The 2016-2017 NBA basketball thread

[scratchswinger]

Dallas sitting everyone tonight against GSW, whatever the spread is, it could be 75pts....take the Warriors. This will be a bloodbath

 

Hard to respect that.... The NBA has a problem if this becomes the norm on back to backs against elite teams.

[baseballfrk8998]

Dallas sitting everyone tonight against GSW, whatever the spread is, it could be 75pts....take the Warriors. This will be a bloodbath

 

Hard to respect that.... The NBA has a problem if this becomes the norm on back to backs against elite teams.

 

Eh. It's not a big deal. They sat Bogut and Barea who aren't exactly in their prime these days as well as Matthews, who has been terrible this season on the offensive end and doesn't look at all the same since that devastating achilles injury.

 

Dallas isn't a good team AND this wasn't a primetime game. The NBA doesn't care. LAC sitting Blake and CP3 in the 2nd of a back to back against GS on TNT would probably get the leagues attention, but this won't.

[MtlJeff]

I know i've kind of come full circle on James Harden....I've watched maybe one Rockets game this year from start to finish but have watched bits and pieces of others. There just isn't a more seamless offensive player in the league. I'm not saying he's the "best" because we should have learned that lesson about Lebron from Scratchswinger last year and need to temper ourselves

 

But he's just a joy to watch on offense. His highlights are like basketball porn...hesitation dribbles, a perfect pick and roll guy, he never seems rushed, always just maneuvers his way into the lane and if you lag off he floaters you, if you overplay he hits a guy with a lob. But the difference between him and so many guys is just that he NEVER looks pressured. He never looks rushed to do anything. Most guards there's like that quarterback "shot clock" where they feel uncomfortable in the paint and need to do something. Not Harden, he just waits until you commit and then does what you give him.

 

He also draws fouls, hits 3's ....and once every few possessions will laser some crazy angle pass before the defense is ready.

 

This season at least numbers wise might be unreal. And it's hard to think of a comparison of his type of skillset.

[scratchswinger]

20 years from now Westbrook, Harden and Durant will wonder what could have been.

 

Protip to Boogie - watch yourself!

 

Lakers with 5 wins on 11/10 last year their 5th win was 12/22. Luke Walton coach of the year!

[Judge440]

I've become a bit of a Laker fan having two of their guys on my fantasy team.

[MtlJeff]

20 years from now Westbrook, Harden and Durant will wonder what could have been.

 

Protip to Boogie - watch yourself!

 

Lakers with 5 wins on 11/10 last year their 5th win was 12/22. Luke Walton coach of the year!

 

I'd love to see them all play together now. Obviously i can't speak much for how guys really felt given i thought Westbrook and Durant were friends....so my opinion if fairly meaningless...

 

However maybe the timing was just wrong. I mean at the end of the day James Harden doesn't seem ALL about money and brand. If he was he wouldn't have re-signed early in Houston with little fanfare. However the guy also turned down 4yrs 55M to stay in OKC and signed for 4yrs 60m in Houston. So what really happened in OKC? No one really knows. Why did Harden leave if he isnt a bad guy...Did Durant and Westbrook like each other at any point....who knows anymore

 

But yea, looking at it now. These guys could all fairly easily be on the same team

[scratchswinger]

I've become a bit of a Laker fan having two of their guys on my fantasy team.

 

Just root for them for me bro.... I would do it for you :)

[scratchswinger]

20 years from now Westbrook, Harden and Durant will wonder what could have been.

 

Protip to Boogie - watch yourself!

 

Lakers with 5 wins on 11/10 last year their 5th win was 12/22. Luke Walton coach of the year!

 

I'd love to see them all play together now. Obviously i can't speak much for how guys really felt given i thought Westbrook and Durant were friends....so my opinion if fairly meaningless...

