NBA 2020-21 Thread

[rudel.dietrich]

The same thing is happening to Blake Griffin. But with his contract, I do not think the Pistons will find a trade piece. They will most likely end up buying him out and then every other team can offer him a contract.

Add to that that he has been awful this year and with his injury history, he looks close to being washed.

[Syd Thrift]

Griffin has literally not dunked a basketball all season. That alone should tell you how much he has left.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Antonin

Yeah, I think Draymond made some good points. Yes, I know that at the upper levels of the game these fellows are extremely well paid, but they are human beings too. They are expected to buy in to whatever the team line is, but in an instant the team can just up and get rid of them, by trade or release, without any explanation. Many of them have families who may have established themselves in whatever city they are in.

I'm sure Drummond knew his days were numbered in Cleveland when the Cavs traded for Jarrett Allen.

I read that Allen was very surprised to be traded to the Cavs. But he should know that this is a friendly city with great sports fans (regardless of what Kyrie Irving thinks) who will be happy to have him. If he likes museums we have one of the best art museums in the US. We also have a world-famous orchestra, a nice lake with decent beaches, and a wonderful park system. We have a nice Asia Town, and a strong tradition of African-American and Eastern European cuisines.

I also read that Allen loved shopping at Whole Foods when he was in Brooklyn. There's a Whole Foods not far from where I live. I'm sure it will be easy to spot him there, with that glorious 'fro!

I don't know where you are in Cle but I spent decades working out of company offices in Beachwood and Solon (whole foods). Spent lots of time downtown at the Great Lakes Brewery. I enjoyed the whole region.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Griffin has literally not dunked a basketball all season. That alone should tell you how much he has left.

It is very sad

In 2018-19 it looked like he had moved to a different phase of his career as a spot up ball handling forward. But then he missed most of last season and this season looks close to done.

Maybe getting out of Detroit will get him into a better place. But to go from one of the most explosive players in the game to a below the rime player by age 31 is just sad.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by RchW

I don't know where you are in Cle but I spent decades working out of company offices in Beachwood and Solon (whole foods). Spent lots of time downtown at the Great Lakes Brewery. I enjoyed the whole region.

Ha! From 1982 to 1995 I worked in University Circle. I worked in Beachwood from 1996 to 2003. My company was in the building where Benihana was and still is, as far as I know. I might have run into you at the Great Lakes Brewery over the years! The Theatrical Grill was my main hangout from around 1986 until it closed.

I miss those times. Being young, going downtown after work on Friday...

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Griffin has literally not dunked a basketball all season. That alone should tell you how much he has left.

I always liked him, except when he played against us.

I'm wondering about Cavs backup guard Matthew Dellavedova. He hasn't played all season. He's been listed as out with a concussion, but nothing more has been said. It must be an extremely bad concussion.

He isn't an elite player, but I always loved his hustle and tenacious defense. When he was running the offense you always got the impression the team was in good hands. He was constantly talking on defense. Seemed like a nice guy. It was always fun around Christmas, because his parents would visit from Australia to watch the Cavs play, and they would be interviewed by the local TV broadcast team.

Years ago a souvenir shop downtown carried a Matthew Dellavedova brand coffee.

Broadcaster Kenny Smith's condescending comments about Dellavedova years ago during one particular Cavs playoff run during the LeBron days turned me permanently against Smith. I think it was the play where Dellavedova was diving to the floor for a loose ball and injured Kyle Korver. That generated a flood of garbage about Dellavedova being a "dirty player," and Kenny Smith piled on with some nonsense about Dellavedova "learning to play in our league." The injury to Korver was obviously not intentional.

I love Korver, but if a player is not diving for loose balls, I think the coach should give more minutes to those who do.

[Antonin]

I did some digging and found that Delly's concussion was/is so severe he has considered retiring. It's strange that you have to dig to find such information. The TV broadcasters haven't said anything about it as far as I know. They just mention that he is out with a concussion.

I see Kevin Love is now practicing with the rest of the Cavs. He's one of those guys I like a lot but feel sorry for, because every year he's the subject of non-stop trade rumors. I'm sure he understands the business of basketball, but he does have a girlfriend/fiancee and I'm sure the rumors drive her crazy.

[rudel.dietrich]

I must say, I am very excited for the play in games.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

I must say, I am very excited for the play in games.

One of our Cleveland TV game announcers said all the talk about which teams play which teams under what circumstances gave him a headache--and I agree. Every time somebody started talking about potential matchups it made my head spin. I don't understand any of it. I really liked the old playoff system.

I will enjoy watching these play in games, though.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Antonin

One of our Cleveland TV game announcers said all the talk about which teams play which teams under what circumstances gave him a headache--and I agree. Every time somebody started talking about potential matchups it made my head spin. I don't understand any of it. I really liked the old playoff system.

I will enjoy watching these play in games, though.

The old playoff system is still in play. 16 teams in 8 matchups playing a best of 7 series.

Now there is just a remote possibility for the 9th and 10th seed to have a chance of being the 8th seed.

I have seen some people be against it but not really heard any compelling arguments against it yet.
It could use a few tweaks, but I think it is here to stay.

