Random NBA Observations 2016 - 2017

[CarltonJunior]

@Malta do you think one of the reasons the eastern conference has never really got the top quality teams that the west has is because all of their teams end up treadmilling because everyone else is treadmilling? As in all the teams that might otherwise fight for the top picks end up trading a lot of wins that makes them go farther down in the lottery, which is basically what Philly avoided by being so extremely bad.

I mean the Heat, for example, are a team would benefit from getting a top pick this season but they went on a huge winning streak and now are close to a playoff spot in the east(even though they're still nowhere close to 500). That won't benefit them in the long run. I'm aware that the Western conference 8th seed is lower than the East's btw, but that's not really the point here, the top 7 teams in the west hurt the other teams records more than the Eastern teams do overall.

Same shyt happens to teams like the pistons and bucks. Having a top 5 pick would do wonders, but since the rest of the east is pretty much where they're at they end up getting a middle lottery pick.

And this isn't some recent thing, it feel likes this has been a constant for a long time. The bottom west teams, due to the strength of the West, end up near the bottom of the standings and end up with a great pick. The Suns have the 2nd worst record in the league, but a winning record in the east. I think it's safe to say if they were in the east they'd be in a position closer to what the Bucks are opposed to in line for a top pick. The West got Davis, the West got Wiggins, the West Durant/Westbrook/Harden, etc. I know they're not all top picks and West has a higher success, it seems, of finding superstars later in the lottery than the East, but overall it seems more of the top talent ends up in the West than the East.

I think its moreso the LeBron James effect and the fact that east GMs struggle in free agency. The east gms don't usually get the necessary help they need for the stars they do have or had, and they find themselves overpaying in FA and therefore don't have the cap space to bring on a star.

The east also has made the mistake of trading away first rounders that end up being players like Kawhi. But more importantly it doesn't help that Lebron switched teams twice and created 2 superteams with a big 3 which condensed the talent pool

 

[Malta]

@Malta do you think one of the reasons the eastern conference has never really got the top quality teams that the west has is because all of their teams end up treadmilling because everyone else is treadmilling? As in all the teams that might otherwise fight for the top picks end up trading a lot of wins that makes them go farther down in the lottery, which is basically what Philly avoided by being so extremely bad.

I mean the Heat, for example, are a team would benefit from getting a top pick this season but they went on a huge winning streak and now are close to a playoff spot in the east(even though they're still nowhere close to 500). That won't benefit them in the long run. I'm aware that the Western conference 8th seed is lower than the East's btw, but that's not really the point here, the top 7 teams in the west hurt the other teams records more than the Eastern teams do overall.

Same shyt happens to teams like the pistons and bucks. Having a top 5 pick would do wonders, but since the rest of the east is pretty much where they're at they end up getting a middle lottery pick.

And this isn't some recent thing, it feel likes this has been a constant for a long time. The bottom west teams, due to the strength of the West, end up near the bottom of the standings and end up with a great pick. The Suns have the 2nd worst record in the league, but a winning record in the east. I think it's safe to say if they were in the east they'd be in a position closer to what the Bucks are opposed to in line for a top pick. The West got Davis, the West got Wiggins, the West Durant/Westbrook/Harden, etc. I know they're not all top picks and West has a higher success, it seems, of finding superstars later in the lottery than the East, but overall it seems more of the top talent ends up in the West than the East.

I think there's more pressure on Eastern teams and teams don't stay the course, they are prone to making much worse trades than Western conf teams that cannibalize their future to appease the media/fans. The Knicks were on the verge of trading their pick that was Porzingis which would have been an absolute disaster and would have been applauded until Porzingis started showing out. The fanbases seem less patient and the media applies more pressure on teams as a result just look at all the shyt Jackson got for drafting a "project". Even the situation with Stanley Johnson, there were rumors the Pistons were thinking of trading of him, then compare that to the patience the Jazz are showing with Exum. There's also talk that the Pistons may get Hezonja in a trade, the Magic is a team that has cannibalized it's future already with one awful move after the next. You don't see that as often in the West, teams that are bad know they're going to be bad and there's not as much of a rush to make the playoffs.

The East has a lot of the top young talent now - Simmons, Embiid, Porzingis, Giannis, Turner. So I think that is changing. Also, teams like the Pistons and Bucks have actually been better against the West this year which is strange, and I'm hoping for the Bucks sake they miss the playoffs, there's no benefit to them making it now that Parker is hurt. I think the Wiz also showed a lot of patience and now it's starting to pay off, they could have easily moved Porter and Beal, but stayed the course, while a team like the Knicks dumped Tim Hardaway who is looking like he could be a 17-20ppg for the Hawks.

 

[ikbm]

only a kobe stan would come up with this bullshyt right here
im not even gonna state whats absolutely wrong with this shyt.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Just in case nobody has seen this yet -

Draymond Green has a leg up on Defensive Player of Year award

NEW ORLEANS -- If the NBA season were to end at the All-Star break, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green would be the favorite for his first Defensive Player of the Year award.

After promising anonymity, ESPN polled 80 media members who have postseason awards voting privileges. Every NBA market is represented. The league selects 130 media members to vote for its official postseason awards.

Even though our poll is 50 media members shy of the true figure, Green still holds a pretty decisive advantage. ESPN asked those 80 individuals to give their top three defensive player choices if the season were to conclude today, and 16 candidates were selected.

