Pretty good weekend for the Rockets, wouldn't you agree?

RodeoSchro said:

Pretty good weekend for the Rockets, wouldn't you agree?

Sure was. But look at the calendar and keep it in perspective. You were down this road last year too.

namepeace said:

RodeoSchro said:

Pretty good weekend for the Rockets, wouldn't you agree?

Sure was. But look at the calendar and keep it in perspective. You were down this road last year too.

Oh, I know. And I still believe that had Chris Paul not blown out his hammy, we'd have a third NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters.

Since we ditched The Cancer Known As Carmelo Anthony, I think we have either the best or second-best record in the NBA, and that's without Chris Paul for an extended period of time.

BTW, I know defense wins championships. So I'd just like to point out that the Rockets held Orlando to 16 points in the 4th quarter last night, and the Magic only got to 16 points because of a last-send 3.

Did you see Harden's block that sealed the win?

The word is Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans.

uPtoWnNY said:

The word is Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans.

If he ends up with Golden State, I'm suing!!!!!!

RodeoSchro said:

namepeace said:

Sure was. But look at the calendar and keep it in perspective. You were down this road last year too.

Oh, I know. And I still believe that had Chris Paul not blown out his hammy, we'd have a third NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters.

Since we ditched The Cancer Known As Carmelo Anthony, I think we have either the best or second-best record in the NBA, and that's without Chris Paul for an extended period of time.

BTW, I know defense wins championships. So I'd just like to point out that the Rockets held Orlando to 16 points in the 4th quarter last night, and the Magic only got to 16 points because of a last-send 3.

Did you see Harden's block that sealed the win?

I never said the Rockets didn't play defense. Didn't see Harden's block, but it seems like when he's hot, it energizes him on defense (relatively speaking).

Defense does win championships. Which is why I was stunned when they let one of thei best perimeter defenders, Trevor Ariza, go. If I'm a HOU fan I'd really hope that didn't come back to haunt them.

They'll be in the mix, and maybe they'lll make a move at the deadline to improve, but their health will be the key.

namepeace said:

RodeoSchro said:

Oh, I know. And I still believe that had Chris Paul not blown out his hammy, we'd have a third NBA championship banner hanging from the rafters.

Since we ditched The Cancer Known As Carmelo Anthony, I think we have either the best or second-best record in the NBA, and that's without Chris Paul for an extended period of time.

BTW, I know defense wins championships. So I'd just like to point out that the Rockets held Orlando to 16 points in the 4th quarter last night, and the Magic only got to 16 points because of a last-send 3.

Did you see Harden's block that sealed the win?

I never said the Rockets didn't play defense. Didn't see Harden's block, but it seems like when he's hot, it energizes him on defense (relatively speaking).

Defense does win championships. Which is why I was stunned when they let one of thei best perimeter defenders, Trevor Ariza, go. If I'm a HOU fan I'd really hope that didn't come back to haunt them.

They'll be in the mix, and maybe they'lll make a move at the deadline to improve, but their health will be the key.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I'm sure if they could do it over, they'd have passed on Carmelo Anthony and kept Ariza.

As bad as the Wizards are, I wonder if Ariza is going to be available at the trade deadline? I think we've shed Carmelo's contract now.

On the other hand we just picked up Kenneth Faried and he has been A BEAST in the middle. The guy's hustle is absolutely off the charts. I read today that when the Rockets announced we'd signed him, Gerald Green called Harden and said something like, "Can you believe how lucky we just got?!?"

I shudder to think how deep our rotation will be when Clint Capela gets back. And if we did somehow add Trevor Ariza, holy moley!

.

[Edited 1/29/19 9:03am]

RodeoSchro said:

namepeace said:

I never said the Rockets didn't play defense. Didn't see Harden's block, but it seems like when he's hot, it energizes him on defense (relatively speaking).

Defense does win championships. Which is why I was stunned when they let one of thei best perimeter defenders, Trevor Ariza, go. If I'm a HOU fan I'd really hope that didn't come back to haunt them.

They'll be in the mix, and maybe they'lll make a move at the deadline to improve, but their health will be the key.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I'm sure if they could do it over, they'd have passed on Carmelo Anthony and kept Ariza.

As bad as the Wizards are, I wonder if Ariza is going to be available at the trade deadline? I think we've shed Carmelo's contract now.

On the other hand we just picked up Kenneth Faried and he has been A BEAST in the middle. The guy's hustle is absolutely off the charts. I read today that when the Rockets announced we'd signed him, Gerald Green called Harden and said something like, "Can you believe how lucky we just got?!?"

