The NBA

[LexieLily]

7 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

I was just watching the basketball game on Peacock. It's the first event I've found on there. Couldn't find the gymnastics to save my life! 

As for the game, it's DameTime! I love him. 😁

It took me the entire first quarter to figure it out, lol, but I finally got it to work! So far, much better than last time. 

[Lady Whistleup]

So there's a lot of anticipation about whether it's going to be Cunningham or Green as #1. Can't remember the last time there was such a debate. I remember the Oden v Durant debates and this is like that.

[cambridgeguy]

10 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

So there's a lot of anticipation about whether it's going to be Cunningham or Green as #1. Can't remember the last time there was such a debate. I remember the Oden v Durant debates and this is like that.

In retrospect it should have been clear that you don't roll the dice on a big man with lower body issues.  Portland in particular has really bad luck with this - they have the trinity of Bill Walton, Sam Bowie, and Oden.  At least Walton helped them win a title but the other two guys never had a chance to do anything AND were picked over future inner circle Hall of Famers

[emmawoodhouse]

20 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

So there's a lot of anticipation about whether it's going to be Cunningham or Green as #1. Can't remember the last time there was such a debate. I remember the Oden v Durant debates and this is like that.

Read earlier today that it's Cunningham. 

[Jx223]

According to Shams on Twitter, Russell Westbrook has just been traded to the Lakers:

Shams Charania on Twitter: "The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook, 2024 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and No. 22 tonight, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium." / Twitter

I have always been a fan of Russell and wish he would have more success. I wonder how he will end up faring playing with Lebron. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Jx223

[cambridgeguy]

Westbrook has never struck me as being comfortable in a supporting role so I wonder how he'll adjust to being the third guy if both Lebron and AD are healthy.

[Lady Whistleup]

59 minutes ago, cambridgeguy said:

Westbrook has never struck me as being comfortable in a supporting role so I wonder how he'll adjust to being the third guy if both Lebron and AD are healthy.

He certainly can't brick all those jumpers. He will be LeBenched if that happens. Lebron has little tolerance for that sort of thing.

[Danny Franks]

So the 76ers are trying to get rid of Ben Simmons, but they're asking for utterly absurd trades if any team wants him.

Telling the Warriors they want Wiggins, Wiseman and both first round picks? Telling the Raptors they want three of their starting players and picks? Hilarious. I don't think I'd give up anything of value for Simmons.

[Maximum Taco]

On 7/30/2021 at 1:59 AM, Danny Franks said:

So the 76ers are trying to get rid of Ben Simmons, but they're asking for utterly absurd trades if any team wants him.

Telling the Warriors they want Wiggins, Wiseman and both first round picks? Telling the Raptors they want three of their starting players and picks? Hilarious. I don't think I'd give up anything of value for Simmons.

Agreed, the Sixers can go kick rocks. If you wanna strip-mine a team for talent, you can keep your broken Ben Simmons thank you very much. 

The other just ludicrous rumour is they think they might be able to get Dame out of Portland for Simmons. Yeah I'll eat my hat and yours Darryl Morey if that happens. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Maximum Taco

[xaxat]

Now Melo?

That Lakers lineup is looking unstoppable.

If it were 2016

 

[Lady Whistleup]

Lots of chatter about Damian Lillard's destination now. I don't see him staying in Portland. 

[cambridgeguy]

1 hour ago, xaxat said:

Now Melo?

That Lakers lineup is looking unstoppable.

If it were 2016

2003 draft reunion!  It'll probably work as well as Wade/Lebron: the Cleveland year.

[AimingforYoko]

After turning down a 4-year, $84m extension from the Lakers, Dennis Schroder accepts 1-year deal with Celtics for $5.9m.

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by AimingforYoko

[Lady Whistleup]

Ok yes Schroeder was dumb to turn down that Lakers' extension. Yes he's probably kicking himself for all that money left on the table. But I also don't think it was good for him to stay in LA. He struggled playing with Lebron. Him and Lebron were a poor fit and everyone could see that.

