NBA 2010/11 ("best season ever")

So says David Stern, who obviously refers to the new powerhouse in Miami and all the action and entertainment it might give us. Best season ever? could be so, but it's not just Miami we're talking about:

* Lakers-Celtics: The Lakers are 1 championship away from closing the gap and tie the celtics (16-17), after years of green domination. This is big. It couldn't be any more tense between these two great franchises.

* The Celtics will fight their heart out to keep this advantage and the pride of the celtics, especially after the disappointment of last year's game 7. I think Shaq will get along just fine with those guys.

* Lakers, on the other hand, will try to break their own records and go for a three-peat once again. Phil Jackson is already a walking legend, and if he wins this year as well, well there's not much more you can say. He's not as hungry for it as Doc Rivers, but he would like to have a fitting ending for an outstanding career. Assuming it really is his last year. You never know with this guy.

* Kobe will go for his 6th ring. Jordan has six, and you can bet it will be discussed a lot. Jordan will still be considered the best player ever, but if Kobe will end his career with more rings than Jordan, which is possible now, it will have its effect.

* Watch out for the new kid on the rise! storming in like a thunder, he IS a thunder! Kevin Durant, mark this name. A combination of skills and self confident no other player possess. His team may not be the best out there, but this kid could do wonders. If the Lakers wont make it to the finals, my bet would be on the OC Thunder.

* Not to take anything away from the regular candidates in the West - most notably the Spurs and the Nuggets - but these 2 teams really lack consistency and it's hard to count on them to make it.

* Orlando Magic, now associated with Disney, will try their magic 3 pointers and superhero powers in the paint, namely Howard, one more year. Will it take them past the Celtics and the HEAT? possible, but it will be hard fought.

* Miami HEAT is one big question mark. They might be splendid and they might be terrible. Or just another solid team. It could go either way, only time will tell, and it's just too early to call since it's their 1st season together.

* Game 1 of the season, tomorrow, will have the HEAT @ Celtics. It will be a game to remember. It will be a season to remember. At least I hope so.

nothing on the bulls?

Haha, when I saw your name, I knew exactly that you'll ask that. I want them to do well, but in all honesty, I dont think they got what it takes to go all the way. Derrick Rose is one hell of a talented player, tho he needs to add a little more charisma to his game, just to fire up his teammates if not the audience. The rest of the team is solid, but you know, solid just doesn't cut it. But hey, I hope they prove me wrong!

true true...if anything i expect a 4th seed easily. but, if they some how get carmelo anthony...we could contend with the 1st seed.

I think if Kendrick Perkins hadn't been injured in Game 6, the Celtics would have won that series.

The old Celtics whipped the heralded Heat tonight. It's a long year, and whether it'll be the best ever remains to be seen. But it will certainly be a thrilling year.

I think David Stern is delusional that this will be the best season ever. One of the game's biggest stars was roundly criticized in the way he switched teams in free agency, Stern has openly discussed contracting the league by 20%, and the NBA is in serious jeopardy of facing a lockout next season. From what I have heard/read, the NBA lockout is far more likely than its competition in the NFL.

Hoist on his own petard as far as Stern goes.
They expanded more than the talent pool and interest could really justify. Now they're dealing with the outcome of that. I would also like to see future commissioners limited to no more than 12 years in the job and a retirement plan laid out for Stern. I think the league should drop at least 4 and maybe 6 teams.

If I were a player I would not be interested in giving anything else up, especially after having accepted max salaries.

On the other hand certainly some players abuse the guaranteed contracts, which is another thing that owners would like to revisit. Get hurt and stay paid? Some people (cough- Tracy McGrady) have milked the sweet spot for years...

But do we really want the players to accept the football style "contracts"?
Player: "My hand is broken."
Owner: "Hmm. That's too bad. You're cut."

Player: "This is my bonus year."
Owner: "Yeah, thanks for reminding me. You're cut."

Player: "I have a concussion and internal bleeding."
Owner: "Shirking work, you sissy? You're cut."

Same here. I think the Celtics are a better team, and when I say team - I mean team, not individuals. The Lakers have some really big shot players and you see what they can do, but they just feel like a star collection rather than one tight unit. Doc Rivers likes to mention all the time that his original 5 Celtics starters have never lost a series. This year they have Shaq to fill in. I honestly think they are the best team in the league - IF they'll play their best, the championship is theirs.

hey lilo how did you like the pistons game last night?

While I certainly agree that LeBron's summer festival and the little party with ESPN were nothing to be proud of, I also don't think the anti-LeBron festival that has been going since then is doing any good, either. Time to move on and focus on basketball. All the critics are doing now is giving more and more attention to LeBron.

When Mr. Rodriguez is asked to depart he can take Mr. Joe Donut with him...

NBA Season started well

TNT has record-setting ratings for NBA season opener. Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics is most-watched regular-season game ever on cable.

What if LeBron James decided to stay? You know, what if he had not made a drastic decision? What if he had not done "The Decision?" What if he'd decided to just stay in Cleveland? Would the above press release ever have been drafted?

Answer: Hell to the no. Cue Whitney Houston.

Three days (and nights) deep into this so-far perfect NBA season, and the thought that this could all disappear or come to an end still lingers in the back of my mind. Damn you, David Stern. Damn you, owners. Damn you, Billy Hunter. Damn you, NBPA.

Why can't I enjoy the official NBA comeback without thinking about how soon it all could end? For years the league has been praying for this moment, this post-Jordan moment where it no longer has to desperately rely on or market one superstar player to battle the NFL or NASCAR or Tiger Woods for popularity and love. The moment is here. Time to bask in it.

But ... the collective bargaining agreement between the players and league expires June 30, and we're already hearing the words "lockout" and "cancellation" applied to next season. That's so wrong. Dead wrong.

Thanks to that "B" in NBA standing for business instead of basketball, the only thing I can do is think about how someone in a suit will soon screw this up moment for everyone.

I wonder if they -- the suits -- saw what I saw to open the season?

• The Celtics beat the Heat, then turn around and lose to the Cavs the next night to keep alive the "in any given seven-game series" theory.
• J.J. Hickson for one night replaces LeBron.
• The Lakers show that they finally might have a bench.
• Blake Griffin is finally able to ball.

• Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook put themselves in the Chris Paul-Deron Williams conversation.
• The Thunder and the Bulls give a preview to the possible 2012 Finals.
• Yao Ming returns.
• George Karl returns.
• The Knicks win.
• The Nets win.

• Golden State (Warriors 132) and Houston (Rockets 128) play the game of the year (so far).
• Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry position themselves as the best backcourt since Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton (RIP Pistons connection).
• An ingenious big bobble head campaign comes to life for NBA TV.
• The latest version of the hilarious game show "Who He Play For?".

• Shaquille O'Neal leads the league in free throw percentage (if only for three minutes).
• Orlando twice looks unbeatable.
• The Mavericks look like they could -- with Tyson Chandler as their starting center -- really, possibly, actually shock the world come June.

I wonder if the suits recognize all that this moment really is? After watching all that, how could they not?

The only things that have more momentum than the NBA right now are Apple stock and the Tea Party. Kevin Durant is ascending into that player everyone is going to want to "witness" every moment of his career. Rajon Rondo is on his way to being the reason people watch the Celtics, not the Big Three. Paul is in Year 1 of a two-year contract year.

The NBA is in the cumulus stage of the sports world's version of a perfect storm.

And while LeBron's universally maligned offseason move has come back to haunt him personally, it has been the best thing to happen to the NBA since Jordan came back from his first retirement. Numbers are up and interest is up. I'm not going to sit here and write that LeBron James saved the NBA, but LEBRON JAMES SAVED THE NBA.

People care again. Even if it comes in the form of hate. They care who wins; they no longer care less who loses. What was once mediocrity and evenly distributed apathy is now seen as parity, balance. When Orlando plays Miami (8 p.m. ET on ESPN), it's no longer a regional battle for Florida supremacy or for-the-week Eastern Conference bragging rights. It's now a nationally discussed, Scott Van Pelt Radio Show topic. It's the "Baby, uh, we can't go to the movies or dinner tonight" event.

It's a centerpiece to what the NBA has been looking for since the last lockout in 1998-99. It's Christmas in October, a gift. It's a blessing undisguised. But for some reason I don't think the suits see it that way. They don't see what we -- you and I, the ones who are relishing in this moment, this return -- see.

Instead, they see a future of labor talks, negotiation tactics and power struggles to gain leverage. Balance sheets and contracts are more important to them than the labor put in by players on the court and the people who market the league off the court to get the NBA back to this level.

Logic suggests we should never read too much into a few season-opening games. LeBron and a single press release do not guarantee an immensely bright future, but it's a more promising one than my kids have ever seen.

Logic don't know how long I prayed for this moment to return -- only to have reality set in and remind me that it could all disappear in less than a year.

Damn you, suits.
Scoop Jackson is a columnist for ESPN.com.

When told he sounded a bit exasperated for a head coach after only four games, Kuester didn't exactly disagree.

"This game is played with passion," he said. "And you're in this game to win. So, yeah, four games in, I'm (peeved). I'm not happy. We want to win. I don't care who we put on the floor. … We will figure out a way to win. And that's the most important thing. We have 15 guys in that room — they shouldn't be happy. There's nothing to be happy about."
Getting their attention

If he was trying to get a rise of his players, it worked. But perhaps not in the way you'd like for a team that's lacking stability in so many different ways right now.

Tayshaun Prince, who got into it verbally with some hecklers behind the Pistons bench late in Tuesday night's loss, fired right back at his head coach when told about Kuester's postgame comments.

Lacking vocal leadership?

"That ain't the only thing that's lacking," said Prince, who finished with 10 points, one rebound and one assist against the Celtics. "(Kuester) could put it towards us and we could put it towards him. It can go either way. It starts with all of us. …

"He's right, but at the same time, it goes both ways. We can sit here and continue to get on each other and be vocal. But like I said, the right thing's got to come from him as well as us. It goes both ways. If he wants to say we've gotta be more vocal, he's got to do some things better, too. I mean, obviously, we're 0-4 so it ain't just the team. It's everybody."

He'll get no argument from the announced crowd of 15,313 -- cough, cough -- that was in attendance Tuesday night.

Abandon Ship!!!! Womp-Womp

The Truth scores 20,000 points.

He's the reason I started to give a damn about basketball. Biggest heart in the league.

it's time for people to realize that the game is not about big talents and who's scoring 40 points per game. It's about these guys who put their heart and soul on the floor.

So much for the cakewalk. This is why Stern wasn't that worried. It's a long season and Miami may not be the world beaters that some thought. The article mentions Kurt Rambis. Does anyone remember the clothesline that McHale gave Rambis..

Udonis is upset

MIAMI -- Emotionally shaken and unable to eat or sleep the night after his team was bullied and battered at home by the Utah Jazz, Udonis Haslem barged into Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's office before Wednesday's practice with a strong suggestion.

No, make that a demand.

"He had some things to say to the guys," Spoelstra said of Haslem, the Heat's co-captain, emotional leader and resident enforcer. "We have to hold each other accountable to the standard of how we want to play, and that wasn't it."

Spoelstra was referring to the Heat's lackluster effort in blowing a 22-point lead in Tuesday's 116-114 overtime loss to the Jazz. It was a setback that brought out national critics and raised questions in some circles on everything from Spoelstra's ability to lead to the Heat's focus, commitment and toughness.

Of all the things that got under Haslem's skin -- issues that left him tossing and turning in his bed after the loss -- it's the growing perception that Miami is soft and lacks toughness that ticks him off most. Those are the not-so-endearing labels the Heat carry into Thursday as they look to avenge the season-opening loss to Boston when the teams meet at American Airlines Arena.

"Yeah, that bothers me," Haslem said of the stinging disappointment that drove him into Spoelstra's office. "I wanted to know what I could do to help bring that edge back. That's the question. It wasn't about pointing fingers at anybody. But I wanted [Spoelstra] to criticize me, and tell me what I can do as the captain. Part of my fabric is to bring that defensive intensity, that toughness. And it hasn't been quite where I want it to be, or where it should be. Sometimes we have it and sometimes we don't."

But neither the players nor the coaches could flat-out deny that the description sort of fits, especially with the much-hyped Heat sitting at a near-mediocre 5-3, with only one of those victories against a team with a winning record. In each of the losses, there was a moment when Miami was smacked in the mouth. And each time the Heat were hit, they buckled, stumbled and ultimately tapped out.

