2021/2022 NBA Thread: Anyone but the Lakers or Nets!

[Mustonen]

Hahaha it's so easy and fun




I mean that statline shows that Kobe put in more effort in that game (game 6 of the 2008 finals) than Klay and Curry combined last night. Close out game, gets blown out and Kobe still played 43 minutes. And he took as many shots as Klay and Curry did last night. Shooters gonna shot.

Warriors win last night and the team gets more rest overall. Might have been worth trying a little harder in the second half.

I mean, maybe…. I imagine if they were facing elimination they’d have played more minutes, but at some point the Grizzlies were playing too well to be on the losing end of the greatest comeback in NBA history and it was game 5 on the road. Take care of business at home and don’t do anything stupid.

I liked watching Kobe play because he was the closest thing to Jordan. But he was more than a little bit of a self-aggrandizing stat monster.

[Danno]

Oh, is this the Kobe who pouted and took 3 shots in the 2nd half of a GAME 7 (with only 1 assist on the night, so it's not like he was setting up others) because people had the audacity to suggest he was a ball hog?

Look, he was a great player, as much as I hate him for being a rapist I recognize that. And no doubt he had the killer mentality, and one aspect of his greatness was his relentlessness, and how he usually outworked his opponents. But the fucking deification of him post-death, the idea that he was some singular thing that was somehow different than other great players of his era or other eras, is ludicrous. His team (and he) choked up some big games, just like any other basketball great. He had his share of temper tantrums. The notion that HE wouldn't have let his team lose the way Steph and Klay let their team lose is fucking ridiculous. And the fact that you're doubling down on it regarding a game he lost by 39 in an elimination game in the Finals? A game where he shot less than 33% with as many turnovers as assists and rebounds combined, simply because he played 43 minutes? I watched that game (with great enjoyment). He sucked. He put up bricks and didn't do a goddam thing to lift his teammates up. I can't tell you why he played 43 minutes, but I can tell you he was definitely not helping his team much. The notion that somehow that game proves the point that "The mamba wouldn't allow this shit" when it's been shown to you that yes, he did allow this shit, and lost by 39 in an elimination game in the goddam finals, is ludicrous.

[TahoeJ]

^^ Shutting down BS narratives with facts. Haha it's so easy and fun.

[54-46]

Harden sucked tonight and looked disinterested
CP3 and Booker with 13 TOs

Seems like inconsistent performances are the ironic constant.

[cinnepa]

yeah harden sucked but it's an organizational problem - losing mentality, no identity. how do you not give effort in a game? this is worse than losing to the hawks last season. it's a cultural problem that's been going on for years and i don't see anything changing. always trying to buy and plug a new guy in every year for embiid - it's not working. owners who are making a profit don't give a crap - GM making mistakes every year - not working. no accountability by teammates.....would love to blame it on Glenn Rivers but he has crap to work with too............yeah he supposedly runs a country club atmosphere (easy practices, days off) - i don't see the Heat organization doing that, with maybe the best coach, GM, owners in the league.............at this point it's let's go birds; since the phillies blow as well.

[TahoeJ]

Seems like inconsistent performances are the ironic constant.

The mantra of never overreact to one game has never been more true. I think that's the result of there being no great teams but a lot of very good teams the past few seasons.

Jimmy Butler: "Tobias Harris over me???" - lol... ouch.

[cinnepa]

^^^was funny - worse was interview on court - "I wish i was still on this team with joel"


tobias, simmons and brett brown were all preferred at the time.

[Danno]

The Sixers all just looked terrible. How you can look so lackluster in an elimination game is beyond me. And Embiid was not an exception.

If I'm Morey, I have to get rid of Doc, because while much of the blame falls on the players, it also falls on Doc. I enjoy their failures, but I also feel kinda sorry for them and how dysfunctional they appear.

[MultiVerse]

The 76ers' are cursed because of the way they treated Allen Iverson twenty years ago:

[TahoeJ]

It's funny how much of the focus has been on Harden disappearing in the second half. He's done that his entire career in the playoffs.

My money is on a Mike D'Antoni / Daryl Morey / James Harden reunion. Doc Rivers will go to the Lakers.

[MultiVerse]

What I don't understand is how Harden is looking at something like a max five year contract. I get there's a preexisting deal but I don't think last night's performance was just another bad playoff game for an otherwise elite player. He looks like he's in deep physical decline. He can no longer do the things that once made him both infuriating and great.

