OT: NBA Thread
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If it was a single elimination or even round robin tournament, then maybe I would give them a chance. However, I don't see them winning four 7 game series in a row.
That's fair. I do think they could beat anyone save the Clips or Lakers in the West in a best of seven.
I didn't realize Van Vleet is averaging 17.5 and 6.7. Solid numbers. Pretty sure @Sean Miller Fan said he wasn't an NBA player.
I still think they're somewhat a Zeppelin cover band...oh wait......you're talking about the ex Wichita State guy.
Two nail biter finishes in a row on NBATV. Not quite the frenetic desperation of March Madness but entertaining.
The TV execs would hate it but I’d watch the hell out of an OKC-Toronto finals.
The TV execs would hate it but I’d watch the hell out of an OKC-Toronto finals.
Yes, that seemed odd even at the time. It could Luka would have a lower ceiling than this, but his floor was always so solid from just the film and stats of that EuroLeague season.
TJ Warren with 87 points on over 60% shooting in his two games back. Just crushed the Sixers. Guy seems to hate my teams.
While we're talking about inexplicable decisions, how about giving up Warren and the 32nd pick for just plain old cash? Warren is always going to be below average defensively but that's horrific asset management of a very good offensive player.
Heat Celtics should be a good game tonight. Looks like we’re gonna have a great ending in the Clips Suns game.
The virtual fans was such a great idea. I was watching the Rockets game yesterday and their crowd was so hype and active.
The NBA really did a great job on this. The visual is amazing.
The NBA really did a great job on this. The visual is amazing.
Erik Spoelstra really doesn't get enough credit as a good basketball coach, I love this Miami team. I don't think that they have the firepower to roll through a couple of tough series against elite teams but they're in every game and really play well together.
It really amazes me how well they play defense. Their ability to recover after the initial ball handler gets dribble penetration and stops the ball with the ensuing rotations being crisp always impressed me.
Just a great effort from them tonight on a bubble back to back without Butler. Already preparing for the 76ers to get zoned to death by them in the playoffs.
With Nurkic back and Gary Trent Jr developing into a designated shooter I wouldn't want any part of Portland at all in any round.
If there are play-in games, August 15-16 (between 8th and 9th seeds)
If not, August 17.
Finals begin September 30.
Appears the names of the player now appear beneath the digits on back of each jersey.
It's amazing how much that Luka totally transformed his body this year, especially during the break, he's gone from a soft 220 to a chiseled 240 and it's really paying dividends in this condensed schedule. We're starting to get to the point in his career already where his only comp is LeBron James.
His feel towards the game and skill set are the things that the top players ever possess. At the end of the day, I think for him, it will be about how well he gets deeper into conditioning and if his body just stays healthy.
But, barring severe injury or just something very random, I think Doncic will end his career as easily the best European player ever and possibly one of the NBA's (basketball's) best players ever. He is an extremely skilled, tall/big, all-time feel for the game guy that came along at literally the perfect time.
Agree. Even when I watch the Sixers, who I know by heart, I find myself getting annoyed seeing "Equality" or "Vote" on the back of the uniform instead of "Horford" or "Richardson." It's a nice gesture, I just don't think it works in this instance.
Mentioned earlier that I've noticed the names also now appear on every jersey in addition to each message. Message above the numbers, name beneath the numbers.
Being that they already put the names back on the jerseys, I think that they will transition the messaging to other places and off the uniforms before the playoffs start. No real evidence to back that, but it just seems to be listening to players talk that they are coming up with better ideas and that the NBA is highly receptive.
I only watched this weekend so I guess I didn't catch that. Thanks.
FWIW, I think he is already better than Dirk was at his best. He just does not have that sort of track record of performance over a decade (or two) yet. But, this kid is one of the most special basketball players ever to play; for him, it is just about delivering the performance over time because his quality level is off the charts.
I say that fully believing that Dirk has a top 25 ever NBA player resume. So, it is not small praise in my book or something that I say lightly.
Respectfully, Dirk was a league MVP, and a Finals MVP, plus a 10-time First Team All-NBA. Doncic doesn't have any of those on his resume and frankly I would have a hard time putting him as the top SG/SF in the league right now over guys like Harden, Kawhi, Kevin Durant when he comes back, etc.
I don't see Doncic making 10 First Team All-NBA teams because he isn't 7'. It's just much harder to do that playing on the perimeter.
I know, Dirk did a ton. His resume is absolutely ridiculous and I put even more weight on the championship he won because those Mavs really had no business beating that Heat team (and they strongly outplayed them).
That said, best day, player for player, I take Doncic right now over Dirk on his best day. Doncic has things no one except LBJ and maybe Magic have ever had at his age. And, he plays more mature than either guy did at those relative points for them too.
Doncic's talent is vast. I will leave it at that but also say that I understand completely what you are saying and it is very hard argue with using facts.
I would bet that 13-9 could present some metrics showing how dominant and amazing Doncic really is relative to his age/comparables. I am sure they exist somewhere, or at least I would bet that they do.
He's incredible, no doubt. I'm pretty pissed that the Hawks traded him away (I live in Atlanta), even though Trae Young has ended up being better than I thought he would be. Still, Doncic was clearly the best player in that class and likely always will be.
