NBA Discussion

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I'm not a Lebron hater, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little bit happy about the Lakers' struggles, if only because Laker fans were the most annoying, delusional fanbase this sports calendar year. And not just LA fans, the analysts were ridiculous in their expectations as well. I remember Stephen A, in typical Stephen A fashion, yelling about how "THE ONLY THING STOPPING A NEW CELTICS/LAKERS FINALS RIVALRY IS THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS! THAT'S IT, PERIOD!" I mean, I expected them to do better, and I did expect them to make the playoffs, but anybody who thought they were a good enough team to even come close to the WCF were kidding themselves.

According to my dad, who's a Lakers fan, the Lakers are getting just about every all star in the NBA. Paul George, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, etc.

Last week he was convinced they would get Anthony Davis and win the Finals THIS season. Lakers fans live in an alternate reality.

I definitely expected them to make the playoffs, but they were never a real contender.

[Yaz]

The issue is that the team isn't built to LBJ's strengths. LeBron plus shooting has been the formula for ages now and no one the Lakers can shoot.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

It's always a great day when Duke loses.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Good to see my bucks get that sweep in last night

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Westbrook just shot 36% and lost in the first round again to the Blazers in 5.

But he got all those triple doubles :lmao:

[OYDK]

Westbrook just shot 36% and lost in the first round again to the Blazers in 5.

But he got all those triple doubles :lmao:

I mean, he did average a triple-dub the last 3 years which is legitimately fucking insane.

Still, he has nothing on playoff Damian Lillard. That guy reaches a whole other level when April rolls around.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I hope every team but the Bucks lose. It's best for business.

[SSJPhenom]

Is everyone liking the real NBA Finals between the Rockets and Golden State? The Rockets are probably the only team in the playoffs that can legitimately compete with Golden State and yet GS is still up 2-0. Now I expect the Rockets to hold serve and tie the series at home, but I full well expect the Warriors to win the series. After this match up, the Warriors will have a proverbial cake walk to the championship. The Bucks, as good as they seem to be are still young and inexperienced and if they face the Dubs I believe it'll be over in 5. Celtics have the talent, but they've shown all year that when the pressure is on they have a very hard time playing with one another as a team. Toronto is really the only team in the East that I think would have a chance (slim chance) against the Dubs as Leonard is every bit the player that Durant is and just might be even better. Lowry is bull dog on defense and would do well against Curry, but Curry wouldn't be able to stop Lowry. Toronto is the best match up in the East for beating GS but I still don't see it happening. 76ers aren't half bad, but as long as Simmons can't score outside the paint then they won't be a legit championship contending team.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Itâ??s such a foregone conclusion that the winner of the Nuggets/Blazers should just forfeit and give GS the extra rest, since theyâ??re not even worth mentioning.

[OYDK]

I think Raptors/Warriors could be fun. Celtics/Warriors too if the Celtics play like they can. Warriors still massive favorites, but I could see either of those series going 6. I just don't want to see the Sixers get to the Conference finals because they'd get smashed by either Milwaukee or Boston. Also because I'm from Toronto.

But yeah, Warriors likely going to win the whole thing again and if Durant ends up staying, I don't see their dominance ending anytime soon.

[Yaz]

Watching James Harden finally have his flopping come home to roost is my favorite story line.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Watching James Harden finally have his flopping come home to roost is my favorite story line.

Now all they have to do is get him for traveling. Seriously though, some of those shouldâ??ve been called. But when his feet land 3 feet in front of him, heâ??s trying so hard to get the call that he forgets to make the shot.

[Yaz]

Now all they have to do is get him for traveling. Seriously though, some of those should’ve been called. But when his feet land 3 feet in front of him, he’s trying so hard to get the call that he forgets to make the shot.

Some of them were fouls indeed, but his game for so long has been flopping and contorting in obtuse ways to draw contact that he is a non factor if he can't get calls. The worst part is Harden is one of the better players in the league without playing that way.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

The worst part is Harden is one of the better players in the league without playing that way.

^Absolutely. 100% this.

[SSJPhenom]

So Rockets have managed to protect their home court and even up the series with GS at 2. Is their any chance of them shocking the world and beating the Warriors?

[Yaz]

No. Harden is too emotional

[SSJPhenom]

I don't think the Rockets will either, but you never know. Last year if CP3 hadn't have been hurt I think they would've won.

[OYDK]

There's a chance if Golden State continues to shoot abysmally.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Screw both teams.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Well my Bucks advanced last night, so I have nothing to complain about at the moment.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

C.J. McCollum is my new favorite player. Rip City.

[Yaz]

McCollum deserves more love. Very fine player and a great compliment to Lillard.

[OYDK]

Kawhi Leonard is my daddy.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Irony is Canada has a team this far in the NBA playoffs, but not the NHL playoffs.

Note: I don't watch hockey.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

My Bucks barely won last night. Not a great look for the best team in the NBA (based on regular season win-loss record)

[SSJPhenom]

If the Bucks make it to the Finals, they have a legit shot at beating the Warriors. The only thing that could cost them would be their inexperience, but so far they've been able to rise to the occasion and eek out some quality wins. As far as match ups go, the Bucks match up best with the Warriors and can present some real problems for them. We'll have to see.

Toronto, on the other hand, looks like they're only going to go as far as Leonard takes them. Against the Warriors, that's not going to work. So if they end up in the Finals, I don't see them beating GS at all.

I don't think I even need to address the Blazers/GS series do I? Except for to say that if GS doesn't sweep the Blazers I'll be shocked.

[Yaz]

Milwaukee has the defenders but it doesn't have the shooters to contend over seven with GS.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

^^^^^^^^^ This x 10000000. I have been stressing that since the '16-17 season.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The last 3 Warriors games have made me dislike Kevin Durant's move even more. The team is so much more likable and fun to watch without him.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Ryen Russillo: "Stephen A came out and said that people close to Jeanie Buss were saying you should trade LeBron and we found it was people from her spin class."

Plot twist - The Lakers front office are all in her spin class

[Yaz]

Durant hate is overblown. The dude did nothing wrong. If he had ended his career with zero rings people would hold that against him, so he goes at gets rings and people bitch ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Durant hate is overblown. The dude did nothing wrong. If he had ended his career with zero rings people would hold that against him, so he goes at gets rings and people bitch ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

He signed with a 73-9 team that won a championship without him and beat him the previous year. There's definitely something wrong with that.

[Yaz]

He signed with a 73-9 team that won a championship without him and beat him the previous year. There's definitely something wrong with that.

I was unaware there were rules against signing with good teams.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I was unaware there were rules against signing with good teams.

He can sign with anyone for any amount of money, but he and his supports have to know he's going to take heat from fans for what he did.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Bosh and LeBron famously did it in 2010. Malone and Payton did it in 2004. Garnett and Allen in 07. It happens.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Bosh and LeBron famously did it in 2010. Malone and Payton did it in 2004. Garnett and Allen in 07. It happens.

The difference is Durant was in his prime and signed with an already established superteam that beat him. I'd have no problem if Durant and 2 other All Stars sign with a new team this offseason. But joining one that already has 3 and beat you the season before? There's a difference.

Don't forget Lebron was one of the most hated athletes after he signed with the Heat. Then 4 years later he signed with the Cavaliers and won a championship, and barely anyone remembers that. Maybe everyone will forget or no longer care about Durant signing with Golden State in a few years. Time heals all wounds, but as of now he's going to be hated. And just to clarify, I'm talking solely on the court. Off the court he's had some strange moments, such as the "hardest road" comment and the burner accounts, but he mostly seems like a great guy.

[SSJPhenom]

Bosh and LeBron famously did it in 2010. Malone and Payton did it in 2004. Garnett and Allen in 07. It happens.

My God I hate when Durant supporters throw out the, "Welp LeBron did it!!!!" It's hardly the same. The Heat were not even in the playoffs the year before LeBron and Bosh signed with them. LeBron and Bosh made the Heat a contender. Maybe even made them a super team, however, Durant made an already established super team/championship contender unbeatable. Pretty much took the competition right out of the NBA. IMO, there's a huge difference in the two situations.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

So he gets hate for doing it better than them? If he were a role player no one would care. When James did it, his defenders said he can do whatever he wants. Why is it different for him?

[Yaz]

The whole basis is "The team I like didn't draft well for a few years and become an attractive spot for key free agents so I hate Durant."

Instead of recruiting guys to a big market team with cap space, Durant went to a mid market team with cap space and established stars. Like him going to fucking Salt Lake and recruiting, say, Kyrie and KAT would have been any difference in his chances of winning a ring. They hate him because he played the system within its rules. He took a lower salary, just like Boogie, to win a ring. Twenty years ago people would call them selfless and a team player for taking a lesser deal with a good team.

[SSJPhenom]

You two misunderstood me. I don't hate Durant for what he did. I think he's actually smart as hell because in 20 years people aren't going to remember the specifics behind his championship wins; just that he won them. So his legacy is secured (Unless, of course he can't come back and play in these playoffs and GS still wins it without him. If that happens, people really will be up in arms over how stacked they really we're).

I was just pointing out the differences in LeBron's situation and Durant's. IMO, they're hardly the same. I don't hate Durant at all.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

3rd quarter Warriors are the GOAT team

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Well Portland, it was fun while it lasted. Gone till November.

[SSJPhenom]

Yea, Portland over achieved. I'll be shocked if they're not swept in the next game.

The last game between the Bucks and Raptors showed just how much better the Bucks really are. Their best player only had 12 pts and they were able to take them to double overtime. On the other hand, Leonard had to be spectacular as always. Bucks will be in the Finals with GS.

[OYDK]

The last game between the Bucks and Raptors showed just how much better the Bucks really are. Their best player only had 12 pts and they were able to take them to double overtime. On the other hand, Leonard had to be spectacular as always. Bucks will be in the Finals with GS.

Not really. Raps just got key players playing like absolute trash. Bucks players are playing up to and sometimes beyond their usual talent levels (except for Middleton). And if Toronto had played a bit better in the last 8 minutes of game 1, this series would be 2-1 the other way.

Not saying the Bucks aren't going to win, they likely are. But this would be a much different series if Green and Vanvleet were playing even half as well as they have been all year.

[Yaz]

How did Portland over achieve? They were the 3 seed in the conference and knocked off the 2 seed. That is fairly common.

[Yaz]

Not really. Raps just got key players playing like absolute trash. Bucks players are playing up to and sometimes beyond their usual talent levels (except for Middleton). And if Toronto had played a bit better in the last 8 minutes of game 1, this series would be 2-1 the other way.

Not saying the Bucks aren't going to win, they likely are. But this would be a much different series if Green and Vanvleet were playing even half as well as they have been all year.

So honest question, do you think firing Casey was a good move? Obviously they did make it to the ECF, but wasn't a constant criticism of Casey that his players often performed down to their opponents and under performed in big games?

