NBA 2017: Fleecing the East and Kyrie to Boston

[Mother Cocanuts]

16 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

Curry and Durant aren't similar when it comes to any aspect of defense.

Yes, they are. Like Curry, Durant is good at team defense. He also is better than Curry at rim-protection. But when it comes to on-ball defense, he an Curry are pretty much the same.

 

23 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

And now they've added Jordan Bell who will eventually be able to defend 1-5 in todays NBA. 

I don't think he'll be able to guard the 1 (maybe the 2,) but 2-5 is still not bad.

25 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

Nothing against Curry, they're the champs and they will win again this year.  But if you take away those 20 point leads, Draymond, Iggy, and Thompson, you wouldn't see an emboldened defender in Curry who finishes in the top 10 in steals.  

Far from the truth. Curry has good hands and reflexes, and if you've seen his training regimen, you'd know that he works on it. And again, I've posted videos of not only his defensive capabilities but also his ability to steal. In game 3 of the 2017 Finals, he stole the ball from LeBron who had a clear path to the rim. That had nothing to do with Iggy, Dray, or Klay.

[Slurktan]

1 hour ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

Miami could be a top 4 seed in the East.  A bunch of the lottery teams will be kicking themselves for passing on Bam Adebayo.  

And I've been calling it for months now, Lebron WILL return to Miami.  

And once again I will be fueled with hatred towards the Miami "fans" who text during the entire game while sitting court-side.

You think Miami is going to pass one of Boston, Toronto, or Washington?

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

22 minutes ago, Slurktan said:

You think Miami is going to pass one of Boston, Toronto, or Washington?

Well to be fair, the team went 31-10 during the second half of the season, and they had a lot of injuries during the first half of the season. Say it with me guys, Dion Waiters will be an All-Star!

[Sour Billy Tipton]

36 minutes ago, Slurktan said:

You think Miami is going to pass one of Boston, Toronto, or Washington?

I do, and it's likely going to be the Wizards out of the top 4.  I think Whiteside will continue to make strides offensively and get to 20 PPG this season.  If Adebayo is able to establish a solid rapport with Hassan...whewww, guys are going to need to ice-up after playing that front court.  

40 minutes ago, Mother Cocanuts said:

Curry has good hands and reflexes, and if you've seen his training regimen, you'd know that he works on it. And again, I've posted videos of not only his defensive capabilities but also his ability to steal. In game 3 of the 2017 Finals, he stole the ball from LeBron who had a clear path to the rim. That had nothing to do with Iggy, Dray, or Klay.

Lol, I'm not surprised that a professional athlete works on his biggest weakness constantly in training and practice.  It's his job.  And I already said how the majority of his defense is based upon his ability to steal.  That's a trait that most offensive minded players can bring defensively.  Teams will always look to exploit Curry's diminutive frame in a mismatch.  I'm not knocking him, I'm just pointing out the blatant disadvantage he's at when a bigger guard posts up on him.  Curry makes up for that in several other ways.  And that's why he's a champion.

[Rhom]

I do love me some Bam Adebayo.

Have loves what I’ve seen Malik Monk doing in preseason for Charlotte.  He picked right where he left off from college as a natural scorer all over the court.

Speaking of UK guys picking right up where they left off, funny that Ball is still ducking Fox.

[Mother Cocanuts]

36 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

  Lol, I'm not surprised that a professional athlete works on his biggest weakness constantly in training and practice.

His biggest weakness isn't his reflexes. He works on them, just likes he does with his dribble and his shooting.

37 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

And I already said how the majority of his defense is based upon his ability to steal. 

No, you said this:

1 hour ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

Nothing against Curry, they're the champs and they will win again this year.  But if you take away those 20 point leads, Draymond, Iggy, and Thompson, you wouldn't see an emboldened defender in Curry who finishes in the top 10 in steals.  

He's been good at steals since he was drafted--long before Klay, and Draymond were drafted (and remember Draymond didn't start until 2014.) I'm not going to imply that Curry doesn't feed off the defense of his teammates--they all do--but the insinuation that he leaves something to be desired when the Golden State Warriors aren't front running is just false. I posted this before, but I'll post it again:

This coach breaks down Curry's defense with stats and visuals. And this next video is 2 years old, but even then he was still a pretty good defender:

It starts at 5:33.

He's a point guard, meaning that every team is going to try and use the difference in size to their advantage. It doesn't mean that it works. It means only they think that it's their best shot. It's all the same to me whether one knocks Curry or not. I just do my best to defend his game from these baseless arguments which suggest that he individually is a weak(er) defender.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

6 minutes ago, Rhom said:

I do love me some Bam Adebayo.

Have loves what I’ve seen Malik Monk doing in preseason for Charlotte.  He picked right where he left off from college as a natural scorer all over the court.

Speaking of UK guys picking right up where they left off, funny that Ball is still ducking Fox.

