NBA Playoffs - 2009

[Commander Vaughn]

I wouldn't be so quick to anoint the Lakers champs next year. It's incredibly difficult to repeat as champs in any sport, and the NBA is no different.

The Lakers were hungry this year, and there will be a team next year that will be just as hungry as the Lakers were this year, and the Celtics were last year. It's not always about talent.

 

[Borgminister]

Shaq and LeBron will likely be strong contenders...

 

[Commander Vaughn]

It looks like the Pistons will sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Not exactly the splash I was looking for them to make in free agency. Both players are good, but why tie up 20 million in cap space when you can carry it into the 2010 offseason?

The talent left on the Pistons team can easily get them by for another year. Why spend on mid level talent?

 

[RevDMV]

These signings are defiantly getting a collective wtf

Hopefully the Lakers can keep Ariza, for some reason I see Odom hitting the road.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Artest joins Lakers while Ariza heads to Rockets

 

[1001001]

What a stunning development for Los Angeles.

Artest is not exactly my favorite player. I really hoped Ariza would be re-signed, but it sounds like he tried to play hard ball with the Lakers and they weren't playing.

Artest will be an interesting story. I think this will either go very well or very badly (Dennis Rodman anyone?).

 

[Commander Vaughn]

Artest was a pretty good citizen during his stay in Houston. I wouldn't be surprised if he carried that over into LA. He wants to win a title, and it's amazing what that desire can do to a person's attitude.

 

[gblews]

What a stunning development for Los Angeles.

Artest is not exactly my favorite player. I really hoped Ariza would be re-signed, but it sounds like he tried to play hard ball with the Lakers and they weren't playing.

Artest will be an interesting story. I think this will either go very well or very badly (Dennis Rodman anyone?).

The Rodman situation is not likely to be repeated. It happened partly because of a leadership void (Rambis was the interim coach) and because Rodman had lost most of his skills - except the ones needed to cause trouble.

Artest has long wanted to play for Phil and with Kobe. There certainly is no leadership void on the this Laker team. I loved Trev and hate to see him go, but he won't be the first guy to let an agent talk him into doing something stupid, and we just replaced him with a better player.

 

[Commander Vaughn]

^Artest may be more talented that Ariza, but I don't see Artest making the steals that Ariza did in the playoffs. Mostly because I see Artest being ejected from those games long before he gets a chance to make a steal that late in a game...

 

[Borgminister]

All they gave up was Ariza?

How do they do it, sheesh!

I don't see how the Lakers can lose next year.

 

[RevDMV]

Nice move by the Lakers. Ariza is going to learn to hate his agent at the end of next season while watching the playoffs on TV...

(Note: I like the Rocket's players, injuries have wiped them out though...)

 

[1001001]

^Artest may be more talented that Ariza, but I don't see Artest making the steals that Ariza did in the playoffs. Mostly because I see Artest being ejected from those games long before he gets a chance to make a steal that late in a game...

This is the worst case scenario, but yeah. I'm hoping he'll behave himself.

Nice move by the Lakers. Ariza is going to learn to hate his agent at the end of next season while watching the playoffs on TV...

Exactly.

 

[Borgminister]

Rasheed to Boston. Depending on which Rasheed shows up, could be interesting.

 

[RevDMV]

Some real quality players moving this off season, it'll be fun to see how they all mix together.


And to dig on Ariza one last time. He had a chance to go to Cleveland and then chose Houston? ::bwahh::

 

[SmoothieX]

^Don't forget, there's no state income tax in Texas. That plays into these decisions too.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Rasheed to Boston. Depending on which Rasheed shows up, could be interesting.

Wow.

I don't understand how great teams can continue to get Marquee players (Artest for the Lakers, etc) while middle of the pack teams get very generic players (bad teams, of course, get good draft picks).

 

[RevDMV]

^Don't forget, there's no state income tax in Texas. That plays into these decisions too.

But to take that over the chance to play on two teams (Lakers, Cleavland) that will make runs to a championship.

 

[Commander Vaughn]

Rasheed to Boston. Depending on which Rasheed shows up, could be interesting.

Wow.

I don't understand how great teams can continue to get Marquee players (Artest for the Lakers, etc) while middle of the pack teams get very generic players (bad teams, of course, get good draft picks).

Free agents are motivated by two things. Money and winning. The younger guys typically go for money, while older guys (Rasheed, McDyess, Artest) want to win again. And middle of the road teams typically don't have a lot of money, and aren't in a position to win.

I'd hardly call Rasheed a marquee player anymore though. He completely dogged the last season. Maybe he'll be more motivated in Boston, but I'm not so sure. I'd expect some clashes between Rasheed and Garnett.

 

[gblews]

^Artest may be more talented that Ariza, but I don't see Artest making the steals that Ariza did in the playoffs.

I do.

Because Artest is an even better defender than Trev.

Mostly because I see Artest being ejected from those games long before he gets a chance to make a steal that late in a game...

Are you serious here? You really believe that Artest will be of little value to the Lakers because he will get kicked out of games? Too funny. You're aware that Artest has been pretty much a model citizen since the incident with the Pacers? And that he managed to stay o the court long enough to help the Rockets to pretty good season record and the defeat of an up and coming Portland squad? The Rox didn't even have HCA in that round.

But all of a sudden now, you think he is going to start getting kicked out of games while finally playing for the team, coach, and player, he has dreamed of playing with for several seasons now.

I'm not saying there won't be the occasional game where he gets T'd up and tossed, that happens to lots of guys, but for it to happen so much he won't be of value to the Lakers...do you know how ridiculous that is?

 

[Commander Vaughn]

I enjoy making jokes at the expense of Ron-Ron.