NBA

[brod]

NBA opening day tomorrow, with the seasons tip off in 10 hours....bring it on.

Memphis, Milwaukee and Boston (not as much though as everyone says) to be the improvers

[JK]

Boston to be the improvers

[brod]

Opening Day is over and a couple of my observations

* As a Spurs fans Im happy as a pig in .... with Tim Duncan extending his contract to virtually ensure a one team player
* The LA Lakers need scoring and rebounding help, on court, Kobe scored 48% of their points and was leading rebounder
* Utah can control those boards with multiple players, won the rebounding vs GSW 56-37 (16-7 Off)
* The Spurs are still the Spurs - lose their way during routine wins, but come out on top
* Portland will have a long season, but could develop some yougsters like 2nd year forward Aldridge (12/19 FG 27pts)

[ORDoubleBlues]

Opening Day is over and a couple of my observations


* Portland will have a long season, but could develop some yougsters like 2nd year forward Aldridge (12/19 FG 27pts)

Liked the look of Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw as well.
Hopefully the Blazers, having unearthed Outlaw, hold on to him a bit longer than just the developing stage like they did with one of their former high school picks Jermaine O'Neal, who went on to be a big time player in Indiana.
Feel that Kevin Durant, as long as he stays healthy, is a monty to average over 20 points a game (perhaps as high as 26ppg) as a rookie. Check out Seattle's roster, who else is going to take shots away from him?

[brod]

What Im seeing in the NBA

* Toronto have a good starting line up that will carry them to the playoffs, but do they score enough in the paint (34-44 outscored by 76ers
* Kyle Korver in THE best pure shooter in the NBA (4/7 3PG, 7/12 FG)
* Reggie Evans CAN rebound the basketball (15 reb, 6off in 22 min)
* Dwight Howard will break out and assend as a star (16pts, 12reb, 7 blocks, only 30 min)
* Rebound records could fall. I know its the start of the season but some of the FG %, plenty sub 40%
* Jason Kidd mighthave to wiat a while for triple double 100, there arent too many shots left for him in that rotation
* Dont expect too many more 2/11 FG games from LeBron
* Kevin Durrant will have every chance to be the highest scoring rookie since AI (22 FGA on debut), I guess who else is going to take shots from him

[saintal]

Opening Day is over and a couple of my observations


* Portland will have a long season, but could develop some yougsters like 2nd year forward Aldridge (12/19 FG 27pts)

Liked the look of Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw as well.

A lot is needed from Outlaw and Webster. Webster has been very disappointing in his first couple of years, but has had a decent preseason and should improve. Outlaw had a reasonable finish to last year and hopefully will get more minutes this year. Having Steve Blake back in the PG role is a plus, Aldridge will pick up the slack that Zach has left, and Pryzbilla will surely have a better year than his pathetic 06/07.

35-40 wins is achievable I think.

[brod]

What Im seeing in the NBA

* UPSETS - you tell me that you picked the Lakers to beat the Suns, Pacers to beat the Heat, Hawks to beat the Mavs, 76ers to beat the Bulls and Clippers to beat the Warriors (maybe one, all four you are Marty McFkly)
* The Spurs are 3-0 (the last time they started 3-0, they had the best regular season record in ther NBA)
* The Magic have a starting 5.
* J. Yi will take some time (Season 11 pts, 7 reb, 10 fouls)
* I could shoot free throws better than the Heat (37%FG, 31%FT) and lose by two...
* Trade Jermaine NOW
* Nets?? 69 points, but Vince only took 6 shots
* Raptors to make some noise this seaons
* Maybe the Hawks arent a joke and can crash that glass (beat the Mavs 52-38, 14-7 off) - but when will Dirk and Stack go 3-14 3PFG
* 2nd yr guard Daniel Gibson is very important for the Cavs (8pts = Loss, 24pts = WIN)
* Gilbert Arenas would shoot from outside just to get his shots (15-45FG, 1-13 3PFG) I guess though the team shot at 35 % so??
* Are the Celtics good, or did they look it because the Wizards are the worst shooting team in the NBA?
*Kyle let me down 1-5 3PFG
* The Spurs shot 88% FG (taking bets about the next time I can write that)
* I still cannot comprehend Lakers beat Suns by 21 points (kobe 6-15, didnt even top score)..Lakers and balance just dont match

