NBA 2016-17

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:23 pm

Ok. That Nike ad was pretty damn good.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:52 pm

Lebron clearly gonna average a triple double this year. Yawn.

Here's the nike ad.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:01 pm

I guess i better get on record, but I am not convinced GSW is better off with durant. Seems like a weird fit. The thing about lebron going to miami for a super team is lebron does everything. Durant replicates what a lot of GSW already does(but obviously is better than harrison barnes - but barnes wasn't gonna get pissed if curry took his shots). I could be historically wrong of course, but i am skeptical.

I think teams figure it out.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:09 pm

I clicked on a Ringer article today because it was about Lebron (i am so predictable) and about ten sentences in i was like, this sounds like Bill Simmons. It was. Say what you want, but for a guy who hasn't written shit in 9 months, he clearly has a style for me to notice that quickly. Especially considering he hires people he wants to sound like him.

Style matters. I'm not saying he is Grantland Rice (intended) but he's clearly a voice of this generation.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 7:43 am

The super-team got off to an amazing start last night. Spurs are loaded...

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 7:57 am

A_B wrote:I guess i better get on record, but I am not convinced GSW is better off with durant. Seems like a weird fit. The thing about lebron going to miami for a super team is lebron does everything. Durant replicates what a lot of GSW already does(but obviously is better than harrison barnes - but barnes wasn't gonna get pissed if curry took his shots). I could be historically wrong of course, but i am skeptical.

I think teams figure it out.

Even before last night, I was convinced the Warriors were going to see a significant drop off (10+) in regular season wins. Durant is a huge upgrade over Barnes, but the issue they'll have is a lack of depth. Last year they routinely went 9 (or more) deep. But I'm not sure they have more than 6 above average players this year (the Big 4, Iguodala and Livingston). If Livingston or Iguodala starts to slow down due to age, then they could be super thin.

However, I think they'll be fine in the playoffs, assuming they stay healthy, because teams typically shorten up their rotations and play stars extended minutes for those games. The Cavs basically played only 7 guys in the key Finals games: the starters, Jefferson and Shumpert. (Dellavedova and Frye were dropped from the rotation altogether once it was clear they couldn't contribute anything.) And Shumpert didn't do much, so they really won the title with more or less a 6-man team.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:19 am

I agree that the Warriors won't make a run at 70+ wins again this year. And I'd have said that yesterday before they got blown out.

First off, after losing in the finals, The Greatest Team Ever can't be their same confident selves again. Last year, they KNEW they were the best team every night. Defending champions and all that. They can't feel the same way this year.

Second, all of that pushing for the regular season record last year resulted in no championship. That has to affect their attitude toward the incredibly long regular season this year. Why try to kill yourself over 82 games if that doesn't properly prepare you to win the title? No, I think they'll marshal their resources a bit more this season and pace themselves.

Post by **brian** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:39 pm

Hot take: Not sure there's any teams out there ripe for re-location. But Jim Murren is not one of those CEOs to spout off nonsense. He's a pretty reasonable, centered guy so I don't doubt they're looking into it. Also, Adam Silver has been upfront about being fine with gambling so other than the normal issues with relocation, I don't think that would be an impediment.

(Note: MGM owns most of the arena on the Strip the _______ Knights are playing at. I'm sure they're looking at this as an opportunity to schedule another 50 events a year at it and have it running at capacity basically year-round.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:52 pm

Yeah, I don't even know who's ripe for moving. Sacramento and Milwaukee are building new arenas, correct?

Post by **brian** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:57 pm

Giff wrote:Yeah, I don't even know who's ripe for moving. Sacramento and Milwaukee are building new arenas, correct?

Right. Sacramento before the new arena would have been the logical first option.

Not sure how well New Orleans is doing financially and their arena is old as hell and I don't know how much money NO and La. have to build a new one.

NBA wouldn't want to move out of any major markets unless there was some kind of quid pro quo on expansion so there's only a handful of possibilities to start with. I think what would make the most sense would be to just expand to Seattle and Las Vegas but don't know how serious an option that is for the NBA (expansion).

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 7:12 pm

10:00 left in the 2nd qtr and BOS-BRK have taken 22 threes

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 9:41 pm

Anthony Davis like whoa

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:40 pm

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Thu Oct 27, 2016 1:13 pm

The Grizzlies shoot 3s now. Fun development.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Fri Oct 28, 2016 1:23 pm

A_B wrote:I guess i better get on record, but I am not convinced GSW is better off with durant. Seems like a weird fit. The thing about lebron going to miami for a super team is lebron does everything. Durant replicates what a lot of GSW already does(but obviously is better than harrison barnes - but barnes wasn't gonna get pissed if curry took his shots). I could be historically wrong of course, but i am skeptical.

