Re: NBA thread : Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:50 pm  

inside_man wrote:

The clippers need a collective slap around the head. Im very unsure on Del Negro, I personally feel they need to get a new coach in the off-season and let them have a full training camp to work on things, though the reality is Del Negro will get that.

Top performance. Still think Melo will get traded somewhere in the summer though.

I dont think he will. Been a different player the past week.

Re: NBA thread : Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:54 pm  

inside_man wrote:

The clippers need a collective slap around the head. Im very unsure on Del Negro, I personally feel they need to get a new coach in the off-season and let them have a full training camp to work on things, though the reality is Del Negro will get that.

There are a few things that's really hurting them in games. They can't hit free throws to save their lives, and it's really costing them 'easy points'. Too often Blake, Jordan and Evans will just be dragged down or pushed out of the way, as most teams know they aren't going to hit 2-2. It's resulted in Blake taking more and more jumpers, as every time he's near the hoop it's a double/triple team and then a foul if he works out of it.

They clearly have a talented roster, but I'm already doubting this signing of Nick Young. They needed a savvy player, somebody who could shut down on defence, like Sefolosha of the Thunder, who would be such a perfect fit at the Clippers. Not only is Young a bit 'dumb' in his play, he's one of those players that makes play stop when he gets the ball. When the Clippers had Billups and Paul playing, they moved it so well, then when Williams came in, he was given the keys to score and penetrate at will. Since Billups has gone down, the passing has stopped, the post players aren't getting many looks and the bench is being woefully outplayed.

It's clearly a year too early for the Clippers, who I feel will probably end the year being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. They desperately need role players, they desperately need shut down defenders and they definitely need Billups back next season. I still think LA should have gone for Ray Allen, but I guess the Celtics wanted too much whereas the Wizards were giving Young away.

Re: NBA thread : Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:54 pm  

Anyone watching Anthony Davis and Kentucky tomorrow? Anybody watched him much? I've seen a few halves here and there on ESPN and he's frighteningly good. I think he could end up like Kevin Garnett, a freakishly long forward/centre that dominates opposing teams in just about every way.

Re: NBA thread : Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:34 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Anyone watching Anthony Davis and Kentucky tomorrow? Anybody watched him much? I've seen a few halves here and there on ESPN and he's frighteningly good. I think he could end up like Kevin Garnett, a freakishly long forward/centre that dominates opposing teams in just about every way.

Lets just hope he doesn't get stuck in Charlotte.

Re: NBA thread : Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:59 pm  

inside_man wrote:

Lets just hope he doesn't get stuck in Charlotte.

Or have Oden-esque knees. The last time I sat down and actually watched some NCAA basketball was the the year of the 2007 draft. I sat there in awe of Oden who was an absolute freak. When the commentators were saying he was playing 'wrong handed' because of surgery to his other wrist, I just couldn't believe that somebody of such athleticism had such solid post moves with his wrong hand. When Portland drafted him I couldn't see anything but a few championships, with Roy in the back court and Aldridge's potential next to Oden, they had pretty much everything. The story of Greg Oden, Brandon Roy and Portland has to be one of the most sorry in sport, people mock them for drafting him over Durant but he was clearly the lights out number one pick in that draft, Durant would have gone number one in any draft over the past twelve years other than the 2003 draft and the 2007 draft.

I hope Davis doesn't end up at Charlotte, but he looks such a talent that I think he could even turn their organisation around.

Re: NBA thread : Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:47 am  

Stayed up to watch the Clippers three nights on the bounce. Del Negro has to go, the team don't play defence yet they have more than capable players. There's a massive lack of direction with everything, the rotation, the plays, the defensive effort, the go-to guys, just everything.

Re: NBA thread : Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:16 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

Stayed up to watch the Clippers three nights on the bounce. Del Negro has to go, the team don't play defence yet they have more than capable players. There's a massive lack of direction with everything, the rotation, the plays, the defensive effort, the go-to guys, just everything.

But is that the coach or is that the shear lack of time and preparation they've had going into this season with the huge raft of changes they've had?

I think it's a bit of both, but I didn't rate VdN ever anyway.

Re: NBA thread : Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:29 pm  

inside_man wrote:

But is that the coach or is that the shear lack of time and preparation they've had going into this season with the huge raft of changes they've had?

I think it's a bit of both, but I didn't rate VdN ever anyway.

It's a bit of both. I wouldn't mind if the coach had made the right noises, or there had been signs. Del Negro comes out and says things like "I just do the basics and let them go out and play", any coach could do that, really. I've stayed up to watch a lot of Clipper games this year, pretty much any game on stream that's on before 8pm ET, and the problems have been evident all season. They come out the traps like a house on fire, then teams adjust and the Clippers look lost, for the first few months, Chris Paul's brilliance alone was keeping them afloat, but once teams started to shut Paul down, it became more and more clear that the Clippers never had a gameplan in the 4th quarter. I don't think VDN is a bad coach, but he isn't the coach to manage the new found expectations at the Clippers. Look at what happened to the Bulls after he left, something similar could happen with the Clippers if they picked the right guy.

Re: NBA thread : Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:47 pm  

6-1 in the last 7 for the Knicks. Holding teams to 85.9 a game. The team seems to have bought into Woodson and his defensive strategy. Melo still not right though.

I've seen a bit of Anthony Davis. Stupidly good. Will instantly change any franchise he goes to. The draft is very deep next year.

Re: NBA thread : Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:38 pm  

Mark wrote:

6-1 in the last 7 for the Knicks. Holding teams to 85.9 a game. The team seems to have bought into Woodson and his defensive strategy. Melo still not right though.

I've seen a bit of Anthony Davis. Stupidly good. Will instantly change any franchise he goes to. The draft is very deep next year.

Watched a bit of the NCAA over the weekemd, was very impressed with Cody Zeler? Zeker? He looks like he'll be a good player, needs to bulk up a bit though.

Kentucky are just awesome this year tho, two top 5 picks in a single team, they should walk the title.