I shudder to think how deep our rotation will be when Clint Capela gets back. And if we did somehow add Trevor Ariza, holy moley!

.

[Edited 1/29/19 9:03am]

Yeah, they wish they had that one back. Faried was a good pickup in Capela's absence, but HOU is going to need serious perimeter defense the way GSW can stretch the floor.

RodeoSchro said:

uPtoWnNY said:

The word is Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans.

If he ends up with Golden State, I'm suing!!!!!!

Lakers are the best bet.

uPtoWnNY said:

RodeoSchro said:

If he ends up with Golden State, I'm suing!!!!!!

Lakers are the best bet.

Rodeo, GS couldn't possibly fit AD in on this maxed-out roster . . . . . . . . . could they?

Anyway, uptown, even as a Laker fan I'm not so sure. I've coveted AD for years, but NO is resentful of LeBron and Magic getting cute and flirting with a tampering charge, not to mention LBJ's role in AD's agency.

It's possible a suitor who will roll the dice on a "rental" could emerge, like OKC did with Paul George.

It's also possible NO will wait till summer to deal with Boston just to spite the Lakers.

If the deal goes down with LA though, don't be surprised if owners try to press the league office to veto the trade, which would be the second time in 10 years that a superstar trade to LAL was voided.

[Edited 1/30/19 9:07am]

namepeace said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Lakers are the best bet.

Rodeo, GS couldn't possibly fit AD in on this maxed-out roster . . . . . . . . . could they?

Anyway, uptown, even as a Laker fan I'm not so sure. I've coveted AD for years, but NO is resentful of LeBron and Magic getting cute and flirting with a tampering charge, not to mention LBJ's role in AD's agency.

It's possible a suitor who will roll the dice on a "rental" could emerge, like OKC did with Paul George.

It's also possible NO will wait till summer to deal with Boston just to spite the Lakers.

If the deal goes down with LA though, don't be surprised if owners try to press the league office to veto the trade, which would be the second time in 10 years that a superstar trade to LAL was voided.

[Edited 1/30/19 9:07am]

I'm not crying for NO....how about some of these owners doing a better job running their teams (there are too many NBA franchises as it is).

uPtoWnNY said:

I'm not crying for NO....how about some of these owners doing a better job running their teams (there are too many NBA franchises as it is).

Amen to that. OKC and SA have been able to retain or acquire much (but certainly not all) oif their talent due to competence.

But I do think LAL's young assets have underperformed as a core unit, making it more difficult for the Lakers to move many of them. I honestly thought the Ball-Kuzma-Ingram group would win more even without LBJ.

namepeace said:

uPtoWnNY said:

I'm not crying for NO....how about some of these owners doing a better job running their teams (there are too many NBA franchises as it is).

Amen to that. OKC and SA have been able to retain or acquire much (but certainly not all) oif their talent due to competence.

But I do think LAL's young assets have underperformed as a core unit, making it more difficult for the Lakers to move many of them. I honestly thought the Ball-Kuzma-Ingram group would win more even without LBJ.

Maybe it's the coach. Look at what Popp is doing in SA this year without Dejounte Murray, 6th place in a killer conference. To me, it's his best coaching job. You know he'd get those young cats in LA to "buy in".

HOT! HOT! HOT! Knicks trade Porzingis to the Mavericks!

http://www.espn.com/nba/s...-porzingis

[Edited 1/31/19 15:45pm]

uPtoWnNY said:

HOT! HOT! HOT! Knicks trade Porzingis to the Mavericks!

http://www.espn.com/nba/s...-porzingis

[Edited 1/31/19 15:45pm]

How you feelin' about this Uptown?

Abdul said:

uPtoWnNY said:

HOT! HOT! HOT! Knicks trade Porzingis to the Mavericks!

http://www.espn.com/nba/s...-porzingis

[Edited 1/31/19 15:45pm]

How you feelin' about this Uptown?

Typical Knicks, always changing course. That plus giving bloated contracts to bums are the reasons this franchise hasn't won shit since 1973. Not upset at all...KP wanted out because the Knicks are poorly run, and management had concerns about his health. With the Knicks luck, Porzingis will stay healthy and have an all-star career, while the Knicks give two max contracts to B-list players because the top cats want no part of this shitfest.

Long as Dolan owns the team, they're not winning shit, so I'm like, whatever......

