Around The NBA: 2019-20 RESTART

[Dresden]

Stan Van Gundy: I think what one official is saying to the other is "You can't change your call every time Lebron yells at you". I love Stan.

[MrSparkle]

I know a lot of folks rag on D'Antoni and Harden, but man... I actually genuinely love their current team. Specifically the Harden-Gordon-Covington-PJ combo. Westbrook is a loose-cannon for their flow, but otherwise they really play a beautiful offense and hustle on defense. Very impressive for a short rotation that isn't on the younger side of NBA years.

[Chi town]

Stan Van Gundy: I think what one official is saying to the other is "You can't change your call every time Lebron yells at you". I love Stan.

Says it like it is

[kodo]

Playoff Rondo is no joke.

[dumbell78]

I know a lot of folks rag on D'Antoni and Harden, but man... I actually genuinely love their current team. Specifically the Harden-Gordon-Covington-PJ combo. Westbrook is a loose-cannon for their flow, but otherwise they really play a beautiful offense and hustle on defense. Very impressive for a short rotation that isn't on the younger side of NBA years.

You remove Russ for say a Brogdon type, things look even better in Houston. They are playing 4v5 with Russ in too many scenarios. Just to clarify I'm not a fan of Houston.

[dice]

Playoff Rondo is no joke.

career per 36:

12/5/10 50%ts reg season
13/6/9 49%ts playoffs

[dice]

I know a lot of folks rag on D'Antoni and Harden, but man... I actually genuinely love their current team. Specifically the Harden-Gordon-Covington-PJ combo. Westbrook is a loose-cannon for their flow, but otherwise they really play a beautiful offense and hustle on defense. Very impressive for a short rotation that isn't on the younger side of NBA years.

people don't like houston because they think that harden regularly going ISO, flopping and travelling is the opposite of beautiful offense

[Jeffster81]

Marvin Williams retiring at 34. Jeez, I still remember him being a top notch draft prospect years ago.

[MrFortune3]

Playoff Rondo is no joke.

When the playoffs come, his level of play elevates.

[dice]

Marvin Williams retiring at 34. Jeez, I still remember him being a top notch draft prospect years ago.

seems like he's been in the league about 20 years...but it's fellow UNC retiree vince carter that actually has

[dice]

victorious heat with 6 double figure scorers and none over 17 points tonight. could be the first time in history that's happened

[R3AL1TY]

Westbrook might as well wear a Lakers jersey since he's handing the ball over to them a lot each game. The predictable Lakers vs Clippers series is right around the corner.

[DASMACKDOWN]

As predicted Giannis wont ask for a trade. The Bucks are seriously lucky for that. But it doesnt mean the Bucks are off the clock.

Right now GIannis is still too young to know any better. He has had far more success than guys like Anthony Davis for instance so its a little different. But sooner or later he is going to realize he is stuck with this particular group that will have the same issues next year.

Me personally I think he signs the supermax, then asks for a trade in a year or two. The Bucks dont strike me as a team to win at all costs. Ive said it before, I think Giannis will go down as a Dame Lillard of the Bucks.

[sco]

As predicted Giannis wont ask for a trade. The Bucks are seriously lucky for that. But it doesnt mean the Bucks are off the clock.

Right now GIannis is still too young to know any better. He has had far more success than guys like Anthony Davis for instance so its a little different. But sooner or later he is going to realize he is stuck with this particular group that will have the same issues next year.

Me personally I think he signs the supermax, then asks for a trade in a year or two. The Bucks dont strike me as a team to win at all costs. Ive said it before, I think Giannis will go down as a Dame Lillard of the Bucks.

SuperMAX is the great equalizer in the NBA. Couldn't happen to a nicer team - F*ck the Bucks!

[Chi town]

Heat will be going to the finals.

Can they beat Clippers?

I think so. Will be a dogfight from the 90s. Think the Clipps win in 6. Each game close.

