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Author Topic: NBA Thread 2019-20  (Read 219502 times)

nyg

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #375 on: March 24, 2019, 09:07:43 PM »
In my opinion definitely not the coolest buzzer beater ever, but definitely cool. I don’t think it stands up against a buzzer beater like NC State in a national championship or a number of others. But helps the Bucks!

That’s why I modified sentence, knowing this place, someone would comment about “greatest”. You were quick.  But watch how freaking high that ball went, talking scoreboard height.  Posted to break up the arguments and make someone smile. 

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #376 on: March 25, 2019, 01:07:03 PM »
By this season's results, Brad Stevens has been a bottom-10 NBA coach.

He has a ton of talent at his disposal but his Celtics are battling the Pacers -- who lost their best player to injury two months ago -- for the 4th spot in the East. As I write this, the Celtics would not even host their first-round series against the Pacers.

Some Scoopers say a decent high school coach could have done better with Wojo's talent this season. Well, give most coaches Irving, Tatum, Horford, Hayward, Brown, Morris and Smart, and see how they would do.

Just two days ago, the Celtics lost to a mediocre-at-best Hornets team that is playing its young players because the playoffs are doubtful.

Stevens' team blew an 18-point 4th-quarter lead. "We saw them relaxing," Charlotte's Miles Bridges said. If accurate, an indictment of both the Boston players and their coach.

Now, we all know Stevens can coach. You don't take a school like Butler to 2 consecutive NCAA championship games if you can't coach. But maybe he's one of those guys who can take a less-talented team from Point D to Point B but can't take a talented team to Point A, especially at the pro level.

Many NBA folks contend that the hardest thing to do is get talented, egocentric guys to buy in and play championship-level team basketball. There actually are people who dismiss the accomplishments of Jackson and Auerbach because "they had so much talent to work with."

That's stupid. It was their ability to get those talented players to work together -- to manage the egos and win titles -- that made them the two greatest basketball coaches ever, IMHO.

Does Stevens have what it takes to do that? We'll see. Early signs are no, but he's still young, and Ainge seemingly has a lot of faith in him.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

Its DJOver

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #377 on: March 25, 2019, 01:33:38 PM »
From the NBA '17 thread.

I've never really understood all the love for Stevens.  I don't think he's bad, but I don't think he's great either.  I realize that he's missing his two superstar players, but out coaching Joe Prunty and Ty Lue isn't exactly noteworthy, and Philly threw away a couple of games, and couldn't close others which isn't at all surprising given their youth.  If Bud can get the most out of Giannis, and Brett Brown continues to develop Simmons, Embiid, and/or Fultz, I'd be surprised if anyone other than Milwaukee or Philly comes out of the East for the next 2-3 years. Again, not saying that he's bad, but I would give just as much credit, if not more to Danny Ainge.   

I was pretty much the only one who thought this (which is fine, opinions are cool, hey?), and I still think that the majority of the credit that Boston has gotten should go to Danny Ainge.  This was also pre-Kawhi trade so I'll give myself a pass on not being as high on Toronto as Milwaukee or Philly.

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #378 on: March 25, 2019, 01:40:27 PM »
From the NBA '17 thread.

I was pretty much the only one who thought this (which is fine, opinions are cool, hey?), and I still think that the majority of the credit that Boston has gotten should go to Danny Ainge.  This was also pre-Kawhi trade so I'll give myself a pass on not being as high on Toronto as Milwaukee or Philly.

Good work, IDJO.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

JWags85

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #379 on: March 25, 2019, 03:32:13 PM »
Many NBA folks contend that the hardest thing to do is get talented, egocentric guys to buy in and play championship-level team basketball. There actually are people who dismiss the accomplishments of Jackson and Auerbach because "they had so much talent to work with."

That's stupid. It was their ability to get those talented players to work together -- to manage the egos and win titles -- that made them the two greatest basketball coaches ever, IMHO.

