New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[Ron Party]

Steve, you got the wrong Bill.

 

[Steve Williams]

Oops Russell not Walton. Duh

 

[jadis]

The greatest players are like the greatest songs or albums - how's that for an analogy on an A/V forum site! - they are the greatest because they've withstood the test of time. To me, the greatest is one of the 3 centers, Kareem, Wilt or Bill. There are no right answers here. A strong and compelling argument is and has been made for each of these 3.

Agreed absolutely here, Ron. Being a Boston fan, I would have threaded my bias and say Bill. But as a kid growing up with the game, I was awestruck by the gigantic (though lean) stature of then Lew Alcindor when he was with the Bucks, and those sky hooks were one of a kind (even till now nobody has ever used that shot as his bread and butter shot) with such high percentages as well. I would easily agree with Wilt too but he was before my time. Watching Wilt on some videos indeed shows his awesome skills and I would love to have seen him making 100 points in a game. Bill Russell, of course has his place in baskeball history, 11 rings and one of them as a player/coach during his last season. Did he get 2 rings for that season? LOL

 

[Steve Williams]

To briefly change the subject, IMO this is a "must" game for the Mavs ( if not for the Heat as well) if they are to have any chance as the finals are a 2-3-2 format, unlike the 2-2-1-1-1 in the playoffs. Mavs were so close until that 4th quarter

 

[jadis]

To briefly change the subject, IMO this is a "must" game for the Mavs ( if not for the Heat as well) if they are to have any chance as the finals are a 2-3-2 format, unlike the 2-2-1-1-1 in the playoffs. Mavs were so close until that 4th quarter

Agreed, Steve. The Finals chances of the Mavs heavily rests on today. If they go down 0-2, all Miami has to do is to win 1 of the next 3 in Dallas to go up 3-1. From then, it's history. The mettle of the Mavs will be tested today if they can will out a win, when they need to, as road warriors.

I recall how easy it was to slice 4 points when Miami was down 8 at the start of the 3rd. Spo called time out. Next play, Wade willed his way in for 2, then a stop, then Wade again for 2. That took only a couple of minutes. Imo, that saved their game because had Dallas up the lead to 10 or 12, things would have been different. Dallas needs to play with urgency, though it's easier said than done. The clutch shooting of the Big 3 Heat has been incredible so far in the entire playoffs. Dallas needs one game of great shooting too. They can't settle for a tooth-and-nail kind of brawl, Miami is too good in close games, and too good at home too.

 

[jadis]

Dallas can't seem to hold a good lead. Up by 9, they commit silly fouls and turnovers to let Miami tie it at halftime, with James mostly on the bench. Mavs stopped playing each time they have a big lead and let Miami come back. Next, Miami will pour it on to finish.

 

[jadis]

Great comeback win by Dallas. I wouldn't have believed it as I went away the TV when they were down by 15. Watched the last minute when Dirk hit the 3 and then the layup 2. What a spunky player!

 

[Ron Party]

To me, the greatest is one of the 3 centers, Kareem, Wilt or Bill. There are no right answers here. A strong and compelling argument is and has been made for each of these 3.

The more interesting discussion is to evaluate who is/was the greatest at each position. For instance, who are the 4th and 5th greatest centers of all time? I'm taking Shaq and Hakeem.

On the local Basketball After The Game Show, the panelist were discussing Shaq's retirement. Nate Thurmond opined that Shaq is the 4th greatest center ever, just ahead of Hakeem.

 

[Steve Williams]

Yesterday's game was one of the best I have seen in years. To overcome that 15 point deficit and put away the Heat will silence the antics of the Big 3 going in to Dallas where the direction of the series will be determined.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I am by no stretch a Heat fan ... Yesterday they lost the game rather than Dallas winning ... Dallas was struggling offensively and defensively .. The Heat lost their focus .. Overconfidence? Premature Celebration? Jason Terry was leaving his man wide open .. showing real weakness when he is tightly defended.. Only Nowitzky was scoring with great difficulty ... The Heat had their way, then the Big three stopped scoring and defending... ... They'll not come back strong IMO, they have sensed that Dallas has only one scorer they have three. All capable of scoring 30 points or more any given night ... Great competitive series .. Great season ...
Summer will be quite interesting in term of deal-making ...
Now what about Shaq better than Kareem? Really ?? Come on!? There is a case to be made for Shaq vs Hakeem ... I preferred Hakeem . It remains that Kareem is one the three best centers ever (Wilt, Bill, Kareem)

 

[Ron Party]

Frantz, who said Shaq was better than Kareem?

 

[FrantzM]

Frantz, who said Shaq was better than Kareem?

