Thoughts On Your Team?

[JustBlaze]

Share your thoughts on your team/players. Good or bad.


Thoughts on the Nuggets so far:

-Billups: Still takes some bad shots every now and then, other than that, not much to complain. Statistic-wise, he's playing better than ever. The team is an obvious mess without him. MVP of the team:tu:tu

-Melo: Best player on the team. Had a hot start, has cooled down since then. An offensive juggernaut, however a defensive mess. Has been overrated defensively ever since last years playoffs. He doesn't bring it every game which irks me the most. When he isn't clicking offensively, it's like watching Kazaam... beyond horrible. I still remember him giving up a wide open layup to old man Hill when Sun's beat them in Denver. Things like that shouldn't be happening when you're the team's best player, some effort is all I ask defensively. Also, the team is better defensively when he sits, go figure.(no Melo homers please):tu/:td

-KMart: Needs to never take a jumpshot....EVER. Stick to lay-ups and put back dunks. Seriously, Nuggets need to put a cap to how much shots this idiot can take in a game, it takes away too many touches for Nene down low. Though I'll admit, without a healthy KMart, the Nuggets are a joke defensively and he did have stretch of games where he played excellent.:td/:tu

-JR: inconsistency comes to mind. Needless to say, still needs to grow a brain, which means shoot a lot less threes and attack the basket more. Is it really that hard to understand? Doesn't take as many ill advised shots as he used to though. The pick n roll with him and Nene are a thing of beauty, too bad it doesn't happen as much as I'd like it to.:td

-Nene: Should look to be more aggressive on the boards and needs to demand the ball a lot more inside. Nuggets would be better off w/ Nene forcing 20 shots a game then him playing pass the ball with every touch. This is why he'll never reach his full potential, too damn passive.:tu/:td

-Aflalo: Much like Jones, a versatile defender that can knock down the 3. Definitely an upgrade.:tu:tu

-Lawson: One of the true bright spots on this roster. No reason to believe why he won't have a successful career in the future with the way he's played thus far.:tu:tu

-Birdman: Rebound, block, energy. Can't really ask for any more than that.:tu

-Malik Allen: Why the fuck is he playing?:td

-Graham: Didn't know he could hit those 15 footers. Needs to stay aggressive when he's given minutes.:tu

-AC: Whatever. Been durable and a solid backup I guess.:sombrero:

-Petro: Last game I watched, he played exceptionally well, which is saying a lot for him, so where are his minutes? One thing about this guy is that he's not afraid to take shots, maybe Nene needs to seek his advice.:huh

All in all, Nuggets look great offensively(Ranks 3rd in league), however defensively they have a lot more work to do (Ranks #21). Have been playing great against playoff caliber teams, but not so much against below .500 teams. Needs to play better team defense from now on if they want to hold on to the 2nd seed, it may be too late though.

[badfish22]

JR Smith still scares the hell out of me every time we play the Nuggets. Hes killed the Mavs too many times.

[Muser]

Keith Bogans sucks so much ass.

[Goran Dragic]

Steve Nash sucks.

[Muser]

Steve Nash sucks.

Son use the dragonshake more, that's the best move i've seen all season from any player.

[Ghazi]

we staaacked

[The Gemini Method]

Damn...you mean Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic are still alive?

[Darrin]

Pistons: Because of the cap situation and the lack of overall talent, the Pistons are going to have to build through the draft to become competitive again.

The Good:

Jonas Jerebko: He's a solid player in the mold of another small-forward on the Pistons roster, Tayshaun Prince. He is able to work on the block, rebounds the ball nicely, and he is active around-the-rim. He's a nice player and I think he's worthy of an MLE contract from anyone willing to pay him.

Will Bynum: Although injuries, his size, and turnovers remain a problem, Bynumite is a fantastic back-up. He is able to get to the lane, he's consistent at the line, he's got range of his shot, he's fearless--playing with reckless abandon. And just as important, he can dominate a game with passing as much as he can score. As I said, he does have some problems which is why he's best-suited as a back-up. But he's one of the best and cheapest options available in the free-agent class of 2010.

Ben Wallace: Once again, he's anchoring the Pistons big-men and he's underpaid, as usual, while doing it. I don't know if he plans to play beyond this year, but it is hard to imagine the Pistons winning as many games as they have without his interior play and communication on defense. He's been a pleasant suprise.

The mediocre:

Rip Hamilton: He has become a turnover nightmare and injuries have suddenly crept into his game. He is not great at intitating an offense and when he puts the ball on the floor and drives to the basket, I cringe. He's lost more than a couple of steps in terms of his quickness, but he's still a dead-eye shooter in the right system and circumstances.

Tayshaun Prince: He's so smart, which is what has stopped him from falling off the radar. He knows what play to make and when to make it. He looks like his body has wear-and-tear, especially in his first-step. He's slower on his release than before, and he doesn't play with the energy he used to. Still, he's an effective player most of the time, and I think playing him out-of-position the last two years has not helped him in terms of wear-and-tear.

Rodney Stuckey: When he is on, he's on. He's very streaky, however. He is a shooting guard--he doesn't see the floor particuarly well for a point-guard. His passing, when someone else intitiates the offense and the focus of the defense is not on him, is a bonus. Still, his jump-shot is inconsistent, and he too often looks to the rim at 30-feet out, especially at the expense of looking for other options. In fact, while that carries with it its own ability to guard him, you don't want him peaking his head up to see if he has a better option because it usually results in a turnover. He lacks the first-step of a Grant Hill or Kobe Bryant to be able to create seperation to get to the rim. If there are down-hill runners and grind-it-out backs for two yards, he is the latter. He will play hard, but he's not terribly effective, especially as a first-option. And, too often, in crunch time, especially, he is inconsistent from the line. The two--driving to the rim and drawing contact, but not being able to hit free-throws--is frustrating.

The Bad:

Kwame Brown: A dumb basketball player with a big body who has shown flashes of some game. It would not suprise me, nor sadden me, if no team decided to sign him after this offseason.

Chris Wilcox: He's a big that doesn't like contact; he shies away from it. Not terribly athletic, and gets lost in games. His skill-set just doesn't let him get his shot-off all that effectively. Terrible rebounder.

Jason Maxiell: Terrible rebounder and his size is a big issue. While he has the athletic ability to meet someone at the rim and to throw down a monster-dunk, he has no post-game to speak-of. And his price-tag (5 million) is throwing him down on the bad list. If he were making what Jerebko was making, he'd be mediocre.

Ben Gordon: He plays hard, but he gets tired. His size is an issue on the defensive-end of the floor. He's a dead-eye shooter, but he's streaky. Injuries have been a problem and he never searches for other options in the offense. Price-tag is too high.

Charlie Villanueva: See Chris Wilcox, but with more post-game, more range, and a very streaky jump-shot. If he's hot, watch out. I've yet to see him finish an entire game in the zone, and when he's not hot, he gets lost. Price tag problems here, too.

Austin Daye: Essentially, showing flashes of Tayshaun Prince on a good day, becoming irrelevant the next. Not worthy of the 15th-pick. He's been sizeably out-played by Jonas Jerebko.

