2011 Playoffs: (8) Grizzlies vs. (4) Thunder

[Lamrock]

If pigs fly and Dallas somehow beats LA, the Memphis Grizzlies are going to the NBA Finals.

[NovU]

It would had helped if you 'Vancouverites' went to the arena when the team is in town for some home games.
It's not all on Heisley; the NBA board, composed of the owners, approved the move because of the poor attendance even if Heisley promised not to move initially.

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/features/break ... ns-hornets

#3 on ugliest moves

4: Bill Laurie, Vancouver to St. Louis Grizzlies

The Move: Laurie tried to buy the Vancouver Grizzlies and shift the team to St. Louis, where he owned the hockey club and arena.

The Fallout: The Wal-Mart heir rode into Van-City with a black cloud following him. He was rude to everyone. Fortunately, his attitude alienated the NBA Governors who blocked his attempt to buy the team.

#3: Bill Laurie the Sequel, Michael Hiesley, Vancouver to Memphis Grizzlies


The Move: Hiesley, a smarter version of Laurie, bought the Vancouver Grizzlies and moved the club to after one season.

The Fallout: The Chicago billionaire publicly pledged his loyalty to Vancouver. He even sang the Canadian national anthem to fans at the home-opener. All that quickly changed and the team ended up in Tennessee.

It's all business I know but still fans have all rights in the world to hate him.

[shadowgrin]

i also don't like the personalities of any of the players on the team, except for maybe ERic Maynor.

[Axel The Great]

Just curious Q, what about their personalities do you not like and why? It's not as if they're an arrogant, think-they're-better-than-everyone-else bunch.

[Lamrock]

The Thunder players are no fun. They are a very good team (that is a low post scorer away from contention) but I don't care for the new silent, humble persona that some new players are trying to convey. Not to say they should be like Arenas did in his prime and try to be wacky or zany - I just don't get a very good vibe from OKC.

Memphis is awesome though. That shit-hot swagger Z-Bo and Tony Allen have is awesome.

To prevent this post from being completely hollow: The Grizz won the game with offense, posting a 126.5 ORtg. OKC will make adjustments, but if they can continue to play as well on the offensive end, and defend as well as they did in the Spurs series, this could be a sweep. You know OKC's going to try to go hard in the first quarter tomorrow but the Grizz seem to know how to beat them, match up well and have a style more conducive to winning championships.

Thunder down

[[Q]]

not a fan of OKC as a whole, as like i said i was a seattle fan.
I've disliked Perkins from the Celtics, he acts like as KD would put it a "fake tough guy" since he jocks KG so badly.
Ibaka, ehh not a fan of his but his jumper is getting a bit better.
my biggest issue is with KD. before the season started he was an MVP candidate before he even played one game! i feel like since he scores so many points he gets a lot of undeserved attention like Melo does. i'm not saying he's a bad player, he's a great scorer but im not impressed by people who are good scorers.
Westbrook, i don't think is quite there yet in the elite class of PGs but people keep putting him & rose & rondo in there as the new point guard faces of the league. im a chris paul fan and dont appreciate the media sleeping on him still, even after single handedly taking the lakers to 6 games.
collison, not a fan of his play and he does flop a bit

i do like sefolosha though because he plays defense and i like eric maynor who was solid in utah.

i dunno, not many reasons to like them, especially with the league positioning them & the bulls to become the new marquee teams once the lakers & celtics fall off due to age.

[atlwarrior]

not a fan of OKC as a whole, as like i said i was a seattle fan.
my biggest issue is with KD. before the season started he was an MVP candidate before he even played one game! i feel like since he scores so many points he gets a lot of undeserved attention like Melo does. i'm not saying he's a bad player, he's a great scorer but im not impressed by people who are good scorers.
Westbrook, i don't think is quite there yet in the elite class of PGs but people keep putting him & rose & rondo in there as the new point guard faces of the league.

I don't understand. What's your issue with KD and Westbrook?

They are two great players and deserve the recognition they get but I kind of agree with you about Melo.

[Lamrock]

Difference between Durant and Melo is that they have different playing styles, Durant is far more efficient, Durant plays defense, Durant has a lot more potential, Durant is taller and a lot longer, and Durant plays for one of the best teams in the NBA.

[atlwarrior]

Melo doesn't play d but his offense damn sure does make up for it . Kind of like Dirk.

[Lamrock]

Actually, you could argue that Melo holds the offense back by stopping the ball, and that Dirk has greatly improved his defense over his career. His reputation as a sieve comes from the fact that he's a white finesse player.

[[Q]]

Difference between Durant and Melo is that they have different playing styles, Durant is far more efficient, Durant plays defense, Durant has a lot more potential, Durant is taller and a lot longer, and Durant plays for one of the best teams in the NBA.

couldn't agree with you omre. the only way i think melo can win anything is if he becomes the 3rd wheel on a team like chris bosh

[Andrew]

but I don't care for the new silent, humble persona that some new players are trying to convey. Not to say they should be like Arenas did in his prime and try to be wacky or zany - I just don't get a very good vibe from OKC.

