2013-14 NBA thread v. Adam Silver Lays the Pipe on Donald Sterling ©2014antigoon

[T-ski]

this just went up in Milwaukee near the Bucks arena......

[Syzzle]

It does take balls to not tank for the best draft class in a decade.

[sneakyblueberry]

lolkobe.  I guess if you're dumb enough to pay $50 million dollars for an antique, you can't be surprised if it breaks.

[j]

Anybody see the end of that Spurs-Warriors game?  Obvious goaltending on the tip in by Splitter at the buzzer, refs didn't even look at it.  Good ol' NBA officiating.

-J

[KevShmev]

With injuries starting to pile up, I could see Bryant retiring sooner rather than later, but not before he passes MJ on the all-time scoring points list.  He only needs around 600 more points, and there is no way he won't gut out whatever ailments he'll have to get those points.

[ReaPsTA]

So... a lot of things have happened in the NBA over the past year.

[Syzzle]

Damn Patrick Beverly really did a number on Westbrook's knee just had to get a 3rd knee surgery done, and he's out until after the All-Star break.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Well... Look at the bright side. We're going to see Durant going for 40 every game now, which will be fun.

Also, welcome back ReaP.

[Dimitrius]

Can we take a moment to shit on the awful, awful Christmas jerseys? The Bulls, Lakers and Heat looked especially cheap!

[ReaPsTA]

Can we take a moment to shit on the awful, awful Christmas jerseys? The Bulls, Lakers and Heat looked especially cheap!

I actually... didn't mind them.  They were kinda interesting.  The ugly sweater warmups were actually pretty cool.

The problem is that, clearly, the league is experimenting with the idea of having sleeves be standard, which would be horrible.

Also, welcome back ReaP.

Thank you, thank you.

[Azyiu]

The battle for draft lottery supremacy continued in Utah tonight, and the Lakers came out "winning" this round, and "gained" a little more ground toward a high lottery pick! 

[Aefenwelg]

Horford out. Sucks for the Hawks.

The East is somehow even worse, my God.

[Dimitrius]

Can we take a moment to shit on the awful, awful Christmas jerseys? The Bulls, Lakers and Heat looked especially cheap!

I actually... didn't mind them.  They were kinda interesting.  The ugly sweater warmups were actually pretty cool.

The problem is that, clearly, the league is experimenting with the idea of having sleeves be standard, which would be horrible.

I don't know, those 3 look like an 8 year old printed their logo in black and white and just stapled it on a shirt.

[ReaPsTA]

I don't know, those 3 look like an 8 year old printed their logo in black and white and just stapled it on a shirt.

I know what mean.  When you really look at them up close, they're poorly done.  They look rushed.

I was surprised how little I hated them in an aesthetic sense.  It didn't feel like it wasn't basketball just because they weren't wearing sleeveless jerseys.

[Azyiu]

What a shot by Bosh, and nice win by the LeBron-less Heat, indeed. Guess the Blazers were too worried about D-Wade scoring on an easy layup like the play before, and "forgot" about switching toward the perimeter. 

[Syzzle]

First Option Bosh making an appearance

He always seems to hit the game winning 3 when ever he's the first option for the game.

[antigoon]

I can't even lie I love watching the Heat.

[gm5k]

The threat of the crunch time Bosh 3 pointer is one of the biggest reasons the Heat are the champs.  It's why Pop took out Duncan at the end of game 6 when Miami got those two crucial rebounds that each led to 3 pointers by LBJ and Allen.  Bosh making that shot is exactly what Pop was afraid of.   The basketball God's deemed that Pop's gamble wouldn't work out 

Edit:  Take that back, Bosh wasn't even in the game on the first 3.  Definitely was on the 2nd, though and ended up getting the rebound.  I guess it was just more about having the quickness to defend all the athletes on the floor that could shoot the 3.  This is why Diaw got subbed in at the last second right before that first 3. 

[contest_sanity]

^ The Heat just always had things break their way with substitution luck last year.  Remember Game 1 of the Indiana series when Vogel inexplicably removed Roy Hibbert on the last play and Lebron drove for a layup with like 2 seconds left?  How stupid was that of Vogel, and how lucky for the Heat?  2 seconds left and you have to have a basket?  A Lebron drive is probably your best option -- unless Hibbert is there.

