NBA

[RangersMedia 35,961]

Also, with all due respect @J-Maestro, the Pelicans are not the Lakers and AD's decision to force a trade has been 100% vindicated with the fact he won a championship in his first year and is well set to go and challenge for a 2nd. The Pelicans have one divisional title their entire history. It's a small market team. 

I know that doesn't soften the blow for Pelicans fans, but give any top 5 NBA player a similar decision to make and they will all go where they can win. Bron from the Cavs, KD from the Thunder etc. 

Giannis has just bucked the trend, but I really, really doubt he will win in Milwaukee.

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

2 hours ago, psb07158 said:

He had an excellent cast last year:

Bledsoe - great PG, lots of experience
Korver - 3pt specialist, can space the floor
Brook & Robin Lopez - two great bigs who can both shoot from beyond the 3pt arc and space the floor
Wesley Matthews - excellent two-way player, lots of experience (and I'm very, very happy we picked him up at the Lakers)
Middleton - all star

He then had guys like Connaughton and George Hill who are handy players. Hill was shooting lights out last year from 3pt range

They just totally underestimated the Heat and Spoelstra / Riley completely outsmarted Mike Budenholzer 

The East is looking very strong this year. Philly have made some great pick ups, Miami will come back stronger, the Hawks will surprise a few IMO, Celtics with further growth from Jayson Tatum, Nets with KD and Kyrie.

Ultimately, none of them will beat the Lakers while we have AD and LeBron.

Never liked Bledsoe personally ok for the regular season but goes missing far too often in the playoffs, same with Middleton massively underperformed in the playoffs, the Lopez brothers best days are behind them as well. 

None of it matters mind you because the Lakers will win it all again no doubt 😂

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

2 hours ago, J-Maestro said:

Unless AD acts like the bitch he was in his time with New Orleans, tbh I think Bucks although Holliday is an upgrade they're not as strong as they were.

Looks like the early draft forecast was true with there being little top quality but very deep. Lots of good signs from late 1st rounders.

Tbf to AD I think he would have stayed at the Pelicans if Boogie Cousins didn't get injured and Rondo stayed around, once that happened AD kind of had no choice as they absolutely fucked up there roster.

[J-Maestro 11,026]

3 hours ago, psb07158 said:

Also, with all due respect @J-Maestro, the Pelicans are not the Lakers and AD's decision to force a trade has been 100% vindicated with the fact he won a championship in his first year and is well set to go and challenge for a 2nd. The Pelicans have one divisional title their entire history. It's a small market team. 

I know that doesn't soften the blow for Pelicans fans, but give any top 5 NBA player a similar decision to make and they will all go where they can win. Bron from the Cavs, KD from the Thunder etc. 

Giannis has just bucked the trend, but I really, really doubt he will win in Milwaukee.

It's not just the trade he faked injuries(Lebron even said it), got us to trade for bad fits he wanted to play with and refused to play Centre. There's a reason he's hated in NO and it's not just to do with the trade.

 

I think the trade was win-win though. We would have got nowhere with his attitude in NO, you got someone to pair with Lebron and on his day I think the best player in the league.

 

[Dennis Reynolds 1,329]

I love Rangers, clearly but my love/like of NBA is a totally different love of sport and the kind of things I fucking love about the NBA is people like Russ and James Harden, if James Harden played for Rangers and acted like he currently is I would be epileptic with seethe but really he never would because it's just a different culture, how he is currently acting it would never be accepted but in NBA world...it's all good. 

The general coverage of the story, the standard of journalism, the soap opera element to it all, inject it into my veins, never change NBA and god love James Harden..look at the state of him.  

 

 

[J-Maestro 11,026]

36 minutes ago, Dennis Reynolds said:

I love Rangers, clearly but my love/like of NBA is a totally different love of sport and the kind of things I fucking love about the NBA is people like Russ and James Harden, if James Harden played for Rangers and acted like he currently is I would be epileptic with seethe but really he never would because it's just a different culture, how he is currently acting it would never be accepted but in NBA world...it's all good. 

The general coverage of the story, the standard of journalism, the soap opera element to it all, inject it into my veins, never change NBA and god love James Harden..look at the state of him.  

 

 

That can't be a real picture? 😂😂😂

The whole American sports thing is a bit weird, can never understand fans following a player about instead of a team.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

4 hours ago, Dennis Reynolds said:

I love Rangers, clearly but my love/like of NBA is a totally different love of sport and the kind of things I fucking love about the NBA is people like Russ and James Harden, if James Harden played for Rangers and acted like he currently is I would be epileptic with seethe but really he never would because it's just a different culture, how he is currently acting it would never be accepted but in NBA world...it's all good. 

