NBA Regular Season 14/15

NufcNavan

Shame it was on too late. Watched Pacers and Bucks instead.

Incredible performance from Kyrie. He's not one of my favourite PGs but he's liable to go off at anytime.

Bateman

Unbelievable bit of form Boston are on now, talk about sending out mixed messages

Ya there a strange team I think they could knock off a top contender but not get past the 2nd round of they make the playoffs

NufcNavan

OKC and Bulls on ESPN now.

D2D

NufcNavan wrote: »

OKC and Bulls on ESPN now.

OKC win it 109-100, Bulls just didn't have enough but Russell Westbrook is just on another level. 36 points, 11 assists, 6 boards, his 20th game this season of 30+ points

padraig_f

D2D wrote: »

OKC win it 109-100, Bulls just didn't have enough but Russell Westbrook is just on another level. 36 points, 11 assists, 6 boards, his 20th game this season of 30+ points

Thought it was a good Bulls performance despite the loss, and much better than the poor effort in Charlotte on Friday night. The team has lost 5 out of the last 6, but some positives in this injury-hit run in that Mirotic and Snell are getting some useful minutes.

Indiana up next, think the team will be up for it, having lost to them recently.

Lt J.R. Bell

Joey Blue Rodent wrote: »

Ya there a strange team I think they could knock off a top contender but not get past the 2nd round of they make the playoffs

Boston getting to the play off would be a huge achievement. Anything after that would be a bonus.

One should remember, Brad Stevens has not had a consistent roster all season. Many guys came in and went(and did well, eg the lad now gone back to Pistons & the former Nets player) getting Isiah Thomas was huge, and Tyler Zeller was a steal of the year

Boston needs play off experience. Its the only way they will attract free agents, cause it can't rely solely on the draft . While many have been injured, we were told that the 2014 draft would be the best yet. Well, bar a handful such as Parker (injured) , Embid (injured) and yer man at Wolves, it hasnt been that great. However, i acknowledge the Bulls shooter (not McDermott) and the Utah young guys (though I think they are in their second seasons)

Lt J.R. Bell

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

Boston getting to the play off would be a huge achievement. Anything after that would be a bonus.

One should remember, Brad Stevens has not had a consistent roster all season. Many guys came in and went(and did well, eg the lad now gone back to Pistons & the former Nets player) getting Isiah Thomas was huge, and Tyler Zeller was a steal of the year

Boston needs play off experience. Its the only way they will attract free agents, cause it can't rely solely on the draft . While many have been injured, we were told that the 2014 draft would be the best yet. Well, bar a handful such as Parker (injured) , Embid (injured) and yer man at Wolves, it hasnt been that great. However, i acknowledge the Bulls shooter (not McDermott) and the Utah young guys (though I think they are in their second seasons)

there only half a game outside the playoffs at the moment you forget how terrible the east is.

this is the first time this year he has had a consistent roster i still thing they need more presence inside. also the worry is that every game they've had a different guy go off can't expect phil pressley and evan turner to go off regularly. outside of isiah theres not a go to guy on offence

considering how young the team is though a playoff series could do them wonders

padraig_f

Looks like another clash with Thibs and the front office:
Joakim Noah hits minutes limit in Bulls' latest loss

If Thibs leaves in the summer, this'll be why, seems like he has a fundamental difference of opinion with the front-office about minutes. And as much as I like Thibs, I'm with the front-office on this one. These regular season games don't really matter too much. There's a reason why the Spurs are all healthy now and have won 7 of their last 8.

padraig_f

Paully D wrote: »

Get it while it's hot lads. A very good watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvb0W3XfbvM

Thought it was good. Wasn't expecting a whole lot, but was very well made and different from the usual thing. It was quite honest. The most interesting part was probably where he was talking about his family and the court case. You got the sense it was more about Kobe the man, as opposed to just the basketball player.

Interesting time to make it too. His whole life has been basketball, and now he doesn't have that long left. Would be good to see him have a good swan-song next season.

limerickfc

Ibaka to have knee surgery during the week..okc has to be the most unlucky team in terms of injuries in years

GoldFour4

For Forks Sake has set up a bracket for march madness which kicks off tomorrow.

Details here

limerickfc

limerickfc wrote: »

Ibaka to have knee surgery during the week..okc has to be the most unlucky team in terms of injuries in years

ya if they could have stayed healthy i think they could have been an all time great team that we still talk about in 20 years

Bateman

padraig_f wrote: »

Looks like another clash with Thibs and the front office:
Joakim Noah hits minutes limit in Bulls' latest loss

If Thibs leaves in the summer, this'll be why, seems like he has a fundamental difference of opinion with the front-office about minutes. And as much as I like Thibs, I'm with the front-office on this one. These regular season games don't really matter too much. There's a reason why the Spurs are all healthy now and have won 7 of their last 8.

