It's NBA time

[TomAz]

Stern deserves disemboweling more than anyone this side of delta.

[Mr. Dylanja]

Dont get me wrong, I like Skinner, but were talkin about the Big Fundamental here, he has no chance. Hell nobody in the league really does, he is THAT good. Or only sliver of hope is that Amare makes it his mission to become a defensive beast and a professional glass cleaner.

[Mr. Dylanja]

Lets hope I eat my words......

MIAMI (AP) - Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire's sore right knee is much better, and he was available to play in Friday night's game against the winless Miami Heat.

Stoudemire said he felt no pain during the team's morning shootaround in Miami.
"I think he'll start. He should," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was just a matter of time. Now it's just getting our team together and getting a little bit better, so it's good to have him back."

Stoudemire, who had arthroscopic surgery on the knee last month to remove a loose particle, sat out Phoenix's previous three games. The Suns went 2-1 in those contests.

"I feel good. Felt great. Today's one of my better days," Stoudemire said after Friday's brief workout.

He had 23 points and 11 rebounds in Phoenix's season-opening win against Seattle, but was largely ineffective the next night in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing with seven points on 2-for-10 shooting and one rebound in 24 minutes.

Stoudemire hasn't played since.

The two-time All-Star played in only three games of the 2005-06 season because of microfracture surgery on his left knee. He returned strongly last year, playing in all 82 regular-season games and averaging 20.4 points and a career-high 9.6 rebounds. Stoudemire also shot 57.5 percent last year, another career best.

Stoudemire had surgery on the right knee once previously, also to remove some debris.

[full on idle]

I thought Rip Hamilton was married.

[captncrzy]

Maybe they broke up or something (or got married, i dunno)..I haven't talked to her in awhile.

[Somewhat Damaged]

What did Stern say that was so douche-y? (google, it turns out, is NOT my friend)

[TomAz]

I love Kevin Garnett but I don't believe the Celtics are as good as the press wants to make them out to be.

I don't care much for Kobe Bryant or Phil Jackson so I hope the Lakers go off on a funk.

I am also skeptical of the Magic, Jazz, and Rockets.

I still think it comes down to the Suns, Spurs, Mavericks, and whoever the refs are betting on.

[Benis23]

I think it just comes down to spurs vs. suns again. The Mavericks got killed by the Warriors last year, and they didn't get any more talent in the offseason, while the Rockets, Nuggets and Suns did.

IMO, the Celtics are more talented than any other team in the east, and they should make it to the finals, but I don't see them beating phoenix or san antonio.

The Rockets and Nuggets are interesting to me with the additions of Bonzi Wells, Scola, and Mike James for the Rockets and Kenyon Martin for the Nuggets. The Rockets problem is they have no interior defense. Yao Ming's defense is horrendous, and Scola's doesn't seem to be much better.

How surprising is it that the Bulls are 2-9? I didn't see that one coming.

[kreutz2112]

Fuck all of you Jazz haters. We are a half a game behind Phoenix and a game ahead of Dallas...I will agree that the Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio are the teams to beat in the west, but you cannot deny that Utah deserves to be on that list. We just blew out the Lakers without two of our starters, one of which leads the Northwest in scoring and is second in the conference. RESPECT.

[TomAz]

I think it's poetic justice that both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are out with sprained ankles. The only thing that would make it complete would be Bruce Bowen being kidnapped and beheaded by Al Qaeda.

[Stefinitely Maybe]

I am going to the Knicks - Cavaliers game next Wednesday in New York. I know nothing about NBA. Could someone please summarise the entire sport for me in one simple post, including current team standings and players I should look out for? Thanks.

[TomAz]

Knicks suck. Cavs are pretty good, they were in the finals last year, they have LeBron James, who is like 21 years old and has 6 billion in the bank.

[downingthief]

I am going to the Knicks - Cavaliers game next Wednesday in New York. I know nothing about NBA. Could someone please summarise the entire sport for me in one simple post, including current team standings and players I should look out for? Thanks.

Stef, make sure you shout loudly with the crowd during the "Fire Isiah" chants.
Isiah Thomas is the coach of the Knicks.

