WHAT IN THE BLESSED NAME OF FUCK IS THIS???

[Zanchief]

It'd probably be a top 4 in the East though =p.

I'll wager the raps have a better record next year.

[vonkaar]

Well... yeah... but the Raptors in the West would only beat the Clips, Warriors and possibly Trailblazers.

Kidd would obviously change all opinions on the Mav's season prediction.

[Zanchief]

2005 predictions as of today.

East
Detroit
Indiana
Miami
Toronto
Cleveland
New York
Milwaukee
Chicago
Orlando
Boston
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Washington
Atlanta
Charlotte

West
San Antonio
Sacramento
Minnesota
Denver
Houston
Phoenix
Los Angeles
Memphis
Dallas
Utah
New Orleans
Portland
Seattle
Los Angeles
Golden State

That's the way I see things

[vonkaar]

Are you taking into account the new divisions?

I still think Dallas, even now, is better than Phoenix, L.A. and Memphis... It's too early to give Houston anything and Minnesota should be able to beat Sac for the Pacific division. Also... New York really should do better than Toronto and Cleveland... especially if Vince leaves and / or New York lands Crawford.

[Phlegm]

Dallas shouldn't have traded jameson and walker. What they should have done is go hire westhead and run the old LMU offense. They would go over 200 every games and would be hell of fun to watch.

[Zanchief]

Are you taking into account the new divisions?

Not really. Just goofing around at work.

Now that I think about it, I would lower Houston a few pegs and put the lakers above Phoenix.

Toronto is there more as wishful thinking but I really have no confidence in the Knicks.

Jersey is going to be a real question mark though. Are they gonna fold big time or are they gonna pull some wins together.

[Malluas]

is Minn in the pac division? i didn't kno colorado fell into the ocean hehe

what are the divisions?

i thought the Pac would be

LA, Sac, Sonics, and Clips maybe Utah

I don't kno about Minn tho. They barely beat the kings with an injuried Webber and no Bobby Jackson and Peja being a shitty player in that series.

But who knows with all the moves now.

Vonk, i would be leary about Kidd cause of his injury. Its similar to Penny's and Webbers. And ALan Houstons. But you do need D he would bring that. But your scoring from the position would be shit

[Zanchief]

With a good PG your scoring comes from all other positions.

[Rotj]

What Dallas needs is a charismatic man more than anything..who can glue any team together -- Avery Johnson.

[vonkaar]

Dallas has always been about the 'big 3'. Dirk, Fin and Nash. Everyone else played around them... we've gone through various roleplayers but the game starts and finishes with those 3. Swapping Kidd in there for Nash and having 'defensive' roleplayers makes for a better team than the past few years.

We went to the Conf championships 2 years ago with a 'lesser' team (on paper) than we had last year. Raja Bell, Raef LaSoft, Nick Van Excel and (arguably) Adrian Griffin were our only losses... we gained Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker, Danny Fortson(a great player, outside of Dallas), Tony Delk (another good player), Travis Best(same) and drafted the 2 biggest sleeper success rookies of the year. On paper, we were clearly better than our 02/03 team. Why did we suck so badly in 03/04?

The roleplayers didn't mesh as well. Some would point at Nick as our biggest loss from 02/03. I would say that Raja Bell was the biggest. Just like Jamison will be looked at as our biggest loss from this season (besides the obvious - Nash). The big 3 performed well this year, despite injuries to all of them. IF... and that's a big if... our current motley of roleplayers can play as a team better than our mistraded 03/04 team did, we *could* be even better... dispite losing Nash. Adding Kidd to the mix would simply restore our big 3... and it could potentially (barring injuries) be stronger than ever.

You simply can not count out any team led by Dirk and Finley and a 'decent' point-guard. Terry is a good point-guard. Kidd or no, we aren't as screwed as some of you are saying.

The only thing I'm really pissed off about is... At the start of the pre-season, Nellie said that it was HIS (note the caps) goal to build a bigger, stronger team. We just traded away a top-athlete in Jamison and a great all-star in Walker (2 fairly large forwards) for 2 point-guards and a rookie giant. It's obvious that Nellie has taken a backseat in the management arena. THAT sucks.

