NBA Season 2013-2014 (Sep.) FIBA World Cup

Boom. Pacers win. Hibbert killed it tonight.

STEPH CURRY, OH MY GOD.

Ich bin ein Dubsfans.

Great that they didn't call a timeout after Dallas' last shot, they went up the floor and ran a play for Curry. Not many coaches trust their teams to do that.

Aaaaaaand the Bobcats forget to play D and lose to Orlando by 9 at home.

No, they're not tanking. They're just going to be wildly inconsistent. They'll probably beat (badly!) whoever they're playing Friday.

Spoiler:

I'm kidding. The Pacers will be up 20 by half.

I'm usually hesitant to give weight to odd stat records, as in the last time a player had 15 point and 2 assists in the 3rd game of the season or some such line. Typically they're more silly than relevant.

That's why when there was initial noise about LaMarcus Aldridges line from last night (31 pts, 25 reb, 2blks, 2 assists, 2 steals) I really didn't give it much heed. Those were definitely nice numbers but I was sure that they weren't that rare.

Turns out it is a bit of a thing.

Here are the players since 1986 who have scored at least 31 points along with having at least 25 rebounds, 2 steals, and at least 2 blocks. Source

Chris Webber 2001 51pts 26 reb, 2 blk 2 stl
Charles Barkely 1986 32pts 25 reb, 3 blk 4 stl
Hakeem Olajuwon 1989 32pts 25 reb, 10blk 3 stl

LMA is having a heck of a year.

Edit: initially I didn't have the steals listed and was just going by pts, reb and blocks. Since `86 there's been eight players that have recorded those totals the last one being Shaq in 2004.

The craziest thing about Aldridge is how unflappable he is. Earlier in his career that looked like aloofness and stubornness. He wouldn't go down low when he was clearly struggling from outside. Last night he struggled, kept playing hard, mixed it up inside and eventually started hitting jumpers.

It turns out those traits of his that I hated (that arching fadeaway and his overall temperament) would serve him quite well as he developed. Now I really appreciate his game. He's having a monster year.

I'm confused. Writers seem to be presenting it as common knowledge that the Sixers are the demo facto trade destination for Over Asik. Why would they want him?

Blind_Evil wrote:

I'm confused. Writers seem to be presenting it as common knowledge that the Sixers are the demo facto trade destination for Over Asik. Why would they want him?

Been wondering this myself. I know Sixers GM Sam Hinkie came from Houston, so perhaps he's a Asik fan. But it would run counter to their strategy for this year and Asik is only under contract through next season.

Perhaps they're the third team in a multi-team trade?

Their GM is the Rockets former assistant GM. He's signed long term so he's not just a temporary piece on the rebuild. They have the assets necessary to acquire him and the professional relationship to lower the price. He would serve as a mentor for Noel, allowing Noel come off the bench and slowly learn after his injury without pressure.

But they probably don't want him and this is just two buddy GMs trying to stir up interest.

Pacers-Heat part 2.

I would enjoy it very much if somebody stuffed Chalmers into a locker.

So tired of Battier drawing charges sliding up under people.

Stele wrote:

So tired of Battier drawing charges sliding up under people.

Yeah. That's my #1 problem with the NBA. They have to stop rewarding people for risking the careers of other players. We all know what actual charging is. When a player literally runs over another player to gain an advantage. Shaq did that. LeBron frequently does this. A player making a cut to the hoop and having Battier slide under him is not remotely the same thing.

Couple of home team calls there to cut into the lead. Ugh. That over-and-back...

Well that was some bullsh*t. Should have been 3 FTs to tie. f*cking Lebron gets special foul immunity in the last 10 seconds.

Can we just skip ahead to the Eastern Conference Finals and watch these two teams battle it out over a 7-game series? Please?

B Dog wrote:

Can we just skip ahead to the Eastern Conference Finals and watch these two teams battle it out over a 7-game series? Please?

Only if game 7 is in Indiana. :p

The reaction of everyone on the Knicks after Bargnani's ill advised shot is priceless.

Does the NBA have an equivalent of the NFL's Wonderlic test?

It's like a mini-Bulls of years ago with so many ex-Jazz players. And one from Weber State (which is in Utah).

mindset.threat wrote:

Does the NBA have an equivalent of the NFL's Wonderlic test?

The Wonderlic is an independent test that is used by the NFL. I have taken it as part of an interview process but don't know how I scored. I finished 45 questions in my 12 minutes and felt confident about ~40 of my answers.

That was pretty funny. My only quibble is that Sasquatch was, and always will be, a Sonics fan. It's ok though, NW towns probably all look alike.

Grumbles about the loss of the Sonics and (the one true) Grizzlies.

When the New Yorker magazine writes about both of the bad NBA teams in town, you know you're bad:

When the two teams met last week, the second half devolved into a shouting match between Garnett and the Knicks center Andrea Bargnani, with the latter eventually being ejected. As it turns out, the two players represent their teams’ identities perfectly—one past his prime, and another who, even after ten years, is still searching for it. New York basketball won’t be so easy to fix.

Ouch.

Enix wrote:

When the New Yorker magazine writes about both of the bad NBA teams in town, you know you're bad:

When the two teams met last week, the second half devolved into a shouting match between Garnett and the Knicks center Andrea Bargnani, with the latter eventually being ejected. As it turns out, the two players represent their teams’ identities perfectly—one past his prime, and another who, even after ten years, is still searching for it. New York basketball won’t be so easy to fix.

Ouch.

Its easier to just pretend that NYC doesn't have a basketball team. Or a football team but there's another thread for that.

I loved this Deadspin post:

Tim Duncan is known for three things: Being old as f*ck, winning all the time, and enduring as the most boring hall of famer in the history of basketball. (He also looks like a Yeezus cloud.) And though he'll likely retire with many accolades as the greatest power forward to ever play the game, Duncan was missing a very significant piece of his résumé: a highlight of him shaking an opposing player to the floor in the open court with a filthy crossover. UNTIL LAST NIGHT.

Schooled.

What looked, when the schedule was announced, like a stellar Christmas Day lineup has turned to coal. Chicago-Brooklyn is a bust. OKC and the Knicks? The Knicks stink, Melo is injured and just how late do you think JR Smith is staying out tonight? Miama at the Kobe- and Nash-less Lakers? Snooze. No thanks.

Only the late games, Houston at San Antonio and the Clips at the Warriors, look appetizing. But by then we'll all be sleepy from too much food and alcohol.

It's a Christmas bust for the NBA. Not to mention that they'll all be wearing those butt-ugly sleeved jerseys.

Bah humbug!

Time for flex NBA scheduling like the NFL does with Sun night games?