nkdlunch
06-13-2007, 03:23 PM
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=16144
first, a sun fan posts this....
Steve Nash, canada: john, if it wasn't for Mr. cheap shot bob we would have been 3-0 vs the cavs.
John Hollinger: (4:15 PM ET ) It's a shame that he pulled Amare and Diaw off the bench and forced them to run onto the court. I also blame him for the Suns losing Game 1 at home.
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me: :lmao
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Mr. Wizard, DC: john, Love it! My spurs are about to win their 4th. Do you think they have a good chance to repeat next year? 3-peat? PS: lol at Steve Nash still crying...
John Hollinger: (4:19 PM ET ) Just to be clear, that's not Nash -- who has been as classy about this as you could possibly be -- but a Suns fan. As far as the Spurs drive for five, they have a great shot yes, although they have to get younger on the wings -- Sasha was beating Finley like a rented mule last night, and he, Bowen and Barry are all in their mid-30s.
coopdogg3
06-13-2007, 03:31 PM
But just to be clear it was the real Steve Nash who said Phoenix lost due to a "stupid rule." Maybe he's classed up since then, and that's what Hollinger is talking about, but Nash was whining like a rusty wheel after Game 6.
LilMissSPURfect
06-13-2007, 03:33 PM
some of these guys gotta lighten up......im still lllll laughing at that guy who called stephen a AMHAD rashad........daaaayyyum straight KOLD KILLA!
nkdlunch
06-13-2007, 04:03 PM
John Hollinger: (4:01 PM ET ) Greetings from Cleveland everyone, where we're one game away from putting the Cavs out of their misery. Let's get it started ....
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Rich (Boston): Giving the Finals MVP to anybody other than Duncan is a mistake. He is just too important to every aspect of the Spurs success.
John Hollinger: (4:01 PM ET ) I agree that Duncan has a strong case. I wrote today's story the way I did because the consensus among media members was that they'd vote Parker. I'm sure that' s partly because they're tired of voting for Duncan.
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Tony (NYC): Zzzz...ZZZzzz...(**crickets**) (*crickets**)..Its the NBA Finals, Cavs vs. Spurs. Come on John, you have to post this, do you think this is a boring finals too?
John Hollinger: (4:03 PM ET ) Well, last night's game was a total dog yes, but bigger picture I just wish the Cavs had made it more competitive. I've said it all along, this is the weakest team San Antonio has faced in the postseason. If the Spurs-Nuggets series had been the Finals, SA would have won in five, but people would have lived with it becuase the first four games were so tough and competitive.
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fred: don't you think tony parker is one of the most underrated player in he league?
John Hollinger: (4:04 PM ET ) No, he's rated about right. Generally, nobody who starts on a team that plays in June is underrated. Well, unless he's Tim Duncan.
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Samuel(Atlanta,GA): Answer seriously and no cheapshots at BK. Which make the most perfect sense for the Hawks. Take Yi/Horford at 3 and then take Law at 11, or Conely at 3 and another SF at 11? It is very easy to answer and even BK know it. For some reason the common sense is lacking among the media and fans. I respect you and you live in Atlanta. Your opioion on this would be nice to hear.
John Hollinger: (4:05 PM ET ) three words: Best player available. If it makes the positions overlap, they can trade later, and if there's a tie, they should try to get the PG or C since that's what they need but otherwise I'm not big on drafting for need, because that's when teams start reaching and drafting guys inappropriately high. I think Conley at 3 would be very inappropriate, for instance.
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Q (ABQ): Why is there no buzz for Bowen for MVP? Shouldn't he at least be mentioned as a candidate after making life miserable for the global icon?
John Hollinger: (4:07 PM ET ) I was thinking about this last night when Bowen had matched him point for point through three quarters. If you're ever going to give the award to a Bowen-type player, this would be the series. But SA also shredded Cleveland at the other end in the first two games, and Parker was a huge reason why.
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Juan (NY, NY): Cleveland would have lost anyway, but how does the league justify obviously wrong (no)calls at a time like that during a game when the play is on an island like that was. It was just embarassing.
John Hollinger: (4:08 PM ET ) It's possible Bob Delaney decided to ignore the foul and let LeBron shoot the 3, since by calling the foul -- if he ruled it was on the floor -- he would have essentially handed San Antonio the win. By the way, the odds of LeBron making all three foul shots were about 34%.
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Ryan (Charlotte, NC): At the level that the Spurs have been playing, do you think the Mavs could have beaten the Spurs if they had made it through Golden State?
