The 2012-2013 NBA Thread: How are the Pacers doing, Ern?

[Kin]

After the saga that saw the Sacramento Kings get sold to local ownership instead of the Hansen/Ballmer group in Seattle, there are rumblings that there might be an expansion team headed to the Emerald City. This brings up an interesting situation. The NBA currently has 30 teams, you would have to expect that if expansion comes to Seattle, then there would be 1 more team added for the sake of divisional and scheduling balance. Now where would you place that team? No markets really jump out to me.

I think the answer would probably be found in the whole Kings saga anyway. The year before the Hansen/Ballmer group got involved the Maloofs were within inches of moving the Kings to Anaheim. Likewise, there were strong rumblings that an ownership group from Virginia Beach would be interested.

Anyways, one of the weird things about the NBA is that because they have a bunch of teams in markets that aren't typical markets like Sacramento, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and even Indianapolis there are quite a few markets out there that we all think of as big sports towns that don't have a NBA franchise. St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati...there's quite a bit of potential there.

 

[seahawk]

After the saga that saw the Sacramento Kings get sold to local ownership instead of the Hansen/Ballmer group in Seattle, there are rumblings that there might be an expansion team headed to the Emerald City. This brings up an interesting situation. The NBA currently has 30 teams, you would have to expect that if expansion comes to Seattle, then there would be 1 more team added for the sake of divisional and scheduling balance. Now where would you place that team? No markets really jump out to me.

I think the answer would probably be found in the whole Kings saga anyway. The year before the Hansen/Ballmer group got involved the Maloofs were within inches of moving the Kings to Anaheim. Likewise, there were strong rumblings that an ownership group from Virginia Beach would be interested.

Anyways, one of the weird things about the NBA is that because they have a bunch of teams in markets that aren't typical markets like Sacramento, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and even Indianapolis there are quite a few markets out there that we all think of as big sports towns that don't have a NBA franchise. St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati...there's quite a bit of potential there.

I'd be very surprised to see a 3rd team put in the Greater LA area. St. Louis, KC, and Cincinnati have all had teams in the past so they would warrant some consideration. Now that I think about it, you could probably put Vancouver on the list as well, but I don't know if there is a potential ownership group.

 

[Kin]

I'd be very surprised to see a 3rd team put in the Greater LA area. St. Louis, KC, and Cincinnati have all had teams in the past so they would warrant some consideration. Now that I think about it, you could probably put Vancouver on the list as well, but I don't know if there is a potential ownership group.

Well, surprise or no it did come very close to happening a year ago. It is worth mentioning that the Clippers/Lakers sell a ton of tickets at exorbitantly high prices so there's no evidence that the market there is over-saturated. Some people have mentioned a second Chicago team, going back into New Jersey...there really are a lot of options.

 

[Kin]

Amazing game last night that's really just been the kicker to one of the craziest series in any sport that I can remember. It seems like every night, beyond the night in and night out excellence of Lebron James and Tim Duncan, the game has swung on the play of someone new playing lights out basketball, whether it's Wade or Parker or Bosh or Green or Allen or Ginobili. Game 7 should be an absolute classic.

But, in the meantime, Game 6 wasn't only a thriller but it's already produced one of my favourite pieces of sportswriting in a long, long time. From Josh Levin over at Slate about not just how amazing the end of the game was but also about how ridiculous it is that people try to construct larger narratives from such small, random things:

Seven Seconds in Heaven:

There?s plenty wrong with the NBA, from the excessive timeouts to the bad officiating to the incessant complaining about the bad officiating. But the most depressing thing by far is how we so easily put aside what makes basketball great in favor of dumb narratives based on the random spin of a ball on a rim. Pretty much every player on both teams oscillated between greatness and feebleness during Game 6. Duncan had 25 points in the first half and five the rest of the way. Parker made two spectacular shots in the fourth quarter, and was otherwise 4-21 from the field. LeBron pulled the Heat back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit, then helped give the lead away with two late turnovers. He made a clutch three, and he missed a couple more. If you?re desperate to tell me how any of this cements his or anyone else?s legacy, I?ll be happy to pretend to listen.

