***2021-2022 NBA Season Thread***

[Skin'emAlive]

Nope.   I was going to post about how unguardable and valuable Dirk Nowitzki remains, even though he is very nearly as old as I am.   Dude is amazing.  There is no way that Dallas team should be as good as it is, with DeJuan Blair and Shawn Marion in starting roles AND with the shambling corpse of Vince Carter still getting significant minutes.   As long as they have Dirk they will remain a very strong team.

Marion is still playing at a high rate. He has a game that ages well. Vince Carter completely changed his game. Hes a different player now. But yes it is suprising Dirk is still playing at a high rate.

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

Hey! Do you think Uncle Predicto is going to post today and talk about how awesome the game was even though he went to bed at halftime?

He should! That's what I do.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

NBA Trivia for the Week:

-Without looking at ANYTHING, guess how much money Shawn Bradley made throughtout his entire career?

Edited December 13, 2013 by G.A.C.O.L.B.

[Going Commando]

Old guys win in the NBA. Young guys lose. This was a major epiphany for me for fantasy basketball. "LOL look at this noob spending 15 dollars for Tony Parker LOL! I'm going to spend 70 on Kyrie Irving!!"

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

It might be time to start taking Portland seriously.

 

Also, Dwight looked like Dwight last night.

 

They are driving everyone in Houston crazy. Still, the Rockets are playing bad defense, are getting wildly up and down performances from Dwight, still don't know what to do with Asik, and have had a few big injuries already....and yet they are 15-8.

 

That team could figure it out around February and win something like 18 out of 20. Or they could do this all year. 

[CrypticVillain]

NBA Trivia for the Week:

-Without looking at ANYTHING, guess how much money Shawn Bradley made throughtout his entire career?

137 Million.

 

Now I am about to go look.

Okay, I was off by a lot, but that is still a lot of money.

 

And I'm just saying, if you're going to talk about Bradley, you gotta post this...

 

[Going Commando]

It might be time to start taking Portland seriously.

 

Also, Dwight looked like Dwight last night.

 

They are driving everyone in Houston crazy. Still, the Rockets are playing bad defense, are getting wildly up and down performances from Dwight, still don't know what to do with Asik, and have had a few big injuries already....and yet they are 15-8.

 

That team could figure it out around February and win something like 18 out of 20. Or they could do this all year.

They're a piece or two away. And take away Dwight and they're still so young.

If they get something good back from Asik, they could be really really good. It might take them all year, and they might not legitimately contend this year. Frankly I don't think they can beat Miami or Indy. There is still an Emperor's New Clothes feel about them because they can't defend yet and rely so heavily on threes.

But worst case scenario is they're a terrifying mid seed in the playoffs. And add a couple of glue pieces and some more defensive foundation for next season and they can be legit. Getting Dwight was a game changer.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

They're a piece or two away. And take away Dwight and they're still so young.

 

 

It's not like Dwight is the Ancient Mariner. He's 28.

 

The issue with him is his health. And only then, it's because he was so overly reliant on his crazy athleticism. I didn't watch all the game, but for most of the second quarter, he was demanding the ball, getting it, and immediately attacking the basket. And Lopez had no hope of stopping him.

 

I don't think his stuff would work against Hibbert, but that kind of game from Howard would be a nightmare for Miami.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Lombardi's_kid_brother

[Going Commando]

I'm going to half buy in on Portland. I think they're a very good team but maybe not an elite team. Really, I think OKC and SA are better. They aren't the greatest defensively and they're getting contributions from guys like Wesley Matthews that will probably tail off the further we get.

BUT, they do have arguably the best guard/big man tandem in the NBA in Lillard and Aldridge. They're clearly the best tandem offensively. That can carry them far.

[Going Commando]

It's not like Dwight is the Ancient Mariner. He's 28.

 

The issue with him is his health. And only then, it's because he was so overly reliant on his crazy athleticism. I didn't watch all the game, but for most of the second quarter, he was demanding the ball, getting it, and immediately attacking the basket. And Lopez had no hope of stopping him.