Using the NBA’s point system of a first-place vote being multiplied by five, a second-place vote multiplied by three and a third-place vote multiplied by one, Green accumulated a total of 295 points.

He received 41 first-place votes, 28 second-place votes and six third-place votes.

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert finished second with 193 points. He picked up 17 first-place votes, 31 second-place votes and 15 third-place votes.

San Antonio Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard came in third with 185 points. He has been the recipient of this award the past two seasons. The small forward got 20 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes and 31 third-place votes.

Green was mildly shocked to hear of ESPN's results.

“I think it’s pretty amazing to get that type of recognition for something,” Green told ESPN.com. “Obviously, it doesn’t matter at this point. But to be there right now -- I know how good of a defender Kawhi is -- so to be there is pretty special.”

San Antonio (101.0), Golden State (101.6) and Utah (101.6) have the top three defensive-efficiency statistics in the league. Green believes the team’s defensive numbers should be taken into consideration when voters are choosing who the best defenders are.

“I think it has to play into it some,” he said. “If you think you’re just an outstanding defender and your team defense isn’t that good, you’re probably not really that great.”

Only five players received a first-place vote. Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James each got one. It was James’ lone vote on the ballot.

Jordan also received nine third-place votes. He finished in fourth with 14 points.

ESPN informed Green's teammate Stephen Curry of the results and he proceeded to raise his hand in the air and extended his right index finger.

“Let this be a gesture that I’m saying Draymond is No. 1,” Curry said.

James (five points, one first place), New Orleans forward Anthony Davis (five points, one second place, two third place) and Golden State forward Kevin Durant (five points, one second place, two third place) were tied for fifth.

Memphis guard Tony Allen (four points, four third place), Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (four points, four third place), Oklahoma City center Steven Adams (three points, one second place) and Clippers guard Chris Paul (two points, two third place) rounded out the middle of the findings.

Memphis center Marc Gasol, Miami center Hassan Whiteside, Indiana forward Paul George, Chicago forward Jimmy Butler and Houston guard Patrick Beverley each had one third-place vote.

If the results of this ESPN survey hold steady come postseason-awards voting time, Green will be the first Warriors player to win the defensive honor.

“I feel pretty good about what I’ve done defensively,” Green said. “I think there’s some things I can get better at and continue to improve. But overall, I feel like I’ve been pretty good individually, and I think we’ve been good as a team.”

Draymond Green has a leg up on Defensive Player of Year award

 

[Versa]

only a kobe stan would come up with this bullshyt right here
im not even gonna state whats absolutely wrong with this shyt.

If the middle is "The Greatest Scorer of All Time", shouldn't Kevin Durant be in the middle?

 

[The War Report]

only a kobe stan would come up with this bullshyt right here
im not even gonna state whats absolutely wrong with this shyt.

Kobe more clutch than MJ?

 

[Derek Lee]

 

[Trot LaRoc]

If the middle is "The Greatest Scorer of All Time", shouldn't Kevin Durant be in the middle?

Isnt Kareem the greatest scorer ever tho? And how dafuq is Kobe more clutch than MJ

Ummm....6 Finals appearances, 6 rings, 6 certs.....

 

[Versa]

Isnt Kareem the greatest scorer ever tho? And how dafuq is Kobe more clutch than MJ

Ummm....6 Finals appearances, 6 rings, 6 certs.....

You right breh

 

[Shutdown10]

I think its moreso the LeBron James effect and the fact that east GMs struggle in free agency. The east gms don't usually get the necessary help they need for the stars they do have or had, and they find themselves overpaying in FA and therefore don't have the cap space to bring on a star.

The east also has made the mistake of trading away first rounders that end up being players like Kawhi. But more importantly it doesn't help that Lebron switched teams twice and created 2 superteams with a big 3 which condensed the talent pool

Nothing but facts written. I hope the next generation of players adopt a better competitive drive then these present guys. The product is getting too stale. Lebron! Although a great and legend in his own right is a schemer and always tries to tilt the favor in his odds no matter if he is the favorite or not. The only way these guys are going to compete with him in the East is if they team up as well. Paul George going to Boston or Cousins reuniting with Wall in Washington. Adam Silver needs these moves to go down if he wants anyone to give a crap about the Eastern Conference basketball IMO.

 

[BXKingPin82]

Melo tryna catch that flight

 

[KOBE]

@Malta I still remember saying you were turning your back on Boogie last year. Guess you're going to bring him back abroad and throw Drummond out of the big man crew now though.

 

[FTBS]

The difference between the East and West is luck and the Spurs (which was jumped off with luck). The Spurs have been the best run org in the L for 2 decades. You put them in the East and the entire dynamic of the league changes. The East had caught up with the West in the Mid 00s with the Pistons and Celtics and rising Cavs. Then we had a stretch from 07-12 where the majority of the elite players (the ones in their prime or close to in now) were drafted to the west (or traded there). Think about it...you had KD, Russ, Steph, Harden, and AD all drafted to West teams and Kawhi traded. As @Malta pointed out, the East seems to be having a similar period now with Giannis, Embiid, Simmons, and Porzingis. And some of these West FOs are looking rather right now. So maybe in a few years shyt will be flipped. All that said, I am still waiting for a West team to go through this gauntlet that everyone makes it out to be. Warriors cruised through the first two rounds with Steph out last year and now the only team that pushed them is gone, as they have their best player now. Bu...bu...but the East.

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[DPresidential]

Such an exciting time for the league and as a Knicks fan.

It feels like a lifetime ago.