A thread where people can put things that don't make sense in other threads and aren't really worthy of a new thread has been a big success in the hockey forum so I thought I would start one here in the hoops forum as well.


It looks like the NBA is going to lock out the NBA refs. The level of officiating is already horrible in the NBA so I hate to think how bad it will be with replacement refs.

replacement refs may actually be BETTER

This ref thing is going to be a disaster. The refs have been atrocious the last couple of years, but I don't think having all new officials will be any better, likely much worse.

The NBA needs new referee blood, but this will be way too much, too soon and will be a disaster.

not a chance. It's funny to say but, in reality, the officiating will get appreciably worse which is bad considering it was already crappy.

agreed. I think 1995 was the last time replacement refs were used and that was pretty damn bad.

I feel for the NBA refs tho...it's one of the toughest sports to monitor and fans will always have their bias towards their teams. I don't think it's really that bad.

So new NBA video games coming out soon. 2K10 or Live 2010?

I dunno about that. So many NBA refs are So old and entrenched. I don't know that it would be a bad thing to get some young ref's in there. There should be an age limit on ref's, IMO.

2K10, and it's really not close if last year's games are any indication.

Live sucked, and 2K9 was one of the best sports games ever made.

yup 2k10 all the way, also cod modern warfare 2

I went to 7 stores for 2K9 and they all sold out. I was jonesing for a bball game so ended up getting Live09 which I still enjoyed.

Played 2K9 at friend's place few times and loved it too and ya, probably will go for 2K10 if I can find it.

I hadn't played video games for 1.5 yrs so I still thought Live was good...bball has just come SO far now. In fact, I'm starting to complain real bball games look crappy because the graphics aren't as good!

Shaq looked like he's in good shape and not carrying a lot of extra weight.

That being said the Cleveland bigs rotation of Shaq, Ilgauskas and Verajao are painfully slow and teams are going to be able to exploit that.

on the topic of the game you're going to tonight. i think raptors will win a close one or the cavs win BIG

Its all that swimming, boxing, volleyball and other stuff he did in the summer.

strong prediction.... but i can see that happening

good call, except the close one part...

won 3 units on them covering

Caron Butler was addicted to Mountain Dew and used to drink at least 6 of them a day. That's a lot of caffeine and it shouldn't be surprising that he went through withdrawal.

Interesting fact, in Canada Mountain Dew doesn't contain caffeine as only dark soft drinks like Colas or Root Beer can have caffeine added to them.

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d...?urn=nba,198240

^^^lol I read that article. The best is the picture of him in Mountain Dew pajamas.

Today at swim practice I found out I coach Kyle Korver's cousin. lol

I also coach two of Kyle Boller's cousins (QB for Rams).

Bargnani abused all the Cavs bigs tonight. First play of the game he blew by Sideshow Bob Varejao for a dunk and none of the them could stay with him outside.

Yeah I really hope we use the KG/Sheed lineup a ton in the future against those guys assuming Sheed does a decent job defending Shaq, because Shaq trying to defend either KG or Sheed would be hilarious.

Michael Beasley watch:

Beasley got off to a good start last night going for 21pts on 9 of 14 from the floor in an easy Heat win (over the Knicks). He also did not do anything crazy. More to follow.

Speaking of the Knicks.

They should be the worst team in the league this year and it's pretty disgusting what they are doing in the faint hope that they might sign Lebron next year.

I just listened to an interview Lebetard had with Pat Riley yesterday who seems to be implying they are going to be trying to sign Lebron next season too saying they are the only team with room to sign 2 max contract players (not sure how accurate that is).

Without caffine, mountain dew has to be the worlds worst drink.



I hope he turns it around. Mental illness in sports isn't treated enough, or openly and honestly.






Man the Knicks screwed themselves. When they started down this salary dumping/sign lebron path, it was before the economy crashed. They thought they were going to be able to sign 2 max payroll players, if the cap grew like it did in the past. Now, instead of the salary cap growing, it has shrunk for the first time ever, a couple seasons in a row, and that just ends the Knicks franchise for pretty much ever.

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-...ant-you-to-read

Thanks for the link.

I think anybody who has read any of my posts knows that I think NBA refs cheat so it wouldn't surprise me if everything in that book is true. It also wouldn't surprise me if a bunch of it is made up and twisted by a scumbag.

LOL pretty much this. I have absolutely no idea how much of that is going to end up being true... the only thing that would surprise me is if NONE of it was true.


