Author Topic: The NBA thread (Read 1521484 times)

etiolate · « **Reply #12061 on:** April 13, 2014, 02:25:17 AM »

Don't like top 16. It's a permanent solution to a temporary issue that could have negative side effects.

Mandark · « **Reply #12062 on:** April 13, 2014, 03:27:33 AM »

Temporary but recurring. In half the seasons the last decade, the top lottery finisher in the West has been at least five games ahead of the 8-seed in the East, and we're headed for the second season where there's going to be a double-digit win gap, which is pretty ridiculous.

That said, we're talking about marginal playoff teams, and in most years the team that's left out won't be as good as the Suns or Grizz are this year. If they made the switch, the biggest benefit would be from excluding the truly lousy teams that make it. 35-38 win squads really shouldn't be in the playoffs, and this would all but guarantee that.

The only downside I can think of is that if you went to a straight 16-team bracket (rather than a more convoluted plan where the conference playoffs are mostly intact with a couple changes) is that we'd lose those multiyear rivalries you get between good teams in the same conference, where they know they'll probably have to go through each other to get to the Finals. Playoff rematches are fun, and games between rivals stand out in a loooooooonnnnng NBA regular season.

etiolate · « **Reply #12063 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:07:07 AM »

I just see a potential problem with stacking a conference and perennial establishment teams. Conference systems at least encourages players to switch sides here and there, tilting power in order to have a better chance at the playoffs in a weaker conference.

Mandark · « **Reply #12064 on:** April 13, 2014, 06:52:14 AM »

Has that EVER happened, though? I mean a player deliberately moving to a weaker conference for a better shot at the playoffs?

If anything, there's a slight boost for the teams that barely miss out in the West, since they pick a few spots higher in the draft than they would have if they had been 7- or 8-seeds in the East, and get a small chance to move up to the top 3.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12065 on:** April 13, 2014, 09:24:42 AM »

Wouldn't this possibly impact ratings and revenue on the east coast? If only 2-5 eastern conference takes make the playoffs you'd run the risk of losing viewers right? For instance if Chicago and NY missed the playoffs this year due to this.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12066 on:** April 13, 2014, 02:01:07 PM »

Most seasons this is only going to shift at most about one or two teams out and into the playoffs. Even this year, it'd only kick the Hawks and maybe the Bobcats out, while bringing the Suns and Timberwolves in.

The real difference is the second round, the "final four" and Finals. Actual good East teams aren't going to be able to skip the first two rounds, play one tough round, and then do the Finals anymore.

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on April 13, 2014, 09:24:42 AM

Wouldn't this possibly impact ratings and revenue on the east coast? If only 2-5 eastern conference takes make the playoffs you'd run the risk of losing viewers right? For instance if Chicago and NY missed the playoffs this year due to this.

Don't worry, the Knicks are handling that on their own.

Mandark · « **Reply #12067 on:** April 13, 2014, 03:23:53 PM »

Well, the big question is whether they switch straight to a 16 team bracket or whether they come up with a bit more convoluted system (top 6 from each conference + wild cards) to try to preserve the rivarly/scheduling advantages of the current system.

You know what would be fun? A selection show where each team sends a player as a representative, and the top seeds get to choose their opponents. I'm sure there are a billion reasons not to do this, but it would eliminate tanking for seeding and can you imagine Twitter during that event?

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12068 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:16:52 PM »

Pacers pretty much seal up the #1 seed in the East by beating the Thunder earlier today.

Your Stalker · « **Reply #12069 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:19:41 PM »

the heat still have 2 games left

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12070 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:28:24 PM »

Technically the Pacers have one more game against the Magic but if they win they have it 100%.

Mandark · « **Reply #12071 on:** April 13, 2014, 10:40:32 PM »

Yeah, Pacers have the tiebreaker from conference records.

As a Wizards fan, this makes the chase for the 6 seed sort of important.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12072 on:** April 13, 2014, 10:45:33 PM »

BROS

Joe Dumars out as Pistons president
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10778231/joe-dumars-detroit-pistons-team-president

I think I have an NBA team again, fellas

benjipwns · « **Reply #12073 on:** April 13, 2014, 10:48:19 PM »

You might wanna wait until you see who Gores hires.

Mandark · « **Reply #12074 on:** April 13, 2014, 11:10:02 PM »

C'mon Isiah!