Irrelevant:

DaJaun Summers: NBDL fodder.
Chucky Atkins: Occasional starter and leader, has size and injury problems.

[Phillip]

Mavericks:

They will win the championship this year.

Eat dick.

[JJ Hickson]

Championshiiiiip. That's all you need to know. None of you other faggots have a chance.

[tlongII]

Blazers:

Maybe the most dangerous team in the league as we near the playoffs.

Brandon Roy: He was hurt for over 15 games with a strained hamstring, but he is now showing signs that he's fully recovered. He's arguably a top 3 shooting guard in the league so his continued health is critical.

Andre Miller: Can't shoot the 3, but has a serviceable mid-range game and is excellent driving to the basket. Excellent assist man as well. We would be toast without him.

Marcus Camby: Great last-minute pickup by the Blazers. Our only center on the team with Oden and Przybilla out for the season. Hasn't really integrated himself into out team yet, but the expectation is that when he does we will be very difficult to beat.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Has been playing at an All Star level for the past 20 games or so with the exception of a couple games here and there. He's at his best when he goes strong to the hoop. Unfortunately, it seems he doesn't do that enough.

Nicolas Batum: The wild card on the team. He's been back for maybe 10 games, but you can see that this guy is a star in the making. He's the best defensive player on the team and he shoots 56% from the field as well. He's becoming more and more aggresive on the offensive end and scored 31 and 21 points in his last 2 games.

Juwan Howard: Older than dirt, but a surprisingly effective player for his age. You don't want him playing more than 15 minutes max per game though.

Rudy Fernandez: Electric player, but hasn't really found his stroke yet since returning from back surgery. Appears to be healthy, but seems to need more time on the court to get comfortable.

Jerryd Bayless: Very streaky player. Either red-hot or ice cold. Good on the ball defender though.

Martell Webster: Great shooter, but has been MIA for the last few weeks. May never see meaningful playing time again with the emergence of Batum.

Dante Cunningham: He's been the most reliable of our rookies. Good shooter. Able defender. Inexperienced though.

Jeff Pendergraph: Tough guy that doesn't back down from physical play. Not very effective on offense though.

Patty Mills: DNP-CD

[JJ Hickson]

Blazers:

Maybe the most dangerous team in the league as we near the playoffs


Judging by the IR this season it looks like they're only a danger to themselves.

[djohn2oo8]

Aaron Brooks - Can shoot the hell out of the ball, very quick, still needs to learn to manage the game. But still, he has not hit his full potential yet. Very good combo guard

Kyle Lowry - AKA "The Human Bowling Ball" Is the heart of the team, especially since Landry left. Knows how to manage the game, plays uptempo, and can make the whole team better, and is a great defender

Kevin Martin - Starting to find his range, and looks to be a hell of a player. However, he does seem a bit skinny, and that's somewhat concerning. However, whenever he's feeling it, he can score at will

Luis Scola - Nice player at the 4 position. Best thing about him is that he plays his best game against the Spurs :lol

Chuck Hayes - Damn Good defender, but at some point you will need a starting center taller than 6'6

Trevor Ariza - The second coming of Rafer "I build houses with all the bricks I shoot" Alston. However, he was finally getting to elevate himself a bit when Martin arrived, having some nice games here and there, should be able to continue when he comes back.

Jared Jeffries - Garbage (The price you pay for ripping off the Knicks)

Hilton Armstrong - Garbage

Chase Budinger - Solid player, finally getting some more playing time, and we are seeing what he can become.

Shane Battier - Lost a couple of steps on defense, but still a good defender, and a nice 3 point threat

Garrett Temple - Just came up from the d-league, looks to be a solid player

David Anderson - Pussy

Jordan Hill - Don't know yet

Jermaine Taylor - Needs more time to develop

[Brazil]

^ I expected more for Scola with Yao injury he is a really nice player but I thought he would have played at a higher level

[bostonguy]

Celts: old and broke.

[mojorizen7]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:AAClEPgG9UqpXM:http://api.ning.com/files/L88UxU2DkUMMh22OTbVYsafez1jK7aq2IXPRtdgMEhk_/phx_suns.jpg
Rebuild it....and I will come.
SSOL is garbage.

Flush
Nash,Hill,Frye,JRich

These are the key pieces to keep
Dragic,Dudley,Lopez,Clark

If we do the right thing and rebuild with defensively capable players then keeping Amare around wouldn't be out of the question. Put a hard-nosed rebounder/shot blocker next to him(in addition to the emerging Lopez) and it could work IMO.
I'm torn on Barbosa. D'Umbtoni's one dimensional coaching might have wrecked this kid. He's still a valuable scorer who causes difficult match-ups on the offensive end, and i do think if coached up he can improve defensively....he did under Porter(probably the only positive to come out of that fiasco).

Dragic playing behind a 37 yr old PG who can't guard a chair next season is going to be very difficult for me to stomach.

[badfish22]

Rankings (from Best to worst) :king :hat :toast :nope :bang :wakeup
:toast basically means they did what I expected of them or a little better.
:wakeup Means I don't give a shit



Dirk: :king Greatness

Kidd: :king

Haywood: :hat

Butler: :hat Hopefully turns into a :king soon. Looked great last night.

Marion: :toast Great D. Mediocre O. Seems to be finishing better lately.

JET: Extremly streaky. Some days a :king others a :bang

Dampier: :toast Played great in the begging of the year. Should get back to that level with his rest.

Stevenson: :toast

JJ: :bang Worse than he was last year, by a good margin. Has had a couple decent games.

Roddy: :toast Filled in as a starter for a bit and did well. Good future.

Najera: :nope He has hustled, but he makes me miss Damp/Gooden.

Matt Carroll: :wakeup

Von Wafer: :wakeup

[JoeTait75]

Mo Williams: More of a head-case than Delonte in his own way. He's the x-factor: if he performs well in the postseason the Cavaliers will be almost impossible to beat. If he doesn't, well... we saw what happened last year.

Anthony Parker: Meh. Hits a few jumpers, plays reasonably sound defense and keeps Delonte with the second unit.

Delonte West: Bad man. Great off the bench. Tough as a two-dollar steak. Big-game player. Won't go on trial until July, probably, so that shouldn't be a factor.

Daniel Gibson: Gamer, clutch shooter. 100x more mentally tough than Mo. Why this kid doesn't get more burn is beyond me.

Danny Green: His name sounds more like a clothing store owner on the East Side of Cleveland than a basketball player.

LeBron James: He's okay. I think he'll stick in this league.

Jamario Moon: Whose dog did this guy kick? Needs more burn, can really defend on the perimeter.

Antawn Jamison: One of the keys to beating Orlando if it comes to that. Gives the Cavaliers an element they didn't have last year- someone who can exploit Rashard Lewis defensively.

J.J. Hickson: Light-years improved from the beginning of the year. Better hands on the catch, better defense. Very in-synch with LeBron. Still can't hit a jumper to save his life.

Anderson Varejao: Much improved as a finisher and criminally underrated as a defender, especially against the pick-and-roll. One of the top reserves in the Association.

