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NBA / NCAA Basketball

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Re:

Alpe d'Huez said:
I don't much follow the NBA that close. Can someone explain to me how the Warriors can afford Durant and only lose maybe one (lesser) player in the process?

They in fact have lost six players so far, including two starters (Bogut and Barnes), and four bench players. Durant is obviously an upgrade on Barnes, but the Warriors haven't really gotten a full replacement for Bogut. They signed ZaZa Pachulia at a bargain price, and he may be better offensively than Bogut, but not on defense. That means more will be asked of Draymond Green, who hasn't helped matters by just getting arrested for assault.

The bottom line: the Warriors' starting five should be even better offensively next year, but with some defensive vulnerabilities, and their bench probably not as good. That matters a lot in the regular season. The bench played a big role in the 73 wins, not only by out-playing most of their counterparts, but playing nearly as well as and sometimes better than the starters of many teams, allowing the GS starters to rest much of the fourth quarter when the team had a decent lead. In the playoffs, though, the starters play a little more, and the bench deficits should not be as important.

There are other advantages of Durant. With four great players, the team can afford to lose one to injury. Curry's injury might have doomed the Warriors if they had had to play the Clippers instead of the Blazers in the second round, and it might have cost them the series against Cleveland, as he apparently was not quite 100%. A team with any three of Curry, Durant, Thompson, and Green would probably still be stronger than any of its opponents.

Durant's presence also allows the team to stagger the starters. They might not play all four of the stars together all the time, but have one or two of them usually playing with the bench, to strengthen the second team. That also makes sense because there may be diminishing returns with all four, i.e., when all four are on the floor at the same time, the team may not be able to maximize the contributions of each. Kerr will have to figure that out. I expect to see a lot of experimenting with different lineups.

When they did the last CBA the one thing I remember hearing Stern and others talk about how this new contract would level the playing field and allow more teams to compete overall. But as I see it, even at the start of the season this year people said there were maybe 5 teams with a chance to win the title. Now, everyone is saying almost for certain we'll see Golden State vs. Cleveland for the third year in a row.

There's a good chance of that. By adding Durant, the Warriors not only improved, they basically torpedoed OKC as a contender, and with Duncan retiring and Parker and Ginobili in decline, the Spurs really could have used Durant. So it's hard to see any team challenging GS in the west--I'd imagine the Clippers and the Blazers will be among the next-best teams--and Cleveland should be favored in the east. But LeBron is aging, and any decline in his performance (actually, it's already started) could be critical.
 
Jan 24, 2012
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Don't worry. The great 6ers will be a top team ASAP. A starting lineup of EMBIID, NOEL, SIMMONS, OKAFOR, and SARIC will tower over all other teams. 6ers to win NBA championships 2017-29, and 2031 as a last hurrah.

That's like 7'2", 6'11", 6'10", 6'11", and 6'10" by the way...
 
As I pay more attention to the NCAA, on paper the Sixers do look like a team built for 2018 and beyond, size or not. That's a heap of young talent. But if they were worst in the NBA last year, is Simmons really going to put them over the top? We'll see I guess.
 
I like the wolves better. They have the previous 3 #1 draft players and though 1 is a bust, the other 2 both won rookie of the year and have proven themselves really good. Wiggins is already a all star and KAT is being regarded as potentially the best player drafted this decade. That's 2 superstars they can ride like thunder rode kd and Westbrook. On top of that they have the 2 time slam dunk champion as sg, two young number 5 overall picks as pg and a well respected coach.
 
Re:

Alpe d'Huez said:
As I pay more attention to the NCAA, on paper the Sixers do look like a team built for 2018 and beyond, size or not. That's a heap of young talent. But if they were worst in the NBA last year, is Simmons really going to put them over the top? We'll see I guess.
No, but I've read that he is playing really well in summer ball.
 
Right, very little interest in March Madness around here still (so I won't create a new thread for it), but who here has actually filled out a brrrrrrrracket? (Has to be done by tonight before all the madness begins first thing tomorrow morning!)

I filled out mine, have Kansas eating the whole cake. (Doesn't mean I like them, it's just I think that is how the cookie will roll this year.)
 
As much as I love the Zags I think they'll be the first #1 seed to fall.

Got Villanova going against Kansas in the final, Kansas wins by one point. (Just to make it that extra painful for Villanova.[Don't actually care, or even like, either team.])

After the first round I'm only at 86% on my bracket, it's a good thing I don't bet any money on this.
 
Jan 24, 2012
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Re:

Tricycle Rider said:
As much as I love the Zags I think they'll be the first #1 seed to fall.

Got Villanova going against Kansas in the final, Kansas wins by one point. (Just to make it that extra painful for Villanova.[Don't actually care, or even like, either team.])

After the first round I'm only at 86% on my bracket, it's a good thing I don't bet any money on this.
RIP
 
Re: Re:

Tricycle Rider said:
Sciocco said:
Wow, how embarrassing for Villanova. I shouldn't have underestimated the Badgers, though.

