The NBA thread

[Stoney Mason]

https://streamable.com/ys03p

[benjipwns]

He's right, they didn't hold them to 94 points!

I've always found Chuck's "broader" takes better than his more specific ones. He admits he doesn't really watch the games, Kenny's really always been the one who takes it seriously. Chuck's still better than Shaq usually.

Chris Webber was still one of their better guys they had on, always hate that they let him go for Shaq even if that's an obvious move. "Players Only" on Tuesdays on NBA TV is kinda entertaining even if Greg Anthony is terrible, Webber's a good host especially when they do the segments with Isiah, McHale and Steve Smith because a bit of his 80s fanboyism comes out and it'll start to bring Smith out of his shell. Apparently that's going to move over to TNT starting in January. Worst part of it is arguably whenever they say something they recorded for 2K and I get triggered.

Also I like the weird part where they're all in the same studio even while calling the game, but Dennis Scott is sent to all the game locations to report from the sidelines. Like nobody wants him there.

[etiolate]

CWebb is good, but sometimes his color commentary screams "I got lit before this game".

[jakefromstatefarm]

Players only is rad. Just having a couple dudes shooting the bull watching the game not trying to detail everything happening in front of them on the court and not afraid to to call a player trash makes it a million times better than any normal broadcast crew sans Walton. I’m worried it’ll turn more conventional as the season progresses

[benjipwns]

My second favorite running subplot is when Greg Anthony starts talking like he was an all-star or anything beyond a backup on a contender, and everybody else kinda tunes him out. Webber totally asked Isiah to talk about the same topic Anthony just finished rambling about a couple weeks ago as if Anthony never happened.

Other cool thing is seeing Isiah actually get into it and involve everybody like a point guard, he was so bad the first time he did the broadcasting rounds years ago inbetween bankrupting the CBA/coaching/GM/coaching stints but now he'll pull McHale or Webber or Smitty into his answer or whatever to enrich it. Or get a whole conversation going beyond just the original question/topic.

Speaking of "players only shows" (?) though I only catch it on YouTube, and even if Snoop showed up and seemed like he wasn't high but 75 years old, KG's improved on Area 21. I think the extended 2008 Celtics reunion episode really helped him with that as he's asking better questions, letting people talk and doing less shoutouts about every single person he names or getting distracted by random things. Candace Parker was on that Snoop episode and KG kinda caught her off guard by actually asking her specifically about the WNBA, especially how they're doing the playoffs now (seeding teams regardless of conference, starting with single elimination first rounds, reseeding after each round) and what she thought about that keeping rivalries for the biggest games of the season and he seemed legitimately interested though she clearly didn't expect to be asked such a question with Snoop sitting next to her lol. I still want Sheed to be his permanent cohost and always dressed like a bum though.

[etiolate]

JWill would not come out of his shell when KG had him on.

A three headed monster of KG, Payton and Sheed would be nice.

[etiolate]

The Clippers are 1-9 in their last 10.

Team most likely to get blown up.

[etiolate]

https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/932822887022714882

[benjipwns]

This is pretty good:


But it's not The King:

[benjipwns]

http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/21475314/golden-state-warriors-cleveland-cavaliers-houston-rockets-officially-enter-league-legends-championship-series

Three NBA franchises will be taking their talents from the hardwood to the virtual world of League of Legends this January, confirming earlier reports by ESPN. Riot Games announced Monday the 10 franchises to compete in the upcoming 2018 North American League Championship Series, including the three teams backed by some of the biggest names in basketball: the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

[etiolate]

Milsap out a likely three months for wrist surgery. Clippers look like they're setting up to implode and cash out their roster.

[Stoney Mason]

I know Lonzo is a rookie playing on a bad team. And in 5 years none of this may matter. But his offense is just

 

[bluemax]

The Clippers are 1-9 in their last 10.

Team most likely to get blown up.

They've been playing without their starting guards for most of that stretch, I think Beverly just got back but Teodosic is still out awhile. Galinari was probably hurt and I forgot about it as well.

[team filler]

http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/21475314/golden-state-warriors-cleveland-cavaliers-houston-rockets-officially-enter-league-legends-championship-series

Three NBA franchises will be taking their talents from the hardwood to the virtual world of League of Legends this January, confirming earlier reports by ESPN. Riot Games announced Monday the 10 franchises to compete in the upcoming 2018 North American League Championship Series, including the three teams backed by some of the biggest names in basketball: the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

[benjipwns]

Gallinari has been out since the start of November and won't be back until December. He has a strained buttocks. "Really."

