2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[tlance]

I dont know if i agree with all of this- in fact- i definitely do not- but wow...the balls on some of these "sources"

The Lakers, like the Cavaliers, are bad without LeBron

When James left for Los Angeles, there were people within the Cleveland Cavaliers' organization who privately joked that "the tread is off his tires."

a member of the Cavaliers told ESPN he thought last season "took a lot out of" the now 34-year-old James.

But here's the biggest difference, perhaps, in what those Cavs teams experienced and where the Lakers are now: James has the wear and tear of all those seasons pushing and prodding and carrying the Cavs under his belt.

When James returns, what if he can't carry this Lakers group -- in a tougher Western Conference and comprised of potential stars alongside him rather than bona fide ones -- the way he used to?

You see, Johnson didn't want L.A. to be Cleveland all over again because the plan was to have James' teammates lift him up just as much as he lifts them up. So far, that has been anything but the case.

I saw an article the other day on hoopsrumors.com about Kevin Love's trade value. Given how much you love to post articles, I am surprised you didn't post that.

Allow me to summarize:

Love's trade value is limited by a very narrow market. Playoff teams in non-destination markets and/or teams that are totally capped out will be the only suitors.

Even then, the Cavs aren't getting a significant asset back (late 1st at best) beyond the matching salary unless they absorb a contract worse than Love's. Because a slow footed injury prone 30 year old on a 5 year contract is closer to a liability than an asset.

Ironically, they would be able to get a lot more for him if he were about to expire.

Then again, most of us called it this summer.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I saw an article the other day on hoopsrumors.com about Kevin Love's trade value. Given how much you love to post articles, I am surprised you didn't post that.

Allow me to summarize:

Love's trade value is limited by a very narrow market. Playoff teams in non-destination markets and/or teams that are totally capped out will be the only suitors.

Even then, the Cavs aren't getting a significant asset back (late 1st at best) beyond the matching salary unless they absorb a contract worse than Love's. Because a slow footed injury prone 30 year old on a 5 year contract is closer to a liability than an asset.

Ironically, they would be able to get a lot more for him if he were about to expire.

Then again, most of us called it this summer.

yah i dont agree with that at all---- but how much can you refute it when he hasnt played in months?

As i ahve said multiple times- i dont think there is much, if any, chance that Love is moved at the deadline- and think that during the offseason he might get moved...and the Cavs are not going to just give away a guy who is a 20 and 10 big man that can shoot the ball as well as any big man in the NBA

i think his game will age well since he has never relied on athleticism, his rebounding, his shooting and passing are all aspects that should be good moving forward.

But we shall see. From the day Love signed I always thought the intention was to keep him around- but I will pay a guy who is a good teammate, who can give you 20, and 10, great floor spacing, and very good passing for a big man. He is going to have to show it on the court though before anything happens.

I have seen, that despite his injuries, that the Hornets, Mavs, Nuggets have all expressed interest, and you know the Cavs are just not going to give him away.

I DEFINITELY do not agree with people who compare him to Wall- who makes quite a bit more, is a bad teammate, has chronic knee issues, who's team seems to play better without him, and who's game should age very poorly.

 

[DJ Fieri]

who does Cedi own?

you watch tonights game?

Bro.......for the season.....


Osman, 11.9ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.2apg

or

Ingram, 16.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.5apg

I didn't do shooting percentages.....but I could have.

Congrats on your NBA Finals win last night.

 

[bksballer89]

this is gonna be the biggeest challenge of LeBron's career- esp. if he has to manage the injury going forward if it is not fully healed and is something that nags him.

IF the injury is fully healed that will be huge--- but if its something he has to manage the rest of the way and be awar e of his minutes etc. that is gonna be tough.

LeBron is obviously maybe the very best of all time- and was playing MVP ball before he went down- but this is a going to be a helluva challenge for him- and he does not have a Love or Kyrie or Bosh or Wade to help carry the load.

Yeah I agree about this being the biggest regular season challenge in his career. That injury came at such bad timing. I feel bad for Lakers fans.

I think the Lakers win at least 4 of the 7 games they lost without Lebron if he played which would have put them at 27-17 in 3rd place at the moment. Such a huge difference

 

[DJ Fieri]

yah i dont agree with that at all---- but how much can you refute it when he hasnt played in months?

As i ahve said multiple times- i dont think there is much, if any, chance that Love is moved at the deadline- and think that during the offseason he might get moved...and the Cavs are not going to just give away a guy who is a 20 and 10 big man that can shoot the ball as well as any big man in the NBA

As he gets older.......for what? 45 games a season?

 

[WiggyRuss]

This is pretty funny---- pretty cool how LeBron and Cedi have developed such a close relationship.....the first part is funny

How Cedi Osman earned LeBron James' respect and built a special bond that goes beyond basketball

How Cedi Osman earned LeBron James' respect and built a special bond that goes beyond basketball

The relationship between Cedi Osman and LeBron James got off on the wrong foot. Literally.

