Random NBA Discussion 2013-14 Season

[Phil89]

Michael Carter-Williamsanity doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

[Mandich]

The Hornets started the 2010/2011 season 8-0 and finished 7th in the west, tied in wins with the 8th Grizzlies, and 3 games in front of 9th Rockets.

Surely the 76ers won't make the Playoffs, but I agree with Benji. The Sixers are probably going to be a bad team, but I don't see them being horrible.

[Spree#8]

Of course there's no reason to panic about three wins. Last year the 20-62 Magic were 12-13 at one point. The losses will come, right now let's enjoy that this team is fun to watch, they genuinely look like they give a shit and want to compete every night and it turns out the pieces we have on the roster might be better than what was assumed - especially MCW.

Brett Brown appears to have done a fantastic job with the conditioning of this team. The Sixers won those three games by literally running teams out of the arena - every single time they've gone down big in the first half (except that 23-2 start against the Heat, but they still trailed at halftime), made a big run in the second half and never looked back. They're outscoring their opponents in the 2nd half by 12.3 points thus far and playing at a 104.5 pace - others struggle to keep up.

MCW is averaging 21/5/9 with 4 steals and shooting 47% from downtown. Turner is averaging 23/4/4 and shooting over 50% from the floor. Hawes is averaging 19/11 and shooting 65% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Do you seriously believe that ANY of this is sustainable? Hawes and Turner are probably just fooling people like they tend to do every year for a few games - and raising their trade value while they're at it. MCW will hit the rookie wall sooner or later, but he's looking like a beast for the future. There's absolutely no point in getting worried about three wins. Thad has been quietly doing his thing, started to shoot threes again and he's known to be pretty consistent but as much as I love him, he won't win games by himself when MCW comes down to Earth and Hawes with Turner either get traded or morph back into their regular selves.

I don't know why people expected the Sixers to be historically horrible anyway. They won 34 games last season and Jrue Holiday was NOT that good.

Would've won more if the coach wasn't sabotaging the team with the long-2-all-day offense and playing Jrue a thousand minutes per game, which resulted in his play and stats plummeting towards the end of the season. The full season stats don't tell the entire story about Holiday and how he was playing when he wasn't running on fumes yet.

[shadowgrin]

Brett Brown appears to have done a fantastic job with the conditioning of this team.

Brown must have implemented a deadly game of knifey-spoony before and after practice in training camp.

[bowdown]

Batum's triple-double buzzer shot.

phpBB [video]

[Cartar]

Of course there's no reason to panic about three wins. Last year the 20-62 Magic were 12-13 at one point. The losses will come, right now let's enjoy that this team is fun to watch, they genuinely look like they give a shit and want to compete every night and it turns out the pieces we have on the roster might be better than what was assumed - especially MCW.

Brett Brown appears to have done a fantastic job with the conditioning of this team. The Sixers won those three games by literally running teams out of the arena - every single time they've gone down big in the first half (except that 23-2 start against the Heat, but they still trailed at halftime), made a big run in the second half and never looked back. They're outscoring their opponents in the 2nd half by 12.3 points thus far and playing at a 104.5 pace - others struggle to keep up.

MCW is averaging 21/5/9 with 4 steals and shooting 47% from downtown. Turner is averaging 23/4/4 and shooting over 50% from the floor. Hawes is averaging 19/11 and shooting 65% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Do you seriously believe that ANY of this is sustainable? Hawes and Turner are probably just fooling people like they tend to do every year for a few games - and raising their trade value while they're at it. MCW will hit the rookie wall sooner or later, but he's looking like a beast for the future. There's absolutely no point in getting worried about three wins. Thad has been quietly doing his thing, started to shoot threes again and he's known to be pretty consistent but as much as I love him, he won't win games by himself when MCW comes down to Earth and Hawes with Turner either get traded or morph back into their regular selves.

I don't know why people expected the Sixers to be historically horrible anyway. They won 34 games last season and Jrue Holiday was NOT that good.

Would've won more if the coach wasn't sabotaging the team with the long-2-all-day offense and playing Jrue a thousand minutes per game, which resulted in his play and stats plummeting towards the end of the season. The full season stats don't tell the entire story about Holiday and how he was playing when he wasn't running on fumes yet.

Pretty much sums it up.

[Alpha_]

Philly will not gonna tank. Can we say Wiggins to Boston?

[benji]

He's still got it: https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status ... 2808860673

Earvin Magic Johnson Verified account
‏@MagicJohnson
The Brooklyn Nets probably have the most talent and could possibly win the NBA Championship.

[bowdown]

I hope no Wiggins to Boston. Anytime Boston is good you have to listen to all this shit about their wonderful history which is full of legends and what not.

[benji]

[Andrew]

Nifty.

