[Rob Instigator]

do you guys think that in 2014 LeBron will really head to LA? That seems the forgone conclusion among the NBA literati.

I don;t know. If Wade is on a down-slope, and if the Heat cannot get someone else to team up with LeBronsky, would he really slap the champion Heat aside and head to the wasteland of LA?

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

I was wondering what Shaq was saying. Mo-fo has lived in Houston for years now. so many NBA and ex NBA stars live in Houston, because the media leaves you alone, the fans are respectful and keep their distance, and the huge houses and large living is more affordable.

that is very interesting, I didn't know shaq was living in Houston. I didn't particularly know where exactly shaq was living, but I didn't figure for Houston. By the way, in his career Shaq has earned over $250,000,000 (and that is just NBA salary alone, not including play-off/Finals bonuses, endorsements, and publicity events). I dare say he could live wherever he feels like it

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

do you guys think that in 2014 LeBron will really head to LA? That seems the forgone conclusion among the NBA literati.

I don;t know. If Wade is on a down-slope, and if the Heat cannot get someone else to team up with LeBronsky, would he really slap the champion Heat aside and head to the wasteland of LA?

No. I been telling all my fellow LA Laker folks that Lebron will most definitely stay with the Heat for three reasons.

(a) He already got enough shit for leaving Cleveland, even though less than 30 players in the the history of the NBA have played on a single team for their entire career, so he doesn't want to get shit on again or have anyone argue against his legacy.

(b) Miami is quite literally LA East, with the parties, the money, the endless parades of gorgeous women, nice cars, great weather, a lot of brown skinned folks. Yeah, Miami= LA 0.875. That an technically Miami is a small-market town, less press, less publicity, less television market so its the best of both worlds for Lebron, he gets the small-market that he enjoyed in Cleveland while enjoying the big-time LA/NYC vibe.

(c) Miami Heat is run by Pat Riley, and Pat Riley is perhaps the most prolific NBA coach/manager NOT named Phil Jackson. In other words, he has no reason to leave. With Lebron on the team and Pat Riley wheeling and dealing in the front office, Miami will continue to attract top-rate talent and glue guys at a low cost (i.e. like the 1990s Bulls and 2000s Lakers), so if Lebron wants to keep playing on truly contending teams, Miami has as great a shot to keep that caliber of roster as any other team in the NBA.

LA will no doubt grab 2 or 3 other headline names, and 3-5 great role players, and 2 or 3 great draft picks, and in 2014-15 rise back up towards the top-5. This is LA basketball 101.

Besides, WADE IS FINE! Had the dude NOT BEEN ROBBED BY THE REFS and had his season average of six freethrows per game instead of JUST TWO (is average in the Finals) he would have had 22ppg and we wouldn't even remotely be suggesting the demise of Dwyane Wade. Now, if that ninja doesn't learn to age like wine and develop a great jump shot (like Jordan and Kobe did) he won't last at the top-tier for more than 2 more years, but if he does, expect wade to be a factor for five more years at least. The guy isn't even 32 years old yet, and Steve Nash is the starting PG at 39, Jason Kidd played 82 games at 40, and Tim Duncan looked 27 (at 37) in the Finals.

 

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

that is very interesting, I didn't know shaq was living in Houston. I didn't particularly know where exactly shaq was living, but I didn't figure for Houston. By the way, in his career Shaq has earned over $250,000,000 (and that is just NBA salary alone, not including play-off/Finals bonuses, endorsements, and publicity events). I dare say he could live wherever he feels like it

I have a friend who is a manager at one of Houston's largest aquarium and fish businesses and they are always installing tanks in NBA player's homes.

Nick Van Exel
Dream
Shaq
Ron Artest
Robert Horry
Sean Elliot
Marcus Camby

[Rob Instigator]

Bobby Sura
Yao Ming splits time
Steve Francis and Cutino Mobley split time
Rashard Lewis
Sam Cassell
Penny Hardaway
Clyde Drexler
Damon Jones
Shawn Kemp splits time
John Lucas
Robert Reid
Alan Level

[Bytor Peltor]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

do you guys think that in 2014 LeBron will really head to LA? That seems the forgone conclusion among the NBA literati.

I don;t know. If Wade is on a down-slope, and if the Heat cannot get someone else to team up with LeBronsky, would he really slap the champion Heat aside and head to the wasteland of LA?

First and foremost, you can't believe the "forgone conclusions" coming out of LA......it's all crap! Could LeBron choose LA - sure, but it has NOTHING to do with anything taking place now.

