The NBA thread

[etiolate]

oh god

I thought Pitbull was Jason Kidd when I started watching that youtube.

[etiolate]

Effective with the start of the 2016-17 NBA regular season and extending through the 2024-25 campaign, TNT will have the following rights:
The network will be the home of NBA Opening Night;
Exclusive Thursday Night regular season doubleheaders;
TNT’s additional 12 games will air over the second half of the season on another night of the week than the network’s traditional Thursday Night doubleheaders;
Exclusive coverage of NBA All-Star Weekend signature events including NBA All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game;
More NBA Playoff games than any other network. TNT’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs will include live first round coverage, exclusive second round game telecasts and one Conference Finals (alternating between the Eastern and Western Conference each year).

https://pressroom.turner.com/us/turner-sports/nba-digital/turner-broadcasting-and-national-basketball-association-reach-nine-year#.VDLfifldVXx

[Stoney Mason]

Also eventually flex scheduling on TNT so we aren't stuck with whatever was scheduled at the beginning of the season if a better game opens up.

[Phoenix Dark]

Stony is so right about the trivial way ABC/ESPN markets games. I'm not opposed to having some theme song every year...who cares. But basing all promotion around the (usually uptempo/party) song is just stupid to me. Who does that appeal to?

Notice how dramatic NFL games are marketed. Last night it was "is this the end of Tom Brady?" And it wasn't even that over-dramatic.

And when they actually do a dramatic story it's about LeBron, and asinine.

[Stoney Mason]

Stony is so right about the trivial way ABC/ESPN markets games. I'm not opposed to having some theme song every year...who cares. But basing all promotion around the (usually uptempo/party) song is just stupid to me. Who does that appeal to?

Notice how dramatic NFL games are marketed. Last night it was "is this the end of Tom Brady?" And it wasn't even that over-dramatic.

And when they actually do a dramatic story it's about LeBron, and asinine.

I think the mini-movies the NBA does get it and achieve the right tone. But yeah the tone should be serious and build on the drama that is inherent in your sport. I'm not against pop music. I'm just saying it shouldn't be the emotional crux you build the drama around. The atmosphere shouldn't be this is a party. It should be this is a war. That is what attracts people. You build drama off your history and legacy and timeless elements. Not the flavor of the moment pop song. That's fine for the all-star game. But your playoff promotion should be better than that.

This is the right tone.




Not this




But I'll stop beating a dead horse.

[etiolate]

Well, ABC acts as though its audience doesn't know half the playoff teams or what's gone on in the NBA. The ABC production works under the influence of what little attention ABC gives the NBA. To do the narrative promos that NBC and CBS does, you need to have shown more games and cared about the season more. ABC doesn't do that, so they treat it like a one-off variety show.

You can't do that "Remember that Blazers-Bulls matchup during the regular season?" if you never showed it.

[etiolate]

I suddenly want a Lebron Halloween mask.

I guess that would be literal black face though.

[etiolate]

Oh well. NBATV is pretty good at least. Payton, Webber, Steve Smith and others are decent to good. Fan night picks are cool since you sometimes get non-major teams. Plus the classic games.


http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nbas-new-tv-deal-blow-up-the-salary-cap/

Lowe article on how this MAY change the salary cap. I doubt the NBA wants the cap to balloon quickly. Most of the article is about FAs or a possible strike, but I think players signed on longer contracts -pre-TV deal will be more valuable or desirable now that they eat up la smaller % of cap space.

Like the Josh Smith deal frightened me for the Kings, but if the cap reaches 80 million, his deal is going to be the same that some lesser players are going to get in the coming years.

And now here's an article saying the same thing

http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-contracts-cheaper-salary-cap-2014-10

[Stoney Mason]

Kobe BryantVerified account
‏@kobebryant
Players are "encouraged" per new CBA to take less to win or risk being called selfish+ungrateful while nbatv deal goes UP by a BILLION

I agree with him but I find it funny that he's more aggressive with this stuff since he signed that crazy last contract of his.

[Kara]

Well he was in all likelihood underpaid for most of his career, so there's that to consider. His current albatross is the concordatory equivalent of a pity fuck.

