2022-23 NBA Game Thread

HomeRunBaker

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Both of these things are true. He really has been genuinely good off the bench and, yet, he still goes full (bad) Westbrook at key moments. It's the yin/yang of a true star: RW has the ego to keep pushing despite being the center of so much criticism and have to admire that. And, yet, he also has the ego to take ridiculous low quality shots at key points of games that counteract his effectiveness.

Russ gonna Russ.
Yup no doubt. This time his handle is what failed him. Lakers got the best matchup they could ask for with Russ in iso against Embiid 20-feet from the basket which is why Ham correctly imo didn’t use his timeout. He had him crossed over but couldn’t get his handle down……which as I posted last night is when Ham needs to shut the play down but I see the case for not doing it too. Russ gonna Russ for sure.
 

128

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I'm not dismissing anyone we might see in the playoffs, but they're 7th in the east right now. I'd be more worried to face the Nets, Bucks, Sixers and Cavs in the playoffs than the Heat (assuming everyone is healthy). I guess they worry me more than the Knicks, who are a half game ahead of them for 6th. That's about it. Nothing in their recent performance indicates they are about to play like last year when they got the 1 seed and made it to game 7 of the conference finals.
Heat falling flat in ATL today, so perhaps they're full of shit, as Rocco would have said.
 

benhogan

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Caught the end of the Warriors/Wiz game. Steph puts up 41pts, so he's very back. Looking forward to the rematch

Somebody is going to regret signing Kyle Kuzma to a sizeable contract this summer. He's the definition of hollow pointZ on a bad team.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Walker Kessler is the same player, give or take, as Rudy Gobert. Only nine years younger. And 15 times cheaper. And was a “throw in” in a deal that also netted the Jazz: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, the Wolves’ unprotected 2023, 2025, and 2027 first-round picks, the Wolves 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected), and the right to swap first-rounders with Minnesota in 2026.

GJGE, Minnesota.
 
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Euclis20

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Looking around the league at some on/off (per 100 possessions) numbers for the MVP candidates:

-Giannis: +5.5
-Doncic: +9.7
-Tatum: +10.0
-Durant: +10.0
-Embiid: +10.1
-Jokic: +20.9

Jokic is unreal.

It's almost a guarantee that that the MVP is one of those 6, but these guys have an outside shot if the whole group above falters:

-Morant: +6.0
-Mitchell: -1.8 (?!?)
-Curry: +12.5
-Williamson: +6.0
 

Euclis20

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I think you can toss Luka in there if the Mavs get homecourt in the 1st round, and he's the favorite if they finish 1st or 2nd in the west. He's basically 2009 or 2010 Lebron at this point, putting up insane numbers surrounded by extremely average teammates. Lebron willed those crummy Cavs teams to back to back #1 seeds (66 and 61 seeds). The MVP race this year is too competitive for Luka to win if he can't get to 50 wins, but he's in the discussion as long as they stay out of the play in games.
 

chilidawg

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Looking around the league at some on/off (per 100 possessions) numbers for the MVP candidates:

-Giannis: +5.5
-Doncic: +9.7
-Tatum: +10.0
-Durant: +10.0
-Embiid: +10.1
-Jokic: +20.9

Jokic is unreal.

It's almost a guarantee that that the MVP is one of those 6, but these guys have an outside shot if the whole group above falters:

-Morant: +6.0
-Mitchell: -1.8 (?!?)
-Curry: +12.5
-Williamson: +6.0
Jokic's On-Off is so good in part because their bench is so bad. KCP's is actually a little better and Gordon isn't far behind. Tatum's numbers are a good bit better than any of the other Boston starters except for part time starter DWhite.
 

InstaFace

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Ben Simmons just missed a dunk (with about 10:30 left in the 4th). His defender flopped trying to draw a charge (unsuccessfully), he went up uncontested and was trying to slam it down and just got front iron with it.

Which can happen to every player once in a while, and wouldn't be at all notable if it wasn't Ben Simmons.
 

ElUno20

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Embiid is such a troll of a scorer. He's like the center version of a prime harden. I hate watching this guy parade to the line every game.
 

Euclis20

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Embiid is such a troll of a scorer. He's like the center version of a prime harden. I hate watching this guy parade to the line every game.
Which is why they are both

-incredibly annoying to watch in the regular season (although surprisingly just 13th per possession in free throw attempts)
-destined to fail in the playoffs when the refs are generally more likely to allow contact

Didn't the league once fine people for flopping? What happened with that?
 

HomeRunBaker

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The Clips can play some impressive basketball when PG13 and Leonard are both playing. In a game. Together.
Well that turned quickly. I haven’t seen a team pull a 180 so fast with an impressive failure to execute on both ends of the floor for each of the final 12 minutes……at home. Brutal effort by the Clips.
 

lovegtm

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He put up 5 points in game 5 of the conference semis against the Bucks a couple years ago, in over 45 minutes (on 10 shots). Granted he was hurt, but still.
And who can forget his 10 points in 37 minutes to lose against the Kawhi-less Spurs by 40 in an elimination game.

James Harden is always up for new challenges.
 

Jimbodandy

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That’s the 3rd time he’s had a significant injury to that same ankle this year. This is reminding me of the awful luck Steph Curry had with his ankle years ago.

“Ago” tried to autocorrect to “agony” which seems so appropriate here.
That's one of those injuries that jumps out as an outlier when people try to label guys as "injury prone". That's just shitty luck, not weak ankles.

edit: not a criticism of you here obviously, if it reads that way
 

Euclis20

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That's one of those injuries that jumps out as an outlier when people try to label guys as "injury prone". That's just shitty luck, not weak ankles.

edit: not a criticism of you here obviously, if it reads that way
It's shitty luck that his ankle was rolled there, but when you keep hurting the same ankle (especially in a short period of time), it will likely take longer and longer to recover reach time (and it's more likely to happen again). Still bad luck I guess and it's no character judgement against Ball, but some guys roll an ankle and don't even leave the game. This is a concern for him going forward.
 