[OYDK]

So honest question, do you think firing Casey was a good move? Obviously they did make it to the ECF, but wasn't a constant criticism of Casey that his players often performed down to their opponents and under performed in big games?

I didn't agree with the Casey firing from the beginning and the general consensus around Toronto was pretty much the same. He was a great coach who was a victim of his top stars just not being big-game players. I found the criticism you're talking about to be kind of ridiculous. I'm not a believer of putting the blame on the coach for his players underachieving, and this year just proves that the lack of production in the playoffs in previous years had very little to do with coaching. If you switch out Kawhi with Demar on this Raptors team, we lose in the second round again, with or without Casey.

Not that I dislike Nick Nurse, I just think there was no real reason to get rid of a coach the caliber of Dwayne Casey.

[Yaz]

I didn't agree with the Casey firing from the beginning and the general consensus around Toronto was pretty much the same. He was a great coach who was a victim of his top stars just not being big-game players. I found the criticism you're talking about to be kind of ridiculous. I'm not a believer of putting the blame on the coach for his players underachieving, and this year just proves that the lack of production in the playoffs in previous years had very little to do with coaching. If you switch out Kawhi with Demar on this Raptors team, we lose in the second round again, with or without Casey.

Not that I dislike Nick Nurse, I just think there was no real reason to get rid of a coach the caliber of Dwayne Casey.

That's honestly a fair point. When the Pacers kept running into LeBron's Heat in the playoffs, it was decided the reason we couldn't get over the hump was Frank Vogel. Not the fact that we had one real offensive option in Paul George. So we fired Vogel and hired Nate McMillan and the entire fan base has been upset ever since.

[SSJPhenom]

How did Portland over achieve? They were the 3 seed in the conference and knocked off the 2 seed. That is fairly common.

Going by their roster and history, they over achieved the entire season. Not saying that's a bad thing, but IMO GS just showed how big the gap is between them and teams like Portland. Honestly, this year in the west, the Rockets were really the only threat to the Warriors.

Portland did great and I'm happy for them, but in thinking they had a shot against GS, they were over achieving.

[SSJPhenom]

Not really. Raps just got key players playing like absolute trash. Bucks players are playing up to and sometimes beyond their usual talent levels (except for Middleton). And if Toronto had played a bit better in the last 8 minutes of game 1, this series would be 2-1 the other way.

Not saying the Bucks aren't going to win, they likely are. But this would be a much different series if Green and Vanvleet were playing even half as well as they have been all year.

Toronto does this every year though. They're great in the regular season, get one of the top 3 seeds in the playoffs, and then when the playoffs come around their top talent do a disappearing act. It's nothing new. I agree with you; if Toronto's talent were playing to their potential then this would be a much more exciting/even series. As it looks now, though, if Leonard has an off night and isn't spectacular then they have no hope at all in winning. Against teams like the Bucks and GS who have legitimate production from more than one person, that's not going to win you a 7 game series. Although, it can get you a game or 2.

[Yaz]

Going by their roster and history, they over achieved the entire season. Not saying that's a bad thing, but IMO GS just showed how big the gap is between them and teams like Portland. Honestly, this year in the west, the Rockets were really the only threat to the Warriors.

Portland did great and I'm happy for them, but in thinking they had a shot against GS, they were over achieving.

They were overachieving because they thought they had a chance? That isn't at all overachieving. Thinking something is not overachieving. Playing against a good team is not overachieving. You are missing the meaning of the phrase.Overachieving "perform better or achieve more success than expected." They have been a consistent playoff team for years and had Lillard take the next step and they got a 3 seed and made it to the WCF. Maybe they overachieved a little compared to previous seasons, but overachieving has nothing to do with what you think you can do.

And Houston will never be a real threat to anyone in the playoffs when their entire game is based around flopping. You don't get bullshit calls for acting like a fish in the playoffs.

[SSJPhenom]

They were overachieving because they thought they had a chance? That isn't at all overachieving. Thinking something is not overachieving. Playing against a good team is not overachieving. You are missing the meaning of the phrase.Overachieving "perform better or achieve more success than expected." They have been a consistent playoff team for years and had Lillard take the next step and they got a 3 seed and made it to the WCF. Maybe they overachieved a little compared to previous seasons, but overachieving has nothing to do with what you think you can do.

And Houston will never be a real threat to anyone in the playoffs when their entire game is based around flopping. You don't get bullshit calls for acting like a fish in the playoffs.

That's what I meant, though. They over achieved compared to their last few seasons. Their roster hasn't really changed and they have to same core. So there was no reason to expect them to make the WCF or anything of that nature and yet they did. Compared to what they've done and where they've gone, they over achieved this year. IDK why that offends you so much. Over achieving isn't a bad thing.

[SSJPhenom]

Guess I was wrong about Toronto as they beat the brakes off of the Bucks, but that was with everyone pitching in and Leonard wasn't the sole producer. I hate to say it, but the performance that they showed last night was actually an anomaly. So far during these playoffs it's been how ever far Leonard can carry them. So if they continue to get production from the other players on the team at that rate then they have a really good shot of advancing and they could even challenge GS as the members of the Toronto team have way more playoff experience than the Bucks team does. The question is; will they continue to get production from the other players like that? Most evidence points to no. Fact remains, though, they've turned what I thought would be a 5 game series in favor of the Bucks into a contest and for that I'm thankful.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

That's what I meant, though. They over achieved compared to their last few seasons. Their roster hasn't really changed and they have to same core. So there was no reason to expect them to make the WCF or anything of that nature and yet they did. Compared to what they've done and where they've gone, they over achieved this year. IDK why that offends you so much. Over achieving isn't a bad thing.

Yeah the West isn’t near what it used to be. More like Portland stayed the same, while everyone else regressed. Houston almost certainly would’ve schooled them if they met.

The same argument goes for the East, except in reverse. Except for Milwaukee, no team is really that much better than last year. It’s been a shit conference for over a decade now with James’s teams as the only real contenders. With him gone, it just seems more competitive.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

My Bucks should've won game 3. Now it's 2-2, even a piece.

[OYDK]

KAWHI. LEONARD.

[SSJPhenom]

I honestly can't believe that Toronto won that series. I thought the Bucks' athleticism and length would have been to much for Toronto. I was wrong. One of the reasons I was wrong was what I foresaw as the Bucks biggest weakness actually happened and that was their lack of experience. That team had never made a playoff run like that and they were not equipped to handle the adversity they were bound to face when challenging the better teams. The other reason the Bucks lost was actually what I thought was going to be Toronto's problem. Nobody besides the Greek Freak stepped up. It's hard to even say that the Greek Freak stepped up because he was effectively shut down in the last three games. Because Toronto did such a great job of shutting down the paint and the Bucks don't have the best perimeter shooters, Toronto was able to prevail.

Golden State isn't going to have that problem. They might have a bad shooting night here and there, but they're not going to do it for several games in a row. It's going to come down to Khawi and his teammates. They're going to have to get some major production from others besides Khawi and Khawi is going to have to play as good as defense as he usually does and shut down one of the Splash Bros. If they could do that they actually have a pretty good shot. Also, and I know this is going to sound crazy, but if KD comes back they have an even better chance. I won't say GS is worse with KD then without but they're easier to defend when KD is on the floor because they play more ISO and the ball isn't moving as much. Khawi could definitely play that defense on KD and provided he had offensive help would give Toronto a damn good shot at winning.

We'll have to see. The only things I know for certain are this is going to be exciting, it's going to be harder for Khawi to leave now, and if GS were to win without KD you might as well all but erase his last two titles because the media and fan base are going to have a field day with him.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Way to rub it in man.

[SSJPhenom]

Does anyone think that the Raptors have a chance to beat t he Warriors?

They have a chance and it's actually not as one sided as everyone in the media is making it out to be. If Leonard can lock down one of the Splash Bros or Draymond, their offense will be severely compromised. Also, if the other players continue to step up, then GS will have to worry about more than just Leonard. Toronto is bigger and better down low and I think that is where they'll win this series. Not on the perimeter. Out rebound and out work the Warriors and then they have a shot. Also, if KD comes back, I'm telling you that their chances of beating GS dramatically go up. KD turns the Warriors into a primarily ISO offense and Leonard would be able to play his stellar defense on him and that would give Toronto a great chance to win.

What do you guys think??

[Yaz]

You flip flop your positions almost every other day.

[SSJPhenom]

Exactly tell me how I've flipped my positions. Really, I'm dying to read this one.

[Yaz]

Just days ago you said you were surprised Toronto won the series but put a lot of the onus of the loss on Milwaukee and said GS would not have the issues that the Bucks had, now you are saying Toronto has a chance.

The point you make about Durant is accurate. He prefers to play ISO and it throws off the offense that GS runs best with. Not sure I'd go so far as to say Durant being back increases the chances of Toronto though because Durant has gone HAM and absolutely carried the team on poor shooting nights.

[SSJPhenom]

In that exact same post you reference I pretty much SAY THE EXACT SAME THINGS THAT I SAID IN THE POST WHERE I FLIP FLOP. Again, how am I changing my positions?

[Yaz]

You like to talk about how a team has a chance before a series and then act like you knew all along they were gonna get beat when they lose. You have done it with the Rockets the last few seasons.

[SSJPhenom]

So I say a team has a chance at winning, in which they do, and somehow that makes me a flip flop? I don't ever remember saying who I wanted to win and if I go back and read my posts about the Rockets, I'll guarantee that before the series I stated that I didn't think they'd win. I only pointed out how I thought they might have a chance. Somehow that makes me a flip flop though. What would make me a flip flop would be saying, "I don't think the Raptors will win". Then when they do, I say, "See, I knew all along they would". I've never done that. As a matter of fact, I said I was wrong about thinking the Raptors would lose to the Bucks.

I don't think you understand what a flip flop is. I'm simply trying to drive conversation with basketball fans on this forum. I've never once changed a position and have always admitted when something I said I thought might happen didn't happen.

[Yaz]

No, you push the narrative. You did admit the Bucks/Raptors, which fair play to you. You just tend to push the narrative and when the narrative you push doesn't come true you tend to try to backtrack. Maybe flip flop was too strong, but you could get a job shouting opinions next to Skip Bayless all day

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Bold prediction - Warriors in 5 and Klay gets MVP.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I have no dog in this fight, either team can win and I won't complain.

[Yaz]

Getting Finals MVP would give Klay a lot of leverage in contract talks. Idk if he wants to leave GS, but that would bode well for him if so.

[SSJPhenom]

I'd love to see Klay get Finals MVP. That would be amazing, but as of right now it looks like the Finals MVP will be Siakam. I know that won't last, but the amount of players that stepped up last night for Toronto was awesome to see. That's the only way they'll beat GS. Leonard can't be the only offensive threat on the floor. What was more impressive then the amount of players that stepped up offensively for Toronto, though, was their defense. It was amazing to watch and very consistent.

