NBA 2017-2018 thread

[OttoinGrotto]

The western conference playoff race and also the tanking race between the bottom 8 or so teams in the league is just great stuff.

Emmanuel Mudiay has played 9 games with the Knicks, 192 total minutes. In those 192 minutes, the Knicks are being outscored by 20 points per 100. We have truly found our tank commander.

Nah, man, they're just like, seeing what they got in Mudiay.

 

[Knicks411]

Nah, man, they're just like, seeing what they got in Mudiay.

The thing is, you're probably right. I doubt they realize how terrible he is

 

[longislandcuse]

Mark Cuban next up in the #metoo movement.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Curry out with an ankle.

The Brow is too.

West playoff race and positioning is intense.

 

[Knicks411]

Take a look at the Knicks schedule when you have a chance, they have (I believe, i refuse to double check my work) 19 games left. How many wins do they have left? My initial thought was to set the over/under at 1.5. The number is probably 2 though

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Take a look at the Knicks schedule when you have a chance, they have (I believe, i refuse to double check my work) 19 games left. How many wins do they have left? My initial thought was to set the over/under at 1.5. The number is probably 2 though

They have tank offs with Dallas, Chicago and Orlando remaining. Those are the pillow fights to worry about.

 

[Alsacs]

Is next year the change that the bottom 5 all have the same odds?
That is long overdue.

 

[Knicks411]

They have tank offs with Dallas, Chicago and Orlando remaining. Those are the pillow fights to worry about.

Yeah those are all home games, only chance they have to be favored. That's why I think the number is 2.

The tank off really is something. Knicks have lost 13 of their last 14. They could end the year on something like a 3-29 run. And they're gonna pick 8th. At best.

Is next year the change that the bottom 5 all have the same odds?
That is long overdue.

NBA Board of Governors approves changes to draft lottery system | NBA.com

 

[Alsacs]

If the Spurs lose the next 2 games at OKC and at Houston they will likely be tied with the 9th place team out West.

The Spurs could miss the playoffs.
Their schedule isn’t easy.
They have home games but only really only 2 tomato can games left.

 

[Knicks411]

If the Spurs lose the next 2 games at OKC and at Houston they will likely be tied with the 9th place team out West.

The Spurs could miss the playoffs.
Their schedule isn’t easy.
They have home games but only really only 2 tomato can games left.

They need Leonard back stat.

Though the most Spurs thing ever would be to miss the playoffs and win the lottery.

 

[MikeSU02]

They need Leonard back stat.

Though the most Spurs thing ever would be to miss the playoffs and win the lottery.

I would love for Kawhi to come back (sounds like he is now) and for the Spurs to play the Rockets in the first round.

 

[Knicks411]

Luka Doncic could be the Spurs new (and improved??) Manu for the next 15 years

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I propose that all 1st round picks with the exception of the last 4 from the conference finalists have lottery odds and all teams outside of the 4 conference finalists have some weighted odds for each pick. The worst five teams get a sandwich pick between the two rounds of the draft, and sandwich and 2nd round contracts don't count against the cap. Sandwich teams can trade the picks and the associated rights to not have the contract count against the cap. This would provide incentives for teams to improve by strategy (free agency, smart trades, player development) instead of dumb ass luck drafting a star with a high lotto pick.

Or, lottery odds can be weighted in two parts. After the first 41 games, 30% of the lottery odds lock in based on losing record, and the remaining 70% of the lottery odds lock in based on winning record for the last 41 games - the lottery could then expand to the 7 and 8 playoff seed teams. This would encourage teams to be more competitive as the season wears on.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I would love for Kawhi to come back (sounds like he is now) and for the Spurs to play the Rockets in the first round.

BAH GAWD! THAT'S KAWHI'S MUSIC!

 

[Knicks411]

Lottery/Draft reform is so just so hard because the bottom line is basketball is a superstar driven sport, and those guys are almost always picked with one of the first few picks in the draft. Obviously there are exceptions.

The wheel idea Zach Lowe has written about is really interesting

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Lottery/Draft reform is so just so hard because the bottom line is basketball is a superstar driven sport, and those guys are almost always picked with one of the first few picks in the draft. Obviously there are exceptions.

The wheel idea Zach Lowe has written about is really interesting

I think the wheel sucks.

 

[Knicks411]

I think the wheel sucks.

I can't tell if it's a good idea or not. It makes me think though

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I can't tell if it's a good idea or not. It makes me think though

I just think that even though winning titles in the NBA is superstar driven, you can't build incentives towards that. The wheel flattens things too much though. Plus it takes FOREVER to run through. The NBA is great right now, but I think it could be even better if it encouraged bad teams to win.

 

[Knicks411]

I just think that even though winning titles in the NBA is superstar driven, you can't build incentives towards that. The wheel flattens things too much though. Plus it takes FOREVER to run through. The NBA is great right now, but I think it could be even better if it encouraged bad teams to win.

Agree. I think there was one variant where your position was locked within a range of like 8-10 picks every year, but could fluctuate based on...stuff. I don't remember.

It does suck that so much of the league is incentivized not to win.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agree. I think there was one variant where your position was locked within a range of like 8-10 picks every year, but could fluctuate based on...stuff. I don't remember.

It does suck that so much of the league is incentivized not to win.

That's why I proposed the idea that lotto odds lock in after the first 41 games based on losing record, and then lock with greater weight at regular season close based on winning record over the last half of the season.

Everybody would have to close the year trying to win. That sounds cool, right?

 

[Knicks411]

That's why I proposed the idea that lotto odds lock in after the first 41 games based on losing record, and then lock with greater weight at regular season close based on winning record over the last half of the season.

Everybody would have to close the year trying to win. That sounds cool, right?

So basically split the season into two halves? The worse you do in the first half, the better your odds, plus the better you do in the second half, your odds increase?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So basically split the season into two halves? The worse you do in the first half, the better your odds, plus the better you do in the second half, your odds increase?

Yup. But weight the odds towards the winning half. Maybe 60/40 or 70/30.

That way, look, if you're genuinely bad there is some light at the end of the tunnel, but you can't be purposefully bad.

 

[longislandcuse]

Jerami Grant replacing Melo as the 3rd member of OKC's Big 3

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Jerami Grant replacing Melo as the 3rd member of OKC's Big 3

Really interesting to see where Grant's career goes after the season.

Remember KJ McDaniels? He's down in the G-league. But at one time he was considered smart because he signed a better contract with the 76ers than Grant did, and he got a 3 year $10M deal from the Rockets. His top end earnings are about done I'd guess.

Grant has a good chance to make more money over the course of his career depending on how free agency goes. He looks like a rotation guy for a long time.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Did you notice the assistant coaches didn't hold him back. They knew better. Mitchell figured he better do something. It's amazing how well Rubio is playing and how much the players like each other.

Ricky Rubio scores 30 pts, has 10 boards and 7 assists vs the Pelicans today. Amazing how Rubio has found his outside shot. The Jazz big three (Gobert, Mitchell and Rubio) clicking on all cylinders.
Ricky Rubio Scores 30 Points vs. Pelicans | March 11th, 2018 | NBA.com