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In 76 the Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns to win the NBA Championship and the New York Nets beat the Denver Nuggets to win the ABA Championship. If you go on Basketbal Reference it says that Denver has never won an NBA or ABA Championship. http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/ As for who I think, it is either the Jazz or the Suns. Here are some numbers comparing the two teams: Winning Percentage Phoenix: 55.9% Utah: 54.3% Playoff Appearances Phoenix: 28 Utah: 23 Playoff Series Won Phoenix: 24 Utah: 21 Percentage Of Seasons In Playoffs Phoneix: 68.3% (28/41) Utah: 65.7% (23/35) Division Championships Phoenix: 6 Utah: 9 Conference Championships Phoenix: 2 Utah: 2 Finals Appearances Phoenix: 2 Utah: 2 Keep in mind that the Suns play in the same division as the Lakers who have the most Division Championships out of any team in the league (31). You also mention that the two times the Jazz lost in the Finals were to MJ and the Bulls, but the two times that the Suns got to the Finals they lost to MJ and the Bulls and a very strong and very balanced 75-76 Celtics team. Then if you want to compare the stars that each team has had play for them you have Phoneix with guys like: Charles Barkley Steve Nash Jason Kidd Kevin Johnson Stephon Marbury (when he was actually good) Cedric Ceballos and Utah has guys like: Karl Malone John Stockton Pete Maravich Dominique Wilkens Adrian Dantley The Jazz or Suns should be the most common answer here though. It really is a toss up between the two of them if you ask me. I would probably give the Suns a slight advantage though.

