2018-19 NBA Season Thread

[52-80 19066]

34 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Detroit is a blood soaked hell, the likes of which you can't even imagine.

it's so cold in the D

[d2o 1602]

2 hours ago, Thatguy said:

   Oh, I thought you were from Texas. I have a whole different level of respect for you making it out of Detroit. Lol.

49 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

Detroit is a blood soaked hell, the likes of which you can't even imagine.

Hahahahahahha, yeah it could be pretty bad but most of the time when I was in school the biggest worry was getting your shoes, coat or hat taken and having to walk home in the winter in socks and no coat.    It got worse later.    They started taking people's shit and THEN shooting them.   Crack (along with all the factory closings) really did a number on the city too.

Crazy part is, you get so used to and numb to most of that shit.   I really didn't wanna leave when I did but it was the best thing that ever happened to me.   Completely changed my perspective on how you should live.   You get used to needing bars and alarms on your shit.

 

Edited April 4, 2019 by d2o

[Thatguy 8478]

3 hours ago, d2o said:

Hahahahahahha, yeah it could be pretty bad but most of the time when I was in school the biggest worry was getting your shoes, coat or hat taken and having to walk home in the winter in socks and no coat.    It got worse later.    They started taking people's shit and THEN shooting them.   Crack (along with all the factory closings) really did a number on the city too.

Crazy part is, you get so used to and numb to most of that shit.   I really didn't wanna leave when I did but it was the best thing that ever happened to me.   Completely changed my perspective on how you should live.   You get used to needing bars and alarms on your shit.

 

  Realest thing said on here. My biological father died at 22. He was a gangster. His older brother is the luckiest man I ever met. Beat a murder charge. Been in multiple scrapes and jail time, still kicking at almost 70, and still in the hood in LA. All my grandparents were dead in their 60's. I lost my mom, dad, and 4 aunts and uncles to a combination of things ranging from alcohol, drugs, or violence. Been shot at 3 times myself between 11 and 18. Seen many people get shot. You absolutely get numb to it.

   Funny thing, yesterday when I came home my wife stopped me and told me they were watching Blackish and during the part where Anthony Anderson is worried about the lack of culture in his kids and threatening to take his kids to the hood, my daughter asked why doesn't daddy take me to the (she is 10)hood? Lol. I told her she went to the hood when grandma died, and her response was, "That was the hood?". That's when I realized we are the real world version of Blackish. I was both upset and proud if that makes sense.

[d2o 1602]

8 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

  Realest thing said on here. My biological father died at 22. He was a gangster. His older brother is the luckiest man I ever met. Beat a murder charge. Been in multiple scrapes and jail time, still kicking at almost 70, and still in the hood in LA. All my grandparents were dead in their 60's. I lost my mom, dad, and 4 aunts and uncles to a combination of things ranging from alcohol, drugs, or violence. Been shot at 3 times myself between 11 and 18. Seen many people get shot. You absolutely get numb to it.

   Funny thing, yesterday when I came home my wife stopped me and told me they were watching Blackish and during the part where Anthony Anderson is worried about the lack of culture in his kids and threatening to take his kids to the hood, my daughter asked why doesn't daddy take me to the (she is 10)hood? Lol. I told her she went to the hood when grandma died, and her response was, "That was the hood?". That's when I realized we are the real world version of Blackish. I was both upset and proud if that makes sense.

Totally get it.   You probably feel like you are ignoring a part of you by not letting your kids know about your background but fuck that.   They don't need to know that shit.   I'm sure at some point I might take my son back to my old neighborhood just to drive through there and give him some perspective but I don't want him to ever really know about that shit.    I'm perfectly fine without him being exposed to that part of my upbringing.   Perfectly fine with him turning out to be nerdy like Junior on blackish.     That's where the pride kicks in.   I'm very happy that I've achieved enough for my son to have that option.     

 

[Tommy Nobis 905]

I’ve mentioned before on the football thread that half of my family went to UT and the other half went to Tech. My favorite uncle went to Tech and is having ablation surgery tomorrow and he is pissed he might miss the game due to that surgery. I grew up in Amarillo and this goes without saying this is a huge deal for fans of Red Raiders if they manage to beat Michigan State. I’m Guns Up for this one. 

This is the NBA thread

[Vic Mackey 46919]

...

[Vic Mackey 46919]

[gsoda3 3234]

So humble

[goatsaag 279]

It's insane that Harden can have the season he's had and people are still trying to come up with ways to not give him the MVP.

