Cincy

Don't be surprised when you see the name.

Yes, he's that good.

Kinda sloppy vs. France, only big-margin wins were against cupcakes Tunisia, Nigeria.

James saved them vs. Lithuania. Someone named Linas Kleiza scorched them for 25 points.

Patrick Mills of Australia lit them up for 26 points.

Only real quality win was vs. Argentina.

Medal win over Spain was by just seven points, and only after Durant saved them.

For all the bragging, not really that great a team.

... from the floor for an entire Games ?

Not Charles Barkley. Wilt Chamberlain was never an Olympian.

He's was the USA's co-leading scorer those Games. Who was it ?

Why did the US run up the score on a third-tier basketball country ?

Was this not already a clear mismatch at the opening tip ?

Why did the US want to embarrass a weak third world country like

this ?

Why try 29 threes when you can win without trying even one ?

Do these Americans have any class at all ?

How many, around the world, now hate this team ?

... to help the Spurs stay competitive ( class move ) ,

then why didn't Kobe and Bynum take pay cuts to help the Lakers ?

Answer: because the Spurs are class, and the Lakers are selfish idiots ?

Thoughts ?

That would be fair, too, right ? And if some people complain, one could be moved to a neutral site like ... LeBron's house. His Mom could ref.

... in a series in which they don't have three straight home games ?

If the Charlotte Bobcats had three straight home games against either of these teams, wouldn't even they look good ?

Is winning a title with three straight home games really that great a feat ?

I don't think so. Thoughts ?

... up, after his shockingly poor interview with Jim Rome today ?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/pos...

How dumb is this guy ? Rome throws him a softball question, and Stern hits himself instead.

The NBA Finals are going, and it's shaping up to be a very good series, even with the Two Decisions:

LeBron ( Cleveland ), and OKC owner Clay Bennett ( Seattle ).

Now, instead, it's also about Stern, New Orleans, alleged lottery fixing, and wife beating.

Way to go, Stern. Again.

David Stern insulted the city, saying they should take funds used to pay for school kids, hospitals and utilities and instead use it to build a better arena for the Sonics.

When the city said No, they yanked the team to Arkansas or Idaho or wherever it is now.

The NBA abused a loyal major city and stole their team. Now they are in the NBA finals.

Is this really a cool thing for the NBA ?

Oklahoma City, exactly the second-tier kind of city the NBA seeks today to avoid direct competition with Major League Baseball or the NFL. Probably the NHL too. San Antonio, LA ( no NFL, ruined Dodgers ), Sacramento, Portland, Orlando, others are key NBA franchises in recent years.

Miami, home of the Big Three cash gimmick, where lesser franchises are ripped off so that a merchandizing novelty item can be created in a place where the NBA smells the money.

Problem is, the three are so overpaid, a real title-caliber team cannot really be built.

But that's OK, they already have your t-shirt money.

Is there a major TV market anywhere in this series ? Or a team nickname that doesn't suck ?

Funny league now, I think. Your thoughts ?

Each NBA team has a ' soft ' salary cap, which limits what teams can obtain after they grossly overpay their stars --- if they are dumb enough to do that.

Miami Heat : James /Wade / Bosh : $47.5 mil. Their three centers make a combined $5 mil.

LA Lakers : Bryant / Gasol / Bynum : $ 59 mil. THAT'S THE ENTIRE CAP.

Both of these teams have major stars and lose. Who can guess why ?

OKC: Durant / Perkins / Westbrook : $28 mil. Plenty of room for other good guys.

By the way, next year San Antonio falls back under the cap. OKC does too. See what smart teams do ? They can sign people because they are not crushed under bloated contracts. They can win.

Why do Miami and LA do this ?? For the money they make off of you.

They are not playing titles, but for profit. Thoughts ?

http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

a) he is throwing the series against Miami. An injured hand gets him off the hook while helping his Heat friends.

b) he's an idiot.

c) another reason, please explain

Do you agree with coach Larry Brown,

that Bobcats are ' just 7 or 8 good guys away from the playoffs ' ?

Is Jordan the worst owner / VP / team boss in the entire history of sports ?

Or is God just paying him back for all the BS he got away with in his playing career ?

Thoughts ?

He'd give back half his salary this season so that LA could sign somebody.

If Kobe gave back HALF his pay this season, he'd still make $15 million. The guy has over $200 million, so he wouldn't miss it.

With that, the Lakers could sign an All-Star caliber player, maybe even Dwight Howard.

But Kobe would never do this, though.

It's only about him.

Agree / disagree ?

Runner-up NBA MVP three straight seasons

( second-highest number of votes )

1970, 1971, 1972 ?

Bynum and Villanueva both got reduced suspencions because this season is shorter ? This is a joke.

Both of these guys should have went to jail for what they did.

You and I would have.

Another stupid moment for a league that just ended it's Lockout.

Let me see if I have this right ...

The NBA owners have locked out players and cancelled games, costing Wade and his fellow players much, much money.

But bootlicker Wade still wears Michael jordan even as Jordan tells the players, including Wade, to shut up and just mow his lawn.

This is partly why NBA players are not taken seriously during these stoppages. If they are not muttering ' slavery ' , they are corporate sellouts.

In this case, here is a major player, promoting a NBA owner whose costing him money and insulting him. Wade is a joke and his teammates should be livid with him.

Once a selfish star player, now a selfish league owner.

Has anybody else seen through this guy yet ?

In 1998, he said some scathing things about NBA owners. Now he is one.

He thinks 50-50 is too generous for players.

How many of you here still lovingly buy this guy's underwear ?

KOBIED --- ( verb ) : to permanently damage or destroy one's own NBA career with a stupid or illegal act of considerable magnitude. Examples :

' LeBron totally kobied himself with The Decision '.

' Having assaulted J.J. Barea, Bynum's career has been kobied '.

Named for the classless slug who bought off his wife, and who knows who else, and then even played games while under rape indictment in 2003.

Not simply by Points Scored, but by Total Points Created.

Scoring + Assists ( x2 ) = Total Points Created

Then, you also factor in minutes and turnovers also,

free throws per game, field goal percentage also. So based on that, here are last year's top four:

Deron Williams, NJ 20.1 + 10.3 = 40.7 also, 6.3 ftpg

Derrick Rose, CHI 25.7 + 7.7 = 41.1, also better shooter, fewer turnovers

LeBron James can be rated here, rare player that he is, Point Forward. 26.7 + 7 = 40.7

Better shooter, great ftpg, but more turnovers also.

R. Westbrook OKC 21.9 + 8.2 = 38.3 ,good ftpg, but high turnovers also.

Some Point players mostly shoot, some mostly pass. You want a guy who is good at both at Point.