Around the NBA 4.0

Post #1901 » by **fatlever** » Thu May 8, 2014 1:18 am

something tells me the all offense no defense team crushes the all defense no offense team.

Post #1902 » by **JDR720** » Thu May 8, 2014 1:20 am

fatlever wrote:something tells me the all offense no defense team crushes the all defense no offense team.

And a mix of both kicks everyones ass

PG-Curry
SG-Allen
SF-Melo
PF-Ibaka
C-Noah

Bench
Jordan
Harden
Young
MKG

catch20two · Post #1903 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 1:24 am

John Wall just blew it for the Wiz kids. We've seen that movie before against us quite a few times this year. It's a damn shame we couldn't have gotten that 6 seed. We'd be marching to the ECF. Instead I have to keep hearing about the Wizards bright future everywhere instead of ours.

Post #1904 » by **fatlever** » Thu May 8, 2014 1:58 am

catch20two wrote:John Wall just blew it for the Wiz kids. We've seen that movie before against us quite a few times this year. It's a damn shame we couldn't have gotten that 6 seed. We'd be marching to the ECF. Instead I have to keep hearing about the Wizards bright future everywhere instead of ours.

exactly what i was thinking watching that game. looked an awful lot like our games vs the wiz where they just crapped their pants during the last 5 minutes of a close game.

MasterIchiro · Post #1905 » by **MasterIchiro** » Thu May 8, 2014 2:18 am

If we got the 6th seed we wouldn't be in the Wiz' position we'd be in the Nets position and we know how that worked out already.

Liver_Pooty · Post #1906 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Thu May 8, 2014 2:26 am

Wizards were 5 seed.

Snidely FC · Post #1907 » by **Snidely FC** » Thu May 8, 2014 2:50 am

LamarMatic7 wrote:a random thought that I again have flaring up in my mind during this whole Mark Jackson and Warriors drama:

I really think that "age" and the possible "ceiling" that player X could reach in time are a bit too overrated. Too many freshman are drafted high solely because of what they could become and too many seniors are disregarded because of their lack of additional potential. But what happens it that it's very easy to bury the freshman on your bench (shout out to Ball Teacher and Know It All, they often point out the perils of not taking MKG out of his comfort zone and thus not forcing him to improve) and take away his best opportunities to learn. I'll sound like a 70-year-old college coach but it's hard to learn as a young NBA player during the regular season, the practices that you have being way to few and superficial. Thus the ceiling can easily not be ever reached. Not to mention the huge possibility that it was never meant for player X to become the next all-star.

So after stating the obvious for a paragraph, I want to get to my main point. I think that there isn't that much harm in drafting college seniors and that their draft stock takes way too big of a fall. Case in point (and how I got here from Jackson/the Dubs) - the playoffs Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes just had. One is all of the sudden looking very blah and limited (after having his own column thing in Slam magazine as a high schooler and granted, it's not all his fault that Iggy got his spot) and one, honestly, had a great, great playoff series. The gap between their IQ and knack for the game is humongous. And the series ended up in Green almost being Golden State's second most valuable player (yeah, Klay would probably be the more popular choice but, damn, did Draymond do a lot for them). His supposed shortcomings weren't an issue at all any more. He made his threes and his lack of size didn't bother him at the 4 spot.

just saying that if I were a GM, I would almost want to always rather go with the experienced college player who despite a limited potential has learned the game and understood who he is as a player. I know it's easy to say this in hindsight but just look at how comfortable the likes of Lillard, Mason Plumlee and Draymond Green have been after their age was an issue on draft nights. It's no coincidence either that rookies in the 70s and 80s were much more ready to produce within their first year in the league than they are now.

so yeah... I wanted to get this out there. and again - I was very impressed with Draymond these playoffs.

I am reminded of something I read in the DraftExpress profile of DeAndre Kane, who I was reading about because I was thinking he would be a good second round pick for us, as a big, physical, ready for the NBA point guard.

While Kane is undoubtedly having a tremendous season for Iowa State, the track record of mature-aged college players in the draft is extremely poor, particularly amongst non-big men. The oldest players drafted in the last 15 years include just two players: Bernard James (age 27) and Travis Hansen (25) who were the same age or older than him, with 24 year olds Mark Madsen, Melvin Ely, Darius Songaila, Joey Dorsey, Colton Iverson, Vernon Macklin, Magnum Rolle, Sam Young, Taj Gibson, Jack McClinton, Robert Vaden, Patrick Ewing Jr, Sammy Mejia, Stephane Lasme, Antonio Burks and Marcus Douthit being the next closest. NBA teams have mostly shied away from players over the age of 24 in the draft in recent years, but some exceptions, such as Hansen and James, do exist.

