The Official 2017-18 NBA Regular Season Thread

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

God forbid someone give you a dissenting opinion. Let it go.

Except you didn't give a dissenting opinion. You told him it was too soon for him to love the move his GM made and threw stuff like "final judgment" out when he never made any claim.

"Philly was moronic for giving up that package and letting us have Tatum. Ainge is the king!" implies some kind of potentially premature judgment.

Not to mention your analogy kind of sucked. You compared a team giving up a ton of assets for a guy and a team which gained an extra (strong) asset in a deal.

[Logan]

Zach Lowe‏
@ZachLowe_NBA

Philly will send Okafor, Nik Stauskas, and a second-round pick to Brooklyn for Trevor Booker, sources say.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Logan

Zach Lowe‏
@ZachLowe_NBA

Philly will send Okafor, Nik Stauskas, and a second-round pick to Brooklyn for Trevor Booker, sources say.

Kind of surprised the 76ers couldnt pull in a bit more and even more surprised they traded him within the division. Unless, we are pretty much writing Okafor off as a completely lost cause.

[JPhillips]

I like what Brooklyn is doing. They won't be great, but they've added two top five picks for basically nothing.

[Shkspr]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Unless, we are pretty much writing Okafor off as a completely lost cause.

Wouldn't being unable to make a deal for a 30 year old with a career average of 7 PPG without throwing in a draft pick and other flotsam be, in itself, the very definition of a lost cause?

I mean, we don't have to write him off yet, but the Sixers clearly have.

[Groundhog]

Booker helps the Sixers more than Okafor picking up DND-CDs does, as a legit rotation guy who isn't a matador on defense. Okafor should score 16-18PPG a night in Brooklyn if he gets the mins, so it's a good opportunity for him to show he can do something other than put the ball in the basket... Not so hopeful on that.

Re: the Cavs pick, I'm hoping he scores 18 a game with a low efficiency and gives up 30.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Logan

Except you didn't give a dissenting opinion. You told him it was too soon for him to love the move his GM made and threw stuff like "final judgment" out when he never made any claim.

"Philly was moronic for giving up that package and letting us have Tatum. Ainge is the king!" implies some kind of potentially premature judgment.

Not to mention your analogy kind of sucked. You compared a team giving up a ton of assets for a guy and a team which gained an extra (strong) asset in a deal.

So, your problem is with calling it a "dissenting opinion?"

I don't get why this is a thing. I only responded to larry's followup with the above because he clearly took some offense to being challenged on his point (since he dropped a snide and unnecessary comment after the discussion was "done").

This is a spot where I think y'all could be a little less sensitive and move on.

[miami_fan]

The Sixers did not get the memo that Lonzo can't shoot. Terrible D on that last play.

[Groundhog]

Losses like that are good for the Sixers. They need to shake the habit of playing to their opponent's level.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Losses like that are good for the Sixers. They need to shake the habit of playing to their opponent's level.

Losses like this arent good for the sixers if they want to make the playoffs. They are looking like a 40-47 win team so every game matters a lot to them.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Losses like this arent good for the sixers if they want to make the playoffs. They are looking like a 40-47 win team so every game matters a lot to them.

Talking long term, it is a good thing if they want to make the playoffs. They can't be too cocky at this point, they are better than they've been in a long time, but they are not the Cavs/Warriors and can coast through a game for 3 quarters before hitting the gas. Either they learn that and improve, or they don't and miss the playoffs.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Talking long term, it is a good thing if they want to make the playoffs. They can't be too cocky at this point, they are better than they've been in a long time, but they are not the Cavs/Warriors and can coast through a game for 3 quarters before hitting the gas. Either they learn that and improve, or they don't and miss the playoffs.

They are a lot like the Timberwolves right now. One game they look like they are one of the top teams in their conference while the next night they lose a game against a bottom feeder missing their best player. The growing pains of younger teams.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

The Sixers did not get the memo that Lonzo can't shoot. Terrible D on that last play.

He would have easily made the layup if they didn't collapse

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Shkspr

Wouldn't being unable to make a deal for a 30 year old with a career average of 7 PPG without throwing in a draft pick and other flotsam be, in itself, the very definition of a lost cause?

I mean, we don't have to write him off yet, but the Sixers clearly have.