It does do a few things. For one, it livens up the end of the season. Usually the last month of the NBA season is a slog. Teams are ready for the playoffs, fans, front offices, announcers, the media, they are all ready for the playoffs.
They just go through the motions the last month or so.

Second, and this is the biggest one, along with the lottery odds being changed, this has really cut down on tanking.
Of course, you still have teams who are tanking. Oklahoma City, Detroit, Houston, Cleveland and after the All-Star break Orlando. Those teams leaned into the tank.


The rest of the league because of this play in the tournament had something to play for. San Antonio, New Orleans, Washington (who started out awful and after the AS break has been on fire) all of those teams who in years past would have packed it in the second half of the season.

Maybe in the future teams will realize that fighting for an 8th seed to get your head smashed in by the #1 seed is not worth your draft lottery odds.
Hell, even Sacramento up until about the last 10 games of the season thought they had an outside shot.

If there is one tweak I would make, it would be to protect the 7th seed a bit more.
Maybe if the 7th and 8th seed gap is greater than 5 games, then the 7th seed gets an automatic entry.
But for right now, it has cut the teams trying to tank in half.

It has made the end of the season fun where even a hardcore fan like myself tends to check out.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

...Now there is just a remote possibility for the 9th and 10th seed to have a chance of being the 8th seed.

Well, that's a positive!

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

...Usually the last month of the NBA season is a slog. Teams are ready for the playoffs, fans, front offices, announcers, the media, they are all ready for the playoffs.
They just go through the motions the last month or so.

That's certainly true.

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

...Second, and this is the biggest one, along with the lottery odds being changed, this has really cut down on tanking.
Of course, you still have teams who are tanking. Oklahoma City, Detroit, Houston, Cleveland and after the All-Star break Orlando. Those teams leaned into the tank.

I don't think Cleveland was tanking. We are just not a very good team. That said, I still really enjoy watching the Cavs because there are some enjoyable individual performances. It's a nice diversion from these difficult times.

I see from watching the Celtics last night that Tristan Thompson still has trouble with free throws!

[rudel.dietrich]

Well so far the play in games have been a mixed bag. But the Los Angeles vs Golden State game was was a lot of fun to watch.

[Syd Thrift]

There’s a point to be made that even after the merger, the NBA had the same 16 team playoff series it currently has with 22 and then 23 teams through the 70s and most of the 80s. It’s only relatively recently that the playoffs became a thing only the top half of the league engaged in.

TBH if anything I’d love to see them expand to a 24 team playoff and give the first 4 seeds a bye in the first round. You’d probably want to make that round shorter but basketball playoffs can have a sense of “even mediocre team get a tiny shot”.

[rudel.dietrich]

Well that game made it worth it

[rudel.dietrich]

The west is wide open now. And the east is at least interesting with Embiid having a knee injury and the Nets not exactly being tested yet.

[fredbeene]

Originally Posted by Antonin

Well, that's a positive!


That's certainly true.


I don't think Cleveland was tanking. We are just not a very good team. That said, I still really enjoy watching the Cavs because there are some enjoyable individual performances. It's a nice diversion from these difficult times.

I see from watching the Celtics last night that Tristan Thompson still has trouble with free throws!

I didn't know people still watch a game that is fixed.......I can't find anyone to watch NBA anymore......they would all rather be out doing things than watch the game....One bar here in cleveland changed the channel from basketball to barnaby jones (some old detective show)

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

The west is wide open now. And the east is at least interesting with Embiid having a knee injury and the Nets not exactly being tested yet.

Yeah, I really thought the Mavericks would put it away last night, but now I think the momentum is with the Clippers. I've read that some Dallas fans are disappointed with Porzingis, and really, the few times I've been able to watch the Mavericks this season I've wondered what's going on with him.

I was hoping Luka would get the MVP title this season, but if they don't advance that probably won't happen. The way he plays is really unique to my eyes. He always seems like the game just comes naturally to him, or as the analysts like to say, "the game slows down" for him.

With LeBron you always get the impression of unstoppable power. With Curry it's incredible grace. With Kyrie, you have the Harlem Globetrotter ball handling ability.

With Doncic, his play just seems to flow, almost as if he's not trying very hard. But he makes those incredible shots and amazing passes, and at the end of the night his stats are usually very impressive.

[damientheomen3]

Originally Posted by fredbeene

I didn't know people still watch a game that is fixed.......I can't find anyone to watch NBA anymore......they would all rather be out doing things than watch the game....One bar here in cleveland changed the channel from basketball to barnaby jones (some old detective show)

You must not be looking very hard then.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

... and the Nets not exactly being tested yet.

They will be tested now with Harden down with a hamstring injury. Same hamstring as the one he recovered from late in the season. How serious? Nets have got to be saying "uh-oh."

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

They will be tested now with Harden down with a hamstring injury. Same hamstring as the one he recovered from late in the season. How serious? Nets have got to be saying "uh-oh."

Hamstring injuries are always tricky. Sometimes you are better in a few days. Sometimes it takes months to heal.