Random Basketball Observations

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

yeah, but he also hadn't played in a season so he was not at his peak.

[keith crime 8]

http://www.theadrenalist.com/sports/basketball/the-67-7th-grader-destined-for-basketball-greatness/

[keith crime 8]

If dwight was healthy I think the Dream team vs 2012 team would be more interesting.

i agree with this - i also just watched the dream team documentary and was surprised how small the 1992 guys look now compared to Lebron etcalso in 1992 stockton was hurt for the olympics - bird was mostly done but could still be sick for ten minutes at a time - Ewing doesn't get the respect he deserves he was a defensive force Robinson nice a guy as he was i always thought was a pussy but Dream Team win easily because1. Jordan and Pippen were such defensive forces and at the prime of their careers they were just so sick at shutting people down and stealing from the passing lanes2. Just about every leader on that team Magic, Michael, Bird, Scottie were huge winners had won titles and by that point (Scottie was shaky earlier but had matured) just knew what it took to win - with Michael and Scottie Magic doesn't need to guard a small - hell he doesn't really have to even play - you're not driving past Jordan and Pippen and if you do Ewing is there to block your shot3. No one seems to remember what a monster Charles was in those Olympics he was just a beast and had a chip on his shoulder because he hadn't won a title - Malone had game but he could be sort of a pussyThe new guys - Kobe is not in his prime but he's a winner albeit one who will demand the ball even if he isn't still the guy who should have it and people will still defer to him even LeBronLebron seems to have gotten through his issues with having to take overDurant is a monster but is still a little young - a few other guys Carmelo, Howard have a little flakiness to them that I don't like - It still appalls me that Defensive force that he is Howard has zero post moves and can't shoot free throwsWhen it comes down to the fourth quarter Bird isn't choking Michael isn't choking, Charles has his i'm going to kill you game face on Pippen is locking down Durant or LeBronI'm so big on Lebron i'd say he is the second best guy out there next to Jordan and maybe arguably the most important guy on the floor because he can guard anyone and even the Dream Team is gonna have to double him - he'll still score - Kobe will have Jordan on himMy final point - Bird Magic Charles and Michael would rather die than lose that game - and I mean literally die - the reason Michael was such a beast was because he was the most athletic guy to that point with the most diabolically driven will to winwho can you say that about the current team besides Kobe, who is past his prime - Lebron would really like to win, he'll give you his best effort - i think now he'll come up big, but at the end of the day if he loses he'll be happy with giving it his best effortThose 92 guys (Minus Robinson, Drexler, and Malone) they'd rather be disemboweled like the end of Braveheart than lose that game, which is why they would never lose a one game battle

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

yeah i'm sure the guys today just don't care as much as the guys from back in the day. they just tried harder back in the day.as though if this fantasy actually happened the guys from today would be like, oh man just another random preseason game, who really gives a shit. COME ON.

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

i mean danny lebs would have a stroke if he heard you say that.

[CaneBrain 95]

Barkley's drive and passion would be irrelevant. 2012 would go Paul/Bryant/Durant/Lebron/Howard and Charles would be benched because he would have no one to guard.

[DJ Vu 176]

Conclusive proof:Scott Soshnick ‏@soshnick Strat-O-Matic simulated Seven-Game Series between 1992 Dream Team and 2012 Team -- 1992 won 4-1 with new guys taking Game 1. So, there, Kobe

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

that cannot account for the physical development of the human athlete. today's guys are bigger, stronger, and faster. they may not dominate the competition like the guys from 1992 did, and really that speaks to their greatness in their time, but while babe ruth is the greatest hitter in mlb history, he'd probably suck today if he could even make the bigs. i realize 92 wasn't that long ago, but the point still stands.

[DJ Vu 176]

that cannot account for the physical development of the human athlete. today's guys are bigger, stronger, and faster.

You really think guys like Jordan and Pippen are going to get beat based on athleticism?I think you're overstating the increase. Look at stuff like track and field and compare 1992 to 2012. How much improvement was made in that time span? A couple percent? Is that really enough to blindly give the 2012 team a decided advantage?

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

YES IT IS AND I REFUSE TO HEAR OTHERWISE.

