The Around The NBA Thread

[CobyWhite0]

They are playing great but look who they have to pass for the 4th seed. Knicks and Hawks are tied but the Knicks own the tie break. Knicks never lose anymore either and the Knicks just beat ATL in OT going away. Held them to 5 pts in the OT period. Knicks beat them because they could get stops when they needed them and the Hawks couldn't. It'll be interesting because the Knicks have a really tough schedule. Other than us and the Rockets they have the Suns, Grizz, Denver, Suns again, Clippers , Lakers, Spurs, Hornets, Celts. That has got to be the toughest schedule in the NBA to finish the season. If it stays those two teams in the 4 and 5 spots it will be a interesting 1st round series but the Knicks have swept them this season 3-0.

The Knicks only won that game because Trae got hurt.

The Hawks were up by 11 late in the 3rd quarter when Trae got hurt and left the game.

That same ATL team, WITHOUT Trae, just beat a full strength Milwaukee in their next game. The fact they were down 11 means nothing. The Knicks have come back from a lot of deficits in 4th Q's during this run, because they wear teams down and they get stronger as the game goes on, which is the trait of a good team. They don't die in the 4th Q of games.

Regarding your other reply to my same post, undermining the Knicks streak, I'll just say that it's the NBA and a 9 game winning streak is damn impressive regardless. Also, They beat a Raptors team that had won 6 in a row and Charlotte came in on another 4 or 5 game winning streak. Any team in the NBA can beat any other team on any given night, that is why a 9 game winning streak is very impressive. If it weren't we would see all of the best teams doing it routinely, but they don't.

I agree with you, a win is a win is a win. Hell, the Wolves just beat the Jazz two straight, for anyone who doesn't think that any team can win any night.

The other thread, what I said was:

"but if we judge those 9 games using the same standards that are applied to Bulls wins".

You'll see it in damn near every PG thread after we win a game, posters pointing out who was missing that night from the other team, and why the win means nothing.

Personally, I don't care how "easy" a team's schedule is, winning 9 NBA games in a row is impressive. If the Knicks can go even 5-5 the rest of the way, they should be able to at least hold on to the 5th seed - and if the Hawks are #4, the Knicks can win a series. Even if the Knicks play the Celtics or Heat in the first round, that's a series they can win.

But they're only 2 games ahead of Boston and Miami, who are tied for 6 and 7 right now. If the Knicks fall there and have to face Philly or Milwaukee in the first round, I think they'd be huge underdogs with a very small chance of winning 4 out of 7.

[Michael Jackson]

The Knicks only won that game because Trae got hurt.

The Hawks were up by 11 late in the 3rd quarter when Trae got hurt and left the game.

That same ATL team, WITHOUT Trae, just beat a full strength Milwaukee in their next game. The fact they were down 11 means nothing. The Knicks have come back from a lot of deficits in 4th Q's during this run, because they wear teams down and they get stronger as the game goes on, which is the trait of a good team. They don't die in the 4th Q of games.

Regarding your other reply to my same post, undermining the Knicks streak, I'll just say that it's the NBA and a 9 game winning streak is damn impressive regardless. Also, They beat a Raptors team that had won 6 in a row and Charlotte came in on another 4 or 5 game winning streak. Any team in the NBA can beat any other team on any given night, that is why a 9 game winning streak is very impressive. If it weren't we would see all of the best teams doing it routinely, but they don't.

I agree with you, a win is a win is a win. Hell, the Wolves just beat the Jazz two straight, for anyone who doesn't think that any team can win any night.

The other thread, what I said was:

"but if we judge those 9 games using the same standards that are applied to Bulls wins".

You'll see it in damn near every PG thread after we win a game, posters pointing out who was missing that night from the other team, and why the win means nothing.

Personally, I don't care how "easy" a team's schedule is, winning 9 NBA games in a row is impressive. If the Knicks can go even 5-5 the rest of the way, they should be able to at least hold on to the 5th seed - and if the Hawks are #4, the Knicks can win a series. Even if the Knicks play the Celtics or Heat in the first round, that's a series they can win.

But they're only 2 games ahead of Boston and Miami, who are tied for 6 and 7 right now. If the Knicks fall there and have to face Philly or Milwaukee in the first round, I think they'd be huge underdogs with a very small chance of winning 4 out of 7.

Being a Thibs exam I can see them going 5-5 that’s classic Thibs. They might be gassed in the first round though but I expect them to finish the season nice and strong.

[kodo]

Gafford & Hutch with some great highlights in beating the Lakers.

[HoopsterJones]

MIchael Porter Jr has been on fire. I know hindsight is 20/20, but there was a contingent of us that wanted to draft him instead of Wendell (even traded down and potentially draft MPJ still). His injury at the time was definitely a concern though.

