The Official 2018-19 NBA Season Thread

[Lathum]

Durant goes out again and apparently Toronto fans were cheering. I don't have the sound on. Was it possible they were cheering because there was a steal on the play?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I remember when Durant stood for what was right in the NBA, wasn't about chasing rings like Lebron, and was a lock to retire with OKC like the true legends before him.

If you can't see the differences between LeBron and Durant you aren't paying attention to the NBA.

[Lathum]

dola- I have no issue with KD wanting to win a title and join the warriors, but call a spade a spade. He joined a 73 win team that had already won a title with that same core.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Lathum

If you can't see the differences between LeBron and Durant you aren't paying attention to the NBA.

Wasn't really directed it at you. I just find it humorous how the narrative has changed so much on Durant since "The Decision".

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Durant goes out again and apparently Toronto fans were cheering. I don't have the sound on. Was it possible they were cheering because there was a steal on the play?

Im sure some were but while Durant was down holding his calf after the foul people were still cheering. A few Toronto players told them to stop.

Nothing like Philadelphia cheering Irvin laying on the turf not moving. That was infinity more classless.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Yeah, there was clearly a cheer once it became apparent that Durant was hurt. The broadcast mentioned it, and as noted above some of the Raptors players interacted with the crowd to get them to stop.

[Groundhog]

Kawhi just out of this world this 4th Q.

[Groundhog]

...and then he airballs...

[stevew]

Can we just get International goaltending rules

[stevew]

That's all the better of a shot you could get in order to WIN the NBA Finals

[Groundhog]

Without any hyperbole there can't be many worse shots taken by decent shooters in a situation like that. Great look, wide by about 2 feet. I think Kawhi should've just pulled up, too unselfish.

[jbergey22]

Lowry looked passive all night from 3 point land. Wonder if his shooting confidence is low at the moment? He needs to learn from Klay and get squared up towards the hoop. Hes not squared up to the hoop on many of his 3 point looks.

I thought Kawhi's shot looked odd tonight as well. Like he was shooting slightly late on his jumpshot. I guess its more noticeable when comparing to Klay and Steph.

[RainMaker]

Someone explain to me why Nick Nurse called a timeout with his team rolling.

[hoopsguy]

Wow, KD injury is achilles ... not calf. And that may have some impact on his impending FA process. Rough on several levels.

[Jstraub]

I can't quite figure out Kawhi. That was his moment to shine. He's been a stone cold killer in that situation for the last three weeks- I'm stunned he passed it. He had to have thought he was getting it back.

Raptors have been on one heck of a streak- Will be interesting to see if this messes with their minds - I doubt it.

[Groundhog]

Green got a finger to the Lowry three thank god.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Someone explain to me why Nick Nurse called a timeout with his team rolling.

Yeah, that was a really really bizarre decision. The arena was absolutely rocking, they were on a run that looked like it was going to ice the game - and you call a timeout to quiet your own crowd?

[Groundhog]

This was the first game where the Warriors had gone on one of those end of game runs that I kept on expecting them to go on every game the Raptors have won this series, and I'd finally got to the point where I didn't expect it to come.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Someone explain to me why Nick Nurse called a timeout with his team rolling.

Said they were goimg to lose the timeouts anyways and he wanted to get his guys a bit of rest

[Izulde]

Bye KD. See you on the court in a couple years.

[Warhammer]

Was Durant's original injury a calf, or something else? Just curious if trying to play hurt put him at higher risk, unlike if it was a hammy.

[nilodor]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Was Durant's original injury a calf, or something else? Just curious if trying to play hurt put him at higher risk, unlike if it was a hammy.

Yup, same leg as the achilles injury. They are part of the same chain so when one part is weaker (calf) it puts more strain on the other bits, which unfortunately resulting in this injury.

[BishopMVP]

Yes, he had a right calf strain and it's hard to believe that wasn't tied into this David J. Chao, MD on Twitter: "Pay attention to how #KevinDurant right calf contracts violently. Beleive it or not, the strength of the gasteocnemius muscle contracting so quickly/forcefully is what tears the Achilles tendon.… https://t.co/AQPEK0MR0N" but I'm not looking to get in the game of blaming the whole medical staff. What KD thinks could largely affect his FA decision, because if he still trusts the GS coaching staff picking up his player option would make a lot of sense with how they were able to wait on Cousins (they showed the list of NBA players returning from Achilles - like 8 players were in the 240-270 day range, Cousins was 357 days.)

[jbergey22]

With how under paid(in comparison to what others in their sport are paid and their true market value) I dont think Durant will have many problems getting a max contract even with this injury lingering. It might actually work out better for the team signing him. They can tank the 1st year of Durants contract and get a top draft choice to pair with Durant and whatever else they get.

As much as I hate it, its hard to blame the players for chasing rings. The stars dont want to play in the small markets and the small markets cant overpay them to try to convince them to stay. They have their salary pre-decided so they just try to get whatever other incentives they can get(chance to win championships and/or endorsement offers).

If the league wants to stop this(they dont) they are going to have to limit one max contract(and raise this limit substantially) per team or something to that effect.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

With how under paid(in comparison to what others in their sport are paid and their true market value) I dont think Durant will have many problems getting a max contract even with this injury lingering. It might actually work out better for the team signing him. They can tank the 1st year of Durants contract and get a top draft choice to pair with Durant and whatever else they get.

As much as I hate it, its hard to blame the players for chasing rings. The stars dont want to play in the small markets and the small markets cant overpay them to try to convince them to stay. They have their salary pre-decided so they just try to get whatever other incentives they can get(chance to win championships and/or endorsement offers).

If the league wants to stop this(they dont) they are going to have to limit one max contract(and raise this limit substantially) per team or something to that effect.

