- OCD Hoops -

In the 6 seasons that Michael Jordan was able to capture an NBA Championship and Finals MVP he was always known as "the best ever".  Now just because I am a Laker fan does not mean I'm trying to take anything away from the best Shooting-Guard to ever play the game (especially in his and this era; I'll throw Jerry West in there but he's 60's/70's and was sort of that combo guard type. So I'll just state it quickly.  I believe Kobe is one of the best to ever play, key word "was", but I also don't think he's ever quite been on the level of the great Mike.  Or do the stats just make Jordan look so much better?  After some analysis and deep thought, it seems I've realized how much credit we as a collective fan-base of the NBA tend to give both Michael Jordan and then coach Phil Jackson. It seems that then Scottie Pippen is the subject discussed. I do believe we ought to at least look at it all objectively. Kobe couldn't take m

While I write about all of basketball objectively, I know my home team Los Angeles Lakers are secretly flying under the NBA radar, especially in the Western Conference this season.  Sure, their plan is to build for next season (through trades, cap space and/or draft picks) all options for them this season, as well as making the playoffs... but "IF HEALTHY" is key there.  Boozer will be a good offensive teacher for Julius Randle who's probably been way overlooked by most top 10 picks because of his NBA ready body and skillset on both ends.  Having a veteran like Boozer can teach him some good stuff, as well as Hill, but of course Boozer defense is to not be copied....   Randle could easily end up as the starting PF after 20 or so games and be a 16 point, 10 rebound, 3-5 assists, 1+steal, 1+block, solid all around player that does it all.  Just get that mid-range improved (as I am sure he is) and he will be a stud, possible ROTY.... he's been overlooked, I think he w

Buy One Month, Get One FREE! I keep getting brand new games, I love it so far, as you can rent Xbox One and PS4 games as well as 360 and PS3, Wii and WiiU, and now they also do BLU-RAYS and DVD rentals.  Having a 1 game package is where to start, but if you like to game and try different games (rather than risk buying a bad game) Gamefly is a great company, and with 2 discs out at a time I always have a game (or Blu Ray, though I stick with One games so far mostly).   I had Sleeping Dogs in my Game Q on the site and happened to start my account the day it came out for sale.  I had it the next day from Gamefly in the mail, and could "Keep" it for $50 bucks ($60 most brand new games), which is a nice way to get your new games cheaper.  You also earn points and status with Gamefly the longer you are with them as well as the points accumulated from either "Keeping" rented games or "Buying" games from them at a 10%+ discount always.   I've had

The title of the post is something one could never of typed or said for maybe the entire history of the NBA. Even in their past down years they were always being overrated and talked about like they were a top contender. Sure, they still are the Lakers and are still always a subject that matters, just like the Celtics, but this recent Clipper climb has taken LA by storm, and in the past 3 years the amount of fake Laker fans becoming Clipper fans is impossible to count. The Clippers deserve credit, trading for coach Doc Rivers, one of a few coaches that commands his team and get's respect (he's right behind Poppovich with coaches like Thibs or Vogul). After a frustrating 2013-2014 season, one in which we saw Kobe play 6 total games only to go back to surgery and rehabbing his body for this upcoming season and the last 2 years of his new contract (and possibly last 2 years of his career). With Steve Nash also hurt most all the season and not playing at any level near the Nas

During the start of the second round of this past years NBA Draft, I kept hoping the Lakers would buy a draft pick in that 40-50 range quite badly because of how truly deep and talented this draft class was projected to be. Last year I believe I turned off the draft after the end of the 20th pick as a result of such a poor draft class.  The only rookies worth mentioning are Michael Carter Williams, Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke and Kelly Ollnyk, and none of them were extremely special last year. I'm not trying to hate, I do think MCW and Oladipo have great potential, and other guys like Tim Hardaway Jr and KC Pope are solid role players with potential, but they were to far and in between. MCW's Rookie of the Year stat line was also quite inflated and not a true representation of how good he really is, as we can take Evan Turner for example who was 18ppg, 7rpg, 4apg, 1spg, 47%FG with the Sixers for 50+games looking like an All-Star on the highest paced team in the NBA; then he wa

(Had to give this guy hits and props) When creating a new career and my player for NBA 2k14 these caps and starting stats help show you which "Play Style" is what you are looking for. For all you guys that play 2k14... this shows the caps for whatever position and play style you create.... a PF "Defensive" play style, for example, starts with better defensive stats and awareness but now you can see all the different play styles for each position, each attribute, speed and quickness, shot ratings, layup and dunk ratings, defensive, physical and mental awareness and consistency. Some guards have 90 shoot in traffic another, same position has 85 and another Play Style for that position is 80. You can really fine tune what your player will become.   https://docs.zoho.com/sheet/published.do?rid=12cbmb3fea1d7cd764d859dc27c75f10e00c0 Hopefully it helps (*on the link you change positions in the bottom left) 360 Gamertag:  MetaWorldSCHIZO Always gaming

