The NBA

[emmawoodhouse]

Steph gonna Steph. 😁

 

 

[emmawoodhouse]

Trae Young can be slowed to a crawl.

[Crashcourse]

Every time Steph hits a three, I go "Shit!"--in a good way. 😁

[cambridgeguy]

Hmm, it looks like Kyrie Irving will be on the All-Star ballot.  That certainly won't lead to any nonsense.  He won't make the team because of the fan/media/player split, but I can see the anti-vaxxers mobilizing on his behalf.

[Danny Franks]

It's funny, all this talk of rule changes making things so much harder for James Harden, Trae Young and other 'tricky' players who exploit the rules, yet Steph - who a lot of people claim does the same - is just as good and having an MVP-quality start to the season.

[isalicat]

8 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

It's funny, all this talk of rule changes making things so much harder for James Harden, Trae Young and other 'tricky' players who exploit the rules, yet Steph - who a lot of people claim does the same - is just as good and having an MVP-quality start to the season.

Yeah, there are a "lot of people" out there, and in the meantime, 10-1, baby!

[Lady Whistleup]

Looks like Kyrie is sticking to his guns and refusing to get vaxxed. I was shocked. I thought he'd look at one month of lost wages and change his mind.

[Fukui San]

I just want Kyrie to be traded for Ben Simmons as that'd be the most comedic & chaotic timeline.

Edited November 12, 2021 by Fukui San

[xaxat]

47 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Looks like Kyrie is sticking to his guns and refusing to get vaxxed. I was shocked. I thought he'd look at one month of lost wages and change his mind.

And incoming NYC mayor Eric Adams has said that he will not be lifting city covid protocols upon taking office January 1st as some had speculated. So, who knows?

Is the team logo pullover now standard dress for coaches? Is there anyone still wearing suits?

[Lady Whistleup]

15 minutes ago, xaxat said:

And incoming NYC mayor Eric Adams has said that he will not be lifting city covid protocols upon taking office January 1st as some had speculated. So, who knows?

Is the team logo pullover now standard dress for coaches? Is there anyone still wearing suits?

That was a pandemic bubble thing and they kept it. Players now no longer have to wear blazers when they're on the sideline either. Still, some coaches like Steve Kerr seem to wear little more than a long-sleeved jersey on the sidelines now which is a weird look.

[Magog]

Since ESPN is going to be airing their favorite NBA team (those Warriors) tonight basically beating up on the Bulls (who themselves are off to a nice start), I think that the absolute inferior crew to NBA on TNT (NBA Countdown & halftime show) should be wearing nothing but Warriors gear (especially their cheerleader, Stephen A Smith). Besides, I'm sure that Steph appreciates ESPN outright support & rooting of him & his team on an everyday basis.

As for the Lakers, LeBron has been out a couple of weeks & they're barely treading water without him. Its not a surprise that they suck without LeBron & its not worth panicking about it. They can start panicking when he retires in 2 yrs, when his contract is up. 

[emmawoodhouse]

I'd argue that those scummy Lakers are ESPN's darlings. And tonight's Warriors game isn't a slam dunk. Draymond Green is injured and will probably be on restricted minutes, if he plays at all.

Edited November 12, 2021 by emmawoodhouse

[Danny Franks]

The guys on the Ringer's NBA podcast can bugger off with the idea of James Harden going to the Knicks. They finally get a team that's half-capable, has potential to get better and doesn't have a toxic, ball-hogging 'elite' player fucking everything up, and boneheaded journalists want them to give all that up.

Just because Harden can't be effective without baiting a dozen fouls a game doesn't mean teams should bail him out.

[NUguy514]

1 hour ago, emmawoodhouse said:

I'd argue that those scummy Lakers are ESPN's darlings.

The Lakers are completely ESPN's (and that asshole Stephen A. Smith's) darlings.  To argue anything else is madness.  MADNESS, I tell you!

[cambridgeguy]

1 hour ago, NUguy514 said:

The Lakers are completely ESPN's (and that asshole Stephen A. Smith's) darlings.  To argue anything else is madness.  MADNESS, I tell you!

