NBA Regular Season 2016-17

ButtersSuki

But like I said previously I get the impression you'd argue with shadow.

brady23

ButtersSuki wrote: »

But like I said previously I get the impression you'd argue with shadow.

Nothing I said was argumentative I just asked why I need to make up my mind. I explained I think the race is super close and one game can shift the balance of power(anyone else reading knew what I meant).
Their bodies of work over the course of the season make extremely valid cases and are very close in value so maybe one game can change it, I'm just being objective.

I lol because I'm obviously aware one game doesn't win MVP hence the example of Booker to clarify the difference between one game shifting the balance of power in an MVP race vs Performance of the Season type award for a one off game.

You trying to argue that even in a hypothetical scenario where one game could actually win MVP that Booker wouldn't make the cut becuase he was chasing, now that's nonsensical but whatever you think.

I won't say anymore to you because I think it is quite obvious again BS that you're the one attempting to be antagonistic towards me again.

brady23

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nba-teams-are-resting-players-earlier-and-earlier/

Nice piece on the growing trend of resting players, increases in frequency and sooner, pretty much blames/credits Pop for the trend, interesting to see where LBJ sits all time. Mostly Spurs but Dirk, Wade and Pierce up there too.

ButtersSuki

brady23 wrote: »

Nothing I said was argumentative I just asked why I need to make up my mind. I explained I think the race is super close and one game can shift the balance of power(anyone else reading knew what I meant).
Their bodies of work over the course of the season make extremely valid cases and are very close in value so maybe one game can change it, I'm just being objective.

I lol because I'm obviously aware one game doesn't win MVP hence the example of Booker to clarify the difference between one game shifting the balance of power in an MVP race vs Performance of the Season type award for a one off game.

You trying to argue that even in a hypothetical scenario where one game could actually win MVP that Booker wouldn't make the cut becuase he was chasing, now that's nonsensical but whatever you think.

I won't say anymore to you because I think it is quite obvious again BS that you're the one attempting to be antagonistic towards me again.

Mother of Jesus.

Does this persecution complex you suffer from extend to all areas of your life? Grow up.

brady23

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-cavs-might-actually-be-in-trouble/

Huge fan of Chris Herring, love his articles.
Cavs ranked last in defense in March and 22nd for the season, I don't see how they make up for that in the postseason.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-nba-predictions/

This has the Cavs with a 2% chance of winning the title which is less than Wiz, Raptors and C's and on par with Jazz and Clippers.
I don't think they're as low as a 2% chance but I don't think they'll make the finals.

Although I do think they have an easy route to the 2nd round playing the Bulls.

ButtersSuki

brady23 wrote: »

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-cavs-might-actually-be-in-trouble/

Huge fan of Chris Herring, love his articles.
Cavs ranked last in defense in March and 22nd for the season, I don't see how they make up for that in the postseason.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-nba-predictions/

This has the Cavs with a 2% chance of winning the title which is less than Wiz, Raptors and C's and on par with Jazz and Clippers.
I don't think they're as low as a 2% chance but I don't think they'll make the finals.

Although I do think they have an easy route to the 2nd round playing the Bulls.

They'd be incredible value then. :rolleyes:

Gregk961

Cant link it right now but the new Bballbreakdown gives a good inisght into why the Cavs defense is failing. Looks like a lack of effort on a lot of the plays but I have to agree some of it looks like it could be down to bad coaching, some of the highlighted plays are just ugly.

Gregk961

Celtics host the Cavs on ESPN tonight aswell. Every Cavs game ive stayed up for has been a cracker so hoping for another tonight.

LuckyLloyd

brady23 wrote: »

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nba-teams-are-resting-players-earlier-and-earlier/

Nice piece on the growing trend of resting players, increases in frequency and sooner, pretty much blames/credits Pop for the trend, interesting to see where LBJ sits all time. Mostly Spurs but Dirk, Wade and Pierce up there too.

Yeah, gives a good overview to the topic. Bottom line? Rest early and often. James is sitting out a lot of games relatively speaking, but playing a league leading mpg when on the court. Seems like a reasonable trade off, particularly when his presence is the difference between them being a championship contender or sub .500 team.

