2022-23 NBA Game Thread

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Luka has cooked Ben Simmons several times this evening. Regardless of what you think of Simmons offense or lack thereof, he can defend. Doncic can make elite defenders look terrible.
 

HomeRunBaker

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All fifteen teams are playing and the tipoffs are staggered every fifteen minutes, so it could be some great channel surfing as these come down to the wire.
Hopefully this catches on. Love the concept…..could you even imagine this in the NFL? Whoa!
 

Euclis20

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Luka has cooked Ben Simmons several times this evening. Regardless of what you think of Simmons offense or lack thereof, he can defend. Doncic can make elite defenders look terrible.
I've said this before, but it's always worth repeating - Simmons has played his career in front of an elite rim protector in Embiid. This has allowed him to be much more aggressive than he can be in Brooklyn, and independent of any other factor, likely means we've already seen the best of him defensively. That doesn't mean he'll be bad, but it means his days of being a DPOY candidate may very well be over.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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I've said this before, but it's always worth repeating - Simmons has played his career in front of an elite rim protector in Embiid. This has allowed him to be much more aggressive than he can be in Brooklyn, and independent of any other factor, likely means we've already seen the best of him defensively. That doesn't mean he'll be bad, but it means his days of being a DPOY candidate may very well be over.
Perhaps but the dude is sniffing seven feet with a massive wingspan. He can bother just about anyone even if I agree with you that his overall reputation is partly of a function of who he played with.


Like every other game in the NBA tonight - including the C's - teams make runs. The Nets just closed the game to four with two minutes to go. The NBA, where teams make runs. Its not just your favorite team that sucks at closing out games. Its every team!
 

Euclis20

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Perhaps but the dude is sniffing seven feet with a massive wingspan. He can bother just about anyone even if I agree with you that his overall reputation is partly of a function of who he played with.
Sure, but it's pretty noteworthy that when Brooklyn and Dallas last played, not only could Simmons not stop Luka (no shame in that, no one is stopping him this year), Luka was actively seeking out Simmons in switches and just roasting him. I didn't see most of the game tonight, so I don't know if that was the case today as well.
 

nattysez

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Steph Curry remains preposterous.

I know Klay bristles at people saying he's lost a step, but he's lost more than one step.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Cavs have a 12 point lead over the Clippers with ~ five minutes to go in LA. @1:41 its a four point game. Teams make runs.
 

Euclis20

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47-8-8 on incredible efficiency for Curry, insane. And needed, because Thompson is godawful. 9 games in and he's shooting .359 from the floor and .326 from 3.
 

radsoxfan

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47 points on 24 fga
8 rebounds
8 assists
0 turnovers
+20 in a 3 point win
Have to imagine Poole will play much better soon. Klay won't be this bad all year but he's well onto the back 9 unfortunately.

The Wiseman, Kuminga, Moody dynasty extenders are looking.... not so great.
 

chilidawg

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Have to imagine Poole will play much better soon. Klay won't be this bad all year but he's well onto the back 9 unfortunately.

The Wiseman, Kuminga, Moody dynasty extenders are looking.... not so great.
Yeah, I thought the W's young bench made them a real favorite to repeat. So far it seems they've regressed, good news for the rest of us.
 

Jimbodandy

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Sure, but it's pretty noteworthy that when Brooklyn and Dallas last played, not only could Simmons not stop Luka (no shame in that, no one is stopping him this year), Luka was actively seeking out Simmons in switches and just roasting him. I didn't see most of the game tonight, so I don't know if that was the case today as well.
Simmons is a very good defender, but he was always way overrated.

By D-LEBRON, he was
2018 --not in top 50
2019 --not in top 50
2020 --40th
2021 --20th

By D-DPM, his peak was around 1.5, which is like 30-35th or so.

He has always been very good and also not a legit DPOY guy. Guys like Luka eat guys like that.
 

lovegtm

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Simmons is a very good defender, but he was always way overrated.

