The basketball thread
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@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
I have very high hopes for this squad because of him. Also don't forget their most likely high draft pick this year, which can round up the squad considerably.
Maybe. The Bulls under Thibodeau did not draft particularly well, save for Jimmy Butler. You can point out that he wasn't directly responsible for those choices, but I'm pretty sure every head coach has some input as to who a team should pick. Even if Thibodeau didn't have that input, that just means he has not past experience when it comes to drafting.
Again: color me skeptical. And I'm not talking out of hurt because of what's happening with the Blue Jackets of the NHL.
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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@Ganymede Maybe I'm projecting but aside from the Spurs (Leonard/DMC+Pop will keep them going for a while) and of course the Warriors (... what the hell) I'd like to see a league led by completely new contenders.
The Timberwolves for sure, the Bucks if they can actually get some shooters and spread the court (Giannis is, naturally, my overall favorite player in the league), perhaps the Lakers given they are the freakin' Lakers and if they attract 1-2 good free agents and get a good coach and get a good front office and get lucky they can maybe perhaps not suck.
... Meh, the Lakers.
- He who takes offense when not intended is a fool. He who takes offense when intended is a greater fool.
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@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
Maybe I'm projecting but aside from the Spurs (Leonard/DMC+Pop will keep them going for a while) and of course the Warriors (... what the hell) I'd like to see a league led by completely new contenders.
Then cheer for Toronto. Because, what the fuck, when did they become perennial contenders?
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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@Ganymede said in The basketball thread:
@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
Maybe I'm projecting but aside from the Spurs (Leonard/DMC+Pop will keep them going for a while) and of course the Warriors (... what the hell) I'd like to see a league led by completely new contenders.
Then cheer for Toronto. Because, what the fuck, when did they become perennial contenders?
My coworkers practically live in Jurassic Park. But the issue with the Raps is... they are soft. I'd like to see them at least get to the Conference Finals (although it'd mean losing a bet and buying lunch) but they have a sad history of crumbling in the playoffs.
- He who takes offense when not intended is a fool. He who takes offense when intended is a greater fool.
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@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
My coworkers practically live in Jurassic Park. But the issue with the Raps is... they are soft. I'd like to see them at least get to the Conference Finals (although it'd mean losing a bet and buying lunch) but they have a sad history of crumbling in the playoffs.
SHUT YOUR JEW MOUTH, KYLE.
(Yes, I'm salty about this.)
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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@Ganymede More
ammunitinformation is necessary here.- He who takes offense when not intended is a fool. He who takes offense when intended is a greater fool.
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@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
More
ammunitinformation is necessary here.I'm from Toronto. I was at the inaugural game.
I remember Mighty Mouse. I remember Vinsanity. I remember when Bosh was supposed to bring us to the promised land.
Torontonians have a proud, past legacy in sports. We are starved for prominence. We can forgive the Leafs; we always do. We can forgive the Jays; they are getting better. And we love the Bills, regardless of how inept their management is.
But basketball? We have been promised much, and seen little. We have Canada's last basketball team in a city that is filled to the gills with basketball fans from all ethnicities.
One playoff series victory would be nice. Really.
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I've long wanted to see Toronto do something great but I don't know what it is with them... they just don't have a spark. They play at a steady level and where other teams get up for the playoffs, they don't particularly rise to the challenge. They have been playoff contenders for the last several years, if I remember correctly, but no one has had any confidence in them doing anything more than just 'showing up'.
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Even though the conversation has moved on a little as a Twolves fan I feel the need to comment on them.
Will the be a thing in a couple years? That defines what you mean by a thing. I think they will reach hte level of playoff regular, which will be nice to return to. If you mean serious title contender then I don't see it. I hope I am wrong about this but honestly I see us more growing into the Atlanta Hawks role, playoffs every year, sometimes making noise there or even getting serious contender buzz but never making the Finals.
This would be a repeat of the Garnett glory years pretty much and I am happy with that I will gladly take playoffs and one trip to the WCF over the years we have had since Garnett went to Boston and even the few before that.
Not sure how I feel about the hiring of Thibs, I don't question his basketball IQ, or tactical coaching ability but do have concerns about his player management skills. Still I hope for the best.
