2016-17 NBA Regular Season Thread

[trojanfan12]

Toronto won..i think its gonna be a close race for home court in the East between the Cavs and Toronto- the Cavs arent gonna push for it and i think the Raptors will try and push for it.

Difference is, for the Raptors to have any shot at all vs. the Cavs, they absolutely have to have HCA. The Cavs just need to be healthy.

Lakers are in the midst of a pretty easy 5 game stretch before they play the Cavs and i kinda expected them to win at least 2 - if not 3 of those games...they have lost 4 of them- (Phoenix, Knicks, Sac, Brooklyn) and still have Philly to go before the Cavs....kinda surprised. I really liked how Randle was playing- not that i expected them to win all those games by any means but def didnt expect to lose the first 4.

The injuries caught up to them and now that they have guys back, it's almost like they took a collective sigh of relief and haven't played with the urgency they need. Almost like they thought that just getting their guys back is all they need. I read that Luke put them on blast for it too. Looks like they accepted it from him, which they didn't from Byron when he did the same.

 

[bksballer89]

I love the Heat chances of having a successful home stand. Currently 2-0 and we have 2 games with Orlando and the Lakers which should be wins. So if we're able to take care of business in those games then somehow go 1-1 against the Clippers and Celtics that would be a 5-1 homestand.

 

[WiggyRuss]

So i have been a law-clerk since i got hired at the firm i work at....just got offered an associate attorney position and to stay on once i take/pass the bar....

 

[gordontrue]

For the first time in a long while as a LeBron fan.... I actually want his team to play for seeding. I'm not talking about the #1 seed in the East. That doesn't matter. I couldn't care less about that. I'm talking about finishing with a better record than the Warriors.

Maybe I'm crazy to be thinking like this... but HCA in the Finals could be huge for the Cavs. Before they decided to leave their 3 best players at home yesterday... they were just 1 game behind the Warriors in the loss column - with a head-to-head game 10 days away.

The Warriors - for once - are likely to take things easy, especially at the end of the season. As they should - they have the most talented team and should favor health and rest over playoff position. Even with that attitude the Warriors are going to have a great record... but if the Cavs go for it, I really think they could beat out the Warriors' record.

No matter what happens, beating the 73-win Warriors + Durant is going to be a tough task. What do the Cavs have to lose?? They got their title last year... they are sort of playing with house money at this point. I think they should go for it. They can afford to be riskier than the Warriors can at this point.

If it does come down to the Warriors & Cavs at the end of the season, as most people think it will... playing games 1, 2, 5, & 7 in Cleveland could be the extra boost needed to pull off the upset.

 

[bksballer89]

More good news for the Heat

Maximum salaries will rise as high as $36 million starting in 2017-18, which impacts the Heat's potential for adding two players at or near the maximum in free agency if Bosh's salary is excised, as expected, after Feb. 9.

 

[bksballer89]

2 losses currently separates 3rd through 10th in the East. Unless Chicago/Boston get their act together then I can see 44-46 wins being good enough for the 3rd seed

 

[WiggyRuss]

For the first time in a long while as a LeBron fan.... I actually want his team to play for seeding. I'm not talking about the #1 seed in the East. That doesn't matter. I couldn't care less about that. I'm talking about finishing with a better record than the Warriors.

Maybe I'm crazy to be thinking like this... but HCA in the Finals could be huge for the Cavs. Before they decided to leave their 3 best players at home yesterday... they were just 1 game behind the Warriors in the loss column - with a head-to-head game 10 days away.

The Warriors - for once - are likely to take things easy, especially at the end of the season. As they should - they have the most talented team and should favor health and rest over playoff position. Even with that attitude the Warriors are going to have a great record... but if the Cavs go for it, I really think they could beat out the Warriors' record.

No matter what happens, beating the 73-win Warriors + Durant is going to be a tough task. What do the Cavs have to lose?? They got their title last year... they are sort of playing with house money at this point. I think they should go for it. They can afford to be riskier than the Warriors can at this point.

If it does come down to the Warriors & Cavs at the end of the season, as most people think it will... playing games 1, 2, 5, & 7 in Cleveland could be the extra boost needed to pull off the upset.

it would be nice- and it would ef help- but i think they will prioritize rest over home court in the Finals.

we see how they all rested yesterday- the Big 3...all though- im sure months from now when people cite to a stat of the Cavs record when LeBron doesnt play- they will include that game besides Irving and Love not playing as well...oh well, what can you expect?

