NBA Thread

[jays_fever]

Larry Sanders wants to quit basketball

 

http://www.sportando.com/en/usa/nba/147487/bucks-larry-sanders-doesn-t-want-to-play-basketball-anymore.html

 

lol why play a game for a living and get 50 paid million dollars over 4 years to do so when you can just stay home and get baked every week

[SpeedyGose]

Still recovering from the phx game, god damn we were bad. I'm going to go ahead and blame that on the end of a long ass trip.

 

However, the defense is very troubling, definitely not a contender playing this level of D

[dineke]

Yeah it looks like the bad defense from the end of last year has carried on into this year. I can see a first round loss if they end up facing the Heat. Might not even be a bad thing because it will give Masai the excuse to fire Casey.

[burlingtonbandit]

Still recovering from the phx game, god damn we were bad. I'm going to go ahead and blame that on the end of a long ass trip.

 

However, the defense is very troubling, definitely not a contender playing this level of D

 

If you think thats bad imagine being a Cavs fan right now. They just lost to the 76ers FFS. Worst part is they had a 23 point lead at halftime.

[burlingtonbandit]

Damn didn't even realize there was a trade. Cavs get JR Smith, Shumpert from NY while OKC gets Waiters.

[Orgfiller]

This deal is just so stupid, Reggie Jackson is a lot better than Dion f***ing Waiters, the Cavs did well here IMO. NBA trades never make any sense.

[burlingtonbandit]

This deal is just so stupid, Reggie Jackson is a lot better than Dion f***ing Waiters, the Cavs did well here IMO. NBA trades never make any sense.

 

Yeah i don't like the trade for OKC. Think of how good OKC could of been if they didn't make that stupid Harden trade.

[jays_fever]

Yeah i don't like the trade for OKC. Think of how good OKC could of been if they didn't make that stupid Harden trade.

 

The return they got for him was terrible, but they couldnt afford to pay 4 players max money.

[jays_fever]

Also lol@ Waiters, best back court in the NBA..

 

He literally does nothing well..crappy shooter, doesnt defend, doesn't rebound.

[burlingtonbandit]

The return they got for him was terrible, but they couldnt afford to pay 4 players max money.

 

The owner could afford it but just chooses not to. He's the NBA's Eugene Melnyk. Would rather win the cost per win championship than the NBA championship.

[jays_fever]

They're almost at 80 million without Harden. Expecting an owner to pay 100 million in salaries, plus taxes is wishful thinking

[burlingtonbandit]

They're almost at 80 million without Harden. Expecting an owner to pay 100 million in salaries, plus taxes is wishful thinking

 

OKC is at 77 million right now. Add in Harden's 14.6 while subtracting Lamb and Adams combined 4.3 and you're roughly at 87 million. If the money was a huge issue Im sure they could of traded Perkins salary along with their 2014 1st freeing up another 10 million. Sometimes you have to go into the luxury tax if you want to win a ship and it doesn't look like OKC's owner wants to have any part in that.

[jays_fever]

Yea that's still pretty high. Either way you look at it, it was Sam Pres who traded him away for a player who didnt have a chance to make an impact. If they had kept Jeff Green and traded Harden for an all star big, they probably have a championship.

[burlingtonbandit]

Yeah if they don't get a ship when they have had KD, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden core its pretty sad. Brooks is also a bad coach.

[jays_fever]

Is he? Ive heard that a lot and their offence really.just seems.to.be.two world.class talents carrying them every game.

[burlingtonbandit]

Is he? Ive heard that a lot and their offence really.just seems.to.be.two world.class talents carrying them every game.

 

If you think Casey is bad then you will think Brooks is even worse. His in game management is pretty poor and like you said they play a heavy Iso system. Its like the loss tn to GS. Great teams beat great players, same with Atlanta beating the Clippers.

[GD]

Yea that's still pretty high. Either way you look at it, it was Sam Pres who traded him away for a player who didnt have a chance to make an impact. If they had kept Jeff Green and traded Harden for an all star big, they probably have a championship.

 

We nearly traded Valanciunas for him

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Atlanta can't sustain this... right...?

[SpeedyGose]

Atlanta can't sustain this... right...?

 

This is what happens when you have an elite coach

[dineke]

Atlanta can't sustain this... right...?

