A new era in the NBA?

[Dave Gray]

I heard a lot of talk about the Heat's trio ruining basketball.  I knew that was over-reactionary bullshit and didn't believe it for a second, but I do think that it's done quite the opposite.  I liken the NBA now to what it was in the 90s.  There are a few teams in each division that are powerful, and they're in big markets, for the most part.

Miami
NY Knicks
Boston
Orlando
Chicago

That's an exciting group of teams from the East.


The West has a few:

Dallas
Los Angeles
Oklahoma City
Utah
San Antonio

Best of all, these are very much "star-driven" teams.  With the Heat's 10 game win-streak, I'm getting very excited for this tough stretch comin up.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Tonight the Knicks lost to the Celtics by .1 of a second. I was sad, but not disappointed. The NBA has been dead in NY for over a decade now, so the fact that they can take a team as great as the Celtics to the limit and have it NOT be a shock brings me great joy.

Seriously, the NBA existed in NY the last 10 years like the NHL existed in Idaho. As long as the Knicks don't trade away great talent for Carmelo, I think they can actually contend next season if they get Anthony. Hell, I think they are a 50 win team right now.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

Don't worry Edge Stat will disappear in the playoffs......

[Sunstroke]

^^^ I'm not buying it... I think Amare' will be fine in the postseason, and he's giving Knicks fans a reason to cheer for the first time in years. Raymond Felton's done a lot to help them win games as well... Give D'Antoni a quality PG, and he can squeeze the most out of him.

A couple of other "I like that" notes about the Knicks this season... First, I love their rookie SG, Landry Fields. Any shooting guard who can come in his first season and play tough defense (for D'Antoni? What?) and pull down double-digit rebounds is groovy in my book. Second, in the final couple of rounds in almost all of my fantasy drafts this year, I grabbed Wilson Chandler for my bench, and he's blossomed into a Shawn Marion type player (without Marion's goofy "jumpshot from the chin")

[EDGECRUSHER]

Don't worry Edge Stat will disappear in the playoffs......

I am a Knicks fan. What the hell are the playoffs?

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

^^^^
Touche' my friend.

And Stroke I was basically being sarcastic. Amare with the Knicks is a much different animal then when he was here in Phoenix. The offense is routed through him first in NY and he is really playing motivated ball and will continue to do so without the yearly distraction of being traded like he was the last 3 years in Phoenix!!!!

[BigDaddyFin]

the fact that so many people got involved in the LeBron thing regardless of how one felt about the outcome had to be in the long run good for the game.  It mobilized a legion of fans in at least two cities and made it mainstream for at least a couple months again.

I'm still not going to watch the NBA on a regular basis, but I really think everything in the offseason was good for it.

[JVides]

As the Spurs fan on this board, let me say that I wish Amar'e would disappear during the playoffs!  That guy would torch the Spurs for 35 a game every time they met (at least, it sure felt that way).

[Sunstroke]

^^^ One of the things I truly loved about Amare'...he got up for the big star opponents. He always brought his best games against Timmy Duncan and Kevn Garnett.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Of course, the one season the Knicks decide to be a good team, the Eastern Conference decides to have three separate 60 win powerhouses. The Celts, Heat and Magic are ridiculous so far. I am just hoping for a 4 or 5 seed so we can advance to the 2nd round.

EDIT: I just checked the standings and was unaware that Chicago is also a 60 win team currently. Isn't that lovely?

[Jim Gray]

Of course, the one season the Knicks decide to be a good team, the Eastern Conference decides to have three separate 60 win powerhouses. The Celts, Heat and Magic are ridiculous so far. I am just hoping for a 4 or 5 seed so we can advance to the 2nd round.

EDIT: I just checked the standings and was unaware that Chicago is also a 60 win team currently. Isn't that lovely?

Wouldn't Atlanta also qualify?