OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA THREAD - August 2021

What are people’s opinions of the Clippers this year if Kawhi misses the whole season? Are they still a top 6 team? They won some playoff games without him but is PG13 enough to get it done in a long season?

 

There is actually some article or podcast or something somewhere talking about how good LeBron is off the ball.

The issue is that most teams dont have anyone nearly as good on the ball.

 

When Russ has the ball that team is going to be deadly. Opponents are going to have to try and keep up with LeBron and AD, while two other guys spread the floor. Russ is probably the most dangerous passer in the game. If he doesn't jack a bunch of pullup and contested shots up, this team is going to be really tough to beat.

 

That is a few things he did very well here. He made shots down the stretch and went to the free throw line a bunch (When he got there he made them as well). He does get calls. When up against a Rookie he just schools them no question.
Doesn't work that way in the Playoffs though. Teams don't play their end of bench guys and the calls are tougher to come buy. Melo will help them in the regular season getting to the playoffs. He stays healthy and produces a reasonable amount. But when the regular season is over they won't be able to play him as much.

 

I do love this team no matter what. god help me I do love them so. (~patton)

 

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I don't love Anfernee's new haircut. It looks like a frisbee flew low over his head. My Gran would also say those boys need to get some meat on their bones.

 

I loved when Wes used to say..."We don't have stars, we have dawgs!" ..I feel like that looking at Norm and Roco and Ant in that photo...we're going to figure it out in Portland.

 

rip city FOREVER!

 

His cut looks great!

 

Things you learn when you win championships

 

Fuck outta here. Would be the highest rated/most watched finals EVER!

 

Doesn't make sense. How could Brooklyn be in the playin in the West?

 

I disagree. Westbrook makes this team less effective on both sides of the court. And it's not contested shots that Westbrook is pulling up for. They're wide open and he's missing. And that hurts his teammates. No one has to guard him. Not sure what you mean by dangerous but he makes horrible decisions at the end of games. Lakers would be better if they just swapped Westbrook back for KCP. You haven't been paying attention if you think otherwise.

 

Doubtful. The NBA Finals got the best ratings when Michael Jordan played. Pure and simple. We had a LeBron/Kyrie/Love/Curry/Klay/KD Final in 2017 and it brought in 20.38 million viewers on average. Meanwhile, every Jordan Finals (no matter who he played against) topped that culminating with an average of 29.04 viewers for the 1998 NBA Finals against the Jazz. I would bet $10,000 right now that a Nets/Lakers finals would not average higher than that. There simply isn't a star on Michael Jordan's level in the league right now. If you say "but but but LeBron!",I'm here to tell you that the last time LeBron was in the Finals (2020), the average viewership was 7.45 million viewers (the lowest since 1981). Before that, the lowest rated Finals of this century was LeBron's first NBA Finals in 2007. LeBron isn't a draw.