New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[steve williams]

I hate to sound like a broken record, BUT, I have no idea how to evaluate the "modern game" and I use the term game very loosely. Having watched no regular season games and most of the playoffs which was supposed to represent the "best" I have to say I am not impressed. Even the Warriors, IMHO, if a team played with defense and rebound strength, could be beaten. But when the game is played from 24 feet out and when the Warriors do it much better than any other, statistics are going to favor the Warriors over any other team. Just my opinion, but, what makes the Warriors better than anyone else is the fact they do have a 15-18 foot game with KD to depend on when their 24 foot game doesn't work, unlike any other team.

Kerr is smarter than the rest and understands that there is no other team that can match his from the 24 foot line and when his 3 stars fail, unlike what we saw with Houston, he has KD that can play with high efficiency from 15-18 feet.

When the game is played from 24 feet out rebounds are further out the Warriors are never going to lose.

Howie

Like it or not, this is what modern day Basketball is. Trust me when I say I understand your point but it is marred with a bunch of "ifs, buts and maybes"

The game has evolved and this is what it has become. Having said that not only do the Warriors excel playing that type of game but their bench goes so deep and everyone on that team is a team player with no egos to stroke or their legends to preserve. They are the epitome of team play IMO

 

[Priaptor]

Howie

Like it or not, this is what modern day Basketball is. Trust me when I say I understand your point but it is marred with a bunch of "ifs, buts and maybes"

The game has evolved and this is what it has become. Having said that not only do the Warriors excel playing that type of game but their bench goes so deep and everyone on that team is a team player with no egos to stroke or their legends to preserve. They are the epitome of team play IMO

I’m not sure I would say evolve but “devolve” as the Warriors are indeed the only team in the NBA successfully able to implement and succeed at this new game.

When you bring up the point of how deep their bench is you are touching on something. On an individual basis many of their players would be lost anywhere else and Kerr gets that from his time with the Bulls. These guys have definitely accepted their “roles” and as a result have excelled individually as well as a team; actually from their best to their bench.

This is the mentality that made many teams great in the past and what Lebron and so many others lack today. When people claim Lebron has had no good supporting cast I have to laugh. Few players in history have played with as good players as he has and it’s just that he makes those good/great players worse. If you actually look at Love’s stats they rival and in some cases beat Pippen; and he is hardly one of the best Lebron has had as a “supporting cast”. The difference is Pippen played on a real team with team mentality like the Warriors whereas Lebron’s supporting cast plays with Lebron.

I don’t disagree that in today’s game the Warriors are the ultimate team and definitely get the best out of all their roster possible and winning, not stats, is their goal. That is the reason why in today’s game the Warriors are one of if not the only team worth watching as, IMO, no other team can play today’s game with their efficiency or cohesiveness and the failure of the others makes the NBA less desirable to watch.

 

[jadis]

Now Pop gets into the picture too, maybe he is fed up with Kawhi.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-gregg-popovich-wants-sit-115531577.html

 

[jadis]

Kerr is smarter than the rest and understands that there is no other team that can match his from the 24 foot line and when his 3 stars fail, unlike what we saw with Houston, he has KD that can play with high efficiency from 15-18 feet.

When the game is played from 24 feet out rebounds are further out the Warriors are never going to lose.

In 2015 when the Warriors fired Marc Jackson (who I thought was doing a good job for the past few years) and hired Steve Kerr, I was rooting for Memphis and Houston in their playoffs match ups with the Warriors. Little did I know that he would take them to 3 titles in 4 years. So he is really good in utilizing his players and sees each one's strengths fully. If I am not mistaken he tweaked his starting 5 to include Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green, then put Igoudala as the 6th man. From there, Green became a superstar of sorts, earning a max contract, for a second round draft pick at that. And he had the courage to play small ball, without a true center during one of the Finals. When Durant chose to play for the Warriors, I saw that as an upgrade from Harrison Barnes, a big upgrade. Lucky them. I felt that Houston, had CP3 played in Game 7, could have had a very good chance to beat them, as they had showed they could 'ball' with the Warriors. Injuries suck, that's all I can say.

