Rate/Review the 2010/2011 season

We've already got a thread looking ahead to the offseason and next year but looking back for a moment, how would you rate the 2010/2011 NBA season?

For me, it was one of the most enjoyable seasons in a while simply because my favourite team was relevant again and made a deep run in the Playoffs (which admittedly didn't end so well for them). However, I felt the 2011 NBA Finals was a great championship series and fitting conclusion to the season featuring very competitive games, with three being decided at the final buzzer. Short of the Bulls being there and winning it all, I couldn't ask for much more out of the Finals and I was glad to see Dirk, Terry and Kidd get rings.

A lot of fans seemed to get tired of Blake Griffin (and as always, the NBA's marketing machine has to take some responsibility there) but it was great to see him have such an impressive first season after missing all of what should have been his rookie year and fill up the highlight reels with some unbelievable dunks. Yes, there's more to the game than dunking, but I for one still enjoy a spectacular slam. I was a little surprised that people were so down on him in the dunk contest, I thought the car dunk was still pretty impressive (even if random streetballers have done it better) and the elbow in the rim off the backboard was something special. Surely a great contest too, even if you favoured McGee winning.

As I mentioned, I was glad to see the Bulls winning and Rose continuing to develop into one of the stars in the league, making some jaw-dropping plays along the way. I think it was a good season all around for highlights, if people want to dig up and start posting highlights, top ten countdowns and the like in this thread, I think that would be appropriate. It's always fun to check them out again.

Love them or hate them, the whole saga with the Miami Heat seemed to hold most people's attention throughout the season. Even if you hated them and wanted to see them lose, I believe that still goes to show that you're invested in the game and give a damn about what happens in the NBA. Interesting times with a possible changing of the guard, the Lakers losing a bit of their shine and the Bulls and Heat overtaking the Celtics in the East, the Spurs running out of steam in the first round with the Mavericks ending up winning it all and teams like the Thunder and Grizzlies on the rise. We could be transitioning into a new era but I wouldn't count the old guard out just yet. Moving forward I think they'll still be relevant, even if they're not the favourites.

All in all, I thought it was a great season from start to finish. I wouldn't say it's my favourite, for me that would be one of the Bulls' championship seasons in the 90s, but easily my favourite since 1997/1998 and a really good year for the league in general, in my opinion. It's just a shame there's a lockout threatening next season and slowing the momentum after such a great season.

I can't believe I have to mellow out now.

At least I'll always be able to complain against people considering anyone apart from Chris Paul to be the best PG in the NBA.

It was a horrible season for the Blazers, despite finishing 14 games above .500, discovering our PF was all-star caliber all along, trading for an all-star and giving the eventual champs a series.

But even with my three favorite players in Roy, Oden and Nash all facing rough ends to their careers, we saw my fourth favorite, Dirk, finally get a ring. I doubted the fuck out of the Mavs, and as a result exposed myself as both a moron and a fraud, but it was still great to see. Along the way, we had some great games and storylines. The conference finals sucked, but all in all, likely the best NBA season I've seen.

and as a result exposed myself as both a moron and a fraud

You forget when you were promoting Kandi as a star center?

I loved this season, 5 stars, 10/10, . Blake Griffin highlights every friggin game, better jerseys around the league, OKC playing well, Spurs not being too boring to watch, trades that shook things up, Knicks with the potential to be good, Lakers melting down, Miami dramz, Boston not getting too injured, Memphis coming out of no-where in the playoffs, Dallas finally winning.

I just loved it.

and as a result exposed myself as both a moron and a fraud

You forget when you were promoting Kandi as a star center?