It has been documented (https://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/58603/roy-hibbert-is-in-lebron-james-head) that Hibbert is the one player who Lebron might have second thoughts about challenging at the rim.

Still an unbelievably dumb move that maybe cost the Pacers the series! 

Can't wait to watch them go at it again this year though.  If anybody can beat Miami, it's the Pacers.

EDIT: the play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jYB9-7zXIk

[KevShmev]

One sportswriter giving his speculative opinion that James is scared of Hibbert doesn't really mean anything.

You can call that play lucky, but how many NBA championships would have gone differently if you changed every last second shot?  Michael Jordan might only have only won a ring or two.  Teams that are as good as the Heat are make their own luck.

[ReaPsTA]

In a general sense, can we talk about how ridiculous it is to not have a big on the floor on defense when the opponent needs a three?  I understand the desire to switch on defense, but losing the rebounding and rim protection hurts you too much.

[Nekov]

Can we talk about how ridiculous it is that the NBA hasn't adopted fouling the other team when they need a 3 so they don't even get the chance to shoot one? It is used in the Euro basket a lot and it's proven to be very effective.

[Syzzle]

"This is America we don't do that here"

[contest_sanity]

@Kev -- I know it's just one article, but it was backed up with a lot of detailed evidence and stats.  And I wasn't really calling the play lucky, just the fact of removing Hibbert from the game.

I understand, too, about speculating on "what-ifs," but in this case it was a pretty big "what-if?"

@Reap -- I think it's in general (not always) a bad move to not have your best 5 players on the court.  And removing the big man is especially dangerous, as we saw in Game 6 from last year's Finals, because of the loss of defensive rebounding.

[KevShmev]

Can we talk about how ridiculous it is that the NBA hasn't adopted fouling the other team when they need a 3 so they don't even get the chance to shoot one? It is used in the Euro basket a lot and it's proven to be very effective.

It happens sometimes.  I remember Houston/Phoenix Game 7 in either '94 or '95, where Houston hit a 3 with like 10 or so seconds left to take the lead, and the rest of the game was nothing but foul shots, as Houston kept fouling to prevent Phoenix from making a 3.  And I think both teams literally hit all of their free throws, and Houston ended up winning by a point. 

[ReaPsTA]

Can we talk about how ridiculous it is that the NBA hasn't adopted fouling the other team when they need a 3 so they don't even get the chance to shoot one? It is used in the Euro basket a lot and it's proven to be very effective.

I think the worry is that savvy shooters will be able to draw a foul and thus three free throws.  If you intentionally foul, you basically hug the other player.  In that circumstance, the Harden/Durant rip through move is very easy.

[contest_sanity]

^ YEP.  The Carmelo play below is a perfect example, even if the ref made the proper call (I think) and got Harden for the foul before the shot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdNG6Wlt6cI

[Nekov]

Well, Harden clearly fouled him before he made the shot but I do get that if it's up to the NBA refs, fouling to avoid a 3 is probably not the best idea.

[contest_sanity]

Peep this defensive display:

[black_biff_stadler]

#KNICKSTAPE

[Azyiu]

Suddenly the hottest team in the West (the Blazers) lost two in a row, and they are at OKC against the Thunder tonight. Can they beat the Thunder and steal back the #1 spot out west, or will they suddenly lose 3 games in a row?! Either way, Blazers @ Thunder tonight should be a good one! 

[Syzzle]

They lost 2 in a row on last second game winners so it's not really that bad. Now if they get blown out by the Thunder without Westbrook it might be some cause for concern.

[KevShmev]

Gotta love NBA officiating:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCdgssaOlfA

[j]

^I'm a Mavs fan and couldn't believe that wasn't called.

Marion otherwise had a good game though.

-J

[Azyiu]

They lost 2 in a row on last second game winners so it's not really that bad. Now if they get blown out by the Thunder without Westbrook it might be some cause for concern.

As predicted, that Blazers @ Thunder turned out to be a good game.