 

[jadis]

I hate to sound like a broken record, BUT, I have no idea how to evaluate the "modern game" and I use the term game very loosely. Having watched no regular season games and most of the playoffs which was supposed to represent the "best" I have to say I am not impressed. Even the Warriors, IMHO, if a team played with defense and rebound strength, could be beaten. But when the game is played from 24 feet out and when the Warriors do it much better than any other, statistics are going to favor the Warriors over any other team. Just my opinion, but, what makes the Warriors better than anyone else is the fact they do have a 15-18 foot game with KD to depend on when their 24 foot game doesn't work, unlike any other team.

I have a high school classmate who moved to Michigan in the 80s and he tells me just about the same thing. No defense, all 3s, etc. And he also does not watch the regular games and tunes in during the playoffs. And he says the same things as you do. Well, his Pistons have sucked all this years ( according to him) and he has shifted to college basketball and would be so pumped up during March Madness that he would messages me many times, and I had practically zero interest in college ball, except to find out who the drafts picks are going to be.

I told him my opinion of the no defense/all 3s ball these days could be traced to the influx of Euro big snipers (the farthest of which I can recall is Toni Kukoc). I'm sure in those days when Toni hit those clutch 3s, the opponents didn't know what hit them. From there, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen would excel as well in that field. Who could beat Reggie's playoff 8 points in 9 seconds? And Allen's 3 in the Finals that save Lebron's 2nd title? My view is, with these talents (leading into the stardom of the Splash Brothers), HOW can any team design their defense for such amazing shooters. In the old days, the 3s were use sparingly during runs maybe, but not during crunch time. Lately, guys like Jason Terry and Patty Mills had used the 3s to kill Lebron's teams IN the Finals. How do you defend those? They could not. All they could do is to run towards the shooters when it's a bit too late. Recall Mike Miller and Tony Battier. LeBron would drive in and then kick the ball our to either of them, and being mostly 3 ball shooters, their chances of connecting is pretty good. And James, once again, lobbied Cleveland's top brass to build such an arsenal again, with a converted Love, JR, Shumpert, Korver, et al to bang in the 3s. Call it a trend, I have a funny feeling that Brad Stevens had gone that route. He ordered big Kelly Olynyk to shoot 3s and now Aaron Baynes.

 

[jadis]

While I read news/rumors as preposterous as LeBron joining the Warriors, I can't help but think of what the league (Silver) is not doing, to prevent such moves from actually taking place, as ridiculous or incredible as it may be. My basic understanding about the cap is a $1 for $1 luxury tax bill. Like Cleveland and GS has been paying a luxury tax of $37m on top of their $137m total salaries. Apparently, $30+ million in luxury taxes can (maybe easily) be afforded by these 2, plus Miami and OKC. The league has talked about parity with regards to the rates of luxury taxes but it seems it is not doing its job. Any team owner/owners who will be willing to spend even $50m can have his super duper super team in the future. By that time, the games will really not be watchable. Think LeBron/Durant/Curry/Thompson/Green/Igoudala. Just throw in the towel and play in your practice facility.

 

[Priaptor]

While I read news/rumors as preposterous as LeBron joining the Warriors, I can't help but think of what the league (Silver) is not doing, to prevent such moves from actually taking place, as ridiculous or incredible as it may be. My basic understanding about the cap is a $1 for $1 luxury tax bill. Like Cleveland and GS has been paying a luxury tax of $37m on top of their $137m total salaries. Apparently, $30+ million in luxury taxes can (maybe easily) be afforded by these 2, plus Miami and OKC. The league has talked about parity with regards to the rates of luxury taxes but it seems it is not doing its job. Any team owner/owners who will be willing to spend even $50m can have his super duper super team in the future. By that time, the games will really not be watchable. Think LeBron/Durant/Curry/Thompson/Green/Igoudala. Just throw in the towel and play in your practice facility.

The best way to make The Warriors a loser is for Lebron to join them

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

While I read news/rumors as preposterous as LeBron joining the Warriors, .

Without question this would be the undoing of the dynasty. GSW's do not need that kind of poison to infiltrate their unity, it would be destroyed.

 

[WLVCA]

Somewhere I read that LeBron, Chris Paul and Paul George would go to the Lakers to form another super team.

