Yah, I'll give it a crack. Will do a write up today sometime.
The Official NBA 2016/2017 Season Preview Thread
- Thread starter stewie griffen
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New York Knicks Preview:
It’s finally happened……The New York Knicks are the super team we have always wanted.
With the hire of arguably the best coach in NBA history Jeff Hornacek for the only reason needed..
Throw in the addition of former MVP Derrick Rose, New York native Joakim Noah and former Boston SmellDick Courtney Lee, the Knicks have formed arguably… actually without a doubt the most feared starting lineup in NBA history.
Its been quite the offseason for the Knicks. Phil Jackson revealed his biggest mistake since becoming Knicks president… "I don't consider hiring Fish a mistake because he worked hard and got the guys to stay as positive as possible while the losses piled up. I think the biggest mistake I made was actually this...One of the first deals I engineered when I came back to New York was to trade Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas for Shane Larkin, Jose Calderon, Wayne Ellington, Samuel Dalembert, plus a second-round pick that the Mavs owed to the Celtics. In talking with Boston, I was given the option of taking that pick or else taking Jae Crowder. I liked Crowder but I thought he wouldn't get much of a chance to play behind Carmelo, so I took the pick which turned out to be Cleanthony Early."
Oh Phil…. Lol. That isn’t even close to the biggest mistake you have made and lets not get started on how you now want the NBA to introduce a 4pt line and make the shot clock 30 seconds.
I think we need to take our minds from this nonsense…
HOTDOGS!!! I’ll ******* give you my hotdog!!!!! Anyhow lets get back on topic.
Carmelo Anthony now is a 3 time Gold Medallist with Team USA, the only 3 time Gold Medallist. This by default makes him the greatest NBA player of all time. Kudos to you Mr Anthony. Well deserved.
The Knicks, acquired a culture upgrade by bringing over Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah from Chicago. While the Rose gamble is mitigated by his one-year deal, the Noah signing already screams win. A passing savant and defensive tone-setter, Noah has been beset by injuries the past two seasons. Noah however believes he is over his injuries and will get back to his best. Who am I to disagree with this guy? So on face value the Knicks just upgraded on this guy....
Lets be honest though guys, its all about the new superstar in the NBA… Kristaps Porzingis. New York’s Rookie of the Year runner-up finds himself on a veteran-dominated roster that apparently wants to win now. Porzingis is the icing on the cake, the unicorn as some do say.
Rumors and speculations are now swirling around the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings who are reportedly having trade talks involving Ben McLemore, Kyle O’Quinn and future draft picks..... Lol ok.
I cant see anything but a NBA title for the New York Knicks. The lineup, the coach, the inspiration in the locker room…
The celebrations in that locker room between the pig on the spit and this guy breaking down the beats..
I could go into each individual player and preview them but * it, we all know we are going to win so its pointless.
Oh what a time to be a Knicks fan.
It’s finally happened……The New York Knicks are the super team we have always wanted.
With the hire of arguably the best coach in NBA history Jeff Hornacek for the only reason needed..
Throw in the addition of former MVP Derrick Rose, New York native Joakim Noah and former Boston SmellDick Courtney Lee, the Knicks have formed arguably… actually without a doubt the most feared starting lineup in NBA history.
Its been quite the offseason for the Knicks. Phil Jackson revealed his biggest mistake since becoming Knicks president… "I don't consider hiring Fish a mistake because he worked hard and got the guys to stay as positive as possible while the losses piled up. I think the biggest mistake I made was actually this...One of the first deals I engineered when I came back to New York was to trade Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas for Shane Larkin, Jose Calderon, Wayne Ellington, Samuel Dalembert, plus a second-round pick that the Mavs owed to the Celtics. In talking with Boston, I was given the option of taking that pick or else taking Jae Crowder. I liked Crowder but I thought he wouldn't get much of a chance to play behind Carmelo, so I took the pick which turned out to be Cleanthony Early."
Oh Phil…. Lol. That isn’t even close to the biggest mistake you have made and lets not get started on how you now want the NBA to introduce a 4pt line and make the shot clock 30 seconds.
I think we need to take our minds from this nonsense…
HOTDOGS!!! I’ll ******* give you my hotdog!!!!! Anyhow lets get back on topic.
Carmelo Anthony now is a 3 time Gold Medallist with Team USA, the only 3 time Gold Medallist. This by default makes him the greatest NBA player of all time. Kudos to you Mr Anthony. Well deserved.
The Knicks, acquired a culture upgrade by bringing over Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah from Chicago. While the Rose gamble is mitigated by his one-year deal, the Noah signing already screams win. A passing savant and defensive tone-setter, Noah has been beset by injuries the past two seasons. Noah however believes he is over his injuries and will get back to his best. Who am I to disagree with this guy? So on face value the Knicks just upgraded on this guy....
Lets be honest though guys, its all about the new superstar in the NBA… Kristaps Porzingis. New York’s Rookie of the Year runner-up finds himself on a veteran-dominated roster that apparently wants to win now. Porzingis is the icing on the cake, the unicorn as some do say.
Rumors and speculations are now swirling around the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings who are reportedly having trade talks involving Ben McLemore, Kyle O’Quinn and future draft picks..... Lol ok.
I cant see anything but a NBA title for the New York Knicks. The lineup, the coach, the inspiration in the locker room…
The celebrations in that locker room between the pig on the spit and this guy breaking down the beats..
I could go into each individual player and preview them but * it, we all know we are going to win so its pointless.
Oh what a time to be a Knicks fan.
Last edited:
Dannnnnnnnnn
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Sums up my reaction to our off-season pretty well
stewie griffen
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******* glorious pricey
Philadelphia 76ers 2015/2016 Season Preview:
I'll start with a brief synopsis of the last three years.
A lot people came and went.
It wasn't very pretty to watch and a lot of losses were had, 199 in all.
That's about it really, a lot of losses, a lot turnover of players (a lot of shitty players) and a gathering of a tremendous amount of assets to build for the ultimate goal spearheaded by one of the most polarizing figures in recent NBA history, Sam Hinkie.
Much has been said about the man throughout the years, I and many other Sixer fans believe it was all for the greater good even if there were some mistakes along the way, unfortunately Sam won't be at the head of the table when his seeds become an orchid but the process he began will be in effect for long to come despite his departure.
To this I say...
Now, they say it's not what you've done in the past and what you do moving forward that counts. To most (and with good reason), the Sixers have been the laughing stock of the NBA for the last few years but that is about to change. It won't be an immediate explosion from 10 wins to playoff contention this season but with one of the biggest, if not the biggest influx of high end talent a team has ever seen it's very hard not to be excited for what's to come.
New Faces:
One of the biggest themes over the last few years for the Sixers roster has been high turnover, whether it be in search for stars they'd hope to find with their high drafts picks or trying to find gems through the large amount of 2nd round picks accrued over time. While there is still a lot of work to do wrt positional balance it finally feels like they found their #1 star going forward in Australia's own Ben Simmons.
There's not a whole lot that I can write about the kid that hasn't been discussed in extreme detail here over the last few years as he made his way through High School at Monte Verde Academy as the #1 talent in the country all the way through his time at LSU to his current destination at the Sixers as the #1 pick in the NBA draft.
The 6'10 pass first point forward is going to be a match up nightmare on offense at the 4 even without a jump shot. His mix of size/speed/handles/vision is something very rarely seen in players 6'7 - 6'8, at 6'10 I'm not sure we've ever seen that sort of mix before. Where he'll thrive most is ability to get the rebound and run in the open court, whether it be attacking the rim himself or finding an open team mate on the break it's going to certainly bring the people of Philadelphia back in droves to watch him play.
Question marks over his leadership abilities and defense arose whilst at LSU, I don't read too much into this as I really believe he was just burning time until he got to the NBA and mixed with an awful coach and bad supporting cast made for a bad mix.
But * words - give me the vision.
The other two big inclusions in my eyes that matter the most for now and for the future are 'The Homie' Dario Saric & the man sixer fans are may be more excited to see play than Ben, Joel Embiid.