My mistake ....

 

[Steve Williams]

Kudos to Ron Party for having started this thread. As of today it is the most replied to thread on WBF

 

[Steve Williams]

From Yahoo Sports


Shaquille O’Neal’s retirement press conference brings the laughs
By Kelly Dwyer

Obviously Shaquille O'Neal's(notes) cheerful retirement announcement, provided on Wednesday, wasn't enough. The larger-than-life former MVP and four-time NBA champion had to go out with a bigger microphone in front of him, and Friday's retirement press conference provided the stage he deserved. Speaking from his home in Orlando, O'Neal delivered in a hilarious turn, retiring all his former nicknames while taking a funny (if completely petty and unnecessary) shot at Orlando Magic All-Star Dwight Howard(notes).
Howard, who grew up idolizing O'Neal, turned into a combatant for the retiring star in his later years due mainly to Shaquille's insecurity at being usurped as the biggest bad guy around. Howard's biggest indiscretion, in Shaq's eyes, was taking on the "Superman" persona that O'Neal championed during his time in Orlando, and initial years with the Los Angeles Lakers, long before he decided to award himself several other nicknames.
At the end of the press conference, O'Neal touched on both aspects:
"In light of today, I am retiring all my nicknames. The Big Aristotle, Shaq-Fu, The Big Shamrock, The Big Cactus, The Diesel, and finally, the one and only, original, never to be duplicated or replicated … Superman.
"From now on, you can call me The Big AARP. Association for the Advancements of Retired Persons."
It's actually the American Association of Retired Persons, but who gives a rip when everyone in the room is laughing?
O'Neal's quick delivery and pointed wit fell right in line with an NBA career that started nearly 19 years ago. Not only did he pile up the All-Star appearances and high-percentage shots, but O'Neal also made every media interaction ("I have really enjoyed my relationship with the media," Shaq pointed out at the news conference) interesting, no matter his mood. Friday's delivery was no different.
Disarming as ever, the 53 percent career free-throw shooter relayed that he's "really going to miss the free throws," before letting the assembled media know that "I've acted in award-winning movies such as 'Kazaam,'" which is just about the best shot at a movie by the lead actor in a movie since the time Eddie Murphy announced on "Saturday Night Live" that "'Best Defense' sucked."
Don't weep for The Big AARP just yet, though. He ended his presser with one final promise:
"I do plan on entertaining you for the next 19 years. Whether it's TNT, ESPN, CNN; whoever wants to hire me, my offices open up on Monday."

 

[jadis]

Yesterday's game was one of the best I have seen in years. To overcome that 15 point deficit and put away the Heat will silence the antics of the Big 3 going in to Dallas where the direction of the series will be determined.

Same here, Steve. I watched the replay till 11pm local time, as I missed the last 8 minutes of the game, that was deja vu time, as I recall Dallas came back from 16 points against the LAL in round 1, 15 down in the 4th of game 4 against OKC and won, and now, 15 down in the 4th against a very powerful Heat and completing the comeback with such a poised rally. 3 huge comeback victories is unprecedented, IIRC. Call it over-confidence by the Heat or pre-mature celebration, the Mavs did clamp down on their D, making many stops and connecting on their jumpers. It's hard to imagine the Big 3 not making clutch shots since they had been doing it the entire playoffs. While this win means Dallas can afford to lose 1 game at home and still be up 3-2, I believe they would want to continue the momentum and win each of those games and not go back to Miami. Making their outside shots is the key, that spreads out the defense of Miami and prevent the double-team, which was exactly what happened in the last play as Coach Spo was reluctant to double team Dirk since the other shooters had been burning them. If the Heat are that mentally tough, the will want to steal back Game 3 right away, if not, the confidence of Dallas will be increased as the series goes on. It's good to see a close series, for a while there, I was imagining the 'broomstick' already.

 

[Steve Williams]

IMO it would be a HUGE broomstick to see the Mavs close out the Heat in Dallas.

 

[jadis]

IMO it would be a HUGE broomstick to see the Mavs close out the Heat in Dallas.

I hope so. They should do it one game at a time. In any of those games, Miami will be motivated by their own redemption for blowing the lead in Game 2.

 

[ejusted]

 

[Steve Williams]

Great video montage. It really reminds one how great MJ was. When that tongue started flapping you knew he was going to drive the lane


No better closer in the game IMO (although Kobe is a close 2nd)


BTW, IIRC MJ was also the first player in the league to sport the bald look followed soon after by Sir Charles and the rest is history, not only in basketball but with men in general all over the world

 

[Ron Party]

That shot Dirk just made over Wade is sick!