Official 2009/2010 NBA Season Thread (Lakers Vs. Celtics Finals)

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

After several years of the NBA age minimum being 19 the track record is bad for high schoolers spending a year overseas as a pro before trying the NBA. The only guy I can think of where it worked out well is Milwaukee's Jennings who had a great rookie season this year.

You have something against Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant?

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Uxi

I'm definitely for it. Wilt had to do a year with the globetrotters because he didn't like college IIRC. It would definitely get rid of the 'one and done' crowd in NCAA bball. Sure, college isn't for everyone... they could hit the D-league or go to Europe.

Kobe would have been MUCH better if he had done a couple years in college.

Funny thing is when Kareem played college ball freshman didn't play on the varsity team. The UCLA varsity team played an exhibition against the freshman squad led by Kareem (Lew Alcindor) that year and the freshmen rolled them. Had Kareem been allowed on the varsity team as a freshman he likely would have won a national title all four years at UCLA.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

You have something against Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant?

I was referring to high schoolers going to Europe before the NBA. None of those guys ever played in Europe. And Vince Carter played 3 years at UNC before going to the NBA. He was 21 or 22 when he went pro.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

After several years of the NBA age minimum being 19 the track record is bad for high schoolers spending a year overseas as a pro before trying the NBA. The only guy I can think of where it worked out well is Milwaukee's Jennings who had a great rookie season this year.

Who has done it other than Jennings? I know there was a player that skipped his senior year of high school this year and went to Egypt and left the team before the season ended, but he wouldn't have been eligible for the NBA anyway, and won't be eligible until 2011.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Who has done it other than Jennings? I know there was a player that skipped his senior year of high school this year and went to Egypt and left the team before the season ended, but he wouldn't have been eligible for the NBA anyway, and won't be eligible until 2011.

There have been quite a few others. I'll try to find a list. But ya, the HS drop-out was the worst case.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

I was referring to high schoolers going to Europe before the NBA. None of those guys ever played in Europe. And Vince Carter played 3 years at UNC before going to the NBA. He was 21 or 22 when he went pro.

I do now wonder, the end of this year's NBA post-season pending, if Garnett's done enough to get into the HOF. I think his ring cemented it but I'm not sure.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

I do now wonder, the end of this year's NBA post-season pending, if Garnett's done enough to get into the HOF. I think his ring cemented it but I'm not sure.

Really? I'd say first ballot easily. Guy won a Ring, league MVP, Defensive POY, great defender and rebounder, consistent All-Star and NBA 1st or 2nd Teamer. How on earth is he not first ballot?

Not his fault he played on many sorry Minnesota teams. And even so he still managed to lead them to some playoff wins with very little help.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

There have been quite a few others. I'll try to find a list. But ya, the HS drop-out was the worst case.

I know there have been plenty of guys (usually foreign) that have left their college teams to go overseas and play pro, but I think Jennings is the only player (other than the high schooler this year) that has completely skipped college and gone to Europe. The age limit has only been in effect since 2006, so nobody before then had to deal with the rule.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Really? I'd say first ballot easily. Guy won a Ring, league MVP, Defensive POY, great defender and rebounder, consistent All-Star and NBA 1st or 2nd Teamer. How on earth is he not first ballot?

Not his fault he played on many sorry Minnesota teams. And even so he still managed to lead them to some playoff wins with very little help.

He's not the most consistent scorer and a lot of people think he's a dirty player, too. He's my favourite player in the NBA but I am a Timberwolves fan so I'm kind of biased.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

He's not the most consistent scorer and a lot of people think he's a dirty player, too. He's my favourite player in the NBA but I am a Timberwolves fan so I'm kind of biased.

Since when has dirty play hurt a guy's HOF credentials? I knew Karl Malone personally when I was a kid and privately he joked about how many nasty elbows and illegal pick n' rolls he and Stockton got away with.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Since when has dirty play hurt a guy's HOF credentials? I knew Karl Malone personally when I was a kid and privately he joked about how many nasty elbows and illegal pick n' rolls he and Stockton got away with.

Actually I was more worried his many seasons with the horrible Timberwolves would cost him a bust but I guess not. Rarely am I happy when a great player leaves one of my favourite teams but I was overjoyed when he went to Boston because I knew he had a shot at a ring there. Would love to see him beat Kobe in the Finals again, too.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Actually I was more worried his many seasons with the horrible Timberwolves would cost him a bust but I guess not. Rarely am I happy when a great player leaves one of my favourite teams but I was overjoyed when he went to Boston because I knew he had a shot at a ring there.

I have some friends that are Timberwolves fans and all of them were happy for Garnett when he won a title. It's pretty weird when a fan base is happy for a former player when he wins a title with a different team, but Garnett gave everything he could for the T-Wolves and never requested a trade even though he would have been justified considering how poorly run that team was.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I have some friends that are Timberwolves fans and all of them were happy for Garnett when he won a title. It's pretty weird when a fan base is happy for a former player when he wins a title with a different team, but Garnett gave everything he could for the T-Wolves and never requested a trade even though he would have been justified considering how poorly run that team was.

Yup I never cry about basketball but I cried watching this, a bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpAv_ao7rBs

Never thought I'd see one of the toughest players in the NBA cry like a child in timeout.

[Uxi]

I always liked Shaq and was happy to see him win another title with the Heat, even though my allegience remained with the Lakers and I wished both him and Kobe would have been grown up (and/or Jerry West had stayed and told them both to STFU in the media). I'm a bit saddened to see how far Shaq has fallen from greatness. He used to be the single most powerful player in the NBA... now he's just a shell of that.

[Bizdady]

Man so much Boston Lechoke hype. Even our local espn LAKER station is going to broadcast the game on the radio tonight instead of our usuall local sports talk...

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Bizdady

Man so much Boston Lechoke hype. Even our local espn LAKER station is going to broadcast the game on the radio tonight instead of our usuall local sports talk...

I think just about everyone not living in Cleveland or not named David Stern wants Boston to win tonight.

[Hi-Def Steve]

Here we go!

[Bizdady]

[ChadFL]

Oh good gawd they let the greatness that is Kendrick Perkins dunk on them. Looks like the same Cavs team we saw in game 5.

[ChadFL]

Perkins blocked LeBron?