NBA Thread

[Jiggafini19Deux]

A part of me was hoping Kareem would run on the court to block the shot

I figured he'd call time out and retire to go play baseball for a couple of years.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

I figured he'd call time out and retire to go play baseball for a couple of years.

As a longtime Lakers fan and avid Lebron hater, I cant wait till he moves on.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

As a longtime Lakers fan and avid Lebron hater, I cant wait till he moves on.

 

[Blazers46]

As a longtime Lakers fan and avid Lebron hater, I cant wait till he moves on.

He could play until hes 50. A little fatigue and then rest a few games. The league is now designed for stars to play for a long time. Knowing Lebron he will become an owner/player/coach somewhere. He just seems like a guy that will not go away and needs attention.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

He could play until hes 50. A little fatigue and then rest a few games. The league is now designed for stars to play for a long time. Knowing Lebron he will become an owner/player/coach somewhere. He just seems like a guy that will not go away and needs attention.

This just gave me anxiety

 

[Blazers46]

This just gave me anxiety

NBA is a hard watch. I think they need to cleanse themselves of the 3pt shot for a decade and then make dunks worth 3 points.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

NBA is a hard watch. I think they need to cleanse themselves of the 3pt shot for a decade and then make dunks worth 3 points.

I just miss the Michael and Kobe type of players. The guys that would kill someone if it meant they could win a title.

 

[irishnd31]

Just give me a league where the stars don't dictate what other 2 or 3 stars they get to play with. This Super Team shit is just awful and unwatchable.

 

[greyhammer90]

Just give me a league where the stars don't dictate what other 2 or 3 stars they get to play with. This Super Team shit is just awful and unwatchable.

This sounds like a complaint from someone who hasn't watched in NBA in 5 years. What super team is currently dominating the league?

 

[Irish#1]

NBA is a hard watch. I think they need to cleanse themselves of the 3pt shot for a decade and then make dunks worth 3 points.

Funny you mentioned. I think it was Vitale that a long time ago, said the dunk should be worth 3 and the three 1.

The super teams in general have been more of a failure than success IMO. The days of Bird and Magic where superstars had the entire team involved was the best days of the NBA. As far as Lebron, I don't really care if he broke it or not, but he had the benefit of the 3pt shot. Kareem did it all inside. Today's NBA also doesn't allow a player to be associated with one team/city. When you think of Bird, you think Celtics. When you think Jordan, you think Bulls, Miller Pacers, Thomas, Pistons, etc.. When you think of LeBron, you think of LeBron. Same with Westbrook, Harden, Durant, etc. Curry is about the only star today that you hear their name you associate them with the team/city.

 

[irishnd31]

This sounds like a complaint from someone who hasn't watched in NBA in 5 years. What super team is currently dominating the league?

Don't recall saying anything about any one team dominating. Was more talking about players having far too much control over who their teammates are and creating these Super Teams. Was not like this when the NBA was good (80s and 90s) which if my math is right, is longer than 5 years and is the only thing correct you took away from my remark.

 

[irishnd31]

Funny you mentioned. I think it was Vitale that a long time ago, said the dunk should be worth 3 and the three 1.

The super teams in general have been more of a failure than success IMO. The days of Bird and Magic where superstars had the entire team involved was the best days of the NBA. As far as Lebron, I don't really care if he broke it or not, but he had the benefit of the 3pt shot. Kareem did it all inside. Today's NBA also doesn't allow a player to be associated with one team/city. When you think of Bird, you think Celtics. When you think Jordan, you think Bulls, Miller Pacers, Thomas, Pistons, etc.. When you think of LeBron, you think of LeBron. Same with Westbrook, Harden, Durant, etc. Curry is about the only star today that you hear their name you associate them with the team/city.

Well said.

 

[greyhammer90]

Don't recall saying anything about any one team dominating. Was more talking about players having far too much control over who their teammates are and creating these Super Teams. Was not like this when the NBA was good (80s and 90s) which if my math is right, is longer than 5 years and is the only thing correct you took away from my remark.

My point is that Super Teams aren't really a thing at the moment. Brooklyn was the last attempt at one, and it blew up spectacularly. Lakers have been down for awhile. Warriors are injured (and really only have homegrown talent on their squad now anyway, so don't really fit into that narrative). No need to take it personally, but it's like me complaining about the wildcat formation taking over the NFL. It's just a weird complaint given that teams like Milwaukee and Denver are currently the toast of the NBA.