Sure, most of the current NBA focus is on the NBA's conference finals currently going on.  But after tonight, it appears I am looking smart as the Heat  went up 3 games to 1 on the Pacers, while the Spurs should be in the NBA Finals like I predicted, OKC does have Ibaka back and finally won a game to make that series 2-1 in favor of the Spurs. Predicting the OKC/SAS Western Final and the IND/MIA Eastern Final matchup makes me proud too, though I did think for an article or so the Wizards would take out the Pacers....  The Indiana Pacers are definitely a top 5 NBA team, maybe better, maybe worse.  Roy Hibbert's inconsistencies have really caused them issues, while they also are lacking with George Hill as their starting Point Guard.  He's a nice all around player combo guard, but in my opinion is best served as the 6th man role, like he was on the Spurs.  But the Pacers are built strong with depth and great defense (well, in the regular season), and they have a legi

Shaun Livingston isn't a household name by any stretch of the imagination.  Some NBA fans may of never heard of him until this season, or better yet till this Nets and Heat series that has Shaun in the Nets starting line-up.  He's truly resurrected his career with the Nets, being able to play PG, SG, and SF with his 6'7'' wiry frame, and an ability to create for himself or others. If you are newer to the NBA as a whole you might not know what or who he really is. If you are a big-time fan for me I think it's time we start to give this guy a ton of credit and respect. For those that stumbled upon this, it's simply a feel good story of great work ethic and not letting rejection or failure stand in your way. Shaun Livingston has been a man determined since he was born. Man of Steel, I think that's his new nickname... or Sneaky Shaun Shakin.... hah.... In the playoffs the Nets beat the Heat in Game 3 of the series, giving them a real fighters chance to

I'm not sure any mother of any player in the NBA feels as appreciated as Kevin Durant's, after he basically broke down crying dedicating his NBA MVP Award and trophy to his mother during the ceremony and speech.  Yes, she was crying as well.  What a humble, great kid Durant is, a true role model in the NBA who is the exact opposite of almost everything Mr. Lebron James stands for ("I want to be the first billionaire basketball player") . Kevin Durant seems like he almost took away attention from himself in this years playoffs so far by deferring to his mom in the speech.  He's easily been the best NBA player in the playoffs as well, being up 2-1 to the Clippers in round 2 of the playoffs.  He's been putting up great numbers and is shooting the ball like the stud he is, yet there hasn't been enough media and discussion about it.  Maybe it's because he does have a very humble, shy personality, one in which will never "test" Lebron James a

There are 8 NBA teams and 4 semi-final playoff series at this point.  With so many series going 7 games in the opening round (*record setting amount of first round game 7's), there was little to no rest for every single team (Heat had a week off, Wizards too). The NBA Playoffs can be so exciting yet quite interesting too... often giving us insight into the future's of each team, good or bad.  Look at the difference between the imploding number 1 seed Pacers barely beating a mediocre Atlanta team in 7 games and the under-appreciated Wizards healthy with Nene grooving and dominating the Bulls.  It's pretty telling of what's to come in their series. Anyway, let's take a look at each matchup and see what's likely to happen.... EASTERN CONFERENCE: #2 Miami Heat vs #5 Brooklyn Nets While the Miami Heat had a nice week off and easy 4 game series, the rest of the NBA teams in the playoffs were battling it out every other day, including the New Jersey Nets. Thi

History has been made quite a bit in this years NBA playoffs. A playoff's so competitive that a contender for the Finals in the West could be kicked in Round 1 as a result of matchup problems... take Houston for example (their weakest position PF and then PG are the Blazer's two All-Star studs Lillard and Aldridge), resulting in a Blazer win in 6 games. I think people forgot how dominant the Blazers were to start this season, though they dropped a little bit as the season went on, they were also developing youth and rotations.  Aldridge was also hurt for a bit, which can hurt overall records (look at Memphis 29-30 game record without Marc Gasol this season). Clippers and Warriors round 1 has been really competitive, and even Dallas is giving the Spurs a run for their money. But the East seemed like Indy and Miami had it locked up, until about 3 weeks left in the season when Indy imploded.  Atlanta, the only sub .500 team in the playoffs and 8 seed in the East surprised

(I wrote this really quick, so excuse the grammar... it's a tad non-existent.  But I want to get my point across, because Live 15 has a chance to really be legit. "I really like where NBA Live 14 is headed with the gameplay, the engine, the new patch and colllison detection, 2k sim like game controls, lots of cool user modes and everything, plus it's servers work!  So if Live 15 utilizes everything it's learned from this year and adjusting things and adding modes and gameplay styles... EA you guys are doing it RIGHT. And I have played NBA2k since 2k10, though i did own Live 10 (I enjoyed both game styles though Live 10 was too arcadelike online was stupid playing 5 on 5 because a guy could just ballhog with anyone decent, let alone legit, and use cheeser moves.  But a big part of that was the inability to play defense, which NBA Live 14 has really taken over lately with the last patch.  I feel like the defense is maybe even better and more fluid and as realistic