NBA: 2014-2015 Season

[McLaren]

I'm just a little salty that the best team in basketball got curb stomped. Korver didn't deserve that ****.

That said, I don't know what happened with Budenholzer. Seriously, it's like he didn't even know what to do. Looking forward to Golden State vs. Cleveland. I'll be really pissed if I have to watch the Houston Hardens.

No Playoff experience. ATL fans completely ignorant to the fact that teams can completely flip the switch once the post-season kicks into gear. ATL was too busy trying to keep playing their regular season ball, where as their opponents have 7 games to adjust to it.


I don't expect the Cavs to get swept, either. Shumpert, Smith, & Thompson are very strong role players, and Kyrie (should he be rested) can light it up as fast as Curry; neither are solid defending point guards. Klay can not shoot at all like he has in the Houston-series. He also has to body up his opponent; J.R. Smith loves contested shots & he will eat Klay alive if he gives J.R. the same room to shoot he gives Harden.

 

[Omnis]

See, I don't think so. They can let JR shoot, but he'll either win the game or shoot them out of the game. Golden State may exploit that. They tend to give up the long shot because they're pretty sure they can just match it on the other end. It's a numbers-philosophy defense that emphasizes fundamentals and always covering/pressuring one pass away. The switching and motion is also among the best.

The challenge is going to be Finals Lebron. I'm expecting Lebron to take Draymond into the post and go right at him. They're going to want to collapse Kerr's defense and let Lebron be a post-playmaker. The series may rely solely on how well an individual is able to defend against Lebron.

 

[JohnBM01]

Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors. Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Stepping up by the Rockets coupled with some shoddy Warriors play is the only way the Rockets can really bounce back. Did it work? Winning 104-90 was the Golden State Warriors. So, no. The seemingly inevitable happened- the Rockets' season is over. All's fine with the world- you get Cavaliers and Warriors rather than Cavaliers and Rockets. I hope you're happy. Even for a Debbie Downer like myself on this Rockets team after being down 3-0, at least this team played with hustle and heart even with no legit superstars.

Let's face it. This was basically the Warriors' game and series to lose. Failing to hit shots and playing too desparately led to the Rockets having to settle for next season to try for a championship. Houston's "can't win in Houston" sports bad luck continues. G:censored:damned shame.


June 4- NBA Finals. Cleveland at Golden State. Congratulations to the eventual champion. I'll still be here to hype up the NBA Finals, but disappointed my Rockets are done.

 

[McLaren]

That's the James Harden we all know!

13 Turnovers - Playoffs record. 2-11 from the field. And he didn't take a single shot in the last 29:47 minutes. That's an entire half of basketball.

See, I don't think so. They can let JR shoot, but he'll either win the game or shoot them out of the game. Golden State may exploit that. They tend to give up the long shot because they're pretty sure they can just match it on the other end. It's a numbers-philosophy defense that emphasizes fundamentals and always covering/pressuring one pass away. The switching and motion is also among the best.

The challenge is going to be Finals Lebron. I'm expecting Lebron to take Draymond into the post and go right at him. They're going to want to collapse Kerr's defense and let Lebron be a post-playmaker. The series may rely solely on how well an individual is able to defend against Lebron.

You can't let JR Smith shoot the ball & hope he's off because he'll only get warmed up if you give him that space to shoot. The Spurs made this mistake against LeBron 2 years ago daring him to shoot the mid-range & he made it every time. I'd say Shumpert is more of a risk to get hot or get cold.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah, true. I'm still used to Knicks JR Smith.

 

[Paulie]

It's going to be an interesting series that's for sure, such different styles of basketball, plus arguably the two best players in the world right now going at it.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Well it actually happened. Bulls have fired Thibs after 5 seasons.

I have a feeling they will hire some scrub...

 

[JohnBM01]

Thibs is gone. Tom Thibodeau is now on the coaching market after [finally] getting canned by the Chicago Bulls. I think the Bulls will remain competitive and strong for seasons to come. However, can they really be in that elite class at least in the East? (Tree'd - I know)

Next Thursday, it's Cavaliers at Warriors for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. In one way, I would be proud of either Cleveland or Atlanta for one reason- both cities share the same sports futility as Houston. So a championship will at least suppress the sports woes for either city. Cleveland swept the Hawks, so Cleveland has a chance to reverse the sporting misfortune that has plagued the city. That is... unless the Browns win the Super Bowl or if the Indians win the World Series. In fact, part of me wanted to imagine a HOU-(CLE/ATL) series for some city to reverse the sports futility that has impacted the cities.


