Real Deal

So if a very close family member of yours passed away, you'd stop remembering him/her as quickly as possible, and would force yourself to leave the room if anyone started talking about him/her? Christians feel sad because they have to live the rest of their lives without seeing their faces. Should you feel sad if your father passed when you were 10, and he wasn't there to watch you graduate, or teach you anything else at that point? Those questions are nonsense, dude.

There is a difference between $3.5 million and the veteran's minimum...around $2.5 million, in fact. Odom was going to leave us to go to the Heat just to get that extra $2-3 million. As I've said numerous times, Iverson is not a bench player. He's ineffective coming off the bench. Do you think Bryant would be an effective bench player when he's 34? Not a chance, not the way he plays the game. You pull Iverson out of a starting five, and you have no reason to sign him. So for contenders, it's not just the money. It's the role as well, and it relates to their young all-star point guards. Removing the likes of Rondo and Nelson from the starting five is just stupid for their future. Tony Parker out of the five? Not a chance. Mo Williams is playing at an all-star level. You don't stick him on the bench. Iverson didn't go to the Heat because that team will be nothing after this season. Wade is going to Chicago. AI could've went to the Bobcats, but they also have two good young point guards, one waiting on a contract. I have no idea why Memphis doesn't trust in Conley, who is also young and has potential...but they don't. Simple as that. They feel Conley is a dish best served off the bench, I suppose (because Iverson will start). So, just like every normal person on Earth, Iverson took the job that makes him the happiest. He took one that will probably also provide him with job security, as in Bird Rights, when Memphis will give him an extension for a few more years, with more money, if he shows he can produce for them. He took the job that doesn't hurt his game, which gives his team a better chance to win. He took the job that doesn't force him to average 30 points per game. He took the job that lands him in a familiar place, one he visits every summer. You have been looking at this the wrong way the entire time. Iverson didn't go to Memphis so he could score points and look good. If he wanted to do that just two years ago, he would've, and you would've known it and found out the hard way, as it would have been a glaring disability in Denver's game play. Detroit deserved Iverson's bickering. They trusted Stuckey over someone who has tons of experience, tons of skills, and is a proven player. What did it do? It changed how effective Iverson was, thus changing the Pistons into a dysfunctional team. Was that Iverson's fault? No, it was Michael Curry's fault...and ironically, he won't be coaching the Pistons this season, after his short, short stint in the league. Iverson sees that he has more talent around him in Memphis than he ever did in Philly. That forces him to see gold. He wants to win, and he thinks he can do it with Memphis. Do I? Hell no...because he's in the West and he doesn't have front court production...but on paper, Memphis is scary good. Most of the time, that doesn't come true, but there are still instances where it does, as you saw with a loaded 2007 Golden State Warriors team that dropkicked a 67-win Dallas team out of the first round. Baron and all of the fans sure believed. Why can't Iverson? Why is it something else? Why do people assume he's lying about wanting to win, when both hands are bare, and guys like Bryant, Shaq and Duncan have four each? It's easy to see why he's in Memphis, especially after watching that press conference. I don't see why it's so bad for you to begin with.

No, but that's a good recommendation for their next update.

It's always been in the guidelines. We've been removing AIM quotes since two years ago. I gave you permission to quote the prediction. I never said anything else, especially nonsense like you have in there already. So you can remove it yourself.

RIP to all that died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Scariest day I've ever witnessed. http://www.basemyspace.com/graphics/stickers/911-2.jpg

I believe we already covered that. All contenders have no room for him. Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, Maurice Williams, Jameer Nelson, all all-star guards that won't be moving out of their starting point guard roles anytime soon. Iverson would thumb Mo out of the way, but LeBron runs the offense, and it will run through him and Shaq. Coaches have their future, and Iverson can't come in and take those all-stars' roles like that. Not to mention all of those teams spent their money on forwards and centers already, did they not? Carter, Sheed, Jefferson, Parker and Moon? The one team Iverson would never fit with? The Lakers, not in the triangle offense, not in an offense that asks him to spot up and shoot threes at the point. Dallas? With Cuban already keeping Kidd for all that money? I don't think so. Who else? Really though. You tell me.

Then stop arguing who contributed more, because the facts show it's Iverson. He said he's in Memphis because of the young talent there, and because he just wants to win. Proving people wrong is a part of winning. Do you want him to prove them right? Did you not see the press conference today? So were you this way with Melo when he was partying constantly from 2003-2008? His DUI, and the fact that he was partying so much, they pulled a prank on him on PUNKed and made him believe a girl was accusing him of being with a minor? But did you make topics about him? No you didn't. So you went five years saying nothing. Now that you just admitted to everyone why you truly dislike Iverson, and why you continue on with this topic and the other one...it's time to give it a rest. You should've watched that press conference this morning, or at least paid attention to it.

I don't see how that helps your argument. People smoke two packs a day, and there are people I went to school with that light two joints a day. Same thing. Let's say a pack of cigarettes has 10-12 in it (I wouldn't know, just a guess). What if that was a pack of joints? So one pack of joints (if real) would equal 10-12 packs of cigarettes? That's insane.

Just found out that Iverson's PER was higher in 2008 than Billups' PER in 2009, and the same goes for his win shares. Iverson also had a higher eFG%. In fact, Iverson's defensive win share was higher as well. Pretty crazy all the things you find out using facts (stats). So I guess we can conclude that Iverson was the better player for the Denver Nuggets for everything but leadership? I'll definitely accept that conclusion. Thumbs up to Billups for his Derek Fisher role.