And to needle Gany, odd but true stat, the Toronto Raptors are now 0-9 in playoff openers. -
Also, while I admire this rookie's sass... http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15285077/stanley-johnson-detroit-pistons-says-definitely-cleveland-cavaliers-star-lebron-james-head
... come on man, you are in his head and you played great defense? LeBron had 12/18 and 27 points. You're just gonna make him mad.
... and you don't want to make playoffs-LeBron mad. Do so and this happens:
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In a game where a single player can turn the tide, it's really stupid to trash-talk one of the best, physical, complete players in the game.
Trash Curry, and he'll shoot in your face. Trash LeBron, and he's going to run over you.
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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@Arkandel said in The basketball thread:
Also, while I admire this rookie's sass...
I can get behind it. But only if he's got something to be sassy about.
... come on man, you are in his head and you played great defense? LeBron had 12/18 and 27 points. You're just gonna make him mad.
Not just that. James was 6 for 6 when being guarded by Johnson as his team was beaten by 17 points because the other team shot 20 3-pointers on them and they went down 0-2 in the series.
It must feel so helpless to make it past all the hurdles to become a professional athlete in the NBA and still not be able to compete with someone like Lebron James. How deluded do you have to be to believe you got in his head with those stats?
Yes. Johnson is in James' head. In there, he's the guy defending him in that one dream that NBA players have where they can't miss a shot no matter what the defender does. I've had that dream. Its pretty sweet. James is, apparently living it.
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Hello MSBites! I've a question for you.
So I'm part of some co-ed basketball runs where sometimes girls show up and play. That alone is not an issue but sometimes the level we play is.
For example the feminist thing to do is treat female players like everyone else, yes?
Well, I was driving to the basket yesterday and one of the girls on the other team tried to switch and defend me but hadn't been able to set herself up to take a charge - and thus turn it into an offensive foul. So in that situation you're supposed to take it to the defender, go through and get to the basket for a lay-up. But if I did that... she's like a foot shorter and I probably have 50 pounds on her. She's gonna go down hard. With a guy it's not even an issue, I'd have dropped them without a second thought (it's not like they're going to get hurt, it's a hardwood floor, we're not talking elbows in the face here and after all they have to choose to try and get in front of someone on a fast break), but a girl? That sounds ... wrong? I guess?
And it feels super awkward to ask people I don't even know that well. "Hey, is it okay if I knock you on your ass sometimes? Only if the situation calls for it!"
What's the appropriate response?
- He who takes offense when not intended is a fool. He who takes offense when intended is a greater fool.
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@Arkandel
I would have played it the same as I would against a guy.
You are playing the game and trying to win and your actions would have been completely with in the rules of the game.
Unless you are teaching someone a sport I rarely see a valid reason for not playing to the best of abilities.
Don't go out of your way to inflict harm, but given what little I know about you from this board I don't see you going out of your way to inflict harm on anyone male or female. -
If she's there to play basketball, play basketball.
If she's trying to take a charge, you're okay to draw a foul.
It might look a certain way, but you have to decide if you're more concerned about how it looks when you play the game than actually playing the game.
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You fucking take it to her.
This happened to me once. The guy had six inches on me, and about 30 pounds. Unfortunately for him, my hockey instincts took over, so I leaned into the foul and ended up submarining him.
You don't want to take the offensive foul? Don't get in the way. Lots of people get the fuck out of LeBron's way, for a good reason.
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Because they know he won't get fouls called on him even when he does knock people down? Because for some reason the league doesn't even make him dribble, much less follow the rules of conduct?
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@Admiral In fact players like LeBron or Shaq get fewer fouls than they should, because they are such tanks. Refs would openly admit they swallow the whistle on Shaq for instance in his prime because if they didn't he'd either score 50 a game or every opposing big would foul out in the third quarter.
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@Admiral said in The basketball thread:
Because they know he won't get fouls called on him even when he does knock people down? Because for some reason the league doesn't even make him dribble, much less follow the rules of conduct?
Even if the foul is called, would you want to be run over by a full-speed LeBron James?
I'm guessing, no.
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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Tonight is the draft lottery (and that pesky Raptors - Cavs game, natch).
Although I'm not a fan I'd love to see something statistically improbable happen... like, say, the Wolves getting another top pick. They already have a very high upside in the next couple of years but with another great young player on the roster... man.
