2014-2015 NBA Season Thread

[Hiromi]

Michael smith says he's won 5 championships so he's beyond reproach. That I strongly disagree with yes he's a great coach but doesn't mean all his decisions whether regular season or playoffs should never be criticized.

His decision to stick with Ginobli two years ago while he was hemorrhaging turnovers in the finals is largely the reason he has 5 rings instead of 6, I love Pops but he isn't perfect.

[Arundel Armor Hunter]

It probably had to do with Gino having lingering injury problems. The greatest resource was in his head, it takes players 1 year at least to get the system, we could had seen a similar but less obvious failure from a guy who never played in the Spurs system. He did not have a choice.

[daBronzeBomma]

So, came across this article covering the aging Kobe Bryant and the current state of the Los Angeles Lakers

What. A. Hit. Piece.

Look, I'm not a Kobe fan nor am I a Laker fan, but come on! Kobe made himself into Michael Jordan's mirror image (not saying he's as good as MJ, but in my book Kobe's the #2 shooting guard of all time career-wise) by berating and belittling teammates till they got on their A-game. We (or the sports fan-world) praise Jordan to the high heavens for being psychotic about winning but we (again, the sports fan-world) criticize Kobe for doing the same? Their way usually eventually get results, like it or not.

Either Jordan did it the right way (and so does Kobe), or Jordan did it the wrong way (and so does Kobe). It's one or the other, not both.

[spacegoatpurrp]

I dont see how Kobe is the reason for the downfall of the Lakers when last season he put up 30+ pts almost every game until he got injured. And they still would lose those games. Lakers are trash with or without Kobe IMO. I agree tho Kobe is like Jordan's son, from the almost identical jumpshot to the will to win, I dont think Jordan would have ever let the Bulls fall off like the Lakers tho

[Hiromi]

The focus of the article wasn't on how Kobe was or wasn't valuable on the court(and his style of play IS becoming increasingly less valuable in the eyes of many), it was how much his inability to attract free agents to sign or get the players there to stay with the Lakers(and the Laker's attitude in regards to him) has really gutted the franchise over the last few years.

[Ghost Rider TheHellfireDemon]

His decision to stick with Ginobli two years ago while he was hemorrhaging turnovers in the finals is largely the reason he has 5 rings instead of 6, I love Pops but he isn't perfect.

Neither is the hoodie as for some damn reason in 2009 he decided to go for it on 4th and whatever it was vs the colts on their own damn side of the field not even close to freakin midfield.

[spacegoatpurrp]

Oh I didnt read it just saw the title but I do know him and Nick Young have been going back and forth in the media, so I get why other players wouldnt wanna stick around

[byc]

I'm not on CBR as much as I used to be.

Clippers vs. Cavaliers in the Finals.

Spurs will not be as hot as last year.

Thunder will have injury and chemistry issues (I think Durant has done some really questionable things all of a sudden, making his future in OKC questionable).

Bulls will not be good enough because Rose will take the entire season to get back to form (the pre-season game vs. the Cavs is the first sign he MIGHT be back).

Lakers will be utterly terrible.

Knicks will be a lot better, but it doesn't matter.

Pacers would have come out of the East if they had taken care of business (re-signing Stevenson and George not breaking his leg in a spectacular fashion).

Heat will be pretty good all thing considering.

Wizards will take a step back.

Hornets will take a step forward.

Rockets will only slightly improve (2nd round at best).

Warriors will be about the same (1st round, or 2nd round at best).

Pelicans will make the Playoffs.

LeBron will be MVP.

Parker will be Rookie of the Year.

Wiggins will suck this year.

Waiters will be benched or traded this year (once he crosses LeBron).

Rondo will be traded this year.

Melo will have GREAT year.

Kobe will average 26+ PPG.

Nash will play less than 20 games for the Lakers this year.

Love will indeed find it difficult to play with LeBron.

Wade will have a good year.

Bosh will have a good year.

[daBronzeBomma]

I'm not on CBR as much as I used to be.

Clippers vs. Cavaliers in the Finals.

Spurs will not be as hot as last year.

