2015-16 NBA Eastern Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[bksballer89]

Miami also is 1st in DEF rating at 93.5

 

[WiggyRuss]

best. spokesman. ever.

 

[gordontrue]

best. spokesman. ever.

He's an incredible actor

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Mecca ... what is your opinion of Austin Rivers ? If his dad was not the coach -- would he be on the team ? Does he deserve to be where he is ... or is it just his father giving him every opportunity to do well ?


... full disclosure ... I coached my son. I was very hard on him -- but I understood what he did well and gave him every opportunity to succeed. He ended up "over passing" ... not shooting enough ... I think he listened too closely when I would watch Laker games and bitch about Kobe shooting too much.

Honestly?

It depends on the day of the week.

When they first signed him, I was disgusted.

He was a bust of a top 10 pick who was only on the Team because of his last name.

Then the Spurs series happened...

Seriously, they would have been gone fishin had it not been for him.

He reupped on a 1yr/ 3 mil deal which is not bad.

But, when he gets trigger happy like last night, I want him and his fucking Pops to take a dirt nap in the Sahara desert.

Still, hes not why they lost.

They lost because Blake keeps channelling his inner Rasheed Wallace, Chris Paul and Redick are on their yearly gimp!fest and Doc has built a shitty roster of mismatched pieces.

Redick is the only shooter.

When he is out, they are stir fried shit.

So, in the big scheme of things, Austin is a non issue.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Curry has been the best player in the league so far.
James has come up big when needed for the most part, but their schedule hasn't really been that challenging since opening night.

It's not even close.

 

[gordontrue]

East currently sporting 7 teams with a winning record.... West has 4

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

This is a ugly basketball game at MSG

 

[bksballer89]

Wow Melo can't play better defense there

 

[WiggyRuss]

Cavs shot 42% from the field, 21% from 3 (6-28), and 58% from the free throw line - and win. Even on a night where they are just OFF - they find a way to do it defensively by holding the Bricks to 36.7% shooting.

This team can do it with defense or offense. Mo Williams again playing a great game.

 

[Ragingcroc]

The Jackson contract is of course an "overpay"- what was it 5 years 70? 14 million? With the cap going up- thats not THAT bad though- with how the K is structured its probably like 12 this year and like 16 in the last year which makes it even more palatable. And seriously- if you as a team like a player and think he has room for imprvoement and he means a lot to your team- KEEP HIM...especially in markets like Clveland and Detroit where free agents dont exactly flock to in droves.

My question to you is- what is up with Brandon Jennings? What would your plan be for him if you were the Pistons GM?

And lastly- Andre Drummond is a BEAST....if the Pistons are a solid team this year the guy is going to be top 8 in the MVP race. HEs just that damn good- 25 and 29 the other night? Hes a GREAT GREAT player. Letting Monroe walk for nothing kinda sucks- I would have dealt him- but opening up those shots and that post position for Drummond and getting a shooter at the 4 like Illysova is CLASSIC SVG....get your DOMINANT center and a stretch 4 to give him space.

And good point with Morris too- the HARDEST position to find a good player in the NBA? SMALL FORWARD- you got a small forward wh ois in the top half of the league at his position probably for NOTHING.....Pistons definitly have a shot to make the playoffs if this keeps up. We as basketball fans should have probabl seen it coming to a certain extent with SVG taking over and having his Dwight 2.0.

Reggie Jackson has already shown signs this year of adding a consistent 3 point shot. Its not at a high level yet but its just enough to make guards think twice before going under the screen. He really needs to cut down on the turnovers though.

Not sure about Brandon Jennings yet. We'll have to see how close to he is to form when he comes back. I'm not sure we can afford to trade him when he comes back. I think he'll be a much needed sixth man off the bench. Our bench hasn't been great and the 2nd PG is a big weakness. Steve Blake has been awful and Spencer Dinwiddie isn't ready yet. I think he could become the main facilitator and scorer on the 2nd unit and really make the bench come to life.

 

[gordontrue]

Wow Melo can't play better defense there

Here is the play

That duel between Melo and Bron - especially the defense - in the 4th quarter was awesome to watch.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Here is the play

That duel between Melo and Bron - especially the defense - in the 4th quarter was awesome to watch.

that was UNREAL.

