back in, after that, i think oden has the best shot, and then lma.
> 
> chances of making it imo:
> 
> ...


But there's a higher chance for the Lakers players! I'm not going to explain it again. 100% for Kobe as long as he's not injured.

And Riz is known to make bets when they highly favor him, and his opposition is blinded by homerism. 

I'm going to go with Riz on this one, any non-homer can see that the chance of winning the bet is incredibly low. Best case scenario, Lakers and Blazers have same number of all stars.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^Yes! Yes! acknowledge I am the all knowing one! Come to the dark side!

(My "Green Earth Burger" was good! Is a "Green Earth Burger" an oxymoron?)


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

the best teams in the league are likely to get more than one all star even if only one truly deserves it. LA has a better shot at being one of the best teams in the league next year. So even though Gasol might not deserve the spot quite as much as Aldridge, (just an example) Gasol would be more likely to get the spot.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> ^Yes! Yes! acknowledge I am the all knowing one! Come to the dark side!
> 
> (My "Green Earth Burger" was good! Is a "Green Earth Burger" an oxymoron?)


Never. 

I'm just pointing out homerism.


























Join us. You know you want to.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

My team is in the Finals...i think Ill stick with them :biggrin:


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> My team is in the Finals...i think Ill stick with them :biggrin:


There's nothing wrong with being fans of two teams.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^ :sadbanana:


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> ^ :sadbanana:


What the hell is with all the sad bananas.

:basket::smoothcriminal:


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> I finished high school at PCC.
> 
> You might want to rethink that challenge Dan. I'm not the player you saw 10 years ago :biggrin:


I didn't think you could get any worse...


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

You cant be a fan of two teams if you are a real fan! Violates code 3498.6 of the fan handbook!


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

noknobs said:


> Well it helps when you're not injured. Since I assume we're talking about their bench next year, I will also assume that Ariza will be healthy and one of their bench players who gets consistent minutes.
> 
> By the way... Thanks for pointing out Ariza only played 24 games. I'm sure that as you wrote that you were aware Mbenga only played 26 games and his stats were much worse. So again, why include Mbenga instead of Ariza, especially when talking about next year? That's a rhetorical question, I'm sure soda was just trying to make their bench look worse than it actually is.


I don't know what Soda posted, actually..I only responded to darizzle.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> Yao's first year he averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He was an All-Star. You don't think Oden can match/exceed that?


There isn't 1.3 billion people in Indiana, Oregon and Ohio. So no.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> You cant be a fan of two teams if you are a real fan! Violates code 3498.6 of the fan handbook!


The answer is simple. Quit being a Lakers fan.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> You cant be a fan of two teams if you are a real fan! Violates code 3498.6 of the fan handbook!


But you don't deny that you WANT to join us!

:yes:


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

I DENY THAT I HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BEING A BLAZERS FAN!
happy?


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> I DENY THAT I HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BEING A BLAZERS FAN!
> happy?


The first step is denial. :wink:


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> I DENY THAT I HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BEING A BLAZERS FAN!
> happy?


DaRizzle doth protest too much, methinks.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

B-Roy said:


> The first step is denial. :wink:


tu che'


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## blazermaniaisback (Jun 7, 2007)

DaRizzle said:


> I HAVE INTEREST IN BEING A BLAZERS FAN!



You should... they are going to be good in the future. 

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

Just kidding.

So you being a lakers fan who would you rather them play?

Celtics or Pistons?


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Can someone tell me when it is that the last player that was selected #1, who was known about for years before his pick, has had the curse of "fouling a lot" like Oden has?

You'd think the guy was a clumsy oaf who can't control his arms.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Here ya go Duckworth...i posted this on "Kobe goin to the Finals" thread on the POR board earlier today

Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSpeed 
DaRizzle--
*
1) who do you think will win the Detroit-Boston series?*
Boston, even though DET is the better team. Hunter was right for bashing Sheed for being all lovey dovey after the game with Garnett. Sheed is killing team unity right now. BOS in 6 (yup, road win)
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSpeed 
*2) who do you want to win the Detroit-Boston series?*
This one is tough and I will admit I have flip flopped on this one. My basis on wanting one team to win is because IMO that team would be easier for the Lakers. Ive been wanting the C's to win because I think they are a lesser threat. Now with Rip having an elbow injury that might change if it is real bad. Im gonna stick with the C's but it is close. Yes Im aware the Lakers were blown out twice by the C's and went 1-1 with DET. Lakers didnt have Pau, the games were quite a long time ago and the mindset of each team has changed since then. Lakers also wore those not so comfortable 80's shorts that one game.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSpeed 
*3) do you honestly believe the Lakers can beat the Pistons in the NBA Finals? why?*
Absolutely, IMO Prince is the best player to guard Kobe with in the world. That said, this Lakers team is a far cry from the 04 team. This team moves the ball around like no other. In 04 Kobe would get shut down because the Lakers had no flow of offense at that time and was just trying to beat you with talent alone. If they try to focus on Kobe like they did last time THE MACHINE (among others)will make them pay. Another reason is DET offensive ineptitude. DET has an edge in defense but I dont think it is great enough to cancel out the offensive suckiness. The Lakers amazing O and above average but not top tier D will trump DET.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSpeed 
*4) do you honestly believe the Lakers can beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals? why?*
Absolutely, even though all the stats would say otherwise. They C's are not even close to what they were in the Reg season. Ill admit that during the season when I daydreamed about the Lakers getting to the Finals the C's always ruined it!!! Now....not so fast. If you think Sasha played good D on Ginobili then watch what he does to old man, double ankle surgery Ray Allen. A 6'10" Vlad Rad flying at Ray when he is shooting 3's wont help his cause either. Ray is old and has never played for this long in one season, he is breaking down. I'd talk about the other big matchups but the biggest issue to me is the bench...the C's would get killed by the Lakers bench in every way possible. I cant stress that one enough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingSpeed 
*5) if a gun is to your head and your life depends on it, who do you pick to win the whole thing? Boston, Detroit, or L.A.?*
(In Snoop Dog voice)LA till I die mutha ****-a! Phil Jackson isnt gonna lose to some dude named FLIP! Nor will he lose to a coach (Doc)who has no idea what he is doing and winning on talent alone. Kobe isnt gonna be denied. MVP, Finals MVP, Gold Medal...thats gonna be his year.


----------



## blazermaniaisback (Jun 7, 2007)

thanks. i figured someone had asked you already but don't remember seeing it.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

oh cmon, somebody bash my opinions :biggrin:


----------



## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> oh cmon, somebody bash my opinions :biggrin:


Your opinions suck.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> Never.
> 
> I'm just pointing out homerism.
> 
> ...


Homerism? It's for fun. We have talented players, they have talented players. I'm not betting my life savings here. It's a playful bet between two regulars on the forum. We have some guys who have a shot at the All-Star team next year, so do the Lakers. I want to see if DaRizzle will put his money where his mouth is. 



Dan said:


> There isn't 1.3 billion people in Indiana, Oregon and Ohio. So no.


If you compared Indiana, Oregon, and Odio to China, what do you think the ratio of computers per capita would be? I think we've got a good chance. Shaq was a regular in the All-Star game for years. 



Dan said:


> I didn't think you could get any worse...


I've gotten taller and more athletic... tell ya what... I'll spot ya 5 points and we'll play to 11 :biggrin:


----------



## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

NateBishop3 said:


> If you compared Indiana, Oregon, and Odio to China, what do you think the ratio of computers per capita would be? I think we've got a good chance. Shaq was a regular in the All-Star game for years.


Except Yao has been voted in by the fans every season he's played.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> Except Yao has been voted in by the fans every season he's played.


Who has played in the West that could even challenge him? If Dwight Howard was traded to the West tomorrow, would Yao still get the nod? My point is, if a center came along in the west who attained the same level of stardom that Shaq once had, it would be possible. Everyone talks about the 1.3 billion Chinese, but how many of those people are actually voting for Yao? I think it's been a one-horse race and if the right candidate came along Yao could be unseated.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Yao received 1,709,180 votes for the 2008 All-Star game. You don't think that's attainable?

Kevin Garnett had 2,399,148 votes
LeBron James had 2,108,831 votes
Dwight Howard had 2,066,991 votes
Kobe Bryant had 2,004,940 votes
Carmelo Anthony had 1,723,701 votes
Tim Duncan had 1,712,800 votes

Yao wasn't even in the top 5.


