Around the NBA - September 2017 Edition (1 Viewer)

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I just don't think Cleveland will cruise the the east this year like a lot think. I know the east overall is weak, but the Cavs are a mess right now. I'm a LeBron fan, so we'll see how it goes.
 
I'm sure Boston is going to be at least as good as Cleveland when they had Kyrie but no LeBron. What was that like again? I forget.
 
Rastapopoulos said:
I'm sure Boston is going to be at least as good as Cleveland when they had Kyrie but no LeBron. What was that like again? I forget.
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I'd say that's probably a safe assumption...

upload_2017-9-8_11-52-56.png
 
Rastapopoulos said:
I'm sure Boston is going to be at least as good as Cleveland when they had Kyrie but no LeBron. What was that like again? I forget.
Click to expand...

Kyrie didn't have:

Al Horford
Gordon Heyward

And all the rest. BOS is gonna have a squad.
 
dviss1 said:
Those losses are sans Heyward.
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No argument here. Rasta's statement was that Boston will be at least as good as Bron-less Cleveland. Since Bron-less Cleveland was winless, it would be pretty difficult for them to not be at least as good...
 
dviss1 said:
Kyrie didn't have:

Al Horford
Gordon Heyward

And all the rest. BOS is gonna have a squad.
Click to expand...
Boston will be good, but I have questions about their defense. They lost their 2 best defensive players, and with them their defensive identity?
 
Wizard Mentor said:
Boston will be good, but I have questions about their defense. They lost their 2 best defensive players, and with them their defensive identity?
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CLE was smart to get Crowder from them. With him gone, who guards LeBron in a 7 game series?

Plus, rebounding was Boston's biggest weakness last year and they have lost 4 of their top 5 rebounders from last season. Their front line was so weak last year that Avery Bradley was actually their second best rebounder.

In terms of rebounding, here's their projected front courts' numbers from last season compared to CLE's:

Center:
Horford = 6.8 rpg
Thompson = 9.2 rpg

Power Forward:
Morris = 4.8 rpg
Love = 11.1 rpg

Small Forward:
Brown = 2.8 rpg
LeBron = 8.6 rpg

Total:
BOS = 14.4 rpg
CLE = 28.9 rpg

Granted I am assuming Brown will start at SF and he only averaged 17.4 mpg last season, but even if toy double his minutes and his rebounds,that only get BOS to 17.2 rpg from their starting front court. Or, maybe they push Horford down to PF and start Baynes at C. Even then they still won't come close to hanging with CLE on the boards.

Plus, they don't have any rim protection. Baynes is a big body, but he's earthbound and doesn't block many shots.

So, they lost two of their best defenders in Bradley and Crowder, lost four of their five best rebounders, from a team that was already weak in that department, have no rim protection and don't have anyone who can come close to guarding LeBron. But, I think that's somewhat by design. They weren't getting past CLE as they were previously constructed. So, they blew it up and have gotten younger. Kyrie is younger than IT, they will use this year to develop Brown and Tatum and add one, or more, bigs next summer. That way, if LeBron leaves CLE and heads West, BOS will be well positioned to rise to the top of the East for many years.

BNM
 
HCP said:
I just don't think Cleveland will cruise the the east this year like a lot think. I know the east overall is weak, but the Cavs are a mess right now. I'm a LeBron fan, so we'll see how it goes.
Click to expand...

How is CLE a mess? Of their 9 top players (in terms of minutes played) from last season, 8 are returning. The only one they lost was Kyrie, and he was the one that wanted out and the source of the drama in CLE. To those 8 returning rotation players, they have added Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, Jeff Green and Jose Calderon.

BOS has had MUCH more turnover. They have lost 4 starters and 5 of their top 7 players in terms of minutes played. They currently have 7 rookies on their roster (although that will likely drop to 6, or possibly 5, by opening night) and will be relying on some of those rookies for significant minutes.

As mentioned, they lost two of their best defenders, don' have anyone who can guard LeBron, are incredibly weak on the boards and have no rim protection. As mentioned above, I think Ainge views this season as a development season fro their young guys. He wasn't getting past CLE anyway. So, might was well look to the future.

BOS had added talent in Kyrie and Gordon Hayward. Tatum looks like he'll be good eventually and Jaylen Brown will continue to develop, but they have given up a LOT (and weren't good enough to beat CLE anyway). They'll do fine during the regular season playing is a weak division within a weak conference, but they don't have the players to hang with CLE in a playoff series. ,n As long as CLE has LeBron, nobody in the East does.

BNM
 
HCP said:
I just feel like Kyrie worked well off Bron, don't see IT doing it. Nothing to back it up, just how I saw the game flowing when I watched Celtics games last year.
Click to expand...

You need to get an eye exam.
 
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