Everyone is, against the Lakers.
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NBA 2015- 16 Regular Season IOTI - NBA GAF Is Pretty Dead Considering This Fact
- Thread starter Gully State
- Start date
Everyone is, against the Lakers.
UnObtainium17
Member
Wow. By that time KD will be out for till playoffs due to a missing foot and ibaka on that Perkins mode on.
What makes the Lakers deserving of a 8th seed over the other teams that would otherwise be fighting for it such as the Utah Jazz? What makes them more deserving of sympathy of any other team who would fight for that spot?
The answer is, nothing. No team is deserving of a playoff spot or sympathy. It's all about talent. The 8 most talented teams deserve to make the playoffs in each conference.
Starphoenix
Member
Don't be, it's just a matter of time. Pretty confident come March this team will start figuring it out. If Kawhi keeps getting better on the offensive end without any injuries... Whoo boy.
Parker is aging. Fast. Throwing his body on the court for so many years has taken its toll, and he isn't going to be quite the same as he was years ago. I've said for the past year that Parker has looked like he needs to retire before Duncan and even Manu some days.
Gully State
Member
I wouldn't worry about the Spurs. Pop treats the first quarter of the season like an extension of preseason anyways. You can't really judge the team until after the Allstar break
Starphoenix
Member
Yeah, I'm not worried. Even in the OKC game I could tell Pop was trying out things.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
At this point of his career? Yes.
Crimson_Echidna
Banned
Yep, honestly looking forward, I think the priority should be to strengthen their rotation. The Second Unit shouldn't rely on just Gerald Green to be their offensive threat. Also with this likely being Birdman's last year, and I honestly don't see the Stoudemire experiment panning out, getting a new back-up center will be a must.
Haven't written here in a while, so instead of studying, I'ma procrastinate on GAF.
Still think that the Russell pick for the Lakers wasn't the best choice, they should have gone with either Okafor mainly or a high upside pick like Hezonja. Idk why they would pick him when Clarkson seems to have the lead point guard duties, but then again Bryon Scott is a terribad player development coach. Hoping to see the young Laker nucleus develop together, especially Randle and Russell.
Also Sixers should've drafted Mudiay instead of another center, creating a logjam at center (although its a good problem to have, 3 good young centers). Some combination of Mudiay, Noel and maybe Ingram of this incoming draft class could have been something special. Sixers haven't been making any real progress it seems except for Noel. Embiid seems like he could be a two-way dominant force at center when hes actually healthy and on the court, but all this talk of his work ethic and his attitude really aren't a good look for his future. Speaking of future, Timberwolves and Magic are the two up-incoming teams for their respective conferences, although the Timberwolves seem like their gonna be sick in the future, considering if they get another lottery pick.
Thunder are looking like a problem and its only been the first few games of the season. I got Thunder and Warriors in the west conference finals while it'll be Bulls and Cavs in the east conference finals. Thunder and Cavs advance (unless Bulls somehow gain consistency and continuity within the roster), and Thunder win it all.
Still think that the Russell pick for the Lakers wasn't the best choice, they should have gone with either Okafor mainly or a high upside pick like Hezonja. Idk why they would pick him when Clarkson seems to have the lead point guard duties, but then again Bryon Scott is a terribad player development coach. Hoping to see the young Laker nucleus develop together, especially Randle and Russell.
Also Sixers should've drafted Mudiay instead of another center, creating a logjam at center (although its a good problem to have, 3 good young centers). Some combination of Mudiay, Noel and maybe Ingram of this incoming draft class could have been something special. Sixers haven't been making any real progress it seems except for Noel. Embiid seems like he could be a two-way dominant force at center when hes actually healthy and on the court, but all this talk of his work ethic and his attitude really aren't a good look for his future. Speaking of future, Timberwolves and Magic are the two up-incoming teams for their respective conferences, although the Timberwolves seem like their gonna be sick in the future, considering if they get another lottery pick.