Since my Rockets got ousted, I moved on to my Astros and awaiting Texans football as well as Dynamo soccer. Well... we got time before the NBA Finals begin next Thursday. Anyone want to call a winner and in how many games between Golden State and Cleveland?

 

[Michelin]

Golden State win, 4-2 or 4-3.

 

[McLaren]

Well it actually happened. Bulls have fired Thibs after 5 seasons.

I have a feeling they will hire some scrub...

Have they released an official reason? I've only really heard that he over works his players, but he still seems like a solid coach.

Yeah, true. I'm still used to Knicks JR Smith.

You Knicks fans are pissed Shumpert & Smith actually played well once they left.

 

[sumbrownkid]

@McLaren

No they haven't actually, which adds fuel to the fact that there may have been bad blood between him and management, or shall I say between him and Gar Forman and John Paxson.

Jerry Reinsdorf was the only one professional enough to release a statement in this espn article: http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/stor...o-bulls-fire-tom-thibodeau-coach-five-seasons . Long story short, they wanted a change in culture.

Honestly this just leaves a dirty taste in my mouth. Reinsdorf could have done so much more to get this rift under control from the beginning. And Thib's could have stop being stubborn and hired an assistant coach to help with the offense. I hope after this episode, Reinsdorf's son, who is the head of basketball operations, takes a more assertive approach when needed with management and coach.

That said, is Scott Brooks still not interested in a new coaching gig?

 

[McLaren]

The reports say Brooks is taking a year off to get away after OKC's bad string of injuries year after year. Not that he was really utilizing what he had instead of just drawing up ISO play after play for Westbrook and Durant.

I'm positive Thibs will find employment by next season. I don't buy the change of culture because that to me says the entire team is on the deck of being traded.

 

[sumbrownkid]

@McLaren I dearly hope not.

As for Thibs he will find a job quickly.

 

[Omnis]

Have they released an official reason? I've only really heard that he over works his players, but he still seems like a solid coach.

You Knicks fans are pissed Shumpert & Smith actually played well once they left.

You calling me a Knicks fan?

Thibs better get on down to the big easy.

 

[JohnBM01]

The Rockets were knocked out of the playoffs. When next season starts, we will be without Dwight Howard because of DH12 picking up his fourth Flagrant Foul during this current postseason. He will be suspended without pay for the first game of the 2015-2016 season.

 

[JohnBM01]

THIS JUST IN...

Scott Skiles officially became the head coach of the Orlando Magic. I don't know of his coaching history, but I do know him as once being the coach of the Chicago Bulls. So good luck to Skiles on his new team.

 

[McLaren]

You calling me a Knicks fan?

Thibs better get on down to the big easy.

Oops. Supposed to have been you know they're pissed. My bad.

 

[Paulie]

THIS JUST IN...

Scott Skiles officially became the head coach of the Orlando Magic. I don't know of his coaching history, but I do know him as once being the coach of the Chicago Bulls. So good luck to Skiles on his new team.

Pretty sure he coached the Bucks when Bogut was there, and he was terrible. Bad pickup for the Magic IMO.


Edit: This break is boring, so I went looking for a Thon Maker video as I'd heard he's been hitting the weights and getting a little bigger and stronger. It's hard to tell in this video (a before/after picture would be better), but he is finishing through a little more contact. The competition here looks pretty weak though, and his ball handling was only so-so all of a sudden. He did show some nice post moves though.

 

[Omnis]

I think I saw him in a high school all-stars game on ESPN. If it's the same kid, he was doing work in the paint against another really huge guy. I just remember his skin was really dark black. Look at how much he filled out though. Gotta love that Dinka blood.

 

[Paulie]

I think I saw him in a high school all-stars game on ESPN. If it's the same kid, he was doing work in the paint against another really huge guy. I just remember his skin was really dark black. Look at how much he filled out though. Gotta love that Dinka blood.

He was in the Nike Hoops Summit game a month or two ago? I didn't see much of that game, but read that he got bullied around pretty badly for a lack of size.


In some actual NBA news, Klay Thompson has been diagnosed with a concussion. I wish him a speedy recovery so he can help his team in game 1 of the Finals.
Also, Alvin Gentry is the new Pelicans head coach, once his done with the Warriors championship push that is. I think the Bulls are looking at some guy called Fred Hoiberg? Coached Iowa State in what I'm guessing is NCAA, so I know nothing about him. The Magic failed in taking Scott Skiles, I guess Thibodeau isn't getting a head coaching gig? Tell him to go coach defence for Toronto.

