2016-17 NBA Thread

[54-46]

This is good - Steve Kerr burns Sean Spicer:
http://deadspin.com/steve-kerr-burne...cer-1791510276

[Brock Landers]

Curry scored 16 in 3rd this morning to blow game open. Too bad he can't take over a game...

Who said THAT? Crazy...if anyone in the league can take over a game, its Steph, just as much as LeBron (though I think LBJ does it in more ways than just hitting every fucking shot from anywhere on the court like Steph). He doesn't really need to all the time now because they have 3 other top-25 players on the team.

[wyeaster]

http://deadspin.com/clutch-time-is-w...ime-1791560876

[TahoeJ]

Cavs have lost 5 of their last 7. Granted, two of those were to the Warriors and Spurs. Still, though, just getting tired from all of their top players playing too many minutes? Or just one of those funks?

Now LeBron is blaming the roster... the one that has the highest cap mark in the entire league. Umm... ok.

[BmillsSkier]

Cavs have lost 5 of their last 7. Granted, two of those were to the Warriors and Spurs. Still, though, just getting tired from all of their top players playing too many minutes? Or just one of those funks?

Now LeBron is blaming the roster... the one that has the highest cap mark in the entire league. Umm... ok.

Injuries have shredded the bench and one starter. The big 3 I read today are all at the same mark for as many high minute games as they had all last season.

LeeeeBron whines when things don't go his way but he's got a point. (The fact that the NBA doesn't have a DL is absurd but that's another thing)

It'll turn around. They'll be a top seed and all will be well with the world. It is a bad funk though.

[panchosdad]

That's what happens when you pay a couple guys $30M a year, the guys on the bench have to be cheap, and typically they suck. Take a pay cut Lebron and allow the team to get some decent backups. Otherwise, stfu.

[TahoeJ]

^^ Exactly.

LeBron's excuse for last night's loss to New Orleans is that Anthony Davis didn't play and that messed up their game plan. lol... he's just trolling with that one. If I was a Cavs fan I'd rather see them start resting those guys more and losing some games. Do you really care if you're the 2 or 3 seed? If you grind that many minutes on your stars it won't be bad luck when someone gets hurt. See: Clippers, Los Angeles for the past few years.

[54-46]

LeBron wants better teammates, so he's just like Kevin Durant in that respect. What's the problem with a player or team wanting to get better?

On the other hand, if you're the one banging your chest and saying that guys on other teams have to gang up to beat you, then you'd better STFU about wanting better teammates or you're going to look like a cry-baby.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbssp...?client=safari

[54-46]

Popovich watches Warriors for fun:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/sp...yre-beautiful/

[Brock Landers]

LeBron wants better teammates, so he's just like Kevin Durant in that respect. What's the problem with a player or team wanting to get better?

I agree with most of what you said but for Durant- you can't be the alpha dog, the man, if you move to another team that's already fucking stacked...to do it. It makes you look soft as puppy shit. Can't get your own ring so you latch onto a wagon. Makes KD look no different than Mike miller, jr smith, ray Allen in Miami. KD was batman, now he's a mercenary version of robin. Lebron is a bitch. But at least it's HIS team just like the W's are curry's. /end rant

I have a ton of respect for the Warriors, and rooted for them. Now that they have that hired gun its tougher to "root" for them but I still like watching them and am indifferent to them winning. But I hope KD goes ice cold and ends up riding the bench. Fuck him. /end rant for real

[cinnepa]

Sixers LOOK like they're turning the corner.

[54-46]

I agree with most of what you said but for Durant- you can't be the alpha dog, the man, if you move to another team that's already fucking stacked...to do it. It makes you look soft as puppy shit. Can't get your own ring so you latch onto a wagon. Makes KD look no different than Mike miller, jr smith, ray Allen in Miami. KD was batman, now he's a mercenary version of robin. Lebron is a bitch. But at least it's HIS team just like the W's are curry's. /end rant

I have a ton of respect for the Warriors, and rooted for them. Now that they have that hired gun its tougher to "root" for them but I still like watching them and am indifferent to them winning. But I hope KD goes ice cold and ends up riding the bench. Fuck him. /end rant for real

Get it; like the passion. It's harder to root for the Dubs now that they're one of the favorites. Aside from hardcore Dubs fans, who wants to see an article about them every day anyway?

Old-time Dubs fans were out in the desert from 1975-2015 and just want the organization to get the best players and play the most entertaining and successful basketball.

The whole "alpha dog" stuff is interesting but aside from the soap opera aspect of it, I don't care.

The team is doing a good job now. Process is good. Entertainment value is off the charts. Championship results may vary.

That's pretty much what most fans hope for - a shot at a title every year.

