2010-2011 NBA SEASON THREAD

I was listening to John Barry talk before the game and he said the Thunder would be better off moving Maynor to point and Westbrook to the 2. Westbrook is just way too out of control. I think Tirk may have been on to something. He may never be an elite point guard, but...he can be an elite scorer.

 

Westbrook made some really nice passes and other athletic plays that deserve credit. His two missed FTs and a couple of other plays down the stretch showed his youth. I heard one of the announcers (Van Gundy?) say he's only been playing the PG position for a short time. With Harden deserving of a starting spot in the near future (i.e. next year), I think you give Westbrook another year or two to develop as a PG. Harden can be a facilitator also and take some pressure off Westbrook (like Lebron does for Bibby/Chalmers).

 

Considering I don't have a strong rooting interest in the Bulls/Heat series, it's still been must see TV (for me). I'll pull for the Bulls tonight so that the series can get extended.

Jordan was never my favorite player growing up (went from Magic to Barkley) but I still loved watching him play. Lebron is kind of similar for me. Lebron's athleticism is freakish. His defensive intensity at the start of game 3 (Bulls) showed his desire to win. His passing skills for someone his size are matched only by Magic (maybe Oscar but never saw him play). He's shown in these playoffs that he's not afraid to take and make clutch shots. I think five cloned Lebron's would beat five of any other player in the history of basketball.

 

He reminds me more of Magic than anyone, except Magic was a better post player than LeBron is. LeBron is a better slasher than Magic was, but Magic was also a better passer.

 

By the way, I have to give credit to the fans in OKC. Staying the entire game and chanting OKC, OKC, OKC when the Mavs are shooting the worthless free throws at the end. I don't know if it's because Thunder fans until now really aren't used to having their hearts ripped out, but kudos to them for sticking with their team and not booing them or being stupid like some other fans.

 

Magic refined his post up skills later in his career. If Lebron ever develops that part of his game, he will be unguardable.

While I agree with everything you said, Magic played his entire career with Kareem (top 3 center of all-time), Worthy (in his prime), Byron Scott (also in prime and would get an alley dunk virtually every game), and Michael Cooper that would guard the other team's best wing. That LA fast break system was made for Magic. If you plug today's Lebron back to those Lakers teams, I think Lebron would average just as many assists and fill up the highlight reels. I also think Lebron has improved his outside shooting enough that he's much better than Magic in that area. Not quite Jordan or Kobe prolific, but better than Magic.

 

good points, Showtime was loaded that's for sure. The way Dirk has been playing, I have seen some Larry Bird in him, other than the fact that Bird was a better defender and rebounder.

 

Magic's first few years were before my time (I was born in '77) as I became an avid fan in the mid 80's during the big matchups with the Celtics. I've always heard of Magic's legendary finals game as a rookie when Kareem was injured so assumed his career was golden until the HIV announcement. I just read Magic's wiki page and apparently he had some struggles in years two and three (injury, blamed for getting his coach fired - even booed by Lakers fans, asked to be traded).

Bird also played with some legendary teammates. I remember Bird getting a tag of being a weak defender like Dirk but guessing it's because both are simply average on that end of the floor. Bird was also a great passer.

 

It was Paul Westhead who was the Lakers coach that Magic ran off. Interestingly enough, Westhead went on to coach at Loyola Marymount and coached Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble. If memory serves me, LSU played these guys in either 90 or 91, and LSU won 148 141 in overtime, or something close to that score.

 

this thread cracks me up, it's a bunch of preseason stuff, a few post on regular season stuff, and then nothing but playoff talk. That pretty much sums up the way I feel about the NBA, the regular season isn't important, and is actually pretty crappy to watch alot of the time, but the playoffs rule.