November General NBA Game Thread

BaseballJones

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Houston scored 159 points in regulation. They took (according to the shot chart) 6 shots that weren’t either threes or shots in the paint. They took 103 shots total.

Basketball, circa 2019. Crazy.
 

HomeRunBaker

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This game is NOT over yet. Phoenix 2nd unit is completely laying an egg trying to let the Warriors back in the game.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Its 20 points with 10 minutes left and Curry is after getting All Of Australia so I suspect the lead is safe. Also, they are playing this game in San Francisco. Sleepy Floyd is a DNP too FYI.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Its 20 points with 10 minutes left and Curry is after getting All Of Australia so I suspect the lead is safe. Also, they are playing this game in San Francisco. Sleepy Floyd is a DNP too FYI.
The lead was 35 it is now 14 and the Suns are a complete mess with 8 to go. I'm calling Warriors win (just be by less than 5 please!)
 

Sam Ray Not

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Silver linings...

It's his left hand
Made a quasi-game of it
Eric Paschall +19!!
WCS is back
Step right up, Ky Bowman
A full summer's worth of rest for the first time in 7 years
James Wiseman or LaMelo Ball?
The Pats
....
 

nattysez

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Looking forward to not having to pay an arm and a leg to see a game or two at the Chase Center!

The pressure on the Niners to keep winning just increased significantly -- between the Sharks, Kings, and Ws, it's going to be a long sports winter in the Bay Area if the Niners don't keep it up.
 

lovegtm

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Dumpster fire in progress in Oakland as the Warriors trail Phoenix at home after the 1Q, 43-14.
There's zero point in even putting mileage on Curry and Draymond at this point. Obviously they're too competitive to actually stop playing, but I could see them making a lot of defensive "business decisions" as the year goes on.

EDIT: missed the broken hand
 

lovegtm

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Just saw the Nets score: giving up 118 to this Indy team is brutal. But at least Kyrie got 28!
 

HomeRunBaker

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There's zero point in even putting mileage on Curry and Draymond at this point. Obviously they're too competitive to actually stop playing, but I could see them making a lot of defensive "business decisions" as the year goes on.

EDIT: missed the broken hand
Well, there isn’t exactly zero point.......there are about 1.4 Billion points. Has there ever been worse timing for building a new state-of-the-art arena?
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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How deep is this years draft? Any chance the Warriors can just go into tank mode and find someone to pair up with Draymond, Klay and Steph for their final 3-4 semi-productive years?
 

lovegtm

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Well, there isn’t exactly zero point.......there are about 1.4 Billion points. Has there ever been worse timing for building a new state-of-the-art arena?
Hey, when you're Light Years Ahead, you don't have to worry about those little details!
 

Sam Ray Not

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How deep is this years draft? Any chance the Warriors can just go into tank mode and find someone to pair up with Draymond, Klay and Steph for their final 3-4 semi-productive years?
I think that's been the quasi/contingency plan for this season since KD bolted. Curry's injury (on top of the injuries to Looney, Cauley-Stein, and Burks which contributed to their stumbling out of the gate) just forces the issue.

Not enough of a draft expert to say how deep 2020 is, but a lotto pick sure looks likely right now, and those always have value. In terms of assets / cap flexibility, that would leave them with the following to bolster Steph/Klay/Dray next summer:

• A 2020 lotto pick
• 24 y.o. D'Angelo Russell or his max salary slot
• 24 y.o. Looney on a cheap deal
• A bunch of cheap young talent who will have played a ton of minutes (Poole, Evans, Paschall, Spellman, Smailagic, e.g., at least one of whom will presumably have shown something...)
• A $17M TPE from the Iguodala deal to absorb a bloated contract from a team looking to shed $$$ (Harrison Barnes, anyone?)
• The taxpayer MLE (Iguodala, anyone?)
• Unlimited vet min contracts (unlike this season, when they were constrained by the hard cap to 14 roster spots filled mostly with young'uns at the low end of the minimum scale)

Not a bad arsenal with which to reload. As Ben Hogan alludes to, the fantasy is packaging DLo, a top pick, and whatever talent they can for The Freak or other disgruntled superstar looking to force his way off his team and move to sunny CA (KAT, Simmons, Durant when he gets tired of Kyrie's act, e.g.)
 

