Official 2019 MLB Season Thread.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Millennial_Messiah

I'm in the same boat;

I appreciated 90s ball and early-mid 00s Spurs and Pistons ball. That's what I grew up on. D'Antoni's Suns were fun as hell to watch when they were the anomaly, but that style now being the norm across the NBA makes me sick and has ruined the league for me.

---

There's was nothing wrong mid-00s NBA. The league just panicked after the Spurs/Pistons did abysmal ratings and blamed the defensive, low scoring nature of that series for the ratings. When in reality it was because both teams are relatively small media markets. And that era allowed for different styles to exist. The Kings, Lakers, Mavs, Spurs, and Suns all played different styles of basketball. The Kings should probably have a title. And the Suns were a legit threat to the Spurs who simply choked and shot themselves in the foot with the Amare/Diaw situation. You can't play a different style in today's NBA. If you're not shooting around 36% on 30 plus three point attempts per game, you have no chance at contending.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by midnightpulp

There's was nothing wrong mid-00s NBA. The league just panicked after the Spurs/Pistons did abysmal ratings and blamed the defensive, low scoring nature of that series for the ratings. When in reality it was because both teams are relatively small media markets. And that era allowed for different styles to exist. The Kings, Lakers, Mavs, Spurs, and Suns all played different styles of basketball. The Kings should probably have a title. And the Suns were a legit threat to the Spurs who simply choked and shot themselves in the foot with the Amare/Diaw situation. You can't play a different style in today's NBA. If you're not shooting around 36% on 30 plus three point attempts per game, you have no chance at contending.

---

Fantastic post.

Mavs actually had the ugliest style in the league after they went from Nash/Nelson to Terry/Avery and went to isoball with Dirk, Josh Howard and Stackhouse.

Early 00s Kings were more like the 2014-18 Warriors offense imo than any other team, Bibby just didn't have quite the shooting % of Curry but similar styles and players overall. Deep team and a ton of motion, cutting, off ball screens and slick passing. Screwed over by the refs and league multiple times. And then the injuries hit and that franchise hasn't seen anything good since. Sad.

Spurs were obviously ran through the inside-out with Timmy alternating with the drive-and-dish with Manu and TP, with consistent elite defense and sometimes hot-and-cold offense which made us a great comeback team but also prone to losing some significant leads.

Suns were a solid defensive team in the Marbury years but then converted to the perennial run-and-gun powerhouse when they swapped him out for Nash. Still a decent defense in terms of DRtg per 100 possessions, but the offense made them special.

Lakers of course were a triangle which meant running the offense through the ball-dominant wing (Kobe) in the high post.


I liked the variation of style, pace and tempo of that era as well. 70% of the battle in those games was about which tempo would carry the day. Obviously when the Suns played the Nelly Mavs or Warriors it was a free-for all and Spurs-Pistons or Pistons-Pacers was always a slugfest, but those inter-style games were great as well. The mid 00s was a great era.

I totally agree with you now that there's just no distinguishing styles anymore as everyone has become a variant of the 14-18 Warriors with the same monotonous gameplan. It's not fun anymore. Coaching these days means very little and the inmates (players) are completely running the asylum now more than ever... both in the game, and even in general management/transactions. As for the game itself today... very little strategy, it's more like a game of War instead of poker.

I don't think this is Houston in the bag at all. Sure, at home their chances are good and i favor them. But if Strasburg kicks ass and Verlander gets dinged enough to pull it off, the atmosphere completely changes. I don't think Cole can or should give it a go in 7. Greinke may well end up being critical either way.

midnightpulp The Utah Jazz I guess are the closest thing we have left to a competitive 1990-2005 style NBA team.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MultiTroll

I don't think this is Houston in the bag at all. Sure, at home their chances are good and i favor them. But if Strasburg kicks ass and Verlander gets dinged enough to pull it off, the atmosphere completely changes. I don't think Cole can or should give it a go in 7. Greinke may well end up being critical either way.

