Basketball Thread!

[Trailer Park Ninja]

It's actually nice to have no expectations this year. If Portland is bad then we get a high draft pick (hopefully bad enough to get Ben Simmons!!). If they surprise people then it means Lillard, McCollum and the other youngsters are a good core and we have so much cap room to add players through lopsided trades or free agency. Whereas last year it was stressful because they had to be good to have a chance of resigning Aldridge.

Blazer fans generally despise the Rockettes, Thunder and the Lakers/Clippers. But we have utmost respect for the Spurs, Warriors and Grizzlies. The only thing that is starting to bug me is Pops interviews, he comes across now as being bigger than the game with his antics. But most people love him for the way he gives the media a hard time.

I saw Ben Simmons earlier this year playing in an exhibition game in Newcastle when LSU came to Australia. I was pretty impressed, the size, athleticism, court vision and ability to get to the rim. If he can get a deadly jumpshot, he'll be unstoppable in NCAA.

Yeah I hear you about Pop, sometimes he comes up with some witty zingers or be very dry with sarcasm. Other times he can seem really rude, he is a lot like Wayne Bennett in that way. Then again some of the questions he fields border on Captain Obvious ones to the downright stupid or vapid. If you had to do that for a decade, you might turn out the same ha ha.

[i_amtrunks]

What an odd and tough to pick opening week! My rockets have been abysmal and with how tough the west is, they need to improve fast or they'll be only competing for 5-8th.
Looks like injuries are the he only thing that will stop the Warriors and Cavs getting through to the finals again, Curry is posting near impossible to maintain figures, but he is just in that good touch at he moment.

Could be the last year for he Clippers, Rockets, OKC and Spurs to truly contend as well, their stars are getting older and more expensive, and other than he Clippers, I'd be happy if any of the other teams won it. If I was only new to the NBA the Spurs would be my team (Hakeem the Dream ensured I was a rocket fan since the 91-92 season) but I cannot see how anyone cannot say that the Warriors are not their second or third team, they are just playing entertaining, tough basketball.

Nice to see the Lakers and Brooklyn where they deserve to be as well. I think the Knicks and Jazz might be some dark horses, the Jazz have rebuilt well and the Knicks can only improve.

Let's see if the 8th seed in the East is better than the 12th in the West for the first time in years come finals time.

[jazzcomp]

What do you mean by deserve?

[i_amtrunks]

What do you mean by deserve?

With how they've spent their money and it coming back to bite them in terms of roster depth and bad choices, both teams deserve to be at the foot of the standings.

[DaptoDog]

With how they've spent their money and it coming back to bite them in terms of roster depth and bad choices, both teams deserve to be at the foot of the standings.

Very true. And it's despicable what Philly has done with its blatant tanking.

[jazzcomp]

With how they've spent their money and it coming back to bite them in terms of roster depth and bad choices, both teams deserve to be at the foot of the standings.

I understand with Brooklyn, they used money to build that team and self-destructed and couldn't win a championship. Miami did the same and probably worse (big three connived/conspired to build that team).

But with the lakers, the problem was Jim Buss, his bad decisions(not choosing Phil, etc), and injuries and had to rebuild. As far as money, are you referring to paying Kobe less? They offered the same amount of money to Pau (if not more than the Bulls) and other players but they turned down the franchise because of ring chasing. I don't think money is the problem for the lakers. It's still the roster. If the Lakers focused on continuity the way the Spurs did, they would still dominate the league. If that team with Pau, Dwight, Steve, Kobe, and others were fully healthy, anything's possible. If Kobe and Phil stayed together like Duncan and Pop, who knows what the lakers could've accomplished. But then, it would be boring if they were always the teams that reached the top.

Sure, Harden is great for the Rockets but they have their own issues and I don't see them really going all the way. Kobe is retiring soon and Dwight didn't want to wait to be the man or didn't want to have that pressure of winning for the lakers (2nd coming of Shaq). But he's still second fiddle to Harden now

[DaptoDog]

I understand with Brooklyn, they used money to build that team and self-destructed and couldn't win a championship. Miami did the same and probably worse (big three connived/conspired to build that team).

But with the lakers, the problem was Jim Buss, his bad decisions(not choosing Phil, etc), and injuries and had to rebuild. As far as money, are you referring to paying Kobe less? They offered the same amount of money to Pau (if not more than the Bulls) and other players but they turned down the franchise because of ring chasing. I don't think money is the problem for the lakers. It's still the roster. If the Lakers focused on continuity the way the Spurs did, they would still dominate the league. If that team with Pau, Dwight, Steve, Kobe, and others were fully healthy, anything's possible. If Kobe and Phil stayed together like Duncan and Pop, who knows what the lakers could've accomplished. But then, it would be boring if they were always the teams that reached the top.

Sure, Harden is great for the Rockets but they have their own issues and I don't see them really going all the way. Kobe is retiring soon and Dwight didn't want to wait to be the man or didn't want to have that pressure of winning for the lakers (2nd coming of Shaq). But he's still second fiddle to Harden now

Kobe needs to retire after this season so they can do the full on rebuild properly. I think they may have reached for Russell with their No.2 draft pick, why didn't they take Okafor?

[jazzcomp]

Kobe needs to retire after this season so they can do the full on rebuild properly. I think they may have reached for Russell with their No.2 draft pick, why didn't they take Okafor?

Kobe can still come off the bench in a limited role if he wanted to ring chase. But with a big paycut of course. This last contract was more of a thank you for all the years. They offered max contract to Dwight.

The management and teams are changing the way the game is played. Big man is no longer priority. Just like how Harden is more impt than Dwight and Curry to Bogut or Greene.

A really good guard is now being valued higher than a solid big man.

[DaptoDog]

I saw Ben Simmons earlier this year playing in an exhibition game in Newcastle when LSU came to Australia. I was pretty impressed, the size, athleticism, court vision and ability to get to the rim. If he can get a deadly jumpshot, he'll be unstoppable in NCAA. .

Yeh he seems legit. Would be an awesome fit on the Blazers. Only problem is we will probably win 30-35 games and so not be bad enough for a top 3 pick.