Cavs are off to a really good start. Obviously the preseason does not mean much- but between all the stuff that happened- the Thompson contract, LeBron's back injection, Love and Mozgov coming off off-season surgery- and of course missing the whole starting back court of Irving and Shumpert- it would have been no surprise if the Cavs did not have a great record out the gate.

Instead? 8-1. And they are showing they can do it different from night to night- whether it was absolutely SMASHING the Jazz defense that has been so good this year for 118 points- or the next game holding the Knicks to 37% shooting.

NOBODY is touching the Cavs in the East.

 

[bksballer89]

Everyone on here said Cleveland were the clear favorites in the East so you're not saying anything that we did not know bout

 

[WiggyRuss]

Reggie Jackson has already shown signs this year of adding a consistent 3 point shot. Its not at a high level yet but its just enough to make guards think twice before going under the screen. He really needs to cut down on the turnovers though.

Not sure about Brandon Jennings yet. We'll have to see how close to he is to form when he comes back. I'm not sure we can afford to trade him when he comes back. I think he'll be a much needed sixth man off the bench. Our bench hasn't been great and the 2nd PG is a big weakness. Steve Blake has been awful and Spencer Dinwiddie isn't ready yet. I think he could become the main facilitator and scorer on the 2nd unit and really make the bench come to life.

I am looking forward to the Cavs game @ Detroit on Tuesday. The Pistons are playing really well- the Cavs are winning games but not exactly hitting on all cylinders yet, especially early in games. If the Cavs have one of those first halves that they have had lately where they look a little out of focus the Pistons could definitely win the game.

Drummond is so good. He will be an all star no doubt about it. Im sure he will hurt the Cavs, but I feel that Mozgov is at least one of the better guys in the East you can throw at a guy like Drummond- and Love should be able to really beat up any of the 4's the Pistons have.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Here is the play

That duel between Melo and Bron - especially the defense - in the 4th quarter was awesome to watch.

Melo was kicking ass in the first half- and then, lo and behold, James switches onto him in the 2nd half and he is shut down.

This team is just a lot of fun to watch right now. LeBron going off in these 4th quarters is fun. You can see that he really trusts his teammates early on in games to be able to conserve his energy to a certain extent and really just punch the other team in the face in the 4th.

I really cannot wait for Kyrie to get back and see how this thing looks. Seriously- how do you get minutes for all these guys though? Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson have both played GREAT- in fact I think they are the Cavs 3rd and 4th leading scorers....Delly is averaging like 5 assists per game....

Blatt needs to play 10 guys- instead of the 8 he played last year most of the time. There is going to be a lot of pressure on him to manage guys minutes - both keeping down Brons and KIs and Loves , while making sure Delly, Varejao, Mo, JR, stay sharp.

 

[trojanfan12]

Everyone on here said Cleveland were the clear favorites in the East so you're not saying anything that we did not know bout

You still read his posts?

 

[Ragingcroc]

I am looking forward to the Cavs game @ Detroit on Tuesday. The Pistons are playing really well- the Cavs are winning games but not exactly hitting on all cylinders yet, especially early in games. If the Cavs have one of those first halves that they have had lately where they look a little out of focus the Pistons could definitely win the game.

Drummond is so good. He will be an all star no doubt about it. Im sure he will hurt the Cavs, but I feel that Mozgov is at least one of the better guys in the East you can throw at a guy like Drummond- and Love should be able to really beat up any of the 4's the Pistons have.

It will get be an interesting game but I'm not sure we have anyone that can match up with Love. Ilyasova and Tolliver actually did an OK job on Blake Griffin today but Blake Griffin was just too strong and quick for them and feasted with 34 points. I think Love will do something similar.

I'll be at the game up in Club 300. One good thing about having your team suck is good deals. For $55, I get a buffet and samples of Bells beer while sitting in a large suite.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Crazy Cavs game. Great job by the Bucks to pull it out- i felt if the Cavs could get to OT they would win. That team is so freaking athletic and long on defense its crazy. Mo Williams is a bad matchup vs. that team. Not gonna win em all.