The 23-24 NBA season

[samhexum]

We've had baseball threads for several years, but are there enough basketball fans here to support an NBA thread?  Let's find out!

I honestly have never watched the sport much, but I've followed the league closely through the media over the years.

As a Bucks fan, I was JAZZed about them getting Lillard, although now a bit less so, since it SPURred the Celtics to go on a Holiday with Jrue.  The combination of deals NETS the Blazers an excellent return, even if the draft picks are mostly years away.  The trades also probably KNICKS the Knicks' chances of even getting to the conference finals.  The HEAT has certainly been turned up in the Eastern Conference, but the Heat will probably be fine, as they are WIZARDS at finding unheralded talent.  Every year they seem to pull off some kind of MAGIC.  I don't want to be too CAVALIER about the Bucks' chances this year, and I'll be watching them like a HAWK.

I'm not in the mood to continue this punnery, so you should try to work as many teams as possible into your answers.  Some easy ones would be: PISTONS, BULLS, SUNS, KINGS, ROCKETS, TRAIL BLAZERS, NUGGETS, THUNDER.

Edited October 1, 2023 by samhexum
for shits and giggles

[BuffaloKyle]

I prefer college basketball over NBA. Shorter games is the main reason.

[samhexum]

[samhexum]

11:09 left:  OKC's basket makes it OKC 111-  Dallas 87

4:18 left:                                        OKC 111-  Dallas 117

Final:                                              OKC 126 - Dallas 120

 

[samhexum]

The Knicks are acquiring a precious player:

 

The Raptors are finalizing a trade to send OG Anunoby to the Knicks in exchange for a package headlined by RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Wojnarowski tweets the pick the Raptors are acquiring is a 2024 second round pick via the Pistons, which appears to be atop the second round.

According to Wojnarowski, forward Precious Achiuwa is part of the deal to New York (Twitter link). Shams Charania tweets Malachi Flynn is also included in the trade to the Knicks.

[samhexum]

Denver starts its quest to repeat as NBA champs on Sunday.  Their forward, Michael Porter, Jr., has overcome 2 back surgeries to start for the champs; he signed a $172 million extension last year.  All should be glorious for him right now.  SHOULD...

Earlier this week one of his brothers, a fringe player in the league, was banned from the league for a gambling kerfuffle.  Today, another brother received a 6 year jail term for killing a woman after speeding through a red light while drunk.  He was in college at the time.

[samhexum]

Jevon Porter, a former Pepperdine standout and the younger brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., was arrested Friday night in Missouri on suspicion of DWI, Missouri State Sgt. Kyle Green confirmed to ESPN.

Porter, 20, was released on summons and not booked into jail in Boone County, where the incident occurred, according to Green. The news of Porter's arrest was first reported by Power Mizzou.

According to Green, Porter was stopped for speeding before his DWI arrest. Porter, a 6-foot-11 forward, recently transferred from Pepperdine to Loyola Marymount. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season.

Loyola Marymount said it is looking into Porter's situation.

"We are aware of recent reports in the media and are gathering information about the matter," the school said in a statement to ESPN.

The arrest comes two weeks after Porter's older brother, Jontay Porter, a two-way player for the Toronto Raptors, was banned from the NBA after an investigation showed that he bet on games, influenced the outcome of bets and provided confidential information to bettors. In a statement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Jontay Porter's "blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment."

Days later, another of Jevon Porter's older brothers, Coban Porter, a former player at Denver, was sentenced to six years in prison for a drunk-driving crash that killed a woman in Colorado last year. Coban Porter, according to police records, had a blood alcohol level of 0.19, more than twice the legal limit, when he ran a red light and slammed into a vehicle, killing Kathy Limon Rothman and seriously injuring her passenger. He received a two-year sentence for injuring Rothman's passenger but will serve the sentences concurrently.