2017-2018 NBA Thread

[TahoeJ]

TahoeJ's favorite player re-signs with the Thunder!

Heh. I actually like so much of Westbrook's game, it's just disappointing to see it emphasized in the worst way possible. Hopefully last year's trend doesn't continue now that he has his $$ and MVP in the bag. It would be a lot more fun to watch him as a complete player.

[BobMc]

As a Piston's fan it's been hard to get excited about anything in a while. But, to see Drummond hit 6-8 and 6-6 free throws in the two games he's played is giving me hope. Free throws have hampered his game something fierce, he shy's away from contact in the paint. If he gets the free throw mojo working I think he could be a force in an old school kind of way.

Or, it could go as usual and he'll revert back to the norm.

[Danno]

A Drummond who hits free throws would be a BEAST.

[54-46]

Someone wants to stir the pot - Dubs don't fear Westy?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yah...011700690.html

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Someone wants to stir the pot - Dubs don't fear Westy?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.yah...011700690.html

I think it's spot on. That team might have a small chance if they had a great coach. But they don't and Westbrook's style is a generation late. If Westbrook couldn't get it done with Durant, why should we think this version will work? Durant > George + Melo.

[Danno]

Durant is great, really great, but he isn't better than George + Melo. A team of 4 replacement level players plus Durant would lose to a team of 3 replacement level players plus Melo and PG.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Advanced stats disagree. Durant had more win-shares than Melo and George combined last year, even with Durant missing the most games. Greatness wins in the NBA. And replacement level players rarely see the floor on good teams. Durant plus decent 3-and-D guy beats George and Melo.

[wyeaster]

i will be surprised if melo doesn't turn it into a dumpster fire before the season is over because he's not the man and he won't play d.

[AKbruin]

I think it's spot on. That team might have a small chance if they had a great coach. But they don't and Westbrook's style is a generation late. If Westbrook couldn't get it done with Durant, why should we think this version will work? Durant > George + Melo.

Language nit: The Durant-OKC team didn't get it done (a championship) but absolutely could have gotten it done. They were a little early in 2012, had terrible injury luck between 2013-2015, and pretty much had the Warriors dead-to-rights in 2016. And, as much as everybody detests ISO ball, OKC's offensive stats and efficiency during the Westbrook-Durant era was historically great and second only to Golden State. (People often incorrectly conclude that having an offense that is not as good as the Warrior's all-time great offense means that it isn't a good offense.) If Durant had returned to OKC last year, the W's definitely would have had a healthy respect for them.

Agree about Billy Donovan. So far, he's embraced Scotty Brooks's tactical shortcomings but not Brooks's leadership. Say what you will about Brooks, but his players loved him at OKC. There's a big "what if" concerning Durant had Brooks remained.

Anyhow, I have no idea how the current OKC team will do but I'm excited to see. There will be an adjustment process early on, and folks will be quick to judge. But I'll be much more interested to see how things are coming along in March and April. I seriously doubt they'll beat the Warriors in the playoffs, but it'll be a much more fun match up than anything we saw this year.

Along these lines, I'm interested to see if CP3 defers to Harden. Two very ball-dominant guards and two very different personalities. Huge talent, but it could be a fiasco. I think I dislike the Clippers a little less and the Rockets a little more.

[Danno]

i will be surprised if melo doesn't turn it into a dumpster fire before the season is over because he's not the man and he won't play d.

eh, I realize I'm far more pro-Melo than most on this board, but I think you'll see Olympics Melo. In the NBA, he has NEVER played with stars of this caliber, he has definitely been the best player on his team, easily, for his entire career. When he's been on teams with other top players, ie the Olympics, he's not only been ok with deferring, but he's played damn effective basketball. So long as Donovan does a decent job, he's going to do well, I think.

[lionelhutz]

PLEASE STAY HEALTHY JOEL.

My goodness. 15 Minutes and 22/7/3/1 .....

He's so special he makes me not care that Ben Simmons really can't shoot (like worse than may Dad) and Markelle Fultz retooled his shot so that he pushes the ball like a high-school girl.

[Danno]

If he plays 70 games he's a top 10 player in the NBA. Maybe top 5.

[lionelhutz]

If he plays 70 games he's a top 10 player in the NBA. Maybe top 5.

If he plays 70 games the Sixers will win 50 in the East--- it is that bad.

[54-46]

eh, I realize I'm far more pro-Melo than most on this board, but I think you'll see Olympics Melo. In the NBA, he has NEVER played with stars of this caliber, he has definitely been the best player on his team, easily, for his entire career. When he's been on teams with other top players, ie the Olympics, he's not only been ok with deferring, but he's played damn effective basketball. So long as Donovan does a decent job, he's going to do well, I think.

Tend to agree with you on the upside of Melo.

But , "So long as Donovan does a descent job..." is a significant catch, isn't it?

[Danno]

But , "So long as Donovan does a descent job..." is a significant catch, isn't it?

Oh, fuck yeah it is. Put Pop or Kerr or Stevens or Carlisle or Spoelstra at the head of that team and I'd be confident as fuck that they'd be tough. But the jury is still out on Donovan, which is not the same as saying he is not a good coach. I mean, he did win 2 titles back to back in college, and while people like to act like the he didn't do anything with Durant and point to the fact that Durant didn't like playing for him, the reality is in his only year with a good team he took that team to the conference finals and was on the brink of actually winning it against the Warriors, and his offense that year, for all the complaints about isos and whatnot, was extremely efficient.

So I really mean the jury is out, he might do a damn good job. But maybe not.

[AKbruin]

PLEASE STAY HEALTHY JOEL.

My goodness. 15 Minutes and 22/7/3/1 .....

He's so special he makes me not care that Ben Simmons really can't shoot (like worse than may Dad) and Markelle Fultz retooled his shot so that he pushes the ball like a high-school girl.

Really, really rooting for Embiid to stay healthy. I'd love to see a strong Sixers team contend in the East.

Fultz apparently is shooting free throws that way because of shoulder pain. This begs the question of why is he playing at all if that's the case? I'd be worried he'll permanently fuck up either his shoulder or his shooting motion.

Agree with Danno about Donovan. I was probably a little too harsh. The jury's still out.

[54-46]

Andy Varejao is getting a ring for playing 14 games last year.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbs...with-team/amp/

[BobMc]

A Drummond who hits free throws would be a BEAST.

16-20 from the free throw line in three games. 18 points, 22 boards, 7 assists tonight. Playoffs? I think so!

[54-46]

Happy season opener eve! The regular season may not matter much, but it beats the hell out of watching the NFL or the Dodgers.

[BmillsSkier]

I'm so pissed off at baseball right now that I can't bring myself to watch anything more than a highlight.

The NFL is garbage this year.

So yeah, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but welcome to the regular season NBA.

[BobMc]

Aaron Rodgers collarbone is broke, Michigan had to go to overtime to beat Indiana. I'm just waiting for the Pistons to let me down as well!

[54-46]

Aaron Rodgers collarbone is broke, Michigan had to go to overtime to beat Indiana. I'm just waiting for the Pistons to let me down as well!

You a Michigander? (So is my wife)

[BobMc]

You a Michigander? (So is my wife)

My first 30 years were mostly spent in Kalamazoo.

[lionelhutz]

Aaron Rodgers collarbone is broke, Michigan had to go to overtime to beat Indiana. I'm just waiting for the Pistons to let me down as well!

To be let down you need to have expectations.....if you have those about the Pistons your crazy.

[TahoeJ]

Bring it on! NFL is a dumpster fire this season... and not just because my team sucks (that was a foregone conclusion).