[aggie08 21380]

3 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

It's insane that Harden can have the season he's had and people are still trying to come up with ways to not give him the MVP.

Giannis is having almost as much offensive impact and is a serious contender for DPOY on the best team in the league. There's no wrong choice between the two.

[Machinator 32097]

2019 Basketball Hall of Fame class: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/06/2019-naismith-basketball-hall-fame-announcement

• Bill Fitch
• Bobby Jones
• Sidney Moncrief
• Jack Sikma
• Paul Westphal
• Tennessee A&I teams of 1957-59
• Teresa Weatherspoon
• Al Attles
• Chuck Cooper
• Vlade Divac
• Carl Braun
• Wayland Baptist University women's teams of 1948-1982

Edited April 6, 2019 by Machinator

[BigOrange1 6416]

2 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Giannis is having almost as much offensive impact and is a serious contender for DPOY on the team with the best record in the league. There's no wrong choice between the two.

went ahead and fixed that.

[Message Board User 12389]

8 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

It's insane that Harden can have the season he's had and people are still trying to come up with ways to not give him the MVP.

http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics

[BigOrange1 6416]

Just now, Message Board User said:

http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics

http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/sort/VORPe

[Message Board User 12389]

3 minutes ago, Machinator said:

2019 Basketball Hall of Fame class: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/06/2019-naismith-basketball-hall-fame-announcement

• Bill Fitch
• Bobby Jones
• Sidney Moncrief
• Jack Sikma
• Paul Westphal
• Tennessee A&I teams of 1957-59
• Teresa Weatherspoon
• Al Attles
• Chuck Cooper
• Vlade Divac
• Carl Braun
• Wayland Baptist University women's teams of 1948-1982

Jack Sikma?  You can make an argument that his perm belongs, but he was never considered among the elite centers in the game when he played.

Edited April 6, 2019 by Message Board User

[Machinator 32097]

Just now, Message Board User said:

Jack Sikma?

You don't think he was deserving?

[BigOrange1 6416]

3 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/sort/VORPe

http://insider.espn.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/sort/VORP

[d2o 1602]

10 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Giannis is having almost as much offensive impact and is a serious contender for DPOY on the best team in the league. There's no wrong choice between the two.

This

6 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

went ahead and fixed that.

and this.   Its not an "anti" Harden stance that would lead someone to vote for Giannis.    He is VERY deserving if he wins it.

[d2o 1602]

7 minutes ago, Machinator said:

2019 Basketball Hall of Fame class: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/06/2019-naismith-basketball-hall-fame-announcement

• Bill Fitch
• Bobby Jones
• Sidney Moncrief
• Jack Sikma
• Paul Westphal
• Tennessee A&I teams of 1957-59
• Teresa Weatherspoon
• Al Attles
• Chuck Cooper
• Vlade Divac
• Carl Braun
• Wayland Baptist University women's teams of 1948-1982

I know intl play is considered but Divac getting in before his old teammate Chris Webber is stupid as hell.

[aggie08 21380]

10 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

went ahead and fixed that.

Fair. I get that it's disingenuous to call any team the best when Golden State has literally slept walk through the entire season, and Houston is just now finally healthy, but Milwaukee projects as a historically elite team in terms of point differential and blow out wins. In a world without Golden State, those teams usually win championships.

[Message Board User 12389]

19 minutes ago, Machinator said:

You don't think he was deserving?

nfw

[goatsaag 279]

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

[aggie08 21380]

4 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

Okay, if you say so. Just brace yourself for Giannis winning.

[d2o 1602]

30 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

For the talk of how great Harden's season is, (and it is) there have only been two guys in history that have avg'd 27/12/5 asts and shot over 50% from the field.   Wilt did it twice.   Kareem did it once and now Giannis.     And Giannis is shooting a higher pct from the field than either.     That is quite historic as well.    Add in his team having the best record in the league AND him being a worthy candidate for DPOY and he is absolutely deserving.   I can understand that some will chose Harden.   Saying it isn't close isn't a reasonable take.

 

http://bkref.com/tiny/yAwm6

Edited April 6, 2019 by d2o

[hobbes2702 12771]

2 hours ago, goatsaag said:

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

It’s plenty close. Giannis is the best two way player in the NBA this season, with the best record in the NBA this season. 

And this is no offense to Harden but his shooting splits are almost identical to the last few seasons he has just increased his volume by over 4 shots per game and he is taking almost 5 more 3s per game than he has the past 5 or so seasons.

