Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[BlackNMild2k1]

Curry's return was good, he brought what we have been missing. If we had Dray on the court, I feel we might've won that one.

Lots of mistakes made on offense and defense, including blown layups and a dunk (looking at you Chriss 🤨).
But the potential is there. I didn't see the whole game, but once the OG3 are back on the court, with the addition of Wiggins, we right back in this.

[ejamer]

..., I feel we might've won that one...

Even if the Warriors don't win games, the difference with Curry is that you always feel like it's possible - and some fun to boot. That's a big shift in the right direction. Gosh, he's a fun player to watch.

Back when Curry was getting drafted, the Raptors were picking 2 spots after Golden State, and I was just hoping and praying that he'd somehow slip through the cracks. Granted, his whole career could've been different if that happened... but even back in college it was just a joy to watch him play with all the crazy gimmick defenses thrown around to slow him down.

[Adrock]

The Lakers can’t beat elite teams.

[BeautifulShy]

The Lakers can’t beat elite teams.

I know this is the narrative but the Lakers played excellent defense and contained Giannis and everyone else to win by 10 even though both teams didn't shoot 3s like they usually do.   This was a wonderful win and we have clinched our first playoff spot in 7 years!!!

[Adrock]

The narrative never made any sense. The Lakers have beaten good teams all year. In fact, I believe they’ve now beaten every team except the Clippers and the Raptors. The Lakers have rematch against the Raptors in a couple weeks. They may lose to the Clippers tomorrow, but I don’t think that means they can’t beat the Clippers particularly in a seven game series. The Lakers were up by 15 points on Christmas. They were also down by nine points against the Bucks last night then rattled off an 18-0 run and won by 10.

[ejamer]

The Lakers can’t beat elite teams.

Is this a thing for the Lakers too?  I hadn't heard that, and don't believe it.

It's a thing people say about the Raptors. They might be right there. Toronto plays hard, has good depth, and consistently takes care of their business against lesser teams... but there are some very real questions about whether they can complete against the top-tier teams once playoffs start. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be healthy for the playoffs.

And that's really the only thing that worries me when it comes to the Lakers: banking heavily on the healthy of their two superstars. As long as the team is healthy, they have the ability to take down pretty much anyone in a seven game series.

Playoffs should be a lot of fun this year - moreso in the West than the East, though. Eastern Conference teams look a bit top-heavy when it comes to talent.

[BeautifulShy]

Mini-Movie of the Lakers win over the Bucks

For BNM and anyone else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cbLKjygSWk

[BlackNMild2k1]

WARRIORS!!!!

WARRIORS!!!

WARRIORS!!!

so excited to see them win that one last night.
And Steph wasn't even on the ffloor.

Good for them!!!
(now is not the time to start winning games all of a sudden though. LOL)

[BeautifulShy]

Hell of a win today versus the Clippers for the Lakers. They started slow both teams but LeBron and Kawhi picked things up.  Kuzma was very good today in his play. Maybe not scoring but he was active and hustling all over the court and he played really well defensively with how he was playing George and Lou Williams.  The 3rd player that took on the scoring load was Avery Bradley and he scored 24. A season high for him today.  This was a really good win for the team and defensively. These past two games everyone has showed up in many ways. Go Lakers!!

[Adrock]

Lou Williams made a three pointer in the final seconds after the Lakers took a 24-second violation so as not to run up the score. The Clippers weren't trying to foul so Avery Bradley just dribbled out the clock. Add this to the list of things I hate about the Clippers this season.

The Lakers just beat the Bucks and Clippers back-to-back. There goes that narrative. I'm waiting to see how Skip Bayless shits on LeBron James tomorrow.

It's a thing people say about the Raptors. They might be right there. Toronto plays hard, has good depth, and consistently takes care of their business against lesser teams... but there are some very real questions about whether they can complete against the top-tier teams once playoffs start.

As long as the Raptors are healthy, I have more faith in them in the playoffs than the Bucks. The Raptors are playoff tested, Leonard or no Leonard. I think Giannis Antetokounmpo can still be taken out of big games mentally. He's 25 so he'll get there. Is this the year? Maybe, maybe not.

[ejamer]

Son of a...

Opening quarter for the Raptors vs Jazz, and they are so close to being healthy again for the first time since... before Christmas?  Something like that. Of course Norm Powell would go down with an injured ankle after a nasty collision with OG Anunoby. But hey, at least he was healthy long enough to earn Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors first. Oh well. The team was only missing two starters coming in, so how much difference will it make to lose another of their top 7.

(If I sound bitter... well, that's pretty accurate.)


This game (most likely) just went from a competitive match to an easy Jazz victory.
--

Spoke too soon.