By D-LEBRON, he was
2018 --not in top 50
2019 --not in top 50
2020 --40th
2021 --20th

By D-DPM, his peak was around 1.5, which is like 30-35th or so.

He has always been very good and also not a legit DPOY guy. Guys like Luka eat guys like that.
He has also looked a bit...softer since coming back with the Nets. Doesn't seem to impact the game physically as much as he used to. Could be my own anecdotal impressions though.
 

lovegtm

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Would not mind the return of Kelly O to Boston as an experienced big that can shoot and pass.
Alligator arms aren't what the Celtics need. He's not functionally that much bigger than Grant.

Cs need a trad C; they have plenty of shooting and can play 4-out lineups around any C who can defend and bang down low.
 

HomeRunBaker

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He has also looked a bit...softer since coming back with the Nets. Doesn't seem to impact the game physically as much as he used to. Could be my own anecdotal impressions though.
No I don’t think so. The post-playoffs Simmons is a completely different version of the perennial All-Star that he was in his early 20’s when he impacted the game on both ends of the floor.
 

ManicCompression

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No I don’t think so. The post-playoffs Simmons is a completely different version of the perennial All-Star that he was in his early 20’s when he impacted the game on both ends of the floor.
Per the NBA, he's driving to the basket 3.1 times a game. Not a great stat for a guy who also can't shoot.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Per the NBA, he's driving to the basket 3.1 times a game. Not a great stat for a guy who also can't shoot.
Even when he’s had opportunities he’s been passive but the 3.1 number is a product of how he’s been used as a 4/5 in the Nets offense as the ball is in Kyrie and Durant’s hands. I mentioned in the first week of the reg season that this wasn’t going to end well for Simmons if this will be his normal usage as these don’t play to his strengths.
 

TripleOT

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Alligator arms aren't what the Celtics need. He's not functionally that much bigger than Grant.

Cs need a trad C; they have plenty of shooting and can play 4-out lineups around any C who can defend and bang down low.
Nerlins Noel is the perfect buyout big for this team. He would be a not as good version of Rob Williams, who would fit the team’s defensive schemes. He’s third on the center depth chard for the woeful Pistons, behind Isaiah Stewart and promising 18 year old Jalen Duren. This is his last season of guaranteed money. A solid late season and playoff run with his hometown team probably will look appealing to him, after a few more months of sitting on the bench watching his young team lose.
 

jmcc5400

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If we’re sweating home court seeding in April, we may look back at tonight’s Bucks-OKC game with regret. SGA sank a 3 with .6 left in OT only for OKC to foul Lopez on a desperation lob with .2 left. Bucks clawed it out in double OT.
 

nattysez

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Great googly-moogly are the Lakers bad. Four straight double-digit losses.

They've got 3 games against the Spurs, 1 against the Kings and 1 against the Pacers before November is over. If they can't win a bunch of games before Dec. 1, things are going to get really, really ugly.
 

jon abbey

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GS/MIA/LAL are a combined 10-26, a 23-59 combined pace.

UTH have as many wins as those three combined at 10-3, a 63-19 pace.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Great googly-moogly are the Lakers bad. Four straight double-digit losses.

They've got 3 games against the Spurs, 1 against the Kings and 1 against the Pacers before November is over. If they can't win a bunch of games before Dec. 1, things are going to get really, really ugly.
……and now LeBron goes down with a groin injury. Capitulation is upon us!
 

chilidawg

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Nerlins Noel is the perfect buyout big for this team. He would be a not as good version of Rob Williams, who would fit the team’s defensive schemes. He’s third on the center depth chard for the woeful Pistons, behind Isaiah Stewart and promising 18 year old Jalen Duren. This is his last season of guaranteed money. A solid late season and playoff run with his hometown team probably will look appealing to him, after a few more months of sitting on the bench watching his young team lose.
Is he really that much better than Vonleh? I have no factual data, but my guess is no.