Today's Game Discussion [12/27/12]

[Jamel Irief]

Originally Posted by Ron

I don't think 15 straight wins by an average margin of 17 points constitutes a hot team.

I think it defines a dominant team.

Meanwhile, what does it mean when someone is constantly deriding one's posts while the other poster chooses not to do the same? Unrequited love, perhaps?

It was an observation, a very accurate one I might add.

Considering its this early in the season, and they were 8-6, a month ago its just a "dominant" stretch.

Foolish to predict certain championship for a team with 4 playoff wins together.

Where did I say I dislike you? And what can you possibly deride me on?


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[Jace]

Originally Posted by Ron

I don't think 15 straight wins by an average margin of 17 points constitutes a hot team.

I think it defines a dominant team.

No clue which way this would sway things, and am too lazy to look it up, but I'm really curious what their strength of schedule has been over this stretch. Didn't Rafer Alston and the Rockets win 20 straight without Yao, T-Mac, or both a few seasons ago? No idea what their differential was, but it proves crazy things can happen. Who knows if Barnes and Crawford will shoot like this the whole season. The brilliance of Paul makes it hard to doubt them, but there's so much talent out west.

Originally Posted by Diable

The Celtics really don't have a good rotation right now. Bradley might help them out, right now it looks as though Doc is going to have to run his starters into the ground to get that team into the playoffs. Being old isn't nearly as big a problem if you have depth, but they have none.

I knew people were overstating their additions, but I thought Terry, Lee, and Sullinger would help them enough to win a few more games by this point.

[Ron]

I would say that during the stretch they played some mediocre teams, sure, but at the early part of the season they beat San Antonio (twice), Memphis, Miami, Lakers, Chicago, and Portland in Portland.

Except for that four game hiccup, this team has basically been unstoppable.

And Billups STILL hasn't played regularly.

[Jace]

Barkley says Boston should start Jeff Green because he's not playing well, whom I forgot to list as another reason I thought Boston would at least be a little bit better.

Somehow the TNT guys are saying Wade's kick didn't look intentional. What the hell is going on here? The best you can say was that there wasn't much velocity. It was so unnatural.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Ron

And Billups STILL hasn't played regularly.

I wouldn't count this as a win. Billups was terrible when he was playing for LAC.

[Jace]

Originally Posted by Ron

I would say that during the stretch they played some mediocre teams, sure, but at the early part of the season they beat San Antonio (twice), Memphis, Miami, Lakers, Chicago, and Portland in Portland.

Except for that four game hiccup, this team has basically been unstoppable.

And Billups STILL hasn't played regularly.

Billups is a doozy. His steadiness can really offset a Crawford mean-regression. I'm impressed with the Memphis win, but those other ones aren't overly impressive to me, all things considered.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Jace

Billups is a doozy. His steadiness can really offset a Crawford mean-regression. I'm impressed with the Memphis win, but those other ones aren't overly impressive to me, all things considered.

Beating San Antonio twice (with one a clown affair) and Miami doesn't impress you?

[Jace]

LAC had more to prove than both those teams. I don't remember either SA game, but that team is old enough to not have it every now and then. I won't chalk up the Heat loss to not caring enough, but LeBron was the only one who showed up. Wade shouldn't have even played.

Originally Posted by Jamel Irief

Check the prediction thread.

Is it that you had Boston at 4?

[Jace]

Originally Posted by Adam

I wouldn't count this as a win. Billups was terrible when he was playing for LAC.

This season? I only watched him his first game back and he was good. Achilles injuries are tough to come back from, so if you're talking about this season there's still room for improvement.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Jace

This season? I only watched him his first game back and he was good. Achilles injuries are tough to come back from, so if you're talking about this season there's still room for improvement.

Last year. He was an absolute ballhog shooting 36%. He was a huge reason that team didn't come together last season while he was playing.

[Jace]

Will be interesting to see what happens if that continues. Been saying all season they might be too deep at guard. Not enough minutes for Paul, Billups, Crawford, Bledsoe, and Green. Probably only 3 of those guys will be able to play significant minutes when the rotation tightens. VDN doesn't make a lot of sense, so anything can happen with that.

[Diable]

Billups was uneven last year. He had some bad games and some good games. Mostly they didn't have a better option however, Foy was the ultimate hot or cold player and Nick Young was the same thing. Of course you're talking about Billups taking minutes away from Willie Green. Hill is the guy who intrigues me. If he can play at the level he played last year, then he should be the starter over Green or Butler. Honestly both Green and Butler have been pretty terrible offensively. Both of them are good on defense, but not so much that they could not find themselves on the end of the bench for that team. Grant Hill at the same level he played last year is a huge upgrade over either of those guys. If Billups wants to play, then he needs to produce. I don't think that team has a lot of minutes for him though.

[Jamel Irief]

Originally Posted by Jace

Billups is a doozy. His steadiness can really offset a Crawford mean-regression. I'm impressed with the Memphis win, but those other ones aren't overly impressive to me, all things considered.

The Memphis win was opening night. I was there.

Going to attend the clippers-lakers game next week too, most excited I've been to attend a regular season game since I saw magic live for the first time in 96.


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[Jace]

Originally Posted by Diable

Billups was uneven last year. He had some bad games and some good games. Mostly they didn't have a better option however, Foy was the ultimate hot or cold player and Nick Young was the same thing. Of course you're talking about Billups taking minutes away from Willie Green. Hill is the guy who intrigues me. If he can play at the level he played last year, then he should be the starter over Green or Butler. Honestly both Green and Butler have been pretty terrible offensively. Both of them are good on defense, but not so much that they could not find themselves on the end of the bench for that team. Grant Hill at the same level he played last year is a huge upgrade over either of those guys. If Billups wants to play, then he needs to produce. I don't think that team has a lot of minutes for him though.

Exactly. I wonder if he'd make a stink, though, after initially being upset they picked him up after being amnestied.

I think they're best off going Paul, Crawford, and Bledsoe, with Billups getting the scraps or playing more when Crawford's off.

[hroz]

Can someone show me a link to the predictions thread.

I know I am way off but yeah someone send that link through.