2023-2024 NBA Thread

[xskarma]

But if I were to pick a dark horse team to do better and surprise people, Suns would be it.

Kinda like the Kings last season, not quite make the playoffs, but turning some heads. I can see it.

I basically only follow the Celtics cause I have too much to do to follow more than one team these days. Celtics are fun though. They had a likeable team minus Kyrie anyway, and now they have added a rookie class that's just ridiculously fun on top. Grant Williams is a single game +/- phenom, Tacko Fall is 7'6" and is loved every where he goes, and will get solid chance to develop in G-league, Carsen Edwards made 8 (EIGHT) 3's in less than 6 min game time today and is built like an NFL running back and pesters ball handlers like he;s still in college, we have another guard in Tremont Waters who's basketball IQ is off the charts, and who's on a 2 way contract with likely a lot of playtime in G-league too to develop further and I haven't even mentioned our first pick in the 2019 draft yet, Romeo Langford, who's been having injury issues, but when healthy has shown he's a top level talent.

I'm REALLY excited for this Celtics team, not so much for the actual results as the chance to see these guys grow. I've had more fun watching this Celtics team in preseason than I did last year's team for most of the whole season (and certainly not the playoffs).

[Rennadrel]

I don't think they are the world beaters they were last year, but the Raptors should still be a playoff team and top 5 in the conference.

[xskarma]

Jaylen Brown got his contract extension too. Much needed and locks him up for the forseeable future. I hope he continues to show that he's working hard on his game, cause he looked good in preseason.

Regular season nearly here. LFG!

[PhaelixWW]

So my big question regarding the NBA/China kerfuffle is this: If the hit is big enough to drop the salary cap about 10-15%, what does that do to all the unfortunate players whose contracts are coming up next year? Players the last two years have really been riding the wave of higher salary caps for all they're worth. And as an ancillary question, how weird would it be for a max/supermax contract next year be worth substantially less than a max/supermax this year?

[StillMcfuu]

Lakers are going to have a bad time this year if their entire offense is based around forcing the ball into the post to AD.

Also Raps had more trouble with NOLA than I thought they would. Nola's bench put up like 50 as well, good look for a young team.

[xskarma]

Celtics-Sixers. First game of the season. So hyped. Let's see if we can at least keep this game close.

- - - Updated - - -

Sloppy game in the first half, but Celtics didn't look out of place so far. Hope second half is even better.

- - - Updated - - -

Ugly start of the second half. Not much actual basketball going on, just fouls and stoppage.

There's a definite foul disparity though, even though the Sixers are given as good as the Celtics are.

- - - Updated - - -

So. Many. Fouls. -_-

[Pendulous]

Bogdanovic is hurt. Royce O'Neal might have messed up his hand. Mike Conley is missing everything. Not a good looking first half. Jeff Green and O'Neal impressed.

[xskarma]

If the Celtics had made their free throws, this would have been a closer game, but the end result is more or less what I expected. Hopefully future games are less foul-fests though, cause this was incredibly hard to watch.

[Pendulous]

Was an ugly game, but second half Donovan destroyed everything.

[StillMcfuu]

If the Celtics had made their free throws, this would have been a closer game, but the end result is more or less what I expected. Hopefully future games are less foul-fests though, cause this was incredibly hard to watch.

I watched both this and the Nets, Nets and Minnie had a full game and an OT finish before the Sixers celtics game ended.

Not much take away, it was a hard nosed grind of a game, which I can appreciate, but it felt like a grind because of bad play.

Kyrie dropped 50 in the opener as well, but missed a heart breaker at the end.

[david0925]

I don't know if the clippers are too good or the warrior is too bad this season, but wow they are just getting wrecked

[xskarma]

Missed the second game of the season cause I was asleep.

Apparently was a great game with a 4th quarter come back and several players having breakthroughs. Really bummed I missed it.

- - - Updated - - -

Celtics on second leg of a back to back, even against the Knicks, and it's kinda sloppy and ugly, but they are hanging in there and playing a lot of their bench to try and keep the starters fresh for the 4th quarter. It should pay off, cause the Knicks look kind of lost at times.

[Crissi]

Im really hopeful for this year with Luka and Porzingis. Would be nice to finally reach the playoffs again.

Cuban has also pledged a good deal of money to held rebuild the part of Dallas that got hit by tornadoes.

[StillMcfuu]

I know we are only a few games in, but I kind of feel my prediction about the Suns is true.

They crushed the Kings which is another "doormat" team, gave up a 1 point loss to Denver who are a great team, and stole a game from the Clippers who are the "heir apparent".
And that is kind of the point, Suns beat the fresh Kings with no issue, they made Denver work a lot harder than they really expected to, and they beat up on a Clips squad which just came off a couple of tough games. That's what makes them dangerous, and I think that's what can get them in the 8th seed.

[Espo]

Lol @ this being a Flagrant 2 and warranting an ejection.

https://streamable.com/c99el

It's starting to look like NFL officiating out there.

[Pendulous]

If the Jazz did anything well tonight, it would have been a blowout. Lots of fouls. Tons of turnovers. Terrible shooting. Gobert of all people the best free throw shooter. The fact that it turned into a win is miraculous.On that note though, Bogdanovich is the new bitch in town. Dude continues to wreck everything. And Mike Conley, he...well...he exists...

[xskarma]

Jaylen Brown went through shootaround, started feeling poorly, and then got ruled out of today's game by the doctors with Illness.

He was going to be the main guy defending Giannis, so that's likely going to suck. Not to mention he's one of 3 main scorers missing in a game where every point is going to count.

[Crissi]

Feels good that your 2 stars can play like booty but the bench carries you to a win. 9 players with over 10 points

[xskarma]

Holy shit that was a satisfying win. Last year's Celtics would have gone down 20 to the Bucks and never recovered and Kyrie would have made passive aggressive comments about the young guys after the game.

This team put it's head down, started defending better, and turned that energy into buckets. Awesome win.

[StillMcfuu]

Holy fuck that Houston win. 159 points in regulation. And they only won by one.

Came to post about this, dude said in postgame interview about how the team pulled out the win, "it starts with our defense"

Galaxy brain.