NBA 2023-24

[TonyTexas 10,510]

Draymond get a 5 game suspension. 

[d2o 1,602]

14 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

Draymond get a 5 game suspension. 

Should be double

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

1 hour ago, d2o said:

Should be double

Should be more than that.  Within two minutes of the start of the game, dude had another guy in a choke hold and drug him to the ground.

Biggest bitch thing about Draymond is he thinks he's some enforcer type but back in the day, he'd have gotten his ass kicked and thrown around like a rag doll.

[Vic Mackey 47,029]

Should be more than that.  Within two minutes of the start of the game, dude had another guy in a choke hold and drug him to the ground.
Biggest bitch thing about Draymond is he thinks he's some enforcer type but back in the day, he'd have gotten his ass kicked and thrown around like a rag doll.

Exactly. That act works today because the league just isn't like what it was some decades back. He would have been punked and checked immediately in those days. He's a fake tough guy.

[Fastbreak 3,985]

5 hours ago, Vic Mackey said:

.

giving some love to my man Kenny

[shadow_operative 15,932]

 

[shadow_operative 15,932]

 

['stache 21,813]

OKC has a vote in a few weeks to fund a new arena. The taxpayers are being asked to fund like $900 million while the owners have only committed $50 million. It’ll probably pass, but if not, do they move back to Seattle or would they have time to try again with more buy in from the owners? No idea. If I lived in OKC I’d probably begrudgingly vote yes even though I’m not really a fan (loyal to the Mavs from my time living in Dallas). The owners should pitch in more though. 

[huge 3,793]

cat meme

 

I should be an owner

[Mitch Cumsteen 18,549]

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

OKC has a vote in a few weeks to fund a new arena. The taxpayers are being asked to fund like $900 million while the owners have only committed $50 million. It’ll probably pass, but if not, do they move back to Seattle or would they have time to try again with more buy in from the owners? No idea. If I lived in OKC I’d probably begrudgingly vote yes even though I’m not really a fan (loyal to the Mavs from my time living in Dallas). The owners should pitch in more though. 

1. I'm sure the taxpayers will foot the bill. They will just tack it on to the hotel / rent a car tax and make the tourists pay for it. Plus, that's a burgeoning perennial championship contender with a young as shit roster with arguably the brightest future in the league. I can't imagine they would let something like that go.

2. The NBA is going to expand. I don't think they would want a current franchise to move to Seattle when that is probably the #1 prime expansion destination (along with Vegas). If OKC moves back, then that takes dollars out of every owner's pocket. Probably not going to happen.

[Vic Mackey 47,029]

OKC has a vote in a few weeks to fund a new arena. The taxpayers are being asked to fund like $900 million while the owners have only committed $50 million. It’ll probably pass, but if not, do they move back to Seattle or would they have time to try again with more buy in from the owners? No idea. If I lived in OKC I’d probably begrudgingly vote yes even though I’m not really a fan (loyal to the Mavs from my time living in Dallas). The owners should pitch in more though. 

This is one of the biggest rackets ever created Billionaires asking the working class to fund something that only the owners will see a financial gain from. Oh sure, they create low end, seasonal jobs. Neat. Fans fund most of it and then have to turn around and pay for every little thing when visiting i.e. parking, entrance, food, drinks. The owners make back their tiny contribution ASAP.

What would happen if the public started to stand up to these owners and tell them to fuck off and pay for it themselves? They threaten to leave town if they don't. But if the collective public put a stop to this, they wouldn't have anywhere else to turn.

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

6 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

1. I'm sure the taxpayers will foot the bill. They will just tack it on to the hotel / rent a car tax and make the tourists pay for it. Plus, that's a burgeoning perennial championship contender with a young as shit roster with arguably the brightest future in the league. I can't imagine they would let something like that go.

