[soundbitten1]

Don't they all.

No, not all. The Lakers and Celtics to name two for example. The Knicks need more than Ronny Turiaf in the middle to offset the Bynums, Gasols, Garnetts, Perkins of the NBA. They're still looking to acquire a center before the trading deadline.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/2/22/2009020/carmelo-anthony-knicks-debut-wednesday-ronny-turiaf-starting-lineup-bucks

Looks like the Nets landed Deron Williams.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/nba/nba-rumors.html

[jackman]

No, not all. The Lakers and Celtics to name two for example. The Knicks need more than Ronny Turiaf in the middle to offset the Bynums, Gasols, Garnetts, Perkins of the NBA. They're still looking to acquire a center before the trading deadline.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/2/22/2009020/carmelo-anthony-knicks-debut-wednesday-ronny-turiaf-starting-lineup-bucks

Looks like the Nets landed Deron Williams.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/nba/nba-rumors.html

Wow, Deron Williams is a big pickup for the Nets.  NJ needs more than a top tier point guard but it's a good start.  I can't believe all of these moves.  Also, it seems like most of them (so far) have helped the East.  The West seems to be getting weaker...

[jackman]

Great Bulls game tonight. Chairguy, Boston and San Antonio are good defensive teams but the best defensive team so far this year is the Bulls. Just ask King James and company who the Bulls beat in a great game tonight. 

It's frightening because the Bulls have done it without their best defender, Noah. Noah is back and I expect the Bulls' defense to get even better. They held the Heat to 13 points in the third quarter. James and Wade got their points but the Bulls forced the non-stars to beat them and it worked.

I'm just waiting for stars like D-Rose to start getting some calls. You can't breethe on King James or Wade without putting them on the line but Rose gets hacked and rarely gets a call. Miami would have lost big if the refs gave both teams the NBA star treatment or at least called it fair for both teams. That last blocking call that pit the King on the line to tie the game was an obvious charge. At least the better team won!

Cheers

J

[soundbitten1]

I'm just waiting for stars like D-Rose to start getting some calls. You can't breethe on King James or Wade without putting them on the line but Rose gets hacked and rarely gets a call. Miami would have lost big if the refs gave both teams the NBA star treatment or at least called it fair for both teams. That last blocking call that pit the King on the line to tie the game was an obvious charge. At least the better team won!

Cheers

J

I watched that game last night and agree with you completely. Rose didn't get the calls last night down the stretch as Wade and Lebron did. I'm glad the Bulls pulled it out. Bosh had a terrible game.

[jackman]

I watched that game last night and agree with you completely. Rose didn't get the calls last night down the stretch as Wade and Lebron did. I'm glad the Bulls pulled it out. Bosh had a terrible game.

Last night's game was no excption, Rose just doesn't get calls.  He is very quick and athletic and maybe he doesn't "sell" it as well as some guys when he drives to the basket.  Some "stars" like Paul Pierce or Wade draw contact and usually get the call, especially when they miss the shot.  Rose was hacked two separate times on consecutive offensive plays down the stretch and did not get a single call.  He made a great defensive play on James, drawing a charge, and was called for the block. 

I don't know what Rose has to do to start getting calls but you can tell it is starting to get to him.  In the past, he has rarely complained but he is starting to do it more  He drives to the basket quite a bit and I'd like to see him do it more, but I can't see that happening if he continues to get screwed by the refs. 

The guy who shocked me last night was Luol Deng.  He has been very inconsistent this year.  At times, he is dominant with his quickness and athleticism, but he disappears sometimes.  Last night, in the first half, he was a ghost but he made up for it in the second half, holding the King to 13 points while scoring 18 including some clutch baskets down the stretch.  If the Bulls get production out of Deng and stay healthy, they could challenge some teams in the post season. 

Maybe an MVP award will help Rose get some calls someday!

[soundbitten1]

Bosh and Howard would pick Rose as MVP over teammate James.

James didn't seem too offended that Bosh and Juwan Howard backed Rose for MVP. "The award isn't named after myself," the two-time reigning MVP said. He added, "D-Rose is having an unbelievable season. He's doing everything and more to help his team." Howard endorsed Rose for MVP during an interview on Chicago's ESPN1000 on Wednesday, and Bosh did the same at the morning shootaround, saying "Looking at their record and how improved they are as a team and how much improved he is as a player, I think it's close. But I think I would give it to Derrick if I were a voter. For what it's worth, Wade endorsed James, saying, "I'm going to be biased and choose my teammate." 

