I agree 100%...I use to laugh when David Robinson or karl malon wouldget the awards....."they meant the most to their teams"......most to what? third place finish? MVP voting has always been a joke and political event....."Duncan meant the most to his team"...for what? they finished third and have been basically swept out of the playoffs the past three years....Why not give the MVP award to Elton Brand ...without him the clips would win only 10 games instead of 20
MJ, the greatest ever....
- Thread starter OPTIONAL777
- Start date
Where would the Wizards be this year without a 40 year old man who can no longer jump the way he used to?
By that standard, MJ is MVP this year.
GAME DAY RECAP Wednesday, March 12
Billups scores season-high 33 points for Detroit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECAP | BOX SCORE | PLAY-BY-PLAY | GAMECAST
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Chauncey Billups was so good it almost made Phil Jackson sick.
Billups
Billups scored a season-high 33 points and made several dazzling plays during a 10-0 surge early in the fourth quarter as the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-88 Wednesday night.
"Too much Billups tonight," Jackson said. "He made me want to throw up."
The Pistons snapped a nine-game home losing streak against the Lakers -- their longest against any team -- with their first victory over their old rivals at The Palace since Dec. 20, 1991.
Billups said he felt "unstoppable" at times and he looked like it one game after scoring 31 in a win over Golden State.
The powerful point guard -- who scored six points in just over two minutes during the decisive run -- began the fourth-quarter burst by splitting two defenders and making a crafty scoop shot from outside the right side of the lane.
"That was just a little scoop shot, a playground play," Billups said with a grin. "I don't practice that shot, I'll say that."
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons -- who have won three straight after losing a season-high seven consecutive games -- don't have stars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. But Detroit does have a top-to-bottom team that rivals any in the league.
Detroit rookie reserve Mehmet Okur scored a career-high 22 points, reserve Corliss Williamson scored 17 points, Richard Hamilton added 14 and Ben Wallace had 21 rebounds and 10 points.
"There are not many teams that can match our bench," Billups said.
O'Neal, who scored a season-low 13 points in a 17-point loss at Chicago on Tuesday, had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Bryant scored 21 on 9-of-23 shooting.
Robert Horry scored 13 for the three-time defending champions, who have lost two straight after winning nine of their previous 10.
"This hurts us, but we aren't about to give up," O'Neal said. "We just have to keep playing as hard as we can.
"They played a little bit harder down the stretch than we did. We still had a couple of chances to win, but Detroit got all the loose balls and played with a lot more energy."
After Detroit's run gave it a 86-71 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Lakers didn't get closer than 10 as a sellout crowd chanted: "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A!"
"They had a nice little streak going on the franchise," Wallace said, "We gave our people something to hold their head up about and it gave us a reason to have a little swagger."
Following his 13-point performance against Chicago, O'Neal had eight points in the first five minutes, but was taken out of the game with two fouls just two minutes later.
"After last night, I was trying to be more aggressive, and I ended up with some fouls," O'Neal said.
The Lakers led 29-18 -- their largest lead -- after the opening quarter.
Detroit tied the game midway through the second, and led 49-45 at halftime.
There were nine ties and four lead changes in a third quarter which ended with the Pistons ahead 74-69.
Game notes
The Lakers, who played the second game of a season-long six-game road trip, are 11-18 on the road. They are 5-8 this season on the second night of back-to-back games. ... The Pistons are 13-0 at home when scoring at least 100. ... Wallace, the league's leading rebounder, surpassed the 20-rebound mark for the ninth time. ... Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci and chief executive Matt Millen attended the game as guests of Pistons president Joe Dumars.
Billups scores season-high 33 points for Detroit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECAP | BOX SCORE | PLAY-BY-PLAY | GAMECAST
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Chauncey Billups was so good it almost made Phil Jackson sick.
Billups
Billups scored a season-high 33 points and made several dazzling plays during a 10-0 surge early in the fourth quarter as the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-88 Wednesday night.
"Too much Billups tonight," Jackson said. "He made me want to throw up."
The Pistons snapped a nine-game home losing streak against the Lakers -- their longest against any team -- with their first victory over their old rivals at The Palace since Dec. 20, 1991.
Billups said he felt "unstoppable" at times and he looked like it one game after scoring 31 in a win over Golden State.
The powerful point guard -- who scored six points in just over two minutes during the decisive run -- began the fourth-quarter burst by splitting two defenders and making a crafty scoop shot from outside the right side of the lane.
"That was just a little scoop shot, a playground play," Billups said with a grin. "I don't practice that shot, I'll say that."
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons -- who have won three straight after losing a season-high seven consecutive games -- don't have stars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. But Detroit does have a top-to-bottom team that rivals any in the league.
Detroit rookie reserve Mehmet Okur scored a career-high 22 points, reserve Corliss Williamson scored 17 points, Richard Hamilton added 14 and Ben Wallace had 21 rebounds and 10 points.
"There are not many teams that can match our bench," Billups said.
O'Neal, who scored a season-low 13 points in a 17-point loss at Chicago on Tuesday, had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Bryant scored 21 on 9-of-23 shooting.
Robert Horry scored 13 for the three-time defending champions, who have lost two straight after winning nine of their previous 10.
"This hurts us, but we aren't about to give up," O'Neal said. "We just have to keep playing as hard as we can.
"They played a little bit harder down the stretch than we did. We still had a couple of chances to win, but Detroit got all the loose balls and played with a lot more energy."
After Detroit's run gave it a 86-71 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Lakers didn't get closer than 10 as a sellout crowd chanted: "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A!"
