Adult Content Warning

This community may contain adult content that is not suitable for minors. By closing this dialog box or continuing to navigate this site, you certify that you are 18 years of age and consent to view adult content.

The Association: 2017-2018

Discussion in 'Sports Board' started by Trakiel, Jul 24, 2017.

  1. Trakiel

    Trakiel
    Expand Collapse
    Call me Caitlyn. Got any cake?

    Reputation:
    245
    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    Messages:
    3,167
    Location:
    St. Paul, MN
    Welp, this thread is overdue with all the off-season drama: For those that haven't been following it, here's a good video summation: https://streamable.com/q3pev

    So let's get the pertinent questions out there:

    1. Is the East done hemorrhaging or will Irving be the next defector?
    2. What the fuck do the Western Conference playoffs look like?
    3. Who can dethrone the Warriors? Houston? The Spurs?
    4. Is it possible that the Warriors wear themselves out getting to the Finals and lose to LeBron or the Celtics?
    5. Speaking of which, does Ainge continue sitting on his hands or does he actually make a move?

    And most importantly...

    6. Will this be the year my Wolves finally end their playoff drought???

    Discuss.
     
  2. dieformetal

    dieformetal
    Expand Collapse
    Hurricanes Are My Bitch

    Reputation:
    133
    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2009
    Messages:
    1,276
    Let's try this again...


    1. Probably Irving to the West.
    2. 1) Warriors 2) Rockets 3) Spurs 4) Thunder 5) Timberwolves 6) Clippers 7) Trailblazers 8) I don't fucking know...coin flip says Pelicans.
    3. Honestly, I don't think anyone can barring major injuries. It's theirs to lose for the next 1-3 years.
    That's why I don't care that My Beloved Bulls are going to suck for the foreseeable future.
    4. Not at all.
    5. We'll he did sign Gordon Hayward....
    6. See #2.
     
  3. Puffman

    Puffman
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    147
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,460
    Location:
    Central California
    What Dieformetal said. As a lifelong Dubs fan it is really great to see what has been accomplished. Barring injury I just do not see any other team that has the same degree of team cohesion on the court and every player willing to do what they need to, in order to win. As Bill Belichick would say "just do your job." Pretty easy to say and pretty hard to do in today's NBA where scoring means money in a players pocket.

    That said it will be about $100 for the worst seat in the house to watch the Dubs this year. Success has a price. I will probably be going to Sacramento twice this year to watch the Dubs.
     
  4. Trakiel

    Trakiel
    Expand Collapse
    Call me Caitlyn. Got any cake?

    Reputation:
    245
    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    Messages:
    3,167
    Location:
    St. Paul, MN
    Welp, my team is a disaster. I'm about at the end of my rope with Thibs.
     
  5. Revengeofthenerds

    Revengeofthenerds
    Expand Collapse
    ER Frequent Flyer Platinum Member

    Reputation:
    1,046
    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    12,989
    I just feel bad the tpups fans. Thibs is a shitty coach who refuses to adapt his style to the league, and I don’t know why he still has a job anywhere. They have good players but in no way shape or form should Butler be your #1 guy. Didn’t like that max extension to Wiggins either, don’t think he’s worth it. In fact I don’t think they should have made that trade with Chicago. Just kept their pick and stuck around the lottery area for this next loaded draft too.

    Their fans are great, KAT is insane, but their management always fumbles the ball right at the goal line so they can never make that leap into true playoff contention, nevermind championship contention.
     
  6. Trakiel

    Trakiel
    Expand Collapse
    Call me Caitlyn. Got any cake?

    Reputation:
    245
    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    Messages:
    3,167
    Location:
    St. Paul, MN
    1. I was worried about the Thibs signing from the beginning. It always makes me nervous when one of the conditions a guy makes for his hire is that he gets to be GM along with head coach. It never ends well. I also worried about his track record of overplaying his best guys. But I thought those were acceptable risks given his defensive acumen. But the Wolves' defense is still shit, so at this point I don't know what Thibs is actually bringing to the table.
    2. I didn't like losing LaVine, but Dunn did nothing his rookie year and looked like a bust. I can't fault them for that trade because they got Butler and gave up little in exchange.
    3. On the other hand I hated the Rubio trade. Yes, Rubio's shooting has always been an issue, but his defense is great and with Wiggins, Butler, and Towns it's not like the Wolves needed his offense. Then again, when he was here last year Thibs would stupidly take the ball out of his hands after he brought it up the court and then have him stand in the corner and wait for spot up threes. It took Thibs half the season for him to realize that was a terrible way to use Rubio.
    4. I'm worried about Wiggins' extension. He hasn't shown he's worth it, but he has improved every year and is still only 22. It's a risky move that could go either way, but in some ways the Wolves had to do it.

