uPtoWnNY said:

Graycap23 said:

phunkdaddy said:

Graycap23 said:

Howard is still an immature Kid. This fool thinks that playing in the NBA is about having fun.

I was surprised to read that he wore out his welcome here in Charlotte with a few teammates. He really appeared to enjoy playing for the Hornets. I read that teammates on previous teams didn't care for his antics either.

D12 ain't no fool. He knows playing in the NBA is mainly about making money, and I sense that there are far more players in the Association who have the same outlook than fans would like to admit.

Like a lot of NBA players, he relies on his immense talent to collect checks and enjoy his life. And his precocious schtick wears thin after a while.

He's a real talent, and going to the Hall of Fame, but my Lakers dodged a bullet there.

[Edited 6/21/18 9:03am]

namepeace said:

phunkdaddy said:

Graycap23 said: I was surprised to read that he wore out his welcome here in Charlotte with a few teammates. He really appeared to enjoy playing for the Hornets. I read that teammates on previous teams didn't care for his antics either.

D12 ain't no fool. He knows playing in the NBA is mainly about making money, and I sense that there are far more players in the Association who have the same outlook than fans would like to admit.

Like a lot of NBA players, he relies on his immense talent to collect checks and enjoy his life. And his precocious schtick wears thin after a while.

He's a real talent, and going to the Hall of Fame, but my Lakers dodged a bullet there.

[Edited 6/21/18 9:03am]

He is a fool.

The NBA is about hard work......which he knows NOTHING about.

All players make money, it isn't about that from a TEAM perspective.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

D12 ain't no fool. He knows playing in the NBA is mainly about making money, and I sense that there are far more players in the Association who have the same outlook than fans would like to admit.

Like a lot of NBA players, he relies on his immense talent to collect checks and enjoy his life. And his precocious schtick wears thin after a while.

He's a real talent, and going to the Hall of Fame, but my Lakers dodged a bullet there.

[Edited 6/21/18 9:03am]

He is a fool.

The NBA is about hard work......which he knows NOTHING about.

All players make money, it isn't about that from a TEAM perspective.

I agree that he's a knucklehead, but surely you don't think there aren't a lot of NBA players who don't work hard or care about the team perspective.

There are more players out here with a D12 mentality/ethic. The difference is he had all-time talent.

That's why I say he's no fool per se -- he parlayed that talent into max deals knowing he doesn't have to do much to improve his game or take a team-oriented approach.

namepeace said:

Graycap23 said:

He is a fool.

The NBA is about hard work......which he knows NOTHING about.

All players make money, it isn't about that from a TEAM perspective.

I agree that he's a knucklehead, but surely you don't think there aren't a lot of NBA players who don't work hard or care about the team perspective.

There are more players out here with a D12 mentality/ethic. The difference is he had all-time talent.

That's why I say he's no fool per se -- he parlayed that talent into max deals knowing he doesn't have to do much to improve his game or take a team-oriented approach.

At the end of the day, u are either a top tier player working hard 2 win....or u are not.

He is not. I wouldn't want this guy within a 1,000 miles of my team.

He is so good that the recent trade resulted in the Nets buying him OUT!

[Edited 6/21/18 12:02pm]

namepeace said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Shaq was saying Embiid needs to get in the paint more. He also needs to work on his endurance.

If the two stars become superstars (unlike the two softies in Toronto), Sixers need a free agent to be that third option, like phunkdaddy said. And keep improving the bench......follow the Warriors example.

These new bigs aren't built like that, Even with the influx of talented bigs coming in as rookies this year, and a deep crop of young bigs in the league now, the 3-ball is valued most.

As it stands, PHI needs a "3-and-D" 3rd option. As you said, they need to find value at the tail end of the draft, like GSW has.

But I'm sick of seeing bigs (particularly Towns) drifting to the 3-point line when they have a smaller man on them. Shit, get your ass in the paint and go to work! I think that's what Shaq was referring to.

Hall of Fame doesn't come to mind when thinking of Dwight Howard......more like Hall of Shame for wasted potential. Imagine what he could have been if he had Kobe's nastiness & assassin-mentality.

Thankfully, Phil Jackson's gone, so the Knicks have no excuse for screwing up the draft like they did last year, bypassing Donovan Mitchell. One of the biggest draft mistakes in Knicks history, and we have a bunch of them.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

I agree that he's a knucklehead, but surely you don't think there aren't a lot of NBA players who don't work hard or care about the team perspective.

There are more players out here with a D12 mentality/ethic. The difference is he had all-time talent.

