The 2010/2011 NBA Season Thread

[SpecialAgentCooper]

OKC will win regardless of who made it, but ya the Celtics just ran out of gas.


Coop

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Let's go Supersonics!

[pilferk]

They definitely had a chance to win it. They just all the sudden couldn't make a basket again and at the most crucial point of the game the 4th quarter. I tend to agree with you that they don't have much of a chance against OKC. That team is a buzzsaw. They look scary good.

It was all legs.  They were front ironing jumpers left and right.

When you rely on 6 guys....and 3 of them are not spring chickens anymore...you risk having them run out of gas.

They did.

Heat did the same thing...but your 3 best players are all young guys.  They did not run out of gas.

[LongGoneDay]

I was hoping the old guys could get it done (Celtics/Spurs) before making way for the younger guys, but looks like OKC's time is now.
They should be a beast for years to come.

It'll be interesting to see what Ainge does this offseason.
It's been fun watching this core the past few years. I've been a C's fan a long time, and never thought I'd see a championship while watching Jim Obrien's live and die by the 3 Celtics.
I can't get $10 seats the day of the game anymore!
Ainge put together a hell of a roster from almost nothing. We will never again see a player like KG after he retires.
Would like to see him in a Celtics uniform another year if the price is right.
This year's free agent class doesn't look too appealing.

[Bodhi]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

[tim_m]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

I completely agree. OKC has put a team together the right way. I'm not saying signing free agents is bad its part of all sports now. However, history shows teams that build there teams from the draft, their minor league teams and trades are far more successful.

[tim_m]

Some very bad news.

Monday, June 11, 2012
Referee Greg Willard has cancer
ESPN.com news services

NBA referee Greg Willard, who was scheduled to work Wednesday's Spurs-Thunder game before being replaced due to illness, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Referees during the Finals will wear No. 57, Willard's number, on their jerseys to recognize the veteran official, the National Basketball Referee Association said.

   Greg Willard
Greg Willard has been officiating NBA games for two decades.

Willard worked games in this season's playoffs, including one just last week between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Willard has been an NBA referee for 24 years and has worked the Finals since the 2009-10 season.

"Greg's professionalism and integrity have made him a role model within the NBA community," said NBRA general counsel Lee Seham. "We want him and his family to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them."

A source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher after Willard was pulled from Wednesday's game that a blood test revealed the possibility of a serious illness.

[Bodhi]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

I completely agree. OKC has put a team together the right way. I'm not saying signing free agents is bad its part of all sports now. However, history shows teams that build there teams from the draft, their minor league teams and trades are far more successful.

The team in the NBA more than any other sport can be impacted the most by 2 or 3 guys teaming up together, thats why it is so important for the Heat to lose. 

It is also hard for me to root for OKC because of their owner stealing the Sonics from Seattle.  But I like the players on the team, they are easy guys to root for, and its not their fault their owner is a douchebag.

[tim_m]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

I completely agree. OKC has put a team together the right way. I'm not saying signing free agents is bad its part of all sports now. However, history shows teams that build there teams from the draft, their minor league teams and trades are far more successful.

The team in the NBA more than any other sport can be impacted the most by 2 or 3 guys teaming up together, thats why it is so important for the Heat to lose. 

It is also hard for me to root for OKC because of their owner stealing the Sonics from Seattle.  But I like the players on the team, they are easy guys to root for, and its not their fault their owner is a douchebag.

Yeah, the way they left Seattle is definitely crappy.

[faldor]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

Honestly, I don't see how the finals should be all that close.  But we'll see.  The Heat got LUCKY this year.  Everything unfolded just right for them to coast through the Eastern Conference.  The Bulls were the best team but not without D. Rose.  Then Bosh got hurt and they thought they could beat the Celtics without him.  Once they figured that wasn't going to happen they inserted him in the lineup and were able to outlast a cagy veteran laden team, that was a tad long in the tooth and had serious depth problems.  In other words, the Heat didn't exactly beat some of the all time best teams to reach the finals.

The Western Conference is much tougher.  OKC should be the better team decisively when all is said and done.  As always though, I just hope the refs stay out of the way and let things play out on the court.

[pilferk]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

I agree, mostly.

But it should be pointed out:  With the newest CBA...doing what Miami did would be tough to replicate.

