Zero Tolerance NBA Discussion Thread

yea I don't downplay those teams you named... I just think Houston and OKC are really the only two that match up right now and could give them trouble in a 7 game series due to speed and size. If Yao stays healthy they could be the toughest team they face. Scola has been on fire in the league this year.

Portland could easily be a top seed. But, their second scoring option has to be established. Right now it's looked like Miller and Aldridge at different parts of the game. Roy is one of the best players in the league but I think he gets better when one of those guys becomes a potential double or shading defensive threat.

If Aldridge can command a double, he and Roy are going to be that much more effective. Out of all the Western teams in question, I like Houston and Portland the most. I'm not so sure about Utah as a Conference contender but they're always competitive.

Most of the secondary East teams would still be in for a bigger battle in the West outside of the Lakers. The Lakers are looking for a 3peat and 4th consecutive Finals run... just sayin, I'm putting them there until they get beat.

I subscribe to the idea that anything can happen in sports unless it pertains to the NBA. The NBA is a league of few surprises, you don't see teams that were never expected to be in the playoffs or even in the Finals go on and win the championship. It's pretty cut and dry and it's been this way since I started following the sport over 20 years ago.

Injuries killed that season not kobe. If Malone, Fox and Horace Grant were all healthy we would have won easily.

You can't expect to win a title with slava medvedenko as a starter.

I respectfully beg to differ. There were numorous times in every game that Kobe shot less than 8 seconds into the shot clock without anyone but himself touching the ball. On crucial possessions.

I just vividly remember Shaq walking up the court on offense as if he knew he was never getting the ball.

Kobe and Shaq alone were in their primes and 10 times better than anything Detroit had.

Chauncy Billups was ripping Gary Payton a new one on offense, as well. He couldn't stay in front of him to save his career.

They got beat because Detroit executed and LA didn't. I know you remember it even though you were a 76ers fan at the time. LA wasn't even running their offense and Kobe and Payton had no chemistry on defense.

Phil Jackson also had a similar account in his book. Saying Kobe was really wrecking the offense that series.

Kobe didn't want to play ball with those guys anymore and that's why they were all gone after that.

Payton actually had Boston playing pretty decent the following year, for a stretch.

Kobe was going through a tough time with the rape issue as well. Missing practices and tending to that.

It was a very strange year for LA, in the least. Kobe wanted the ball in his hands more than the point guard and he wasn't working through the post at all, like he does with Gasol now.

In some ways Detroit's championship is known to me more as Kobe giving it to them than it is their true unity. They definitely outplayed them, but we didn't see LA's best at all.

Ugh the KG comment about cancer patients really was stupid but people are making too big of a deal out of it. It was just stupid.

Although if I were a cancer patient or Charlie Villanueva, I suppose I may think it was completely out of line.

That's why CP3 is the best point guard in the league.

No offense to your team outside of Ariza... but yikes. Paul really makes those guys play great.

I mean he and Deron Williams are taking Al Jefferson and David West and trying to go deep in the West...

Imagine what they'd do as part of a big 3 or with a big 3.

West looks like a god around CP3. All game pick and pop at the FT line. When CP3 can make Marco Belinelli look good, I mean come on.

I'll agree with you there. But who was he going to pass to when shaq was in foul trouble or being double teamed? Slava? devean george? a struggling gary payton?



I also remember shaq saying that if he didn't get the ball he wouldn't bother playing any d.



Shaq was on a big decline that year. Nowhere near as good as he was during the 3peat.



Gary was pretty useless in the series. He wasn't the best fit for the triangle either. I wish we would have signed pippen instead of him.



sixers fan? Kobe and shaq had lost all offensive chemistry due to their off court feud.



Read the whole book. He puts just as much blame on shaq.



They wanted Karl back but he chose to retire.



I still say they win easily if those 3 were healthy. Even with the kobe & shaq bs.

Agreed.

Kobe and shaq both went on to win more rings. Gary got his. I Feel bad for karl though, 0-3 in the finals. dude deserved a ring.

nope, never was a sixer fan. lol