Where is the outrage over the Kwame Brown takedown?

[WayOutWest]

Frigging hypocrites! 

[ziggy]

Didn't watch the game.

[WayOutWest]

Didn't watch the game.

Man do the Blazers look scary.  That is the one team I hope the Lakers don't face in the first round.

I'm also a little sad that the Suns have gone down in flames this year.  It looks like the Suns will be blown up next year, I don't think Nash can keep up the run and gun style that makes the Suns so fun to watch.

[Reality]

We're waiting for your high def still shots.

I'm also a little sad that the Suns have gone down in flames this year.

You mean the Pacifics 2nd place team?

[jn]

Kwame Brown?  Please WOW.   I only pay attention to NBA players.

[Reality]

Man do the Blazers look scary.  That is the one team I hope the Lakers don't face in the first round.

Love to see The Collusionists have to face Portland in R1.  But that would mean Portland would have to drop in the standings to end up at #8.  Don't wanna see that.

[ziggy]

Didn't watch the game.

Man do the Blazers look scary.  That is the one team I hope the Lakers don't face in the first round.

I'm also a little sad that the Suns have gone down in flames this year.  It looks like the Suns will be blown up next year, I don't think Nash can keep up the run and gun style that makes the Suns so fun to watch.

All 8 teams in the west are probably going to get 50 wins, and a 60% winning %.  No first round matchups will be gimmees.

The Blazers have done very well all year, but they do have their holes.  First they are very mediocre defensively.  They are above average in PPG allowed, but that is solely a function of them being dead last in the league in pace.  Their opponents FG% is the lowest of all the playoff teams.  They get burned by good pick and roll teams, as they switch far too often, which creates mismatches.  If Oden can stay out of foul trouble they are a far better defensive team, but he has really struggled with that all year.

Offensively they are below average in points scored per game, again a function of their pace, but are third overall in offensive efficiency.  This is very much a function of Brandon Roy, and his style of play.  He is a very deliberate player, keeping his pace very steady, which tends to slow the teams pace.  Steve Blake is also not a PG who pushes the fast break.  They then rely very heavily on their shooting, which is very good, but like all shooting is streaky.  They have lots of shooters (Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, Blake, Fernandez), and when they are shooting well they are very dangerous, but when they aren't they are beatable.  An example

Recently they crushed the Lakers, Spurs, and Suns at home, up by 25+ in all three games late.  That is not easy to do.  In those 3 games they shot
52.5% overall
55.3% on 2's
44.3% on 3's taking 20 a game

In their last 5 losses (Philly, Cleveland, Atlanta, Dallas, and Denver all playoff teams) they shot
43.4% overall
48.0% on 2's
30.4% on 3's taking 20 a game

When they shoot well they are very tough, when they don't then they are beatable.

[Laker Fan]

See this is why I love you Ziggy, objective and sound analysis is your trademark, you and JN really shine there, oh and MSC but I suppose that makes me a homer for Laker fans right? That is a label that keeps me away from this board, the childish rants of little pukes that have nothing better to do than instigate and incite turmoil rather than engage in reasonable and intelligent basketball discussion, oh and post pictures of half naked women thus revealing their true moral compunction.

Seriously, it gets painful to wade through the tripe to get to such an insightful post as the one you just put up, Lurker also draws my attention for the same reasons, I just don't understand why intelligent people allow themselves to be drawn into the idiocy and moronic baiting of someone who belongs on fanhome, not a REAL basketball discussion board. To be honest, I miss posting here but it is just too insulting to my intelligence to wade through the trash on this board that only one person is responsible for, Derrick banned that other clown for what I deemed far less rabble rousing. I almost feel dirty if I post on a thread involving this individual but seeing as he seems to live on this board, my only option is to be selective, stay out of his way, and try to ignore, however impossible he tries to make that option. I'm too old for his childishness.

Oh and I kinda like you too JoMal.

[Lurker]

I just don't understand why intelligent people allow themselves to be drawn into the idiocy and moronic baiting of someone who belongs on fanhome, not a REAL basketball discussion board.

It helps fight some of the tediousness of work.  You will notice that very few of my posts are outside of business hours...

[WayOutWest]

All 8 teams in the west are probably going to get 50 wins, and a 60% winning %.  No first round matchups will be gimmees.

