Oh shit I didn’t even see this! Almost (another) all-time Westbrook here by the Hornets called the timeout just before the RWB foul. Guy is clearly on an Adderall high.
View: https://twitter.com/presidual/status/1457953874682077188?s=21
2021-2022 NBA Game Thread!
- Thread starter ElUno20
- Start date
View: https://twitter.com/presidual/status/1457953874682077188?s=21
Why are the Hawks so bad all of the sudden? (If you had asked me in July which Atlanta team was likely to win the city's next title, I probably would have picked the Hawks before the Braves.)
I was just coming here to ask the same question. ATL seems really out of sorts. Has Hunter's return messed up the rotation somehow?
I thought there was a chance that their run last year could affect them this season. Complacency, loss of edge, reading their press clippings, thinking they are better than they actually are. I mean they had a historical turnaround last year and everything fell into place. I won’t say I was expecting some regression but it isn’t surprising to me that the Hawks aren’t simply picking up where they left off.
I'll always laugh when Markieff and Marcus get theirs. Couldn't happen to better people.
It's funny because both Morris brothers have reps as NBA tough guys/off court tough guys.
It's funny because both Morris brothers have reps as NBA tough guys/off court tough guys.
well after being above average in defense after the ASB (according to this Ringer article), they are fourth worse in DRtg thus far this season.
I imagine some of the issue is like the Cs - with Trae shooting .423 from 2P and .313 from 3P - and Huerter shooting .258 on 3P - they are probably giving up a bunch of transition buckets as well.
But including Reddish and Hunter for over 50 mpg (aggregate) must be tough as well.
The Nets losing is funny, but I will never get tired of LaMarcus Aldridge punishing people from mid-range. When he gets hot there is still no player like him in today's NBA. I'm happy he's been able to play again and got over 20k points.
View: https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1457892901577543683?t=Syei1-mczAId3cW5duD35g&s=19
View: https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1457892901577543683?t=Syei1-mczAId3cW5duD35g&s=19
I’ve never been a mid-range guy but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the excellence that Aldridge and DeRozan have brought over the years. The former can still knock those shots down while the latter remains surgical in scoring the ball and getting to the line even with the officiating this year. I will never understand how one of the best offensive players of our era has always been pushed aside as an afterthought.
Jokic does have a tendency to throw temper tantrums which is not great. And I am no fan of the Morris brothers but hammering a guy who has his back turned to you is BS.
It stands out simply because so few players shoot mid-range jumpers at that rate anymore. In the old days every good scorer would have games where they would just rain mid-range jumpers down on defenses (Jordan being the GOAT at this) but you rarely see that today. There is also something about Aldridge because of his size that if he gets hot from midrange, he can shoot over any defender and there is basically nothing defenses can do about it without doubling him. He turns into Shaq inside the restricted area, except Aldridge can catch the ball anywhere inside the arc and score.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgSt4hH4TSw
See, I don't really get this. Yeah, he hammered Morris from behind; but that was only after Morris cheap shotted him. Jokic's immediate response was to shove him down, hard. I don't have that much of an issue with it; it was his immediate, defensive reaction to another guy hitting him illegally. Should he have waited for Morris to turn around so it would be more sportsmanlike when he shoved him down? How is that any worse than Morris foulding Jokic when he was anticipating a routine basketball play?
Of course you do as DeRozen's teams have been traditionally better with him off the court.
Not this year, though. While CHI is better offensively without DeRozen (BRef has ORtg 110.2 DMD on court versus 111.6 off-court), CHI has a 99.3 DRtg with him on-court versus 115.4 with him off-court).
For whatever individual DRtg and on-off stats mean, it says DeMar might have found the fit he needs.
I don't view the Morris foul as that much of a cheap shot, I guess. Moderate contact to Jokic's chest and the foul was called. This was not McHale on Rambis.
It is different IMO because Morris was defenseless. And I think we are viewing Morris's foul differently as I did not think it was all that hard a foul.
I am also a little biased against Jokic given some of his other temper tantrums, like where he basically quit playing against the Celtics last year when they came back on the Nuggets.
Right. He’s the poster child for the most misused statistic the game of basketball has ever seen that does not account for numerous variables.
Heh, people really overstate that Celtics game. What player on the C's quit when they were up 14 to start the 4th and lost by 14? Yet the whole Denver loss was because Jokic is the only player to ever mail it on a regular season Sunday afternoon game in the 3rd quarter. At least iirc, and I think I do because this board made a huge deal about it. He's definitely been too physical in the past but that loss is really a nothing burger.
I'd probably be a bit more upset if he pushed someone other than a Morris brother. I think he also gets some flak because of just how huge he is. If he gets in a scuffle with anyone, he's going to look like a bully. Is his listed weight accurate? Is he really 285 lbs?
I love me some Jokic and have since the end of his rookie season when he started to bust out. I always knew he was a bigger dude but I didn't realize that big.
