Taking it to the hole. Hoops 2K17 Thread.

[Volourn]

Funny thing is is that GS ended up with more free throws attempoted than the Cavs by end of the game. The refs seemed lost. But, that game was won on Cavs' 3 pointers just like they lost Game 3 because of crappy 3 point shooting. hell, just look at the difference of Love and Kyrie  from G3 to G4 three pointers. That was the difference.

 

 

But, korver again, is such an overrated garbage punk.

[Leferd]

 

It's weird to hear that coming from Kobe

Good point!

 

 

The thing is though, Kobe had his best success playing in the Triangle. Lot of the action and sets that Kerr incorporated with the Warriors takes lots of elements from the Triangle. Lots of split actions and read and react body and ball movement based on what the defense gives you.

[Leferd]

74-8 and 16-0 still in play for next year.

 

Funny thing is is that GS ended up with more free throws attempoted than the Cavs by end of the game. The refs seemed lost. But, that game was won on Cavs' 3 pointers just like they lost Game 3 because of crappy 3 point shooting. hell, just look at the difference of Love and Kyrie  from G3 to G4 three pointers. That was the difference.

 

 

But, korver again, is such an overrated garbage punk.

 

The Cavs won because they had an extraordinary game. Dropped 86 in the first half and 24 treys in the game against the league's top defense and best three point defense. Baseline Cavs versus baseline Warriors is no contest.

 

Game of Zones season finale.

 

 

 

 

[ShadySands]

Called it

[Volourn]

 for this series, Warriors are just too strong. Cavs needed a better showing in first two games and if they hand't thrown G3 away we'd have a great series.

Grats Mr. Stacked Team!

Give credit to Durant he earned Finals MVP. james was overall just as good and is a better alla round player and captain but man when Durant is on fire shootinf whata teast.

How 'bout JR Smith? Mr. 3.

The best team won. The best player lost.

[Leferd]

Yeah, Golden State is stacked. They drafted Curry at #7, Klay at #11, and Draymond in the second round. They made shrewd trades to offload salary in order to sign Andre Iguodala to be a defensive wing stopper with little pressure to score.

 

They hired Steve Kerr to implement a team-first offense based on ball and player movement that complemented the team first locker room led by Steph Curry. Which all ultimately appealed to Kevin Durant.

 

That's how you create a stacked team. Draft well, create a team oriented culture, make smart player decisions, and hire a coach with vision.

[Volourn]

I never claimed otherwise. Why so defensive on their behalf?

[Hurlshort]

I'm pretty sure the point of professional sports is to stack your team and win. It's weird how many people are complaining about GSW being some sort of super team. 

[Keyrock]

The scuttlebutt is that the Celtics are going to trade the #1 overall pick to the Sixers in exchange for the Sixers' #3 pick and either the Sixers' 2018 first round pick (which the Lakers owe the Sixers and which is #2-5 protected), or if that fails, the Sixers' 2019 first round pick (via Kings).  Danny Ainge gonna Danny Ainge.

 

So, I guess the Sixers are going to take Markelle Fultz and the Celtics will take Josh Jackson.  In a lot of ways, Josh Jackson is a better fit for the Celtics' needs, so this move makes a ton of sense for them, but I'm kind of disappointed I won't get to see the Thomas/Fultz guard combo of death.

[Leferd]

The scuttlebutt is that the Celtics are going to trade the #1 overall pick to the Sixers in exchange for the Sixers' #3 pick and either the Sixers' 2018 first round pick (which the Lakers owe the Sixers and which is #2-5 protected), or if that fails, the Sixers' 2019 first round pick (via Kings).  Danny Ainge gonna Danny Ainge.

 

So, I guess the Sixers are going to take Markelle Fultz and the Celtics will take Josh Jackson.  In a lot of ways, Josh Jackson is a better fit for the Celtics' needs, so this move makes a ton of sense for them, but I'm kind of disappointed I won't get to see the Thomas/Fultz guard combo of death.

Does the phrase, "Trust the Process" still apply?

[Keyrock]

Does the phrase, "Trust the Process" still apply?

Yes.  I mean, I think this move is a win for Boston.  They get Josh Jackson, a perfect complement to the Isaiah-led Celtics, and another valuable asset (a 2018 or 2019 1st round pick).  Danny Ainge likes to stockpile assets and it's clearly working given the Celts turnaround from just a few years ago.

[Guard Dog]

SI had a pretty good interview with James Harden a few months ago. I just saw it today. He's always struck me as a pretty down to earth guy. He didn't go looking for fame and has never been comfortable with it.