Does Stevens have what it takes to do that? We'll see. Early signs are no, but he's still young, and Ainge seemingly has a lot of faith in him.

1000%

Look at the last 11-12 NBA championship winning teams and their coaches.  Kerr, Jackson, Spoelstra, Doc, Pop, Ty Lue, and Carlisle.

Out of those coaches, you could probably argue only Pop and Carlisle are X&O guys.  And Carlisle's championship was getting an undergunned Mavs team past a beast Lakers team and an even bigger Heat team.  Its all about egos, and chemistry, and motivation.  There is a reason college coaches rarely find success.  Its a tough adjustment.  I think Stevens likely splits mutually with the Cs and heads back to a blue blood college program in the next 2-3 years.  And that doesn't make him a bad coach or a failure, its just not a good fit.  He's performed a lot better than most college coaches who don't work out in the NBA.

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #380 on: March 25, 2019, 10:04:24 PM »
1000%

Look at the last 11-12 NBA championship winning teams and their coaches.  Kerr, Jackson, Spoelstra, Doc, Pop, Ty Lue, and Carlisle.

Out of those coaches, you could probably argue only Pop and Carlisle are X&O guys.  And Carlisle's championship was getting an undergunned Mavs team past a beast Lakers team and an even bigger Heat team.  Its all about egos, and chemistry, and motivation.  There is a reason college coaches rarely find success.  Its a tough adjustment.  I think Stevens likely splits mutually with the Cs and heads back to a blue blood college program in the next 2-3 years.  And that doesn't make him a bad coach or a failure, its just not a good fit.  He's performed a lot better than most college coaches who don't work out in the NBA.

In college, coaches say, "It's my way or the highway." In the NBA, the stars tell the coaches to hit the highway.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #381 on: April 02, 2019, 09:33:13 PM »
I know some folks here hate Westbrook, and I know he has his flaws, and I know he'll probably never win a championship.

But 20 pts, 20 rebs, 21 assists. That's crazy.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

wadesworld

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #382 on: April 03, 2019, 06:35:38 AM »
I know some folks here hate Westbrook, and I know he has his flaws, and I know he'll probably never win a championship.

But 20 pts, 20 rebs, 21 assists. That's crazy.

Best part was he knew exactly what his stats were when he grabbed board 20 to get to 20/20/20.
Rocket Trigger Warning (wild that saying this would trigger anyone, but it's the world we live in): Black Lives Matter

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #383 on: April 03, 2019, 09:13:59 AM »
Best part was he knew exactly what his stats were when he grabbed board 20 to get to 20/20/20.

He definitely has an, um, "healthy" ego.

I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say he was kept informed by his teammates, who were watching the stats on the board in the arena. But yeah, he might have been tracking every one of them himself, too.

An incredible talent who is amazing to watch when he's at the top of his game, but I'm not sure I'd want to be his teammate.

Then again, OKC did an awful lot of winning for an awful lot of years, including a trip to the NBA Finals. It couldn't have all been despite him.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #384 on: April 09, 2019, 10:04:45 PM »
Magic Johnson goes on TV and announces he's quitting as Lakers president.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2019/04/09/magic-johnson-steps-down-lakers-president/3418649002/

Didn't even tell Jeanie Buss first, telling reporters: “Somebody’s going to have to tell my boss because I knew I couldn’t be face-to-face and tell her."

Wow.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

Jockey

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #385 on: April 09, 2019, 10:19:51 PM »
Magic Johnson goes on TV and announces he's quitting as Lakers president.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2019/04/09/magic-johnson-steps-down-lakers-president/3418649002/

Didn't even tell Jeanie Buss first, telling reporters: “Somebody’s going to have to tell my boss because I knew I couldn’t be face-to-face and tell her."

Wow.

Easy to figure out how Magic screwed up the Lakers.

JWags85

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #386 on: April 10, 2019, 10:36:39 AM »
Easy to figure out how Magic screwed up the Lakers.

