Enforcer84 Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Pariah said: Is anyone else enjoying watching the Lakers' late-season meltdown as much as I am? * munches popcorn * Of course, I'm a Trailblazers fan. Watching the Pelicans string them along and then not trade AD was about all I wanted from this season. Pariah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 7 hours ago, Starlord said: Lebron James passed Jordan for 4th on the all-time scoring list last night. He is now only around 6000 pts from Kareem at #1. Incredibly, he is also about 1500 assists from Magic at #5 On the assists list. At his current avgs, he can reach both 3yrs from now on his current Lakers contract. None of the other top scorers break the top 30 in assists. I thought Karl Malone kept playing long enough to squeak past Kareem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Pariah said: Is anyone else enjoying watching the Lakers' late-season meltdown as much as I am? * munches popcorn * Any rep LeBron had as a leader of men might be done. And it seems no one wants to join him in LA. (possibly they don't want to be Kevin Loved, AKA catering your own game into fitting into LeBron style, and getting skewered as THE cause of everything bad when things go bad at some point during the season) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Badger said: Any rep LeBron had as a leader of men might be done. And it seems no one wants to join him in LA. (possibly they don't want to be Kevin Loved, AKA catering your own game into fitting into LeBron style, and getting skewered as THE cause of everything bad when things go bad at some point during the season) The LaVar Ball effect also can't be ignored, methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2019 Report Share Posted March 7, 2019 That's true, though I haven't heard quite as much from him lately. I guess he has been more focused on the (mis)management of the younglings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 James Dolan Threatens to Ban Fan From MSG For Providing Sound Advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlord Posted March 12, 2019 Report Share Posted March 12, 2019 Russell Westbrook threatened a Jazz fan, but then we learned about the fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 10, 2019 Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 So in the last home game of their respective careers; both Dwayne Wade and Dirk Nowitzki dropped 30pts in lopsided wins. Miami might still have slight relevance but I don't think either are playoff bound. Still it was a great night. But guys. GUYS! Did you all see Magic's "I Quit" press conference? OH MY GOD as someone who hates the Lakers with the might of a recently photographed black hole sun, it was hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted April 10, 2019 Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 I liked the Kareem/Magic Lakers. But, the Kobe/Shaq Lakers destroyed any love I had for that team left. Also liked the Bird/McHale/Parish Celtics (Parish being one of my favorite players). But, couldn't get into the Pierce/Garnett/Allen version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 10, 2019 Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 I liked the second Celtics team. they were demonstrative but tough, KG had toiled in Minnesota for a decade with nothing but ineptitude or tragedy around him, RIP Malik. Pierce was a tough guy (got stabbed after being drafted) and stayed loyal. Allen upset me with his traipsing off to Miami but hey, I can't fault the players for exerting their power. I am after all anti ownership. I respect the Magic/Kareem Lakers but never liked them (Cheered for them against the Pistons though I'll say that) But really the Dirk/Dwayne careers were more worth following than Magic decided he didn't like the idea of running a team. They beat one another in championship series in eerily similar margins, and that will be their legacy. it's been an interesting season. Giannis Antetokoumpo is the Hakeem Olajuwon style player I love though he starts from the outside. My disdain for Hardin is strong, but the guy got the Rockets on track after a horrible start and a chris paul injury. The AD situation the Lakers dumpsterfire season, Boston's inability to gel...both conferences were surprisingly competitive but it wasn't teams we were expecting, "Hi Clippers!" I'm cautiously optimistic for absolute playoff mayhem and then onto next year. Portland losing the Bosnian Beast was a playoff deathknell though Canter can fill it up I don't trust him on defense like I do Nurkic. We'll see if we can look respectable this year. We certainly don't have to worry about facing AD again. I wonder if how many free agents are concerned with the situation in Laker land, and might look to the Clipps as a destination? New York seems to think they'll get KD at least and well good luck to him if he signs there. Also, even though no one asked, I'm still amazed Russell Westbrook has averaged a triple double 3 straight seasons. Once thought the kind of thing that would never happen again, this guy does it 3 straight seasons and suddenly it's no big deal. Stat padding? Sure, but the Thunder have made the playoffs each of those seasons, and I don't hear grumbling from the locker room there. In fact his usage is down this season. He's a terrible volume shooter to be certain but you can't take your eyes off him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted April 11, 2019 Report Share Posted April 11, 2019 Yeah, I think his rebounds go into double figures actually because of 3-point shooting. (the balls has more force behind and pops out farther on misses, at least seems more so than 20-30 years ago and/or more spacing equals occasionally more time for the ball to bound around) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 24, 2019 Report Share Posted April 24, 2019 I'm a Russell Westbrook Apologist, and I was worried when, in a beautiful, no defense extravaganza, on the last night where we were kind of trying to lose, Portland's reserves handing us OKC who had swept us in the regular season when we had our starting center...And then Russell Westrbrook and the OKC can't shoots took the field and turned Dame into a superstar if he wasn't already. They took shots at Portland and Dame specifically all year. And then Lillard took their whole squad out by the wood shed in five games. Capped off by a 40 foot 3 that everyone knew was going int the moment he shot it. I'd say we have a shot against Denver or San Antonio in the Semis, not sure vs whomever comes out of Houston (or, way outside chance of Utah) and Golden State but I'm banking on the Warriors. But I won't get ahead of myself. One series down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted April 24, 2019 Report Share Posted April 24, 2019 Damian Lillard >> Russell Westbrook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 24, 2019 Report Share Posted April 24, 2019 ESPN had no faith in us (and after last year I can't blame them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted May 