NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 2

[Hypnotizer]

Raps get out rebounded by 31. Win by 3.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Amazing!
Raps made only 7 turnovers while BOS 20 more, ouch.

[hands11]

Using numbers from last season, the player who shows up in my statistical doppelganger thingamabob as most similar to prime Arenas is James Harden. Other names high on the list (though not all that similar) include Durant, Carmelo, Steph Curry, Westbrook.

Lillard and Irving have basically the same similarity score, but neither is all that similar to Arenas overall. I have Lillard with a sim score of 73 (where 100 is identical) and Irving with a 72.

The guys most similar to prime Arenas (2006-07 rated as his best season in PPA):

- Kobe 0405
- McGrady 0304
- Pierce 0203
- Kobe 0708
- McGrady 0405
- Harden 1213
- Harden 1314
- Kobe 0001
- Redd 0607

I agree that Harden is the closest comparison to Arenas. They're practically the same player.

I was just talking about players in the Portland/Cleveland game.

When Harden was a rookie with a short beard, he even looked like a taller version of Gil.

For the folks who think Cleveland won't dramatically improve, I've got some nice water-front property off the coast of Louisiana for sale.

No doubt.

But catch one of their games if you haven't. Lebron looks different.

Maybe losing that weight will prolong his career, maybe not, but it is effecting how he does things. Dude was a bull. Not I see him bouncing off contact.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/i ... bron-james

Number are way down.

[nate33]

Lebron seems like he's intentionally avoiding being the superstar of the team. He's taking a back seat and trying to give room for Irving and Waiters to figure things out. It sounds good in theory, but I'm not so sure it's going to work out. I don't think people are going to appreciate the mind games. After the loss to Utah, Lebron threw Thompson under the bus, saying that he gave too much room for Hayward to hit that game-winning shot. I think it was wrong to criticize a teammate there. Thompson's defense (off the switch) was fine. Hayward just made a really good shot.

That locker room is a mess. They'll eventually get it together because talent always wins, but it might take some time.

[mhd]

Nate, isn't Love a FA this year, and can't SA offer him, potentially a max deal (and then subsequently extend Kawaii)? If Cleveland doesn't go deep, I could see Love bolting this year. He'd probably be much happier in a structured system in SA.

[nate33]

LOL at Kobe:

[nate33]

Nate, isn't Love a FA this year, and can't SA offer him, potentially a max deal (and then subsequently extend Kawaii)? If Cleveland doesn't go deep, I could see Love bolting this year. He'd probably be much happier in a structured system in SA.

Yes. Love is a free agent next year. Lebron can also opt out.

[mhd]

Nate, isn't Love a FA this year, and can't SA offer him, potentially a max deal (and then subsequently extend Kawaii)? If Cleveland doesn't go deep, I could see Love bolting this year. He'd probably be much happier in a structured system in SA.

Yes. Love is a free agent next year. Lebron can also opt out.

Lebron is probably so much of an egomaniac that he'd leave Cleveland again (I still doubt it though). Love, on the other hand, has no ties to the area, and I could certainly see him going to another team. Heck, he'd be a great fit in the Triangle with the Knicks, or as I said earlier, the Spurs could sneakily sign him.

[tontoz]

Irving played 45 minutes without an assist.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Lebron seems like he's intentionally avoiding being the superstar of the team. He's taking a back seat and trying to give room for Irving and Waiters to figure things out. It sounds good in theory, but I'm not so sure it's going to work out. I don't think people are going to appreciate the mind games. After the loss to Utah, Lebron threw Thompson under the bus, saying that he gave too much room for Hayward to hit that game-winning shot. I think it was wrong to criticize a teammate there. Thompson's defense (off the switch) was fine. Hayward just made a really good shot.

That locker room is a mess. They'll eventually get it together because talent always wins, but it might take some time.

I was about to post this but you covered it, nate.

Lebron was wrong to do that, especially when Thompson challenged the shot well. Lebron's man did the scoring. Lebron also said Favors tripped him. There was no trip called. Lebron's the one who got screened legally.

Of all the teammates to criticize, he needs to remember Thompson's largely responsible for their one win. The guy rebounded like crazy against Chicago. Thompson's an unselfish player and he's doing his job.

Those comments put me back on the side of no longer giving Lebron the benefit of a doubt. The refs just gifted him three free throws after he launched into a defender. Lebron was whining over what should have been no tie game in the first place. I'm glad Utah won. It's good seeing Cleveland lose, mainly because of Lebron's smugness.

King James and Kobe are two guys who I feel sorry for their non superstar teammates.

[FAH1223]

Lebron seems like he's intentionally avoiding being the superstar of the team. He's taking a back seat and trying to give room for Irving and Waiters to figure things out. It sounds good in theory, but I'm not so sure it's going to work out. I don't think people are going to appreciate the mind games. After the loss to Utah, Lebron threw Thompson under the bus, saying that he gave too much room for Hayward to hit that game-winning shot. I think it was wrong to criticize a teammate there. Thompson's defense (off the switch) was fine. Hayward just made a really good shot.

That locker room is a mess. They'll eventually get it together because talent always wins, but it might take some time.

I was about to post this but you covered it, nate.

Lebron was wrong to do that, especially when Thompson challenged the shot well. Lebron's man did the scoring. Lebron also said Favors tripped him. There was no trip called. Lebron's the one who got screened legally.

