OFFICIAL 2010-2011 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD : VOL. MOST. ANTICIPATED. PLAYOFFS. EVER?

Originally Posted by KingJay718

Terrell Brandon was a great PG. Injuries derailed him though.

Where's you're Cavs sig Gabe?

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I was messing with the Cavs just cause of LeBron. That sig was from back in 08'
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The actual Cavs fans said I should change it to KnicksMetsEaglesLeBron instead of KnicksMetsEaglesCavs, but when LeBron did us dirty I was scorned.
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Dudes ain't trying to blow up the site ?
nerd.gif


I respect that. I wasn't trynna give dudes my site either when it was up.
laugh.gif
 
Dudes ain't trying to blow up the site ?
nerd.gif


I respect that. I wasn't trynna give dudes my site either when it was up.
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted by CP1708

So you all saw the Artest article.  (which I hope he does get traded, I thank for last year, but I have never been a Ron guy) 

But Ron and his agent are both denying they want out.  (standard procedure)

So Stein says via twitter, they can't say anything, they'll get fined.  So I quote him and reply back, very convenient for you and your "sources" 

Dude sent me a direct message to either unfollow him or ignore his posts then, it's a free country, he don't write what he can't confirm. 
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Ayo, Chris Paul wants to be traded to the Lakers, oh but, he and his agent can't say that, but trust me guys, I know things. 
nerd.gif
 
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#$%^ you Stein. 
pimp.gif

LOL @ the direct message

but thats the truth though....you cant say a word or else you get fined. If it leaks that someone wants out or "the word is" someone does...its 99% of the time true. His agent, or someone just floated this out there so that another team might come with an offer for him. 

 

  
 
Originally Posted by CP1708

So you all saw the Artest article.  (which I hope he does get traded, I thank for last year, but I have never been a Ron guy) 

But Ron and his agent are both denying they want out.  (standard procedure)

So Stein says via twitter, they can't say anything, they'll get fined.  So I quote him and reply back, very convenient for you and your "sources" 

Dude sent me a direct message to either unfollow him or ignore his posts then, it's a free country, he don't write what he can't confirm. 
roll.gif
roll.gif
roll.gif
roll.gif
roll.gif



Ayo, Chris Paul wants to be traded to the Lakers, oh but, he and his agent can't say that, but trust me guys, I know things. 
nerd.gif
 
laugh.gif
laugh.gif
laugh.gif



#$%^ you Stein. 
pimp.gif

LOL @ the direct message

but thats the truth though....you cant say a word or else you get fined. If it leaks that someone wants out or "the word is" someone does...its 99% of the time true. His agent, or someone just floated this out there so that another team might come with an offer for him. 

 

  
 
He's having a phenomenal inaugural season full of incredible highlights, potent scoring nights and massive rebounding numbers. He's almost personally carrying a downtrodden franchise into the realm of relevance. And he's a shoo-in to win the rookie of the year award.

But two questions currently surround Blake Griffin, who was just selected to represent the rookie class in the Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend. Let's examine …
[h3]Should Griffin play for the rooks or the sophs in the Rookie Challenge?[/h3]
Griffin was a member of the 2009 draft class, with Tyreke Evans and Steph Curry, and therefore some people question his status as a rookie. To me, it's a non-issue. Look up the word rookie in the dictionary.

Sure, an argument can be made. Charles Barkley has argued that Griffin shouldn't be considered a rookie because while he sat out last season with an injury, he was able to watch games, learn and improve his body. Although he has a point, the reality is that every draft pick comes into the season with a different set of advantages. We lump all first-year players together despite their age and careers to that point.

Griffin's body was NBA-ready long before this season, just as Evans and Derrick Rose had edges physically when they were rookies, too. But Kevin Durant and Brandon Jennings are two examples of skinny and relatively weak players physically who still had impactful first seasons.

[h4]2011 ALL-STAR INDEX[/h4]
Check out our complete coverage of All-Star Weekend.All-Star Index »

To be sure, watching an NBA season unfold from the bench can have some advantages. The nuances of the game can reveal themselves a bit, the understanding of how much work needs to be done daily, the recognition of just how many players work harder than anyone ever realized. But we're talking small advantages, ones that pale in comparison to having a healthy body with no concerns about re-injury. There is also a lost sense of feel and rhythm when returning from a prolonged injury absence.

