Ferrum Aeternum Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Wow that is bad. I wonder if that 22 game stretch was a particularly difficult set of teams? Because that is the blessing/curse of this injury timing for OKC, it is during the weaker part of the Thunder's schedule, but it also means that any ground they need to make up will be filled with games against the top 10 Western Conference teams, where winning 2 games out of 3 is very hard. Griz were 10-13 without Gasol while he recovered from his MCL, starting with a 3-9 stretch before rallying toward the time of his return. It was a fairly easy stretch. Losses were to a mix of good and bad teams, but importantly the Grizzlies didn't beat a single Western Conference playoff team during that stretch (and only beat the Hawks from the East). ETA: Grizzlies also lost the game where Gasol got hurt against San Antonio after only playing 10 minutes, which I suppose could count as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andriy Czarchenko Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Ha, I´d say I was close enough without actually checking the numbers as if you count the Spurs game they were 8-14 before winning the last 2 without him. Let´s check the schedule for OKC with the idea that Durant and Westbrook miss November. Denver@Brooklyn@TorontoMemphisSacramento@Milwaukee@BostonDetroitHouston@Utah@DenverBrooklynGolden StateUtahNew York So 15 games through quite easy stretch of schedule. I would say @Toronto, Memphis, Houston, @Denver and Golden State are very probable losses. That leaves 10 "winnable" games. 5-5 on those would leave OKC at 5-12 and 45-20 (0.69) finish for 50 wins. Nothing impossible yet but OKC really can´t afford any more setbacks through the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 With 2-0 down already, the reserves and what is left of the starters really need to start cracking. Because you can imagine a scenario where they cannot bring it at all and just win 3 or 4of the next 10 games. The problem obviously being that the other Western teams are so good. Still, at this point I have to say T think it's inconceivable that OKC will not make the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andriy Czarchenko Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Winning 3-4 of the next ten is pretty much what you´d expect them to win. Losses @Toronto, Memphis and Houston and 50/50 against the rest. It´s easy to imagine a scenario where they win 1-2 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay B. Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Look to have a nice finish in Chicago. Rose looked good but hasn't played in the 4th with a sprained ankle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabronius Maximus Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 This is a really good game. Nice to see the top 2 teams in the east playing some hard nosed ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay B. Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Hinrich feeling it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabronius Maximus Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Ooo this is good. That was the right call anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay B. Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Yup, annoying but the right call.Horrendous possession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 Ack! With the Bulls up 7 with about a minute to play, I decided to go ahead and put my son to bed and get the house all shut down for the night... then I lay down in bed and turn on the TV thinking I'd watch a bit of the Clippers and there's Cleveland up 5 in overtime!!!!! Hate that I missed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Are you fucking kidding me? http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11790930/lebron-james-says-first-game-back-cleveland-cavaliers-one-biggest-sporting-events-ever "For me, I know all of us shouldn't take this moment for granted," James said after shootaround Thursday in advance of the Cavs' home game against the New York Knicks. "This is probably one of the biggest sporting events that is up there ever." Greatest sporting event ever? Opening night between two Eastern Conference teams that didn't even make the playoffs last year. This guy must get high off the smell of his own farts. :bang: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyenon15 Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Probably still bigger than the world series Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Are you fucking kidding me? http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11790930/lebron-james-says-first-game-back-cleveland-cavaliers-one-biggest-sporting-events-ever "For me, I know all of us shouldn't take this moment for granted," James said after shootaround Thursday in advance of the Cavs' home game against the New York Knicks. "This is probably one of the biggest sporting events that is up there ever." Greatest sporting event ever? Opening night between two Eastern Conference teams that didn't even make the playoffs last year. This guy must get high off the smell of his own farts. :bang: Honestly, athletes say stupid shit all the time. I'd love to see "educated" politicians answer questions the way popular athletes do, one right after the other, with no time to think, while mobbed by a group of eager middle aged men sticking phallic recording devices in their faces. I have no idea what LeBron is like as a real person. He might be a total douche. His play on the court, however, is anything but egotistical. I'll judge him based on that merit, and leave the speculation to others. He might flex or pose after a dunk, but who fucking wouldn't if they dunked like LeBron? He's one of the most unselfish Elite players we've ever seen. He gets that you can't win alone on a level Jordan never did. In many ways he's humbler than MJ was. (i also want to see him lose, but that's just cuz the Knick fan in me is a HUGE hater) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Honestly, athletes say stupid shit all the time. I'd love to see "educated" politicians answer questions the way popular athletes do, one right after the other, with no time to think, while mobbed by a group of eager middle aged men sticking phallic recording devices in their faces. I have no idea what LeBron is like as a real person. He might be a total douche. His play on the court, however, is anything but egotistical. I'll judge him based on that merit, and leave the speculation to others. (i also want to see him lose, but thats just cuz the Knick fan in me is a HUGE hater) Politicians do it all the time, except usually they are smart enough to just give rote, soft-shoe responses. I will admit that I'm a LeBron hater. I'm going to look for any excuse to ridicule the guy, but this is truly ridiculous. Does he honestly believe his own hype? To the degree that he could say something like that with a straight face? Yes, he's a great basketball player. One of the best to ever lace them up. That being said, his head is so much bigger than his game that I can't even begin to admire the guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Politicians do it all the time, except usually they are smart enough to just give rote, soft-shoe responses. Not really. Every question is prepared for or dodged, all smoothly and with a smile. Politicians do that shit in the mirror for hours. I doubt LeBron spends much time on it at home. Anyway, you quoted one sentence. If he went on record repeatedly stating that his first game back was more important than last year's finals i'd understand your ire. But for all you know he meant to say it was a momentous event in Cleveland sports, which it is, and corrected himself immediately afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 dp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyenon15 Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 He was probably just Don King-ing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andriy Czarchenko Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Well before 5th final James told Heat to follow his lead while Spurs said let´s do it as a team. That approach worked for about 8 minutes and then got steamrolled as his energy levels decreased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Well before 5th final James told Heat to follow his lead while Spurs said let´s do it as a team. That approach worked for about 8 minutes and then got steamrolled as his energy levels decreased. To be fair I don't really blame LeBron for that. A really good team concept, with all the pieces being utilized is almost always going to beat the 3 all-star set-up. Especially in a 7 game set. I have to imagine that it becomes a little mentally and emotionally exhausting to be a secondary or tertiary player on a team like that over the course of a season. Even when those players show significant improvement, there doesn't seem to be much effort made to get them involved. It is ultimately a team sport. I get that you have to maximize the value of your superstars, but the NBA seems to go overboard in that respect. At the end of the day, you want all 5 guys on the floor to be clicking and involved if you expect to have a shot at a ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andriy Czarchenko Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Oh I don´t really blame him for it as I think they all knew it was futile at that point anyway. It just shows the difference in approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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