Damn, i didn't know this
https://www.thenationalherald.com/243444/greek-freak-giannis-antetokounmpo-shunned-loved/

i still cant believe the shot went in.

i hope the bucks absolutely crush the raptors and break kawhi in two.

then i hope either the blazers or warriors sweep the finals, because fuck milwaukee and their shitty owner.

lets just fast forward to the lottery, and then july 1

brett brown is coming back. thank god.

this summer is going to be absolutely insane

I sure love the new NBA draft lottery odds!!!

Hope you like New Orleans Zion!

do you have any confidence that the lakers wont fuck it up?

2014, 7th - randle - dumped to new orleans
2015, 2nd - russell - dumped to the nets
2016, 2nd - ingram - hes been underwhelming, injury issues
2017, 2nd - lonzo - has been underwhelming, injury issues
2018 - lost pick to sixers

thats a pretty brutal run. and of course, you know that lebron has already instructed the lakers to trade the pick because he doesnt want to play with any non-zion rookie. so, does #4 push you over the top to get AD? if im griff, im not taking a platter of garbage + 4 from the lakers for AD.

We'll see what happens. I can't say the confidence is high considering all the drama going on with the coaching search and who is running the team (Kurt/Linda Rambis?). As you said, the pick is most likely going to get traded.

I wouldn't say its a brutal run of drafting. I rate the kids higher and I think they have the talent to be successful. I think we drafted players that take a while to develop. Lonzo is elite at defending and BI was preforming very well during the 2nd half of the season. I saw that Bulls are interested in Lonzo and I assume the Suns would be interested in him as well. David Griffin rates BI apparently for what it's worth.

It's very hard to do well in LA compared to other markets. Russell was very immature in LA (okay, might still be a little immature with that airport marijuana incident) and he's now living up to his talent. Randle also had a good season with the Pelicans.

We'll see if the Celtics will offer up Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown and if the Knicks will offer that #3 pick, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and whatever else they have.

I think Bradley Beal might be another trade target as well.

Having Kevin Durant is obviously like a cheat code, but Steph Curry has reminded everyone of WHY he was the two time MVP, and unanimous at that, BEFORE KD joined his team, and WHY it was a championship team KD joined. Amazing player.

Do any of you think getting Zion may convince Anthony Davis to re-sign with the Pelicans? With Zion in there they have as good a shot as anyone of winning, and especially so if KD ends up leaving the Warriors.

Credit the Warriors defense too. Lillard is missing shots, sure, but the trapping of him has been performed to near perfection. And on top of that Draymond Green was a fucking beast, especially defensively.

For those interested in real drama ...

Frank Vogel needs an immediate raise!

that’s just wrong

if you guys have 20 minutes free, watch this. It's My Story featuring Ernie Johnson. Such a great guy

damn, giannis is gonna get PAID.

and he'll be 30 when that deal is up and signing another one probably starting at $60m. by the time he's done with the nba (and endorsements) he'll probably be a billionaire.

And the kid was selling watches and fake Gucci hats like ten years ago, didnt even have Greek or Nigerian papers. Good on him, hope he's putting that money to good use

he's made about $55m so far. and another $53m to come before the new deal starts in 2021 (so he'll be 31, not 30).

Speaking of dollars, Kemba Walker keeps Klay Thompson out of 3rd team all NBA. Means that Thompson will be eligible for about $30m less over his next contract than if he had made 3rd team. These rankings have massive financial implications for these players. And as you’ve seen over the last 2 weeks, having a super team has really dulled Thompson and Curry’s output.

Who decides who gets in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd team?

It’s the journalists and newscasters of North America

jones wrote:

Who decides who gets in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd team?

media members, which is absolutely insane given that those decisions end costing some guys $50+ million on their next contracts.

Who would be better qualified than the professionals who make a living watching these guys? Would you create a separate expert panel that lives and breathes reviewing data? That would be a new take given how much more sophisticated we have become in the last ten years. But historically, this is probably the most sensible approach. The players, owners or fans would be much worse.

Love the Finals match up. Kawhi showed Giannis up. In the sense that the glaring hole in Giannis' game that is shooting was massively exposed. Only one MVP in that series.

warriors in 4, hopefully

Think it will be a tight series, if Durant doesn’t play. KD comes back, it is game over.

Rex wrote:

Think it will be a tight series, if Durant doesn’t play. KD comes back, it is game over.

i dont know. i honestly dont think toronto has any way to stop golden state's PnR. curry is going to shred them, toronto hasn't faced a point guard like him in the playoffs yet. milwaukee would have been a tougher matchup for GSW because they need durant to try and guard giannis. now, draymond can guard kawhi and that is a big strength for GSW, because draymond isnt really needed on offense, he can focus all of his energy on shutting down kawhi.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26821790/lakers-20-failed-reboot-nba-crown-jewel

oh...my....god....

One story shared around the organization unfolded in March 2018, when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was addressing the team at the Lakers' practice facility as part of the franchise's "Genius Talks" series.

Standing beside Johnson, Pelinka told a story about his former client, Bryant.

"There was one time when Kobe, who I worked with for 18 years, was going back to play in Madison Square Garden, and he had just seen 'The Dark Knight,'" Pelinka said. "Obviously, you guys saw that movie, and he's like, 'Hey, hook me up with dinner with Heath Ledger, because he got so locked into that role. I want to know how he mentally went there.' So, he had dinner with Heath, and he talked about how he locks in for a role.

"And Kobe used some of that in his game against the Knicks."

"The Dark Knight" was released in July 2008, six months after Ledger died. A source with direct knowledge said no such arrangement was made and no dinner ever took place.

I just came to post that.
Now the off-season should have enhanced entertainment. 

mdgoonah41 wrote:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26821790/lakers-20-failed-reboot-nba-crown-jewel

oh...my....god....

One story shared around the organization unfolded in March 2018, when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was addressing the team at the Lakers' practice facility as part of the franchise's "Genius Talks" series.

Standing beside Johnson, Pelinka told a story about his former client, Bryant.

"There was one time when Kobe, who I worked with for 18 years, was going back to play in Madison Square Garden, and he had just seen 'The Dark Knight,'" Pelinka said. "Obviously, you guys saw that movie, and he's like, 'Hey, hook me up with dinner with Heath Ledger, because he got so locked into that role. I want to know how he mentally went there.' So, he had dinner with Heath, and he talked about how he locks in for a role.

"And Kobe used some of that in his game against the Knicks."

"The Dark Knight" was released in July 2008, six months after Ledger died. A source with direct knowledge said no such arrangement was made and no dinner ever took place.

Oh, Rob...I won't forget this: 

Can see Danny Devito saying something like that right after signing Qwiss’ Ryan Fraser

Jesus. I might actually get my hopes up if we manage to take game 2 as well.

Still can’t believe we’re in the finals. Hearing how much better Boston, Philly and Milwaukee are than us all season had me thinking that we had no chance.