That's why I say he's no fool per se -- he parlayed that talent into max deals knowing he doesn't have to do much to improve his game or take a team-oriented approach.

At the end of the day, u are either a top tier player working hard 2 win....or u are not.

He is not. I wouldn't want this guy within a 1,000 miles of my team.

He is so good that the recent trade resulted in the Nets buying him OUT!

Even in a league as small as the Association, there are at least as many Dwights as elites. I for one am glad he didn't sign with my team.

He may be talented, and may coast to the HOF on what he did in prior years, but as someone else said, he's entered into that sad phase where he's most valuable as a tradeable/expiring contract.

[Edited 6/21/18 12:02pm]

uPtoWnNY said:

namepeace said:

These new bigs aren't built like that, Even with the influx of talented bigs coming in as rookies this year, and a deep crop of young bigs in the league now, the 3-ball is valued most.

As it stands, PHI needs a "3-and-D" 3rd option. As you said, they need to find value at the tail end of the draft, like GSW has.

But I'm sick of seeing bigs (particularly Towns) drifting to the 3-point line when they have a smaller man on them. Shit, get your ass in the paint and go to work! I think that's what Shaq was referring to.

Hall of Fame doesn't come to mind when thinking of Dwight Howard......more like Hall of Shame for wasted potential. Imagine what he could have been if he had Kobe's nastiness & assassin-mentality.

Thankfully, Phil Jackson's gone, so the Knicks have no excuse for screwing up the draft like they did last year, bypassing Donovan Mitchell. One of the biggest draft mistakes in Knicks history, and we have a bunch of them.

The Knicks have the same problem as the Bulls. Shitty owner and GM.

uPtoWnNY said:

namepeace said:

These new bigs aren't built like that, Even with the influx of talented bigs coming in as rookies this year, and a deep crop of young bigs in the league now, the 3-ball is valued most.

As it stands, PHI needs a "3-and-D" 3rd option. As you said, they need to find value at the tail end of the draft, like GSW has.

But I'm sick of seeing bigs (particularly Towns) drifting to the 3-point line when they have a smaller man on them. Shit, get your ass in the paint and go to work! I think that's what Shaq was referring to.

Analytics and new rules: It's easier for shooters to get free for the 3 ball, and it's harder now to trade 2s for 3s.

Hall of Fame doesn't come to mind when thinking of Dwight Howard......more like Hall of Shame for wasted potential. Imagine what he could have been if he had Kobe's nastiness & assassin-mentality.

It might not, but Springfield is much easier to get into than Cooperstown or Canton and he's got enough All-Star nods and awards to get him in.

Thankfully, Phil Jackson's gone, so the Knicks have no excuse for screwing up the draft like they did last year, bypassing Donovan Mitchell. One of the biggest draft mistakes in Knicks history, and we have a bunch of them.

At least you have the Unicorn. Who do they take tonite?

namepeace said:

uPtoWnNY said:

But I'm sick of seeing bigs (particularly Towns) drifting to the 3-point line when they have a smaller man on them. Shit, get your ass in the paint and go to work! I think that's what Shaq was referring to.

Analytics and new rules: It's easier for shooters to get free for the 3 ball, and it's harder now to trade 2s for 3s.

Hall of Fame doesn't come to mind when thinking of Dwight Howard......more like Hall of Shame for wasted potential. Imagine what he could have been if he had Kobe's nastiness & assassin-mentality.

It might not, but Springfield is much easier to get into than Cooperstown or Canton and he's got enough All-Star nods and awards to get him in.

Thankfully, Phil Jackson's gone, so the Knicks have no excuse for screwing up the draft like they did last year, bypassing Donovan Mitchell. One of the biggest draft mistakes in Knicks history, and we have a bunch of them.

At least you have the Unicorn. Who do they take tonite?

The Knicks are going to be a lottery team again this upcoming season, so I doubt we'll see Porzingis in 2019. And I have questions about his long-term durability.

Knicks need help everywhere, especially at the wing and point guard. We have FOUR PGs on the roster, and they all suck. We have a scrub in Hardaway Jr. making $71mil, and we're still saddled with Joakim Noah's bloated contract. This franchise is hopeless......

namepeace said:

Graycap23 said:

At the end of the day, u are either a top tier player working hard 2 win....or u are not.

He is not. I wouldn't want this guy within a 1,000 miles of my team.

He is so good that the recent trade resulted in the Nets buying him OUT!

Even in a league as small as the Association, there are at least as many Dwights as elites. I for one am glad he didn't sign with my team.