 

[Omnis]

The Magic are really dumb. I would never have hired Skiles instead of Thibs. Thibs is just what that young Orlando team needed. The guy knows how to develop talent. Elfrid could have become an MVP candidate.

 

[McLaren]

@sumbrownkid

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...esses-thibodeau-dismissal-20150531-story.html
How do you feel about Fred Hoiberg becoming the next head coach? I've never seen his work, so can't really comment on him. But, Chicago seems to have high hopes in his leadership.

 

[sumbrownkid]

@sumbrownkid

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...esses-thibodeau-dismissal-20150531-story.html
How do you feel about Fred Hoiberg becoming the next head coach? I've never seen his work, so can't really comment on him. But, Chicago seems to have high hopes in his leadership.

He runs a somewhat successful college program, but translating that to the NBA game is something to be seen. We already had one college guy tried to make a game of it in Tim Floyd, but he crashed and burned. To be fair that Bulls team was just an after party hangover from the '98 team. However this Chicago team is far more talented than that team.

Chicago management has high hopes for him because he can just be their whipping boy that Tom refused to be. But from what I've heard he's a players coach and has some offensive sense in him, unlike Thibs.

I hope for the best, but like with many things, let's wait and see. So I'm feeling cautious at the moment. Like Phil Jackson said, the mark of a good team is how long it takes to get 20 losses.

 

[McLaren]

He runs a somewhat successful college program, but translating that to the NBA game is something to be seen. We already had one college guy tried to make a game of it in Tim Floyd, but he crashed and burned. To be fair that Bulls team was just an after party hangover from the '98 team. However this Chicago team is far more talented than that team.

Chicago management has high hopes for him because he can just be their whipping boy that Tom refused to be. But from what I've heard he's a players coach and has some offensive sense in him, unlike Thibs.

I hope for the best, but like with many things, let's wait and see. So I'm feeling cautious at the moment. Like Phil Jackson said, the mark of a good team is how long it takes to get 20 losses.

I've read he's one of the few college coaches that has implemented NBA plays into his college team & seen success. But, it's as you said, translating to the actual game has yet to be seen.

I've also read a couple rumors that LA wants Thibs as an assistant to Rivers (& that they have history together?). If Thibs is stubborn though, I can't see him stepping down from a head coach to an assistant. If the Clippers really want him, I'd think he'd try to force their hand & give him the head coach whilst forcing Doc back to being just a GM (which he needs to actually turn over to someone else).

 

[sumbrownkid]

@McLaren

Thibs and Rivers have good history in that they won the NBA title together with the Celtics in 2008 and almost again in 2009 before Thibs moved onto Chicago in 2010. I don't think Thibs will be an assistant coach, he is definitely head coaching material. I think it's better for LA to have Doc step down from GM so he can concentrate on coaching. Leave the wheeling and dealing to someone who can devote their time to it. If LA can somehow convince Doc to be a GM and hand over coaching to Thibs they should go for it, but honestly I don't think Doc is cut out to be a GM.

 

[Paulie]

Some good news, Klay Thompson is cleared of his concussion to play in game 1.

 

[Anthony]

Might be a silly question, but does anyone know of a way to watch the NBA Finals for free or very cheaply? Don't have television at my new place yet.

 

[McLaren]

Might be a silly question, but does anyone know of a way to watch the NBA Finals for free or very cheaply? Don't have television at my new place yet.

You'll have to find a site that's offering a stream. Haven't really encountered many that stream ABC, though. Mainly NBATV or team channels.

 

[JohnBM01]

The Larry O'Brien Trophy will be awarded to the team who wins the NBA Finals. The league's 30 teams all came in with the dream of playing for the O'Brien Trophy, and 28 of them have failed to make it this far. Unless you're a fan of either Golden State or Cleveland, the other 28 teams all failed to reach this final series for whatever reason. Let's face it- it's true in some sort of way or for whatever reason(s)... my Rockets failed, the Mavericks failed, the Spurs failed, the Heat failed, the Trail Blazers failed, the Bulls failed, the Knicks incredibly failed, and countless other NBA teams failed too in reaching the level Golden State and Cleveland have reached for this season. There's no way for these failed teams to come back unless you restarted the season fresh.

So either the Golden State Warriors or the Cleveland Cavaliers. This Best-of-7 voyage begins tonight in Oakland, California. Who'll strike first? We'll see after tonight.


Good luck to both Golden State and Cleveland, and all congratulations to the eventual NBA Champions of the 2014-2015 season.

 

[a6m5]

I've been pulling for the Warriors, but man, Kyrie Irving....... Only player I like for the Cavs(w/ties to Rod Strickland).