NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2018-19 Thread

Carcharodon

Jesus made hard work of that, well deserved though. Rockets better dry their eyes (pardon the pun) and stop whining

Hitch2222

Carcharodon wrote: »

Jesus made hard work of that, well deserved though. Rockets better dry their eyes (pardon the pun) and stop whining

It's over, when the Rockets shoot over 40% from deep and still can't get it done it's clear GSW have it in the bag.

Trailblazers will give you guys no trouble, Jokic could be a handful at times with Cousins gone but either way it's an easy path to the finals from here.

It's only Philly if all guns firing that could give you any trouble but they can't put it all together so looks like any questions about GSW progressing are largely answered now.

LuckyLloyd

Just like last year, the East Championship is the interesting part. Unless you find ‘how many games do GSW win their next series in’ interesting.

Pop gave us a good series too, that was unexpected I suppose.

Hitch2222

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Just like last year, the East Championship is the interesting part. Unless you find ‘how many games do GSW win their next series in’ interesting.

Pop gave us a good series too, that was unexpected I suppose.

He's apparently signing a new deal. I was somewhat surprised but perhaps after Kawhi issues he'd like one more go before retiring.

Angliru

I'm at such a crossroads, on one hand I want to see whatever team Harden plays for battered as his style of play is hideous but at the same time I'd do anything to see Golden State get beat.

LuckyLloyd

Angliru wrote: »

I'm at such a crossroads, on one hand I want to see whatever team Harden plays for battered as his style of play is hideous but at the same time I'd do anything to see Golden State get beat.

Golden State ain't getting beat this year. We'll see what happens in the summer.

Carcharodon

Hitch2222 wrote: »

It's over, when the Rockets shoot over 40% from deep and still can't get it done it's clear GSW have it in the bag.

Trailblazers will give you guys no trouble, Jokic could be a handful at times with Cousins gone but either way it's an easy path to the finals from here.

It's only Philly if all guns firing that could give you any trouble but they can't put it all together so looks like any questions about GSW progressing are largely answered now.

I agree but Warriors to tend to space out and let teams back into games and series. Rockets are extremely dangerous but when the Warriors focus on defense, they are near impossible to beat, Durant near impossible to guard when on form.
When you look at the bracket, it’s not very scary, it’s amazing what no LeBron means, a healthy LeBron on a decent team was a scary prospect.

Carcharodon

I’ve no problem with Harden as a person, people tend to blur the lines when analyzing players, but as a player, he annoys the life out of me, the flopping and drama out of him. CP3 use to be one of my favorite players when he was at New Orleans, I find the man obnoxious now, reminds me of derick fisher, bit of a sneak

Hitch2222

Apparently Masai Uriji interested in Wizards GM job, hardly a good sign in Kawhi stakes

ButtersSuki

Hitch2222 wrote: »

Apparently Masai Uriji interested in Wizards GM job, hardly a good sign in Kawhi stakes

Bonkers move and a major step backwards for him if he was to take that, going from a contender to "that". Or I suppose you could look at it as the only way is up......:rolleyes:

He was being talked about as a genuine contender for the Lakers job a few weeks ago, and is regularly talked about as one of the best GMs in the league. I don't get why he'd be interested in that role.

ButtersSuki

All of my regular pods this week have heavily criticised the Rockets in particular (but also GS) for the whining and their tactics in this series re. the officials and their berating of same., amongst them:
Windhorst went on a major rant, lost it a little emotionally at times - was kinda funny. He's been a major critic of GS and their treatment of refs recently but came down very hard on the Rockets this week.
Simmons and Russillo (who I really like on basketball btw) spent ages talking about it, very critical of Houston.
Golliver and Sharp on Open Floor again critical of them, even Harden super-fan Ben Golliver was very critical of Houston, Harden and Chris Paul.

All centre around the common themes of we have all this talent on the floor and we're talking about officiating, the grey areas and the risks you take rolling the dice on these, Houston being the boy who cried wolf etc. All worth a listen, as is the Michael Lewis pod I referenced a few days ago.

