February 2020 NBA Game Thread

Cesar Crespo

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Also imagine watching an Atlanta at Dallas game with no Young, Doncic or KP.

Dallas is winning easily 109-89 with 5:55 left.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Apathetic A-Hole at it again: 39 pts (13-21 fg, 7-12 3fg), 10 ast, 1 tov in 30 minutes.

Blazers 94, Jazz 83 through 3.
 
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HomeRunBaker

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Jazz limping into the break.
I’m not so sure they are “that much” different during this 4-game losing streak than they were when winning 19 of 21. Single digit losses to Houston, a road B2B in San Ant and Denver, then the dreaded “game after leaving altitude” against a red hot Blazer team. If my count is correct, of those 19 wins 16 of them came against below-.500 teams......with 10 of those being below-.400 teams. The Jazz also did not play a single B2B during that 21-game stretch.
 

lovegtm

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It’s funny that everyone is trying to dunk on my comments about Zion’s first game when he’s now being awesome and
1. doing all the stuff he didn’t do in that game
2. stopped shooting 3s that jacked up the stats in that bad first game

In the future I’ll limit myself to “Zion bad!” and “Zion good!” comments so as to avoid misunderstandings.
 

The Social Chair

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NBA's attendance is a problem. The empty arenas make it look like a minor league sport. Looks about 40% empty in Houston today.
 

Euclis20

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It’s funny that everyone is trying to dunk on my comments about Zion’s first game when he’s now being awesome and
1. doing all the stuff he didn’t do in that game
2. stopped shooting 3s that jacked up the stats in that bad first game

In the future I’ll limit myself to “Zion bad!” and “Zion good!” comments so as to avoid misunderstandings.
He was a teenager, making the most anticipated debut since Lebron, he hadn't played a competitive game in 8-9 months and was coming off of knee surgery...and he came through. He faced intense pressure and was successful. Even ignoring his 4-4 from 3, he was 4-7 from the field with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 18 minutes. That's really good, especially for a 19 year old making his professional debut. Full stop. I don't know what sort of standard you wanted him held to. He clearly looked rusty for most of the game (5 turnovers) but in the biggest game of his life, he made a huge impact.

Plenty of players can have a hot game from the 3 point line to make their final stats look good. Not many players do it as a teenager, in their professional debut, coming off of knee surgery, with the whole league watching, in the 4th quarter of a close game against a solid team.
 

Jimbodandy

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It’s funny that everyone is trying to dunk on my comments about Zion’s first game when he’s now being awesome and
1. doing all the stuff he didn’t do in that game
2. stopped shooting 3s that jacked up the stats in that bad first game

In the future I’ll limit myself to “Zion bad!” and “Zion good!” comments so as to avoid misunderstandings.
Your comments after that game were measured and reasonable. I sure as hell was not thinking of you when posting that.
 

HomeRunBaker

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NBA's attendance is a problem. The empty arenas make it look like a minor league sport. Looks about 40% empty in Houston today.
The Rockets sell out every game and had a season ticket waiting list last season. The no-shows probably had more to do with the start time and it being Super Bowl Sunday.
 

Kliq

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Pat Connaughton, the pride of Arlington, Mass. is the fourth and final participant for the dunk contest.
 

terrynever

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Jimmy Butler lighting up the 76ers tonight, mostly with Simmons guarding him. Has 38 late in third quarter. Embiid has jammed his padded left hand twice in scrums with Miami. Heat up 14 after a close first half.

The shit show continues.
 

Sam Ray Not

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How bad does the Wizards defense have to be to give up 125 to a Warriors team that started Jacob Evans, Damion Lee, Glenn Robinson III, Draymond and Marquese Chriss?

Meanwhile Steph and Beal (43 points) shared some long, super-soulful whispers afterwards. Beal to the Bay confirmed?
 

