2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[Gumboy]

Spurs East might be a pretty over compliment in my opinion, the Spurs had years to meld together, highly doubt it will happen that fast. They are pretty much 100% assured of winning the East however, the Pacers are done, the bulls are overrated, who else is there? The lebron-less heat?

Frankly if they don't win the East with there current team it will be a massive, huge dissapointment, regardless of what they say publically.

[Stommped]

Curious what makes you say the Bulls are overrated. Is it entirely to do with the D Rose posts you have made the past few weeks? You simply don't think he'll be anywhere near the top 5 player he once was? If that's your entire reasoning then I understand, but was wondering if there was anything else.

In a surprise twist Bledsoe finally got his long term deal from PHX, 5 years 70M. Looked like he was heading to UFA next season for sure.

[Gumboy]

It is pretty much all about Rose hype from people. Only way they are going to be able to compete is if Pau Gasol plays at his international level basically, when he was having good games. There is no way he will be a top five player with how he has looked so far. Maybe he will shake off the rust, but he has shown that he is an oft injured player, I won't believe he is back until he plays over 20 games without hurting something :P


Bledsoe probably saw an offer from the Twolves and was like "JESUS FUCK, I COULD END UP ON THE TIMBERWOLVES? SIGN QUICK!"

[Jibjabb]

Id say the Bulls are a big threat, less because I think the Bulls will be awesome but more because I feel that the Cavs wont be that great. I question how their defense will come together and I question their ability to play consistent offense together as 4 of their starting 5 will be shoot first players (3 of them finished in the top 10 in FGA of the entire NBA). If they mesh and guard people then they will likely be much better than the Bulls, but I dont see it happening when we already know the Bulls will play great defense and have a higher probability of meshing on offense together. Plus 1st year head coach vs Thibbadeau

[Blueobelisk]

East:
1. Bulls
2. Cleveland
3. Lol I mother fuckering fucking guess Heat.
4. Toronto just cause division winner.
5. Wizards.
6. Nets...
7. Boston?!
8. Knicks.

Idk. Who gives a fuck about 7-8 seeds anyway. All the teams are so bad it's hard to decide.

West:
1. OKC are gonna go hard and be regular season heroes.
2. Spurs.
3. LAC? *shrug*
4. Houston may gel some more. Maybe they'll be lazy assholes who miss Lin and Parsons. Who knows.
5. Dallas I feel comfortable placing at like 4-6.
6. Portland. I don't see them getting that much better than last year.
7. GSW.
8. I'll throw Grizzlies a bone.
10. Pelicans get left out of playoffs and Anthony Davis gets scrutinized since he's top 5 player in NBA right now.

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Boy looking back I'm really unsure of ALL those slots. I think I'm only comfortable saying Spurs are top 3.

[Gumboy]

Maybe they can get Carmelo at the trade deadline with the Knicks at like 350 winning %!

(Actually probably wouldn't work because of salary obviously)

Also, lebron hasn't been eating cookies or ice cream, he must be super serious about this season!

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...w-weight-class


I wonder if its a good move or not, I imagine it will be; lighter, faster, less stress on the body carrying less weight, only negative is people might not be so afraid of taking a charge from him any more.

[bergmann620]

Spurs East might be a pretty over compliment in my opinion, the Spurs had years to meld together, highly doubt it will happen that fast.

I agree, which is why I said we won't see it all this year. The other thing to keep in mind is that this Cavs team is starting with a higher talent level than the Spurs did.

I am a HUGE Spurs fan- grew up in Texas, reveled in them crushing the Heat this year, and think that, barring injuries, they take it again next year.

That said, purely as a basketball PLAYER, Lebron is better than Duncan. Kyrie could easily be better than Parker.

The biggest question is, "Is Lebron willing to invest the time and money into developing a culture on the Cavs that will allow them to take the Danny Greens and Matt Bonners and Patty Millses of the world and make them into valuable basketball players in the same manner that Duncan has?"

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Agree. I think they people will make stupid predictions about them like they will win 70 games. They will start out slow and people will overreact and by mid season they will be the clear one seed in the East.

I think they're going to be in the 63-67 wins range. I think they start out pretty well- the team meshes well enough to get away with some playground basketball and still win. (Kyrie might not be prime D-Wade, but opponents won't just start laughing when he shoots 3's.)

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Maybe they can get Carmelo at the trade deadline with the Knicks at like 350 winning %!

Much more likely they make a push for a Marc Gasol type for next season.

I wonder if its a good move or not, I imagine it will be; lighter, faster, less stress on the body carrying less weight, only negative is people might not be so afraid of taking a charge from him any more.

It's not like he's going to look like Andrew Wiggins next year. Momentum is a product of mass AND speed =)

[Blueobelisk]

Cleveland Cavaliers 53-57 wins.

