NBA Preseason

[Karlifornia]

I realize this board isn't really the demographic for this, but I figured, "Why not?". This thread may wind up with 2 posts by the start of the regular season, but I would like to hear updates on other teams from around the league.


I'm watching Warriors/Lakers live right now. You have to love a 10 PM start time. Thank you Hawaii! The team (Warriors) is looking good. Kelenna Azubuike is playing well, as is Patrick O'Bryant (!!!). Kobe played for about 9 minutes of the first Q, and only took one shot....no real reason to play him here.

For Jeeber, Coby Karl (a UTEP star, IIRC) is playing for the Lake Show.

[MrBug708]

Last year Kobe didnt even do anything til the second game of the year. Surprised he's even suiting up. Guess you gotta do something in practice

[Karlifornia]

BTW, I cannot wait to see Marco Belinelli in regular season action, with Action Jackson, Baron, and the rest playing. It's gonna be insane.

[Groundhog]

*Patrick O'Bryant* is playing well?? Wow. From what I've seen of the guy, he wouldn't be more than a mid-level import in our Aussie bball league - the same league that made Acie Earl look like Shaq.

Another rookie bigman with knee issues, as the Kings Spencer Hawes is having surgery with his return date not yet known.

[Karlifornia]

*Patrick O'Bryant* is playing well?? Wow. From what I've seen of the guy, he wouldn't be more than a mid-level import in our Aussie bball league - the same league that made Acie Earl look like Shaq.

Another rookie bigman with knee issues, as the Kings Spencer Hawes is having surgery with his return date not yet known.

Well, O'Bryant is playing good D, and he's caused problems for Andrew Bynum, which many not be saying much. But the Warriors announcers are saying O'Bryant had a great training camp and is vastly improved. We'll see. I'm not gonna buy in until I see him play more, and see him develop at least one decent move offensively.

Hawes has bust written all over him.....

[Karlifornia]

I'm watching this preseason game....and it's tied at 109 with about 10 seconds left or so...and the Warriors bench (which is all the starters, including Baron Davis) is STANDING. I can't understand why people hate the NBA.oh...wait...they don't get to watch the Warriors.

[Karlifornia]

And new Warrior Troy Hudson hits the game-winner as time expires. I pity fans of any other team in any other sport. The Warriors are where it's at this year. See you at the Oracle for 41 parties.

[k0ruptr]

knew i shoulda gone to this game.. hmm maybe thursday.

[JeeberD]

For Jeeber, Coby Karl (a UTEP star, IIRC) is playing for the Lake Show.

He played at Boise State. Thanks, though...

[stevew]

Anderson Verejao and Sasha Pavlovic are still in a contract dispute, so the Cavs are down 2 key players from last year right now. While I think they can do without Sasha, Andy really needs to get into the fold.

Sasha and his agents are both idiots, they could have had a 1 year deal for 2.8 million, and been an unrestricted FA. Now he's looking at playing in europe for chump change.

[Coffee Warlord]

Yi looked absolutely lost out there for Milwaukee.

Noah played exactly like you'd expect: Fought hard, played good defense, scored on a few dunks, can't shoot anything past that.

[miami_fan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3077037

The Miami Heat, reeling from the continued injury absence of Dwyane Wade and an 0-7 record in the preseason, have responded with a promising double boost for their aging roster.

Finding an unexpected taker for out-of-favor forward Antoine Walker, Miami on Wednesday completed a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire swingman Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount.

The Wolves will also receive Michael Doleac and Wayne Simien (and their expiring contracts) in addition to Walker. Minnesota initially balked at taking back Walker, according to NBA front-office sources, but the Heat threw in a future first-round draft pick to push the trade through.

Walker has fallen farther and farther out of grace with Miami coach Pat Riley since the Heat's 2006 championship, largely because of conditioning issues. But Minnesota might also have been convinced to shed its reservations and make the swap because Walker has only two guaranteed seasons left on his contract, one year less than Blount.

Trading Davis and Blount, both veterans who no longer wanted to be in Minnesota in the wake of the Kevin Garnett trade to Boston, represents the latest step in an ongoing Wolves clearout aimed at creating a fresh environment around three featured youngsters: Al Jefferson, Randy Foye and rookie Corey Brewer.

Walker wouldn't appear to fit in Minnesota's long-range plans, either, but concerns about Blount and Jefferson co-existing after some reported friction in their Boston days together served as another potential motivation for the Wolves to make the deal in addition to Walker's cap-friendlier contract.

For Riley, meanwhile, manufacturing a deal that delivers two proven scorers less than a week before the regular season opens ranks as undeniable coup, in spite of any chemistry concerns attached to the newcomers.

Davis has struggled at times to accept third- or fourth-wheel status in his various stops and has already played his way out of Miami once when Riley had him for an injury-plagued season (2000-01) and then traded him to Cleveland. Blount, furthermore, will have to prove he can earn minutes in Miami when Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning are healthy.

The Heat, however, badly needed an infusion of scoring on the perimeter and a more potent complement (or replacement) for O'Neal and the minutes-restricted Mourning on the front line after a rough offseason and a similarly discouraging exhibition season.

In the summer, Miami lost Jason Kapono, James Posey and Eddie Jones in free agency because of payroll concerns and was also thwarted in its attempts to sign Milwaukee free-agent guards Maurice Williams and Charlie Bell. With Wade still sidelined indefinitely after undergoing shoulder and knee surgeries in May and the Heat going winless in the preseason for the first time in franchise history, Riley was increasingly desperate for new blood.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

Maybe Ricky Davis has learned from his last time in Miami. I am just hoping the same results we got the last time we traded for questionable veteran talent.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I don't follow the statistics of NBA players anymore, and I pretty much just watch the Grizzlies and the standings (ha ha, joke's on me), so bear with me. Does Ricky Davis have any value in the NBA anymore? Any value at all? Does he even bring comedic value to the table these days?

[Atocep]

Antoine Walker has gotten so fat the Heat had to throw in a 1st round pick just to get Minnesota to take him.

[miami_fan]

I don't follow the statistics of NBA players anymore, and I pretty much just watch the Grizzlies and the standings (ha ha, joke's on me), so bear with me. Does Ricky Davis have any value in the NBA anymore? Any value at all? Does he even bring comedic value to the table these days?

Davis has the same value he has always had. He has talent. The question was and has always been whether or not he can accept the role on the team that he is on. He has expected to be at the very least the number two option on whatever team he is on, regardless of whoever else is on the team. If he can accept being the Heat's third or option (when Wade come back) on the offensive end and playing defense, he will do well. If not, well it won't be pretty.

[BishopMVP]

BTW, I cannot wait to see Marco Belinelli in regular season action, with Action Jackson, Baron, and the rest playing. It's gonna be insane.Any opinion on Stephane Lasme? High-energy, athletic and extremely likeable guy. I hope he gets minutes, should be a great backup in that system.