TheNextBestThing

What about the Jonas Brothers?

I think Chandler is better, but the answer to your question is Okafor. It's going to be a rude awakening for Tyson Chandler to no longer be playing with Chris Paul. By the same token, Okafor will get a huge lift. Here's the thing: Chandler with no Paul is better than Okafor with no Paul; Charlotte still made the right choice.

This topic reminds me of why the media shouldn't get to vote on player awards. Jameer Nelson 2008-09 STATS PPG APG SPG 16.7 5.4 1.2 Baron Davis 2008-09 STATS PPG APG SPG 14.9 7.7 1.7 Nelson gets one extra basket per game. However, Nelson nets 5.4 assists playing with maybe the best inside finisher in the league, and a half dozen spot up shooters. Baron manages 7.7 assists with...well, the Clippers. Yet everyone ranks Jameer higher? Well, of course. His team was better. We saw the same effect in the MVP and (God knows) the Coach of the Year voting. How about a new ranking: The 3 most important skills in basketball: 3. Defense 2. Offense 1. Having good teammates Congratulations to Jameer Nelson. It takes a special kind of dedication and work to be drafted onto a team with Dwight Howard.

Foreigner and Fleetwood Mac are classics, but not Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Eagles? I don't know why, but basketball fans in general are just desperate to avoid looking "country."

1. Featured article. Choose a good article from one of your writers, and link to it. But instead of giving the first paragraph or something, describe it. Like: "Several teams have made radical moves this offseason. Erick Blasco gives his take." 2. Pictures. They don't really need to have a central theme or idea (other than, of course, basketball). People like pictures. 3. Quote of the week. Pick a basketball related quote that would make for a good Nike poster. It might sound corny, but it works for iGoogle. 4. Link to this forum. I assume this was a given, but how about a spin: Pick 3-5 of your favorite threads, and display them on the main page. Threads that newcomers will read and say, "Wow, this is high quality discussion. I want to be a member." 5. Links to fun basketball sites/resources outside of OTR. It might sound dangerous (we want people to stay here, right?), but if you're a gateway to things that they wouldn't have known about otherwise, then they'll come back. 6. A game. Some kind of unique app that only exists on this website. I realize that's massively vague...but I'll think on it. And you could make it Suns-themed. Because purple and orange are just cool.

I cannot believe the lack of Lamar Odom on these lists. Odom is, hands down, the most brain dead basketball player of all time.

I'm going to start doing that. Thank you.

I hate you. I was going to pull Tayshaun Prince out of nowhere, and you ruin it. Anyway. Prince has always bothered Kobe with his height and length. He gives up strength, sure, but Kobe doesn't really rely on powering through opponents. Yes, I would be fearing the hesitation move to set up the jumper. But Prince would not at all be bad for discouraging that. Plus, like you said, he's a clear choice for stopping the drive. There is no "right" answer to stopping Kobe from scoring. But I am shocked at the "This is easy" people. Is Prince really that much of a pushover compared to Battier? To anybody? He's my pick.

Oh. Thanks for sharing what the Suns fan think. I was wondering. Honestly, though, you're right. I don't know why it's so cool for Suns fans to be pessimistic, but things aren't at all as dire as they seem to think.

You've lost it. I think the exact opposite of both of those "facts." 1. Nash is our most valuable player. 2. Amare is very good, but the most overrated player in the league. Subrtact Amare Stoudemire, and I predict a record of 47-35.

And the 2006 Suns won 56 games. Even if we performed significantly worse, it would be far from a disastrous year.

...What?

If Advanced is that pathetic, then what do they do in Basic Digital Media?

This is truly incredible. There must be a spacetime disturbance or something, because I am the only human being in the world who remembers the 2005-2006 season. Yeah, without Amare, we'd go 2-80. He's definitely the key to this team.

When Steve Nash plays, it's like basketball is more art than sport. He sees things that nobody else does, and he's relentlessly creative taking advantage of it. His ability to shoot from anywhere, but willingness to make plays for others. A charismatic personality. It's just incredible to watch.

Wilt Chamberlain Shaquille O'Neal Hakeem Olajuwon Charles Barkley Karl Malone Ralph Sampson George Mikan (Basically the team's only option) Patrick Ewing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

I can't pick the Nuggets because 3-on-2 just isn't fair. Nene stands out as a glaring weakness in that list. My choice was Paul, West, Okafor.

I would unquestionably go for the second choice. What made the Magic so great last year (I'm sure I don't have to tell you) is that having 4 players who could dribble and shoot created serious matchup problems. It also let Howard go more or less mano-a-mano against his man inside, because Orlando's shooters could punish a double team. You really need to preserve that. As for the SF spot, the right choice is Pietrus. Since their abilities are reasonably close, you would do fine with either. But, Pietrus is a returning player, while Barnes is a new addition. Mickael may well lose motivation if a contested spot is given to the new walk-on.

Are you trying to change them from within Windows Media Player itself?

...Remind me never to make you mad. Ever.

It's true. I think I heard that on Fox.

"Star" as in Carlos Boozer or "star" as in LeBron James? Harris, Lee, LeBron, Bosh, Lopez is a championship caliber team.

C- Joel Przybilla (2) PF- Marreese Speights (2) SF- Hedo Turkoglu (5) SG- Kobe Bryant (7) PG- Steve Nash (5) B- Derek Fisher (2) B- Michael Finley (2) B- Jason Kapono (2) Coach: Greg Popovich

"They have no goals for the future, no objective, no plans." Because if they did, they would have sent you a full report. All of the Suns' fate rests upon Amar'e Stoudemire. Steve Nash just isn't himself unless there is an all-star caliber player alongside him, someone he can rely on to score. Amar'e is the only one on the team who can provide them with an inside presence on the offense right now. It would seem that you were in a coma for the 2005-2006 season, so I'll fill you in: Steve Nash can pick up 56 wins without the benefit of Amare. In fact, you have it completely backwards. It's Stoudemire that is merely a good player if he isn't being set up by an artist point guard. I don't know why pessimism has become such a fad. The Suns were a (miserable?) 46-36 last year, and that counts the loss of Stoudemire for a significant portion of the season. If their days as a contender are over, it's entirely possible for them to win 50 games or more. If a core comprised of Nash, Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and Leandro Barbosa is too pathetic for you to bear, then perhaps you should hide until we trade for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chuck Norris. I'll tell you when it's safe to come out.

Or perhaps Williams came at a bargain, after they couldn't afford their top choices.