Now if you were to ask my honest opinion, I think GS lost GM 1 because of the long lay off they had from their last game to now. We'll see how it goes, but if the Toronto role players continue to play at this level then they have an excellent chance at winning.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Hmm...itâ??s as is losing the best player on the team and possibly the planet doesnâ??t make them a better team. Whoâ??d a thunk?

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Game 1 was alright. Just alright.

[Yaz]

Game 2 will be interesting because Toronto did what they needed. First game at home as Canada's team and they took the W. COuld have easily laid an egg and had a massive adrenaline dump out there. Now GS could turn around and take four in a row, but Toronto stood tall and I think we will have a very solid series. If nothing else this should quell any doubts people may have had about the legitness of Leonard.

Just wish Drake would fuck off.

[SSJPhenom]

Hmm...itâ??s as is losing the best player on the team and possibly the planet doesnâ??t make them a better team. Whoâ??d a thunk?

Although every expert and analyst will say, "GS is not a better team without KD"; the numbers suggest otherwise. As a matter of fact when KD is out and Steph isn't, their record is much much better then when Steph is out and KD isn't. Also, when KD is out and Steph isn't they have much much better win/loss ratio then when the whole team is healthy and playing.

So like those analyst and experts I'm not going to say that the absence of KD makes GS a better team. The numbers sure don't have a problem saying that though.

[Yaz]

I think its because the offense that KD prefers isn't the offense that Steph and Klay thrive in. Their game isn't constant iso, which is what KD usually rolls with. KD is such a good scorer though that he can get points just about anytime anywhere so he can bail them out when one of those two have an off night, but point wise GS does better when KD is out.

[OYDK]

I think KD would help to spread Toronto's defense and force them to guard the entire floor instead of just cutting off Steph and Klay. Without KD, the Warriors don't have another proven scorer on the floor besides Curry and Thompson so Toronto's just going to try and force the supporting cast to make buckets like they did against Milwaukee. They can basically just play to neutralize Steph and Klay, especially if Cousins and Iguodala are playing injured. I don't see anyone else on the Warriors dropping 20.

Without KD they're still enormous favorites, but with him, they're unbeatable over a 7 game series in my opinion.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

You can give me numbers all you want. KD is an asassin, and will score at will. He is the relief valve when Curry and Klay arenâ??t hitting. He is The reason they lost game 1. Letâ??s also throw in the fact that heâ??s pretty good on defense. Being 7 foot and still as fast as a guard really helps.

[OYDK]

https://media0.giphy.com/media/3o7btNl8WqhSCxrLnW/giphy.gif?cid=790b76115cfc1868744f3649450d7dac&rid=giphy.gif

Board man gets paid

[Big Nick Dudley]

What an intriguing series. So many angles - KL is fantastic, but GS is beyond banged up. Then again, Toronto is doing this with one top level player, which I love. I still hope this goes 7 games.

[OYDK]

WHY DID NICK NURSE CALL A TIMEOUT WHEN HIS TEAM WAS ON AN 11-2 RUN. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Also yeah I'm a raptors fan from Toronto, but I'm pissed at the fans for cheering that KD injury. Such a bad look man and really ruins the goodwill the Raps were getting from around the league. That's just bushleague Philly shit.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

I feel like the Golden State Warriors higher ups should apologize to both KD, the media and the general public, because they made them all look stupid. They werenâ??t very forthcoming about his injury. This caused many of them to tear into KDs toughness and commitment. Did this rush him into coming back? Heâ??ll probably say no, but really? I guess weâ??ll never know for sure, but him coming back and getting injured more severely makes everyone who questioned him look stupid.

[SSJPhenom]

I thought it was KD's Achilles from the start. The way he looked back when it first happened is a huge indicator. They say when you tear or rupture the Achilles you feel as if someone kicked you in the back of your leg. Also, when you look at pictures where his wrap was on his leg it was all the way down covering his ankle. He also had ice packs down around his Achilles. I thought this whole time that Kerr was just being coy saying that KD was coming back anytime now just to keep the Raptors off guard, but when they cleared him to play I thought I was wrong.

Whatever it was before, now it really is an Achilles injury and that's horrible for KD and I feel sorry for him. I wouldn't wish injury on anyone. I hope he can get better relatively quickly and I hope that this doesn't ruin the KD sweepstakes for this summer's free agency. Who knows, maybe GS forced him back early in the hopes that he would get worse so that he would stay with them this summer. I don't put anything past professional sports teams these days.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Congratulations to Toronto, but I feel bad for the Warriors. Injuries finally caught up to them.

Klay might be my favorite player in the league behind Lebron.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

To everyone criticizing Curry for not being able to win without KD and Klay, so what? KD couldn't win without the Warriors. Lebron couldn't win without Wade and Bosh and then without Kyrie and Love. It's almost like the best team wins, and the Raptors were better. Curry played great the entire series, and this shouldn't impact his legacy at all.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

the Raptors were better.

Better than a team that was dealing with injuries plaguing their entire roster, including the best player in the league.

Unless itâ??s a Lebron James team, Iâ??m an Eastern Conference fan, so as long as they win Iâ??m usually pretty happy. But to say Toronto won this by beating the best of everyone else is beyond a joke. The record books will do them a favor.

[SSJPhenom]

I hate to see GS lose because of injuries but, let's be honest here, they've been beyond lucky in their championship runs the past few years. All of those deep playoff runs finally caught up with them though. Idc what anyone says, I think that KD's injury is GS's fault. They never should've played him. If they had of been up 3-1 as opposed to down, they never would've played him. I hear the analyst saying that if KD were healthy then GS would've won easily, but I'm not sure I buy that. Given the amount of production that Toronto had from their role players in this series I think Toronto still would've had a shot at winning. When GS made 20 3's in GM 5 and still only won by 1 point, that showed me that Toronto was serious. Even if Durant had have been playing, a team making 20 3's in one game is rare. With the production that Toronto was getting from everyone they would've had a chance against a healthy GS.

Congrats to Toronto, though. They deserve it.

[OYDK]

Better than a team that was dealing with injuries plaguing their entire roster, including the best player in the league.

Unless it’s a Lebron James team, I’m an Eastern Conference fan, so as long as they win I’m usually pretty happy. But to say Toronto won this by beating the best of everyone else is beyond a joke. The record books will do them a favor.

It's the Finals, everyone's hurting. Kawhi was playing with a bum leg throughout the last two series. Don't give GS an excuse because their role players played like trash. Iggy showed in Game 6 that he was capable of high production, he just didn't play well throughout the series. That's on him, not on an injury. Draymond and Steph were healthy throughout the whole series. Klay missed a game and a quarter, but otherwise was the best Warrior on the floor. The Warriors problem was depth. When KD went down the entire bench combined, including Demarcus Cousins, couldn't equal his scoring. Their bench is a glorified G League team. That's why they lost.

And let's not act like KD's the first superstar to ever miss a series because of injury. It happens all the time. Toronto outplayed GS in all 6 games and they easily deserved to win the series. They were the better team, period.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The Warriors only won in 2015 because Kyrie and Love were injured. Didn't take away their championship, but it did make you say "what if"

Same situation here. If KD was healthy, the Warriors likely win.

[Yaz]

Two of their three best players are going to miss large chunks, if not all of next season due to leg injuries, but their role players played pretty terribly. Give it a couple years and no one will remember this. Toronto deserves to celebrate, they took the series from one of the best dynasties in modern sports.

[OYDK]

The Warriors only won in 2015 because Kyrie and Love were injured. Didn't take away their championship, but it did make you say "what if"

Same situation here. If KD was healthy, the Warriors likely win.

100%. I'm just saying it's a lame excuse for a team that still had 3 legit all-stars and a consistent MVP candidate on the floor. The Warriors had the talent to beat Toronto, but Toronto played better and they were much, much deeper. Don't forget, even with KD out, GS were still heavy favorites to take the series.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Ironic, a Canadian team wins the NBA Championship and an American team wins the NHL Championship. You can't script this.

[A11]

Ironic, a Canadian team wins the NBA Championship and an American team wins the NHL Championship. You can't script this.
That makes no sense but whatever

The injuries make next season so much more interesting now. The West is going to be wide open. Doubt the Rockets blow everything up now and Kawhi will be at the clippers. If the lakers get AD suddenly there is 5 or 6 teams that will be thinking they can come out of the west. Over in the East it will be the bucks, the nets, the celtics and philly depending how the off season plays out

[#AbsoluteUnit]

That makes no sense but whatever

LOL. Ok.

[smarkmouth]

Ironic, a Canadian team wins the NBA Championship and an American team wins the NHL Championship. You can't script this.
Canadians invented both. Go swing some bats. :lmao:

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Sounds like fighting words.

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Ironic, a Canadian team wins the NBA Championship and an American team wins the NHL Championship. You can't script this.

Both their first ever championship, The Blues full of Canadian players and Toronto Rapters full of U.S players, but to me, the bigger story is The Blues by far. Here's why.

1. Jan 8th they were LAST in the league.
2. GM had his hand hovering over the button to trade its stars, but held on.
3. Had a DRAMATIC playoff run, consisting of a three goal third period comeback when on the ropes vs The Jets, double OT GAME 7 victory over The Sharks, hung on in a rough series to 7 GAMES vs Boston and won IN BOSTON to win the cup.

*Plus the whole story of that kid with bone marrow problems and having the team fly her over to game 7, and her getting to see her team win and kiss the cup* TEARS!

Now THAT is a movie in the making.

[SSJPhenom]

It's official. Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and 3 first round picks. Is LeBron on his way to another championship??

[Yaz]

They need role players that will mesh with LBJ, which hasn't been easy in the past. I wouldn't even call them favorites in the West yet.

That's a lot to give up. Essentially 6 first round picks for AD.

[OYDK]

Pelicans seriously about to have Zion, Ball, Ingram, and like, Jarrett Culver next year. They're easily the team with the brightest future at this point and could be the next great power in the West in 3-4 years if even 3 of those 4 players meet their potential.

This seems like a decent trade for both sides. NO got as much as they possibly could for Davis and LA picks up the next face of their franchise post-Lebron. It'll be interesting to see how the Lakers round out their roster in the off-season though.

[Yaz]

Some Vegas odds makers already have LA as the odds on favorite for the title next year. Like slow down y'all.

There are rumors already that Ball doesn't wanna be in New Orleans and that Chicago is interested and willing to move their first round pick. So NO could end up with the 1st, 4th, and 7th pick. They could have a potential starting five of Coby White, Jrue Holiday, De'Andre Hunter, Zion, and Julius Randle. Bench is up in the air but thats a great young lineup with a real underrated leader in Jrue is he stays healthy.

