The Official 2015-2016 NBA Regular Season Thread

[Groundhog]

I've always been a Diaw fan. Both Phoenix (back then) and SA are perfect spots for his skillset. He's got his limitations physically, but not many guys in the world have his versatility or are as crafty on the offensive end. Hell, his D on LeBron in the finals was pretty good too.

[wustin]

Anthony Davis done for the year.

He also loses out on some money.

[korme]

My 1st place fantasy team weeps.

[Groundhog]

I had the #2 pick in my league's draft and grabbed Curry, while the #1 guy grabbed Davis. Playoffs just started, so he's not too happy either.

[Atocep]

Would Austin Rivers be playing 20+ minutes a night for anyone other than his dad?

[Groundhog]

Rivers would probably be in the NBDL or Europe if not for his dad.

[Groundhog]

On a related note, I can't remember the last time there were three "good" teams who all looked as miserable playing professional basketball with winning records (well, almost in Houston's case) as the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Rockets do this year.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I've always been a Diaw fan. Both Phoenix (back then) and SA are perfect spots for his skillset. He's got his limitations physically, but not many guys in the world have his versatility or are as crafty on the offensive end. Hell, his D on LeBron in the finals was pretty good too.

Amen.

He started playing in the PROS in France for my favourite team "Pau Orthez", and the guys is from the Bordeaux area. And he is a really nice and easy guy.

If he could take care of his overweight issues, he would be way better.

[nol]

Originally Posted by wustin

Anthony Davis done for the year.

He also loses out on some money.

He'll probably still make an All-NBA team. He played more center this year, and people voting for centers don't have much to choose from after Cousins. Recent 3rd team All-NBA honorees include Al Jefferson, David Lee, and Goran Dragic, so I wouldn't rule out 60 games of AD being enough.

And it comes out today that Davis has been playing with a torn labrum for the past 3 seasons. Between this, all the injury-prone players New Orleans has surrounded him with, and the recent trade wherein Detroit changed its mind based on the Donatas Montiejunas physical, I'm even more inclined to believe that the Jrue Holiday trade was just incompetence and nearsightedness on New Orleans' part rather than Philadelphia trying to pull a fast one.

[whomario]

yahoo Podcast with Bill Walton as guest. One of the most interesting people in Basketball, definitely. Truly inspirational personality.

[Groundhog]

Assuming Warriors hold on to win tonight, that leaves 11 games, with 9-2 needed to break the record. Their schedule felt a little soft the first half of the year, but a pretty tough finish with Spurs and Griz both x 2, as well as danger games against Celtics, Wizards, and Blazers.

[Brian Swartz]

That's making the large assumption the Spurs play anybody who will be on their playoff roster in those games though. Since sitting half the team wasn't enough to lose to Memphis, they are now basically going to rest the starting lineup against OKC. I think the last matchup with Golden State is the last time the Warriors will see their normal lineup until at least the WCF. 74 wouldn't surprise me, but I think Golden State will reach 73. Not coincidentally, San Antonio could now lose their last ten and still be the #2 seed. They aren't catching the Warriors either, so it's full-on walk-through mode for them until the playoffs.

[stevew]

Yeah, so LeBron is leaving this summer, right?

[Groundhog]

It never ceases to amaze me how the Spurs can just seemingly throw any 5 guys out on the court and still manage to play like, well, the Spurs.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

Yeah, so LeBron is leaving this summer, right?

At this point, good riddance.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Yeah, so LeBron is leaving this summer, right?

Just be careful about any draft advice he may give you going into this off season.

Call me gullible but I don't think there is any chance he is going anywhere. I would be much more concerned with who brought in to replace Irving and/or Love.

On a related note, anybody else find "Dickish" Lebron absolutely hilarious? I mean besides Cavs fans. I mean,he reminds me of the guy that got promoted to a supervisory position and then tries to act the way a supervisor is "supposed" to act when everyone in the office knows that all if his actions are fake.

[Logan]

How has D'Angelo Russell not been murdered yet?

[MrBug708]

Russell is destined to be a Kings player this next offseason

[Neuqua]

Sacramento Kings to extend contract of VP Vlade Divac

That organization is a mess.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Logan

How has D'Angelo Russell not been murdered yet?

Because his current situation is a fate worse than death.

[Neuqua]

Promising young Laker alienating his teammates?

The Lakers found their next Kobe!

[nol]

That the Lakers not only still employ Nick Young but also have allowed their potential franchise savior to hang out with him (to say nothing of the Byron Scott situation) is a pretty good indicator that they really are one of the worst-run organizations in professional sports as opposed to pulling off a stealth tanking/rebuilding project underneath the shadows of Kobe's retirement tour.