Shaquille O'Neal: Just hope he stays away from the Krispy Kremes for the next eight weeks.

Leon Powe: Still not quite there yet physically and conditioning-wise, but his toughness around the basket are apparent immediately.

Big Z: See ya soon, big man.

[scottspurs]

Here are my thoughts and the order in which i like each player:

Tim Duncan: Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all-time and if you assembled a team with the greatest players ever he would be on it. A champion and a MVP. Tim is also a class act. Not flashy, but has great tools on O and D and he leads by example. Timmy is also clutch on not only offense, but defense.

Manu Ginobili: He plays with all his heart on every play. He is gambler on the court, but usually comes thru when we need him the most. He can put up stats in every category. Unfortunately Manu is Injury prone because of the way he plays, so in two words you can some up Manu as a WILD CARD.

Tony Parker: Super fast and knows how to run our offense better than anyone to ever play point for Pop. Sometimes he makes me angry when he is not aggressive because that is his greatest strength. When he is hitting his shot our offense is at its best. I wish he was more of an assist guy at the point.

George Hill: I am a huge hill fan. He can play both guard positions and can guard most 1's, 2's and 3's. He is only going to get better and better.

Dejuan Blair: Absolute beast on the Boards and he has brought some unexpected offense in the pick in roll. If he can learn to hit a 15 footer he could be an allstar in my opinion.

Antonio McDyess: He is starting to do some good things for the spurs and I love that he can hit an outside shot. He is a class act and I hope he gets a ring with the spurs.

Richard Jefferson: I wish Jefferson would be more aggressive, but I love his athleticism. He sucks at rebounding for his position. If he gets it going we may have a chance to salvage this season.

Keith Bogans: Tough. Most spurs fans don't like Bogans, but he hustles and goes hard which is all I ask for. A liability on offense, but on occasion he plays very good defense.

Malik Hairston: Get this man some playing time because everytime I'm seen him he produces.

Matt Bonner: I dislike Bonner. He try's, but it's like a man with no legs trying to run track. Huge liability on defense and really doesn't provide much offensively besides the occasional three that usually comes with a 2-9 shooting night.

Ian Mahinmi: Some people think he is the answer, but I don't see it. If he was good Pop would play him.

Roger Mason: I wish we would of traded him when he whined about playing time. His time as a Spur is come and gone yet he still suits up. Hopefully he will one day redeem himself with a terrific shooting night in the playoffs coming off the bench to provide a spark Steve Kerr style. Doubt it.

[DAF86]

Duncan: The epitome of consistency, he will always get his quiet 20/10. Needs help on the interior defense though but that's not his fault. Needless to say that he's by far our best player.

Manu: Started slow but since the rodeo trip he's been lighting it up, best all around player on the team and still one of the top SG in the league, needs to find consistency on his shot to be the Manu we're used to seeing, right now he is at a 90%.

Tony: One of the main reason why we're struggling, he was supossed to be the number one option on offense this season but injuries have slowed him down, if he gets his health at an 85/90 % and elevates his game like Manu did we could become a very dangerous team come playoff time.

Hill and Blair: Two of the best five players on the team, their youth and energy is crucial to this team.

Jefferson and McDyess: Dissapointing season so far for them, but they have shown signs of improvement in the last few games, if they can keep this up they still have time to turn the situation around.

Bogans: If he played on the D-league, he would be one of its worst players, yet he is a starter for this team. Gotta love Pop.

Mason and Bonner: Useful only if their shots are falling.

Hairston and Mahinmi: Should get rotation minutes.

Popovich: By far the biggest reason why this team isn't playing at the level it should be playing. He starts our worst player, he is constantly changing the line-ups and rotations and the biggest mistake of all: his inexplicable love for small-ball.

Why small-ball sucks:

-We get killed on the boards.
-Lay up drills for our oponents.
-We get blocked more easily on the other end.

Pop says he uses it for offensive reasons but if one of those players is Bogans it doesn't matter who the other 4 are, you're fucked 'cause you will always be playing 4 on 5 on that end. And when he rarely plays a decent small-ball formation (Tony, Hill, Manu, RJ, Tim) the best you can hope is to trade baskets 'cause you can't stop nobody.

[Come_On_Now]

Mavs:

Dirk - Having yet another MVP type year and has even put in a decent amount of effort on defense. Has hit big shots and is really coming into his own as the primary shot taker in crunch time.

Marion "Matrix" - Though he isn't the high-flying Matrix of old, he is still the man who is good at many things. He has a decent post up game with his tiny hook shot, and is our best finisher on the fastbreak. The best thing he has brought is his DPOY level defense.

Terry "Jet" - Struggled early in the season but has regained his "6th man of the Year" form. Still sucks defensively but has stole the ball a tad more than I remember.

Kidd - These last two games, he has been unimpressive but when it truly counts, he puts up some huge numbers. Great basketball mind, and still one of the best pg's in the game.

Butler "Tough Juice" - Struggled when he first arrived, but he has seemingly found his shot and is putting up numbers expected of the team's "Robin'. Good handles, passing and defense. Really nice 2 way player and brings toughness.

Haywood - Dude is the best center in MAVERICKS history. Nuff said.

Dampier "Ericka" - Still brings some stoic defense and is the best center coming off the bench in the league.

Barea - Really nice guy and was great in the Spurs series last playoffs but this year has been a different story. Has been the 2nd worst player on the Mavs behind professional towel waiver, Matt Carroll.

Stevenson - His offensive game is atrocious, although when he is driving the ball, he is decent. He brings some "old-school" in your face defense that could prove useful in the post-season.

Von Wafer - Really wish this dude could get a few minutes.

Roddy - See Von Wafer.

Najera - Hustles and is a pest, but as a backup center he is awful.

Thomas - COME BACK PLEASE!!!

Matt Carroll - This guy has realized my long time dream of getting millions to watch basketball from courtside without doing anything of true substance.

[Amarelooms]

Mavs:

Dirk - Having yet another MVP type year and has even put in a decent amount of effort on defense. Has hit big shots and is really coming into his own as the primary shot taker in crunch time.

Marion "Matrix" - Though he isn't the high-flying Matrix of old, he is still the man who is good at many things. He has a decent post up game with his tiny hook shot, and is our best finisher on the fastbreak. The best thing he has brought is his DPOY level defense.

Terry "Jet" - Struggled early in the season but has regained his "6th man of the Year" form. Still sucks defensively but has stole the ball a tad more than I remember.

Kidd - These last two games, he has been unimpressive but when it truly counts, he puts up some huge numbers. Great basketball mind, and still one of the best pg's in the game.

Butler "Tough Juice" - Struggled when he first arrived, but he has seemingly found his shot and is putting up numbers expected of the team's "Robin'. Good handles, passing and defense. Really nice 2 way player and brings toughness.

Haywood - Dude is the best center in MAVERICKS history. Nuff said.

Dampier "Ericka" - Still brings some stoic defense and is the best center coming off the bench in the league.