Well, Taj Gibson was a keeper.

catch20two · Post #1908 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 3:21 am

MasterIchiro wrote:If we got the 6th seed we wouldn't be in the Wiz' position we'd be in the Nets position and we know how that worked out already.

I think a better way to put what I was trying to say it is that we would've made the 2nd round and would've been talked highly of. That extra experience and confidence would've done us wonders. Now you better trust and believe the Wizards will be riding that confidence wave into next season. Better for the Wiz to had played Miami than us.

MasterIchiro · Post #1909 » by **MasterIchiro** » Thu May 8, 2014 3:44 am

catch20two wrote:
MasterIchiro wrote:If we got the 6th seed we wouldn't be in the Wiz' position we'd be in the Nets position and we know how that worked out already.

I think a better way to put what I was trying to say it is that we would've made the 2nd round and would've been talked highly of. That extra experience and confidence would've done us wonders. Now you better trust and believe the Wizards will be riding that confidence wave into next season. Better for the Wiz to had played Miami than us.

I agree I just really wish Cho had done more at the deadline because I think we could have grabbed the 5 seed. I think we were 1.5 games back of the 5 seed at the trade deadline and he came up with Gary Neal and didn't trade a single asset to make a push like the Wiz did when they traded their first for Gortat. The Wiz made a bold investment and they earned their spot and they beat the Bulls. They made themselves better. We had a chance and Cho came up small.

catch20two · Post #1910 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 3:49 am

MasterIchiro wrote:
catch20two wrote:
MasterIchiro wrote:If we got the 6th seed we wouldn't be in the Wiz' position we'd be in the Nets position and we know how that worked out already.

I think a better way to put what I was trying to say it is that we would've made the 2nd round and would've been talked highly of. That extra experience and confidence would've done us wonders. Now you better trust and believe the Wizards will be riding that confidence wave into next season. Better for the Wiz to had played Miami than us.

I agree I just really wish Cho had done more at the deadline because I think we could have grabbed the 5 seed. I think we were 1.5 games back of the 5 seed at the trade deadline and he came up with Gary Neal and didn't trade a single asset to make a push like the Wiz did when they traded their first for Gortat. The Wiz made a bold investment and they earned their spot and they beat the Bulls. They made themselves better. We had a chance and Cho came up small.

Don't forget about the trade they did for Andre Miller too. We ended up with Ridnour.

catch20two · Post #1911 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 3:52 am

The Wiz (Wall, Beal, Porter, Rice Jr.) and Raps (Derozan, Valanciunas, Ross) are our competition in the youth movement. We need to make moves to compete in the next wave.

Post #1912 » by **JDR720** » Thu May 8, 2014 3:58 am

catch20two wrote:The Wiz (Wall, Beal, Porter, Rice Jr.) and Raps (Derozan, Valanciunas, Ross) are our competition in the youth movement. We need to make moves to compete in the next wave.

I wouldn't include RIce in the Wiz's youth movement, he is a D-League player and isn't any good

We have Kemba/Zeller/MKG/Biz which is solid but we lack the true star (Wall/DeRozan)

Post #1913 » by **yosemiteben** » Thu May 8, 2014 4:07 am

MasterIchiro wrote:
catch20two wrote:
MasterIchiro wrote:If we got the 6th seed we wouldn't be in the Wiz' position we'd be in the Nets position and we know how that worked out already.

I think a better way to put what I was trying to say it is that we would've made the 2nd round and would've been talked highly of. That extra experience and confidence would've done us wonders. Now you better trust and believe the Wizards will be riding that confidence wave into next season. Better for the Wiz to had played Miami than us.

I agree I just really wish Cho had done more at the deadline because I think we could have grabbed the 5 seed. I think we were 1.5 games back of the 5 seed at the trade deadline and he came up with Gary Neal and didn't trade a single asset to make a push like the Wiz did when they traded their first for Gortat. The Wiz made a bold investment and they earned their spot and they beat the Bulls. They made themselves better. We had a chance and Cho came up small.

And yet we finished the season only one game behind them...

Granted Nene got hurt.

I just think it's silly to assume we weren't being active at the deadline. We were linked to Turner and Afflalo, we were obviously trying to make a move. We just couldn't get it done without giving up too much. Not to beat a dead horse, but on paper the trade made sense at the time.

