2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[Wamu]

Tristan is busy looking for his next baby mama to cheat on.

Klowhee should have never given TT his balls back.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Honest answer is I hope so, but I don't know.

If it were me, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Even without the AD debacle, we're talking about guys who are in their prime vs. a guy who, while still arguably the best player when he's healthy, is also a helluva lot closer to the end of his career than the beginning.

Agree.

I would do it too.

But, not for a Vuvecic, Kemba, Butler or Boogie.

It would have to be two of Kawhi, Durant, Kyrie, Klay.

 

[Wamu]

Rasheed Wallace has been hired @ Jordan HS in Durham, NC to be the coach.

 

[tlance]

So you really think steal rate in a short series matters?

By itself, of course not.

In the context of the other 5 stats I posted it sure tells a story though.

Here is the same info posted another way:

Difference between Steph Curry stats in Finals and regular season each year:

2015
Points +2.2, Rebounds +.9, Assists -1.4, Steals -.2, FG% -4.4%

2016
Points -7.5 (25% decline) Rebounds -.5 (9% decline) Assists -3 (45% decline) Steals -1.2 (57% decline) FG% -10.1%

2017
Points +1.5, Rebounds +3.5, Assists + 2.8, Steals +.4, FG% -1.8%

During2018
Points +1.1, Rebounds +.7, Assist + 1.6, Steals -.1, FG% -9.3%

Which set of numbers jumps out to you?

In every single season, Curry's FG% was lower in the Finals, but aside from that his other stats were as good or better every year but 2016. You can play the small sample size game all you want, but this is extreme.

2016 also happened to be the season Curry set the league on fire and won unanimous MVP leading the league in scoring, steals and a few other categories too. Yet, in the Finals his production looked more like a CJ McCollum stat line than a unanimous league MVP.

Why?

Because he was not close to 100%.

And for @WiggyRuss to say that is the stupidest thing he has ever seen really shows himself as a poster in the following ways:

-His ridiculous propensity for exaggeration and hyperbole
-His extreme bias toward anything related to Cleveland
-His extreme bias toward anything related to me

 

[tlance]

I'll say it for the 20th time.
After 5 fouls it should be 2 shots and the ball.
Players should never be disqualified from the game unless it's from the result of technicals.

Yeah, I disagree.

Playing without fouling is a skill. Some rules need to be tweaked a bit to prevent offensive players initiating contact to draw a foul, but otherwise no. Fouling out is part of basketball.

I do think most coaches play too conservatively with players in foul trouble though. Especially in the first half.

 

[Wamu]

By itself, of course not.

In the context of the other 5 stats I posted it sure tells a story though.

Here is the same info posted another way:

Difference between Steph Curry stats in Finals and regular season each year:

2015
Points +2.2, Rebounds +.9, Assists -1.4, Steals -.2, FG% -4.4%

2016
Points -7.5 (25% decline) Rebounds -.5 (9% decline) Assists -3 (45% decline) Steals -1.2 (57% decline) FG% -10.1%

2017
Points +1.5, Rebounds +3.5, Assists + 2.8, Steals +.4, FG% -1.8%

During2018
Points +1.1, Rebounds +.7, Assist + 1.6, Steals -.1, FG% -9.3%

Which set of numbers jumps out to you?

In every single season, Curry's FG% was lower in the Finals, but aside from that his other stats were as good or better every year but 2016. You can play the small sample size game all you want, but this is extreme.

2016 also happened to be the season Curry set the league on fire and won unanimous MVP leading the league in scoring, steals and a few other categories too. Yet, in the Finals his production looked more like a CJ McCollum stat line than a unanimous league MVP.

Why?

Because he was not close to 100%.

And for @WiggyRuss to say that is the stupidest thing he has ever seen really shows himself as a poster in the following ways:

-His ridiculous propensity for exaggeration and hyperbole
-His extreme bias toward anything related to Cleveland
-His extreme bias toward anything related to me

His FG% in the Finals isn't what I expected.

 

[tlance]

Yeah, the Cavs were a contender. They may not have been beating the Warriors, but getting to the finals makes them contenders.




He knew he was coming to a team that had a bunch of young guys and that they didn't have a 2nd max guy before they signed him.

He also knew before he agreed to come to the Lakers that PG had already committed to staying in OKC. Even if he somehow didn't know when he met with Magic, he damn sure knew before he actually signed.

When he went to Miami, D-Wade was already there and he knew that Chris Bosh was coming with him.

When he returned to Cleveland, he knew that Kyrie was already there and the trade for Love was already in the works.

He didn't have anything like that set up when he came to the Lakers. What isn't factual about that?

I disagree with your first statement.

A contender by defintion is a team with a chance to win. Not a team with a chance to get close.

Add 2019 LeBron to the Cavs and they have a puncher's chance to Get through the East, but they aren't favorites like they have been every other season. And they just don't match up well with the current version of GS.

To me, that means they would have been more on the level of the Nuggets.

Maybe they make some noise, but I can't see them as contenders. Not with how LeBron has played lately. Playoff team for sure though.

 

[tlance]

His FG% in the Finals isn't what I expected.

Me either.

I knew he struggled shooting in '15 and '16.

Was surprised how bad his shooting numbers were last year.

Also kind of surprised how awesome his overall numbers were in 2017.

Has there ever been a former league MVP to post a Finals line that strong and NOT get Finals MVP?