[Malluas]

ok when was Danny Fortson EVER good?

he has been shit since he entered the league. If he was that good he would have been playin for Dallas cause he can rebound. Raef was better

Your biggest loss was Van Exel. He single handedly beat Sacramento.

Nellie doesn't run the team its Cuban. And even if they wanted to build a strong team. No one wants to play there. All the big power players and defenders go elsewhere, they would go to the Kings, lakers, Spurs, Minnesota, Indiana, even The Bucks before Dallas.

Your prob is Cuban. Same as the Kings prob this year is the Maloofs. But in different ways. Cuban spent money for ONLY offense. Maloofs don't wanna spend more money for a championship team. And the Lakers GM etc.

Zan, yea good PG breeds scoring, Dallas don't need that tho, they need D hehe. Prob is Kidd cant penetrate like Nash. Which makes him easier to guard. And he is slower cause of the knee.

It sucks too, cause i watched him play when he was in HS at St. Joes Notre Dame when he ripped the heart outta my high school's team (Jesuit) 2 years in a row (before i went to high school of course) and hoped he played good in the NBA and this sucks his knee is all screwed

[vonkaar]

Malluas, you really should stop posting about any other team outside of Sacramento...

Danny grabbed 16.3 rebounds per game in 01. He led the league for almost the entire season in both rebounds and double-doubles. Before he fractured his foot, he had 10 more double-doubles than Duncan and 14 more than K.G. Forgive me for finding that impressive.

And, once again, you are mistaken. I never said that Nellie is the problem. I'm saying that he's the SOLUTION. He's one of the top GMs in the league. It's his SON, Don Nelson Jr. (Donnie) and Cuban that are running the team into the ground.

Your 'nobody wants to play in Dallas' point is so farfetched it's hardly worth debating...

EVERY... EVERY... repeating... EVERY big trade this whole fucking off-season... EVERY ONE OF THEM listed Dallas as a possible home. EVERY ONE. T-Mac, Kobe, Shaq, Kidd, K-Mart, Nash(heh), Dampier, Reef, Vince... Hell, even Ostertag wanted to. What the fuck are you smoking? Granted, they didn't end up here because Donnie is a fucktwat... but HOW MANY of them said anything about Milwaukee? What the fuck? I'm so tired of arguing with you about the NBA... your points are so inane it hurts my head to read them.

[Rotj]

No offense Malluas dude, but vonkaar is pretty much bang on with his comments.

Fortson's awesome when his head is screwed on.

95% of the players in the league (the other 5% are probably worried about the fact that they only have a short term stay there) want to play for Dallas because of Cuban's generosity towards 'cutting the cheque'. Not to mention the facillities are top notch and the players are treated like Kings.

-- Speaking of Sacramento...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1853033

Ouch.

[Malluas]

and TO is the best reciever in football when he isn't arguing with his coach.

And Webber is the best Powerforward when he isn't injured

Prob is Fortson if over weight, not good on offense, is always injuried or fuedin with a coach. He is a cancer. He is slow. One year doesn't make him a good player. Jayson Williams had ONE great year and everone thought he was good but it only lasted one year. Danny will never get his head on straight aka never be good.

You sound like a local caller that says Danny fortson is why Dallas beats the Kings.

Remember the GS Warriors are in the same area as me. I read that stuff also and see how he acts.

FYI trade rumors aren't players wanting to go somewhere. Its players being shipped somewhere where the team trading them needs to unload and this place is the best deal.

Kobe was listed as possibly going to the Nuggets and Memphis, that mean he WANTS to be there, no.

I was makin a point i kno no one wants to go to the Bucks.

BTW i woudln't mind Peja being traded. He is worthless in the playoffs. Soft as shit also. And i didn't say the Kings are great.

Vonk, just cause you like your guys doesn't mean i am wrong but its all good.

