2018-2019 NBA Season Thread

[rudel.dietrich]

With the season starting on October 16th I figured it would be a good time to get this thread going.

The Jimmy Butler trade looks like it will not happen before the beginning of the season. He is imposing a deadline but it looks like the Wolves have a pretty high asking price.

The Suns fired their GM at a very odd time. They let him do the draft, let him do the entire off season and training camp and fire him midday through the pre-season.

What other thoughts do other have before the season kicks off?

[Cobra Mgr]

How can Butler impose a deadline?

I've never been able to really get into the NBA until football ends. And now that I'm older, I really don't get enmeshed until the playoffs start. I would be more geeked if there was more balance or more exciting teams. But right now, it's Golden State's solar system & everyone else is just a stray planet.

It will be interesting to see if all of the big guys drafted in June will make play in the paint more prevalent.

The only way the Finals will be interesting is if the C's can be healthy for a change. If not, the Sixers would have to take another giant leap. Either scenario will depend on Kyrie or Embiid staying injury free. Something they've never proven they can do.

[rudel.dietrich]

Besides being unhappy and going to the media, Butler himself does not have a lot of leverage.

But neither do the Wolves by him being unhappy and having a shortlist of teams he says he will sign with.
At this point I don't think he will suit up and play games with them but I do see him getting traded before mid November. Eventually the Wolves will lower their price and the other teams will offer a bit more to get him.

And I can talk football but I do not enjoy it. Basketball has turned into my favorite sport and I follow it 365 now.
The Warriors are odds on favorites to win again but it there is always plenty of entertainment along the way and with League Pass I can pick who I want to watch on a particular night.
And with the games rarely lasting over two hours (if I pause at the end of the first half and go do something else and come back and pick it up when halftime ends) I can watch a lot of basketball.

[psd]

I'm in the opposite camp. I can't stand basketball. I used to watch college but that sucks too with so many "one & done" players now. Even the NCAA tournament, which I used to love, is much different now. A 16 beat a one finally. Why? So many one & dones in CBB. Most games are freshman & sophomores. Not all. But most. Anyways here is why i hate the pro game though.

1. The absolute stupid rule that after a time-out, you get the ball at mid court instead of under the opponents basket. Yup. they make a basket, you call time out, you inbound it at half court. And it even used to be you inbounded under your own basket. Dumbest rule in sports.
2. Travelling rule. Why even have the rule if you never call it? It's not a dumb rule. It makes sense. So they don't enforce it. 2nd dumbest thing in sports.
3. The entire game is meaningless until the last minute. And then that takes 45 freakin' minutes to play. Time out after time out. Ridiculous.

Just my opinion.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by psd

I'm in the opposite camp. I can't stand basketball. I used to watch college but that sucks too with so many "one & done" players now. Even the NCAA tournament, which I used to love, is much different now. A 16 beat a one finally. Why? So many one & dones in CBB. Most games are freshman & sophomores. Not all. But most. Anyways here is why i hate the pro game though.

Not disagreeing w/your opinion.....but last year's UVa upset to UMBC had nothing to do w/one & dones. Virginia got where they are w/o recruiting 1 & dones. They aren't dook or Kensucky.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by psd

I'm in the opposite camp. I can't stand basketball. I used to watch college but that sucks too with so many "one & done" players now. Even the NCAA tournament, which I used to love, is much different now. A 16 beat a one finally. Why? So many one & dones in CBB. Most games are freshman & sophomores. Not all. But most. Anyways here is why i hate the pro game though.

1. The absolute stupid rule that after a time-out, you get the ball at mid court instead of under the opponents basket. Yup. they make a basket, you call time out, you inbound it at half court. And it even used to be you inbounded under your own basket. Dumbest rule in sports.
2. Travelling rule. Why even have the rule if you never call it? It's not a dumb rule. It makes sense. So they don't enforce it. 2nd dumbest thing in sports.
3. The entire game is meaningless until the last minute. And then that takes 45 freakin' minutes to play. Time out after time out. Ridiculous.

Just my opinion.

Agreed with this - #3 especially. I always said they should just give each team 100 pts and then play the last 2 minutes. They can easily milk an hour of prime time TV out of that with all the time outs teams get.

[psd]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Not disagreeing w/your opinion.....but last year's UVa upset to UMBC had nothing to do w/one & dones. Virginia got where they are w/o recruiting 1 & dones. They aren't dook or Kensucky.

One & dones may not have been the sole reason, and I should not have implied it did, I admit. But it was most certainly a factor. Saying it had "nothing" to do with it is not accurate either. We don't really know how much it affected it. Maybe very little. Maybe a lot. We just don't know.

How many Seniors and Juniors were on that VA team? One & done isn't an accurate term. I should have said "Almost every College team is Freshman and Sophomores.There are very few Juniors and Seniors. Thats much more accurate. My bad. Thanks for your input. I learned from it.

Although I did say most games are freshman and sophomores in my OP. But one and done was wrong to use.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

What other thoughts do other have before the season kicks off?

