NBA Season 2016-2017

[SHAQATTACK]

Warriors tearing the raptors a new butt oriface . 

raptors can 't get in ashooting contest with Curry

A big ruff team with big powerful centers is the way to deal with Warriors . 

[SHAQATTACK]

Raptors need to raise the white flag and GO home ....LOL .....

Lord what a joke

Warriors just coasting resting players .....and still Raptors only have two players who can score and NOBODY who can stop anybody on he Warriors inside or outside. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Sacramento being in the playoffs might be short lived, at least for now.

They're currently down 16 in the 2nd to the Lillard-less Blazers in Portland, and Denver is up 10 on Minny in the 4th. A Denver win and Sacramento loss will put them tied for the 8th seed.

A Trailblazers win will also put them at 14 in the win column alongside Denver and Sacramento, and New Orleans' win tonight puts them at 13 wins with them on the rise now being healthy.

I still think the Trailblazers or Pelicans end up with the 8th seed, but it might be a tighter playoff race than we want to maximize the chances of a Boogie trade in late February.

Sacramento has looked pretty solid recently so they make be due for a stinker without gayagain

My obsession with a Boogie trade has had me watching most of the Kings' games this year, and let me tell you, the Gay effect seems real. I haven't looked at the stats to back up this claim, but it certainly does seem that they play much better and move the ball around better offensively without Gay in there. I think tonight is the Trailblazers getting the Kings back for that bad loss in Sacramento last week.

Honestly, Sacramento hasn't looked too bad this year, though I think Boogie is just so good and draws so much attention that it makes everyone else's job easier.

However, they were pretty much in this exact same boat last year in the playoff race around this time before ultimately blowing it mid-season and sucking the rest of the season. I expect the same will happen this year, especially with their difficult schedule coming up and the possibility of trading Gay.

Makes sense re: Gay. He's like Carmelo lite—a ball-stopping black hole on offense. And not too efficient.

[celticsclay]

Warriors tearing the raptors a new butt oriface . 

raptors can 't get in ashooting contest with Curry

A big ruff team with big powerful centers is the way to deal with Warriors .

The raptors will down 5 with the ball witb about 3 minutes left. They were never looking like they were going to win but certaintly
Should not be embarassed

[jpotter33]

The beauty of the NBA - Felicio of the Bulls just got a technical foul for hanging on the rim for half of the time that Lebron did on Christmas Day, who received no technical foul. 

[jpotter33]

Uh oh, trouble brewing in the Pacers locker room? George expressing some discontent:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/paul-george-has-been-bummed-about-showing-up-for-work-on-the-pacers-170238894.html

And this is while the Bulls have come back from a 12 point deficit in the 4th in Indiana to tie the game. Would be another devastating loss for the Pacers and George.

[SHAQATTACK]

Uh oh, trouble brewing in the Pacers locker room? George expressing some discontent:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/paul-george-has-been-bummed-about-showing-up-for-work-on-the-pacers-170238894.html

And this is while the Bulls have come back from a 12 point deficit in the 4th in Indiana to tie the game. Would be another devastating loss for the Pacers and George.

I'm headed to the airport NOW ....to roll out the GREEN carpet 

[jpotter33]

Rondo might've already lost his starting spot in Chicago:

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/12/30/sounds-like-rajon-rondo-may-lose-starting-point-guard-spot-in-chicago/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Good. Good. And Hoiberg is also on the hot seat. Hopefully the dysfunction keeps up and Butler ends up getting shopped again.

[Phantom255x]

Rondo might've already lost his starting spot in Chicago:

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/12/30/sounds-like-rajon-rondo-may-lose-starting-point-guard-spot-in-chicago/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Good. Good. And Hoiberg is also on the hot seat. Hopefully the dysfunction keeps up and Butler ends up getting shopped again.

What would you realistically give up for Butler?

[jpotter33]

Rondo might've already lost his starting spot in Chicago:

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/12/30/sounds-like-rajon-rondo-may-lose-starting-point-guard-spot-in-chicago/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Good. Good. And Hoiberg is also on the hot seat. Hopefully the dysfunction keeps up and Butler ends up getting shopped again.

What would you realistically give up for Butler?

Pretty much the same thing as for George. George is a better fit for our system with his shooting, but I'd probably say that Butler is the better overall player. And he fits the character of our team with his physical style and tough mental game.

[jpotter33]

Don't look now, but the Pelicans are about to tie the Kings and Nuggets in wins at 14. They've been pretty good since getting healthy with Jrue and Tyreke coming back. Between Denver, Portland, and now New Orleans vying for that 8th spot, it's going to be really difficult for Sacramento to stay close in that playoff race.

