****2018-2019 Official NBA Regular season thread****

[dirk digler]

Didn't see anybody starting this thread so I guess I will.

Anti climatic season starts tonight and my prediction is GS vs Boston in the NBA Finals.




First 2 Games tonight on TNT with Philly vs Boston and OKC vs GS. Westbrook is out tonight so that game will be a blowout most likely.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Point out where I'm wrong and I'm happy to discuss.

You're severely underselling the quality of player that guys like Beverly and Williams are.

That team has three elite perimeter defenders and three excellent scorers. Harrell is a capable big at the rim and pick and roll. Even Zubac can give them 12 quality minutes at the 5.

A team that was the 7th seed in the West added two of the top seven players in the league, losing only Gallinari and SGA in the process. They still have Shamet.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I don't think the roster is depleted. LeBron James and AD are top 7 at worst players. Kuzma is a 3rd year player that can score. They'll get players to come on vet minimum and Danny Green is as good of a 3 and D guy as was available.

You get any superstar when you can so the notion that they should have potentially punted on LeBron is an absolute joke. Paul George didn't spurn LeBron - he stayed in OKC because he wanted to play with Russ. George wasn't coming to LA last year regardless whether LeBron was there or not. He agreed to his deal before LeBron announced where he was going.

The Lakers will be fine and this will create a great drama with the NBA. The Lakers got played in this scenario, but they'll be fine.

Where the hell did I say that?

And yes their roster is trash outside of a 35 year old that can fall off a cliff any year now and AD who’s injury prone and has already proven he can’t carry a team. How is Lebron supposed to get “load management” in a DEEP WC now?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I don't think the roster is depleted. LeBron James and AD are top 7 at worst players. Kuzma is a 3rd year player that can score. They'll get players to come on vet minimum and Danny Green is as good of a 3 and D guy as was available.

You get any superstar when you can so the notion that they should have potentially punted on LeBron is an absolute joke. Paul George didn't spurn LeBron - he stayed in OKC because he wanted to play with Russ. George wasn't coming to LA last year regardless whether LeBron was there or not. He agreed to his deal before LeBron announced where he was going.

The Lakers will be fine and this will create a great drama with the NBA. The Lakers got played in this scenario, but they'll be fine.

Everyone in the NBA knew LeBron was going to LA for a year before he became a free agent. George knew that too. He didn't want to sign there.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

You're severely underselling the quality of player that guys like Beverly and Williams are.

I watched Williams play in Toronto and saw what he was for myself (even though I think he won the 6th man award that year) although even looking at his stats can tell you that he's an inefficient ISO scorer whose shit doesn't work in the playoffs and plays no defense whatsoever. I don't particularly like him on any contender and he makes even less sense on a team with two other ISO stars.

Beverley is a fine 3&D role player that is certainly a good piece, but that's all. I'd take Danny Green over him.

That team has three elite perimeter defenders and three excellent scorers. Harrell is a capable big at the rim and pick and roll. Even Zubac can give them 12 quality minutes at the 5.

Harrell is another good role piece, but he's quite limited in what he can do and can likely be played off the court in any playoff series by a spacing big. I like Zubac's potential but he is completely unproven.

A team that was the 7th seed in the West added two of the top seven players in the league, losing only Gallinari and SGA in the process. They still have Shamet.

Gallinari was likely their best player and SGA was likely their best building piece, so it's not exactly nothing.

I also see you have a higher opinion of Paul George than I do too. Until this past season, George's hype never matched his production. He's also consistently underperformed in the playoffs.

The Clippers are definitely a contender, but are they better than a LeBron James team with an actual superstar as well as some other good role players? I think if you say the answer is yes, you've forgotten just how good LeBron is when he has some decent players around him.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I watched Williams play in Toronto and saw what he was for myself (even though I think he won the 6th man award that year) although even looking at his stats can tell you that he's an inefficient ISO scorer whose shit doesn't work in the playoffs and plays no defense whatsoever. I don't particularly like him on any contender and he makes even less sense on a team with two other ISO stars.

Beverley is a fine 3&D role player that is certainly a good piece, but that's all. I'd take Danny Green over him.


Harrell is another good role piece, but he's quite limited in what he can do and can likely be played off the court in any playoff series by a spacing big. I like Zubac's potential but he is completely unproven.


