2022-23 NBA Game Thread
- Thread starter Deathofthebambino
- Start date
Yeah they were gassed and with no true point guard vs that defense, not a good recipe down the stretch.
It took 50 from Giannis and artic freeze, I'd run it back it that was a great effort.
I dont think he had a choice, they needed his size to prevent easy dunks. There's no one else on the roster who can even withstand that initial wave when he comes at you.
Casual fan question - who from recent history would guard Giannis best? Someone huge like Shaq, or an Olajuwon or Ben Wallace type?
In more recent history both Kawhi and Draymond Green have done fairly well against him.
2019 conference finals, Kawhi averaged 30/10/4 while being matched up for large periods of time against Giannis (who had just won his first MVP) and holding him to 23 points in 39 mpg and just 45% shooting. That playoff run (the series ending shot against Philly, followed by out-dueling MVP Giannis, followed by ending the Durant Warriors) basically shot Kawhi into the HOF, into the NBA top 75, and got him a rep as a top 5 player in the league that he really hasn't lived up to since (in large part due to injuries, but still).
Some of it is their system, but Draymond (with his low center of gravity, length and leeway from the refs) is pretty much ideal. In his career against GS (17 games), Giannis has averaged 20.5 points with a TS% of .557. Only Miami and Toronto have held him to a lower ppg, and no one has held him to a lower TS%.
The issue with Kawhi and Dray now are size. Last night was a perfect example. Kawhi is a massive dude and routinely bouncing guys off him. He looked tiny compared to Giannis last night. Giannis is so much larger than 2019.
Recent history,i think Ben Wallace is a great pull. He had the size to withstand the initial wave, the footwork and speed to keep up and the smarts to deal with random stuff like a 2nd effort putback (how Kawhi had success last night late) or a cutter, etc
David Robinson would have done well against Giannis, IMO. Maybe Rodman too. And KG. But maybe those aren't really recent history.
I know this is going back a little further but I think McHale would have been a great matchup. His long arms would have really bothered Giannis.
What's so hard about Giannis is the height---a smaller guy can stop the penetration to a degree by getting in front of him, but he's so big and strong he can just push you out of the way and go over you.
It was amazing to watch him push through waves of Celtics in the playoffs last year--stout guys (grant), big guys (horford), athletes (TL, Tatum)....he had a way to smash each.
It was amazing to watch him push through waves of Celtics in the playoffs last year--stout guys (grant), big guys (horford), athletes (TL, Tatum)....he had a way to smash each.
This is incredible
View: https://twitter.com/BTRowland/status/1621188889250611202
The Hawks are 26-26.
The Hawks are 17-17 against the East.
The Hawks are 9-9 against the West.
The Hawks are 8th of 15 East teams.
The Hawks have scored 6,057 points.
The Hawks have allowed 6,057 points.
View: https://twitter.com/BTRowland/status/1621188889250611202
The Hawks are 26-26.
The Hawks are 17-17 against the East.
The Hawks are 9-9 against the West.
The Hawks are 8th of 15 East teams.
The Hawks have scored 6,057 points.
The Hawks have allowed 6,057 points.
I've definitely seen worse.
In the east I would have swapped Knicks (Brunson is far more important to the Knicks than Randle) and Holiday is a bit of a stretch over Harden/Siakam/Trae. I probably would've gone with Harden instead, but Holiday is defensible.
Out west, Paul George making it is a joke. The Clippers are a mild disappointment, he's missed 17 games, and even when he plays his numbers are decent but not incredible. JJJ isn't a terrible pick given that Memphis is great and is the best defensive player in the league when he's on the court, but he's also missed 17 games and only averages 27 mpg when he plays (he's 192nd in total minutes played, without looking it up I'll assume he's played by far the fewest minutes of any other all-star). De'Aaron Fox absolutely should've made it (he's playing great and the surprising Kings deserve 2 all-stars), and I would've picked Anthony Edwards for the last spot. In addition to his numbers getting better across the board, he's leading the league in minutes played and Minnesota has picked it up a bit recently, even though KAT hasn't played since November.