What followed Haslem's meeting with Spoelstra was a plea for each player to "find something to get [ticked] off about" every time they step on the court from now on. No more laid-back, nonchalant attitudes. No more deferring. No more excuses. No more talk about how chemistry will come in 20 or so games. Instead, there should be an expectation for urgency. Not later. Now.

Toughness and tenacity typically haven't been optional accessories for teams molded by Pat Riley. They've been as mandatory as marathon practice sessions and blood stains on team workout gear. Those Showtime Lakers in the 1980s didn't back down from scrums. Kurt Rambis and Michael Cooper wouldn't allow it. And Riley's New York Knicks of the 1990s operated on hard fouls and an opponent's healthy fear of driving the lane. Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason were linebackers masquerading as forwards. And even Riley's early Heat teams were anchored by Alonzo Mourning's intimidating defensive presence and Tim Hardaway's mental toughness.

But this current Heat team is clearly built on talent. Toughness might be an acquired taste. The Heat never had a bigger collection of stars than they have now with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The question amid this early adversity is whether this star-studded team will develop a sting.

"You have to anticipate that teams are going to be physical with us -- are going to try to make the game ugly," Bosh said. "We have to be ready for that. Sometimes you get hard fouls. I'm not saying play dirty and get flagrant fouls and lose your money. But you can foul hard. You can have a no-layup mentality sometimes. Nothing wrong with that. We can look for more opportunities to get that done."

James said opponents have been intent on roughing up the Heat in recent games. Some of the evidence has been obvious. During Miami's 96-93 loss at New Orleans on Friday, James drove for a dunk late in the second quarter. After the play, point guard Chris Paul pointed at his forearm and shouted for reserve center Jason Smith to aggressively foul James the next time he swooped in to attempt a dunk.

"Teams are being a little chippy with us," James said. "We have to see how the game is being played and maybe do the same. We know what our identity is. Mentally prepared is how we are."

In the Heat's next game at home a night later, New Jersey Nets coach Avery Johnson chastised his team during timeouts for being too soft on the Heat. Later in the game, forward Terrence Williams was assessed a flagrant foul when he hip-checked James four rows into the stands on a fast-break attempt....

Hilarious tweet from Paul Pierce after the Celtics beat the Heat for the second time last night:

Wonder if Gloria James is using her "talents" in South Beach too.

Great article by a LeBron hater:
Miami mice

"No one ever cared whether House missed a week’s worth of 3-pointers in the past. Now it’s dissected and digested everywhere."

Western Conference is a joke

One of the biggest misconceptions and outright falsehoods out there is that the Western Conference is superior to the Eastern Conference in the NBA. For the past three years, it’s been a fight that I’ve had to take on with little reinforcement, due to the fact that records don’t lie, or that the West is more competitive, and more jargon that looks true on the surface and to the butt-naked eye. However, when you see the same team not only represents their conference in the Finals three years in a row, but they also face virtually zero real opposition on the way there, why should I be blown away by them?

The Lakers not only made the NBA Finals three times, but they had three different versions of their team (one soft as tissue paper in ’08, one soft as tissue paper but they were experienced in ’09, and one that was battle-tested and somewhat tougher in ’10), yet no one was able to keep them from making the Finals. That’s competitive? Simply put, the West is a fraud, and this season will serve as even more evidence of this ugly and all-knowing truth...

Evidently Tony Parker was parking something in Brent Barry's wife...

I don't care for Drew Sharp that much. Too negative. But he's right on this.

Break Them Up

This was ugly Wednesday night.

There was as much Lakers gold in the Palace as there was Pistons red, blue and white. But the ultimate indignity came when an increasingly sparse crowd serenaded Kobe Bryant with the "MVP" chant as he shot free throws in the third quarter.

"I'm not going to lie to you," Pistons coach John Kuester said, "I'm disappointed."

How about humiliated?

It wasn't so long ago that the Lakers' annual visit to Auburn Hills was a measuring stick as to where the Pistons ranked among the league elite. But Bryant was already icing his knees for the night when the fourth quarter rolled around, telling you all you needed to know about the game's outcome.

The Lakers took pity on the Pistons, winning by 13 (103-90), but it could easily have been by 30.

A good day for the Pistons isn't measured in the number of wins but rather the number of players still talking to the coach...

Why can't NBA players respect each other in the fidelity department?

They seem to have a higher incidence of boinking each others wives, than guys in other professions. I'd like to see a study that compares them to guys who work together in an office, or at a car wash for that matter.

so, delonte west did some original?

I'm going back to half the Mavericks fighting over Toni Braxton back in the '90s.

I always liked her, though (more than Jason Kidd, anyway ). I was shocked when I read that she's over 50 million dollars in debt today, and living the life of an "ordinary" person.

Supposedly back in the day Vinnie Johnson got to know Dennis Rodman's wife.
But to be fair, lots of people did...

Rodman is truly a disturbed man , PB.....

Ya think?

but, he is a great bulls player

It's always the guy who retaliates who gets busted. I think that given what was going down this would have been a good no-call situation. Or maybe the refs could take both guys aside and tell them to quit the bs.

Andre Miller Suspended for Blake Griffin Altercation

It's not all Kuester's fault though he isn't helping. Dumars created a unbalanced and unmotivated roster. And the young player with the most upside (Jerebko) at either forward spot is out for the year.

And Dumars knows the roster isn't that good because when he hired Kuester, Dumars was asked why he didn't get a bigger name coach. I'm paraphrasing but basically Dumars responded that the Pistons weren't really ready for a big name coach and wouldn't be for a few years.

Oh well, Kuester knew the deal when he took the job. And he's well paid to suffer such criticism.

Blame Kuester

Brooklyn New Yorkers?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_do...?urn=nba-295887

It has a ring to it.

All it took is one guy like Amare to get the Knicks on the roll. You have to wonder why they waited 6 years of playoff-absence, but it's still too early to call how good they are. Tonight's game against the Celtics should be interesting.

Yeah lets not get ahead of ourselves here. I'm glad the Knicks are winning, because I'm of the school of thought that the NBA as a whole wins when a storied franchise like the New York Knickerbockers win. It's good for basketball.

