General NBA thread

[jgb191]

The fact that the GS Warriors needed to add Kevin Durant to elevate them is proof alone that the 2016 team wasn't the best ever; if it was, they would not even have needed to go after Durant.  I look at it this way:  if the 1996 Bulls played in 2016 (with 2016 rules in place), I believe they win almost 80 games in the regular season; while the 2016 Warriors would be happy just to make the playoffs if they played in 1996.  The Western Conference was way more loaded in the mid-1990's than was in the mid-2010's

I would also put the Shaq/Kobe Lakers over the 2016 Warriors.  Speaking of the Lakers, I would also put the Showtime 80's Lakers over them.

[JayhawkCO]

What do you all think of the Cavaliers and Clippers chances in the next play-in round?

I think the Pelicans and the Hawks come out of the West and East respectively. I wouldn't be surprised by the Cavs, but I think Trae shows up.

As I said.

[Big John]

All right, the playoff matchups are now officially set!

EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Heat vs. (8) Bucks

(8) Hawks

[Max Rockatansky]

The fact that the GS Warriors needed to add Kevin Durant to elevate them is proof alone that the 2016 team wasn't the best ever; if it was, they would not even have needed to go after Durant.  I look at it this way:  if the 1996 Bulls played in 2016 (with 2016 rules in place), I believe they win almost 80 games in the regular season; while the 2016 Warriors would be happy just to make the playoffs if they played in 1996.  The Western Conference was way more loaded in the mid-1990's than was in the mid-2010's

I would also put the Shaq/Kobe Lakers over the 2016 Warriors.  Speaking of the Lakers, I would also put the Showtime 80's Lakers over them.

The Shaq/Kobe Lakers really get knocked down a couple pegs by how badly they were handled by the 2003-2004 Pistons (ironically my team).  The Pistons had every answer for that Lakers dynasty, I couldn't see that happening to the others we talking about. 

[Billy F 1988]

https://www.facebook.com/ESPN/photos/a.114588455254586/5779353238778051/

Apparently, Draymond and Steph are trying to re-spark the debate about the 2016 Warriors being the greatest NBA team ever.  Although it would be an interesting debate, I along with most other NBA fans are in the same sentiment that the 2016 Warriors team is not the greatest ever.

Perhaps the greatest regular season team in NBA history, tho even that's debatable. Just like the 2007 Patriots.

If Green didn't kick Stephen Adams in the crotch during the Warriors/Thunder series before meeting Cleveland, then, MAYBE, MAAAAYBE I'd consider them a good team, but not on the level of the 95-96 Bulls.

[JayhawkCO]

https://www.facebook.com/ESPN/photos/a.114588455254586/5779353238778051/

Apparently, Draymond and Steph are trying to re-spark the debate about the 2016 Warriors being the greatest NBA team ever.  Although it would be an interesting debate, I along with most other NBA fans are in the same sentiment that the 2016 Warriors team is not the greatest ever.

Perhaps the greatest regular season team in NBA history, tho even that's debatable. Just like the 2007 Patriots.

If Green didn't kick Stephen Adams in the crotch during the Warriors/Thunder series before meeting Cleveland, then, MAYBE, MAAAAYBE I'd consider them a good team, but not on the level of the 95-96 Bulls.

Just so I'm clear, a bonehead action by one of their players precludes them from being good?

[Max Rockatansky]

https://www.facebook.com/ESPN/photos/a.114588455254586/5779353238778051/

Apparently, Draymond and Steph are trying to re-spark the debate about the 2016 Warriors being the greatest NBA team ever.  Although it would be an interesting debate, I along with most other NBA fans are in the same sentiment that the 2016 Warriors team is not the greatest ever.

Perhaps the greatest regular season team in NBA history, tho even that's debatable. Just like the 2007 Patriots.

If Green didn't kick Stephen Adams in the crotch during the Warriors/Thunder series before meeting Cleveland, then, MAYBE, MAAAAYBE I'd consider them a good team, but not on the level of the 95-96 Bulls.

Just so I'm clear, a bonehead action by one of their players precludes them from being good?

Probably from being good enough to win the NBA Finals during said year.

[CoreySamson]

Maybe it's just me and my young age, but to me it seems a lot of people are viewing the 90s Bulls and 90s NBA through rose-colored glasses. Sure, they were the best then (and up to that point), but do you really think that they would absolutely smoke today's NBA? The amount of training, practice, and time that players spend preparing to play has gone up a lot since even the 90s. Physical talent may be the same now as it was in the 90s, but physical conditioning and devotion to the game is much more sophisticated now. Just look at youth basketball. To even compete you have to practice at a high level. The 90s Bulls in today's NBA would make the playoffs no doubt, but to say that the 2010s Warriors would barely squeak into the 90s NBA playoffs seems like at best an untenable statement. Even the 2017-18 Houston Rockets would probably beat the snot out of the 90s title-winning Rockets teams.

