ATL - 2021-22 Regular Season Begins

Post #961 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:46 am

Reggie saying don't jump off the Lakers bandwagon, they started like this last season when the Lakers were the 7th seed and fighting for final spot is pretty wonderful.

Plossum · Post #962 » by **Plossum** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:57 am

This is fine.

tedbrogen · Post #963 » by **tedbrogen** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:26 am

BroncoBuck wrote:I know medical science has improved, but Redd was never the same when he essentially missed 2 seasons of basketball. Banking on Klay to return to form especially on the defensive side seems tough. I don’t think he will have problems shooting, but I can’t imagine he will be anywhere close to the same defensive player.

Also, what made the Warriors offense great was that everyone was always moving. If Klay has lost a step, it will also affect his movement on O.

Even if he somehow comes back and is the same player, it will take a bit to get back into form and they’ll be behind in the seeding race. I just don’t see how people have them coming out of the west.

brettski · Post #964 » by **brettski** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:52 am

Kinda nice seeing the two teams most predicted to be in the finals both lose on opening day.

drdrG · Post #965 » by **drdrG** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:05 am

Sorry if this was posted before but seeing the Sixers stuff today has been amazing. One of my favorite Giannis memories over the years was his first 50 bomb and calling Simmons "a f****** baby". He knew it years ago and now the entire Sixers organization agrees with him

ZeppelinPage · Post #966 » by **ZeppelinPage** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:25 am

Godspeed to those Mavs fans when watching Kidd coach this year.

DrWood · Post #967 » by **DrWood** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:45 am

WeekapaugGroove wrote:
DrWood wrote:
WeekapaugGroove wrote:No not at all, I was referring to the teams who made the picks not individual players. But he did leave before winning a chip with Cleveland. I just found it interesting that 30 years worth of #1 overall picks and only Duncan and Kyrie actually won chips with the team that drafted them (LeBron obviously won with Cleveland but that was after returning as a FA). Overall was just saying getting the number 1 overall really hasn't been a cure all for the franchise that lands it.

We as fans when our team is bad we dream about landing 1 and getting a franchise guy and things will be great for the next decade plus but that's just not been the reality of it like at all.

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If cure = winning a championship with that player as the #1, which seems rather restrictive definition of success.
Yeah it's definitely narrow and I hate the rings are all that matters ****. I was actually going to go a little deeper on it but was working and didn't have time.

But it's not just rings, if you go through that list for 30 years there's more bad/disappointing outcomes than great. Like Blake Griffin/Clippers is probably a top 5 outcome of that group. Lots of great players but some of those runs were short. Orlando picked right with Shaq and Howard and made two finals runs but both tenures ended pretty rough and I don't know if magic fans look back with fondness of those guys.

Big Dog would be a good example. I loved the guy and he was a good player. His tenure is about the median of what teams get out of picking 1. Overall just figured getting the #1 pick would have a better track record so thought it was interesting when looking back.

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If you looked at the actual careers of #1 picks, you'd see a lot more have been successes. Even Yao Ming who only played 7 seasons was a huge success.
You can go to this: https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2012.html and move from year to year. That happens to directed to Anthony Davis's year, and that was a huge success too.

DrWood · Post #968 » by **DrWood** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:46 am

Chad34 wrote:Vegas must’ve been smoking ass crack when they put GSW as a contender.

this didn't age well.

DrWood · Post #969 » by **DrWood** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:51 am

Milbucks96 wrote:
LedZepp007 wrote:
WeekapaugGroove wrote:I'm not saying he takes HGH but...

Should note I actually don't really care if pro athletes take that or other designer drugs, and lot do. Plus what's legal for them to take and what's not is a pretty arbitrary deal these days. We're long past the days of bad steroids.

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He’s on a **** of gear. Has been since at least Miami. TBH, Giannis too and a bunch of other NBA stars

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It’s crazy to think any athlete at the top of their sport doesn’t take anything.

no it's not, if "anything" means proscribed PEDs.

Chad34 · Post #970 » by **Chad34** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:12 am

DrWood wrote:
Chad34 wrote:Vegas must’ve been smoking ass crack when they put GSW as a contender.

this didn't age well.

