2024 NBA Season

[Yaunfitda]

100% no problem.
Giannis and the whole NBA know this is Giannis's team.
Dame also knows that and won't make any drama to maybe change that. All he cares about right now is winning, so does Giannis.
They have 1 goal in mind and will do everything they can to achieve that. Fighting to e the number one option or whatever is not on their mind, I am certain of that.

Both can feed of each other. Before they both had the whole attention of the opposite team. Playing together now opens up mor freedom on the court to creat for them.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Lillard has been the leader of the Blazers for most of his career, and I think he's going to try to become the leader of the Bucks as well, thereby changing Giannis' role on the team. Of course, they both want to win a championship, but in order to do that, they should have a great understanding on the court and be willing to give in to each other to achieve a good team result.

But Lillard should understand that he is the one moving to a new team, so he can't just be the leader in a snap, otherwise if he wanted to, then there could be some friction early and it might not bring good chemistry and harmony to the team. For sure he knows that, he is already considered a veteran and he has seen a lot of high caliber players joining other superstars and so he should be learning thru that.

As far as for Giannis, for sure he his not going to be threaten when Lillard join the Bucks as he knows his role too in the team. On the other hand, the Bucks team will be very happy to see and learning from Dame and feels what Dame time is all about.

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[laurenB7742]

100% no problem.
Giannis and the whole NBA know this is Giannis's team.
Dame also knows that and won't make any drama to maybe change that. All he cares about right now is winning, so does Giannis.
They have 1 goal in mind and will do everything they can to achieve that. Fighting to e the number one option or whatever is not on their mind, I am certain of that.

Both can feed of each other. Before they both had the whole attention of the opposite team. Playing together now opens up mor freedom on the court to creat for them.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Lillard has been the leader of the Blazers for most of his career, and I think he's going to try to become the leader of the Bucks as well, thereby changing Giannis' role on the team. Of course, they both want to win a championship, but in order to do that, they should have a great understanding on the court and be willing to give in to each other to achieve a good team result.

But Lillard should understand that he is the one moving to a new team, so he can't just be the leader in a snap, otherwise if he wanted to, then there could be some friction early and it might not bring good chemistry and harmony to the team. For sure he knows that, he is already considered a veteran and he has seen a lot of high caliber players joining other superstars and so he should be learning thru that.

As far as for Giannis, for sure he his not going to be threaten when Lillard join the Bucks as he knows his role too in the team. On the other hand, the Bucks team will be very happy to see and learning from Dame and feels what Dame time is all about.

I don't think it is going to be like Lillard going into another team and becoming the captain/leader quickly. He will have to perform well for a certain period of time and prove himself that he is worth being the leader. I think that's when he should be able to get the leadership of the team. One thing is certain that if he actually earns his place as the leader, he is actually going to appreciate it. If it is given to him for free, he is not going to appreciate it at all.

Giannis should actually feel great that Lillard is joining the team. As far as I said, the player who will prove himself he is going to get the leadership. It should mean that the other player has to improve.

[danherbias07]

100% no problem.
Giannis and the whole NBA know this is Giannis's team.
Dame also knows that and won't make any drama to maybe change that. All he cares about right now is winning, so does Giannis.
They have 1 goal in mind and will do everything they can to achieve that. Fighting to e the number one option or whatever is not on their mind, I am certain of that.

Both can feed of each other. Before they both had the whole attention of the opposite team. Playing together now opens up mor freedom on the court to creat for them.

And the other good thing here is that Damian Lillard can carry them if Giannis will be injured and vice versa. We saw how weak the Milwaukee Bucks are offensively without Giannis on the floor either a threat or he will be the one scoring on his own. It is a big part of their system that the ball will end up to him most of the time. Now, it will be different. They have options. If Giannis decides to sit then Lillard can take over and do his thing.

I like what Giannis said when he was interviewed about the trade.

It’s a bittersweet day for the city of Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo told Chris Haynes. “You get Dame, who is a great player, but you lose a great guy. Jrue took us to the promised land. I’m 10 years in now. I know it’s a business. At the end of the day, Jrue will always be my brother for life. He’s one of the best human beings I’ve been around.

“But we’ve got to focus on the goal to win the championship. Dame wants this. He’s hungry to win, and he’s going to push us. I’m very happy to have him on our team.”

https://www.si.com/nba/2023/09/29/giannis-antetokounmpo-damian-lillard-jrue-holiday-breaks-silence-bucks-trade
I hope he will not forget that truth. Jrue Holiday is one of the key players in why they received their first championship. And he was also the one who made the promise of Giannis to the Milwaukee fans to materialize into a fact. Jrue will be missed and I hope Trail Blazers will not focus on their other guards and use Jrue as their main playmaker.