Both men are a bit of a symbol of the last 3 years and share quite a bit in common. Both drafted in 2014, both extremely highly touted prospects with Dario, a two time FIBA young player of the year winner and Joel expected to be the #1 pick before his unfortunate foot injury saw him not see a minute of NBA court time since the day he was drafted. Similarly to Joel, Dario has yet to see a minute of NBA court time due to his contract situation with Anadolu Efes in Turkey not allowing him to come over until now.
Dario is quite a similar player to Ben as he possesses many of the same positive qualities. At 6'9 he can run the break, has great vision, a passable handle and like Ben has questions over his defensive abilities. Unlike Ben tho Dario has developed a reliable outside shot and is money from the free throw line (50/40/90 in his last season at Efes). Maybe the most exciting thing about Saric is his competitiveness and high bball IQ (and overall swag) which is where he can make up for his lack of athleticism with his will to win.
https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/C6...p4?versionId=X4A63TzyZ1khv_RS6zwjEZN1ofouhb_H
Joel is obviously still a huge question mark given his injury but all reports lately (fingers crossed) are that he is finally healed and ready to play come the pre season games in less than a month.
Throughout the last few years we've had all gifs, youtube videos of his college and pro workouts to get hyped but inevitably see zero minutes of NBA action, so I'm just going to knock on wood here and not do too much of a write up on the man who if nothing else has given great value through his twitter and his budding bromace with Simmons has given Sixers fans something to swoon over this off season.
Other new arrivals looking to make a splash and help in giving the Sixers a few more wins and give some much needed improvement to the Sixer back court are former Trailblazer turned Euroleage star 'Spanish Chocolate' 'El Chacho' Sergio Rodriguez, and NBA vets Jerryd Bayless and Gerald Henderson.
My Projected Sixer Opening Day Starting 5:
G: Sergio Rodriguez
G: Gerald Henderson
F: Dario Saric
F: Ben Simmons
C: Nerlens Noel
I've waffled on quite a bit here about a 10 win team but I truly am excited for this season for what it will bring entertainment wise and what it will continue to set up for the future.
There's still some questions over the front court log jam and who will be moved out of Nerlens And Jah but at the current time I have zero clue on what is going to happen there and have discussed and read about it farrrrr too much over the past 12 months to care to write anything about it, movement will happen though at some point before the trade deadline I think that much can be assumed so I've chosen instead just to write about what im really looking forward to seeing after watching a lot of trash.
In summary, realistically the Sixers are still gonna suck when we're talking in the most basic of metrics - wins and losses, but I think what we'll see is a team finally finding it's identity of what it's building towards even if it doesn't amount to a ton of wins (but hey, not many teams can double their wins totals in one season)
Predicted Record: 24 - 58
I'll start with a brief synopsis of the last three years.
A lot people came and went.
It wasn't very pretty to watch and a lot of losses were had, 199 in all.
That's about it really, a lot of losses, a lot turnover of players (a lot of shitty players) and a gathering of a tremendous amount of assets to build for the ultimate goal spearheaded by one of the most polarizing figures in recent NBA history, Sam Hinkie.
Much has been said about the man throughout the years, I and many other Sixer fans believe it was all for the greater good even if there were some mistakes along the way, unfortunately Sam won't be at the head of the table when his seeds become an orchid but the process he began will be in effect for long to come despite his departure.
To this I say...
Now, they say it's not what you've done in the past and what you do moving forward that counts. To most (and with good reason), the Sixers have been the laughing stock of the NBA for the last few years but that is about to change. It won't be an immediate explosion from 10 wins to playoff contention this season but with one of the biggest, if not the biggest influx of high end talent a team has ever seen it's very hard not to be excited for what's to come.
New Faces:
One of the biggest themes over the last few years for the Sixers roster has been high turnover, whether it be in search for stars they'd hope to find with their high drafts picks or trying to find gems through the large amount of 2nd round picks accrued over time. While there is still a lot of work to do wrt positional balance it finally feels like they found their #1 star going forward in Australia's own Ben Simmons.
There's not a whole lot that I can write about the kid that hasn't been discussed in extreme detail here over the last few years as he made his way through High School at Monte Verde Academy as the #1 talent in the country all the way through his time at LSU to his current destination at the Sixers as the #1 pick in the NBA draft.
The 6'10 pass first point forward is going to be a match up nightmare on offense at the 4 even without a jump shot. His mix of size/speed/handles/vision is something very rarely seen in players 6'7 - 6'8, at 6'10 I'm not sure we've ever seen that sort of mix before. Where he'll thrive most is ability to get the rebound and run in the open court, whether it be attacking the rim himself or finding an open team mate on the break it's going to certainly bring the people of Philadelphia back in droves to watch him play.
Question marks over his leadership abilities and defense arose whilst at LSU, I don't read too much into this as I really believe he was just burning time until he got to the NBA and mixed with an awful coach and bad supporting cast made for a bad mix.
But * words - give me the vision.
The other two big inclusions in my eyes that matter the most for now and for the future are 'The Homie' Dario Saric & the man sixer fans are may be more excited to see play than Ben, Joel Embiid.
Both men are a bit of a symbol of the last 3 years and share quite a bit in common. Both drafted in 2014, both extremely highly touted prospects with Dario, a two time FIBA young player of the year winner and Joel expected to be the #1 pick before his unfortunate foot injury saw him not see a minute of NBA court time since the day he was drafted. Similarly to Joel, Dario has yet to see a minute of NBA court time due to his contract situation with Anadolu Efes in Turkey not allowing him to come over until now.
Dario is quite a similar player to Ben as he possesses many of the same positive qualities. At 6'9 he can run the break, has great vision, a passable handle and like Ben has questions over his defensive abilities. Unlike Ben tho Dario has developed a reliable outside shot and is money from the free throw line (50/40/90 in his last season at Efes). Maybe the most exciting thing about Saric is his competitiveness and high bball IQ (and overall swag) which is where he can make up for his lack of athleticism with his will to win.
https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/C6...p4?versionId=X4A63TzyZ1khv_RS6zwjEZN1ofouhb_H
Joel is obviously still a huge question mark given his injury but all reports lately (fingers crossed) are that he is finally healed and ready to play come the pre season games in less than a month.
Throughout the last few years we've had all gifs, youtube videos of his college and pro workouts to get hyped but inevitably see zero minutes of NBA action, so I'm just going to knock on wood here and not do too much of a write up on the man who if nothing else has given great value through his twitter and his budding bromace with Simmons has given Sixers fans something to swoon over this off season.
Other new arrivals looking to make a splash and help in giving the Sixers a few more wins and give some much needed improvement to the Sixer back court are former Trailblazer turned Euroleage star 'Spanish Chocolate' 'El Chacho' Sergio Rodriguez, and NBA vets Jerryd Bayless and Gerald Henderson.
My Projected Sixer Opening Day Starting 5:
G: Sergio Rodriguez
G: Gerald Henderson
F: Dario Saric
F: Ben Simmons
C: Nerlens Noel
I've waffled on quite a bit here about a 10 win team but I truly am excited for this season for what it will bring entertainment wise and what it will continue to set up for the future.
There's still some questions over the front court log jam and who will be moved out of Nerlens And Jah but at the current time I have zero clue on what is going to happen there and have discussed and read about it farrrrr too much over the past 12 months to care to write anything about it, movement will happen though at some point before the trade deadline I think that much can be assumed so I've chosen instead just to write about what im really looking forward to seeing after watching a lot of trash.
In summary, realistically the Sixers are still gonna suck when we're talking in the most basic of metrics - wins and losses, but I think what we'll see is a team finally finding it's identity of what it's building towards even if it doesn't amount to a ton of wins (but hey, not many teams can double their wins totals in one season
)Predicted Record: 24 - 58
- May 23, 2012
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You have more than the required knowledge mate, trust me
It's just a little bit of fun, but if writing is not your gig I'm sure stewie griffen can rustle up a couple of hard-hitting questions about the land of a thousand lakes. Basically we just want to know what a Wolves fan thinks.
Awesome!
Don't feel obliged to rush though, we've still got weeks to go - just wanted to get a picture of which teams need covering.
82-0.
The Warriors are ruining basketball.
Back in my day...
I think that about covers the Dubs
I could go into each individual player and preview them but **** it, we all know we are going to win so its pointless.