[brod]

What im seeing in the NBA

* The Big 3 for the Celtics come to play again. Allen shoots the winning 3 pointer in the OT that Garnett scores 10 points in
* Durant keeps on keeping on (24pts, 8 reb, 5 ass)
* Pistons know how to win, Hawks do not..falling over in the last
* Rebounds (107 in Nuggets vs Hornets games as teams shoot 37%)
* How important Ilgauskas is to Cavs success. With Ilgauskas on court Cavs are + 1, compare to with LeBron on court - 18)
* The Lakers causing some surprises, outshooting the Jazz 56%-49%, but more surprising outrebounding them 40-32

[saintal]

I'm enjoying your summaries Brod

[brod]

Cheers, saintal.
Hoping that looking a bit more at the games will help pick a few winners. Jury out on that at the minute.

What im seeing in the NBA

* Jason Terry coming of the bench and in career best form (33mpg, 23ppg, 60% FG, 61% 3pt, 5 apg) and very happy in that role - as you would be with those numbers
*The Rockets stopped when McGrady found it tough to score in the last (Mavs went on a 14-4 run from 91-90)
* Dwayne Wade at least in practice, when he will play - ?
* The Kobe trade waters stay as murky as ever

[ORDoubleBlues]

Could be an interesting one brewing between Boston and Denver today.
The Celtics are up 77-38 at half time!!!!

[Strawb]

Could be an interesting one brewing between Boston and Denver today.
The Celtics are up 77-38 at half time!!!!

119 to 93 final score Celtics way

[saintal]

Portland snap a 13 game losing streak against the mavs with a solid win

[brod]

What Im seeing in the NBA

* Spurs beat the Lakers easily 107-92, despite statistically one of the worst games of Tim Dincans career
(2/13 FG, 5 reb, 5pts, 4 TO)
* Tough night again for Kobe vs Bowen 9/19 FG (0/5 3P) -23 while on court compered to Bowen +24

[JK]

Monster effort by LeBron today, 39 points (15/27) to go with his 14 A's and 13 Rb's as the Cavs squeeze past the Magic by 1 in OT.

[Dutchy]

Monster effort by LeBron today, 39 points (15/27) to go with his 14 A's and 13 Rb's as the Cavs squeeze past the Magic by 1 in OT.

I see the Magic winning by 1 in OT?

Boston keep rollin.....where in early trouble, 29-14 last 1/4 killed the Nets off

[JK]

Monster effort by LeBron today, 39 points (15/27) to go with his 14 A's and 13 Rb's as the Cavs squeeze past the Magic by 1 in OT.

I see the Magic winning by 1 in OT?

Boston keep rollin.....where in early trouble, 29-14 last 1/4 killed the Nets off

Right you are Dutchman, I saw Cavs up 116-115 as fulltime expired, perhaps commentary was updated quicker than the scoreboard on NBA.COM, if so I guess one of the Magic crew must have hit a bucket in the last 3 or 4 seconds.

Good to see the Celt's getting the runs on the board, just gotta pray that the 3 Amigo's stay fit for the year!

[Mr66]

Pat Riley reckons that he could suit up and do better than some of his current 1-5 Heat squad.
Did this team win the NBA Championship just 17 months ago?

[JK]

Pat Riley reckons that he could suit up and do better than some of his current 1-5 Heat squad.
Did this team win the NBA Championship just 17 months ago?

Massive fall from grace huh ... I haven't seen them play this year, but IF Wade can stay healthy for the remainder of the season would it be enough to get them back in contention or can we almost strike a line through them already?

[Jimmy]

someone put larry hughes down...

the cavs need a spark, LBJ cant carry them again can he???