March 2020 NBA Game Thread

terrynever

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Gotta love Shake Milton. 76ers are 12-for-20 from beyond the arc. They won’t win but the effort is great.
 

shawnrbu

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Refs missed a critical 8 second backcourt violation with the Sixers down 6. Should be reviewable.

Edit: Guess not. Evidently the shot clock needs to reach 15 instead of 16 for it to be called.
 

mikeot

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Raptors drop one down in the standings, falling to the Nuggets in Denver; best matchup of the day IMHO that was well worth watching.
 

CreedBratton

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Raptors drop one down in the standings, falling to the Nuggets in Denver; best matchup of the day IMHO that was well worth watching.
Was a good game. Jokic is always fun to watch. Big help for the Celtics!
 

The Social Chair

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Why are Hart and Holiday guarding Lebron?

Alvin Gentry is Mark Jackson and Ingram is Monta Ellis.
 
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Kliq

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Pelicans have no one to guard LeBron and they have turning the ball over left and right in the fourth quarter. I don’t think a first round series between these two teams would be that interesting tbh.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Pelicans have no one to guard LeBron and they have turning the ball over left and right in the fourth quarter. I don’t think a first round series between these two teams would be that interesting tbh.
I completely agree with this assessment.

I want the Blazers to get healthy and reclaim that spot as I think they could push the Lakers in a series at full strength. They probably aren't going to make it though and even if they do, its probably over in six if that.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Zion is their best defender going forward. This game should be used to end all Tatum/Ingram comparisons. Zero effort on the defensive end. Ball is a turn stile. Statistically, one of the worst defenses in the league.

Anthony Davis will be winning his third championship in LA by the time this group of Pelicans learn what a zone defense is.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Bertans 8-10 from three tonight.

Fantasy Ben Simmons lineup: Curry / Thompson / Simmons / Duncan Robinson / Davis Bertans
 

lovegtm

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Refs missed a critical 8 second backcourt violation with the Sixers down 6. Should be reviewable.

Edit: Guess not. Evidently the shot clock needs to reach 15 instead of 16 for it to be called.
Yeah, if you think about the “real” shot clock has having decimals that aren’t displayed, it makes sense.

The violation happens at 16.0–from 16.9 to 16.0 the play is legal, but the clock is just showing 16.
 

lovegtm

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Raptors drop one down in the standings, falling to the Nuggets in Denver; best matchup of the day IMHO that was well worth watching.
I’ll be interested to see what happens with the Raps the rest of the way. They’ve had the needle in red since Christmas. Lowry’s minutes, in particular, bear watching. I could see him just being out of juice in March/April. He played 38 mins tonight, and is averaging 36.5 on the year as an almost 34 year-old 6 foot guard who plays a really high energy, physical style.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Such great clock recognition prior to the inbounds pass by LeBron to get a quality 2-for-1. Notice he allows the ball to roll as to not begin the clock. I recall an interview with Chris Paul years ago when he described how he prepares for end of quarter possession advantages once the clock is inside :60......So many player force a shot inside of :30 only to have to force another against the end of quarter.
 

Kliq

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Westbrook in 2020: 33-8-7 on 53 percent shooting from the field, 75 percent from the line, only taking 2 threes a game.

It is possible he could leapfrog one of Luka/Harden and make First Team All-NBA this season, which would have been a great bet to make back in December.
 

lovegtm

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Westbrook in 2020: 33-8-7 on 53 percent shooting from the field, 75 percent from the line, only taking 2 threes a game.

It is possible he could leapfrog one of Luka/Harden and make First Team All-NBA this season, which would have been a great bet to make back in December.
He’s turned into mini-Giannis; it’s crazy to watch.
 

the moops

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It is possible he could leapfrog one of Luka/Harden and make First Team All-NBA this season, which would have been a great bet to make back in December.
This seems unlikely. Luka is too good of a story, and no chance Westbrook overtakes his own teammate who is leading the league in scoring
 

Kliq

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This seems unlikely. Luka is too good of a story, and no chance Westbrook overtakes his own teammate who is leading the league in scoring
Harden in 2020: 30-7-7 with 40 percent shooting, 32 percent from deep on 12 attempts per game. Westbrook has significantly outplayed him in 2020, and if that trend holds, I think you can reasonably argue that Westbrook was better than Harden, who has been pretty bad in 2020 despite still scoring at a good rate.

Luka is a great story, but has he been better than Westbrook this season? 28-9-9 on 46 percent from the field and 31 percent from deep on 9 attempts per game is good, but not as efficient as 2020 Westbrook. Westbrook is also a better defender and if Houston wins a lot more games than Dallas and finishes as the #2 seed, I think Westbrook has a case, even though his 2019 was so bad. I'm not saying that it is likely, only that it is possible.
 

terrynever

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Odds are that the teams that don't make it will be the Jazz and whichever of Miami/Phi doesn't have homecourt.

Which makes sense--those teams just aren't that good.
Philly should fall to 6 seed soon before they get off this west coast swing. Philly-Toronto in first round?
 

DJnVa

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The Knicks up by 16 on Houston late in the 3rd because of course they are.
 