[Yaz]

Mother fucking Lakers man.

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2019/6/19/18692247/lakers-rumors-rob-pelinka-max-cap-space-pelicans-negotiations-ramona-shelburne-espn

So the Lakers are now trying to backtrack on the AD trade because the salaries of AD and LeBron combined are too expensive. They don't have the money to fill out their roster with NBA level role players, let alone a third max star like they had planned. They are asking New Orleans to rework the deal, but New Orleans holds all the leverage and has no reason to do so. There are reports that LA will likely have to get rid of everyone currently under contract that isn't LBJ, AD, or Kyle Kuzma. There are also reports that LA is trying to do everything it can to literally buy 2nd round picks for Thursday nights draft just so they have marginal talent available to them.

This truly is the greatest timeline.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

:lmao:

NBA has the best offseason.

[Slyfox696]

Mother fucking Lakers man.

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2019/6/19/18692247/lakers-rumors-rob-pelinka-max-cap-space-pelicans-negotiations-ramona-shelburne-espn

So the Lakers are now trying to backtrack on the AD trade because the salaries of AD and LeBron combined are too expensive. They don't have the money to fill out their roster with NBA level role players, let alone a third max star like they had planned. They are asking New Orleans to rework the deal, but New Orleans holds all the leverage and has no reason to do so. There are reports that LA will likely have to get rid of everyone currently under contract that isn't LBJ, AD, or Kyle Kuzma. There are also reports that LA is trying to do everything it can to literally buy 2nd round picks for Thursday nights draft just so they have marginal talent available to them.

This truly is the greatest timeline.It truly is amazing how inept some of the most recognizable franchises in basketball are right now.

The Lakers...well, this.
The Knicks...well, the Knicks.
Boston has an overabundance of talent but is nothing but drama now.
And the Bulls haven't been interesting or truly contenders in 20 years.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The Lakers now have enough money for AD and another max player. Another reminder to don't believe everything you hear.

[SSJPhenom]

It's being heavily reported that Khawi Leonard is seriously considering joining the Lakers. I swear, if that happens next season is ruined. Screw that, it'll be worse then when KD joined the Warriors. The Lakers will have 3, count em, 3 of the top 5 players in the league currently. Don't get me wrong, I like the Lakers and really want to see LBJ win some more chips but I also want there to be competition in the sport as well. IMO, with AD and LeBron they're already in a very favorable position. Oh yeah, they still have Kuzma as well. Who looks as if he'll develop into a star in the NBA. All they should do is spread the money out and get a quality starting PG, some shooters, and defenders.

I didn't like it when GS stacked the deck and even though I like the players involved this time around I still don't want to see them stack the deck. It just isn't fun. If Leonard really does join the Lakers, you might as well pencil them in for the Finals for the next 3 or so years.

What happened to competitiveness?

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Has the NBA ever been truly competitive?

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I hate Duke with a passion, but I'm pumped to watch Zion play next fall.

[Yaz]

The Lakers now have enough money for AD and another max player. Another reminder to don't believe everything you hear.

They had to dump almost their entire roster to do it. And if they sign another max player they will have almost no money to fill out the roster.

I'll say it, having LeBron, AD, and Kawhi will not be a championship team. It will be a great defensive team, but most night they would have to run Kawhi at the 3, LBJ at the 4, and AD at the 5 and I honestly don't think they will be able to find two guards who can compliment that well enough to make a title run.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I'll say it, having LeBron, AD, and Kawhi will not be a championship team.

That's a hot take right there.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

That's a hot take right there.

If they didn't it would be the biggest failure in history, barring injury.

2 undisputed Top 5 players and an arguable 3rd? They should win 3/3.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

If they didn't it would be the biggest failure in history, barring injury.

2 undisputed Top 5 players and an arguable 3rd? They should win 3/3.

Meh.

[SSJPhenom]

Has the NBA ever been truly competitive?

I guess that's a good question and it depends on how you look at it but yeah, IMO the NBA has been competitive. It's usually only one or two, maybe even three teams at a time but yes it has been competitive. In the 80's you had LA and Boston. Not a single Finals series was played in that entire decade that didn't feature at least one of those two teams. You also had the Sixers and Pistons during that time too. 90s wasn't really competitive as Jordan's Bulls were next to unbeatable. The 2000's were very competitive however. Sure the Lakers had a Three peat at the start and then a back to back to end it but there were several other teams in the mix during that decade and it was awesome to watch. As stacked as Miami was from 10-14 they had competition and weren't a sure fire bet to win. Those first two GS runs were also very competitive as well. OKC had GS down 3-1. The first two GS Finals were split. It wasn't until KD joined that team where it became a forgone conclusion.

[OYDK]

KD and Kyrie about to sign with the Nets. Those two and D'Andre Jordan are gonna make them instant contenders in two years. Assuming KD can get back to KD-form.

[Yaz]

DeAngelo Russell to the Warriors on a max deal. This offseason man.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The big question now is where does Kawhi go.

[Yaz]

I think he stays in Toronto on a shorter deal. The Clippers weren't able to make any moves that would entice him and I don't think he signs with the Lakers knowing their financial situation would leave them little wiggle room if he got the max he deserves. The only way I can see him going to either LA team is if he just wants to be close to home and wanting to play for the Clippers, his childhood favorite team.

[SSJPhenom]

You guys are missing some of the smaller deals.

Al Horford to the Sixers is huge. Not to mention that they were able to retain Tobias Harris. IMO, even if Toronto retains Leonard, the Sixers are instantly the team to beat in the east. They lost Butler but really that's not that bad. There's only one ball and as Simmons, Embid, and Harris continue to develop and get better they're going to need the ball more and more. Simmons is literally a jump shot away from being a 2K My Career character. Horford gives them a front line of Harris, Horford, and Embid. Forget what they might do offensively, they'll be so good defensively that they'll be scary. The Sixers were already just a basket away from beating Toronto. So I really think he they're the team to beat in the east.

Boston lost Irving but they got Kemba Walker. He's not as good as Irving, but he's very close and a better defender. Boston also lost Horford, though and honestly he was their heart and soul. They're still going to be formidable, however.

The Bucks are just a piece away from being a powerhouse. Toronto exposed the Greek Freak and showed that he's not ready to carry a championship team quite yet, but they'll still be good.

No news on the Lakers yet but honestly, if they do get Khawi what are they going to do for the rest of the roster? Get Khawi, sign someone at the minimum from the G League or overseas just to have a starting 5 and then play those 5 for 48 min a night? Someone out there is saying, "The cap doesn't have to be adhered to. They can go over and pay the luxury tax"! That's true, but they literally have a roster of 3 players right now in Kuzma, LBJ, and AD. Add Khawi at the max and that's 4. That would mean that to get to the 10 or 12 man team they should have they'd have 6-8 players salaries over the cap that they'd be penalized for. We're talking millions of dollars that the Lakers would have pay in luxury tax. Doesn't seem worth it to me. Although, people forget that in 2010 before all was said and done and finalized with the Heat, they had a roster at one point that was comprised of only Mario Chalmers officially. Yea, D-Wade, LBJ, and Bosh had all agreed to sign but they hadn't yet. So I guess stuff can be done, however, each one of them took considerably less than the max to play together. That's not happening here.

We'll see.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Good write up SSJ.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Honestly I feel bad for Knicks fans.

[OYDK]

You guys are missing some of the smaller deals.

Al Horford to the Sixers is huge. Not to mention that they were able to retain Tobias Harris. IMO, even if Toronto retains Leonard, the Sixers are instantly the team to beat in the east. They lost Butler but really that's not that bad. There's only one ball and as Simmons, Embid, and Harris continue to develop and get better they're going to need the ball more and more. Simmons is literally a jump shot away from being a 2K My Career character. Horford gives them a front line of Harris, Horford, and Embid. Forget what they might do offensively, they'll be so good defensively that they'll be scary. The Sixers were already just a basket away from beating Toronto. So I really think he they're the team to beat in the east.

Philly's going to be good no doubt, but I still don't know how much better they'll be than last year. Losing JJ and Butler is a pretty big deal, and I'm still not sold on Tobias Harris as being worth the money they're paying him. Horford's a great pick up though. They're contenders to come out of the east, but I wouldn't call them clear-cut favorites or anything.


Boston lost Irving but they got Kemba Walker. He's not as good as Irving, but he's very close and a better defender. Boston also lost Horford, though and honestly he was their heart and soul. They're still going to be formidable, however.

Kemba might be a better fit in Boston than Kyrie. Don't forget that Boston lost Rozier too though. Kanter's a downgrade from Horford though he played great in the playoffs for Portland so he could be a surprise. If everything clicks, Boston could be in the running for top seed in the East next year.


No news on the Lakers yet but honestly, if they do get Khawi what are they going to do for the rest of the roster? Get Khawi, sign someone at the minimum from the G League or overseas just to have a starting 5 and then play those 5 for 48 min a night? Someone out there is saying, "The cap doesn't have to be adhered to. They can go over and pay the luxury tax"! That's true, but they literally have a roster of 3 players right now in Kuzma, LBJ, and AD. Add Khawi at the max and that's 4. That would mean that to get to the 10 or 12 man team they should have they'd have 6-8 players salaries over the cap that they'd be penalized for. We're talking millions of dollars that the Lakers would have pay in luxury tax. Doesn't seem worth it to me. Although, people forget that in 2010 before all was said and done and finalized with the Heat, they had a roster at one point that was comprised of only Mario Chalmers officially. Yea, D-Wade, LBJ, and Bosh had all agreed to sign but they hadn't yet. So I guess stuff can be done, however, each one of them took considerably less than the max to play together. That's not happening here.

We'll see.

I remember hearing that if the Lakers signed Kawhi to a max, the rest of their roster (or 10 of the 11) would have to pretty much take a minimum contract. I can't see that happening. I know it's not smart to pass up an opportunity to sign a player the caliber of Leonard, but the Lakers would be better off using that money to fill out their roster and adding some depth. They already have the core pieces to make a run. They just need to surround them with decent role guys.

[Yaz]

Butler is an ass but he was carrying the 76ers offense down the stretch.

The issue with Philly will always be that Embiid and Simmons have offensive styles that are completely counter productive to each other. Embiid likes to play around the paint and use his post game to get his points, so he needs guys on the outside who can shoot to keep defenders honest. He had that to an extent with Reddick. Simmons has never made a shot outside the paint though and likes to drive as much as possible, but Embiid's play style clogs the lane. They still got results, don't get it twisted, but I don't see Simmons running the point, like many have suggested, being something that carries them to the promised land. I think they will end up a lot like the D Rose era Bulls, a good team that just can't get over the hump because of their point guards play style and lack of shooting skill.