Oh what a time to be a Knicks fan.
Love it gents, this is exactly what this thread is about - irrational pre-season excitement. Great work
stewie griffen
Make me an Admin!
- Thread starter
- #82
So Minnesota eh
Chicago fired Thibs a year ago and now he finds himself in charge of arguably the best developing team in the league.
I promise i'm not bitter
2015/16 Record: 29-53
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #11 offensive efficiency, ranked #27 defensive
2015/16 Leaders: 20.7ppg Wiggins, 8.6apg Rubio, 10.5rpg KAT
Additions: Jordan Hill, John Lucas, Toure Murray
Departures: Damjan Rudez, Tayshaun Prince, Greg Smith
Draft: Kris Dunn
Notable: Thibs
So the Minny depth chart is starting to take shape with
Rubio/Dunn
Lavine/Rush
Wiggins/Shabazz
KAT/Bjelica
Dieng/Pekovic/Aldrich
Thibs comes in, with his first point of impact being the defense. Thibs won't let the Wolfies have a bottom 5 defense, so the obvious improvement is going to come here. Where things get murky, is the relative youth and inexperience. Thibs historically hasn't been a huge player of rookies, but one could argue he's never had any top end draft picks of the calibre of Dunn to integrate. I daresay Kris will have to make do with coming off the bench to start the season.
We all know Ricky isn't a great shooter, as he shot 37.4 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3. He has shot 38.1 percent or worse in each of his five seasons, and his career field goal percentage is 36.8. You don't need me to tell you this is far from desirable in your point guard. Of course, when you can pass the ball like this:
Which leaves us with Dunn and how exactly he fits into the Wolves. He's the point of the future, which begs the question of what happens with Rubio. Could he be on the block sooner rather than later? Dunn is a great pick and roll guy, which should make for some scary sets when he shares the floor with KAT. Dunn shot 37.2% from 3 last season and 33 percent on jump shots off the dribble, a better-than-average rate, yet his shot is inconsistent at best. Defensively he has the potential to be elite, whilst prone to gambling, and he's a decent passer of the ball. He can be turnover prone, averaging 3.5 and 4.2 TOpg the last 2 seasons. Still, he has some skills with the rock...
Lavine was an empty numbers guy in his rookie year, putting up stats as a point in an awful team. Using ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus statistic, LaVine was the 471st-best player in the NBA— fourth-to-last. He was also the worst point guard, carrying an unsightly RPM of -6.87. When he was shifted into the 2 guard position he ultimately averaged 16.3 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including 43.2 percent from beyond the arc, from February 10th through the end of the season. That’s 29 games, including 27 starts. Given his athleticism its a fair bet that Thibs will be looking for some heavy improvement from him on the defensive end.
Wiggy. The knock on Wiggins has been that he's a ball stopper who needs high usage to get his points, in the vein of a Demar Derozan.
Defensively, he has all the tools, and he is another Thibs will be looking at to generate significant improvement. Midway throught he year things took a turn for the better with Wiggy improving his assist rate (9.8 to 10.1 percent), free throw rate (.410 to .437 percent), effective field goal percentage (.454 to .481), true shooting percentage (.517 to .543), and turnover rate (11.7 to 10.6 percent), causing an improvement in his win shares per 48 from .034 as a rookie to .069 (still below avg).
Shabazz. Among 462 qualified players this season, Shabazz ranked 461st in ESPN’s “Defensive Real Plus-Minus” statistic, ahead of only J.J. Barea. I don't see this lasting long in Thibstown, and if he doesnt shape up defensively he could find himself on the market sooner rather than later. If he can improve the defense and knock in the odd 3, then he'll force his way into the rotation.
KAT averaged 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.7 blocks while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. As a 20 year old rookie. Oh sweet jesus
KAT relies upon the pnr for a lot of his offense, and if he can polish up his finishing with his off hand and taking contact he'll develop into an absolute beast. he can stretch the floor ala KG in his earlier years, which forces his defender out to cover, where he can put the ball on the floor and take it to the rack. He has a great jump hook down low and also has quickness, but does tend to settle for fadeaways. KAT also rolls into the offense as he makes his way up the floor, where he often can get the open look from 20 plus feet. He has great quickness on the defensive end of the floor and was top 10 in contested fg% at the rim, and has shown the ability to guard elite small players in the switch.
Dieng played 53 percent of his minutes at the power forward spot and only 47 percent at center, as he played a lot of minutes alongside KAT. He imrpoved his shooting from the field (49.8 percent as a rookie to 50.6 percent last year, to 53.2 percent in 2015-16) and at the line (63.4 to 78.3 to 82.7 percent), and threw in the occasional corner three-point shot. Is he a long term fit alongside KAT, or do they look at a more traditional big alongside him, or downsize to a stretch 4?
Pekovic is owed $12.1 million, fully guaranteed, in 2016-17 and $11.6 million, partially guaranteed, in 2017-18. He played too many games to qualify for medical retirement, meaning if he does decide to call it a career, his salary will count against the cap for one year from the date he files the paperwork.
From the source: Dannnnnnnnnn DM or add to the thread your thoughts and I'll plug em in
How do you see Dunn fitting in the lineup?
Does Ricky see out his contract?
Is Lavine going to be starting calibre player or would he function better as a 6th man type, allowing you to slot a shooter on the floor?
Does Shabazz last more than 6 months with Thibs?
Whats colder, a Minnesota winter or Priceys MLB multi hitrate?
In the gun: Ricky Rubio. The arrival of Dunn has everyone wondering what the future holds for Ricky.
Is a gun: KAT. Nuff said
Needs improvement: Zach Lavine took a step forward last season, but he needs to continue to progess if he wants to develop into a starter on a playoff team
Big question: Shooting. Can they knock down enough outside shots to free up the space for Rubio and Wiggins to get in the lane
Crystal Ball: The playoffs is the goal, and in a weakened conference is certainly a possibility. I'm thinking a step forward to 41 wins
Chicago fired Thibs a year ago and now he finds himself in charge of arguably the best developing team in the league.
I promise i'm not bitter
2015/16 Record: 29-53
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #11 offensive efficiency, ranked #27 defensive
2015/16 Leaders: 20.7ppg Wiggins, 8.6apg Rubio, 10.5rpg KAT
Additions: Jordan Hill, John Lucas, Toure Murray
Departures: Damjan Rudez, Tayshaun Prince, Greg Smith
Draft: Kris Dunn
Notable: Thibs
So the Minny depth chart is starting to take shape with
Rubio/Dunn
Lavine/Rush
Wiggins/Shabazz
KAT/Bjelica
Dieng/Pekovic/Aldrich
Thibs comes in, with his first point of impact being the defense. Thibs won't let the Wolfies have a bottom 5 defense, so the obvious improvement is going to come here. Where things get murky, is the relative youth and inexperience. Thibs historically hasn't been a huge player of rookies, but one could argue he's never had any top end draft picks of the calibre of Dunn to integrate. I daresay Kris will have to make do with coming off the bench to start the season.
We all know Ricky isn't a great shooter, as he shot 37.4 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3. He has shot 38.1 percent or worse in each of his five seasons, and his career field goal percentage is 36.8. You don't need me to tell you this is far from desirable in your point guard. Of course, when you can pass the ball like this:
Which leaves us with Dunn and how exactly he fits into the Wolves. He's the point of the future, which begs the question of what happens with Rubio. Could he be on the block sooner rather than later? Dunn is a great pick and roll guy, which should make for some scary sets when he shares the floor with KAT. Dunn shot 37.2% from 3 last season and 33 percent on jump shots off the dribble, a better-than-average rate, yet his shot is inconsistent at best. Defensively he has the potential to be elite, whilst prone to gambling, and he's a decent passer of the ball. He can be turnover prone, averaging 3.5 and 4.2 TOpg the last 2 seasons. Still, he has some skills with the rock...
Lavine was an empty numbers guy in his rookie year, putting up stats as a point in an awful team. Using ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus statistic, LaVine was the 471st-best player in the NBA— fourth-to-last. He was also the worst point guard, carrying an unsightly RPM of -6.87. When he was shifted into the 2 guard position he ultimately averaged 16.3 points on 47.4 percent shooting, including 43.2 percent from beyond the arc, from February 10th through the end of the season. That’s 29 games, including 27 starts. Given his athleticism its a fair bet that Thibs will be looking for some heavy improvement from him on the defensive end.