Yes. I am looking forward to dredging up that musty "Anyone else watching the Knicks?" thread and having some good things to say for a change! (If so, it would be the result, of course, of having very low expectations. )

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by psd

One & dones may not have been the sole reason, and I should not have implied it did, I admit. But it was most certainly a factor. Saying it had "nothing" to do with it is not accurate either. We don't really know how much it affected it. Maybe very little. Maybe a lot. We just don't know.

How many Seniors and Juniors were on that VA team? One & done isn't an accurate term. I should have said "Almost every College team is Freshman and Sophomores.There are very few Juniors and Seniors. Thats much more accurate. My bad. Thanks for your input. I learned from it.

Although I did say most games are freshman and sophomores in my OP. But one and done was wrong to use.

Of the 7 Cavs players who played in that upset, 4 were 4-5 year players. A fifth was a RS So, so he is essentially a Jr. They played no Fr. You may see one & done as a problem w/NCAAB and I won't argue your opinion. But I am saying that Virginia is not the example you want to use. Tony Bennett has received praise because he turned UVa into a top program w/o having blue chip talent. There was no professional Cavs alumni that would have been on last year's team.

[psd]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Of the 7 Cavs players who played in that upset, 4 were 4-5 year players. A fifth was a RS So, so he is essentially a Jr. They played no Fr. You may see one & done as a problem w/NCAAB and I won't argue your opinion. But I am saying that Virginia is not the example you want to use. Tony Bennett has received praise because he turned UVa into a top program w/o having blue chip talent. There was no professional Cavs alumni that would have been on last year's team.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...inia/2018.html

This is where I looked when I posted the OP. I have poor eyesight. SR looks like SO to me. My bad. I was wrong.

[rudel.dietrich]

Jimmy Butler showed up to practice today and was verbally abusive to teammates, coaching staff and front office personnel.
What an odd story.

He left Chicago in sort of the same manner. And given his knee injuries I don’t think I would trade for him.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by psd

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...inia/2018.html

This is where I looked when I posted the OP. I have poor eyesight. SR looks like SO to me. My bad. I was wrong.

No problem.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Jimmy Butler showed up to practice today and was verbally abusive to teammates, coaching staff and front office personnel.
What an odd story.

I'd read that. Evidently trying to force the T-Wolves hand. Would have liked to have seen the workout.

He left Chicago in sort of the same manner. And given his knee injuries I don’t think I would trade for him.

I wouldn't trade for him either. He'd have to be at a true bargain price. Butler, Tibs & owner have all handled this terribly.

[psd]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Jimmy Butler showed up to practice today and was verbally abusive to teammates, coaching staff and front office personnel.
What an odd story.

He left Chicago in sort of the same manner. And given his knee injuries I don’t think I would trade for him.

Edit: Erase snark. Sorry. I just have an issue when people make statements as though they know it to be fact 100%, like they were there. How about using the word "allegedly" at the beginning? Until we hear ALL the facts, at least. I heard he was loud and swore, but was just stating what he thought were facts. "Verbally abusive" insinuates he was calling people names or insulting them, which I am not aware of he did at all. He said in an interview he was just "being honest." What did you hear different?

[rudel.dietrich]

You f---ing need me, Scott. You can't win without me
Directed at the GM

They soft.
These mother****ers are soft

Directed at a Wiggins and Townes

[Cobra Mgr]

Butler said his problem w/the Wolves management was they weren't about winning......... But he said he wanted to be traded to the Knicks, Nets or Clippers......................

[psd]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

You f---ing need me, Scott. You can't win without me
Directed at the GM

They soft.
These mother****ers are soft

Directed at a Wiggins and Townes

THAT'S what you consider verbally abusive? Seriously? OK. The MF is too much, I agree. But it is nowhere near the level of abusive. The f bomb directed at the coach is called "cussing". He didnt say "You need me F'er". He said "you effen need me". BIG difference.

[Cobra Mgr]

Say those things to a co worker or supervisor at most areas of employment and it would be considered just cause for firing for abusive behavior. Within the context of a men's sports team it would be considered Tuesday.

[psd]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Say those things to a co worker or supervisor at most areas of employment and it would be considered just cause for firing for abusive behavior. Within the context of a men's sports team it would be considered Tuesday.

If is language that is outside of the normal course of conversation, I would agree with you. And saying it in certain places I would also agree with you. Are you telling me on a mens sports teams they never say those words to each other? It is normal language that they use frequently. They don't trash talk during practices and especially during games? And a pro coach never cusses at his players? Come on man.

If he said it many, many times (Did he? I haven't heard), i would also agree with you. Saying those words ONCE on a mens pro BB team and saying its abusive behavior? Not in my opinion.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by psd

If is language that is outside of the normal course of conversation, I would agree with you. And saying it in certain places I would also agree with you. Are you telling me on a mens sports teams they never say those words to each other? It is normal language that they use frequently. They don't trash talk during practices and especially during games? And a pro coach never cusses at his players? Come on man.

If he said it many, many times (Did he? I haven't heard), i would also agree with you. Saying those words ONCE on a mens pro BB team and saying its abusive behavior? Not in my opinion.

What "within the context of a men's sports team it would be considered Tuesday." means is that it is an everyday occurance in the sports world. It's not saying it isn't abusive. It's still abusive. But I'm sure it is the norm in team sports.