NBA 2019-20: Fresh Champs, Fresh Faces, Fresh Places!

stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Opening night is upon us with the first episode of The Battle For LA the featured piece!

In the undercard, the defending champion Big Birds raise their banner vs the Zion-free other Big Birds.

In between we get The NBA On TNT with Ernie, Kenny, Chuck and Shaq hopefully in mid-season form for even more fun!
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
travlerajm said:
Hopefully this is not the start of a trend for him.
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Many fear this is not going to be an isolated situation. He missed those games at Duke after the blown Nike tire and then was held out of summer league action two months ago because of a bruised knee.

Despite being more than half a foot shorter, Zion is outweighed only by Boban and Tacko on opening day NBA rosters. That fact, combined with his explosive movement style, is going to have long term liabilities on his wheels.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Federer and Del Potro said:
It's only one game but the Clips will be better than the Lakers I think. Lakers too top heavy and Clippers don't even have George playing yet.
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This game had wild runs, even one that the LAkers made with LABron on the bench. LAC shut them down again with him back on the court and won going away.

Add the best overall player to a team that was 48-34 last year and took GSW to six when the champions were healthy...of course they’re better! Best sixth man and a bunch of junkyard dogs on defense, a fleece of the Sixers to get Shamet and PG13 waiting to heal thoroughly...they are ready and I think they’ll have Utah and Denver as their toughest WC competition, not the other LA team.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
The Pelicans looked strong even without Zion. OT was one-sided but regulation was a tussle. Ball was solid and even made two treys. Holiday was his normal solid 2-way player, Redlck was lethal from the arc and this new Italian Melli is another Euro big with range. They’ll be dangerous this year!
 
Federer and Del Potro

Federer and Del Potro

Bionic Poster
Holy crap. My mom came into my room to bring me a plate of chicken nuggets and I literally screamed at her and hit the plate of chicken nuggets out of her hand. She started yelling and swearing at me and I slammed the door on her. I'm so distressed right now I don't know what to do. I didn't mean to do that to my mom but I'm literally in shock from the results tonight. I feel like I'm going to explode. Why the effing eff are the Lakers losing? This can't be happening. I'm having an effing breakdown. I don't want to believe the world is so corrupt. I want a future to believe in. I want Lebron to be MVP and fix this broken league. I cannot efin deal with this right now. It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought we added Jared Dudley in the offseason and looked primed for a title???? This is so efed.

@stringertom
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Federer and Del Potro said:
Holy crap. My mom came into my room to bring me a plate of chicken nuggets and I literally screamed at her and hit the plate of chicken nuggets out of her hand. She started yelling and swearing at me and I slammed the door on her. I'm so distressed right now I don't know what to do. I didn't mean to do that to my mom but I'm literally in shock from the results tonight. I feel like I'm going to explode. Why the effing eff are the Lakers losing? This can't be happening. I'm having an effing breakdown. I don't want to believe the world is so corrupt. I want a future to believe in. I want Lebron to be MVP and fix this broken league. I cannot efin deal with this right now. It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought we added Jared Dudley in the offseason and looked primed for a title???? This is so efed.

@stringertom
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It’s all a conspiracy engineered by Daryl Morey, who made LABron go soft in his old age at the microphone and now on the floor. However, his Keebler elf has a new sidekick that bakes Sara Lees faster than the bearded wonder and they’ll go out 1R to a team that gobbles up those turnovers and plays defense without fouling Traveling James.
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
Federer and Del Potro said:
It's only one game but the Clips will be better than the Lakers I think. Lakers too top heavy and Clippers don't even have George playing yet.
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I agree. It's only one game but Kawhi is taking the 'best player in the league' title this year. Just all-around solid. That LAC D is crippling and they look hungry. A couple of friends were at the game last night, one of whom is the only legitimate LA native Clipper fan I've ever met. :) He's high on life and though they would never admit it, said you could already see a nervous look in the eyes of Laker fans. They know the Clipps are just as good, if not better...even without PG. My wife is a Kings fan and I've always hated the Lakers, so that sounds great to me. :)
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Federer and Del Potro said:
Holy crap. My mom came into my room to bring me a plate of chicken nuggets and I literally screamed at her and hit the plate of chicken nuggets out of her hand. She started yelling and swearing at me and I slammed the door on her. I'm so distressed right now I don't know what to do. I didn't mean to do that to my mom but I'm literally in shock from the results tonight. I feel like I'm going to explode. Why the effing eff are the Lakers losing? This can't be happening. I'm having an effing breakdown. I don't want to believe the world is so corrupt. I want a future to believe in. I want Lebron to be MVP and fix this broken league. I cannot efin deal with this right now. It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought we added Jared Dudley in the offseason and looked primed for a title???? This is so efed.