----------



## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

NateBishop3 said:


> Who has played in the West that could even challenge him? If Dwight Howard was traded to the West tomorrow, would Yao still get the nod? My point is, if a center came along in the west who attained the same level of stardom that Shaq once had, it would be possible. Everyone talks about the 1.3 billion Chinese, but how many of those people are actually voting for Yao? I think it's been a one-horse race and if the right candidate came along Yao could be unseated.


Amare Stoudemire? He's been getting into the all-star games as a center.

And no, Oden has no chance of getting voted in (by fans) over Yao unless he becomes a "Shaq". 

I don't care how you want to argue it, you can quote me on this and I'll look like a fool if he does get voted in by the fans.


----------



## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

NateBishop3 said:


> Yao received 1,709,180 votes for the 2008 All-Star game. You don't think that's attainable?


He's been consistently getting the most votes out of ANY player before this season. Don't know why it was lower this year, but it doesn't matter. I'd expect his votes to increase next season.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

The point is, there's a chance. Roy, Oden, and Aldridge all have legit shots at the All-Star team next season. Sure, I could lose the bet, but who cares. Makes things more interesting.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

NateBishop3 said:


> I want to see if DaRizzle will put his money where his mouth is.


Outline of Bet:
Which team will have more All Stars next season. If equal then bet is a push.
No offseason transactions the teams do will affect bet.
If player is traded during the season and makes the ALL Star team then 50% or more of his games have to be played with his first team to count for bet.

Stakes:
Choice of avatar and sig for the loser for one month.
Post a pic of yourself with a home-made sign held by a sting around your neck that says: 

"Lakers Rule
Blazers Drool"
or vice versa
(and you gotta look real sad in the pic)

Do you accept the bet good sir????


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

NateBishop3 said:


> The point is, there's a chance. Roy, Oden, and Aldridge all have legit shots at the All-Star team next season. Sure, I could lose the bet, but who cares. Makes things more interesting.


There's NO chance. 

I'm willing to bet you on it. If Oden comes within 200,000 (More? Less?) votes of Yao, I'll do your bidding for *insert time here*.

There's a chance for reserve though. A chance.


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> Outline of Bet:
> Which team will have more All Stars next season. If equal then bet is a push.
> No offseason transactions the teams do will affect bet.
> If player is traded during the season and makes the ALL Star team then 50% or more of his games have to be played with his first team to count for bet.
> ...


Sounds good. May the best team win :cheers:


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

<a href="http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa316/teleblooz_photos/?action=view&current=mrburns.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa316/teleblooz_photos/mrburns.jpg" border="0" alt="Excellent!"></a>
EXCELLENT!


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Any way I can save post 166 long term in a folder someway?


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> Any way I can save post 166 long term in a folder someway?


I'd say just bookmark it. The threads don't go away. Either that or screenshot it.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

sweet, thanks


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## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

this should be a push, no one on la is worthy of AS considerations outside of Kobe and Roy will make it for PDX unless Oden explodes and makes it 2. LMA is a year away imo.


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## noknobs (Sep 14, 2007)

Dan said:


> I don't know what Soda posted, actually..I only responded to darizzle.


I was responding to your response of me at 5:19pm, which was in response to soda... eace:


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Look at this post from a Celtics fan you can all oogle over :biggrin:


TheTruth34 said:


> before you get carried away kobe you kno what riders
> let me make this thing clear.
> 
> to start it off...
> ...


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

MAS RipCity said:


> this should be a push, *no one on la is worthy of AS considerations outside of Kobe* and Roy will make it for PDX unless Oden explodes and makes it 2. LMA is a year away imo.


Are you smoking something?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

you're not?!?!? Catch up!


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

B-Roy said:


> All-Stars must put up at least semi-big numbers unless their team has an AMAZING record. I don't see any way Oden does that.
> 
> *And there's also Bynum to contend with*.



Not to mention a billion votes from China for Yao.


