Official NBA 2017-2018 Thread - Final day of the regular with playoff seating still unknown
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Let me guess, he predicted OKC to beat Houston?
Said we would lose by double digits because OKC gets up for big games...
Max told him "have you not been paying attention? Houston does as well and they'll will by 10 or more."
The whole time Stephen A. acted like he wasn't even listening to him, just was on camera looking down, shuffling papers around, etc.
Stephen A rode KD hard last year, so this year he's laying the bandwagoning on thick. Its gonna be interesting seeing people go from "no ones beating the Dubs the next 5 years" to jumpin on Houstons.
No idea why you listen to Stephen a lol
Dude is loud wrong and loud wrong
Okc been playing like trash since the break
We smacked them I knew yall would smack them
Teams are rounding into form and got no time to play with them cats like in the beginning of the year
It's crazy they are where they are.
Stephen A rode KD hard last year, so this year he's laying the bandwagoning on thick. Its gonna be interesting seeing people go from "no ones beating the Dubs the next 5 years" to jumpin on Houstons.
You gotta hold your horses lol. All of that shit is hyperbole after the fact of them not respecting the warriors at all for the 1st 2 years.
The entire reason they went so hard to go to 70 wins was because nobody respected them as a champion
I'm happy for Houston and can't wait to see them in the playoffs
And nobody expected them to be champs. In 2015 it was "nobodys beating Kawhi and the Spurs", now those same people proclaiming "nobodys beating the Warriors" in 2018. Next year itll be a new team. Nothing lasts forever and none of these teams are the 60s Celtics.
Completely agree. I have never bought into any of it and treat each year like it's own and give every other team their proper respect even if they don't get their proper respect around here especially.
We are finally about to start playing some good basketball effort wise so I'm looking forward to seeing it
The 60s Celtics, I think they only played against like 12 or less teams...
No wonder they were so dominant
Reduce the NBA to 8 teams today and those 8 teams would all be super teams. Thats a weak argument bro. Adding more teams has only diluted basketball. Starting in the late 80s. Someone happened to win 6 in that era when mofos couldnt win back to back in the 80s BEFORE expansion. And those teams are heralded as some of the best ever. Broken up by expansion drafts. Thats why the Bulls were so dominant in the 90s. No rivals, they didnt lose any of their core to expansion, and they beat up a bunch of wack expansions. Damon Stoudamire led Raptors and shit.
Celtics went thru HOFers for those rings.
Yeah in today's NBA they would essentially be putting 8 all star teams on the court. But the talent level today far surpasses what it was then.Reduce the NBA to 8 teams today and those 8 teams would all be super teams. Thats a weak argument bro. Adding more teams has only diluted basketball. Starting in the late 80s. Someone happened to win 6 in that era when mofos couldnt win back to back in the 80s BEFORE expansion. And those teams are heralded as some of the besr Thats why the Bulls were so dominant in the 90s. No rivals and a bunch of wack expansions. Damon Stoudamire led Raptors and shit.
Celtics went thru HOFers for those rings.
I agree. But the talent level surpasses even 20 years ago but nobody diminishes those championships or players. The 90s is the lowest scoring era in NBA history post shot clock and the shooting sucked so bad the put the 3point line at college distance, now every team got 5-6 dudes who hit 3s consistently. But that is the era so its merits should be respected just like the pioneers in the 60s.
I totally agree that talent level grows leaps and bounds decade after decade. But still, winning chips over 8 teams.... C'mon man... Plus it was the 60's too? I can safely go out on a limb and say that there were likely a few people of color that had been disenfranchised somewhere previously thru their playing career that didn't even get a chance to play professionally. That may be a discussion for a different day, and yes those Celtics teams did win in dominating fashion, but playing 8 or 9 other teams in a shortened season? IMHO it takes a little bit of the shine off those trophies. Kudos to them, but still...
Pelicans have won 9 in a row and this article appeared today on our daily paper's website..