Thunder will have injury and chemistry issues (I think Durant has done some really questionable things all of a sudden, making his future in OKC questionable).

Bulls will not be good enough because Rose will take the entire season to get back to form (the pre-season game vs. the Cavs is the first sign he MIGHT be back).

Lakers will be utterly terrible.

Knicks will be a lot better, but it doesn't matter.

Pacers would have come out of the East if they had taken care of business (re-signing Stevenson and George not breaking his leg in a spectacular fashion).

Heat will be pretty good all thing considering.

Wizards will take a step back.

Hornets will take a step forward.

Rockets will only slightly improve (2nd round at best).

Warriors will be about the same (1st round, or 2nd round at best).

Pelicans will make the Playoffs.

LeBron will be MVP.

Parker will be Rookie of the Year.

Wiggins will suck this year.

Waiters will be benched or traded this year (once he crosses LeBron).

Rondo will be traded this year.

Melo will have GREAT year.

Kobe will average 26+ PPG.

Nash will play less than 20 games for the Lakers this year.

Love will indeed find it difficult to play with LeBron.

Wade will have a good year.

Bosh will have a good year.

Wow, those are ... pretty good. Like, scary good.

I can see all of these happening ... except Love finding it difficult to play with LeBron (he'll adapt or else), or Kobe averaging more than 26 ppg (thinking he'll average about 20 ppg, provided he is healthy).

Only 6 Days Left before the NBA is Back!

[Arundel Armor Hunter]

I'm not on CBR as much as I used to be.

Clippers vs. Cavaliers in the Finals.

Spurs will not be as hot as last year.

Thunder will have injury and chemistry issues (I think Durant has done some really questionable things all of a sudden, making his future in OKC questionable).

Bulls will not be good enough because Rose will take the entire season to get back to form (the pre-season game vs. the Cavs is the first sign he MIGHT be back).

Lakers will be utterly terrible.

Knicks will be a lot better, but it doesn't matter.

Pacers would have come out of the East if they had taken care of business (re-signing Stevenson and George not breaking his leg in a spectacular fashion).

Heat will be pretty good all thing considering.

Wizards will take a step back.

Hornets will take a step forward.

Rockets will only slightly improve (2nd round at best).

Warriors will be about the same (1st round, or 2nd round at best).

Pelicans will make the Playoffs.

LeBron will be MVP.

Parker will be Rookie of the Year.

Wiggins will suck this year.

Waiters will be benched or traded this year (once he crosses LeBron).

Rondo will be traded this year.

Melo will have GREAT year.

Kobe will average 26+ PPG.

Nash will play less than 20 games for the Lakers this year.

Love will indeed find it difficult to play with LeBron.

Wade will have a good year.

Bosh will have a good year.

What do you mean Spurs not as hot? No Patty for a while but Parker was not playing in the summer so he makes up for it. It will take some time for the bench to find the rhytm, but i don't seee why the Spurs cannot be as hot as last year.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie danced a happy dance outside the Wells Fargo Center after learning that NBA owners shot down the proposal to reform the Lottery. That means the team can go ahead and tank to their heart's desire this season for that high draft pick in 2015.

[spacegoatpurrp]

5 more days til tipoff

[daBronzeBomma]

Grantland.com just released its NBA 2014-2015 season preview!

You can check them out below:

The Annual NBA League Pass Rankings, Part 1

and then

The Annual NBA League Pass Rankings, Part 2

I know a lot of hoop-heads are down on Bill Simmons' style of writing, but not me. I love his style of fusing his clear love of basketball with pop-culture references (mainly b/c I actually get about 85% of said references).

Granted, I also like Zach Lowe's truly distinctive and detailed basketball writing style as well.

And these NBA pre-season rankings were written by both of them.

[Hiromi]

Steve Nash is reportedly out for the year because of his back, that's likely it for him, kind of an ignoble way to end a likely HOF career.

[spacegoatpurrp]

Steve Nash is reportedly out for the year because of his back, that's likely it for him, kind of an ignoble way to end a likely HOF career.

& the first NBA MVP in history to never reach the Finals smh