AROUND the NBA: Jerry West Passes Away | Cam Payne Arrested

[daGuru1123]

Hmm... so is this the beginning of end for the ground gripping TNT crew ?

[RGP1981]

I am not impressed by this Celtics team. I know they might kick our ass, but they seem to have zero defense. They have yet to play a decent opponent. I am sure they'll be favored by 97.5% of all talking deads, but I don't care. I think our toughest opponent might have been the Clippers, followed by the Sgaers, followed by Minnesota.

I think their starting 5 has really good defense with White, Jrue, Brown, Tatum and even Horford. If Porzingis comes back, it will be even better. The thing is, they have faced depleted teams for the whole playoffs. This seems to have made them take things more lightly, and they aren't playing to their best level.

If the Mavs get to the Final, I don't know who will win at this point. The heart says Mavericks as I'm a Luka stan but my head says Celtics as they have more weapons on offense (when they're fully woken up). Hoping the heart wins out.

[Knutsen]

I think their starting 5 has really good defense with White, Jrue, Brown, Tatum and even Horford. If Porzingis comes back, it will be even better. The thing is, they have faced depleted teams for the whole playoffs. This seems to have made them take things more lightly, and they aren't playing to their best level.

If the Mavs get to the Final, I don't know who will win at this point. The heart says Mavericks as I'm a Luka stan but my head says Celtics as they have more weapons on offense (when they're fully woken up). Hoping the heart wins out.

I just posted a long, similar answer in the other thread. We‘re discussing similar topics all over the board it seems, good because it shows the activity is rising because of the great Mavs performance, but bad because some great thoughts and opinions get lost in the shuffle.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

Hmm... so is this the beginning of end for the ground gripping TNT crew ?

Looks that way after the upcoming season. It's supposed to take place during the 25-26 season.  Ernie says he is staying at Turner. I don't know the fates of Barkley, Kenny and Shaq will be. Damn shame they couldn't negotiate a deal to keep the best studio show ever.

[The Jom]

Looks that way after the upcoming season. It's supposed to take place during the 25-26 season.  Ernie says he is staying at Turner. I don't know the fates of Barkley, Kenny and Shaq will be. Damn shame they couldn't negotiate a deal to keep the best studio show ever.

It’s early. If Amazon has to build its own show, it will surely consider buying TNT’s instead. Certainly Amazon and TNT could work out a deal to broadcast it on more than 1 platform.

[RGP1981]

I hate the play-off format so much. You can make an easy argument that 8 of the best 10 teams in these play-offs were in the West. This is a war of attrition and the West is a wild brawl, while Boston is having pillow fights.Only times the East wins the championship, is when they have a huge physical advantage due to the path taken and this feels like one of those years.

I fully agree with this. The way I see it, there are two ways to make this make more sense.

1) Remove conferences completely... the 16 best teams in the whole NBA make it to the playoffs.

2) Make divisions matter more... i.e., only allow 2 teams per division to make it through to the playoffs. This can only happen after an expansion to 32 teams though... because then you have 16 teams per conference, split into 4 divisions of 4 teams each. 2 teams coming out of 8 divisions each is reasonable.

The trickle-down effect of only allowing 2 teams per division through... star players will automatically spread themselves around the league, to improve their chances of making the playoffs. So instead of the Western Conference being more loaded, now teams in the East will be on par with those in the West. It will force team Front Offices to be better, along with the new cap rules. It will also make divisional rivalries matter again.

#2 would be my preferred option.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

I fully agree with this. The way I see it, there are two ways to make this make more sense.

1) Remove conferences completely... the 16 best teams in the whole NBA make it to the playoffs.

2) Make divisions matter more... i.e., only allow 2 teams per division to make it through to the playoffs. This can only happen after an expansion to 32 teams though... because then you have 16 teams per conference, split into 4 divisions of 4 teams each. The trickle-down effect of only allowing 2 teams per division through... star players will automatically spread themselves around the league, to improve their chances of making the playoffs. So instead of the Western Conference being more loaded, now teams in the East will be on par with those in the West. It will also force team Front Offices to be better. It will also make divisional rivalries matter again.

#2 would be my preferred option.

That sounds good. Question is where would the expansion teams be located?  I can think of Seattle and maybe Las Vegas since they already added an NFL, NHL and possibly MLB since the A's might move there.

[RGP1981]

That sounds good. Question is where would the expansion teams be located?  I can think of Seattle and maybe Las Vegas since they already added an NFL, NHL and possibly MLB since the A's might move there.

Seattle and Vegas is what I'm thinking too. They'll need to be in the West, so Minnesota goes East.

