2015-16 NBA Season Thread

[Strider]

The 2015-16 NBA season starts today, October 27. The season begins under the shadow of the sad passing of coach Flip Saunders and the bizarre, sad saga of Lamar Odom. The Golden State Warriors led wire to wire last year and won the NBA championship, beating Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. By nature of the weak Eastern Conference, Cleveland will have an easier time getting back to the NBA Finals than Golden State, which has a dogfight in the West. That is why Las Vegas has shorter odds on Cleveland winning the championship than Golden State. Not because they think Cleveland is better than Golden State...but they have an easier road.

It's another year of misery for me...most of you know I am a Los Angeles Laker fan. Currently in the midst of their worst stretch in team history, this season the Lakers will have 100-year old (in NBA years) Kobe Bryant and even more improbably, 120-year old Metta World Peace on the roster. If their knees make it through the season it will be a miracle.

Here are the championship odds for all 30 teams in the NBA...see how your team stacks up:

2016 NBA Champion Odds from Bovada

(odds updated 10/6/15)

Cleveland Cavaliers 5/2
San Antonio Spurs 7/2
Golden State Warriors 21/4
Oklahoma City Thunder 15/2
Los Angeles Clippers 12/1
Chicago Bulls 20/1
Houston Rockets 22/1
Memphis Grizzlies 35/1
Miami Heat 38/1
Atlanta Hawks 45/1
New Orleans Pelicans 45/1
Indiana Pacers 60/1
Milwaukee Bucks 60/1
Washington Wizards 65/1
Toronto Raptors 75/1
Dallas Mavericks 120/1
Boston Celtics 125/1
Utah Jazz 150/1
Los Angeles Lakers 175/1
Detroit Pistons 200/1
New York Knicks 200/1
Minnesota T-Wolves 250/1
Brooklyn Nets 300/1
Denver Nuggets 300/1
Orlando Magic 300/1
Phoenix Suns 300/1
Portland Blazers 300/1
Sacramento Kings 300/1
Charlotte Hornets 350/1
Philadelphia 76ers 500/1

[paul carruthers]

I'm a bit surprised the Heat are kind of high on the odds list--I think there are some "experts" who think the Heat could have a bounce back year this season (I can only hope).

The Spurs are another year older, but somehow--under coach Pop--I think they will be alright or will "Father Time" catch up to them as some have predicted for how many years now...

I admit, I had no idea the season started today--but I'll probably be too wrapped up in the World Series anyway...  

 

[Strider]

Yeah Paul, the NBA and NHL seasons should not begin until the World Series is over. Either baseball has to end its season earlier like it used to, or the NHL/NBA should move their season openers to November.

Another thought for the coming season...will the Clippers implode?

[ebk]

Allez Les Boulez!!!

 

I'll be back in this thread sometime in the spring

[Strider]

NBA Commish Adam Silver is presenting the Championship trophy and rings to the Golden State Warriors at this very moment. I've got my left eye on TNT and my right eye on Fox baseball.

[Sathington Willoughby]

SI has the Thunder in the Finals against Cleveland. Personally, I'm not as high on the Thunder anymore, once you get past their big three (Durant, Westbrick, Ibaka) that is a pretty anemic roster. 

[Patrycja]

^ No way the Thunder make it out of the West to the finals this year.

For the first time in team history, Raps start the season 5-0 with a win tonight against said Thunder and we've had unprecedented balmy 20+C weather in November. Coincidence?! I think not! 

 

[Sathington Willoughby]

^ No way the Thunder make it out of the West to the finals this year.

 

Agreed. I held back in my post a bit, let's just say I've never been a fan of Westbrook, either. 

[paul carruthers]

I know it's still very early, but who can stop the Warriors? Maybe Golden State has a bit of a chip on their shoulder, as far as some of the critics who questioned their championship last season & they are taking it out on their opponents...

Again, it's early but the Warriors look like a possible 70 win team....

 

[LedZeppfan77]

I know it's still very early, but who can stop the Warriors? Maybe Golden State has a bit of a chip on their shoulder, as far as some of the critics who questioned their championship last season & they are taking it out on their opponents...

Again, it's early but the Warriors look like a possible 70 win team....

