NBA 2012

[paul secor]

Congratulations to David Stern and the NBA for totally blowing an opportunity to draw a line in the sand when it comes to boorish dangerous behavior on the part of its players. This is a league that doesn't hesitate to drop five figure fines for using bad language or six figures for questioning the competency of its referees and they give MWP seven games (one of which is a meaningless, end of the season outing against Sacramento) for doing something that could potentially have ended another player's career? That is beyond lame and just serves to clarify how screwed up this league really is. Stern and his co-conspirators should be ashamed of themselves.

I agree. If you disagree with a call with a ref and he T's you up and the same thing happens 16 time, you then get suspended for one game and for every T after that initial 16. So you could get suspended for 7 games just for disagreeing with refs over a season. But if you damn near kill a player you get 7 games does not make sense. A lost opportunity to demand civility in a finese sport. Skip Bayless on First Take on ESPN had the gall to say that Harden instigated the action of Artest. What a screwed up way of thinking given the participants. Ask Stephen A. Smith.

Smith and Bayless are an act. Smith scowls, Bayless smirks, and they make a good buck out of it.

[Free For All]

Why else be lenient?

$$$$

[Dave James]

Smith and Bayless are an act. Smith scowls, Bayless smirks, and they make a good buck out of it.

I have no respect for either of these guys. Their sole purpose is to stir up the pot.

[Chalupa]

I hope Derrick Rose's knee is alright. Question - with the Bulls up by 20 points with 4 minutes to go and their star player has a history of injuries, why didn't they take him out of the game???

[Chalupa]

Wow. Torn ACL. That sucks.

[ejp626]

I hope Derrick Rose's knee is alright. Question - with the Bulls up by 20 points with 4 minutes to go and their star player has a history of injuries, why didn't they take him out of the game???

I think it was idiotic to leave him in, though the coach said that he felt the game was starting to slip away and he couldn't risk it. Obviously he regrets it now. Anyway, according to the latest reports, DRose tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. So it goes.

[BruceW]

D.Rose out, C. Bulls no title.

Rose has had so many injuries, he probably should not have played as much as he did. But then again, he has to earn all that money he is making.

[Brad]

I was not able to see the game but Knicks were completely destroyed. What an embarassment. Could be a very short series.

[JETman]

With Shumpert done for the next 6-8 months, a four and out seems likely. But alas, the Knicks now have bigger problems than they already had. They are a very poorly run organization, plain and simple. I fear Isaiah may be looming.

[Matthew]

The Dallas / OKC game was a really good one to watch. We'll see what's up with the Lakers without Meta World Peace.

[Brad]

With Shumpert done for the next 6-8 months, a four and out seems likely. But alas, the Knicks now have bigger problems than they already had. They are a very poorly run organization, plain and simple. I fear Isaiah may be looming.

In what capacity? Grunwald has had the interim tag removed as GM. I don't see Isiah as Coach as Woodson has done a good job and injuries have depleted them, first Lin, now Shumpert and Jeffries is very limited because of his knee.

[Matthew]

With Shumpert done for the next 6-8 months, a four and out seems likely. But alas, the Knicks now have bigger problems than they already had. They are a very poorly run organization, plain and simple. I fear Isaiah may be looming.

In what capacity? Grunwald has had the interim tag removed as GM. I don't see Isiah as Coach as Woodson has done a good job and injuries have depleted them, first Lin, now Shumpert and Jeffries is very limited because of his knee.

Isiah will be "Special Assistant to Dolan" next season, which is really GM-in-fact-not-in-name.

[JETman]

With Shumpert done for the next 6-8 months, a four and out seems likely. But alas, the Knicks now have bigger problems than they already had. They are a very poorly run organization, plain and simple. I fear Isaiah may be looming.

In what capacity? Grunwald has had the interim tag removed as GM. I don't see Isiah as Coach as Woodson has done a good job and injuries have depleted them, first Lin, now Shumpert and Jeffries is very limited because of his knee.

As I see it, a very dangerous situation is developing in Knick land. Remember, both Woodson AND Grunwald played college ball with Thomas. And.......Woodson was seen having dinner with Isaiah in White Plains last week on the day that Grunwald became GM. It's a well known fact that Isaiah had some influence over the Carmelo trade which hastened Donnie Walsh's exit. Natural scorer or not, Anthony is NOT a winning basketball player. He has absolutely no leadership abilities. You would have NEVER seen a guy of Messier's makeup quit on a coach, for instance.

It's no secret either that Dolan is incredibly bad for the whole Garden Empire. Don't ya think it's just a little ballsy to charge $2,500+ for courtside seats to have the privilege of watching a losing basketball team? I guess I can thank my lucky stars, though, that Sather finally caved and listened to Torterella as far as not trading away the farm for over the hill talent goes. This will never happen on the basketball side of things. There is no farm system in b-ball, as you know. The Knicks will always somehow be at or near the cap. They will never be able to attract top-notch, make-a-difference type talent because of this AND they'll always be just good enough to earn themselves relatively low draft picks. Either way, this situation will not change anytime soon, and the NBA's most important franchise will continue to go title-less for many years to come. It's a shame really that no top player wants to come here as it is seen by many to be THE place to be lifestyle wise.

