NBA Chat with Bill Ingram 4/30/12

1. stephen

   If the heat win a titke theywill garner no resoect from me… They wont have to go through dwight, rose, lin, or a healthy amare, and they will face a western team that will be tired, because they actualy have to play hard games to get there… I am an admitted heat “hater”, my favorite moment from last year was watching bosh collapse in tears… Thoughts?

   • Bill Ingram

     Good Morning, Everyone, and welcome to that chat!Not sure Jeremy Lin belongs on your list . . .remember how they destroyed him the last game before All-Star? I am obviously on the same page with you in terms of celebrating the HEAT loss – I enjoyed that almost as much as I enjoyed the Mavericks win. Almost. That said, winning a championship is a major accomplishment. You have to be healthy at the right time, you have to have a certain degree of luck at times, and you have to go out there and win 16 playoff games with everyone desperate to beat you. You’re right about Miami not having any serious competition in the East now that Rose is out, but they will have their hands full with whichever team comes out of the West. Don’t hang the banner just yet.

2. Chris G

   Maybe I’m naive, but why are playoff games different from regular season games? I hear that said all the time but no one elaborates why. Is it the pressure of the “win or go home” threat? The fact that everyone you play is good (no Bobcats on the schedule, so you always have to play hard), or because you play the same team over and over and they figure you out? Basically, what I’m wondering is if the Bulls can beat the Heat or Celtics without Rose in March, why is it so impossible to believe they can do it in May during “the playoffs”? They don’t buckle under pressure, they always play hard, and they’ve got a great game planner as coach. Why must the result be different just because the month is?

   • Bill Ingram

     It’s some of the things you mentioned, plus some other factors. During the regular season games are a dime a dozen. Not every team gets up for every game. If you approach a playoff game that way it might be the end of your season. So there are fewer possessions, generally speaking, as teams value each possession more, and lineups shorten up as only the best players get playing time. I DO think people are writing Chicago off too early. They are not just Rose, as we saw for long stretches of this season. Can they beat Miami? Not sure I can go there. But they won’t roll over, either.

3. Sweet Dee

   TNT coverage stated a media member voted Toney Parker #1, Kevin Durant #2, and Lebron James #3 for MVP. If I was commissioner and heard this I would ban this member from ever voting again. He is clearly bias in his selection, as he placed a guy who averaged 27 points, 6 assists, and 8 boards as 3rd. Not taking away from the other two players, but if it wasn’t for “The Decision” and his cocky attitude towards the media he would be a runaway winner. Question: Can someone make a reasonable argument for placing James 3rd (which I believe is absolutely ridiculous from a basketball standpoint)?

   • Bill Ingram

     I have a hard time putting Tony Parker first, even though he had another great season. Kevin Durant and LeBron are the only ones in the discussion, and my differentiator is the clutch play element. If you put LeBron in OKC’s lineup instead of Durant in the closing seconds of Game 1 against Dallas, you lose that game. Durant steps in and very coolly drills the game-winner with Shawn Marion draped all over him. That’s MVP, BABEEEEEEEEEEEE.

4. Charlie

   If you were a NBA head coach in this years playoffs, who would you prefer as your 6th man and why: Jason Terry or James Harden?

   • Bill Ingram

     Jason Terry is the heart and soul behind the Dallas Mavericks, and has been in the most difficult situations and come out on top. That experience gives Jet the edge in my book. Can James Harden call out LeBron and then torch him for four straight NBA Finals games? Jet did.

5. Mac

   On Hoopsworld latest poll, we are asked who is the NBA Coach of the Year. There are 6 candidates listed, not one of which is Ty Corbin. Everyone was picking Utah near last in the west (note: Brigham predicted worse than Bobcats preseason), yet no love for taking this non-expectation team to the playoffs. Seems only coaches with top records are considered, but taking a bottom feeder to mediocrity is ignored. If you were given a vote for coach of the year, would Ty Corbin make your top 6?

   • Bill Ingram

     Wins matter . . .Gregg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau would be my top two. Scotty Brooks, Mike Brown, Frank Vogel and Larry Drew would all be ahead of Corbin.

6. MikeF

   Hey Bill,
   I’ve been a big Warriors fan and really want to see them get better. What are their biggest holes and areas of improvement going into next season assuming they are healthy?(I know that this is a huge if)

   • Bill Ingram

     Health is obviously the most important thing, yes. I would say their most glaring need is at point guard, where they need someone who is capable of spelling Curry and also starting for him when he’s hurt. They need a veteran, someone a little more serious than Nate Robinson. Goran Dragic would be my first choice, but he might be expensive with teams like Toronto and Portland planning to go after him. They might also try to price George Hill out of Indiana . . .that would be an amazing move for the Warriors.