 

[KoHo]

That was probably the best basketball game I've ever watched. Surely we're going to be seeing Game 6 on Hardwood Classics for years to come. As much as I would have loved for the Spurs to win, I'm still delighted there's going to be a game 7. One final chance to see basketball's two best teams go at it.

EDIT: Deadspin's photo diary of Ray Allen's shot is pretty awesome.

http://deadspin.com/ray-allens-shot-captured-in-photos-514271686

If anyone was going to make that shot I'm glad it was Ray Allen. I should have been pissed when the Heat tied it but instead I was somewhat mesmerized Allen actually made the shot. He OWNS the corner, and he's owned it for over 15 years. The NBA should put his name on it.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Ray Allen on his incredible three-pointer in Game 6...

Ray Allen was talking about shooting, a skill that he has mastered arguably better than anyone who has ever played the game. Once you get Allen engaged on this topic he offers a fascinating insight into a thought process that has taken years to develop and hone through countless hours of repetition and practice.

"There's no target," he told me earlier in the series. "I don't aim. If I'm aiming that's when I'm missing. The way I look at it is just get the ball in the air. You do it over and over again you should never have a target."

...when the ball found his hands with the Heat's season...on the line, Allen did what he always does; he trusted his process and he trusted himself.

"Once the ball came off the rim, I just knew to get to the three-point line," Allen said. "We needed a three. Two points isn't going to cut it. So my mental checklist is really to have my legs ready and underneath me so when the ball comes, if it comes, I was ready to go in the air."

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/6/19/4444298/heat-vs-spurs-nba-finals-2013-game-6-ray-allen-lebron-james

 

[Derk]

I have a feeling game 7 won't be close and that Miami wins it easily.

 

[KoHo]

I have a feeling game 7 won't be close and that Miami wins it easily.

I certainly hope that's not the case. I'm kind of interested to see who steps up for San Antonio tonight - it's been a different player every win.

Game 6 was Duncan's baby, game 5 was Ginobili's resurgence, game 3 was the Danny Green show. Parker's been solid all series, averaging 16.7 points and 6.8 assists, but maybe it's time for him to put up 37 like he did in the Memphis elimination game. Either way, there's nothing I'd rather see than the best-run franchise in sports win the championship and leave Heat and their fans crying tonight.

 

[Kin]

So down 3 games to 2, Lebron played two straight must win games. In those two games he averaged 34.5 points, 11 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals while playing 95 of a possible 101 minutes.

Just wow.

 

[KoHo]

So down 3 games to 2, Lebron played two straight must win games. In those two games he averaged 34.5 points, 11 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals while playing 95 of a possible 101 minutes.

Just wow.

He was in video game mode. Almost a guaranteed bucket. It was really something to watch.

Aside - Kawhi Leonard impressed me more than any other Spurs player these playoffs. He was remarkably consistent and played with the poise and maturity you don't expect from a 21 year old. He's going to be a great player very soon.

 

[Kin]

Oh, and he also held Tony Parker to 9-35 shooting. His scoring average in game sevens is now 34.4, the highest of all time for anyone who has plated in at least 2. You know who was at 33.7.

 

[Kin]

Aside - Kawhi Leonard impressed me more than any other Spurs player these playoffs. He was remarkably consistent and played with the poise and maturity you don't expect from a 21 year old. He's going to be a great player very soon.

I agree, he was terrific. I don't know where his career goes, I don't know if he'll ever be enough of a shot-creator to be a number 1 option for a team but he can definitely be an all-star.

 

[L K]

Bosh on the other hand.  28 minutes.  0 points.

 

[hockeyfan1]

LeBron James MVP.  Heat defeat Spurs 95-88.

Story:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/lebron-james-leads-miami-heat-over-san-antonio-spurs-in-game-7-to-win-second-straight-nba-title/

 

[Derk]

Too bad. I haven't really been rooting for the Heat. I know they were free agents, but I still don't like the idea about good to great players deciding to form a superteam to try and win a championship. It always seemed like a bit of a shortcut to me. It's a bit easier to try in basketball because you don't have as many players.