 

https://www.si.com/nba/2017/02/28/james-harden-the-beard-houston-rockets-mike-dantoni

 

He did mention his relationship with one of the Kardashians in it and why they broke up. I think it's because he didn't want to end up dead, ruined, broke or female.

[Volourn]

  Some fun stuff.  The stupid CLE owner did something stupid letting the GM go.

 

 That overrated George and  that overrated Butler are on the trade market.

 

Durant resigns for a little less than the max but GS might need up losing Iggy anyways.

[Leferd]

And Phil Jackson is actively shopping Porzingis.

 

Of course, I'd take KP over any draft pick, period.

[Keyrock]

I can't believe Malik Monk fell all the way to #11, what a steal for the Hornets.  His best case scenario is not quite Steph Curry, but man he's one hell of a shooter.  Definitely the best scorer in the draft.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Keyrock

[Guard Dog]

The Grizz didn't have a pick until the traded for one yesterday. They ended up getting Ivan Rabb from UC. His stock fell a lot after a bad season. It's hard to say where his ceiling is but he's only 20. He's a defensive player and suits Grit N Grind pretty well. But I'm reading in the paper today they are likely to send him to the G league for a season or two,

 

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ivan-Rabb-7245/

[Keyrock]

Minny made out like bandits, they got Jimmy Butler for 30 cents on the dollar.  I have a hard time believing that was the best offer Chicago got for him, but there it is.  The T-Wolves have a pretty solid looking team now.  I expect they'll still screw it up somehow, given they're the Timberwolves, but it looks good on paper.

[Volourn]

*yawn* I've been hearing how awesome 'Minny' looks on 'paper' for years. It is boring then and boring now. Will this be the season a broken clock is right that one time? L0LZ

[Keyrock]

Thinking about the state of the NBA and what team is in the best position, outside of the Warriors, of course.  Conventional wisdom would say the Cavs, obviously, but they are facing the same conundrum the rest of the league is facing, which is how in the world do you beat the dubs?  I mean, Cleveland was clearly far and away the best team in the east.  The destroyed everyone in their path to the finals and then got demolished.  They are obviously much better than anyone else in the east but they are not even close to good enough to beat Golden State.  LeBron played arguably the best basketball of his life in the finals and it wasn't even close to enough.  It took a ridiculous game from Cleveland where they hit 24 3-pointers (24!) just to keep from getting swept.

 

If you're any team not named the Golden State Warriors you have a choice to make, build for now or build for 2020 or so.  If you're building for now you're building to beat the dubs.  Good luck with that.  Cleveland had a super powered and ultra-talented team and they weren't even close.  If you're Cleveland, assuming you keep LeBron, you have to build for now.  You can't build for 3 or 4 years from now because LeBron is 32.  Sure, LeBron is not your average player and defies normal age conventions, but he'll be 35 in 2020 and father time catches up to everyone eventually.  But who do you get that you can afford to close the gap to Golden State?  Let's say you deal Kevin Love to get Paul George.  Does that help?  Probably.  Does it make you as good as Golden State?  Nope.  Does it give you a fighting chance against them?  Probably not.

 

For the rest of the league, it would probably the most prudent course of action to build for 2020 or so.  In that regard, the Philadelphia 76ers might be the team in the best position.  Obviously projecting young players' careers several years into the future is an extremely inexact science, but they have a really great young core.  The big caveat being, of course, can Joel Embiid stay healthy?  Current evidence suggests he can't.

[Volourn]

Of coruse, things change. GS isn't guaranteed (yet) to keep Iggy. Also, injuries happen as well. see what happen to CLE for the first GS-Cle match when they had no Love  or Iriving majority of Finals (Irving got hurt G1).  An inujury one GS star can make them beatable in a quick 7 game series because unlike when Durant got hurt in RS they won't have many games to regroup.

 

Still, GS is clearly the team to beat.

[Leferd]

Morey: We have a superstar ball dominant point guard who draws fouls with spaced shooters around the perimeter. What can improve this formula?

 

D'Antoni: I want two superstar ball dominant point guards.

 

Morey: Genius. I shall crunch the numbers.

[ShadySands]

Ball dominant, I like that. Nicer than ball hog.

 

I'm interested to see how that pairing plays out.

Edited June 28, 2017 by ShadySands

[Leferd]

They can practice advanced flopping techniques together as if it was a Warhol-esque incubator commune. Avant garde- high level theatrics.

[ShadySands]

PG13 to the...

 

 

... OK

[Leferd]

I love the NBA.