Wiggy. The knock on Wiggins has been that he's a ball stopper who needs high usage to get his points, in the vein of a Demar Derozan.
Defensively, he has all the tools, and he is another Thibs will be looking at to generate significant improvement. Midway throught he year things took a turn for the better with Wiggy improving his assist rate (9.8 to 10.1 percent), free throw rate (.410 to .437 percent), effective field goal percentage (.454 to .481), true shooting percentage (.517 to .543), and turnover rate (11.7 to 10.6 percent), causing an improvement in his win shares per 48 from .034 as a rookie to .069 (still below avg).
Shabazz. Among 462 qualified players this season, Shabazz ranked 461st in ESPN’s “Defensive Real Plus-Minus” statistic, ahead of only J.J. Barea. I don't see this lasting long in Thibstown, and if he doesnt shape up defensively he could find himself on the market sooner rather than later. If he can improve the defense and knock in the odd 3, then he'll force his way into the rotation.
KAT averaged 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.7 blocks while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. As a 20 year old rookie. Oh sweet jesus
KAT relies upon the pnr for a lot of his offense, and if he can polish up his finishing with his off hand and taking contact he'll develop into an absolute beast. he can stretch the floor ala KG in his earlier years, which forces his defender out to cover, where he can put the ball on the floor and take it to the rack. He has a great jump hook down low and also has quickness, but does tend to settle for fadeaways. KAT also rolls into the offense as he makes his way up the floor, where he often can get the open look from 20 plus feet. He has great quickness on the defensive end of the floor and was top 10 in contested fg% at the rim, and has shown the ability to guard elite small players in the switch.
Dieng played 53 percent of his minutes at the power forward spot and only 47 percent at center, as he played a lot of minutes alongside KAT. He imrpoved his shooting from the field (49.8 percent as a rookie to 50.6 percent last year, to 53.2 percent in 2015-16) and at the line (63.4 to 78.3 to 82.7 percent), and threw in the occasional corner three-point shot. Is he a long term fit alongside KAT, or do they look at a more traditional big alongside him, or downsize to a stretch 4?
Pekovic is owed $12.1 million, fully guaranteed, in 2016-17 and $11.6 million, partially guaranteed, in 2017-18. He played too many games to qualify for medical retirement, meaning if he does decide to call it a career, his salary will count against the cap for one year from the date he files the paperwork.
From the source: Dannnnnnnnnn DM or add to the thread your thoughts and I'll plug em in
How do you see Dunn fitting in the lineup?
Does Ricky see out his contract?
Is Lavine going to be starting calibre player or would he function better as a 6th man type, allowing you to slot a shooter on the floor?
Does Shabazz last more than 6 months with Thibs?
Whats colder, a Minnesota winter or Priceys MLB multi hitrate?
In the gun: Ricky Rubio. The arrival of Dunn has everyone wondering what the future holds for Ricky.
Is a gun: KAT. Nuff said
Needs improvement: Zach Lavine took a step forward last season, but he needs to continue to progess if he wants to develop into a starter on a playoff team
Big question: Shooting. Can they knock down enough outside shots to free up the space for Rubio and Wiggins to get in the lane
Crystal Ball: The playoffs is the goal, and in a weakened conference is certainly a possibility. I'm thinking a step forward to 41 wins
Last edited:
Dannnnnnnnnn
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With Ricky there and Thibs likely to push to win, he isn't taking the starting point guard role anytime soon (or at least until Rubio's body breaks three games in). For all his flaws, we are a far, far, far, far better team with Ricky on the court, and put simply Thibodeau isn't keeping somebody as defensively outstanding as Rubio off the floor for a rookie.
With that said, it isn't all bad news for him. His Summer League play was very promising, spending considerable time playing off-ball alongside League MVP Tyus Jones. He looks to have the skill and size to be a competent wing and I feel this holds him in great stead to impact in our lineup throughout the year. Our depth in the wings is pretty bad, particularly if Thibs isn't able to teach LaVine what defence is. I don't expect Bazz to play any great part in this side and may not even be on the roster by the season opener. Rush is alright and Belly can play some minutes at the three, but getting anything extraordinary from them is about as likely as the Knicks being a super team. As such I think there will be opportunities throughout the season for Dunn to start at the two, alongside Ricky.
For the most part, though, he'll bide his time on the bench behind Rubio for a good chunk of the season.
I don't think there's any real doubt in anybody's mind that Dunn is the Timberwolves' starting PG of the future, although knowing our hit rate with point guard draftees he could very well end up the starting point guard for Melbourne United.
Flynn-esque capitulation aside, Rubio's fate depends almost entirely on Dunn's progress. If Dunn holds his own as a starter, or Thibs discovers we're further off being a playoff team than expected, I expect us to pull the trigger on a trade this season, while we can extract maximum value out of his excellent contract. If not, I think he sticks with us for the time being.
To more directly answer the question, I struggle to see Rubio being with us for another three seasons. Sacramento seem to be the most interested party.
I've touched on LaVine a bit above but this is a tough question. The simple fact is that LaVine is one of only two guys on the roster that are genuinely threatening from three point range. KAT can hit them but if he's operating mostly on the perimeter we have a problem. Moving LaVine to the starting 2 saw our offensive rating skyrocket last season (although that also coincided with Prince going out of the lineup) because nobody else could space the floor like he could. I think in a perfect world Zach comes off the bench, but the question becomes whether we have the options to push him back there. Dunn could be the answer, but we'd need both he and Wiggy to improve their shotmaking ability.
I have more chance of lasting 6 months with Thibs than Bazz does.
I do like Shabazz, and think Thibs would love his potential to force mismatches, but unless we see some extraordinary defensive improvement there's no way he lasts.
Option C: Adreian Payne's shooting/shot selection.
Denver Nuggets Preview:
Not pictured (left of screen): Brian Shaw
So season 2016/17 is nearly upon us, and the Mile High City is abuzz with anticipation for.... Just kidding, Broncos have resumed and nobody cares about the Nuggets once more. Still, there is plenty to be excited about as an extremely young and abundantly talented group has quietly been assembled to hopefully make The Can a fun place to be once more. I'll keep this reasonably brief, as I know the typical reaction to seeing something Nuggets related involves scrolling right past.
The Young Nuggs:
Murray already embracing the culture by expertly covering up the D in Denver
The Nuggets had quite an embarrassment of riches at the draft this past June, taking three players in the first round. Importantly, all three are capable shooters, an area which the team is sorely lacking. Murray projects to have the largest role, likely backing up Gary Harris at SG.
This injection of youth only adds to the young talent, with Nurkic, Jokic, Harris, Mudiay already being core players and all 22 or younger. The FO have time on their hands to let these guys develop, and if feeling like they are ready, consolidating assets into a star.
The Golden Oldies
That neck tattoo still terrifies me to this day
To add to their impressive collection of youth, the Nuggets have capable, albeit not superstar level veterans. Of note, the health of Danilo Gallinari and the returning Wilson Chandler will play a huge part in whether or not the team will compete for a playoff spot. Unfortunately for these two injuries have plagued them throughout their careers, and one can't help but wonder what could have been had they remained healthy more often than not (2013 playoffs still hurt a little). The wings are very much the Nuggets' biggest area of vulnerability, and without either Gallo or Ill Wil available, we will see more of JaKarr Sampson and Axel Toupane at the 3, a less than ideal scenario. Chandler and Gallinari are also the most versatile on the roster, and I look forward to seeing Michael Malone experimenting with the lineups that this flexibility affords him.
MudiYAY or MudiNAY?
