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NBA / NCAA Basketball

Page 8 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
I developed a lot of respect for LeBron last year when he made the Finals competitive without the next two best players on the team. I do think, though, that Cleveland should just bite the bullet and name him the coach. Seriously, MLB occasionally has a playing manager, why can't an NBA team have a playing coach? He can't do everything a HC needs to do, particularly when he's on the floor, but that's why there are Assistant coaches. If he wants to draw up plays, determine who the team trades for, etc., make it official. He's already doing it, so you can't argue that he can't do that and play, too.

I live in Oakland, but I'm not going to write off the Spurs. Even with that blowout, they still have a higher point differential than the Warriors, on a record pace. And like the Warriors, they rest their starters when leading late in games. A recent 5/38 analysis revealed an absolutely jaw-dropping stat: by +/-, the Spurs reserves are not only far and away the best in the NBA--it's not even remotely close--the stats suggest that if they were the starters, the Spurs would still be better than any other team but the Warriors:

Every other team’s reserves rate as below-average relative to the entire league. The Warriors’ bench, for instance, ranks third with an aggregate BPM of -1.6. But the Spurs’ non-starters have an eye-popping cumulative BPM of +11.5. If we convert that number into its Elo-rating equivalent, the Spurs’ bench would come in at 1760 — enough talent to net between 64 and 65 wins over an 82-game season.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-spurs-bench-could-probably-make-the-playoffs-on-its-own/

I still think the WCF will come down to Spurs vs. Warriors. But the semis could be challenging for both teams. The most important benefit of being the no. 1 seed may be not having to play OKC in the second round. Then again, if the Warriors are the no. 1 seed, they will probably play the Clippers, who have been playing really well without Griffin (who, just about ready to come back from an injury, has now broken his hand in a fight with a staff member, and will be out an additional month plus).
 
Aug 21, 2015
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red_flanders said:
52520Andrew said:
I think our only hope of seeing the Warriors pushed come playoff time is the Spurs. That should be quite a series though.

Warriors by 30 over Spurs last night. At Oracle and Duncan rested, but still, 120 on the best defensive team in the NBA.

Curry drops 37 and sits the entire 4th quarter or it would have been worse. Crazy.

Yeah the Warriors sure lit them up. At the same time it is only one game but just goes to show you how good the Warriors are this year.
 
Re:

Merckx index said:
I developed a lot of respect for LeBron last year when he made the Finals competitive without the next two best players on the team. I do think, though, that Cleveland should just bite the bullet and name him the coach. Seriously, MLB occasionally has a playing manager, why can't an NBA team have a playing coach? He can't do everything a HC needs to do, particularly when he's on the floor, but that's why there are Assistant coaches. If he wants to draw up plays, determine who the team trades for, etc., make it official. He's already doing it, so you can't argue that he can't do that and play, too.

Bill Russell was player coach of the Celtics at some point in his career but in recent times it is unprecedented. It is quite an interesting scenario though to imagine. In the NBA some of the elite point guards and players do call their own plays and as LeBron has done often times since his return to Cleveland, override the coach's play to run what they consider to be a better option. Rajon Rondo is notorious for similar antics to the point that his veteran coach George Karl has decided to give him a bit of latitude. Even in the land of Gregg Popovich, I recall Manu Ginobli ignoring Pop's direction to successfully run his own play and then run back by the coach and give him "the Hand" (as in "Talk to the hand!").
 
So, NBA fans, are you ready for the all-star game in the city of Toronto? Out of every sport's all-star game, the NBA often has the most entertainment. And this year's half-time show is none other than...

Sting!

Sting? Yes, Sting. It must be because of his long standing roots with the American urban culture. Eh, say what? Well, then, it's because of his popularity with today's youth. Wait a minute, P Diddy sampled Every Breath You Take and helped actually give the Police song a boost...19 years ago! Sting is 64 years old, and a favorite, I guess, of middle aged housewives. I'm guessing Adam Silver's wife.