John Hollinger: (4:09 PM ET ) Heck no. I was on the Spurs bandwagon at midseason and never got off. While Dallas actually won 67 games, it was San Antonio, not the Mavs, who had the scoring margin of a 67-win team. The postseason showed it.
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Mike (Fresno): If Cleveland is in the Western Conference, where do they finish in the standings and (if they make it) how far do they advance in the playoffs?
John Hollinger: (4:10 PM ET ) Sixth or seventh seed, one and done.
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ben (boston): John, love your statistical analysis. Simmons said that your finals teams breakdown was flawed because it didn't take into account the quality of play in the NBA that particular season. How do you respond to that? Bill the blatant homer does it again?
John Hollinger: (4:14 PM ET ) I got this from a LOT of people, not just Simmons. Here's my take -- we've romanticized the Bird-Magic era so much, and especially the entertaining style of play those teams played, that we tend to remember it positively. The mid-90s on the other hand, were hard on the eyes because by then the league had legalized mugging on defense. But there's no way the league was better in 86 than 96 -- even with expansion, that was more than offset by the greater number of American youths taking up the game and, vastly more importantly, the fact that by 1996 it was no longer an All-American league. Three key players in that Finals -- Schrempf, Longley and Kukoc -- were from overseas; that doesn't happen in 86. So if anything, I'd say the league was better in 96 than 86 -- just a lot less watchable.
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Steve Nash, canada: john, if it wasn't for Mr. cheap shot bob we would have been 3-0 vs the cavs.
John Hollinger: (4:15 PM ET ) It's a shame that he pulled Amare and Diaw off the bench and forced them to run onto the court. I also blame him for the Suns losing Game 1 at home.
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Kurt, San Antonio: John, which of the 8 western conference teams that made the playoffs could the Cavs beat this year?
John Hollinger: (4:15 PM ET ) Lakers. That's my list. Sorry Cavs fans.
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Joel (Canada): Has Tony Parker elevated himself as one of the top three point guards in the league alongside Nash and Kidd?
John Hollinger: (4:17 PM ET ) He's not alongside Nash, no, don't be silly. But he's an All-Star caliber player, and watching him, Chris Paul and Deron Williams do battle in the West over the next several years shgould be a great show. I love your Kidd comment though -- did anyone catch LeBron saying Parker was the second-best PG they'd played in the postseason after Kidd? Any chance he's revised his list?
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Mr. Wizard, DC: john, Love it! My spurs are about to win their 4th. Do you think they have a good chance to repeat next year? 3-peat? PS: lol at Steve Nash still crying...
John Hollinger: (4:19 PM ET ) Just to be clear, that's not Nash -- who has been as classy about this as you could possibly be -- but a Suns fan. As far as the Spurs drive for five, they have a great shot yes, although they have to get younger on the wings -- Sasha was beating Finley like a rented mule last night, and he, Bowen and Barry are all in their mid-30s.
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Q (ABQ): At least the Cavs are taking their beating without incessantly whining about it. D'Antoni and Stoudemire should be taking notes.
John Hollinger: (4:20 PM ET ) Give Cleveland (and Danny Ferry and Mike Brown) credit for their no excuses approach, even when last night and in Game 2 aginst Detroit they had plenty of opportunity to make them.
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Stephen Hawking: John, you better explain the 34% chance to the masses a little better although your math is flawed to some extent as Lebron is hitting 76% in the playoffs which is the most pertinent data set so really it was a 43% chance that he make all three
John Hollinger: (4:22 PM ET ) I was using his 69.8% regular-season mark -- larger data sample. Though I suppose using his 73.3% career mark might have been just as defensible and produced a higher estimate.
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Rick (Hartford CT): John talk to me buddy,what do you think the Celtics are going to. Do think the Marion trade is real, are we looking to R. Lewis for the answer or is it going to be YI and another sub-par season of depression?
John Hollinger: (4:24 PM ET ) Marion isn't happening -- people keep saying the Suns and Nuggets need to cut salary, but the only way somebody like Marion or Camby gets traded is if it involves a non-guaranteed deal (like Bob Sura, who only has $1 mil in salary protection) or if an under-cap team like Charlotte or Memphis gets involved.
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Andre , Atlanta: Are lakers going to get Jermaine o'Neal if so who do they give up for him.
John Hollinger: (4:26 PM ET ) That's the big question. To make the salaries match they almost have to include Odom .. but with how injury-prone Jermaine has become, do you really want to be trading Odom and other pieces just to acquire him? L.A. has to hope they can do it with some combo of Walton, Bynum and perhaps a third team that's under the cap, but that's dicey.
