The NBA Thread

[Gilly]

True. They're just so old and if it was possible they got older over the postseason.

[dave from knoxville]

Maybe I should do NBA power rankings this year?

[Gilly]

I'd read them.

The thing that I love most about basketball is that the basic stats are more revealing than any other sports. It tells you how a player is performing on a nightly basis. But, you can't tell how good a team is or how good of a team player a guy is without watching the games. To truly know the value of a player you need to pay attention to the stats and watch the games.

[jbissell]

the whole bench depth thing is just not that big of a deal to me because average players get better around stars who want to win. As long as the big 3 don't have issues they'll carry the rest of the team.

Looks like Miami won't even make the playoffs now!

[jbissell]

After watching that Wizards-Magic game last night, I think I was way too high on the Wizards. It's only a season opener, against one of the best in the league, but they looked awful. I had them at #9, barely missing the playoffs, but now I'm thinking they could be the 3rd worst team in the East, either just ahead or behind the Sixers. Wall is pretty exciting though. Disappointed with the Jazz thus far, though I still think they'll make the playoffs once they start to gel, I don't really see them as #3 anymore.

Really looking forward to Heat-Magic tonight.

[Stupornaut]

I am trying to get back into the NBA because reading Trey Kerby and Free Darko amuses me enough to make me mad at what I'm missing. But I watched the Timberwolves' opener and I concluded, albeit fairly early on, that "youngest team in the league" looks less like "youthful potential for a breakout future" and more like "nobody knows what they are doing". Also, someone tell Kurt Rambis that parting your hair down the middle while you're developing a pretty serious bald spot is the absolute worst thing someone can do to his hair.

[jbissell]

I am trying to get back into the NBA because reading Trey Kerby and Free Darko amuses me enough to make me mad at what I'm missing. But I watched the Timberwolves' opener and I concluded, albeit fairly early on, that "youngest team in the league" looks less like "youthful potential for a breakout future" and more like "nobody knows what they are doing". Also, someone tell Kurt Rambis that parting your hair down the middle while you're developing a pretty serious bald spot is the absolute worst thing someone can do to his hair.

Almost as bad as benching your best player in the 4th quarter of a winnable game.

[Gilly]

The Wolves are going to win 25 games this year. You have to remember a couple things. First, Martell Webster and Jonny Flynn are out right now. Second, it's a new team that has to come together. It's a decent team with tons of athleticism and guys who have a lot to prove and want to win. That hasn't been there for years and I think Kahn, with all of the grief he's getting, has done a pretty good job of putting together a hard working team. They can't play defense though which will cost them a lot of games but you can tell that their work ethic and athleticism is going to win them a lot of games that they probably shouldn't. It's a long season though, and the question is if they can maintain that attitude throughout the season.

Love's defense is pretty bad which is why Rambis is hesitant to play him down the stretch but on a team with no chance for the playoffs you have to let the guy make mistakes and learn from them on the court. Unless he has no desire to learn which might be the case. I can't tell if Rambis has Love in his doghouse or if he's trying to make him a leader through tough love.

[gravy boat]

I just bet a co-worker that the Nets would have more wins than the Knicks. Vegas says I should be wrong but I like that Nets team (Harris and Lopez are a good core, bench is decent, and Avery can coach).  I also don't think Amare Stoudamire will play more than 60% of the games for the Knicks because his knees have an old soul.

And how could they trade David Lee? Bad karma.

[Gilly]

I bet a couple friends that the Wolves would have more wins than the Wild this year. Whoever wins gets to pick the losers Facebook profile pic for a month.

[dave from knoxville]

I promise not to post this too often (or ever, if everybody hates it), but here's a math take on the results to date. Theoretically, the difference between two team's rating would be the predicted margin, but I wouldn't put money on it, and it won't really settle down for about 3 weeks.

1 Portland Trailblazers Home 17.8
2 Atlanta Hawks Away 17.7
3 Dallas Mavericks Home 17.7
4 San Antonio Spurs Home 17.7
5 Oklahoma City Thunder Home 17.7
6 Portland Trailblazers Away 17.7
7 Boston Celtics Home 17.6
8 Cleveland Cavaliers Home 17.6
9 Denver Nuggets Home 17.4
10 New Orleans Hornets Home 17.4
11 New York Knicks Away 17.4
12 Golden State Warriors Home 17.3
13 New Jersey Nets Home 17.2
14 Sacramento Kings Away 17.2
15 Los Angeles Lakers Home 17.1
16 Atlanta Hawks Home 16.9
17 Charlotte Bobcats Home 16.9
18 Chicago Bulls Home 16.9
19 Cleveland Cavaliers Away 16.9
20 Dallas Mavericks Away 16.9
21 Denver Nuggets Away 16.9
22 Detroit Pistons Home 16.9
23 Golden State Warriors Away 16.9
24 Houston Rockets Home 16.9
25 Indiana Pacers Home 16.9
26 Los Angeles Clippers Away 16.9
27 Los Angeles Lakers Away 16.9
28 Memphis Grizzlies Away 16.9
29 Miami Heat Home 16.9
30 Milwaukee Bucks Home 16.9
31 Minnesota Timberwolves Away 16.9
32 New Jersey Nets Away 16.9
33 New Orleans Hornets Away 16.9
34 New York Knicks Home 16.9
35 Oklahoma City Thunder Away 16.9
36 Orlando Magic Away 16.9
37 Orlando Magic Home 16.9
38 Philadelphia 76ers Away 16.9
39 Phoenix Suns Home 16.9
40 Sacramento Kings Home 16.9
41 San Antonio Spurs Away 16.9
42 Toronto Raptors Away 16.9
43 Washington Wizards Home 16.9
44 Detroit Pistons Away 15.2
45 Minnesota Timberwolves Home 15.2
46 Milwaukee Bucks Away 13.5
47 Toronto Raptors Home 13.5
48 Miami Heat Away 12.6
49 Boston Celtics Away 11.8
50 Houston Rockets Away 11.8
51 Chicago Bulls Away 10.2
52 Los Angeles Clippers Home 10.2
53 Philadelphia 76ers Home 9.8
54 Phoenix Suns Away 9.2
55 Charlotte Bobcats Away 8.5
56 Indiana Pacers Away 8.5
57 Memphis Grizzlies Home 8.5
58 Utah Jazz Home 5.8
59 Utah Jazz Away 3.5
60 Washington Wizards Away 0