Horford is a good get and Harris has always been a good range shooter who really developed into a more well rounded player in recent years, though not sure he is worth that money.

On the Kemba front, the Pacers were interested in him, but he wanted a max and honestly he isn't worth a max. He is very very very good, but he isn't max good. Boston will likely be more cohesive because Kyrie is fucking mental though. MJ is fucking up the Hornets though, big time.

Speaking of the Pacers, we coming up with Malcom Brogdon. Former ROTY Malcolm Brogdon I might add. He and Jeremy Lamb are taking this team all the way back to a 4th or 5th seed baby!

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Honestly I feel bad for Knicks fans.

Why? Outside of any Philadelphia fan, they might be the worst fans out there. Plus, Stephen A. Smith is a Knicks fan.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

https://twitter.com/RTSportsTalk/status/1147271528100302850

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Speaking of the Pacers, we coming up with Malcom Brogdon.

That one hurt.

[OYDK]

Trying to hold it together when you hear Kawhi signed with the Clippers

https://media1.tenor.com/images/5c06eb7a0b7600a1b5effb0f8435c4f6/tenor.gif?itemid=5571012

[#AbsoluteUnit]

And the Clippers got "PG-13", Paul George from the Thunder.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

https://twitter.com/RTSportsTalk/status/1147271528100302850

Well this was wrong lol.

Part of me wanted Kawhi to go to the Lakers and play with Lebron, but Kawhi going to the Clippers makes the league much more exciting.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Been reported for a long time now that they wanted to play in LA. They just didnâ??t want to play with James.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Could the Lakers be better without Kawhi?

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Could the Lakers be better without Kawhi?

Thatâ??s as dumb as insinuating the Warriors were better without KD.

Literally the only upside to not getting him is having decent money to fill out the roster.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

That’s as dumb as insinuating the Warriors were better without KD.

Literally the only upside to not getting him is having decent money to fill out the roster.

That's exactly my point. Now they have money to fill out their roster.

[SSJPhenom]

Thatâ??s as dumb as insinuating the Warriors were better without KD.

Literally the only upside to not getting him is having decent money to fill out the roster.

And fill out the roster they did. They have signed Danny Green, Rondo, Jared Dudley, Javelle McGee, Quiton Cook, and last but nothing short of least Demarcus Cousins. Their learning from their mistakes. Instead of focusing on play-making with that abysmal roster they had last season, this season they're focusing on 3pt shooting and defense. Also, the beauty of signing Cousins seems to be lost on a lot of people. By the start of the season he should be back healthy or very very very close to 100%. I think he and James have a lot to prove and I think they're going to be a very very good team. A lot better than last season anyway. I'm thinking around 56-26 will be their record.

Leonard not signing with the Lakers makes this upcoming season of NBA basketball the most exciting it has been in over a decade. Literally one third of the league can legit compete for a championship this up coming season. Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, Nuggets in the west and Sixers, Boston, and Milwaukee in the east. I think it's going to be very fun to watch. Imagine a Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Clippers. That'd be amazing to watch.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, Nuggets in the west and Sixers, Boston, and Milwaukee in the east

No love for the Jazz? What about the Warriors? They are the Western Conference Champions, regardless of the loss of talent via Free Agency. And man, the East looks mad bleak.

[SSJPhenom]

I think the Warriors will be a playoff team with just Curry and Green. If Klay can come back in Feb. or March though relatively healthy, they'd be a tough out. I think their loss of KD, Iggy, Cousins, Cook, and Klay's injury is going to make them pretty much unable to win a Chip this coming season. They lost some major pieces there.

[Yaz]

Cousins should be back healthy early in the season, but I do wonder if the pressure from returning from injury will impact him like it did with GS. He and AD worked pretty well together in New Orleans, so if they click again and he proves to be healthy, he will be a very underrated signing. Rondo coming back is a bit of a surprise after he had some choice words about the situation in LA last year, but he has always been abrasive.

OKC finna hit tank city though, PG forced his way out....again, and Westbrook has proven time and time again to be a very good individual player who has issues working in a team setting due to his stat chasing, so it will be interesting to see how his potential exit plays out. The Jerami Grant trade got the Thunder under the tax threshold so OKC has more power in a potential trade, but the front office has to ask themselves, do they go for the playoffs with the roster as it and have another early exit or do they move Westbrook (and potentially Steve Adams) to add to the massive haul they got from the Clippers? If they blow it all up, it's gonna be a hard few years but the fans seem loyalish since the move so it may be the best bit.

Speaking of Paul George, even as a Pacers fan I could not have predicted two years later that Indy won that trade in an extremely lop sided deal. Seriously, who saw that coming? Funny enough, when PG was in Indy he cheated on his gf and knocked up a stripper. He also fucked Roy Hibbert's girl, but that's another story. Anyway, PG's ex? Doc Rivers daughter. That should be fun.

Houston likely won't be a threat. CP3 hasn't been healthy in a while and while Harden had a better than normal playoffs for him last year (he has been historically bad at times) he isn't enough to carry the team in a playoff setting because the way the games are officiated. Denver is gonna be a threat though. They have an underrated team.

I still don't buy Philly as legit until Simmons develops a jumper or they move him. I've said it many times, they will continue to be a good team that can't get over the hump until they either rework the offense so Embiid and Simmons don't have counterproductive offensive games or they move one of them for pieces that compliment the guy they keep.

The Bucks are likely the best of a bad bunch in the East. Boston and Philly will be around the top seed, and teams like Indiana, Brooklyn, and Miami (my East pick to make the playoffs after missing) will be teams around 50 wins, but the East just feels like the little brother to the West again.

Toronto still have the talent to play a bit above .500 and sneak into the playoffs but it doesn't matter because they did their damage and left their mark.

Since I picked the Heat in the East, I'm gonna say the Mavs are the team in the West to get into the playoffs.

[Big Nick Dudley]

Why did you want Kawhi to be a Laker? Are you an actual Lakers fan? These mega-teamups make the league far less competitive.

[Slyfox696]

Why did you want Kawhi to be a Laker? Are you an actual Lakers fan? These mega-teamups make the league far less competitive.The only reason I would have wanted Kawhi to be a Laker is because LeBron James is the greatest to have ever played and I am so over the whole "title" argument being used against him.

Other than that, the NBA should be fairly competitive next year. Obviously the West is simply loaded. The Lakers and the Clippers (especially the Clippers) seem to be the favorites, but Golden State with Curry, Green and the newly added Russell should be good enough to get into the playoffs, at which point Klay Thompson may be back and then anything could happen. People also seem to be forgetting that Houston was arguably the best team in the NBA not located in Oakland the last couple of years and have not really lost much from last season. I think the Spurs may be an interesting team to watch next year, because I think they could surprise people who aren't talking about them right now. And I've seen some analysts who think the Jazz could be very dangerous.

The same argument is essentially made for Boston. They lost Kyrie, but that may be addition by subtraction. They replaced Kyrie with Kemba Walker and still have an abundance of talent (Brown, Tatum, Hayward). Losing Horford will be the thing to watch in Boston. The Bucks will be back and should still be great. The 76ers played the NBA Champions tougher than any other team in the playoffs and should be tough next year.

It could make for a very competitive NBA season next year.

[SSJPhenom]

The only reason I would have wanted Kawhi to be a Laker is because LeBron James is the greatest to have ever played and I am so over the whole "title" argument being used against him.

Yeah, that would've been great. The Lakers could've won the next three then that would've put LBJ at 6 chips and 12 Finals. Meaning, he would've matched the number of wins that Jordan has but he would have doubled the number of Finals appearances. Also, 8 of those Finals appearances were consecutive. There no longer would've been an argument that could've been made against LBJ being the best player of all the times. He's on track now, barring injury of course, to be the league's all time leading scorer and be top 5 in assists by the time he retires. If he could, in the process of that add some more rings; then all those haters out there would have to wake up and smell the roses.

Beautiful thing, though, is that he's still in a great position now to win at least another chip. If he leads the Lakers to a chip with the power in the league so evenly spread, people are going to have to accept LBJ as arguably the greatest player ever. Point is, he's still adding ammo to his argument as greatest. I bet Skip Bayless would've gone into cardiac arrest if Leonard signed with the Lakers.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Yeah, that would've been great. The Lakers could've won the next three then that would've put LBJ at 6 chips and 12 Finals. Meaning, he would've matched the number of wins that Jordan has but he would have doubled the number of Finals appearances. Also, 8 of those Finals appearances were consecutive. There no longer would've been an argument that could've been made against LBJ being the best player of all the times. He's on track now, barring injury of course, to be the league's all time leading scorer and be top 5 in assists by the time he retires. If he could, in the process of that add some more rings; then all those haters out there would have to wake up and smell the roses.

Beautiful thing, though, is that he's still in a great position now to win at least another chip. If he leads the Lakers to a chip with the power in the league so evenly spread, people are going to have to accept LBJ as arguably the greatest player ever. Point is, he's still adding ammo to his argument as greatest. I bet Skip Bayless would've gone into cardiac arrest if Leonard signed with the Lakers.

Or not. None of that changes the fact that he ran away to play with the best in the league because he couldnâ??t do it otherwise. Please give me the Pippen argument (like I was ever going to respond anyway). Then tell me when he colluded to play with him because he couldnâ??t win.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Why do people still debate Lebron vs MJ?

Not calling anyone out of course. It just feels pointless. Neither side will ever change their mind.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

They both are great.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

...And it looks like Westbrook has been traded to Houston for CP3 and draft picks. Interesting. OKC is in rebuild mode.

Edit: sorry for the double post.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Westbrook and Harden will be interesting

[Big Nick Dudley]

It could make for a very competitive NBA season next year.

I believe it will. I have always been a fan of not knowing who the favorite is. Not having a "super" team makes this interesting and I love it.

I loved Golden State, by the way. They built through the draft and signed one big free agent after already winning a title, so nothing held against them.

[Big Nick Dudley]

Why do people still debate Lebron vs MJ?

Not calling anyone out of course. It just feels pointless. Neither side will ever change their mind.

I don't like it, either. Two totally different players, different positions, never faced off, etc. It's a boring topic.

Especially when you understand that neither are even close Kareem Abdul-Jabbar anyhow 🤣

[Big Nick Dudley]

Westbrook and Harden will be interesting

An interesting trainwreck.

[SSJPhenom]

Why do people still debate Lebron vs MJ?

Not calling anyone out of course. It just feels pointless. Neither side will ever change their mind.

I did��

Westbrook to Houston for CP3? That's just dumb. Harden had the highest usage rate in the league last season. Do you know who was next? Westbrook. There literally isn't enough ball for the 2 of them. These analyst get on my nerves. I've heard them say over the past week or so, since this whole Harden/CP3 thing got out, that when Houston traded for CP3 they were wondering how it would work and thought that it wouldn't and now they're right. Give me a break. They forget that the first year they were together they had the best record in the league, a 3-2 game lead on GS in the WCF, and only lost because CP3 got injured. They forget that in games where CP3, Harden, and Capela started together they were like 33-1 or something like that. It didn't work this past season because Harden refused to pass.