"The thing I remember clearly is how quiet that gym got," Cavs head coach Larry Drew recalls about Sept. 27, 2017. "Practice is going. There's all the talk, all the chatter and then that happened and it was just total silence."

There was Osman, a rookie taking part in his first official NBA training camp. He had left Turkey and was in a new country, trying to prove that he belonged, trying to earn the respect of his new teammates that had only known him from grainy YouTube clips and a Head and Shoulders commercial.

Then in his opening scrimmage, he stepped on James' foot, sending the franchise player hobbling off the court with a nasty ankle sprain.

"Man, Cedi saw his life -- and his career -- flash before his eyes," Channing Frye told cleveland.com while laughing. "He was about to be on the first flight back to Istanbul."


"That was the time when I felt I started earning that respect," Osman said. "That's what he liked to see, that I'm fighting hard, that I'm working hard."

As the season progressed, James started singling out Osman in postgame interviews, praising the rookie for his basketball IQ, work ethic, hustle and professional approach.In a strange twist, that was James' first glimpse of the qualities he has come to appreciate. That terrifying moment actually sparked what has become a tight bond between James and Osman.


"By showing up on time, every single day. Putting in the work every single day. And being a professional every single day," James said.

"Cedi is one of my favorite guys that I've played with and it was only a year, but he's a sponge and you can see that he has a love of the game.""My relationship has grown even stronger with Cedi even though I've been on another coast," James said. "I've been keeping up with him throughout this season and the best thing I told him tonight, I told him, 'You finally took my advice and started wearing Nikes.'"

 

[tlance]

yah i dont agree with that at all---- but how much can you refute it when he hasnt played in months?

As i ahve said multiple times- i dont think there is much, if any, chance that Love is moved at the deadline- and think that during the offseason he might get moved...and the Cavs are not going to just give away a guy who is a 20 and 10 big man that can shoot the ball as well as any big man in the NBA

i think his game will age well since he has never relied on athleticism, his rebounding, his shooting and passing are all aspects that should be good moving forward.

But we shall see. From the day Love signed I always thought the intention was to keep him around- but I will pay a guy who is a good teammate, who can give you 20, and 10, great floor spacing, and very good passing for a big man. He is going to have to show it on the court though before anything happens.

I have seen, that despite his injuries, that the Hornets, Mavs, Nuggets have all expressed interest, and you know the Cavs are just not going to give him away.

I DEFINITELY do not agree with people who compare him to Wall- who makes quite a bit more, is a bad teammate, has chronic knee issues, who's team seems to play better without him, and who's game should age very poorly.

His offensive game will age well. That is a given.

What I think is worrisome to potential trade partners is his defensive game and injury history. He is already a liability on defense.

Besides, when vets like Brook Lopez are available for much cheaper deals, such a long and expensive contract doesn't look very palatable. Love is obviously a much better rebounder, but Lopez is a much better rim protector so their defense is probably pretty close to a wash.

 

[tlance]

yah i dont agree with that at all---- but how much can you refute it when he hasnt played in months?

As i ahve said multiple times- i dont think there is much, if any, chance that Love is moved at the deadline- and think that during the offseason he might get moved...and the Cavs are not going to just give away a guy who is a 20 and 10 big man that can shoot the ball as well as any big man in the NBA

i think his game will age well since he has never relied on athleticism, his rebounding, his shooting and passing are all aspects that should be good moving forward.

But we shall see. From the day Love signed I always thought the intention was to keep him around- but I will pay a guy who is a good teammate, who can give you 20, and 10, great floor spacing, and very good passing for a big man. He is going to have to show it on the court though before anything happens.

I have seen, that despite his injuries, that the Hornets, Mavs, Nuggets have all expressed interest, and you know the Cavs are just not going to give him away.

I DEFINITELY do not agree with people who compare him to Wall- who makes quite a bit more, is a bad teammate, has chronic knee issues, who's team seems to play better without him, and who's game should age very poorly.

That said, I gotta give you props for a very good reply.

And I agree that Wall's contract is much worse.

 

[ericd7633]

Bro.......for the season.....


Osman, 11.9ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.2apg

or

Ingram, 16.5ppg, 4.8rpg, 2.5apg

I didn't do shooting percentages.....but I could have.

Congrats on your NBA Finals win last night.

Holy shit, has Ingram been so bad you need to compare him to a guy who was a 2nd round pick, in his second year in the league? Lol.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Holy shit, has Ingram been so bad you need to compare him to a guy who was a 2nd round pick, in his second year in the league? Lol.

Maybe you aren't familiar here.....

Wiggy says, "Cedi owns."

 

[bksballer89]

Holy shit, has Ingram been so bad you need to compare him to a guy who was a 2nd round pick, in his second year in the league? Lol.

