NBA 2017-2018 thread

[Alsacs]

I think the Cavs are worse than last year. Especially defensively.

Derrick Rose can’t play defensively.

They need a guard to defend PGs.
Wade as a 6th man is fine.
Isaiah will bring them offense but they need a guard.
Thomas and Rose are downgrades defensively from a bad defender Kyrie.

 

[Knicks411]

Their defense is atrocious. Isaiah isn’t going to help that. The guards they have outside of JR and Iman are going to get torched all year.

Their defense will not be good. They were 21st last year. They will turn it up a notch in the playoffs, they'll be more than good enough to win the east, and nowhere near good enough to win more than a game off the warriors.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Right now they have to be worse; they essentially swapped Kyrie for Jae Crowder.

I've real bearish on them right now. But I also assume they'll be in the finals.

I thought Crowder was going to help their defense to the next level...

Ainge won again...

 

[Knicks411]

I thought Crowder was going to help their defense to the next level...

Ainge won again...

Moving Love to the 5 probably balances out any benefit Crowder brings.

Also, it's clear you can't really evaluate the Cavs based on regular season. For better or worse.

 

[Alsacs]

Anyone who watched Crowder a lot knew his defense deterioratd. His offense is superior and his greater benefit.
He shot close to 40% from 3 and 90% from the FT line.
Cleveland will win the East but they aren’t as good a team this year.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Anyone who watched Crowder a lot knew his defense deterioratd. His offense is superior and his greater benefit.
He shot close to 40% from 3 and 90% from the FT line.
Cleveland will win the East but they aren’t as good a team this year.

Except in the playoffs last year. He sucked on offense then as well.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Cavs have played five games. Long time till spring, when the season really starts.

 

[Melancer46]

Obviously it goes without saying that Cleveland is also missing their 2nd or 3rd best player.

But for now, Cleveland is clearly worse than they were a year ago. Obviously that could change when Isaiah gets healthy. I certainly think that with a healthy Isaiah, they're a more talented team than they were a year ago. I'm still very concerned by Lue's ability to create functioning rotations though. For example, Rose and Wade should never play a single minute together.

 

[Knicks411]

Obviously it goes without saying that Cleveland is also missing their 2nd or 3rd best player.

But for now, Cleveland is clearly worse than they were a year ago. Obviously that could change when Isaiah gets healthy. I certainly think that with a healthy Isaiah, they're a more talented team than they were a year ago. I'm still very concerned by Lue's ability to create functioning rotations though. For example, Rose and Wade should never play a single minute together.

I know this. you know this. It shouldn't have taken Lue even the 2 games or whatever it was to realize they couldn't start together.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Obviously it goes without saying that Cleveland is also missing their 2nd or 3rd best player.

But for now, Cleveland is clearly worse than they were a year ago. Obviously that could change when Isaiah gets healthy. I certainly think that with a healthy Isaiah, they're a more talented team than they were a year ago. I'm still very concerned by Lue's ability to create functioning rotations though. For example, Rose and Wade should never play a single minute together.

And they’ll play together even more when Isaiah gets back.

 

[MikeSU02]

I know this. you know this. It shouldn't have taken Lue even the 2 games or whatever it was to realize they couldn't start together.

On the last Ringer NBA podcast with Chris Vernon and KOC, I believe they half-joked / half-seriously said that they think Lue makes approximately 25% of the coaching decision. The rest is basically run through Bron. Basically saying the Wade change wasn't ever up to Lue.

 

[Melancer46]

On the last Ringer NBA podcast with Chris Vernon and KOC, I believe they half-joked / half-seriously said that they think Lue makes approximately 25% of the coaching decision. The rest is basically run through Bron. Basically saying the Wade change wasn't ever up to Lue.

I mean, if the reports are to be believed, Lue literally told Wade "I think bringing you in off the bench would be the best option" but it was LeBron and Wade's decision about who gets to start. That's so ridiculously stupid.

 

[Knicks411]

Went to my first Knicks game of the year last night. They played the Nets, I'm sure everyone wants to know my thoughts.

Porzingis is shooting. Like, a lot. He's doing a lot of work in the mid range/post, just using his height to shoot over guys. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited. His %'s would be even better but he's 6-21 from 3. He's also getting to the line more. The downside? in 4 games, he has 3 assists. Only 6 turnovers though!