Also the NBA has squashed the book with lawsuit threats to random house or who ever's publishing it, and it's no longer coming out.

so everything we always thought was true about the NBA but revealed by a convicted liar - see Roger Clemens

somehow i believe it all

I am also going to call Shaq "Shaqatross" all season, because he's an albatross hanging around lebron's neck.

The trade itself wasn't a bad one. Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic along with a second-round pick in the 2010 draft and $500,000 in cash for Shaq and they don't have any obligations to him beyond this year.

The problem is that the Cavs front court is just so damn slow. If you have Shaq you have to do something else to get some better fits to complement him and LeBron. I think they're going to have to move Ilgauskas and his expiring contract if they want to have any chance this year.

Now I'm not saying that Shaq and LeBron are going to be a great fit either together and you can't really be sure what Shaq is going to give you over a complete season.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/miami.htm

Miami has the big contracts of O'Neal, Richardson and Haslem coming off the books after this season so they for sure will have the cap space to take on a max contract free agent. I think the second one they are referring to would be them resigning Wade.

It would be so easy for them to cheat too... The over/under on games would be very simple to beat in my opinion... Think about it... the refs have the power to slow the game down, speed it up. they can control overtime in certain situations.

Imagine the player props that they could do.... LeBron over 29.5 tonight? guess who goes to the line 14 times, and has only 2 fouls against for the game...

With all the offshore accounts... litterally dozens that they could have.... they could be laying 100k on one game easy.

Assuming the salary cap contracts a little bit, Miami will be the only team with the ability to sign 2 max guys. Lebron? That seems like a fantasy. Wade and Bosh seems very likely however.

Beasley watch: 12 and 9 against the Pacers in another easy win. So far so good. He even got to the line a little bit last night.

Wasn't there something about Lebron going to New Jersey also so he could play for Jay-Z? Would work, New Jersey doesn't have anyone.

I was looking through the rosters on yahoo, and they have the players salary next to their names. I didn't go through all the teams but lol at Jason Kidd, Jermaine O'Neal, and Iverson getting paid 21 mil this year.

If the Nets get Lebron they will be the favorite in the East. They have some good young players who could follow a leader, including a guy who can score on the block.

Beasley Watch: A rough 3 for 12 shooting night but Haslem comes off the bench to save the day. Heat move to 3-0, Beasley looks like a solid B so far.

I dont want to bash, or rain on any parades... but who gives a shit about beasley?

I don't want to state the obvious, but probably Heat fans.

I think anything could happen with him and his career right now so I am tracking it. The title of this thread says random basketball observations. Embrace it.

Who would play defense? Brook Lopez? Yi? I don't think they would be better than Orlando or Boston if they had Lebron right now.

I like Douglas-Roberts though.

ill embrace then

That would be the question, although I would be confident they could be at least an average defensive team, which is pretty much all they would need to be. They would be right there.

Going to Warriors/Memphis game tonight.. should be fun... F*** Mayo

Go Memphis! Hope you have/had a good time!

Was ok.... So much more going on when you are there rather then on TV/sportscenter....

Fun notes.... Smart led most timeout huddles, while Nelson stared at the floor. My buddy and I were upgraded to front row of the upper bowl... he said there were 5 seats left and there were these fine ass Iranian chicks sitting 2 rows back, so we brought them along... Got to see jackson cry after EVERY no call.. and watch Randolph get a cramp in the butt after sitting for too long... watching Gay and Morrow go back and forth was AWESOME.... good to see a win, many more to come....

The Rockets play really really hard.

Starters Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
D. Fisher 34:03 0-5 0-1 0-0 -2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0

Deriek Fisher's stats from last night vs Houston

34 minutes from a guard with zero points, zero assists and zero rebounds. That's pretty hard to do.

And they play really really smart.

I'll be rooting for the Rockets all year for those two reasons.

Beasley Watch: Beasley is very quiet in a loss to the Suns and a win at the Wiz. In fairness, it was Wade time against the Wiz as he exploded for 40 points in a close win. So far, Beasley seems to be slightly improved on the court and not getting into trouble off it.

Heat are 4-1. Like their chances to slip into the playoffs around #6.

I really like the Rockets. I'm sad things haven't worked out with McGrady and Yao, last year was especially promising. Yao should be getting injured a lot because he is such a monster, but McGrady has been a huuuuuge letdown, even when he's healthy.

Also a fan of the rockets for above reasons. Very rare for a team in the NBA to play both hard and smart.

I really feel sorry for Chris Paul, it's going to be a tough season in New Orleans. They probably have the worst and fastest declining group of wing players in the NBA.

James Posey looks horrible. Peja is looking really old. Mo Pete is done like dinner and the worst starting wing player in the NBA and I love him from his Raptor days.