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  • and back to basketball after a short detour to the rink....

    In baseball the unofficial end of the "its still early" stage of the season comes around the end of may when teams are about 20% plus of the way into the season and the non waiver trade deadline is about a month away.... Its are you buying or selling time...

    Next week most teams in the east will be approaching the equivalent of the end of the "its still early" stage ...
    Who has exceeded expectations and whose not living up to the preseason hype.

    Exceeded Expectations

    Raps .. at 12 and 3 and currently playing without a full complement of starters and rotation players most nights they not only lead the division but the conference in wins. Without alcohol most thought they'd be 2 or 3.
    Bucks... 10 and 3.. the preseason dark horse has bolted out of the gate and has served notice that the team with the most promise over the last 5 years has now turned that potential energy into kinetic energy.
    Hornets... They should stink.. and they just might.. but so far they are in the playoff picture
    Nets...Tough losing Levert but this is the Easts plucky band of warriors this year. After years of sleeping in the garage the Nets are not an easy win anymore.
    Magic... They are beating the teams they have to beat to remain in the playoff picture.... They like the Suns need a PG in the worst way as DJ Augustine won't be able to do it all year long.. but so far. there they are.. a lottery team on most scorecards in the picture for the playoffs.


    Courtesy of Denny Green. "They are who we thought they were"

    Miami and Detroit... expected to challenge for the playoff seeds 6 though 8... and they are so far.
    Pacers....Right where they were expected to be... challenging for homecourt.
    Atlanta and the Bulls and the Knicks....Expected to be shitty.. and they are.


    As my grandmother told us..."Looks like your eyes are bigger than your stomach

    Celtics From every corner of the National MSM NBA media the Chowders were touted to be the only team with a snowballs chance to take out the warriors and were a foregone conclusion to run away and hide in the east. Well so far they are a bit short. As the theme says its the tail of the "its still early" stage of the season and the Chowders may go on a 12 game win streak but as of righ now they are an IPO at $50 bucks currently selling at $35. There is still time... but so far Gordon Hayward is struggling and not yet close to what he was and the Kyrie Irving to the Knicks with KD rumours are ready to go.

    WizardsScott Brooks is pulling back hard on the stick to pull out of the nose dive the Wiz have started the season on. They are 5 and 9 but have played a pretty soft schedule. The team with the best backcourt in the east is stumbling badly. This is as an unlikeable team as they come. Maybe the the steady and unwithering criticism will light a fire in DC with the Whiz.... Or maybe they Hindenburg and blow it all up. Tough call for Ernie G in DC.

    SixersPicked by a majority of the ESPN/TNT/THeJump types to push the Chowders for first have also started out slow and have not met preseason expectations and maybe unlikely to unless they find some 3 point shooting. Picked to be second they might just finish without homecourt behind the Chowders / Raps / Bucks and Pacers.

    Cavs aka The DeadlooksThey might have had enough with Love and Hill and a breakout rookie performance from Colin Sexton to challenge for the 7th or 8th seed... If they whiffed ok.. they finish 10th. 5 games in they waved the white flag and have embraced tank nation. Love was put on the IR and told he should really really take his time to make sure he is 100% before he comes back. The Cavs just Joffery Lupul'd Kevin Love.
    There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
    - TGO

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    • Demographic Shift wrote: View Post
      and back to basketball after a short detour to the rink....

      WizardsScott Brooks is pulling back hard on the stick to pull out of the nose dive the Wiz have started the season on. They are 5 and 9 but have played a pretty soft schedule. The team with the best backcourt in the east is stumbling badly. This is as an unlikeable team as they come. Maybe the the steady and unwithering criticism will light a fire in DC with the Whiz.... Or maybe they Hindenburg and blow it all up. Tough call for Ernie G in DC.
      The Wizards are the current the poster-child for mediocrity in the NBA, in my opinion. Good enough to be in the playoff race, not good enough to be a top-four team/win/compete for a ring. Their young guys are not developed well, and they stink from a organizational-culture standpoint. Ugly, ugly times in DC.
      Twitter: @ReubenJRD • NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.

