(about Harden maybe losing the beard, which really emphasizes that expressionless, smug look)
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:14 (ten years ago) link
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly6p5kun5G1qzbwkjo1_400.jpg
blazers have been hipster for awhile
― #SwaggyRambo (Clay), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:17 (ten years ago) link
as if on cue Howard is out of his mind tonight
― ryan, Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:17 (ten years ago) link
When Houston acquired Harden, iirc ILH was lukewarm toward the deal and thought the rockets overpaid. Then Harden put up all-star numbers and won some (sometimes grudging) admiration. iow, a 'what has he done lately' attitude comes naturally in his case around here. Bulk-shooter-type players with mediocre defensive skills are always on the cusp of becoming a millstone on their team's neck if their stats fall off even modestly.
― Aimless, Saturday, December 21, 2013 7:10 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
This feels very revisionist, or maybe I've just been more sensitive to it since I've always thought harden was kinda fools gold outside of his spot on those OKC teams, where he was obviously overperforming. Iirc rest of ILH loved him most when he was having more of those 25 pts on 6 shots type games.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:20 (ten years ago) link
Lin otoh is fun to watch. There's something pretty graceful about his game, I think he actually looks better on the court than he really is, whereas Dragic, an unquestionably better pg, looks kind of gangly and awkward.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:21 (ten years ago) link
Bulk-shooter-type players with mediocre defensive skills are always on the cusp of becoming a millstone on their team's neck if their stats fall off even modestly.
This seems otm, but it makes me wonder -- is Carmelo really much better than James Harden? I'm not convinced he is.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:23 (ten years ago) link
Howard's offensive game looked smooth against Hibbert, esp since he wasn't overpowering but rather hitting sweet lefty hooks and stuff. Actually looking forward to seeing Houston 2nd half of season when they've had so e time to play together and can read each other. Like, Howard hasn't played for a team withh this much talent in maybe ... ever? It would be cool to see him be in sync with some all star caliber players running with him.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:23 (ten years ago) link
Lin so fun when he's on. Painful when it's a turnover fest.
― ryan, Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:24 (ten years ago) link
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Saturday, December 21, 2013 8:20 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i dont think anyone thought houston was overpaying considering that they gave up not that much, i do recall extensive discussions of whether harden was max contract worthy
― lag∞n, Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:25 (ten years ago) link
Think the general sentiment was Why Not? And even tho I'm no booster, I think Harden can be a top dawg on a great team, but he really can't regress for that to happen. And so far this season, you can't really say that he's improved. Even if the team is a bit wonky now, I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up in the finals soon if they ever sir themselves out.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:38 (ten years ago) link
Also, at the time no one could be sure he'd be able to produce at those same rates if his usage skyrocketed, but it basically had. Doubt many Rocket fans ATM would say the contract was a bad idea. It's more, OK, maybe it's time to improve yr overall game maybe?
Melo is an interesting comparison point, although he's worth way more on the defensive end. Feel like Melo plays better D with Chandler helping out than Harden does with Howard right now, ie Melo knows how not to leave Chandler high and dry whereas Harden is just kinda idk lol defense no thx.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 01:42 (ten years ago) link
idk melo is a pretty terrible defender
― lag∞n, Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:08 (ten years ago) link
anyway feel like harden is right now still a very valuable player and can be great if he just tightens his game up a lil
― lag∞n, Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:09 (ten years ago) link
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Saturday, December 21, 2013 8:21 PM (50 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i disagree with every word of this post
― k3vin k., Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:13 (ten years ago) link
I agree except I think Lin looks clumsy and weird too and is likely much better than he looks (but fun to watch nonetheless)
― Nhex, Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:19 (ten years ago) link
lin is super herky-jerky to me and dragic is smooth, almost a poor man's manu. also i think lin is better
― k3vin k., Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:25 (ten years ago) link
Yah dragic is super fun to watch. All kinda weird awesome turnaround pivot up and unders and such.
― Al He Miola (Spottie), Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:29 (ten years ago) link
lin has a pretty wide variance between "completely take over a game" performances and "make 10 mistakes in a row and get pulled" performances. still wish mchale let him go a little more.
― ryan, Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:32 (ten years ago) link
dragic is fun to watch, I just don't think his moves are exactly pretty
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Sunday, 22 December 2013 02:59 (ten years ago) link
thunder have a great chance to win it all right now
― moullet, Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:18 (ten years ago) link
boris!!
― k3vin k., Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:24 (ten years ago) link
BOOOOOOOOOOORIS
― moullet, Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:25 (ten years ago) link
what he do?
