Real Deal

Miami Indiana New York Brooklyn Boston Chicago Atlanta Milwaukee Toronto Philadelphia I guess it's not a stretch, but for me, it kind of depends on how well Jonas plays + how well Lowry and the team can mesh together (which means Lowry will have to enter the season like he did last year, and not slide off the map and start playing like a backup again). I know what to expect from Bargs and DeRozan, and Fields is going to be irrelevant if his play is carried over from New York (he can be a decent defender, but back on the other side of the ball, he won't matter much)...so there's a gray area to consider. I've only seen the Raptors play one game so far, and it's hard to wrap a prediction around one preseason game, so the way they execute their offense remains to be seen, at least from my perspective. I'm sure you Raptors fans have a better idea of how things will go, as long as Lowry fits the mold. Probably a battle between Philly and Toronto to be that bubble team, but that's assuming Bynum comes back after the All-Star Weekend, which I won't bet on because he's the scum of the Earth and will sit out as long as he can (sorry Philly fans).

We don't exactly know why Brown was fired, so I don't see the point in debating it. We DO know why Van Gundy was let go, though.

As long as the Pacers stick with Danny Granger as their primary option, they aren't going to beat a team like Miami. The Heat would have swept the Pacers if Bosh was playing in that series. In the good win that they had against Miami (which was nearly 20 points), the Heat had to start Dexter Pittman, and for some reason (don't remember why), played Haslem for seven minutes or so. James Jones played for 15 minutes, and he was horrific. Joel Anthony logged 27 minutes. The Bosh, James, Battier, Wade and Chalmers five, with their typical rotation, all healthy (Wade was actually playing hurt, too), would have rocked Indiana. Now, same can be said for Boston...but not to that extent. Boston would have won at least one or two games, but I can't say it would have went seven. No Bosh, and LeBron had to deal with Garnett at the rim, and that was a big deal. However, Ray Allen was one of the worst players out on the court because of his injury, and Avery Bradley (who would be defending Wade) was out for the rest of the season. A reloaded and healthy Boston squad, replacing an injured Ray with Jason Terry...and having Bradley back (arguably the best perimeter defender in the league, surprisingly), Courtney Lee, and Leandro Barbosa...and not only that, but Jeff Green is back, with new additions off the bench (Sullinger and Melo)...that team is actually deeper, and healthier, than last year's squad.

I think Boston can make it to the Finals, honestly. It depends on who the Heat run into before they get to the ECF's. Chicago, with a healthy Rose, could wear them down pretty good...and meanwhile, if Boston can avoid Miami and the Bulls, I think they are a lock to get into the ECF's. I don't see the Pacers taking them out.

Added the URL, for convenience.

I know people bust Stern's ass all the time, especially the Lakers fans after that veto...but I'm going to look past that incident and say that he has done a pretty damn good job. You don't have to agree with everything the man has done, but just look at what baseball and football has gone through over the years (massive steroid scandal, bounty, etc). And he's been at the helm since 1984, which is crazy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--sources--david-stern-stepping-down-feb--1--2014-25361209.html

Wellllllll, time for my appointment. Doctors suck.

"hey i have an amazon kindle fire that i got 2 months ago and never used, it works great no problems and i will include ebooks that i bought if you would like to trade" How many of those have you received?

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/10/25/tweet-of-the-night-demar-derozan Do you think he should be mad at the 33-49 prediction?

Public poll...let's see what you got. :glasses:

I can't say the Lakers will be THAT great off the bench. It kind of depends on who is out there with them, though...but we're going to need to pull Gasol a bit early, insert Jamison, and then have Gasol out there with the bench, so he can create for them in the post (playing the five). That, or Howard comes out early, Gasol moves to the five, Hill comes in...then Howard subs in with Jamison and the bench. There are a lot of options, of course, but we have to be careful...because our bench, alone, doesn't have a legitimate PG to create for them OR anyone in the post to draw doubles and kick it out.

I'll agree with you about Melo, because for me, the jury is still out...but Dwight carried his Orlando team to the NBA Finals, has basically been the ONLY reason they have ranked in the top 5-10 defensively, and he was the best player (and it wasn't even CLOSE) on a team that racked up four-consecutive 50+ win seasons (two 59's) with just him, SVG (who was needed, because Brian Hill had no idea how to funnel players to Dwight on the defensive end), and a bunch of players who refused to defend and were inconsistent offensive players if they weren't catching and shooting. They ran the "four out, one in" just for Dwight. Superstars and franchise players aren't even the same thing, in my book. You can be a franchise player (like Melo), who can lead a team into the playoffs...but a superstar has the ability to take them to the big stage. Dwight can do that.

Yeah, I would rather just buy the iPhone 5. If I'm going to get a new iPad, it's going to be larger than the mini.

To elaborate, we have guests who view the forums, and while it's still not that difficult to pull AIM addys from profiles and such...it's much harder to do it (more work, more time-consuming, and it gives me time to see what they are doing). A topic like this, all you have to do is scroll through it, then spam away.

A little more uncertainty (it seems). http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/sixers/sixers-holding-bynum-out-until-he-s-pain-free/article_9f0121d4-6fb1-5274-b48f-b58834c28c86.html

Probably Dwight, since he kind of got SVG fired (I could argue otherwise, but I won't bother...looks clear to me). Although, the Decision was the dumbest thing I've ever seen a free agent do.