2. The NBA is going to expand. I don't think they would want a current franchise to move to Seattle when that is probably the #1 prime expansion destination (along with Vegas). If OKC moves back, then that takes dollars out of every owner's pocket. Probably not going to happen.

 

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

OKC has a vote in a few weeks to fund a new arena. The taxpayers are being asked to fund like $900 million while the owners have only committed $50 million. It’ll probably pass, but if not, do they move back to Seattle or would they have time to try again with more buy in from the owners? No idea. If I lived in OKC I’d probably begrudgingly vote yes even though I’m not really a fan (loyal to the Mavs from my time living in Dallas). The owners should pitch in more though. 

On #2, that's a really good point.  The expansion fee will be huge and every existing franchise gets to pocket that.  No one gets anything from a move.

While the owners should prolly chip in more, the city owns the arena like it does with the current one.  It's not like some of the deals where it's 50/50 and the team owner owns the stadium.  (Jerryworld.)  Also, it's not really a tax increase, it's just an extension of the current sales/tourist taxes.  I suspect it passes because it's just Oklahoma City proper that's voting on this.  

Also, I don't think the owners would either move or sell.  The entire ownership group is from Oklahoma to the point that when some members of the original group sold their shares, it was bought by other people from Oklahoma.

['stache 21,813]

18 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

 

On #2, that's a really good point.  The expansion fee will be huge and every existing franchise gets to pocket that.  No one gets anything from a move.

While the owners should prolly chip in more, the city owns the arena like it does with the current one.  It's not like some of the deals where it's 50/50 and the team owner owns the stadium.  (Jerryworld.)  Also, it's not really a tax increase, it's just an extension of the current sales/tourist taxes.  I suspect it passes because it's just Oklahoma City proper that's voting on this.  

Also, I don't think the owners would either move or sell.  The entire ownership group is from Oklahoma to the point that when some members of the original group sold their shares, it was bought by other people from Oklahoma.

It's extension of an existing sales tax that is responsible for OKC becoming far less of a shithole as it was in the 90s. So all the money that built Bricktown, the new convention center, Scissortail Park, etc., would be devoted solely to the arena for the foreseeable future, as I understand the plan. That would give me serious pause as a voter. But I view quality of life and civic pride as an intangible asset with enormous value. OKC still uses the term "Big League City" because a pro franchise was unimaginable 30 years ago. For that reason I would vote for it while still hating the owners' greed.

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/voters-in-oklahoma-city-will-decide-whether-a-new-thunder-arena-is-worth-the-investment

If the “yes” vote passes, the funding plan for the arena would include a 1 percent sales tax over six years, beginning in 2028. It will start when the current penny sales tax, known as MAPS 4, ends. In the past, MAPS taxes have funded Oklahoma City public school renovations, the creation of a downtown park and walking trails, the transformation of the Oklahoma River into an Olympic rowing and kayak facility, and the building of the current downtown arena.

Edited November 16, 2023 by 'stache

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

It's extension of an existing sales tax that is responsible for OKC becoming far less of a shithole as it was in the 90s. So all the money that built Bricktown, the new convention center, Scissortail Park, etc., would be devoted solely to the arena for the foreseeable future, as I understand the plan. That would give me serious pause as a voter. But I view quality of life and civic pride as an intangible asset with enormous value. OKC still uses the term "Big League City" because a pro franchise was unimaginable 30 years ago. For that reason I would vote for it while still hating the owners' greed.

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/voters-in-oklahoma-city-will-decide-whether-a-new-thunder-arena-is-worth-the-investment

If the “yes” vote passes, the funding plan for the arena would include a 1 percent sales tax over six years, beginning in 2028. It will start when the current penny sales tax, known as MAPS 4, ends. In the past, MAPS taxes have funded Oklahoma City public school renovations, the creation of a downtown park and walking trails, the transformation of the Oklahoma River into an Olympic rowing and kayak facility, and the building of the current downtown arena.

