play4fun :

I mean it's all perspective, but I don't think there's a "good" team remaining. The Thunder were the only hope we had left. The Spurs beating the Thunder is like the Sith beating the Jedi.

So we have a Sith versus another Sith in the finals.

So I'm choosing to root for the Sith team that's more fun to watch, namely the Heat.

I'd rather the Heat win 80 championships than see the Spurs win one.

Yeah...why are there Star Wars references in an NBA thread again?

play4fun : I'll be looking forward to seeing the heat struggle against the hug problems that the Spurs will give them.

legacyme3 : Reminds me of this:



If that's the case, I'll just go along with your analogy. "Always two there are. No more, no less. a master and an apprentice." The big question is which one will be destroyed: the master or the apprentice?

And the statement that the Spurs are "old" and "boring" are false, especially when the age average of the Miami Heat is higher than the the Spurs. As for boring, I like to see team basketball, and they are definitely the epitome of team basketball. They can do some thunderous dunks here and there as well, so I wouldn't really call them a less entertaining team.

play4fun :

The Heat may have the higher average age, but they play like a much younger, more athletic team.

They are exciting, and the Spurs... aside from Kawhi Leonard, who I really want to leave the first chance he gets, aren't. When the Spurs are on my TV screen, generally, unless the opponents are fun to watch, I change the channel to literally anything else. They just aren't fun for me to watch.

You can contest that they aren't old, but from my perspective, they are definitely boring.

It's not about dunks, nor is it their style of play. It's an unexplainable thing. Just about every team in the NBA has something about them that makes me want to watch. The Spurs however, don't have anything that compels me to want to watch them outside of Kawhi Leonard.

Wow, the Pacers sucked. I was actually wanting to SA to win so they can get a few days of rest.

I really hope the Spurs win, plus the Spurs @ OKC was a good game to the end, It seemed so fun especially when it goes into OT.

GO SPURS

Ever since the Nets lost to the Heat, I lost all interest in basketball for this year. We all pretty much know that the Heat will win again and there's nothing left for me here to root for.

It's basically over. My Spurs have given the Heat a clinic and it's costly for them to make a small mistake. This last game was the Heat's fault of not playing with urgency. If you think about it, if the Spurs actually pulled away by making their 4 free throws in Game 2, this would have been a sweep.

Like I said before, if the Spurs follow Coach Pop's system, everyone play their part, and everyone's healthy, Spurs can own the Heat in a convincing and entertaining fashion, and it would have been like that last year as well. #GoSpursGo

To be honest though, I was pretty disappointed that the Heat didn't make it entertaining or show effort. People claim the Spurs are boring, and then the following happened:

LOL Heat fans never cease to amaze me. Leaving early in game 6 last year, games 3 & 4 this year and booing their own team.

The Spurs are destroying the Heat right now, and Im enjoying the blowput.

No three peat for the Heat.

play4fun : Barring an impossible comeback, looks like the Spurs are going to win 4-1z

legacyme3 : I wonder if you're upset at all.

Too early to celebrate? Maybe. But think of all the Heat fans who are like "I was a Spurs fan all along!" or "The Heat were playing?"

It's official. Spurs win 104-87 and take the series 4-1. Kahwi Leonard wins Finals MVP. It's over. The Heat dynasty has (more than likely) fallen, and the Big 3 might split up this offseason (which I hope).

megamanmaniac :

Meh.

The NBA Draft is tonight. Is anyone else going to watch it?

Furthermore, what are your projections for #1? Top 5? Potential trades?