The Jazz game from the other day was hilariously bad to watch even without the knowledge that Russell was being frozen out. Rodney Hood had something like 7 threes (actually was 8, with the first 3 coming on Kobe) in the first half, and after that Kobe went from playing zero defense to matching back up with Hood and furiously face-guarding him (also to the detriment of the Lakers' overall defense, but who cares at this point). What a competitor, going all-out like that in a 40-point blowout just to preserve his single-game three-pointers record!

[wustin]

Imagine the stress of having to deal with Russell and Ben Simmons one the same team.

[Young Drachma]

I just caught up on this Russell thing. I just don't understand what he was trying to do. Like what's in it for him?

Originally Posted by stevew

Yeah, so LeBron is leaving this summer, right?

Seems like it, but like someone else said, I can't imagine him actually leaving unless he's adamant about taking a paycut and going where he wants to go with whoever he wants to be there. But that team isn't fun to watch, he's never going to be satisfied and at this point, maybe just being hated is better.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

I just caught up on this Russell thing. I just don't understand what he was trying to do. Like what's in it for him?

Maybe he thinks he is going to be the nice guy that Iggy (or another woman) falls in love with for exposing his cheating friend.

[rjolley]

Lebron's big problem right now is the emergence of Steph Curry into a juggernaut and the Warriors into one of the most dominate and well rounded teams in recent memory, not to mention the Spurs are still the Spurs. If Steph and the Warriors weren't playing the way they were, we'd be talking about a Cavs/Spurs matchup in the finals with Lebron slightly favored.

I don't think the merging of Lebron/Wade/Melo/Paul makes them better than the Warriors or Spurs at this stage of their respective careers. It would be interesting to see, though.

If Love and Irving stay healthy and Shumpert can play the type of defense he was known for, I could see putting Shumpert on Curry to pick him up at mid-court, then everyone else play solid on their men.

I don't know where Lebron can go to have a better chance to win if he can gel with Love and Irving. Still a bit too much unevenness with their performance for me.

[Groundhog]

Only possible reason I can think of as to why he 'did it' is that he didn't intend for it to get out, and through his own stupidity or carelessness it did.

[Groundhog]

LeBron's big problem right now is LeBron, IMO. There's no question that the Cavs are a mish-mash of questionably-fitting pieces, but the joyless way they approach each game and the 'deer-in-headlights' performances they put in most 4th quarters stems from the man at the top, from what I can see. Their talent gets them wins, but too often they look like guys playing not to lose.

They still should make it to the Finals (although I think Miami are a wildcard if Wade is healthy), but I would be shocked if they did much more than win a home game or two.

[nol]

Originally Posted by rjolley

If Steph and the Warriors weren't playing the way they were, we'd be talking about a Cavs/Spurs matchup in the finals with Lebron slightly favored..

No, we'd just be talking about how the Spurs were possibly the best team of all time due to keeping pace with the '96 Bulls' record for much of the year even while deliberately punting away regular season games away for rest. That would certainly be the first playoff series I can remember in which a team would be favored over an opponent that finished 10 or more games above it during the regular season.

[korme]

That felt like a playoff game. Wow.

[korme]

Warriors make League Pass like premium cable must watch tv

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by nol

That would certainly be the first playoff series I can remember in which a team would be favored over an opponent that finished 10 or more games above it during the regular season.

I agree. A Cleveland team at the top of it's game is a danger to anyone, but I have yet to see that team for a long-enough stretch to think it's going to magically show up come Finals time.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

I just caught up on this Russell thing. I just don't understand what he was trying to do. Like what's in it for him?



Seems like it, but like someone else said, I can't imagine him actually leaving unless he's adamant about taking a paycut and going where he wants to go with whoever he wants to be there. But that team isn't fun to watch, he's never going to be satisfied and at this point, maybe just being hated is better.

LeBron and Wade split the MLE on the Clippers and Blake and some guys Pierce? (maybe) and Rivers for Carmelo pretty much forms the LA super team LeBron would want. Perhaps they also trade DeAndre so LeBron and Wade can make like 10M a piece.

[nol]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

I agree. A Cleveland team at the top of it's game is a danger to anyone, but I have yet to see that team for a long-enough stretch to think it's going to magically show up come Finals time.

Even that is not giving the Spurs enough credit. If both teams play to their capabilities the Spurs win convincingly. In 2014 the Spurs were worse and LeBron was better, and it wasn't close then.

It's quite the power LeBron has to make the general public not only root against him but preemptively overstate his team's prowess to either diminish a championship or accentuate a loss. LeBron's team has been the favorite in 2 of 6 Finals appearances and LeBron has 2 championships.