Yeah, if you're as old as you and I are, we remember when that part of OKC was a shit hole ghost town after dark and the Spaghetti Warehouse opening was a big deal and even that, that was it for awhile.  

OKC fascinates me is that it's in the middle of one the most "small government" states in the country (no CR) yet OKC itself has passed tax and spending initiatives over a 25 year period to the point they've done more to improve their central city than maybe any other city in the country and everyone loves the new amenities.  Scissortail Park is awesome now that it's 100% complete.  The taxing and spending is why they have nice things to the point I read where Tulsa has found themselves behind.  (Might be true, might not.)  

['stache 21,813]

1 minute ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Yeah, if you're as old as you and I are, we remember when that part of OKC was a shit hole ghost town after dark and the Spaghetti Warehouse opening was a big deal and even that, that was it for awhile.  

OKC fascinates me is that it's in the middle of one the most "small government" states in the country (no CR) yet OKC itself has passed tax and spending initiatives over a 25 year period to the point they've done more to improve their central city than maybe any other city in the country and everyone loves the new amenities.  Scissortail Park is awesome now that it's 100% complete.  The taxing and spending is why they have nice things to the point I read where Tulsa has found themselves behind.  (Might be true, might not.)  

I have a lot to say about this but won't derail. Tulsa did, however, put up an arena for a vote before OKC but it failed because it was poorly put together as I recall. OKC got theirs passed a few years later and ours a few years after that but either way OKC metro is about 1.4M and Tulsa metro is about 1M, so we'd never qualify for a pro franchise, and I'm fine with that tbh. It's good for OKC and the state to have a pro franchise so I hope it passes.

[Dutchrudder 11,139]

There are lots of doubts around the veracity of the Kelly Oubre hit-and-run story. Police can't find any evidence of it, no cameras or witnesses besides Oubre, and he was not taken to a hospital by medics after being "found and evaluated at the scene."  TMZ got his doorbell cam of him and his bike coming home to his apartment after he was injured. Speculation from the peanut gallery is that he hurt himself doing dumb BMX tricks and tried to cover it up with something that won't make him forfeit his salary. 

 

 

 

 

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

18 minutes ago, 'stache said:

I have a lot to say about this but won't derail. Tulsa did, however, put up an arena for a vote before OKC but it failed because it was poorly put together as I recall. OKC got theirs passed a few years later and ours a few years after that but either way OKC metro is about 1.4M and Tulsa metro is about 1M, so we'd never qualify for a pro franchise, and I'm fine with that tbh. It's good for OKC and the state to have a pro franchise so I hope it passes.

There is also the issue of concerts.  I don't know why but for some reason, OKC's arena doesn't get the acts that Tulsa gets.  Both arenas are about the same size so there must be something about the dressing rooms or something.  I know Springsteen literally went to every city in the region except Oklahoma City.

[Mitch Cumsteen 18,549]

15 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

I know Springsteen literally went to every city in the region except Oklahoma City.

That show he played in Enid was epic. 

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

1 minute ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

That show he played in Enid was epic. 

No, he went to KC, Tulsa, Dallas, Houston, etc. but not OKC.  The BOK center in Tulsa gets a ton of shows that OKC doesn't.  Neither will ever get big stadium shows but OKC should be getting the next tier down and they don't but Tulsa does for whatever reason.

['stache 21,813]

59 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

There is also the issue of concerts.  I don't know why but for some reason, OKC's arena doesn't get the acts that Tulsa gets.  Both arenas are about the same size so there must be something about the dressing rooms or something.  I know Springsteen literally went to every city in the region except Oklahoma City.

Tulsa has a pretty deep music history, moreso than OKC. The Oklahoma POP museum was recently built in Tulsa and we have the Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan archives. When the Thunder moved into the OKC arena, it became logical that most of the big shows would go to Tulsa. Those shows also draw in people from Northwest Arkansas. I've been told the Arena was purposely built more for concerts than sports since we knew we weren't getting any NBA or NHL franchises.