The general coverage of the story, the standard of journalism, the soap opera element to it all, inject it into my veins, never change NBA and god love James Harden..look at the state of him.  

 

 

 

Paid $38m a year for him to rock up like that...insane

 

[RangersMedia 35,961]

I saw someone post on Twitter that was Kendrick Perkins with a beard   

[Dennis Reynolds 1,329]

 

[Dennis Reynolds 1,329]

1 minute ago, psb07158 said:

 

Paid $38m a year for him to rock up like that...insane

 

And not give one fuck about it. 

James Harden on what he was doing in Atlanta in Vegas during training camp: "I was just training." For what? "The start of the NBA season." Why in Atlanta and Vegas instead of Houston? "My personal trainers." That is it, that is his actual answer "my personal trainers" 

[RangersMedia 35,961]

Just now, Dennis Reynolds said:

And not give one fuck about it. 

James Harden on what he was doing in Atlanta in Vegas during training camp: "I was just training." For what? "The start of the NBA season." Why in Atlanta and Vegas instead of Houston? "My personal trainers." That is it, that is his actual answer "my personal trainers" 

Hahahaha

He was in the strip clubs every single night, a few videos surfaced of him out in different places

What a talent, but what a fucking idiot of a boy

What I found hilarious was when Kobe said James / Houston will never win and when he got asked about it in an interview he said "Kobe's right" . I mean he went on to explain why he agreed and it kinda made sense, but just gave loads of tabloids the ability to write "Harden agrees with Kobe that Rockets won't win championship"

[RangersMedia 35,961]

Also, another pre-season win for the Lakers last night. I haven't watched the game yet, planning on getting League Pass loaded up after work tonight. 

Winning is a habit, we are looking strong. 

[Dennis Reynolds 1,329]

76ers going all in on Harden

[RangersMedia 35,961]

58 minutes ago, Dennis Reynolds said:

76ers going all in on Harden

Houston are fucking idiots, genuinely, if they take Ben Simmons.

Until that guy develops a 3 point shot he will never be in that elite bracket in this league and after their recent failure with Russ I'd have thought they would pivot away from those types of players.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

Morey just came out and said Simmons is not up for trade - so I wonder who leaked that? Houston trying to test the waters, or Simmons/his agent because he wants out of Philly?

Echoing what @Dennis Reynolds said, love the NBA offseason man!! 

[J-Maestro 11,026]

7 minutes ago, psb07158 said:

Morey just came out and said Simmons is not up for trade - so I wonder who leaked that? Houston trying to test the waters, or Simmons/his agent because he wants out of Philly?

Echoing what @Dennis Reynolds said, love the NBA offseason man!! 

The thought generally is Houston won't get anywhere near what they want for Harden. Most of the league don't see him as a team player or a winner.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

35 minutes ago, J-Maestro said:

The thought generally is Houston won't get anywhere near what they want for Harden. Most of the league don't see him as a team player or a winner.

Aye, IMO they would be better off chasing picks and short-term contracts in a trade, so they can rebuild next summer and have cap space to go after some of the big free agents coming up

[J-Maestro 11,026]

13 minutes ago, psb07158 said:

Aye, IMO they would be better off chasing picks and short-term contracts in a trade, so they can rebuild next summer and have cap space to go after some of the big free agents coming up

With Walls contract they're going to be stuck for a while. Still crazy they thought a team of Westbrook and Harden would win titles. 

[J-Maestro 11,026]

Kyle Kuzma agrees a 3-Year 40m extension.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

11 hours ago, J-Maestro said:

Kyle Kuzma agrees a 3-Year 40m extension.

Good bit of work from us tbh. Happy with that. If he has a great year, gives us solid flexibility in pursuing a trade or keeping as we see fit

[J-Maestro 11,026]

1 hour ago, psb07158 said:

Good bit of work from us tbh. Happy with that. If he has a great year, gives us solid flexibility in pursuing a trade or keeping as we see fit

They're doing the right thing locking down good players instead of chasing that third star and the rest being minimum deals.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

8 minutes ago, J-Maestro said:

They're doing the right thing locking down good players instead of chasing that third star and the rest being minimum deals.

Yeah, I'm on board with the strategy now. We are strong contenders to win it all again this year, makes sense to lock in these loyal players. 

I think this might be LeBron's last year at his level, but watching AD in pre-season (small sample, I know) I think he might have elevated himself further. If he consistently knocks that 3 ball down and has worked on that over the summer, it's goodnight for the rest of the NBA. 

