The Official NBA/Basketball/Hooping Thread

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Aight, I looked all over but the threads here have some strange off the wall discussions. So i figured "what's missing" And it hit me.
There's already hip-hop threads, so the next best thing is basketball, The #1 Sport in the Milky Way

So discuss ya favorite teams, players, who you think will make the Finals next year, etc

me of course being from Chi-Town(Chicago for ignorant people)

My all-time favorite team is the Bulls. They had the best NBA player in history, and plus they got 6 championships. Even their squad now is ready to run things next year, especially since they got Ben Wallace. I love Ben wallace, cuz Detroit is my second team

And also who do you feel is the best dunker in the NBA right now?

 

[lanky_gunner]

YAY BASKETBALL!!!

personally, i think the best player ever is John Stockton of the Utah Jazz, but that was my home state. Now i love the Suns and the Spurs. i was mad when the mavs beat both teams, and i was hoping miami would beat them (luckily it came true). my favorite players are Manu Ginobli of the spurs and Steve Nash of the suns. they remind me so much of Stockton. i am rooting for either team to make the finals next year.

 

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Hmm, HJohn Stockman was the man when I was little and didn't know much about basketball. But I know he's good, cuz he was the biggest rival for my CHICAGO BULLS, in those championship days.

it was like John and Malone vs. Michael and Scottie, WHO'LL WIN THE TROPHY

Hmm, I'd say Kirk Hinrich plays most similar to Nash, Stockton, Ginobli, based on his style

But I swear Nash should not have got MVP two years in a row. Ginobli, Shaq, wade, etc should got it this year

 

[RYUU-JIN882]

Oh wow, I didn't know Detroit gave up Ben Wallace. The Bulls might actaully get somewhere this upcoming season. Their current crew isn't too shabby but they still need that star player.

Anyways, I don't pay as much attention to basketball as I used to. Though, I always root for the Kings and the Nets.

Best dunker would have to be Vince Carter.

 

[Zero Beat]

Favorite Team : Wherever Wade is; Miami Heat. (Currently)

Favorite Player : Dwyane Wade/All Time : Michael Jordan.

Finals next year? Here are my top takes;
Miami, Detroit, Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio.

 

[Hyper-Link]

Yup Ben Wallace was aquired by Chi-Town around July 17th
Ya Bulls have like the best young team in the NBA that just need that ONE factor, especially veteranship

And ya I have to say Vince is the best too. That ***** can fly

And why does every pick the teams from the West the are always there? Like Dallas, PHX, or SA?

Texas has too many teams...

 

[Dibs]

The east is starting to look more promising as time goes by. The West is going into a slump...

 

[Hyper-Link]

The West just bores me, and The East have the coolest players too. Does anyone here keep track of the iternational USA vs. Other countries?

 

[RainOfDarkness]

well i always loved my hornets from charlotte to new orleans. i live in ny and even though everyone in my fam (exept me) is knick heads i hate the knicks.. with a passion... but anyway chicago has an ok squad now thanks for Tyson Chandler we needed a decent big man. this year N.O. makes the playoffs. from chris paul to peja however u spell his last name and tyson chandler oooo and speedy claxton we gunna do damage to the west.... i gaurentee it!

 

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Man I was so mad when tyson got traded. He's one of the best up and coming Power Forwards in the whole NBA. The man got 140 blocks in the 2004-2005 season.

And plus my family started telling me i looked like him, and before that, kids in my school were calling me Tyson since I was in like 11th grade, lol.

Here's a colleage that was made a couple months ago, and I pretty sure you can tell which is Tyson and which is Jason(me), but ya there are some similarities

So ya, that was like my role model, and plus he was really helping the Bulls but oh well.
At least we got JR Smith for him, PJ Brown wasn't really needed. We got plenty of PF/C players.

But I got mad as hell, when the Bulls traded JR Smith for some garbage *** guard from the Nuggets, and some SECOND round draft picks...

 

[Dibs]

Bulls traded J.R. smith?! when did this happen?

 

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Bulls Send Smith to Denver

Updated July 21, 2006 – The Chicago Bulls announced on July 20 the team has traded guard J.R. Smith to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Howard Eisley and two 2007 second-round draft picks from the Nuggets.