But remember a few years ago when an Isiah Thomas-coached Knicks had a shot of making the playoffs? For reward they gave him a contract extension, and well...you know what happened next.

I'm not a huge BB fan, but last night's Knicks/Celtics game was the best Knick game I've seen in 15 years.

I agree, Lou. And I thought Stoudemire got the shot off on time .

I didn't think he got it off on time, and I was surprised it was as close as it was. I knew as soon as he paused to set himself there was no way he was getting it off in .4 secs.

I believe the Celtics didn't quite believe in the Knicks hype. Since a good (too large) portion of the Eastern Conference is just garbage, they probably figure any OK team can beat up on the terrible clubs and come off as gold. Right Miami?

Well the Knicks lost, but they made the old Celtics sweat who lost Rondo in the process.

Won't say they're back yet, but for once since the Clinton Administration, Spike Lee can be a fanboy dick in the stands more than just for the sake of it.

The Knicks's image of "losers" will never go away unless there's some concrete results. Only playoff will tell. For now, despite recent losses, it sure looks better than previous years. Of course, people still dream of a day when we'll see the Lakers and the Knicks in a rivalry, as in NY Vs LA type of clash, but that's so far away right now. As long as the big three of Boston still playing, it's hard to see any other eastern team leading the coast.

But it sure would be nice to see Spike Lee and Jack Nicholson in a great rivalry

Heat beat Lakers in Christmas Game.

Was this more Heat winning or Lakers losing it?

I always thought that LA benefited in last year's finals from their size up front and a officiating crew that was reluctant to call offensive fouls on Gasol, Bynum and Odom.

Miami is younger than LA, has about as much size and wanted to run more. So they won. It's way too early to call them a better team than LA but I definitely think this was more about Miami winning than LA losing. Miami has more options and is starting to learn how to use them effectively. The next challenge for Miami will be to move Miller into the lineup without upsetting the balance.

Lakers are not playing too grand lately, but they're still in the safe zone for playoffs.

Laker's bench, Bynum aside, is not the best in the league.

But if the 5 starters, Bryant-Gasol-Odom-Fisher-Artest play their best basketball....I think Miami will not be good enough to beat them in a finals series. I doubt Miami will even make it to the conf finals this year, but we'll see, they're still not a complete team.

The Xmas game was no more than that. One single game can't say much. It's a shame they'll only meet one more time before the playoffs, considering each team plays 82 games.

For once, I actually have to agree with Lebron that there are too many teams in the NBA. The difference between the top teams and the bottom ones is so huge, that you already know before the season starts which teams will be at the bottom, and that's a little sad. They'll be better off if they open another league for these teams to compete in their own level.

What do you guys think?

This wouldn't really do a whole lot for us but you have to start somewhere.


Pistons appear close to trading Richard Hamilton
Vincent Goodwill / The Detroit News

Chicago— The Richard Hamilton era in Motown could be close to over.

Hamilton, a Piston for nine years, could be traded to the New Jersey Nets for forward Troy Murphy, according to sources. The Nets also would land Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony and former Piston Chauncey Billups from the Nuggets.

The Pistons, especially in the midst of a sale, could use the salary-cap savings. Hamilton makes $12.6 million this season and next, and $9 million guaranteed in 2012-13. Murphy's contract ($11.9 million) expires after this season. With the contracts of forward Tayshaun Prince and Chris Wilcox expiring as well, the Pistons would shed $29 million in salary come the offseason. Rodney Stuckey also will be a free agent after this season.

The Nets originally proposed trading Murphy and Johan Petro for Hamilton and a first-round pick, but the Pistons didn't want to give up a first-round pick, particularly with the possibility of that pick being in the top 10. The Nets have backed off that demand in their desperation to pull Anthony into the fold.

All told, the Pistons would receive Murphy, and the Nuggets would receive guards Devin Harris and Anthony Morrow, two first-round picks and power forward Derrick Favors, the third pick in the 2010 draft. Other players would be involved to make money match on all sides.

Full Article

That reported 15 player(!??) trade....am I the only one who thinks it's kinda...stupid?

Maybe. All we (Pistons) want is to drop salary and start to balance the team. So I'm for that.

Two things:

(1) Congrats to future HOFer Ray Allen for breaking the all-time record for 3 pointers. I was flabbergasted how ESPN poo-pooed it, but this is an impressive achievement and consider the man Allen surpassed to own that record: Reggie Miller.

#3 on that list, btw, is Jason Kidd. Another great player that'll join Springfield too I'm sure.

(2) Does anyone have a clear idea what happened in Utah? was Jerry Sloan forced out by Darren Williams, or was it Sloan just alienated by management? Either way hated to see that Hall of Fame coach go, and like this.

(1) ESPN always does this crap...all you see is the big game, scores, scandels involving minorities, and the usaul cast of favre, brady, lebron, and jeter.

(2) it might be a combination of both because d. williams even said that what happened during half time against the bulls might have been the tipping point. it's really sad, but he might go to the front office next season.

I bet on 4 games tonight and won them all. I even put money on Cleveland hahah...and I love the Lakers!

Can I write off Lakers as going back to the Finals? I mean what the hell?

Yeah I know, I didn't expect to see Cleveland win, but the payout was too tempting. I am however rooting for the Lakers to go all the way and I'm strongly considering putting my money on them. I'm not too worried about San Antonio. It all comes down to the East. I think Chicago will be shot down pretty quickly, but I think the teams who really have what it takes are Boston and Orlando. We'll see what happens.

The Lakers have some issues, but I'd never count out a team with Kobe Bryant on it.

what about that one laker team a couple years back when phil wasn't coaching?

oh come on! so Kobe isn't that good? I really thought he had erased any doubts about him.

Speaking of bullshit, how about Reggie Miller not just getting snubbed for the HOF, but not even a finalist on the ballot?

I mean Chris Mullin and Dennis Rodman, you can make decent arguments why they're HOF worthy. But Miller was better than those two combined.

I used to hate the guy, but I had to stop and let go of the hate. It's never easy to hate the best player. Today, I adore him.

And The Lakers have made me more money than any job I've ever had. If I believed in God, I'd pray for the Lakers every night.

