2019-20 NBA Thread of Threads

[Germanshepherd]

Who wins: A team with the defending Finals MVP, a guy who finished 3rd in MVP Voting last year, two 6th man of the year award winners, a coach with Finals experience OR A husky Serbian man and his friend Jamal? 

[IceCap]

On 7/6/2019 at 5:01 AM, The Six said:

I can't believe it. The only thing that compares with this is getting Chris Paul, but that was a trade. The Clippers actually signed a big free agent.

 

One thing that can't be a coincidence: After meeting with the Lakers, we heard 60 announcements that it was "official" he's signing with them. His meeting with the Raptors was mobbed by half of Canada and we get the "99% sure" report from Jalen Rose. But we heard absolutely nothing from his meeting with the Clippers. They kept silent the whole time. No leaks. I'm sure the Quiet Man appreciated that.

 

1 hour ago, The Six said:

Turns out Kawhi Leonard is a terrible GM. Forcing the Clippers to trade for Paul George destroyed this team. Building around SGA would have been much more exciting.

 

There can't be any way Doc survives this, but seeing as how Ballmer's kept him through all the other failures, he'll probably get a new 5 year contract.

 

 

[GDAWG]

I hope it's as fun as the 2020 NFL draft was.  

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I looked up some of my off-season reactions:

 

On 7/6/2019 at 5:36 PM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I'm in Vegas now at Summer League and was surprised to learn about the PG/Kawhi move after 1. a gotdamn earthquake which happened 2. during a Penn and Teller show I saw.

 

After processing, it makes sense. Kawhi chose the New Balance of NBA franchises and has a younger, deeper bench.

 

They'll have a great regular season record, but I think I still like the Lakers in the playoffs, assuming everyone's healthy. As with most LeBron teams, he's surrounded himself with guys who have been there before and will likely add a couple more.

 

One note about Summer League: we're entering peak hipster Clippers fandom. You want to see white guys in ironic t-shirts, Clipppers hats and bad moustaches? Here we go!

 

On 7/7/2019 at 10:32 PM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

It's been the craziest off-season since 2016, for sure.
 

Those of us who are all-in on player empowerment but also LeBron James are going to need to have a reckoning on how Kawhi changed the off-season game.

 

There's a vocal contingent of eff the Lakers and eff LeBron that are okay with what Kawhi did, but somehow we're going to need to take a look at what he did to tank his value in San Antonio -- which is why Toronto got him for comparative peanuts -- and how we're supposed to feel about guys who are in year one of new max deals demanding trades. 

 

It worked out for both OKC and LAC, but eventually it won't for someone else.

 

On 7/10/2019 at 11:58 AM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

Perhaps. Or the Knicks. Who knows what Kawhi thinks?

 

I'm bitter he spurned the Lakers, but in a vacuum, I think what Kawhi is doing is great. Until the owners/governors get rid of max deals (a.k.a artificially depressed wages), players absolutely should leverage teams against each other.

 

On 7/11/2019 at 11:18 AM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I think the Clippers will be hard pressed to be the 2 seed if they start the season (and they will) without PG for a month. Load-managed Kawhi and LAC without SGA and DG means they'll need their bench to win 1 out of 3 games without their star players. Not impossible, but also not likely.

 

I think what will happen is Denver, Utah and Portland start strong because those guys all know each other.

 

Lakers will do the LeBron thing of starting out 15-10 and everyone asking if the whole off-season was a mistake, before they end up with 48-52 wins and a 4 seed.

 

I think the Clippers have the talent and ability to be a top 3 seed in the west, but I also think thwy won't be playing their guys as much as Houston, Denver and Utah, and that will make a difference in the standings.

 

So, to guess at the west (not making any guesses on the east until Westbrook is sorted):

 

1. Denver

2. Utah

3. Clippers

4. Lakers

5. Houston

6. Portland

7. Golden State

8. San Antonio/Dallas/New Orleans figure this out the last game of the season

 

Ultimately, the league wants to see LA/LA in the WCF, so hopefully the brackets make that a possibility.

 

On 7/23/2019 at 3:13 PM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I'm going to keep saying it until you jerks listen: the Clippers aren't playing for the 1 seed. Kawhi will play two thirds of the season and Paul George may not play until after Thanksgiving. They'll be good, but not regular-season good like Denver.

 

Denver will be approaching 60-65 wins. The Clips are going to top out at 55.

 

On 10/5/2019 at 5:36 PM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

It's preseason, but AD and LeBron are going to be a problem.

 

[TrueYankee26]

Playoff P? More like Wayoff P. Kawhi also folded like a cheap suit from JC Penney

[Magnus]

9 hours ago, The Six said:

Turns out Kawhi Leonard is a terrible GM. Forcing the Clippers to trade for Paul George destroyed this team. Building around SGA would have been much more exciting.

 

There can't be any way Doc survives this, but seeing as how Ballmer's kept him through all the other failures, he'll probably get a new 5 year contract.

Guess he should've stayed in the 6ix. Oh well. Being around family actually IS more important. At least he gets to go back to them now.

