The NBA thread

[Stoney Mason]

Silna brothers are ballers.

[etiolate]

Boogie Cousins

6th in Scoring
5th in Rebounding
7th in Steals
5th in Double Doubles
3.0 Assists per game
5th in PER

And he's dominated his recent run of marquee match-ups versus other bigs. Outside of his post defense, his defense is a negative. However, his post defense is pretty damn good. Neither Dwight nor LMA could score on him when he guarded them. There's not a lot of post players left, so his good post defense doesn't get noticed. It's unfortunate that his PnR defense has been so bad. I get the feeling he's worried about expending effort on defense because of the treatment he gets from the refs and how much energy he expends on offense. The offense generally goes dead without him on the court, but it's been better with Rudy Gay on the team to carry the load.



And as mentioned, there's not a lot of post scorers left, so there's not a lot of emphasis on post defenders. That means? There's really nobody to stop him on offense. In a league that stopped valuing post defenders, Cousins is a match up that teams haven't gathered personnel to defend. Most teams just hack at him because they know the refs got a hate boner for Boogie, but even that hasn't stopped him this year. If you stick a big guy on Cousins, he'll take him outside where he can hit a jumper and beat them off the dribble. If you try to match Cousins quickness with a smaller guy, Cousins will go deep post and back smaller guys down. He has passing skills and moves to beat double teams. His weakness on offense is his rolls to the basket on pick n rolls are often timed poorly. There's bit of an art to the big man rolling and Boogie's pause-then-release still needs work. He likes to go grab the rebound on defense and go coast to coast as well. It's the most nerve wracking thing as a fan, but then he pulls it off here and there and you realize he's too skilled for his own good.

[Stoney Mason]

[ToxicAdam]

It looks like Simmons lost 30 lbs and gave it all to Jalen.


These guys still talk of Bynum like it's 2008. I found it ironic they would say Deng is a scorer only by happenstance (by just being on the floor) and then pretend like Bynum doesn't benefit from the same kind of role.

The dude is checked out on playing professional sports. Once you lose that passion it's hard for these guys to find it again. Soon everyone will see.

[etiolate]

I don't really see Bynum lasting anywhere at this point.  I am not sure who tries him out either. Maybe the Clippers due to their lack of backup bigs. I think OKC is fine with Perkins and Adams, and the Heat already have a bunch of recycled 7 footers.

[TakingBackSunday]

Blazers mayhaps

[etiolate]

Portland is a bad match. They actually have some chemistry. Bynum in a laid back hipster town with easy weed access? Somehow I don't see that working.

[Stoney Mason]

I doubt the Heat will go for Bynum although I wouldn't mind if they did as I have my doubts about Oden. But somebody definitely will. He can be had on the cheap and he's a 7 footer. That means somebody will want him.

[TakingBackSunday]

I'm believing more and more that the only games Oden will play this year are the inevitable game six and seven against the Pacers

[Stoney Mason]

I'm believing more and more that the only games Oden will play this year are the inevitable game six and seven against the Pacers

I never thought Oden would play until at least the second half of the season and even then very minimal. He's like the break open in emergency package for the Pacers.

[TakingBackSunday]

goddamn dirk

[etiolate]

With that in mind I have to disagree with Kobe's suggestion that fans should cast their ballots elsewhere and vote for youngsters like Damian Lillard instead of himself.

The All-Star Game is meant to be a showcase, not an accurate reflection of the NBA's standings and stats. While Kobe, who's played all of six games this season, has never been less deserving of a spot on the team, his presence has never been more needed. He's still popular (only LeBron and Kevin Durant received more votes in the early balloting) and he's the guy who plays the hardest in these glorified pickup games, forcing everyone else to elevate their effort.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10260107/coast-coast-injuries-impacting-all-star-rosters

J.A. Adande is sniffing glue here. If you want a showcase, you don't want hobbled old Kobe, nor do you want glory hog Kobe taking away from the other stars.

[Stoney Mason]

Eight teams have contacted Andrew Bynum's representatives about adding the 7-foot center to their rosters, according to a source close to the situation.

Bynum, who was released by the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, is expected to sign with a club by the end of the week, the source said.

The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers are widely believed to be among the teams interested in acquiring the two-time championship center.

One league executive who recently spoke with Heat president Pat Riley told ESPN.com, "I'm certain that Riley is going to go hard after Bynum."

Sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Wednesday that the Dallas Mavericks are among the eight teams that have registered interest in Bynum this week. But Dallas -- one of the prime bidders for Bynum's services this past summer before he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers -- is limited to offering him a minimum salary.

