2022-23 NBA Game Thread

BigSoxFan

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Never so much digital ink spilled on a mid-first round draft pick basically turning out like you would expect.
Eh, who cares? The main board follows ex-Red Sox too. I, for one, remain curious about Langford and Nesmith in different environments. The bitterness has subsided thanks to Hauser. I don’t miss either guy at this point. They wouldn’t be getting minutes.
 

128

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And Nesmith is 31% from three this year vs. 31.7% for his career. So apparently it wasn't a lack of playing time.

I always harbored a quiet fear that Nesmith's partial, truncated-college-season display of lights-out shooting from three was fool's gold, and that Danny and Co. were taking a big chance on him. That whole "one of the best shooters in the draft" meme seems to have been leveraged on one injury-shortened season (and he does have good form).
Supposedly Nesmith absolutely crushed his workout for the C's, too.
 

benhogan

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Eh, who cares? The main board follows ex-Red Sox too. I, for one, remain curious about Langford and Nesmith in different environments. The bitterness has subsided thanks to Hauser. I don’t miss either guy at this point. They wouldn’t be getting minutes.
for sure, nice to see Brad quickly move on from Celtic mistakes

also like following Kemba, Tristan, Gordon, Fournier, Schroder, etc for similar reasons
 

BigSoxFan

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for sure, nice to see Brad quickly move on from Celtic mistakes

also like following Kemba, Tristan, Gordon, Fournier, Schroder, etc for similar reasons
Agreed. Brad doesn’t mess around and it’s served the team well. The last couple of seasons has been a front office master stroke, especially White/Brogdon. Those 2 guys have completely transformed this team.
 

themuddychicken

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NBA league pass is 50% off for Cyber Monday. I think it works out to $49 for the rest of the season.
Using code NBA50. I signed up yesterday and the site said $50. When I clicked through it was $100. I had to look around to find the code.

It's a fantastic deal this early in the season.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Kind of sucks for all of us who paid full freight a month ago - not an ideal customer experience and I imagine it'll bite them in the ass if people expect the same kind of deal next year.
I thought this too but then realized that I would not wait to save the money. For me LP is a great value given how much I use it. That first month+ provides a lot of entertainment value.
 

lovegtm

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I thought this too but then realized that I would not wait to save the money. For me LP is a great value given how much I use it. That first month+ provides a lot of entertainment value.
Waking up every morning (Europe time) to watch the previous night's game has been a joyful routine with this team; easily worth the money.
 

ManicCompression

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I thought this too but then realized that I would not wait to save the money. For me LP is a great value given how much I use it. That first month+ provides a lot of entertainment value.
Yeah, I agree, the product is great. Just saying that I'm not sure it's a great strategy to take your best customers for granted and have them pay 2.5X more dollars for just .25X more of the product.
 

radsoxfan

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What an absolutely glorious Pacers comeback win tonight against the Lakers.

17 point Laker lead in the 4th
 

HomeRunBaker

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What a finish in LA!!! Pacers come back from down 17 in the 4Q, 11 with 4:30 to go, and win on a walkoff 3 by Andrew Nembhard!
 

HomeRunBaker

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I thought this too but then realized that I would not wait to save the money. For me LP is a great value given how much I use it. That first month+ provides a lot of entertainment value.
Exactly. It’s like NFL Red Zone in that if you are a fan of the sport you have to have it…..and they know it. I wouldn’t wait either.
 

Euclis20

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The Lakers are still on a nice little run (5-2 over their last 7), but they've now lost their last 7 against teams with winning records. Sadly they probably aren't seriously in the running for the #1 pick (the Pelicans getting Wemby would be the gift that keeps on giving for a dozen or more years), but they are thoroughly mediocre and deserving of their current spot in the conference standings, which is 13th. Tinkering around the edges (Hield/Turner) doesn't fix this mess.

Exactly. It’s like NFL Red Zone in that if you are a fan of the sport you have to have it…..and they know it. I wouldn’t wait either.
This, plus unlike the NFL, I don't particularly mind giving the NBA [more] money.
 

ElUno20

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I was just reading yesterday how the feeling inside the locker room was the lakers are a player or two away from contending for a title.
 

PedroKsBambino

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I was just reading yesterday how the feeling inside the locker room was the lakers are a player or two away from contending for a title.
If that additional player is Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum or Giannis, I can buy that
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Ant Simons having a big night with 34(12-15 from field, 8-11 from three) heading into the fourth vs the Clippers on TNT.