Ronnie, did Rodman and Mullin get in? I agree with you that Miller was a far superior player. He was easily etter than both of these players. Mullin was a brilliant collegiate player, who worked himself into a very productive pro, and Rodman was a great defensive player, whose game seemed to be dedicated to rebounding. They are marginal hall of famers, and I think Rodman falls short of being a Hall of Famer. But Millerwas an all-time great, and I would have assumed his entry into the Hall was a lock.

No the inductees won't be announced until March. Only the Finalists eligible for election list by vote of the HOF was announced.

I know Miller in his heyday was hated by rivals (especially Knicks players/fans), but I don't know.

I'm reminded of Roberto Alomar snubbed in his first year eligibility for Baseball HOF as basically payback for him being a dick (i.e. the infamous "spitting" incident.) But he got in the next year.

Mellow's going to New York. Fahhk. Bulls just lost a place in the standings.

in a couple years, but they have nothing to fear from the knicks.

Great news for the wonderful city of New York. For the first time in my life, I can root for the Knicks and not be ashamed about it.

I still think Knicks gave up too much for the overrated Carmelo.

Palace Revolt

PHILADELPHIA – The drama never stops with the Pistons.
In what team sources termed some type of player protest, Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox were missing from this morning’s shootaround before tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye missed the team bus as well, but they did arrive toward the end of the media session.

only 6 players played last night, and my guess is that ben wallace won't be coming back after his brother passed away.

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/johnniyoblog/index.php
It's an impossible situation. To be honest I have only watched a handful of Pistons' games all the way through this season.
I don't think Kuester is a very good coach but Dumars gave him a crappy team. All we have are shooting guards, small forwards and undersized tweeners.

It is a challenge to do it-to lead grown men and make them want to perform for you when many of them make more money than you do and can't be fired by you but Kuester knew that when he signed up.

I sort of think Dumars cut Kuester off at the knees at the beginning of the season when a reporter asked Dumars why he hired a relative no-name like Kuester instead of a fellow with more cachet and Dumars said the Pistons weren't ready for a big time coach yet but maybe would be in a few years.

If I'm Kuester that's hardly a ringing endorsement from the boss.
But again, he's well paid to eat s***.

The last "strong" coaches we had were Larry Brown and Rick Carlisle. They weren't always liked but players did what they were told, mostly.

Again, we're not on the inside. Maybe Kuester said something about someone's mother. That aside, those guys are paid to practice and play. I don't know if the CBA allows fining for unexcused missed practices. I'm sure it must. Either way Dumars must right the ship-especially if he still wants to keep his job once the team is sold (unlikely)

About a week prior to his banishment to the Detroit Pistons’ bench in January, Richard Hamilton berated coach John Kuester in a jarring and expletive-filled diatribe on the practice court, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

As stunned coaches and teammates watched, Hamilton bellowed at Kuester that he had been a failure in his two seasons in Detroit, blown the opportunity the franchise afforded him and was nothing more than a career assistant coach, sources said. Despite Hamilton yelling within inches of him, Kuester didn’t respond.
Pistons coach John Kuester has played Richard Hamilton in one game since Jan. 10.

Several of the team’s younger players were mortified watching it and privately told agents and associates they wished they had the courage to stand up, confront Hamilton and try to take control back from the disgruntled veteran. Nevertheless, Hamilton influences a powerful lobby in the Pistons’ locker room, including veteran leaders Tayshaun Prince and Ben Wallace.

Hamilton-Kuester Conflict

i heard that they attempted to buy out hamilton, so he could sign with the bulls, but he decided to stay on the bench to get paid in full.

That's correct. It all goes back to some critical mistakes by Joe D (not just Darko) but re-signing Hamilton to that long contract before trading Billups and trying to make Stuckey into a point guard. In the offseason, Joe or perhaps a new GM will have an opportunity to shed some salary and rebalance the team.

I was @ that Sixers game Friday night. Sittin courtside right behind the hoop! I didn't find out about the "protest" until I got home Friday night. Either way, I'm pumped about my Sixers baby!

Fuckin' bum.

The Mavs have the best road record in the league and have won 13 of 14 overall. The Sixers have won 13 of 17 and are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. Dallas @ Philly tonight...should be a good game, I hope. I am interested in seeing 6th Man of the Year candidates Lou Williams and Jason Terry duke it out.

Not exactly breaking news, but the Miami Heat can't win the title when they're give or take .500 against winning teams.

You can't.

they can't beat the elite teams either

Sixers get another W. Iggy gets another triple-double. IGGY!

I thought this was a satire article but evidently it wasn't.
There are very limited times when it's appropriate for a grown man to weep. Losing a basketball game isn't one of them.


It's safe to say the Miami Heat took Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bulls harder than some of their noted fair-weather fans. According to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, several Miami players were reduced to tears following the team's 87-86 loss to the Bulls.....

Act Like a Man!!!!

So now I feel like a fool for counting out the Lakers, and then they go and fucking destroy the Spurs, the best team in the league.

And considering the Heat are already crying after regular season games, we're another loss or two away from them staying in bed for a week and eating cartons of Haagen-Dazs while watching "Sex And The City" DVDs...

Don't break the code!!!

There's no crying in basketball!

Two crazy games tomorrow night. Lakers@Miami and NYK@Dallas. I'm seriously considering putting a nice sum on the Lakers. It's just this feeling I have and whenever I get it, I tend to lose big. Still, I could win! That's the beauty of gambling.

Seven years ago, former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Kim Hughes was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the ensuing aftermath will change the way you feel about several NBA types significantly.

Up until Tuesday afternoon, the only functional knowledge I had of former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Kim Hughes was that he was, in fact, a former Los Angeles Clippers head coach, and that he once touched his elbows on the rim in a lay-up line at a high school tournament in Illinois, which really impressed my father.

Beyond that, nothing. Until Tuesday afternoon, when Howard Beck brought this column to Trey Kerby's attention, and he brought it to our attention. And now we're passing the feel-good savings on to you, in the form of an anecdote that reveals that NBA players Corey Maggette, Marko Jaric, Chris Kaman and Elton Brand all chipped in to pay for expensive life-saving surgery for Hughes, after the Clippers organization (read: Donald Sterling, noted worst person in the world) declined to cover the costs.

Declined to cover the cost of a surgery that would save their employee's life. While playing rent-free in an often sold-out arena in America's second-biggest television market. Unyieldingly evil.

