How to Dismantle a NBA Playoff Team

[Peter]

Lose one of the top young coaches in the NBA, one of the league's top 6th men and add Bob Hill as your coach.


http://www.nba.com/sonics/images/sonics_logo.gif

The Sonics have gone from almost pushing the eventual champs to 7 games despite significant injuries to lotto time. Sad, kinda.

[Solid D]

Plus lose the only experienced inside size and tick-off the rest of the rebounders.

[Peter]

The Key Arena lease must be a bear.

[exstatic]

The Key Arena lease must be a bear.
It's actually one of the worst in the league, and Stern has even said so. They are going to Seattle for either a new arena or a complete refurbishment of Key, and a better lease. The owner is talking moving if they don't get it.

[JamStone]

Sonics were a fraud last year.

They could have kept Antonio Daniels, Nate McMillan, and Jerome James, and still not have been very good this year.

They played over their heads all last season. It's just that Nate McMillan and Antonio Daniels (and Duane Casey) knew that they were frauds, so they got out while their stocks still had some good value.

[Peter]

It's kind of hard to be a fraud over the course of a NBA season. McMillan and AD got out when they couldn't get paid there.

[Solid D]

Agreed. They played tough all season and they were a handful for the Spurs...a very physical team (last year not this year).

Antonio Daniels
Jerome James
Evans was a starter
Fortson was a force
Potopenko
Radmonavic was big until he got hurt, then traded

Collison was really the only tough guy tonight for them.

[Kori Ellis]

It's pitiful that they don't play Evans.

He led the league in rebounding per 48 and now he only gets playing time if they are in blowout in garbage time.

Also, I don't believe Potapenko or Fortson are hurt -- they are only being DNP'd because they are "out of shape".

[mikejones99]

They should be moved south to San Jose, Vegas or Oklahoma City. They gave up this year before the season even started.

[exstatic]

After reading Stern's comments about next ASG in Vegas, I'm becoming convinced that there won't be an NBA team in Vegas anytime soon. Stern wants them to take the ENTIRE NBA book off of the wall in order to place a team there. They just won't do that. It's worth far too much money to the casinos.

[Peter]

It's pitiful that they don't play Evans.

He led the league in rebounding per 48 and now he only gets playing time if they are in blowout in garbage time.

Also, I don't believe Potapenko or Fortson are hurt -- they are only being DNP'd because they are "out of shape".

One wonders if they'd been better off spending the $ to keep McMillan, AD and the rest and shipping out/losing Jesus Shuttlesworth. They currently have $80 mil over this and the next 4 seasons committed to him. He's at $13.2 mil this season and that should go up by $1.3 mil or so each season. That's Tim Duncan kind of money. Is having Ray Allen on your team a guarantee that you will make the postseason? No. It looks like they went down the wrong path.

[Joepa]

Danny Fortson is a jerk.

Can't stand that pig-tailed panzy.

[Peter]

I'll also add that it's $80 million over 5 years committed to a guard who was 30 years old when he signed that deal.

[pache100]

Also, I don't believe Potapenko or Fortson are hurt -- they are only being DNP'd because they are "out of shape".

I don't think they are hurt, either, but I thought they were "pulling a Shaq" and hiding from the Spurs. :lol

[ObiwanGinobili]

thast it.
let's move the Sonics to Oklahoma City.
they've proved they can handle it.

[Kori Ellis]

I don't think they are hurt, either, but I thought they were "pulling a Shaq" and hiding from the Spurs. :lol

The last roadtrip Bob Hill didn't even let them come on it because they are fat and out of shape.

The Sonics are trying to trade those two, plus Evans (and maybe Flip Murray).

There's reportedly a deal in the works for Potapenko, Evans and Murray for Earl Watson.

[pache100]

There's reportedly a deal in the works for Potapenko, Evans and Murray for Earl Watson.

WOW! http://i1.tinypic.com/oad5l2.gif

[5ToolMan]

The Sonics have gone from almost pushing the eventual champs to 7 games despite significant injuries to lotto time. Sad, kinda.

Is it your theory that the Sonics "pushing" the Spurs and caused the 7 games series against Detroit ... or did you just forget how to count .... again.

[Horry For 3!]

It's pitiful that they don't play Evans.

He led the league in rebounding per 48 and now he only gets playing time if they are in blowout in garbage time.

