Basketball Super Thread - Evil Empire

Just got back from the Bulls/Hawks game, and I haven't heard the United Center boo that loud in a decade. Unbelievable.

So I'm just gonna leave this here.

Thunder assistant coach and former Pelicans coach Monty Williams wife died in a car accident today. Reading stuff like this makes you realize why he is so respected in NBA circles. Almost every post game press conference from Alvin Gentry to Pop's had nothing but kind words and heartache to say about the events that occurred.

@i_stay_puft: It was crazy to she the outpouring of prayers and thoughts for Monty and his family here in the New Orleans sports area. I'm truthfully surprised the Pelicans even won tonight. My only guess is that they rallied at halftime together or something to bring some good to the night kinda thing. It will be real rough when they go to OKC tonight. AD said he was planning on visiting Monty last night once they got there, and I'd guess Anderson and others will join too.

Thoughts on Last Nights Dunk Contest

• Zach LaVine representing Bothell & the Greater Seattle Area proudly.
• Adam Gordon Full Horizontal Through Leg Dunk was siiiiick.
• Tracy McGrady is Ray Lewis doppelganger.

Seriously pushing for Mitchell to stop playing Lavine at pg and add him to the starting lineup at sg for the T-Wolves. They aren't making the playoffs this year, but the more time LaVine gets with the 1st unit the better team they'll be. Guys seriously watch out for the T-Wolves in the next few years, they've become my favorite team to watch despite their record. Rubio not only is one of the best passers in the league this guy has phenomenal vision and basketball IQ at point. Put in LaVine who is on the same trajectory similar to another UCLA guard named Russell Westbrook. All he needs to do is to develop a consistent outside shot and he'll be golden. Go along with Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns... This is going to be a sick team in due time.

I first heard about Monty's situation during Adam Silver's press conference. Sad times, and seeing Kevin Durant get choked up really shows how tight-nit the NBA is.

And I agree with the Timberwolves. They have a team with a ton of potential, and if those three players at 20 start hitting their stride in 3 or 4 years, they can be dominant for a good portion of the 2020's. Seeing KAT win the skills challenge is something absolutely unexpected. I love the fact that all the bigs came out and starting jumping for joy.

Watching this All-Star weekend just reminds me why the NBA's my favorite league. It really feels like a celebration, with the NHL this year being the only other American league nailing a similar vibe. Just watching Pop play D on Kobe, or seeing players lose their friggin' minds at some of those dunks. They're having a great time and it's always fun to see. And Klay finishing up the 3-point contest on the last rack was riveting.

Enough can't be said about that Slam Dunk contest. The NBA Facebook page keeps posting photos of the guys in mid-air, and it's just nuts when you slow it down and realize what they were doing.

This all-star game is the greatest defensive game in NBA All-Star history.

-_____-

NBA All Star Game nothing like it!

This whole weekend was silly. But I really, really enjoyed it.

Damian Lillard - Beast Mode 2.0

@i_stay_puft: Didn't watch the game but had to do a double check with that final score. Didn't know Damian had it in him.

@csl316: @i_stay_puft: I was guessing that after that beat down, they were gonna show up against the Clippers and they did.

Wiz got Markieff Morris in a trade. Though I think he's a slight upgrade over K-Hump (who kept getting injured) and Blair (who was stashed at the end of the bench), the team is still not making the playoffs right now.

@dochaus: Haven't watched much Washingon, but they seemed like one of the teams primed to become a perennial playoff team. What the hell happened to them this year? There have been injuries, but did Pierce leaving just blown everything up somehow?

@csl316: I could mention how about 1/3 of the roster was on the injured list at any point in the season, the reliance on #KD2DC above all else to the point that I don't think Ernie Grunfeld has a Plan B in the increasingly likely event Durant goes elsewhere, the abrupt switch to a pace-and-space style game when no one outside of Beal (when healthy) is a consistent long-range threat, the failed experiment to make Kris Humphries into a deep threat, or how the rest of the East seems to have gotten better while the Wizards were trying to reinvent the wheel again...but in the end I think this team is just cursed. The sad thing is that John Wall is having possibly the best season of his career, and it's being wasted on this current roster being either injured or underwhelming.