Gary Woelfel has the original story:
"Those guys saved my life," Hughes said. "They paid the whole medical bill. It was like $70,000 or more. It wasn't cheap.
Players chip in to save coaches life; owner declines

Following up to that, here is a piece that illuminates why I think Stern needs to depart.

It's not that he may not be a very nice person. I don't think "nice" people necessarily make great leaders. It's that like anyone who's been at the top too long he starts to think that he is the organization and that he is indispensable. He's been there what, 27 years? That's way too long. They should have the commissioner have five or six year terms and be limited to no more than three. 15-18 years is long enough to give stability and put your mark on things.

I see that Scottie Pippen has finally recovered from his migraine headache. He has removed his lips from Jordan's hindparts long enough to run his mouth about the Bad Boys.

The unofficial end of the Bad Boys came in the spring of 1991 when the Michael Jordan-led Bulls capped their 4-0 sweep of the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals at The Palace.

That's when Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and other Pistons walked past the Bulls' bench en route to the locker rooms before the game ended; they refused to shake hands with their opponent. The boycott was in response to disparaging remarks Jordan made earlier in the series about the Pistons' two-year reign atop the NBA. Many years later, Thomas apologized for not displaying sportsmanship.

I wish he hadn't.

Bulls forward Scottie Pippen opened up old wounds recently when he called the Pistons a dirty team. Those words coincided with what Jordan said in 1991 after the Bulls went up 3-0 against the Pistons in the series. Jordan sat in the risers behind the visitor's basket and blistered the Pistons for 20 minutes. He called them bad champions and said they were bad for basketball.

Old wounds
That's why the Pistons walked out. But everybody forgets that. They simply believe the Pistons were poor sports and sore losers. I applauded them for walking out then and I applaud it today, and I'm sorry to see that Thomas apologized to someone who had no respect for the Bad Boys.

Now Pippen has opened his mouth.
"The Pistons were a nasty team," Pippen told the Chicago Sun-Times. "They'd go out of their way to be mean and try to hurt you. And because we had better athletes, coach Chuck Daly just let them play the way they had to play to win."

Pippen also said the Pistons were classless.

"It was gratifying to see the Pistons walk off the court before that last game ended," he said. "We didn't expect anything less because they were a classless organization and everybody saw they were a classless team. I didn't care to shake their hands anyway."

Those words do not sit well with Bad Boys John Salley and Thomas. They took pride in playing the game with mental and physical toughness.

"They're still talking about us 22 years later," Salley said.

Thomas said: "It's his opinion. Whatever. All I know is at the end of the day we beat them more times than they beat us."

People forget or never knew that the Celtics walked out on the Pistons in the 1988 Eastern Conference finals when the Pistons advanced to their first NBA Finals. All the networks showed, however, were clips of Kevin McHale telling Thomas to not be content with just being in the NBA Finals, but to go win it. That conversation only happened because McHale and Thomas had been acquaintances since high school. Meanwhile, many of McHale's teammates were already in the locker rooms, leaving Adrian Dantley standing at the free-throw line with about a minute left.

On second thought
Thomas now says the Pistons should have taken the high road even though he was angry about losing and angry about Jordan blistering their legacy.

"I'm not trying to justify what we did and say it was right," Thomas said. "In that era when you lost you walked off the court. Should we have walked off the court? Probably not. We should have taken the high road. Should we have shaken hands? Probably. It probably would have supported more sportsmanship. If all of us had a chance to do it over again we would want to set and give a better example."

Thomas said the Pistons were pupils of the Celtics. The two teams were locked in tough battles for years. But the Celtics with Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and McHale were the superior team until 1988. That's when the tide turned. And when the Celtics crashed, they walked.

The Pistons advanced to three straight NBA Finals, winning titles in 1989 and 1990.

"We probably hadn't won enough championships to earn that walk-off and didn't have enough tradition to earn that walk-off," Thomas said. "Boston did because of what Bill Russell did and what Red Auerbach did. They earned that walk-off. We probably hadn't earned that right after winning just two championships."

Like Thomas said, everybody is entitled to their opinion.

And I disagree.
terry.foster@detnews.com
http://detnews.com/article/20110329/OPIN...1#ixzz1I0mxS2WO

John Salley quote:
They were more athletic -- and they were younger," Salley said. "But obviously not smarter because we're not talking about him 22 years later. He's talking about us."

"Guys who said we played dirty couldn't have played in the '80s and the '70s. I watched those games in the '80s and '70s, and it's how I learned to play that hard. You fouled a guy who needs to be fouled. If he's going to the basket, you don't give a knick-knack foul and then argue with the ref. You foul him so he knows, so the next guy coming behind him knows, so his team knows you can't go in the lane. …

"We beat them psychologically, and obviously it's still working."

Let it go, Lilo. The Bad Boys were over 20 years ago. Salley's a talking head now. Isaiah turned out to be repugnant. And Dumars apparently ate Laimbeer. Your youth is over. Get over it .

any comment on dennis rodman?

She's nuts.

and a hall of famer

Dennis Rodman - Hall of Famer.

Tom Gores should let Joe Dumars try to mend Pistons

Tom Gores has made a lucrative career of raising the downtrodden, business-wise. That could bode well, because the Pistons need lots of raising, more than they need razing.

The Pistons need help, in dollars and direction. Gores, who purchased the team Friday, is expected to provide it. This could be a major infusion in the Detroit sports scene, as long as Gores and his people handle it correctly.

How different will it be? Well, Detroit hasn't had a new owner of its four pro sports teams since 1992, when Mike Ilitch bought the Tigers. Ilitch, 81, has owned the Red Wings since 1982. William Clay Ford Sr., 85, has owned the Lions since 1964.

Gores, 46, outbid Ilitch for the Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment properties, and that represents an interesting shift in logistics. The Ilitches' hopes of building a downtown arena to house the Wings and Pistons is dampened, and that's too bad.

But it's good that Gores has energy and basketball passion, and you figure he can match Ilitch's competitive passion. He's a self-made billionaire financier who knows the area, grew up in Flint and attended Michigan State. He's also a Hollywood guy, and his Platinum Equity firm, which deals in mergers and acquisitions, is headquartered in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The Gores story is a stirring tale: born in Israel, emigrated to Flint when he was 5 and worked as a janitor and telemarketer to pay his way through college. You don't climb this high without knowing how to deal with people and having a savvy business sense....