[webny99]

Maybe it's just me and my young age, but to me it seems a lot of people are viewing the 90s Bulls and 90s NBA through rose-colored glasses. Sure, they were the best then (and up to that point), but do you really think that they would absolutely smoke today's NBA? The amount of training, practice, and time that players spend preparing to play has gone up a lot since even the 90s. Physical talent may be the same now as it was in the 90s, but physical conditioning and devotion to the game is much more sophisticated now. Just look at youth basketball. To even compete you have to practice at a high level. The 90s Bulls in today's NBA would make the playoffs no doubt, but to say that the 2010s Warriors would barely squeak into the 90s NBA playoffs seems like at best an untenable statement. Even the 2017-18 Houston Rockets would probably beat the snot out of the 90s title-winning Rockets teams.

I agree, but I think people are saying the 90's Bulls are better than the mid-2010's Warriors relative to the other 29 teams in their respective eras.

[plain]

Let me just say this about pre 2010-2020s NBA: No flopping allowed.

[jgb191]

Even the 2017-18 Houston Rockets would probably beat the snot out of the 90s title-winning Rockets teams.

I have seen both the championship Rockets in the mid-1990s and the pretender Rockets of the mid-2010's.  Let me say this:  the 1990s Rockets never missed 26 three-pointers in any single playoff game like the 2018 team did.  The 1990's Rockets was a more teamwork-focused game, while the 2010's Rockets, though more talented on paper, lacked the concept of teamwork.  And remember this:  Teamwork ALWAYS beats talent.  Also I hated the live-by-the-three, die-by-the-three approach.  James Harden may be the most talented athlete to ever put on a Rockets jersey, but he'll never ever come close to the greatness of Hakeem.  For that reason the mid-1990s Rockets were the best years in franchise history.

[JayhawkCO]

Maybe it's just me and my young age, but to me it seems a lot of people are viewing the 90s Bulls and 90s NBA through rose-colored glasses. Sure, they were the best then (and up to that point), but do you really think that they would absolutely smoke today's NBA? The amount of training, practice, and time that players spend preparing to play has gone up a lot since even the 90s. Physical talent may be the same now as it was in the 90s, but physical conditioning and devotion to the game is much more sophisticated now. Just look at youth basketball. To even compete you have to practice at a high level. The 90s Bulls in today's NBA would make the playoffs no doubt, but to say that the 2010s Warriors would barely squeak into the 90s NBA playoffs seems like at best an untenable statement. Even the 2017-18 Houston Rockets would probably beat the snot out of the 90s title-winning Rockets teams.

I agree, but I think people are saying the 90's Bulls are better than the mid-2010's Warriors relative to the other 29 teams in their respective eras.

Exactly. I think the Bulls were the best but the Warriors would beat them if somehow we had a time machine. It's all about how good they were ""at the time" when you make a comparison.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Wow. What a game. Celtics-Nets isn't quite Celtics-Lakers, but it's getting there.

[Roadgeekteen]

The fact that the GS Warriors needed to add Kevin Durant to elevate them is proof alone that the 2016 team wasn't the best ever; if it was, they would not even have needed to go after Durant.  I look at it this way:  if the 1996 Bulls played in 2016 (with 2016 rules in place), I believe they win almost 80 games in the regular season; while the 2016 Warriors would be happy just to make the playoffs if they played in 1996.  The Western Conference was way more loaded in the mid-1990's than was in the mid-2010's

I would also put the Shaq/Kobe Lakers over the 2016 Warriors.  Speaking of the Lakers, I would also put the Showtime 80's Lakers over them.

2016 Warriors would be great in 1996. Wouldn't beat the Bulls probably, but it's asinine to think that they wouldn't be outstanding.

[webny99]

Wow, what a night in the NBA... first the Nets blow a 17 point lead, then the Raptors lose in OT despite never trailing in regulation (I mean, how!?) as the James Harden-less Sixers get revenge for the 2019 semifinals. Brutal and potentially season-ending losses for both teams... especially the Raptors. And at halftime, the Bulls are up 14 on the Bucks!!

Was hoping for no first round sweeps, the Pelicans did their part but it's not looking good for the Hawks or Raptors.