[SleepingHero]

I fully agree with this. The way I see it, there are two ways to make this make more sense.

1) Remove conferences completely... the 16 best teams in the whole NBA make it to the playoffs.

2) Make divisions matter more... i.e., only allow 2 teams per division to make it through to the playoffs. This can only happen after an expansion to 32 teams though... because then you have 16 teams per conference, split into 4 divisions of 4 teams each. The trickle-down effect of only allowing 2 teams per division through... star players will automatically spread themselves around the league, to improve their chances of making the playoffs. So instead of the Western Conference being more loaded, now teams in the East will be on par with those in the West. It will also force team Front Offices to be better. It will also make divisional rivalries matter again.

#2 would be my preferred option.

#2 is actually very creative.

Problem is you've now generated a super cut throat scenario. Imagine in a probable near future where the Mavs, Rockets, Spurs, and Pelicans are all playoff bound, while you have the south east and all teams (ATL, CHA, MIA) save ORL are way below .500, and 1 of those are about to be easy fodder.

It's a creative idea though. Probably just make it the best 16 teams is the easiest option.

[RGP1981]

#2 is actually very creative.

Problem is you've now generated a super cut throat scenario. Imagine in a probable near future where the Mavs, Rockets, Spurs, and Pelicans are all playoff bound, while you have the south east and all teams (ATL, CHA, MIA) save ORL are way below .500, and 1 of those are about to be easy fodder.

It's a creative idea though. Probably just make it the best 16 teams is the easiest option.

Thanks!

The issue with the best 16 teams only is that it removes the historical significance of the East vs West... and impacts rewards (such as conference Finals MVP, etc) and statistical records.

Just trying to flesh #2 out further. I would split the divisions this way... after adding Seattle and Vegas, moving Minnesota to the East, and moving the Grizzlies back to Vancouver (or another location that makes more sense for Western Conference Division 2 below). Only 2 teams from each of these divisions go through to the playoffs. They could even make teams play more often against their Divisional rivals than other teams, to make things more interesting in the regular season. The betting sites will also probably love the fiercer divisional rivalries, lol. Anyway, I think it could work out really well, alongside the new cap rules.

Eastern Conference:

Division 1: Celtics, Knicks, Nets, 76ers
Division 2: Wolves, Bucks, Pistons, Raptors
Division 3: Bulls, Pacers, Cavs, Wizards
Division 4: Heat, Magic, Hawks, Hornets

Western Conference:

Division 1: Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs, Pelicans
Division 2: Grizzlies, Blazers, Seattle, Vegas
Division 3: Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Kings
Division 4: Suns, Nuggets, Jazz, Thunder

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://x.com/NBAonTNT/status/1794938488854340014


Shaq always blowing his own horn....

[KillerLeft]

I hope DFS lands in a good spot

https://x.com/esidery/status/1795085410395095122?s=61&t=Zmns3TEXDYnIJIXeN05-eQ

[Chicagojk]

I know there are more important things but remembered this from the pick deficient Suns who know appear to be exploring a strategy of drafting Bronny in the first round and then getting Lebron to sign for the minimum (ha).

Everyone tampers but for Drew Eubanks.......

***************

PHOENIX - The Phoenix Suns were docked a 2024 second-round draft pick by the NBA on Wednesday after the league said the team violated league rules on the timing of this season’s free agency discussions. The league said the Suns engaged in free agency discussions with forward Drew Eubanks before the date that talks were permitted.

[SleepingHero]

@ShamsCharania
Hall of Famer Bill Walton has passed away at 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. RIP.

[SkenfromLMF]

Throw it down Big Man!
Dude was as California as it gets, but was a Maverick commentator before he hit the National Stage.

RIP good sir!

[Knutsen]

@ShamsCharania
Hall of Famer Bill Walton has passed away at 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. RIP.

Happy I was able to watch his one crazy special Mavs broadcast a couple of weeks ago, that was crazy and weird to follow, but absolutely him. Great, life-loving guy, rest in peace!

[Chicagojk]

This is pretty funny. Not sure if you have seen on social media posts of average players from the 90's saying so and so was a problem. Here is one for Frank.

https://x.com/TheStrickland/status/1794436956283146256

[DallasMaverick]

This is pretty funny.  Not sure if you have seen on social media posts of average players from the 90's saying so and so was a problem.  Here is one for Frank.

https://x.com/TheStrickland/status/1794436956283146256

If your sample size is small enough, anyone can be a superstar!

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4023...-paul-says


Bronny staying in the draft.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://x.com/thepivot/status/1795587322693775782


Josh Hart says Derrick White is more impactful for the C's than Jayson Tatum.