NBA 2013-2014

[cougjunkie]

Phoenix looked like a tanker to begin the season but reportedly ready to play to win now. They're currently in the 6th seed and apparently willing to move '14 pick to snag an impact player. I'd love to see that. Then you have Minny, LA, NO and Memphis all within two games of GS right now. GS can't afford to lose many more games to injury (and they almost most certainly will given that fragile unit) or they're going to have a real fight on their hands for that 8 spot. Sure would be nice to see them miss the playoffs.

Who knew the Morris twins just needed to play together.

Where is Taylor Griffin when you need him.

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[smokymountainrain]

Who knew the Morris twins just needed to play together.

Where is Taylor Griffin when you need him.
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[MarkGrace]

More than a quarter through the season and Portland has the best winning percentage in the league.

[clackamascoug]

More than a quarter through the season and Portland has the best winning percentage in the league.

Easy... I'm trying to keep the wheels on for as long as possible.

[MarkGrace]

Embiid jumps to #3 on the big board.

Embiid has made his way into KUs starting lineup, and while his numbers dont scream No. 1 pick, every time hes on the floor hes a game changer. No one thought Embiid would be this far along so early. He seems to be getting better by the game and had a career-high 18 points against New Mexico on Saturday. While he might be a bit of a risky No. 1 pick, the upside is evident. Im not sure theres a player in this draft who could be more dominant if he lived up to his potential.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ante-exum-fall

Wiggins, Parker, Embiid, Randle, Exum, Smart.

[cougjunkie]

Isaiah Thomas getting a handful during the game tonight.

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[CardiacCoug]

Tough game for Jimmer tonight, 1-7 from the field.

[MartyFunkhouser]

It is now a little over 1/4 of the way through the season and the Blazers are still playing great basketball. They might be for real this year. Certainly not the best in the West, but a top 3-4 team.

LaMarcus Aldridge is playing his best basketball of his career. He is rebounding like an athletic 6'11 PF. His PPG are up and he is getting to the line at a respectable rate. He is absolutely looking like an allstar this year.

Lilliard certainly has a shot at making the allstar game. The problem with him is that he has to compete with Westbrook, Curry, and Paul as PGs on the roster.

Matthews and Batum are finally playing consistent basketball.

Matthew is finally playing consistent basketball. Batum is fina

[MarkGrace]

It is now a little over 1/4 of the way through the season and the Blazers are still playing great basketball. They might be for real this year. Certainly not the best in the West, but a top 3-4 team.

LaMarcus Aldridge is playing his best basketball of his career. He is rebounding like an athletic 6'11 PF. His PPG are up and he is getting to the line at a respectable rate. He is absolutely looking like an allstar this year.

Lilliard certainly has a shot at making the allstar game. The problem with him is that he has to compete with Westbrook, Curry, and Paul as PGs on the roster.

Matthews and Batum are finally playing consistent basketball.

Matthew is finally playing consistent basketball. Batum is fina

They've played a very favorable schedule and you have to worry about their depth, but I think their starting lineup is pretty well balance and designed. Like you said they won't stay at the top of the conference, but if they avoid injury they should compete for homecourt.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Milwaukee going all-in on development/tanking, moving Antetokounmpo to the starting lineup. Again, it'd sure be nice if the Jazz front office and coach were on the same page this year.

Read today that Antetokounmpo has grown 1.25" since the draft in June.

[clackamascoug]

They've played a very favorable schedule and you have to worry about their depth, but I think their starting lineup is pretty well balance and designed. Like you said they won't stay at the top of the conference, but if they avoid injury they should compete for homecourt.

The Blazers are my hometown team, and I didn't even have them making the playoffs this year. I read a couple of days ago on the Hollinger Ratings that the Blazers chances of making the playoffs is 99%. I'll take that. As a fan of good basketball with sharp passing, the Blazers are making it fun for me this year. Hop on... I'll make room!

[Jacob]

I'm a little annoyed at how much the talking heads are now saying that this is a different era of efficient shots. It's true, no doubt. And I like what's happening. But it's a sad indictment on so many of the old school coaches, etc. that this is only happening now. Everybody has always known that a 3 point shop was worth 33% more than a 2 point shot, and that shooting a long 2 was the worst shot in basketball. Most smart coaches emphasized that little nugget explicitly.

By way of example, I attended the Utah Utes basketball camp in the early 1990s. When Big Rick would make an appearance at his camp, and after sitting on a few kids and rubbing their heads in his sweat-drenched arm pits, he would tell us about basketball. Explain and demonstrate a few basic moves. The jab step. The sweep. And he would also explain that the worst shot that a player could take was with his foot on the 3 point line. He used one of the then-current players to demonstrate this and explained that a player that could not figure out where the 3 point line was and make sure his foot was behind it would not find much playing time. I never forgot those lessons from that generous man. And so, for years, I complained about the Jazz not shooting 3s (and even more about not defending 3s), and couldn't understand why they let Memo get away with shooting with a foot on the 3 point line so often.

Was Rick ahead of his time? Not really. He wasn't the only one. This is very basic stuff. The new, most advanced stuff with the cameras is all very interesting. But it didn't take technological advances to figure out what the most efficient and inefficient shots are.

[Pelado]

I'm a little annoyed at how much the talking heads are now saying that this is a different era of efficient shots. It's true, no doubt. And I like what's happening. But it's a sad indictment on so many of the old school coaches, etc. that this is only happening now. Everybody has always known that a 3 point shop was worth 33% more than a 2 point shot, and that shooting a long 2 was the worst shot in basketball. Most smart coaches emphasized that little nugget explicitly.

By way of example, I attended the Utah Utes basketball camp in the early 1990s. When Big Rick would make an appearance at his camp, and after sitting on a few kids and rubbing their heads in his sweat-drenched arm pits, he would tell us about basketball. Explain and demonstrate a few basic moves. The jab step. The sweep. And he would also explain that the worst shot that a player could take was with his foot on the 3 point line. He used one of the then-current players to demonstrate this and explained that a player that could not figure out where the 3 point line was and make sure his foot was behind it would not find much playing time. I never forgot those lessons from that generous man. And so, for years, I complained about the Jazz not shooting 3s (and even more about not defending 3s), and couldn't understand why they let Memo get away with shooting with a foot on the 3 point line so often.

Was Rick ahead of his time? Not really. He wasn't the only one. This is very basic stuff. The new, most advanced stuff with the cameras is all very interesting. But it didn't take technological advances to figure out what the most efficient and inefficient shots are.

2 + (2 * 0.33) = 2.66 points

[cougjunkie]

It is now a little over 1/4 of the way through the season and the Blazers are still playing great basketball. They might be for real this year. Certainly not the best in the West, but a top 3-4 team.

LaMarcus Aldridge is playing his best basketball of his career. He is rebounding like an athletic 6'11 PF. His PPG are up and he is getting to the line at a respectable rate. He is absolutely looking like an allstar this year.

Lilliard certainly has a shot at making the allstar game. The problem with him is that he has to compete with Westbrook, Curry, and Paul as PGs on the roster.

Matthews and Batum are finally playing consistent basketball.

Matthew is finally playing consistent basketball. Batum is fina

You forgot Tony Parker on your pg list.

[MartyFunkhouser]

You forgot Tony Parker on your pg list.

I'm fine adding Parker to the list, but I think Lillard is more deserving this season.