"They had a nice little streak going on the franchise," Wallace said, "We gave our people something to hold their head up about and it gave us a reason to have a little swagger."
Following his 13-point performance against Chicago, O'Neal had eight points in the first five minutes, but was taken out of the game with two fouls just two minutes later.
"After last night, I was trying to be more aggressive, and I ended up with some fouls," O'Neal said.
The Lakers led 29-18 -- their largest lead -- after the opening quarter.
Detroit tied the game midway through the second, and led 49-45 at halftime.
There were nine ties and four lead changes in a third quarter which ended with the Pistons ahead 74-69.
Game notes
The Lakers, who played the second game of a season-long six-game road trip, are 11-18 on the road. They are 5-8 this season on the second night of back-to-back games. ... The Pistons are 13-0 at home when scoring at least 100. ... Wallace, the league's leading rebounder, surpassed the 20-rebound mark for the ninth time. ... Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci and chief executive Matt Millen attended the game as guests of Pistons president Joe Dumars.
>>I'm saving the ticket stub to show my future kids and grandkids that I saw the greatest ever put on a magnificent performance several years past his prime.<<
Make sure Hapaboy that you get the video of that game too.
freealways
Make sure Hapaboy that you get the video of that game too.
freealways
I must admit that's the most amazing thing over the last year..I've seen MJ get stripped or have the ball poked away from him more time then in his entire career....MJ was never the greatest ball handler, but if you went for a steal and missed, he was so fast and quick you would be dead and his tongue would be wagging on the way to a dunk
" That seems to define the Hornets' success: If they make shots, they win. The Hornets are 23rd in field-goal accuracy, which, by the way, puts them ahead of both Boston and Detroit. But of the six Eastern contenders, only Philadelphia has a lower opposition field-goal percentage figure, often times a better indicator of defense than points allowed. Top to bottom, these guys, along with Indiana, look to have the two deepest rosters. Silas needs Jamal Mashburn to continue his remarkable season (he missed virtually all of the postseason last year) and for Davis to return to the form that made him an All-Star and a member of the U.S. World Championship team. The Hornets can be a quirky bunch. They can also be a terror when everything is working.
Peter May, who covers the NBA for the Boston Globe, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
BOY THIS PETER MAY GUY REALLY UNDERSTANDS BASKETBALL!!
IF THEY MAKE THEIR SHOTS THEY WIN....DEEP THOUGHT...
i NEVER KNEW THERE WAS W AY TO WIN THE GAME IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE YOUR SHOTS.
Peter May, who covers the NBA for the Boston Globe, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
BOY THIS PETER MAY GUY REALLY UNDERSTANDS BASKETBALL!!
IF THEY MAKE THEIR SHOTS THEY WIN....DEEP THOUGHT...
i NEVER KNEW THERE WAS W AY TO WIN THE GAME IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE YOUR SHOTS.
Lakers turn road fortunes around, gain on Jazz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECAP | BOX SCORE | PLAY-BY-PLAY | GAMECAST
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers badly needed a victory to stop their longest road trip of the season from spinning out of control.
Derek Fisher scored 21 points, including a clutch jump shot with 26.6 seconds left, to help the Lakers to a 106-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
"We were concerned about rebuilding the energy we had,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "If we're going to do anything in these playoffs, we've got to start doing something on the road.''
(The following is what is wrong with the Timberwolves. When an organization focuses on campaigning for an MVP award, when they should be spending their time and money on better players to put around a good player, you know they are losers. Duncan now gets my MVP vote.)
Also, notice how well the Lakers play when mad dog Madsen starts? Are you paying attention Phil?
Game notes
The Timberwolves are launching a Heisman Trophy-like campaign stumping for an MVP award for Garnett. The team put placards that look like Minnesota license plates and read "KG 4 MVP'' on selected seats. ... The Lakers are 8-1 with Mark Madsen starting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECAP | BOX SCORE | PLAY-BY-PLAY | GAMECAST
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers badly needed a victory to stop their longest road trip of the season from spinning out of control.
Derek Fisher scored 21 points, including a clutch jump shot with 26.6 seconds left, to help the Lakers to a 106-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
"We were concerned about rebuilding the energy we had,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "If we're going to do anything in these playoffs, we've got to start doing something on the road.''
(The following is what is wrong with the Timberwolves. When an organization focuses on campaigning for an MVP award, when they should be spending their time and money on better players to put around a good player, you know they are losers. Duncan now gets my MVP vote.)
Also, notice how well the Lakers play when mad dog Madsen starts? Are you paying attention Phil?
Game notes
The Timberwolves are launching a Heisman Trophy-like campaign stumping for an MVP award for Garnett. The team put placards that look like Minnesota license plates and read "KG 4 MVP'' on selected seats. ... The Lakers are 8-1 with Mark Madsen starting.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2003-03-17-salary-report_x.htm
"Of the 273 players that were ranked, 24 were categorized as priceless, including Minnesota's Kevin Garnett ($25.2 million), San Antonio's Tim Duncan ($12M) and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant ($12.3M). Priceless players earn $10 million or more and are among the top three in overall performance."
Optional, seems to me like KG is overpaid but not according to USAtoday...he is "priceless"
"Of the 273 players that were ranked, 24 were categorized as priceless, including Minnesota's Kevin Garnett ($25.2 million), San Antonio's Tim Duncan ($12M) and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant ($12.3M). Priceless players earn $10 million or more and are among the top three in overall performance."
Optional, seems to me like KG is overpaid but not according to USAtoday...he is "priceless"