2021-2022 NBA Game Thread!

Kliq

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SemperFidelisSox said:
The Lakers defense without Davis. Woof.
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The immortal Keita Bates-Diop with 30 points and 11/11 from the field.

I'm impressed with LeBron but not necessarilly in a good way. Watching him play he really feels like a different player, even if statistically he has managed to remain basically at or near his career averages. He really doesn't feel like a game-changing athlete anymore. On defense, many players can blow by him if they get him switched on to them. On offense he just doesn't have a lot of lift and he doesn't get out in transition the way he used to. He is relying a lot on tough-turnarounds and taking more threes (only making 34% this year) to compensate and yet, he's still shooting 51% from the field. He's kind of turned into Zach Randolph, muscling guys away to get his shots off when normally he could blow right past all but the very best perimeter defenders.

He's averaging 37 mpg this season. The Lakers team seems super-reliant on him just turning into God in the postseason and anhiliating his rivals, but I don't see the athlete that is capable of doing that in 2021. I never, ever want to count LeBron out and a lot of what he has been able to do is remarkable, but I think it's clear his athleticism has slipped a bit and the Lakers are really miserable without him doing everything.
 
Cesar Crespo

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I was really hoping the C's would look over the baggage and try to sign Portis after his rookie deal but the Knicks offered a huge 1 year deal for 15 mil. I wanted them to go after him again the following offseason but he ended up signing with the Bucks for 2/9. At the end of his rookie contract, he was clearly on his way to becoming a stretch big. He's playing a career high in minutes this season, 28.4. He's also started in 21 of the 25 games he's played. He doesn't turn 27 until February so he's still on the youngish side, though obviously any improvement from now would be incremental, due to usage, or in shooting.

Since joining the Bucks, 91 games, .506/.442/.763, 22.9 mpg, 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists. Last year, he shot a ridiculous .471 on 2.4 3PA/G (74/157). This year, he's shooting .402, but on 4.7 3PA (47/117). Almost double the volume in the early going. Some of that is due to minutes, but his 3PA/36 last season and this: 4.1, 5.9.

It'll be interesting to see what he gets paid this offseason.
 
Cesar Crespo

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Also, Max Strus annoys me. I don't even blame the C's, at least they recognizing the talent.

Last 13 games: 25.0 minutes, .500/.438/.842. 14.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists. 42/96 from 3. 7.4 3PA/G. 10.7 3PA/36.
last 4 games: 36.1 minutes, .547/.467/.750. 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists. 21/45 from 3. 11.3PA/G. 11.3 3PA/36.

For the season: 26 games, 22.6 minutes, .467/.408/.742. 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists. 62/152 from 3. 5.8 3PA/G, 9.3 3PA/36.

TS% for the year is .627. Most players are what they are by their age 25 season. Of course, this is Strus' age 25 season.

Don't look at the Game log unless you want to cry. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/strusma01/gamelog/2022

Also, maybe it's just Covid related.
 
ElUno20

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Kliq said:
The immortal Keita Bates-Diop with 30 points and 11/11 from the field.

I'm impressed with LeBron but not necessarilly in a good way. Watching him play he really feels like a different player, even if statistically he has managed to remain basically at or near his career averages. He really doesn't feel like a game-changing athlete anymore. On defense, many players can blow by him if they get him switched on to them. On offense he just doesn't have a lot of lift and he doesn't get out in transition the way he used to. He is relying a lot on tough-turnarounds and taking more threes (only making 34% this year) to compensate and yet, he's still shooting 51% from the field. He's kind of turned into Zach Randolph, muscling guys away to get his shots off when normally he could blow right past all but the very best perimeter defenders.

