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New season, new thread.

Here's the 2016-17 thread.

Can't argue with that logic

If people on this board consider the Nets to be a potential darkhorse 10-6 seed in the East if things go well, I'd say the same is true for the Mavs in the West. I'm definitely high on Dennis Smith Jrs potential


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some folks on this board like to raise the expectations severely high for a team full of kids in their early 20s and when those expectations aren't met, they'll quickly dog out the young players. i expect Russell and RHJ to take the most heat from the ones who are doing this.

i wouldn't take that darkhorse 6th seed talk remotely serious. we'll win games, and we'll lose plenty because other teams, especially out west, have more talent and experience. the NBA isn't a cake walk. we'll compete in games but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll come out winning most nights. when you have a young team like ours...never discount the fact that someone is going to do something stupid at the worst time. and it's alright. because they've got to learn one way or another.

MrDollarBills wrote:some folks on this board like to raise the expectations severely high for a team full of kids in their early 20s and when those expectations aren't met, they'll quickly dog out the young players. i expect Russell and RHJ to take the most heat from the ones who are doing this.

i wouldn't take that darkhorse 6th seed talk remotely serious. we'll win games, and we'll lose plenty because other teams, especially out west, have more talent and experience. the NBA isn't a cake walk. we'll compete in games but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll come out winning most nights.

I still remember the Suns playoff run in the West a few seasons back, who played a similar push the pace style, and definitely think 8-10 is doable in a weak East, given the Nets generated the most open 3pt opportunities last season (Lowe quoted this stat)


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i think we'll be a tough out every night. however, do we have the leadership and IQ maturity to execute late in the 4th.

most of our losses last season came down to just guys doing dumb **** late in games, which is an attribute of youth.

i'm fine either way. hopefully we can get more high IQ plays in the 4th.

Re my prediction that DeAaron Fox will surprise this year

Against the Spurs in his first preseason game
He did this

17 minutes
16 points on 7-8 shooting
3 assists
1 rebound
1 block
1 steal

Edit - I have Dennis Smith Jr first in my rookie PG ranking because of Carlisle. Fox was my favorite PG in this years draft

Boston clearly improved...

shakendfries wrote:If people on this board consider the Nets to be a potential darkhorse 10-6 seed in the East if things go well, I'd say the same is true for the Mavs in the West. I'm definitely high on Dennis Smith Jrs potential


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If Smith plays well they are a good team.
The West is dang good, that's where the problem is. And Dirk is getting up there.

MrDollarBills wrote:some folks on this board like to raise the expectations severely high for a team full of kids in their early 20s and when those expectations aren't met, they'll quickly dog out the young players. i expect Russell and RHJ to take the most heat from the ones who are doing this.

i wouldn't take that darkhorse 6th seed talk remotely serious. we'll win games, and we'll lose plenty because other teams, especially out west, have more talent and experience. the NBA isn't a cake walk. we'll compete in games but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll come out winning most nights. when you have a young team like ours...never discount the fact that someone is going to do something stupid at the worst time. and it's alright. because they've got to learn one way or another.

Agree with this, I hope that there won't be any toxicity at any point during the season and guys show some patience. We ALL need to understand that the team is still in the rebuilding phase and the young guys will be constantly learning throughout the season. There will be high points, but there's going to be a lot more low points.

The new All Star games rules are hilarious. Allowing the captains to pick team members regardless of conference, just shows the League acknowledging how lopsided the talent disparity is.

MrDollarBills wrote:i think we'll be a tough out every night. however, do we have the leadership and IQ maturity to execute late in the 4th.

most of our losses last season came down to just guys doing dumb **** late in games, which is an attribute of youth.

i'm fine either way. hopefully we can get more high IQ plays in the 4th.

Most of our losses last season came down to having little talent. You can't win when you're starting Whitehead, Bogs, Skil, Dinwiddie and bringing Bennett off the bench.

A few losses came when we had a chance to win and there were some boneheaded plays or coaching, an attribute of youth like you said.

And I STILL think we should've won 30 games last year.

This year, our talent is 3x better. So there should be no problem with calling the Nets a darkhorse -- not a lock -- a darkhorse for a low playoff seed, especially in this weak Eastern conference.

