2022-23 NBA Thread

[MuggsyB]

If you're Spo do you really want Jimmy checking Tatum?  I think the floodgates may have opened with that performance yesterday and his 4Q in G6.  And then you have Brown.  Jimmy will likely check him and that's no easy task.  Now Adebayo is an excellent switch defender, among the best in the league, but I think Tatum is a real problem for him.  Especially when he's cooking from deep.  I'm wondering if Spo zones for major stretches?  They're one of the few teans that can play an effective zone.

Unless Butler goes freaking bananas I can't see Miami winning this series.  The C's have way more weapons and clearly two of the top three players.  Maybe Tatum goes back to being crazy inconsistent but I doubt it.  If they hard double Boston is really good at moving the rock and getting wide open shots. 

[MU82]

I hope Jimmy's ankle gets better, he was nowhere near as bouncy & dominant after game 1 of the Knicks series. They'll need him at 100% every game to pull it off. I'd love to see it happen

Great point. Need a healthy JFB to have a chance. If he's good, though, Miami can play with Boston, just like last year.

Tatum was absolutely incredible the last 1 1/4 games -- truly Jordan-like -- but as I think Wags said yesterday, it's amazing how a player so talented can just disappear for long stretches. Let's wait to anoint him until he delivers over and over and over again in tough postseason series, the way true superstars do.

[lawdog77]

Great point. Need a healthy JFB to have a chance. If he's good, though, Miami can play with Boston, just like last year.

Tatum was absolutely incredible the last 1 1/4 games -- truly Jordan-like -- but as I think Wags said yesterday, it's amazing how a player so talented can just disappear for long stretches. Let's wait to anoint him until he delivers over and over and over again in tough postseason series, the way true superstars do.

except Durant-signed Jockey.

[MuggsyB]

How about this stat:  In games 5, 6, and 7 James Harden scored a grand total of ZERO points in tbe 4th quarter.   I repeat, ZERO.  How is that earthly possible?  Especially when we watched him dominate two games of the series?   Crazy. 

[Jockey]

except Durant-signed Jockey.

Love the post, Lawdog.    I wish others would try to be at least a little clever when taking a little dig at what I say.

If by the time Tatum is 35, he hasn't led a team to a championship, I'll say the same thing. People said it about Jordan after his first few years in the league and he proved them wrong. Same with LeBron. People have always said it about Harden and they were right on. Someone here today criticized Embiid for his lack of Playoff success. It goes with the territory if you want to be considered an all-time great. If Curry only won the 2 titles with Durant, he would be looked at differently in an historical sense. He' be a top 10 -15 player all-time as opposed to a probable Top 5.

NBA stars and NFL QBs - fairly or unfairly - are judged by rings.

[BM1090]

Muggsy, I freely admit Durant is one of the top 3 most skilled players in the world.

He is not one of the 3 best. He cannot lead a team to a championship.

This is such a weird hill to die on. Durant is a better player than Miami, Boston and LA's best players. If anyone but Denver wins a lesser player than Durant will have "led their team to a title."

[wadesworld]

This is such a weird hill to die on. Durant is a better player than Miami, Boston and LA's best players. If anyone but Denver wins a lesser player than Durant will have "led their team to a title."

The guy likes pretzels.

[Jockey]

This is such a weird hill to die on. Durant is a better player than Miami, Boston and LA's best players. If anyone but Denver wins a lesser player than Durant will have "led their team to a title."

The disagreements are the fun part of talking sports.

If I was trying to win a title this year, I would take LeBron in a heartbeat over Durant. I'll take the all-around game and the champion's mindset anytime.

[Jockey]

The guy likes pretzels.

I said clever, not inane.

[wadesworld]

The disagreements are the fun part of talking sports.

If I was trying to win a title this year, I would take LeBron in a heartbeat over Durant. I'll take the all-around game and the champion's mindset anytime.

Lol.  At this point, KD's all around game is so, so much better than LBJ's.

