NBA 2016-17: The Season After the Warriors Blew a 3-1 Lead

[speedracer]

Regardless of how the eventual loss the Cavs might suffer, I think the fact that LeBron has seen seven straight NBA finals is damn impressive. I'd like to see him get six rings, if only for the life-long debate.

Well, you know, if Jordan hadn't taken that voluntary baseball leave of absence that was totally voluntary and totally about pursuing his lifelong dream of playing baseball...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Well, you know, if Jordan hadn't taken that voluntary baseball leave of absence that was totally voluntary and totally about pursuing his lifelong dream of playing baseball...

Totally voluntary. Completely. Why would anyone ever think otherwise?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If Durant resigns and everyone stays healthy this team could pull off another 2-3 titles in a row. At least.

 

[namkcuR]

Totally voluntary. Completely. Why would anyone ever think otherwise?

I don't buy this. He's one of the most scrutinized, written about athletes of all time. If he'd been suspended in 1993, you don't think someone, somewhere would know about it and it would've gotten out at some point in the 24 years since?

 

[MrPryck2U]

So the Warriors won the NBA Championship. If those darn Cavs didn't win it last year, Pat Riley might have gotten a check.


Ok, so will it be Warriors/Cavs again next season?


The jerseys Cleveland wore last night are awful.


Jordan's father was murdered. That was the catalyst for Michael's decision. If MLB didn't have the strike in '94, he might have continued to play. He was actually improving as a player.

 

[Hewson]

But why was Jordan's father murdered?

There's theories out there that it was linked to his gambling.

 

[cobl04]

Didn't see Jordan average a triple double in finals

 

[Hewson]

Didn't see Jordan average a triple double in finals

Also didn't see Jordan lose a finals (let alone 5) or wilt in the 4th quarter of a finals game.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I don't buy this. He's one of the most scrutinized, written about athletes of all time. If he'd been suspended in 1993, you don't think someone, somewhere would know about it and it would've gotten out at some point in the 24 years since?

I honestly don't necessarily believe it either... but the rumblings have been there forever, and Stern ran a very tight ship. Has anyone ever spoken definitively about the 85 draft being rigged? Doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Would it shock me if somewhere down the line news came out that it was true? No. Would it shock me if it wasn't true, or it just stayed as an urban legend forever? Nah. Also not.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Didn't see Jordan average a triple double in finals

This is true.

Saw him go 6-0, vs 3-4, so there's that.

He also averaged 41, 8 and 6 vs the Sun's, if you really want to get specific and all.

 

[Hewson]

This is true.

Saw him go 6-0, vs 3-4, so there's that.

He also averaged 41, 8 and 6 vs the Sun's, if you really want to get specific and all.

3-5, don't leave out 2007 when the Cavs got swept by the Spurs. Lebron averaged 22 PPG and shot 35.6% from the field.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

My bad

 

[LuckyNumber7]

O you mean the guy couldn't make the finals in seven of his playoff appearances versus the guy who has only missed four in virtually the same amount of finals?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

O you mean the guy couldn't make the finals in seven of his playoff appearances versus the guy who has only missed four in virtually the same amount of finals?

do you honestly want to go through the state of the Eastern Conference when Jordan debuted vs the state of the Eastern Conference since 2003? You're better than that.

 

[zoopop]

Jordan didn't average a triple double because he was a true SG playing on a team. He didn't need to average a triple double. That Bulls team (like all the great teams) had role players providing a specific skill to better the team. Jordan had bigs to do all the dirty work down on the block.

Lebron is a great player but these stats get a little too much hype these days.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

do you honestly want to go through the state of the Eastern Conference when Jordan debuted vs the state of the Eastern Conference since 2003? You're better than that.

I was being entirely facetious.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

With the entire point being that the undefeated argument or number of championships argument is worthless. It's certainly what will fuel the comparison, but it shouldn't be.

 

[MrPryck2U]

But why was Jordan's father murdered?

There's theories out there that it was linked to his gambling.