Until Beverly came back they were starting something called a Sindarius Thornwell and relying on Griffin to be their primary play initiator with Rivers as backup until Lou Williams comes in the game. It's tanked Griffin's shooting.

It's actually amazing how good their offense still ranks considering Rivers is a complete disaster, Wesley Johnson is Wesley Johnson, and their gaggle of young guys they were hoping could shoot some have been even worse.

It kinda makes the Jordan/Reed offensive productions lack of drop off from last season remarkable. Since a lot of people just assumed Paul was driving much of that for Jordan. Reed's just building off the step he took last season in Miami of cutting out everything except shots he can make and then going nuts with it. Tyson Chandler being one of the great all-time examples after he got away from Chicago who kept trying to make him a sometimes small forward.

[etiolate]

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/933375558624391168


edit: ESPN now saying he's out for the season.

[bluemax]

Yeah I saw the Beverly stuff this morning and said, "so much for that post I made last night."

They finally won tonight, but this feels like a team that's going to get blown up.

[Stoney Mason]

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21540075/derrick-rose-away-cleveland-cavaliers-evaluating-future-nba

Unfortunate career.

[ToxicAdam]

That's the unspoken thing about leg injuries. You compensate for them and put undue stress on other parts of your body and they wear out faster than they normally would.

I'll guarantee Rose will have to have hip surgeries later in his life.

[etiolate]

Last Night

Gasol's reaction after being benched in the 4th: "At the end of the day, I'm as competitive as anybody. I hate not playing, that's what I value most. If I'm not on the floor, that means I'm not valued. I'm sure they knew that would hurt me the most..I'm sure they wouldn't do it to Mike."

And Today

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/935257787717836801

[Stoney Mason]

As bad as the cavs looked early in the season, they look good now. Lebron is having another killer season in year 15. Leading league in per.

Wade seems comfortable now in leading the second unit. Defense effort seems increased.

And all with a lot of guys still hurt.

[bluemax]

Clippers are super done now:

https://twitter.com/Rachel__Nichols/status/935393588749332481

NSFL

[Syph]

wow
what a year for injuries in sports

[etiolate]

Expected two months at least for Blake.

Ausitn Rivers tank commander.

Good news is that we'll finally see some new teams in the Western Playoffs.

[Stoney Mason]

Unfortunate for Blake but probably good for the clips. They were only delaying the inevitable rebuild.

[benjipwns]

This was a post-career meltdown I didn't see coming:

Former NBA star Ben Gordon was arrested Saturday in Los Angeles on a felony robbery charge, the latest in a recent string of troubling incidents.

Gordon, 34, was accused of punching the manager of a downtown apartment complex where he is renting, pulling a knife on the man and taking money that Gordon said was his security deposit.

He spent the weekend in jail and was released on $50,000 bail early Tuesday.

On Nov. 20, Gordon was arrested in Manhattan for driving with a forged license plate. He was given a ticket and a court date to settle that matter.

In late October, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after an incident with a woman in a store he owns in Mount Vernon, New York. Police summoned by the woman found Gordon locked in the bathroom of the store. The woman told police that they had gotten into an argument and he had become physical, throwing and destroying things and then locking her in the store. The store, Of Our Own, is a center for sports rehabilitation and recovery.

In June, Gordon was arrested in Los Angeles for pulling fire alarms at his apartment building when there was no indication of a fire.

[benjipwns]

Call it the Marcus Smart paradox.

The Boston Celtics' backup guard is among the NBA's worst shooters this season -- connecting on just 31.2 percent of shots overall -- and yet the team's offense is decidedly better when he's on the floor. The more shots that Smart misses in a game, the more Boston's win probability seems to grow.

Consider this: When Smart shoots 30 percent or worse from the field in a game this season, the Celtics are 11-0. When he shoots better than 30 percent, Boston is a mere 5-4.

While more pronounced this season, this does not appear to be happenstance. Smart's career winning percentage in games he shoots sub-30 percent is .641. That winning percentage drops to .598 in games he shoots better than 30 percent.

[bluemax]

Call it the Marcus Smart paradox.

