Re: Random thoughts from around the league (An Onging Thread)

[steve3344]

I'm absolutely amazed the Nets keep winning without Brooke Lopez and now Kevin Garnett (7-2 in their last 9 games without KG). Amazed and disappointed, being as how everyone on here knows we own the Nets first round pick this year.

Let's at least hope Washington and Chicago continue to stay ahead of them.

[beat]

I'm absolutely amazed the Nets keep winning without Brooke Lopez and now Kevin Garnett (7-2 in their last 9 games without KG).  Amazed and disappointed, being as how everyone on here knows we own the Nets first round pick this year.  

Let's at least hope Washington and Chicago continue to stay ahead of them.  

If not a high one from these guys this year.........we have 2 more of their 1st rounders' in the future.

beat

[steve3344]

I'm absolutely amazed the Nets keep winning without Brooke Lopez and now Kevin Garnett (7-2 in their last 9 games without KG).  Amazed and disappointed, being as how everyone on here knows we own the Nets first round pick this year.  

Let's at least hope Washington and Chicago continue to stay ahead of them.  

If not a high one from these guys this year.........we have 2 more of their 1st rounders' in the future.

beat

Right. We also own their 2016 and 2018 first rounders as well as having the option to swap picks with them in 2017.

[Outside]

Just for fun, here are some Spurs videos. I got them from this article:

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/66799/the-spurs-great-h-e-b-commercial-legacy

This one is a 2012 playoff promo. Nice to know the NBA made one video praising solid team play. Unfortunately, the opponent is Boston, but I hope you can appreciate it anyway.



These are commercials for H-E-B, a grocery store chain. Doing local ads was a staple for NBA players for years, but now I think you only see it in the smaller markets.

[steve3344]

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way. Just saw this news:

"Pau Gasol left Sunday’s game with nausea and dizziness, received three liters of fluids in an ambulance and was then taken to the hospital for observation. It doesn’t sound like this is anything life threatening, but it might be enough to shut Gasol down for a bit. I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for. However, this illness doesn’t sound like a joke and I hope that Gasol makes a quick recovery. We’re still awaiting information on Gasol’s condition and outlook, but you shouldn’t be surprised if this is enough to end his season."

[steve3344]

I don't remember ever seeing a bigger NBA point spread than San Antonio being favored by 21 tonight over Philly.  Wow.

And yet, the Spurs covered. Just barely. 113-91. Vegas knew the right line.

[tjmakz]

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way.  Just saw this news:

"Pau Gasol left Sunday’s game with nausea and dizziness, received three liters of fluids in an ambulance and was then taken to the hospital for observation. It doesn’t sound like this is anything life threatening, but it might be enough to shut Gasol down for a bit. I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for. However, this illness doesn’t sound like a joke and I hope that Gasol makes a quick recovery. We’re still awaiting information on Gasol’s condition and outlook, but you shouldn’t be surprised if this is enough to end his season."

Steve,

Who wrote that quote?

[steve3344]

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way.  Just saw this news:

"Pau Gasol left Sunday’s game with nausea and dizziness, received three liters of fluids in an ambulance and was then taken to the hospital for observation. It doesn’t sound like this is anything life threatening, but it might be enough to shut Gasol down for a bit. I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for. However, this illness doesn’t sound like a joke and I hope that Gasol makes a quick recovery. We’re still awaiting information on Gasol’s condition and outlook, but you shouldn’t be surprised if this is enough to end his season."

Steve,

Who wrote that quote?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dose-down-goes-pau-gasol-143400469--nba.html

[tjmakz]

Steve,

This guy is a fantasy sports writer who is expecting a mysterious back injury to happen to Gasol. Why would you give this story any relevance?

Do you really think Pau Gasol is going to let anybody talk him into sitting for a fake injury? You know better than this....

[steve3344]

Why do you claim this is a "fake injury"?

This is from the LA Times:

"Pau Gasol sat out the second half because of dizziness and nausea after scoring six points and getting two rebounds in 18 minutes in the first half."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-magic-20140323,0,5172803.story#ixzz2wuk1lBdT

[tjmakz]

There is nothing fake about Gasol's illness.
The writer of the story said this:

I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for.

Somehow he and you think Gasol's illness equates to L.A. tanking.
This is what you wrote:

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way. Just saw this news:

[steve3344]

There is nothing fake about Gasol's illness.
The writer of the story said this:

I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for.

Somehow he and you think Gasol's illness equates to L.A. tanking.
This is what you wrote:

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way. Just saw this news:

You were calling the story/illness/injury fake. I was referring to the illness or whatever took Gasol out of the game, and that was real. It happened, he couldn't continue and didn't return. Wasn't fake.