[redmedicine]

I'll enjoy seeing Portland on top of any list, no matter how long it lasts!  It's been three great games, but I would be very pleasantly surprised if we make out of the first round on the playoffs this year.  If Oden got bionic knees in the most recent surgery, maybe that could make a difference.

[dave from knoxville]

If anyone wants to see this, how often? Once a week? Mondays and Fridays? I love lists at all times, but appreciate that many people find them spammy. Here it is, up to date through last night.

1 Chicago Bulls Home 21.5
2 Golden State Warriors Home 21.3
3 Boston Celtics Home 21.1
4 Atlanta Hawks Away 21
5 Los Angeles Lakers Home 21
6 Denver Nuggets Home 20.9
7 Portland Trailblazers Home 20.8
8 Indiana Pacers Home 20.7
9 Miami Heat Home 20.6
10 New Orleans Hornets Home 20.6
11 New Orleans Hornets Away 20.5
12 Los Angeles Lakers Away 20.4
13 Milwaukee Bucks Home 20
14 Orlando Magic Home 19.9
15 Memphis Grizzlies Away 19.9
16 Oklahoma City Thunder Away 19.9
17 Sacramento Kings Home 19.9
18 Atlanta Hawks Home 19.6
19 Dallas Mavericks Away 19.6
20 New Jersey Nets Away 19.6
21 San Antonio Spurs Away 19.6
22 Washington Wizards Home 19.6
23 Toronto Raptors Home 18.9
24 Cleveland Cavaliers Home 18.9
25 Minnesota Timberwolves Home 18.8
26 Dallas Mavericks Home 18.7
27 Detroit Pistons Home 18.1
28 Toronto Raptors Away 18.1
29 Charlotte Bobcats Home 17.9
30 Denver Nuggets Away 17.7
31 New York Knicks Away 17.4
32 Miami Heat Away 17.3
33 Sacramento Kings Away 16.9
34 New York Knicks Home 16.4
35 San Antonio Spurs Home 16.3
36 Houston Rockets Away 15.2
37 Phoenix Suns Home 15.2
38 Boston Celtics Away 15.1
39 Portland Trailblazers Away 14.4
40 Memphis Grizzlies Home 13.4
41 Phoenix Suns Away 13.4
42 Chicago Bulls Away 12.9
43 Philadelphia 76ers Away 12.3
44 Indiana Pacers Away 12.2
45 Detroit Pistons Away 12.1
46 Philadelphia 76ers Home 12
47 Houston Rockets Home 12
48 Los Angeles Clippers Away 10.9
49 Milwaukee Bucks Away 10.7
50 Utah Jazz Home 10
51 Cleveland Cavaliers Away 9.2
52 Utah Jazz Away 9.1
53 Oklahoma City Thunder Home 8.8
54 Minnesota Timberwolves Away 8.4
55 New Jersey Nets Home 8.3
56 Golden State Warriors Away 8
57 Orlando Magic Away 6.5
58 Charlotte Bobcats Away 6.2
59 Washington Wizards Away 1.9
60 Los Angeles Clippers Home 0

[jbissell]

Is your formulation too complicated for me to understand? Because if it's not, I'd like to hear how you come up with these numbers (and what exactly they mean). I'd say twice a week is probably excessive, maybe once a week or every 2 weeks.

[jbissell]

Last night on Twitter, Matt Moore (@HPbasketball), NBA blogger for CBSsports.com, had a fantastically sad rant/breakdown over the Mike Conley contract extension. Well worth reading. Especially sad if it does end up costing them Marc Gasol and Mayo. The full collection of tweets is here.

My favorite lines: "You just walked into a BMW lot, pointed at the doorless Volvo on fire and THAT ONE! $45 MIL!"; "I can't even argue that your franchise should exist. You literally do not deserve to own and operate a professional basketball team"; "Clippers fans get to make fun of Grizzlies fans. Their owner is a slumlord and they have no hope. And they mock you"