2017-18 NBA Season

[tarheelsxxiii]

Just before tip off of the Suns game, Josh Jackson looked completely confused by Elfrid Payton(s hair)

[SparzWizard]

IT7 with 16pts off the bench.

[hpantazo]

IT7 with 16pts off the bench.

Yeah, and the Lakers lose to the Mavs.

[KGs Knee]

IT7 with 16pts off the bench.

Yeah, and the Lakers lose to the Mavs.

And the Mavs were clearly trying to lose that game.

With about 7 minutes left, as they always do, they subbed out all their best players except for DSJ.  Almost coughed up the game too, but the Lakers kept turning the ball over down the stretch and couldn't stop a nosebleed.

[jpotter33]

This OKC/CLE game is going to be pretty interesting.

I'm of the belief that Sunday's performance was largely a fluke. Yeah, the trades definitely made them better simply by virtue of making them younger and more athletic, but the excitement for all of the new players plus Boston playing like garbage had a lot to do with the outcome of the game.

This Cavs team is still going to struggle to learn to play with each other in time before the playoffs, and I'm betting you see a much different Cavs team tonight. (Granted, this OKC team has also been volatile and inconsistent all season long, too, so who knows what kind of OKC team we'll see tonight - the one that put up 148 in Cleveland or the one that lost to the Lakers.)

[gouki88]

This OKC/CLE game is going to be pretty interesting.

I'm of the belief that Sunday's performance was largely a fluke. Yeah, the trades definitely made them better simply by virtue of making them younger and more athletic, but the excitement for all of the new players plus Boston playing like garbage had a lot to do with the outcome of the game.

This Cavs team is still going to struggle to learn to play with each other in time before the playoffs, and I'm betting you see a much different Cavs team tonight. (Granted, this OKC team has also been volatile and inconsistent all season long, too, so who knows what kind of OKC team we'll see tonight - the one that put up 148 in Cleveland or the one that lost to the Lakers.)

This is exactly where I’m at too

[jpotter33]

Steven Adams is so underrated for this OKC team. He's a key cog for them, and he works masterfully with Russ. He already has 11, 5, 1, and 1 in the first quarter.

[celticsclay]

This OKC/CLE game is going to be pretty interesting.

I'm of the belief that Sunday's performance was largely a fluke. Yeah, the trades definitely made them better simply by virtue of making them younger and more athletic, but the excitement for all of the new players plus Boston playing like garbage had a lot to do with the outcome of the game.

This Cavs team is still going to struggle to learn to play with each other in time before the playoffs, and I'm betting you see a much different Cavs team tonight. (Granted, this OKC team has also been volatile and inconsistent all season long, too, so who knows what kind of OKC team we'll see tonight - the one that put up 148 in Cleveland or the one that lost to the Lakers.)

This is exactly where I’m at too

Same the hype from one game on here was ridiculous. I will give them credit if they win today for sure

[celticsclay]

Cavs are definitely playing well right now. They may be the most rejuvenated team in the league right now

[mr. dee]

OKC chucking up isolation jumpers..... sounds familiar.

[Phantom255x]

Cavaliers look so much better, especially on defense.

I do wonder if part of it is because teams haven't really seen much of this new group though. Like, the Celtics went on a huge winning streak, but as teams have started to figure them out more, the C's don't look as unstoppable anymore. Remember too, the C's started with a relatively new group (only 4 players from last year's team), so it's not like film could help other teams early on either.

Of course though, they have Lebron, and that makes a difference too.

[jpotter33]

Cavs are definitely playing well right now. They may be the most rejuvenated team in the league right now

Yeah, definitely playing much more inspired than they were prior to the trade deadline.

Still think they're largely riding the emotional high from the trade deadline right now, though, which isn't surprising given how toxic that locker room had become. It's kind of like what happens when a coach gets fired and the team goes on a winning streak right after that (see Phoenix Suns earlier this year).

[Phantom255x]

Thunder end on 6-0 run, so it's still a relatively close game.

Defense is certainly looking more energetic for them, but again gave up 57 points by halftime.

[jpotter33]

Cavaliers look so much better, especially on defense.

I do wonder if part of it is because teams haven't really seen much of this new group though. Like, the Celtics went on a huge winning streak, but as teams have started to figure them out more, the C's don't look as unstoppable anymore. Remember too, the C's started with a relatively new group (only 4 players from last year's team), so it's not like film could help other teams early on either.

Of course though, they have Lebron, and that makes a difference too.

Yeah, my one worry about this trade is that it further unleashes the Lebron that we saw in the 2015 playoffs when Kyrie and Love went down. When he almost exclusively initiates the offense, it's very hard to beat that team, especially if his teammates are capitalizing on his playmaking.

[liam]

It kind of sucks that The Raptors just won another one, but the Heat seem to lose all these close games. The Heat will be toast come playoff time...