NBA 2010-2011

[Saquist]

The Heat will get it together.
I believe in the big three. It's just a matter of chemistry. There is alot of ego on the floor right now so they'll have to clean that up first. But I look foward to them proving all the fans and nay-say-ers wrong.

The Heat Concept is the smartest thing I've ever seen any NBA player do in recent years since Boston figured it out.

 

[gblews]

The Heat will get it together.
I believe in the big three. It's just a matter of chemistry. There is alot of ego on the floor right now so they'll have to clean that up first. But I look foward to them proving all the fans and nay-say-ers wrong.

In the mid 90's after acquiring both Shaquille and Kobe (two alpha dog personalities with Hall of Fame talent), the Lakers instantly became a 'good' to 'respectable' team. However, playing under a "weak" head coach, Del Harris, they continued to struggle in the playoffs against better coached teams, like the Spurs.

Finally, the Lakers got wise and hired Phil Jackson. With the coaching leadership Phil provided, with the respect he commanded from everyone, including (and especially) Shaq, the Lakers transformed almost instantly into a champion.

Bottom line, the Heat are going to need much better leadership in order to get where they want to be. Right now, it isn't looking like they're going to get that from Spoelstra. It does not appear the players respect or fear him (and a coach needs one or the other or both in order to be successful).

It is very hard to think of any coach other than Phil, or Pat Riley, or Gregg Popovich, who could come in and tell LeBron that he is the "side-kick", and DWade is the team's main guy. Personally, I think LeBron is the problem. I don't see him ever taking a back seat to anyone even though with his all around skillset, he would be most effective as a facilitator.

The Heat have other problems too, of course. They need front court size and toughness (Chris Bosh, heh, heh). Mike Miller will help too when he gets back.

The Heat Concept is the smartest thing I've ever seen any NBA player do in recent years since Boston figured it out.

What, may I ask, is "The Heat Concept"? And what did the Celtics figure out?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Unless it's getting lots of big name players, I'm not sure. It's not like the Heat and Celtics pursued remotely similar strategies, even if they ended up with a "Big three".

 

[1001001]

The Lakers are not looking like the defending champions right now. More sloppy play last night.

 

[pork3]

It is very hard to think of any coach other than Phil, or Pat Riley, or Gregg Popovich, who could come in and tell LeBron that he is the "side-kick", and DWade is the team's main guy. Personally, I think LeBron is the problem. I don't see him ever taking a back seat to anyone even though with his all around skillset, he would be most effective as a facilitator.

There's another coach that comes to mind, Doc Rivers.
The man is direct and doesn't pussyfoot about what's on his mind, which the team appreciates.
For example, before signing Shaq, Rivers made the following clear:

He told O’Neal he may not start. He told O’Neal his skills had declined, so touches won’t be a priority. He told O’Neal he was a liability on pick-and-roll defense. O’Neal sat there with a blank expression, and Rivers thought there was no chance of a deal getting done. There was no way O’Neal would accept that type of criticism and accept a minimum salary as well."

-Jamman

 

[pork3]

I am beginning to think that my preseason prediction, that the top teams in the east would be better than the top teams in the west (with the exception of the Lakers), is going to have to be retracted. The Jazz, Thunder, Spurs, and Hornets are cutting up the best eastern teams.

Stating the obvious here..
But I think predictions based solely off of performance in the regular season should be taken with a grain of salt, based off what we saw last year with the Cavaliers (best record in the league) and the Celtics (subpar performance for much of the latter half of the season).

As for other thoughts, the regular season in the NBA is protracted and should be cut to around 50-60 games...
Ditto for baseball.

-Jamman

 

[gblews]

It is very hard to think of any coach other than Phil, or Pat Riley, or Gregg Popovich, who could come in and tell LeBron that he is the "side-kick", and DWade is the team's main guy. Personally, I think LeBron is the problem. I don't see him ever taking a back seat to anyone even though with his all around skillset, he would be most effective as a facilitator.

There's another coach that comes to mind, Doc Rivers.

Doc's a decent enough coach, but with all due respect, he is not even close to being on the level of Riles, Phil, and Pop. He still needs to prove that his one championship wasn't a fluke. I'm not saying it was, but until proven otherwise, one could make a pretty credible argument to that effect.

The man is direct and doesn't pussyfoot about what's on his mind, which the team appreciates.
For example, before signing Shaq, Rivers made twihe following clear:

He told O’Neal he may not start. He told O’Neal his skills had declined, so touches won’t be a priority. He told O’Neal he was a liability on pick-and-roll defense. O’Neal sat there with a blank expression, and Rivers thought there was no chance of a deal getting done. There was no way O’Neal would accept that type of criticism and accept a minimum salary as well."