[jackman]

I noticed the same quote and honestly don't care about the award, unless it helps Rose get the "MVP" calls some of the other stars in the league get.  That would be the biggest bonus of getting the award. It's still early and a lot of things can happen before the end of the season.  If the Bulls finish with best record (they are only 2 games out) and Rose continues to play at his current level, he has a great shot at winning MVP. 

If Melo gets crazy-hot and the Knicks have a great finish, he should get consideration even if he's only with the team for half a season.  Also, if Lebron James carries his team to the best record in the East (very possible), he should probably get the award.   We are so used to James being so dominant that it's easy to overlook the things he does every game to help his team win.  He should always be in the MVP picture and I have no complaints if he wins. 

It would be fun to see someone other than James win the award because he already has two but I don't think that should count against him.  Either way, I care more about winning a championship than an award.  The Bulls are a young team and they have some holes in their lineup.  They play good defense and have a budding young superstar, so this could be a fun post-season. 

[S Clark]

  If the Bulls finish with best record (they are only 2 games out) and Rose continues to play at his current level, he has a great shot at winning MVP. 

Certainly, Rose is deserving of consideration, but the Bulls are only 2 games out in the east. Overall they are still behind San Antonio, Dallas, LA, Boston, and Miami.  They might catch a couple of those teams, but there is no way they catch the Spurs and I doubt that they'll catch the Mavs.

[soundbitten1]

If anything can be based on one game the Knick fans are ready to anoint Melo as their savior and godsend. His appearance had the Garden electrified and rockin' Wednesday night. I've never seen anything like it. The crowd was absolutely ecstatic. The feeling seems mutual too. I think Carmelo will love playing in N.Y. As for the game the Knicks naturally looked disjointed at times but they pulled out the win. Chauncy Billups' calm demeanor was evident and he played the steadying hand as well as playing a good game. Stoudimire has a somewhat sub par game, fouled out and blew his cool (got called for a technical at an inopportune time). Also Landry Fields played like he had the jitters more then the new guys.

[launche]

Rose gets and will get more calls.  It comes with time and learning to sell the hit.  He also contorts his body more than anyone else and I think the refs are trying to get used to his style.  He's said it himself, he's playing more to make the shot than create contact for a foul.  I watch plays I could have sworn he was fouled but upon review no one touched him or not anything significant but the way he contorts his body makes it look like there's a lot of contact.  He is a very hard player to guard with his quickness, change of pace and ability to contort his body under control at the rim.  It's that way with most as you enter the league an you learn how they call and they learn you. 

He'll get a few more calls in time.  It was that way for Lebron, Wade etc...  Some fouls are ticky-tack fouls but it balances out in the end for calls that get missed.  I wish the guys would stop crying and understand that fact unless of course it's in the balance of the game.  But working the refs has become part of the game for the players.  In that Chicago game Wade got after a ref beyond what I could have imagined regarding a non-call in his mind.  You'd think these guys would be nice to the refs.  But it's probably a situation where the players know if you don't work these refs you won't get the calls and I suspect much of it is about getting that benefit of the doubt call when it arrives.

The Bulls are good, Deng stepped up big time last night.  Their bench played well and Rose came through down the stretch.  The Heat remain inconsistent.  If and when they put it all together they'll be tough to beat.  But they half-*ss it most of the game as a team.  Bosh sucked something terrible.  That guy is too soft and doesn't really fit the Heat culture.  What I don't like is he's scaled his game back too much, he's a very talented scorer who now just settles for catch and shoot jump shots.  We'll see where that goes.  I keep waiting to her a report that Alonzo Mourning has been arrested for assaulting Bosh in the locker room for disrespecting the Heat culture with his soft inside play.  But their coaching and system blows IMO.  If any other good coach had that same team they'd look even scarier. 

Well the Heat play the Knicks on Sunday so we'll see a bit how the Knicks measure up.  It should be a very interesting playoffs for sure.  it looks like every team that might make it is capable of winning the first round series.  The Pacers look to be a first round nightmare for somebody and i can bet Boston, Miami or Chicago wants no part of them in the first round.

