Real Deal

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130111_MIN@NO

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130111_UTA@ATL

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130111_PHO@BKN

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130111_HOU@BOS

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130111_CHA@TOR

There are a handful of members who have already left because I've been very kind to a few of our jackasses over the years...since we're all being honest. Straight-up jackasses that don't deserve an account here, that spend more time mocking others than actually contributing. Some of those members were more dedicated than almost anyone here. One was an admin. Some were writers and graphics guys. None of them left because of Shaliq...and none of them had problems with Shaliq. THAT is when the community started to fall apart, and this entire staff (who are staff members for the way they conduct themselves, and they have been here for quite some time now) knows exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, in eight years...there has not been a single staff dispute on this website. Eight. Ask any staff member. When it comes to the way things are handled here, any decisions that are made, any rules, the way a member is treated, this staff has never had a dispute. Why? Because the staff members here are selected for how they present themselves, how they respect others, how they avoid issues. More truth: the Lakers site I run, the one I put up in June or July of 2008...it had a similar problem. I wiped out about 10 dedicated members who became too "buddy buddy" with each other, who thought they could run around and say what they wanted (and get away with it) because they were all from LA and friends with the owners of the website. They were racking up a ton of posts per day. Tossed aside. What happened? They were replaced, and quickly, and now, we are pretty damn active. Here, I played the game differently. I made far, far too many attempts to keep people here, and it was by far the most ignorant thing I've ever done for this site. It led to where we are today, and that's all on me for making such a detrimental mistake. For these people who I should have booted, I... 1) dropped the word filter, which allowed them to run their big ass mouths even more 2) ignored the small jabs they were getting away with saying to other members, because those other members didn't find time to come and complain 3) erased IP and member bans, all of them, one day...and allowed anyone to return 4) changed "baiting" to "excessive baiting" in regards to what isn't allowed...and eventually got rid of the entire guideline, just so we could have more trash-talking 5) stopped using the warning system and decided to give out verbals, not keep track of anything, and let major offenses be the reason for suspension MISTAKE. Huge mistake. I'm strongly considering shutting the board down for an extended amount of time, keeping in contact with everyone who I want as a returning member (personally), and then opening it all back up with a major upgrade (software upgrade, which was going to be done last month) and a brand new skin...work that I will only do when I feel this place will be appreciated again. We just lost another shot at 20-25 members moving here for a sim league, and I don't have to guess why this happened. As of yesterday, the Referral System is done. The Video System is done. Nobody gave a damn about them, so there's no point. I've removed the donations section, because I'm done accepting them. The small text ad that only guests could see, that was helping pay for the hosting...is gone. Also, the betting system I had in place, once the board was upgraded, is deleted. Same with the new Member Team modification, since it would lead to nothing but trouble. Ah, and the suggestion that I heard about...that I'm being out-worked by another site owner and it's the biggest reason we're in the gutter...I skinned this site from scratch, with 30 team banners and 30 color-coded team forums, new team rep icons, all in less than 24 hours during a day I worked for 10 before sitting down to do all of it. Also, the day I decided to put this site back up, after the hack...I installed the board, skinned it from scratch, designed banners, team avatars, found a new host, AND designed a simple home page in a little over 24 hours. I'm lazy? Nah, I'm tired of doing it for nothing. I don't think I've ever been this disappointed with this place, and I know for a fact that the staff feels the same...and the absolute last thing that will happen is me losing staff members over this bullshit, real talk. I'm sure they are tired of babysitting without me paying any of them, and I'm sure sick and tired of eight years of work being sucked down the drain. We used to take pride in being the site up for eight long years, being able to name many sites who have went up and ran into a brick wall as we stood pat. Now, we can call ourselves one of those sites. Thanks.

Simple question: can the Knicks make it to the NBA Finals with Amare coming off the bench, giving them 5-10 points and five boards a night, playing a max of 20 minutes a game?

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/312430_557963734216231_394399617_n.jpg Kobe is the only guy on this team that gives a shit when we lose.

Had to be Mario, too. So I wanted Miami to lose, but needed Portland to win. Wanted to see LeBron miss the game-winner, wanted to see Chalmers hit one, needed both to miss it. Confusing.