As far as stadium shows, I think U2 played Gaylord Stadium about 10 years ago, and some big stadium show of I think Christian rock (lame) was there just a few weeks ago. The University of Tulsa's stadium hosted its first concert in 20 something years a few months ago with Alice Cooper and Whitesnake (I think). It went over well but that stadium is in a dense neighborhood so I imagine it'll be more limited, but it does hold double the BOK Center, and the new administration is clearly open to concerts. 

Sorry for more sidetracking. I think the new OKC arena will be approved but I don't think they'll see anymore concerts than they do now. Tulsa has been more aggressive and by many statistics that include NWA, the showrunners seem to like our market better.

Edited November 16, 2023 by 'stache

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

Tulsa has a pretty deep music history, moreso than OKC. The Oklahoma POP museum was recently built in Tulsa and we have the Woodie Guthrie and Bob Dylan archives. When the Thunder moved into the OKC arena, it became logical that most of the big shows would go to Tulsa. Those shows also draw in people from Northwest Arkansas. I've been told the Arena was purposely built more for concerts than sports since we knew we weren't getting any NBA or NHL franchises.

As far as stadium shows, I think U2 played Gaylord Stadium about 10 years ago, and some big stadium show of I think Christian rock (lame) was there just a few weeks ago. The University of Tulsa's stadium hosted its first concert in 20 something years a few months ago with Alice Cooper and Whitesnake (I think). It went over well but that stadium is in a dense neighborhood so I imagine it'll be more limited, but it does hold double the BOK Center, and the new administration is clearly open to concerts. 

Sorry for more sidetracking. I think the new OKC arena will be approved but I don't think they'll see anymore concerts than they do now. Tulsa has been more aggressive and by many statistics that include NWA, the showrunners seem to like our market better.

That's fair and accurate.  You can make the case that for big shows, the BOK center pulls in from OKC to NWA, whereas I don't know how many people would drive from NWA to OKC for a random show.  I do think they'll get more concerts, though.  

[Aqua Buddha 14,595]

As a side note, if the OKC ownership group decided to sell if they don't get the arena, they could prolly get around $3B to $4B and they only paid $350M back in the day.

[Chewbacca 7,777]

12 hours ago, shadow_operative said:

 

Why do people think he's some elite, next-level defender?  He's a thug that gets away with all kinds of shit for some reason.  Probably because Steph stells merch.

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

15 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Why do people think he's some elite, next-level defender?  He's a thug that gets away with all kinds of shit for some reason.  Probably because Steph stells merch.

If you put Draymond on any other team hes not a hall of famer.

[Chewbacca 7,777]

Just now, Pam Cummings said:

If you put Draymond on any other team hes not a hall of famer.

If you just call him straight up (including techs), he's not a hall of famer, either.  But the NBA really loved them some Splash Bros for a while.

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

1 minute ago, Chewbacca said:

If you just call him straight up (including techs), he's not a hall of famer, either.  But the NBA really loved them some Splash Bros for a while.

If he could admit he would be nothing without his teammates, like every other role player on a championship team throughout history, he'd be tolerable. Dude really thinks he was the reason.

[shadow_operative 15,932]

i can’t call it. he’s totally enigmatic for me. maybe the only player in the league who i don’t have one conteste opinion on. it is a fact that draymind being on the court took GSW from being a pedestrian defense to an elite defense, and his IQ and passing ability on offense made him a truly unique player in his prime. he was vital to the GSW dynasty. at the same time i don’t think he’d have been merely as impactful had he played for literally any other franchise. he spent his prime years in the one spot uniquely set up to allow him to maximize his potential. i guess at the end of the day he’s an all time great role player who probably wouldn’t have been that had he been on any other team. 

[Brothahorn 10,087]

5 games for going all Stacey Koon on poor little Rudy! That's all he got? That is some bullshit. Absolutely no reason to choke that man like that. And PB is absolutely right about KAT. How the fuck can you stand there and let a teammate get choked out?