A week of training camp and a few summer-league and preseason games in 2009 are not enough to classify Griffin as a second-year player this season. And for what it's worth, had he played last season, my eyes tell me he would have been just as dominant.

So with that out of the way, let's turn our attention to the bigger question:
[h3]Should Griffin play in the All-Star Game?[/h3]
This answer is a bit more complicated and depends on how you want your All-Star Game roster to be decided. If you want the 12 best players from each conference who are having great seasons on good or improved teams and are ticket sellers, then yes, he's in. But if we're following the NBA's rules for All-Star reserves, I think he's on the outside looking in.

This is not at all a slight on Griffin. I've written extensively about just how good he's been and how much I love watching him play. His destruction of Andrew Bogut on Monday -- abusing him with skill, power, agility and want to -- was a shock to see.

Griffin's growth as a player during the first half of the season has been remarkable. He has learned to be a very effective bucket getter and added some nice moves and shots to help in that regard. It's why I think he'll be an All-Star for years to come. In fact, for the first time all season, I now see him as a future MVP of the league because of his continued improvement.

But we're talking about this year's All-Star Game. And if we use the NBA's guidelines for All-Star reserves, we must choose two guards, two forwards, a center and two wild cards. So for Griffin to make the team, he needs to be among those two forwards or wild-cards. That is a tall order.

Dirk Nowitzki has to be one of the forwards selected. He's a legit MVP candidate who has his team unexpectedly chasing the No. 2 seed in the West.

Kevin Love is the second forward on my list. His combination of rebounding and outside shooting is possibly the best the game has ever seen. If his team looked for him more in the post, he'd be having an even better season than he is, which is extraordinary. Although Griffin gets points for his improved team and outranks Love in scoring ability, what Love has done to this point is slightly more deserving of an All-Star spot. It's a close call, to be sure.

[h4]ROOKIE 50 RANKINGS[/h4]
nba_rookie50_logo_110.jpg
We're keeping track of every NBA rook. Here are the latest Top 50 rankings.
1Blake Griffin
arrow.gif
2DeMarcus Cousins
arrow_up.gif
3John Wall
arrow_down.gif
4Greg Monroe
arrow.gif
5Landry Fields
arrow_down.gif
6Derrick Favors
arrow.gif
7Ed Davis
arrow.gif
8Gary Neal
arrow.gif
9Wesley Johnson
arrow_up.gif
10Al-Farouq Aminu
arrow_down.gif
[th=""]Rank[/th][th=""]Player[/th][th=""]Stock[/th]
Click here for the complete rankings »

It gets no easier at the wild-card spots. Tim Duncan still doesn't have a spot on our team (Pau Gasol would be my pick for reserve center), and he has to get one; the best defender and second-best overall player on the league's best team has to be an All-Star. He is also one of the best teammates in pro sports and the anchor to an almost dynastic franchise.

So that leaves us with one spot and the following guys to consider: Griffin, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Manu Ginobili and Deron Williams. Do you see Griffin's problem?

If Nash and Westbrook get the two reserve guard slots, Ginobili has to be the other wild card -- the best player on the best team gets in. If it's Ginobili and Westbrook as guards, beating out Nash and Williams is too much for me to do. Nash has been fantastic holding together a declining Suns team. And Williams is carrying the Jazz despite the drop-off in talent around him. I'd pick either guy for the spot before Griffin.

Now, do I think it would be a huge mistake for Griffin to get voted in over any of those players listed? No. They are all having special seasons in one way or another. Of course, in this scenario, perhaps David Stern chooses Griffin as Yao Ming's injury replacement and he makes the team anyway.

But it would not be a crime if it took Griffin one more season before he begins his annual trek to the All-Star Game. It would, however, be wrong to assume that by his not making it, he's being overlooked. As every Clippers fan needs to know, as long as you have Griffin on your team, you'll never have to worry about being ignored again. He's an absolute star, whether it becomes official or not this season.

