The NBA

[Medicine Crow]

As a long-time Raptors fan, I was SO happy to see Norman Powell playing with the Clippers.  I wasn't aware of the trade until the camera honed in on his face.  I almost burst with delight!!!  I'm still watching ex-Raptors playing on new teams (can't help myself)!!!

[Lady Whistleup]

Huge trade: James Harden to Philly

Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond to Brooklyn

[cambridgeguy]

Congratulations to the Sixers, who have picked up a guy who has now forced his way out of TWO teams, appears to be in less than stellar shape, and is rapidly approaching the age where a lackadaisical approach to fitness will torpedo you quickly.

And congratulations to the Nets, who have picked up a guy who completely imploded in his last high stakes game, spent the entire season not playing while dealing with mental health issues, and is a question mark regarding whether or not he's actually worked it out.

[emmawoodhouse]

Just read that the Mavs are offloading Porzingas. To the Wiz for Dinwiddie and another scrub.

[cambridgeguy]

March 10 - the Nets visit Philadelphia.  So what are the odds that Ben Simmons will be active for that game?  10000000-1?  Sadly that's the only (regular season) game left between the two, although if the basketball gods are kind they'll end up facing off in the playoffs.

Lebron and KD picking their All-Star teams.  The end (when it's down to Gobert and Harden) is hilarious. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by cambridgeguy

[mojoween]

I truly know nothing about the NBA because the hosannas thrown Ben Simmons’s way yesterday confound me.  Did Brooklyn *really* slay Philly with this trade?

[Carey]

It's a trade that needed to happen, really.  I think I'll hold judgement on who won the trade until after the season ends, if at all.

As mentioned: 16 games together for KD, Harden, and Kyrie.  Yikes!  FWIW, they still managed to play when they could, and miss when they sorta didn't want to!

[mojoween]

It’s annoying that LeBron James has been the captain of the All-Star team every year they have done this, but I will give him props that he has fun with it.  In the clips I saw from yesterday Kevin Durant, on the other hand, looked humorless and miserable.

[Lady Whistleup]

2 minutes ago, mojoween said:

It’s annoying that LeBron James has been the captain of the All-Star team every year they have done this, but I will give him props that he has fun with it.  In the clips I saw from yesterday Kevin Durant, on the other hand, looked humorless and miserable.

He had a day.

[Marley]

I feel like Kevin Durant always looks miserable lol.

[cambridgeguy]

Maybe the Lakers should just wave the white flag on the season and rest up for next year.  While it looks like AD avoided serious injury (thankfully) he's going to be out for a few weeks AGAIN.  Does Lebron really want to add more wear and tear just for the chance to make the play in tournament?  He has an ailing knee that's not going to improve if he's doing his best 2012-13 Kobe impression.

[mojoween]

Keyshawn Johnson said something this morning that is probably not a new statement, but it’s the first time I heard it and it made me giggle.  (Regarding AD) “you can’t help the club if you’re always in the tub”

Edited February 17, 2022 by mojoween

[Magog]

3 hours ago, cambridgeguy said:

Maybe the Lakers should just wave the white flag on the season and rest up for next year.

Can we say the same thing to the Knicks? Up by 28 points in the 2nd Quarter & those losers flat out choked that game away losing to the Nets 111-106. A rookie name Cam Thomas helped led the comeback by scoring 21 points, with 16 coming in the 4th Quarter. Kyrie, KD, & bum ass Ben Simmons didn't play last night. It was so beautiful watching that last night. And somebody was down right infuriated by this & watching him having a meltdown because of these losers was very funny to watch.

Stephen A. goes on EPIC RANT after Knicks blow 28-PT lead to Nets | NBA Countdown

On 2/12/2022 at 7:33 PM, Marley said:

I feel like Kevin Durant always looks miserable lol.

Gee, now he knows how I feel when he was with those Warriors.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Magog

[xaxat]

Thibs has a history of wearing out his welcome. And last night's loss probably put him a step closer to being the former coach of the Knicks. 

That was one of the worst collapses I have ever seen.

[LexieLily]

This new revamp of the Skills Challenge is taking forever. 

[twoods]

The Cavs crowd is so anemic. Clap a little, assholes.

[Marley]

1 minute ago, twoods said:

The Cavs crowd is so anemic. Clap a little, assholes.

Lol I was thinking the same thing. The announcers are saving it. The crowd seems like a bunch of duds.