[Alps]

Wow, what a night in the NBA... first the Nets blow a 17 point lead, then the Raptors lose in OT despite never trailing in regulation (I mean, how!?) as the James Harden-less Sixers get revenge for the 2019 semifinals. Brutal and potentially season-ending losses for both teams... especially the Raptors. And at halftime, the Bulls are up 14 on the Bucks!!

Was hoping for no first round sweeps, the Pelicans did their part but it's not looking good for the Hawks or Raptors.

as a Knicks fan, i'm hoping the Celtics sweep first round and then get swept second round

[webny99]

Was hoping for no first round sweeps, the Pelicans did their part but it's not looking good for the Hawks or Raptors.

as a Knicks fan, i'm hoping the Celtics sweep first round and then get swept second round

Well,  the Nets are the only winless team left, so you might get your first wish (at the expense of mine).

No way the Celtics get swept in the next round though.

[webny99]

Was hoping for no first round sweeps, the Pelicans did their part but it's not looking good for the Hawks or Raptors.

as a Knicks fan, i'm hoping the Celtics sweep first round and then get swept second round

Well,  the Nets are the only winless team left, so you might get your first wish (at the expense of mine).

No way the Celtics get swept in the next round though.

^^^ This. Can't believe the Nets were the ONLY team to be swept in round 1.

Unrelated thought: I'm not sure if it will be Raptors-76ers, but I have a feeling a team is going to come back from 0-3 to win a series at some point this postseason. One of those things like a home team hosting the Super Bowl that's bound to happen at some point and I think this is the year.

[jgb191]

The two most talent-loaded teams (Lakers & Nets) have a combined ZERO playoff wins.....Nets got swept in the first round and Lakers never even made the playoffs.  Which further proves that talent alone does not buy you wins.

My hopes are that both teams dismantle and rebuild their roster, and the era of manufacturing super-teams is over.

[Max Rockatansky]

The two most talent-loaded teams (Lakers & Nets) have a combined ZERO playoff wins.....Nets got swept in the first round and Lakers never even made the playoffs.  Which further proves that talent alone does not buy you wins.

My hopes are that both teams dismantle and rebuild their roster, and the era of manufacturing super-teams is over.

So far the concept really hasn't planned out for anyone.  Certainly doesn't help these so called super teams barely want to play in the regular season.

[Henry]

The two most talent-loaded teams (Lakers & Nets) have a combined ZERO playoff wins.....Nets got swept in the first round and Lakers never even made the playoffs.  Which further proves that talent alone does not buy you wins.

My hopes are that both teams dismantle and rebuild their roster, and the era of manufacturing super-teams is over.

So far the concept really hasn't planned out for anyone.  Certainly doesn't help these so called super teams barely want to play in the regular season.

The Miami Heat beg to differ; they won two championships with LeBron James and Chris Bosh running the show alongside Dwyane Wade.

[Max Rockatansky]

The two most talent-loaded teams (Lakers & Nets) have a combined ZERO playoff wins.....Nets got swept in the first round and Lakers never even made the playoffs.  Which further proves that talent alone does not buy you wins.

My hopes are that both teams dismantle and rebuild their roster, and the era of manufacturing super-teams is over.

So far the concept really hasn't planned out for anyone.  Certainly doesn't help these so called super teams barely want to play in the regular season.

The Miami Heat beg to differ; they won two championships with LeBron James and Chris Bosh running the show alongside Dwyane Wade.

That's just it, they actually played together.  The current super team format includes phoning in the regular season.

[jgb191]

I mean super-teams have existed in the NBA longer than I've been alive (all the way back to the 1960's Celtics); Red Aurbach is considered one of the greatest architects in sports history along with Jerry West and Jerry Krause.  My deal is players' mentality of "I want to join 'em since I can't beat 'em" to eliminate competition. 

[gr8daynegb]

I mean super-teams have existed in the NBA longer than I've been alive (all the way back to the 1960's Celtics); Red Aurbach is considered one of the greatest architects in sports history along with Jerry West and Jerry Krause.  My deal is players' mentality of "I want to join 'em since I can't beat 'em" to eliminate competition.

Only issue is that creates a beta attitude and when teams run into an a team with Alpha types(Buck, Celtics, Suns......ie teams that draft and develop organically via trades and use free agency to fill in the smaller holes) the Alpha teams types generally win unless the Alpha type teams/players are like when the Celtics big three were old per NBA players standards.

[KCRoadFan]

The Heat beat the Hawks in 5 earlier today - they will face either the Sixers or the Raptors in the conference semis.