2014-2015 NBA Regular Season Thread Part II

[Pitt Gorilla]

Now with more Rustshack!

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by -King-

Love may fit in if he wasn't forced to play how he isn't meant to be played. The offense they run just doesn't fit anyone well. Pretty much everyone has declined in that offense. LeBron is shooting 48% and averages less points and rebounds per game. No ones comfortable in that system.

As I predicted, the team is disgustingly bad on defense. LeBron is good. Thompson/Varejao were so-so in the post. The rest is absolute garbage. They have to start Marion for crying out loud and put up with his garbage 2-point performance because he can play a hint of defense.

They needed a rim protector and now without Varejao, Tristan Thompson is the only guy worth playing at Center. You can't rotate Miller, James Jones, or Joe Harris in because they're disgustingly bad on defense. You can't rotate Waiters in because the guy can't pick and pop, and is a glorified ballhog. Kyrie is the same way except he has elite scoring ability -- problem is, when Kyrie takes over games, Love and LeBron seem to get taken out of their games. Love is unbelievably streaky and it's not like he's getting creamed... he is missing wide open shots consistently. LeBron doesn't look right... I don't know if it's injuries, age, frustration, but it looks like a combo of the 3.

I really hate the way this team is constructed. And losing one player like Varejao shows what kind of a pickle the team is in, because they don't even have the bargaining chips to make a simple trade to replace him.

I honestly don't know about Blatt. Between losing Dellavadova early in the season (the only bench guy who knows how to play defense) and the cast of players who don't fit each other's styles, I also think he was dealt a much worse hand than people realize.

[Hootie]

how in god's name did NBA teams watch Pau Gasol dominate the NBA, and then let Marc Gasol fall to the bottom of the 1st?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

how in god's name did NBA teams watch Pau Gasol dominate the NBA, and then let Marc Gasol fall to the bottom of the 1st?

Marc Gasol was a complete project. He played some high school basketball at a small private school in Memphis and wasn't good enough to get recruited by any meaningful DI schools. He went back over to Spain, played some national team ball, got in better shape and blossomed. If you may recall, the trade sending Pau to the Lakers brought Marc's rights to the Grizz (among other things). At the time, it was derided as one of the worst trades of all time. Who's laughing now....

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

how in god's name did NBA teams watch Pau Gasol dominate the NBA, and then let Marc Gasol fall to the bottom of the 1st?

They are really different players and for every Horace Grant there are ten Harvey Grants chugging cocks on the bench.

Oh, and in regard to zilla, pick and pop is one of the few things Waiters does well, but he is a ball hog. That team needed a Jrue Holliday type PG, not Kyrie Irving.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KevB

Marc Gasol was a complete project. He played some high school basketball at a small private school in Memphis and wasn't good enough to get recruited by any meaningful DI schools. He went back over to Spain, played some national team ball, got in better shape and blossomed. If you may recall, the trade sending Pau to the Lakers brought Marc's rights to the Grizz (among other things). At the time, it was derided as one of the worst trades of all time. Who's laughing now....

Yeah, but Memphis still had to take on Kwame Brown.

[Hootie]

In fact, he was drafted 48th

[KevB]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Yeah, but Memphis still had to take on Kwame Brown.

Funny. In the end, it was all about the contract with Kwame for the Grizz. That ultimately allowed them to trade for ZBo the following year, and that created the interior duo that has been the team's staple.

That said, while they were making things happen very well on the trade front, the drafts were a disaster. In 2008, they drafted Kevin Love but then traded him for OJ Mayo. The following year, they drafted Thabeet at #2, with Harden, Tyreke Evans, Steph Curry and DeRozan going later in the top 10. Brutal.

[RobBlake]

lakers trades back in the day was some straight jedi level mastering

[mdchiefsfan]

How bout them Mavs? If we get a legit backup C and a 3 point shooting wing, we are going to be lethal. Rondo is already starting to click.

Hell, Carlisle is already handing him the keys in the fourth with his minimal play calling. Fun stuff to watch.

Houston made a good move grabbing Smith. Time will tell how it plays out. If they can keep him in the interior and focused on the defensive end that could be a very valuable pick up for them.

God damn Southwestern Division!!

[Jimmya]

The west is tough.

[mdchiefsfan]

Originally Posted by Jimmya

The west is tough.

It's unbelievable, but makes for great entertainment. What I am curious to see is how the Finals play out. There are so few quality teams in the East. Does the West kick its own ass to get to the Finals, and lose it by playing 4-5 more games than the East contender on its way there?

[tk13]

http://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments...lebron_say_to/

Here's today's conspiracy theory. The audio at the end of this clip of LeBron/Wade hugging after the Christmas game. A lot of people think LeBron is saying "Like I said, if we aren't better this year, we're gonna re-unite again and do some bigger and better things, alright?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikhi...utu.be&t=2m44s

[Discuss Thrower]

Bron can opt out after this year....

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

They are really different players and for every Horace Grant there are ten Harvey Grants chugging cocks on the bench.

Oh, and in regard to zilla, pick and pop is one of the few things Waiters does well, but he is a ball hog. That team needed a Jrue Holliday type PG, not Kyrie Irving.

I'll find the article that breaks it down. Waiters is really, really bad at pick and pop. He's been trying to work on it, in his defense. But he has to shoot off the dribble. Rarely ever see him shoot off of a pass. The shot he takes all the time and it drives me nuts is 1-2 dribbles then shoots a step inside the 3 point line. That's why I hate the way he ballhogs. He's a momentum killer. Because he can't pick and pop, more often than not he's trying to create his shot way before the play develops.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by tk13

http://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments...lebron_say_to/

Here's today's conspiracy theory. The audio at the end of this clip of LeBron/Wade hugging after the Christmas game. A lot of people think LeBron is saying "Like I said, if we aren't better this year, we're gonna re-unite again and do some bigger and better things, alright?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikhi...utu.be&t=2m44s

I think LeBron knows this is going to destroy his legacy. And he cares quite a bit about that. I actually do believe LeBron was genuinely hurt by the reaction from the decision.

I think his opt out is because if the team struggles, he'll take a massive paycut. It wouldn't at all surprise me if his plan is to win one championship then immediately bail, which might explain trading for a big 3 instead of developing around Wiggins.