NBA Thread

[Monkey_Driven]

OKC over Portland in the West
Indiana over Miami in the East
OKC over Indiana in The Finals
PHX beats out Memphis for the final playoff spot in the West

SA fades badly late in the second half of the season and exits first round.

Western Conference playoffs are going to depend entirely on matchups.

[gems and rhinestones]

Heat VS. Rockets

Rockets in 6 games

[Monkey_Driven]

Heat VS. Rockets

Rockets in 6 games

I think the Rockets could get knocked out in the first round depending on the match up.

[red calzolaio]

Heat VS. Rockets

Rockets in 6 games

I think the Rockets could get knocked out in the first round depending on the match up.

most definitely.

[gems and rhinestones]

Heat VS. Rockets

Rockets in 6 games

I think the Rockets could get knocked out in the first round depending on the match up.

I think they could get swept in the first round. It just doesn't feel like the typical NBA season to me, where you know the 2 or 3 teams that have a real chance to win it. If the Lakers were a playoff team I'd just assume the NBA would cheat for them to get Bryant another ring. I don't think Durant is at the cheat for level yet. The Pacers don't have a cheat for guy. That leaves legit basketball, and with the Heat not as good as they have been, I think it's wide open. The Rockets are horrible defensively but I think they have a chance to get hot offensively and win in a season that has no great teams and no '*wink wink, lets get them to the finals" teams.


* Yes I have a loooong soap opera relationship with the NBA.

[Peeps]

You do realize that if the nba was fixed it would have come out in the donaughy case, right?

[verb_to_trust]

This is the same guy that thinks Oden is the second coming. Just smile and slowly and back away....

[gems and rhinestones]

This is the same guy that thinks Oden is the second coming. Just smile and slowly and back away....

You're the same guy who thinks Hibbert is the second coming of Olajuwon. You're probably just feeling a little stupid for not knowing Oden was back in league but it's fine dude, you just hadn't heard yet. I said nothing that hasn't been said before about why the heat signed Oden. I just heard Lebron say the same thing the other night. But Verb to trust knows more than Pat Riley so I better listen.

[gems and rhinestones]

This is the same guy that thinks Oden is the second coming. Just smile and slowly and back away....

Troll

[gems and rhinestones]

Speaking of second comings, do we have any more news on Rose's sore knee?

[red calzolaio]

Oden is in the league?

[verb_to_trust]

Oden is in the league?

He's the key to Miami's 3rd straight title, haven't you heard?

[gems and rhinestones]

Oden is in the league?

Ya, he's not playing much. He's working his minutes up slowly and they are hoping by the time the playoffs come he will be able to play long enough to guard some of the 7 footers they will face. I personally doubt he will make it that long before he gets hurt again but if he can stay healthy it won't be hard for a good defender like Oden to contain guys who only average 11 or so points a game anyway. The deal with the Heat has been that they have nothing at that center spot so 11 a game can end up being 20 a game.

[gems and rhinestones]

Oden is in the league?

He's the key to Miami's 3rd straight title, haven't you heard?

I don't even pick the Heat troll.

[gems and rhinestones]

I have been watching the Heat lately and they seem lazy. A month ago I thought they could win it if they could handle Hibbert. But I was checking nba.com today and that mother fucker is only averaging 11 points a game so Bob Barker could probably hold him to 13. I think a team in the West will win it.

[gems and rhinestones]

Wow, Terrence Ross went for 51 last night.

[Monkey_Driven]

I just want to watch every Durant game from here on out.

[4/5]

The Heat definitely are far from a safe bet to win the title, let alone the East, but let's have some perspective. They're better than they were at this point in the season last year. Now, obviously there won't be a 27 game win streak around the corner this season, but I'd say putting too much stock into how well or poorly the Heat played in the first half of the regular season might not be the best idea. For Miami, the regular season is about getting Wade healthy, finding out if Oden will be able to give them 10 decent minutes a game and if Battier has anything left in the tank. That's a lot of ifs, but there's a lot of time left; that's all I'm saying.

[Electromatic]

The Heat definitely are far from a safe bet to win the title, let alone the East, but let's have some perspective. They're better than they were at this point in the season last year. Now, obviously there won't be a 27 game win streak around the corner this season, but I'd say putting too much stock into how well or poorly the Heat played in the first half of the regular season might not be the best idea. For Miami, the regular season is about getting Wade healthy, finding out if Oden will be able to give them 10 decent minutes a game and if Battier has anything left in the tank. That's a lot of ifs, but there's a lot of time left; that's all I'm saying.

There's only one other team in the east that is capable of beating the heat and that's Indiana. Let me answer the Oden question, yes for the regular season then his knee will be blown out either in the first round against some team that sucks or just prior to the playoffs.

Battier will be fine through this season and he'll contribute to the level of say Mike Miller a few years ago. Wade will get healthy by the playoffs.

I think the heat are still slightly better than Indiana in the playoffs because of James. I guess it just depends on the matchup out of the west.

[4/5]

Battier's been pretty bad so far this season, which has me concerned because his versatility has been huge for Miami the last two years.

I think what you described regarding Oden would be worst case scenario for Miami, worse than if he got hurt right now. When Oden's out there Bosh is able to play the 4 and he has been absolutely lighting it up when gets to do that, whether it's Birdman or Oden at the 5. If Miami thinks they can rely on Oden I think we'll see them starting playing a lot more lineups with Bosh at the 4, which is a major change from the pace-and-space "positionless" basketball they've been playing the past two seasons. Even before Oden started playing, Birdman and Bosh have played together a lot more than in the past. I don't think Spo wants to try to beat Indy again by playing small ball, but without Oden they'd have to try. That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if they're used to playing that style, but if they spend the next 40 games playing bigger I think it could be tough for them to adjust on the fly against the Pacers.

That said, Oden will almost certainly not be the reason the Heat beat, or get beat by, the Pacers.