Basketball!

[Narachon]

Oh Yeah, Basketball season is finally here!

Being a New Yorker, I'm naturally a Knicks fan , even though even in the preseason they are pathetic, as usual. Knicks were totally swept in the first round of last season's playoff by the New York Nets(!) Right now they're playing the Pacers ( Indiana ) but at half time, it doesn't look too good for New York, no contest. While I mostly pay attention to the Eastern Conference, I do like the Lakers ( even without Shaq! ) and San Antonio ( Spurs).

Anyone here ( Americans mostly ) into Basketball, or is this going to be a very quiet thread here?

[mbkudu]

Hey Narachon, how's it going. I started another thread in here, 'NBA Finals Predictions,' but I forgot to resuscitate it. Thanks for stirring me up again. This year it is all up for grabs I think. Kobe has what he has always wanted: A one man scoring team and he gets what he deserves, a loss in their last game with him scoring 41. The Spurs as usual look good. I am from the Bay Area so I give the Warriors a little shout out, but they suck every year beyond belief.

It's a little early yet, but I think this will be a very good year for the East much as last year. I must admit that Ben Wallace is one of my favorite players. He looks invincible; a man of iron and speed! Detroit will hard to beat.

[JJDinsay]

Can this be true - 2 down for the Head!? How long will Wade be out?

[Narachon]

Hey Narachon, how's it going. I started another thread in here, 'NBA Finals Predictions,' but I forgot to resuscitate it. Thanks for stirring me up again. This year it is all up for grabs I think.

Hi Mbkuku! I'm doing well!

Hey, I don't mind reviving a basketball Thread up here again!

Kobe has what he has always wanted: A one man scoring team and he gets what he deserves, a loss in their last game with him scoring 41.

Yeah, I ‘m pretty sure Kobe is happy he has the “Spotlight” all to himself now…

( Did you see Kobe Byrant when he was Booed at last night's AMA awards? ) Kobe is a big spoiled rich kid, which has gotten him in a lot of trouble , as everyone knows , but he is amazingly talented – As you said see what he did during last Fridays’s game with Orlando scoring 16 of 41 season high points in the fourth quarter of the game ...( That running jump free throw of his at the end was great! ) But the Magic just hit the key shots needed to win. They have come a long way, considering how bad they were last year!

And to think that they traded Ben Wallace for Grant Hill a few years ago!

The Spurs as usual look good.

Yeah, they are doing good , and the Maverics look good too..... And others...

I am from the Bay Area so I give the Warriors a little shout out, but they suck every year beyond belief.

You are from San Fran, Mbkuku?

The Warriors?!

I hear they finally won a game last Saturday over that newbie expansion team, The Charlotte Bobcats. I really don’t follow them though …I just know they been losing alot lately...

It's a little early yet, but I think this will be a very good year for the East much as last year.

Yes, I think It’s a little early to start a NBA Finals Prediction...ANYTHING can happen! As for which teams will make it to the playoffs, I’m not a gambling man, It’s still to early, I’ll be able to make a better prediction in two or three months… But Yes, the East looks pretty good so far.

I must admit that Ben Wallace is one of my favorite players. He looks invincible; a man of iron and speed! Detroit will hard to beat.

Ben Wallace?

He is the new rebound king! Forget about Dennis Rodman!

Wallace is the most dominant defensive player in the league, not to mention being an all around nice guy.

He is supposed to come back this week after taking time off for his Brother’s funeral ( he died of Brain Cancer unfortunately ). Detroit really need him back as soon as possible - they lost their last two games without him. Coach Larry Brown out for hip surgery for the last five games too! Without those two, the Pistons are just another struggling NBA team…

( I couldn't find a good picture of Ben Wallace, so this one will have to do... )

Speaking of Pistons, Phil Jackson was let go by the Lakers last season after losing to them during the finals. Too bad he’s said that he won’t be able to coach another NBA team, because He once said that he would have love to go to New York. And I’m sure that the Knicks would be great with him.. Knicks Coach Lenny Wilkens is a nice guy, but the team really needs a better coach….. And better players……LOL!

Tomorrow, the Knicks are away playing the Spurs….. I don’t have to be Nostadamus to predict what will happen…The Knicks are a floundering ship… They tried to trade away Shandon Anderson, but bought out his contract instead .... But he was lucky that he landed in Miami Heat this week, they need a good experience forward like him. I’m sure he was glad that he got away…Now he is with Shaq, one of my favorite guys…..Looks like Miami is going to be a team to watch this season! LOL!

[mbkudu]

I never really liked Shaq that much; thought he was too arogant and full of himself. I think his humbling by the Pistons really woke him up and he has focused himself without the 'spoiled kid' around anymore. Getting out of LA always helps too. I think Lebron james is going to really turn some heads soon.

It's nice having you guys around. I feel insecure around all these cricket and rugby freaks.

[Narachon]

Can this be true - 2 down for the Head!?  How long will Wade be out?

