Here's to a big season- the NBA smack thread 2010/11

**Mach Looney** · 04-28-2011, 10:15 AM

Sure, the Thunder are probably better and even with a loss last night would have taken the series. But as a fan I want my guys to have a puncher's chance, so when a blatant offensive goaltending call goes against you in the first game and an absurd FT discrepancy tilts another game, it's hard to care. You shouldn't have to play perfect basketball in order to overcome the refs and a great team. Trying to beat a great team is hard enough.

Originally Posted by AKbruin

^^^Come on. The Thunder are simply the better team. They beat the Nuggets 6 of 7 times in the last month or so. That's not luck and it's not a ref thing (although I agree with aspects of your post).

Heat v. Celtics should be fun. I have no idea who'll win.

**AKbruin** · 04-28-2011, 11:38 AM

Dunno. I feel like Denver was awfully excusey in this series. Goal tending should have been called, but BFD. (1) Denver failed to execute on the resulting plays and OKC did; (2) if Perk didn't goaltend, he or Ibaka were going to finish that play anyway. Also, like it or not, Durant and RW are two of the best players in the league at getting to the line (up there with Kevin Martin and Kobe). The free-throw disparity has been a consistent advantage all season for the Thunder. And the backcourt call last night is a non-issue. Star power is only part of getting calls. For instance, no one's star shines brighter these days than Rose. Yet RW gets to the line with much greater consistency. And I doubt it's a Stern conpiracy to capitalize on the Oklahoma City market.

I agree that refs play too big a part in NBA games these days, but I'm not sure that's not simply an inherent issue in the game. I hate for example, the rip move that KD uses often to get contact. But it's within the rules, so I can't blame KD or others for using it.

Anyhow, if I'm Denver, I prioritize keeping Nene and Afflalo, and let JR and Martin walk. Then maybe I seek a potential high-risk, high-value scorer like OJ Mayo. Mayo probably isn't much better than JR (on and off the court), but if he gets his shit together, he could be the kind of scorer than Denver needs. I don't think Denver can get a bigger star without giving too much away.

**Mach Looney** · 04-28-2011, 12:11 PM

FTA Season Average:
1. Nuggets - 29.6
2. Thunder - 29.3
3. Heat - 27.9

Post-trade we averaged 27.9, so not a big drop off. In any case, I don't think it's a Stern-led conspiracy. I think largely it is an inherent issue with the game, a flaw that makes it hard to be invested in the outcomes. I think there also needs to be much better training of officials, now that we know about a lot of the biases that affect human beings (including home court and race), to improve officiating as much as possible.

Hollinger had a big column about Rose not getting to the line as much as Westbrook, immediately after which Rose started getting to the line a lot more. Did Rose get better at drawing contact or did the refs start paying more attention or was it just coincidence? Who knows.

JR should go and if we can get KMart cheaply I'd be OK with it. I think we should trade Chandler and maybe Felton for some other pieces and hope Gallo develops. It'd be nice if Mozgov or Koufos could play C so Nene could shift to the 4, ala what Perkins did for Ibaka. See, no matter all my bitching I still can't help but care.

Good luck to the Thunder (except Westbrook, I hate that guy).

**digitaldeath** · 04-28-2011, 02:47 PM

LAKESHOW BABY

JUST WATCH

**The Reverend Floater** · 04-28-2011, 03:32 PM

Thunder vs. Heat or Bulls in Finals. Book it.

**BigDaddy** · 04-29-2011, 04:36 PM

Celtics vs. Heat.

FINAL starts Sunday.

Book it.

**legallyillegal** · 04-29-2011, 10:14 PM

The Vancouver Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs and move on to face the Seattle Supersonics!

**Danno** · 04-29-2011, 11:07 PM

**Woodsy** · 05-02-2011, 03:22 PM

Memphis!
great music, food, booze, crack, and basketball.
damn
Gasol is gonna have a tough road, first Dirk, then his brother....

**Arty50** · 05-02-2011, 03:53 PM

More like first Dirk, the Zach. This is gonna get iiiiiiinteresting...

**AKbruin** · 05-02-2011, 03:57 PM

The Memphis-OKC series isn't over yet, fellas. That said, Memphis may be the best 8-seed ever (or at least that I can think of). They look really, really good.

**El Chupacabra** · 05-03-2011, 11:22 AM

Mavs 1, Lakers 0.

Suck it, Kobe.

**carvedog** · 05-03-2011, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Mavs 1, Lakers 0.

Suck it, Kobe.

yes, yes - suck a big fat toke of disappointment.

Just for the record I hate the Lakers worse than the Cowboys. There is a haiku in there somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

**Arty50** · 05-04-2011, 11:05 PM

Lakers = garbage

**El Chupacabra** · 05-05-2011, 07:34 AM

Mavs = 2, Lakers = 0.

And next two games at home in Dallas. Lakers had no defense against (of all people) JJ Barea, the little guy looked like Speedy Gonzales running past all the Lakers and scoring easy layups.

Somewhere in L.A., Kobe spent a sleepless teary night!

**El Chupacabra** · 05-07-2011, 12:10 AM

Mavs = 3, Lakers = 0.

Game 4 is Sunday. Sweepity sweep sweep!

**basom** · 05-07-2011, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by digitaldeath

LAKESHOW BABY

JUST WATCH

bwahahah

doucheshow.

**grubbers** · 05-07-2011, 09:08 PM

rondo only needs one arm to beat the lakers.

**The Dad** · 05-08-2011, 10:02 AM

Much as I hate the Celtics, Rondo is the man.

**Mazderati** · 05-08-2011, 04:10 PM

Lakers lose the game and their composure. The possibility of Phil Jackson's last game. And, what seems like some crazy shit going on within the team, behind closed doors.

Magic talked about blowing up the team, but a lot of the Lakers are under contract for the next few years.

Rondo, aka Mr. Fantastic, is expected to play tomorrow.

**basom** · 05-08-2011, 04:24 PM

welcome to the chokeshow.

i would also like to remind arty about a conversation we had about bynum and my opinion that the kid is dirty as hell. he defended bynum's last flagrant 2 and ejection as not a dirty play but just a hard foul. i hope you don't try and do the same thing this time. because that was not cool today.

**El Chupacabra** · 05-08-2011, 04:48 PM

Mavs 4, Lakers 0.

Somewhere in Dallas, Kobe is crying, and Mark Cuban is laughing.

**Arty50** · 05-09-2011, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by basom

welcome to the chokeshow.

i would also like to remind arty about a conversation we had about bynum and my opinion that the kid is dirty as hell. he defended bynum's last flagrant 2 and ejection as not a dirty play but just a hard foul. i hope you don't try and do the same thing this time. because that was not cool today.

In no way, shape, or form do I approve of what that fucking jackass did today. He's obviously been hanging out with Kobe too much. I want to fucking kick him in the nuts...hard.

**Woodsy** · 05-09-2011, 06:41 AM

Suck it Phil Jackson, you smug, smarmy, arrogant, douchebag best coach of all time.

I would not be surprised to see Phil come back to his roots in NY for a year or 2.

Go Dirk Cubans!