NBA 2017-2018 thread

[MikeSU02]

Is Brad Stevens a shoe-in for CoY at this point? I would've said Casey had it pretty much locked up, but these last few weeks have been incredible for the Celtics, beating OKC, Utah and Toronto with a G-league bench.

I think Stevens will get it. Going to say, though, if the Spurs get 50 wins with Kawhi playing 9 games, with Tony, Danny, Slo Mo, Rudy all having injuries, I would say Pop should get it (but won’t).

If Casey gets it, I’m good with that as well.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Is Brad Stevens a shoe-in for CoY at this point? I would've said Casey had it pretty much locked up, but these last few weeks have been incredible for the Celtics, beating OKC, Utah and Toronto with a G-league bench.

I think once the Raptors tailed off past few weeks and Celts have turned the heat back up that Stevens is a shoe in. Snyder has been great with the injuries as well as Stevens. Pop is in LeBron type territory with post season awards. Celtics lost their 2nd best player 5 minutes into the season and Kyrie will play what 55 games? So I think Stevens will get the MVP and really deserves it. Just my opinion but I think Stevens is clearly the 2nd best coach in the NBA behind Pop. Spo, Snyder, Kerr can battle it out for 3rd, IMO

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Things that I never thought I would type: Ricky Rubio with 25 first half points vs the Lakers in only 16 minutes.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Things that I never thought I would type: Ricky Rubio with 25 first half points vs the Lakers in only 16 minutes.

You can't stop him you can only hope to contain him.

 

[Alsacs]

If the Spurs have to move Kwahi what could they get back?

Could Cleveland steal him if they win the lottery for that pick and Thompson or Love?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If the Spurs have to move Kwahi what could they get back?

Could Cleveland steal him if they win the lottery for that pick and Thompson or Love?

I think Boston should get involved and see if they can run a lineup of Kyrie, Haywood, Brown, Tatum and Kawhi. Just be stupid versatile. I'm only half joking.

 

[Alsacs]

I think Boston should get involved and see if they can run a lineup of Kyrie, Haywood, Brown, Tatum and Kawhi. Just be stupid versatile. I'm only half joking.

If Boston got involved Pop is too smart to give him away.
Horford would be the salary matchup and I bet he would want one of Jaylen Brown/Jayson Tatum and one of Marcus Smart/Terry Rozier plus that Kings pick next year.

I don’t know if Ainge does that. Unless it’s the right combo.

I think Cleveland would be the favorite if Kwahi demands a trade.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

The verdict is in: the Cavs win the trade with the Celts. Who'da thunk when the deal went down it would turn out like this?
Meanwhile, LeBron and the Cavs are headed to another Final and, I feel to the extent of placing a $200 wager with my local neighborhood bookie, ring No. 4.

Celts won the early part of the season, but, alas, as LBJ learned in part from Pop ( his dream coach and possibly his coach next season): it's a marathon, not a 5k-run.

Meanwhile, Sixers hot on the Cavs' tush for the third spot, with Cleveland at home tonight and then, heart be still, tomorrow night at Philly. NBA, greatest freakin' show on Earth.


Kyrie out for season and playoffs, sources say

 

[Trueblue25]

The verdict is in: the Cavs win the trade with the Celts. Who'da thunk when the deal went down it would turn out like this?
Meanwhile, LeBron and the Cavs are headed to another Final and, I feel to the extent of placing a $200 wager with my local neighborhood bookie, ring No. 4.

Celts won the early part of the season, but, alas, as LBJ learned in part from Pop ( his dream coach and possibly his coach next season): it's a marathon, not a 5k-run.

Meanwhile, Sixers hot on the Cavs' tush for the third spot, with Cleveland at home tonight and then, heart be still, tomorrow night at Philly. NBA, greatest freakin' show on Earth.


Kyrie out for season and playoffs, sources say

Celtics are building a dynasty and I havent seen either team make it out of the first round just yet.

 

[Alsacs]

The verdict is in: the Cavs win the trade with the Celts. Who'da thunk when the deal went down it would turn out like this?
Meanwhile, LeBron and the Cavs are headed to another Final and, I feel to the extent of placing a $200 wager with my local neighborhood bookie, ring No. 4.

Celts won the early part of the season, but, alas, as LBJ learned in part from Pop ( his dream coach and possibly his coach next season): it's a marathon, not a 5k-run.

Meanwhile, Sixers hot on the Cavs' tush for the third spot, with Cleveland at home tonight and then, heart be still, tomorrow night at Philly. NBA, greatest freakin' show on Earth.


Kyrie out for season and playoffs, sources say

The Cavs didn't win the trade. They traded the best player who is hurt this year but is coming back.
They got a draft pick that isn't helping them till next year and they traded IT and Crowder for Nance Jr, Hood, and Hill.

They traded a Dollar Bill for a scratch ticket and 3 quarters.

If they win the lottery or get a good pick they will win it but I wouldn't call it a Cleveland win.

I don't think the LBJ had anything to do with the fact Boston has had an insane rash of injuries Irving, Hayward, Smart will miss a combined 153 games this year and Rozier, Horford, Morris have all missed games. Boston injuries are just bad luck.