Lakers fans whining about AD not making it is rich ("he's played more minutes than JJJ!"). Teams in 12th place don't get multiple all-stars, especially all-stars that barely play half the season.
When is LeBron James going to fall off a cliff? He's 38 years old and averaging 30.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7.1 assists a game. He's shooting .506 from the floor and averaging more than 36 minutes a game. Compare this season to his four MVP years:
2009 - 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, .489 FG
2010 - 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, .503 FG
2012 - 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, .531 FG
2013 - 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, .565 FG
2023 - 30.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, .506 FG
In many ways he's playing every bit as well as he was during his MVP run of 4 in 5 years when he was at ages 24-28.
Other NBA players at 38 years of age:
LeBron: 30.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, .506 FG
Jordan: 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, .416 FG
Kareem: 23.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, .564 FG
Duncan: 13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, .512 FG
R. Miller: 10.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .438 FG
Olajuwon: 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, .498 FG
Stockton: 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, .504 FG
Malone: 22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, .454 FG
Parish: 14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, .535 FG
He blows them ALL away from a statistical standpoint anyway.
2009 - 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, .489 FG
2010 - 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, .503 FG
2012 - 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, .531 FG
2013 - 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, .565 FG
2023 - 30.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, .506 FG
In many ways he's playing every bit as well as he was during his MVP run of 4 in 5 years when he was at ages 24-28.
Other NBA players at 38 years of age:
LeBron: 30.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, .506 FG
Jordan: 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, .416 FG
Kareem: 23.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, .564 FG
Duncan: 13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, .512 FG
R. Miller: 10.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .438 FG
Olajuwon: 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, .498 FG
Stockton: 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, .504 FG
Malone: 22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, .454 FG
Parish: 14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, .535 FG
He blows them ALL away from a statistical standpoint anyway.
Fair enough. But the guy doesn’t really seem to be slowing down much at all. He’s a frigging machine.
I know I'm late to the game on this, but Lebron didn't sit out the game the other night because of load management or an injury.
He sat out because he wanted to make sure he broke the all time scoring record back home in LA. Someone brought this up last week, maybe Scal, and said "Lebron has to skip one of these 5 games on the road, in order to break the record at home" and what do you know....
Bamba and Rivers.
View: https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1621704533222256643
View: https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1621705161377976322
View: https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1621705622243745792
Mo Bamba, Jalen Suggs, Austin Rivers, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince all ejected after the Magic-Wolves dustup.
View: https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1621704533222256643
View: https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1621705161377976322
View: https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1621705622243745792
Mo Bamba, Jalen Suggs, Austin Rivers, Jaden McDaniels and Taurean Prince all ejected after the Magic-Wolves dustup.
Agreed offensively. But lebron has spent the better part of the last 3 years hanging out in the corner on the worst player the other team has on the court. That or being a turnstile.
It’s as insane of a backend of a career as Brady. Maybe the only thing more remarkable and hysterical are all the people who attempt to discredit his (still) greatness.
I mean Bamba and Fultz, of all people, clowning on Rivers after that missed shot is pretty rich.
Guys like Cam Thomas and Sumner put up with so much drama from the supposed leaders of the team like Durant and Kyrie but they just keep their heads down and play hard like today.
Giannis was clearly annoyed he wasn't getting enough buzz in the MVP conversation.
After he missed a week in mid-January, he came back and the Bucks have won seven straight after knocking off the Heat tonight. Giannis over those seven games is averaging 40-15-4 and shooting 60% from the floor and shooting an amazing 15 free throws per game. There just isn't anything you can do to stop him.
