General NBA thread

[Ted$8roadFan]

Robert Horry was on both Rockets championship teams (plus the next year in 1996 before being traded to Phoenix for Sir Charles), but I never heard the famed nickname Big Shot Rob until his Lakers three-peat run.

Going back to Mike Malone, I pose this question:  As great a coach as he is, would he have been the Nuggets' all-time winningest coach and only championship all in franchise history if he didn't have The Joker?  I would have a really difficult time listing players in NBA history I would take over The Joker; I would take him over the big men like Patrick Ewing, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, and Alonzo Mourning.  Mike Malone is a spinoff from the Gregg Popovich tree and it makes sense for the Spurs to offer him a job in San Antonio; their respective cultures look to align quite well.

Something else to wonder:  In this century several coaches were fired only a year or two after winning a Championship:  Larry Brown, Tyrone Lue, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, Mike Budenholzer, and now Mike Malone.  So could it be reasonable to guess that Joe Mazzulla could be fired in the next year or two?

The Celtics aren't know for their shoot from the hip impulses. So unless they completely tank, otherwise fall apart, or the new ownership decide to flex their muscles a la Mat Ishbia, I would say no.

[Henry]

My Bulls are scheduled to host the Heat tomorrow night, and hopefully they can get the first of two wins needed to make it to the playoffs (while also beating the Hawks in the play-in final on Friday).

[jgb191]

The Rockets are up against the five-time Champions Golden State Warriors in the first-round of the playoffs.  Jimmy Butler III returns home to his birthplace city of Houston to battle the Rockets in the playoffs.  If there is one player I'm most afraid of in the playoffs it is the Houston-native born Jimmy Butler III; he's made that Warriors team even scarier than ever.  The pressure is always on the higher seed to win.  I'm clinging to one simple fact to use as hope:  Fred VanVleet is undefeated vs the Warriors in the Postseason, and we're hoping it stays that way in this year's playoffs. 

NBA Playoffs return to Houston for the first time in six years.  I'm happy seeing both the Rockets and Texans being the beneficiaries of the blockbuster trades getting huge returns for James Harden and Deshaun Watson, respectively, and building off the draft capital as a result of getting rid of both of those drama kings.

[Henry]

My Bulls are scheduled to host the Heat tomorrow night, and hopefully they can get the first of two wins needed to make it to the playoffs (while also beating the Hawks in the play-in final on Friday).

Nevermind, the Heat won by 19 points, so it's wait til next year in Chicago, and with that, the drought is now at 27 years.

[SEWIGuy]

My Bulls are scheduled to host the Heat tomorrow night, and hopefully they can get the first of two wins needed to make it to the playoffs (while also beating the Hawks in the play-in final on Friday).

Nevermind, the Heat won by 19 points, so it's wait til next year in Chicago, and with that, the drought is now at 27 years.

Jerry's gotta sell the team. Just like the White Sox. Terrible organization from the top down.

[ET21]

My Bulls are scheduled to host the Heat tomorrow night, and hopefully they can get the first of two wins needed to make it to the playoffs (while also beating the Hawks in the play-in final on Friday).

Nevermind, the Heat won by 19 points, so it's wait til next year in Chicago, and with that, the drought is now at 27 years.

Mediocrity as it's finest

All that hopium, winning 15 of the last 20, MIA on a 12-21 overall slide. Beaten down by 25+

[jgb191]

Jerry's gotta sell the team.

I remember way back (around Christmas 1999) seeing another Jerry (Jones's) press conference severely criticizing the Bulls' Jerry being too passive and not taking charge of the Bulls "nearly a year ago" and continuously deferring to his GM -- another Jerry (Krause) -- letting him make all the decisions and just staying back behind the scenes.  Oh the irony....Cowboys' Jerry is receiving criticism for doing the exact opposite the Bulls' Jerry has done, which is taking charge of his own franchise.

My point is -- it just seems to me that so many owners constantly get bad rap from fans no matter what.  Bulls' Jerry for not doing enough and being too passive, and the Cowboys' Jerry for being too active on his team. 

I don't get it, what exactly do fans expect the owners to do?  Do they need to take charge of their team (Jones) or just stand back and just write checks (Reinsdorf)?

P.S. There is yet another Jerry (the logo the late Jerry West) that knows all about taking charge and building a championship empire.

[SEWIGuy]

I think owners should hire people who know how to run the team, give them resources and set them loose. And the problem with Reinsdorf is that he IS too involved. He hires insiders all the time and always fires them a season or two too late. The fact the White Sox have hired from within for their last two GM positions is an absolute joke. And there is no reason why Billy Donovan should still be coaching that team.

[jgb191]

I think owners should hire people who know how to run the team, give them resources and set them loose.

Although this part I can agree with (hire the right people), I can't complain about owners who desire to manage their own franchise (after all it is their property).  I certainly like the way Mark Cuban and the Maloof Brothers changed the culture and long-term fortunes by being semi-actively involved.  I guess there has to be balance between how active to be and when to step back.

the problem with Reinsdorf is that he IS too involved.

