NBA Thread 2013-2014

Josh Smith

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LeBron James

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Yeah, that's a tough one. Smith really needs to play at the 4, but Monroe is one of the best 3 players on the team and Drummond certainly isn't coming in off the bench. So Smith gets pushed away from the basket and spreads havoc among the shooting stats.

I'd hate for the Pistons to trade Monroe to make room for Smith, but that seems likely considering Smith's big contract.
 
Nets will recover from the start and will take heat to a 7 game series. Rockets will reach conference finals and will take thunders to 7 game series with harden scoring 40 points in the 7th game(12 free throws) and a buzzer beater to take rockets to the finals. Book it.
 
So which teams are going to tank for Wiggins?

So far it seems to be a two-horse race between Milwaukee and Utah, both with 5 wins.

Utah 5
Milwaukee 5
New York 6
Sacramento 6
Philly 7
Orlando 7
Brooklyn 7
Toronto 7
Cleveland 8
Chicago 8

The only other team on that list that can compete is Toronto, now that they've dumped Gay. We could see a major tanking effort there, and it doesn't hurt that Wiggins is Canadian.

The Knicks will get better when Chandler comes back, Sacramento should improve with the Rudy Gay trade, Philly should improve when Carter-Williams returns and Brooklyn with Williams back should improve vastly.

Orlando, Cleveland and Chicago have an outside shot, but i think they'll keep their dignity and try to get better.
 
Can we skip the season in the East and just fast-forward to the Indiana/Miami finals?
 
Well done Detroit! Josh Smith with 30. He's such a great player...

Eboue, your Pistons are looking alright this year..
 
Smith Jennings and Pope combined to shoot 20/53. I am not impressed.

You just beat the Pacers away (their first home loss this season), who cares about percentages.. Such a pessimist. :p

On a serious note, you have limited both Hibbert and West to 9 rebounds combined! (Hibbert finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 0 assists, on 2 for 12 shooting in 35 minutes!).. :eek:

You have beaten both Miami and Indiana away this season. You're definitely making the playoffs this year...

P.S. Can we borrow Monroe for the playoffs if you don't make it to the eastern finals and we do?
 
I hadn't seen him play all season, he certainly does look better. Of course Indy was stupid and brought the double team instead of forcing him to finish at the rim, something he's not great at. But he did a great job of finding the open man under the rim when the help came.
 
Blazers aren't going to make a serious dent, their defence isn't good enough.
 
And Kentavious Caldwell Pope shoots 36%, rebounds and assists way less, plays on a team that is halfway decent, has a usage rate of 15.5% and play less minutes.

Burke brings the ball up the court, has a usage rate of 22.8%, is coming back from a fractured finger and his team's record is 6-10 with Burke and 1-11 without Burke.
 
Having watched Michigan several times last season, I can tell you without hesitation that Burke is the real deal. That was pretty much a one man team last season, that man being Burke, who was brilliant at pulling up in the face of his defender.

I personally don't like that style, where the point guard shoots without passing even once, but it was undoubtedly effective.

He lacks a little size, and point guards are pretty large these days, but he has the tenacity to overcome that.

Great pickup for the Jazz.
 
I don't even know what you are talking about anymore.

Assist rate 2012-13, notable guards


Pierre Jackson 40.7% (16.4 turnover%)
Michael Carter Williams 40.1% (22.2 turnover%)
Phil Pressey 37.8% (22.1 turnover%)
Trey Burke 37.3% (11.9 turnover%)
Lorenzo Brown 36.7%
Larry Drew 34.7%
Peyton Siva 34.3%
Myck Kabongo 33.5%
Korie Luscious 30.4%
Quin Cook 29.0%
Scottie Wilbekin 28.6%
Shabazz Napier 27.9%
Elijah Johnson 27.1%
Marcus Smart 26.8%
Shane Larkin 26.1%
Aaron Craft 26.1%
Yogi Ferrell 24.1%
Keith Appling 20.5%


Plus, Michigan was so far from a 1 man team. All 5 starters from that tournament run will be first round picks. 2 already are.
 
Sorry, wasn't trying to say he can't pass. I was just trying to illustrate that he has a very coveted NBA skill: he can create his own shot. And that despite his relatively short stature.

The Michigan games I saw were all big games, against lesser teams he probably didn't dominate the ball quite as much. Also, those plays where he dribbled it down and shot probably stick in the mind a bit more than the assists, especially as I find it irritating and an inferior strategy.

I didn't realize he was quite that good at assisting, though, very impressive.

But I still say Michigan was a one man team, I don't rate Hardaway Jr. at all. Robinson III is decent.
 
I don't rate Hardaway much either. He takes too many long range shots at a low percentage and doesn't defend very well. Robinson is unable to create his own shot or defend at a high level. His main skill at the moment is great finishing at the rim.

But NBA types love them both and they will both be first round picks.
 