[wyeaster]

I agree with most of what you said but for Durant- you can't be the alpha dog, the man, if you move to another team that's already fucking stacked...to do it. It makes you look soft as puppy shit. Can't get your own ring so you latch onto a wagon. Makes KD look no different than Mike miller, jr smith, ray Allen in Miami. KD was batman, now he's a mercenary version of robin. Lebron is a bitch. But at least it's HIS team just like the W's are curry's. /end rant

I have a ton of respect for the Warriors, and rooted for them. Now that they have that hired gun its tougher to "root" for them but I still like watching them and am indifferent to them winning. But I hope KD goes ice cold and ends up riding the bench. Fuck him. /end rant for real

i'm pretty sure lebron took his talents to south beach. seeing what westbrook is doing and how he is doing it, i can see it being difficult for him and kd to coexist forever. who knows what the internal fallout of losing to the w's was.

durant seems like a team player and maybe he wanted to play the highest form of free flowing team basketball on earth right now. i don't blame him. he apparently made a good decision for himself and is thriving.

[riser4]

LeBron is a cry-baby.

FIFYFOC

[Brock Landers]

i'm pretty sure lebron took his talents to south beach.

Yep, he went to a team that won 47, 43, and 15 games the previous 3 seasons and never made it past the first round of the playoffs. And then turning it into 4 straight NBA finals and 2 championships. Different than taking your talents to a 70 win finals participant/2 years removed from a championship.

I don't think its harder to root for the W's because theyre good, its because KD is on the team and I lost a bit of respect for him when he took the easy way out. Still fun to watch but now I just don't care either way.

[TahoeJ]

If someone has issues with Golden State signing Durant, fine, but the Cavs had three number one picks in four years and then signed LeBron... so the idea that they're any different is ridiculous. The Warriors never got to pick higher than 7th overall when assembling their current roster.

Did anyone ever consider that Durant just wanted to have fun and playing with grumpy Russell Westbrook wasn't exactly providing that? I admire RW's game but he's definitely more fun to watch than actually play with. You're one of the best players on the planet and would go for streaks in the 4th quarter where you get frozen out and barely get to touch the ball? I'd bail too. Sure, he has over 10 assists per game this season but he's also on pace to have the highest usage rate of all time.

[wyeaster]

Yep, he went to a team that won 47, 43, and 15 games the previous 3 seasons and never made it past the first round of the playoffs. And then turning it into 4 straight NBA finals and 2 championships. Different than taking your talents to a 70 win finals participant/2 years removed from a championship.

I don't think its harder to root for the W's because theyre good, its because KD is on the team and I lost a bit of respect for him when he took the easy way out. Still fun to watch but now I just don't care either way.

but he left because he couldn't win where he was to sign with a new big three to win not one not two... because he had a better chance to win. that seems like mercenary ring hunting to me, regardless of whether they were bad before he got there or not.

for him to be qualitatively different than durant in this regard he would have stayed in cleveland.

[BmillsSkier]

Phil Jackson offered Melo for Kevin Love today tmzspn and Cleveland.com are reporting. Also reported it was dismissed almost instantly.

That dude is officially off his rocker these days.

[54-46]

Phil Jackson offered Melo for Kevin Love today tmzspn and Cleveland.com are reporting. Also reported it was dismissed almost instantly.

That dude is officially off his rocker these days.

Smoking too much weed...

[TahoeJ]

It's not a crazy offer since Melo and LeBron are friends (okay, it's a little crazy but you can't blame a guy for trying)... but can you imagine LeBron, Melo and Irving all on the floor at the same time? They might just end up on the ground fighting each other for the ball.

[wyeaster]

i have never cared for melo and he has always been overrated in my non-bball mind. his game is all about him, other than maybe the olympics, he doesn't make his teammates better. he is a constant source of negative energy, never plays defense, low percentage shooter, always complaining about teammates and refs. i wouldn't want him on my team. he is the epitome of prima donna to me. he and phil deserve each other.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Phil Jackson offered Melo for Kevin Love today tmzspn and Cleveland.com are reporting. Also reported it was dismissed almost instantly.

That dude is officially off his rocker these days.

Is there a realistic trade, 1 player for 1 player, out there for k-love? I'm not talking about pipedreams, like a real player that's trying to be moved. I can't think of one.

[TahoeJ]

^^ That's the rub, the salary levels have to matchup. NBA trades are complicated on a level beyond my comprehension.

[54-46]

^^ That's the rub, the salary levels have to matchup. NBA trades are complicated on a level beyond my comprehension.

Cavs have a $4.5M trade exception so they can take on players with $4.5M salary less than Love's salary

[54-46]

i have never cared for melo and he has always been overrated in my non-bball mind. his game is all about him, other than maybe the olympics, he doesn't make his teammates better. he is a constant source of negative energy, never plays defense, low percentage shooter, always complaining about teammates and refs. i wouldn't want him on my team. he is the epitome of prima donna to me. he and phil deserve each other.

The only thing that would make sense with Melo on the Cavs is have him play the Scoring 6th man role like Jamal Crawford or Manu Ginobli. Let him carry scoring load on second unit. Kinda expensive for that role tho. Would need good defenders around him too.

Nah, Phil crazy...