Mudiay emphasising his shooting percentage HAR HAR
There's no doubt that Emmanuel Mudiay has great potential, and there's no doubt that Emmanuel Mudiay has a lot to work on to achieve it. He was statistically horrible in his rookie year, with awful shooting and turnover percentages the particular lowlights. However, those who watched him and not just the stat sheets saw what he could do. Mudiay took a lot of unnecessary risks, and his turnover rate proved that. He also took a lot of bad shots, and his percentage goes to show that. However, he never shied away from making the big plays or taking the big shots, and this is something that gives myself a lot of hope. Ty Lawson had bucketloads of talent, but was always passive. Mudiay has immense self-belief and an admirable work ethic, and I expect him to make big strides in his second year now that he has grown more comfortable. His play towards the end of last season was trending upwards, and Nuggets fans can only hope that continues.
The Balkan Towers
Literally the only image I could find, nice shoes Nurk...
Here are the two guys (along with Mudiay) who will decide just how good this Nuggets team will become. Nikola Jokic has well and truly announced himself, and is arguably the highest profile Nugget after an impressive rookie year and Olympic campaign. Jusuf Nurkic had an impressive rookie year, before succumbing to a knee injury that affected him throughout his sophomore season as well. Many (myself included) predict that Jokic will be the Nuggets best player, perhaps as soon as this coming season. He is a freakish talent with all of the tricks, and almost always seems to do the right thing. Nurk is much more rough around the edges, but has shown he is an excellent rim protector and defensive anchor, something which the Nuggets have been crying out for. If these two develop as we expect them to, the Nuggets will be beside themselves with joy. Hey, they might even unite Bosnia and Serbia if they win a few championships!
Ultimately, it shapes to be a very interesting year, with playoffs the clear goal for Malone and staff.
Projected Depth Chart:
PG: Mudiay, Nelson
SG: Harris, Murray
SF: Gallinari, Chandler
PF: Faried, Arthur
C: Jokic, Nurkic
Predicted Record:
40-42
Not pictured (left of screen): Brian Shaw
So season 2016/17 is nearly upon us, and the Mile High City is abuzz with anticipation for.... Just kidding, Broncos have resumed and nobody cares about the Nuggets once more. Still, there is plenty to be excited about as an extremely young and abundantly talented group has quietly been assembled to hopefully make The Can a fun place to be once more. I'll keep this reasonably brief, as I know the typical reaction to seeing something Nuggets related involves scrolling right past.
The Young Nuggs:
Murray already embracing the culture by expertly covering up the D in Denver
The Nuggets had quite an embarrassment of riches at the draft this past June, taking three players in the first round. Importantly, all three are capable shooters, an area which the team is sorely lacking. Murray projects to have the largest role, likely backing up Gary Harris at SG.
This injection of youth only adds to the young talent, with Nurkic, Jokic, Harris, Mudiay already being core players and all 22 or younger. The FO have time on their hands to let these guys develop, and if feeling like they are ready, consolidating assets into a star.
The Golden Oldies
That neck tattoo still terrifies me to this day
To add to their impressive collection of youth, the Nuggets have capable, albeit not superstar level veterans. Of note, the health of Danilo Gallinari and the returning Wilson Chandler will play a huge part in whether or not the team will compete for a playoff spot. Unfortunately for these two injuries have plagued them throughout their careers, and one can't help but wonder what could have been had they remained healthy more often than not (2013 playoffs still hurt a little). The wings are very much the Nuggets' biggest area of vulnerability, and without either Gallo or Ill Wil available, we will see more of JaKarr Sampson and Axel Toupane at the 3, a less than ideal scenario. Chandler and Gallinari are also the most versatile on the roster, and I look forward to seeing Michael Malone experimenting with the lineups that this flexibility affords him.
MudiYAY or MudiNAY?
Mudiay emphasising his shooting percentage HAR HAR
There's no doubt that Emmanuel Mudiay has great potential, and there's no doubt that Emmanuel Mudiay has a lot to work on to achieve it. He was statistically horrible in his rookie year, with awful shooting and turnover percentages the particular lowlights. However, those who watched him and not just the stat sheets saw what he could do. Mudiay took a lot of unnecessary risks, and his turnover rate proved that. He also took a lot of bad shots, and his percentage goes to show that. However, he never shied away from making the big plays or taking the big shots, and this is something that gives myself a lot of hope. Ty Lawson had bucketloads of talent, but was always passive. Mudiay has immense self-belief and an admirable work ethic, and I expect him to make big strides in his second year now that he has grown more comfortable. His play towards the end of last season was trending upwards, and Nuggets fans can only hope that continues.
The Balkan Towers
Literally the only image I could find, nice shoes Nurk...
Here are the two guys (along with Mudiay) who will decide just how good this Nuggets team will become. Nikola Jokic has well and truly announced himself, and is arguably the highest profile Nugget after an impressive rookie year and Olympic campaign. Jusuf Nurkic had an impressive rookie year, before succumbing to a knee injury that affected him throughout his sophomore season as well. Many (myself included) predict that Jokic will be the Nuggets best player, perhaps as soon as this coming season. He is a freakish talent with all of the tricks, and almost always seems to do the right thing. Nurk is much more rough around the edges, but has shown he is an excellent rim protector and defensive anchor, something which the Nuggets have been crying out for. If these two develop as we expect them to, the Nuggets will be beside themselves with joy. Hey, they might even unite Bosnia and Serbia if they win a few championships!
Ultimately, it shapes to be a very interesting year, with playoffs the clear goal for Malone and staff.
Projected Depth Chart:
PG: Mudiay, Nelson
SG: Harris, Murray
SF: Gallinari, Chandler
PF: Faried, Arthur
C: Jokic, Nurkic
Predicted Record:
40-42
Happy to answer Q/A.I think we should clean up who is doing what and then we can start the race.
Any of the following fabulous fellas up for writing about their team, or alternatively a little Q & A?
Primetime Pricey Warsaw Drumroe Atlanta_Cats BoshtrichBurger mickelboy182 Dannnnnnnnnn StevieDewar Hipster Doofus fidstar
If there are any Bucks, Clippers or Pacers fans floating around - I know there used to be - who want to jump in and give thoughts, let us know. Ditto Jazz, Grizz, Raptors or Nets, otherwise we'll dump them all on stewie
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Only on this forum could you get a Sixers, Wolves & Nuggets preview in one day and have every last one be captivating.
Kudos to all concerned. Your captions had me in stitches mickelboy182
You're the man BB.
I expect Orlando's preview may go along these lines.
Kudos to all concerned. Your captions had me in stitches mickelboy182
You're the man BB.
I expect Orlando's preview may go along these lines.
stewie griffen
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Does anyone care about a Brooklyn preview?
I mean the Nets just unveiled some sweet jerseys
But thats going to be the highlight of their season.
2015/16 Record: 21-61
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #27 offensively, ranked #29 defensively
2015/16 Leaders: 20.6ppg Bropez, 4.4apg Donald Sloan, 9.0rpg Thad Young
Additions: Jeremy Lin, Vasquez, Big Mac Bennett, Luis Scola
Departures: Jarrett Jack, Thad Young, Thomas Robinson
Draft: Caris LaVert, Isaiah Whitehead
Notable: Sean Marks (new GM, aka not Billy King)
So what do we have depth wise
Jeremy Lin
RHJ
Bojan Bogdanovic
Trevor Booker
Bropez
Caris LaVert, Isaiah Whitehead
Chris McCullough
Luis Scola
Big Mac Bennett
Greivis Vasquez
Oh sweet jesus its worse than i thought
Sean Marks went out and signed Crabbe and Tyler Johnson to large offer sheets, unfortunately for Brooklyn, they were matched, leaving them with a big bag of nothing, whilst the Celtics got to use (or waste) their draft pick. Whats left is 5 NBA calibre players, 3 of whom shouldn't really be starters and a bunch of deadwood. He also swung for the fences with some draft picks with injury issues. Caris LaVert is coming off a broke foot, whilst last years pick, Chris McCullough is coming off a torn ACL
Do i really need to waste my time breaking this down? They'll run a heap of Lin/Bropez pick and roll, Bojan will catch fire occasionally and RHJ will take a step forward. Lopez will get injured at some point and they have the draft to look forward to..... oh wait they pick swap again....
"I think we can,’’ Bogdanovic said of the team's postseason chances. "They can write what they want. But we’re going to work hard to give it our best. When we get in a game, we have a chance to beat anybody. It’s going to be tough, but if we play like we practice, we have a chance."