 

I don't think his stuff would work against Hibbert, but that kind of game from Howard would be a nightmare for Miami.

What I meant is that Dwight is the only really mature player on that team. He's in his prime and is going to have to lead them in the postseason. He's probably capable. Harden has been the distance in the playoffs as a third wheel too (and he sucked that postseason, if that means anything). But nobody else really has the kind of playoff experience to help them match up with a Memphis or Dallas or OKC or SA if they draw that opponent.

That's the case for a lot of the competition too though. Portland and GS don't have much of a playoff pedigree either. Minnesota won't have any at all if they make it.

Basically, what I see happening for Houston is they deal Asik for someone useful, make a run into the postseason this year and play hard but get bounced by more experienced and established conference powers in the second round. This focuses their goals for next year, they add a few key pieces and get better at playing with each other. Then next season they flirt with 60+ wins and a top two seed and legitimately contend.

[Destino]

The NBA tends to reward experience so while I buy the trailblazers as a good team I don't see them beating the elite experienced teams in the playoffs. I feel the same way about the Rockets though I think they need to improve some areas before they are ready to make a run in addition to letting time improve their chemistry. The few times I've watched them this season they are slow to pass the ball.

I think a healthy Golden State is a threat to anyone if their shots are falling and they could lose to anyone when they aren't .

OKC and the Spurs are still the best two teams if they stay healthy. It's almost a shame they don't have a third place series because I'd watch either of them in a series against Miami or Indy.

I don't trust the clippers.

Edit: random change of topic, anyone see the inside the NBA foot race? Run through the tape! Those guys have too much fun to be getting paid.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Destino

[Predicto]

Houston will be dangerous as long as James Harden is able to take the ball at the top of the key as the shot clock is winding down, charge headfirst straight into defenders, and automatically get the call from the refs every single time.

 

 

i.e. forever  

[Destino]

Houston will be dangerous as long as James Harden is able to take the ball at the top of the key as the shot clock is winding down, charge headfirst straight into defenders, and automatically get the call from the refs every single time.

i.e. forever

It seems so simple a skill but he's unmatched at it. No one in the NBA had mastered attacking the shoulder of defenders like he has.

I've tried it playing with my slow short 30 something friends that play every week and it's not as simple as it looks. I'm also glad it's not taped because I cringe at how absurd my attempts to draw contact must look.

[Going Commando]

Don't you get to call your own fouls in pickup games?

[Predicto]

It seems so simple a skill but he's unmatched at it. No one in the NBA had mastered attacking the shoulder of defenders like he has.

I've tried it playing with my slow short 30 something friends that play every week and it's not as simple as it looks. I'm also glad it's not taped because I cringe at how absurd my attempts to draw contact must look.

 

He really is remarkable at it.  It must be incredibly frustrating to try to defend.  I've seen defenders fully giving ground and hoping for a weakside block get whistled.   I've seen defenders standing still with their hands over their heads get whistled.   It doesn't seem to matter what they do.

[Bubble Screen]

Little fantasy help, guys.

Which is more likely to happen:

A) Greg Monroe scoring 20+ points vs the Nets

OR

B- Deron Williams scoring 20+ vs the Pistons?

Edited December 13, 2013 by Bubble Screen

[Destino]

Don't you get to call your own fouls in pickup games?

 

When the same group plays together you aren't going to call some BS more than once a night and not get killed for it.  It better be a foul.  lol

He really is remarkable at it.  It must be incredibly frustrating to try to defend.  I've seen defenders fully giving ground and hoping for a weakside block get whistled.   I've seen defenders standing still with their hands over their heads get whistled.   It doesn't seem to matter what they do.

 

It's because the NBA has, to my knowledge, no real definition of legal defensive position and it makes calling charges and blocks a ref judgement call.  If the offensive player contacts the edge of a defender and mostly misses the bulk of their frame they'll either call nothing or a blocking foul.  Usually they won't call a charge unless a player falls over, which is absurd, and if a defender were to fall over when Harden clips their shoulder they'd get fined for flopping.  It's lose lose.  

