NBA 2017-2018 thread

[OrangeFoo]

I didn't realize they counted it. My error on that.

I agree on your assessment of the players, but I feel like Hornacek could be doing more. Maybe not.

There are a lot of teams that should have taken Donovan Mitchell higher. Is what it is. I'm not upset about that.

KP definitely needs to add bulk. We definitely need THjr back. I'm bullish on Frank. Love his D.

Beasley. I'm going to enjoy the ride while it lasts. I'm guessing he crashes and burns.

The one thing I'll say about Horny is that when things get tough this Knicks team really goes into the crapper. When a team has built and blown as many big leads as the Knicks that's on the coach. In the NBA game I don't think coaches can impact the game too much but one area they can definitely have impact is to stop a run by taking a TO, subbing a player or even calling some go to plays. We don't really see too much of that from the Knicks.

I think the Knicks stick with Hornacek for this season and the start of next... if the team has a prolonged slump next year or he loses the team this year Horny is toast.

 

[Knicks411]

Yes. It's ridiculous that it could not be reviewed and counted. It was also a very "Manu" thing.

BTW, first half Kawhi looked like old Kawhi, but the Spurs still have issues when LMA and Kawhi are on the floor. Offense gets really stagnant.

Knicks... I dunno. I'm not really on board with Hornicek anymore.

Really struck me watching Kawhi live how strong he was; Knicks don't really have a legit 3 anyway, but he was backing down Courtney Lee like he was a high schooler.

KP definitely needs to improve on A) dealing with mismatches, and B) passing out of double teams.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

If IT came out of that tunnel and Kyrie dropped 50.

No ill will to IT, happy with the personnel change to say the least though.

.
So’s this Cavs fan.

 

[MikeSU02]

Really struck me watching Kawhi live how strong he was; Knicks don't really have a legit 3 anyway, but he was backing down Courtney Lee like he was a high schooler.

KP definitely needs to improve on A) dealing with mismatches, and B) passing out of double teams.

Yeah. I don't mean this as saying he's as good as MJ, but the next MJ wasn't Kobe or anyone else, it's Kawhi. He is who MJ would be, if MJ was his age now (defense, three point shot, able to switch onto 1-4, etc).

I'm also very bullish on Kawhi. I think, when healthy, he's the second best player in the league. Better than KD.

 

[Trueblue25]

.
So’s this Cavs fan.

I wish you luck in the wars to come

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah. I don't mean this as saying he's as good as MJ, but the next MJ wasn't Kobe or anyone else, it's Kawhi. He is who MJ would be, if MJ was his age now (defense, three point shot, able to switch onto 1-4, etc).

I'm also very bullish on Kawhi. I think, when healthy, he's the second best player in the league. Better than KD.

That's a real interesting comparison. I think Kawhi is a little bigger/stronger than Jordan, and a little less athletic (ok pretty much everyone who's ever walked the earth is at least a little less athletic than MJ).

I almost want to say Pippen for Kawhi, but that doesn't totally work because Kawhi is a better scorer and a lesser playmaker.

Maybe the best comp for Kawhi is he's just about 95% of Lebron. I could go either way on KD vs Kawhi now; Kawhi is a better defender (another observation from last night, the dude is just everywhere) but KD is a legit really good defensive player now.

 

[Alsacs]

LeBron is unstoppable when he wants to try.
With that said the Cleveland D is atrocious.
Boston isn’t that good offensively and they carved them up.

 

[Trueblue25]

Feel like cleveland didnt even try

 

[Alsacs]

Feel like cleveland didnt even try

They didn’t play their A game no doubt but their defense isn’t good.

Cleveland needs a guard who can defend. JR Smith can’t guard anymore.
Cleveland still the East favorite though.

 

[Trueblue25]

They didn’t play their A game no doubt but their defense isn’t good.

Cleveland needs a guard who can defend. JR Smith can’t guard anymore.
Cleveland still the East favorite though.

Its still hardly even feasible how good Lebron is that he can almost singlehandedly keep this team a favorite against teams as deep as boston and washington

 

[OrangeDW]

Its still hardly even feasible how good Lebron is that he can almost singlehandedly keep this team a favorite against teams as deep as boston and washington

Bron haters are weird to me. You don’t have to root for him, but at the end of day just enjoy it. Special, special player.

 

[OrangeDW]

They didn’t play their A game no doubt but their defense isn’t good.

Cleveland needs a guard who can defend. JR Smith can’t guard anymore.
Cleveland still the East favorite though.

Ridiculous performance by K Love if we need a talking point. Legit all star and second best player on the team goes 1-11 for 2 points? 2?? Not 8. Not an inefficient 12. But 2?

 

[Alsacs]

Ridiculous performance by K Love if we need a talking point. Legit all star and second best player on the team goes 1-11 for 2 points? 2?? Not 8. Not an inefficient 12. But 2?

Al Horford is a pretty good defending big. He has been the only guy to slow down Porzingis this year.
Your right though Love needs to give more.
Cleveland was on a back to back tonight but they were beaten cleanly.

Boston clamped everyone but LeBron and scored pretty easily. Tatum did well against Crowder.

I think Boston is a lot better than I expected mainly because of Tatum but Cleveland needs to defend better.
They don’t stop penetration and don’t really try to stop teams they look to outscore them.

 

[OrangeDW]

Al Horford is a pretty good defending big. He has been the only guy to slow down Porzingis this year.
Your right though Love needs to give more.
Cleveland was on a back to back tonight but they were beaten cleanly.

Boston clamped everyone but LeBron and scored pretty easily. Tatum did well against Crowder.

I think Boston is a lot better than I expected mainly because of Tatum but Cleveland needs to defend better.
They don’t stop penetration and don’t really try to stop teams they look to outscore them.

