The Perpetual NBA Thread

**wren** · October 7th, 2006 11:25 AM

yan ang tunay na shooting guard.

**tsupermario** · October 7th, 2006 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by FXT

yan ang tunay na shooting guard.

:rofl:

Sixers lose to Spanish team

The Dime crew’s resident Sixers' fan put it best while we were watching the Sixers/FC Barcelona exhibition game yesterday.

“This is like watching the Team USA games. It’s so aggravating.”

Philly eventually lost to Spain’s premiere squad, 104-99, in the first game of the NBA Europe Live tour.

Allen Iverson definitely looked rusty, and Chris Webber just looked old.

And on top of that, the Sixers missed a ton of free throws and committed a ton of silly turnovers. Philly’s two most impressive players were probably Sam Dalembert and rookie Ivan McFarlin.

Dalembert was actually kind of a beast — he was blocking shots, crashing the offensive glass and making hustle plays all over the place. He finished with 21 points and 10 boards.

C-Webb said this week that Dalembert could easily lead the league in boards and blocks some day, and for stretches here and there during yesterday’s game, that didn’t sound like such a crazy idea. McFarlin stood out simply because he seemed to be giving the most effort of anyone on Philly’s squad.

Juan Carlos Navarro, who starred for Spain at the Worlds, scored 18 to lead FC Barcelona.

Sign in the crowd directed at Iverson: “Allen Please!!! Give Me Something of Your Equipment!!” being held by a guy wearing an A.I. jersey.

When it was apparent that the Sixers were going to lose, our dejected Sixers guy took one last stab at optimism, which led to this exchange:

“Well, they’ve only practiced like three times.”

“Yeah, but they played together all of last year, and it’s pretty much the same team.”

“Oh yeah.”

The Spurs handled their biz overseas, though, beating Adecco ASVEL (France), 115-90. Hometown hero Tony Parker dropped 25 on his countrymen in the first half, and with the Spurs cruising from there, finished with 27.

only the third time an international club has beaten an NBA team since 1988.
the Atlanta Hawks lost to the Soviet Union 132-123 in 1988 in Moscow, and the Toronto Raptors lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv 105-103 last year at Toronto.

**mazdamazda** · October 15th, 2006 08:55 PM

hmmm... seems like this Rudy Ghey guy can play some defense... he's been raking up steals & blocks in the preseason games.

**mazdamazda** · October 18th, 2006 01:41 PM

against Portland

Dunleavy 32/8/6 11-20fg, 8-10ft, 2trey, 1st
BDiddy 30/10/6 9-21fg (as usual), 10-11ft (whoa!), 2trey, 5st, 1blk

**theveed** · October 18th, 2006 04:18 PM

Yup, Mike is trying to be a Pippen/Lamar this season.

**mazdamazda** · October 18th, 2006 04:21 PM

suffering succotash...

if this continues Diogu won't be seeing a lot of PT. :rant:

**theveed** · October 18th, 2006 04:30 PM

He won't hehe... He doesn't fit the system, even with the old squad.

**kimpOy** · October 19th, 2006 11:32 AM

exciting....weird it may sound but im kinda rooting for the knicks...
(maybe because i got frye in our draft)

Isiah takes ESPN analyst to task
Marty Burns, SI.com

NEW YORK -- The surprising play of rookie forward Renaldo Balkman this preseason has Knicks GM/coach Isiah Thomas feeling good. And he's letting ESPN analyst Greg Anthony, a former Knick, hear about it.

Still upset over Anthony's draft night criticism after the Knicks selected the unheralded Balkman with the No. 20 pick, Thomas ripped his fellow former point guard Wednesday.

"This so-called former Knick, on draft night with millions of people watching, had the audacity to take me to task on a player that I'm pretty sure he had never seen before in his life," Thomas said. "But he stands on national television and talks about a kid he has absolutely no idea about. I'm just glad that all of New York doesn't think like Greg Anthony."

Thomas went on to question Anthony's credentials as a TV commentator, and even took a slap at his 12-year NBA playing career.

"Greg Anthony should never ever be in a position to question myself on anything about basketball," Thomas said. "I do remember the kind of player he was. I'll leave it at that.

Balkman, a 6-8 forward from South Carolina, has played well during New York's first three exhibition games. He had 11 points and seven boards in 16 minutes against the Nets in his debut, and had nine points, seven rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes in Tuesday night's exhibition win over the Celtics. His hustle and energy even won over the Madison Square Garden crowd, which gave him a rousing ovation as he left the floor.

With Balkman off to a good start, Thomas felt free to vent some of his pent-up anger.

"This is between Greg and I," Thomas said in a lengthy diatribe about Anthony to the media after the Knicks practice. "The things he said on draft night ... after all the good solid work we had done in the draft ... for him to take that position he took ... I thought he was way way way out of bounds."

Thomas , who was booed by the New York crowd and widely panned by other ESPN commentators on draft night, said he was singling out Anthony because of his status as a former Knicks player. He said he hadn't spoken to Anthony, but would love to in the future.

"I just thought he was very unfair to the Knicks organization," Thomas said. "It would be different had he not worn a Knick uniform. But for a guy who claims to have been a Knick, to treat the Knicks the way he treated us that night ... I know a Piston would never do that. A Celtic would never do that. A Laker would never do that. It wouldn't happen. It just goes to show you what we're dealing with."

Thomas went on to refer to Anthony several more times during the remainder of the 15-minute session with reporters, sometimes even on unrelated questions.

When asked whether he could see Balkman someday defending LeBron James or Tracy McGrady, Thomas replied, "Wait a minute, hold on now ... you can run him out there but he'll probably get stepped on a little bit ... Unlike Greg Anthony, I do have respect for others."

When asked about the Knicks' dismal season a year ago, and what role all the injuries played, Thomas said, "We all were in a funk last year ... Greg Anthony was in a funk."

Later, when talking about Balkman's ability to handle the ball, a reporter jokingly asked if he had a better handle than Greg Anthony. "Most definitely," Thomas said. "Greg could only go left."

Anthony declined to comment through an ESPN spokesman.

**empy** · October 19th, 2006 11:38 AM

wahaha...depensib si Isaiah ah. i don't know why he can't take the criticism....even a half blind fool with brain damage can see that he has about the same level of general management skills as a paper bag of carabao poop