NBA 2017-2018 thread

[Alsacs]

With the lack of defense Cleveland is playing they are looking at 3 legitimate series in the playoffs if they are the 3 seed.
Milwaukee or Miami as a 6 seed
Toronto or Boston as a 2 seed
Washington or Toronto/Boston as a 1 seed.

That team really needs some youth on the wing.
I said Crowder wasn’t going to help their D. His D fell off in Boston but it was like the media just didn’t notice it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

With the lack of defense Cleveland is playing they are looking at 3 legitimate series in the playoffs if they are the 3 seed.
Milwaukee or Miami as a 6 seed
Toronto or Boston as a 2 seed
Washington or Toronto/Boston as a 1 seed.

That team really needs some youth on the wing.
I said Crowder wasn’t going to help their D. His D fell off in Boston but it was like the media just didn’t notice it.

You mean the "defense" Love played on the one blow by dunk isn't going to cut it?

Looked like And1 tour level defense.

 

[Knicks411]

You mean the "defense" Love played on the one blow by dunk isn't going to cut it?

Looked like And1 tour level defense.

Was listening to Zach lowe and Van Gundy podcast a few days ago, the Cavs are 29th in defense. 29th!!! Last year they were 21st during the regular season.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Was listening to Zach lowe and Van Gundy podcast a few days ago, the Cavs are 29th in defense. 29th!!! Last year they were 21st during the regular season.

Yeah. And IT isn't really going to help there.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah. And IT isn't really going to help there.

Unless he's replacing Calderon? Yeah he's not going to help.

I was saying last year I was slightly worried about the Cavs in the east playoffs because of how bad their defense was, and then I looked like an idiot. But they were 21st, like I said. 29th is just pitiful. They seriously need to try (or not try, as the case may be) to be that bad

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I keep thinking I've seen these Cavs January swoons before, but, yikes, these blowouts are ugly. They're back at it again tonight, at Indiana, they'll probably lose by 15 -- and then beat GS at home Monday.

Meanwhile, this sucks.
Sources: Heat guard Dion Waiters expected to undergo season-ending ankle surgery

 

[Alsacs]

Unless he's replacing Calderon? Yeah he's not going to help.

I was saying last year I was slightly worried about the Cavs in the east playoffs because of how bad their defense was, and then I looked like an idiot. But they were 21st, like I said. 29th is just pitiful. They seriously need to try (or not try, as the case may be) to be that bad

Cleveland could coast last year.
Toronto was with no Kyle Lowry.
Boston was a paper tiger.

This year the East is better.
Boston, Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Miami all look solid.

Indiana and Detroit are okay but are the playoff tomato cans.
Philadelphia is the only scary low playoff seed potentially but they don’t matchup with Boston. They need Toronto to have a series. Cleveland would sweep them.
Cleveland has no perimeter defense at all.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Unless he's replacing Calderon? Yeah he's not going to help.

I was saying last year I was slightly worried about the Cavs in the east playoffs because of how bad their defense was, and then I looked like an idiot. But they were 21st, like I said. 29th is just pitiful. They seriously need to try (or not try, as the case may be) to be that bad

I was thinking maybe they should go after Deandre Jordan, but he's snakebit. That whole franchise is.

 

[Alsacs]

Wade needs to play with the 2nd unit.
You can’t play Wade, IT, LeBron, Love together
Unless Thompson is on the floor for rim protecting.
If the guards are IT and Wade you can’t have Love as the 5 or your D is going to get shredded.

 

[Alsacs]

I was thinking maybe they should go after Deandre Jordan, but he's snakebit. That whole franchise is.

They should try to flip Thompson and non-Brooklyn picks for DeAndre Jordan.

Jordan would bail out there perimeter guards who give up penetration.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Wade needs to play with the 2nd unit.
You can’t play Wade, IT, LeBron, Love together
Unless Thompson is on the floor for rim protecting.
If the guards are IT and Wade you can’t have Love as the 5 or your D is going to get shredded.

Shumpert could help if he ever comes back. He's always hurt.

On top of everything, JR the erstwhile gunner has lost his shot.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Unless he's replacing Calderon? Yeah he's not going to help.

I was saying last year I was slightly worried about the Cavs in the east playoffs because of how bad their defense was, and then I looked like an idiot. But they were 21st, like I said. 29th is just pitiful. They seriously need to try (or not try, as the case may be) to be that bad

I think the other big risk is that their record could place them in a seed where they wouldn't have a cake walk through the first round. That's always been LeBron's secret playoff advantage. Get the 1 or 2 seed in the East and your first round matchup is a warm up. They have ground to make up, and even at that, the bottom of the East playoff bracket has finally toughened a bit.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Uno mas (from SI's Richard Deitsch).

 

[DeGrozz]

Have you ever seen an NBA player forget how to shoot a ball before? Look at the hitch in Fultz's shot now...


Talk about the yips.

 

[Knicks411]

Have you ever seen an NBA player forget how to shoot a ball before? Look at the hitch in Fultz's shot now...


Talk about the yips.

I seriously can't think of anything remotely similar to this. This guy was the top pick in the draft like 7 months ago!!

 

[cuseattle]

This is Fultz one year ago. I was at that game, and he made it look effortless.

 

[Alsacs]

I seriously can't think of anything remotely similar to this. This guy was the top pick in the draft like 7 months ago!!

Rumor is he hurt his shoulder in a BMX accident and it’s been quiet.
The shot is so flat.

 

[Knicks411]

Rumor is he hurt his shoulder in a BMX accident and it’s been quiet.
The shot is so flat.

I'm sure there was some kind of injury involved, but at this point, it has to be at least part mental as well.

 

[Alsacs]

So what does Cleveland trade to get Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan?
Is a first round pick and Isaiah Thomas enough?

 

[Knicks411]

So what does Cleveland trade to get Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan?
Is a first round pick and Isaiah Thomas enough?

Maybe? I guess it comes down to how the Clippers want to move forward, with or without Deandre.

Lou Williams is having a hell of a year too.

 

[DeGrozz]

Rumor is he hurt his shoulder in a BMX accident and it’s been quiet.
The shot is so flat.

Interesting -- I remember his draft profiles saying his real passion was for BMX. In the NBA can you have clauses in your contract that prohibit you from activities like?

 

[Alsacs]

Maybe? I guess it comes down to how the Clippers want to move forward, with or without Deandre.

Lou Williams is having a hell of a year too.

He should be an all star but the West is loaded.

Isaiah though would give the Clippers a player to pair with Blake long term.

I don’t think the Clippers could get the Nets pick but they could get atleast one if not 2 first round picks.

Cavs need a trade and Isaiah is their best player to deal.

 

[Alsacs]

Interesting -- I remember his draft profiles saying his real passion was for BMX. In the NBA can you have clauses in your contract that prohibit you from activities like?

All the contracts have clauses for stuff like that.
The problem is the kid is such a good prospect you don’t want to publicly say anything and alienate him from down the road wanting to stay.

His shoulder is shot. It makes no sense for it to happen going from 18 to 19. Him having a BMX accident makes sense why he can’t lift his shoulder high and his mechanics are way off.

 

[Knicks411]

All the contracts have clauses for stuff like that.
The problem is the kid is such a good prospect you don’t want to publicly say anything and alienate him from down the road wanting to stay.

His shoulder is shot. It makes no sense for it to happen going from 18 to 19. Him having a BMX accident makes sense why he can’t lift his shoulder high and his mechanics are way off.

Yeah the Bulls could have gotten out of the Jay Williams contract, but they ended up negotiating some kind of buyout with them. Pretty nice of them