NBA Season 2017/18
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Celtics beat the Bucks in OT (the last two shots in regulation were insane), and then the Pacers roll Cleveland.
Big alarm bells for the Cavs, though I still think Lebron gets them up off the canvas for this round. But they are looking very vulnerable indeed.
I watched Wiz/Raps and Sixers/Heat yesterday. I was surprised by the Wizards, who got it together for 3.5 quarters before falling in a heap. The Raptors are good but clearly not unstoppable.
The Sixers were down early but caught fire from 3. Simmons and Embiid get the focus but they have been really smart in their acquisitions this season - Redick, Bellinelli and Illyasova are the perfect pieces to place around them, and Saric is in great form as well.
I wasn't sure if they could get over Miami, but you'd almost have them as favourites to win the East at this point in time. It's so open that any one of five teams could do it, IMO.
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Being really hungover yesterday resulted in me lazing on the couch all day watching basketball (and a bit of footy later on). Sixer/Heat first half was awesome, but the Sixers took control in the 2nd. They are a bloody good side, and like you Barb, reckon they deserve to be favourites in the East.
The Pelicans looked great for 3.5 quarters as well, but they were gassed at the end, and only just held on. At one point their turnovers were so lazy you almost thought the fix was on.
Haven't watched today, but Cavs form of the last week or so looks to have continued. If LBJ doesn't drag them over the line by himself they are in trouble.
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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.
@mariner4life I’ve never warmed to LBJ either, but over the past two seasons my view has changed. He’s a phenomenal player that can get whatever he wants on the offensive end. He’s shooting 60% because he works so damn hard getting to the hole.
That Sixers game where the Cavs were down big and he got them back was one of the best games this year from a superstar taking over a game perspective.
Cavs are rubbish on the interior D and so won’t go far I reckon.
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@bovidae im an OKC man, before that I was a Sonics man. However, Russell Westbrook, for all his athleticism is a selfish, glory hunting ass. He does amazing things but for me its all overshadowed by his need for the spotlight. I saw him box out his own players today. he fot 20 fucken rebounds today. His centre could be challenging for rebounder of the year but instead Westbrook is getting gimmes to over Shadow the Big O who got his triple doubles fairly. Last year seemed mostly legit but this season hes taking the piss.
@mariner4life said in NBA Season 2017/18:
What a surprise to hear Russ stat padding, how unlike him...
@raznomore said in NBA Season 2017/18:
@bovidae im an OKC man, before that I was a Sonics man. However, Russell Westbrook, for all his athleticism is a selfish, glory hunting ass. He does amazing things but for me its all overshadowed by his need for the spotlight. I saw him box out his own players today. he fot 20 fucken rebounds today. His centre could be challenging for rebounder of the year but instead Westbrook is getting gimmes to over Shadow the Big O who got his triple doubles fairly. Last year seemed mostly legit but this season hes taking the piss.
What a load of crap. The hating on Westbrook over this is fucking ludicrous and so cliche. For a start basically everyone in the NBA stat pads. But as long as they do it within an effective system it is not an issue. Westbrook grabs defensive boards as it is the PROVEN best way for them to generate offense. All the stats back this up, his team mates and coach assert it and support it. If anyone here can point out how him grabbing the defensive boards is a net negative ti the team, point it out. The OKC defense has mitigated the fact that he sags in for them because they believe it is of benefit, and the statistics have proven them correct.
The big O got his triple doubles 'fairly'?
How many of his games during his triple double season did you watch?? I saw zero... how many did you see? You are the one saying it was fair. And while you are at it... define 'fair' because it sounds like mealy mouthed bullshit whining to me.
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@baron-silas-greenback don't hold back...
3pt line. Oscar didn't play in an era where this was a factor. The players crowded around the basket and rebounds were contested by many on almost every play. You did not have todays situation where players fuck off down court, as quickly as they do now, after an errant 3pt shot and 2 defending fowards box out for the point to take the rebound. It was heavy traffic all the time.
No zone defence. players played 1 on 1 all game every game so again the defensive spacing that we see now that forces placers to look to score from outside the arc or at least not directly under the basket.