['stache 21,813]

He's a piece of shit, his stats are meaningless to me, because fuck him.

[aggie08 21,501]

37 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

Why do people think he's some elite, next-level defender?  

Because he is (or, at least, was), dude. Or, conversely, you're right, and literally everyone else who analyzes basketball for a living is wrong. But I'm not doing this with you again. It's 100% Draymond's fault that opposing fans only see the antics and histrionics and not how he disrupts offenses, so, if he cares about his legacy, he done fucked up.

But he allowed Golden State to play how they wanted: small, while still being a Top 3 defensive team year after year. Steph's obviously the #1 on-court reason for Golden State's ascent and success by a country mile, but Dray is almost certainly #2.

[aggie08 21,501]

3 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

i can’t call it. he’s totally enigmatic for me. maybe the only player in the league who i don’t have one conteste opinion on. it is a fact that draymind being on the court took GSW from being a pedestrian defense to an elite defense, and his IQ and passing ability on offense made him a truly unique player in his prime. he was vital to the GSW dynasty. at the same time i don’t think he’d have been merely as impactful had he played for literally any other franchise. he spent his prime years in the one spot uniquely set up to allow him to maximize his potential. i guess at the end of the day he’s an all time great role player who probably wouldn’t have been that had he been on any other team. 

Basically this.

[Brothahorn 10,087]

2 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

i can’t call it. he’s totally enigmatic for me. maybe the only player in the league who i don’t have one conteste opinion on. it is a fact that draymind being on the court took GSW from being a pedestrian defense to an elite defense, and his IQ and passing ability on offense made him a truly unique player in his prime. he was vital to the GSW dynasty. at the same time i don’t think he’d have been merely as impactful had he played for literally any other franchise. he spent his prime years in the one spot uniquely set up to allow him to maximize his potential. i guess at the end of the day he’s an all time great role player who probably wouldn’t have been that had he been on any other team. 

At one time I thought Draymond was Rodman without all the crazy and an offense. Turns out he is just crazier and more annoying than Rodman. 

[Chewbacca 7,777]

Just now, aggie08 said:

Because he is (or, at least, was), dude. Or, conversely, you're right, and literally everyone else who analyzes basketball for a living is wrong. But I'm not doing this with you again. It's 100% Draymond's fault that opposing fans only see the antics and histrionics and not how he disrupts offenses, so, if he cares about his legacy, he done fucked up.

But he allowed Golden State to play how they wanted: small, while still being a Top 3 defensive team year after year. Steph's obviously the #1 on-court reason for Golden State's ascent and success by a country mile, but Dray is almost certainly #2.

Or it's because he gets away with more fouls and more techs than anyone else in the league.  But I'm just spitballing here.

[aggie08 21,501]

 

The ol' the league got together and decided to make Draymond fucking Green a star by letting him do whatever he wants argument.

Edited November 16, 2023 by aggie08

[cmontexas 3,271]

The league pretty clearly has a vested interest in giving Steph Curry everything he needs to be a star, including his assfaced goon buddy that makes him feel safe and tough on the court

[Chewbacca 7,777]

11 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

 

The ol' the league got together and decided to make Draymond fucking Green a star by letting him do whatever he wants argument.

I think the NBA wanted Steph and the Ws to be big and they needed Draymond to thug it up to accomplish that.  Dude gets away with more non-called fouls (and techs) than anyone in the league, by a wide margin.  I'm not sure why they do it, but I suspect it's due to Steph.

[Kermit 3,156]

I dislike Draymond passionately, but I would be over the moon if he was a Spur. I cheered for Bruce Bowen, Stephen Jackson, and Dennis Rodman. Dude sucks, but he’s everything you’d want in a supporting basketball player. He just thinks he’s a star, and that’s the issue. Like Aggie said, dude hit the winning lottery ticket and has fucked it up so bad that even Warriors fans are done with him. Someone on Reddit commented that the reason Steve Kerr’s back hurts so much is that he’s spineless (credit where credit is due). Sucks for Steph that he’s out there solidifying his legend status and the dopes he plays with can’t get their shit together. I’m so glad this is going down with Chris Paul on the team. May he never sniff a title.

