Around the NBA, 2017-18 Season thread

[Paradise]

Welp. I’m rooting for the Raptors to win the series. I’d rather not watch the Sixers destroy the Cavs in the ECFs.

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Honestly, I don't think the Sixers would destroy the Cavs. When the rest of the Cavs are engaged, they're a decent team.

The Cavs know Simmons can't shoot and will defend accordingly. That series would totally ride upon Embiid's effectiveness down low. The mask seems to really bother him I think it's reasonable to question his dominance in such a series, especially if Tristan can deny him from getting deep into the paint.

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I take everything I said back.

[MrDollarBills]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

[MrDollarBills]

by the way, clutch move by TNT with the hiring of Roz as a sideline reporter, she is 13/10

between her and Ledlow, good lord. great coverage

[Prokorov]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

I dont find this surprising at all. people want to crown philly but really they have 0 playoff experience. i believe simmons didnt even play in the NCAA tournament at LSU. now they go into boston with the garden rocking? not equipped for that.

Also, teams have adjusted a bit to simmons and are gaurding him with forwards/bigs instead of gaurds/smalls. he is skilled but not so lightening quick that you can get away with putting someone like horford or morris on him. really helps nuetralize him. they also really take a hit whenever embiid is off the floor.

i would pump the breaks on philyl expectations. the process is showing results but lets not forget how much further there is to go and how much can go wrong. i mean, shaq/penny was a finals teams in like year 2. that didnt really end with a bunch of titles for the magic and simmons/embiid arent quite shaq/penny

[MrDollarBills]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

I dont find this surprising at all. people want to crown philly but really they have 0 playoff experience. i believe simmons didnt even play in the NCAA tournament at LSU. now they go into boston with the garden rocking? not equipped for that.

Also, teams have adjusted a bit to simmons and are gaurding him with forwards/bigs instead of gaurds/smalls. he is skilled but not so lightening quick that you can get away with putting someone like horford or morris on him. really helps nuetralize him. they also really take a hit whenever embiid is off the floor.

i would pump the breaks on philyl expectations. the process is showing results but lets not forget how much further there is to go and how much can go wrong. i mean, shaq/penny was a finals teams in like year 2. that didnt really end with a bunch of titles for the magic and simmons/embiid arent quite shaq/penny

1995 Shaq and Penny were elite level talents, I mean Shaq was dropping 30 a game at age 22. that's generational level. penny's advanced metrics were off the charts that same year. its really hard to find that kind of talent at early ages unless you're talking about Lebron tbh. can I put Embiid and Simmons on that level? hm.

[MrDollarBills]

listen...if you were good enough to make Michael Jordan take you seriously, you were the best of the best. i don't necessarily judge these young guys in the league now on that same criteria because there is no "Mike" in the league right now.

Lebron is generational, god tier level but he doesn't really make people challenge him the way Mike did. Maybe Kevin Durant?

Mitch Richmond, Reggie Miller, Allen Iverson, Penny Hardaway. Grant Hill, Young Kobe Bryant, Joe Dumars even John Starks for god's sake brought competition to Mike. I can name a few other names as well, but in this current generation, Lebron hasn't had any real beast type players come for him since maybe Paul Pierce. Kobe and Lebron never had a true battle in the finals so its all moot. what a waste the last 15 years have been. i hope the new generation and these kids that are about to come in can create some memorable battles because that's what i feel like the NBA has been lacking.

[Prokorov]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

I dont find this surprising at all. people want to crown philly but really they have 0 playoff experience. i believe simmons didnt even play in the NCAA tournament at LSU. now they go into boston with the garden rocking? not equipped for that.

Also, teams have adjusted a bit to simmons and are gaurding him with forwards/bigs instead of gaurds/smalls. he is skilled but not so lightening quick that you can get away with putting someone like horford or morris on him. really helps nuetralize him. they also really take a hit whenever embiid is off the floor.

i would pump the breaks on philyl expectations. the process is showing results but lets not forget how much further there is to go and how much can go wrong. i mean, shaq/penny was a finals teams in like year 2. that didnt really end with a bunch of titles for the magic and simmons/embiid arent quite shaq/penny

1995 Shaq and Penny were elite level talents, I mean Shaq was dropping 30 a game at age 22. that's generational level. penny's advanced metrics were off the charts that same year. its really hard to find that kind of talent at early ages unless you're talking about Lebron tbh. can I put Embiid and Simmons on that level? hm.

Thats my point though. Simmons/Embiid arent on the same level as shaq/penny.... and yet orlando won 0 titles and neither penny or shaq had a long career with orlando.

philly is still a LONG ways a way with alot that need to go right to even make a finals let alone win one

[Roy Tarpley]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

Horford
Baynes
Larkin
Rozier
Smart
Morris
Ojeyele
Yabusele
Monroe
Tatum
Brown

With most other NBA coaches, this team is a 35 win team.

[NyCeEvO]

listen...if you were good enough to make Michael Jordan take you seriously, you were the best of the best. i don't necessarily judge these young guys in the league now on that same criteria because there is no "Mike" in the league right now.

