Real Deal

TIME: 9:30 PM EST TV: NBATV

TIME: 8:00 PM EST TV: TNT

TIME: 7:00 PM EST TV: NBATV

1) Kobe Bryant 2) Tim Duncan These two above everyone else, because they are the two most knowledgeable and complete players over the last decade of basketball. As a guard, I'd want to learn everything possible from Bryant, and Duncan would help me with my post play and post defense. Contested shots, splitting the doubles, ball-handling, attacking the basket, mental toughness, footwork, everything I can get from Kobe. 3) Jason Kidd My secondary position is point guard, and I'd want Kidd coaching me. He's an excellent defensive player at the point, top five point guard of all-time, and his passing is right there with Nash's. 4) Grant Hill I'd learn how to play through injuries, train and become more durable, and maximize my talent when I'm older. Plus, he's a good defensive player at the three, and he's a damn good teammate in both a limited role and a significantly large role. 5) Ray Allen Strictly shooting. He would help me at the three and at the charity stripe.

Yeah, I just now realized everyone is going to hate me for posting that I think Roy will re-injure his knee...so I probably need to just completely delete that post from the Blazers/Suns topic. -_-

I called Kobe today and he told me he was faking all of this, so don't worry. It kills me to know that it's gonna end this way, though. I hope Bryant skips the worlds this summer and fixes the finger, because it's just too devastating of an injury to overcome.

It's still Debbie Downer. You can't change the name just because you're a male, Debbie.

I just get this weird feeling in my stomach that he's going to re-injure his knee in this series. Not sure why.

Yeah, but I wouldn't compare him to other superstars that don't play his position, because the center position is much more physical. However, compare him to Shaq. O'Neal STILL clears people out with his elbows, every possession, and gets away with it.

Hahaha...not much of a difference between 1-4 huh? With the roster we have now, there's absolutely no chance we win it all with Kobe's shot suffering like it has been. Zero chance. There could be this crazy situation where we make it out of the West, but Orlando and Cleveland would pound us without at least an 85% Kobe. But yes, if we're traveling backwards and looking at last summer, we should've brought in a point guard. Buss should've accepted the Hinrich trade and paid the extra money. Winning championships makes money, and it should be a goal to build the champion at all costs. I think Kobe would've been fine with the dislocation...but the avulsion fracture, and the ankle/knee, are bothering him the most. I don't believe the surgery was needed in the off-season, because even MJ played the final dynasty with a dislocated index finger...but the avulsion fracture needed attention immediately. The only problem was...the team wouldn't be a top seed had Kobe fixed it mid-season. And while Artest is a better physical defensive player than Ariza, he sure the hell can't shoot to save his life, and we could use a spot-up shooter, badly.

No Kobe, no championship. Simple as that. I really hope you saw Game 4 against the Thunder, because feeding those big men all game was the biggest mistake we've made this season, and it showed just how much we need an aggressive, and effective, Kobe Bryant. Kobe, Bynum and Gasol all attempted 10 shots, Odom with 12. All shot 50% from the field. The Lakers were ran out of the building because the bigs wouldn't pass out of the post, they didn't have the energy to rebound, and the passive Kobe didn't have the Thunder worried at all. While the loss absolutely sucked, it was nice being right about Kobe needing to eat first.

Yeah, I need to make one of these topics for Tony Parker on May 17th, if he plays (on his birthday). I think I have control of the world, or something...

LMAO, not exactly funny...but yeah, haha, that would suck.

TIME: 8:30 PM EST TV: NBATV

TIME: 10:30 PM EST TV: TNT

TIME: 8:00 PM EST TV: TNT

Haha, nobody saw the game where Kobe suffered the avulsion fracture...just heard he got hurt. Brewer was the guy that deflected the pass that literally destroyed Kobe's index finger. That was right before Christmas, if I remember right.

Funny ad just hit "super funny" when the Jazz went up 3-1 tonight. Wonder if Melo still has jokes.

We were blown out once in OKC, and it was due to mismatches. Kobe will be fine. Our problems in Game 4 were... 1) Kobe's passive play, which was probably a message sent 2) Gasol's inability to defend Green on the perimeter (and he didn't even try to) 3) Westbrook on the break 4) OKC shot-blocking and shot-contesting 5) missed free throws The Thunder are one of the top defensive teams in the NBA, I believe the top shot-blocking teams as well (but don't quote me on that). They are also one of the youngest and most athletic, they play incredibly fast, and their home crowd rivals that of Golden State's in 2007. I'm more concerned about the Thunder than the Jazz.

Wouldn't mean much. The Spurs can beat anyone in their house, while Dallas has already lost a game at their place. This game was just another example of what the Spurs are really made of. They can beat any West team, 2-8...and they will challenge the Lakers in the WCF.

Both are 40-win teams without their superstars. One would make the playoffs in the East, probably 8th seed...and the other would miss the playoffs in the West. Cleveland still has too many damn shooters, and Shaq would take advantage of it. Williams and Jamison would provide the offense, and the team defense would still be decent. Denver would probably start the season stronger, but eventually, that would change.

1) Celtics (Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Sheed, Finley, Rondo) 2) Cavaliers (Shaq, LeBron, Jamison, Ilgauskas, Williams) 3) Lakers (Kobe, Gasol, Artest, Odom, Bynum, Fisher) 4) Mavericks (Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Marion, Butler) 4b) Spurs (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson, McDyess) I actually think it's a tough call for the #2 and #3, honestly, because Artest was mean in his prime, and we all know how fierce Bryant was (hell, he was an MVP player this season, before injury), but I don't think anyone can topple a Boston team if they were all in their primes. Sheed was one of the best power forwards in the league when he wanted to be, Garnett is a top five power forward of all-time because of what he did in his prime, Allen is one of the greatest shooters ever, we know where Pierce ranks among the all-time Celtic players, and Finley was a mess for defenders in his prime.

Defensively, Jamison can't deal with anyone. But it's all good...we'll find all of this out if the time comes.

Boozer and Deron toyed with Denver. Gonna be a fun second round match-up. Carlos has had a history of getting crushed by Gasol (with the exception of their last game, Booz shoots 40% against him), so I'll be excited for this one.

Portland would rather play Dallas, bro. There's no way they are beating San Antonio's half court game, not when the Spurs are at full strength. Miller would get torched, Duncan would slow LaMarcus and dominate him on the offensive end, and Roy would stand no chance against Manu (a healthy Roy would, of course, but he won't be 100% until the offseason).