2018 -- NBA Games Thread

[Spud2nique]

Wait? What are you guys arguing here? That if Mem selects Ayton they will be like the Spurs twin towers again? Or that Memphis will return to the playoffs next year?

In all honesty...I'm not even sure.

I mentioned that if this MEM core adds a top young talent in June, their rebuild could be over immediately.

The others seemed less certain.

If MEM trades Marc Gasol, I assume they'd bring back more assets that could help them compete.

But if Memphis gets a top 5 seed next year behind the Gasol/Ayton front court, I could see the team and player agreeing to let him ride into the sunset in the city he loves so much. Serving as the David Robinson-type mentor to D Ayton.

I honestly think Ayton will be that impactful. Especially on a veteran-laden team.

It’s funny this whole Memphis talk came up as I usually make a few fun wagers in Vegas every year on NBA teams total wins over/under for the season and this year I narrowed down a few teams to target and one of them was Memphis....only thing was I had them at an over win total.

This year I did : OVER

Memphis Grizz 37.5 (will lose)
Utah Jazz 40.5 (will most likely win..looking good)


UNDER:

LA Lakers 33.5 (will most likely lose this bet)
New Orleans Pelicans 39.5 (will lose)


I was very happy and confident betting this in September. Now it looks like I’m going to win 1/4 bets. Vegas wins again. Wow.


I’m usually high on Memphis in the over total as they’ve made me smile overall the past 10 years....so I usually do take them in the over...but this season they have been straight up tanking.

Moving forward with the new lottery system and hopefully less tanking, it’s going to help to determine whether you think a team will win over or under their magic number, and hopefully tanking will not interfere..

[macd-gm]

I'm just arguing that Adding Ayton to Memphis will not make them anywhere near a contender in Gasol's memphis lifetime. Mainly because memphis was never that good and Ayton isn't going to be a dominant force in his first year or two.

I mean has anyone paid attention to what Golden state has done the last 4 years and what Houston is doing now? You think Conley/Ayton/Gasol is going to come close to that?

Memphis has been irrelavant forever yet are continuing to ride the Conley/Gasol wagon with the thought that well if we just add Parsons, if we just add Evans, if we just add Ayton (not that they are saying that). The ship has sailed on a Conley/Gasol led team. They have $75 million a year tied up in Conley / Parsons / Gasol. They will have to fix that before they can be a contender.

[Jamaaliver]

They have $75 million a year tied up in Conley / Parsons / Gasol. They will have to fix that before they can be a contender.

^Now, this is undeniably true.

Beyond that...anything can happen in the next 3 years.

If Ayton can go to a playoff team where he gets to be third banana for a year or two, I think it speeds up his development.

IMO, we could see MEM make a run in a couple of years.

HOU looks great today, but their window is short with CP3 already at age 32 and Harden turning 30 next calendar year.

(Hell, 2 years ago HOU was an afterthought as a 8th seed and first round out, now they are [arguably] the best team in the league.)

[macd-gm]

They have $75 million a year tied up in Conley / Parsons / Gasol. They will have to fix that before they can be a contender.

^Now, this is undeniably true.

Beyond that...anything can happen ion the next 3 years.

If Ayton can go to a playoff team where he gets to be third banana for a year or two, I think it speeds up his development.

IMO, we could see MEM make a run in a couple of years.

HOU looks great today, but their window is short with CP3 already at age 32 and Harden turning 30 next calendar year.

(Hell, 2 years ago HOU was an afterthought as a 8th seed and first round out, now they are [arguably] the best team in the league.)

Houston has a superstar wing/top3 player in the league and they jettisoned their expensive dead weight in favor of productive players.

Well I don't want to be a jerk but you do realize that Gasol is 33 and Conley is 30? If Houston, the best team in the league, has a short window then Memphis with one of the worst teams in the league has a window about to slam down on their fingers.

[Spud2nique]

I'm just arguing that Adding Ayton to Memphis will not make them anywhere near a contender in Gasol's memphis lifetime. Mainly because memphis was never that good and Ayton isn't going to be a dominant force in his first year or two.

I mean has anyone paid attention to what Golden state has done the last 4 years and what Houston is doing now? You think Conley/Ayton/Gasol is going to come close to that?

Memphis has been irrelavant forever yet are continuing to ride the Conley/Gasol wagon with the thought that well if we just add Parsons, if we just add Evans, if we just add Ayton (not that they are saying that). The ship has sailed on a Conley/Gasol led team. They have $75 million a year tied up in Conley / Parsons / Gasol. They will have to fix that before they can be a contender.

Ayton isn’t going to be a dominant force in his first year or two? Why are you putting a ceiling on him already...I guess people did that with Shaq also. You never know, that’s all I’m saying.

[Jamaaliver]

Houston has a superstar wing/top3 player in the league and they jettisoned their expensive dead weight in favor of productive players.

Well I don't want to be a jerk but you do realize that Gasol is 33 and Conley is 30? If Houston, the best team in the league, has a short window then Memphis with one of the worst teams in the league has a window about to slam down on their fingers.

LOL No one thinks you're a jerk, mac.

And you make a Fair point.

But, I think adding D Ayton to a playoff team is that monumental. That impactful.

NOTE: I also have predicted that the Warriors will be ravaged in Free Agency after the 2019 season. That plays a role as well. In my assessment.

