2014-15 Official NBA Season Thread

[Reason]

spurs vs cavs, spurs in 4, just like 2007

or spurs in 6 over the bulls

[alpha]

LeBron vs the Spurs for a third straight year... I'll pass

[binary]

as a dubs fan....do not want to play Spurs, ever.

[Tweak Da Leak]

Cleveland the only team that really worries me

Clips vs Spurs
and
Clips vs GSW

both toss ups.

[an-also]

[stupidregister]

Seriously, they were just fucking around until now. Kawhi is the most underrated superstar in the league. He's better than Paul George, he's better than Jimmy Butler, he's better than Klay, maybe even better than James Harden depending on how you look at it. How the reigning champs and Finals MVP keep getting slept on is beyond me but go ahead with your Cavs and Dubs, that's cool. We'll see who's still standing.

[naturalborn103]

Outside of casual fans I don't think anyone underrates Kawhi.

[Tweak Da Leak]

Athletic bigs give the spurs issues

remember when OKC spanked em out of the WCF? Even a hobbled OKC gave spurs some issues last year.

[alpha]

Outside of casual fans I don't think anyone underrates Kawhi.

This.

[stupidregister]

Yeah, he's still underrated. He's not talked about in the same breath as any of those guys I've mentioned. What the fuck have any of them ever done in the playoffs? I would take him over Harden any day of the week.

[capable_keL]

[unclebengi]

Pretty sweet to go to a 'cers game that actually mattered tonight. PG slowly but surely looking more comfortable. Played his most minutes tonight in 18 and told the coaches he felt fine and could've played more down the stretch. It still doesn't sound like he expects to be himself till next season, but it'll be interesting how much run they give him the playoffs if they make it there. Going to Memphis tomorrow night after playing double OT will be a challenge, but they can still make it even if they lose with a little help from the Nets. It's crazy to think because of how much it seemed Lance meant to last year's team, but this team with a healthy Paul George is better than last year's Pacers team. CJ Miles and Stuckey are solid contributors and George Hill has played by far his best basketball as a pro this year. I still doubt they could beat the Hawks because Hibbert is such a POS and PG just isn't there yet, but I think they could take a couple games and make it interesting.

[GUCCI CONDOMS]

Outside of casual fans I don't think anyone underrates Kawhi.

Leonard is great, but he still doesn't have the mindset to be a leader or take over a game. It will come, but he's not there yet...

[unclebengi]

^ This is why he'll always be underrated. He takes over the game and leads every night...on the defensive end. He wrecks gameplans, takes players away, and breaks team's wills all by himself. AND he's becoming a player that has to be doubled offensively and is learning to play make out of those double teams.

Kawhi's effect on the game on D is huge and because of his ability to defend multiple positions I'd argue it's more valuable than what any player brings to the court on the offensive end save Lebron in F-U mode.

[GUCCI CONDOMS]

^ This is why he'll always be underrated. He takes over the game and leads every night...on the defensive end. He wrecks gameplans, takes players away, and breaks team's wills all by himself. AND he's becoming a player that has to be doubled offensively and is learning to play make out of those double teams.

Kawhi's effect on the game on D is huge and because of his ability to defend multiple positions I'd argue it's more valuable than what any player brings to the court on the offensive end save Lebron in F-U mode.

So are you saying he should be the defensive player of the year? Yea hes "becoming" a player that needs to be doubled offensively, like I said he's not all the way there yet, but it will come. As far as being a leader, he's a quiet kid, but that will come too, he has great people around him that will pass the torch to him properly when the time comes.

[alpha]

If he was healthy all year, he's without a doubt DPOY. He doesn't need to lead yet with the older guys on the team.

[alpha]

Can anyone make a reasonabl guess if the dubs play Saturday or Sunday as the one seed? Tryin to plan my weekend

[Reason]

The Pacers and Nets are in an "exhilarating" battle for the final playoff spot

This raises an interesting question for uncleben

On one hand you had to lower your expectations for the season after Paul George got hurt

On the other hand this team was an Eastern conference finals contender the last few years so you would hope that even if they lost their best player they would still be able to stumble into the playoffs

Then again Paul George made a largely successful return which had to make a lot of Pacers fans happy

But on the flipside you would still want to make the playoffs because you could potentially upset the top seed and because you are a win now team

But then again getting a lottery pick that you can keep and use and possibly draft one of the Kentucky players for example is not a bad look

So if they miss the playoffs in your opinion is it a lost season or a predictable season or a good season all things considered in retrospect?

From my Nets fan point of view the shit is pitiful

If we lose against Orlando which is remarkably possible we miss the playoffs

If the Pacers beat the grizzlies then we miss the playoffs

If we miss the playoffs we swap our first round pick with Atlanta's thereby effectively reducing the player from an exciting young prospects to a boring low ceiling player

Fuck.

