NBA Thread 2021-22 Season

[MSOrange]

And always injured or out for some reason!

 

[Fireball Jr.]

This is going to be a tough watch for some of you. Let’s face it, most of you:

 

[Day2]

Who cares?

 

[STEVEHOLT]

So Bradley Beal ain't vaccin'.

Does that tank his trade value?

Now hold on.. the College drop out is just waiting till he can do more high level medical research and attend some medical conferences in Zurich where he can collaborate with like minded infectious disease and immunology experts before making sure his theories on cellular vs humoral mediated immunity are , in fact, based on well founded research both in vivo and in vitro.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I need this T-shirt.

 

[MCC]

This is going to be a tough watch for some of you. Let’s face it, most of you:

Who cares?

 

[MikeSU02]

Honestly, Ben Simmons has to be so happy that there is this vax talk so he isn't the *ONLY* story going on in the NBA.

 

[Day2]

Who cares?

I’m flattered.

 

[OrangeDW]

I’m still mad that the Lakers panicked and traded my two favorite players Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones for nothing, and ended up both cutting our window short and forcing us to pick up washed up ass enemy losers Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who predictably went out like the punks that they were. We should’ve won that 4th chip, and then competed with OUR guys for a 5th - - - - instead Nick was averaging 25(!) for the Mavs in the playoffs while bouncing the Kings(Queens?) and Eddie was still a two way iron man for the Heat(would’ve been all defense every year if he was winning chips in LA)

Give me some random lore from your favorite team fandom. I want to hear about the beefs you have from many years ago that nobody else would know or care about...

 

[Day2]

I’m still mad that the Lakers panicked and traded my two favorite players Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones for nothing, and ended up both cutting our window short and forcing us to pick up washed up ass enemy losers Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who predictably went out like the punks that they were. We should’ve won that 4th chip, and then competed with OUR guys for a 5th - - - - instead Nick was averaging 25(!) for the Mavs in the playoffs while bouncing the Kings(Queens?) and Eddie was still a two way iron man for the Heat(would’ve been all defense every year if he was winning chips in LA)

Give me some random lore from your favorite team fandom. I want to hear about the beefs you have from many years ago that nobody else would know or care about...

While the Clippers trading for Elton Brand and Andre Miller over the course of two offseasons made a lot of sense on paper, those moves sacrificed a core of young players that remains to this day the most fun team to watch during my 20+ years as a fan. The issue with that group wasn't personnel, it was Alvin Gentry.

Odom, Miles, Richardson, Maggette, Dooling...they had enough talent to be a playoff team, they just needed more time to develop and a better head coach. Given that opportunity, I think they would have made the postseason ahead of the Brand-led squad that made it in 2006.

The Brand extension shocked the basketball world and proved Sterling was finally serious about spending money (not that he had much choice with the minimum team salary requirement), but it cost the Clippers Odom, after they had already given up Miles for Miller.

Don't get me started on Miller. Everyone thought he was a perfect fit because LA was his hometown. He had zero interest in being a Clipper, though, and that's how he played. I was ecstatic when he left...until I realized he was teaming up with Melo.

So yeah, acquiring Brand and Miller was aggravating, because it meant we wouldn't be able to see more plays like this:

 

[Knicks411]

When the Knicks traded Ewing after 2000 when he was entering the final year of his contract. Should've retired a Knick and instead they took on worse and longer contracts.

Second place: every move from about 2002-2010

 

[Knicks411]

I’m still mad that the Lakers panicked and traded my two favorite players Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones for nothing, and ended up both cutting our window short and forcing us to pick up washed up ass enemy losers Karl Malone and Gary Payton, who predictably went out like the punks that they were. We should’ve won that 4th chip, and then competed with OUR guys for a 5th - - - - instead Nick was averaging 25(!) for the Mavs in the playoffs while bouncing the Kings(Queens?) and Eddie was still a two way iron man for the Heat(would’ve been all defense every year if he was winning chips in LA)

Give me some random lore from your favorite team fandom. I want to hear about the beefs you have from many years ago that nobody else would know or care about...