Of all the teammates to criticize, he needs to remember Thompson's largely responsible for their one win. The guy rebounded like crazy against Chicago. Thompson's an unselfish player and he's doing his job.

Those comments put me back on the side of no longer giving Lebron the benefit of a doubt. The refs just gifted him three free throws after he launched into a defender. Lebron was whining over what should have been no tie game in the first place. I'm glad Utah won. It's good seeing Cleveland lose, mainly because of Lebron's smugness.

King James and Kobe are two guys who I feel sorry for their non superstar teammates.

LeBron is going to find out Kyrie and Dion are not going to take a backseat like DWade did mercifully

Especially Waiters who is trying to get paid soon.

[Kanyewest]

Dion Waiters is going to get paid.... like Evan Turner.

[Hypnotizer]

What happened in Portland?

EDIT: "The game was delayed several minutes midway through the fourth quarter when a fan collapsed. The fan was rushed across the court by stretcher as a paramedic performed CPR. There were no immediate details about the person's condition."

[MDStar]

In reading LeBrons comments, it seems like he just kept letting Kyrie shoot to teach him a lesson.

"There's a lot of bad habits, a lot of bad habits been built up the past couple years," James said to the media moments after the exchange. "When you play that style of basketball, it takes a lot to get it up out of you."

It's like he's saying, "yeah you can keep getting yours but we will continue to lose if you play that way."

[closg00]

Well this is unfortunate
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/11/7/7 ... ze-him-out

[Ruzious]

Well this is unfortunate
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/11/7/7 ... ze-him-out

Good for OKC that it happened early in the season rather than late. Imo, Jackson needed to get that message. Otherwise, he ends up no better than Jordan Crawford.

[closg00]

The Golden State Wizards are 5-0

[closg00]

Nice balanced game by the Celts playing the Bulls w/o Rose. KO & Zeller contributing. KO a major steal.
http://www.nba.com/games/20141108/BOSCH ... tml?ls=slt

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I will repeat a thought I had this offseason. I think Zeller will be a decent starting quality center. I think he's very underrated.

In a couple of years I can see Zeller being on par with Gortat. Olynyk will be better than Gortat. I like Gortat and think he's pretty good. Those two players are not true big men but I think they both have very high skill sets. Olynyk has three point range. Zeller can run the lane. He is a great passing big. He is an efficient scorer. He also blocks shots decently. Boston will surprise this season. By the end of this season Olynyk and Zeller both will be much improved.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[hands11]

Nate, isn't Love a FA this year, and can't SA offer him, potentially a max deal (and then subsequently extend Kawaii)? If Cleveland doesn't go deep, I could see Love bolting this year. He'd probably be much happier in a structured system in SA.

Yes. Love is a free agent next year. Lebron can also opt out.

Lebron is probably so much of an egomaniac that he'd leave Cleveland again (I still doubt it though). Love, on the other hand, has no ties to the area, and I could certainly see him going to another team. Heck, he'd be a great fit in the Triangle with the Knicks, or as I said earlier, the Spurs could sneakily sign him.

Love could pull a Howard. Gasol and Love to NY ? Phil becomes Emperor of NY ?

Man that would be nasty for CLE. But all this is way to early to call.

[hands11]

I will repeat a thought I had this offseason. I think Zeller will be a decent starting quality center. I think he's very underrated.

In a couple of years I can see Zeller being on par with Gortat. Olynyk will be better than Gortat. I like Gortat and think he's pretty good. Those two players are not true big men but I think they both have very high skill sets. Olynyk has three point range. Zeller can run the lane. He is a great passing big. He is an efficient scorer. He also blocks shots decently. Boston will surprise this season. By the end of this season Olynyk and Zeller both will be much improved.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

I hope things work out for both of them.

I haven't really seen much of either this year yet but come draft time, Zeller had won me back over after earlier in the process I was pretty harsh on him.

As for watching players and waiting 3 years to really gauge them. Top of my targets for the Wizards in 2011 that would have been reasonable picks considering our man target that year was the need for a big.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/i ... la-vucevic
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/i ... eff-morris

Either of these players would have been very reasonable to take. Morris the more known of the two.

The player I most mis-projected was Klay, though I didn't think SG was what we most needed that year and his defense really scared me away. We at least had Swaggy P who averaged 17 a game shooting .441 and .387 from 3 so going after a PF or Center seemed legit.

Nik and Faried would have been a nice draft.

Now if they would have done that and Parson instead of Mack

That would have been a grand slam. Not sure if we would have had the #3 to get Beal latter or what those teams would look like because its hard to turn back the clock. To many things could change. Specially future draft position.

Wall
Webster
Parsons
Nene/Faried
Nik V/Kevin S

I guess we wouldn't have gotten Gortat when Oak when down if we had Nik. Who knows if Hump would still have come here. No telling were that first last year would be or that 3rd we used on Beal. Maybe we end up with a later pick and get Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb.

Plus a mid rounder this year ?

While all that is fun to think about. I like the Wall, Beal, Otto combination. Sometimes what looks like bad things turn into good things and good things turn into bad things. Better lucky then good. Gungate ended up being amazingly good for this team and that seemed like a horrible thing at the time.

Wall, Lamb, Parsons, Nene, Faried, Nik and Kevin
Wall, Beal, Otto, Nene, Hump, Gortat, Kevin

The first group might end up better. Depends on Lamb, Beal and Otto
Both teams would be good. That is if Parsons didn't leave like he just did and we didnt draft Rivers.