Are the New Orleans Pelicans better without Boogie?
http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2018/03/are_the_pelicans_better_withou.html#incart_2box
As the New Orleans Pelicans run roughshod over the rest of the NBA, a provocative question has started to gain traction in some segments of the fan base:
Is the team better without DeMarcus Cousins?
It's a fair question, in light of the Pelicans' surprising nine-game winning streak.
The Pelicans have not played this this well for this long since the franchise moved to New Orleans in 2002. If they can knock off the lowly Sacramento Kings tonight they will have achieved the first 10-game winning streak in the franchise's 16-year history.
Considering the team's 1-5 stumble in the wake of Cousins' injury, the turnaround has been the most remarkable and surprising turn of events New Orleans sports has seen since the first year of the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era in 2006.
No one saw this coming. I certainly didn't. I backed up the hearse after the Cousins injury. At best, I thought they might be able to sneak into the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed, but I gave them no chance at advancing.
Today the Pelicans are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and look as formidable as any team this side of Houston and Golden State.
The Pelicans might not be the best team in the NBA. The Rockets rightfully own that mantle, having won their 16th consecutive game Tuesday night to improve to a league-best 50-13.
But the Pelicans are clearly the NBA's best story.
With their 90-year-old owner, Tom Benson, fighting for his life in a New Orleans hospital bed, they have embarked on the most improbable winning streak in the 16-year history of the franchise.
During the streak, they have won in seemingly every way possible. By laugher and by nail-biter. At home and on the road. Versus the Eastern Conference and against the West. They've squandered big leads and rallied from double-digit deficits, sometimes in the same game. They've won three overtime contests.
The amazing run has understandably led some to wonder: Are the Pelicans somehow actually better without Cousins?
It would be difficult to say any team is better without an All-Star center as gifted as Cousins. After all, he, along with Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo, is one of three players in the league to average more than 25 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Cousins was a big reason why Davis was enjoying his best, healthiest season as a pro and the Pelicans were bullying their way into the Western Conference playoff picture.
Let's not forget that the Pelicans were 7-1 in January before Cousins went down. Or that the night Cousins went down the Pelicans had beaten the Rockets, who haven't lost since.
I don't think we can unequivocally say the Pelicans are better without Boogie.
But I think it's fair to say they are different without him.
Unencumbered by the plodding Cousins, the Pelicans are playing at the fastest pace and scoring with greater proficiency than any team in the NBA. They have averaged 126.1 points and 100 field goal attempts a game during their nine-game winning streak, both league highs.
Before Cousins' injury, the Pelicans ranked sixth in the NBA in pace, with an average of 101.5 possessions per game. So they weren't exactly dawdling with Cousins. But since losing Cousins, they have amped the pace to a league-best average of 105.1.
To that end, you have to give credit to General Manager Dell Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry, who have done some of the best work of their Pelicans tenures since losing Cousins.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and they have successfully remade this team on the fly.
Demps executed a remarkable trade with the Chicago Bulls to acquire Nikola Mirotic and simultaneously jettison Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen, three of the oldest -- and arguably worst -- players on the roster. A few days later, he managed to deal the increasingly ineffective Dante Cunningham to Brooklyn.
In one head-spinning week, Demps overhauled the roster, making the Pelicans demonstrably younger and more athletic. The result has been astounding.
With savvy veteran Rajon Rondo running the offense, the Pelicans are averaging more than three fewer turnovers a game despite the increased tempo. The result is their offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) has soared to 114.6 during the winning streak. For reference, only the Rockets (116.6) and Warriors (116.2) have higher offensive ratings in the league and both are on pace to set records in the category.
What's more, Davis has taken his game to an unprecedented level. Entering Tuesday night's game against the Clippers, he was averaging 32.6 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.4 blocked shots a game in the 14 games since Cousins' injury. He led or ranked among the league 's top 4 in each category during that span.
Without Cousins in the lineup, Davis understands he has to be the man on a nightly basis. If you know Davis, this isn't necessarily his nature. The ultimate team player, he is more comfortable as Robin than Batman. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the vocal and emotional leader of his Kentucky teams, and Cousins quickly assumed that role here.