2008/2009 Statistics Record: 54-28; first in Southwest Division, third in Western Conference Scored 97 points per game. Allowed 93 points per game. Additions Richard Jefferson (via trade), Antonio McDyess (via free agency), DeJuan Blair (via draft), Theo Ratliff (via free agency), Jack McClinton (via draft)*, Nando De Colo (via draft)* *Won’t be with the team in 2009/2010.* Subtractions Bruce Bowen (via trade), Kurt Thomas (via trade), Fabricio Oberto (via trade), Drew Gooden (via free agency) Ime Udoka (still a free agent) Projected Lineup PG: Tony Parker/George Hill SG: Roger Mason Jr/Manu Ginobili/Marcus Williams SF: Richard Jefferson/Michael Finley/Malik Hairston PF: Antonio McDyess/DeJuan Blair/Marcus Haislip C: Tim Duncan/Theo Ratliff/Matt Bonner/Ian Mahinmi Analysis The San Antonio Spurs finished last season with yet another division title and 50-win season, looking poised to go on another championship run. However, they hobbled into the playoffs with injuries to franchise power forward Tim Duncan (knee) as well as star sixth man Manu Ginobili (ankle). As a result of injuries to two of their "Big Three," the Spurs were upset in five games by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs. This loss marked the earliest exit for the Spurs since the 2000 season. Knowing that their health was of the utmost importance for the success of the Spurs franchise, both Duncan and Ginobili decided to take an extended break from basketball this summer in order to ensure their health heading into the 2009-10 season. Duncan has just started to begin his normal preseason workouts—workouts that he usually begins in early August. Ginobili has limited his summer activities to a treadmill and some walks. After the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs last season, they realized that they lacked the necessary secondary scoring and relied too heavily upon their "Big Three" of Duncan, Ginobili, and point guard Tony Parker. To help shoulder the load offensively, the Spurs went out and completed one of the biggest trades of the offseason when they acquired small forward Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas, and Bruce Bowen. Jefferson is a versatile small forward that can fit in a variety of offensive roles. He can be used as a spot-up shooter out on the perimeter with his ability to knock down three-point shots at a consistent rate (39.7 percent last season). He is also a very good slashing small forward and is capable of creating his own shot off of the dribble. He isn’t great at creating for his teammates, but at times he is capable of it. Jefferson has fallen off defensively since his days with the Nets, but with a decreased role offensively we may see Jefferson get back to his excellent two-way play that we saw from him during his time with the in New Jersey. Jefferson is an ideal fourth option for the Spurs. He gives them a viable scoring option and a player that is capable of taking some of the offensive pressure off of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Another area of concern for the Spurs was that they didn’t have a reliable big man to relieve Tim Duncan. Spurs management addressed this need by signing veteran big man Antonio McDyess with their mid-level exception, drafting All-American power forward DeJuan Blair from Pittsburgh, and signing veteran center Theo Ratliff. McDyess, a 14-year NBA veteran, gives the Spurs another fundamentally sound veteran big man. He is a good mid-range shooter that doesn’t force anything offensively. He plays within himself and doesn’t force the issue. He gets after it on the offensive boards and gives his team plenty of second chances whether it is off of an offensive rebound or just by keeping the ball alive. McDyess does all of the little things that you ask of a player and doesn’t complain about it one bit. He is the kind of player that all championship-calibre teams want on their roster. Ratliff is another 14-year NBA veteran. He has made his living on the defensive end of the floor by being an intimidator down low. He led the NBA in blocked shots three times during his career. He will give the Spurs a good defensive backup center for 15 minutes a night. DeJuan Blair is a rebounding machine. He was the best rebounder in all of college basketball last season and he just never gives up on a play. He goes after every loose ball and is a prototypical hustle player. He isn’t the most skilled player on the offensive end of the floor and he doesn’t have great size defensively, but he makes up for all of that with his tenacious, never-say-die style of play. McDyess, Ratliff, and Blair will be able to contribute to the team and, in doing so, will enable to the Spurs to limit Duncan’s minutes during the course of the season and keep him fresh for the playoffs. The new additions to the team are certainly going to be vital pieces to the Spurs puzzle, but how far they go will ultimately fall on their "Big Three" of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Despite getting up there in age, Duncan is still one of the game’s elite players. Offensively, Duncan is one of the most skilled post players in the entire NBA. He has an extensive arsenal of moves in the post, but he is not just a post player. He is capable of stepping outside and hitting mid-range jumpers and makes use of his patented bank shot from the wings. He is one of the best passing big men in the entire NBA and can hurt you without needing to score the basketball. On the defensive end of the floor, Duncan is still elite. He is perhaps the best post defender in the entire NBA. He has excellent rotations and is rarely out of position. He doesn’t always make the highlight-reel plays, but he always makes the smart play defensively. Duncan’s game has started to show signs of regression, but, when healthy, he is still one of the best players in the league. With Duncan and Ginobili battling injuries all season long last season, Parker showed the entire NBA just how good of a player that he is. Parker is one of the best scoring point guards in the entire NBA. He has improved his jump shot tremendously since he entered the NBA, and that opened up his entire game. Before teams were able to sag off of him and just force him to shoot jumpers, but now that he has developed a consistent and reliable jumper from 18-20 feet, Parker is able to make full use of his blazing speed. There is not a point guard in the entire NBA that is better at slicing through defenses and finishing in the paint. Parker is not your prototypical pass-first point guard, but that does not stop him from being one of the top five point guards in the entire NBA. Ginobili struggled with injuries last season and only played in 44 games, but, when he's healthy, he is perhaps the best sixth man in the league. When healthy, he gives the Spurs an offensive punch off the bunch and is capable of taking over games with his scoring. He is a crafty scorer that uses his unorthodox style of play to his complete advantage. He is not the quickest or strongest player on the floor, but he always finds a way to get his shot off and put himself in a position to score. Last season we saw just how important Ginobili is to the Spurs, and a healthy Ginobili could quite possibly be the difference between another Spurs championship or another early playoff exit. Rounding out the Spurs rotation is veteran shooting guard Michael Finley, sophomore point guard George Hill, sharpshooting combo guard Roger Mason Jr., and stretch power forward Matt Bonner. Finley gives the Spurs a good shooter that stretches the floor on offense. He no longer has the athleticism that he had in his younger days and his best days are behind him, but he is still capable of hitting big shots when called upon. Hill showed that he is a very good prospect last season and looks to take the next step in his NBA career. The Spurs will look to him to give them valuable minutes backing up Parker. Mason was one of the league's best three-point shooters last season, and, paired up with the slashing ability of Parker and the post presence of Duncan, he looks to build upon his excellent shooting season. Bonner gives the Spurs a power forward that is capable of spreading the floor and drawing his man out of the paint. This enables Duncan to get single coverage down low. With the Spurs adding big men depth in the offseason, Bonner is going to have to fight for every minute that he gets this year. San Antonio has been the master at retooling its roster in order to stay among the NBA’s elite teams. Whenever you think that Father Time has finally caught up to the Spurs, they will make a move or two to stay relevant. This offseason is no different as they brought out the check books and spend a little more money than normal in order to keep up with the rest of the league’s elite. Will San Antonio’s moves prove to be enough to get them another championship, or has age finally caught up to this team? Find out on Wednesday, Oct. 28, when the Spurs open the season against the New Orleans Hornets. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/249268-aged-to-perfection-a-san-antonio-spurs-season-preview

