NBA 2019-2020 Season

[EagerBeaver]

Time to start a new thread because we have a new season.

Today brings news of 2 game suspensions to Joel Embiid and Karl AnthonyTowns for fighting last night. In a league full of top notch trash talkers, Joel Embiid stands head and shoulders above all the others, both literally and figuratively, as the most effective trash talker currently in the NBA and perhaps in recent memory. Watch this:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...s-karl-anthony-towns-banned-2-games-throwdown

Most interesting is that Embiid in the aftermath of this fight seemed to revel in imagery of the fight, theatrically stoking up the fans with shadow boxing maneuvers. He is a great player (albeit somewhat injury prone) and it remains to be seen exactly what his legacy will be in the league, but he seems to have embraced being the guy who will get under his opposing center's skins. He has pulled similar antics with Andre Drummond of the Pistons, who has been the best rebounder in the NBA over the past 3-4 years.

 

[wingmik]

Curry out for 3 months with a broken hand. With Klay Thompson out for the rest of the season, It's gonna be a long season in Golden State.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Golden State may have a hard time making the playoffs. They are also missing Kevon Looney who is one of their better big men. In the western conference which is loaded, these types of longer term injuries could be insurmountable season-wreckers. It sucks, for them.

 

[No_Church_InThe_Wild]

Yup not a great start for Golden State . And although they still have lots of talent remaining on their team it’s now going to be s challenge for Kerr to get them in the playoffs in the very competitive western conference. An opportunity perhaps for him to show how good of a coach he is without his best players at his disposal ?

P.s Was watching a game the other day and I had no idea about the new coach’s challenge thing. I guess it was just a matter of time before the NBA caught up with the rest of the leagues . Anyways I hope it will help the Teams in crucial moments in the game

 

[sharkman]

...and 7 in a row for the Lakers!...I'm quite impressed!...Lakers vs Raptors on Sunday at Staples!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Paul George dropped in 37 points last night while playing only 20 minutes. That is not something often seen in hoops. The much anticipated debut of Kawhi Leonard and George playing together did not happen yet as Kawhi was out with a knee contusion. This dynamic duo will likely make their debut together for the LA Clippers in their next game, Monday night vs. the Thunder.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Posterization of Theis of Boston by Kawhi Leonard:

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=28127562

 

[Doc Holliday]

Another big road win by the Raptors last night & the surging Raptors are now only 1 game behind Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference and top 5 overall!

That's despite being without key players such as Kyle Lowery and Serge Ibaka. Pascal Siakam has been a beast all season long & Fred Van Vleet is playing like an all-star!

The Raptors are playing as good as they ever did and that's mostly due to the fact Siakam has continued to dramatically improve his game. Same thing for Fred Van Vleet. And now they have Marc Gasol in the lineup for the entire season and OG Anenobi is healthy again. I love the offseason acquisitions and the bench has been a big factor in the team's winning ways.

And how about Montreal's Chris Boucher?? Man, i love his game and attitude every time he's on the court!

Go Raptors!

 

[sharkman]

Raptors beat the Lakers a couple of weeks ago to end the Lakers 7 game win streak. The Raptors are a talented and dangerous team even without Leonard and Green!

 

[Doc Holliday]

What a game tonight!!!!

The Raptors beat the 76ers and held Joel Embid to.......0 points!!!! This was the first game ever that Embid was held off the scoreboard!!! What a defensive gem by Marc Gasol!!!

 

[No_Church_InThe_Wild]

^^^^
Zero points from a star player , whst are the odds of that happening ? We know that shooters can go cold at times ,,,but Embiid is a physical 7 ft center and if he’s shots are not falling he should be able to find his way inside the paint. Zero points is inexcusable. He is overrated , inconsistent and ineffective at times against good defensive centres . He doesn’t always walk like he talks... and he talks a lot unfortunately

Much respect fir the defensive game planning abilities of coach Nick Nurse who continues to do a great job albeit with a shorthanded team and props to Marc Gasol for making Embiid lay a goose egg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Evbxt_rwZKk

 

[EagerBeaver]

Embiid is a wildly talented big man but he has been plagued by injuries going back to when he was at Kansas. That’s one reason why he has been inconsistent and alternating stretches of dominance with donut performances. He could be another Greg Oden. There are lots of guys like this who came into the league and had trouble staying on the Court healthy. Oden was actually more highly thought of than Embiid in college and coming out of college, although I felt Embiid had more actual talent when healthy. Injury issues is why Embiid didn’t go as overall #1 draft pick like Oden.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Embiid bounced back with 33 points and 16 rebounds tonight vs. Sacramento Kings

 

[No_Church_InThe_Wild]

It’s true that Greg Oden was a disappointment . But he was s very humble guy , something that Embiid is not . At times his arrogance makes him unlikeable
That’s one of the reasons he gets criticized when he underperforms . But unlike Oden he is far from being s bust . Maybe one day he will reach his full potential . The really great players in this game had consistency and he is not there yet

 

[EagerBeaver]

Oden’s injury issues were severe, and that’s why he was a bust. He was never healthy and ended up having numerous knee surgeries from which he never recovered into being even a serviceable player. He just could not stay on the court. Had Oden remained healthy, from what I saw of him in college, he would have been better defensively but not as good offensively as Embiid. Oden was a big strong 7 footer with a great body, but his offensive game was stiff and mechanical. Embiid is much more fluid and natural in executing his post moves. As far as personality goes, Oden was a humble guy whose only controversy was that one of his girlfriends leaked some nude pics of him onto the Internet, probably to posture for a money grab. Embiid seems like he enjoys agitating opponents. I interpret it more as competitiveness than arrogance. I think he is actually a thoughtful guy but much like Kyrie Irving a bit sensitive and paying more attention to social media and off court stuff than he needs to.

 

[sharkman]

Lakers now 16-2...come from behind road win against the Pelicans last night!

Coach Vogel doing a fantastic job to implement his system of play and get the Lakers to gel!

 

[EagerBeaver]

Sharkman,

The Lakers have been much better than I expected and Vogel does deserve credit, a lot of it, for that success. Vogel from his time in Indiana was known as a defensive mastermind. I hadn’t bought into all of the Lakers hype and thought that they would be just another team in the hunt and not necessarily the favorite. Vogel has gotten guys like Dwight Howard to buy into playing roles and they have been sold and it’s not always an easy sell. LeBron has been healthy and continues to play at a high level (I believe he is leading the NBA in assists which is unheard of for a guy who isn’t a true point guard).

I would have to say they look really tough but if anything happens to LeBron, and he is at the injury prone age for an NBA player, it’s a game changer. His health is key to their success.

On the other hand I read that Boogie Cousins could be back this year and if they can get him healthy and playing some role off the bench, they are scarier even than they are now.

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Raptors keep on rolling and now 4th overall and still without Kyle Lowrie & Serge Ibaka. The young guys off the bench keep on playing great & is the engine that keeps on giving. Along with future superstar Pascal Siakam and veteran Marc Gasol this team rarely loses!! Go Raptors!

 

[gaby]

Oh wow wow wow...110-107....i watched the second half and happy i did......RAPTORS overcame a 30 pt second half deficit to win....a franchise record...they were losing 85-55.....what a comeback !!!!......Kyle Lowry with 20 pts in last 15 min.....Chris Boucher--Montréalais---played also a great game...happy for him.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

News of this just coming in. Everyone in the chopper also died. Bryant's wife was not in the chopper.