NBA 2014/15 Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

Lol Knicks

https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/356B64576E1164795127844249600_3a01e85c6c2.1.5.12662218609890796889.mp4?versionId=TfP2gZgejhQQgpnQYdymf4MjoUV5RXLU

[Plubby]

I swear to post "The Knicks fuckin' rule!" In all caps after every win this season. That could be as many as five or ten more times.

WILL THEY EVEN GET TO FIVE MORE?!

[Meacon Keaton]

I love the dude on the bench, in the white warm-up jacket's reaction.

[VerbalPuke]

Uh....the fucking Pistons beat the Mavs. Seven in a row. This is getting weird, awesome, but...weird.

AND HA FUCK YOU DALLAS....REVENGE FUCKERS.

But seriously, this win streak hasn't just been beating a few patsies, we now took back to back wins over two excellent teams. BUILD THAT FUCKING WALL DETROIT.

[Benjamin]

I'm legitimately scared of the Pistons after that game.

[Meacon Keaton]

We should sign Josh Smith, just to cut him again so we can start winning. If we jump on it now, we could probably still finish with the second seed in the East.

[Red Devil-Taker316]

I swear to post "The Knicks fuckin' rule!" In all caps after every win this season. That could be as many as five or ten more times.

WILL THEY EVEN GET TO FIVE MORE?!

50 win season officially out of the question =(

...

Anyway the Knicks are doing the right thing, You either want to be on the very bottom or very top.

[Quom]

I'm annoyed by the Wolves going full tank (Martin and Pek are healthy). Our young guys have soaked up all the minutes they need to develop rapidly. Now we should really be looking at developing structure so we can roll into next year with the same core and actually win games. We're one player away (a rim protecting PF) and some development away from the post season (provided injuries happen at a normal rate). If we are going full tank I'd rather trade Martin to free up Wiggins and Shabazz, especially if we could package some of the shit we've accumulated (bye bye Budinger) and build from FA rather than the draft.

I get that by losing we're increasing our odds of getting the PF we need (Towns I guess since I can't see us ever managing to win the lottery even if we were the worst team). But I don't really like young guys developing on teams that aren't trying to win as many games as possible. It's potentially different if you're a Philly where you are trying your hardest but don't have good players, but to keep guys out because you want to lose games to me sends the wrong message.

[gunnar hendershow]

Wiggins might be good enough by the end of the season to prevent the tank from completely happening. He gets better every night.

We're a few months away from Love for Wiggins looking awful for the Cavs.

[Quom]

Meh, I personally think we're already there. They're two different types on players, but I think we're better with Wiggins than we were with Love. Love put up big stats (but had nearly every offensive set ran through him) but didn't do a lot to make us a better team (and was a turd on the court yelling at refs and clapping his hands rather than getting back on defence). I honestly feel that we would have won more games this year than we did last year if we didn't get hit by everyone getting injured at the same time.

No way we tank next year. It wouldn't make any sense unless we moved Martin and Pek. We have a solid starting quality player at PG, SG, SF and C as well as solid backups in Dieng and Shabazz. We couldn't really get much better through tanking. Plus this will be something like the 11th year without a playoff appearance. No way we deliberately extend that.

[gunnar hendershow]

I don't see the point in the Wolves tanking since they've got Wiggins to build around. Everything else will come as long as they're patient. Granted they might move some veteran players out for young players next year and that might not result in a lot of wins but it's decidedly different than the Sixers and Knicks no warm bodies approach.

[phatman]

Boston made a couple of trades today apparently... Been season for trades thus far...

The C's traded Brandon Wright to Phoenix for a conditional 1st Round Pick that Minnesota owes to Phoenix (which will likely turn into 2 2nd Round Picks because Minnesota won't make the playoffs this season or next I dont think) as well as creating a $5 mill trade exception in the process...

The other trade they made which hasn't been confirmed despite ESPN "confirming" it on their website is that they sent Jeff Green to Memphis for Tayshaun Prince's expiring contract and a future 1st Round Pick...

[Quom]

We will make the playoffs next year

[phatman]

I don't think so Quom... It'd be good to see, don't get me wrong but I just don't see it...