Wouldn't surprise me. Jordan did say he lost his passion for basketball after the murder. Could it have been guilt? But, if he owed money, the NBA would be where he could earn a fuckload of it. As opposed to Lower Level Minor League Baseball where he made less than piss. Jordon was in the prime of his career. He sacrificed a lot of money and championships to leave the NBA. He could have won 8 Finals instead.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Wouldn't surprise me. Jordan did say he lost his passion for basketball after the murder. Could it have been guilt? But, if he owed money, the NBA would be where he could earn a fuckload of it. As opposed to Lower Level Minor League Baseball where he made less than piss. Jordon was in the prime of his career. He sacrificed a lot of money and championships to leave the NBA. He could have won 8 Finals instead.

That's not his point, nor the idea behind the conspiracy theories.

The story goes that Jordan's father was killed because of his gambling debts. Jordan "retired" as part of a deal with Stern as a hush hush suspension, as the league would have suffered imense damage if they had to suspend the greatest player of all time over gambling. Pete Rose was still very fresh in people's minds at this time.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/131997-mjs-1st-retirement-was-it-a-secret-suspension

There is some smoke, but obviously never any fire. It's all just guesses by people based on what we knew of Jordan's gambling habits.

In all likelihood the gambling and the retirement were all coincidences... but it's also hardly the only suspected rigging of something by Darth Stern. So who knows.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Lonzo Ball's Foot Locker commercial

 

[Hewson]

I am so fucking angry that Boston is going to get Fultz. Fuck everyone in New England.

Ae you less angry now?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I was wondering when this place was going to spring to life again...

 

[Hewson]

This trade will either be one of Ainge's greatest coups, or will be the worst thing he's ever done, only time will tell.

 

[PhilsFan]

Ae you less angry now?

Bryan Colangelo is forgiven. (Not Jerry, though.)

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This trade will either be one of Ainge's greatest coups, or will be the worst thing he's ever done, only time will tell.

That's pretty spot on.

You have to wonder if Ainge just REEEEEALLY likes Josh Jackson or if something happened to turn him off to Fultz.

Or maybe he just realized there are so many good players in this draft that he could grab what's almost guaranteed to be another top 5 pick either next year or the year after... which he can potentially swap out in a trade next year after New Orleans realizes Davis and Cousins can't play together in the current NBA - at which point it doesn't even matter if Fultz becomes a stud, both teams win.

Who's running the point for Philly now? Is Simmons the point forward type or is it Fultz? Did insurance premiums on Fultz for his rookie season just sky rocket? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Philly's ceiling is sky high. Their basement is also rock bottom. If everyone stays healthy and fulfills their promise they'll build a statue to Heinke next to Rocky. With Simmons and especially Embiid that's a big if.

 

[Hewson]

There were rumblings here that Fultz didn't shoot well when he visited, not sure that's enough to turn Ainge off of him.
Has been talk for some time that Jackson would be a better fit for C's as they have a plethora of guards, so its probably a combination of all 3 things you mentioned. He's probably hoping that he gets #1 next year again from Brooklyn and takes Michael Porter and gets another top 5 pick from this trade.
Either that or he's loading up for another Garnett-esque deal he is working on (also some rumblings he'll flip the #3 pick to Sacramento for #5 and #10).

Things are certainly not dull suddenly.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There were rumblings here that Fultz didn't shoot well when he visited, not sure that's enough to turn Ainge off of him.
Has been talk for some time that Jackson would be a better fit for C's as they have a plethora of guards, so its probably a combination of all 3 things you mentioned. He's probably hoping that he gets #1 next year again from Brooklyn and takes Michael Porter and gets another top 5 pick from this trade.
Either that or he's loading up for another Garnett-esque deal he is working on (also some rumblings he'll flip the #3 pick to Sacramento for #5 and #10).

Things are certainly not dull suddenly.

Yea I heard the rumor on Sacramento back when Philly still had the pick. It's a fairly silly trade by the Kings to be honest. They need so much help that they're better off picking quantity over quality, especially when the player they want might still be there at 5 if they waited.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I've been reading that Boston wants Tatum with the 3rd pick.

 

[Hewson]

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

No, you silly goose! Not that Tatum!