Cleveland still has Toronto and Philadelphia to worry about and I wouldn't give the East to LeBron yet.

 

[Knicks411]

so 6-8 in the east are all tied, seems like the #7 spot is the place to be now.

 

[Alsacs]

so 6-8 in the east are all tied, seems like the #7 spot is the place to be now.

Agreed.
I think Washington would be a favorite over Boston.
Miami-Boston would go 7.
Milwaukee-Boston I would favor Boston. They played on Tuesday in Milwaukee and Celtics started their 5th string PG behind Irving, Smart, Rozier, Larkin who was Kadeem Allen and the Bucks only won by 3.

The East is now 3 teams, Toronto, Cleveland, Philly.

I wouldn't sleep on the 76ers especially if they get the 3 seed. They would get the scraps of Boston and HCA over Cleveland in the ECF.

 

[Knicks411]

Agreed.
I think Washington would be a favorite over Boston.
Miami-Boston would go 7.
Milwaukee-Boston I would favor Boston. They played on Tuesday in Milwaukee and Celtics started their 5th string PG behind Irving, Smart, Rozier, Larkin who was Kadeem Allen and the Bucks only won by 3.

The East is now 3 teams, Toronto, Cleveland, Philly.

I wouldn't sleep on the 76ers especially if they get the 3 seed. They would get the scraps of Boston and HCA over Cleveland in the ECF.

Agree on Philly, esp if they get the 3, like you said. Simmons is coming on real strong

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agree on Philly, esp if they get the 3, like you said. Simmons is coming on real strong

I'm all in on Philly knocking Lebron out, thus setting up the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" free agency scenario for King James.

 

[Knicks411]

I'm all in on Philly knocking Lebron out, thus setting up the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" free agency scenario for King James.

There was a while where it looked like that could be a 4/5 first round series, now maybe the east finals

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I'm all in on Philly knocking Lebron out, thus setting up the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" free agency scenario for King James.

Only one reason LeBron will/would leave Cleveland: Dan Gilbert. From what the "pundits" and insiders and blah blah blah say is that the LBJ-Gilbert relationship is beyond repair. Hence, unless Gilbert sells the team and fast, I think LBJ may be headed to play for Pop or better yet for this old head, my first hoops love ever, the Sixers. Became a Philly fan in '59 when my favorite player, Wilt, turned pro with his hometown team, the Philly Warriors

I was all in my senior year of high school when -- after the Warriors headed west -- Wilt was traded back home in '65 to the Sixers. Jacked to see Philly legit again, nuts for Embiid and Simmons, et al. Sweet squad in the best hoops city in the nation, which would mean, I suppose, best in the world.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

The Cavs didn't win the trade. They traded the best player who is hurt this year but is coming back.
They got a draft pick that isn't helping them till next year and they traded IT and Crowder for Nance Jr, Hood, and Hill.

They traded a Dollar Bill for a scratch ticket and 3 quarters.

If they win the lottery or get a good pick they will win it but I wouldn't call it a Cleveland win.

I don't think the LBJ had anything to do with the fact Boston has had an insane rash of injuries Irving, Hayward, Smart will miss a combined 153 games this year and Rozier, Horford, Morris have all missed games. Boston injuries are just bad luck.

Cleveland still has Toronto and Philadelphia to worry about and I wouldn't give the East to LeBron yet.

They pulled out of a lemon of a deal for them in mid-season by jettisoning some serious liabilities: an ineffective, undersized, injured pg who gets thoroughly abused on defense and was so miserable at the hand he was dealt that he was not a good teammate on or off the court; a decent forward, Jae Crowder, who was not happy and let it show, but worse yet, stunk out the joint on the court; and an overpaid, underperforming, often-injured Iman Shumpert.

The Cavs cut their losses and brought in not just a player (Nance) who makes Thompson expendable, but one of the league's leading sixth men, Jordan Clarkson, who creates his own shots, gets to the rim, and is scoring double figures; a solid vet guard, good defender and one of Pops' favorite players ever, George Hill; and another solid offensive player, Hood.

And, as far as injuries, who doesn't have them? Kevin Love was out for an extended period; Isaiah sat out a good portion of the season because of his hip; Korver's had a bad foot, Thompson was out for an extended period, and this is just the Cavs. Injuries happen.

And, no surprise Kyrie is injured again. He was his one year of college, his first year as a pro (missed 31 games), his second season (out 23 games), the 2015 Final; and the 2015-16 season (out 29 games). He's missed nearly 20 -- 25 pct -- of regular-season games in his 7-year career.

Kyrie told the Cavs if they didn't trade him he'd have knee surgery. They traded him to Boston in a stinker of a deal. Now, knee surgery. You think this is his last knee surgery, his last extended time out?

And the Cavs, if they hadn't traded him, would have had a malcontent whose knee was in bad shape and was gonna give out eventually. The Cavs would be heading into the playoffs without Kyrie and, instead of trending up as one wants to do heading into the post-season, poop outta luck.