HomeRunBaker

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Pacers are really really struggling to incorporate Malcolm and Victor together along with Sabonis and Turner together......watching them attempt to do both together is a train wreck of epic proportions if anyone cares to take a peak at this team.

If ever there was a team desperate to reshape its rotation at the deadline it is Indiana.
 

benhogan

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Pacers are really really struggling to incorporate Malcolm and Victor together along with Sabonis and Turner together......watching them attempt to do both together is a train wreck of epic proportions if anyone cares to take a peak at this team.

If ever there was a team desperate to reshape its rotation at the deadline it is Indiana.
Is Victor right? or is it going to take another year to heal? Brogdon played off-ball with Bledsoe and was fine

100% agree that Turner and Sabonis is a terrible pairing. While Sabonis has continued his annual leap and is headed to the All-Star game, this season has been value destructive for Myles... should have dealt him this Summer

Having more fun watching the Philly implosion, but will have to go watch the Pacers...
 
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HomeRunBaker

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Is Victor right? or is it going to take another year to heal? Brogdon played off-ball with Bledsoe and was fine

100% agree that Turner and Sabonis is a terrible pairing. While Sabonis has continued his annual leap and is headed to the All-Star game, this season has been value destructive for Myles... should have dealt him this Summer

Having more fun watching the Philly implosion, but will have to go watch the Pacers...
They are different players though. It’s almost comically awkward watching one off the ball when the other has it. It almost looks like......two guards who don’t have any chemistry together. Which of course is understandable as they are jumping into the heart of the NBA season without any real practices together.
 

the moops

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Myles Turner would be an incredible fit on this Celtics team. Would have to be some sort of three team with Smart going out though, and I am struggling to find something that works.
 

lovegtm

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Myles Turner would be an incredible fit on this Celtics team. Would have to be some sort of three team with Smart going out though, and I am struggling to find something that works.
You can get there salary-wise (without putting in Smart or Theis) by doing Semi/Carsen/Langford/VP/Kanter/Javonte. Alternatively keep Langford and put in Theis, or switch someone out for TL. Obviously it gets tough to find a trade that makes the roster sizes balance properly, and a third team would be necessary for that.

This is probably why Danny is publicly saying now that they have too many young guys and want to consolidate the roster. If you want to do some complicated 3-team transaction, it helps a lot if other teams you're not in constant contact with know what you want and can plan for it.
 

Cesar Crespo

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You can get there salary-wise (without putting in Smart or Theis) by doing Semi/Carsen/Langford/VP/Kanter/Javonte. Alternatively keep Langford and put in Theis, or switch someone out for TL. Obviously it gets tough to find a trade that makes the roster sizes balance properly, and a third team would be necessary for that.

This is probably why Danny is publicly saying now that they have too many young guys and want to consolidate the roster. If you want to do some complicated 3-team transaction, it helps a lot if other teams you're not in constant contact with know what you want and can plan for it.
I'm pretty sure Indiana could get a much better offer for Myles Turner from some other team. The Celtics don't really have the chips they did the last few years. Tatum and Brown are keepers and the Memphis pick isn't looking so hot.

I'd love to get Turner I just don't see a deal. Maybe in the off season if they want to explore a Hayward deal. I'd also like the Celtics to make more use of his inside game if they do acquire him. He's been living behind the 3 point line this year, 45% of shots are from that range. The last 2 seasons it was around 25%.
 

Jimbodandy

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I'm pretty sure Indiana could get a much better offer for Myles Turner from some other team. The Celtics don't really have the chips they did the last few years. Tatum and Brown are keepers and the Memphis pick isn't looking so hot.

I'd love to get Turner I just don't see a deal. Maybe in the off season if they want to explore a Hayward deal. I'd also like the Celtics to make more use of his inside game if they do acquire him. He's been living behind the 3 point line this year, 45% of shots are from that range. The last 2 seasons it was around 25%.
I've been humping the Turner trade for weeks, and Hayward makes the most sense to me, with picks.