Overall, you make good points. But, I stand unswayed and stand by my initial statement:

^If Memphis plays their cards right, they might be looking at a one year rebuild.

Like the Spurs back in 1997.

Add a great young talent to a good, veteran team...that's the ideal scenario.

[Spud2nique]

Houston has a superstar wing/top3 player in the league and they jettisoned their expensive dead weight in favor of productive players.

Well I don't want to be a jerk but you do realize that Gasol is 33 and Conley is 30? If Houston, the best team in the league, has a short window then Memphis with one of the worst teams in the league has a window about to slam down on their fingers.

LOL No one thinks you're a jerk, mac.

And you make a Fair point.

But, I think adding D Ayton to a playoff team is that monumental. That impactful.

NOTE: I also have predicted that the Warriors will be ravaged in Free Agency after the 2019 season. That plays a role as well. In my assessment.

Overall, you make good points. But, I stand unswayed and stand by my initial statement:

^If Memphis plays their cards right, they might be looking at a one year rebuild.

Like the Spurs back in 1997.

Add a great young talent to a good, veteran team...that's the ideal scenario.

Well...not everyone..

[macd-gm]

I don't think anyone really believes that Ayton will be comparable to Shaq or Duncan. I don't think it's putting a ceiling on him to expect him to be more like AD his first few years than Duncan.

[HMFFL]

Tonight is Houston vs Toronto.
I like Houston to extend their win streak to 18 games and to cover the -2 points.

[macd-gm]

Tonight is Houston vs Toronto.
I like Houston to extend their win streak to 18 games and to cover the -2 points.

If you told me that Houston / Toronto on 3/9/2018 would be the matchup of the west-east #1 seeds I wouldn't have believed it. Would love that to be the finals this year.

[Spud2nique]

Tonight is Houston vs Toronto.
I like Houston to extend their win streak to 18 games and to cover the -2 points.

I like Houston as well but this seems like a trap line to me...tonight could be the night it ends. Lowry was a former Rocket and has a memory like an elephant.

[Jamaaliver]

Bring me J Randle this summer in FA.

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Any one watching the play of Tomas Satorasky this season?

He's been a solid SF/PG combo for WAS. His outsized, slow and a questionable shooter.

I also see him as a mold for what we can expect from Luka Doncic in the NBA early on.

An impressive handle and above average vision for a player his size have allowed him to make a mark off the bench for the Wizards.

It shows that a player similar to Doncic can produce in this league...but there are definite questions if this skill set and short comings are worthy of consideration for a top pick.

[Spud2nique]

Bring me J Randle this summer in FA.

Read on Twitter

I was just raving to my Laker fan friend about him. I was wondering why the Lakers keep wanting to trade him. I don’t really know if he belongs in the “new nba” as far as the post up game going away..but I don’t think Randle is going away. He’s single handedly bringing back the big boy pounding game and it’s kind of refreshing.


Again, I don’t want to be the guy that doesn’t think ball movement is fun...I think it’s gorgeo and it’s pleasing to the eye..but pounding down low is what some of us grew up with....:-/ wait...that didn’t come out the way I had planned....

Well...you know...80’s ball.

[Jamaaliver]

I was just raving to my Laker fan friend about him. I was wondering why the Lakers keep wanting to trade him. I don’t really know if he belongs in the “new nba” as far as the post up game going away..but I don’t think Randle is going away. He’s single handedly bringing back the big boy pounding game and it’s kind of refreshing.


Again, I don’t want to be the guy that doesn’t think ball movement is fun...I think it’s gorgeo and it’s pleasing to the eye..but pounding down low is what some of us grew up with....:-/

We've seen [old school] bigs play integral roles on championship contenders. Tristan in Cleveland. Zaza in GS.

Randle is an effective, productive player even if he doesn't fit this new mold of big men.

[macd-gm]

I was just raving to my Laker fan friend about him. I was wondering why the Lakers keep wanting to trade him. I don’t really know if he belongs in the “new nba” as far as the post up game going away..but I don’t think Randle is going away. He’s single handedly bringing back the big boy pounding game and it’s kind of refreshing.


Again, I don’t want to be the guy that doesn’t think ball movement is fun...I think it’s gorgeo and it’s pleasing to the eye..but pounding down low is what some of us grew up with....:-/

We've seen [old school] bigs play integral roles on championship contenders. Tristan in Cleveland. Zaza in GS.

Randle is an effective, productive player even if he doesn't fit this new mold of big men.

We haven't seen a big be the centerpiece of a championship team in a long time though. I guess since Duncan but not sure which you would call his last finals appearance as the centerpiece. And Dirk but he's pretty non-traditional. I wonder who the next big man will be to actually lead a team, be one of the top 2 players on the team, to a championship. If Anthony Davis can stay healthy he may have a chance provided management can get their act together.

[jayu70]

Shaq was the last of the traditional big men to win.
AD isn't a banger in the post.

[Jamaaliver]

^Andrew Bynum won in 2009 and (to a lesser degree) Duncan in 2007 also.

Dwight in 2009 took his team to the Finals as a traditional big man.

So it's been about a decade. Depending on which of those options you want to (dis)count.

[jayu70]

Duncan - over 10 years ago (the last time the Hawks were in the playoffs) - but yes.
Bynum - not the player LEADING the team, not the Centerpiece.
Dwight - OK.

[Spud2nique]

Let’s go kings n Grizz!!!