2017-2018 NBA Thread

[TahoeJ]

No one gives a fuck if LeeeeBron leaves again.

I agree with most of what you said, but c'mon, this is bullshit. All the way.

[BmillsSkier]

I agree with most of what you said, but c'mon, this is bullshit. All the way.

I get back up north for family events and to catch the occasional game. I tune into local sports talk online at least once a week and as surprising as it may sound I assure you: the majority of CLE fans won’t care/will understand if and when he leaves again. It’s a simple as that Championship. Winning heals all wounds.

It also helps that he probably won’t have some circus sideshow with Jim Grey to announce where he’s taking his talents. You won’t have the jersey-burning you had the first time around. It’ll be a slap on the back and a smile when thinking about that title. I mean shit, you hear how tepid the boos were for Kyrie tonight? (As they should be. Maybe a boo or two for the goofball shit he’s been saying, but most there realized he hit the biggest shot in franchise history since Jordan over Ehlo and appreciate him for that).

[BobMc]

Looks like Houston isn't down with the inevitable GS championship run.

[Crusty]

God damnit. The Celtics were going to be fun to watch this year. Just when we were talking about how the NFL sucks because of too many injuries. Maybe it's something he can recover from before the season is over - in like 6 months - although it sure looked bad.

This doesn't show it, but the bench reaction is all you need to see:

https://twitter.com/2Sphil/status/920447814227738624

Yeah I don't know.......

I'm not a pro basketball player but I had a similar injury and it was life changing and not in a good way.

Took a couple years to get back to 70%. Hope he ends up better than I did. Godspeed Gordon.

[TahoeJ]

Looks like Houston isn't down with the inevitable GS championship run.

Meh, Green was banged up and we started 0-1 last year too.

And of course we know Harden’s game doesn’t work in the playoffs.

[Fallenberg]

Was hoping it was "just" a dislocation for Hayward, but the sound told a different story. Bad deal all the way around, hope he can recover

[lionelhutz]

Was hoping it was "just" a dislocation for Hayward, but the sound told a different story. Bad deal all the way around, hope he can recover

It was a gruesome injury that reminded me of the worst ankle breaks I've ever seen. He's going to have a very very long road to recovery from that injury. I'd wager he's at two years at least before he's back playing well - just look how long it took Paul George to come back from his injury.

[wyeaster]

really a bummer for him and the team.

[BmillsSkier]

It completely shook the Q- changed the game and the tone. Watching more highlights this morning you could see how sick the benches, the fans, and the entire arena were almost immediately after he went down.

Hope he heals up quickly.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

From some surgeon on Hayward:

"If it’s not in the joint, if it’s more in the tibia bone and the fibula bone but it’s outside of the joint – up a little higher, then it can take realistically 12 weeks – it could be healed and he could realistically be playing on it," Gill said. "If it’s more in the joint – what we call a Pilon fracture – or if there is a lot of ligament damage on top of it, then more than likely he would be out for the season."

[TahoeJ]

If he comes back before the playoffs that would be truly amazing.

Reminds me of that Shaun Livingston injury several years back... although that was much worse and he was lucky to keep his leg! That he is still playing today is a borderline miracle.

[wyeaster]

it will take a while to get over it mentally regardless of how fast the physical injury heals. run of the mill injuries like acls can take time to get over and trust again. seeing your foot sticking out at 90 degrees on top of the pain will probably leave a mark on the psyche for a while.

[TahoeJ]

Probably so. I shattered my wrist a number of years back and after 4+ months in a cast and several more in a stiff brace I got to the point where I was afraid to take it off and trust my bone structure. And that doesn’t even involve landing on it.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

From Shavlik Randolph who had a very similar injury:

"It's about a 4-6 month recovery. The ligaments take 6-8 weeks and the tibia was about three months to heal in all the places it broke. Ironically, I had the same injury and as bad as it looks it does heal back to 100 percent and does so surprisingly fast. I think there's a chance he could be back this season if he really pushed it. The team will be cautious to bring him back too fast, but I think he could by the end of the season. Maybe not back to full 100 percent by then, but I wouldn't be shocked if he can and does play."

[Danno]

Thanks, I'll take that optimism.

[Sluff]

Wolves down the Thunder with a buzzer beater, back and forth at the end. Banks are open on Sunday night. Nice.

[TahoeJ]

If it happens in a major sports league, the NBA will be first for sure.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Jayson Tatum's first 6 NBA games: 15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 50.9% FG, 53.3% 3PT.

19 years old. 20 points on 9 shots tonight. So smooth. Playing good D. Has the reach of a 7 footer. Kid is the real deal.

[Danno]

Stoked, if he turns out to be the best player in this draft that would be awesome.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

5 straight for the C's with seven guys under 25 in the rotation. Their D has been phenomenal. They'll have some stretches where they struggle to score, but when Hayward gets back this team will be a force.

[wyeaster]

they'll just get crushed in the playoffs by the superteam in cleveland

[BobMc]

Pistons beat the Clippers in their gym Saturday night, then head to Oracle the next night and beat the Warriors. They lead the East at 5-2. They moved up one spot on the ESPN power rankings to 15, heh. I don't expect a top 10, but c'mon, a little respect?

[I've seen black diamonds!]

they'll just get crushed in the playoffs by the superteam in cleveland

This year? Hayward probably won't play again. Next year? Cleveland superteam won't exist. Even if Lebron doesn't leave, that team as currently constructed is a mess.

[wyeaster]

cleveland is not a superteam now. it was a joke.

https://deadspin.com/the-cavaliers-stink-1819977200

[I've seen black diamonds!]

cleveland is not a superteam now. it was a joke.

https://deadspin.com/the-cavaliers-stink-1819977200

Yeah, Lebron is too good for them to continue to be an utter disaster, but Lue has his work cut out for him. A third of the team can't shoot, another third doesn't play D, and the last third is way past its collective prime. And they have the biggest payroll in the league.