NBA 2015/16 thread
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<p>Knicks are looking improved from last year's mess (admittedly not a tough ask). The European kid they drafted Porzingis has started well - stereotypically labelled a soft euro who would take years to develop/contribute, he had a double-double (12 points, 10 boards) today vs the Lakers. Seems to have a knack for put-back dunks. An impressive big man it seems - something to build around for the Knicks.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="540231" data-time="1447038665">
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<p>Watched that Clippers and Rockets game this morning and whilst Harden had a huge scoring game and Griffin has a high % mid range game, both of these teams can't play defence. Good team defence like the Warriors will beat these teams over a series. Both of these teams could pull off a win on the back of some unbelievable offence, but not over 7 games.</p>
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<p>Oh, I agree, the top 2 comments was referring to the regular season only, and even then it would need some spectacular runs from (probably) the Clips . Over 7 games, with the ability to go big with Bogut where necessary but then switch to smallball at a whim, I'm not sure how any team can run with them over 7 games. Remember they only really found out they could play smallball so well in the finals last year so they will only improve there!</p>
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<p>And as you say, the Warriors aren't just good on D, they are excellent. Individually, Green, Bogut, Klay and Iggy are all fantastic - and now they have had another year to play better as a team.</p>
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<p>I think they roll through the west playoffs this year. The only challenger for me would be if the Spurs manage to get there with a relatively fresh side, and Parker and Manu re-learn how to play the game. Kawhi is probably the best defensive player out there, and I think GSW will struggle to go small against Aldridge and Duncan.</p>
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<p>Cavs will be tough for either of those teams in the finals (I'm assuming the Bull capitulate, mainly because I just hate them)</p> -
<p>Aldridge and Duncan will be interesting. Both like to play away from the basket. LA can get his shot over any big in the league. But if he just becomes a mid-range player then I don't think opposing teams will mind so much. Leonard is awesome. Can play on small forwards and 2 guards. He's even quick enough to throw at the point guards. He's got long arms to play against those 'stretch 4s' (love that new NBA phraseology...). Plus he has a genuine offensive game that they can go to on a more consistent basis.</p>
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<p>I've got a soft spot for the Spurs. George Gervin was the first NBA poster I had as a kid, so I supported them not knowing any better. They were useless after he was traded to the Bulls, but then Robinson and Sean Elliott came and both of these guys became favourite players.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="voodoo" data-cid="540251" data-time="1447046644"><p>I had you as more of a Matt Bonner guy...</p></blockquote>
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Sean Marks actually
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David Blatt was fired as coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending an awkward 18 month tenure. It was always going to be tough when Blatt was hired as coach of a developmental Cavs team only to find Lebron James decided to return home. His lack of NBA street cred told in the end despite a decent record in the regular season both years and a good job getting a wounded team to the finals last year. He has expressed a desire to stay in the league and I reckon he'll be sought after by clubs wanting him to do what he was originally asked to do, that is build up a young team
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<p>Steph Curry getting hated on by purists who hate the rise and rise of the 3 pointer shooter as much as some of us hate the drop goal. But not me I love this kid.</p>
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<p>He hit two half court shot today!! The first was just after the buzzer and the second, just to prove a point beat the buzzer and rightly the place erupted.</p>
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<p>He's been getting some stick for receiving so much press time but not being the all round player some legends of the game were who got less love or get less credit now. But I say fuck up and get off the guys nuts. He's fun to watch, a great role model and he can shoot the lights out better than any other player in history.</p>
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<p>Steven Adams sat out today with an elbow strain but he's been on fire - not Curry level on fire mind - becoming a double figures scorer and an alley oop specialist. Russell Westbrook, in my opinion the best penetrating point in the game, has built up some serious chemistry with Adams and they are becoming what could be the new "lob city". Westbrook draws at least 2 to 3 defenders every time he goes into the key and Adams whether coming of the pick or the back door has little to no defense a lot of times and its meant some serious highlight reel dunks. He is a legit threat around the basket. His post moves are limited but he's done some pretty stuff and you sense theres a double/double machine waiting to explode. </p> -