Why did they trade Van Exel? I dont really remember that too well. He made the AS team in 98 and was just 26. And they traded him for basically nothing? Weird.

 

[OrangeDW]

Why did they trade Van Exel? I dont really remember that too well. He made the AS team in 98 and was just 26. And they traded him for basically nothing? Weird.

He would have on and off clashes with Del Harris, who they fired in the middle of the next year anyway. In general he could just be a headcase and a pain in the butt, and at the time the whole team was young and immature and lacked leadership. He made the all star team in 98, but got hurt and then never really found his role again and was said to be a part of team chemistry problems.

They basically gave him away to a bad team, to fix chemistry problems and to make sure he wasn’t on a team where he could really haunt them.

I felt they should’ve calmed down and been more patient. Team was young and loaded, let them grow up. If I recall, Nick was considered a leader and not a headcase as he became an older veteran in the league.

 

[Knicks411]

He would have on and off clashes with Del Harris, who they fired in the middle of the next year anyway. In general he could just be a headcase and a pain in the butt, and at the time the whole team was young and immature and lacked leadership. He made the all star team in 98, but got hurt and then never really found his role again and was said to be a part of team chemistry problems.

They basically gave him away to a bad team, to fix chemistry problems and to make sure he wasn’t on a team where he could really haunt them.

I felt they should’ve calmed down and been more patient. Team was young and loaded, let them grow up. If I recall, Nick was considered a leader and not a headcase as he became an older veteran in the league.

Yeah I was gonna guess vague "chemistry problems"

That said, he doesn't really strike me as a Phil triangle PG. He liked bigger PG who played off the ball more. (Like, I don't know, Ron Harper). Fisher was similarly sized to Nick but more of an off ball player.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I always thought Van Exel and Jones were traded to ensure more usage for Kobe.

Loved both those guys growing up. Would have loved to see what that team could have done(along with Elden Campbell) instead of teaming Shaq and Kobe up with a bunch of old nearly washed veterans in Glen Rice, Fox, Harper, Grant, Malone, and Payton.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah I was gonna guess vague "chemistry problems"

That said, he doesn't really strike me as a Phil triangle PG. He liked bigger PG who played off the ball more. (Like, I don't know, Ron Harper). Fisher was similarly sized to Nick but more of an off ball player.

Yeah and that’s an interesting “what if”, too. What if the Lakers kept Nick and Eddie, fired Harris before 98-99, and hired a good coach(rather than firing Harris mid-season, hiring Rambis, bringing in Rodman, trading Jones...what a circus that year was)

They made it such a clown show, that paring down and bringing in Phil and all his “psychology” and veteran triangle guys became necessary.

What if they just hired another normal solid coach in 99 and ran with Shaq, Kobe, Eddie, Nick, Horry, Fox, etc.?

It’s crazy to feel like we left some meat on the bone when we friggin 3 peated. But we didn’t get much back for what were prior to Shaq and Kobe joining, our two best players on very young, 50 win type teams. And given that Shaq went on to win another title in Miami, and Kobe won two more an NBA lifetime later...I don’t think we got all we could out of that era.

*97-98 Lakers went 61-21 and made the WCF. All of the panic, retooling, and drama wasn’t necessary. Just calm down and let it happen. My feelings both then, and now!

 

[OrangeDW]

I always thought Van Exel and Jones were traded to ensure more usage for Kobe.

Loved both those guys growing up. Would have loved to see what that team could have done(along with Elden Campbell) instead of teaming Shaq and Kobe up with a bunch of old nearly washed veterans in Glen Rice, Fox, Harper, Grant, Malone, and Payton.

I think that was a big part of it, particularly in Jones’s case. But that was also the “this guy is the 2 guard. This guy is the SF and he has to be 6’7 230+” pigeon hole specific positions era.

I would’ve rather had Kobe and Eddie playing together as the dynamic pair of wings, rather than Rick Fox’s basic lunker ass out there. IMO, Eddie was an ideal “3 and D” slasher who could run the floor, spot up, and slash and that could fit with Kobe.