[Vic Mackey 47,029]

2 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

If you just call him straight up (including techs), he's not a hall of famer, either.  But the NBA really loved them some Splash Bros for a while.

Yep. The refs let them get away with a ton. Especially moving screens for their run. They loved their dynasty and wanted it to continue for as long as possible. 

[HtownHorn 14,678]

He's a modern-day Robert Horry.

[shadow_operative 15,932]

[shadow_operative 15,932]

 

[Vic Mackey 47,029]

Lol

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

7 hours ago, shadow_operative said:

Hit and runs go unsolved all the time. I dont like the implication that Oubre would just make it up out of nowhere. He has no incentive to do so.

[Dutchrudder 11,139]

7 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

Hit and runs go unsolved all the time. I dont like the implication that Oubre would just make it up out of nowhere. He has no incentive to do so.

The original report said he was treated by EMS workers, but TMZ got his ring doorbell cam showing him coming home with his bike in pain. No mention of his BMX bike in the initial report either. Speculation is he made up the story to cover up doing something stupid. 

[d2o 1,602]

1 hour ago, Pam Cummings said:

Hit and runs go unsolved all the time. I dont like the implication that Oubre would just make it up out of nowhere. He has no incentive to do so.

He does have incentive to make it up.   His contract can be voided if he was found to be doing something unsanctioned.

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

57 minutes ago, d2o said:

He does have incentive to make it up.   His contract can be voided if he was found to be doing something unsanctioned.

I mean, what would be the "unsanctioned" act? Simply riding your bike around the city surely can't be on there. And if he just fell off the bike, he would say that. I don't get what there would be to hide.

[gsoda3 3,257]

16 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

I mean, what would be the "unsanctioned" act? Simply riding your bike around the city surely can't be on there. And if he just fell off the bike, he would say that. I don't get what there would be to hide.

i haven't seen the video but apparently there's footage of him returning to his apartment with his BMX bike.  it's common to have prohibitions against skiing or surfing in pro athlete contracts so it wouldn't surprise me if BMX biking is on there also.

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

1 hour ago, gsoda3 said:

i haven't seen the video but apparently there's footage of him returning to his apartment with his BMX bike.  it's common to have prohibitions against skiing or surfing in pro athlete contracts so it wouldn't surprise me if BMX biking is on there also.

Just because he has a BMX bike doesnt mean he was doing flips and shit on it. And wouldnt you do that kind of stuff at a skate park? With lots of people, all with camera phones, who would bear witness to you hurting yourself? Plus it doesnt sound like anything serious, he should be back in a few weeks.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Pam Cummings

[gsoda3 3,257]

1 hour ago, Pam Cummings said:

Just because he has a BMX bike doesnt mean he was doing flips and shit on it. And wouldnt you do that kind of stuff at a skate park? With lots of people, all with camera phones, who would bear witness to you hurting yourself? Plus it doesnt sound like anything serious, he should be back in a few weeks.

are you his agent? you're the one who said he had no motivation so the rest of us are helping you out with that.  there's a lot of circumstantial evidence out there.  it's not hard to imagine a scenario where he got injured while doing something he wasn't supposed to and consequently tried to cover it up.  

[Pam Cummings 9,641]

3 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

are you his agent? you're the one who said he had no motivation so the rest of us are helping you out with that.  there's a lot of circumstantial evidence out there.  it's not hard to imagine a scenario where he got injured while doing something he wasn't supposed to and consequently tried to cover it up.  

Nope, just applying logic. There is no need to lie about how you got an injury of you're only gonna miss a few weeks.