Hardens season is historic but so is Giannis’. Throw in the defense and I don’t see how you can give it to Harden over Giannis.

Edited April 6, 2019 by hobbes2702

[ChickenSandwich 9797]

The best record argument only goes so far when you play in the East. Bucks in the West don’t have the best record and aren’t guaranteed a top three seed either. He’s been outstanding, but James has carried more in a tougher division. 

Still wont be upset when they give it to him. 

[UDontKnow 10439]

Denver trying to make the playoff seeding interesting.

[HtownHorn 14446]

24 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

Denver trying to make the playoff seeding interesting.

That really helps.

[UDontKnow 10439]

5 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

That really helps.

Giving Portland a free win means that the Rockets must win in OKC to prevent falling to the 4th seed.

[BigOrange1 6416]

1 hour ago, UDontKnow said:

Giving Portland a free win means that the Rockets must win in OKC to prevent falling to the 4th seed.

okc has nothing to play for as russ has already clinched his triple double season average.

also, okc sucks.

[Goo Punch 4275]

12 hours ago, goatsaag said:

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

lol, okay. "here's my opinion, AND ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE SO DONT EVEN TRY TO ARGUE." "Not even close" between a guy who doesn't play any defense and one who might win the DPOY? Okie dokie. 

[Vic Mackey 46919]

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.
This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

Giannis isn't even close to Harden this year? LMAO! That's hilarious.

[TexasMan 10785]

19 hours ago, goatsaag said:

If this was Harden two years ago, sure, give it to Giannis. But Giannis absolutely does not deserve MVP over this Harden no matter how great of a season Giannis is having.

This isn't a thing where they are both just so close it's over to pick one. Giannis is having a ridiculous year, but Harden is even better and it's not close enough to just be a pick em. 

You listen to Adam Clanton and Matt Thomas too much.

[BigOrange1 6416]

6 hours ago, Goo Punch said:

lol, okay. "here's my opinion, AND ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE SO DONT EVEN TRY TO ARGUE." "Not even close" between a guy who doesn't play any defense and one who might win the DPOY? Okie dokie. 

old, tired take from someone who obviously hasn't watched much of harden this year.

[ChickenSandwich 9797]

On 1/29/2019 at 10:41 AM, d2o said:

Kawhi was a special case and I'm not sure why you don't understand that.    He fell out with the org for some reason that has yet to be given.     Every other superstar that has left a small market team over these last few yrs has done so in an effort to get to a winning situation.      

The only guy that I might dispute that with is KD as I thought OKC was very close.   Even then he still went to a better situation for him to win.   I hated the move but it was clearly a better situation.

I'm not in any way a Spurs fan but I can recognize that what they did was not luck.

 

Harden is actually a ridiculous post defender, especially for his size.  The Rockets Defense is a big reason why they have one of the best records in the NBA since the All Star Break.

 

[goatsaag 279]

3 hours ago, TexasMan said:

You listen to Adam Clanton and Matt Thomas too much.

I don't know who those people are.

Harden is the first player ever to average 35+ and 7+ (to go along with his 6 rebounds). He scores 8 more points per game than the next highest scorer in the league. He's also one of the most successful post defenders in the league while being number 2 in steals. And the Rockets are #3 in the West. They only have 7 less wins than the Bucks with more important injuries and a tougher schedule. 

Giannis has had a great year. If this was a year of two ago, he'd be just as deserving as Harden. The only argument people can make is "best player on best team" which is not even an argument and "but Harden doesn't play defense" which is a tired narrative that isn't true. Giannis is a great player having a great year. He shouldn't be (but will be) the MVP.

[hobbes2702 12771]

Harden isn’t shooting any better than he has previously. He’s just shooting more. He’s always been great getting steals but despite that he is not a high level two way player as he is still just an average defender. Giannis has been the most unstoppable player in the NBA. He’s averaging 28, 12.5, and 6 on an eFG of .600. That is fucking bonkers. Throw in his incredible work on defense as the likely DPOY and there’s plenty of argument other than “best player on the best team.”

Harden has been incredible and you won’t hear me argue against him if he wins but discounting what’s Giannis has done this year the way you have shows that you really just haven’t watched enough of Giannis. 

[Michael Knight 12863]

No one is gonna vote Harden MVP this year with the way last year ended.  You can't be MVP of the league when you aren't even MVP of your own team

[aggie08 21380]

Houston smartly funneling Harden into literally the one thing that he does well on defense does not make him a good defender. But, conversely, defense isn't really something that can be held against him anymore.