ESPN has more than one darling.  They love the Knicks too (Steven A. was delirious with joy when they beat Atlanta in Game 2), and this is a franchise that has won a grand total of one playoff series in the past 20 years.  At least the Lakers, Warriors, etc. have had good runs with historically great players.

Edited November 12, 2021 by cambridgeguy

[isalicat]

11-1 now, darlings! No other team has more than 9 wins if I calculate correctly. And this well before our younger Splash Brother returns. Looking forward to the game at the Nets on Tuesday!

[Danny Franks]

Well, it looks like I cursed the Knicks by pointing out their good start. They seem to have really lost their way in the last couple of weeks. Thibs will figure it out, but he needs more out of some of those starting players.

The Warriors look great, though, and it seems like people are slowly waking up to the fact they might be really good.

I saw an interesting twitter thread that detailed how Steve Kerr and the FO have got rid of every minus performer from last year and replaced them with plus performers - Wiseman is injured, Oubre and Paschall and Mannion are gone, and they've been replaced by hard working defensive players like Payton, Bjelica and Iguodala (again). 

Really smart roster management from a team that wants to maximise the sum of its parts, and still has Klay to come back in what will probably start off as a spot-up shooting role.

[emmawoodhouse]

Klay is hinting that he could be back before Christmas. Can't wait! 

[Lady Whistleup]

2 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Klay is hinting that he could be back before Christmas. Can't wait! 

I don't have a good feeling about Klay's comeback. He's suffered b2b catastrophic injuries and if anything he reminds me of Kobe post-2013 where it was like his body was falling apart.

[emmawoodhouse]

Klay has responded well to treatment and is practicing at Chase Center. He's posted some footage, and he looks good! Sure, he won't play 40 minutes (a rarity in Kerr's system anyway), but he can start coning in with the second unit as he works himself back into game shape. 

I am optimistic that he can make a nice recovery, even if he will never be the Klay of old. I don't think anyone expects that.

[Lady Whistleup]

17 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Klay has responded well to treatment and is practicing at Chase Center. He's posted some footage, and he looks good! Sure, he won't play 40 minutes (a rarity in Kerr's system anyway), but he can start coning in with the second unit as he works himself back into game shape. 

I am optimistic that he can make a nice recovery, even if he will never be the Klay of old. I don't think anyone expects that.

I think when he comes back he'll be used more as a spot-up shooter like Carmelo Anthony. I don't expect his mobility to be anywhere near where it was.

I follow Klay on IG because of his adorable dog Rocco. 

[emmawoodhouse]

Awe Rocco. The dog and the boat. What a life. 

Klay has posted practice pics on IG. Local news doing a,post college football game show was just discussing Klay. Agreed with me about managing his minutes (obviously), but they think he can go straight to the starting five. I have to stick to my position of playing him with the second unit and limited minutes for the time being. 

He's already been practicing 5 on 5, so he might be closer to coning back than Christmas-ish. 

[Marley]

I really hope Klay can come back and do really well. It’s crazy how it’s been over 2 years now.

I also love his dog Rocco lol.

[Lady Whistleup]

You can just tell Rocco is so loved and cared for. Any guy who loves his dog that much has to be a good guy.

[isalicat]

Welluh...I guess the Warriors are still winning, huh? This was going to be the big test. And we went on a big run with Steph on the bench. Bring it, NBA!

Klay played 5 on 5 today with no problems so anticipation runs ever higher for a Splash Brothers reunion in just a few weeks.

[Magog]

 

13 hours ago, isalicat said:

Welluh...I guess the Warriors are still winning, huh? This was going to be the big test. And we went on a big run with Steph on the bench. Bring it, NBA!

I'm flat-out certain that ESPN was thrilled last night that their man Stephen Curry basically kicked the bum ass Brooklyn Nets butts with his 37 points & making 9 3-pointers like its a stroll in the park. The absolutely inferior NBA Countdown should be wearing #30 jerseys tonight since they're bootlickers to him & those Warriors. And also because the Lakers - Bucks tonight is going to be nap-inducing (with no LeBron playing so there is a pretty good chance that the Lakers are going to get their asses kick.). So, it should be plenty of time for them to worship their man & those Warriors.

