2022-23 NBA Game Thread

CaptainLaddie

dj paul pfieffer
SoSH Member
Sep 6, 2004
36,684
where the darn libs live
I honestly can't believe the Pacers lost that game. Brooklyn was without EIGHT guys -- their TOP eight!

Pacers have -- on paper -- the four best players (Smith, Turner, Haliburton, Hield) and couldn't find a way to win AND gave up 136 points.
 

128

Member
SoSH Member
May 4, 2019
10,016
I honestly can't believe the Pacers lost that game. Brooklyn was without EIGHT guys -- their TOP eight!

Pacers have -- on paper -- the four best players (Smith, Turner, Haliburton, Hield) and couldn't find a way to win AND gave up 136 points.
The game was in Indiana as well. Hard to fathom.
 

128

Member
SoSH Member
May 4, 2019
10,016
Raptors (13-14) fall under .500 again after losing in Orlando tonite. Toronto is an enigma this season, to say the least.
 

Euclis20

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2004
8,017
Imaginationland
Raptors (13-14) fall under .500 again after losing in Orlando tonite. Toronto is an enigma this season, to say the least.
Their size and athleticism has scary potential, but they've been really bad from 3 this year. Whether or not they figure it out is a pretty important question.

Milwaukee started all of their regulars (though Middleton left early with an ankle injury) and lost to Houston. Pretty ugly.
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,997
Their size and athleticism has scary potential, but they've been really bad from 3 this year. Whether or not they figure it out is a pretty important question.

Milwaukee started all of their regulars (though Middleton left early with an ankle injury) and lost to Houston. Pretty ugly.
Good reminder that everyone has bad losses during the long regular season, even the other title favorite.

Also a good reminder that Milwaukee is very very vulnerable, due to both offensive struggles and Middleton seemingly entering the Gordon Hayward phase of his career.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Raptors (13-14) fall under .500 again after losing in Orlando tonite. Toronto is an enigma this season, to say the least.
Raptors don’t have a single starter shooting above 33.5% from three. In 2022, that is very (un)impressive.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 24, 2002
48,205
Good reminder that everyone has bad losses during the long regular season, even the other title favorite.
Maybe it isn't just a "bad" loss. Maybe it tells us that Milwaukee simply isn't prepared enough to face the Rockets in the Finals.

All, I know is that after this weekend, if any team should be questioning anything - and nobody rational should imo - its Milwaukee and not Boston.

But again, these things happen. Its an essentially meaningless game in December.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Maybe it isn't just a "bad" loss. Maybe it tells us that Milwaukee simply isn't prepared enough to face the Rockets in the Finals.

All, I know is that after this weekend, if any team should be questioning anything - and nobody rational should imo - its Milwaukee and not Boston.

But again, these things happen. Its an essentially meaningless game in December.
Isn’t it hysterical that people are bridge jumping when teams with the leagues two best records lose a road game in December……while not even at full strength? (Real good chance the Celtics lose tonight too…..the horror)
 

lovegtm

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2013
11,997
Isn’t it hysterical that people are bridge jumping when teams with the leagues two best records lose a road game in December……while not even at full strength? (Real good chance the Celtics lose tonight too…..the horror)
sports--they're FANtastic!
 

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,112
Santa Monica
Isn’t it hysterical that people are bridge jumping when teams with the leagues two best records lose a road game in December……while not even at full strength? (Real good chance the Celtics lose tonight too…..the horror)
I'm old enough to remember a Miami Heat team building off a HUGE road win as a springboard to their season.
 

Sam Ray Not

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
8,848
NYC
Raptors (13-14) fall under .500 again after losing in Orlando tonite. Toronto is an enigma this season, to say the least.
Has anyone watched putative can't-miss superstar Scottie Barnes enough this season to know if/how he has regressed? Atrocious line last night:

41 minutes
11 pts on 3-13 fg
2 rebounds
0 assists
-16 in an 11-point loss to a bad team.

Down to .510 TS for the season now, in a fairly substantial 800-minute sample. Just a brief sophomore slump at age 21, or is it worth lowering his ceiling just a bit from the superstar level a lot of observers had it at going into the season?
 

Just a bit outside

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 6, 2011
7,928
Monument, CO
Has anyone watched putative can't-miss superstar Scottie Barnes enough this season to know if/how he has regressed? Atrocious line last night:

41 minutes
11 pts on 3-13 fg
2 rebounds
0 assists
-16 in an 11-point loss to a bad team.