Realized he was too successful, established, and rich to have the patients (or patient) running the asylum.  I bet Magic and Rich Paul aren't the best of friends

Jockey

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #387 on: April 10, 2019, 11:09:13 AM »
Realized he was too successful, established, and rich to have the patients (or patient) running the asylum.  I bet Magic and Rich Paul aren't the best of friends

He was successful running the Lakers?

JWags85

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #388 on: April 10, 2019, 11:25:33 AM »
He was successful running the Lakers?

No no, Magic Johnson the individual and the brand is wildly successful.  Magic Johnson the Lakers executive, not so much. 

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #389 on: April 11, 2019, 07:41:06 AM »
Hornets coach James Borrego might have torn his labrum while patting himself on the back for Jeremy Lamb's improvement this season:

“I went into the season open to starting this kid, not really knowing what he could become, and through development, through our system, through coaching him, demanding, he had the best season of his career.”

Wow.

Lamb's significant improvement actually started last season under Steve Clifford, whom Michael Jordan fired. Borrego replaced Clifford and despite having some talent -- nowhere near enough talent to contend for anything but some decent talent, especially on offense -- the Hornets missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, Clifford guided an Orlando team that was expected to suck big-time to a winning record and a playoff berth.

And now the Hornets almost surely will lose Lamb because they won't be able to afford to keep a decent (but not great) player who will get a ton of offers this season. And they also face the prospect of being unable to keep Kemba Walker, who is in line for a $200 million contract after being drastically underpaid the last 3-4 years.

The Hornets are one of several NBA teams in salary-cap hell. They aren't good enough to compete for anything tangible, but they have more than $100 million allocated in future contracts to the likes of Nic Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Bismack Biyombo.

If they manage to keep Kemba, they can compete for the 8th playoff spot next year while they wait for most of those contracts to expire. If they can't keep Kemba, they will have to go "the process" route -- blow it up and start from scratch.

But hey, at least they'll have the great James Barrego to "demand" that everybody get great.

Tough to win in the NBA. I admire what teams like the Bucks, Raptors and of course Warriors have done.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

rocket surgeon

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #390 on: April 13, 2019, 04:10:39 PM »
so luke walton is fired on friday after going 98-148 with lakers and sacramento grabs him before what...?  ucla signs him?  sacramento is actually supposed to have a decent team next year.  who annointed him as even being head coach material?  magic?
don't...don't don't don't don't

JWags85

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #391 on: April 13, 2019, 05:18:33 PM »
so luke walton is fired on friday after going 98-148 with lakers and sacramento grabs him before what...?  ucla signs him?  sacramento is actually supposed to have a decent team next year.  who annointed him as even being head coach material?  magic?

He was the hottest assistant in the NBA given his work with the Warriors, especially when Kerr was out.  The Lakers hiring him wasn't a flier.  And much like David Blatt in Cleveland, he was brought in to mold and coach a young team, not be another in Lebron's game.  So naturally he was the scapegoat when the Lakers weren't a wrecking ball after adding Lebron  ::)

Also, the Kings are an absolute disaster management wise, so thats not entirely shocking they acted rashly

BM1090

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #392 on: April 13, 2019, 05:28:10 PM »
I think Walton is great for the Kings. He actually gets to coach a young team with less expectation and no distractions. Was doomed to fail with LeBron and Lavar

wadesworld

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #393 on: April 13, 2019, 06:02:56 PM »
Amir Johnson sharing a laugh with Embiid over his text messages on the bench during a timeout while trailing in game 1 of the Playoffs was so perfectly “Process” it’s incredible. Then Johnson goes to the locker room with 5 minutes left in a game he was not dressed to play in. I would love to see the Nets bounce them. But Embiid will get 30 free throws a game so it’ll be an uphill climb.

