Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[BlackNMild2k1]

I mean no jinx on the Jazz. As long as it's not the Lakers or Clippers (or the Nets) in the finals.... I'm ok with the result.
Jazz being a current favorite in likelyhood of making the finals, means neither the Clipper or Lakers made it, so I thought that would be an interesting "stat of the day" to share. hence the congrats.

as for the Dubs v Lakers, I meant it should be a good game to watch as a Warrior fan.
I'm really hoping Curry put on a Lakeshow by soaking the whole place in 3's. If we can get this one, then I'm hoping AD is out for the next still as well and we can sweep them in the season series.
Then if we can take another win or 2 from the Blazers and/or Suns and Clippers, we're in good shape to move up to the 6th seed and stay hopefully stay away from the play-in tourney at the end of the season.... lots of games left to go, but I feel we are finding a rhythm and playing in that groove. Curry and Dray running the show. Wiggins and Oubre on support, and Wiseman improving a bit each game.

Once we get Klay back next year (and ditch wanamaker<?> and other useless bench players, whose names I haven't bothered to learn yet, for some fresh blood looking to make a name for themselves) we should be back in the running as a serious contender.

p.s. I don't think I've watched a full Jazz game yet this year. I'm hoping that I have the time to catch the Dubs v Jazz on the 14th


also, maybe we should talk about the Jeremy Lin statement...


now I'm not gonna defend the comments made against Lin in any way whatsoever, but I know players will talk **** to get in the head of their opponent while in the game. Rarely is it ever personal, but that's not to speak on how the person receiving the comments may take them.
Especially in todays climate where such comment has been politicized and racism is a hot topic.

talking **** is part of the game, but blatantly racist remarks don't need to be.
Hopefully whoever said that got slapped w/ a hefty fine and a suspension, assuming the league was even aware of it. But I'm glad Lin wasn't too afraid to speak up on it in the first place.

[Adrock]

as for the Dubs v Lakers, I meant it should be a good game to watch as a Warrior fan.
I'm really hoping Curry put on a Lakeshow by soaking the whole place in 3's. If we can get this one, then I'm hoping AD is out for the next still as well and we can sweep them in the season series.

Look, I get what you're saying, but this is ugly fandom. Put another way "I'm hoping this human being stays injured because he plays for a different sportsball team than the one I arbitrarily like." I can't get down with that line of thinking.

From a basketball perspective, I'd rather have more and better competition. I don't want anyone to get hurt or stay hurt. It's only a game, Focker.

also, maybe we should talk about the Jeremy Lin statement...

Yeah... it certainly didn't help when the leader of the free world emboldened people's worst impulses and called it the "China virus" and "kung flu". There's so much going on in the world that the racism and violence against Asians and Asian Americans is getting overlooked.

Good on Lin for starting the conversation, or at least giving it more exposure.

talking **** is part of the game, but blatantly racist remarks don't need to be.

In a league that's predominantly black, there's a really easy way for non-black players like Lin to talk **** and get into a black opponent's head. No one would be okay with that. There's no place for bigotry no matter who is saying it yet a lot of people don't understand that unless they personally experience it. If bigotry is wrong, then it's always wrong, and it isn't just a problem when it happens to you.

I also just don't really like trash talking even though I have to accept that it happens. For example, I like the Sixers and I'm high on Joel Embiid, but I wish he would shut the **** up sometimes. I'm alone in the Philadelphia area in this regard. People love his attitude here, but I see it more as a detriment. Last year, Embiid got thrown out of a game and suspended for getting into it with Karl-Anthony Towns. Was that worth it? Recently, he was playing FIFA and said it was harder than guarding Anthony Davis. Haha, right? Except Davis has a championship ring and Embiid doesn't. Davis didn't respond because he doesn't have to. What has Embiid done? Trash talk doesn't work if you're also taken out of the game and/or your opponent is better than you.

Hopefully whoever said that got slapped w/ a hefty fine and a suspension, assuming the league was even aware of it. But I'm glad Lin wasn't too afraid to speak up on it in the first place.

The last I read about this, the G-League was investigating it, but Lin won't name the person who said it to him. The G-League can probably narrow down the team, but without more evidence, I feel like that's where this ends. I guess good on Lin for not outing his insensitive opponent and probably ending the other player's entire career. Lin made his millions; the dude who said it to him is a G-League player who get paid in Snack Packs.

