NBA Season 2017/18
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@rocky-rockbottom My favorite is AK-47 for Andrei Kirilenko.
Kirilenko is nicknamed "AK-47", in reference to both his initials, jersey number, and the AK-47 rifle. Coincidentally, Kirilenko was born in the city of Izhevsk, in the former Soviet Union (now Russia), where the weapon was first manufactured.
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@raznomore said in NBA Season 2017/18:
@bovidae Melo is a liability. He is also starting to really get chippy at Steven Adams. Adams is now the teams most important player. Not the best player, the most important*. The cancer that is Melo looked like he'd found a home at OKC but he's just the same old selfish "imma get mines" player he's always been.
He always wants isolation called when he has the ball. Especially when hes out with the second unit. He is still lazy and just plain horrible on defense and now he's getting in the face of the soul of the team, Steven Adams.
Steven is a franchise player on another team. Seriously. He could be averaging 30 points 15 rebounds on a team where they want to feed him and he doesn't have to give Westbrook his rebounds.
Adams will never be a 30 and 15 guy. He does not have the post game or the midrange turn and face game. He could be a consistent 18 and 12 man though. He’s money on the alley oop and onball with Westbrook. He’s the best offensive rebounder in the game. But he just needs to develop a couple of moves to add to that game.
FWIW I like his game this year.
As much as I like his game, I still don’t think PG has fit in. There’s a period in the 3rd quarter of each game when he is running with the second unit and that’s probably when he is at his best, but with Westbrook and Melo, he doesn’t seem comfortable.
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we are going to have to agree to disagree. I've heard people say he was going to be a bust. He wasn't ready for the draft. He can't score. He has not post game. He's not worth the contract.
Well the post game is getting better and better. I know for a fact that his top of the key shooting is coming along nicely behind closed doors. I know he has the ability to eventually shoot 3s. all the other stuff he's already proved plenty of people wrong and he's still only 24.
This is not by any stretch the finished product. on an offence where he could be a second option he's good for 25+ and he should already be averaging 12-15 rebounds now. He is the best offensive rebounder in the game already..
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@raznomore He has soft hands and great footwork. He is still young and if he continues to progress who knows how good he could become? Comms during a game I watched the other day were saying he is OKCs real 2nd option
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@canefan I know it's a stretch but I've seen some post moves, particularly his reverse moves that are damn near unstoppable.
I've heard he's uneasy with offence being run through him but that doesn't mean it's not going to need to happen. in a play off situation where Russ, PG and melo go cold I know where the ball is going and it's only matter of time before it's a regular part of the offence. where it breaks down is the 4th quarter. the pick n roll is tiring for the big fella. that's where I think people see him as limited. but I know what that kid and his Big's coaches are working on and as soon as his jumper comes it's a whole new player.
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I think PG has been going fine get rid of Melo and get Russ/Steve/PG more ball in their hands. Melo's stats of late are almost making Lonzo Balls stats look good.Its a shame Victor Olidipo isn't there as a post up shooter as well who is good on D would have loved to see that still running.
Adams literally just decides what he will add to his tools in the off season and adds one each season. What ever he picks he does it bloody well. Hope they can keep a decent % going into the finals don't think they want to meet portland in the 1st round.
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@magpie_in_aus said in NBA Season 2017/18:
I think PG has been going fine get rid of Melo and get Russ/Steve/PG more ball in their hands. Melo's stats of late are almost making Lonzo Balls stats look good.Its a shame Victor Olidipo isn't there as a post up shooter as well who is good on D would have loved to see that still running.
Adams literally just decides what he will add to his tools in the off season and adds one each season. What ever he picks he does it bloody well. Hope they can keep a decent % going into the finals don't think they want to meet portland in the 1st round.
There’s no way they could’ve kept Oladipo and signed PG with the contracts Adams and Westbrook were on. Victor is on big money, $20m+ per season.
The Pacers will be a smokey in the East
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This season is the most interesting one for a long while. Warriors and Celtics are injured, Rockets and Raptors unproven, Cavs can't defend, Thunder are hot and cold and there are about five other also-rans who could make a run (Blazers, Sixers, Jazz, Spurs, Wizards).
Will be a fascinating play-off series, though still a high likelihood of Cavs/Warriors IV.
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I wouldn't want to run into the sixers or portland if i was a mid-table team. I don't think the spurs will trouble anyone come playoffs with the injuries they have had.
I see M Fultz played his first game back for the sixers today 14 minutes 10 points 4 rebounds 8 assists.
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The playoff picture is all but set although the seedings still need to be finalised with teams having 1 or 2 games left to play. The schedule makers have done well as the Timberwolves and Nuggets play eachother in their final game with a winner-takes-all for the last place in the West playoffs.
OKC are currently in 7th place which would mean a 1st round clash with Durant and the Warriors.
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Best case is jazz lose their last two games. Spurs beat pelicans and thunder beat grizzles. I think that would mean Spurs/thunder first round. If i am the thunder that would be best case.
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Kobe, CP3 among NBA players wowed by Andre Ingram's impressive debut
The uplifting story had social media losing its mind, including several notable NBA players who felt as shocked and inspired as everyone else.
Dreams can come true
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Big day in the NBA. Biggest game is the pre-finals final, with the winner of the t-wolves v Nuggets game going on, the other one going home.
It's always a little hard to work out, but i think there is something riding on most games today, even if it is just seeding.
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This explains the permutations
NBA playoff race: What went down in the season finale
How did Wednesday's results affect postseason spots and seeding? We break it all down.
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So with the Blazers on top vs the Jazz we likely have:
1 Raptors vs 8 Wizards
2 Celtics vs 7 Bucks
3 Sixers vs 6 Heat
4 Cavs vs 5 Pacers1 Rockets vs 8 TWolves
2 Warriors vs 7 Spurs
3 Blazers vs 6 Pelicans
4 Thunder vs 5 JazzSome great match-ups there - the most interesting post season in years.
The Sixers/Heat is a particularly interesting series. The Heat are a tricky side to play and I'd be surprised if the Sixers roll through in 4 or 5. But if they get through the road to the Conference Finals is there, unbelievably.
In the west, the Thunder/Jazz series looms as the best in round one. I think the Warriors have a fairly straightforward run to the conference finals, sadly.
Still have my cash on a Cavs/Warriors finals, but at least they might get a few scares along the way.
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Best NBA season in a while. This really is the premier sports league in the US if not the world. Just about every game this year was worth watching.
The best rookie class in probably 15 years. 2003 had Wade, Melo, Bosh and Lebron. This year Simmons(76ers**), Fultz(76ers) Mitchell(Jazz), Kuzma(Lakers), Ball(Lakers), Tatum(Celtics), Markkanen(Bulls)Fox(Kings)
Just about all of these guys start for their franchises. That is crazy to have that many from the same class come NBA ready. Shame about Fultz not being able to really play for most of the season. He deserves another shot at rookie of the year with a proper season. Unfortunate situation with Simmons being eligible as it would have been Mitchells without question
**Simmons was actually drafted the year before but did not play - everyone on this thread follows the NBA so Im not sure why I bothered writing that. Maybe so you know, I know.....
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Been a bloody good season. And the finals look pretty open, especially with the Warriors in a complete funk.
The thing i have realised this season? I have an irrational dislike of LeBron James. I don't know why, but i've never warmed to him, at all. And when he gets talked up about "all time" i scoffed. But holy shit, the bloke is a phenom. He's 33, and just had another unreal season. At 33 and his averages are above the career line? And not in a dominant team. That's awesome. And he fucking wins. Like, a lot.
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