2015-16 NBA Thread (feat. the Wives)

[Songbird]

Warriors are the defending champions. Golden State. They actually won it.

But the first post features Matt Barnes driving 100 miles to get in Derek Fisher's face for dribble-driving on his estrange wife. I liked a few Isola lines in this:

Isola: Derek Fisher should be held accountable

A quote:

"It's a no-no," said one team official. "You don't date wives of players. A coach can't do that."

Isola summation:

"I'm here, I'm focused," Fisher said prior to Wednesday's preseason opener at the Garden. "It's not something that's going to take me away from who we are and what we're trying to do."

That's not true. He's already missed one practice. What type of message does that send to relatively new team? You think Gregg Popovich takes the first weekend off to sit around a bonfire with a player's wife? Pat Riley? Doc Rivers? Phil Jackson?

Barnes with a preview of what attacking Fisher would look like years later? (Getty)

Looks like there are only .4 seconds left on Fisher's clock in Gotham.

Anyway, who do you like this season?

 

[The Big Ragu]

That story is an embarrassment all the way around. Matt Barnes is Matt Barnes. But WTF is an NBA head coach doing all the way across the country during training camp with the wife of a player from another team? If last season didn't give him an ulcer (which he partially brought on himself), Phil Jackson's insides must be churning.

 

[Big Circus]

Caron Butler's account of the Gilbert Arenas-Javaris Crittenton incident is also delightful. The Association is back, baby!

‘I play with guns': Caron Butler’s inside account of the Gilbert Arenas gun incident

 

[DanOregon]

The feuds are always the best part of the first half of the NBA season. Really never figured Fisher to get involved with anyone previously involved with Basketball Wives. You might as well walk naked through Times Square.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Barnes told ESPN that he was at his home in Marina del Rey around 10 p.m. Saturday night when he got a text from his son Carter that immediately concerned him.

"I'm like, first of all, why are you still up? It's like 10 o'clock at night?' " Barnes said. "So I text back, 'I love you and I miss you, too.' Then I FaceTimed him. I'm just like, 'Hey, what's up buddy?'"

"Now, Carter is like the rambunctious one. He's always jumping off the walls. And when I saw his face, he was just sitting there and I knew something was wrong. I was like, 'What's wrong, Carter?' and he shook his head, 'No.' Then he lays his head down on the couch, puts a pillow in front of his face and says, 'Mommy's friend Derek is here.'

Mommy needed it bad and wasn't going to deal with anything else until she got it.

Also Mommy is the sister of Gilbert Arenas' baby mama, the one who wanted him served with a summons at the free-throw line.

 

[poindexter]

The circle of chicks these guys pass around to each other seems awfully small.

 

[LongTimeListener]

They are creating an NBA super-race. It's all part of Donald Sterling's plan.

 

[Stoney]

But WTF is an NBA head coach doing all the way across the country during training camp with the wife of a player from another team?

Exactly. Also worth noting that the wife also happens to be cast on a currently airing reality show, which only amplified the odds of this blowing up into embarrassing publicity. Just remarkably poor judgment for a head coach to be embroiled in that mess, especially one with only one year of experience in which he went 17-65 and often appeared quite clueless.

 

[qtlaw]

The circle of chicks these guys pass around to each other seems awfully small.

Jason Kidd and Jimmy Jackson wonder what all the fuss is about.

 

[Songbird]

Anyone find his knees yet?

 

[LongTimeListener]

Warriors up to 9-0 with an average margin of +17.6. Last year they started 5-0, lost two, then won 16 in a row.

With Bogut out, their starters for now (and maybe for good) are all between 23 and 27 years old and on the career upswing. And because they're blowing out so many teams, they don't log heavy minutes.

This could be a 70-win team.

 

[Webster]

Interesting Woj piece on the free agency process for LMA.

Five days in free agency: Inside the courtship of LaMarcus Aldridge

He sounds like more than a bit of a diva to me.

 

[93Devil]

Stephen Curry might be the greatest shooter ever.

He's Maravich, but he's a better shooter and in more control.

 

[heyabbott]

76ers, Nets and New Orleans are a combined 2-28.

The NBA, you know you want it. *****

 

[qtlaw]

Stephen Curry might be the greatest shooter ever.

He's Maravich, but he's a better shooter and in more control.

Did not foresee it but Curry is changing the game with his unbelievable range and ability to shoot 3s off the dribble. Even so, the Warriors are not the dominant team they are without (1) Draymond's toughness and D; (2) Igoudala's glue factor; (3) the lack of any apparent selfishness by the primary team members; and (4) the structure provided by Kerr and his staff.

 

[old_tony]

Interesting Woj piece on the free agency process for LMA.

Five days in free agency: Inside the courtship of LaMarcus Aldridge

He sounds like more than a bit of a diva to me.

That might be a little harsh. We all wish we could be in such a position, certainly, but that doesn't make it easy to decide where you're going to spend the next 4-5 years of your life. Not a bad idea to make sure you're going to be somewhere you want to be.

But worrying about being overshadowed by teammates? Yeah, doesn't really reflect well on him.

 

[Liut]

McHale fired. From what I understand, Howard quit listening to him.

 

[93Devil]

McHale fired. From what I understand, Howard quit listening to him.

Was McHale telling him to play to his potential?

 

[old_tony]

Dwight Howard has really turned into a coach killer.

 

[JC]

You guys are putting this on Dwight Howard?