2024-25 NBA Thread: for the second time, somebody in Dallas hits low percentage shot that leads to a generation of conspiracy theories (47 Viewers)

[Juxtatarot]

I see the dunk contest just an entertainment instead of a serious athletic competition. The gimmicks over the decades contribute to this. I guess it could be done more seriously and have judges that could score it like judges in Olympic diving or something like that but the masses wouldn't like that.

 

[thecatch]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Did stars used to suffer a rash of injuries participating in the dunk contest? That's not entirely rhetorical, maybe there were some and I don't remember.

It's not the actual competition, it's the needless wear and tear from practicing for it. You have a finite number of times you can jump and land violently. Why waste them on a prepping for a sideshow?

These guys are goofing off in practice all the time anyway. I totally disagree that there's any evidence for the fact that participating in dunk contests shortens your career, what are we even talking about here.

All those dunks totally ruined the careers of guys like Jordan, Carter, Kobe, et al.

Burn that Strawman down

There isn't any data I'm aware of that shows that there is a finite number of jumps a person has but there is some empirical evidence that it doesn't matter with guys that I mentioned having long careers. Nearly all the winners of the dunk contest have not had any debilitating lower body injuries. And the ones that have are Griffin who had his knee situation before the contest, Wall who tore his Achilles at home, and Lavine who seems to be unaffected by his ACL tear.

So Vince Carter and Shawn Kemp are still doing windmills and jumping over people? Do you have a YouTube link?

So you think that's because Kemp jumped too many times in his life or that he's 55 years old?

 

[Kev4029]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Did stars used to suffer a rash of injuries participating in the dunk contest? That's not entirely rhetorical, maybe there were some and I don't remember.

It's not the actual competition, it's the needless wear and tear from practicing for it. You have a finite number of times you can jump and land violently. Why waste them on a prepping for a sideshow?

These guys are goofing off in practice all the time anyway. I totally disagree that there's any evidence for the fact that participating in dunk contests shortens your career, what are we even talking about here.

All those dunks totally ruined the careers of guys like Jordan, Carter, Kobe, et al.

Burn that Strawman down

There isn't any data I'm aware of that shows that there is a finite number of jumps a person has but there is some empirical evidence that it doesn't matter with guys that I mentioned having long careers. Nearly all the winners of the dunk contest have not had any debilitating lower body injuries. And the ones that have are Griffin who had his knee situation before the contest, Wall who tore his Achilles at home, and Lavine who seems to be unaffected by his ACL tear.

So Vince Carter and Shawn Kemp are still doing windmills and jumping over people? Do you have a YouTube link?

Carter was still dunking during his age 43 season. He was the 4th oldest player in the history of the NBA. That's not proof that there is no such thing as too many dunks, but it's one more data point than you've offered.

 

[Zow]

NBA digging Mac McClung out to save the dunk contest every year is hilarious.

They just need to own it
and have a McClure v Jordan Kilganon dunk off for supreme champion.

It obviously doesn’t matter at this point if the winner can actually play meaningful minutes in the NBA.

 

[Zow]

NHL embarrassed the NBA tonight. Vastly superior "all star" product.

The NHL all star game is this weekend?

effectively, yes.

This year the NHL replaced the traditional all star game with the 4 nations tournament of which the players are treating seriously.

Yeah it’s been awesome.

 

[Navin Johnson]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Did stars used to suffer a rash of injuries participating in the dunk contest? That's not entirely rhetorical, maybe there were some and I don't remember.

It's not the actual competition, it's the needless wear and tear from practicing for it. You have a finite number of times you can jump and land violently. Why waste them on a prepping for a sideshow?

These guys are goofing off in practice all the time anyway. I totally disagree that there's any evidence for the fact that participating in dunk contests shortens your career, what are we even talking about here.

All those dunks totally ruined the careers of guys like Jordan, Carter, Kobe, et al.

