2014-5 NBA Season Thread: We Are North American Ballerz

[cappital92]

The topic du jour in hoops circles is who has the best backcourt in the league. As evidenced by my avatar and signature, I have a dog in this fight. Personally, my rankings are:

1. Warriors (Curry/Thompson)

2. Clippers (Paul/Redick)

3. Wizards (Wall/Beal)

4. Suns (Dragic/Bledsoe)

5. Cavaliers (Irving/Waiters)

6. Raptors (Lowry/DeRozan)

7. Bulls (Rose/Butler)

8. Hornets (Walker/Stephenson)

9. Trail Blazers (Lillard/Matthews)

10. Spurs (Parker/Green)

I feel torn on not having the Rockets on here, but overall I feel good about this list. It's a little PG heavy though. Wouldn't mind seeing the Jazz or Timberwolves change that.

[Germanshepherd]

East

1. Cavs

2. Bulls

3. Wiz

4. Heat

5. Raps

6. Charlotte

7. Hawks

8. NYK

West

1. Spurs

2. OKC

3. La Clippers

4. Rockets

5. Blazers

6. Mavs

7. Golden State

8. PHX

[BlackBolt3]

The Hornets are made to be a mid-seed playoff team. We know they aren't better than the Cavs and the Bulls, but they aren't Bobcats level bad. In other words, 3-7 Seed Hell, just like the old Hornets. Some things just never get old...

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

East

1. Cleveland

2. Chicago

3. Washington

4. Toronto

5. Charlotte

6. Miami

7. Atlanta

8. Detroit

9. Indiana

10. Brooklyn

11. New York

12. Orlando

13. Boston

14. Milwaukee

15. Philadelphia

ECF- Cleveland over Chicago

West

1. Oklahoma City

2. LA Clippers

3. Golden State

4. San Antonio

5. Dallas

6. Portland

7. Memphis

8. New Orleans

9. Houston

10. Phoenix

11. Denver

12. Sacramento

13. Minnesota

14. LA Lakers

15. Utah

WCF- Oklahoma City over LA Clippers

NBA Finals- Cleveland over OKC

[buzzcut]

NBA will announce tomorrow that ESPN and Turner are extending their deals through possibly a decade and at price of $2 Billion annualy.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Glad that's done. Now they fan bring the Sonics back?

[dbadefense1990]

NBA will announce tomorrow that ESPN and Turner are extending their deals through possibly a decade and at price of $2 Billion annualy.

Damn! No NBC and "Roundball Rock" for another decade.

[The_Admiral]

If NBC still owns the rights, they should let the RSNs (Bulls, Warriors, Wizards, Celtics, 76ers, Trail Blazers, Rockets?) use it. Or we could all petition Turner to buy the rights. They might do it; they like being cool.

[MadmanLA]

If NBC still owns the rights, they should let the RSNs (Bulls, Warriors, Wizards, Celtics, 76ers, Trail Blazers, Rockets?) use it. Or we could all petition Turner to buy the rights. They might do it; they like being cool.

I thought the same thing, especially now since NBC Sports has more control over the Comcast RSNs. Either that, or they don't want to pay John Tesh no more royalities.

Comcast's Houston network is being sold to AT&T/DirecTV, to become Root Sports Houston in a matter of time.

[dfwabel]

NBA will announce tomorrow that ESPN and Turner are extending their deals through possibly a decade and at price of $2 Billion annualy.

And get ready for a lockout.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

I think I might take an NBA break. Although it's more expected, the Pistons will just disappoint me like the Tigers and Lions. I can't take it.

[Sanic]

I'm thinking something closer to this:

1. Cleveland (growing pains, but no one else in the east is really any good)

8. Miami (Bosh, Deng, and the ghost of D-Wade is still better than most of the east)

You won't even hear anything else from ESPN after that, guaranteed

[CS85]

Is there any way the NBA would ever consider adopting the MLB's playoff format? I'd love to see a return to 'best 3-of-5' series and a 'play-in' would be awesome.

Regular season's becoming a race of basketball attrition. Teams are merely surviving in order to qualify. Playoffs are too long and basketball fatigue sets in right as the finals begin. The timing often coincides with prime baseball season play and the Stanley Cup final, which makes caring so much harder.

[cappital92]

I think I might take an NBA break. Although it's more expected, the Pistons will just disappoint me like the Tigers and Lions. I can't take it.

