The NBA thread

[Am_I_Anonymous]

http://deadspin.com/oblivious-fan-gets-walloped-in-the-face-by-the-basketba-1690977574

It gets funnier with each slow mo. Then you see how little the guy next to her tried to deflect it.

i give that guy in orange 2/10 for effort.

[CatsCatsCats]

Could have easily deflected it... With the hand his phone is in. Man has priorities

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Could have easily deflected it... With the hand his phone is in. Man has priorities

20 gets you a 100 that if that woman was hot and not all typical grandma CAC dude would have dove to save her. Man does have priorities.

[Brehvolution]

He was probably like, "I spend all this money for these great seats and you wanna look at your phone? Maybe you wouldn't have got hit if you were paying attention."

[Stoney Mason]

Cavs at San Antonio tonight on TNT. 9:30 EST

[Stoney Mason]

Lebron playing without his headband again tonight. Finally surrendering that hairline to father time.

[Stoney Mason]

That was an awesome lay-up by Kyrie there.


Love is playing so poorly looks like he's been relegated to the bench tonight for crunch time.

[Stoney Mason]

James Jones is playing in the 4th quarter instead of Kevin Love...

[Stoney Mason]

Danny Green with the dagger 3. Spurs too strong tonight. Playing that Spurs basketball. One game but still a problem sign that the Spurs offense gives them fits.

[dkdk]

the Spurs make Lebron so mad 

no gooning. no shit talk. just Better Basketball quality play

[Stoney Mason]

Kevin Love.

29 minutes.

2 of 10.

4 rebs.

8 points.

Did not get off the bench in the 4th quarter in a close game against a top competitor.

I mean either you have to fix this from a coaching/team perspective or he's not a max player.

[dkdk]

Love could be sitting on the bench reading the paper for all we know. Watched most of the 2nd half and I forgot he was even on the team

[Stoney Mason]

Nice comeback attempt by the Cavs.

Kyrie has been great tonight.

[Stoney Mason]

HOLY FUCK!!!!!

[Stoney Mason]

KYRIE FUCKING IRVING!!!!

[Stoney Mason]

Finally love gets the call in ot. For James Jones.. . Who had 2 points...

[Stoney Mason]

Well this is a playoff game.

[Stoney Mason]

Are you fucking kidding me Kyrie Irving.


This fucking game.

[dkdk]

kyrie

[Stoney Mason]

Kyrie and Lebron are gonna be a tough out in the playoffs. My god.

If Love can just give them even half of what he should that would make them something special.

[Human Snorenado]

It's good to see that the Cavs finally have a player they can rely on in the clutch

[TakingBackSunday]

This is the best game I've watched all season

[Stoney Mason]

The crazy thing is Kyrie's performance overshadows a 15 of 23, 31 point game from Parker and 9 of 14 from Kawhi.

[Stoney Mason]

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Love how Leonard is getting talked about for playing great D on Lebron.....who shot 50% and went for 31.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

So which of y'all crust cutters still thinks the Hawks can beat us in 7?

[Human Snorenado]

So which of y'all crust cutters still thinks the Hawks can beat us in 7?

Nah

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It'll be 6 

[close]

[ToxicAdam]

Watching the replay of the game now  and Charles Barkley is annoying as hell. He'll talk through multiple possessions about nonsense without anyone else getting a chance to actually call the action on the court.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I have not one bad thing or piece of shit to talk about this guy, class act here.

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B_87k2qUUAARLdF.mp4

Talk more shit, Leonard...

http://cdn.streamable.com/video/90f00520c93b11e49a3d3b40d1540a17.webm

[Stoney Mason]

Watching the replay of the game now  and Charles Barkley is annoying as hell. He'll talk through multiple possessions about nonsense without anyone else getting a chance to actually call the action on the court.

I agree but you have to remember there are a lot of Sports fan who love that kind of shit. I called up my brother to talk to him about the game and his first immediate comment was to tell me how astute barkley was in his commentary. 

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Watching the replay of the game now  and Charles Barkley is annoying as hell. He'll talk through multiple possessions about nonsense without anyone else getting a chance to actually call the action on the court.

I agree but you have to remember there are a lot of Sports fan who love that kind of shit. I called up my brother to talk to him about the game and his first immediate comment was to tell me how astute barkley was in his commentary. 

