Diesel

That's because the Bulls teams were less talented in the 80s than those teams in the 90s which was when Pippen started actually playing. Look at MJ in 87(he was eventually swept by the Celtics in the first round. MJ averaged 37 PPG oon 48% shooting(Kobe has never had that high of a PPG average or a shooting %). Now those are amazing numbers and MJ did everything he could, but he still was swept. What's a guy supposed to do? Average 40 per game? MJ is not at fault for his playoff failure without Pippen. The only two players worth a damn on that team were Charles Oakley and John Paxson(to an extent). He was extremely overrated as a shooter too(Paxson) as he only averaged .6 3 pointers made per game. MJ didn't have any real support early on in his career. Oakley was a very good player, but your going to need more to compete against teams like the Celtics that have 3 future hall of famers playing all at a very high level of their carers. Kobe doesn't guard the best guard on the opposing team any more either so I don't see what your aiming at. MJ was a much better defender than Kobe though. I'd like to see Kobe win a DPOY award as a guard. Something only MJ and Gary Payton have done. Jordan was one of if not the best on ball defender in his younger days(until his retirement in 93) and noone was better at playing the passing lanes. Also I'm curious when did Pooh Richardson "light his [expletive] up". That's because the rules were different and MJ dominated scoring more than Kobe ever has. Just because Jordan doesn't have an individual game of at 81 points, or has a streak of 40 point games like Kobe does doesn't mean Kobe is a better scorer. Other than Jordan's rookie year in the league he averaged 30+ PPG in the playoffs every single year of his career that he played in the playoffs then. He turned his game up to another level. Even in his rookie year he averaged 28 PPG which is still better than Kobe's 25.0 PPG average in the playoffs. Kobe has been portrayed as a ball hog as well before he got Gasol on his team. It's called taking over the game because your better than your teammates. Kobe made negative comments about his teammates as well. He ran Shaq out of town, was labeled "uncoachable" by Phil Jackson(someone who coached them both) at one point in his career, and even made fun of Bynum on a camera. As for the expansion teams how many of them did he play in the playoffs. Also notice his numbers went up in the playoffs? Nice try though. Jordan didn't inflate his numbers from poor competition. He simply stepped his game up against better competition which is what the great ones do. Wait so the 80s competition wasn't as good? Back then in the league there were less team's, but nearly every team had an all-star or multiple all-stars on it. There wasn't any team like the Bobcats or Oklahoma City Thunder to rape on a nightly basis. There was the Lakers/Celtics teams with 3 HOFers, great Sixers teams, Bad Boy Pistons, and a plethora of dominant bigmen not just one or two. MJ essentially won 6 titles in a row seeing as how the two times the Bulls didn't win were because A) Jordan didn't play in that season or http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif Jordan came back at the end of the season and for the playoffs not as prepared as he could've been. But as far as full seasons with Jordan he won 6 in a row. Good luck seeing Kobe do anything with that magnitude not to mention winning Finals MVP all 6 times. 33.4 PPG in the playoffs > 25.0 PPG 6 MVPs > 1 MVP 6 Finals MVPs > 1 Finals MVP 1 DPOY > 0 DPOY need I continue? Prime Jordan and Shaq on the same team would win 70+ games every year and the championship as long as their healthy.

The only thing I have a problem with is the people saying Harris because Rondo has 3 other HOFers on his team. Rondo has no KG behind him in the playoffs this year which obviously made him more vulnerable on defense, but Rondo had his coming out party in these playoffs. The guy was .3 RPG and .2 APG away from averaging a triple double for the entire playoffs and that's in 14 games so it isn't like it's one series or anything. That is insane. He nearly got 17-10-10 in these playoffs and was by far the most impressive player on Boston's roster. Rondo was making his teammates look better, not the other way around. As for the people saying Rondo can't shoot, Harris can't really shoot either. Rondo's three point percentage is actually even higher than Harris's lol! lol!! Rondo shoots 30+ from three point land and over 50% from the field in general. He is more efficient. Rondo is probably the best PG in the league getting tips and deflections on defense which lead to turnovers for the other team in some cases or bad passes. He is freakishly long which is definitely comse to be more helpful than Harris's 6'3 frame. He is the best rebounding point guard in the league and the better passer. Harris is a better scorer, but when I'm looking at point guards that's not the first thing used to judge them.

Bibby would be awesome on this team. I'm guessing Stefanski's gameplan was to try and sell him a one year MLE offer and then up his contract after that one year with the Bird rights. Of course should Bibby end up sucking greatly it would screw him over as he wouldn't get resigned for anything more so he isn't going to do that. Good try though lol

Kobe gave Trevor Ariza his shooting program and it helped his shot a ton. Does anyone have/know what his shooting program is?

Hey Magic fans, u mad Turkoglu left? I think so. Turkoglu is better than Carter because of the mismatches he creates with his 6'10 frame and Carter isn't able to handle the ball as well as Turk. He is a better shooter as well. Not to mention you guys had to give up Courtney Lee. Gortat was also lost too so have fun.

I guarantee if Hansborough was black then people wouldn't look so down on him on his future in the NBA.

Yeah but Shaq isn't the one that's going to be carrying the team to a title. You forget they have a guy named LeBron James on that squad. Shaq gives Cleveland just what they needed, someone to guard Dwight Howard in the playoffs and a post-up option when the team struggles to find any offensive flow. All they need is to put someone like Dice next to Shaq on the floor and that team is going to win it all. They are looking very nice.

I'm feeling McDyess. His game hasn't fallen off nearly as much as Rasheed who takes countless rediculous shots. Dice will be more consistant hitting his mid range shot and defending/rebounding. Rasheed is just a bigger name and I would love to see the Cavs get Dice.

