Wow, not looking good for the Warriors this year. Baron bolted and Ellis was injured/crashed. In the West they are going to have a tough time to make the playoffs yet.

Ah, yeah. Saw the both Knicks' games, and I liked what I saw. It was just that big of a mess last year there, that any progress might just look huge. Lets just hope it is actually.

And Lee is great - still not that great *not* to see some threads at RealGM wanting him gone. :/

But the guy improved every single year, and this time he got himself a nice midrange jumper too.

I watched the Nuggets/Suns game last night. It looked to be a little too cold for the players to be playing outside. I think it's a great idea to have games outside, but perhaps they should put them in the afternoon just in case it gets chilly outside. Both teams seemed to be affected by the wind as well.

Well... It was played in Palm Springs... In the beginning of October...

It shouldn't have been as cold as it was. But it was extremely cold last night.

I guess the Greek club Olympiakos are planning to offer 83 mil untaxed over 3 years to Kobe next year. That's the equivalent of 140 mil or 47 mil a year in the US. Also all expenses paid, a mansion, and a yacht.

Should definitely be a tempting situation next year.

I was reading a good trade idea on ESPN, where the Nets would trade Carter for Tim Thomas and Mobley from the Clippers. For the Nets they get rid of Vince's contract which would've brought them down when they try to get Lebron after moving to Brooklyn, and they guarantee themselves to be the worst team in the whole league until then, more lottery balls in other words. Clippers get to play a starting lineup of Davis, Carter, Thornton, Kaman, Camby... looks pretty good to me, and just getting rid of Thomas and Mobley is a plus in terms of chemistry. Carter's contract or age isn't really an issue either because they're stuck with Davis and Camby just as long anyways.

yeah, random

I would like to know the % over/under for Nene staying healthy the entire season for the Nuggets. Now that Camby is gone, Nene is going to have to be the starting center for them. When he's healthy and in shape he can be a great offensive player and he has done well in spots for defense. I think his biggest problem has been staying healthy.

I give him a 60% chance of staying healthy all season.

Miami has now lost 11 straight preseason games.

I will be in attendeance for cavs-celtics on tuesday!

do me a favor and bitch slap Lebron's mom.

thx

S.I.'s Top 10 NBA stories going into this season:

1) Celtics go for two in a row - Led by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, Boston recorded the biggest one-season improvement in NBA history ( 42 games) last year en route to the franchise's 17th championship. Now it seeks to become the first Celtics club to repeat as champs since the Bill Russell era (1968 and '69). The good news for Boston is that most of the pieces are back, with the notable exception of small forward James Posey. But will the Big Three be as hungry now that they have those long-sought rings?

2) Greg Oden's debut - After missing all of last season with a knee injury, Blazers center Greg Oden finally gets a chance to live up to the hype. The No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft could prove to be a major piece for an up-and-coming Portland team that has its sights set on the playoffs. Oden also is eligible to win Rookie of the Year, joining Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo, among others, in what looks to be a compelling race.

3) Effect of economic downturn - The struggling U.S. economy threatens to bring less revenue from ticket sales and merchandising as sports fans tighten their belts. The problem could be felt most acutely in struggling smaller markets such as Memphis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Sacramento. More than ever, the NBA is going to need stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul to keep the game afloat while the economy recovers.

4) Ron Artest's impact in Houston - Frustrated by another first-round playoff ouster, the Rockets took a bold gamble by acquiring mercurial forward Ron Artest in a trade with the Kings. Can the two-time All-Star join with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming to make the Rockets a championship contender? Or will Artest's history of off-court problems lead to distraction and another aborted title mission in Houston? Of course, even a controversy-free season from Artest might not help much if Yao and T-Mac can't stay healthy for a full season.

5) Andrew Bynum's return - The Lakers sorely missed the presence of injured center Andrew Bynum in last season's Finals loss to the Celtics. The talented 7-footer is back on the court and has declared himself fully recovered from the knee injury that derailed his 2007-08 season. If Bynum can stay healthy and pick up where he left off as one of the game's blossoming young big men, he just might prove to be the missing piece that puts Kobe Bryant & Co. over the top this time around.

6) Old faces in new places - Baron Davis returned home to Hollywood. Elton Brand fled to Philly. Jermaine O'Neal got a fresh start in Toronto. Those were just some of the big-name players who changed uniforms in the offseason. It will be interesting to see if Brand and O'Neal can regain their All-Star form and turn their teams into legitimate contenders in the East. Davis, meanwhile, will be out to lead his hometown Clippers back to the West playoffs after a two-year absence.

7) LeBron James' future - He can't become a free agent until 2010, but it's never too early to start dreaming. The Nets and a handful of other teams already have begun making moves and clearing cap space in hopes of landing the Cavaliers' superstar. James says he's happy to be in Cleveland for now, but has not ruled out anything. Expect to hear a lot of stories and rumors about LeBron's future as he goes about trying to lead the Cavs to the title -- and maybe beat out the likes of Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard for his first MVP award.

