NBA Thread

[Blazers46]

Ha! I’m with you. I haven’t watched the NBA for years, but have had a chance to catch a few late playoff games this year. The game has become so one-dimensional, it’s hard to watch. The players are as skilled as ever, but they are limited exclusively to two relevant skills: jump shooting and dribbling (which has become over run with traveling and carrying). Very few players are actually skilled basketball players, everyone is a specialist. Of course defense went away 20 years ago, but still worth mentioning how bad it continues to be — so bad that a player with a Toni Kukoc skill set has become an unstoppable force in the League. All that bitching aside, it’s still fairly entertaining. I just hope the European influence runs its course and we get back to American style basketball.

From an athletic standpoint they are still fun to watch. From a competitive standpoint too I guess. But it’s a completely different game than it was in 90s and even the 2000s. It’s not even remotely the same game.

 

[NDRock]

Ha! I’m with you. I haven’t watched the NBA for years, but have had a chance to catch a few late playoff games this year. The game has become so one-dimensional, it’s hard to watch. The players are as skilled as ever, but they are limited exclusively to two relevant skills: jump shooting and dribbling (which has become over run with traveling and carrying). Very few players are actually skilled basketball players, everyone is a specialist. Of course defense went away 20 years ago, but still worth mentioning how bad it continues to be — so bad that a player with a Toni Kukoc skill set has become an unstoppable force in the League. All that bitching aside, it’s still fairly entertaining. I just hope the European influence runs its course and we get back to American style basketball.

Disagree on the defense, the game is harder to defend now with the spacing and the shot making. Football is the same way. Much tougher when you have to cover a larger area.

I agree that the “heliocentric” offenses that you saw with Harden and how Luka plays, is aesthetically unappealing. I much prefer teams that move the ball. The ‘14 Spurs are probably my favorite team of the last 20 years to watch. Total team basketball and they broke Lebron and the Heat in the Finals.

 

[OhioIrish]

Disagree on the defense, the game is harder to defend now with the spacing and the shot making. Football is the same way. Much tougher when you have to cover a larger area.

I agree that the “heliocentric” offenses that you saw with Harden and how Luka plays, is aesthetically unappealing. I much prefer teams that move the ball. The ‘14 Spurs are probably my favorite team of the last 20 years to watch. Total team basketball and they broke Lebron and the Heat in the Finals.

Yes, I agree. I suspect the rule changes in the last 20 years disincentivizing defense just lead to the players deciding not to develop those skills. Even the best players in this generation are bad on-ball defenders — Giannis, Herden, LeBron, etc. Agree that hitting 27-foot jumpers in the regular has made it tough on defenses too.

 

[GATTACA!]

???

I just adopted the teams my dad likes. The Mavs are the only one I chose lol. I should have just been a bandwagon.

The Twins have won (I think) 3 playoff games in the last 20+ years. Mavs are usually OKish. Flyers have been ass for ages. Steelers have been spinning their tires for a decade.

North Dakota State is collapsing as a school and in athletics.

Notre Dame is what it is.

Just a friendly jab as a Browns fan.

 

[NorthDakota]

Just a friendly jab as a Browns fan.

I have a soft spot for the mistake on the lake. AFC North is the most fun division in football

 

[GATTACA!]

I have a soft spot for the mistake on the lake.

Steelers are the rival I hate but respect. Rooney voting no on the move was classy. I nothing the Bengals and the Ravens can eat my asshole.

AFC North is the most fun division in football

Stongly disagree lol. What I wouldn't give for a the Browns to be in the NFC South for a few years lol. Part of the reason the Browns have been bad for so long is because the division constantly has 2 or 3 top tier teams in it. It's exhausting.

 

[Irish#1]

I usually don’t say much about the refs, but that was a terrible no-call at the end last night. Overall the refs were terrible. They let the physical play go and call the ticky tack fouls.

 

[jprue24]

I usually don’t say much about the refs, but that was a terrible no-call at the end last night. Overall the refs were terrible. They let the physical play go and call the ticky tack fouls.

Are you talking about Holiday beating Nembhard to the spot and cleanly stealing the ball?

 

[OKCDomer23]

Mavs pull another one out in the end to take a commanding 3-0 lead over Minnesota. Boston-Dallas should be fun, barring any craziness before so.

 

[Irish#1]

Are you talking about Holiday beating Nembhard to the spot and cleanly stealing the ball?

No, I'm talking about Holiday jumping in front of him and knocking him over when reaching for the ball.

 

[Irish#1]

Hats off to Boston for making plays when they need to. Pacers youth really showed this series, letting three games get away. Can't be too disappointed as they weren't even supposed to get out of the first round.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The narrative is that Boston had an easy road, but you can't really help that your opponents advance and have injury problems. You play whoever advances to you in the bracket.

Pacers were a bit unlucky. Lost three very close games in a sweep. It happens.

 

[stlnd01]

The narrative is that Boston had an easy road, but you can't really help that your opponents advance and have injury problems. You play whoever advances to you in the bracket.

