2017-2018 Official NBA Regular season

[Al Bundy]

Let's start it... Warriors going for a back to back and 3 out of 4. Yikes for Gordon Hayward.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by banecat

They can win as many regular seasons as they want, but will this be the year that Lebron isn't in their head, and they get by him?

Has nothing to do with LeBron being in their heads, has everything to do with LeBron being the best player anyone has ever seen. He hasn't missed a Finals in 8 years and the Warriors needed to add the 2nd best player in the league to a 72 win team in order to beat him.

If he does it this year with that bunch of scrubs around him, it might be his most difficult feat yet.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by bricks

How about the fact that the Raptors are just a very good team?

Raptors being an elite tam this year was obvious before the game, but nobody takes them seriously as a contender. People do however take the Rockets seriously in comparison and I'm still not sure why.

The league remains the Warriors and then everyone else.

[bricks]

Originally Posted by banecat

They can win as many regular seasons as they want, but will this be the year that Lebron isn't in their head, and they get by him?

I hear ya. That remains to be seen.

But I’ll say this, I think the Raptors have the offense to go toe to toe with Cleveland.

This is a very fast moving team and a really good ball moving team that is capable of finding the open man and creating good high percentage shots. They’re no longer about playing that isoball or high picknroll roll offense, where it came down to just Lowry and DeRozan trying to beat the opposition.

Ever since Masai Ujiri preached a change in culture, he meant for the team to be unselfish and spread the ball more, playing together like a team that way the offense has down nothing but being one of the best in the league.

The scoring is even distributed throughout the lineup from top to bottom on a lot of nights. And a lot of the players have improved. You could see a change in the culture through this new style of play and the guys are playing with a lot of confidence right now.

Thats huge imo. We’ll see though.

*The only thing that I think they need to be better at is 3 point shooting. If they were more of an efficient offense that way then I have no doubt they’d beat Cleveland.

[bricks]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Raptors being an elite tam this year was obvious before the game, but nobody takes them seriously as a contender. People do however take the Rockets seriously in comparison and I'm still not sure why.

The league remains the Warriors and then everyone else.

Nobody takes them seriously because theyre Canadian lol

[bricks]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Has nothing to do with LeBron being in their heads, has everything to do with LeBron being the best player anyone has ever seen. He hasn't missed a Finals in 8 years and the Warriors needed to add the 2nd best player in the league to a 72 win team in order to beat him.

If he does it this year with that bunch of scrubs around him, it might be his most difficult feat yet.

I think this is easily the worst team he has been on throughout his career. Still though, he is soooo good he could make up for it probably by himself?

But I have my doubts because Clevelands defense is swiss cheese this season and the Raptors will score on them. Problem is, they aint stopping Lebron.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by bricks

Nobody takes them seriously because theyre Canadian lol

Well that's part of it. Losing to LeBron regularly in the playoffs is another (although they've actually had more recent playoff success than Houston).

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by bricks

I think this is easily the worst team he has been on throughout his career. Still though, he is soooo good he could make up for it probably by himself?

But I have my doubts because Clevelands defense is swiss cheese this season and the Raptors will score on them. Problem is, they aint stopping Lebron.

Definitely his worst team since the early Cavs days. LeBron will have to play close to 48 minutes a game and give close to 100% to beat the Raptors. He's capable of it, but it will take a lot out of him. The Raptors certainly don't have the personnel to stop him.

[bricks]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Well that's part of it. Losing to LeBron regularly in the playoffs is another (although they've actually had more recent playoff success than Houston).

And thats a bit deserving imo. He has all the right to get the attention because he wins more I understand. The spotlight is stolen from them rightfully so. Im fine with that.

But I just get sick of hearing about Cleveland and Boston all the time on Espn. Its like omg, it reminds me of Tom Brady and the Pats of the NFL how they get all the attention.

This is a big reason why Im rooting for the Raptors hard this year. So hopefully its their turn to steal the spotlight?

As great as Lebron is, I’ll say this, streak dont last forever and one day it’ll be broken.

[bricks]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Definitely his worst team since the early Cavs days. LeBron will have to play close to 48 minutes a game and give close to 100% to beat the Raptors. He's capable of it, but it will take a lot out of him. The Raptors certainly don't have the personnel to stop him.

You think he will though? Thats a lot man. 48 minutes per night is a whole entire game. I dont think he does that if this is a seven game series. No way. As fit as he is, he’ll be burnt out from playing so much in the regular season and deep into the playoffs. I agree with you.

Nobody stops Lebron in this league. He’s a ****ing beast.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Was at the Raptors/Rockets tonight and the Rockets played no defense again to take their first loss in 17 games. They're too soft to beat the Warriors.

