Whos your pick to win the NBA finals this year

[zsr]

How can you say he looked like a different player in New York if you didn't watch him play in Denver? In Ny he immediatly blamed D'antoni for having complicated defensive schemes.. Thats one of his other habits blaming anyone and everyone else when he comes up short. Just look at the guys putting up their season best numbers with him guarding them. Come in motivated? Guy got his extension already, will come in overweight with a big smile saying all the right things and go back to scoring a lot sometimes ( usually in losing efforts) and fading when it counts.

I said I didn't watch him much in Denver, obviously I watched all the playoff games, etc. The Knicks were already a bad defensive team without him..how can you say he faded when it counts? He was the only one who played well against Boston, obviously they lost when it was melo against 5, come on now. We'll see what happens this year I guess, no use arguing about it now with the season a month away still

[Delicious]

I said I didn't watch him much in Denver, obviously I watched all the playoff games, etc. The Knicks were already a bad defensive team without him..how can you say he faded when it counts? He was the only one who played well against Boston, obviously they lost when it was melo against 5, come on now. We'll see what happens this year I guess, no use arguing about it now with the season a month away still

Melo against 5? lol Boston was pretty banged up too and still managed to sweep the Knicks. Will be interesting to see the terms of the new CBA.. What are the knicks going to do for cap space? Who is their GM? Is Amare healthy or is his back worse than has been reported? Sadly this new incarnation might be about as good as it gets for at least the next 5 years. With a lot of figer pointing and ugly losses.

[zsr]

I'm not a Knicks fan by any means, I just think it's foolish to right them off like everyone is. I'm interested in the cap as well, if they have the room to add one more big time player and some depth they will be tough to beat. Should be a fun year in the east.

[Goat Milk]

Boston.

thanks for the laugh

[BigSpoon]

Miami Heat, not happy with it though.

[suicidekings]

Umm Asik and Gibson aren't good trade bait? you're insane

Trading away Taj Gibson would be a horrible mistake, considering the value he offers for his price.

[TehSharp]

Well, i think the only reason they would entertain the lakers offer and there big salaries, and why i mentioned boozer, is they would like to dump arenas huge contract too. I havent seen if they put in that amnesty clause into the CBA. If they did they'll probably just amnesty him anyway. Bynum is just the best potential replacement they could get, i dont even think they would take pau. Either way it will be fun to see what happens thats for sure. Maybe boozer gets it together and we dont need howard anyway

They did include amnesty. Arenas is as good as waived

[TehSharp]

Trading away Taj Gibson would be a horrible mistake, considering the value he offers for his price.

I completely agree, but if you get Dwight Howard in return, I could be ok with it

[PackerBacker]

Milwaukee

[jjgold]

Well Heat should of won last year...Dallas played way over their heads

I believe Heat are Favs again

I will play the chalk

[riffraff24]

Western Conference Finals: OKC vs Lakers
Eastern Conference Finals: Bulls vs Heat

2012 NBA Finals: Lakers vs Heat

*considering teams are what they are now. Which they won't be. Bulls are one piece away from me putting them in the Finals over the Heat. And yes i'm a Lakers homer...What of it?

[zsr]

I'm excited to see how they play under mike brown. I hope Kobe has at least 1 more superstar year left, one of my favorite players. Interesting to see how him pau and even artest show up.

[riffraff24]

I'm excited to see how they play under mike brown. I hope Kobe has at least 1 more superstar year left, one of my favorite players. Interesting to see how him pau and even artest show up.

Totally agree. It's going to be a fun season but as a season ticket holder i'm still a bit pissed i missed out on the handful of home games.

[dontbuythehook]

the lakers are so bad

[Goat Milk]

anyone that doesn't think the Miami Heat will be back in the NBA finals again doesn't know a thing about basketball. They are not guaranteed to win until we see what happens with Howard and others.

LOL man this thread has given me some good laughs. The Bulls are a joke of a team. They will get bounced easily in the playoffs this year again. Their road to the ECF was one of the biggest jokes in the last 10 years of basketball. Then they get smacked down to reality in 5 games.

[dontbuythehook]

Yeah and predicting that the Heat would win was not only insanely square but also 100% wrong Goat. HF reloading guy

[UntilTheNDofTimE]

Miami in the east as long as howard isnt traded to another strong competitor. The west is pretty open as of now.

[tullamore21]

How can you say he looked like a different player in New York if you didn't watch him play in Denver? In Ny he immediatly blamed D'antoni for having complicated defensive schemes.. Thats one of his other habits blaming anyone and everyone else when he comes up short. Just look at the guys putting up their season best numbers with him guarding them. Come in motivated? Guy got his extension already, will come in overweight with a big smile saying all the right things and go back to scoring a lot sometimes ( usually in losing efforts) and fading when it counts.

D'anthony's defensive schemes are not existing, anyway. So Melo is right!!

[Dkid]

lol did he really say the knicks have good value. what a joke.
btw id say its between miami, bulls or OKC.

[bureK]

Oklahoma gets Dwight so Thunder roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolls

[tevari]

i'd put futures on boston, san antonio, or the lakeshow

[tatommack]

Dallas if they sign Tyson again

[hanziman]

miami with a more mature team

[Bengals28]

LOL @ u bums. Kobe gets his 6th

[Tree Rollins]

Anyone but the Heat will be fine with me.

[Tree Rollins]

I see an OKC v. Heat finals. Ask me again in a week though after some of the free-agent and trade situations have been cleared up and my answer could be different.

[Tree Rollins]

Oklahoma gets Dwight so Thunder roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolls

Not a chance. Howard wants to play in a big market. OKC is one of the smallest.

Also, OKC would have to trade Westbrook along with either Ibaka or Harden to have a shot, and i don't think they want to do that. They feel like they're close enough with the roster the way it is.

[darkhat]

As long as Lebron doesn't win I don't care.

[dg84]

Personally i don't think the shorter season helps the older teams. If anything it hurts them due to the condensed season. It will be 66 games in 4 months instead of 82 over 6 months. There's even going to be a few back to back to back games in each schedule.

[Goat Milk]

If Kobe is sticking with this squad and Dwight Howard and Chris Paul don't move to already good teams, theres no doubt in my mind the Miami Heat will be back in the finals this year. And will win this time.

[Sunde91]

Goat Heat +235 to win it

how big a play is that if no LA signings

[zsr]

It seems almost a given the lakers get Howard at some point, I'll take Kobe pau artest and Howard over James/wade/bosh any day of the week. People forget the bulls had a shot to win every game against Miami, and that's with 1 guy who could create a shot.

[Goat Milk]

Goat Heat +235 to win it how big a play is that if no LA signings

I think it should be a massive play if no LA signing and Chris Paul doesn't go to the Knicks. I know I can talk ball with you. Who is going to beat the Heat out of the East? You are well aware that won't be happening if the above does not happen...

People think the NBA is like the NCAA tournament where an average team like the Bulls or the Pacers can compete for an nba championship. That's not how it works in a 7 game series.

If people thought the Heat were good last year, watch them play this year.

I want to see what reg season wins are for the Heat, the Timberwolves and a few other teams.

[Goat Milk]

So who are they going to give up to get Howard if Pau is staying? Obviously, if Howard teams up with Bryant it's a complete tossup from there. Howard is the most dominant player in the NBA

[zsr]

Bynum and odom. The bulls win the series if rose hits those shots at the end of games, you don't think adding j rich or affalo gives them a better chance? The heat are obviously the easy pick and 95 percent of the public will be on them