[Rokyn]

Was that a travel? I mean not just that clip but when he steals it from Williams on the takeoff? I personally don't think it's a travel but the majority of people on YouTube say it is. Anyhow I'm not impressed by MCW at all, he's got talent sure but it's only 3 games. By 15-20 games he will wear out like every other rookie does though it happens by January for most of them. I'm still betting on Victor being the bright spot for rookies this year. Golden State and the Nets look great on paper though their benches are kinda shallow IMO. Other than Barnes and maybe Green, the Warriors are a bit shallow compared to when they had Jack and Landry. But having Iggy, Bogut, and Barnes will be helpful on defense while Lee, Curry, and Thompson lead the offense. As long as Bogut and Curry are healthy, the Warriors can go far. Spurs look great as always. Hope my Magic continue to improve as well.

Oh and Thunder are not going nowhere with that team in the playoffs. Their offense is basically Durant and Westbrook with Ibaka spotting up. Perkins is not contributing at all and their bench is really shallow. Not to mention Westbrook being a turnover machine and head case. If Durant can continue to carry this team like he has before than very well then. They really need another star outside player but I personally think they need a better center that can fit alongside Ibaka. An offensive center who can be a threat on the post and midrange. An offense set basically primarily on outside guard play will NOT work IMO. You need an inside threat in order to balance out and keep defenses on check.

[Andrew]

The guy flirts with a quadruple double in his first official pro game, in an underdog victory over the defending champions, and you're not impressed at all? I agree that expectations should be kept in check and we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves (though I do think much of that is tongue-in-cheek, an exaggeration for comic effect), but that's not your average debut. He's got a long way to go yet, but there's obviously some talent there and he's looking like a player to keep an eye on.

[Rokyn]

Let me rephrase that. As a player, his skill level and talent at an early stage look impressive but I wouldn't go by the numbers too much or the hype. I honestly don't know what could happen but by judging by past experiences, I don't think this will last for long obviously. I shouldn't have said I'm not impressed but rather like "okay he's doing really good but let's keep moderate expectations at best". I'm not denying his skill level, it's just that I wouldn't buy into the hype yet since we are only 3 games in. If he keeps doing fairly well by mid-way the season, then I'll buy the hype. Anyhow, if anything, your assement on the situation is probably the best way to look at it. Agreed.

[shadowgrin]

He's still got it: https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status ... 2808860673

Earvin Magic Johnson Verified account
‏@MagicJohnson
The Brooklyn Nets probably have the most talent and could possibly win the NBA Championship.

Jimmy Clarke
“@MagicJohnson: The Brooklyn Nets probably have the most talent and could possibly win the NBA Championship.”

You sure ESPN didn't fire u?

matt wilson
@MagicJohnson @MazzESPN that Hiv effecting your thought process?

Creative Gold
Stop hittin' the blunt nigga RT @MagicJohnson

Mark W
@MagicJohnson that's the guy who told the Knicks that Isiah Thomas would make a good GM

[NovU]

I actually think Nets' chance is ok this season but not because they have the most talent but simply because they can size up against the Heat and beacuse other East teams aren't that good either. But then even if they make it to the Finals, it's likely they'll get crashed I guess.

[Andrew]

@MagicJohnson @MazzESPN that Hiv effecting your thought process?

Low blow.

[Jackal]

It's the internet, everyone is a badass on the internets. I mean just check out So F'Nawesome's demonstrating that.

[NovU]

Russell Westbrook's return was a nice surprise. He's beat the schedule by miles. It was said that he could miss upto 1/4 the season but seems like he's missed only 1 week.

Oh and Thunder are not going nowhere with that team in the playoffs. Their offense is basically Durant and Westbrook with Ibaka spotting up. Perkins is not contributing at all and their bench is really shallow. Not to mention Westbrook being a turnover machine and head case. If Durant can continue to carry this team like he has before than very well then. They really need another star outside player but I personally think they need a better center that can fit alongside Ibaka. An offensive center who can be a threat on the post and midrange. An offense set basically primarily on outside guard play will NOT work IMO. You need an inside threat in order to balance out and keep defenses on check.

The Thunder should still be able to contend with what they have though. Only thing missing from their Finals season is Harden. Since then Ibaka/Westbrook/Durant core has matured, experienced, and are in midst of prime. They filled Harden's void quite well last season. I'm looking forward to their season this year. But I agree on Perkins. C is one position the Thunder really could use upgrade on. Perhaps Perkins himself knows it too. I think Steven Adams will gradually settle into bigger role in place of Perkins as season matures.

[Andrew]

Igoudala's on his way to a big night, 6/9 from downtown and 27 points in the first half as it looks like the Warriors might just snag the championship belt from the 76ers.

[Alpha_]

Very impressive game for Iggy against his former team. 7/11 from downtown.

[NovU]

Clippers and Rockets scored 255 altogether in regulation. Where does this stand in recent history?

[shadowgrin]

Not even close in the all-time top 10.

Wait, no OT. Was defense even played in that game?

Dem 80s Nuggets with no OT.

There we go: http://bkref.com/tiny/qI0sa
Not arranged by combined points, do the the math.

[NovU]

Oh shit. Tonight's game still is an amazing feat. And it came against widely known as best defensive big Dwight Howard.

I think I will love Chris Paul even more this season. No homo. Hoping he wins MVP finally.

[bowdown]

Chris Paul is fucking ridiculous. As much as I hate his selfish prick personality the guy is dominant as fuck on the court.