NBA 2016-17 Season Thread

[aubearcat 2,137]

This slow start gives me a bad feeling fam

[GwillMac6 20,671]

I HATE THIS FEELING!!! I FRICKIN HATE IT SO MUCH!! Well for starters it is only game 1 so theres that. Rockets eviscerated the spurs before they bowed out and lost in 6. Second as the President of the LeBron James fan club I cannot even get excited for this because the monster that awaits at the end of the road if the LeBrons are fortunate to get past the celtics is the juggernaut Warriors. That is the scariest offensive team on paper in NBA history with their shooters and talent. I just cannot shake this feeling they sweep whoever comes out of the east. Love is killing it tonight but he was AWFUL vs the warriors last year and the cavs blew out the warriors when he missed game 3. Averaged 8 and 6 that series.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

2 hours ago, aubearcat said:

This slow start gives me a bad feeling fam

like reggie said HOUSE MONEY right now. You got the number 1 pick. NO ONE has had a better season than the celtics so far. Stevens is a legit top 3 coach in the NBA already. No one outside the Warriors and  maybe the cavs depending on how long muhhhh boy LeBron can maintain this level of play future is brighter in the NBA than the celts.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

We had two potential series between actual title contenders:  Spurs/Warriors and winner of that series against the Cavs. That was the list. Zaza's fat foot cost us one of the series. Kawhi and LeBron at the best players in the league. With Leonard for the full series, the Spurs had a chance. Without him, weeeeell, we've seen what happens. He's that good. He nullifies Durant on one end and makes the offense hum on the other. It's not a coincidence that Durant was a non-factor before Kawhi's injury and the BEST PLAYER ON THE FLOOR! (totally kidding) when he left. Kawhi eats Durant's lunch and doesn't apologize when he's done. Pachulia. Unreal. What a bummer.

The C's aren't ready for the Cavs this year. Love won't do what he just did again, but neither will Kyrie or Korver (combined 5 for 17 with 14 points). Those guys are going to kick back up to their norms and the machine will keep humming. I like a lot of the C's players, but Thomas is the only guy on the team that scares anyone. Jae Crowder isn't beating Cleveland. Avery Bradley can't play better than he has in the last week+. Al Horford isn't the kind of guy that will take over a series like this. Very good team. Very good year. If they can add Jimmy Butler or hit a home run with the one pick, this could turn into a contender. It's just not there yet.

Cavs/Warriors is going to be very fun though.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

Everyone forgets how much of a beast Karl Malone was!!! If he even had 1 ring he would be so much more respected than he already is.

[aubearcat 2,137]

@GwillMac6 get your broom. You were right and I was wrong. Celtics are done. Soon  going to be full Red Sox/ Dodgers mode in my sports world. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

15 hours ago, aubearcat said:

@GwillMac6 get your broom. You were right and I was wrong. Celtics are done. Soon  going to be full Red Sox/ Dodgers mode in my sports world. 

nah fam. You were not wrong you just were being a good, loyal and optimistic fan. Wearing the Green and white glasses. No different than what we do every off season here where no matter what on que we think our tigers are going to win a sec title or more! lol. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

On 5/20/2017 at 8:12 AM, aubearcat said:

@GwillMac6 get your broom. You were right and I was wrong. Celtics are done. Soon  going to be full Red Sox/ Dodgers mode in my sports world. 

you spoke too soon my friend!! We got ourselves a series! Not a good look at all from the cavs losing to a team at home who they just beat by 44 on the road and they WERE WITHOUT THEIR BEST PLAYER! haha #sports.

[aubearcat 2,137]

I was glad to see Boston keep playing hard and get a game. If they can get hot shooting, they may take another game or two. I would like to see them play more through the post like they did in game three. I know living and dying by the three had been their game all season but I'd still like to see a little more through the post.

[aubearcat 2,137]

I laughed last night when Jeff VanGundy and Marc Jackson spoke about the rough play in the post. Those two are really the ones to talk about rough post play considering how their Knick teams of the early '90s tried to be like the Bad Boy Pistons.

[TigerFreak 6]

On 6/2/2017 at 8:45 AM, aubearcat said:

I laughed last night when Jeff VanGundy and Marc Jackson spoke about the rough play in the post. Those two are really the ones to talk about rough post play considering how their Knick teams of the early '90s tried to be like the Bad Boy Pistons.

Especially considering they were talking about a play involving LeBron, who more often than not gets the call. Let one foul not get called and they act like post play is too rough 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

Well this was 11 months in the making. NO WAY you give a 73 win team the second best player in the world and this is what happens!? WE ARE SHOCKED I TELL YA JUST SHOCKED!!!!

[Barnacle 9,064]

Irving was unbelievable last night. Warriors are just too good. 

Durant is playing the best I've ever seen him play. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

56 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

Irving was unbelievable last night. Warriors are just too good. 

Durant is playing the best I've ever seen him play. 

LeBron with 39 and Kyrie with 38. Dang most points scored by a duo in nba finals history in a loss. as a LeBron superfan that was one of the toughest to ever take in the playoffs.