I think teams figure it out.

I didn't see their first game, and San Antonio is a super team, and it is October. But I think the Warriors will be challenged to be as good as they were last year. That was an amazing team. Absent a kick here and an ankle there, they were the champions over a great Cavs team.

Durant is an astonishing player. Arguably as good as LeBron and Curry. But he largely does what they already have guys doing. And now they have fewer strong role players, and age is creeping up on the ones they have (Iguadola, West, Livingston). A big part of their season rides on whether any of their big men develop to be even close to as good as the departing cast in terms of team defense, offensive rebounding, and smart secondary offensive skills (e.g., screens). Maybe they'll trade for Bogut or Chandler at mid-season.

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 7:38 am

tennbengal wrote:The Grizzlies shoot 3s now. Fun development.

Selfish bump, because, as a fan, this is such a fun turn of events. 15 of 30 last night for the team, including the game-tying 3 from Gasol, and then he hits two more in OT. Had 4 last night, and is now 6 for 13 on the year.

Watching their offense join the 21st century is so amazing. Used to be if they got behind 10, game was over. Not anymore.

Their new coach, David Fizdale, is the anti-Marvin Lewis. Rooting for a team with a smart coach is a weird experience.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 9:47 am

Greivis Vasquez was release by the Nets yesterday. So here is my question. Who would have thought that between Vasquez, Juan Dixon, and Steve Blake, that Blake would have had the best NBA career (16 years and is actually playing this year in Australia).

Post by **Shirley** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 11:54 am

I would have bet on Joe smith and Steve Francis above any of those guys. I guess Francis had the highest peak, but Blake has outlasted all of them.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 12:23 pm

Shirley wrote:I would have bet on Joe smith and Steve Francis above any of those guys. I guess Francis had the highest peak, but Blake has outlasted all of them.

I went down the rabbit hole. Chris Wilcox had a much longer NBA career than I thought and Terrance Morris (case #1 for going pro when you have the chance) seemed to have a decent Euro Career.

blundercrush · Post by **blundercrush** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:04 pm

In terms of "least surprising things about Ray Allen" he really likes to exercise. Really good article.

edit welp I am too stupid to link a URL in the swamp.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /93561418/

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:24 pm

James Harden's good.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:41 am

wlu_lax6 wrote:
Shirley wrote:I would have bet on Joe smith and Steve Francis above any of those guys. I guess Francis had the highest peak, but Blake has outlasted all of them.
I went down the rabbit hole. Chris Wilcox had a much longer NBA career than I thought and Terrance Morris (case #1 for going pro when you have the chance) seemed to have a decent Euro Career.

Oh I am not coming out of the vortex of Terps in the NBA because Jake Layman is lining up to be the greatest NBA Scorer of all-time .
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc- ... two-games/

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:23 pm

Modern athletes are so fucking arrogant.

Greg Oden: 'I'll be remembered as the biggest bust in NBA history'

Post by **Shirley** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 5:46 pm

mister d wrote:Modern athletes are so fucking arrogant.

Greg Oden: 'I'll be remembered as the biggest bust in NBA history'

I feel like we need a different word than "bust" for guys who have careers cut short because of injuries. He's very different than, say, Michael Olowakandi or Ryan Leaf.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:56 pm

Demar DeRozan is out of control right now.

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 12:52 am

Pruitt wrote:Demar DeRozan is out of control right now.

Yeah, he's been awesome this season. And he's doing it in a way that was thought to be obsolete by NBA analytics types: ultra high volume and high efficiency, despite not making 3s. He has an incredible mid-range game and also draws lots of fouls and makes his FTs.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:04 am

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:31 am

WTF?

Refs Make Up A New Rule

Post by **Shirley** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 9:36 am

Pruitt wrote:WTF?

Refs Make Up A New Rule

What's the new rule? They're right that the clock should start on first contact - in this case Cousins getting a finger on the ball. What they got wrong - to me - is in counting the time. It looks to me like the clock started before Ross caught the ball, so maybe 2-3 tenths late. But he shot it with .5 on the clock. The shot still should have counted.

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 9:41 am

Shirley wrote:
Pruitt wrote:WTF?

Refs Make Up A New Rule
What's the new rule? They're right that the clock should start on first contact - in this case Cousins getting a finger on the ball. What they got wrong - to me - is in counting the time. It looks to me like the clock started before Ross caught the ball, so maybe 2-3 tenths late. But he shot it with .5 on the clock. The shot still should have counted.

My understanding is also that they followed the right procedure in timing the play that actually occurred instead of giving the Raptors another play. This may have been the first time that procedure has been applied for an end of game buzzer beater but I read that it has been used before for end of quarter plays.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:42 am

Joe K wrote:
Shirley wrote:
Pruitt wrote:WTF?

