2006 - 2007 NBA Season Discussion Thread

[tuq]

Per the poll and TSC's comments, I'm making this thread for general discussion of the NBA season. Hopefully this will centralize some of the discussion in team threads and foster discussion by having multiple topics going at the same time. We'll see if it works, I guess.

Anyway, spoiler in white: <font color="white">Suns win</font>

I'll start just by mentioning I have no idea why this new ref rule was implemented. Guys are supposed to play with passion and then turn it off when they think a call went against them? Are refs really that worried about being "shown up" or is there some other reason I'm missing?

[xorbie]

Spoiler in black: Celtics own.

[MyTurn2Raise]

Bulls pwn all

[Needle77]

I think this is a great idea. Mostly because the Knicks don't deserve their own thread and I can just bitch about them in here, but hey they are undefeated for now. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[ThaSaltCracka]

Bill Simmons had a thought about this new rule. He seemed to think it would lead to the refs actually enforcing the rules, ie travels, carries, and whatnot. So in essence the refs can make whatever call they see fit and not have to deal with on court antics from whiny players. I think its a good rule. Stern has come down hard the past two years to try and improve the image of the league. It started with the minimum age for drafts, then the dress code, now this. I support all of them. It will make people focus on the game and the emerging group of young, exciting players that the league has.

I just noticed a contradiction, the league is benefiting from all these young players, but a handful of them are straight out of HS. That being said, most of them did play some college as well.



A prediction of sorts for myself, Portland will surprise people, and I think the West will be very competitive. I don't see any team running away from the pack, except maybe Dallas or San Antonio. I think the gap between the good and bad in the west is smaller then people think.

In regards to the East, only two teams stand out, the Lebrons and the White Out's, err Heat. Anyways, NJ could surprise and also Orlando. But then the drop off is pretty far, with the bottom of the barrel being horrid.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
Bill Simmons had a thought about this new rule. He seemed to think it would lead to the refs actually enforcing the rules, ie travels, carries, and whatnot. So in essence the refs can make whatever call they see fit and not have to deal with on court antics from whiny players.

[/ QUOTE ]
OK, that makes sense. Thanks. As someone who has gotten his share of passion-related T's in his life I still think it will be tough for players to restrain themselves, but we'll see how it plays out.

As for the rest of your post, I don't remember such a huge inequity in conferences as exists in the NBA today. Not even AFC/NFC or AL/NL in recent years. If any of the Mavs, Spurs, Suns, and maybe Rockets were in the East it would be a much easier road to the conference finals.

Unrelated, can anyone tell me who the non-LBJ players are in the Nike ads? Just saw them for the first time. The big 'fro/cell phone guy looks like Amare but doesn't sound like him. Maybe they're all just actors and I'm thinking too hard about this.

[kidcolin]

[ QUOTE ]

I'll start just by mentioning I have no idea why this new ref rule was implemented. Guys are supposed to play with passion and then turn it off when they think a call went against them? Are refs really that worried about being "shown up" or is there some other reason I'm missing?

[/ QUOTE ]

The point is it's gotten out of hand. So far, it looks like the refs are OK with a guy doing and initial, "what?" look. But they're not going to put up with guys making big scenes or following them up the court. I'm a fan of this. You can play with passion without being a classless douche bagel.

[TruFloridaGator]

Magic pwn. I promise I won't bump my Magic thread for a long time [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Huskiez]

We can only hope the Knicks and Bulls finish out of the playoffs, with the Bulls winning the lottery and Knicks getting second, or vice versa. Then the Bulls blow the pick by taking Joakim Noah and the Knicks victoriously take Greg Oden.

[Needle77]

[ QUOTE ]
We can only hope the Knicks and Bulls finish out of the playoffs, with the Bulls winning the lottery and Knicks getting second, or vice versa. Then the Bulls blow the pick by taking Joakim Noah and the Knicks victoriously take Greg Oden.

[/ QUOTE ]

Amen.