[Your Stalker]

So when's the next lockout? 2016?

[Stoney Mason]

[etiolate]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-court-news-zaza-finally-buys-milwaukees-old-floor-and-the-cavs-new-look-falls-flat/

Pachulia came up with the idea a year ago, when he found out the Bucks were ditching their old Bradley Center floor in favor of a snazzy new Mecca throwback court. Pachulia grew up in Georgia, playing on courts that have grown shoddier over time and glimpsing the NBA through newspaper box scores and the occasional televised game. It would be a nice gesture, he thought, to install a real NBA court in one of Georgia’s basketball academies.

This is great.

[Stoney Mason]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2225639-kevin-love-faces-unsettling-transition-alongside-lebron-says-chris-bosh

Man I so want to see Wade and Bosh numbers this year. I mean the raw numbers will almost certainly go up but I want to see those fg% and how successful the team is. Should be interesting at the minimum as a lot of observations will be drawn from this stuff.

Same with Cavs of course. 

[Phoenix Dark]

I'm kind of bummed they play each other in the preseason first, before the regular season. Similar to how the NFL's preseason began with a Super Bowl rematch. Why...

Man they should cut the nba season to 60 games. Maybe 70.

[Fifstar]

Don't really care about our league but that still gave me goosebumps. Those guys are never going to forget that moment.

[TakingBackSunday]

I'm kind of bummed they play each other in the preseason first, before the regular season. Similar to how the NFL's preseason began with a Super Bowl rematch. Why...

Man they should cut the nba season to 60 games. Maybe 70.

Really?  I think Basketball is the one major US sport that nails regular season/post season length perfectly.  Four full months of play, then three more months for the conference champions.  As opposed to baseball's nearly 6 months of regular season play (ugh).

I guess 70 wouldn't be terrible though.

[ToxicAdam]

I dunno, I think they could shave 10 games off. Those back to backs they have to play are bullshit.

[T-Short]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/michael-beasley-signs-one-year-deal-with-shanghai-sharks-185035868.html

Too bad. Kinda sad to see him go, but I guess he can only blame himself for throwing his talent away.

[Phoenix Dark]

Dude could have been an allstar. He was nearly as dominant as Durant was in college, and actually had an NBA body. What a waste...

[benjipwns]

I thought he was sorta turning the corner last year. Spurs kicked the tires on him this offseason even.

[TakingBackSunday]

He was ust as ineffective with the heat as he was with the Suns.

[Stoney Mason]

I thought he was sorta turning the corner last year. Spurs kicked the tires on him this offseason even.

He started off the season decently but he got in the dog house for not playing on the defensive end and apparently was causing problems in the locker-room due to his immaturity. I didn't think the spurs thing would work out at all.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/22/report-lebron-james-was-not-pleased-with-michael-beasleys-focus/

[benjipwns]

Huh, I had heard during the season that LeBron was surprised with his effort and was prodding Spoelstra to play them more together. Guess that must have changed as the season went on. (And the team crumbled around LeBron.)

Him AND Oden not working out really undid them, I mean, you have to think a decent effort from Beasley would have been a better option than Rashard Lewis as a key player for the last two rounds of the playoffs. 

[Stoney Mason]

Trouble in paradise already.

For the second time since the Mavs reported to camp, Carlisle made a point to note that Parsons needs to shed weight. The 6-foot-9 Parsons, who was listed at 215 pounds during his three-year tenure with the Houston Rockets, reported to training camp at approximately 235 pounds.

Carlisle believes the increased weight has created conditioning issues for Parsons, who had nine points on 4-of-12 shooting, six rebounds and six assists in 20 minutes during Friday night's preseason loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"He looked tired out there tonight to me, and his shot is short," Carlisle said. "He's working on losing some weight. He's a little bit heavier than he's been. He's up over 230, and we want to see him get down to at least 225. That's a work in progress, and tonight's one of those nights where I think the extra weight was a hindrance."

Parsons particularly focused on lifting weights during the free-agency process, when he didn't play basketball to protect himself from injury. Primarily a small forward, Parsons felt he needed to add strength to play significant minutes at power forward, a role he could fill for the Mavs when Dirk Nowitzki rests during the season.

