2024-25 NBA Thread: Jimmy Butler ready to take Wolves starters out with a bunch of backups again (124 Viewers)

[Yo Mama]

This must be how all those soccer nerds feel when everyone comes in each World Cup with suggestions of how to “fix” the sport.

 

[Anarchy99]

I hate to ever acknowledge anything offered up by Nick Wright, but he did have an interesting suggestion. He mentioned that MLB parks all have different dimensions. Why not have each franchise determine where the 3-point line is in their own building for that particular season? Don't have any three-point shooters that year? Set the 3-point line at half court. Have a ton of corner shooters? Leave the line there but extend the line at the top of the key back 15 feet. I get it, the league would never go for this. But it would make things a lot more interesting.

MLB parks being different dimensions is dumb though. They should standardize

Just moving the line back and eliminating the corner 3 is probably the easiest to achieve, facilities-wise, but a wider court would be something to behold.

the NBA could really lean into it:
-eliminate not only the corner three, but ALL the corners and round off the courts

- make the court wider at the baselines and funnel towards mid court. More courtside seating!! (obstructed as all get out, but so what? $$$$)

- do the same thing with the free throw lane - make everyone figure out to box out all over again.

If we are going bonkers, why not extend the court but leave the baskets where they are. Sort of like hockey or lacrosse. Give them some room to roam behind the backboard.

Heck yeah! Do we even really need backboards while we are at it?

Have them play on a hockey rink without the ice and leave the boards / glass up. Have out of bounds be over the glass only like with pucks for faceoffs. Make the blue line the new three-point line (which would be 39 feet from the basket). Of course, the length of the court would be more than twice as long . . . so players would run out of energy and make benches way more important.

 

[Mister CIA]

Trampolines, or not at all.

 

[Rustoleum]

This must be how all those soccer nerds feel when everyone comes in each World Cup with suggestions of how to “fix” the sport.

I’m just having fun. I don’t think basketball needs “fixing” per se but it s going to evolve whether we lie, it or not, and they should learn from baseball and not wait too long to do it.

 

[Rustoleum]

Trampolines, or not at all.

That’s how you make your live substitutions. (Until Ron Artest III uses it to go after a fan)

 

[Jayrod]

Draymond is the worst. That flop on the free throw was pathetic. And he’s still arguing it.

Just saw this

He should have gotten two fouls and a flopping tech for this. My god

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Due to his past history, he should get suspended a game for that and I'm serious.

Injury risk by pulling on the arms of 2 opponents and pulling them to the ground with one of the most blatant flops I've ever seen.

If he seriously tried to argue with the refs over it maybe go 2 games.

Absolute clown.

 

[Kev4029]

I think eliminating the corner three would make for hideous basketball again - getting rid of spacing is not what the NBA needs. On the other hand, widening the court would have the opposite effect and make things even more open. The combination of fewer easy threes and more room to operate seems like a win/win. I imagine teams are reluctant as it would eliminate at least one row on one side of the court, if not a row on either side of the court.

 

[Desert_Power]

Draymond is the worst. That flop on the free throw was pathetic. And he’s still arguing it.

Just saw this

He should have gotten two fouls and a flopping tech for this. My god

x.com

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This stuff erodes my interest in the NBA more than a game of only 3 pointers would. He never gets punished enough for this and does it all the time.

I find it particularly annoying since it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will have a long career as a talking head.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Every arena should have their own rim heights, moving backboards like pop a shot and also features like the hill at Minute Maid park

 

[GOB]

Who cares if people are watching?

People that dump on other people's interests are the worst. Unless you're interest is dumping on people, then I guess I'd be a hypocrite.

 

[Desert_Power]

Who cares if people are watching?

I care because the more attention it gets the more likely the NBA realizes how much it is killing local fan bases with it's ridiculous dependence on RSNs.

 

[identikit]

Really like the color scheme of the Pacers homecourt tonight

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Ratings for the Christmas Day games were way up

 

[Major]

Really like the color scheme of the Pacers homecourt tonight

Yeah, that court really pops. I like the graffiti inspired design just not on jerseys.

 

[Major]

This Pelicans team is so depressing. Almost hurts to watch my Rockets pummel them. Also starting to think that Zion may soon be entering a Ben Simmons level of bust territory.

 

[mr. furley]

Who cares if people are watching?

People that dump on other people's interests are the worst. Unless you're interest is dumping on people, then I guess I'd be a hypocrite.

for one i think the NBA cares if people are watching

 

[Jayrod]

Ratings for the Christmas Day games were way up

We did it!

 

[Desert_Power]

Ratings for the Christmas Day games were way up

Eggnog makes the 3 point line look farther away.

 

[thecatch]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

 

[Yo Mama]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

 

[Yo Mama]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Yeah, horrible close out. Not sure why he was playing to protect against a drive up 3. Should have been tighter to Ivey even before the pass.

 

[whoknew]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

How about them Pistons? Never quit.

 

[Major]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Time to trade him to Houston before it's too late

 

[thecatch]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Time to trade him to Houston before it's too late

If I were the GM now would be the time to make me an offer

 

[Mister CIA]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Time to trade him to Houston before it's too late

How much you got?