 

Houston has been surprisingly horrible.  The Clippers have been good and fought Golden st to the finish losing by 3 pts in their building.  I believe those are the two teams that will be standing at the end in the West.  OKC has to be considered also.  Cleveland cannot lose the East to anyone.  they are just lazy and arrogant many nights though.  A terriible team to bet your money on laying points.  Last night they were down to the Knicks until the 4th quarter and then they decided to stop playing around and beat them as expected.  As for the point spread, I think they squeezed it out but you would have had a heart attack if you bet them.  Lazy fucking millionaires.  

[Strider]

^ No way the Thunder make it out of the West to the finals this year.

For the first time in team history, Raps start the season 5-0 with a win tonight against said Thunder and we've had unprecedented balmy 20+C weather in November. Coincidence?! I think not! 

 

Hooray for your Raptors! Maybe they can give Cleveland a little competition in the woebegone East?

I am not buying SI's prediction of Oklahoma either. Too many variables would have to fall their way to come out of the West on top.

I know it's still very early, but who can stop the Warriors? Maybe Golden State has a bit of a chip on their shoulder, as far as some of the critics who questioned their championship last season & they are taking it out on their opponents...

Again, it's early but the Warriors look like a possible 70 win team....

 

The Clippers gave them a game for the first time this season, and might have prevailed had Chris Paul seen a wide open Blake Griffin under the basket on the last play. But Golden State appears to be on a mission...not unlike the Patriots this year...they look like they want to KILL everyone in their path. Barring injuries, they look likely to repeat.

Houston has been surprisingly horrible.  The Clippers have been good and fought Golden st to the finish losing by 3 pts in their building.  I believe those are the two teams that will be standing at the end in the West.  OKC has to be considered also.  Cleveland cannot lose the East to anyone.  they are just lazy and arrogant many nights though.  A terriible team to bet your money on laying points.  Last night they were down to the Knicks until the 4th quarter and then they decided to stop playing around and beat them as expected.  As for the point spread, I think they squeezed it out but you would have had a heart attack if you bet them.  Lazy fucking millionaires.  

Houston sucking isn't a surprise to me...not with team-killer Dwight Howard on the roster. He sucks. 

Aa for Cleveland taking nights off...welcome to today's NBA. You can thank Greg Popovich and the Spurs for this. In the 1980s, the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, Bulls, Mavs, Trailblazers, would kill each other night after night chasing the #1 seed. Once San Antonio showed you could rest your starters for long stretches of the season, giving them games off, and still win a championship being a low-seed, all bets were off.

Lebron took two weeks off in the middle of last season to hang out in Miami, and he will probably do so again this year. Especially since there is no one as yet challenging him in the East...the Bulls look dreadful. What's happened to their defense?

[paul carruthers]

Well, I'll be watching my 1st game tonight; Heat vs. Pacers. I'm still not sure what to expect from Miami this season--they don't have enough to dethrone the Cavs as Eastern Conference champs, but on the flipside, I would expect (or maybe hope) they can do a lot better than last season, when they missed the playoffs entirely....

 

 

[LedZeppfan77]

My money is on the Clippers to beat Memphis but good tonight.  That was not on the contest board so I went back and forth between the T Wolves plus 9 and Denver at a pick at home.  I took Denver and now regret it. Every expert picks Portland but I do not know why.  I had the Pistons last night and won on them at Portland. They blew Portland out in the 4th quarter.  Now they must travel to play a rested team in Denver.  I have not much faith in Denver but none in Portland. I did take the T Wolves on a parlay.  

[Patrycja]

Agreed. I held back in my post a bit, let's just say I've never been a fan of Westbrook, either. 

Yeah that game gave me some more insight into how he plays. He's an athletic freak and has great instincts, if a bit erratic, but he was acting like they were entitled to win that game despite their many turnovers and resorted to throwing elbows and flopping to try to get calls. He has one of the most punchable troll faces in all of NBA.

Hooray for your Raptors! Maybe they can give Cleveland a little competition in the woebegone East?

I am not buying SI's prediction of Oklahoma either. Too many variables would have to fall their way to come out of the West on top.

The Clippers gave them a game for the first time this season, and might have prevailed had Chris Paul seen a wide open Blake Griffin under the basket on the last play. But Golden State appears to be on a mission...not unlike the Patriots this year...they look like they want to KILL everyone in their path. Barring injuries, they look likely to repeat.

