NBA 2008-09 Season

[salsadancer7]

LeBron was "expected" to have one of the best modern day seasons in the NBA?!....... And he lived up to those expectations?!..... And now that is going to be overlooked?! Wow, what a burden it is to be the King!

Excuse me while I slam my head against the wall.

I just find it funny that the same argument AGAINST LeBron for MVP last year is the same argument FOR D-Wade this year. Double standard here?

What kind of season did Cleveland had BEFORE last year....ahhh, 50-32...what was LAST YEARS record for the Heat....?!! Oh yeah, an NBA WORST 15-67...the ONLY team that DID NOT WIN at least 20 games. So sorry, that argument about "last year" does not fall in the same category. Cleveland had come off a great year after making the playoffs and mature Lebron was gonna get better.

 

[HD MM]

What kind of season did Cleveland had BEFORE last year....ahhh, 50-32...what was LAST YEARS record for the Heat....?!! Oh yeah, an NBA WORST 15-67...the ONLY team that DID NOT WIN at least 20 games. So sorry, that argument about "last year" does not fall in the same category. Cleveland had come off a great year after making the playoffs and mature Lebron was gonna get better.

But how do you or anyone know what kind of season the Cavs would have if LeBron was injured?!

That's the problem with your arguments. They're all based on assumptions and hypotheticals.

Shouldn't it have been "expected" for the Heat to improve with a healthy D-Wade?

 

[salsadancer7]

But how do you or anyone know what kind of season the Cavs would have if LeBron was injured?!

That's the problem with your arguments. They're all based on assumptions and hypotheticals.

Shouldn't it have been "expected" for the Heat to improve with a healthy D-Wade?

And isn't an injury a hypothetical AND an assumption?! See NOW you want it both ways. Look, plain and simple, these are finely tuned athletes that MORE THAN LIKELY, will not get injured. So it is WAY beyond an assumption that Lebron was GOING to have a better season with a better team and more maturity.

After Wade's injury AND surgery, HOW he was gonna come back and what type of team was a complete mystery, from head coach to last guy on the bench. The same could not be said about the Cavs.

The funniest part of this argument is that the Cavs team THEMSELVES are proving this point for me. Every time Miami has lost to the Cavs, it has been Lebron supporting cast that has come up in the clutch. The same could not be said for a young Heat team.

The tough thing about Lebron is , he has to share the spotlight in the league WITH Kobe and Wade. Michael had some great players in his time, but NO ONE in his hemisphere. Look at the Bird/Magic years....they had to share the spotlight because quite honestly, no one was in their league and there was always the dabate of WHO was better.

 

[salsadancer7]

Shouldn't it have been "expected" for the Heat to improve with a healthy D-Wade?

YES....but now you are 'assuming' he was gonna comeback like the same Wade. AND after winning just 13 games, you gotta assume the Heat were gonna have a better record...couldn't you?

 

[HD MM]

YES....but now you are 'assuming' he was gonna comeback like the same Wade. AND after winning just 13 games, you gotta assume the Heat were gonna have a better record...couldn't you?

I assume nothing. I leave that to you. My original remark was poking fun at you.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Apparently Sir Charles didn't hit the treadmill in the prison gym!

Is Charles in the foreground or the background?

 

[Paul Wozniak]

It's official- the Orlando Magic only have one weakness- the Pistons.

Detroit can ONLY do posteason damage if they draw the Magic; contrast that with how Orlando has owned the 76ers, the team that is one game behind Detroit in the East standings.

It would suit Detroit well to remain the 6th seed, and play Orlando in the first round. We "own" them.

 

[BillD1984]

It would suit Detroit well to remain the 6th seed, and play Orlando in the first round. We "own" them.

That's true, but I STILL don't want the Celtics to draw the Pistons in the first round.

 

[HD MM]

Looks like the Celtics have another injury to deal with as Rajon Rondo could miss seven to 10 days.

Rondo was out of the lineup Sunday against the Magic, and his absence was obvious from the start. Reserve guard Stephon Marbury started in place of Rondo and recorded zero assists while scoring just four points.

Boston Celtics - NESN.com : Rondo could be out 10 days

 

[Paul Wozniak]

A couple of weeks ago, that was certainly a possibility. Trust me, we don't want any part of that either. Now that Curry got lucky (AI getting injured, and coming out of the starting lineup), I don't see them falling to 8th anymore. Funny how a winning streak can change one's outlook. There still is the possibility of AI coming back and ruining the second units chemistry, but I don't see that happening. I think AI will make the bench stronger. He should have been coming off the bench in the first place, but Curry didn't have the backbone to try that. The injury has forced his hand.