― Al He Miola (Spottie), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:28 (ten years ago) link
I still want to like harden and when he is on he is devastating
If he could figure out how to give 45% of the effort on defense he gives to offense he would probably be a top ten player overall
Obv staying in the Manu role in OKC would have made them unstoppable
― z-time champion (agent hibachi), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:33 (ten years ago) link
marvelous catch w a glorious spin xpost
― moullet, Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:34 (ten years ago) link
I'd also still give him another half season to finish adjusting to being the first option esp w Dwight there I think he can still clean up the bad threes and what not but if he doesn't he probably ends up just being a briefly more exciting Stephen Marbury or Gilbert or whatever yikes
― z-time champion (agent hibachi), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:34 (ten years ago) link
jogged a little, too
― moullet, Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:37 (ten years ago) link
ha
― Al He Miola (Spottie), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:37 (ten years ago) link
http://m.sporcle.com/games/jfey5/0009NBAMVP
got 138 but having the team names felt like cheating
― k3vin k., Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:38 (ten years ago) link
Ibaka shooting corner threes is kind of a nice wrinkle
― z-time champion (agent hibachi), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:42 (ten years ago) link
yeah i was just gonna say, makes 100% sense for him to be shooting that shot. probably shoots it in the high 40s
― k3vin k., Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:46 (ten years ago) link
Totally unfair but when I appraise Lin all I can think of is that first Miami game where Wade and Bron went all Jordan/Pippen-on-Kukoc on him.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 03:48 (ten years ago) link
Keep fighting ithttp://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/21/lebron-says-heat-shooters-already-upset-about-christmas-day-jerseys/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs
― Al He Miola (Spottie), Sunday, 22 December 2013 04:57 (ten years ago) link
srsly though, they may interfere with shooting, but at least they look stupid
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Sunday, 22 December 2013 05:24 (ten years ago) link
but hey you can put an Exxon logo right on the sleeve, net gain
― #SwaggyRambo (Clay), Sunday, 22 December 2013 05:24 (ten years ago) link
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Saturday, December 21, 2013 10:48 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
He is definitely a player that can be shut down if a team focuses on it, but I feel like he's not worth that kind of effort in most games. I remember that game and I almost felt like they just wanted to give him a little reality check or "welcome to the NBA" kind of hazing.
― signed, J.P. Morgan CEO (Hurting 2), Sunday, 22 December 2013 05:28 (ten years ago) link
The last time the Blazers had fewer than 10 losses through 28 games was in 1999-2000, when they started 21-7 en route to a monumental fourth-quarter meltdown in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers
Let's hope history repeats itself!
― #SwaggyRambo (Clay), Sunday, 22 December 2013 06:42 (ten years ago) link
I was nearing the end of my first year of college that year btw, and after the lakers won that game my roommate took his tv outside and smashed it to hell with a baseball bat and threw it in a dumpster all while yelling "fuck shaq" over and over again. We were the "art" dorm so nobody really cared.
― #SwaggyRambo (Clay), Sunday, 22 December 2013 06:46 (ten years ago) link
Oh no, totally that's what happened. It was basically Wade/Bron deciding to up and play playoff-level defense for a relatively meaningless game and Lin was obviously unprepared for it. I'm sure 95% of the league would've looked just as helpless as Lin that night. It just sticks out in my head.
Not really sure anyone would defend Lin's contract from a strict stats-based estimation. Still, I find he's still an exciting player to watch-- he's a great driving the ball. It probably comes off as herky jerky because iirc he has a tendency to pick up his dribble in the paint, a bad habit that probably robs him of a few extra points a game and definitely contributes to his TO rate. He's kinda redundant for the Rockets, so I think his skills orobably get devalued more than they should. I think he has the highest TS% of any point guard in the league this season!
Xp lol. Hope you guys weren't shamed for watching bball.
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 07:01 (ten years ago) link
Mike Trudell@LakersReporterD'Antoni on Nick Young: "He rubs off on me. He makes me happy. He starts ... swagging ... or something ... and it gets me going."
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Sunday, 22 December 2013 09:00 (ten years ago) link
Even if (houston) is a bit wonky now, I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up in the finals soon if they ever sir themselves out.― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Saturday, December 21, 2013
― Call me Shitmael (CompuPost), Saturday, December 21, 2013
based on a recent small sampling, the rockets -- pacers finals won't be all that compelling.
― Daniel, Esq 2, Sunday, 22 December 2013 09:57 (ten years ago) link
― #SwaggyRambo (Clay), Sunday, December 22, 2013 1:46 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I nominate clays roommate for the ilh hall of fame and expect no objections
― z-time champion (agent hibachi), Sunday, 22 December 2013 13:11 (ten years ago) link
Lmao sounds like a scene out of PCU
― 乒乓, Sunday, 22 December 2013 13:27 (ten years ago) link
Clay filmed it and submitted it as his final project for ART242: Movement and Physicality of the Human Form
― 乒乓, Sunday, 22 December 2013 13:28 (ten years ago) link
lmao. perfection
― moullet, Sunday, 22 December 2013 14:19 (ten years ago) link
hahaha yes
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 22 December 2013 14:27 (ten years ago) link
Lmao
― Al He Miola (Spottie), Sunday, 22 December 2013 14:27 (ten years ago) link
ahhh yes roommate otm, i was rooting so hard for the blazers too and not just cause i h8 the lakers that team was sweet
― lag∞n, Sunday, 22 December 2013 15:43 (ten years ago) link
― k3vin k., Saturday, December 21, 2013 10:38 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
the two i missed in 2005 are completely bizarre
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 22 December 2013 15:48 (ten years ago) link
Missed Brandon Roy
How quickly we forget
― 乒乓, Sunday, 22 December 2013 16:01 (ten years ago) link