He's averaging 37 mpg this season. The Lakers team seems super-reliant on him just turning into God in the postseason and anhiliating his rivals, but I don't see the athlete that is capable of doing that in 2021. I never, ever want to count LeBron out and a lot of what he has been able to do is remarkable, but I think it's clear his athleticism has slipped a bit and the Lakers are really miserable without him doing everything.
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This is excellent analysis and accurate. I would disagree on one point though, this is the end. There is no more boogeyman to fear in doubting him. He's toast and just playing to catch Kareem at this point
 
wade boggs chicken dinner

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Cesar Crespo said:
Also, Max Strus annoys me. I don't even blame the C's, at least they recognizing the talent.

Last 13 games: 25.0 minutes, .500/.438/.842. 14.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists. 42/96 from 3. 7.4 3PA/G. 10.7 3PA/36.
last 4 games: 36.1 minutes, .547/.467/.750. 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists. 21/45 from 3. 11.3PA/G. 11.3 3PA/36.

For the season: 26 games, 22.6 minutes, .467/.408/.742. 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists. 62/152 from 3. 5.8 3PA/G, 9.3 3PA/36.

TS% for the year is .627. Most players are what they are by their age 25 season. Of course, this is Strus' age 25 season.

Don't look at the Game log unless you want to cry. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/strusma01/gamelog/2022

Also, maybe it's just Covid related.
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But we need Javonte Green!
 
Fishy1

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Or maybe Javonte didn't play enough here. He's get 20 minutes a game and has started 14 times for a Bulls team that is 19-10.
 
Cesar Crespo

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Fishy1 said:
Or maybe Javonte didn't play enough here. He's get 20 minutes a game and has started 14 times for a Bulls team that is 19-10.
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Javonte is fine but he wouldn't fill a need and is probably a slightly better player at 28 than he was at 26. There wasn't much room for upside. Crazy how old Green is. I think Strus would be a much better fit and fill an actual need. He has a chance of being something more than a 20 minute player too, depending on his shot.

Again, I don't blame the C's for either one. It's just annoying to watch Strus go off lately.
 
Fishy1

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Cesar Crespo said:
Javonte is fine but he wouldn't fill a need and is probably a slightly better player at 28 than he was at 26. There wasn't much room for upside. Crazy how old Green is. I think Strus would be a much better fit and fill an actual need. He has a chance of being something more than a 20 minute player too, depending on his shot.

Again, I don't blame the C's for either one. It's just annoying to watch Strus go off lately.
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Neither do I. We caught them both at the wrong time. I like Javonte as a defensive presence. Quick hands and a terror on the fast break. Strus has much more potential as a volume shooter and would be a much better fit here and now.

I'll give the Heat this: they give shooters like Strus and Robinson a chance to play real minutes.

Obviously those guys have grabbed the bull by the horns, but I don't know that the Celtics have much of a similar track record with shooters.

I hope PP continues to get minutes for that very reason. The C's have been desperate for his shooting with Tatum, Horford and Smart all having such dismal starts.
 
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Fishy1 said:
Or maybe Javonte didn't play enough here. He's get 20 minutes a game and has started 14 times for a Bulls team that is 19-10.
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Javonte always had the upside to be a key rotation piece as he had all the physicals. Now that he’s becoming passable as an open 3-point shooter he’s likely going to remain being a key rotation player in this league.
 
wade boggs chicken dinner

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I don't know if people remember but Strus had a season long injury after the Cs cut him so if the Cs kept Strus they likely wouldn't have had him or Green plus no guarantee Strus would have re-signed with the Cs. Still, I really wanted the Cs to keep Strus over Green.
 
Kliq

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This first game was built entirely around the idea that Trae Young would be this incredible villain in MSG, but he's out due to health and safety protocols. So instead we are witnessing what it would be like if Cam Reddish ran an NBA offense.

The Knicks wearing some awful Halloween uniforms for some reason.
 
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Real convo whispering to each other…..

Wife: Were you happy with the gift Meme got for you?
Me (thinking the Port Cellar is in living room): About as happy as Kemba when Taj stole his 10th rebound away from him.
Wife: (confused look)
 
Kliq

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Obi Toppin just joined Ricky Davis as only the second player in NBA history to do a between-the-legs dunk in a game.

