All purpose NBA thread 07/08

Fisher - Harris/ Terry: Dallas advantage, no argument whatsoever.

Diop - Bynum: Los Angeles going away. Bynum averaged 8 points and 6 boards last year; Diop averaged 2 and 5. There aren't many players in the league you can say Bynum is in better shape than, but Diop is one of them.

Odom - Howard: Odom was playing like an MVP the first two months of last season, it wasn't until Kobe started really usurping the ball that his game dropped. Howard's a great player, but how much opportunity to show that would he have playing with Kobe? Probably as much as Odom. Push.

Stackhouse: Doesn't he start? Anyway, Stack is only effective with the ball in his hands...but not creating his own shot. He's good at hitting the jumper on a penetrate-and-kick. Compare him to Luke Walton and that one is edge Los Angeles. Walton's a great passer, averaged the same PPG as Stackhouse, and is a better rebounder. Walton also had a higher FG percentage.

Bench: Dallas wins going away because you have the Terry/Harris option, but otherwise it's role players. The Mavericks, specifically Dirk Nowitzki, use those role players better than Kobe does his.

 

Diop-Bynum is not L.A. going away. Did you see Diop's numbers in the postseason? He's not needed much in the regular season. In the playoffs, where defense becomes more of a factor, Diop has shown the ability to dominate.

And Odom-Howard is not a push. I'm sorry, but I'll take the more unselfish player without a history of injury and suspensions for drug use. Thanks.

I may grant you Stackhouse-Walton, if that's your comparison.

 

Odom's unselfish, he's averaged over 4 assists per game just about his entire career. He's also been right around a career double-double, and is capable of a triple-double on most nights. Howard is a great player, I'm not trying to take anything away from him. I just feel Odom is underrated, and largely because he's stuck as bit player in the Kobe Show. Odom was having a stellar season before the offense became All Kobe All The Time.

As for Diop and his defense, maybe I'm remebering incorrectly, but didn't Avery Johnson have to change up his gameplan because Diop was incapable of keeping up with the Warriors?

 

You've obviously never watched the Lakers. Kobe has continued to try to make Odom a big factor of the offense but Odom dosn't want to step up. When Kobe gives him the ball, Odom'll always try to give it up back to him.

 

Obviously?

Obviously? That's pretty condescending. I have Good Doctor saying Odom is selfish, and you saying he won't take the shot and is timid. Something doesn't add up. Odom was shooting plenty and doing quite well last year from November through Christmas, he fared well as Miami's main offensive weapon in '03-'04. Yet when he came back from injury the Laker offense had become Kobe looks for his shot while everyone else stands around.

 

I have an HD package from DirecTV, and I got an unreal number of NBA games last night. Is this just a promotion?

 

First week of League Pass is free. NHL did the same thing with Center Ice. I'm hoping the college hoops package does the same!

 

Someone did say a page or two back that they thought this was the year Garnett would fade. No evidence was presented to support this theory.

 

Garnett will flourish in Boston. He's a big man who loves to pass. I imagine his triple-double and assist totals will rise, and he'll have more confidence in passing on the shots and giving the opportunities to his teammates more than he has in the last few years. Depending on how well the Celtics do this season, Garnett will be an MVP candidate, just like he's been for the last eight seasons.

But it's way too early to give him the award now. There's still six months of the season to play.

 

Adrian Wojo had a great column about Duncan calling him "The Anti-Kobe," but the same could be said for Garnett. In fact with Garnett it's more apropos. He was on some horrendous teams, but never bellyached or threw his teammates under the bus, just kept playing hard.

 

I like this Brea kid for Dallas who got the start. 25 points and the Mavs paste the Kings 123-102.

 

The Pacers remain undefeated. I'm sure the bubble will shatter at some point.