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12075 on:** April 13, 2014, 11:15:09 PM »

There is another

etiolate · « **Reply #12076 on:** April 14, 2014, 12:34:57 AM »

https://twitter.com/Stareagle/status/455545632699072513

Quote

Dave Hogg
‏@Stareagle
Dumars won a title by trading for Rasheed Wallace. Atlanta used the draft pick he gave them to pick Josh Smith. Now Smith gets him fired.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #12077 on:** April 14, 2014, 12:40:00 AM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12078 on:** April 14, 2014, 09:06:44 AM »

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #12079 on:** April 14, 2014, 11:54:40 PM »

There's a solid chance that neither team gets to the ECF. Definitely could see the Heat losing to the Raps, and I EXPECT the Pacers to lose to the Nets.

bachikarn · « **Reply #12080 on:** April 15, 2014, 03:02:42 AM »

Quote from: Mandark on April 13, 2014, 03:27:33 AM

The only downside I can think of is that if you went to a straight 16-team bracket (rather than a more convoluted plan where the conference playoffs are mostly intact with a couple changes) is that we'd lose those multiyear rivalries you get between good teams in the same conference, where they know they'll probably have to go through each other to get to the Finals. Playoff rematches are fun, and games between rivals stand out in a loooooooonnnnng NBA regular season.

Do most NBA fans prefer this? As just a casual NBA fan (more of a college sports fan in general), I think it's kind of boring to see the same teams play each other in the play offs so often. I'd prefer the variety of seeing unique match ups most years like it is in college. I think the same thing about the NFL playoffs.

To me, rivalries should be more of a regular season thing, but I guess it's different when you have half the teams making the post-season like in the pros.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12081 on:** April 15, 2014, 03:13:23 AM »

I personally don't care about year to year "rivalries" considering roster turnover and the low odds of rematches. The last three games of a series are much more compelling because of the inherent "rivalry" than say the current Heat destroying the current Knicks again because they had all those fights in the 90's. Let alone all the wanking over the Celtics/Lakers in 2008 and 2010.

But I'm weird.

Mandark · « **Reply #12082 on:** April 15, 2014, 03:54:46 AM »

I don't mean "rivalries" where the broadcasters are digging way into the vault to find footage of games between entirely different teams. I mean the way you'd expect two very good teams in the same conference to butt heads multiple times, like the Lakers/Spurs/Kings/Mavs in the early aughts, LeBron having to go through the Celtics, the Nash/Stoudemire Suns trying to finally break through the Spurs, etc.

If today's playoff seeding held, in the WC you'd have SAS/MEM as the 1-8 seed, which is both a rematch of last years WCF and a possible repeat of the Grizzlies' upset of the Spurs three years ago, which was also as the 8 seed. You also have Dallas vs. OKC, who have met in two of the last three playoffs.

Without actually checking, I'd say the NBA has more continuity than the other major North American sports leagues, and it produces some multi-year intrigue. While I'm sure lots of people would prefer it the other way, with the more random/diverse matchups you'd get from abolishing conferences, the league would still be giving up a bit of that continuity.

Mandark · « **Reply #12083 on:** April 15, 2014, 04:06:07 AM »

RIP in peace, manchild Wizards. Gilbert's knees cheated us out of four or five more completely ludicrous 43-win seasons.

Mandark · « **Reply #12084 on:** April 15, 2014, 04:13:26 AM »

That's another thing I love about the NBA. Completely lopsided (talent-wise) feuds between franchise players and perimeter stoppers. DeShawn Stevenson goading LeBron, Raja Bell losing his mind and clotheslining Kobe, Bruce Bowen undercutting everyone on jump shots.

In a couple years, every single Houston game might have the subplot of someone feuding with Patrick Beverley.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12085 on:** April 15, 2014, 04:26:57 AM »

The feuds I loved were more of the style like:
-Rick Fox and Doug Christie's wife
-Chris Jeffries and Rick Brunson
-Chris Mills attempting to fight the entire Jail Blazers team after blocking their bus with his car

Beezy · « **Reply #12086 on:** April 15, 2014, 10:33:31 AM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12087 on:** April 15, 2014, 02:26:00 PM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12088 on:** April 15, 2014, 02:29:13 PM »

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/10784311/lamar-odom-new-york-knicks-deal-imminent-sources-say

etiolate · « **Reply #12089 on:** April 16, 2014, 01:14:39 PM »

MVP is about who had the best season on a winning team. That's all it's been for years. People treat it like who is the greatest of all time and gets into heaven first then get flubbergusted when Steve Nash wins.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #12090 on:** April 16, 2014, 04:36:35 PM »

the fuck is flubbergusted

Miami is a winning team, sure Shinobi. Durant did have a better season this yeah, that's true. That still doesn't make Durant better than Lebron in the grand scheme of things.

Mandark · « **Reply #12091 on:** April 16, 2014, 05:07:40 PM »

When people say LeBron's a better player while Durant had a better year, the implication is that LeBron's still the one player who could help you win a single game of basketball the most, but for other reasons Durant was more productive/impactful over the course of the year. I'd agree with that.