8) Big names on the block - Allen Iverson. Shawn Marion. Vince Carter. Lamar Odom. Josh Howard. Kirk Hinrich. Mike Bibby. Those are some of the big-name players who could be available before the February trade deadline. Even if this year's deadline run-up doesn't match last season's frenzy (Pau Gasol, Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Kidd were among those traded), it could have an effect on the title race as contending teams try to beef up for the stretch drive.

9) The state of the Knicks - Seeking to restore the luster to a once-proud franchise, the Knicks brought in longtime executive Donny Walsh and veteran coach Mike D'Antoni to clean up the mess left behind by the Isiah Thomas regime. The Walsh/D'Antoni pairing has promised a change in culture and a more entertaining style of play, but a roster clogged with mismatched parts and bad contracts figures to make for a slow turnaround. Meanwhile, the Stephon Marbury saga hangs over the team like a black cloud. How long will New York fans stay patient?

10) The NBA in OKC - After two years of legal wrangling in Seattle, owner Clay Bennett finally got his wish and relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City. With last season's Rookie of the Year, Kevin Durant, and several other young talents, the Thunder have a bright future. But it will be interesting to see if Oklahoma City embraces a rebuilding team the same way it did the more competitive New Orleans Hornets a few years ago during their temporary relocation to OKC because of Hurricane Katrina.

The NBA starts tonight on TNT!! Woohoo! I'm pumped for some NBA action!

I guess I never did my predictions

East
1. Boston - 57-25
2. Detroit - 53-29
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - 49-34
4. Orlando Magic - 49-33
5. Philadelphia 76ers - 50-32
6. Toronto Raptors - 45-37
7. Chicago Bulls - 42-40
8. Charlotte Bobcats - 40-42

9. Miami Heat - 40-42
10. Atlanta Hawks - 38-44
11. New York Knicks - 38-44
12. Washington Wizards - 37-45
13. Indiana Pacers - 36-46
14. Milwaukee Bucks - 30-52
15. New Jersey Nets - 29-53

Top 6 is pretty predictable but barring injury I can't see why it would go any other way. 7-15 is REALLY fun this year though, I think every one of those teams has at least an outside shot at the final two seeds, NJ and New York seem the most unlikely but who knows.

West
1. LA Lakers - 56-26
2. Utah Jazz - 54-28
3. New Orleans Hornets - 53-29
4. Houston Rockets - 52-30
5. San Antonio Spurs - 49-33
6. Phoenix Suns - 45-37
7. Dallas Mavericks - 45-37
8. Portland Trail Blazers - 42-40

9. LA Clippers - 40-42
10. Denver Nuggets - 39-43
11. Sacramento Kings - 38-44
12. Golden State Warriors - 36-46
13. Memphis Grizzlies - 31-51
14. Minnesota Timberwolves - 27-55
15. Oklahoma City - 19-63

I don't think the 50 and 55+ win buildup will repeat in the West this year, mainly because I think most of the bottomfeeders in both the West and East will be better. Otherwise I don't expect too much change, I gave Utah the 2nd seed (even with a drop in wins) because of their home court play, if they go 35-6 at home for example they'll just need a 19-22 record on the road to get 54. Not to mention they were one of the best second half teams last year.

Playoff predicts:

East
Boston over Charlotte in 5
Detroit over Chicago in 5
Cleveland over Toronto in 5
Orlando over Philadelphia in 6

Boston over Orlando in 5
Cleveland over Detroit in 6

Boston over Cleveland in 7

West
LA over Portland in 6
Utah over Dallas in 5
New Orleans over Phoenix in 5
Houston over San Antonio in 7

Utah over New Orleans in 7 (EPIC DUEL!!!)
Houston over LA in 7

Houston over Utah in 6

Finals

Boston over Houston in 6

(Didn't feel like predicting another Boston-LA matchup! In any case, two best defenses in the league... it makes sense)

Oh, and Al Harrington just asked for a trade. That'll sure ruin the Warriors' year!

It's fun to do predictions just to see how badly I end up doing (fantasy or otherwise). But I'll give it a shot. My only bias is that I grew up in Denver and though I haven't lived there in a long time I still support the Nuggets. That said, it's not like they're going anywhere soon.

East
1. Boston - 58-24
2. Cleveland - 52-30
3. Orlando - 51-31
4. Detroit - 50-32
5. Toronto - 44-38
6. Miami- 42-40
7. Philly - 40-42
8. Atlanta - 40-42

9. Chicago - 39-43
10. Indiana - 36-46
11. Charlotte - 34-48
12. Washington - 32-50
13. Bucks - 31-51
14. Knicks - 28-54
15. New Jersey Nets - 26-56

Lebron takes Cleveland into the #2 spot. Detroit, though experienced, is getting old. My surprise pick has to be Miami. 1) D. Wade is back. After watching the Olympics I’m convinced he will be able to carry the team. 2) Beasley is a beast. The guy can score easily. 3) I don’t know if everyone expects them to do well this year. Also, I’m not sold on Philly that much.