Out of necessity, Davis has developed a much-needed Alpha Dog mentality. He and Jrue Holiday have formed one of the most potent two-man games in the league and their teammates have fallen in line behind them. The Pelicans have not looked back since.
Davis is no longer deferring. He is simply dominating. And the rest of the Pelicans have fallen in line behind him.
The addition of Okafor should not be overlooked. The 35-year-old big man does the dirty work in the paint, freeing Davis to be the rim-running, rebound-hoarding monster he is. His presence has helped compensate for the loss of Cousins on the boards and in rim protection, a critical factor in the turnaround.
With each mounting win, the Pelicans have gained confidence and become more comfortable in their defined roles.
Gentry has settled on a solid eight-man rotation, with cameo contributions from Cheick Diallo and Walt Lemon. Davis and Holiday are getting theirs nightly and seemingly someone new from the remaining quartet of Mirotic, E'Twaun Moore, Darius Miller and Ian Clark comes through with a big night.
Who knows where this goes. As good as the Pelicans are playing, they remain just three games out of ninth place in the Western Conference standings. They are still just an untimely four- or five-game losing streak away from missing the playoffs entirely.
But that seems unlikely, given their stellar play of late. If anything, the Pelicans are gaining momentum rather than losing it.
Are they better without Cousins?
I don't think we can say that just yet. But the Pelicans brain trust at least needs to consider the question before offering Cousins a max contract this offseason, especially considering his uncertain health status.
Davis and his teammates clearly want Cousins back. He is one of the most popular players on the team and had shown progress in his on-court behavior. Obviously, it wouldn't be a wise move to discourage your franchise player just three years before his contract expires.
No, Cousins will almost certainly be back in NOLA. But it's fair to wonder if the Pelicans will be better with him than they are right now.
Are the New Orleans Pelicans better without Boogie?
http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2018/03/are_the_pelicans_better_withou.html#incart_2box
As the New Orleans Pelicans run roughshod over the rest of the NBA, a provocative question has started to gain traction in some segments of the fan base:
Is the team better without DeMarcus Cousins?
It's a fair question, in light of the Pelicans' surprising nine-game winning streak.
The Pelicans have not played this this well for this long since the franchise moved to New Orleans in 2002. If they can knock off the lowly Sacramento Kings tonight they will have achieved the first 10-game winning streak in the franchise's 16-year history.
Considering the team's 1-5 stumble in the wake of Cousins' injury, the turnaround has been the most remarkable and surprising turn of events New Orleans sports has seen since the first year of the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era in 2006.
No one saw this coming. I certainly didn't. I backed up the hearse after the Cousins injury. At best, I thought they might be able to sneak into the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed, but I gave them no chance at advancing.
Today the Pelicans are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and look as formidable as any team this side of Houston and Golden State.
The Pelicans might not be the best team in the NBA. The Rockets rightfully own that mantle, having won their 16th consecutive game Tuesday night to improve to a league-best 50-13.
But the Pelicans are clearly the NBA's best story.
With their 90-year-old owner, Tom Benson, fighting for his life in a New Orleans hospital bed, they have embarked on the most improbable winning streak in the 16-year history of the franchise.
During the streak, they have won in seemingly every way possible. By laugher and by nail-biter. At home and on the road. Versus the Eastern Conference and against the West. They've squandered big leads and rallied from double-digit deficits, sometimes in the same game. They've won three overtime contests.
The amazing run has understandably led some to wonder: Are the Pelicans somehow actually better without Cousins?
It would be difficult to say any team is better without an All-Star center as gifted as Cousins. After all, he, along with Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo, is one of three players in the league to average more than 25 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Cousins was a big reason why Davis was enjoying his best, healthiest season as a pro and the Pelicans were bullying their way into the Western Conference playoff picture.
Let's not forget that the Pelicans were 7-1 in January before Cousins went down. Or that the night Cousins went down the Pelicans had beaten the Rockets, who haven't lost since.
