NBA 2012: Running thread

[Dick Whitman]

Do we have one of these yet?

If so, disregard.

If not, happy to have basketball back again for a full season. Lots of intriguing story lines, old faces in new places, new roles for promising breakout candidates, etc., etc.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

N ... B ... A ... ?

 

[Dick Whitman]

N ... B ... A ... ?

For people who would rather not watch slow, white kids run the picket fence at 'em on ESPN all winter long.

 

[BTExpress]

If not, happy to have basketball back again for a full season.

Seriously? I thought 66 games and a Christmas Day start worked just fine.

 

[Dick Whitman]

If not, happy to have basketball back again for a full season.

Seriously? I thought 66 games and a Christmas Day start worked just fine.

Really? I hated it. Play was extremely sloppy early on, and then you had so many injuries and missed time because of the condensed schedule. Just not a fun year to sit through.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Poor Timberwolves. Eventually they'll still be one of the more enjoyable teams to watch, but the first month or two could be fairly brutal. Love breaks his hand while working out at home (okay?). Rubio out for awhile still. If Roy is anything close to what he was, he'll be a huge upgrade at that spot. Added AK-47. But if they fall too far behind the pack in November and December, it'll be impossible to make up a lot of ground in the West once Love and Rubio return.

 

[Gehrig]

Poor Timberwolves. Eventually they'll still be one of the more enjoyable teams to watch, but the first month or two could be fairly brutal. Love breaks his hand while working out at home (okay?). Rubio out for awhile still. If Roy is anything close to what he was, he'll be a huge upgrade at that spot. Added AK-47. But if they fall too far behind the pack in November and
December, it'll be impossible to make up a lot of ground in the West once Love and Rubio return.

Maybe Derrick Williams will step up in Love's absence and become the player everyone expect him to become.

 

[amraeder]

Main thing I care about - that Kyrie Irving continues to look like a stud - and avoids major injuries.

Thing I'm hoping beyond all reasonable hope will happen - The sixth man on a Big East team can totally start in the NBA. Why shouldn't he?

 

[Liut]

Watched Detroit some this preseason. Andre Drummond was impressive. If he can take on some minutes, it will really help Greg Monroe. Pistons went 4-20, then .500 last season. It's a young team, but I think Detroit's a sleeper to slide into the playoffs.

Which brings me to an interesting panel discussion held on CSN-Chicago's "Tribune Live." How would you rank the East after Miami? Those fellows went with Boston, but felt Chicago (even minus Rose) would push the Celtics. In no particular order, Pacers, Knicks, Nets, 76ers after that.

Milwaukee? Other than Jennings and Ellis, don't really recognize the Bucks. Still wondering about trading a pretty good 7-footer (when healthy) for a shooting guard who cannot or will not defend.

Seems like Atlanta is expected to experience a major downturn. Larry Drew first coach fired this season?

 

[Dick Whitman]

Watched Detroit some this preseason. Andre Drummond was impressive. If he can take on some minutes, it will really help Greg Monroe. Pistons went 4-20, then .500 last season. It's a young team, but I think Detroit's a sleeper to slide into the playoffs.

Which brings me to an interesting panel discussion held on CSN-Chicago's "Tribune Live." How would you rank the East after Miami? Those fellows went with Boston, but felt Chicago (even minus Rose) would push the Celtics.

I can't see that. Who in the world scores? Who can create his own shot?

 

[Liut]

Watched Detroit some this preseason. Andre Drummond was impressive. If he can take on some minutes, it will really help Greg Monroe. Pistons went 4-20, then .500 last season. It's a young team, but I think Detroit's a sleeper to slide into the playoffs.

Which brings me to an interesting panel discussion held on CSN-Chicago's "Tribune Live." How would you rank the East after Miami? Those fellows went with Boston, but felt Chicago (even minus Rose) would push the Celtics.

I can't see that. Who in the world scores? Who can create his own shot?

Re: Chicago-your point still stands, ****, but poorly worded on my part. The panel's premise was more along the lines of after Boston, why not Chicago? I would tend to agree there's a big drop off following the Heat and Celtics.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Watched Detroit some this preseason. Andre Drummond was impressive. If he can take on some minutes, it will really help Greg Monroe. Pistons went 4-20, then .500 last season. It's a young team, but I think Detroit's a sleeper to slide into the playoffs.