@stringertom
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Clips are so good Ballmer ripped his shirt sleeve last night in a move similar to your upheaval of nuggets!
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Gonna be weird to see Horford in a Philly kit tonight vs the Celtics. I like the upgrade. Good luck serving in Miami, Butler!
 
T1000

T1000

Legend
Alright RJ I said you were a Demar Derozan level player and you’re matched up against this fool on opening night. Let’s see what you got
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Embiid has lofty goals...MVP, DPOY and a chip; Ben Simmons says, “Leave me a crumb! I’ll be SMVP (Sixers MVP); the second one is for you and we’ll share the third!” 24/8/9 as they thump Boston 107-93. All five starters had 15 or more points. Toby Harris went 15/15/4/2.

@FedFosterWallace rejoices!
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
I know it’s only one game and, in particular one second half, but the Suns are going to be vastly improved from cellar dwellers after thumping Sacto 70-36 in the last 24 to win 124-95 in Monty Williams’ premiere in Phoenix. Balanced scoring and a deep bench were the keys. Ricky Rubio dished 11 times in less than 30 minutes and his sub Jevon Carter ran their second team like a first squad with some key treys and three more dimes in 18 minutes.

They may be most improved in the association but more probably short of the stacked Western playoff grid.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
LAC bench was mad they were held to 60 by LAkers so they went and got 68 on the road in GSW’s new palace, 141-122.

MVP opens on the road in Houston vs the two previous MVPs and gets a 30-triple-double in under 30 minutes. Giannis fouled out with the game close and five minutes left. Role players stepped up and kept the lead. Brook Lopez and Wesley Matthews hit key shot after shot.

Regarding the great Rocket experiment, Harden and Westbrook were already feuding on the sideline in Game 1. The Beard was off last night (2/13 FGs) but dished well with 14 dimes. Westbrook outscored him 24-19 and added 16 boards.

The only other game was in Detroit as Atlanta visited and won easily 117-100 behind Trae Young’s 38/7/9 outstanding performance. Playoff team.

Off court news not so good...Deandre Ayton is suspended for 25 games due to a failed drug test. A diuretic is blamed for the failed test result.
 
T1000

T1000

Legend
No love for Andre Drummond. I’m disappointed. I know 2 game sample size but he’s so hot right now
32/23/2 3 steals 4 blocks 8/10 free throws
21/12/2 4 steals 1 block 5/6 free throws
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
T1000 said:
No love for Andre Drummond. I’m disappointed. I know 2 game sample size but he’s so hot right now
32/23/2 3 steals 4 blocks 8/10 free throws
21/12/2 4 steals 1 block 5/6 free throws
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Contract year. He will cash UUUGGGEEE if he can keep it up.
 
T1000

T1000

Legend
Bold prediction - Anunoby or Thybulle wins defensive player of the year. Anunoby looks like 14-15 Kawhi so far and Thybulle is the most entertaining defensive player to watch since Ben Wallace.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
T1000 said:
Bold prediction - Anunoby or Thybulle wins defensive player of the year. Anunoby looks like 14-15 Kawhi so far and Thybulle is the most entertaining defensive player to watch since Ben Wallace.
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I followed Thybulle while he was at UW. It was obvious then that he was a future NBA stud.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
T1000 said:
Bold prediction - Anunoby or Thybulle wins defensive player of the year. Anunoby looks like 14-15 Kawhi so far and Thybulle is the most entertaining defensive player to watch since Ben Wallace.
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Anunoby will get the minutes necessary for a DPOY; until Thybulle rescinds his bricklayers union membership (18.8%), he will not.
travlerajm said:
I followed Thybulle while he was at UW. It was obvious then that he was a future NBA stud.
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Fultz looks much better this year with the Magic; not overall #1 good, which is probably not gonna happen ever but maybe a starting lineup role over Augustin.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
stringertom said:
Anunoby will get the minutes necessary for a DPOY; until Thybulle rescinds his bricklayers union membership (18.8%), he will not.

