NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2018-19 Thread

ButtersSuki

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Pelicans got blown out by Orlando and based on the stats I'd almost suggest AD is pulling a Vince Carter. 24 minutes played and he finished with 3 points.

He can’t have it both ways, or it seems every way. No sympathy, and he’s damaging his own reputation further by doing this (if that’s what he’s doing). Klutch are making themselves look like schoolyard bullies and amateurs in all of this.

Paully D

There were a few plays last night that are really strange for LeBron. I wonder if he’s still carrying the injury a bit? Here’s one:

https://twitter.com/ballislife/status/1095512439960018946?s=21

jonok28

I think there is a relatively high likelihood that Walton is let go during the All Star Break. It just doesn't seem to be working with him, don't get me wrong he is going to be a good coach but he hasn't developed as a coach, he has made unusual line up changes and has the Lakers playing inconsistent. I'm guessing someone like Monty Williams will be brought in to replace him, maybe even Ty Lue, hopefully its not Jason Kidd.

Hitch2222

Paully D wrote: »

There were a few plays last night that are really strange for LeBron. I wonder if he’s still carrying the injury a bit? Here’s one:

https://twitter.com/ballislife/status/1095512439960018946?s=21

Off topic but Trae Young related. I think he has been the 2nd best rookie in this draft class.
I think people are looking at Atlanta as crazy for the Doncic trade but I am not ready to conclude that in terms of total return Trae Young + pick it will not be a decent or bearable return.

He has improved substantially since the beginning of the year, he has shot 43% from deep this month while shooting 39% in December while shooting the league average inside 5ft all year which when controlling for the fact he is a rookie is a fantastic indicator.
I'm not saying he'll be better than Doncic but I'm not ready to say that the Hawks were mugs just yet.
He has really surprised me as I wasn't high on him

jonok28

Hitch2222 wrote: »

Off topic but Trae Young related. I think he has been the 2nd best rookie in this draft class.
I think people are looking at Atlanta as crazy for the Doncic trade but I am not ready to conclude that in terms of total return Trae Young + pick it will not be a decent or bearable return.

He has improved substantially since the beginning of the year, he has shot 43% from deep this month while shooting 39% in December while shooting the league average inside 5ft all year which when controlling for the fact he is a rookie is a fantastic indicator.
I'm not saying he'll be better than Doncic but I'm not ready to say that the Hawks were mugs just yet.
He has really surprised me as I wasn't high on him

I still think it was idiotic to pass on Luka but Travis Schlenk knew he wanted a player similar to Steph Curry and he got his shooter in Young. I kept hearing rumblings that the Hawks might want to trade for Zach Lavine to put beside Young. That would be a very fun pairing.

ButtersSuki

jonok28 wrote: »

I think there is a relatively high likelihood that Walton is let go during the All Star Break. It just doesn't seem to be working with him, don't get me wrong he is going to be a good coach but he hasn't developed as a coach, he has made unusual line up changes and has the Lakers playing inconsistent. I'm guessing someone like Monty Williams will be brought in to replace him, maybe even Ty Lue, hopefully its not Jason Kidd.

Yeah it’s all his fault. :rolleyes:

ButtersSuki

Good Simmons pod with Chris Bosh where they talk about the direction the league is going in from a player contract perspective and that it’ll likely be shorter/one year/one plus one deals from now on in most cases. The result of that will see much more roster changes and players switching teams more often. Personally, I don’t like the idea of it, but it does look like things are pointing that way.

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Good Simmons pod with Chris Bosh where they talk about the direction the league is going in from a player contract perspective and that it’ll likely be shorter/one year/one plus one deals from now on in most cases. The result of that will see much more roster changes and players switching teams more often. Personally, I don’t like the idea of it, but it does look like things are pointing that way.

Potentially more NFL like with less guaranteed money too

rushfan

Enes Kanter signs for Portland

Osmosis Jones

rushfan wrote: »

Enes Kanter signs for Portland

Very happy about this, he's an awful defender but an excellent offensive player and rebounder. Portland's backup center is currently Meyers Leonard who's an even worse defender than Kanter (he's 7ft and didn't record a single block last season) and is genuinely one of the worst rebounding big men I've ever seen so this is a really nice upgrade for the bench.

EDIT: Seriously, look how bad of a rebounder Meyers Leonard is, it's almost impressive

https://streamable.com/cbe2u

ButtersSuki

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Very happy about this, he's an awful defender but an excellent offensive player and rebounder. Portland's backup center is currently Meyers Leonard who's an even worse defender than Kanter (he's 7ft and didn't record a single block last season) and is genuinely one of the worst rebounding big men I've ever seen so this is a really nice upgrade for the bench.

