The NBA Thread

[Thermofusion]

I watched the Bobcats/Heat game last night. Bad refs allowed the Heat to get away with many of the same things they kept calling the Bobcats on. I hate to be That Guy but I really, really don't trust officiating in the NBA, and it's maybe the main reason I remain a casual fan. NBA refs will not call a foul on a star player. Anyway, some thoughts on the Bobcats since you guys definitely care:

Kemba Walker seems to be for real. He plays very aggressively, great energy, not afraid to attack the paint when the situation warrants.

D.J. Augustin is definitely for real. Back when Larry Brown was coaching them, he had this really bizarre passive-aggressive attitude toward Augustin. Insulted him in press conferences, barely let him play, always choosing to give Felton ridiculous minutes with little rest. Brown leaves, and we find out Augustin's a better PG than Felton, anyway. Good.

This Corey Maggette guy is really bad. I love how Duke players always suck in the NBA.

...except Gerald Henderson, maybe? He had a hell of a game last night. Warming up to him.

Finally, it was the most-focused game I've ever seen Boris Diaw play. Wish this Boris would show up every night. I still don't know if I like him as a player, but I also feel bad hating on a 6'8" Frenchman who famously gets around uptown Charlotte on his Segway:

[dumbfish]

That photo is great. I really want Charlotte to bottom out this year. Augustin, Walker, Henderson, and high draft pick to be named later might make a nice core in a couple of years.
A sick core.
A Nog core.

[El_Josharino]

I've actually been making a feeble attempt at following hoops through these first few days of the season. I was a kind-of Hornets fan back in the day for no real reason, so I may root for them, but I think I might also like Denver now.

[Thermofusion]

That photo is great. I really want Charlotte to bottom out this year. Augustin, Walker, Henderson, and high draft pick to be named later might make a nice core in a couple of years.
A sick core.
A Nog core.

I'd definitely be okay with one more mediocre year if it snags us a few more pieces. Those three guys have great upside. On the flip, Biyombo seems to have a long way to go, but the Bobcats are so undersized that they pretty much had to take a chance on him, and he's only 19. Maybe more promisingly, Charlotte finally has a decent GM (Rich Cho, formerly Portland's GM), so maybe they'll make smarter personnel moves in the future.

Josh, NBA League Pass is free for another 7-8 days or so in case you wanna check a free game or two and figure out who to root for. The Hornets used to be my team too, of course.

[Thermofusion]

Watching the Magic-Bobcats. Charlotte's playing a little listlessly and DJ Augustin is bouncing cartoonishly off Dwight Howard a lot. It's pretty funny to watch. I like the way Orlando plays D. JJ Reddick took a ridiculous dive a few minutes ago to get a block call (his feet weren't set) and the Charlotte crowd booed him mercilessly, as only a Duke alum could be booed.

[Ignatius]

That Magic/Charlotte series two years ago was incredible exactly because booing JJ Redick was the most important thing that could happen.

[justinh]

I'm pretty stoked on the Timberwolves this year. 

Seeing Ricky Rubio nail a pass between Dirk's legs to Anthony Tolliver for the open 3 pretty much made the season already.   

[Babar]

Hey anybody catching this Jazz-Mavericks game? It's getting very chippy. 71-71 and fourth quarter on the way.

[Babar]

Wow, Dirk is getting so pissed off. He got away with a technical foul move by knocking the ball out of Derrick Favors hand when the Mavs were supposed to inbound and Earl Watson came storming to him to stick up for his teammate and knocked the ball out of Dirk's hand. A technical was given. A minute later Favors threw the ball at the crowd in frustration instead of giving it to the refs and he was EJECTED. which is bullshit. These Mormons are crazy right now, booing every time the Mavs have the ball.

[Ignatius]

Dirk is pretty much the number one guy when it comes to veterans who get calls. Not having seen it, I could understand getting pissed. But I am not surprised by your description of events.

[Babar]

He actually got a technical earlier for complaining harshly about a call. Another technical would mean ejection. I guess the ref just didn't have it in him sending him to the showers.

[Babar]

this guy just threw down his second monster dunk in this game

[Babar]

Jazz lost

They had the jitters down the stretch, allowed two wide open looks when it was clutch time, missed a free throw and capped it off with Devin Harris air-balling a wide open three, missing the rim by about two feet.

I like them a lot though and it's good for them to experience playoffs-like intensity like that and here's hoping that they will get to experience actual playoffs intensity come May.

[Thermofusion]

Shit, the 76ers are 3rd in the East right now? Will people start actually going to 76ers games?

[Ignatius]

They had the best record in the NBA for a minute there. I am real confused as to how to gauge performance in this crazy season, though. I look at the win-loss totals, or watch a few games, and the level of play feels like it's not even Christmas yet. Teams look either hot or simply inconsistent. With the exception of maybe the Thunder, I haven't seen any squad that looks like everyone knows what they're doing on any given night. And it's almost February! God damn lockout.

[dumbfish]

Heat > Thunder = Chicago >> everyone else >> Wiz
I'll be shocked if the champ isn't one of those first three teams. Then again, the Mavs wouldn't have been on my short list this time last year.

[Ignatius]

The Heat are doing that thing they did last year though when they get flaming hot for like six and a half games and then go ice cold. I still think they're likeliest to win the championship, it's just that I'm getting anxious.

Last year's Mavs were pretty much unstoppable at this point except when Dirk was out/not at full strength. I thought they were a lock to be in the conference finals, if not champions.

[Babar]

Teams look either hot or simply inconsistent. With the exception of maybe the Thunder

Yet they lost against the Wizards! Weird season.

[Chet]

Teams look either hot or simply inconsistent. With the exception of maybe the Thunder

Yet they lost against the Wizards! Weird season.

sentences like this are the reason i love american sports

[Babar]

Teams look either hot or simply inconsistent. With the exception of maybe the Thunder

Yet they lost against the Wizards! Weird season.

sentances like this are the reason i love american sports

I know dude! European sport clubs have pretty boring names most of the times (well, there are the Wolves, Hot Spurs and uhhh... Wednesday!), I think it's because so many of them were established in the 1800s.

[Chet]

Teams look either hot or simply inconsistent. With the exception of maybe the Thunder

Yet they lost against the Wizards! Weird season.

sentances like this are the reason i love american sports

I know dude! European sport clubs have pretty boring names most of the times (well, there are the Wolves, Hot Spurs and uhhh... Wednesday!), I think it's because so many of them were established in the 1800s.

When European's do American Sports it's amusing. Guildford Heat and Mersey Tigers just doesn't work.

[Babar]

OH MY FUCKING GOD JEREMY LIN



Just wanted to make sure this thread was up to date

[Thermofusion]

The 2012 Bobcats are the worst pro b-ball team to play in Charlotte since the 1988 Hornets (and at least they had Kelly Tripucka)

[dumbfish]

Yeah, pretty dire. Somehow not the worst.

[Ignatius]

I'm more impressed by Lin's ability to find assists on that team than his scoring. It's not like that team has any viable scoring options. The PG might as well just slash all night against crappier defenses like Utah and the Nets, who rank 26th and 27th in points in paint allowed, respectively. That Knicks team is held together with Scotch tape right now (do not count on 19 point efforts from Steve Novak nightly), and the Jeremy Lin phenomenon is a blip. Wait til they play the Lakers, and see what happens.

I get to see the Bobcats play a road game in Indianapolis in a week and a half, meanwhile. And the Spurs play at the Nets on Saturday. Action packed mismatch basketball!