I appreciate all of the work I'm being commissioned by the board this week so far!
Here's a breakdown of the best seasons by NBA players under 21 years of age:
Luka is 1st in usage, 1st in box score plus/minus, 2nd in Ortg, 2nd in VORP, 4th in true shooting percentage and 6th in win shares. And remember, win shares, box score plus/minus, and VORP are all cumulative stats so Doncic has done all of that in a quarter of the time. It's truly an absurd season and projected over a full year only LeBron has done anything like it.
I think it works like when in baseball everybody wears 42 to honor Jackie Robinson. So I can see if these are one time special or alternative 3rd jersey types.
Agree. I was lucky enough to see him twice in person during his last year with Real Madrid (once in Barcelona and once in Madrid). Was amazed how as a 17/18 year old he lead grown men and how they responded to him in a positive way. As we know team ball is big in Europe and Doncic played within the Real Madrid system and still dominated. He would run the system for 3 1/2 quarters and come the 2nd part of the 4th quarter he would take over games. He did this both times I saw him live.
Several vets on other teams (especially Americans) would try to get physical with him and get in his head. They couldn’t get him out of his game. When you try to pressure him or speed him up to get him off his game it doesn’t work. He’s just so calm and plays at his pace, he knows how to change speeds like a veteran.
In the future when it’s safe to go to games again you should try to see an NBA game in person. And get seat up close if you can. I bet this will change how you think about the NBA. You will be amazed how big, athletic and skilled these players are compared to college players. For example Sam Young was a great college BB player and real athletic. He could never carve out a steady NBA role because every team has a roster full of guys just as athletic or more athletic than him. And most are much more skilled than a guy like him. Plus the BB IQ of most NBA players compared to college is night and day.
He's just so special. To me, he has next in the League. When the League ceases to be LeBron's, he is the obvious successor (all due respect to Giannis, who is very special as well).
The only guys that I can think of that have had his size and skill at similar stages are LeBron, Durant, Bird and Magic. Maybe TMac as well.
TMac took more time than anyone else. Durant took awhile too. So, I would drop them from the list when comparing Luka and look at the other 3 players. His mental acumen for the game puts him squarely with LeBron, Bird and Magic. I think he is more skilled than Magic was (Magic was more athletic younger) and more physically mature than Bird (who did not hit the NBA until 23 or so).
So, you sit there and to me, it is him and LeBron at 20. He is not the athlete LeBron was or is (I mean, LeBron is arguably the most athletic player ever to step on a floor) but he has more skill from distance. And, the feel is just so similar with him, LeBron, Bird and Magic.
The League is putting a lot of steam behind Zion because he is so exciting and marketable. But, if there was a draft tomorrow of everyone in the League and you had to pick the guy that would be the best player over the next 10-15 years, I think Luka goes #1.
On another but somewhat related note, I think the Pelicans may have to make some rough decisions over the next few years. Because, while I love the talent of these guys, they seem committed to play absolutely no defense. And, they just are not going to win much without playing defense.
I get it. Seeing some of the athletic feats Zion can do, it's no wonder he's drawing so much hype. I just don't trust those knees. His game is too explosive and I don't see him consistently keeping enough weight off. And I don't know if his game translates if he looses that athletic boost. I'm not picking him ahead of Ja and certainly not ahead of Doncic.
The more that I see Zion, the more that I think that we have actually seen a somewhat version of him previously named Charles Barkley. Barkley was a great athlete but could not get as vertical as Zion nor was as naturally big. However, Barkley had point forward skills that Zion flashes but are not central to him in the way that they were for Barkley.
As time passed, Barkley really had to lean out to preserve himself. He also had to threaten people further from the hoop with his jumper (which allowed him to play more static). I think Zion will be similar or else I worry about his durability as well.
What’s he’s doing at his age is amazing. At that age you have him an LeBron as you said.
Of course he will never have the athletic ability or be able to play D on 1-5 like LeBron can. Lebron picks his spots more on D These days which is natural at his age. But I agree about his skill form distance.
Doncic lost weight this year and toned up making him quicker, though he seems to have put a little back on with the break. Like everyone he needs to stay healthy and a big key will be how he takes care of his body. Some of it is luck and then you have a guy like LeBron who works his tail of and trains non stop.
Yes the Pelicans are one of the worst teams on D in the league. They will prob keep these young guys together for a while but if they don’t reach their potential and it will be though if they don’t play D...they will have to make changes.
Speaking of D and Doncic...Dallas will have to improve a lot in this area to get to the next level. Similar to when they won it all with Dirk they put a lot of tough defenders around Dirk.
He has to shed weight to take some pressure off his knees. I was supervised their GM said his weight was fine and didn’t feel he needs to get lighter.
In terms of a hypothetical #1 pick, there are only three guys I'd consider, in order: Giannis, Luka and Trae Young. It's absolutely mental to me that people keep hyping Zion when Trae Young nearly averaged 30-10 on the ****ing Hawks. When Zion's body falls apart in <5 years, it'll seem even more absurd.