EDIT: Seriously, look how bad of a rebounder Meyers Leonard is, it's almost impressive

https://streamable.com/cbe2u

Leonard is one of those guys when you see him in the flesh you're like
WTAF? He is huge, and built (lean built - not as pick on him). And then you watch him play and you're like WTAF x 2?

ButtersSuki

It's funny how expectation drives a narrative.

To listen to most of the talk about Boston you'd assume they're crap, and to listen to Philly you'd assume they're champions in waiting. Yet they have the same record now after Boston's win last night, and Boston lead the head to head, and they did it last night without Kyrie. What last night showed once again is Stevens has the edge over Brown and Play Offs will be a worry for Philly v Boston. Celtics now 3-0 v Philly this year.

ButtersSuki

Finally for tonight, LA have 25 games left, with 15 of those against teams with better records than them.

Their last 5 games of the season are:
AWAY to OKC
HOME v GS
AWAY v Clippers (effective home game as it's as the Staples)
HOME v Jazz
Home v Portland

Now all of those could be fighting for seeding, or it could already be decided and they rest up so it could work both ways I guess. They also play Milwaukee (twice), Raptors, Denver, Boston, Clippers again, and Houston in that 25.

On the other hand they play the Pelicans 3 times (great scheduling that!), Memphis, Bulls, Knicks, Wizards, Nets, Pistons, and Hornets....so likely will pick up some easy wins there.

ButtersSuki

Hitch2222 wrote: »

Potentially more NFL like with less guaranteed money too

Just on that though, many players make a multiple (yes) of their salaries in endorsements, do their salary isn’t actually their biggest income in most cases. Particularly those of mid-range superstars and above. So for those guys less contract money isn’t a driver at all if they can move to another team early, presumably in a more lucrative market. This is going to cause problems down the line.

irishguitarlad

Siakam with 44 points last night, it's the seventh time he's broken his scoring record this year. Watch the Marc Gasol block on Beal, it's pretty hilarious, like a man blocking a child. Sacramento and Denver was very close last night, you could tell that Sacramento are now going for it hard playoff wise, poor bastards lost by one point though, Jokic with the winner. Timberwolves also beat the rockets, there's a great play of okogie defending harden excellently. They're only 3 games back from the playoffs and one behind the Lakers, two late for them? I think they've a good team on paper, just need a kick up the ass.

jonok28

irishguitarlad wrote: »

Siakam with 44 points last night, it's the seventh time he's broken his scoring record this year. Watch the Marc Gasol block on Beal, it's pretty hilarious, like a man blocking a child. Sacramento and Denver was very close last night, you could tell that Sacramento are now going for it hard playoff wise, poor bastards lost by one point though, Jokic with the winner. Timberwolves also beat the rockets, there's a great play of okogie defending harden excellently. They're only 3 games back from the playoffs and one behind the Lakers, two late for them? I think they've a good team on paper, just need a kick up the ass.

That Gasol trade for Toronto was such a good piece of business. People were very quick to write him off saying he was declining but it just looked like he needed a new change of scenery. The East should be fun to watch in the playoffs.

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Just on that though, many players make a multiple (yes) of their salaries in endorsements, do their salary isn’t actually their biggest income in most cases. Particularly those of mid-range superstars and above. So for those guys less contract money isn’t a driver at all if they can move to another team early, presumably in a more lucrative market. This is going to cause problems down the line.

Well at the very top level, athletes in most major sports make X times their salary in endorsements, Tennis, Golf etc.
However that type of money is reserved for the elite/most marketable athletes. Given the salaries in the NBA, I don't think there are many guys making many times their salary in endorsements.

Wade is an example of athlete who although paid well for his endorsements didn't even get a major shoe brand in the US to match his offer sheet from the Asian shoe brand.

Mid-range superstars being anyone who makes an All-Star team type level?
That is representative of % of the NBA in a given year.
Given a higher proportion of players join/leave the league each year than join/leave All-Star team so break into that category, I suspect the idea of shorter team deals & less guaranteed money would be a huge worry for the vast majority of players, probably 95%+.

ButtersSuki

Hitch2222 wrote: »

Well at the very top level, athletes in most major sports make X times their salary in endorsements, Tennis, Golf etc.
However that type of money is reserved for the elite/most marketable athletes. Given the salaries in the NBA, I don't think there are many guys making many times their salary in endorsements.

Wade is an example of athlete who although paid well for his endorsements didn't even get a major shoe brand in the US to match his offer sheet from the Asian shoe brand.