I honestly think the Pistons'll surprise you this season. SVG is a very good coach, and he could turn things around sooner rather then later. Also, Andre Drummond might be a top 3 center in a few years. He's talented and proved a lot of pre-draft scouting wrong about him. I'm skeptical on if they make the playoffs, but they should have a marked improvement over last season.

[JayMac]

I think I might take an NBA break. Although it's more expected, the Pistons will just disappoint me like the Tigers and Lions. I can't take it.

If I weren't such a big Orioles fan, I'd feel bad for you. I think that the Pistons will be a bit of a surprise.

[tBBP]

Is there any way the NBA would ever consider adopting the MLB's playoff format? I'd love to see a return to 'best 3-of-5' series and a 'play-in' would be awesome.

Regular season's becoming a race of basketball attrition. Teams are merely surviving in order to qualify. Playoffs are too long and basketball fatigue sets in right as the finals begin. The timing often coincides with prime baseball season play and the Stanley Cup final, which makes caring so much harder.

And on the other side of that...certain teams are tanking for draft picks. That don't help none, neither.

Actually I think the NBA could use a full-scale overhaul of the way it does its financials...I know I can't be the only one who's both bemused and confused about "max players", "mid-level exceptions", and "signing/trading for expiring contracts". No other top tier (U.S.) league does any of this...that I know of (?). Sometimes that mess seems to have more of a negative effect than it needs to. Maybe that's something that could be explored in the next collective bargaining agreement?

The other thing is the whole superteam thing. We can't even pin this on LeBron/Miami...this started (or at least the ballyhooed celebration of such) started in Boston with KG and Ray Allen joining Paul Pierce (though i guess one could probably trace it further back to Gary Payton and Karl Malone teaming up with Kobe and Co. in L.A.). While i don't fault the players for signing where they wish if they feel it gives them the best chance to win a ring, I selfishly pine for the days when the best weren't afraid to play against each other rather than being so quick to team up with each other...something to be said about steel sharpening steel, and it'd probably help do something about the relative dearth of competitive balance in the league today.

Anyway, those are just my two rusted Lincolns on the subject...feel free to disregard them if you wish. And go Pacers. (!)

[The_Admiral]

Actually I think the NBA could use a full-scale overhaul of the way it does its financials...I know I can't be the only one who's both bemused and confused about "max players", "mid-level exceptions", and "signing/trading for expiring contracts". No other top tier (U.S.) league does any of this...that I know of (?). Sometimes that mess seems to have more of a negative effect than it needs to. Maybe that's something that could be explored in the next collective bargaining agreement?

The NHL has some weird financial quirks (what long-term injured reserve is and isn't, bonus cushions, stuff like that) but most of it is basic math that anyone can figure out except for Paul Holmgren and Dale Tallon. The NFL can be pretty complicated with its cap, but non-guaranteed contracts mean the whole thing is kind of a charade anyway. The NBA was designed only to be understandable by accountants who also hold law degrees. It makes your head spin. I'd love it if they made it simpler.

[CS85]

Actually I think the NBA could use a full-scale overhaul of the way it does its financials...I know I can't be the only one who's both bemused and confused about "max players", "mid-level exceptions", and "signing/trading for expiring contracts". No other top tier (U.S.) league does any of this...that I know of (?). Sometimes that mess seems to have more of a negative effect than it needs to. Maybe that's something that could be explored in the next collective bargaining agreement?

The NHL has some weird financial quirks (what long-term injured reserve is and isn't, bonus cushions, stuff like that) but most of it is basic math that anyone can figure out except for Paul Holmgren and Dale Tallon. The NFL can be pretty complicated with its cap, but non-guaranteed contracts mean the whole thing is kind of a charade anyway. The NBA was designed only to be understandable by accountants who also hold law degrees. It makes your head spin. I'd love it if they made it simpler.

Is a lockout like to overhaul this system?

Edit: That question is loose and dumb sounding. How about this: With LeBron pushing for the end of max deals and an obvious change to the salary cap system, how do you believe the NBA would benefit most from a lockout?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I liked the NBA when Jordan made $33 million and everyone else could piss up a rope.

[cappital92]

Kevin Durant (and Bradley Beal with a wrist injury) will be out for 6-8 weeks. Westbrook might put up MVP numbers in KD's absence.