LuckyLloyd

It's not necessarily coaching or effort though in terms of the Cav's March woes - they're working Smith / Love / DWill / Williams into the rotations. It will take a few games for them to gain a comfort level and bed in. That's the gamble they took with the DWill / Korver / Williams moves - that it would all bed in before the opening round.

I think tonight will tell us a lot about where they actually are and, more importantly, where they might be in five week's time.

Vital Transformation

Lance Stephenson of the Pacers instigated a scuffle last night against the Raptors. He went in for a lay up with the game already well won (15 point lead) and five seconds left on the clock.

PJ Tucker was particularly incensed in his reaction, called Stephensons behaviour classless in the post-game interviews. Demarre Carroll and Demar DeRozan were also very angry about it. Lance had also apparently been trash-talking all game.

brady23

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's not necessarily coaching or effort though in terms of the Cav's March woes - they're working Smith / Love / DWill / Williams into the rotations. It will take a few games for them to gain a comfort level and bed in. That's the gamble they took with the DWill / Korver / Williams moves - that it would all bed in before the opening round.

I think tonight will tell us a lot about where they actually are and, more importantly, where they might be in five week's time.

I think the same about rotations and if I was to pick one of the 4 teams in the east to go now and give GSW or Spurs the best 7 game series, I'd obviously pick the Cavs but I think irrespective of how good or bad the Cavs are playing, the gap between them and the rest are closing in the East.

Even if it's not this year, next year when the Bucks make some more progress and they have 4 teams in tow they won't be afforded these kind of lapses.

As I said previously I'd take the field vs them to make the finals this year but even if they make it, their window of coasting to the finals looks to be closing.

shamrock55

Raptors gonna win it out,is lowry out for the season?

brady23

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

brady23 wrote: »

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nba-teams-are-resting-players-earlier-and-earlier/

Nice piece on the growing trend of resting players, increases in frequency and sooner, pretty much blames/credits Pop for the trend, interesting to see where LBJ sits all time. Mostly Spurs but Dirk, Wade and Pierce up there too.

Yeah, gives a good overview to the topic. Bottom line? Rest early and often. James is sitting out a lot of games relatively speaking, but playing a league leading mpg when on the court. Seems like a reasonable trade off, particularly when his presence is the difference between them being a championship contender or sub .500 team.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/presents19071734/end-82-game-nba-season

I think it's really starting to garner more and more attention. It's always been a small talking point but under Stern it was never going to be changed but perhaps Silver will make a decision.

I think in the short term asking coaches to disclose which games they plan on resting their players for before the season starts or even X games/weeks in advance would at least allow fans to pick and choose which games to attend because ultimately they're the ones who are directly affected.

Vital Transformation

shamrock55 wrote: »

Raptors gonna win it out,is lowry out for the season?

I think the best case scenario is that he returns before the end of the regular season and is less rusty come the playoffs. Either that or closer to/during playoffs.

brady23

What a great game from Westbrook again, one rebound off a triple double but pretty much guarantees them 6th and moves Westbrook closer to the award.
Ernie Johnson and TimMcMahon both endorsing Westbrook for MVP unsure if they both get a vote but if prominent media members like them are saying it I would think many more in a similar position think the same.
Harden will have one of the greatest season performances to not have won the award. The last time an award was this close was Shaq and Nash in 2005 hopefully the trend continues

LuckyLloyd

Beast mode from LeBron. Heartening performance from the Cavs in a supposed pressure game.

NufcNavan

Cavs on the second night of a b2b, on the road, no Tristan Thompson and they destroy the Celtics. They have no competition in the East. Honestly other than the 1-8 match up in the East, the rest of the series can go either way.

ButtersSuki

Beatdown in Boston. Terrible for the Celtics, mentally more than anything else.