Frank played a lot yesterday, he was pretty impressive, aside from his jumper not falling. Really long arms. Had a few really nice passes. He may already be the best guard the Knicks have. This is not as big of a compliment as it sounds, in part because

Tim Hadaway Jr is just awful right now.

 

[MikeSU02]

Went to my first Knicks game of the year last night. They played the Nets, I'm sure everyone wants to know my thoughts.

Porzingis is shooting. Like, a lot. He's doing a lot of work in the mid range/post, just using his height to shoot over guys. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited. His %'s would be even better but he's 6-21 from 3. He's also getting to the line more. The downside? in 4 games, he has 3 assists. Only 6 turnovers though!

Frank played a lot yesterday, he was pretty impressive, aside from his jumper not falling. Really long arms. Had a few really nice passes. He may already be the best guard the Knicks have. This is not as big of a compliment as it sounds, in part because

Tim Hadaway Jr is just awful right now.

I know it's one game, but you can at least see the appeal of Frank and why he was going top ten.

At this point, the only guy I would say for sure is going to at least be a solid rotational player is Tatum (with a much higher ceiling for his potential) from this draft. But I'm excited for Frank.

I really want to add Doncic to this team.

 

[Knicks411]

I know it's one game, but you can at least see the appeal of Frank and why he was going top ten.

At this point, the only guy I would say for sure is going to at least be a solid rotational player is Tatum (with a much higher ceiling for his potential) from this draft. But I'm excited for Frank.

I really want to add Doncic to this team.

You can't love someone more based purely on youtube clips than I love Doncic.

(i'm just gonna leave that statement there)

 

[MikeSU02]

You can't love someone more based purely on youtube clips than I love Doncic.

(i'm just gonna leave that statement there)

What he's doing in the league he is in right now, I believe, is unprecedented. He's unreal.

 

[Alsacs]

How many wins do you guys think it will take to have the most in the East?
50? 52 at most I think.

Cleveland will win the East in the playoffs barring an injury to LBJ but they are going thru the motions in the regular season.

 

[MikeSU02]

How many wins do you guys think it will take to have the most in the East?
50? 52 at most I think.

Cleveland will win the East in the playoffs barring an injury to LBJ but they are going thru the motions in the regular season.

Well, with the Orlando Magic being the GSW of the East, they may get to 70 /snark

I think you are right. Someone may get to like 55 wins or so.

But I agree, I don't think it will matter where CLE ends, they'll win the East.

 

[Orangezoo]

Knicks up 8 on Cleveland at half! I know Thomas is still hurt but Cleveland is a disorganized mess. Too many guys who need to have the ball to be effective. It might be a lot tougher for them than thought.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Bron gonna wanna be traded off this Cav team. Worst defensive team in the league so far.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Break up the Pistons! Back-to-back wins on the road against Golden State and the Clippers.

 

[Alsacs]

Knicks up 8 on Cleveland at half! I know Thomas is still hurt but Cleveland is a disorganized mess. Too many guys who need to have the ball to be effective. It might be a lot tougher for them than thought.

The Knicks beat LeBron James for the first time in 3 years and it wasn’t even close.

Cavs are a mess right now.

 

[Briancuse]

The Knicks beat LeBron James for the first time in 3 years and it wasn’t even close.

Cavs are a mess right now.

And with all the other sports on today, I don't think anyone saw it.

 

[OrangeFoo]

The Knicks beat LeBron James for the first time in 3 years and it wasn’t even close.

Cavs are a mess right now.

Lebron is just going through the motions. He clearly feels that he can turn it on when he wants to and who can doubt him?

Really impressed with the Knicks... the Cavs did try to win the game in the 4th but the Knicks just made plays on both offense and defense. Concerns still are KP and Kanter getting bullied in the 4th in the post.., didn't help that the refs gave them no calls. Like Nikilina but I don't see any explosion from him. Hardaway and KP are a great big 2... team needs a true point in the worst way

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Lebron is just going through the motions. He clearly feels that he can turn it on when he wants to and who can doubt him?

I can. That's a great way to keep losing, LeBron. That'll get you past the Warriors.