LAKERS!

Double post!

So I watched the gold medal match between Team USA and Spain (on my phone while in a theme park, so it wasn't the best viewing experience). I think it was a good game; it was certainly closer than I expected considering how both teams did during the tournament. Spain were able to compete all the way through part of the fourth quarter, but in the end Team USA were able to pull away. There were times where I got the impression that the referees were a little too picky and making some strange (for lack of a better word) decisions (was this just me or did someone else got the same impression?)

I haven't been following the NBA that much lately and so I was surprised to hear that the Lakers had landed both Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. By the looks of it they will be pretty strong next season (unfortunately for me :troll:).

Man, that Mitch Mupchak is nothing short of a genius; first he got Gasol and now Howard. Kobe must be quite happy these days.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
m said:
So I watched the gold medal match between Team USA and Spain (on my phone while in a theme park, so it wasn't the best viewing experience). I think it was a good game; it was certainly closer than I expected considering how both teams did during the tournament.

I expected as much, this was the only game I was really worried about (maybe a little for Argentina too), not because I thought the US would lose, but because they certainly could have, and the game showed it. I actually feel sorry for Spain, it's tough only coming away with silver again when you basically executed the perfect game to beat the US twice and both times team USA managed to do just enough to win.

m said:
I haven't been following the NBA that much lately and so I was surprised to hear that the Lakers had landed both Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. By the looks of it they will be pretty strong next season (unfortunately for me :troll:).

Pretty strong? I'm already hanging the 17h banner! :badbone:

Nah, we'll see, if it was a few years ago this would be a laugher, but there's no telling what sort of shape Kobe or Nash will be in next season considering they're like a combined 72 years old. Also, after these Olympics maybe we should give Gasol some funky glasses that make the Lakers look like they're wearing red and gold, tell him he's playing for Spain. BTW, am I only one that thinks that Spain look like Team McDonalds? If he plays like he did in London we're unbeatable. If he plays like he has for the Lakers the last two years? I'd consider trading him to Houston or someone for a bunch of complimentary parts (too bad they hastily got rid of Scola in their own Howard chase).

m said:
Man, that Mitch Mupchak is nothing short of a genius; first he got Gasol and now Howard. Kobe must be quite happy these days.

My mom and I used to call this guy Mitch Upchuk, and now he really is like the second coming of Jerry West! Guy just owns the rest of the NBA right now; consider he also traded for Chris Paul a few months back, even though it was Sterned (not his fault). Now, in the aftermath of that, he's actually managed to put the team in an even better position to win now (all I care about until Kobe retires) and secured their future if Howard resigns. If I were a GM and he called me I'd just hang up the phone. And even if they don't win, at least it means Kobe probably isn't going anywhere.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Griffith said:
I expected as much, this was the only game I was really worried about (maybe a little for Argentina too), not because I thought the US would lose, but because they certainly could have, and the game showed it. I actually feel sorry for Spain, it's tough only coming away with silver again when you basically executed the perfect game to beat the US twice and both times team USA managed to do just enough to win.

I can only imagine how Ibaka feels coming back to the Thunder with a silver, while three of his teammates each have a gold.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Johnstantine said:
I can only imagine how Ibaka feels coming back to the Thunder with a silver, while three of his teammates each have a gold.

Ibaka was one of the reasons I was worried; the thought of him and the Gasol bros unleashed on our undersized lineup (yet we still out-rebounded them, I believe). Anyway, I hope that gold/silver division doesn't cause a rift that tears your team apart. :zodd:

Yeah, not likely, Pau never had any hard feelings, and unfortunately I think you'll all be better for the experience. Not that I have anything against the Thunder, as you know, but Durant's championship window will be open for a decade and Kobe only has a few years left! :daiba:

Actually, the future isn't so assured for the Thunder either, next summer you guys have the dilemma of whether to shell out the luxury tax money to keep both Harden and Ibaka, a cost of success the Thunder organization hasn't had to deal with yet. Man, imagine if you had kept Chandler (who I like better than Perkins, especially for your team); your entire starting lineup would have been in that gold medal game. Of course, I won't be so happy to see Perkins now that he actually has someone on our team to guard. Howard trade was good for him too.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Griffith said:
Actually, the future isn't so assured for the Thunder either, next summer you guys have the dilemma of whether to shell out the luxury tax money to keep both Harden and Ibaka, a cost of success the Thunder organization hasn't had to deal with yet. Man, imagine if you had kept Chandler (who I like better than Perkins, especially for your team); your entire starting lineup would have been in that gold medal game. Of course, I won't be so happy to see Perkins now that he actually has someone on our team to guard. Howard trade was good for him too.

The Thunder will let Ibaka go before they let Harden go. The beard brings in more money than Ibaka ever could. He's more of a staple than Ibaka is, anyways.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Johnstantine said:
The Thunder will let Ibaka go before they let Harden go. The beard brings in more money than Ibaka ever could. He's more of a staple than Ibaka is, anyways.

Sure, but that finals performance left a lot to be desired. The Thunder might not have the big three they thought they did. Of course, it was his first time, it happens. Just more drama for the playoffs this year.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Griffith said:
Sure, but that finals performance left a lot to be desired. The Thunder might not have the big three they thought they did. Of course, it was his first time, it happens. Just more drama for the playoffs this year.

Yeah, I agree. But, really, you could say that for the majority of the team. Even Ibaka wasn't living up to the potential he had.

Harden did get a lot of slack for that whole series. I look back on it and just wonder what the hell he was actually doing. I chalk it up to performance anxiety.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
JoeZeon said:
https://twitpic.com/b07ijh

Man he has no idea what he's getting himself into......

70 wins and Multiple championships!? :guts: :badbone:

On a more cynical note, damn those other guys are old. I just hope this team is good enough to make it inconceivable for him to sign elsewhere.
 
Griffith said:
On a more cynical note, damn those other guys are old. I just hope this team is good enough to make it inconceivable for him to sign elsewhere.

And another thing that people aren't talking enough about is Howard coming off back surgery. Some of these experts are talking are acting like he had his knee drained or something. For a normal working man that's a big time procedure, for an athlete who's body is intertwined to his career, its a very serious concern.

On less than serious note, it will be interesting to see if he's willing to deal with the pressure of carrying the Lakers post-Kobe. He might just bolt again.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
JoeZeon said:
On less than serious note, it will be interesting to see if he's willing to deal with the pressure of carrying the Lakers post-Kobe. He might just bolt again.

I like Howard, but he's nowhere near the level of Kobe. Every team has their staple (Durant, Lebron, Kobe, Garnett, Nowitzki, Lin, etc). But Howard will never be a staple, unless everyone else in the league dies, leaving him on his own.
 
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