NBA 2017 - 2018

[Tiggnutz]

Lots of LeBron Philly talk

[Monster]

People are going nuts. Plenty of OKC fans have convinced themselves that, not only is LeBron coming here possible, but likely. "His house in LA is near Westbrook's! He and PG said hi to each other! Lil Wayne wants it to happen! It's a done deal!" He and PG may play together, but it sure as hell won't be here.

[Jason]

According to a personal friend of Kyle Lowry who spoke with him over the weekend, he wants to finish his career in Toronto, but they told him he is going to be shopped and suspects he will be traded on draft night.

[Headhunter]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

[Headhunter]

Lots of LeBron Philly talk

I get the benefit of staying in the East but I don't get the fit of LeBron and Ben Simmons playing together. Simmons can't shoot at all.

[Headhunter]

According to a personal friend of Kyle Lowry who spoke with him over the weekend, he wants to finish his career in Toronto, but they told him he is going to be shopped and suspects he will be traded on draft night.

They should just keep the band together. As depressing as their annual failures are, they're not in position to tank right now and there isn't really a path for them to become a super team any time in the future. Just ride it out, it will probably never get better than it is right now.

[Jason]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

If this is some BS Lakers thing I want nothing to do with it. :p

[Jason]

According to a personal friend of Kyle Lowry who spoke with him over the weekend, he wants to finish his career in Toronto, but they told him he is going to be shopped and suspects he will be traded on draft night.

They should just keep the band together. As depressing as their annual failures are, they're not in position to tank right now and there isn't really a path for them to become a super team any time in the future. Just ride it out, it will probably never get better than it is right now.

Probably what I would do. But seeing Ujiri's #1 seeded team get swept was the most glorious moment of the 2017-2018 season.

[Headhunter]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

If this is some BS Lakers thing I want nothing to do with it. :p

That's fine. They are the team in best position to put two stars (who fit) around LeBron, his kids are enrolling in schools there, he already has houses in LA and he signed a big contract with Warner Brothers. It make all the sense in the world.

[Headhunter]

According to a personal friend of Kyle Lowry who spoke with him over the weekend, he wants to finish his career in Toronto, but they told him he is going to be shopped and suspects he will be traded on draft night.

They should just keep the band together. As depressing as their annual failures are, they're not in position to tank right now and there isn't really a path for them to become a super team any time in the future. Just ride it out, it will probably never get better than it is right now.

Probably what I would do. But seeing Ujiri's #1 seeded team get swept was the most glorious moment of the 2017-2018 season.

It was just hilarious that people convinced themselves it would be any different this year against LeBron because they improved their bench.

[Monster]

Looks like LA's gonna be a pretty good team next year. I've never rooted for them before, but I pray they can take out the Warriors.

[Tiggnutz]

Looks like LA's gonna be a pretty good team next year. I've never rooted for them before, but I pray they can take out the Warriors.

Yuck and yuck

[Foo]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

If this is some BS Lakers thing I want nothing to do with it. :p

That's fine. They are the team in best position to put two stars (who fit) around LeBron, his kids are enrolling in schools there, he already has houses in LA and he signed a big contract with Warner Brothers. It make all the sense in the world.

I am not sure about the whole "fit" idea, as I think that is a coaching issue. Folks also tend to laser in on offense when looking to fit. Like the Sixers not being a great fit because Simmons can't shoot. Imagine the length and athleticism on defense that team would have, and having the court vision both Simmons and James have. Obviously they would lose a game of HORSE with the Warriors, but if they could make it a physical defensive game all bets are off.

[Headhunter]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

If this is some BS Lakers thing I want nothing to do with it. :p

That's fine. They are the team in best position to put two stars (who fit) around LeBron, his kids are enrolling in schools there, he already has houses in LA and he signed a big contract with Warner Brothers. It make all the sense in the world.

I am not sure about the whole "fit" idea, as I think that is a coaching issue. Folks also tend to laser in on offense when looking to fit. Like the Sixers not being a great fit because Simmons can't shoot. Imagine the length and athleticism on defense that team would have, and having the court vision both Simmons and James have. Obviously they would lose a game of HORSE with the Warriors, but if they could make it a physical defensive game all bets are off.

You're missing the superstar ego angle. LeBron runs the LeBron system, coaches take a backseat. LeBron does like to have one other ball handler (Wade, Kyrie) but those guys were also capable of being great offensive players off the ball, Simmons is just a body taking up space without the ball offensively imo. Other than that, LeBron wants nothing but shooters around him. Space the floor so he can drive or kick out to the open shooters when the double comes every time. Nobody but Popovich has the clout to make LeBron fit into any other system.