Full Article

Alright so, with the playoffs all set and ready to rumble, bring on your predictions! I'll start:

Chicago - Indiana
Chicago, 4-0. Chicago's dream-season will be tested in the playoffs, but I doubt the Pacers will be hard to beat. Rose will be MVP. Stan Van Gundy thinks Howard is just as good...but Rose will take it.

Orlando - Atlanta
Orlando, 4-1. Atlanta is always one step behind the big teams, I dont think this year will prove any different.

Boston - Knicks
Boston, 4-2. This should be interesting. Boston is not the same team without Perkins, and lately they look terrible, but playoffs are always a whole new different game. The Knicks have this new trio, but it will take more than Carmelo and Amare to beat the Celtics.

Miami - Philadelphia
Miami, 4-0. I think this will be easy for Wade and Lebron.

San Antonio - Memphis

Spurs, 4-0. Again, this should be easy.

Oklahoma City - Denver
Thunders, 4-2. Melo-less Denver is lookin alright, but OKC is strong and solid team, I even think they'll make it to the finals.

Dallas-Portland

Dallas, 4-0.

Lakers-New Orleans

Lakers, 4-0. Too many sweeps, I know, but first rounds are like that...sometimes.

So anyway, that's just my bet. What's your prediction?

Chicago takes the series in a sweep
Atlanta wins in 6 games
Boston 7 games
Miami in 6 games (sadly)
Memphis in 7 games (yea i said it)
Olkahoma City in 5 games
Dallas sweep
Lakers sweep

The Magic should be disgraced by their play yesterday. You guys are a better team than the Hawks.

I say the same for the Bulls. Sure you beat the Pacers, but they're the fucking 8th seed. If you have trouble dispatching the dregs of the lesser of the two NBA Conferences, you don't deserve to advance very far.

(Are the Magic trying to be the Dallas Mavericks of the East? Always talented, always playoff-bound, always primed to step forward and win it all finally...only to always fall short. As expected.)

since the firing of their head coach and rise of tyler hansbrough, they have been a tough team (and no where near a terrible team).

The Fakers show their true nature.
I actually think it might be better for the game if they let people fight after things like this. Would Bynum have done this to a larger player? Anyway I'm glad LA lost this series. If Bynum wanted to fight, go fight for an offensive rebound.

Buh bye, Kobe .

Kumbaya, Phil, you overrated old hippie. Now you can go smoke pot and chant to the Buddha on a nude commune somewhere for the rest of your life .

Oh lighten up .

I would if the Lakers weren't my team. For years I've been rooting for them like a sick maniac. At one point, they almost made me a rich man . However, I'm glad the Heat are still in this. Back when they won in 2006, I was heavily rooting for them. Not just because of Wade, but also because I furiously hate the Mavericks. Especially their owner. I'd like to beat him with a sock full of nickels.

Eh, I was just throwing Lilo a bone. As an ancient old Pistons fan, my man loathes the Lakers. And I can call Lilo ancient because I'm older than he is .

That's right. Not a Lakers fan...
Remember this phantom foul on Laimbeer? Worst call of all time.

Jerry West chimes in.

it would be so funny if phil decides to coach the knicks after next season

West is a class act. As a Knicks fan, I've always loathed the Lakers myself. But I always liked Jerry.

surely the Lakers took it to another level but that was not the first time I've seen a team lose without even putting up a fight lately in the NBA.

I don't watch much NBA anymore but among the few playoff games I did see this season, I've seen the Magic give up a series to the Hawks as if it was no big deal and the Knicks come out as a high school team against the Celtics, although that one I'm not sure it's the players fault or if they are really a high school team compared to a real NBA team.

these thuggish, millionaire, lackluster players finished the NBA for me. my last hope was to watch an epic Celtics-Heat series but no too...

Knicks lost because Boston was the better team.

As for your opinion about the players, let me show you the contrast: the players on the Memphis and Oklahoma City teams. Or hell even Dallas for that matter. They're hustling and haulin' ass, they want to win, they're hungry, they're not simply looking up for the next endorsement commercial shoot. (Memphis especially.)

Doesn't that make an impression on you?

Never have I seen such a gutless series from a superstar in the NBA Finals as what LeBron James just did. Larry Bird, Jordan, Kobe, and Magic never had such a wretched series.

LeBron: on behalf of the city of Cleveland, you deserve EVERY bad thing and all the criticism that will be coming your way.

That video of him and Lebron mocking Dirk's sickness, and then lose the next two (games and series) is going to haunt Lebron for a very very very long time.

Stat of the night:

The better TEAM won. The old saying goes that a team is greater than the sum of its parts. Boy, was that ever true this year. The Heat may have the best individuals, but they're a long way from being the best team.

Lebron showed zero class, as usual. But I was a bit surprised that Wade stooped to Lebron's level in mocking Dirk because Wade's always been a classy kid. The legacy of the "Big Three" down there is in ruins right now. And it will stay that way until they win a championship.

Hooray for Jason Kidd. Finally!

Yay to the Cavs. I can't stand Lebron. Maybe his mother will go all ghetto on Dirk.

I can't help but think of plawrence when I hear of Jason Kidd. He was on plaw's favorite team, The Nets. Lord knows he would never get a ring playing for that team.

It has been great hearing all the national media pile on LeBron today. I truly believe that he does not understand what a true commitment it takes to be a champion. Where has the player who single-handedly beat Detroit in '07 gone? He has withered under the bright lights like no athlete other than A-Rod under the pressure.

How long until he and Wade are at odds?

I think LeBron will get a ring eventually. It takes time. I think he's still younger than Jordan by 2 years when Jordan got his first.

Sometimes people just have bad games/bad series-remember "Tragic Magic" in 1984?

I didn't take his post-game comments as offensive. He lost but life goes on. They lost to a better more cohesive team. For all intents and purposes LeBron and Wade play the same position on the floor no matter what they are called so they need to do something about that.

I didn't really care who won but I was kinda happy to see Carlisle get one if for no other reason than I thought Davidson fired him for the wrong reasons.

