Thoughts On NBA at midseason

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Like the game in Orlando this year when the Cavs led by 20 going into the 4th quarter and beat them with Howard going for 11 and 7. Killing him like that?? Glad you speak to LeBron so often. I've never really spoken to him and have not heard that he knows the team can't win. Good thing you're here to set us straight. Of course they also beat the Lakers, Miami twice, and Memphis without their starting point guard. Perhaps Howard will kill him tonight. We can only hope. They're 10-0 since their starting point guard who goes for 17 a game went down. They're doing something right.

Lebron is openly lobbying for the trade. Perhaps the newspapers in Idaho haven't gotten word of this yet but it is no secret. If he was confident in the team as it stands, why would he lobby for a trade? Again, perhaps this is some kind of common sense found on a yet to be discovered planet but here on Earth what makes sense is that he ISNT confident at all.

Orlando is hot and cold right now as they went through some major roster adjustments in the offseason. You want to use ONE game to prove a point? LOL Okay...I was wrong. Shaq can defend Howard.

[somerfrost]

Lakers are obvious favorite, Kobe taking some time off has proven their depth. Don't see anyone in the West challenging them. Cavs need to make a trade, they need another scorer, Jamison would fit nicely, Murphy could also help...we'll see if they can pull the trigger. Celtics are suddenly old...Rondo a star but the big three can't get healthy, will they trade? Magic lack chemistry!

[Cannon Shell]

I think LA is the mornng line fav but certainly beatable. Kobe may have decided to cruise through the regular season and in his defense he is beatup but he needs to provide an awful lot of the backcourt scoring once the games mean something. I think they will regret the Artest move.

Denver at full strength is going to give them all they can handle. Lawson coming off the bench lets them rest Billips and those two are a tough matchup for LA. Given they should benefit from last years playoff experience and are the younger team they are clearly second best in the West. They do still struggle on the road which is a problem.

San Antonio's top guys are either injured or seem to have lost a step. Ginobili especially and Jefferson hasnt been a difference maker (but when has he been?)

I dont believe in Dallas and Utah simply doesnt have the horses. Wes Mathews is an impressive rookie for the Jazz. I still remember the game when Xavier McDaniel tried to strangle his father, Wes sr. Think Utah is happy paying Kirilenko 16 million this year?

The surprise team is Ok City who would play Dallas in the first rd if the season ended right now. They don't have enough guns to do too much damage in a long series but they will let you know they were there. Durant has contined to progress and they have a good nucleus of talent around him though the frontcourt is still small. One of the interesting stats is that they are 15-10 at home and 15-11 on the road. Only Dallas and La have more roads wins than the Thunder do.

Memphis has played well (for them) though have shown signs of fading. Amazingly enough Z. Randolph has been producing and being a good teammate (if not punching anyone or getting arrested qualifies).

In the East there are only 4 teams worth talking about. Cleveland, Orlando, Boston and Atlanta. Dala discounts Cleveland but Shaq does negate Howard to an extent and gives them a low post presence. While they may yet make a trade, if healthy the team they have presently should get out of the East because Orlando isnt as good with Vince Carter as they were with Hedu and Courtney Lee, Boston cant stay healthy and looks older and slower with each passing game and Atlanta is athletic but isnt a real threat.

Cleveland could use another wing shooter but in reality who couldn't? There just isnt anyone out there and the Shaq/ Delonte for Caron/Jamison proposed here makes sense in a fantasy league only. First of all there is zero chance that the Wizards would trade for another guy with gun issues in the wake of the Agent zero deal. Secondly Shaq would probably just not report to Washington. Not to mention that Cleveland should intend on using Shaq's expiring contract space to sign Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade in the summer. Cleveland should focus on someone like Kevin Martin who can create his own shot and whose defense can be hidden by the Cavs. Really if they could work a deal for Jamison alone (maybe for Z Ill's expiring contract?) that would solve two problems for them and allow them to match up better with LA in the finals. (Problems being JJ Hicksons minutes and a tall player who can hit an open jumper and be able to more effectively defend Pau)

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Cleveland could use another wing shooter but in reality who couldn't? There just isnt anyone out there and the Shaq/ Delonte for Caron/Jamison proposed here makes sense in a fantasy league only. First of all there is zero chance that the Wizards would trade for another guy with gun issues in the wake of the Agent zero deal. Secondly Shaq would probably just not report to Washington. Not to mention that Cleveland should intend on using Shaq's expiring contract space to sign Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade in the summer. Cleveland should focus on someone like Kevin Martin who can create his own shot and whose defense can be hidden by the Cavs. Really if they could work a deal for Jamison alone (maybe for Z Ill's expiring contract?) that would solve two problems for them and allow them to match up better with LA in the finals. (Problems being JJ Hicksons minutes and a tall player who can hit an open jumper and be able to more effectively defend Pau)