In Boston, it's a fresh start for him and he can maybe get some of his shooting mojo back. 

[Danny Franks]

I'm liking the look of the Knicks roster for the season.

Randle signed for a very team-friendly deal, Barrett, Robinson and Quickley hopefully developing further, Rose and Burks back and then the additions of Fournier and Kemba Walker.

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about the draft picks, but I doubt we see much of them during the season. Even so, this team is stronger than last year and should get back into the playoffs.

What's more? No dumb moves where they give up players and picks for disaffected stars who are on massive contracts.

[mojoween]

Breanna Stewart graduated high school in the next town over, so we’ve seen her basically grow up in the newspaper.  It floored me today to realize that she’s old enough to be married!  I didn’t know that or that there was a baby on the way but best wishes to her and her wife.

[Magog]

The 2021-2022 NBA season will begin in about 2 months & we got some Christmas Day matchups to look forward to. 

Hawks at Knicks: Gee, I'm really excited to see the Knicks on at Christmas again. NOT. Hopefully, Trae Young will humiliate them again like he did in the Playoffs. 

Nets at Lakers: Yay. Other than Kyrie & LeBron, its going to be downright nauseating having ESPN hyping this game on a daily basis.  They are so desperate wanting both of them in the NBA Finals next season by any means necessary. The rest of the teammates on both teams are just downright loathsome. I am really hoping that neither the Nets or the Lakers are in the NBA Finals next June.

Mavericks at Jazz: For some reason as good as both of them are, I just can't seem to show any excitement for this game. 

Frankly, I'm surprised that the NBA didn't find a way to put those Warriors on at Christmas Day. ESPN must be very sad about that.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Magog

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, Magog said:

Frankly, I'm surprised that the NBA didn't find a way to put those Warriors on at Christmas Day. ESPN must be very sad about that.

It's fine because Santa Claus would have been afraid of Steph as the competition. 😆

[emmawoodhouse]

5 hours ago, Magog said:

The 2021-2022 NBA season will begin in about 2 months & we got some Christmas Day matchups to look forward to. 

Hawks at Knicks: Gee, I'm really excited to see the Knicks on at Christmas again. NOT. Hopefully, Trae Young will humiliate them again like he did in the Playoffs. 

Nets at Lakers: Yay. Other than Kyrie & LeBron, its going to be downright nauseating having ESPN hyping this game on a daily basis.  They are so desperate wanting both of them in the NBA Finals next season by any means necessary. The rest of the teammates on both teams are just downright loathsome. I am really hoping that neither the Nets or the Lakers are in the NBA Finals next June.

Mavericks at Jazz: For some reason as good as both of them are, I just can't seem to show any excitement for this game. 

Frankly, I'm surprised that the NBA didn't find a way to put those Warriors on at Christmas Day. ESPN must be very sad about that.

Sorry, but the Dubs will be playing the Suns on Christmas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSsCN6DtCMv/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Crashcourse]

Oh wow Santa's gonna be pissed!

[Lady Whistleup]

A Magog post that dissed the Warriors but didn’t accuse Steph Curry of drowning puppies! 
 

in more serious NBA news the Russ/Lebron partnership has train wreck written all over it. Russ is an inefficient ballhog.

[xaxat]

Rachel Nichols' ESPN Show Is Canceled After Her Comments About Maria Taylor

[Lady Whistleup]

Sonya and Dell Curry filed for divorce. It's super bitter:

Quote

New details have emerged in the divorce case between Dell and Sonya Curry. According to Dell, his now-estranged wife Sonya is the one responsible for their split. In new documents obtained by TMZ, the former NBA star alleged that the Montessori school founder was quietly creeping with 1988 NFL Draft pick Steven Johnson.