Btw just because a team is loaded at certain positions with good players, doesn't mean they're going to play similar basketball to another team. Spurs are share first with no clear superstar/leader. Even if egos don't get in the way of Cavs, you bet your ass Love or Kyrie or Lebron is taking more shots and getting more minutes than bench players.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have swung a trade on the eve of media day.

Sources involved in the talks told ESPN.com that the Cavaliers, who will meet the media Friday and open training camp Saturday, have agreed to terms on a trade with the Boston Celtics to acquire swingman Keith Bogans.

The Cavaliers will surrender the non-guaranteed contracts of John Lucas, Erik Murphy and Malcolm Thomas -- as well as forward Dwight Powell -- to acquire Bogans, whose trade-friendly contract holds great appeal to Cleveland.

The combination of ‎Bogans' contract being non-guaranteed both this season at $5.3 million and next season at $5.5 million -- along with Brendan Haywood's fully unguaranteed $10.5 million salary in 2015-16 -- potentially gives the Cavs a combined $16,035,935 in unguaranteed salary to dangle in trades for the 2015-16 campaign, which is a significant amount of cap relief to offer trade partners.

Maybe they can get Carmelo at the trade deadline with the Knicks at like 350 winning %!

(Actually probably wouldn't work because of salary obviously)

Also, lebron hasn't been eating cookies or ice cream, he must be super serious about this season!

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...w-weight-class


I wonder if its a good move or not, I imagine it will be; lighter, faster, less stress on the body carrying less weight, only negative is people might not be so afraid of taking a charge from him any more.

Didn't bother reading your posts. The new change in Lebron you two are talking about are his hairplugs right?

[bergmann620]

Cleveland Cavaliers 53-57 wins.
Btw just because a team is loaded at certain positions with good players, doesn't mean they're going to play similar basketball to another team. Spurs are share first with no clear superstar/leader. Even if egos don't get in the way of Cavs, you bet your ass Love or Kyrie or Lebron is taking more shots and getting more minutes than bench players.

The main reason I think the Cavs will play a similar style of ball is two-fold. First, Lebron watched the Heat get torn apart by the Spurs' offense. Second, David Blatt's offensive philosophy emphasizes movement- both of the ball and the player. I think that's one of the several reasons Lebron's been cutting weight

Kyrie, Love, and Lebron will be on the court (and thus take shots) more than the Spurs' stars because they are cumulatively 29 years younger than the Spurs' 'big 3'.

[Blueobelisk]

Responding to your points.

(1) But Lebron isn't the coach. He's going to a new team with new players with a new-to-USA coach. He's not in a position to manage egos or tell people how they're going to play. Of course he has pull and can lead by example but still...achieving what the Spurs have isn't easy.

(2) Just because a coach has a philosophy toward the way he coaches, doesn't mean its gonna work out in practice or its even best for the team. Phil Jackson is in town and he got a coach and the players ready to play "the Triangle." You don't see me expecting Knicks to be next dynasty 00-03 Lakers. You don't even see me expecting Knicks to take a top 5 seed in the fucking Eastern-weak-as-fuck-Conference.

(3) I'm glad Lebron/Love/Kyrie are younger and all, but that just means they're going to do more. Greg Popovich had absolutely no problem sitting Spurs Big 3 if someone else was hot, and you know what? The Big 3 and other players didn't mind getting benched for the good of the team too. Do you think Kyrie is gonna get benched or play 6th man even if it was for the best of the team? Or Love? No mother fucking way.

Cavs can play winning basketball for sure if things work out. You can't automatically compare them to the most unselfish team though, just because they have better players and the main player saw the other team live scoring on him.

[bergmann620]

Responding to your points.

(1) But Lebron isn't the coach. He's going to a new team with new players with a new-to-USA coach. He's not in a position to manage egos or tell people how they're going to play. Of course he has pull and can lead by example but still...achieving what the Spurs have isn't easy.

I'm not saying it's easy, or that they'll ever get there. I'm saying it's what they're aiming for.

(2) Just because a coach has a philosophy toward the way he coaches, doesn't mean its gonna work out in practice or its even best for the team. Phil Jackson is in town and he got a coach and the players ready to play "the Triangle." You don't see me expecting Knicks to be next dynasty 00-03 Lakers. You don't even see me expecting Knicks to take a top 5 seed in the fucking Eastern-weak-as-fuck-Conference.

The Knicks might have, outside of Melo, one of the absolutely worst rosters in the league- their 'coach' would get 25 minutes a game if he were playing for them. Did we mention that the only coaching experience Fisher has is the possibility that he might have coached one of his kid's middle school teams? The Knicks are one injury away from not winning the NBDL championship next season. Jesus, I feel bad for you.

(3) I'm glad Lebron/Love/Kyrie are younger and all, but that just means they're going to do more. Greg Popovich had absolutely no problem sitting Spurs Big 3 if someone else was hot, and you know what? The Big 3 and other players didn't mind getting benched for the good of the team too. Do you think Kyrie is gonna get benched or play 6th man even if it was for the best of the team? Or Love? No mother fucking way.