InstaFace

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It ain't the day to be a Curry. Steph, Seth both taking it on the chin... I had some shitty Panang Curry for dinner tonight. Just saying, Dell better watch his back.
 

Just a bit outside

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Claxton had to miss a free throw on purpose and of course missed the rim. Reggie Miller drags him by pointing out he should have just shot it how he normally does and he would have missed anyway. Haha.
 

Euclis20

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The Nets lose to the absolutely drowning Suns (1-9 in their last 10). Simmons only played 18 minutes, partially due to foul trouble and partially because he's not good (Brooklyn had a huge comeback in the 4th outscoring Phoenix 38-23 in the quarter, entirely with Simmons on the bench).

*edit - it's about to get rough for them. They've got Utah, GS, Philly, Detroit, NYK, LAL and Boston between now and February 1. They might be favored against Detroit, that's it.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Claxton had to miss a free throw on purpose and of course missed the rim. Reggie Miller drags him by pointing out he should have just shot it how he normally does and he would have missed anyway. Haha.
If you watch this back you’ll see an example of why young players drive coaches nuts. It didn’t effect the play as the ball missed the rim but Day’Ron Sharpe, who was inserted to knock the missed shot out to a shooter, was legitimately baffled as to why the ref blew the play dead. 95% of the fans understand that the ball needs to hit the rim…..but not the guy in the game. I can only imagine his BBIQ when it comes to defensive rotations and handling a pick-n-roll.
 

terrynever

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And who can forget his 10 points in 37 minutes to lose against the Kawhi-less Spurs by 40 in an elimination game.

James Harden is always up for new challenges.
One of his adjustments this season has been to pass first. Last night in Portland, Harden took one shot in 8:43 of the first quarter and collected 6 assists. He finished with 16 points, 11 shots, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Harden is doing what Doc has asked him to do — get his teammates involved — and he can still take over, for good or bad, when Embiid is sitting.

It’s January. This is when the 76ers shine. Now tied for No. 2 seed in the East after an 0-4 start. They are no match for the Celtics but who is?
 

lovegtm

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One of his adjustments this season has been to pass first. Last night in Portland, Harden took one shot in 8:43 of the first quarter and collected 6 assists. He finished with 16 points, 11 shots, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Harden is doing what Doc has asked him to do — get his teammates involved — and he can still take over, for good or bad, when Embiid is sitting.

It’s January. This is when the 76ers shine. Now tied for No. 2 seed in the East after an 0-4 start. They are no match for the Celtics but who is?
It's always fun to make fun of Harden's elimination game track record, but the Sixers are good and scary.
 

terrynever

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It's always fun to make fun of Harden's elimination game track record, but the Sixers are good and scary.
Maxey coming off the bench is a new wrinkle. Plus last night they rotated Melton and Thybulle on Lillard, who shot 1-10 in first half and 6-20 overall.
76ers looking for a backup center, otherwise this is the roster they will run with.
 
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the moops

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The Nets lose to the absolutely drowning Suns (1-9 in their last 10). Simmons only played 18 minutes, partially due to foul trouble and partially because he's not good (Brooklyn had a huge comeback in the 4th outscoring Phoenix 38-23 in the quarter, entirely with Simmons on the bench).
Simmons was ejected in the 3rd quarter, that is the reason he din't play in the 4th
 

Kliq

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De'Aaron Fox is shooting 60% from the field this season in clutch moments, which is completely insane.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Ah ok, I missed the 3rd and saw he finished with 5 fouls and just assumed the Nets held him out by choice. Still not great for him that their big comeback came while he was on the bench.
The turning point was when Vaughn went to a zone which slowed the Suns offense to a crawl as nearly every possession ended with a forced attempt against the shot clock. Once they secured the rebound it was Kyrie time dominating on the offense end with scoring and playmaking.
 

Just a bit outside

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The turning point was when Vaughn went to a zone which slowed the Suns offense to a crawl as nearly every possession ended with a forced attempt against the shot clock. Once they secured the rebound it was Kyrie time dominating on the offense end with scoring and playmaking.
I couldn't believe how many uncontested shots the Suns missed from right inside the free throw line. They stopped attacking the middle of that zone because they couldn't make a 12 footer.
 

Sam Ray Not

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GS running out a starting five of: Jerome-Poole-DiVincenzo-Kuminga-Looney on a road B2B tonight in Cleveland. You bastards (and the stupid schedule-makers) effectively hung two losses on us with that OT win last night! (Seriously, great game…)
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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GS running out a starting five of: Jerome-Poole-DiVincenzo-Kuminga-Looney on a road B2B tonight in Cleveland. You bastards (and the stupid schedule-makers) effectively hung two losses on us with that OT win last night! (Seriously, great game…)
Alternatively, Boston gave you an opportunity to see Ty Jerome light Cleveland up like Steph before his locker room champagne party.
 

benhogan

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GS running out a starting five of: Jerome-Poole-DiVincenzo-Kuminga-Looney on a road B2B tonight in Cleveland. You bastards (and the stupid schedule-makers) effectively hung two losses on us with that OT win last night! (Seriously, great game…)
here comes the 40pt Poole party
 

Kliq

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Boban having not one but two prominent endorsement deals and being in multiple commercials is pretty impressive.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Boban having not one but two prominent endorsement deals and being in multiple commercials is pretty impressive.
Boban was born a generation or two late. The guy is a phenomenal offensive player but isn’t playable in todays game.