I always like Andrew Wiggins & I'm kind of happy for him that he is playing well right now. It just makes me sick to my stomach that its with the Dark Side.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Magog

[grommit2]

Questions for the experts: 

• Has Kyrie played at all this season?
• Is he forfeiting salary by sitting out? 
• How much?

Here's a cool idea:  get the vaccine, play, take the salary, then donate it to charity. 
 

[emmawoodhouse]

1 hour ago, grommit2 said:

Questions for the experts: 

• Has Kyrie played at all this season?
• Is he forfeiting salary by sitting out? 
• How much?

Here's a cool idea:  get the vaccine, play, take the salary, then donate it to charity. 
 

No, Kyrie had not played.

He is forfeiting his salary

Can't recall the per game amount, but it's more than most people make in one year..

 

[Rootbeer]

13 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

No, Kyrie had not played.

He is forfeiting his salary

Can't recall the per game amount, but it's more than most people make in one year..

 

Kyrie's salary for this season is about $35,000,000.  There are 82 regular season games.  So, he is paid just under $427,000 per game.

[emmawoodhouse]

Thanks for looking that up! My memory had it more in the $250k area.

[clb1016]

2 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

No, Kyrie had not played.

He is forfeiting his salary

Can't recall the per game amount, but it's more than most people make in one year..

 

I believe he is forfeiting his salary only for home games because it  his choice not to follow NYC's vaccine mandate.  He is available to play road games (there's no NBA mandate) but Nets management is choosing not to play him because it would essentially mean they have two teams (home/away).

[emmawoodhouse]

He can't practice with the team in NY. While he could theoretically practice on the road, the team has deemed this not feasible. I'm pretty sure he forfeits salary for all games. Let me try to do some digging.

My article won't paste, but suffice it to say that I was in error. Kyrie only has to forfeit home game salary, plus the two games at MSG, and one game at Chase Center (SF). He loses approximately $380,000/game, around $15M total. He will be paid for road games (as of October) even if he doesn't play in them. So, he won't be hurting for money this year.

Edited November 17, 2021 by emmawoodhouse

[clb1016]

From The New York Times, Oct. 12:

"The Nets’ decision to sit Irving for the road games that he is eligible to play in sets the stage for a potential battle between the team and the players’ union, which had already been pushing back on the league’s plan to dock the pay of unvaccinated players for games they miss because of ordinances in their home cities.

Irving, a union vice president, is due to lose about $380,000, or around 1 percent of his base pay for the 2021-22 season, for every home game he misses. Marks said Irving would still be paid for road games this season. The N.B.A. players’ union did not respond to a request for comment."

[mojoween]

The new LA arena name, which is too stupid to type out, has everyone saying “I’m always going to call it The Staples Center forever” and I’m over here like “the Forum?  No one?”

[xaxat]

48 minutes ago, mojoween said:

The new LA arena name, which is too stupid to type out, has everyone saying “I’m always going to call it The Staples Center forever” and I’m over here like “the Forum?  No one?”

The Forum is a different arena. It still stands (I think), but the Lakers have been at Staples for a couple of decades. 

At this point, I don't care about the sponsored names of sports facilities. I watch a lot of sports and can't keep up. So city names work for me.

[mojoween]

Ahh I didn’t realize they moved altogether when the arena name changed from The Forum to Staples.

Different sport, but I still call the White Sox’s house Comiskey Park sooo… 🤷‍♀️ 

[emmawoodhouse]

The Forum was in Inglewood, where present-day SoFi is located. Staples is in DTLA. 

As for the Lakers, at least they didn't embarrass themselves. 

[Lamb18]

9 hours ago, mojoween said:

Ahh I didn’t realize they moved altogether when the arena name changed from The Forum to Staples.

Different sport, but I still call the White Sox’s house Comiskey Park sooo… 🤷‍♀️ 

So do I. And sometimes I call US Bank stadium (Vikings) the "Dome" (Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome - Twins and Vikings).

15 hours ago, clb1016 said:

I believe he is forfeiting his salary only for home games because it  his choice not to follow NYC's vaccine mandate.  He is available to play road games (there's no NBA mandate) but Nets management is choosing not to play him because it would essentially mean they have two teams (home/away).