Back in January, Sixers fans were all debating who would be the best selection out of the one-and-dones.  Monk was the early front-runner.  I tuned in to UK games and I was left unimpressed.  A solid shooter who can definitely find his own shot in the NBA.  But he's very streaky--as most shooters are--and he does not look 6'3.  He is going to be a liability when attached to the premiere shooting guards in this league.

I immediately noticed Bam and saw that the Wildcats had another amazingly athletic big.  And later on in the year I told everyone that Fox was my favorite PG in the draft.  I hardly saw any of Fultz's games so I couldn't fairly judge.  And Lonzo is a good player but that shot is awful.  

Fox looks like a leader.  His defense is miles above most freshman guards.  Ridiculously fast first step.  Is able to absorb the contact at the rim and finish.  And his shot needs work, but it's not broken.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

1 minute ago, Mother Cocanuts said:

His biggest weakness isn't his reflexes. He works on them, just likes he does with his dribble and his shooting.

No, you said this:

He's been good at steals since he was drafted--long before Klay, and Draymond were drafted (and remember Draymond didn't start until 2014.) I'm not going to imply that Curry doesn't feed off the defense of his teammates--they all do--but the insinuation that he leaves something to be desired when the Golden State Warriors aren't front running is just false. I posted this before, but I'll post it again:

This coach breaks down Curry's defense with stats and visuals. And this next video is 2 years old, but even then he was still a pretty good defender:

It starts at 5:33.

He's a point guard, meaning that every team is going to try and use the difference in size to their advantage. It doesn't mean that it works. It means only they think that it's their best shot. It's all the same to me whether one knocks Curry or not. I just do my best to defend his game from these baseless arguments which suggest that he individually is a weak(er) defender.

Lol whatever helps you sleep at night.  Curry makes Gary Payton look like a Thursday night YMCA superstar.  

[Mother Cocanuts]

3 minutes ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

Lol whatever helps you sleep at night.  Curry makes Gary Payton look like a Thursday night YMCA superstar.  

So, I'm guessing you didn't even bother to watch the videos? And when did I ever compare him to Gary Payton as a defender? I guess you see only what you want to see. Have a nice night, friend.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

lol, i'll watch them later I promise.  Lets keep the sensitivity at a minimum.  And besides, I'm the Sixers fan here.  Why is a Steph Curry fan upset?  You people have it all.  

[Mother Cocanuts]

1 minute ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

lol, i'll watch them later I promise.  Lets keep the sensitivity at a minimum.  And besides, I'm the Sixers fan here.  Why is a Steph Curry fan upset?  You people have it all.  

I'm not being sensitive. I just don't think there's a point in arguing if we're just going to be dismissive of any or all evidence. (Trust me, I'm not taking it personally.) And you're a Sixers fan? I'm a Knicks fan, in addition to the Golden State Warriors. (And I use that term loosely.) At least Philly has hope with Simmons, Fultz, Embid and Zaric. The Knicks have Porzingis and maybe Beasley. Tim Hardaway Jr. is too streaky, and Courtney Lee and Kyle O'quinn are disappointing.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

I haven't checked out the videos yet.  But I never label Curry a poor defender based off of attitude like other players--Carmello!--just off of his physique.  It's egregious when a player possesses so much skill on one end, and has no interest on the other half of the game.  Like...Carmello!

And your Knicks have no right to be playing on Christmas Day.  I anxiously awaited the release of the schedule because I wanted to hear the Christmas games.  And I wanted two things to come out of it:

1.  Sixers are one of the 10 teams playing

2.  The Knicks stay home!

I even had my own list of the games I wanted:

Cavs vs. Celtics--this was before the Kyrie trade.  figured this was a better matchup, and now it's looking like the marquee game.

Bucks vs. T-Wolves--perhaps my favorite game on this list.  ton of great young talent in this one.  two teams on the rise.

Hou vs. S.A.--battle of Texas.  Best offensive team vs. Best defensive team.

GS vs OKC--another reason i didn't want GS to play Cleveland, the Westbrook vs. Durant matchup is a better storyline.

Sixers vs. LAL- a nightcap w/ two young teams w/ a ton of lottery selections facing off.  And the Embiid/Lavar Ball storyline.

[Mother Cocanuts]

2 hours ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

I haven't checked out the videos yet.  But I never label Curry a poor defender based off of attitude like other players--Carmello!--just off of his physique.  It's egregious when a player possesses so much skill on one end, and has no interest on the other half of the game.  Like...Carmello!

