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Offline Ian Sane

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2300 on: June 26, 2020, 02:03:13 PM »
So Vince Carter retired.  When I graduated high school there was a little poll that the yearbook club gave to everyone in grade 12.  This was "most likely to succeed" kind of stuff.  Anyway, one of the questions was "most likely to be the next Vince Carter."  This was in '99 and was his rookie season.  One of the yearbook club guys kept getting asked "who's Vince Carter" as the question was his idea and he was making too big of an assumption that people paid close attention to the NBA.  Also at the point the Grizzlies were still in Vancouver and the Sonics were still in Seattle so there wasn't as much attention paid to the Raptors in the Vancouver area as there is today.

Needless to say I feel old.  The last active player from when I was in high school has now retired.  Though ironically I would have thought this would have happened years ago.  Who knew the guy from my high school yearbook poll would set the record for most seasons played?

Oh and my classmate that was voted "most likely to be the next Vince Carter" ended up being a bench warmer for a community college team.

Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2301 on: June 26, 2020, 06:17:56 PM »
I guess it's official.....

NBA is coming back (Lebron wants his shot at the title*)
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1276607662306873350?s=20

Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2302 on: June 26, 2020, 06:57:58 PM »
Woj reports:
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1276530837018882048?s=21

16 of the 302 players tested have tested positive for COVID-19

Can we start a poll..... 2 parter.

1) Who think the NBA will continue this year despite everything happening in Florida?

2) Regardless of your answer to the above question, who wants it to restart anyway?

1) I give it a 65% chance as of right now.  The League plans to restart, there is some support from some players, and we're talking about Florida here.  Also, two Disney subsidiaries stand to make money here (assuming Disney is getting paid for use of its facilities, though I doubt they'd just offer them up for free).  The issue is the spiking, but there's enough time for spikes to go back to a lull and for the deaths/hospitalizations to not show up as a lag.  That being said, those two metrics could spike in the next two weeks, the surge in new cases could continue, and more players could opt out.  I know LeBron is probably all-in an could likely sway the league if he changes his mind, but there could still be enough players to change minds.

2) As far as wanting, I dunno.  I have mixed feelings.  I kinda wish the players could do what LeBron did with "The Announcement" and basically make each game a two hour infomercial about the cause.  Sports do bring people together and provide a distraction.  The degree to which they do that, and whether those are noble pursuits is a debatable concern, however.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2020, 07:00:31 PM by nickmitch »
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2303 on: June 26, 2020, 07:25:46 PM »
Can we start a poll..... 2 parter.

1) Who think the NBA will continue this year despite everything happening in Florida?

2) Regardless of your answer to the above question, who wants it to restart anyway?
1. I know it’s official now, but my answer would have been yes anyway. I still think restarting in Florida is a bad idea. I get the whole Disney World thing; it’s just... you know... Florida gonna Florida.

2. There are layers to this. From a strictly sports/business standpoint, it makes more sense to finish this season if they can because it was almost over. Might as well finish this season given the opportunity presented itself because there’s still a risk of losing next season. That’s future-NBA’s problem. Deal with the problem at hand now.

For the protests and social change, it’s a platform the players can use, and I hope they use it during pre-game warmups to post-game interviews. Keep reminding people. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I get exhausted reading and being reminded of what a clusterfuck the news is every day, particularly American politics. That said, having basketball as a palette cleanser and having players promoting an important and positive message is definitely better for my mental health.

For physical health, I don’t know. Any kind of gathering is increasing risk. At the same time, without the season restarting, no one is getting paid. I feel lucky that I’m able to work from home. I’ve been getting a paycheck every other week this entire time. I only have two cats. The players, team staff etc. have families.

Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2304 on: June 26, 2020, 11:56:43 PM »
Woj reports:
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1276530837018882048?s=21

16 of the 302 players tested have tested positive for COVID-19

Can we start a poll..... 2 parter.

1) Who think the NBA will continue this year despite everything happening in Florida?

2) Regardless of your answer to the above question, who wants it to restart anyway?

About 2 of those 16 are Suns players. 

As for the question...

1.  It is likely to happen still because of money and the next year and free agents expected to be payed big bucks.  Also probably because I don't think there hasn't been a champion in the NBA when there has been a season so yeah likely to finish the season. 

2. As for who wants it to restart well as Adrock said there is layers to this.  Some players are against starting again and have actually opted out of playing in Orlando for different reasons. Some for social justice and for racial reform. Others for their families sake for health reasons. 

I think the NBA is one of the best sports leagues to have players be more vocal about things and those that choose to can speak out about things although different sports leagues are getting a little bit better with things since these protests started.  I mean Nascar stopped having confederate flags at races and the NFL actually apologized to Collin for the way they treated him so baby steps. 
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2305 on: June 29, 2020, 02:06:02 PM »
The Lakers are apparently expected to bring in J.R. Smith for the rest of the season with Avery Bradley deciding not to go to Orlando (which is fair, his son has respiratory issues).

