Real Deal

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121207_CLE@MIN

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121207_MEM@NO

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121207_CHI@DET

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121207_ORL@SAC

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121207_WAS@ATL

Thanks guys...didn't really want to be "inducted" yet, figured I'd get in another 2-3 more guys before the end of the year, then follow with the rest of those that are qualified before Kyle dove in with this, but he wasn't going to take NO for an answer, haha. Nice write-up, by the way. Sounds like something I would write, lol. Simply put, all I ever wanted to do with this site was to give people a place to talk basketball. I don't need money off of advertising, don't need to find a way to put out articles for others to read them, etc. I never really did want to close the site down until most recently, when I talked about ending it on our eight-year anniversary (and proceeded to consider ending it earlier)...every bit of that was true, but the reasons go far beyond what was explained, anyway. It's nothing I have to talk about...those that have been around long enough can probably come up with ideas why I may need to walk away someday. It's just very difficult to do that, though...not because I built this from the ground up, but because other people did. Installing the board, paying for hosting, buying the domain name...it's either a one-time thing, or a once-a-month occurrence. I have always needed something to drive me down that road, to keep me from turning my head. Seeing the site alive and well, even through some of the worst downtime we've ever seen (ex. the lockout), it provides me with a legitimate excuse as to why I'm still feeding effort and money into it all. Personally, I think it's outstanding that we've gone nearly eight years without a major staff issue. I have yet to have to boot an administrator or moderator for disruptive behavior, never had to settle a real fight between two staff members. That kind of stability means a lot to me. I know I do a LOT of things on my own, refusing help when it comes to graphics, ownership, promotion, social networking, coding, and more...but that doesn't have much to do with trust in my staff (maybe only those outside of our site, looking in), and has everything to do with me having this place on my shoulders at all times, just in case it all falls apart. Because of that, it's why I've never considered selling. Eight years of work, by all of us, can't be purchased. If the site crumbles, it has to go down the way it went up. Otherwise, everything we've done for so long has less meaning, and more focus will be placed on the post-sale, why it all went wrong, and not how far we traveled together. It's crazy to think that some of you, especially quite a few of you that registered in 2005 or 2006, were in junior high, or freshmen in high school...and now you're in college. I mean, I have tons of memories to share, but I won't go that route...some of you will probably have flashbacks immediately, haha. One day, OTR will close down. I don't know when, but it will happen. Instead of worrying about it becoming an event that is closer than ever, we should focus on what's ahead of us. At this point, we don't have much room to improve. It's well-known that we thrive off of our basketball knowledge, and opening the door for new members is a bit of a risk...but one we're going to have to take. In previous years, we've taken these new members and watched them learn and contribute before our very own eyes...even some of us, today, can vouch for this, as they are a part of that group I'm discussing. We can get back to that, but we have to work as a community...and I'm the one, as owner, that has to take the biggest step in recruiting before anything else. If it doesn't work out for us, and it hasn't been as of late, we will continue to move on, but what we need will only become more important as we progress down the same path we've been traveling on since the hack. As far as my eye problems go, I really don't like to talk about it unless it's for a good cause (telling everyone else how dumb I was for not taking care of my diabetes), but I'll say that I was, and will always be, very grateful for just how many of you stepped up and kept this place going while I was gone for so long. When I literally gave the site to Aaron (ALCS), making him the owner...well, when my brother did it for me...that was tougher than you guys can imagine, and I realize it's "just the internet" and doesn't seem as serious to probably anyone else here, but when you push yourself to create something like this, and see it grow and become a success, and you aren't being told what to do or paid for your efforts, the results of such a project are something to be proud of. It taps into your personal life, honestly changing the way you go about each day, whether I like it or not. I come here every day, and aside from the months I was completely blind, I have done it since 2005. A number of you have done this as well, surely not at that magnitude (because part of my time here, especially staying up way too late, has been a requirement mixed in with me just wanting to improve the skin, add features, or build on post content)...but, regardless, you have done something similar. As individuals, we all bring something to the table...may not like each other from time to time, but there's always a positive to point out for each and every contributing member that logs in each day. As a whole, as a basketball community filled with those same individuals...we will always find the desire to discuss hoops, and as long as we are seeking ways to fulfill that desire on this website, nothing can ever force us to walk away from it all. With all of that in place, again, thank you. I wouldn't want to be apart of any other team.