Without trying to discredit the Raptors for fighting through a tough game, this is why people don't take Utah seriously. There is no reason that a team as talented as Utah can't put together a better performance and win against a depleted opponent coming into their home court. Doesn't bode well for the playoffs.

Apologies if that offends Utah fans, but I'm assuming you also feel frustrated after that mess of a game.

[BeautifulShy]

Son of a...

Opening quarter for the Raptors vs Jazz, and they are so close to being healthy against for the first time since... before Christmas?  Something like that. Of course Norm Powell would go down with an injured ankle after a nasty collision with OG Anunoby. But hey, at least he was healthy long enough to earn Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors first. Oh well. The team was only missing two starters coming in, so how much difference will it make to lose another of their top 7.

(If I sound bitter... well, that's pretty accurate.)


This game (most likely) just went from a competitive match to an easy Jazz victory.

[broodwars]

Without trying to discredit the Raptors for fighting through a tough game, this is why people don't take Utah seriously. There is no reason that a team as talented as Utah can't put together a better performance and win against a depleted opponent coming into their home court. Doesn't bode well for the playoffs.

Apologies if that offends Utah fans, but I'm assuming you also feel frustrated after that mess of a game.

None taken. I believe I've said in the past that this Jazz team is a fraud. They can beat up on the middling to bad teams, but they fold like Origami the moment they face a playoff-quality team and for the life of me I can't understand why. Management cashed in all their chips on this team. This is easily the most talented squad we've had in years, possibly since the Stockton/Malone years, and they still can't win games they should be winning. Hell, most of our losses against playoff-quality teams this year came from when the opposing team team was either missing players or on the bad end of a road trip or back-to-back.

This team just doesn't want it, and for a Jazz fan and for a small market team in general there's nothing more offensive. Even during our worst years the team still played like they gave a ****.

[Adrock]

That was embarrassing.

[BeautifulShy]

That was embarrassing.

Yep.   Full team versus the Nets without Kyrie.  I knew something like this might happen but it is still disappointing to lose.  On the last two shots no less. One to take it into OT and one to win it.

[ejamer]

That was embarrassing.

Yep.   Full team versus the Nets without Kyrie.  I knew something like this might happen but it is still disappointing to lose.  On the last two shots no less. One to take it into OT and one to win it.

Kyrie being out might be a good thing for the Nets though? He's an incredible talent but seems to be a disruptive and problematic teammate. (Maybe that's just media spin, maybe not. There's too much smoke behind this particular fire to be ignored though.)

As we are closing in on the end of season, this kind of lackadaisical effort isn't shocking though. Lakers are 5.5 games up on the Clippers, with enough distanced from both Bucks/Raptors that they probably feel pretty comfortable about maintaining their playoff position.

Disappointing? Sure... but as long as they stay healthy at this point you shouldn't get too upset.

I've gone from a doubter prior to the season to a believer in the Lakers. The team composition isn't perfect, but is much better than I had expected it would be. Hard to imagine them losing 4 games to the same team.

I'm not nearly as bullish on the Clippers after watching them play a few game lately. I just don't like the way their offense flows, or the chemistry on that team right now. They still have enough superstar power to win, but more and more it looks like Kawhi leaving Toronto was a bad basketball decision.

[BeautifulShy]

That was embarrassing.

Yep.   Full team versus the Nets without Kyrie.  I knew something like this might happen but it is still disappointing to lose.  On the last two shots no less. One to take it into OT and one to win it.

Kyrie being out might be a good thing for the Nets though? He's an incredible talent but seems to be a disruptive and problematic teammate. (Maybe that's just media spin, maybe not. There's too much smoke behind this particular fire to be ignored though.)

As we are closing in on the end of season, this kind of lackadaisical effort isn't shocking though. Lakers are 5.5 games up on the Clippers, with enough distanced from both Bucks/Raptors that they probably feel pretty comfortable about maintaining their playoff position.

Disappointing? Sure... but as long as they stay healthy at this point you shouldn't get too upset.

I've gone from a doubter prior to the season to a believer in the Lakers. The team composition isn't perfect, but is much better than I had expected it would be. Hard to imagine them losing 4 games to the same team.

I'm not nearly as bullish on the Clippers after watching them play a few game lately. I just don't like the way their offense flows, or the chemistry on that team right now. They still have enough superstar power to win, but more and more it looks like Kawhi leaving Toronto was a bad basketball decision.

This Nets team is a connudrum wrapped into an enigma.  There was some reports that KD and Kyrie didn't like their previous head coach and they figured that next season he wouldn't be able to coach KD,KI and DJ and they had the assistant who is actually had them playing better and the players trust.  There is also the fact since Kyrie has been out since mid January the same group for the most part that made a run to the playoffs last year and surprised people have that chemisty from last season that they brought to this season and are playing and beating tough teams or staying really close but losing. This team as constructed have very little blowout losses.