Nick Young was a long shot, and honestly, I would rather bring him in if the Lakers just want a dude to spot up and shoot threes. Young is a minus defender for his career but actually improved when he was on the team during the dark times. He even stole a game winner from Lou Williams. On defense, Smith and Young are probably not far off from each other at this point. I just like Young’s attitude more. At the very least, he never forgot the score in a Finals game or threw soup at an assistant coach. Smith probably got the okay from LeBron though. Ultimately, Bradley’s minutes are most likely going to KCP while KCP’s minutes will be split between Alex Caruso and Dion Waiters.

Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2306 on: June 30, 2020, 04:56:48 AM »
It is an interesting case of bringing in JR after having him in for workouts when the buyout market opened up and now they have Waiters and JR in there.   I talked some with some Lakers fans and most are in favor of having KCP starting like when Bradley was out in the early parts of the season.  Some though want to have Caruso starting alongside Green, LeBron, AD and McGee.  While having Rondo and KCP off the bench and having Waiters and JR behind them.  I can see both arguments but I think the lineups heading into the playoffs will depend on these next 8 games. See Waiters hasn't had a chance to play with the main team and was actually suppose to have his game debut on the South Bay Lakers( Lakers G League team) to get a feel of him and is pretty customary for players joining a new team or rehabing from an injury. Curry did so before coming back that one time this season.   JR really hasn't played since 2019 but he can shoot but I don't expect him to get major minutes like he did in those Finals so mistakes should be limited.   The next 8 games will set the playoff lineups. 
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Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2307 on: June 30, 2020, 03:42:56 PM »
In more troubling news for the NBA season, three Pelicans players have tested positive for COVID-19.

Quote
(Executive vice president of basketball operations David) Griffin, citing privacy laws, did not say which players tested positive, but he did say those players are in isolation. He added that the three tests took place when players returned to the facility last week.

It should be noted that Alvin Gentry is 65 and would be in the "vulnerable" group, but he plans to be in Orlando.  Pels are 3 1/2 games behind the Grizzlies.
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2308 on: July 03, 2020, 11:36:21 AM »
Since the NBA is apparently happening regardless of how bad Florida is right now (not to mention AZ, TX, GA, AL and SoCal t name a few off my head), I heard there will likely be a 2nd Bubble made up of the remaining 8 teams that aren't in the "Playoff*" tournament.

This 8 bubble scrimmage will include a healthy Warriors squad.....
I'm honestly hoping we only send scrubs, as I don't trust this "bubble" to be kept totally insulated from the impending disaster that is FL right now. But if it they all play.... is it really even fair? Warriors sweep, no doubt. Steph, Klay, Wiggins and Dray. Then we have Looney and whatever other scrubs you put out there. It's gonna be a exhibition event to hype Warrirors for next season (just imagine if we swap Wiggins for Giannis tho. LOL)

This years championship will forever have that * on it, but we all ready for some sports to come back.... even if I think we still got MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AT THE SAME TIME.
so I hope the general populace don't lose focus just because a major down-time distraction will be back.

Hopefully the NBA Channel will be free and people can watch re-runs at their leisure.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2020, 08:09:02 AM by BlackNMild2k1 »

Offline ejamer

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2309 on: July 03, 2020, 02:44:48 PM »
Unless something seriously unexpected happens between now and the end of the season, talk of asterisks is overrated.

We've seen the vast majority of the season, we know which teams are good and which aren't. Teams are going into the end of the season on (generally) equal footing and whoever plays and adjusts the best will walk away with the championship.

Champions were crowned despite key players missing from opposing teams. Champions are crowned despite abbreviated schedules. A champion will be crowned this year, and will have to overcome some tough challenges to make that happen.

Asterisks should be reserved for cases when the end result was clearly affected by cheating or bribery or intentionally doing something outside the game to affect the results in favor of the winner. At this point in time, none of those things have happened.
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2310 on: July 03, 2020, 05:21:23 PM »
You can put an asterisk over anything if you really want to be a stickler. For example, Steph Curry barely played, Kevin Durant didn't play at all, and Kobe Bryant (a retired player with ties to dozens of players) died violently.

The way I see it, an asterisk is helpful in a historical context to denote 2020 was the year thousands of people died and the league shut down for over four months (additionally, there was an entire social movement as well as murder hornets for a week or so). History books should at least mention that, right? Like I said before, if anything, current circumstances makes winning the title harder. There's the emotional toll, no home court advantage, no fans etc. In the long run, we'll view it the same: a championship is a championship.

Offline Ian Sane

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2311 on: July 03, 2020, 06:02:31 PM »
An asterisk is kind of silly because what the hell are you even looking at?  This is the internet era.  You're not looking at some NBA records book to look this stuff up.  Wikipedia has a list of NBA champions.  So does Basketball Reference.  So does probably a hundred sites.  How they format things isn't standardized.  Maybe they make a note about peculiar situations that resulted in shorter seasons or maybe they don't.

Offline ejamer

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2312 on: July 03, 2020, 06:49:34 PM »
You can put an asterisk over anything ... History books ... a championship is a championship.

I think we're on the same page here.

In 10 years time, people will remember a couple of the really good teams this year that missed their chance - perhaps because of outside events, or perhaps not. In 25 years time, most people will only know which team won regardless of the circumstances.

