I'm an unsentimental bastard but I have no interest in seeing IT ever play for the C's again.
2017-18 NBA Regular Season Game/Observation Thread
- Thread starter DeJesus Built My Hotrod
- Start date
Agreed, very silly tactical error. That's on Nate and their coaching staff. Hope they asked him that question in the post-game presser.
After Collison missed the first FT, missing the 2nd, on purpose, was a no-brainer. If Collison makes the first, I can see him making the 2nd FT to take the lead to 3pts. But even then an argument could be made to miss the 2nd with the Cavs out of timeouts.
Nothing drives this sports nerd crazier then clock/coaching mismanagement at the end of games (or quarters for that matter).
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Mark Aguirre, don't see that name often any more. I remember Indiana St. beating Depaul in the Final Four to set up the Indiana St. v Michigan St. matchup in 1979. Remember Bird playing well but not as well as the box score represented. 16-19 for 35 points, 16 reb and 9 assists. 11 turnovers. Also funny to see that all 5 Depaul starters played 40 minutes.
Kliq is right though. Someone will pay him decently enough for what he has done over the past few years. And even if he were somehow available for the MLE, the C's would never bring him back. I was just riffing on KFPs post.
I mostly agree but I think that depends on how healthy IT4 looks. If he's clearly hobbled or a step slower, he may have to settle on a 1 year make good type deal or something of that nature. Even then, some team would throw 8 figures at him for one season. For him to take that Celtics offer and be relegated to an 18 minute bench role... he'd have to be extremely damaged and a shell of his former self. It would probably be more depressing than awesome.
Battlin' Clips blow out the Kings for their 4th straight win to move to .500 and within 0.5 games of the #8 seed.
One game now separates #5 from #9 in the West: POR, OKC and DEN tied at 22-20, NOP at 21-20, and LAC at 21-21.
Another fine game by Sweet Lou (26 points on 17 fga, +16) who in a just world — i.e. one in which Lonzo freaking Ball is not getting almost twice as many votes as Jimmy Butler — should really merit all-star consideration.
One game now separates #5 from #9 in the West: POR, OKC and DEN tied at 22-20, NOP at 21-20, and LAC at 21-21.
Another fine game by Sweet Lou (26 points on 17 fga, +16) who in a just world — i.e. one in which Lonzo freaking Ball is not getting almost twice as many votes as Jimmy Butler — should really merit all-star consideration.
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Bulls are up 1 against the Pistons at home with less than a minute left. They aren't going to be in the mix for 2-5, very long.
Toronto is 3.5 gb now. Hopefully the Celtics come out hot after the break and they can get a little more distance. Raptors look really good though. Almost enough to worry me more than Cleveland.
DeRozan is having a really good year. The 3 point shot falling is obvious, but he's also worked himself into a really good play maker.
LaVine's first game back tonight. 14 points in 19 minutes, including 3-4 from 3
On a site note, Drummond is now 118-187, .631 at the FT line for the year. The sample size is getting pretty large considering how quickly FT % stabilizes. Still averaging close to 4 assists a game too.
Helluva comeback by the Lowry-less Raps, and fantastic game overall, even though it gave me agita as it was happening. That scrum at the end was hilarious.
I cut the Warriors a little slack for being on a road B2B after a tough game in Milwaukee, but ugh, that was nearly an epic collapse after one of the most beautiful offensive halves I've ever seen them play (81 points on 71% fg, 22 assists, 1 turnover, and would have even been better if not for a missed wide open dunk by KD).
As for the Raps, I said this a few weeks ago but it's even clearer now: they're younger, longer, quicker, deeper and much less offensively predictable than in any of their previous iterations. Pundits assuming a repeat of past playoff collapses may be in for a rude awakening, especially v. the old, slow, small, defensively inept, Kyrie-less Cavs. As recently as a yesterday, screaming Steven A said the Cavs were guaranteed to make the EC championship, but no longer guaranteed to beat Boston when they got there — a straight up dissing of the Raptors after their 34-point beatdown of the Cavs the day before. Looking forward to the Raps pasting the Cavs in the second round to shut his big trap.
Anyway, bravo, Casey and Ujiri.
I cut the Warriors a little slack for being on a road B2B after a tough game in Milwaukee, but ugh, that was nearly an epic collapse after one of the most beautiful offensive halves I've ever seen them play (81 points on 71% fg, 22 assists, 1 turnover, and would have even been better if not for a missed wide open dunk by KD).
