Preseason Game 4 @ Wolves (7:00pm CST) (No TV)

[Willie Colon]

I thought it was pretty clear that Press didn't mean to say that Jabari is the next Lebron. There can never be too much happiness and excitement here so I understand the need to desperately pile on to something that isn't there.

[theFireBlanket]

I thought it was pretty clear that Press didn't mean to...

Maybe PP didn't but Jason did in his media introduction this summer:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bucks/li ... 39891.html

"You have Jabari who can eventually be a LeBron (James) in the NBA," Kidd said. "You couldn't ask for a better opportunity to teach and try to make these guys better."

"I talked to Grant Hill and I told him, 'I played against you a lot and now hopefully I'm getting to coach a player like you,'" Kidd said. "Jabari has the opportunity to be a special player in this league.

"But it's not handed to you. He's going to work and our jobs are to make him better each day."

[randy84]

LeBron might be a reach at this point, but he does look a little like this guy.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9yvkw9WZF8[/youtube]

[Tuxedo38]

Bucks finally put up a highlight/recap video.

http://www.nba.com/bucks/video/teams/bu ... ov-3411150

[Bernman]

Re: Bern's argument with Mr. Anonymous...

Whether it's unfortunate or not I can't quite say but I actually think that Jabari getting slotted right into the starting lineup won't piss off any of the vets because the way the league works, he's already been considered entitled by these guys. They like his personality and he's the NBA's consensus best player out of the draft this year. Dudley, possibly veteran #1 on the team right now has come out and claimed that Jabari is "legit". Knight praises him. . .

Whereas Giannis doesn't have an assigned position, is considered for taking minutes at PG (from Bayless, Marshall, Knight, Wolters) and receives encouragement regarding his play along the lines of this from the Chicago game:

"It was tough once (Brandon) Knight got hurt and Giannis was trying to play (point guard). We hadn't done that yet. We were out there just freestyling."

Maybe Dudley felt more comfortable on the court with Knight but the results of those two stretches vouch for the argument that the team was better off when Giannis was running the offense.''

Giannis is foreign and came from a 2nd division in Greece. He's only 3 months older than Parker. Jabari is from Chicago, an AAU baller, played for Duke. He's going to get the "paid dues" nod before Giannis, whose experience in the NBA was on a losing team under Larry Drew.

Do I agree with what I perceive to be the general team attitude toward these guys? Of course not. I put them on relatively equal levels. They just have different backgrounds and talents. Jabari probably is more comfortable on the court but he's had a more defined basketball experience. Once Giannis gets that, he'll be caught up. I think it should work out to make Giannis a better player because he's the type of person that's set on perseverance.

I think objection to Giannis was the role he was used in. I also objected to him playing point guard, yet I think he should start....at point forward.

As far as stating Jabari is legit, that doesn't equate to thinking he's earned a starting spot already. You figure they're speaking about him as a prospect and what he'll be able to do in the future because those are the expectations for a rookie. If he clearly outplays his competition in practices and preseason, they should start him, otherwise that's showing preferential treatment to veterans. I want to make it clear that I don't want to see anybody get preferential treatment because that's part of what creates a poisonous culture. But as of this point in preseason Jabari has played two good games and two bad ones. Looking beyond just what he's done in the most recent games, overall he's been mediocre. And if he starts he'd be beating out a lot of guys between maybe Middleton, Henson, Ersan, Dudley, and possibly Zaza. So to me the rest of the preseason he should have to play much more like he did the last two games, than the first two, to earn a spot over guys who have been there before and done decently. Even if he does continue to kill it in preseason, that doesn't mean he'll be ready for when games matter and he's playing the best who are trying as well. Even in one of his 2 good games Love was lighting him up when he was actually out there, and LeBron was sitting on the sidelines. This last game where he pulled that sick spin, it was against Anthony Bennett. So it might behoove us to put him in match-ups like those instead off the bat while he's still developing skills and proving to himself and others he can play in this league. He already has plenty of advance pressure, more doesn't need to be heaped onto him. Even in summer league and at the start of preseason he admitted to and displayed nervousness.

[Baddy Chuck]

And if he starts he'd be beating out a lot of guys between maybe Middleton, Henson, Ersan, Dudley, and possibly Zaza. So to me the rest of the preseason he should have to play much more like he did the last two games, than the first two, to earn a spot over guys who have been there before and done decently.

So Jabari has to prove himself but those other guys ride the coattails of previous seasons? Because those guys really haven't proven much from what we've seen this season.

[Bernman]

Past events are indicators of future ones. So if there isn't a clear advantage during practices and exhibitions, then the benefit of the doubt should be given to those who've already proven in the recent past they can perform the job at least adequately when the games actually matter. Then if they get clearly outplayed when the games matter over a sizable enough sample (let's say 10 games), they lose their starting job. Nobody has grounds to complain about a meritorious, non-reactionary system like that. I don't see the problem at all, in an 82-game season. Jabari and Giannis are going to get their minutes and opportunities, regardless. Starting is largely a formality if you're going to play substantial minutes anyway.

[Wise1]

I think skones and I were the two biggest Jabari fans last year. It was hard for me to get off wiggins bandwagon as I was hyped on him for a year before that. I'm glad we got Jabari. I think wiggins is going to be better than I thought he was after a year in college, but he'll be the melo to Jabari's lebron his hole career. (Not saying wiggins is melo or Jabari is james. Just saying that both were hyped but melo has always taken a back seat)

Ahem.