That's fair enough, as discussed in another thread I certainly agree that colourful characters amongst athletes make any sport a bit more entertaining. However, if it's between brash, boastful players who can't back it up - let's say Stephon Marbury for example - and quieter players who just go out and do their best to get the job done, I'd prefer to watch the latter. It's worked out alright for Tim Duncan throughout his career.

[Phil89]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1LIUNrXpV

Kevin Durant declared Zach Randolph the best forward in the league.

"You can’t stop him," Durant said. "He’s an animal . . . He’s the best power forward in the league."

Kendrick Perkins didn’t rubber stamp that endorsement. Perkins declined to name his top power forward, but it’s not Randolph.

“If he says so,” Perkins said about Durant’s opinion. “I don’t agree . . . I’m not going to give my opposing opponent the credit that I got to go against. So if Kevin says (Randolph is) the best power forward, then that’s Kevin’s opinion.’’

After being told in a news conference about Durant’s compliment, Randolph said, “Oh, yeah, I got to agree with that. Thanks, KD. I appreciate it.” Randolph also said that, overall, “I don’t get lot of respect that I deserve.’’

Certainly not from Perkins. Informed what the Boston big man had said, the 6-9, 255-pound Randolph told FOXSports.com:

“Perk’s good, but all Perk can do is foul me. That’s the only thing he can do. The best thing about his defense on me is to foul me . . . He can’t (stop Randolph). He’s too slow. He’s a big body. He can foul.

“I don’t think nobody in the league can stop me. Not only Perk. I tell Perk to his face. I already told him before.’’

[Andrew]

The war of words heats up. I have a feeling this one's going to get a little chippy beginning with Game 2.

[-BHZMAFIA-]

I expect Game 2 to get a little chippy as well.

I'm just hoping the refs will let the guys play and not give out a bunch of phantom calls. OKC will probably come out with a lot of energy, but Memphis will keep the game close like they did against San Antonio during Games 2 and 5. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one go down to the wire.

It was reported that Scott Brooks likes their defensive scheme and will stick to playing 1 on 1 in the post. If I were him, I would send double teams from different areas just to show some different looks. I know OKC needs to win this game because I already don't see them winning in Memphis.

[shadowgrin]

Is Randolph still a black hole player? If he is, double teaming him might be a good idea to really make him work for his shots.

[Jackal]

He isn't, he makes the correct plays & hits some unbelievable fade-away rainbows which seem impossible to make for a guy his size.

Kendrick Perkins is a fake tough guy indeed, a guy who averages 6 and 6 really shouldn't be commenting on other players even if he's ugly as fuck. That fake ass snarl isn't fooling anyone, bitch.

[[Q]]

Kendrick Perkins is a fake tough guy indeed, a guy who averages 6 and 6 really shouldn't be commenting on other players even if he's ugly as fuck. That fake ass snarl isn't fooling anyone, bitch.

when he was on the Celtics, ESPN would always run the story during the game about how he's "one of the nicest guys in the league"

[Phil89]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1LLRMOA1x

Kevin Durant was wary of the trade that brought Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City.

"I didn't like him," Durant said. "He had words for our team [in previous matchups], and as a young guy you just thought he was mad at the world. But [eventually] I just saw that he was all business. Once you come off the floor, he's cool. I noticed that [personality trait] with KG, being around him, and noticed those two guys are very close. He's easy to love. He's a guy whose personality is off the charts."

Not to mention his basketball IQ. For all of Perkins' bravado, it's the nuances of his game that have impressed his new team the most.

"He's one of the smartest basketball players I've been around," Durant said. "He goes two, three plays ahead [mentally]. I got hit on a screen [against Denver on April 8] and I was a little late, and all he did is put his hand out and played two guys, basically three guys. ... That's something we didn't have before."

[Phil89]

It would seem that Gasol and Randolph aren't unstoppable after all. They only scored 28 points (5-22) tonight, compared to 54 points (21-33) in game 1.

A very important win. Going into Memphis 0-2 down would have been disastrous. Looking like a very competitive series.

[NovU]

“Perk’s good, but all Perk can do is foul me. That’s the only thing he can do. The best thing about his defense on me is to foul me . . . He can’t (stop Randolph). He’s too slow. He’s a big body. He can foul.

“I don’t think nobody in the league can stop me. Not only Perk. I tell Perk to his face. I already told him before.’’

Can't like Randolph's ego and can't support anything he said. It's like Baron Davis claiming to be the best point guard after winning a series against #1 seeded Dallas back in the days, not that he really did.

The past proved that this guy's an idiot and seems like he still is. Glad OKC pummelled the Grizzlies tonight. My prediction still stands still at OKC in 5. Let's get this shit done, OKC.

[shadowgrin]

Can't like Randolph's ego and can't support anything he said.

Hard to believe a LeBron fan is preaching about ego.

[Jackal]

He doesn't notice LeBrons ego, Wades dick serves as a distraction to that.

[Lamrock]

Hard to imagine Kevin Durant listening to the Flaming Lips.

[shadowgrin]

Hard to imagine Kevin Durant listening to the Flaming Lips.

Why?