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## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

outside of kobe, la doesn't have any all-stars. If you think pau is an all-star..please..dude is so soft...he just looks decent cause the whole defense is geared to stop kobe. pua hasn't led teams anywhere by himself..he really isn't that good, its that kobe is so good he makes la hard to bear. I really do not like kobe so that is hard to say but the man can ball. lamar is a 3rd fiddle, we all know that..and bynum just isn't ready yet..maybe in 2 years, but not for next year as an all-star.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

MAS RipCity said:


> outside of kobe, la doesn't have any all-stars. If you think pau is an all-star..please..dude is so soft...he just looks decent cause the whole defense is geared to stop kobe. pua hasn't led teams anywhere by himself..he really isn't that good, its that kobe is so good he makes la hard to bear. I really do not like kobe so that is hard to say but the man can ball. lamar is a 3rd fiddle, we all know that..and bynum just isn't ready yet..maybe in 2 years, but not for next year as an all-star.


Wow, just wow.

I won't even attempt to explain to you why you're dead wrong. 

If someone else wants to, go ahead.

But just wow.....


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## JAFO (Jul 2, 2006)

Dan said:


> I think people (fans of other teams) are under-estimating how much of a good team the Blazers could be.


I just hope the other teams under-estimate how good the Blazers are going to be, too.


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## Darkwebs (May 23, 2006)

JAFO said:


> I just hope the other teams under-estimate how good the Blazers are going to be, too.


I don't know if any team will be underestimating us, especially since we had a 13 game winning streak last year without Oden. But people might've forgotten since the Rockets had their 22 game winning streak shortly after our streak, overshadowing what a feat this young Blazer accomplished.

I hope we sneak up on other teams like a stealthy ninja and when they let their guard down, we go for the kill! Go Blazers!


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

The debate over the Lakers' bench is ridiculous. Their bench is fantastic. Sasha, Farmar, Turiaf, and Walton play great. If you watch the games, you know that. And I'm no Laker fan.

And as for all this talk about Big 3s and 4s and 5s, the Lakers and Blazers each had only 1 All Star this season. That's it.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

DaRizzle- To answer your question about what team has a great bench besides the Lakers.... the Celtics have a great bench. GREAT bench. Powe, House, Davis, Posey (champ) not to mention PJ Brown (hero of Game 7 vs Cavs) and Sam Cassell (2 time champ). There were some games late in the season where the Big 3 hardly played at all and they still won. Powe was able to carry the team on some nights.


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## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

I think the bet will be a push.

I think Kobe and Roy/Oden will be all-stars. Odom, Gasol or Bynum won't make the all-star team.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

noknobs said:


> I was responding to your response of me at 5:19pm, which was in response to soda... eace:


Like I'm supposed to pay attention to posts now??


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## e_blazer1 (Feb 3, 2004)

KingSpeed said:


> The debate over the Lakers' bench is ridiculous. Their bench is fantastic. Sasha, Farmar, Turiaf, and Walton play great. If you watch the games, you know that. And I'm no Laker fan.
> 
> And as for all this talk about Big 3s and 4s and 5s, the Lakers and Blazers each had only 1 All Star this season. That's it.


The Blazers' bench next year (absent any trades) could be Joel, Frye, Outlaw, Fernandez, and Jack and that group would absolutely crush the Lakers' bench.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

MrJayremmie said:


> I think the bet will be a push.
> 
> I think Kobe and Roy/Oden will be all-stars. *Odom, Gasol or Bynum won't make the all-star team.*


What the hell? Does everyone not know that making the all-star team has as much to do with the player as the team record?

Lakers are going to have one of the best records in the west, so they're more likely to get more than one all-star. As long as Pau played like he did this season, he'll make the all-star team. Bynum and Odom have a shot too.

One of the reasons Roy was voted into the all-star game was because the Blazers had a good record at the time and were coming off a 17 for 18 stretch of games. Not to take anything away from Roy, but if we played bad the first half of the season and good the second half, I doubt Roy would have made it.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> One of the reasons Roy was voted into the all-star game was because the Blazers had a good record at the time and were coming off a 17 for 18 stretch of games. Not to take anything away from Roy, but if we played bad the first half of the season and good the second half, I doubt Roy would have made it.


thanks Captain Obvious!

it's my opinion the club is poised to have an excellent record next year. Being a young up and coming team, I'm sure that they'll be regularly featured on the nationally televised games. Typically young stud players generate a ton of votes from the young fans in the league. With Greg's personality and game, he's going to be featured in a lot of NBA press stuff. Yao's vote totals have been tailing off and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Greg win the fan vote at the 5.