Why would I care? I know you don't like the Lakers. If you want to root for a particular team, that's fine. Pretty sure you would've busted his ass, and shoved it in his face, if the Knicks had actually won tonight. I've been here longer than anyone, so I know everyone's tendencies. Post count is part of how we judge the site's overall success. We don't have any new members because nobody wants to come to a dead site. Is this correct? It is. Most who I've talked to don't even know who Shaliq is. Instead, they want to stick around and post at another site, usually one that is much more active. So post count doesn't matter? I beg to differ. I've ran the site for eight years, and I've seen 400+ activity logs. If anyone knows what's great, and what's wrong, it's me. Nobody is qualified to answer the question, aside from me...let's be real. I'm simply asking for your opinion. The FACT is, the issue with OTR lies in this community not being willing to welcome in new members (this used to be a problem with new Lakers fans, still may be), and because this place has "cliques" that basically only want to talk sports with each other...it isolates others looking in, and nobody new wants that. There are a LOT of members here who need to work on their conduct. For almost all of you, I'm just throwing my hands up and looking away, because the majority of those who like to stir up trouble every week are never going to change, and quite frankly, banning 2-3 members would be like shutting down the NFL forum these days. If things are much better when he's gone, why wasn't it proven? There was absolutely NOTHING changed, at all...well, aside from less posts, me having to go post CBS articles in almost every game topic before I move them (and I still do), me never having to approve new registered members (who you guys assume are him, but aren't....and I'm pretty sure I'd know), etc. It's all talk. That's it. He posts a picture of something in off-topic, and it gets made fun of...when it doesn't offend a SINGLE PERSON on this site. He posts a drawing, and a 2-3 page conversation is created over something that doesn't matter...at all...to anyone here aside from him. When we had that female Orlando Magic fan posting here, posting in every Gameday topic who she was rooting for (in team colors), were you guys calling her a troll? Nope. You just thought she was acting like a bandwagoner, and a female in general. Cobb came into one of the topics about the Lakers or Clippers, and said he hopes the Clippers get their ass beat in the first round. Was he trolling? I don't think so. http://www.discusshoops.com/forums/topic/33692-how-many-games-will-the-lakers-win/page__view__findpost__p__373146 Why didn't you go in there and call him a troll?

LeBron needs to just take the shot...don't even care who's open, even if it's Chalmers. I know he has missed a few already this season (LeBron), but you keep it because this is your team, your franchise.

Why is it so hard to root for Miami? Portland HAS to lose for us Lakers fans...but damn, I just can't stand Miami.

Wow, Wes...Blazers up one.

I was rooting for the Pacers, also. The site was better without him? The post count didn't reflect that. We were less active when he was suspended. If he was truly the problem, I'd think everyone would have picked up their activity, but that wasn't the case...at all. How is the site better?

Stupid Heat. Game is about to be tied up, four minutes to go. EDIT: Tied.

Didn't think that three was going to go in. Dirk is just horrible, by the way. He can barely jump. Jamal Crawford blocked him last night.

Forced to root against Portland here. Sucks to have to pull for the Heat, so I'll say I'm pulling for Mario Chalmers instead.

According to opponent FG%, NBA history: 1) 1999 Spurs - 40.2% 2) 1999 Knicks - 40.3% 3) 2004 Spurs - 40.9% 4) 1998 Spurs - 41.1% 5) 1999 Heat - 41.1% 6) 2004 Rockets - 41.2% 7) 2004 Pistons - 41.3% 8) 1999 Jazz - 41.3% 9) 1999 Hawks - 41.3% 10) 2013 Pacers - 41.4% 11) 2004 Wolves - 41.4% 12) 2000 Lakers - 41.6% 13) 2001 Knicks - 41.7% 14) 1999 Blazers - 41.7% 15) 2008 Celtics - 41.9% And if you consider 1999 as a bad season to analyze offense or defense from (because it was the lockout season, and teams didn't have a true offseason or camps to practice), Pacers are top five.

I didn't hear what he said...but is he talking about the Bulls with Rose? Without him, no. Nets...no way. BUT the Pacers? I don't know. They are so good defensively, you'd have to consider them a threat out East. Take this in: among all teams in NBA history, according to opponent FG%, the Pacers are in the top ten. They not only have the best defense in the NBA this season, but one could argue they have the best defense we've seen since the 2004 Pistons.

It wasn't his offense that made the Blazers so good, as the article may suggest...but his defense. Oden's defensive numbers were similar (and at some point, were better) than Dwight Howard's (and not this year's Dwight, either). I truly think that, if he had stayed healthy, Oden would be named among some of the greatest defensive centers we've ever seen, right up there with Howard.

If the Pacers weren't one of the worst teams in the NBA scoring the ball, they would be one of the better "non-all star teams" we've seen in decades. I'd love to see this team with Rajon Rondo playing PG for this team, though. I think they could contend with him on the roster.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130109_UTA@CHA

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130109_ATL@CLE

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130109_PHO@BOS

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20130109_MIL@CHI