Genuinely excited. Last year I didn't think we were favourites, I thought we had the potential to go quite far, but our lack of depth would eventually cost us, but our bench players really stepped up when we needed it most i.e. Rondo who was disgusting for most of the regular season. 

This year I honestly can't see anyone stopping us. The Nuggets / Jokic potentially, Marc Gasol doesn't have the legs to run with Jokic nor does he have the physicality that Dwight had to throw him off his game. Think we will either trade for a physical big or bring one in from the buy-out market later in the season. Unless AD has committed to playing the 5 more often, in which case it's definitely goodnight for the rest of the NBA! 

My starting 5 in the regular season would be:

PG: Caruso
SG: KCP
PF: AD 
SF: Bron
C: Harrell/Trezz rotating

Folk might laugh at Caruso being a starter but his chemistry with the team is unbelievable and he plays hard on defence which is required

Kuz, Kieff and Schroder off the bench first

[J-Maestro 11,026]

1 hour ago, psb07158 said:

Yeah, I'm on board with the strategy now. We are strong contenders to win it all again this year, makes sense to lock in these loyal players. 

I think this might be LeBron's last year at his level, but watching AD in pre-season (small sample, I know) I think he might have elevated himself further. If he consistently knocks that 3 ball down and has worked on that over the summer, it's goodnight for the rest of the NBA. 

Genuinely excited. Last year I didn't think we were favourites, I thought we had the potential to go quite far, but our lack of depth would eventually cost us, but our bench players really stepped up when we needed it most i.e. Rondo who was disgusting for most of the regular season. 

This year I honestly can't see anyone stopping us. The Nuggets / Jokic potentially, Marc Gasol doesn't have the legs to run with Jokic nor does he have the physicality that Dwight had to throw him off his game. Think we will either trade for a physical big or bring one in from the buy-out market later in the season. Unless AD has committed to playing the 5 more often, in which case it's definitely goodnight for the rest of the NBA! 

My starting 5 in the regular season would be:

PG: Caruso
SG: KCP
PF: AD 
SF: Bron
C: Harrell/Trezz rotating

Folk might laugh at Caruso being a starter but his chemistry with the team is unbelievable and he plays hard on defence which is required

Kuz, Kieff and Schroder off the bench first

I would have Caruso start, better having his defence on the main unit. With Lebron he will be the main ball handler anyway. Schroeder I can see getting traded through the season too.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

3 minutes ago, J-Maestro said:

I would have Caruso start, better having his defence on the main unit. With Lebron he will be the main ball handler anyway. Schroeder I can see getting traded through the season too.

I don't see us trading Schroder unless it's for another PG (unless he starts bumping his gums about minutes) - we saw from the play-offs how we needed someone to carry the load whilst LeBron either wasn't performing / wasn't on the Court and I think Schroder has that ability to either work his own shot and score or be the playmaker for teammates

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

20 hours ago, psb07158 said:

Yeah, I'm on board with the strategy now. We are strong contenders to win it all again this year, makes sense to lock in these loyal players. 

I think this might be LeBron's last year at his level, but watching AD in pre-season (small sample, I know) I think he might have elevated himself further. If he consistently knocks that 3 ball down and has worked on that over the summer, it's goodnight for the rest of the NBA. 

Genuinely excited. Last year I didn't think we were favourites, I thought we had the potential to go quite far, but our lack of depth would eventually cost us, but our bench players really stepped up when we needed it most i.e. Rondo who was disgusting for most of the regular season. 

This year I honestly can't see anyone stopping us. The Nuggets / Jokic potentially, Marc Gasol doesn't have the legs to run with Jokic nor does he have the physicality that Dwight had to throw him off his game. Think we will either trade for a physical big or bring one in from the buy-out market later in the season. Unless AD has committed to playing the 5 more often, in which case it's definitely goodnight for the rest of the NBA! 

My starting 5 in the regular season would be:

PG: Caruso
SG: KCP
PF: AD 
SF: Bron
C: Harrell/Trezz rotating

Folk might laugh at Caruso being a starter but his chemistry with the team is unbelievable and he plays hard on defence which is required

Kuz, Kieff and Schroder off the bench first

Think once the playoffs come back around you will be able to properly evaluate the Lakers, heavy favourites IMO but Rondo leaving is a big blow for them and will be interesting to see how they cope in the playoffs. 

I think they get by regular season pretty comfortably with Gasol/Trezz at the 5 but once it gets to playoffs they will need to look at it especially with Jokic who basically bullied Trezz in the playoffs.