I'm impressed that you remember that. So bad

Just a great season! The main reason being the great season Bulls had, which clearly was something that cheered me up. Also there were many great matches, the postseason was one of the best in the last 6 years with many great games. And saw some great highlights as well. Only the looming lock out is what made the taste of the season a little bitter , but all in all this was the best season I've watched so far(as due to age, I couldn't watch the Bulls' 90's era)

Five-star season in my opinion. Reasons:

1. LAKERS WERE SWEPT!!!!
2. There was only a couple of sweeps iirc. Most playoff series were interesting with not very many blowouts.
3. This year's Finals series were very interesting and fun to watch. Great to finally see Dallas' veterans finally win a championship.
4. Grizzlies' great playoff run, Dallas' epic comebacks.
5. It is proven that you don't need a star-studded team to win a championship. Experience > Superstars.
6. Great highlights all around, whether it was Blake Griffin posterizing someone or the bunch of game-winners this year (including Tyreke's long bomb to win), this season was packed with highlights.

The only downside to the season imo, was the Rockets' lack of durability. Lowry and Brooks were injured early on in the season, Yao only played 5 games, and Scola missed the first few games of his NBA career this season, and many more injuries. Despite that, the Rockets still had another winning season, barely missing the playoffs. There's something positive about the Rockets' season.

Great Season 5/5

1. Mavs Won
2. 8 seed beats 1 seed
3. Lakers Swept
4. Amazing Comebacks
5. Shaq ends his legacy sad,but still a memory)
6. The Big 3s are formed
7. BLAKE GRIFFIN
8. Miami loses are their home court (revenge)

Five star season

Dirk , the matrix,jet,Jkidd (haha my iPhones autocorrect tried to make that "hoods", jj, and Tyson all won rings with the mavs.

featured Lebron and wade, previously two of my favorite players playing together

Dudley, Chandler, Felton, and dj augustin, four of my favorite players to wear a bobcat jersey at some point) had breakout seasons to some extent

as bobcat fan, it was good to see that Henderson was not yet another bobcat bust

I really like the-blazers now with g-wall and LMA

The clippers actually became a lot of fun to watch

last but not least... The lakers got SWEPT!

Feom a bobcats point of view, I have mixed feelings: we probably shouldn't gave let go of Chandler to get najera and carroll's contracts, I also wish he hadn't traded away Wallace for nothing- at least we could have got someone useful in return??!! But the move was a step in the right direction- particularly if the rumors that Chris Paul is interested in Charlotte are true. I'm also glad we've gut two picks in the upcoming draft. Were in a decent situation, and if the cats draft biyombo and klay Thompson, then I think we can make the playoffs. So I still give the bobcats a 3/5 for the season. Would've been a 4 if we had offloaded overpaid scrubs though. (najera diop, carroll. Tyrus and Boris are overpaid too)

It was definitely a nice season, with my Mavs winning it all and my man Dirk finally getting his ring. I followed him since he started his journey in the NBA back in 99. With him being the first "real" German player to make it in the NBA (I know, Det is german, too, but he went to an US college and never really was interested in playing for the national squad and doing interviews with german media etc), I was really so glad when he finally reached his goal.

It was also good to see the Lakers getting knocked out early after three final appearences in a row. Seeing Miami failing also gave me a bit of hope that you cannot just sign three guys and get that championship for sure.

I also felt like there was a bit of a break this year with the Spurs getting knocked out by Memphis, the Thunder getting to the WCF, whilst in the East the Bulls did great and the Cs were knocked out in the 2nd round.

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

No-all around game, like Dirk?

STOP HATING HE HAZ A RING!!!!1!!

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

Didn't they come together much the same way as most teams do?

Actually I think there is still a difference between getting traded after failing time and time again with your team despite putting all the work into it (Kevin Garnett), signing as a free agent after you could not win it with your mediocre team mates (LeBron) or just forcing the trade because you did not want to stay on a small market team and instead wanted to play in the big apple (Melo).

Says something about Melo's character and I also think it was a pretty dumb trade, giving away some decent and high potential starters plus picks for the third best small forward in the league (at least they also got Billups out of it).

Adding to that, the Knicks won't have the cap space to sign a good supporting cast, especially when the salary cap rules will be changed.