I still don't see us beating Boston or Cleveland, but we sure could make a long series out of either matchup, something neither Boston or Cleveland would want in any round. Especially when you consider the physical punishment of playing Detroit. A sleeping giant may have reawaken.

 

[HD MM]

I still don't see us beating Boston or Cleveland, but we sure could make a long series out of either matchup, something neither Boston or Cleveland would want in any round. Especially when you consider the physical punishment of playing Detroit. A sleeping giant may have reawaken.

The Eastern Conference is more fun when Detroit is good. Congrats Paul.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

The Eastern Conference is more fun when Detroit is good. Congrats Paul.

I agree. Like I said, I don't see us beating Cleveland or Boston, but I know it wouldn't be cakewalk for either of them. Either series would be a lot of fun to watch. Just nice to see the Piston's play with some attitude again.

 

[HD MM]

The Race for Home-Court

Just a few observations as we approach the last month of the NBA regular season...

The Big 3 is as follows:

1. LA Lakers: 50-13
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 49-13
3. Boston Celtics: 49-15

The Lakers lost yesterday while on the road to Portland. They have 2 more games on this current road trip against Houston and San Antonio. Then, they come home for 3 games before going back out on a 7-game road trip, spanning 2 weeks! This trip may decide who ends up with the best record in the NBA and the resulting homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.

Boston could be without starters, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo for another week. Plus, they still have 3 games against Miami, 1 against Cleveland, 1 against Orlando, 1 against Atlanta and 1 against San Antonio. All of them are on the road, except for 2 of the 3 with Miami!

Cleveland, who is tied with the #1 Lakers in the loss column, should be able to control their own destiny. The team has 20 games left and only 8 of them are on the road with Orlando and Phoenix being the only real threats. Their main focus will be to get Ben Wallace healthy before playoff time, while not slipping up in the loss column.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

The Pistons play only 7 teams with winning records in their last 20 games. It's possible we could move up to a #4 seed, but I want no part of Atlanta in the opening round. They killed us in the paint the other night.

 

[BillD1984]

Boston could be without starters, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo for another week. Plus, they still have 3 games against Miami, 1 against Cleveland, 1 against Orlando, 1 against Atlanta and 1 against San Antonio. All of them are on the road, except for 2 of the 3 with Miami!

Oh didn't you hear, Garnett, Rondo and the others aren't hurt.........they're just resting.

 

[salsadancer7]

He HD...this is from YOUR OWN GUY, Lebron..about WADE being right in the mix of MVP:

Count James among the growing number of NBA observers who believe Wade belongs in the MVP conversation.

"To me,'' James said, "the way you judge an MVP is if you take a guy off their team, who struggles the most? Like last year. If you took Kobe off the Lakers or Chris Paul off the Hornets, who's struggling the most? It's the Hornets, right? But everyone has their own set of rules. Other people look at it as an individual thing. They go for numbers. Now, if you were looking at strictly the team last year, then that means either Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett should have won it.

"So I don't know what the [MVP] voters want. But whatever they're looking for, I'm pretty sure D-Wade has it.''

THEN there is KOBE:

"I'd make the same case for Dwyane that people used to make for me when I was on a team that didn't have a lot of talent and we still managed to get to the playoffs,'' Bryant said. "People don't realize how difficult it is to do literally everything to get your team in.''

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=macmullan_jackie&page=Wade-090310

 

[HD MM]

He HD...this is from YOUR OWN GUY, Lebron..about WADE being right in the mix of MVP:



THEN there is KOBE:



Jackie MacMullan: Dwyane Wade has the look of an MVP - ESPN

LeBron is one of the most humble people I know. He's said in the past, personal awards are not important to him. The only thing he cares about is helping a team win a Championship. Plus, LBJ and D-Willy are best friends. Of course he's going to Pimp his friend. This kid is wise beyond his years. Read my signature...

 

[salsadancer7]

LeBron is one of the most humble people I know. He's said in the past, personal awards are not important to him. The only thing he cares about is helping a team win a Championship. Plus, LBJ and D-Willy are best friends. Of course he's going to Pimp his friend. This kid is wise beyond his years. Read my signature...

I like Lebron....I am now convinced he is the BEST athlete in the world and probably the best basketball player in the world.....

...but Wade is the MVP......

 

[HD MM]

I like Lebron....I am now convinced he is the BEST athlete in the world and probably the best basketball player in the world.....

...but Wade is the MVP......

If we win a Championship this year, Wade can have that MVP award for all I care.

 

[Rey]

If we win a Championship this year, Wade can have that MVP award for all I care.

I agree but wade already has one of those