Barea - Really nice guy and was great in the Spurs series last playoffs but this year has been a different story. Has been the 2nd worst player on the Mavs behind professional towel waiver, Matt Carroll.

Stevenson - His offensive game is atrocious, although when he is driving the ball, he is decent. He brings some "old-school" in your face defense that could prove useful in the post-season.

Von Wafer - Really wish this dude could get a few minutes.

Roddy - See Von Wafer.

Najera - Hustles and is a pest, but as a backup center he is awful.

Thomas - COME BACK PLEASE!!!

Matt Carroll - This guy has realized my long time dream of getting millions to watch basketball from courtside without doing anything of true substance.


If you think Marion is the best finisher you are blind...NO NECK has been HORRIBLE on the offensive end :elephant

[Venti Quattro]

Luke Walton should stop dating Dick Jefferson so he doesn't pinch his nerve.

Really, the only thing that Sasha Vujacic is scoring on is Maria Sharapova.

The Lakers have shown that they can defend this year. Maybe up the offense a little bit more and we're set.

[HornetLoveJones]

Anyone who doesn't bet on the Lakers going back to back is an idiot.. and there are plenty here I can see. Nobody will overtake them this year in the playoffs, I've yet to see a real contender against them.

As for my Hornets... why bother. Collison and Thorton are the only ones worth keeping around. Trade CP3 for serviceable stars and get rid of inconsistent baggage: West, grossly overpaid Peja, Posey, Okafor (If you're not gonna play him when it matters why have him at all Bower?)

[BRHornet45]

CP3: true leader, best point guard in the game, 20 and 10 every night, Hornets are next to nothing without him, needs a wing man who can hit his shots when Paul finds him open

David West: solid player, could put up 20 and 10 on a nightly basis if he actually played defense and attempted to rebound, terrible dribbling skills resulting in too many turnovers, tries to do way too much but in his defense he is forced into that role, lacks leadership skills and rarely steps up when CP3 is out

Peja Stojakovic: still a major threat from the 3pt line, but just a shadow of his old self, below average defense, but can still be effective when used properly

Emeka Okafor: solid defense, rebounds well, decent offensive production, but seems to lack the killer instinct he needs when facing other top centers

Morris Peterson: nothing much to say here, his role used to be to stand in the corner and hit wide open 3's from CP3 but he can't even do that anymore

James Posey: despite the fact that he is overpaid he is still a quality bench player, very high basketball IQ and makes the right decision 90% of the time, great defender, takes charges every game, decent 3pt shooter

Darren Collison: has a shoot first / me first mentality that reminds me a lot of Janerro Pargo, turns the ball over way too much, makes too many poor decisions in the clutch, puts up solid scoring numbers, but has a lot to learn

Marcus Thornton: excellent scorer, has that killer instinct and can create his own shot, solid 3pt shooter, great rebounder for his size, has surpassed everyone's expectations for a mid 2nd round draft pick, potential all star

Darius Songaila: he doesn't put up great numbers but is a quality contributor off the bench, decent rebounder, gives a good effort

Julian Wright: still waiting for this guy to learn how to shoot, tons of potential but lacks any desire to improve his game and will more than likely be traded at the end of the season

Sean Marks: a solid bench player who comes cheap, always puts forth a good effort on the floor, needs improvement on jump shot

Aaron Gray haven't seen enough of him to know much, but seems afraid to even be on the court


Jeff Bower: absolutely awful general manager, but has been a solid head coach for the time being, definite upgrade from the terribly overrated Byron Scott, not necessarily the head coaching answer though, give him 1 more season to see how he does

[Brazil]

^it's a little harsh for Collison. He is young and already gives a lot of 20 / 10 nights and his TOs issue seem to improve a lot.

[Killakobe81]

Kobe mostly good, the injuries and sometimesy defense not so much ...When he is on he is probaly STILL the 2nd best player and is STiLL best closer.

Bynum - Some good moments offensively and defensively but also a victim of sometimesy defense and dumb fouls. Love when he gives hard clean ones
(fouls) though

Gasol - Great season ...with a few frustrating games in some of our key losses such as Cleveland both games, and Memphis (which i saw in person)

Fish - A lot of bad but he is one of the few guys who runs the offense, still plays hard but was limited even in his prime. I still love the guy but Phil needs to play him less and save him for key stretches ...he is the worst rim finisher in the NBA no joke.

Lamar - started like shit. But right now is playng the best ball on the team. Consistency would be nice but so would a date with Alicia Keys.

Sasha - Some decent moments BEFORE he got hurt ...but he has sucked A$$ this year

Ron - Plays hard every night. Defense is improving as season goes on . 3pt shooting a pleasant surprise ...worst rim finisher on our team next to Dfish though ...But ron is starting to play the lockdown D we signed him for.

Jordan - a MUch better season. But he is so frustrating because he cant escape the dumb TO or the missed defensive rotation ...and when he does Phil yanks him. but he provides speed and aggression which the team needs. As a coach his FT from the PG spot is UNACCEPTABLE ...period he and Rondo should be ashamed ...

Shannon - some highs and some lows. But plays hard and defends ...his dunks sparks the team like no other player ...even kobe.

Phil - Gets a pass for this year. I SWORE if we won it last year i would not openly question or criticize the 10 time champion ...
BUT if i were ...too quick with the hook on the young guys (shannon, jordan and Drew) but when the vets screw up (Kobe, fish, Pau) he just sits there!! Frustrating. But some great moments too like the handling of Pau in the Denver game

[cornbread]

We suck and Richard Jefferson is the worst basketball player to ever be the second highest paid player on an NBA team.

[Durant82]

I love the Thunder! all of them!

[Killakobe81]

We suck and Richard Jefferson is the worst basketball player to ever be the second highest paid player on an NBA team.

That is funny. May not be actually true but that is HILARIOUS ....he has played better recently though ...

[Killakobe81]

Pistons: Because of the cap situation and the lack of overall talent, the Pistons are going to have to build through the draft to become competitive again.

The Good:

Jonas Jerebko: He's a solid player in the mold of another small-forward on the Pistons roster, Tayshaun Prince. He is able to work on the block, rebounds the ball nicely, and he is active around-the-rim. He's a nice player and I think he's worthy of an MLE contract from anyone willing to pay him.

Will Bynum: Although injuries, his size, and turnovers remain a problem, Bynumite is a fantastic back-up. He is able to get to the lane, he's consistent at the line, he's got range of his shot, he's fearless--playing with reckless abandon. And just as important, he can dominate a game with passing as much as he can score. As I said, he does have some problems which is why he's best-suited as a back-up. But he's one of the best and cheapest options available in the free-agent class of 2010.

Ben Wallace: Once again, he's anchoring the Pistons big-men and he's underpaid, as usual, while doing it. I don't know if he plans to play beyond this year, but it is hard to imagine the Pistons winning as many games as they have without his interior play and communication on defense. He's been a pleasant suprise.

The mediocre:

Rip Hamilton: He has become a turnover nightmare and injuries have suddenly crept into his game. He is not great at intitating an offense and when he puts the ball on the floor and drives to the basket, I cringe. He's lost more than a couple of steps in terms of his quickness, but he's still a dead-eye shooter in the right system and circumstances.