If the NBA were true to their fans, the artist they would have perform is Drake. He's massively popular right now, from Toronto, an NBA fan, and a fan of the Raptors and has been a guest commentator.

The Guardian disagrees with me, saying Sting is Drake in 10 short years (though Drake is 29).
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/29/nba-all-star-game-sting-drake-halftime-show
 
I don't care much for modern pop music and don't know who's done what, but I can't tune into a single american broadcast on absolutely anything without hearing this drake persons name over and over and over again so if he got snubbed from something, I'm all for it.
 
Sting is definately NOT relevant anymore.

So, Cavs stung their HC David Blatt by firing him (old news now), while the Cavs were leading their division. Odd being fired while leading their division? Maybe. Sources say Blatt was fired over lack of repertoire with players that assistant coach Ty Lue has well established. Maybe the front office feels this change was needed to improve chances of an NBA finals victory. But, this just points out another reason I hate the NBA, where punk-a$$ players (including but not limited to LBJ on this Cav squad) can get their HC fired because they don't like the guy. So, now we will see what new HC Lue can do. It would be poetic justice if the team tanks from here on out or fails to make the NBA finals.

But for every bad apple there's a likable player, such as Warriors Steph Curry. Go Warriors!
 
Re:

on3m@n@rmy said:
Sting is definately NOT relevant anymore.

So, Cavs stung their HC David Blatt by firing him (old news now), while the Cavs were leading their division. Odd being fired while leading their division? Maybe. Sources say Blatt was fired over lack of repertoire with players that assistant coach Ty Lue has well established. Maybe the front office feels this change was needed to improve chances of an NBA finals victory. But, this just points out another reason I hate the NBA, where punk-a$$ players (including but not limited to LBJ on this Cav squad) can get their HC fired because they don't like the guy. So, now we will see what new HC Lue can do. It would be poetic justice if the team tanks from here on out or fails to make the NBA finals.

But for every bad apple there's a likable player, such as Warriors Steph Curry. Go Warriors!

It's only natural that a sport with such small rosters per team would make the influence greater of some of those players on decisions made. Of course it's dependent upon how much management and ownership allows it to happen. LeBron tried it in Miami with Spoelstra but Pat Riley wasn't having it. Strong coach and management and it isn't likely. Keep in mind also that Blatt was brought in to coach thee Cavs as they existed prior to LeBron and Love coming on board. Where before they were in rebuilding mode they immediately became a win a title now team. Cleveland maybe would have chosen differently had they hired their coach after the additions of James and Love.
 
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jmdirt said:
That Curry kid is good! I don't enjoy watching the NBA like I once did, but there are some guys that are fun to watch. The Warriors are a good looking team. I sure wouldn't want to be a coach in the NBA nowadays! :confused:

He and his team are a joy to watch. I make a point to watch them whenever they are on. There are a few teams that are fun to watch. The Spurs with Kawhi Leonard are probably the biggest threats to the Warriors with the Oklahoma Thunder with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant trailing next in line. Westbrook is like a tightly wound nuclear weapon, always intense, perpetually moving at breakneck speed. He's a handful. The western conference is stacked with strong teams but the Warriors and the Spurs are head and shoulders above the rest of the league right now.
 
Wouldn't LeBron also be the de facto GM of the Cavileers, as much as the coach? And this is since the day he got there. Remember, it was he who pushed to dump Andrew Wiggins (and Anthony Bennett) in order to get Kevin Love.

I distinctly recall everyone being astounded that Cleveland got Love, but I was one of very few people who weren't wooed by that deal at all. Love is looking like a barely happy, moderately productive, questionably durable, very expensive afterthought, and may well be gone from the team in a year. Wiggins is coming off an ROY season, and looks like a superstar in the making.

So if you ask me, I question just how good LeBron is at either job. But Cleveland was so desperate to get him back, and knows that in a league with no parity, LeBron was their only hope of fighting for a championship.

Of note, the Warriors 48-4 start is the best in NBA history.