West
1. Hornets – 57-25
2. Lakers – 57-25 (tiebreaker to the Hornets)
3. Spurs – 55-27
4. Rockets – 49-33
5. Jazz – 49-33
6. Portland – 48-34
7. Suns – 46-36
8. Nuggets – 44-38

9. Dallas – 43-39
10. Warriors – 41-41
11. Clippers – 38-44
12. Kings – 32-50
13. Minnesota – 30-52
14. Memphis – 20-62
15. Should be Sonics – 18-64

Chris Paul will lead his team to the top spot with a tiebreaker over the Lakers. It’s time for another Spurs run. Duncan and Parker may have to carry the team, but they are more than capable. The Rockets may be good, but that depends if no one gets injured. And the Nuggets get into the playoffs by a miracle … but only to lose in the 1st round yet again. I’m deeply hoping that the Bernard King inside of Melo awakens and he leads his team like he is capable of doing.

East

Boston beats Atlanta 4-0
Cleveland beats Philly 4-1
Miami beats Orlando 4-3
Detroit beats Toronto 4-2

Boston beats Detroit 4-3
Cleveland beats Miami 4-2

Cleveland beats Boston 4-3

West

Hornets beat Nuggets 4-1 (oh yea, we win the 1st game and get hope only to lose the rest)
Lakers beat Suns 4-2 (Kobe vs. Shaq one more time)
Portland beat Spurs 4-3 (Oden vs Duncan … that’d be sweet)
Jazz beat Rockets 4-3 (Yep, the Rockets are eliminated yet again by the Jazz)

Hornets beat Jazz 4-3 (Williams vs Paul)
Lakers beat Portland 4-2

Lakers beat Hornets 4-3

Championship series

Lakers beat Cleveland 4-3 (Kobe vs. Lebron … and Kobe wins since he has the supporting cast)

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic:
01. Boston - 60-22
02. Philadelphia - 55-27
03. Toronto - 48-34
04. New York - 35-47
05. New Jersey - 25-57

Central:
01. Cleveland - 57-25
02. Detroit - 53-29
03. Chicago - 38-44
04. Indiana - 37-45
05. Milwaukee - 29-53

Southeast:
01. Orlando - 55-27
02. Miami - 43-39
03. Washington - 40-42
04. Atlanta - 39-43
05. Charlotte - 37-45

Western Conference:

Southwest:
01. New Orleans - 55-27
02. Houston - 54-28
03. San Antonio - 50-32
04. Dallas - 48-34
05. Memphis - 20-62

Northwest:
01. Utah - 58-24
02. Portland - 51-31
03. Denver - 40-42
04. Minnesota - 28-54
05. Oklahoma City - 20-62

Pacific:
01. LA Lakers - 62-20
02. Phoenix - 52-30
03. LA Clippers - 45-37
04. Golden State - 39-43
05. Sacramento - 33-49

Playoffs:

East:
01. Boston
08. Washington

04. Philadelphia
05. Detroit

03. Orlando
06. Toronto

02. Cleveland
07. Miami

Boston over Washington in 5
Detroit over Philadelphia in 7
Orlando over Toronto in 6
Cleveland over Miami in 6

01. Boston
05. Detroit
02. Cleveland
03. Orlando

Boston over Detroit in 6
Cleveland over Orlando in 5

01. Boston
02. Cleveland

Boston over Cleveland in 7

West:
01. LA Lakers
08. Dallas

04. Houston
05. Phoenix

03. New Orleans
06. Portland

02. Utah
07. San Antonio

Lakers over Dallas in 5
Houston over Phoenix in 7
New Orleans over Portland in 6
Utah over San Antonio in 5

01. Lakers
04. Houston
02. Utah
03. New Orleans

Lakers over Houston in 6
Utah over New Orleans in 7

01. Lakers
02. Utah

Lakers over Utah in 7

Finals:
Lakers over Boston in 7

Anyway, I'm really pumped for the season. My favorite team in my favorite sport is finally going to be competitive at a playoff level again.

GO BLAZERS

Btw, Shack and makeshift, not that it matters much but both of your total wins and losses don't equal each other (in other words some teams have to lose more games). For an 82-game season they should both add up to 1230. (Shack's is 1259 wins 1201 losses and makeshift's is 1306 wins and 1154 losses).

Best line of the season so far by Reggie Miller: watching the Celtics celebration reminded me of watching the Notebook.

Yeah I figured that would be an issue.

I mostly just wanted to get a rough guideline up.

Lebron on the alley-oop!! his head could touch the rim!

Rose with 4 assists in the 1st quarter... kid's the real deal

OKC makes the playoffs. My big predict for the season.

Lebron still SUCKS at free throws.

Ah shit, Oden is limping down the court already.

WHAT! i just draft him.