 

[Peter D.]

I wanted nothing more than to see Miami lose.  From Bosh's departure and his ego (great Game 7 buddy), the way the team came together, the "decision", the whole light and smoke show to introduce the big two and a half -- it's easy to have a serious dislike for them. 

However, it's fun and exciting to see LeBron evolving into one of the greatest basketball players of all time right before our eyes.

(I just wish Bosh wasn't coattailing along for the ride)

 

[KoHo]

As the ESPN guys said, Lebron has already proven he's a winner and the best player of his time. What's left for him is whether he can catch the all-time greats.

EDIT: And on that note, Nate Silver tries to quantify the statistical odds of James catching Jordan:

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/lebrons-odds-of-catching-jordan/?_r=0

 

[KoHo]

Thought this was kind of funny:

Drake got turned away from entering the Heat locker room by security.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8l_6jFZxjA[/youtube]

Until he promptly partied with the team until 5:30 AM.

 

[Kin]

Too bad. I haven't really been rooting for the Heat. I know they were free agents, but I still don't like the idea about good to great players deciding to form a superteam to try and win a championship. It always seemed like a bit of a shortcut to me. It's a bit easier to try in basketball because you don't have as many players.

See, there are two things about that point of view that I just don't understand.

1. I assume you don't have a problem with a team trying to have the best players possible, right? I mean, Magic Johnson won his titles with HOFers on his team like Kareem and James Worthy, Jordan won his with Pippen and Rodman and Bird's Celtics were basically nothing but HOFers with Parish, McHale, Johnson...etc. So why is it worse or less competitive for great players to play together of their own accord than it is for a team's front office to randomly put them together? I mean, what we've seen from the Heat the last few years has kind of disproven the idea people had having Bosh-Wade-Lebron together would make titles easy, the salary cap has made them a top heavy team they've just been able to beat teams in tight series with more depth than they have(say, Indiana and San Antonio this year, Boston and OKC last year) 

2. Every year in practically every sport players sign with teams they feel will give them better chances of winning titles and say as much when they sign but they don't face the level of criticism that the guys on the Heat have. So why is it worse that three of them decided to do it with the same team in the same year? Is it just the idea of players acting in concert?

 

[Erndog]

Too bad. I haven't really been rooting for the Heat. I know they were free agents, but I still don't like the idea about good to great players deciding to form a superteam to try and win a championship. It always seemed like a bit of a shortcut to me. It's a bit easier to try in basketball because you don't have as many players.

See, there are two things about that point of view that I just don't understand.

1. I assume you don't have a problem with a team trying to have the best players possible, right? I mean, Magic Johnson won his titles with HOFers on his team like Kareem and James Worthy, Jordan won his with Pippen and Rodman and Bird's Celtics were basically nothing but HOFers with Parish, McHale, Johnson...etc. So why is it worse or less competitive for great players to play together of their own accord than it is for a team's front office to randomly put them together? I mean, what we've seen from the Heat the last few years has kind of disproven the idea people had having Bosh-Wade-Lebron together would make titles easy, the salary cap has made them a top heavy team they've just been able to beat teams in tight series with more depth than they have(say, Indiana and San Antonio this year, Boston and OKC last year) 

2. Every year in practically every sport players sign with teams they feel will give them better chances of winning titles and say as much when they sign but they don't face the level of criticism that the guys on the Heat have. So why is it worse that three of them decided to do it with the same team in the same year? Is it just the idea of players acting in concert?

Did Jordan, Bird, or Magic LEAVE their respective teams because they couldn't (up to that point) win a title with whoever they were playing alongside? 

I can't remember the exact quote (or even if it was Jordan or Magic who said it) but it basically went something like, "I could never picture myself joining Magic or Bird.  I wanted to play against them."  Something along those lines.

LBJ should have been the catalyst not the sheep following the herd.