***2012-13 NBA THREAD!!! New Season/New Thread - LET'S GO!!!!!***

[DCranon21]

They aren't. They are a young and athletic team, with the best scorer in the league, and arguably the best home court advantage in the league, that has already made it to the finals once. Besides, you brought up OKC, I didn't. So obviously you are worried about them.

Then you have the Clippers who have savvy veterans, with a mix of youth that could either run you to death or beat you on the half court.

You can never count out the Spurs while Pop is there, as well as Carlisle with the Mavs.

And what if teams like the Blazers, T-Wolves, Rockets, get it together.

And that is just the West.

Right now, I would say the Clips, OKC and San Antonio are the only ones who are the top 3 right now in the West. Now with the Lakers, it's a wait and see once D'Antoni comes aboard. Memphis is making a push for that too as well. I actually like what Memphis has going on down there. But OKC is the defending Western Conference champs, so that's the bar in the West.

[Die Hard]

Melo wasn`t considered a defensive stalwart last year when Woodson took over... and yet the team finished 18-5. Despite injuries to key players late in the season.

It`s partly Woodson taking over, partly Lebron winning his first championship, partly all the negative press last year about his inability to work with Lin or Amare or D`Antoni (all professed false by Melo), or partly his experience in the Olympics... whatever. Melo is in the best shape of his career.... and he`s in a different place mentally.

That`s not a knock on his previous shortcomings.... but the evolution of a superstar.

[RonArtest15]

That quote in no way implies that Melo was dogging it. What it suggests is a player who has undergone a personal and professional transformation and taking his game to the next level. And you can credit Mike Woodson for that.

He`s no longer a point forward... as D`Antoni played him. He`s distributing the basketball. He`s changed his game. Woodson has played into his strengths and inspired him to improve his game. Defensively AND offensively... which is why he brought Hakeem into training camp to improve his game with his back to the basket.

Melo did exactly what D`Antoni coached him to do. It was flawed and the results showed. Melo wasn`t dogging it.

Woodson has made Melo better; he makes the Knicks better. And part of that is Melo stepping up his game and taking it to the next level. Just like Lebron in Miami. Doesn`t mean Lebron was dogging it in Cleveland.

Maybe your definition of "dogging it" is different than mine...but dude flat out said he was playing w/ an energy that wasn't there before. But that's not dogging it? Most Knicks fans that I personally know would admit that Melo wasn't playing his hardest. He looked disinterested at times on the floor amongst other things. Again, I'm not absolving D'Antoni of blame - because he could have done things differently...but the Knicks heartbeat begins and ends w/ Melo. That's the way it is. It took D'Antoni getting fired for this guy to wake up. I'm not completely sold on this team at all, but I'll give them credit for what they've done thus far into the 2012-13 season.

Melo was doing nothing differently than what he was doing in his Denver days. He was getting his Iso, pounding the ball in to the floor, and jacking up shots. I watched the games. He wasn't giving a good effort on the floor.

Like I said, I'll give him credit for what he (and the Knicks) have done 4 games in...but again, it's ONLY 4 games into the season. Let me see it over a whole year before I crown him anything. It's a good start but there is a long way to go.

*FWIW, you can't even compare Lebron stepping his game up in Miami to what Melo is doing now. STAT still isn't back in the fold (sub-.500 when they play together) and they still haven't shown **** in the playoffs. Melo was awful last year...but hey, it's the evolution of a superstar, right?

Let me know when this dude puts a team on his back when it matters. This season is going to be telling. Either you'll be right and I'm wrong, or vice versa. I prefer to side with history.

[MLSKINS]

Right now, I would say the Clips, OKC and San Antonio are the only ones who are the top 3 right now in the West. Now with the Lakers, it's a wait and see once D'Antoni comes aboard. Memphis is making a push for that too as well. I actually like what Memphis has going on down there. But OKC is the defending Western Conference champs, so that's the bar in the West.

I meant to say Memphis instead of the T-Wolves.

But you are right, those three, and the Lakers, are the top four in the West....

I don't even know why I am predicting the future right now. We all know that somehow, someway, the Lakers are going to acquire another Superstar so they came remain relevant once Kobe retires.

[Die Hard]

Let me know when this dude puts a team on his back when it matters. This season is going to be telling. Either you'll be right and I'm wrong, or vice versa. I prefer to side with history.

You seem to believe it`s only been 4 games.

Doug Collins said. “If Miami is 1, then they’re 1A.

"They are a very good team," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, as quoted by Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "They are one of a handful of teams... that have a chance to come out of the East."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knick...QGxT7TdSE5Tv8J
Miami’s Chris Bosh said he thinks the Knicks will be a stiffer test for the defending champions this season.
“I just want to say — the freakin’ Knicks, man,” Bosh told ESPN.com Thursday. “I think they’re going to be a good team.
“Nobody’s really talking about them, and I don’t like it. They’re flying under the radar right now. I think the Knicks are going to be a very good team.”

[RonArtest15]

You seem to believe it`s only been 4 games.

Doug Collins said. “If Miami is 1, then they’re 1A.