Thunder are looking like a problem and its only been the first few games of the season. I got Thunder and Warriors in the west conference finals while it'll be Bulls and Cavs in the east conference finals. Thunder and Cavs advance (unless Bulls somehow gain consistency and continuity within the roster), and Thunder win it all.
Durant then splits from OKC and goes to the NY Bricks.
Gully State
Member
I think this is one of those hindsight is 20/20 deals (Mudiay looks good now but I'm sure scouting was fairly limited given that he spent the year playing pro ball in China). Hinkie is all about value and the safer bet in this case is to draft a big man. The common rule of thumb for GM trades is that you almost never trade a decent 1 big man for 1 wing player. By having a logjam at the frontcourt, he can leverage that to get a talented wing + stuff down the line. I'm not saying Mudiay wouldn't have been better (I like his game thus far), but it's just the safer bet at that point in time.
Ninja Scooter
Member
I think it's way too early to make judgements on draft picks. I think everyone knew Mudiay (and Okafor, to some extent) were going to perform early in his NBA career because he has an NBA body. Similar to Tyreke Evans, who after his rookie year probably had some people thinking he should have gone before Blake Griffin or James Harden.
Of course its one of those hindsight situations but like most, you can't help but wonder what if? But then again, this is all merely just some thoughts at the very beginning of the season. Wonders whats gonna happen if Embiid actually plays an NBA game, who gets benched between Noel, Okafor, and Embiid?
Well duh, its very early in the season. As a regular fan, I have no knowledge of the drafting process and etc., but as a fan, it seems more logical to draft for need (but Hinkie drafted the best possible player) in this situation, whom is an athletic PG who can playmake with a proven track record of professional league play, especially when they just traded their mediocre starting PG for a pick. But we'll see how this Sixers experiment is gonna play out, to me its one of the more interesting storylines in the NBA.
Gully State
Member
Whoever underperforms. I don't think the 3rd big would stick around past his rookie contract anyways as Hinkie will just flip him for a talented wing player + pick(s).
Ninja Scooter
Member
Hinkie is just trying to draft assets, so he probably put higher value on a 7 footer who can score at will vs. a big athletic combo guard. His plan is to just collect higher value assets that he can turn into a franchise player one way or another. Personally I was not a fan of Okafor and was glad the Lakers passed on him, but I knew he'd be good right away. Russell is far from a sure thing, but he has a higher ceiling (and higher floor) and a game that is more in line with where the game is trending if he pans out. It always said a lot to me that Okafor's biggest comp going into the draft was Al Jefferson, who is a consistent 20 ppg big man, but who also has been passed around like a groupie throughout his NBA career from team to team. The league in it's current state just doesn't seem to value his skill set.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Let's go Knicks!!!
Gully State
Member
Yeah it's pretty normal to be frustrated with Kobe right now. He's basically trying to get his numbers at the expense of his team (being doing this since last year really). It's really sad seeing how detrimental it is to his team.
On a separate note....I have this silly criteria on determining which players I like which is "if I were playing in the NBA, would I enjoy playing with them?" It's totally a personal preference thing but players that fall favorably here are essentially players like Steve Nash, Ricky Rubio, Tim Duncan, Shaq, the current Warriors squad, etc... whereas the ones I'd absolutely be miserable playing with would be Kobe/AI/Melo/Corey Maggette/Al Jefferson/Chris Kaman/Steve Francis/Stephon Marbury/Russell Westbrook..
I'm curious why Westbrook on that list?
Looking it over it's a pretty solid list tho on both sides. Only exceptions for me would be Kobe and Russ. I'd love being a part of them doing their thing.
slightconfuse
Banned
Kobe is a master tank commander. Him taking all the shots will lead to a top 3 pick
LyleLanley
Banned
I have spent an unhealthy amount of time reading about how bad the Nets are today. I want that lottery pick so badly.
