NBA 2020-21 Season Catch-All

Oh yeah I forgot about that!

Saw ESPN’s Pelton trade grade behind the paywall, found it interesting. D for the Nets for questions of fit and future, A- to the Rockets for shoring up the draft assets to replace the Westbrook disaster and making the best of a bad situation, B+ to the Pacers because Oladipo was either going to suck or be out priced next offseason, C for Cavs due to the aforementioned crowded frontcourt.

Remember when the league said they were serious about flopping for two weeks three seasons ago? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

What time is it? You know what time it is.

Black History Month started off with a bang as a rich, entitled white woman screamed at LeBron James from courtside seats without a mask on.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...

Which reminds me. Why the f*ck are there any fans at these games? Much less courtside fans?

Money.

I don't think he'll ever win a title and good GOD is he my favorite non-Knicks player right now.

He’s the most beloved Blazer of all time. We’ll definitely never win a title with this team, but we will never want the organization to give up on this team.

He’s given us a lifetime of of memories, surpassing even the legendary 90s teams, Brandon Roy, etc. Basically every group outside of the 77 championship team.

I would love to see an investigation of players like that in all sports. The guys who never win a title for their team, but give you 150% and are really, really good, and end up just as beloved (or sometimes, moreso) than the dudes with the better resumes.

Prederick wrote:

I don't think he'll ever win a title and good GOD is he my favorite non-Knicks player right now.

"Gimme some of that $DAME stock. Stock's still going up!"

Love it.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Money.

Seriously. You want to let some fans in, especially ones that can prove they have antibodies or have already been vaccinated? OK whatever. But to allow them to sit courtside? That is just stupid. If I were the players I would object to that pretty strongly, especially with all of the BS my team has to go through if one of us gets COVID.

Yeah at least college games all have big plexiglass installed behind the benches, keeping fans separated.

Basically making basketball more like hockey arena.

It’s all indoors, so it’s as safe as indoors is in a plague.

DSGamer wrote:

He’s the most beloved Blazer of all time. We’ll definitely never win a title with this team, but we will never want the organization to give up on this team.

He’s given us a lifetime of of memories, surpassing even the legendary 90s teams, Brandon Roy, etc. Basically every group outside of the 77 championship team.

I recently started following the NBA again after a 25 year break. Back then Clyde the Glide was a thing. I don't really recall his career as such but didn't he take the Blazers all the way to the finals against the Bulls? He even matched (some/most of) MJ's stats that season (and he took that personally, too).

What kind of legacy does Clyde Drexler have in Portland?

jbavon wrote:
DSGamer wrote:

He’s the most beloved Blazer of all time. We’ll definitely never win a title with this team, but we will never want the organization to give up on this team.

He’s given us a lifetime of of memories, surpassing even the legendary 90s teams, Brandon Roy, etc. Basically every group outside of the 77 championship team.

I recently started following the NBA again after a 25 year break. Back then Clyde the Glide was a thing. I don't really recall his career as such but didn't he take the Blazers all the way to the finals against the Bulls? He even matched (some/most of) MJ's stats that season (and he took that personally, too).

What kind of legacy does Clyde Drexler have in Portland?

He's certainly one of the most beloved Blazers of all time. Amongst my generation maybe still the most beloved. That 90s team was so fun to watch and overall and excellent group. It's just that Lillard has accomplished so much in such a short period of time.

Even without 2 title runs, he's provided us with multiple scintillating playoff runs, including 2 of the most iconic game winners I can remember.

Lillard has also openly denied he wants out, has committed to Portland, and seems to relish the idea of making every other superstar's life a living hell to play against. Maybe one day that will change and he'll leave to chase a ring but has not given any indication that's what he wants to do.

Clyde had to go back to Houston (his college city) to win the NBA championship though. Not sure if that tarnishes his Portland legacy or not.

But he and Hakeem were fun to watch together, both in 1982-3 and again in 1994-5.

Then MJ unretired.

Vector wrote:

Lillard has also openly denied he wants out, has committed to Portland, and seems to relish the idea of making every other superstar's life a living hell to play against. Maybe one day that will change and he'll leave to chase a ring but has not given any indication that's what he wants to do.

Right. I hesitated to mention that, because as far as I remember that 90s Blazers group was also fairly cool with staying in Portland and committed to the community, so they did nothing to not earn love from the community. Lillard has definitely gone out of his way, though.

I'm struggling to find the link right now, but he gave an interview a couple of years ago where he specifically mentioned that when Aldridge left everyone assumed he'd follow and he was worried about what his leaving would do to the rest of the players. He was tuned into to the reality that if he left Portland would rebuild and that rebuilding would mean other players leaving, starting new lives in new cities, etc. And he specifically considered the well-being of his other teammates and how it would affect them if he left as well as the fact that he'd moved his family up to Portland.

So he's done more than almost any player in Portland history to endear himself to the community, that's for sure. He's a good dude who will likely never win a title, but there are some things more important.

Stele wrote:

Clyde had to go back to Houston (his college city) to win the NBA championship though. Not sure if that tarnishes his Portland legacy or not.

But he and Hakeem were fun to watch together, both in 1982-3 and again in 1994-5.

Then MJ unretired.

I don't think it does. Amongst me and my friends everyone understood that was best for Clyde and we were happy for him. I don't remember anyone having hard feelings about him leaving.

KD's evening sounds like the final game of the 2020 World Series.

Am I the only one that hates Utah's court? The almost-white wood is really off-putting on TV.

LeapingGnome wrote:

Am I the only one that hates Utah's court? The almost-white wood is really off-putting on TV.

It’s not just you. It’s terrible. But then I think basketball courts should recognizably be basketball courts. Standard wood color, all the lines are easy to find, etc. Some out there have done far worse, especially at the college level.

IMAGE(https://goducks.com/images/2010/11/6/MKWPRTLIMNMSCYJ.20101106012013.jpg)

IMAGE(https://www.nba.com/nets/sites/nets/files/netscourt_910x575.jpg)

This is what happens when you employ full time marketing people with nothing better to do. They have to fill their hours with something so it is junk like this.

I actually really liked the colour of the Nets' court this season (though I prefer that subway baseline/sideline). The Raptors' red jerseys really popped on it.

That Oregon court is an abomination though.

Do most jerseys pop on that Nets court, though? I think that’s the strongest case for having a “normal” court color. It has to be easy to see the actual gameplay.

Basketball president: "I want our court to look like a morgue"
Nets marketing: "I got you fam"

LeapingGnome wrote:

Basketball president: "I want our court to look like a morgue"
Nets marketing: "I got you fam"

Thanks for getting at what I'm having trouble putting my finger on. It looks sick. Like it reminds me of illness.

In theory, black/white scale can be very pleasing. Sort of simplifies things.

In practice, every time I see a game live on TV with that court, my eyes simply cannot adjust. The colorized foreground of humans moving fast in bright jerseys against a colorless backdrop is jarring and literally causes me to look away. It is almost physical the reaction I feel, like I have to move my body to face away from the screen. It's to a much lower extent, but even seeing that court pic on my phone with the blue Barclays writing makes my eyes say, "Ze goggles do nutting!!!!"

I'm also R/G colorblind, so maybe that's got something to do with it.

Things the Hornets have gotten right since 2014: drafting Lamelo Ball and 95% of their looks. Court, jerseys, merch, it’s all dope.