Sources say, furthermore, that the Brooklyn Nets are not planning to pursue Bynum despite being granted a disabled player exception worth up to $5.25 million in the wake of Brook Lopez's season-ending foot injury. The Atlanta Hawks, meanwhile, are "unlikely" to lodge a bid for Bynum to replace the injured Al Horford, according to one source close to the process.

Bynum's decision will come down to several factors, according to the source. He will consider playing time, the club's chances for playoff success and money.

Financial compensation will not be a small factor considering that Bynum's release by the Bulls meant he receives only $6 million of his $12.3 million salary for this season. Bynum was traded from Cleveland to Chicago on Monday.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a contender," the source said of Bynum's choice. "He's looking to play and be utilized."

Miami has its midlevel exception available as well as a need for a viable big man to combat Indiana's Roy Hibbert.

The Clippers, on the other hand, are limited to offering Bynum the veteran's minimum.

Bynum is expected to clear waivers Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.

[Stoney Mason]

etiolate should like this.

https://twitter.com/boogiecousins/status/421011545737666561

[TakingBackSunday]

yessssss

also, Nets with a big win tonight against the Warriors.  GS was trying to extend their road win streak

[etiolate]

etiolate should like this.

https://twitter.com/boogiecousins/status/421011545737666561

I saw that. He needs good PR, but who knows when he'll have time to do that. Bill should try to shake his hand.

There was two great Boogie moments in last nights game that for which no gifs exist. =(

The first was a shot of Cousins standing at the end of the court during a deadball, looking bored while eyeing the crowd. The camera slowly pans down and reveals the team mascot laying at Cousins' feet, its lion paw gently petting his shoe.

The second was two Blazers players trying to do a fist-bump after a bad call and Cousins knocking their hands away.

[etiolate]

I am sure Kobe knows a doctor who can do that.

[Stoney Mason]

[benjipwns]

[TakingBackSunday]

Eric Bledsoe out indefinitely; will need knee surgery.

poor Phoenix, they were killing it this year.

Guess the only feel-good story left is the Blazers

[Stoney Mason]

That sucks.

[Your Stalker]

why do these guards keep dying

[benjipwns]

"I'm not addressing anything else with JR. Just not gonna do it," Mike Woodson.

[Stoney Mason]

Tonight is that pick your jersey name thing game between the Heat and Nets.

Miami:

Ray Allen: "J. Shuttlesworth"
Chris Andersen: "Birdman"
Joel Anthony: "Doc"
Shane Battier: "Battle"
Michael Beasley: "B Easy"
Chris Bosh: "CB"
Mario Chalmers: "Rio"
Norris Cole: "Cole Train"
Udonis Haslem: "UD"
LeBron James: "King James"
James Jones: "JJ"
Rashard Lewis: "Sweet Lew"
Roger Mason Jr.: "MoneyMase"
Greg Oden: "G.O."
Dwyane Wade: "D.Wade"

And Brooklyn, which hasn't released the full set, but those of the relevant players are already on sale:

Reggie Evans: "Joker"
Kevin Garnett: "The Big Ticket"
Joe Johnson: "JJ"
Andrei Kirilenko: "Кириленко"
Brook Lopez: "Brooklyn"
Paul Pierce: "Truth"
Mason Plumlee: "Plums"
Jason Terry: "Jet"
Deron Williams: "D-Will"

[TakingBackSunday]

The Ray Allen one is just the best.

Same with Kirilenko

[Stoney Mason]

[Mandark]

If I'm allowed to be a homer for a second, I really feel the NBA missed out by not doing the Pick Your Name thing a few years back with the Gilbert Arenas-Andre Blatche-Nick Young-Javale McGee manchild era Wizards.

[Phoenix Dark]

Who?

[Steve Contra]

Who?

Yeah, who are the Wizards?

[Mandark]

C'mon, et's been writing Boogie fanfiction for like eight pages, and after one post I get my balls busted by a Utah and a Detroit fan?

Blatant antisemitism up in here.

[Steve Contra]

Anti-Zionism you mean

spoiler (click to show/hide)

To be fair I don't read Etiolate's posts anymore.  It's 45% aggrieved Kings fan, 45% aggrieved Guild Wars fan, and 10% just general grievances.  Aint nobody got time for that.]To be fair I don't read Etiolate's posts anymore.  It's 45% aggrieved Kings fan, 45% aggrieved Guild Wars fan, and 10% just general grievances.  Aint nobody got time for that.

[close]

[Phoenix Dark]

I've been asked if I'm a Detroit Piston fan more than I get asked whether I used to play basketball.

I am not a Detroit Pistons fan

[benjipwns]

If I'm allowed to be a homer for a second, I really feel the NBA missed out by not doing the Pick Your Name thing a few years back with the Gilbert Arenas-Andre Blatche-Nick Young-Javale McGee manchild era Wizards.

Or dodged a bullet.

