NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2018-19 Thread

Legion.

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

I dunno, that's what they were saying on insidehoops anyway.

The Raptors trailed in every series other than the Finals and battled back. Down 2-1 on the road vs Philadelphia. Went down 2-0 and overcame two 15 point holes in games 5 and 6 (especially game 6, closeout game at home, down 15 near the end of the 3rd) against Milwaukee. Not to mention the double OT game 3. That they didn't totally obliterate GS is more a testament to GS' ability as a team and as champions to find a way, never quit and play so well that you have to beat them, they won't beat themselves.

Not really sure we should just be regurgitating inflammatory media takes then when challenged try and justify that so and so said it.

Jamsiek

Gwynplaine wrote: »

Well done Raptors. But how are they "World Champions"?
Maybe Limerick should be renamed Hurling World Champions.

I haven't heard anyone call them World Champions and I'm in Canada.
In general Canadians tend to be more aware of the world around them than Americans.

Jamsiek

shamrock55 wrote: »

If you you win a title in America be it football, basketball, baseball or ice hockey your a world champion, basically nothing exists outside the US, even though Toronto is obviously

I wouldn't include hockey in that list as there's a hockey world championship, although it clashes with the NHL playoffs so a lot of the best players don't take part

Gwynplaine

Jamsiek wrote: »

I haven't heard anyone call them World Champions and I'm in Canada.
In general Canadians seem to be more aware of the world around them than Americans.

I saw it on an Instagram clip.
Have heard Jordan saying it before too back in the day.

Legion.

Its pretty common terminology in US sports. A lot of Super Bowl rings will say World Champions.

SharpshooterTom

Legion. wrote: »

That they didn't totally obliterate GS is more a testament to GS' ability as a team and as champions to find a way, never quit and play so well that you have to beat them, they won't beat themselves.

I mentioned that elsewhere, I think though at times in the last couple of games they appear to have made life a lot more difficult than it needed to be. Parts of their offense were underperforming, but as I say its easy for me to sit here and say that when they've never won a championship before and their considered favourites against a dynasty.

SharpshooterTom

Speaking of which do people consider the GSW a 'dynasty'? There were some arguments on the twitterati implying there 3-2 finals record and no 3 peat prohibits them being called such.

Think its a load of crap really, surely 5 finals appearances at the very least counts as a dynasty?

Carcharodon

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Speaking of which do people consider the GSW a 'dynasty'? There were some arguments on the twitterati implying there 3-2 finals record and no 3 peat prohibits them being called such.

Think its a load of crap really, surely 5 finals appearances at the very least counts as a dynasty?

Not that it even matters but the only arguments against are from click bait media sources, poor tv pundits and bitter opponents/fans

Osmosis Jones

3 championships in 5 years is 100% a dynasty.

simongurnick

Current Golden State team is a dynasty, no question. 5 finals in a row does that.
But the dynasty is over or at least derailed. Even if KD and Klay stay, KD is out for a year and I think they are saying Klay for 6 months (which seems a little quick to quantify).
The Lakers and Clippers are eager to make waves and in the east the Bucks and Philly will push on.

Big question is around Kawhi staying and if he stays do they add to the roster. There has been lots of talk of injuries too but no one is mentioning that OG Anunoby was out for the whole play offs. He has been a key part of the raptors bench the past two years. I think Danny Green might walk, Kawhi stays and the Raptors add A Another to the mix

Legion.

simongurnick wrote: »

Current Golden State team is a dynasty, no question. 5 finals in a row does that.
But the dynasty is over or at least derailed. Even if KD and Klay stay, KD is out for a year and I think they are saying Klay for 6 months (which seems a little quick to quantify).
The Lakers and Clippers are eager to make waves and in the east the Bucks and Philly will push on.

Big question is around Kawhi staying and if he stays do they add to the roster. There has been lots of talk of injuries too but no one is mentioning that OG Anunoby was out for the whole play offs. He has been a key part of the raptors bench the past two years. I think Danny Green might walk, Kawhi stays and the Raptors add A Another to the mix

Not to mention Lowry has needed surgery on his thumb for the last 6 weeks and Kawhi played the last 1.5 rounds on one leg.

