IndyCards13 wrote:How about the Pacers?? Beat Miami and now are like 20-3. Clearly the best team in the Eastern conference. Not gonna say the best in the NBA, because we haven't played a lot of teams from the West.
I'm reserving judgment on that until we see them play in Miami. Even then, it's obvious the Heat are saving their energy for the playoffs (where the real test is).
I don't necessarily buy that. You really think that in the heat of a basketball game in December, the players are thinking "well, I'm going to just coast tonight, because I've got the playoffs coming up in 4 months"?
The Heat might make some adjustments before the end of the season and end up being better, but I don't think the Pacers are better because the Heat aren't trying.
Not trying would be an exaggeration but letting off the gas a bit would be perfectly reasonable. Their core has been to 3 straight Finals - that's a lot of accumulated wear and tear. It would be in their best interest not to push so hard in the regular season. Worst case scenario to coasting is that they would have to play a Game 7 in Indy. Versus possibly getting a core player injured.
Not to mention that most of the East is a cakewalk this year so the Heat could probably push 60 wins without giving it their all.
My first chance to see Kobe. Being one of the greatest that ever played he finds ways to contribute - 9 assists so far in the 3rd quarter with some really slick passes. But the other stuff - yikes. He is just a shell of what he was.
edit - but as I typed this he just made another incredible pass for another assist ... and oh my god there is yet ANOTHER. So he is finding a way, but he's clearly not the same player.
jim wrote:My first chance to see Kobe. Being one of the greatest that ever played he finds ways to contribute - 9 assists so far in the 3rd quarter with some really slick passes. But the other stuff - yikes. He is just a shell of what he was.
edit - but as I typed this he just made another incredible pass for another assist ... and oh my god there is yet ANOTHER. So he is finding a way, but he's clearly not the same player.
I watched some of that last night, too. It would be more fun to see Kobe play like that if his supporting cast wasn't terrible. They're going to need him to score a lot to have any chance, and he looks a long way from being physically capable of doing that.
Los Angeles Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant is expected to miss six weeks with a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in his left knee, the team announced Thursday.
Bryant suffered the injury Tuesday in the Lakers' victory at the Memphis Grizzlies. An MRI exam Thursday revealed that Bryant actually played for a half against the Grizzlies with it.
The Bulls, who are facing a lost season after a bevy of injuries, including a season-ending knee injury to Derrick Rose, are focusing on the upcoming draft and next season. Chicago plan to waive Bynum by 5 p.m. Tuesday and clear his $12.3 million salary off their books. That will enable the Bulls to get below the luxury tax threshold, which, combined with the savings from not having to pay Deng the balance of his $14.3 million salary, will save the team in more than $20 million.