      Comment


      • You know things are good when the Raps LEAD THE CONFERENCE by a game and portions of the fan base are full of angst and hand wringing and are afraid of curses and jinxes. Ah...Raptor fans.. nothing quite like them.

        Couple of interesting games tonight...

        Lebrons West go to Miami to take on the Heat on a B2B after getting their asses handed to them by the Orlando Magic ? The Heat play all out defense and thats going to rattle the young Laker players. Wonder if Lebron gets the night off ? Prolly not as the Lakers have to win to keep view on the playoffs without binoculars. Heat win. #Lukewatch begins again.

        Portland on a bit of a slide goes into Washington. The Whiz have won a couple recently and with a win here can claw back to within a game and half of the playoffs. Portland can use the win to keep pace out west for home court. Blazers.

        Minny has won 3 in a row since dumping Jimmy. Tonight they draw the surprising Memphis Grizzlies. Minny makes it 4.
        There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
        - TGO

        Comment


        • KeonClark wrote: View Post
          That will remain one of mine and many calgarians most magical times of our lives. Just an indescribable aura around that very few Canadian cities have ever matched.

          It was the perfect storm of getting out of s flames drought, civic pride, healthy economy, bursting at the seams to celebrate. Today's generation would never pull it off like we did. They'd be busy at home hiding in their safe space, too much social anxiety to slap a strangers hand.

          I was 17. May and June of 04 showed me more boobies in person than I ever anticipated seeing at that time. So. Many. Boobies.
          #girlsoftheredmile would have gotta a lot of criticism in today's age. ufourtantly I was still a young buck at the time unable to drink and 2 hours drive away from Calgary so i didn't quite get to experience beside video from the cbc showing 17th Ave and everybody and their uncle suddenly becoming a flames fan. Also in today's day and age of video replay the flames win the cup on gelinas game 6 goal
          To be the champs you got to beat the champs

          Comment


          • 3 games in the loss column separating 1st from 13th in the West. Pretty cool stuff.... at least until Curry gets back.

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            • golden wrote: View Post
              3 games in the loss column separating 1st from 13th in the West. Pretty cool stuff.... at least until Curry gets back.
              Wow

              Comment


              • Philly came back to beat the hapless Phoenix Suns last night. In the process of that comeback one Markel Fultz hit the pine in favour of TJ Somethingorother.

                This kid needs out of Philly and Philly needs to move on from what seems to be a bad decision right now.

                Phoenix needs a PG. It’s a flyer and likely won’t cost much. The expiring contract of Dragan Bender and a sweetener of sorts gives the kid a fresh start. There are no expectations for Phoenix and the players are all young. Time to find out what Fultz can do away from the bright lights of a perceived contender.

                The other choice is 42$M, carries an attitude of entitlement and hamstrings your salary structure for 4 years.
                There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                - TGO

                Comment


                • Well the NBA is now 20% of the way in to the season. The "Its Early" explanations have passed their best before dates.
                  So whats surprising ?

                  1. The Excremento Kings a half game out of the playoffs and V squared (Vlade and VIvek) look like they have a plan to get there shortly. Maybe even this year. No one saw this coming least of all Boston who has their pick via Philly.

                  2.The Grindhouse is back.Yep. It turns out that reports of the death of big boy basketball led by Mike Conley and Marc Gasol were premature. The Grizz is tied for first overall in the West. No one expects them to stay that high.. but with Dillon Brooks and the kid from MSU Jackson ... the Grizz can't be summarily dismissed as a lottery team.

                  3. The Jazz sitting in 12th place. :Picked by most to be top 4 out West they are no where near that after an uneven start. The talent is there. They got work to do.

                  4.The Rockets start stumble and fall out of the gate. You can't win it in the first little while but you sure can make life difficult for yourself. Hardens back. Paul still has something in the tank. But Ariza and Mah ah Boute are missed way more than Daryl Morey had thought.