Dell’s divorce paperwork claims that Sonya “began her extramarital affair with Mr. Johnson during the marriage and prior to the date of separation, and she lied to [Dell] each time she cheated on him.” To make matters even worse, the Virginia Tech alum accused Sonya of allegedly moving down to Tennessee to live with Johnson and he strongly believes she shouldn’t receive a single cent in alimony because of it.According to Sonya, that’s not the case. In responding documents, the mother of three stated she isn’t living with Johnson and is currently living on her own because of Dell’s refusal to let her back into their home. Sonya did admit that she has currently been dating a special someone, but she noted that Dell was fully aware of her relationship that began “months after” they agreed to legally separate in March 2020. Sonya added that there has been no infidelity on her part.

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Lady Whistleup

[AimingforYoko]

On 8/26/2021 at 4:08 PM, Lady Whistleup said:

Sonya and Dell Curry filed for divorce. It's super bitter:

 

Report: Steph has chosen sides in the split.

Shocked, shocked that Steph is a mama's boy. (Full Disclosure: I like Steph)

[Marley]

I think Dell is trying to do damage control now. He doesn’t want to have to be on the hook for alimony so he’s grasping at straws. I have no facts for any of this just my opinion and vibe on the situation.

[Lady Whistleup]

Oh no. Cedric Ceballos in the ICU with coronavirus:

 

[mojoween]

Happy trails, JJ Redick.  I never stopped adoring you.

[emmawoodhouse]

16 hours ago, mojoween said:

Happy trails, JJ Redick.  I never stopped adoring you.

I never stopped loathing him. Damn dookie. 😀

[Lady Whistleup]

Andrew Wiggins and Kyrie Irving reportedly among the last NBA vaccine holdouts.

[twoods]

No surprise flat earther is the last holdout. 

[isalicat]

On 9/23/2021 at 2:28 PM, Lady Whistleup said:

Andrew Wiggins and Kyrie Irving reportedly among the last NBA vaccine holdouts.

Which means Wiggins won't be able to play for his own team when they are at home as San Francisco is requiring full vaccinations to be at any large indoor event. As a Warriors' fan, I'd like to see him gone if he doesn't get with the program, eh?

 

[Lady Whistleup]

3 minutes ago, isalicat said:

Which means Wiggins won't be able to play for his own team when they are at home as San Francisco is requiring full vaccinations to be at any large indoor event. As a Warriors' fan, I'd like to see him gone if he doesn't get with the program, eh?

 

His religious exemption request was just denied too.

[xaxat]

4 minutes ago, isalicat said:

Which means Wiggins won't be able to play for his own team when they are at home as San Francisco is requiring full vaccinations to be at any large indoor event.

Same thing with Kyrie and NYC rules.

[NUguy514]

13 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

His religious exemption request was just denied too.

Good.

[AimingforYoko]

SLC TV reporter doing "Man on the Street" interviews asks Jazz player Jordan Clarkson if he went to any games last season.

[Lady Whistleup]

Article about anti-vaxxers in the NBA.

Mentioned by name: Kyrie, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Isaac.

Quote

“He is going to try to figure that out as it comes, because it’s not religious-based, it’s moral-based,” says Irving’s aunt Tyki. “You may have to sit on the sideline, you might not have to be in the arena during this. If it’s that freaking important to get a vaccine that, hell, it’s still not preventing the Covid” — which it is — “then I’d rather them working it out that way than to say, ‘Hey, if you don’t get the vaccine, then you can’t be a part of the franchise that you fuckin’ helped build.’”

Quote

Isaac considers un-vaxxed players to be vilified and bullied, and he thinks “it’s an injustice” to automatically make heroes out of vaccinated celebrities. He rejects the NBA’s proposal for a vaccine mandate and social distancing for players like him during team travel: “You can play on the same court. We can touch the same ball. We can bump chests. We can do all those things on the court. And then when it comes to being on the bus, we have to be in different parts of the bus? To me, it doesn’t seem logically consistent.

Oh lord.

[twoods]

Kyrie helped build the Nets? That’s news to me.

[DrSpaceman73]

It's not a moral problem for kyrie.  It's more weird ass conspiracy BS.  

