NBA passion (4 Viewers)

[reno2004]

its good to see some KG fans in here. If Cassell hadnt had that back spasm, the T-wolves would probably roll over the Lakers. KG was definitely motivated in last season, i just hope hes not gonna lose any motivation because the wolves hasnt made any transaction, while almost every other team has changed their rosters.

Yes it is a bit sad to see that the T-Wolves did not make one relatively big signing despite the number of good players that have been available over the off-season. I hope it isnt a bad thing, because teams like Denver, the suns are much better now. On the other hand, maybe it is a good thing, they at least have some sort of cohesion. Hopefully they make conference finals again. At least the Kings arent gonna be much competition this year.

 

[ravenheart]

im not sure if this is correct, but if T-wolves doesnt wanna trade Spree or Cassell, then there is not enough salary cap to acquire good free agents. And there is really no point trading other twolves players since they all have low salary cap. The Trio played well last season, despite Spree's up and down performance in the playoff, but overall it is quite an achievement consider that putting three all-stars in the same team, where as didnt really work out for the Lakers.

anyone knew about payton being upset becoz he didnt get enough minutes? i reckon Fisher would be more effective than GP, who just had to be in the starting 5 becos of that ego of his, he still thinks he is what he was 5 yrs ago, lol,

Toronto has been quite, havent heard anything from Carter, is he still playing?

 

[Tommy_Lamp]

the only reason he started was because it was GP, fisher is a starter on most other teams.
Carter is probably gonna be traded.
The wolves will stick to their team, they have cassell and hudson is back

 

[ravenheart]

what do you mean "fisher is a starter on most other teams"? fish only plays for lakers

 

[felix_js]

raven, if he were on another team, he would be their starting PG

how do you reckon the boomers will go in athens?
after beating italy the other night, i think they're still a bit of a longshot to get a medal, but as long as they knock over two of the big guys (greece, lithuania and USA) and steer clear of the argies or serbs until the semis, they might have a chance. although a bit inconsistent, i think goorjian will pull them together for the games, and with guys like bogut, nielsen, etc coming back in beijing, we've got a briight future

the kiwis look pretty strong too, their group is easier than ours, and they have put a few class performances under their belt. they beat china after trailing 35-13 after the first, with yao shooting 27 points at 100%, yes 100%, but they ended the game with something like a 15-0 run to get OT and the win. and of course the series against the boomers when they stole the second game

 

[ravenheart]

i think the Boomers has no chance since their backbone is this US college bballer called Luke Walton i think...Gaze has retired so no more hot 3s beyond the arc...at least Shane is still there ...but i just dont think boomer gonna shine while competiting against USA and Eastern European countries and China...i hope Yao will show why he is an all-star player..lol

 

[felix_js]

i think the Boomers has no chance since their backbone is this US college bballer called Luke Walton i think

heh you've got no idea

here's how their tour has gone so far:

Boomers pre-Olympic schedule
1 August lost to China 82-84
2 August lost to Serbia & Montenegro 61-79
3 August defeated Angola (5th place FIBA Diamond Ball) 70-64
6 August defeated Angola 84-59 (Reggio Calabria - Italy)
7 August defeated Brazil 102-77
8 August defeated Italy 66-59
11 August Arrive Athens Olympic Village

the big thing to mention there is the win against italy(who slaughtered the americans), where they trailed the whole game and fought back hard to get the win

 

[ravenheart]

i heard about Italy beating USA, and only because three guys combined 70 pts? or somefing...and plus i think the prelim games dont prove anything since some teams play hard while others dont wanna show true potential until the REAL game starts

im sure none of the team wants to see their players injured before the Anthen Games, so the USA was probably just cruizing...also i would go for the Boomers, but the truth is..i really dont think they can make to the semi-finals

 

[felix_js]

no, the USA were just awful. everyone has the upper hand against them, every team has seen them play millions of times and everyone expects them to win by millions.
they did not know how to play the zone (as they have no shooters), they got pinged for travelling a zillion times, and italy's outside shooters shot something like 15 3's.

then they spluttered over the line against the germans with an iverson half court shot to win the game... the germans who did not make the olympics and it was essentially dirk vs 5

the next game usa played, they were up against the serbs. of course the americans wanted to get some more game time agaisnt zone defences, but the serbs played man to man the whole game and rested all their superstars. good on the serbs

they picked a team on how many jerseys they will sell, i mean come on, they picked marbury, a selfish shoot first player who turns it over lots and has no jumpshot. and they're not staying in the olympic village, theyre staying on a yacht off the coast surrounded by military and all the works

my tip is the serbs or argies to get the gold, and the usa to get humiliated

 

[reno2004]

The problem of the US, is that it is a team of superstars and not an actually team that can play together. Everyone is gonna want to hit the winning shot, or score the most points. Compare this to the argies or serbs where they either have no superstars or their superstars arent even playing. Hence those teams actually know how to play together. Serbs didnt even have peja, divac, and two other NBA players and they still gave USA a good fight.
I predict serbs to win, with US second and aussies around 5th.

 

[ravenheart]

I know every team saw US play "zillion" times, but the skill is there...so even if other teams come up with better strategy, the overall insufficient skill of other teams are probaly is something that keep them away from the Gold.

a team of superstars has more chance of winning the gold if they play smart and try to put all the selfishness aside, and i just think its inaccurate to determine whos gonna come first,second or third based on preliminary games. I mean...the US probably gonna unleash their tricks when the real games begin.

everyone has their favourite team and mine is China, Aus then US, i like the US team but not the players in it since none of my favourte player is in it. And everyone should cheer for the underdogs right?

 

[felix_js]

if they play smart and try to put all the selfishness aside

easier said than done

anything can happen though, just look back a few months ago to Euro 2004.
the team that plays the best as a team will win, just ask the pistons :uhhuh:

 

[Tommy_Lamp]

the US will have a hardtime playing against a proper zone in these olympics they lack the jump shooters that they had the last few olympics that are needed to break a zone. if only they had stoja (foreigner) or nowitzki (foreigner)
hmm..seems the good jump shooters are foreigners (hint at NBA basketball )

me thinks that t-mac didnt goto the olympics because of the zone

 

[big_ticket]

the US is lacking a threat from beyond the arc. they havent really got anyone on the roster that is a sharp shooter from beyond the arc. that shot by AI to beat germany, was a fluke, AI can't really shoot the 3.
the boomers are a long shot but the opals are up there with a chance, led by 2003 WNBA MVP lauren jackson, and couple other WNBA players, they'll give lisa leslie and the US team a run for their money. the boomers are lacking an inside, experienced big man. sure matt neilsen and andrew bogut are alrite, but none of them are a dominent force in the post.

 

[ravenheart]

'big ticket" is KG's nick yea? kool...i reackon the USA gonna depend on their bench players to step up instead of the starting 5, duncan probably jus gonna dominate in the lost post and defence

 

[Tommy_Lamp]

the problem isnt that the US lack a beyond the arc shooter, its that they lack a SHOOTER. noone on that team (xept carmelo who learnt to play against a zone with the orangemen) can shoot a 15-20ft jumpshot with consistency.

and nielson will get crushed by every other bigman in the olympics, hes to weak and too slow for a 6'10" centre

 

[ravenheart]

the 3 pointer is shorter in Olympics than in NBA, so yea...they probably gonna end up shootin from the halfcourt jus to showoff their range. i dont think US will shoot alot, they gonna try to penetrate and drive-in all the time.

 

[Tommy_Lamp]

which is very hard to do against an organised zone

 

[ravenheart]

and fouls can easily be committed...

 

[ravenheart]

do you guys play bball often?