The NBA thread

[benjipwns]

MCW never stopped to ask why he was thrust into a starting job he never lost and his coach told him and Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes and all those other people nobody ever heard of to keep chucking all those bricks off basic isolations and that they'd work on defense next season when Noel's healthy?

[Stoney Mason]

We gonna act like none of us saw that absolutely incredible Memphis comeback win...with a .3 second tip in to win by Courtney Lee?  AGAINST THE KINGS???  etiolate get in here

The kings were slaughtering them at the end of the first quarter too. 38-16

[naff]

Same thing against the Mavs the other day :'( back to back, 20+ point blowouts squandered in the second half. WTF

[Stoney Mason]

[benjipwns]

That's kinda like the play he missed in the Finals.

Only more successful obviously.

[Great Rumbler]

[benjipwns]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/opinion/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-legalize-sports-betting.html?_r=0

Let me be clear: Any new approach must ensure the integrity of the game. One of my most important responsibilities as commissioner of the N.B.A. is to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport. I oppose any course of action that would compromise these objectives.

But I believe that sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated.

[Cheddahz]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/opinion/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-legalize-sports-betting.html?_r=0

Let me be clear: Any new approach must ensure the integrity of the game. One of my most important responsibilities as commissioner of the N.B.A. is to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport. I oppose any course of action that would compromise these objectives.

But I believe that sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated.

Silver just wanna get the gold

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/opinion/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-legalize-sports-betting.html?_r=0

Let me be clear: Any new approach must ensure the integrity of the game. One of my most important responsibilities as commissioner of the N.B.A. is to protect the integrity of professional basketball and preserve public confidence in the league and our sport. I oppose any course of action that would compromise these objectives.

But I believe that sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated.

Good for him. Probably not gonna happen any time remotely soon but I would like it to happen also.

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

Cavs getting their asses handed to them by the Celtics.

[Stoney Mason]

Before a recent game, Byron Scott said he told his players "doubt kills dreams." The Los Angeles Lakers coach was just getting warmed up.

"I told them that I have no doubt that we will win a championship in my tenure here as head coach," Scott told ESPN.com this week, "because I know this organization. But I do know it's going to take some patience. It's a process."

Wait. A championship?

"I agree," Lakers star Kobe Bryant told ESPN.com when asked about Scott's remark.

Why?

"Faith," Bryant continued. "The Lakers' track record. This organization is really good about turning around, period. We don't have many dry years."

 

[Stoney Mason]

Celtics collapsing. Lebron having a big 4th quarter.

[ToxicAdam]

loollll  I've never seen an Nba player forget to shoot the ball at the end of a game.

[Stoney Mason]

Cavs steal one. Rondo not able to get up a final shot.

Their defense was still terrible though. They allow the Celtics to shoot 55% and score 121 points. Lebron had a big game. Scored over 40.

[jakefromstatefarm]

Byron Scott is the biggest fucking lame.

leave every franchise you've been the head coach for in a demonstrably worse position than when you were hired brehs

[Stoney Mason]

Anthony Davis has just been disgusting so far this season.

Shooting 55% 25 points a game. 13 rebounds a game. 2.3 steals. 4.4 blocks. PER 35.33 None of that includes tonight's game where he was 9 of 13 from the field.

 

And he's 21.

[TakingBackSunday]

Davis should by far be the running MVP candidate thus far in the season. Lebron second, Curry third.

[Stoney Mason]

Kobe is 1 of 14 tonight.

Also this happened to the Knicks tonight.

[Steve Contra]

My Jazz are pretty fun to watch this year I'll give them that much.

[Stoney Mason]

Explosion game for the Cavs tonight.

[Phoenix Dark]

Good to see LeBron isn't pussyfooting around anymore. Now they just have to get Love in rhythm.

Thoughts on that rumor about him bolting to LA? Seems ridiculous.

[team filler]

he's coming to the city of angels, brehs. Love LA marketing incoming

[team filler]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2269029-lance-stephensons-contact-with-harrison-barnes-results-in-him-slapping-himself?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

 

[TakingBackSunday]

That was the first game I've seen the Cavs play exceptionally well.  How many minutes did they give Waiters...

eh, 27 is a little too much but he passed the ball well.  Still shot way too much.

[TakingBackSunday]

rewatching the highlights now



good christ most of those were jumpers too.  Nvm, he's the MVP so far.

[Stoney Mason]

More of this




Less of the iso ball last night.

The thing is the Spurs do this every possession.