[Marley]

Ugh Dj Khaled. He’s so annoying and his yelling just ruins songs for me.

[twoods]

You mean you don’t like songs that randomly have “DJ KHALED” screeched in the middle of the lyrics?

[twoods]

I am fangirling seeing Ludacris. 

[Marley]

Cole Anthony took so long for his dunk that didn’t seem that great.

[AimingforYoko]

KAT wins the 3-point contest? Who saw that coming?

[LexieLily]

We really didn't need an extended commercial for Steph and Ayesha's new show.

And Obi Toppin just won the dunk contest by default because everyone else took too long and/or missed.

Edited February 20, 2022 by LexieLily

[Marley]

Yea the dunk contest was so boring I almost fell asleep.

[twoods]

The dunkers were probably falling asleep because of the stupid crowd. I’m blaming them for everything this weekend.

[Marley]

Enjoying the all star game today but I don’t need the camera to pan to bitchy ass Adele so much. 

Also I just love Giannis he just seems so happy all the time.

[LexieLily]

I don't mind at all seeing all the members of the 75th team but do we really need the constant panning to the cheerleaders? 

[Lady Whistleup]

On 2/19/2022 at 10:29 PM, AimingforYoko said:

KAT wins the 3-point contest? Who saw that coming?

KAT is a great shooter for a big. So it wasn't a surprise.

KD's grandmother passed away this morning, so he wasn't able to be at the All Star game.

[LexieLily]

And as it turned out, KAT thanked the NBA for allowing him to wear his mother's chain during the three-point shootout, which was an exception to some rule the NBA has not to allow players to wear any jewelry during the competition.

[emmawoodhouse]

1 hour ago, Lady Whistleup said:

KAT is a great shooter for a big. So it wasn't a surprise.

KD's grandmother passed away this morning, so he wasn't able to be at the All Star game.

I didn't watch, so I didn't hear about KD's grandma. 

@Magog must be seething what with Steph scoring 50 and taking hone the MVP. 😂

[Danny Franks]

The whole All-Star weekend is as pointless and self-congratulatory as the NFL Pro Bowl, but it is fun to see Steph score fifty (mostly uncontested) points with fifteen three-pointers.

[Marley]

I enjoyed the all star weekend. Nice to see them all having fun. Except the dunk contest. That was an embarrassment lol.

Edited February 24, 2022 by Marley

[cambridgeguy]

Well that sucks.  On the plus side he'll likely be well rested for the playoffs and the Suns have a decent cushion for the one seed right now.

[Magog]

Quote

@MAGOG must be seething what with Steph scoring 50 and taking hone the MVP. 😂

It shouldn't have been very irritated to me that Steph was being Steph at the All Star Game (which means nothing). If it was someone other than Steph doing this (scoring 50 points & making 16 3 pointers), I would be very happy about it. Instead, it turned out to be him doing this & it was downright nose-bleed inducing. Overall, this All Star Weekend was kind of "meh" & Steph being Steph last night made me sick to my stomach. Thankfully, he didn't make any half-court shots.

Now, if he somehow hit 16 3 pointers in a regular season game or in a playoff game, then it will be vomit-inducing to me.

[emmawoodhouse]

5 hours ago, Magog said:

It shouldn't have been very irritated to me that Steph was being Steph at the All Star Game (which means nothing). If it was someone other than Steph doing this (scoring 50 points & making 16 3 pointers), I would be very happy about it. Instead, it turned out to be him doing this & it was downright nose-bleed inducing. Overall, this All Star Weekend was kind of "meh" & Steph being Steph last night made me sick to my stomach. Thankfully, he didn't make any half-court shots.

Now, if he somehow hit 16 3 pointers in a regular season game or in a playoff game, then it will be vomit-inducing to me.

Your levels of nausea are noted. 🚽

[Lady Whistleup]

A lot of chatter that Zion Williamson is refusing to play in New Orleans and trying to force his way out. He apparently never bothered to call CJ McCollum.

[Marley]

Zion seems like a bust to me.

[cambridgeguy]

Zion is what Charles Barkley would have been if Moses Malone hadn't called him out on being fat and lazy before taking him under his wing and helping him shape up.  Every team needs some veterans (or a coach) who have the gravitas to call out the young guys on their crappy behavior and the desire to help them navigate things. 

Kenny Smith also put it really well - you don't play basketball to get in shape, you get in shape to play basketball. 