Most of Durant's statistical advantage comes from just shooting more. You could argue that LeBron wouldn't be as efficient if he took the same number of shots, but check his game log: in 23 games where he had 20 or more FGA, he shot over 50% in all but two of them. Similarly, his defense this year wasn't great, going by analytics or the eye test, but does anyone think Durant's a better defender? Or a better passer? A better post player?

Over the course of a season, Durant's done more for his team and should win the MVP, but in an elimination playoff game, without the need to conserve energy for later or keep teammates feeling happy and involved? I'd take LeBron and so would most people.

Of course, I just wrote a sincere response to AWESOM-O about LeBron, so joke's clearly on me.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12092 on:** April 16, 2014, 05:18:36 PM »

Spoelstra (I think it was him) estimated that LeBron could get up to 37PPG before his efficiency dropped too significantly.

I think there's also the factor that Durant is at this full level for one year so far, how many times have we seen a player have a great season and then drop off a level and never come back up ala McGrady. While LeBron has been dominant for a number of years and been coasting a little. Wait for Durant to do it again next year before you crown him. (Though I personally think he was about as good last year, but still isn't as good as LeBron.)

Mandark · « **Reply #12093 on:** April 16, 2014, 05:30:38 PM »

Yeah, as a scorer Durant's basically doing what he did last year, only taking a couple more shots without sacrificing any real efficiency. He's definitely improved as a distributor the last couple seasons, though. He's been good enough long enough that I don't expect serious regression unless he gets injured or paces himself more through the regular season.

Also interesting is that going by PER and WS, LeBron was just as good in the last couple seasons with Cleveland as he has been with Miami. But I think almost everyone would say he's been a better player with the Heat than he was as a Cavalier, and it's not just the shine of the two titles. Present LeBron can probably turn into 2009 LeBron and barrel to the basket every play, but there are things he can do now that simply weren't in 2009 LeBron's repertoire.

Mandark · « **Reply #12094 on:** April 16, 2014, 05:34:48 PM »

Yeah, BrandNew is the one who's overly emotionally invested in this topic.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12095 on:** April 16, 2014, 06:21:34 PM »

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/blake-griffin-plays-coy-about-kate-upton-not-about-creationism-20140415

Quote

You were home-schooled until the seventh grade. Are you Team Creationism or Team Evolution?
I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationisim, for sure.

So you think the Earth is only 6,000 years old?
I don't want to do the math, but somewhere around there.

...

Who's the greatest rapper of all time?
Can I give you a top three?

No. That's a cop-out.
You’re right. I'd have to go with Marky Mark.

So that’s from your mom’s side of the family?
[Laughs] Right, my mother's side of the family. On my dad's side, I want to say Biggie, but I'm gonna go with Jay Z, because it's more my era.

If NBA players had walk-up music, like baseball players do before at-bats, what would yours be?
It'd probably change a lot. Just take Creed's greatest hits and put it on shuffle. You can't go wrong, really.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12096 on:** April 16, 2014, 06:22:55 PM »

No comment.

etiolate · « **Reply #12097 on:** April 16, 2014, 06:28:12 PM »

Boogie wins again.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #12098 on:** April 16, 2014, 09:14:31 PM »

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12099 on:** April 16, 2014, 09:39:20 PM »

I don't get it.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12100 on:** April 17, 2014, 01:34:16 AM »

Quote from: benjipwns on April 16, 2014, 06:21:34 PM

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/blake-griffin-plays-coy-about-kate-upton-not-about-creationism-20140415
Quote
You were home-schooled until the seventh grade. Are you Team Creationism or Team Evolution?
I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationisim, for sure.

So you think the Earth is only 6,000 years old?
I don't want to do the math, but somewhere around there.

...

Who's the greatest rapper of all time?
Can I give you a top three?

No. That's a cop-out.
You’re right. I'd have to go with Marky Mark.

So that’s from your mom’s side of the family?
[Laughs] Right, my mother's side of the family. On my dad's side, I want to say Biggie, but I'm gonna go with Jay Z, because it's more my era.

If NBA players had walk-up music, like baseball players do before at-bats, what would yours be?
It'd probably change a lot. Just take Creed's greatest hits and put it on shuffle. You can't go wrong, really.

Home schooling.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12101 on:** April 17, 2014, 12:04:08 PM »

Mike Miller played in all 82 games for the Grizz this year. And averaged 20.8 minutes.