7. rel

   bill my man what is up! can we fire d morey now???? what do you think the team willl look like next season?? any trades iknow its early but i guy can dream cant he? lol

   • Bill Ingram

     Don’t fire him – we want him involved in the draft process. Demote him to assistant GM and hire Kevin Pritchard, Larry Harris, Mark Warkentien – someone who can actually make trades and free agency productive in a big way. Houston’s biggest avenue to improvement is probably Donatas Montiejunas – more on him coming later this week in my in-depth look at the Rockets going forward.

8. Pynchon

   So you are actually impressed by Durant and his chucking and TO plagued game 1? He was the 4th best player on his own team.

   • Bill Ingram

     He struggled at times, but when it mattered most . . .he came through like few can.

9. Brian

   Hi, Bill.

   Give me two must have players the Wolves need to target in the offseason (and have a legitimate shot of getting) in order to reach the playoffs next season?
   Also, give me four salaries they need to dump.

   Thanks!

   • Bill Ingram

     Dump Brad Miller and Anthony Randolph. I don’t think you want to go much further than that. Maybe Martell Webster? Perhaps an argument could be made for Wes Johnson, though they’re not ready to completely give up on him yet. They should target OJ Mayo, Courtney Lee and Ray Allen in free agency. Failing that, trade for Kevin Martin.

10. Edward Lee

    Is Jordan Hill the real deal with today’s double double or is it just a fluke? Does he have the fundamental skills to be a consistent contributor?

    • Bill Ingram

      He may have the skills, but I don’t think he has the determination, honestly. He’s never been about basketball . . .it’s more about the money, and that’s the wrong reason to play. Maybe Kobe can rub off on him, but I wouldn’t bank on it.

11. Deven

    Hi Bill. Based on the Cs performance yesterday and the ejection of Rondo, is this it for the Cs? The Last Stand? And will Rondo be suspended for Game 2?

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, first of all, I think Rondo is gone for Game 2. You’re not going to bump a ref and get away with it. Here’s a link to the video if you haven’t seen it. So go ahead and count the Celtics out of Game 2 with Allen and Rondo both sidelined. From there it’s the Hawks’ series to lose, and I don’t think Boston can rebound from 0-2.

12. Deven

    In the Predicting The 2012 NBA Playoffs page, you picked the Hawks to win the series, despite Boston’s stellar play these last few months. Why is that?

    • Bill Ingram

      Boston had an unlikely run, I’ll give you that, but the Hawks were great coming down the stretch, as well. And the Hawks are younger and healthier, with Josh Smith playing like an MVP candidate. Boston’s about to be down 0-2.

13. Deven

    If Boston, Chicago, maybe Indiana, lose their series(s), does Miami have an easier path to make it all the way back the NBA Finals this year?

    • Bill Ingram

      The East was a 2-team race to begin with . . .Chicago and Miami. Now that Rose is out, the Heat have a big edge in that eventual series. Can Indiana catch fire and make some noise? Perhaps. Can Atlanta possibly push Miami a little bit? Sure. But at the end of the day, barring an injury to Wade or James, the Heat are going to win the East now. The path doesn’t get much easier than it is this year.

14. Art

    Bill, can the Magic sign Arenas after July 1st or do they need to wait until his contract with the Magic expires?

    • Bill Ingram

      Why would they want to sign him? Zero chance of that happening . . .

15. Deven

    Fact or Fiction: Rondo will be suspended for Game 2 for bumping Marc Davis.

    • Bill Ingram

      That would be my call. He’s out.

16. Cain

    For how much longer will Paul George be a work in progress rather than focal point for Indiana? Why is Beaubois seeing so few minutes of late?

    • Bill Ingram

      That Beaubois question is the BIG question in Dallas. What does it take for Roddy to get consistent minutes? Kidd, Carter and Terry all played well in that first game, and Carlisle is very much a flow coach in terms of rotation. As for Paul, seems like next year will be his coming out party. The next step for him is a big one, but he’s ready for it.

17. Mark ryan

    if the kings draft Barnes or MKG or sign a starting small forward in free agency but also keep Tyreke Evans, who comes off the bench Marcus Thornton or Isiah Thomas?

    • Bill Ingram

      If they draft a 3 they will trade Evans . . .I would bank on that. Thomas looks like the real deal (60th pick!), and Thornton is making starting money – also earning it.

