The NBA Thread

[MadMan]

Damn Boston. STOP BEING GOOD AT EVERYTHING!

*Shows Ivan the last 4 covers of SI. Watches him explode*

[Ivan Drago]

*Shows Ivan the last 4 covers of SI. Watches him explode*

:explodes:

Fucking media.

[MadMan]

Hey they're just doing their job. Boston is right now a hugely successful sports town, and all of their teams have been doing good. It can't be helped. What is SI supposed to do, send out reporter hit men to take out Tom Brady? :P


Dude reporter hit men sound kind of cool but also kind of lame. I smell an idea for a Hollywood blockbuster.

[Thirdmango]

I'm doing fantasy for the first time this year on yahoo and it's pretty decent over there, though I am doing it with random people as I don't really know any NBA fans. Of course I'm only a casual watcher but I must admit, that Suns Lakers game was very dissappointing.

[Justin]

Looks like Sam Vincent reads matchcut, Matt Carroll got 12 points tonight and played 26 minutes. And other bench players got some solid PT.

[chrisnu]

Raja Bell is killing my fantasy team. He's shooting 33%, and had a DNP - coach's decision tonight. Meanwhile, Barbosa started and had a career-high 39 points tonight. UGH.

[DSNT]

Raja Bell is killing my fantasy team. He's shooting 33%, and had a DNP - coach's decision tonight. Meanwhile, Barbosa started and had a career-high 39 points tonight. UGH.

Bell was out tonight because of a sprained ankle. Last I heard he'll be playing Tuesday.

[Mr. Valentine]

anyone else having a problem with the nba website? i've been trying since last night to log in and it lets me log in with my username on their main page but then it asks if i want to join a league and the fantasy login is just a broken link. i even had my fantasy page on "my favorites" and now that just comes up as if i want to join or create a league and when i click login it takes me to a dead page.

[chrisnu]

anyone else having a problem with the nba website? i've been trying since last night to log in and it lets me log in with my username on their main page but then it asks if i want to join a league and the fantasy login is just a broken link. i even had my fantasy page on "my favorites" and now that just comes up as if i want to join or create a league and when i click login it takes me to a dead page.

I've only gotten it to work in Internet Explorer. I've stopped trying in Firefox. The login screen never appears.

[Kurosawa Fan]

It's working fine right now for me with Firefox, though I've had problems in the past.

[Mr. Valentine]

it's still not working on my desktop which uses internet explorer but it is working with firefox on my wifes laptop. annoying.

[chrisnu]

I've been reading speculation (I think that's a level below a rumor) that Minnesota may be looking to move Theo Ratliff. The suggestion was that the Lakers trade Kwame Brown for Ratliff. There are several reasons why such a trade would work:

1. Minnesota is into luxury tax territory, due to the trade with Miami. Swapping Ratliff for Kwame would reduce the team's salary to below the luxury tax threshold. It's become quite clear with several recent salary dumps (Jason Richardson, Kurt Thomas) that teams are willing to lower their talent level to avoid paying luxury tax.

2. Minnesota wants to lose as many games as possible. Hence, the Miami trade (which was also done for salary purposes). The Lakers would get an instant upgrade on the defensive end. Ratliff, when healthy, is one of the best defensive players in the league, and he appears to be healthy right now.

3. Ratliff would be more likely to re-sign with the Lakers for less money than Kwame would. Minnesota lets Kwame walk, which they would be doing with Ratliff, except no luxury tax.

[Ivan Drago]

Boston Celtics - 73 wins. I'm calling it.

[Justin]

Went to the Bobcats/Rockets game tonight, Yao is a pretty remarkable player. We had absolutely no answer to him as he pretty much did whatever he wanted to. Was still a good game though.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Boston Celtics - 73 wins. I'm calling it incorrectly.

Fixed.

[MadMan]

The Celtics will probably get 50-60 wins. Considering how terrible they were last season 50 wins would be huge for the team. I think with that trio they can do it. Thinking they'll reach 73 wins though is just crazy talk.

[chrisnu]

50 - 52 wins sounds about right for the Celtics, if the Big Three don't have any health problems. To think that their squad could win 73 is laughable.

[Mr. Valentine]

i think 60 wins is realistic for the Celtics to win in the east.

[DSNT]

i think 60 wins is realistic for the Celtics to win in the east.

Barring injury, I think 60 is within reason. 73 wins is crazy talk.

[Ivan Drago]

Uh, it's Boston. Nuff said.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Uh, it's Boston. Nuff said.

No. It's not.

[chrisnu]

What the hell?

Marbury Misses Practice

November 13, 2007 -- Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury contacted The Post late this afternoon and in two text messages said he got permission from Isiah Thomas to leave the team in Phoenix this morning.

Marbury had bolted in a huff, flying for home amid an apparent feud with Thomas over his starting role, leaving his future as a Knick in serious doubt.

Marbury landed in New York about 4 p.m. and said in the message to The Post, "I have one thing to say, and that's I got permission to leave. I would never leave my team on my own. What I’m telling you is that I got permission to leave from Isiah. He said I could go home. God bless. Peace be with you."

Marbury added he was not expecting to join the team in Los Angeles tomorrow night.

"No, I'm not coming to LA as of now," he said.

After Marbury missed the morning shootaround, Thomas was vague about the mysterious disappearance, the coach claiming he wasn't sure if Marbury skipped town, but a source confirmed he had.

"This is an in-house matter," Thomas said. "He's not here at shootaround. We hope he's at the game. If not, make no mistake about it, we do want him as a member of this basketball team. He is welcome back, and we want him as a member of this team."

Marbury's abrupt departure could lead to the end of his Knicks career. He told The Post over the summer he planned to play in Italy in two years when his contract expires. He has two years and $42 million left on his pact, and the Knicks may feel it's now time for a buyout.

If Marbury is correct that he had permission to return to New York, it is unlikely Thomas would suspend him for fine him.

Thomas and Marbury spoke Monday about his role on the team and Thomas was set to reduce Marbury's minutes, and potentially bring him off the bench tonight, because of his lax defense.

"We need leadership in the organization and he's capable of doing that, and we want him back," Thomas said.

Possibly reminiscent of last year, when Allen Iverson was inactive for two weeks, and subsequently traded to the Nuggets. Marbury's contract is poison; I'm not sure a trade could be worked out at this point. Multiple-for-one trades don't work well when your rosters are already set.

[chrisnu]

I think this is a trade that McHale and Thomas would make. :twisted:

http://tinyurl.com/326gr3

[DSNT]

This Starbury/Isiah feud is getting juicy. Check out Stephon's quote from this morning:

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...sh_info_a.html

I can't wait for this to unravel.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Awesome.