They wrote him off when they declined next year's option & stopped playing him. I'm surprised they even got any rotation player, but I can't be mad at what the Nets did, made sense for them.

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So, your problem is with calling it a "dissenting opinion?"

I don't get why this is a thing. I only responded to larry's followup with the above because he clearly took some offense to being challenged on his point (since he dropped a snide and unnecessary comment after the discussion was "done").

This is a spot where I think y'all could be a little less sensitive and move on.

I'd rather talk the actual issues than people's feelings, but I do think "small sample size" is overused, and that was what triggered me to post some information. To use an extreme example, if a baseball player has 10 at bats and has either 2 or 3 hits, saying he'll hit .300 and be a Hall of Famer or .200 and be below replacement level based off those 10 at bats is ludicrous... but if a player hits 10 home runs in his first 10 at bats you can confidently say he has above average power despite it only being 10 at bats.

In this case, if you want to argue that Fultz still has higher potential or Tatum could suffer a gruesome career-altering injury while being negligently mismanaged by his coaching staff and organization I get it, but if your argument is that Tatum hasn't proven anything these past 25 games I strongly disagree. His proven floor is already higher than anyone (I think even including Ainge) thought on draft night.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I'd rather talk the actual issues than people's feelings, but I do think "small sample size" is overused, and that was what triggered me to post some information. To use an extreme example, if a baseball player has 10 at bats and has either 2 or 3 hits, saying he'll hit .300 and be a Hall of Famer or .200 and be below replacement level based off those 10 at bats is ludicrous... but if a player hits 10 home runs in his first 10 at bats you can confidently say he has above average power despite it only being 10 at bats.

In this case, if you want to argue that Fultz still has higher potential or Tatum could suffer a gruesome career-altering injury while being negligently mismanaged by his coaching staff and organization I get it, but if your argument is that Tatum hasn't proven anything these past 25 games I strongly disagree. His proven floor is already higher than anyone (I think even including Ainge) thought on draft night.

It was comparative. Even if we accept Tatum's awesomeness off of seven weeks of play, Fultz could still come back from his injury, become a super stud and make the original point seem extremely premature. It's not so mucb about Tatum alone as it is Tatum versus Fultz--which is completely a question we can't answer now and maybe won't be able to fully answer for years.

And I wouldn't have brought up anyone's feelings if they weren't so clearly an issue. Your original response was perfect and I enjoyed it immensely, even if I still felt that the sample size was too small to be definitive and that it ignored rhe idea that what we were discussing required a comparispn of two players and not an absolute assessment of just one.

[stevew]

I was kind of hoping that Derrick Rose would retire.

Brooklyn is getting a lot of production by guys that I've never heard of and they all have last names that would make for a mean 90s R&B supergroup.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

He would have easily made the layup if they didn't collapse

The collapse wasn't the issue. Running out to chase Lonzo off the three point line like he was Steph Curry is the problem. That compromised the entire defense.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

The collapse wasn't the issue. Running out to chase Lonzo off the three point line like he was Steph Curry is the problem. That compromised the entire defense.

Exactly. Let him take a 3 all day long, it would have ended just like the previous possession.

Interesting stat, prior to yesterday's game Simmons could have missed his next 197 shots and would still have a better shooting percentage than Ball.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

It was comparative. Even if we accept Tatum's awesomeness off of seven weeks of play, Fultz could still come back from his injury, become a super stud and make the original point seem extremely premature. It's not so mucb about Tatum alone as it is Tatum versus Fultz--which is completely a question we can't answer now and maybe won't be able to fully answer for years.

And I wouldn't have brought up anyone's feelings if they weren't so clearly an issue. Your original response was perfect and I enjoyed it immensely, even if I still felt that the sample size was too small to be definitive and that it ignored rhe idea that what we were discussing required a comparispn of two players and not an absolute assessment of just one.

My feelings were never an issue. I simply thought your post was silly and so I made a follow up comment mocking what you said.

Right now, I love the move Danny made to get Tatum because it looks like we got a very good player and an extra asset. Of course, there are many different things that can happen to change that, but I felt that went without saying and that's why I thought your post was unnecessary.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

My feelings were never an issue. I simply thought your post was silly and so I made a follow up comment mocking what you said.

Right now, I love the move Danny made to get Tatum because it looks like we got a very good player and an extra asset. Of course, there are many different things that can happen to change that, but I felt that went without saying and that's why I thought your post was unnecessary.