[h3]This week's rookie updates[/h3]

4237.jpg
John Wall, Wizards -- Feb. 2: Wall's incredible speed can sometimes be a curse. He's used it his whole life as a deadly weapon on the court and it's always been there for him whenever he needed to make something happen. But in the NBA ... more »

4242.jpg
James Anderson, Spurs -- Feb. 2: He returned to the Spurs' lineup after his injury and a stint in the D-League, playing three minutes in their past two games. Anderson was playing very well before he got hurt and should be an interesting guy to ... more »

4259.jpg
Ed Davis, Raptors -- Feb. 1: The Raptors continue to lose, but Davis is showing that he's going to be a valuable asset for this franchise. His 28 points over the last two games are nice, but his offensive rebound numbers are what make me smile ... more »

4251.jpg
Paul George, Pacers -- Feb. 1: George is rapidly ascending the rookie wall now, scoring in double figures with a solid shooting percentage in four of his past five games. He's asserting himself as an athlete, making plays on defense and earning ... more »

4244.jpg
Lance Stephenson, Pacers -- Feb. 1: He has yet to play this season, but with the Pacers' coaching change it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in a game soon. ... more »

4296.jpg
Ben Uzoh, Nets -- Feb. 1: Uzoh had a fine game against Denver, the team he would have ended up playing for if the Nets had worked out a Melo trade. He had four assists and three steals in just 13 minutes. ... more »

4360.jpg
Manny Harris, Cavaliers -- Feb. 1: During a disastrous season, teams must rally around whatever positive stories they can, and Harris is one for Cleveland. He's scored 20 points in each of the Cavs' past two games, finishing shots from ... more »

4291.jpg
Greivis Vasquez, Grizzlies -- Feb. 1: He doesn't play a lot but has played in every game since Nov. 8. Vasquez is showing an ability to run the team and make good decisions. It's possible he could develop into a J.J. Barea-type player ... more »

4248.jpg
Al-Farouq Aminu, Clippers -- Feb. 1: It's been a disappointing January for Aminu, who finished the month making only 5 of 30 3-point shots. And for the third straight month he took more 3s than free throws. There is no argument when ... more »

4247.jpg
Wesley Johnson, Timberwolves -- Jan. 31: Johnson is seeing his shot drop a little more frequently, so his scoring numbers are improving. He's now scored 19 points in two of his past four games. And in the other two games he scored ... more »

4270.jpg
Trevor Booker, Wizards -- Jan. 31: Booker had a big weekend, playing in place of JaVale McGee and recording back-to-back double-doubles. He had 21 points and 12 rebounds in the first game and 12 and 12 in the second. Although both ... more »

4241.jpg
Xavier Henry, Grizzlies -- Jan. 31: O.J. Mayo's suspension has created a little playing time for Henry, who had not played in 2011 before logging 12 minutes in two games combined this weekend. ... more »

4264.jpg
Patrick Patterson, Rockets -- Jan. 31: Patterson's reliable shooting has helped him earn more minutes and perhaps pass Jordan Hill in the rotation. He is never going to get big minutes as long as Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes are in front of him, but ... more »

4258.jpg
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings -- Jan. 31: Need any more evidence that Cousins should have been drafted no lower than No. 4? On Friday, Cousins had 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 3 steals against the Lakers. And he followed that up ... more »

4239.jpg
Evan Turner, 76ers -- Jan. 31: Want a sign that Turner is starting to find his groove and the Sixers are learning how to play him? He's had three or more assists in five straight games. Prior to that, he had only three or more assists in ... more »

4260.jpg
Greg Monroe, Pistons -- Jan. 31: I watched Monroe jog around the court in Miami on Friday night, using his size and talent to make plays but offering no evidence he cared whether the Pistons won or lost. I saw no emotion and no special effort ... more »

generic.jpg
Zabian Dowdell, Suns -- Jan. 31: Playing on his second 10-day contract, Dowdell showed he's an NBA player by dishing out four assists in Phoenix's two-point win over New Orleans. ... more »
 
He's having a phenomenal inaugural season full of incredible highlights, potent scoring nights and massive rebounding numbers. He's almost personally carrying a downtrodden franchise into the realm of relevance. And he's a shoo-in to win the rookie of the year award.

But two questions currently surround Blake Griffin, who was just selected to represent the rookie class in the Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend. Let's examine …
[h3]Should Griffin play for the rooks or the sophs in the Rookie Challenge?[/h3]
Griffin was a member of the 2009 draft class, with Tyreke Evans and Steph Curry, and therefore some people question his status as a rookie. To me, it's a non-issue. Look up the word rookie in the dictionary.

Sure, an argument can be made. Charles Barkley has argued that Griffin shouldn't be considered a rookie because while he sat out last season with an injury, he was able to watch games, learn and improve his body. Although he has a point, the reality is that every draft pick comes into the season with a different set of advantages. We lump all first-year players together despite their age and careers to that point.

