NBA 15-16 season

[CubInOK]

Proven Veteran probably doesn't even know what Man U has done in the past month, or that Man U actually won something last season.

 

Even with the big EPL TV cash and the Brexit-deflated GBP that makes EPL teams pay Mozgov-like prices for players, you won't see someone like Stoke City pay Ronaldo-level salaries or even get Ronaldo-level superstars. Only teams that are consistently contending for the Champions League trophy get Bales, Messis, Suarezes, Neymars, and Di Marias. (All of the listed are soccer equivalents of Durant.)

[philosophizer75]

I really am not a huge lebron fan, but I like him. That having been said, I hope he beats the entire super-team that golden state has created. I wish durant hadn't gone there, and I wanna see lebron just rain on that parade come finals time.

[Proven Veteran]

Proven Veteran probably doesn't even know what Man U has done in the past month, or that Man U actually won something last season.

 

Even with the big EPL TV cash and the Brexit-deflated GBP that makes EPL teams pay Mozgov-like prices for players, you won't see someone like Stoke City pay Ronaldo-level salaries or even get Ronaldo-level superstars. Only teams that are consistently contending for the Champions League trophy get Bales, Messis, Suarezes, Neymars, and Di Marias. (All of the listed are soccer equivalents of Durant.)

 

I follow the premier league.

[wolf stansson]

It wasn't my intention to make this about soccer economics specifically. Just pointing out that in unrestricted capitalist leagues, the same teams win every time.

I follow the premier league.

Clearly.

Pointing out Leicester as evidence that it doesn't matter is counter-productive because as someone pointed out, they didn't do by spending nearly as much as their rich competitors. They were classic outliers. It also ignores the hegemony in the other major leagues with the same ceiling-less payroll. It also ignores the hegemony of 4 clubs throughout Premier League history. Bolton and Leicester. That's it, outside of United, Chelsea, City and Arsenal.

 

If the NBA didn't have a salary cap, the Lakers would never be bad. You think it's bad how players flock to handful of destinations now?

Edited July 6, 2016 by wolf stansson

[raw]

im still in shock that it's the warriors. when lebron left for miami it wasn't like miami was knocking him out of the playoffs every year, it was just a place with the right circumstances to make the super team possible. this is literally just the guy playing pick up saying "hey lets re-pick teams" because he keeps losing.

 

I thought they would have been favorites in the West (at least) had Durant stayed in OKC and gotten Horford to come there as rumored.

[wolf stansson]

im still in shock that it's the warriors. when lebron left for miami it wasn't like miami was knocking him out of the playoffs every year, it was just a place with the right circumstances to make the super team possible. this is literally just the guy playing pick up saying "hey lets re-pick teams" because he keeps losing.

 

I thought they would have been favorites in the West (at least) had Durant stayed in OKC and gotten Horford to come there as rumored.

Me too. That's the crazy part. I think they were the best squad in the west if he stayed. Of course, it wouldn't have been a sure thing.

[JonJayCutler]

I really am not a huge lebron fan, but I like him. That having been said, I hope he beats the entire super-team that golden state has created. I wish durant hadn't gone there, and I wanna see lebron just rain on that parade come finals time.

 

I unexpectedly found myself violently rooting for LeBron and the Cavs in this past finals. Will do it even moreso now.

 

I think Wade ends up in Cleveland btw.

[Derwood]

You must not follow soccer.

 

That's weird, I could have sworn that Leicester and Tottenham (and arsenal) were top of the table this year. Maybe it was actually United and Chelsea.

 

Yes, let's ignore Chelsea finishing in the top 3 in 11 of 12 years before last year. Or ManU's 22 straight top-3 finishes under Fergie (including 19 in the top-2). Or Arsenal's 20 straight top-4 finishes (they're way closer to ManU/Chelsea than they are to Leicester). Or Man City's 6 straight top-4 shortly after getting a huge influx of cash.

 

Prior to this year, in the past decade, 38 of the 40 spots in the top-4 were filled by ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The other two were Spurs. And the top-4 best odds to win the EPL this year? City, ManU, Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

Sounds exactly like the NBA

[Old Style]

I think Wade ends up in Cleveland btw.

James, sources told Shelburne, is not willing to take less than the maximum contract he can sign with the Cavs, who are so far above the luxury-tax threshold that they could offer Wade only their $3.5 million midlevel exception. Being over the luxury tax threshold also means the Cavs couldn't do a sign-and-trade for Wade.

[UMFan83]

 

That's weird, I could have sworn that Leicester and Tottenham (and arsenal) were top of the table this year. Maybe it was actually United and Chelsea.

 

Yes, let's ignore Chelsea finishing in the top 3 in 11 of 12 years before last year. Or ManU's 22 straight top-3 finishes under Fergie (including 19 in the top-2). Or Arsenal's 20 straight top-4 finishes (they're way closer to ManU/Chelsea than they are to Leicester). Or Man City's 6 straight top-4 shortly after getting a huge influx of cash.