Carlisle has made his opinion clear to Parsons, who doesn't necessarily agree with his coach on the matter but is willing to shed some weight.

"His opinion of heavy is different than mine," said Parsons, who was 1-of-6 from 3-point range against the Thunder. "We kind of go at it every day about it. At the end of the day, I respect his opinion. After training camp, my weight fluctuates. I'll get it down."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/11679275/rick-carlisle-dallas-mavericks-chandler-parsons-added-too-much-weight-offseason

[T-Short]

Watching this Cavs - Heat game. Chalmers has really slimmed down!

[Stoney Mason]

Shit missed the game. Looks like it was a good one. I'll try to find a torrent of it or something.

[benjipwns]

LeBron accidentally set a pick on a Dellavedova 

https://vine.co/v/OAITz5AZ2up

I've always wondered if guys after spending a long time with a team and get traded whatever wind up accidentally doing stuff like this in their first game with their old team if it comes early enough.

[Stoney Mason]

Find torrent of game to download. It finishes quickly. Happy to start watching. Start file. Skip over pregrame show stuff.

 

Jon Barry is one the commentators.

 

[Stoney Mason]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11684005/bradley-beal-washington-wizards-fractured-left-wrist

Beal out two months.

[TakingBackSunday]

fuck

Old man Pierce gonna have to start

[Stoney Mason]

Finished up the game.

My completely hasty conclusions.

Game wasn't close despite the final score. The starters played until about halfway through the 3rd and Miami was up about 16 at that point and that was with Lebron looking like he was going at about half effort. The heat benchwarmers (napier) made a run at the end of the game against the cavs benchwarmers which is what made it go into OT.

Cleveland offense looked great as you would expect. You forget that Kevin Love is a really good passer. And he's basically a much much better version of Bosh because he's actually a good 3 point shooter. He was 9 of 12. 25 points and 7 rebounds. (Yeah bosh its gonna be so difficult for him to transition his game.  )

Dion Waiters seems like he will benefit the most out of this whole situation. As like the 4th option he is offensively way better than whoever is going to be guarding him while the defense concentrates on irving, love, and lebron.

Napier looked good on the second unit. Deng looks like he will be really useful for the heat even though he can't shoot a lick. And Bosh looks like he's going to be an inside player now mostly like he was in Toronto.

Chalmers looks like he indeed has lost a ton of weight as mentioned above. Not sure why that wasn't a priority over the last 4 seasons before this.

[benjipwns]

Love kinda is basically Bosh with all his flaws (for the system) fixed. Passing, shooting, rebounding.

Bosh wasn't exactly a great defender before he got to Miami either. And he never really seemed to figure out how to score a lot with the ball in LeBron and Wade's hands all the time.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

LeBron accidentally set a pick on a Dellavedova 

https://vine.co/v/OAITz5AZ2up

I've always wondered if guys after spending a long time with a team and get traded whatever wind up accidentally doing stuff like this in their first game with their old team if it comes early enough.

Saw that....lol

[Phoenix Dark]

Seems like LeBron took a back seat for Love just to make a statement to Bosh. Honestly I didn't think Bosh's comments were wrong or ill meant. When you play with the best player in the league you no longer are the first option, and have to get used to playing second or third fiddle. Love hasn't NOT been the main guy in years, perhaps since his rookie year. Of course it'll be a challenge. Admitting that isn't a commentary on selfishness, it's just reality.

[TakingBackSunday]

Durant out indefinitely.

[Stoney Mason]

Seems like LeBron took a back seat for Love just to make a statement to Bosh. Honestly I didn't think Bosh's comments were wrong or ill meant. When you play with the best player in the league you no longer are the first option, and have to get used to playing second or third fiddle. Love hasn't NOT been the main guy in years, perhaps since his rookie year. Of course it'll be a challenge. Admitting that isn't a commentary on selfishness, it's just reality.

I like Bosh. But my problem with his comments is that he made it all seem like downside instead of what is also the upside of having so much attention devoted to other players so that its nearly impossible to double team you like when you are sole focus on offense.

It also doesn't explain him disappearing and losing confidence in certain playoff series where the Heat really needed him to step up and take the pressure of Wade or Lebron but he played very tentatively and passively imo. 