Yup, It's true! Wade is going to miss a second straight game because of his sprained left ankle. As for how long , I don't know...Hope he get's better soon, the Heat needs him, considering he leads them in Scorings and Assists. He is probably the best point guard in the league now....... Yes, Miami is the team to watch this season!

[Explorer]

The Heat Is ON!

Explorer

[Dradam]

I moved to Thailand from Oakland last year. I try to cheer for the Warriors but just can't. I cheer for Sacramento some of the time I guess. Not sure exactly how I decide who I want to win. It is probably partly random until the Warriors can develop a winning team. If only they could play Charlotte every other night perhaps they could have a chance.

Shaq looks really bored out there. His heart is not in the game. Wade is certainly the best on that team now. Miami is lucky they held onto him in the Shaq trade. it would have been a disaster for them if he had gone to LA.

Dirk Nowitzki is looking pretty good so far. Must be that German engineering.

It would be great if Lebron could take his team into the playoffs. His field goal percentage has improved. If he shot as often as Kobe, he would be scoring 40 points a game.

Garnett and Minnesota should be good to watch this year as well.

Seattle and Utah have come out of the blocks quite well. I wonder if they will last the season.

[mbkudu]

How about that fight between Indiana and Detroit! What a ruckus that was.

That one fat guy just got absolutely straight fisted right in the face by Ron Artest.

Jolly good bloody show it was!

It reminded me of the game when Eric Cantona ran up and kung <deleted> kicked that fan right in the face. What is sports coming to these days?

[mbkudu]

These 'indefinite' suspensions could be detrimental to the Pacers' and Pistons' seasons; especially the Pacers, but Ben Wallace is worth three guys to Detroit.

Hopefully Wallace gets a shorter 'sentence' than Artest, Jackson and O'neil. Oh well; it's not any worse than MLB or hockey, and in international football (soccer)

it would considered a minor scirmish because nobody died. So all in all the NBA is doing ok.

The fan that was punched by Artest was fair game I'd say because he was on the court and he had his dukes up. Stupid a$$ .

Ron Artest: gone remainder of season

Stephen Jackson: 30 games

Jermaine O'neil: 25 games

Anthony Johnson: 5 games

Ben Wallace: 6 games

Looks like the Pacers are no contenders this year.

Edited November 22, 2004 by mbkudu

[TRIPxCORE]

Sorry it took me so long to chime in here fellas but, you know I have to get in on this. As Mbkudu said, American sports fans are a rare commodity in this forum.

LA Lakers are done this year. Kobe is a great player but its not happening in LA without Shaq and the Clippers have just as good a chance as the Lakers do this year.

Detroit is not very impressive thus far.

Minnesota has been disappointing too but Sam Cassell just looks old now and Sprewell has been a pain this year and not giving his all. (As usual)

San Antonio is my pick to win it all. They still have their core players and look tough.

IMO, NBA needs to eradicate about 5 teams out of the league because there just isnt enough talent to go around. David Stern wants to expand more.....big mistake!

Narachon from NY and likes the Knicks. Mbkudu from Bay area and likes the Warriors. I am from Chicago and the Bulls are my team....worst team in the league this year.

I still have fond memories of our 1990s dynasty with Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. 90's Bulls were one of the greatest squads ever, bar none.

[JJDinsay]

A lot of people says Stern was a little harsh but I don't think he was harsh enough. Yes you can blame the fans but Artest had no business running up to the stands for a thrown paper cup. You get paid millions of bucks to play ball you should be able to excercise some level of control. O'Neil and Jackson for beautifully landed connects should have gotten just as much as Artest. You don't hit fans especially for what those fans did all 3 should have gotten suspended. Guess Artest has all that time now for Rap Album!!

Fans can't be excused still and they deserve to be fined and be forbidden from ever entering any games again. I have to say though, I got a crack out of that punk who challenged Artest and got his clock rung. He baited Artest and Artest bit - too bad.

I'm from NYC, been trying to get some good runs out here (good run now at NIST, Tuesdays and Thursdays) Although from NYC am a big Boston fan (not of the SOX though), it's been pretty tough being a fan for a while.

[paulfr]

I believe Artest got the season boot because he has had three or more other suspensions for misconduct.

I never saw footage of the other two players who were goaded into going into the stands. Must have been something awful said to them or thrown at them.

JJD ...

What is NIST ??

[mbkudu]

JJD ...

What is NIST ??

New International School of Thailand

I think this is where he is jogging.

Unfortunately, Artest thinks he can bring his street thug attitude on the court. It's too bad because he is so talented. Guys like Jordan, Ewing, Duncan, Robinson,

and Magic will always shine over guys like him because they were/are good players and polite sportsmen.

[JJDinsay]

NIST = New International School of Thailand. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 - 9 PM. It gets pricey though if too few people show but worth it if you are a bball fan.

Also there is also no excuse maybe one or two for a millionaire player to go into the stands and start pounding on fans. The punk fan who got decked by O'Neal and Artest, yes was a cockk, but he baited them into it and now he's a millionaire himself.