The Cavs are in the same predicament and probably need one of these guy's even more so. I'd be happy with Cleveland getting McDyess. SA can take Rasheed, his shot for some reason has fallen off as has his defense and everything else about his game. McDyess hasn't seen as heavy minutes in recent years so he is still going to be able to do his thing in 25 or so minutes a game.

Ok cool guy, guess what Shaq has 4 rings too and was actually Finals MVP for 3 of them meaning he led a team to a title for 3/4. Kobe is only a one time Finals MVP. Shaq's titles are more impressive since he got more sa the #1 option. http://images.usatoday.com/sports/nba/_photos2/2002-06-12-inside-shaq-phil2.jpg Shaq picking up his third consecutive Finals MVP award on a horribly hurt big toe. u mad?

I would go to the Spurs or Cavs. I wouldn't go to Boston since I'd be coming off the bench. Then it decides to who is more likely to win and I say it's the Cavs. A frontcourt of Shaq-LeBron-Sheed would be the best in the league.

Favorite Team: Philadelphia Flyers Favorite Players: Chris Pronger, Mike Richards Least Favorite Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Least Favorite Players: Cindy Crosby, Kennedy, Avery, Fleury, Lundqvist, and basically anyone that's not on the Flyers. Anything Else: [expletive] crosby and scott stevens

I think Malkin is the best player. It's absolutely absurd that Crosby is marketed so much when he's not even the best player on his own team. Something tells me if Malkin could speak legit English then the Crosby hype wouldn't be as high as it is. Malkin has all the tools. He is huge at 6'4 and strong as hell. He's nearly impossible to knock off the puck and is very dangerous at full speed(he's very fast), nearly impossible to stop without commiting a penalty. He has a nice touch for finding his teammates in good positions and unlike Crosby he doesn't have all those secondary assists. His vision is incredible. Malkin just has everything you need in a hockey player.

What endorsements could guys like Francis, Marbury, Marion still possibly have left?

great come back pal, way to not respond to any of the points in the post and make yourself look like an even bigger tool.

lol how was Wade in 2006 any more of a perimeter player than LeBron. 60% of Wade's shot attempts were jumpshots. He made 39% of them. Last year 64% of LeBron's shots were jumpshots. He made 43% of them. I remember all the Laker fans were [expletive]ing about Wade doing nothing, but flopping and getting to the line in the 06 finals. Funny that he's now praised as a perimeter oriented player lol. Wade took 10.7 FT a game that year. LeBron took 9.4 FT per game last year. So if you want to say LeBron got fouled( a lot ) then take a look at Wade who made a living out of getting to the line and getting inside. So Dwyane Wade(who got inside more than LeBron) has had no magical 5% increase in his FG% without Shaq. I don't expect LeBron to have a 5% decrease. I would be willing to bet money( alot of money) that LeBron shoots at least 45% from the field next year. Wade averaged 48, 50, and 49% in three seasons with Shaq on his team. In the two since then he's shot 46% and 49%. Dude please Shaq isn't going to keep LeBron from getting inside lmao. If anything he makes it easier by pinning the other team's bigmen down deep so they can't come over to help when LeBron does beat his guy. And clearly you havn't watched Shaq. In Miami it was usually at least once a game Wade got inside and handed it off to Shaq for a wide open dunk from the penetration. Shaq doesn't need to draw his guy out like a jumpshooting bigman does. He just eats space in the lane and forces his man to stick him. Can't wait for Shaq and LeBron to dominate the league to shut the Kobe dicksuckers up. He still draws attention from the other players on the team when he has those guys in the post. Guaranteed.

Well I'm pretty sure Wade has said he's waiting to see what moves the Heat make before he signs his extension. I don't want Iverson either as him and Wade is just a bad fit in the back court altogether. Damn Heat better sign someone in 2010. If Wade bolts that would screw over the franchise for a decade

lol Ryan Hollins has to be one of the worst players in the league that actually gets minutes. He's soooo bad. But this is a good pickup for Dallas, I like it. They just need to resign Bass and possibly trade some pieces for a star that's on a team looking to tank and rebuild. Honestly now it seems that 2/3 of the league are just giving away their valuable assets to try and rebuild. LA, CLE, ORL, BOS, SA seem to be the only teams in the league now. I expect a lot of 60+ win teams this upcoming year and a lot more teams that are terrible.

Dude shut up, making it harder for LeBron to get to the basket? So I guess Shaq really made it tough for Kobe and Wade to get to the basket? Those guys experienced their biggest success driving to the basket with Shaq on their team and they won titles.

Well of course the agent is going to deny the rumors. How many times do you see guys say they arn't shopping ____ player and then a week later that player is traded. Btw how did you talk to Steve Blake's agent lol that's pretty neat

Patriots and Eagles in the Superbowl A rematch of 5 years ago.

O.M.F.GOSH Getting rid of Dalembert AND Willie Green? Wow I would blow my load everywhere if that happened.

Laker fans, you guys should be scared. Shaq is going to help LeBron lose his championship virginity. Shaq and LeBron is going to be a very attractive place for guys. Their going to get either Ariza or Artest too and adding Shaq and Ariza/ARtest to a 66 win team is going to make them very very scary.

So are they saving up all their money for 2010 or not? I havn't heard one guy they were interested in. I suppose if they get Bosh next year though then it's all good, but yeahhhhh

I understand the whole saving money for 2010 thing, but really if you guys don't have any pieces to surround LeBron with in 2010 what would make him want to leave his contender in Cleveland to come to NY? Maybe if you guys kept Lee, drafted Rubio it would at least make him think about it.