PreSeason NBA!

Mark · 10-11-2002, 06:06 AM

Well its that time of year again....hockey just started up again, and now its time for the NBA to prep up for its new year.

What are your predictions for your favorite teams?

Who has the best shot @ MVP, 6th man, coach of the year, and other such awards?

Who will make it to the Finals this year?

imclayinaz · 10-11-2002, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkO
Well its that time of year again....hockey just started up again, and now its time for the NBA to prep up for its new year.

What are your predictions for your favorite teams?

Who has the best shot @ MVP, 6th man, coach of the year, and other such awards?

Who will make it to the Finals this year?

I would like to see the Mavericks take it all the way.

MVP - Dirk Nowitzki

6th Man - Michael Jordan

Coach of the Year - Don Nelson

Dallas over Boston in six games. Of course the only way for this to happen is for someone to break Shaq's toe or something.

***Art*** · 10-11-2002, 09:38 AM

Funny you should mention NBA preseason

Last night, The Utah Jazz played the Sacramento Kings in Reno, NV. I was there.
What I can tell you about both teams... the Kings top 8 players looked like they were in mid season form. The Jazz looked like they were in the preseason. David Webber, Chris' little brother surprised me with his quickness and ball handling... Keon Clark looked out of synch with the rest of the team. SOOO much fun.

Anyhow, my predictions. The Kings and Nets in the finals. MVP... Duncan or Kobe. 6th man... could be Keon Clark, but probably not. THis one is just too hard to predict. Same with coach.

Chico · 10-11-2002, 10:25 AM

team i'd most like see in the finals is either the Kings or Mavs.

MVP - the new big man in Houston. he's so big.

6th man - Jason Collins

Coach of the Year - whoever the Nuggets coach is. they are gonna win it all.

Finals - Gonzaga vs. Golden State

now for my real picks:

MVP - may be Webber or Shaq, but if Washington does good this year, maybe Stackhouse.

6th man - could go to Rodney Rogers. he's in a good position to contribute on a winning team.

Coach of the Year - Doug Collins. the Wizards are gonna make the playoffs.

Finals - Nets are back vs. Lakers, gotta pick until someone proves they can be beat.

***Art*** · 10-11-2002, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chico
Finals - Nets are back vs. Lakers, gotta pick until someone proves they can be beat.

Umm... I think that the Kings already proved that the Lakers can be beat. And the Kings got stronger, while the Lakers stayed the same again.

MatrixManXCreed · 10-14-2002, 10:38 PM

Yep, the Kings did show that the Lakers can be beat, just not in 7 games. Too bad for the Kings. Like I've said before, the Lakers own the Kings, just like MJ owns Cleaveland.

***Art*** · 10-14-2002, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MatrixManXCreed
Yep, the Kings did show that the Lakers can be beat, just not in 7 games. Too bad for the Kings. Like I've said before, the Lakers own the Kings, just like MJ owns Cleaveland.

Own?? Winning 4 out of 4, even three out of four... that's ownage. 4 out of seven (with some help from their zebra friends) is DEFINITELY NOT ownage.

Mark · 10-15-2002, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Art
Own?? Winning 4 out of 4, even three out of four... that's ownage. 4 out of seven (with some help from their zebra friends) is DEFINITELY NOT ownage.

ahh yes, the age old debate of the zebra-men....

It does look like the Kings will contend for the championship this year, but do not count out the Mavs, if in the right matchup, they could still beat either LA or Sactown...

RogueWarrior · 10-15-2002, 08:10 AM

I generally don't care much for the NBA unless the Kings and Mavs are playing each other. Most other games are SO boring. Especially watching the Lakers pound the ball in to Shaq and watching him knock everyone down en route to a dunk.

But that Kings/Mavs series in the playoffs last season was so much fun to watch. Up and down the court, 70 points per team at the half. That was great.

***Art*** · 10-15-2002, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkO

ahh yes, the age old debate of the zebra-men....

It does look like the Kings will contend for the championship this year, but do not count out the Mavs, if in the right matchup, they could still beat either LA or Sactown...

The Mavs are great... but I still think that they aren't quite going to cut the mustard without a bigger, more physical front court. I can see them being the #3 team for a couple more years, at which point they will overtake the Lakers as the #2 team

Mark · 10-15-2002, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Art
The Mavs are great... but I still think that they aren't quite going to cut the mustard without a bigger, more physical front court. I can see them being the #3 team for a couple more years, at which point they will overtake the Lakers as the #2 team

you're entitled to your opininion, but our core is better than your core, which means we will be better longer. Nowitzki is top 5 in the NBA as an all around guy, Nash is a top five pg, Fin is a great 2 guard, and Lafrentz is a good PF/C. Yes we lack a strong center, but mind you, we have a guy named Popeye Jones back in Dallas, who will be great as a rebounder and defender, and Raja Bell has been playing a lot better than Buckner did last year.

Bibby obviously showed himself in the playoffs, but Webber still isn't a playoff guy, and Divac is getting old. Peja is good, but not great, and Turkey is just ugly

The addition of Clark to me doesn't make much of a difference, because they already HAD a deep team, and now they are just deeper. Clark played well in the Leastern Conference, but he's just an athletic 10 points/5-7 rebounds per game in the Western Conference.

Shanemasta15 · 10-15-2002, 06:19 PM

mark0, I agree with most everything except the comments about Keon Clark. You're right Peja isn't quite as good as everyone makes him out to be but, I think that's a secret reason they picked up Clark. I watched a ton of Raptors game last year and, you'll probably think I'm crazy, I saw some Kevin Garnett-esque small forward potential in Clark. Now tell me a frontcourt of Clark, Divac, and Webber isn't quite an intimidating tandem!

Mark · 10-15-2002, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shanemasta15
mark0, I agree with most everything except the comments about Keon Clark. You're right Peja isn't quite as good as everyone makes him out to be but, I think that's a secret reason they picked up Clark. I watched a ton of Raptors game last year and, you'll probably think I'm crazy, I saw some Kevin Garnett-esque small forward potential in Clark. Now tell me a frontcourt of Clark, Divac, and Webber isn't quite an intimidating tandem!

yes, that tandem will be good, but he's (clark) is going to have to share minutes with Turkey, and Peja. See, Clark did look good last year as a raptor, but that was in the Eastern Conference against teams that are Guard - driven, whereas in the West its mainly the big boys that are better. I think he'll do ok, just not be as great as everyone makes him out to be.

***Art*** · 10-16-2002, 12:57 AM

Ack... Webber did well in the playoffs this year. And as for your core being better... i really don't think so. I think that Peja is not nearly as good as he is given credit for... I was very surprised by the all star selection. Doug Christie is one of the top defenders in the league. We have two starter calibur point guards, one of whom is surely top 5. On top of this, the Kings have been playing together, as a team. The only new addition to their starting lineup in three seasons is Bibby, and beyond him, only Clark is new.

Mark · 10-16-2002, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Art
Ack... Webber did well in the playoffs this year. And as for your core being better... i really don't think so. I think that Peja is not nearly as good as he is given credit for... I was very surprised by the all star selection. Doug Christie is one of the top defenders in the league. We have two starter calibur point guards, one of whom is surely top 5. On top of this, the Kings have been playing together, as a team. The only new addition to their starting lineup in three seasons is Bibby, and beyond him, only Clark is new.

Bibbster isn't a top 5 guard until he proves he can do it for a whole year...Doug Christie is a good defender, but can't play much offense. Peja is skilled, but not really a NBA player, he's more of a foreign mold guy.