[broodwars]

Wanted to reply about this earlier, but I didn't have access to a computer.

While I'm happy for the Jazz's success, I'm trying to be very careful not to jump to "CHAMPIONSHIP NOW" on this team until we get a lot further into the season and the playoffs. I still remember how LAST year was supposed to be "CHAMPIONSHIP NOW", and we got taken out in the 1st round. Our hot shooting could run dry at any moment as teams learn how to play against us.

I'm annoyed at the general dismissive attitude of the media towards the Jazz (in favor of the 2 LA teams), but some Jazz fans on a Jazz blog I follow the other night were just as bad. They apparently decided to act like typical Lakers fans and talk down about the Heat, and look how that turned out. The Jazz are playing some of the best basketball I've seen since the Stockton & Malone years, but there's still a lot of season left and we could easily get stuck with a team we match up poorly against (like the Nuggets) in the 1st round of the playoffs.

I do hope, though, that the Finals come down to 2 Small Market teams that haven't won a championship before, just for a change and to issue a giant middle finger to the NBA head office and general professional NBA punditry.

[Adrock]

The Warriors are playing like Anthony Davis is on the injured list.

The Lakers are up by 20 so I'm waiting for them to:

[Adrock]

I do hope, though, that the Finals come down to 2 Small Market teams that haven't won a championship before, just for a change and to issue a giant middle finger to the NBA head office and general professional NBA punditry.

Just out of curiosity, say the Jazz win a championship, how would you going to reconcile this moving forward? Root for the Jazz or a team that hasn't won a title?

[broodwars]

I do hope, though, that the Finals come down to 2 Small Market teams that haven't won a championship before, just for a change and to issue a giant middle finger to the NBA head office and general professional NBA punditry.

Just out of curiosity, say the Jazz win a championship, how would you going to reconcile this moving forward? Root for the Jazz or a team that hasn't won a title?

Dude, I can die content if the Jazz win just one title in my lifetime after the failed Stockton/Malone attempts & the mess that was the Ty Corbin years. If we get that, I'm OK if someone else gets a turn next time, though I'll always be a Jazz fan. That said, I wouldn't be against a Spurs-esque Jazz Small Market Dynasty should one come to pass. 

[BlackNMild2k1]

What I was saying is that if we have an advantage against a team, I hope that advantage continues and turns into W's. Of course I want it to be a good game, but still want it to be a game we win.

Turns out we didn't even show up to LA, and The Santa Cruz lookalikes till our place, so it didn't even matter. Maybe it would've been better if AD were playing đŸ€·đŸżâ€â™‚ïž. Lakers might've played a little slower instead of running us out of LA in the first quarter. đŸ€Ł

Either way, Warriors were trash tonight. And Dray may have injured himself đŸ€ŠđŸżâ€â™‚ïž.
Monkeys Paw Championship run still trying to linger those side effects!!!

Hopefully Dray is good and can play next game. Just need like 2+ wins on this 6 game stretch to hopefully stay in playoff rankings.
Tonight was a terrible loss that no one wanted to watch. Wasn't even fun for Laker fans.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I missed the skills challenge, and I don't know if there was a rookie or World v USA game...
But Steph Curry just won the 3pt Challenge.

Killed it in the 1st round w/ 31.
came down to the last shot in the final round.

[Adrock]

I missed the beginning of Lakers vs Warriors because Knicks vs. Nets overlapped. It was good at the end. I only caught the fourth quarter. For anyone who didn’t watch (which I presume is all of you), on a game tying three point attempt, Kyrie Irving hit the ball in Julius Randle’s hands so he came down with it. The refs called traveling. That call may have changed the outcome of the game. The Knicks still would have had to make a three pointer then win in overtime. I would have liked to have seen that just play out.