On the flip side, Philadelphia seems on their way to the Ben Simmons sweepstakes. As bad as the team is now, they are stacked with potential if they get Simmons. Having him and Okafor could give them two dominant forwards. The Lakers however are doing all they can to compete for that top pick, in Kobe's sorry-assed last season.
 
Jan 24, 2012
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Alpe d'Huez said:
Wouldn't LeBron also be the de facto GM of the Cavileers, as much as the coach? And this is since the day he got there. Remember, it was he who pushed to dump Andrew Wiggins (and Anthony Bennett) in order to get Kevin Love.

I distinctly recall everyone being astounded that Cleveland got Love, but I was one of very few people who weren't wooed by that deal at all. Love is looking like a barely happy, moderately productive, questionably durable, very expensive afterthought, and may well be gone from the team in a year. Wiggins is coming off an ROY season, and looks like a superstar in the making.

So if you ask me, I question just how good LeBron is at either job. But Cleveland was so desperate to get him back, and knows that in a league with no parity, LeBron was their only hope of fighting for a championship.

Of note, the Warriors 48-4 start is the best in NBA history.

On the flip side, Philadelphia seems on their way to the Ben Simmons sweepstakes. As bad as the team is now, they are stacked with potential if they get Simmons. Having him and Okafor could give them two dominant forwards. The Lakers however are doing all they can to compete for that top pick, in Kobe's sorry-assed last season.

I don't care for basketball (it's so boring) but the talk around town is: Sixers prefer drafting Ingram to Simmons and Okafor is likely to be traded out.
 
Re:

Alpe d'Huez said:
Wouldn't LeBron also be the de facto GM of the Cavileers, as much as the coach? And this is since the day he got there. Remember, it was he who pushed to dump Andrew Wiggins (and Anthony Bennett) in order to get Kevin Love.

I distinctly recall everyone being astounded that Cleveland got Love, but I was one of very few people who weren't wooed by that deal at all. Love is looking like a barely happy, moderately productive, questionably durable, very expensive afterthought, and may well be gone from the team in a year. Wiggins is coming off an ROY season, and looks like a superstar in the making.

So if you ask me, I question just how good LeBron is at either job. But Cleveland was so desperate to get him back, and knows that in a league with no parity, LeBron was their only hope of fighting for a championship.

Of note, the Warriors 48-4 start is the best in NBA history.

On the flip side, Philadelphia seems on their way to the Ben Simmons sweepstakes. As bad as the team is now, they are stacked with potential if they get Simmons. Having him and Okafor could give them two dominant forwards. The Lakers however are doing all they can to compete for that top pick, in Kobe's sorry-assed last season.

Now we have LeBron vehemently denying that Kevin Love may be potentially involved in a 3 way trade with the Knicks (Carmelo Anthony) and the Celtics. Just 2 or 3 weeks ago he said that he has no say in managerial decisions.

Philly appears to be playing better with the managerial changes they've made and the increased floor time of Ish Smith. Of course with their horrible start they will still be in the running for Ben Simmons, who I think will be a far better pro than college ball player. Now who is this Ingram fellow that was mentioned earlier? Lately I haven't been following college ball as passionately as I have in the past, so I'm not familiar with him.
 
Its kind of silly how much BS is floating around about which decade/era was better in the NBA, and whether or not Step could play in a previous era. Arguing about what was the best era in any sport is a no win argument, but I can't image that Step wouldn't be able to adapt to any style of play and be very good.
 
Re:

jmdirt said:
Its kind of silly how much BS is floating around about which decade/era was better in the NBA, and whether or not Step could play in a previous era. Arguing about what was the best era in any sport is a no win argument, but I can't image that Step wouldn't be able to adapt to any style of play and be very good.

