NBA Chat With Susan Bible 3/17/12

Please join Susan Bible for her NBA Chat each Saturday at 11:00 am EST. Susan is a Newlines Editor and a member of the fantasy team at HOOPSWORLD. She covers the Oklahoma City Thunder and the NBA at large. Drop in your questions now.

  1. andrew

    What will the headlines in cleveland say st the end of this campaign?

    1)kyrie irving naned rookie of the year!
    2)youth leads cavs to first playoff run in “post lebron era”
    3)better luck next year
    4)gilbert blows up team n writes comic sans 2.0

  2. bababoom

    Is kaman shooting more shots outside a good thing or we rather see him in a geico commercial? And i think he tweeting a pic of a dead bobcat on a day where the hornets play charlotte is not cool at all.

    • Susan Bible

      I remember a few years ago seeing some video of him out hunting and goofing around with friends. I specifically remember thinking “wow, he’s not at all what I expected…fun-loving, funny, like a ‘good-ole-boy’ type.” Sure enough, the dead bobcat stunt proved my last theory…but the worst kind. Talk about low class. Serves him right for losing the game.

  3. The Philippine Eagle

    Do you think Fisher will get emotional when he hears Jordan Hill’s “Remember Me This Way” on his way to Houston?

  4. Alex in Burbank

    Susan, good morning! So are you scared of the Lakers now? We just got younger to compete with OKC. =)

    • Susan Bible

      Good morning! As long as Kobe is around, I’ll be scared of the Lakers :) Nice pick-up in Sessions. Do you have March 29th circled?

  5. Marcus

    Offseason Deal of Monta Ellis to POR for lottery pick(s)? Offseason Deal of Monta Ellis to MIN for Derrick Williams? Offseason Deal of Monta Ellis to PHI for Evan Turner? Clearly, I’m intent on the Bucks making this playoff run with Ellis, but flipping him in the summer for younger talent. I think Ellis would fit better with Aldridge, Love, or Iggy who are fully matured stars than the Bucks young stars.

    • Susan Bible

      Ellis is just 26 years old! Bucks want to make it stick.

  6. Jim

    Hey Susan! Hope the trade deadline was as exciting for you as it was for us. No question really. I really just wanted to point out that it was striking how much better and more in-depth the coverage here was as compared to ESPN and places of that ilk. Everyone’s great work is very much appreciated!

    • Susan Bible

      That was a most thrilling couple hours! Thank you for the compliment on our site — the guys were on top of everything here and worked really, really hard to get all the information, reaction, etc. as it was happening. We strive to be the best.

  7. Kahari young

    Hey Susan!!what are the chances of the spurs or grizzles signing Gilbert arenas.if derek fisher gets bought out,do you see him playing in Miami?where are the chances of Derek fisher playing on a different team on a scale 1-10?thank you for the read!

    • Susan Bible

      Arenas to Grizzlies rumors are floating around. Fisher to Miami sounds the most plausible. How about to OKC? A veteran voice who has made more clutch shots than I can count…10-12 minutes per game. Crazy?

  8. paprika

    Hi su wassup? Anyways is eyenga a guy that would play for the lakers? Or will be gone in the league soon? I hope not coz i saw some clips and he looks athletic,a guy who can replace ariza and shannon brown’s exicitement on a fast break. Lastly i guess ur gm heard my request of not moving or changing anything on the t’deadline. But gosh the spurs played the thunder pretty good. Hope is good down at okc!

    • Susan Bible

      True, the Thunder remained quiet at the trade deadline. Presti heard your plea. You should have seen the excited chatter around here when it was rumored – as it quickly turned out, an unfounded one – that D.J. Augustin was traded to OKC.

      Eyenga isn’t quite ready for the bright lights; expect time logged in the D-League.

  9. adobo nation

    I hope u noticed that metta world peace got in game shape just right now? He looks rip and trim,playing atleast better defense for lake show. My question is, would u think the problem on felton is just conditioning? Because were some hurtfull articles lately about the kid and i think its unfair. He was thrown to a new system he wasnt use to running..

    • Susan Bible

      I have noticed World Peace’s game shape.

      Felton admitted (to our own Stephen Litel http://www.hoopsworld.com/raymond-felton-weathering-trade-rumors) that keeping up conditioning with an unknown NBA start date was an issue. His line last night was promising: 16 points, 5 assists, .545 at FG%. I can’t help but think a coaching change and now-quieted trade rumors will help him immensely. From everything I read this morning (I was covering the Thunder game, so didn’t get to see it), those Blazers players had a great deal of fun last night. I’m hoping they don’t have quite as much fun when they come to OKC tomorrow night!

