2016-17 NBA Regular Season Thread

[bksballer89]

The Vegas win totals for OKC were 43-45 depending on the futures site.
Meanwhile houston was 41, Boston 52, Cleveland 56, San Antonio 57

That destroys this fake narrative about Westbrook wildly overachieving with a limited roster.
The reality is that OKC is doing more or less what the betting experts expected of his roster.

Lebron & Thomas are doing about what was expected.
Kawahi should exceed expectations. Harden will greatly exceed expectations.

Vegas never viewed this as some 20-win roster than is only being salvaged by MVP efforts.
Kanter, Adams, and Olapido are not the same as freaking D-league castoffs. They are high quality pros.

If you don't realize this is a 20-25 win team without Westbrook then I can't help you.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

I never said it wasn't a 20 win roster without him.
Of course, they are not very good without him...neither is houston, cleveland, SA, or Bos without their MVP.

He was expected to win 45 games with him on the team.

I listen to talking heads flabbergasted that a team with a futures win total of 45 is going to win just about that many games.

There is an MVP rationalization that OKC is somehow wildly overachieving, which is conveniently forgetting truth.

Houston is the team that is defying all expectations.

 

[TJL]

Harden is the MVP

 

[tlance]

I never said it wasn't a 20 win roster without him.
Of course, they are not very good without him...neither is houston, cleveland, SA, or Bos without their MVP.

He was expected to win 45 games with him on the team.

I listen to talking heads flabbergasted that a team with a futures win total of 45 is going to win just about that many games.

There is an MVP rationalization that OKC is somehow wildly overachieving, which is conveniently forgetting truth.

Houston is the team that is defying all expectations.

This post is spot on.

While I think Harden is deserving of MVP because of the way his play has elevated the team, there have also been a number of other guys on that roster playing at higher levels than anyone expected (Gordon, Beverly, Capella)

 

[LAD]

Man, I watched the Warriors game last night and the team is in rough shape. Right now they're probably a 2nd round exit. They could probably get past the 1st round just on talent, but continuity would cause them to lose to most teams they could face in the second round.

I hate to say it to a guy who's taken this team to two straight NBA finals in his first two years, but at this point I would estimate 80% of the struggles of this team are on Kerr.

Here's the problem: The Warriors struggle to adapt and struggle to find out what works in end of game situations.

The 76ers took the Warriors to the edge last night. In the last two minutes of the game, the Warriors continually took the ball out of Curry's hands and still ran their motion offense. So what it effectively did was take the ball out of your best player's hand to let him create and figure things out. It was one of the more frustrating parts of watching the Warriors in recent years.

What's happening now is that Kerr isn't really adapting how the team plays to fit it's personnel. He's basically plugging and playing guys and that doesn't work. You have a rookie, who's a bit timid on offense, starting in place of one of the best players in the NBA. On top of that what he's essentially doing is kind of hiding him in the corner, so the team is playing 4 on 5 offense. Then you have West/Barnes now as the back up 4, where KD was and neither of them can accomplish what he did on both ends of the court. Yet they run the same offense with the second unit.

It's incredibly frustrating. Kerr is starting to make some changes in the rotation (which I think are way past due), which includes playing Steph more with Draymond.

This team is capable of a lot more if there was some flexibility by Kerr to make necessary changes to the game plan and not just try to plug in guys to fill holes. "Next man up" doesn't apply to your superstars when you've catered your team around them.

IMO: Kerr needs to do two things

1) Put Steph more in the pick and roll offense with the second unit. Let him facilitate and create for the second unit guys who can't do it themselves.

2) Put a traditional lineup to start the 2nd and 4th quarters with two bigs and concentrate on the defensive side of the ball. Right now Kerr is trying to stagger some of the offense, but it doesn't work when you're relying on just Steph or just Klay to do it all themselves. Let the 1st unit build the lead and play to their strengths. Let the second unit simply hold the lead.

Agree with your points- what I would add to your point of playing to fit their personnel is that they need to go back to playing in the paint. Right now it's too easy for defense's to double & bother Steph & Klay because there aren't other shooting threats right now.

If they show they're going to be looking to play in the paint this does two things for them. A., it opens up the perimeter for Steph & Klay and B., it will help them get to the free throw line more.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Barkley issues 1-on-1 challenge to LaVar Ball

I want them to stop giving this clown air time.

