National Basketball Association

This is the official NBA discussion thread. Who will win the title this year?

Standings as of 12/24/07 2:40 PST




Statistical Leaders as of 12/24/07

POINTS


REBOUNDS


ASSISTS

The Celtics will win it this year (As long as they all stay healthy). They'll breeze through the Eastern Conference and be rested waiting for the Western Conference Champion (who will go through a gauntlet just to make it to the Finals).

KG deserves a ring.

I honestly do not think they have the slightest chance to win the title. Lebron James has shown that he can defeat a full-strength Celtics (as one of the headlines said: "One beats three"). In overtime, but it can be done.

Also, with all due respect to Garnett, Allen, and Pierce they are not winners. That's pretty much it. They do not know how to win and they do not have enough winners on their team to push them over the top. LeBron and the Cavs now have championship experience, as well as the ever dangerous Pistons so Boston will have problems, if not lose, to one of those teams. I completely disagree with you saying that they will breeze through the playoffs. I can see the Pistons, and the Cavaliers in the finals before even considering Boston. In addition, you said something important there: if Boston stays healthy. Neither Ray Allen nor Paul Pierce (Allen mostly) are the most durable players in the league, and if one of them gets hurt, there will be serious problems. Also, most of the players outside the Big 3 don't have much playoff experience and that will cause problems for them even against teams like Toronto and Orlando who have cracked through to the playoffs last year.

Let's say that I'm wrong and they do make the finals. Can you realistically see them even giving the Super Spurs a challenge? I don't. The Spurs, the Suns, the Mavericks, and the Jazz will be able to come out on top despite having to go through a tough play-offs. I think the Spurs and the Suns can easily sweep them. They do not have the depth to defend Duncan, Parker and Ginobili and keep playing good offense. The Suns will run them out of the arena and Steve Nash will completely dismantle their defense.

I do agree with you that Kevin Garnett deserves a ring. Hey, Allen and Pierce do as well. And if they prove me wrong and win the championship this year then my hat will be off to them. But I just honestly cannot see them doing it with the players they have outside the big 3, and with Doc Rivers as the coach.

Forza Lakers.

Not as interested any more as I used to be, though.

Lakers are having a pretty decent start to the season. Let's see if they can keep them up with Zen Master Phil Jackson.

We (Utah) saw a good start to the season but an alarming up and down slide in form has occurred in the previous fortnight. Boozer and Williams have been on good form but defeats to Miami and Charlotte in the past week have been deflated and i believe our record now is even at 15-15.

Tme to stop messing around and step up. Okur and Harpring fit and ready to go again.

Sorry for the delay but updated standings are up. Boston and Detroit leading the east, while defending champs San Antonio and Phoenix ahead in the west with Dallas close behind.

BREAKING NEWS:

Scott Skiles of the Chicago Bulls has been fired.

It seems a bit harsh, in my opinion for Paxson to fire him during the holidays. Skiles has built this Bulls team back into playoff contention when they were struggling after the Jordan-era.

I think he should have been given until the end of the year to prove himself and had he not made the playoffs, then firing him would be understandable. Kirk Hinrich has grown into a great point guard under him and it'll be interesting to see how the Bulls move forward with this.

Bad move, Paxson.

That shocks me somewhat and i agree with your sentiments Mrtz. He stablised the franchise somewhat and they are solid playoff contenders although their annual poor season start will not have helped his case.

True that. 9-16 is a horrible start and they're at the bottom of the pac now and will have a lot of catching up to do. It'll be interesting to see who they pick as a replacement..

I've also added a league leaders part on the top of the page to go along with the standings.

Howard is having a monster season so far and their have been so many superb individual performances from great players in a terrific start to the new season.

I do hope this form of ours is put back on track though.

Indeed. To average 15 rebounds a game in 29 games played is unbelievable.

Yup. Jazz need to pick it up. Can't have Portland ahead of you.

Haha they have beaten us twice already, its embarrassing. We started well enough and Boozer has been playing out of his skin (and in other peoples teeth!) and Williams has been patrolling the floor as usual but injuries, splits, indecision and lack of concentration have cost dearly. Our defeat to Charlotte was catastrophic.

I can't believe Wade hit ANOTHER beater in the fourth against us in Miami. Same spot as two years ago and everything.

Haha darn the luck with Grandpa Shaq in Miami.

Funny how crazy the east is. Indiana in 4th. Hopefully we keep it up, as well as the Warriors to pick it up even more.

Pacers impressive. Shame to see Zo go down with that injury.

Yeah, but it's time for him to retire now. He's gotten his ring, now he should just enjoy his life earnings with his family and friends.

True True.

I'm eager to find out what happened between Sloan and Giricek.