Yeah, I read saw this quote this past summer and thought, "props".

 

[Jack Bauer]

The Lakers are not looking like the defending champions right now. More sloppy play last night.

Did they go on vacation or something? They're stinky right now.

 

[pork3]

Doc's a decent enough coach, but with all due respect, he is not even close to being on the level of Riles, Phil, and Pop. He still needs to prove that his one championship wasn't a fluke. I'm not saying it was, but until proven otherwise, one could make a pretty credible argument to that effect.

Well, to be fair, he was a game away from a second championship (not helped by their starting center being injured in game 6), so that should sway opinion towards the first not entirely being a fluke.

Anyways, your initial premise was more directed towards enumerating head coaches who could handle Lebron's megalomania, rather than outlining those with the most successful careers.

-Jamman

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

So anyone watch LeBron's "return" to Cleveland tonight? I'm surprised the fans were so easy on him.

I also liked the Cavs' opening video, stressing the "all for one and one for all" angle. Hint hint.

 

[Danny99]

So anyone watch LeBron's "return" to Cleveland tonight? I'm surprised the fans were so easy on him.

I also liked the Cavs' opening video, stressing the "all for one and one for all" angle. Hint hint.

Leo Rautins on the Raptors half time show made a good point: if LeBron is so hated and so much an enemy now in the city of Cleveland, why was his old teammates out there welcoming him back?

His return was a let down.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

if LeBron is so hated and so much an enemy now in the city of Cleveland, why was his old teammates out there welcoming him back?

Just because his former Cavs teammates welcome him back, doesn't mean the fans have to.

 

[SmoothieX]

Those fans in Cleveland need a life.

Gilbert never surrounded him with anything. He had a better chance to win and improve his brand elsewhere, so he left. Not to mention FL has no state income tax.

Who gives a hot buttered shit.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The problem isn't *that* LeBron left. It's how he did it. It's his acting like an arrogant money grubbing piece of whale shit that makes people hate him.

Plus, he's a damn liar. Remember the "Lyin' King" shirts people had on at the game? They had a quote from him - about how he'll lead Cleveland to a championship and won't stop till they get it. Yeah, right.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I agree with Mr. Laser Beam. LeBron had every right to leave, but he conducted himself like a total douche.

 

[Neroon]

if LeBron is so hated and so much an enemy now in the city of Cleveland, why was his old teammates out there welcoming him back?

Just because his former Cavs teammates welcome him back, doesn't mean the fans have to.

His teammates weren't exactly welcoming James back:

“I think people, from the outside looking in, might say we were laughing and joking with him, but if you could hear the things that were said, you would know that wasn’t the case. There was nothing friendly about the conversation.”

Daniel Gibson, Cavaliers guard, on the verbal byplay between the Cavs and Lebron James during Thursday’s game

 

[gblews]

Doc's a decent enough coach, but with all due respect, he is not even close to being on the level of Riles, Phil, and Pop. He still needs to prove that his one championship wasn't a fluke. I'm not saying it was, but until proven otherwise, one could make a pretty credible argument to that effect.

Well, to be fair, he was a game away from a second championship (not helped by their starting center being injured in game 6), so that should sway opinion towards the first not entirely being a fluke.

One game away, one point away, makes no difference of course. Getting 'close' to a championship isn't the same as winning one. If that wasn't the case, the Lakers would have a bunch of 'close to championship' flags hanging. The Lakers were only 2 games away from a championship 3 seasons ago after playing the ENTIRE Finals without their starting center. So I guess Phil can claim an 'almost 3-Peat' and 11 championships and one 'almost'.

Anyways, your initial premise was more directed towards enumerating head coaches who could handle Lebron's megalomania, rather than outlining those with the most successful careers.

What I meant was, Doc would be a better coach for the Heat this season than Spo, but not nearly as good a coach for the Heat as the 3 guys I mentioned. I assumed you meant Doc would be as good a coach for the Heat as the others and that is why you brought his name up.

 

[1001001]

Lakers need a last second Derek Fisher shot to beat the Clippers?

They have got to get on top of their shit. Bynum can't come back fast enough for me....

 

[SmoothieX]

I think it's more of a case of a veteran team coasting through the regular season and then turning it on come playoff time than some major flaws in the team.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I wanna ask something about Yao Ming.

Are Chinese people known for brittle bones, or at least freakishly large Chinese people?

This is how many stress fracture injuries he's had now?