Van Exel would’ve had to adjust...and Kobe would’ve too(which I don’t think he was interested in at that young age - which was too bad). But I look at what Van Exel was able to do in Dallas 5 years later...they had Nash and Finley as their star perimeter players, and Van Exel was able to fit in fine - both in the PG role when needed and in the combo guard role alongside Nash when needed.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think that was a big part of it, particularly in Jones’s case. But that was also the “this guy is the 2 guard. This guy is the SF and he has to be 6’7 230+” pigeon hole specific positions era.

I would’ve rather had Kobe and Eddie playing together as the dynamic pair of wings, rather than Rick Fox’s basic lunker ass out there. IMO, Eddie was an ideal “3 and D” slasher who could run the floor, spot up, and slash and that could fit with Kobe.

Van Exel would’ve had to adjust...and Kobe would’ve too(which I don’t think he was interested in at that young age - which was too bad). But I look at what Van Exel was able to do in Dallas 5 years later...they had Nash and Finley as their star perimeter players, and Van Exel was able to fit in fine - both in the PG role when needed and in the combo guard role alongside Nash when needed.

I thought the early version of that Lakers team was much more fun to watch then the 2001-2004 versions. I’m not sure if it was hiring Phil or a bunch of older veterans, but they went from playing exciting up and down basketball to playing like an eastern conference team the further that run went on. It didn’t help that after a few seasons Shaq never seemed to be in shape until the playoffs came around.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Funny hearing Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. Both are very underrated players from the 90s, imo. Nick averaged >6.5apg for 8 straight years and Jones was a really good all around guard, especially on defense. And apparently cousins with Haliburton?

 

[OrangeDW]

I thought the early version of that Lakers team was much more fun to watch then the 2001-2004 versions. I’m not sure if it was hiring Phil or a bunch of older veterans, but they went from playing exciting up and down basketball to playing like an eastern conference team the further that run went on. It didn’t help that after a few seasons Shaq never seemed to be in shape until the playoffs came around.

Yeah, the 97-98 Lakers were so much fun to watch. 3rd best team in the league after Chicago and Utah...and the difference was age and experience.

One of the all time great highlight reel teams. The 94-95 and 97-98 Lakers were my personal favorites to watch and root for.

 

[Eric15]

 

[cuseattle]

View attachment 207598

He looks great, but I'll always think of him like

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah and that’s an interesting “what if”, too. What if the Lakers kept Nick and Eddie, fired Harris before 98-99, and hired a good coach(rather than firing Harris mid-season, hiring Rambis, bringing in Rodman, trading Jones...what a circus that year was)

They made it such a clown show, that paring down and bringing in Phil and all his “psychology” and veteran triangle guys became necessary.

What if they just hired another normal solid coach in 99 and ran with Shaq, Kobe, Eddie, Nick, Horry, Fox, etc.?

It’s crazy to feel like we left some meat on the bone when we friggin 3 peated. But we didn’t get much back for what were prior to Shaq and Kobe joining, our two best players on very young, 50 win type teams. And given that Shaq went on to win another title in Miami, and Kobe won two more an NBA lifetime later...I don’t think we got all we could out of that era.

*97-98 Lakers went 61-21 and made the WCF. All of the panic, retooling, and drama wasn’t necessary. Just calm down and let it happen. My feelings both then, and now!

Maybe this is too sports talk radio of me, but my first reaction to this is just that the Shaq and Kobe relationship was inevitably going to fracture at some point relatively early in the run.

It feels crazy to me that Kobe was only 26 when they traded Shaq

 

[Arangeman]

Lakers v Nets at noon. No Melo, Lebron, Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Irving or like a dozen others. For some reason it’s on NBAtv.

 

[OrangeDW]

Lakers v Nets at noon. No Melo, Lebron, Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Irving or like a dozen others. For some reason it’s on NBAtv.

Yeah, saw that and then saw the details that everyone is sitting out. Not watching. Football Sunday, and a potentially big Dodgers game. That’s enough sports for one day. Need the Pads to come through!