I forget his name but there is a young Australian prospect that is supposed to be going top 5, has anyone else heard about him?

Will be great to have a quality guard in the Aussie side, especially after losing out on Kyrie Irving... Not that we really had a chance over nominating for America.
 
I don't rate Hardaway much either. He takes too many long range shots at a low percentage and doesn't defend very well. Robinson is unable to create his own shot or defend at a high level. His main skill at the moment is great finishing at the rim.

But NBA types love them both and they will both be first round picks.

I was a bit surprised that the Knicks took Hardaway, but I suppose he can sit in the corner and shoot threes well enough for the 2nd string, considering the mediocre standard of defense on that team anyway, Chandler aside.

Robinson strikes me as someone the scouts would love, if he took his conditioning to the next level he could turn into a real beast...but I'd rather go with the player that already has that fire to get in great shape and make himself better, rather than the guy with that NBA body type.

How many Kwame Brown's and Darius Miles's will it take to convince teams that it's well more about work ethic and determination than having the ideal physical traits?

Michigan not being ranked this season certainly says something about how much they miss Burke. Though they did well to almost upset Arizona, they're better than Indiana at least!
 
I forget his name but there is a young Australian prospect that is supposed to be going top 5, has anyone else heard about him?

Will be great to have a quality guard in the Aussie side, especially after losing out on Kyrie Irving... Not that we really had a chance over nominating for America.

Dante Exum.

Team: Australian Institute of Sport
Birthday: 07/13/1995
NBA Position: SG
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 188
WSPN: 6-9.25
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Here's an analysis:

http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=1070

Here's another:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...eeping-up-the-2014-nba-draft-board-dante-exum

Here's a highlight compilation:



Sounds like he's considering doing a season in college, he's planning on visiting 5 schools, Indiana, Michigan, UK, UNC and Oregon (aka Nike U).
 
Brook Lopez out for the season with a broken foot. This is gonna be very bad for Brooklyn, he was the only one of the squad have a better season than last. He's been their top scorer in quite a few games, seemed to really be coming into his own.

But since they're basically the Chelsea of basketball I'm not too worried for them.
 
Paul George has been a marvel this season, the signs were already there that he could be at this level. He's like a less selfish taller version of kobe bryant, what a marvel.
 
As a Pacers fan I thank you for your praise! We got very, very lucky drafting this guy, that's all there is to it.

When Granger comes off the books next season and we bring in another max contract guy...watch out world!
 
Can we skip the season in the East and just fast-forward to the Indiana/Miami finals?


Aye. I get most Eastern Conference games with my cable subscription, and at the moment I'm actually watching more college basketball, because the dross in the East is too much to bear on a night by night basis. The Pacers are money this season, and the Heat with Lebron will always be in Championship contention. Apart from those 2 the rest have been shit. The Bulls are falling apart, Kidd's ineptitude is as clear as day, and the Knicks can't play defense. Look look...

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Half of the teams in the East are tanking, and the rest are in that mediocre, "make the playoffs but get swept in the first round" zone. Charlotte, Washington and Cleveland were supposed to click this season, but can't for unknown reasons. No disrespect to the Heat, but it's no wonder they've won the Championship for 2 years running, you have at least 4 championship contenders in the west and 4 almost rans beating each other up, leaving the Heat to pick up the pieces.
 
Aye. I get most Eastern Conference games with my cable subscription, and at the moment I'm actually watching more college basketball, because the dross in the East is too much to bear on a night by night basis. The Pacers are money this season, and the Heat with Lebron will always be in Championship contention. Apart from those 2 the rest have been shit. The Bulls are falling apart, Kidd's ineptitude is as clear as day, and the Knicks can't play defense. Look look...

Half of the teams in the East are tanking, and the rest are in that mediocre, "make the playoffs but get swept in the first round" zone. Charlotte, Washington and Cleveland were supposed to click this season, but can't for unknown reasons. No disrespect to the Heat, but it's no wonder they've won the Championship for 2 years running, you have at least 4 championship contenders in the west and 4 almost rans beating each other up, leaving the Heat to pick up the pieces.


TBF the Heat had more decent teams to deal with before, they had the Celtics on their last chance, Indiana coming through, the Bulls before D.Rose's injuries, Knicks with Melo and actual motivation. Since then however it's gone completely downhill. Bulls have capitulated, Knicks have capitulated, Celtics gutted out their roster, the Nets just failed completely and it's a two-horse race. The last championship final was superb, LeBron's been incredible the last few years bar his finals vs. Dallas too. Feel a bit let down we won't get to see Kobe and LeBron go head to head in a finals. Kobe completely owned him on their little one-on-one in the All-Star game last year.
 
As a Pacers fan I thank you for your praise! We got very, very lucky drafting this guy, that's all there is to it.

When Granger comes off the books next season and we bring in another max contract guy...watch out world!

Isn't Paul George the new max contract next season to replace Granger's?