HomeRunBaker

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Hook this NBA drama up to my veins. Can’t wait for the next game.
March 24th. It's a Tuesday night which is usually reserved for the national games. I hope Embiid is held out for "load management" so KAT can call him a PUSSY on social media! The NBA.....it's FAN-tastic!!!!
 

Sam Ray Not

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Well, that's a bit sexist.

I do like the playoff bit, because Embiid has at least made it ALL THE WAY to the second round.
While being 30+ lbs. overweight and (v Toronto) playing a weird, perimeter-oriented game that effectively torpedoed his team’s offense.

It all gets less “cute” by the day, imho. He may have a good heart, but still seems like a big kid who needs to learn to right from wrong — on court and off. I don’t think all the coddling and lol-tsk-tsk-ing of his misogyny, bullying, and generally sh*tty behavior in the name of stoking NBA drama is doing him any favors.
 

bowiac

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I think that's been the quasi/contingency plan for this season since KD bolted. Curry's injury (on top of the injuries to Looney, Cauley-Stein, and Burks which contributed to their stumbling out of the gate) just forces the issue.

Not enough of a draft expert to say how deep 2020 is, but a lotto pick sure looks likely right now, and those always have value. In terms of assets / cap flexibility, that would leave them with the following to bolster Steph/Klay/Dray next summer:

• A 2020 lotto pick
• 24 y.o. D'Angelo Russell or his max salary slot
Are you presuming they can get off the Russell deal for free? I get it was a gamble to see if they could develop and trade him, but presumably if it turns out he's bad, they won't be able to offload that deal easily, right?
 

Sam Ray Not

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Are you presuming they can get off the Russell deal for free? I get it was a gamble to see if they could develop and trade him, but presumably if it turns out he's bad, they won't be able to offload that deal easily, right?
Yeah, that's the wild card — maintaining or increasing DLo's value is probably the franchise's top priority at this point. If he can replicate last year's numbers (25 pts, 8 ast per 36, only player other than the Big O to do that before age 23) but in slightly bigger minutes, with slightly better efficiency, I think he'll still be a strongly positive asset at age 24, even on a max deal. Need to get him to study Harden's shot chart on O and have Ron Adams get him to put his 6'-10" wingspan to better use on D.

Heck, if he improves enough, I may not even want to trade him — he could just become a sort of hybrid Iguodala-Livingston-Barbosa for next year's playoff team. But obviously someone like Giannis, KAT or Simmons (assuming one of them demands out, hampering his team's leverage) is the fantasy scenario.

Worst case: he maxes out as a defensively inept, inefficient chucker on an albatross contract, à la Andrew Wiggins (though his passing, handles and shooting are already far advanced of any skill Wiggins has).
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Yeah, he projects as a below average player using my numbers right now, and obviously isn't off to the best start, so I'm not sure how much value he's gonna have by the trade deadline.
I think the idea is that Russell would play the full season with the Warriors and Myers would then test his market next summer when some of the potentially disgruntled stars become available.

DLo in isolation is, at best, a project acquisition but if you staple some other parts to him plus a lottery pick, he cleans up a lot better.

Also, while Curry's injury is bad for the Warriors, it will likely mean that DLo gets more latitude to hunt shots and control the game. I suspect that he can only help his value now as most analytical takes on him are similar to yours.

To be fair, I am a Russell fan and I expect him to continue to improve. I don't know that he will ever be a good defender but I think he has a shot to become more efficient on offense if not a star.
 

HomeRunBaker

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To be fair, I am a Russell fan and I expect him to continue to improve. I don't know that he will ever be a good defender but I think he has a shot to become more efficient on offense if not a star.
If Russell works real hard maybe he can climb up to #19 on that list and displace Nerlens Noel someday.

