2017-18 NBA Regular Season Game/Observation Thread
- Thread starter DeJesus Built My Hotrod
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LaVine is going to be really good offensively and has the skills needed to play defense if that's the case. I got laughed at for saying I'd take him over Smart last year but I think I either overrate offense or this board underrates it. I'd take Booker over Smart too so maybe the former.
The Bulls and the Pacers got such huge hauls in deals that were universally panned at the time and are much better set up for the future. Oladipo is arguably better than Paul George by himself. Many people also thought the Celtics gave up way too much to acquire Kyrie Irving. Funny how it all works out. Jae Crowder is a mess, IT is working into game shape and can bolt after this season, the pick is looking to fall in the 7-11 range and Zizic seems like a product of hype and last years weak rookie class performance.
The Bulls and the Pacers got such huge hauls in deals that were universally panned at the time and are much better set up for the future. Oladipo is arguably better than Paul George by himself. Many people also thought the Celtics gave up way too much to acquire Kyrie Irving. Funny how it all works out. Jae Crowder is a mess, IT is working into game shape and can bolt after this season, the pick is looking to fall in the 7-11 range and Zizic seems like a product of hype and last years weak rookie class performance.
The Cleveland Cavaliers held an emotional team meeting prior to Monday’s practice, where several players challenged the legitimacy of Kevin Love leaving OKC loss on Saturday ill and missing Sunday’s practice, league sources tell ESPN.
In a locker room increasingly full of finger-pointing, Love defended himself and explained his side to teammates, coaches and management, sources said. At end of meeting, there was a sense with some that team had worked out some issues, but that ultimately remains to be seen.
Bulls trying to piss away the 17 point lead they had with 5 minutes left in the game. It's down to 3 with 55 seconds to go, and Pelicans' ball
19-2 run by New Orleans ties it at 110 with 46.0 to go
EDIT--NO took a 114-112 lead with 3.2 seconds to go. The Pels proceeded to foul Justin Holliday on a 3 point shot with 0.3 seconds to go. He nailed his first two foul shots and missed the third. Overtime. Not liking the Bulls' chances.
EDIT--NO took a 114-112 lead with 3.2 seconds to go. The Pels proceeded to foul Justin Holliday on a 3 point shot with 0.3 seconds to go. He nailed his first two foul shots and missed the third. Overtime. Not liking the Bulls' chances.
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Is Kevin Love not allowed to get sick? Are the Cavs players (and, sadly) staff that stupid and self centered?
Robert Covington just recovered a loose ball with ~9 seconds left and the 76ers down by two. He immediately ran out beyond the arc and threw up an air ball. Horrible decision as the Grizz hit their foul shots on the follow and held on for a 105-101 win. Has anyone's (not named Fultz') stock fallen further than Covington's this season?
Huge comeback by the Grizzlies to beat the Sixers.
Also, Dallas is drubbing Washington, Charlotte beat the Kings, Atlanta beat Utah
Also, Dallas is drubbing Washington, Charlotte beat the Kings, Atlanta beat Utah
An insanely bad play. The Grizzlies' announcers were almost speechless.
What on earth is going on with the Zards? The Ego's in that locker room will turn toxic if this continues.
Ian ("Yan") Clark just forgot everything he learned and did while a Warrior, air-balling his last second shot. I have no data to support this but I feel like this season may have the most airballs ever as everyone now shoots from deep. And a lot of those shots are just plain bad.
Covington is 12th in the league in RPM. I would guess some people still think he's a good player.
Boogie...
I know but the guy has been shooting ~35% from deep and ~.385% overall for the last month and a half after a hot start . He may be hurt and maybe it has to do with his usage. Prior to and at the very start of the season, he was regarded as one of the better below-the-radar 3 and D guys. Since the start of December, he is looking more like an up and down rotation guy at best. Or maybe I am reacting to SSS though it seems like many on this forum are down on him.
Boogie with the first 40/20/10 game in 50 years, Wilt with the last one.
I take back all the silly negative comments I made about him in the past.
I take back all the silly negative comments I made about him in the past.
Funny thing about trades. If Cs had tried to trade for him, undoubtedly SAC would have asked for something like Brown and what turned out to be Tatum. But since NOP didn't have same assets, they could get him for Hield and what turned out to be Zach Collins. Way better trade.
Undoubtedly they would have selected Fultz and Tatum would be with the Sixers.
The thing is, by all accounts, Ainge never really tried even though he clearly could have helped the C's last year. And if you are just looking at talent alone, Boogie is worth Brown and that top pick as good as both Brown and what became Tatum are. I am not suggesting you would do that trade but his sort of talent is typically what you sell the farm for given all the skills. He just must be so toxic or uncoachable.
In the meantime, he puts up a staggering line like tonight where he pretty much puts his team on his back and gets hugs from the Brow as they walk off the floor together. Its frustrating because he is essentially a perfect big man for today's NBA. He can dominate in the post if you need him to or pop out to the line and consistently drain it from deep, all the while playing good defense, grabbing boards and dishing out dimes. I don't get it and never will.
In the meantime, he puts up a staggering line like tonight where he pretty much puts his team on his back and gets hugs from the Brow as they walk off the floor together. Its frustrating because he is essentially a perfect big man for today's NBA. He can dominate in the post if you need him to or pop out to the line and consistently drain it from deep, all the while playing good defense, grabbing boards and dishing out dimes. I don't get it and never will.
Good game between the T Wolves and the Clippers in LA with Minnesota leading 94-92 at the start of the fourth. The star of the game, thus far, is one Andrew Wiggins who has 37 points on 15-23 shooting including 3-5 from downtown. On the other side, Griffin has 25 points, 7 boards and 10 assists.
