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NBA
Sept 8, 2019 21:34:52 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Sept 8, 2019 21:34:52 GMT -5
Because basketball is better than football.
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NBA
Sept 12, 2019 18:00:07 GMT -5
Post by KB8 on Sept 12, 2019 18:00:07 GMT -5
I get all sorts of looks for being a Scottish guy who's a Lakers fan, as if I hopped on that bandwagon for LeBron (or AD), and all I can say is I've been here since the fuckin Kwame Brown years and have earned my right to be insufferable.
This season should be mega fun, though. I don't feel comfortable picking anybody as a true favourite and that hasn't been the case in a long time.
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NBA
Sept 15, 2019 3:24:31 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2019 3:24:31 GMT -5
In a magical world where everyone is healthy, I would pick Clippers vs 76ers. I don't totally love that Sixers pick, but they have the size to give Giannis a ton of problems. I would not be shocked by something like Nuggets vs Bucks though.
I don't love the Lakers roster. Their 3 best players are all best at power forward. They seem determined to give real minutes to traditional Centers leaving AD to play 4. The guards all have issues. Rondo can't shoot and doesn't try. Green can't dribble. Bradley can't play offense. KCP is KCP. Upon pointing out that they don't exactly have a real PG you can trust (Quinn Cook & Rondo) I've had Lakers fans say LeBron will run the point as though this is a good plan.
Right now their best lineup is C - AD PF - Kuzma SF - LeBron SG - Danny Green PG - Rondo
It seems like Dwight/Javale are going to eat up a lot of the Center minutes so does Kuzma drop off? One of the Guards? Who is gonna shoot the ball from the perimeter?
I just don't see the plan. I do hope it works out because I'd like LeBron's twilight to be competitive at least.
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NBA
Sept 15, 2019 5:46:21 GMT -5
Post by KB8 on Sept 15, 2019 5:46:21 GMT -5
I don't love it either, honestly. Agreed that right now it all feels very haphazard and there are obvious holes there. Clippers feel like a much more well-rounded roster.
Maybe it's just because I'm a pessimist, but I'd be sort of shocked if they made it to the Finals.
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NBA
Sept 15, 2019 23:06:02 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2019 23:06:02 GMT -5
I mean, they could still make the Finals if everything breaks right. Health is obviously a key factor for any team, but it is especially important for them. LeBron isn't the LeBron he was in 2010 and Davis' Pelicans teams weren't churning out 50+ win seasons when it was just AD, Jrue & Role Players. LeBron and AD are both going to need to both be healthy for the majority of the season for them to make the playoffs. Especially because the west is so deep.
I don't know what Kuzma gets you on the trade market, but they should look into swapping him for a PG.
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NBA
Oct 22, 2019 22:20:00 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Oct 22, 2019 22:20:00 GMT -5
AEW is advertising in a major way on NBA opening night.
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NBA
Oct 31, 2019 15:54:39 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Oct 31, 2019 15:54:39 GMT -5
This really sucks about Steph Curry. But I'm excited for them to get the #1 pick and then sign Giannis in the summer of '21. I've been driving the Luka Doncic bandwagon since he was like 16, but he is really amazing to watch in the NBA. We've never seen a player even close to this polished at this age. He's already one of the smartest players in the league. I watched every Dallas game last year and already knew Luka was going to be an MVP one day, but he got his ass in shape and took a pretty big step forward. Dallas winning 50 games and Luka getting serious MVP consideration this season is entirely possible. I love this team. I don't know what to make of the Lakers still. AD is so fucking good its insane. There are no holes in his game. I hate the guards. I know Rondo will soak up minutes, but there's just been a lot of Caruso & Cook. Danny Green is actually the perfect role player for the modern era. He just can't dribble the ball. Which is a problem when he's in the backcourt with KCP or Avery Bradley. It forces LeBron to be more Point Lebron which I just don't want him to be at this age & with this many miles on him. Its hard to say with them because I want to see what lineups they're running out there when Kuzma & Rondo come back. Rondo, Danny Green, LeBron, Kuzma & AD is the best lineup they can put on the court with their current roster. So we really need to see what they all look like together. The Clippers though. My God. If everyone is healthy in the spring, I can't imagine a team beating them. I have no idea how teams are going to dribble against a defense with Beverly, Kawhi, George & Harkless, let alone score. Teams need to pray they don't end up with Iguodala. The Embiid/Karl Towns "Fight" was hilarious. Embiid laughing at him was classic shit. I love how Embiid always goes after guys like Towns or Drummond. His theoretical center "peers." That mentality is why Embiid is an MVP candidate and those other guys have been empty stat dudes thus far. The season has been a ton of fun so far.
