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NBA 2016-2017 Season |OT| What do the Liberty Bell and Ben Simmons have in Common?

F

Face it Tiger..

Banned
Anth0ny said:
why

lebron's going to shit on everyone in the east anyways

i doubt raptors even get passed the celtics in the playoffs tbh. i fully expect lowry to choke come playoff time like he always does.
Click to expand...

Lowry was injured the last two playoffs he was in...

as for choking.. when has Coach stevens gone past first round of the playoffs?
 
Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie

Member
LockOfTheWeek said:
Not really feeling a Cavs walkover this year in the east, their recruitment policies of only getting guys from retirement homes who can't defend has a good chance of biting them in the arse. Obviously they'll run a tighter rotation and the big 3 more mins than they are now but ehhhh I'd hate to be relying on Deron Williams, Jefferson, Frye, Sanders, Korver against the really good teams with any significant minutes.
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It's not a sure thing. It's a very decent probability, but they could go cold and their offense is really not that multifaceted to compensate for that. When you combine that with a notorious pedestrian defense, you got a team that could be beaten.

The problem with being hopeful for a Lebron-less Finals this year is that the other teams are really inconsistent and I trust them less than a JR Smith iso shot.
 
C

CopperPuppy

Member
There is not a doubt in my mind that the Cavs will pick up on the defensive end come playoff time, but, holy shit, the excuses are getting hilarious:

Bleacher Report said:
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers are working on a defensive plan for the playoffs, and it's gonna be huge.

At least, that's what they're leading everyone to believe.

As Cleveland continues to get torched defensively on a nightly basis, no one on the team seems very concerned. Since the All-Star break, only the Los Angeles Lakers have been worse when it comes to stopping teams from scoring, and they're essentially trying to lose in order to save their protected first-round pick.

But we shouldn't be worried, right?

"We've got to hold back. We can't show our hand early because...these are some good teams and we don't want them to be able to come into a series and be able to adjust to what we do," head coach Tyronn Lue said after his team gave up 127 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards on March 25. "We just have to be able to play our normal defense until we get there and then we will see what happens."
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Source.

Dude is talking about defense like it's a trap card.
 
M

Misterhbk

Member
CopperPuppy said:
There is not a doubt in my mind that the Cavs will pick up on the defensive end come playoff time, but, holy shit, the excuses are getting hilarious:



Source.

Dude is talking about defense like it's a trap card.
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Lebron, Tristan, and a rust free JR, maybe Shump can get better defensively. Those other guys? Korver, Kyrie, Frye, Love, Deron? Not entirely sure about that.
 
S

Servbot24

Banned
Misterhbk said:
Lebron, Tristan, and a rust free JR, maybe Shump can get better defensively. Those other guys? Korver, Kyrie, Frye, Love, Deron? Not entirely sure about that.
Click to expand...

Steph on Kyrie - Could go either way, history says Kyrie
Klay on JR - Advantage Klay
Durant on LeBron - Advantage LeBron... though I'd love to see KD get his in this match-up
Green on Love - Advantage Green. Bit of a neutralized match-up (Green's mediocre offense v Love's mediocre defense, Green's great defense vs Love's good offense), but Green doesn't really need to be scoring to have a great game
Zaza on Tristan - Advantage Tristan

Obviously those can switch up a lot but I feel like it's a fairly even starting 5. If Klay is on I think there are too many mismatches for Cavs to overcome.
 
R

RiggityRice

Member
MetalFearSolid said:
According to Stephen A Smith, D'Angelo Russell will be gone this off-season.

Lakers-GAF you told me he can play SG and off the ball.
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Doesn't surprise me if he is, there have been recent interviews (Luke Walton, Lou Williams, and Magic) have all said that there are SOME guys that are genuinely competing and making effort and giving it their all. And with clarkson starting now, I kinda assumed it was Russell. Not only that but I swear sometimes I think the guy is straight up sleeping on defense.
 
Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie

Member
MetalFearSolid said:
According to Stephen A Smith, D'Angelo Russell will be gone this off-season.

Lakers-GAF you told me he can play SG and off the ball.
Click to expand...

D'Angelo sucks ass, but I really doubt they're just going to give up on him this soon with not reason to do so. Unless he's still trying to sleep with his teammates girlfriends.
 
F

Fjordson

Member
Servbot24 said:
Steph on Kyrie - Could go either way, history says Kyrie
Klay on JR - Advantage Klay
Durant on LeBron - Advantage LeBron... though I'd love to see KD get his in this match-up
Green on Love - Advantage Green. Bit of a neutralized match-up (Green's mediocre offense v Love's mediocre defense, Green's great defense vs Love's good offense), but Green doesn't really need to be scoring to have a great game
Zaza on Tristan - Advantage Tristan

Obviously those can switch up a lot but I feel like it's a fairly even starting 5. If Klay is on I think there are too many mismatches for Cavs to overcome.
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Durant has dominated this year against Cleveland. And in the finals against Lebron was awesome also. I think KD can hold his own or at least come close to matching him.

MetalFearSolid said:
According to Stephen A Smith, D'Angelo Russell will be gone this off-season.

Lakers-GAF you told me he can play SG and off the ball.
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lol Why'd he say that? Because of the draft?

Would be a bad move if they don't get Lonzo or Fultz.
 
H

Hyperactivity

Banned
RiggityRice said:
Doesn't surprise me if he is, there have been recent interviews (Luke Walton, Lou Williams, and Magic) have all said that there are SOME guys that are genuinely competing and making effort and giving it their all. And with clarkson starting now, I kinda assumed it was Russell. Not only that but I swear sometimes I think the guy is straight up sleeping on defense.
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After being on fire post ASB, he went to shit when benched, and then starting again became great.

