NBA thread 2016-17 v. The Age of The Land?

[Samsara]

Wolves play like crap, blow their playoff chances, and now win two in a row. I'm not really pissed, because winning is winning, but unreal...

Looking to the offseason (will be watching playoffs, but sadly, the long streak of not being in it continues), I honestly don't know now what the Wolves should do with Rubio. Dude is playing like an all-star since the all-star break, and I think if he can continue, it'd be stupid to trade him. He's still young, and gels well with the team. As long as he can keep up the shooting, he'll be fine.

Assuming that happens, the team needs frontcourt depth and some really defensive-minded role players. We'll see what happens. But I think with a healthy Lavine, the Wolves will finally get into the playoffs next year.

As for this year, rooting for the Raptors and Bucks in the East. In the West, go Grizzlies! It'll never happen, and Adam Silver would swallow hard, but I'd love to see the Raptors or Bucks vs. the Grizzlies in the finals. lol.

[Nekov]

I hope that Boston finishes second so that we can play them and potentially prove the doubters wrong.

Meh, let them take the #1, and just silence the doubters by beating the Cavs and then beating the Celtics.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I hope that Boston finishes second so that we can play them and potentially prove the doubters wrong.

Meh, let them take the #1, and just silence the doubters by beating the Cavs and then beating the Celtics.

Might as well take down the Dubs in the Finals while we're at it, then the Olympic team a couple of years from now...

[bosk1]

  Just trying to be supportive.

[bosk1]

Wolves play like crap, blow their playoff chances, and now win two in a row. I'm not really pissed, because winning is winning, but unreal...

Looking to the offseason (will be watching playoffs, but sadly, the long streak of not being in it continues), I honestly don't know now what the Wolves should do with Rubio. Dude is playing like an all-star since the all-star break, and I think if he can continue, it'd be stupid to trade him. He's still young, and gels well with the team. As long as he can keep up the shooting, he'll be fine.

Assuming that happens, the team needs frontcourt depth and some really defensive-minded role players. We'll see what happens. But I think with a healthy Lavine, the Wolves will finally get into the playoffs next year.

As for this year, rooting for the Raptors and Bucks in the East. In the West, go Grizzlies! It'll never happen, and Adam Silver would swallow hard, but I'd love to see the Raptors or Bucks vs. the Grizzlies in the finals. lol.

No offense, but I want them to lose tonight.  But after tonight, they can win out and finish the season strong. 

[jingle.boy]

I hope that Boston finishes second so that we can play them and potentially prove the doubters wrong.

Meh, let them take the #1, and just silence the doubters by beating the Cavs and then beating the Celtics.

2 back of CLE with CLE being the only +.500 team they face; whereas the Cavs have Boston, home/home with the Hawks, and then we close against each other.  That last game of the season could be for 2nd seed.

Though, there would be something very sweet with Tor/Bos series in both the NBA and NHL.  Very conceivable at this point.

[King Postwhore]

For you maybe Chad.

[bosk1]

By the way, for clarification, I meant let the Celtics take the #1, not the Raptors.  I mean, I wouldn't mind Toronto climbing into the top spot, but it's a long shot with so few games left.  I hadn't realized how close the top 4 in the east are right now.  Top 4 and bottom 4 are very fluid within those brackets.  In the west, I think we're pretty set other than perhaps the 4 and 5 flipping and/or the 6 and 7 flipping.

[bosk1]

Ugly, sloppy game by the Warriors last night.  For too much of the first half, they looked bored.  Hard to blame them, with the #1 all but clinched and after coming off of that incredibly difficult stretch of games undefeated against the Spurs, Rockets, Wizards, and Grizzlies.  I can imagine it can be hard to keep focus this late in the season.  But the missed open shots, the shot selection, the turnovers, and the sloppy defense were frustrating.  Toward the end of the first half, I couldn't figure out how they somehow had 67 points and an 8 point lead.  I think this team is done with the regular season and just looking ahead to the playoffs now.  That's understandable, but a dangerous mindset to fall into.

On the other side of the ball, I liked what I saw from the T-Wolves.  Never really paid attention to them, as their games aren't on much out here if they aren't playing the Warriors or Kings.   

[Samsara]

The Wolves played like crap. 

Yeah, the Warriors are the Warriors, but I really did not like what I saw. I shut the game off when Thibs took out Wiggins to start the 4th, knowing he and Towns would get the rest of the night off (they lead the league in minutes, I believe). The Wolves need two things in a major way this offseason -- a bench playmaker for the backcourt, and an athletic big who provides active defense...and knows how to box out. Seriously. If I have to watch Dieng allow another guard to fly through the lane and grab a rebound, I may destroy the TV. Our biggest loss this year wasn't Zach Lavine...it was Beijca (bad spelling on his name), who is a stretch 4 that plays smart defense that was a major reason why the Wolves had that big winning run that put them close to the 8 seed a month ago. We lost him, and not surprisingly, the losses came...