He's worst than the Cash me ousside Thot.

 

[TJL]

I want them to stop giving this clown air time.

He's worst than the Cash me ousside Thot.

lol, did you just call her a thot?

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

^ This is what having a sense of humor looks like...lol

I heart @gordontrue .

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

lol, did you just call her a thot?

That's what she is.

That hoe over there....

Dude, Clubs are giving her 40k appearance fees.

Isn't she a minor?

Her parents deserve everything they get.

 

[LAD]

Man, I watched the Warriors game last night and the team is in rough shape. Right now they're probably a 2nd round exit. They could probably get past the 1st round just on talent, but continuity would cause them to lose to most teams they could face in the second round.

I hate to say it to a guy who's taken this team to two straight NBA finals in his first two years, but at this point I would estimate 80% of the struggles of this team are on Kerr.

Here's the problem: The Warriors struggle to adapt and struggle to find out what works in end of game situations.

The 76ers took the Warriors to the edge last night. In the last two minutes of the game, the Warriors continually took the ball out of Curry's hands and still ran their motion offense. So what it effectively did was take the ball out of your best player's hand to let him create and figure things out. It was one of the more frustrating parts of watching the Warriors in recent years.

What's happening now is that Kerr isn't really adapting how the team plays to fit it's personnel. He's basically plugging and playing guys and that doesn't work. You have a rookie, who's a bit timid on offense, starting in place of one of the best players in the NBA. On top of that what he's essentially doing is kind of hiding him in the corner, so the team is playing 4 on 5 offense. Then you have West/Barnes now as the back up 4, where KD was and neither of them can accomplish what he did on both ends of the court. Yet they run the same offense with the second unit.

It's incredibly frustrating. Kerr is starting to make some changes in the rotation (which I think are way past due), which includes playing Steph more with Draymond.

This team is capable of a lot more if there was some flexibility by Kerr to make necessary changes to the game plan and not just try to plug in guys to fill holes. "Next man up" doesn't apply to your superstars when you've catered your team around them.

IMO: Kerr needs to do two things

1) Put Steph more in the pick and roll offense with the second unit. Let him facilitate and create for the second unit guys who can't do it themselves.

2) Put a traditional lineup to start the 2nd and 4th quarters with two bigs and concentrate on the defensive side of the ball. Right now Kerr is trying to stagger some of the offense, but it doesn't work when you're relying on just Steph or just Klay to do it all themselves. Let the 1st unit build the lead and play to their strengths. Let the second unit simply hold the lead.

I would also say that it seemed like in seasons past they were better at identifying when to be a jump shooting team & when to put their heads down and go at the defense in the paint. They seemed to have had a good balance of the two which is IMO something they're lacking this season.

 

[TJL]

That's what she is.

That hoe over there....

I know what a thot is, I just didn't know grown women say it lol

Thought it was like a middle school/high school buzz word

 

[LAD]

lol, did you just call her a thot?

 

[WiggyRuss]

uh, Shaq, Bosh, LeBron.

Once Bosh's $ is off the books you can bet your ass a top talent will come to Miami to play.

We have the top GM in the league, and a great coach, you have an owner who acts like a bitch, a coach who is only there because he's one of LeBron's bitches, and then you have the GM, LeBron, who once is gone will send Cleveland back into dire straights.

Enjoy it while it lasts faggot, and it won't last long.

your GM is over 70 years old- and he will almost assuredly not be there 5 years from now-

after this summer you will have 61 million committed to 3 players- Whiteside, Dragic, and Johnson. If you resign Waiters and J.Johnson itll be near impossible to sign a max FA even if Bosh is excised off the cap.

You are missing 2 future first round draft picks that are lightly protected to the Suns.

Shaq was a trade- and LeBron only came there because there was already an elite player in Miami- his good friend Wade. No one is coming to play with Hassan Whiteside when they will have tons of better options to join different teams.

You saw what happened to the Lakers- as storied as that franchise's history is, as great as the LA weather is, as big of a market as it is- no one has gone there because players prize winning above all of that other ancillary BS.