Also, I'm partially convinced that Alan Anderson died in the offseason and the team is just propping his body up "Weekend at Bernie's" style if anyone in the media asks about him.

I haven't gotten a chance to watch the Pels game from today, but from the sounds of it AD has found his game. I guess he just needed the All-Star game to get his groove back or something. This is the AD us Pels fans know and love, this is the one that people were saying could be MVP! I'm starting to feel myself get sucked back into the season. Injuries and poor play had kinda broken me with the Pels. I still loved them, but it had to be from a distance so I didn't get too hurt. Now I'm starting to let them back into my life a bit. They've only played two games since the All-Star break (vs Sixers and at Pistons), so I'm still a bit skittish, but I feel myself inching back closer.

@dochaus: Sounds like Washington. Wasn't Washington for a time in the 90's the place where PF went to die? Tom Gugliotta, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Rasheeeeeeeed Wallace.

Anthony Davis was absurd today. Probably what everyone expected when they were ready to crown him MVP before the preseason.

Sums up why the squad is third in the East and why I have a crush on Marcus Smart.

Oh Kurt Rhambis.

Every week I say to myself that this is the week GS/Curry won't surprise me but every week he's pulling out stuff like tonight. Someone turn down the sliders ffs. Should probably use the timeout we have? Nah, I'm shooting over 50% from past 28 ft. so I'm just gonna pull up from 32 ft and win the game.

Rough way to lose a basketball game right there.

@instantryan: I can't think of another player I've witnessed as a fan of sports that was on a such completely different level compared to everyone else in his sport the way Curry is now. Maybe Bonds when he had those 4 seasons where had an on base near .600 while slugging .800, but of course the whole PED situation kinda taints that.

It's weird to see a player putting up shot after shot from 26+ feet, and having that feeling that you know it's going in while it's the air. By anyone else in the history of the NBA, those are terrible shots, yet you watch him jack them up and expect it to go in.

Despite the historic year for the Warriors, it's a miserable year as a Bulls fan on their 50th anniversary, too. Management needs to recognize that they need to blow up the team and re-build. Even if they make the playoffs, they're not going to make a difference with the way the team is playing under Hoiberg. Management messed up big time and if they don't resolve this mess of a team next season, ownership needs to recognize that it's time for a change in the front office.

Yep, it's been extremely rough lately. But honestly, between Vinny and Thibs, they've been making things in the locker room far harder than they should be. I wouldn't mind seeing them gone after the season. Although last night against the Rockets, they looked like they were looking early in the season (yeah, even the ridiculous turnover numbers).

In any case:

You know, I appreciate Golden State as a team and as a bunch of talents. I'd prefer the Spurs to win it all, yet I'd be fine with the Warriors. But holy hell, I want them to lose every single game to miss that record.

My team pretty much ended its slide into mediocrity last night with a pathetic showing against the Pistons. We're not good enough for #KD2DC, and not bad enough to keep the conditional draft pick they traded to get Keef from the Suns. On top of that, there are rumors floating around that a new stadium might be built on the ruins of RFK 5 or so years down the road. Can't wait until Ted starts lobbying the government for some of that dough that the city will never get back.

@dochaus: The Bulls are pretty much in the same boat as your team. The Hoiberg experiment has pretty much failed and I really can't blame the current coach considering he was coming into a situation where he was unrealistically expected to do well as much as blame management and Coach Thibs for not being able to reach a middle ground.

I hate seeing this thread pop up now. Because my first post contains "I'm a Chicago Bulls fan through and through, and would really, really love a healthy team to finally make it out of the East."

NOPE!

@csl316: Pretty sure whoever wins between the Dubs and Spurs is going to be the champion by default. Maybe the Celtics could make a darkhorse run in the East but as things stand I think the Cavs are going to claw their way to the finals and then get torn up by Steph Curry and co.

@dochaus: Yeah, that's really the only way I was able to survive this season once things started looking iffy. I just figured the Spurs or Warriors winning was a given so who the hell cares, let this be a transitional season.