> Amare Stoudemire? He's been getting into the all-star games as a center.


not anymore he wont... the Suns have Shaq as their 5. Amare will be yet another one of the many quality forwards competing for 5 spots on the AS team. Duncan, Dirk, Amare, David West & Boozer are just the PFs that should be putting up numbers at least equal to Pau. Being option #2 behind Kobe doesn't help his chances of making the team IMO.

STOMP


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

STOMP said:


> *Yao's vote totals have been tailing off and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Greg win the fan vote at the 5.*
> 
> not anymore he wont... the Suns have Shaq as their 5. Amare will be yet another one of the many quality forwards competing for 5 spots on the AS team. Duncan, Dirk, Amare, David West & Boozer are just the PFs that should be putting up numbers superior to Pau.
> 
> STOMP


You're entitled to your opinion, but I highly doubt that happens. What about Bynum? He's also a young up and coming center featured on a team that's going to have one of the best records in the west.

Pau will garner more votes from coaches as long as Lakers have a great record, which I fully expect them to.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

Hey Blazer fan, what the hell are you guys arguing about All-Stars with fans from ONE OF THE LARGEST NBA MARKET in the league ....Los Angeles??? Kobe is a shoe in EVERY YEAR. If any of the other players have a decent year, they will in likely get voted in first before any other Blazers.

* Please, stop your homerism*. Los Angeles Lakers has a huge advantage in this area because of their market size. They have more fans to vote for their players. It is what it is.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> You're entitled to your opinion, but I highly doubt that happens. What about Bynum? He's also a young up and coming center featured on a team that's going to have one of the best records in the west.


his health is much more in doubt then Greg's. He also lacks Greg's personality and won't be nearly as hyped which does factor in with the youth vote.


> Pau will garner more votes from coaches as long as Lakers have a great record, which I fully expect them to.


I expect all the guys I listed to be on teams with good to great records as well. That Pau and 30 year old Kobe will be playing in the Olympics could have Phil holding them back/resting more in the regular season then in years past too. I could see the Lakers focused on being healthy come the playoffs more then having something to prove in the regular season like they did this year.

STOMP


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

STOMP said:


> his health is much more in doubt then Greg's. He also lacks Greg's personality and won't be nearly as hyped which does factor in with the youth vote.
> 
> I expect all the guys I listed to be on teams with good to great records as well. That Pau and 30 year old Kobe will be playing in the Olympics could have Phil holding them back/resting more in the regular season then in years past too. I could see the Lakers focused on being healthy come the playoffs more then having something to prove in the regular season like they did this year.
> 
> STOMP


Wait, isn't Oden coming off of microfracture surgery? How is Bynum's health more in question than Greg's? Bynum also has the advantage of a better record (probably) and a larger fanbase in L.A. Not to mention Laker games are going to be broadcasted on national TV more than Blazer games.

I expect Lakers to be top 3, and probably top 2. Top 3 teams basically always have more than one all-star. David West was an all-star because Hornets had the best record in the west. 

I don't think Phil is going to rest anyone, especially because they don't actually want to rest. Kobe had a broken finger for half the season and he played through it. I highly doubt Kobe/Gasol/Odom etc. are going see less playing time and have less wins.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Balian said:


> Hey Blazer fan, what the hell are you guys arguing about All-Stars with fans from ONE OF THE LARGEST NBA MARKET in the league ....Los Angeles??? Kobe is a shoe in EVERY YEAR. If any of the other players have a decent year, they will in likely get voted in first before any other Blazers.
> 
> * Please, stop your homerism*. Los Angeles Lakers has a huge advantage in this area because of their market size. They have more fans to vote for their players. It is what it is.


Labron James plays for Cleveland right? Yet somehow he recieved MORE votes then Kobe. And didn't Lamar have a decent year last season? Your post has such obvious gaping holes in logic your condescending tone is pretty amusing.

Seriously, your insults broadly degrading the opinions of others you disagree with are not welcome. Nonsense like that only leads to a flame war.

STOMP


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

B-Roy said:


> Wait, isn't Oden coming off of microfracture surgery? How is Bynum's health more in question than Greg's? Bynum also has the advantage of a better record (probably) and a larger fanbase in L.A. Not to mention Laker games are going to be broadcasted on national TV more than Blazer games.


microfracture surgery is not the boogie man. It takes longer to recover from then arthroscopic, but the plus is that the patient doesn't lose a portion of their cartilage. Add in the other factors regarding Greg's situation (age, how quickly they treated it, how small of a tear it was, how his recovery is on track) and every indication is that he should make a full recovery.