I still think people should be more thankful for it because it allowed CDR the opportunity to show his scoring ability. Now Henderson has gone from necessary evil to completely expendable because CDR can play his role.

catch20two · Post #1914 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 4:20 am

JDR720 wrote:
catch20two wrote:The Wiz (Wall, Beal, Porter, Rice Jr.) and Raps (Derozan, Valanciunas, Ross) are our competition in the youth movement. We need to make moves to compete in the next wave.

I wouldn't include RIce in the Wiz's youth movement, he is a D-League player and isn't any good

We have Kemba/Zeller/MKG/Biz which is solid but we lack the true star (Wall/DeRozan)

We have Kemba to their Wall/Derozan. Neither of them became all-stars until their 4th/5th year so Kemba has time and need to improve and progress into a better player next year.

I guess Rice Jr. is to the Wiz what Jeff Taylor is to us. I think he could, emphasis on could, become a nice role player in the league once Washington clear their logjam at the SG/SF positions a bit. That's why I don't think Ariza will be back. But of course Otto Porter will get first dibs.

catch20two · Post #1915 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 4:25 am

yosemiteben wrote:
MasterIchiro wrote:
catch20two wrote:I think a better way to put what I was trying to say it is that we would've made the 2nd round and would've been talked highly of. That extra experience and confidence would've done us wonders. Now you better trust and believe the Wizards will be riding that confidence wave into next season. Better for the Wiz to had played Miami than us.

I agree I just really wish Cho had done more at the deadline because I think we could have grabbed the 5 seed. I think we were 1.5 games back of the 5 seed at the trade deadline and he came up with Gary Neal and didn't trade a single asset to make a push like the Wiz did when they traded their first for Gortat. The Wiz made a bold investment and they earned their spot and they beat the Bulls. They made themselves better. We had a chance and Cho came up small.
And yet we finished the season only one game behind them...

Granted Nene got hurt.

I just think it's silly to assume we weren't being active at the deadline. We were linked to Turner and Afflalo, we were obviously trying to make a move. We just couldn't get it done without giving up too much. Not to beat a dead horse, but on paper the trade made sense at the time.

I still think people should be more thankful for it because it allowed CDR the opportunity to show his scoring ability. Now Henderson has gone from necessary evil to completely expendable because CDR can play his role.

It'll be a cold day in hell with icicles made of sweat before Clifford gather the balls to start CDR over Hendo no matter how likely it should be. CDR posted crazy efficient scoring numbers in the playoffs and he still couldn't log more minutes than a struggling Hendo when our entire season was on the line.

Post #1916 » by **yosemiteben** » Thu May 8, 2014 4:28 am

Fair, but in all honesty I viewed that as Hendo getting one last opportunity to show that he can pull through when the pressure is on. He was a team captain and played hard through the dark days, so it was his chance to show that he deserves a spot on a resurgent Hornets team.

Or at least that's what I tell myself to ease the pain...

catch20two · Post #1917 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 4:32 am

yosemiteben wrote:Fair, but in all honesty I viewed that as Hendo getting one last opportunity to show that he can pull through when the pressure is on. He was a team captain and played hard through the dark days, so it was his chance to show that he deserves a spot on a resurgent Hornets team.

Or at least that's what I tell myself to ease the pain...

Lol. Maybe and if that's the case then Hendo failed with flying colors. Miami's defense paid him zip zero nada attention and he still couldn't deliver not one big game to help us compete.

mrknowitall215 · Post #1918 » by **mrknowitall215** » Thu May 8, 2014 5:43 pm

John Wall's playoff shooting percentages

:noway:

catch20two · Post #1919 » by **catch20two** » Thu May 8, 2014 11:38 pm

Looking at this Heat-Nets series, we got swept because our defense wasn't good enough. If it wasn't Jefferson getting exploited in the PnR or pick and pop then it was Hendo or Neal getting embarrassed by Wade. I don't know how a bunch of slow old men like the Nets are keeping the Heat down to 80-90 points but that's what we should've been able to do as a top 5 defense. We got exposed. They took advantage of our weaknesses offensively and defensively. I gotta give Spoelstra credit for that.

Liver_Pooty · Post #1920 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Thu May 8, 2014 11:45 pm

catch20two wrote:Looking at this Heat-Nets series, we got swept because our defense wasn't good enough. If it wasn't Jefferson getting exploited in the PnR or pick and pop then it was Hendo or Neal getting embarrassed by Wade. I don't know how a bunch of slow old men like the Nets are keeping the Heat down to 80-90 points but that's what we should've been able to do as a top 5 defense. We got exposed. They took advantage of our weaknesses offensively and defensively. I gotta give Spoelstra credit for that.

Its easy to keep any team down to 80 or 90 points when you slow the game down to a crawl and limit possessions.