Power Rankings

[AHF]

39 minutes ago, marco102 said:

I never said Miami wasn't better than Chicago. I said they are in the same tier of teams. We can make a avatar bet that Miami will finish in 5th -8th like they have the past few seasons.

IMO, Miami is not in the same tier as Chicago.  Teams in the same tier can finish above or below each other without anyone being surprised.  Miami is a lock for the playoffs and will be focused on seeding with a likely finish between 3 and 6.  Chicago will be fighting to make the playoffs rather than worrying about seeding.  I'd say they are the favorite for the 8th seed but could easily miss the playoffs if they run into any problems.  I'll be shocked if Chicago finishes above Miami which says they are not in the same tier.  

[macdaddy]

I'm not sold on Miami but if the league continues to let them foul without calls like they have historically then Lowry will have a resurgence there.  

[kg01]

24 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I'm not sold on Miami but if the league continues to let them foul without calls like they have historically then Lowry will have a resurgence there.  

Lemme ask you a question.

If MIA is the 'culture', has the 'culture' and has all these 'culture carriers' like the corpse of Haslam haunting the halls ... where was all this culture when they were getting bulldoz'd by the same team they beat in the bubble the year before?

Seems like 'culture' woulda won you at least a home game.

"Cul-cha shoulda brought yo' a** home last nite, Miami."

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, kg01 said:

 

Ok, the non-snark answer is what diesel said.  They're counting on "organic" growth.  They're the new WLOC posse.

Eh, you're right that they seem to be counting on development.  But I disagree that there's a "lot" of potential there.

I think Okoro is a miss.  The questions on his shot seem to be very real.  I'm not high on Mobley.  Too slight to play fulltime 5 (probably for another few years), not skilled enough to slide in at 4 next to Allen.

Sexton is becoming a bad-team all-star type, which is fine but the holes in his game mean he's not consistently contributing to wins.  Plus his fit with Garland is questionable.  Plus he's up to be paid now.  There's a reason he was on the block.

Okoro is the new Jimmy Butler.   If he has heart.. he can utilize his athleticism to be something good in the league.  His defense is undeniable.  

I agree that Garland is slight... but there aren't enough physical 2 guards anymore. Garland is a mystery in that offensively, there's so much upside.   The guy is like a 6 apg playing at the 2 spot.   He plays a killer PNR.  With him and Sexton on the court at the same time... He does stuff that Sexton doesn't do well (PNR) and Sexton's raw ability is something that DG doesn't do.   Two different types of PG... It's like having Trae and Westbrook on the floor at the same time.  Sexton has to get his 3 pt shooting over 4 shots a game and over 40%. (He's close).

Mobley is a question mark for me.   Why get him when you're going to reup Allen?  Then I look at him at 215... and say.. maybe the hope is to put him at PF similar to Hakeem and Ralph Sampson.  Hakeem was also a defensive stallworth coming out of Phi Slamma Jamma. 

Honestly.. Allen and Mobley on the court together will stop anything in the paint.  Match that with OKORO Hunting down guards on the perimeter and they could be a very good defensive team.  BUT>>>>>I think that but I believe that Cleveland will ride Nance and Love as long as they can before going all twin towers.  It's hard watching Love.   It's like watching Ali after the Spinks fight.  You remember how good he used to be. 

 

 

 

 

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, kg01 said:

I tend to think we're gonna see something drastic happen with Simmons.  Like him refusing to report to camp or something.  I think people are vastly underestimating the impact of JoeLLLL and GLLLLenn Rivers' postgame comments.

 

No doubt Simmons is a player who has thin Skin.  I believe it will be Doc who will talk him back in.  

 

[kg01]

17 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Okoro is the new Jimmy Butler.   If he has heart.. he can utilize his athleticism to be something good in the league.  His defense is undeniable.  

I agree that Garland is slight... but there aren't enough physical 2 guards anymore. Garland is a mystery in that offensively, there's so much upside.   The guy is like a 6 apg playing at the 2 spot.   He plays a killer PNR.  With him and Sexton on the court at the same time... He does stuff that Sexton doesn't do well (PNR) and Sexton's raw ability is something that DG doesn't do.   Two different types of PG... It's like having Trae and Westbrook on the floor at the same time.  Sexton has to get his 3 pt shooting over 4 shots a game and over 40%. (He's close).

Mobley is a question mark for me.   Why get him when you're going to reup Allen?  Then I look at him at 215... and say.. maybe the hope is to put him at PF similar to Hakeem and Ralph Sampson.  Hakeem was also a defensive stallworth coming out of Phi Slamma Jamma. 

Honestly.. Allen and Mobley on the court together will stop anything in the paint.  Match that with OKORO Hunting down guards on the perimeter and they could be a very good defensive team.  BUT>>>>>I think that but I believe that Cleveland will ride Nance and Love as long as they can before going all twin towers.  It's hard watching Love.   It's like watching Ali after the Spinks fight.  You remember how good he used to be. 

It's criminal that the Cavs haven't been able to do something with Love.  Even if it's just to tell him to go home.

Actually agree they have potential to be a good defensive team.  But I don't think they'll be able to score more than like 70 points a game.  And that's if Sexton drops 30.  And that's if they don't trade him first.

14 minutes ago, Diesel said:

No doubt Simmons is a player who has thin Skin.  I believe it will be Doc who will talk him back in.  

I think a lot of people make this assumption.  But the reality is GLLLLenn has an unearned reputation in that regard.  Literally, and I mean literally, every one of his teams has imploded due to infighting.