They played no defense in the 1st qtr of their third road game in a row, against the best team in the East. Played plenty of defense the 2nd half and especialy in the 4th. Cant win them all, but the Rockets nearly have and they almost won this one too. They're good enough to beat the Warriors.

BTW, the Rockets were 3rd in total defense in the NBA during their streak. To say they play no defense is not accurate at all.

Houston is clearly in your head. You go out of your way dog them every chance you get. I think that's pretty funny.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by TEX

They're good enough to beat the Warriors.

Except there is absolutely no reason to believe such a thing. The Warriors are the same 72 win team + Durant they've always been but are obviously coasting through the regular season. Their record right now doesn't matter in the slightest.

Houston is clearly in your head. You go out of your way dog them every chance you get. I think that's pretty funny.

It's not about Houston being in anybody's head. It's about the hype for a team that has proven absolutely nothing in the playoffs and who project to be worse than teams the Warriors have beat in the playoffs in previous years (think OKC with Durant/Westbrook, think Cavs with LeBron, think Spurs with Kawhi).

For the record, I'd love to see them beat the Warriors. It would mean another championship for LeBron or the possibly even the first championship for the Raptors. It's just a pipe dream to think they will.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Except there is absolutely no reason to believe such a thing. The Warriors are the same 72 win team + Durant they've always been but are obviously coasting through the regular season. Their record right now doesn't matter in the slightest.


It's not about Houston being in anybody's head. It's about the hype for a team that has proven absolutely nothing in the playoffs and who project to be worse than teams the Warriors have beat in the playoffs in previous years (think OKC with Durant/Westbrook, think Cavs with LeBron, think Spurs with Kawhi).

For the record, I'd love to see them beat the Warriors. It would mean another championship for LeBron or the possibly even the first championship for the Raptors. It's just a pipe dream to think they will.

Sure there are - With all due respect, you just discredit them. If you have seen them play head to head this season, then you know that it's far different than in years past - and I'm not talking about the tie -breaker that the Rockets own. Im talking about how the games were played. The Rockets can shoot with them and are just as deep, and can play defense, contrary to your opinion.

Now I'd argue that this Rockets team is at least as good as some of those that you mentioned - and even if they're not, they're still a damn good team. I don't think there's a lot of hype for the Rockets. If anything, the majority of people think as you do about them. (Except maybe they give them a little more credit for being good). The sentiment I gather is that, "They're good, BUT..."

IMO, you're way off to think that LeBron & Co. will beat the Rockets, if they do manage to get past the Warriors. I don't think The Lebrons are even good enough to make the East Finals. We'll see. I'm so really hoping I get to tell you, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

[banecat]

Originally Posted by TEX

Sure there are - With all due respect, you just discredit them. If you have seen them play head to head this season, then you know that it's far different than in years past - and I'm not talking about the tie -breaker that the Rockets own. Im talking about how the games were played. The Rockets can shoot with them and are just as deep, and can play defense, contrary to your opinion.

Now I'd argue that this Rockets team is at least as good as some of those that you mentioned - and even if they're not, they're still a damn good team. I don't think there's a lot of hype for the Rockets. If anything, the majority of people think as you do about them. (Except maybe they give them a little more credit for being good). The sentiment I gather is that, "They're good, BUT..."

IMO, you're way off to think that LeBron & Co. will beat the Rockets, if they do manage to get past the Warriors. I don't think The Lebrons are even good enough to make the East Finals. We'll see. I'm so really hoping I get to tell you, "I TOLD YOU SO!"

Nobody can do it alone. Lebron did very well on his own when he was a lot younger. Unless if anyone knows of an example of him having at least one helper before he went to the Heat? Then he had Wade. Then it was Irving. Does he really have anyone now? Has Love stepped up enough yet?

[ratchet]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Definitely his worst team since the early Cavs days. LeBron will have to play close to 48 minutes a game and give close to 100% to beat the Raptors. He's capable of it, but it will take a lot out of him. The Raptors certainly don't have the personnel to stop him.

Lebron is an absolute beast but I think his style of the offense going through him and him doing everything is both his greatest value but also places a ceiling on his team when compared to other teams that move the ball. What separates him from other all time players is that he can shoulder a burden far greater than anybody else including jordan. However, when it comes to total team basketball output, I think there's better looks more frequently when you have a ball movement system. Lebron can only account for around 70 percent of the load. He either scores or kicks it out and makes a great pass. So while he does what he does at such a high level, the way in which its so dependent on him actually lowers a team's ceiling compared to a golden state, san antonio, raptors, or celtics. Now him being so ball dominant might be their best chance because no one can do whats required but im just saying the type of system is a part of the disadvantage there. With equal talent, a ball movement team gets more out of its talent.

[alpha_omega]