Well, he's running the offense, so there's gotta be something he brings to the team, or else a cancerous point guard would've had them under .500, like most do when they are a significant part of an offense. The funniest thing about all of this is that you still never complained until he was off the team. Out of everything you keep saying you had to complain about (Iverson never passing, playing no defense, never being a leader), it's amazing how supportive you were towards him. That's exactly why I think you're angry. That's why I think you wanted him back for $3.5 million, one year, bench role. I was wrong about your hate in regards to you just hating him. Instead, I think you're hating ON HIM because he's no longer a Nugget, which is natural because a lot of fans do that after a contributing player leaves their team. But there's no reason for it, either, not to bash him as much as you're doing. I started pointing out Ariza's negatives more than anything once he became a Rocket, but you won't find me trashing him and calling him a cancer, because he was a good defensive player and a good spot-up shooter for us. If Iverson was a cancer, it will be proven by Memphis being a worse team than they were last season, especially with Randolph on the floor as well, who I believe is a proven cancer. But I'm here to tell you they will do better, and Mayo will shoot better from the floor. You can add that to the list of predictions as well, and as always with me, you can definitely stick your neck out there and make a prediction yourself, since you're so adamant about proving Iverson's lack of value to a team.

I'm not going to pin the topic. I'll remember it well when the time comes to bump it (as should you).

Fisher doesn't handle the ball at all, haha. He runs to the corner and awaits a shot. Odom handles the ball? He comes off the bench now, for a good reason: Phil pulled the ball out of his hands. Kobe doesn't bring the ball up, but he gets into position and calls for it 9 out of 10 plays, and that's a fact, and any die-hard Los Angeles resident Lakers fan will tell you the same thing, as they get every game of the year on KCAL. According to you, getting the ball is better than not, I believe. Kobe will hold the ball until the shot clock is down, then launch a shot...right? Wasn't this Kobe's problem until 2008 or 2009? I don't believe so, but that's all I heard from non-Lakers fans. But what's funny is this: as selfish as AI was, according to you, and as long as he kept the ball in his hands, guys like Melo, Smith, Martin and Kleiza were STILL able to shoot better from the floor, versus their time with Billups...so you might want to explain that to me, also. Maybe they are better at taking last-second emergency shots, as you say happened?

I wouldn't mind if you put my prediction (just the actual prediction line) in your signature. That would be great. Make it a second round loss to anyone, even though I think they'll run right into San An. Or we can just keep it in this topic. Whatever you wish.

Right, so like Kobe Bryant? Because that's exactly what happens in the triangle offense, and exactly why we are champions.

Those teammates were even? It's not even the same type of team. LeBron led a defensive-minded team to the Finals, just as Iverson did in 2001 (ha, that's ironic). Kobe had no defense at all on his team, and his best player was an inconsistent, soon-to-be-bench player in Lamar Odom. Just another bad comparison.

Actually...haha, I can. I think I may have the old database from 2008, around June 29th. If I find it, what will you say then? I'm 110% sure you said it, because it was your biggest excuse for the loss, other than Carmelo Anthony suddenly playing bad and laughing about it.

Right, because they play in the same conference, same team, same type of teammates? How about we stick to comparing two players who were on pretty much the same exact team, with Iverson missing a huge part of their offense the previous season, and compare their teammates' shooting percentages as well? You wouldn't do that, though, because it's so much easier to just look at that win total and come to that conclusion. Kind of like me looking at the Houston Rockets beating up on the Lakers in the second round without Yao, and stating that, maybe, Scola and the Rockets are a better team without him.

Fine, I'll make the prediction, because I'm pretty confident Billups isn't as good as advertised. Second-round loss against the Spurs. Parker shuts Billups down, like he did back in December. Billups: 12 PTS, 5/13 FG (38.5%), 4 AST And like he did in March 2008... Billups: 6 PTS, 3/12 FG (25%), 8 AST And like he did January 2008... Billups: 11 PTS, 3/10 FG (30%), 6 AST And like he has his entire career against Billups... Billups: 12.1 PPG, 36.7% FG, 4.9 APG Your move.

So does that mean Iverson is less selfish than Billups?

Iverson shot better from the field with the Nuggets, compared to Billups. Iverson threw more assists. Iverson rebounded the ball just as much. The stats are there. Just look them up. Or just look here: Iverson (DEN) in 2008: 26.4 PPG (45.8% FG), 7.1 APG, 2.0 SPG, 3.0 TO/G, 3.0 RPG Billups (DEN) in 2009: 17.9 PPG (42.0% FG), 6.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 2.2 TO/G, 3.0 RPG Looks like you're spot on!

I'm not following what the differences are, then, other than most Republicans saying that we all will die younger.

Don't you sell more tickets as you get deeper in the playoffs?

Right. So how can you say that Iverson wouldn't have done better with the current roster, then? It's just not that simple, is it? Didn't you say that the Lakers may not have swept you guys if you guys had Nene? I remember you saying that a few times in those 2008 playoff topics, because we went a page or two debating about Nene's "all-star play" you kept telling us about. How did you know? It's really not that simple.

Clear cache and cookies? Go to the Windows folder, system32, drivers, etc, and open up hosts with Notepad or Wordpad (preferably Wordpad). Make sure OTR isn't listed in there. If it is, delete it and save.

Iverson with Denver, Billups with Denver, you guys still fell to us. Public victory? Well, good for you. Iverson has been to the NBA Finals more than the entire Denver franchise. You sound like Billups just made you guys the best team in the Western Conference. Since I'm bumping this in April or May, how about making a third prediction about the Nuggets. Are they getting to the Finals this season? WCF? Go ahead.