Real Deal

In that case, I hope the Heat stomp Atlanta by 40, Spo is amazed because of how fast the Heat can play with a smaller lineup, and he decides to play Bosh at center and LeBron at the four for the rest of the season, including the playoffs. [/endofdream]

Tips as in...tip-ins? Those are considered offensive boards.

I think Melo could be a better defensive player if he put more work into it. He's a big frame at the three, did show off a few defensive skills in the post here and there over the years, but I think he's too focused on his offensive game. I don't see him becoming a Pippen, though, if we're asking when he'll seek a Batman to win with. I can't vision Melo running an offense, and I don't see him taking a backseat to anyone, even in a situation like they have in Miami right now. Had he went there, instead of LeBron, I think Melo would expect Wade to defer and run the offense through him...and that conflict is the stuff that makes you ringless over the course of your career, unless you're Kobe and Shaq.

Deron Williams probably puts up better scoring numbers (not even going to look, but I just know), not sure about assists...but he's nowhere near the defensive player CP3 has been this season. Plus, I don't know about everyone else, but I've always thought that Williams was a tad bit overrated on defense. I've seen him defend a few big PGs with his physical play, but I've also seen him get lit up and needing help quite a bit. CP3 is just too quick, and he's stronger than he really should be, which helps him out a lot in terms of how he defends various players.

Ah, I forgot about that story. Rondo is still a tremendous player, no doubt about it, and I'm sure he'd still average around the same amount of assists per game...but it was just odd that this has happened three times that I can remember (at least, where I was suspicious).

Derrick Rose is the best scoring point guard in the NBA. Second best, overall. CP3 is still on top. He's the better passer and defender, and Paul can average 22-23 points if he needs to, on better shooting, defended the same way.

I know. I still don't like the situation, but it's not my team. To be honest, though...I would actually just bench him now, work out a deal with the Knicks, then trade him the day of the deadline. Denver is going to struggle without him anyway.

Nope. For some reason, the official numbers don't, either. Probably because it wouldn't be fair to those on poor teams. Everyone gets a chance to play 82 games a year, no matter what.

No surprise. In other words, the Nets aren't going to get him. Denver needs to just keep him until July.

I've watched a TON of basketball in my life, since the early 90s (and even a little in the late 80s, but I was really too young to care at the time), and the last time I've seen a rookie have a season like this, he came out of LSU and was drafted by the Magic in 1992. If that's the category we can put Blake Griffin in, he deserves this ASG spot.

Any word on the big three playing? I heard all three missed practice yesterday due to injuries. Over/Under: 40.5 points for the Heat if the three don't play.

Rose didn't necessarily want those guys in Chicago because he would rather beat them as the leader of his own team, like most great athletes want to do before they reach their mid-30's.

Got this from RealGM... http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=310117002 Now, earlier in the season, I could've swore I've seen this twice before...but I didn't think it was significant enough to post. I just dismissed it as an error. Three times? I'm not sure it's a coincidence anymore.

Updated first post. That's 27.

Where's Mason when you need him? Blake just ripped off a variation of his OTR name.

At the pace he's going now, he'll finish the season with 27,857 points. If he averages another 25.2 next season, he'll pass Shaq and will be sitting at 29,923. Another? He'll pass Wilt and tail Michael Jordan. If I were a betting man, I'd take a gamble and say Kobe will end up 3rd on the list.

Copy and paste the code below, filling in the blanks. All correct answers get you five points. No late entries accepted. If you don't turn yours in by the tip-off of the first game, you miss out, no exceptions. Wednesday, January 19th LA Lakers @ Dallas (ESPN) Winner: Leading scorer: Thursday, January 20th Dallas @ Chicago (TNT) Winner: Leading passer: LA Clippers @ Portland (TNT) Winner: Player with the most free throws attempted: Friday, January 21st New York @ San Antonio (ESPN) Winner: Leading rebounder: LA Lakers @ Denver (ESPN) Winner: Leading scorer: Saturday, January 22nd Toronto @ Miami Winner: Leading scorer: Utah @ Philadelphia (NBATV) Winner: Player with the most threes made:

Who was the commentator, for the World Championships, that always talked about Team USA being in danger every single game? He always praised the international players, and had a lot to say about each one of them being able to play in the league. Anyway...he brought the court up as being an issue during one of the preliminary games, said it changes the way the USA squad spaces out their shooters and how easier it is to defend us when there's less space to work with, and then he pointed out that the shooters shouldn't mind it because they are used to the long NBA three. Sort of stupid, that last statement. On my old rec team, we had a guy who was launching threes, and he's known for it, ever since I've played ball with him back when I was 12-13 years old. But, he was so used to shooting those threes, he was horrible a foot inside of the three. Every time he had a foot over the line, he'd put too much into it and miss. Most definitely, the court is an issue. Aren't they going to apply NBA rules and court markings for the Olympics, or is that for the next World Championships? I remember them talking about it once before.

I stated that Melo would want to do a sign-and-trade so he can get an extra year on his deal (I'll quote that post if needed). That's the main reason. I never said he would do it to help Denver. I said he should, to give back a little. The sign-and-trade gives him the extra year today, in February, or even after the new CBA is put into place. Doesn't matter. Will he walk for nothing, and not give anything back to Denver? I doubt he would, especially because the new CBA could cut his salary significantly. But, again, the point is that he should've never made this a public issue, not during the season. That's why half of the Denver crowd booed him the other night. What he needed to do was play out the season, then seek the sign-and-trade deal to the Knicks. At that point, he'll be a free agent, officially, and he'll be able to say where he goes...and THEN, at that point, Denver can either get what they can, or just let him walk for nothing. However, since he already made it public and became the eventual villain in Denver, there's no turning back...and Denver is going to get screwed because Melo could care less about the team or the fans, or else he wouldn't have been so disruptive during the season. I feel bad for his Nuggets teammates, and the new GM that has to put up with this. Hell, even Nets fans are getting sick of it.

Leadership. Ties in with chemistry a bit, but without leadership, you aren't going to play well as a team, especially against other teams that have been playing together for many, many years.

It's been pretty bad over the last three seasons, at least since getting Gasol. Bryant still attacks the rim from time to time (you would've seen this tonight, against the Thunder), but it takes a nasty foul to send him to the line. He was hit a couple of times on jumpers tonight, no call...but then, the ref calls a reach-in on Durant at the end of the game that, even though it was clearly a foul, was not as bad as those that players get away with. Reggie Miller said it best in the Boston/Orlando game: shooters get hit quite a bit, and it's even worse when there's contact on a jumper. He's right. It takes a simple tap to the elbow to send your shot elsewhere. I've had guys that did it to me all the damn time, and it was annoying when they got away with it. Obviously, those fouls are going to be a bit harder to call than a player getting trucked in the lane by Shaq, but the referee doesn't have trouble calling them for Kevin Durant.

LOL dude, did you not see what you quoted? And you said... ???

Blake read parts of this topic before the game today, just thought I'd let you guys know.

If Melo is dead-set on the Knicks, I don't see why anyone would think/say that. Sometimes, you can't change anyone's mind, no matter what you throw on the table.