That seems like a stark change from the 1990's when he hired Krause and stood back and let him run the show; Reinsdorf wasn't involved in much of the decisions other than helping shaping the player contracts, and Reinsdorf did still offered everyone contracts after their last title run to come back to the Bulls in the 1999 season (as per the sports documentaries) but most (if not all) of them declined and walked away.


Personal note:  I typically like to use first names when referring to people, but since there were two Jerry's in the Bulls' organization, I had to differentiate between them by using their last names.

[jgb191]

I really hope Jimmy Butler is okay; I would have like to see GS at full strength.  Rockets and Warriors showing some brief flashes of vintage NBA back when chippiness and physicality were frequent occurrences (not that it's not a bad thing, both teams know playoffs mean season is on the line, but I hate seeing players get hurt and needing to miss time which affects the quality and outcome of the game).

[Ted$8roadFan]

The Miami Heat were absolutely demolished by the Cleveland Cavaliers last night, being swept at home. It was painful to watch.

[jgb191]

For the first time ever in NBA history, the Timberwolves win a playoff series in back-2-back years, which had never been done before -- until tonight when the just knocked off the LeBron-led (or is it Luka-led?) LA Lakers.  Which triggers this thought-provoking question: Who is the LA Lakers team captain?  LeBron or Luka? 

And now the Mavericks fans all over my state can sleep better knowing that the Lakers aren't going to go very far with Luka either.

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

[SEWIGuy]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Why would he be vindicated? This wasn't just about one season.

[JayhawkCO]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Oh, so the Mavericks did better than the Lakers in the playoffs?

[SEWIGuy]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Oh, so the Mavericks did better than the Lakers in the playoffs?

And last year they went all the way to the Finals.

[jgb191]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Why would he be vindicated? This wasn't just about one season.

I'm wondering if he would have been worth paying him the $345 million; not a lot of cap space left to build a team around him.  He is a liability on defense.  I personally didn't like the trade very much only because Nico didn't bother to notify Luka and didn't get enough in return....I would have been intrigued by getting Giannis in return for Luka to the Bucks -- that could have been a real possibility.  I also believe the new owners order Nico to trade Luka, the decision wasn't his which could be why Nico rushed his decision to trade him.

Speaking of Giannis, all he needs to do is say the magic word out loud to the Buck management and he'll be traded within days.  The other Texas teams (Spurs & Rockets) might want to consider trading for him as he could boost either team to title contention within a year or two.

And speaking of my Rockets, I was very much intrigued by the prospect of having Luka come to Houston and join a team comprised of role players.  They are in need of a scorer that could compliment our defense, and maybe Coach Ime Udoka might be able to keep Luka's hothead in check.

[JayhawkCO]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Why would he be vindicated? This wasn't just about one season.

I'm wondering if he would have been worth paying him the $345 million; not a lot of cap space left to build a team around him.  He is a liability on defense.  I personally didn't like the trade very much only because Nico didn't bother to notify Luka and didn't get enough in return....I would have been intrigued by getting Giannis in return for Luka to the Bucks -- that could have been a real possibility.  I also believe the new owners order Nico to trade Luka, the decision wasn't his which could be why Nico rushed his decision to trade him.

Speaking of Giannis, all he needs to do is say the magic word out loud to the Buck management and he'll be traded within days.  The other Texas teams (Spurs & Rockets) might want to consider trading for him as he could boost either team to title contention within a year or two.

And speaking of my Rockets, I was very much intrigued by the prospect of having Luka come to Houston and join a team comprised of role players.  They are in need of a scorer that could compliment our defense, and maybe Coach Ime Udoka might be able to keep Luka's hothead in check.

While I don't necessarily disagree with your takes here, none of what you posted explains why Nico would be vindicated for trading Luka. The Mavericks did worse than the Lakers, and got noticeably worse when he was gone. The Lakers did better than the Mavericks, and played markedly better once Luka arrived. And, half of the Mavericks fans no longer tune in. So you lost your best player, you lost your fanbase, and you didn't win anything. Seems like a greeeaaaatttt trade.

[SEWIGuy]

Speaking of Giannis, all he needs to do is say the magic word out loud to the Buck management and he'll be traded within days.  The other Texas teams (Spurs & Rockets) might want to consider trading for him as he could boost either team to title contention within a year or two.

The Bucks need to trade him this off season. They have nothing to build around him. Dame will miss the year. No draft picks. No other talent. It's done, it's over, done.

And it pains me to say that because I never thought I would see the Bucks win another title, and he is absolutely reponsible for that. Easily one of my favorite all-time athletes, especially for what he does off-court and what he means to the City of Milwaukee.

But it's time for the rebuild and he can't be part of that.

[jgb191]

If ESPN were to revive my favorite series "The Top 5 Reasons (You Can't Blame ...)," Mavs GM Nico Harrison (for trading Luka Doncic) would surely be featured and vindicated by ESPN for what many thought was a blunder move.

Why would he be vindicated? This wasn't just about one season.