[captncrzy]

Stef, make sure you shout loudly with the crowd during the "Fire Isiah" chants.
Isiah Thomas is the coach of the Knicks.

haha

[Benis23]

I am going to the Knicks - Cavaliers game next Wednesday in New York. I know nothing about NBA. Could someone please summarise the entire sport for me in one simple post, including current team standings and players I should look out for? Thanks.

The Knicks are a disaster. They have the biggest payroll in the league, but their record's terrible - something like 6-14, I think. The Knicks general manager and coach, Isiah Thomas, is possibly the worst GM in the history of the league. He's also been involved in all kinds of off the court scandals, one recent one involving their starting point guard, Stephon Marbury. Marbury hinted that if Isiah took him out of the starting lineup, he would black-mail Isiah with all of the information that he knows about him. Marbury's dad died recently, though, and I don't think that he has come back to play yet.

The Cavs have possibly the best player in the league with Lebron James, but very little else. Daniel Gibson, Larry Hughes, and Ilguaskas are all decent players, but they don't have enough talent to be one of the top teams in the NBA. Right now I think their record is somewhere around .500.

Cavs will definitely be the favorites, and I would expect Lebron to have a big game playing against the Knicks soft defense.

[TomAz]

that's very thorough and only contains 3 errors.. each of which you equivocated so I guess that's ok.

[kreutz2112]

Fuck the drugs thread, lets talk about something that matters. If the Jazz would have lost to Seattle to make it six in a row I would have slit my wrists (vertically). They are playing an equally worse team tonight Atlanta and are currently winning. I am going to go to a bar right now to watch the rest of the game. Fuck San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, LA Lakers, and The Rockets....oh yeah and Denver.

[Bosco]

me tomorrow (technically later today) @ the united center



boo yah

[Abe Lincoln]

Watch out for Wennington's elbows...

[kreutz2112]

If Denver loses tonight and Jazz win we will be back on top. Man the west is tight this year.

[TomAz]

New Orleans is really good.

the west has been better than the east for years, but this year it's absurd. the only good east team is Boston, and they're good because they traded for a bunch of western conference players in the offseason.

[gmoneyak]

Chris Paul is a freak and should be the starting point guard for the West All-stars this year. Since my Twolves aren't going to be relevant for the next 3 years, I might have to jump on the Hornets' bandwagon.

They'll get the 3rd seed behind Dallas and Phoenix. I still think Dallas is one small trade form winning it all this year.

[TomAz]

N.O. is in the same division as Dallas. which means if Dallas wins the division the best they can be is the 4th seed.

Chris Paul is the 2nd best point guard in the West.

[kreutz2112]

3rd.

[TomAz]

you think cassel is better?

[gmoneyak]

N.O. is in the same division as Dallas. which means if Dallas wins the division the best they can be is the 4th seed.

Chris Paul is the 2nd best point guard in the West.

Yeah you're right.. I'm in idiot, 4th seed.

I do think that Paul is playing better than Nash at this point and more valuable to his team. He's the top scorer and leader for a very young team..

He's avg. 20.6pg - 10.7ast- 4reb VS. Nash's 17ppg - 11.9ast - 3reb.

[kreutz2112]

you think cassel is better?

ha....ha....

The numbers may say that Paul is better than Williams, but Williams is much more consistent and shines under pressure. And with the addition of Korver to the line-up Williams now has two very dynamic forwards to work with. Now all we need is some defense in the paint and I hope Damon Stoudamire will contribute that.

[TomAz]

jeez. I thought you were talking about Tony Parker.

[luckyface]

ha....ha....

The numbers may say that Paul is better than Williams, but Williams is much more consistent and shines under pressure. And with the addition of Korver to the line-up Williams now has two very dynamic forwards to work with. Now all we need is some defense in the paint and I hope Damon Stoudamire will contribute that.

Wow, homer much?

Williams is a good player, but let's not get carried away here. Paul is doing more with a much weaker supporting cast.

[kreutz2112]

jeez. I thought you were talking about Tony Parker.

Where am I from again?

EDIT: If you really did not think of Williams then that illustrates the lack of respect Williams get and the lack of respect the Jazz get in general.

Wow, homer much?

Williams is a good player, but let's not get carried away here. Paul is doing more with a much weaker supporting cast.

We will see come playoff time how Paul handles himself.