Houston sucking isn't a surprise to me...not with team-killer Dwight Howard on the roster. He sucks. 

Aa for Cleveland taking nights off...welcome to today's NBA. You can thank Greg Popovich and the Spurs for this. In the 1980s, the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, Bulls, Mavs, Trailblazers, would kill each other night after night chasing the #1 seed. Once San Antonio showed you could rest your starters for long stretches of the season, giving them games off, and still win a championship being a low-seed, all bets were off.

Lebron took two weeks off in the middle of last season to hang out in Miami, and he will probably do so again this year. Especially since there is no one as yet challenging him in the East...the Bulls look dreadful. What's happened to their defense?

Thanks, but I feel like I'm kryptonite as they've now lost two games in a row with bad habits and bad coaching making a familiar return. As for the other teams, they take on the character of the most dominant personality, and so wherever LBJ plays, the team turns into entitled douchebags. Spurs are crafty and prepared, like Pop and Timmy and the torch is being passed to Messina and LMA; dangerous for years to come. That's why no team with Dwight on it will win a championship. Clippers are flopping divas with a head coach who tried to play head games, and the Thunder have two players who have yet to work out the passive-aggressive dynamic for the alpha on that team; it works during the regular season, no so much in the playoffs. Detroit is humming right now; SVG looked crazy for some of his moves, but now has the players to play his system very well. Atlanta is great during the regular season, but has yet to make noise in the post-season. Bulls are adjusting to a new coach, but they're a Rose injury away from slipping. Celtics are very well coached and disciplined. Warriors were no fluke; they, like their coach and the players who grew together, are a well-oiled machine. Raps are treadmilling until further notice. 

[Sathington Willoughby]

Yeah that game gave me some more insight into how he plays. He's an athletic freak and has great instincts, if a bit erratic, but he was acting like they were entitled to win that game despite their many turnovers and resorted to throwing elbows and flopping to try to get calls. He has one of the most punchable troll faces in all of NBA.

Couldn't have said it better myself. 

[Strider]

Yeah that game gave me some more insight into how he plays. He's an athletic freak and has great instincts, if a bit erratic, but he was acting like they were entitled to win that game despite their many turnovers and resorted to throwing elbows and flopping to try to get calls. He has one of the most punchable troll faces in all of NBA.

Hated him when he was at UCLA. 

It's a looooooong season. What the NBA landscape looks like in April is usually completely different than what it looks like in November. I try not to get too intense this early...I like to pace myself for the long haul.

[paul carruthers]

Heat and Lakers tonight--probably not much in the way of bragging rights for that one, eh Sean?

[Strider]

Heat and Lakers tonight--probably not much in the way of bragging rights for that one, eh Sean?

Nope, not much Paul.  

Watching Kobe now is like watching Willie Mays when he was with the Mets stumbling in the outfield.

I think Golden State could seriously challenge the Bulls 72-win season.

[Strider]

Patrycja, your Toronto Raptors gave it the ol' college try at least. After getting down to Golden State by a ton at the half, they battled back and only lost by 5 points.

By the way, this is the 20th anniversary of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10, breaking the season record of 69-13 set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. While I am curious if Golden State can challenge the Bulls record of 72 wins in a season, I am more fascinated by whether they can challenge the other record the Lakers set in 1971-72: 33 consecutive wins.

It bears watching....and the Warriors are definitely more fun to watch than just about every game the NFL has foisted on us on Thursday and Monday nights. Oy vey!

Now that baseball has ended, and the NFL is only interesting on Sundays, I have more time to catch up on the NBA and NHL.

Poor Kevin McHale. He got a raw deal from the Rockets. Fuck that team/coach killer crybaby Dwight Howard. What a loser. I hear Ainge wants McHale to come back to the Celtics.

Detroit is a real surprise this year....even though they lost to the Lakers on Sunday. Only the second win of the year for the Lakers...who could challenge Philadelphia's record for futility...9-73, I believe, is the record.

We are seeing both Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning break down before our eyes. Their bodies betrayed by age and injuries catching up with them. It's kind of sad but Father Time is undefeated.

Count Amare Stoudemire as another player who is a shell of his former self...although he's not a Hall of Famer like Kobe and Peyton. Pity that Phoenix Suns team of Nash and Stoudemire never won a championship. They were the last fun team to watch before Curry and the Warriors. 