As to the Lakers tonight is that the Lakers played really well throughout the whole game so it wasn't a lackadaisacal effort thing on their part but it really came down to the Nets having more rebounds and more total free throws and a few earlier baskets not being made by the Lakers that would of made the game closer at the end of the game. Howard had a stomach bug so he wasn't able to help with rebounds or boxing out for others to get the rebounds and at the end of the game a few different shots not falling.

[broodwars]

Tonight's Jazz/Thunder game has been postponed at the last second due to Coronavirus Hysteria. The reasoning for this is that the Jazz's Gobert & Mudiay have recently fallen ill of an undiagnosed illness. In response, Rudy Gobert made it a point to put his hand on every mic the press were carrying.

I don't know how to respond to that last part. It transcends that line between being an asshole and being a dumbass.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/coronavirus-nba-postpones-utah-jazz-oklahoma-city-thunder-game-at-chesapeake-energy-arena/

[Shaymin]

The NBA has suspended the season.

Holy crap.

[broodwars]

The NBA has suspended the season.

Holy crap.

That seems like a slight overreaction without having a larger sample size of players tested, but wow...I didn't think they'd just DO that at the 1st sign of illness.

Also, a correction to my above post, but apparently Gobert has tested positive for Coronavirus, making his stunt with the microphones even more of an asshole thing to do.

*looks at the new topic name*

Yeah, I'll allow that.

[BeautifulShy]

Tonight's Jazz/Thunder game has been postponed at the last second due to Coronavirus Hysteria. The reasoning for this is that the Jazz's Gobert & Mudiay have recently fallen ill of an undiagnosed illness. In response, Rudy Gobert made it a point to put his hand on every mic the press were carrying.

I don't know how to respond to that last part. It transcends that line between being an asshole and being a dumbass.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/coronavirus-nba-postpones-utah-jazz-oklahoma-city-thunder-game-at-chesapeake-energy-arena/

I just saw on SS&R that Gobert has tested positive for COVID-19 so that is going to be interesting for the Lakers upcoming matchups versus the Jazz. 

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2020/3/11/21171984/nba-lakers-play-empty-arenas-coronavirus-covid-19-lebron-james-staples-center-essential-staff   

Gobert also said he is feeling fine and healthy. There was also another sports figure Football(Soccer) player who was tested but didn't have symptoms of the virus so that is kinda interesting.

[BlackNMild2k1]

So does this mean the Warriors final steak isn't broken yet!!!
And we still have a shot at #1 pick?

Although that's sucks for everyone who was about to get their shot at a finals appearance this year. MVP, finals MVP, etc etc.

But on a serious note. Gobert is an asshole. I hope they suspend him from the league for 2 seasons. If one of those reporters get sick and dies, he may have some legal exposure in that....

[BeautifulShy]

I know you are joking about the draft pick but in all likelihood no more games played until this is is resolved and I would guess the records would be frozen and still until the NBA restarts the season. The incoming draft picks will probably delay until this is resolved and when the NBA resumes play depending on when that is we could be looking at a "season" going the rest of this years and all of next years "season" so the 2020 draft can come in synch with the years past start of the season.  Another option is to fix this and then whenever these last 19 games and playoffs are over have the drafties come in and have the draft and have a shorter or longer season depending on when this is resolved.

[Shaymin]

The closest comparable I can find to a suspension this late in a season would be when Major League Baseball suspended play after 9/11, but that was only for a week. (It still resulted in the World Series ending on November 4.) In that case, all the games were made up at the end of the regular season.

For the NBA, I doubt every team would lose the same number of games which would make it easy to just write them off. I suppose if they don't spend three weeks on first round playoff series and try to get games in every other night they could probably end around Father's Day as usual, but more likely the draft would be in early July and free agency would probably begin on the 15th or 22nd of July.

[broodwars]

The closest comparable I can find to a suspension this late in a season would be when Major League Baseball suspended play after 9/11, but that was only for a week. (It still resulted in the World Series ending on November 4.) In that case, all the games were made up at the end of the regular season.

For the NBA, I doubt every team would lose the same number of games which would make it easy to just write them off. I suppose if they don't spend three weeks on first round playoff series and try to get games in every other night they could probably end around Father's Day as usual, but more likely the draft would be in early July and free agency would probably begin on the 15th or 22nd of July.

IF play resumes this season, I could also definitely see an abbreviated playoffs with 5 game series ala the original rules for Round 1, maybe saving a 7 game series for the Finals. That would cut weeks off the playoffs.