2024-25 NBA Thread

[MU82]

From The Athletic:

On this day in 1980, rookie point guard Magic Johnson filled in at center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. He scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out seven assists in a 123-107 win. Magic won his first of five championships in a nine-year stretch.


Two things:

1. I remember it well. It was incredible back then, and it's even more incredible reflecting on it now over time. What a player Magic was.

2. The NBA Finals wrapped up in mid-May back then. We're not even done with the second round now. I guess that's ... progress?

[MuggsyB]

Gosh, a coach overly praising his player? Wow!!

He's actually stated this multiple times over the years, and multiple times this year.  Green has also stated multiple times he should win DPOY (this year btw) and is the best defensive player ever.  Both of them are delusional and epitomize the definition of asinine. 

[Uncle Rico]

He's actually stated this multiple times over the years, and multiple times this year.  Green has also stated multiple times he should win DPOY (this year btw) and is the best defensive player ever.  Both of them are delusional and epitomize the definition of asinine. 

And he's woke

[MuggsyB]

And he's woke

Having thought about this more clearly, I think most of you have been gaslit by Draymond.  And Kerr has enabled his garbage for quite some time.  The guy apparently deserves DPOY but his coach doesn't put him on Randle, goes to a weak ass zone 50%  of the time, and the result is darkness.  Again, why didn't Draymond guard Randle?  We still have crickets. 

[Uncle Rico]

Having thought about this more clearly, I think most of you have been gaslit by Draymond.  And Kerr has enabled his garbage for quite some time.  The guy apparently deserves DPOY but his coach doesn't put him on Randle, goes to a weak ass zone 50%  of the time, and the result is darkness.  Again, why didn't Draymond guard Randle?  We still have crickets. 

Nobody cares

[cheebs09]

Having thought about this more clearly, I think most of you have been gaslit by Draymond.  And Kerr has enabled his garbage for quite some time.  The guy apparently deserves DPOY but his coach doesn't put him on Randle, goes to a weak ass zone 50%  of the time, and the result is darkness.  Again, why didn't Draymond guard Randle?  We still have crickets. 

Well, none of us made the decision, so not sure that anyone will be able to provide the reason.

[MU82]

Having thought about this more clearly, I think most of you have been gaslit by Draymond.  And Kerr has enabled his garbage for quite some time.  The guy apparently deserves DPOY but his coach doesn't put him on Randle, goes to a weak ass zone 50%  of the time, and the result is darkness.  Again, why didn't Draymond guard Randle?  We still have crickets. 

First Kuminga and now this. You really have a problem with a 4x championship coach who also won 5x as a player. I can't believe the Warriors don't fire him and hire you.

[MU82]

Tatum was the only Celtics player who didn't suck tonight!

Seriously, very impressive game by the Knicks. Their offensive game plan and execution was superb.

[BM1090]

Having thought about this more clearly, I think most of you have been gaslit by Draymond.  And Kerr has enabled his garbage for quite some time.  The guy apparently deserves DPOY but his coach doesn't put him on Randle, goes to a weak ass zone 50%  of the time, and the result is darkness.  Again, why didn't Draymond guard Randle?  We still have crickets. 

It's not just about Draymond on Randle. Fine Draymond guards him. Then what? You've got your best reader of the offense out on the wing where he can't impact the game nearly as much and where he's less effective.

Draymond isn't some 1v1 game changing defender. He's good there but that's not what makes him a great defender. And having him guard Randle would take him out of doing what truly makes him great.

[MuggsyB]

It's not just about Draymond on Randle. Fine Draymond guards him. Then what? You've got your best reader of the offense out on the wing where he can't impact the game nearly as much and where he's less effective.

Draymond isn't some 1v1 game changing defender. He's good there but that's not what makes him a great defender. And having him guard Randle would take him out of doing what truly makes him great.

Correct.  He's s much better help defender.  He also gets away with a lot of fouls and nonsense.  But if you and your coach consider you to be the "best", it's a little curious that you don't guard the guy that's torching your team more than a handful of possessions in the series.  I think he's a very good defender, and a smart defender, but not in the all time best conversation.  And Kerr argued that his ability to guard all five positions and bigs in the post puts him in this category, there's only 1 problem:  Who exactly plays in the post now?  Could he guard Shaq?  No.  Duncan? No.  Ewing? No. Hakeem?  No.  Jabbar?  No.  Moses? No.  Etc, etc, etc, etc.  Now obviously no one could really guard these guys when they got deep but Green would be punished and Kerr's argument in silly. 

