NBA 08-09 season has started

[Mirage]

So who are you going to watch this year? I'm watching the Nuggets and the Bulls.

So far the Nuggets aren't doing too hot. New York kicked their butts but that was just one game.

Who do you guys think has a shot at the championship this year?

 

[Major]

Thank God college hoops is starting up. The NBA regular season bores me to death. That said, I'll watch some games here or there, but honestly, I really don't care what happens. I have no interest in watching the Bulls right now.

 

[SamusAran86]

I'll be watching the Suns once again. They got 'Sterned' last year, and now hes trying to make it up by giving us the 09 All-Star game... HA

I cant believe the start of the season already, one night they dominate, the next, there getting dominated...

Start with a comeback win in Seattle, get blown out by the Lakers, another squeaker in Cleveland, completly dominate Charlotte, then lose to lowly Atlanta...

to say the least, they started poorly last year, and had there runs, made it to the playoffs... I think they can do the same this year, and I think they have better talent on the bench now. Skinner has been a hell of a defender already, and Hill has added some more veteran presence.

It just seems that if they click everything is working, if its off, its a total disaster, I just hope they get it under control soon

 

[Major]

I cant believe the start of the season already, one night they dominate, the next, there getting dominated...

Start with a comeback win in Seattle, get blown out by the Lakers, another squeaker in Cleveland, completly dominate Charlotte, then lose to lowly Atlanta...

That's the NBA for you. They have to play way too many games. Teams pick and choose which games they're going to show up for and which ones they're going to tank. It's the only way they'll have the energy to win in the playoffs. Look at what happened to Dallas last year, losing in the first round after having the best record in the league during the regular season. The NBA is a joke.

 

[Mirage]

The NBA is a joke.

Yet millions of fans continue to watch it every year. Sure it's a business, but you can't argue that there is no skill in the NBA. Where do you think all of the best college players end up?

I just started a thread for college vs. pro. Here it is:

http://forums.nurv.com/general/sports/college-vs-pro-sports-13080.html

Please keep this thread more for discussing the NBA season.

 

[Major]

Yet millions of fans continue to watch it every year. Sure it's a business, but you can't argue that there is no skill in the NBA. Where do you think all of the best college players end up?

The NBA is well behind the NFL, college football, baseball, and NASCAR in terms of popularity. I never said there was no skill in the NBA, but it's nowhere near what it was 10 years ago. Most players now are athletes first, basketball players second. Many of them went straight from high school to the NBA, or played one or two years in college and never really learned the game. They could just dominate with their athleticism. NBA teams would rather draft players who can run fast and jump high than players who can shoot, pass the ball, play defense, etc.

Look at what's happened to the USA basketball team in international competition over the last 6 or 7 years. Teams full of NBA All-Stars are losing to international teams with rosters full of nobodies. You can say the American players don't care, or they don't have enough practice time together as a team, but actually watching them play, it's clear the international teams just play better basketball. The Americans rely too heavily on their one on one play offensively, never really passing the ball around. And on defense, they look lost defending a simple pick and roll.

That's not the only reason why I think the NBA is a joke though. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they play 82 games, and 16 teams make the playoffs. 82 games to eliminate less than half the teams! You can make the playoffs with a sub .500 record. And then the playoffs go on FOREVER. Is it really necessary to play a seven game series to determine the best team?

Anyway, sorry for getting this thread so far off-topic.

Back on topic, the Bulls are now 1-5 after their 30 point loss at home to the Toronto Raptors. At this point I'll be surprised if they make the playoffs.

Boston Celtics are 5-0, the last unbeaten team in the NBA. They're definitely looking like the team to beat in the East. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are unstoppable, but the team doesn't have any depth at all, so they could wear down as the season goes along.

 

[dmny500]

I disagree with you about the Celtics Echoes. I think the team has more depth than you think. They have Eddie House who is playing great off the bench and I think averaging double figures in points. Posey is playing great defense off the bench and making important 3's. Then Glen Davis has been getting minutes the past couple games and playing relatively well. And last but not least Tony Allen is still trying to get fully healthy after his injury but he's still playing well right now at 70% healthy. I do think they could wear down but not cause of the bench, if they do it's because Doc Rivers plays the big 3 when they're up 20 points in the 4th quarter.


So I think that the Celtics will win the East and the Spurs will win the West.

As for which team I like to watch, that would be the Sonics and the Celtics. I like watching the Sonics cause Durant is amazing and I like watching the Celtics cause they're my home team and I've been rooting for them for years.

I also disagree that we aren't skilled enough for the olympics, we've lost because the teams that were put together were horrible. They would make the team a bunch of 1 on 1 ballhogs that don't play defense. However, did you watch and USA basketball this summer? This summer the team was great and put together much better.

 

[Major]

We'll see. The Celtics will need good production out of their role players if they're going to reach the Finals. They definitely have talented players.

USA might not have been sending the best players, but most of them were still NBA All-Stars and should have still destroyed everyone they played. There's no excuse for losing to far-less talented teams. Yes, they were impressive this summer, but the competition was extremely weak. Argentina didn't send their best players.

 

[dmny500]

The USA teams did lose to less talented teams but the USA teams were formed of egotistical me first players. I think that if they were formed of the best role players of the NBA it would actually lead us to victory. I also don't know why they wont add Kevin Garnett to the team cause he's a great rebounder and very unselfish.

 

[Major]

I'm sure they asked Garnett and he declined.