Edit: Apparently he did it a few weeks ago.
 
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Quite a fourth quarter by Otto Porter Jr. in the Warriors' win at PHX. Hell of a pickup for Golden State.
 
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Kliq said:
Obi Toppin just joined Ricky Davis as only the second player in NBA history to do a between-the-legs dunk in a game.

Edit: Apparently he did it a few weeks ago.
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I was gonna say…..I remember seeing someone on the nights highlights do this last week. (It was Toppin) No wonder why my college coach benched out point guard for attempting this, and missing off back rim, in a game (No, the PG was not me)
 
Kliq

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HomeRunBaker said:
I was gonna say…..I remember seeing someone on the nights highlights do this last week. (It was Toppin) No wonder why my college coach benched out point guard for attempting this, and missing off back rim, in a game (No, the PG was not me)
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Yeah, Toppin did it once in college and I know Jarrell Martin did it in college as well (Martin did his in like, a closely contested game). Josh Smith tried it once and missed. Always found it strange guys would do 360s and windmills all the time but never between-the-legs. Leave it to a guy on a Thibs-coached team to be the barrier breaker.

View: https://youtu.be/xqKlMR5Efoo
 
Kliq

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The Lakers just played some horrifying lineup with Carmelo at the 5. It made Patty Mills look like Magic Johnson.
 
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If you thought the Celtics blowing a lead was bad, you should see how this Brooklyn team let the Lakers back into this game when all they wanted to do was roll over and die. Harden looks like he ate $100 worth of In-N-Out before the start of the fourth quarter.
 
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And as per usual, Westbrook is going to be a big reason the Lakeshow comes up short. An easy lefty layup missed a few minutes ago, then clanks a lefty dunk off the front of the rim.
 
SemperFidelisSox

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After GS/Phoenix/Utah, the West is pretty mediocre. LA just needs to tread water and stay around .500 until Davis is back. Not sure how they do that though without Lebron continuing to play 40 minutes.
 
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Gobert does so many things that don’t show up in the box score. The rim-protecting D. The box-outs where someone else gets the rebound. The defensive attention he commands off the ball to ensure you don’t give up an easy backdoor lob. Fun player to watch.
 
HomeRunBaker

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Kliq said:
The Lakers just played some horrifying lineup with Carmelo at the 5. It made Patty Mills look like Magic Johnson.
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Coaches can’t control many of their lineups this week. Lakers had 9 players dressed……one was D.Howard who was useless against the lineup the Nets had out there and another was Darren Collison who retired 2 1/2 years ago.
 
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Old friend Moses Brown getting some minites for the Covid-decimated Mavericks tonight. Good athlete, good length, and maybe one day he’ll learn how to play NBA basketball…….but he wouldn’t last a minute on the floor for Ime’s team with his defensive instincts and lack of BBIQ.
 
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Doris Burke with the awkward goof. Talking about Terry Furlow’s 37-point game back in the 70’s with Richard Jefferson……..”Terry Furlow certainly remembers that night.”

Terry Furlow died in 1980.
 
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HomeRunBaker said:
Doris Burke with the awkward goof. Talking about Terry Furlow’s 37-point game back in the 70’s with Richard Jefferson……..”Terry Furlow certainly remembers that night.”

Terry Furlow died in 1980.
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Yikes. That's a bad miss.
 
Sam Ray Not

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Current top 5 teams by BB-Ref’s SRS (basically, net rating adjusted for strength of schedule):

1. GSW +9.81
2. UTA +9.27
3. CLE +7.18
4. PHO +7.15
5. MIA +3.36

https://www.basketball-refe...

Yep: the Cavs are now a hair ahead of the Suns. Step up and collect your prize if you had that in the Port Cellar preseason pool.

Another fun fact:

24. LOLakers -2.90

Lakers being a bottom six team while the Cavs are top three is one of this season’s most delicious ironies. Still pretty early times, of course.