The two second-round selections are Denver’s regular second-round pick in 2007, as well as the less favorable of Golden State’s 2007 regular second-round selection and Boston’s 2007 regular second-round selection.

Eisley, a 6-2, 185-pound point guard, was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round (30th overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft. A 12-year veteran, he has played for eight different teams and posted averages of 6.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 1.7 rpg and 20.4 mpg in 786 career appearances (167 starts).

Smith (6-6, 220, St. Benedict’s Prep) was acquired by the Bulls on July 14, in Chicago’s trade with New Orleans/Oklahoma City. He and forward/center P.J. Brown came to the Bulls, while the Hornets received forward/center Tyson Chandler.

The 18th selection in NBA Draft 2004, Smith has averaged 9.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg and 21.7 mpg in 131 games over two seasons. He also has shot .394 from the floor, including .316 from three-point range, and .740 from the free throw line.

The Bulls then requested waivers on Eisley on July 21.

So now I just learned that not only did they trade JR Smith nearly right away, but it was mainly for all the draft picks AND the player they gt was apparently waived.

Some crappy a$$ second round draft picks aren't worth losing a Vince Carteresque type dunker like Smith. That's the only the Bulls don't have

 

[RainOfDarkness]

wow i didn't even know smith got traded again.. he's good but according to byron scott he's a slacker so.. i miss PJ Brown though he was like the team leader and when i heard he left i was upset. but i was happy with tyson i think he's going to hold down the center position for us good. but dude you do look like him a little i can see it, lol, that's crazy. i mean you could still cheer for him just get a N.O Hornets Jersey with Chandler on the back that's all lol.

 

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lol, ya, now in NBA 2k7, I will actually pick the Hornets just so I can get like 20 blocks per game with him like I did with the Bulls on NBA 2K6.

And ya, especially the two in the left upper corner. My school I.D. looked JUST like that one picture. Kids in my school said they believe my mom, had an affair with tyson before she met my dad and didn't tell nobody

And you think that's crazy I gotta friend that looks just like Luol deng

 

[RainOfDarkness]

wow lol yeah for nba live 05 i would average about 20 to 30 blocks a game between chris anderson and jamaal magloire.. im so nice at that game it's crazy. but yea my hornets are going to be nice in video games AND in real life because of chris paul, speedy and our new additions to the team. we were decent last yr while being lead by a rookie. now we have some known talent on our team like peja and tyson we're gunna do damage. i have no doubt about it. new orleans allllllll day

 

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And didn't the team get changed cuz of Katrina? i thought it was some other city's name now

And ya that's exactly how the Bulls were 2004-2005 season. No one believed in em, and they were being lead by rookies. Now they are coming up, and other people wanna jump on like "I always liked them", THEY ARE LIARS. I usually root for the underdog, and I like to see other non fairwhether fans

Yeah, I heard Jr always had a problem with coaches but I feel he woulda done good with Scott Skiles

 

[Dibs]

I liked the bulls when they got Ben Gordon.. I saw potential in him. that was like 2 years ago though right?

 

[RainOfDarkness]

yea no/ ok hornets oklahoma city ima fan and i dont even know exactly what to call dem.. lol

 

[Hyper-Link]

lol, ya that's a goofy name

and Ben Gordon still has the potential. He already made history

he shot 9 out of 9 threes without missing ONCE in one game.
And he's the first rookie in NBA history to win the 6th Man of the year award

Plus he was runner up for rookie of the year, and he has ICE IN HIS VEIGNS

People call him Air Gordon

 

[RainOfDarkness]

yea hes nice but chris paul...CP3 ALLLLLLLL DAYY

 

[Zero Beat]

The future of basketball rests in the hands of these three players; Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and T-Mac. Perhaps Carter, but i'm not so sure due to woeful injuries in the past.

 

[RainOfDarkness]

im not sure if its me but dude that's way more than 3 players lol. lebron carmello wade and paul are the future. along with many other players.. too many to name. but i think kobe carter and tmac are whats now they're all veterans.

 

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Speaking of them, did you guys see the USA vs. China game?

