2014-15 NBA thread v. 2015-16 thread now playing

[Nekov]

The Cavs have been awful through 3 games. I'm getting the sense it will take them 20-30 games to figure things out versus 10-20 or some lower number. This is a project.

I think it's to be expected. They rebuilt their team almost completely and have a new coach who's never been in the NBA. What does surprise me is Lebron's level, he seems to be having as much trouble as the rest of the team adjusting.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Apparently he stopped demanding the ball last night so that Irving and Waiters could learn that when they play one-on-one ball, the team will lose. That's all fine and dandy until you're like 1-6.

[Azyiu]

Man, the Pelicans almost gave it away to the Spurs with 1.6 sec to go. Instead of chasing that one last rebound, they just stood there after that Leonard miss from the left corner. Anyway, a win is a win, and I can see that team is maturing.

[Syzzle]

Anthony Davis is averaging 24.4 points 12.8 rebounds 4.4 blocks and 2.2 steals

[Azyiu]

Anthony Davis is averaging 24.4 points 12.8 rebounds 4.4 blocks and 2.2 steals

There is no doubt in my mind he is an all-star this year! 

[Azyiu]

Both the LeBrons (aka the Cavs) and the Heat are playing .500 ball... who could've thought both teams would have the same .500 record by now before the season started?

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Probably everyone. I don't think anyone had Cleveland automatically being a great team from opening night.

They're contenders in the weak East for sure.... but it's gonna take some time and gelling.

[Azyiu]

It's been so quiet on this thread, if I didn't follow the NBA, I thought we are in the middle of another lock out!! What's going on guys?

[Nekov]

This season feels weird. The Warriors and the Grizzlies are dominating the league which is not surprising looking at what they did last season. The Grizz might end up winning a championship this season, they look too strong and they have some good vets that can take them the whole way. The Warriors will probably do a good job in the playoffs but I can't imagine them getting the ring.

I'm still really annoyed by the huge difference between the east and the west. Toronto with a 16-6 record stands in the first spot while Dallas with a 16-7 record stands 7th. I don't think there's a lot of merit for east teams winning the title, the playoffs will be much easier on that side.

[Newmz]

God has finished laying the Pipe on OKC now, I think.

but he's definitely laying the pipe on the east and has been for years now. that toronto-dallas thing is nuts.

Is anyone else really excited to see AD and Demarcus Cousins playing really well? I for one would like to see more big guys break through like them.

[Azyiu]

I've been liking the Grizzlies alot over the past few years already. It used to be just Z-Bo and a little bit of Marc Gasol, but they had no long range shooter whatsoever in the past... but this year, they look really strong and deep! The addition of Courtney Lee puts the aging T-Prince to the bench. Don't get me wrong, this alone is a good move! T-Prince is STILL a very capable defender and part-time scorer; coming off the bench just suits his game more these days. And then they also have VC off the bench! Ok, he has been kind of struggling a little this year, but he is still somewhat effective for around 15 mins a night. I'd love to see the Grizzlies to go deep.

[gabeh1018]

is anyone surprised the Knicks ar 4 - 20?

[black_biff_stadler]

Given the Celtics' jersey color, I'd have considered them more likely to go 4-20.

[Syzzle]

[Azyiu]

Love him or hate him, congratulations Kobe!

[T-ski]

soon to be a household name....Giannis...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XXUASatoKB0

[T-ski]

God hates the Milwaukee Bucks.  Jabari Parker done for the year with torn ACL.

[Nekov]

  We'll have to wait and see how much of an impact this is to the team. They still have a very good chance of making it into the playoffs

[Azyiu]

You only need around 35 wins to make the playoffs in the East, so the Bucks' chances look mighty good.

[ReaPsTA]

So, the ReaPsTA suicide watch Rondo trade watch is in full swing.

I suspect he'll be traded.  The Celtics never had a good reason to before.  When you're rebuilding, you need to get and keep star players.

But now, it's a huge gamble to bet on him playing at an all-star level consistently.  Even worse, he's going to ask for a max contract.  One of the other 29 teams in the league will give it to him.  Given that, keeping him and signing him to a potential albatross contract would be a mistake.  Let someone else do it.

I hope he lands in Dallas.  They could really use his passing and defense.  I think Carlise is a good enough coach to get through to Rondo.

EDIT: Tentative deal is Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, a 1st and a 2nd.

The Rajon Rondo era is over.

[Nekov]

So, Cuban is getting the award for best Owner and Don Nelson the award for best GM right?

[ReaPsTA]

They've been killing it lately.

[j]

Skeptical about the trade, I feel like the Mavs are trying to address a need that isn't there.  Rondo is a gamble in a lot of ways: can a coach other than Doc handle his mood issues?  Can he stay healthy?  Will he encroach on Ellis's game?  Giving up Brandan Wright is massive, NBA's highest FG% and one of the most efficient players in the league on both ends.  Crowder was a good role player too, and multiple draft picks...just too much for this guy at a position at which you were already pretty loaded.

Hopefully I'm dead wrong and Rondo will average a triple double and the Mavs will win another title because of his presence!  But it's hard for me to understand this move when the team was playing so well in its current state, in part due to guys dealt in the trade.

-J

[Nekov]

OKC can't seem to catch a break, Durant injured again though it doesn't seem to be an ugly one. Also, he played only 19 minutes and scored 30 on 10/13 while westbrook played 40 minutes scoring 33 on 11/30....
Do we all agree that Westbrook hurts this team more than he helps it?

[KevShmev]

OKC can't seem to catch a break, Durant injured again though it doesn't seem to be an ugly one. Also, he played only 19 minutes and scored 30 on 10/13 while westbrook played 40 minutes scoring 33 on 11/30....
Do we all agree that Westbrook hurts this team more than he helps it?