This Sixer nonsense was predictable.  And, not to pat myself of the back (which is exactly what you say before patting yourself on the back), I predicted this the day PHI hired him.

[macdaddy]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

Lemme ask you a question.

If MIA is the 'culture', has the 'culture' and has all these 'culture carriers' like the corpse of Haslam haunting the halls ... where was all this culture when they were getting bulldoz'd by the same team they beat in the bubble the year before?

Seems like 'culture' woulda won you at least a home game.

"Cul-cha shoulda brought yo' a** home last nite, Miami."

Yeah exactly.  They just aren't that good and their two 'best' players were in their prime 5  years ago.  All i'm saying is the league will let them shove their way to the playoffs.   They got to teach the young uns how to do it though. 

[Spud2nique]

3 hours ago, kg01 said:

I'm not high on Mobley. 

My close friend is a Rockets fan and I told him from the get go, grab Jalen Green. They were showing some stats comparing Mobley and Anthony Davis, no, just no. He’s not the one. I will say I also said this about Blake Griffin and I was kind of right. Despite the stats and whatnot, Blake isn’t that guy that effected winning, in fact he was a Carmelo type, selfish imo.

[Spud2nique]

3 hours ago, Gray Mule said:

Simmons needs to go west! 

If I’m Sac I make a move Gramps. The Kings have been somewhat mediocre since Brad Miller was semi intimidating dudes, take the gamble. Not sure if they have the assets but they need something soon. Kings fans deserve it. Although I’m not sure if they deserve a broken Simmons but one that could possibly get better in a low key environment like Sacramento. 

[kg01]

19 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

My close friend is a Rockets fan and I told him from the get go, grab Jalen Green. They were showing some stats comparing Mobley and Anthony Davis, no, just no. He’s not the one. I will say I also said this about Blake Griffin and I was kind of right. Despite the stats and whatnot, Blake isn’t that guy that effected winning, in fact he was a Carmelo type, selfish imo.

Dang, maybe the Cavs got buyers remorse on Mobley.  Just traded for Lauri Markk.  How does that frontcourt work with emoLove, Mobley, Allen?

[macdaddy]

14 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Dang, maybe the Cavs got buyers remorse on Mobley.  Just traded for Lauri Markk.  How does that frontcourt work with emoLove, Mobley, Allen?

Well that's easy.  Mobley / Allen start.  Lauri plays 12 minutes off the bench and Love is in street clothes.

[RandomFan]

5 hours ago, thecampster said:

If you are Cleveland, how can this be your offseason? How can your attitude be (let's run it back but add a rook).

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

2020-21 record: 22-50
Pace: 98.0 (25) OffRtg: 105.2 (28) DefRtg: 113.5 (25) NetRtg: -8.3 (28)

Key addition(s): Evan Mobley, Ricky Rubio
Key departure(s): Taurean Prince

 

15 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Dang, maybe the Cavs got buyers remorse on Mobley.  Just traded for Lauri Markk.  How does that frontcourt work with emoLove, Mobley, Allen?

Cleveland is a slave to the Kevin Love contract for 2 more years. So during that time, much like the Hawks were during their tanking seasons, Cleveland is in asset acquisition mode and are designed to lose games for better draft picks. Markkanen is just another positive asset, but won't affect winning much with their roster construction. 

[kg01]

10 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Well that's easy.  Mobley / Allen start.  Lauri plays 12 minutes off the bench and Love is in street clothes.

Isn't that the scenario that played out for him with the Bulls?  And a scenario he complained about?

Highly, highly doubt they signed him to that contract to sit the bench behind a rookie.

7 minutes ago, RandomFan said:

Cleveland is a slave to the Kevin Love contract for 2 more years. So during that time, much like the Hawks were during their tanking seasons, Cleveland is in asset acquisition mode and are designed to lose games for better draft picks. Markkanen is just another positive asset, but won't affect winning much with their roster construction. 

Mgt has been in place for what 4-5 years?  Even if it's just 3-4, that's too long to still be in asset-acq position.  They should have their 'guy' in place by now at least.

This is bad.  They're handing out extensions and contracts now.  We're not talking about rookie-scale dudes anymore.  Shiiii, they just gave Allen a 9-digit deal.  And they're not even sure to be a play-in?!  Eep

[RandomFan]

6 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Mgt has been in place for what 4-5 years?  Even if it's just 3-4, that's too long to still be in asset-acq position.  They should have their 'guy' in place by now at least.

This is bad.  They're handing out extensions and contracts now.  We're not talking about rookie-scale dudes anymore.  Shiiii, they just gave Allen a 9-digit deal.  And they're not even sure to be a play-in?!  Eep

Nobody said there were any good at it 

[kg01]

3 minutes ago, RandomFan said:

Nobody said there were any good at it 

[RandomFan]

Oh wow, I hadn't looked at the trade before, but they gave up Nance jr to add Markkanen? Dumb move...

Cleveland gonna Cleveland, I guess

[RandomFan]

55 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Dang, maybe the Cavs got buyers remorse on Mobley.  Just traded for Lauri Markk.  How does that frontcourt work with emoLove, Mobley, Allen?

BTW,

 

[kg01]

10 minutes ago, RandomFan said:

BTW,

 

My guy put Isaac, KG, and Claxton in the same sentence?

One of these things is not like the others, Elmo.

[RandomFan]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

My guy put Isaac, KG, and Claxton in the same sentence?

One of these things is not like the others, Elmo.

The size and role is the comparison, not the players. 

[kg01]

18 minutes ago, RandomFan said:

The size and role is the comparison, not the players. 

My point still stands.