[Yamifoud]

@inthelongrun, Lakers at 13? I think I've found a gem in the NBA futures.

Well, it's understandable why the Bucks are now listed as heavy favorites to win a championship because of Lillard. Maybe the superstar will be able to help improve the system, but I have a feeling that their defense is going to suffer. Holiday is a good defender, just can't guard a player like Jimmy Butler, but with the same size as him, like Curry, probably he is very effective.

This is a gamble made by the Bucks, but we cannot blame them as they are very desperate to keep Giannis, and the only way to do that is to make their team look good.

[stadus]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

[bitgolden]

I don't think it is going to be like Lillard going into another team and becoming the captain/leader quickly. He will have to perform well for a certain period of time and prove himself that he is worth being the leader. I think that's when he should be able to get the leadership of the team. One thing is certain that if he actually earns his place as the leader, he is actually going to appreciate it. If it is given to him for free, he is not going to appreciate it at all.

Giannis should actually feel great that Lillard is joining the team. As far as I said, the player who will prove himself he is going to get the leadership. It should mean that the other player has to improve.

Giannis will be the leader of that team without a doubt, he has been there for a long time, but we have seen even harder positions when Kevin Durant went to an already great team and managed to make a position for himself there, didn't had to be a leader, he was their FMVP and they won, and as long as you win, that's all that matters.

Maybe he left after a while, but not before getting 2 titles with them. So Dame could just do what he should be doing, which is playmaking and scoring, he will be the one with the ball, and will give Giannis what he wants for all these years, an amazing shooter. Giannis can't shoot himself, but if Dame is there, and Middleton has been there, it means they have the spacing Giannis needs.

[laurenB7742]

I don't think it is going to be like Lillard going into another team and becoming the captain/leader quickly. He will have to perform well for a certain period of time and prove himself that he is worth being the leader. I think that's when he should be able to get the leadership of the team. One thing is certain that if he actually earns his place as the leader, he is actually going to appreciate it. If it is given to him for free, he is not going to appreciate it at all.

Giannis should actually feel great that Lillard is joining the team. As far as I said, the player who will prove himself he is going to get the leadership. It should mean that the other player has to improve.

Giannis will be the leader of that team without a doubt, he has been there for a long time, but we have seen even harder positions when Kevin Durant went to an already great team and managed to make a position for himself there, didn't had to be a leader, he was their FMVP and they won, and as long as you win, that's all that matters.

Maybe he left after a while, but not before getting 2 titles with them. So Dame could just do what he should be doing, which is playmaking and scoring, he will be the one with the ball, and will give Giannis what he wants for all these years, an amazing shooter. Giannis can't shoot himself, but if Dame is there, and Middleton has been there, it means they have the spacing Giannis needs.

Yes I also think like that. In this way the team is going to be more effective. Of course that came is going to be better when there is not going to be any bad intention in the mind of any player.

Competition is always going to be there in any game. And I hope that it is going to be a healthy competition between the players. I hope the players will compete against each other to make themselves better than the other. Not to be a bad teammate and not do what the team needs. Individual players are less important compared to the team.

[yahoo62278]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

[OgNasty]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

Ya, I think that the Clippers already showed they don’t have what it takes. Paul George and Kawhi isn’t going to get it done. I think the obvious is the Bucks to win it all, but the Suns might surprise some folks as well. Durant and Booker looked pretty good together and with Beal in the mix that offense could be Warrior-like with better athleticism.

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

Ya, I think that the Clippers already showed they don’t have what it takes. Paul George and Kawhi isn’t going to get it done. I think the obvious is the Bucks to win it all, but the Suns might surprise some folks as well. Durant and Booker looked pretty good together and with Beal in the mix that offense could be Warrior-like with better athleticism.

Yes, I think the combination of Kawhi and George are really that bad, I mean they didn't have a season wherein both are healthy. They got to the playoffs, but that's it, they always fail in the first or second round.

We have seen Durant and Booker and they look pretty good as compare to the Clippers. It's that the combination was not ripe because it was kinda late last season when they join. Lakers seems to be maturing as they keep their core from last season plus good acquisition.

[Jating]

@inthelongrun, Lakers at 13? I think I've found a gem in the NBA futures.

