NBA Season 2018 - 2019

[apc]

If anyone missed it, very classy act by Doc Rivers last night, who grabbed the PA mic at the last stoppage and exhorted the home crowd to give Dirk a standing ovation.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1100277212740243461

Nice move by Doc, shows you the different between the LA and Boston fans- who recognized Dirk on their own.

[Big333223]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

Because mostly people just use the "he betrayed his team" narrative as a way to justify them hating on a player they already dislike for some other reason.

I mean, just look at Kawhi. He faked a leg injury to not play for the Spurs for a full year in order to force a trade. Is that better or worse than Durant deciding he wanted to sign somewhere else?

[celticsclay]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

Because mostly people just use the "he betrayed his team" narrative as a way to justify them hating on a player they already dislike for some other reason.

I mean, just look at Kawhi. He faked a leg injury to not play for the Spurs for a full year in order to force a trade. Is that better or worse than Durant deciding he wanted to sign somewhere else?

I don't really think this is the main reasons. He is a nice player, but not a top ten player in the NBA overall (he did make a few all nba second teams, but i don't think he was generally thought of as a franchise talent like Lebron, Giannis, Curry, Durant, Leonard). Probably similar to a west coast kevin love before love became so injury prone. Did anyone say Love betrayed the timberwolves when he wanted to be traded from them? Generally this only seems to happen if it is a clear top 5 player in the NBA. People got upset with Lebron when he left cleveland (also doesn't hurt the anger that he grew up there). People were agitated by durant because he was a top 5 player and he was joining a top 5 player that had just set a win record. Who else have you seen big betrayal outcry over the last 10 years? I guess maybe Allen when he went to the Heat, but that was probably exasperated a lot by the way he went out about with his teammates and them adding fire to the flames (he wasn't even a top 30 player at that point).

[SparzWizard]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

Because mostly people just use the "he betrayed his team" narrative as a way to justify them hating on a player they already dislike for some other reason.

I mean, just look at Kawhi. He faked a leg injury to not play for the Spurs for a full year in order to force a trade. Is that better or worse than Durant deciding he wanted to sign somewhere else?

I'd say it's two different things but both are bad image decisions. Durant set up meetings with like six different teams knowing full-well he's going to the 73-9 team who beat him and then blew a 3-1 series lead in the Finals. He wasted Ainge, Brady, IT4, and Horford's time whom all tried to convince him. He bought himself two rings, and I see it as bought not earned.

And then there's Kawhi who basically forced an issue. He just didn't want to be with the Spurs.

Both of them got what they deserved when they returned to their old arena as visitors.

[RJ87]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

LMA was just a weird big-named free agent signing that year. He could've teamed up or formed superteams with LeBron or Durant/Westbrook or wherever but the Spurs with their old Big 3 being one foot out the door.

He chose Pop and KL. KL never seems like one for the spotlight so LMA never had to worry about not getting the shine. KL was also arguably the 2nd best player in the league, being a great defender (of the best player in the league at that) and a really high level offender. Pop is one of the greatest coaches who seemed to get the most out of any player inserted into their system.

It seemed like a good choice but look how fast it went left. I know he doesn't have to justify doing what he felt was best but man, in the end, it sure seems like he made the wrong choice. I'm not only thinking about him not winning, there have also been rumored issues between him and Pop in the past.

LMA is from Texas and if I recall correctly, his son is there. So the proximity to his kid/family + the chance to play for a legendary coach in Pop (even if it's been bumpy at times) was probably more appealing than staying in Portland.

[Big333223]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

Because mostly people just use the "he betrayed his team" narrative as a way to justify them hating on a player they already dislike for some other reason.

I mean, just look at Kawhi. He faked a leg injury to not play for the Spurs for a full year in order to force a trade. Is that better or worse than Durant deciding he wanted to sign somewhere else?