Also, a few were NEVER on the Wiggins bandwagon.

[theFireBlanket]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/KButter5/status/523531765823340545[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/EatMyWontonSoup/status/523545776732266496[/tweet]

[MiltownHawkeye]

Other thoughts from seeing the game:

-Bayless was so-so. He had some excellent positions and a few piss-poor ones where he dribbled the air out of the ball until the shot clock was low and put up a bad shot.

-If Parker finds his shot he's going to be lethal in the pick and pop game. 4 is definitely his position.

-Parker might have outplayed Giannis on the defensive end. Giannis was getting lost and rotations a lot more than usual. Nothing to worry about, just a reminder of how young he is. Parker seems to have a nose for the ball and he was contesting pretty well. That part of his game was underrated leading up to the draft.

-The mostly neutral crowd was taking notice of Giannis' talent. Every time he slashed to the basket there was audible anticipation.

-Mayo was taking some pretty **** shots that were going in. It was a reminder that he is and always has been a pretty talented shooter. He looked slimmer and way more active on and off the ball. He failed to pay off an excellent pass from Giannis, missing a bunny. Overall he made me a little more cautiously optimistic he could get back to career norms so we can trade him for some value.

-I don't absolutely abhor the idea of Giannis coming off the bench as the super-sub. I'd prefer to not but could live with it if the rotation was something like:

Marshall/Wolters/Bayless
Knight/Mayo
Middleton/Giannis/Dudley
Parker/Ersan
Sanders/Henson/Zaza

Giannis playing 28-32 MPG spelling the 1, 2, 3, or 4 with fairly balanced lineups offensively in the starting and bench units doesn't sound too bad.

[Newz]

Giannis is too tall, lanky and athletic. It doesn't even look impressive when he dunks... it looks like a normal person dunking on an 8 foot hoop.

[Nycballa2k]

Different angle of Jabari's basket:

http://instagram.com/p/uTP8EWpKEH/

He's showing us his game is more LeBron than Melo or Big Dog.

That's the way I've felt since watching his first game at Duke. You always have to hesitate when you compare rookies to all-time greats (never stops me from comparing Giannis to Durant, lol), but just looking at style of play, they are very similar.

If you think about it, LeBron has been playing in the NBA since Jabari was in like 3rd grade, so it's not all that surprising to see someone's game modeled after him.

ETA: He seems to get hot like him too. Overall at this point Jabari's jump shot is pretty poor. But he's going to have times where he can't miss and you know it. Call me crazy, but I think the #1 biggest difference between 19 year old LeBron and 19 year old Jabari is confidence.

And that whole 6'8 point guard thing

[theFireBlanket]

-The mostly neutral crowd was taking notice of Giannis' talent. Every time he slashed to the basket there was audible anticipation.

His length, the space he covers in a few steps and otherwise the way that he moves with the ball should excite people. It's simply awesome.

[El Duderino]

The LeBron stuff is a too far.

Sent from my XT1080 using RealGM Forums mobile app

No one is saying he will be LeBron. But that is what his style of game looks like. He relentlessly attacks the hoop.

There are A LOT of players that attack the hoop. Melo got to the line 6.4 times a game his rookie season. Lebron's vision is what makes Lebron Lebron. That's not something Jabari has demonstrated.

Yea, there will never be another LeBron or anything close to him. The guy is not only incredibly skilled at nearly every aspect of basketball, James is also an athletic freak of nature. A guy 6'8-6'9 at about 260 pounds of pure muscle who can run like a guard and has top notch coordination. I have no doubt that had LeBron focused on football instead, he could have made the NFL and be likely an All-Pro at tight end.

His name should never be used in comparison for any young player entering the NBA.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

The LeBron stuff is a too far.

Sent from my XT1080 using RealGM Forums mobile app

No one is saying he will be LeBron. But that is what his style of game looks like. He relentlessly attacks the hoop.

I agree with this. that similarity is there. kind of blake almost too if somebody doesn't like the LeBron comparison because he isn't as multifaceted.

[Phila Tough]

nothing wrong with getting excited about a player. other fanbases do it too. orlando fans are calling elfrid a more athletic rondo. embiid is hakeem. etc

Not one 76er fan has called Embiid the next Hakeem.

[CanadaBucks]

nothing wrong with getting excited about a player. other fanbases do it too. orlando fans are calling elfrid a more athletic rondo. embiid is hakeem. etc

Not one 76er fan has called Embiid the next Hakeem.

Not one Sixers fan in the whole world?

[Turk Nowitzki]

nothing wrong with getting excited about a player. other fanbases do it too. orlando fans are calling elfrid a more athletic rondo. embiid is hakeem. etc

Not one 76er fan has called Embiid the next Hakeem.

Ha, I was reading through the last few pages and all the sudden I'm like "whoa I didn't post this".

[Phila Tough]

nothing wrong with getting excited about a player. other fanbases do it too. orlando fans are calling elfrid a more athletic rondo. embiid is hakeem. etc

Not one 76er fan has called Embiid the next Hakeem.

Not one Sixers fan in the whole world?

Yeah right, we're not allowed to be happy about our prospects either

[AussieBuck]

Hey it's one of the unhinged sixers fans who hates Giannis. Hi crazy guy!