For sure,lots of ex players, some not very good (Ceballos) claiming the Warriors and Curry are not that good or just a defensive adjustment.
With his shooting range (23-28 feet easily) and quick release he is so hard to defend. Then if you get 2 defenders out there, they are 20-25 feet away from the basket and it's easy pickings for Curry to drive to the hoop and either pass out or get a lay up for himself or an unguarded teammate.
I know Oscar Robertson was great and ahead of his time skill wise , but no way he could guard Curry out there.
I think there is some truth to the claims (Isiah Thomas) and some others are making about the rule adjustments and less hand checking and fouling allowed but there was a lot of excessive fouling and grabbing in that era as well.

Always tough to compare eras with the he rule enforcements or lack of ( modern palming or carrying irks me just as much as the Detroit mugging thug Defense on MJ).

Watching tonights game, even Westbrook has a hard time dealing with Curry and he is the premier athlete, in any era. Curry got his ankle stepped on but came back in. Big pride game for OKC, lots of incredible talent on the floor tonight.

HOPE YOU SAW THE GAME, WOW.
CURRY FROM 33 FEET TO WIN IT IN OVERTIME, FOR HIS 12TH THREE OF THE GAME.
WITH NO FEAR, NO HESITATION
OKC HAD IT, but it slipped away, very good game.




HOPE THE ANKLE IS OK FOR THE NEXT GAME
 
Curry is just ridiculous:

1) just broke his own record for 3 pointers in a season, with about 30% of the season remaining; he has the top three all-time seasons, and also is number six on the list
2) tied the record for most in a game (12)
3) has hit 11 or more in a game three times, including twice this year; no one else has done it more than once, in a career
4) has hit 10 or more in a game five times, including two games in a row, the only player in NBA history to do that;
5) set the season record for most games with eight or more three pointers more than a month ago, and in his seventh year, he already holds the career record in that category
6) this season he has hit 50% of his shots (11/22) from beyond 30 feet; no other player has more than two. That’s a small sample size, but it’s well established from larger samples that his accuracy declines only slightly going out from the three point line, whereas the NBA average drops precipitously (from about 33% at the line to about 23% from 25-35 feet out). So if the NBA ever institutes a 4 point shot, Curry will be even deadlier, forcing teams to guard him tightly near mid-court.

Meanwhile, the Warriors clinched a playoff spot, meaning if the plane crashed and the entire team was wiped out, and restocked with replacement players who lost every one of the remaining twenty-four games...they would still be in the postseason (and probably make it by more than ten games at that point). If the team lost half of its remaining games, they would still be in the top 20 winningest seasons, and finish no less than second in the conference.

OKC and GSW meet in Oakland next week, and for the Warriors, the stakes are likely to be even higher. Assuming they win their preceding game vs. Atlanta, they will be gunning for their 44th consecutive home win, tying the Bulls' all-time record. They have a shot at going the entire regular season without losing at home, and what is even crazier is that the Spurs--who, by point differential are even better than the Warriors--do, too. It's possible both teams could go undefeated at home. The Warriors are getting most of the attention, and they did trounce the Spurs in their only meeting so far this season, but SA is having an historic season of its own, and can't be counted out.
 
Jul 29, 2012
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Curry playing one of the best season of all time. Maybe even the best, last 2 games he was playing in god mode.

And he hasn't played in like 15 4th quarters this year, this game is broken lol
 
Re: Re:

robtmitchell said:
jmdirt said:
Its kind of silly how much BS is floating around about which decade/era was better in the NBA, and whether or not Step could play in a previous era. Arguing about what was the best era in any sport is a no win argument, but I can't image that Step wouldn't be able to adapt to any style of play and be very good.

For sure,lots of ex players, some not very good (Ceballos) claiming the Warriors and Curry are not that good or just a defensive adjustment.
With his shooting range (23-28 feet easily) and quick release he is so hard to defend. Then if you get 2 defenders out there, they are 20-25 feet away from the basket and it's easy pickings for Curry to drive to the hoop and either pass out or get a lay up for himself or an unguarded teammate.
I know Oscar Robertson was great and ahead of his time skill wise , but no way he could guard Curry out there.
I think there is some truth to the claims (Isiah Thomas) and some others are making about the rule adjustments and less hand checking and fouling allowed but there was a lot of excessive fouling and grabbing in that era as well.