Also, I don't believe Potapenko or Fortson are hurt -- they are only being DNP'd because they are "out of shape".
Aren't the Sonics looking to trade Evans?

[Peter]

Is it your theory that the Sonics "pushing" the Spurs and caused the 7 games series against Detroit ... or did you just forget how to count .... again.


Excuse me? Did you watch Game 6 of the semifinals?

*sigh*

[adidas11]

Last years Western Conference semis were very competitive. Some of the posters in this thread are mis-informed.

[timvp]

How Nate didn't win coach of the year last year was amazing. He did a masterful job with the Sonics. He had them playing very hard and with a sense of purpose. He made great adjustments after game two and by the time that series was over, it might have been the toughest team the Spurs played in the West.

Now the team is dead.

[Old School Chic]

How Nate didn't win coach of the year last year was amazing. He did a masterful job with the Sonics. He had them playing very hard and with a sense of purpose. He made great adjustments after game two and by the time that series was over, it might have been the toughest team the Spurs played in the West.

Now the team is dead.

Just like Larry Brown & The Knicks

15-37 :wtf

[gospursgojas]

After reading Stern's comments about next ASG in Vegas, I'm becoming convinced that there won't be an NBA team in Vegas anytime soon. Stern wants them to take the ENTIRE NBA book off of the wall in order to place a team there. They just won't do that. It's worth far too much money to the casinos.

What do you mean???

[exstatic]

What do you mean???
No betting on NBA games anywhere allowed in Vegas. That's Stern's condition for putting a team there. They will never give up that cash flow.

[Despot]

I don't see how it would affect non-Las Vegas games?

Anyone care to enlighten me?

[exstatic]

I don't see how it would affect non-Las Vegas games?

Anyone care to enlighten me?
Stern doesn't want it. That's all the answer you're going to find. It doesn't have to make sense. He is the law unto himself, vis a vis the NBA.

link to foxsports story (http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5345188)

[SlasherX]

Loose to pistons in playoffs.

Lakers
Magic
Nets
Pacers

[Despot]

Stern doesn't want it. That's all the answer you're going to find. It doesn't have to make sense. He is the law unto himself, vis a vis the NBA.

I'm having to restrain myself from going off on Stern for this.
I imagine that the atmosphere in Vegas could make it more possible for a Vegas player to talk a friend on another team into throwing games. Or for an NHL type bookie ring to get started.

[exstatic]

^^^I put a link in my previous post with a foxsports story containing his quotes on the matter.


Ties between athletes and betting have always been a concern, highlighted of late by the gambling ring said to involve an assistant coach on Wayne Gretzky's team and the NHL great's wife. Before committing to Las Vegas, Stern insisted there be no betting lines on All-Star weekend events in 2007.

He said he has no problem with people legally gambling. But he stressed that the presence of gambling is the reason he can't put an NBA team there - even if Las Vegas officials eager for a major pro team hope the 2007 game will make him reconsider.

"We are not going to go there while they have betting on NBA games," Stern said.

[Despot]

After reading Stern's comments about next ASG in Vegas, I'm becoming convinced that there won't be an NBA team in Vegas anytime soon. Stern wants them to take the ENTIRE NBA book off of the wall in order to place a team there. They just won't do that. It's worth far too much money to the casinos.

I have to utterly and completely agree with you on that then. The Nevada Gambling commision, or whatever it is called, would never take the NBA off the books, Way too much money to be lost, and what would the Casinos get out of it? The same amount of people are going to go to Vegas, I can't see people traveling there just to go to an NBA game. The Casino that will undoubtedly be tied to the team is the only one that would get increased business, and all the others would lose out. And I don't see anything in it for the Gaming comission either. Hell, Stern probably just wants a cut of the action.

[Kori Ellis]

Where (what arena) are they playing the All-Star game in Vegas?

[Despot]

http://www.nba.com/news/lasvegas_allstar.html


NBA All-Star is a week-long celebration that enables fans from around the globe to experience the thrill of the world’s greatest athletes playing the game they love while also leaving a lasting impact in the host city’s community. The week’s festivities will culminate on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007 with the playing of the 56th NBA All-Star Game at the Thomas & Mack Center. The game will be televised on TNT in the United States and will reach a worldwide television audience in more than 200 countries.

[Despot]

Me thinks UNLV plays there.