If it didn't work with CP3 it damn sure ain't going to work with Westbrook.

[Yaz]

I did��

Westbrook to Houston for CP3? That's just dumb. Harden had the highest usage rate in the league last season. Do you know who was next? Westbrook. There literally isn't enough ball for the 2 of them. These analyst get on my nerves. I've heard them say over the past week or so, since this whole Harden/CP3 thing got out, that when Houston traded for CP3 they were wondering how it would work and thought that it wouldn't and now they're right. Give me a break. They forget that the first year they were together they had the best record in the league, a 3-2 game lead on GS in the WCF, and only lost because CP3 got injured. They forget that in games where CP3, Harden, and Capela started together they were like 33-1 or something like that. It didn't work this past season because Harden refused to pass.

If it didn't work with CP3 it damn sure ain't going to work with Westbrook.

I understand OKC wanting to retool, but they dumped a massive Westbrook contract for a massive CP3 contract. I think people are overlooking that one, so unless they plan to move Paul, its a weird move on the surface for that and the reasons you mentioned. Harden doesn't stat chase like Russ does, but man that team is about to be the most entertaining .500 first round playoff exit team of all time.

Oh well, I'm sure Eric Gordon will make enough stats to help Russ get those assist numbers up.

[Slyfox696]

Or not. None of that changes the fact that he ran away to play with the best in the league because he couldn’t do it otherwise.No, he just had coaches fired and got eliminated out of the playoffs until he had a team around him that was playoff caliber even after he retired. :shrug:

But, sure, I mean think of all those great years the Cavaliers have had after LeBron leaves, it is JUST like the Bulls in '94 and '95. Right? ;) :)

[Big Nick Dudley]

If I were Chris Paul, I'd be looking to go to the Lakers. I hate the idea of all top talent going to LA or NY, but it's probably the only place that can afford his contract and look at the weapons he would have. He can't be the #1 guy anymore, so how could it get any better?

I'm also a huge Lebron fan. I really want to see him unleashed as a scorer, even for just a season. Having Chris Paul can make that possible.

Oh, and Chris Paul has nowhere else to go. Those who can afford him probably hate his guts.

[SSJPhenom]

Memphis may buy out Andre Igoudala's contract. If they do, the Lakers have said that they're keeping a roster spot open just in case that happens. If the Lakers get Iggy, they may well be unstoppable.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

No, he just had coaches fired and got eliminated out of the playoffs until he had a team around him that was playoff caliber even after he retired. :shrug:

I love the coaches fired argument against Jordan when youâ??re arguing for Lebron James. Please keep making it.

And you do realize Jordan was playing against the 80â??s Celtics, right? Yeah, never mind. They sucked. Or, heaven forbid, getting seriously injured. I guess James has that on Jordan.


But, sure, I mean think of all those great years the Cavaliers have had after LeBron leaves, it is JUST like the Bulls in '94 and '95. Right? ;) :)

Man, itâ??s almost as if proper coaching can win out if you actually know what youâ??re doing. Not like youâ??d appreciate that ;) Maybe Gregg Popovich would.

How many times must we go through this, Sly?

[Slyfox696]

I love the coaches fired argument against Jordan when youâ??re arguing for Lebron James. Please keep making it. It's your argument. Your insinuation is that Jordan was successful without pulling strings with the team, no matter who his teammates were. It's a dishonest argument.

Jordan pulled strings also, so only criticizing James for it is silly. So I will keep making it, so long as you keep trying to undermine James by arguing he did what Jordan did. :shrug:


And you do realize Jordan was playing against the 80â??s Celtics, right? Yeah, never mind. They sucked. Or, heaven forbid, getting seriously injured. I guess James has that on Jordan. And James played against the 00's/10's Spurs and the 10's Warriors. :shrug:

What's your point? That they both played against and lost against historically great teams/franchises? Because, yeah, I totally agree. That is exactly my point.

Also, in '85 Jordan's Bulls lost to the Bucks. In '86 and '87, the Bulls only played the Celtics because they were the #8 seed. In '88, '89 and '90, they lost to the Pistons, not the Celtics. And in '95, they lost to the Magic.

So...Jordan didn't just play against the Celtics, he lost to the Bucks, the Celtics, the Pistons and the Magic in the playoffs.


Man, itâ??s almost as if proper coaching can win out if you actually know what youâ??re doing. Not like youâ??d appreciate that ;) Maybe Gregg Popovich would. Ahh, so what you're saying is that when the teams of LeBron lost to all-time great coaches with below average coaches, it was just because James couldn't win, but when Jordan lost to all-time great coaches with below average coaches it was...completely different somehow?


How many times must we go through this, Sly?As many times as it takes for you to admit you are wrong. :shrug:

:wink:

[Fire Marshall Bill]

It's your argument. Your insinuation is that Jordan was successful without pulling strings with the team, no matter who his teammates were. It's a dishonest argument.

Jordan pulled strings also, so only criticizing James for it is silly. So I will keep making it, so long as you keep trying to undermine James by arguing he did what Jordan did. :shrug:

YouÃ?â??re going to compare the two? James literally comes in and changes the entire team and anyone involved. Coaches and players. HeÃ?â??s already gotten the Lakers coach fired. ThereÃ?â??s literally already talk about the current one being filler until James works Kidd into that spot. Just wait.

The ironic thing is I would give him credit for bringing power back to the players. They practically do what they want now, assuming theyÃ?â??re good enough to leverage it. Just look at AD. But itÃ?â??s also turned the game into a joke, because thereÃ?â??s rarely competition anymore.


And James played against the 00's/10's Spurs and the 10's Warriors. :shrug:

What's your point? That they both played against and lost against historically great teams/franchises? Because, yeah, I totally agree. That is exactly my point.

Also, in '85 Jordan's Bulls lost to the Bucks. In '86 and '87, the Bulls only played the Celtics because they were the #8 seed. In '88, '89 and '90, they lost to the Pistons, not the Celtics. And in '95, they lost to the Magic.

So...Jordan didn't just play against the Celtics, he lost to the Bucks, the Celtics, the Pistons and the Magic in the playoffs.

Using the Bad Boy Pistons? Really? At one time they had 4 Hall of Famers on their team. The core always had 3. 3, by the way, that didnÃ?â??t collude to play together. And 95 Jordan had just come back and clearly was not in form. If you want a nice Magic reference, how about James losing to them in the playoffs? IÃ?â??ll take Shaq and Penny all day against Dwight Howard and no one. The East has been a joke since 09.

And honestly, do we really not understand players have primes? Did I even bring up JamesÃ?â??s early years?


Ahh, so what you're saying is that when the teams of LeBron lost to all-time great coaches with below average coaches, it was just because James couldn't win, but when Jordan lost to all-time great coaches with below average coaches it was...completely different somehow?

As many times as it takes for you to admit you are wrong. :shrug:

:wink:

I forgot that the Dallas Mavericks were all timers. Nowitzki and who? Frankly, that shouldÃ?â??ve been JamesÃ?â??s easiest victory since theyÃ?â??re owned by one of David SternÃ?â??s most hated owners. He practically robbed him of a championship once before. That is entirely my opinion of course. But that is the worst championship of all time in my opinion (06 I mean).

[SSJPhenom]

Even I have to admit that there's no good argument to explain LBJ's meltdown in the 2011 Finals against Dallas. I know it was because they hadn't worked out whether he was the guy or whether it was Wade's team, but still, LBJ as a superstar should've said, "Give me the ball and get the hell out of the way"! Since then, however, LBJ has had a record run. 8 consecutive Finals appearances. The most for any non-Celtic. Some of the best numbers and performances in the post season. Averaging a triple double in the Finals. Taking the Warriors to 6 games when his next best player was Dellavedova. 12 consecutive All NBA 1st team selections. He's at least earned a spot in the conversation as greatest ever and by the end of his career I'm confident that he'll be the consensus best ever. Especially if he wins another title or two.

[Slyfox696]

YouÃ?â??re going to compare the two?Isn't that what the entire discussion is about?

James literally comes in and changes the entire team and anyone involved.
A) That's an exaggeration
B) Yes, he pulls strings to make the team he's on better. Just like Jordan did. :shrug:


Coaches and players.Doug Collins and Isiah Thomas say hi.


HeÃ?â??s already gotten the Lakers coach fired.
A) Luke Walton failed on his own before James got there.
B) Jordan had Collins fired, James had Blatt fired.


ThereÃ?â??s literally already talk about the current one being filler until James works Kidd into that spot. Just wait. So...your argument is James pulls strings and the Lakers fired Walton for LeBron, only to hire a coach LeBron didn't want because LeBron wanted a former NBA head coach?

I'm not sure you see the inconsistency of that argument.


The ironic thing is I would give him credit for bringing power back to the players. And he does deserve that credit, perhaps more than anyone else.


They practically do what they want now, assuming theyÃ?â??re good enough to leverage it. Just look at AD. But itÃ?â??s also turned the game into a joke, because thereÃ?â??s rarely competition anymore. That's on the owners to figure out. They are the ones who decided to make the NBA a star driven league and they are the ones who have manipulated the league in such a way that there is no incentive to play for a loser. Also blame the media for their crazed obsession with determining quality of player by number of rings collected, even though that's a TERRIBLE way to judge greatness.


Using the Bad Boy Pistons? Really? At one time they had 4 Hall of Famers on their team.Curry, Thompson, Green and Durant. Parker, Ginobbili, Duncan, Leonard. :shrug:

Again, I am not sure you are making the argument you think you are.


The core always had 3. 3, by the way, that didnÃ?â??t collude to play together.There was no little to no free agency at the time. Also, they had a competent roster. What's your point?


And 95 Jordan had just come back and clearly was not in form. ...so?

How come when LeBron goes to the NBA Finals and loses that is held against him, but when Michael is not good enough to get to the Finals, there is always some excuse?


If you want a nice Magic reference, how about James losing to them in the playoffs? What about it? I'm not the one making arguments about championships. :shrug:

Also, if you want to compare a Bulls team that was playoff caliber without Jordan to a Cavaliers team that became the worst in history when James left, then feel free. But I think we both know there's not a very good argument for you there, on multiple levels.


IÃ?â??ll take Shaq and Penny all day against Dwight Howard and no one. The East has been a joke since 09. Yes, because the East was so tough during the 90s...


And honestly, do we really not understand players have primes? Did I even bring up JamesÃ?â??s early years? I don't think I said anything about Jordan failing to reach the playoffs with the Wizards. :shrug:


I forgot that the Dallas Mavericks were all timers. Nowitzki and who?Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd. :shrug:

And Rick Carlisle is a darn fine coach.