Which brings me to an interesting panel discussion held on CSN-Chicago's "Tribune Live." How would you rank the East after Miami? Those fellows went with Boston, but felt Chicago (even minus Rose) would push the Celtics.

I can't see that. Who in the world scores? Who can create his own shot?

Re: Chicago-your point still stands, ****, but poorly worded on my part. The panel's premise was more along the lines of after Boston, why not Chicago? I would tend to agree there's a big drop off following the Heat and Celtics.

I like Indiana a lot. And the Knicks. And Brooklyn. Then maybe - MAYBE - Chicago. Maybe.

 

[Gehrig]

Personally, I'm a Raptors fan and I'm looking forward to watch one of the best prospects in the NBA, Jonas Valanciunas.

He will struggle during the first year, there's no denying that since he's still learning the NBA game. But he'll become a great player, in my opinion.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Personally, I'm a Raptors fan and I'm looking forward to watch one of the best prospects in the NBA, Jonas Valanciunas.

He will struggle during the first year, there's no denying that since he's still learning the NBA game. But he'll become a great player, in my opinion.

You should also be looking forward to Kyle Lowry.

 

[Liut]

Watched Detroit some this preseason. Andre Drummond was impressive. If he can take on some minutes, it will really help Greg Monroe. Pistons went 4-20, then .500 last season. It's a young team, but I think Detroit's a sleeper to slide into the playoffs.

Which brings me to an interesting panel discussion held on CSN-Chicago's "Tribune Live." How would you rank the East after Miami? Those fellows went with Boston, but felt Chicago (even minus Rose) would push the Celtics.

I can't see that. Who in the world scores? Who can create his own shot?

Re: Chicago-your point still stands, ****, but poorly worded on my part. The panel's premise was more along the lines of after Boston, why not Chicago? I would tend to agree there's a big drop off following the Heat and Celtics.

I like Indiana a lot. And the Knicks. And Brooklyn. Then maybe - MAYBE - Chicago. Maybe.

They were touting the return of Kirk Heinrich, which while a good acquisition, is a real stretch.
I agree with you about Indiana but after the Pacers, I think it's a real crapshoot, hence my speculation on Detroit.

 

[Liut]

Personally, I'm a Raptors fan and I'm looking forward to watch one of the best prospects in the NBA, Jonas Valanciunas.

He will struggle during the first year, there's no denying that since he's still learning the NBA game. But he'll become a great player, in my opinion.

If he's the guy I'm thinking of from Detroit's game in Toronto, impressive running the floor and displayed a willingness to mix it up on the boards.

 

[Gehrig]

Personally, I'm a Raptors fan and I'm looking forward to watch one of the best prospects in the NBA, Jonas Valanciunas.

He will struggle during the first year, there's no denying that since he's still learning the NBA game. But he'll become a great player, in my opinion.

You should also be looking forward to Kyle Lowry.

Still not 100% sold on Lowry. Don't get me wrong, he'll be a better starter than Jose Calderon who can't play a lick of defense, but I'm not sure if he's the solution at the point guard position. Got to see his first game in a Raptors uniform yesterday, didn't play all that bad, but it was against the Wizards.

 

[StephenBailey]

Looking forward to watching Rajon run the Celtics this year. With Courtney Lee as a running partner and KG as a year-long center, it should be fun to watch, health-permitting.

For anyone interested, Jackie MacMullan wrote a good Rondo profile a couple days ago. Portrays the supposed real Rondo pretty well IMO: http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8510892/rajon-rondo-steps-shadows-boston-celtics-leader.

I'm also excited to see just how improved the rest of the Atlantic Division is.

 

[Guy_Incognito]

Don't follow that closely, but I would guess that Brooklyn will be the 2nd best team in the Eats. On paper, they seem better than Boston.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Was excited to see Andrew Bynum in a Sixers uniform. Not so excited to watch him injured and in street clothes on the bench.

Over/under on games he actually plays?

I think he'll be all right. So, 70.

Love broke his hand doing knuckle push-ups. Or maybe he broke it after putting it through glass while helping Kobe move some boxes in the garage.