He also doesn't play much defense anymore, only in situations where he feels he absolutely has to. Which is a pretty natural evolution for any star in their 30s, but he's not someone you can count on to improve a team's defense. This is why the discussion about LeBron "peaking" in the past year is ridiculous. Peak LeBron in Miami was not only as offensively skilled as current LeBron (plus a little more juice), he was a 1st team All-NBA caliber defender. He's just not physically capable of dominating on both ends anymore. In the event of that Warriors matchup, you're really only putting LeBron on Draymond or whoever the 5th guy is (Iggy/Livingston/a center). He simply can't guard KD at all and you're definitely not going to have him chase Steph and Klay around.

[Foo]

http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/2 ... ree-agency

No team would be better built to beat the Warriors.

If this is some BS Lakers thing I want nothing to do with it. :p

That's fine. They are the team in best position to put two stars (who fit) around LeBron, his kids are enrolling in schools there, he already has houses in LA and he signed a big contract with Warner Brothers. It make all the sense in the world.

I am not sure about the whole "fit" idea, as I think that is a coaching issue. Folks also tend to laser in on offense when looking to fit. Like the Sixers not being a great fit because Simmons can't shoot. Imagine the length and athleticism on defense that team would have, and having the court vision both Simmons and James have. Obviously they would lose a game of HORSE with the Warriors, but if they could make it a physical defensive game all bets are off.

You're missing the superstar ego angle. LeBron runs the LeBron system, coaches take a backseat. LeBron does like to have one other ball handler (Wade, Kyrie) but those guys were also capable of being great offensive players off the ball, Simmons is just a body taking up space without the ball offensively imo. Other than that, LeBron wants nothing but shooters around him. Space the floor so he can drive or kick out to the open shooters when the double comes every time. Nobody but Popovich has the clout to make LeBron fit into any other system.

He also doesn't play much defense anymore, only in situations where he feels he absolutely has to. Which is a pretty natural evolution for any star in their 30s, but he's not someone you can count on to improve a team's defense. This is why the discussion about LeBron "peaking" in the past year is ridiculous. Peak LeBron in Miami was not only as offensively skilled as current LeBron (plus a little more juice), he was a 1st team All-NBA caliber defender. He's just not physically capable of dominating on both ends anymore. In the event of that Warriors matchup, you're really only putting LeBron on Draymond or whoever the 5th guy is (Iggy/Livingston/a center). He simply can't guard KD at all and you're definitely not going to have him chase Steph and Klay around.

Totally valid about the "LeBron" system. But again, that is a coaching issue. At this moment in time, we see a great shooting team winning titles. Doesn't mean that is the only path, though. If a team starts winning through other means, the copycat league will change. I get that the Warriors are a great squad, but any team can be disrupted by great defense.

Also, totally agree on all accounts about his age, the absurdity that this is his prime, and the coasting on defense that is normal. Still feel like he can be a well above average defender against a couple positions because of his size, length, and athleticism. Let's face it, the playoff defense is all that really matters. And defense is not binary, it is not like he can't cover those guys at all, you just don't want him doing it all game long. They are all excellent offensive players, so it is about bringing them closer to average, not shutting them down.

[Foo]

And the other thing with LeBron and his age is that the decline may be very sharp and fast with one little knee or back injury that starts a fast fade. He is a 275 pound freak. It can change in an instant.

[Headhunter]

And the other thing with LeBron and his age is that the decline may be very sharp and fast with one little knee or back injury that starts a fast fade. He is a 275 pound freak. It can change in an instant.

That he's never had a significant injury at any point might be the most impressive part of his career.

[Headhunter]

I don't really see the league moving backwards offensively either tbh. The midrange shot and post-up are not part of the game anymore because they are the least efficient shots in basketball. Doesn't mean smart teams won't know when to use them as they will now be the easiest opportunities to create, but the expected point value for threes and layups are so much higher than everything in between, so that is where the game is played now. It's actually pretty amazing how long it took basketball teams to take advantage of simple math with the three point shot. The Rockets were the first team this year to take more threes than twos in a season. In five years, every team in the league will be doing that.

[Jason]

And the Rockets died by it in the WCF. They were up 15 halfway through game 7 and were continuously shooting desperation three while playing isolation against the Warriors. This is the closest example to "they are asking to lose" than anything I've ever seen.

[Headhunter]

You live with the process, not the results. The odds of that cold streak happening were astronomical and there's nothing to be taken from it. 76 wins and took one of the best teams ever to 7 games playing that way. Every team will be following Houston's example. Not necessarily the specific offensive sets, but the prevalence of three point shooting. It's just simple math.

I can understand arguments that it's made the game more boring, analytics are having the same effect on baseball. But the effectiveness can't be argued.