Matching the current top teams in the East and West in the Finals gives … Cavaliers v Warriors. Has that happened before?
 
cheech13

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It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavs just ride this out or try for a big deadline deal. They have the contracts (Love, Rubio), young players (Sexton, Okoro) and picks to put together almost any deal, but not sure who the target would be.
 
wade boggs chicken dinner

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cheech13 said:
It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavs just ride this out or try for a big deadline deal. They have the contracts (Love, Rubio), young players (Sexton, Okoro) and picks to put together almost any deal, but not sure who the target would be.
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LBJ is going to force his way to CLE to make one last title run. o_O
 
Cesar Crespo

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cheech13 said:
It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavs just ride this out or try for a big deadline deal. They have the contracts (Love, Rubio), young players (Sexton, Okoro) and picks to put together almost any deal, but not sure who the target would be.
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Seems like most players available will be bigs or smalls. Not really what the Cavs need. I'm guessing they stand still.
 
Kliq

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Sam Ray Not said:
Current top 5 teams by BB-Ref’s SRS (basically, net rating adjusted for strength of schedule):

1. GSW +9.81
2. UTA +9.27
3. CLE +7.18
4. PHO +7.15
5. MIA +3.36

https://www.basketball-refe...

Yep: the Cavs are now a hair ahead of the Suns. Step up and collect your prize if you had that in the Port Cellar preseason pool.

Another fun fact:

24. LOLakers -2.90

Lakers being a bottom six team while the Cavs are top three is one of this season’s most delicious ironies. Still pretty early times, of course.

Matching the current top teams in the East and West in the Finals gives … Cavaliers v Warriors. Has that happened before?
Click to expand...
The Lakers have had a incredibly soft schedule so far if you look at it, which makes their struggles so far even funnier.

So far they have beaten:

San Antonio 2x
Houston 2x
Cleveland
Memphis
Charlotte
Miami
Detroit 2x
Indiana
Boston
Sacramento
OKC
Orlando
Dallas

So out of their 16 wins on the season, only three of them (Miami, Cleveland and Memphis) are over teams with winning records.
 
HomeRunBaker

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cheech13 said:
It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavs just ride this out or try for a big deadline deal. They have the contracts (Love, Rubio), young players (Sexton, Okoro) and picks to put together almost any deal, but not sure who the target would be.
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Simmons? LeBron? Beal? They are in a dream spot to add a major impact player for Sexton and Love’s contract.
 
Sam Ray Not

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Kliq said:
The Lakers have had a incredibly soft schedule so far if you look at it, which makes their struggles so far even funnier.

So far they have beaten:

San Antonio 2x
Houston 2x
Cleveland
Memphis
Charlotte
Miami
Detroit 2x
Indiana
Boston
Sacramento
OKC
Orlando
Dallas

So out of their 16 wins on the season, only three of them (Miami, Cleveland and Memphis) are over teams with winning records.
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Yeah, that’s kinda why I cited SRS, since the Cavs’ 20-13 record and the Lakers’ 16-18 don’t do justice to the fact that the Cavs have had one of the toughest schedules in the league and have been beating down the patsies, while the Lakers have had a relative cakewalk yet have still not really managed to beat down anyone. Lakers are 5-1 in OT games, and a have a half-dozen single-digit wins on top of that — which may partly bespeak LeBron’s closing ability, but also shows how close they are to being a straight up bottom-feeder to this point.
 
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I think this is the best place to post this. Excellent YouTube series critically analyzing the elite NBA players. Episode 1 is Wilt and Russell. Episode 4 is Bird.

I'm on vacation and convalescing and have been binge watching them.