And, when evaluating who won/loss the trade, you can't dismiss the lottery pick Boston gave up.

 

[MikeSU02]

They pulled out of a lemon of a deal for them in mid-season by jettisoning some serious liabilities: an ineffective, undersized, injured pg who gets thoroughly abused on defense and was so miserable at the hand he was dealt that he was not a good teammate on or off the court; a decent forward, Jae Crowder, who was not happy and let it show, but worse yet, stunk out the joint on the court; and an overpaid, underperforming, often-injured Iman Shumpert.

The Cavs cut their losses and brought in not just a player (Nance) who makes Thompson expendable, but one of the league's leading sixth men, Jordan Clarkson, who creates his own shots, gets to the rim, and is scoring double figures; a solid vet guard, good defender and one of Pops' favorite players ever, George Hill; and another solid offensive player, Hood.

And, as far as injuries, who doesn't have them? Kevin Love was out for an extended period; Isaiah sat out a good portion of the season because of his hip; Korver's had a bad foot, Thompson was out for an extended period, and this is just the Cavs. Injuries happen.

And, no surprise Kyrie is injured again. He was his one year of college, his first year as a pro (missed 31 games), his second season (out 23 games), the 2015 Final; and the 2015-16 season (out 29 games). He's missed nearly 20 -- 25 pct -- of regular-season games in his 7-year career.

Kyrie told the Cavs if they didn't trade him he'd have knee surgery. They traded him to Boston in a stinker of a deal. Now, knee surgery. You think this is his last knee surgery, his last extended time out?

And the Cavs, if they hadn't traded him, would have had a malcontent whose knee was in bad shape and was gonna give out eventually. The Cavs would be heading into the playoffs without Kyrie and, instead of trending up as one wants to do heading into the post-season, poop outta luck.

And, when evaluating who won/loss the trade, you can't dismiss the lottery pick Boston gave up.

Kyrie is averaging 63 games played per season. That’s a little scary.

I like Boston’s team for the future, but heavily relying on Kyrie is a pretty big risk.

I think every team in the east’s strategy is “have Bron play for us or pray Bron goes west”.

 

[Trueblue25]

Kyrie is averaging 63 games played per season. That’s a little scary.

I like Boston’s team for the future, but heavily relying on Kyrie is a pretty big risk.

I think every team in the east’s strategy is “have Bron play for us or pray Bron goes west”.

They’re removing the screws that seem to be the larger nagging issue.


I’ll be god damn pissed if we lose Tatum or Brown in a trade for some other injury plagued middle aged star.

Our trade chips after this post season are Horford, Smart and unfortunately my favorite Rozier.

Sell them at their highest, Bill style

 

[Alsacs]

They’re removing the screws that seem to be the larger nagging issue.


I’ll be god damn pissed if we lose Tatum or Brown in a trade for some other injury plagued middle aged star.

Our trade chips after this post season are Horford, Smart and unfortunately my favorite Rozier.

Sell them at their highest, Bill style

Yeah this procedure had to be done. It wasn’t a new injury.
The screws from his injury during the Finals in 2015 had to come out.
Once they come out that injury isn’t a concern.

Kyrie should have done the surgery in January/February.

The reason he is out now is that he got infection in those screws.
Watching Cleveland they aren’t a lock. Their defense is atrocious and its not going to get better now.
Washington/Philadelphia aren’t going to be easy for the Cavs.

Plus Toronto.

I don’t want to pursue Kwahi unless it’s for Brown/Horford I don’t want to trade Tatum.

 

[Trueblue25]

Yeah this procedure had to be done. It wasn’t a new injury.
The screws from his injury during the Finals in 2015 had to come out.
Once they come out that injury isn’t a concern.

Kyrie should have done the surgery in January/February.

The reason he is out now is that he got infection in those screws.
Watching Cleveland they aren’t a lock. Their defense is atrocious and its not going to get better now.
Washington/Philadelphia aren’t going to be easy for the Cavs.

Plus Toronto.

I don’t want to pursue Kwahi unless it’s for Brown/Horford I don’t want to trade Tatum.

I love the way Brown plays the cavs and goes at Lebron. It’ll be like sawing off my arm letting that dude go

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Gotham joins the LBJ billboard war in classic NYC stylee.

 

[Trueblue25]

Gotham joins the LBJ billboard war in classic NYC stylee.

After how they did Melo?

Unlikely

 

[Knicks411]

After how they did Melo?

Unlikely

I don't think Lebron is coming to NY, there's like a 0% chance, but Lebron went back to Cleveland after Dan Gilbert trashed Lebron.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I don't think Lebron is coming to NY, there's like a 0% chance, but Lebron went back to Cleveland after Dan Gilbert trashed Lebron.

At another point in his career, I could've seen him going to NY, but, like you say, zippo chance of that happening now.
LBJ's wife and mother, fwiw, were strongly opposed to him going to work for Gilbert after what he wrote, but LeBron went back in spite of Gilbert.

Plus, to even have a shot at getting LeBron back, Gilbert had to hop on his plane and fly down to Miami to fellate him. LBJ went back in spite of Gilbert.