[mojoween]

*sobbing*  LEAVE ZION ALONE *sobbing*

[Lady Whistleup]

Well Zion/Ja Morant is looking more like Greg Oden/Kevin Durant every day. 

[LexieLily]

14 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

A lot of chatter that Zion Williamson is refusing to play in New Orleans and trying to force his way out. He apparently never bothered to call CJ McCollum.

Zion hasn't even gotten his first super-max, has he? Isn't he still on his rookie deal?

[xaxat]

I really hope that one of the Nets' beat writers does a "season inside" book on this season.

Kyrie out, then kind of in.

Harden out, Simmons in,

Durant out and in.

It's really been a fascinating run.

As for Zion, I think he can still turn it around, and hope he does. Embiid missed a ton of time his first couple of seasons. Was notorious for eating poorly (the Sixers' nutrition team would stock his fridge only to return a couple of days later and find out he had eaten none of it.) And he wasn't in great shape early on.

Then he figured it out and is on course for a possible MVP.

[Magog]

It was so nice seeing the Lakers getting their asses kicked by the sorry Pelicans tonight 123-95. That game was over by halftime & their fans booing throughout the game was very enjoyable to watch. I wonder how Magic Johnson is feeling about this ass whooping tonight. His sadness over the Lakers sucking this season makes me very happy.

But, do you know what was even nicer to see tonight? Seeing Steph & those Warriors blowing a big lead on the Mavericks (19 point lead in 4th Quarter) & losing to them 107-101. ESPN have to be very sad over both their favorite teams going down tonight.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Magog

[emmawoodhouse]

^^^ Knew that was coming. The Dubs spectacularly imploded. 

[emma675]

As a long suffering Sixers fan, I was hesitant on the addition of Harden (and the loss of Seth Curry; Ben Simmons can suck it), but the last two games have been so much fun. I don't expect it to last (Harden seems to pitch fits when he's done with a team and wants out), but I'm going to enjoy the ride for now. It's just so nice to see my team having fun, instead of the cloud of Ben Simmons hanging over everything. And I'll bet $10 Simmons still has his mysterious "back problems" until after March 10 (when the Sixers face the Nets).

[xaxat]

It's interesting how many analysts are assuming that the Nets will get an All Star level contributor in Simmons. That may be the case. But all of this started when he was so afraid of being fouled and having to make free throws that he passed on a wide open dunk. 

If his game takes even a step in that direction, fans around the league will be all over him. And it could get brutal.

[cambridgeguy]

4 hours ago, xaxat said:

It's interesting how many analysts are assuming that the Nets will get an All Star level contributor in Simmons. That may be the case. But all of this started when he was so afraid of being fouled and having to make free throws that he passed on a wide open dunk. 

If his game takes even a step in that direction, fans around the league will be all over him. And it could get brutal.

If he's on the floor at the end of a close game I'd expect to see Hack-a-Ben every time he touches the ball.  Until he proves he can handle the pressure every opponent should force him to prove he won't be the weak link.

6 hours ago, emma675 said:

And I'll bet $10 Simmons still has his mysterious "back problems" until after March 10 (when the Sixers face the Nets).

I'd be OK with the NBA rigging some games to force a Nets/Sixers playoff matchup.

[LexieLily]

Full disclosure that as a Rockets fan I have a little extra incentive to watch Brooklyn lose game after game (the draft pick we get from them is #15 as of the latest lost!), but watching Brooklyn and especially the Lakers implode their seasons in spectacular fashion is so much fun to watch. If the Lakers don't watch out they will fall out of the play-in tournament entirely. Did they not learn from the last time they tried to load up on superstars to force a championship? It didn't work in 2003 and it's not working now. Most of us knew the day of the trade that Westbrook was NOT going to work for them.

Edited March 2, 2022 by LexieLily

[twoods]

I don’t even think us Lakers fans want them to make the “play in” tournament. They are playing absolute garbage basketball and it is painful to watch. This season can’t end quickly enough.

[Carey]

The fact is that I feel bad for LeBron, but to a certain extent.  Had Los Angeles gone all the way, I would have been pretty happy.  That being said, it's sad what's happening to the Lakers.   However, I wouldn't mind seeing Golden State roll (over Phoenix).  Only if it meant the Warriors winning over teams like Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and/or Philly.  That, and most important: Steph winning Finals MVP