2018 NBA Game Thread

moondog80

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Amazing how much talk there was of Kyrie being a flat earther but no one mentions Steph Curry believing the moon landings are a lie and we've never been to the moon.
I cannot imagine caring about either.
 

lovegtm

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If there’s one thing we need, it’s more non-basketball-related chatter about the Warriors.
I thought the Kyrie "controversy" was beyond dumb myself, but it's annoying to non-Warriors fans that Steph seems to be getting way more of a pass for this.
 

Sam Ray Not

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I mean, imagine if Steph believed in something really nutty and unscientific like Heaven or the virgin birth of Christ. :)

Seriously, I was mildly disappointed in Steph's comments (as I was in Kyrie's) but not to the point where it concerned me for more than three seconds. And in both cases I allow a fair measure of "just messing with people"

I guess I also reject the implied premise that Steph gets more of a pass for transgressions (such as they are) than Kyrie. Both are super-beloved, inner-circle A-listers, among players, fans, and media. What would be the motivation for going easier on one than the other?

To the extent that Kyrie's comments got more coverage than Steph's, I'd imagine it's about (1) the fact that the Kyrie comment came first, and the media may have been chastened by their rather breathless overreaction to it; and (2) in the realm of nutty theories, "the earth is flat" is actually a tiny bit nuttier than "the moon landing was faked by Stanley Kubrick."

Where does Jurassic Carl Everett fit into Steph/Kyrie canon, by the way?
 

Sam Ray Not

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15-5 in their last 20, that is a quarter season of 60 win pace.
I wouldn't go buying Lakers stock just yet: they still have a very modest point differential (+2.2), despite the most home-friendly schedule in the league and the #19 strength of schedule. They've pulled out a ton of close ones, which may be more sustainable than for a typical team since they have an elite closer in LeBron, but still, +2.2 is no way to go through life for a team with deep playoff aspirations.

That said: they've looked better than I expected they would to start the season. I think right now I'd put them #4 in the West after GS, OKC, and DEN.
 

joe dokes

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Amazing how much talk there was of Kyrie being a flat earther but no one mentions Steph Curry believing the moon landings are a lie and we've never been to the moon.
I only wish that rather than offering to show him rocks (allegedly) gathered on the moon, that NASA had said something like, "He's a great basketball player, and maybe he's just kidding around or trolling the conspiracy morons, but if he really believes this, he probably shouldn't be allowed to do dangerous things like drive cars, wear shoes with laces, or change the roll of toilet paper."

Whatever the "value" of the lunar program in the 60s and 70s, (alleged) people did (allegedly) die (allegedly) trying.
 

Tony C

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Julius Randle with 37 points few nights ago on 15-24 shooting. That followed a 27 point performance on 11-16 shooting. Wonder whether the Lakers will regret giving him away for basically nothing.
Not only that, but stylistically he'd seem to be a good fit.I think the critique in L.A. was his defense and I've read references that the same holds true in NO despite the developing offense. Some of the Lakers questionable signings have turned out well -- McGee and Rondo, specifically, and arguably Caldwell-Pope. Lance Stephenson will never make sense just like their palpable distaste for Randle seems weird. If they didn't want him to have an option year, it seems they could have overpaid him a bit more for this season.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I wouldn't go buying Lakers stock just yet: they still have a very modest point differential (+2.2), despite the most home-friendly schedule in the league and the #19 strength of schedule. They've pulled out a ton of close ones, which may be more sustainable than for a typical team since they have an elite closer in LeBron, but still, +2.2 is no way to go through life for a team with deep playoff aspirations.

That said: they've looked better than I expected they would to start the season. I think right now I'd put them #4 in the West after GS, OKC, and DEN.
When you said you wouldn’t be buying Laker stock I didn’t expect to see you put them at #4. I was waiting for the 7-8 seed argument. Is there anyone that places then any higher than 3 or 4? I’m always a buyer of LeBron but that team as presently constructed has regular season limitations.
 

Kliq

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I think, and have always thought, that the Lakers would win 50+ games with LeBron, although they would struggle in the playoffs. It depends on how high of a seed you think 52 wins is going to get you in the West this year, which is probably different than what people thought heading into the season when it was assumed Houston and GS were locks to win 60+.

I think when Kyrie said that the Earth was flat, it was the first time a lot of people had heard that there is an actual conspiracy theory that the Earth is flat that people today believe. Curry is far from the first person to suggest that the moon landing was fake.
 

cheech13

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I see Curry getting torn up on the twittersphere over his comments. Not much different really than Kyrie. Both guys looked like fools because of their comments, but neither was really a "story" that had any kind of legs. But also, they aren't really comparable. The "moon landing is a hoax" is typical, run-of-the-mill conspiracy nut stuff. The earth is flat people are either truly crazy or desperate for attention. It takes some unbelievable mental gymnastics and rejection of very basic science to think the earth is flat.
 

Marciano490

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Why are people asking athletes these sort of questions? I can’t wait to hear what Ryan Tannehill thinks about evolution or Russell Wilson thinks about gravity.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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The Clippers master plan to sign both Durant and Kwahi this offseason apparently includes . . . making sure they send a front office representative to each Raptors game?

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25501657/clippers-scouting-kawhi-leonard-kevin-durant-nba

Raptors officials have noticed a Clippers employee at roughly 75 percent of the team's games thus far this season. Clippers officials say they've been at less than 50 percent of Leonard's games. There have been games they attended where Leonard rested. That has included president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, which is rare. Presidents and general managers are almost never seen attending a game that doesn't involve their teams.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Dominant win over the Clippers for the Raptors last night, without Kawhi.
The first game without star affect in full swing this week. Toronto’s players also had extra motivation as Nick Nurse’s mother passed away and he flew separately to LA to be with the team because his mother would have wanted it that way. Had to be an emotional locker room afterward.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Kyle Lowry seems to have finally emerged from the bizarre swoon that had overcome him recently — 21 pts on 8-13 fg last night after scoring 25 points total over the previous five games, on a horrific 8-42 fg.