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers - Andrew Wiggins
#2 Milwaukee Bucks - Jabari Parker (who will go on to have the best career of anyone in the draft)
#3 Philadelphia 76ers - Dante Exum
#4 Orlando Magic - Noah Vonleh
#5 Utah Jazz - Aaron Gordon
#6 Boston Celtics - Joel Embiid
#7 Los Angeles Lakers - Elfrid Payton
#8 Sacramento Kings - Julius Randle (Although I expect this pick to be traded, if it is, who knows what will happen)
#9 Charlotte Hornets - Doug McDermott (Note, I want the Bulls to trade up to here or 8 to get McDermott)
#10 Philadelphia 76ers - James Young
#11 Denver Nuggets - Jusuf Nurkic
#12 Orlando Magic - Rodney Hood
#13 Minnesota Timberwolves - Marcus Smart
#14 Phoenix Suns - Adrien Payne
#15 Atlanta Hawks - Gary Harris
#16 Chicago Bulls - Nik Stauskas
#17 Boston Celtics - Dario Saric
#18 Phoenix Suns - TJ Warren
#19 Chicago Bulls - Shabazz Nappier
#20 Toronto Raptors - Zach LaVine (I've heard the Timberwolves or another team have made a promise to draft him, but I just don't know if I believe it yet)
#21 Oklahoma City Thunder - Kyle Anderson
#22 Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Adams
#23 Utah Jazz - Tyler Ennis
#24 Charlotte Hornets - Jordan Clarkson
#25 Houston Rockets - Bogdan Bogdonavic
#26 Miami Heat - Glenn Robinson III
#27 Phoenix Suns - Clint Capella
#28 Los Angeles Clippers - KJ McDaniels
#29 Oklahoma City Thunder - Mitch McGary
#30 San Antonio Spurs - James McAdoo

That's my first round mock draft, I'm not bothering to do a 2nd round.

legacyme3 : If the Celtics can pull off a last years Noel scenario and get Embiid, assuming he can make a full successful recovery, then I'd love for that to happen.

As for your mock draft, it sounds very accurate actually. Although I'm a bit surprised you dropped Smart down to 13 and Staukis to 16 (even though I know you'd love him to fall to 16).

But really. Who Minnesota picks at 13 depends entirely on whether or not they can make a deal for Kevin Love today. There are a few trade rumors out there, but since none (as far as I know), have been agreed to, we'll just have to wait and see what happens today.

Speaking of deals, the Knicks finally got rid of Felton. They traded Chandler and Felton to the Mavericks in exchange for Samuel Dalembert, Jose Calderon, Wayne Ellington (don't know who that is), Shane Larkin, and two second round picks in this draft (34 and 51). This is pretty good for the Knicks, because it helps fix some of the financial trouble they have by getting rid of Chandlers huge contract. And they also add depth to their bench at the guard position, since Jose Calderon will probably become the starting PG. Not only that, but they also have two second round picks, so they can draft good role players. This trade definitely creates a lot more potential for Phil Jackson this offseason. I like the move, as it cleans up the Knicks a little and gives them a veteran big man and a decent PG.

megamanmaniac :

My logic with each is that I'm not in love with Smart as a player, and I think some NBA teams agree. I dropped Stauskas to 16 in part because there aren't many teams that need a pure "shooter" with no defensive skills. Maybe I'm underrating him, but he's a one tool player. The only teams I can see that would draft him would be the Lakers at 7 (except that's a REACH, and the Lakers have Kobe), the Hornets at 9 (but I have them taking the better player in McDermott), the Nuggets 11 (and realistically, I think there's a chance they take him, but given their Fournier trade, I feel like they would rather take a guy they don't need to play right now.), and the T'Wolves (which are another realistic possibility, but I feel like Smart will end up the better fit for them, although honestly they "could" potentially trade this pick, which sounds strange because they are trying to trade Love, but...)

If Stauskas doesn't go to the Bulls, I get the feeling it's the T'Wolves.

There just aren't as many teams that need a Stauskas as much as the Bulls would, and the teams that would need him are going to take the best player available (which isn't Stauskas, as he's a very one dimensional player)

No one has been posting here since the draft, but a big news came out today from free agency. LeBron James is going back to Cleveland. Let the Domino effect begin, because now other free agents will make their decision because LeBron has made his. Chris Bosh has already said that he will leave to Houston if LeBron leaves. Other big names will also have a clearer idea of where they want to go. 