For decades after that, history books will deal with events taking place that actually mattered... which doesn't include NBA championships.  All the other stuff we are going through is monumental, and basketball is just a short term diversion.
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Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2313 on: July 03, 2020, 07:51:20 PM »
I think when you're aggregating stats you're probably gonna want that footnote, even 25 years later, as the reminder that "Oh yeah, this was shortened/delayed due to a pandemic" to explain why the year would look like an outlier.

The asterisk has some value, but I do think people are overplaying it.
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Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2314 on: July 04, 2020, 10:31:21 AM »
On the topic of an asterisk this season has been unlike anything we have seen before.  I mean to start the season off we had the whole China deal with the preseason being shortened because of the protests that was happening in China, then the whole Darrel Morey thing with China,  there was a few early suspensions namely Ayton and John Collins of the Suns and Hawks respectfully,  Several injuries costing footing in the standings, Kobe died and that affected players emotionally,  then finally COVID-19 shutting down the season for 4 months, racial justice and now a 8 game wrap up of the season and then into the playoffs in one location. 

  If anything whoever wins this championship is going to deserve it more because of all the stuff that happened and all the toll of all the above for players this year.   


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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2315 on: July 06, 2020, 11:09:47 PM »
Per Shams Charania, Dwight Howard confirms he will play when the season resumes and donate his salary to his non-profit campaign, Breathe Again.

This is a great way to make a statement for an issue that is important to him and the world at large right now.

From a basketball standpoint, good for the Lakers because they weren’t winning **** without Howard.

Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2316 on: July 06, 2020, 11:30:18 PM »
This is the best possible way to go about things for Howard to champion a cause he is passionate about while helping the team.   


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Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2317 on: July 07, 2020, 06:57:07 PM »
Classy move by Dwight Howard.  The possibility that he can finally win an NBA championship is very exciting.
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2318 on: July 20, 2020, 12:01:46 AM »
Dwight Howard went on Instagram Live to say he doesn’t believe in vaccines

He also said, “If I'm alone I don't need to wear a mask... It's just like riding around in your car.â€

Dwight Howard is like the human embodiment of that putting on clown makeup meme.

Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2319 on: July 20, 2020, 12:08:07 AM »
I know you don't need to wear a mask while driving in your car alone, but he should be more careful than that.  I know news about the virus is scattered but some people think it is airborne.  At least he wears it around other people.

But the vaccine thing . . . I dunno . . .
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2320 on: July 20, 2020, 01:12:16 AM »
For context, someone used the NBA’s anonymous tip line to snitch on Dwight Howard for not wearing a mask in the bubble last week. I believe he was commenting on or referring to that. Howard is comparing being alone in the bubble to being in alone in a car. Ehh, I get where that line of thinking comes from except that’s false equivalence. It’s incorrect because for one, the bubble is full of people, particularly Disney employees who work there but leave to go home even if they’re required to always wear a mask on the clock. And how alone was Howard if someone already reported him?

Overall, it’s a shame this is what he is doing with his extensive public platform. Cone of shame, Dwight.

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2321 on: July 20, 2020, 01:23:28 AM »
MLS is about two weeks into its bubble tournament, also in Orlando at Disney's complex, and while they had some positive tests at the beginning of people who had it before they got there, since then things have gone very smoothly. This kind of setup can work really well if the people involved do what they're supposed to, so hopefully the NBA can get everyone onboard and make it work.
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Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2322 on: July 20, 2020, 01:33:03 AM »
For context, someone used the NBA’s anonymous tip line to snitch on Dwight Howard for not wearing a mask in the bubble last week. I believe he was commenting on or referring to that. Howard is comparing being alone in the bubble to being in alone in a car. Ehh, I get where that line of thinking comes from except that’s false equivalence. It’s incorrect because for one, the bubble is full of people, particularly Disney employees who work there but leave to go home even if they’re required to always wear a mask on the clock. And how alone was Howard if someone already reported him?

I knew he had been reported, but I hadn't realized it was directly in the wake of that.  I only skimmed the link.  And yeah, you make great points.  He could be out by himself, but easily become within 6 feet of someone.
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Offline ejamer

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2323 on: July 20, 2020, 09:42:08 AM »
I strongly disagree with Howard's health advice, which comes across as either selfish or (most likely) ignorant. People: please wear masks and look at the actual science (not pseudo-science, conspiracy theories, or social media hysteria) when talking about vaccines.


That said, I hope these silly comments don't detract from his advocacy and support for important and meaningful social change. Howard got that right, in my opinion. It will take long-standing effort, social awareness, on-going funding, and political will to remove systemic racial discrimination. But even though it's difficult and at times expensive, it's worth fighting for.
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Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: NBA Thread: Season Suspended Due To Pandemic And Gobert Dumbassery
« Reply #2324 on: July 24, 2020, 03:11:26 AM »
Well some scrimages happened and the Lakers looked good and surprisingly the Suns did as well with Mikal Bridges leading the Suns. 

However the main thing I am posting about is the post game interview of LeBron, AD and Vogel about racial inequality and everything that goes with that.  I'll leave the video below and let it speak for itself.



For BnM- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlVfxHObB2I
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