[MU82]

If by the time Tatum is 35, he hasn't led a team to a championship, I'll say the same thing. People said it about Jordan after his first few years in the league and he proved them wrong. Same with LeBron. People have always said it about Harden and they were right on. Someone here today criticized Embiid for his lack of Playoff success. It goes with the territory if you want to be considered an all-time great. If Curry only won the 2 titles with Durant, he would be looked at differently in an historical sense. He' be a top 10 -15 player all-time as opposed to a probable Top 5.

NBA stars and NFL QBs - fairly or unfairly - are judged by rings.

I guess it comes down to defining "led."

Durant was the Finals MVP twice. Even if MVP voters got it wrong once (and I'm not saying they did), does that mean they got it wrong twice? Can't you at least see why winning Finals MVP might justify others' belief that Durant "led" the Warriors to those titles?

Yes, as you say, "NBA stars and NFL QBs - fairly or unfairly - are judged by rings." Well, Durant has two rings, and he was the Finals MVP both times.

In the 2017 Finals, he led GS in scoring, averaging 9 ppg more than Curry did; shot .556 overall (Curry .440); shot .474 from 3 (Curry .388); led in blocked shots; was second to Green in rebs; was second to Curry in assists.

Only a fool would contend that Curry hasn't had a better NBA career than Durant, but you totally dismiss the notion that Durant "led" GS to that 2017 title?

Scoring was closer in the 2018 Finals -- though Durant not only led in scoring but also rebounding and assists while outshooting Curry .526 to .402.

Your "proof" is tied to your opinion, which you state over and over again. But it's just an opinion. And your logic ... I mean, no, Durant didn't win any titles without Curry. But Curry didn't win any titles without future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson (not to mention Green, Iguodala and Kerr). To which anyone with a brain would say, "So?"

When you say stars are judged by rings but dismiss the rings (and awards) that a star won, it makes your argument pretty shallow.

And I say all this as a guy who has been plenty critical of Durant over the years.

[Skatastrophy]

Heat Grant the Bucks permission to talk to Quinn. Quinn is great and he'll get a HC job this year, I think.

Should have a Bucks coaching-search thread.

[rocket surgeon]

Why y'all trying to cancel Ja?

  so, he's been suspended...umm, from what?  i double checked and the grizzlies season has been over.  what's he gonna miss?  the ice cream social?  they get paid during the season, right?  he'll probably lose some endorsements however. 

[WhiteTrash]

  so, he's been suspended...umm, from what?  i double checked and the grizzlies season has been over.  what's he gonna miss?  the ice cream social?  they get paid during the season, right?  he'll probably lose some endorsements however.

LOL. Right?

Actually, I'll put the over/under at a 41 game suspension.

[Herman Cain]

Shannon Sharpe has some excellent  analysis on Ja

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2023/05/15/shannon-sharpe-response-on-ja-morant-nba-gun-incident-suspension/70218114007/

https://youtu.be/vX7GpEf4oCM

[MUBurrow]

I would take LeBron in a heartbeat over Durant. I'll take the all-around game and the champion's mindset anytime.

Lol.  At this point, KD's all around game is so, so much better than LBJ's.

[The Sultan]

To no one's surprise, Doc Rivers fired by Philadelphia.

[tower912]

One more team competing for the same available coaches.

[4everwarriors]

Pretty sure the Bucks will fook up this hirin', hey?

[tower912]

You're on the short list?

[4everwarriors]

I wouldant take a pay kut, hey?

[Uncle Rico]

Pretty sure the Bucks will fook up this hirin', hey?

Gives us your top choices and we'll revisit this down the road.

[4everwarriors]

Figurin' they won't want an assistant coach or a woman, so...

Nurse
Williams
Rivers, hey?

[cheebs09]

You're on the short list?

Would the Bucks move to the Cardinal Stritch land?

[Uncle Rico]

Figurin' they won't want an assistant coach or a woman, so...

Nurse
Williams
Rivers, hey?

Top 2 are interchangeable but Rivers is a hard no