NBA 2014-2015 Game Thread
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I don't think OKC especially wants GS either, don't forget GS was without Iguodala and Bogut tonight. GS is much deeper. It took career highs from Ibaka (points) and Westbrook (assists, boards), plus a huge game from Durant and a big game from Waiters to win at home tonight.
Westbrook is still my favorite player in the game, though, when was the last time someone put up a triple 15 (at least 15 points/boards/assists, not sure what else to call it)?
Westbrook is still my favorite player in the game, though, when was the last time someone put up a triple 15 (at least 15 points/boards/assists, not sure what else to call it)?
I just looked and the Spurs are the current 7th seed. It's going to fun to see how this plays out.
BigSoxFan said:
We just need the Clips to self destruct man. Then the Suns can stay in and we get some ping pong balls
BigSoxFan said:
PHO has played six fewer home games also (18/24), they can definitely make it tough on OKC. San Antonio has Kawhi back as of tonight so it's hard to see how there's any more than one playoff spot left for PHO/OKC, NO could make a run too.
Yeah, they're fine overall, for some reason commentators are slagging on them more than other clubs with which they're basically on par. That said, there's a reason why I thought they might lay an egg vs the Cavs after shining vs the Blazers. They just haven't taken a step up from last year like GS and Hou seem to have done and something is missing from the defense. It does seem that as good as Jordan has become as a defender and rebounder it's led the rest of the Clippers to stand around and rely on him too much for those things.
And, sorry, but the Austin Rivers experiment sounds like a team-killing disaster and based on one game it has been. Maybe Doc has a plan, but if he plays his kid and his kid sucks as badly as he did last night (and for his career), there'll be a team revolt.
And, sorry, but the Austin Rivers experiment sounds like a team-killing disaster and based on one game it has been. Maybe Doc has a plan, but if he plays his kid and his kid sucks as badly as he did last night (and for his career), there'll be a team revolt.
Add in that they waived Farmar -- on whom they spent $4.2 million this off-season -- and who was shooting 36% on 3-pointers. Not a great player, but...Austin Rivers? Here's what Farmar had to say
I will say Rivers is a better defensive player and the Clippers need that. Maybe the idea is that paired with Jamal Crawford on the bench unit they can work as a defense/offense pair. Very dubious.
I will say Rivers is a better defensive player and the Clippers need that. Maybe the idea is that paired with Jamal Crawford on the bench unit they can work as a defense/offense pair. Very dubious.
I love the West. When the top eight or ten teams play, its like a playoff game but its in January. How great is that?
And I might be the only one but I want a Golden State/OKC first round match-up assuming both teams are at full strength. It will go seven and it will be a fantastic battle. I wouldn't use any of the games we've seen to date this season to handicap who wins because both teams have been short-handed in their losses but my I am guessing it will be pretty even. El Uno is right in that Durant and Westbrook are better than Curry and Thompson but the Warriors are far deeper and I believe they are better coached than OKC.
Then you think about other potential first round match-ups with Dallas, Memphis, Houston, San Antonio, LAC, Phoenix and that Portland team where Lillard seems to have gone from amazing to ridiculous and you know that every night of the first round is going to be must see television. If Adam Silver knows what is good for the Association, he needs to make sure those first series have early start times and then promote the fuck out of them.
And I might be the only one but I want a Golden State/OKC first round match-up assuming both teams are at full strength. It will go seven and it will be a fantastic battle. I wouldn't use any of the games we've seen to date this season to handicap who wins because both teams have been short-handed in their losses but my I am guessing it will be pretty even. El Uno is right in that Durant and Westbrook are better than Curry and Thompson but the Warriors are far deeper and I believe they are better coached than OKC.
Then you think about other potential first round match-ups with Dallas, Memphis, Houston, San Antonio, LAC, Phoenix and that Portland team where Lillard seems to have gone from amazing to ridiculous and you know that every night of the first round is going to be must see television. If Adam Silver knows what is good for the Association, he needs to make sure those first series have early start times and then promote the fuck out of them.
Nate Robinson is rumored to sign with them after he gets bought out. Doc makes all of his GM signings based off the 09-10 season.BigSoxFan said:
Well he isn't much better than Rivers this year. Donkey is looking cooked these days.The Social Chair said:
Well his son Austin did have a big Junior year at Winter Park High School that year.The Social Chair said:
And the Warriors beat the Rockets like a baby seal in Houston. The Rockets are not a true contender for the West.