If you love the NBA and you don't follow World Wide Wob on the Twitters, you are missing out. Between his constant changing of his Silver avatar and his other stuff, he is a must-read.
39 now for Wiggins. And yeah, he does remind you of peak Kobe when he plays like this.
Meh, there are still plenty of negative comments that hold true. He is amazing when he is engaged and playing, but he still takes way too many defensive plays off. And by off, I mean competely off, in that he doesn't make it anywhere near back to the other half of the court.
Maybe most of those things are fixable, but he still has plenty of worts
Yeah, like Crowder last year.
Covington has never done much for me than being any more than Crowder was......a limited rotation option on a good team who could put up numbers in a pinch on offensively challenged teams. Not a great shooter, doesn't get to the line, not a good passer, not a good rebounder, not a great IQ......he's long and a good defender and can space the floor. Nice role player but never got the Cov Love on this board.
I wouldn't disagree much with that assessment. My point was only in response to a statement above, that he had lost lots of value this year. It seems to me that he is still pretty much who he is, maybe a longer version of Crowder, which to my mind is a good player. Maybe there was some irrational exuberance about him earlier this year because his shooting was so good, and that has waned.
Defense is (about) half the game. If he's a good defender, then that's a lot of value right there. As you note, he can also space the floor, so that's even more value. I agree he has all the other limitations you mentioned, but this seems to be overly dismissive since you grant he's good at half the game, and offers some value on the other end too. It's like saying "yes Jose Abreu can hit, but he doesn't lay down bunts well, he doesn't run the bases well, his arm is lackluster, and he has platoon issues, so he doesn't do much for me."
Further, unlike Crowder, Covington has put up very good numbers on good teams and bad teams.
He takes more than five plays off per game. Playing 4 on 5 basketball is just an enormous penalty, and the open layups he hands to the other team erode some of the value of the many positive things he does.
Whoa, does anyone remember the last time JR Smith boxed out or went over a screen playing defence?
It's like the 3rd time he's pulled himself from a game this season and now missed a Sunday practice where probably every Cav player wanted to be somewhere else.
Kawhi-less, Gay-less, Manu-less, Pau-less Spurs — who scored 86 and 83 points in their previous two games — still easily good enough to wax the shitty full-strength Cavaliers, 114-102.
Both the Cavs and LeBron now have a negative net rating, 46 games into the season.
Both the Cavs and LeBron now have a negative net rating, 46 games into the season.
I have no idea what Lue is thinking playing Love at the 5 and Isaiah with the starting unit. Talk about setting his guys up to fail, man.
It won't even matter if they acquire Hill because Lue will use him incorrectly with the second unit that needs shot creation rather than with LeBron for him to play the Paxson/Armstrong role to MJ. All the while Isaiah will be overmatched against opponents starting 1's.
The Cavs looked bad, but LeBron did score his 30,000th point. ICYMI(and maybe I missed it being posted elsewhere; if so, apologies) he congratulated himself before the game with an imaginary letter to himself from his teenage self, which is totally normal:
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Wanna be one of the first to Congratulate you on this accomplishment/achievement tonight that you’ll reach! Only a handful has reach/seen it too and while I know it’s never been a goal of yours from the beginning try(please try) to take a moment for yourself on how you’ve done it! The House you’re about to be apart of has only 6 seats in it(as of now) but 1 more will be added and you should be very proud and honored to be invited inside. There’s so many people to thank who has help this even become possible(so thank them all) and when u finally get your moment(alone) to yourself smile, look up to the higher skies and say THANK YOU! So with that said, Congrats again Young King ! 1 Love! #striveforgreatness #thekidfromakron
1.1m likes
Wanna be one of the first to Congratulate you on this accomplishment/achievement tonight that you’ll reach! Only a handful has reach/seen it too and while I know it’s never been a goal of yours from the beginning try(please try) to take a moment for yourself on how you’ve done it! The House you’re about to be apart of has only 6 seats in it(as of now) but 1 more will be added and you should be very proud and honored to be invited inside. There’s so many people to thank who has help this even become possible(so thank them all) and when u finally get your moment(alone) to yourself smile, look up to the higher skies and say THANK YOU! So with that said, Congrats again Young King ! 1 Love! #striveforgreatness #thekidfromakron
Two things. On NBA radio, Eddie Johnson explained LeBron's IG post to himself as something he understands as a product of a single parent household. His point that when you don't have a strong family unit to count on, you end up motivating yourself. He felt that LeBron was simply acknowledging a goal that his younger self established and that his older self attained. It sounded reasonable to me but I get that it won't resonate with LeBron haters.
Also, DeJounte Murray was amazing tonight. 19 points on 8-15 shooting with 10 boards and seven steals. The Spurs are the benchmark for finding solid, if not spectacular NBA rotation players. The only other NBA teams that seem to be able to do this consistently are the Celtics and, maybe of late, the Clippers. But Buford and Pop are the masters at this sort of thing.
Also, DeJounte Murray was amazing tonight. 19 points on 8-15 shooting with 10 boards and seven steals. The Spurs are the benchmark for finding solid, if not spectacular NBA rotation players. The only other NBA teams that seem to be able to do this consistently are the Celtics and, maybe of late, the Clippers. But Buford and Pop are the masters at this sort of thing.
I really don't hate LeBron, but he is definitely a different sort of guy. A lot of that probably does come from his challenged childhood,which he deserves immense credit for fighting through, and a lot of how he is different is probably the same stuff that fuels his greatness. But something can have a logical explanation and make sense on one level yet also be undeniably weird.
SAC takes down ORL. So much for ORL using its win over BOS as a spark. SAC got 34 from Garrett Temple, who played 40 minutes, which I guess was necessitated because Fox left after playing 11 minutes.