Will be interesting to see how he fares tonight in Oakland vs. Curry, who has been more dominant over his career vs. Toronto than against any other team: 29.8 ppg on .690 true shooting, 8.1 apg. (Of course, so far this season, 30 ppg on .690 true shooting is just Steph being Steph.)

Will also be fun to see Kawhi vs. KD round 2, assuming Kawhi is good to go. I'm sure Ballmer will be happy to be able to consolidate all his spies in one location. ;-P
 

cheech13

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There have only been seven players in the history of the NBA to make it in the 50/40/90 club. This year that club could expand to include one additional player: Malcolm Brogdon. In 26 games this year he's averaging .522/.475/.978. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard that this morning.
 

Sam Ray Not

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It's insane — and to my eyes Brogdon doesn't have a particularly nice or smooth-looking shooting stroke, either. The three-ball in particular looks kinda line-drivey. Worth noting that the insane 98% FT is in a small sample (44-45), but his first couple years and career at UVA do suggest that 90%+ could be sustainable.

Meanwhile, Curry is so miffed that Brogdon is joining his club that he's taking his ball and starting a new 50/50/90 club (.513/.500/.938).
 
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HomeRunBaker

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Kyle Lowry seems to have finally emerged from the bizarre swoon that had overcome him recently — 21 pts on 8-13 fg last night after scoring 25 points total over the previous five games, on a horrific 8-42 fg.

Will be interesting to see how he fares tonight in Oakland vs. Curry, who has been more dominant over his career vs. Toronto than against any other team: 29.8 ppg on .690 true shooting, 8.1 apg. (Of course, so far this season, 30 ppg on .690 true shooting is just Steph being Steph.)

Will also be fun to see Kawhi vs. KD round 2, assuming Kawhi is good to go. I'm sure Ballmer will be happy to be able to consolidate all his spies in one location. ;-P
The reports I've heard is that he's been fighting through a back injury that required daily treatment for him to play. This makes more sense then him suddenly Markelling his way all over the floor.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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The first game without star affect in full swing this week. Toronto’s players also had extra motivation as Nick Nurse’s mother passed away and he flew separately to LA to be with the team because his mother would have wanted it that way. Had to be an emotional locker room afterward.
I'm waiting for the day when a player is like "My mom always hated that I played ball instead of becoming a pharmacist. She would have wanted me not to play tonight."
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Dray is jacking up shots like contract year Marcus Smart.

Looney appears to be getting his first ever look at a pick and roll tonight. And a basketball court, period, for that matter.
 

JCizzle

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Dray is jacking up shots like contract year Marcus Smart.

Looney appears to be getting his first ever look at a pick and roll tonight. And a basketball court, period, for that matter.
Can they pick it up? This is ugly. Getting blown out at home...
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Klay looks like someone FaceTimed him before the game with a gun to his dog’s head demanding that he play like ass.

The 3rd quarter beckons, however. Can’t imagine this lasts for long.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Great job by the Raptors approaching the past 24 hours with passion. Crushing the Clippers and Warriors without Kawhi. The rest of this trip in Portland and Denver “should” result in a letdown in one or both of these games.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Imagine trading Kawhi Leonard for a non-futures package and not even getting the second best player in the deal in return.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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I know it usually works for them but the Warriors spent so much time going for dumb bomb threes that they busted their own comeback. Earning the L hard.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This is very surprising. Toronto is deep and good. And I know they eviscerated the Clippers but going to Oakland and defeating the Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back is next level stuff.
 

HomeRunBaker

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This is very surprising. Toronto is deep and good. And I know they eviscerated the Clippers but going to Oakland and defeating the Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back is next level stuff.
Curry was far and away the worst defensive player on the floor tonight. Offensively he shot 3-12 with 4 TO’s to be arguably the worst offensive player on the floor as well. Brutal game for Steph.
 

lovegtm

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Giannis was -31 in their 20 point loss to the Pacers.
Going to take flak for this, but I think there's a blueprint for a team with the right defenders to drastically lower Giannis's impact. I'll have to watch the game though.
 

cheech13

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Damn, Spencer Dinwiddie gettin' paid!


Spencer Dinwiddie will get $34M over a three-year extension with Nets, league source tells ESPN. There will be a player option on third year, sources said.
 

BigSoxFan

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Damn, Spencer Dinwiddie gettin' paid!


Spencer Dinwiddie will get $34M over a three-year extension with Nets, league source tells ESPN. There will be a player option on third year, sources said.
That's a relative bargain at his current production levels.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Damn, Spencer Dinwiddie gettin' paid!


Spencer Dinwiddie will get $34M over a three-year extension with Nets, league source tells ESPN. There will be a player option on third year, sources said.
Amazing how one career night can result in a lot of money.

Seriously though, this is a good move for the Nets assuming last year was simply a down shooting year for him. And this contract isn't going to hamstring the organization or anything. The only knock here is that Dinwiddie is an abysmal defender by just about any measure but in today's NBA, that's not a big deal.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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I wonder what D’Antoni tells himself at night to get himself to sleep with this garbage offense his team is running out there these days.

Harden is unwatchable. Terrible star for the league, don’t care how skilled he is.
 

the moops

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I wonder what D’Antoni tells himself at night to get himself to sleep with this garbage offense his team is running out there these days.

Harden is unwatchable. Terrible star for the league, don’t care how skilled he is.
Strange comment considering they just put up 62 points in the first half