Howard to LA

[Billso]

Hey, how about that Hawkeye football team, yo?

[hawkdrummer1]

The NBA is starting to look like MLB. The big market teams can buy the talent they want to build a Champion.

Not nearly as fun as the NFL or NHL where the bad teams get first chance to rebuild and there's more of a rotating balance of power.

[RocknRollface]

Not really. The reason the Nash/Amare pick and roll was so effective was because Amare was capable of popping and knocking down 20 foot jumpers.

The reason it was/is so effective is Nashs jump shot not AS. Most PGs aren't content or able to kill you on a jumper but Nash can. Most Pgs are trying to get pentration on their picks.

Whoever the biggs defender is always has to "show" hard to stop Nash from hitting the jumper and in that instant he either slips the pass or if the defender dosen;t show hard enough he hits the J.

IMO its only going to be more effective with a Howard Gassol combo.

[herkyattack]

The reason it was/is so effective is Nashs jump shot not AS. Most PGs aren't content or able to kill you on a jumper but Nash can. Most Pgs are trying to get pentration on their picks.

Whoever the biggs defender is always has to "show" hard to stop Nash from hitting the jumper and in that instant he either slips the pass or if the defender dosen;t show hard enough he hits the J.

IMO its only going to be more effective with a Howard Gassol combo.

And Nash has had 3 straight years of declining 3FG%, culminating in his lower percentage in over a decade.

[herkyattack]

The reason it was/is so effective is Nashs jump shot not AS. Most PGs aren't content or able to kill you on a jumper but Nash can. Most Pgs are trying to get pentration on their picks.

Whoever the biggs defender is always has to "show" hard to stop Nash from hitting the jumper and in that instant he either slips the pass or if the defender dosen;t show hard enough he hits the J.

IMO its only going to be more effective with a Howard Gassol combo.

And Amare's ability to knock down a perimeter jump shot most certainly does make the pick and roll more effective. No team in the history of basketball has one way of defending the P'nR, consisting solely of the big showing. Most teams mix it up, either hedging, blitzing, jamming, switching (rarely on PG/big screens), etc. When the big setting the ball screen can mix up rolling and popping, or reading the defender before choosing, it becomes nearly impossible for the defense to get comfortable with one of these methods, which in turn makes the P'nR more difficult to defend. Nash's shooting ability certainly plays a big part in its effectiveness, but to dismiss the other aspect of it is foolish.

[HawkPhreek]

Heat don't repeat everything broke right this year for them to make it.

[herkyattack]

Heat don't repeat everything broke right this year for them to make it.

Not sure I agree with this. I am a self-proclaimed Heat/Lebron hater, but they only got better this offseason. Their nucleus of Chalmers, Ray Allen, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, and Rashard Lewis is hands down the best in the NBA.

[BergHawk7]

Heat don't repeat everything broke right this year for them to make it.

Not sure I agree with this. I am a self-proclaimed Heat/Lebron hater, but they only got better this offseason. Their nucleus of Chalmers, Ray Allen, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, and Rashard Lewis is hands down the best in the NBA.

The heat still have zero true post players. Basically the heat are a 3 point shot team, which the saying goes, you live by the 3 and die ny the 3. The lakers imo have just become the best all around team in the nba. true point gaurd, best SG in Kobe (he is the best at his position), defensive SF in World Peace (Artest) and two twin towers down low. Honestly the lakers create a ton of mismatches for any team. Favorite in the west hands down, and could give heat some serious problems.

[ibahawkeye]

Heat don't repeat everything broke right this year for them to make it.

Not sure I agree with this. I am a self-proclaimed Heat/Lebron hater, but they only got better this offseason. Their nucleus of Chalmers, Ray Allen, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, and Rashard Lewis is hands down the best in the NBA.

The heat still have zero true post players. Basically the heat are a 3 point shot team, which the saying goes, you live by the 3 and die ny the 3. The lakers imo have just become the best all around team in the nba. true point gaurd, best SG in Kobe (he is
the best at his position), defensive SF in World Peace (Artest) and two twin towers down low. Honestly the lakers create a ton of mismatches for any team. Favorite in the west hands down, and could give heat some serious problems.

No... Lebeon finally figured out he needs to attack relentlessly and him and wade did that last year and it worked out well.

[1st]

Kobe is the Lakers worst enemy. Shoots when he should be passing.

[busabus114]

You sound old, and you also sound like you have busted ballz.

hahaha...guilty on both charges

[bighawkeyedaddy]

The Lakers won't even make it out of the west. Kobe is old, Nash is old, and Howard is the most overrated player in the NBA. Do you really think there will be harmony with Nash and Kobe both needing the ball in their hands most of the time in order to be effective? You think Kobe is going to be content being a 3rd option? Not to mention Nash is going to be schooled with his poor defense.

[Blackout]

Howard is overrated. Defenses can just foul him every time. Has there been a worse free throw shooter? I would have to try to miss 60% of my FTs.

Shaq

[HawkeyeMike23]

Heat don't repeat everything broke right this year for them to make it.

LOL. Yes having a crippled Mike Miller, banged up Wade and injured Chris Bosh was a series of lucky breaks for Miami. Miami won because LeBron realized he's the best player in the league and it's not that close. When you have a guy who can throw up 40/18/9 or 45/15's anytime you face a must win game, you're going to be hard to beat. LeBron's been playing the same way in the Olympics too, and I don't see this changing next year.

Combine that with a healthy Wade and Bosh, plus Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis and the Heat will have even more shooters. Miami figured out their identity in the playoffs and they're going to run off a string of titles here.

Howard is a huge get for the Lakers on defense. He will be able to clean up a lot of mistakes and with Nash out there, there will be a lot of defensive lapses.

[OatesStache]

The heat still have zero true post players. Basically the heat are a 3 point shot team, which the saying goes, you live by the 3 and die ny the 3. The lakers imo have just become the best all around team in the nba. true point gaurd, best SG in Kobe (he is the best at his position), defensive SF in World Peace (Artest) and two twin towers down low. Honestly the lakers create a ton of mismatches for any team. Favorite in the west hands down, and could give heat some serious problems.

There is quite a bit wrong with this. For one, you clearly don't need post scorers to win in the NBA. Post defenders yes, but not post scorers. Miami and OKC have the latter, which makes them effective, and will make them effective against the new Lakers.

Kobe is not the best SG in the NBA. That's just absurd. Artest is not the best defensive SF by a long shot.

The Thunder are still going to be the favorites in the West. They are younger, they have better top line talent, they are deeper, and they are much better coached.