Down to .510 TS for the season now, in a fairly substantial 800-minute sample. Just a brief sophomore slump at age 21, or is it worth lowering his ceiling just a bit from the superstar level a lot of observers had it at going into the season?
Barnes not making the jump and Van Fleet seemingly dropping off has just cratered their already poor half court offense . As soon as the Celtics started making shots the Raptors couldn't get out in transition and were dead in the water.

Maybe they make a comeback with improved injury luck and performance but both Lowe and Simmons have started mentioning them as a shake up team that could be active in the trade market.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Barnes not making the jump and Van Fleet seemingly dropping off has just cratered their already poor half court offense . As soon as the Celtics started making shots the Raptors couldn't get out in transition and were dead in the water.

Maybe they make a comeback with improved injury luck and performance but both Lowe and Simmons have started mentioning them as a shake up team that could be active in the trade market.
Hearing that VanVleet shouldn’t even be playing with the back injury he has. It is a concern when any player takes a step back after their first full offseason and Barnes isn’t any different. Def not a good thing.
 

Euclis20

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2004
8,017
Imaginationland
Has anyone watched putative can't-miss superstar Scottie Barnes enough this season to know if/how he has regressed? Atrocious line last night:

41 minutes
11 pts on 3-13 fg
2 rebounds
0 assists
-16 in an 11-point loss to a bad team.

Down to .510 TS for the season now, in a fairly substantial 800-minute sample. Just a brief sophomore slump at age 21, or is it worth lowering his ceiling just a bit from the superstar level a lot of observers had it at going into the season?
I haven't watched enough to say, but listening to the Raptors feed when they played the Celtics (for my money, they are the worst announcing crew in the league), they compared his sophomore slump to Tatum's mediocre second season at least a half dozen times as evidence that he could still turn into a star. Not the worst take, but check back in a few months.
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,671
Charlotte rookie Mark Williams (the #15 overall pick) has only played 13 minutes this season, spent some time in the G League. It's not exactly like the Hornets don't have minutes to spare. I wonder if he is just REALLY bad or if something else is going on.
 

Sam Ray Not

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
8,848
NYC
Charlotte rookie Mark Williams (the #15 overall pick) has only played 13 minutes this season, spent some time in the G League. It's not exactly like the Hornets don't have minutes to spare. I wonder if he is just REALLY bad or if something else is going on.
The NBA Draft, where some years the #15 pick gets you Giannis, and others it gets you the sixth-best Williams in his class.

Edit: just looked up his Greensboro Swarm numbers, which are surprisingly studly (28 pts per 36 on .680 ts. 16 reb per 36 in 253 minutes played). Could totally see him climbing the Williams list.
 
Last edited:

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,671
The NBA Draft, where some years the #15 pick gets you Giannis, and others it gets you the sixth-best Williams in his class.

Edit: just looked up his Greensboro Swarm numbers, which are surprisingly studly (28 pts per 36 on .680 ts. 16 reb per 36 in 253 minutes played). Could totally see him climbing the Williams list.
He really shouldn't be super raw. He spent two years at Duke and was a very good player in college, and should have some obvious translatable skills to the NBA with his shot blocking and rebounding. That is why I've found the start of his career so strange, he's not some 18 year old from Europe, or someone who had a lost season in college and clearly needs to get up to speed. And the Hornets suck, Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards cannot be guaranteed that many minutes.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
He really shouldn't be super raw. He spent two years at Duke and was a very good player in college, and should have some obvious translatable skills to the NBA with his shot blocking and rebounding. That is why I've found the start of his career so strange, he's not some 18 year old from Europe, or someone who had a lost season in college and clearly needs to get up to speed. And the Hornets suck, Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards cannot be guaranteed that many minutes.
I forgot all about him but recall posting pre-draft somewhere how he WAS extremely raw at Duke without a clue of what he’s doing out there while having success based solely on his athleticism.
 

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,112
Santa Monica
Charlotte rookie Mark Williams (the #15 overall pick) has only played 13 minutes this season, spent some time in the G League. It's not exactly like the Hornets don't have minutes to spare. I wonder if he is just REALLY bad or if something else is going on.
Clifford is a kook, but he's MJ's kook.

He doesn't mind playing Jame Bouknight who stinks to high heaven and has had a bunch of off-the-court issues

ALSO Kai Jones is bouncy and fun as their 3rd young BIG

Mark Williams aspiring for the fungible 5 bin
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,671
11 threes in 29 minutes for Dame tonight. Probably would have made a run at the single game record (14, by Klay) if the game wasn't such a blow-out.
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2006
9,092
Duval
Orlando just put up a 50 burger on ATL in the first quarter. They are quickly becoming a really fun team to watch. If they get lucky in the lottery, they could be a laughably long team that could be a force very quickly.