Yes the fans are to blame as well but let the authorities punish them and whatever O'Neal and Artest get they deserve it - maybe even more.

[dfwbkk]

Being a Mavs fan currently in Dallas I look forward to this break-out season the Mavs are facing. A bunch of NBA rookies and sophomores with Dirk and the Fin-dog will be a contender in a year or two. They can beat any team by 40 points and go down to a mediocre team by 30...gotta love it!

/// dfw

[igotworms]

I'm liking Indiana at this point even with the suspensions. Tinsley, Oneal, Croisure (sp?) is finally getting the minutes, an abundance of talented rookies, Bender and a great coaching staff.

Oh, the Suns and Stevie Nash. Watch out for these guys.

[mbkudu]

What do guys think of the latest trade between New Jersey and Toranto? I think Carter has suffered enough in Toranto, paid his dues. It's good to see him now on a team that has a chance. Alonso Mourning was also involved in the trade; he will go to Toranto. My feelings are mixed on Mourning. I remember him as a young player before his illness and he played dirty, selfish ball with a bad attitude. Only after his kidney problems did he come down to earth. I can't see him happy going to Toranto. We'll only have to see. I like the Spurs right now. It's hard to be loyal to any one team; they trade and switch players and coaches so frequently I can't keep up. The Spurs have Duncan as an anchor; level headed, skilled, strong, and smart.

[mbkudu]

Just wondering where all you NBA junkies have got off to. On another note. I have lost so much respect for Vince Carter. What a jack@$$! He recently was asked by a reporter if he put 100% effort into his playing time with Toronto and he said no. He stated that a player of his ability sometimes slacked off and didn't bother puting his all into the game. How much money does he make? His former team mates on the Raptors were dumbfounded by his comments, understandably.

[Kira]

If you like basketball, here is a very good site : http://perso.wanadoo.fr/nba-history

Edited January 27, 2005 by Kira

[mbkudu]

Thanks Kira, I'll look at it.

[TRIPxCORE]

Phoenix Suns are hot man! My style team. I love the way they play....very fun to watch.

[Jersey_USA]

Is there anywhere to play basketball in Thailand...leagues, courts, etc????

[JJDinsay]

Jerz - I put a post up about a weekly game at NIST. Check it out. If U want to be added to our email list, let me know.

Peace Out

[mbkudu]

Phoenix Suns are hot man!  My style team.  I love the way they play....very fun to watch.

Trip, isn't it mainly because of Steve Nash, the kinetic ball of energy that never ceases to move?

[mbkudu]

I watched the double header on Sunday, Heat/Spurs, Lakers/Caveliers, two good games. The Heat beat the Spurs which was surprising, but the Cavs beat the Lakers which isn't surprising. Lebron James is a legend in the making. Speaking of legends; Allen Iverson still blows the doors off the building when the fire is burning!

60 points! The man is amazing.

[thailien8]

Want to keep the basketball thread going as playoff time approaches. I'm currently visiting the Philippines, which is a great place to watch the NBA. The Solar Sports channel is big on hoops, and with Star and ESPN contributing, I get to watch a game, or two, every day, not to mention the replays of classic games. There is more roundball on here than in USA, almost as much as the eternal soccer game that is always on.

Phoenix is an amazing team and Steve Nash is such a slick player. Dwayne Wade really impressed me in last year's playoffs, and I was getting ready to root for Miami until they got Shaq. There is no way I can root for any team that has basketball's version of pro wrestling, a player who embodies the antithesis of what James Naismith envisioned when he put the basket up there so players would have to shoot up, not down. It must be nice to play a sport where the referees have been instructed to favor the stars because the fans would be pissed off if the big guy fouled out. Shaq gets away with murder. My vote for the best clutch player is Mike Bibby, who bailed out the Kings with last-second bombs for winners twice in a row, and is the only go-to guy Sac. has. Poor Peja, I keep rooting for him to get hot and he keeps missing. Chris Webber will fade by playoff time as he has for Sac. so he won't be enough help for the great Iverson who can't always score 60 points.

[mbkudu]

Must admit that I agree with much of what you say Thailien8. I always thought that Chris Webber was a burden to the Kings (one of my favorite teams. They should have kept Doug Christie ) C.Webb has flashes of brilliance but his body just isn't strong enough to endure a full on season of ball. They look like a good team with all the changes. We'll see what happens.

Miami has the best chance to win the East and not because of Shaq, but because of Dwayne Wade. He's killing it! However I truly think the Pistons will win it in the East.

Houston seems to be getting better and better as Yao Ming and Tracy Mcgrady get used to each other. The Spurs will take the West easy.

And finally since I am from the Bay Area, I have to give a shout out: Go Warriors ! Ya right.

[sumantkumar]

Is there any channel showing the NCAA tournament.

ESPN was showing at least four NCAA games a week during the season, and now with the tournament starting, there were no games on. What a load of crap