The defensive 3 second rule. Big O didn't have this either which again meant defensive players would crowd the key and make offensive rebound very difficult.
I don't doubt that there were times when Robertsons team mates suggested they leave the rebound for him. But simply knowing how the game was played then to know suggests Roberston had to fight more for rebounds.
OKC is the team I follow and the Sonics before that. So I examine them more than other teams and there are going to be other players that stat pad for sure but my gripe is with a player on my team. As I said last season it seemed mostly legit but if you look at these videos hes hogging rebounds and boxing out his own players, That is bullshit. There's one rebound where he boxes out Melo and then another where Pg has it covered and he snatches it away...and there were no opposing players around.
Totally gets the offense going, most of the time. But the amount of times this season I have seen him take a stat away from a player to suit his box score is shit.
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Wizards score a more then respectable 58 in the first half of game 2.
And still trail the Raptors by 18
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@baron-silas-greenback don't hold back...
3pt line. Oscar didn't play in an era where this was a factor. The players crowded around the basket and rebounds were contested by many on almost every play. You did not have todays situation where players fuck off down court, as quickly as they do now, after an errant 3pt shot and 2 defending fowards box out for the point to take the rebound. It was heavy traffic all the time.
No zone defence. players played 1 on 1 all game every game so again the defensive spacing that we see now that forces placers to look to score from outside the arc or at least not directly under the basket.
The defensive 3 second rule. Big O didn't have this either which again meant defensive players would crowd the key and make offensive rebound very difficult.
I don't doubt that there were times when Robertsons team mates suggested they leave the rebound for him. But simply knowing how the game was played then to know suggests Roberston had to fight more for rebounds.
OKC is the team I follow and the Sonics before that. So I examine them more than other teams and there are going to be other players that stat pad for sure but my gripe is with a player on my team. As I said last season it seemed mostly legit but if you look at these videos hes hogging rebounds and boxing out his own players, That is bullshit. There's one rebound where he boxes out Melo and then another where Pg has it covered and he snatches it away...and there were no opposing players around.
Totally gets the offense going, most of the time. But the amount of times this season I have seen him take a stat away from a player to suit his box score is shit.
@raznomore said in NBA Season 2017/18:
@baron-silas-greenback don't hold back...
3pt line. Oscar didn't play in an era where this was a factor. The players crowded around the basket and rebounds were contested by many on almost every play. You did not have todays situation where players fuck off down court, as quickly as they do now, after an errant 3pt shot and 2 defending fowards box out for the point to take the rebound. It was heavy traffic all the time.
No zone defence. players played 1 on 1 all game every game so again the defensive spacing that we see now that forces placers to look to score from outside the arc or at least not directly under the basket.
The defensive 3 second rule. Big O didn't have this either which again meant defensive players would crowd the key and make offensive rebound very difficult.
I don't doubt that there were times when Robertsons team mates suggested they leave the rebound for him. But simply knowing how the game was played then to know suggests Roberston had to fight more for rebounds.
OKC is the team I follow and the Sonics before that. So I examine them more than other teams and there are going to be other players that stat pad for sure but my gripe is with a player on my team. As I said last season it seemed mostly legit but if you look at these videos hes hogging rebounds and boxing out his own players, That is bullshit. There's one rebound where he boxes out Melo and then another where Pg has it covered and he snatches it away...and there were no opposing players around.
Totally gets the offense going, most of the time. But the amount of times this season I have seen him take a stat away from a player to suit his box score is shit.
Different rules for different eras does not in any way make anything unfair, there are pros and cons to both.
As for videos. they do precisely nothing to support your argument. You have provided no facts to back your assertion that Westbrook getting those rebounds is a bad thing. It isn't.. it is a good thing for the team. The stats back that up. The Thunder have better offense when he rebounds, and they win more when he gets a triple double.
Bring some actual facts to the discussion, not just silly hating. -
@raznomore said in NBA Season 2017/18:
@baron-silas-greenback don't hold back...
