'17-18 NBA Thread

[Pariah]

10 hours ago, Enforcer84 said:

Well Lozo Balled tonight. Youngest player to get a triple double, shot 7-12 had 12 rebounds 13 assists, 19 points, 3 steals and 4 blocks.

 

A good night. Too bad they lost 

 

oh wait. No. That's great. LOSE LAKERS LOSE!

 

The good news is that Lonzo probably won't have to worry about his younger brother breaking the record next year!

[Enforcer84]

but he might break out of jail.

[Badger]

Is there a Chinese version of Arkham Asylum?

[Pariah]

I think it's called 'Inner Mongolia'. 

 

You know, like Siberia used to be for the Soviets.

[Enforcer84]

Joel Embiid with a taste of things to come? 46 points 15 rebounds 7 assists and 7 blocks against the Lakers. 

And Ben Simmons missed a triple double by one rebound. 

 

And the Lakers looked shell shocked but second round pick has game. Ball disappeared again. 

[Badger]

Embiid, also got banged up, and looked like he was going to be taking out, then he went off in the 4th quarter.

 

 

Edit: Of course, they didn't play Ball, I don't think in the 4th, which might actually be a good strategy for him in the long run.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Lonzo's brothers are going to Lithuania to play for a second-division team in an arena that seats less than two thousand. The coach of that team does not speak a word of English and has a known disdain for American players. Everyone on the Lithuanian side said this was a ploy to sell jerseys, and it's likely they won't even get a sniff of the court. They may only be there a month, which isn't even enough time to learn Lithuanian.

 

LiAngelo (the one who went to jail) is not going to be a professional basketball player for very long -- he just doesn't have the talent to be competitive even in Europe. LaMelo actually has some talent, but looks like he is not going to playing against good competition for years; even his high school team would have been better for him than going to the Baltic to sit on the bench at arena that is probably smaller than the gym he would have played at at school. Train all you want, but the only way to learn how to play competitive hoops is to actually do it, against real competition that approximates your skill level in games that have meaning. And in the USA that typically means college ball. But after this little stunt LaMelo is ineligible under NCAA rules before setting foot on campus.

 

Heavens, this is messed up.

[Starlord]

I believe the word you're looking for is exploitation. 

[Enforcer84]

The Ball family is a trainwreck of Stupid Man syndrome. Lonzo however, is probably going to be a very good player for a very long time. (May never be a good shooter though.)

[Michael Hopcroft]

48 minutes ago, Enforcer84 said:

The Ball family is a trainwreck of Stupid Man syndrome. Lonzo however, is probably going to be a very good player for a very long time. (May never be a good shooter though.)

The Lakers need to acquire a good, consistent scoring threat to whom he can feed the ball. Give him that and in a couple of years the Lakers will be back in the playoffs. Ball does everything else a point guard is asked well for his experience level. Give him time and experience and he can develop into something very good.

 

But make sure he spends some quality time away from Dad, and listens to the coaches who actually know basketball. (Did Lavar ever even play the game?)

[Enforcer84]

Their second round pick looks to be that consistent scorer. And is at least in the discussion of ROY. Also despite a horrific first season Brandon Ingram is looking like an NBA starter this year. 

LaVar played a season at Washington State as well as a few other CC or smaller schools. He also played Football - in the European league for the London Monarchs and was on an early roster for the Carolina Panthers expansion season (but never played a game)

 

 

[Starlord]

Don't forget he was also better than Michael Jordan.

[Badger]

7 hours ago, Enforcer84 said:

The Ball family is a trainwreck of Stupid Man syndrome. Lonzo however, is probably going to be a very good player for a very long time. (May never be a good shooter though.)

 

Not a trainwreck, a dumpster fire.  

 

But, in any case,  Lonzo has the makings of being a good classic point guard,  but as we learned when Rondo's weaknesses got exploited, he'll likely need a sniper at shooting guard, to keep opposing teams honest.  If he can even just get his pct up to around 40% he should be solid at least.

[Badger]

8 minutes ago, Starlord said:

Don't forget he was also better than Michael Jordan.

 

I've always disagreed with "Jordan is GOAT", but LaVar Ball is not one I will put over him. 

 

Note: I will say Jordan is the greatest of players who weren't their teams center or point guard/forward.