[keith crime 8]

I made that point too but I still think the original team would win easily they were just taught the game better from a fundamental aspect because they all played At least two years of college had more heart and were less flakyI also think when you make comparisons sure the modern athlete is bigger and faster but I like to consider what would have happened if they all grew up in the same era and to me the 1985-1995 was the golden age of bigger than life starsPlus as much as I love lebron I'd still rather have pippen Jordan and rodman than bron wade and bosh even with the newer more athletic athlete

[CaneBrain 95]

I've never watched Lebron or Wade play and thought: "if only they had some fundamentals, they could soar like eagles." I mean, it's just those two and Duncan keeping the bank shot alive.2012 team is not healthy. 1992 team was stacked but a lot of the big names were old. I'd take the 2008 Redeem Team over both.

[DJ Vu 176]

The Dream Team was not old. Bird was old. Magic was Kobe's age. Everybody else was under 30. As everyone started saying stuff like "the Dream Team wouldn't struggle against Brazil," I wonder how many NBA players the Dream Team faced during their run. Unrelated but amazing:@McCannSportsLaw Dwyane Wade’s ex-wife is looking for her 13th attorney for divorce. 12th just quit.

[keith crime 8]

The Dream Team was not old. Bird was old. Magic was Kobe's age. Everybody else was under 30.As everyone started saying stuff like "the Dream Team wouldn't struggle against Brazil," I wonder how many NBA players the Dream Team faced during their run.

pretty much just a young Tony Kukoc and Pippen and Jordan were so mad at how much their GM was gonna pay him to join the Bulls they went psycho defense on him and made him look foolishMaybe the poor schmuck Barkley elbowed lolKey quote Charles Barkley: "All I know about Angola is they in trouble."

[DJ Vu 176]

Welcome to the NBA, Anthony Davis.

[I_fold08 1]

The Jeremy Lin that I used to Knowhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t45jqsVSJWI

[SuitedAces21 2,722]

Welcome to the NBA, Anthony Davis.

goddammit cp3, you really are the man.

[DJ Vu 176]

[DJ Vu 176]

Anybody here watching Team USA? It's funny to me that people were trying to argue before the Finals that Durant might be the best player in the NBA, but on this team he's really just a spot-up shooter. A fantastic one, but still.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2012/07/19/the-amazing-possibly-true-story-behind-brian-cardinals-big-contrac/

An exceptionally well-connected league insider once told me the story of how Brian Cardinal got his mid-level. Seems Memphis owner Michael Heisley, frustrated by general manager Jerry West’s lack of activity, walked into West’s office one day and asked why he hadn’t signed anyone yet. So an exasperated West picked up his phone, called Cardinal’s agent and offered the mid-level on the spot. Then he turned to Heisley and said something along the lines of “There, you happy now?”

[SuperJon 175]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8181654/source-nba-officials-meeting-vote-replay-tweaksI don't think there should be instant replays on flops, but I do agree with a point system of some sort that after a certain point would result in suspension or a fine.More importantly, the refs should get better "training" on what to look for. Maybe even fine certain refs that are calling them too often.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I think if they fire Joey Crawford that will solve a lot of the NBA's problems. Well it will make me feel a lot better.And Violet Palmer while we're at it.

[DJ Vu 176]

I think Violet Palmer is the worst when it comes to competence. Crawford has personality issues that leads to him making terrible calls, but Palmer just isn't good enough.The instant replay on all flagrants is the most obvious change ever. I don't even know why that wasn't the case before.

[CaneBrain 95]

Anybody here watching Team USA? It's funny to me that people were trying to argue before the Finals that Durant might be the best player in the NBA, but on this team he's really just a spot-up shooter. A fantastic one, but still.

His defense and his rebounding are as bad as they seemed in the Finals. He MIGHT be 2nd best in the NBA but I don't think it's that clear cut.

[DJ Vu 176]

From TBJ: who would win in a fight between the two teams?You can break it down by individual match-ups or just go big brawl.I feel like 1992 has too much size to lose a brawl. If we go individual match-ups, I'll put Bird and Griffin against each other, so they can basically just sit this one out.This is who I would pit against each other:Magic vs. MeloJordan vs. Kobe, because it's always Jordan vs. KobeBarkley vs. HardenRobinson vs. DurantMalone vs. LebronStockton vs. PaulEwing vs. ChandlerMullin vs. D-WillPippen vs. IggyDrexler vs. WestbrookLaettner vs. LoveEven in this hypothetical scenario, it still sucks that Howard is out because he would be the perfect fighting partner for Robinson.