 

However maybe the timing was just wrong. I mean at the end of the day James Harden doesn't seem ALL about money and brand. If he was he wouldn't have re-signed early in Houston with little fanfare. However the guy also turned down 4yrs 55M to stay in OKC and signed for 4yrs 60m in Houston. So what really happened in OKC? No one really knows. Why did Harden leave if he isnt a bad guy...Did Durant and Westbrook like each other at any point....who knows anymore

 

But yea, looking at it now. These guys could all fairly easily be on the same team

 

They very easily could have been a dynasty.

[deadsolid...shank]

I've become a bit of a Laker fan having two of their guys on my fantasy team.

 

No fantasy BB for me but I've started to (almost, that's as far as I can go right now) be a fan of them too. I just enjoy watching the youth, the way they play. Just something appealing about them this year. Maybe because the ball seems to go through a lot people as opposed to the superstar who monopolizes the ball the majority of the time.

 

Hard for me to describe exactly what it is about them, but very quickly they've become a team I'll stop the channel surfing to watch.

[MtlJeff]

Clippers currently 8-1 with a ridiculous +15 differential per game. They've kind of been somewhat of a poor man's OKC situation the past few years, lots of injuries including some at horrible times. However they've played together for a few years now, are very good both ways, and have stars they can lean on. They are also one of the few teams that can play big against a team like Golden State without being completely hopeless defensively. It will be very interesting to watch Blake and KD and how that works when they play. Because that is a mismatch both ways if GS goes lineup of death

 

I really like the Clippers, i thought they would surprise people and take the Warriors to 7 last year. Before CP3 went down of course...

 

All of their guys are in their primes. I would like to see them get one more chance in the playoffs healthy

[MtlJeff]

Toronto is kind of like the east coast Clippers, in the sense that they'll be a nice story during the regular season but no one expects them to make any noise against the big boys in the playoffs. I watch them a lot , and they seem to be more comfortable then ever these days. They aren't just a nice story any more but a good team that expects to beat most opponents and plays with confidence.

 

Derozan has been on fire, and his patience when driving is fairly Harden-esque. He also is always in control and is one of the best finishers inside the 3pt line for a guard. With him playing like this and Lowry and JV, they have 3 legit stars. Derozan is staking his claim as the best non-cav in the Eastern Conference

 

Their weakness was always their predictable offense which was usually just a pick and roll for Lowry then a weakside pick for Derozan if that failed followed by one on one play. But their bench has shown flashes of being better at swinging it around, and they are getting JV more shots (1.5 attempts more per game through 6 games than last year)....so that helps them be less predictable

[MtlJeff]

Derozan with 33 again tonight. These were the highlights of his last game yesterday. He had 34 against Charlotte....look at all the mid range buckets, no 3pters, a lot of backing down, floaters , etc.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9pZGBOtJNo

 

Not many guys do stuff like this anymore

[scratchswinger]

Derozan with 33 again tonight. These were the highlights of his last game yesterday. He had 34 against Charlotte....look at all the mid range buckets, no 3pters, a lot of backing down, floaters , etc.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9pZGBOtJNo

 

Not many guys do stuff like this anymore

 

His footwork and the way he moves in traffic reminds me a lot of Kobe.

[scratchswinger]

I've become a bit of a Laker fan having two of their guys on my fantasy team.

 

No fantasy BB for me but I've started to (almost, that's as far as I can go right now) be a fan of them too. I just enjoy watching the youth, the way they play. Just something appealing about them this year. Maybe because the ball seems to go through a lot people as opposed to the superstar who monopolizes the ball the majority of the time.

 

Hard for me to describe exactly what it is about them, but very quickly they've become a team I'll stop the channel surfing to watch.

 

It's 100% Luke and the way he gotten everyone to buy in. What he has done with Swaggy P and D'Angello is truly remarkable. It was a forgone conclusion that Swaggy would be cut, his value was so low that they couldn't even trade him. He's now starter, the teams best perimeter defender (his D was laughable prior years) his minutes have gone from 19 to 27, points have gone from 7 to 15. It's just crazy after what happened last year between Nick and Rus that they have put that behind them and are flourishing.