I disagree zigster.  IMO the Laker would walk right through the Mavs and Nuggets.  They would also dispatch the Hornets in 5 or 6 games.  When I think of a first round match up with the Blazers I get worried.  For what ever reason the Lakers have not had success in Portland.  I can understand why this year, but in previous years it doesn't make sense.  Because the Blazers are so young they tend to play better at home, and if they can steal one of the first two in LA they will hold serve for games 3 & 4 IMO because their confidence would be ridding high.  IMO if they were to meet up in the 1st round I think game 6 would determine the series and it would be the best game for the Lakers to pull out in Portland.

When the Blazers get hot from outside the Lakers don't have an answer defensively, it's all about the matchups and IMO the Lakers don't match up well defensively against the Blazers.  On offense the Lakers match up well against anybody not named Celtics.  If the standings remain the same I think the Lakers will have an easier time of getting to the WCF than I had anticipated, and so they should since they are the #1 seed.

[WayOutWest]

I just don't understand why intelligent people allow themselves to be drawn into the idiocy and moronic baiting of someone who belongs on fanhome, not a REAL basketball discussion board.

It helps fight some of the tediousness of work.  You will notice that very few of my posts are outside of business hours...

It used to be the same here but I'm the exact opposite NOW.  Feeding the troll and moron durring the regular season is ok but now I want to talk serious b-ball and it constantly gets derailed.

P.S. Spurs SUCK Kobe's big left toe!

P.S.S. How does Gooden look for the Spurs?

[WayOutWest]

Kwame Brown?  Please WOW.   I only pay attention to NBA players.

Durring the game Kwame fumbled a pass at point blank range that would have given the Piston fans something to scream about and the momentum as well.  Time expired while Kwame tried to get his butter fingers on the ball and the Lakers announcer said "been there".   

[ziggy]

All 8 teams in the west are probably going to get 50 wins, and a 60% winning %.  No first round matchups will be gimmees.

I disagree zigster.  IMO the Laker would walk right through the Mavs and Nuggets.  They would also dispatch the Hornets in 5 or 6 games.  When I think of a first round match up with the Blazers I get worried.  For what ever reason the Lakers have not had success in Portland.  I can understand why this year, but in previous years it doesn't make sense.  Because the Blazers are so young they tend to play better at home, and if they can steal one of the first two in LA they will hold serve for games 3 & 4 IMO because their confidence would be ridding high.  IMO if they were to meet up in the 1st round I think game 6 would determine the series and it would be the best game for the Lakers to pull out in Portland.

When the Blazers get hot from outside the Lakers don't have an answer defensively, it's all about the matchups and IMO the Lakers don't match up well defensively against the Blazers.  On offense the Lakers match up well against anybody not named Celtics.  If the standings remain the same I think the Lakers will have an easier time of getting to the WCF than I had anticipated, and so they should since they are the #1 seed.

Just to define gimmee.  Cleveland vs Chicago, Boston vs Detroit.  Chicago or Detroit both might win a game, but in no way would either Cleveland or Boston realistically have to break a sweat.

Lakers vs the Mavs.  Lakers overwhelming favorite, but could the series go 6 games?  Sure.  Dirk and Jason Terry get hot, and Kidd plays a couple of real good games, sure they can win a couple.

According to basketball-references playoff probability report the Lakers have a 57% chance of winning the conference.  Portland 10%, SAS 9.9%, Houston 7.7%, Jazz 5.4%, Denver 4.7, NO 3.0, and Dallas 1.6.  In the East, the big 3 have a 97%+ probability, and the teams without home court have a combined 1.1% chance.

[Lurker]

P.S.S. How does Gooden look for the Spurs?

I was at the Clips game last night.  Gooden & Manu can be a devestating pick & roll combo.  But then it also was the Clippers where the defense is played with red capes.

Defensively Gooden can bang and instantly has become the Spurs second best rebounder (although Thomas has had some solid games).  Having played in Cleveland is a benefit as Brown was a Pop assistant and "borrowed" a lot of defensive schemes.

With Parker/Duncan starting and Manu/Gooden from the bench the Spurs can always have a penetrator and a postup threat on the floor.  Then Mason, Finley, Bonner start seeing more open 3s.  I would say the key to any Spurs playoff run is the level Manu hits in the next 3 weeks.  In the 4 games he played in Feb before the injury he averaged 23 pts 4.8 reb 4.0 assts and 2.2 stls. 

[JoMal]

Oh and I kinda like you too JoMal.

I'm even more lovable once you remove the layers of envy regarding your Lakers.