I was joking about the trade. First of all, the only reason shaq would go is because of Agent Zero's wife. Secondly, Washington wants more than expiring contracts for both of those guys. To get under the luxury tax threshold, they will get rid of one or the other but not both for nothing. The word is that right now Ernie is asking too much for Jamison and that Butler will probably end up in Dallas.

I have heard a lot of people talking about Wade coming to Cleveland. I can't imagine that. Bosh is possible but Lebron will have to do some selling.

Z ill's contract is a problem. LOL. I remember someone talking about that last summer.

Lastly, X man went to Witchita St and always had a aura about him as a man not to be fooled with. I remember when Webber and Howard played in Washington and we were sitting courtside (at cap centre, you could hear them breathe it was so empty) and you could hear Xman completely emasculating both of the wanna be young thugs. Hilarious.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

I was joking about the trade. First of all, the only reason shaq would go is because of Agent Zero's wife. Secondly, Washington wants more than expiring contracts for both of those guys. To get under the luxury tax threshold, they will get rid of one or the other but not both for nothing. The word is that right now Ernie is asking too much for Jamison and that Butler will probably end up in Dallas.

I have heard a lot of people talking about Wade coming to Cleveland. I can't imagine that. Bosh is possible but Lebron will have to do some selling.

Z ill's contract is a problem. LOL. I remember someone talking about that last summer.

Lastly, X man went to Witchita St and always had a aura about him as a man not to be fooled with. I remember when Webber and Howard played in Washington and we were sitting courtside (at cap centre, you could hear them breathe it was so empty) and you could hear Xman completely emasculating both of the wanna be young thugs. Hilarious.

They arent gonna get much for those two. Z's contract isn't a problem, it is an asset. Why would you think it is a problem? They have to give Washington something in return for Jamison and cap space would seem to be better than paying a 34 year old guy big money for a bad team. I mean seriously who else would the Wizards want that has value?

Why in the world wouln't Bosh want to play with James? Add him to Cleveland and you have a new, prohibitive favorite. He solves a lot of thier problems and doesnt need the ball in his hands all the time. I don't think Wade would be happy being a complimentary player, especially now in his prime years.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

They arent gonna get much for those two. Z's contract isn't a problem, it is an asset. Why would you think it is a problem? They have to give Washington something in return for Jamison and cap space would seem to be better than paying a 34 year old guy big money for a bad team. I mean seriously who else would the Wizards want that has value?

Why in the world wouln't Bosh want to play with James? Add him to Cleveland and you have a new, prohibitive favorite. He solves a lot of thier problems and doesnt need the ball in his hands all the time. I don't think Wade would be happy being a complimentary player, especially now in his prime years.

Read back. You called Z's contract a problem a few posts ago. You said a trade for Jamison would take care of two problems in one. Come on...have you turned into John Kerry?

Bosh might come to Cleveland but it would take a sell. A lot easier to sell him on Miami I would think than on Cleveland. Maybe the whole weather thing. Maybe Miami might be just a slightly nicer city for a rich, single young man to live. Besides, Bosh could get closer to equal billing with Wade. In Cleveland, he would be much more second fiddle to Lebron.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Read back. You called Z's contract a problem a few posts ago. You said a trade for Jamison would take care of two problems in one. Come on...have you turned into John Kerry?

Bosh might come to Cleveland but it would take a sell. A lot easier to sell him on Miami I would think than on Cleveland. Maybe the whole weather thing. Maybe Miami might be just a slightly nicer city for a rich, single young man to live. Besides, Bosh could get closer to equal billing with Wade. In Cleveland, he would be much more second fiddle to Lebron.

I did nothing of the sort. Where did I say his contract was a problem? I said Jamison would take care of two problems 1. Someone to take minutes from Hickson who is lost most of the time and 2.Jamison would be a better matchup on Gasol than anyone else on cleveland.

Wade owns Miami. Bosh is a complimentary player and he knows it. Miami has big problems. No one is going to the games, the owner wont spend any money, they have no one worth a damn on the roster outside of Wade. (Beasley wont ever be more than a 17-9 guy who is a headcase)