Around the NBA 2017-18

[shakespeare]

Cowherd believes Lakers are planning to “out tough” Warriors. Hilarious.

He never mentions what happens after Curry, Thompson and Durant hit about 10 consecutive long balls in a one minute span against Lakers:

[shakespeare]

Also, at only 23 years of age, Clint Capela is poised to get PAID when it's his time to be a free agent.

5 years, $90 million
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2421 ... int-capela

[shakespeare]

Giannis looks like a completely different player nowadays than when he entered league:

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/07/28/mu ... is-summer/

[shakespeare]

LeBron James has opened a public elementary school, and grads can attend college for free:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.c ... -ohio.html

Mad respect for LeBron James, mad respect.

[dcapodic]

Mad respect for LeBron James, mad respect.

He does an unbelievably great thing and then he does, what so many other do, alienates a great many people from this deed by using divisive language and either showing another side of his true self or just simply not nbeing a very good leader to those same kids he is trying to help.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/lebron-james ... 43524.html

“I would never sit across from him,” James said. “I’ve sit across from Barack [Obama] though.”

The ultimate in fascination about this quote though is how Don Lemon, CNN and the Huffington Post all use it as showing, see just more proof of how bad Trump is.

How about this Lebron....you REALLY want to help and i mean REALLY....show that a man, particularly one in as influential position as yourself and particularly an African American influential man in today's times....don't tell me how you would meet with the African American POTUS but not the "old White guy" POTUS because that seems like the ULTIMATE wrong message to send, particularly to the kids you are trying to be influential to. Resist, turn your back, don't talk to or acknowledge....how's about this....Many, and I mean MANY people feel the easiest thing to do is give money for a cause. Now I have often said, and I am not gonna change my tune just to make a point, that it is great when they do and I am not gonna question them "just" giving money because it is more than most do....if you are gonna open your mouth and make what I consider even more divisive comments than POTUS Trump himself, either just don't say anything and let your good deed stand on its own or show some REAL leadership, some REAL desire to make a change and use your position, your influence, your affluence and get involved and meet with Trump yourself. You are someone that can make a positive influence if you try but just spouting things like you did in this article so distracts a great portion of people form the good you actually did and misleads the very people you are trying to help that I sometimes wonder....I am just gonna stop there. This is as bad as "The Decision". Whether it is bad advice, or just bad decision making on his part I don't know. I wanted to just gush about Lebron today and give him all the credit in the world and then I see this stuff splattered everywhere and it just ruined the whole deed.

I could say so much more but I am SO disappointed in him right now and I don't want to be for the actual good thing that he did so better I just let the rest of it go unsaid.

[Koopa Troopa]

What were you saying about Brons words being more divisive than Trumps?

Its crazy that this is real life.

[dcapodic]

What were you saying about Brons words being more divisive than Trumps?

Its crazy that this is real life.

How many times have we seen this same type of thing over the past couple of years and still, it keeps happeening and the "media" keeps covering it the same way....a celebrity take a shot at Trump, in an interview having nothing to do with politics, he fires back and he catches the flack for being "petty". Don Lemon's interview was about Lebron's donation and the ensuing opening of this new school. Lemon brought up the subject of Trump and Lebron went there and of course, the "media" jumped all over it as they do anything anti-Trump. Yada, yada, yada....

Meanwhile, back in the real world life seems to keep going on pretty well but that is off the agenda for the current "media".

BTW, the "I like Mike" comment was GOLDEN! Seriously, I wonder if he actually came up with that himself, no way right?!? He has to have someone helping him with his tweets, right?!?

[dcapodic]

How many times have we seen this same type of thing over the past couple of years and still, it keeps happeening and the "media" keeps covering it the same way....a celebrity take a shot at Trump, in an interview having nothing to do with politics, he fires back and he catches the flack for being "petty". Don Lemon's interview was about Lebron's donation and the ensuing opening of this new school. Lemon brought up the subject of Trump and Lebron went there and of course, the "media" jumped all over it as they do anything anti-Trump. Yada, yada, yada....