Griffin's body was NBA-ready long before this season, just as Evans and Derrick Rose had edges physically when they were rookies, too. But Kevin Durant and Brandon Jennings are two examples of skinny and relatively weak players physically who still had impactful first seasons.

[h4]2011 ALL-STAR INDEX[/h4]
Check out our complete coverage of All-Star Weekend.All-Star Index »

To be sure, watching an NBA season unfold from the bench can have some advantages. The nuances of the game can reveal themselves a bit, the understanding of how much work needs to be done daily, the recognition of just how many players work harder than anyone ever realized. But we're talking small advantages, ones that pale in comparison to having a healthy body with no concerns about re-injury. There is also a lost sense of feel and rhythm when returning from a prolonged injury absence.

A week of training camp and a few summer-league and preseason games in 2009 are not enough to classify Griffin as a second-year player this season. And for what it's worth, had he played last season, my eyes tell me he would have been just as dominant.

So with that out of the way, let's turn our attention to the bigger question:
[h3]Should Griffin play in the All-Star Game?[/h3]
This answer is a bit more complicated and depends on how you want your All-Star Game roster to be decided. If you want the 12 best players from each conference who are having great seasons on good or improved teams and are ticket sellers, then yes, he's in. But if we're following the NBA's rules for All-Star reserves, I think he's on the outside looking in.

This is not at all a slight on Griffin. I've written extensively about just how good he's been and how much I love watching him play. His destruction of Andrew Bogut on Monday -- abusing him with skill, power, agility and want to -- was a shock to see.

Griffin's growth as a player during the first half of the season has been remarkable. He has learned to be a very effective bucket getter and added some nice moves and shots to help in that regard. It's why I think he'll be an All-Star for years to come. In fact, for the first time all season, I now see him as a future MVP of the league because of his continued improvement.

But we're talking about this year's All-Star Game. And if we use the NBA's guidelines for All-Star reserves, we must choose two guards, two forwards, a center and two wild cards. So for Griffin to make the team, he needs to be among those two forwards or wild-cards. That is a tall order.

Dirk Nowitzki has to be one of the forwards selected. He's a legit MVP candidate who has his team unexpectedly chasing the No. 2 seed in the West.

Kevin Love is the second forward on my list. His combination of rebounding and outside shooting is possibly the best the game has ever seen. If his team looked for him more in the post, he'd be having an even better season than he is, which is extraordinary. Although Griffin gets points for his improved team and outranks Love in scoring ability, what Love has done to this point is slightly more deserving of an All-Star spot. It's a close call, to be sure.

[h4]ROOKIE 50 RANKINGS[/h4]
nba_rookie50_logo_110.jpg
We're keeping track of every NBA rook. Here are the latest Top 50 rankings.
1Blake Griffin
arrow.gif
2DeMarcus Cousins
arrow_up.gif
3John Wall
arrow_down.gif
4Greg Monroe
arrow.gif
5Landry Fields
arrow_down.gif
6Derrick Favors
arrow.gif
7Ed Davis
arrow.gif
8Gary Neal
arrow.gif
9Wesley Johnson
arrow_up.gif
10Al-Farouq Aminu
arrow_down.gif
[th=""]Rank[/th][th=""]Player[/th][th=""]Stock[/th]
Click here for the complete rankings »

It gets no easier at the wild-card spots. Tim Duncan still doesn't have a spot on our team (Pau Gasol would be my pick for reserve center), and he has to get one; the best defender and second-best overall player on the league's best team has to be an All-Star. He is also one of the best teammates in pro sports and the anchor to an almost dynastic franchise.

So that leaves us with one spot and the following guys to consider: Griffin, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Manu Ginobili and Deron Williams. Do you see Griffin's problem?

If Nash and Westbrook get the two reserve guard slots, Ginobili has to be the other wild card -- the best player on the best team gets in. If it's Ginobili and Westbrook as guards, beating out Nash and Williams is too much for me to do. Nash has been fantastic holding together a declining Suns team. And Williams is carrying the Jazz despite the drop-off in talent around him. I'd pick either guy for the spot before Griffin.

Now, do I think it would be a huge mistake for Griffin to get voted in over any of those players listed? No. They are all having special seasons in one way or another. Of course, in this scenario, perhaps David Stern chooses Griffin as Yao Ming's injury replacement and he makes the team anyway.

