NBA - 2002/03

[JediMAC]

Hey Matt, is the author from LA?  He sure reads like a homey.

No idea, but I doubt it.  ESPN is national.

So LA gets extra credit for the coach, but the Celtics get knocked because the guy that filled the roll ended up getting into the hall because of his coaching?  Ok, double standard much.  And if you want to write off KC at that point, where's the extra credit for coaching the Celtics in the 80's?

Shame, shame, such bias.

I don't think that's a bias.  You can't compare K.C.'s coaching the Celt's for part of the 80's to Phil's coaching 9 world champs.  I don't think there's too many coaches, if any (other than possibly Aeurbach), that would qualify as earning "star power" to get included into this list.  K.C. wasn't that great of a player, thus the notation on his playing days.  He's just a footnote, 'cause he was a solid role player for them back in the glory days, but made the Hall for his coaching achievements a couple decades later.  That's all.

Not to mention his math skills (or perhaps just his inability to write an accurate statement).

1986 Philadelphia 76ers
Hall of Famers: Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Bob McAdoo
MVPs: Four (Malone was a three-time MVP, the others won one apiece)
First-team All-NBA seasons: 15

Lemme see Malone had 3.  The others have 1 apiece.  That would be 1 + 1 + 1 = 3.  Isn't 3 + 3 = 6?  Or is it just that Erving had one?  No, can't be cuz McAdoo has one, or so the author indicates later when talking about one of the Lakers teams.

I thought the same thing when I first read that, but then figured out that the "four" (and the Lakers current "two" and also their "three" in 1983 instead of 10) was just referring to the total number of players who won the MVP, and not the total number of MVPs won by said players.  Kinda confusing way for the author to do it, but it's consistent at least...

And oh yeah, you really aren't going to start yapping about them winning next year's championship already are ya?  I'd really hate to dredge up all the stuff you spewed forth about them this past year only to see them lose to the most boring team in the NBA

Sure, why not?  Lakers are going to win it all!  Quatro!  

But yeah, we sucked butt and played some pretty damned uninspired ball against the San Antonio Bores, uh - I mean Spurs.  I'd guess that with veterans Payton and Malone on board now, they'll give Shag and Kobe a mouthful when they start slacking off... hopefully.  They may be willing to set aside their stats to win, but they're certainly not the types to keep hushed when they're pissed, so that's probably a good thing, since they'll probably wind up being more vocal leaders on the court than Shaq and Kobe usually are...

[Nicklab]

WOW!  You guys have totally glossed over the bigest NBA story in the NY/NJ area.  The NY Post reproted yesterday that Jason Kidd would only stay with the Nets if the organization fired Coach Byron Scott.  

A later report on www.epsn.com had Kidd, his wife, and Nets GM Rod Thorn all denying the validity of the story.  But that's still pretty big stuff!

[Lemon-Viper]

WOW!  You guys have totally glossed over the bigest NBA story in the NY/NJ area.  The NY Post reproted yesterday that Jason Kidd would only stay with the Nets if the organization fired Coach Byron Scott.  

I covered it in my reply on page 11...

[Morgbug]

Yeah, I know that ESPN is national.  We do have tv up here you know.

Thanks for the explanation of the MVP count.  It makes sense that way.

About KC.  Ok, so we count him as a coach later, but not in his playing days.  So then why isn't Auerbach mentioned for the '60's Celtics teams then, as you indicated?  I still say the writer is from LA.

New Jersey?  They have a basketball team?

[Nicklab]

My bad, Lemonviper.  I saw so much about the Mailman going to LA, that it got overshadowed.

But check this out:  http://msn.espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0711/1579328.html.

It looks like next week Alonzo Mourning is going to sign with the Nets, and it's based on assurances that Jason Kidd will re-sign with the team as well.  Now, I wonder if that Byron Scott thing was true at all.

[JediMAC]

Sorry, I forgot there were other teams in the NBA besides the Lakers...    

It looks like next week Alonzo Mourning is going to sign with the Nets, and it's based on assurances that Jason Kidd will re-sign with the team as well.  Now, I wonder if that Byron Scott thing was true at all.