He's also having a ridiculous season. He's shooting .609/.400/.792 on 16.1 FGA and 4.0 3PA. His 2PFG% is currently .678. 8.2 FGM/12.1 FGA. Absurd.
25.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.6 steals. His assists are way down at the start of the year. I'd figure they'd be up with Murray out.
Yes I speak endlessly in the Gambling Thread about teams and players frequently mailing it in during these off-start times and particularly weekend afternoons. Jokic is far from the first and surely won’t be the last. Complete pass as a one-off imo.
Yeah, "this league..."
View: https://twitter.com/msinger/status/1458091309445656592?t=NFfMIWKZrm6nAGmsWNMEvQ&s=19
View: https://twitter.com/msinger/status/1458161025283461122?t=TtG9sgOVRvIqWcOPB37WEw&s=19
11/29 going to be lit in Miami! Or at least it will be promoted that way.
View: https://twitter.com/msinger/status/1458091309445656592?t=NFfMIWKZrm6nAGmsWNMEvQ&s=19
View: https://twitter.com/msinger/status/1458161025283461122?t=TtG9sgOVRvIqWcOPB37WEw&s=19
11/29 going to be lit in Miami! Or at least it will be promoted that way.
I say this every year but how the hell is Myles Turner only 25? He's also having a really good year shooting the ball. .411 on 5.1 3PA, (23/56). Sabonis is trying but not much luck, .222 on 3.3 attempts.
There are a lot of average to good shooting big men now. I wonder if we'll see a lot of teams go back to the 2 big lineup due to big men now shooting the ball and the early defensive success of the C's and Cavs.
Mo Bamba and WCJ are both 17/43, .395 in the early going. They also have Jonathan Isaac if and when he ever returns. Then you have Lauri who should revert back to form, Mobley's shot looks promising. Then you have the guys who have been doing it awhile in Horford, Lopez, KAT. There are so many, JJJ, Naz Reid.
On that note, is Marvin Bagley injured or is he really just piling up DNP-CDs? What a terrible pick.
There are a lot of average to good shooting big men now. I wonder if we'll see a lot of teams go back to the 2 big lineup due to big men now shooting the ball and the early defensive success of the C's and Cavs.
Mo Bamba and WCJ are both 17/43, .395 in the early going. They also have Jonathan Isaac if and when he ever returns. Then you have Lauri who should revert back to form, Mobley's shot looks promising. Then you have the guys who have been doing it awhile in Horford, Lopez, KAT. There are so many, JJJ, Naz Reid.
On that note, is Marvin Bagley injured or is he really just piling up DNP-CDs? What a terrible pick.
Speaking of Horford, he's been great this season overall, but imagine if he re-discoveres his 3-point touch. He's at 27 percent right now.
I'm assuming he will. I don't know why he'd just forget how to shoot.
Looking further around the league, NO is really bad with Ingram or Zion.
I thought Minnesota would start winning games and maybe they will. If not, maybe the problem really is KAT. I was talking about how I'd love to see Simmons in Minnesota, but I think I'd love to see KAT in OKC more.
It seems like Portland has an endless supply of SGs, with Anfernee Simons taking a mini leap.
I still hate that Malik Monk is in LAL for next to nothing.
I doubt the C's take Desmond Bane, but it's amazing how much one player can change a teams dynamic, even a non star.
We made jokes about getting the 14th pick in the NBA draft in 2021. Luckily we didn't. The 13th pick was Chris Duarte who's having an amazing year. The 14th pick was Moses Moody who hasn't really played and is also on a 9-1 GS team trying to win.
A guy I know was a coach in Phoenix and he could not wait to part ways with both Morris brothers.
Punk move to turn your back, then flop. Want to play rough, fine.
Punk move to turn your back, then flop. Want to play rough, fine.
definitely a punk move, but flopped? I don't think so. Kind of a pox on all sides issue to me, but I'll also add that this exchange is kind of hilarious in an SNL skit with Drew Carvey way:
I thought Jokic made it more obvious than is usual in that game but yeah, you and @HomeRunBaker are right and I need to get over it given that it was a one off.
And I also love watching Jokic play, generally. Need to pay closer attention to the Nuggets given that I live 5 miles from their arena.
It's not just you. A few people have mentioned the game. I think some of it is because we don't see these players as much as we see our own guys either. Someone who only watches the Celtics games would see Jokic 2 times a year. 1 game can stick with you for awhile.
And yes, you should watch him any chance you get. He is a joy. He may not be the best overall playmaker in the league but I think his vision may be the best. He just sees a pass where no one else sees a pass. It's remarkable coming from someone his size.
I think LaMelo might get there one day and may even be a better overall player because of D, but it won't have the same impact on the eyeballs.
I am just an casual fan like everyone here but my sense is that those outside the league make much more of these things than the people on the court. I don't doubt that the Morrisi and Jocki have feelings for one another right now but I would be shocked if this is a big thing in three weeks or beyond.
