NBA 2013-14 Tipoff

[Thundergod]

The HEAT's worst nightmare is their own injury.  Other than that, they have no fears.  The Bulls can't even get to a 6th game, they have Boozer killing their roster -- not worried.  They aren't even the 2nd best team in the East.

QFT

the heat beat MVP derrick rose on a bulls team with a better bench than they have now in 5

still not worried

^^ Especially this

[Sunstroke]

Still a little mindboggled that the Suns have gotten out to a 5-2 start to the season. Hornacek (who I loved as a player) became the first coach in franchise history to win his first 4 home games. Eric Bledose has been playing like a monster, Markieff "The Good Twin" Morris has been playing lights out, and Miles Plumlee has turned into a solid force on the boards and for our interior defense.

I know it can't last, but I am pleasantly surprised with McDonough (our GM) and Hornacek have been able to put together so far this season.

[Sunstroke]

For those of you interested in following the upcoming wunder-class of NBA prospects, you should set aside 4 hours tonight to watch two basketball games on ESPN (starting at 7:30), because between the four teams playing, you may very well have close to half of the players selected in the first round of next year's NBA draft (13 of 30 according to most recent CBS Sportsline mock).

Game 1: #1 Kentucky vs #2 Michigan State
Potential first rounders: Julius Randle (top-3), Aaron Harrison (lottery), Andrew Harrison (lottery), Willie Cauly-Stein (lottery), Alex Polythress (top 20), Gary Harris (top 20), Adreian Payne, James Young

Game 2: #4 Duke vs #5 Kansas
Potential first rounders: Andrew Wiggins (top-3), Jabari Parker (top-3), Joel Embiid (lottery), Wayne Selden (lottery), Rasheed Sulaimon

I have beer, I have chips and the fixings for nachos. I am not going to leave my house or answer the phone unless someone calls during halftime. If you are a true fan of the game of basketball, tonight is about as sweet as it gets...

[bsmooth]

For those of you interested in following the upcoming wunder-class of NBA prospects, you should set aside 4 hours tonight to watch two basketball games on ESPN (starting at 7:30), because between the four teams playing, you may very well have close to half of the players selected in the first round of next year's NBA draft (13 of 30 according to most recent CBS Sportsline mock).

Game 1: #1 Kentucky vs #2 Michigan State
Potential first rounders: Julius Randle (top-3), Aaron Harrison (lottery), Andrew Harrison (lottery), Willie Cauly-Stein (lottery), Alex Polythress (top 20), Gary Harris (top 20), Adreian Payne, James Young

Game 2: #4 Duke vs #5 Kansas
Potential first rounders: Andrew Wiggins (top-3), Jabari Parker (top-3), Joel Embiid (lottery), Wayne Selden (lottery), Rasheed Sulaimon

I have beer, I have chips and the fixings for nachos. I am not going to leave my house or answer the phone unless someone calls during halftime. If you are a true fan of the game of basketball, tonight is about as sweet as it gets...

Did it live up to your expectations?

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Yeah man, it really did. Two excellent games between four teams that I fully expect will go deep in this year's tournament. The big-3, Wiggins, Parker & Randle, all played like they're ready to make the jump to the NBA. A few guys who really impressed me outside of the big-3 were Keith Appling, Adreian Payne, James Young and Wayne Selden.

The nachos were pretty darned tasty as well...

[Phishfan]

I was flicking back and forth watching those games. College basketball had a lot of good games on last night. Other ranked teams included UVA and VCU with two ranked teams in a nailbighter and UF & UW in another fairly close one. Calipari has lost all respect from me. Not only do I think he is dirty but the guy sounded like a little crybaby saying it wasn't fair for his team to play MSU so early.

[Sunstroke]

Yeah, there really was a lot of good college hoops going on last night. Monday night was light, other than my beloved #6 AZ Wildcats (and their super-freshman, Aaron Gordon) chomping on the cupcake Long Beach State.

[el diablo]

Still a little mindboggled that the Suns have gotten out to a 5-2 start to the season. Hornacek (who I loved as a player) became the first coach in franchise history to win his first 4 home games. Eric Bledose has been playing like a monster, Markieff "The Good Twin" Morris has been playing lights out, and Miles Plumlee has turned into a solid force on the boards and for our interior defense.

I know it can't last, but I am pleasantly surprised with McDonough (our GM) and Hornacek have been able to put together so far this season.

Talk about mind boggling, Sixers are in 1st place. And at 4-5, the Magic are not in last place. We all know that its a long way to 82 games.  But maybe this should be a new strategy. Give the impression of tanking, only to blow the doors off the competition.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Yeah, I'm pulling for a Suns-Sixers Finals. Fuck the experts, right in the ear hole...

[el diablo]

^^^^^ Yes! Anarchy! Anarchy! Anarchy!

Just so I can here the Colin Cowherds of the world complain about how awful The Finals are.

[Sunstroke]

^^^^^ Yes! Anarchy! Anarchy! Anarchy!

Just so I can here the Colin Cowherds of the world complain about how awful The Finals are.

Suns-Sixers Finals, with Stephen A. Smith and Jalen Rose doing the broadcast.

...as it was foretold in the Book of Revelations.

[el diablo]

So it is written. So it shall be done.

In your face, Stern!

[Sunstroke]

In your face, Stern! 

Fast forward to the 3:00 mark for my opinion on Commissioner/Captain Stern

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHgMsvpFm08

Any day that I can break out a Heavy Metal clip is a good day...

[el diablo]

LOL! Yes sir. Any time you can break out a Heavy Metal clip, its a good day.

[Sunstroke]

That one's worthy of a little avatar time...I'll give Cpt Sternn a couple of weeks.. After all, he's got an angle.

As a Suns fan, I have to say that I was excited to see the possibility of Eric Bledsoe getting full-time starters minutes, because he looked pretty damned impressive as Chris Paul's backup in LA the last couple of seasons. He's been every bit as good as I'd hoped, averaging 21 pts, 4.3 rebs, 7.1 assists, 1.8 steals and a FG/FT% of .514/.821. 

Bledsoe, Markieff Morris and Plumlee have Phoenix not looking anything like a "Tank for Wiggins" type of club. As much as I'd love to see one of the big-3 rookies for next season (Wiggins-Parker-Randle) in a Suns uniform, a young core of Bledsoe-Plumlee-Morris-Len and 4 first round picks outside of the lottery this coming season has to be a decent place to be sitting, especially with a good talent guy like McDonough as the GM. Maybe the lean years for Phoenix won't be as lean, or last as many years, as I'd feared.