Kidd just re-signed with the Nets, and Mourning is supposedly right behind him...  Guess San Antonio was just too boring for him!  If Mourning is healthy, he should definitely give them a big boost.  No word about Byron that I saw though...

[Nicklab]

So, can any of you guys fathom getting $99 million to play point guard for the Nets for 6 years?  It's kinda mind-boggling!

[Jango Fettish]

It's ridiculous, and its why I pretty much why I have come to detest basketball. I don't care if they are "worth it". Do they really need that much money?

[Morgbug]

Nope, not worth it but the owners must be making enough.  

I more so loathe the NBA because of its approach to the entertainment side of things versus the actual game of basketball.  I haven't made the comment for a couple of months, but it really doesn't impress me when some guy does the five-step-shuffle prior to ramming the ball through the hoop with a spectacular dunk.  

All these guys doing dunks taking off from the free throw line?  Got news for ya, Erving did it without travelling.

[Nicklab]

There was a great story by Frank DeFord of SI on HBO's Real Sports about the influx of European players.  He said that their skills are much more oriented towards a total game, and not the flash that a lot of NBA stars are about.  The only weak point they tend to have is on 1-on-1 defense.  Things like this have to make you wonder what impact Darko's gonna have in Detroit.

[JediMAC]

Not only did the T-Wolves not land Juwan Howard, but it looks like you guys just lost Rasho Nesterovic, Scott!  

Tomorrow's the big day when the Lakers sign Payton and Malone.  There's been rumblings that other teams are still trying to entice them away from L.A. since they haven't officially signed yet.  Hope nothing changes, 'cause as weird as it will be to have them both and as not thrilled as I was when I first heard about it, I'm actually starting to warm up to the idea and get a little excited over the possibilities now...  

[Scott]

Yeah, just saw that

Hopefully, they can sign Brad Miller now who I think is better than Rasho anyway, turned down more money to stay with the Wolves.

I think it is time to fire Mr. McHale

[dustrho]

I think it is time to fire Mr. McHale

I thought you liked McHale Scott...  

[Scott]

Oh what a coop!  Losing Rasho was bad but replacing him with the Kandi Man is awesome and actually an improvement!  I didn't think they had a shot and the rumors around here was that they were going after Brad Miller of Indiana

SO

PG Cassel (Hudson 6th Man)
SG Wally
SF KG
C Olowakandi
PF Right now it is Marc Jackson

Howard would have made this a team to be reckoned with and for sure a top 5 team in the league near Sacramento, SA and Dallas status

If they can still sign a PF or trade Brandon for one they still have that chance, I went from depression to smiling in a flash when I heard the news this morning



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[dustrho]

Scott, I knew you would be a happy camper about the T-Wolves signing the Kandi Man.  Here's the official story from the Associated Press...

 
Olowokandi agrees to step in for Nesterovic in Minnesota

July 16, 2003

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Free agent center Michael Olowokandi agreed Tuesday night to join the Minnesota Timberwolves and replace Rasho Nesterovic, who hours earlier reached a deal with San Antonio.

Olowokandi's move was expected to be announced Wednesday, said agent Bill Duffy, who represents both Olowokandi and Nesterovic.

The 7-foot, 270-pound Olowokandi, the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1998 draft, reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $16.2 million. Wednesday is the first day NBA teams can sign free agents to contracts.

News of Olowokandi's addition capped what had been a disappointing 48 hours for Minnesota, which lost out to Orlando for power forward Juwan Howard and had made re-signing Nesterovic a top priority.

Nesterovic instead agreed to a six-year, $42-million deal with the Spurs.

He had reportedly been considering a seven-year, $50-million offer to stay with the Timberwolves, his team for his first five NBA seasons.

``Though we were hopeful that Rasho would re-sign with our team, we have been preparing for this scenario,'' general manager Kevin McHale said in a statement.

But adding Olowokandi, who will join All-Star forward Kevin Garnett in the frontcourt, helps ease the pain.

``They landed on their feet,'' Duffy said of the Timberwolves.