Always tough to compare eras with the he rule enforcements or lack of ( modern palming or carrying irks me just as much as the Detroit mugging thug Defense on MJ).

Watching tonights game, even Westbrook has a hard time dealing with Curry and he is the premier athlete, in any era. Curry got his ankle stepped on but came back in. Big pride game for OKC, lots of incredible talent on the floor tonight.

HOPE YOU SAW THE GAME, WOW.
CURRY FROM 33 FEET TO WIN IT IN OVERTIME, FOR HIS 12TH THREE OF THE GAME.
WITH NO FEAR, NO HESITATION
OKC HAD IT, but it slipped away, very good game.




HOPE THE ANKLE IS OK FOR THE NEXT GAME
Hey Rob, good to read you! :D Have you been out enjoying the great weather that we've been having? Yes, great game! Step is a crazy relaxed shooter...downtown sniper! He stroked that game winner like it was nuthin' but a thang (sorry, I had to borrow that line). KD is pretty good too! While it seems that OKC gave that game back, some of it was that GS played like it was a two point game even when they were down by double digits. I guess you have to give credit to Kerr, Walton, and crew for getting 13 millionaires to buy in to their system.
 
Re:

Billie said:
Warriors lose to the Lakers.

Sunday matinee games in Miami, NY, Toronto, Atlanta, LA and Houston are always tricky :D

Still think they'll break the bulls record

They'll need to go 18-3 to break it. Considering how dominant they've been, it's more than possible. I will say, however, the games they have lost, they've been dominated in those games. They lost to Portland by 32 points two and a half weeks ago. The closest game was by 2, to the Nuggets in January. The other four games they lost were by 17 (today vs Lakers), 18 to the Pistons in January, 23 to the Mavericks at the end of December, and 13 to the Bucks on December 12, their first loss of the season. Four losses to bad teams, and two losses for playoff teams (Mavs and Blazers). The Blazers have played REALLY well since the all start break. Even though they lost their last two games, both on the road, both which were winnable, but the Celtics are equally on a roll, they are still playing well and I fully expect them to make the playoffs and move up the standings and get a 5th or 6th seed. The Mavs have been up and down all year. Not sure what to make of them, but they should make the playoffs.

While losing to non-playoff teams by double digits is never a good thing, they won't lose too much sleep over it, I don't think. And they also sneaked by the Thunder on that clutch shot by Curry. That game I thought the Thunder had in their pockets, but for some reason decided not to play defense and guard the best shooter in the league. Recently they've had to escape one or two games (like the Thunder) that required OT, so perhaps their form is dropping slightly. Again, 18-3 is what they need to do to get the record. Certainly doable, but not easy. The good thing for them is that the majority of those last 21 games are at home, where they haven't lost. I think they'll get 74 or maybe even 75 games.

On the other hand, the Spurs have kept pace and are actually only 3 games behind the Warriors. That's gotta be a bit of a worry for the Dubs. And we know that Poppovich will have those guys ready to go come April and May.
 
The Lakers took it to them, Curry and Thompson went 13/40 and 1/18 on 3's.
That probably won't happen again.
I agree on the late Sunday games being weird, but this was prime time TV.
They seem to throw the ball away a lot against crummy teams or squander a big lead.

The Spurs grow closer and singed Kevin Martin and Andre Miller for the playoffs.
The Thunder signed Nazi Muhammid (wtf) they should have got Joe Johnson or David Lee.
Not sure if the Spurs have a better match up against the Warriors or the Thunder, despite recent woes.


Off topic- Hi JM, no on the weather enjoyment, I am a sad old man with allergies, should be better in May.

Back on topic- sort of- My 3 point shot is dialed in, even from the NBA 3 line at the Meridan Y.
You would think way to go old dude.

Rob
 

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