I'm sorry I'm an a-hole I could not resist. :)
 

benhogan

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Yeah, he projects as a below average player using my numbers right now, and obviously isn't off to the best start, so I'm not sure how much value he's gonna have by the trade deadline.
I'm not a DLo fan, but I'd expect him to put up big counting #s (pts & assists) without Steph. The Warriors have one double-figure scorer from last season (Cauley-Stein) that's healthy on their roster besides DLo. :eek:

I'm guessing there are teams in the NBA that will see DLo as an asset much like the Spurs did with DeRozan's big point totals (but bad adv metrics). Add in his age and teams may dream on DLo improving his defense in the "right" situation (even if he flatlines this season). So stapling him to a top 3 pick, numerous future 1st rounders, future swap picks, and GS kids could land them a disgruntled top 20 star next Summer (see Lakers/Pelicans AD deal)

Kerr/GSW have no choice but to let them go young, play fast, hope some increase their NBA value and tank. I see nothing happening at the trade deadline this year for GS. Maybe Myers tries to turn someone like Looney, WCS into a future protected 1st rounder to add to their trade kitty.

Steph getting injured really isn't shocking, is it?
I'm sure they have contingency plans in the event of this happening.
 
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lovegtm

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I'm not a DLo fan, but I'd expect him to put up big counting #s (pts & assists) without Steph. The Warriors have one double-figure scorer from last season (Cauley-Stein) that's healthy on their roster besides DLo. :eek:

I'm guessing there are teams in the NBA that will see DLo as an asset much like the Spurs did with DeRozan's big point totals (but bad adv metrics). Add in his age and teams may dream on DLo improving his defense in the "right" situation (even if he flatlines this season). So stapling him to a top 3 pick, numerous future 1st rounders, future swap picks, and GS kids could land them a disgruntled top 20 star next Summer (see Lakers/Pelicans AD deal)

Kerr/GSW has no choice but to let them go young, play fast, hope some increase their NBA value and tank. I see nothing happening at the trade deadline this year for GS. Maybe Myers tries to turn someone like Looney, WCS into a future protected 1st rounder to add to their trade kitty.
They don’t really have to do anything to tank either. DLo+Dray+that roster might be the worst team in the NBA.
 

benhogan

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They don’t really have to do anything to tank either. DLo+Dray+that roster might be the worst team in the NBA.
Ha. Kicking SRN when the man is down :)

I have no animosity towards the Warriors and find their situation interesting. You have Pat Beverly talking smack with everyone in the NBA wanting to bury them. In 12 short months, the Warriors could be re-energized and easily be NBA favorites for 2020-21 if they play it right (which means unloading DLo for the right top 10-30ish player)
 

Kliq

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The Nuggets getting smoked and Jokic getting badly outplayed by Jahlil Okafor is...not great. I know he is a really unselfish player, but Jokic has to take more than six shots in a game.
 

Euclis20

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While being 30+ lbs. overweight and (v Toronto) playing a weird, perimeter-oriented game that effectively torpedoed his team’s offense.

It all gets less “cute” by the day, imho. He may have a good heart, but still seems like a big kid who needs to learn to right from wrong — on court and off. I don’t think all the coddling and lol-tsk-tsk-ing of his misogyny, bullying, and generally sh*tty behavior in the name of stoking NBA drama is doing him any favors.
He's got some Dwight Howard in him, for good and bad. He's a joke now but for 5-6 years he was the best center, best interior defender and best rebounder in the league, and he dragged some mediocre Orlando teams deep into the playoffs, including a finals run. Jury is still out on Embiid.
 

Tony C

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He's got some Dwight Howard in him, for good and bad. He's a joke now but for 5-6 years he was the best center, best interior defender and best rebounder in the league, and he dragged some mediocre Orlando teams deep into the playoffs, including a finals run. Jury is still out on Embiid.
Yeah, I like JE, but there is a bit too much of an "I love myself/I love attention" vibe. I thought the flexing and the trash talking should have merited him a bit more suspension than KAT and the whole thing smells of a guy who isn't going to have the focus to lead his team in tough times.
 

Kliq

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Embiid is a great talent but does seem to fall into being more of an entertainer than a basketball player at times; and while we have all loved those guys at times, it is amazing how few of them actually ended up being the best player on a title winning team. I guess maybe Shaq, but he didn't really win anything until he got to the Buss/West/Jackson cocoon in LA where they told him to ditch the acting and rap albums and to focus on basketball.