Mid-range superstars being anyone who makes an All-Star team type level?
That is representative of % of the NBA in a given year.
Given a higher proportion of players join/leave the league each year than join/leave All-Star team so break into that category, I suspect the idea of shorter team deals would be a huge worry for the vast majority of players, probably 95%+.

I get what you’re saying and don’t disagree with it, but the NBA perhaps more than any other league/sport is a superstar league. The superstars command more attention in a much more disproportionate way than other sports. I think the trickle down effect on contracts will be hugely damaging to players if the stars start raking shorter deals.

I think it will also suck big time for fans of teams though. If your roster is changing substantially every year then that will affect things like loyalty etc.

It’s strange to say this but I think the players have too much power now. I agree the league/team had that power imbalance for many years, but it’s swung too far.

Hitch2222

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I get what you’re saying and don’t disagree with it, but the NBA perhaps more than any other league/sport is a superstar league. The superstars command more attention in a much more disproportionate way than other sports. I think the trickle down effect on contracts will be hugely damaging to players if the stars start raking shorter deals.

I think it will also suck big time for fans of teams though. If your roster is changing substantially every year then that will affect things like loyalty etc.

It’s strange to say this but I think the players have too much power now. I agree the league/team had that power imbalance for many years, but it’s swung too far.

I think the American model is much fairer than the European model, which is exemplified by the EPL.
It is fairer due to the salary cap & draft system which allows a balance to occur, well to a degree.

No sport demonstrates this more than the NBA I think given that the actual talent of a player can hold substantially more weight than most other American sports.
In light of that, I think it's only natural that player's want/get more power.

For example look at LeVeon Bell last year in the NFL, he set out the whole year because his team wouldn't release him from his designated franchise tag so he could signa longer term deal.
That is the type of thing that wouldn't happen in the NBA because a player of equal relative ability in the NBA can wield so much more influence on their team's success so a team would appease them.

I think NBA player's arguably deserve more power especially at the highest level because although their salary is massive and can be increased substantially some player's are actually underpaid relative to overall contribution.
I think the NBA is somewhat unique where individualistic talent influences success more than most team sports so the best athletes warrant a level of autonomy that sits somewhere between individual athletes say golfer/tennis player and NFL QB.

Agree it sucks for fans BTW but allegiance to a team isn't quite the same in US sports either

ButtersSuki

A like and a hate:

Don't know if any of you are into sneakers (I am), but I'm loving the Russel Westbrook Why Not 0.2's. Lots of cool colourways too.

This is the All Star version, most out there colourway to date:


On a hate vive, I'm really hating these new headbands that many guys are wearing - i think it was Chris Vernon who called them Karate Kid headbands. They seem to be becoming a thing now, but they REALLY annoy me.

Osmosis Jones

Heated game between the Blazers and Warriors last night, weak Flagrant 1 called on Draymond(https://streamable.com/1crpw) and then Kerr threw his clipboard and did the whole hold me back routine at the ref and got himself ejected (https://streamable.com/e76hr), so Portland got 5 FTs in a row, possession of the ball, and then hit a 3 with that possession completely icing a close game in one play

Whole sequence here: https://streamable.com/lqqz1

It's just unreal how quickly they crumbled because of one bad call. The difference between a common foul and a Flagrant 1 is one possession, it's 2 FTs vs 2 FTs +possession, the game would still be close at that point but they had to go mad and get another 3 techs in there.

Also Zach Collins knows his minutes are up for grabs with Kanter coming in and he wants to keep them, this is one of the best blocks I've seen all year https://streamable.com/9bp61

No prizes for guessing what he says to Klay here moments after :pac:

ButtersSuki

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Heated game between the Blazers and Warriors last night, weak Flagrant 1 called on Draymond(https://streamable.com/1crpw) and then Kerr threw his clipboard and did the whole hold me back routine at the ref and got himself ejected (https://streamable.com/e76hr), so Portland got 5 FTs in a row, possession of the ball, and then hit a 3 with that possession completely icing a close game in one play

Whole sequence here: https://streamable.com/lqqz1

It's just unreal how quickly they crumbled because of one bad call. The difference between a common foul and a Flagrant 1 is one possession, it's 2 FTs vs 2 FTs +possession, the game would still be close at that point but they had to go mad and get another 3 techs in there.

Also Zach Collins knows his minutes are up for grabs with Kanter coming in and he wants to keep them, this is one of the best blocks I've seen all year https://streamable.com/9bp61

No prizes for guessing what he says to Klay here moments after :pac:

That's some BS right there.

