NBA Regular Season 2016-17

brady23

No games of any particular interest today, maybe Celtics/Bulls.
Although I think the soap opera in Chicago this year will be interesting. I think it'll be closer than most analysts think but I don't see the Bulls making the playoffs.
A team of big personalities with declining abilities and no one in the starting 5 who can truly space the floor.
Their 2nd unit will be better than last year I think, maybe McDermott becomes 2014 Kyle Korver, Mirotic and Portis make a leap. I think if McDermott does make the leap then bringing D.Wade off the bench would be best but that's never going to happen, they need to hope they get 40 wins and that's enough for the 8th spot

buyer95

brady23 wrote: »

No games of any particular interest today, maybe Celtics/Bulls.
Although I think the soap opera in Chicago this year will be interesting. I think it'll be closer than most analysts think but I don't see the Bulls making the playoffs.
A team of big personalities with declining abilities and no one in the starting 5 who can truly space the floor.
Their 2nd unit will be better than last year I think, maybe McDermott becomes 2014 Kyle Korver, Mirotic and Portis make a leap. I think if McDermott does make the leap then bringing D.Wade off the bench would be best but that's never going to happen, they need to hope they get 40 wins and that's enough for the 8th spot

Clippers Blazers is a game full of intrigue. Lillard played like somebody who could be in the mvp conversation in his first game, and that is a really good Blazers team. Clippers are low water third best team in the west, arguably second best. Should be a great game.

brady23

buyer95 wrote: »

brady23 wrote: »

No games of any particular interest today, maybe Celtics/Bulls.
Although I think the soap opera in Chicago this year will be interesting. I think it'll be closer than most analysts think but I don't see the Bulls making the playoffs.
A team of big personalities with declining abilities and no one in the starting 5 who can truly space the floor.
Their 2nd unit will be better than last year I think, maybe McDermott becomes 2014 Kyle Korver, Mirotic and Portis make a leap. I think if McDermott does make the leap then bringing D.Wade off the bench would be best but that's never going to happen, they need to hope they get 40 wins and that's enough for the 8th spot

Clippers Blazers is a game full of intrigue. Lillard played like somebody who could be in the mvp conversation in his first game, and that is a really good Blazers team. Clippers are low water third best team in the west, arguably second best. Should be a great game.

I don't think Lillard wins an MVP ever to honest, I think given the way the game is progressing from a metric standpoint and given who the voters are, he'll always be deemed too inefficient and too much of a defensive liability to be considered. He ranked 15th in overall RPM among just PGs, 5th in offensive RPM and 69th in defensive RPM only ahead of Zach LaVine and JJ Barea. Steph who he is basically competing with given their similar skillset was 2nd, 1st and 5th in the same categories.
Even PER which is more heavily weighted towards offense had Curry 1st overall and Lillard joint 15th with Lowry and Paul & Westbrook both ahead.
I'm not saying he won't be better and perhaps in the conversation at some point but I think he needs to make a massive leap to be a genuine contender.

buyer95

brady23 wrote: »

I don't think Lillard wins an MVP ever to honest, I think given the way the game is progressing from a metric standpoint and given who the voters are, he'll always be deemed too inefficient and too much of a defensive liability to be considered. He ranked 15th in overall RPM among just PGs, 5th in offensive RPM and 69th in defensive RPM only ahead of Zach LaVine and JJ Barea. Steph who he is basically competing with given their similar skillset was 2nd, 1st and 5th in the same categories.
Even PER which is more heavily weighted towards offense had Curry 1st overall and Lillard joint 15th with Lowry and Paul & Westbrook both ahead.
I'm not saying he won't be better and perhaps in the conversation at some point but I think he needs to make a massive leap to be a genuine contender.

I never said I thought he would be either, I simply said he could well be in the conversation. I predicted that LeBron would win it on this a few days ago and I still think he will. But I think the Blazers will be very good this year and I think Lillard is primed for a leap.

He is the best player on a team that won 44 games last year, a team that upset the Clippers in 6 games in the playoffs and a team that will only improve this year. Durant joining the dubs will only split the vote between him and Curry ruling both out of the mvp race. Westbrook is a candidate but I don't see OKC winning enough games for him to get the award. Davis is an mvp talent but again the Pelicans are not going to be relevant enough for him to be a real mvp candidate. Harden will be in the mix, and Kawhi Leonard too. Lillard is a dark horse, and I don't think he will win it this year but it is not beyond the bounds of posibility.

brady23

buyer95 wrote: »

brady23 wrote: »

I don't think Lillard wins an MVP ever to honest, I think given the way the game is progressing from a metric standpoint and given who the voters are, he'll always be deemed too inefficient and too much of a defensive liability to be considered. He ranked 15th in overall RPM among just PGs, 5th in offensive RPM and 69th in defensive RPM only ahead of Zach LaVine and JJ Barea. Steph who he is basically competing with given their similar skillset was 2nd, 1st and 5th in the same categories.
Even PER which is more heavily weighted towards offense had Curry 1st overall and Lillard joint 15th with Lowry and Paul & Westbrook both ahead.
I'm not saying he won't be better and perhaps in the conversation at some point but I think he needs to make a massive leap to be a genuine contender.