Edit: and I agree that Turner could be used so much better.
 

Cesar Crespo

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I've been humping the Turner trade for weeks, and Hayward makes the most sense to me, with picks.

Edit: and I agree that Turner could be used so much better.

Closer look shows that while they are using him inside 3 feet 5% less, he's actually taking way less less 16-3pt jump shots and has replaced all of those with 3 pointers. 30% of his shots were from 16-3pt in 2017/18 and 24% in 18/19. This year, it's 8%. That's actually a good thing.

He should still be used inside more though, and be getting more than 10 FGA a game.
 

Jimbodandy

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Closer look shows that while they are using him inside 3 feet 5% less, he's actually taking way less less 16-3pt jump shots and has replaced all of those with 3 pointers. 30% of his shots were from 16-3pt in 2017/18 and 24% in 18/19. This year, it's 8%. That's actually a good thing.

He should still be used inside more though, and be getting more than 10 FGA a game.
Agreed. I like him in that Horford on Cs role, where he would sometimes facilitate from the middle, high PnR pop guy, etc. He's clearly being underutilized.
 

mikeot

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Bucks at Pels, Zion v. The Greek, early in the third, lead keeps changing hands: any body else into this? Now on TNT.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Mr.DARcy heartbroken that he can't be with KATman?
He’ll get there in summer, when it isn’t freezing...

Figures the one Ws game I see live this year is that debacle. Between that, the general demise of the Ws, the end of the Brady (?) and Mookie eras, and the continuing Trump shitshow, I’m hoping this is rock bottom in terms of externalities...
 
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lovegtm

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Just watched the last few minutes of Indy-Toronto...what an epic chokejob by the Pacers. Up 11 with 2:30 left, they were completely unprepared for the most predictable thing ever: Toronto breaking out the press. On the plus side, they might beat Philly in the race to be shitty enough for the #6 seed, and keep the Sixers out of the Celtics bracket.
 

Sox and Rocks

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My Nuggets with the best win of the season last night. They had 7 players in uniform, on the road at Utah, the second night of a B2B, and they pulled it out. Joker became the 9th player in NBA history to put up 30-20-10.

It's never too early to start planning the championship parade, lol.
 

bigq

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Embiid struggling going 1-10 from the floor in the first half against Milwaukee with the Bucks up 54-51 at the midway point. Wonder if Simmons was referring to Embiid when he said the 76ers were soft a couple of days ago.
 

benhogan

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Just watched the last few minutes of Indy-Toronto...what an epic chokejob by the Pacers. Up 11 with 2:30 left, they were completely unprepared for the most predictable thing ever: Toronto breaking out the press. On the plus side, they might beat Philly in the race to be shitty enough for the #6 seed, and keep the Sixers out of the Celtics bracket.
I was so PO'd when I saw that score. For being the defending Champions, they literally get no love from the NBA media. Toronto is extremely well-coached, they will be tough to catch.
 

mauf

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Embiid struggling going 1-10 from the floor in the first half against Milwaukee with the Bucks up 54-51 at the midway point. Wonder if Simmons was referring to Embiid when he said the 76ers were soft a couple of days ago.
Al has lost a step as well.

The Sixers have a lot of talent and a couple months to find their groove, but right now they look a #6 seed, their success against us notwithstanding.
 

mauf

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Lebron drafted the ABC game of the week team and Giannis drafted the NBATV Monday Night team.
Giannis’s picks make sense if he’s planning to go balls out, Russ Westbrook style, for 40 minutes — let LeBron take the ball-dominant guys and grab a bunch of smaller players who can shoot the 3 and run the break.

I don’t think he’s going to do that, which means Team LeBron should win handily.
 

Kliq

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Some posters actually thought that Philly had "figured out" Giannis and were a bigger obstacle for Boston than Milwaukee, based on one game from December where Giannis played poorly (even though last season Giannis destroyed Philly each time they played).