Tayshaun Prince: He's so smart, which is what has stopped him from falling off the radar. He knows what play to make and when to make it. He looks like his body has wear-and-tear, especially in his first-step. He's slower on his release than before, and he doesn't play with the energy he used to. Still, he's an effective player most of the time, and I think playing him out-of-position the last two years has not helped him in terms of wear-and-tear.

Rodney Stuckey: When he is on, he's on. He's very streaky, however. He is a shooting guard--he doesn't see the floor particuarly well for a point-guard. His passing, when someone else intitiates the offense and the focus of the defense is not on him, is a bonus. Still, his jump-shot is inconsistent, and he too often looks to the rim at 30-feet out, especially at the expense of looking for other options. In fact, while that carries with it its own ability to guard him, you don't want him peaking his head up to see if he has a better option because it usually results in a turnover. He lacks the first-step of a Grant Hill or Kobe Bryant to be able to create seperation to get to the rim. If there are down-hill runners and grind-it-out backs for two yards, he is the latter. He will play hard, but he's not terribly effective, especially as a first-option. And, too often, in crunch time, especially, he is inconsistent from the line. The two--driving to the rim and drawing contact, but not being able to hit free-throws--is frustrating.

The Bad:

Kwame Brown: A dumb basketball player with a big body who has shown flashes of some game. It would not suprise me, nor sadden me, if no team decided to sign him after this offseason.

Chris Wilcox: He's a big that doesn't like contact; he shies away from it. Not terribly athletic, and gets lost in games. His skill-set just doesn't let him get his shot-off all that effectively. Terrible rebounder.

Jason Maxiell: Terrible rebounder and his size is a big issue. While he has the athletic ability to meet someone at the rim and to throw down a monster-dunk, he has no post-game to speak-of. And his price-tag (5 million) is throwing him down on the bad list. If he were making what Jerebko was making, he'd be mediocre.

Ben Gordon: He plays hard, but he gets tired. His size is an issue on the defensive-end of the floor. He's a dead-eye shooter, but he's streaky. Injuries have been a problem and he never searches for other options in the offense. Price-tag is too high.

Charlie Villanueva: See Chris Wilcox, but with more post-game, more range, and a very streaky jump-shot. If he's hot, watch out. I've yet to see him finish an entire game in the zone, and when he's not hot, he gets lost. Price tag problems here, too.

Austin Daye: Essentially, showing flashes of Tayshaun Prince on a good day, becoming irrelevant the next. Not worthy of the 15th-pick. He's been sizeably out-played by Jonas Jerebko.

Irrelevant:

DaJaun Summers: NBDL fodder.
Chucky Atkins: Occasional starter and leader, has size and injury problems.

Great post as usual ... fair and great analysis ...

[timvp]

Good thread :tu

[timtonymanu]

Spurs - From best offseason to underachieving team

Favorite to least

Tim Duncan - Honestly I was afraid Duncan would be deteriorating this year. At the second part of last season, he looked really tired and I wasn't sure if he would be the same again. This season, he's proving me wrong by being one of the only players who was consistent. He still can play at an MVP level.

Manu Ginobili - I thought at most he'd be a role player at this point and he was proving me right throughout the season until the month of February. He's not as good as 2005 Manu but damn he still looks good. I'm so relieved to see Manu still playing at a high level. Hopefully it continues.

Tony Parker - The Spurs were counting on him to be the best player this season. However, he's the worst out of the big 3 due to his injury. He seems to be playing a lot better lately though.

DeJuan Blair - I can't believe how consistent he's been all year. I expected him to be great for us, but not this great. He's our 2nd best rebounder and has improved his d tremendously.

George Hill - He's improved so much this year and I love that. However, he's still a little inconsistent and his defense is overrated IMO. Still respect the guy and hope he stays here long term.

Antonio McDyess - was a ghost during the first part of the season. now a beast. however i still think he has underachieved.

Richard Jefferson - hated this guy so much but lately he's looking better. He just needs to stay aggressive.

Malik Hairston - when the guy gets called to play, he fucking shows up. Most Spurs fans including me feel he's already better than Bogans/Mason/Finley but Pop doesn't see that. Hopefully he plays a big role for this team next season.

Roger Mason Jr. - not the player he was last year mainly due to Pop messing with his minutes. I still think he's worth keeping only for spot minutes. If he's hot, keep him in. If not, take him out.

Ian Mahinmi - He's a decent player. Don't see him play enough to judge. I don't think he's a long term Spur. I rather see him play ahead of Matt Bonner though. I do think Pop is too harsh on Ian.

Matt Bonner - As a starter, I hate him. Off the bench, he's tolerable. He plays decent defense and can shoot better when he comes off the bench. When he starts, he sticks his fingers up his ass and cries.

Keith Bogans - Before Bogans was signed, I was always a fan of his. IMO, i thought he was an underrated player who didn't get enough playing time. But when Pop started playing him more and more, I realized why he never got signed with another team. He cant shoot. His defense is very overrated. It's weird because he was looking like a steal for the first part of the season. Then he realized his name was Keith Bogans and came back down to earth. Right now, I'm no longer a fan of his and he seems to be Finley 2.0. The scary thing is that Bogans is still young so I expect Pop to keep him a Spur for a very long time.

Former Spurs:

Michael Finley - Finally he's gone.
Theo Ratliff - I liked him. He was a great shotblocker for his age.
Marcus Haislip - Anyone who thought this guy was gonna be a steal were kidding themselves. Haislip proved them right.


Pop - Holy shit. Where the hell is the Pop that knew how to coach? Small ball. Ditching Bowen for Finley. Thinking Bogans can play defense. Not playing Malik or Ian. Thinking Matt Bonner can be a rotation player. 21 fucking starting lineups. The team plays horrible D but Pop says they play decent d. Not putting any blame on himself. Honestly at this point, I'm losing respect for Pop.


I like this thread. It's interesting to hear how fans think of their players.

[JamStone]

Detroit Pistons...

Been much worse than I thought. I didn't have any delusions about being a legitimate title contender or even one of the top teams in the conference. But I did expect the Pistons to settle somewhere around the 5th-6th playoff seed before the season started. Granted, serious injuries to Rip Hamilton, Ben Gordon, and Tayshaun Prince did not help matters much, but even when they've returned, this team hasn't been much better. They do have some talent and have beaten some good teams like Orlando and Denver and Boston and Atlanta and they've also lost many close games they could have or even should have won. But the fact remains they're just not a very good team. Probably not as bad as their record, but still pretty bad.

Obviously, retrospectively, trading Billups for Iverson has made a drastic difference to this team. At the time, I supported the decision because I thought Billups was on his decline, which obviously isn't the case. However, in some ways, I'm still fine with the trade because I don't think Billups would be playing at the same level these past two seasons in Detroit as he has in Denver. Billups got too comfortable and complacent. Getting traded, even to a good situation and back home to Denver, lit another fire under him. He's been great and I have nothing but respect for the guy. His chapter in Detroit was done. Looking back now, it would have been better to have traded any of the other core guys besides Billups. But I refuse to cry over spilled milk.