He may be talented, and may coast to the HOF on what he did in prior years, but as someone else said, he's entered into that sad phase where he's most valuable as a tradeable/expiring contract.

[Edited 6/21/18 12:02pm]

Dude told me straight up, the only thing he cares about in the NBA is "having fun".

What a dumbass.

Knicks pick Kevin Knox from Kentucky. He fills our glaring need at the 3. Chauncey Billups compared him to Tobias Harris. I'll sign for that.

Knicks fans wanted Michael Porter, but there are questions about his back.

Philly just traded Mikal Bridges to Phoenix. Damn.......his mom works for the Sixers organization....she must be heartbroken right now.

The 2018 NBA Draft (lottery picks)

1. Phoenix Suns - Deandre Ayton, C , Arizona
2. Sacramento Kings - Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke

3. Dallas Mavericks (via Atlanta Hawks) - Luka Doncic, SG, Slovenia

4. Memphis Grizzlies - Jaren Jackson Jr., PF, Michigan State

5.Atlanta Hawks (via Dallas Mavericks) - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma

6. Orlando Magic - Mohammed Bamba, C, Texas

7. Chicago Bulls - Wendell Carter Jr., PF, Duke

8. Cleveland Cavaliers - Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama

9. New York Knicks - Kevin Knox, SF, Kentucky

10. Phoenix Suns (via Philadelphia 76ers) - Zhaire Smith, SF, Texas Tech

11. Los Angeles Clippers (via Charlotte Hornets) - Miles Bridges, SF, Michigan State

12. Charlotte Hornets (via Los Angeles Clippers) - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, SG, Kentucky

13. Los Angeles Clippers - Jerome Robinson, PG, Boston College

14. Denver Nuggets - Michael Porter Jr., SF, Missouri

uPtoWnNY said:

Philly just traded Mikal Bridges to Phoenix. Damn.......his mom works for the Sixers organization....she must be heartbroken right now.

Don't understand why they traded a guy that can shoot for one who's athletic but can't shoot

when outside shooting was clearly their issue in the Boston series.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

Dude told me straight up, the only thing he cares about in the NBA is "having fun".

What a dumbass.

No argument there. He seemed more mature as a rookie than he does now.

uPtoWnNY said:

Knicks pick Kevin Knox from Kentucky. He fills our glaring need at the 3. Chauncey Billups compared him to Tobias Harris. I'll sign for that.

Knicks fans wanted Michael Porter, but there are questions about his back.

He's a 3-and-D guy that you need in this day and age.

Porter would have been a gamble at the NY slot. He wasn't a gamble for DEN.

namepeace said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Knicks pick Kevin Knox from Kentucky. He fills our glaring need at the 3. Chauncey Billups compared him to Tobias Harris. I'll sign for that.

Knicks fans wanted Michael Porter, but there are questions about his back.

He's a 3-and-D guy that you need in this day and age.

Porter would have been a gamble at the NY slot. He wasn't a gamble for DEN.

Back problems are a huge red flag, because they never get better. According to the NY Daily News, last week, a report surfaced that Porter was suffering from back spasms and a hip strain. Knicks made the safe, logical decision for once.

Ben Simmons was named the 2017-2018 NBA Rookie of the Year, beating out Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.

Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals while guiding the 76ers alongside Joel Embiid to the Eastern Conference’s three seed and their first playoff appearance since 2012 following years of futility. Simmons was drafted in 2016 out of LSU, but did not play the 2016-17 season while recovering from a broken foot.

Simmons beat out Mitchell, who led the Utah Jazz in scoring with 20.5 points per game along with averaging 3.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals. The 13th pick in the draft out of Louisville was a revelation, helping lead the Jazz to the Western Conference’s five seed, which was unexpected after the team lost star forward Gordan Hayward to the Boston Celtics in free agency.

Tatum was also a finalist after averaging 13.9 points, five rebounds, 1.6 assists and a steal while shooting 43.4 percent from 3-point range. He emerged as a leader on a Celtics team that finished with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and was one win away from the NBA Finals despite losing veteran stars Hayward and Kyrie Irving to season-ending injuries.

Victor Oladipo was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 2017-2018 season, beating out Houston Rockets center Clint Capela and Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

Oladipo was the runaway favorite to collect this award after enjoying a career year in 2017-18.

Last summer, it looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder fleeced the Pacers when they traded Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis for Paul George. Instead, Indiana may have gotten the better of the deal, in large part because of Oladipo.