3pt line. Oscar didn't play in an era where this was a factor. The players crowded around the basket and rebounds were contested by many on almost every play. You did not have todays situation where players fuck off down court, as quickly as they do now, after an errant 3pt shot and 2 defending fowards box out for the point to take the rebound. It was heavy traffic all the time.
No zone defence. players played 1 on 1 all game every game so again the defensive spacing that we see now that forces placers to look to score from outside the arc or at least not directly under the basket.
The defensive 3 second rule. Big O didn't have this either which again meant defensive players would crowd the key and make offensive rebound very difficult.
I don't doubt that there were times when Robertsons team mates suggested they leave the rebound for him. But simply knowing how the game was played then to know suggests Roberston had to fight more for rebounds.
OKC is the team I follow and the Sonics before that. So I examine them more than other teams and there are going to be other players that stat pad for sure but my gripe is with a player on my team. As I said last season it seemed mostly legit but if you look at these videos hes hogging rebounds and boxing out his own players, That is bullshit. There's one rebound where he boxes out Melo and then another where Pg has it covered and he snatches it away...and there were no opposing players around.
Totally gets the offense going, most of the time. But the amount of times this season I have seen him take a stat away from a player to suit his box score is shit.
Different rules for different eras does not in any way make anything unfair, there are pros and cons to both.
As for videos. they do precisely nothing to support your argument. You have provided no facts to back your assertion that Westbrook getting those rebounds is a bad thing. It isn't.. it is a good thing for the team. The stats back that up. The Thunder have better offense when he rebounds, and they win more when he gets a triple double.
Bring some actual facts to the discussion, not just silly hating. -
Pelicans win another on the road to take a stranglehold on their series.
Didn't get to watch today obviously (stupid work) but the box score looks like their best players are playing huge minutes this series.
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Pelicans win another on the road to take a stranglehold on their series.
Didn't get to watch today obviously (stupid work) but the box score looks like their best players are playing huge minutes this series.
@mariner4life The best thing that could have happened to the Pelicans this season was Boogies injury. I don't think he was "bad for the team" but they seemed to struggle to find team chemistry. AD is just balling out.
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Watched the last quarter of Pels/Blazers. The thing that surprised me was the lack of big plays by Davis down the stretch - it was all Holiday, Rondo and Mirotic.
Don't think they are good enough to knock off the Warriors, but they will probably pinch a game or two from them.
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Watched the last quarter of Pels/Blazers. The thing that surprised me was the lack of big plays by Davis down the stretch - it was all Holiday, Rondo and Mirotic.
Don't think they are good enough to knock off the Warriors, but they will probably pinch a game or two from them.
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@barbarian Im surprised by Rondo this season. He is pretty much back to his Boston form.
Im more surprised by the Blazers inability to cope. They were looking the business late in the season.
@raznomore Yeah when they levelled the scores with five minutes to go I thought 'here we go, Dame will get them home'.
But then the Pelicans went up a gear and just buried them.
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Some role player called James is having a whale of a time. 29 in the first half.
Why aren't his shoulders wrecked from carrying that team?
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Some role player called James is having a whale of a time. 29 in the first half.
Why aren't his shoulders wrecked from carrying that team?
@mariner4life said in NBA Season 2017/18:
Some role player called James is having a whale of a time. 29 in the first half.
Why aren't his shoulders wrecked from carrying that team?
Could he actually be the best ever? I used to watch a lot of Jordan and thought no one would ever get near him in terms of being so dominate.
I don't watch a lot now so can't offer a real opinion on James.
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slight aside, I'm taking the kids to the Harlem Globetrotters tonight. Looking forward to it, it's supposed to be wildly entertaining.
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Jazz were good today. OKC pushed too many passes and took too many high risk shots. Steven Adams fouled out way too early and although some of those fouls were soft he needs to be better next game. When he leaves Melo is then required to defend to a level that you would expect from a future HOF but he just isn't good enough and it showed. He's old gotta cut him slack. Brewer really needs to be that other elite defender and TBH thats what he was signed for. Just not getting that from him though. Really missing Roberson in these types of Games.
That said, Gobert & Rubio played well and Mitchell is insane for a rookie. 20pt average for a rookie and the way he scores is phenom material.
