Not a good start for the Bucks, Middleton and Connaughton both starting the season on the injured list.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur

Sounds like a great start to me Hawger!

I can't wrap my mind around the fact that the season is getting ready to start.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Like baseball, they should cut the season 20%

Morey's 58 game suggestion doesn't quite make it 2 games a week per team, assuming the season remains mid-October to mid-April or 6 months/26 weeks. I suppose if you throw in an extra game a month per team over those 6 months you get to 58. NBA does better in-person attendance on weekends but possibly the tv ratings are better on weeknights when more folks are at home in front of their flat screens. Don't see the NBA regular season games ever reaching NFL level ratings but reducing and then showcasing the product couldn't hurt. At least reducing the regular season schedule should improve the playoffs by leading to fewer key players sidelined with injuries.

Reducing the number of games is a bad idea. If they reduced to 58 then the very same guys that find a way to sit out games because they have a damn hangnail are going to still find ways to sit out. They need to stop guaranteeing the contracts are place provisions in them which would allow them to terminate contracts whenever guys start on their b.s.

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Probably something like that coming down the pike in the next CBA, the Kyrie Irving rule, although he's not the only offender in that regard. It's sorta epidemic in the league at this point. So they'll do something to get guys back playing 90%+ of the regular season games. it's 50/50 when you buy tickets ahead of time to see Lebron or whomever play in your city if you'll actually get to see them play in the game. I don't recall Jordan or Magic taking so many games off. Even Bird would play through his many injuries. Plus Bird was a stat ho and wouldn't wanna miss out on a chance to pad his numbers.

There is more intrigue heading into this season than in any sport in my lifetime. I got my popcorn ready.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

There really is a great deal of parity in the NBA right now. Moreso than any other time that I can remember. There are 10-12 teams that are legitimate contenders to win the championship.

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Really the only down side is that the Bulls aren't in the twelve. Thanks to the Sox blowing, I've never reset the NBCSN app on my Apple tv. Hopefully the Bulls can have me change that.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

With their full unit they are solid. Drummond and Dragic are solid pickups. It's going to come down ultimately to Patrick Williams. He has to take "the step" this year.

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Lakers still old, still bad, and still can't shoot.

If Doc Rivers doesn't get Philly away from iso ball and can't get a cohesive bench, he's gone by the ASG

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Not that I'm a Rivers fan, but the East is a tough way to make a living as a coach. The Bulls have collected the most talent since the Rose days and I got them in 7th place.

Players yes, talent, not necessarily.

As for Doc, I saw him compared to Russell Wilson, another previous "lock" for the HOF who may have ushered himself out of the Hall. He's always been a really nice guy and while I hope that the naysayers are wrong, I'm starting to agree with them. And fwiw, coaching is tough wherever you are with all of the (social) media, money and amount of control athletes rightly hold.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Should also cut 20% of the playoff teams, and series that are 5 games for the first two rounds, seven games for the conf finals and finals.

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For the playoffs I would go 3 game series for the 1st round (As it used to be back in the late 70's early 80's) and 5 game series for the 2nd round. I don't think the owners would ever agree to it because all of the extra games drastically increases their revenue.

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Its going to be tough to get away from Iso ball with guys like Harden and even Embiid on the roster though. Harden doesn't even move on offense unless he has the ball in his hands. I can't remember the last time I've seen him cut backdoor on offense or roll hard to the basket. His game is 100% centered on playing iso ball.

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No one is coming out with a real cut in any games with the t.v. contracts coming up soon. Hell, TNT just reupped with Barkley for nine figures, so there's really no way they'd cut the cash cow playoffs.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

It would make the opening rounds of the playoffs so much more interesting though. Just like the play in games are currently doing.

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Kyrie is coming by the deadline.

I wonder if that's why Mike D'Antoni took a less tethered to the team/conflicting with the Philly role with New Orleans this past off-season: so he can be ready and able to take over from Doc when Morey makes the call.

I'd trade Lebron and AD for extra Wembanyama lottery tickets + more. It's over for the Lakers this go round, they just don't wanna accept that reality.

That makes a lot of sense. But I couldn't hire him for any chance at playoff success if I ran a team.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

D'Antoni's offense is a nightmare to play in if you are a big.

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He does it when Rivers has stadium personnel place Krispy Kreme donuts on the side of the court he wants Harden to run toward.

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Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

This Nets thing is going to get really bad. Ben Simmons is single-handedly going to send Kyrie to the Lakers and Durant to the Suns.

It's a badly constructed roster.

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Dallas loses to a depleted Pelicans team that had eight players in double figures.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Watched the last quarter waiting for the next one. Luka and the Luka-naires. Looks like NBA hell for them boys.

Never got the Mark Cuban = genius thing. He sold a domain to yahoo for too much money at the height of the original dot com boom that yahoo promptly mothballed and never used and has done fuck-all since then except live off the proceeds of that thievery and make bad decisions for the Mavs. Luka will be gone in 2 years or sooner the way the Mavs roster is constructed.