The Sixers have not gotten worse during the offseason. They just won't make the Finals this year. They did "barely win" The bucks had a chance to put them away in Games 5 and 6 but completely lost their composure. MY opinion, My Opinion, MINE, so go logically prove me wrong as you always do... -toaz Toaz, you are entitled to your opinion. I was mainly reacting to tinman discounting of their achievements. That's cool if either of ya'll think Phily was a 1-hit wonder. They may be. But last year's Phily team fared probably better (3-3) than any other league team against the three elite teams of the West (most people judge teams more by how they do against the best than against the worst-- it is true Phily played down to some of their competition), were near the top in winning % all season long, and played the Lakers better than anyone else. To me they go down without question as having the best overall season and being the best team the eastern conference has produced since the Bulls were dynamited. So Phily might go downhill, it is quite easy to fall for many reasons (teams go aiming for you, players get extra swelled heads, other teams steal away players--which did not happen), but they go in as the best in the east until unprovens prove themselves. I also believe Toronto and Orlando are the chief threats (my opinion). Milw and Char would not be complete surprises, but they have more questions about the quality of their frontcourt contributions and defense.
Have the Bucks done anything yet to improve during the off season yet? I thought that they needed a stronger bench.
The Bucks traded Linsey Hunter to the Lakers for Greg Foster. I guess that means more time for Rafer Alston. Hopefully he doesn't jack up bricks like Linsey Hunter did in the playoffs. Greg Foster has a decent outside jumper. That's about it. Cassell will have an all-star year next year. The Bucks know what it takes now to win. They will gain from choking against the Sixers.
Actually, you can make the argument that the Raptors, or one of them, at least, gave Game 7, and therefore the series away...Does anyone remeber, in the last minute of the game, with the Raptors up, they had a 3 on 1 break, with Oakley leading. Oakley inexplicably decided to challenge Iverson 1 on 1 in the open floor...Iverson steals the ball, and breaks back, and hits a three. That was the play that decided the game. If Oakley makes the break into 2points, the Sixers are in the foul-and-hope position. If he merely stops and resets, they have the ball and the lead with under a minute in the game. So, while Oakley's braincramp certainly means the Raptors as a whole didn't deserve the win, you can hardly say that the Sixers 'earned' it, or were clearly the better team. Also, while I concede that the Sixers were VERY beat up, it wasn't a one-way street. Do you remember the fact that AD's shoulder was so bad he couldn't raise his arm above his shoulder, and was trying to rebound with one hand? That may have had an effect on the game...
Yeah! The Bucks are elite! How about Sammy lighting up the Lakers? He abused Ron Harper so bad, that I'd call Child Protective services for Harper.
So Hakeem says that he has something to prove. So does Sam Cassell. Sam deserves an all-star appearance. Remember the playoffs? who stopped Cassell? Daryl Armstrong? Baron Davis? Eric Snow ? no one really phazed him. He was playing with a DAMN FLAP JACKET!! So Sam vs Hakeem?? I'll cheer Sam!
I'll definetly cheer for the Bucks, even though I don't hate Dream for leaving us, but I can't picture cheering for him in another uniform. This is my 100th post. :-D
I think that's debatable. At least their initial offer was insulting, and it took them a while to up the offer. I'm sure he does. Hakeem was never asking to be the go to guy. He just wanted to play more of a role. I'm not sure who I'll cheer for though in a Bucks vs. Raptors game. I love Cassell, and I like Ray Allen too, though the Allen did whine a lot last year during the play offs and tarnished his image with me. Also I like Lynnie Wilkens and I can't stand George Karl. It will be a tough decision for me to make. I guess I'll just decide at game time.
Ray Allen didn't whine. He pointed out the obvious about NBC wanting the Sixers to win. NBC hates the smaller market teams and the Rockets. NBC WANTED the Knicks to win so bad against us. I love how they NEVER mention the Rockets back to back championships, but they LOVE talking about the over-rated Piston's Bad Boy teams.
