Author Topic: The NBA thread (Read 1519577 times)

El Babua · « **Reply #17340 on:** March 04, 2016, 01:56:57 AM »

Only games GS has left in the season that I won't favor them would be the two left in SA. And it's more than likely Pop's gonna throw the last one anyway.

Fifstar · « **Reply #17341 on:** March 04, 2016, 03:37:26 AM »

Thunder are often handled as a nightmare match up for the Warriors and they now lost 4 of the last 5 games against them..

Steve Contra · « **Reply #17342 on:** March 04, 2016, 01:52:30 PM »

Quote from: Mandark on February 28, 2016, 02:38:37 PM

Best part is the OKC bench doesn't look surprised at all. Kanter had started shrugging in defeat while the ball was still in the air.

Crazy thing is the Spurs could still beat them, cause they're both all-world teams. The league is super top-heavy this year.

Oh god I wish Etiolate was here now. I want to see him spin the top teams.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17343 on:** March 04, 2016, 10:46:35 PM »

Quote

According to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN.com, veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin has agreed to join the San Antonio Spurs for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

rich get richer

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17344 on:** March 05, 2016, 03:43:03 AM »

Quote from: Fifstar on March 04, 2016, 03:37:26 AM

Thunder are often handled as a nightmare match up for the Warriors and they now lost 4 of the last 5 games against them..

Yeah, I never got the early love for the Thunder. They are just as flawed as the Cavs. Both offenses become very predictable and stagnant down the stretch which becomes a problem against the Warriors or the Spurs.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17345 on:** March 07, 2016, 07:40:36 AM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14917439/shocking-loss-latest-test-record-chasing-golden-state-warriors

Quote

Lost in Lakerland: How do Warriors respond after historic upset?

Even the seemingly unstoppable Warriors are prone to lapses. But now, with the pursuit of 73 wins hitting a speed bump and San Antonio closing in, nothing seems like a given for Golden State.

Quote

LOS ANGELES -- Sunday served as a reminder that there's a thin line between wondrous and perilous for the now 55-6 Golden State Warriors.

Even though their unexpected 112-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers left them still on track to surpass the Chicago Bulls' 72-win season of 1995-96, it left them only 2.5 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs in the pursuit of the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs this season.

Steve Kerr maintains the No. 1 seed is all that matters, that it's pointless to speculate about winning 73 until it's actually within reach. But the 73 talk is out there, awaiting the Warriors everywhere they go -- to the detriment of the team's focus, some in the Warriors organization believe. Yet it's also possible that the goals are one and the same, that securing the top seed could necessitate winning 73 games. That's how good the Spurs and their .855 winning percentage have been this season, with about 1/90th the buzz of the Warriors' season.

Kerr says he believes any lamenting over missing a chance at history would quickly be erased by refocusing on the task at hand of winning a championship. What about missing out on not only the best team of all time but the best team of 2015-16? That would be, as Kerr said, "anti-climactic." And falling behind the Spurs in the standings would probably mean carrying the additional mental weight of losing at least two of their remaining three games against San Antonio.

Quote

"The big thing is how we respond [after the loss]."

Not just big, but necessary, for their shot at history and their quest for the No. 1 seed. The teams in the third and fourth Western Conference spots, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers, spent last week saying that seeds didn't matter and only health and momentum going into the playoffs were important. That could be why they're the third and fourth seeds.

The Warriors believe things like the No. 1 seed are important, and have spent much of the season acting in that manner. The response to their previous loss, a road pounding to the Portland Trail Blazers coming out of the All-Star break, was to win the next five games on their trip, culminating in that memorable overtime victory in Oklahoma City. Their response to the loss before that, against the Detroit Pistons, was to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Spurs by a combined 107 points over the next four games.

"We'll be all right," Curry said after Golden State's defeat.

It sounded more like belief in what his team can do than denial about the way his team had just played. If the Warriors want everything they've openly sought, they'll need to be more than all right.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17346 on:** March 08, 2016, 01:34:14 PM »

Watched the Cavs get beat by the Grizz last night.

Lue is 14-7 since taking over the Cavs. As expected they look functionally the same under him as under Blatt. They still have the same weakness. There was a lot of talk of playing Love at the Elbow and in the post but to my eyes it looks almost exactly the same as under Blatt.

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17347 on:** March 08, 2016, 02:47:49 PM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on March 08, 2016, 01:34:14 PM

Watched the Cavs get beat by the Grizz last night.