Frankly, that shouldÃ?â??ve been JamesÃ?â??s easiest victoryAgreed. And the Heat were the more talented team, though I think their depth and chemistry was not very good and that is often overlooked.

But at the end of the day, my point is pretty clear. Using championships to measure greatness is silly. But if we're using that metric, Jordan only went to the Finals 6 times, LeBron has been 9 (including 8 straight). Jordan lost to historically great teams (Boston, Detroit), but so did James (San Antonio, Golden State). Both have pulled strings with the team to better it and both are credited for getting coaches fired.

Championships and pulling strings are not my argument, but if it is your argument, then Jordan does not have an advantage.

[SSJPhenom]

Well the NBA season kicked off in earnest last night and it was one of the best opening nights that I've seen in recent years.

Everyone is talking about how Toronto won last night but all I seen from them was that they were struggling with a Zion-less Pelicans who's main players were all new. I don't think Toronto is going to have a seat at the table of best teams in the East this year. That's clearly (and I know we've just begun but barring injury) going to be the Sixers and Bucks and maybe the Celtics. Once Durant comes back, the East may well be able to contend with the West as far as powerhouse teams go.

Then there was the epic Battle: Los Angeles. (See what I did there?) The two teams most people think are going to win it all are not only in the same city but they're in the same building. It was awesome to watch and some people think that the Clippers winning last night shows that they have the edge. I mean hell, they didn't even have Paul George last night. I'm not worried about the Lakers, though. Every player on the Lakers is new except for 3 people. So I expect them to struggle. Hell, even the coaches are new on the Lakers. It's going to take them the first 20 or so games to get it right. Also, they're dealing with injuries of their own with Rondo, Kuzma, and Cousins out. The Clippers, on the other hand, are the opposite. Everyone on their team, except for 2 players, played for them last year. They have the same coach and the same system. So I expect that the Clippers will be more impressive early on, but basketball, more than any other sport, comes down to who has the best players on their team. LBJ and AD are a better duo than Leonard and PG. So when it comes playoff time and the Lakers have had time to gel (again, barring injury), I expect that they'll be the better of the two and come out of the West to face the Sixers in the Finals.

That's right, I'm predicting it now! It'll be Lakers/Sixers for the 2020 Finals.

[Big Nick Dudley]

Dallas looks great, too. That's a duo. We're moving into the age of duos again, which I'm more than happy about. Makes the NBA far more competitive. I think the WCF ends up being Mavs/Clippers, ECF being Bucks/Sixers.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Way too early to predict Eastern/Western Conference final match-ups.

[SSJPhenom]

Way too early to predict Eastern/Western Conference final match-ups.

If you had of said this last year or even a couple of years ago; I would've easily been able to argue the point. That's the beauty of this NBA season though. There's a legit 7 or 8 teams that have a realistic chance of competing for a championship this season. That's f'n awesome.

Having said that, I completely stand by my prediction. (Barring injury):o

[OYDK]

Season has been fun so far. The best thing about it is that with so many strong teams, there's always at least one interesting match-up a day... which hasn't happened in a while.

Clippers look tough to beat early on (though they're currently losing to the Suns...), and the Lakers will get better and will probably look unbeatable not too long from now. Pelicans are a good team without Zion. I'm really interested to see what they look like with him on the floor. Porzingis and Doncic look real, but the Mavs probably need more depth if they want to make the playoffs. Utah needs a stud if they ever want to make it out of the West. They're stacked, but they don't have a perennial star that you seem to need nowadays to win in the playoffs. The East is too tough to predict. Nobody looks particularly outstanding so far and I'm still not sold on the 6ers and Bucks after losing Butler and Brogdon.

Clippers or Lakers win the chip barring injury. I have little doubt.

[SSJPhenom]

Lakers are doing the damn thang right now. They've beaten some quality teams on this 5 game winning streak. While the Clippers have lost to some, uh, not so stellar teams. I know it's still early, but anyone who thought LeBron was showing his age needs to rethink that. Two back to back triple doubles over the weekend. They're going to be very tough to beat if they stay healthy.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

^ I think this guy likes the Lakers.

[SSJPhenom]

I am rooting for the Lakers, but I'm not so much a Lakers fan as I am a LBJ fan.

Is this going to be the year that Devin Booker finally breaks out and becomes an Allstar/Superstar? Booker has always been a great scorer, but his individual success has been at the expense of his team's success. This season, so far (and I know the season is young), that hasn't been the case. He's been a great scorer, however, he's been more efficient, he's been assisting more, rebounding more, and his plus/minus is at it's highest. Above all of that, though, his team is winning. The Suns are 5-2 right now this season and they're number 2 in the West right now. Again, the season is young, but nothing about their wins this season suggests that their success is unsustainable. They've beaten some quality teams so far. They've beaten the Clippers and Sixers; two teams that a lot of people think will be in the Finals and they only lost to the Jazz by 1 point. The last time the Suns started a season like this was in 09-10 and they ended up going to the Western Conference Finals. I'm not sure if the Suns will make it that far, however, they do have a great duo, just like all the other good teams, in Booker and Ayton.

So will we finally see Booker take that next step as a NBA player and become an Allstar/Superstar? What do you guys think?

[OYDK]

How bout them 8-3 Raptors... just saying. I was stunned when they took out the Lakers on the road despite having 3 of their top 8 out with injury, even more stunned when they gave the Clippers a real game and beat the Blazers with 4 of their top 8 out. People probably have no idea who Nick Nurse is, but he's legitimately one of the best coaches in the league in my opinion and always gives his team a chance to win.

Since I doubt anyone wants to discuss Toronto though... Philly is proving me right early on. Looking like a pretty average team right now. The Clippers haven't been as dominant as I thought they'd be but that will likely change once Paul George comes back. Portland is all of the sudden awful and if they don't turn it around soon, they're going to be in tough when it comes to making the playoffs in the West. Most surprising team to me is Boston. Thought they'd be decent but not the best team in the league ten games in.

[SSJPhenom]

How bout them 8-3 Raptors... just saying. I was stunned when they took out the Lakers on the road despite having 3 of their top 8 out with injury, even more stunned when they gave the Clippers a real game and beat the Blazers with 4 of their top 8 out. People probably have no idea who Nick Nurse is, but he's legitimately one of the best coaches in the league in my opinion and always gives his team a chance to win.

Since I doubt anyone wants to discuss Toronto though... Philly is proving me right early on. Looking like a pretty average team right now. The Clippers haven't been as dominant as I thought they'd be but that will likely change once Paul George comes back. Portland is all of the sudden awful and if they don't turn it around soon, they're going to be in tough when it comes to making the playoffs in the West. Most surprising team to me is Boston. Thought they'd be decent but not the best team in the league ten games in.

Toronto is a very good team. They've always been a good team. All Kawhi did was put them over the top (although, I believe whole heartedly that had the Warriors been healthy it would've been a different outcome). Toronto has always been a team that can contend. Honestly, Derozan wasn't all that great. He only made the Allstar teams that he did because he was in the East. Now that he's in the West, I doubt he'll be making anymore. So Toronto isn't surprising me at all. Boston on the other hand is very surprising. They look amazing. I thought Kemba would fit their system better than Kyrie but not to this extend. Also, Gordon Hayward was back to form before breaking his hand. I hope he comes back as good as he was before he got injured. Dude was back to Allstar level.

The Clippers are going to be alright come the playoffs. They just look average now because Kawhi misses every game he can. How bout them Lakers though? Did anyone see LeBron over the weekend? Yep, that's a man whose lost a step. Gimme a break. Still calling Lakers/Philly in the Finals. Although, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Boston get's there with the way they've been playing.

[A11]

Early season nba form means very little. I remember when Melo used to have the knicks up and going beating the Lebron led heat and everyone carried on. Pretty sure they finished 8th

[SSJPhenom]

LeBron makes history again becoming the first and ONLY player in NBA history to have a triple double against every team in the league. I hope that he can keep this up all season. It's unprecedented what he's doing at his age. We've never seen a player 35 and in their 17th season do the things that LBJ is doing. He's still the best player in the NBA right now and if he keeps going like this, he's going to be until he no longer wants to. Age will hit LeBron at some point, but judging from his play right now, it's still a ways away.

On another note, what do you guys think of Melo joining the Trailblazers? Do you think that he can help them? Can he give them a scoring boost? They definitely didn't get him for his defense. I hope Melo can be something akin to his old self. I don't want him to go out they way my favorite player Allen Iverson did. I want him to have that retirement season that D-Wade had or Kobe had.

[Big Nick Dudley]

LeBron makes history again becoming the first and ONLY player in NBA history to have a triple double against every team in the league. I hope that he can keep this up all season. It's unprecedented what he's doing at his age. We've never seen a player 35 and in their 17th season do the things that LBJ is doing. He's still the best player in the NBA right now and if he keeps going like this, he's going to be until he no longer wants to. Age will hit LeBron at some point, but judging from his play right now, it's still a ways away.

On another note, what do you guys think of Melo joining the Trailblazers? Do you think that he can help them? Can he give them a scoring boost? They definitely didn't get him for his defense. I hope Melo can be something akin to his old self. I don't want him to go out they way my favorite player Allen Iverson did. I want him to have that retirement season that D-Wade had or Kobe had.

LeBron is one of those guys who spends millions of dollars per year on nutrition and just taking care of his body. Look at Tom Brady. Same model. No reason to think LeBron can't keep this up as long as Brady has.

[SSJPhenom]

LeBron is definitely impressive this year but has anyone seen this kid Luca Doncic? He's downright spectacular. People are already calling him the best 20 year old to ever play in the NBA and they're saying that as of right now he's having the best sophomore season in the history of the league. What do you guys think? Is Doncic the real deal? Will he be the next huge superstar in the league or will this all amount to as much as Jeremy Lin did? Is he just a flash in the pan like Linsanity or is he here to stay?

[#AbsoluteUnit]

LOL! Man, do the Warriors suck!

[SSJPhenom]

Well let's be fair to the Warriors. They've lost every player on their team that was worth a damn. Green is the only one still there and he was never an offensive threat for them. So yeah, right now, they're going to suck. When Steph comes back though and Klay comes back they'll be back to as good or very close to as good as they were before KD joined them and that was good enough to go to the Finals twice in a row and win one and go 73-82 in the regular season. They need a year off anyways. Playing into the Finals for 5 years straight can take its toll. Look at LeBron last year. He finally got some rest during the off season and look at what it's done for him so far this season.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

How bout dem Bucks?

[SSJPhenom]

It looks like after LeBron retires it's going to be a league led by Giannis and Luka Doncic. Luka is absolutely unbelievable.