[Digby]

A choke to end all chokes. Do these guys just like, never practice? Between the lack of conditioning and chemistry ... like they never played on a basketball court together until that very night.

[Kramerica Industries]

On 9/15/2020 at 6:05 AM, IceCap said:

Not only that, but it has re-invigorated my love of basketball/the NBA in general. I would always tune in come playoff time, but this past season was probably the first NBA season I watched regularly since the Vince Carter years. And it's been a blast! It's a great game to get into.

 

As a Raptors fan, I can obviously understand this viewpoint and the 2019 championship being the fuel for it. But I'll just go the other way on this and say that, honestly, it's the fact that I don't really have a favorite NBA team that has allowed me to enjoy watching the sport more again in recent years. I mean, I've generally been the "regular season means nothing, how can I get into this" kind of curmudgeon, and I'm not even going to express any regrets for that because, really, it's not like I can change anything anymore (if I was watching more basketball, it would've meant watching less hockey), but there's more than one way to watch the game and enjoy it and that's what I've been doing more of in the last season or two.

 

I mean, maybe it's just my own experiences and not having the best personality to handle it, I dunno, but the older I've gotten, the more I find team fandoms to be absolutely taxing to deal with and have on more than one occasion wanted to just rid myself of them altogether (and if the Lightning collapse once again, I just might). To that end, watching competitions like the NBA and the Premier League is such a massive breath of fresh air. Because while, sure, there are some teams I might not like and situations where I find myself being nudged one way or another (this Nuggets-Clippers series was a great example of this), ultimately the only team I will ever be bothered by seeing win would be the Celtics, and that's only because of where they come from. I can live with that (and, even then, it's nothing compared to the Red Sox, Patriots, or Bruins, you know?). Anyone else winning or losing...meh. Much easier for me to watch when I don't generally have to care at all.

[speedy]

10 minutes ago, Kramerica Industries said:

 

As a Raptors fan, I can obviously understand this viewpoint and the 2019 championship being the fuel for it. But I'll just go the other way on this and say that, honestly, it's the fact that I don't really have a favorite NBA team that has allowed me to enjoy watching the sport more again in recent year. I mean, I've generally been the "regular season means nothing, how can I get into this" kind of curmudgeon, and I'm not even going to express and regrets for that because, really, it's not like I can change anything anymore (if I was watching more basketball, it would've meant watching less hockey), but there's more than one way to watch the game and enjoy it and that's what I've been doing more of in the last season or two.

 

I mean, maybe it's just my own experiences and not having the best personality to handle it, I dunno, but the older I've gotten, the more I find team fandoms to be absolutely taxing to deal with and have on more than one occasion wanted to just rid myself of them altogether (and if the Lightning collapse once again, I just might). To that end, watching competitions like the NBA and the Premier League is such a massive breath of fresh air. Because while, sure, there are some teams I might not like and situations where I find myself being nudged one way or another (this Nuggets-Clippers series was a great example of this), ultimately the only team I will ever be bothered by seeing win would be the Celtics, and that's only because of where they come from. I can live with that (and, even then, it's nothing compared to the Red Sox, Patriots, or Bruins, you know?). Anyone else winning or losing...meh. Much easier for me to watch when I don't generally have to care at all.

 

Patriots aside, because that fandom is just so intolerable on levels never before seen, the Celtics easily have the worst fans in this city. They are BRUTAL. 

[FiddySicks]

Yeah, Doc absolutely has to go, and if they want any hope of keeping Leonard, they need to figure out that roster, and quick. 

Maybe when Balmer moves them into the new yard, they should consider a rebrand. Have we as a sports society gained a single good thing from the Clippers existence? I mean, if you look at the history, it’s basically ALL been bad. That’s one brand I wouldn’t miss even a little bit. 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Seattle would happily take LA's sloppy seconds.

 

We're here for you, Ballmer. Come home.

[sky1324]

34 minutes ago, FiddySicks said:

Yeah, Doc absolutely has to go, and if they want any hope of keeping Leonard, they need to figure out that roster, and quick. 

Maybe when Balmer moves them into the new yard, they should consider a rebrand. Have we as a sports society gained a single good thing from the Clippers existence? I mean, if you look at the history, it’s basically ALL been bad. That’s one brand I wouldn’t miss even a little bit. 

 

The only good thing I can think of is the baby blue and orange scheme, but even then that started in Buffalo. Maybe the best thing to come of the Clippers will be the second Sonics.

[Digby]

2 hours ago, speedy said:

 

Patriots aside, because that fandom is just so intolerable on levels never before seen, the Celtics easily have the worst fans in this city. They are BRUTAL. 

 

Oh this is a taxonomy of New Englanders I'm very curious about.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

The Clippers HAVE to fire Doc Rivers. They have no other choice. This is an absolute embarrassment. A truly great coach would've gotten them all together and made sure they kept their foot on Denver's throat.

 

They didn't, and allowed their foot to slip. And Denver easily took advantage.

[IceCap]

Kawhi we love you. Come back, but get an exorcism first to get whatever malevolent demon is possessing the Clippers out of ya. 

[habsfan1]

Clippers Gonna Clip.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Man, people were talking Kawhi up so much. Best player in the NBA. Better than LeBron. Approaching MJ. FOH.