 

[the moops]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

Gonna be a bunch of deserving folks not making all-NBA. PG, Embiid, Chet, Kawhi, Paolo, Zion are already ineligible. Luka and Franz soon will be. Porzingis, Ja, Dame, LaMelo, KD, Bane, Butler are all probably gonna miss the games played.

 

[Major]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Time to trade him to Houston before it's too late

If I were the GM now would be the time to make me an offer

Fred Van Vleet and the Scola/Brooks expirings?

 

[SWC]

well the bucks played without anteater and dollardame again and lost to the nets i am not really sure what is going on giannis has knee stuff but was out for back spasms and i dont know why dame was out but i hope they are ok take that to the bank brohans

 

[thecatch]

Fox just had the world’s stupidest foul on a 3 pointer up 3 to lose a game. What in the world

Time to trade him to Houston before it's too late

If I were the GM now would be the time to make me an offer

Fred Van Vleet and the Scola/Brooks expirings?

Give us Kevin Martin back and you have a deal.

 

[Jayrod]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

Gonna be a bunch of deserving folks not making all-NBA. PG, Embiid, Chet, Kawhi, Paolo, Zion are already ineligible. Luka and Franz soon will be. Porzingis, Ja, Dame, LaMelo, KD, Bane, Butler are all probably gonna miss the games played.

Deserving is subjective. Expecting 80% participation shouldn't be considered a high bar.

 

[Kev4029]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

Gonna be a bunch of deserving folks not making all-NBA. PG, Embiid, Chet, Kawhi, Paolo, Zion are already ineligible. Luka and Franz soon will be. Porzingis, Ja, Dame, LaMelo, KD, Bane, Butler are all probably gonna miss the games played.

Deserving is subjective. Expecting 80% participation shouldn't be considered a high bar.

And I would argue that even at their best this season, Luka, Franz, Durant, and maybe Dame are the only players in that group that would be in serious contention for All-NBA.

 

[SWC]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

Gonna be a bunch of deserving folks not making all-NBA. PG, Embiid, Chet, Kawhi, Paolo, Zion are already ineligible. Luka and Franz soon will be. Porzingis, Ja, Dame, LaMelo, KD, Bane, Butler are all probably gonna miss the games played.

Deserving is subjective. Expecting 80% participation shouldn't be considered a high bar.

And I would argue that even at their best this season, Luka, Franz, Durant, and maybe Dame are the only players in that group that would be in serious contention for All-NBA.

dame has been pretty excellent for the bucks as of late so i would say yes on him take that to the bank brochachos

 

[Instinctive]

Luka to be reevaluated in a month. Might knock him out of any post-season awards since he’s already missed 8 games (can only miss 17).

Gonna be a bunch of deserving folks not making all-NBA. PG, Embiid, Chet, Kawhi, Paolo, Zion are already ineligible. Luka and Franz soon will be. Porzingis, Ja, Dame, LaMelo, KD, Bane, Butler are all probably gonna miss the games played.

Deserving is subjective. Expecting 80% participation shouldn't be considered a high bar.

And I would argue that even at their best this season, Luka, Franz, Durant, and maybe Dame are the only players in that group that would be in serious contention for All-NBA.

Honestly, people would try to game it (the voters I mean) and it would get all screwy, but just voting and then having your vote tally multiplied by % of games you played and seeing the top then woudl be intriguing.

 

[the moops]

Yea maybe most of those names wouldn't make the cut with how they were playing - was just throwing some legacy names and some close to all-NBA caliber players. Seems like a lot of really good basketball players are gonna miss the game threshold though. Gonna be some 3rd team all-NBA guy that everyone looks back on and is all like "how the hell did that guy make an all NBA team?"

 

[the moops]

Also - if you want to be super nerdy this google sheet tracks players games played and the pace they are on

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQvRzU5MzIdOuUm0hmOgw_B7PSmU72gW-XGTFGbUaVbE1yLe5sj9DLR0Wfwp5v21pGiTgUJ8mYrFBnH/pubhtml#

 

[Chemical X]

Also - if you want to be super nerdy this google sheet tracks players games played and the pace they are on

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQvRzU5MzIdOuUm0hmOgw_B7PSmU72gW-XGTFGbUaVbE1yLe5sj9DLR0Wfwp5v21pGiTgUJ8mYrFBnH/pubhtml#

speaking of which, knicks have a btb, with the wiz tomorrow and then the wiz again tuesday. i’m actually hoping the knicks give some guys a mgmt day. onunoby kat and brunson stand out to me.

 

[Chemical X]

This Pelicans team is so depressing. Almost hurts to watch my Rockets pummel them. Also starting to think that Zion may soon be entering a Ben Simmons level of bust territory.

will someone be tempted enough for zion? he will never be healthy.

 

[Zow]

Draymond is the worst. That flop on the free throw was pathetic. And he’s still arguing it.

Just saw this

He should have gotten two fouls and a flopping tech for this. My god

x.com

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He's really not likeable. Talented and probably a good teammate, but he's in the Suh bucket of just unlikeable, "dirty" players.