Many are already predicting (including Vegas) that the Miami Heat are the favorite to win another championship in 2014. If this happens, LeBron will be in a unique position to win a 4th championship in a row......something Kobe nor Jordan could accomplish when that rare opportunity was before them.
Again, IF that opportunity presented itself, I don't see LeBron walking away from it.

So lets say Miami loses in or fails to make the NBA Finals. Based on all the clamoring by SuchFrines about the Lakers being this and that and the "built in draw" other players supposedly crave, why would LeBron want to follow in someone else's shoes??? If LeBron wants to "walk on water," he will go win one in New York.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Bytor Peltor

First and foremost, you can't believe the "forgone conclusions" coming out of LA......it's all crap! Could LeBron choose LA - sure, but it has NOTHING to do with anything taking place now.

Many are already predicting (including Vegas) that the Miami Heat are the favorite to win another championship in 2014. If this happens, LeBron will be in a unique position to win a 4th championship in a row......something Kobe nor Jordan could accomplish when that rare opportunity was before them.
Again, IF that opportunity presented itself, I don't see LeBron walking away from it.

So lets say Miami loses in or fails to make the NBA Finals. Based on all the clamoring by SuchFrines about the Lakers being this and that and the "built in draw" other players supposedly crave, why would LeBron want to follow in someone else's shoes??? If LeBron wants to "walk on water," he will go win one in New York.

Lebron will NOT win a fourth championship in a row, if only because it will take FIVE consecutive Finals appearances, which is even more than Magic could muster when the Lakers went to 9 Finals in 11 years. However, a three-pete is so damned likely (Wade and Bosh will be healthy, Birdman will find his groove, we got at least another solid year from the no-stats All-Star Shane Battier, Ray Allen turned back the clock this year..) so as to say that many people will probably NOT watch the NBA next year

As to Lakers, they will most certainly NOT get Lebron but they surely WILL snag up 2 or 3 top-tier players AND 3-5 great role players and more than likely 2 great draft picks. After all, their the fucking Lakers!

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

 

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Notice Roy Hibbert was THE WORST SHOOTER IN THE PAINT THIS SEASON, that supposedly great center HAHA.. "Roy Hibbert"

I was trying to tell all the haters to chill in that Pacers series, but they were too foolish to look into season stats to see that Big Roy ain't really that great (12 ppg, 8rpg for a 7'2" ???)

 

[Rob Instigator]

Imagine these two on a team together.

 

I think I just ejaculated.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

Imagine these two on a team together.

 

I think I just ejaculated.

wouldn't have worked. MJ was a ball hog shooter like Kobe (hence where Kobe learned that shit) and Hakeen was WAY to built on the fundamentals of the game, they would have clashed to the point of disaster. Hakeem's skill was handling the ball on the block with his phenomenal footwork, whereas MJ's skill was handling the ball at the elbows and either driving or opening up a mid-range jumper. Notice the Bulls never had a truly gifted big, and never relied on a big to win it all.

[Rob Instigator]

According to what I have read, in 1984, the Blazers offered Drexler and the 2nd pick in 1st round to Houston for Ralph Sampson. Hakeem says that could have had Drexler, Jordan, and Dream all on the same team. Houston Rockets woudl have had 1st pick and 2nd pick. (Dream, Jordan).

insanity what if...

[Rob Instigator]

You don;t think Jordan would have cream-dreamed playing far less hard D? he never had a reliable 1 to hold the paint.

[Rob Instigator]

(Dream talking about his introduction to B-Ball)
At the national stadium, the handball court is next to the basketball court. Every time the basketball coach would see me, he would tell me, “Handball is not your sport. Basketball is your sport.” The coach, Coach Ganiu, tried to get me onto the basketball court for a long time. When he finally did, the team was practicing. He called the assistant coaches and the rest of the team to one side of the court, and he called a point guard and me to the other side. He gave me the concept of my position [center] in basketball, of how important it is. It was unbelievable the way he described my role—I clearly saw myself doing it. He said, “This is the paint—you know, it’s painted red, because that’s blood. It’s very physical in there. And you, in your position, rule that lane. You rule the court. You rule the middle.” He gave me this concept of domination: Dominate the middle, dominate the paint, you know? Anything that’s in the paint, you’re dunking it on offense. You don’t think layup or any other shot. When you get a ball in the paint, there’s no different thought: You go in for a dunk. ES: That explains the Phi Slama Jama mentality at the University of Houston—you were already a dunking machine.
HO: Exactly. When you dunk on people, they start getting out of your way. And on defense, the concept Coach Ganiu gave me was the same: Anything that comes in, you block it. He told me to come back for two more practices. And during those he would stop everything if I didn’t get the ball. He would tell all the players on the team, “Anytime you see my big man run the floor, you have to give him the ball.”
ES: You were literally the center of everything.
HO: It was a privilege. I played the most important position on the team.