The Boston Celtics' backup guard is among the NBA's worst shooters this season -- connecting on just 31.2 percent of shots overall -- and yet the team's offense is decidedly better when he's on the floor. The more shots that Smart misses in a game, the more Boston's win probability seems to grow.

Consider this: When Smart shoots 30 percent or worse from the field in a game this season, the Celtics are 11-0. When he shoots better than 30 percent, Boston is a mere 5-4.

While more pronounced this season, this does not appear to be happenstance. Smart's career winning percentage in games he shoots sub-30 percent is .641. That winning percentage drops to .598 in games he shoots better than 30 percent.

Someone needs to get LaVar Ball some of that.

[etiolate]

https://twitter.com/DarnellMayberry/status/936028103138271233

rip russ

[Stoney Mason]

I need to start watching some of their games. Curious as to why they are struggling like they are.

I thought they got so many steals in the off-season, they were going to be legit.

[Stoney Mason]

https://streamable.com/umcia

 

[etiolate]

I need to start watching some of their games. Curious as to why they are struggling like they are.

I thought they got so many steals in the off-season, they were going to be legit.

They don't have an offensive system is best I can tell.

[Stoney Mason]

tough loss for Lakers. Ingram was balling.

[team filler]

no dacos

[Stoney Mason]

Forgot to mention last night that Lonzo needs to change that jumpshot. It's ridiculous.

It takes forever.

[Nola]

Call it the Marcus Smart paradox.

The Boston Celtics' backup guard is among the NBA's worst shooters this season -- connecting on just 31.2 percent of shots overall -- and yet the team's offense is decidedly better when he's on the floor. The more shots that Smart misses in a game, the more Boston's win probability seems to grow.

Consider this: When Smart shoots 30 percent or worse from the field in a game this season, the Celtics are 11-0. When he shoots better than 30 percent, Boston is a mere 5-4.

While more pronounced this season, this does not appear to be happenstance. Smart's career winning percentage in games he shoots sub-30 percent is .641. That winning percentage drops to .598 in games he shoots better than 30 percent.

I wonder if it is one of those things where Smart feels the confidence to take more shots(and bad shots at that) when Boston is winning games? Like when you put in scrubs that are taking ridiculous circus shots because they are up 15 points in the last few minutes of a game.

[Syph]

very entertaining game
unlucky for lakers they couldn't hit that last shot in regulation, and that beside the missed free throw, the warriors shot 100% in OT lol
chef curry

on another note, apparently lavar ball sent trump some shoes in an effort to bury the hatchet haha
 

[benjipwns]

I need to start watching some of their games. Curious as to why they are struggling like they are.

I thought they got so many steals in the off-season, they were going to be legit.

Their expected record is inverse of their actual one: 12-8. (We'd expect a team that wins by their average to hit 50 wins over a full season.)

They're winning by their defense though, in part because despite the odd looking lineups from an offensive perspective they can basically always switch defensively, they're 3rd in the league. 21st on offense.

The Big Three's ORtgs are kinda nuts considering everything we assume about usage and efficiency:
Westbrook: 103 (2016-17: 112, Career: 109)
Carmelo: 106 (2016-17: 108, Career: 108)
George: 106 (2016-17: 109, Career: 106)

Alex Abrines, Patrick Patterson and Josh Huestis have done a lot of damage too, 103, 98 and 78 ORtgs, and even though they only play 10-15 minutes a game, with the Big Three also league average or worse and the fact that Andre Roberson can't really shoot outside of three feet, that really kills them. They look like they have spacing problems like the Nets did when they assembled a team full of guys who all shot from the same areas. Melo's never been a three point bomber and George isn't being able to get to the line as much without the ball. Westbrook's oddly tanked to 72% at the line. George is also down to 81%.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The obvious comparison is Miami's first year, but that team won 58 games (expected: 61-21) and ripped through the East to the Finals with a 3rd ranked offense.
LeBron: 116 (2009-10: 121, Career to that point: 114)
Wade: 114 (2009-10: 113, Career to that point: 111)
Bosh: 115 (2009-10: 117, Career to that point: 113)

[close]

[shosta]

Get FUCKED Vivek, Pelicans are 8th and Boogie will probably go to playoffs this year while the Kings sit pretty second to bottom. Sweet fucking justice.

[etiolate]

Pels have lost 3 in a row. They need to get back on track. They were playing really well when Rondo came back. Jameer and Miller were just enough bench production for them. Defense has fallen off lately though.

[shosta]

We'll see how they do against the Trail Blazers tomorrow.

[etiolate]

Depends on if Davis plays. A part of them losing is that AD hasn't finished the past two games. Got ejected vs the TWolves and hurt vs Jazz.

Though Cousins has put up huge numbers against the Blazers in the past.

[Stoney Mason]

[benjipwns]

Korver's number is pretty impressive too considering how many years he came off the bench playing only like 20 mpg. Basically everyone else on the list was a starter for ten years plus and played 40+ mpg in many seasons.

Korver, Curry and J.R. Smith are the only guys in the top 15 under 30,000 minutes. Korver, Curry, Billups, Smith, Dirk and Rashard Lewis are the only guys under 5000 attempts. Curry is the only one under 4700 attempts.

Korver and Curry are the only ones over 40% too. Ray Allen is at exactly 40%.

James Harden will probably get into that top ten soon at his pace the last couple years. Klay Thompson might have an outside shot at surpassing everyone if he stays healthy and keeps up his pace and accuracy and plays until he's 40 like the top three did. Assuming Curry and Harden don't do the same obviously.

[benjipwns]

The history of the three pointer has always had a fascination to me. When you consider that guys like West, Barry, and Maravich all regularly shot from out there but didn't have the line. And even after it was introduced nobody used it really, not even great three point shooters (winning the contest and all) we think of like Bird who rarely averaged even an attempt a game, until they moved the line in and then everyone started jacking em and made just enough to keep jacking em like Barkley and at the same time Glen Rice made himself into a superstar from it alone, Dennis Scott set all kinds of records, then the line moved back out and it quieted down for a little while but every good team by 2002 or so seemed to have at least one good scoring bomber to space the floor. 3 and D guys started to proliferate as an archetype, etc.

Yet it still had this stigma attached to it where pundits were siding with Phil when he was taking shots at the Warriors their first year under Kerr. Now every other major big seems to have at least a passable shot from out there. Even guys who didn't have one for their first six years in the league. Serge Ibaka's made this hilarious transformation from like a younger Horace Grant type into putting up numbers that look like they belong to a small forward. 44% of his attempts this year have come from three point land. He took six total in his first three seasons. The weirdest part is how it seems to have taken half his shot blocking away too which makes no sense. That started in OKC too, though the three point jacking really took off in Toronto.

Each of the last five seasons Curry has made more three pointers than anyone even attempted in a season until 1988.

[benjipwns]

Wizards announced their G-League team:
https://twitter.com/CapitalCityGoGo/status/936757373917679617

[Stoney Mason]

Wizards announced their G-League team:

That's actually baller as fuck.

Long Live Trouble Funk!

 

[Stoney Mason]

3 point stuff

I often try to explain/argue to my brother why the 3 pointer is important in today's game and the effect it has on spacing and what is considered a good shot and such but he is so old school, he can't really understand it, (or is unwilling to)

The Phil Jackson's and the Barkley types can't seem to understand that the game currently is not the same game they played. That doesn't take away from what they did. The game has just evolved into a different form because of the rule changes.

[shosta]

I guess Anthony Davis is out tonight. Bummer. I'm still gonna watch for Cousins but I don't expect them to win tonight.

I really hope the injury isn't too bad and he doesn't miss too many more games.

[team filler]

nugs retiring fat lever's jersey tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-nerlens-noel-hot-dog-media-room-halftime-mavericks-clippers/5axasptdtfdo1fwvrvb8eleyg

[etiolate]

Cousins destroying Blazers early on.

[shosta]

https://twitter.com/extramsg/status/937184168093483008

[benjipwns]

Nets get: Center Jahlil Okafor, guard Nik Stauskas, the Knicks' 2019 second-round pick

76ers get: Forward Trevor Booker

[TakingBackSunday]

Lebron is low key having his best year ever.

[etiolate]

One of his most effecient. He gets 30 points on less than 15 shots.

[Stoney Mason]

https://streamable.com/t5m10

[Syph]

https://streamable.com/t5m10

beat me to it
BBB taking no losses 

[Stoney Mason]

Pacers are legit.

They ended the cavs streak tonight. 2nd time in a row they've beat the cavs.

Oladipo has a higher PER than Westbrook. He has been a revelation this season.