I will comment and simply say I love your dropping this in here with no comment. He is Pedro in basketball form...Sam Ray Not said:
Russ and KD are better than Steph and Klay...but the delta is a lot smaller than the rest of the Warriors to the rest of the Thunder. A lot smaller. And I agree that the Dubs are deeper and vastly better coached than OKC to a degree that's hard to do; I think Scott Brooks isn't exposed as much as he should be even in the internet analysis world because of just how great KD and Westbrook really are.DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
I don't think it goes 7. I think GSW is on their way to the second round in 5 or 6, picking bits and pieces of Andre Roberson and Steven Adams (who I like, but not that much) out of their teeth on the bus to the airport.
Since this is kind of a news thread as well, I will drop off this news:http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24974306/report-joel-embiid-weighs-around-300-pounds-skipping-conditioning
Joel Embiid now weighs 300 pounds and is blowing off his conditioning drills as he rehabs from his broken foot. Pretty much everything in this story is a red flag.
Joel Embiid now weighs 300 pounds and is blowing off his conditioning drills as he rehabs from his broken foot. Pretty much everything in this story is a red flag.
I feel terrible for him too but many players have lost family members and not gained 200 lbs. Brian Shaw lost both parents and his sister in a car crash one summer and followed up with arguably his best NBA season.Kliq said:
Using the death of Embiid's sibling who he hadn't seen in 4 years as an excuse for his insubordination to the Sixers organization is a little bit of a stretch.
The weight gain stuff is partly hyperbole for me and let's not forget he can't work out due to the foot injury. SOME weight gain is inevitable, and I do see 50 pounds of weight, I lost 50 pounds in the last two years and I look like a different person. Some weight gain yes, 50 pounds that's ST i added 25 lbs of muscle horsecrap.
The more concerning part is the attitude stuff, but again doesn't really fit with most other reports. So...
I follow the Philly media more than most and they are just horrible with stuff like this. They slam players for minor things and blow it up, look at the reaction to Kelly winning 10 games in year two of a rebuild!
The sixers beat writers have been the most negative on the sixers rebuild, not least because they have to watch and write about it. They had so much hate writing ammo after the 0-17 they didn't need to attack the players. Now though they actually haven't been horrible and have won what 6 of their last 13 or something. Bad but very different, and now they aren't even the worst team nor the biggest tanking team (Knicks) so they turn to bashing of the players instead.
Not surprised just sickened.
The more concerning part is the attitude stuff, but again doesn't really fit with most other reports. So...
I follow the Philly media more than most and they are just horrible with stuff like this. They slam players for minor things and blow it up, look at the reaction to Kelly winning 10 games in year two of a rebuild!
The sixers beat writers have been the most negative on the sixers rebuild, not least because they have to watch and write about it. They had so much hate writing ammo after the 0-17 they didn't need to attack the players. Now though they actually haven't been horrible and have won what 6 of their last 13 or something. Bad but very different, and now they aren't even the worst team nor the biggest tanking team (Knicks) so they turn to bashing of the players instead.
Not surprised just sickened.
Weight gain is certainly not inevitable. Why can't Embiid work out with a foot injury? There are a gazillion ways to train your core, upper body and even quads/hams/glutes with a foot injury to increase heart rate and burn calories......while not attacking the buffet like Big Baby after smoking some weed. It's inexcuseable.LondonSox said:
This is Embiid in September.
This is him from the Jayhawks
So for a start he doesn't look 50 pounds bigger, and he doesn't look like he's gained bad weight noticeably. Maybe he has in the few months since then, but that's a lot in a short time.
Finally he was skinny as shit 3 years ago. Gaining some weight and muscle might be necessary. That top photo was in a story about how he had gained weight in a good way to play center during his rehab. So at some point relatively recently all was good and since then he's gained a ton of weight and stopped trying because one story says so?
https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid/status/496474982164467712/photo/1
And I stand by the fact a 7ft guy with a foot injury is inevitably going to gain some weight, you cannot be in top flight athletic shape with one leg.
This is him from the Jayhawks
So for a start he doesn't look 50 pounds bigger, and he doesn't look like he's gained bad weight noticeably. Maybe he has in the few months since then, but that's a lot in a short time.
Finally he was skinny as shit 3 years ago. Gaining some weight and muscle might be necessary. That top photo was in a story about how he had gained weight in a good way to play center during his rehab. So at some point relatively recently all was good and since then he's gained a ton of weight and stopped trying because one story says so?
https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid/status/496474982164467712/photo/1
And I stand by the fact a 7ft guy with a foot injury is inevitably going to gain some weight, you cannot be in top flight athletic shape with one leg.