No.

[Azyiu]

Great game between the Spurs and Mavs! Despite the loss (with 4 main guys resting), the Spurs showed the world what great coaching is all about!! If the Spurs were playing a lesser team (e.g. the Lakers    ), it would've been a Spurs win EASILY.

On the other hand, Ellis was playing great for the Mavs too. And I thought Rondo played very well in his Dallas debut. He did all the little things to help earned themselves a win for sure.

Hey, and did ya'll see this kid wearing a Celtics' Rondo jersey, and covered the word Boston with a piece of paper with the name Dallas on it? 

[ReaPsTA]

Do we all agree that Westbrook hurts this team more than he helps it?

Westbrook is one of the most irrationally discussed players in the league.  Most people seem to either reflexively defend him because of his work ethic and attitude or reflexively hate on him because of his poor shot selection and lack of on-court intangibles.

I tend to agree more with the anti-Westbrook camp, but wouldn't go so far as to say he's a net negative for the team.

[KevShmev]

The obvious beef with Westbrook is that he is basically a shooting guard playing point guard, but a guy who puts up 20 points and 7 assists a game clearly helps his team more than hurts it, especially when you consider how many games the Thunder have won over the last five years.  Much of that is obviously because of Durant, but one man cannot do it all.  Westbrook is a big part of the success they've had over the years.

[Nekov]

The obvious beef with Westbrook is that he is basically a shooting guard playing point guard,

This is exactly why I think he hurts the team. I'm not dennying he's a great player and he helps the team win a lot but there are times when he handles the ball too much and doesn't make good decisions. And it's not entirely he's fault either, Brooks is the coach and he should try to modify that behaviour. I think the Thunder would do a lot better having Jackson starting as PG and Westbrook playing SG.

[j]

But Jackson is really a score-first PG too.  Plenty of teams have success with those type of dudes, the problem isn't that Westbrook is a PG who shoots too much.  It's that he's wildly variable in efficiency, and he doesn't know when to rein it in.  The guy is a freakish athlete who is really unstoppable when he's on, but on off nights it may take him 20+ shots to get his 20 points and you can be certain that starting the game 0-10 isn't going to make him think "maybe tonight is a night when I should focus a little more on distributing."  Bottom line: his shot selection and decision making are atrocious at times, but Kev is right - he definitely helps OKC more than he hurts them.

As for the Mavs, maybe I stand corrected (and I hope I do) because Ellis and Rondo look like they may become a very, very dangerous combo in the backcourt.  However, that was a pathetic showing by the Mavs against a totally gimped Spurs team...Ellis really bailed them out in the 4th.

Monta Ellis has my vote for the most underrated player in the league; I've thought so since he was with Golden State.  Averaging 20-5-4 and almost 2 steals a game for his career, reliable and consistent on both ends, well-rounded, scores in a variety of ways and sees the floor well.  But I don't think I've EVER heard his name mentioned outside of broadcasts of the games he's playing in.  Criminal.

-J

[ReaPsTA]

As for the Mavs, maybe I stand corrected (and I hope I do) because Ellis and Rondo look like they may become a very, very dangerous combo in the backcourt.  However, that was a pathetic showing by the Mavs against a totally gimped Spurs team...Ellis really bailed them out in the 4th.

I'm not 100% sold on the Rondo/Ellis thing yet.  They played well together because they basically traded off.  Don't get me wrong, that's a good sign.  It didn't look like they were competing in an egotistical way.  Ellis deferred to Rondo for most of the game, and Rondo let Ellis have it when Ellis was going off like a mad man.  There's no sign of dysfunction yet.  But, so far, I've seen no indication that either player is dangerous enough off the ball to really make it work.  Both of these players are good enough to make it work, but the process hasn't started yet.

Monta Ellis has my vote for the most underrated player in the league; I've thought so since he was with Golden State.  Averaging 20-5-4 and almost 2 steals a game for his career, reliable and consistent on both ends, well-rounded, scores in a variety of ways and sees the floor well.  But I don't think I've EVER heard his name mentioned outside of broadcasts of the games he's playing in.  Criminal.

-J

Whenever I watch Ellis, he seems like a fucking beast.  No idea why he doesn't get more attention.

[Nekov]

Pistons waive Josh Smith. I did not see that coming at all. I read Houston is interested in signing him.

[Azyiu]

Pistons waive Josh Smith. I did not see that coming at all. I read Houston is interested in signing him.

He was shooting a poor 39.1% from the field, and only 46.8% from the line... I am sure there are other better and possibly cheaper players than Josh Smith in the market. 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

A couple of thoughts:

- While Westbrook has some legitimate flaws, he's still one of the better players in the league and makes the Thunder frightening. So far he's averaging 28/7/6 this year and OKC has been almost unstoppable offensively with him on the court.

- There's a growing pile of evidence that Kobe is basically a basketball cancer at this point. By himself, he's taken more contested midrange jumpers than 10 teams. His team is doing better from a +/- perspective with him on the bench. And now, last night, they beat the Warriors without him. Obviously last night's win was an anomaly, but it's hilarious to me how people are raving over Kobe's game when the dude's averaging 22 shots a game and only converting on 37% of his attempts. Truly my least favorite player ever and I will continue to bitch about him all year.

- The Hawks will soon come back down to earth, but I think they have as legitimate a chance as anyone to win the East. I think they are the only East team currently in the top ten in offensive and defensive efficiency.

[Syzzle]

Kobe has a -0.005 WS/48 thats really all the proof you need that he hurts the Lakers more than he helps them