 

I can't believe he actually played 19 mins a game last year, very few were meaningful minuites, I bet a tone came at garbage time.

 

I agree though, it's a real pleasure to watch these guys play such spirited ball on every possession.

[CommerceTiger]

Well I guess I'll have to start the conversation. Hawks are great! Howard getting boards and Schroder getting assists!

[MtlJeff]

Derozan with 33 again tonight. These were the highlights of his last game yesterday. He had 34 against Charlotte....look at all the mid range buckets, no 3pters, a lot of backing down, floaters , etc.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=m9pZGBOtJNo

 

Not many guys do stuff like this anymore

 

His footwork and the way he moves in traffic reminds me a lot of Kobe.

 

I didn't want to commit heresy by speaking of Kobe like that but yeah i agree. I mean a homeless man's Kobe...But few guys can still work the midrange game like that. TheRinger wrote a piece about Evan Turner and his midrange prowess, and it's like , Evan Turner? I mean Derozan put up 23ppg or whatever last year.

 

Currently Derozan , as a guard, is leading the NBA in scoring hitting 0.3 3pters per game. That is maybe the most insane stat of the first 10 games in 2016

[MtlJeff]

Elfrid Payton is rocking the Donald Trump hair. I mean that is one serious front to back combover LOL. He has this strange thing where he looks like he's losing control of his dribble a lot, but he doesn't...he's made some slick passes tonight and has gotten into the lane

 

Domantis Sabonis is an interesting prospect. He's got 48-52 splits early on , with limited shots. But still a 6-11 guy shooting 52% from 3 early on is pretty crazy. Having him out there with Roberson helps their spacing. At worst he seems like a Channing Frye type, we'll see if he develops a post game.

 

I love watching guys like Roberson, i have a soft spot. He's a poor man's MKG. BTW speaking of him they lost to Cleveland earlier tonight, but MKG blocked Lebron hard late in the game...Lebron was 8-21 tonight. It's gotta be miserable going up vs MKG

[MtlJeff]

My boy Wiggins with 41 tonight....though i must admit i'm watching the Orlando-OKC barnburner instead.

 

These two teams collectively rank somewhere around "could not hit the side of a barn" in terms of outside shooting, but Elfrid Payton is hitting 3-pters, Joffrey (really, who is named Joffrey?) Lauvergne nailed 3 in a row in the 3rd quarter...and Russell Westbrook is going full Russell with 41-16-12 right now

 

Magic are hitting like 45% from 3 tonight...many of them rattled off the rim like 8 times before going in. The game isn't over but suffice to say, the Magic will win this because it's their night. I swear you could blindfold Elfrid Payton right now and make him shoot left handed, and the ball would hit a bird flying through the arena and fall into the basket

 

Fun game

[Judge440]

I've become a bit of a Laker fan having two of their guys on my fantasy team.

 

Just root for them for me bro.... I would do it for you :)

 

Lol I bet.

[scratchswinger]

My boy Wiggins with 41 tonight....though i must admit i'm watching the Orlando-OKC barnburner instead.

 

These two teams collectively rank somewhere around "could not hit the side of a barn" in terms of outside shooting, but Elfrid Payton is hitting 3-pters, Joffrey (really, who is named Joffrey?) Lauvergne nailed 3 in a row in the 3rd quarter...and Russell Westbrook is going full Russell with 41-16-12 right now

 

Magic are hitting like 45% from 3 tonight...many of them rattled off the rim like 8 times before going in. The game isn't over but suffice to say, the Magic will win this because it's their night. I swear you could blindfold Elfrid Payton right now and make him shoot left handed, and the ball would hit a bird flying through the arena and fall into the basket

 

Fun game

 

He actually had 47, the same as all of the Lakers starters combined.

[MtlJeff]

LOL i wrote that before the game ended!

[MtlJeff]

Well I guess I'll have to start the conversation. Hawks are great! Howard getting boards and Schroder getting assists!

