NBA 2014-15

Trade deadline was today and OKC, Miami, and Portland were the big winners.

However, this post is a tribute to Jerome Kersey who passed away at 52 in what appears as a blood clot (he just had knee surgery last week). Portland so identifies itself with the Blazers and their relationship with the players is very similar to Green Bay's w/Packer players. Jerome was one of the more popular players ever to put on the red, white, and black. He was a key component on the great Portland teams of the 90's. Clyde Drexler was the best player,Terry Porter was the leader, and Jerome Kersey & Buck Williams were the heart and soul of the team. He was relentless as a player (probably stemming from his small college upbringing), the team's best defender, and an unbelievable player on the wing on the fastbreak (dude could throw it down with the best of them). Portland fans were happy for him when he was able to get a championship ring w/the Spurs after 11 seasons w/the Blazers. By all accounts as good a person off the court as on it. RIP Jerome.

 

Well said Joe...RIP Jerome!

And, on the trade deadline note, folks are happy in the frozen tundra of Minnesota as our prodigal son returns home to grace us with 2 months of basketball (if not a few more next year). Yes the legs maybe be tired and old for an NBA player, but KG still has some fire in the belly. And, yes, I fully acknowledge that the best thing that's happened to the Wolves since he left, is his return.

 

Knew there was a thread on here somewhere. Playoffs up and running;

The East….other than DC and Toronto the rest of the first round is noncompetitive.

The West…4 good teams are going home. My Trailblazers chances went out the window as soon as Wesley Matthews went down. Aldridge and Lilliard are the best players, but Matthews was the heartbeat and defensive stopper.

The Clippers and Spurs has the feel of a Western Conference Finals, but it's still only April. Clips got it done in Game 1, but the Curse of the Clippers is still here. Hard to explain that getting a #3 seed earns you a matchup up with a 55 win defending champ. What does a #3 in the East get?? A mediocre 41 win Milwaukee Bucks.

 

That game was...less than pleasant.

 

Chicken Curry does it again.

 

Just the same HD, I like the Spurs v. Clippers. There's some nastiness in this series that hasn't yet come to the surface, but it is bubbling.

 

I literally have no time for the NBA regular season but the playoffs are fun.

 

If you had told me Austin Rivers would make the difference in Game 4, I would have calmly sat you down and called the guys in white coats. Great team effort from the Clips. My appreciation for them got its start in my hatred for the Lakers, but has grown significantly over the last few seasons. When they're firing, they're an exceptionally fun team to watch. These last three games are going to be good.

 

Kevin Love now looks to be out of the entire playoffs. Would say that the Bulls would be the beneficiary, but 2 straight losses to the pesky Bucks and they better focus on the task at hand. The team that could be the big surprise NBA Finalist is Washington. Looked great last series and it should beat Atlanta (peaked in March) or Brooklyn.

Showdown in downtown tonight as Clips-Spurs face off in the critical Game 5. Winner tonight goes on to win the series 85% time.

 

Portland refuses to die (cough, Rip City). My son awaits the next round for the Warriors and hopes the Blazers just roll over. I explained, it could be beneficial for Golden State if the Grizz and Blazers punch each other out - he acknowledged that theory and then responded that he wants to see the Warriors keep playing in the playoffs, 'they'll beat the Grizzlies or the Blazers, it doesn't matter.' Oh, to be 5 again and full of so much optimism!!!!!

 

As a full time Californian, I am rooting for the Golden State Warriors to reach the final.
And I hope that the Los Angeles Clippers eliminate San Antonio Spurs

 

Welcome back Emi! Glad to hear you've settled in up north. The Warriors are a very fun team to watch. As a newer Golden State fan just remember if the Lakers get good again you can never root for them .

Far be it from me to get in between a man and his free cup of java, and this has been a terrific series, but there is one major problem I'm having in the Clips-Spurs series...the Hack-a-Shaq or in this case the Hack-a-DeAndre Jordan strategy. Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for what the Spurs represent. All-time great Arizona Wildcats Sean Elliot and Steve Kerr won rings there, but this strategy while legal skirts the edge of the integrity of the game. Yes, it's not illegal, and if the dude would make them the Spurs would abandon it, but it's done for a two-fold reason. Besides the obvious (he shot 7 of 16 last night), also it's done to slow down the game and take the Clippers out of their rhythm. It's a loophole that needs to be closed and its beneath what the Spurs are all about.

All that said the Spurs (as HD said) have a huge edge on the bench, and the uncanny clutch ability to finish games. The Clips are not far away, Matt Barnes is a good role player, but a mediocre starter. The Spurs will likely put them away mañana, but the Clips would be wise not to blow the team up (like the idiot Laker sports radio hosts want), but add a piece or two and take a look in the mirror. Their deserved reputation as whiners and hotheads precedes them, and the technical foul called on Chris Paul with 5 minutes left was critical and unlikely to have been called against any other team in the league.

 

Sorry Joe but I couldn't disagree with you more on DeAndre Jordan. If he isn't a good enough all around player to stay on the court that is LAs problem. If SA had Specialist point guard that handed out assists like free candy to children but had to guard Blake Griffon no one wolud be complaining when LA repeatedly posted him up. It's not pretty but you can't expect your opponents not to exploit your known weakness. LA is clearly better with Jordan on the court so why let him stay without paying a price.

 

I don't think Joe's point is that the Spurs shouldn't be doing it; it's that the rules should be changed to disallow such a strategy. It's not basketball as it's meant to be played. Yes, I'm a Clipper fan. Yes, I want to see them win. Yes, it pisses me off when teams do that. But I think, even if I were neutral here, I would hate what it does to the game.

I don't blame the Spurs for employing the strategy; but I want to see it taken out of the game in the future.