Tell you what Bojan, I'll be surprised if you win 15 games let alone make the playoffs
In the gun: Jeremy Lin i guess? Big Mac is in last chance saloon?
Is a gun: Bropez i guess? Until he gets injured or traded.....
Needs improvement: I'm a huge wrap for RHJ. He might not ever be a scorer, but he's a bundle of energy and has the potential to be a defensive beast
Big question: Does anyone care?
Crystal Ball: Treading water until they get picks and lots and lots of losses. Lets say 14 wins
I mean the Nets just unveiled some sweet jerseys
But thats going to be the highlight of their season.
2015/16 Record: 21-61
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #27 offensively, ranked #29 defensively
2015/16 Leaders: 20.6ppg Bropez, 4.4apg Donald Sloan, 9.0rpg Thad Young
Additions: Jeremy Lin, Vasquez, Big Mac Bennett, Luis Scola
Departures: Jarrett Jack, Thad Young, Thomas Robinson
Draft: Caris LaVert, Isaiah Whitehead
Notable: Sean Marks (new GM, aka not Billy King)
So what do we have depth wise
Jeremy Lin
RHJ
Bojan Bogdanovic
Trevor Booker
Bropez
Caris LaVert, Isaiah Whitehead
Chris McCullough
Luis Scola
Big Mac Bennett
Greivis Vasquez
Oh sweet jesus its worse than i thought
Sean Marks went out and signed Crabbe and Tyler Johnson to large offer sheets, unfortunately for Brooklyn, they were matched, leaving them with a big bag of nothing, whilst the Celtics got to use (or waste) their draft pick. Whats left is 5 NBA calibre players, 3 of whom shouldn't really be starters and a bunch of deadwood. He also swung for the fences with some draft picks with injury issues. Caris LaVert is coming off a broke foot, whilst last years pick, Chris McCullough is coming off a torn ACL
Do i really need to waste my time breaking this down? They'll run a heap of Lin/Bropez pick and roll, Bojan will catch fire occasionally and RHJ will take a step forward. Lopez will get injured at some point and they have the draft to look forward to..... oh wait they pick swap again....
"I think we can,’’ Bogdanovic said of the team's postseason chances. "They can write what they want. But we’re going to work hard to give it our best. When we get in a game, we have a chance to beat anybody. It’s going to be tough, but if we play like we practice, we have a chance."
Tell you what Bojan, I'll be surprised if you win 15 games let alone make the playoffs
In the gun: Jeremy Lin i guess? Big Mac is in last chance saloon?
Is a gun: Bropez i guess? Until he gets injured or traded.....
Needs improvement: I'm a huge wrap for RHJ. He might not ever be a scorer, but he's a bundle of energy and has the potential to be a defensive beast
Big question: Does anyone care?
Crystal Ball: Treading water until they get picks and lots and lots of losses. Lets say 14 wins
J Shuttlesworth
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Does anyone care about a Brooklyn preview?
I mean the Nets just unveiled some sweet jerseys
That is a pretty damn good looking potato sack.
Props on that one Brooklyn.
peternorth
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I'd accept that
peternorth
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2015/16 Record: 17-65, 15th in Western Conference
2015/16 Stats: Pretty much last in everything except first in the following
Points conceded
Passes to disadvantage
Media mentions/minute
Anti-kobe tweets/second
2015/16 Leaders:
PPG – 15.5 Jordan “My name’s not Jeremy” Clarkson
RPG – 10.2 Julius “short arms” Randle
APG – Marcelo “not detriot” Huertas
Field Goal % - over 50% B Bass
Blocks – 1.4 Roy “the corpse” Hibbert
Steals, 3P% and snitches– 1.2, 35.1%, 1.00 DA Russell
Additions (any chance of getting some Americans?): Tim Mozgov, Lolol Deng, Brandon Ingram, Yi, Ivica Zubac, Calderon
Departures: Kobe. Hibbert, Bass… BYRON SCOTT!!!
Draft: Ingram
Notable: Luke Walton
What do you say, what can you do after a season long celebration of future Hall of Famer, Laker leader in games played, minutes played (warrior), injuries, FGM, 3PM, points, steals, jerseys sold? I mean, what do you do to fill a gaping hole that was once filled, stretched and ravaged by Kobe Bryant?
Should you need reminding:
An epic final game.
Aside from that, we saw an emergence of Generation Next. Unheralded Clarkson formed a terrifying backcourt with rookie D’Angelo Russell. Speed, ball handling and shooting came in bucket loads (when Kobe wasn’t playing). Julius Randle was essentially a rookie as he missed his rookie season with a busted leg. He experienced some rookie pains, but showed much promise. Larry Nance Jr added many highlights to ESPNs daily recaps. He also looks like James Deen.
Great example of this up and coming trio came in Game 61 v Brooklyn. Russell went nuts with 39 points including 8 x 3s, Randle corralled 13 boards, and Clarko assisted 7 times.
And who can forget that 3 game winning streak spanning end of December into January? Boston, Philly and Phoenix the slayed victims.
Luckily no American Lakers were selected for Team USA allowing players to work on their games more during the off season. For example:
Depth Chart (can you say deep without any substance?)
C: Mozgov, Zubac, Tarik Black (gotta say his name in full, like Lin Jong)
Stretch 4: Yi
Undersized PF: Randle *
Athletic PF: Nance Jr
SF: Deng, Ingram
Combo G: Clarkson/Williams
PG: Russell/Huertas/Calderon
GTFO: SwaggyP
Randle can also play the Point Forward position
Brandon Ingram is ready. The number 2 draft pick has all the hallmarks of an all star player. Quirky body shape, smooth shooting touch and a penchant for scoring. He comes into the league without the pressure of being no 1, which is what this author wanted. There is genuine excitement around him. He can create his own shot. He will wear the same number as former lanky limbed shooter Sam Perkins (#14).
There are knocks on his slight frame. He should fill out in time. But hey, players with non normal weights have excelled in the NBA over time. From Thunder Warrior Kevin Durant, Reggie Miller, Oliver Miller and former New York Knick Eddy Curry.
Luol Deng comes to Lakerland to provide experience and veteran leadership. He will be a great mentor for Ingram. Speaking of experience, Spanish guards Huertas and Calderon bring latino flair to the floor. Calderon, a veteran in the NBA, is slow. But like Huertas uses angles well. Expect Russell to learn little or nothing from either of them. Oh yeah, Huertas is Brazilian not Spanish but you know, same same.
Larry Nance has been working on the 3 pt shot in the off season.
Randle excites me greatly. Under Walton he will be the new Draymond Green without the arrogance and ball kicking. Expect his double double numbers to be off the charts this season.
Who the fuq is this guy?
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/771474006272651264
What to expect (when you’re expecting)
Last in the Division, last in the conference. Easy.
Yes but there will be some nice results right?
I haven’t looked through the schedule, but the all star break looks appealing.
We paid Mozgov how much?
64 over 4. Fuq.
My take
I look at this squad and think to myself, w.t.f? Sure, development of Randle, Ingram and Zubac will be fun, but other than that it’s gonna be a long season. Luckily I can spend more time moderating this site then.
Oh wait, this happened:
https://twitter.com/DFenders/status/775416769993289728
stewie griffen
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64 over 4
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Not one mention of Will Barton?
Completely forgot about the Thrill, he'll get plenty of minutes off the bench between the 2 and the 3. Expect him to be traded though, probably with Faried.
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Will Barton's obviously another one of those guys on horribly overpaid contracts /know-all
Speaking of mismanagement, you guys gave Jokic $5mil. Spread over four years. Bet you wish you'd given Mozgov $64 million now...
It honestly sickens me that Mozzy isn't even getting 13 times what Jokic is. Moar liek JOKEitch
Gak Attack
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Houston Rockets Preview:
2015/16 Record: 41-41 (8th Western Conference)
2015/16 Stats: 106.5ppg(4th), 106.4opg(25th), 105.5 offensive efficiency(8th), 105.6 defensive efficiency(T 20th)
2015/16 Leaders: Points – James Harden (29ppg), Rebounds – Dwert Coward (11.8 rpg), Assists – James Harden (7.5 apg)
Additions: Ryan Anderson (NOP), Eric Gordon (NOP), Nene (WAS), Pablo Prigioni (Old folks home), Mike D'Antoni (A hole he should have stayed in).