[::: :::]

Agree ^^^
Harden used to be the focus of an offense, more of a support player now

and, dare i say, not good enough to sport that awful statement beard anymore

[Danno]

I can't say because I don't know these guys and what they're doing in the off-season, but I honestly think he reached the point in his career where transcendent physical skill doesn't keep you as a transcendent player, and he needs to devote himself to fitness and quickness. He looks like he carries too much weight to do the stuff he wants to do at his age.

Some guys make that transition, they take better care of their bodies and they adapt to the slight decline in athleticism. Can he?

[TahoeJ]

What I don't understand is how Harden is looking at something like a max five year contract. I get there's a preexisting deal but I don't think last night's performance was just another bad playoff game for an otherwise elite player. He looks like he's in deep physical decline. He can no longer do the things that once made him both infuriating and great.

Right now the only pre-existing deal is a one year opt-in for like $47 million, which of course he will exercise. At this point it's hard to believe any team would be willing to pay Harden a 5 year max - imagine paying him $60 million when he's 37 years old?

But there's always the Knicks and Kings so who knows?

On a similar note, this off-season between the Nets and Kyrie is going to be interesting. If the Nets are smart they'll tell Kyrie to go get fucked and tell KD tough shit, we aren't committing to your buddy long term (without a substantial discount). Those two aren't winning a title together without an actual playmaker on the team to facilitate. Kyrie has these flashy games and gets overrated - he's legit one of the worst defensive players in the league (making big money).

[Danno]

Right now the only pre-existing deal is a one year opt-in for like $47 million, which of course he will exercise. At this point it's hard to believe any team would be willing to pay Harden a 5 year max - imagine paying him $60 million when he's 37 years old?

But there's always the Knicks and Kings so who knows?

On a similar note, this off-season between the Nets and Kyrie is going to be interesting. If the Nets are smart they'll tell Kyrie to go get fucked and tell KD tough shit, we aren't committing to your buddy long term. Those two aren't winning a title together without an actual playmaker on the team to facilitate. Kyrie has these flashy games and gets overrated - he's legit one of the worst defensive players in the league.

I agree that the Nets are a source of great drama. In theory, they have the playmaker on the roster already (Simmons), lol.

Kyrie is not an inherently bad defensive player, there was a period on the Celtics where he actually tried and did ok. But he is definitely way more interested in being Kyrie than he is in being a successful part of a team. And for that, I love him (when he's on teams I care nothing about).

[Adolf Allerbush]

I agree that the Nets are a source of great drama. In theory, they have the playmaker on the roster already (Simmons), lol.

Kyrie is not an inherently bad defensive player, there was a period on the Celtics where he actually tried and did ok. But he is definitely way more interested in being Kyrie than he is in being a successful part of a team. And for that, I love him (when he's on teams I care nothing about).

Kyrie and Westbrook would be the ultimate combo I would love to see as long as its on a team I care nothing about.

[Danno]

Kyrie and Westbrook would be the ultimate combo I would love to see as long as its on a team I care nothing about.

omg they would drive each other absolutely bonkers.

[TahoeJ]

Kyrie and Westbrook would be the ultimate combo I would love to see as long as its on a team I care nothing about.

This would be fucking incredible... lol...

[MarcusBrody]

This would be fucking incredible... lol...

i thought the Lakers of a few years ago were going to have all time meme team potential when they had (not all totally at the same time due to injuries):
LeBron
AD
Dwight
DeMarcus Cousins
Javale McGee
Kuz
Markieff Morris
Dion Waters
Rondo
Dennis Schroeder
JR Smith

And yet somehow it all worked. But add Westbrook...

So as a lover of drama on teams I'm not rooting for, I would LOVE to see Kyrie and Westbrook together.

[cinnepa]

Well, Morey just said Glenn is returning as coach next season.....unfortunately.

[Danno]

As a Philly hater, that makes me happy. I will always love Doc for 2008, but he's just not a great coach.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Morey will sign Harden too...guy has perma boner over that guy.

[TahoeJ]

Okay... so Scott Foster is a scratch for the Boston game tonight due to a non-covid illness. Which will leave him available to officiate the Mavs / Suns game 7. Apparently he saw another opportunity to establish his dominance over CP3 and couldn't resist. lol... please let this happen.

[Danno]

Celtics Bucks feels like Ali Frazier, two heavyweights battling to exhaustion.

[TahoeJ]

I’m so fucking pissed at these Warriors turnovers. Jesus fucking Christ. If they just cut the shit and played semi-clean they’d be way up. So frustrating.