By the way this is year five of Prokhorov's five year championship plan

[Reason]

Can anyone make a reasonabl guess if the dubs play Saturday or Sunday as the one seed? Tryin to plan my weekend

Honestly if I were you I would just look at the number one seeds schedules from past playoffs in recent years to check on that

Not saying a pattern will emerge but if I had to guess I would guess that top seeds get a little bit of consideration that way (even if just for television ratings purposes)

[Reason]

Yeah, he's still underrated. He's not talked about in the same breath as any of those guys I've mentioned. What the fuck have any of them ever done in the playoffs? I would take him over Harden any day of the week.

A few pages ago in this thread I surmised that in reality if we were all less swayed by totals and numbers we would recognize Leonard as a top 10 NBA player

would you agree with that? That he is actually a top ten player that is

I'm there already. I think he is.

[Tweak Da Leak]

LOL Barkley so not only is Deandre DMVP but also the best player on the Clips, lol at both of those notions. Gobert, Bogut, Green, and Kawhi all deserve it more than Deandre.

[stupidregister]

would you agree with that? That he is actually a top ten player that is

I'm there already. I think he is.

Absolutely he is. I was really close to calling him Top 5 in the league in the same echelon as Brow and Durant but I scaled back a little bit because I still want him to do it for longer. But he's definitely top 10. In no order:

James
Durant
Brow
Westbrick
Kawhi
CP3
Steph
Harden
Kyrie/Lillard/LMA/DMC

Whomever else you want to throw in.

[unclebengi]

Reason, as far as the Pacers season I was all about tanking earlier in the year when they were playing horribly, but I've come around and want them to make it now. I'd be fine if they didn't though and would hope Trey Lyles would drop to them as a talented local kid who's always done everything the right way.

The thing that really changed for me was the emergence of Stuckey and CJ Miles. Neither are great defenders, but they're not liabilities on that end and offer great contrasting offensive skills that the team really needs. After seeing the season Lance has had, the tradeoff from him and Evan Turner into Miles and Stuckey has been a great one. The one thing that sucks for the 'cers is that Hibbert and West have player options for next year which I'd almost certainly imagine they will take. West still brings a lot to the table, but he has regressed this year and lost almost any athleticism he had left. Hibbert is a shell of himself and the team would gladly trade him for minimal return. If they get the George Hill of this year next year and PG becomes himself again, a core of those two with Stuckey, Miles, and West is very solid. They will still need to get younger and more athletic at both big spots and at backup PG, but they're at a much better spot than I thought they'd be at earlier this year.

Getting a lottery pick may be better long term, but picking 13 vs 15 isn't that big of a difference, I'm just happy they have a pick since they didn't have one last year. Now if a future all star goes at 12 or 13 and Pacers get a scrub with the 15th pick, I'll take all of this back in 3 years.

[Reason]

The thing that really changed for me was the emergence of Stuckey and CJ Miles. Neither are great defenders, but they're not liabilities on that end and offer great contrasting offensive skills that the team really needs. After seeing the season Lance has had, the tradeoff from him and Evan Turner into Miles and Stuckey has been a great one.

great points, i'll say lance was basically given the ideal situation to thrive last year and evan was given a pretty shitty one. now that turner is used properly to his strengths he is making positive impacts in games overall. and now that lance isn't in his comfort zone that indy allowed him last year, he blows. plus injuries, but still.

miles and stuckey meanwhile definitely are being used both to their strengths and with plenty of opportunities so maybe that greases their defensive gears a bit

[Reason]

would you agree with that? That he is actually a top ten player that is

I'm there already. I think he is.

Absolutely he is. I was really close to calling him Top 5 in the league in the same echelon as Brow and Durant but I scaled back a little bit because I still want him to do it for longer. But he's definitely top 10. In no order:

James
Durant
Brow
Westbrick
Kawhi
CP3
Steph
Harden
Kyrie/Lillard/LMA/DMC

Whomever else you want to throw in.

the only reason i wouldn't put him in top 5 to top 7 air is less what i think he's capable of and more rewarding other players for having performed without as good a supporting cast/coach or without having to be the #1 focal point game in game out

[Tweak Da Leak]

Blake is still better than Kawhi.

[naturalborn103]

would you agree with that? That he is actually a top ten player that is

I'm there already. I think he is.

Absolutely he is. I was really close to calling him Top 5 in the league in the same echelon as Brow and Durant but I scaled back a little bit because I still want him to do it for longer. But he's definitely top 10. In no order:

James
Durant
Brow
Westbrick
Kawhi
CP3
Steph
Harden
Kyrie/Lillard/LMA/DMC

Whomever else you want to throw in.

the only reason i wouldn't put him in top 5 to top 7 air is less what i think he's capable of and more rewarding other players for having performed without as good a supporting cast/coach or without having to be the #1 focal point game in game out

My top 10. Not in order inside the tiers.

1st tier
davis
lebron
durant

2nd
curry
cp3
harden

3rd
Kawhi
Westbrook
Griffin
Cousins


I could be persuaded to move some people around, but I definitely don't think Lilliard or Kyrie is on that list.

[VideoKilledThe]

This.

[Tweak Da Leak]

Has anybody calmed down to realize Wiggins rookie year is prob tied with MCW in terms of the worst for a ROY winner(presumed) in the last 9-10 years?

[stupidregister]

Jesus Christ @ people calling Blake Griffin a Top 10 player. WOW.