NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2017-18

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

https://bballbreakdown.com/2017/11/30/jimminy-christmas-these-rockets-are-good/

Rockets are going to make the WCF at this rate, maybe even win it all.

Yeah they look very good right now, but it's early days/not play off basketball etc.

My fear for the Warriors (and I say this as a Celtics fan) is they look VERY complacent right now. The only team that can beat the Warriors is the Warriors; but the complacency, arrogance, lack of application on both ends of the court etc. could really bite them in the ass come play off time. They really need to take the finger out.

Marcel Delightful Viewfinder wrote: »

Also it Again shows how impressive it is that lebron is still lebron after 7 straight

Well...yes and no. It's been on different teams which helps, and it's the East, which helps enormously.

Marcel Delightful Viewfinder wrote: »

Sure it does but the goat was burned out after 3 7 Id crazy under any cercumstance

Firstly the comments from Kerr etc. were based around a team and not an individual. Small point but an important distinction.

On Jordan, depending on what stories you read/believe etc., I'm not sure how much he was burned out as fed up/distracted etc. (and that's before you go into the gambling stories). Again, it was a different time. If a guy like Jordan entered the league when LBJ did and had access to the advances in sports science and nutrition, conditioning and recovery etc. that LBJ has had, then I really do wonder what kind of animal he could have become. From memory, Jordan didn't lift a weight in his life in any serious way until he was mid-career; and he took a pounding for years before doing so. The thing I probably most admire LeBron for is for his work ethic and his physical specimen he has become. I've mentioned before about the money he spends on his body annually and the care he takes of himself, but the fact he's gone largely uninjured playing the minutes he's played in his career is truly astonishing. I watched some of his (LeBron's) workout videos and they really are punishing. I have issues with some of his play, decision-making, and temperament at times, but he truly is an astonishing athlete.

I was reading recently Kyrie has become vegan. Imagine the reaction a guy would have gotten in the 80s or 90s or even the early 00s for that? It would have been you need red meat, you need protein etc. Things have evolved (for the better). LeBron it seems has been ahead of the game for years on this.

It's all ifs, buts and maybes though as we'll never know.

Some 3rd quarter by GS last night v the Heat (they seem to save their best play for 3rd quarters this year). Just watched the full game and when they're rolling they're just a joy to watch.

Edit: oh forgot to mention this earlier check out the ref ejecting Livingston in that game. Crazy behaviour from Livingston, but I see both player and ref have been suspended.

And just as I post about the Sixers toughest schedule they lose to the Suns. Lol.

GS were down 20 at the half to an AD-less Pelicans, now they’re down 5 in the 4th.

Gregk961 wrote: »

Just realised Patrick Beverley is out for the season, was wondering why Austin was getting so many minutes. Its a pity anyway, I love watching Beverley play.

Yeah he's a big loss for them, as is Griffin - who was taken out by Rivers. :rolleyes:

KD with a big night stats wise and a triple double.

Boogie goes for 40 and 22 too.

Cabs streak at 13, and LeBron one assist shy of a triple double.

BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to trade center Jahlil Okafor, forward Nik Stauskas and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Trevor Booker.

WTAF? Giving up all of that for Trevor Booker, who's 30 and averages 10pts a game. Okafor is still just 21, Stauskas is 24 AND a pick? I'm lost.

Igotadose wrote: »

Okafor's fallen out of favor in Philly, and was hurt last year. Still, it may turn out to be a steal for the Nets. A rare thing, indeed. Good news about the Nets never seems to happen.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/76ers-trading-jahlil-okafor-nets-article-1.3684263

It's a steal for the Nets. They give up an aging player, get two on rookie deals and a pick. I'd maybe understand if Booker was sh*t hot, he's not! Crazy. Okafor can play - he averaged 17/18 as a rookie from memory and he's effectively been frozen out in Philly.

I can't believe they couldn't have gotten better for him as a trade piece. Boston were rumoured to be interested last year/over the summer. They didn't just give him away, they got screwed doing it throwing in NS and a pick!

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Bulls 3-0 for the weekend, let there be no more of that, there's a lottery pick to be gotten

I was listening to some pod or other last week and they said everyone else in the lottery mix needs to cop on and start losing as the Bulls were a lock for the worst record. Then they win 3 straight and beat the crap out of a Kyrie-less Boston.

On the other hand, it shows how vulnerable Boston are without Kyrie though.

Philly losing games it should be winning too. I can't remember the exact stats but they're something like 1-6 in games decided by 5 or less (might be higher pts total but you get the idea). That's youth and inexperience.

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

OKC have massive problems.

Russell Westbrook is literally shooting worse than Lonzo Ball! :pac:

I haven't been watching as much of his stuff as I usually do but Coach Nick does a great job of showing the flaws in the OKC offence in a recent video. The main culprits are Melo and Russ. I was astonished to see Westbrook's off ball movement when he passes the ball - it's literally non-existant; he just stands there. For a guy at that level it's astonishing. Melo is Melo, i.e. his usual black hole self. Once the ball goes to Melo you may as well tun back and start playing D. That was never excusable, but it was more excusable when he was shooting a decent %. His shot selection is absolutely atrocious, esp. given his fading athleticism. I think he's actually a bigger problem than Westbrook tbh in that offence.

One other crazy stat was guess how many screens Westbrook has set for Melo this year? 0. WTAF? How does that even happen?

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

And yet if they sneak into the playoffs I wouldn't want to play them...

Totally agree they're the team no-one will want to play.

They'll get in alright, they just have too much talent not to*. They're currently in the 8th seed, but just 3 games off the 4th.



*......unless of course Presti decides at the All Star Break he doesn't fancy their seeding or their chances of keeping George and trades him - and I'd say there's a REALLY good chance that happens btw, esp. if they are still in the 8/9 slot at that stage. George to the Cavs is not out of the question either and I'd say his likely destination in the short term if that happens. That trade would really alter the GS - Cavs series too - I'd still have GS as favourites, but the gap would be much closer.

Gregk961 wrote: »

Not sure how accurate the Love for Melo trade rumours were during the summer but I reckon it would have been game over for this Cavs team if it had gone ahead.

I havnt always been a Melo hater but he has been shocking this year. Not sure how coach K convinced him to play any form of team basketball, but it might just be greatest coaching achievement of all time.

Welcome to the Melo Haters Club!

You make some good points. One of my regular pods covered the Houston trade recently and said the same....as in he’d have messed it all up.

On the Olympics, it’s a lot easier “pretend” to play a more team-oriented role when you know you’re going to/are almost guaranteed to win. Plus I’d imagine there was a lot of peer pressure on him to do more from the likes of LeBron and Paul (in ‘08 and ‘12) and others. Plus it was like 6 games each time - big difference in that and losing in November in an 82 game season.

I could go on...!


And again on Love, he’s still under-rated and badly utilised in Cleveland. On another/the right team he’d look like the old Kevin Love again. If my choice was Melo or Love, I’d take Love every time.