I think the C's can get to 52/53 wins easily this year. They won 48 last year, and this team gained more experience and more time together. I would argue that they got the absolute worst match up possible in last years playoffs, and would have easily beaten the Hornets and very well could have beaten the Heat in a first round match up. They stacked up terribly against the Hawks, and it was basically because Sullinger, and the rest of their bigs were totally outmatch by their bigs... Bradley injury or not, they weren't winning against them in a 7 game series They added Horford who will improve the major deficiencies they had on the front line. They ranked in the bottom of the league in points off the screener in the pick and roll, and Horford provides way better interior D and potential 3 point spacing that any of their bigs from last year. Dunn was the pick everyone wanted, including myself. I have warmed up to the Brown pick, his athleticism is exactly what this team needs. He was basically a help now/help later (hopefully) pick.
The Celtics can be really good in a couple years from now thanks to Mikhail Prokhorov, the NBA's worst owner since Ted Stepien. (Yup, even worse than Guitar Jimmy.)
Tony Parker should get less minutes. That dude Dejounte Murray could be a star for you guys in the near future.
Damn, Spurs won by 29. Don't get me wrong, I think the Warriors are going to run away with the West, 1 game out of 82 and no one cares about the beginning of the NBA season.... But at the same time, they are a team that can definitely unravel. Draymond is a headcase that will only get worse if they start to lose, Curry showed last finals that he is a whiney bitch when things don't go his way (or hell someone outplays him), Durant took the easy route to the finals this off season. The only starter from last season on the team that seems to be level headed is Thompson. I think losing Mo Speights is going to be a bigger loss than they, or people, realize. As you can probably tell, I can't stand the Warriors. I think a Warrior's fallout would be the greatest thing to happen in the NBA this year outside of a Celtic title.
Still think KD should've went to Boston... I just don't see how he makes the warriors BETTER. They already had a well oiled machine not sure why they wanted to mess that up. They lost S E V E N players to get him... they are a very thin roster... top heavy as hell but thin. They have no real post presence especially in todays league where everyone has a stretch 4... Draymond can be a beast in the paint but if you make him your center more often than he used to be it's going to take it's toll on his body and take his focus off of offense.. KD is a iso player not a 3&D player. He'll be taking away shots and touches from others to get his and when he iso's he most likely not passing... that's on a team that thrived off of a LOT of ball movement. but like Russ said.....That's cute.
Surprised the hell out of me. Still, it's week 1 and there's a lot of basketball to play, I think when the Warriors start to mesh they're going to be evil, Kerr is too good a coach to let them fall apart the way people are expecting. Maybe it's because I don't hate them like a lot of people do.
I liked the Warriors until Draymond kicked 3 different guys in the nuts (he kicked another player during the preseason this year too, surprised that didn't get a lot of coverage), and when Curry started to whine like a Bitch and get in Lebron's face because Lebron was outplaying him.... The Durant sort of doubled down everyone's negative opinion by doing a move, by NBA standards, is bush league.
As good as the Spurs were last year they lost to the Warriors by 30 in their first match up and it seemed that loss hung over the perception of them head to head despite three closer games. Blowing out the Warriors is significant. It totally changes the perception of each IMO. Pops is a better coach than Kerr, and doesn't need a dream team to win; just a better team. I've railed against the logic of signing Durant from the get go so I'm pleased by the result. obviously they will improve as the season goes on but it's not going to be seem less, and it's success certainly isn't the guarantee that the media sold it as to ensure fans fret and talk about it, or that insecure fans conceded simply out of disappointment that their team likely wouldn't be able to beat them.
The Warriors are going to take time to gel. They will be good, but I still believe they will not win as many games as last year. I can't believe the way the Knicks are getting bashed on the radio today. That was pretty much their first time playing with all 5 starters and it was against the defending champs. They need time to find their chemistry.
ESPN seems to kick up the overractions tenfold for the NBA. But that is because all of their worst reporters, who have the least amount of credibility, are their NBA reporters. At least in the NFL there are 16 games, so each one is critical... They seem to have the same idea with an NBA schedule, where the likely MVP will half ass the regular season to save energy come playoff time. I think I read somewhere Chris Broussard is leaving ESPN for another media company, which I can't believe someone offered him another job, but it has become a yearly tradition where he would say something about his "sources" and get called out for the lying d bag he is.
I don't even know what to think of the Thunder this year. Their bigs are scary, and Russ is Russ, but at this point they are a total unknown.
I especially enjoy his Lebron predictions, which are about as wrong as wrong can get every time. He may be the dumbest human being on the planet. But he talks loud jive, so apparently he's good for the target audience.
was in row 6 at the sixers vs thunder game last night. Russ moves even faster live and direct my goodness! Joel Embeid (spelling) is special! Was giving my boy Steve Adams the works! Sixers have a good young weird talented squad. Bunch of guys that don't look like they can ball but have that sneaky good talent... Can't wait to see how they look when Simmons comes back they'll be fun to watch grow. But back to my Thunder... we are going to need to be more efficient on offense if were going to compete for a playoff spot.. and I see we still leave shooting guards wide open behind the 3 line! annoying!!! Oladipo needs to step it up too missed too many good looks at the basket... i'll give him a pass for butterflies and nerves sake... but he needs to step it up also if we're going to be any type of force.. Russ can't do it alone.