But, again, Giannis is a beast on both ends.

It's going to be a super tight vote.

[aggie08 21380]

40 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

No one is gonna vote Harden MVP this year with the way last year ended.  You can't be MVP of the league when you aren't even MVP of your own team

I get that, and as much as we pretend that playoffs don't matter for a regular season award, they do. But Giannis has still yet to win a series in the shitty East, so...

[BigOrange1 6416]

yeah if we're using past history, maybe we should wait until someone can get out of the first round before awarding them an mvp.

[Machinator 32097]

Warriors wearing their We Believe era jerseys for their final home game in Oracle.

[Dutchrudder 11103]

Giannis isn't even close to Harden this year? LMAO! That's hilarious.

Giannis is in the East, remember, that conference that you use as a measuring stick to criticize and denigrate LeBron for his past 8 years? 6 wins more in the shittier conference really shouldn't matter when it comes to team accomplishments.

Harden lead this team out of an 11-14 Melo shaped hole to what looks to be the second or third best record in the only conference that matters. He beat Golden State and the shithead refs in Oracle for the best individual performance of the season. That's pretty phenomenal all things considered, and his individual offensive production this year would easily win more likeable guys like Curry, KD, Lebron or AD the MVP without much debate.

But let's face it, half the NBA fans and media hate Harden and don't want him to succeed, so we are left with them finding any reason possible to give it to someone else, like "his team doesn't have the best record," or "this guy got a triple double." Now it's about defense, which has never been a significant criteria for MVP before, or else Kawhi would have been a lot higher in past years. People love offense, except when it comes to Harden, and every year the criteria for MVP inevitably changes to be something Harden doesn't quite have. It would be sad if it wasn't so obviously predictable. They did the same thing to LeBron in 2012 to award the least deserving MVP of all time, and look how that turned out. Its pure bullshit.

[Machinator 32097]

4 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Giannis is in the East, remember, that conference that you use as a measuring stick to criticize and denigrate LeBron for his past 8 years? 6 wins more in the shittier conference really shouldn't matter when it comes to team accomplishments.

Harden lead this team out of an 11-14 Melo shaped hole to what looks to be the second or third best record in the only conference that matters. He beat Golden State and the shithead refs in Oracle for the best individual performance of the season. That's pretty phenomenal all things considered, and his individual offensive production this year would easily win more likeable guys like Curry, KD, Lebron or AD the MVP without much debate.

But let's face it, half the NBA fans and media hate Harden and don't want him to succeed, so we are left with them finding any reason possible to give it to someone else, like "his team doesn't have the best record," or "this guy got a triple double." Now it's about defense, which has never been a significant criteria for MVP before, or else Kawhi would have been a lot higher in past years. People love offense, except when it comes to Harden, and every year the criteria for MVP inevitably changes to be something Harden doesn't quite have. It would be sad if it wasn't so obviously predictable. They did the same thing to LeBron in 2012 to award the least deserving MVP of all time, and look how that turned out. Its pure bullshit.

OK, but the argument isn't that Harden doesn't deserve MVP. The argument is countering the idea that Giannis isn't even close to Harden.

Either Giannis or Harden would be deserving winners, and the runner-up should not be seen as a giant snub.

[kopp0e 1135]

Thunder beat a #10 seed:

 

[BigOrange1 6416]

brooklyn and orlando clinched playoff spots today.  probably could have got some decent odds on either of those teams before the season began.

[aggie08 21380]

56 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Giannis is in the East, remember, that conference that you use as a measuring stick to criticize and denigrate LeBron for his past 8 years? 6 wins more in the shittier conference really shouldn't matter when it comes to team accomplishments.

Harden lead this team out of an 11-14 Melo shaped hole to what looks to be the second or third best record in the only conference that matters. He beat Golden State and the shithead refs in Oracle for the best individual performance of the season. That's pretty phenomenal all things considered, and his individual offensive production this year would easily win more likeable guys like Curry, KD, Lebron or AD the MVP without much debate.

But let's face it, half the NBA fans and media hate Harden and don't want him to succeed, so we are left with them finding any reason possible to give it to someone else, like "his team doesn't have the best record," or "this guy got a triple double." Now it's about defense, which has never been a significant criteria for MVP before, or else Kawhi would have been a lot higher in past years. People love offense, except when it comes to Harden, and every year the criteria for MVP inevitably changes to be something Harden doesn't quite have. It would be sad if it wasn't so obviously predictable. They did the same thing to LeBron in 2012 to award the least deserving MVP of all time, and look how that turned out. Its pure bullshit.