I never said I thought he would be either, I simply said he could well be in the conversation. I predicted that LeBron would win it on this a few days ago and I still think he will. But I think the Blazers will be very good this year and I think Lillard is primed for a leap.

He is the best player on a team that won 44 games last year, a team that will only improve this year. Durant joining the dubs will only split the vote between him and Curry ruling both out of the mvp race. Westbrook is a candidate but I don't see OKC winning enough games for him to get the award. Davis is an mvp talent but again the Pelicans are not going to be relevant enough for him to be a real mvp candidate. Harden will be in the mix, and Kawhi Leonard too. Lillard is a dark horse, and I don't think he will win it this year but it is not beyond the bounds of posibility.

I think this could be the most widely open MVP in years so yeah definitely a big improvement by a number of players could see a new MVP.
I think Harden and Kawhi would be my front runners because Kawhi obviously makes the playoffs and pretty sure Harden will too and if they continue on an upward trend they seem the best bet.
Durant & Steph for the reasons you mentioned seems logical but sneaking suspicion Steph might make Durants numbers even better. Durant won it sharing the ball with someone who doesn't play off the ball as well as Steph. It's the two tertiary players in Klay & Draymond who probably have higher usage rates than OKCs 3rd and 4th options but it will be interesting.
LeBron may go for MVP but maybe in a more Oscar Robertson type way with a 20/9/9 while being insanely efficient.
Anthony Davis will put up some gaudy numbers in raw and metrics but his team is obviously awful.
Blake with a year of redemption and CP3 maybe finally hands over the reigns.
I think there are lots of great subplots for that award alone. It will be great to see.

me and the biz

brady23 wrote: »

No games of any particular interest today, maybe Celtics/Bulls.
Although I think the soap opera in Chicago this year will be interesting. I think it'll be closer than most analysts think but I don't see the Bulls making the playoffs.
A team of big personalities with declining abilities and no one in the starting 5 who can truly space the floor.
Their 2nd unit will be better than last year I think, maybe McDermott becomes 2014 Kyle Korver, Mirotic and Portis make a leap. I think if McDermott does make the leap then bringing D.Wade off the bench would be best but that's never going to happen, they need to hope they get 40 wins and that's enough for the 8th spot

On the face of it, its not an interesting night. But as a long suffering Kings fan tonight is special as its opening night in the new arena in Sactown against the Spurs. Plenty of highs and pretty much a decade of lows now. I've resigned myself twice to watching my last game as a Kings fan so just the fact that I can still watch them tonight has put a huge smile on my face.

Heading over again to the Garden to watch them in just over 4 weeks against the Knicks. They're a joke of a franchise but **** it was hard imaging basketball without the Kings when they were genuinely looking like they were being relocated to Anaheim, Virginia Beach and then again in 2013 to Seattle and Hansens group.

Just glad to go from this: [/url]https://youtu.be/ekMV5dSmCOk[url][/url][url]

To this:
[/url]https://youtu.be/FAr_jxMLgQ0[url][/url]

brady23

Chicago with a really strange line up now. Rondo, Carter Williams, Wade, Butler & Gibson it could be the worst 3-pt shooting line up in the NBA on paper but Wade is 3/3 from 3pt line so far.
Mirotic looks pretty good so far, missed a few shots but he can be very good, I think he's just caught in the middle of that 3/4 spot

Not sure how many would find this interesting. It doesn't really come to any sort of conclusion as such but definitely questions the value of advanced metrics to a degree

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-chris-paul-conundrum/?addata=espn:nba:index

enaeknala1

Are the highlights on nba.com not working for anyone else?

I have tried on three different browsers and that doesnt seem to be the issue, when I click into the game it just says the page you requested was not found.

Does anyone use any other site for highlights of the games?
I know there is the 9/10 minute highlights available on youtube but I'm looking for a shorter piece.

Thanks guys

K.O.Kiki

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Are the highlights on nba.com not working for anyone else?

I have tried on three different browsers and that doesnt seem to be the issue, when I click into the game it just says the page you requested was not found.