The big problem with Bynum's situation is that he's now had multiple arthro surgeries on his knees and each time takes a little more support away. That he's had so many problems with this weak link in the body so early in his career does not bode well for his future. There is lots of stuff on line about Bynum situation and the differences between micro and arthro this if you need further clarification.

I am absolutely certain that Portland will be on TV a whole lot next year. That was the stated plan of ESPN and TNT this year prior to Greg going down. And unlike the Lakers, Portland's young center will be the focus of the hype. 

STOMP


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

STOMP said:


> microfracture surgery is not the boogie man. It takes longer to recover from then arthroscopic, but the plus is that the patient doesn't lose a portion of their cartilage. Add in the other factors regarding Greg's situation (age, how quickly they treated it, how small of a tear it was, how his recovery is on track) and every indication is that he should make a full recovery.
> 
> The big problem with Bynum's situation is that he's now had multiple arthro surgeries on his knees and each time takes a little more support away. That he's had so many problems with this weak link in the body so early in his career does not bode well for his future. There is lots of stuff on line about Bynum situation and the differences between micro and arthro this if you need further clarification.
> 
> ...


Andrew Bynum is also incredibly young, with all indications pointing to a full recovery. I don't see how one is going to be more "ready" than the other. I think they will both make a full recovery. 

Portland will be on TV a lot, but do you expect them to be more exposed than the Lakers? I don't think so, but I guess it's a matter of opinion.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

I think Oden has a better chance at the all-star game than Bynum does, but Gasol and Odom are each going to be well-positioned to make the game. As others have said, the Lakers are in a massive market AND team success is very important... especially with the coaches' votes.

The Lakers are in the Finals and will be one of the best teams in the NBA again next year. I am surprised that people think the Blazers will have more all-stars.

Ed O.


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

STOMP said:


> Labron James plays for Cleveland right? Yet somehow he recieved MORE votes then Kobe. And didn't Lamar have a decent year last season? Your post has such obvious gaping holes in logic your condescending tone is pretty amusing.
> 
> Seriously, your insults broadly degrading the opinions of others you disagree with are not welcome. Nonsense like that only leads to a flame war.
> 
> STOMP


Oh please. Lebron James is Lebron James ...thanks to Nike and their international mandate to make Lebron the next MJ. Is Nike planning a marketing blitz for any Trailblazer? Any Blazer have their own line of sneakers? Lamar Odom had a 14/10 year. It was decent but not nearly enough to take spots away from well established superstars with huge numbers like Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, and Dirk Norwitzki. Do we have any well established superstars with huge numbers? These are not logical holes. They are merely exceptions and adjuncts to a *general rule*. It is not my problem that you can't fill in the lines.

Kobe Bryant is a shoe-in every year. Brandon Roy barely made it on the All-Star team last year. All things being equal, the Lakers has a huge *advantage* due to their market size and overwhelming national appeal. This is not condescending and I have not insulted anyone ...unless you're considering "homerism" an insult.

You want to know what is nonsense? Thinking that the Blazers have *a better chance* of fielding more All-stars next year when Brandon Roy making it next year is an iffy proposition at best. Unless he gets injured, Kobe Bryant is as sure as a lock to be an All-star as any current NBA player. Probably a few years down the line, the Blazers will have more All-stars. But chances are, it won't happen next year.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

MrJayremmie said:


> I think Kobe and Roy/Oden will be all-stars. Odom, Gasol or Bynum won't make the all-star team.


I kind of agree. There's a difference between All-Stars who get voted in no matter how their team does, and then All-Stars who get voted in by coaches _because_ of how their team does.

Kobe will always be in. I can see Oden eventually being that guy voted in by fans every year at center, and Roy too by coaches every year.

Gasol is in that other category. He'll get voted in next year by coaches because the Lakers are good, pending injury. Odom and Bynum also fit this category and it depends on how many Lakers the coaches want in the game.
David West was in this boat this year. Any other year, I see no way he gets voted in but because New Orleans was good, he got rewarded.