[OYDK]

People laughing at the Warriors right now don't seem to realize they're probably going to end up with a top 2 pick next year.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Statistically speaking, theyâ??re going to have a good chance, but the NBA has done a good job at making it so tanking often doesnâ??t pay off very well.

[OYDK]

Kobe Bryant reported dead in a helicopter crash. I'm fucking numb right now.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

At a loss of words at the moment

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Devastating news. 41 is way too young. RIP

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The most cherrypicked stat of all time.

https://i.imgur.com/RmTYNJB.jpg

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Hmmmm.... one of these guys just doesn't belong...

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Don't be racist. Larry Bird belongs just as much as everyone else smh

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Yes, that's clearly who I was referring to.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

J.R. Smith will work out for the Lakers.

Perfect signing if you want someone known for throwing a bowl of soup at a coach and forgetting the score in an NBA Finals game.

[SSJPhenom]

Still trying to make sense of the Kobe news. Those of you who are familiar with me know that I'm a huge basketball fan. I've never been a fan of teams because I've never lived near a professional team to have one. So, because of that, I've always been a fan of players above teams. Allen Iverson is my all time favorite player because I could relate with him. My all time next favorite is Kobe Bryant. Growing up, I used to hate Kobe. He stopped AI from getting a Championship in 01. I carried a grudge against Kobe for that for a few years afterwards. When I was older, though, and he was competing for titles again in 08, 09, and 10; I began to realize how good the man actually was. It's not an exaggeration to say that Kobe Bryant is the closest thing to Michael Jordan that we have ever and probably will ever see. The hot topic in basketball these days is to talk about Jordan vs. LBJ and I've been guilty of this myself; but did we forget or something? Kobe is a 5 time Champion, 1 time MVP (still can't believe that one), 17 time All Star, 12 time All NBA First Team, 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist, etc. As I said; he's the closest thing we have ever seen to MJ. No doubt the second greatest Shooting Guard of all time and arguably the greatest Laker of all time. Oh, and he scored 60 POINTS in his last game ever. The man was unreal and I still can't believe that he's gone. It's hard to process. I know that I didn't know him personally but he was a huge part of my life and one of the reasons I love basketball to this day. It's sad.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the families of those who were also lost in the crash. R.I.P. Mamba.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

How does dunking over Tacko Fall only score a 47/50?

[JHOLCOMB22]

How does dunking over Tacko Fall only score a 47/50?

Not only that, but how does going between your legs for the 7th time still warrant a score in the high 40s?

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Judges were handing out perfect scores like candy. Gordon should've won.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The All Star Game has been awesome.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

The All Star Game has been awesome.

Who is your NBA team?

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Worst National Anthem ever?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldwg__P9vbQ

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Who is your NBA team?

I'm a bandwagon Lebron fan.

[SSJPhenom]

This was one of the better All-Star weekends in recent memory.

They straight up robbed Aaron Gordon of the slam dunk trophy. He should've won and won easily. While I think in 2016 Aaron Gordon had the over all better dunks, I think Zach Levine was more consistent. So I can see how he lost that one, but this one he should've won. I sill can't believe he lost.

The 3pt contest was very exciting. How often do we see people scoring in the low to mid 20s in the 3pt contest and not make it to the next round? That was unbelievable. Also, the fact that the contest came down to the last shot was awesome. I loved it.

The 4th quarter to the All-Star game was just awesome to watch. They were actually playing seriously. That 4th quarter was more intense then some playoff games that I've seen. If they continue to play like that in the future, All-Star weekend might be something to start looking forward to again.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Lmao, the Bucks have already clinched a playoff spot. Fastest team in NBA history to do so.

Giannis is just something else.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

https://twitter.com/SportsNation/status/1264995535871717378

I'm dying here. :lmao:

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The best description of Kyrie Irving - He's on the right track, but dude isn't even on the wrong train, he's in an inflatable inner tube.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Don't forget the fact that Golden State blew a 3-1 series lead to Cleveland in the 2016 NBA Finals.

[OYDK]

I'm just glad Lebron wants to play. If he said no, the season would be in real jeopardy.

[SSJPhenom]

He understands that he has to play. He's running out of time to cement his legacy. I feel sorry for him. I legit believe that if COVID-19 hadn't of thrown everything off the rails that he would've been MVP and won another chip. Oh well, we're going to have to wait and see what happens. I honestly doubt that they're even going to play. I think the nation opened too fast and now COVID-19 is spreading again. We're heading to another shut down. Just my opinion.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The Lakers shot 2/16 on wide open 3s last night.

[OYDK]

People are panicking too early. Lakers played like complete doggy doo and were still right there the whole game. I don't think they're going to have a serious problem getting out of the series.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

LOL Bucks. They have no shooters.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Never thought I'd see Lebron only score 10 points and win a playoff game by 27.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Is the Lakers shooting good enough to win a championship?

[OYDK]

I don't even have them getting through Houston. Houston's deeper and has two superstars on the level of AD and Bron. They're going to have to score near 120 a game and I just don't see where that offense is going to come from every night unless AD's dropping 50.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

This is the worst playoff performance I've ever seen.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Anthony Davis was +37.

In 17 minutes.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Not a Mav's fan but Doncic is fun to watch.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

By far the most interesting part of the Mavericks-Clippers game tonight

https://streamable.com/chzjhj

[#AbsoluteUnit]

That game got ugly real quick.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

LOL Bucks

[OYDK]

Already got my bubble excuse for when the Raps don't repeat locked and loaded.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The Rockets avoided an embarrassing collapse.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Celtics kicking the Raptors ass at the moment.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

https://twitter.com/ShawnMichaels/status/1303315861218955264

[OYDK]

Kawhi... should have stayed in TO bud.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Definitely.

Kawhi and PG last night - 24 points on 10/38 shooting.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

LOL Clippers.

[Slyfox696]

So now that the Clippers super team has lost in the conference semi-finals, all those analysts and commentators which kept talking about how Kawhi was the best basketball player in the league, the same ones who constantly say LeBron can't be better than Jordan because of rings...are those commentators going to hop off the Kawhi bandwagon and talk about how Kawhi can't be the best player in the league any more, especially since his last two games saw him shoot a combined 14-40 (35%) from the field?

I'm sure all those people are going to be COMPLETELY consistent in their arguments...

[Storm Trooper]

So now that the Clippers super team has lost in the conference semi-finals, all those analysts and commentators which kept talking about how Kawhi was the best basketball player in the league, the same ones who constantly say LeBron can't be better than Jordan because of rings...are those commentators going to hop off the Kawhi bandwagon and talk about how Kawhi can't be the best player in the league any more, especially since his last two games saw him shoot a combined 14-40 (35%) from the field?

I'm sure all those people are going to be COMPLETELY consistent in their arguments...
They will hop off the Kawhi bandwagon. And hop right onto the (insert name of top player on the Heat or Celtics whoever wins) bandwagon.

These other guys (Kawhi, Giannis, etc) are like top closers in baseball. They're great for a stretch but they don't last. LeBron is like Mariano Rivera. Great for 20 years (and 5 years later after retiring can still get people out if need be).


Meanwhile, Clippers need to fire Doc Rivers. I'm sorry but this is on the coaching too, and he clearly isn't the guy to get them over the hump.

[OYDK]

I feel bad for Kawhi because dude is about to get eviscerated. Last year he was "THE GREATEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE!!!" This year he'll be painted as somebody who's not a real superstar. It'll be all his fault that they lost to the Nuggets and people will try and tear down what he's done in the playoffs over his career. It's already started.

Still, he partially brought it on himself with those stupid commercials. Toronto was a perfect city for him because nobody cared about the Raptors and he could fly under the radar for the most part. For a guy who apparently hates the spotlight, he did a good job of jumping straight into it, and now he'll get all that comes with that.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Literally 29 teams and fanbases are united in mocking the Clippers. It's beautiful.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Giannis definitely deserved MVP. He averaged 29.3 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 55.3% shooting in only 30.4 minutes, won DPOY, and led his team to the best record in the league. The playoffs aren't considered. What else could he have done?

Lebron is still the best player, but Giannis had a better season.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

^ Agreed. Saw him play in person 6 times this year. Dude is a stud.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Not a fan, but I'd be ok if the Nuggets beat the Lakers. Just saying.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Lakers vs Nuggets Game 1 in a picture

https://i.imgur.com/ex8OMFN.jpg

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Not a fan, but I'd be ok if the Nuggets beat the Lakers. Just saying.

Not gonna happen. The NBA playoffs were decided a long time ago.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I'm torn between cheering for Lebron and cheering against obnoxious Lakers fans.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Nuggets had that game won.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I knew we'd get Leonard vs Antetokounmpo in the Finals.

Meyers Leonard of the Heat and Kostas Antetokounmpo of the Lakers, obviously.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I hope both teams lose.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Can we all agree the Lakers are gonna win?

[BestSportsEntertainer]

The Heat and Lakers both finished 10th in their conference last season.

[Fire Marshall Bill]

The Heat and Lakers both finished 10th in their conference last season.

What happens when James doesn?t have a superteam around him.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Hot take

[#AbsoluteUnit]

What happens when James doesn?t have a superteam around him.

Valid point

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Kyrie said something dumb, if you can believe it

[OYDK]

Lakes aren't a superteam. They got AD and Lebron and that's about it. Their next best player is... Kuzma? Rondo? Clippers were more of a superteam than the Lakers.

[Storm Trooper]

Lakes aren't a superteam. They got AD and Lebron and that's about it. Their next best player is... Kuzma? Rondo? Clippers were more of a superteam than the Lakers.


How can you say they're not a Superteam when they got Superman?

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/czXTF5mpuRA8Hw6ZyM909w--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/csnchicago.com/b92062d1bb9ae4bb44a879a88e20925c

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I haven't really cared for a Finals series since 2015.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

If Tyler's the Herro, I'm the villain.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Is Lebron ever not complaining about a foul?

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I don't think so

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Lakes aren't a superteam. They got AD and Lebron and that's about it. Their next best player is... Kuzma? Rondo? Clippers were more of a superteam than the Lakers.

Two top 5 players joining forces because they can?t hack it on their own? Agree to disagree.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

If this year's Lakers team is a superteam, the KD Warriors must have been a super duper ultra mega team.

[Slyfox696]

What happens when James doesn?t have a superteam around him.They are roughly 4th in the Western conference, unless LeBron gets hurt.

Man, you really aren't a fan of him, are you?

[OYDK]

Two top 5 players joining forces because they can?t hack it on their own? Agree to disagree.

If the criteria for greatness is winning on your own, Hakeem and Dirk are the greatest of all time.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

KD still won't admit he took the easy route to a championship lol

[BestSportsEntertainer]

I feel bad for Lebron haters. They're wasting the career of the best athlete of our generation because all they want to do is hate.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Life's too short to give a damn about it BSE.