Does anyone use any other site for highlights of the games?
I know there is the 9/10 minute highlights available on youtube but I'm looking for a shorter piece.

Thanks guys

NBA's official youtube account should have the smaller highlights.

ButtersSuki

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Are the highlights on nba.com not working for anyone else?

I have tried on three different browsers and that doesnt seem to be the issue, when I click into the game it just says the page you requested was not found.

Does anyone use any other site for highlights of the games?
I know there is the 9/10 minute highlights available on youtube but I'm looking for a shorter piece.

Thanks guys

Yup, they've changed the site and the 2minute highlights video you used to get on there aren't working when they're posted and more often than not aren't there at the moment. Shame, was a good way to recap the games quickly.

ButtersSuki

brady23 wrote: »

I think this could be the most widely open MVP in years so yeah definitely a big improvement by a number of players could see a new MVP.
I think Harden and Kawhi would be my front runners because Kawhi obviously makes the playoffs and pretty sure Harden will too and if they continue on an upward trend they seem the best bet.
Durant & Steph for the reasons you mentioned seems logical but sneaking suspicion Steph might make Durants numbers even better. Durant won it sharing the ball with someone who doesn't play off the ball as well as Steph. It's the two tertiary players in Klay & Draymond who probably have higher usage rates than OKCs 3rd and 4th options but it will be interesting.
LeBron may go for MVP but maybe in a more Oscar Robertson type way with a 20/9/9 while being insanely efficient.
Anthony Davis will put up some gaudy numbers in raw and metrics but his team is obviously awful.
Blake with a year of redemption and CP3 maybe finally hands over the reigns.
I think there are lots of great subplots for that award alone. It will be great to see.

It's wide open for the "wrong" reasons though.

As I posted previously, if I'm Cleveland I rest LeBron as much as possible all year - that deprives him of the chance of winning it.

Likewise, GS and San An are best at managing minutes league wide....hence that impacts all of their players.

Durant and Curry dilute each other, unless Curry decides (and it looks like he is) sacrifice hugely for KD.

If any of the above 3 decided to go flat out to win the MVP (and F*ck the team consequences) then it's a very different race.

Going back to the best player on the best team argument (and that's how a lot of the press votes), for me that would likely mean KD (I listed a lot of reasons for this in my previous post on this.

However, for the minutes reasons I think it's wide open.

Harden will play crazy minutes again and have crazy stats. As will Westbrook. But they'll both have average win/loss records. OKC may not even make the play offs and even if he average s atriple double I can't see Westbrook getting the MVP under those circumstances.

I don't see anyone outside that bunch having a chance.

Regardless of what kinda season anyone else has (Davis for example), the MVP in the NBA isn't on a team going 42-40 and scraping into the play offs on the 8th seed.

It could be a very strange but very interesting year.

rushfan

ButtersSuki wrote:

Yup, they've changed the site and the 2minute highlights video you used to get on there aren't working when they're posted and more often than not aren't there at the moment. Shame, was a good way to recap the games quickly.

Has anyone seen NBA Tonight listed on any of the sports channels yet? Thought it would have started at this stage, unless I've missed it? ???

K.O.Kiki

ButtersSuki wrote: »

It's wide open for the "wrong" reasons though.

As I posted previously, if I'm Cleveland I rest LeBron as much as possible all year - that deprives him of the chance of winning it.

Likewise, GS and San An are best at managing minutes league wide....hence that impacts all of their players.

Durant and Curry dilute each other, unless Curry decides (and it looks like he is) sacrifice hugely for KD.

If any of the above 3 decided to go flat out to win the MVP (and F*ck the team consequences) then it's a very different race.

Going back to the best player on the best team argument (and that's how a lot of the press votes), for me that would likely mean KD (I listed a lot of reasons for this in my previous post on this.

However, for the minutes reasons I think it's wide open.

Harden will play crazy minutes again and have crazy stats. As will Westbrook. But they'll both have average win/loss records. OKC may not even make the play offs and even if he average s atriple double I can't see Westbrook getting the MVP under those circumstances.

I don't see anyone outside that bunch having a chance.

Regardless of what kinda season anyone else has (Davis for example), the MVP in the NBA isn't on a team going 42-40 and scraping into the play offs on the 8th seed.

It could be a very strange but very interesting year.

However, what if OKC scrapes into the Playoffs at 8th, and faces the Warriors in Round 1?

:D

ButtersSuki

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

However, what if OKC scrapes into the Playoffs at 8th, and faces the Warriors in Round 1?