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Seems like LeBron took a back seat for Love just to make a statement to Bosh. Honestly I didn't think Bosh's comments were wrong or ill meant. When you play with the best player in the league you no longer are the first option, and have to get used to playing second or third fiddle. Love hasn't NOT been the main guy in years, perhaps since his rookie year. Of course it'll be a challenge. Admitting that isn't a commentary on selfishness, it's just reality.

Well said. But let me run this past you;

Love outscores Lebron this year. LBJ is past the need to be the alpha scorer. I see him going 20 8a 6r this year on about 12-15 shots a game. I see Love getting 25+. Call it a hunch.

[TakingBackSunday]

Lol not a chance

Lebron is still the number one scoring option, and would be on any team sans the Thunder.  Love will get up in the 20s for points, but his role has changed in the Cavs team.  He's not going to need to score 30 a night with Lebron driving to the hoop and Kylie, Miller, and Waiters on the outside waiting for no look passes

[Your Stalker]

Time for GOATbrook to take 40 shots a game

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Lol not a chance

Lebron is still the number one scoring option, and would be on any team sans the Thunder.  Love will get up in the 20s for points, but his role has changed in the Cavs team.  He's not going to need to score 30 a night with Lebron driving to the hoop and Kylie, Miller, and Waiters on the outside waiting for no look passes

You don't know Lebron...just watch :-)

[benjipwns]

[Stoney Mason]

Trouble in paradise already.

For the second time since the Mavs reported to camp, Carlisle made a point to note that Parsons needs to shed weight. The 6-foot-9 Parsons, who was listed at 215 pounds during his three-year tenure with the Houston Rockets, reported to training camp at approximately 235 pounds.

Carlisle believes the increased weight has created conditioning issues for Parsons, who had nine points on 4-of-12 shooting, six rebounds and six assists in 20 minutes during Friday night's preseason loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"He looked tired out there tonight to me, and his shot is short," Carlisle said. "He's working on losing some weight. He's a little bit heavier than he's been. He's up over 230, and we want to see him get down to at least 225. That's a work in progress, and tonight's one of those nights where I think the extra weight was a hindrance."

Parsons particularly focused on lifting weights during the free-agency process, when he didn't play basketball to protect himself from injury. Primarily a small forward, Parsons felt he needed to add strength to play significant minutes at power forward, a role he could fill for the Mavs when Dirk Nowitzki rests during the season.

Carlisle has made his opinion clear to Parsons, who doesn't necessarily agree with his coach on the matter but is willing to shed some weight.

"His opinion of heavy is different than mine," said Parsons, who was 1-of-6 from 3-point range against the Thunder. "We kind of go at it every day about it. At the end of the day, I respect his opinion. After training camp, my weight fluctuates. I'll get it down."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/11679275/rick-carlisle-dallas-mavericks-chandler-parsons-added-too-much-weight-offseason

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/11689085/rick-carlisle-dallas-mavericks-apologizes-chandler-parsons-comments

[etiolate]

I just realized the Lakers backcourt rotation is Nash, Kobe, Lin and Young. How are they not giving up 50 to the opposing backcourt every night?

[Phoenix Dark]

KD out?

[Stoney Mason]

I just realized the Lakers backcourt rotation is Nash, Kobe, Lin and Young. How are they not giving up 50 to the opposing backcourt every night?

Kobe won't let it happen.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Stoney Mason]

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Anybody who thinks they are better than a collegiate/professional player should just watch this video and STFU

"I ain't travelled since I was 6"  lol

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/10/14/6977877/jason-williams-orlando-pro-am-basketball-video

[Stoney Mason]

Kobe is the new Norma Rae.

When asked what his recent extension means given the financial reality, Bryant said: "I'm the luckiest basketball player in the league, because I got very fortunate to be with an organization that takes care of its players, rewards its players and has a long history of doing that."

He added: "I think it speaks volumes, not only to me and to this city but to other players around this league as well. You look around at some of the other owners that try to milk their players or get rid of them or discard them, this organization doesn't do that."