 

Prior to this year, in the past decade, 38 of the 40 spots in the top-4 were filled by ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The other two were Spurs. And the top-4 best odds to win the EPL this year? City, ManU, Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

Sounds exactly like the NBA

 

Not really....5 years ago the Warriors were one of the saddest franchises in the league, now they are the evil empire. Cleveland is a horsefeathers city and hardly a traditional power, but they just won a title. Indiana recently went through a run where they were a legit challenger to LeBron's Heat teams.

 

Using that "Top 4" Premier league team concept above, here are the conference finalists the last few years

 

2016: Golden State, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Cleveland

2015: Golden State, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland

2014: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Miami

2013: San Antonio, Memphis, Indiana, Miami

2012: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Boston, Miami

2011: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Miami

2010: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, Boston, Orlando

 

That's 16 teams that have made the top 4 in the last 7 years, over half the NBA. Of those 16 teams, only 7 made repeat trips, and the most any one team made it is 4 of the 7 years.

 

Miami (4), OKC (4), San Antonio (3), Golden State (2), Cleveland (2), Indiana (2), Boston (2), Toronto, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis

[Sammy Sofa]

 

Yes, let's ignore Chelsea finishing in the top 3 in 11 of 12 years before last year. Or ManU's 22 straight top-3 finishes under Fergie (including 19 in the top-2). Or Arsenal's 20 straight top-4 finishes (they're way closer to ManU/Chelsea than they are to Leicester). Or Man City's 6 straight top-4 shortly after getting a huge influx of cash.

 

Prior to this year, in the past decade, 38 of the 40 spots in the top-4 were filled by ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The other two were Spurs. And the top-4 best odds to win the EPL this year? City, ManU, Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

Sounds exactly like the NBA

 

Not really....5 years ago the Warriors were one of the saddest franchises in the league, now they are the evil empire. Cleveland is a [expletive] city and hardly a traditional power, but they just won a title. Indiana recently went through a run where they were a legit challenger to LeBron's Heat teams.

 

Using that "Top 4" Premier league team concept above, here are the conference finalists the last few years

 

2016: Golden State, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Cleveland

2015: Golden State, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland

2014: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Miami

2013: San Antonio, Memphis, Indiana, Miami

2012: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Boston, Miami

2011: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Miami

2010: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, Boston, Orlando

 

That's 16 teams that have made the top 4 in the last 7 years, over half the NBA. Of those 16 teams, only 7 made repeat trips, and the most any one team made it is 4 of the 7 years.

 

Miami (4), OKC (4), San Antonio (3), Golden State (2), Cleveland (2), Indiana (2), Boston (2), Toronto, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis

 

That is a beautiful Derwood-dismantling.

[Cubbie Swagger]

I like how Lebron is suddenly the anti-superteam. He's just a humble small town kid trying to bring a ring to his home state!

[Old Style]

What's with all this kickball horsefeathers? I thought this was a basketball thread.

[Guest]

I really am not a huge lebron fan, but I like him. That having been said, I hope he beats the entire super-team that golden state has created. I wish durant hadn't gone there, and I wanna see lebron just rain on that parade come finals time.

 

I unexpectedly found myself violently rooting for LeBron and the Cavs in this past finals. Will do it even moreso now.

 

I think Wade ends up in Cleveland btw.

 

I did, too. But that was just so GS couldnt have history.

[Derwood]

 

Yes, let's ignore Chelsea finishing in the top 3 in 11 of 12 years before last year. Or ManU's 22 straight top-3 finishes under Fergie (including 19 in the top-2). Or Arsenal's 20 straight top-4 finishes (they're way closer to ManU/Chelsea than they are to Leicester). Or Man City's 6 straight top-4 shortly after getting a huge influx of cash.

 

Prior to this year, in the past decade, 38 of the 40 spots in the top-4 were filled by ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The other two were Spurs. And the top-4 best odds to win the EPL this year? City, ManU, Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

Sounds exactly like the NBA

 

Not really....5 years ago the Warriors were one of the saddest franchises in the league, now they are the evil empire. Cleveland is a [expletive] city and hardly a traditional power, but they just won a title. Indiana recently went through a run where they were a legit challenger to LeBron's Heat teams.

 

Using that "Top 4" Premier league team concept above, here are the conference finalists the last few years

 

2016: Golden State, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Cleveland

2015: Golden State, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland

2014: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Miami

2013: San Antonio, Memphis, Indiana, Miami

2012: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Boston, Miami

2011: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Miami

2010: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, Boston, Orlando

 

That's 16 teams that have made the top 4 in the last 7 years, over half the NBA. Of those 16 teams, only 7 made repeat trips, and the most any one team made it is 4 of the 7 years.

 

Miami (4), OKC (4), San Antonio (3), Golden State (2), Cleveland (2), Indiana (2), Boston (2), Toronto, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis

 

"Top 4" is pretty meaningless in the NBA. My comment was referring to how a relatively small handful of NBA teams have won the title over the past several decades. The last two years may be marking a change in that, but:

 

# of Championships Since 1987 (30 years)

 

LA Lakers - 7

Chicago - 6

San Antonio - 5

Detroit - 3

Miami - 3

Houston - 2

Boston - 1

Cleveland - 1

Dallas - 1

Golden State - 1

 

So only 1/3 of the teams in the league have won a title in 30 years. Compare that to 13 for the NFL and 16 for MLB

[SouthSideRyan]

Of course, in the last 10 years:

 

NBA - 7

MLB - 6

NFL - 9

 

The goal should never be to become the amorphous blob of 28 team parity (with 4 consistently shitty teams) that is the NFL.

