Ron Swanson
Footballguy
We're watching Amen come into his own the last few games. This is awesome.
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2024-25 NBA Thread: Finals return after 3-month hiatus (195 Viewers)
- Thread starter Capella
- Start date
Major
Footballguy
It's about time he became a starter. Gotta thank Jabari for getting injured and forcing Udoka's hand.
Kev4029
Footballguy
He would definitely get at least mid-level money on the open market for however many years he wanted - he would be a great fit with somebody like Detroit or Orlando. Or he could take less and go to any team he wanted if he wasn't looking to maximize income.
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Fairly certain they would have beaten the Sixers if they had Mobley. Missing levert and okoro didn’t help either. The Sixers did play well, but also had one of their best three point shooting games of the year
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Game winner to finish off the celtics
Craig_MiamiFL
Footballguy
33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
has arrived
Hello world. The
has arrived
Kev4029
Footballguy
Terrible contract but not especially consequential. I bet he gets stretched in the off-season.
He has a TRB% of 5.9 - for context, 5'8" Yuki Kawamura has a TRB% of 5.7 this year. Of all the failures of the Nnaji, the most jarring is a player with his athleticism and relative size rebounds like a guard. Dude has the hypothetical skill set and athletic markers (I think he had over a 40" vert at the combine and is incredibly nimble for a PF or center) but has zero feel for the game.
scoobus
Footballguy
I mean, I'll bet the Nuggets wish they had an extra $8 million to play around with.
Jayrod
Footballguy
Uh, ESPN says 33-9-4.33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
And Dillon Brooks going 10/15 from 3 and scoring 36 looks to be a bigger key to the Rockets victory.
How the frick did that happen? And Boston started Porzingis and Kornet? What the heck are they doing this month?
I'm glad I couldn't watch this game, I probably would have done this.
Bears_Man2
Footballguy
Playing as good as anyone in the league right now.33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
Major
Footballguy
Uh, ESPN says 33-9-4.33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
And Dillon Brooks going 10/15 from 3 and scoring 36 looks to be a bigger key to the Rockets victory.
How the frick did that happen? And Boston started Porzingis and Kornet? What the heck are they doing this month?
I'm glad I couldn't watch this game, I probably would have done this.
Brooks was looking like Steph out there. It was a hilarious at times because he was actually backing up all the sh*t talking and with every three the stare downs with fans became more intense.
Kornet was balling too. Great game from him.
identikit
Footballguy
Uh, ESPN says 33-9-4.33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
And Dillon Brooks going 10/15 from 3 and scoring 36 looks to be a bigger key to the Rockets victory.
How the frick did that happen? And Boston started Porzingis and Kornet? What the heck are they doing this month?
I'm glad I couldn't watch this game, I probably would have done this.
Being a guest on the parquet floor ain't what it used to be
MAC_32
Footballguy
Not sure I had watched him before the last week. Very impressed.Best NBA game I watched this year. What a finish. Amen The
the moops
Footballguy
No White, Horford, or Hauser
Major
Footballguy
Not sure I had watched him before the last week. Very impressed.Best NBA game I watched this year. What a finish. Amen The
He really is a joy to watch. I know I've been touting him for the past two years but it's great to see Amen come into his own after an injury plagued rookie season. Can't say I've seen someone glide/float down the court doing anything he wants. A true Swiss Army knife of a player. Also, his middle name is "XLNC" (pronounced excellence)
I can't remember who wrote it, but I read somewhere on the Athletic that execs in the league think he'd get a ~$25 million/year deal in free agency.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
The Celtics have been playing to not get guys hurt and run out the clock until the end of the season. They haven't really played with a lot of urgency, and they apparently aren't that concerned should they have to play a Game 7 on the road.
So far this season they have:
- Only had their primary 8 guys all available for 8 games.
- Only had their starting 5 available for 13 games.
- Had at least one starter out for 34 games.
- Had 2 starters out for 12 games.
- Had at least 1 starter and 1 of the big 3 reserves out (or 2 starters out) in 23 games.
- Had 3 of the top 8 out in 3 games (most out in a game was 4).
I don't know if this was by design, by an abundance of caution, or actual injuries. But they have swapped lineups around a lot, and they really haven't had continuity or cohesion consistently this year. I'd like to think that Joe will get them back to playing championship level down the stretch and in the playoffs . . . but I am starting to wonder if that switch will go on by snapping their fingers.
I have noticed a lot more this year that they have stretches where they let anyone get to the basket or get a rebound and a put back in the paint. Like rinse and repeat, over and over again, for stretches of games. I don't know if it's because guys are or aren't switching or if help defenders are leaving guys wide open to try to stop the ball. But they are giving up way too many easy baskets from point blank range.
identikit
Footballguy
The unwillingness to play basic defense is concerning.
Not talking about just the Celtics. It's prevalent throughout the league.
Nothing will get me to switch off a game to something else than that.
Also, the flip side of this is like 1b for me: 'Let's just take 3s all game' instead of working for a better, closer shot
Effort matters. But of course, it's not the easy way to go
Good luck to any team that thinks they can just flip a switch.
Yeah, I'm old
Not talking about just the Celtics. It's prevalent throughout the league.
Nothing will get me to switch off a game to something else than that.
Also, the flip side of this is like 1b for me: 'Let's just take 3s all game' instead of working for a better, closer shot
Effort matters. But of course, it's not the easy way to go
Good luck to any team that thinks they can just flip a switch.
Yeah, I'm old
the moops
Footballguy
This just isn't true. Like at all.
Defenses today are so much more sophisticated and long and athletic. The schemes they run make defense of 20 years ago look pathetic in comparison. The issue is just how damn good offensive players and teams are.
millertyme1
Footballguy
Certainly the best player on the court last night.33-10-5 and game winner in Boston
Hello world. The
identikit
Footballguy
There are teams that consistently play good defense
There are others that do at times.
