2017-2018 NBA Thread

[54-46]

Well...which report is correct?

[TahoeJ]

Come on. Since 2000: Iverson, Nash (twice), Rose, and, Curry. Sorry, I love Curry, but I don't rate him as a better defender than Westbrook, particularly in crunch time. The biggest problem with Westbrook's defense is that everyone knows that it could be so much better given his athleticism and demeanor.

Curry is underrated on defense because he's surrounded by some of the best defenders in the league. So people will say they "hide" him by putting Klay on the tougher guy to guard, but really they're just putting one of the better perimeter defenders in the entire league on the better player because that's the smart thing to do. Not as good as Klay doesn't equal bad.

http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/201...ed-defensively

As for Nash, I honestly don't remember how he was on defense. Same for Rose. So you could be right there.

[wyeaster]

Report: The Cavs Can't Get A Hold Of Kyrie Irving

learned from the master!

Lloyd compares Irving’s silence to the cold shoulder that LeBron James gave the team before leaving in the summer of 2010. He writes:

[James] was unreachable during the summer of 2010, something Irving is now. The Cavs have unsuccessfully tried to contact Irving, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic, but he is not talking to anyone from the organization.

[Danno]

Curry is underrated on defense because he's surrounded by some of the best defenders in the league. So people will say they "hide" him by putting Klay on the tougher guy to guard, but really they're just putting one of the better perimeter defenders in the entire league on the better player because that's the smart thing to do. Not as good as Klay doesn't equal bad.

As for Nash, I honestly don't remember how he was on defense. Same for Rose. So you could be right there.

I agree that Curry is underrated defensively, but that is in large part because he has improved his defense a lot over the last few years. Still, I agree, he was never a bad defender.

Another bad or at least mediocre defender MVP: Nowitzki.

[AKbruin]

Curry is underrated on defense because he's surrounded by some of the best defenders in the league. So people will say they "hide" him by putting Klay on the tougher guy to guard, but really they're just putting one of the better perimeter defenders in the entire league on the better player because that's the smart thing to do. Not as good as Klay doesn't equal bad.

http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/201...ed-defensively

As for Nash, I honestly don't remember how he was on defense. Same for Rose. So you could be right there.

Nash was a turnstile, which was exacerbated in D'Antoni's 7-seconds-or-less game. Rose was probably comparable to RW. Iverson was terrible. But all of those guys did amazing things on offense that more or less made up for their defensive deficiencies.

I get that Curry is underrated defensively, but I think that's because he stunk early on and developed a reputation as a poor defender. Danno, he's gotten much better, but he definitely was not good for his first few years.

Stats-wise, RW has slightly better defensive-win shares overall and a much better defensive plus/minus. And there's always something to be said for size and strength. Opposing guards don't try to post up RW (better to try to get him caught in a screen). The same can't be said for Curry. Anyhow, I don't think RW is a great defender but your statement seemed hyperbolic.

I also think there's some merit to uber-active offensive guys like Curry, RW, Harden, and even LeBron resting a little on defense so that they can thrive on offense. In other words, their lackluster defense isn't necessarily the result of laziness but a choice of where to allocate resources. (Granted, some of the shitty defense is just shitty defense--thinking of the Harden youtube highlights.) This is what makes real two-way players like Kawhi amazing.

Stoked to have JaVale back. I'm also happy that Cleveland didn't snatch up Mo Buckets (who went to Orlando). That would have made me sad.

[TahoeJ]

Yeah, I will freely admit that early in his career Curry was a shitty defensive player... I think in part from playing alongside Monta Ellis who I was never a fan of and was excited when they traded him away. Defense is so effort based and it's contagious both good and bad.

I could also accept the argument that Westbrook was exhausted from carrying the offensive load this past season and that played a role. I'm glad they got PG just to change it up so we can compare and contrast with him this year. PG may be a good influence in the same way that Draymond was for KD.

[alias_rice]

Shits getting fun in Cleveland.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/201...e-kyrie-irving

[guroo270]

Lebron has to hold his own camera now? Must be ronery.

Seeing a grown athlete billionaire (?) rap poorly to a bad song with their shirt off like a Kardashian... do people watch that crap?

[54-46]

Lebron has to hold his own camera now? Must be ronery.

Seeing a grown athlete billionaire (?) rap poorly to a bad song with their shirt off like a Kardashian... do people watch that crap?

Semi-self-parody LeBron with Curry mocking the semi-self-parody?

Maybe if you're making $60M-$100M/year with salary/endorsements this is what passes for entertainment?

[SkiBall]

Kids these days...

[54-46]

Maybe if the Cavs trade Irving, LeBron won't be forced to choose between guarding a 3-point shooter and stopping a transition dunk after an ISO turnover...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zaNjjDO9BNU

[54-46]

X-post with MLB - hey TahoeJ - the Yankees are suddenly the Warriors: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...nny-gray-trade

[TahoeJ]

Meh, hard to get worked up over 2 stupid people saying stupid shit. They should both draft better, quit bitching, and stick to baseball.

[Brock Landers]

You don't see the connection?

[TahoeJ]

The Warriors drafted their core and then signed one big free agent. No, I don't.

[wyeaster]

http://deadspin.com/report-kyrie-irv...s-t-1797729837

[SkiBall]

http://deadspin.com/report-kyrie-irv...s-t-1797729837

That is a bitch maneuver if true. And you want to lead a team? Grow the fuck up first.

[54-46]

I applaud the NBA for stretching their schedule to allow players more rest between games.

I think it's BS that they think they can legislate, via prospective fines/penalties, when each team or each player can or should rest.

[The Reverend Floater]

I applaud the NBA for stretching their schedule to allow players more rest between games.

I think it's BS that they think they can legislate, via prospective fines/penalties, when each team or each player can or should rest.

Agreed on both counts. I understand the problem with the latter as I'd be pissed paying $250 and taking my kid to a game only to find out her favorite peeps aren't playing, but this seems like an impossible way to mitigate that.

[TahoeJ]

The NBA changing the schedule is the real solution. But of course they couldn't just take full responsibility for the problem so they had to institute a dumb rule that is really easy to get around. Suit up your player, start him, then pull him after a few minutes. Derp.

[54-46]

Sources: LeBron 100% leaving Cavs. Article - "so why not trade him now"
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/...9GR?li=BBnb7Kz

[wyeaster]

somebody needs to check on bmills

[BmillsSkier]

It's TRIBE time guys. But thanks for thinking of me

[TahoeJ]

The writing has been on the wall for a while now... with one ring out of the deal, it'll hardly be the gut punch of the South Beach departure.

Interesting political angle to all of this, perhaps, as well. I've never been a LeBron fan but I always respected his willingness to share his beliefs unlike Jordan.

[wyeaster]

Kevin Durant Says He Will Not Visit White House: "I Don't Respect Who's In Office Right Now"

http://deadspin.com/kevin-durant-say...don-1797954860