Lue is 14-7 since taking over the Cavs. As expected they look functionally the same under him as under Blatt. They still have the same weakness. There was a lot of talk of playing Love at the Elbow and in the post but to my eyes it looks almost exactly the same as under Blatt.

The issue is Kyrie and Lebron. Don't be surprised if he's traded after the season if we don't win a championship.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17348 on:** March 08, 2016, 11:21:20 PM »

I don't think Kyrie Irving is the problem. If I was going to dish blame on anybody it would be Love. But I honestly don't think he is the problem either. The problem is the offense is vanilla as fuck. And that's not one guy's problem.

The offense still isn't as dynamic as the Miami offense and that Miami offense compared to the Spurs offense of years ago was way short. When the 4th quarter hits, every defense knows what every individual play is going to be with them. It's normally just whether Lebron is good enough to win it on particular nights.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17349 on:** March 09, 2016, 12:23:52 AM »

It seems so weird to me that they went all in on Love and still don't really know what to do with him except when they play that one weird lineup where nobody seems to be at their "proper" position and he's nominally the center.

And I think that has more to do with the fact that their offense isn't really designed to play with a center clogging the lane, and he doesn't play like one, instead drifting outside.

ToxicAdam · « **Reply #17350 on:** March 09, 2016, 03:16:16 PM »

I wouldn't read too much into the Cavs performance in the regular season. When their backs are against the wall in the playoffs, Lebron will be the primary ball handler (relegating Kyrie to a shooting guard/slasher) and the offense will click in place. You just can't put that kind of load on Lebron during the regular season.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17351 on:** March 09, 2016, 03:31:06 PM »

Quote from: ToxicAdam on March 09, 2016, 03:16:16 PM

I wouldn't read too much into the Cavs performance in the regular season. When their backs are against the wall in the playoffs, Lebron will be the primary ball handler (relegating Kyrie to a shooting guard/slasher) and the offense will click in place. You just can't put that kind of load on Lebron during the regular season.

I agree that they will most likely easily reach the finals again. Because they have the most talent and when the playoffs roll around Lebron, Kyrie, and Love will all be playing heavy minutes with little worry about burning them out.

The issue is more that since they aren't playing "right" they will run into the same Warriors/Spurs buzzsaw when they reach the finals. It would be easy to feel better about them if they had the same record and were moving the ball around and such. But statistically Love is still playing pretty average for a superstar. And the offense still is what it is.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17352 on:** March 10, 2016, 02:32:53 PM »

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2016/03/10/lebron-james-stephen-curry-criticism/81571382/

Quote

“Yeah, for me personally in my career I’ve done nothing but big-up the guys who paved the way for us,” James told USA TODAY Sports. “I’m respectful to all the guys who paved the way, the greats, guys who were role players, guys who were part of a championship team or was not. I’ve always been respectful, so it does kind of suck when you’ve got guys who played before us and paved the way for us (and) …they like to talk down on a lot of our players, saying, ‘Well if they played in our era it wouldn’t be the same.’”

James, who is widely known to have the memory of an elephant, instantly recalled a time in 2013 when he was the subject of such silliness.

“I heard Dennis Rodman say if I played in their era I’d just be an average player – yeah, about me, that I’d be just an average player,” James said. “And they say the same things about Steph, ‘If Steph played in our era, then we’d be more physical with him and we’d go at him.’ And it sucks because we’re just trying to carry the torch for the next group to come behind us.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17353 on:** March 10, 2016, 11:34:16 PM »

Watching Lakers versus Cavs. Couple of observations.

Channing frye is more aggressive on offense and just letting it go than Kevin Love is.

Julius Randle is gonna be something special in 2 or 3 years.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17354 on:** March 16, 2016, 09:36:15 AM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14929620/kwame-brown-decided-go-pro

Nice read.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17355 on:** March 16, 2016, 02:05:03 PM »

Had read the basics of that Kwame story before in a piece. But will have to check out that book anyway. One of the more interesting things to me about the high school "boom" period was that the last two drafts with them produced way more career players than clear busts. (2004: Dwight Howard, Shaun Livingston, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Dorell Wright and 2005: Martell Webster, Andrew Bynum, Gerald Green, C.J. Miles, Monta Ellis, Louis Williams, Andray Blatche, Amir Johnson vs. Robert Swift and Sebastian Telfair)

Favorite part of that article though is the opening:

Quote

In 1995, the Washington Bullets had the opportunity to select Kevin Garnett with the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft. They bypassed the stringy teenager, largely because the team's owner, Abe Pollin, did not want to draft a high school player out of principle.