I just don't like how the Knicks' moves were so forced to get them a good team, but in the end they just landed two players whose characters can be questioned and who might not get them on the top. For me, it was like a panic move (we can't get LeBron, let's go with Amar'e ...)

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

No-all around game, like Dirk?

Dirk > Amar'e

They hold almost the same rebounding percentage (14.5% - 13.0%). Amar'e has a slight advantage because of the offensive boards, but as I always say, how to grab off. boards when you are the one who takes the 18 feet jumpshot, highly difficult)?

While Dirk was never regarded a good passer (although he took advantage of double teams well the last few years and got better in it), Amar'e has been quite bad at passing, although he managed to get an assist percentage of 13.2% last season, but it could be a fluke, as he never managed to get more than 8.3% before, despite playing under D'Antoni before. (Dirk has a pretty consistent 13% for his career)

Now you could argue, Amar'e is the better defender, as he blocked 1.9 shots per 36 last season compared to Dirk's non-existing shot blocking.

The interesting thing is, that Amar'e has never been good at defense despite swatting some shots here and there. Sure, he's been playing for D'Antoni for almost his complete career, but there's no other way to compare it then just look at the numbers.

Amar'e: Defensive Rating last year: 108 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 2.4 - Defensive Rating Career: 106 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 2.3

Dirk: Defensive Rating last year: 105 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 3.3 - Defensive Rating Career: 103 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 3.5

Not that great of a difference at all, so I doubt that one of these guys will change your team's defense.

Adding to that, Dirk can hit the three whilst Amar'e won't be able to go to the basket with force for ages. They hold almost the same true shooting (around 59%) and Amar'e also has more turnovers than Dirk.

--> Amar'e: better shot blocker, better in the paint, better offensive rebounder
--> Dirk: better in everything else, which is still a lot

I don't know about Carmelo, as he does not play the same position than Dirk I doubt it makes sense to compare them, but Melo is a great offensive player, a better scorer than LeBron and maybe also Durant.


Plus: How's my Dirk taste ?

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

No-all around game, like Dirk?

Dirk > Amar'e

They hold almost the same rebounding percentage (14.5% - 13.0%). Amar'e has a slight advantage because of the offensive boards, but as I always say, how to grab off. boards when you are the one who takes the 18 feet jumpshot, highly difficult)?

While Dirk was never regarded a good passer (although he took advantage of double teams well the last few years and got better in it), Amar'e has been quite bad at passing, although he managed to get an assist percentage of 13.2% last season, but it could be a fluke, as he never managed to get more than 8.3% before, despite playing under D'Antoni before. (Dirk has a pretty consistent 13% for his career)

Now you could argue, Amar'e is the better defender, as he blocked 1.9 shots per 36 last season compared to Dirk's non-existing shot blocking.

The interesting thing is, that Amar'e has never been good at defense despite swatting some shots here and there. Sure, he's been playing for D'Antoni for almost his complete career, but there's no other way to compare it then just look at the numbers.

Amar'e: Defensive Rating last year: 108 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 2.4 - Defensive Rating Career: 106 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 2.3

Dirk: Defensive Rating last year: 105 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 3.3 - Defensive Rating Career: 103 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 3.5

Not that great of a difference at all, so I doubt that one of these guys will change your team's defense.

Adding to that, Dirk can hit the three whilst Amar'e won't be able to go to the basket with force for ages. They hold almost the same true shooting (around 59%) and Amar'e also has more turnovers than Dirk.

--> Amar'e: better shot blocker, better in the paint, better offensive rebounder
--> Dirk: better in everything else, which is still a lot

I don't know about Carmelo, as he does not play the same position than Dirk I doubt it makes sense to compare them, but Melo is a great offensive player, a better scorer than LeBron and maybe also Durant.


Plus: How's my Dirk taste ?

So Dirk Nowitzki who has no all-around game is definitely heaps better than Amar'e who also has no all-around game. Got it.

