***Official 2022-2023 NBA Thread***

[dirk digler]

Can't believe the regular season starts tonight. Just seemed like the Finals ended a couple weeks ago.



Philly vs Celtics: 6:30PM CST TNT

GSW vs Lakers: 9:00PM CST TNT

[KC_Connection]

BUT BUT BUT DRAYMOND WAS SUSPENDED

BUT NO BOGUT

BUT STEPH HAD A BOO-BOO ON HIS KNEE

OH WAIT THOSE WERE THE EXCUSES THE LAST TIME LEBRON KICKED STEPH'S ASS.

**** STEPH AND **** KEVIN DURANT. HAD TO TEAM UP TO BEAT LEBRON LIKE COWARDS. THIS JUST FURTHER PROVES IT.

— Barry (@BarryOnHere) May 13, 2023

Like the cowards they are. What a night.

[DJ's left nut]

Klay was just laughably trash out there tonight.

GS never had a chance.

[RealSNR]

Golden State? More like Golden Shower

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Klay was just laughably trash out there tonight.

GS never had a chance.

Not if LeBron was gonna play like that. He had quite clearly been conserving all energy to save up for that. He drove about as much to the rim tonight as he had the entire series combined.

[KC_Connection]

I do like the Lakers' chances against the Nuggets. AD will have to dominate like he did in the 2020 bubble against them again, but he's capable of it. They can punish Jokic in the PnR.

He's also probably the one guy in the league who can actually give Jokic at least issues defensively. He's just as strong as him and much longer and more athletic.

[KC_Connection]

I learned after 2016 that if you root for LeBron you might as well be unabashed about it because you're not changing any haters minds.

Imagine what 2017 & 2018 Bron would've done to the Warriors w/o KD.

— Barry (@BarryOnHere) May 13, 2023

[KC_Connection]

LeBron James:

Ended the Pistons.
Ended the Celtics.
Ended Big 3 in OKC.
Ended the pre-KD Warriors.
Ended the post-KD Warriors.

That’s 5 iterations of championship level teams over a SIXTEEN YEAR stretch just wrecked by one man.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) May 13, 2023

LeBron outlasted the entire Warriors dynasty in the 2nd half of his career. We've never seen anything like this guy's ridiculous quality and longevity in sports and may never again.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Not if LeBron was gonna play like that. He had quite clearly been conserving all energy to save up for that. He drove about as much to the rim tonight as he had the entire series combined.

Yeah, definitely the hardest I've seen him go...maybe EVER as a Laker. He was putting it all into game 6 and if they lost they were gonna get blown out in 7.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

LeBron James:

Ended the Pistons.
Ended the Celtics.
Ended Big 3 in OKC.
Ended the pre-KD Warriors.
Ended the post-KD Warriors.

That’s 5 iterations of championship level teams over a SIXTEEN YEAR stretch just wrecked by one man.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) May 13, 2023

LeBron outlasted the entire Warriors dynasty in the 2nd half of his career. We've never seen anything like this guy's ridiculous quality and longevity in sports and may never again.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

LeBron James:

Ended the Pistons.
Ended the Celtics.
Ended Big 3 in OKC.
Ended the pre-KD Warriors.
Ended the post-KD Warriors.

That’s 5 iterations of championship level teams over a SIXTEEN YEAR stretch just wrecked by one man.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) May 13, 2023

LeBron outlasted the entire Warriors dynasty in the 2nd half of his career. We've never seen anything like this guy's ridiculous quality and longevity in sports and may never again.

James has now improved to 11-17 against his arch rival in the playoffs.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

James has now improved to 11-17 against his arch rival in the playoffs.

May want to check Curry's record against LeBron when Steph didn't have the #2 player in basketball carrying his own team for him. It's getting embarrassingly bad now.

Curry and KD clearly never should have split up. Combined was the only way they've ever been able to beat the GOAT.

[POND_OF_RED]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

James has now improved to 11-17 against his arch rival in the playoffs.

Who would you say MJ’s arch rival is? He definitely didn’t have a winning record vs Isiah Thomas.

[POND_OF_RED]

“Game 6” Klay is literally the only thing that guy had going for him. He may have forced his way off the edge of being in the HOF this series and I love it.

[dirk digler]

First congrats to the Laker fans. I didn't watch the game but looking at the box score and some highlights it went about how I expected. Curry showed up with 32 and the next highest scorer was Donte with 13 lol. Not going to win that way and they have struggled all season long on the road.

But they won the chip last season so this was going to be tough to repeat anyway. Just like the Chiefs if they don't win this year it is all gravy at this point.

As far as WCF goes, I think this will be a quick series for Denver. It might go 5 or 6 but it will essentially be over at 5. I just jinxed them so they will probably lose

[POND_OF_RED]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

KD staying healthy is the last hope.

Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED

If Lebron comes back in a couple weeks I could definitely see the Lakers knocking the Warriors out right away in the play-in game. The Warriors don’t matchup well against them and they play like shit on the road. They may play at home, but a 1 game series against the Lakers will basically turn into a road environment.

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Lakers are probably the worst team in the league without LeBron on the floor (and he's likely got a broken foot that will sideline him longer than a few weeks). As nice as that would be to see, they won't get in the play-in.

missed the play-in game prediction a little, but just a reminder that KCC stuck a fork in this Lakers team a few months ago.

What Ham has done with this team is pretty great and he’s not getting enough credit. That Lonnie Walker game should be put squarely on Ham’s shoulders. What a coaching decision that ultimately won them the series.