2016-17 NBA Regular Season Thread

[TurnUpTheHeat]

i gotta say- thats kinda pathetic. lol.

although- hey more power to you. If you can enjoy a team fighting for the last spot in the East like it appears you do- i gotta say- good for you.

I like the game.
The effort.
The energy.
The urgency.
The pressure.
The teamwork.

Regular season is a drag when fans and the players dont feel like any of it matters.

I get a casual/bandwagon fan would only care about the playoffs, but thats never been me.

Look how you conduct yourself here after every Cavs game.

#provesmypoint

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

the only reason the Cavs won the Finals last year is because they have an experienced roster with great leadership that had experienced and overcome adversity.

Thats what i love about this team so much- that they thrive when the going gets tough. As David Griffin has said multiple times- (and multiple times he said he doesnt exactly like it)- the Cavs are a team that likes to chase instead of being chased.

last year on March 24th the Cavs lost to the Nets-

LeBron James looked extremely frustrated in a bad loss to the Nets

LeBron James did not look happy as the Cavaliers fell 104-95 to the 51-loss Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

It likely wasn’t a personal frustration as James scored 30 points on 13 of 16 shooting. After the Nets stretched the lead late, James yelled and turned to the direction of the Cleveland bench.

Did I mention that LeBron didn’t look happy? Because …This all comes after James’ remarks about wanting to play with Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul in “someplace warm.”

The drama doesn’t appear to be stopping with LeBron and Cleveland, and it’s all coming at the worst-possible time. Following the game, LeBron spoke about a “process.” It’s late March. There shouldn’t be a process that the team still needs to understand. Not what Cleveland wanted to hear.

Cleveland Cavaliers’ Embarassing Loss Against Nets Suggests Problems

In all my years of covering the Cleveland Cavaliers, this is easily the most frustrating 50-win team I have ever witnessed.

Wasn’t this supposed to be a team that was the equivalent to the “Big Three” of the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat? Wasn’t Kyrie Irving going to take the next step with Kevin Love and become a force that has never been seen in Cleveland? Wasn’t LeBron James supposed to be the unheralded leader of the team and bring the best out of everybody?

or whatever reason, they cannot shake the lethargic efforts against bad teams. They were coming off a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks, but they were 10-6 off of those games. From start to finish, they were lost on both ends of the floor. Irving wouldn’t stop shooting three-pointers as he went 1-for-8 from there and only 6-of-22 overall (27 percent).

wrote about the defensive stats of Irving which were very unimpressive, however, Love’s are even more worrisome. According to NBA.com/stats, in his defense in the post among opposing centers and forwards, he ranks 493rd in the NBA. Opposing players are scoring on him at a 45 percent rate.

Interior defense continues to still be the biggest issue with this team, and it showed on Thursday. Brook Lopez had 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting (53 percent) and had a clear path to hole almost every time. Timofey Mozgov and Love were no match for him, nor was Tristan Thompson.

I’ve mentioned for several months how the Cavaliers needed to address the interior defensive issue by trading for Tyson Chandler of the Phoenix Suns, but they figured that Mozgov would turn it around — and he hasn’t.

I see no difference in this offense except the players. Is it because head coach Tyronn Lue isn’t being clear and assertive enough about it, or do the players have no interest in running a transition offense? Only they know.

There is only about three weeks until the playoffs start. The team is showing more regression than they are progress. They must do some soul-searching, and find it within themselves to produce some kind of consistency because as of right now, It’s hard to see this team even making the Eastern Conference Finals with their efforts.

How happy were the Cavs after their beatdown in Miami?
How did they respond when Heat showed up in Cleveland 2 days later minus 2 important players?

 

[WiggyRuss]

I like the game.
The effort.
The energy.
The urgency.
The pressure.
The teamwork.

Regular season is a drag when fans and the players dont feel like any of it matters.

I get a casual/bandwagon fan would only care about the playoffs, but thats never been me.

Look how you conduct yourself here after every Cavs game.