 

[Zow]

This must be how all those soccer nerds feel when everyone comes in each World Cup with suggestions of how to “fix” the sport.

Probably. But doesn't mean those suggestions aren't valid.

 

[Chemical X]

i write this every so often, but i wish the nba would go to the 7 point system instead of stupid won loss. if i’m gonna watch a nightly 3 point contest, let’s make every quarter be valuable.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

well the bucks played without anteater and dollardame again and lost to the nets i am not really sure what is going on

I think I saw Marty Conlon get some time on the floor.

 

[Kev4029]

The Kings just let Mike Brown run practice and talk to the media after practice then fired him before the team boarded a plane to LA. Kangz gonna Kangz.

 

[thecatch]

The Kings just let Mike Brown run practice and talk to the media after practice then fired him before the team boarded a plane to LA. Kangz gonna Kangz.

Yep. He’s been bad this year, but yep. Franchise is never going to change as long as Vivek is in charge.

 

[Kev4029]

The Kings just let Mike Brown run practice and talk to the media after practice then fired him before the team boarded a plane to LA. Kangz gonna Kangz.

Yep. He’s been bad this year, but yep. Franchise is never going to change as long as Vivek is in charge.

He still manages to be one of the worst owners in basketball even after toning it WAY down from when he first bought the team.

 

[thecatch]

The Kings just let Mike Brown run practice and talk to the media after practice then fired him before the team boarded a plane to LA. Kangz gonna Kangz.

Yep. He’s been bad this year, but yep. Franchise is never going to change as long as Vivek is in charge.

He still manages to be one of the worst owners in basketball even after toning it WAY down from when he first bought the team.

I don’t think he ever really toned it done in terms of how he manages, he just stopped giving so many interviews.

 

[Beef Ravioli Part 2]

Draymond is the worst. That flop on the free throw was pathetic. And he’s still arguing it.

Just saw this

He should have gotten two fouls and a flopping tech for this. My god

x.com

x.com

Talented and probably a good teammate,

Didn’t he knock out a teammate at practice a season or two ago?

 

[Kev4029]

The Kings just let Mike Brown run practice and talk to the media after practice then fired him before the team boarded a plane to LA. Kangz gonna Kangz.

Yep. He’s been bad this year, but yep. Franchise is never going to change as long as Vivek is in charge.

He still manages to be one of the worst owners in basketball even after toning it WAY down from when he first bought the team.

I don’t think he ever really toned it done in terms of how he manages, he just stopped giving so many interviews.

Keeping his mouth shut publicly was a wise move then.

 

[scoobus]

Stauskas?

 

[Zow]

Draymond is the worst. That flop on the free throw was pathetic. And he’s still arguing it.

Just saw this

He should have gotten two fouls and a flopping tech for this. My god

x.com

x.com

Talented and probably a good teammate,

Didn’t he knock out a teammate at practice a season or two ago?

Yep.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Sac gonna find its' way out of this DeRozan debacle? Gonna be tough as theres never been a big market for him. Was an obvious terrible fit in their starting lineup. Guy is a ball stopper offensively (which was perfect for him to be able to do in Chicago)

I'm still completely mystified how anyone thought he'd be a good fit in the starting lineup with that constructed team in Sac.

DeRozan is a bench piece on a good team. Not many good teams wanting a 35 year old $24m/yr bench piece in the first year of his deal. Rebuilding teams won't be interested.

Feels like a thrown together trio like Durant-Booker-Beal. Overlapping skill sets be damned. Neither team is going anywhere as constructed. As hard a pill to swallow for the franchises (and probably the players and any remote chance to deal either), best fit for both Beal and DeRozan is coming off the bench on their current teams.

I'm interested to see if any of Fox-Booker-Durant ask out realizing their current teams aren't going anywhere as built. You could pick a random FBG in this thread and they'd be able to drive to the bucket and score on the Suns.

Hated the fit as well with Sabonis. Not surprised at all they're no better. Equally unsurprising is the Bulls are no worse. Derozan is an iso player where the ball movement just stops. Same problem in Chicago where the ball went to him and rarely left. It's nice seeing ball movement again. The complimentary players suffer. The team is mediocre.

No one here in Chicago is sad he's gone. They needed to get younger. Got the most out of him. Wish they cut bait sooner as it was just a dreadful brand of basketball to watch. Offense just stops when he's got the ball. He's a good iso ball player that isn't good enough or dominant enough to make the team good at this point. As you alluded there's a reason there's never been a huge market for Derozan's services in today's NBA. If you want to be a middling team content with allowing him to stop ball movement and flow on your offense, Derozan is your guy.

They're stuck with DeRozan

Teams aren't lining up for a 35 year old iso ball stopping midrange clogging wing that plays no D that isn't a threat from 3 on the first year of a multi year deal. He's not an asset as an off ball player whatsoever. He's a bench player (on any team with any desire of winning) at this stage of his career. Let him do his iso ball scoring with 'leading' a 2nd unit.

Doug Christie nor anyone else is fixing this with the current starting lineup.