There are also teams that choose not to in various amounts of part of games or even pretty much the entire game.
I see the effort. Or the lack of it.
If you don't see what I see, that's OK
Also, I wouldn't fault a team that is playing good defense for getting scored on by those good offensive players you referred to. That happens. But in what frequency would be the measure
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I have a hard time deciphering what is good defense, what is poor defense, and what is poor effort. The Celtics have had 6+ weeks of having what I would consider some really solid stretches defensively. By that I mean, guys really digging in for 23 seconds on the shot clock on multiple possessions. BUT . . . . then the opponent would be forced to take a 28-foot three pointer or an off the wrong foot bank shot that would go in. Not just once, but several times in a quarter.
There were also times where opponents would take shots like that, and the ball would take a weird bounce right to someone on the other team. If it was a long rebound, that player would make a three. If it was a rebound near the basket, that guy would get it and get fouled for an and one. Sometimes the ball ends up in the wrong places. Some of these stretches the C's played 8 or 10 minutes of hounding the other team . . . and saw them fall behind from a basket or two to a dozen or more points. The effort was there, but the results were not. That scenario gives me hope that they could dial up more defensive intensity when they needed.
HOWEVER, they also have times where they just look like they are disinterested and content to watch the other team run whatever they want, they don't move their feet, they get beat off the dribble, and opponents can literally walk to the basket for layups and dunks. Not sure if that's a bad scheme, a blown switch, general fatigue, a championship hangover, etc. I have heard rumors that this season some of the players have taken to going out more, staying up late, and enjoying more nights on the town. To the victors go the spoils, but at some point, they need to put their stake in the ground and defend their title.
Yo Mama
Footballguy
Yeah I’m seeing a couple places saying the Spurs are his top choice.
Juxtatarot
Footballguy
Sorry to hear but the Kings can get a nice haul for him.
The Spurs can’t/wont send anything I’ll be excited about.
Mister CIA
Footballguy
I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
He’d extend with the spurs, that’s the point. It’d be like castle, Johnson, and two firsts or something similar.I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
Juxtatarot
Footballguy
Or get a third team involved.He’d extend with the spurs, that’s the point. It’d be like castle, Johnson, and two firsts or something similar.I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
Mister CIA
Footballguy
I hope the Spurs don't deal Castle. Vassell on the other hand would be no problem.He’d extend with the spurs, that’s the point. It’d be like castle, Johnson, and two firsts or something similar.I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
Vassell has a terrible deal. Castle isn’t very good either but any team dealing a decent player to the spurs is going to have to demand him.I hope the Spurs don't deal Castle. Vassell on the other hand would be no problem.He’d extend with the spurs, that’s the point. It’d be like castle, Johnson, and two firsts or something similar.I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
Major
Footballguy
Or get a third team involved.He’d extend with the spurs, that’s the point. It’d be like castle, Johnson, and two firsts or something similar.I think they still have a few Demar DeRozan user guides in mint condition they can offer.
Realistically, undoing the future swap, a couple of firsts, and matching contracts probably gets the deal done (Fox can still opt out in 26, so don't really want to go crazy with an offer).
Or just trade him to the Rockets for Van Vleet straight up
Frostillicus
Footballguy
Castle and Keldon works moneywise, and SA has a boatload of picks.
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Hopefully they can get one for Fox
Craig_MiamiFL
Footballguy
Fox for Chris Paul
Chris Paul - Derozan - Sabonis
Dominate the midrange.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Chris Paul - Derozan - Sabonis
Dominate the midrange.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Seems mean.
the moops
Footballguy
All this has been true forever. There are better and worse defensive teams in the league. Their are teams that try harder, and others that coast.
In general though, defenses today are just far better than yesteryear. Just as offenses are way better. We have 7 footers regularly doing things that only the elite of the elite wings were doing 20 years ago. We have end of the bench guys who can go for 30 points on random nights. It's the nature of sports. Athletes get longer, stronger, faster.
Yo Mama
Footballguy
They wore their stupid city edition uniforms tonight. They’re something like 0-55,000 playing in those ugly things.
If we want to talk about things ruining the NBA, city edition jerseys have to be at the top.
identikit
Footballguy
Never really made any 'yesteryear' comparisons.
Longer, stronger, faster hasn't made the product better, overall, I guess.
To me
If defensive effort levels were different/better (instead of the same and 'true forever'), the games themselves would be better to watch and stick with.
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Major
Footballguy
I'd agree for most part but the Rockets city edition is probably my favorite design from them in the past 10-20 years: https://images.app.goo.gl/bixdYH7LgQywASjC9
Zow
Footballguy
Well, Little Woz behaved himself so later today he should be close enough to Anthony Edwards to see the sweat.
If anybody watches the game tonight and hears a little voice screaming "De-Fence!" (his favorite) bizarrely during a Suns offensive possession there's a strong chance that's him.
If anybody watches the game tonight and hears a little voice screaming "De-Fence!" (his favorite) bizarrely during a Suns offensive possession there's a strong chance that's him.
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Gr00vus
Footballguy
Davis out at least a week with an abdominal strain. He'll be re-evaluated at the end of that week. Already back in L.A. while the team continues on the road trip. Hard to see their defense not completely falling apart while he's out.
Juxtatarot
Footballguy
Do you think the Lakers will trade for a center?
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Pelinka seems incapable of it. I don't think they should be sending out first round picks at this point though - they're not a center away from a championship here.
Major
Footballguy
No reason to make any desperate moves. You have Bronny when you're ready to unleash him and make a playoff run.
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Don’t worry, those teams have never had any crazy altercations
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