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers

As for my San Antonio Spurs, they got the main core back with a very good draft pick. I hope that they can also bring back Aron Baynes so that he can be better, but if not, it might be because they are hoping for Pau Gasol to join for an MLE. Having both, (and Bonner as well) would be ideal, but the West is going to be tougher now with the addition of Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler back to Dallas, Shaun Livingston to Warriors. Still waiting to see what Chandler Parsons will do, but sadly, Carmelo is not going to the Bulls. That would have been interesting to watch.

play4fun : I expected it. Lebron going to anywhere but Cleveland would be a stupid move, and HIGHLY criticized by everyone. But lets be real here. The Big 3 (by big 3 I mean Wade and Bosh) are rapidly declining in both impact (from a consistency standpoint) and skill (this is moreso because of Wade's injury inevitability and Bosh's determination to shoot the 3 rather than attack the paint). Their bench is...well..as deep as a kitty pool. And their financial crisis is pretty bad as well.

In order to go to Cleveland, Cleveland needed to create a team that would ultimately be what Lebron needed, young and talented, and they got the job done. Not to mention cap space. As underrated as Cleveland's management has been (aside from the Anthony Bennett pick, who could eventually develop into a half decent PF and fill in that PF slot should the Cavs fail to get Love), they've done a great job gathering a young and talented group of guys who could compliment LeBron and win their first title in Cleveland since (the 60s I believe). Aside from having three first round draft picks over the past few years (which is an unbelievable amount of luck...or fate...nobody will ever know), they also have a decent bench (compared to other horrific benches in the NBA).

point is, it was a deal that LeBron couldn't refuse. He won his rings in Miami, so now he's going ack to Cleveland to do it again. Am I rooting for the guy? No. i'm not by any means a LeBron fan. but I do know why he went back and I think that Cleveland did a wonderful job (despite it being very luck-based) in creating an "ideal" team for LeBron to play on.

And in Spurs related news...*turns televison off*

megamanmaniac : Psh, that's normal Spurs offseason for you. The only reason there is a little bit more media talks about Spurs' offseason is because they are champs last season. But as a Spurs fan, it's always like this. Resign or not resign, low but gem draft picks, little to no big name signings, have rumors of big names being in the mix of joining the Spurs, only to go to another big team, summer league, preseason looks of how the younger, newer players are developing, and then we go right into the season. It's the same old same old. But, I'm happy with the moves so far. Now, I would also hope that Pau Gasol would be smart in joining the Spurs for a good fit and need instead of more money, but it sounds like he might pick Bulls over Spurs as his final two choices, which is not that bad considering he'll be out of the Western Conference.

I was not as confident that LeBron was going to stay or go. either situations were likely to me. But now that I look at Cleveland's roster, they really are setting this up to be a good team for LeBron to be in. With many high draft picks, a center that can be a ferocious rebounder, and an All Star point guard who can be the franchise player without LeBron. This is a good setup. Granted, they won't immediately win a championship. They are young and everyone's new. I laughed when I heard Las Vegas say that Cleveland immediate are the favorite to win it all next year (typical). Wait till Kevin Love makes his move, then we'll talk.

What I was more interested is the domino effect. Bosh originally said to be going to the Rockets, but now he's going to be back in Miami. Deng is planning to be in Miami, Wade is being wooed by the Bulls, Pau most likely go to Bulls, Melo most likely staying if Pau goes to Bulls, Lin went to Lakers, VC went to Grizzlies (which is strange to me considering Dallas got Chandler back, and now he's going to a bad 3 point shooting team.) Isaiah signed an offer sheet to go to Pheonix. So many things happening.

legacyme3 : How are your Bulls looking? They most likely get Pau, but not Melo. However, they are trying to attract Wade.