Pek & Martin are injury prone and do need to be traded imo... Pek's contract is horrible... Martin would probably be fairly easy to trade (hell if someone wanted JR Smith, someone would give something up for Martin)... Rubio is good but hasn't shown he can consistently score and who knows what he'll get in the offseason, contract wise... Thad hasn't produced how I thought he would here... Mo has worked out but you know he doesn't want to stick with a team like this and they should see what they can get for him too... Budinger absolutely needs to go as you've alluded to multiple times... Wiggins has been better than I thought he was gonna be (moreso recently then the glimpses he showed at the start of the season) and the rest of the roster is a work in progress with Shabazz starting to step up, Dieng contributing and Bennett hopefully realising his potential...

That's just my take on Minnesota though and I understand you see it differently as you've probably watched alot more of their games than I have but I still don't think this roster is making a playoff run next season in the loaded western conference...

[Meacon Keaton]

Minnesota would make the playoffs next year if they were in the East.

[HC]

Minnesota would make the playoffs next year if they were in the East.

This is true. Unfortunately, the West is so stacked I have a hard time believing any team currently at 5 whole wins will be able to turn it around that quickly, no matter how promising a prospect is.

[Quom]

I don't think so Quom... It'd be good to see, don't get me wrong but I just don't see it...

Pek & Martin are injury prone and do need to be traded imo... Pek's contract is horrible... Martin would probably be fairly easy to trade (hell if someone wanted JR Smith, someone would give something up for Martin)... Rubio is good but hasn't shown he can consistently score and who knows what he'll get in the offseason, contract wise... Thad hasn't produced how I thought he would here... Mo has worked out but you know he doesn't want to stick with a team like this and they should see what they can get for him too... Budinger absolutely needs to go as you've alluded to multiple times... Wiggins has been better than I thought he was gonna be (moreso recently then the glimpses he showed at the start of the season) and the rest of the roster is a work in progress with Shabazz starting to step up, Dieng contributing and Bennett hopefully realising his potential...

That's just my take on Minnesota though and I understand you see it differently as you've probably watched alot more of their games than I have but I still don't think this roster is making a playoff run next season in the loaded western conference...

Rubio hopefully won't get anything contract wise in the off-season since we've signed him for four years earlier this season . Thad was really solid until his mother died/the injuries. I don't know if we'll keep him or not (I'd prefer not) but he has shown he isn't a guy you'd build a team around, which is fine we weren't planning to. He'd be like the 4th option on offence which suits him. The biggest issue is that he doesn't box out and in the west is way more of a 3 than a 4, he can't keep anyone out of the paint.

Mo Williams is on a 1 year deal. I hope he stays, but I can't see teams offering anything for a guy that they can sign at the end of the year. Likewise I have no idea if he's enjoying himself or wants the role he originally signed up for (basically lead the second unit and light it up).

Shabazz is starting to step up? Dude has to be the front runner for MIP, is averaging 17/5/2 on 46%FG, 43%3PT as a SG since moving into the starting line-up. Plus his Tourettes is endearing. I'd argue that Wiggins is doing so well currently because Shabazz is drawing so much attention (is getting double teamed and covered by the opponents best wing).

Cheese it's less our young guys improving and more that our top three players have been out nearly the entirety of the season (plus the young guys improving). Take the top three players off any team and see how many they win.

[phatman]

Yeah I get your excitement but I still don't see it...

I honestly didn't even remember hearing about Rubio sign his extension, what'd he get? If it was anymore than $10 mill a season it was a bad deal...

As far as Shabazz for MIP, I'm liking Draymond Green, Mason Plumlee, Tobias Harris or even Brandon Knight to win the award before he does...

[Quom]

Meh, not even worth discussing. He deserved every cent he got and more. Best defensive iso % for any guard in the league last year, our defensive numbers before and after injury (and all the stats I quoted a few months back) etc. but he will never be good enough because points (totally disregarding our offensive production and FG% with him on the floor compared to when he's injured or on the bench).

Easiest to revisit next year when I can gloat

[Plubby]

We will make the playoffs next year

I take it you're counting on the end of the Spurs Big 3?