Have I been clear enough for you?

To make matters even worse, rumours are running rampant that Dolan will make a ridiculous desparation offer to Phil. This is just further proof that the Knicks just can't do things the right way.

Edited April 29, 2012 by JETman

[ejp626]

As upsetting as it is about Rose, I am grateful for one thing. I was out of contact for a while while this happened, and all we knew was "Rose is down." I was halfway convinced that someone had headhunted him or intentionally undercut his legs or something. And that would have been ugly and controversial, etc. Anyway, it was nothing like that at all and it was just a freak injury.

Just saw the end of the Atlanta-Boston game. Boston really looked out of it. Then with 40 seconds to go, Rondo got T'ed up, then bumped the official! And got tossed. My understanding is that it is an automatic one game suspension, perhaps even more. So basically Boston is done for the season.

[Chalupa]

Just saw the end of the Atlanta-Boston game. Boston really looked out of it. Then with 40 seconds to go, Rondo got T'ed up, then bumped the official! And got tossed. My understanding is that it is an automatic one game suspension, perhaps even more. So basically Boston is done for the season.

I saw that too. What a bonehead. TNT just showed a post game interview w/ Rondo and he said he tripped and his momentum carried him into the ref.

Yeah, right.

[ejp626]

Just saw the end of the Atlanta-Boston game. Boston really looked out of it. Then with 40 seconds to go, Rondo got T'ed up, then bumped the official! And got tossed. My understanding is that it is an automatic one game suspension, perhaps even more. So basically Boston is done for the season.

I saw that too. What a bonehead. TNT just showed a post game interview w/ Rondo and he said he tripped and his momentum carried him into the ref.

Yeah, right.

First, I don't think anyone is going to buy that after looking at the replay. Second, he didn't have any business moving in to keep jawing at the ref after getting T'ed up. I think he's going to be suspended (esp. since he was already suspended a couple of games this season), but I guess we'll see.

Just saw the last couple of minutes of the Clippers-Memphis game. They are saying it is the most impressive comeback (and chokejob) in the last 10 years. Clippers went on something like a 26-1 run to absolutely snatch that game away from Memphis. On the other hand, one of their players broke his left hand.

[Quincy]

Clippers went on something like a 26-1 run to absolutely snatch that game away from Memphis. On the other hand, one of their players broke his left hand.

You had to say "on the other hand." Poor Caron, after several seasons of missing at least 1/5 of the season he stayed fairly healthy (just the nagging crap) and then this happens in Game 1.

Memphis was a dark horse pick to win the West if you 1) think Fisher will curse OKC or that they just aren't ready yet and 2) figure Manu gets hurt and 3) think bad thoughts about the other candidates. Last year the Blazers stunned Dallas in a game and that sparked a title run. Not that I see that happening with Memphis, but this is how I'd sell Game 2 if I had to the game intro. I wouldn't mention that last year some picked the Blazers as possible "go far" playoff team.

[BruceW]

Memphis is a better team than most people think. Blame that loss (Clippers comeback) on the coach. How else can you lose a 27 point lead like that that late in the game.

[Soulstation1]

Rondo threw the ball at a ref earlier this season

[Noj]

To be honest, I don't blame Rondo. The officiating has been especially atrocious this year. They stink.

Great comeback by the Clipjoint, my friends who are Clipper fans are super pumped up today.

[BruceW]

To be honest, I don't blame Rondo. The officiating has been especially atrocious this year. They stink.

Great comeback by the Clipjoint, my friends who are Clipper fans are super pumped up today.

Clipjoint, that's cute.

I also happen to like the Clippers but had turned off that game. To my surprise I turned it back on just before the end and saw the amazing comback. Yea!! Have no idea how far they can go in playoffs.

[Aggie87]

I've become a DeAndre Jordan fan gradually, so rooting for the Clippers (behind the Spurs though!).

I was disappointed that Jordan didn't spend another year or two at Texas A&M, instead going the "one and done" route. I think his development would have paid big dividends for the A&M program, and wouldn't have hurt his draft status and eventually big money contracts anyway.

[Big Wheel]

These playoffs are already nuts. Amar'e Stoudamire was so angry after Game 2 against the Heat that he punched a fire extinguisher box in the arena and seriously lacerated his hand. Now he's likely to be out along with Lin and Shumpert.

So of the 8 playoff teams in the East, the Knicks have imploded, Rondo has screwed the Celts, the Bulls are going to have to do it without Rose and the Magic are a giant hot mess. I never expected to think that the Hawks or Pacers had any reasonable shot of making it to the conference finals.

[BruceW]

Question of the week.

Will the Lakers dump World Peace next season? and why? or why not?

BruceW

[alocispepraluger102]

the nba teams, due to the compressed schedule, are mash units.

for the first time in my life, and with action filled hockey playoffs now broadly available on nbc sports, i will watch any available nhl game over any available nba offering. i gave the unfortunate bulls a go, via time shifting, last night; they are toast.