I don't really think this is the main reasons. He is a nice player, but not a top ten player in the NBA overall (he did make a few all nba second teams, but i don't think he was generally thought of as a franchise talent like Lebron, Giannis, Curry, Durant, Leonard). Probably similar to a west coast kevin love before love became so injury prone. Did anyone say Love betrayed the timberwolves when he wanted to be traded from them? Generally this only seems to happen if it is a clear top 5 player in the NBA. People got upset with Lebron when he left cleveland (also doesn't hurt the anger that he grew up there). People were agitated by durant because he was a top 5 player and he was joining a top 5 player that had just set a win record. Who else have you seen big betrayal outcry over the last 10 years? I guess maybe Allen when he went to the Heat, but that was probably exasperated a lot by the way he went out about with his teammates and them adding fire to the flames (he wasn't even a top 30 player at that point).

Some people hold Kyrie's exit from Cleveland against him.

I think the profile of the player matters but mostly insomuch as higher profile players tend to get more attention and that attention tends to be more polarized. Kawhi was a top 5 player in 2016-17 and is again this year but no one seems to mind that he apparently faked an injury to force a trade. Some mind, I suppose, but it's not something I hear much about.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

why does no one talk about LMA and how he left Dame, while in his prime, to go to a team that hasn't done much better than Portland AND lost KL? LMA was a bigtime FA when he went to the Spurs.

LMA was just a weird big-named free agent signing that year. He could've teamed up or formed superteams with LeBron or Durant/Westbrook or wherever but the Spurs with their old Big 3 being one foot out the door.

He chose Pop and KL. KL never seems like one for the spotlight so LMA never had to worry about not getting the shine. KL was also arguably the 2nd best player in the league, being a great defender (of the best player in the league at that) and a really high level offender. Pop is one of the greatest coaches who seemed to get the most out of any player inserted into their system.

It seemed like a good choice but look how fast it went left. I know he doesn't have to justify doing what he felt was best but man, in the end, it sure seems like he made the wrong choice. I'm not only thinking about him not winning, there have also been rumored issues between him and Pop in the past.

LMA is from Texas and if I recall correctly, his son is there. So the proximity to his kid/family + the chance to play for a legendary coach in Pop (even if it's been bumpy at times) was probably more appealing than staying in Portland.

Yeah, I get the reason why he chose Spurs (hell, I probably would have) but as far as basketball legacy he may have fared better if he stayed with the Blazers. Of course this is hindsight but dang, he kinda messed up being a Blazer legend to be a blip on Spurs history book.

[Who]

Just looking at the box scores from last night's games and this stuck out from the Warriors vs Heat game:

Durant = 12 three point attempts (3 made)
Curry = 14 three point attempts (4 made)
Thompson = 15 three point attempts (7 made)

Three separate players all on the same team all in double digit 3 point attempts. Wow. That is a lot of 3s. 41 three pointers from those 3 players in 1 game!

[PhoSita]

Just looking at the box scores from last night's games and this stuck out from the Warriors vs Heat game:

Durant = 12 three point attempts (3 made)
Curry = 14 three point attempts (4 made)
Thompson = 15 three point attempts (7 made)

Three separate players all on the same team all in double digit 3 point attempts. Wow. That is a lot of 3s. 41 three pointers from those 3 players in 1 game!

It's fun when three historically great shooters do that.

We're probably going to see a lot of not-great-yet teams doing that in the near future.

[rondofan1255]

For February, Trae Young and Doncic were named EC and WC Rookies of the Month

[gouki88]

For February, Trae Young and Doncic were named EC and WC Rookies of the Month

Don't think I can argue with that. Sad that Bagley went down when he did, as he was starting to get on a roll

[footey]

Trae Young has 47 points.

[Phantom255x]

Trae Young has 47 points.

Wow Hawks and Bulls in TRIPLE OT 

And yeah, Doncic is a stud, but maybe this trade ends up a big win for BOTH teams (not just Dallas).

Young has looked phenomenal lately.

[Neurotic Guy]

Clips-Kings.  Double win or double loss tonight.

[Briantir]

Raptors are winning the East

Danny should have shipped the entire farm for Kawhi he's unreal the most complete basket-ball player in the league.

The 3 best players are still Lebron, Durant and Kawhi don't know what order you put them in seeing how all of them are NBA champions and Finals MVP's.

Man when Kawhi tries he's the best player in the East by far he can kill you in everywhere the game of basket-ball is played... Drive, mid range, 3, and ELITE DEFENSE.