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.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Short of acquiring Kevin Love and moving Thabo for a 2-guard, I'm pretty happy.

I thought I heard that the Lakers were holding tight on their moves with the sole purpose of luring Love after the '15 season.

Gotta think they like their chances since he's a SoCal kid, growing up in Santa Monica, and staying local by becoming a Bruin in good old Westwood.

Definitely did not think I would ever be saying that in 2013-14 that the best 2 Power Forwards in the NBA would be LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love at 1a & 1b.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by SNR

This is really simple to understand. I'm shocked you're not getting this.

Appreciation isn't in the picture. You put it there. I can appreciate the hard work and intricacy of soccer without wanting to watch it. I can appreciate different types of art (since you're on the aesthetic kick and all) while vastly preferring other types.

It's completely in the picture. You decided to shit on my rather innocuous statement about enjoying watching the Spurs and then proceeded to go on a ridiculous prolonged rant about how their lack of stars in a particular game made for less entertainment. It was a silly argument that you provoked. But I admit that one benefit of this pointless exercise was my realization not to take any of your opinions on the NBA too seriously in the future.

There is no ****ing aesthetic quality. That's being a judgmental asshole and holding up a standard that YOU made up. Spurs-brand basketball is the be-all end-all of basketball, and the closer a team plays to the Spurs means the more "aesthetic" and beautiful and better product they are as an entertainment commodity.

Of course there is. Not only are some brands of basketball considerably more effective than others, but there are some that are simply objectively better to watch than others (i.e. watching the well-oiled machines of the Spurs or Heat play with spacing, facilitation, pace, or ball movement compared to the stilted, isolation basketball of supposed stars like Carmelo Anthony or Rudy Gay, or watching guys that execute in a system offense while giving a consistent, high effort compared to those who lollygag their way through NBA games nightly on both ends). I find it hard to believe that any basketball fan could legitimately deny such a thing.

Not only did you impose that arbitrary standard, but you're saying people who don't appreciate are either jealous or stupid.

It's certainly no more arbitrary a standard than your claim that watching stars makes for better NBA entertainment. And no, I'm not suggesting you're being stupid about this, just ignorant. As far as my accusation of jealousy, I suppose only you know the answer to that. That, though, was drawn from your past shitting on the Spurs/Popovich on this forum.

So you're calling it an issue of basketball intelligence.

I wouldn't characterize it as that at all. Perhaps you'll learn to appreciate what the Spurs are and what they do over time as I did. Or perhaps you won't and you'll continue looking at the NBA through your simplistic star-centric prism. Either way, it makes no real difference to me.

[kcxiv]

Lakers go from Fun to watch one game, to cringe the whole game the next. I guess with Nash, Blake, Farmar, Kobe and Pau not playing thats gonna happen.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

I thought I heard that the Lakers were holding tight on their moves with the sole purpose of luring Love after the '15 season.

Gotta think they like their chances since he's a SoCal kid, growing up in Santa Monica, and staying local by becoming a Bruin in good old Westwood.

Definitely did not think I would ever be saying that in 2013-14 that the best 2 Power Forwards in the NBA would be LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love at 1a & 1b.

He's not going to ****ing LA!

LA can go fist a donkey. If they wanted Love they should have drafted him

[MIAdragon]

Pacers dismantling the Celtics.

[GoChargers]

Wow, the Clippers have tortured Wolves fans this season. We've pulled three close (and lucky) wins out of our ass against Minnesota this year.

Love went off tonight, but it's too bad his statline will overshadow Blake also having a great game, carrying this team while CP3 was completely vanishing for most of the game. It seems like it's all starting to click for Blake the past few games.

[okcchief]

The Thunder get stung by the back to back. That's what happens when you try to sleepwalk to victory in the NBA.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by okcchief

The Thunder get stung by the back to back. That's what happens when you try to sleepwalk to victory in the NBA.

or and nfl game. you ease up, you get roasted.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

The Thunder get stung by the back to back. That's what happens when you try to sleepwalk to victory in the NBA.

Such laziness from them. Thanks for helping to ruin the Raptors season, OKC.

[-King-]

Whoever thought up the idea of these jerseys needs to get fired and banned from working at any Sport apparel manufacturer.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by -King-

Whoever thought up the idea of these jerseys needs to get fired and banned from working at any Sport apparel manufacturer.

I know. They look like PJs.

[Hammock Parties]

god these games are awful, and the heat are going to shit on the lakers

[kcxiv]

yeah, its going to be all blow outs today. Lakers dont stand a chance. Thisbasketball season needs to be over already. haha

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by -King-

Whoever thought up the idea of these jerseys needs to get fired and banned from working at any Sport apparel manufacturer.

They want to go to them full time. Reason is a t shirt is easier to sell and wear than a Jersey tank top.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

yeah, its going to be all blow outs today. Lakers dont stand a chance. Thisbasketball season needs to be over already. haha

Am I the only one that enjoyed the strike shortened season with the condensed schedule - a bit few less games and playing with greater frequency / # of time per week on average. Players union I'm sure would never be down with such a quick paced schedule and I can at least see their respective argument about wearing guys out, but it was a great season to watch from a length and pace standpoint.