Real Deal

Haha, Danny Fortson's stats per 48 minutes: 20 PPG, 26 RPG, 35 fouls

http://www.doktakra.com/Kings/clark_sac5.jpg MIA - Keon Clark

Haha, that's funny. Why would they insert Paypal and Wal-Mart into the bracket, though? Wal-Mart is amazing, especially with the remodeling of their supercenters (probably one of the best-looking buildings I've seen in my city). Paypal is better than paying for things with cash, checks, or even your debit or credit card.

http://www.binarybasketball.com/sites/default/files/images/gilbert-arenas-truth.jpg Gilbert Arenas

Just re-watched the game. 1) Two fouls called on Lee were iffy. He did have a reason to be upset. 2) The charge that was overturned...that was a charge on Lee. That should've been his fifth, if the referees had gotten all of those fouls correct. However, that happened with 3:30 left to go (approximately), and the Nuggets had 2-3 chances to tie the game up since that time, one to actually take the lead (being down by one point). 3) The foul called on Melo when he stripped the ball under the rim, that was a foul. Those have been called on Ron Artest a couple of times this season, and a few other players I've seen. Over the head, with any contact to the head, and it's a foul. Plus, it looked like he hit his arm at the last second, before the strip. 4) Melo missed two very, very close shots (just as he did against the Bucks), right at the rim, with under a minute to go. One was the contested runner that he should've never taken, the other was the drive against Lee. Can't miss those shots. 5) Gallo was 1-7 in the first half, then 6-12 in the second half during his duel with Melo. Point? Melo has to shut up. He makes things too personal, and it doesn't always help him in the end. The Knicks outplayed the Nuggets, simple as that. Douglas got the double screen and mismatch on Nene, gave him a nasty reverse cross, and dropped in the game-clinching jumper. Had that been Kenyon Martin switched to him, it may have been different, which continues to prove my point that Martin is a vital piece to their success, because he is able to defend almost every position on the floor and one of the top defensive power forwards in the league. Basically, the third quarter, and then Melo's missed layup and runner in the final minute, won the game for the Knicks.

It's not surprising for any of them, really. Teams double down on clutch players late in the game. Superstars are typically those "clutch players" for their teams. LeBron gets to the rim more than any non-big man in the NBA. Kobe is doubled more than any player in the league right now. Wade and Durant take a lot of jumpers, especially Kevin. Can't be surprised.

It's also not covered by private insurance, which isn't government-ran. Boob jobs are pretty cheap, right? $300, maybe? Probably $5 if you find the right doctor? That's in the same boat as Lasik.

Well, I actually don't get your point about the Lasik. It's a cosmetic surgery. The price went down (barely) because of other medical advancements, and because Lasik wasn't a necessity. My point is, would you rather go get your Lasik surgery from an alley, or a legit and reputable eye center? No Lasik surgery is that much cheaper than it was a decade ago. And even then, none of that has anything to do with health care, since Lasik is cosmetic.

Anyone hear about Granger's game? Looks like he's finally healthy. Prince was defending him. He didn't shoot too well, but he was taking a lot of contested shots, and he was getting to the line with ease. Even Rush had a good game.

Ah, like I was, from the doctor that saved my eyesight? A city (Bartlesville, Oklahoma) had the doctors that gave me the laser treatments that peeled my retinas. They perform Lasik for $1,000. Oklahoma City's Dean McGee Eye Institute (who saved my eyesight) performed the surgeries needed (vitrectomy, basically). My doctor (who you probably think ripped me off) is affiliated with one that performs Lasik for around $2,000. Do you wear Nike apparel, by any chance? Or...do you shop at Wal-Mart for your shoes? Just curious.

Lasik doesn't cost $600. There are Lasik treatments that still cost $2,000. Not sure where you came up with that. There's a Lasik center where I go in Oklahoma City, and it's $1,900 there. Lasik dropped in price, barely, because of new techniques to correct vision, and because it's considered cosmetic surgery by most all insurance policies. Nothing (Medicaid, Medicare, or any insurance policy) covers boob implants. It's cosmetic and not a necessity, and the same goes for Lasik. Should it cover those? Nope. I don't see your point.

You missed my point. The premiums everyone pays, monthly, go to the insurance company (obviously). The way they distribute that money? Anywhere between 10-30% of it goes directly to the company. Guess where the rest goes? Paying for everyone's medical care, everyone who is covered by that particular insurance company. So, right now, if people aren't using up ALL of the money they are paying in premiums, the money is paying for everyone else covered by that company. In other words, everyone is paying for everyone already. So answer me this: why not STILL pay for others, but receive free medical treatment, instead of having to pay 20-30% of it out of pocket, and worry about $250-500 deductibles? The general complaint is that a lot of you don't feel like you should be paying for others' medical bills...but hey, you are already doing that.

