[TitusTroy]

it's that time!...quick turnaround from last season...new 72 game season starts up tonight...three NBA teams — Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz, and Memphis Grizzlies — have announced that they will allow a limited number of fans at games during the 2020-21 season amid the coronavirus pandemic

Eastern Conference will be controlled by the Milwaukee Bucks (who got better with the addition of Jrue Holiday), Celtics (who got slightly worse), new look Sixers, Miami Heat and the star studded Brooklyn Nets...if KD is even 80% healthy I like the Nets to make it to the Finals...plus the Nets have a ton of great role players...hopefully they don't kill their depth by trading for Harden

my sleeper Finals pick is the Sixers

Western Conference is unfortunately controlled by the Lakers...although I don't think they're as good as last year and Lebron is a year older...hopefully last years turmoil helps the Clippers reach their potential...Utah and Denver will be in the mix...Dallas will be fun to watch but I still think they need another piece to really contend for a championship (but Luka should be fun to watch)

but the most interesting team is the Golden State Warriors...Steph is back along with #2 pick James Wiseman and Kelly Oubre filling in for Klay...I think the key is Draymond Green...if he returns to All Star form the Dubs will be dangerous...Year 2 of a fully healthy Zion should also be fun...my sleeper in the West is the Phoenix Suns

Finals prediction: Nets vs Clippers

 

[reds75]

Pacers will not even be up to the level of last year,it will be a long season for them.Hopeful that someone can stop the Lakers,but I doubt it.

 

[TitusTroy]

Opening Night games on TNT...

5:00 PM EST Inside the NBA Tip-Off show

7:00 PM EST Warriors at Nets
10:00 PM EST Clippers at Lakers

 

[archiguy]

If forced to choose between the Lakers & the field, I'm taking the Lakers. They're going to repeat without breaking a sweat.

 

[TitusTroy]

KD and Kyrie are lighting it up...the '7 seconds or less' Phoenix Suns are back together- Steve Nash, Mike Dantoni (assistant coach) and Amar'e Stoudemire (assistant coach)

 

[TitusTroy]

I liked the Clippers last season and I'm rooting for them again this year...the additions of Batum and Ibaka to go along with Beverley, George and Kawhi makes for a formidable defensive starting lineup...tonight the rest of the teams are in action...I'm looking forward to seeing if LaMelo Ball can make the Hornets watchable, Luka Doncic Year 3, Embiid and Simmons, Zion, Ja Morant etc

 

[TitusTroy]

full slate of NBA Christmas Day games...

Pelicans at Heat
Warriors at Bucks
Nets at Celtics
Mavs at Lakers
Clippers at Nuggets

 

[TitusTroy]

A Difficult Season Awaits the Warriors

it’s hard not to be at least, well, pretty darn worried about the Warriors, at least in 2020-21...Golden State’s pieces around Curry have limped out of the gate to a significant degree thus far, especially on the wing...Kelly Oubre Jr. missed all five of his attempts from three on Friday en route to a 1-10 performance from the field...Andrew Wiggins went 6-18 in a 12-point performance, and Curry finished with a team-worst minus-24 in 29 minutes...the collection of questionable bench pieces failed to produce any impact, and a third-quarter blowout led to an easy Christmas gift for Milwaukee...

A Difficult Season Awaits the Warriors

The Warriors have limped out of the gate to start the 2020-21 NBA season.

www.si.com

 

[archiguy]

Yeah, I've watched most of their two games so far and granted (as much as I could take, at least), they were against the top two teams in the east, but still... It's going to be a long year for the Warriors. I can't see them making any noise in the west. They are not a playoff team.

Wiseman is going to be good. Someday. He'll give them the legit, athletic center, a rim protector & scorer from the 5 position they've never had.

But the rest of that roster is anemic. Wiggins and Ouebre are not top-tier talents. Roll players at best. Draymond can't score, and teams are just going to load up on Steph. He's had very few open looks and he's not a guy who can score consistently if he covered like a blanket. That's never been his game. There is zero talent on the bench and I don't think I can take another season of Looney lumbering around the paint like Hermann Munster.

Steph's going to get beat up and probably injured again. I have no idea what Bob Myers was thinking when he put that roster together. There's no shooting or scoring threat other than Curry. Looks like another "gap year" for the Dubs as they wait another year for Klay to come back.

 

[TitusTroy]

But the rest of that roster is anemic. Wiggins and Ouebre are not top-tier talents. Roll players at best. Draymond can't score, and teams are just going to load up on Steph. He's had very few open looks and he's not a guy who can score consistently if he covered like a blanket. That's never been his game. There is zero talent on the bench and I don't think I can take another season of Looney lumbering around the paint like Hermann Munster.

I thought Oubre was going to be better...I still think he'll be a decent 2nd option...he's no Klay but he'll play better...Wiggins will put up points but he's not a great player...but like you said the Warriors bench is awful...

 

[RayGuy]

Missing two of the "big three" on the Warriors, so not really a good example of what is to come. Add in the roster turnover and limited practice time, and you have a team that needs some time to gel. Meh, not winning any championships this year without Klay, so just evaluate what you have this year and hope it all comes together next year.

 

[reds75]

Lakers look really good so far,hope Lebron starts showing his age.I like the way the NBA has conference standings instead of divisions.Pacers off to good start,wont last.

 

[TitusTroy]

Brooklyn was looking unstoppable but now the injury bug hit...key reserve Spencer Dinwiddie has a partial tear of his ACL and is out for the year...Brooklyn is still my pick in the Eastern Conf. but they can't afford any more injuries

 

[archiguy]

I can't see the finals as being between anyone but the Lakers and the Nets. Even with Dinwiddie's injury. They're still loaded.

 

[TitusTroy]

Steph Curry went off for a career high 62 points against the Blazers!...including eight 3-pointers

 

[archiguy]

Steph Curry went off for a career high 62 points against the Blazers!...including eight 3-pointers

Wow! I had that one set to record, but I just checked and it didn't. Out of market game I guess, although it recorded the first Portland/GS game on Friday. NBA channel is set to repeat that one tomorrow at 2:00, but maybe they'll substitute this one instead given how Steph went off. Hope so!

 

[Rakesh.S]

Youtube NBA channel posts 10 minute highlights a minute after every game ends.

 

[archiguy]

As it turns out, the NBA channel did replay the second Portland/GS game this afternoon! Recorded it and watched it tonight. Amazing game by Steph. What's even more surprising is most of that 62 came from drives & free throws, not treys. He did miss one out of 19 FT attempts, though, and broke his consecutive streak at 80 (NBA record is 94). Slacker.

Funny comment by Draymond in the post-game presser: "Sometimes Steph f__ks around with the basketball. But there was no f__king around tonight." 😄

 

[RayGuy]

Warriors beat the Kings by 30-something tonight (on a back-to-back). 41 assists! 7 guys in double figures. Getting back to what made them great. Without Klay, I doubt they can win, but it is nice to see the foundation being laid for Klay's return next year.

 

[reds75]

It seems defense is lacking so far this season. The scores of alot of games is really high.