Just because Dirk got bailed out by THREE TIME NBA FINALIST Jason Kidd and Kobe being physically disabled by cheap shots and in the tank Refs doesn't mean shit.

Dirk is a big soft player who would never be able to play for the world's greatest franchise on the world's greatest stage like Amare and Melo did.

He'd basically be just like Keith Van Horn, falling apart in the face of the demands of the world's greatest city.

Trade demands are seldom handled with complete professionalism and frankly, the situation with Melo wasn't that out of the ordinary. He made it clear he wasn't that keen on returning, giving the Nuggets time to explore their options in trading in him, so while he did benefit from the deal (got to go to New York, signed an extension before a new CBA goes into effect) the Nuggets got a lot more warning than the Cavs did and could do something about it.

As for signing Amar'e being a panic move because they couldn't land LeBron...sure, I guess, but what would you have them do instead? We can now be certain that no one but the Heat had a realistic chance of landing LeBron, so everyone else had to go with Plan B. The Knicks obviously weren't that sure they'd land LeBron since they went out and reached an agreement with Amar'e first. So what's the alternative, let all that cap room go to waste and not try to sign a star player?

Also good to see that the Knicks were swept. I hate how this team came together and in Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony they have two of the most overrated players in the game (no all-around games)

No-all around game, like Dirk?

Dirk > Amar'e

They hold almost the same rebounding percentage (14.5% - 13.0%). Amar'e has a slight advantage because of the offensive boards, but as I always say, how to grab off. boards when you are the one who takes the 18 feet jumpshot, highly difficult)?

While Dirk was never regarded a good passer (although he took advantage of double teams well the last few years and got better in it), Amar'e has been quite bad at passing, although he managed to get an assist percentage of 13.2% last season, but it could be a fluke, as he never managed to get more than 8.3% before, despite playing under D'Antoni before. (Dirk has a pretty consistent 13% for his career)

Now you could argue, Amar'e is the better defender, as he blocked 1.9 shots per 36 last season compared to Dirk's non-existing shot blocking.

The interesting thing is, that Amar'e has never been good at defense despite swatting some shots here and there. Sure, he's been playing for D'Antoni for almost his complete career, but there's no other way to compare it then just look at the numbers.

Amar'e: Defensive Rating last year: 108 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 2.4 - Defensive Rating Career: 106 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 2.3

Dirk: Defensive Rating last year: 105 - Defensive Win Shares last year: 3.3 - Defensive Rating Career: 103 - Defensive Win Shares Career: 3.5

Not that great of a difference at all, so I doubt that one of these guys will change your team's defense.

Adding to that, Dirk can hit the three whilst Amar'e won't be able to go to the basket with force for ages. They hold almost the same true shooting (around 59%) and Amar'e also has more turnovers than Dirk.

--> Amar'e: better shot blocker, better in the paint, better offensive rebounder
--> Dirk: better in everything else, which is still a lot

I don't know about Carmelo, as he does not play the same position than Dirk I doubt it makes sense to compare them, but Melo is a great offensive player, a better scorer than LeBron and maybe also Durant.


Plus: How's my Dirk taste ?

So Dirk Nowitzki who has no all-around game is definitely heaps better than Amar'e who also has no all-around game. Got it.

Actually, that is the case plus who cares about your all-around game when you have one ring (took many years for the Mavs to allow me saying that). Amar'e is a black hole. Melo also keeps the ball too long. That's
not how basketball works.

As for signing Amar'e being a panic move because they couldn't land LeBron...sure, I guess, but what would you have them do instead? We can now be certain that no one but the Heat had a realistic chance of landing LeBron, so everyone else had to go with Plan B. The Knicks obviously weren't that sure they'd land LeBron since they went out and reached an agreement with Amar'e first. So what's the alternative, let all that cap room go to waste and not try to sign a star player?

They already had a talented roster and could have gone for a classic building, adding talents via draft for example. But the Knicks' draft history isn't that good either, so maybe it was okay to sign Amar'e, but still a panic move. They could have kept David Lee and not trade him to the Warriors for example, which would have been a more conservative build - but that's not how New York works I guess.

