2020-21 NBA Season Thread

[Phlip]

NBA Draft is Wednesday.
Free Agency is Fridayor Saturday.
Season is due to begin on December 22, with plans for 72 games.

Will Covid allow this season to play to completion, or will it be all fucked up again?

Will there be NBA players in the delayed Olympics if the season is still going?

What are we looking at this year, gentlefolk?

Will the Lakers continue their run through the league, or will Golden State be back with Steph and Klay back AND the benefit of the #2 overall pick?

Is there a team of young bucks ready to turn the corner and change the guard?
Will the almost-made-it teams show up well enough to maintain their stars into the future?

Will Houston FINALLY learn that James Harden is their problem?

[Dutchmalmiss]

Looks like Bucks and Thunder already have upgraded rosters.

Brooklyn about to get Harden for 12034120 picks

Lakers will be okay for a repeat if they pick up Schroder AND DeRozan.
I'm seeing reports of a possible unloading of assets for Westbrook? I don't agree with that, ESPECIALLY if we give up Caruso!

I don't see Suns being that much better with CP3 now on that roster. He's gonna be having a hard time keeping up with Booker on the floor.

Wonder what moves Miami will make if they want to make a run similar to this past season.

Denver is going to be even more impressive this season. That's a young team with veteran drive mindset.

[Phlip]

I am not worried about Harden in Brooklyn, he is a killer of synergy and there is only one ball on the court. We saw how that worked out in Houston.
I am MORE worried about Golden State making a quick comeback with the #2 pick along with what they have coming back.

[Dutchmalmiss]

Damn Klay down again. "Lower leg injury, can't put weight on it" sounds like achilles to me.

Wonder if this Lamelo Ball guy is gonna be a bust like his brother haha.

[SimpleS14]

Wonder if this Lamelo Ball guy is gonna be a bust like his brother haha.

I don't think so because he's approaching it much better (IMO) compared to his brothers. It will also come down to coaching and supporting players too.

[Phlip]

Sucks to be Klay, but what in the fuck are you doing playing pickup ball on a surgically repaired knee five weeks before you return to work?
I was telling my wife last night that Melo might have the best upside of the three of them. I am not sure how much of an impact he will or won't have, but that has more to do with my low expectations of them in the first place.
I fell asleep on the draft last night thinking how weak the draft class was as a whole. I think the fact that conference and national tournaments were cancelled because of The Rona kept us from seeing any breakout stars, but I woke up this morning not feeling any better about any of it.
The fact that they only have five weeks ramp-up to complete their contracts and get ready to play seems to portend that we are about to see some REALLY ugly basketball.

[Phlip]

And then ESPN confirms that Klay Thompson has suffered a season-ending achilles tear.
Looks like another year of mediocrity for the Warriors after all

[afishysilvia]

Lamelo is best of the three but he’ll bust for sure.

Klay going down sucks, wish it was curry for my team sake. Klay is the better two way player and with just curry and donkey from shrek they’ll be mediocre.

[Phlip]

I'm really not sure how much of a "bust" LaMelo will really be. Charlotte's roster is gutted, and LaVar doesn't have the pull to go into Michael Jordan's house bellowing his blowhard bullshit. That said, as long as LaVar doesn't make any waves, LaMelo is going to get playing time and have the ball. He will get his numbers even if the team continues to suck ass.

[Dutchmalmiss]

I'm still waiting on that LaVar vs MJ 1on1 game to happen!

Klay won't be the same even if he were to make a full recovery. Being out 2 or maybe 2.5 seasons fucks with you. He'll still be a great shooter, but athleticism on defense will take a big hit.

[Phlip]

Right now the Lakers are winning free agency, but a topic of conversation on my FB timeline has been LaVar Ball and an old comment about his chances against Michael Jordan 1-on-1 and how his son being drafted by a team owned by MJ bringing that closer to possibility.
... then this happened:
https://www.tmz.com/2020/11/25/lavar-ball-michael-jordan-one-on-one-not-happening-too-old/
Dammit

[Phlip]

Ten days until the season starts.
James Harden doesn't seem clear on what team he will lead to a second round playoffs exit, lord knows WHAT the fuck Philly has going on, Clippers overpaid PG and the Lakers seem to have it made in the shade.
I can't wait

[afishysilvia]

The part that upsets me with the current times in the nba is how great the warriors will
Be talked about (they were good I’ll give them that) in the past and how only way lakers won was lack of their presence.

However, glad Howard is gone and love the pickup of Marc Gasol and the guy from the clippers.

[Phlip]

The time to talk about what the Warriors USED to be was last season. It really didn't happen. Adding a high draft pick and a returning Steph should have rejuvenated them, but that was dashed when Klay decided to play a pickup game. They will be mediocre with Steph and Draymond, but I am pretty sure that all the attention will be on the Lakers and Clippers in the west and remain on the Bucks in the east.

[Goofs]

Rooting for the Bulls and the Nuggets this year

Patrick Williams looked real solid in his preseason debut
Wendell Carter JR looks like a bust. He shot more 3's than layups yesterday, and he missed them all.

Modern NBA brainwashing some of these dudes, and taking away from what got them there in the first place. Yes it's good to expand your game, but not to the point where your Center is taking more 3's than layups.

[Phlip]

Tomorrow is the day.
71 days will be the shortest offseason. I hate to say it, but there will be some injuries in this season.

[Phlip]

Warriors and Clippers both fucking ate it last night.

[Phlip]

So it seems that LaMelo is the best of the three of them.
Are we ready for that conversation or not?
The Hornets play 70 minutes from my house, but spectators are currently not an option, lest I would be suggesting to my wife that I wanted to go to the Lakers/Hornets game and she would arrange it.

[FRpilot]

James Harden traded to Brooklyn. Will KD be able to deal with both a headcase in Kyrie and a prima donna like James? We shall find out!

[Phlip]

James Harden traded to Brooklyn. Will KD be able to deal with both a headcase in Kyrie and a prima donna like James? We shall find out!

Kyrie is going though, isn't he?
edit: damn, he isn't. This is going to be a hellscape.

[afishysilvia]

So it seems that LaMelo is the best of the three of them.
Are we ready for that conversation or not?
The Hornets play 70 minutes from my house, but spectators are currently not an option, lest I would be suggesting to my wife that I wanted to go to the Lakers/Hornets game and she would arrange it.

I?ve seen him play I?m in chino hills he is most certainly the most overall player. Would see him in a nba game if the opportunity presented itself.

The Harden trade has me in shock. I think there will still be hard feelings from the OKC split. Kylie (yes I spelled that correctly) is lost in his own world most of the time. You have to be committed and he?s easily distracted.