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[ESPN: Bill Simmons] "Welcome to the NBA preview, Part 2"

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by pearlon, Oct 23, 2009.

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  1. pearlon

    pearlon Member

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    Please lock if already posted.

    Number 12 on Bill Simmons' "33 Most Intriguing People of the 2009-2010 NBA" season is none other than our own Daryl Morey. This write-up definitely brought a smile to my face and craving the start of the season. You'll appreciate it a even more by reading the other "32" intrigues, since a majority of them are negative. This one is by all accounts positive. In Morey We Trust.

    The link is here, followed by the text:
    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/part2/091023&sportCat=nba


    12. Daryl Morey
    On paper, the Rockets look like a lottery team. Their best player (Yao) is gone for the year. Their second-best player is probably never going to be the same. Everyone else is a role player or an overachiever. But they do certain things really well: shoot threes, defend the hell out of perimeter guys, play unselfishly, pound the glass, stuff like that. It's one of those "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" teams. I am picking them to win 44 games and make the playoffs. Which brings me to my point: the '09 Rockets took the Lakers to a seventh game operating with half a salary cap (because Yao and T-Mac were out). The '10 Rockets start out with 80 percent of a cap because Yao is gone; that number might shrink if T-Mac can't successfully come back. And yet, I am still picking a hodgepodge group of non-All-Stars to win 44.

    Why? Because of Morey (or as he's more affectionately known, Dork Elvis). He's been like a hot guy at a craps table for two solid years. Nobody else is nailing 85-90 percent of their moves big and small. Nobody. Since he's my friend, he's doing so well that I am starting to worry about a Bud Fox-like meltdown; right now he's at the point in "Wall Street" when the Talking Heads song is playing, his stock picks are hitting and he's decorating the fancy New York apartment with Daryl Hannah. We haven't gotten to the part when his ego swelled and he took on Gordon Gekko yet. And maybe that won't happen.

    I just know this: He texted me last month that Chase Budinger was for real; two years ago, I would have mocked him. This year? I nodded. Absolutely. Chase Budinger. Why not? I have learned not to bet against Dork Elvis.
     
    #1 pearlon, Oct 23, 2009
  2. spaceage808

    spaceage808 Member

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    love bill simmons man. great read. love the analogy to Wall street
     
    #2 spaceage808, Oct 23, 2009
  3. Kojirou

    Kojirou Member

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    LOL at the Andrew Bynum section, but Simmon's predictions for the season are....... odd, to say the least. Take a look:

    Eastern Conference
    1. Boston, 62-20
    2. Orlando, 60-22
    3. Cleveland, 59-23
    4. Chicago, 49-33
    5. Atlanta, 44-38
    6. Washington, 43-39
    7. Miami, 42-40
    8. Philly, 40-42
    9. Charlotte, 39-43
    10. Toronto, 39-43
    11. New York, 32-50
    12. Detroit, 31-51
    13. Indiana, 26-56
    14. New Jersey, 25-57
    15. Milwaukee, 19-63

    Western Conference
    1. San Antonio, 64-18
    2. L.A. Lakers, 63-19
    3. Utah, 51-31
    4. New Orleans, 48-34
    5. Dallas, 46-36
    6. L.A. Clippers, 45-37
    7. Houston, 44-38
    8. Denver, 44-38
    9. Phoenix, 43-39
    10. Zombies, 42-40
    11. Portland, 41-41
    12. Golden State, 28-54
    13. Memphis, 24-58
    14. Minnesota, 22-60
    15. Sacramento, 15-67
    Portland won't make the playoffs and Denver will drop to 8? This is..... interesting, for lack of a better term.
     
    #3 Kojirou, Oct 23, 2009
  4. durvasa

    durvasa Member

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    I think Morey won the twitter battle.
     
    #4 durvasa, Oct 23, 2009
  5. Angkor Wat

    Angkor Wat Member

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    When Dork Elvis txted him "Chase is for real." What does that mean? Does he mean he's a real rotational NBA player or is he talking all-star - superstar status?
     
    #5 Angkor Wat, Oct 23, 2009
  6. dachuda86

    dachuda86 Member

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    he means what he means.. the kid is the real deal... like... really good... like good enough to make an impact...
     
    #6 dachuda86, Oct 23, 2009
  7. Hayesfan

    Hayesfan Member

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    LOL I think you're right. :)
     
    #7 Hayesfan, Oct 23, 2009
  8. dachuda86

    dachuda86 Member

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    almost sounds like someone sent him our thread... don't bet against Dork Elvis, totally said that yesterday. Still, good for him. He's been enlightened!
     
    #8 dachuda86, Oct 23, 2009
  9. RMGEEGEE

    RMGEEGEE Member

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    Wtf?
    The Hornets will have a hard time winning 40 games..
    And the Blazers 41-41? Uh. No.
     
    #9 RMGEEGEE, Oct 23, 2009
  10. Jeff Who

    Jeff Who Member

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    Exactly. I hate what people think about Hornets because in real life they SUCK. Paul is not gonna win 50 games on his own. He is a great player but nobody can do it alone. They have a pretty average team and I see us beating them in 7-game series without Yao but with Tracy.
     
    #10 Jeff Who, Oct 23, 2009
  11. sammy

    sammy Member

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    Not sure why he has the Nuggets regressing this season.

    Will losing Jones & Kleiza hurt them so much ?
     
    #11 sammy, Oct 23, 2009
  12. ParaSolid

    ParaSolid Member

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    This is too good. I haven't been this amused by a basketball-related article in a long time.
     
    #12 ParaSolid, Oct 23, 2009
  13. Pieman2005

    Pieman2005 Member

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    Uh, I was excited when he named us to the playoffs.. then I saw the rest of his predictions.
     
    #13 Pieman2005, Oct 23, 2009
  14. newlookrockets

    newlookrockets Rookie

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    his picks for the playoffs prove he's no where near the best sports analyst
     
    #14 newlookrockets, Oct 23, 2009
  15. Kojirou

    Kojirou Member

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    Simmons thinks that the Blazers and Nuggets will both collapse from a lack of chemistry due to idiotic coaches and in the Blazer's case, from signing Miller. Most normal predictions ultimately have one or two teams that are completely off (Denver last year, LA two years ago) and Simmons is trying to go after them, I guess. They're bold picks, for lack of a better description.
     
    #15 Kojirou, Oct 23, 2009
  16. devilsdandruff

    devilsdandruff Member

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    wtf is Zombies at #10 : 42-40
     
    #16 devilsdandruff, Oct 23, 2009
  17. Melechesh

    Melechesh Member

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    The Thunder.
     
    #17 Melechesh, Oct 23, 2009
  18. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Member
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    It's the Thieves.
     
    #18 ScriboErgoSum, Oct 23, 2009
  19. AKRocketsFan

    AKRocketsFan Member

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    Chase bud was a lottery lock in the 08 draft. He fell under the radar just like Dajuan Blair. Funny how the Spur and Rockets ended with those players. Two teams that know diamonds in the rough.
     
    #19 AKRocketsFan, Oct 23, 2009
  20. Blake

    Blake Member

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    Not by a long shot, but he is the most entertaining sports columnist out there.

    Simmons might be a total Boston homer, but he cracks me up
     
    #20 Blake, Oct 23, 2009
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