Anyway, the Lakers won a game they absolutely should and needed to win after two nights off while the Warriors were on the second game of a back-to-back after just beating the Jazz (which I didn’t get to watch so I have no idea if it was an especially grueling game). Curry did not get a ton of help then ended up sitting the entire fourth quarter. James got one of the quietest triple doubles I’ve ever seen. He “coasted” for huge swaths of the game though you could tell he wanted that triple double because he had eight rebounds going into the fourth quarter and he subbed out as soon as he got that last one. Have to make that case for MVP while Embiid is injured, I guess. đŸ€·â€â™€ïž

[BlackNMild2k1]

The Warrior v Jazz was a good game. Not just because the Warriors won, but because a majority of the players on the Dubs played a good game.

The Laker game wasn't good. It started off decent, but the second squad just couldn't produce much if anything at all. I don't blame Curry for not trying to bail the team out. Not that Curry was ask that hot anyway

[BeautifulShy]

Ugh LeBron out with a high ankle sprain. Out for at least 6-8 weeks. Likely out till May.  AD still out and being reevaluated still.

[BlackNMild2k1]

It's crazy that happen to Lebron when it did. Prior to the game, I was taking to someone about how he had never had any major injury or even anything that really kept him out for many weeks at a time.
I didn't get to watch the game, but got the Google news alert sometime after it happened. I feel like I (and hundreds of millions of others...) jinxed that man that night.

[broodwars]

The Jazz continue to baffle me with their acquisitions. Earlier this month, they signed former Buck Forward Ersan Illysova for the rest of the season, a guy who's played in all of one game for 4 minutes since. Today, they traded a future 2nd round draft pick to Toronto for 2nd year guard Matt Thomas. He's supposedly a sharp-shooting guard.

We're already stocked with 3 point-shooting guards. On the one hand, he would be useful if the 4-5 players ahead of him all got CoVid or were injured. On the other, we basically traded a 2nd round player we'd never play for a 2nd year player who will probably never play outside of garbage time and who will be gone at the end of the season. We needed perimeter defenders. This isn't the NBA draft. We didn't have to "settle for what was available" if nothing worthwhile was on offer.

[Adrock]

The Nets have signed LaMarcus Aldridge when everyone thought he was Miami bound.

Alrighty.

I’m still a little concerned about this team’s defense in the playoffs. Neither Griffin nor Aldridge address that. I’m now actively rooting against the Nets now even with Kevin Durant still on the injured list.

Andre Drummond is the other big name on the buyout market. He’s expected to make a decision today. If he joins the Nets too, I’m just not going to watch basketball again this season.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well doesn't that sound like fun.

And people thought the Warriors adding 1 player to the roster was forming a "Super Team"

[Adrock]

And people thought the Warriors adding 1 player to the roster was forming a "Super Team"

Come on, man.

How are you even trying to downplay that Warriors super team? That “1 player” was Kevin Durant in his prime who joined a 73-win team with the back-to-back MVP. That Warriors team was already a borderline super team. Their death lineup was five future Hall of Famers, all in their prime. Tail-end-of-his-prime Iguodala was the fifth best player on those teams.

GTFOH with that roll eyes, bruh. LOL. This year’s Nets are worse than those Warriors teams. Griffin and Aldridge are role players at this point and don’t move the needle that much. They don’t even need to play to be worthwhile signings. The Nets got them and [insert team] didn’t. Other contenders are looking at the buyout market like:

[BlackNMild2k1]

it's about HOW they were formed, not how good they became together. don't be obtuse.

The 3-1 Warriors (funny how that has multiple meanings) were formed organically and just clicked.
No one saw Steph, Klay, Dray and the addition of Iggy as "Oh no, this team is a SUPER TEAM, they are gonna win 3 Championships and it ain't fair!!! They clicked and surprised the **** out of everyone. ​They then added the best piece they could find to fill a hole and upgrade a position.h Nothing wrong with that

This Nets team has literally brought it major talent "In Prime", "End of Prime" and "Past Prime" all in the last 2 seasons. How many All Star Appearances does this Nets team have between their players?
And now they may also have a shot at Andre Drummond? they are literally trying to be the "Super Team" that the Warriors were accused of "forming".

Just because this Nets team doesn't have the chemistry and excitement of that run of Warriors 2015-2019, doesn't mean they aren't purposely recruiting an All-Star Super Team Squad. Not saying that is wrong, just that they are literally doing what everyone was accusing the Warriors of having done, when that really wasn't the case. This isn't a "Big 3" situation. This is literally an All-Star Team, like the Nets are trying to form a "Justice League" of available players.

