2013-14 NBA Season: Random Thoughts Thread

[spreedom]

• One reason why I don't think the Clippers can win the championship this year is because I don't think they're going to be good enough on offense in the half-court... JJ Redick is really going to help them there because he's so smart as a passer and moving without the ball.... but other than that I still think they're going to struggle in half-court sets. Also, I think they should consider starting Matt Barnes over Jared Dudley to give their starting 5 a little more defensive help. Blake is a very mediocre defender and DeAndre Jordan doesn't do anything well defensively except when he gets the block.
• Xavier Henry looks like he might be a rare bright spot off of the Lakers' bench. They're going to have a hard time beating anybody unless Pau Gasol and Nash time warp to 2009 again.

[EricaLubarsky]

Clips are built for the regular season and not the post-season. It's like the Mavs were in 01-05. They could win in the regular season but no real hopes to win it all. I will be very surprised if they even get to the WCF.

In that regard, the West is open. The Thunder are my favorites to win the West, but even they've shed some of their edge and are an injury or two away from being bounced early. San Antonio is always a competitor, but they don't blow anyone away with talent. They just play precise, smart ball. Memphis lost a lot with their coach. Lakers will fight to make the playoffs. Nugs are much worse.

About the only other teams that I see challenging the spots and going far in the playoffs are Warriors and Rockets and both teams have huge question marks. Warriors have an efficiency problem and a few injury bugs. Houston has some roster holes and the chemistry thing.

[EricaLubarsky]

Did we screw the pooch on MCW and Schroeder? Both look solid.

MCW with 22pts, 12ast, 9stl, 7reb

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Did we screw the pooch on MCW and Schroeder? Both look solid.

MCW with 22pts, 12ast, 9stl, 7reb

MCW was drafted before the Mavs' pick so I'm not sure how that would qualify. Remains to be seen on Schroeder, but I have a sneaking suspicion he ends up better than Larkin. But who really knows.

[EricaLubarsky]

Forgot he went 11th completely. He was predicted to go 16-23 for so long before the draft. I guess that's what I was thinking about.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Forgot he went 11th completely. He was predicted to go 16-23 for so long before the draft. I guess that's what I was thinking about.

Yeah, I distinctly recall thinking he'd likely fall to the Mavs' spot before the draft, too. Too bad....

[DevinHarriswillstart]

MCW has size, length, and athleticism...a deadly trio. Still, the Heat were on a b2b so I wouldn't freak out quite yet.

[spreedom]

Very exciting finish in Minnesota as the Wolves squeak by the Magic in overtime. Kevin Love had a monster game. He's my favorite non-Maverick (living just south of the Twin Cities for most of my life) so I'm glad to see him healthy and kicking some ass again.

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Did we screw the pooch on MCW and Schroeder? Both look solid.

MCW with 22pts, 12ast, 9stl, 7reb

I remember hearing that the Mavs had a draft day deal to move up if the guy they were targeting fell one more spot. Always assumed it was McLemore. Adams, MCW, Noel? We may never know but interesting to speculate about.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Chris Paul's mid-range jumper is such a thing of beauty, as much as I detest him.

[LSMF]

Anyone watching this Kings-Clippers game? Im hoping the Kings find a way to pull this one out.

PS - Isaiah Thomas is a beast.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Sixers are 3-0, lolz.

Spencer Hawes might be the most underrated big in the NBA.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by GhostOfAdamMorrison

Sixers are 3-0, lolz.

Vegas O/U was 13-14 total wins for the season.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Vegas O/U was 13-14 total wins for the season.

Before the season I wasn't sure if they'd hit double-digits.

MCW had a TERRIBLE pre-season. He was an awful shooter at Syracuse as well. We'll see if that sticks or it's like Jennings rookie 50 point fluke. Nonetheless, his passing and defense is legit. Hawes looks great. Young is another underrated guy. Wroten is looking like a steal pickup. Pretty impressive. Interested to see how the GM handles this...

[DevinHarriswillstart]

lol at Mayo coming off the bench last night.

[Bayliss]

Westbrook playing tonight. I was hoping the Mavs would catch the Thunder w/o Westbrook.

[spreedom]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

lol at Mayo coming off the bench last night.

Much better role for him if there aren't any shot-creators in the starting lineup. That's a huge area of need for the Bucks. They have like 10 very good catch-and-shoot players, but nobody to create those open looks.

