NBA 2020-2021, Let the Season Begin

[riser4]

Fuck the Lakers.

[riser4]

What is it about Marcus Smart? The Celtics play so much better with him in the game.

[Woodsy]

Fuck the Lakers.

Fuck the Lakers, fuck, fuck the La kers...

Interesting D mitch and Rudy didnt complain about the refs when they shot more than 20 more free throws than the Cs....

[54-46]

Fuck the Lakers.

Not just the Lakers. Screw the Clippers, too. When does their 5 years start? FTS

[BobMc]

Really starting to like the Piston’s draft picks (jury still out on Killian Hayes), Saddiq Bey and Beef Stew have worked out pretty well. Bey could be the scoring wing they’ve needed for a while.

Sad to see Shawn Bradley paralyzed, have never been a BYU fan but he came into the BMW dealership where I worked and was a super nice guy.

Shawn Bradley anecdote... He was thinking of buying a BMW and came over to my department (used cars at the time) to get a bid on his trade. He pulled up in a Ford double cab pickup, he was looking out the back door window when he pulled up. His truck had been modified with the seats way back which made the rearward window his side window. Pretty weird to see a truck pull up with nobody driving and someone looking out the back side window.

We had a family with two 5-6 year olds buying a car, the little kids were out on the porch of the building. I’ll never forget the bugging out of their eyes when Shawn got out of the truck and came up the steps of the building. At 7’6” he had to duck to get through the doorway of our building. The kids looked like they were witnessing Gulliver come into their world.

In the end he couldn’t really fit in anything BMW made and drove off in his truck.

[brutah]

Really starting to like the Piston’s draft picks (jury still out on Killian Hayes), Saddiq Bey and Beef Stew have worked out pretty well. Bey could be the scoring wing they’ve needed for a while.

Sad to see Shawn Bradley paralyzed, have never been a BYU fan but he came into the BMW dealership where I worked and was a super nice guy.

Shawn Bradley anecdote... He was thinking of buying a BMW and came over to my department (used cars at the time) to get a bid on his trade. He pulled up in a Ford double cab pickup, he was looking out the back door window when he pulled up. His truck had been modified with the seats way back which made the rearward window his side window. Pretty weird to see a truck pull up with nobody driving and someone looking out the back side window.

We had a family with two 5-6 year olds buying a car, the little kids were out on the porch of the building. I’ll never forget the bugging out of their eyes when Shawn got out of the truck and came up the steps of the building. At 7’6” he had to duck to get through the doorway of our building. The kids looked like they were witnessing Gulliver come into their world.

In the end he couldn’t really fit in anything BMW made and drove off in his truck.

So sad to here about shawn bradley. How does a driver miss a 7'6" person on a bike?!

Have only heard good stories about the dude. I did get to play basketball at the gym he built for his HS alumi mater in emery or carbon county, utah. Bradley built a legit basketball stadium for this little rural town. It rivaled a lot of the college stadiums in Utah.

[AdironRider]

Scalabrine taking the kid to school.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/high-sc...131648528.html

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Scalabrine taking the kid to school.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/high-sc...131648528.html

That was cool. Scalabrine, who is old and fat, and was sub-par athlete by NBA standards, looks pretty damn agile playing against a normal human.

[half-fast]

He walked on just about every in the paint shot

[Woodsy]

He walked on just about every in the paint shot

did you miss the part about "former NBA player?"

Tonights Jazz Nets tussle should be interesting.

[MultiVerse]

He walked on just about every in the paint shot

The refs really should start calling the more egregious traveling violations:

https://twitter.com/sovietvisuals/st...35745350533120

[cinnepa]

nice move Nuggets - Arron Gordon.
Magic cleaning house.

[The Reverend Floater]

Not sure about the Zers move. Powell is a legit offensive weapon who's putting up career numbers. But he doesn't seem to solve anything with our defensive woes nor add a position of need. I was really hoping for Gordon. And we gave up Gary Trent Jr. who was pretty solid. Getting rid of Hood was addition by subtraction, financially.

Nugs are a new team and are going to tear asses.

[Woodsy]

Jazz add another long range sniper, hope Quin can improve his D.
Do not like Nugs getting better, still have a little PTSD from last season.

[Woodsy]

and Dwight gotta Dwight, who gets their ring and gets tossed same game....

[cinnepa]

Doc called him a clown, good one.

[fatnslow]

Not sure about the Zers move. Powell is a legit offensive weapon who's putting up career numbers. But he doesn't seem to solve anything with our defensive woes nor add a position of need. I was really hoping for Gordon. And we gave up Gary Trent Jr. who was pretty solid. Getting rid of Hood was addition by subtraction, financially.

Nugs are a new team and are going to tear asses.

All Blazer fans will look back at Lillard's career and think what a waste. Hope he ends up with a winning franchise to get a ring in the next 4-5 years since it probably won't happen here as long as Labron's around the western conference. If Clay Thompson comes back anywhere close to preinjury level the Blazers are fucked for the next 2-4 years, at best 4-5 seed. Pretty much exactly where they've been the last few years.

[Adolf Allerbush]

All Blazer fans will look back at Lillard's career and think what a waste. Hope he ends up with a winning franchise to get a ring in the next 4-5 years since it probably won't happen here as long as Labron's around the western conference. If Clay Thompson comes back anywhere close to preinjury level the Blazers are fucked for the next 2-4 years, at best 4-5 seed. Pretty much exactly where they've been the last few years.