Not sure it's gonna work out, but they are certainly hoping to give themselves the best chance possible through talent and experience.

[Adrock]

it's about HOW they were formed, not how good they became together. don't be obtuse.

How is that obtuse? A "super team" is just a team loaded with elite talent. It doesn't matter how they get there. It's so weird how nonchalant you are about a 73-win team adding a generational talent in his prime when they already had a generational talent in his prime on top of a top 15 player and arguably the best defender in the league. There's nothing wrong with the Warriors adding Durant. They did so fair and square, but call a spade a spade. The Warriors were a team full of talent that then added literally one of the best players in league history at the height of his powers. That's the very definition of a super team, and if you're trying to claim otherwise including downplaying the addition of "1 player":


The Nets are adding name-talent, but this isn't 2015. The additions of Griffin and Aldridge in 2021 are closer to the Warriors signing DeMarcus Cousins in 2018 or the Lakers signing Dwight Howard last year. There's a reason they were available for the veteran's minimum. Useful players for sure, good if you can get 10 minutes from them, but are they really putting you over the top? The Nets were already contenders; they're just slightly better contenders now.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I didn't say the Warriors weren't a "super team", I said they added 1 player to create this "super team". They evolved from somewhat known players mostly drafted to the team to eventually become super talents over time. They didn't get pulled on to the Warriors because they were already known talents. Durant was added to put them over the top.

What the Nets are doing is literally pulling Known pieces from all over in real time to create a SUPER TEAM.

it's two different things.
The Warriors became a great team. and then added a piece to become SUPER.
The Nets are literally in the process of recruiting a SUPER TEAM.

I'm not even faulting them for it, just pointing out that people were all over the Warriors for adding a single player (albeit a great one) to their squad... the Nets brought on Kyrie and Durant, then added Harden, then added Blake and then LaMarcus, and then may also get a shot at Drummond.
I'm not saying "it's not fair" I'm just pointing out that this it trying to form a Super Team.
They are recruiting known talent from all over. Griffin may be "past his prime" but he was playing possum over in Detroit. He wasn't about to hurt himself trying to push nothing nowhere.
LaMarcus may not be in his prime anymore either, but being able to have quality vets on the squad of Durant, Kyrie and Harden can be as helpful as Warriors having an Iggy on his down slope. Maybe serving a different purpose with a different focus, but helpful none the less.

Besides, I'm all for every team doing what they can to make for the most challenging and entertaining Finals. Who knows if this experiment works, as they may not all work well together.
but the only point I was making is that this is the forming of a "super team" that the Warriors were accused of.
Building a solid ass team through the draft and then trading to fill a need or upgrade a position is what ALL teams hope to do.
Somehow being able to recruit ALL the available named talent to one team in a 2 year span is the literal creation of a "super team" and that's pretty much all my comment was meant to point out.

[Adrock]

I didn't say the Warriors weren't a "super team", I said they added 1 player to create this "super team". They evolved from somewhat known players mostly drafted to the team to eventually become super talents over time. They didn't get pulled on to the Warriors because they were already known talents. Durant was added to put them over the top.

1. "And people thought the Warriors adding 1 player to the roster was forming a "Super Team" " certainly sounded like you were saying the Warriors weren't a super team, but I'll take your word for it.

2. Durant most certainly did not put the Warriors over the top. They already beat that same Cavaliers team ini the Finals, got better the next year, and only lost the next Finals due to league fuckery. When you break a 20 year old record set by Michael Jordan's Bulls, you're arguably already super team. Adding Durant was like going from Super Saiyan to Super Saiyan 2.

LaMarcus may not be in his prime anymore either, but being able to have quality vets on the squad of Durant, Kyrie and Harden can be as helpful as Warriors having an Iggy on his down slope. Maybe serving a different purpose with a different focus, but helpful none the less.

Again, sure, Griffin and Aldridge are useful. However, I don't think they're huge difference makers, certainly no where near what Iguodala was to the dynasty Warriors. Dude won Finals MVP almost entirely for his defense on LeBron James. Griffin and Aldridge don't offer much on that end of the floor besides rebounding. Yeah, rebounding is important, but if Giannis is spinning baseline and dunking all over Griffin and/or Aldridge because he's younger, faster, and stronger, that rebounding is far less valuable.