[tjmakz]

There is nothing fake about Gasol's illness.
The writer of the story said this:

I’ve been joking/hinting that a mysterious back injury was coming for Gasol, as it is just hard for me to imagine him making it through the rest of the season with nothing to play for.

Somehow he and you think Gasol's illness equates to L.A. tanking.
This is what you wrote:

Even tho the Lakers beat the woeful Magic last night, look for LA to tank the rest of the way. Just saw this news:

You were calling the story/illness/injury fake.  I was referring to the illness or whatever took Gasol out of the game, and that was real.  It happened, he couldn't continue and didn't return.  Wasn't fake.

When did I say the illness was fake?
I watched the game. Gasol was ill.

You are tying it in by your heading that it will equate to taking.

[tjmakz]

It's a nonsense story by a writer who is already expecting Pau to sit because of a mysterious back injury.

My point is, why post trash here?

[steve3344]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident. Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all. Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion. It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

[tjmakz]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

[steve3344]

Pacers brutalized by their beat writer following their annihilation but the Spurs in Indy tonight:

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/kravitz/2014/03/31/bob-kravitz-pacers-arent-slumping-theyre-collapsing/7144399/

Bob Kravitz: Pacers aren't slumping, they're collapsing
Bob Kravitz, bob.kravitz@indystar.com 11:31 p.m. EDT March 31, 2014
PacersSpurs_19
(Photo: Joe Vitti /The Star)

This isn't a slump. A slump is a blip on the continuum, a momentary lapse, something that can be fixed with a tweak here or a correction there. A slump lasts two, three weeks, at least for an elite NBA team – or one that fancies itself as elite.

No, what the Pacers have going right now is a full-fledged collapse, a gag job down the stretch that doesn't look fixable between now and the start of the NBA playoffs. Forget about worrying about the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, something we all thought was a fait accompli as the Pacers were rushing out to a 33-7 start.

Worry about winning a couple of games down the stretch and playing decent basketball – and scoring more than 80 points - as the playoffs beckon.

For the first time all year, the Pacers are in second place, behind the Heat, in the race for the No. 1 seed. That was their vociferously stated goal from Day One. Now they've thrown it away, and they've done it at a time when the Heat has had its own struggles.

"Good for them (the Heat),'' Roy Hibbert said dourly. "We don't deserve it. Good for them. Whoever we see in the playoffs, we'll see, but we've got to figure things out…But we don't deserve the No. 1 seed.''

A slump? A hiccup? No, it's a whole lot more than that. After Monday night's 103-77 blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Pacers have lost 10 of their last 16 games and six of their last eight. After that 33-7 start, when they were the toast of the NBA and had everybody lauding their selflessness, the Pacers have now gone 19-16. That's not a slump. That's a month-and-a-half, two months' worth of mediocrity. That's who they are now.


This is just like the 2002-03 Isiah Thomas-coached Pacers, who ran out to the league's best record the first half of the season, then sleep-walked the rest of the season before getting eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics.

For too long, they've been acting like they actually accomplished something, like they should be entitled to officials' calls and special treatment. Paul George's play and his whining have been especially galling. Remember when we talked about him in the same sentence with MVP front runners LeBron James and Kevin Durant? That seems like a million years ago.

George has been ordinary, or worse, since the All-Star break. Hibbert has disappeared for long stretches of time. David West, the nominal leader of this team, has been inconsistent. Evan Turner, the late-season acquisition, has been miserable, especially on defense.

Monday night, Lance Stephenson was the only Pacer who played with urgency and energy.

It makes you wonder, where's the leadership going to come from? Where's the direction going to come from? This is still a young team, which gives you hope for the future, but makes you wonder about the present. Everybody, save for the perpetually amped Stephenson, appears to have gone in the tank these last two months.

Publically, Frank Vogel has put on a happy face – ah, we're just not hitting our shots -- but you sense that he's at his wit's end, too, looking for answers that don't exist. Listen, if he could have fixed it, it would have been fixed already.

Does he need to put a boot up somebody's rear? Clearly, he does. But that's not to say he hasn't read them the riot act already. We only see the public Vogel; we don't know that he hasn't grinded on them in private. Certainly, he had a long talk with his team after this game; he took an unusually long time to come out and address the media Monday night.

"We've had plenty of players-only meetings,'' Hibbert said. "We've had plenty of sit-downs with the team and coaches, some with upper management listening in. Maybe we should all go to group therapy and have an airing of grievances.''

This team is spiraling, and you sense it's beginning to splinter.

