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.

[KevB]

My Grizzlies look like they may have lost some of that defensive intensity with Hollins gone. Mavs got way too much in the lane tonight; very unlike the Grizz.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

My Pacers are looking good!!

As are my ROCKETS!

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Rose needs more help. Maybe one day it'll happen..

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

Gonna be a long long season for the Lakers. They some shitty ass castaways. lol Oh well, one of these years was bound to happen sooner or later.

And I'm going to sit back and enjoy the show!

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Chiefs Pantalones

Rose needs more help. Maybe one day it'll happen..

They need another shooter or two. Dunleavy was supposed to be that guy, but he looks like age is catching up with him.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by KevB

My Grizzlies look like they may have lost some of that defensive intensity with Hollins gone. Mavs got way too much in the lane tonight; very unlike the Grizz.

I'm going to sit back and laugh as they fail. That's what they get for trying to go to sabermetrics when it was obvious they weren't the kind of team for that.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KevB

They need another shooter or two. Dunleavy was supposed to be that guy, but he looks like age is catching up with him.

The front office needs punched in the nuts. Come playoff time if we get to face the Heat again LeBron will just man up Rose and shut him down. They need to make a move. Butler, Dunleavy, Boozer, Noah, Hinrich, etc just give me regular season wins. But that roster is not scary. Gotta make a bold trade.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by -King-

I'm going to sit back and laugh as they fail. That's what they get for trying to go to sabermetrics when it was obvious they weren't the kind of team for that.

Lots of truth in this.

[The Bad Guy]

On a side hoops note, got offered Wes Matthews for Vitor tonight. Really struggling at 2 guard and 3 with Kobe, Tobias Harris and Wilson Chandler on the shelf.

Thinking of pulling the trigger.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Originally Posted by -King-

I'm going to sit back and laugh as they fail. That's what they get for trying to go to sabermetrics when it was obvious they weren't the kind of team for that.

Yes. It's obvious they aren't a baseball team

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by TEX

I hear you BUT everyone who knows the guy says that he is different in Houston. They say that he "gets it." He doesn't have to be "THE MAN" but he can get paid like he is. He knows his roll on this team. He spends a lot of time with Olajuwon and its really paying off. Hakeem is humble beyond belief. Howard is growing up and grown ups handle pressure different from children...

He's always worked with Olajuwon. It's too early to tell if he's more mature now. We'll know when adversity comes along. Howard's first several seasons with Orlando were great. The dude was a good teammate, always had a smile on his face, etc. Then somewhere down the line he just became a giant bitch. My guess is roids but who knows for sure.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by okcchief

They'll be fine. Nets have more to prove at the moment.

I have no doubt the Heat will be fine just found it interesting

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

They might want to try more than a few minutes a game going forward if they want to win some of them.

They tried against the Nets though. I usually pay zero attention to the NBA preseason but after getting thumped twice by the Nets and after halftime getting thumped again until they hit a few lucky 3's I think the Nets maybe the best team overall to knock them off as long as they stay healthy.

Their size with Blatche, Lopez, and KG gives them big trouble and unlike the Pacers they have 3 legitimate scorers with Pierce, Deron, and Johnson.

Of course this all depends on Oden coming back and how well he plays and stays healthy. It all could be a moot point.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Rudy is a Troll

Yes. It's obvious they aren't a baseball team

I call advanced stats for all sports sabermetrics.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BWillie]

I dont see Houston winning the West. I think they get close and the addition of Howard helps but I really think Harden is somewhat overrated. Hes a good volume shooter but not sure if a bona fide star

[TEX]

Originally Posted by lcarus

He's always worked with Olajuwon. It's too early to tell if he's more mature now. We'll know when adversity comes along. Howard's first several seasons with Orlando were great. The dude was a good teammate, always had a smile on his face, etc. Then somewhere down the line he just became a giant bitch. My guess is roids but who knows for sure.

Sure he's worked with Olajuwon before but not to the point that he is now. Now the "work" encompasses personal growth as well as basketball skills. People just don't grow up over night - it's a process and he's got an excellent mentor. In every way, Olajuwon has been where Howard wants to go. I'm saying the signs are there that he's started the growing up process.

What type of "adversity" are you talking about? The Rockets have not experienced much success the past decade plus so the City as tempered expectations. The team has been rebuilt several times since the championship years. He's just part of the latest, and best rebuild. Sure, there will be pressure to win it all down the road but it's just not going to be directed at him. He passed the first mini test last night in Utah. Rockets were down by 19 and came back to win by 11. He wasn't the star, Harden and Parson's were - but he contributed and made plays when the flow of the game came to him. He's not the first option on the Rockets, but he can be if the situation dictates. He's also not going to be first on the pressure meter when things go wrong. The city knows how to be patient for a Championship - it was with Olajuwon and when they came, it was pretty cool! Houston is a good fit for Howard and because of that I bet a different Howard emerges.