Around the League: Week 17 2/16-2/22

[SDC]

How anyone can think Dragic is better than Westbrook is beyond me.

dragic is a better distributor and more basketball smart, but westbrook is better overall slightly because of his athleticism and defense. but i'd rather have dragic running the offense over westbrook.

[ShelC]

Right on cue...

[Superbone]

How anyone can think Dragic is better than Westbrook is beyond me.

Dragic is a better PG but other than that...

[The Bobster]

I get so tired of labels sometimes - there are a lot of instances of players who play positions that doesn't fit the stereotypical mold and do it quite well.

No, Russell Westbrook doesn't remind anyone of John Stockton, but he's a great basketball player. One of the 10 best players in the league. There's really no comparison between him and Dragic.

[carey]

IT leading the Celtics in scoring tonight. 15 points in 15 minutes, naturally. 5 min left in the 3rd.

[SDC]

I get so tired of labels sometimes - there are a lot of instances of players who play positions that doesn't fit the stereotypical mold and do it quite well.

No, Russell Westbrook doesn't remind anyone of John Stockton, but he's a great basketball player. One of the 10 best players in the league. There's really no comparison between him and Dragic.

simmons rated dragic teh fourth best guard in the league last season. probably curry, paul, westbrook, dragic...

[The Bobster]

Holy crap!!!! Bill Simmons said it?!!! Well then it must be true!!!!!!!

[INFORMER]

okc is now so deep, they dont need durant and adams anymore

Just an amazing job by Presti at the deadline. I love Kyle Singler for them. Aside from the anxiety over Durant's health, it's a great time to be a Thunder fan. You go from Jackson's trade demand and being on the verge of acquiring the oft-injured Brook Lopez to landing a stud young center and two great role players to bolster your bench.

[Mori Chu]

My mom says I'm cool.

[Mori Chu]

I hadn't really realized that Memphis has a solid grip on 2nd place in the West. They are way ahead of now-3rd place Houston and Portland who is in 4th.

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings

Memphis is going to be my prediction to come out of the West this year, barring injury. They're just so big and nasty, and they finally have some depth and athleticism and shooting to go with their two great bigs. I just don't see how a team like Golden State can stop those guys from pounding them inside every time.

[INFORMER]

4/$32Mil for Ariza from Houston? Guess they didn't learn last time.

Same thing I thought. I don't think it's an overpay necessarily, because that was market price, but in the end, he's going to disappoint again. Ariza was good last year, but he's just not a guy you can count on, and for $8 million a year, you need to be able to count on the player. His D will be invaluable next to Harden though.

This has been a bad, bad offseason for Houston.

http://www.phx-suns.net/viewtopic.php?p=11195#p11195

$8 mil a season for a wing that is shooting 37% from the field and 33% from 3. Brutal.

[INFORMER]

Someone explain to me why Kevin Durant played in the All-Star game and is now having another procedure on his foot. Ridiculous.

[Superbone]

IT leading the Celtics in scoring tonight. 15 points in 15 minutes, naturally. 5 min left in the 3rd.

Until he got ejected! Booyah!

[Mori Chu]

Someone explain to me why Kevin Durant played in the All-Star game and is now having another procedure on his foot. Ridiculous.

The Thunder have the same crappy type of doctors that they have up in Portland. There is no way our medical staff would let something like that happen.

[Ring_Wanted]

Someone explain to me why Kevin Durant played in the All-Star game and is now having another procedure on his foot. Ridiculous.

Because nobody dared to play him one on one for his spot on the team.

[Split T]

I get so tired of labels sometimes - there are a lot of instances of players who play positions that doesn't fit the stereotypical mold and do it quite well.

No, Russell Westbrook doesn't remind anyone of John Stockton, but he's a great basketball player. One of the 10 best players in the league. There's really no comparison between him and Dragic.

simmons rated dragic teh fourth best guard in the league last season. probably curry, paul, westbrook, dragic...

4th best guard overall actually. Paul, Harden, and Curry ahead of him. Westbrook is clearly better but missed a good chunk of the season last year which led to Dragic getting the nod over him.

[Shabazz]

Thomas Robinson to the Nets per Woj. So there goes that.

[Mori Chu]

I'm okay with not bringing in Robinson. For one, he's bounced around so many teams and that gives me a bit of pause. Plenty of teams that needed size and big men had this guy, and tossed him aside. That says something. Second, I don't like what I heard about him being so tight with the Morrii. I'm getting sick of the "bring in the player's friend/relative" bit that we are obsessed with lately. It just puts us in awkward positions where we have to sign/keep one player to appease another.

[Mori Chu]

Don't look now, but Amare Stoudemire had 14 points including 3 dunks in his Mavs debut. Here are the highlights:

[Superbone]

I'm okay with not bringing in Robinson. For one, he's bounced around so many teams and that gives me a bit of pause. Plenty of teams that needed size and big men had this guy, and tossed him aside. That says something. Second, I don't like what I heard about him being so tight with the Morrii. I'm getting sick of the "bring in the player's friend/relative" bit that we are obsessed with lately. It just puts us in awkward positions where we have to sign/keep/play one player to appease another.

Fixed that for you.