Cleveland’s perimeter D gives me major pause on them. Lots of old legs, plus IT. Not good.

 

[OrangeDW]

LOL! Steph just buried that game winner against Dallas. Cold blooded. And how do you let Steph get a look like THAT? Jeez.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Bron haters are weird to me. You don’t have to root for him, but at the end of day just enjoy it. Special, special player.

Meh.

 

[OrangeDW]

Meh.

I don’t find him nearly as fun to watch as a lot of the other all time greats I’m old enough to appreciate. Magic, Jordan, Bird, Hakeem, Curry, Iverson, Isiah, Kobe, Shaq, Durant...I enjoyed all of them more.(most of them were not as good). Hell, even far lesser guys like peak Penny, Shawn Kemp, Kidd...I probably enjoyed more. Friggin Nick Van Exel was my guy and my favorite to watch for several years.

Don’t care about the Heat or Cavs(I liked the Sherm Douglas-Rony Seikaly-Steve Smith-Glen Rice Heat and Mark Price-Larry Nance-Brad Daugherty-Ron Harper Cavs WAY more), Still...Cannot deny how special Lebron is. Amazing that he’s still doing it at this level too. He’s been the clear cut best for close to a decade. That doesn’t happen often.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don’t find him nearly as fun to watch as a lot of the other all time greats I’m old enough to appreciate. Magic, Jordan, Bird, Hakeem, Curry, Iverson, Isiah, Kobe, Shaq, Durant...I enjoyed all of them more.(most of them were not as good). Hell, even far lesser guys like peak Penny, Shawn Kemp, Kidd...I probably enjoyed more. Friggin Nick Van Exel was my guy and my favorite to watch for several years.

Don’t care about the Heat or Cavs(I liked the Sherm Douglas-Rony Seikaly-Steve Smith-Glen Rice Heat and Mark Price-Larry Nance-Brad Daugherty-Ron Harper Cavs WAY more), Still...Cannot deny how special Lebron is. Amazing that he’s still doing it at this level too. He’s been the clear cut best for close to a decade. That doesn’t happen often.

He's exceptional.

I just don't care.

I think he rates pretty low in terms of guys that changed the sport, too. Some of what he does only works because he's a mutant athlete. Other people can't really "play like LeBron." Curry on the other hand... we're going to see people coming in with crazy range, taking pull up threes for a very, very long time.

 

[OrangeDW]

He's exceptional.

I just don't care.

I think he rates pretty low in terms of guys that changed the sport, too. Some of what he does only works because he's a mutant athlete. Other people can't really "play like LeBron." Curry on the other hand... we're going to see people coming in with crazy range, taking pull up threes for a very, very long time.

I feel you. I’m not mad at him though. He’s not
my favorite and I usually don’t root for him, but the respect is 100% there and I don’t dislike him at all. Just find him boring to root for. Though I will probably root for him if they play GS again, because KD is a weirdo and Steph is corny.(Amazing players obviously) Still, I want someone to bitchslap Steph’s mouthpiece that’s always hanging out of his mouth into the 17th row at some point. Preferably while he’s doing a little shimmy. And KD was born in ‘88 and has giant 2Pac and Wu-Tang tattoos. Yeah KD, you were such a big fan of them when you were 7 years old. Sure. Weirdo. Go on your second twitter account and talk crap.

 

[JDubbin]

It's fun seeing 3 Syracuse guys on the floor at the same time in the Thunder vs. Lakers game... Melo, Grant & Ennis. Melo having a great half too, he's been playing excellently of late with the Thunder

 

[ssbriefcase]

It's fun seeing 3 Syracuse guys on the floor at the same time in the Thunder vs. Lakers game... Melo, Grant & Ennis. Melo having a great half too, he's been playing excellently of late with the Thunder

Watching, and said the same. Loving it. Melo is on fire, and Ennis with another start.

 

[OrangeDW]

It's fun seeing 3 Syracuse guys on the floor at the same time in the Thunder vs. Lakers game... Melo, Grant & Ennis. Melo having a great half too, he's been playing excellently of late with the Thunder

Lakers fan but Melo has 19 in the first half. So torn!

Melo seems to be finding his niche and maybe the Thunder are finding some chemistry. I’ve crapped on Russ and Donovan. I’ll be happy to eat an L on that one if they get it together.

 

[Knicks411]

Did IT coming back hurt the cavs chemistry? You gotta wonder.

I'll give my Lebron take too because why not. I do love watching him play. Yes, some of his success is tied to him being a one of a kind athlete, but he's also an incredibly smart player. Some of the passes he makes are just unbelievable, and really are passes pretty much no one else in history can make. The cross court passes for 3 pointers in the corner in particular.

I also love watching Steph pull up from 35. NBA is pretty sweet right now

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Al Horford is a pretty good defending big. He has been the only guy to slow down Porzingis this year.
Your right though Love needs to give more.
Cleveland was on a back to back tonight but they were beaten cleanly.

Boston clamped everyone but LeBron and scored pretty easily. Tatum did well against Crowder.

I think Boston is a lot better than I expected mainly because of Tatum but Cleveland needs to defend better.
They don’t stop penetration and don’t really try to stop teams they look to outscore them.

The Truth called it a 'scheduled loss' for Cleveland last night but also a big win for the Cs. And then immediately got called out for those two statements being contradictory.

 

[Trueblue25]

The Truth called it a 'scheduled loss' for Cleveland last night but also a big win for the Cs. And then immediately got called out for those two statements being contradictory.

Well he’s right. IT took off and the Cavs look half a55ed.

Celtics now have wins over the cavs, warriors, rockets etc. so of course its a big win. They’re making a push to run the table while down Heyward. Rosier is starting to look like a 6th star as well (kyrie, heyward, horford, brown, tatum)