He knows more than I do, so I guess I'll listen

Lots of self proclaimed NBA experts around these parts. Emphasis on "self" not "experts"

[Stoney Mason]

He's about as right and wrong as any fan. It's fine if you want to listen. Entertainment is always fine. Doesn't make him any more correct and in fact he is often incorrect if we want to fact check the things he says or his predictions.

Perfectly good entertainer when he's in the studio though.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

He's about as right and wrong as any fan. It's fine if you want to listen. Entertainment is always fine. Doesn't make him any more correct and in fact he is often incorrect if we want to fact check the things he says or his predictions.

Perfectly good entertainer when he's in the studio though.

So, to surmise, based on your written word here you believe YOU would be a better analyst of the NBA despite 0 experience? Interesting, I am now an expert on white people's family relationships because I watched the Brady Bunch.

[Stoney Mason]

I believe that you think any ex player insights are brilliant. And I don't agree with that. In fact I think it often blinds people to actual correct analysis because its all about when I played and what I did versus how things are actually taking place at the moment and the reality of people who actually coach the game or gm the game.

So we all have our viewpoints on analysis and I've leave it at that.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I believe that you think any ex player insights are brilliant. And I don't agree with that. In fact I think it often blinds people to actual correct analysis because its all about when I played and what I did versus how things are actually taking place at the moment and the reality of people who actually coach the game or gm the game.

So we all have our viewpoints on analysis and I've leave it at that.

So if I built 25 houses I might be swayed because of how I built them and not recognize the issue of a fellow builder? Where as you, who has never built a house, but watched a lot of Bob Villa will correctly find the faults and identify them?

I think you don't quite understand why announcing is 95% ex players. They lived it.

Now to be fair, some of them are terrible at it and get by on name recognition (I'm looking at you, Rich Gannon) but a lot of them are very, very, good at what they do (Clark Kellog, Tom Hamilton of the Indians, etc)  which i believe probably equates to how many stupid shits are doing jobs they don't qualify for in every field.

I also recognize that guys like Craig Sager and Marv Albert never played but are very competent at what they do. No disputing that. However the odds are stacked in my favor sir.

[Stoney Mason]

I believe that you think any ex player insights are brilliant. And I don't agree with that. In fact I think it often blinds people to actual correct analysis because its all about when I played and what I did versus how things are actually taking place at the moment and the reality of people who actually coach the game or gm the game.

So we all have our viewpoints on analysis and I've leave it at that.

So if I built 25 houses I might be swayed because of how I built them and not recognize the issue of a fellow builder? Where as you, who has never built a house, but watched a lot of Bob Villa will correctly find the faults and identify them?

I think you don't quite understand why announcing is 95% ex players. They lived it.

And the ones who are really good at it in theory are generally the ones who are actually coaching it or doing the real gm work. Or they make that transition. When Barkley becomes a GM and starts coaching and assembles a team or coaches a team then he can point to actual experience at doing the thing well because he did the thing well. Currently he can speak to the individual experience of being a great player. Or playing in the NBA. Which is absolutely fine and entertaining. But I don't take Charles Barkley as the the high end of basketball analysis on those subjects

Clearly you do however. And you are entitled to that opinion. I don't at all. And when he says something dumb imo I'll point it out. Same as when he says something clever.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I believe that you think any ex player insights are brilliant. And I don't agree with that. In fact I think it often blinds people to actual correct analysis because its all about when I played and what I did versus how things are actually taking place at the moment and the reality of people who actually coach the game or gm the game.

So we all have our viewpoints on analysis and I've leave it at that.

So if I built 25 houses I might be swayed because of how I built them and not recognize the issue of a fellow builder? Where as you, who has never built a house, but watched a lot of Bob Villa will correctly find the faults and identify them?

I think you don't quite understand why announcing is 95% ex players. They lived it.

And the ones who are really good at it in theory are generally the ones who are actually coaching it or doing the real gm work. Or they make that transition. When Barkley becomes a GM and starts coaching and assembles a team or coaches a team then he can point to actual experience at doing the thing well because he did the thing well. Currently he can speak to the individual experience of being a great player. Or playing in the NBA. Which is absolutely fine and entertaining. But I don't take Charles Barkley as the the high end of basketball analysis on those subject.

Clearly you do however. And you are entitled to that opinion. I don't at all. And when he says something dumb imo I'll point it out.

Good debate. We'll always clash over this but I respect your acumen.


Anyway moving on......