Meanwhile, back in the real world life seems to keep going on pretty well but that is off the agenda for the current "media".

BTW, the "I like Mike" comment was GOLDEN! Seriously, I wonder if he actually came up with that himself, no way right?!? He has to have someone helping him with his tweets, right?!?

....and right on cue, here we go.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dan ... 33723.html

Let's see, this one uses racist. Well, I guess misogynist, xenophobic, etc. were out so ya!!

It would be humorous if it were not so sad. The worst part, people will line up behind Dan Rather to follow the parade. Does anyone really think for themselves any more...like, ANY ONE!

[shakespeare]

He does an unbelievably great thing.

Agreed.
Hopefully, in the future, more multimillion pro athletes and wealthy celebrities will follow suit and give back to their respective communities while [I wanted to say instead of, but I’m a realist] making millions of dollars off those same communities.

Not sure what the media’s agenda will be in the future, but I’m certain of all LeBron’s school will bring to the table of underprivileged youths and adults, alike.

[Don Che]

I'm rarely in this thread but it's rare to discuss politics/social issues here.

interesting

[shakespeare]

John Wall: Wizards on same level of Celtics, Raptors, 76ers

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/08/10/jo ... ors-76ers/

Nah.

[Koopa Troopa]

So I think Melo to Houston is now official.

How many people do you think are already blaming him for when they cant beat Golden State?

[spree#8]

I'm happy for Melo. Playing for D'Antoni and with Harden and Paul should be a lot of fun for him.

[gradyandrew]

So I think Melo to Houston is now official.

How many people do you think are already blaming him for when they cant beat Golden State?

Is Melo finally going to get his chance to be Olympic Melo full time? It's funny how the media ran with that storyline last year after he went to OKC despite the fact the Westbrook has always been more of a force of nature than a PG. Combined with him and Mike's familiarity and all the shit that Melo took last season for their overall shittiness once Roberson went down, I'm expecting him to have a flashback season, similar to when Ray Allen went to Miami and everyone was like, oh, yeah, Ray Allen is really good. Also, with his money intact, what else does Melo have to play for except his legacy. He might even start playing defense again.

Hey, Trevor is the man, but when you get the espn literati pumping the narrative that somehow he's a better player than Melo, well you got to take that story with a grain of salt.

[shakespeare]

You may hate superteams, but players don’t see it that way:

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/08/22/yo ... -that-way/

[Koopa Troopa]

Proposed NBA rule changes
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2445 ... ve-rebound

Dude what the ****.
Who asked for that shot clock change??? The 24 second shotclock on an offensive rebound didn't limit you to force yourself to waste the 24 seconds. Now instead of seeing different play styles and different schools of thought, we will just see more chucking. I guess it benefits the agenda to make the Warriors the greatest team of all time.

[thewatcher]

Happy Birthday Kobe. those babes on Sports nation sucking up to the Lakers all year and especially Kobe PLEASE NO FEMALE LAKER FANS SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON NATIONAL TV.

[shakespeare]

Koop. Just further proof of the league being a business, first and foremost. That all.

[Koopa Troopa]

Koop. Just further proof of the league being a business, first and foremost. That all.

I hope it backfires. How much more will see a team grab an offensive board and immediately call a timeout because of this rule?

Silver is messing with the game too much.

Hes definitely adding a 4 point line before his tenure is over.

[gradyandrew]

Only 6% of possessions after an offensive rebound go past 14 seconds as is, off an average of 9.8 o rebis per team per game. So the rule change basically will effect 1 possession per game (.06×19.6). Not a big deal at all. It should make close games a little more exciting at the end, because if the leading teeam gets an offensive board, the team behind will have slightly less of an incentive to foul.

The only part of basketball that really sucks is how the last minute of a close game plays out so much differently than the preceding 47. I dont think anyone wants to see one of the other innovative ideas where teams play to a target score, i.e. you add ten points to whichever team is leading after the 44th minute and whoever gets there first, wins. But really, any innovation that can keep players off the foul line for the final possessions of a game is something im all for.