NBA Season 2015-2016

[jpotter33]

Granted it's without Cousins, but this Kings team looks horrid to me. Pieces don't seem to quite fit that well with several of the guys being pretty ball-dominant.

[Rondo9]

Randle is making Faried look like an All Star.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Drummond had 25 pts and 29 boards tonight. That's almost as humanely impossible as Curry's recent on-court behaviors. WOwsers

[colincb]

Watched most of the DEN@LAL game. 2 bad teams, with Lakers looking worse.

- Kobe looks like toast finally. Missing badly on wide-open shots. Looks like he lost a step. Kind of sad really, especially given how competitive he is.  Steve Smith and Isaih Thomas both said that what you see is what you are going to get.

- Russell continues to struggle badly. Decent passer, but that's it so far. Have to think he'll get better, but Mudiay's clearly the better prospect. Steve Smith and Isaih Thomas concur. Thomas was particularly critical of russell and both said he may be in the wrong city to develop.

- The idea that Randle is the next Zach Randolph is total BS. Works hard, rebounds well, runs floor, good motor, dunks superbly. Not great in traffic, not a great finisher if defended, has no outside game (very unlike Randolph), and has no defensive instincts (but he is a rookie). He looks like he'll be good, not great. Will score on a bad team and against weak interior defenses, but put a good defender on him and he'd really struggle. Shooting 46% from the field and he's hit one shot from > 10 feet.

- Clarkson looks like their best player, but more a defenseless SG than a PG.

- Defense is very porous without Hibbert, but Hibbert screws up the offense.

Good chance to keep their own pick this year.

[trickybilly]

Good. Another team we can slot the twolves below.

[colincb]

Good. Another team we can slot the twolves below.

Lakers look like a bottom 3 team, but with more players than the Sixers who have two promising bigs and zilch. They're probably better than the Sixers, but with a worse outlook.

[CelticSooner]

I know about the injuries, but the Pelicans are 0-4. Like I've said before, people need to pump the brakes and stop prematurely coronating AD the best player in the league. He hasn't done anything to warrant that status just yet. I don't care about his PER or his historical records; none of that has translated to actual team success. And by team success, I don't mean "making the playoffs on the strength of a tiebreaker." If he's supposedly the best player in the league, I'm holding him to considerably loftier standards: those that we expect from LeBron, KD, and the like.

Much agreed. I never bought into that argument at this point in time. He's only 22 and still not his prime. I wonder about him tho when you look at what NOLA has done building around him. It looks a lot like what Minnesota tried to do with KG. Ended up wasting some years there when he shouldn't have.

[CelticSooner]

The Raptors are pretty good.

[tarheelsxxiii]

What's up with Evan Fournier of Orlando? He's blowing it up this year

[MJohnnyboy]

What's up with Evan Fournier of Orlando? He's blowing it up this year

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say that Orlando seriously look like the Bucks of last season pre-Knight trade. They got lots of young talent and they got a good coach to breed them. They could surprise people this year.

The east in general is much better now than it was at the end of last season. So far it looks like the Pistons and Magic will be better than people expect. Heck I'd even include the Knicks in there. Toronto and Washington may have moved up the chains in the east. Miami and Milwaukee haven't been as good as I expected but I think they'll be fine as time goes on. Cleveland, Chicago, and Atlanta look like they'll be in the upper tier.

Seriously, I think the Celtics might not make the playoffs this season. I'm not hoping for or counting on it but it is a stronger possibility than we all presumed at first. And here's the thing. If they don't make the playoffs and even go down the eastern conference chains, I won't care because:

A. They're still going to try hard every night.
B. They'll get a top 10 pick and maybe even higher.
C. They can sell off their assets and get good value in return.

Will the losing be frustrating? Sure it will, but we all know the Celtics' future in all likelihood is very bright, and if we get another high pick to go along with the picks that Brooklyn and Dallas owe us this year, then that's just gravy.

No matter what happens, I'll be happy with the result.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

sweet jesus curry. wow. no words.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

cp3 said, "i'm here too curry!" (not really but the stroke and assists are saying it lol)

[tarheelsxxiii]

What's up with Evan Fournier of Orlando? He's blowing it up this year

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say that Orlando seriously look like the Bucks of last season pre-Knight trade. They got lots of young talent and they got a good coach to breed them. They could surprise people this year.

The east in general is much better now than it was at the end of last season. So far it looks like the Pistons and Magic will be better than people expect. Heck I'd even include the Knicks in there. Toronto and Washington may have moved up the chains in the east. Miami and Milwaukee haven't been as good as I expected but I think they'll be fine as time goes on. Cleveland, Chicago, and Atlanta look like they'll be in the upper tier.

Seriously, I think the Celtics might not make the playoffs this season. I'm not hoping for or counting on it but it is a stronger possibility than we all presumed at first. And here's the thing. If they don't make the playoffs and even go down the eastern conference chains, I won't care because:

A. They're still going to try hard every night.
B. They'll get a top 10 pick and maybe even higher.
C. They can sell off their assets and get good value in return.

Will the losing be frustrating? Sure it will, but we all know the Celtics' future in all likelihood is very bright, and if we get another high pick to go along with the picks that Brooklyn and Dallas owe us this year, then that's just gravy.

No matter what happens, I'll be happy with the result.

TP, good post. Feel the same about your analysis of every team mentioned. WASH is a problem when they're healthy, Toronto looks good and Valanciunas could make a leap, ATL probably won't let up, Miami will be fine (Winslow is quietly playing pretty well, I don't doubt Whiteside's impact as much as some may), ORL is coming up like the Bucks last year... and the Bucks are coming - Jabari will be back, just need to work in moving pieces. Bayless is playing pretty well for them and expect Vasquez to show improvements pretty soon too.

[CelticSooner]

Feels like Curry needs his own thread he's so good. What an exciting player.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Feels like Curry needs his own thread he's so good. What an exciting player.

how do u even shoot that far out and be all net, like never in doubt? I can see once in a while but hes like 4ft from the line like he's shooting a layup. NASTY!