DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum NBA Offseason continued II

Thank you.

Can't believe it's not mentioned yet, but Lue and Cavs agree on a five year extension:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/171428...tract-extension

he earned it. as long as lebron is in cleveland I assume Lue will be here too

Watched game 7 again and I'm just sitting here thinking, damn basketball has to be the most punishing sport there is. With 10 guys on the court, you really can't hide. Schemes can protect you a little bit, but eventually you're going to get placed on an island against a great player. Curry got iso'd like crazy defending Kyrie.

It's kind of similar in football. If you have a corner that sucks, WRs will run picks to get a favorable matchup against that corner.

You can only hide guys for so long.

Yes, it's truly a "weak link" sport. There are no "right fields" or "DH spots." I can't imagine how good you have to be to play at that level ... especially for a long time.

Actuaiiy, you mean left field, but in reality, baseball is all about being on a island.

The pitcher in on the island every pitch.
When the ball is hit your way, all eyes are on you.
When you have the bat in your hand, it's you against 9 players on the other team.

I could be mistaken, but I remember it being right field - where left handed batters pull the ball. Less action out there, especially at the lower levels of the game. Hard throwing pitchers will negate some of that.

Little league is right field.
MLB is left field.

Or first base.

or the bench

A right fielder needs a big arm to make the throw to third (left fielder throwing to first is very uncommon). It's also helpful for a right fielder to be left handed.

Would an international all star team beat team USA as it's currently constructed, but you REMOVE the chemistry benefit that international teams have? Not if they had Curry, Lebron, AD and others (that'd be an azz beating).

Dragic/Giannas/Parker
Batum/Fournier/Ginobili
Gallinari/Wiggins/Sefolosha
Ibaka/Towns/Dirk
Horford/Gobert/MGasol

Just missed the cut: Vucevic, Porzingis, Kanter, Schroeder, PGasol, Mirotic, Biyombo & Adams.

Kyrie Irving/Kyle Lowry
Jimmy Butler/Klay Thompson/DeMar DeRozan
Kevin Durant/Paul George/Harrison Barnes
Draymond Green/Carmelo Anthony
DeMarcus Cousins/DeAndre Jordan

I would still take team USA...

I think the lone benefit the International teams have is that they've played as teammates since they were like 8. The US just kind of mish-mashes a team together every year.

looks like cavs resigned JJ, not sure how that helps at all. I'd rather keep the spot open for a summer league standout or maybe scour for a DLeague guy. JJ showed last year he don't have much left.

JJ probably just a coach type vet. He's a good voice for the lockerroom

JJ keeps Lebron happy, so that by itself is probably worth the contract. We're also not hurting for roster spots, since we've lost a few in the off-season.

Currently, if Lebron and JR re-sign, we'll have:

C: Tristan, Birdman
PF: Love, Frye
SF: Lebron, RJ, Dunleavy
SG: JR, Shump, JJ
PG: Irving, Mo

That leaves three spots. McRae and Kay Felder will probably take two of those, and they're both D-league level guys. I'm guessing the other spot will probably be filled by a D-leauger as well.

hopefully felder can fill into Delly's spot (he'll be better offensively but not defensively)

James Jones can make 3's coming in off the bench after not playing for 10 games.

That gives him value.

If someone else goes really cold, JJ can come in and give the team some quick offense.

So who will be this years overhyped team to dethrone Clevleand in the East? In 2015 it was Chicago and last year it was Miami. Both of which couldn't get out of the 2nd round.

Basically whoever Tim Leggler says can beat Cleveland.

Meh ... they almost have to do that to try to build up excitement for everyone not in Cleveland. (and Golden State)

They'll come up with someone in the West as well .... who will stand little chance. I think that everyone knows that the Cavaliers and the Warriors are almost certain to meet in the Finals, and that they will, unless there is some horrible injury. (and even then, they still might be better than anyone else in their respective conferences)

Obviously Chicago will be hyped because of Wade. And NY will be hyped because of their new acquisitions. But I think Boston will be the biggest threat.

Probably Boston.

I feel like it was Atlanta in 2015. That series was fun.

i think for sure Boston is the biggest threat, they are a scrappy team, even though biggest threat, not really one to be concerned about, the east is still very bad

A healthy Toronto might be in the conversation.

The Knicks, according to Rose, they are building a SUPER TEAM.

Maybe, but they lost Biyamobo IIRC

I agree, I think Detroit has some good, up and coming, young talent too

Won't stop you from predicting the Cavs to not win the conference after every regular season loss

He also said he didn't understand why the Bulls traded him. He can't stay healthy, plays terrible, talks of leaving the team, says he doesn't try 100% due to his fear of being in pain after he retires and simply can't say anything to the media without sounding like an jackass. And he doesn't understand.

The fall of Derrick Rose after that first round ACL tear is an amazing story. He's like Tiger after his marital issues, but without all the major titles. One minute he's arguably a top 3 talent and then boom, jerky scrub.

Some Olympic men's basketball talk. France has the strongest starting 5 we'll face. I think France is better than Spain.

Tony Parker
Nando de Colo
Nicolas Batum
Boris Diaw
Rudy Gobert

However, those guys don't come close to USA's starting 5. Gobert *might* be considered better than Boogie and Jordan, but that's being generous. Our bench will slaughter theirs too.

France isn't a bad team, but USA should beat them by 30

Speaking of D-league ... Cavs just gave a training camp contract to the D-League Defensive player of the year. He's a lengthy 3-and-D kind of guy.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/243037/DeAndre-Liggins-Signs-Camp-Deal-With-Cavs

I remember when Iggy was labeled as a Lebron stopper.

https://youtu.be/CUMlLgrwzF0

I think it's funny that the previous 2 NBA Finals MVPs won because they guarded him.

They singled out Kyrie when Team USA was introduced during opening ceramonies. It was pretty cool. :-)

Yeah it was!

Damn!

I freaking missed it. Thank you for letting me know Eve!

It must be nice to be Kay Felder.

The Defending Champs litteraly bought a draft pick to be able to draft YOU.

That's gotta feel nice.