Someone - I think it was Andrew Sharp - made a comment about the energy it takes to argue every single call (and Houston largely do this) and could that be channeled better? Likewise, could the shooting % improve on clutch plays in particular by concentrating more on the shot itself rather than trying to initiate contact by flailing a leg or contorting your body etc. It's hard to disagree with either, but especially the latter.

ButtersSuki

BTW, Kirk Goldsbury's book is out this week, ordered it, looking forward to reading it, or at least looking at it. I know a few of us have posted some of his infographics previously and most seem to like them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sprawlball-Visual-Tour-New-Era/dp/1328767515/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=kirk+goldsberry&qid=1556746705&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull


He's the guy who does these:


He's also been on a lot of pods recently.

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Bonkers move and a major step backwards for him if he was to take that, going from a contender to "that". Or I suppose you could look at it as the only way is up......:rolleyes:

He was being talked about as a genuine contender for the Lakers job a few weeks ago, and is regularly talked about as one of the best GMs in the league. I don't get why he'd be interested in that role.

I tend to think that the people at that level are thinking on level I likely can't quite comprehend so I tend to defer to them tbh.

I suspect if he's considering the role, there's likely a multitude of potential outcomes which he has already envisaged which represent a higher probability of success than what may be available the Raptors

K.O.Kiki

https://twitter.com/enes_kanter/status/1123810730720014336?s=21

Man that's messed up, even Turkish NBA account just ghosting Enes Kanter.

Vital Transformation

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Bonkers move and a major step backwards for him if he was to take that, going from a contender to "that". Or I suppose you could look at it as the only way is up......:rolleyes:

He was being talked about as a genuine contender for the Lakers job a few weeks ago, and is regularly talked about as one of the best GMs in the league. I don't get why he'd be interested in that role.

He isn't actually a GM, he's the president of the Raptors.

K.O.Kiki

So apparently Joel Embiid has a weakness.

For Forks Sake

Monty Williams gets the Suns job.

Osmosis Jones

Congrats to Monty Williams on signing up for a 14 month delayed severance package.

K.O.Kiki

Also apparently, statistics don't matter.

TRUST THE PROCESS

LuckyLloyd

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26633540/the-nba-obsessed-3s-let-fix-thing

Consider this crazy stat: During the 2018- 2019 regular season, NBA shooters made 27,955 3-point shots. That's more than they made during the entire 1980s (23,871).

Good read here. I've been quite fed up in general with this era. The three has stifled the game, strangling out other approaches. It's time to do something.

ButtersSuki

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26633540/the-nba-obsessed-3s-let-fix-thing



Good read here. I've been quite fed up in general with this era. The three has stifled the game, strangling out other approaches. It's time to do something.

Read Goldsbury’s book, there’s a chapter on how to curb the rise of the 3 incl. eliminating the corner 3 and if it’s kept putting a 3 second rule in place in the corners so you can’t just plant a guy in a corner for the entire offence. And more.

ButtersSuki

Vital Transformation wrote: »

He isn't actually a GM, he's the president of the Raptors.

No way. I did not know that. Thank you for clarifying. :rolleyes:

It’s almost like there wasn’t any single accepted and commonly-used monicker to describe the senior executive position in American professionals sports, regardless of any individual’s title...........

Seriously?

ButtersSuki

I’ve been watching this Denver Blazers game since Q4. I want to go back to bed. It feels like it’s never going to end.

ButtersSuki

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

So apparently Joel Embiid has a weakness.

Gasol almost always plays him well. His size and defensive nous, as well as mastery of bumping guys to throw them off balance just before or as they get the ball are key. He’s one of the few Embiid can’t just dominate physically.

Osmosis Jones

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I’ve been watching this Denver Blazers game since Q4. I want to go back to bed. It feels like it’s never going to end.

I watched from Q1, it's a good thing I've my saturday off because I am not in a good way right now

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

No way. I did not know that. Thank you for clarifying. :rolleyes:

It’s almost like there wasn’t any single accepted and commonly-used monicker to describe the senior executive position in American professionals sports, regardless of any individual’s title...........