Staples Center should fall under the city of LA's new vaccine mandate where people attending games (assuming playing games counts, too) must be vaccinated. So would he not be paid for any games there, too?

[cambridgeguy]

12 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

The Forum was in Inglewood, where present-day SoFi is located. Staples is in DTLA. 

The Forum was actually one of the first arenas to have its naming rights bought - it turned into the Great Western Forum for a while.  I'm not sure the casual fan from outside the area thought it was named after the bank since the name sounded like something it would be called anyway.  I'm sure local fans did the usual thing of swearing to always call it just the Forum.

And for everyone swearing to always call it the Staples Center - are these the same fans who groaned and complained when they learned their brand new stadium would sound like it was named after office equipment?

[emmawoodhouse]

@Magog should be happy. No Steph, no Draymond, probably no win at Detroit. Pity it's not on ESPN. 😂

[emmawoodhouse]

Update! Warriors escape with a W! But that wasn't easy. Cade Cunningham had a nice game. 

[DrSpaceman73]

On 11/13/2021 at 3:47 PM, Danny Franks said:

Well, it looks like I cursed the Knicks by pointing out their good start. They seem to have really lost their way in the last couple of weeks. Thibs will figure it out, but he needs more out of some of those starting players.

The Warriors look great, though, and it seems like people are slowly waking up to the fact they might be really good.

I saw an interesting twitter thread that detailed how Steve Kerr and the FO have got rid of every minus performer from last year and replaced them with plus performers - Wiseman is injured, Oubre and Paschall and Mannion are gone, and they've been replaced by hard working defensive players like Payton, Bjelica and Iguodala (again). 

Really smart roster management from a team that wants to maximise the sum of its parts, and still has Klay to come back in what will probably start off as a spot-up shooting role.

Oubre has been a good addition to the hornets. 

[DrSpaceman73]

Lebron doing his best to try and ignore his hypocrisy about China. 

As is Nike I would add 

https://sports.yahoo.com/kanter-challenges-lebron-over-ties-141610741.html

 

[Magog]

17 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

@Magog should be happy. No Steph, no Draymond, probably no win at Detroit. Pity it's not on ESPN. 😂

 

14 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Update! Warriors escape with a W! But that wasn't easy. Cade Cunningham had a nice game. 

I like Cade Cunningham. He is definitely a future star in the making. Sadly, he couldn't led them to a win last night against those scummy Warriors.

As for ESPN, I should be grateful that they didn't air those Warriors - Pistons last night instead of the Lakers - Celtics suckfest. Other than Lebron coming back (which is the only reason to watch the game), that game sucked on so many levels. There wasn't anything remotely exciting about the wretched Celtics winning in a blowout 130-108. 

Frankly, I should be lucky to even tolerate that game last night because my dying nearsighted eyes & sensitive stomach were still dry-heaving from another Steph's 40 point (with 9 3-pointers) stroll in the park performance against the Cavaliers. Eating a Shards O' Glass popsicle was painless compare to watching that game & having to deal with ESPN going giddy over their hero having another 9 3pointer performance, this time at my expense. 

 

[isalicat]

2 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Lebron doing his best to try and ignore his hypocrisy about China. 

As is Nike I would add 

https://sports.yahoo.com/kanter-challenges-lebron-over-ties-141610741.html

 

At this point (so early!) in the NBA season, my loathing for LeWhine has already reached epic proportions. Enormously glad to see the Lakers sucking and the possibility of ringz fading ever farther, farther away.

[Marley]

I’ve never had any issues with Lebron but he sounds like a joke in that article. Makes me not like him. Total hypocrite.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Marley

[NUguy514]

I notice that in his typically condescending remarks about Kanter, Bron-bron didn't actually address anything Kanter said, and that's because Bron-bron knows there's nothing he can say without coming across as an even more incredibly greedy hypocrite than he already is.  Kanter is exactly right in his criticisms, and Bron-bron is a coward.  God, he sucks.

[Lady Whistleup]

Only November, and one coach has already gotten the ax: Luka Walton was fired from the Sac Kings today.

[mojoween]

In my extensive viewing of one twitter video for two minutes, LeBron was totally in the wrong and deserved his ejection, and I love Isaiah Stewart now.

[Lady Whistleup]