Your feelings were expressed in the way you responded. You made a number of pointed comments that basically told me you considered me a dumbass. Which I am fine with. Been called worse. But the fact that someone simply disagreeing with jumping to the conclusion that you did led you to making multiple posts mocking him suggests you are a little to emotionally involved.

Thus my reference to your feelings.

Look at Bishop's responses. His are devoid of feelings. Simply a straight, rational take, backed with stats. You came back and basically dropped an F U at me well after our immediate discussion was done.

[EagleFan]

Hug it out already...

[Chief Rum]

Haha fine by me. I'm fine with larry. I don't plan on responding anymore on this issue, so he can take another shot if he wants. I won't come back at him.

[Kodos]

Come at me, bro.

[Kodos]

Oladipo with 47 points in a win over the Nuggets yesterday. Love how he was blossomed after the trade to the Pacers.

[Groundhog]

Never expected Indiana to walk away winners of that trade.

[Atocep]

So does anyone see LiAngelo and LeMelo not ending in disaster playing in Europe?

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Atocep

So does anyone see LiAngelo and LeMelo not ending in disaster playing in Europe?

Found about the least-fitting situation imaginable as well. 10k town/village with likely a very low percentage of people speaking english, 1.5k "arena", a club that doesn't regularly have foreigner (much less americans) on their roster. I bet the coaches and teammates will be ecstatic that suddenly those two come in with the circus in tow, change up the routines (probably all team communication was in lithuanian for example i would bet). All while they try to hold the division or make a run for the playoffs after a bad start to the season (and also keep their own careers alive). Joining mid-season won't really help either, nor will them being a package-deal. LaMelo is 16, guy should play at a big(ger) club's youth academy and not for a pro team in Lithuania. See: Pulicic for example (soccer )

Quite frankly there is also a strong likelihood they are not even remotely good enough to actually earn playing time, especially joining mid-season and having to go through a ton of adjustments on/off the court, if they still get minutes that'll make them reaaaaaally popular in that team.

I'd be shocked if they don't have a shit-ton of beneath-the-table agreements making this more or less a "do what you want, we'll get the publicity" stunt. Only scenario that remotely makes sense and that's all fine and well for the management ...

[Groundhog]

A ton of American players - and we're talking about guys who have usually spent 2-4 years playing div 1 ball - underestimate how difficult it is to play ball in Europe. The skill gap is not as large as they think, especially when factoring in that you're up against grown men.

I don't see them averaging more than a couple of minutes a game to be honest, even in the weak domestic league, let alone the Eurocup.

[Shkspr]

Say what you want about the choices the Ball family have made, but it could be worse: they could have ended up traded to the Marlins.

[RedKingGold]

I don’t know if Brett Brown is a good coach, but I’m glad he’s not determined to grind our best players’ bones to dust like Thibs.

[miami_fan]

I absolutely love the Embid trash talk but how did we make the determination that his trash talk was playful?

[Young Drachma]

This Sixers team is so fun. Glad #theprocess is finally blossoming some.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Never expected Indiana to walk away winners of that trade.

Yeah, seriously. They bring Oladipo home mostly to tank and get IU fans excited at the "homegrown" player returning and turns out, he can actually play.

So crazy. Team doesn't have any long-term sea legs, but wild that it worked out in their favor, but OKC probably makes the move if they could again because it's the only way they can get name players to come there is trading for them or overpaying second-tier stars.

[Chief Rum]

Refs doing what they can to hand this one to the Ws.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Refs doing what they can to hand this one to the Ws.

That's pretty much SOP.

[stevew]

Replay so painful.

[Groundhog]

KD blatantly fouls him twice on the shot, and arguably once as well when LeBron beat him inside the arc before the shot.

[stevew]

Can't swallow the whistle and then go to replay like that.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

A ton of American players - and we're talking about guys who have usually spent 2-4 years playing div 1 ball - underestimate how difficult it is to play ball in Europe. The skill gap is not as large as they think, especially when factoring in that you're up against grown men.

Yep. One of my hometown's two athletic claims to fame(population 10k) was a guy who was a coach's son, shot EKU into the NCAA tournament, and then played in Europe for several years(Croatia mostly IIRC). He was a pretty good European guard, but even with an excellent shot and good handles it was mostly only because he was smart and driven. A lot of guys over there can play.