I can't describe it in words, but this team always wants something special and it simply does not work. New York lacks a solid, clever franchise building (like OKC or Chicago over the last three years).

Last edited by hova- on Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

/edit: sry for double post

but still a panic move. They could have kept David Lee and not trade him to the Warriors for example, which would have been a more conservative build

How is that a "panic move"? David Lee is a good player but he's just as bad, maybe worse than Amare defensively and he's nowhere near as good offensively. $80 million vs. $100 million doesn't mean all that much considering they still had the space to get LeBron. But they shrewdly ignored the Joe Johnson's and co to go with their stockpile of youth Walsh amassed.

The Melo thing was Dolan being Dolan, had Walsh had real power (he picked Amare over Bosh, Boozer and Lee...assembled the pieces shipped out) I doubt he makes that deal and rolls with the team that was doing well early in the year until 2012 when they go for Paul/Deron/Dwight.

It's the Melo trade that's the panic move, because Melo needed it THEN.

could have gone for a classic building, adding talents via draft for example

I wouldn't really call this classic building. Unless you're the Spurs, and you cheat, building through the draft doesn't win you championships.

Or the Clippers and Timberwolves would have far more than they do.

At least they ignored Johnson, which was basically a good move. Panic move is maybe exaggerated, maybe it's only me who doesn't like the signing of Stoudemire.

The Melo move definitely cost them a lot of talent which they are now lacking. I mean, this team needs about two or three players that are capable of playing starter's minutes.

About the classic building, maybe it's just an ideal thing as championship teams barely come together via draft, but the Knicks did not even draft one piece that they could have used for a decent Playoff run.

Examples for those pieces (or even franchise players): Wade (drafted by MIA),Durant (drafted by OKC), Westbrook (drafted by OKC), Rondo (acquired by the Cs as a rookie), Rose (drafted by CHI), D. Williams (drafted by UTA) and so on.

Heck, even Dirk and Kobe were once drafted by the teams they won championships with. The Knicks basically gave up all their good draft picks in silly deals and maybe this will happen again with the picks they got from the Melo deal.

In a way, I have no point - maybe just one real point: Knicks front office = big fail. (that's nothing new I guess)

Trade demands are seldom handled with complete professionalism and frankly, the situation with Melo wasn't that out of the ordinary.

Really? The flip-flopping on whether or not he was going to ask for a trade, and demanding to be sent to New York and New York only? When has anyone ever done that?

For me, this was the best season since I started watching NBA regularly...

Lakers swept, Mavs finally winning, all the controversy around the Heat, Spurs killing in regular season but sucking in the playoffs, Amare in New York, Shaq last days, etc.

Trade demands are seldom handled with complete professionalism and frankly, the situation with Melo wasn't that out of the ordinary.

Really? The flip-flopping on whether or not he was going to ask for a trade, and demanding to be sent to New York and New York only? When has anyone ever done that?

Did he really flip-flop that much? I thought it was a case of making his intentions clear to the Nuggets then downplaying it in public. It's not unheard of for players who demand (or are open to) a trade to have a shortlist of preferred destinations and Melo was no different in that regrd, though New York was clearly his first preference. He also mentioned Chicago a couple of times.

I guess the closest example I can think of off the top of my head would be Kobe's trade demand in 2007, where he expressed a desire to be traded around the time of the Draft, mentioned it a couple more times and then the Lakers didn't know whether he was going to show up for training camp until the day came. I seem to recall him mentioning a couple of teams he'd be happy being traded to, though he also has that no-trade clause in his contract.

It's not exactly the same and there are certainly a few quirks in the situation with Melo but I never said that it was normal or what usually happened; just that it wasn't that out of the ordinary. And it's not. Star player makes it known to their team they want out and are not interested in signing an extension, word gets out and it's downplayed, player has a preferred destination or destinations, a trade goes down.