Yes, if we can bet already with that great odds for the Lakers, it might be worthy in the end.

Well, it's understandable why the Bucks are now listed as heavy favorites to win a championship because of Lillard. Maybe the superstar will be able to help improve the system, but I have a feeling that their defense is going to suffer. Holiday is a good defender, just can't guard a player like Jimmy Butler, but with the same size as him, like Curry, probably he is very effective.

I think with the Bucks having a new coach, it will be a total different team, both offense and defense. There could be like a lot of player movement inside, so it's going to be really exciting for the Bucks having Dame in them, the offense is a notch higher but they will have to give something in defense as Jrue is no longer with the team.

This is a gamble made by the Bucks, but we cannot blame them as they are very desperate to keep Giannis, and the only way to do that is to make their team look good.

I wouldn't say it's a gamble though, I mean they got a potential HOF in Lilard with them. They will just have to make sure that everything will fit in their (new) system and then Giannis and him teaming up and blending.

[wheelz1200]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

San Antonio is going to be terrible again this year.  They didn't tank they jist weren't that good.  The kid might end up a good player in the league but it's going to take him awhile to get a grip on the league.  Remember when lebron came in at 18 years old.  He was good but not good enough year 1 to make the cavs the best in the league.

[Dave1]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

San Antonio is going to be terrible again this year.  They didn't tank they jist weren't that good.  The kid might end up a good player in the league but it's going to take him awhile to get a grip on the league.  Remember when lebron came in at 18 years old.  He was good but not good enough year 1 to make the cavs the best in the league.

And it's all about the team mates as well, I'm not sure if the Spurs has the right player to blend in well with Wemby's talent. The prospect is there but we will have to see how Wemby can adjust in the NBA. And it's going to be very tough and close fight for the rookie of the year as Chet will also play this year and still be considered as a Rookie. The Lakers looks solid in paper, it's just a matter of execution I guess and how healthy AD can be throughout the season specially in the second half. As usually the wear and tear will show after 40 games on his body again.

[wheelz1200]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

San Antonio is going to be terrible again this year.  They didn't tank they jist weren't that good.  The kid might end up a good player in the league but it's going to take him awhile to get a grip on the league.  Remember when lebron came in at 18 years old.  He was good but not good enough year 1 to make the cavs the best in the league.

And it's all about the team mates as well, I'm not sure if the Spurs has the right player to blend in well with Wemby's talent. The prospect is there but we will have to see how Wemby can adjust in the NBA. And it's going to be very tough and close fight for the rookie of the year as Chet will also play this year and still be considered as a Rookie. The Lakers looks solid in paper, it's just a matter of execution I guess and how healthy AD can be throughout the season specially in the second half. As usually the wear and tear will show after 40 games on his body again.

The top end of the west I don't see moving much.  The one team I see can push deeper up front is the Thunder.  They have a lot of good pieces and I think this year sga propels himself as one of the best in the league.  Will need some of the younger guys to take a leap but the pieces are there to do it

[LogitechMouse]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers? Unlike you, I already lost faith in him already because of how he performed since he got traded to the Clippers. On the flip side, we might see a different Kawhi now that the rules have changed, and they already put sanctions on a player who isn't playing even though they aren't injured. I guess we can say that it's the "Kawhi Leonard Rule" since he's the one who is sitting the most because of this load management shit. As for the Clippers winning the title? I don't see them winning it TBH.

Lakers? With their roster last season (post-trade), and with their new acquisitions, I guess they have a chance to win it. Their filled with players on different spots, and they have a solid leader in Le-GM. I don't know if there's anybody that can stop them from winning aside from the injuries, but I have a not-so-high expectation for them. They will clinch the playoffs again that's for sure, and if I will predict their standings, maybe they might be at the 4th or 5th spot. As for the Lakers winning the title? They have a chance, but not as high as the Bucks, or the Nuggets, but they have a chance. Also, this might be the last run for Lebron for that title.

Warriors? There are rumors that the Warriors are willing to give CP3, and Kuminga to get Jrue Holiday, and if this will be pushed through, TBH they might win it again. A Jrue Holiday will be a good addition to the team. A solid defender, a good outside shooter as well, and he's the best defender of all PG's out there last season. CP3 and Steph for me isn't work for them, but Jrue, and Steph might work. We know that Steph played as a PG in most of his career, but if this trade happens, he might adjust to be a SG. After all, he's an elite shooter. It's just rumor though. As for the Warriors winning the title? They have a chance, but getting Jrue will shoot up their chances of winning.