I believe these 4 teams have to be favorites to win it all this year, in no particular order:

Golden State
San Antonio (They showed what they have been hiding all year last night, knew it was gonna happen)
Cleveland
Memphis (people should stop sleeping on them)

Sleepers who would have to be hot at the right time

Atlanta (Not ready yet, but next year watch out)
Dallas
Houston
Clippers

Dropped out due to injuries

Chicago (No Rose, no win)
Portland (Matthews is going to kill them)


Teams I secretly hope get in the playoffs just to watch

New Orleans
Oklahoma City
Hornets (That MJ favoritism)

[Stoney Mason]

For what its worth I'm not trying to pretend I individually know shit. I wish I did. I'm just a lifelong basketball fan. But I'm wrong, wrong, wrong ,wrong everytime I make any prediction and this thread is a testament to it. I've been wrong so many times, its a running joke especially during the Heat years where I was a constant debbie downer on them as they won championships or ran through the regular season.

On a side note looks like simmons is doing a basketball podcast every monday in the run up to the playoffs.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

For what its worth I'm not trying to pretend I individually know shit. I wish I did. I'm just a lifelong basketball fan. But I'm wrong, wrong, wrong ,wrong everytime I make any prediction and this thread is a testament to it. I've been wrong so many times, its a running joke especially during the Heat years where I was a constant debbie downer on them as they won championships or ran through the regular season.

You should see me trying to predict college football anymore 

Anyway be very careful of San Antonio, you saw what I did last night. They are just getting warmed up.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

For what its worth I'm not trying to pretend I individually know shit. I wish I did. I'm just a lifelong basketball fan. But I'm wrong, wrong, wrong ,wrong everytime I make any prediction and this thread is a testament to it. I've been wrong so many times, its a running joke especially during the Heat years where I was a constant debbie downer on them as they won championships or ran through the regular season.

Looks like simmons is doing a basketball podcast every monday in the run up to the playoffs.

I use to really enjoy Simmons when the Sports Guy was just a normal dude writing about sports. Even when he was in the Page 2 era he was really entertaining.

Now however, his ego is as big as his anti-Lebron stance and it gets old. He believes his own hype now but what he doesn't know is that when he leaves ESPN he's going to find out he isn't the next Peter Gammons or Peter King, he'll be a B tier NBA writer from Sports Illustrated.

He simply doesn't understand he's just a cog in the machine, not the power switch.

I can't speak for Gammons specifically but King is a classy guy. I got to speak with him quite a few times over the years and I always appreciate what he has to say. He cuts through the shit and he for sure plays favorites (everybody knows it/Brett Favre), but he would never attack you in a column without calling you first to let you have a chance to change his mind. Massive respect from the league for that.

[Stoney Mason]

I generally like Simmons podcasts for his guests. Like Zach Lowe is on this one and I really like his basketball stuff.

Simmon's basketball analysis while never especially technical and way too narrative driven at least was passionate. He was a passionate fan. But the passionate fan thing which works well in writing works less well over an hour podcast.

That being said, I view him mainly a host who talks to people who actually have basketball knowledge versus him being the expert. In that sort of way I think I can listen to him. And I will respect that he does gives basketball more run than the other sports which is rare nowadays.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I generally like Simmons podcasts for his guests. Like Zach Lowe is on this one and I really like his basketball stuff.

Simmon's basketball analysis while never especially technical and way too narrative driven at least was passionate. He was a passionate fan. But the passionate fan thing which works well in writing works less over an hour podcast.

That being said, I view him mainly a host who talks to people who actually have basketball knowledge versus him being the expert. In that sort of way I think I can listen to him. And I will respect that he does gives basketball more run than the other sports which is rare nowadays.

God I hate to say this because he was always my friend in college, but Jalen Rose is complete as an analyst/sports personality. I think ESPN believes this to be true as well or he'd already have his own show.

When he did his whole carrying the bat during basketball discussions I was sitting there like 

(don't be mad, J)

[Stoney Mason]

I like them when they are together. I think they are fun when they do the stuff on Grantland.

Stuff like this




I don't take it seriously. It's like an ex jock and a real passionate fan talking about basketball. And its very loose and I feel like I get to see their personality in the same way you get to see the personalities of the inside the nba guys. They are having fun and being entertaining and it rubs off on me.