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Colin (austin tx): What do you think the odds are that Stern would listen to your realignment idea?
John Hollinger: (4:27 PM ET ) Worse than the odds of Cleveland winning this series. NBA's approach has been to pretend the problem doesn't exist and hope it goes away.
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J (North of the border): Any chance the Spurs bring over their prospects (Scola, Mahinimi) from Europe next Season?
John Hollinger: (4:28 PM ET ) Scola is more likely to be traded than to join the Spurs; Mahinmi supposedly needs at least another year in France.
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TP (DC): Given Ginobili's international and NBA success, is he a HOFer?
John Hollinger: (4:30 PM ET ) The way the Hall of Fame "works", international players have an incredible advantage, which is why Drazen freaking Petrovic is in there but Artis Gilmore isn't. Don't get me started on the Hall of Fame, actually, it's become a joke. Ginobili will waltz right in based on his passport alone.
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John, chicago: john, name 2 other team (exluding spurs) that has a legit shot at winning it all next year?
John Hollinger: (4:31 PM ET ) I think the best odds are out west again -- Phoenix, Denver and Dallas. It would be foolish to write off the Mavs based on six bad games, while Phoenix showed they can go shot for shot with the Spurs. Denver has work left to do but the nucleus for a deep run is there.
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Shannon (WV): John- A little respect for the dead, please! "Drazen freaking Petrovic"
John Hollinger: (4:32 PM ET ) I felt a little bad writing it, but at some point enough time passes that you have to call it for what it is.
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josh ut: Any chance the jazz could send AK, Giri's expiring contract at the end of '08 and our 1st rounder to charlotte in a sign and trade for gerald wallace
John Hollinger: (4:35 PM ET ) They'd have no need for Giriceck but the rest of the deal is intriguing. Biggest hurdle I see is Sloan -- I don't htink he's big on guys who miss 15-20 games a year with injuries like Wallace does. He also has a lot of the same weaknesses as AK in terms of not being able to shoot but having to play the perimeter anyway.
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Paul, Fort Luaderdale: Is Tim Dincan the best power forward to ever play the game?
John Hollinger: (4:36 PM ET ) Ok, time to get on my soapbox again. HE'S BEEN A CENTER FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS PEOPLE! WAKE UP! I Alright, I'm done now. Let's continue.
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scott, tx: What do you think are the chances of Kobe going 1) to any western conference team and 2) to Phoenix?
John Hollinger: (4:36 PM ET ) 1) Zero 2) Negative Zero.
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Terry (Miami): Was Varejao's shot last night the worst you've ever seen?
John Hollinger: (4:38 PM ET ) As for bad clutch shot plays go, It's right up there with Eddie Jones's over-the-backboard shot in the Miami-Indiana series three years ago, or Rod Strickland's over the head no look pass to the usher in the spurs-Blazers series in the late 80s.
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Allen houston: SO JOHN, are you saying the rockets have a legit shot to bring in marion or camby.....i didnt think so
John Hollinger: (4:39 PM ET ) More likely that they'd be facilitators given the numbers that have to work and the reluctance of those western teams to put another star beside T-Mac and Yao.
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Mike (Lexington, KY): Not that it would ever happen but woould the NBA be better of with less teams? In other words it would make for more good teams. Forget about the business side etc.
John Hollinger: (4:41 PM ET ) Contraction wouldn't make more good teams. It would make the league harder, and it would change the level at which a team had to play in order to achieve a certain standard of performance. But trust me, everyone under .500 would still be perceived as "bad", and since every game only has one winner and one loser, contraction won't change a thing about it.
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camped, austin, tx: That rod strickland shot was in 90.
John Hollinger: (4:41 PM ET ) Upon further review, you are correct.
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Greg, Salt Lake City: Artis Gilmore? How about Adrian Dantley?
John Hollinger: (4:42 PM ET ) That's the other guy I was going to bring up, yes.
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Kurt, San Antonio: Why isn't Gregg Popovich coaching Team USA??
John Hollinger: (4:43 PM ET ) I don't think an NBA coach should be coaching Team USA - -teh season is too long and the guys are burnt out by the time they take over the international team. Better to let Coach K do it since college hoops has an 11-month offseason.