I'm wondering if he would have been worth paying him the $345 million; not a lot of cap space left to build a team around him.  He is a liability on defense.  I personally didn't like the trade very much only because Nico didn't bother to notify Luka and didn't get enough in return....I would have been intrigued by getting Giannis in return for Luka to the Bucks -- that could have been a real possibility.  I also believe the new owners order Nico to trade Luka, the decision wasn't his which could be why Nico rushed his decision to trade him.

Speaking of Giannis, all he needs to do is say the magic word out loud to the Buck management and he'll be traded within days.  The other Texas teams (Spurs & Rockets) might want to consider trading for him as he could boost either team to title contention within a year or two.

And speaking of my Rockets, I was very much intrigued by the prospect of having Luka come to Houston and join a team comprised of role players.  They are in need of a scorer that could compliment our defense, and maybe Coach Ime Udoka might be able to keep Luka's hothead in check.

While I don't necessarily disagree with your takes here, none of what you posted explains why Nico would be vindicated for trading Luka. The Mavericks did worse than the Lakers, and got noticeably worse when he was gone. The Lakers did better than the Mavericks, and played markedly better once Luka arrived. And, half of the Mavericks fans no longer tune in. So you lost your best player, you lost your fanbase, and you didn't win anything. Seems like a greeeaaaatttt trade.

Maybe "vindicated" was the wrong word to use; what I meant was if Nico Harrison was indeed following orders from his bosses (either the new majority owners or CEO Rick Wells) to trade Luka -- and it is an 'if' as no one seems to know for sure -- then it would hard to place the blame on him.   He might be a scapegoat in that situation to cover for the higher ups.

And yeah no one said it was a great trade;  I agree that trade was horrific, I think it was because Nico didn't get enough in return; he could have waited until the offseason and try to pull Giannis from the Bucks.  Adam Silver also failed to step-in and review/block the trade.  But I'm also wondering if Luka's lack of defense and other glaring issues justifies offering one of the largest contract in NBA history.  And as we saw last year Luka can't carry a team all the way to the title all by himself; I wished that the Mavs could have resigned Jalen Brunson and/or kept Kristaps Porzingis to help him carry the load....probably would have won the Finals last year with Brunson still on the Mavs.

[Henry]

It's been an exciting first round, with the Timberwolves advancing to the second round for the second year in a row (and the first occurrence of such), LeBron James losing to said team in the same round, and both of his former teams contesting a series, with the Cavs sweeping the Heat. Also, Giannis losing to the Pacers, the Thompson twins making their playoff debut, and a premature confetti drop in Orlando (is there some sort of rule against its teams winning a championship and celebrating it in their own backyard that is Disney World?). To borrow a quote from a rival network's coverage of another sport, you can't script June.

[CoreySamson]

I'm liking the idea of a Rockets trade for Giannis. A trade of VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and a few draft picks for Giannis would likely be beneficial for both teams. The Rockets are a great team with a great culture, but they need a star talent who can fit (cough, cough, not KD). Giannis would fit that bill pretty well.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I'm liking the idea of a Rockets trade for Giannis. A trade of VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and a few draft picks for Giannis would likely be beneficial for both teams. The Rockets are a great team with a great culture, but they need a star talent who can fit (cough, cough, not KD). Giannis would fit that bill pretty well.

There's a good bet Texas will be his new home one way or another. Spurs think it's time to unleash Wemby with another superstar, and they have a gazillion draft picks to facilitate any trade.

[jgb191]

Speaking of the Spurs:  https://www.nba.com/news/gregg-popovich-becomes-spurs-team-president

Thank you Coach Pop for all your contributions to the Spurs (tied with the Mavs as my second favorite team, behind the Rockets).  He will continue to be the Spurs President, now solely as President.  Coach Pop arrived with the Spurs as their GM in 1994, then took over the coaching job in 1996.  It seems fitting that the Indiana native moved to San Antonio, a military-focused city.  Pop (Air Force) and fellow Spurs alumnus the Admiral David Robinson (Navy) served this country.

Mitch Johnson will continue to be head coach until further notice....not yet clear if he will be offered the head coaching job full-time.

[SEWIGuy]

Speaking of the Spurs:  https://www.nba.com/news/gregg-popovich-becomes-spurs-team-president

Thank you Coach Pop for all your contributions to the Spurs (tied with the Mavs as my second favorite team, behind the Rockets).  He will continue to be the Spurs President, now solely as President.  Coach Pop arrived with the Spurs as their GM in 1994, then took over the coaching job in 1996.  It seems fitting that the Indiana native moved to San Antonio, a military-focused city.  Pop (Air Force) and fellow Spurs alumnus the Admiral David Robinson (Navy) served this country.

Mitch Johnson will continue to be head coach until further notice....not yet clear if he will be offered the head coaching job full-time.

Johnson will be the full time coach.

[jgb191]

Even though all three Texas teams are sadly eliminated, I still have one last horse in the Playoff race -- indeed a dark horse.  Because Nikola Jokic is my favorite player in the league, I'm rooting for Denver, who just snatch Game One at OKC from seemingly certain defeat, although Nikola is going to need some more help from his teammates if the Nuggets are to win their second title in three seasons.