And what did that 50 win Nuggets team do? 1-8 in the playoffs, exit in the first round. You're acting like just because I hate AI, I blame those seasons on him. I never blame him for those seasons. And your saying we'd go to WCF with AI, and all those stats you threw are ridiculous... I didn't know you go with stats as much as this until now. Wow. You think I give a crap if Billups scores 5 pts or 35 pts? What he does on the court (and often off the court as well) is much more than junk teenager stats, it's called "leadership", which is what we didn't have in the pre-Billups era. We didn't get leadership from Melo, Karl, or AI. Billups stepped in and did that. You watch Nugget games as I'm sure, watch Billups on EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION directing players where to go, what to do, especially defensively. He makes us focus and makes EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION count, again especially defensively. I'm sure you know what leadership is. What Kobe did last season was leadership, what you do on OTR is leadership, holding everyone accountable, getting in their faces without being afraid of stepping on anyone's toe. AI is a chiken[expletive] because all he cares about is himself and he doesn't give a [expletive] about holding anyone accountable. He only holds one person accountable... himself. He has no interest in outside world. Billups, through two rounds, was possibly the best PG in the playoffs. The first two rounds were probably the best Billups ever, even surpassing his own the 2004 NBA Finals MVP Billups. He guided us there. What does his poor performance in WCF have to do with getting us to WCF? He has history of wearing down as the playoffs go on. I am not blind, I knew then when we still had AI we didn't have a chance to win with streetball style although that's my logical sense, my Nuggets sense still hoped us to win. But did I ever blame AI for not turning our streetball ways into an organized team? No. I was just hoping desperately he'd get traded so, like Camby, we cut down all the problems one by one. Even when my wish became true when he got traded to Detroit, I don't remember having a hate feeling towards him. All I cared about then was how happy I was that not only we got rid of a problem but we traded that problem with a solution. But did I ever imply he was the MAIN PROBLEM? Never. All I knew then he's being himself, he can't change his game but he wants to win very bad... which is what I respect. But then I began to lose respect when he said he couldn't come off the bench, and would rather retire... So where does this "I WANT TO WIN" fire go all of a sudden? Vanish into thin air with his reduced role? This is the guy who says all he cares about is winning, but when a team says to win, he has to take a reduced role, and all of a sudden, he says, "ookay I'll take it back, winning is not the most important thing anymore." It's [expletive]. I don't care if he has the most beautiful and graceful crossover in the NBA history. I don't care if he's one of the most explosive scorers the NBA has ever witnessed... I don't care if he has a heart so BIG it would explode. The heart was big when he was the first option, when he's delegated to the bench, the heart becomes very [expletive]ing small, which is [expletive]ing pathetic... It's all phony [expletive] to me. So all these years, he's trying to sell us the image that AI is this tough warrior who only wants to win goes down the drain in that instant. I don't know how many people realize this, I'm sure some give this a blind eye, but this is the [expletive]tiest selfishness I've ever seen. And I can understand and tolerate selfishness to some degree, as I'm quite selfish in a way, but not this [expletive]. And then of course, came news Michael Curry said the team always played poorly (aka zombies) on Sunday games, that's because they all went crazy on Saturday nights. Of course, the main culprit was, according to the article, AI who partied like crazy. And then another rumor came saying, AI did this often in Denver too, influencing Melo and J.R. That's when I started to lose respect and hate him. Do you think if say Pau Gasol goes wild, party on the weekends, and ask other Lakers to join him, have disregard towards games, don't you think Kobe won't chop off their dicks?