Dude, if you don't think that Giannis deserves it if he were to win, then I don't know what to tell you. No, defense doesn't matter on its own, but it's hard to ignore when the players are comparable. He isn't Derrick Rose, and the Bucks aren't the Atlanta Hawks.

I have no issue with people choosing either, but this "not close" bullshit is just that.

[Mitch Cumsteen 18517]

34 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Giannis is in the East, remember, that conference that you use as a measuring stick to criticize and denigrate LeBron for his past 8 years? 6 wins more in the shittier conference really shouldn't matter when it comes to team accomplishments.

Harden lead this team out of an 11-14 Melo shaped hole to what looks to be the second or third best record in the only conference that matters. He beat Golden State and the shithead refs in Oracle for the best individual performance of the season. That's pretty phenomenal all things considered, and his individual offensive production this year would easily win more likeable guys like Curry, KD, Lebron or AD the MVP without much debate.

But let's face it, half the NBA fans and media hate Harden and don't want him to succeed, so we are left with them finding any reason possible to give it to someone else, like "his team doesn't have the best record," or "this guy got a triple double." Now it's about defense, which has never been a significant criteria for MVP before, or else Kawhi would have been a lot higher in past years. People love offense, except when it comes to Harden, and every year the criteria for MVP inevitably changes to be something Harden doesn't quite have. It would be sad if it wasn't so obviously predictable. They did the same thing to LeBron in 2012 to award the least deserving MVP of all time, and look how that turned out. Its pure bullshit.

First, I don't buy the conference argument this year. This is the best the East has been in forever and the West just isn't as stacked as it seems.  Fucking Denver is going to finish #2 in the West and I don't think I would take them in a 7 game series against Toronto, Milwaukee or Philly. I'm not sure I would take them against Indiana or Boston. I mean, the Clippers traded away their best player and tried to tank and still made the playoffs in the mighty west. So let's throw out the conference argument.

Secondly, you don't get to complain about nobody wanting James Harden to win the MVP when he won the fucking thing last year. If you want to argue voter fatigue, then sure. But they certainly didn't change the criteria just to screw him out of the award he won last year, did they? You also don't get to give him credit for leading his team out of a 11-14 start when he played in almost every one of those games. Feel free to blame that 25 game start on the 10 whole games that Carmelo Anthony played in, but these are just insipid arguments.

And please spare me the narrative about what a great post defender he is, especially in a league that has all but abandoned post play. I feel like somebody is telling me how great of a personality the fat girl has when you guys talk about his post defense. The truth is that he's made tremendous strides to become a below average defender. He's not the single worst defender in the league anymore, so that's an improvement but he still takes plays off -- and he should since he's got to carry such a ridiculous load on offense.

 

[hobbes2702 12771]

3 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

Giannis is in the East, remember, that conference that you use as a measuring stick to criticize and denigrate LeBron for his past 8 years? 6 wins more in the shittier conference really shouldn't matter when it comes to team accomplishments.

Harden lead this team out of an 11-14 Melo shaped hole to what looks to be the second or third best record in the only conference that matters. He beat Golden State and the shithead refs in Oracle for the best individual performance of the season. That's pretty phenomenal all things considered, and his individual offensive production this year would easily win more likeable guys like Curry, KD, Lebron or AD the MVP without much debate.

But let's face it, half the NBA fans and media hate Harden and don't want him to succeed, so we are left with them finding any reason possible to give it to someone else, like "his team doesn't have the best record," or "this guy got a triple double." Now it's about defense, which has never been a significant criteria for MVP before, or else Kawhi would have been a lot higher in past years. People love offense, except when it comes to Harden, and every year the criteria for MVP inevitably changes to be something Harden doesn't quite have. It would be sad if it wasn't so obviously predictable. They did the same thing to LeBron in 2012 to award the least deserving MVP of all time, and look how that turned out. Its pure bullshit.

Yea or it’s just that Giannis is having an all time level two way season.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8799]

Every non rocket fan on surly probably thinks Giannis is most deserving and the best player on the best team(record wise).


Hes also an absolute nightmare of a player to scheme for.

Every rocket fan probably thinks harden is mvp because of his insane scoring streaks.

Gun to the head I think Giannis wins comfortably with the way the bucks have played all year. Not just post failed melo experiment.