 

[jadis]

The best way to make The Warriors a loser is for Lebron to join them

I didn't think of that, but yes, good point. Unless he agrees to come off the bench and lead the second unit.

 

[jadis]

Without question this would be the undoing of the dynasty. GSW's do not need that kind of poison to infiltrate their unity, it would be destroyed.

That's what the Celtics fans said too, re James to Boston rumors.

 

[jadis]

Somewhere I read that LeBron, Chris Paul and Paul George would go to the Lakers to form another super team.

And all 3 will want a max contract. Each in the tune of around $200m, my guess. That will be a WOW.

 

[WLVCA]

Lakers have plenty of money from their local Time Warner TV deal - just so happens it averages $200 million per year. Obviously they also share in the national TV deal and their ticket prices are the second highest in the NBA.

Magic isn't there for grins and giggles. The Dodgers have the one of the highest payrolls in MLB under his leadership. He'll be pushing Jeanie Buss hard to spend the money.

Now the real question would be, if they did it, could they count on an injury prone 33 year old CP3 and LeBron at 34 with 7 100 game + seasons on his legs. Paul George has plenty of mileage left.

(Guess I should add in my opinion to this post.)

 

[jadis]

Lakers have plenty of money from their local Time Warner TV deal - just so happens it averages $200 million per year. Obviously they also share in the national TV deal and their ticket prices are the second highest in the NBA.

That should explain the big market vs small market thing. The salary cap, being a soft cap, as I now understand it to be, has leeway to get around it. The biggest spender wins, or is winning.

 

[rblnr]

It would be meaningless for Lebron to win a championship with either the Celtics or especially the Warriors, so hard for me to understand why he’d go either place.

 

[jadis]

Some thought came to my mind the other day, that LeBron has pressured himself too much from the onset (The Decision), promising not 1, not 2, not 8....championships, to crowning himself The King to the point that each season he had to take more 'responsibilty' into minding the lineup structure his team had, the coach and contracts of his team mates, etc. It's almost like he wanted really to win 8 straight titles, by himself. Reality gives him a 3/9 record. Contrast that to Tim Duncan, who was as meek as a lamb, in and out the court, never promised titles, and there were high points and low points donning the Spurs uniform, yet he just played on, and on, until he retired with a career that is hard to fault, and 5 rings. A model champion.

*This has nothing to do with the fact the Rick Pitino promised titles coming to Beantown when he took over, only to confess that he said that only IF he won the Tim Duncan sweepstakes for Boston.

 

[steve williams]

Some thought came to my mind the other day, that LeBron has pressured himself too much from the onset (The Decision), promising not 1, not 2, not 8....championships, to crowning himself The King to the point that each season he had to take more 'responsibilty' into minding the lineup structure his team had, the coach and contracts of his team mates, etc. It's almost like he wanted really to win 8 straight titles, by himself. Reality gives him a 3/9 record. Contrast that to Tim Duncan, who was as meek as a lamb, in and out the court, never promised titles, and there were high points and low points donning the Spurs uniform, yet he just played on, and on, until he retired with a career that is hard to fault, and 5 rings. A model champion.

*This has nothing to do with the fact the Rick Pitino promised titles coming to Beantown when he took over, only to confess that he said that only IF he won the Tim Duncan sweepstakes for Boston.

This article makes me want to vomit

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...kers-make-the-most-sense-as-the-dust-settles/

 

[jadis]

This article makes me want to vomit

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...kers-make-the-most-sense-as-the-dust-settles/

The good thing (for me) is that the writer said, leave Boston alone. I read that Brian Windhorst of ESPN is still not ruling James to Boston out, but I personally doubt and also hope, Danny would NOT give him a call. It would just ruin all the rebuilding he did after Doc left. Boston and LAL fans should be nervous about these kinds of news of the arrival of the so called king. I am now bracing that I might not even watch any Celtics games if that happen and just read the net for scores.

 

[jadis]

All that art...and some humor.

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/st...every-team-pitch-lebron-james-free-agency-nba

 

[GSOphile]

An interesting statistical ranking of 50 greatest NBA championship teams:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/13000418/where-golden-state-warriors-rank-50-greatest-nba-teams