                  5. The Orlando Magic aren't fecal material. Aaron Gordon seems to have hit his stride and merits his 4th overall selection off his game this year. He can hit 3's, rebound and play down low. 2nd year man Issac looks like a keeper. Mo Bamba isn't being tossed to the wolves right away as Vucevic is playing well and the kid is being worked in slowly. Orlando doesn't look like they will circle the lottery drain this year and quite possibly take the Heats slot in the playoffs.

                  6. The Celtics at .500... ok a game over .500. Most believed they'd be 15 and 2 at this point and picking pieces of the Easts ass off their shoes after shit kicking the peasants all over the floor. Not so much. As happy as I am with the early struggles of the Chowda's.. no one really saw this kind of a start for the Lepraturds. Less is more on the wing and as a bold prediction...perhaps one of Marcus Morris or .. gasp....Jaylen Brown ...may get moved to provide more structured minutes for Hayward and Tatum.

                  7. Though predicted for the last 37 years the Bucks have finally lived up to their dark horse "for sure this year they are going to be good" predictions. Giannas still can't shoot but Khris Middelton is having a very very good year. Home court is better bet than not.

                  8. The Cleveland Cavaliers going into the tank 5 games into the season. You can visualize Dan Gilbert doing the "Mick" thing in Rocky telling them to "stay down".

                  9. With Dragic hurt the Heat, a team with playoff aspirations in preseason, are heading the wrong way. They just can't score. Still believe with this years pick in hand... The Godfather will ask coach Spo to take his foot off the gas by Christmas.

                  10. With their season spiralling out of control.... Who goes first... Wall or Beal or Porter.


                  Singularly unsurprising is that the Phoenix Suns will be in the high lottery yet again with their 9th consecutive DNQ for the post season.
                  Last edited by Demographic Shift; Wed Nov 21, 2018, 03:26 PM.
                  There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                  - TGO

                  Comment


                  • Streamed the last few minutes of the Lakers and Magic game... LA lost it late but it was amazing to see how hard Tyson Chandler is playing for them... .which kinda begs the question if your Phoenix...

                    Where the hell was that effort for the last 4 years and 52 million dollars that we paid you for ?
                    There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                    - TGO

                    Comment


                    • Much has been made of the Raps upcoming 12 game stretch....They get one back to back on the west coast swing.
                      Below is who they get...

                      I think the Raps go a very respectable 9 and 3.



                      @Memphis

                      vs GSW

                      @Cleveland

                      vsDenver

                      vsPhiladelphia

                      @Brooklyn

                      vs Milwaukee

                      @LA Clppers

                      @Golden State

                      @Portland

                      @Denver

                      Vs Indiana
                      There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                      - TGO

                      Comment


                      • If we go 9-3 in this stretch we've practically clinched the conference barring major injury and I'm not even exaggerating
                        9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

                        Comment


                        • Demographic Shift wrote: View Post
                          Much has been made of the Raps upcoming 12 game stretch....They get one back to back on the west coast swing.
                          Below is who they get...

                          I think the Raps go a very respectable 9 and 3.



                          @Memphis

                          vs GSW

                          @Cleveland

                          vsDenver

                          vsPhiladelphia

                          @Brooklyn

                          vs Milwaukee

                          @LA Clppers

                          @Golden State

                          @Portland

                          @Denver

                          Vs Indiana
                          I think they'll go 8-4, dropping one of the GSW games (most likely the b2b one), one of the denver games, and two of Philly/Clippers/Bucks/Blazers.

                          I think that would be a good run given the quality of the opponents. Even if they went 7-5 it''d be decent. 9-3 would be tough to get imo, though not out of reach.

                          Comment


                          • inthepaint wrote: View Post
                            I think they'll go 8-4, dropping one of the GSW games (most likely the b2b one), one of the denver games, and two of Philly/Clippers/Bucks/Blazers.

