The NBA Thread

[jbissell]

Fun: OKC/Twolves
Not fun: Watching Chauncey dominate the ball and DeAndre Jordan shooting FTs

[Greggulator]

My wife got me the NBA Direct TV package for my birthday/X-Mas which are essentially one and the same!

I finally got to dork out last night. Some notes on the season:

1) I firgging hate that Norris Cole is on the Heat. This is because the "spunky undersized, backup PG from a mid-major college" template is something that I always love. So now I kind of have to like someone on the worst pro sports team ever. I think he'll be really great off the bench for those guys. They're still a bunch of creeps, though. The amount of complaining The Big Three do is ludicrous. They also lead the league in "intentionally not getting back on defense in order to get a cheap dunk" plays, which is the worst. They're off to an amazing start but once defenses lock down, LBJ's going to toss up fadeaway 27-footers again.

2) OKC/Dallas was one of the best games of the year. They're perhaps the two most likable teams in the league and also the most intriguing. I already have a headache from the Russ/KD "feud" that the media is trying to start up. KD's buzzer beater last night was awesome. MORE PLEASE!

3) I am in love with both Denver AND Portland. Denver's a version of the last Pistons teams to win the title -- they're a sum of their parts without any true stars, except with players I actually enjoy watching. Portland's kind of the same way, except they have LaMarcus Aldridge who is a true star AND Gerald Wallace. I knew GW was a good fantasy player but he's legitimately a great player. He does so many great little things. Both are darkhorses out West in a season that's going to be really weird with the schedule. I haven't watched the Sixers yet but they could be the East version of those teams.

[Greggulator]

ALSO --

Sacramento is the most entertaining awful team in the league. I will go out of my way to watch every single one of their games. Marcus Thornton is one of the biggest ballhogs I've ever seen. Tyreke Evans is a REAL close second. It's like 2002 all over again with the Kings, watching crummy players shake off plays to go one on one. Add in their obvious disdain for Jimmer (who looks at least decent -- he can definitely score), and you have one of the greatest backcourts in recent memory. And DeMarcus Cousins is going to kill someone. He shoots death glares anytime he gets shaken off in the post or on a pick'n'roll (which is essentially every play) and/or when he thinks the ref screwed him.

The real tragedy in this is Chuck Hayes. I love his game. It's also clear watching him that he REALLY cares. He's super vocal and is like another coach on the bench and on the court. He's a true leader and deserves to be on a team without these knuckleheads.

Bobby Jackson -- one of my all-time favorite players -- is an assistant coach. His suit last night was unreal. It was a black suit jacket with grey shoulder pads. He was also wearing a rubber bracelet with what may have been skull patterns.

MORE PLEASE!

ADDING:

Saw the 4th quarter of Wolves/Heat. Total thriller. Ricky Rubio is ridiculously good. If he gets any sort of consistent jump shot, then he could be the best PG in the league. The Heat are just going to give the ball to D-Wade the entire 4th quarter, which is the smart thing to do.

[Greggulator]

ALSO --

Sacramento is the most entertaining awful team in the league. I will go out of my way to watch every single one of their games. Marcus Thornton is one of the biggest ballhogs I've ever seen. Tyreke Evans is a REAL close second. It's like 2002 all over again with the Kings, watching crummy players shake off plays to go one on one. Add in their obvious disdain for Jimmer (who looks at least decent -- he can definitely score), and you have one of the greatest backcourts in recent memory. And DeMarcus Cousins is going to kill someone. He shoots death glares anytime he gets shaken off in the post or on a pick'n'roll (which is essentially every play) and/or when he thinks the ref screwed him.

The real tragedy in this is Chuck Hayes. I love his game. It's also clear watching him that he REALLY cares. He's super vocal and is like another coach on the bench and on the court. He's a true leader and deserves to be on a team without these knuckleheads.