Gully State
Member
If I were playing, the last thing I'd want to do is go stand in a corner while players like Kobe and Russ pound away the possession and play hero ball. At least Westbrook is making better decisions thus far this season...so my opinion of him in this case might change.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Personally I love it. For better or worse Kobe is who he is because he was stubborn as fuck and did everything his way. What better way to go out? What's the point of "adapting" his game when he's old, broken and playing on a garbage team? Keep shootin', Kob.
Last game of the season is either gonna look like the ending of Unforgiven or Training Day
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Like Kobe's going to get through the year without some sort of season-ending injury.
Ninja Scooter
Member
I was thinking more like
Mitch gonna send in the goons like Sosa
Mitch scouted goons? To take out Kobe?
If that's the case, get ready for another 15 years of Oldbe.
Gully State
Member
FloydtheFathead
Member
Say hello to his little friend Swaggy P.
Andrew Korenchkin
Member
I agree with this. It's just that the amount of sadistic pleasure people get over the Lakers suffering is way different than how people feel about some team like the Jazz or the Phoenix Suns. I don't have to take this type of shit and neither does my team. Fuck that.
LyleLanley
Banned
I think you're taking this stuff too seriously man. The Lakers being trash is fun for everyone, let us hope that it lasts forever.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
I'm getting "you don't know what it's like being a Yankees fan in California" vibes here.
Andrew Korenchkin
Member
Ya See? Everyone enjoys it!
Oh well, I seriously just ignore it and just focus on the team getting better, and ignore all the attempts at feeling the suffering. I refuse to validate your schadenfreude with negative self-thinking, like Epictetus!
?
On another note, I played basketball for almost two and a half hours today. I was on fire, or at least that's what some guy told me (dude hit like 8 three pointers in a row at one point, too.)
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
An old MLB-GAF joke.
Gully State
Member
I'm enjoying the Lakers slide into mediocrity as well. But I also know that the last time the franchise missed consecutive playoffs prior to this last season was in the mid 70's (so chances are the Lakers will be good again shortly). I mean shit..most of the time in franchise history, your team is competing for championships (Good franchises historically are happy being in the playoffs more often than not). No other franchise can say that.
LyleLanley
Banned
I thoroughly enjoy the idea of a Lakers fan not appreciating that other people like to see his team fail. It's as if you haven't realized that this happens to every big market team.
What fans of ANY awful team be it the Lakers or anyone else needs to remember the that the entire point of the lottery system is to ensure that the bad teams have the opportunity to become great.
The Bulls sucked then drafted Jordan.
More recently Golden State sucked then they drafted Steph, Klay, & Draymond.
As Philly fans love to say "trust the process". Because it's true. Just hope your GM is smart enough to draft well.
The Bulls sucked then drafted Jordan.
More recently Golden State sucked then they drafted Steph, Klay, & Draymond.
As Philly fans love to say "trust the process". Because it's true. Just hope your GM is smart enough to draft well.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Yup, and most of those teams suck for multiple years. The Warriors were trash for 3-4 more years after getting Curry, which is why they were able to add more pieces like Klay and Harrison Barnes. The Thunder are a model franchise now, but they had to be terrible for 3 years to get KD, Westbrook and Harden.
Draft is a bit of a crap shoot, though. The list of top 10 picks that never amounted to much in the league is a pretty long one. And obviously good scouting helps avoid that, but even players that look like sure things can end up busts.
Basically the worse you do, the more ping pong balls for your team get thrown into this machine. So the worst team in the league will have the highest chance of getting the number one pick. Then every year there's literally a machine they fire up that mixes all the balls up and one by one they determine who gets the top picks.
I don't believe players can refuse, but I could be wrong. And the lottery is for the draft order, not the players selected. Once the order is set, teams draft who they want.
Basically the worse you do, the more ping pong balls for your team get thrown into this machine. So the worst team in the league will have the highest chance of getting the number one pick. Then every year there's literally a machine they fire up that mixes all the balls up and one by one they determine who gets the top picks.