Departures: Dwert (ATL), Terrence Jones (NOP on route to NBL), Jason Terry (MIL), Josh Smith (Anyone?), J.B. Bickerstaff (With any luck into the hole D'Antoni crawled out of)
Draft: Chinanu Onuaku Pikachu (Pick 37), Zhou Qi (Pick 43).
Notable: James Harden re-signed(4 years, $118 million), D-Mo remains unsigned.
Well this time last year expectations were huge for Rockets fans, coming off a Western Conference finals appearance despite missing two starters, a championship in 15/16 was certainly on the cards once they added Ty Lawson. Fast forward 12 months and Kevin McFail is gone and so too his mini-me replacement J.B. Bickershit, a declining Howard and Harden clashed, the Rockets undeservedly limped into the playoffs, Brewer went back to being a useless tip rat and Ty Lawson has gone from an alcoholic basketball player to an alcoholic and finds himself who cares where. At least a Rockets player picked up one award:
Once again the Rockets fans looked to the following season with high hopes(they couldn't do any worse surely?). Enter a senile old man owner and his decision to appoint Mike D'Antoni and exit Rockets fans hopes, dreams and sanity. With a star player who treats defense like he does fidelity to Mrs Lamar Odom it seemed logical that the Rockets would look to a tougher coach to improve their pathetic defense, instead wisdom won out and they brought in possibly the worst defensive coach in the age of man. What once seemed impossible now seems possible, James Harden may get worse on defense.
It's not all doom and gloom though. The Rockets have at least gone all in for the D'Antoni system by signing 20 games worth of Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon(once in this debate on this here forum). On the surface both players when on the floor should fit well, both benefiting from attention Harden draws on offense and finding themselves plenty of open looks. The non-signing of any competent point guard indicates that man will be predominantly be Harden, while this has always been the case on offense it's likely he now has a legit shooting guard with him on the floor in Gordon instead of a non ball handling point guard, the downside to this obviously is the fact these two are guarding the guards of the opposition.
In the big man department the Rockets say goodbye to Dwight Howard who gaves us two decent seasons and one very poor one. It was quite evident to anyone(except the Hawks) as last season went on that Howard was declining quicker than one would hope and none of those extra touches he wanted so badly would make a lot of difference. It's hard to hate on the guy despite his flaws however as he was probably our best player in his first two playoffs with us, although his decision to decline his player options certainly benefited both sides. One nice little deal was bringing in Nene for next to nothing as a replacement, Capela is likely to take over the starting job but showed as most young bigs do that consistency is an issue, Nene provides excellent support here.
2016/2017 Rotation:
PG: Beverley, Prigioni
SG: Harden, Gordon, McDaniels
SF: Ariza, Brewer, McDaniels
PF: Anderson, Beasley
C: Capela, Nene
In the gun: Les Alexander. Apparently the main reason for the D'Antoni hiring he will be responsible if it is a failure.
Is a gun: Make your jokes Mr Jokey Joke Makers however this team will live or die by Harden. Despite his obvious defensive flaws he has shown he can carry this team to the playoffs. Should be a fantasy NBA players dream this season under D'Antoni where he could easily average 30+ points and 10 assists game as the primary ball handler. As a fan I hope but don't expect to see the defensive effort at least somewhat improve.
Needs improvement: Corey Brewer. Used his part in the Clippers choke in 14/15 to ink himself a nice deal and then produced one of the all time howlers of a season in 15/16. His shocking contract makes him hard to move even with the increased cap so improvement is the only hope.
Big question: What is the world record of money spent at a strippers? With $118 million in Hardens back pocket we're about to find out.
Crystal ball: Assuming the Rockets stay reasonably healthy for the season they should at the very least improve on last seasons record. Given the offensive talent under D'Antoni it will likely be too much for the lesser teams but as always be found out come playoff time.
52-30 (5-7 seed). First round exit.
2015/16 Record: 41-41 (8th Western Conference)
2015/16 Stats: 106.5ppg(4th), 106.4opg(25th), 105.5 offensive efficiency(8th), 105.6 defensive efficiency(T 20th)
2015/16 Leaders: Points – James Harden (29ppg), Rebounds – Dwert Coward (11.8 rpg), Assists – James Harden (7.5 apg)
Additions: Ryan Anderson (NOP), Eric Gordon (NOP), Nene (WAS), Pablo Prigioni (Old folks home), Mike D'Antoni (A hole he should have stayed in).
Departures: Dwert (ATL), Terrence Jones (NOP on route to NBL), Jason Terry (MIL), Josh Smith (Anyone?), J.B. Bickerstaff (With any luck into the hole D'Antoni crawled out of)
Draft: Chinanu Onuaku Pikachu (Pick 37), Zhou Qi (Pick 43).
Notable: James Harden re-signed(4 years, $118 million), D-Mo remains unsigned.
Well this time last year expectations were huge for Rockets fans, coming off a Western Conference finals appearance despite missing two starters, a championship in 15/16 was certainly on the cards once they added Ty Lawson. Fast forward 12 months and Kevin McFail is gone and so too his mini-me replacement J.B. Bickershit, a declining Howard and Harden clashed, the Rockets undeservedly limped into the playoffs, Brewer went back to being a useless tip rat and Ty Lawson has gone from an alcoholic basketball player to an alcoholic and finds himself who cares where. At least a Rockets player picked up one award:
Once again the Rockets fans looked to the following season with high hopes(they couldn't do any worse surely?). Enter a senile old man owner and his decision to appoint Mike D'Antoni and exit Rockets fans hopes, dreams and sanity. With a star player who treats defense like he does fidelity to Mrs Lamar Odom it seemed logical that the Rockets would look to a tougher coach to improve their pathetic defense, instead wisdom won out and they brought in possibly the worst defensive coach in the age of man. What once seemed impossible now seems possible, James Harden may get worse on defense.
It's not all doom and gloom though. The Rockets have at least gone all in for the D'Antoni system by signing 20 games worth of Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon(once in this debate on this here forum). On the surface both players when on the floor should fit well, both benefiting from attention Harden draws on offense and finding themselves plenty of open looks. The non-signing of any competent point guard indicates that man will be predominantly be Harden, while this has always been the case on offense it's likely he now has a legit shooting guard with him on the floor in Gordon instead of a non ball handling point guard, the downside to this obviously is the fact these two are guarding the guards of the opposition.
In the big man department the Rockets say goodbye to Dwight Howard who gaves us two decent seasons and one very poor one. It was quite evident to anyone(except the Hawks) as last season went on that Howard was declining quicker than one would hope and none of those extra touches he wanted so badly would make a lot of difference. It's hard to hate on the guy despite his flaws however as he was probably our best player in his first two playoffs with us, although his decision to decline his player options certainly benefited both sides. One nice little deal was bringing in Nene for next to nothing as a replacement, Capela is likely to take over the starting job but showed as most young bigs do that consistency is an issue, Nene provides excellent support here.
2016/2017 Rotation:
PG: Beverley, Prigioni
SG: Harden, Gordon, McDaniels
SF: Ariza, Brewer, McDaniels
PF: Anderson, Beasley
C: Capela, Nene
In the gun: Les Alexander. Apparently the main reason for the D'Antoni hiring he will be responsible if it is a failure.
Is a gun: Make your jokes Mr Jokey Joke Makers however this team will live or die by Harden. Despite his obvious defensive flaws he has shown he can carry this team to the playoffs. Should be a fantasy NBA players dream this season under D'Antoni where he could easily average 30+ points and 10 assists game as the primary ball handler. As a fan I hope but don't expect to see the defensive effort at least somewhat improve.
Needs improvement: Corey Brewer. Used his part in the Clippers choke in 14/15 to ink himself a nice deal and then produced one of the all time howlers of a season in 15/16. His shocking contract makes him hard to move even with the increased cap so improvement is the only hope.
Big question: What is the world record of money spent at a strippers? With $118 million in Hardens back pocket we're about to find out.
