NBA 2011-2012 Thread

[McLaren]

We put Odom on the Inactive list this morning & are waiting to trade him off, thank goodness. Even better, Azubuike has been called in to take his place for the remainder of the season. In 7 games since he came, he has nearly accomplished what Odom did this whole season; I'm looking forward to him.

 

[a6m5]

I......don't get it.

I'm lost in general

Must be an American thing then. Something to do with a pink & stink, something or rather..... Google at your own risk. I've already said too much.

 

[Stavingo]

Ugh, Hornets lost again and we gave up a huge lead as well.

 

[a6m5]

Ugh, Hornets lost again and we gave up a huge lead as well.

If you play a lot of basketball, you'll understand this: The better team can pretty much turn it up a notch when it counts.

In the NBA, you hear so much about how irrelevant team kept up just until..., or how they blew the lead to survive the game, or lose the game in the fourth.

If the said team is playing against a better competition(nearly a every night for the Hornets), I'd pretty much expect it. Very typical basketball.

Edit: Spurs got their butt kicked in the fourth(oh... the irony), but they just said on the NBA radio that Spurs sat the big-3 this evening(back of the back2back). The discipline Pop(coach) has shown in regards to the roster has been nothing short of amazing. I've never seen the restraint of this level since I started watching in 1987.

 

[JohnBM01]

Sorry, a6m5... we swept your Trail Blazers with a 94-89 victory. I also understood that we swept the season series. Rockets will return home for Wednesday and Friday against (respectively) the Jazz and the Suns. Then on Sunday, we're at Denver. This is going to be a crucial stretch for the Rockets to try to secure their playoff spot with only ten games left in the season for Houston.

Home stretch time! Time for teams to make their move to try to help their playoff positioning.

 

[a6m5]

Nothing to be sorry about, John. Blazers have been tanking the season for awhile now. I can't even keep track of how many tickets I've passed up on, or on TV.

First they tanked in protest of the now ex-headcoach McMillan. After that, they've promoted the lower ranking assistant coach, and going for the lottery pick.

 

[Paulie]

Ugh, Hornets lost again and we gave up a huge lead as well.

Well if it makes you feel better Toronto lost as well, we didn't have Bargnani but who knows if that would have made the difference since some other players stepped up in his place.

 

[Stavingo]

Well if it makes you feel better Toronto lost as well, we didn't have Bargnani but who knows if that would have made the difference since some other players stepped up in his place.

Haha doesn't make me feel better, I was watching it live and we just completely choked on some possessions as soon as we were up by around 9 points.

 

[Villain]

Big game tonight. Come on Clippers! This one is sorely needed.

 

[JohnBM01]

This game had a real Castlevania 2 feel to it: a horrible night to have a curse.

This was ugly. So many missed opportunities as the Jazz just played with much more energy and hustle than the Rockets. We needed to win this one so in case of a tie-breaker, we would have a chance to advance to the playoffs. Everybody else now is going to have to screw up for the Rockets to make the playoffs. And even then, I'm not even sure if these Rockets can even be (at the least) a sleeper to make some playoff noise. The Jazz won 103-91 over my Rockets. We now have to contend with the Suns on Friday night.

My boys failed terribly. I'm not going to say we should have won this game, but this was just damned ugly. A bulls:censored: performance that is totally NOT Rockets basketball. Oh, well... Phoenix Suns Friday night.

 

[Villain]

It's the Law.