Post what you have. 1) If you're defending a player that likes to cross the ball over quite a bit, play tight defense on the arm he's not dribbling with. If you can get away with it, make contact with the off-arm just slightly, so when he crosses the ball over, it'll be uncomfortable, and his crossover will be slower and more prone to steals. 2) If you're dribbling on the perimeter and looking for your teammates, stick your leg in front of the ball, and dribble off to the side of it. There's little chance anyone can rip you because, if they do, they make contact with your leg...and that's a foul if you sell the bump. Plus, you're already in position for a spin off that foot if he gambles, so swing the ball around and take off if you can't get a foul called. 3) Do this if you have strong hands...hold the ball low, arms open a bit, and wait for him to stick that arm in there. Quickly raise the ball over your head, in a circular motion, and sell the foul by fumbling the ball, or shot-faking if you have yet to take a step (followed by a fumble and recover). 4) If your man likes to cut to the basket, stay low and right as he heads to the rim, turn and chase him with your arms up in the air, hands over his head slightly. It makes a cutter feel weird, and he'll either try and catch a ball that feels like will hit him in the head, or he'll slide back out to the perimeter. 5) Elbow-tap shooters after noting where the referee is standing. Small tap on the inside of the elbow, using your pinkie...works pretty good. 6) When a player is abusing you on the glass, boxing you out all the time, focus on hooking under his arm (in an uppercut motion), then jumping early and selling a hook on him. This will force him to box you out differently, which gives you a chance to catch up to him on the glass. 7) If a player is posting you up, place your thumb in his kidney area and force him to spin to his right (if he's right-handed) or to his left (if he's left). So, for example, if he's right-handed, place your thumb in the left kidney area as he placed his back to the basket, against you. If he forces left, don't move that thumb. It'll stop him, or else he had no kidneys. That will make him go right, putting the ball in his left or keeping it in his right in the midst of help defense. Just make sure the dude isn't getting pissed off enough to punch you in the face afterward. 8) If you've just received a pass and have yet to dribble, jab step a couple of times outward (ex. left foot jab to left), then jab step twice inward (ex. left foot jab to right), and on that second inward jab, explode to the rim if he's close enough to breathe on you, because he'll get burned. Otherwise, if he's a foot or so away and giving you room, attack after that second step, then quickly stop and pull up for the jumper. You'll be open 80% of the time. 9) Hand in the face of every jump shot. Only attempt to block layups, and most of the time, you want to do that from behind if you're a guard. 10) If you are worried about hitting a guy's face on #9, move your hand further in and past one of his ears. It'll mess their shot up after a while, and could do it for the remainder of the game, despite you doing it again and again.

You seem to really be familiar with the farm systems of a lot of teams, but you need to realize that in baseball, unlike any other sport, it is next to impossible to predict if a prospect will pan out. Especially a starting pitcher who, well, has yet to make a Major League start. If you'd like, I can go through the past 20 years and name all of the "can't miss" pitchers with dominant stuff and pinpoint control who were total busts. Obviously I have seen Feliz pitch, and chances are he will be a very good Major League pitcher, but it is ridiculous to assess his hall of fame credentials when he hasn't even made a Major League start yet. Things can change when he has to face guys 2-3 times a game, if not more, and multiple times a season.

She reminds me of: http://i32.tinypic.com/f2u59x.jpg

You lost me when you used the name of a 21 year old pitcher with just over a month of MLB service time and the words "hall of fame" in the same sentence. I don't care what the context is, just stop.

Kobe Bryant - Kobe Bryant...oh yeah

1/2 Sexy 1/4 Cute 1/4 Hot

I've never been drunk, but I have drank a couple times. I used to smoke weed all the time, then I stopped for like 6 years, then I recently started again, but occasionally compared to all the time like I used to. And just because someone smokes or drinks, doesn't mean it 'defines who they are' lmao. The majority of my friends drink regularly, but it doesn't mean people talk about them as 'the person who drinks'. Maybe you think drinking defines who you are at your age, but when you're legal to drink, it'll be harder to find someone who doesn't drink than someone who does drink.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=090511/billups ^^ One of the best articles I've read... not because of it's about Billups/ Nuggets, but it's just great read. In it, you can find: - AI partying (that's how you mentor and inspire around you to win games)... - Why that AI-led 50 win Nugget teams are crap... - Karl thinking he'd quit/ get fired (before we acquired Billups)... - Chauncey's leadership (I'll take Chauncey's inferior stats + leadership to AI's superior stats + partying and individualism any day)