Dream tried to impart that "center is primal" mentality to yao. Yao was too nice. He was not made to demand anything. Yao could have been killin people on the court. 7'5" with a soft shooting touch? damn....

[Rob Instigator]

When I was ready for my turn and got in there, they immediately saw that I owned the middle, that I was a shot blocker. A shot blocker is like the police. Imagine you’re driving and you see a police car; you slow down. When the shot blocker is in the lane, it’s a different game. After two blocks, they’re going to change their shots. They know immediately that they can’t go through the middle. The way I play the game, they know that they have to be legitimate to score. If they’re not legitimate, they’ll be rejected.- Olajuwon

today's centers do not seem to have that mentality. that is why people loved an aging Mutumbo, even though his skills had diminished. he would HIT YOU

[Rob Instigator]

ES: You still like watching basketball?
HO: Except for the playoffs, I cannot watch a whole game now. Every time I watch it, I see people take bad shots. I see a lot of fundamental mistakes. These are pros. I mean, when you get to the pro level, your decision-making should be better. Your basketball IQ should be higher.





Dream always tells it like it is.

[Bytor Peltor]

Rob - the info you have about the Portland trade is fact!

This is happening tomorrow

The Rockets’ deal to add Dwight Howard is not quite official, but they could not wait to show him off.

The Rockets announced a “fan rally” for 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Root Memorial Square Park across from Toyota Center to make a major announcement. They did not specifically mention Dwight Howard in announcing the event, but the plan is to welcome him to a club of Rockets big men.

His predecessors – Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming – will all attend the event. It is free and open to the public.

The Rockets had been unable to sign Howard until other transactions were completed. Their trade of Royce White to the Philadelphia 76ers had been held up while the Sixers completed their trade of Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans, however, announced a press conference for Friday evening, indicating that deal would be completed.

With that out of the way, the deal of White to open cap space could be made official, following by the signing of draft pick Isaiah Canaan, the remaining steps before the Rockets could sign Howard.

The Rockets will then be able to sign free agents Francisco Garcia, Reggie Williams and Omri Casspi.

But first, they planned a downtown celebration.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

ES: You still like watching basketball?
HO: Except for the playoffs, I cannot watch a whole game now. Every time I watch it, I see people take bad shots. I see a lot of fundamental mistakes. These are pros. I mean, when you get to the pro level, your decision-making should be better. Your basketball IQ should be higher.





Dream always tells it like it is.

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

wouldn't have worked. Hakeem was WAY to built on the fundamentals of the game, .

Hahaha.. just like I said, the Dream relies too much on fundamentals to play with MJ, which is why Hakeem taught this art to Lebron and taught him to shoot smart rather then simply to force shots on his athleticism. THAT is something Jordan would never have been able to accept in the long run. Fundamentals weren't Jordan's specialty..

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

You don;t think Jordan would have cream-dreamed playing far less hard D? he never had a reliable 1 to hold the paint.

Nope. They never had a reliable big in the paint because Jordan's style was a preview of the Small-Ball which has steam-rolled the Heat into 2 Championships, a 27 game win streak, and three consecutive Finals appearances.

Jordan's style would clash with a big, a big dude would just clog the lane for his drives and cuts to the basket. Further, it negates the power of Jordan's mid-range jumpers. Again, Dream wouldn't have liked it either, because he wouldn't have gotten nearly enough touches. Rodman thrived on the Bulls because he could care less about scoring, but Dream was a scorer, not just a bulk defender. It is interesting to me how the Bulls won 6 championships without relying on a powerful big in the paint, and yet conversely the Lakers with Phil Jackson ONLY won their five championships on the back of Shaq/Odom/Pau/Bynum dominating under the basket

[Rob Instigator]

"I gave Michael [Jordan] the number for my bookie, and told him to be careful, but he never listened to me unless it had something to do with the triangle offense. That's why they killed his daddy." - Phil Jackson

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

"I gave Michael [Jordan] the number for my bookie, and told him to be careful, but he never listened to me unless it had something to do with the triangle offense. That's why they killed his daddy." - Phil Jackson

That is just not fair. In fact, one of the biggest tragedies of Michael Jordan is that in all the hype and love for his six championships, people rarely talk about or even remember that his father was murdered. Its not a joking matter. It was a seriously horrible tragedy, one which should never be overlooked. Who knows what got his dad killed, but we should all pause and reflect on it. Even if just his dad had died of old age during those Championship runs would have been sad enough, but murdered? Shit was sad yo

[Rob Instigator]

nothing is fair in comedy