 

They have a better chance than the raps.

[dineke]

We nearly traded Valanciunas for him

 

Motherf***ing colangelo

[SpeedyGose]

We nearly traded Valanciunas for him

 

I thought they asked for him and BC shut them down immediately

[SpeedyGose]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-east-for-the-taking-torontos-master-plan/

 

Big Raps article by the man Zach Lowe. Check it out

[jays_fever]

We nearly traded Valanciunas for him

 

Was that who they asked for? I know it was confirmed that he also turned down Pau Gasol for that pick we used to take Bargs nearly ten years ago. Everyone talks about what could have been with T mac and Vince, Gasol and Bosh could have taken us to the finals

[jays_fever]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-east-for-the-taking-torontos-master-plan/

 

Big Raps article by the man Zach Lowe. Check it out

 

“They want to make this about some complex system of rotations, which we’ll do, but it’s really about containing the ball and containing your man one-on-one. Casey still preaches defence first but plays Vasquez and Lou will over Johnson repeatedly.

[burlingtonbandit]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-east-for-the-taking-torontos-master-plan/

 

Big Raps article by the man Zach Lowe. Check it out

 

Great read. Lowe is a top notch writer and whatever he writes about always is interesting. As for the article itself, there are some great points. Masai seems like he knows that this could be their opportunity as the East is wide open and in 3 years it could turn into the West of now. Sounds like he will dangle the 1st round pick this year with some expirings for help.

 

Lowe sums up the defense pretty well and this quote is pretty good for the future

"The Raps are confident they’ll get better with effort and experience. Terrence Ross is still finding his way both on and off the ball. Valanciunas is improving as a rim protector, but it comes in fits and starts; the game still looks too fast for him at times. Amir Johnson is a stabilizer, but he’s had problems changing direction while dealing with a balky ankle.

 

The team already alters its general scheme for specific matchups, and Casey says they’ll do more of that in the playoffs.

 

Crafting an elite defense from this roster will be tough, but the Raps at full strength have the ability to defend at a top-10 level. When they go hard, they go balls out. They are athletic, smart, and fast; they can rotate their way out of what looks like a lost possession. “We just keep on going,” Lowry says. “Keep on punching.”

[burlingtonbandit]

Another thing I found interesting is JJ helping too much on defense when it is unnecessary. There were a couple gifs. in the piece showing him out of position when he didn't need to be. Its weird because he has been for the most part opposite of what I thought. Good on offence and very efficient but as a whole he hasn't been that good on defense. He's got elite altheticsm and quick feet but he seems to help/over commit too much leading to open 3s. Good thing is it is correctable and he's such a good shot blocker that if he plays just a little bit smarter it should help a lot.

[jays_fever]

James Johnson has been great this year, you could find random clips of everyone making lapses on defense. I supposed you could fault him for trying to do to much, but when you're playing with pylons everynight and a coach who won't trust you, s*** happens.

 

Look at the clip against the bulls. Ross can't fight through contact to guard ball screens and Jonas is to dumb/slow to do anything but hang 10 feet back every f***ing time.

[burlingtonbandit]

James Johnson has been great this year, you could find random clips of everyone making lapses on defense. I supposed you could fault him for trying to do to much, but when you're playing with pylons everynight and a coach who won't trust you, s*** happens.

 

Look at the clip against the bulls. Ross can't fight through contact to guard ball screens and Jonas is to dumb/slow to do anything but hang 10 feet back every f***ing time.

 

Imo I think it happens more than just the gamble here and there but agree with your point. I don't know if SportVU has data on it but Ross has been dreadful on fighting through screens. I mean in that clip he took an awful angle which took him completely out of the play and we all remember how Kyle Korver goes off everytime we play the Hawks.

[SpeedyGose]

Imo I think it happens more than just the gamble here and there but agree with your point. I don't know if SportVU has data on it but Ross has been dreadful on fighting through screens. I mean in that clip he took an awful angle which took him completely out of the play and we all remember how Kyle Korver goes off everytime we play the Hawks.

 

I have been paying more attention to JJ on defense lately. He is very Lowry like, gambles a lot, roams around away from his man. Lots of big plays but a lot of missed assignments, leaving guys open or allowing cutters through