That said, I agree with most people here - its really hard to have sympathy for anyone in this situation. Jokic was wrong and clearly admitted it during his presser last night. And Kieff and Mook are pretty widely known to seek out this sort of engagement.
Like the Corrente outrage, this kerfuffle helps promote the sport and is likely a tempest in a teapot.
It must have been so tough to watch 14 go by the wayside with Kispert still on the board.
Man, I don’t think that was a flop at all. To see the neck snap back on someone who has had a previous neck injury is scary as shit. Maybe he was more scared than injured but that is far different than flopping imo.
I know I've gushed all about Bridges in this thread, but I haven't talked too much about LaMelo (this year, anyway. Last year I was all in).
He's going to be 20 all season and he's currently averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.8 steals in 31.3 mpg. He's shooting .438/.407/.966 with a TS% of .555. His shot selection has slipped a little as he's replaced some 0-3ft shots with 3-10ft shots and it's shown in his 2PFG% (at .459, down from .489).
If he continues this pace, this has to be one of the better age 20 seasons of all time I would think. Him and Bridges are going to be a dynamic duo. It is funny though, because if you go by rate stats, LaMelo hasn't improved much over last year. He was just so good entering the league, kind of like Ben Simmons. Of course LaMelo doesn't have a glaring weakness like Simmons either.
Also, this draft looks like it's going to be insanely deep. https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2018.html So many players are trending the right way this season. I'll say it again, that Marvin Bagley pick was awful.
It's still early so some players will revert back to norms and were just having a good stretch, but a bunch of them are clearly better players.
He's going to be 20 all season and he's currently averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.8 steals in 31.3 mpg. He's shooting .438/.407/.966 with a TS% of .555. His shot selection has slipped a little as he's replaced some 0-3ft shots with 3-10ft shots and it's shown in his 2PFG% (at .459, down from .489).
If he continues this pace, this has to be one of the better age 20 seasons of all time I would think. Him and Bridges are going to be a dynamic duo. It is funny though, because if you go by rate stats, LaMelo hasn't improved much over last year. He was just so good entering the league, kind of like Ben Simmons. Of course LaMelo doesn't have a glaring weakness like Simmons either.
Also, this draft looks like it's going to be insanely deep. https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2018.html So many players are trending the right way this season. I'll say it again, that Marvin Bagley pick was awful.
It's still early so some players will revert back to norms and were just having a good stretch, but a bunch of them are clearly better players.
Then don't start something and turn your back. Can't have it both ways. can't decide you get to mix it up but you get to decide when it ends.
NBA on TNT panel is unanimous in their support of Jokic and think the punishments are unfair to him. All three ex players agreed that Jokic had to respond and that Morris was essentially testing him. Again, this is unlikely to be much of a bigger story but it just shows the divide between some fans and those who actually played in the league.
The most interesting aspect of the discussion is that nobody used the term dirty. It was all very businesses-like as if they were simply discussing actual game play.
The most interesting aspect of the discussion is that nobody used the term dirty. It was all very businesses-like as if they were simply discussing actual game play.
Agreed that turning his back is a punk move, but I don't think that was a flop at all. In a league with very very large men, Jokic is in the biggest weight class. There's maybe a half dozen guys in the league whom Jokic wouldn't send flying with that short of shove, and Morris ain't one of them (Jokic has him by 40+ pounds). Add in that it was from behind and well, it's not exactly Smart shoving Embiid.
If Morris wasn’t injured his instinctual reaction to that cheap shot would be to pop up and begin to retaliate. You can see in the replay that the only thing on his mind was shock and concern for his neck that had previously been injured.
More of the Russ Experience. He may have his own Shaqtin The Fool show by seasons end…..
View: https://twitter.com/worldwidewob/status/1458661370782568456?s=21
I was watching that game live and had to rewind the play where AD got clocked in the face about four or five times. I guess that Russ was expecting AD to cut to the hoop and Bam pushed him off his spot? I don't know. Unfortunately had to go to sleep so I missed the Lakers comeback
Anthony Edwards with a cool 48 last night. Don't look now but he is averaging 26 a game so far this year; and he turned 20 in August.
His body-type and footwork remind me of Harden, but he's more explosive than Harden (although not even close to the same kind of passer and lacks Harden's HoF-level craftiness) so kind of like a cross between Harden and LaVine. He still needs to become more efficient, his passing needs to improve and I'd like to see him get to the line more than 4 times per game. But the Wolves have a winner here; it's too bad the franchise is cursed and can never win anything.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ajou0LiMw
His body-type and footwork remind me of Harden, but he's more explosive than Harden (although not even close to the same kind of passer and lacks Harden's HoF-level craftiness) so kind of like a cross between Harden and LaVine. He still needs to become more efficient, his passing needs to improve and I'd like to see him get to the line more than 4 times per game. But the Wolves have a winner here; it's too bad the franchise is cursed and can never win anything.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ajou0LiMw