[aubearcat 2,137]

@GwillMac6, now that the finals are over, I'm more confirmed in my opinion of James. I know you're a huge fan but I think Kyrie has more MJ in him than Lebron. Not saying that James isn't the best since Michael but he doesn't have the killer instinct that MJ had and Kyrie seems to have. For example, I believe it was game three when Cleveland was up late in the fourth, Lebron drives the lane and passes to Korver in the corner for the three. In last night's game there was a similar situation where Cleveland was going on a run and Lebron drove the lane but instead of forcing a foul an possibly an and 1, he passed the ball back out. I believe in that in those same situations, Jordan, Kyrie, Bird, Magic...etc, are going to take and make the shot or make the other team foul for  shots. I admire Lebron's game and all, for me though, I wish he would be more of the closer. If they add Paul George as speculated, it'll probably be GS v CLE part 4 in the finals next season. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

lol mj has ruined how people view basketball. People think MJ style is the best way to play basketball. UN REAL.  DO people not appreciate and remember virtuoso's like Oscar and Magic?! The man just became the first player to EVER average a triple double in the finals with 33 12 and 10 and had a elimination game of 41 13 and 8 and yet people STILL complain about this man. What does this man have to do for people to just accept him as a player and that is the greatest all around player ever. Kyrie just went scoreless in a elimination game in the fourth. Kyrie when he is on he looks amazing but when he is off he looks like this. Mj and Kobe style of play is not the only way to win in the NBA. LeBron will always make the right basketball play. Same as Magic. The correct basketball play was a pass to a wide open Korver one of the greatest three point shooters in NBA history. He did not make the shot. If he did like he should it would of been a great play people would be saying. He had 14 in the fourth last night and kyrie had none. That is a closer. There is more than 1 way to close a basketball game than scoring but again after MJ people forget this and people are so enamored with the flashy splashy games of him and players like him.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

MJ and Kobe way of playing the game only works in terms of winning a lot of games when you have a great team around them. Did MJ magically become a better player when Pippen arrived? NO!  He was the same guy and still the best player in the league but the team just got better around him.  He was the same shot making machine. His mentality never changed.  The best version of Kobe was after shaq left and before gasol. People will never see that though because all anyone remembers is the 3 titles with shaq and the 2 with gasol. Kobe when he was losing in the first round every year was the best scorer I have ever seen. He just had no help. LeBron style of play works without good players around him see 07 cavs and works with help around him. He gets the most out of his teammates and sacrifices scoring numbers in the first half most of the time to facilitate and initiate the offense and basically be the point guard. He averaged a career high in assists this season in his 14th nba season.

[aubearcat 2,137]

Okay, difference of opinion. I believe when you're the best, you keep the ball and do what you do especially in clutch situations. He's regarded as the best player of this generation but even previous NBA stars speak to the fact he passes at times he should keep. FYI, I grew up watching Bird and Magic in the finals. I know Magic's game. This team is the team Bron demanded from management all the way to the coach so it is what it is. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

38 minutes ago, aubearcat said:

Okay, difference of opinion. I believe when you're the best, you keep the ball and do what you do especially in clutch situations. He's regarded as the best player of this generation but even previous NBA stars speak to the fact he passes at times he should keep. FYI, I grew up watching Bird and Magic in the finals. I know Magic's game. This team is the team Bron demanded from management all the way to the coach so it is what it is. 

WE STILL FAM! I still got mad love for you! lol... He takes the shot when it is the right play to do so. He clinched the 2013 finals with a last second jumper in game 7 vs kawhi. He made some clutch plays in the waning moments of games in the 2012 finals.  Kyrie last year had the favorable matchup vs a bad defender in curry so thats why he took the shot. LeBron had arguably the more important clutch play with that block on iggy to keep the game tied. Besides the hook that everyone remembers from Magic he was mostly deferring in late game situations as well. This team is absolutely good enough to win multiple titles. NO ONE foresaw first the warriors becoming a juggernaut overnight from losing in the first round to the clippers in 2014 to winning 67 games in 2015. After LeBron and Kyrie dethroned them last year no one actually thought the second best player in the world KD going to a 73 win historic team he JUST lost a 3-1 lead to. This cavs team is a absolute offensive juggernaut. They set records seemingly every playoffs. This warriors team just is a better offensive team now with KD AND the thing that seperates the warriors is 3 of their best 4 players are great defensive players. That is the trump card. Love and Kyrie for as magical as they are offensively are horrible defenders. We have never seen a team with 4 legit all stars and 2 of those being superstars all playing together in the prime of their careers. I despise them. They are going to be the one and only reason to keep LeBron from winning more rings. 

[aubearcat 2,137]

If George signs with Cleveland, they're back in the finals. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

I think they are back in the finals regardless of moves they make. They cannot sign anyone since they are sooooooo far over the salary cap. They had the highest payroll in the league this past year. IF they get Paul George without giving up Love in a trade then they actually have a chance to beat the warriors. If they roll back out the same lineup they will get crushed the same way.

[mustache eagle 2,399]

Can't give a dude a hard time for scoring 30 and dished no the ball for others to have wide open shots.  They are pros and it's their job to make the wide open shots.

my favorite thing about MJ was his defense.

ive got a buddy who's son-in-law played some European pro ball and started working for the warriors this year.  They posted pictures with Durant in the locker room celebrating.  Pretty cool first "real" job.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

10 minutes ago, mustache eagle said:

Can't give a dude a hard time for scoring 30 and dished no the ball for others to have wide open shots.  They are pros and it's their job to make the wide open shots.

my favorite thing about MJ was his defense.

ive got a buddy who's son-in-law played some European pro ball and started working for the warriors this year.  They posted pictures with Durant in the locker room celebrating.  Pretty cool first "real" job.

If I did not hate the warriors so much I would say that is really really cool! haha nah forreal that is awesome! DREAM JOB! living in the bay area working for a dynasty in the making? congrats!

[aubearcat 2,137]

It appears the  ? will take Jackson or Taytum. I'll be happy with either. I would've also been satisfied with Fultz but that would've been redundant with all the guards that the C's have. I'm really that Hayward will come to Boston. Boston will also bring in Zizic who will be a real deal NBA center. He won't play a ton of minutes this year but in the near future, he'll be a solid 5. 

[aubearcat 2,137]

I saw an article today that the knicks are considering trading Porzingis and Boston is the most likely trading partner if that happens. Yes, please! If they were to somehow get both he and Hayward, get ready to hang some more banners.