Jamsiek

simongurnick wrote: »

Big question is around Kawhi staying and if he stays do they add to the roster. There has been lots of talk of injuries too but no one is mentioning that OG Anunoby was out for the whole play offs. He has been a key part of the raptors bench the past two years. I think Danny Green might walk, Kawhi stays and the Raptors add A Another to the mix

It was in the news last week that Kawhi bought a house in Toronto so it was seen as a sign that he might be staying

BQQ

Interesting article by former Wizard Etan Thomas

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jun/13/kevin-durant-shouldnt-have-been-playing-period-athletes-need-their-own-doctors

Do the Warriors Medical staff have questions to answer?

I think they should have just taken the injury situation on the chin and lost 4-1, then come back next year as strong as ever.
Instead they lose 4-2 and next year is already a write-off.

Probably won't re-sign him either.
I really feel for KD

Legion.

Jamsiek wrote: »

It was in the news last week that Kawhi bought a house in Toronto so it was seen as a sign that he might be staying

In a press conference Kawhi was asked about this and said it hasn't happened. Yet.

SharpshooterTom

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1139593297800945666

Carcharodon

BQQ wrote: »

Interesting article by former Wizard Etan Thomas

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jun/13/kevin-durant-shouldnt-have-been-playing-period-athletes-need-their-own-doctors

Do the Warriors Medical staff have questions to answer?

I think they should have just taken the injury situation on the chin and lost 4-1, then come back next year as strong as ever.
Instead they lose 4-2 and next year is already a write-off.

Probably won't re-sign him either.
I really feel for KD

This is an opinion piece, I don’t see any actual facts about the situation, in this day and age you would think a teams medical staff are very thorough and wouldn’t risk a players health. Maybe Durant insisted on playing against their wishes but i don’t know
The thing that annoys me about these type of articles is that, if Durant didn’t play then the same person would be writing an article questioning why he didn’t play
It’s all very easy to play expert after the fact

Carcharodon

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1139593297800945666

Please god no, I can’t go back to losing to the Lakers, iam not ready for that

simongurnick

Legion. wrote: »

In a press conference Kawhi was asked about this and said it hasn't happened. Yet.

Some property company has offered him free use of a million dollar exec condo if he stays and a bunch of top end restaurants have launched the "khawine and dine" campaign where he can eat free if he stays! Also toronto can offer him 50 mil more than any other team and probably will. Hope to god he stays!

SharpshooterTom

Is there any reason why the Lakers are so short?

Even with Lebron they didn't make the playoffs, I expect them to improve, but what major turnaround is expected to happen this summer that all of a sudden become favourites??

Carcharodon

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Is there any reason why the Lakers are so short?

Even with Lebron they didn't make the playoffs, I expect them to improve, but what major turnaround is expected to happen this summer that all of a sudden become favourites??

I would assume it’s based on them landing a big free agent, for them to be favorites, I would think it would have to be Davis but they would have to give up a lot to get him iam thinking, I know they could sign someone like Butler but iam not sure if that would make them favorites

leggo

Yeah I think that’s a massive overreaction. The Lakers are currently in an absolute jock behind the scenes and there’s no reason to think they’ll get AD next season, considering they don’t have a lot to offer the Pelicans leaving them no incentive to make that trade, plus after Kawhi teams will be more open to making risky one and done trades now. If the bookies were going to overreact to trade talk, Kawhi to the Clippers seems more likely than AD to Lakers, why not make them favourites? And GSW’s situation leaves Houston as the presumptive alpha dogs in the West (now with every incentive to keep the band together)...why not them? Apologies to Denver there but come on. If we’re overreacting to trade rumours, why are the Knicks not there at all given they’re high in the betting to sign Kyrie, Butler and AD, with an outside shot of them bringing in KD too and possibly having him back for the postseason? The Nets were a playoff team this season and look odds-on to bring in Kyrie, what about them? There’s no logic.

You usually get sobering sense from the bookies but this, to me, is one of the biggest signs we’re in for a wild summer. Which means it’s a good time to spread some speculative money!

kmart6

leggo wrote: »

there’s no reason to think they’ll get AD next season, considering they don’t have a lot to offer the Pelicans leaving them no incentive to make that trade

Fully agree that it is an overreaction for them to be in as favourites but to say they don't have the assets for the Pelicans is a bit off the mark. The Pelicans know they are not going to have AD so will be looking for the best overall package, Lakers can offer them the No. 4 pick and a good few young core players. Reports in the week were Ingram, Ball and the pick, don't think that would do it and they'd need to throw in another. Supposedly the Pelicans want Kuzma but the Lakers aren't willing to let him go.