As for the Raps, I said this a few weeks ago but it's even clearer now: they're younger, longer, quicker, deeper and much less offensively predictable than in any of their previous iterations. Pundits assuming a repeat of past playoff collapses may be in for a rude awakening, especially v. the old, slow, small, defensively inept, Kyrie-less Cavs. As recently as a yesterday, screaming Steven A said the Cavs were guaranteed to make the EC championship, but no longer guaranteed to beat Boston when they got there — a straight up dissing of the Raptors after their 34-point beatdown of the Cavs the day before. Looking forward to the Raps pasting the Cavs in the second round to shut his big trap.
Anyway, bravo, Casey and Ujiri.
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Toronto has taken an interesting approach. Caught in the NBA’s middle class, they never really posed a serious threat to win the title, yet instead of blowing it up they continue to bring the core of the team back. However, they continue to improve based on their stats (particularly DeMar DeRozan) making improvements each season, and also really nailing the draft outside the lottery, picking up quality players that can crack the rotation of a good team (Siakam, FVF, Powell, Anouby, Poetl).
Dunn with an 18/8/8/3/3 line including two consecutive go-ahead jumpers down the stretch. He's cutting down on the TO and PF with only 2 each. As his MPG increase now that he's figuring out how to stay out of foul trouble his raw numbers have improved across the board each month. 16.5/8/4/2.5 in his last 10 with minutes up to 33 a night. #thibs
The improvement from his atrocious rookie season is pretty unprecedented. That coupled with Wiggins play this season definitely raises some Thibs questions.
Don't rookie PGs have a notoriously tough time? I feel like guys as varied as Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, and Avery Bradley all struggled to varying extents during their rookie years and came back with much stronger sophomore campaigns.
Not remotely in the same league as Dunn. Their respective True Shooting Percentages, Assists per game and Win Shares are as follows:
Dunn: .432/ 2.4/ .01
Miller: .517/ 5.8/ 5.3
Kidd: .471/ 7.7/ 3.7
GP: .476/ 6.4/ 3.4
I'm just glad he got out of there as it wasn't so much improvement as it was usage and role. Dunn was used in short spurts as a 2 and even a 3 on some nights and off the bench as a 1 on others as Thibs kept with his starters for heavy minutes. I posted this several times last year but when your coach has you bringing the ball over halfcourt, initiating the pass to Wiggins/LaVine on the wing, and stand on the weakside as they play a 2-man game nobody is going to put up numbers or play well under these circumstances. It was a throwaway year for Dunn as it was obvious to those who watched the Wolves that he wasn't allowed to play his game.
So in addition to the Hawks getting their 12th win, the Bulls and Hornets each got their 17th.
Really need the Griz to come through
Really need the Griz to come through
Everyone knows IT3 won't help the Cavs defense but if he gets his legs, he is going to give them the ability to trade haymakers with anyone.
Curry in foul trouble already with three before the half. This is the blueprint for Cleveland (and other teams) hoping to take down Golden State.
Cleveland will be dangerous in the playoffs. The every other day format gets the old guys some rest and they have enough experience floating around to find out who has it on any particular night. Now, no one is making a point of really isolating Thomas on defense, but that will also play out in the playoffs.
I think they're good enough to get by the east still when LeBron does his hero thing, but GSW is gonna sweep them
Man I'd love for Danny to be aggressive at the deadline this year because the East can be had...especially if a certain wing can make a comeback at the end of the year.
I don’t think it’s good enough to get past the East, especially if Hayward is back. Cleveland looks like a second round exit in the making to me.
Golden State made the Cavs shoot from deep and it worked. Cleveland tried to get Curry in foul trouble and it didn't work. Cleveland can beat the Warriors but its going to take a night where their shots are falling and their defense is at its best. Unfortunately, the chances of them being able to sustain both during a seven game series are very low.
As was noted upthread, Toronto can give GS a series with their length, defense and ability to score (assuming DeRozan doesn't regress). And another team in the East, with some added help from outside and from returning players might be able to give the Warriors a series too.
That said, until they are actually eliminated, Cleveland is still the favorite to come out of the East. Boston still needs more firepower and Toronto has to prove themselves.
As was noted upthread, Toronto can give GS a series with their length, defense and ability to score (assuming DeRozan doesn't regress). And another team in the East, with some added help from outside and from returning players might be able to give the Warriors a series too.
That said, until they are actually eliminated, Cleveland is still the favorite to come out of the East. Boston still needs more firepower and Toronto has to prove themselves.
Isaiah is what, 85%? 90%? Which is hard because that last 10% is what separates very good from great. Obvious question: when does it come back if at all?
I'm still rooting for him.
Don't look now but the Clippers are balling out. Blake is looking rejuvenated, Lou Will is doing Lou Will things, Milos is getting dimes and street free agent (AKA G League graduate) Tyrone Wallace is doing lots of good little things for Doc.