The 26-year-old averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and an NBA-best 2.4 steals en route to his first All-Star selection.

Oladipo was also excellent in the NBA playoffs and helped the Pacers push the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round. The Cavs had little answer for Oladipo as he averaged 22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and six assists.

Rudy Gobert was named the 2017-2018 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, beating out Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis.

Gobert, 25, was Utah's defensive anchor in the 2017-18 season, averaging 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. His defensive rating was 97.7 according to NBA .com, third among players with at least 50 games played. Utah finished the season with a defensive rating of 101.6, third in the NBA.

Utah was far better with Gobert on the court. When he didn't play, the team's defensive rating dipped to 105.0. The Stifle Tower absolutely lived up to his name.

Embiid, 24, was nearly as impactful on the defensive end for the Sixers. He posted 11 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, with a defensive rating at 99.7. Philadelphia's defensive rating of 102.0, meanwhile, was third in the NBA.

While Davis, 25, didn't win Defensive Player of the Year Award, he too can lay claim to being a two-way superstar after posting 11.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. His advanced metrics weren't quite as impressive, however, as he posted a defensive rating of 103.4 and the Pelicans were 13th in defensive rating at 105.6.

Lou Williams was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Lou was the Clippers’ best player for big stretches of the season and ended the year averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game in 32.8 minutes per night. Despite a career-high attempts from the field and three, Lou also bested his career efficiency averages, hitting 43.5% of his shots overall and shooting 35.9% from deep. Williams appeared in 79 of the Clippers’ 82 games, starting only 19. Williams beat out fellow candidates, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet and Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon.

It’s the second career Sixth Man of the Year award for Lou, who previously won in 2014-15. He was also the Western Conference Player of the Week twice this season.

In what may be the most ironic situation of the night, Dwayne Casey was named the 2017-2018 NBA Coach of the Year, beating out Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder and Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

Casey coached the Toronto Raptors to a 59-win season, their best showing in franchise history, and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, after a disappointing sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was fired from his coaching job. In seven seasons as the coach of the Raptors, Casey went 320-238.

But do not cry for mighty Casey. He has since landed the head coaching position with the Detroit Pistons.

James Harden won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award Monday night, walking away from the NBA's Award show with the game's top individual honor.

Harden beat out Cleveland's Lebron James and New Orleans' Anthiny Davis to become the third Rocket to win the award and first since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94.

Harden's first MVP trophy comes after he finished the 2017-18 season as the league's scoring champ, averaging 30.4 points while leading the Rockets to a franchise-record 65 victories.

Harden was the fourth player to average at least 30 points per game and help lead his team to 65 wins, joining Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan (twice), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Harden held off James, who was denied his fifth MVP trophy despite averaging 27.5 points and career-highs of 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds while playing in all 82 games in a regular season for the first time in his career.

728huey said:

In what may be the most ironic situation of the night, Dwayne Casey was named the 2017-2018 NBA Coach of the Year, beating out Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder and Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

Casey coached the Toronto Raptors to a 59-win season, their best showing in franchise history, and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, after a disappointing sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was fired from his coaching job. In seven seasons as the coach of the Raptors, Casey went 320-238.

But do not cry for mighty Casey. He has since landed the head coaching position with the Detroit Pistons.

His situation reminds me very much of Lionel Hollins' case in MEM. He was fired after reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2013, the best year in Grizz history. MEM slid downhill after that and never recovered. Hollins hasn't had any success since then either, but MEM decided it wasn't broke and tried to fix it anyway. MEM replaced him with an assistant.

TOR has done almost the exact same thing in 2018.

728huey said:

James Harden won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award Monday night, walking away from the NBA's Award show with the game's top individual honor.

Harden beat out Cleveland's Lebron James and New Orleans' Anthiny Davis to become the third Rocket to win the award and first since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94.

Harden's first MVP trophy comes after he finished the 2017-18 season as the league's scoring champ, averaging 30.4 points while leading the Rockets to a franchise-record 65 victories.

Harden was the fourth player to average at least 30 points per game and help lead his team to 65 wins, joining Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan (twice), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Harden held off James, who was denied his fifth MVP trophy despite averaging 27.5 points and career-highs of 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds while playing in all 82 games in a regular season for the first time in his career.

Lebron got hosed.

728huey said:

Lebron James opted out of his contract with the Cavs. Is he headed for L.A.?

His son is already enrolled in the same school as Pippen's son in L.A.

Like father.....like son.

Space Jam 2 Trailer To Be Revealed With LeBron's Free Agency Decision https://www.hotnewhiphop....53631.html