So yep, my bracket is busted. I'll refrain from making any further predictions till the weekend is over, who knows what will happen next? (This is why I love this tourney so much, it can be so wacky.)
I love how some Villanova supporters are complaining that they got robbed by the selection committee for seeding Wisconsin as an eight seed when they should have been higher, which would have allowed Villanova to play a more lowly team, and perhaps win the game... :rolleyes: :D
 
Re: Re:

Irondan said:
Villanova supporters are complaining that they got robbed by the selection committee for seeding Wisconsin as an eight seed when they should have been higher, which would have allowed Villanova to play a more lowly team, and perhaps win the game... :rolleyes: :D
I wouldn't really know, I haven't been paying much attention to college b-ball up until now. I just look up the rankings before the tourney starts, and then I go by what have traditionally been good teams. Like Gonzaga, for example...


They're very good for such a small school, but I just don't think they have that extra push to make it to the very top. Hope I'm wrong this year. (Also have the local Ducks only making it to the Sweet Sixteen, I don't think they have the basketball tradition either to make it past the Elite Eight.)

Well anyhoo, go Bulldogs! (And Ducks.)

PS - How the frick is my bracket still at 95% with Nova's loss? I'm sure that will change when the day is over. :eek:
 
Re:

Tricycle Rider said:
Whoa, Kentucky barely squeaked by Wichita, let's see what they can do against UCLA. (Have Kentucky going against UNC in the Elie Eight, I think, can't really read these latest ESPN bracket incarnations clearly.)
I was shocked at how Kentucky struggled to win this game. The Wildcats squeaking by #10 Wichita St?...unbelievable. Kentucky's loaded with *5* McDonald's All-Americans on their roster, with 4 starting (McDonald's All-Americans are considerd all-world in the H.S. spectrum). De'Aaron Fox is only a freshman and is probably one & done with a bright future in the NBA. It seems Kentucky, like Bama in football, just reloads every year with pro level talent. I think it'll be considered a colossal failure if Kentucky doesn't make it to the final four.
 
Mar 13, 2009
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Lonzo Ball ftw.

Now, if he develops a Reggie Lewis/Rip Hamilton* mid-range game, he could surpass Nash and Kidd, note, I said, 'could'.

The guy just sees the game a bit differently than everyone else. I am a bit too young to have seen Magic in his heyday, and see his court vision. Well, Lonzo has 'arena vision'.

I would not worry about his dad.

*Rip^2 cos it is Hamilton's phonetic nickname. Did Paul Pierce also have a mid-range? Drexler too. I almost got invited to his house by his ob-gyn, no joke.
 
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not just Stockton, think aussies have been at Gonzaga. Did Milwaukee/Cleveland Delly go to the bulldogs, or dogs, whatever hound?

There may be other aussies on there.

ofcourse, i am a white australian nationalist* [sic]
 
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re: Lonzo's mid-range. Well, he never needed to show anything, and the 'metrics' game, saying that aint a percentage shot.

the court's geometry has changed since I played.

He may have something inherent in his arsenal, that he has not been forced into showing, because the vacuum on a college court is effectively bigger, cos the defenses dont move with alacrity of the pros
 
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Re: Re:

Nomad said:
Tricycle Rider said:
Whoa, Kentucky barely squeaked by Wichita, let's see what they can do against UCLA. (Have Kentucky going against UNC in the Elie Eight, I think, can't really read these latest ESPN bracket incarnations clearly.)
I was shocked at how Kentucky struggled to win this game. The Wildcats squeaking by #10 Wichita St?...unbelievable. Kentucky's loaded with *5* McDonald's All-Americans on their roster, with 4 starting (McDonald's All-Americans are considerd all-world in the H.S. spectrum). De'Aaron Fox is only a freshman and is probably one & done with a bright future in the NBA. It seems Kentucky, like Bama in football, just reloads every year with pro level talent. I think it'll be considered a colossal failure if Kentucky doesn't make it to the final four.

Kentucky gotta go thru Lonzo and UCLA.

high-school all-american values an individual who is athletic, and can beat up on high-school defences, once the AA Mcdonalds player shows versus a D1 college defense, who are 5 professional level defenders and athletes, the AA player is then asked to modify his game, and show his real potential.

talent like Lonzo Ball's for running a team, and floor vision, for spacing the floor and getting the ball into the hands of his scorers, wont necessarily be a trait that is manifested in highschool.

One guy to look for, is a highschool jnr, from Mater Dei in LA, Spencer Freedman. Steve Nash clone. Guy is only rated top 100 in highschool, he will go to the NBA fo' shur.

He has been recruited by harvard and stanford. stanford have athletic scholarships, harvard you gotta pay ur own way. Or atleast ten years ago during jeremy lin's time, no athletic scholarships.

I reckon Freedman will go to Duke. Their academic program not far below Stanford, and he will be able to play in the march tourney. Josh Childress went from Stanford to the NBA. 7th draftpick in first round, or thereabouts...
 

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