NBA Basketball

America's basketball season starts soon. It has to be one of the craziest schedules ever. 30 teams playing 82 games each. And that's just to cut the field to 16 teams!
Still, I'm looking forward to it. The Pacers have made a few adjustments. Brought in a pass-first backup PG which was needed, and made a few changes to the 2nd unit. Overall though, I think they are still a superstar short of being a contender.

Gerald Green of the Pacers. Boy can jump.

30 down to 16 (after 82 games!) sounds like a lot of fooling about, although I'm guessing there is some logic in it. Basketball is one of the few sports that I wouldn't keep a reasonably close eye on, at least not in the post-Jordan era. Still, I did read this, which seemed like a pretty detailed preview of the season. Might mean more to RMD...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/oct/30/nba-2012-2013-season-preview

The star-laden Lakers have lost their first 2 games. Pacers won their first last night - won it with 2 seconds to go.

http://www.balls.ie/basketball-style/ah-here-check-out-lebron-and-dwade-last-night/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Good piece on soon to be 50 MJ

espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/Michael-Jordan/michael-jordan-not-left-building

A few days ago I was listening to a debate on a US podcast regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Apparently, fueled by his incredible current form, there are those who say that James has surpassed Jordan as the game's all-time greatest player. Aficionadi of the hoop game (RMD/Omar/Boxty) - can this be true?

Thomas Clarke wrote:A few days ago I was listening to a debate on a US podcast regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Apparently, fueled by his incredible current form, there are those who say that James has surpassed Jordan as the game's all-time greatest player. Aficionadi of the hoop game (RMD/Omar/Boxty) - can this be true?

Cometh the hour cometh the man
Lebron has excelled once at the business end of the season - Another half dozen and it becomes a debate

OMAR wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:A few days ago I was listening to a debate on a US podcast regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Apparently, fueled by his incredible current form, there are those who say that James has surpassed Jordan as the game's all-time greatest player. Aficionadi of the hoop game (RMD/Omar/Boxty) - can this be true?

Cometh the hour cometh the man
Lebron has excelled once at the business end of the season - Another half dozen and it becomes a debate

In fairness to LBJ, it's not him that is making these comparisons. It shows how influential MJ was that people are constantly trying to see if anyone can come close to him. For now, James is nowhere close to Jordan and no one could seriously suggest he is. It will only be when James reaches the end of his career that you could really compare the 2. Jordan delivered when he was young and when he was older, by attacking the basket (when he couldn't shoot) and by depending on his jumper, when surrounded by average players, when surrounded by good players. He did it all.

Anyway watch out for the upset this year. Paul George and the Pacers are going to beat the heat in the play off's. Miami's front court is their weakness and the Pacers have the edge with West and Hibbert at 4 and 5. The Heat are a 2 man team with average players filling the rest of the roster so if the Pacers can keep Wade and James to 20-25 each per game then they have a great chance.

sports.espn.go.com/sportsnation/feature/index#top?page=greatestofalltime

Espn match up poll for greatest athlete MJ v Bo Jackson in Semi final
Defeated in that side of the draw Ferderer,Tiger,Ali,Phelps.
Pele the only non American still in the hunt But don,t fancy his chances to go much further given the voting audience

Not exactly an extensive list to begin with. However, if you overlook Carl Lewis (and I'm not sure why one would), then the answer must be Bo Jackson. I can't think of a better athlete playing a team sport since the legendary Jim Thorpe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwxC5lLy_C8

Watch a few minutes from 1m30 to get a flavour.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Not exactly an extensive list to begin with. However, if you overlook Carl Lewis (and I'm not sure why one would), then the answer must be Bo Jackson. I can't think of a better athlete playing a team sport since the legendary Jim Thorpe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwxC5lLy_C8

Watch a few minutes from 1m30 to get a flavour.

Ended watching this on Apple TV till about 1.30 last night
Excellent show

Yeah, I posted the link as some posters, particularly those under 30, probably don't know much about him. But he was just something else. Elite olympic standard sprinting speed, phenomenal strength and power, hand/eye co-ordination, ability to throw - he was the perfect power athlete. Not the greatest sportsman ever, but there is a strong case for him being the greatest athlete.

http://i.minus.com/ibm9p02xfs2b39.gif

Kevin durant impossible shot

Living in a country heavily influenced by people with an antiquated and flawed sense of morality, it was always going to take longer for an athlete from one of the 4 major US sports to come out. Fair play to Jason Collins.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/?sct=hp_t11_a1&eref=sihp

RMDrive wrote:

OMAR wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:A few days ago I was listening to a debate on a US podcast regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan.  Apparently, fueled by his incredible current form, there are those who say that James has surpassed Jordan as the game's all-time greatest player.  Aficionadi of the hoop game (RMD/Omar/Boxty) - can this be true?

