2017 NBA Season (incl Draft / Free Agency)

[MtlJeff]

The heat won close to 60 games I think the year before, added Bosh then Lebron joined them.

In that day it was the same thing.

 

I understand no one like Durant going there but what would you do?

 

You really think Lebron is staying in Cleveland next year? No chance.

 

They didn't win 60 games before Lebron went there, if i recall they were a #7 or #8 seed. Wade had a huge season and carried them on his back but they were not a good team

[MtlJeff]

LeBron simply owns the Raptors.... His presence is in their heads, no stats to back it up but it's there. With that said I hope that Toronto can win the next 4 and send Bron home.

 

I think everyone is in the Raptors heads. They just struggle in the playoffs and the system gets blamed, but they also choke their a***s off. They had roughly 900 putback attempts that they missed and i've seen them short arm so many shots in close games i feel like i'm a watching a PVR. Freddy Van V who is a Toronto folk hero also missed a wide open shot

 

that being said, it was a close game, and they have won plenty of series after losing game 1. In fact losing game 1 is a very Raptors thing to do

 

They certainly can lose the series but i'm not panicking yet. I think this team is more confident than past teams.

 

Anyway we shall see. I mean Lebron is GOAT contention for a reason. Guy is amazing

[MtlJeff]

I can say if i was Lebron or Paul George, i mean wouldn't you at least call the Pelicans and see if they can move some cap space around?

 

Why is it that no one seems to want to play with basically the perfect modern NBA big man?

 

Lebron and Davis at the 4-5? With Jrue Holiday roaming the perimeter?

[MtlJeff]

Also, the Celtics are insane. They just beat the 76ers in game 1 without their 3 best players. They are just ridiculous

 

I mean the way both Brown and Tatum stepped up their game when called on, the way Terry Rozier has....The way they generate good shots and defend no matter who is on the floor

 

They will probably let Smart walk. Rozier is a RFA in a really saturated guard market so i think they might be able to keep him

 

Their top 6 next year could be Rozier/Irving/Brown/Hayward/Horford with Jayson Tatum off the bench (!!!)

[scratchswinger]

LeBron simply owns the Raptors.... His presence is in their heads, no stats to back it up but it's there. With that said I hope that Toronto can win the next 4 and send Bron home.

 

I think everyone is in the Raptors heads. They just struggle in the playoffs and the system gets blamed, but they also choke their a***s off. They had roughly 900 putback attempts that they missed and i've seen them short arm so many shots in close games i feel like i'm a watching a PVR. Freddy Van V who is a Toronto folk hero also missed a wide open shot

 

that being said, it was a close game, and they have won plenty of series after losing game 1. In fact losing game 1 is a very Raptors thing to do

 

They certainly can lose the series but i'm not panicking yet. I think this team is more confident than past teams.

 

Anyway we shall see. I mean Lebron is GOAT contention for a reason. Guy is amazing

 

The Raptors really were a sight to see last night. Blowing open layups because LeBron was within 50 feet, short arming putbacks, turning the corner to an open lane and then dribbling it off your leg, wide open game winning bricks. I don’t think they could have given Cleveland anymore breaks then they did.

[xxio]

The heat won close to 60 games I think the year before, added Bosh then Lebron joined them.

In that day it was the same thing.

 

I understand no one like Durant going there but what would you do?

 

You really think Lebron is staying in Cleveland next year? No chance.

 

Year before LeBron and Bosh joined the Heat.

 

47 wins

 

3rd in Division

5th in Conference

 

Wade was averaging about 26-5-6

 

 

[devinh821]

Touche. I thought they were better.

 

Totally became a jazz fan last night. First time just sitting down and watching mitchell. The kid is unbelievable.

[MtlJeff]

Yeah i just don't get how Mitchell is this good. I mean even Ben Simmons got to hang out with an NBA team last year, do NBA film, learn his offense etc...