I think it's entirely too early to judge something like that. When has either of those players played for a coach competent enough to make that call, let alone for a 'team' where the best even mattered? I'm not saying those guys ever 'get it' quite the way the Spurs do... What I'm saying is, even if they only 'get it' the way most solid contending teams do, they'll be fine.

Cavs can play winning basketball for sure if things work out. You can't automatically compare them to the most unselfish team though, just because they have better players and the main player saw the other team live scoring on him.

The coach has a similar style, the core players at their ages are upgrades, there is value on the bench, and the core pieces mesh very well. It is my opinion that this team will come together faster than Miami did, and that the offense will more than carry them through most of their (exaggerated) defensive shortcomings. I'm not saying they're going to be or beat the Spurs next year. I'm saying that that's an approximation of what they're aiming for, and they have the raw talent to go a long ways toward it.

If they are mostly healthy and don't win 62 games, I'll be shocked.

If that's not enough, here's a prediction you can troll me with throughout the season: The Heat will top out next year at 40 wins.

[Blueobelisk]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm we'll see about the Cavs.

Heat at 40 wins...the Eastern Conference is so bad, and Bosh and Wade will be leading the team now. And Chalmers will get his opportunity to not bitch. If Heat get a starting Center and Bosh moves to 4 they're still a solid team. (They wouldn't be a solid team in the West, but in the East it doesn't take that much to start the playoffs at home.)

[bergmann620]

Heat at 40 wins...the Eastern Conference is so bad, and Bosh and Wade will be leading the team now. And Chalmers will get his opportunity to not bitch. If Heat get a starting Center and Bosh moves to 4 they're still a solid team. (They wouldn't be a solid team in the West, but in the East it doesn't take that much to start the playoffs at home.)

Betting on Wade is not something I'm willing to do at this stage. And Chalmers... Yea, no. I think he's in for a Post-Lebron-Mo-Williams year if he's lucky.

[jreg]

https://twitter.com/tomhaberstroh/st...58484323336192

Not that I expected him to turn into Ray Allen over a single summer but it's annoying watching him be so good for a number of years and then play next to LeBron and after all that, still have an awful 3 point shot.

I think the Heat will play out a bit like Bosh's Raptors. 45-47 wins.

Well that's what I'm telling myself.

[Blueobelisk]

45-47 wins is good for 5th seed in Eastern Conference.

Rondo broke his hand and is out for 2 months. Nvm about what I said Boston being #6. Boston is in tanking year 2.

Brb Shark Tank season starts today. I'm watching.

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Oh shit I just realized. Maybe Boston will trade Rondo to Knicks.

[bergmann620]

Asked Dwyane Wade if he worked on his 3-point shot this summer. Answer was basically, "Nah."

I think the Heat will play out a bit like Bosh's Raptors. 45-47 wins.

Well that's what I'm telling myself.

Last year, Wade played in 54 games. I can't find the exact numbers, but I know they lost at least 15 of those games. Last year, you had Ray Allen filling in for Wade. This year, you have Shannon Brown/Reggie Williams.

If(when) Wade misses a game, the Heat will be starting Shannon Brown.

Of course, we can count on a solid 12pts/6reb out of McRoberts, right? Splashy signing, that.

Who knows- maybe Granger will give them 20/5/5, right?

Replacing Lebron with Luol Deng is going to cost more than 7-9 wins.

Feel free to mock me when they start out hot, but I have Miami being terrible this year.

[Blueobelisk]

Disagree. The only way you can really value a player for regular season wins is by checking their win share last year compared to their role in their old team, in my opinion.

Even if Lebron is the best player in the world, take him away from the team and fill his salary with other people, and have 1.25 All Stars on your team with a decent coach, you can be a playoff team.

Haven't you heard of Patrick Ewing effect? You already made me cry when you laughed at Knicks before.

Even though I think if you take KD off OKC, they go from top 2 seed to 6-8 seed. But that's a different team.

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Btw guys I wanted to kill myself before watching these noobs on Shark Tank make it rich. Oh god. :/

[Gumboy]

20/5/5 from Granger? IT seems more likely that an alien being will come down to the planet, join the Miami Heat, and use one of his six tentacle arms to dunk 14 times a game then that.

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To defend Wade, why change something this late in your career, Kobe managed it a bit before his injury, a different playstyle that is, but adding something as drastic as a three pointer would take a ton of change and would really strain the rest of his game.

[Blueobelisk]

Wade can't throw that far anyway. Most he can do is take it to hoop and crash underneath after a layup, furthering his knee damage.

Actually with Melo and Lebron losing weight, Wade probably should have focused on weight loss himself. But it's like Chris Kaman said after Dwight Howard revealed he ate like 3 pounds of candy a day: 90% of the NBA doesn't care about their bodies.

[Jibjabb]

Well I would say this would be the season not to need a 3 pointer since he will likely be the focal point of the offense (when healthy)