The Around The NBA Thread

[CobyWhite0]

Now I would say the Pelicans severely underachieved as a team. They technically have 2 allstars in Zion and Ingram. Have a good center in Adams and a good backcourt in Lonzo and Bledsoe.

No way they should have only gotten 1 more win than the previous year.

Again I havent followed the Pelicans to know how bad the situation was. But when you have Lonzo looking elsewhere, Josh Hart wanting to be moved, and Reddick early in the year wanted out, it doesnt sound good. Also you know guys like Jaxson Hayes wasnt a fan of how SVG was playing him.

This might be SVG last run for quite a while.

I just hope they don’t replace him with someone who loves Lonzo Ball.

That what my immediate concern, but I didn't say anything out of respect to ole SVG, the poor guy just got fired

[MrSparkle]

SVG gets the blame, but that roster is just too young. Their defensive rating sucked. And their offense was ok but hampered by terrible spacers (starting 5 brick fest). Lonzo boosted that spot-up 3P% but besides blackhole/iso Ingram, there’s nobody in that starting 5 who could shoot outside the paint off-the-dribble.

[MGB8]

SVG gets the blame, but that roster is just too young. Their defensive rating sucked. And their offense was ok but hampered by terrible spacers (starting 5 brick fest). Lonzo boosted that spot-up 3P% but besides blackhole/iso Ingram, there’s nobody in that starting 5 who could shoot outside the paint off-the-dribble.

Not just off-the-dribble, but in catch and shoot. That roster was terrible in terms of off-ball shooting and movement, generally. Reddick brought in to help that prior to getting shipped out - but age finally caught up to him, and he he also compounded a general lack of perimeter defense.

The last thing also makes me question all the talk of Lonzo being a great defender, when the Pelicans were very poor defending the perimeter with him and Bledsoe - and it's not like Bledsoe's an awful defender himself. Could be partially a scheme issue, but something isn't right with the notion that Ball is a very good defender, Bledsoe solid (used to be excellent), Ingram was once considered pretty good, Zion thought to be good (at least at times)... Hart... If all those guys are good defenders, then how come the Pels kind of sucked defensively.

[MGB8]

These are easily the strangest, most asterisk playoffs ever in the history of the NBA.

The Orlando Bubble was such a tightly-wrapped operation- IMO it was some of the most competitive, focused NBA basketball. Also that extended spring/summer rest had everybody (who made it to the Bubble) in healthy shape.

Lockout years were always weird but "back to business" once they got in the flow.

This right here is insane. The injuries, the tank jobs, the COVID protocols. A lot of teams just waived white flags throughout the season. On the other hand, Utah, Milwaukee, Philly and Phoenix had themselves strong regular seasons and deserve their place here in the final-8. Durant is playing out his mind.

Have to be honest; I checked out during this second round. For some reason these series don't interest me. I was looking forward to the conference finals, but not if Cameron Payne and Jordan Clarkson are headlining.

Knee issues: Kawhi, Embiid, Conley, Harden, Kyrie (and not to mention Hawks' Hunter and Reddish). Then you have Mitchell's hamstring, Paul's covid. Couple other guys playing through limps. We still have R2 games left, and these remaining games are going to be very competitive as the rosters are even with all the injuries considered. Hopefully everyone stays in tact.

This year's championship city is going to be a real doozy. It's unlikely, but can you imagine if a CP3-less Suns or Hawks win the chip?

One thing that this does, however, is reinforce the fact that "having a puncher's chance" at a ring is a lot better than nothing. Injuries happen, whether it's Derrick for the Bulls or Klay for the Warriors, or Embiid or Kyrie/Harden or Conley, etc.

Similarly, freak non-on-the court injury things happen a la CP3 (to include illness or off-court injuries like Boozer and Jay Williams). Sometimes they even happen during the playoffs.

