2022-23 NBA Game Thread

RorschachsMask

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Pacers just beat the Magic, they are now 9-6, can’t say I saw that coming lol. Nesmith 19 points on 5-8 from deep, scored their last 5 points to win the game.
 

worm0082

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There’s no practice hoop down in the tunnels? Like how during rain delays guys can still take BP under the stands?
 

Euclis20

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Young is a pretty flawed player from a championship teambuilding perspective, but what an incredible offensive talent when he is on the ball.
It really is something to watch. I don't think enough is made of the fact that he led the league in total points scored and total assists last year, just the second time that's ever been done (and the only time in almost 50 years).
 

Sam Ray Not

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Klay 41 pts on 14-23 fga (10-13 from 3)

Steph 33 pts on 11-20 fga, 15 ast, 7 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk, 1 tov, +22 in a 7-point squeaker.
 

128

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The Spurs have lost five straight and nine of their past 10 games, so the tank is proceeding at a fast pace.
 

HomeRunBaker

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It helped that they were playing Memphis with out Morant or Jackson, with a roster that's really thin to begin with.
No Bane either but Simmons is clearly rounding into game shape over the last week or two even if he’s still being used improperly.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Zach Lowe and Kevin Pelton just dropped a podcast with their 1/4 mark MVPs.

Pelton:
5. Durant
4. SGA (!)
3. Tatum
2. Doncic
1. Curry

Lowe:
5. Giannis
4. Durant
3. Tatum
2. Doncic
1. Curry

Jokic and Embiid missed both lists; Giannis missed Pelton’s list and barely made Zach’s. Are we sure Giannis is on his own tier?
 

Euclis20

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Zach Lowe and Kevin Pelton just dropped a podcast with their 1/4 mark MVPs.

Pelton:
5. Durant
4. SGA (!)
3. Tatum
2. Doncic
1. Curry

Lowe:
5. Giannis
4. Durant
3. Tatum
2. Doncic
1. Curry

Jokic and Embiid missed both lists; Giannis missed Pelton’s list and barely made Zach’s. Are we sure Giannis is on his own tier?
SGA is insane because there isn't any chance in hell that OKC finishes with 40+ wins.

Steph and Durant have heavy uphill battles both due to reliability (they seem like much greater risks to miss 20+ games to injury at some point than anyone else mentioned on these lists) and to the fact that their teams have looked pretty bad thus far. Finishing in the top 6 is an absolute requirement for any MVP candidate, and for guys who've won it before and are on disappointing teams (i.e. steph and durant), they probably need to finish in the top 4 to have a real shot. Honestly if people are putting Curry and Durant on these lists, might as well do the same for Anthony Davis, who has averaged 32 points and 17 rebounds since Lebron went down (and the Lakers are 3-1 since then, albeit against some really bad teams). He's got not completely dissimilar risk factors w/regards to injury and team performance from those two.

To me the race is just between Giannis and Luka, with Tatum being a decent dark horse if those guys miss too much time (Giannis) or if they drop too much in the standings (Luka).
 

Sam Ray Not

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SGA is insane because there isn't any chance in hell that OKC finishes with 40+ wins.

Steph and Durant have heavy uphill battles both due to reliability (they seem like much greater risks to miss 20+ games to injury at some point than anyone else mentioned on these lists) and to the fact that their teams have looked pretty bad thus far. Finishing in the top 6 is an absolute requirement for any MVP candidate, and for guys who've won it before and are on disappointing teams (i.e. steph and durant), they probably need to finish in the top 4 to have a real shot. Honestly if people are putting Curry and Durant on these lists, might as well do the same for Anthony Davis, who has averaged 32 points and 17 rebounds since Lebron went down (and the Lakers are 3-1 since then, albeit against some really bad teams). He's got not completely dissimilar risk factors w/regards to injury and team performance from those two.

To me the race is just between Giannis and Luka, with Tatum being a decent dark horse if those guys miss too much time (Giannis) or if they drop too much in the standings (Luka).
They explicitly ignored team record, with Zach noting that the difference between, say, 8-9 and 9-7 is not meaningful this early on. Obviously if we’re talking 40-42 v 50-32 it becomes more meaningful. They’re both mostly looking at the individual numbers; and both deemed Steph *right now* an easy choice at #1 (32-7-7 on .700 true shooting with a +26 net on-off says hi). Neither made any predictions about how things might look 2-3-4 months from now.
 

Euclis20

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They explicitly ignored team record, with Zach noting that the difference between, say, 8-9 and 9-7 is not meaningful this early on. Obviously if we’re talking 40-42 v 50-32 it becomes more meaningful. They’re both mostly looking at the individual numbers; and both deemed Steph *right now* an easy choice at #1 (32-7-7 on .700 true shooting with a +26 net on-off says hi). Neither made any predictions about how things might look 2-3-4 months from now.
Should've just called it the best player right now, then. The lists would make more sense.
 