Kliq

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Good game on NBA TV. Heat lead Milwaukee by seven with 7 minutes to play.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Good game on NBA TV. Heat lead Milwaukee by seven with 7 minutes to play.
If Harden, Westbrook and Covington are at Encore playing poker, blackjack and shooting dice until 4am in Boston.....can you imagine what visiting teams do in Miami Beach the night before a game? It’s historically been one of the best home court advantages in the league for good reason. I can’t wait for Las Vegas to get their team soon.
 

Kliq

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If Harden, Westbrook and Covington are at Encore playing poker, blackjack and shooting dice until 4am in Boston.....can you imagine what visiting teams do in Miami Beach the night before a game? It’s historically been one of the best home court advantages in the league for good reason. I can’t wait for Las Vegas to get their team soon.
Always a good point. Milwaukee looked really sluggish and had probably their worst shooting night of the season. I'm not a huge Miami believer but their defense was superb tonight; Bam did a great job on Giannis, similar to prime Horford, and they used a lot of smart double-teams to force the ball out of Giannis' hands. Crowder had a really good game on defense; he isn't consistent but he is capable.
 

lovegtm

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Fucking Bucks. Would be nice to have the non-Bucks side of the bracket locked up for the Cs.
 

lovegtm

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View: https://twitter.com/BenDuBose/status/1234874883332624386?s=20


I think Morey is 100% right, but I also learned a long time ago that when something seems obviously dumb (paying announcers lots of money to trash the on-air product), there’s usually a reason that makes it seem not quite as dumb. (Chesterton’s NBA fence, if you will.)

So what am I missing? Why do networks that have a ton invested in the perception of the NBA not get this right?
 

The Long Tater

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If Harden, Westbrook and Covington are at Encore playing poker, blackjack and shooting dice until 4am in Boston.....can you imagine what visiting teams do in Miami Beach the night before a game? It’s historically been one of the best home court advantages in the league for good reason. I can’t wait for Las Vegas to get their team soon.
This is a known betting angle already in the NHL. Betting the money line against teams the game after they play in Vegas has been profitable.
 

ElUno20

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I think Morey is 100% right, but I also learned a long time ago that when something seems obviously dumb (paying announcers lots of money to trash the on-air product), there’s usually a reason that makes it seem not quite as dumb. (Chesterton’s NBA fence, if you will.)

So what am I missing? Why do networks that have a ton invested in the perception of the NBA not get this right?
Has he not heard reggie miller or chris webber who are fucking awful?
 

benhogan

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I think Morey is 100% right, but I also learned a long time ago that when something seems obviously dumb (paying announcers lots of money to trash the on-air product), there’s usually a reason that makes it seem not quite as dumb. (Chesterton’s NBA fence, if you will.)

So what am I missing? Why do networks that have a ton invested in the perception of the NBA not get this right?
I believe you were on this a few months ago?

People hate what they don't understand.
The math behind analytics probably scares the heck out of a lot of announcers (ex-athletes/communication majors).
 

benhogan

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Smokey Joe

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I think Morey is 100% right, but I also learned a long time ago that when something seems obviously dumb (paying announcers lots of money to trash the on-air product), there’s usually a reason that makes it seem not quite as dumb. (Chesterton’s NBA fence, if you will.)

So what am I missing? Why do networks that have a ton invested in the perception of the NBA not get this right?
Let me get this straight. Darryl Morley is complaining about what other people are saying?

What draws eyes is controversy, not kumbaya. If James Harden is destroying basketball, people will tune in to find out why. They will stay to root against him or for him. Darryl Morey is doing his bit by complaining about the announcers. More controversy. More eyes.
So everybody is doing a great job promoting the league. Nothing to see here.
 

Kliq

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Pop missed the game tonight due to personal reasons, so Tim Duncan was the head coach tonight for the Spurs, and they beat Charlotte 104-103. Also, he has dreadlocks (kind of).
 

HomeRunBaker

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This is a known betting angle already in the NHL. Betting the money line against teams the game after they play in Vegas has been profitable.
Do NHL teams remain in the visiting city after the game until the following day? In the NBA there is always a plane waiting to bring the team to the next city immediately following the game or back home unless there is a unique circumstance. Just wondering why the game following the Vegas game would be impacted.
 

wonderland

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Do NHL teams remain in the visiting city after the game until the following day? In the NBA there is always a plane waiting to bring the team to the next city immediately following the game or back home unless there is a unique circumstance. Just wondering why the game following the Vegas game would be impacted.
Party in Vegas, play game in Vegas, fly to next spot, and come out flat the next game?
 

HomeRunBaker

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Ewing Theory in full effect at Staples tonight. The Sixers bench crew playing their hearts out with the opportunity while the Lakers approached this game as if the Sixers bench players were going to lay down for them. Same thing happened the other night vs the Clippers.
 

jon abbey

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Ewing Theory demolished at the end of the second quarter. :)
 

HomeRunBaker

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For anyone not watching......LeBron pulled up off the dribble one large step over the halfcourt line and drained a 3. I do not believer I've ever seen a deeper shot out of a normal offensive set that wasn't up against the clock or trying to get 3 FT's by launching the ball on contact...….and that includes any Steph Curry attempt.