2013-2014 Official NBA Thread

[Al Bundy]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ey...4-nba-schedule

With the Schedule released today, I figured it would be a good time to start the thread.

The NBA released its 2013-2014 schedule on Tuesday in a televised special on NBATV alongside a release on NBA.com and its team websites.

The season kicks off Tuesday, October 29th as Miami hosts the Chicago Bulls in Derrick Rose's expected return to the court. Then it's the Battle of LA as the Lakers host the Clippers. It could be the return of Kobe Bryant from his Achilles injury he suffered last spring, and will be the regular season debut of Doc Rivers as the Clippers' newest head coach.

It's a massive gamble by the NBA, considering Rose's struggles returning from his ACL injury suffered in the 2012 playoffs and Bryant's more recent Achilles surgery. If those players were to miss the opening night, it's going to make for a very underwhelming opening night of basketball, regardless of the markets involved for ratings.

Opening week continues on Thursday with the Bulls hosting the Knicks in what is likely to be Rose's return to the United Center in the regular season. The Knicks will be on a back to back, opening the season on Wednesday vs. the Bucks. Thursday night the revamped Warriors visit the Clippers, who are clearly the hot team, with two national appearances in the first three days.

Opening week concludes Friday with the Nets' home opener vs. the Heat, followed by another Lakers home game, this time vs. the defending Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs.

On the NBA's biggest regular season day, Christmas Day, starts with the Nets hosting Chicago, followed by the scoring-champ rematch of Carmelo Anthony vs. Kevin Durant as the Thunder visit Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks. Then in the main event, the Heat play the Lakers at Staples Center. Dwight Howard joins the Christmas fun as the Rockets travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs. And in the night cap, the Clippers visit Oracle Arena to take on Steph Curry and the Warriors.

Monday, January 20th continues the NBA's tradition of making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a huge basketball event, with four games on the schedule. Brooklyn travels across the bridge to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, followed by the Grizzlies hosting the Pelicans, the Lakers taking on the Bulls at the United Center, and the Pacers facing the Warriors in the bay to cap off the night.

The Lakers first meet Dwight Howard on November 13th in Houston, and again on January 14th. They first host Howard at Staples Center on February 19th, and again on April 8th.

The NBA Finals rematches occur on January 26th in Miami and March 6th in San Antonio. Will Gregg Popovich rest his starters? It's not a back to back, as the Spurs face Atlanta on the 24th, but it is in the middle of a three-game road trip.

Despite the departure of Dwight Howard, the Lakers keep the max number of nationally televised (non-NBA TV) games in the league at 25, tied with the Knicks and Heat. The Clippers have 21 nationally televised games, while the defending Western Champs, the Spurs, only have 15. The Bulls jump to 24 national games, with the league banking on Rose's return to carry audiences. The Thunder also feature on national TV 24 times.

Houston, with newly-signed Dwight Howard and James Harden, feature 20 games on national television, a pretty low number given the star power. The Mavericks won the NBA title in 2011, and now have just eight national TV appearances. The Warriors meanwhile jump to 17 games, while Eastern Conference finalist Indiana only appears 10 time next season. To put that in perspective, the Denver Nuggets appear 13 times.

The rest of the schedule is at the link.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Originally Posted by TEX

I agree. However, Im done with Lin though. Id like to see them get a solid Point Guard.

Yeah Lin has had a very frustrating season. I know some would prefer Brooks at this point.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

The Pacers will be lucky to get past round 1 at this point. I haven't seen a meltdown like this..well maybe never

And their meltdown is more than just running out of gas, that is the least of their problems. They have major locker room problems and too much finger pointing going on.

Good to hear, but I somehow doubt the Raptors are going to the ECF over them. They'll likely get it together once the playoffs begin.

[dirk digler]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10...oblems-persist


Rest won't solve Pacers' problems

INDIANAPOLIS -- The thought process started last June as LeBron James and the Miami Heat celebrated their third straight trip to the NBA Finals at center court in American Airlines Arena. As Roy Hibbert and David West, out of frustration and dislike for the Heat, walked off the court and through the tunnel to the locker room without shaking hands with any of the Miami players. It continued during the offseason while the Pacers were working out in different locations around the country.

The Indiana Pacers didn't want to have to play another Game 7 on the road, likely in Miami again, this season. If a Game 7 had to be played, they wanted it at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in front of their home fans. They said it so much early in the season that you got tired of hearing about it.

It was basically No. 1 seed or nothing for the Pacers.

Now, in the midst of a significant collapse that has seen more finger pointing in the past month than there's been in the past three years combined, the Pacers have jammed a pole in the ground with a white flag at the top conceding the No. 1 seed to their Eastern Conference rivals. Pacers coach Frank Vogel essentially delivered that message when he said he plans to rest different starters during their final four regular-season games.

"We're two games back right now," Vogel said. "Obviously it was a goal, it is a goal of ours, but at this point, playing well is our top priority. Part of that is being fresh going into the playoffs. We feel if we have the No. 2 seed, and we still feel we can attain the goals we have."

