OT: 2018-19 NBA Thread.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Dave B

you know how so many of you hate Lance?

I feel that way about the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The impact these leagues and these athletes have on folks is just sickening to me.

I used to be all in with specific teams for very good reasons. Now, it is just a more organized version of the Kardashians.

[RC.]

Originally Posted by Dave B

you know how so many of you hate Lance?

I feel that way about the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The impact these leagues and these athletes have on folks is just sickening to me.

I used to be all in with specific teams for very good reasons. Now, it is just a more organized version of the Kardashians.

Feel better now?

[boomforeal]

Originally Posted by Dave B

I feel that way about the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The impact these leagues and these athletes have on folks is just sickening to me.

that's a pretty broad brush. mind sharing what sickens you about the nba? definitely seems to me like the least reprehensible of the major sports leagues (faint praise sure, but still)

[RC.]

Originally Posted by boomforeal

that's a pretty broad brush. mind sharing what sickens you about the nba? definitely seems to me like the least reprehensible of the major sports leagues (faint praise sure, but still)

Nah. Come on. Don't let him derail!

[harlond]

I’ll take the over on the Bucks. Giannis can still improve, Middleton too, and with Budenholzer coaching I expect improvement on both ends of the court.

[boomforeal]

Originally Posted by harlond

I’ll take the over on the Bucks. Giannis can still improve, Middleton too, and with Budenholzer coaching I expect improvement on both ends of the court.

i dunno

i like the bucks personel as individuals. but i'm struggling to see how bud will replicate the success he had with the 14/15 hawks with this group. hopefully he comes up with a plan that maximizes their strengths - there are a lot of those! - but if he tries to implement "his system" (smart team defence, unselfish ball movement, etc.) with these guys i don't see it going well

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Philly in the Finals. Calling it now.

The world needs Embiid going Full Heel and the Sixers becoming the unapologetic, preening villains of the East.

I'm fascinated to see just what the Raptors have with Kawhi. Does he sulk for an entire season? Is the injury that bad? Is it possible to be a professional NBA player and not voluntarily speak to anyone ever?

Words can't express the level to which I love this post, and hope it's true.

My bet? Toronto is going to be good. Very good. As will Boston (obviously). Indiana is, IMO, extremely underrated.

[Aaron O]

Some picks I think are sticking out...

Chi - over
Miami - under
SA - under
Cleveland - Under
Portland - over

[72gmc]

Hardly on topic, but:

https://deadspin.com/when-the-nellie...its-1828907500

A happy hazy story to start the weekend.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by 72gmc

Hardly on topic, but:

https://deadspin.com/when-the-nellie...its-1828907500

A happy hazy story to start the weekend.

This is amazing. Have a lot of work to do in the next 40 years to be as chill as Nellie.

[harlond]

Originally Posted by boomforeal

i dunno

i like the bucks personel as individuals. but i'm struggling to see how bud will replicate the success he had with the 14/15 hawks with this group. hopefully he comes up with a plan that maximizes their strengths - there are a lot of those! - but if he tries to implement "his system" (smart team defence, unselfish ball movement, etc.) with these guys i don't see it going well

Fair enough. That 2014-15 Hawks team had a lot of talent--Horford, Millsap, Teague, Korver--no other way to win 60 games. Maybe it's a bit of a reach for these Bucks, but they only need to get to 48 wins, and they won 44 last year while playing mediocre defense. Bud should be able to help there, and Giannis has no ceiling.

I'm not really a Bucks fan, I started following them because I'm a Brogdon fan. But you can't watch Giannis and not become a fan.

[FlashUNC]

As much as it pains me, Bud with the Bucks is a great pairing. That magical Hawks team was first-and-foremost, a defense driven machine, switch happy and feasting on turnovers in passing lanes. This was before Demarre Carroll turned into a mummy the last couple years, but that undefeated January they were a offense throttling, pass-happy, three point crazy juggernaut.

If Bud gets half that out of a long, athletic, talented Bucks roster, I see them goin places. Giannis is easily more talented than anyone Bud had in Atlanta. Sky's the limit.

Now I gotta go to YouTube and watch some 2014-2015 Hawks highlights.

[Jaybee]

So I guess we should probably go under on the T-wolves. What a tire fire that is turning into.

[boomforeal]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

So I guess we should probably go under on the T-wolves. What a tire fire that is turning into.

yeah. tibs seems like he's going to take the fall hard for this... but i'm thinking that responsibility, and blame for the wolves' last 25 years of lousy-ness, has to rest squarely on the shoulders of glenn taylor. since he bought the team he wasted 90% of garnett's prime, lost the team 5 first round picks by trying to cheat-sign f-ing joe smith, empowered khan to botch the rebuild, lowballed love and soured his relationship with the franchise, hired the famously short-sighted tibs to mentor his young players, and maxed out wiggins after he "looked him in the eye" when he should have been looking at him on the court... that's pretty long run of poop

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by boomforeal

yeah. tibs seems like he's going to take the fall hard for this... but i'm thinking that responsibility, and blame for the wolves' last 25 years of lousy-ness, has to rest squarely on the shoulders of glenn taylor. since he bought the team he wasted 90% of garnett's prime, lost the team 5 first round picks by trying to cheat-sign f-ing joe smith, empowered khan to botch the rebuild, lowballed love and soured his relationship with the franchise, hired the famously short-sighted tibs to mentor his young players, and maxed out wiggins after he "looked him in the eye" when he should have been looking at him on the court... that's pretty long run of poop

Not much to argue with here. Truly a testament to how good KG and Flip were that they could conjure a WCF appearance out of this long-term mess.