2019-2020 Official Regular Season Thread

[bksballer89]

In fairness, this isn't the first time or even the second time that Kyrie has failed to make an appearance in similar circumstances.

Maybe legitimate injuries have aligned with playing his former teams several times over now in recent history... yeah, that's possible.

But the optics on this have become worthy of taking notice... and Kyrie is a volatile personality that brings such scrutiny on himself.

Last year looked way more suspicious than this. I looked it up. He only missed the Cleveland game. Played the game before and after all 3X. One time was load management, the other was due to some hip issue, and i didn't get to see the reason why he missed the 3rd game but he's not going to miss 10 days of basketball prior to the week where he played his former teams 3x. That is a real reach

 

[Gman]

... he's not going to miss 10 days of basketball prior to the week where he played his former teams 3x. That is a real reach

Is it not within the realm of possibility that he is in the midst of a "down" period in whatever type of undiagnosed psychological condition that he clearly has... and that in the midst of that down period (which may or may not correspond to having to play Boston and Cleveland multiple times in the near future) he has gotten perhaps a little 'hypochondriac-y' (for lack of a better word)... and is shutting himself off from the world for a while?

Can you claim to understand the psychology of Kyrie enough to say that such is not possible?

Psychological conditions can be progressive. He may be getting a little worse.

*Note* - I'm totally spiff-balling here, I'm not saying the concerns I'm raising are necessarily true/right. Just saying they seem to fit and shouldn't be dismissed out-of-hand.

 

[bksballer89]

Is it not within the realm of possibility that he is in the midst of a "down" period in whatever type of undiagnosed psychological condition that he clearly has... and that in the midst of that down period (which may or may not correspond to having to play Boston and Cleveland multiple times in the near future) he has gotten perhaps a little 'hypochondriac-y' (for lack of a better word)... and is shutting himself off from the world for a while?

Can you claim to understand the psychology of Kyrie enough to say that such is not possible?

Psychological conditions can be progressive. He may be getting a little worse.

*Note* - I'm totally spiff-balling here, I'm not saying the concerns I'm raising are necessarily true/right. Just saying they seem to fit and shouldn't be dismissed out-of-hand.

If he miss their next game on Sunday then what's going to be your excuse?

 

[Gman]

If he miss their next game on Sunday then what's going to be your excuse?

Why do I need an excuse?

Kyrie seems like the type who lives on a mental roller-coaster... (again: probably due to an undiagnosed and therefore untreated psychological condition)...

... so if such a scenario comes to pass, that might very well just be a continuation of the current downswing he might be on.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[Mecca]

I seem to remember having a back and forth with Heat fans that were upset that I wasn't impressed enough with their early season record, so I will have to disagree.

I wasn't part of that debate because I didn't see it until 2 days after and I try not to reignite old arguments.

But, I remember seeing it and agreeing with Heat Fans.

So, you know what?

@Shaqdaddy11 , @DJ , @ChiefsLakers67 , @tlance

Concede.

Trolling withdrawn.

 

[Mecca]

Yep they can rest their stars and still have a better record than Houston, that's how good they are

....on paper.

Guards dropping like flies.

Shamet and Mcgruder down.

As long as it's not Lou, we are fine.

But, he's best destroying 2nd units and closing.

We lose a weapon when he starts.

 

[bksballer89]

I seem to remember having a back and forth with Heat fans that were upset that I wasn't impressed enough with their early season record, so I will have to disagree.

Not true. The Heat record was never discussed. We were debating the quality of their wins and I'll say you were right about the Hawks. I think the only thing I said is that last year group would have had been 1-4 or 2-3 in their first 5 games.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. 1 quality win vs the Bucks. 2 wins over lowly Atlanta. I loss to middling TWolves and 1 win over ? Grizz. That should very well be 3 lottery opponents, other than the Bucks.

Atlanta going to be a playoffs team so I wouldn't call them lowly. Doesn't change the fact that they have looked good. I don't think they're going to forget how to play basketball when they play the better teams. The only guaranteed lottery team of the 4 teams they played is Memphis. With the Warriors situation, it isn't a lock that the Wolves don't make the playoffs.

 

[DJ]

No pics of Thanksgiving food @Mecca?

We can't be friends anymore....

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Good job Nets!

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

My outrageous picks for today:

Warriors to beat the Heat
Wizards to beat the Lakers
Cavs to beat the Bucks

 

[Black Adam]

My outrageous picks for today:

Warriors to beat the Heat
Wizards to beat the Lakers
Cavs to beat the Bucks

which means 0-3 for you today, miss lady...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

which means 0-3 for you today, miss lady...

From now on i'm going to predict the Lakers lose every game from here on in.

Which means I will always be right on the money or pleasantly surprised.

 

[tlance]

From now on i'm going to predict the Lakers lose every game from here on in.

Which means I will always be right on the money or pleasantly surprised.

Montalban?

Is that you?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Montalban?

Is that you?

Difference is I actually care about the Lakers' result

 

[bksballer89]

But Kyrie was only missing these games to avoid playing his former teams.....

 

[trojanfan12]

Oh, they look terrific.

But, we aren't even 20 games in, Ffs.

I don't want a Laker vs Clippers WCF.

I want a 1st round matchup.

I don't care if it means we finish 4th and 5th, them finishing 3rd, us 6.

I want their Summer Vacation to start early and at the hands of the Clippers.

The Lakers are so much better than I anticipated.

I think I'm one of the only ones who thought they'd win 60 or close to it.

But, LeBron nor AD can have a bad game in the playoffs, as currently constructed, and them win against the Bucks, Clippers, Denver, Philly....imo

They need to pickup another contributor or hope one of those 4 teams have a injury.

Outside of Green and Kuz, the supporting cast is exactly who I thought they were.

I will admit that Howard has been great.

With that said, with LeBron, there is always a chance.

But, the force feeding Davis won't fly against the 4 teams mentioned.

Any other team?

Yeah, I'd take the Lakers.

Lol

And when we're 20 games in...folks will say..."it's only been 20 games".

At 30..."there are still 52 games left, a lot can happen".

I'm definitely in the "tempered enthusiasm" crowd.

It's been 18 games...I think we can droo the "it hasn't even been 20 games yet" narrative.

The Lakers look better than anyone thought they would, including probably themselves. I figured we'd be 12-6, maybe 13-5.

There are a couple of reasons the record is better than expected....

Some is that the schedule hasn't exactly been murderer's row. It's been solid. Not getting fat on cupcakes, but not much against top teams either.

Some is that Lebron and AD look like they've been playing together for years. Some is that some of the bench players have performed better than expected. Especially Dwight. Avery Bradley looked pretty good before he got hurt as well. Kuz is starting to look like he's getting back to game shape.

Some is that Lebron looks like he's on a mission to show that he's still the best in the game. That could end up biting him and the Lakers in the ass if it's not sustainable.

End of the day though, I still think they need to add another guy before the end of the season to have the best shot at taking down the Clips.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

My outrageous picks for today:

Warriors to beat the Heat
Wizards to beat the Lakers
Cavs to beat the Bucks

Not doing great so far

 

[raptorlife4]

14-4

 

[bksballer89]