Instead they drafted a 20 year old Sheed.

Fifstar · « **Reply #17356 on:** March 17, 2016, 04:37:57 AM »

How did Leonard become such a good 3 point Shooter?

He averaged 37% for his first 4 seasons and now he is suddenly shooting 46%? And he takes a decent volume as well. What kind of 3's does he take, mostly spot up or creatings shots for himself? The improvement is insane in each case though.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17357 on:** March 18, 2016, 02:34:42 AM »

Quote from: Fifstar on March 17, 2016, 04:37:57 AM

How did Leonard become such a good 3 point Shooter?

He averaged 37% for his first 4 seasons and now he is suddenly shooting 46%? And he takes a decent volume as well. What kind of 3's does he take, mostly spot up or creatings shots for himself? The improvement is insane in each case though.

The addition of veteran leadership, specifically David West, has taken Leonard's game to the next level.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17358 on:** March 18, 2016, 02:53:42 AM »

Tim Duncan showing off that all-time defense:

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17359 on:** March 18, 2016, 04:22:30 PM »

Saturday night. Warriors versus Spurs.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17360 on:** March 19, 2016, 09:31:16 PM »

Very defensive game so far. But you have to be impressed with how the spurs are handling the warriors at the moment. So active on defense. Smart switching on D.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17361 on:** March 19, 2016, 09:31:50 PM »

dat dunk

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17362 on:** March 19, 2016, 09:39:47 PM »

As well as the Spurs have shut down the Warriors. Only up by 6.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17363 on:** March 19, 2016, 10:54:30 PM »

Spurs gonna take it. These teams still have to play each other two more times down the stretch although I'm pretty sure they'll be in resting mode by that point.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17364 on:** March 20, 2016, 08:22:50 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15026564/new-orleans-pelicans-shut-anthony-davis-rest-season

http://gfycat.com/QuarterlyCloudyIguanodon

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17365 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:11:40 AM »

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/03/21/craig-sager-leukemia-update-not-in-remission

Unfortunate. I was never especially a fan of sager's reporting but he seems like a decent human being and that's gotta be tough for anyone.

On an unrelated sidenote Russell Westbrook has 15 triple doubles this season which would be the most in a year since the 1989 season when Olajuwon had 17 and Stockton had 15.

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17366 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:45:06 AM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on March 23, 2016, 08:11:40 AM

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/03/21/craig-sager-leukemia-update-not-in-remission

Unfortunate. I was never especially a fan of sager's reporting but he seems like a decent human being and that's gotta be tough for anyone.

On an unrelated sidenote Russell Westbrook has 15 triple doubles this season which would be the most in a year since the 1989 season when Olajuwon had 17 and Stockton had 15.

Sager and Pop's interactions were some of the best things in basketball.

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17367 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:45:42 AM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on March 23, 2016, 08:11:40 AM

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/03/21/craig-sager-leukemia-update-not-in-remission

Unfortunate. I was never especially a fan of sager's reporting but he seems like a decent human being and that's gotta be tough for anyone.

On an unrelated sidenote Russell Westbrook has 15 triple doubles this season which would be the most in a year since the 1989 season when Olajuwon had 17 and Stockton had 15.

Westbrook is such a hollow player. Stats are great, but they won't win shit.....just like his BFF Harden.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17368 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:48:29 AM »

The vast majority of great players in any team sport won't win rings or titles or championships. It is what it is. A team wins. Some players are in that situation and some aren't. Nothing exists in a vacuum of discussion. But I've never been a believer in the only thing that matters is rings mentality.

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17369 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:50:12 AM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on March 23, 2016, 08:48:29 AM

The vast majority of great players in any team sport won't win rings or titles or championships. It is what it is. A team wins. Some players are in that situation and some aren't. Nothing exists in a vacuum of discussion. But I've never been a believer in the only thing that matters is rings mentality.

So the entire goal of the fucking sport isn't important to you? No wonder you're a libertarian.

You're on of those idiotic Marino was better than Brady stans, aren't you?

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17370 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:51:02 AM »

I don't really understand that post in whatever its meant to convey but just to end the conversation, I'll say sure.

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17371 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:52:28 AM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on March 23, 2016, 08:51:02 AM

I don't really understand that post in whatever its meant to convey but just to end the conversation, I'll say sure.

The sport is played to win.

