2019-2020 Official Regular Season Thread

[DJ Fieri]

What fringe groups are running the country?

A bizarro comment....

 

[msgkings322]

A bizarro comment....

How so?

Actually, let's take this to the off the court thread.

 

[DJ Fieri]

How so?

Actually, let's take this to the off the court thread.

By Thunder I think it was....not you....

That the fringe is running the Country....

 

[tlance]

The Miami Heat

Would not shock me.

I would bet on Miami before I bet on Houston.

 

[trojanfan12]

Would not shock me.

I would bet on Miami before I bet on Houston.

Yeah, the Heat seem like the better bet.

Houston is going to be interesting.

On one hand, it's always been said that part of the reason Harden has failed in the playoffs is because he's worn down from all of the iso he plays during the season. That shouldn't be an issue.

But, the other reason he hasn't been as successful is the his style is pretty "foul dependent" and the refs swallow their whistles more in the playoffs. That's not likely to change.

If memory serves, he and Westbrook looked like they were getting some things figured out before the shut down. Can they pick that up where they left off? Can Westbrook stop himself from ignoring the other star on his team like he has in the past? Can Harden?

 

[tlance]

Yeah, the Heat seem like the better bet.

Houston is going to be interesting.

On one hand, it's always been said that part of the reason Harden has failed in the playoffs is because he's worn down from all of the iso he plays during the season. That shouldn't be an issue.

But, the other reason he hasn't been as successful is the his style is pretty "foul dependent" and the refs swallow their whistles more in the playoffs. That's not likely to change.

If memory serves, he and Westbrook looked like they were getting some things figured out before the shut down. Can they pick that up where they left off? Can Westbrook stop himself from ignoring the other star on his team like he has in the past? Can Harden?

I have never bought the “worn down” theory.

Teams play better defense in the playoffs. They have better Harden game plans and like you said, refs call fewer fouls. It all adds up to a tougher road for Harden.

 

[thunderc]

I have never bought the “worn down” theory.

Teams play better defense in the playoffs. They have better Harden game plans and like you said, refs call fewer fouls. It all adds up to a tougher road for Harden.

All true, throw in his general lack of competitiveness and it’s not great for Houston.

 

[trojanfan12]

I have never bought the “worn down” theory.

Teams play better defense in the playoffs. They have better Harden game plans and like you said, refs call fewer fouls. It all adds up to a tougher road for Harden.

Yeah, I didn't even consider the defensive adjustments. Which is funny because I've said the same in the past. lol

I do buy into the "worn down" theory to an extent because I just don't think a guy can have the kind of usage he does during the regular season and not be worn down.

But all things considered, it's likely less of a factor than defenses having time to adjust and the refs giving him fewer calls, both of which tend to frustrate him.

 

[tlance]

Yeah, I didn't even consider the defensive adjustments. Which is funny because I've said the same in the past. lol

I do buy into the "worn down" theory to an extent because I just don't think a guy can have the kind of usage he does during the regular season and not be worn down.

But all things considered, it's likely less of a factor than defenses having time to adjust and the refs giving him fewer calls, both of which tend to frustrate him.

See, I think that is BS though.

Take a guy like Klay Thompson for example. Klay doesn’t have the ball in his hands, but he is constant motion on offense coming off screens. Defensively, he is always engaged and working against the other teams’ best player.

Harden always has the ball in his hands, but he often takes easy defensive assignments and takes full possessions off on both ends. When he doesn’t have the ball, he just stands.

I realize Harden’s usage rates are off the charts and he does take as much contact as anybody, but I think there are quite a few players who expend more energy on a nightly basis because they work on both sides of the ball. And we don’t use the worn down excuse for any of those guys.

I don’t know about you, but playing good, active defense is always more tiring than attacking with the ball. At least for me.

 

[trojanfan12]

See, I think that is BS though.

Take a guy like Klay Thompson for example. Klay doesn’t have the ball in his hands, but he is constant motion on offense coming off screens. Defensively, he is always engaged and working against the other teams’ best player.

Harden always has the ball in his hands, but he often takes easy defensive assignments and takes full possessions off on both ends. When he doesn’t have the ball, he just stands.

I realize Harden’s usage rates are off the charts and he does take as much contact as anybody, but I think there are quite a few players who expend more energy on a nightly basis because they work on both sides of the ball. And we don’t use the worn down excuse for any of those guys.

I don’t know about you, but playing good, active defense is always more tiring than attacking with the ball. At least for me.

Yeah, those are some good points. Westbrook is also a good example of a guy who spends a lot of energy on both ends of the floor, has the ball is his hands a lot (especially in OKC) and never seems to get tired.

 

[tlance]

Yeah, those are some good points. Westbrook is also a good example of a guy who spends a lot of energy on both ends of the floor, has the ball is his hands a lot (especially in OKC) and never seems to get tired.