Okay I will try my best to answer these without pretending to know them personally... but through news, etc. Dikembe Mutombo loves winning, but he has other priorities ahead of him, such as humanitarian purposes, helping people in Africa, donations, charities, etc. Unlike AI, who once said winning championship is what he plays for, winning in NBA is just extra, not priority. Scottie Pippen, like MJ, had won 6 rings. Unlike AI, who has 0 rings, he felt he could mentor young players and deservedly so, he has been there. Bulls were the ones making the initiative first move, basically begging him to sign to mentor the young team and maybe help sell the tickets (see the legend returns). When you feel needed, you feel appreciated. And besides Bulls are where his heart is. Payton, I'm not sure. Now Grant Hill? I don't know. He's psycho. Honest answer. I can't see why he resigned with the Suns thinking they could win. But unlike AI, Hill has embraced a reduced role a long time ago. And perhaps he has grown comfortable playing in Phoenix, and maybe superficially, Phoenix has something to do with him staying healthy?

Why don't you ask MJ yourself? At least that's what he said why he's coming back. Why did he choose the Wizards and not the Clippers... ohhh geee he was a part owner of Wizards. You can't generalize one situation with the rest of them. If you don't want Lakers to extend Kobe, well he can always go to the Nuggets Again MJ came back with the mindset of an owner, with some skills left, he had been long done as a player. You can't compare an owner with a player (Kobe). But it's up to you, because you like to generalize one situation with others, as if I'm responsible for their actions Mentor by what? Taking his students Mayo and Gay to nightclubs after games? In pursuit of happiness? Maybe. Or should I say, "definitely" as happiness to Iverson is having enough shots to take. But has he forgot the past when he said "that (Larry O'Brien) trophy right there is all what I play for"... or something like that. That's what AI said before he joined Denver, "we have a chance to do something special in Denver, we want to win a championship". Sure, if we were not good enough, then we were not good enough. We were a streetball team before he came, were a streetball team when he was on the team, I knew this fact, and I accepted it. I never hated AI for this. But going to nightclubs after games and have complete disregard about the next games, is what drives you nuts. That means all he said, he didn't mean it. So wait Snake, you mean rich adults can't have their privacy and enjoy themselves in nightclubs now? Sure you can, but you do it with responsibility. By not doing it too often, by maybe not getting yourself too drunk so you're not playing sober in the next game, etc. Taking responsibility, focusing on the big picture. Don't pretend this "side activity" does not affect his teammates and organization. If he was a 12th man, who cares? But he is the main piece of an organization, and if that main piece is [expletive]ed up, the whole organization is affected. If Kobe was a socialite and went to nightclubs often, let the booze and maybe drugs control him, and he commands less and less control and leadership of his team by the day, we'd see less Laker championships in this decade, that I can promise you.

He could've done that in practices, like he did when he retired for the last time (and like he still does to this day). So, in other words, once you taste winning, you can be done with it? Really? Because in that case, I hope the Lakers decline to give Kobe that extension this year. If you want, I can give you other examples. You brought up Payton. Why did he return to the Boston Celtics after the Hawks waived him? He had already tried to win a ring in Los Angeles...then he went back to a Celtics team that he knew wasn't going to contend for a title. I can find some more players that have done this, actually. It's not a selfish act. It's just an act that defines the pursuit of happiness. Iverson wouldn't be happy playing alongside ball-dominant players such as Kobe, Gasol, Artest and Bynum, so he's not going to go to Los Angeles. Does winning make him happy? Sure, it makes everyone happy, but maybe Iverson has seen guys like Hakeem and Ewing finish their careers with mediocre to poor stats, bad teams or not, and he's seen guys like Jordan do it to be happy, and Payton going back to a decent team before jumping ship with a contender. He also witnessed guys like Marbury jump to Boston, only to be let down. He was around when Dikembe Mutombo could've went to a contender. He heard about Grant Hill staying in Phoenix, despite their ongoing troubles and a declining Steve Nash. Plenty more where that came from. All of those guys are selfish? I doubt it. Iverson wants to turn a team around. Maybe he wants to mentor OJ Mayo. Maybe he wants to be the Iverson of old. Maybe he wants to see if he can boost a team into the playoffs with young talent surrounding him. Maybe, in his head, he believes that he, Mayo, Gay, Conley, Gasol, Randolph and Thabeet can make it big. I think it's more of a hate you have for him than anything else. You aren't observing the bigger picture. It's not always about submitting and becoming a lost face when you're 34 years old, being like many who never win a ring by the time they reach 34-35. He just wants to play basketball.

How can he set his sights on anything when he can't see?