[Starlord]

11 hours ago, Michael Hopcroft said:

Lonzo's brothers are going to Lithuania to play for a second-division team in an arena that seats less than two thousand. The coach of that team does not speak a word of English and has a known disdain for American players. Everyone on the Lithuanian side said this was a ploy to sell jerseys, and it's likely they won't even get a sniff of the court. They may only be there a month, which isn't even enough time to learn Lithuanian.

 

 

On the bright side, after a month they may have made enough money to afford a pair of shoes from their family brand.

[Badger]

I thought they were making $500 a month, so make it 2 months

[Badger]

 

I did see one comment that LiAngelo's future would have been ideal for going to China to play pro ball. (which cant happen now)

[Badger]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 10:38 PM, Enforcer84 said:

Their second round pick looks to be that consistent scorer. And is at least in the discussion of ROY. Also despite a horrific first season Brandon Ingram is looking like an NBA starter this year. 

LaVar played a season at Washington State as well as a few other CC or smaller schools. He also played Football - in the European league for the London Monarchs and was on an early roster for the Carolina Panthers expansion season (but never played a game)

 

 

 

LaVar probably would have benefitted from committing to one sport or the other, but he seemed to go back and forth, and ended up mastering neither.

[Michael Hopcroft]

On 12/16/2017 at 1:55 AM, Badger said:

 

I've always disagreed with "Jordan is GOAT", but LaVar Ball is not one I will put over him. 

 

Note: I will say Jordan is the greatest of players who weren't their teams center or point guard/forward.

It's sad that there are very few videos of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain or Oscar Robertson in the primes of their careers.

[Badger]

The few I have seen are impressive though.  Bill Russell chasing to block a guard on a fastbreak one time.  In his Laker days Wilt slinging fullcourt passes after rebounds.

[Badger]

Thinking about Oscar Robertson, he does get kind of short-changed.  For some reason he gets considered a "shooting guard", despite the fact he ran the offense with Cincy, so if he was a SG it was in name only.  And in Milwaukee, he was pretty much the point, with McGlocklin (?) the SG.

 

[Starlord]

He's definitely top 20 all-time.  However, the thing he is best known for - triple doubles - is really just one of those arbitrary stat lines that sounds cool.  Like 300 yd passer or 100 yd rusher.  Plus, that record just got blown out of the water by Russell Westbrook, who got his FAR more efficiently (WAY less minutes and possessions than Oscar).  He is clearly one of the best 'all-around' players ever, but IMO he's behind Lebron, Magic and Bird in that category.

[Pariah]

Going to see the Jazz and Thunder tonight.

[Michael Hopcroft]

6 hours ago, Pariah said:

Going to see the Jazz and Thunder tonight.

Things in OKC are not working out as intended. A year later and they still haven't found an answer to how to be elite without the most elite player in the game whose name isn't Lebron. Russell Westbrook is still called upon to do way too much, Melo is playing a role in which he is uncomfortable, and Paul George seems to be not gelling with the team (although he's doing pretty good statistically, he's not putting up the numbers he did when he was the featured player in Indy)..

 

They'll still make the playoffs, and still have the potential to make some noise when they get there, but they need to learn how to play together and play to each others' strengths.

 

You'll have to tell me about the Jazz.

[Badger]

13 hours ago, Starlord said:

He's definitely top 20 all-time.  However, the thing he is best known for - triple doubles - is really just one of those arbitrary stat lines that sounds cool.  Like 300 yd passer or 100 yd rusher.  Plus, that record just got blown out of the water by Russell Westbrook, who got his FAR more efficiently (WAY less minutes and possessions than Oscar).  He is clearly one of the best 'all-around' players ever, but IMO he's behind Lebron, Magic and Bird in that category.

 

True.  I do rate him in the Top 8.  I go back and forth on 1&2 with Wilt and Magic, 3 through 8 in no particular order would be: Kareem, Bird, Jordan, LeBron, Oscar Robertson, and Bill Russell (who if he had a better offensive game, probably would be number 1, or at least share the argument with those first 2, definitely the best defensive player ever).  With Jerry West just outside that at #9, no specific #10, but Kobe I guess would be as good as any.

 

It is also hard to rate Russell, Oscar, Wilt in the scheme of things (at least in those efficiency stats) because they didn't get any credit for blocks and steals (except Robertson in his very last season I think).  If I remember one efficieny category has Jordan at number one, with Wilt a somewhat close #2,  if block and steals matter in that, even a modest showing in those 2 categories would put Wilt on top.  ANd Wilt's rep at least would have him one of the best shot blockers ever.