Haters, haha. I got a 96% in Physics my senior year, didn't cheat. A lot of it is just having to sit in class and listen to everything, and then keep an organized notebook (the notebook points that we had were one of two things that usually crippled everyone's grades...the other were exams, of course). Our teacher was probably the most hated in the high school, because he was a hard ass...but I always thought, despite that (because I did agree), he was also the best teacher there. I had the same teacher for Chemistry I and II, and about 50% of our class had to drop each one. I ended up tutoring a cheerleader, who had to pass to stay on the cheer team...and she just didn't get the class, I guess, ended up dropping it. Each time we had a lab, I remember everyone in the class being super-excited. It cracked me up. Labs were a way to avoid 45-minute lectures, and being sent up to the chalkboard to basically get embarrassed, lol. Even I hated going up there, but usually, he would pick on the students that had the most trouble in class, that looked like they were going to fall asleep, or that just didn't take class seriously. I do agree that a lot of people cheat, though. I kept my Physics notebook, let other people borrow it for money, over the next couple of years after I graduated. He had different exam questions every year because of that, but he couldn't avoid the fact that the tests were always similar in material, so it helped a lot of students out in the long run, lol.

Had to change the topic title a bit, since our Twitter and Facebook news feeds pick up topics within 15 minutes or so. Don't want to be that site that reports stories like this without specifications (kind of like April Fool's Day trade rumors). And the funny thing is, Kobe should actually do what the article is describing.

Whoa, who is this guy?!?! :glasses:

No Pau Gasol tonight. Still no Nash, no Blake. Hope Kobe and Howard go off.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121206_DAL@PHO

If you're talking about LeBron, he was 20 just a month into the first season he had 2,000+ points. In NBA history, there is no player, at 18 or 19 years old (by February of that season), who has scored 2,000 points in a single season.

This is pretty sick: http://i46.tinypic.com/5mmpvo.jpg

That's about 2.5 seasons extra of high-level scoring, which Kobe could have probably done earlier in his career + may have had without Shaq. However, without Shaq, you could argue he would not have won those championships. What if Kobe was paired with Duncan instead? That would have been interesting. He could have won those first three, or two of three, and averaged more PPG in the first and second run, maybe in the 2004 season (when he averaged 24 because of Malone and Payton)...so, yeah, a lot of factors there. Jordan's teams were pretty good, very complete in regards to how they were constructed. For the most part, our championships were all Kobe and Shaq. We had Horry, Fisher, Harper, etc...but those guys weren't as good as the role players back in Chicago.

Let's go a bit deeper into the math... If he continues the pace (28 PPG) this season, he'll end up with around 31,780 points to end the season. From there, he'll be 6,607 points behind Kareem. That's just four seasons of 20.1 PPG...and Kobe would be around 38-39 years old when he reaches the mark (at that pace...I can't assume he'll average 20 PPG in the next 2-3 years, either...he's better than that). It's in reach.

If Kobe reaches Malone, which wouldn't exactly shock me if he's not going to stick to his word about retiring, he'll stick around long enough to beat out Kareem, unless his knees ruin him. Once he hits that mark Malone set, knowing Kobe, he'll go one more season of 15-20 PPG. Again, Kareem is just four seasons of 21+ PPG away (assuming he stays at 28 PPG this season). It's not that big of a reach.

Whatever Zimmerman says, or Trayvon's girlfriend says...none of it is relevant when you consider the fact that Zimmerman was in pursuit with a gun in his possession, and he stepped out of his vehicle with it. If you're on neighborhood watch, you aren't lurking the streets as an armed man. Zimmerman claims he was going to the store? Well, he should have called the police and stayed in his vehicle. He likely won't get a murder charge, just like Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson got out of their cases. However, the facts are that Trayvon was unarmed, walking home and being pursued by a citizen with a gun, and that pursuit took place before any kind of threat was legitimately in place. That was the wrong thing to do, no way around it.

I figure someone thought of Adam Morrison right when they read that...but at least Morrison had a decent rookie season. Rivers has been a train wreck so far. What's laughable is...using 82games and Basketball Reference, Rivers is the worst on the team in 82games' Simple Rating, and he's second worst in Offensive Rating and PER, and dead last in Win Shares, lol. It doesn't help that he's playing some PG, but even then, I'm kind of shocked to see him shooting THIS BAD from the floor. He has a TS% of just 39%.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121204_IND@CHI

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121204_MIN@PHI

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121203_ORL@GS

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121203_LAC@UTA

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121203_MIL@NO

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121203_CLE@DET

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20121203_POR@CHA