Rich Paul also came out and said it will be a one year deal for whoever gets him and he will be testing free agency after next season so it's a huge amount to give up for one season. Yes the argument will be made that they need to make the most out of LeBron but it should be done the right way.

Personally I think the Lakers should be keeping all those younger guys and not blow it up to have to fill the bench with journeymen or the nonsense of this season, Rondo, Stephenson et al.

Hitch2222

Carcharodon wrote: »

This is an opinion piece, I don’t see any actual facts about the situation, in this day and age you would think a teams medical staff are very thorough and wouldn’t risk a players health. Maybe Durant insisted on playing against their wishes but i don’t know
The thing that annoys me about these type of articles is that, if Durant didn’t play then the same person would be writing an article questioning why he didn’t play
It’s all very easy to play expert after the fact

It's theguardian, hardly the most hard hitting of sports journalism. Generally known for its left wing opinion pieces which are generally fine but its unsurprising that they would publish an article condemning the faceless corporation and bemoaning the faith of the lowly proletariat, of course this proletariat is worth circa 300m.

leggo

It just doesn’t seem like a goer to me. That trade, or the proposed 3-teamer being rumoured, reminds me a little of the Magic’s strategy when offloading Dwight Howard. And that can hardly be considered be a great advertisement for getting what you can for a franchise guy, blowing up and rebuilding.

I saw Rich Paul’s comments and thought it was funny timing, given it’s the same week a franchise has won a title based around bringing in a potential one and done guy. Toronto’s success is going to have franchises re-thinking their strategies and I can see the Pelicans benefitting from that and getting a much more impactful package.

I just don’t see AD/Lakers as a done deal for next season by a long shot, and definitely not enough to move things that dramatically, unless the bookies know something we don’t. And there’s not enough consensus to say that they do: a quick check says the Lakers are 3rd favourite at 8/1 with Paddy Power, 4th at 13/2 with SkyBet etc. That seems about right: cautious and protecting themselves but not overreacting either.

Hitch2222

leggo wrote: »

I just don’t see AD/Lakers as a done deal for next season by a long shot, and definitely not enough to move things that dramatically, unless the bookies know something we don’t. And there’s not enough consensus to say that they do: a quick check says the Lakers are 3rd favourite at 8/1 with Paddy Power, 4th at 13/2 with SkyBet etc. That seems about right: cautious and protecting themselves but not overreacting either.

When Powers/SkyBet/Ladbrokes etc offer a given price on an American sporting event especially at this stage, its not quite the same as Vegas.

The liability that the euro sportsbooks are willing to take in these markets are relatively minuscule when compared to Vegas.
For example multiple Vegas bookies have take 5 figure bets on GSW and the Lakers already that they've made public not to mention any private bets.

https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/26974745/some-vegas-books-see-lakers-19-20-favorites

If you rang any of the euro bookies now and asked for similar, the trader would tell you to GTFO, you can have 50e and they would cut the price substantially.
Vegas may seem more risk averse as the margin on their book is higher but in terms of absolute volume and risk tolerance, it's the euro books which are unwilling to actually lay a bet.

shamrock55

If leanord stays there's no reason raptors can't at least make another final

LuckyLloyd

Vegas usually knows things we don’t.

Hitch2222

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Vegas usually knows things we don’t.

Yeah 100%, they're laying 10k at 4s while PP(Sportsbet really) are laying 50-100e at 7-8s because they lack competition for a large chunk of the US market and they have info Europe doesn't get.

Powers are competing with them via FanDuel until this deregulation happens which they're flying with tbf, flying so much that their brand direction has changed as shown by their new name change.

I'm thinking of my MVP bet for next year, my pick out of left field is Porzingis hoping for 66s+

Osmosis Jones

Hitch2222 wrote: »

I'm thinking of my MVP bet for next year, my pick out of left field is Porzingis hoping for 66s+

Haven't checked the odds but I think I'll go with Steph, he could well have a Harden-type season just putting up 25 shots a game with KD and Klay out.

ButtersSuki

shamrock55 wrote: »

If leanord stays there's no reason raptors can't at least make another final

They were incredibly lucky to beat the 76ers. If I was a 76ers fan I'd be looking at this like a real lost opportunity to win a Championship considering how things panned out. Embiid missed a game in that series and was running on empty for at least one more. That ball bounces another way and who knows.