  10. Saulo

    My friends called me crazy already, but Sessions reminds me so much of Billups. Poised, collected, calm, great leader and makes the smart plays, high basketball IQ and a journeyman, underappreciated but eventually will be one of the better PGs in the league.. is that just me?

  11. pickme_pickme!

    Hi Susan! Where does Terrence Williams go from here? Raptors maybe? Any chance the Lakers pick him up to fill their open roster spot after losing out on Beasley? They could definitely use another athletic wing.

    • Susan Bible

      I picked you! Sources say Lakers are interested in Terrence Williams. Maybe Kobe can set him straight. Perhaps the Raptors can take him on a test drive; with his expiring contract, it might be worth the potential short-term risk. But you have to ask yourself why a player with obvious skills and athleticism can’t stick. I think we know why; but can he change his mentality?

  12. conan

    Lets play the game what if… Whay if hardenband ibaka was traded for howard, the okc will be???? Champs or wana be champs?

    • Susan Bible

      I could maybe see a title in your scenario, but Howard would have been rented. Not worth it, with hopes of building a sustaining team. That counters the Presti philosophy.

  13. pacquiao punch

    As much as iblove teams building through draft i hate teams deliberately tanking games so they can place better in the draft. It kinda looses the respect on the teams coach and players. But i guess in some places they got no choice but to just win by loosing?

    • Susan Bible

      I’m not in favor of that strategy either.

  14. Cliff

    Hi! I know you love your Thunder, and I appreciate a true fan and a team that plays well rounded, team oriented ball like they do. Patterned after the Spurs of course!!

    Last nights game put a pretty big stamp on the W Conference in my opinion. No Manu, Capt Jack has yet to appear, and the Spurs win in OKC!

    2 things. Do you think OKC needs to pick up a player off waivers or buyout to bolster the bench/roster? And why was SA stupid enough to almost trade Danny Green? What were they thinking?

    OK, one more. Who wins it. Spurs or OKC? To me it’s a toss-up….

    • Susan Bible

      The Spurs have Oklahoma City’s number. In fact, Durant said those very words in the locker room last night. I think OKC has lost eight of the last nine matchups with them. Watching that game last night, it was clear to me the Thunder has got to get another shooter off the bench. With Cook sidelined last night, Harden was their only scoring option off the bench. That’s not going to cut it.

      The rumor was Danny Green for Josh Howard – not wise given his injury history.

      You should have heard Pop last night pre-game on Jackson with his typical wry answers. So entertaining, even called Jackson a boy scout…among other amusing tidbits.

      At this juncture – in my opinion – Spurs will win in a playoff series vs. the Thunder.

  15. Steve H

    When the Thunder get bounced in the second round by the Spurs/Lakers/Grizzlies(looks like where we are heading), will Presti replace S.Brooks? What would you think of Nate McMillan? Any other candidates you like?

    • Susan Bible

      Not seeing a Brooks firing – not impossible, of course, but I can’t see it.

  16. John Collins

    Who will be the top shooting guard in the draft t his year? Will Barton?Jeremy Lamb? Austin Rivers?

  17. Mac

    Lou Williams is leading the Philadelphia 76ers in scoring this season. Without looking it up, who was last player to his team in scoring without starting a single game?

    • Susan Bible

      That’s a tall order to tell me I can’t look it up. I’m such a research and stats geek. I don’t know…Manu?

  18. jack

    I have to disagree with you Susan. I think OKC takes San Antonio in a 7 game series. The playoffs are a whole different animal. No way the old, aging Spurs keep up with the young Thunder. The Spurs have to be concerned about being spotted a 27 point lead, only to see most of it dissipate.

    • Susan Bible

      Obviously I hope you’re right….I’m probably being influenced by the recent play and how the playoffs are so different from regular-season, i.e. how it slows down.

  19. Jon

    Who do you think is the MVP? Lebron or Durant? i know you’re an OKC fanatic, but i believe you’re unbiased anyways. and the last guy to lead his team in scoring off the bench is Dell Curry, father of Stephen Curry :)

    • Susan Bible

      Dell Curry?? Whoa..I had no idea.

      MVP is LeBron James — thanks for recognizing that while I’m a Thunder fan (I mean, please, this is my hometown) – I can be unbiased in assessing players.

      Another hour in the books. Thanks to everyone – great questions this morning. See you next week…