Embiid has been adopted as the saint of Philadelphia by both ownership and the Philly fans, which I think has enabled him to get away with a lot of shit that wouldn't fly for other talent in other markets. I think overall he lacks discipline and his two biggest flaws; shot selection and conditioning, reflect that. Until he gains that extra amount of professionalism, I feel like he is always going to be disappointing in the playoffs.
 

terrynever

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Embiid is a great talent but does seem to fall into being more of an entertainer than a basketball player at times; and while we have all loved those guys at times, it is amazing how few of them actually ended up being the best player on a title winning team. I guess maybe Shaq, but he didn't really win anything until he got to the Buss/West/Jackson cocoon in LA where they told him to ditch the acting and rap albums and to focus on basketball.

Embiid has been adopted as the saint of Philadelphia by both ownership and the Philly fans, which I think has enabled him to get away with a lot of shit that wouldn't fly for other talent in other markets. I think overall he lacks discipline and his two biggest flaws; shot selection and conditioning, reflect that. Until he gains that extra amount of professionalism, I feel like he is always going to be disappointing in the playoffs.
Embiid’s conditioning is no longer an issue. Not seen tugging at his shorts, bent over. He kept posting up KAT on Wednesday night. Just a lot of energy. I think the two-game suspension this early in the season, along with counsel from Horford, might diminish the circus.
The only thing left to fix is his head. Wilt had a similar problem upstairs except his was based on frustration. Embiid is just immature.
 

BigSoxFan

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Embiid is a great talent but does seem to fall into being more of an entertainer than a basketball player at times; and while we have all loved those guys at times, it is amazing how few of them actually ended up being the best player on a title winning team. I guess maybe Shaq, but he didn't really win anything until he got to the Buss/West/Jackson cocoon in LA where they told him to ditch the acting and rap albums and to focus on basketball.

Embiid has been adopted as the saint of Philadelphia by both ownership and the Philly fans, which I think has enabled him to get away with a lot of shit that wouldn't fly for other talent in other markets. I think overall he lacks discipline and his two biggest flaws; shot selection and conditioning, reflect that. Until he gains that extra amount of professionalism, I feel like he is always going to be disappointing in the playoffs.
Embiid would drive me nuts if I were a Sixers fan. The guy is just so talented that if you got him with the mindset of a Brady, Jordan, Kobe, etc., you'd have an absolute beast. Even the immature version of him is a top 10 player but, man, the league would be his if he'd just cut the crap and focus on the game.
 

ElUno20

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Embiid is a great talent but does seem to fall into being more of an entertainer than a basketball player at times; and while we have all loved those guys at times, it is amazing how few of them actually ended up being the best player on a title winning team. I guess maybe Shaq, but he didn't really win anything until he got to the Buss/West/Jackson cocoon in LA where they told him to ditch the acting and rap albums and to focus on basketball.

Embiid has been adopted as the saint of Philadelphia by both ownership and the Philly fans, which I think has enabled him to get away with a lot of shit that wouldn't fly for other talent in other markets. I think overall he lacks discipline and his two biggest flaws; shot selection and conditioning, reflect that. Until he gains that extra amount of professionalism, I feel like he is always going to be disappointing in the playoffs.
The other thing is he's just really great. He's not all time, generational, once in a life time great (like Shaq). There's a massive difference between the two levels.

I think a good comp for him is actually Kawhi. He had the physical gifts but knew he had to work his ass off to maximize them. I dont think Embiid will ever have that realization because i think he truly believes he's the next Wilt, Shaq, etc.
 

Kliq

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Embiid’s conditioning is no longer an issue. Not seen tugging at his shorts, bent over. He kept posting up KAT on Wednesday night. Just a lot of energy. I think the two-game suspension this early in the season, along with counsel from Horford, might diminish the circus.
The only thing left to fix is his head. Wilt had a similar problem upstairs except his was based on frustration. Embiid is just immature.
Yeah, five games into the season I'm not going to declare that. Until he isn't getting rope-a-doped by Horford (or his equivalent) this year in the playoffs, I still see it as a major question mark.
 

terrynever

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Yeah, five games into the season I'm not going to declare that. Until he isn't getting rope-a-doped by Horford (or his equivalent) this year in the playoffs, I still see it as a major question mark.
Go ahead. Based on the three games I have watched, Embiid is in great shape. I blame him for immaturity on the court. Might as well acknowledge that he did something right in the offseason. Everyone wanted him to lose weight and quit drinking sweet drinks. He did.