Edit: Simons (37 pts so three in fourth) got clamped by Norman Powell who came off the bench to drop 32 pts (22 pts in fourth) on the Blazers in Portland as the Clips won 118-112
 
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ElUno20

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Ant Simons having a big night with 34(12-15 from field, 8-11 from three) heading into the fourth vs the Clippers on TNT.

Edit: Simons (37 pts so three in fourth) got clamped by Norman Powell who came off the bench to drop 32 pts (22 pts in fourth) on the Blazers in Portland as the Clips won 118-112
Those clamps also belong to Batum. Nice comeback, imagine if this team had a #1 option.
 

nighthob

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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.
I was in the hospital and not paying attention to this thread then, and I came across this while catching up. Simmons always struck me as a guy that skated by on physical ability and never was interested in putting in the hard time.

Admittedly I got this impression from his various skills coaches hinting that he was largely uncoachable (i.e. he was willing to work at some things, but on important items, like his shooting, was more interested in doing things that looked good to him rather than actually getting good). Even during his all defense years he relied on being long, 6’11”, and really athletic than on the technical end of the game. If you could have grafted Marcus Smart’s head onto the 20 year old Ben Simmons’s body you would have had an MVP level player.

Tatum did a much better job defending Doncic when he had to, and he did it while carrying Boston’s offensive load. And also while lacking Simmons’s former athleticism. Simmons injured his back trying to get into shape after his trade to Brooklyn, and once guys that size injure their backs they begin a long slow slide (think back to post-back injury T-Mac, who became a shell of himself quite young). So all in all I agree with you that we’ve probably seen the best of Simmons and that he’s going to end his career a might’ve been. Maybe after this contract is over he goes and signs with the Cavs and having Mobley and Allen behind him revives his defensive rep. But it will be the other two guys doing the work.,
 

benhogan

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lolol, yes. Pelinka is an all-timer of a bad GM who will get a pass because of the weird bubble title.
At what point did the Lakers say to themselves, Holy Shit what did we do?

May have to go back to the RWB trade thread and see what stupid things I said about the Lakers New Big 3
 

BigSoxFan

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At what point did the Lakers say to themselves, Holy Shit what did we do?

May have to go back to the RWB trade thread and see what stupid things I said about the Lakers New Big 3
They’re the perfect case for that Thanos meme.

“We won the bubble title”

“But what did it cost?”

“Everything…”
 

HomeRunBaker

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Take KAT out of the lineup and the Wolves are already up to 26 forced TO while putting the defensive clamps on the Grizz. B2B 4Q shot clock violations just now.

KAT could quietly be one of the games all-time empty numbers guys.
 

benhogan

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Take KAT out of the lineup and the Wolves are already up to 26 forced TO while putting the defensive clamps on the Grizz. B2B 4Q shot clock violations just now.

KAT could quietly be one of the games all-time empty numbers guys.
man I've always thought that, empty calories
 

HomeRunBaker

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man I've always thought that, empty calories
It brought Edwards out of his season long shell as well. Not only was he unstoppable with the ball but morphed into a Marcus/Draymond love child defensively. Perfect example of Ewing Theory at work.
 

Jimbodandy

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Take KAT out of the lineup and the Wolves are already up to 26 forced TO while putting the defensive clamps on the Grizz. B2B 4Q shot clock violations just now.

KAT could quietly be one of the games all-time empty numbers guys.
I don't know about empty numbers, but he's soft.

Over 500 NBA games, and 11 playoff games total. 11. Guy who is as productive as he is should have more than 11 playoff games on his resume with seven years in the league.
 

Euclis20

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I don't know about empty numbers, but he's soft.

Over 500 NBA games, and 11 playoff games total. 11. Guy who is as productive as he is should have more than 11 playoff games on his resume with seven years in the league.
In his defense, he's not the 1st player of his caliber to spend the first part of his career in the lottery. Anthony Davis played just 13 playoff games in his first seven years, Kevin Love didn't make the playoffs until his 7th season, Devin Booker didn't make the playoffs until his 6th season, and that's just some easy examples from the last dozen years or so. More troubling than his lack of playoff experience is his brutal defense and lousy fit alongside Gobert (the latter isn't entirely his fault, but it is what it is).
 

Jimbodandy

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In his defense, he's not the 1st player of his caliber to spend the first part of his career in the lottery. Anthony Davis played just 13 playoff games in his first seven years, Kevin Love didn't make the playoffs until his 7th season, Devin Booker didn't make the playoffs until his 6th season, and that's just some easy examples from the last dozen years or so. More troubling than his lack of playoff experience is his brutal defense and lousy fit alongside Gobert (the latter isn't entirely his fault, but it is what it is).
That's a list of similarly soft players imo.
 

lovegtm

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The Lakers take shit, but is there a worse teambuilding job out there than what Dallas has done? You get Luka, he's good from year 2, on a rookie deal, and....this is your roster 3 years later?
 

Sam Ray Not

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Warriors outscore the Rockets *75-9* from 3 ... and somehow still only win by 19.

Wiggins 8-10 from 3 (almost 9-11 but had a toe on the line on the last one). Now .450 from 3 on the season on 7 attempts a game.
 
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Euclis20

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No discussion about it yesterday, but I found it odd/interesting that the three best teams in the league (Celtics/Bucks/Suns) all lost to teams with losing records (Heat/Lakers/Rockets). I feel like that doesn't happen too often.
 

benhogan

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Warriors outscore the Rockets *75-9* from 3 ... and somehow still only win by 19.

Wiggins 8-10 from 3 (almost 9-11 but had a toe on the line on the last one). Now .450 from 3 on the season on 7 attempts a game.
They'll easily win the WC when Bob addresses the bench.

Won't be hard to find bench pieces this year
 

Tony C

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They'll easily win the WC when Bob addresses the bench.

Won't be hard to find bench pieces this year
Agreed, and they have the resources to do so -- do they trade Wiseman in order to get the guy they want?
 

benhogan

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Agreed, and they have the resources to do so -- do they trade Wiseman in order to get the guy they want?
Their starting 5 (also when Poole plays with them) is absurdly good. They basically dismantled Houston whenever they hit the floor, while their bench would slowly bleed it back. This has been going on all season
Bob probably moves on from Wiseman before his value deteriorates further in the G-League. Ironically JW's salary can help with matching. The tankers will be auctioning off vets for lottery tickets like JW/Kuminga/Moody. Suspect they can easily replace what they lost in Otto and GP2 via trades in Feb.

Usable vets like Poetle, JRich, Plumlee, Beasley, Olynyk, Oubre, Caruso, and Burks would be better than the crap the Warriors are running off their bench now
 

Sam Ray Not

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They'll easily win the WC when Bob addresses the bench.

Won't be hard to find bench pieces this year
I wouldn’t say "easily." The Suns, Nuggets, and Grizz may have a say in the matter; or the Clips if they can ever get whole; or the Pels if they keep coalescing; or Dallas just because Luka; or even the LOLakers if they can stay healthy and swing a trade.

Yeah, none of them are a Bucks/Celtics-level juggernaut, but variance always favors the field over one team. Winning 18 straight conference playoff series is not easy — the Warriors just make it look that way. And heck, even in their peak dynasty years, the Rockets came pretty close to knocking them out.

In any case, yes, they probably need some roster help if they’re going to make it 21 straight Western series this year (let alone win one for the thumb). As many have noted, it feels disrespectful to the wonder of Steph at age 34 not to cash in some of the “second timeline” chips to go for it now.

You laid out the case for a Wiseman trade well, including the fact that his ~$10M contract gives them options. I’m under no illusions that he has much trade value right now, but if you’re a nowheresville / tanking for Vic team like the Spurs, you’ve got nothing to lose by flipping an expiring like Poeltl (who has said he will not re-sign in SA) for a lottery ticket like Wiseman. Whatever else you might say about Wiseman: he’s a 21 y.o. 7-1 freak athlete with a killer body; and is by all accounts a great, hardworking kid. And even while being a massive negative on the floor, he always manages to put up an easy 20 pts / 10 reb per 36 on high efficiency. If I were a Spurs fan, I’d be all over a Poeltl for “Admiral 2.0” deal. Seems like a win-win-win for the Spurs, Warriors, and Wiseman himself.

Who knows what the Warriors FO is thinking, but I would quibble with your assessment on a couple grounds. (1) I don’t want to move either Kuminga or Moody for anyone who’s not a legit star (and not for a one-year rental like Poeltl); and (1B) I think we’re basically fine on wing depth with Wiggs, Klay, JP, Donte, Lamb, Moody, Kuminga, and eventually Iguodala — so I don’t have much interest in adding a Burks or a JRich.

The pressing need imo is a playable big who’s bigger and more skilled than JaMychal Green. Right now they’re 100% hosed if anything happens to Dray or Looney. Both Olynyk and Poeltl fit that bill, and I’d be psyched with either. But the two guys I covet most might be Zach Collins and Jared Vanderbilt, who have the athleticism, toughness, and defensive switchability to thrive in Kerrball, plus are the right age to grow with the Poole-Wiggins-Kuminga-Moody young core.