Dieng is talented, but his shot is very slow, he pump fakes too much, and he's just not a very active, heady defender. And the Wolves can't afford to have him playing major minutes next year. I'm hoping someone bites on him as trade bait, given his solid stats, and the team brings in a better defensive presence.

I know this is a pipe dream, but given his knee injury, I'm hoping Derrick Rose can be had for peanuts this fall, and would accept a 6th man role. I know he probably won't, but based on what I saw this year, if he'd be content coming off the bench and playing 25-30 minutes a night, I could see him being the bench playmaker they need. Dude might average the same points coming off the bench, and be 6th man of the year.

Not sure what defensive minded, active, athletic bigs are out there, but the Wolves need to grab one of those too. Good season of improvement for the Wolves, but they still have a long way to go.

[Nekov]

I know this is a pipe dream, but given his knee injury, I'm hoping Derrick Rose can be had for peanuts this fall, and would accept a 6th man role. I know he probably won't, but based on what I saw this year, if he'd be content coming off the bench and playing 25-30 minutes a night, I could see him being the bench playmaker they need. Dude might average the same points coming off the bench, and be 6th man of the year.

I don't see that happening. The team seems to be very eager to watch Kris Dunn develop, bringing in Rose without traiding Rubio would make no sense whatsoever

Not sure what defensive minded, active, athletic bigs are out there, but the Wolves need to grab one of those too. Good season of improvement for the Wolves, but they still have a long way to go.

Paul Millsap is a free agent. If the T-wolves can lure him they'll become playoff contenders immediately.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Here's a fun, nerdy discussion on the MVP race for those interested: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/duncdon/2017/04/05/2017-mvp-deep-dive

[bosk1]

Yeah, the Warriors are the Warriors, but I really did not like what I saw.

You didn't like what you saw from the Warriors or from the T-Wolves?  I didn't really like what I saw from the Warriors for a lot of the game.  Curry in particular seemed like he was bored and just clowning around.  I mean, it's one thing to just go out and have fun, and when you are in the position that team is in at this stage of the season, it can be hard to maintain focus and go out and play hard.  But there is a fine line between having fun and coming across as not taking the other team seriously and disrespecting them.  I don't think for a moment that the latter is where Curry's head was.  But his on-court play could easily be construed that way.  And, again, the lack of focus on his part (and some others on the team not named Green or Thompson) led to sloppiness.  But maybe I'm just overthinking it and I need to just realize that that comes with the territory for a team that is about to clinch the #1 seed for a third straight season. 

[TAC]

No matter what Labron said about this just being a regular season game, the Cavs have come to play tonight. Seen a number of Cavs games this year and this is as serious as they have approached a game. Up on the Celts by 15 at the half.
The Celts are having an awful night shooting. They're open, but can't knock anything down.

[Nekov]

That was an awful game for the Celtics, they could't hit water from a boat and Cleveland really cam out to play, I was expecting a fun game but that didn't happen.

Also, can someone tell the lakers they really need to tank? They beat the Spurs yesterday....

[King Postwhore]

That was a big clank by the C's last night.  At home no less.

[TAC]

Yup. Cleveland came out Playoff Ready last night. That was clear.

The Celtics didn't. That was clearer.

[jingle.boy]

Lowry back with 42 minutes was a nice injection for the Raptors - despite being down 37-17 early in the 2nd, and down by 12 starting the 4th, they came in with 37 in the final quarter to help Detroit snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  I'd really like us to stay ahead of the Wizards, and avoid the Bucs in the 1st round.

[bosk1]

#1 clinched.  Man, this has been a fun season.  But nothing to do now but get ready for the playoffs. 

Too bad about Boston.  I was really hoping they would have completely embarrassed the Cavs.  Oh well.

[bosk1]

Looks like the playoff picture is pretty set as well for the west.

Warriors vs. either Portland or Denver (#8 seed is still up for grabs)
Spurs vs. Grizz
Rockets vs. Thunder (although, technically, the Thunder could overtake the Clippers for the 5, even though unlikely)
Jazz vs. probably Clippers, with home court still up in the air

East still has too many variables.

[KevShmev]

Looks like the finals are set:

Cavs vs Warriors

Barring an injury to one of the stars on either team, that is the finals.  Both teams had spells this year where they were bored and didn't look great, but when push comes to shove, these are the best teams from each conference.

[King Postwhore]

Looks like the finals are set:

Cavs vs Warriors

Barring an injury to one of the stars on either team, that is the finals.  Both teams had spells this year where they were bored and didn't look great, but when push comes to shove, these are the best teams from each conference.