I didn't even know they broadcasted it, until I flipped on ESPN. they beat China by like 46 points, and beat Peurto Rico by 401 points earlier. It's strange cuz Yao Ming was on the Chinese team for some reason.

But at least one Bulls was on the america team

CAPTAIN KIRK

 

[RainOfDarkness]

I MISSED IT!!!!! i was wondering when they were going to show it. you know the next time it'll be on tv? i want to watch it man. tell me if you know bro

 

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Aight I gotcha man. The next game is on August 13th, I don't know if it's broadcasted or not. But remember the next broadcast should be on the 15th on ESPN or ESPN2. I believe the time was around 1;30 PM but I'm not sure. but I know it's next tuesday than ESPN will be showing the game at some point in the day, lol

And I'm mad cuz apparently they played AGAIN yesterday against Brazil

'Melo leads the US with 16 points, but injures knee
USA 90, Brazil 86

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 8 -- Team USA played team mystery in Game Two of the Chinese Basketball Challenge. And while most of the crowd in southern China may not have been familiar with the Brazil team before the game, they certainly knew who they were by the end of it.

So did the Americans.

Brazil managed to withstand an opening 15-4 run by Team USA to make a game out of it before losing 90-86.

FINAL 1 2 3 4 T
Brazil 21 17 31 17 86
USA 30 22 18 20 90
NBA.com's USA Basketball Index | Highlights

The Brazilians employed a physical attackto slow down the Americans who seemed to sag when their leading offensive force Carmelo Anthony hyper-extended his right knee three minutes from half time. The Denver Nugget star dove for a loose ball out of bounds and landed heavily on the US bench. Initial reports were that the injury was not serious but Team US kept him out of the game as a precautionary measure.

After two easy wins against Puerto Rico and China, the US was surprisingly forced to play come from behind. Brazil went on a 16-0 run to start the third quarter and turn a 52 – 38 deficit into a 56 - 52 lead. But the Americans rallied and pulled out the game the same way they won their other two through stifling defense.


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When Carmelo Anthony went down with a hyperextended knee, the US offense went with him.
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images
“Defense will win us games,” said US coach Mike Krzyzewski in a now familiar refrain.

The US employed a pressing defense throughout but the results were far different from the previous night rout when they handcuffed China.

“Well number one, we played a better team tonight,” said Krzyzewski. “You have to give Brazil credit, they went after it and forced us to miss a number of shots. Their intensity was there throughout.”

Despite playing a little more than 11 minutes, Anthony was the team’s leading scorer with 16 points. Kirk Hinrich had 14 points while LeBron James struggled with only 11 points. However, he did make a crucial shot from the baseline with 34 seconds left and the US up by only one point.

“He (James) did not have one of his best games but he did hit the big bucket for us at the end,” said Krzyzewski. “Just like the rest of the team he battled back. This is a young team and we are still learning but a lot of different things happened to our team tonight. Some nights the ball won’t go in and that’s why we put a premium on defense.”

Brazil’s Leandro Barbosa and Alex Garcia led their team with 14 points apiece, but Barbosa’s evening ended early when fouled out halfway through the third quarter.

“That pace tonight, that’s the way we like to play,” said the Phoenix Suns guard. “The US is obviously a good team and we thought we did a great job on them. We did it in the zone defense and they have a hard time with that.”

Garcia stretched the US defense all night with his powerful up tempo game, pushing the ball forward and finding seams in the American’s pressing defense. The game was a sobering wake up call for a US team still searching for a cohesive rotation of players. Brazil, minus Denver Nuggets centre Nene who is still nursing a knee injury and with Barbosa limited to a little more than 18 minutes because of foul troubles, is not expected to be a medal contender at the upcoming World Championship.

But Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao was the emotional glue behind the Brazilian come back, pulling down 16 rebounds until a questionable double dribble call late in the game on Wellington Dos Santos enraged the emotional Varejao and earned him a technical foul which doomed his club.

“The same thing happened to their player and the referee did not call it but he called it on us,” Varejao said. “I tried to tell him it was not a foul, not a double dribble, I didn’t really say anything but he gave me a foul anyway.”