I'm hoping the Powell move is part of a larger plan, but not holding my breath. We got rid of Hood, and his salary, so that's nice. Powell has a player option and GT Jr. was going to be a FA, so I think the Zers figured he'd bounce for a nice salary somewhere. This Powell thing is either a year rental, or he allows the Zers to move CJ for another piece. Love CJ and all, but we need a solid forward.

Zers made the western conference finals so I think they have a chance...again, just need to get some more pieces around Dame...easier said than done.

[The Reverend Floater]

I'm hoping the Powell move is part of a larger plan, but not holding my breath. We got rid of Hood, and his salary, so that's nice. Powell has a player option and GT Jr. was going to be a FA, so I think the Zers figured he'd bounce for a nice salary somewhere. This Powell thing is either a year rental, or he allows the Zers to move CJ for another piece. Love CJ and all, but we need a solid forward.

Zers made the western conference finals so I think they have a chance...again, just need to get some more pieces around Dame...easier said than done.

Agreed though it's worth noting Powell is already often at the 3 and will likely play along Dame and Cj. I like the idea of him coming off the bench with Melo from an offensive standpoint.

But fuck...we need a true PF badly and probably higher caliber SF. Maybe we're hoping to sign and trade Powell?

[Danno]

I'm a hudge basketball fan, and no way should people look back at Dame's career as a waste. A career isn't pointless just because it didn't include a title. Portland has been a well run team for a long time and always been a tough out. IMO they've not been underachievers, there's no shame in the fact that there were always a few teams that were better.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Agreed though it's worth noting Powell is already often at the 3 and will likely play along Dame and Cj. I like the idea of him coming off the bench with Melo from an offensive standpoint.

But fuck...we need a true PF badly and probably higher caliber SF. Maybe we're hoping to sign and trade Powell?

True, could be a sign and trade. Frustrating that they can't seem to make the right moves.

[The Reverend Floater]

True, could be a sign and trade. Frustrating that they can't seem to make the right moves.

So Powell and Victor O are very similar players, with Victor being better defensively. The Rockets basically gave him away. Did we not try with the same offer we made for Powell? The Rockets got shit in return.

[concretejungle]

So Powell and Victor O are very similar players, with Victor being better defensively. The Rockets basically gave him away. Did we not try with the same offer we made for Powell? The Rockets got shit in return.

Dipo to the Heat was telegraphed months ago, I believe, so he was heading to South Beach either way, hence the small return (looks stupid now to have not gotten LeVert). Perhaps the Blazers believe they can sign Powell long term. I still don't like getting rid of Trent Jr. but I guess if you have to pay CJ and Nurk that much your hands are tied.

[fatnslow]

I'm a hudge basketball fan, and no way should people look back at Dame's career as a waste. A career isn't pointless just because it didn't include a title. Portland has been a well run team for a long time and always been a tough out. IMO they've not been underachievers, there's no shame in the fact that there were always a few teams that were better.

I'm not saying Dame's career as a waated career but the organization didn't build correctly around him and didn't maximize his greatness. Their trip to the western conference was due to other teams injuries not because they were built to win. Been a Blazer fan since the 70's and one of the biggest problems is that it's a one horse town so the fans don't really ever have any urgency as long as a bit of playoff success every few years. Blazers are a bit of a rudderless ship without Paul Allen and don't anticipate CJ going anywhere as long as Neil Olshay is around. Playoff run with 2 ball centric guards and nothing else will be a short one. Dame has salvaged quite a few wins at the last minute but it won't be as effective in the playoffs.
Luv Dame and he already is the Blazers GOAT and wish the guy a ring or two regardless of the team, kind of like Clyde.

[Danno]

I'm not saying Dame's career as a waated career but the organization didn't build correctly around him and didn't maximize his greatness. Their trip to the western conference was due to other teams injuries not because they were built to win. Been a Blazer fan since the 70's and one of the biggest problems is that it's a one horse town so the fans don't really ever have any urgency as long as a bit of playoff success every few years. Blazers are a bit of a rudderless ship without Paul Allen and don't anticipate CJ going anywhere as long as Neil Olshay is around. Playoff run with 2 ball centric guards and nothing else will be a short one. Dame has salvaged quite a few wins at the last minute but it won't be as effective in the playoffs.
Luv Dame and he already is the Blazers GOAT and wish the guy a ring or two regardless of the team, kind of like Clyde.

Dame is amazeballs and if he was on my team, I would LOVE him. But the stark reality is that a Blazers team with him as the best player will likely never win a title. There are probably 2 teams in the last 20 years that won without one of the absolute best in the league on their team (and for as good as Dame is, he's not cracking the top 5). So unless the Blazers are willing to accept that reality (they're not nor should they be IMO) they're not going to win a title. From my view, the Blazers are a well run and well coached team that has done a decent job of maximizing their talent. Players like CJ are often really tough to deal with from a mgmt POV. You won't get equal value if you trade them and you end up being forced to pay them, yet they also aren't the type of superstar that will bring you a title. But are you willing to deal them and hope to draft that second superstar? Because again, you're not going to deal them for a better player.

If the goal is purely title or bust, are you willing to have them blow up the team on the slight chance that they strike gold in the draft?