 

Harden gets just enough of them to get their feet to move, which shouldn't matter at all, but NBA refs see that and BAM instant foul call.  

Edited December 13, 2013 by Destino

[Bubble Screen]

Little fantasy help, guys.

Which is more likely to happen:

A) Greg Monroe scoring 20+ points vs the Nets

OR

B- Deron Williams scoring 20+ vs the Pistons?

Thanks for responding, fellas.

Ended up going with Monroe, since Lopez was out. Both Monroe and Williams finished with 22 pts. But I got the bonus pts for the Pistons winning.

Like a boss.

[Going Commando]

I would always go for Monroe over DWill at this point.

[Ghost of]

How about those Blazers?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Apparently Deron Williams is really important.

 

I may just give up trying to analyze the East. These teams - save two - are all mediocre to terrible and they are going to spend the year beating up on each other to no real purpose.

[Going Commando]

Apparently Deron Williams is really important.

 

I may just give up trying to analyze the East. These teams - save two - are all mediocre to terrible and they are going to spend the year beating up on each other to no real purpose.

I think this is all you really need to know:

- Miami will probably be in the finals, but Indy has a very good shot of beating them. Consequently, they're the only team in the East that does.

- Boston has a decent team on their hands and they'll very likely be the fourth seed.

- Atlanta is a solid team that can go the distance as a three seed if they keep everyone reasonably healthy.

- Detroit has a front line that's good enough for the 5th or 6th seed if things break perfectly for them, but they're very combustible.

- Washington is going to hang around the mix as a 6th, 7th, or 8th seed because they aren't going to stay healthy.

- One of either Brooklyn or New York is going to pull it together and make the playoffs as the 6th or 7th seed.

- The other one of Brooklyn or New York is going to go down to the wire battling Charlotte for the final spot in the playoffs.

I think the standings you see today are about what you'll see at the end of the year except Toronto is not going to make the playoffs and Charlotte probably won't either.

1 - Indy

2 - Miami

3 - Atlanta

4 - Boston

5 - Detroit

6 - Washington

7 - Brooklyn

8 - New York

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I think this is all you really need to know:

- Miami will probably be in the finals, but Indy has a very good shot of beating them. Consequently, they're the only team in the East that does.

- Boston has a decent team on their hands and they'll very likely be the fourth seed.

- One of either Brooklyn or New York is going to pull it together and make the playoffs as the 6th or 7th seed.

 

 

I think we should just skip ahead to the the Miami-Indy conference finals and save everyone the trouble.

 

Boston is probably shocked at how not horrendous they are. They should have hired Stevens and sent him on an around the world vacation for a year. Here's something to consider: Look at what Stevens is doing with Crawford and Bradley....now imagine him coaching Wall and Beal.

 

The Nets really do have ridiculous talent. It was probably too much for them to go 30-52.

[Enforcer_FFX]

Boston is probably shocked at how not horrendous they are. They should have hired Stevens and sent him on an around the world vacation for a year. Here's something to consider: Look at what Stevens is doing with Crawford and Bradley....now imagine him coaching Wall and Beal.

 

.

 

As am I!  LOL, hats off to Stevens - he's got them dudes playing to the best of THEIR talents....

 

And while, yes, it does look like Indy-Mia is the ultimate East Conf Finals, at least teams like Bos, Was, Det have given their fans something to look forward to down the road!

 

And although the Clippers got 'em last night, the Spurs machine just quietly keeps doing what they always do, under the radar.

[Skin'emAlive]

Ok, so i wasnt on the Lilard bandwagon last year. Thought he was unjustly praised all things considering. But sweet jesus, this man is terrific this year. I take it back. Another game winner. That 3 was as Hibachi as it could ever be without him turning around swagging his way out the building before the shot fell through.