I’ve been keeping an eye on Bamba. He appears to have no desire to compete physically for rebounds, post positioning, or anything else that involves exerting effort.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Trae Young is -28 with 8 minutes to go in the second quarter.
Is his 3-pt % below 25% yet? That team is a train wreck right now but they have had similar starts the past few years and bounces back strong. I have a sneaky suspicion that the rebound isn’t coming this year and some player movement by the deadline is inevitable.
 

Swedgin

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2013
701
Orlando just put up a 50 burger on ATL in the first quarter. They are quickly becoming a really fun team to watch. If they get lucky in the lottery, they could be a laughably long team that could be a force very quickly.

I’ve been keeping an eye on Bamba. He appears to have no desire to compete physically for rebounds, post positioning, or anything else that involves exerting effort.
Not a night for defense. GSW is down 20 to Indy after surrendering 47 in the second quarter. Detroit and Charlotte are at 73 and 69 respectively.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 24, 2002
48,205
The Warriors are 12-2 at home and 2-12 on the road. Its entirely believable that Boston could lose to them in SF.
 

Sam Ray Not

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
8,848
NYC
Curry to the locker room with a shoulder injury, but he's having another insane game. 38/7/7 on 19 shots in 30 minutes.
38/7/7 on 19 fga with 2 steals and a block … at age 34 on a road b2b after getting checked for a leg injury last night in Milwaukee … and his shoulder gives out from carrying the team. Ugh.

If it’s minor … I think a week or two forced rest might actually do Steph and the team some good in the long run. If it’s more than minor … Wembanyana sweepstakes here we come? (Praying for the former, of course).
 

benhogan

Granite Truther
SoSH Member
Nov 2, 2007
20,112
Santa Monica
38/7/7 on 19 fga with 2 steals and a block … at age 34 on a road b2b after getting checked for a leg injury last night in Milwaukee … and his shoulder gives out from carrying the team. Ugh.

If it’s minor … I think a week or two forced rest might actually do Steph and the team some good in the long run. If it’s more than minor … Wembanyana sweepstakes here we come? (Praying for the former, of course).
Is Curry getting fouled on 3PA more?

I noticed tonight that he seems to be extending his follow-through a little more after release. Defenders graze his hand and he falls down in a heap. It's a pretty clever way of drawing contact since everyone looks for the leg kick.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,947
Not a night for defense. GSW is down 20 to Indy after surrendering 47 in the second quarter. Detroit and Charlotte are at 73 and 69 respectively.
Apparently, last night, teams averaged 119 points per game. The highest total in NBA history for any day in which 10 games were played.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Tyler Herro is shooting 19-31 from three, and counting, in the past 24 hours for 74 pts. Seems like yesterday he was counted out as a one-year wonder.
 

bigq

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
11,084
Tyler Herro is shooting 19-31 from three, and counting, in the past 24 hours for 74 pts. Seems like yesterday he was counted out as a one-year wonder.
He is 10-14 from three tonight in a tight game with Houston. He is lights out from distance which is fortunate for Miami because Strus (1-9) and Robinson (2-11) are struggling mightily from three.
 

bigq

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
11,084
Meanwhile Memphis is beating the snot out of Milwaukee. Up by 46 with 7 minutes left in the 4th. Memphis has a good chance to exceed 150 points tonight.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 24, 2002
48,205
Meanwhile Memphis is beating the snot out of Milwaukee. Up by 46 with 7 minutes left in the 4th. Memphis has a good chance to exceed 150 points tonight.
If the C's had the "bad" losses to teams like the Rockets, Magic and then got slaughtered by the Grizzlies, I suspect we'd hear a lot of anxiety from our ranks. Who could blame fans for being concerned?

That said, I fully expect the Bucks to be a tough out in the East regardless of this latest rough patch. So while noteworthy, no Milwaukee fans need to panic yet. Looks like tonight was just Memphis hitting everything while the Bucks built a temple. Middleton's line of 1-12 is brutal.

The alternative narrative for this game is the return of Steven Adams. I've heard around these parts that he is a huge difference maker. I could buy that too. Steven Adams is pretty awesome.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 24, 2002
48,205
Also, with the Thursday night football game a blowout, we have two pretty good matchups ongoing or about to tip off. Pels/Jazz is in the third and then the Suns at Clips is about to start.