I don't think we can unequivocally say the Pelicans are better without Boogie.
But I think it's fair to say they are different without him.
Unencumbered by the plodding Cousins, the Pelicans are playing at the fastest pace and scoring with greater proficiency than any team in the NBA. They have averaged 126.1 points and 100 field goal attempts a game during their nine-game winning streak, both league highs.
Before Cousins' injury, the Pelicans ranked sixth in the NBA in pace, with an average of 101.5 possessions per game. So they weren't exactly dawdling with Cousins. But since losing Cousins, they have amped the pace to a league-best average of 105.1.
To that end, you have to give credit to General Manager Dell Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry, who have done some of the best work of their Pelicans tenures since losing Cousins.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and they have successfully remade this team on the fly.
Demps executed a remarkable trade with the Chicago Bulls to acquire Nikola Mirotic and simultaneously jettison Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen, three of the oldest -- and arguably worst -- players on the roster. A few days later, he managed to deal the increasingly ineffective Dante Cunningham to Brooklyn.
In one head-spinning week, Demps overhauled the roster, making the Pelicans demonstrably younger and more athletic. The result has been astounding.
With savvy veteran Rajon Rondo running the offense, the Pelicans are averaging more than three fewer turnovers a game despite the increased tempo. The result is their offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) has soared to 114.6 during the winning streak. For reference, only the Rockets (116.6) and Warriors (116.2) have higher offensive ratings in the league and both are on pace to set records in the category.
What's more, Davis has taken his game to an unprecedented level. Entering Tuesday night's game against the Clippers, he was averaging 32.6 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.4 blocked shots a game in the 14 games since Cousins' injury. He led or ranked among the league 's top 4 in each category during that span.
Without Cousins in the lineup, Davis understands he has to be the man on a nightly basis. If you know Davis, this isn't necessarily his nature. The ultimate team player, he is more comfortable as Robin than Batman. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the vocal and emotional leader of his Kentucky teams, and Cousins quickly assumed that role here.
Out of necessity, Davis has developed a much-needed Alpha Dog mentality. He and Jrue Holiday have formed one of the most potent two-man games in the league and their teammates have fallen in line behind them. The Pelicans have not looked back since.
Davis is no longer deferring. He is simply dominating. And the rest of the Pelicans have fallen in line behind him.
The addition of Okafor should not be overlooked. The 35-year-old big man does the dirty work in the paint, freeing Davis to be the rim-running, rebound-hoarding monster he is. His presence has helped compensate for the loss of Cousins on the boards and in rim protection, a critical factor in the turnaround.
With each mounting win, the Pelicans have gained confidence and become more comfortable in their defined roles.
Gentry has settled on a solid eight-man rotation, with cameo contributions from Cheick Diallo and Walt Lemon. Davis and Holiday are getting theirs nightly and seemingly someone new from the remaining quartet of Mirotic, E'Twaun Moore, Darius Miller and Ian Clark comes through with a big night.
Who knows where this goes. As good as the Pelicans are playing, they remain just three games out of ninth place in the Western Conference standings. They are still just an untimely four- or five-game losing streak away from missing the playoffs entirely.
But that seems unlikely, given their stellar play of late. If anything, the Pelicans are gaining momentum rather than losing it.
Are they better without Cousins?
I don't think we can say that just yet. But the Pelicans brain trust at least needs to consider the question before offering Cousins a max contract this offseason, especially considering his uncertain health status.
Davis and his teammates clearly want Cousins back. He is one of the most popular players on the team and had shown progress in his on-court behavior. Obviously, it wouldn't be a wise move to discourage your franchise player just three years before his contract expires.
No, Cousins will almost certainly be back in NOLA. But it's fair to wonder if the Pelicans will be better with him than they are right now.
Nuggets can't afford a loss right now. Cavs can. Take the L and be cool Gouk.