I wasn't all that thrilled with the signing of Ben Gordon, especially for the amount of money they gave him and especially without making a move to trade Rip Hamilton. There were too many other areas to improve on the team to have focused on a back-up shooting guard as the main free agent pick-up. He's been injured and when he's been back, his playing time has been inconsistent. But, I didn't like the pick-up then. Still not all that thrilled with it now. But, I think the Pistons are stuck with him for a while. I was cool with the Charlie Villanueva pick-up because I thought he was a solid player and the Pistons were paying just slightly above the MLE for his services. He's sucked a lot recently, but I'm still cool with him because again he's making basically the MLE and he's really the only legitimate scorer in the front court for the Pistons.

Rodney Stuckey hasn't been bad this season. He's been a little up and down, but I've seen improvement over the course of the season. Still needs to improve his point guard abilities, play-making, controlling and managing the game. But, if the rest of the team had better balance at every position, I think he'd be fine. He's not one of the major concerns at this point.

I hated the pick-up of Ben Wallace this past summer, but he's arguably been their best player. Still beyond frustrating watching him struggle to get the basketball even close on a free throw, but his rebounding and defense has been much closer to 2006 Ben Wallace than it has been the Ben Wallace of the previous two seasons.

The rest of the team is blah. Tayshaun Prince needs to go. Kwame Brown is obviously useless. Chris Wilcox is a joke. Will Bynum had a few really good games but I'm not a fan because I think he thinks he's better than he is and thinks he's like a first option 25 point scorer if given the chance. I don't like that mentality from a point guard, nevermind back-up point guard.

Jonas Jerebko has been one of the few bright spots this season. He's surprised a lot of people with his hustle, athleticism, versatility, and overall impact on the game. Austin Daye looks good too but struggles to get minutes behind Jerebko and Prince and Rip and BG. If the kid could gain about 20 pounds of muscle, maybe he could be a combo forward and spend some time at PF.

Coach John Kuester has done a decent job this year considering all the injuries. But he hasn't been immune to stupid decisions and curious line-ups and questionable playcalling. Overall, he does seem better prepared than Michael Curry (not difficult to do) and he's had less mutiny too (which will happen when Rasheed is not around lol).

I'm not happy about where the Pistons are right now. I think they have a long, long way to go to get back to even respectability. Joe Dumars has made many poor decisions along the way. He usually covered them up quickly by making more changes. But right now, it's a little too difficult to do that with this team and roster of players. The Pistons need a great draft and one key free agent acquisition (probably for the MLE) or trade to get back on track.

But, hey, I'm a diehard Pistons fan. I don't give up on my team. I don't stop watching and supporting my team. I've been with them through much worse. I'm just hoping it's sooner than later that they become an enjoyable team to watch again.

[Killakobe81]

2 great posts from pistons fans ...
Like timVp said quality thread which there have been too few lately ...thanks OP

[The Gemini Method]

Kobe - It starts and ends with no. 24 when you're discussing the Lakers' fortunes/misfortunes of the season. His shooting percentage is down and that is due to a myriad of injuries and quite possible the rigors of his lengthy career starting to catch up with him. The defense isn't as noticeable as it once was and he is often caught freelancing or out of position. He's also lost a step or two in speed, but is crafty enough to remind us who he is. Its been a long, tough, painful year for Kobe. Still, his ability to come through when the Lakers need him demonstrates the team goes from solid playoff team to championship contender.

Pau - After coming off an arduous offseason in which he won the Euro Basketball title, Pau came in gassed and fighting off problems with his hamstring and conditioning. Early on, you could see the effect of extended play as his midrange jumper suffered tremendously. It seemed that he got his groove back during a run in which he was averaging 15+ rebs and when Kobe went out with his ankle injury. However, the sustainment of the stellar play has not been there and glimpses of him reverting back to '08 are there. He's also become more vocal of late--which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Ron - Brought in basically to be the defensive fuel to the Lakers' fire, Ron has slowly grown more active and dependable on the D side of the equation. His offense, however, is limited and it is almost as if he's way too hesitant to shoot. If you need a corner 3 or a bang 'em up putback, he's going to get it for you. The constant wish from the media and rivals is: Ron Ron will go nuts and destroy your team. I think he is also gaining momentum as he is losing additonal weight.

Bynum - Started the season as if he was finally paying off the generous contract he was given. However, it seems the early injury struggles of Pau played more of an integral part in his early season success. Flashes of a pretty solid all-around offensive game gives hope that he will solidify. His inability to remain constant on the defensive end makes you wonder if he will ever live up to the hype. Time for him to be assertive and learn how to better co-exist with Gasol.

Fisher - As a loyal Laker fan, I feel that there is a sense of gratitude we must show Derek until the day he hangs it up. He has been an integral part of the both the 3peat and last year's title run. His production has really dipped since the earlier part of his career, but his knowledge of the offense and his veteran know-how is worthy enough to have him start over Farmar. Still, his liability against shiftier point guards is still the most glaring deficiency the Lakers have. I think he's better served as a back-up, a mentor of sorts.

BENCH:

Lamar - Always more enigma than anything else, Lamar seems to have awoken from his early season doldrums. This is typical of the 6'10 PF that is quite possibly the most versatile PF in the league. Able to run the "point forward" position with ease, he has really come on in the months following the turn of the calendar. I've given up the fact that you're not entirely sure what you'll get from him. A jack of all trades, master of none--Odom is definitely the Lakers' X-factor.

Jordan - In a year in which he can search for work elsewhere, Farmar has been inconsistent like the rest of the team. Prone to me-first shots and inexcusable mistakes, He's given us a number of WTF? moments as well as nights in which he seems to click beyond reproach. I'm not entirely sold that he is the future PG for the Lakers, but he has been the more stable back-up to Derek Fisher.

Shannon - Really provided a spark for the Lakers' bench when it was being called into task for its shoddy play. A freakish type of athlete, he is alot more sensationalism than Jordan, but has also hit from range that mostly eluded him earlier in his career. Sometimes gets himself caught up in the moment and trapped in situations that he tends to make curious mistakes, his play has fluctuated now that Kobe has returned.

The Rest of the Bench: - Poor play and the injury bug has decimated the likes of Sasha, Luke, DJ, Ammo, and Josh Powell. Sasha was showing signs of somewhat improvement prior to injuring his shoulder, but the rest Luke (back), DJ (used sparingly), Ammo (see: Mbenga), Josh Powell (see: Ammo) could benefit from some burn.

Phil - Always seems to orchestrate his team the right way, he's been extremely successful (Lakers: 46-15) in keeping the team winning despite injuries to almost everyone on this team besides Fisher. There is a reason he's a 10-time NBA Championship winning coach and it isn't that he has had hall-of-fame players. It will be interesting how he undoubtedly gets his team mentally sharp for the end of the reg. season and the playoff run.

[picc84]

Kobe - Competing as hard as ever, but age and injury are catching up to him and he is clearly on the decline. Looks like a shell of his former self, but is still putting up good stats and giving the team the leadership quality they need.