    If the Wolves don't at least finish with a winning record, then Thibs needs to go - especially if their biggest issues are defense.
     
  7. Puffman

    Puffman
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    147
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,460
    Location:
    Central California
    Goodnight Spurs, thank you for hosting the Dubs. Nice road win.
     
  8. Trakiel

    Trakiel
    Expand Collapse
    Call me Caitlyn. Got any cake?

    Reputation:
    245
    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    Messages:
    3,167
    Location:
    St. Paul, MN
    After last night's game I'm pretty much done with Thibs. But he has three years left on his contract so he's not going anywhere. I just hope that by the time he's gone Wiggins' and Towns' careers will still be salvagable.
     
  9. Puffman

    Puffman
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    147
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,460
    Location:
    Central California
    Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers tip off for their first game against each other this season. If you get a chance after the Holiday Dinner I think it will be a good one. The Dubs will be playing their third game in 64 hours and they had some tired legs against the Nuggets in last nights loss. There is a lot of pride on both those teams, so while they are both saying it is just another regular season game, I think they are lying.
     
  10. $100T2

    $100T2
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    108
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,966
    Great to see how hard the Celtics are playing and potentially will make the finals...

    Sad to know Danny Ainge will trade anything other than Kyrie and Gordon Hayward to get Anthony Davis. I would love a season with a healthy Kyrie and Gordon before he blasts the team to hell.
     
  11. Puffman

    Puffman
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    147
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,460
    Location:
    Central California
    Fuck, I am pissed the Dubs lost the finals. Kudos to the Raptors for playing a great series. Now go fuck off and die.
     
  12. wexton

    wexton
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    351
    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2009
    Messages:
    3,239
    Location:
    North Coast BC
    awww you sad that you cant say now that the NBA finals have always been won by an American team.
     
  13. Revengeofthenerds

    Revengeofthenerds
    Expand Collapse
    ER Frequent Flyer Platinum Member

    Reputation:
    1,046
    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    12,989
    The raptors deserve every bit of praise that's coming their way.

    That being said, Kawhi can go fuck himself. He's a garbage human and sadly Toronto fans will find that out soon enough when he puts on a Clippers jersey.
     
  14. $100T2

    $100T2
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    108
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    Messages:
    1,966
    Anyone else happy that Lonzo Ball got traded? I'm rooting for the Lakers next year ONLY to shut his blowhard father the fuck up.
     
  15. Revengeofthenerds

    Revengeofthenerds
    Expand Collapse
    ER Frequent Flyer Platinum Member

    Reputation:
    1,046
    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    12,989
    Got a feeling he's gonna go to a few different teams throughout his career. It'l be funny to see how Lavar handles himself in NOLA. I like Lonzo, he seems like a good dude. Injury prone, weird ass jumper, but at least he tries. His dad is gonna go apeshit though.
     
  16. Revengeofthenerds

    Revengeofthenerds
    Expand Collapse
    ER Frequent Flyer Platinum Member

    Reputation:
    1,046
    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    12,989
    lol lakers
    lol raptors
    lol westbroke
     
  17. Czechvodkabaron

    Czechvodkabaron
    Expand Collapse
    Emotionally Jaded

    Reputation:
    95
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2009
    Messages:
    608
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    It's interesting that the Raptors reportedly refused a trade with the Thunder that would have sent Westbrook and Paul George to Toronto in exchange for Pascal Siakam. That move would gave kept Kawhi on the Raptors. It would hurt to lose a budding star like Siakam, but now the Raptors won't even be contenders in a year where the league will be more wide open than it has been in years. Westbrook could still be traded, and while the Thunder won't be contenders now they sure are set up for the future.

    And it's disappointing that Danny Green and Kawhi won't be teammates anymore, but Green should be a good addition for the Lakers.
     
  18. Revengeofthenerds

    Revengeofthenerds
    Expand Collapse
    ER Frequent Flyer Platinum Member

    Reputation:
    1,046
    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    12,989
    And at $15 million, Green is getting paid too.

    The PG/Westbrook trade was also supposed to include a lot of draft picks and other players in order to make salaries work. Still, if you're toronto, you do that, IF you have a guarantee that Kawhi will come to you then.

    I actually liked the trade for OKC. They get a ton of picks (last one coming in 2029) plus one of the best young pointguards in the league. I don't like Westbrook and hope they trade him for more assets. They had reached their ceiling with the PG/Westbrook tandem, and that ceiling was an early playoff exit. Like what the raptors did with DeRozan did, if you can only make it so far with your current roster and a situation for potential improvement presents itself, you gotta take that shot.