Real Deal

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: NBALP

TIME: 7:30 PM ET TV: NBALP

TIME: 7:00 PM ET TV: NBALP

TIME: 7:00 PM ET TV: NBALP

TIME: 10:30 PM ET TV: TNT

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: TNT

TIME: 7:00 PM ET TV: NBALP

I wouldn't worry too much about getting him back before the season starts. The Raptors have a lot of work to do, anyway, and I doubt him sitting out until November would be an issue in the grand scheme of things. They know what he brings to the table, that he was brought in to do a little bit of everything, so this would be a great time for the Raptors to focus on how the two rooks (Valanciunas and Ross) are going to fit in with a PG that is a willing passer (Calderon). Once you put your finger on that, you'll know what you'll need from Lowry, if you want him to distribute more, or if you're going to need him to score buckets (since he can do both).

Could be the end of McGrady in the NBA.

1) A plan asks for the help of the entire community, and we aren't going to get that. 2) Newer members don't feel welcome here. They feel out of place. This ties into #1 above. It's not that I'm assuming, either...I have had two new members message me and tell me they weren't staying for that reason (one basically telling me those exact words, the other hinting towards it). It's not because of everyone here, but quite a few just don't make this place an enjoyable board to post at. Our community is getting older each season, Twitter is dominating, and new members can't feel comfortable in a community that doesn't have but half of its members accepting new blood. A handful of members were screaming for me to eliminate a guy who has created a great deal of our basketball topics this year. That's how things are now. Yet, when a member is banned after serving seven suspensions, more than likely trolling everyone at some point of their stay here, it's a bad decision. Let me put it this way: Lakers fans were ran off because of that particular member (and a couple of others). Aaron (alcstarheel) was one of them, and he was a major contributor here. That's just one. Why, though? Most message boards accept the fact that there are more Lakers fans than any other...but when we had a new Lakers fan register, he was immediately welcomed with, "No, not ANOTHER Lakers fan." I've added a video system, a referral system, team forums have banners and colors according to that team, added personal blogs for a while, tried a podcast, had multiple sim leagues running, the only basketball message board (okay, besides RealGM) that has a game topic for every game of the season, and still...nothing, for a couple of seasons now. As of right now, I'm out of ideas.

It would be incredibly awesome if we could take all of Twitter's activity during basketball games...and drag it over here. So many people talk on Twitter during sports games nowadays, it's a killer. Even when there's breaking news, people would rather go to Twitter and discuss it, some hoping that one of the professional analysts/reporters will retweet them OR reply back (just an example). Our Twitter doesn't help much because we get our news from the main outlets (such as ESPN), and they are quick as hell reporting it. The things we have yet to do (spam, and offer staff positions) are out of the question. It sucks not having someone like Sacha, or that Pacers fan, here to recruit members for us...but they did it by spamming, and I will never accept that, even if it helps us out.

I've been keeping up with a few of them (like Ben and Aaron), but I wonder what HWP has been up to.

I thought NBATV comes with LP? I'm not really sure, because I've always had NBATV, no matter if I order LP or not, so...

LOL, this is horrible.

This is really, really weird. http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/536432_10151219906816072_158451946_n.jpg Gonna take a while to get used to him in a Lakers jersey.

Brees doesn't want to lose and reach 0-5 on this night.

Hard to say, because the Celtics will use Lee to spread the floor, but if I were Rivers, I'd strongly consider playing Bradley quite a bit once he fully heals for the simple fact that he's one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA. Doesn't seem like there's a lot of minutes to go around, though, with Jason Terry on the roster. Maybe Doc plans on going small with Courtney Lee seeing time behind Paul Pierce, Jeff Green playing a lot of four.

Yeah, but his general ideas have been the same over the last month or so. For example, his views on education are one reason why my girlfriend hates him...yet, you wouldn't have recognized that if you listened to him during the debate. He's ready to hire a few million teachers, all of a sudden. Guess it's no different from Ryan, who was getting pounded by conservatives when he seemed to back away from his Medicare reform plan. Like I said earlier, I actually think Ron Paul would have had a better chance, only because he would've pulled votes away from Obama + raked in most of the Republican votes just because he'd be up against BO...even if many consider him a nutcase (like I do).

Great way to ruin your draft pick, and a player with a lot of potential. T-Rob will get down into the low post and play like a PF, if asked of him...and that's what the Kings need. With Cousins wanting to shoot jumpers, and no PF that wants to get in and bang down low...what the hell is the point of this? I wouldn't say they need a three, either. Don't they still have Salmons? James Johnson is on the team as a backup, and Francisco Garcia is still there. It's not that impressive, but neither is the team as a whole.

I'm not even sure if anyone cares about that now. At least I don't, never really did (don't think I've ever mentioned that). Don't give a shit what he's paying...that statement above doesn't change what his tax plan will be, and why it will be bad for the middle class, and how he avoided that during the debate. I know you don't want to admit it, but Romney went away from everything he has been preaching for months now during that debate. He sounded good, but at the cost of being a hypocrite. Didn't sound like the same Mitt Romney you've been supporting, and deep down, I know you are aware of that, because some of the biggest conservatives I know feel that way.

Out of those three teams you named (LAC, DEN, and SAS), I'd have to say the Clippers. Hard to deny that, since they will be bringing Odom, Billups, Bledsoe, Hill, Barnes, and Green off the bench (assuming they start Crawford...but maybe they'll bring him in with Odom). But what about Golden State? They'll have Jack, Rush, Barnes, and Landry off the bench...and that's not too bad, especially if Barnes turns out to be pretty good.

Barnes was horrible for us last year. I'm not too fond of some guy saying Barnes was anywhere near Kobe's game last year, either. Whatever statistics he found, it's not going to help his argument because Barnes' role on the team was to spot up and shoot the ball. He rarely defended the best player on the court, and when he was in there with Bryant (Ron on the bench), Bryant would do that most of the time, anyway. For him to even think that the Lakers would be more productive with Barnes, instead of Bryant...well, he should probably just shut his blog down.

We need new members. Thread closed. What a [expletive]ing disappointment, once again.

I'm assuming you think that's what they did for him in 2008, when he kicked the shit out of McCain.

I don't know. If I were in his shoes, I would have played defense, also. The fact that Romney won the coin toss, to get in the last word, basically helped him make that decision as well. It really doesn't seem THAT relevant, but the fact is, the first debate won't be as memorable as the last...and if Romney was going to close out the first one, it was a wise decision for Obama to hold back and defend his stance on particular issues that Romney fought against, rather than blasting Mitt from the start and losing that thunder to Romney's closing statements. I mean, it's similar to when I'm debating here. I don't put all of my eggs in the basket right off the bat. I'll say something, argue a couple of times, and wait for the slip or for any door to open far enough for me to slam it shut as hard as I can. You can't get everyone's attention by pushing a nearly-closed door shut, but if it's wide open, you can turn heads quickly. Now that Obama has come out looking like he's holding back (or to some, looking like he's defeated), all eyes will be on him...and that's the point. Good speakers want you to hear. Great speakers demand that you listen.