That's why I've gravitated away from the NBA.

[bosk1]

Looks like the finals are set:

Cavs vs Warriors

Barring an injury to one of the stars on either team, that is the finals.  Both teams had spells this year where they were bored and didn't look great, but when push comes to shove, these are the best teams from each conference.

That's why I've gravitated away from the NBA.

  Why?

[King Postwhore]

For the most part, the best teams always make it.  The C's are a perfect example.   Regular season doesn't mean anything and star players do.  I watch still, not like I used to.

[KevShmev]

That's how the NBA has always been for as back as I can remember.  It just about every season, the team that won it all was one of maybe four or five teams at most you thought before the beginning of the season had a legit chance to win it.   There is never a 2001 Patriots, 2012 LA Kings or 2005 White Sox in the NBA.

[bosk1]

That's how the NBA has always been for as back as I can remember.  It just about every season, the team that won it all was one of maybe four or five teams at most you thought before the beginning of the season had a legit chance to win it.   There is never a 2001 Patriots, 2012 LA Kings or 2005 White Sox in the NBA.

Pretty much.  Although the Warriors 2 years ago were kinda that.  2013 was really their "out of nowhere year" when Mark Jackson got them to the playoffs for the first time in forever.  But they were early outs in 2013 and 2014, and when Kerr came in, people generally assumed that they would tail off and go into rebuild mode.  And when they kept winning in the regular season in 2014/2015, there was a lot of both surprise and resentment.  I remember hearing on a lot of sports media that the Western Conference belonged to the Spurs, with the Clippers and Thunder being the acceptable contenders to the Spurs' "alpha dog" role.  Those upstart Warriors better just learn their place and wait their turn.  That was the narrative.  Despite making it to the playoffs the two prior years, nobody took them seriously in 2014/2015, and people were in shock when they swept the Pelicans, beat the Grizzlies 4-2, and beat the Rockets 4-2 to advance to the finals.  So they weren't quite the 2001 Patriots, 2012 LA Kings or 2005 White Sox in the NBA, but they weren't too far off of that either. 

But to your point, I do agree that that has generally always the case.  Surprise teams are few and far between.

[King Postwhore]

I know Kev will love this but what LeBron has done in the last 6 years goes to show how great he is and the burden he us under and still produce like he does.

[KevShmev]

Hah, very true!

And while some probably think like I am come off as a LeBron Superfan, I'm really not.  Heck, I rooted against him and the Heat in the 2011 finals, largely because I thought the officials totally jobbed the Mavericks in the 06 finals and wanted to see Cuban and Dirk get a championship and some measure of revenge on Stern.  But I think much of the criticism of James is so freaking stupid that I usually find myself disagreeing with it and putting those thoughts into words (verbally in real life, on screen on the 'net).

[King Postwhore]

We can all hate him and understand how gr a at he is.

[j]

And while some probably think like I am come off as a LeBron Superfan, I'm really not.  Heck, I rooted against him and the Heat in the 2011 finals, largely because I thought the officials totally jobbed the Mavericks in the 06 finals and wanted to see Cuban and Dirk get a championship and some measure of revenge on Stern.  But I think much of the criticism of James is so freaking stupid that I usually find myself disagreeing with it and putting those thoughts into words (verbally in real life, on screen on the 'net).

Every single word of this describes my position as well.

On another note, I saw an interesting stat about Westbrook's season as compared to Oscar in '61; apparently WB is averaging like 11 fewer minutes per game!  I've been a huge critic of the guy and his decision making at times, but I'm out of things to criticize at this point.  He's done something seriously amazing that I did not think would be done again.

That said, it's fairly amazing that both LeBron and James Harden have put up average numbers that are almost as good this season!  LeBron is averaging like 26-8-8 and Harden 29-8-11.  AND LeBron's averages in assists and rebounds are the highest of his career, in his 14th season.  Ridiculous stuff.

-J

[jingle.boy]

We can all hate him and understand how gr a at he is.

You talkin about LeBron, or Brady?

[King Postwhore]

We can all hate him and understand how gr a at he is.

You talkin about LeBron, or Brady?

Both.  I get the hate because they are great.

[TAC]

We can all hate him and understand how gr a at he is.

You talkin about LeBron, or Brady?

 

[Azyiu]

All the talks about them Cavs turning it on... just as the slumping Hawks are without D-Howard and Schroder, and they are @ Cavs... maybe LeBron should have rested. 

[KevShmev]

Taking too many nights off has made it to where they won't have home court advantage against any of the top three teams from the West in the finals, but I just can't see the Cavs taking a lot of nights off in the postseason to where any team in the East beats them four out of seven.