[MGB8]

As predicted Giannis wont ask for a trade. The Bucks are seriously lucky for that. But it doesnt mean the Bucks are off the clock.

Right now GIannis is still too young to know any better. He has had far more success than guys like Anthony Davis for instance so its a little different. But sooner or later he is going to realize he is stuck with this particular group that will have the same issues next year.

Me personally I think he signs the supermax, then asks for a trade in a year or two. The Bucks dont strike me as a team to win at all costs. Ive said it before, I think Giannis will go down as a Dame Lillard of the Bucks.

The hard thing is that, IMO, the Bucks need to trade Kris Middleton this offseason in order to retain Giannis, and Kris is their 2nd best player. The reason I say that is that Middleton's contract goes through a 40M player option in 23-24 - 4 more seasons (averaging at 35 million, at about 1/3rd of the salary cap!!). He's already 29 years old - while his game doesn't primarily rely on athleticism, you don't expect any improvement from where he is right now. Middleton's salary is crippling to any plan to "reload" because his actual value in terms of "percentage of cap" is something like half of what he's making (and maybe less than that if there's significant age related decline). [Edit: for example, the Pelicans if Ingram doesn't resign, who have a cheap roster and could use another high level vet; or maybe the Spurs if they want to stay in the mix.]

At the same time, the league really is low on 2-way wings who can defend, shoot and create, so he's probably tradeable even with that contract for a shorter contract of players who aren't as good - or maybe even getting some value back if going to a contention level team that needs a "final piece."

Bledsoe, on the other hand, is only guaranteed for 3.9M in 2022-23 - so basically 2 more seasons (and at only about half of what Middleton makes). Hill is only guaranteed 1.3M in 21-22, so basically just one more season (and at 1/4 of what Middleton makes) - you could even cut and stretch him. Lopez has 3 more years at 13 to 14M, but you can survive one guy at that rate, and Brook is arguably worth it, at least in the short term.

[MGB8]

Heat will be going to the finals.

Can they beat Clippers?

I think so. Will be a dogfight from the 90s. Think the Clipps win in 6. Each game close.

Will they? Are you so sure the Heat can beat Boston? I'm not. Bam is a very good player but I don't see them abusing Boston's lack of size, and Boston has more higher end talent, while the Heat have much better depth.

Meanwhile, in the West, I'm not so sure that the Clippers beat the Lakers. I think that the Clippers probably will - overwhelming the Lakers with their greater depth and keeping their key players more rested... but probably is different from definitely (and then, you also have the zebra issue).

If the Clipps get to the Finals, though, I think that they definitely beat whomever the East sends - just matchup wise. I could see an Eastern team, particularly the Heat, potentially knocking out the Lakers (zebra aside) because they are so dependent on two guys (who would just be coming off a tough series against the Clipps).

[MrSparkle]

Heat will be going to the finals.

Can they beat Clippers?

I think so. Will be a dogfight from the 90s. Think the Clipps win in 6. Each game close.

Will they? Are you so sure the Heat can beat Boston? I'm not. Bam is a very good player but I don't see them abusing Boston's lack of size, and Boston has more higher end talent, while the Heat have much better depth.

Meanwhile, in the West, I'm not so sure that the Clippers beat the Lakers. I think that the Clippers probably will - overwhelming the Lakers with their greater depth and keeping their key players more rested... but probably is different from definitely (and then, you also have the zebra issue).

If the Clipps get to the Finals, though, I think that they definitely beat whomever the East sends - just matchup wise. I could see an Eastern team, particularly the Heat, potentially knocking out the Lakers (zebra aside) because they are so dependent on two guys (who would just be coming off a tough series against the Clipps).

Well, I'll say the late-season pickups of Crowder and Iguodala can push the series for Miami. One will be motivated against his former team, the other is a defensive legend. Also, Bam is much different than Lopez. I do think he's going to make Boston pay for going small - Miami massacred Boston on the boards when it counted. Theis has been an incredible role-player, but there is just no way he wins the Bam match-up.