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Giltdaddy (Akron): What can my Cavs do to get better for next year?...p.s...Never say never...there are still 4 games left...just holding on to a little hope here
John Hollinger: (4:45 PM ET ) They've got to address the point guard spot and allow LeBron to play off the ball sometimes. Gibson,evenif he starts, is more of a B.J. Armstrong type than a pure point, so he's not quite the answer in that regard. Tricky part is that they have to do it while managing their cap and re-signing both Sasha and Varejao -- I don't envy Danny Ferry this summer.
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J (Milwaukee): We replayed the Stricland debacle for months in pick-up basketball, thanks for the memories. Who could Cleveland obtain so that we dont have the same finals and result next year?
John Hollinger: (4:47 PM ET ) They've gotta look for cheap point guard help. If I was Ferry I'd be calling Bryan Colangelo every day about Jose Calderon, that's for sure ... of course I think a few other teams might be doing the same thing.
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Charles (chicago) : Dont you think The Bulls would've put up a better fight than the Cavs in the Finals
John Hollinger: (4:48 PM ET ) It's hard to say, Chicago really was up and down depending on whether the jumpers were falling, so they're an "any given night" type of team. That's why they couldn't get through the bracket in the first place.
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Paul(Los Angeles, CA): Where do you think Shawn Marion is going to land this off-season? Maybe at the Lakers?
John Hollinger: (4:49 PM ET ) Phoenix. For all the talk, I don't think they'll trade him unless a too-good-to-pass-up type of deal comes along.
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Riaz, Philly: John, where is the love for Philly? Does Philadelphia have a chance at Kobe without giving up Andre Igoudala? Maybe Korver, Andre Miller, and Two #1 picks?
John Hollinger: (4:51 PM ET ) Can;t remember if Philly has two No. 1s to trade (you can't deal picks in consecutive years, and Lakers won't want a pick in 2010), but if they do that might get the conversation started. But at the end of the day,it still probably takes Iggy to get the deal done.... only way your offer works is if the offers that come in are really poor.
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Jeff (Chicago): Do you think the league will change the playoff format so the best teams are actually in the Finals?
John Hollinger: (4:53 PM ET ) Unfortunately, no. So it's in all our interests for either Cleveland or Chicago to get a whole lot better this summer, because otherwise we'll be seeing this movie again ...and again ... and again.
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billy king : philly has 3 number ones, 12, 20 and 31
John Hollinger: (4:55 PM ET ) I think he meant 12, 21 and 30, but thanks. The picks aren't that high, unfortunately, but they could deal all three if they really wanted -- that might get L.A.'s attention.
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Steve Blake (Denver): Am I really starting on this team? With AI, Melo, KMart, and Camby? Don't we deserve someone better?
John Hollinger: (4:56 PM ET ) More likely you'll be starting for the Blazers. Blake loved his time in PDX and is an unrestricted free agent. Nuggets need to go shopping for a new PG most likely, though they will try to keep Blake too.
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Kevin ( Miami): What does Miami do this offseason? Do they overhaul the roster? are they still the favorites to win the East this year?
John Hollinger: (4:57 PM ET ) Yes, they have to overhaul the roster and goodness no, they're not anywhere close to being favorites in the East this year. That's one old, decrepit team surrounding Mr. Wade right now.
John Hollinger: (4:58 PM ET ) Folks, that's all the time I have, but thanks again for the great questions. We'll do this again next week, time to be determined based on whether the Cavs are still breathing after tomorrow.
vander
06-13-2007, 05:09 PM
John, chicago: john, name 2 other team (exluding spurs) that has a legit shot at winning it all next year?
John Hollinger: (4:31 PM ET ) I think the best odds are out west again -- Phoenix, Denver and Dallas. It would be foolish to write off the Mavs based on six bad games, while Phoenix showed they can go shot for shot with the Spurs. Denver has work left to do but the nucleus for a deep run is there.
Jazz will be better then all three of those teams
Johnny RIngo
06-13-2007, 06:13 PM
Dallas(when they're not choking),Utah, Denver, Houston>>>>>>Phoenix
A balanced offense/defense is better than the And1 gimmick BBall the Suns play.
ThomasGranger
06-13-2007, 06:30 PM
Dallas(when they're not choking),Utah, Denver, Houston>>>>>>Phoenix
A balanced offense/defense is better than the And1 gimmick BBall the Suns play.
Houston over Phoenix? Really?
rasho8
06-13-2007, 07:00 PM
some of these guys gotta lighten up......im still lllll laughing at that guy who called stephen a AMHAD rashad........daaaayyyum straight KOLD KILLA!
Yeah that was me... I cant stand Stephen A. ...hehe
Pissed him off something fierce, too.
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