 

[JohnBM01]

The two games to be aired tonight with the NBA on TNT are these games:

* Heat at Bulls
* Mavericks at Warriors


These other teams will play tonight as well:
* Pistons at Bobcats
* Clippers at Timberwolves
* Grizzlies at Spurs


Here are the playoff alignments as they stand right now heading into tonight's matches:

! = clinched playoff spot
!! = won division

--- EAST ---
1. Chicago!
2. Miami! (3 back)
3. Indiana (8 back)
4. Boston (10 back)
5. Atlanta (10 back)
6. Orlando (10 back)
7. Philadelphia (13 back)
8. New York (14 back)
OTHERS: Milwaukee (-14), Detroit (-22.5), New Jersey (-23.5), Cleveland (-24), Toronto (-24.5), Washington (-30), Charlotte (-36)

--- WEST ---
1. Oklahoma City!!
2. San Antonio! (1 back)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (5.5 back)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (7 back)
5. Memphis (7.5 back)
6. Dallas (10 back)
7. Denver (10 back)
8. Houston (10 back)
OTHERS: Utah (-11.5), Phoenix (-12), Portland (-14.5), Minnesota (-17.5), Golden State (-19.5), Sacramento (-23.5), New Orleans (-26.0)


That's all.

 

[Stavingo]

I hope the hornets can win against Utah Jazz and stop their streak whilst helping the Rockets get closer to the 8th spot

 

[JohnBM01]

We need wins and help to make the postseason. Even then, we'll have to play harder than we've ever played if we do make the playoffs. I don't like the Rockets' chances of advancing through the playoffs if we do get in.


Heat at Bulls is still on deck at the top of the hour followed by Mavericks at Warriors later tonight.

 

[sumbrownkid]

I'm really proud of this Chicago Bulls team. That last game was really a statement of Miami's woes.

 

[JohnBM01]

I saw the Bulls cash in that three-point bomb to force Overtime. That was a HUGE win for the Bulls even though the Bulls are ahead of the Heat in the win-loss column. Then in the nightcap, it was the Dallas Mavericks that beat the Golden State Warriors.


Suns at Rockets tonight as one of two games to be featured on ESPN. And if I know my past with ESPN-televised games of Houston teams, we're going to fail AGAIN. We really needed to beat the Jazz on Wednesday... but that didn't happen. Rockets definitely need this one to keep pace in the Western Conference standings. The game will also be televised locally on Houston's My 20 network (Houston's My Network TV affiliate). There are plenty other games besides this one tonight here in Houston, so enjoy this NBA ball night!

 

[Stavingo]

YES! Finally the Hornets have been sold to Tom Benson, man that is some good news.

 

[Spacegoat]

^ Very good news.

The Hornets did their part in helping John's Rockets, beating the Jazz 96-85.

 

[cullenand]

YES! Finally the Hornets have been sold to Tom Benson, man that is some good news.

I wonder if they're going to change the name and colors. I think that Utah should give the Jazz brand back to New Orleans and then Utah can have the Hornets, since they are known as the beehive state. Or possibly give Charlotte back the Hornets and Utah create a whole new brand. Should be interesting.

 

[a6m5]

I wonder if they're going to change the name and colors. I think that Utah should give the Jazz brand back to New Orleans and then Utah can have the Hornets, since they are known as the beehive state. Or possibly give Charlotte back the Hornets and Utah create a whole new brand. Should be interesting.

While that would be epic, it will never happen.

I HATE the Jazz, and I HATE the Jazz fans. They are epitome of homers, and I've seen some of the ugliest reactions from the crowd at the Delta Center. Having said that, they are some of the most loyal fans, in any pro sports. Jazz will have to suck for like 15~20 years before they will move that team(name=team).

New Orleans Jazz would be so awesome though. Such a great idea.........

 

[JohnBM01]

Friday the 13th my f:censored:ing ass... Rockets f:censored: another one in a nationally-televised game. Showing once again that ESPN brings out the worst in us. A 112-105 f:censored:-up job means we'll need to keep winning while everybody else drop like flies. God (or some other higher power) doesn't want the Rockets to make the playoffs. A wing and a prayer can save our playoff hopes now.

 

[Stavingo]

I wonder if they're going to change the name and colors. I think that Utah should give the Jazz brand back to New Orleans and then Utah can have the Hornets, since they are known as the beehive state. Or possibly give Charlotte back the Hornets and Utah create a whole new brand. Should be interesting.