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/11702415/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-players-overpaid-owners

[Steve Contra]

Anybody who thinks they are better than a collegiate/professional player should just watch this video and STFU

"I ain't travelled since I was 6"  lol

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/10/14/6977877/jason-williams-orlando-pro-am-basketball-video

It's like when people argue that the best NCAA team could beat the worst NBA team and you're like 

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Anybody who thinks they are better than a collegiate/professional player should just watch this video and STFU

"I ain't travelled since I was 6"  lol

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/10/14/6977877/jason-williams-orlando-pro-am-basketball-video

It's like when people argue that the best NCAA team could beat the worst NBA team and you're like 

Indeed 

[ToxicAdam]

I don't know if I can make it through another season of Austin Carr doing color. 

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I don't know if I can make it through another season of Austin Carr doing color.

God he is terrible. My favorite is when he confuses himself during his own sentence.

[benjipwns]

ESPN Predictions:
1. CLE (59-23)
2. CHI (53-29)
3. WAS (47-35)
4. TOR (47-35)
5. MIA (45-37)
6. CHA (44-38)
7. ATL (41-41)
8. BRK (40-42)
9. NYK (38-44)
10. IND (37-45)
11. DET (33-49)
12. ORL (26-56)
13. BOS (26-56)
14. MIL (23-59)
15. PHI (17-65)

1. SAS (58-24)
2. LAC (57-25)
3. OKC (54-28)
4. GSW (51-31)
5. POR (50-32)
6. DAL (50-32)
7. HOU (49-33)
8. MEM (48-34)
9. PHO (45-37)
10. NOP (41-41)
11. DEN (38-44)
12. SAC (30-52)
13. LAL (29-53)
14. MIN (28-54)
15. UTA (26-56)

[benjipwns]

It's like when people argue that the best NCAA team could beat the worst NBA team and you're like 

I think that depends on the year/team. Some of those Kentucky/Duke teams that were stacked with five lottery picks who became All-Stars/starters probably have a good shot at taking down somebody like the 2011-12 Bobcats.

[Kara]

Ben Howland would find a way to lose a game like that.

[benjipwns]

ESPN's "SCHOENE" Projections:
1. CLE (68-14)
2. CHI (57-25)
3. CHA (48-34)
4. WAS (43-39)
5. TOR (42-40)
6. DET (42-40)
7. ATL (40-42)
8. NYK (40-42)
9. BRK (36-46)
10. IND (35-47)
11. MIA (34-48)
12. MIL (27-55)
13. ORL (25-57)
14. BOS (24-58)
15. PHI (14-68)

1. LAC (60-22)
2. SAS (57-25)
3. HOU (53-29)
4. POR (52-30)
5. OKC (50-32)
6. GSW (48-34)
7. NOP (47-35)
8. DAL (42-40)
9. PHO (42-40)
10. MEM (41-41)
11. DEN (41-41)
12. MIN (36-46)
13. SAC (32-50)
14. UTA (31-51)
15. LAL (29-53)

ESPN's "Real Plus-Minus" Projections:
1. CLE (56-26)
2. CHI (55-27)
3. WAS (48-34)
4. MIA (48-34)
5. TOR (47-35)
6. ATL (41-41)
7. NYK (41-41)
8. CHA (37-45)
9. IND (36-46)
10. BRK (35-47)
11. DET (30-52)
12. BOS (29-53)
13. ORL (24-58)
14. MIL (24-58)
15. PHI (14-68)

1. SAS (61-21)
2. GSW (61-21)
3. LAC (60-22)
4. DAL (60-22)
5. OKC (58-24)
6. MEM (57-25)
7. POR (50-32)
8. HOU (49-33)
9. PHO (49-33)
10. NOP (39-43)
11. MIN (34-48)
12. DEN (31-51)
13. SAC (26-56)
14. UTA (25-57)
15. LAL (21-61)

[benjipwns]

I like the common theme in who finishes last in the West in the two stats-based ones.

[Stoney Mason]

Wow those Laker projections are brutal.

 

I'm probably being naive but I kind of thought they might be around a .500 team. I guess I'm way off with that.

[T-Short]

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/10/15/lakers-steve-nash-back-setback.ap/index.html

jeez