2013-14 NBA Season

[dbk]

I wouldn't write the rest off just yet but those two certainly look to be the front runners currently - but maybe they're just the first to find their "sea legs". I think some of the others have high ceilings but are not really cohesive teams yet.

I'm actually enjoying the surprising play of some of the "tank" teams so far. Suns, Magic, and Sixers have all showed some legit sparks.

Yeah MCW looks like the clear cut ROY at this point - wish i picked him up from the waiver wire last week

 

[Capt Caveman]

Amazing ending in the Miami/Boston game. Miami up by two, 0.6 secs left with Bosh at the line, misses the first one then just bounces the ball off the glass with the second shot and there's a lane violation, Boston ball.

Gerald Wallace in bounds the ball on the Boston half and throws it to the opposite side of the court to Jeff Green in the corner, Green shoots and hits the 3 to beat Miami 111-110.

 

[dbk]

yeah that was pretty surreal.. This Sixers/Cavs game coming down the wire in 2OT.. Philly needs 2 with 0.6 secs left. Whatever happens in this game, I have to say that the Sixers are pretty darn entertaining to watch!

 

[Atomic Playboy]

It's still early in the year, but I found it interesting that the Western Conference currently has 9 teams over .500; the East has 3. I know the East has been a bit weaker over the past few seasons, but damn. And the best part is that Indiana or Miami is still probably the odds-on favorite to win the title.

 

[HendrixFan]

The season is still young and teams need to gel, especially teams like the Bulls. Schedules are weird early as "big" matchups kick off the season so there is a wide variance in the quality of opponents, the number of home games, and the amount of back to backs. Throw in injuries and there is plenty of season to go before we can declare anything set in stone.

 

[dougp]

It's still early in the year, but I found it interesting that the Western Conference currently has 9 teams over .500; the East has 3. I know the East has been a bit weaker over the past few seasons, but damn. And the best part is that Indiana or Miami is still probably the odds-on favorite to win the title.

So no team out West is a favorite? I'd put the Spurs over the Heat right now.

It's also going to be interesting to see how long the Pacers can keep up the pace.

 

[child of wonder]

So no team out West is a favorite? I'd put the Spurs over the Heat right now.

It's also going to be interesting to see how long the Pacers can keep up the pace.

One thing is clear, the Clippers are despicable floppers favored by the league more than the Timberwolves. Officiating in last night's game was atrocious, particularly Doc Rivers walking to center court in the middle of the game but not being assessed a T.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

So no team out West is a favorite? I'd put the Spurs over the Heat right now.

It's also going to be interesting to see how long the Pacers can keep up the pace.

I've only seen one Spurs game so far this year, and it happened to be their loss in Portland, so I didn't realize how well they're doing. I think I said it earlier in this thread; I'm never counting the Spurs out again until all of their players and Popovich are gone. They're like clockwork, every year, reel off 50+ wins and get to the WCF or Finals. Are they the favorites to win it all this year? Probably not. But you can never count them out.

 

[DesiPower]

1st Flopping fine for the amount of $5000 goes to............ wait for it...........

JAMES HARDEN!!!!!

 

[Red Storm]

1st Flopping fine for the amount of $5000 goes to............ wait for it...........

JAMES HARDEN!!!!!

I wish I could like James Harden, but in his young career he is already one of the worst floppers in the history of the NBA.

 

[dbk]

One thing is clear, the Clippers are despicable floppers favored by the league more than the Timberwolves. Officiating in last night's game was atrocious, particularly Doc Rivers walking to center court in the middle of the game but not being assessed a T.

Or Corey Brewer getting racked across the face by CP3 and not getting a call - I think CP3 got a steal instead. CP3 will sometimes become an inflatable doll out there - any slight bump and he's going flying

 

[Atomic Playboy]

1st Flopping fine for the amount of $5000 goes to............ wait for it...........

JAMES HARDEN!!!!!

A $5,000 fine isn't going to change a thing when Harden makes $13.7M a year, not including sponsorships. That's the equivalent of a $14.60 fine for an average $40,000 a year worker. Is anyone going to stop doing something that improves their odds of winning games for a fine of 0.04% of their salary? No. So it's an absolutely pointless gesture. They should go the Swiss fine route and do it as a percentage of salary; a star like James Harden would start to feel it a lot more if it cost him $250,000 to flop.

 

[dougp]

Or Corey Brewer getting racked across the face by CP3 and not getting a call - I think CP3 got a steal instead. CP3 will sometimes become an inflatable doll out there - any slight bump and he's going flying

He's never done anything like that before!

:whiste:

 

[child of wonder]

The NBA needs to start reviewing calls at the end of each quarter and final 2 minutes of the 4th for egregious flopping. Those determined guilty of flopping will receive an immediate technical foul. Two technical fouls and you're ejected from the game. You would also be subject to fines and suspensions per standard technical foul rules as you exceed certain thresholds during the season.

 

[vi edit]

The NBA needs to start reviewing calls at the end of each quarter and final 2 minutes of the 4th for egregious flopping. Those determined guilty of flopping will receive an immediate technical foul. Two technical fouls and you're ejected from the game. You would also be subject to fines and suspensions per standard technical foul rules as you exceed certain thresholds during the season.