Cometh the hour cometh the man
Lebron has excelled once at the business end of the season - Another half dozen and it becomes a debate

In fairness to LBJ, it's not him that is making these comparisons. It shows how influential MJ was that people are constantly trying to see if anyone can come close to him. For now, James is nowhere close to Jordan and no one could seriously suggest he is. It will only be when James reaches the end of his career that you could really compare the 2. Jordan delivered when he was young and when he was older, by attacking the basket (when he couldn't shoot) and by depending on his jumper, when surrounded by average players, when surrounded by good players. He did it all.

He might not be Michael Jordan yet, but looks Lebron is certainly closing the gap. Great performance last night in Game 7, and another NBA title and MVP to add to his collection.

Sickened. To think that gimps like James, Wade, Bosh and Battier and walking around today with another championship. I deplore that team. I deplore the "not one, not two" rubbish. I deplore the decision. I deplore the flopping and cheating. I deplore the way the refs always give marginal calls to the Heat. I deplore the sly elbows and the constant whining to the refs. I deplore the Miami Heat.

The Spurs are everything a good team should be. Unselfish, smart, resilient, proud, confident but not arrogant, build on the basic skills, classy.

Heading to celtics v nets tomorrow night. 
Had a look at their season stats and now realised why decent tickets for $100 were available 2 days before the game.

Though Pierce and Garnett in away dressing room might add some spice.

OMAR wrote:Heading to celtics v nets tomorrow night. 
Had a look at their season stats and now realised why decent tickets for $100 were available 2 days before the game.

Though Pierce and Garnett in away dressing room might add some spice.

It'll be a great occasion, I'm sure, at a legendary venue.

No chance of you picking up a Superbowl ticket or two for next Sunday night in New York?

Thomas Clarke wrote:

OMAR wrote:Heading to celtics v nets tomorrow night. 
Had a look at their season stats and now realised why decent tickets for $100 were available 2 days before the game.

Though Pierce and Garnett in away dressing room might add some spice.

It'll be a great occasion, I'm sure, at a legendary venue.

No chance of you picking up a Superbowl ticket or two for next Sunday night in New York?

Wrong town - wrong sponsor -
I might have be able to wrangle a few for the curling in Sochi though

OMAR wrote:Heading to celtics v nets tomorrow night. 
Had a look at their season stats and now realised why decent tickets for $100 were available 2 days before the game.

Though Pierce and Garnett in away dressing room might add some spice.

It's been a very poor season for both teams and it looks like Boston are planning to clear the decks and be "bad" enough to get into the lottery. The Brooklyn nets have been an embarrassment to themselves. In the poorest eastern conference there has been in a years, they sit 7th - terrible. They've won 4 in a row though and I expect them to have enough for the Celtics.

I think it'll be a great game though. Having that gobshite Garnett back in the Garden will be fun! Enjoy it Omar. I'll keep an eye out for a Donegal jersey in the crowd.

By chance, I came across this last night, and ended up watching the whole thing. I had no idea how big the game was in Ireland in the '80s, though I do recall Jerome Westbrooks coming into my primary school to give out free tickets to Dungannon's match that weekend. I'd guess that RMD has seen this already but, in case you haven't, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Omar too may find that it gets him in the mood for the Garden…

http://vimeo.com/62940106

I have just got ESPN and have been taken by the NBA coverage, I would like advice on who to follow though.
The following may impact my choice of team -

1) Historically i have played for club teams that have all worn green (not by design i may add so this is not a deal breaker)

2) Being from Derry, I am used to supporting an underachieving team, this is a preference for any team I should choose to support

3) I played primary school basketball for the school, we were called the Jets. Incidentally, we won every game and the title, despite having me on the side!

4) I do not want to support the Boston Celtics as this is too obvious a choice

With this in mind, I am open to your suggestions on who to support, list the teams here and i will have a look and choose according to my very fussy criteria.

RMD's your man here, Beagle. If it was NFL, I could have suggested either the Jacksonville Jaguars (probably soon to be the London Jaguars) or, in keeping with your school team, the New York Jets. Both of these teams are perennial under-achievers, perhaps due to wearing green, but, as I say, neither of them play hoops...