Pacers were a bit unlucky. Lost three very close games in a sweep. It happens.

It’s not quite the same but I’d note the Celtics also have been without their third best player for almost the entire postseason.

As a C’s fan, that Pacers team reminded me of the first couple Celtics teams that made the ECF in this era, when Tatum and Brown were babies in the league.

They lost close games to those tough, experienced Lebron Cavs teams who’d been there before. Now the Celtics are the team that’s been there before and knows how to win these fights. Give it a few years, and that’ll be the Pacers.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

It’s not quite the same but I’d note the Celtics also have been without their third best player for almost the entire postseason.

As a C’s fan, that Pacers team reminded me of the first couple Celtics teams that made the ECF in this era, when Tatum and Brown were babies in the league.

They lost close games to those tough, experienced Lebron Cavs teams who’d been there before. Now the Celtics are the team that’s been there before and knows how to win these fights. Give it a few years, and that’ll be the Pacers.

You're correct. It isn't. Worth noting nonetheless.

They won 64 games this regular season and had the best record in basketball. Thunder and Nuggets were closest to them. They should be favorites against Dallas. The media narrative around them will be what it is until they win a title.

They've gotten past everything that has been put in front of them thus far, though. That's really all you can do. You can't control the circumstances of your opponents.

 

[Irish#1]

You're correct. It isn't. Worth noting nonetheless.

They won 64 games this regular season and had the best record in basketball. Thunder and Nuggets were closest to them. They should be favorites against Dallas. The media narrative around them will be what it is until they win a title.

They've gotten past everything that has been put in front of them thus far, though. That's really all you can do. You can't control the circumstances of your opponents.

The same affliction hit the Thunder like it did the Pacers. Apparently there's only one cure.

 

[Irishokie]

The same affliction hit the Thunder like it did the Pacers. Apparently there's only one cure.

Experience?

 

[OKCDomer23]

Pretty impressive victory for Minny @ Dallas to push it to game 5. Doubt they can pull it off, but you never know. I will say games 2, 3 could have gone either way. Looks like Boston will have to wait longer to find out their opponent for the ring.

 

[Irish#1]

Pretty impressive victory for Minny @ Dallas to push it to game 5. Doubt they can pull it off, but you never know. I will say games 2, 3 could have gone either way. Looks like Boston will have to wait longer to find out their opponent for the ring.

I was watching off & on and the T-Wolves were doing a good job of answering Dallas each time.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

A bit more rest for Boston. A bit more time for people who don't watch the NBA to continue to let us know they don't watch the NBA.

 

[Irish2155]

Dallas steeling my lunch money. Damn it. I thought Minnesota would put more fight.

 

[NorthDakota]

Dallas steeling my lunch money. Damn it. I thought Minnesota would put more fight.

All is well. Minnesota sports don't handle the spotlight well

 

[Irish2155]

Tatum and Brown have their hands full if Kyrie is playing like this.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Luka is the man.

 

[Irish#1]

Tatum and Brown have their hands full if Kyrie is playing like this.

I suspect this may come down to who gets the most support from their role players.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

 

[Katzenboyer]

Tatum and Brown have their hands full if Kyrie is playing like this.

They were always going to. Those guys are playing lights out right now. But also - don't sleep on the Celtics' defense.

JT, JB, White, and Jrue Holliday are all plus defenders. Kyrie + Luka are certainly going to get theirs, but Cs certainly have the bodies to be able to make life difficult for them.

 

[stlnd01]

They were always going to. Those guys are playing lights out right now. But also - don't sleep on the Celtics' defense.

JT, JB, White, and Jrue Holliday are all plus defenders. Kyrie + Luka are certainly going to get theirs, but Cs certainly have the bodies to be able to make life difficult for them.

Yeah. White and Holliday are both all-NBA level defenders. Horford's no slouch either. Porzingis if he's healthy. All these guys can also hurt you on offense.
I can't say I've watched a ton of Mavs - maybe they do too - but the Celtics have many weapons on both sides of the ball. There's a reason they've won so many games and it's not just Tatum and Brown.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

There are going to be a lot of three pointers in this series.

 

[OhioIrish]

It’s just such a different game today, this is not an apt comp. I think Luka’s comp is Lebron, and he is statistically better than LeBron too. If Luka wins multiple rings I think we will be talking about him as a top 5 player all-time. He can’t catch Michael or Kareem, imo, but he can catch everyone else.

 

[Irish#1]

It’s just such a different game today, this is not an apt comp. I think Luka’s comp is Lebron, and he is statistically better than LeBron too. If Luka wins multiple rings I think we will be talking about him as a top 5 player all-time. He can’t catch Michael or Kareem, imo, but he can catch everyone else.

Agree, not a good comparison. While he's classified as a G, positions have basically disappeared in today's NBA. I still like his skills comparison to Bird, but as he fits into today's game James is a good comparison.