Nah, the lakers are just even more trash. No way they (gsw)contend, let alone justify being the 4th highest odds.
These two teams were both in the playin game last year and neither have improved that much. Lakers got worse in my opinion.

LedZepp007 · Post #971 » by **LedZepp007** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:52 am

DrWood wrote:
Milbucks96 wrote:
LedZepp007 wrote:He’s on a **** of gear. Has been since at least Miami. TBH, Giannis too and a bunch of other NBA stars

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It’s crazy to think any athlete at the top of their sport doesn’t take anything.

no it's not, if "anything" means proscribed PEDs.

I really think many (most?) take them. A lot of real unnatural stuff going on in sports. Look at soccer, running, and cycling. Look at Lebron looking athletic and playing night-in-night-out after playing god knows how many hard NBA minutes.

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FlagsFlyForever · Post #972 » by **FlagsFlyForever** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:58 am

Brooklyn will get better. Los Angeles will not. That roster behind LeBron and AD is absolute trash. It has to be the worst 3-17 in the league.

Profound23 · Post #973 » by **Profound23** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:13 pm

Besides the retirement home jokes....I heard a lot of positives about the Lakers acquisitions this offseason.

If they collapse I don't want to hear how Lebron needs more help.....I don't want to hear injury excuses. Lebron went to LA because he said it would be easier to recruit and live the LA lifestyle....he recruited the players he wanted.

Ron Swanson · Post #974 » by **Ron Swanson** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:24 pm

Wondering how long it's gonna take before the Lakers trade Westbrook for John Wall....

RogerMurdock · Post #975 » by **RogerMurdock** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:37 pm

I'm in the "let's not bury the Lakers just yet" camp, considering they do have LeBron, AD, and Westbook, but I do think it's funny that Melo has been lumped in with those three as a conquering hero going into the season. I mean, he has had a wonderful career, but he's pretty washed at this point.

WRau1 · Post #976 » by **WRau1** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:42 pm

I think TOR is going to be a lot better than people think, like 5 or 6 seed.

LedZepp007 · Post #977 » by **LedZepp007** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:52 pm

Somehow, I always forget that AD is always flailing around and falling down. If he gets hurt again, the Lakers are going to be in a world of ****. They are an AD injury away from seeing dozens of Westbrook and Lebron ISO possessions per game.

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emunney · Post #978 » by **emunney** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:58 pm

WRau1 wrote:I think TOR is going to be a lot better than people think, like 5 or 6 seed.

Tough, smart, long roster with juuuuust enough shotmaking. Plus OG looks like he might be about to take a major step. I think they're right there with Miami once Siakam comes back.

WRau1 · Post #979 » by **WRau1** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:58 pm

I'm really interested in seeing this Bulls team play, they look like a fun team.

Ayt · Post #980 » by **Ayt** » Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:18 pm

The injuries for the Lakers certainly aren't helping. It will be easier for Vogel to make better lineups when they get back Nunn, THT, Ellington, and eventually Ariza (though he may be washed).

My main issue with their roster outside of the obvious Westbrook problem is the lack of 3/4 sized wings. They brought in Ariza, who is 36 and didn't look very good physically against the Bucks last year in the 1st round and is now out for at least 2 months after ankle surgery, and Melo who is 37 and is a seriously flawed player.

When LeBron is on the bench, it makes sense to try to play some Westbrook ball with AD at the 5. Last night, that lineup was Rondo/Westbrook/Monk/Melo/AD and it was awful. It was -7 in 2 minutes at the end of the 1st, and -6 in 2 minutes at the end of the 3rd. You could swap out Rondo for Nunn for better outside shooting and Monk for a very good slasher in THT and that lineup would look better, but you are still stuck with Melo at the 4 unless Ariza can come back from ankle surgery and look good.

It will be interesting to see how the Lakers find a way to make the Westbrook/AD duo work when LeBron is on the bench. It will also be interesting to see if they can find a solution to their wing problem. A good trade or signing of a solid small ball 4 type player would do wonders for their team. They also may simply be stuck with Melo since he's friends with LeBron.