If player A is a "superstar" and does not win shit (See Wilkens, Dominique) he will never be remembered as fondly as player B's (See Pippen, Scottie or McHale, Kevin) who were second bananas on title teams.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17372 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:55:09 AM »

I'm the dumbass forum affirmative action libertarian quota with heterodox basketball views you goof, not Stoney.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17373 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:56:52 AM »

Who is remembered "fondly" has nothing to do with actually analyzing anything on a significant level. You are entitled of course to believe that is the only factor. It's not the sole determination or evaluation of what made a player great, or unique, or culturally relevant or whatever. But that is what discussion is about. I disagree with you. Often. I'm sure same goes the other way. We are free to do that without it turning into a "winner" conversation.

You view these discussions as battles with winners and losers. I don't. The discussion is the interesting part to me.

Stats by themselves (especially traditional stats) are not the sole way to evaluate a player. I would never say that. But neither are rings. These are just pieces of evidence to have a nice discussion on.

Mandark · « **Reply #17374 on:** March 23, 2016, 04:10:03 PM »

If we're talking about Westbrook's triple doubles and "empty stats" it's worth noting that OKC is 15-0 in games where he has a triple double this year.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17375 on:** March 24, 2016, 03:01:26 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15058773/nba-russell-westbrook-triple-doubles-come-hard-work-boards

Lebron had a nice reverse dunk last night.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17376 on:** March 25, 2016, 02:09:52 PM »

Another silly loss from the Cavs last night to a crap team. Hard to tell sometimes if it's legit worrying or if its just a team coasting waiting for the playoffs.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17377 on:** March 29, 2016, 12:43:41 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15087119/the-cavaliers-trying-figure-are

Quote

In practice, the LeBron-Love collaboration has been stilted -- a twist that explains a lot of why the Cavs are so hard to pin down, even when standing as huge favorites to make a repeat Finals appearance. Sleuthing for the origin of the disconnect takes you down lots of dark corridors, but that pick-and-roll partnership is a good place to start. It never really took off, mostly because defenses just switch.

"It sounded good to a lot of people," Jim Boylan, a Cavs assistant, told ESPN.com, "but it's something we haven't been able to take advantage of. It's easy for teams to scheme against. They switch and we're stuck with an isolation."

"It hasn't produced the sort of pick-and-pops that you would think," Tyronn Lue, Cleveland's head coach, told ESPN.com, "because teams switch it."

Quote

The Warriors' three stars lift the team, and themselves, to higher places. Cleveland's stars are stuck battling between how they used to play and how they should play, now that they are together. "There is only one ball," Lue said, "and all three of LeBron, Kevin and Kyrie [Irving] need the ball in their hands. It is tough at times. It causes us to get stagnant."

Quote

Opponents have hit 64 percent of their shots in the restricted area since Lue took over, the fifth-worst mark in the league and a massive drop-off from Cleveland's stingy mark under Blatt, per NBA.com.

Quote

In the half court, the fundamental truth about the Cavs becomes clear: They have flanked LeBron with two offense-only guys who need the ball to maximize their value, but they won't get it enough to do that as long as they are flanking LeBron. Both look the part of perfect second bananas. Irving can run the show if LeBron needs a breather and zip into the defense after LeBron kicks him the ball.

As usual a Lowe article worth reading.

Rman · « **Reply #17378 on:** March 29, 2016, 12:48:43 PM »

The Blatt firing looking sillier than ever.

LeGM has no idea what he's doing.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #17379 on:** March 29, 2016, 01:20:47 PM »

Quote from: Rman on March 29, 2016, 12:48:43 PM

The Blatt firing looking sillier than ever.

LeGM has no idea what he's doing.

Pretty much. Lebron needs someone like Riley so he can focus purely on balling.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17380 on:** March 29, 2016, 04:23:36 PM »

He needs Derek Fisher.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17381 on:** March 29, 2016, 05:02:53 PM »

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/03/29/chris-paul-team-usa-2016-rio-olympics-roster-clippers

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17382 on:** March 30, 2016, 02:44:47 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15095276/dangelo-russell-center-los-angeles-lakers-rift-video-took-nick-young-made-public

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17383 on:** March 30, 2016, 10:14:17 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15100584/dangelo-russell-los-angeles-lakers-apologizes-recording-nick-young-conversation

Am_I_Anonymous · « **Reply #17384 on:** March 31, 2016, 10:41:46 AM »

You can argue the morals of Nick until you turn blue but I assure you if somebody did that shit in an NFL locker room they would get torn apart physically. I'm not sure he's ever going to have NBA "friends" ever again. It was a childish thing to do and he is a child....but man you gotta know when you get past trading a hoe's phone number for another (and yeah that happens) and start attacking his relationship with his fiancé you fucked up.