Yeah.

If he is playing through injury, that is different. I am sure that has been the case before. But given the days off during the playoffs and that everybody is in the same boat having gone through the 82 game grind, I think there are other star guys who should be as much or even more worn down by that point.

Klay, Russ, Curry, LeBron, Dame, Giannis, KD

If we are really saying that his playoff fall off is due to being worn down more so than the game plan, referee adjustments, etc, then perhaps we should be questioning Harden’s conditioning and/or his strip club patronage.

 

[tlance]

1 thing to look forward to in the next week:

The playoff landscape is surely going to be altered, maybe drastically by player opt outs.

Not that I would expect to hear from him, but has Kawhi signaled his intentions to anybody? He is just quirky enough to be unpredictable in these times.

I am eagerly awaiting the opt out list. Going to be wild.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Yeah, the Heat seem like the better bet.

Houston is going to be interesting.

On one hand, it's always been said that part of the reason Harden has failed in the playoffs is because he's worn down from all of the iso he plays during the season. That shouldn't be an issue.

But, the other reason he hasn't been as successful is the his style is pretty "foul dependent" and the refs swallow their whistles more in the playoffs. That's not likely to change.

If memory serves, he and Westbrook looked like they were getting some things figured out before the shut down. Can they pick that up where they left off? Can Westbrook stop himself from ignoring the other star on his team like he has in the past? Can Harden?

Westbrook was attacking the basket more and not taking as many threes

 

[Stakesarehigh]

1 thing to look forward to in the next week:

The playoff landscape is surely going to be altered, maybe drastically by player opt outs.

Not that I would expect to hear from him, but has Kawhi signaled his intentions to anybody? He is just quirky enough to be unpredictable in these times.

I am eagerly awaiting the opt out list. Going to be wild.

I know they say they won't retaliate but the league will have long memories on some of those guys. Avery Bradley? Good luck on that next contract bro. Enjoy Greece

 

[DJ Fieri]

 

[tlance]

I know they say they won't retaliate but the league will have long memories on some of those guys. Avery Bradley? Good luck on that next contract bro. Enjoy Greece

We have discussed Kaepernick at length on here. This isn’t quite the same thing, but if you are a role player, you really aren’t in a position to make waves and expect to keep your spot.

Kyrie will be fine, and Dwight too. Will be interesting to monitor what happens with Bradley if he does in fact sit. I think if he ends up playing, no harm no foul.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

We have discussed Kaepernick at length on here. This isn’t quite the same thing, but if you are a role player, you really aren’t in a position to make waves and expect to keep your spot.

Kyrie will be fine, and Dwight too. Will be interesting to monitor what happens with Bradley if he does in fact sit. I think if he ends up playing, no harm no foul.

Definitely if he plays he's good to go but if he sits on a playoff favorite.... Well his value drops considerably

 

[trojanfan12]

We have discussed Kaepernick at length on here. This isn’t quite the same thing, but if you are a role player, you really aren’t in a position to make waves and expect to keep your spot.

Kyrie will be fine, and Dwight too. Will be interesting to monitor what happens with Bradley if he does in fact sit. I think if he ends up playing, no harm no foul.

When push comes to shove, with the number of people pointing out that they could actually have a bigger impact by playing, I'll be surprised if many guys sit out. Especially the role player type guys.

Superstars, are the ones who can actually afford to not play and ultimately, I don't think any of them want to be the only star or 1 of only a couple that sat out.

As much as I got a kick out of Pat Bev's tweet, he's right. If Lebron is playing, and it looks like he is, then other stars will follow suit.

Agree with your post #22924 though, if there's a star player who is quirky enough to sit out, it's Kawhi...although I'd still be surprised if he actually did.

The role player guys, in a lot of cases, can't afford to sit out the season.

Dwight will be an interesting case. Because of the money he's been paid from when he was a superstar, he's a role player level guy who could afford to sit out the season. Especially if he's at least been a little bit smart with his money.

I'd be a little surprised if he does though. Especially if it looks like he'll be the only one or only one of a few guys.

 

[Wamu]

Westbrook was attacking the basket more and not taking as many threes

Westbrick should consider eliminating the 3 point shot from his game. He's only a career .304 shooter from downtown. Shot .254 this season. His career high for 3 pt. % in a season is only .343. Not good.

 

[Wamu]

We have discussed Kaepernick at length on here. This isn’t quite the same thing, but if you are a role player, you really aren’t in a position to make waves and expect to keep your spot.

Kyrie will be fine, and Dwight too. Will be interesting to monitor what happens with Bradley if he does in fact sit. I think if he ends up playing, no harm no foul.

"Kyrie will be fine"

No he won't. He has a screw loose. He ain't right.