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2013-14 NBA Thread part 1

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Songbird, Oct 14, 2013.

  1. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    Danny Granger out three weeks with a calf injury.

    http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9892408/danny-granger-indiana-pacers-miss-three-weeks

    I feel bad for Granger, who could help really a championship-level team after years of toiling for crap. But between his knee and his other injury issues, his best value to Indiana is the $15 million in cap space that will clear once his contract is up at the end of the season.
     
  2. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    BTW, the Warriors signed Bogut to a 3 yr extension over the weekend so that's one less big available next summer. Healthy, Bogut is a legit big who does all the "little things" to make his teammates better, something Howard used to do but now fails with his ego so big. Houston may soar, but it will be more because of Harden and Parsons than Howard. Whereas, Curry/Iggy/Thompson/Lee/Bogut will excel playing sweet uptempo hoops.
     
  3. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Howard is occasionally on the floor, playing.

    Advantage: Howard.
     
  4. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Hey now. Lakers beat the Clippers? By a lot?
     
  5. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    The Lakers looked like they might have a find in Xavier Henry.

    The Clippers need to guard someone on the perimeter, occasionally.
     
  6. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    If the Lakers had this bench the past couple of seasons they might have been able to do a bit more damage. Still can't see them being any better than, say, 8th seed in West but last night they were more fun to watch than at probably any point last season. I did not miss Howard's goaltending, laughter, fouls, missed free throws or getting stripped down low by guards (while realizing him leaving was a huge blow; he's just boring to watch). Farmar will be a nice pickup, especially because every trip up the court seems like it could be the last for Nash.

    Last night felt like the times the Clippers beat the Lakers from, oh, 1985-2010. More energy, the favorite's lethargic, few shots start falling, everything snowballs, but in the long run it's likely meaningless. Although it can't be a good sign that Wes Johnson was able to effectively guard Blake Griffin down low. No post moves whatsoever.

    Speaking of Wes. I used to think the worst thing about him was having to watch him with the Wolves took five years off my dad's life. But having to watch him miss wide open jumper after wide open jumper with the purple and gold is worse.
     
  7. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    I'm guessing it's a different story tonight at Golden State. But it was nice to see for a night, at least.
     
  8. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Is Farmar eventually going to start over Nash?

    I noticed something in the first half. At one point, Nash drove base line, then had to come out the other side and kick it out. There were Clippers bearing down, and any shot he attempted to take would have ended up in the 10th row, courtesy of DeAndre Jordan. At another point, Farmar makes the same drive, and finishes with a reverse lay-up.

    I know I'm cherry-picking highlights, which isn't a great way to scout a basketball game. But I can't shake the feeling that those two sequences are indicative of what that team gains with Farmar out there as compared to Nash at this point in his career.
     
  9. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Nash says he's open to the idea of possibly sitting out the second game of all back-to-backs this year. There's 19 of those.

    http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi-20131030,0,4833650.story#axzz2jDl1ViTP
     
  10. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    Yeah I thought that at the end of the game last night, a vision of a 27-point loss to the Warriors popping into my head. It's nice to see Gasol again being the focal point in the post too. Certainly not the same player as he once was but they did win 2 titles with him being the man in the paint instead of asking him to sacrifice his game for Bynum and then Howard.

    The 76 points by the bench was most in a game for the Lakers since 84 against Golden State in April 1988. I went and checked the box because other than Coop and Thompson, that team really wasn't all that deep. But that night against the Warriors Tony Campbell had 28, Mike Smrek 12 and Milt Wagner 10.

    That's pretty accurate of last night, Dick (and there was also a sweet flip over Jordan). I don't know if D'Antoni would ever start Farmar over Nash but it'll be interesting to see who's getting the time down the stretch (they could play them both, although they'd be small on D). And good point about the back to backs, Ryan.

    Nash "still isn't 100 percent" but at this point you have to wonder, will he ever be again? He's still great at running the offense and setting guys up but isn't the threat he once was with his own shot and that makes it easier to guard him. He's become the 40-year-old high school teacher who comes down to the gym to play against the 10th-graders after indoor baseball practice and spends the whole time passing, setting everyone up, great to play with but never shoots and eventually starts wheezing.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  11. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Another win tonight would make me feel really good about the Lakers going over their expected 36.5 win total.
     
  12. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    This has been my issue with Griffin since he burst onto the scene. Yes he's an unbelievable finisher whether on the fast break or on the pick n roll; but what else is there? 65% FTs? His J is brick city.

    I always scratched my head seeing teams send double teams when he's posting up, WHY? Don't the coaches watch film to see whether he even has a post move before sending the double teams?

    As for tonight, I'm looking for the Warriors to take care of business, don't assume Lakers are happy with a win and will roll over tonight (I hope they do though.)
     
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