Thing is, as great as Curry was, KD was better.

 

[Wamu]

Carolina/dook today. And I don't care if Zion's still injured. Hope he makes a full recovery though.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yeah, I disagree.

Playing without fouling is a skill. Some rules need to be tweaked a bit to prevent offensive players initiating contact to draw a foul, but otherwise no. Fouling out is part of basketball.

I do think most coaches play too conservatively with players in foul trouble though. Especially in the first half.

Problem with your theory is that many fouls called aren’t fouls.
How many times do we see a terrible call, early in a game, which alters how a player approaches the game because hes afraid of picking up another?

No other sports allows players to be eliminated from the game.

Also, no additional fouls are given if the game goes into OT.

People pay to see, or watch games on tv because they want to see the best players oh the court, not the bench.

 

[Wamu]

Me either.

I knew he struggled shooting in '15 and '16.

Was surprised how bad his shooting numbers were last year.

Also kind of surprised how awesome his overall numbers were in 2017.

Has there ever been a former league MVP to post a Finals line that strong and NOT get Finals MVP?

Thing is, as great as Curry was, KD was better.

Good question if another former MVP had a Finals line like that. Don't feel like looking it up right now though. My guess would be no though.

Steph's a great player & while I have talked some trash about him in the past I do like watching him play. It's the 2 douchebag teammates of his that gives me a headache. You know, Beavis (KD) & Butthead (Dray).

If the Warriors repeat (which everyone expects anyway) I hope he gets the Finals MVP so he can have a complete resume.

 

[trojanfan12]

Agree.

I would do it too.

But, not for a Vuvecic, Kemba, Butler or Boogie.

It would have to be two of Kawhi, Durant, Kyrie, Klay.

Absolutely.

While I would have no problem with getting some combo of Vucevic, etc., they are pieces that you add to Lebron, not ones that you replace him with.

 

[Wamu]

Absolutely.

While I would have no problem with getting some combo of Vucevic, etc., they are pieces that you add to Lebron, not ones that you replace him with.

Is it really necessary for the Lakers to get better? I don't think it is.

 

[trojanfan12]

I disagree with your first statement.

A contender by defintion is a team with a chance to win. Not a team with a chance to get close.

Add 2019 LeBron to the Cavs and they have a puncher's chance to Get through the East, but they aren't favorites like they have been every other season. And they just don't match up well with the current version of GS.

To me, that means they would have been more on the level of the Nuggets.

Maybe they make some noise, but I can't see them as contenders. Not with how LeBron has played lately. Playoff team for sure though.

Gonna have to agree to disagree. Getting to the finals, is by definition, a chance. Heck, just making it to the playoffs is, by definition a chance, which makes a team a contender.

Might only be a 1% chance, but a chance is a chance. lol

 

[trojanfan12]

Is it really necessary for the Lakers to get better? I don't think it is.

Surprisingly, I disagree. lol

 

[tlance]

Problem with your theory is that many fouls called aren’t fouls.
How many times do we see a terrible call, early in a game, which alters how a player approaches the game because hes afraid of picking up another?

No other sports allows players to be eliminated from the game.

Also, no additional fouls are given if the game goes into OT.

People pay to see, or watch games on tv because they want to see the best players oh the court, not the bench.

Actually,

Every major pro sport has player disqualifications. Just not for an accumulation of common infractions.

I am not interested in changing the core rules of basketball to make it appeal more to TV viewers. The NBA is doing just fine.

Besides, eliminating foul outs removes many layers of game strategy.

 

[Wamu]

Surprisingly, I disagree. lol

 

[trojanfan12]

Actually,

Every major pro sport has player disqualifications. Just not for an accumulation of common infractions.

I am not interested in changing the core rules of basketball to make it appeal more to TV viewers. The NBA is doing just fine.

Besides, eliminating foul outs removes many layers of game strategy.

I think you and @TurnUpTheHeat are both right to an extent.

On the one hand, I agree that eliminating foul outs would remove some important strategy during games (which is why I don't like the DH in baseball).

On the other hand, it's pretty tough to see a teams star player have to sit because of fouls, some of which may have been bad calls. The NBA is a star driven league and removing a star from the equation at a key point in the game seems counterproductive.

The late, great Chick Hearn used to suggest that rather than fouling guys out after 6, they could do something like, every foul committed by that player after the 6th, results in free throws and keeping possession of the ball.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I think you and @TurnUpTheHeat are both right to an extent.

On the one hand, I agree that eliminating foul outs would remove some important strategy during games (which is why I don't like the DH in baseball).



On the other hand, it's pretty tough to see a teams star player have to sit because of fouls, some of which may have been bad calls. The NBA is a star driven league and removing a star from the equation at a key point in the game seems counterproductive.

The late, great Chick Hearn used to suggest that rather than fouling guys out after 6, they could do something like, every foul committed by that player after the 6th, results in free throws and keeping possession of the ball.

Which is exactly my suggestion.
2 shots and the ball is substantial.

Rewards team who was fouled, but keeps best players on the court, and lessons the result of ref error.

 

[trojanfan12]

Which is exactly my suggestion.
2 shots and the ball is substantial.

Rewards team who was fouled, but keeps best players on the court, and lessons the result of ref error.

Might not be particularly significant, but it also adds (or maybe keeps is more accurate) a little strategy to situations where a team needs to foul intentionally. Similar to a guy having to avoid fouling in that situation because he already has 5.