The Heat are def. not nearly as good as quite a few other teams that will be trying to sign away free agents. Shit- as much as i rip on the Lakers poor management over the last few years- if they get to keep their first round pick this year- would you rather go play with Ball, Russell, Randle, Ingram, Clarkson--- or Whiteside, Dragic, Tyler Johnson and the Human Brick (Winslow)?-- its an easy answer. How about Giannis, Jabari and Middleton?- easy answer- How about Isiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder- and Fultz? easy answer. How about possibly JAckson, Booker, Bender, Chriss, Bledsoe? Easy answer. How about Embiid, Saric, Simmons, Monk? Easy Answer.

Plus- as i have said quite a bit- it wont be IMPOSSIBLE to get an elite player in free agency- but it will only become increasingly more and more difficult with the new CBA- and Miami lacks the trade assets to even warrant a call on the elite guys that could possibly be available through trade..

Who is coming to Miami?

 

[LAD]

I know what a thot is, I just didn't know grown women say it lol

Thought it was like a middle school/high school buzz word

thot replaced hoodrat- aka rat frequently used by our generation's youth

 

[TJL]

your GM is over 70 years old- and he will almost assuredly not be there 5 years from now-

after this summer you will have 61 million committed to 3 players- Whiteside, Dragic, and Johnson. If you resign Waiters and J.Johnson itll be near impossible to sign a max FA even if Bosh is excised off the cap.

You are missing 2 future first round draft picks that are lightly protected to the Suns.

Shaq was a trade- and LeBron only came there because there was already an elite player in Miami- his good friend Wade. No one is coming to play with Hassan Whiteside when they will have tons of better options to join different teams.

You saw what happened to the Lakers- as storied as that franchise's history is, as great as the LA weather is, as big of a market as it is- no one has gone there because players prize winning above all of that other ancillary BS.

The Heat are def. not nearly as good as quite a few other teams that will be trying to sign away free agents. Shit- as much as i rip on the Lakers poor management over the last few years- if they get to keep their first round pick this year- would you rather go play with Ball, Russell, Randle, Ingram, Clarkson--- or Whiteside, Dragic, Tyler Johnson and the Human Brick (Winslow)?-- its an easy answer. How about Giannis, Jabari and Middleton?- easy answer- How about Isiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder- and Fultz? easy answer. How about possibly JAckson, Booker, Bender, Chriss, Bledsoe? Easy answer. How about Embiid, Saric, Simmons, Monk? Easy Answer.

Plus- as i have said quite a bit- it wont be IMPOSSIBLE to get an elite player in free agency- but it will only become increasingly more and more difficult with the new CBA- and Miami lacks the trade assets to even warrant a call on the elite guys that could possibly be available through trade..

Who is coming to Miami?

 

[WiggyRuss]

@Mecca

say the Sixers get the 4th pick- and take Malik Monk- who i think would be a great fit there.....

who do you get to play PG for that team? That team would have some growing pains- no doubt- but holy crap would there be some upside

PG- XXXX
SG- Malik Monk
SF- Dario Saric
PF- Ben Simmons
C- Joel Embiid

 

[TJL]

thot replaced hoodrat- aka rat frequently used by our generation's youth

 

[LAD]

 

[WiggyRuss]

if i were you i wouldnt read it either--- you wouldnt like it thats for sure...prob better off staying willfully ignorant.....details shmetails.

 

[CitySushi]

Agree with your points- what I would add to your point of playing to fit their personnel is that they need to go back to playing in the paint. Right now it's too easy for defense's to double & bother Steph & Klay because there aren't other shooting threats right now.

If they show they're going to be looking to play in the paint this does two things for them. A., it opens up the perimeter for Steph & Klay and B., it will help them get to the free throw line more.

Totally agree. The Warriors have elite interior scoring, HOWEVER, it is predicated on them have a superior outside game which leads to easy buckets inside. Without the dominant outside scoring, they need to get more back cuts and things going to the basket. Unfortunately they also don't have the personnel to post in the paint and create that way, but I think it might be something to explore with Draymond. He's crafty around the basket and strong enough to go in against bigger guys too.

I would also say that it seemed like in seasons past they were better at identifying when to be a jump shooting team & when to put their heads down and go at the defense in the paint. They seemed to have had a good balance of the two which is IMO something they're lacking this season.

Definitely agree. I think a large part of this was the team was basically relying on Durant to be the guy to put his head down and get to the line. Once he was out, they forgot how to do that. Iguodala shies away from contact. Livingston isn't getting to the line either, and setting too many times for turn around shots which aren't falling right now. They need to figure out a way to attack the defense and get some additional points that way.