[BishopMVP]

Classic Celtics, Marcus Smart, and James Harden wilting under pressure.

[SirFozzie]

Harden is an idiot.

[SirFozzie]

For those of you who are wondering what bit of refereeing insanity benefitted a New England team THIS time.

Rockets had a 26 point lead in the 2nd quarter, and the Celtics came back to be down three with 10 seconds left.

Inbounds, Tatum breaks to the hoop, alley-oop, celtics down 1 with 7.3 to go.

On the inbounds (Rockets have no timeouts), Smart basically gets in Harden's face and instead of Harden running around him or getting someone else the ball, Harden extends the arm in a push off. Smart sells it for what it's worth (it was a foul, but he made SURE it was going to be called a foul). Offensive foul on Harden, Celtics ball.

Celtics have no timeouts, but inbound to Horford who backs in twice, throws up a half-hook shot from about five feet and scores. Celtics lead by 1.

Harden had gotten a bit wrapped up with Smart (Smart was going in for a potential rebound on Horford's shot, grabs the ball, and kinda jabs it into smart twice, trying to create some space (Note, Harden is not the inbounder, he just wanted Smart to Get the hell away from him).

Ref finally gets the ball from Harden (avoiding the delay of game penalty) and hands it to the Rockets inbounder. Smart AGAIN face guarding Harden who apparently thinks "The ref just made a game changing call last time I pushed off, so there's NO way he'll do it again!" and runs into Smart twice, knocking him down the second time, and yes, Mr. Harden, the ref did it again.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

For those of you who are wondering what bit of refereeing insanity benefitted a New England team THIS time.

Rockets had a 26 point lead in the 2nd quarter, and the Celtics came back to be down three with 10 seconds left.

Inbounds, Tatum breaks to the hoop, alley-oop, celtics down 1 with 7.3 to go.

On the inbounds (Rockets have no timeouts), Smart basically gets in Harden's face and instead of Harden running around him or getting someone else the ball, Harden extends the arm in a push off. Smart sells it for what it's worth (it was a foul, but he made SURE it was going to be called a foul). Offensive foul on Harden, Celtics ball.

Celtics have no timeouts, but inbound to Horford who backs in twice, throws up a half-hook shot from about five feet and scores. Celtics lead by 1.

Harden had gotten a bit wrapped up with Smart (Smart was going in for a potential rebound on Horford's shot, grabs the ball, and kinda jabs it into smart twice, trying to create some space (Note, Harden is not the inbounder, he just wanted Smart to Get the hell away from him).

Ref finally gets the ball from Harden (avoiding the delay of game penalty) and hands it to the Rockets inbounder. Smart AGAIN face guarding Harden who apparently thinks "The ref just made a game changing call last time I pushed off, so there's NO way he'll do it again!" and runs into Smart twice, knocking him down the second time, and yes, Mr. Harden, the ref did it again.

That is great. Harden benefits more than any player in the league from drawing fouls where the offensive player initiates contact. Great to see a ref not fall for it.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

That is great. Harden benefits more than any player in the league from drawing fouls where the offensive player initiates contact. Great to see a ref not fall for it.

Well these were nothing like his drives with the extended arms, it was just pushing off to get the ball on inbounds plays. First one I thought was 70/30 an offensive foul on Harden, and Marcus did sell it, but he sells 6 of those a game & usually doesn't get the call (plus there was actually a couple of those earlier with Shane Larkin on D that were much worse and went against Larkin). 2nd one was just a meltdown by Harden - I think Fozzie undersells it there, because I thought mid-game Harden could've/would've been T'd up for giving Smart a couple elbows/forearm shivers. Instead the ref came over, separated them & told him to knock it off, so when Harden got the ball and lowered his shoulder into Smart again it was obvious it'd be an offensive foul even though that was more of a sell job by Smart than the first one was (and the shoulder by Harden probably would've been a no-call in the middle of the game.)

Harden afterwards whining about only having 2 refs for a nationally televised game when he had 15 FT's, the Rockets had 7 more than the Celtics, Harden went 7-27 with 8 turnovers, and the ref was right there on both of the late inbounds plays is hilarious. Keep deflecting from yet another mental collapse in a pressure situation.

