Arena The NBA Thread

Ripped from the social thread. Another patented CT post that is rambling and way too long.

I agree with tom in that I've never seen anyone do what Russ has done, so I just can't trust any comparisons. I never, ever thought he'd actually have the gas tank to pull off even a single triple double season, much less two. I said over and over that he would die if he tried to play the whole season that hard. But he did it. I can't count him out after that.

Cowherd isn't wrong, there is a track record of poor shooting, athletic/quick point guards declining around age 30. But two things: those guys are from a different era, with a lower level of training/diet/recovery/body maintenance, and a more grueling schedule. The reduction in back-to-backs alone is keeping guys healthy and young. Two, those point guards were also small. Russ is not. Guys like Kidd, Payton, Cassell, etc held up longer. The smaller point guards drop off a cliff around 34 (if they even make it there), and while the bigger ones do decline, not as precipitously.

With today's fitness levels, with Russ' fitness levels, it's possible he doesn't really start to decline until 34.

For this season, I don't think age will affect Russ. It'll be a matter of how well his knee holds up, which I don't think is about age or breaking down yet.

Russ can greatly extend his career like Kidd did if he can improve his shooting, which apparently he worked really hard on this offseason. Well, before the knee surgery, which didn't come until mid-September, I believe. Plenty of time to work on his shooting.

Then again, NBA players in general begin to decline around 30-32, not just guards.

If I'm judging Russ by what I saw last season...I didn't see the slightest evidence of athletic decline. He hasn't lost a step yet. I can usually see when a guy just isn't as quick or explosive as he used to be. That wasn't Russ last year. I'll have to wait to see if its the case this year.

One good, recent example of a quick, poor shooting guard who fell off a cliff at age 30. Monta Ellis. When he was younger no one could really stay in front of him. Suddenly, that was gone, and his scoring dropped by 5 ppg two years in a row (18, 13, 8), and then he was done at 31.

A classic example would be OG Isiah Thomas, who was shot in the Achilles by father time at 32. He's admitted that he had lost his desire at that point and wasn't really working hard.

New IT is a prime candidate, being particularly short and having that bad hip injury. He can shoot, though.

I have to stop now before I go crazy with examples. If any of you have any you remember in particular, go ahead.

 

it's only been two quarters of mostly pretty sloppy (with a few real flashes of brilliance) regular season basketball, but ben simmons clearly went to work on his game this summer. i feel like, if anyone besides russ could average a triple double, this guy could do it and he could maybe even make it look easy. needs his teammates to make shots though.

anyway, i'm ridiculously glad basketball is back. the shorter preseason is always going to mean a sloppier first couple weeks, but i'll take it.

 

Yeah, Simmons will most likely finish with a triple double tonight. Playing really well.

Tatum and Brown look good too, but yeah the game is very sloppy.

Kyrie is 0 for 8 shooting lol

 

And really pilfered some other teams in trades

 

Just watched last night's night cap. Last season the Thunder would blow leads in the third quarter, last night they actually caught up and took a small short lived lead. I did not expect them to win, but was pleasantly surprised that I was able to watch the entire game knowing the end score. Somehow I expected them to get down by 20+ and the Warriors not having to work for their win. Should be a really good game on the 25th IF Westbrook plays.

 

The Celtics demonstrated last night why they are the favorites to come out of the East. Great young talent everywhere, deep bench and well coached. And they didn't need much of anything from the veteran stars. Tatum is definitely blossoming into an elite level player. It was nice that hit that shot over Embid and starred him down as he went back on defense. And Brown got really lucky with that attempted dunk over Embid. And the Sixers still look young and limited, as both Simmons and Fultz don't really have an outside game, so they have to work hard to get their shots. Despite the talent of Embid, the Sixers success will fall on Simmons and Fultz because the way the NBA is played, especially by the elite teams.

I love watching the Ring ceremony last night.

As far as the game, it was closer than I thought it would be with Westbrook on the bench. Speaking of which, he dressed more conservative than usual. Paul George showed why he's one of the league's best player as he carried the Thunder in the second half. Dennis Schröder looked good in place of Westbrook, but the team should really be good when Westbrook is back in the line up. The game also highlighted the Warriors short comings, which is their proclivity in turning the ball over. Additionally, the problems when the Dubs are cold from the three point line, which are long rebounds often controlled by the opponents which create fast break opportunities and thus create foul issues. Also, since the Dubs have never really had a solid Center, they often can't get defensive rebounds. The Thunder were shooting pretty bad in the first half but were able to managed to keep the score close because of second chance opportunities. The Warriors bench isn't as deep or good has it been a few years ago, so that's something of concern going through the 82 game season.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Rockets tonight. It probably will take awhile for it to show, but I don't think they'll be good defensively with the departures of Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, and the inclusion of Melo. But, I think it's good for the Rockets that Melo has agreed to come off the bench, especially after he laughed at even the suggestion of it when he was in OKC. I posted before the season started last year that it would have served OKC better if Melo came of the bench. I don't think the Rockets can run it back this year and pull away from the Warriors in the regular season because CP3 is a year older and I think the Rockets won't press as hard as they did last year to preserve CP3 for the post season. CP3 should play less minutes per game this season.

 

klay was just ice cold, and the shots he was missing were wide open. that (hopefully) won't happen very often. i thought the only guys from last year's team that they missed were west and mccaw. hopefully they get mccaw's contract situation figured out. i'm still breathing a sigh of relief that javale and zaza are gone. looney gives them more than either of those guys and damian jones feels like he could develop into a less clumsy mcgee. and we should be getting that solid center we've been lacking around christmas. don't worry ssp!

 

League Pass is on a free trial to open the season, FYI. Especially for those like me following an out of town team. I also bought the season audio pass, because at ten bucks it's a tremendous value

 

i'm watching rockets/pelicans. houston, we have a problem. it's defense.

 

Cedi looked pretty good. Second quarter was forgettable. Like, the team forgot they had to play in the second quarter. Reminded me of the LeBron wer

 

Charlotte definitely has one of the coolest looking courts.

Watched some of the Toronto and Cleveland game. Raptors look very good.

 

Cedi looked amazing at times, both ends.

**** for Brains Clarkson looked like **** for Brains.

Young Bull looked like a bulldog on D.

...all for about a half yeah :/

 

Yep. Considering trying to carve out time when they visit Denver just to see up close how bad they are, and what Jokic can do passing the ball to just terrorize them.

I did at one point in time note that Cedi was outplaying Kawhi. And then after that, the Raptors decided to pwn us. So, you can say I jinxed the game, and you probably wouldn't be wrong.

 

Good to have the NBA back.

 

Not difficult to imagine, say, ESPN offering good money and TV slots to the G-League when/if the "next big thing" signs with a team. That exposure gap could narrow quickly.

 

Yeah, despite the loss, the Hornets' Big 3 are good enough to make the playoffs.

Yup, but I didn't think it would show up so early. And not only do they have problems with defense, but a lack of youth. I mean, during the crunch time/trying to make a come back, the Rockets threw out an old man line up against the Pelicans. And they looked old against the young and athletic Pelican squad.


I knew Kwahi would show up big in his debut with the Raptors, and DeRozan would do well under Coach Pop.

I thought it was great the Butler showed why the T-Wolves need to pay him so he's not the third highest player on his team.