<p>Raz I'll be interested to see how the Spurs decide to play the Warriors when they meet next week (finally). A part of me thinks Pop might fox a bit and sit Kawhi and LMA, but with OKC looming there is plenty of incentive to chase after the #1 seed in the West. Whoever gets that likely has an easy run to the conference finals (which probably will decide the title).</p>
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<p>Cavs firing Blatt was predictable after the Golden State loss, Lebron won't settle for second place for another year. They need to fit the puzzle pieces together a bit better, Love is way down on what he was in Minnesota, and Kyrie is taking a lot longer to get back to his prime than you would hope. Reckon they might try and make a trade or two before the finals like they did last year.</p> -
Love was top dog and is now 3rd fiddle. Its understandable that his production would become lessened but i think his willingness to give over to lebron ball has really effected his game. Hes an unselfish player and hes given away a lot of good looks to lebron. Kyrie too. This was his team remember....its never easy to relinquish your plan to be a part of someone elses.<br><br>
Leonard is close to being the most complete player in the game. Not because Charles Barkley says so either...hes just that fucken good. Pop is the best coach in the league IMO and i think he'll keep the powder dry. Limit kawhi and Aldridges minutes. Okc luming large right now. Aside from Adams elbow injury every one is fit. KD and Russ are the best 1,2 punch going. Ibaka goes from strength to strength. Their bench is deep as fuck now with Payne and unexpected early career success. Waiters easily one of the more consistent 6th men in the league. Kanter would start on this team if he could play defense but hes still a quick and prolific scorer and rebounder. Then they have vets like Collison contributing on and off the court. The old fella had 10 rebs today with 6 offensive! Okc are my team and i think they may be the darkhorse to take it all.<br><br>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="554329" data-time="1453792969">
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<p>GS pump SA by 30 points with Tim Duncan sitting the game out</p>
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<p>I watched the 1st half. The Spurs were still in it after the 1st quarter despite 8 turnovers but it only got worse after that. A classic Pop interview on ESPN. I'll wait for the return match in SA before drawing too many conclusions. </p> -
<p>Nah I'm calling it. Barring a serious injury to Curry or Green, Warriors are winning the title. And they will do it easily.</p>
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<p>We keep sitting back and going 'hmmm let's not call this too early' as they pump all the title contenders by 25+, as if something magical will happen over the course of the next 40 or so games to bring them back to the pack. It won't.</p>
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<p>The Warriors are quite simply the best team, and now have big playoff experience as well. I can't see them losing to anyone.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="554373" data-time="1453808091">
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<p>Nah I'm calling it. Barring a serious injury to Curry or Green, Warriors are winning the title. And they will do it easily.</p>
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<p>They are certainly at short odds to win back-to-back titles but I'm keen to see them face the Spurs at home with Duncan back in the lineup. The Warriors have one major weakness - interior defence. The Cavs exploited it in the first few games of the finals but once it became an up tempo game the Warriors were never going to lose. If the Spurs can go to Duncan and West inside, and make it a half-court game they will make it interesting.</p>
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<p>It's a shame that the 3 best teams are all in the West (GSW, SA and OKC).</p> -
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<p> </p>Calipari says Wynyard can help Cats this year <div><span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.courier-journal.com/staff/17567/kyle-tucker/'><img height="26" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/3418587842069836ed36a096da5231962256da4b/c=0-31-454-485&r=1024x1024&r=26&c=26x26/local/-/media/Louisville/USATODAY/2014/06/26/1403811745000-lcjdc5-6ec9uu4aug914q68taa2-original.jpg" width="26" alt="1403811745000-lcjdc5-6ec9uu4aug914q68taa"> Kyle Tucker</a>, @KyleTucker_CJ </span><span>5:23 p.m. EST January 11, 2016</span></div> <div><div>
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<p class=""><span><span>(Photo: Matt Stone/The Courier-Journal)</span></span></p> </div></div>
<p>LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tai Wynyard does not much care for the current, frigid weather on the University of Kentucky’s campus, but the freshman power forward from New Zealand does like the food, perhaps a bit too much.</p>