Curry does have a disadvantage as a 6'3 guard given that the average height of the NBA player is 6'7. But having a disadvantage doesn't translate to a lacking defense. I watch every game the Golden State Warriors play. Not only do I watch, but I also pay attention to their schemes (that's why they're my favorite team.) You can't have a team with the second highest defensive rating in the league when your point guard who spends 30-35 minutes on the floor is lacking in defense. Look at the 2016-2017 Boston Celtics. They were 12th in defensive rating even with defenders like Jae Crowder and All-NBA Defensive Team player Avery Bradley in the starting lineup. Why weren't they top 10? Isaiah Thomas. It's not because he's small; he's not a smart defender. He's not a capable defender. Look at the top defensive teams in the NBA: Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, Hawks, Heat, Bulls, etc. Do their point guards slack on defense? Popovich would never allow Parker to slack. Quinn Snyder wouldn't have allowed George Hill to slack. Neither would Mike Budonholzer as it concerns Schroeder. Why would Kerr let Curry slack on defense? Do you think Ron Adams gives Curry a pass when he's preaching defense? And what sense does it make that the Golden State Warriors have the second best defensive rating when they have only three good defenders? Why does Curry have the highest plus/minus in the NBA when he plays on a team that is just as good at defense as it is on offense?

I've seen too many times these attempts to discount how great of a player Curry is usually by grasping at straws. I'm not saying that he's Patrick Beverley, or even Gary Payton, but you'd see that he's a good and eager defender if you pay attention to his game. (Hell, I've even seen Curry box-out and out-rebound Dwight Howard.) Well... the videos are there, so get to them at your leisure.

2 hours ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

And your Knicks have no right to be playing on Christmas Day.  I anxiously awaited the release of the schedule because I wanted to hear the Christmas games.  And I wanted two things to come out of it:

Agreed. The only reason they're playing is that it's New York.

2 hours ago, Sour Billy Tipton said:

1.  Sixers are one of the 10 teams playing

2.  The Knicks stay home!

I even had my own list of the games I wanted:

Cavs vs. Celtics--this was before the Kyrie trade.  figured this was a better matchup, and now it's looking like the marquee game.

Bucks vs. T-Wolves--perhaps my favorite game on this list.  ton of great young talent in this one.  two teams on the rise.

Hou vs. S.A.--battle of Texas.  Best offensive team vs. Best defensive team.

GS vs OKC--another reason i didn't want GS to play Cleveland, the Westbrook vs. Durant matchup is a better storyline.

Sixers vs. LAL- a nightcap w/ two young teams w/ a ton of lottery selections facing off.  And the Embiid/Lavar Ball storyline.

I actually agree with you that the Sixers should be playing. They've built an exciting team. I would put the Wolves against the Celtics. Cavs vs GS. OKC vs. Spurs. Houston vs. Lakers. Sixers vs. Raptors. (To me, the Raptors are a more high profile team, gaining more recognition for the Sixers in a win.)

[Relic]

Cavs trade Richard Jefferson to Hawks in a salary dump. RIP Road Trippin' Podcast, one of the best NBA podcasts out there. Sucks.

[briantw]

6 minutes ago, Relic said:

Cavs trade Richard Jefferson to Hawks in a salary dump. RIP Road Trippin' Podcast, one of the best NBA podcasts out there. Sucks.

Supposedly he has a front office or coaching job with the Cavs waiting for him if he doesn't catch on with another team, so it's possible the podcast could continue.  Given that he almost retired a year ago after winning the championship, I certainly wouldn't rule it out.  Doesn't sound like there's any ill will between him and the Cavs, at any rate. 

They needed to get the roster down to 15 and he was going to spend the season in street clothes even if they kept him.  It sounded like it came down to him and Calderon, but with Thomas out for at least a month or two they needed Calderon more.

[Relic]

8 hours ago, briantw said:

Supposedly he has a front office or coaching job with the Cavs waiting for him if he doesn't catch on with another team, so it's possible the podcast could continue.  Given that he almost retired a year ago after winning the championship, I certainly wouldn't rule it out.  Doesn't sound like there's any ill will between him and the Cavs, at any rate. 

They needed to get the roster down to 15 and he was going to spend the season in street clothes even if they kept him.  It sounded like it came down to him and Calderon, but with Thomas out for at least a month or two they needed Calderon more.

Looks like he's joining the Bucks.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

 Can't he do the podcast regardless of what team he ends up on? I'm guessing it was Jefferson you mostly enjoyed. I'll have to check it out.

[Relic]

58 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

 Can't he do the podcast regardless of what team he ends up on? I'm guessing it was Jefferson you mostly enjoyed. I'll have to check it out.

Nah, it was him and Channing Frye, along with Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton.

Apparently it might continue...without Jefferson. That would be a crime, imho. http://uproxx.com/dimemag/richard-jefferson-road-trippin-update/

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

15 minutes ago, Relic said:

Nah, it was him and Channing Frye, along with Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton.

Apparently it might continue...without Jefferson. That would be a crime, imho. http://uproxx.com/dimemag/richard-jefferson-road-trippin-update/

Maybe he'll give solo podcasting a shot.

[Relic]

Hard to believe the season is already starting tonight. Two great games on schedule to pop it off too. Looking forward to seeing how the Celtics and the Rockets play.