Heat have to be kicking themselves on that one.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #12102 on:** April 17, 2014, 01:01:35 PM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on April 17, 2014, 01:34:16 AM

Quote from: benjipwns on April 16, 2014, 06:21:34 PM
http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/blake-griffin-plays-coy-about-kate-upton-not-about-creationism-20140415
Quote
You were home-schooled until the seventh grade. Are you Team Creationism or Team Evolution?
I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationisim, for sure.

So you think the Earth is only 6,000 years old?
I don't want to do the math, but somewhere around there.

...

Who's the greatest rapper of all time?
Can I give you a top three?

No. That's a cop-out.
You’re right. I'd have to go with Marky Mark.

So that’s from your mom’s side of the family?
[Laughs] Right, my mother's side of the family. On my dad's side, I want to say Biggie, but I'm gonna go with Jay Z, because it's more my era.

If NBA players had walk-up music, like baseball players do before at-bats, what would yours be?
It'd probably change a lot. Just take Creed's greatest hits and put it on shuffle. You can't go wrong, really.

Home schooling.

Creed's greatest hits, smh

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12103 on:** April 17, 2014, 01:44:42 PM »

benjipwns · « **Reply #12104 on:** April 17, 2014, 07:40:15 PM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12105 on:** April 17, 2014, 11:08:41 PM »

http://deadspin.com/craig-sager-has-leukemia-according-to-craig-sagers-son-1564525962

Unfortunate. Was never a fan of him as a sideline reporter but still tough situation

bachikarn · « **Reply #12106 on:** April 17, 2014, 11:14:04 PM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12107 on:** April 17, 2014, 11:31:43 PM »

You know I'm sure you could cherry pick any player and create a worst of highlight tape and make them look pretty bad but Harden on defense is just so funny. He expends so little effort. Every game is like an all-star game for him.

Your Stalker · « **Reply #12108 on:** April 18, 2014, 09:12:22 AM »

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12109 on:** April 18, 2014, 01:26:45 PM »

Did they really have to get Kid Rock to narrate this bad boys 30 for 30.

benjipwns · « **Reply #12110 on:** April 18, 2014, 07:14:01 PM »

http://grantland.com/features/nba-playoffs-preview-2014/

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12111 on:** April 18, 2014, 10:12:13 PM »

As always lots of interesting possibilities for these playoffs.

The current Heat look to be the worst of the 4 seasons in Miami. But Miami really does seem to have that cliche "extra gear" they crank up for the playoffs. Plus I assume Wade is playing no matter what since no back to backs. And his season has been pretty much a bust otherwise.

For all the flack against the Pacers, I still think they will do well and reach the conference finals. The game is just played differently now. And it suits their style even if it is offensively limited.

The Spurs and the Thunder look like the two best teams but then it always seems like they look like the two best teams going into the playoffs and then something weird ends up happening.

I don't know but for some reason I really like the Clippers. I think Doc Rivers will make a difference in the playoffs where Del Negro couldn't.

Should be fun. Can't wait for them to start.

HiResDes · « **Reply #12112 on:** April 19, 2014, 05:08:44 PM »

In the east I definitely see the Nets being a legitimate threat, but that's only if they can get of their series early and avoid the fatigue of the dreaded seven games. I agree that the playoff style definitely favors Indiana, and I believe they matchup favorable with nearly every team in the East including Miami...The Nets are probably a bit too undersized and "old" to compete with the Pacers in a long series. Although, let's be honest the best teams are in the West this year and will outscore the Pacers at will if they so happen to make it that far. I still like the Pacers to make it to the finals, given that I don't see Wade holding up all too well and Lebron and Bosh might not be enough to make it past even the Raptors. In the West I think the Rockets have a legimate shot of upsetting a bunch of teams, especially if they make it past the Clippers.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12113 on:** April 19, 2014, 06:49:19 PM »

Watched both early games. Both were close. The Nets executed down the stretch while Toronto struggled getting good shots.

The Clips were in foul trouble the entire game and had a few bad calls go against them .

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #12114 on:** April 19, 2014, 09:05:04 PM »

My god Indy

Your Stalker · « **Reply #12115 on:** April 19, 2014, 09:23:25 PM »

shit is pure scust

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #12116 on:** April 19, 2014, 09:40:24 PM »

Pacers are fucking awful, good lord

benjipwns · « **Reply #12117 on:** April 19, 2014, 09:46:13 PM »

http://giant.gfycat.com/DeterminedGorgeousIsabellinewheatear.webm

Your Stalker · « **Reply #12118 on:** April 19, 2014, 09:53:20 PM »

grizz gettin that work

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #12119 on:** April 19, 2014, 10:02:21 PM »

OKC looks ace.

News:

Author Topic: The NBA thread (Read 1521484 times)