And Kyle Lowry is still Kyle Lowry even though he’s next to Kawhi and not DeMarr, it appears. More whining than contributing from the dough boy.
Rocket Trigger Warning (wild that saying this would trigger anyone, but it's the world we live in): Black Lives Matter

rocket surgeon

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #394 on: April 13, 2019, 06:19:01 PM »
He was the hottest assistant in the NBA given his work with the Warriors, especially when Kerr was out.  The Lakers hiring him wasn't a flier.  And much like David Blatt in Cleveland, he was brought in to mold and coach a young team, not be another in Lebron's game.  So naturally he was the scapegoat when the Lakers weren't a wrecking ball after adding Lebron  ::)

Also, the Kings are an absolute disaster management wise, so thats not entirely shocking they acted rashly

 3 years ago, the warriors coulda coached themselves.  agree he was the scapegoat though.  i think the hollywood lakers spell it T-I-E-M
don't...don't don't don't don't

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #395 on: April 13, 2019, 06:37:02 PM »
I'm not the greatest coach in the world, but I woulda liked my chances coaching the Warriors the half-season that Luke did.

That being said, he might be a very good coach (or might not be), and he'll get a chance to prove it now.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson

BM1090

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #396 on: April 13, 2019, 06:48:30 PM »
I'm not the greatest coach in the world, but I woulda liked my chances coaching the Warriors the half-season that Luke did.

That being said, he might be a very good coach (or might not be), and he'll get a chance to prove it now.

Yep. His first situation was set up so he couldn't fail. His 2nd situation was set so he couldn't succeed. We'll finally learn more next year.

Still can't believe LA signed Javale, Rondo, and Lance in 2018

JWags85

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #397 on: April 13, 2019, 07:06:45 PM »
I'm not the greatest coach in the world, but I woulda liked my chances coaching the Warriors the half-season that Luke did.

Sure, but he took a team coming off a title, who were clearly the best team in the league, who lost their coach unexpectedly for an extended period of time who has shown himself to be a master of personality/ego coaching. Walton got them locked in and focused and off to a record start. He showed himself capable in that regard. They could have easily coasted.  His hiring with the Lakers made sense and I actually think he did good work with a lot of those young guys.

wadesworld

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #398 on: April 13, 2019, 08:00:59 PM »
3 years ago, the warriors coulda coached themselves.  agree he was the scapegoat though.  i think the hollywood lakers spell it T-I-E-M LeBron Blames

FIFY.

I freaking love what the Pelicans did.  "Okay LeBron, you want to tamper with our superstar and he ends up asking for a trade (to LAL)?  Sure, we'll entertain trades!  Who would you like to get rid of, LeBron?  Let us know so we can work on a deal!"  They get LeBron's list, knowing full well there is absolutely no reason to make a move before the summer when the Celtics can get into a bidding, and just have the press tapped into LeBron's line of communication with them.  Hilarious.

Has there ever been a professional athlete who created so much turnover before?  Everywhere he goes you might as well just start with a blank slate and ask LeBron to select the yes men he would like to be in place at each position.  I mean, the guy was still a player for the Heat and he was playing GM for the Cavaliers.  Incredible.
Rocket Trigger Warning (wild that saying this would trigger anyone, but it's the world we live in): Black Lives Matter

MU82

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Re: NBA Thread 2018-19
« Reply #399 on: April 14, 2019, 01:53:57 PM »
Sure, but he took a team coming off a title, who were clearly the best team in the league, who lost their coach unexpectedly for an extended period of time who has shown himself to be a master of personality/ego coaching. Walton got them locked in and focused and off to a record start. He showed himself capable in that regard. They could have easily coasted.  His hiring with the Lakers made sense and I actually think he did good work with a lot of those young guys.

Oh, I'm on board with this. I have said many times how difficult it is to keep a great team playing to its level of greatness.

But I really like this:

Yep. His first situation was set up so he couldn't fail. His 2nd situation was set so he couldn't succeed. We'll finally learn more next year.

Dead-on, MUe.
“It’s not how white men fight.” - Tucker Carlson