[Edited 1/31/19 20:20pm]

How about those Sixers handling Golden State in Oakland last night 113-104?

phunkdaddy said:

How about those Sixers handling Golden State in Oakland last night 113-104?

The Shamet kid is playing well.

Blockbuster trade involving Sixers and Clippers. Don't have time to post link.

Have to get ready for work. Will be back later to elaborate.

A certain team is the Patriots of basketball.

phunkdaddy said:

Blockbuster trade involving Sixers and Clippers. Don't have time to post link.

Have to get ready for work. Will be back later to elaborate.

Trade Tracker so far;

http://www.espn.com/nba/s...every-deal

Bad news about John Wall....and the Wizards are stuck with that huge contract.

John Wall will be out at least a year after rupturing Achilles at home

uPtoWnNY said:

Bad news about John Wall....and the Wizards are stuck with that huge contract.

John Wall will be out at least a year after rupturing Achilles at home

Was probably going to happen anyway, but with John Wall out for the rest of this season, the Wizards are unloading talent. They just traded Markieff Morris to New Orleans for Wesley Johnson, and they traded Otto Porter Jr. to Chicago for Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and a second round draft pick in 2023.

728huey said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Bad news about John Wall....and the Wizards are stuck with that huge contract.

John Wall will be out at least a year after rupturing Achilles at home

Was probably going to happen anyway, but with John Wall out for the rest of this season, the Wizards are unloading talent. They just traded Markieff Morris to New Orleans for Wesley Johnson, and they traded Otto Porter Jr. to Chicago for Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker, and a second round draft pick in 2023.

Word is WSH needed to get under the tax cap otherwise they'd be a repeat offender, and that locker room has been kinda toxic.

Marc Gasol to Toronto - WOW!

728huey said:

The Milwaukee Bucks just traded for Nikola Mirotic from New Orleans and gave up Jason Smith, Stanley Johnson, and four second round draft picks. They must be going for a title now as Mirotic becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. And the big Philly experiment with Markelle Fultz is over, as he has been traded to Orlando for Johnathon Simmons. He's going to be considered a massive bust in Philadelphia, but maybe he can get healthy and at least live up to his number one draft pick status in a place where he won't be under so much pressure. Meanwhile, the Lakers have not made any major trades for Anthony Davis or any other high-profile player. [Edited 2/7/19 19:02pm]

Teams in the East are gearing up for the postseason with these trades. All of a sudden the

Celtics aren't a lock for the Finals. Hell the Eastern Conference playoff chase may be more

exciting than the West this season. I like the move Philly made to get Tobias Harris and bringing

his big 7'3" center along to back up Embiid. Still feel the Sixers gave up a little too much to acquire them. 2 future number 1 picks and a promising young player in Larry Shamet. Yikes!

They acquired a future number 1 back when they traded Markelle Fultz to Orlando for Johnathan

Simmons. I hated to lose Shamet but I think the Sixers still have high hopes for this year's number

1 Zhaire Smith who's been injured this season. The Sixers are looking to win now. So are the Bucks

with Mirotic and Toronto acquiring Marc Gasol.

uPtoWnNY said:

Marc Gasol to Toronto - WOW!

Great move. He's a smart enough player with a lot of playoff experience to counter Giannis, Embiid or Horford. Even though Ibaka seems to be playing really well, Gasol is a great passer who can open up the floor for TOR's swing players. I think Kawhi is going to love playing with him.

uPtoWnNY said:

Empress said:

uPtoWnNY said:

Marc Gasol to Toronto - WOW!

I'm totally pumped about this trade, but I will miss Jonas Valanciunas. He was very well liked by us fans. We got a good trade in Gasol though.

How about Siakam the other night!!!! He's taken his opportunity and run with it.

I love the attitude of the top eastern teams - the boogeyman (Lebron) is gone, so let's go for it. Bucks, Sixers and Raptors did a great job gearing up for the post season. Celtics are pretty much set. But folks are sleeping on Indiana. I think they'll be a dangerous second round opponent for any of the big four.

As for the Lakers, they're a mess. Half the team is pissed because Lebron wanted to trade them for AD, lol. Even if they get in as an 8th seed, it'll be one and done to the Warriors.

The worst thing that happened to the Lakers was LeBron getting hurt at the wrong time.

They were playing well before his injury and kicked the Warriors ass on their home court.

Unfortunately during his injury the team had to try to pick up the slack amid trade rumors

daily and it was just bad vibes. It really killed the chemistry they had developed. Who knows

where this team is headed now.