But let's see how the season goes . . . anything can happen, including more injuries.

treiz wrote:

MrDollarBills wrote:some folks on this board like to raise the expectations severely high for a team full of kids in their early 20s and when those expectations aren't met, they'll quickly dog out the young players. i expect Russell and RHJ to take the most heat from the ones who are doing this.

i wouldn't take that darkhorse 6th seed talk remotely serious. we'll win games, and we'll lose plenty because other teams, especially out west, have more talent and experience. the NBA isn't a cake walk. we'll compete in games but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll come out winning most nights. when you have a young team like ours...never discount the fact that someone is going to do something stupid at the worst time. and it's alright. because they've got to learn one way or another.

Agree with this, I hope that there won't be any toxicity at any point during the season and guys show some patience. We ALL need to understand that the team is still in the rebuilding phase and the young guys will be constantly learning throughout the season. There will be high points, but there's going to be a lot more low points.

I think we ALL need to also understand that this is a public sports forum where fans are gonna kneejerk and hottake. This is to be expected. Some toxicity comes from guys not showing enough patience with a natural amount of kneejerk, and taking it way too seriously.

I don’t recall ever getting destroyed by that much in the second preseason game ever during these last two 20 win seasons.


The Bulls are going to be really bad.

Roy Tarpley wrote:

MrDollarBills wrote:i think we'll be a tough out every night. however, do we have the leadership and IQ maturity to execute late in the 4th.

most of our losses last season came down to just guys doing dumb **** late in games, which is an attribute of youth.

i'm fine either way. hopefully we can get more high IQ plays in the 4th.

Most of our losses last season came down to having little talent. You can't win when you're starting Whitehead, Bogs, Skil, Dinwiddie and bringing Bennett off the bench.

A few losses came when we had a chance to win and there were some boneheaded plays or coaching, an attribute of youth like you said.

And I STILL think we should've won 30 games last year.

This year, our talent is 3x better. So there should be no problem with calling the Nets a darkhorse -- not a lock -- a darkhorse for a low playoff seed, especially in this weak Eastern conference.

But let's see how the season goes . . . anything can happen, including more injuries.

I have been saying this for ages.... I can't believe my local betting agency only has us as 7-1 to make playoffs! Yet not many credible U.S reporters even have us winning 25 games? Go Figure

Roy Tarpley wrote:

MrDollarBills wrote:i think we'll be a tough out every night. however, do we have the leadership and IQ maturity to execute late in the 4th.

most of our losses last season came down to just guys doing dumb **** late in games, which is an attribute of youth.

i'm fine either way. hopefully we can get more high IQ plays in the 4th.

Most of our losses last season came down to having little talent. You can't win when you're starting Whitehead, Bogs, Skil, Dinwiddie and bringing Bennett off the bench.

A few losses came when we had a chance to win and there were some boneheaded plays or coaching, an attribute of youth like you said.

And I STILL think we should've won 30 games last year.

This year, our talent is 3x better. So there should be no problem with calling the Nets a darkhorse -- not a lock -- a darkhorse for a low playoff seed, especially in this weak Eastern conference.

But let's see how the season goes . . . anything can happen, including more injuries.

Last year both our only vet floor generals/play makers were injured, they would have made everyone better.

Silver-linings tho, is that Kenny had the chance to experiment, see who can play and who can't, who fits, who doesn't, gave young guys experience and chances to fail, showcased the vets for trades, played some good D and won some games down the stretch. That makes this season much better.

If those two weren't injured, maybe RHJ is still an SF, Booker is still starting, we couldn't trade Bogs and Brook for much, didn't sign DVD, or he's still erratic, the young guys still clueless, we'd still have projects and vets that can't play.

Ben Simmons is nasty AF. Holy smokes do yourselves a favor and watch the highlights from the Sixers/Grizz game. I might get league pass just to watch this kid play...masterful ball handling and passing ability.

Nic Batum out for 2-3 months. Bad break for Hornets. But Nets playoff chances slowly increasing.

Roy Tarpley wrote:Nic Batum out for 2-3 months. Bad break for Hornets. But Nets playoff chances slowly increasing.

Yes imo in East 3 playoff spots up for grabs. I thought greatest competition was Heat Hornets 76ers. Hornets now badly hobbled. We'll get a look at both Heat and 76ers in preseason

Great D'Antoni quote.

How much play-calling does Mike D'Antoni do? "None. They won't let me. I keep trying. They won't ever listen. Nah, we have sets. I'll call a play after a timeout, draw something up and see if we can get a shot or something like that. But them running down [and calling a play], we don't do it. We have reads. We just want to play with pace. If I'm interjecting myself into the game, it slows the game down. I don't want to do that. It'd be the worst thing I can do. … For the most part, I don't want them to think. I don't want to call plays. I just want them to play basketball."