 
HomeRunBaker

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Sam Ray Not said:
Yeah, that’s kinda why I cited SRS, since the Cavs’ 20-13 record and the Lakers’ 16-18 don’t do justice to the fact that the Cavs have had one of the toughest schedules in the league and have been beating down the patsies, while the Lakers have had a relative cakewalk yet have still not really managed to beat down anyone. Lakers are 5-1 in OT games, and a have a half-dozen single-digit wins on top of that — which may partly bespeak LeBron’s closing ability, but also shows how close they are to being a straight up bottom-feeder to this point.
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I know all teams have had some level of Covid issues but without looking I recal that during the Cavs 5-game losing streak they were pretty decimated too. When this team has been healthy they have been a juggernaut. I mean I liked theit offseason moves more than most but damn this is a group who just naturally meshed well together.
 
Cesar Crespo

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HomeRunBaker said:
I know all teams have had some level of Covid issues but without looking I recal that during the Cavs 5-game losing streak they were pretty decimated too. When this team has been healthy they have been a juggernaut. I mean I liked theit offseason moves more than most but damn this is a group who just naturally meshed well together.
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Yea, I was a big fan of their offseason and preseason. I had no idea they'd be this good but I thought they'd be in the playoff hunt and one of the more interesting and fun teams to follow.

Really wonder where they'd be with Sexton. They could use some scoring but they aren't exactly scarce at Sexton's position. He'd be a good trade piece but being injured for the rest of the year and being an RFA seriously limits his value. If they trade Okoro, they 100% need a wing back for him.
 
Cesar Crespo

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Also, Haliburton had 4 straight 20+ point/10+ assists games in a row. Fox comes back, and Hali goes for 18 and 7.

I'd consider betting my house that Fox is being traded this offseason. Just not sure where.
 
moondog80

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Cesar Crespo said:
Also, Haliburton had 4 straight 20+ point/10+ assists games in a row. Fox comes back, and Hali goes for 18 and 7.

I'd consider betting my house that Fox is being traded this offseason. Just not sure where.
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Does the “everything that’s not Tatum or Brown” platter get us a seat at the table?
 
Cesar Crespo

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moondog80 said:
Does the “everything that’s not Tatum or Brown” platter get us a seat at the table?
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Maybe? A lot of teams are set at PG and many would prefer a PG who can shoot the 3 a little bit. I think Smart and TL for Fox makes a lot of sense for both teams. It would change the defensive identity of the Kings and it would give the C's their 3rd star, one the same age as the Jays. He's not ideal, but few players are. I'd take the chance on him, though. He'd be the same price as Smart/TL for the next 4 years. It would have to wait for the offseason when Smart and TL's extensions kick in.

Fox is pretty far down on the list of guys I'd accept for the "everything that's not Tatum or Brown platter" but I would ultimately do it. I'd hope his shooting improves or that it isn't an issue playing alongside the Jays.

Of course, there was that Simmons for Fox rumor out there. If that's available, he's going to Philly. That deal also makes a ton of sense for both teams.
 
Sam Ray Not

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kfoss99 said:
I think this is the best place to post this. Excellent YouTube series critically analyzing the elite NBA players. Episode 1 is Wilt and Russell. Episode 4 is Bird.

I'm on vacation and convalescing and have been binge watching them.

Click to expand...
Wilt was great and all, but could never shoot like his grandson…

47748
 
HomeRunBaker

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moondog80 said:
Does the “everything that’s not Tatum or Brown” platter get us a seat at the table?
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I loved Fox earlier in his career but am questioning his commitment. He’s gotten super lazy defensively, which could simply be a product of playing on a bad team, but I’m more concerned with his conditioning. He’s gained weight and is more soft/puffy than he’s ever been and this correlated with his contract. He’s still real good but you have to have some buyer beware to a degree.
 
moondog80

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HomeRunBaker said:
I loved Fox earlier in his career but am questioning his commitment. He’s gotten super lazy defensively, which could simply be a product of playing on a bad team, but I’m more concerned with his conditioning. He’s gained weight and is more soft/puffy than he’s ever been and this correlated with his contract. He’s still real good but you have to have some buyer beware to a degree.
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I’d of course want due diligence, but he gets a lot of slack from me for being on the Kings.
 
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