Burn that Strawman down

There isn't any data I'm aware of that shows that there is a finite number of jumps a person has but there is some empirical evidence that it doesn't matter with guys that I mentioned having long careers. Nearly all the winners of the dunk contest have not had any debilitating lower body injuries. And the ones that have are Griffin who had his knee situation before the contest, Wall who tore his Achilles at home, and Lavine who seems to be unaffected by his ACL tear.

So Vince Carter and Shawn Kemp are still doing windmills and jumping over people? Do you have a YouTube link?

Carter was still dunking during his age 43 season. He was the 4th oldest player in the history of the NBA. That's not proof that there is no such thing as too many dunks, but it's one more data point than you've offered.

To argue that the cumulative effect doesn't contribute to the length and effectiveness of a player's career is mind boggling to say the least. And how many dunk contests did Vinsanity participate in?

 

[Navin Johnson]

NBA digging Mac McClung out to save the dunk contest every year is hilarious.

They just need to own it
and have a McClure v Jordan Kilganon dunk off for supreme champion.

It obviously doesn’t matter at this point if the winner can actually play meaningful minutes in the NBA.

I'm an Isaiah Rivera fan myself

 

[Judge Smails]

Embiid thread title

 

[Navin Johnson]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Did stars used to suffer a rash of injuries participating in the dunk contest? That's not entirely rhetorical, maybe there were some and I don't remember.

It's not the actual competition, it's the needless wear and tear from practicing for it. You have a finite number of times you can jump and land violently. Why waste them on a prepping for a sideshow?

These guys are goofing off in practice all the time anyway. I totally disagree that there's any evidence for the fact that participating in dunk contests shortens your career, what are we even talking about here.

All those dunks totally ruined the careers of guys like Jordan, Carter, Kobe, et al.

Burn that Strawman down

There isn't any data I'm aware of that shows that there is a finite number of jumps a person has but there is some empirical evidence that it doesn't matter with guys that I mentioned having long careers. Nearly all the winners of the dunk contest have not had any debilitating lower body injuries. And the ones that have are Griffin who had his knee situation before the contest, Wall who tore his Achilles at home, and Lavine who seems to be unaffected by his ACL tear.

So Vince Carter and Shawn Kemp are still doing windmills and jumping over people? Do you have a YouTube link?

So you think that's because Kemp jumped too many times in his life or that he's 55 years old?

He jumped the number of times he was built for

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Probably would still prefer the 10th man money though

I saw on the Twitters (so you know its true) that he has earned about 140k as an NBA player and close to half a million from the dunk contests.

It’s apparently not correct because spotrac (where the data was taken from) doesn’t list money earned from two-way contracts, but I still get the sentiment

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Mac mcclung has been in the g league and on two way contracts for a large portion of the last few years. Honestly is probably more practice and wear and tear traveling the way they do in the g league

 

[Kev4029]

Yeah, I'd love to see Ant and Ja Morant and Jalen Green and Zion and what not, but it makes sense why they don't join in.

Does it?

Yeah. Unlike Mac McClung, they actually have to practice for NBA games. They aren’t essentially unemployed, and can’t obsessively focus just on the dunk contest 24-7, 365 days. They also can’t afford to get injured dunking in a contest (hi Zion!), because unlike McClung, a team needs them healthy to play real basketball……

Did stars used to suffer a rash of injuries participating in the dunk contest? That's not entirely rhetorical, maybe there were some and I don't remember.

It's not the actual competition, it's the needless wear and tear from practicing for it. You have a finite number of times you can jump and land violently. Why waste them on a prepping for a sideshow?

These guys are goofing off in practice all the time anyway. I totally disagree that there's any evidence for the fact that participating in dunk contests shortens your career, what are we even talking about here.

All those dunks totally ruined the careers of guys like Jordan, Carter, Kobe, et al.