[jackman]

S Clark - the MVP isn't necessarily on the team with the best record, although having a great record certainly helps a person's chances.  If the Bulls have the best record in the East and Rose continues to play at this pace, he deserves the award. 

Launche - I disagree with you, respectfully, about calls.  I've been watching basketball for my whole life and I'm very familiar with the NBA "Star System".   You can't breathe on Lebron without the refs blowing a whistle and if he collides with another player, the other guy will usually be called for the foul.  Rose is still up and coming and perhaps doesn't deserve the top-tier star treatment of established players just yet but he doesn't get nearly the calls he deserves.  I watch every Bulls' game and sometimes wonder if the refs are making up for all the years that Michael (the greatest player to ever live) got every call. 

That play last night when Lebron ran over Rose is a good example.  I watched it on DVR a dozen times and it should have been a charge on Lebron.  Someday D'Rose will get that call, but not today, especially if the guy charging is a star like Lebron.  It's true that Rose contorts his body to avoid the contact and maybe he needs to take some acting lessons from Wade or Pierce but he doesn't get half the calls he should get. 

Lastly, don't tell me Lebron had to establish his reputation before getting calls.  That's not the way I recall it.  He cam into the league a "STAR" and got the star treatment from the refs from day 1.  The NBA annointed him a star before he ever stepped on the court of a pro game.  That's my recollection..

[S Clark]

S Clark - the MVP isn't necessarily on the team with the best record, although having a great record certainly helps a person's chances.  If the Bulls have the best record in the East and Rose continues to play at this pace, he deserves the award. 

I can agree with this.  I must have misunderstood... I thought you were saying that the Bulls would finish with the best record in the NBA. They won't, but I like their chances in the East.

[cujobob]

Yeah, I saw it. 

I remember when Michael Jordan came on the scene and they asked another MJ what he thought about the buzz. Magic Johnson said something to the effect of "He's a great player, but I have something he doesn't." When asked, Magic held up his right hand and he was wearing five Championship rings.

Jordan went on to get six. He won three-straight twice. He has three All Star MVP trophies. Magic only has two. Wow. 

Kobe has five Championships. He's two-thirds of the way to winning three-straight twice. He has four All Star MVP awards.

Lebron? He has a long way to go. 

Go Lakers,
Jerry

I was playing NBA2K11 or whatever it was called that has Jordan on it with a friend...the old Jordan championship teams are on there.  Wow, Jordan's teams were a bunch of nobodies for the most part.  Magic Johnson and Kobe had an amazing cast of supporting players whereas Lebron...until being on Miami, had no talent around him.  The league has changed a lot over the years though.  The league gave a slight advantage to stars during the Jordan years...a lot more during Kobe's career...and now it's just pointless to watch a lot of the games unless you like WWE-style basketball.  My $.02

[jackman]

Hey guys, anyone watch the Bulls lately?  They finished with the best record in the NBA, have the guy who should win the MVP and the best young coach in the league who deserves coach of the year. 

Not bad for a team that had two key players hurt for extended stretches, only one all-star on the team, 9 new players this year (all no-names except Boozer) and their best player is under 6'3".  D-Rose, their best player is going to be the youngest MVP in league history on a defensive oriented team with no egos (as far as I can tell) and the best defense in the league.  Rose is listed at 6'3" but is really only 6-2.  He is the fastest point guard in the open floor and has a 40" vertical.  Also, Rose is one of the strongest players at his position and is still learning to adapt to the pro game in only his third year of pro ball. 

He has improved every year in every category and continues to get better.  This guy has so much potential and is still extremely humble for such a popular player.  I hope he never loses this aspect of his personality.  Unlike Lebron James, I believe D-Rose is loyal to his home town of Chicago and will remain here for his career.  He is no back-stabber!

Cheers,
J

[launche]

You know you need to stop right.

Rose: the anti-Lebron, I get it.  Word just in that Rose solved the NFL labor dispute too and will replace Cutler next season, everyone's thinking Super Bowl.

Pop media shapes the world.

[jackman]

Cutler the anti-Rose!

This team is just fun to watch. At least Rose isn't going to "take his talents to Miami Beach" like that backstabber LBJ...our guy is loyal to his home town. The Bulls don't have the star-power of some of the high profile teams but they play hard-nose fundamental basketball. I look forward to the playoffs.