[Sathington Willoughby]

 

Count Amare Stoudemire as another player who is a shell of his former self...although he's not a Hall of Famer like Kobe and Peyton. Pity that Phoenix Suns team of Nash and Stoudemire never won a championship. They were the last fun team to watch before Curry and the Warriors. 

I remember staying up late watching those Sacramento Kings teams of the late 90's/early 2000's with Jason Williams, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, etc. They were a blast. 

 

[Patrycja]

^White Chocolate was something, wasn't he? 

Patrycja, your Toronto Raptors gave it the ol' college try at least. After getting down to Golden State by a ton at the half, they battled back and only lost by 5 points.

By the way, this is the 20th anniversary of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10, breaking the season record of 69-13 set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. While I am curious if Golden State can challenge the Bulls record of 72 wins in a season, I am more fascinated by whether they can challenge the other record the Lakers set in 1971-72: 33 consecutive wins.

It bears watching....and the Warriors are definitely more fun to watch than just about every game the NFL has foisted on us on Thursday and Monday nights. Oy vey!

Now that baseball has ended, and the NFL is only interesting on Sundays, I have more time to catch up on the NBA and NHL.

Poor Kevin McHale. He got a raw deal from the Rockets. Fuck that team/coach killer crybaby Dwight Howard. What a loser. I hear Ainge wants McHale to come back to the Celtics.

Detroit is a real surprise this year....even though they lost to the Lakers on Sunday. Only the second win of the year for the Lakers...who could challenge Philadelphia's record for futility...9-73, I believe, is the record.

We are seeing both Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning break down before our eyes. Their bodies betrayed by age and injuries catching up with them. It's kind of sad but Father Time is undefeated.

Count Amare Stoudemire as another player who is a shell of his former self...although he's not a Hall of Famer like Kobe and Peyton. Pity that Phoenix Suns team of Nash and Stoudemire never won a championship. They were the last fun team to watch before Curry and the Warriors.  

Man, I'm telling you, I'm friggin kryptonite, Sath. After praising the Raps for a historic 5 - 0 start, they're 2 - 5 (I think). Hey, if anybody needs a team hexed, just ask me to cheer for them. $5

This is also the 20th anniversary of the Raps in the NBA and we have the AS game this year, too. We desperately need a new coach as I believe Casey has lost the team (except for Pop and maybe one or two others, coaches have about five years before teams tune out) but we have to get by with the devil we know because the optics would be bad to suck with the world watching. If the GM Masai Ujiri does nothing, though, we may be the mediocre product of treadmilling anyway.

It's eerie how McHale looks like one of my uncles who passed away. Every time I see him I do a double take. I loved him on the Celtics with Bird and Ainge and the Chief back in the day - that was my favourite team. Great, crafty player. My heart ached for him when his daughter passed away. Here's the thing about teams with an assertive character - Rockets just signed Kevin to a 3 year contract after they won their division in the tough West and made some noise in the playoffs, and yet this early in the season, he's gone because the team did not play like the sum of its parts. Contrast that to the Raps who got swept in the playoffs last year and almost swept the year before and the same coach is still there. Hey Masai, Kevin McHale's available! I hope KM ends up on the Cs. That would be a nice full-circle homecoming for him. I'm always sentimental about the Celtics

Fun fact: Toronto had Drummond slip to them in the draft, but selected Terrence Ross instead. Ross has played his way out of the starting role while Drummond is averaging 19 points and 19 rebounds (!!!) per game for Detroit. FFS. Never a break, man. Never. A. Break.

Kobe needs a mental adjustment and accept a complementary role on the Lakers. Trouble is, they don't have a prime star to take over that role. It's a vacuum so it'll be interesting to see who they get to fill that void.

GSW are humming. The only thing they have to be careful about is not burning out in time for the playoffs. It's an entirely different game being the hunter then and now the hunted. 

And as always, never count Pop's Spurs out.

 

[Sathington Willoughby]

^White Chocolate was something, wasn't he? 