[Atocep]

76ers' G League Affiliate Will Wear SpongeBob SquarePants Uniforms | Bleacher Report

[Chief Rum]

I realize the forum has gotten a lot slower but I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned the bruhaha between the Rockets and Clips last night.

Social media was pure gold around this one.

Best Deadspin comment I saw: "Two fake rocket attacks in a week."

[Vince, Pt. II]

I want to wait a bit until we get the whole story. So far I've heard:

• Chris Paul went into the locker room pissed off and Harden tried to calm him down. Then security had to go into the Rockets' locker room to break things up.
• Multiple Rockets tried to get into the Clippers' locker room to go after Austin Rivers.
• Chris Paul actually got into the Clippers' locker room using a back entrance through the stadium.
• The Rockets were actually pissed at Blake Griffin, not Austin Rivers.

Still entertaining, but who knows what actually happened.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

I want to wait a bit until we get the whole story. So far I've heard:

• Chris Paul went into the locker room pissed off and Harden tried to calm him down. Then security had to go into the Rockets' locker room to break things up.
• Multiple Rockets tried to get into the Clippers' locker room to go after Austin Rivers.
• Chris Paul actually got into the Clippers' locker room using a back entrance through the stadium.
• The Rockets were actually pissed at Blake Griffin, not Austin Rivers.

Still entertaining, but who knows what actually happened.

Yeah, I was watching TNT and I couldn't agree more with Shaq, Kenny & Charles on this one. We're supposed to believe you need to call the LAPD because Chris Paul is attempting to assault Blake Griffin... get out of here

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

I want to wait a bit until we get the whole story. So far I've heard:

• Chris Paul went into the locker room pissed off and Harden tried to calm him down. Then security had to go into the Rockets' locker room to break things up.
• Multiple Rockets tried to get into the Clippers' locker room to go after Austin Rivers.
• Chris Paul actually got into the Clippers' locker room using a back entrance through the stadium.
• The Rockets were actually pissed at Blake Griffin, not Austin Rivers.

Still entertaining, but who knows what actually happened.

I think the first one was discounted. As for #4, it seemed about evenly split between Blake and Rivers, but Rivers was the first name I saw most. He was apparently talking some mad sheet there in his suit and walking boot.

FTR, even as a Clips fan, I can't stand Austin Rivers.

Things on and off the court I have seen/read:

1. D'Antoni claimed BG elbowed him and is caught on camera telling Griffin "fuck you." The alleged elbow was apparently off screen on the broadcast and D'Antoni had come on to the court floor.

FTR 2, I think D'Antoni is one of the shittiest people in the NBA.

2. This one has mostly been a media joke but apparently even the Logo came down to courtside to keep an eye (or get involved in?) the fracas.

3. Ariza and BG were shoving each other, said some unmentionables and were tossed. BG ripped off his jersey as he left the court and high fived fans on the way to the lockeroom.

4. CP3 was mostly booed in his return to LA. The Clips did do a video tribute for him in the first quarter. He and BG were jawing all game and playing physical and shoving each other. At one point late, CP3 ripped BG's tights under his shorts, attempting to stop him afyer BG drove by him.

5. CP3 floor general planned the attack on the Clips lockeroom, sending Capela to the front door, while he, Ariza, Gerald Green and street-clothes Harden went through a back door.

6. Back door has become "secret tunnel" between lockerooms that CP3 knew about, making this next level hilaruous.

7. Ariza entered the Clips lockeroom as the main instigator, CP3 hanging in the back.

8. A lot of jawing in the lockeroom, but no actual fighting. Just grandstanding, typical NBA. An unnamed Clipper told the LA Times it was the usual just arguing; no one would have actually gotten in a fight. The Rockets came into the doorway, yelling for Rivers and BG. Clips all jumped to their feet and dared them to walk in deeper into the room (they didn't). Security came in and separated them and escorted the Rockets back to their lockeroom.

9. The LAPD was called. Yup.

10. Cherry on top. Capela as distraction. Capela went to the front door of the lockerroom and knocked. A Clips staffer opened the door, saw who it was and shut the door in his face. Capela stayed there for a few moments, wondering what to do, and then walked back to the Rockets lockeroom.

Clips and Rockets play two more times this season (one at each arena) and are also currently #2 and #7 in the playoff standings.

[albionmoonlight]

Shaq near having an aneurysm laughing so hard at the police being called was hilarious to watch. Find a clip of it if you can.