[vonkaar]

Malluas... Fortson is currently the BEST rebounder in the league on a per-minute game. If a team needs better rebounding (read: Seattle), Fortson is your man. Rebounds per 48-minutes...
Danny Fortson
Ben Wallace
Dikembe Mutumbo
Shaquille O'Neil
Tim Duncan
I like the guy because he's a good player... he, like Walker, simply didn't fit with Dallas' scheme. However, he still freaking led the league in rebounds. You can't argue those numbers. Also... he didn't have just one good year...
He's had 3 years averaging over 11.5 rebounds per game.
His career stats are impressive, even though 3 of his 7 years were 'bench' years due to injury(2) or simply not fitting in (1 with us). Averagine nearly a double-double for a career is a beautiful thing.

I don't mean to jump on you about Fortson... I mean, I'm glad we got Calvin for him... but, like the Kidd vs Bibby debate, you don't know what you are talking about. Fortson IS good, on the right team.

Do you want me to go grab the articles that quote those players as listing Dallas as a possible home? I will if you want. It's not just trade rumors... it's players shopping for homes in Dallas... I'll even find the 2002 article from ESPN that showed Cuban as #1 on the player-poll for "owners you'd most like to play for." I'm not sure if the "players don't want to play in Dallas" line was worse than the Bibby > Kidd bit... but it surely comes close.

You aren't wrong because you have contrary opinions towards the Mavs... you are wrong because you are a typical Sac fan that knows next to nothing about the rest of the league.

[Rzail]

Are you taking into account the new divisions?

Not really. Just goofing around at work.

Now that I think about it, I would lower Houston a few pegs and put the lakers above Phoenix.

Toronto is there more as wishful thinking but I really have no confidence in the Knicks.

Jersey is going to be a real question mark though. Are they gonna fold big time or are they gonna pull some wins together.

C'mon Zan...why no confidence in my Knickerbockers?!?!?! :D We have Crawford and Junkayrd on board now. We got rid of our dead weight. Looks like we might even snag Dampier (not like I should brag about that) You better look out also...Vince might be NYC bound too

[Zanchief]

VC for Shandon Anderson. Sounds good to me.

I always liked JYD though.

[vonkaar]

I wish Cuban was as skilled as Isaiah Thomas at dumping bad contracts... that Crawford trade was brilliant.

[Zanchief]

What the crap are the Knicks doing, hoarding centers?

Antonio Davis-Center
Eddie Curry-Center
Tyson Chandler-F/Center
Dikembe Mutombo-Center
Othella Harrington-F/Center
Cezary Trybanski-Center

They could dress a full five, all centers, and still have one off the bench.

I smell more trades coming for this team.

[Zanchief]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/10257601p-11177870c.html

First player to hit the market that's in the "Carter" quality level.

I doubt he will go anywhere but...

[Arlos]

Heh, maybe Sacto should trade Peja to the Raptors for VC.

-Arlos

[Aavar]

Toronto 4th in the east?

How can you think they are going to finish that high up??

[Malluas]

HELL NO

Peja for Artest and some other player i would go for. Get someone to take some of the Defensive pressure off Christie and that can score a bit. Indiana wants him outta there, this is a good time for the Kings to steal him and a player/draft pick now.


I was a Bulls fan (91-until they blew up MJ, Pippen and Rodman) before a Kings fan. So using the Sac fans are stupid doesn't apply. I follow the NBA as closely as i can without spending crazy amount of money for NBA Ticket. I read plenty of articles on NBA.com, ESPN, blogs etc.

I watched, have played, and did a little coaching of Bball.

There is a reason he didn't fit in, its called work ethic and attitude.

Walker on the other hand. He is good if he has less scorers on the team. He needs to be #1 or 2 or he is useless. Plus he plays no D. But that seems like a disease to whoever ends up in dallas.

[Malluas]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/10257601p-11177870c.html

First player to hit the market that's in the "Carter" quality level.

I doubt he will go anywhere but...

well Peja is better than Carter. Shit Ray Allen is better than Carter, and both have much more heart.

I doubt he will do anywhere either. But i want him gone. He is just being a cry baby cause Vlade isn't here to protect him anymore form Webb.

At least Webb can get 19 and 9 with one leg. Peja had like 3 games of 13 or less points, one time 8 (in the playoffs) and he was a MVP canidate

[Zanchief]

Shit Ray Allen is better than Carter

You don't know shit about Basketball