128

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Pacers win again (and Nesmith is solid again). Don't they know they're supposed to be tanking?
 

HomeRunBaker

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Set your timer…….

Ben Simmons returns to Philly tonight. Yes, my life has been minimized to the point that I’m looking forward to this.
 

Euclis20

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Set your timer…….

Ben Simmons returns to Philly tonight. Yes, my life has been minimized to the point that I’m looking forward to this.
Simmons has had a few games, Kyrie is back...if only Philly weren't missing Embiid, Harden and Maxey, this would be more interesting. Any team that puts Tobias Harris forward as their best player is a legit contender in the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Simmons has had a few games, Kyrie is back...if only Philly weren't missing Embiid, Harden and Maxey, this would be more interesting. Any team that puts Tobias Harris forward as their best player is a legit contender in the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
It’s a Ewing Theory game. Last I looked the Sixers were up 10.
 

Euclis20

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It’s a Ewing Theory game. Last I looked the Sixers were up 10.
Does the Ewing Theory still apply if both Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell are also out? Because that's the situation here. If Philly somehow holds on it's the worst loss of the year for Brooklyn.

That was the weakest flagrant foul I’ve ever seen.
Yeah that was embarrassing. Closer to a double foul than it was a flagrant.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Does the Ewing Theory still apply if both Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell are also out? Because that's the situation here. If Philly somehow holds on it's the worst loss of the year for Brooklyn.
Yes it’s even more powerful in that first game. Most NBA teams have capable scorers waiting for an opportunity like this so guys like Milton, Melton, Niang, House and Korkmaz approach this as a big game while the opponent lets down their guard even more. It’s even better when on their home floor.
 
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Euclis20

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Yes it’s even more powerful in that first game. Most NBA teams have capable scorers waiting for an opportunity like this so guys like Milton, Melton, Niang, House and Korkmaz approach this as a big game while the opponent lets down their guard even more. It’s even better when on their home floor.
Fair point, though given the situation Brooklyn should be embarrassed to let their guard down (and it's the first game out for Embiid, but #2 for Maxey and #8 for Harden). Simmons has showed up so far.
 

Deathofthebambino

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I hate the Sixers, but I hate this current Nets team more, so watching local kid, Georges Niang get into it with these guys is immensely entertaining.

I've met Georges a bunch of times, a lot of friends of mine kids played with or against him growing up. He's a good dude, and he doesn't take shit.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Fair point, though given the situation Brooklyn should be embarrassed to let their guard down (and it's the first game out for Embiid, but #2 for Maxey and #8 for Harden). Simmons has showed up so far.
Simmons has been finding his legs recently. I was talking about that in one of these threads the other day. People are forgetting that he hadn’t played basketball for about 16 months while coming off back surgery. It was always going to take some time for him to get back physically.
 

Deathofthebambino

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I'm pretty confident in saying if the Sixers had their 3 best players, they win this game by 20.

The Nets are not good, especially defensively.
 

Euclis20

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I'm pretty confident in saying if the Sixers had their 3 best players, they win this game by 20.

The Nets are not good, especially defensively.
Man you're not kidding. Philly is missing their 3 best players, Brooklyn is healthy (and Simmons/Kyrie played pretty well) and the game isn't even competitive in the final minutes. They were incapable of putting together a lineup down the stretch that could both score and play defense. 20 offensive rebounds for Philly? Embarrassing is an understatement.

Simmons has been finding his legs recently. I was talking about that in one of these threads the other day. People are forgetting that he hadn’t played basketball for about 16 months while coming off back surgery. It was always going to take some time for him to get back physically.
Zion and Jamal Murray are also playing well below their 2021 levels after missing all last year, and we can't even talk about Kawhi. I'd still wait awhile longer before saying that Simmons is back considering his physical and mental issues sound like things that could flare back up at any time.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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The Kings won their seventh game in a row tonight against the Grizzlies in Memphis. Its early yet but it shouldn't be a total shock that a good coach in Brown plus the right pieces added to Fox makes this team more competitive. Let's see how they do in Boston on Friday.
 

Cellar-Door

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128

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The Kings won their seventh game in a row tonight against the Grizzlies in Memphis. Its early yet but it shouldn't be a total shock that a good coach in Brown plus the right pieces added to Fox makes this team more competitive. Let's see how they do in Boston on Friday.
This two-game stretch for the C's—Dallas tonite, Sacramento on Friday, both games in Boston—is must-see TV (for those of us who can't attend either game).
 

Fishy1

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Cool that Fox has got some help, but he should get most of the credit. He has really leveled up as a scorer in the early going. His efficiency so far this year is absolutely insane. 55.5% from the field! 40% from three! Plus five free throws a game. Like it helps to have a lot of good roleplayers, but this team isn't winning games because he finally got the right mix of roleplayers in castoffs like Barnes, Huerter, and Sabonis (who are all pretty good players, don't get me wrong!). They're winning because he's a human fucking torch.