 

[CitySushi]

it would be nice- and it would ef help- but i think they will prioritize rest over home court in the Finals.

we see how they all rested yesterday- the Big 3...all though- im sure months from now when people cite to a stat of the Cavs record when LeBron doesnt play- they will include that game besides Irving and Love not playing as well...oh well, what can you expect?

I think just common sense would dictate the importance of Lebron over Kyrie and Love. Put it this way, which squad do you think would win more games overall during a regular 82 game season:

1) Lebron and current team, minus Kyrie and Love
2) Kyrie and Love and current team, minus Lebron.

 

[LAD]

it would be nice- and it would ef help- but i think they will prioritize rest over home court in the Finals.

we see how they all rested yesterday- the Big 3...all though- im sure months from now when people cite to a stat of the Cavs record when LeBron doesnt play- they will include that game besides Irving and Love not playing as well...oh well, what can you expect?

I think Lue Finally got smart and rested ALL of the big 3 to protect Kyrie & Love. Because when LBJ doesn't play they suck....and there's no way around that.

When 2/3 of your big 3 lose quadruple more times than they win it doesn't look good.

 

[LAD]

I think just common sense would dictate the importance of Lebron over Kyrie and Love. Put it this way, which squad do you think would win more games overall during a regular 82 game season:

1) Lebron and current team, minus Kyrie and Love
2) Kyrie and Love and current team, minus Lebron.

Well we already know the answer to this question. And it dates back over the past 2 and a half seasons.

 

[CitySushi]

Kind of excited to watch the Warriors/Knicks game tonight. Porzingas is an absolute beast. Draymond's held him to 4-19 the last two times they've played, and Porzingas said he wants revenge tonight. Could be really interesting to see how they match up.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I think just common sense would dictate the importance of Lebron over Kyrie and Love. Put it this way, which squad do you think would win more games overall during a regular 82 game season:

1) Lebron and current team, minus Kyrie and Love
2) Kyrie and Love and current team, minus Lebron.

i watched lebron win 66 games when his 2ndbest player was Z.....watched him get to the finals unders imilar circumstances....there is a reasonw hy he is The King.

lol.

 

[CitySushi]

i watched lebron win 66 games when his 2ndbest player was Z.....watched him get to the finals unders imilar circumstances....there is a reasonw hy he is The King.

lol.

So why make such a big deal about people saying Lebron is clearly more important to the Cavs success than either Kyrie or Lebron?

 

[WiggyRuss]

So why make such a big deal about people saying Lebron is clearly more important to the Cavs success than either Kyrie or Lebron?

becauset hey do....ive seen records cited of the Cavs playing without LeBron trying to use it to criticize Kyrie and Love- when Love and Kyrie didnt even play in some of those games as well!! lol....like last night- LeBron didnt play- so itll be used against Kyrie and Love down the line- but Love and Kyrie didnt play either! lol.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Well we already know the answer to this question. And it dates back over the past 2 and a half seasons.

well kyrie was rested because of his workload in the last few months...he was after all- the starting point guard on the NBA Champions, and then the starting point guard on Team USA's Gold Medal team. Thats a lot of extra games and they are trying to protect him and have him avaliable at his highest level come the playoffs so he can hopefully have a repeat performance of being the best PG in the Finals- (again).

 

[LAD]

well kyrie was rested because of his workload in the last few months...he was after all- the starting point guard on the NBA Champions, and then the starting point guard on Team USA's Gold Medal team. Thats a lot of extra games and they are trying to protect him and have him avaliable at his highest level come the playoffs so he can hopefully have a repeat performance of being the best PG in the Finals- (again).

Riiiight....all this rest crap in Dec is ridiculous. These guys sign up to play 82 games & they shouldn't need rest in Nov/Dec. My goodness- at least get half way through the season first. That's weak sauce.

If the players are feeling like work horses then they should try negotiating something in the CBA that will shorten the season so back to back games can be eliminated/avoided.

 

[trojanfan12]

Orlando would in a heartbeat lol

Unfortunately for the Lakers (and other teams who may be interested), Miami has a history of being smarter than Orlando.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

 

[DJ Fieri]

RIP Craig Sager....

 

[bksballer89]

No Melo or Rose tonight. Sleep will be calling my name early tonight