Vogel floated the idea to rest his players during a team meeting the day after their 26-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs, sources told ESPN.com. The process started Monday when he cancelled practice and then gave the starters Tuesday off. Hibbert, who did not speak to the media, watched practice in street clothes.

The timing of Vogel's decision comes at a peculiar time. The Pacers are only a game behind Miami for the No. 1 seed despite their dysfunction and 2-9 record in the past 11 games. They also have the tiebreaker over the Heat.

The Heat host the Brooklyn Nets, who have been the best team in the East since the All-Star break, on Tuesday and travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies, who are trying to catch Phoenix for the eighth seed in the Western Conference, on Wednesday. The Pacers play at Milwaukee, which has the worst record in the league, on Wednesday. Beat the Bucks and get some help from the Nets and the Grizzlies and Friday's game between Indiana and Miami has significance again.

That's not how the Pacers view things anymore, though. It's all about being ready for the playoffs no matter where they're seeded -- especially if one of the benefits of finishing second could be avoiding Chicago in the second round.

Pacers president Larry Bird, who went all in on getting to the NBA Finals by trading for Evan Turner at the deadline and signing Andrew Bynum, supports resting players, a source told ESPN.com.

"[We played] 18 games in a month, 11 road games," Vogel said. "I probably should've chosen some games in March to give them days off. I didn't. I think there was a consequence to that, and I think our guys look worn down. Getting them some rest will make them fresher heading into the playoffs."

Fresh legs don't automatically cure the internal issues the Pacers have been dealing with. They don't solve Hibbert sitting slouched on the sidelines, seemingly not wanting any part of things after being benched during the second half of their 19-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks Sunday. It was less than two weeks ago that Hibbert told NBA.com that the Pacers have some "selfish" players on the team. He was the one being selfish on the bench Sunday, pulling the Pacers further apart during a time when they need to be coming together.

A strong bond is what helped Indiana have the best record for most of the season; it's why Vogel was the Eastern Conference All-Star coach. That bond has weakened, just like the Pacers' desire to be the No. 1 seed.

Vogel downplayed Hibbert's benching by telling him the "media overreacted to his body language" when the two talked. But this could easily have a lingering impact on the 7-2 center, who has been frustrated over the Pacers' reluctance to play inside-out at times this season. Vogel had to show he's able to hold his players accountable. He just happened to do it to the player whose mental toughness is often questioned. This isn't the time for Hibbert to have one of his yearly mental and physical breakdowns. He's the one clear advantage the Pacers have over the Heat if, and that's a big if at this point, the two teams meet in the conference finals.

Now you're left wondering if Hibbert will be the player who has shot almost 58 percent from the field and averaged 17 points in three games against the Heat this season or the player who hasn't shot above 50 percent from the field in 10 straight games and sulked on the bench against the Hawks.

"He's very encouraged by what we can be," Vogel said. "We still have a lot of work to do. I think he's on board."

[kcxiv]

NEver EVER thought i would see a White guy block a Lebron James dunk to win the game! lol

That was awesome.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

LeBron a little cranky after the no call. Poor guy.

[KC_Connection]

Plumlee just hacked LeBron across the wrist on the final play. No call.

Guess Duke guys get them even in the NBA.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Now, in the midst of a significant collapse that has seen more finger pointing in the past month than there's been in the past three years combined, the Pacers have jammed a pole in the ground with a white flag at the top conceding the No. 1 seed to their Eastern Conference rivals. Pacers coach Frank Vogel essentially delivered that message when he said he plans to rest different starters during their final four regular-season games.

So the Pacers are giving up the #1 seed even though they're basically tied for it right now?

[dirk digler]

Nets 4-0 against Heat. If the Nets can get past the Bulls in Round 1 the matchup vs the Heat might be the EC Finals unless the Pacers get their act together

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

So the Pacers are giving up the #1 seed even though they're basically tied for it right now?

Sounds like it. I guess we will know more tomorrow night

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Shaq! "Plumlees are the new DWF- dominant white family"

Hahahaha. Barry's reaction was classic

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Nets 4-0 against Heat. If the Nets can get past the Bulls in Round 1 the matchup vs the Heat might be the EC Finals unless the Pacers get their act together

The Heat will ass rape the Nets in the playoffs.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

The Heat will ass rape the Nets in the playoffs.

Alot will depend on Wade's health but they are a good matchup for the Heat evidenced by the fact they swept them in the regular season. Also that makes the first time in Lebron's history that a team has swept him 4-games in a regular season series.

[-King-]

I don't get it. If they were like 3 games back, I'd understand it, but they're .5 games back now. All they have to do is win and they get the #1 seed since they have the tie breaker over the Heat.

[KevB]

I have a question. If you're the Utah Jazz and this entire season is about developing your young players and losing as many games as possible ---- why are guys like Favors and Kanter averaging less than 30 minutes played per game?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KevB

I have a question. If you're the Utah Jazz and this entire season is about developing your young players and losing as many games as possible ---- why are guys like Favors and Kanter averaging less than 30 minutes played per game?

Maybe Favors and Kanter were too good and they decided to play veteran scrubs instead in order to ensure losses.