The 2018-2019 Around the NBA thread

[Russ Smith]

They did not play very well in their previous game against Utah either. Utah did make it very difficult for them which was the biggest factor but I think the Warriors may also be having some hangover off the back to back title years.

Lots of things. I missed most of last night and then when I was watching, Xfinity lost service both TV and internet so I missed the last minute. That's the difference between Damian Jones and Javale McGee though, Javale would have gone up and dunked that and at worst drawn a foul, Jones still is too soft and didn't go up strong and the Denver guy made a great play to block it.

Warriors got Iggy back but he's not 100% and again made a fatally bad decision had a 2 on 1 going to the rim in the halfcourt, overpassed to Draymond who wasn't expecting it, couldn't handle it and lost the ball to Denver, big play in a 2 point game at the time should have been a point blank layup for iggy. Draymond missed most of the preseason and is really rusty, his shooting is terrible right now. So the 2 most versatile guys on the team are rusty right now and it's showing. The 5 position has actually been pretty good, jones has been beter than I expected, Jerebko was the hero against Utah, and Looney has been terrific though undersized, the odd man out right now is Jordan Bell which surprised me I expected him to play more.

THey need to figure out the new rules, Denver shot 42 FT's last night, the Warriors shoot so many 3's they're never a huge FT team but they are fouling more this year they have to adapt to the rules being called differently this year. And of course the old standby too many turnovers.

The Warriors were something like 16-1 last year when Curry had at least 30 points, he got 30 last night and they lost.

Xfinity was down for nearly 4 hours last night I bet they got flooded with complaints

 

[95pro]

Denver's perimeter players are just so athletic and quick. Against the Suns, the Suns guards and wings just seemed a step slow. Say what you want about the elevation but the Suns were in town for 3 days and shouldn't have had the elevation make as much as an impact as it some people think it did. Of course 3 days isn't enough to adjust to it, but its more than 1 or 2 days that some teams get.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Denver's perimeter players are just so athletic and quick. Against the Suns, the Suns guards and wings just seemed a step slow. Say what you want about the elevation but the Suns were in town for 3 days and shouldn't have had the elevation make as much as an impact as it some people think it did. Of course 3 days isn't enough to adjust to it, but its more than 1 or 2 days that some teams get.

I don't know when they arrived but even if they left as soon as the game ended and flew directly to Denver, it was not quite 3 full days. And it takes a lot longer than that to fully adjust to it. Yes, it's better than just the 1 day that most teams get but Denver has a huge home advantage in basketball. Their record shows that quite clearly. In addition to tiring easily, you can't practice as hard or long either so you get a little rusty. Which is why a lot of teams don't even try to acclimate, they'd rather get in the daily practices and fly there on game day.

As for impact, I have no idea how much the altitude effected the game. Denver is definitely in a different class from us but they aren't the world beaters we made them appear to be. How much that was due to the location is anyone's guess?

 

[gimpy]

It's only two games. I'm hoping that they actually start coming around and play some consistently good and better basketball than the last game.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The Lakers are likely to struggle to make the playoffs, but if it makes anyone doubt LeBron they should take note of the Cavs this year.

That is the worst team in the NBA, I think there is a real chance they win less than 20 games.

Yeah I don’t know how anyone thought they’d be anything but the worst team in the nba. I recall seeing some rankings of them in the high 20s and I’m thinking, you have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's only two games. I'm hoping that they actually start coming around and play some consistently good and better basketball than the last game.

I think you hit the nail on the head with that word. We will be better this year, but consistency will be elusive with such a young group. I fully expect a rollcoaster if a year with a strong finish. Anything other than that (sans injuries) is a disappointment.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

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Ha. I fricken love Mike D.

 

[Raindog]

Well, one thing we learned from the opening week of the NBA season, is you want to invest in guys named "Nikola." Mirotic and Jokic have both come out to start the season like houses on fire.