[Uncle Rico]

Correct.  He's s much better help defender.  He also gets away with a lot of fouls and nonsense.  But if you and your coach consider you to be the "best", it's a little curious that you don't guard the guy that's torching your team more than a handful of possessions in the series.  I think he's a very good defender, and a smart defender, but not in the all time best conversation.  And Kerr argued that his ability to guard all five positions and bigs in the post puts him in this category, there's only 1 problem:  Who exactly plays in the post now?  Could he guard Shaq?  No.  Duncan? No.  Ewing? No. Hakeem?  No.  Jabbar?  No.  Moses? No.  Etc, etc, etc, etc.  Now obviously no one could really guard these guys when they got deep but Green would be punished and Kerr's argument in silly. 

Nobody cares

[MuggsyB]

First Kuminga and now this. You really have a problem with a 4x championship coach who also won 5x as a player. I can't believe the Warriors don't fire him and hire you.

Your statements are irrelevant.  I've always said he's a good coach.  That has nothing to do with my points at all, whether it be Kuminga or his comments about Green.  Can great coaches be questioned?  Ever?  Was Knight always right?  Did Pop make a mistake having Duncan out of the game in that series he lost to the Heat?  Great coaches can make idiotic comments.  It's actually a possibility. 

[MuggsyB]

Nobody cares

Then they don't have to respond. 

[Uncle Rico]

Then they don't have to respond. 

Yes, they do

[MU82]

Your statements are irrelevant.  I've always said he's a good coach.  That has nothing to do with my points at all, whether it be Kuminga or his comments about Green.  Can great coaches be questioned?  Ever?  Was Knight always right?  Did Pop make a mistake having Duncan out of the game in that series he lost to the Heat?  Great coaches can make idiotic comments.  It's actually a possibility. 

Kerr sucks.

He's also the only coach ever to oversell the abilities of one of his players.

Muggs, are you as easily perturbed about the meaningless stuff that goes on around you that isn't sports-related? You must be a real relaxed dude when driving in big-city traffic.

[MuggsyB]

I don't care for traffic.  I need my own copter. 

[Jockey]

Tatum was the only Celtics player who didn't suck tonight!

Seriously, very impressive game by the Knicks. Their offensive game plan and execution was superb.

And now Stephen A. Calls them quitters. Playing without their 4-time 1st team All-NBA star. And their 2nd all-star was playing with a torn meniscus.

[MU82]

And now Stephen A. Calls them quitters. Playing without their 4-time 1st team All-NBA star. And their 2nd all-star was playing with a torn meniscus.

Stephen A is a bozo. But a rich bozo.

[Jockey]

Last Nugget other than Jokic to make an All-Star team?

Carmelo Anthony about 20 years ago.

[MU82]

Kudos to Daigneault for the "sic Caruso on Jokic with a 7-foot shot-blocker lurking behind" strategy. And props to Caruso for pulling it off perfectly and really sparking his team. It's not Caruso's job to call holding, grabbing and clutching fouls on himself. You do what the refs let you do, and they pretty much let him get away with assault and battery on Jokic.

I do like that the announcers and some other observers conveniently forgot that OKC employed the same strategy in Game 6 - when Jokic went 29-14-13 and actually got some help from his teammates as Denver won easily.

The injuries and fatigue finally caught up with the Nuggets, but the Thunder are the better team, and I look forward to their series against the T-Wolves.

[Uncle Rico]

Sounds like the Sixers want to move the number 3 pick for a "star".  Kevin Durant?  Lauri Markkanen?

Have to take Paul George's contract.

[MU82]

Sounds like the Sixers want to move the number 3 pick for a "star".  Kevin Durant?  Lauri Markkanen?

Have to take Paul George's contract.

Not sure why anyone would do that, but I've often been surprised by teams' ability to deal players that seemed impossible to trade.

[Billy Hoyle]

And now Stephen A. Calls them quitters. Playing without their 4-time 1st team All-NBA star. And their 2nd all-star was playing with a torn meniscus.

and Porzingis was playing with a mystery illness that exhausted him and significantly limited his time in multiple games (it sounds like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).

[wadesworld]

and Porzingis was playing with a mystery illness that exhausted him and significantly limited his time in multiple games (it sounds like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).

If you have Porzingis on your team and you're counting on him being healthy you're setting yourself up for failure.

[MuggsyB]

Both series look outstanding on paper.  I think I'd lean OKC and NY.  Minnesota turns the ball over a lot and that's big problems against the Thunder.

As for Indy, I do think they're the best offensive team left for sure.  The issue I think they'll have is Brunson and Mitchell Robinson.  The Pacers have been ultra physical and aggressive defensively on the perimeter.  It's worked beautifully to this point but Brunson thrives on creating and managing contact. He is way too smart to let them get away with it, so to speak.  Robinson is also a major prob when he's in the game.  He changes everything for them with his ability to guard from seemingly everywhere, o-reb, and essentially erase the paint.  Two potentially great series.  I hope OKC and Indy find a way.