After he missed a week in mid-January, he came back and the Bucks have won seven straight after knocking off the Heat tonight. Giannis over those seven games is averaging 40-15-4 and shooting 60% from the floor and shooting an amazing 15 free throws per game. There just isn't anything you can do to stop him.
Bucks have dealt with a lot of injuries this season, and Middleton has missed a ton of time, but at full strength they're really fucking good.
Must be a new Hornets TV play-by-play guy. I turn to game as they return from commercial to a highly energetic voice, “And the Hornets with a COMMANDING 8-pt lead!!”
Its 30-22 in the 1Q of an NBA game…..there is nothing commanding about it.
Also, Steph Curry to be out multiple weeks after leg/ankle injury last night.
Its 30-22 in the 1Q of an NBA game…..there is nothing commanding about it.
Also, Steph Curry to be out multiple weeks after leg/ankle injury last night.
It’s all part or the (attempted) hype. The P.A. announcer after the dance team performed during a timeout screamed into the mic, “Let’s here it for The Honey Bees!!!”
Red just choked on his cigar.
The Warriors will survive, Poole usually does a decent enough Curry impression when he's the only one on the court. From a Celtic's standpoint, this is indirectly pretty good news. Curry with 60+ games played is a stone cold lock for an all-NBA spot, but he's already missed 15 games. If he misses out, that's one less player in front of Jaylen, and a slightly better chance for Boston to offer him the super max.
I still think Jaylen controls his own destiny at this point but it sure wouldn’t hurt to knock Curry out of the mix if he’s at 50-52 games.
Agreed. And maybe Jaylen ends up with more frontcourt votes, and Curry isn't even a factor. To call it frustrating to follow is an understatement.
From a big picture view, the games missed for stars this year (and over the last few years) is unreal. 20 years ago, looking at the top 30 scorers by ppg, 29/30 guys missed 15 or fewer games. Last year, it was just 13/30 guys missing 15 or fewer games. in 2003, 17/30 guys played 80+ games. Last year, literally 0 players in the top 30 played 80+ games (and just 1 guy in the top 75 played 80+). I don't know what happens with this (fewer games? fewer fans in attendance? nothing at all?), but the difference between now and just a few years ago is baffling.
Watching Philly/Knicks, Philly's defense looks legit. Knicks really struggling to get good looks. Harden engaged, Embiid getting after guys on the perimeter. Hat tip to Doc, he's got those guys playing hard.
And down the stretch, they're giving up open looks for 3 on almost every possession.
Couple ways to look at that----it skips early-career Embiid's big games missed seasons.
As it is, that's 13 or so games each year Tatum plays above Embiid which is a lot----almost 16% of the season.
Tatum also has averaged 2 MPG more in the games they do play, so that's the equivalent of another 17 additional games played since 2017-2018 (or another almost 3 games per year).
And if you add in playoff games Tatum adds another 30 more total games played (not all about injuries on these), so that's another 5 per season.
We had a discussion about Embiid vs Tatum in the pre-season, and these numbers are why I don't think there's much of a case for Embiid: as great as he is per-minute, he just isn't out there enough to match the guys who are.
The drop off from Jokic to Deandre Jordan might be the greatest in NBA history. Okay, hyperbole, but man is Denver bad without the Joker.
Indeed. They go from +12.5 when Jokic plays (2nd best in history behind the 72 win Bulls) to -8.7 when he sits (2nd worst team in the league this year only ahead of the Spurs).
Jokic and Doncic are far and away the two most important players in the league to their respective teams. Dallas is 0-7 without Luca, Nuggets 3-5 without Jokic. Lottery teams we’re talking.
Pacers are 2-10 without Haliburton. They just hit their preseason win over (24.5), not coincidentally right after he returned from injury. Without Haliburton, the Pacers are who we thought they were, a team in the Wemby sweepstakes.
Its almost as if the veteran Nets rotation has been liberated after being occupied by Slim Reaper and Flat Earth Hitler for a few years. Let's see how the Clips respond.