Nah, assess on the spot and stick the flopper in a penalty box for 2 minutes. I want NBA power plays!
I got the same opinion on hacking at the end of the game. Hack away, but in addition to free throws you get stuck in a penalty box in the last 2 minutes of the game.

 

[dougp]

Nah, assess on the spot and stick the flopper in a penalty box for 2 minutes. I want NBA power plays!
I got the same opinion on hacking at the end of the game. Hack away, but in addition to free throws you get stuck in a penalty box in the last 2 minutes of the game.

That'd actually be cool, considering the NBA wants more offense. I don't mind the hacking though, because there is strategy to it when done properly.

 

[Blackjack200]

That'd actually be cool, considering the NBA wants more offense. I don't mind the hacking though, because there is strategy to it when done properly.

I disagree, I think it's a defect in the game when it is advantageous to foul. If an NBA player has a clear lane to the basket with no defender, and he's fouled on his way to the rim, he goes from a virtually 100% chance of scoring to roughly a 80%-90% chance of two points. Contrast that with hockey, if a player has an open lane to the goal and the goalie has been pulled, any penalty that prevents him from scoring simply results in a goal being called.

 

[dougp]

I disagree, I think it's a defect in the game when it is advantageous to foul. If an NBA player has a clear lane to the basket with no defender, and he's fouled on his way to the rim, he goes from a virtually 100% chance of scoring to roughly a 80%-90% chance of two points. Contrast that with hockey, if a player has an open lane to the goal and the goalie has been pulled, any penalty that prevents him from scoring simply results in a goal being called.

Hence why clear-path was introduced.

 

[Blackjack200]

Hence why clear-path was introduced.

I'm not familiar with that rule but I've seen at least a couple of plays this year where the attacking player was driving the rim and the defender, having no opportunity to get between the attacker and the basket, fouled, and the attacker was simply given two free throws. So if the rule is in place, maybe it needs to be more broadly applied.

I'm not just talking about this circumstance though, I'm talking about any situation where fouling is a strategy. Hack-a-Dwight and end of game to stop the clock are two that come to mind immediately.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I'm not familiar with that rule but I've seen at least a couple of plays this year where the attacking player was driving the rim and the defender, having no opportunity to get between the attacker and the basket, fouled, and the attacker was simply given two free throws. So if the rule is in place, maybe it needs to be more broadly applied.

Clear path wouldn't apply in most of those situations. Clear path is basically a call designed to punish teams that foul in the backcourt after a turnover to prevent an easy fast break basket. In order for a foul to be a clear path foul, the team must gain possession in the backcourt and the foul must occur with no defenders further upcourt than the ball (generally, this only happens when someone jumps a pass to steal it and they are grabbed from behind to stop the break). Clear path fouls result in two free throws plus the ball (similar to flagrant fouls, but without the additional penalty that picking up two of them is an ejection).

 

[IAteYourMother]

A $5,000 fine isn't going to change a thing when Harden makes $13.7M a year, not including sponsorships. That's the equivalent of a $14.60 fine for an average $40,000 a year worker. Is anyone going to stop doing something that improves their odds of winning games for a fine of 0.04% of their salary? No. So it's an absolutely pointless gesture. They should go the Swiss fine route and do it as a percentage of salary; a star like James Harden would start to feel it a lot more if it cost him $250,000 to flop.

It goes up subsequently. All the way up to $30,000 per flop before suspensions are issued. And that's money after taxes I believe. Say what you want, but that's a shitton of money even if you're making 20m a year.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

It goes up subsequently. All the way up to $30,000 per flop before suspensions are issued. And that's money after taxes I believe. Say what you want, but that's a shitton of money even if you're making 20m a year.

James Harden is making more this year than he made in his past three seasons combined, and his salary is scheduled to increase every year for the next five years. If you think he's sweating a $30,000 fine, you're delusional. I'm not saying it's not a lot of money, but it's nowhere near enough money to actually see him change his behavior. Flopping fines should be proportional to salary if you want to see any real change.

 

[IAteYourMother]

James Harden is making more this year than he made in his past three seasons combined, and his salary is scheduled to increase every year for the next five years. If you think he's sweating a $30,000 fine, you're delusional. I'm not saying it's not a lot of money, but it's nowhere near enough money to actually see him change his behavior. Flopping fines should be proportional to salary if you want to see any real change.

A flopping fine should not make someone sweat about it. But it should still be enough to deter, and i'd say 30,000 is plenty enough to deter.

 

[darkewaffle]

Sixers/Rockets game last night was pretty awesome, couldn't believe that 3pt shot at the end of regulation to tie it.

Also I saw a short interview with Iguadola, he's way more soft spoken than I would have expected lol.

 

[nf4m]

Sixers/Rockets game last night was pretty awesome, couldn't believe that 3pt shot at the end of regulation to tie it.

Also I saw a short interview with Iguadola, he's way more soft spoken than I would have expected lol.

caught that game. dwight still has no post game. his last turnover had me rofl'ing. and linsanity returns. looks like mchale was holding him back the whole time. worst coach in the league by a mile. he benched anderson most of last year as well.