Terrible officiating. Game changing. And they'll get away with it because it doesn't qualify for the 2minute report criteria.

ButtersSuki

What does he say after the "F U"?

killwill

ButtersSuki wrote: »

A like and a hate:

Don't know if any of you are into sneakers (I am), but I'm loving the Russel Westbrook Why Not 0.2's. Lots of cool colourways too.

This is the All Star version, most out there colourway to date:


On a hate vive, I'm really hating these new headbands that many guys are wearing - i think it was Chris Vernon who called them Karate Kid headbands. They seem to be becoming a thing now, but they REALLY annoy me.

I totally agree on both counts. I'm a total sneaker head and love bball shoes with the most out there colours. Even when buying my own I always use the Nike ID option to do my own colourways.

Hitch2222

My fav pair I played in was the Jordan XIX, bball shoes were somewhat difficult to get maybe 10-12 years ago.
https://www.jordan.com/collection/air-jordan-19/white-chrome-flint-grey-black-og

Currently chopping and changing between a pair of Jordan XXiX and a pair of Under Armour Men's Micro G Anatomix Spawn, they flew under the radar a tad I felt as they are very comfortable, this colour too so pretty fun tbf:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/b3/0b/feb30b7d8ede3e5d5e0d44af54eaeffb.jpg

ButtersSuki

Simmons and Kevin O’Connor both talking about how they’ve heard Philly won’t be re-signing Butler, and Harris is seen as the replacement. I can see it tbh.

ButtersSuki

Hitch2222 wrote: »

My fav pair I played in was the Jordan XIX, bball shoes were somewhat difficult to get maybe 10-12 years ago.
https://www.jordan.com/collection/air-jordan-19/white-chrome-flint-grey-black-og

Currently chopping and changing between a pair of Jordan XXiX and a pair of Under Armour Men's Micro G Anatomix Spawn, they flew under the radar a tad I felt as they are very comfortable, this colour too so pretty fun tbf:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/b3/0b/feb30b7d8ede3e5d5e0d44af54eaeffb.jpg

Will come back to you on this.

jonok28

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Simmons and Kevin O’Connor both talking about how they’ve heard Philly won’t be re-signing Butler, and Harris is seen as the replacement. I can see it tbh.

It's not surprising at all, Butler wants to be a number one option and depending on what night it is he is the 2nd or 3rd option for the 76ers. The market could be very interesting for him. He really did not do himself any favors with how he behaved in Minnesota and he seemed to have brought that over a bit to Philly. There isn't that many teams he could walk in, be a first option and compete for a title, Brooklyn maybe, I think he goes to the Clippers and plays with Kawhi.

killwill

Hitch2222 wrote: »

My fav pair I played in was the Jordan XIX, bball shoes were somewhat difficult to get maybe 10-12 years ago.
https://www.jordan.com/collection/air-jordan-19/white-chrome-flint-grey-black-og

Currently chopping and changing between a pair of Jordan XXiX and a pair of Under Armour Men's Micro G Anatomix Spawn, they flew under the radar a tad I felt as they are very comfortable, this colour too so pretty fun tbf:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/b3/0b/feb30b7d8ede3e5d5e0d44af54eaeffb.jpg

I have never enjoyed balling in Jordan's at all. Never felt they gave me great support. My ankles are like glass and I used to roll them pretty regularly until I started wearing Hyperdunks. Nice and low to the ground and super comfortable.
I am currently wearing Kobe ADs and they are ok but nothing amazing tbh.

ButtersSuki

I'm WAY older than all of you.....I wore Jordans 3-7 when I was playing in my teens and some of the early retro models when I was playing National League etc. Also wore Air Force 180s and a lot of other Lo to Mid models. Never wore a Jordan after the 7, got too weird for me. Been collecting 35+ years......I have a lot of sneakers shall we say, most are in storage though.

Always loved the black models. Back then before Jordans all sneakers were white. Black was a very radical change. I can even remember one underage national team coach asking why some of us were wearing "soccer shoes" to play basketball........:rolleyes:

Air Jordan 3:


Air Jordan 4:


Air Jordan 5:


Air Jordan 6:


Air Jordan 7:


Didn't like the 7s, barely wore them before switching back to another pair of 6s.

Air Force 180:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTj55uP7pBOyGMPcfskm10c2tiEhDWC4jK082myFjEB52a2OzSOHg


The 6s infrareds are being re-released tomorrow. The snakeskin and cow fur 6's were supposed to release yesterday but were pulled last minute - these are gorgeous: