NBA Thread 2019-20

[MU82]

Interestingly, the Lakers also lost their first game. First time since 2003 both #1 seeds lost their openers.

That season, #1 in the West (San Antonio) bounced back to win the title, while #1 in the East (Detroit) made it to the conference finals.

This.

I think the Lakers have more reason to worry than the Bucks, as the Blazers have one elite player and several good to very good players, especially on offense. Wouldn't surprise me at all if the Blazers win that series ... and if the Bucks win in 5.

[The Sultan]

Overly aggressive white cop assaults a black Raptors official and then lies about the altercation. In other words ... dog bites man. Again.

https://theathletic.com/2006894/2020/08/18/raptors-masai-ujiri-countersues-sheriffs-deputy-video-shows-unjustified-violence/?source=dailyemail

Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri moved to counter sue an Alameda County sheriff's deputy who worked security during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals in Oakland and who claims in a lawsuit Ujiri assaulted him trying to gain access to the court celebration.

In over a hundred pages of court papers filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, plus attached videos, Ujiri said newly uncovered footage from a body camera the officer, Alan Strickland, wore that night disproves Strickland's claim and shows it was Ujiri who was twice assaulted and cursed at.

"Sadly, Mr. Strickland's dishonest account of the encounter is a narrative that has become somewhat familiar: a law enforcement officer using their position, engages in unjustified violence against a peaceful individual, then lies about the encounter by characterizing the victim as the aggressor," the court filing said. "To be sure, the great majority of law enforcement officers do not conduct themselves in this way. Mr. Strickland, however, has chosen dishonesty over integrity. Motivated by greed (and perhaps revenge), Mr. Strickland continues to lie about his encounter with Mr. Ujiri in an attempt to support his frivolous lawsuit."

The body camera footage Ujiri attached to the fillings appears to support his contention that Strickland, who was not working for the sheriff's department that night but as a security guard, struck Ujiri twice during the 11-second altercation. Strickland in his filings claimed Ujiri attacked him and did not display his credentials, but the footage shows the Raptors executive beginning to take out his credential before being shoved back.

"In his discovery responses, Mr. Strickland admits he knows of no previous or subsequent occasions where Mr. Ujiri has been violent with anyone," the court filings said. "Despite this, Mr. Strickland nonetheless contends he perceived Mr. Ujiri as a threat the moment he saw him.

"Mr. Strickland's perception is extremely problematic and can only be explained as the product of a personal bias he maintains that led him to stereotype Mr. Ujiri as a threatening and inherently violent individual. Acting on this bias, Mr. Strickland unjustifiably resorted to the use of violence and vitriol toward Mr. Ujiri rather than civility and respect."

Yeah this isn't good.

https://twitter.com/diamond83/status/1295898422625566727?s=20

[jesmu84]

How does a sheriff's deputy make $224k/year?

[JWags85]

This.

I think the Lakers have more reason to worry than the Bucks, as the Blazers have one elite player and several good to very good players, especially on offense. Wouldn't surprise me at all if the Blazers win that series ... and if the Bucks win in 5.

The Bucks played bad, but it's happened before and it's fixable.

I have ZERO clue what the Lakers we're doing. 5/32 on 3s. Lebron and AD went 1/10 from deep against a porous defense that is paper thin inside.

Dame is out of his mind. CJ McCollum can get hot in an instant, and Nurkic seems back to 100% and very dangerous. Oh yea, Melo can still score in bunches. They are also perfectly built for the pickup game style that the bubble has turned into.

Also, WTF was Vogel doing late yesterday? Down 5 with under a minute, they let the Blazers take it down to 5 seconds without fouling. Then again, Lakers miss, down 5 with 30 seconds left and they do nothing and let the Blazers waltz in for a dunk

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yeah this isn't good.

https://twitter.com/diamond83/status/1295898422625566727?s=20

Is there a previous incident that isn't shown on camera? Or is the guy just that dumb that he thought the body cam footage would never come out after he sued his own victim?

[4everwarriors]

Bucks have only 1 alpha dog. Da rest are role playas. Without the home court advantage, hard fore dem ta git der chit together, aina?

[MU82]

The Bucks played bad, but it's happened before and it's fixable.

I have ZERO clue what the Lakers we're doing. 5/32 on 3s. Lebron and AD went 1/10 from deep against a porous defense that is paper thin inside.

Dame is out of his mind. CJ McCollum can get hot in an instant, and Nurkic seems back to 100% and very dangerous. Oh yea, Melo can still score in bunches. They are also perfectly built for the pickup game style that the bubble has turned into.

Also, WTF was Vogel doing late yesterday? Down 5 with under a minute, they let the Blazers take it down to 5 seconds without fouling. Then again, Lakers miss, down 5 with 30 seconds left and they do nothing and let the Blazers waltz in for a dunk

Agree on all of the above.

Is there a previous incident that isn't shown on camera? Or is the guy just that dumb that he thought the body cam footage would never come out after he sued his own victim?

To our knowledge, no previous incident. And yes, the guy might just be that dumb.

[The Sultan]

Bucks have only 1 alpha dog. Da rest are role playas. Without the home court advantage, hard fore dem ta git der chit together, aina?

Middleton can be maddening.  When he is on, he is an elite scorer.  But when he isn't, it can be bad.

I also think they are missing Brogdan.  Dante just hasn't stepped into that role as some hoped.  Not saying they should have resigned him because I don't really know the cap situation, but he was more reliable on both sides.

[MU82]

Middleton can be maddening.  When he is on, he is an elite scorer.  But when he isn't, it can be bad.

I also think they are missing Brogdan.  Dante just hasn't stepped into that role as some hoped.  Not saying they should have resigned him because I don't really know the cap situation, but he was more reliable on both sides.

Absolutely missing Brogdan. Any team would; very good two-way player. Like you, I don't know the Bucks' cap situation, though. Maybe they simply couldn't have kept him. That doesn't mean they don't miss him.

[MUfan12]

Brogdon wanted out.

Middleton just had a 21/6/4 season with 49/41/92 shooting splits. I don't know what else the cat can do to get some respect.

[4everwarriors]

He and Bledsoe need to sho out in da playoffs, hey?

[MUfan12]

He and Bledsoe need to sho out in da playoffs, hey?

Middleton's career playoff numbers (35 games): 18 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 45/44/84 shooting splits. Pretty dang good.

Khris takes his within the flow, so when he's cooking it doesn't feel like he's taking over. But he's an excellent player who had a bad game on Tuesday.

Bled, on the other hand, still doesn't feel like he can corral it during the playoffs. He took some awful shots the other day.

[The Sultan]

The thing is that Bled was fine in the playoffs last year...until Toronto.  Even vanquishing his poor Boston performance from the year before. 

But there isn't much the Bucks can do about it now.  He's better than Dante.

[MU24]

Is there a previous incident that isn't shown on camera? Or is the guy just that dumb that he thought the body cam footage would never come out after he sued his own victim?

In the twitter thread ther is a video of the whole event. It highlights the deputy on the left side of the screen and you can SEE him focus on Masai as he is walking. Masai CLEARLY reaches into his suit to pull his creds out and the "deputy" shoves him HARD. Considering this clown was already convicted on insurance fraud is it not surprising he is trying to milk a lawsuit out of a rich person. Even more worrisome is how the Sheriff Dept doubled down and basically gaslights everyone looking at this situation by saying the video does show the whole story. Which is preposterous. Like is there some side of the story on the astral plane that normal eyes cannot see??

[Skatastrophy]

Jimmy and Jae are so much fun to watch on this Heat team. With the win today the Heat lead the series 2-0 over the Pacers.

[JWags85]

He could easily come back and have a great game, but Middleton's start, after his last 3 games, brings me back to him being the least impressive player to ever contend for a 50-40-90 season. He's a very good player who is paid and thought of like a great one. Shrug

[BM1090]

He could easily come back and have a great game, but Middleton's start, after his last 3 games, brings me back to him being the least impressive player to ever contend for a 50-40-90 season. He's a very good player who is paid and thought of like a great one. Shrug

I hate to go all Ners here but Bud's rapid rotations don't seem to be doing him any favors. I get it with the bench guys, but no reason Middleton and Giannis should be playing in 3 minute stints.

[JWags85]

I hate to go all Ners here but Bud's rapid rotations don't seem to be doing him any favors. I get it with the bench guys, but no reason Middleton and Giannis should be playing in 3 minute stints.

I don't disagree. That's probably part of it.

[4everwarriors]

#22 kame up small again, aina?

[Johnny B]

#22 kame up small again, aina?

what other guys getting paid the same have games like this.. jeez guy needs to turn it around.

[4everwarriors]

Yeah butt, ya don't know hard it iz ta play in da bubble, hey?

[Mutaman]

Agree on all of the above.

To our knowledge, no previous incident. And yes, the guy might just be that dumb.

if this dude is making $224,000 per year ("before benefits") to stand around and keep folks off a basketball court, he can't be that dumb. As usual, its we the taxpayers who are the dumb ones.

[Mutaman]

"Trump says he wants to use 'sheriffs' as poll watchers on Election Day"

Let them earn that $224,000.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-says-he-wants-use-sheriffs-poll-watchers-election-day-n1237621

[wadesworld]

"Trump says he wants to use 'sheriffs' as poll watchers on Election Day"

Let them earn that $224,000.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-says-he-wants-use-sheriffs-poll-watchers-election-day-n1237621

This has nothing to do with basketball/the NBA.

[MU82]

Jimmy and Jae are so much fun to watch on this Heat team. With the win today the Heat lead the series 2-0 over the Pacers.

Heat vs. Clippers -- a Marquette NBA-watcher's dream Finals this year.