[Bodhi]

Really looking forward to the Finals, the Thunder HAVE to win this series.  So much more is at stake than just the title.  It's a team that was built vs a team that was bought. As fans of the sport we really should be pulling for this Miami stunt to fail again for the second year in a row.  If they win a title it will only encourage other players to do the same shit, and will kill the competitive aspect of the league.  The NBA  already has the least parity of any of the 4 major sports, as since 1997 only 4 teams have won the Western Conference.    The small market/less desirable cities will suffer the most with a Miami win.  It would be great for a small market  team that was built the right way like OKC to beat Miami.

I agree, mostly.

But it should be pointed out:  With the newest CBA...doing what Miami did would be tough to replicate.

 I am still a little unclear on how the new CBA will impact  the major market teams or at the very least the teams willing to outspend the others.  There is still no hard cap right?  I know they increased the luxury tax but that wont stop the Lakers, Mavs and Knicks.  Is there some type of provision in there to stop or at least discourage another Heat type situation?

[pilferk]

I am still a little unclear on how the new CBA will impact  the major market teams or at the very least the teams willing to outspend the others.  There is still no hard cap right?  I know they increased the luxury tax but that wont stop the Lakers, Mavs and Knicks.  Is there some type of provision in there to stop or at least discourage another Heat type situation?

The luxury tax is significantly more scaled...rather than being 1:1, that ratio increases for every year you're over the cap AND for every 5 million you're over (ex: year 2 of being 5 million over the cap, and you're at 1:2.5).  That means signing guys that bust your cap to long term deals will SERIOUSLY sap your resources.  You say it won't stop the Lakers, Mavs, and Knicks...but it will.  Because those owners want to make money.  Even with the kind of $$ they pull in...you do not want to be paying 12.5 million to the league for that 5 million you're over the cap.  And, 4 years into your deals, you REALLY don't want to be paying 22.5 million for that 5 million you're STILL over.  That's quite the hit in the wallet.

It also hits those that violate the tax with some revenue sharing penalties that are particularly painful.  Miami, for example...a mid market team...is actually going to be PAYING into the revenue sharing pot, rather than receiving money from it (as they were under the old CBA).

In addition, what you can offer "other players" on the FA market, once you hit the cap, has been changed.  And there aren't going to be a pool of Amnesty players around, for very long, willing to take cut rate contracts.

Taxpaying teams get a smaller mid-level exception (4@5 mil per vs 3@3 mil per), can take on less (basically held to the old CBA ruls, not the new ones...which is a 25% salary difference) salary in trades (until they're under the cap),  can't use their biannual exception, and (starting in a couple seasons) can't get players in sign and trades.

It's not impossible.  But it would be EXTREMELY financially painful to do it, and you'd have a tough time (even tougher than Miami has) filling in around those 3 guys.

Now, if the 3 guys are all home grown (or even if 2 of them are)...it's easier to pull off.  But trying to pull in 2 max (or close to it) contracts on TOP of your "Bird Rights" max (or close to it) contract?  Not as easy.

It's pretty telling that Arison voted against the new CBA.

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/7380869/miami-heat-owner-micky-arison-cast-protest-vote-new-cba

[Bodhi]

Very cool thanks for the explanation.  I didn't realize the penalties were so strict in the coming years, that's good news for small market fans like myself.  I like the fact that it will help smaller teams chances of keeping their stars that they develop. 

[tim_m]

Kevin Durant is a beast! Wow!

[faldor]

I got a little worried when Miami got off to a quick start in the first half.  Then I remembered.  This is the NBA, nothing matters until the 4th quarter.  In the end it played out like I thought/hoped it would.  3 more to go.

[Bodhi]

Nice win by the Thunder tonight, and a huge win.  I have said it a few times, but home court advantage in the NBA Finals is HUGE because of the 2-3-2 format.  All the Thunder have to do is win 1 out of the next 4 games and the Heat will have to win the title in OKC.  The way I figured  the Heat are going to have to win 2 games in OKC to win the title, because you have to imagine OKC will win at least one of those 3 middle games in Miami.  Good start for the Thunder, was nervous in the first half.  3 more to go!

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Cool Thunder!  I hope the LeBron's lose.

[tim_m]

Cool Thunder!  I hope the LeBron's lose.

So does everyone not in Miami. 

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Cool Thunder!  I hope the LeBron's lose.

So does everyone not in Miami. 

And Washington