This article explains a little bit about why it won't happen as stated in one paragraph:

Last month, the team and the state of Louisiana reached agreement on a long-term lease that will keep the Hornets in the state until at least 2024. Under terms of the agreement, the state has to approve $40 million in improvements to New Orleans Arena and the new owner of the team has to pledge to keep the team in town. The vote on the $40 million is expected to be taken up by the Louisiana legislature in June.

So hopefully unless the lease goes wrong or something, the hornets should stay in New Orleans for another decade. As for colours though, I have no clue about that.

 

[Paulie]

Well amazingly the Raptors scrapped it out with the Celtics to take the win today, despite both our Point Guards out on injury and our main scorer Bargnani now resting the rest of the season with a nagging calf injury. Might as well call us the Toronto D-Leaguers since we have so many of them on 10-day contracts.

Edit: And I bet someone the refs know lost a lot of money on that game because they sure tried their darndest to make the Celtics win.

 

[McLaren]

While that would be epic, it will never happen.

I HATE the Jazz, and I HATE the Jazz fans. They are epitome of homers, and I've seen some of the ugliest reactions from the crowd at the Delta Center. Having said that, they are some of the most loyal fans, in any pro sports. Jazz will have to suck for like 15~20 years before they will move that team(name=team).

New Orleans Jazz would be so awesome though. Such a great idea.........

Sound like Cowboys fans, then.

Friday the 13th my fing ass... Rockets f another one in a nationally-televised game. Showing once again that ESPN brings out the worst in us. A 112-105 f-up job means we'll need to keep winning while everybody else drop like flies. God (or some other higher power) doesn't want the Rockets to make the playoffs. A wing and a prayer can save our playoff hopes now.

John, you & I know the bottom seeds in the West are still anyone's game, my team included. I'm hoping we can inch past the Grizzlies just so we stand some sort of chance against the Clippers instead of the Lakers. A San Antonio match up would be our next best bet.

 

[cullenand]

While that would be epic, it will never happen.

I HATE the Jazz, and I HATE the Jazz fans. They are epitome of homers, and I've seen some of the ugliest reactions from the crowd at the Delta Center. Having said that, they are some of the most loyal fans, in any pro sports. Jazz will have to suck for like 15~20 years before they will move that team(name=team).

New Orleans Jazz would be so awesome though. Such a great idea.........

I can only hope that somehow, someway it happens. The thing that I dont understand the most is why did Utah keep the Jazz name and brand when they moved from New Orleans to Utah. Jazz has absolutely nothing to do with Utah in any way that I know of.

 

[cullenand]

This article explains a little bit about why it won't happen as stated in one paragraph:

So hopefully unless the lease goes wrong or something, the hornets should stay in New Orleans for another decade. As for colours though, I have no clue about that.

I believe that its limited to moving the franchises, though. What I'm talking about is re-branding the teams. From my understanding it says the team or franchise has to stay in New Orleans and doesnt say that they cant rebrand. I dont know that much about it so I may be wrong.

 

[a6m5]

I can only hope that somehow, someway it happens. The thing that I dont understand the most is why did Utah keep the Jazz name and brand when they moved from New Orleans to Utah. Jazz has absolutely nothing to do with Utah in any way that I know of.

Unfortunately, they are as household name there today as the Lakers are in L.A.(originally named for the many lakes in Minnesota).

 

[cullenand]

Seems like the Hornets WILL get a new name and brand
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....ner-will-mean-new-name-logo-for-hornets-soon/

 

[Villain]

The Lakers and the Jazz are two of the worst named teams in sports.

 

[JohnBM01]

I don't really understand how the Lakers namesake moved to Los Angeles, because they used to be the Minneapolis Lakers- which is more appropriate. Then too... I'm reminded of the New Orleans Jazz. Just better sounding names for certain teams. Or maybe it's just me.