Michael and Lebron and Shaq made folks think that - well, once a team has "that guy" or near "that guy", that's kind of it - but the relative health of those guys is an outlier. And even then, Lebron was impacted by injury both ways (the year he lost Kyrie/Love, vs. a banged up Curry the other year). There's a lot more chance and dumb luck involved in moving from near the top of the mountain to the very top than people recognize --- as long as you can position your team near that top of the mountain. Heck, if Paul goes out two weeks earlier... what does that do for Denver?

[Chi town]

The chip this year will be last team still healthy. The injuries are crazy.

[Chi town]

I expect lots of trades this offseason with so much coaching turnover.

[TheStig]

What a crazy thing if CP3 is under protocols and can't play in the ECF.

[sco]

I expect lots of trades this offseason with so much coaching turnover.

IDK, GM turn-over drives trades. Coaching changes seem like FO's saying - "It wasn't the players - it was the coach".

I hope you're right in terms of the Bulls being able to nab someone.

[DASMACKDOWN]

The chip this year will be last team still healthy. The injuries are crazy.

Murray agrees

Read on Twitter

[Andi Obst]

The Kawhi injury sounds BAD.

What a crazy day in the NBA. And we still waiting for actual basketball to be played today.

[Jeffster81]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

[sco]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

Who knows...Harden looked gimpy still, who knows when Irving comes back. They'll be lucky to win 1 of 2.

[MrFortune3]

I thought SVG would get longer than a year but it was a bad fit from the beginning.

[CobyWhite0]

And now Scott Brooks is gone

[Ice Man]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

Philly will be a handful if Embiid's knee holds out. The supporting cast is playing well. Yeah I know they lost a couple of games to Atlanta but Philly has the talent to take this. MVP Caliber Embiid + Everything but score Simmons + some very good role players can be a title formula.

[Jeffster81]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

Philly will be a handful if Embiid's knee holds out. The supporting cast is playing well. Yeah I know they lost a couple of games to Atlanta but Philly has the talent to take this. MVP Caliber Embiid + Everything but score Simmons + some very good role players can be a title formula.

Perhaps but I trust the Nets to stay healthy over Embiid's knees.

[TheSuzerain]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

Philly will be a handful if Embiid's knee holds out. The supporting cast is playing well. Yeah I know they lost a couple of games to Atlanta but Philly has the talent to take this. MVP Caliber Embiid + Everything but score Simmons + some very good role players can be a title formula.

I see no title formula including Ben Simmons.

Embiid will have to have an all-time great playoff run for them to even make the finals.

[TheGOATRises007]

If Leonard is done, I think you can pretty much hand the trophy to Brooklyn.

Philly will be a handful if Embiid's knee holds out. The supporting cast is playing well. Yeah I know they lost a couple of games to Atlanta but Philly has the talent to take this. MVP Caliber Embiid + Everything but score Simmons + some very good role players can be a title formula.

I see no title formula including Ben Simmons.

Embiid will have to have an all-time great playoff run for them to even make the finals.

Same. I don't get how people are so high on Philly when Ben Simmons is a liability at the end of games.

And Embiid is a sicknote.

[DuckIII]

Philly will be a handful if Embiid's knee holds out. The supporting cast is playing well. Yeah I know they lost a couple of games to Atlanta but Philly has the talent to take this. MVP Caliber Embiid + Everything but score Simmons + some very good role players can be a title formula.

I see no title formula including Ben Simmons.

Embiid will have to have an all-time great playoff run for them to even make the finals.

Same. I don't get how people are so high on Philly when Ben Simmons is a liability at the end of games.

And Embiid is a sicknote.

I would give my right testicle to add Simmons to Zach and Vuc.

[TheGOATRises007]

I see no title formula including Ben Simmons.

Embiid will have to have an all-time great playoff run for them to even make the finals.

Same. I don't get how people are so high on Philly when Ben Simmons is a liability at the end of games.

And Embiid is a sicknote.

I would give my right testicle to add Simmons to Zach and Vuc.

We'll get much better with him, but come playoff time, he's a liability at the end of games.

He refuses to shoot, teams ignore him leading to 4 on 5 offense and he's a terrible FT shooter.