                            I think that would be a good run given the quality of the opponents. Even if they went 7-5 it''d be decent. 9-3 would be tough to get imo, though not out of reach.
                            Man the record vs. +.500 teams has been getting a lot of traction since last year.

                            Here's a fun fact - almost nobody has good records against +.500 teams. A lot of roughly even records. A lot of bad records. Who beats the good teams 80% of the time? Usually nobody. A superteam maybe.

                            Guess who has the best record against +.500 teams so far this season?

                            The Toronto Raptors, 7-3.

                            Bucks are second (by %) at 10-5. The whole rest of the league is essentially .500 or worse.

                            Last season only two teams were markedly better than Toronto's 24-21 record vs. +.500, Golden State and Houston. Toronto was in the next tier with Boston, Philly, Portland, OKC.
                            Last edited by S.R.; Wed Nov 28, 2018, 09:27 AM.
                            "We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

                            Comment


                            • inthepaint wrote: View Post
                              I think they'll go 8-4, dropping one of the GSW games (most likely the b2b one), one of the denver games, and two of Philly/Clippers/Bucks/Blazers.

                              I think that would be a good run given the quality of the opponents. Even if they went 7-5 it''d be decent. 9-3 would be tough to get imo, though not out of reach.
                              Fair.. I waffled between 8 and 9 wins. But once a homer always a homer and I went with 9.

                              I think they roll till that western roadie...Thats as tough a slate of 4 games in a row as they are going to see till round 2 of the playoffs. The Clips.. The Champs... The Blazers.. and to wind up the trip from hell.. the Nuggets.. at altitude. I think they go 2up and 2down.

                              S.R. wrote: View Post
                              Man the record vs. +.500 teams has been getting a lot of traction since last year.

                              Here's a fun fact - almost nobody has good records against +.500 teams. A lot of roughly even records. A lot of bad records. Who beats the good teams 80% of the time? Usually nobody. A superteam maybe.

                              Guess who has the best record against +.500 teams so far this season?

                              The Toronto Raptors, 7-3.

                              Bucks are second (by %) at 10-5. The whole rest of the league is essentially .500 or worse.

                              Last season only two teams were markedly better than Toronto's 24-21 record vs. +.500, Golden State and Houston. Toronto was in the next tier with Boston, Philly, Portland, OKC.
                              Agree...The prevailing wisdom is to beat the teams your supposed to beat and then take half the games against teams that are in your class or above and you will have done well. So far this season the Raps are taking more than their fair share of games against plus .500 teams. If they continue to do that its hard to see them not corralling the 1st seed.

                              The playoffs are a different animal .. but this edition of the Raps is also a different animal than anything we have seen before as well.
                              There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                              - TGO

                              Comment


                              • Raps off tonight.... but there are a couple three games of interest in the playoff hunt tonight...

                                Utah goes into Brooklyn.... The Nets are still climbing the hill. They have to stay stride for stride with Team Caucasus (the whiz .. the whiz.. just like the countries in the Caucasus all hate each other) and see if they can catch either of the Magic or BobHornetCats. The Jazz have to figure out WTF is going on. Is this the team that made round 2 in the west or are they stumblebums who are going to the lottery. Big game for both. The heart wants the Nets to win.. but the wallet says to back Utah tonight.

                                Team Caucasus goes into New Orleans The Whiz won the other night against Houston and the glass half full guys are saying they have turned the corner. The Jazz are also on the outside looking in and need to win games to stay close to at least 5 teams looking to snag a playoff berth. Like the Jazz tonight.

                                The Wannabe Bowl-- Minny vs SanAntonio For the first time in two decades the Spurs look like an average run of the mill NBA team. Minny who has some young talent but is licking their wounds from the Jimmy B soap opera is playing for their playoff lives. Two middle of the pack teams chasing the dream this year. I don't think either one makes it. Taking the Timberpups tonight cuz they're at home.
                                There's no such thing as a 2nd round bust.
                                - TGO

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