Yeah I wouldn't say all that but they ballin' without him....unfortunately
I believe they have a better plus minus without him
He averaged 5 turnovers and isn't that great of a defensive player
Yes muthafucka!! I been telling yall that since the day the trade went down. Said all season he should have been traded before free agency. Now you stuck with damaged goods.
Nuggets can't afford a loss right now. Cavs can. Take the L and be cool Gouk.
The Cavs can't afford to lose either they have the Wizards and Indiana right behind them
Cavs are 19-3 now without TT and somehow Lue is going to let him get his starting job back...
Reduce the NBA to 8 teams today and those 8 teams would all be super teams. Thats a weak argument bro. Adding more teams has only diluted basketball. Starting in the late 80s. Someone happened to win 6 in that era when mofos couldnt win back to back in the 80s BEFORE expansion. And those teams are heralded as some of the best ever. Broken up by expansion drafts. Thats why the Bulls were so dominant in the 90s. No rivals, they didnt lose any of their core to expansion, and they beat up a bunch of wack expansions. Damon Stoudamire led Raptors and shit.
Celtics went thru HOFers for those rings.
I didn't know Do or Die had a video for that song...That was my shit back in the day....
It aint Lues decision..Cavs are 19-3 now without TT and somehow Lue is going to let him get his starting job back...
note: this year there have been quite a few articles written in both of New Orleans' daily papers that have encouraged fans to get on board and start supporting the Pelicans more.
Saints' Michael Thomas wants fans talking more about Pelicans' streak
Michael Thomas is ready for more people to start supporting the red-hot New Orleans Pelicans.
The
New Orleans Saints receiver took to his Twitter account Wednesday to voice his support for the Pelicans during their current nine-game winning streak and said the winning culture "is contagious in New Orleans."
Thomas also said fans not talking about the Pelicans and their streak were "haters." Several replies asked Thomas if he planned to attend the next home game Friday against the Washington Wizards. He did not immediately reply.
The Pelicans' ninth straight win came after Tuesday night's 121-116 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pelicans will be attempting to extend the streak to 10 straight games Wednesday night on the road game against the Sacramento Kings.
Ten straight wins would tie the Pelicans' franchise record.
The Saints finished with an 11-5 record in 2017, which included an eight-game winning streak.
Saints' Michael Thomas wants fans talking more about Pelicans' streak
Michael Thomas is ready for more people to start supporting the red-hot New Orleans Pelicans.
The
New Orleans Saints receiver took to his Twitter account Wednesday to voice his support for the Pelicans during their current nine-game winning streak and said the winning culture "is contagious in New Orleans."
Thomas also said fans not talking about the Pelicans and their streak were "haters." Several replies asked Thomas if he planned to attend the next home game Friday against the Washington Wizards. He did not immediately reply.
The Pelicans' ninth straight win came after Tuesday night's 121-116 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pelicans will be attempting to extend the streak to 10 straight games Wednesday night on the road game against the Sacramento Kings.
Ten straight wins would tie the Pelicans' franchise record.
The Saints finished with an 11-5 record in 2017, which included an eight-game winning streak.
Oh yea classic shit.
This nigga Stephen A is a fuckin moron
Him and Max was talking about the Steph Curry injury, and Max said that the team would likely fall off in play a bit because of what Steph brings to the table:
An elite ball handler and passer with precision accuracy from anywhere on the court.
Stephen A said that Thompson and Durant and NICK YOUNG would fill this role.
Yes, those guys can pick up point production but expecting them to fill Steph's shoes in other aspects of his game, like dribble penetration and shot creation for teammates, that takes away from what those guys (Durant and Thompson) do best, which is SCORE.
Him and Max was talking about the Steph Curry injury, and Max said that the team would likely fall off in play a bit because of what Steph brings to the table:
An elite ball handler and passer with precision accuracy from anywhere on the court.
Stephen A said that Thompson and Durant and NICK YOUNG would fill this role.
Yes, those guys can pick up point production but expecting them to fill Steph's shoes in other aspects of his game, like dribble penetration and shot creation for teammates, that takes away from what those guys (Durant and Thompson) do best, which is SCORE.
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