But it would not be a crime if it took Griffin one more season before he begins his annual trek to the All-Star Game. It would, however, be wrong to assume that by his not making it, he's being overlooked. As every Clippers fan needs to know, as long as you have Griffin on your team, you'll never have to worry about being ignored again. He's an absolute star, whether it becomes official or not this season.

[h3]This week's rookie updates[/h3]

4237.jpg
John Wall, Wizards -- Feb. 2: Wall's incredible speed can sometimes be a curse. He's used it his whole life as a deadly weapon on the court and it's always been there for him whenever he needed to make something happen. But in the NBA ... more »

4242.jpg
James Anderson, Spurs -- Feb. 2: He returned to the Spurs' lineup after his injury and a stint in the D-League, playing three minutes in their past two games. Anderson was playing very well before he got hurt and should be an interesting guy to ... more »

4259.jpg
Ed Davis, Raptors -- Feb. 1: The Raptors continue to lose, but Davis is showing that he's going to be a valuable asset for this franchise. His 28 points over the last two games are nice, but his offensive rebound numbers are what make me smile ... more »

4251.jpg
Paul George, Pacers -- Feb. 1: George is rapidly ascending the rookie wall now, scoring in double figures with a solid shooting percentage in four of his past five games. He's asserting himself as an athlete, making plays on defense and earning ... more »

4244.jpg
Lance Stephenson, Pacers -- Feb. 1: He has yet to play this season, but with the Pacers' coaching change it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in a game soon. ... more »

4296.jpg
Ben Uzoh, Nets -- Feb. 1: Uzoh had a fine game against Denver, the team he would have ended up playing for if the Nets had worked out a Melo trade. He had four assists and three steals in just 13 minutes. ... more »

4360.jpg
Manny Harris, Cavaliers -- Feb. 1: During a disastrous season, teams must rally around whatever positive stories they can, and Harris is one for Cleveland. He's scored 20 points in each of the Cavs' past two games, finishing shots from ... more »

4291.jpg
Greivis Vasquez, Grizzlies -- Feb. 1: He doesn't play a lot but has played in every game since Nov. 8. Vasquez is showing an ability to run the team and make good decisions. It's possible he could develop into a J.J. Barea-type player ... more »

4248.jpg
Al-Farouq Aminu, Clippers -- Feb. 1: It's been a disappointing January for Aminu, who finished the month making only 5 of 30 3-point shots. And for the third straight month he took more 3s than free throws. There is no argument when ... more »

4247.jpg
Wesley Johnson, Timberwolves -- Jan. 31: Johnson is seeing his shot drop a little more frequently, so his scoring numbers are improving. He's now scored 19 points in two of his past four games. And in the other two games he scored ... more »

4270.jpg
Trevor Booker, Wizards -- Jan. 31: Booker had a big weekend, playing in place of JaVale McGee and recording back-to-back double-doubles. He had 21 points and 12 rebounds in the first game and 12 and 12 in the second. Although both ... more »

4241.jpg
Xavier Henry, Grizzlies -- Jan. 31: O.J. Mayo's suspension has created a little playing time for Henry, who had not played in 2011 before logging 12 minutes in two games combined this weekend. ... more »

4264.jpg
Patrick Patterson, Rockets -- Jan. 31: Patterson's reliable shooting has helped him earn more minutes and perhaps pass Jordan Hill in the rotation. He is never going to get big minutes as long as Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes are in front of him, but ... more »

4258.jpg
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings -- Jan. 31: Need any more evidence that Cousins should have been drafted no lower than No. 4? On Friday, Cousins had 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 3 steals against the Lakers. And he followed that up ... more »

4239.jpg
Evan Turner, 76ers -- Jan. 31: Want a sign that Turner is starting to find his groove and the Sixers are learning how to play him? He's had three or more assists in five straight games. Prior to that, he had only three or more assists in ... more »

4260.jpg
Greg Monroe, Pistons -- Jan. 31: I watched Monroe jog around the court in Miami on Friday night, using his size and talent to make plays but offering no evidence he cared whether the Pistons won or lost. I saw no emotion and no special effort ... more »

generic.jpg
Zabian Dowdell, Suns -- Jan. 31: Playing on his second 10-day contract, Dowdell showed he's an NBA player by dishing out four assists in Phoenix's two-point win over New Orleans. ... more »
 
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