 

[irishnd31]

Not taking anything personally, honestly. Only thing I know of the NBA is what is seen on ESPN or other sports media outlets. I couldn't tell you who is in first nor could I tell you who is in last. I know that when I hear of the NBA, many stories are about where potential free agents or trades will be made. Many of those stories include insiders basically "hearing" of star players trying to get them to their team.

I can't disagree with your posts and actually agree with them. But I was never talking about records or even successes of Super Teams. Just the ability and power of the stars/players to be able to dictate who gets to put together a Super Team. That is all I was trying to say even if my complaint is "weird" to you. And you were 100% correct that I haven't watched in over 5 years.

I could also argue that some SuperTeams have been quite successful and have won it all in the past. But I just don't know enough or frankly care enough about that league to even continue further.

But again, no hard feelings because the NBA is not for me but I'm glad others enjoy it.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

All this has done has made me come to appreciate how great Kareem truly was. That's coming from someone from Chicago that grew up there in the 80s and 90s having seen it all from Michael Jeffrey.

This is year 19 for LeBron. Kareem played 20. I still think overall, when you look at modern metrics, Kareem is better and it would take LeBron well into his forties to pass him.

 

[KPENN]

I’m not a fan of the flopping and complaining but Lebron is averaging 30. 8.5. 7 as a 38 year old. He’s the all-time leading scorer, has a chance to be #2 all-time in assists. To me, he’s the GOAT.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Saw the tail end of Kareem in his late thirties and early forties. Saw all of Michael Jeffrey, Karl Malone, Stockton, Dirk, Duncan and LeBron.

Being able to see Greatness for me is fine. I go out of my way not to fall into GOAT discussion rabbit holes.

What ifs, on the other hand, I go crazy with. If Michael Jeffrey had played in 93-94 and all of 94-95 not to mention would not have missed his second season with a broken foot, his career may have been even better.

 

[greyhammer90]

What ifs, on the other hand, I go crazy with. If Michael Jeffrey had played in 93-94 and all of 94-95 not to mention would not have missed his second season with a broken foot, his career may have been even better.

Not talking about you since you are admittedly just playing around, but IMO MJ stans have been the worst part of watching basketball for decades. Every story has to be about MJ in some way. No achievement can be celebrated without either pointing out that MJ did it better or (even more often) by creating an imaginary universe where he did.

Last night I saw people saying "MJ would've won the game he broke the scoring record in" with zero irony or self awareness. He didn't break the record though. He never even got close. Just like he never played 93-95.

I can invent a scenario where Lebron would have 2 more chips if Irving and Love didn't get injured in 2015 and if a once-in-a-generation salary cap loophole didn't allow the Warriors to sign KD to a stacked roster. But that didn't happen either.

 

[KPENN]

I’m a huge MJ fan but using his leaving to go play baseball for his case is absurd. If Lebron went to play another sport for 2 years he “wouldn’t have cared enough about basketball” or “didn’t have the drive”, some shit like that

 

[ab2cmiller]

Lebron is a freak. The combination of speed, size and strength is overwhelming. It's hard to argue against him being the GOAT. But if I had a ticket to go back into time to watch one player in their prime, it would have to be Jordan. He was truly an artist.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Not talking about you since you are admittedly just playing around, but IMO MJ stans have been the worst part of watching basketball for decades. Every story has to be about MJ in some way. No achievement can be celebrated without either pointing out that MJ did it better or (even more often) by creating an imaginary universe where he did.

Last night I saw people saying "MJ would've won the game he broke the scoring record in" with zero irony or self awareness. He didn't break the record though. He never even got close. Just like he never played 93-95.

I can invent a scenario where Lebron would have 2 more chips if Irving and Love didn't get injured in 2015 and if a once-in-a-generation salary cap loophole didn't allow the Warriors to sign KD to a stacked roster. But that didn't happen either.

You'll get no argument from me, and his time with the Bulls was easily the best run of my lifetime among any teams I'm a fan of. It isn't even close.

That being said, I will also tell people that it isn't a lock that they win both or either of those series against Houston had he stayed and played basketball those two years. Olajuwon peaked and had the team around him that could have beaten them. Do they likely still get out of the East with MJJ on those teams? I'm thinking yes.

 

[Irish#1]

Not talking about you since you are admittedly just playing around, but IMO MJ stans have been the worst part of watching basketball for decades. Every story has to be about MJ in some way. No achievement can be celebrated without either pointing out that MJ did it better or (even more often) by creating an imaginary universe where he did.

