Real Deal

1-0.

Here come the free throws, lol. I'm sorry, Collison.

Pretty interesting, if you haven't read about this in the past. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/knicksblog/isiah_ripped_in_dream_team_documentary_TD0ozHEdv1l58aqTplLGGI This is going to be awesome, by the way. June 13th (yep, tomorrow).

Definitely not, but it's supposedly the best one. I've never stayed there, but I hear it's really nice.

Hahahaha, they are staying at the Skirvin Hilton. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Skrivinatnight.jpg/800px-Skrivinatnight.jpg

He's still a lottery pick. I'm not sure why he would fall out of the top 14. His freshman year, though, he was in the top five for quite a while.

This is for you guys! http://www.facebook.com/brandon.neal/posts/10150824474746653

LeBron may be playing great right now, but he knows (as does everyone else) that his legacy depends on championships. That's just the way it is. Right now, people are going to see how dominant he is in these games. Twenty years from now? If he doesn't have a ring to show for it (and he will, but just for the sake of the argument), that's what he'll be remembered most by...just like Charles Barkley and Karl Malone (thanks to MJ). Getting to the Finals, and losing, means nothing. Do people give a damn about the Buffalo Bills? They went to four consecutive Super Bowls (90, 91, 92, 93) and lost every single one of them. I bet casual football fans have no idea they were even that "successful" in the early 90's. It's actually good to see LeBron talking this way, but once the curtains rise, will he be that aggressive LeBron we saw in Games 6 and 7, the guy that welcomes that killer instinct...or will he fade back into the LeBron we saw against the Mavericks last Finals, who dropped one of the worst games of his career (the eight-point game) and was absolutely horrible in the fourth quarters? That's why people are watching him more than anyone else right now, and rightfully so.

I'm going to stick up for Westphal. When I was a Suns fan (much younger, didn't have a team to root for), he coached Phoenix to the NBA Finals his first season there. Yes, they had just traded for Charles Barkley, but one of the biggest problems concerning Westphal was that people weren't sure if a first-year coach could handle a guy that had a short temper and had reached superstar status. Phoenix was KJ's team until Barkley stepped in, and Johnson was putting up numbers that were actually as good (or better) than Steve Nash's numbers we've seen over the years, a better scorer and defender (by far), and distributed the ball well (although, not as good, of course). Cotton Fitzsimmons was doing a very good job with the Suns, but he could never get them over the hump, and the combo of CB34 and Westphal did the trick. In fact, for the three years Westphal coached Barkley (not including the 30 games or so he coached in his final season with the Suns, who were without KJ four games into the season), Sir Charles praised him...said he was an excellent coach, worked very well with the players, etc. Gary Payton didn't have it out with George Karl? They fought quite a bit. I grew up watching that Sonics team run through the West. Take an article back from 1996: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/02/sports/nba-playoffs-the-two-sides-of-gary-payton.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Sure, he was talking good about him in interviews to the media, but there were problems in practice, problems during the games, problems in the locker room. Gary Payton was a troubled player, not on the level of Dennis or Ron, but he was there. Westphal walked into a locker room that had just come off a 17-win season with two different coaches. Evans was a rookie, Cousins didn't exist. Once the smoke cleared, two years later, Cousins is still shooting under 45% as a big man, acting like he's a superstar center during games, under Westphal and Smart. The difference between Westphal and Smart? Westphal doesn't put up with that kind of shit. He is a winning coach, a 53% win percentage over his coaching career, 55% in the playoffs, including a trip to the NBA Finals as a rookie coach, able to calm down Charles Barkley (who was far more disruptive than Cousins, but a FAR better player and he knew how to win). Under Smart, they were 20-39. Big deal. That's 28 games won in an 82-game season. Cousins SHOULD be getting 18/11, as many opportunities as he's getting...doesn't mean much, though, because he's still shooting like crap. Only one Kings player shot the ball over 46%, and that was Jason Thompson (T-Will played just 18 games). They are nearly dead last in FG%, THE SECOND worst defensive team in the NBA, second worst three-point shooting team, and they never, ever pass the ball to each other. What did this team accomplish without Westphal? The same thing they did with him...which was nothing. They are poorly assembled, they don't have a leader, they don't have a player that can carry them through games...they don't have the goods to get it done, and no matter what coach you stick in there, you won't see a productive season out of that group. It's not Westphal's fault. I almost feel sorry for him.

I think they could have had a shot in 2009, because I doubt Orlando would have been in the Finals (not saying Boston would have beaten us, but they would be back in the Finals)...but I can't say Boston would have won in 2010 if they had Perkins in Game 7. Keep in mind that it was in Los Angeles, and they were beating us for three quarters before we locked them up on defense in the 4th (locking them down badly). They had it all going their way, and we couldn't do anything about Rasheed (who was a far better scoring threat than Perkins, and played excellent defense on Gasol). I could easily argue that we would have tore them up if they had Perk. You can talk about the rebounding edge, but Boston was 29th in rebounding all year, struggling to grab boards despite having KG and Perkins. Regarding the question, I think they met my expectations, but as a whole, maybe underachieved by one ring. I did say they would win just one after they beat us in 2008, because I was certain we'd have Drew for the following season...but even then, it was a tough pill to swallow, thinking that Boston was going to have anything larger than a three-year window. Technically, they did...because they were one game away from going back to the Finals this season, and may have done it if they had Avery Bradley.