Odom isn't going to matter much now, anyway, after I saw him in pictures. The dude looks like he forgot what a weight room is, and he's taking that candy obsession we all used to joke about in LA a little too seriously.

LOL, I think it's funny. You see coaches do this all the time when they're pissed off. I actually watched that series, and had a referee said something about it, I would be remembering it today...but I don't remember ever noticing it.

I don't think Mitt is going to win Ohio. I can see Obama dumping more money into the state, pulling a bit out of Florida. He knows Ohio wins the election, as things stand right now. I mean, it's not impossible for Mitt to take it if Obama takes OH, but it's pretty damn close to it.

Right, but that's also with Nash making Gortat his go-to guy, which is never, ever a bad thing (no matter who you are). And yes, preseason numbers are also irrelevant to me. Ebanks just dropped 20 in a game a few days ago. He's not starting over Ron. But, regardless, I'm still taking Gortat for one reason: his defense. He's a better on-ball and help defender. I know DeAndre is athletic and can swat shots, but Gortat can handle almost any center down low, no matter the size...and his ability to box out (using his strength) makes up for what Jordan can do athletically. I won't discuss their offensive games because, again, Nash made Gortat his P&R big man, and that's going to get you buckets. DeAndre would have seen his PPG rise as well, if Nash (or even CP3) would have used him that frequently...and even though CP3 is the best PG in the NBA, nobody runs the P&R better than Nash.

I've always been on Amare's side, when it comes to pinpointing just who should change in this offense. I can't see Amare becoming that back-to-the-basket player...that hasn't been him for years, and while I think he should adjust as he loses athleticism over the years, it can't happen overnight. Gradually is key for him. But the Knicks can't wait for that, and the fact is, Carmelo is a superstar. He's a top three scorer in the NBA (many argue the best). If you have that scoring ability, you should be doing what you can to improve your facilitating. It's the same shit I say about Kevin Durant, but unlike Melo, Durant actually has Harden and Westbrook to carry that role for him. Someone like Anthony has the potential to be a very dangerous player (not just scorer), and I'm talking top five in the league if he were to develop a little more...but as it stands, he's just not there, and it's unfortunate. For that reason, I was never really hyped about Melo and Amare teaming together, especially without a true PG distributing the ball (or Melo refusing to let one do that). I'd think things would be much different if New York had a Steve Nash to work the P&R with Amare and Chandler all game long (good God), and Carmelo maybe wouldn't have to change his game (to become more like LeBron, for example), but instead, accept the fact that he can indeed play off of someone else and STILL be Carmelo Anthony. ------- In regards to the position change, again...I just don't see where that leaves Chandler. I can't pull Chandler from the five, because the Knicks need all the defense they can muster up, and I think it's crazy to pull Amare from it simply because he's not going to accept a sixth-man role on a team that he essentially claimed as his just two years ago. Aside from Landry Field and Toney Douglas, nobody else was on that team for over 50 games or so (nobody significant), so you get the idea that Amare was willing to come to what could have been a depleted team just to hold his head high and say he's playing for the Knicks franchise...and now, he's going to become an Antawn Jamison?

Paul George isn't going to do much as long as Granger is there...and now that they've replaced Collison with Augustin, and added Gerald Green, I doubt he sees enough offense to become "the man" in Indiana.

Watching the debate for a second time...he really doesn't stutter as much as you say (and as much as I thought)...but he pauses, and talks slowly.

But he has before, and that's the problem. You know what's even more shocking? In the second debate, Romney told all of us that we would hope to be out by 2014, but would re-analyze the situation when that time comes. He also clearly stated that Obama should not be setting the exact year, and these were statements he also stated in January, I believe February, in June or July, and again, in that second debate. This time, tonight, he stated 2014, and he made it clear it was 2014. He sounded like he read Obama's statement from the second debate, and right when he did, my girl's dad shook his head in disappointment. People that are hunting down his previous comments (and there are a lot of us that are doing it, while a ton of his supporters simply remember what he said) will compare, of course...and he's not the same guy. Two weeks, dude. You're telling me that Romney made a good decision contradicting things he has said over the last 6-10 months? Come on, man...from all of the things you've posted here about Romney, I think that actually pissed you off a bit. You seem like the guy that wants to throw consistency on the table, praise Romney's consistency (if there's anything you can find at this point) and blast Obama for not sticking true to his word about lowering the national debt (for example). Obama doesn't stutter due to uncertainty. He has that slight stutter when he gives speeches the same way I do when I pause, and I do it because I make sure (100% sure) that my words are accurate and understandable for all that listen. He does it with almost every statement he makes, even those you would deem consistent (ex. Obamacare ideas). Romney doesn't stutter, but I get a feeling he sometimes wishes he could go back and re-word things that he says. I mean, calling GB a country, talking about Syria being Iran's only route to the seas (maybe he doesn't know where Iran is?), saying the Navy was the oldest it's been since 1947...he was pushing to fit in comments just so he could start discussing the economy again, to change the topic if it related to foreign policy, and those are the things that hurt him. If you really want to know what Mitt Romney stands for, what he believes in, you have to go back and watch everything he has said for months, picking and choosing what he supports the most...and that's not a good thing. The only real thing I know about Mitt Romney is that he wants to get rid of Obamacare, and he claims to "know what it takes" (his famous line he continues to say, without much explanation) to create $12 million jobs. That's it.