"They are a very good team," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, as quoted by Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "They are one of a handful of teams... that have a chance to come out of the East."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knick...QGxT7TdSE5Tv8J
Miami’s Chris Bosh said he thinks the Knicks will be a stiffer test for the defending champions this season.
“I just want to say — the freakin’ Knicks, man,” Bosh told ESPN.com Thursday. “I think they’re going to be a good team.
“Nobody’s really talking about them, and I don’t like it. They’re flying under the radar right now. I think the Knicks are going to be a very good team.”

Collins' quote is in reference to their start, right (Same w/ Carlisle)? So, that would be after 4 games.

Bosh is being diplomatic...when has he ever stirred the pot? What did you expect him to say? Knicks got washed 4-1, now they're a team that's flying under the radar? OK.

Personally, I pegged them between a 5-7 seed in the East. I'm going to stand by that. They are off to a ridiculously hot start...however, it's foolish to believe that this team is going to maintain that pace and not go through the regular ebbs and flows of a NBA season. Let me see them win more than one playoff game in a SERIES before saying they're going to come out of the East. Again, they have to not only contend w/ the likes of Miami/Indy/Boston/Chicago (assuming Rose comes back 100%), but also HISTORY.

[Monte51Coleman]

The Knicks are playing defense very well so far. If that continues they will be a factor.

They are also leading the league in 3's made, 3's attempted, and %. Their percentage this season, so far, is 30% better than last year. (.436 vs .336).

If that continues you can just crown them now.

[steve09ru]

Most Knicks fans that I personally know would admit that Melo wasn't playing his hardest. He looked disinterested at times on the floor amongst other things.

You could tell he wasn't playing his hardest and that falls on the head coach. When your leader can't motivate the players then who is supposed to? Woodson was on them much harder in regards to playing defense. The players even stated that.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basket...ense-1.3610533

You have to be able to coach the things you want to see and continue to burn those into the players minds. If you let them walk on you then you're just setting yourself up for failure which is what D'Antoni did

D'Antoni is not a coach that is going to win you championships. The teams he had in Phoenix were more than capable but faltered every time. Having a 26-29 (.473) playoff records speaks for itself. He's never made it to the finals and also has had 4 straight seasons of 54 wins or more and a playoff record of 27-27 (.500)

[Die Hard]

Collins' quote is in reference to their start, right (Same w/ Carlisle)? So, that would be after 4 games.

Bosh is being diplomatic...when has he ever stirred the pot? What did you expect him to say? Knicks got washed 4-1, now they're a team that's flying under the radar? OK.

Sorry, I can`t have discussions with people like my mom -- uneducated but strongly opinionated and a willingness to talk endlessly on a topic with only marginal information about it.

[RonArtest15]

Sorry, I can`t have discussions with people like my mom -- uneducated but strongly opinionated and a willingness to talk endlessly on a topic with only marginal information about it.

*Yawn* I see I touched a nerve. Get off your high horse. You think a little too highly of yourself and your opinion. We're having a discussion here...if you want to waive a white flag, then fine. If not, save the keyboard diarrhea and continue the discussion w/o having to take pot shots to overcompensate for your lack of argument.

[DieselPwr44]

Nasty.........

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

OKC is a mess. Just an absolute mess.

This is shocking, but without Harden, they are incredibly easy to defend. You don't have to defend Perkins. You don't have to defend Ibaka. You have to be vaguely aware of their 2 guard. Sort of.

Durant is still awesome and Westbrook can still get to the hoop, but if they combine for 70 each night, the rest of the team can't score. And I love Westbrook but he has a hard time feeding Durant the ball in the spots Durant needs the ball.

I am so pissed about this Harden trade I want to throw something.

On another note, Memphis is loaded. They may have 8 guys who all do at least one thing at an elite level.

On another another note, at some point, Lebron became the best low point scorer in the NBA.

[MLSKINS]

Man people need to make up their mind about the Thunder.

After every win, Wow the Thunder are so amazing and fun to watch

When they lose, OKC sucks! Without Harden.... With Westbrook...

It's crazy...

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

I know Bledsoe can get up there, but this dude Wade is finished. Lol at better than Kobe.



Perkins is a bum

---------- Post added November-15th-2012 at 10:29 AM ----------



---------- Post added November-15th-2012 at 10:33 AM ----------



absurd

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Man people need to make up their mind about the Thunder.

After every win, Wow the Thunder are so amazing and fun to watch

When they lose, OKC sucks! Without Harden.... With Westbrook...

It's crazy...

I've been down on them all year.

They can still be fun to watch because Durant and Westbrook are fun to watch. And they are going to annihilate a bunch of teams simply because they have two superduper stars.

But they were amazing last year because they were a team. Now it's two guys trying to pull a wagon up the hill.

At the end of the game, they had Durant, Westbrook, Thabeet, Sefalosha, and Ibaka on the floor. I wonder where the offense is going to come from. That's three guys in crunch time who you literally do not have to guard. You could double Durant and/or Westbrook away from the ball and have no worries. It's ridiculous.