#provesmypoint

there are benefits to having no pressure on your team.

those things? the effort, energy, urgency, pressure, teamwork- wont save you vs. the King though.

talent, and experience win in the playoffs. And the Heat majorly lack both. While your regular season might have been "fun"- ill assure you- the playoffs wont be. They will be short, and brutal- if you make them at all..

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

there are benefits to having no pressure on your team.

those things? the effort, energy, urgency, pressure, teamwork- wont save you vs. the King though.

talent, and experience win in the playoffs. And the Heat majorly lack both. While your regular season might have been "fun"- ill assure you- the playoffs wont be. They will be short, and brutal- if you make them at all..

My post said regular season.
Im familiar with playoff growing pains.
When the Heat make it, it wont be brutal.
Any opponent will be in for a battle.

If the Cavs dont win 16 playoffs games, which we all know isnt happening, then the season is a total bust, followed by brutal playoffs.

Good luck.

 

[trojanfan12]

u getting nervous? the Suns are right there for the Worst team in the Western Conference raise ... only a "half game" back.

I saw Brandon Ingram- who cant drink alcohol legally is sitting with tendinitis....thats not exactly something you see everyday. A guy under 21 with tendinitis

Suns are really really pushing the ethical bounds of tanking if you ask me---- they are going out of there way to lose in some creative ways. its bad.

whoever gets last in the West will have really earned it.

lol Yeah actually, I am getting a little nervous. Suns need to start winning some damn games. The game vs. the Cavs and last night vs. the Wiz were perfectly executed tank games. They played well and even outplayed better teams for much of the game, giving a glimpse of what it possible and then lost, thus preserving the tank.

Not really worried about Ingram's tendinitis. Considering how it develops, it could just be from his body not being used to the number of games and minutes he's played. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a career long problem and it's just the Lakers being cautious. Lately he's been looking more and more comfortable on the court and has been playing fairly well.

 

[bksballer89]

there are benefits to having no pressure on your team.

those things? the effort, energy, urgency, pressure, teamwork- wont save you vs. the King though.

talent, and experience win in the playoffs. And the Heat majorly lack both. While your regular season might have been "fun"- ill assure you- the playoffs wont be. They will be short, and brutal- if you make them at all..

I wouldn't say the Heat lack experience. Yeah we don't have guys who won titles but these guys do have playoffs experience under their belt. All of our top players been in the playoffs before. This is not their first go around.

 

[trojanfan12]

Has wiggy come to his senses yet & accepted that his Cavs have been playing like shit lately?

That's rhetorical, right?

 

[WiggyRuss]

lol Yeah actually, I am getting a little nervous. Suns need to start winning some damn games. The game vs. the Cavs and last night vs. the Wiz were perfectly executed tank games. They played well and even outplayed better teams for much of the game, giving a glimpse of what it possible and then lost, thus preserving the tank.

Not really worried about Ingram's tendinitis. Considering how it develops, it could just be from his body not being used to the number of games and minutes he's played. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a career long problem and it's just the Lakers being cautious. Lately he's been looking more and more comfortable on the court and has been playing fairly well.

ingram reminds me a LITTLE bit- in some ways of kyrie irving - in that- he appears like he is a guy who can eventually be incredibly skilled.

hes not a rim rattling athlete and defensive linebacker like a jaylen brown- but he seems to have really good instincts for the game and a wide variety of talents.

kyrie is like- in that- no one is ever gonna look at kyrie and see an imposing physical specimen- hes not a wall or a westbrook that relieso n physical prowess ESP. in his early days--- but his incredible level of skill is what makes him special along with his intelligence and competitiveness.

I see that in Ingram to a certain extent- the ability to beat guys with skill and smarts- while not being a 99% as an athlete.

 

[trojanfan12]

He gone

George questions Pacers' pride following loss

He's gonna look good in purple and gold.