LyleLanley
Banned
Here's a decent article on how the lottery works. http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/5/19/8598525/nba-draft-lottery-odds-teams-players
Essentially the worse you do in the previous season the better chance you have at the top pick in the draft. Players can't negotiate with other teams, so assuming they want to play in the NBA they have to sign with the team that drafted them.
Ninja Scooter
Member
This true too. I mean, everyone praises Daryl Morey (and with reason) for nailing the precursor to the Sixers' "trust the process" blueprint, but where would he and the Rockets be if OKC doesn't panic and trade James Harden for 50 cents on the dollar? A little luck and a break here and there are necessary.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
You can say that about a lot of sports.
This is how the lottery works. Only the teams that do not make the playoffs are eligible for the lottery (so 14 teams, since 16 teams make the playoffs):
After this method is used to pick 1-3 the rest of the picks are in order of worst regular season record to best (including the teams that made the playoffs).
There are 2 rounds. The same order from the first round is used in the second round. So 60 players get chosen (since there are 30 teams so 30 picks per a round).
Players do not get a say in where they end up if they sign up to be eligible for the draft (which all prospective NBA players do). It's sort of like a military draft in that way. When a team drafts you that is your team. Doesn't matter if you hate the team or didn't want to end up there. If players had a say they would refuse the bad teams and hope the good teams pick them up instead, so once a team picks you then your fate is up to that team.
Teams however can trade their draft picks to other teams.
Gully State
Member
I feel like drafting Steph was just half the battle with him. I truly believe that had we not changed ownership, there's a good chance, Steph would've been out of the league as a tragic what if player. It's almost downright criminal how the FO and coaching staff under previous owner, Chris Cohan bungled Curry development. They had him play with Monta in the backcourt, totally mishandled his ankle issues by rushing him back (he played 74 games that season despite going in and out because of the injury) and Coach Keith Smart even at one point benched him in favor of Acie Law. Contrast that with Lacob and Guber..shutting down Curry to let him properly rehab, bringing in proper coaching, consistently hiring the best player development staff and investing in technology to monitor player fatigue (Warriors maybe lucky with health last season but they certainly did their due diligence to prevent injury). I think lost in the shuffle of drafting the next star or paying top dollar for the big ticket free agent, we consistently downplay the importance the team plays by actually investing in star player development.
When I think about this, I can't help but wonder about the NBA prospects that just landed in the wrong situation to facilitate their proper growth and ended being busts largely because of it.
Yep. As a Warriors fan I think back to the Warriors drafting Curry. It's crazy seeing a few of the picks before him (Johnny Flynn lol) but who knew Curry would become so great.
Oh definitely. Unless you're like the Yankees or Real Madrid and can brute force it financially, success in a sport requires a decent amount of luck.
Andrew Korenchkin
Member
Yeah, that's a good point. It's why I try to be supportive of all other franchises, honestly.
Oh well, I'm an Arizona Cardinals fan...do you know they've been around for almost 120 years and have only won SIX play off games? I mean, wow that's bad.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
And even then hugh financial backing doesn't necessarily guarantee a title.
See the Yankees and Dodgers for the last several years.
Love the start the Warrirors are on. Barnes stuffing Howard was sweet. Gully is absolutely right that the new owners are the key to the franchise's success. Thinking about all of the bust picks we had over the years, my god. You're probably right that one or two could have been something more if they had the staff the team has now.
Did I read that right that Kobe shot 16 of 51? I can't wait for his retirement, to the elation of his teammates, only for the announcement of his immediate hiring as head coach. Oldbe will tank the team to oblivion the likes of which haven't been seen since Isiah Thomas with the Knicks.
Did I read that right that Kobe shot 16 of 51? I can't wait for his retirement, to the elation of his teammates, only for the announcement of his immediate hiring as head coach. Oldbe will tank the team to oblivion the likes of which haven't been seen since Isiah Thomas with the Knicks.
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