Burn that Strawman down

There isn't any data I'm aware of that shows that there is a finite number of jumps a person has but there is some empirical evidence that it doesn't matter with guys that I mentioned having long careers. Nearly all the winners of the dunk contest have not had any debilitating lower body injuries. And the ones that have are Griffin who had his knee situation before the contest, Wall who tore his Achilles at home, and Lavine who seems to be unaffected by his ACL tear.

So Vince Carter and Shawn Kemp are still doing windmills and jumping over people? Do you have a YouTube link?

Carter was still dunking during his age 43 season. He was the 4th oldest player in the history of the NBA. That's not proof that there is no such thing as too many dunks, but it's one more data point than you've offered.

To argue that the cumulative effect doesn't contribute to the length and effectiveness of a player's career is mind boggling to say the least. And how many dunk contests did Vinsanity participate in?

I can't prove a negative. In game dunks are going to be significantly more problematic, not because of a cumulative effect, necessary, but cumulative risk of landing on somebody's foot or getting knocked off balance or something.

Jordan Kilganon has made his entire career doing dunk videos and contests. Certainly 10s of thousands, probably 100s of thousands of dunks and he has something like a 50 inch vertical.

There may be a long term cumulative effect but it is less consequential than acute injuries and age.

 

[msudaisy26]

We need the break to end ASAP!

 

[General Malaise]

We need the break to end ASAP!

Tell you what they need to do is have an all-star break Drunk Contest and take that to the bank sismiga

 

[identikit]

Any one play can result in a a catastrophic career-diminishing and/or ending injury

So there is added risk, with 'extra' plays

 

[menobrown]

We need the break to end ASAP!

Always thought it was weird timing of NBA to put the break on such a dead sports weekend and right after the Super Bowl. Feel like they are missing out on a lot of potential viewers who have grown used to sitting around watching NFL games for the past 5+ months every Sunday.

 

[Desert_Power]

We need the break to end ASAP!

Always thought it was weird timing of NBA to put the break on such a dead sports weekend and right after the Super Bowl. Feel like they are missing out on a lot of potential viewers who have grown used to sitting around watching NFL games for the past 5+ months every Sunday.

Feels like it would be much better the weekend before with the Pro Bowl that nobody else is watching. Holding the IST now would be a better idea too.

 

[msudaisy26]

I just meant to end the talk of how many jumps does the human body have in it and so on. Back to our regularly schedule load maintenance.

 

[SayWhat?]

I just meant to end the talk of how many jumps does the human body have in it and so on. Back to our regularly schedule load maintenance.

Agreed. It’s a debate that you’ll never have any data supporting/discrediting. If Mac McClung blows his Achilles tomorrow, it’s not indicative of the dunk contest causing abnormal wear and tear on his body. Conversely, if Anthony Edwards has a long and healthy career, not participating in the dunk contest won’t be a factor in that. At all.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

We need the break to end ASAP!

Always thought it was weird timing of NBA to put the break on such a dead sports weekend and right after the Super Bowl. Feel like they are missing out on a lot of potential viewers who have grown used to sitting around watching NFL games for the past 5+ months every Sunday.

Feels like it would be much better the weekend before with the Pro Bowl that nobody else is watching. Holding the IST now would be a better idea too.

But then there is probably a lot more chance for teams to be injured, be worn down, and to have traded away pieces/trying to integrate new pieces. It would have less to compete with, but i think the product would be worse.

 

[Yo Mama]

As if Shaq and Chuck don’t crap on the NBA enough, TNT decided to bring in Kevin Hart to trash the players over the PA mid-game. Now Shaq is talking about Sheila E while the game is going on. It’s not just the players not taking things seriously enough. At least Candice Parker is trying to actually talk about the game.

 

[Desert_Power]

TF is this All Star format?

 

[Yo Mama]

TF is this All Star format?

I don’t mind the format and it looks like the players are more invested this year. The TNT crew (minus Ernie and Candice) is killing it for me. Especially Kevin Hart. I just need to mute it and pretend the announcers are actually somewhat interested in the game.