[Adrock]

Andre Drummond plans to sign with Los Angeles Lakers, agent says

The Lakers:


Jebus, the Lakers really needed Drummond especially with James and Davis out.

I'm not as down on Marc Gasol as most Lakers fans. He was simply asked to do far more than what he was originally signed to do once Davis got injured. There were games when Gasol played 30 minutes. Nah, man. He'll be fine at 10 to 15 minutes and in the slower pace of the playoffs. On the second unit, I hope y'all like even more Montrezl Harrell dunks. The only issue is Gasol pretty much can't share the floor with Markeiff Morris unless the Lakers want opposing guards zooming right past them possession after possession.

Drummond gives the Lakers a young player to soak up most of the center position minutes. While James and Davis are injured, he should get plenty of touches. Both are likely reasons Drummond picked the Lakers over every other team. The Lakers won't be able to keep him past this season, but he'll get plenty of run to earn his next contract.

The Lakers have one more roster spot which they probably want to fill with a wing. The Magic may or may not buy out Otto Porter Jr. If he becomes available, he'll definitely be the target. The Lakers potentially adding two 27 year old rotation players on the buyout market would be pretty devastating. I'm here for it though.

[Adrock]

So Wiggins is getting cut by the Warriors, right?

Also, Damian Lee is getting cut and will be uninvited from future Curry family barbecues.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Also, Damian Lee is getting cut and will be uninvited from future Curry family barbecues.

So Wiggins is getting cut by the Warriors, right?

Also, Damian Lee is getting cut and will be uninvited from future Curry family barbecues.

maybe and YES.

but also they should have left the squad that was out there getting and maintaining the lead stay out there a bit longer.
I really don't know WTF D.Lee was thinking on that last shot....
but Poole did the same thing in the previous quarter, and Curry missed a few layups as well.

plenty of blame to go around. Just not all of it was in the moment that mattered the most.
Looking at you D. Lee.  ( àČ Ù„ÍŸàČ )┌∩┐

[BeautifulShy]

OMG that was an amazing team effort versus the Nets. 8 players in double figures. 9 regular rotation players played. Schroeder, THT, KCP, Markieff, Drummond, McKennie, McLemore and Harrell all had double figures in points. 
 
All these Lakers were out with injuries. LeBron, AD, Kuzma, Wes Mathews and Marc Gasol and Dudley was out.

[Adrock]

I didn't watch most of the game because I was expecting a flustercuck. I checked the score a few times then finally turned it on after the game was basically already decided in the fourth quarter. Nice effort, Nets washed etc. etc.

In all seriousness, a lot had to go right in this game. Hitting 19 three-pointers at 56% certainly helps as does the opponent hitting 5 three-pointers at 19%. I question whether the Lakers could have pulled out a win had Irving and Schröder not been ejected. I'm in the camp of Find A Way To Win. The Lakers were missing like a third of their roster. No one has felt feel sorry for them during this stretch of injuries so they just have to go out every night and play hard.

I'm extremely pleased with the Drummond signing. I hope the Lakers can re-sign him this off-season though he would have to take a significant paycut depending on what Schröder does due to the cap (~$6 million/mini-MLE for Drummond if Schröder stays; full ~$10 million/MLE if he leaves). I'm in favor of players getting paid so I couldn't blame Drummond if he walks because this is likely his last chance at a big contract. Maybe being on a contender with teammates he likes is worth less money to him (he played with KCP on the Pistons and they remained friends).

In fact, I really like this core, and I hope they run it back next season since we barely got to see everyone on the court together due to injuries. Jeanie Buss will absolutely pay the luxury tax, but it'll still be difficult. Harrell will have to take less money again, ~$11 million max when he's worth at least $15 million. Caruso will probably command $7 to $10 million. I don't even know where to begin with Horton-Tucker's contract situation which I don't fully understand. They don't have full Bird-rights, but they can still match any offer because he's a restricted free agent. Who even knows what the hell is happening with Schröder? An unsettling amount of Lakers fans are salty that he won't sign the extension. I'm on Schröder's side. That same contract will be available in the summer, and if he can get slightly more, why wouldn't he do that? Talent doesn't dictate salary; what teams are willing to pay dictates salary.