It's going to be an insanely good series...assuming the Celtics put the Raptors away. They're focused on Toronto, but Stevens probably realizes that the current Heat are a different animal than the team they played earlier in the season. The absence of Hayward is going to matter more in this series, where Miami has a lot of options in the front-court. But it's gonna be a rough and competitive 7 games I think. If I'm Boston, I'm worried about depth at this stage. They're essentially a 6-man rotation with deep reserves chipping in.

IMO Jimmy has that chip-on-his-shoulder/motivational-anger thing going on like MJ. I think he's gonna remember Boston punking him in the 2017 playoffs. Of course just Smart and Brown are left-over, and ironically Olynyk and Crowder are now on his side.

I do expect Kemba and Smart to give the Heat back-court some big problems. Buck's defense let Miami's 3P barrage happen. Miami's offense might pull a 180 this series as all their guys go cold, while Kemba and Tatum are fairly guaranteed to withstand scoring droughts. If they stay healthy, I can see Boston winning in 7. If they lose just 1 more guy in their starting line-up or Tatum is shut out by Miami's swarm, I predict Miami in 6.

[Chi town]

Heat will be going to the finals.

Can they beat Clippers?

I think so. Will be a dogfight from the 90s. Think the Clipps win in 6. Each game close.

Will they? Are you so sure the Heat can beat Boston? I'm not. Bam is a very good player but I don't see them abusing Boston's lack of size, and Boston has more higher end talent, while the Heat have much better depth.

Meanwhile, in the West, I'm not so sure that the Clippers beat the Lakers. I think that the Clippers probably will - overwhelming the Lakers with their greater depth and keeping their key players more rested... but probably is different from definitely (and then, you also have the zebra issue).

If the Clipps get to the Finals, though, I think that they definitely beat whomever the East sends - just matchup wise. I could see an Eastern team, particularly the Heat, potentially knocking out the Lakers (zebra aside) because they are so dependent on two guys (who would just be coming off a tough series against the Clipps).

Well, I'll say the late-season pickups of Crowder and Iguodala can push the series for Miami. One will be motivated against his former team, the other is a defensive legend. Also, Bam is much different than Lopez. I do think he's going to make Boston pay for going small - Miami massacred Boston on the boards when it counted. Theis has been an incredible role-player, but there is just no way he wins the Bam match-up.

It's going to be an insanely good series...assuming the Celtics put the Raptors away. They're focused on Toronto, but Stevens probably realizes that the current Heat are a different animal than the team they played earlier in the season. The absence of Hayward is going to matter more in this series, where Miami has a lot of options in the front-court. But it's gonna be a rough and competitive 7 games I think. If I'm Boston, I'm worried about depth at this stage. They're essentially a 6-man rotation with deep reserves chipping in.

IMO Jimmy has that chip-on-his-shoulder/motivational-anger thing going on like MJ. I think he's gonna remember Boston punking him in the 2017 playoffs. Of course just Smart and Brown are left-over, and ironically Olynyk and Crowder are now on his side.

I do expect Kemba and Smart to give the Heat back-court some big problems. Buck's defense let Miami's 3P barrage happen. Miami's offense might pull a 180 this series as all their guys go cold, while Kemba and Tatum are fairly guaranteed to withstand scoring droughts. If they stay healthy, I can see Boston winning in 7. If they lose just 1 more guy in their starting line-up or Tatum is shut out by Miami's swarm, I predict Miami in 6.

Can’t wait to watch Jimmy and Smart go at it.

I think Bam is the difference in the series honestly. I don’t think Tatum and Brown will punish the smaller MIA wings either.

Not having Hayward hurts. I think it’s the difference.

[Andi Obst]

Tough for the Rockets to lose a good Westbrook game. Seems like all the injuries he has been carrying with him are catching up to PJ Tucker, House missing the game was huge because you can't play McLemore (or Rivers tbh) and LeBron and AD went crazy. This game felt like the Rockets won't come back to me, but I would certainly like to see them do it.