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-anti-vaccine-theory-issues-coronavirus-covid19-pandemic-kyrie-irving-jonathan-isaac-025316932.html

The NBA seems to be doing all they can though to get everyone vaccinated, much better than the NFL.  

[Lady Whistleup]

Bradley Beal is a covidiot too.

The known covidiots: Kyrie, Jonathan Isaac, Andrew Wiggins, Brad Beal.

[AimingforYoko]

Because it's a vaccine, not a magic potion.

[twoods]

I read an article on how the NBA staff are pissed because all of the coaches, refs and trainers need to be vaccinated, but the players don’t have to? A lot are worried about getting their families sick, and I don’t understand why players have to be so selfish and not think about how their actions have potential consequences towards others. And go fuck off Bradley Beal. 
 

Players that don’t play home games because they aren’t vaccinated shouldn’t get paid for those games. That ought to vaccinate these fools really fast if they don’t get any money.

Edited September 28, 2021 by twoods

[emmawoodhouse]

I read yesterday that Wiggins would have to forfeit gobs of salary if he doesn't play home games. 

[emmawoodhouse]

Update on Wiggins...he has caved and is vaccinated. The statement didn't elaborate on which vaccine he took, but I have to assume J&J; the article notes that he'll be available for home games. No caveat about having to wait until he's fully vaxxed. 

eta ESPN picked up the story.

Edited October 3, 2021 by emmawoodhouse

[Danny Franks]

2 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Update on Wiggins...he has caved and is vaccinated. The statement didn't elaborate on which vaccine he took

Probably the polio one.

[Lady Whistleup]

So apparently the league is 95% vaccinated which means the holdouts are very few and far between.

Right now it's Kyrie, Brad Beal, Michael Porter Jr., Jonathan Isaac, and Trey Burke.

[xaxat]

Tonight, the Raptors are playing their first game in Toronto since February 28, 2020.

[Lady Whistleup]

While Wiggins got vaccinated apparently Kyrie is adamant about not getting vaxxed and the Nets are looking at "next steps", according to Woj.

Also: Zion Williamson has gotten even bigger in this offseason. He's really going to have to watch his weight.

[Fukui San]

I'm so glad Irving is no longer on the team I root for.

And that a random injury took the Nets out of the playoffs last year where they'd be favored to win. 

[Lady Whistleup]

Well I love KD and James Harden. I think they'll be okay without Kyrie if he's determined to be that dumb.

[Just Here]

18 former NBA players have been indicted on federal charges of fraud related to a kickback scheme involving submitting fake claims for medical services.

From the article linked in the above tweet:

Quote

More than a dozen former NBA players have been charged in New York federal court in an alleged multi-million-dollar health insurance fraud scheme to rip off the league's benefit plan, according to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District on Thursday.

The 18 former players named in the indictment include alleged scheme ringleader Terrence Williams, selected 11th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the then-New Jersey Nets, six-time NBA All-Defensive Team member Tony Allen, former Lakers Guard Shannon Brown and Ronald Glen Davis, who played for the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers over the course of his career.

Allen's wife, Desiree Allen, is the only woman charged in the indictment.

Also named in the indictment: Brooklyn-born Sebastian Telfair, who played for a half-dozen NBA teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Clippers, Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves and Darius Miles, drafted third overall by the Clippers in the 2000 NBA draft and a first team NBA All-Rookie player.

Those charged face a count of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud.

According to the grand jury indictment, the defendants allegedly engaged in a widespread scheme from at least 2017 up to around 2020 to defraud the NBA Players' Health and Welfare Benefit Plan by submitting fake reimbursement claims for medical and dental services that were never actually rendered.

Those allegedly fraudulent claims totaled about $3.9 million, from which the defendants got about $2.5 million in fraudulent proceeds, the indictment alleges.

 

Edit/Update:  Here's the link to the DOJ press release and a copy of the indictment (PDF; scanned, not OCR'ed unfortunately).

All the defendants "are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud...  TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft".

Edited October 7, 2021 by Just Here
added links to press release and indictment