 

Hawks can D up...Millsap and Howard are one of the best interior twosomes in the NBA and Bazemore and Shroeder are pretty good on the perimeter. Not a big surprise that the Hawks are #2 in defensive points/100 right now

 

My worry with them was depth, but so far Muscala, Hardaway and Thabo giving them good minutes.

 

I thought they would be a bit like a rich man's Minnesota from last year, whose starters actually had a positive differential but they were an abomination every time they were separated

[MtlJeff]

When Andrew Wiggins got drafted, and during his rookie year, i wrote that i didn't think he would ever be more than a 21-22 ppg guy who was the second option offensively. I wrote his future was most likely as a second scorer and lockdown defender....which is a GREAT career mind you

 

His offensive progress has to be surprising to pretty much everyone. Almost everyone argued that Jabari Parker was the more NBA ready scorer, obviously Parker has had an injury, but Wiggins's offensive game in his 3rd year is fairly refined and still has plenty of room to improve

 

On limited attempts, he is over 50% from 3 which was his biggest weakness a year ago. His post game is fairly deadly and he has a size and athletic advantage over almost any 2-guard. He is getting to the line an impressive 9 times per game, and he has been good at getting the stripe since his rookie year

 

While some big men like Towns, Myles Turner, Porzingis etc get a lot of the attention as the young stars (not to mention Unibrow) , i wonder what heights Wiggins can get to. I did not think he'd be the alpha scorer on the Wolves this year....no way

 

But a rangy 2-guard who can defend, post up, hit 3's and get to the line? etc....Good lord this is the Wiggins that people raved about in High School

[scratchswinger]

He made a living at the line against the Lakers.... TWolves have two legit cornerstone type players, it's going to be scary in a few years. Lakers have 5 really good young players but I don't know if any will be cornerstone type players, but their is also the chance that they have two in D'load and Ingram. Randle also has a ton of potential. It's going to be interesting to see those two teams in a few years.

[Judge440]

Do the Lake Show make the playoffs? There was an interesting conversation on NBA radio today about who the bottom 3 in the West will be to get in the playoffs.

[scratchswinger]

Do the Lake Show make the playoffs? There was an interesting conversation on NBA radio today about who the bottom 3 in the West will be to get in the playoffs.

 

If they stay healthy I think they will.... I expect the young core to get better and I expect Dang to start playing better... Mosgov was the joke of the off season but anyone that has watched this years team compared to last years team has seen his value on the defensive end.

[scratchswinger]

Also some of the teams that were supposed to be bottoms seeds have gotten off to horrible starts which gives LAL a big head start. LAL have been really good at home, they basically need 35 wins at this point, a few good road trips and it would be a very reasonable possibility. It will be an interesting off season with LAL coming along so quick.

 

Is it me or are CP3, Blake, and DOC all a bunch of whining cry babies?

[Ironman2010]

Not just you.The LA Clippers are about to go back to where they belong as the second-tier team of LA

[Judge440]

Also some of the teams that were supposed to be bottoms seeds have gotten off to horrible starts which gives LAL a big head start. LAL have been really good at home, they basically need 35 wins at this point, a few good road trips and it would be a very reasonable possibility. It will be an interesting off season with LAL coming along so quick.

 

Is it me or are CP3, Blake, and DOC all a bunch of whining cry babies?

 

They are. Unfortunately I think a lot of the NBA is. Hate to see CP3 retire without a title though.

[scratchswinger]

Also some of the teams that were supposed to be bottoms seeds have gotten off to horrible starts which gives LAL a big head start. LAL have been really good at home, they basically need 35 wins at this point, a few good road trips and it would be a very reasonable possibility. It will be an interesting off season with LAL coming along so quick.

 

Is it me or are CP3, Blake, and DOC all a bunch of whining cry babies?

 

They are. Unfortunately I think a lot of the NBA is. Hate to see CP3 retire without a title though.

 

Bro he signed up for the Clippers... He will have no one except himself and David Stern to blame (that damn trade c0ck block changed the entire league).