Didn't see this. Many have had a better debut. I wouldn't consider Devean George much of a contributor in our dynasty. He ran to the corner and hit open jumpers, played pathetic defense, didn't slash to the rim, didn't pass the ball, didn't do anything but hit those jumpers. During the dynasty, he shot and made 335 shots total, 38% shooting. He scored 918 of the dynasty's 16,555 points (5-6 percent of the points), averaged 3 PPG in the first two seasons of the dynasty. I sort of forgot he was on our team, to be honest.

Medicaid and Medicare are too different things. Medicaid pays for everything, Medicare doesn't. Medicaid covers my eye surgeries in full. Most people (older people, by the way) get with Medicare because private insurance companies don't cover a damn thing. The idea is to bounce to Medicare because of things like pre-existing conditions...and this bill changes all of that, as you know. Since you don't have insurance taking money out of your checks, we'll use the average (according to a couple of websites)...the average health care plan for a family is $13,000 a year. My question to you is this: do you think most people spend $13,000 a year for medical purposes? Even better, do you think 50% of the people that work and spend that much money each year actually rack up $1,000 a month in medical bills? If not, just tell me where you think that money goes. Just curious. Who's getting that money?

Hey ECN, do you pay for your private insurance? I mean, out of your check? Probably sounds like a stupid question, but I'm just curious. If you do, it would be nice to tell us how much comes out of your check every month (or bi-weekly), but you don't have to.

Stephen Jackson is a very nice guy. It's not like he'd attack anyone if ticked off, like a fan or anything...

He actually posted his rap right after I told him to. The rules were simple: one posts his/her rap, the other then follows. According to seeding, you were first. I can't bend the rules, no matter what. If so, I would've had to change what happened below: http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/9778-rd1-nets15vc-vs-fish7718

I knew you meant Dallas and Los Angeles.

Yeah, that three...I had no idea that was coming from Thornton. Never would've guessed he'd drop it in there. But you're right, that game was right there for Washington to steal until that OT. There were a couple of defensive lapses, but the Wizards just couldn't score the ball. Three or four points in overtime isn't going to get the job done against any team in the league.

I wouldn't say that. They blew the third quarter open (the Knicks did) and JR Smith was complete and utter garbage for Denver...no offense, no defense. Way too many missed threes for Denver, way too much chucking for Smith, and no defense by anyone (including Afflalo) really put this game in the bag for New York. Can't say I'm surprised.

Sure it is, but you're acting like our economy is just fine, yet it hasn't been for nine years.

There isn't a fear of socialism, it's just people not wanting Obama to do anything good, because it makes their party look worse. I could care less who is in office right now, as long as they are doing something productive. This is productive. Political parties have ruined our country. People that are die-hard Democrats or Republicans force themselves to pull for nearly everything their party wants, and that's idiotic. I wish Obama would do something about all of the illegals in our country. I don't mind immigration, as long as they are legal. I support health care. I also approved of the war, until it went sour and we were there for other reasons not specified. I don't let other people think for me, and that's what political parties do...they think for all of their followers. There are people I know who have absolutely NO IDEA what this health care bill means...and they admit it. They say that change is not necessary...but they turn around and complain about how they can't pay for their meds, or how pre-existing conditions aren't accepted by their private insurance companies. It's because they can't come to a conclusion on their own.

Ah, yeah, Kobe is definitely worried about Stephen Curry. He's biting his nails right now, in fact...gonna be on his mind for the next 3-5 years. He's also worried about all of that trash-talking JR Smith has done, and Shane Battier from last year, and Ron Artest from last season, Matt Barnes this year, Andrei Kirilenko, Rajon Rondo in his face last season, Stephen Jackson when he was defending him earlier this season, and DeShawn Stevenson and the few words he was slinging at Bryant in that last meeting against Dallas. It's all feeding on his brain as we speak. You just know it is. And it's ruining his life. Oh no.

Ah, yeah, we definitely look like a superpower right now, trillions of dollars in debt and countries looking down on us. Been that way for the last eight or nine years. Maybe we should bomb someone again, start a war and make more money off that...or something.

Sorry, I don't get it. Utah still wouldn't beat either of them in the WCF's.