And then the Bulls went into freefall and I spent many minutes looking at the schedule and wondering how the hell we beat top teams early on. But then again, just a ton of teams this year went through the same thing. I expected some teams to be a little worse, but seeing Houston, Washington, and Milwaukee under .500 really surprised me. The Pelicans, too. I also expected some more out of the Magic. On the other hand, Charlotte, Miami, and Boston exceeded my expectations, as even though the East was improving I didn't see those guys at 45+ wins.

I have no problem with the Warriors and Spurs, but I would honestly like to see them get knocked out (Cleveland, too). Because with them gone, there's a feeling that anything could happen.

This line in itself is going to be the thing that makes me want to watch the Playoffs. The Celtics are loaded with picks and right now they have a team that is competitive. Danny Ainge made the right choice hiring Brad Stevens after Rivers left for "greener pastures" and they might end up competing for a championship again when the rest of the league's better teams get older or are in rebuild mode (e.g. the Bulls are probably one of them) and the younger, emerging teams don't yet pose a threat.

@gaspower: I'm looking forward to the new blood kind of taking over. I keep saying that in 3 or years, Minnesota might turn out to be kind of unstoppable.

I was at the Lakers vs. Pels game last night, and boy am I glad the Pels won. Those Kobe fans were pretty rough. Though they did create an awesome moment in the 4th. They chanted "We want Kobe" and the entire arena just rang with the chant. I was watching him the entire time to see how he reacted to it. He made a "Well screw it" expression and walked up to the scorer's table, and the place went nuts. It was a pretty awesome moment. Though as a non-Kobe fan it was great that his last possession ended in a turnover. As Ryan Anderson said in the farewell video to Kobe, "I hated you Kobe, but I respect you."

I can't believe that The Blazers are gonna be in the playoffs in a rebuilding year. I know they aren't going to go very far in it, but still that's still a helluva thing.

@monkeyman04:I'm actually happy for the Blazers, despite zero investment in them. Seemed like no one nationally gave them a chance after all the changes.

I know this hasn't been updated but the biggest news so far is that Tom Thibodeau is closing in on a deal to be the new head coach and president of basketball ops of the Timberwolves.

KG and Thibs will be reunited one more time.

Holy shit! The Blazers are potentially one game away from going to the second round of the playoffs!! :hype

This year continues to be crazy, as sure-things are hit with injuries and Thibs is off to Minnesota to start a basketball dynasty.

Exciting times.

BLAZERS ARE IN THE SECOND ROUND! ^_^

Even if the Blazers don't win the series with GS, I'm super happy with how far they've made it. Hell, I'm happy they won at least one game against GS.

@monkeyman04: I still want to believe. Really, the fact that no one gave them a chance at the beginning of the season would make it one of the biggest upsets in recent times.

I mean, doubtful, but I hope they at least make it competitive.

@csl316: If/when (got to keep my hopes in check) they go down, they're going down fighting.

Also, it's nice to dream. And how great of a dream that would be. XD

@monkeyman04: @csl316: I mean, they haaaad game 2 as well! Coulda been 2-1 right now in their favor! Shoot. I'm super happy with what they already accomplished so whatever happens happens =]

@flashflood_29: TRUE!

COME ON SPURS~

If ever the Blazers take down the Warriors, they might just get taken down by whoever wins between SAS and OKC. Also with the way Cleveland has been playing and the Raptors and Heat having players out of the line up, they have the least amount of resistance on the way to The Finals. They might end up taking it this year considering they are very well rested.

Anyways, I hate to say it but the Blazers partly did make it due to a string of just horrible, horrible luck for the Clippers. Losing your starters and one of them being the most important player on the team due to injuries is just the worst way for your season to end. It's one thing I know very well as a Bulls fan and it's a horrible feeling.

I love that Dwayne Wade is such a sack of shit. I hate this dude to a tee.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15488492/miami-heat-star-dwyane-wade-criticized-shooting-o-canada

Well...

WHY DOES CURRY HAVE TO BE SO GOOD!? ARGH! Oh well, this has been a phenomenal year for the Blazers. I couldn't have asked for anything better in a "re-building year".

@monkeyman04: Seems to me he was being heckled all night by portion of the home crowd sitting somewhere in the front since every time a big play happened he kept talking at a certain direction of the crowd. Might not have been as high profile as the Hornets purple shirt guy that set off Dwayne Wade but I could see it being the thing that ticked off Curry.