 

I mean Donovan Mitchell was in college last year, he's basically one of the most important players in the playoffs. The Jazz took it to Houston , a 67 win team and have it 1-1, and he's their best scorer! It's fairly unprecedented to see a true rookie in this position

[F171615]

Also, the Celtics are insane. They just beat the 76ers in game 1 without their 3 best players. They are just ridiculous

 

 

 

I feel like you're not giving enough credit to Horford; b/c he is the team's best player, even better than Irving and Hayward. Though he doesn't have the ability to have as the same peak as those players, on a day to day basis, he's the team's best player. In a playoff situation though, players with the ability to have higher peak performance are certainly more desirable.

[scratchswinger]

Yeah i just don't get how Mitchell is this good. I mean even Ben Simmons got to hang out with an NBA team last year, do NBA film, learn his offense etc...

 

I mean Donovan Mitchell was in college last year, he's basically one of the most important players in the playoffs. The Jazz took it to Houston , a 67 win team and have it 1-1, and he's their best scorer! It's fairly unprecedented to see a true rookie in this position

 

I saw an interview with him before the draft and he said that he thought he was likely to be drafted in the second round, I don't think anyone saw this coming. Plus whats really amazing is that the entire team knows he's the man. Who was the last rookie that you could say that about? Even LeBron had to deal with Miles and Ricky Davis.

 

Ben Simmons might win rookie of the year but he is not really a rookie, it should be Mitchell.

[MtlJeff]

Also, the Celtics are insane. They just beat the 76ers in game 1 without their 3 best players. They are just ridiculous

 

 

 

I feel like you're not giving enough credit to Horford; b/c he is the team's best player, even better than Irving and Hayward. Though he doesn't have the ability to have as the same peak as those players, on a day to day basis, he's the team's best player. In a playoff situation though, players with the ability to have higher peak performance are certainly more desirable.

 

You are 100% correct, i forgot about Horford and he absolutely is better than Brown right now in an overall sense, and arguably a better player than Hayward was last year.

 

Easy to forget about Horford because he is so quiet. But yeah he is a great player....my bad

[MtlJeff]

Yeah i just don't get how Mitchell is this good. I mean even Ben Simmons got to hang out with an NBA team last year, do NBA film, learn his offense etc...

 

I mean Donovan Mitchell was in college last year, he's basically one of the most important players in the playoffs. The Jazz took it to Houston , a 67 win team and have it 1-1, and he's their best scorer! It's fairly unprecedented to see a true rookie in this position

 

I saw an interview with him before the draft and he said that he thought he was likely to be drafted in the second round, I don't think anyone saw this coming. Plus whats really amazing is that the entire team knows he's the man. Who was the last rookie that you could say that about? Even LeBron had to deal with Miles and Ricky Davis.

 

Ben Simmons might win rookie of the year but he is not really a rookie, it should be Mitchell.

 

I agree, we've seen rookies as a team's go to scorer before. I mean Iverson was, a few others over the years. But a pretty efficient volume scorer on a good playoff team? I'm trying to think when we've ever seen that before....i can't think of an example

 

He averaged 29ppg on 46% shooting against the Thunder. He was the best player in the series in a 4-5 matchup as a rookie!!!!!

[scratchswinger]

Yeah i just don't get how Mitchell is this good. I mean even Ben Simmons got to hang out with an NBA team last year, do NBA film, learn his offense etc...

 

I mean Donovan Mitchell was in college last year, he's basically one of the most important players in the playoffs. The Jazz took it to Houston , a 67 win team and have it 1-1, and he's their best scorer! It's fairly unprecedented to see a true rookie in this position

 

I saw an interview with him before the draft and he said that he thought he was likely to be drafted in the second round, I don't think anyone saw this coming. Plus whats really amazing is that the entire team knows he's the man. Who was the last rookie that you could say that about? Even LeBron had to deal with Miles and Ricky Davis.

 

Ben Simmons might win rookie of the year but he is not really a rookie, it should be Mitchell.