Yeah comparing Ingram to Cedi isn't a good look for Ingram

 

[WiggyRuss]

oh man........that was just wonderful....was it as good for you guys as it was for me? I need a cigarette. lol

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Well...he is. I don't know why this is such a shock to people. I've been saying since Summer the signings post-Lebron were trash. Look at that Lakers roster talent wise. There's Lebron and then a huge drop off to Kyle Kuzma. There's a drop off to whatever the hell Ingram/Ball are, and then it nose dives again. When Lebron is gone, the Lakers are very sub-par team. They can lose to anyone. Last year, they at least had some talent in Lopez, Thomas, Randle, etc. But they're all gone (to make room for Lebron, which was necessary salary-wise but beside my point here) and were replaced with the likes of Stephenson, McGee, Beasley, etc. So when Lebron is out...yeah, you're in trouble. That's why I said a couple of weeks ago when it happened that Lebron's injury was such a bummer. It came at the worst time because the schedule got soft. It was a prime opportunity to pick up some wins and build a playoff cushion. Now you're just gonna have to hope Lebron comes back ASAP and they'll be in a dogfight for the last couple of playoff spots out West with like 50 other teams.

I'm sorry, I disagree.

Lonzo, Ingram, Ball, Hart should be enough to get by Cedi, Hood, Clarkson and Sexton.

This is inexcusable and I blame Luke.

Unless you think @WiggyRuss is right about Cedi and Thompson?

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

They win those games with him. But it's just a game or two. Orlando just beat Boston and Houston back to back. Phoenix beat Denver yesterday. These losses have nothing to do with how good the Lakers are and their playoff chances. If LeBron comes back soon and stays there, they are making the playoffs.

It has everything to do with how good his supporting cast is.

Like you said, he's dragged a porta-potty full of Shit to the Mountain top before.

But, he also got swept.

These young guys should be further along.

Just goes to show all that " We would be a playoff team with natural progression " talk was complete and utter bullshit.

I hate to agree with @WiggyRuss because he's usually trolling.

But, at this point, I probably would rank Boston, Phoenix, Sacto, Philly...hell, maybe even Dallas and Orlando's young guys higher.

Either these guys have no sense of urgency and think they are so good they can just turn it on the last 5 mins of games or Luke is horrible at his job.

Either way, you aren't getting Anthony Davis for Super Scorer Kuz and a couple of role players.

Shit, I don't even think you can get Beal.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

I gotta say- I want the Cavs to get as many ping pong balls in the hopper as possible- but breaking up their 12 game losing streak with a ROAD win at LA is pretty fucking great...lol.....

Cedi puts up 20 on the road in Staples....

JaVale Mcgee just was not ready for Tristan Thompson tonight.....Mcgee...2 points, 23 minutes......got his ass whooped by Thompson- 15 points ,14 boards, 2 blocks.....

I don't understand why Tyson didn't play more.

As much as we like to chide Lonzo, they look terrible when he's not on the court.

The Lakers, Jazz, Pelicans, Wolves need to get their Shit together.

If the Clippers make the playoffs, I'm going to be pissed.

We'd have a low probability to land in the top 3 of the draft.

But, "low" is better than " no".

Both of our teams took Pg's last draft.

But, have you seen Ja Morant from Murray State?

Holy Shit...lol

He has that Dearon FOX in him.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I'm sorry, I disagree.

Lonzo, Ingram, Ball, Hart should be enough to get by Cedi, Hood, Clarkson and Sexton.

This is inexcusable and I blame Luke.

Unless you think @WiggyRuss is right about Cedi and Thompson?

obviously this is not the case for the future etc.....but honestly--- if i had to win one game last night and my life depended on it--- if i am picking one guy from either team to start my team with--- is it Tristan Thompson? i think it probably is.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

He's a fucking 6'3 POINT GUARD.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

obviously this is not the case for the future etc.....but honestly--- if i had to win one game last night and my life depended on it--- if i am picking one guy from either team to start my team with--- is it Tristan Thompson? i think it probably is.

Lmfao....

Um, no.

He wanted it more yesterday and he balled out.

But, let's not get carried away...lol

 

[Shanemansj13]

If LeBron is the difference between the Lakers being better, or worse, than the Cavs and Knicks....

They are in big, big trouble.

Remember, for the Cavs--Love, Nance and Nwaba are injured. TT and Hood just came back from injury. This is a terrible loss. This basically says if the Cavs were healthy and they had Lebron they would be just as good if not better than this current Lakers team....that isn't good. Moves need to be made THIS season.

 

[Shanemansj13]

actually me and the lady of the house were out last night, but i got the capsule version when i got home. poor defense and worse shooting...

ah well, the Chiefs are in the AFC title game with a shot the Superbowl, so even this, ugly as it was, couldn't kill MY buzz...

now if the Patsies beat us, talk to me next week...

You didn't miss much but the usual. The Cavs owning the Lakers, made it close at the end but losers will stay losers LOL