<p>“Since I’ve been here, I haven’t been eating very well at all, I’m going to be honest with you,†he said Monday in his first meeting with local media since joining the team midseason on Dec. 17. “American food, it kind of gets me. When I was home, I was eating well, and then as soon as I get over here, I’m just eating fried chicken.â€</p>
<p>Maybe that’s the only reason anxious Wildcats fans have still not seen the 6-foot-11, 255-pound Wynyard make his college debut despite early reports that he is a rugged post presence who has been pummeling his teammates in practice. That’s just what this UK team lacks, but coaches insist the newcomer – a lover of hot wings – is simply not yet in game shape.</p>
<p>That does not, however, mean John Calipari plans to redshirt Wynyard.</p>
<p>“I don’t think so. We haven’t talked about it. I think he’s going to be able to help our team,†the coach said. “He’s just now getting in shape. You gotta understand, he’s only been here a couple weeks now, and I’m still trying to work Skal (Labissiere) into where he needs to be, which means I can’t just take those minutes and give them to Tai.</p>
<p>“But he’s practicing hard. He’s doing some great stuff. There are times we look at each other like, ‘We just gotta put him in.’â€</p>
<p>Fourteenth-ranked Kentucky (12-3, 2-1 SEC), which hosts Mississippi State (7-7, 0-2) and formidable forward Gavin Ware on Tuesday night, still has 16 regular-season and as many as nine postseason games left to work Wynyard into the rotation.</p>
<p>The Cats have played five games since he joined the team, although the first one was in Brooklyn two days after he stepped off a 12-hour flight from New Zealand to Lexington. He hopped right back on a plane to make that trip to New York with UK and life hasn’t really slowed down since.</p>
<p>“It was a whirlwind for him,†assistant coach John Robic said. “But he hit the ground running. He’s working hard. He’s getting better. He’s getting in better shape. He’s a physical presence, and it’s helping us in practice a lot. He’s been able to push our other big guys to a physical limit.</p>
<p>“He has made us a better screening team because of what he does. He sets terrific screens. Our players like it because it’s getting them open.â€</p>
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<p>Wynyard admits that, in addition to needing to get in shape, the combination of learning the Cats’ offensive and defensive schemes with all new teammates has been “really mucking me up,†but he feels more comfortable every day. The son of a world-class wood chopper – he estimates his father has felled more than 1,000 trees – Wynyard is quite clear on his role at UK.</p>
<p>Having wielded an ax plenty himself, the freshman showed up on campus already stronger than just about everyone else on the roster. So how he plans to help is simple:</p>
<p>“Pushing everyone around and just trying to assert my dominance,†Wynyard said. “I’ll be ready whenever he calls upon me. I guess I’ve been really strong my whole life, growing up around a strong family, genes. My dad was a big sports person, being a lumberjack, he is. I probably got a lot of that from him.â€</p>
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<p>His father also taught him an important lesson about strength that will surely make Calipari smile, as it’s a tenant he preaches regularly.</p>
<p>“It’s all in the mind,†Wynyard said. “It’s not really how you look. Someone could have all the muscles and everything, but if they’re not strong in the mind, then they’re not gonna really be strong.â€</p>
<p>To look at him, to listen to him, to hear how he’s performing in practice, it’s hard to imagine Wynyard can’t help Kentucky in an area where it is currently weak. But when might that be? And what will it be like for the teenager from half a world away?</p>
<p>“Depends where it is,†he said. “If it’s at Rupp, it’s going to be crazy, because it’s what, 25,000 or something crazy fans? Back home, I’m used to what, 4,000 at most, you know? So it’ll be an eye-opener.â€</p>
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Kentucky is a great basketball program, but if Wynyard went to a smaller school he would get consistent playing time.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="554874" data-time="1454012390">
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<p>Kentucky is a great basketball program, but if Wynyard went to a smaller school he would get consistent playing time.</p>
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<p>But he wouldn't have the same profile. Kentucky has a reputation of having "one and done" players so he'll get plenty of opportunities next season as well.</p>
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<p>Interesting comments about his strength relative to the other Wildcats players, but not surprising.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="554881" data-time="1454014940">
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<p>Interesting comments about his strength relative to the other Wildcats players, but not surprising.</p>
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<p>Makes sense. The kid has great genes and is used to playing a physical brand of basketball, just like Adams</p> -
Watching the Spurs close out the thunder for another home win. <br><br>
Strange watching them in a close game against a good opponent with Duncan and ginobli on the bench and parker only playing the very end.