 

[WiggyRuss]

lol Yeah actually, I am getting a little nervous. Suns need to start winning some damn games. The game vs. the Cavs and last night vs. the Wiz were perfectly executed tank games. They played well and even outplayed better teams for much of the game, giving a glimpse of what it possible and then lost, thus preserving the tank.

Not really worried about Ingram's tendinitis. Considering how it develops, it could just be from his body not being used to the number of games and minutes he's played. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a career long problem and it's just the Lakers being cautious. Lately he's been looking more and more comfortable on the court and has been playing fairly well.

when you see the suns celebrating 70 pts after a loss- its pretty apparent where their priorities are---- the Lakers and Suns are certainly in a tank battle that is as obvious as anyone has seen in a while.

I get it with the Lakers as they have so freaking much on the line. as much as ball's dad is a jerkoff- imagine adding that kid to the team.

it would allow every guy to move down a slot and be pegged in roles that they are better suited for.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I wouldn't say the Heat lack experience. Yeah we don't have guys who won titles but these guys do have playoffs experience under their belt. All of our top players been in the playoffs before. This is not their first go around.

ehhh...i get what you are saying- but even the guys that might have experience really dont have experience in the roles that they are expected to play for the heat.

i mean- whiteside, dragic, waiters- all have playoff experience at some level- but never as the leaders of a team.

I mean- is it fair to say that J. Johnson is probably the "heart and soul" of the Heat to some extent?

i will tell you- the Dion Waiters bitterness factor is a little worrisome- the guy has always had all the talent in the world- but hes always wanted to be "the guy"--- he finally is that on Miami--- and he loved getting revenge on the Cavs.

 

[Wamu]

He's gonna look good in purple and gold.

Correction: nobody looks good in purple 'n gold. Well except Adam Morrison.

 

[trojanfan12]

when you see the suns celebrating 70 pts after a loss- its pretty apparent where their priorities are---- the Lakers and Suns are certainly in a tank battle that is as obvious as anyone has seen in a while.

I get it with the Lakers as they have so freaking much on the line. as much as ball's dad is a jerkoff- imagine adding that kid to the team.

it would allow every guy to move down a slot and be pegged in roles that they are better suited for.

Yeah, with the Lakers tank, they at least look like they'e trying to win. lol

Russell has looked really good since Luke started using him more as the 2 guard. With the pressure of having to set up the other guys, plus try to look for his shot off of him, he looks like he's just playing the game rather than thinking the game. It's resulted in better play and I believe I heard that his assists have actually gone up.

Dropping one of those PG's coming out in the draft onto this team could really help them improve quickly. Especially if they can eventually add a top FA to the mix.

Jeanie is now controlling owner and Jim has resigned as a co-trustee, so that drama is finally over and should help attract FA's. Of course, Jim fucked them on the cap for the next couple of years, so they'll have to try and find a way around that.

 

[Wamu]

My post said regular season.
Im familiar with playoff growing pains.
When the Heat make it, it wont be brutal.
Any opponent will be in for a battle.

If the Cavs dont win 16 playoffs games, which we all know isnt happening, then the season is a total bust, followed by brutal playoffs.

Good luck.

I tend to agree that the Cavs won't repeat but you also assured us last season they wouldn't take care of business. You also were 100% sure LeBron was gonna opt out & leave the Cavs a few years ago. So basically you're not good @ guessing what will happen w/ them.

 

[bksballer89]

Crazy

 

[Wamu]

Yeah, with the Lakers tank

Hey I found the perfect avatar for you...

Spoiler

 

[Wamu]

wiggy be like...

 

[Wamu]

Crazy

Can we get back to talking about the Cavs? Thank you.

 

[Black Adam]

I wouldn't say the Heat lack experience. Yeah we don't have guys who won titles but these guys do have playoffs experience under their belt. All of our top players been in the playoffs before. This is not their first go around.

i'd say Spo has some playoff experience under his belt too...

that'll probably help some...

 

[Black Adam]

wiggy be like...

View attachment 156986

here i is, just fashionably late...

it's how we A-listers do things...