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 Did anyone see the entirety of that four-overtime thriller in Portland a couple of days ago? A friend who was there told me it was unbelievable, and I told him he had seen a grandfather moment (having seen or done something to tell his grandchildren, although he actually is a grandfather). This playoff will be part o Blazer lore for decades. And if they can beat the Nuggets in the series they go to the Conference Final where they have a puncher's chance. The odds are still against them, but the odds were against the Blazers in 1977 too, and any Portlander knows what happened then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted May 7, 2019 Report Share Posted May 7, 2019 Conference Semis are 2-2, 2-2, 2-2, and 3-1. Some great series. The Warriors look about as vulnerable as they could be over the last 5 or so seasons. The Rockets are playing mostly well though given their game plan seems to involve crying I can't say I want them anywhere near the finals. The only team looking dominant is the Bucks, and that's only for the moment. 3-1 isn't a lock. The saddest part to me in Portland's run is what might have been with Nurkic. But if KD flees Golden State to form the least impressive fragile egoed superppower in New York with Kyrie Irving, and Anthonry Davis goes to the Lakers for most of their young talent and the Lakers continue to put the wrong types of players around LeBron (and AD) Portland, Denver, and Houston will start looking like the bigger dogs. Unless some windows have started to close. Denver is younger and has the potential to be great. Portland has proved resilient. These playoffs have been rough on my nerves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 I'm not a big fan of Houston, but I'd be happy if they sent Golden State home early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted May 11, 2019 Report Share Posted May 11, 2019 Dammit, Houston, you had one job. I suppose the good news here is that even if Golden State makes it to the finals again, it looks like Milwaukee might just beat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted May 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 There was an incident in Game 6 in Portland that has gotten attention in Portland and nowhere else. No question the game was chippy, but it also extended to the broadcasters. Denver's radio analyst got tired ot Nurcik on the Blazers bench and said: "Kick him in the shin!" -- the shin he shattered right at the end of the regular season that is likely to have him out for most of 2019-20. Now I'm really hoping the Blazers knock them out of the playoffs tomorrow, even if it means we have to defy the odds against one of the most dominant franchises in all of Pro Sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted May 13, 2019 Report Share Posted May 13, 2019 My wife's family are all big NBA fans, moreso than me (not that that's a high bar to clear), and the consensus with them seems to be Milwaukee vs. Portland in the Finals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted May 13, 2019 Report Share Posted May 13, 2019 I would Kill for that. But Portland's players keep getting hurt. I'm in the luxurious position of having my favorite team in the Final Four so to speak and not hating any of the other remaining teams. I have 0 issues with Golden State (though not a KD fan). Milwaukee and Toronto are both teams I've always liked (underdogs) And my babies are in the WCF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted May 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 If the Blazers end up getting swept or winning only one game (and they're being cut to ribbons in game 1) all I can do is tip my cap to the Warriors, one of the four or five greatest dynasties in the history of the NBA with perhaps the greatest pure shooter ever to lace them up. The question is whether this run sets Portland up well for the next few years, to be competitive for a championship as the Warriors age and lose components to free agency. There's only so much you can do, though, against a team like this. We in Portland are seeing the Warriors machine up close. By the end of the WCF we will have a really good idea of how they do it. Incidentally, the Draft Lottery was won by New Orleans. How it will affect whatever the Pelicans can get for AD in trade, knowing they will likely have Zion Williamson to build around for the next few years? Then again, I see the looming shadow of Greg Oden in this draft because young big men are so vulnerable in this league. Ja Morant of Murray State has incredibly high upside as a creative point guard who makes his own shot while making everyone around him better -- think of getting what the lakers were supposed to get with Lonzo Ball only without the baggage and with a better work ethic. He'll probably go #2 to Memphis according to the Bleacher Report mock draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 Draft Conspiracy Hat on! The Draft played out that way so the Lakers could trade their stable of bad young potential players to New Orleans plus the #4 pick for AD. Giving the Lakers...Old bad fit players for LeBron and AD to drag into a second round playoff loss to the Warriors minus KD or a Houston team that stands pat and still loses in the playoffs though perhaps in the Finals to Milwaukee. The playoffs have been very entertaining. I'm not even sure Portland has a win in them, but I think they do. I want to believe that this deep run was more than just hitting the right opponents and getting lucky. Portland bled all over the playoffs losing or nearly losing players to injury left and right. We were banged up from the get go and gutted two series out against a flawed OKC and a dangerous young Denver. I'm actually quite high on each of the final four teams. I have no problem with the warriors, other than they take our lunch money, I have long felt bad for the Raps and want to see them succeed but also the Bucks...wow. Giannis is so amazing and the team built around him is tough as nails. And of course my home town team is the sacrificial lamb. But I'll take it. This has been a great season for us. A win or four over the warriors would be amazing but I'm not sure we could stand much of a chance against Milwaukee...I could see the Toronto curse giving us a chance Can I say that I love watching Houston lose? They combined two of my least favorite players into a super team that collapses in the playoffs, often spectacularly against the Warriors and cry about officiating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted May 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 The finals are set. Golden State's sacrificial victim opponent is Toronto. I believe this is the first Finals appearance for a Canadian team. Which means they'll really make history in the unlikely even they win -- oh, never mind. The Warriors are going to devour their hopes because that's what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 From the Onion... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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