[OgNasty]

I’m seeing reports that Blake Griffin is considering retirement. I thought the last time I saw his name in the news he was working out with the Golden State Warriors to maybe team back up with CP3 for a little bit of Lob City reunion in the Bay. I guess Kerr is deciding that these old guys can’t help the Warriors anymore.

[danherbias07]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

Ya, I think that the Clippers already showed they don’t have what it takes. Paul George and Kawhi isn’t going to get it done. I think the obvious is the Bucks to win it all, but the Suns might surprise some folks as well. Durant and Booker looked pretty good together and with Beal in the mix that offense could be Warrior-like with better athleticism.

Yeah, but this is Frank Vogel, I just wish there would be no conflicts as he was known as a defensive coach. He will now handle offensive monsters so he needs to adjust to them and maximize what they can do on the basketball floor, where they are best at.

About the Clippers, I don't have any trust to put my bet for them in the outrights as the injuries hurt them a lot whenever those stars are gone. They are having a hard time winning games without them.

Anyway, the outrights for the In-Season tournament are also out.
Here are the odds.

https://stake.games/sports/outright/basketball/usa/nba-in-season-tournament/43723170-nba-in-season-tournament-2023
The odds for each group winner are also there but I doubt many NBA fans will take the bet as this is the first time they will inject this in the league so understanding it might still be blurry for them. Perhaps the NBA commentators should help boost this and make it easier to understand when the pre-season starts.
They didn't do that in the WNBA, the season just kept going on and I was surprised that it's already the Finals of the In-Season with Liberty versus Aces playing. That should not happen in the NBA if they want this to work out.

[dwyane36]

I’m seeing reports that Blake Griffin is considering retirement.

If Griffin ends his career in the NBA, it would be an expected decision, as he's already too far away from his prime based on his stats from last season. However, as far as I know, the Celtics are still interested in re-signing him for one more season. So, I think Griffin should take advantage of this opportunity to earn at least a couple more million dollars.

[Yamifoud]

I’m seeing reports that Blake Griffin is considering retirement.

If Griffin ends his career in the NBA, it would be an expected decision, as he's already too far away from his prime based on his stats from last season. However, as far as I know, the Celtics are still interested in re-signing him for one more season. So, I think Griffin should take advantage of this opportunity to earn at least a couple more million dollars.

If Griffin thinks that way, then he will grab it while there's money. However, Griffin has already made a considerable amount of money through his career, so I think he will protect his honor more, as he will always be remembered as one of the elite NBA players during his prime.

To back it with figure, according to https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/blake-griffin-career-earnings-how-much-boston-celtics-veteran-made-march-2023, here's the amount made by him so far.

In total, Griffin has made $257,810,680 during his NBA career excluding any brand deals. The Oklahoma product has also had endorsement deals with Subway, AT&T, KIA, and NBA 2K during his career, so the total number is even higher.

I'm sure he won't struggle even if he retires soon, as long as he has been able to manage his accumulated earnings.

[stadus]

Anything above +1000 is already a value for me.

Based on the odds shared by @inthelongrun, I would easily go with the teams that have already proven themselves in the playoffs. With that said, I'm picking the following teams:

@Warriors
@Lakers
@Clippers (I still have faith in Leonard).

Clippers just don't impress me with Kawhi and Leonard always sitting out or injured. Yes, the new rule should change that up a little, but then you still have Westbrook who can play good but has a lot of bad moments.

You should look up the odds on the Spurs. They tanked and are prob a way better team then what we saw last year. They wanted that lottery pick.

Ya, I think that the Clippers already showed they don’t have what it takes. Paul George and Kawhi isn’t going to get it done. I think the obvious is the Bucks to win it all, but the Suns might surprise some folks as well. Durant and Booker looked pretty good together and with Beal in the mix that offense could be Warrior-like with better athleticism.

That's why they aren't the favorites to win. It's a gamble from my end, though, but the fact that Leonard has won a championship back in Toronto (actually, he was the one to give them their first championship), this guy is really unpredictable. All I want to witness is Leonard playing healthy next season. With many seasons he played with PG, I think the chemistry was already built, and we have to remember Westbrook is still on the same team.

I remember in the past when the Clippers were supposed to be in the NBA Finals, but because Leonard was injured, it didn't happen. Despite that, the team achieved major success that season as they reached their first conference final. So, let's see. Like I said, it's a gamble.