[wustin]

I don't even want to get started as to why the Cavs are not good. The real finals is the WCF matchup between GSW and Spurs. Winner does a victory lap, Lebron goes 2-5.

Edit: The most important trait for a championship team is having good team defense, the sum should be greater than the parts. Cleveland has never exhibited that since Lebron came back.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Austin Rivers is absolutely torching Russell Westbrook tonight.

[wustin]

He still sucks

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by wustin

I don't even want to get started as to why the Cavs are not good. The real finals is the WCF matchup between GSW and Spurs. Winner does a victory lap, Lebron goes 2-5.

Edit: The most important trait for a championship team is having good team defense, the sum should be greater than the parts. Cleveland has never exhibited that since Lebron came back.

If the Cavs are "not good", how many teams in the NBA do you consider good? Sure the Warriors are the big favs and the Spurs are the 2nd best team in the NBA by a wide margin. Wouldnt you consider the Thunder, Cavs, Raptors, Clippers all in that next set of contenders?

[wustin]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

If the Cavs are "not good", how many teams in the NBA do you consider good? Sure the Warriors are the big favs and the Spurs are the 2nd best team in the NBA by a wide margin. Wouldnt you consider the Thunder, Cavs, Raptors, Clippers all in that next set of contenders?

good was probably not the right word to use but any team from the east is pretty much irrelevant this season.

Reminds me of the 2002 playoffs tbh. Lakers were the team to beat, Kings not too far behind but definitely as good as the 2-peat Lakers squad, then the Spurs and Mavs. And on the east you had the Nets being carried by Jason Kidd. Just like this year, it doesn't really matter who comes to the finals from the east, they're just going to get trounced.

Unless Irving and Love somehow magically turn into good perimeter defenders it's not happening.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by wustin

good was probably not the right word to use but any team from the east is pretty much irrelevant this season.

Reminds me of the 2002 playoffs tbh. Lakers were the team to beat, Kings not too far behind but definitely as good as the 2-peat Lakers squad, then the Spurs and Mavs. And on the east you had the Nets being carried by Jason Kidd. Just like this year, it doesn't really matter who comes to the finals from the east, they're just going to get trounced.

Unless Irving and Love somehow magically turn into good perimeter defenders it's not happening.

I am sure you have it nailed. A cold shooting playoff series or a physical series could be the Warriors downfall but unlikely to happen. The Spurs would be that team to present them problems but the Cavs dont match up much better with them than they do the Warriors.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by nol

If both teams play to their capabilities the Spurs win convincingly. In 2014 the Spurs were worse and LeBron was better, and it wasn't close then.

As a Spurs homer, I'm not at all certain they are better this year. No question they are in terms of regular-season accomplishments, but in terms of playoff ceiling and likelihood of getting to that peak(which would seem the relevant question in this context), they won't be better offensively(an insanely high bar there given how well they scored in the '14 Finals) and much of their defensive excellence has consisted of them being better than everyone else at shutting down average and poor teams consistently. That's a great thing, but it won't help them in the playoffs. They've struggled a lot more to slow down top-quality offenses than they have against the league at large.

[Groundhog]

Kyrie doing everything he can to give the Hawks a W tonight.

[Brian Swartz]

Cavs are still the team to beat though. Just ask him.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Hell of an effort by the Celtics tonight.

[Sublime 2]

Fun game! C's have given the Warriors all they can handle in both meetings this year.

[Brian Swartz]

Meanwhile, Drummond looks like a lock at this point to break Wilt's free-throw shooting record. That's one of those I didn't think would ever be broken. I have to think that dooms Detroit against whoever they play in the playoffs.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Sublime 2

Fun game! C's have given the Warriors all they can handle in both meetings this year.

They really have. I figured this game would illustrate that the first time was because Klay and Harrison didn't play, but they were pretty awesome all game, on the second night of a road back-to-back. With all those draft picks they have...they could be a scary team in a couple years.

[nol]

I'd be really interested to see what the narrative would be if San Antonio took both of the remaining games from the Warriors to ensure Golden State could at best tie the Bulls' record. I'd still give the edge to the Ws in a series because of homecourt, but if the teams were within 2-3 games of one another (despite the Spurs punting a few games for rest) and San Antonio had won the last 3 head-to-head meetings, that would ratchet up the intrigue even more. As much as Popovich professes to not care about regular season accomplishments, I'm still not sure the Spurs would sit everyone and and gift-wrap the record to the Warriors next Sunday.

[wustin]

The last time Golden State won at San Antonio was 1997...

[whomario]

Spurs can also still become the first team in history to go undefeated at home (a redcord Pop almost punted away already recently, so pretty sure he´ll do it again). Was kinda hoping both records would be set, just to see some of the old-timers responses explaining it away ... Not likely to happen now i guess ...