:D

Oh well then people be like:

Carcharodon

Just from watching a few games, looks like it could be a very interesting year, Warriors and Spurs won't have it all their own way like last year, early days but looks like some big players and teams are trying to step it up with a point to prove

brady23

I personally really like Kawhi for MVP anyway. A guy with a very balanced skillset of defense and offense, obviously more naturally defensively gifted.
Timmy retires, Spurs win 55 games plus, under their confirmed new leader. He bumps his averages up to 24/7/5 while competing for DPOY and being very high in advanced stats too.
Assuming D'Antonis style goes well, Capela plays well and Houston win, I'd have Kawhi, Harden & Durant as my top 3 not necessarily in that order but again it's pretty open.

Dirty Dingus McGee

rushfan wrote: »

Has anyone seen NBA Tonight listed on any of the sports channels yet? Thought it would have started at this stage, unless I've missed it? ???

I've searched and doesn't seem to be on BT sport this year.

Carcharodon

Anthony Davis is playing like he is in a video game right now, just wow, incredible player, shame he has pretty much no help what so ever

ButtersSuki

Carcharodon wrote: »

Anthony Davis is playing like he is in a video game right now, just wow, incredible player, shame he has pretty much no help what so ever

Looks like the extended rest he got has done him the world of good. Last year I had him in my MVP list pre-season but his stock fell so heavily after last year I honestly didn't even think of including him in my shortlist this year. Such a rare talent, but his team have to make the playoffs for him to get recognition for this. His All NBA selection however is pretty much a shoe in after 2 games. Boogie overtook him last year but it's fair to say Davis on this form is right back there.

Paully D

I just cannot see myself ever getting used to seeing D Wade in a Bulls uniform. :pac:

ButtersSuki

Paully D wrote: »

I just cannot see myself ever getting used to seeing D Wade in a Bulls uniform. :pac:

Neither can Rondo....

brady23

Embiid looks great thus far. Spreads the floor, runs it well, looking good on D and some great post moves.
When Noel comes back I'd be curious if he will fit well beside him. Okafor is just the next come of Al Jefferson, skillset is simply 10 years late.
They should move one or even both as soon as they're sure Simmons is ok

ButtersSuki

brady23 wrote: »

Embiid looks great thus far. Spreads the floor, runs it well, looking good on D and some great post moves.
When Noel comes back I'd be curious if he will fit well beside him. Okafor is just the next come of Al Jefferson, skillset is simply 10 years late.
They should move one or even both as soon as they're sure Simmons is ok

His footwork is really exceptional - hard to believe he's a rookie. His shooting for a big is really great too. I only saw brief college highlights of him but he's far exceeded what I expected already. If he can stay healthy he will be very good.

Glad I picked him for rookie of the year!

ButtersSuki

Oh and Russ had the first 50 point triple double since 1975 (51, 10 and 13) on 44 (yes, 44) shots.

Paully D

Bulls are steamrolling the Pacers at the half. 62-41. 11 assists for Rondo :eek:

brady23

Pacers are going to struggle massively on the glass, no elite rebounder. Outdone 47-33 I like Turner but him and Young together will be crushed on the glass

LuckyLloyd

I know the Bulls shouldn't work, but **** me they ran the floor last night and blew the Pacers away for stretches.

limerickfc

John Henson you beauty. Good game from Bradley last night for the Celtics, their really gonna struggle on the boards this season

sportsbook_12

GSW have to mind their game thoroughly. Mind on the game, not on the title or championship already. Just my two cents

Paully D

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I know the Bulls shouldn't work, but **** me they ran the floor last night and blew the Pacers away for stretches.

It was crazy. Won by 17 and no starter played in the 4th quarter. As you said, it just shouldn't work, but it was so fun to watch.

The pace and intensity was exactly what Hoiberg was known for in college.

I'm under no illusions that it's very early and it will get much tougher as 1) they are shooting 44% from 3 point range which is unsustainable in the long term, 2) teams will obviously start to get more tape on them and 3) the season drags on and Wade and Rondo start to wear down, but the roster does seem a lot deeper than I initially thought:

PG: Rondo, Canaan, Carter-Williams
SG: Wade, Valentine
SF: Butler, McDermott
PF: Gibson, Mirotic
C: Lopez, Felicio

Wade is a huge acquisition though if only for his influence and leadership alone which is evident in abundance already. Makes a huge difference in comparison to Rose's sulking and whinging because of Butler over the last few years.

They won't come close to putting a scratch on the Cavs in the playoffs in a best case scenario, but 33/1 (SkyBet) to win the East seems huge for an each-way bet. That would give you a little over 8/1 on them to make the Conference Final. There's no reason at all they shouldn't be hopeful of that #2 seed in such a poor conference if they stay healthy.