With that said, All-Star games mean nothing to me in the end. Give me an NBA title.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

King Speed just called the Celtics bench GREAT...I cant get passed that.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Balian said:


> Oh please. Lebron James is Lebron James ...thanks to Nike and their international mandate to make Lebron the next MJ. Is Nike planning a marketing blitz for any Trailblazer? Any Blazer have their own line of sneakers?


The point was (w/LJ) that market size isn't everything. I'm sure that Greg will have major national advertising campaigns next year... heck he was on national ads this year despite being out. I am absolutely positive he will be heavily hyped by Nike and many others 


> You want to know what is nonsense? Thinking that the Blazers have *a better chance* of fielding more All-stars next year when Brandon Roy making it next year is an iffy proposition at best. Unless he gets injured, Kobe Bryant is as sure as a lock to be an All-star as any current NBA player. Probably a few years down the line, the Blazers will have more All-stars. But chances are, it won't happen next year.


thats your opinion and sorry but thats all it is. My opinion/argument as to why Portland has a good shot has already been stated. Stating that you feel my opinion is nonsense with the continued condescending tone you lace most of your posts with is exactly what I have a problem with. You can't seem to respectively disagree about anything. 

STOMP


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

STOMP said:


> The point was (w/LJ) that market size isn't everything. I'm sure that Greg will have major national advertising campaigns next year... heck he was on national ads this year despite being out. I am absolutely positive he will be heavily hyped by Nike and many others
> 
> thats your opinion and sorry but thats all it is. My opinion/argument as to why Portland has a good shot has already been stated. Stating that you feel my opinion is nonsense with the continued condescending tone you lace most of your posts with is exactly what I have a problem with. You can't seem to respectively disagree about anything.
> 
> STOMP


I never said market size is everything. It is, however a huge advantage.

So what if I think your opinion ON THIS MATTER is nonsense? Does that makes me more condescending? Not all opinions are equal. Some are more well reasoned that others. What national ads are you talking about? You mean the ESPN Magazine(aired exclusively on ESPN) spot about how *big men can't sell*?? How ironic. LOL, are you seriously comparing that to the Lebron James national campaign run by Nike for several years??? Greg Oden, like most big men, probably won't dominate in his year in the league. The chance of him making to an All-star in his first year is slim, regardless of any potential big national marketing campaigns. Don't bet the farm on that.

Yes this is my opinion. I never indicated otherwise.


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## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

Are people flipping out because some people said that Portland and LA will have the same amount of all-stars next year? lol...


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

All-Star game appearances.....who gives a flying fandango! 

You don't get to trash talk other teams over who has the most All-Stars. You get to trash talk them over who has the most victories in the play-offs!


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

e_blazer1 said:


> The Blazers' bench next year (absent any trades) could be Joel, Frye, Outlaw, Fernandez, and Jack and that group would absolutely crush the Lakers' bench.


Oh, I never said that the Lakers had a better bench than ours. I was just saying that the Lakers have a great bench. People were dissing it and it made no sense to me. And you forgot about Jones.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

STOMP said:


> microfracture surgery is not the boogie man. It takes longer to recover from then arthroscopic, but the plus is that the patient doesn't lose a portion of their cartilage. Add in the other factors regarding Greg's situation (age, how quickly they treated it, how small of a tear it was, how his recovery is on track) and every indication is that he should make a full recovery.
> 
> The big problem with Bynum's situation is that he's now had multiple arthro surgeries on his knees and each time takes a little more support away. That he's had so many problems with this weak link in the body so early in his career does not bode well for his future. There is lots of stuff on line about Bynum situation and the differences between micro and arthro this if you need further clarification.
> 
> ...


Didn't Greg have arthroscopic surgery? That was the surgery that allowed them to realize he needed the microfracture surgery, right?

Also- we may be on TV a lot but the Lakers, who have the MVP and are in the FINALS, we'll be on TV more than us.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> King Speed just called the Celtics bench GREAT...I cant get passed that.