Tick tick tick. Gitter done, Bob!
 
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benhogan

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I wouldn’t say "easily." The Suns, Nuggets, and Grizz may have a say in the matter; or the Clips if they can ever get whole; or the Pels if they keep coalescing; or Dallas just because Luka; or even the LOLakers if they can stay healthy and swing a trade.

Yeah, none of them are a Bucks/Celtics-level juggernaut, but variance always favors the field over one team. Winning 18 straight conference playoff series is not easy — the Warriors just make it look that way. And heck, even in their peak dynasty years, the Rockets came pretty close to knocking them out.

In any case, yes, they probably need some roster help if they’re going to make it 21 straight Western series this year (let alone win one for the thumb). As many have noted, it feels disrespectful to the wonder of Steph at age 34 not to cash in some of the “second timeline” chips to go for it now.

You laid out the case for a Wiseman trade well, including the fact that his ~$10M contract gives them options. I’m under no illusions that he has much trade value right now, but if you’re a nowheresville / tanking for Vic team like the Spurs, you’ve got nothing to lose by flipping an expiring like Poeltl (who has said he will not re-sign in SA) for a lottery ticket like Wiseman. Whatever else you might say about Wiseman: he’s a 21 y.o. 7-1 freak athlete with a killer body; and is by all accounts a great, hardworking kid. And even while being a massive negative on the floor, he always manages to put up an easy 20 pts / 10 reb per 36 on high efficiency. If I were a Spurs fan, I’d be all over a Poeltl for “Admiral 2.0” deal. Seems like a win-win-win for the Spurs, Warriors, and Wiseman himself.

Who knows what the Warriors FO is thinking, but I would quibble with your assessment on a couple grounds. (1) I don’t want to move either Kuminga or Moody for anyone who’s not a legit star (and not for a one-year rental like Poeltl); and (1B) I think we’re basically fine on wing depth with Wiggs, Klay, JP, Donte, Lamb, Moody, Kuminga, and eventually Iguodala — so I don’t have much interest in adding a Burks or a JRich.

The pressing need imo is a playable big who’s bigger and more skilled than JaMychal Green. Right now they’re 100% hosed if anything happens to Dray or Looney. Both Olynyk and Poeltl fit that bill, and I’d be psyched with either. But the two guys I covet most might be Zach Collins and Jared Vanderbilt, who have the athleticism, toughness, and defensive switchability to thrive in Kerrball, plus are the right age to grow with the Poole-Wiggins-Kuminga-Moody young core.

Tick tick tick. Gitter done, Bob!
The TOP 6 is so strong (driven mostly by magnetic Curry) that developing Kuminga, Moody, or JW shouldn't be Steve Kerr's problem anymore...They have until Feb to figure out if Donte, JaMychal, Lamb can be #9

I really like Vanderbilt a lot. He's a guy Bob should get aggressive with, his contract & play dovetails nicely.

They can build this team around Curry/Wiggins/Poole for the next 3 years. No need to dream on the kids. Just balance out the rest of the roster with high-level defense-first role players like Vandy + Poeltl

Curry isn't going away for years, he's in sick shape, loves playing, & his FTX tokens just got repo'd :eek:
 

PedroKsBambino

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Trae Young is a great, really fun to watch, and fairly unique player. He is not “bad”

And, I believe if you gave truth serum to the top 5-10 GMs they’d all tell you that they doubt you can build a serious contending team around his game, especially if he has an attitude. He is not Steph Curry as a defender or a teammate (or offensively, but there he is closer at least) and that isn’t the right comp. To me the comp is Russell Westbrook - a floor raise and tremendously fun player who is not likely to ever win a title (even if you put two top-ten players on the roster with him!)

What is the realistically-acquirable supporting cast which would both play enough defense to cover for him and not want shots/role offensively to make Trae work on a really good—-I mean finals contender team? I can’t name it.
 

BigSoxFan

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Things aren’t going so well of late. Not sure what’s gotten into them the last few weeks. 8-2 and counting.
AD has been insane lately. Like MVP good insane. This version of the Lakers is dangerous.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Things aren’t going so well of late. Not sure what’s gotten into them the last few weeks. 8-2 and counting.
A healthy LeBron and Davis. They combined for 84 today. The two of them would easily carry the Lakers to the playoffs if they were good to go for 82…..but we know that isn’t likely.