18. Eric Aldridge

    Why don’t you realize how good Austin Rivers is. He is the Only Lottery Pick who gets talked about most about the things he cant do rather than the things he can do. Of course he needs to get stronger and work on his shot selection but the kid is only 19 years old. Rivers is an Elite Prospect which made him the Number 1 recruit in High school. He has Elite NBA ready Ball handling Skills, Quickness and shooting ability. His size isn’t a big deal when 3 of the top 5 SG in the league are “undersized” in Dwyane wade, Monta Ellis and Eric Gordon. I will truly be shocked when its all said and done and hes not one of the top 5 players to come out of this draft.

    • Bill Ingram

      Because I don’t watch college basketball? That might be why. I’ll give the kid the benefit of the doubt, though. He sure comes from good NBA stock . . .and that means he’s head the right kind of coaching since he first started tossing Nerf balls through a plastic goal. He ranked in the 68th percentile in half court offense this season, 61st percentile in transition. He’s great in pick-and-roll situations, which was his biggest strength. I have no doubt he’ll be decent . . .but will he be GREAT? Might be a leap.

19. Bill Wallace

    Will John Wall and Kyrie Irving ever be at the same level as Rose and Westbrook? Why or why not?

    In no more than 2 years from now John Wall should be better than Westbrook.

    • Bill Ingram

      Irving maybe . . .not Wall. I don’t see that kind of potential.

20. Aaron Allen

    There was a report a few weeks ago saying that the Mavs were 1 of 4 teams that would strongly pursue Eric Gordon this summer? What have you heard about this and how would he fit with the team?

    • Bill Ingram

      Now that D12 is off the market – and injured – it makes sense for Dallas to pursue Gordon after they make their pitch to Deron Williams. They don’t have a starting shooting guard under contract for next season. Very little chance the Hornets let him go, though. VERY little chance.

21. Mike aldridge

    Harrison Barnes is starting to get underrated, if anyone thinks he isn’t a top 5 pick just dont know what there talking about. Harrison Barnes is a Elite Prospect and should be the 2nd pick in the draft and i still think he can become the “cant miss Prospect” he was coming out of high school.

    He had a few bad games in the tournament which should say to much compared to what he did in high school and 2 years at UNC.

    • Bill Ingram

      I agree Barnes is going to be a good NBA player for years, but I also will say that having bad games in the Tournament absolutely impacts your draft status. These NBA teams don’t all scout players long-term. Many of them look at a few games in the Tourney and go from there. If Toronto drafts in the top 5, he’ll go top 5.

22. jefff ross

    What kind of player do you see Damian Lilard being at the NBA level? What kind of scorer can he be? Does he have all star Potential?

    Would you rather draft him Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker?

    • Bill Ingram

      I’d go Kemba Walker. Lilard is not a great scoring talent. He’s a decent spot-up shooter and did well in limited touches in hand-off situations. Overall, however, Leonard is not a good scorer, let alone an All-Star talent.

23. Jacob R.

    What are your thoughts on Marshon Brooks and whats his potential and upside? i can see him being one of the top scorers in the league in few years.

    • Bill Ingram

      I think he would be a huge selling point for me in trying to keep Deron Williams in town. He had a strong season, and will only get better. Leading the league in scoring might be a bit much, but you never know. The kid has huge upside.

24. Brendan

    Is it usual to have more serious injuries in the Playoffs? I follow the HEAT and was really looking forward to Rose vs Lebron in the ECF.

    • Bill Ingram

      Weren’t we all? No, I can’t remember a first round that saw so many starters lost in the first game. It makes the playoffs much less interesting – especially in the East, where Dwight and Rose are such amazing players to watch. We may as well fast forward to the Finals in the East. The West still has lots of drama to play out, though.

25. calvinzero

    What can you say about the playoffs last weekend?? Surprisingly, Clippers rout Grizzlies. Is their victory(over Grizzlies) signals to the other contenders that they are no more pretenders but a contender also?? Can they sustain that momentum, Bill? Thanks and God Bless..

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, the Grizzlies routed the Clippers for 3 quarters, so I don’t know if they sent a signal to anyone. It will be interesting to see how Memphis responds after that colossal collapse. The Clippers SHOULD be contenders, but with Butler out and Vinny D on the bench, I’m not sure this is their year.

26. Hrzy

    Hello,
    what do you think about progress of Jan Vesely? Does he has skills to be regular starter in NBA? I know he won´t live up his draft position but it seems he found his place lately.

    • Bill Ingram

      He definitely had his best month of the season in April, which is what you want to see from a young player. He’ll benefit from summer league and a full training camp, for sure!

