Pro Hoopsball Thread

take it. They are terrible, and while Kobe can get 30 a night, it will be on like 30 shots a night as well. They have no one that good. Boozer is the worst defender in the league. Lin needs a good supporting cast. Nick Young is actually really shitty and injured. Hill is decent I guess. And they also play in the west. The over under should be closer to 27.5

Oh yeah, I just happened to turn it on when the Celtics were leading 78-60. Bulls closed the gap in a matter of minutes, Boston barely even held on.

deadspin.com/sports-columnist-loses-his-mind-over-derrick-rose-1657998407

Fuck this Steve Rosenbloom guy. I never really cared for Derrick Rose(his MVP should have gone to Lebron or Dwight that year), but Rose is completely in the right here. Rose is just trying to make sure he has a future where he isn't a hobbled mess like so many other athletes. Especially having a different perspective when he has been dealing with major injuries the past few years. Rose knows that more than ever now, and I think it is completely fine to sit out games. You don't need the number 1 seed to win a championship, just to make it in the playoffs. Rose can still do his job he is being paid for while also making sure he can still have a normal life at 60.

Watch this same guy write a column around playoff time about how smart Gregg Poppovich is for managing his veteran players' minutes so they're not worn down when it counts.  It is really bizarre how entitled people feel when it comes to athletes.  You wouldn't expect anybody else to sacrifice their future quality of life for the sake of their job.

I hate the Charlotte Hornets. I'm still in the mindset that New Orleans are the Hornets, so whenever I see a box score or a glance at a quick guide listing on tv that just says the hornets. I always get excited that I can get a little something something of Anthony Davis, and instead I'm met with the flaming shitpile that is the Charlotte Basketball team. The basketball team that drafted Adam Morrison, the basketball team that once had a racing checkered flag design for a jersey, the basketball team that has routinely sucked since it became a thing. FUCK YOU CHARLOTTE HORNETS.

Trade deadline just went bonkers. I am irrationally happy that I don't have to watch Kendrick Perkins play basketball anymore.

Dragic reportedly going to Miami, which would be a game-changer for the east.  I've yet to see anything to see what Phoenix is actually getting back for him though.

Was this a contract year for Knight? My best guess is that Knight has played himself into a bit of a raise this year, but Milwaukee isn't convinced he's the best fit with Jabari and Giannis going forward. So why not pick up MCW and Ennis and see if one of them works out as long-term answer. And I would assume getting Plumlee also held some appeal seeing as Larry Sanders has gone insane.

Knight had one more year left I think, and was only going to be an RFA at the end. I don't see how MCW will be a better fit with Giannis and Jabari, and they are going to be a playoff team. So I think they should go with knight. But maybe you are right, maybe Ennis and plumlee hold that much value for them.

@taxman Knight is probably still better, but I would expect MCW's efficiency numbers to improve on a team where he gets coaching beyond, "Yea throw up whatever shots you want, nobody really gives a shit this year"

Derrick Rose. Man. I don't even know what to say right now.

Just heard the Rose news. As a bulls fan FUUUUUUUUUUCK
(This is particularly depressing for me in conjecture with hearing Noah is now 30. Which I know isn't hugely on its own (it's not like he'll suddenly start playing like Kendrick Perkins), but feels representative of the door starting to close on this Bulls core)

This has gone from tragedy to comedy and all the way back to tragedy. The only thing I disagree with is this narrative is that it makes the bulls a lot worse. It doesn't. Derrick Rose was not really having a good season overall. Yes, he was playing better in the past month or two, but still wasn't that great, and shooting close to .400 That's not good. I think the bulls will get as far without him as they would with him. If anything they might be able to spread Rose's usual 15 to 20 shots a game around more efficiently to the rest of the team.

Damn, you are just now getting around to this? Then again, I feel most OKC fans might be slow to coming to this end point. After the thunder lost to the heat in the finals, in the way they did, and then lost harden. That was when I felt their window was closed, if it had really been open all along. The way Brooks coaches the thunder it really is up to Durant and Westbrook to play as perfectly as they can. They can cruise to being one of the best teams in the regular season that way, but the fact of the matter is in the playoffs that isn't sustainable all the way. 4 series and westbrook and durant have to play their ass off because the rest of the team is kinda not that good and not coached well. This actually may be the best team overall, but I don't know. Even if they sneak into the playoffs all the games missed from durant and others, just don't think the team will know how to play together as good as they can. The best bet for the thunder is to not get memphis, I think they would have a punchers chance against GS because I don't know if their defense can hold up to playoff basketball, whereas the Grizz can. I also think the thunder would likely come out the victor if they somehow make it to the 6th seed and face either portland or houston, but lose the next round.

Oh, and I think the Cavs are working now, they have been so much better in the 2nd half than the first. I really do think they are coming out of the east. Toronto and Washington are on the downturn, chicago even at full health is good but not great, and Atlanta is just not as talented as the Cavs. As far as thunder vs cavs? That would actually be really interesting. I think Lebron has the edge over Durant, but Westbrook would easily carve up Kyrie the way he is playing right now. While both Love and Ibaka have not had the best of seasons. While both Mozgov and Kanter are additions who seem to be doing very well for both teams. JR Smith and Dion Waiters also are very similar players.