 

I agree, we've seen rookies as a team's go to scorer before. I mean Iverson was, a few others over the years. But a pretty efficient volume scorer on a good playoff team? I'm trying to think when we've ever seen that before....i can't think of an example

 

He averaged 29ppg on 46% shooting against the Thunder. He was the best player in the series in a 4-5 matchup as a rookie!!!!!

 

Dwayne Wade is the closest comparison that I can think of.

[scratchswinger]

And Toronto is done

[Qqq123xx]

And the Celtics are not. Great comeback.

[scratchswinger]

Lebronto is not done either

[MtlJeff]

2-0 leads are great but I'm still gonna watch both series. Would not totally rule out Toronto or Philly

[xxio]

I thought the Toronto-Cleveland series was basically the East Conference Finals with the Boston injuries and Philly being too raw, nice to be proven wrong. The East is competitive, just not West level.

[HoosierHacker89]

Man the raptors are making my pacers look great in the series. I knew Cleveland has Toronto’s number but this is just flat out embarrassing.

[xxio]

Lebron has Toronto's number. That was a difficult shot.

[scratchswinger]

Lebron has Toronto's number. That was a difficult shot.

 

Just imagine if LeBronto was clutch.

[MtlJeff]

I think the Raptors are probably officially in the Atlanta Hawks zone. I was optimistic about this season because bench guys stepped up every night and Derozan always seemed to get them through rough times when needed.

 

But it's clear that neither Derozan or Lowry will be able to consistently be a "playoff" star. So unless someone just develops out of nowhere they are probably a second round playoff team. It's not the end of the world....but i don't think they can get over the hump even if Lebron heads west. I still don't know how much of it is "Lebron" and how much of it is they just can't score as well when defenses tighten up and the moment gets big

[MtlJeff]

On a related note about "playoff" stars though....it's amazing how some guys, even if their stats aren't spectacular, just don't seem fazed by the moment in the playoffs. Watching the Celtics yesterday was pretty telling, because Jayson Tatum, who is a rookie (a touted one but still) just flat out got shots for the Celtics down the stretch. He showed great poise, didn't rush or panic into step-back two's, and just consistently got nice little pull-ups or strong finishes around the basket.

 

I remember thinking that these are the types of shots Toronto just can't get down the stretch, and here was this rookie, just unfazed and patient.

 

Whenever Toronto really needs a bucket it's always a contested long 2, a short-armed 3 after someone misses a cutter or doesn't swing in fast enough and realizes they have to shoot now

[Peanut191]

Don’t forget missing approximately 2,194 tip-ins in one quarter.

[bubbagump]

That first half, the officiating was heinously trying to get the pelicans back into it, and did for a bit. Some seriously terrible calls. Dubs were en fuego to start, and then picked it back up in the second half and got an easy win….all is right in the world again.

[MtlJeff]

Don’t forget missing approximately 2,194 tip-ins in one quarter.

 

Oh I don't think it took them a full quarter

[blaird]

I really need Lebron to not make the finals but it looks like it is his to take. The east could be interesting next year if Lebron stays. Boston will be very good with Irving and Heyward back.

 

So who does everyone like for the west this year? Can Houston beat GS over 7 games? I dont think they can but could be a decent series.

[scratchswinger]

I really need Lebron to not make the finals but it looks like it is his to take. The east could be interesting next year if Lebron stays. Boston will be very good with Irving and Heyward back.

 

So who does everyone like for the west this year? Can Houston beat GS over 7 games? I dont think they can but could be a decent series.

 

Baring injuries GS will be world champs

[blaird]

What would it take to beat GS? Lebron to NO? PG to NO? Seems like pairing Davis with another big name/elite player, NO could be a tough out. Does Cousins re sign with them? What would Houston need to beat them?

[xxio]

The only way GS doesn't win or isn't favored to win (by a lot) the next couple of years, is injuries/bad breaks. Even with Curry out they were still a top 5 team.

 

The rest of the league just has to remain relevant/marketable til the Warriors contracts just become too much to bear for GS management.