2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[msgkings322]

Almost an epic collapse there by Houston. Toronto would have won if they drew that play up for Green for 3 instead of Leonard Isoing out.

If you're gonna do a simple ISO, gotta get.going way before 5 seconds are left

 

[bksballer89]

2 good games coming down to the wire.

Bucks up 1 on Charlotte

Dallas up 3 on Detroit

 

[bksballer89]

If you're gonna do a simple ISO, gotta get.going way before 5 seconds are left

Yeah but my guess is they wanted to have a walk off win considering how they came back in the final minute.

I don't agree with it but once I saw Kawhi holding it for a final shot, I knew he would settle for 3. They were not playing for OT at all

 

[bksballer89]

 

[Darth Dawkins]

Dude are you serious. It was a bad play call. Raps play best on offence when the ball is moving not iso crap

But it's a call they continually make. That's easily the fourth time this year they have put the ball in his hands in the exact same situation and he has failed every time. Remember the ball off his foot vs Detroit? Everyone watching the game tonight knew it wasn't going to work with at least five seconds left. Toronto is so desperate to try and sign him that they are trying to make him the man. Terrible call. I love Kawhi but they are handling him wrong. They are trying so desperately to make him the hero and it's costing them games.

 

[WiggyRuss]

@WiggyRuss Cedi is pretty good.

If Cavs had this version of Cedi in the finals last year, series could have been more interesting

Cedi is playing a lot more PF than he should because of the injuries to TT, Nance Jr., and Love, but he has his games where he looks really good.

Honestly I think if I could pick one guy off the Cavs long term it would be him. He def. has holes to his game still but the kid has a great work ethic and some talent. Its hard to be a top-half-of-the-league SF, but he might be able to get there some day down the line.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Only way Walton survives IMO is if they get out of round 1

if they are gonna get out of round one they better be a helluva lot better than the 8 seed ya know?

I dont see it happening- if they make the playoffs at all.

that schedule is BRUTAL coming up and if LeBron aggravates that injury or get some kind of other injury its good night Irene.

 

[bksballer89]

if they are gonna get out of round one they better be a helluva lot better than the 8 seed ya know?

I dont see it happening- if they make the playoffs at all.

that schedule is BRUTAL coming up and if LeBron aggravates that injury or get some kind of other injury its good night Irene.

I agree. 8th seed likely means a date with GSW.

As a 7th seed, I can see them possibly surprising a team like Denver or OKC but I think anything else outside of 8th will be tough with their upcoming schedule/Lebron's injury.

 

[DJ]

Wow Faried is an uncaged manimal now that he's on a good team again
Terrific pickup for the Rockets. Get CP3 back and these guys are a top 4 team in the West again

Yep.

21 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

 

[Bolts]

Buddy Hield for all star

 

[wildturkey]

You know its bad when fucking Taj Gibson, of all people, is the one freaking out needing to be held back

 

[Mecca]

Only way Walton survives IMO is if they get out of round 1

It's David Blatche all over again.

Team hires Coach with little to no NBA head coaching experience to teach a roster full of young players.

Shortly after, they sign LeBron and the mission changes from development to contending.

 

[raptorlife4]

But it's a call they continually make. That's easily the fourth time this year they have put the ball in his hands in the exact same situation and he has failed every time. Remember the ball off his foot vs Detroit? Everyone watching the game tonight knew it wasn't going to work with at least five seconds left. Toronto is so desperate to try and sign him that they are trying to make him the man. Terrible call. I love Kawhi but they are handling him wrong. They are trying so desperately to make him the hero and it's costing them games.

I agree the ISO needs to stop.
Move the ball. I would have liked to have seen Green get the ball or even Lowry.

Need to move the ball better at end of game .

Still the Raptors played like absolute crap and still had the last shot to tie or win

Games like this will only help down the stretch and in the playoffs

 

[tlance]

Think this was @Pastafazul who asked this question? @tlance

Yes.

I think the Knicks will make the playoffs.

In 2020.

 

[tlance]

Yeah but my guess is they wanted to have a walk off win considering how they came back in the final minute.

I don't agree with it but once I saw Kawhi holding it for a final shot, I knew he would settle for 3. They were not playing for OT at all

Still though....

Elementary time and score strategy says you hold for the last shot if you are tied. If you are behind in a 1 possession game you don't rush, but you don't hold either. You take the first best shot. That way if you miss it you still have a chance at a putback or another possession after a missed FT.

Besides, coming from behind as they did momentum would have been on their side going into OT.

