NBA thread 2018-2019 v. Raptors are Champs

[Samsara]

re: KD

https://nypost.com/2018/11/14/lipreading-and-stunning-quote-make-it-appear-kevin-durants-a-goner/

>>>>The Post is a rag, but...that is what it appears Durant says. And unlike Klay, who continually has stated he wants to be in GS, Durant has not outright said that at all.

I expect KD to leave. As a Knicks fan, obviously, I want every free agent to either go there, or to my #1 Wolves (hahahaha). But I don't see KD heading to New York. I just don't see it. You know where I see him going? Back to Oklahoma City. Seriously.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I just want him to go somewhere else. The Warriors are almost unbeatable with him. Last year, they beat a 65-win, historically-great Rockets team even though Steph was hindered by injury and Andre barely played. Please just go somewhere else KD and give my Raptors a chance.

[Samsara]

I just want him to go somewhere else. The Warriors are almost unbeatable with him. Last year, they beat a 65-win, historically-great Rockets team even though Steph was hindered by injury and Andre barely played. Please just go somewhere else KD and give my Raptors a chance.

The Raptors are legit. For your sake, I hope Leonard likes it there and stays. Great fans, great arena and town.

However, although I know Lowry is playing well -- you guys gotta get younger. I just don't see him being the Robin to Leonard's Batman.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Lowry only has one or two elite years left, which I think coincides pretty closely with his contract. If he is going to continue playing like a top twenty player, you gotta keep him. I have no problem riding this out.

[jingle.boy]

Boy, the Raptors choked that one away last night.  16 point 4th Quarter!??!?!  Leonard with a really painful gaff to turn it over with 2 secs.

Great final play to win it though.

[Samsara]

Lowry only has one or two elite years left, which I think coincides pretty closely with his contract. If he is going to continue playing like a top twenty player, you gotta keep him. I have no problem riding this out.

For sure he can keep it up for a couple years. But if Leonard re-signs, does he really want to be in the middle of a five-year contract, in his prime, with a 34-going on 35 year-old PG with 14, 15 years in the league?

I think Lowry is playing stellar, but looking long term, who on the roster can inevitably take over for him at that juncture when he'll clearly slow down? (it's not like Lebron or a big SF that can slide to an undersized PF -- Lowry is a PG, plain and simple.) Van Fleet? Maybe, but he's up for an extension this summer, isn't he? Gonna have to pay the kid top dollar (which may be tough if you are going to give Leonard 190 million) to be a backup for a few years.

Just some stuff to think about. It's clear they are going to ride Lowry this year, and they should. But you're going to have to figure out how to reduce the age of that roster in order to realistically sign Leonard to a max deal. Danny Green is 31, and is more of a role player than a starter (even though he starts). You've got an old backcourt, and that really needs to be addressed (if I were Leonard's agent).

I am rooting for the Raptors. I hope they win the title this year, as I really think that fan base, and those players deserve it. But your GM, whose name I can't remember how to spell has his work cut out for him to lock in Leonard long-term.

p.s. Pistons had to win that game last night. Only fair, after the Raps axed Dwane Casey (which I think was the right move, but Casey is a dynamite coach). Was happy for him.

Oh, and p.p.s. Wolves now 2-0 in post-General Soreness era. They looked amazingly good in the first half, and then hung on to win it. KAT and Wigs look like they did before Butler came in, which is EXACTLY what I was hoping for. With Wigs now back at the 2 guard spot, and Covington playing SF and bombing away, it opens up things for WIgs to do his thing.

[Lonk]

I don’t know who to believe. One article says that 3 teams are interested in Melo (Lakers, Blazers and Pelicans), yet another articles says lakers are not interested, and Philly is showing interest.

I think he could help philly if he comes off the bench, plays 15-20 mins and can average 10pts. I don’t think any other team has a need for Melo.

[Azyiu]

I don’t know who to believe. One article says that 3 teams are interested in Melo (Lakers, Blazers and Pelicans), yet another articles says lakers are not interested, and Philly is showing interest.

I think he could help philly if he comes off the bench, plays 15-20 mins and can average 10pts. I don’t think any other team has a need for Melo.

Bottomline, if he doesn't surrender his ego and accept a bench / vet role, his NBA career might as well be over.

Meanwhile, I am very interested to know how the Warriors are going to react, after losing 4 of 5 since the Dray-KD cat fight.

[KevShmev]

Not sure the Green/Durant dispute will get totally solved, as those who know him say that Durant is a really sensitive guy who holds grudges, so I doubt he will get over what Green said to him, but when they are all on the court, they have too much talent to not win.