HomeRunBaker said:
Londonsox's point about the Philly media can't be repeated enough. They're notorious shit-stirrers, and the weight gain stuff has been denied by a couple of sources already, including Embiid himself. The hilarious terse answer:
http://www.csnphilly.com/basketball-philadelphia-76ers/joel-embiid-says-hes-nowhere-near-300-pounds
He was also the first one at practice yesterday: http://deadspin.com/joel-embiid-im-not-fat-and-i-do-care-1680427126
The Dunk Contest Contestants have apparently been revealed. I love the dunk contest, and was very upset how things shook out with the terrible format last year. This year, I believe they are going back to a more traditional format, so looking forward to it.
The contestants: Mason Plumlee, Zach Lavine, Victor Oladipo and......THE GREEK FREAK!
The contestants: Mason Plumlee, Zach Lavine, Victor Oladipo and......THE GREEK FREAK!
Plumlee's a pretty freakish athlete for his size. In general, I think big men tend not to do well in dunk contests, if only because everything they do just looks less impressive, but I bet Plumlee will surprise you guys.
LaVine's winning this thing though.
LaVine's winning this thing though.
There is a difference between being a great in-game dunker and a great dunk-contest dunker. Big guys tend to be better in game, and it is harder for them to do tricks like around the back or through the legs because they are typically not in the air for so long (which is why the dunk contest as a fair amount of winners under 6'3").
FWIW, Plumlee did finish second the McDonalds All-American dunk contest when he was a senior in high school, so he has some skills. Would have liked to have seen either Wiggins or KJ McDaniels in it though.
FWIW, Plumlee did finish second the McDonalds All-American dunk contest when he was a senior in high school, so he has some skills. Would have liked to have seen either Wiggins or KJ McDaniels in it though.
Does Houston really think they can beat the Warriors by having Motiejunas post up against Andrew Bogut? Really?
The Houston Rockets are pretenders in the West. Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, James Harden. Whatever. Don't even bring them up unless they make radical changes because they aren't even in the conversation.
BigSoxFan said:
Curry certainly has a case, but Harden has done so much with this Rockets team. Harden has the Rockets at 29-14 in a brutal conference, and remember, Dwight has missed 12 games this season. Jason Terry was washed up two years ago and he 6th on this team in minutes. Harden has carried this team, leading the league in scoring and win shares, second in minutes played, and even has played some solid defense. Do you realize that Harden has shot 81 more FTs than anybody else in the league? That he has made 100 more FTs than everybody but Blake and Jimmy Butler? He has been scoring option 1, 2, and 3 for the Rockets at times, while also doubling as their primary ball handler (11th in the league in assists). He is a full win share ahead of Davis and Curry, who are having outstanding seasons in their own right.
I like James Harden a lot and there is no doubt that he is extremely valuable and a clear MVP candidate. But the rest of that team is soft and they simply don't have the talent to compete with the best of the west. Dwight Howard is a very flawed player.Kliq said:
Curry v. Harden is pretty close by a lot of measures (Curry beats him handily by RPM and marginally by PER, but Harden has more PPG and has logged a bunch more minutes), but the fact that Curry plays for the top team in the league (best team in the post-Jordan era by a bunch of measures, so far anyway) while Harden's team is more mid-playoff tier seems more likely to help Curry than Harden, imho. It may not be fair, but historically the NBA MVP has almost always come from a top 2 or 3 team in the league.
Still half a season to play though. Seems like basically a two-horse MVP race right now with Harden starting to choke on Curry's dust, but the first half of this NBA season has been so totally insane -- GS and ATL not just leading their respective conferences but absolutely crushing the competition? -- that I'm not counting any chickens about the second half.
Meanwhile: fans of the Warriors, Hawks, general topsy-turviness and/or Frank DeFord will appreciate his NBA first-half recap.
Still half a season to play though. Seems like basically a two-horse MVP race right now with Harden starting to choke on Curry's dust, but the first half of this NBA season has been so totally insane -- GS and ATL not just leading their respective conferences but absolutely crushing the competition? -- that I'm not counting any chickens about the second half.
Meanwhile: fans of the Warriors, Hawks, general topsy-turviness and/or Frank DeFord will appreciate his NBA first-half recap.