Refs Make Up A New Rule
What's the new rule? They're right that the clock should start on first contact - in this case Cousins getting a finger on the ball. What they got wrong - to me - is in counting the time. It looks to me like the clock started before Ross caught the ball, so maybe 2-3 tenths late. But he shot it with .5 on the clock. The shot still should have counted.
My understanding is also that they followed the right procedure in timing the play that actually occurred instead of giving the Raptors another play. This may have been the first time that procedure has been applied for an end of game buzzer beater but I read that it has been used before for end of quarter plays.

Crew Chief's interview with the Pool Report (washington post).
http://official.nba.com/transcript-nba- ... ings-game/

What is crazy to me is if you have a timer problem like this, doesn't that impact the judgement of the player. Player knows he has 3 seconds or such and can see the tiem so he adjusts his approach and shot to the clock.

Post by **brian** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 12:48 pm

Pistons to move to new arena in downtown Detroit as soon as next season. Announcement possible Tuesday.

That will mean all four teams in Detroit playing within a half-mile of each other.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 3:04 pm

Shirley wrote:
Pruitt wrote:WTF?

Refs Make Up A New Rule
What's the new rule? They're right that the clock should start on first contact - in this case Cousins getting a finger on the ball. What they got wrong - to me - is in counting the time. It looks to me like the clock started before Ross caught the ball, so maybe 2-3 tenths late. But he shot it with .5 on the clock. The shot still should have counted.

Makes sense - but I've never seen that called before. Have you guys?

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:28 pm

Sam Hinkie is looking better and better these days with how well Joel Embiid is playing. Just based on the 10 games he's played so far this season, I think he was clearly the right pick by Hinkie in that spot, even with the 2 years lost to injury. Embiid is putting up 18 and 7 a game (with good shooting stats), while on a minutes restriction where he only plays about 22 minutes per game. The turnovers are too high, which isn't surprising given how long he was away from competitive hoops. But if he can cut back on turnovers and eventually up his minutes to 30-35 per game or so, he looks like a future superstar. If Ben Simmons can come back next year and play to his potential, the Sixers will have a dynamic frontcourt and really bright future.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Mon Nov 21, 2016 11:52 pm

I think Hinkie had the right idea, but incredibly bad luck with injuries. Then the owner who was supposedly fully bought-in bailed-out. Perhaps Hinkie should have seen that coming and compromised at some point. It will be fascinating what the 76ers do with both trades of front court talent and use of free-agency money.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:23 am

The craziest thing in sports right now is that Kevin Durant is already one of the 25 best players ever, he's on a team with 3 other guys who could be 1st team All-NBA just rolling out of bed if they weren't all together, including Curry who is my favorite player and probably the best thing to happen to the NBA in 30 years. He (Durant) is still getting better, developing an attitude, and is basically unstoppable....

...and all I can think is "Holy shit, that guy used to play with Russell Westbrook"

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:52 am

Ryan wrote:The craziest thing in sports right now is that Kevin Durant is already one of the 25 best players ever, he's on a team with 3 other guys who could be 1st team All-NBA just rolling out of bed if they weren't all together, including Curry who is my favorite player and probably the best thing to happen to the NBA in 30 years. He (Durant) is still getting better, developing an attitude, and is basically unstoppable....

...and all I can think is "Holy shit, that guy used to play with Russell Westbrook"

Or how about the fact that Westbrook may not even be Durant's best ex-OKC teammate? I think you could make a pretty good case that Harden has been even better this year. He's been a much more efficient scorer than Westbrook, while also leading the league in assists. ESPN's estimate of WAR has Westbrook and Harden 1 and 2 now, with Harden a tick higher on a per-game basis because he averages about 2 more minutes played per game.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:55 am

Hinkie always had the right plan, he just sucked at drafting / managing his picks once they turned to players.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:04 am

I mean, I get it, but the Sixers are still the worst team in the east. still 2-3 years away, which would be a long time for any team to stick with a GM even if the plan is "working".

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:19 am

A_B wrote:I mean, I get it, but the Sixers are still the worst team in the east. still 2-3 years away, which would be a long time for any team to stick with a GM even if the plan is "working".

At the same time, the Eastern Conference has come down to the question of "who has LeBron James" for the past 6 seasons, and probably will for at least one or two more years. Short of convincing LeBron to leave Miami for Philly, I don't think any other GM would have made the Sixers a contender. Obviously their fans have had to put up with huge amounts of losing, but I think the Sixers are among the best positioned teams in the East to step into the void whenever LeBron slows down and is no longer the trump card. Embiid, Simmons, Saric and Noel/Okafor is a potentially great frontcourt. What they really need to do is find a way to trade Okafor or Noel for backcourt help, but I'm not sure either of those guys has much trade value now.