Crystal ball: Assuming the Rockets stay reasonably healthy for the season they should at the very least improve on last seasons record. Given the offensive talent under D'Antoni it will likely be too much for the lesser teams but as always be found out come playoff time.
52-30 (5-7 seed). First round exit.
Last edited:
- May 23, 2012
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- Tottenham Hotspur, New Orleans Pels
Lol, $118 mil worth of strippers.
Gak Attack do you think that Beverley is ultimately the best fit to start with Harden? It kinda seems that way to me, though George Hill would've been a nice get if you'd had the assets to land him.
EG might do nicely as a 6th man, trouble is that's a role that Ryno is also kinda suited to. Both well suited to play with Harden offensively, both ill-suited to play with him defensively... a conundrum. Will be intrigued to see how this all pans out.
Gak Attack do you think that Beverley is ultimately the best fit to start with Harden? It kinda seems that way to me, though George Hill would've been a nice get if you'd had the assets to land him.
EG might do nicely as a 6th man, trouble is that's a role that Ryno is also kinda suited to. Both well suited to play with Harden offensively, both ill-suited to play with him defensively... a conundrum. Will be intrigued to see how this all pans out.
Gak Attack
Brownlow Medallist
I think Beverley will start, EG to come on for him after 6-7 mins and then make the call game by game. I would've liked an upgrade on Bev, even if that was a defensive two man.
On defense I get the feeling they literally don't care and just plan to outscore them. With the legit stars they will use Ariza and Beverley to try and slow them somewhat.
- Mar 28, 2010
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- Miami HEAT
Miami Heat preview is here, compadres.
Miami enter this season having lost the face of the franchise. The first season without Wade since 2002-03.
He will always be a Heat player, thank you Wade.
2015/16 Record: 48-34 (3rd in Eastern Conference)
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #12 offensive efficiency (104.2), ranked #7 defensive efficiency (101.6)
101.6ppg (21), allowed 103.1ppg (16)
2015/16 Leaders: 19.1ppg Chris Bosh, 5.8apg Goran Dragic, 11.8rpg Hassan Whiteside
Additions: Wayne Ellington, Derrick Williams, Dion Waiters
Departures: Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Luol Deng
Draft: Did not have a pick
Notable: Wade left, Whiteside signed 4-yr $98m, Bosh looks likely to return
Positions/Depth:
PG
Goran Dragic will benefit from the loss of Wade the most, this will allow for him to run a faster offense. Turning 30 isn't typically great for a point guard, so we'll see if he can keep his pace up. The Heat offense will need it. Heat signed Beno Udrih back up after letting his contract go when he suffered a torn plantar plate in his right foot in February against Indiana.
Other: [New] Dion Waiters (he's a PG, there you go!)
SG
Josh Richardson will more than likely not be on court when the Heat tip off their season as he recovers from partially tearing his MCL. This puts a different perspective on the matching of Brooklyn's offer to Tyler Johnson, while being a PG Tyler can play both guard spots.
Other: [New] Wayne Ellington (Brooklyn)
[New] Rodney McGruder (Skyforce D-League)
SF
Justise Winslow comes into his second season after playing 78 games in his debut season (and 13 more in the playoffs), averaging 28.6 minutes per game for 6.4ppg. James Johnson was signed from Toronto to back him up.
Other: [New] Luke Babbitt (Nawlins)
PF
Over the last couple of days the news has been getting more positive about the return of Chris Bosh who has missed the second half of the last two seasons with blood clots. Miami's post-season hopes rely partly on Bosh, a sneaky chance at the playoffs if he plays, little chance if he sits. However depth at the 4 has improved following the recruitment of Derrick Williams from the Knicks who should excite Heat fans. He tore Miami apart in the NYK @ MIA meeting I saw live in January. An explosive offensive player, there's a reason Knicks fans are sad to see him go. Haslem will go around again, as one of only two (the other being Bosh) championship Heat players left.
C
Hassan Whiteside was the big re-signing of the off-season. It looked like the NBA's leading shot blocker was off to Dallas for a while, but the big man ended up signing with the heat for 4 years in a contract worth $98m. His backup Willie Reed attempts to emulate Whiteside's journey having followed a similar path. Here's hoping he hasn't been Brooklyn-ed.
Unmissable games;
Saturday Nov. 5, 2016: Heat @ Toronto Raptors (10:30am AEST)- The rematch of the semi finals.
Friday Nov. 11, 2016: Heat vs. Chicago Bulls (12pm AEST)- Wade comes home.
In the gun: Tyler Johnson. Matching that Brooklyn offer meant he got paid a lot of dough. He could be offloaded if he isn't worth the cost.
Is a gun: Justise Winslow. New face of the Heat needs to avoid the sophomore slump.
Needs improvement: Hassan Whiteside. DPOY should be his aim. "Nobody's doin' it wit blocks".
Big question: Will Bosh be fit all season? He know he won't play the second night of back to backs.
Prediction: 38-44
Miami enter this season having lost the face of the franchise. The first season without Wade since 2002-03.
He will always be a Heat player, thank you Wade.
2015/16 Record: 48-34 (3rd in Eastern Conference)
2015/16 Stats: Ranked #12 offensive efficiency (104.2), ranked #7 defensive efficiency (101.6)
101.6ppg (21), allowed 103.1ppg (16)
2015/16 Leaders: 19.1ppg Chris Bosh, 5.8apg Goran Dragic, 11.8rpg Hassan Whiteside
Additions: Wayne Ellington, Derrick Williams, Dion Waiters
Departures: Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Luol Deng
Draft: Did not have a pick
Notable: Wade left, Whiteside signed 4-yr $98m, Bosh looks likely to return
Positions/Depth:
PG
Goran Dragic will benefit from the loss of Wade the most, this will allow for him to run a faster offense. Turning 30 isn't typically great for a point guard, so we'll see if he can keep his pace up. The Heat offense will need it. Heat signed Beno Udrih back up after letting his contract go when he suffered a torn plantar plate in his right foot in February against Indiana.
Other: [New] Dion Waiters (he's a PG, there you go!)
SG
Josh Richardson will more than likely not be on court when the Heat tip off their season as he recovers from partially tearing his MCL. This puts a different perspective on the matching of Brooklyn's offer to Tyler Johnson, while being a PG Tyler can play both guard spots.
Other: [New] Wayne Ellington (Brooklyn)
[New] Rodney McGruder (Skyforce D-League)
SF
Justise Winslow comes into his second season after playing 78 games in his debut season (and 13 more in the playoffs), averaging 28.6 minutes per game for 6.4ppg. James Johnson was signed from Toronto to back him up.
Other: [New] Luke Babbitt (Nawlins)
PF
Over the last couple of days the news has been getting more positive about the return of Chris Bosh who has missed the second half of the last two seasons with blood clots. Miami's post-season hopes rely partly on Bosh, a sneaky chance at the playoffs if he plays, little chance if he sits. However depth at the 4 has improved following the recruitment of Derrick Williams from the Knicks who should excite Heat fans. He tore Miami apart in the NYK @ MIA meeting I saw live in January. An explosive offensive player, there's a reason Knicks fans are sad to see him go. Haslem will go around again, as one of only two (the other being Bosh) championship Heat players left.
C
Hassan Whiteside was the big re-signing of the off-season. It looked like the NBA's leading shot blocker was off to Dallas for a while, but the big man ended up signing with the heat for 4 years in a contract worth $98m. His backup Willie Reed attempts to emulate Whiteside's journey having followed a similar path. Here's hoping he hasn't been Brooklyn-ed.
Unmissable games;
Saturday Nov. 5, 2016: Heat @ Toronto Raptors (10:30am AEST)- The rematch of the semi finals.
Friday Nov. 11, 2016: Heat vs. Chicago Bulls (12pm AEST)- Wade comes home.
In the gun: Tyler Johnson. Matching that Brooklyn offer meant he got paid a lot of dough. He could be offloaded if he isn't worth the cost.
Is a gun: Justise Winslow. New face of the Heat needs to avoid the sophomore slump.
Needs improvement: Hassan Whiteside. DPOY should be his aim. "Nobody's doin' it wit blocks".
Big question: Will Bosh be fit all season? He know he won't play the second night of back to backs.
Prediction: 38-44
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