Second place.

For the first time all season.

"Maybe this will be a reality check,'' George said. "To be No. 1 and controlling our destiny, this is the time we could have had guys resting and really enjoying being in the position we were in. Now we're playing down to the wire. It's tough, but hopefully it lights a fire under us. Maybe we'll have a better understanding of what we need to do.''

Don't count on it. If the Pacers haven't gotten the wakeup call yet, they never will. This is a lost, wounded, fragile team that may never get off the mat.

The million-dollar question around town is, "Why have the Pacers fallen to pieces?''

I can tell you what the problems aren't:

Fatigue – There's this notion out there that the Pacers peaked too early, that they invested too much energy into earning that No. 1 seed.

Nonsense.

I could buy that if Vogel had played his starters extraordinarily heavy minutes and burned them out, but that's not the case.

If the 82-game grind is such an issue, how do you explain the San Antonio Spurs – average age 62 – running off an 18-game win streak this late in the season? And the Spurs are dealing with the Western Conference, not the lightweights in the East.

A word about the Spurs: They are beautiful to watch, and they will win the NBA title this time around. Offensively, they are a Matisse, a Picasso; the Pacers, who stand around a whole lot, are like a finger-painting. The lack of movement is excruciating. They never get easy baskets. They never get run-outs. They play at a snail's pace, except when Stephenson has the basketball. Fast break points Monday night: Zippo.

Boredom – Before this latest stretch of schedule, we heard how the Pacers needed to face top teams to pique their interest. How arrogant is that? It's one thing for the Miami Heat to be bored; they've actually won two straight NBA titles. But the Pacers act like they deserve the Larry O'Brien Trophy for winning the first half of the season.

Now they've faced the league's elite, and they've gotten stomped.

The trades/acquisitions – Listen, this decline started before Larry Bird traded for Turner and signed Andrew Bynum. Granted, Turner is a defensive sieve and Bynum is out indefinitely with a bum knee and may never play again for the Pacers, but they're not the reasons this team has gone south.

So what's the answer?

Here's my best guess: Immaturity. This is still a very young team, with a few exceptions. They didn't know how to handle success. They flew too close to the sun and got burned. And now they're looking up at the Heat in the standings.

"We're at the bottom in terms of how far you can fall,'' West said.

Sadly, I'm not sure that's necessarily the case.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or email bob.kravitz@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BKravitz.

[cowens/oldschool]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

[steve3344]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

With the Lakers one game behind the Kings, playing them tonight, and desperately NOT wanting to catch them in the standings so they can retain their current #6 draft position, guess what? They sat both Gasol (who was fine playing against Portland last night) and Kaman who had a monster game against Phoenix on Sunday and also played against Portland last night. And no surprise, they lose. Gotta love it. The NBA - where protecting (or improving) your draft position in a lost season is everything. They all do it, including the Celtics. No way we're 26 points worse than the Washington Mediocres, but tonight we were.

[tjmakz]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

With the Lakers one game behind the Kings, playing them tonight, and desperately NOT wanting to catch them in the standings so they can retain their current #6 draft position, guess what?  They sat both Gasol (who was fine playing against Portland last night) and Kaman who had a monster game against Phoenix on Sunday and also played against Portland last night.  And no surprise, they lose.  Gotta love it.  The NBA - where protecting (or improving) your draft position in a lost season is everything.  They all do it, including the Celtics.  No way we're 26 points worse than the Washington Mediocres, but tonight we were.  

You might want to do a little research before you post about the Lakers.
Pau had a severe set back with vertigo and probably was not even going to be able to fly home from Sacramento with his teammates. Do you really think he and the Lakers are lying?




Pau Gasol has been dealing with a recurring case of vertigo lately, causing him to miss four games. He returned to play 28 minutes against the Blazers on Tuesday, but will sit Wednesday's game against the Kings because of it. Bill Oram: Bad news for Pau Gasol. Lakers center has had severe recurrence of vertigo and is incapacitated in Sac. hotel room. Out tonight obviously CBSSports.com

Rumors tagsLos Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Pau Gasol  
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubscribe to HoopsHype rumors


Gasol will fly back to Los Angeles when able to be evaluated. Gasol said last night he may have returned too quickly. Vertigo is described as a "subtype of dizziness in which a patient inappropriately experiences the perception of motion (usually a spinning motion)." CBSSports.com
- See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#sthash.MezXrjIe.dpuf

[tjmakz]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

Which players have the Lakers held out this season so they can lose more games?

[cowens/oldschool]

tj I never specifically said Lakers, you are an idiot!!!!