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NBA
Nov 11, 2019 15:13:16 GMT -5
Post by KB8 on Nov 11, 2019 15:13:16 GMT -5
Lots of folk are going mental over the load management thing with Kawhi, and I guess to an extent I understand why, but I think because it's so ingrained in football/soccer over here (since the majority of teams need to rotate squads to cope with competing in several competitions over the season and so on) I don't really give a shit about it other than the fact it'll probably be a big part of why they win the title, so of course in that respect I say down with the load management! Make him play all 82, Adam!
Lakers have actually looked way better thus far than I was expecting. Figured it'd take a little while for them to get rolling, but other than last night it's mostly clicked alright.
Curry injury is definitely some bulljive but they're absolutely doing a '97 Spurs and rebooting this shit next season and everyone will wish they spent even MORE time dunking on them when they had the chance. They're too well-run an organisation to be dogshit for very long.
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NBA
Nov 12, 2019 0:12:20 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Nov 12, 2019 0:12:20 GMT -5
The load management stuff doesn't bug me. My reaction has been "oh Kawhi isn't playing, ok I'll watch (insert team x) instead." I understand why people have issues with it. But my hope is for as much health as possible both long term and w/in the current season, especially for all time greats like Kawhi. So if he has to sit on back to backs or whatever, I'm fine with it. They also had load management prior to this. It just looked different. Magic Johnson not playing defense for entire regular seasons was a form of load management Lakers have looked really good. The defense has been great. Not to be a negative nancy, but they have had a fairly easy strength of schedule thus far. Luckily it will remain so for some time. They could easily sweep through November with home games against GSW, Kings, Hawks, OKC & Wizards & away games against OKC, Memphis, Pels. @ Phoenix tomorrow and @ San Antonio the 25th are their toughest games for the rest of the month. They could absolutely be sitting at 17-2 on 12/1. Then they have Dallas at home & @ Denver & @ Utah, three tough games. Then they go @portland, home for Minny then road trip to Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, Indiana. Before finally starting on 12/19 they have a 3 game stretch @ Bucks, home vs Denver & Christmas vs Clippers. Something like 25-5 going into Christmas day is absolutely not out of the question. When your toughest game of the next 10 or so is maybe @ Phoenix, you're doing good. I agree in theory about GSW bouncing back but there's definitely not a Duncan in this draft. Duncan was as close to a sure thing as there ever was coming out of the draft. He was first team All NBA, 2nd team All Defense & 5th in MVP voting as a rookie. Wiseman isn't going to be that. Also should point out how much it sucks about Gordon Heyward. He looked all the way back. I keep finding myself watching Memphis games for some reason. Ja Morant is gonna be awesome. They're 2-7, but are a fun watch. Speaking of fun watches, Boban is a real player. He gets the freak show treatment because of his size and the way he looks, but thats a guy that can really play. Better shooter than you'd thing.
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NBA
Nov 12, 2019 5:55:58 GMT -5
Post by KB8 on Nov 12, 2019 5:55:58 GMT -5
Yeah, load management certainly isn't a new thing in the NBA. You mentioned Magic, but it's not like LeBron hasn't been doing something similar the last few seasons. Obviously Pop and the Spurs have been doing it for a while. Now that they've stuck the label and spotlight on it there seems to be more push-back, which I get in some respects, but again it isn't an issue to me at all.
Oh the Warriors won't Spurs it in the sense they'll get a Duncan in the draft, but the bounce back the following year with everyone getting healthy again with a top prospect to go with it is about as close to Spursing it as you'll get at this point. And of course they'll attract top free agents (next year isn't a great batch, but in '21...).
I love Ja Morant. He's absolutely going to be a star.
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NBA
Jan 16, 2020 20:41:50 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Jan 16, 2020 20:41:50 GMT -5
The Bucks' WWE inspired pregame complete with a people's elbow and Eddy Guerrero dq fakeout spot is outstanding. I didn't think Giannis could be more likeable but here we are.
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NBA
May 14, 2023 8:53:26 GMT -5
Post by mrjmml on May 14, 2023 8:53:26 GMT -5
What do you think about the western conference finals? The Nuggets look unstoppable.
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