Now when they were both on Countdown on ESPN, I thought they were terrible. They couldn't bring that same style to the  studio show and all that energy was drained from it. That being said ESPN and ABC always have terrible pre-game and half-time shows. They can't match the looseness and fun of the tnt stuff. But I feel like Bill and Jalen on Grantland are closer than anything they do currently.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

I can see that.


That's every sunday at my house man. Every sunday.

Dude AiA what do you think about basing the Rams offense on the counter trap man?

Me "I dunno man, you know as much as I do"

Dude "Oh you're bullshitting"

Me "I wasn't an offensive coordinator dude. I can tell you the weakside cover isn't moving the flanker inside enough

Dude

Me:   

Some dudes are cool about and treat me like a fan because that's what I am. Some mystery guests are the "I peaked in high school guy who now focuses 110% of my time on sports knowledge"....don't be that guy.

[ToxicAdam]

I agree but you have to remember there are a lot of Sports fan who love that kind of shit. I called up my brother to talk to him about the game and his first immediate comment was to tell me how astute barkley was in his commentary. 

I guess that's the thing. If you're buying what he is selling, you don't mind him taking over a broadcast. I just don't want to hear that shit while the game is going on. I just want them to call the game and fill my head with stats. I don't mind guys giving you an athletes perspective, but it better be really good (like Cris Colinsworth-level).

Charles just sounds like some old dude at the bar that already has his opinions on things and tries to bend every conversation/reaction into reinforcing those ideas.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Charles just sounds like some old dude at the bar that already has his opinions on things and tries to bend every conversation/reaction into reinforcing those ideas.

Hey wait a minute, I resemble that remark, damnit!   

[Stoney Mason]

Charles just sounds like some old dude at the bar that already has his opinions on things and tries to bend every conversation/reaction into reinforcing those ideas.

Barkley reminds of everybody's father. I mean everybody's dad has these strong opinions and you can't argue with them about it. You just have to kind of take it and go that's my dad. That's the way they see the world. Their knowledge is all based around their life experience and if you try to argue or tell them about some new thing, they still defer to their life experience in all cases and how it will inform future situations.

I get it. There is some value in that. Barkley will sometimes say really insightful things that his playing career has legit taught him that me as just a regular fan will never understand. But I think a lot of fans nowadays myself included want multiple insights. A barkely insight is fine but we want that mixed in with a bunch of other insights to balance it off. We live in a money-ball age where multiple insights on everything are more interesting to a lot of us.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Charles just sounds like some old dude at the bar that already has his opinions on things and tries to bend every conversation/reaction into reinforcing those ideas.

Barkley reminds of everybody's father. I mean everybody's dad has these strong opinions and you can't argue with them about it. You just have to kind of take it and go that's my dad. That's the way they see the world. Their knowledge is all based around their life experience and if you try to argue or tell them about some new thing, they still defer to their life experience in all cases and how it will inform future situations.

I get it. There is some value in that. Barkley will sometimes say really insightful things that his playing career has legit taught him that me as just a regular fan will never understand. But I think a lot of fans nowadays myself included want multiple insights. A barkely insight is fine but we want that mixed in with a bunch of other insights to balance it off.

I think the right solution for everyone is to put Charles back in the studio, fire shaq and replace him with Shane Battier, and hire Chris Webber to call in game.

Because if Barkley is bad, Shaq is a fucking disaster.

[Stoney Mason]

Because if Barkley is bad, Shaq is a fucking disaster.

I don't think Barkley is bad. I think he's great in the studio for them. But yeah not a Shaq fan. I hope they eventually replace him but he's such a big name it seems unlikely in the short term.

[Am_I_Anonymous]

That day when AiA had a great debate with Stoney Mason and Bill Simmons took AiA 's side

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-trade-value-sneak-peek-no-10-kyrie-irving/

[Brehvolution]

[Am_I_Anonymous]

Jealousy is a bitch tho.

How's dem celtics right now?

[TakingBackSunday]

They're actually playing pretty well lately.  And the Jazz too, holy shit

[Am_I_Anonymous]

They're actually playing pretty well lately.  And the Jazz too, holy shit

Good, let them earn the #7 seed. We could use the rest after we sweep them.

I'd rather play them than the heat, hornets, or Pacers honestly.

[TakingBackSunday]

I'm not scared of the Heat or Hornets.  Pacers and Celtics look formidable enough to steal a game

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

Hawks versus Warriors on espn for any basketball heads still up on the east coast.

[TakingBackSunday]

Wade had a great game tonight