Gasol - Rebounds, scores, defends, but yet still manages to look like a sissy doing it. He's lost the edge he had last year but is getting by on the pure talent he is gifted with.

Bynum - Better served coming off the bench, capable scorer but selfish scorer, will not pass the ball once he gets it. Lazy and sluggish defender, lazy rebounder, still immature. Yet he'll still have a 25 point game now and then to fool everyone who doesnt watch the team regularly into thinking he's an all-star.

Odom - Bright spot on the team. More valuable than Gasol so far, even. Does everything, passes, scores, rebounds, pushes the breaks, like a swiss-army knife. Most inspired season-long ball he's played in years. My current favorite.

Artest - Always brings the energy, hustles, plays hard. Since he's lost weight he's been on a defensive tear, and that energy is infecting both his offensive play and the teams overall effort. Vital cog for the team and his performance will be the playoff x-factor as much as Odoms.

Hinrich - Great defensive player, can hit the open shot, and best of all does not make the idiotic decisions Fisher used to make when he was here. Excellent pickup and a sign of the committment Mitch and Buss have to making us the most competitive team we can be.

Farmar - Doesnt get enough playing time, most talented offensive point on the team by far, but makes just enough dumb decisions to justify in Phil's mind sitting him on the bench for 30 minutes a game. He is a part of the best lineup we put on the floor and makes the offense and defense both run better.

Brown - Not the same guy from last year. Still athletic and high-energy, but somehow somewhere this guy got the idea that he is Kobe Bryant. The # of bad shots he takes per game, not trying to run the offense but just jacking some shit up, is obscene for a player of his stature. He has improved as a player so sometimes they go in, but they are shots that are not good for the Lakers.

Phil Jackson - The main reason this team has not yet realized its potential and is underachieving. His stubborness, nauseating arrogance, and lax coaching approach is in danger of yet again dooming the team when it doesn't have a significant talent advantage over the competition.

[Xylus]

PHOENIX SUNS


The Great

Robin Lopez - Last year, many Suns fans said that this guy was one of the worst players in the NBA. He wasn't a good rebounder, couldn't score, and was more foul-prone than anyone I'd ever seen. About 20 games ago, Gentry inserted him into the starting lineup because Channing Frye was struggling, and the Suns have been killing it ever since. Robin has faaaaar exceeded anyone's expectations, and he's having a great impact on the team. The Suns have had the 2nd best rebounding differential in the league since Robin was made a starter. He's also a great locker room guy, and everyone seems to like him.

Jared Dudley - Where to begin. Jared Dudley is my favorite player in the NBA. He's quickly become a fan-favorite here in Phoenix because he hustles harder than anyone on the court, he's extremely likable, a locker room "glue guy," shoots well from outside, and generally outplays everyone because of an innate desire to win. He hits clutch shots, grabs clutch rebounds, makes clutch steals, etc. He has the best Twitter in the NBA, where he posts inside-access videos of the Suns locker room after games, as well as interviews with other Suns players. I hope he remains a Phoenix Sun for many years.

Goran Dragic - Like Robin Lopez, Dragic struggled in his rookie year. Despite showing flashes of greatness from time to time, he was turnover-prone, had a shaky confidence, and needed work on his ball-handling. He's worked on all of these areas to become a fantastic backup for Steve Nash. A few Suns fans think he has a more positive impact on games than Nash does (guess who?). He plays great D, one of the reasons why our bench is so valuable. Also, he's the proprietor of the Dragonshake, coolest signature move in the NBA.


The Really Good

Amare Stoudemire - Started off this season pretty slow, after having not played competitive basketball for 8 months due to an eye injury. Seemed to be playing in his sleep up until late January when trade rumors started circling. Now he's posting great numbers (including rebounds). His best game of the season was last Sunday against the Spurs. Amare is a great teammate, often the biggest cheerleader when he's on the bench, and plays very well with Robin Lopez, to whom he dispenses big man advice to quite often.

Steve Nash - 36 years old. 17.3 ppg, 11.2 apg, 3.3 rpg, 51% FG, 42.6% 3FG, 94% FT. In 33.6 mpg. Shows very few signs of slowing, though he's been hampered by injuries over the last few weeks.

Coach Alvin Gentry - A much better coach than Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter. His rotations make sense, he knows when to stick with the hot hand, he's helped to develop our younger players like Lopez and Dragic, giving both of them meaningful roles on a solid playoff team. He's likable, good with the media, knows how to get players out of slumps--recently he told Amare to improve his rebounding, and he told JRich to be more aggressive offensively... both of which occurred immediately. He's placed a much stronger emphasis on defense than D'Antoni ever did, and it shows. The only question about Coach Gentry is how he'll fare in the playoffs, where he's an unproven entity.


The Pretty Good

Grant Hill - Has games where he's completely invisible. Also has games where he dominates, including the Denver game two nights ago. He played good D on Carmelo, while outperforming him on the offensive end. He's stepped up his game in recent weeks, indicating that he was taking it easy in the early part of the season in order to play well now. I'm okay with this. Anything to keep him fresh for the playoffs, where his value will be underrated.

Channing Frye - Who knew this guy could hit 3's? Played the first 40 games of the season as a starter before Coach Gentry figured out that he'd be better as a bench player, where he's fit in really well. Lately, he's been more aggressive in taking it to the rack, hits the boards a little harder, and has relished his role as part of the bench mob. Has a very surprising knack for hitting big shots in the waning minutes of a game.

Lou Amundson - Like Hill, tends to be invisible in some games, and an unstoppable blocking machine in others. Always plays hard, always rebounds well, and has added a nice little jumpshot to his offensive repertoire. He's even improved his FT shooting, which was dreadful last year (from 44% last year to 56% this year).


The Wild Card

Jason Richardson - When JRich scores 20 or more points, the Suns are 18-3. When he misses dunks with 40 seconds left, the Suns are 0-1. Unfortunately, he's only scored 20 or more points 21 times out of 62 games, so that tells you something about how aggressive he is. JRich has a knack for making very unclutch plays at the ends of games, but he's also the only Sun player to hit a game-winning shot this season. He's the 3rd best rebounding SG in the league, plays pretty solid defense, and an electric scorer. When he's on his game and playing aggressively, the Suns are virtually impossible to beat.


Undetermined

Leandro Barbosa - Hampered by injuries most of the season. Will undoubtedly make an impact once he returns.

Earl Clark - Seems like he could be a great player in years to come, but hasn't shown it yet.

[phxspurfan]

-Birdman: Rebound, block, energy. Can't really ask for any more than that.

I've had him on my fantasy squad and have wanted to drop him for awhile. Isn't his knee bothering him? I have been hearing he hasn't been the same birdman this year.

[lil_penny]

Brandon roy - he's had a up and down year due to injuries, after greg went down he really stepped it up and was averaging close to 25 a game until he started having some injury issues. If we plan on getting a shot at making the playoffs we need him to get back to the way he was playing along with being more consistent.