---

I agree. Cole will be a solid bullpen option for Game 7, though. Think Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals in '11.

there's never been a 7 game series in any major US sport where the road team won all 7 games. it would be unheard of.

Welp, enormous Game 6 tonight. Here's to hoping against a 2011 type outcome.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Millennial_Messiah

there's never been a 7 game series in any major US sport where the road team won all 7 games. it would be unheard of.

---

First time for everything. Let's get it done.

Verlander looks like ass. Hope the Astros bats are ready or this is going 7.

Stras better not be tipping his pitches. He got shelled that inning, even the outs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Millennial_Messiah

Fantastic post.

Mavs actually had the ugliest style in the league after they went from Nash/Nelson to Terry/Avery and went to isoball with Dirk, Josh Howard and Stackhouse.

Early 00s Kings were more like the 2014-18 Warriors offense imo than any other team, Bibby just didn't have quite the shooting % of Curry but similar styles and players overall. Deep team and a ton of motion, cutting, off ball screens and slick passing. Screwed over by the refs and league multiple times. And then the injuries hit and that franchise hasn't seen anything good since. Sad.

Spurs were obviously ran through the inside-out with Timmy alternating with the drive-and-dish with Manu and TP, with consistent elite defense and sometimes hot-and-cold offense which made us a great comeback team but also prone to losing some significant leads.

Suns were a solid defensive team in the Marbury years but then converted to the perennial run-and-gun powerhouse when they swapped him out for Nash. Still a decent defense in terms of DRtg per 100 possessions, but the offense made them special.

Lakers of course were a triangle which meant running the offense through the ball-dominant wing (Kobe) in the high post.


I liked the variation of style, pace and tempo of that era as well. 70% of the battle in those games was about which tempo would carry the day. Obviously when the Suns played the Nelly Mavs or Warriors it was a free-for all and Spurs-Pistons or Pistons-Pacers was always a slugfest, but those inter-style games were great as well. The mid 00s was a great era.

I totally agree with you now that there's just no distinguishing styles anymore as everyone has become a variant of the 14-18 Warriors with the same monotonous gameplan. It's not fun anymore. Coaching these days means very little and the inmates (players) are completely running the asylum now more than ever... both in the game, and even in general management/transactions. As for the game itself today... very little strategy, it's more like a game of War instead of poker.

---

Now that the Warriors dynasty is over, styles are going to diversify more. That's why this NBA season is pretty exciting - for the first time in years, nobody knows what's gonna happen. And the Spurs are off to a good start :tu

God level ab by RenGOD

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arcadian

Now that the Warriors dynasty is over, styles are going to diversify more. That's why this NBA season is pretty exciting - for the first time in years, nobody knows what's gonna happen. And the Spurs are off to a good start :tu

---

The math of the 3 pointer is just too powerful for styles to diversify. League 3 point attempts are even higher this season. We won't see something like the 4 down Spurs face off against the SSOL Suns anytime soon

Too bad Verlander is not as sharp as he can be. Good theater for this game so far.

Holy fuck SOTO you big cunt!

Now this a fuckin baseball game. None of that 5-1 horseshit

Goddamn Verlander is trash.

:lmao 0-6

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reck

Goddamn Verlander is trash.

:lmao 0-6

---

I guess at least he's been good in DS and CS... but yeah pretty fucking shit. Kershaw is still worse imo

Strasbourg get ahead and then that down and away slider is hard to lay off.

Poor really poor ab by Altuve

Has there been any hotties flashing their titties this game? :bobo

Strasburg making clutch pitches.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GAustex

Strasbourg get ahead and then that down and away slider is hard to lay off.

---

He sets up the change and slider beautifully off his fastball location. The fastball to set up Correa for the strikeout before this one was pitch of the year for the Nats. Might be a season saver, since Stros had men on 2nd and 3rd

Nats have to be all in. Strasburg gets in any trouble, you bring in Scherzer

Yikes the Umpires want this as close as possible. Terrible and probably defining call of the series.