Bobby Jackson -- one of my all-time favorite players -- is an assistant coach. His suit last night was unreal. It was a black suit jacket with grey shoulder pads. He was also wearing a rubber bracelet with what may have been skull patterns.

MORE PLEASE!

ADDING:

Saw the 4th quarter of Wolves/Heat. Total thriller. Ricky Rubio is ridiculously good. If he gets any sort of consistent jump shot, then he could be the best PG in the league. The Heat are just going to give the ball to D-Wade the entire 4th quarter, which is the smart thing to do.

From the few minutes of the Magic I watched tonight, Ryan Anderson's pretty terrific. He was always underrated but now that he's getting a lot of minutes, he's really breaking out.

The Clippers desperately need a new coach. Like yesterday. Also, they need to rebound the ball. They're going to have a ton of awesome highlights but aren't going to do crap without some major changes.

[Greggulator]

I have officially handed the "Most Fun Team in the NBA" title to Minnesota. I love the T-Wolves SO much. I had no idea until their last game that Kevin Love has the longest tenure with the team. This is completely nuts since he's only in his fourth year but it feels even younger since he just broke out last season. I also love watching him play. I've only seen him in bits and pieces since Minnesota doesn't get a lot of national TV time but I had no idea what a bizarre skill-set he has. I think there's a case to be made that he's the most all-around talented player in basketball right now. He has a really great inside/outside game, he's really athletic, he can pass, he's pretty impressive on defense and is obviously an absurdly great rebounder. He's also starting to step it up and realize he has to be the man at the end of games.

Ricky Rubio just has it. He was off the court for a big stretch last night against the Mavs and Dallas made a great run to get back into the game. Ricky came back in and the Wolves pulled away. This wasn't accidental. The word "infectious" comes to mind. His teammates love him already. The bench explodes whenever he does something great.

But what makes them appealing is how much they have to overcome. They're a young team figuring it out. Rick Adelman's a terrific coach so they have spacing/fluidity/etc. down really well. But, unfortunately, they have a general manager who has absolutely no idea how to build a team and has no strategy.

[Gilly]

Being a diehard Wolves fan, I agree with all that except the swipe at Kahn. This is his team he put together and he brought Adelman in. Remember, this is his 3rd year and the first year that all of the pieces (other than Love) are his. He took over a team that not only was terrible but also lost almost it's entire fanbase- you can walk into almost any store that sells some kind of sports merchandise here (Best Buy, Pet Smart, Target...etc) and find Vikings, Twins and Wild gear but I haven't seen Wolves gear anywhere other than actual sports shops and even they have a sparse selection. Credit the Twins and Vikings for being terrible as well, but three years into his leadership, and the Wolves are the most exciting and probably most popular team in Minnesota right now. Not only that, but it looks like they are going to be pretty good on top of exciting.

Does he have some pieces that don't fit? Yeah, but most teams do. I think Beasley needs to go, he takes way too many shots, and doesn't have the confidence to be their go to guy at the end. I'd much rather see him replaced with a guy who isn't necessarily a star but can be relied on to take the big shot.

One thing is for sure, it sure is nice going to work and being able to talk with people about the Wolves again. For the last 3-4 years I was watching the games and nobody else cared, which kind of defeats the purpose of watching sports.

[jäck]

For the first time in years it's not depressing to be a Wolves fan. Rubio is so much fun to watch.

Ricky Rubio's Fancy Assist

[buffcoat]

His teammates did seem excited.

Now if Darko can catch on, Tony and Mike will have to eat all their NBA-bust-focused words.

[jäck]

[fonpr]

"Oh, Sh#t, that's my bone?"

[Greggulator]

Kahn made two good moves. He got Ricky Rubio and Rick Adelman -- the most heralded young European player of all-time who proved himself against the US Olympic Team and a coach who would have been a hall-of-famer if he got a few breaks that he didn't get. Those aren't exactly no-brainers. Neither is the Williams pick. I actually would have picked Williams over Irving as #1 in the last draft.