 

[tlance]

But it's a call they continually make. That's easily the fourth time this year they have put the ball in his hands in the exact same situation and he has failed every time. Remember the ball off his foot vs Detroit? Everyone watching the game tonight knew it wasn't going to work with at least five seconds left. Toronto is so desperate to try and sign him that they are trying to make him the man. Terrible call. I love Kawhi but they are handling him wrong. They are trying so desperately to make him the hero and it's costing them games.

Ok, but placating Kawhi probably IS the right call for the short term.

Because the Raptors odds of winning a title this year are slightly greater than 0. They might get through the East, but they aren't beating GS this season. If Kawhi walks, their window of contention will officially be over.

In other words, the year long Kawhi Leonard recruitment is the single most important thing hapenning for the Toronto Raptors. Once they have him locked up and GS has 2 fewer stars next year, the Raps can start thinking championship. Right now it is all about resigning Kawhi.

 

[Darth Dawkins]

I agree the ISO needs to stop.
Move the ball. I would have liked to have seen Green get the ball or even Lowry.

Need to move the ball better at end of game .

Still the Raptors played like absolute crap and still had the last shot to tie or win

Games like this will only help down the stretch and in the playoffs

I hope it does. But right now they are incredibly predictable if Kawhi is in the lineup.

 

[Darth Dawkins]

Ok, but placating Kawhi probably IS the right call for the short term.

Because the Raptors odds of winning a title this year are slightly greater than 0. They might get through the East, but they aren't beating GS this season. If Kawhi walks, their window of contention will officially be over.

In other words, the year long Kawhi Leonard recruitment is the single most important thing hapenning for the Toronto Raptors. Once they have him locked up and GS has 2 fewer stars next year, the Raps can start thinking championship. Right now it is all about resigning Kawhi.

It's impossible to tell really. Kawhi just bought a house in San Diego and I have no idea what that means. I get that he wants to be home but SD is a bit of a drive for practice and home games. Is this his off season (life) home or is he planning on jetting the first chance he gets? He just sat out a week FFS. Toronto is giving him 30 spa or Kawhi days this season and pampering the shit out of him. I even understand that he is one of the most physical players in the league and resting him helps but JFC the Raps have been down 2-3 starters every game for half the season now.

If the Raps can enter the playoffs fully healthy I like their chances. I never thought I would say losing JV was as big as it was but it is. Ibaka has been super solid but having both of them completely changes the team. The Raps are a crazy team, when they are locked in on D, they create massive runs in their favor. I agree that Kawhi is the single most important thing ever for the Raps and I suspect he leaves because that's what always happens to Toronto.

 

[tlance]

It's impossible to tell really. Kawhi just bought a house in San Diego and I have no idea what that means. I get that he wants to be home but SD is a bit of a drive for practice and home games. Is this his off season (life) home or is he planning on jetting the first chance he gets? He just sat out a week FFS. Toronto is giving him 30 spa or Kawhi days this season and pampering the shit out of him. I even understand that he is one of the most physical players in the league and resting him helps but JFC the Raps have been down 2-3 starters every game for half the season now.

If the Raps can enter the playoffs fully healthy I like their chances. I never thought I would say losing JV was as big as it was but it is. Ibaka has been super solid but having both of them completely changes the team. The Raps are a crazy team, when they are locked in on D, they create massive runs in their favor. I agree that Kawhi is the single most important thing ever for the Raps and I suspect he leaves because that's what always happens to Toronto.

He might leave.

But everything I have ever heard about Kawhi makes me think the Raps are playing this whole thing right. His relationship with the Spurs soured because Kawhi thought he was misdiagnosed and that the team tried to push him to play when he wasn't ready. The Raptors are doing the exact opposite of that.

Maybe it isn't going to work no matter what they do. But tying to maximize wins in a season destined to end with a Warrior championship isn't going to accomplish much. Building a relationship with Kawhi and showing him that they have enough to contend with everybody else just might keep him in Toronto.

The DeRozan trade will be an epic failure if Kawhi walks. They are all in on Kawhi Leonard.

 

[trojanfan12]

Maybe he should try to improve on his shot selection? Until I looked his #'s up I didn't realize how bad they are this year. Still a helluva hoopster though. And there aren't many teams in the league that wouldn't want him.

I agree re: shot selection, but that's been a career long problem. He's even missing easy shots. When they played the Lakers the last time, he missed about 3 or 4 layups and missed them badly. On one of his shots the defense parted like the Red Sea, he drove to the hoop and damn near airballed a layup.

That's why I think something is wrong physically. That or he's got a terrible case of the "yips".

He's never exactly been a model of efficiency, but he hasn't been this bad. Agree that he's a helluva hoopster, which is why he's still able to put up the numbers he is. It's actually kind of amazing.