[Your Stalker]

I've been asked if I'm a Detroit Piston fan more than I get asked whether I used to play basketball.

I am not a Detroit Pistons fan

What team are you a fan of then?

[Phoenix Dark]

Shaq is my favorite athlete of all time, and I was a fan of any team he was on (except for Boston because fuck Boston). Orlando was my favorite team, then the Lakers, then Miami, etc.

Maybe when Joe Dumars is fired I'll become a Pistons fan. I have been team-less for awhile now, and overall I'm not really an NBA guy. I'm an NCAA guy, basketball wise.

[benjipwns]

Get it? Dodged a bullet? Washington Bullets? Gilbert Arenas?

You won't be laughing when Simmons hires me for the pregame show with this kind of material.

[TakingBackSunday]

The Heat have been playing like absolute shit lately.  Allen has been terrible shooting the last few weeks, Rio is being Rio, and none of the other bench players are stepping up besides maybe Cole. 

[etiolate]

Shaq is my favorite athlete of all time, and I was a fan of any team he was on (except for Boston because fuck Boston). Orlando was my favorite team, then the Lakers, then Miami, etc.

Maybe when Joe Dumars is fired I'll become a Pistons fan. I have been team-less for awhile now, and overall I'm not really an NBA guy. I'm an NCAA guy, basketball wise.

You know, by this logic, shouldn't you be a Kings fan now?


muwhahaha

[etiolate]

[Stoney Mason]

The Heat have been playing like absolute shit lately.  Allen has been terrible shooting the last few weeks, Rio is being Rio, and none of the other bench players are stepping up besides maybe Cole.

Losing back to back to the Knicks and the Nets.

 

[El Babua]

The shame.

If they keep playing like this against sub .500 teams, they're gonna have a tough first, and maybe even second round in the playoffs.

[etiolate]

The Heat have been bad on D. Some of it can be age and Wade's continued decline and inability to play regularly, but they're just giving up a lot of easy points in the game's I've watched.

[Beezy]

The Heat have been playing like absolute shit lately.  Allen has been terrible shooting the last few weeks, Rio is being Rio, and none of the other bench players are stepping up besides maybe Cole.

Losing back to back to the Knicks and the Nets.

 

Lebron's reactions were priceless.

[benjipwns]

[etiolate]

oh mah gaaaaaaw

[etiolate]

I know I was against the Rudy Gay trade, but he's been pretty good so far.

His PER since joining the Kings is 19.7 and his TS% .595. The differences between Sac and Toronto is that he's not the #1 option in Sactown and he's not the alpha dog. The Kings have also gotten him shots and drives from the side instead of the dribbling at the top of the key, giant point guard stuff he was doing in Toronto. I think Cousins helps his drive game a bit since defenders are reluctant to leave Cousins to help protect the rim.

[Stoney Mason]

[etiolate]

The Pacers are mighty good. Of course, I watched the Kings/Pacers game tonight and Cousins had his way with them, but they were the best team I've seen so far. None of the other top teams looked as focused or prepared as the Pacers were. They had like three days off, so that helps, but they don't have a lot of weaknesses right now.

They really need to resign Stephenson though. He does a lot for them. Their offense is really dry without him.

[Stoney Mason]

It will be an interesting conference finals no doubt. As always its hard to judge Miami during the regular season because they only turn it on when they feel they need to. Pacers by comparison are probably playing closer to their peak effectiveness relatively speaking on the average night of basketball for them.

I always thought the Bulls would have beat the Heat back in the 2011-2012 season before Rose got hurt because they matched up so well against the heat and they had the experience from the prior year of getting dusted by them. I feel the exact same way about the Pacers. Should be fun.

[TakingBackSunday]

bookmarked

especially since its happening.

[Mandark]

What if Indiana wins in seven and LeBron pulls a Jerry West and gets series MVP anyways?  That'd be amazing.

[TakingBackSunday]

Oh man, please.  PLEASE

[Stoney Mason]

Oden plays. But the Heat still get their asses kicked by the Wizards.

[TakingBackSunday]

Oden did well considering.  Hope he can keep getting minutes.

But yeah Heat played like fucking shit.  They are being exposed at the moment.  Absolutely no defense period.

[ToxicAdam]

Jarrett Jack was a pretty awful signing by the Cavs. He kind of reminds me of Ricky Davis.

[Stoney Mason]

This sleeve shit is getting out of hand.

[T-Short]

Hahaha, what the fuck @ those East / West logos on the fronts, lookin like some Vietnamese pirate jersey shit

[TakingBackSunday]

those tearaways/zip ups are pretty slick though

but yeah, yeesh

[Phoenix Dark]

snitching in the White House

[benjipwns]

(Image removed from quote.)

I am reading up on how you refer cases to The Hauge as we speak.