 

[Mainstreet]

Jontay Porter should have stayed in the draft.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/251484/Jontay-Porter-Out-For-Season-With-Torn-ACL-MCL

 

[BC867]

Alex Len had 16 points, 11 rebounds 4 blocks and 4 assists as well in the Hawks win over the Cavaliers.

I can't help but feel that whatever Alex Len does elsewhere has no effect on what he didn't do for us.

If his skills fit elsewhere better than here at the time (or even now - potentially he is no Ayton), it is better for us that he is somewhere else, no matter what he does for them.

Even if he averages 16/11/4/4 for the season (if they play Cleveland every game), I equate Len's ceiling to that of Robin Lopez.

Good for him that he is gone! Good for us that he is gone.

The same could be said for Bender but, unfortunately, no one else wants him. DNP in the first game of the season. A turnover in his first play of garbage minutes in the second game.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Jontay Porter should have stayed in the draft.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/251484/Jontay-Porter-Out-For-Season-With-Torn-ACL-MCL

Yup.

 

[Mainstreet]

I can't help but feel that whatever Alex Len does elsewhere has no effect on what he didn't do for us.

If his skills fit elsewhere better than here at the time (or even now - potentially he is no Ayton), it is better for us that he is somewhere else, no matter what he does for them.

Even if he averages 16/11/4/4 for the season (if they play Cleveland every game), I equate Len's ceiling to that of Robin Lopez.

Good for him that he is gone! Good for us that he is gone.

The same could be said for Bender but, unfortunately, no one else wants him. DNP in the first game of the season. A turnover in his first play of garbage minutes in the second game.

I say good for Alex Len. My hope is he develops into the center the Suns once envisioned.

 

[sunsfan88]

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[Yuma]

My feeling after two games, was the first game was a WOW out of nowhere. We didn't look anything like that in preseason. The second game was more like what we looked like in preseason. So which team shows up tonight. GS has more starters tonight than when we played them last.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

My feeling after two games, was the first game was a WOW out of nowhere. We didn't look anything like that in preseason. The second game was more like what we looked like in preseason. So which team shows up tonight. GS has more starters tonight than when we played them last.

We were also playing like 14 players in pre-season. I think our actual level is somewhere right in between the first 2 games.

 

[1Sun]

We were also playing like 14 players in pre-season. I think our actual level is somewhere right in between the first 2 games.

I think it was more playing one of the worst teams in the NBA missing its two best players (Nowitzki and Barnes) at home and then playing an above average NBA team at full strength on the road at high altitude.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I think it was more playing one of the worst teams in the NBA missing its two best players (Nowitzki and Barnes) at home and then playing an above average NBA team at full strength on the road at high altitude.

So exactly what I just said. Not as good as the first game and not as bad as the 2nd and somewhere between the two.

 

[GatorAZ]

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[1tinsoldier]

Lonzo looked as sleepy in the Laker's overtime
as he did in the NCAA game his team was eliminated in
got skills. no fire. he's used to his father being the fire in the family

 

[Suns_fan69]

I love the 0-3 start for the Lakers in the Lebron era, except that their going to be coming out guns blazing on Wed against Phoenix. Hopefully the Suns can match the intensity.

 

[Superbone]

Let's just hope we have more Suns fans than Lakers fans in our home arena.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Let's just hope we have more Suns fans than Lakers fans in our home arena.

Or...Fill the house with Lakers fans, kick the Lakers butts and send a lot of Lakers fans home with tears in their eyes. It's a nice dream, unfortunately I expect the Lakers to beat us. It's not a given but they look like the better team right now even with the suspensions.

 

[sunsfan88]

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This is just unacceptable and Morris should've been penalized with a technical especially in a game which ended with 1 pt being the difference.

 

[Superbone]

I'm sure there will be a retroactive penalty. The NBA can't allow that type of behavior and cheating.

 

[95pro]

If a punch only lands you so many games, then what does tugging on someones shorts earn?