[TakingBackSunday]

and yet they are 5-4

not saying that means anything, but they haven't looked super impressive so far.  they'll be fine by the end of the season though

[Stoney Mason]

Spurs start off every season slow. But they still play right even when they lose.

[T-Short]

Nuggets with 6 points in the 2nd quarter. Impressively useless

edit: OK, another 2 by Lawson at the buzzer

[T-Short]

Actually, wow, that was their only fieldgoal of the 2Q, all the other 6 points were FT:s

[El Babua]

Heat

[Stoney Mason]

Miami seems to be coming back down to Earth. And the reality is still that Wade will miss a shit load of games during a season.

[El Babua]

Seems so.

Though I still expected them to get these cupcake wins. I'll be coming to the point of just wanting to develop the young players and load up for 2016 if this keeps going on.

I think they'll still get 40+ win this season. Win when Wade is going and/or Bosh is beasting, but otherwise a team too flimsy to compete at the highest level.

[benjipwns]

[Stoney Mason]

The Minnesota Timberwolves, fresh off heavy back-to-back losses in New Orleans and Dallas and in the latest indication of their growing focus on the future, are in active trade discussions with multiple contending teams pursuing veteran swingman Corey Brewer, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets have emerged as the most serious suitors for Brewer, whose arrival would be a notable boost for either team in terms of depth.

Minnesota is believed to be seeking future assets in exchange for Brewer as it tries to accelerate its rebuilding effort in the wake of trading star power forward Kevin Love to the Cavaliers in August. Both Cleveland and Houston possess a trade exception large enough to absorb Brewer's $4.7 million salary, meaning that both teams would likely be able to acquire Brewer by merely surrendering future draft compensation and without giving up any key players.

The Wolves, who surrendered 139 and 131 points in their losses to the Pelicans and Mavericks on Friday and Saturday, ‎are starting rookie Zach LaVine at point guard after losing starter Ricky Rubio to a severely sprained ankle. They're also starting prized No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins and second-year forward Anthony Bennett, with veteran center Nikola Pekovic limited by coach/team president Flip Saunders to 12 minutes in Saturday night's loss to the Mavericks.

If Brewer winds up in Cleveland, he'd be reunited with Love, with whom he has a close relationship after their well-chronicled success on the fast break as teammates in Minnesota. Brewer ranked as one of the league's foremost scorers in transition last season on the end of Love's outlet passes.

It's an open secret, furthermore, that the Cavaliers are looking to get stronger at shooting guard as well reduce LeBron James' minutes load, so Brewer would likely play multiple positions should the Cavs seal a deal for him.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11887703/minnesota-timberwolves-shopping-veteran-corey-brewer



 

Anthony Slater
‏@anthonyVslater
Lotta chirping between Thunder and Rockets right now. Kevin Durant repeatedly to Dwight Howard: "You're a pussy"

[T-Short]

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/11/17/morning-shootaround-nov-17/#lakers

Bryant defended his volume shooting, using metaphors about crime.
“Obviously I’d rather get guys involved early, but if a purse gets stolen in front of you, how many blocks are you going to let the guy run?” he asked.
“You going to chase him down and keep him in sight yourself or just wait for the authorities to get there, or decide to let him run and wait for the authorities to get there? It’s a tough thing.”

[Phoenix Dark]

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/11/17/morning-shootaround-nov-17/#lakers

Bryant defended his volume shooting, using metaphors about crime.
“Obviously I’d rather get guys involved early, but if a purse gets stolen in front of you, how many blocks are you going to let the guy run?” he asked.
“You going to chase him down and keep him in sight yourself or just wait for the authorities to get there, or decide to let him run and wait for the authorities to get there? It’s a tough thing.”

Sometimes you don't have time to wait for consent. Just do it.

[Joe Molotov]

https://vine.co/v/O5PvaIYAe53

[Stoney Mason]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe has a game where he scores 60 or 70 this year with an insane amount of shot attempts. It feels like that kind of season.

[Flannel Boy]

https://vine.co/v/O5PvaIYAe53

I just realized Lin's cap hit is higher than Dirk's.

[T-Short]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe has a game where he scores 60 or 70 this year with an insane amount of shot attempts. It feels like that kind of season.

He scored 44 in that game but was still -34. That's just absurd

[Beezy]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe has a game where he scores 60 or 70 this year with an insane amount of shot attempts. It feels like that kind of season.

He scored 44 in that game but was still -34. That's just absurd

[Stoney Mason]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- We could be seeing less of LeBron James moving forward.