Fair point, but both of those players (and for that matter Dwayne Wade too) played college basketball. Jordan and Magic also played and won a national title in college.

LeBron's biggest problem is that everything about his game has come easily because of his natural talent. He was heads and tails better than anyone at the high school level, so he was never challenged until he reached the pros. But he's never had to be mentally tough. He ALWAYS caught a break in Cleveland with the excuse of "yeah, but look at the talent around him." Now LeBron has clearly run out of legitimate excuses.

His confidence was clearly damaged in this series and he could not let his natural ability to shine. Whether he wins a title or not, he still is the biggest reason why the Heat did not win this series. He played very well most of the season until this point. But when it mattered most, he CHOKED.

We had jokes all over the place, soap-operas plots and scandals, you name it. Mocking Dirk was so wrong and stupid, no argument there. But on the other hand, criticizing the heat for celebrating good momentum mid-game was no more than silly, I'll show you great athletes all over the world do that during games to motivate themselves, there's nothing wrong about that, but hey that's another storyline because they ended up losing that game... A goddamn circus cos basketball alone was just not enough. And don't get me wrong, Im in no way a fan of LeBron or the heat, but this hate-fest is getting old. Too bad there was a lot more about the heat than the Mavs.

"I asked LeBron for a dollar, and he gave me 75 cents. He doesn't have the last quarter"

"LeBron is 26, looks 36, and acts 16"

etc etc.

He's the most hated athlete, made the heat the most hated team, but the more you talk about him, the less you talk about how great was Dirk. The more you talk about the heat, the less you talk about the mavs. Maybe we should say instead how awesome were those mavs! and sadly I hardly hear that.

Now Dirk was unbelievable. Pure shooter, perhaps the best in the league together with Kobe and Durant. But not just shooting - plenty of character in every aspect of the game. And even when he had 1 for 12 in that first half, he still kept on shooting, and that's why he deserves this MVP. I'm glad he's finally champion. Terry and Kidd did their work bigtime as well, but I was mostly impressed with Barea. This little guy was fearless, from in or from outside the guy just delivered.

I got plenty more to say about the rest of the playoffs, and the entire season, but I'll do it next time.

Speaking of that here is a column that is a version of a recent radio show Albom did..

BY MITCH ALBOM
DETROIT FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

A Dallas basketball team won the NBA title last week, but to hear most people tell the story, LeBron James lost it.

They say it with glee.
"LeBron thought he was so great. Ha-ha. Look at how he messed up at the end!"

All across the country, people rejoiced in the comeuppance of LeBron and his Miami Heat teammates, who had banded together through free agency to try to build a super team. It's not exactly a crime. But the hubris they showed, people said, turned public opinion against them.

So much so that far more people were rooting for Miami to crumble than were actually passionate about Dallas winning.

At the same time, U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner was embroiled in his sexting scandal. He tried to save his job. Apologized. Went to rehab. But as more naughty photos and racy messages emerged, you could hear the screams rising. "Quit! Quit! Quit!"

Finally, under the weight of that chorus, he did. And today, just a few days later, nobody cares what he does with his camera or his crotch. It's as if a thirst has been quenched.

There's a thread that runs through these two issues. Some call it "Hating On." I call it "Rooting Against." It seems this is becoming at least as popular as "Rooting For."
...
Full Column

I think a lot of the recent hatred against some celebrities is directly related to the economy being so poor. I'll bet a lot of it has to do with people envying financial security is such uncertain times. No one wants to believe that a ballplayer or an actor is worth their paycheck (and they're probably not).

But take those same people spreading the hatred around, give them a Fifth Avenue aparment or a beachfront condo on South Beach, and I'm quite certain they'd gladly let go of the hate for a chance to become one of the "beautiful people."

Sort of "The worst thing about the rich and talented is that I'm not one of them"...

What a revolting development.
I don't want any more undersized big men. We've had that for years now and it's not worked out. I want players at least 6-11 for the center/power forward spots. If we can't get that this year, trade for it later.

Scarcity of Big Men for Pistons

I do not disagree Fame. If you turned on any sports show last week, from Colin Cowherd, Jim Rome, Mike & Mike, to Dan Patrick, it was all about how the Heat lost rather than the credit the Mavs deserved in winning.

You say the Heat bashing is getting old and I will agree to a point. However, the Miami Heat in general and LeBron James in particular alienated a lot of fans. I would even buy the argument that the Heat are just feeling the effects of the hatred which is primarily directed toward LeBron. It was very pompous for him to go on tv with the 'decision.' Players like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett all had at least one something and never made such a spectacle out of themselves in free agency. Worse yet, James relished in the idea of teams coming in to kiss his ass while all the while he had this secret arrangement to go to Miami pre-arranged. I even made the comment to a friend that even if LeBron had resigned in Cleveland, I would have lost all respect for him as person for how he handled last summer.

But when you pose for a picture like this, acting like you have won it all before ever stepping on the court together, then I have no sympathy for the backlash that ensues.



The "problem" with LeBron and the Heat would quiet down if they would just shut up. Nobody wants to hear when Bosh said "we just want to chill." And I think LeBron's criticism is well-deserved when he talks about winning "multiple championships" and then withers away in the game's biggest stage. Like it or not, Wade, Bosh & LeBron put this target on their backs. Not so much Wade, but if LeBron just did his talking on the court, much of this media circus would quiet down.

Tell me about it...Skip Bayless makes a living out of bashing Lebron.

But yeah Goombah, I know everything you say, the only thing I complain about is that one team's issues should not overshadow the other team's success. I want more basketball and less soap operas, and to hell with Lebron James and co. I think they like the attention cos that's pretty much all they got.

If I were you or if I was a Cleveland fan, I wouldn't worry. Even if he does win it one day (and I'm not sure he will) there will always be a little asterisk saying he needed two other all-stars to get it done.

Cleveland is proud and should remain proud, whether he wins it or not. I for one would like to see the Cavs back in the playoffs, now THAT would be a story!

That's what I despise about ESPN. They have become TMZ. Their involvement in the "decision" and all the press they give Miami is as bad as Pedro Gomez trailing Barry Bonds day/night.

Alright, so to sum up last season before I start the new thread:

Was 2010/11 best season ever?

NO.

...but it was a good one, all things considered.

would have been the best season if the bulls would have won the championship.