[mr. dee]

Hornets booth talking about IT and his 52 point game.

[jpotter33]

Bulls looking very dysfunctional again.

Bucks are outclassing them at the moment after already beating them twice this year, and Rondo has been benched this entire Milwaukee game. Hoiberg is already on the hot seat, though just as many people are calling for Gar and Paxson to be removed due to this terrible fitting team they've put together.

With Butler's tumultuous relationship with management and the fact that he's been shopped before, the Bulls might very well  shop him again at the deadline if they don't pick things up. They have a ton of free agents this summer to decide upon, and their remaining guys are mostly young players in McDermott, Valentine, Grant, and Portis with Lopez, Rondo, and Butler being the older vets still under contract, though Wade has a player option for next year, too. Would be a pretty good time to transition to a rebuild.

They'll be out of the playoffs for now if they lose to the Bulls tonight, and the Pacers, Pistons, and Magic are all right there with the Bulls fighting to be in the playoffs, let alone the Wizards, Knicks, and Bucks above them.

[Phantom255x]

Bulls looking very dysfunctional again.

Bucks are outclassing them at the moment after already beating them twice this year, and Rondo has been benched this entire Milwaukee game. Hoiberg is already on the hot seat, though just as many people are calling for Gar and Paxson to be removed due to this terrible fitting team they've put together.

With Butler's tumultuous relationship with management and the fact that he's been shopped before, the Bulls might very well  shop him again at the deadline if they don't pick things up. They'll be out of the playoffs for now if they lose to the Bulls tonight, and the Pacers, Pistons, and Magic are all right there with the Bulls fighting to be in the playoffs, let alone the Wizards, Knicks, and Bucks above them.

It's definitely possible, but if the Bulls decide to ship Butler I think it would be next summer. Not this January-February.

Bulls still in the hunt so I'd think unless the Bulls have an absolutely horrible January, Butler is staying. Otherwise, it makes zero sense signing Wade and Rondo this off season...

It seems like the Bulls were very close to trading Butler to Minnesota on Draft Night though, but they wanted a certain asset Minny thought was "untouchable" in a sense... which is why it never happened.

[jpotter33]

Bulls looking very dysfunctional again.

Bucks are outclassing them at the moment after already beating them twice this year, and Rondo has been benched this entire Milwaukee game. Hoiberg is already on the hot seat, though just as many people are calling for Gar and Paxson to be removed due to this terrible fitting team they've put together.

With Butler's tumultuous relationship with management and the fact that he's been shopped before, the Bulls might very well  shop him again at the deadline if they don't pick things up. They'll be out of the playoffs for now if they lose to the Bulls tonight, and the Pacers, Pistons, and Magic are all right there with the Bulls fighting to be in the playoffs, let alone the Wizards, Knicks, and Bucks above them.

It's definitely possible, but if the Bulls decide to ship Butler I think it would be next summer. Not this January-February.

Bulls still in the hunt so I'd think unless the Bulls have an absolutely horrible January, Butler is staying. Otherwise, it makes zero sense signing Wade and Rondo this off season...

It seems like the Bulls were very close to trading Butler to Minnesota on Draft Night though, but they wanted a certain asset Minny thought was "untouchable" in a sense... which is why it never happened.

Schedule until February trade deadline:

vs. Hornets
@ Cavs
vs. Raptors
vs. Thunder B2B
@ Wizards B2B
@ Knicks
vs. Pelicans B2B
@ Grizzlies B2B
vs. Mavs
@ Hawks B2B
vs. Kings B2B
@ Magic B2B
vs. Hawks B2B
vs. Heat
vs. 76ers
@ OKC
@ Rockets
@ Kings
@ Warriors
@ Suns
@ Wolves
vs. Raptors
vs. Celtics

That's a pretty rough schedule until the deadline, so it's certainly possible. They play 14 games versus opponents .500 or better, and 8 of them are away from home.

EDIT: We apparently turned down an offer of Crowder, Brown (the Brooklyn pick anyways), and the 2017 Brooklyn pick for Butler at the draft. I've got to say, I'd probably have to do that deal at the moment. You have to remember that Butler is on a very, very friendly contract for several more years, too. He's getting paid at 18.5 and 19.5 for two more years after this season, and in 2019/2020 he has a player option at 19.5 that he'll probably opt out of.  He's also one of the few wings in the lead that can effectively guard the Lebrons, Durants, and Kawhis of the world, which is huge.