Maybe Ariza and Okafor, but I would be shocked if they gave up the pick as well (in that particular trade). I really can't think of anyone on the Wizards who would be worth that pick, aside from Wall (who won't be dealt). New Orleans will definitely look for someone to trade the pick to, but I don't see why they would do that particular deal (as you said). Brand is also going to be an $18 million expiring, and even with him on the roster, they will be around $8-9 million under cap this July (before making decisions on other players and their own FA's). Having time to think about it, I guess the buyout makes the most sense. A few of the teams that would shed salary wouldn't want to pay approx. $40 million to a player that doesn't do a damn thing for them, and that $22 million or so is tough to match.

You know, the Wizards could find a trade partner for Shard. If I recall correctly, he's going to be on the final year of his deal, and that's a MASSIVE contract to expire (should be around $22 million or so, hard to remember). A team that has a decent player signed for 3-4 years, maybe a bit too long, but is willing to deal him and fillers to gain a huge amount of cap space...they would jump on that in an instant, especially when you consider the new tax rules will be in place. I can't really say the Wizards should worry about getting THAT far under the cap, if it's to chase free agents, because there's really nobody that will drop in and ask for a max deal (Howard and D-Will aren't going to do that). It may be a longshot right now, because you're going to see a lot of teams trying to deal players for picks, but I get the feeling you'll find a few teams wanting to get under that tax threshold, and $22 million off the books for 2013-14 is a big chunk of change. Only bad thing about all of this is, I'm having trouble finding a player (or group of players) that would be worth it for the opposing team and/or for the Wizards.

I was going to make a comment, stating that he would probably move the team...but that lease extends into 2021, which is a LONG time and probably a big penalty. Pera is a billionaire, though. If he were to move the team, he would probably beg Stern for a move to Vegas. Not sure the league would ever want that, though.

Knowing Rose, he will want to come back early for that playoff run, and knowing Thibs, he'll agree to it as long as the doctors approve...and this will probably be discussed immediately (if not already). I'm not really sure if Thibs is the type of coach that would encourage that to his own players, or purposely play a tank version of his team (just butchering the rotations) because, quite frankly, while Rose is a very good offensive player...he's not a stellar defender, and Thibodeau will most definitely oversee his team as the best defensive team in the East next season (even if they aren't). If Teague or Wroten are on the board at #29 (which is possible for Teague, not sure about Wroten, but who knows), Chicago could very well dive into that mindset. Wroten is an excellent defensive player. If Thibodeau wants another scoring point, he'll go straight after Teague. I just wouldn't be surprised to see them trying to win the East, especially if Miami loses the Finals and decides to deal Bosh or Wade (or they fire Spo). Teague and Wroten aren't D-Rose, never will be, but those two prospects are pretty interesting when it comes to Chicago and their current situation.

One of those Cleveland teams made it to the Finals, also...so I'm not really sure if you can say that they were built for regular season dominance. They just ran into a younger Celtics team (in another season) that, if handed this series against the current Heat squad, would have advanced to the Finals as well.

I actually agree that LeBron is practically carrying the team right now...but without those big second halves by Wade, and Bosh's ability to pull Garnett out of the paint and make it much easier for LeBron, Wade and even Chalmers to get into the lane...Boston would be in the Finals.

I keep thinking back to one thing: Durant and Thabo are FAR better on the defensive end than Pierce and Allen. Durant doesn't play defense for an entire game, but this is also the NBA Finals. Bias included, I'm picking the Thunder. If I do my best to set bias aside, I'm still picking the Thunder. I know LeBron is incredible right now, but I don't trust in Wade to get it done, Bosh will have Ibaka stuck on him (more than likely), and the Thunder have the athleticism and the lasting stamina to close out on shooters AND get back on transition, to where they can control the tempo much better than the Celtics can.

TIME: 9:00 PM ET TV: ABC

I don't like it, but the ONLY way I will ever say it's fine to just walk off and not shake hands is if it's your rival. I'm not really sure if Miami and Boston are at that point just yet...maybe LeBron and the Celtics, not necessarily Miami. It's like with the Lakers...I would expect them to shake hands with the Thunder, but Boston? Different story.

I wonder who Boston is trading to get the pick.

Well, that was a shocker.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/551647_474505379242811_1342827119_n.jpg

This is awesome.

I would think Duncan signs for much less if he's coming back to San Antonio. He has four rings with this franchise, and I'm sure he would like to retire wearing that jersey. Trading Manu and Tony for picks...it's something the Spurs would probably consider, especially since their scouting is top-notch. They will more than likely make the best of what they pick up, and the higher the pick, the scarier it gets because...really...when was the last time the Spurs had a lottery pick? It hasn't been since Tim Duncan, in 1997. Thing is, the 20th pick in the draft, in 2010, is the best pick they have had since Duncan, in regards to number. After that...24th, back in 1998. I mean, look...they traded for Kawhi Leonard, and he wasn't a lottery pick (close, but 15th), and he can turn into a hell of a defensive player. Some say he's already as good as Bowen was. Tony Parker can bring them a nice pick. I'm just wondering who all they would be interested in.

For the seventh pick? Why would Chicago do this? Deng is a developed player, an all-star, and one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA...and he's still in his prime. I don't get it, really. I would rather hang in there and wait for Rose to get healthy, hope to find a taker for Boozer, and then continue to contend in the East.