James topped the 40-minute plateau in seven of the Cleveland Cavaliers' first nine games, with his 39.1 minutes per game average ranking third in the NBA behind Oklahoma City's Reggie Jackson (41.4) and Chicago's Jimmy Butler (40.3).

He said after practice Tuesday that it might be time for him to cut down on that playing time.

"I wouldn't mind it," James said. "I think we have to give our guys on the bench more of an opportunity. I looked at a stat and myself, Kyrie (Irving) and Kevin (Love) are three of the top five guys in the league in minutes per game and that has to come down."

Indeed, Irving (38.4 minutes per game) and Love (37.0) rank fourth and fifth behind James.

"For me, I don't want to do that all year," James said. "Obviously right now it's difficult because we're trying to find a groove, we're trying to find a rhythm and we're trying to implement something that you don't want to shortcut it, but at the same time you want to be smart about it. So, I don't mind giving a few of my minutes up just to help the team, to help my minutes go down. I think it would be for the best."

Part of the reason that James has been logging so many minutes is Shawn Marion, brought in this summer in part to play back-up small forward behind James, has been moved to the starting lineup in order to shore up the Cavs' struggling defense.

All of the playing time for the Cavs' Big Three has paid off in their scoring averages -- James is second in the league at 27.1 points per game, Irving is 11th at 22.1 and Love is 37th at 17.4 -- but it's hurt the development of the team's second unit. Cleveland averages just 23.9 bench points per game, putting them 29th -- or second to last -- in the league.

During the preseason, Cavs coach David Blatt said that "39 minutes is a lot" when considering James' 39.5 career average in minutes played. He went on to add "We got to keep our wits about us in terms of thinking long term with LeBron." On another occasion during training camp Blatt admitted he "could" sit James out a game or two during the regular season to allow for rest.

Blatt revisited the idea of minute management Tuesday.

"I really think that it might be a good idea for our guys to play some shorter stretches harder rather than longer stretches," James said. "And we're going to see how we can incorporate that philosophy."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11900095/lebron-james-pt-cleveland-cavaliers-big-3-come-down

I think Blatt is taking a subtle dig that maximum effort isn't being given until the 4th quarter. And I would agree with that. Heat had the same issue.

[team filler]

kobe still da god

[Am_I_Anonymous]

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/11/cleveland_cavaliers_gm_david_g.html#incart_more_sports

Dion Waiters, he's talking to you.

[TakingBackSunday]

Picks and Waiters for Brewer.  Make it happen

[Am_I_Anonymous]

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/11/lebron_james_my_minutes_have_t.html

LeBron James said he "wouldn't mind" playing fewer minutes and that the Cleveland Cavaliers' bench needed "more of an opportunity."

James is averaging the third-most minutes per game in the NBA at 39.1. Fourth and fifth on that list are Kyrie Irving (38.4 mpg) and Kevin Love (37.0 mpg).

"That has to come down," James said Tuesday, referring to the playing time for Cleveland's Big 3.

"For me, I don't want to do that all year," James said. "Obviously right now it's difficult because we're trying to find a groove and we're trying to find a rhythm and we're trying to find something that you can't really, you don't want to shortcut it but at the same time you gotta be smart about it."

(Image removed from quote.)

Unsure why you think this is funny? Dude doesn't want to play 40 minutes a game.

[Stoney Mason]

Cavs versus Spurs on ESPN in 15 minutes

[Stoney Mason]

Spurs exploiting that weak cavs d but still close after first quarter.

[jakefromstatefarm]

throw bounce passes to your 7 foot center's feet brehs

we need a :ginoblinsick but with a giant bald spot instead of a flattop

[TakingBackSunday]

andy sideshowbob

[Stoney Mason]

Love's defense is atrocious.

[TakingBackSunday]

eh, he was right on duncan.  duncan is just...you know, duncan

[TakingBackSunday]

yup, cavs D is awful

[TakingBackSunday]

fucking hell

[Stoney Mason]

Lebron James

 

[Stoney Mason]

Love on offense has just been a mess also. Not sure why they are struggling with integrating him.

[naff]

I am so confused every time i watch the Pelicans (playing Nuggets). Go up 12, throw away your lead then bench your most efficient players, just leave the guards playing fuckball... Is there something wrong with AD? he shoots 4-5, doesn't look tired and he's rested most of the second quarter while Anderson and Rivers throw bricks....

Oh, and Asik re injured his back in practice....

[Flannel Boy]

6-22 when no one else in the game can shoot under 50%. That Kobe Bryant efficiency.