But he drafted Jonny Flynn right after Rubio. This is one ahead of Steff Curry and a bunch ahead of Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday, DeJuan Blair, Omar Casspi and a bunch of other guys who would be great on this roster. That one pick could have given the T-Wolves the best young backcourt in basketball or a really great part of a pretty decent rotation.

The dude signed Darko to a four year deal. DARKO. And then he tried to tell Chris Weber Darko was as good a passer as Vlade Divac. And almost the rest of the roster is made up of interchangeable, mid-tier swingmen and a guy who rooked a team into giving him a huge contract based on a hot playoff run.

Like I said: I love the Wolves and am all about this team. But they're winning in spite of their management, which is part of their allure.

[Cotton]

DeJuan Blair

Hell, they coulda gotten Blair with that Ellington pick. that draft to me remains one of the most oddly compelling ones in recent history. Those late-1st and mid-2nd round ranges have turned out SO much better than anyone would expect in a "bad draft year"

[Greggulator]

DeJuan Blair

Hell, they coulda gotten Blair with that Ellington pick. that draft to me remains one of the most oddly compelling ones in recent history. Those late-1st and mid-2nd round ranges have turned out SO much better than anyone would expect in a "bad draft year"

I could not agree with you more.

I could not believe DeJuan Blair was not a first round pick. I know he has some knee problems but he had them since high school. He was a really great bruiser big man in college. A lot of scouts say the most translatable stat from college to the NBA is rebounding and Blair can certainly do that. He's better than probably 18 guys who were picked ahead of him.

A really good friend of mine is from Cleveland and I watched the draft with him. He nearly cried when they passed on him. If they grab him, who knows what the Cavs do since their bench/rotation becomes so much stronger.

Paul Milsap also has the same trap. He led the nation in rebounding for three straight years in college and was ridiculously efficient. And while LA Tech isn't a power, they play in the WAC which is far from a low-end college conference. He's one of the best draft picks of all-time considering how far he fell.

Kenneth Farieid is my sleeper this year. He set the all-time record for rebounding in college, was a very efficient low-post scorer and led his team to a very good showing last March, including maybe the most clutch blocked shot in tournament history. And while I'm not big on drafting or signing playoff heroes (Hello, JJ Barea), I do think you can tell a lot about a player in very singular big moments like that. Denver's a really deep team so minutes might be hard to come by but I think he's a steal.

Also: I've watched a ton of Denver this season. Gallo has a surprisingly good all-around game. The shots haven't fallen yet but they're there for him. I had no idea he could create a shot like that. The genius Mike D'Antoni sure knows how to use his talent wisely!

[Cotton]

I kind of really want the Sixers to go for Cousins, despite knowing how combustible that would be.

[Greggulator]

What a weird night of hoops last night!

1) Miami/Atlanta was one of the worst 3OT games in NBA history. However, it featured one awesome thing: The breakout of Ivan Johnson, who may be the scariest looking player in NBA history. Dear lord is that guy frightening. I hope he sticks. The league can use more dudes like this.

2) Dallas is having a REALLY hard time with things. I hope they get it together soon but they're really pressing.

3) Portland/LA was a really fun game. Gerald Wallace is flying up the list of my favorite players. Jamal Crawford's also great to watch. I'm a sucker for guys who come off the bench to be gunners.

4) Kings/Bucks was one of the legit most entertaining games of the year so far. What a storyline! The Kings finally dumped Paul Westphal. They started off strong but fell back into their awful habits of one-on-one play, not passing the ball and not getting back on defense. They fell down by 21... and then, out of nowhere, something clicked. They ran a few set plays, moved the ball, started communicating on d... and they stole a rousing victory against the Bucks. True, they were playing without Bogut. But that's still not a bad team. Brandon Jennings had his "oh, this is why people thing this guy is good" game of the month, too.

I have such a soft spot in my heart for Sacramento.