[steve3344]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

With the Lakers one game behind the Kings, playing them tonight, and desperately NOT wanting to catch them in the standings so they can retain their current #6 draft position, guess what?  They sat both Gasol (who was fine playing against Portland last night) and Kaman who had a monster game against Phoenix on Sunday and also played against Portland last night.  And no surprise, they lose.  Gotta love it.  The NBA - where protecting (or improving) your draft position in a lost season is everything.  They all do it, including the Celtics.  No way we're 26 points worse than the Washington Mediocres, but tonight we were.  

You might want to do a little research before you post about the Lakers.
Pau had a severe set back with vertigo and probably was not even going to be able to fly home from Sacramento with his teammates. Do you really think he and the Lakers are lying?




Pau Gasol has been dealing with a recurring case of vertigo lately, causing him to miss four games. He returned to play 28 minutes against the Blazers on Tuesday, but will sit Wednesday's game against the Kings because of it. Bill Oram: Bad news for Pau Gasol. Lakers center has had severe recurrence of vertigo and is incapacitated in Sac. hotel room. Out tonight obviously CBSSports.com

Rumors tagsLos Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Pau Gasol  
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubscribe to HoopsHype rumors


Gasol will fly back to Los Angeles when able to be evaluated. Gasol said last night he may have returned too quickly. Vertigo is described as a "subtype of dizziness in which a patient inappropriately experiences the perception of motion (usually a spinning motion)." CBSSports.com
- See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#sthash.MezXrjIe.dpuf

Kaman conveniently had a boo boo last night. he was fine against Portland but the Lakers said his calf was bothering him. So they rested him. And they locked in the #6 lottery position. Celtics did it too in '07. Join the party.

[tjmakz]

My point is it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the Lakers to find a convenient reason to shut Gasol down after this incident.  Even the Celtics have done it in past seasons like this one.

That's all.  Don't make such a huge deal out of this suggestion.  It happens all the time with teams heading for a high lottery pick.

Again, do you think Pau Gasol is just going to let the Lakers make up an injury for him so they can tank?
That's absurd. He would never agree to that.
As any fyi, Pau has vertigo, he is questionable for their next game.
The Lakers have easily lost the most player games due to injuries this season.
They don't make up any injuries.

teams have never held out players before, ever right?

With the Lakers one game behind the Kings, playing them tonight, and desperately NOT wanting to catch them in the standings so they can retain their current #6 draft position, guess what?  They sat both Gasol (who was fine playing against Portland last night) and Kaman who had a monster game against Phoenix on Sunday and also played against Portland last night.  And no surprise, they lose.  Gotta love it.  The NBA - where protecting (or improving) your draft position in a lost season is everything.  They all do it, including the Celtics.  No way we're 26 points worse than the Washington Mediocres, but tonight we were.  

You might want to do a little research before you post about the Lakers.
Pau had a severe set back with vertigo and probably was not even going to be able to fly home from Sacramento with his teammates. Do you really think he and the Lakers are lying?




Pau Gasol has been dealing with a recurring case of vertigo lately, causing him to miss four games. He returned to play 28 minutes against the Blazers on Tuesday, but will sit Wednesday's game against the Kings because of it. Bill Oram: Bad news for Pau Gasol. Lakers center has had severe recurrence of vertigo and is incapacitated in Sac. hotel room. Out tonight obviously CBSSports.com

Rumors tagsLos Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Pau Gasol  
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubscribe to HoopsHype rumors


Gasol will fly back to Los Angeles when able to be evaluated. Gasol said last night he may have returned too quickly. Vertigo is described as a "subtype of dizziness in which a patient inappropriately experiences the perception of motion (usually a spinning motion)." CBSSports.com
- See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#sthash.MezXrjIe.dpuf

Kaman conveniently had a boo boo last night.  he was fine against Portland but the Lakers said his calf was bothering him.  So they rested him.  And they locked in the #6 lottery position.  Celtics did it too in '07.  Join the party.

Steve,

So, before it was tanking by the Lakers for sitting Pau, now it's Kaman? Is Nash next on your list?
Do you really believe your own posts?
As an fyi, when Kaman is healthy, he is a sub par NBA player which is why he has barely gotten off the bench this year even though the Lakers lead the NBA is games missed due to injuries.
Kaman is ranked as the worst defensive center in the NBA when he is on the court.
Um, sitting Kaman usually makes the Lakers better...

[tjmakz]

tj I never specifically said Lakers, you are an idiot!!!!

Every one of these posts has been about the Lakers and you replied to my post about the Lakers.
You are pretty much just a biased and pathetic soul.
Have a nice weekend.

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