 

Kawhi won a title with Duncan, Manu and Ginobli. He won another with Lowry, Ibaka, Gasol, and Siakam. He flamed out with Paul George and double-digit leads. Kawhi is good as hell but also? That's it for him as The Guy.

[Ridleylash]

Good job reinforcing the narrative of never getting past the second round, Clippers. It's like you never left San Diego or Buffalo!

[IceCap]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Man, people were talking Kawhi up so much. Best player in the NBA. Better than LeBron. Approaching MJ. FOH.

 

Kawhi won a title with Duncan, Manu and Ginobli. He won another with Lowry, Ibaka, Gasol, and Siakam. He flamed out with Paul George and double-digit leads. Kawhi is good as hell but also? That's it for him as The Guy.

Not to downplay the rest of that Raptors team (because by G-d did they prove they could play even without him) but Kawhi was clutch in last year's playoffs. Everyone remembers the game seven buzzer beater against the 76ers in the second round. Compare that with...whatever it is he was doing last night in another second round game seven. I could hardly believe it. 

You're absolutely right that he had a better supporting cast in Toronto, but he still did everything he had to do- and more- when it was asked of him. 

 

So to see him just utterly skid out in a high pressure scenario...it was weird. I don't know what's up. Is it that he had a lesser supporting cast so he burnt out trying to do too much? Is it a pressure thing where he felt extra pressure to perform playing for a "hometown" team? Is it simply that the Clippers are going to Clip? 

 

It's just so weird. There was talk all of last season that he didn't want to be in Toronto. That he left after winning a championship would seem to lend credence to that. And yet he came through every time the Raptors needed a clutch performance from him. Meanwhile with the Clippers...he just seemed like he wanted to go home. 

 

@The Six made a cute remark last off-season that Leonard- being the Quiet Man and all- appreciated how the Clippers kept things quiet compared to the buzz around the Lakers and Canada getting excited over how their one NBA team may get to keep one of its top stars. 

 

Well let's examine what happened after that. The Clippers made Kawhi the centre of a marketing blitz. "LA our way," "Streetlights not spotlights," blah blah blah. 

Let's take The Six's assessment at face value. That Kawhi Leonard is a quiet dude who likes things low-key. You think the Clippers blurting his name out as the central figure of their massive inferiority complex-driven marketing campaign would be something he'd be fine with?

I don't know the guy so maybe...but if we're going to shame Canada for the buzz around last off-season's free agency then you have to concede that the Clippers weren't any better in how they made him the focus of their little brother syndrome. 

 

The Clippers took a spot against the Lakers in the WCF as a given all year. All the trash talk. All the silly billboards. All the talk about LeBron only being a Laker so he could make Space Jam 2...and it's LeBron and the Lakers in the WCF while the Clippers are left with another blown 3-1 series lead. There's a lesson here about an unearned sense of entitlement. 

[TrueYankee26]

19 minutes ago, IceCap said:

Not to downplay the rest of that Raptors team (because by G-d did they prove they could play even without him) but Kawhi was clutch in last year's playoffs. Everyone remembers the game seven buzzer beater against the 76ers in the second round. Compare that with...whatever it is he was doing last night in another second round game seven. I could hardly believe it. 

You're absolutely right that he had a better supporting cast in Toronto, but he still did everything he had to do- and more- when it was asked of him. 

 

So to see him just utterly skid out in a high pressure scenario...it was weird. I don't know what's up. Is it that he had a lesser supporting cast so he burnt out trying to do too much? Is it a pressure thing where he felt extra pressure to perform playing for a "hometown" team? Is it simply that the Clippers are going to Clip? 

 

It's just so weird. There was talk all of last season that he didn't want to be in Toronto. That he left after winning a championship would seem to lend credence to that. And yet he came through every time the Raptors needed a clutch performance from him. Meanwhile with the Clippers...he just seemed like he wanted to go home. 

 

@The Six made a cute remark last off-season that Leonard- being the Quiet Man and all- appreciated how the Clippers kept things quiet compared to the buzz around the Lakers and Canada getting excited over how their one NBA team may get to keep one of its top stars. 

 

Well let's examine what happened after that. The Clippers made Kawhi the centre of a marketing blitz. "LA our way," "Streetlights not spotlights," blah blah blah. 

Let's take The Six's assessment at face value. That Kawhi Leonard is a quiet dude who likes things low-key. You think the Clippers blurting his name out as the central figure of their massive inferiority complex-driven marketing campaign would be something he'd be fine with?

I don't know the guy so maybe...but if we're going to shame Canada for the buzz around last off-season's free agency then you have to concede that the Clippers weren't any better in how they made him the focus of their little brother syndrome. 

 

The Clippers took a spot against the Lakers in the WCF as a given all year. All the trash talk. All the silly billboards. All the talk about LeBron only being a Laker so he could make Space Jam 2...and it's LeBron and the Lakers in the WCF while the Clippers are left with another blown 3-1 series lead. There's a lesson here about an unearned sense of entitlement. 

Clippers new slogan should be Fold not Gold and Chumps not Champs.