Last night I saw people saying "MJ would've won the game he broke the scoring record in" with zero irony or self awareness. He didn't break the record though. He never even got close. Just like he never played 93-95.

I can invent a scenario where Lebron would have 2 more chips if Irving and Love didn't get injured in 2015 and if a once-in-a-generation salary cap loophole didn't allow the Warriors to sign KD to a stacked roster. But that didn't happen either.

Right, wrong or indifferent, I think what turns people off about LeBron is his need for attention. Is LeBron is the GOAT? I don't know but he's the GOAT of his era. Like all records, eventually someone else will come along and take the all time scoring title.

To Jiggafini19's comment about Kareem, I don't think most know or truly appreciate how good he was. If he had played with the type of media exposure there is today, it's probably a different story. It took a long time for that record to be broken. That's a testament to his greatness. I can remember watching him when he was at UCLA and the run he had there. Crazy good.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Boy, I'm afraid to ask, but how does one objectively concur that Lebron James "needs attention"?

You're thrust into the spotlight as a junior in high school at the start of the Bush Gore Century. Attention finds you without you wanting or needing it.

Ask Kareem and Jordan. And they didn't play in the internet social media era.

 

[greyhammer90]

Boy, I'm afraid to ask, but how does one objectively concur that Lebron James "needs attention"?

You're thrust into the spotlight as a junior in high school at the start of the Bush Gore Century. Attention finds you without you wanting or needing it.

Ask Kareem and Jordan. And they didn't play in the internet social media era.

Last night they literally held up the game after he scored a simple two pointer. They had a big ceremony for him and everything. Even presented him the ball... all for a run of the mill fadeaway shot! Disgusting and typical for him really.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Debating if I should sell my Lebron signed basketball Upper Deck Authenticated.

 

[NDRock]

All this has done has made me come to appreciate how great Kareem truly was. That's coming from someone from Chicago that grew up there in the 80s and 90s having seen it all from Michael Jeffrey.

This is year 19 for LeBron. Kareem played 20. I still think overall, when you look at modern metrics, Kareem is better and it would take LeBron well into his forties to pass him.

Yeah. Kareem always gets left out of the GOAT conversation. Has more titles and MVPs than Lebron, not to mention his college accolades. The two of them have had unbelievable careers, obviously.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Yeah. Kareem always gets left out of the GOAT conversation. Has more titles and MVPs than Lebron, not to mention his college accolades. The two of them have had unbelievable careers, obviously.

Timing. Magic and Larry cast a shadow in the 80s. He retired and the 90s ushered in the Bad Boy Pistons, Air Jordan and the Dream Team.

I like the guy a lot. On and off the court. Once he retired, the Lakers didn't get it done again until Kobe and Shaq. He was the absolute goods.
He acted along side Gary Coleman on an episode of Different Strokes. Jordan, Magic, LeBron, etc. can't say that.

 

[irishog77]

Timing. Magic and Larry cast a shadow in the 80s. He retired and the 90s ushered in the Bad Boy Pistons, Air Jordan and the Dream Team.

I like the guy a lot. On and off the court. Once he retired, the Lakers didn't get it done again until Kobe and Shaq. He was the absolute goods.
He acted along side Gary Coleman on an episode of Different Strokes. Jordan, Magic, LeBron, etc. can't say that.

"Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!"

 

[Blazers46]

I’m not a fan of the flopping and complaining but Lebron is averaging 30. 8.5. 7 as a 38 year old. He’s the all-time leading scorer, has a chance to be #2 all-time in assists. To me, he’s the

You can't call someone a GOAT if he doesn't show up for work. The guy has played all 82 once and his highest number of games played as a Laker is 67. MJ played all 82 NINE TIMES, played 81, 80, and 79 one time each. The other seasons were his injury in 85, his comeback in 96 and then season one with the Wizards.

Keep in mind the season was shorter back then so they played 82 in a tighter window and even the playoffs are extended for rest now. Its one thing to compare the era's saying they take games off but they have fewer games scheduled per week too. MJ's body was broke in 98 and it showed with the Wizards.

Sure you can argue if "ifs" were whiskey we would all be drunk and happy but MJ playing 67 games per year in an elongated 82 games season he would average 40 per game, easily.

 

[T-Boone]

The problem with Jordan is he couldn’t shoot.