Lamarcus aldridge- at the start of the season he came on real slow but for the past couple month he has stepped up tremendously.. the 4th quarter he needs to bring just as much fire as the 1st.. I don't know if he just doesn't look for the ball, or other teamates don't look for him late in games. He has got better though.

Andre miller- he has been a pleasant surprise as far as his outside shooting this year.. basically he has been pretty solid and has been thr andre we expected to get when signed

Nicolas batum- due to a hefty part of the season where nic was injured we have been unable to see he full potential, but since placed back into the starting lineup he has been great offensively and defensively and has really exceeded expectations.

Marcus camby- he's taken some time to adjust to the team imo but the last couple games he's seemed to blend in quite nicely. On a regular basis for him to just show up and play marcus camby basketball is all that is asked of him.

The bench:

Rudy Fernandez- the 6th man role has been his, however this season he has had trouble going back to the old three point specialist, mr electric off the bench. He has been solid with his on the court contributions that don't always show up in stats. And has worked a lot on his mid range and driving game and has shown great improvement.

Martell webster- was huge while roy was down.. however it seemd like only every other game.. pretty inconsistent this year and has lost some playing time while batums has been back.. the streakiest shooter on our team and can get on fire from 3pt range.. not a bad on the ball defender either. We need him to step up and get consistent if we want a chance at making the playoffs also.

Juwan howard- he knows his role on this team and at times has come up huge. Getting big rebounds and sinking big shots late in games.. held the center down pretty solid while the big guys were down.

Jerryd bayless- this guy is great at getting to the whole. But as of late he seems to be giving up on it.. he's not a pg he's a sg, I don't know who nate is kidding but bayless isn't going to work out. Great trade bait this summer imo we should of kept blake at least he can hit a shot.

Dante cunningham- pleasant surprise, can hit a jumper with consistency and run the floor with the best of them.. I was a little pissed about the outlaw trade but dante as a rookie is basically the player we wanted outlaw to be.

Jeff pendergraph- pretty decent defender and blocks shots.. hasn't had a lot of play time as of late, but from what I've seen he's going to be a good contribution to our team.

Patty mills- I expect him to take over the backup pg spot when bayless gets traded next year, I've always been a fan of patty ever since I seen him in the olympics.

Greg oden- the guys got a tremendously large horse schlong

Joel przybilla- hopefully the injury isn't as bad as first thought and he can come back next year.. he's a very big part of this team and along wwith nic he has been a glue guy.

The coach:

Nate mccmillan- sometime I wonder what this guy is thinking.. a player gets hot and he burries him on the bench till the 4th.. he has been ok at keeping the team afloat with all the injuries, but the players stepped up more than he has in that department.. basically I'm not sure what to think of this guy.

[fevertrees]

Chris Paul - Injury plagued and most overrated superstar in all of basketball...can put up great fantasy stats but can't get his team wins. Best if Hornets trade him while his value is extremely high

David West - Two time fraud AllStar that is lazy on both ends of the court. Puts up great scoring numbers when the refs give him the calls, but is always the last person down the court. No hustle until he gets a bigger contract personality.

Peja - Sienna West client/Worthless Eurotrash. Prone to hitting the side of the backboard more than actually hitting the rim.

Okafur - Step up from Tyson, but is more concerned about winning the Wesley Snipes (vs Collison) award on the team than putting up consistent double doubles (reason he was brought in the team)

Mo Pete - Not sure why this guy is even starting, but I don't expect anything special out of him now. Just another Peja clone on the team now.

Collison - Best player on the team without a doubt and is only a rookie. Shame he will get a ton minutes on the bench once Paul comes back to improve his fantasy stock. Hopefully the team can build around him once Paul is gone. As stated above he is in deep competition with Okafur for the Wesley Snipes award of the team.

Thornton - Again, another bright spot for the team. One of the only players on the team not afraid to take the ball in the paint despite the defense. Streaky mid ranger - 3 point shot, but is still the best option on offense.

Aaron Gray - Shut down Dwight Howard last week and is the best big man on the bench. Put him in the starting role and he will average 15 - 12 a night.

Sean Marks - Haven't seen him on the court as much as I wanted to this season, but is a solid rebounder and can run his spots correctly. Takes over the Ryan Bowen role of Team Leader in the locker room.

Julian Wright - Just take the musical career route and save us the torture of watching you on the court please

Songalia - Decent shooting range, and is a better defender than David West. Deserves a starting spot.

[badfish22]

Chris Paul - Injury plagued and most overrated superstar in all of basketball...can put up great fantasy stats but can't get his team wins. Best if Hornets trade him while his value is extremely high

David West - Two time fraud AllStar that is lazy on both ends of the court. Puts up great scoring numbers when the refs give him the calls, but is always the last person down the court. No hustle until he gets a bigger contract personality.

Collison - Best player on the team without a doubt and is only a rookie. Shame he will get a ton minutes on the bench once Paul comes back to improve his fantasy stock. Hopefully the team can build around him once Paul is gone. As stated above he is in deep competition with Okafur for the Wesley Snipes award of the team.



:tu

[Killakobe81]

WOW! Wasnt expecting this. DId BRHORNET and redzero approve this message?

C3p is the 2nd coming of Magic Johnson, son!!!!

[Killakobe81]

You know what ele is funny goran dragic make sthe same case for Goran over Nash. i may need to watch those game more closely (hornets and Suns games)

I think both of the young kids are impressive but you guys would realy trade a two time MVP and MVP runner up?

Are you sure you not falling in love with the "backup QB"?

[Allanon]

Lakers overall are coasting through the season.

Kobe - Playing hard but hampered by injuries
Pau - Regressed from last season
Lamar - Most consistent Laker this year
Bynum - Has to man up; otherwise having a good year
Ron - Regaining his defensive edge
Shannon - Most improved Laker
Farmar - Much improved over last year
Fisher - Shouldn't be a starting PG but can still be counted on when it matters

mBenga - Tough dude that plays hard with limited skills
Vujacic - Don't know if he'll get out of the doghouse
Powell - Still doesn't play defense but decent for a 3rd stringer

[Killakobe81]

Lakers overall are coasting through the season.

Kobe - Playing hard but hampered by injuries
Pau - Regressed from last season
Lamar - Most consistent Laker this year
Bynum - Has to man up; otherwise having a good year
Ron - Regaining his defensive edge
Shannon - Most improved Laker
Farmar - Much improved over last year
Fisher - Shouldn't be a starting PG but can still be counted on when it matters

not bad but you gave your bboy Lamar too much credit he had afew good early games but sucked for a good stretch early ...
Past month or so I agree he is the MVP of the team ...

[Allanon]

not bad but you gave your bboy Lamar too much credit he had afew good early games but sucked for a good stretch early ...
Past month or so I agree he is the MVP of the team ...

It's hard to find the most consistent Laker this year :lol

[Venti Quattro]

No one has been THAT consistent with the Lakers this year but so far they have done enough to keep in step with Cleveland.

[fevertrees]

WOW! Wasnt expecting this. DId BRHORNET and redzero approve this message?

C3p is the 2nd coming of Magic Johnson, son!!!!

lol give CP3 the roster that Magic had on his team and we will see :lol