ButtersSuki

In other news, I'm going to see Westbrook play on Sunday, and possibly make history (though he'll prob do it Saturday v the Suns).

brady23

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/19088887/will-markelle-fultz-lonzo-ball-no-1-pick-2017-nba-draft

A split amongst which teams would take Fultz or Ball.
Interesting that Ball immediately said he'd prefer to be a Laker than no1 pick which I'm not a fan of but he has decided to hire an agent over letting LaVar represent him which is good.
I really like him but that shot just spooks me, the release isn't high and I thought it looked pretty slow.
He's a phenomenal passer and if this was 5 years ago he's consensus number 1 pick but with the evolution of the game extending to the the three point line and more and more successful teams relying on it I wonder does he get his shot in the NBA.
He can shoot from anywhere but getting it off is a different thing

LuckyLloyd

And the Celtics lose to the Hawks in the back to back. All clear for Cleveland to get the #1 seed now.

vs Atlanta, Fri
@ Atlanta, Sun
@ Miami, Mon
Toronto, Wed

Two wins locks it up.

brady23

I'm watching this OKC Suns game and it's a bit of joke. Westbrook passing up open lay ups to pass to get his triple double. Don't get me wrong he deserves to go for it etc but with the playoffs around the corner and you're chasing a triple double 25+ points down at home to the Suns. He's nothing left to prove he's averaged a triple double for the season why chase? I don't blame him at all but Donovan should be sitting him.
If people think Booker chasing the 70 points was bad this is in the same ball park. OKC fans booing Adams because he passed up a shoot when Westbrook passed to him.

Great for BS getting to see him chase the triple double record in Denver. The achievement is amazing and we'll possibly never see it again but OKC are never getting through the 1st round of the playoffs.

titan18

Westbrook's done it, and in style with 50 points and sinking a 3 point buzzer beater that was closer to half way line than the 3 point line. What a player.

brady23

8 points in 45 secs, including a 36ft buzzer beater plus a 50 pt triple-double and breaks the triple double record, no doubts anymore it's definitely Westbrook's, unbelievable performance again.

ButtersSuki

Jaysus I'm exhausted after that.

The game. What can I say? How do you even describe that? first 3 x 50+ Triple Double in a season, breaks the record and a game winner - insane. Not my first time seeing Westbrook in the flesh but the first time I've seen him without Durant. In a word - relentless. It's just non-stop with him, and it's an incredibly compelling watch.

He's been my MVP (despite my having money on Harden) for pretty much the entire season.

The caveats:
The Houston Rockets PR Machine is in full-on Harden for MVP mode and the press here seem pretty divided (listen to last week's Bill Simmons podcast for example). Has it come too late though? Voting closed last Friday btw, i.e. before the Denver game.

Gregk961

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Voting closed last Friday btw, i.e. before the Denver game.

Are you sure about that? Heard a voter being interviewed and he said he still hadnt decided who to vote for, it could have been an outdated interview maybe Ill double check later.

Great game to get to see Butters not very often you get to see History in front of your very eyes hope you enjoyed it.

ButtersSuki

Gregk961 wrote: »

Are you sure about that? Heard a voter being interviewed and he said he still hadnt decided who to vote for, it could have been an outdated interview maybe Ill double check later.

Great game to get to see Butters not very often you get to see History in front of your very eyes hope you enjoyed it.

Simmons said repeatedly on last weeks pod that the absolute last date he could cast a vote was "this Friday" (which at the time was April 7th - the pod was recorded about an hour after the Celtics lost heavily to Cleveland) so that's what I was working off. That said, I just googled it but can't see a date - strange. Simmons also said he hadn't made up his mind as to who he was giving it to (he couldn't announce it on a podcast even if he absolutely knew who he was giving it to as the votes are supposed to be secret) but was leaning towards Harden a bit from what I gathered as he felt a triple double was a somewhat arbitrary stat. He did feel that Houston was set up to maximise Harden's talents though in a way OKC wasn't (which is something I've been saying for a long time).

The game was strange. It wasn't close for a long time so became about what would Westbrook do. Then he went nuts in the last five mins. Truly compelling stuff!

Gregk961

Not sure about the source as regards reliability (NewsOk.com) but

"The NBA's regular season ends April 12, and the deadline for participants to submit their votes for individual awards (MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Coach of the Year) is April 14"

It would make more sense for it to be this Friday to be honest.

Celtics look like getting the no.1 seed in the east now with an easier two games than the Cavs.

McLoughlin

Gregk961 wrote: »

Not sure about the source as regards reliability (NewsOk.com) but

"The NBA's regular season ends April 12, and the deadline for participants to submit their votes for individual awards (MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Coach of the Year) is April 14"

It would make more sense for it to be this Friday to be honest.

Celtics look like getting the no.1 seed in the east now with an easier two games than the Cavs.

As a Celtics fan Number 1 would be nice but what I really is for them to actually win a play off series