The play in question set up a bizarre sequence in the last two minutes where the US team, trailing by three points, were awarded five technical foul free three throws, with Hinrich making four, in the span of 30 seconds. The Chinese crowd, who cheered loudly during introductions for NBA stars like James and Dwayne Wade, booed vociferously at the referees bizarre calls.

For the US, it was no doubt a great escape but also a forewarning that this will be no stroll to the title. If the US is indeed world champions one month from now, it won’t be offensive wizardry or show-stopping dunks that will have carried them. While that may be fodder for the highlight reel, defense is still the name of the game for this team.

“Brazil played aggressively tonight as you would expect them to,” said Shane Battier. “We tried to attack their zone defense but we missed a lot of shots. Our own defense though kept us in the game and put us in a position to win late.”

YEA, finally, my Kirk Hinrich showed what he can do. Second leading scorer, not too shabby. Ya in the China game, he did some amazing passes, and got like 7 assists, but just didn't try scoring. i guess he was thinking bout the good of the team more than him jacking up threes

 

[RainOfDarkness]

thanks for the info bro i appreciate that. i like kirk he seems like a leader on ya bulls and is a very smart and talented player. he gets respect.. my boy melo got hurt though that sux.. i hope US could pull out wins without him. they should i think were still number 1 in ball i just think we have alot of players on the team that are so star studded with themselves they truly undermine the quality of teamwork.

 

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Ya I doubt him being injured will effect the team. Wade and Lebron were scoring like crazy. And even this white dude, I think his name was Miller or something, the man was doing good as hell

P;lus they got plenty o showofff/great scorer/superstar type players left

 

[RainOfDarkness]

true, i was at nba.com earlier watching some vids of the team, theres a ton of talent on the squad. its cool to see all these awesome players come together to play for the US, it was also cool to see my boy chris paul do his thing.

 

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Ya they said Paul was serving in the Puerto Rico game, but just like Hinrich in the China game they didn't really do much

But ya, they g getting the the hundreds in points and it's only 10 minute quarters

 

[RainOfDarkness]

its a great experience for the younger players like paul and hinrich because they learn alot from being with other stars and get more confidence and leadership qualities along with skills from being on the US national team

 

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Ya, some greats like Shaq, Nowitzki, etc didn't even make it, I'm surprised no one from the Pistons or anyone from the heat besides Wade didn't make

So having Hinrich and the oter youngins there, I was like

OH **** SON!

 

[RainOfDarkness]

lol yeah man its real cool.. u know what would be aweseme? putting all the national teams in like nba live or nba 2k and have like a olympic team tourny that would be pretty cool

 

[SideEffect001]

Favorite Team : Wherever Wade is; Miami Heat. (Currently)

Favorite Player : Dwyane Wade/All Time : Michael Jordan.

Finals next year? Here are my top takes;
Miami, Detroit, Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Very accurate....but where is Houston on that list??

 

[RainOfDarkness]

DUDE... tmacs good yao ming is good but i dont think their going anyyyyyyyyywhereeee

 

[Hyper-Link]

Ya they just like the sixers
They got stars but just can't click

 

[RainOfDarkness]

its like they have stars and all its just they have nobody to help them out. with out that help from the bench or just the other players on the team no team can be successful

 

[Hyper-Link]

lol, like the Knicks. They got my fantastic Eddy Curry last year, and got possibly the most all-starish team in the NBA, and had like the second worst record, LOL

 

[Pablo18]

lol, like the Knicks. They got my fantastic Eddy Curry last year, and got possibly the most all-starish team in the NBA, and had like the second worst record, LOL

yea that was a extreme dissapointment. they have enough stars too have an all-star team but they suck.i think they have too many stars. they should give up either one of there star point gaurds , who's not doing anything, for a good shooting gaurd

 

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Yea, it one of the most weirdest things in the NBA. they got a great Center with Curry, they got Marbury, Jamal Crawford, and many others but for some reason i can't think of no other names right now, lol

 

[Dibs]

stevie franchise... q-rich. to add to those players you listed, but the Knicks just can't get it together. Maybe it's like what happened to the Twolves after their playoff run where they just couldn't get it together.