The Warriors will start winning again once Curry is back.  We are seeing once again that he is by far the Warriors' most valuable player. 

[Nekov]

And now the Wizards seem to be imploding. The off-court drama this season is compensating for the huge amount of blowout games we are having this season thanks to the new rule change.

[dparrott]

Kemba Walker has a 60 point game followed by a 43 point game!

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat's black vice uniforms look great, but they can't get a win.   

[Azyiu]

As I was playing RDR2, I couldn't help but think Gilbert Arenas must be a big fan of this game too... he loves guns and gambling so much, lol!! 

Oops, I mean what a rollercoaster few days for the Wiz... it must sucks to be a Wiz fan.

[TAC]

As I was playing RDR2,

[Azyiu]

JR is the new Jimmy Butler... the playoffs-bound Cavs start winning without him, lol!!     

[TAC]

Cavs two in a row!

[Samsara]

Cavs two in a row!

That streak will be broken tonight. GO WOLVES! 

My pups are looking good right now. True, they beat Chicago the other night, but they are playing well, and they got that win with two starters going like a combined 1-30, I believe (Wiggins was 0-12, and Covington was 1-18). 10 more of those shots go down, they beat the Bulls by 30 pts.

Everyone in Boston is probably nuts about the Celtics woes. Boston media is what it is. The C's will be fine. They just need to focus on figuring out roles. Tough to see Hayward go to the second unit, but if that enables him to thrive, then you gotta do it. This team needs to prioritize the offense with Irving first, followed by Tatum. Those are the guys that both need to put up 18-20 shots a game. Everyone else should be in a supporting role. The "Big 3" model is great, but Cs fans (not you TAC, but in general) seem to forget that Big 3 model was with guys at the end of their careers...so there was no ego. None at all. They just did what they did to win. These Celtics are in their prime or younger, so the egos flare a little bit, which is only natural.

[dparrott]

Miami are the best looking losers in the league.  All this big deal about their new Vice uniform and they are 0-6 wearing them.

[jingle.boy]

Big ass comeback by the Raps last night.  It's pretty incredible to think the Raps could be 20-2 if they had hit the last shot opportunities they had in the Pistons and Celtics losses.  Tomorrow's gonna be a revealing game... for both the Raptors and the Dubs. 

[bosk1]

Tomorrow's gonna be a revealing game... for both the Raptors and the Dubs.

I actually don't think it is.  Yes, I initially had it circled on the calendar, figuratively speaking.  But the reality is that the Warriors are still missing two HUGE parts of their starting lineup in Green and Curry.  Win or lose, I don't think it will be all that "revealing" because it isn't representative of the team that will be playing the Raptors again later in the season.

[jingle.boy]

Tomorrow's gonna be a revealing game... for both the Raptors and the Dubs.

I actually don't think it is.  Yes, I initially had it circled on the calendar, figuratively speaking.  But the reality is that the Warriors are still missing two HUGE parts of their starting lineup in Green and Curry.  Win or lose, I don't think it will be all that "revealing" because it isn't representative of the team that will be playing the Raptors again later in the season.

Fair point... I hadn't been following the injuries.  Though, if the Dubs win, it will be revealing.

[bosk1]

Could be.  For me, if they won, I would just feel like, "Wow, we stole one." 

[Samsara]

That game will tell us absolutely nothing if Steph isn't playing. If he is, it will. Plus...regular season. Yawn.

On the way into the office I was listening to NBA Radio, and Frank Isola and Brian Scalabrine were talking about how its really hard to judge just how good a team is against the Warriors, because EVERY team gets up to play them. So the Dubs end up playing a team hellbent on killing them each night. And to the Dubs, its just a regular season game. Such is life as the champs. The Warriors will be in the finals, or should I say, at least in the Western Conference Finals. That's a shoe-in.

The Raps just need to keep gelling. I really like what I see. Van Fleet is developing, and if Lowry and Leonard can keep doing their thing, and they stay healthy, I only really give them, the Sixers, and Boston a chance in the East.

p.s. Memphis is going to create problems in the West. Nice to see one of my favorite players, Mike Conley, healthy and playing great, along with Marc "I've been old since I was a rookie" Gasol having a great year. That rookie Jackson is going to be something special for them, and if he develops further this season, that's a three headed defensive monster NO ONE will want to play.

My Wolves play the Spurs tonight. Always tough against a Pop-coached squad. Not sure of the odds, but Minnesota is deeper, and so I am hoping if Towns and Rose/Wiggins can cancel out Aldridge and Derozan, Minny's depth will help them get the win. Expecting a big game from Wigs tonight. The guy drives me nuts. He can score at any time he wants. No one can stop him driving to the hole. He just...doesn't do it. I hope that changes starting tonight.