 

ETA: Even can cut it to 22 years, and you have still have 10 NBA teams and 11 MLB teams.

 

Like this is a really weird argument to make when there have been 4 unique champs in a row, and 6 of the last 7 have been by unique teams.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, the NBA has definitely trended mostly away from the same teams always winning the championship. The Bulls are the only team on that least that really ate up a chunk of largely consecutive title-time; within his arbitrary 30-year window, yeah, the Lakers won it 7 times, but it was 2, then 12 years until the next 3, and then 7 years until the next 2. Hell, I don't know why he didn't push it back to 40, when it actually was basically dominated by just 2 teams for a decade.

[raw]

 

Yes, let's ignore Chelsea finishing in the top 3 in 11 of 12 years before last year. Or ManU's 22 straight top-3 finishes under Fergie (including 19 in the top-2). Or Arsenal's 20 straight top-4 finishes (they're way closer to ManU/Chelsea than they are to Leicester). Or Man City's 6 straight top-4 shortly after getting a huge influx of cash.

 

Prior to this year, in the past decade, 38 of the 40 spots in the top-4 were filled by ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The other two were Spurs. And the top-4 best odds to win the EPL this year? City, ManU, Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

Sounds exactly like the NBA

 

Not really....5 years ago the Warriors were one of the saddest franchises in the league, now they are the evil empire. Cleveland is a [expletive] city and hardly a traditional power, but they just won a title. Indiana recently went through a run where they were a legit challenger to LeBron's Heat teams.

 

Using that "Top 4" Premier league team concept above, here are the conference finalists the last few years

 

2016: Golden State, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Cleveland

2015: Golden State, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland

2014: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Miami

2013: San Antonio, Memphis, Indiana, Miami

2012: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Boston, Miami

2011: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Miami

2010: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, Boston, Orlando

 

That's 16 teams that have made the top 4 in the last 7 years, over half the NBA. Of those 16 teams, only 7 made repeat trips, and the most any one team made it is 4 of the 7 years.

 

Miami (4), OKC (4), San Antonio (3), Golden State (2), Cleveland (2), Indiana (2), Boston (2), Toronto, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis

 

I'm on your side of things for the most part, but the NBA "final four" is really shaky to use, because of all those years, only 2012 was there a 2nd team with a legit shot of coming out of the East. Basically a case of "somebody has to get there". Sure Indiana went 7 with Miami in 2013, but they lost by like 25 in that final game, with the series not really in doubt and Wade playing at less than 100% IIRC. And "only" 7 repeat trips is misleading, because that's almost half and if you arbitrarily start at 2011 instead of 2010, that eliminates 3 of those teams giving you over half the teams that have repeated final 4's. Also, there have been double repeat conference winners on each side the last 4 years. All those 2nd place East teams are basically the Buffalo Bills when the NFC was dominant in the NFL.

[Derwood]

Ray Allen now saying he wants to make a return to the NBA.....with either the Warriors or Cavs

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16822398/ray-allen-eyeing-golden-state-warriors-considering-return-nba?ex_cid=espnfb

[UMFan83]

Duncan officially retired today. Dammit, no Kobe or Duncan in the NBA anymore?

 

I believe that makes Kevin Garnett the last active NBA player to play the Jordan/dynasty Bulls.

 

[illiniguy]

Duncan officially retired today. Dammit, no Kobe or Duncan in the NBA anymore?

 

I believe that makes Kevin Garnett the last active NBA player to play the Jordan/dynasty Bulls.

 

Duncan was drafted after the lockout, Jordan never was a Bull against him.

[UMFan83]

Duncan officially retired today. Dammit, no Kobe or Duncan in the NBA anymore?

 

I believe that makes Kevin Garnett the last active NBA player to play the Jordan/dynasty Bulls.

 

Duncan was drafted after the lockout, Jordan never was a Bull against him.

 

 

He played in 97-98, Jordan's last year as a Bull

[illiniguy]

Duncan officially retired today. Dammit, no Kobe or Duncan in the NBA anymore?

 

I believe that makes Kevin Garnett the last active NBA player to play the Jordan/dynasty Bulls.

 

Duncan was drafted after the lockout, Jordan never was a Bull against him.

 

 

He played in 97-98, Jordan's last year as a Bull

Jesus, I am old. I thought for sure he missed him by a year. It was Olawakandi that was the franchise center after the lockout I guess, lol.

[Cubbie Swagger]

Is it just me, or does the above picture look nothing like Tim Duncan facially? That's weird.

[UMFan83]

Draymond Green arrested for assault. This will only make the Warriors even more hated.

 

http://deadspin.com/report-draymond-green-arrested-for-assault-1783449756