Seriously?

That seems needlessly sarcastic Butters, I don't think VT was being pedantic, they're different titles.
It seems a fine distinction to make to me and it wasn't something I was aware of so genuinely thanks for clarifying VT.
I actually thought he was the GM anyway tbh given how hands on he is, I wasn't privy to how interchangeable the two terms were either, never gave it any thought.

After some reading it appears roles irrespective of title are very different between organisations so perhaps there's an element of the Wizards job that he currently doesn't have power over in Toronto that he would like to dictate.
I was always under the impression the president did X and GM did Y with roles and responsibilities being ubiquitous across the league.

ButtersSuki

Hitch2222 wrote: »

That seems needlessly sarcastic Butters, I don't think VT was being pedantic, they're different titles.
It seems a fine distinction to make to me and it wasn't something I was aware of so genuinely thanks for clarifying VT.
I actually thought he was the GM anyway tbh given how hands on he is, I wasn't privy to how interchangeable the two terms were either, never gave it any thought.

After some reading it appears roles irrespective of title are very different between organisations so perhaps there's an element of the Wizards job that he currently doesn't have power over in Toronto that he would like to dictate.
I was always under the impression the president did X and GM did Y with roles and responsibilities being ubiquitous across the league.

So mine is unnecessarily sarcastic and his is just being pedantic? Oh, ok. Seriously, what did that interjection offer to the conversation? Nothing of value. ESPN referred to Ujiri on The Jump during the week as "GM" - will you or VT be sending them a strongly-worded email saying they got his title wrong? Stick "Ujiri GM" into google and see what you get.

Yes, the roles and titles differ between organisations; hence why the collective (or all-encompassing term) is used instead of listing the various titles for people who essentially do the same job but in different organisations. I can't believe I've just wasted my time typing this btw. It honestly seems like you disagree with most things that I write, often it appears just for the sake of disagreeing. Not discussing this anymore.

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

So mine is unnecessarily sarcastic and his is just being pedantic? Oh, ok. Seriously, what did that interjection offer to the conversation? Nothing of value. ESPN referred to Ujiri on The Jump during the week as "GM" - will you or VT be sending them a strongly-worded email saying they got his title wrong? Stick "Ujiri GM" into google and see what you get.

Yes, the roles and titles differ between organisations; hence why the collective (or all-encompassing term) is used instead of listing the various titles for people who essentially do the same job but in different organisations. I can't believe I've just wasted my time typing this btw. It honestly seems like you disagree with most things that I write, often it appears just for the sake of disagreeing. Not discussing this anymore.

As I said I don't think his post was an attempt at pedantry tbh.
I thought drawing the distinction was fair as it alludes to the fact that a difference in the duties between President of the Toronto Raptors & GM of Washington Wizards may exist.
I did stick him into Google in light of VT's post hence why I thought it added value which is what I stated in my response to you.

In turn, I called you out on what I felt to be an unnecessarily sarcastic post - which it was- because I think posts like that add nothing of value to the conversation. You may feel in having done so I added nothing and that may be true.

Just to say, I tend to agree at least to some extent that we disagree quite alot. That said, I think irrespective of the poster though I'd have made this point. Perhaps not, I can't be quite sure.

Vital Transformation

I mentioned it because Toronto have a different guy with the GM title, Bobby Webster.

ButtersSuki

Vital Transformation wrote: »

I mentioned it because Toronto have a different guy with the GM title, Bobby Webster.

That's grand, I assume you emailed ESPN, TNT, SF1, all the talking head shows, The Ringer, and all the other media outlets etc. who called Ujiri the GM then last week and historically - I mean, we wouldn't want to allow this gross error to go unchecked. I mean imagine the confusion it could cause? People could assume it was Bobby Webster expressing interest in the Wizards role and not Ujiri. :rolleyes:

The GM monicker refers to who is in charge, regardless of actual title. I'm sure you're very much aware of this and this usage; as equally I'm sure that anyone who has more than a passing interest in NBA Basketball would know who's in charge in Toronto.