San Antonio@Chicago and Denver@Portland 10/29

[nickagneta]

Dam Baron.....trim that bush you have growing on your face.

[Who]

Noah is for real. He's played a hell of a game even if Duncan is torching him. Ty Thomas is having a hell of a second half. And Derrick Rose is playing on a hurt wheel. Hinrich, Salmons, Deng and Miller. I very good, very deep team that two to three years from now, when Rose comes into his own, will be championship quality

The Bulls have a lot of cap space next summer. If they can add a true max contract player to their core of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng (and possibly Salmons) ... they could be a contender as soon as next season.

If they fail to land that player things could get interesting though. A lot of good players but outside of Rose they look short on elite talent. They could easily end up in that 50 win but not a contender category. Then again, maybe somebody like Ty Thomas breaks through and becomes the player they need him to be.

Are the Bulls this good?

I think they're a 45+ win team. The "+" is for whatever improvement Derrick Rose shows over last season. 

I thought they would have been a 50 win team this season if they had of kept Ben Gordon. They were little short on top talent but their depth through eight players (seven now) was hugely impressive.

[mgent]

Nuggets are one of my favorite teams.

[Donoghus]

Oden's looking alright early on.

[Who]

We saw in the San Antonio game earlier how much trouble the Spurs had combating three good big men in Joakim Noah, Brad Miller and Ty Thomas.

That's why I don't think the Spurs are able to beat LA. Don't get me wrong, they'll have a shot, but I think the Lakers are huge favourites in that matchup.

Tim Duncan can only guard one of Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol. And then there's Lamar Odom. Those three guys going at Duncan & Co. for 48 minutes is going to be a massive problem for San Antonio.

The Lakers will control the paint in that playoff series ... and the Spurs will be forced to beat LA from the perimeter, and I don't like their chances of doing that.

[nickagneta]

We saw in the San Antonio game earlier how much trouble the Spurs had combating three good big men in Joakim Noah, Brad Miller and Ty Thomas.

That's why I don't think the Spurs are able to beat LA. Don't get me wrong, they'll have a shot, but I think the Lakers are huge favourites in that matchup.

Tim Duncan can only guard one of Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol. And then there's Lamar Odom. Those three guys going at Duncan & Co. for 48 minutes is going to be a massive problem for San Antonio.

The Lakers will control the paint in that playoff series ... and the Spurs will be forced to beat LA from the perimeter, and I don't like their chances of doing that.

Gotta agree. The playoffs are all about rebounding and defense and I just don't think that San Antonio has the rebounding or interior defense other than Duncan to pull it off with teams like Denver, LA, Portland and believe it or not, maybe the Clippers when Griffin comes back. If Davis can play like two years ago with emerging stars in Griffin, Thornton and Gordon and good big men in Camby and Kaman and a developing Jordan. I don't know, they intrigue me.

[Atzar]

Melo off to a good start.  I'm really starting to like his game as I follow him more.

[nickagneta]

Portland playing 3 on 5 on offense right now with Miller/Outlaw/Fernandez/Oden/Pryzbilla out there. Oden and Pryzbilla? Seriously question having those two shooting challenged players on the floor at the same time.

You might like it Reggie, I think it's stupid.

[Atzar]

Portland playing 3 on 5 on offense right now with Miller/Outlaw/Fernandez/Oden/Pryzbilla out there. Oden and Pryzbilla? Seriously question having those two shooting challenged players on the floor at the same time.

You might like it Reggie, I think it's stupid.

TP for several good thoughts in this thread thus far.  I agree completely.

[jdpapa3]

What'd you guys think about that Lawson/Pryzbilla foul? Yes, Pryzbilla was moving and they called him inside the circle (though he wasn't), but I thought Lawson clearly drove his shoulder into Pryzbilla and it should've been a no call or offensive foul.

[nickagneta]

I don't get Andre Miller coming off the bench for $7 million a year when I think he's just a much better PG than Blake. I know some will disagree, but Miller is a solid, 36 MPG player who never misses a game and will always give you 15/8/4 just about every game.

If his role is as a sixth man, then I just don't get the signing.

[nickagneta]

Lawson can't guard big guards. He's a player but dude can't guard anyone over 6'3"

[nickagneta]

What'd you guys think about that Lawson/Pryzbilla foul? Yes, Pryzbilla was moving and they called him inside the circle (though he wasn't), but I thought Lawson clearly drove his shoulder into Pryzbilla and it should've been a no call or offensive foul.

Problem was he was in the circle so...technically it was the right call.

[nickagneta]

Now I know why they gave Webster that extension. [dang], kid's got ups.

[Brickowski]

The Lakers will control the paint in that playoff series ... and the Spurs will be forced to beat LA from the perimeter, and I don't like their chances of doing that.

Chicago didn't win in the paint.  They won because Rose and Hinrich completely outplayed Parker and Ginobili.  Parker had zero points in the second half, and his offense consisted of one pathetic Euroflop after another.

It also helped that the Spurs had no one who could guard Deng.  He's too quick and too athletic for Jefferson.