[bosk1]

That game will tell us absolutely nothing if Steph isn't playing. If he is, it will.

Maybe.  Hard to say.  For me, I try not to take a game too seriously where a player that has been out for an extended period is cleared to return on game day.  You just aren't usually getting that player at top form, so I'm not sure how good an indicator it is.  I mean, if he's cleared, he could come out and light it up with 50 points.  Or he could score hardly any himself, but create endless open shots and other opportunities for his teammates by his off-ball movement.  Or he could come out and be a liability because he isn't yet 100% mentally or physically.  Hard to say.

[Samsara]

From what I heard, he's been practicing, so its not like he's not in rhythm. With a vet like Steph, I don't think he'd play unless he's absolutely ready to BE Steph Curry. Same with all those Warriors guys. They get on the floor when they are ready to go 100 percent like nothing happened. They have that luxury.

Should be a good game though.

[bosk1]

From what I heard, he's been practicing, so its not like he's not in rhythm. With a vet like Steph, I don't think he'd play unless he's absolutely ready to BE Steph Curry. Same with all those Warriors guys. They get on the floor when they are ready to go 100 percent like nothing happened. They have that luxury.

I don't disagree that that is how it should be.  And I think that is where the team wants to be.  But, not just in basketball, but in pro sports in general, how many stories have you heard about guys that were less than 100% that either intentionally or subconsciously portrayed that they were less effected by an injury than they actually were because they just wanted to get out there and play?  And Steph is definitely guilty of that in the past.  So I just don't want to assume anything is all I'm saying.

[Samsara]

Jimmy Butler to the Wolves - "YOU CAN'T WIN WITHOUT ME! YOU NEED ME."

Uh huh. from 4-9 to 11-11.

Suck it, Buckets.

What a great ass kicking of the Spurs last night. The Wolves were on fire all night long. Thibs even stopped barking and actually sat down with about 7 minutes left in the fourth. I even saw him restrain a smile. hahahaha. Bring on Boston on Saturday.

[jingle.boy]

The record of Raps vs Spurs has quickly dissolved any of the anger Toronto fans had about the trade.

And Curry is officially out for tonight.  Bummer, I wanted to see how it would go down with him in the lineup.

[jingle.boy]

My god that was a fantastically entertaining game last night.  I was convinced the Raps would let it slip away like they did with the Boston OT loss, but managed to squeak it out.  KD was ridiculous - that last corner 3 to tie it was remarkable.  He was undefendable... just too damned good.  The Dubs defense was a blanket in the 3rd (compared to the 1st half).  Took a solid team effort to pull that one off.

12/12 rematch - coming off a back-to-back game in LA, it'll be interesting to see if Nurse sits Leonard as he as been on back-to-back games... if so, maybe Leonard will sit against LeKing?

[Samsara]

Wolves losing to the Celtics wasn't surprising. Tough matchup for the Pups tonight against Houston. Hoping they can bounce back against Harden and company. We'll see.

[T-ski]

Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg.

Interesting note about this is that Jabari Parker will now be under his 4th different head coach since the beginning of the '17-'18 season, Jason Kidd and Joe Prunty (Bucks), Hoiberg and now Boylan (Bulls).

[Samsara]

Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg.

Interesting note about this is that Jabari Parker will now be under his 4th different head coach since the beginning of the '17-'18 season, Jason Kidd and Joe Prunty (Bucks), Hoiberg and now Boylan (Bulls).

Hoiberg got a raw deal, given the injuries to that team. Although I disagree with how he's handled Parker thus far. Guy should be starting and featured, along with Lavine.

[Nekov]

Parker did start the last couple of games though. I think Hoiberg being dismissed was just a matter of time. He was a functional coach for a young team, however the kids are growing and need someone who can take help them take the next step. We'll see if the new coach can do that or not.

[Samsara]

He did, yes, but I think that was Hoiberg trying to find something out of desperation, and potentially trying to save his job. From the team's perspective, you don't pay a guy a deal like that to sit on the bench. Add that to a 5-19 record, and something had to give.

The Bulls have talent. When healthy, that team should be in the hunt for the playoffs.

[Nekov]

Agreed. Lots of talent and a very young core. Lavine seems to be over his injury and playing at a great level, Parker also seems to be coming back from those injuries though his ceiling shouldn't be as high as initially expected. Add Markanen and Dunn and you have a contender of the future. But as you said, health is the key there.

[Samsara]

And defense. Lavine doesn't play defense. So if you allow that to continue, you have to surround him with high-rate defenders. Kris Dunn is an elite defender. The others...I am not sure about.