Gallinari was likely their best player and SGA was likely their best building piece, so it's not exactly nothing.

I also see you have a higher opinion of Paul George than I do too. Until this past season, George's hype never matched his production. He's also consistently underperformed in the playoffs.

The Clippers are definitely a contender, but are they better than a LeBron James team with an actual superstar as well as some other good role players? I think if you say the answer is yes, you've forgotten just how good LeBron is when he has some decent players around him.

I think you might be giving a 35 year old LeBron too much credit. He’s not 28 anymore. His body has endured a lot of wear and tear since he got into the league. He could fall off a cliff at any moment and be a shell of his former greatness.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Where are those role players coming from? Shane Battier isn't walking through that door. Ray Allen isn't walking through that door and Dwyane Wade certainly isn't walking through that door.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I watched Williams play in Toronto and saw what he was for myself (even though I think he won the 6th man award that year) although even looking at his stats can tell you that he's an inefficient ISO scorer whose shit doesn't work in the playoffs and plays no defense whatsoever. I don't particularly like him on any contender and he makes even less sense on a team with two other ISO stars.

Beverley is a fine 3&D role player that is certainly a good piece, but that's all. I'd take Danny Green over him.


Harrell is another good role piece, but he's quite limited in what he can do and can likely be played off the court in any playoff series by a spacing big. I like Zubac's potential but he is completely unproven.


Gallinari was likely their best player and SGA was likely their best building piece, so it's not exactly nothing.

I also see you have a higher opinion of Paul George than I do too. Until this past season, George's hype never matched his production. He's also consistently underperformed in the playoffs.

The Clippers are definitely a contender, but are they better than a LeBron James team with an actual superstar as well as some other good role players? I think if you say the answer is yes, you've forgotten just how good LeBron is when he has some decent players around him.

Lebron is 35 years old and coming off his first real major injury.

I would also be concerned because apparently Lebron's pitch to Kawhi was he is only going to be around for 2 more years and wants to be load managed so he can stay healthy long enough for his kid to get to the NBA and play with him.

From what I’ve heard, and I know you trust me with this just because I have these weird relationships, especially living out here in Los Angeles now. The Kawhi pitch, whether it is from the Lakers or LeBron, is this: LeBron is basically saying, ‘Hey, this is going to be your team in two years.’ I have heard this for years, but LeBron at one point wants to play with his son. And depending on when that happens, that is going to be his priority and that may not be with the Lakers. So, I don’t know when that is going to be and that [is why LeBron is] willing to defer. LeBron is saying for the first time in his basketball life that he is willing to defer the style of play.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by tredadda

How was Kawhi disloyal?

I was joking. He did Spurs dirty but not the Raptors. He was just a rental and I said that from the beginning.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Where are those role players coming from? Shane Battier isn't walking through that door. Ray Allen isn't walking through that door and Dwyane Wade certainly isn't walking through that door.

Just give LeBron good shooters and he'll do the rest. He's shown that throughout his career. On that point, there's no doubt Korver and JR Smith will be on the Lakers at some point next season.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Lebron is 35 years old and coming off his first real major injury.

Yes we'll find out soon about that. But I'm not doubting his abilities yet.

I would also be concerned because apparently Lebron's pitch to Kawhi was he is only going to be around for 2 more years and wants to be load managed so he can stay healthy long enough for his kid to get to the NBA and play with him.

LeBron is going to tell Kawhi whatever bullshit he has to in order to get him to sign, you know that. LeBron's not going anywhere any time soon. Bronny is still only 14.

[KC_Connection]

It looks like the Lakers have 9M left after the Green, PCP, Cook, and McGee signings? Not sure what Cousins is looking for in this market but maybe there's a fit there.

[staylor26]

Lebron is 35 and no longer in an abysmal conference

Stop using his history in the East as an indicator of the future.

[staylor26]

It’s going to be hilarious to see KCC flip flop on AD, Kuz, and the rest of that supporting cast if they fail.

[KC_Connection]

The MJ fans can celebrate today as they get to keep their ridiculous 6>3 argument going for a while yet (it's literally all they've got), but it's only going to make the Lakers' championship next June even sweeter now.

[Sassy Squatch]

I love how KCC always tries to put on this front that the fact LeBron only has 3 titles doesn't bother him, when it so clearly does.