Also swaggy is going to get traded, book it.

Damn shame because he's going to have a good, but lonely, career.

And yes I know Kobe did the same thing to shaq, but he ain't Kobe. He wants friends and Kobe never cared.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17385 on:** March 31, 2016, 11:05:44 AM »

Kobe also did that before social media, plus the bigger story was the rape so it got overshadowed. There is nothing to distract from D'Informant Russel's fuckery here. Obviously Nick Young is trash for cheating on his fiancé. But Russell had no right to record a personal conversation and air it out publicly. Like I can't even fathom his reasoning for this. It doesn't make sense on any level. Based on what I've read his maturity has been questioned multiple times this season but my god, even 14 year olds know better than this.

I've snitched on a friend before, although it was a special/drastic circumstance. This is different, there is no excuse.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #17386 on:** March 31, 2016, 11:12:35 AM »

Maybe he's just trying to save Nick from marrying some trash rapper?

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17387 on:** March 31, 2016, 11:37:26 AM »

Nick Young is Kendrick Lamar's cousin btw. A marriage would mean the greatest rapper of our time is related to the worst rapper of our time.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17388 on:** March 31, 2016, 07:07:14 PM »

T234 · « **Reply #17389 on:** March 31, 2016, 10:00:49 PM »

Quote from: Am_I_Anonymous on March 31, 2016, 10:41:46 AM

You can argue the morals of Nick until you turn blue but I assure you if somebody did that shit in an NFL locker room they would get torn apart physically. I'm not sure he's ever going to have NBA "friends" ever again. It was a childish thing to do and he is a child....but man you gotta know when you get past trading a hoe's phone number for another (and yeah that happens) and start attacking his relationship with his fiancé you fucked up.

Also swaggy is going to get traded, book it.

Damn shame because he's going to have a good, but lonely, career.

And yes I know Kobe did the same thing to shaq, but he ain't Kobe. He wants friends and Kobe never cared.

Yeah, you make tapes on a coworker at my job, they send a man who has killed more men than malaria to deal with you.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17390 on:** April 01, 2016, 02:01:39 PM »

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/magazine/what-happened-when-venture-capitalists-took-over-the-golden-state-warriors.html?_r=0

Mandark · « **Reply #17391 on:** April 01, 2016, 04:44:46 PM »

Quote from: Stoney Mason on April 01, 2016, 02:01:39 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/magazine/what-happened-when-venture-capitalists-took-over-the-golden-state-warriors.html?_r=0

Team owner trying to grab as much credit as he can away from Steph Curry for turning the franchise around.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17392 on:** April 01, 2016, 05:44:10 PM »

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15062110/warriors-discovered-cheat-code-basketball-nba-finals

Lots of Warriors articles today.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17393 on:** April 01, 2016, 06:08:59 PM »

Most of Lacob's best actions were being not-Cohan probably. Not running a dysfunctional front office helps NBA teams quite a bit from what I can tell.

Credit for being willing to run with how the team has evolved, ditching Jackson despite having improved the team, shelling out for Iguodala/Green/etc. and so on. Not caring too much about the tax.

Mandark · « **Reply #17394 on:** April 01, 2016, 06:25:22 PM »

From all accounts, ownership and management seem to be doing a fine job there.

But dude's giving out quotes like "We’re light-years ahead of probably every other team in structure, in planning, in how we’re going to go about things." You got the league MVP making the 65th highest salary in the league, and your team gets outscored when he's not on the floor. Let's have some perspective.

benjipwns · « **Reply #17395 on:** April 01, 2016, 06:32:17 PM »

Getting the league MVP at 65th highest salary sounds like a light-years ahead move to me.

Maybe Cleveland and Oklahoma City should do that instead of getting non-leadership who lets players chase meaningless individual stats over wins.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #17396 on:** April 02, 2016, 01:05:55 AM »

lol. Had to happen after all the articles today. Celts beat Warriors at Home. Snaps 54 game home win streak for the Warriors.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #17397 on:** April 02, 2016, 01:14:28 AM »

Barnes should have passed to Curry lol

El Babua · « **Reply #17398 on:** April 02, 2016, 04:16:23 AM »

Celtics and Pistons are gonna be scary af in a season or two.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #17399 on:** April 04, 2016, 03:30:33 PM »

http://deadspin.com/steph-curry-is-some-kind-of-jedi-or-wizard-or-some-shit-1768872906

News:

Author Topic: The NBA thread (Read 1519577 times)