27. Patrick

    First thing Bill, I’m just going to throw it out there that I disagree with all the heat Thibs is getting from this whole D.Rose fiasco. He’s right, it’s a play off game, and the team was rolling, 76ers can score and the lead was growing smaller, so I think he was in the right keeping D.Rose in there, especially since D.Rose is the type of player that would be dying to be out there if he wasn’t. It sucks he’s out with an ACL tear but the bulls have a strong team and have played without him before and won. What is your take?

    • Bill Ingram

      I love what Thibs said – “I don’t watch the game from the rear view mirror, like you people do.” Something like that. Derrick Rose is the floor leader. He’s in the game at the end of a playoff game every time if I’m coach. They weren’t up 20, after all. We saw a lot of comebacks this weekend.

28. keo

    Is metta world peace the dirtiest player since ron arrest? Hehe

    Ok real question here ..should rondo be suspended for yday ….I think they should just fine him since its the playoffs .. wat are Ur thoughts

    • Bill Ingram

      I think you could go far comparing World Peace to Artest. Yes, I expect Rondo to be suspended for one game.

29. Billy M

    With pick 14 and 16 in the first round you certainly have to trade up or for a player right? Just seems like a perfect idea if another team is willing.

    Also, when you get tripped on something, say a foot, do you brace yourself with your chest?

    • Bill Ingram

      I’m actually not a very clumsy person. Probably the yoga. But I don’t think I would choose my chest, should I trip up. Boozer chose his fist, though, and that was a bad call. And yes, I trade the 14 and 16 for a lottery pick – throw in contract, money and whatever else it takes.

30. JimyB

    Bill I would like to know if under the new NBA rules if the Magic are allowed to trade Dwight prior to the NBA draft lottery selection show?

    • Bill Ingram

      Nope. Draft night, sure, but not at the lottery.

31. Ruben

    Bill,Daryl Morey twitted he wanted the fans to show Drogic Houston,and its fans wanted him back.Do you think the Rox realy do, or is this just pr?

    • Bill Ingram

      The Rockets can keep Dragic in town by paying him. Very simple. He’s not interested in staying in Houston as a reserve and taking less money to do it. If Houston out-bids Portland, Toronto, and maybe Dallas, they can keep Dragic. Show him the money!

32. Cricket

    Is the suspension to Metta World Peace a blessing in disguise for the LA Lakers? Metta has cement boots, no shot, and no longer plays the other team’s best guard due to his lack of lateral movement. However, Ron is far too big of a personality to sit and hope to keep quite. Your thoughts.

    • Bill Ingram

      Easy to say yes, at this point. They made quick work of Denver with their dominant front line play. Later in the playoffs, they might need his size and intensity. One good hard hit on the right person might make the Lakers’ championship hopes stronger . . .LOL.

33. Lateak

    I know tha knicks r done dis series…. But i think we need steve nash to beat miami n chicago… I like lin but he not beatin tha heat….

    • Bill Ingram

      Yeah…you’re right there, unless Carmelo puts his big boy pants on. You’re right – the Heat had no trouble destroying Lin in the regular season. Nash would be amazing, but they can’t afford him.

34. Lateak

    With jr smith leavin can we find a way to get oj mayo… I like him with the knicks

    • Bill Ingram

      Hard to see Mayo, too, with so many teams with cap space looking at him in free agency.

35. Josh

    Bill,

    Jazz need that piece in their lineup to get them to become a legit contender. A PG who not only scores but that can give you 7-9 assists a game. With Moreys campaign to get Dragic back to the Rockets that tells me that Lowry could be out the door. Houston needs inside presence, would a trade of Lowry and Martin for Jefferson, Harris and GS 2013 1st Rounder entice Morey?

    • Bill Ingram

      I would be shocked if Houston moved Lowry, though Dragic certainly showed his stuff when Kyle was injured. The Jazz have offered Jefferson before, and the Rockets weren’t interested.

36. Lior

    Any teams interested in Martin & Scola? Which players can the Rockets get in return? Scola is serviceable, but has 3 long years remaining on his contract. I wouldn’t take back an all-star on the decline (i.e. Iguodala or Pau Gasol) just to have a big name on my roster.

    • Bill Ingram

      I think they could get something for that package, yes. They almost got Pau Gasol for that package . . .Scola is not overvalued with his contract, and he has plenty of game left.

37. Derek

    If the Raptors remain in the 8th seed of the draft, which players interest them there that are left?

    • Bill Ingram

      Alright – last question, everyone. I know the Raptors have their sights set on Barnes, but if they can’t draft him maybe they go Terrence Jones, who can play the three. HOOPSWORLD’s Stephen Brotherston is next up, holding down his weekly chat from Toronto at 3pm EST. Drop those questions in now!