Real Deal

The Spurs can't find a consistent shot from anywhere on the floor other than Duncan's bank. They will NEVER get back that lead if they keep that up, because defending the Bulls means nothing if you can't score from more than just one spot on the floor.

Chicago did a great job pushing the Spurs off the offensive glass for the first half, and those second chance points by Chicago are the only reason they started the second half up by one. I have to agree that Rose needs to stick himself into the offense. He's throwing dimes, but he can explode past Parker...you can just see it by that crossover he declines to finish. It could be the ankle, yes...but he didn't have that much trouble getting that layup in over Duncan. Speaking of Duncan, Chicago needs to keep playing him with one guy. The doubles are going to start hurting them in the end, and as long as they stick someone like Noah or Miller on Duncan, then waive their guards out of the post, they will keep this game close against a better (but rusty) Spurs team.

You, like the others, have no answer to what I said before, and what Sky is repeating. Nobody ever replied to it a year ago when we had this debate, and now that he's saying the same exact thing about two extra games (and going into more detail than I did), there are still people with their mouths shut. But that's how they should be in this situation.

That explains why LeBron played against Kobe in the Finals last year, I guess...and why the Spurs (the most exciting team in the history of the game) have won four championships since 1999. Sort of explains why Dallas was the one to face the Heat instead of the super-slow, low-scoring Phoenix Suns, and that HAS to be why the Spurs swept LeBron and his Cavs in 2007...just four games was enough of LeBron. Makes sense to me.

Hmm...that's funny. I had three friends of mine go to Florida once (when they were 21), and all of them said that the only good thing about it was the warm ocean.

He won't get traded, he's going to get waived. The Chiefs are trying to find something in the rules that allows the waive because of the recent suspensions, or something...don't remember how it goes. They had a huge segment about it on the radio. I know my football, but I don't know it that deep. Is there anything like that?

Excellent post, Sky. Already been down that route, so I wasn't going to step into it again. Funny thing is, if any of their teams were mentioned, this book would be ridiculous and false...but I've ran across that so many times in the five years I've had OTR up, it's really just a "thing" that happens here.

It was actually a joke, but I guess I'm the only one on the forums that isn't allowed to be a clown 24/7.

AP English, but I don't see why regular English classes wouldn't suffice.

LOL, people read one sentence and jump all over it. I guess that's the difference between the classes I took in school, and the classes some of you took? Damn, this place is so annoying every now and then.

Prince will stay in Detroit. You can turn into an offensive-minded squad, but you'll be devastated if you lose your best man defender. Ask the Suns when they lost Marion and Bell.

Cleveland, Boston and Orlando all can win 60 games. Nobody else in the East will touch that win total. 1) Boston 2) Orlando 3) Cleveland 4-8) Washington, Toronto, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago (no particular order)

1) Portland Trail Blazers - Kevin Durant 2) Seattle SuperSonics - Greg Oden 3) Atlanta Hawks - ? Who are the Hawks taking at #3? For a complete list of players to choose from, here's the 2007 draft: http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-draft-history/drafthist.php?syear=2007

He's probably too busy contributing way too much to OTR by managing our Youtube account, and being more mature as a 13-14 year old than I had ever imagined.

There are tons every year, actually. It's just hard to point them out when you ask, haha. Baron Davis had a few decent games in the preseason, but his regular season play has been hampered by an injury...so I can't really say him. But THIS year, it's too early to say just yet. Most teams played their first game tonight.

Baron Davis needs to get off the court. That last layup by Nash was a PATHETIC showing of defense by Baron. If his foot is causing him that much trouble, he needs to let Dunleavy know, so the Clippers aren't crippled by it. He had steals and assists, but he shot the ball badly again, and he disappeared on defense in that second half of the fourth. Nash crushed him, most of the time without a screen. And, that last second three by Gordon was too contested. He should've passed it out and tried for the tie. Awesome game, though. Where did Craig Smith go? He played just nine minutes after the game he had against the Lakers? Did he get hurt?

I know. What I was saying was that I read somewhere (here or on RealGM, maybe) that he was going to be playing like he did in Portland for at least a couple more games, that the injury wasn't completely healed up. Looks like he's completely healed.

The offense is running through Scola. Ariza plays off of him just as he did with Kobe and Gasol. If Scola gets hurt and misses a ton of games (knock on wood, sorry Houston fans), you'll see what I'm talking about. Ariza can score the ball, but he won't be winning games leading the offense. Ten turnovers in his first two games, 3-8 shooting against the Blazers when Scola was pretty much down and out. I'm not sure how much more you really have to know about the guy, in LA, New York or Orlando, to know he can't create for anyone and that he has to play off of a post player, or an elite guard.

LOL, I watched the Blazers/Rockets game the next morning. Houston was dragging their feet. If they weren't so tired, they would've probably pulled out a win, but Scola just wasn't there for them, and when he's not "on the floor" as a contributing force, the Rockets don't benefit from his pick and rolls, and they struggle to create on their own. Things changed in this game, though. I was under the impression that Scola was still hurt (someone said he still had a week to go or something). I guess that wasn't the case. Having Scola inside opened up a LOT for the Rockets, especially Ariza and Brooks, two guys that will, without a doubt, take advantage of their big man presence. Maggette is a failure at life, by the way.

Nice of Boozer to choke in this one. I didn't expect Utah to win, figured it would've been over sooner, but Deron kept them in the game, and I do like what Kirilenko and Brewer did out there on offense as well. Utah's defense wasn't so hot, though. Good win by the Nuggets. They had five or six guys contribute quite a bit, shoot well...and Lawson is a monster.

Yeah, New Orleans made that attempt to get back in it two or three times, but the Spurs are just too damn consistent on both sides of the ball. Oh, and it doesn't help that Manu Ginobili is back. Technically, he has to be their biggest "pick up" in the offseason, since he's been injured for two years now.

Way too much offense. The Thunder are going to end up looking like the 2007 Suns in a couple of seasons. They need that one solid defensive-minded player (ex. a Raja Bell) that will knock down the shot when needed, and take the load off of Durant and Harden on the other side of the ball. Sacramento is rebuilding, and they sure are bad at hiding it.

Just like last season, the Grizzlies really have no set role for each player. That needs to change...and it may, when Iverson returns...but that remains to be seen. A real sloppy game by Memphis, though. Detroit looks like they have potential to cause a few 5-8 playoff teams problems this year.

Well, there's a downside to that. There were six missed threes versus the seven he made...and those threes cause long rebounds, which pushed the ball up the floor and gave the Heat an advantage, especially when Jefferies was assigned Chalmers (I have absolutely no idea why a 6-11 player defends a quick point guard). Attempting 13 threes is fine against a slower team, but the Heat will push the ball. Gallinari should shoot half of those on a 2-on-2 break, as he rides down the court. Steve Nash style, like D'Antoni wants. Shooting them all while all 10 players are positioned, it turns a miss into an opportunity for the opposing team if their guards and a quick forward can streak down the court fast enough.

The Bobcats need to find a way to score. Defense is nice, but it only takes you so far...and when you realize you can't score, you force the issue so much, you suddenly become the worst defensive team in the league, panicking and using all of your energy on the offensive end. Nice game by Boston. It was one of those "turn and don't look back" nights.