He may take his option year with GS for $30 million and sit the year out recovering on GS' dime now.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Galaril

He may take his option year with GS for $30 million and sit the year out recovering on GS' dime now.

But then he would be almost 32 and coming off an Achilles injury. There's max money out there in FA for him this offseason (even with the injury). My guess is Golden State, the Knicks, Nets and maybe even Boston would pay him the full max. Doesn't make sense to pass that up for a 1-year deal to heal.

[JPhillips]

I think one simple change would make a big difference. Just make the max the cap hit, but make it so there's no limit on the actual salary.

[bhlloy]

Isn't that the exact thing a salary cap is designed to avoid? Might as well just get rid of the cap at that point - the LA and NY teams would just be able to buy three max players and as we've seen, there'd be no shortage of good players willing to take below market to ride their coattails and get a ring or two.

[JPhillips]

In terms of the cap, it wouldn't be any different. A max cap contract would still have the same impact and the Bird Rule would still be in place. The difference would be that teams would potentially have to pay market rates to get the top stars.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Arles

But then he would be almost 32 and coming off an Achilles injury. There's max money out there in FA for him this offseason (even with the injury). My guess is Golden State, the Knicks, Nets and maybe even Boston would pay him the full max. Doesn't make sense to pass that up for a 1-year deal to heal.

Why would 32 and coming off an Achilles injury be worse than 31 and needing to miss (almost?) a full season then be coming off the Achilles injury? There will be max offers available for him next summer, even if it means it has to be in a sign & trade for like D'Angelo Russell or a team does the Keith Bogans & overpays some middling veteran with a non-guarantee to make the $$$ work.

Though again I think that all comes down to if KD trusts the GS medical staff & brain trust right now, which seems questionable in a vacuum, but is measured vs taking a chance on like James Dolan & cohorts.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

In terms of the cap, it wouldn't be any different. A max cap contract would still have the same impact and the Bird Rule would still be in place. The difference would be that teams would potentially have to pay market rates to get the top stars.

And some teams would be able to pay infinitely more than others based on market size. Not that players like KD and LeBron are ever going to New Orleans or Orlando anyway, but it would effectively kill the concept that the cap gives these teams a chance to compete on these kinds of players for good.

[molson]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The difference would be that teams would potentially have to pay market rates to get the top stars.

So why would the owners agree to that?

The players could make something like that a priority in the next negotiations, but CBAs aren't created from an objective third-person perspective of what's "fair".

[JPhillips]

They wouldn't. And the players won't agree to a hard cap. I'm just saying that a change isn't difficult.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

And some teams would be able to pay infinitely more than others based on market size. Not that players like KD and LeBron are ever going to New Orleans or Orlando anyway, but it would effectively kill the concept that the cap gives these teams a chance to compete on these kinds of players for good.

You'd still have the luxury tax to penalize teams that go over the cap. It would allow a young team to offer a much bigger contract to a player like KD or LeBron and gamble on winning before the young guys get expensive.

[Arles]

I think every team should have one "franchise player" where you'd need to have a situation like Bird rights where they were either drafted by you or have been on your team for X years. For that one player, the cap hit is $30-35 mil - but you can actually pay them up to $50 mil per season.

This would help each team keep their best player without having John Wall or Westbrook level contracts that can kill your cap.

[bhlloy]

Yeah, I think that's a sensible solution. The big problem with Bird rights was they were fully tradeable. I think your solution would have to say that if the player was traded within x years then the cap hit became the full amount to avoid teams gamifying it the same way.

Ultimately I'm not sure there is any solution to a player willing to take 10 million less to win a ring. Basketball is just a game that is so relatively predictable and in which star players are so outlandishly valuable I'm not sure what you can do about it.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Fuck.

[Lathum]

What a gamer to come out and take the FTs.

No intent on Greene, that play happens countless times in an NBA game, just a weird landing.

[Lathum]

Draymond better be real careful here.

[Groundhog]

The Draymond and VanVleet show, just like we all expected.

[PilotMan]

crazy game. The game still looks like fouls all over the place and the ones that are called are simply random.

[Lathum]

Oh Joy. We get to wait for another 5 minutes to see if there is .4 or .3 seconds on the clock.

so stupid.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

crazy game. The game still looks like fouls all over the place and the ones that are called are simply random.

NBA refereeing is so incredibly arbitrary. They seem to get themselves in trouble with one obvious foul they don't call because of game situation (e.g. the Lowry fifth on Green) and then find themselves with a bad make up call or two they have to make as a result, rinse and repeat and it just spirals down from there. Those last 5-7 minutes were just an absurd mess of obvious fouls not called and then ones called for far less.

Congrats to the Raptors. Everyone always said the one thing that would derail the Warriors dynasty was injuries but nobody expected two (presumably) serious ones in the finals. If that injury was as bad as it looked with Klay hobbling off out of the arena after he didn't make it back in, that's a fascinating story to see how that team looks early next year.

[jbergey22]

Kawhi came out of the Spurs situation looking real good. Any chance he stays in Toronto after this?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Kawhi came out of the Spurs situation looking real good. Any chance he stays in Toronto after this?

Rumor is he recently purchased a home there.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Rumor is he recently purchased a home there.

That would be amazing if he stayed. I am sure Pop thought he was sending him off to Toronto as punishment.

[Groundhog]

Amazing game. Sucks about the injuries, reminded me a lot of the Cavs-Warriors series where Delly ended up our #2 guy.

[SirFozzie]

only 8 days till the draft.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Rumor is he recently purchased a home there.

Fake news or it was a good investment. Raptors fans are the worst.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by stevew

Fake news or it was a good investment. Raptors fans are the worst.

LOL