Aaaaand, just like that the Spurs lose to the Knicks :eek:
I guess the Spurs prove people wrong year after year but it really looks like this team is done

Bateman

Bateman wrote: »

Aaaaand, just like that the Spurs lose to the Knicks :eek:
I guess the Spurs prove people wrong year after year but it really looks like this team is done

you just know there going to turn it on come playoff time though

ButtersSuki

Bateman wrote: »

Aaaaand, just like that the Spurs lose to the Knicks :eek:
I guess the Spurs prove people wrong year after year but it really looks like this team is done

boom celtics in a playoff spot despite a loss last night

D2D

Joey Blue Rodent wrote: »

boom celtics in a playoff spot despite a loss last night

Really is just amazing the work Brad Stevens has done, an incredible job

GoldFour4

D2D wrote: »

Really is just amazing the work Brad Stevens has done, an incredible job

Stevens is a phenomenal coach. I hadn't heard of him until butlers run to the tourney final against Duke but have admired him since.

For Forks Sake

D2D wrote: »

Really is just amazing the work Brad Stevens has done, an incredible job

He's a fantastic coach and the right sort of person needs there for the long term job that's needed.

padraig_f

@SportsInsights: The #Thunder announce they will have a press conference to discuss Kevin Durant's status. Speculation is that he is out for the season.

buyer95

Durante out indefinitely. Bad news for OKC, I'd fancy the Pelicans to nab the 8th spot. If imagine that's KD done for the season. I think its the right call, KD is a once in a generation player and they have every right to be careful with him. That same Jones fracture is what destroyed Penny Hardaway when he returned too early. Realistically the Thunder were not going to come from the 8th spot and win the title anyway.

NufcNavan

OKC fans currently experiencing what would be worst case scenario for the Pacers with Paul. Presti announcing today that Durant has been completely pulled from basketball activities indefinitely. For those not aware, Durant's foot injury is similar to injuries that have cost players their career before.

You go back to 2012 when they lost against the Heat and everyone thought it was just the first of many Finals trips for Oklahoma City, but it seems like they have been completely cursed since then. Westbrook in 2013, Durant this year.

stuchyg

You wonder does this also mean Brooks gets to keep his job for another year. Perfect excuse for not winning the title

NufcNavan

The thing that has become obvious is that keeping Ibaka over Harden was just a colossal mistake that Sam Presti should probably lose his job over some time soon.

The problem is that Ibaka was billed as being kept to be an interior presence. Instead they've now developed him into a 6'11" guy who shoots 3 threes per game. They've ended up having to repeatedly invest in big men anyway (Kanter this year).

Plus they are on the hook to pay Ibaka over 13 million a year each of the next two seasons.

Then you look into what they got for Harden which was basically nothing. It was a disaster in every way.

At the very least, they could have kept Harden at the time and re-evaluated their options at the trade deadline. It was a panic move made for no reason other than Presti thought he could replace Harden's production with Kevin Martin and pick up a couple first round picks and Jeremy Lamb, but it ignored the long term implications of the decision which were that Martin might leave anyway after a year (he did) and that the chances of the picks or Lamb being anywhere near a James Harden were pretty much zero (it was).

Lamb and the picks were the lynch pin of the long term deal. One of those pieces needed to get close to Harden and they haven't yet and probably won't.

padraig_f

The bookies have spoken about his prospects of coming back this season:

@Covers: Now that OKC's Kevin Durant is out indefinitely, @Sportsbook_com has moved their title odds from 10/1 to 50/1.

Paully D

NufcNavan wrote: »

OKC fans currently experiencing what would be worst case scenario for the Pacers with Paul. Presti announcing today that Durant has been completely pulled from basketball activities indefinitely. For those not aware, Durant's foot injury is similar to injuries that have cost players their career before.

You go back to 2012 when they lost against the Heat and everyone thought it was just the first of many Finals trips for Oklahoma City, but it seems like they have been completely cursed since then. Westbrook in 2013, Durant this year.

A post of mine from June 2012:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=79184591&postcount=41

Anyone else think, regardless of whatever happens in these finals, that we're looking at the next dynasty team in OKC? So many key player 23 or under, it's hard to imagine them not winning a large number of championships over the years.

I really, really thought they'd dominate for years.

i think we all did lebron is lebron but okc looked like the next shaq/kobe type team it could end up falling apart on them now.

iv heard it said that part of the injury issue was the club rushing them back from previous injuries i find that hard to believe however i think the players themselves where dying to get back what do ye think

Itssoeasy

Watching the sixers Knicks game. Good God almighty.

NufcNavan

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Watching the sixers Knicks game. Good God almighty.

Why on earth would you do that to yourself.