Edit: Ironically, Monta would be a pretty good fit for that starting lineup if he'd be disciplined enough to play the facilitator role. Calderon would make more sense on their roster than he seems to on ours.

[grndmstr_c]

Looking forward to watching some of the GS/Minny game tonight. Minny's on the short list of teams with a chance at making a real jump in the standings this season, and IMO GS has the single best 5-man unit going right now, even if health questions are going to be there all year for both squads. Should be a good game.

[sike]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

Looking forward to watching some of the GS/Minny game tonight. Minny's on the short list of teams with a chance at making a real jump in the standings this season, and IMO GS has the single best 5-man unit going right now, even if health questions are going to be there all year for both squads. Should be a good game.

mention "health questions" and they appear.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Steve Blake just jizzed all over Houston.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by sike

mention "health questions" and they appear.

Better add Andrew Bynum as his own team.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Rockets have no bench.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Rockets have no bench.

Casspi is great off the bench, and so is Lin (coming off the bench...that might change soon). Outside of that, they lack some depth. What they ought to (and probably will eventually) do is start Casspi or Donatas at the 4 and bring Asik off the bench.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Deron Williams is not that good.

[Cerberus]

Anyone see Dwyane Wade's blunder?

Heat are up 110 - 108 Boston with 0.6 seconds remaining while Wade is about to shoot Free throws.

Made missed first free throw. Then intentionally misses the next one...BUT, he needed to hit the rim with the ball to make it a valid miss to waste the remaining 0.6 seconds. He instead just chucks the ball at the back board; a violation, giving Boston 0.6 to inbound.

Jeff Green then sinks a 3-pointer infront of LeBrons face mind you, out of a timeout from the same spot Ray Allen hit the 3 from game 6 of the finals.

Not sure if a video is uploaded now, but there will be.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Yep, Houston still doesn't have a bench.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Yep, Houston still doesn't have a bench.

Again, they do. It's just not deep.

Btw, tonight:

Lin: +1
Casspi: +8
Garcia: +3

D12: -12
Harden: -19
Parsons: -21

I guess they still don't have starters.

[grndmstr_c]

^ They'd be in better shape both ways if they'd bring Asik off the bench. I honestly don't know why Mchale's sticking with that silly experiment of starting him and Dwight together.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

^ They'd be in better shape both ways if they'd bring Asik off the bench. I honestly don't know why Mchale's sticking with that silly experiment of starting him and Dwight together.

Yeah, I agree. That's what I said earlier. Start Casspi or Donatas.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Looks like KG finally fell off the cliff.

[grndmstr_c]

Just glanced at the standings...there are currently only four teams in the West with losing records, wheras in the East there are only three teams with winning records, and two divisions in which all but one team is below .500.

[j0Shi]

Miami is 4-3 and 3rd in the East.
We are 4-3 and 9th in the West.

Fix it already.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Looks like KG finally fell off the cliff.

Nets trying to edge out the Yanks as NYC's most overpaid/underachieving sports franchise.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

The Nets just have very little offensive ability outside of Lopez.

KG is done offensively. Nothing more than a pick and pop mid-range shooter. JJ is nothing more than a spot-up shooter now. Deron looks awful (and really hasn't looked good as a Net). Pierce can still create on certain nights. But they really lack the ability to create shots.

[spreedom]

Kevin Love is the MVP through the first 6-7 games of the season.

[EricaLubarsky]

Love is an enormous asshole, but you can't argue with 27-14-5, and more importantly-- the 5-2 start.

[spreedom]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Love is an enormous asshole, but you can't argue with 27-14-5, and more importantly-- the 5-2 start.

Yeah, I could do without that part and his flopping, but damn, he is can't-miss TV right now. His offense looks even more refined than it was a couple of years ago. The Wolves are probably the most entertaining team in the league so far.

[FreshJive]

I was really looking forward to the Wolves vs Clips tonight. Not disappointed.

[FreshJive]

Kevin Love 7 ast
Blake Griffin 5 ast
Kelly Olynyk 5 ast

Big men passing the ball and also having big scoring nights.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Poor OJ Mayo...

0:01 O.J. Mayo bad pass (Arron Afflalo steals) 91-94
0:00 End of the 4th Quarter

Magic Win