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.