Plus, it's Stephen a fucking smith. Why is this being discussed as being legitimate?
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
MetalFearSolid said:
According to Stephen A Smith, D'Angelo Russell will be gone this off-season.

Lakers-GAF you told me he can play SG and off the ball.
Click to expand...

SAS is a trusted source now? He probably heard that from Byron Scott.

That he can play off the ball is a fact. His shooting percentages are much better on catch and shoot than off the dribble.
 
S

Sandfox

Member
MetalFearSolid said:
According to Stephen A Smith, D'Angelo Russell will be gone this off-season.

Lakers-GAF you told me he can play SG and off the ball.
Click to expand...
Dude also said that LMA and Durant were locks to join the Lakers.
RiggityRice said:
Doesn't surprise me if he is, there have been recent interviews (Luke Walton, Lou Williams, and Magic) have all said that there are SOME guys that are genuinely competing and making effort and giving it their all. And with clarkson starting now, I kinda assumed it was Russell. Not only that but I swear sometimes I think the guy is straight up sleeping on defense.
Click to expand...
His defense has actually been on the upswing. Clarkson is the one with issues on defense.
Lionel Richie said:
D'Angelo sucks ass, but I really doubt they're just going to give up on him this soon with not reason to do so. Unless he's still trying to sleep with his teammates girlfriends.
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He doesn't suck and his stats at his age compare favorably with the better point guards in the league. Dude has been averaging 22-5-3-2 since the all-star break when he started getting normal minutes, but people treat him like he averages 5 ppg, including Laker fans.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
Sandfox said:
Dude also said that LMA and Durant were locks to join the Lakers.

His defense has actually been on the upswing. Clarkson is the one with issues on defense.

He doesn't suck and his stats at his age compare favorably with the better point guards in the league. Dude has been averaging 22-5-3 since the all-star break when he started getting normal minutes, but people treat him like he averages 5 ppg, including Laker fans.
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People's expectations can be out of wack. It's the same thing that I was talking about earlier about how people can overhype drafts before they happen. D'Angelo is not a franchise type player, but very few are. He's a 21 year old PG averaging 15/5/4 in his 2nd season. He's not "shit". To put that in some context, Emmanuel Mudiay, the guy a lot of people thought should be taken over Russell, and who was supposed to be more "NBA ready" due to his body, is averaging 10 ppg and can't even crack 40% FG shooting.
 
F

Fjordson

Member
Ninja Scooter said:
the snitching thing combined with his feud with Byron Scott seems to have put Russell in the crossfires of "old school" type shitheads like SAS and Mike Wilbon. The fact that these old ass dude's are this bitter about a 21 year old kid is sad AF.
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lol Byron Scott. Fuck dat guy.
 
S

Sandfox

Member
Ninja Scooter said:
People's expectations can be out of wack. It's the same thing that I was talking about earlier about how people can overhype drafts before they happen. D'Angelo is not a franchise type player, but very few are. He's a 21 year old PG averaging 15/5/4 in his 2nd season. He's not "shit". To put that in some context, Emmanuel Mudiay, the guy a lot of people thought should be taken over Russell, and who was supposed to be more "NBA ready" due to his body, is averaging 10 ppg and can't even crack 40% FG shooting.
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Mudiay lost his spot in Denver's rotation to Jameer Nelson. The problem with Mudiay is that people were overrating his athleticism by comparing him to Wall and Rose when it obviously wasn't true if you watched footage of him. Athleticism is the easiest thing for casual fans to understand on the court so it tends to get overrated.

Ninja Scooter said:
the snitching thing combined with his feud with Byron Scott seems to have put Russell in the crossfires of "old school" type shitheads like SAS and Mike Wilbon. The fact that these old ass dude's are this bitter about a 21 year old kid is sad AF.
Click to expand...
All of those guys are friends with Byron Scott. Wilbon was calling Russell a "little punk" before the Nick Young incident even happened.
 
O

OldMan

Banned
Whoever scheduled the Cavs last few road trips is an idiot. Not once did they face the Warriors so there's no way we can properly gauge THIS Cavs team against the best the West has to offer...
 
S

Sanjuro

Member
Jarate said:
Stephen A Smith is an idiot and should not be expected to say factual things
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He is probably the best white NBA analyst.

To be honest though, his interview with Ball's dad was amaze.

Ball: I can beat Jordan
Smith: YELLING
Ball: My kids can beat Curry
Smith: YELLING
Ball: I can beat Goldberg
Smith: YELLING
 
Andrew Korenchkin

Andrew Korenchkin

Member
Ninja Scooter said:
the snitching thing combined with his feud with Byron Scott seems to have put Russell in the crossfires of "old school" type shitheads like SAS and Mike Wilbon. The fact that these old ass dude's are this bitter about a 21 year old kid is sad AF.
Click to expand...

LMFAO, true.

Jarate said:
Stephen A Smith is an idiot and should not be expected to say factual things
Click to expand...

He did give us some great....avatar thingies.
 
S

spyder_ur

Member
This players only thing is so bad, particularly in studio. Isaiah Thomas and C Webb on the same panel? Ughhh.

Speaking of, I have heard way too much C-Webb during the last couple weeks. He is brutal.

Also the Lakers descent into becoming the Knicks West is amazing. I'm sure Magic will turn it around.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
DLo is 21 and already having a better season than MCW has ever had. MCW can't shoot. He makes Russell look like Steph Curry in comparison. That's a weird comp.
 
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