Man, I'm telling you, I'm friggin kryptonite, Sath. After praising the Raps for a historic 5 - 0 start, they're 2 - 5 (I think). Hey, if anybody needs a team hexed, just ask me to cheer for them. $5

This is also the 20th anniversary of the Raps in the NBA and we have the AS game this year, too. We desperately need a new coach as I believe Casey has lost the team (except for Pop and maybe one or two others, coaches have about five years before teams tune out) but we have to get by with the devil we know because the optics would be bad to suck with the world watching. If the GM Masai Ujiri does nothing, though, we may be the mediocre product of treadmilling anyway.

It's eerie how McHale looks like one of my uncles who passed away. Every time I see him I do a double take. I loved him on the Celtics with Bird and Ainge and the Chief back in the day - that was my favourite team. Great, crafty player. My heart ached for him when his daughter passed away. Here's the thing about teams with an assertive character - Rockets just signed Kevin to a 3 year contract after they won their division in the tough West and made some noise in the playoffs, and yet this early in the season, he's gone because the team did not play like the sum of its parts. Contrast that to the Raps who got swept in the playoffs last year and almost swept the year before and the same coach is still there. Hey Masai, Kevin McHale's available! I hope KM ends up on the Cs. That would be a nice full-circle homecoming for him. I'm always sentimental about the Celtics

Fun fact: Toronto had Drummond slip to them in the draft, but selected Terrence Ross instead. Ross has played his way out of the starting role while Drummond is averaging 19 points and 19 rebounds (!!!) per game for Detroit. FFS. Never a break, man. Never. A. Break.

Kobe needs a mental adjustment and accept a complementary role on the Lakers. Trouble is, they don't have a prime star to take over that role. It's a vacuum so it'll be interesting to see who they get to fill that void.

GSW are humming. The only thing they have to be careful about is not burning out in time for the playoffs. It's an entirely different game being the hunter then and now the hunted. 

And as always, never count Pop's Spurs out.

 

Indeed, he was. Loved him. I think I wore my Kings shorts so much in my teens they disintegrated after a few years lol. 

Just stay away from my Hawks, ok?  BTW, wtf happened to the Pelicans? I know they're in the West, but damn, I thought they were a good young team on the upswing. 

[Patrycja]

Indeed, he was. Loved him. I think I wore my Kings shorts so much in my teens they disintegrated after a few years lol. 

Just stay away from my Hawks, ok?  BTW, wtf happened to the Pelicans? I know they're in the West, but damn, I thought they were a good young team on the upswing. 

lol well that's not the worst habit I've heard teenage boys engaging in...

As for your Hawks, I wish them the best of luck by which I mean I will not cheer for them unless, of course, when they play my Raps, in which case I will cheer for your Hawks heartily  

Wasn't paying attention to NOLA but I just checked their record 1-11 yikes! That's Nets and Philly territory. Did a little digging and injuries are going to cost them the season. They've had 11 different starting line-ups in 12 games because of it. In the tough West, short of a miracle, they're likely already out of the playoffs this season.

You know what's funny in a sad, cruel way? Kings fans thinking their problems were solved when those D-bag brothers who owned the team were finally strong-armed into selling. Trouble is, they sold it to Vivek Ranadive, who is as bizarre and hands on as he is rich. SAC town is cursed. What a circus.

[LedZeppfan77]

You know times are different when Toronto is a 7 point favorite at the Lakers and they cover.  I cannot believe the Clippers blew a 30 point lead vs Golden St.  What a bunch of slackers.  That fucker Doc Rivers needs to be fired yesterday

[Strider]

lol well that's not the worst habit I've heard teenage boys engaging in...

As for your Hawks, I wish them the best of luck by which I mean I will not cheer for them unless, of course, when they play my Raps, in which case I will cheer for your Hawks heartily  

Wasn't paying attention to NOLA but I just checked their record 1-11 yikes! That's Nets and Philly territory. Did a little digging and injuries are going to cost them the season. They've had 11 different starting line-ups in 12 games because of it. In the tough West, short of a miracle, they're likely already out of the playoffs this season.

And then the Pelicans turn around and beat a team like the Spurs. Nuts.

You know times are different when Toronto is a 7 point favorite at the Lakers and they cover.  I cannot believe the Clippers blew a 30 point lead vs Golden St.  What a bunch of slackers.  That fucker Doc Rivers needs to be fired yesterday

I keep telling you about the Clippers, but no..plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.