2021 NBA regular season thread

[shopson67]

It was fun to see the end of the bench chew up that big lead so quickly to force the Celtics' starters back into the game. Lakers didn't follow suit and stuck with the bench mob, made the end result much more respectable, for whatever that's worth.

 

[Gman]

If the Lakers could hit a 3, they'd be leading.

Sometimes, a superior franchise is able to but an inferior one in a straight-jacket defensively... I think that's the scenario we saw play out last night.

 

[tlance]

Sometimes, a superior franchise is able to but an inferior one in a straight-jacket defensively... I think that's the scenario we saw play out last night.

Yeah, definitely no other explanation for that.

 

[Gman]

Yeah, definitely no other explanation for that.

^ You know your stuff, @tlance. I agree with you.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Marc Gasol played well in the loss last night.

 

[DJ Fieri]

^ You know your stuff, @tlance. I agree with you.

Congrats on the win and don't spend all that Hoop cash in one place.....LOL.

 

[Gman]

Congrats on the win and don't spend all that Hoop cash in one place.....LOL.

Thanks.... I'd have preferred there were all healthy players for the match-up...

... as it was, the C's were without 2 key guys in RWIII and Fournier and still heroically won regardless.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Sometimes, a superior franchise is able to but an inferior one in a straight-jacket defensively... I think that's the scenario we saw play out last night.

Hey now, hush up....

 

[Heatles84]

Could be wrong, but I think Heatles point is that Portland as an organization underachieved because they had a special talent like Dame and another at least near all star player and never put a team around them that could truly contend.

This is exactly what I'm saying. I don't know what in my wording was misleading. I'm fully aware that Dame and McCollum are not enough as a combo to win a title by themselves - and that's the point. My criticism is on the organization, not on their backcourt.

 

[tlance]

This is exactly what I'm saying. I don't know what in my wording was misleading. I'm fully aware that Dame and McCollum are not enough as a combo to win a title by themselves - and that's the point. My criticism is on the organization, not on their backcourt.

I agree with that. But I also think it is a bit unrealistic to expect Portland to be able to put those pieces together.

Lillard and McCollum is not close to LeBron and AD. And they play in Portland. They are not the type of market that is going to attract marquis free agents or even vets to play at a discount.

So how are they supposed to get those pieces to pair with a top 2 who are really good, but not elite?

 

[DJ Fieri]

This is exactly what I'm saying. I don't know what in my wording was misleading. I'm fully aware that Dame and McCollum are not enough as a combo to win a title by themselves - and that's the point. My criticism is on the organization, not on their backcourt.

In fairness, if Jurkic could stay healthy.....they might have a shot. It's not like they haven't made a WCF....

 

[DJ Fieri]

Year	Record	Result
2019	53-29	Lost Western Conference Finals (Won 2 Rounds)
2018	49-33	Lost Western Conference First Round (Won 0 Rounds)
2017	41-41	Lost Western Conference First Round (Won 0 Rounds)
2016	44-38	Lost Western Conference Semifinals (Won 1 Round)

 

[DJ Fieri]

Not like they get bumped out in the 1st round every year.

 

[trojanfan12]

So how are they supposed to get those pieces to pair with a top 2 who are really good, but not elite?

They've done it in the past. If not for the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, they might have gotten a title with those Sheed/Pippen/Stoudemire teams. That loss to the Lakers in the '00 WCF ruined that team.

 

[bksballer89]

In fairness, if Jurkic could stay healthy.....they might have a shot. It's not like they haven't made a WCF....

Nurkic isn't the same player he was a few years ago. I would try to trade him in the offseason

 

[DJ Fieri]

They've done it in the past. If not for the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, they might have gotten a title with those Sheed/Pippen/Stoudemire teams. That loss to the Lakers in the '00 WCF ruined that team.

That team was really good.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Nurkic isn't the same player he was a few years ago. I would try to trade him in the offseason

He's fucking 26 years old. Hasn't even really hit his prime.

 

[trojanfan12]

He's fucking 26 years old. Hasn't even really hit his prime.

Yeah, but I think he's had some significant injuries.

 

[trojanfan12]

That team was really good.

Yeah they were. They were pretty volatile emotionally and that's what did them in, imo.

 

[DJ Fieri]

It's down to Lilliard or Jokic and I think Lilliard deserves the MVP.....guy is an assassin.