Fultz looks much better this year with the Magic; not overall #1 good, which is probably not gonna happen ever but maybe a starting lineup role over Augustin.
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I followed Fultz at UW too. Maybe I’m blind, but I never could see the reason at the time why folks were talking about him being the #1 pick.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
travlerajm said:
I followed Fultz at UW too. Maybe I’m blind, but I never could see the reason at the time why folks were talking about him being the #1 pick.
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It was The Process...pairing Simmons and Fultz to set up Embiid for a decade. A true dynasty if they had all panned out.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
stringertom said:
Embiid is too fragile for me to have much faith in them all the way into June. He already sat out Game #2 over the weekend with an ankle tweak.
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Good point. But if I was a betting man, it seems like Fluffya has inside track to make it out of the East. Milwaukee due for regression and the dinosaurs disbanded.
 
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
Though I'm hoping Celtics win it, Sixers will probably make the finals. I'd say it's 40/40 between them and the Bucks. Spread the 20 among the rest, giving at least 10 to the Celtics. East is very weak compared to the West, but that could make them more dangerous in the finals, since the better teams are more likely to make it there. I can see the Sixers beating the Lakers or Clippers in an upset if healthy.
 
stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
FRV2 said:
Though I'm hoping Celtics win it, Sixers will probably make the finals. I'd say it's 40/40 between them and the Bucks. Spread the 20 among the rest, giving at least 10 to the Celtics. East is very weak compared to the West, but that could make them more dangerous in the finals, since the better teams are more likely to make it there. I can see the Sixers beating the Lakers or Clippers in an upset if healthy.
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In the playoffs the East will be deep enough to make even 1R matchups very competitive. That’s why I’m not so sure the survivor will be very well for duking out a Bo7 with the WC champions, especially if it’s LAC. That second team of theirs could start for a EC playoff quality team and probably take a game vs EC elites!
 
victorcruz

victorcruz

Hall of Fame
T1000 said:
Knicks get their first win against the bulls at home tonight. Former bull Bobby portis went off tonight 28 points on 10/14 shooting 4/4 from 3 12 boards 2 blocks off the bench. RJ “future bust as predicted by that dope T1000” Barrett put up 19/15/5. Next up @stringertom magic on Wednesday
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Yo I absolutely do not want Rj to be the next DDerozan. That's a scary thought for Knicks fans. I do want Frank K to get minutes though, the same way someone like Roberson gets minutes... For defense. Knicks need defense, especially with players like Randle and Portis in the frontcourt. Yeah Mitchell Robinson plays defense but he's always in foul trouble. The more I watch, the more I realize Randle is not a starter in the NBA. **** poor defender, not as bad as Kanter but still bad.
 
victorcruz

victorcruz

Hall of Fame
Also, I'm rooting for the rockets now since my favorite player went there. But I've come to realize I really overlook all the flopping that I would despise if I wasn't rooting for him that harden pulls lol. Westbrook is taking better shots, he would have had 3 triple doubles if the rockets weren't all off on 3s so far. Not that I care he gets triple doubles...lol.

I want Russ to win a championship. This could be his last chance.
 
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
stringertom said:
In the playoffs the East will be deep enough to make even 1R matchups very competitive. That’s why I’m not so sure the survivor will be very well for duking out a Bo7 with the WC champions, especially if it’s LAC. That second team of theirs could start for a EC playoff quality team and probably take a game vs EC elites!
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That's fair. It does seem like there will be competition with the way some of these teams are playing. Though I doubt we won't be seeing either the Sixers, Bucks, or Celtics in the NBA finals.
 
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
victorcruz said:
Also, I'm rooting for the rockets now since my favorite player went there. But I've come to realize I really overlook all the flopping that I would despise if I wasn't rooting for him that harden pulls lol. Westbrook is taking better shots, he would have had 3 triple doubles if the rockets weren't all off on 3s so far. Not that I care he gets triple doubles...lol.

I want Russ to win a championship. This could be his last chance.
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Your favorite player is Westbrook? Mine is Harden lol.
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
FRV2 said:
That's fair. It does seem like there will be competition with the way some of these teams are playing. Though I doubt we won't be seeing either the Sixers, Bucks, or Celtics in the NBA finals.
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Who is your pick in the East?
 
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