2024-25 NBA running thread

[HanSenSE]

Something akin to the Four Nations tournament would not be surprising.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

The broadcast will be better (me hammered on Mellow Corn reading "Elvis: What Happened?" into a damp sponge with the game out of focus in the background would have been more polished) but the game will still suck. They're not intrinsically nor extrinsically motivated to put forth a competitive effort. The former is a Pollyannaish pipe dream, and the latter seems possible only through grotesquely outlandish financial incentives.

A Four Nations-style tournament (US/Canada/France/Serbia?) could do it, but then perhaps mercifully) it makes being an All-Star a ceremonial nod with no associated game. It's not too difficult to imagine the complaining from players and teams about the extra games the tournament requires (especially if someone gets injured).

 

[PCLoadLetter]

If I were to bet, I think next year it turns into US vs the World. I think the NBA has wanted to avoid that -- the non-NBA public discourse around it is virtually guaranteed to be ugly and stupid -- but it's probably the best way to get buy-in, and the talent is diverse enough now for a legit game.

 

[dixiehack]

Damn. Wow.

Behind Timberwolves’ decision to start Joe Ingles so his autistic son could see him play

"Sometimes you gotta do the human thing," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said about the decision in a "must-win game."

www.nytimes.com

Man I didn't need to read that between Teams calls. Cutting onions here.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Good god. Bulls just outscored the Lakers 9-2 in the final 10 seconds and won on a Josh Giddey buzzer beater from beyond half court. Incredible ending.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Good god. Bulls just outscored the Lakers 9-2 in the final 10 seconds and won on a Josh Giddey buzzer beater from beyond half court. Incredible ending.

In a hotel room watching and usually if Lakers would lose like this I'd be throwing pillows or maybe nearby pens. Swearing. Want to show a bit more restraint here so just sat smiling dumbly at the entire sequence. My god.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

In a hotel room watching and usually if Lakers would lose like this I'd be throwing pillows or maybe nearby pens. Swearing. Want to show a bit more restraint here so just sat smiling dumbly at the entire sequence. My god.

Yeah, that's a tip-your-cap-and-move-on loss. Lakers did what they could at the end. LeBron even challenged Giddey on the final shot. Bulls were just leading a charmed life at that point.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Taylor Jenkins either went full Ime or didn't meet the team's minimum firearms requirement.

 

[qtlaw]

Wow! I always respected him to the hilt. Yes they've lost recently but your star is out. They've developed young dudes into really good players too.

 

[HanSenSE]

 

[dixiehack]

James Dolan remains the softest little bench in captivity

Miller said he created the "Ban Dolan" T-shirt in 2017 out of irritation that Dolan banned former Knicks player Charles Oakley from Madison Square Garden.

"It was a little tough to be a professional sports fan," he said. "I pretty much haven't been an active sports watcher since."

The shirt gained notoriety after his friend wore it to a Knicks game in 2021 and was told to remove it.

Miller said he was unaware of any ban until March 24, when he was stopped while attending a Cleo Sol concert at Radio City Music Hall with his parents, who were celebrating their 47th anniversary.

Seven security officers surrounded him in line and pulled him aside, he said.

"They rushed our metal detector line and said, 'Stop the line, stop the line,'" Miller said. "Real theatrical, index fingers on the earpiece saying 'We may have a potential P-five.'"

They presented him with a trespassing notice and informed him he was banned from all MSG venues, which include Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and the Beacon Theatre.

Madison Square Garden bans T-shirt designer over 'Ban Dolan' shirt — years after he made it

 

[Cosmo]

Down to the final eight games or so for most teams and there isn't much drama out there. The East is basically set, save for some seeding tweaks. It's going to be Miami-Chicago and Atlanta-Orlando in the play-in games. Milwaukee is five games up on Orlando for the six seed and Miami/Chicago are six games up on Toronto for the final play-in spot. Barring collapse, Cleveland will be the one seed.

In the West, Memphis/Clippers/Golden State/Minnesota are all battling to stay out of the play-in. Either Dallas, Sacramento or Phoenix will be the odd team out for the 9-10 play-in.