 

[Mister CIA]

Yeah, Kevin Hart is terrible.

 

[SayWhat?]

As long as we’re on the subject, does anyone really care to hear Draymond’s opinion? About anything? He’s such a heel.

 

[Jayrod]

As long as we’re on the subject, does anyone really care to hear Draymond’s opinion? About anything? He’s such a heel.

I think it's ridiculous he's given a platform. I'm still irate the Celtics let Curry go off and beat them so that Draymond felt like his whole clown act was justified.

Guy should have multiple assault convictions on his legal record.

 

[Eephus]

I just switched over during the second game but I kind of like this format.

I also don't mind Draymond but that's a Bay Area thing.

 

[Moe.]

High expectations for the final, I think they’re gonna get after it

 

[Moe.]

Need wemby in asap

 

[Mister CIA]

What on earth is this production? Why am I still watching?

 

[SWC]

is the game over or what i dont get what is happening are these guys really retiring take that to the bank brohans

 

[Jayrod]

This is like a 10 min break. What the heck.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Couldn’t they have had another shooting contest with a kid who has a bad haircut? Plenty of time during this loooong break….

 

[Alex P Keaton]

J Brown with a missed barely contested layup

 

[Desert_Power]

TF is this All Star format?

I don’t mind the format and it looks like the players are more invested this year. The TNT crew (minus Ernie and Candice) is killing it for me. Especially Kevin Hart. I just need to mute it and pretend the announcers are actually somewhat interested in the game.

Seems like Draymond hates it too, another bonus.

Anything to get these guys to care a little bit is a plus IMO. Just didn't know what was going on.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Am 8-second violation in an all star game? So stupid. Good job refs.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Super lame ending by Tatum

 

[Major]

TF is this All Star format?

It's terrible

 

[Zow]

Am 8-second violation in an all star game? So stupid. Good job refs.

After they basically didn’t call anything the rest of the time. A bit tone deaf on that call.

Format made them try harder it seemed.

 

[Zow]

TF is this All Star format?

It's terrible

They seemed to try twice as hard on defense as previous years though.

 

[Major]

Am 8-second violation in an all star game? So stupid. Good job refs.

I actually thought that was best part. At least gave me a laugh.

 

[SWC]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Jayrod]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

My son said before they even got the ball “Tatum or J Brown will do something ultra lame to end the game. They just don’t understand that this is a show.”

 

[Major]

Yeah, Kevin Hart is terrible.

He's also really f'n short

 

[SWC]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

negative ghost rider it was a pass from poop beard take that to the bank brohan

x.com

x.com

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

negative ghost rider it was a pass from poop beard take that to the bank brohan

x.com

x.com

Harden was tired out after playing defense for two games in a row

 

[the moops]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

No he didn't. Curry was coming around a screen being set by Tatum and Harden through it to Tatum as he slipped the screen. Should have just set a hard screen and let Curry take the three for the winner. But whatver. Curry still got the MVP

 

[Jayrod]

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

negative ghost rider it was a pass from poop beard take that to the bank brohan

x.com

x.com

Huh, you were right.

Super lame ending by Tatum

the whole universe wanted curry to take the last shot what the hell tatertatum time and place take that to the bank bromigos

Curry passed him the ball

No he didn't. Curry was coming around a screen being set by Tatum and Harden through it to Tatum as he slipped the screen. Should have just set a hard screen and let Curry take the three for the winner. But whatver. Curry still got the MVP

Yes, the video was posted. My bad, just went from memory, won't happen again.

 

[thecatch]

Am 8-second violation in an all star game? So stupid. Good job refs.

After they basically didn’t call anything the rest of the time. A bit tone deaf on that call.

Format made them try harder it seemed.

It might have cleared last year’s bar but it still wasn’t good effort wise.

I should add I thought the earlier rounds were better than the final on that front.