Lebron is generational, god tier level but he doesn't really make people challenge him the way Mike did. Maybe Kevin Durant?

LBJ doesn't even talk trash. Could you imagine if the Raptors faced prime MJ? They'd forfeit the series before it started.

[CalamityX12]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

I dont find this surprising at all. people want to crown philly but really they have 0 playoff experience. i believe simmons didnt even play in the NCAA tournament at LSU. now they go into boston with the garden rocking? not equipped for that.

Also, teams have adjusted a bit to simmons and are gaurding him with forwards/bigs instead of gaurds/smalls. he is skilled but not so lightening quick that you can get away with putting someone like horford or morris on him. really helps nuetralize him. they also really take a hit whenever embiid is off the floor.

i would pump the breaks on philyl expectations. the process is showing results but lets not forget how much further there is to go and how much can go wrong. i mean, shaq/penny was a finals teams in like year 2. that didnt really end with a bunch of titles for the magic and simmons/embiid arent quite shaq/penny

i did find it comical that every(majority) of the panels, experts, online etc... were crowning Philly so easily. This team had its first winning season in how long? won vs a poor Miami team and now they're contenders? anything to drive up NBA playoffs talk... it was comical to me then and not surprising to see now....

[steady]

Stepping back to remember that four of the remaining eight teams in playoffs are not ones you would have expected to be in playoffs at start of season. I include Celtics (sans Hayward/Kyrie) in that.

Pels
Sixers
Jazz
Celtics

It's been fun to see new life and future rivalries start to take shape.

And the coaching. Quinn Snyder, and most of all Brad Stevens. really impressive

[MrDollarBills]

listen...if you were good enough to make Michael Jordan take you seriously, you were the best of the best. i don't necessarily judge these young guys in the league now on that same criteria because there is no "Mike" in the league right now.

Lebron is generational, god tier level but he doesn't really make people challenge him the way Mike did. Maybe Kevin Durant?

LBJ doesn't even talk trash. Could you imagine if the Raptors faced prime MJ? They'd forfeit the series before it started.

Jordan would have had them pissing themselves the humiliation would be too much. Jordan was relentless, it took a certain kind of player to not crack against him because he would not only talk **** to you but destroy you in the process.

Lowry and DeRozan wouldn't be able to deal with that. They fold too easily in the playoffs. Could you imagine the Raptors having to play the old Seattle SuperSonics? Gary Payton would have had these dudes in their feelings even worse than Mike would. these players nowadays are way too nice to each other. Durant is the only guy out of the top tier players nowadays who I see routinely out there talking ****.

I blame AAU culture

[steady]

Donovan Mitchell on the win .. "The biggest thing is we defended,” Mitchell said postgame. “We’ll take this win, but we need three more.”

Who is this kid and what planet did he come from? Can we get a player from that planet?

As unlucky as the Jazz were to have Gordon Hayward walk this summer, they were damn lucky to get Mitchell. Similar to the Pacers - losing PG13 but getting Oladipo. Sometimes apparently the basketball gods decide that life should be fair even if for an instant.

when will they shine down their glory on us?

Landing Sean Marks as GM. Getting Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Getting a 1st and 2nd pick on top of simply getting Demarre Carrol. Being lucky not to get Crabbe the first time, and then IMO lucky to get him the second time on a net $12 M per year deal. Having their first round picks from the last three years -- picks in the 20s -- looking damn good and having other teams wishing they had them - RHJ, Caris, the Fro. Having players they picked up off the scrap heap come through in huge ways, like Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.

If you don't understand how much good luck the Nets have been having lately, you are missing out.

Having the worst GM possibly in the history of League and given the awful decisions he made, should have set the team back for a decade or more, ... The Russian Oligarch and Billy King really did the Franchise in. But since the team hit bottom; the basketball gods have actually not been that unkind.

Every time Tatum and Brown have good games, it hurts a little, but Nets are in an okay place; and they were not supposed to be anyplace but in an extremely hurting place for a number of years.

[MrDollarBills]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

Horford
Baynes
Larkin
Rozier
Smart
Morris
Ojeyele
Yabusele
Monroe
Tatum
Brown

With most other NBA coaches, this team is a 35 win team.

Tatum and Brown aren't anything to sneeze at but yeah, Stevens is the top coach in the league right now.

[MrDollarBills]

Donovan Mitchell on the win .. "The biggest thing is we defended,” Mitchell said postgame. “We’ll take this win, but we need three more.”

Who is this kid and what planet did he come from? Can we get a player from that planet?

As unlucky as the Jazz were to have Gordon Hayward walk this summer, they were damn lucky to get Mitchell. Similar to the Pacers - losing PG13 but getting Oladipo. Sometimes apparently the basketball gods decide that life should be fair even if for an instant.

when will they shine down their glory on us?

Landing Sean Marks as GM. Getting Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Getting a 1st and 2nd pick on top of simply getting Demarre Carrol. Being lucky not to get Crabbe the first time, and then IMO lucky to get him the second time on a net $12 M per year deal. Having their first round picks from the last three years -- picks in the 20s -- looking damn good and having other teams wishing they had them - RHJ, Caris, the Fro. Having players they picked up off the scrap heap come through in huge ways, like Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.