What is your argurment against that? They have championship experience, size, shooting, what else can you ask for? Like I said, the Cs were winning games without their Big 3 at times this season because people like Powe were carrying them.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Well its just that pretty much every analyst (and me :biggrin would disagree that they are GREAT. Before the season began everyone thought their bench was absolute rubbish. Powe suprised people, Davis has been serviceable. At the beginning of the year their bench sucked, now at this moment it is average at best. Cassel just goes out there and does his own thing like he some star. PJ has been a nice addition. The problem now is that Doc wont really play House or Powe and too much of Cassell. He screwed up their mojo beyond repair IMO.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Anyone else want the draft to come real quick, and then the season to start real quick, or is it just me?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan! The voice of reason! You dont know how much BS Ive had to deal with in the last 24hrs on here. (Not you SpeedRacer, you are my homie)


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Dan! The voice of reason! You dont know how much BS Ive had to deal with in the last 24hrs on here. (Not you SpeedRacer, you are my homie)


I used to be right there with them, but my time in ASBNLL, has opened my eyes to the sane Laker fans out there. You're one of em, imho. Plus, I do kick ***.:smoothcriminal:

Actually, on a serious note...outside of politics (which are actually serious in nature), once my dad got cancer and I started working with "special needs" kids, my tone of arguments has turned more joking in nature. 

Meaning, I finally realized I have better things to worry about than if a Laker fan thinks Bynum is better than Oden. Oh sure, I fall into the habit once or twice, but eh...what was I saying?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Asbnll?


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> I've gotten taller and more athletic... tell ya what... I'll spot ya 5 points and we'll play to 11 :biggrin:


Don't write checks your *** can't cash, son!


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## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

Dan said:


> Anyone else want the draft to come real quick, and then the season to start real quick, or is it just me?


The season can't start soon enough. I am dreaming of lop passes to Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Asbnll?


usenet group. alt.sports.basketball.nba.la-lakers

probably the 2nd place for Lakers fans to go (at least, I would guess). It's where Larry **** posts at. Well, he used to, I don't know if he's active anymore. The other would be, lakersground.net? I think thats the name.

As long as you bring it, and know what you're talking about, they accept you even if you hate the Lakers with a passion, as I do. But they eat their young over there, and destroy trolls.


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## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Dan said:


> Don't write checks your *** can't cash, son!


Anytime, any place!

Side note, is the Michael Jackson smilie the most overused in the history of this forum? I think so...


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

NateBishop3 said:


> Anytime, any place!
> 
> Side note, is the Michael Jackson smilie the most overused in the history of this forum? I think so...


Well, I'm leaving for Idaho this coming week, so this week is off...but we have to have some witnesses...

as for the smilie, I'd say..


:vbanana::wbanana::dpepper::rbanana::banana:

No.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Dan said:


> Meaning, I finally realized I have better things to worry about than if a Laker fan thinks Bynum is better than Oden.


Knowing the answer to this is the meaning of life!!! We must dissect this topic everyday for the entire offseason or life is meaningless!


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> Well its just that pretty much every analyst (and me :biggrin would disagree that they are GREAT. Before the season began everyone thought their bench was absolute rubbish. Powe suprised people, Davis has been serviceable. At the beginning of the year their bench sucked, now at this moment it is average at best. Cassel just goes out there and does his own thing like he some star. PJ has been a nice addition. The problem now is that Doc wont really play House or Powe and too much of Cassell. He screwed up their mojo beyond repair IMO.


You forgot about Posey.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Yes I did...He is quality


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Also-- what the analysts said before the season has nothing to do with it. As the season unfolded, we discovered that they have a better bench than people thought. I remember that one game in which Boston beat Detroit during the regular season? The one where Big Baby was the star? He was the man down the stretch and scored about 20 points. Then you the development of Powe. Posey. House. Brown. Cassell. Yes, Doc did mess with his team when he played Cassell over House, but down the stretch of the Cavs series, he went back to House and he delivered. And PJ Brown was the Game 7 hero. I'm not sure any bench player in the playoffs has delivered a win for his team more than what PJ Brown did in the must win thriller vs Cleveland.


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

Celtics have a good bench. It's just Rivers lacks confidence in his bench and plays random people during different games. Rivers is what's causing the inconsistent bench play.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

KingSpeed, you are the king of one game reasoning. I say that with a smile on my face.

BRoy, I agree, their bench was playing much better during the season when they were being TRUSTED. Rivers shrinking the rotation and then randomly giving people time will mess with players heads, especially backups


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> KingSpeed, you are the king of one game reasoning. I say that with a smile on my face.
> 
> BRoy, I agree, their bench was playing much better during the season when they were being TRUSTED. Rivers shrinking the rotation and then randomly giving people time will mess with players heads, especially backups


In the playoffs, one game can be everything.


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