If you don't understand how much good luck the Nets have been having lately, you are missing out.

Having the worst GM possibly in the history of League and given the awful decisions he made, should have set the team back for a decade or more, ... The Russian Oligarch and Billy King really did the Franchise in. But since the team hit bottom; the basketball gods have actually not been that unkind.

Every time Tatum and Brown have good games, it hurts a little, but Nets are in an okay place; and they were not supposed to be anyplace but in an extremely hurting place for a number of years. so it is important to remember how much good to be grateful for.

Yeah I mean we're in a better place than we were 3 years ago. but it still seems like we're still going to be lagging behind Boston, Philly, and Toronto for a long time.

Hell, if the Knicks land a stud piece in the draft we'll be behind them too.

[Paradise]

when will they shine down their glory on us?

Landing Sean Marks as GM. Getting Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Getting a 1st and 2nd pick on top of simply getting Demarre Carrol. Being lucky not to get Crabbe the first time, and then IMO lucky to get him the second time on a net $12 M per year deal. Having their first round picks from the last three years -- picks in the 20s -- looking damn good and having other teams wishing they had them - RHJ, Caris, the Fro. Having players they picked up off the scrap heap come through in huge ways, like Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.

If you don't understand how much good luck the Nets have been having lately, you are missing out.

Having the worst GM possibly in the history of League and given the awful decisions he made, should have set the team back for a decade or more, ... The Russian Oligarch and Billy King really did the Franchise in. But since the team hit bottom; the basketball gods have actually not been that unkind.

Every time Tatum and Brown have good games, it hurts a little, but Nets are in an okay place; and they were not supposed to be anyplace but in an extremely hurting place for a number of years. so it is important to remember how much good to be grateful for.

Yeah I mean we're in a better place than we were 3 years ago. but it still seems like we're still going to be lagging behind Boston, Philly, and Toronto for a long time.

Hell, if the Knicks land a stud piece in the draft we'll be behind them too.

Disagree. Toronto’s window is closing and their core is locked in until 2020. Milwaukee could be in the mix but they don’t look like a serious contender anytime soon unless they overhaul their roster around Giannis/Brogdon/Maker.

The Knicks lost KP to an injury that can potentially cost him all of next season. They are literally at square one roster wise and Ntilkina is extremely raw similar to RHJ’s development.

The future of the East is Boston, Philly and then everyone else.

[kamaze]

So yeah for all the flack we all give D'Angelo, Ben Simmons is sitting on the bench in the 4th of a do or die game 2 road game in favor of TJ McConnell who always plays at 120% speed and effort. Teachable moment here, Brett Brown is a solid coach. I love the shift towards actual player development in the NBA.

and I'm not joking about McConnell. what he lacks in athleticism and skill he makes up for in hustle and aggression. seeing him play live, he reminded me of Jeremy Lin. Max effort no matter the result, always the guy on the court who is breathing the hardest after every play. you want guys like that on your bench.

Exactly.

[kamaze]

sheesh. Al Horford and a bunch of young kids up 2-0.

When this team is at full strength it will be surreal. This is why I have serious doubts about the Nets future.

The players available for Boston play their heart out and fit together on offense and defense they play team ball.
Kyrie is a great talent but will the continuity & cohesiveness be the same in Boston with him and Heyward next year?

The Brooklyn Nets will go through them in the future.

[kamaze]

when will they shine down their glory on us? :nonono: :nonono: :nonono: :nonono:

Landing Sean Marks as GM. Getting Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Getting a 1st and 2nd pick on top of simply getting Demarre Carrol. Being lucky not to get Crabbe the first time, and then IMO lucky to get him the second time on a net $12 M per year deal. Having their first round picks from the last three years -- picks in the 20s -- looking damn good and having other teams wishing they had them - RHJ, Caris, the Fro. Having players they picked up off the scrap heap come through in huge ways, like Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.

If you don't understand how much good luck the Nets have been having lately, you are missing out.

Having the worst GM possibly in the history of League and given the awful decisions he made, should have set the team back for a decade or more, ... The Russian Oligarch and Billy King really did the Franchise in. But since the team hit bottom; the basketball gods have actually not been that unkind.

Every time Tatum and Brown have good games, it hurts a little, but Nets are in an okay place; and they were not supposed to be anyplace but in an extremely hurting place for a number of years. so it is important to remember how much good to be grateful for.

Yeah I mean we're in a better place than we were 3 years ago. but it still seems like we're still going to be lagging behind Boston, Philly, and Toronto for a long time.

Hell, if the Knicks land a stud piece in the draft we'll be behind them too.

No No No we're not a playoff team right now but they will be Could be in 2,3 years could be sooner. And our team must and will get tougher Toronto is soft. The Nets need more of that gladiator mentality you see in the Philly Boston series and less of the nice guy mentality they'll get there.

LET"S GO NETS!!!!!

[MGrand15]

Anyone else just get in a great mood when Toronto collapses in the playoffs? I've got an extra pep in my step for some reason.

Been calling them frauds all year. If they get swept as a 1 seed, ownership has some tough decisions ahead of them. This is a down year in the East.