[Ice Man]

MIchael Porter Jr has been on fire. I know hindsight is 20/20, but there was a contingent of us that wanted to draft him instead of Wendell (even traded down and potentially draft MPJ still). His injury at the time was definitely a concern though.

If Porter didn't pan out, few fans would recall that he was a 50/50 proposition at the time of his draft. Instead, most would convince themselves that they knew on draft day that Porter's injuries would derail his career, and then will come after the GM for making such an obviously stupid draft choice.

A pick like Porter is a high-risk selection for a GM. I can see why he dropped to where he did.

[Mbrahv0528]

Read on Twitter

Fred calling it as it is. The play-in was supposed to make the regular season more important by giving .450 teams reason to try hard. But if anything, it has made organizations even more jaded. Perhaps because everybody knows that the four teams that come out of the play-in will almost certainly lose in the first round, all of them.

Then COVID-19 and the compressed schedule and the empty stadiums ... yeah, it's a cynical exercise. In my head, can hear the NBA execs counting until Game 72, which qualifies them for their TV revenues.

the players benefit just as much...financially, anyway

Also wasn't the play in thing collectively bargained? I'm hard pressed to see how they would be jaded over it? Doesn't make any sense.

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[TheStig]

MIchael Porter Jr has been on fire. I know hindsight is 20/20, but there was a contingent of us that wanted to draft him instead of Wendell (even traded down and potentially draft MPJ still). His injury at the time was definitely a concern though.

If Porter didn't pan out, few fans would recall that he was a 50/50 proposition at the time of his draft. Instead, most would convince themselves that they knew on draft day that Porter's injuries would derail his career, and then will come after the GM for making such an obviously stupid draft choice.

A pick like Porter is a high-risk selection for a GM. I can see why he dropped to where he did.

I think Porter wouldn't be this good here so quick. Our team was dysfunctional and Boylen would have probably found the worst way to use him. I also think #7 was too risky. But I'm surprised there wasn't a deal to be made around the #21 and another asset. I think that's where you had to strike. Both he and SGA were really intresting prospects at that range.

[Mbrahv0528]

What's the opposite of MIP? The Tyreke Evans and MCW award?

Cause Tyler Herro went from fringe star buzz of the bubble to Lauri/Coby 2.0.

He went Hollywood. No seriously, look it up. The Heat FO was worried he would let the early success get to him and affect his motivation to be great.. and it has.

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[qianlong]

There are several good candidates for MVP this season and I would say no clear cut favorite. it is not anymore LBJ reign. With that said, I think Paul has to be in the conversation. It would be quite fitting for him to get one. Imagine how much better we could have been with him at pg, especially before the mid season trade.

[Andi Obst]

There are several good candidates for MVP this season and I would say no clear cut favorite.

It's clearly Jokic to me. From what I'm reading and hearing on podcasts, this is where the media guys are at too. All the other somewhat serious candidates (but especially Embiid) just didn't play enough games to justify putting them above Jokic IMO.

[DASMACKDOWN]

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[DASMACKDOWN]

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[Ice Man]

It's clearly Jokic to me. From what I'm reading and hearing on podcasts, this is where the media guys are at too. All the other somewhat serious candidates (but especially Embiid) just didn't play enough games to justify putting them above Jokic IMO.

Jokic will win in a runaway.

Embiid has missed 19 games, no Nets obviously, Steph has 2 awards already and his team isn't much, GIannis will be skipped because he won the past 2 awards. LeBron got hurt, AD got hurt, Doncic is great but his team isn't, CP3 doesn't have the stats, Utah is a team success, and nobody from the Clippers is close.

Plus Jokic's stats are crazy good. I mean, 26/11/9, on a 65% TS? Come on now.

[Michael Jackson]

MIchael Porter Jr has been on fire. I know hindsight is 20/20, but there was a contingent of us that wanted to draft him instead of Wendell (even traded down and potentially draft MPJ still). His injury at the time was definitely a concern though.

If Porter didn't pan out, few fans would recall that he was a 50/50 proposition at the time of his draft. Instead, most would convince themselves that they knew on draft day that Porter's injuries would derail his career, and then will come after the GM for making such an obviously stupid draft choice.

A pick like Porter is a high-risk selection for a GM. I can see why he dropped to where he did.

Very true... Yet the clamoring for MPJ was very high and everyone if you wanted him or not knew he was skilled. In his case it was if he will ever be healthy. Denver was really the perfect landing spot for him.

[Michael Jackson]

It's clearly Jokic to me. From what I'm reading and hearing on podcasts, this is where the media guys are at too. All the other somewhat serious candidates (but especially Embiid) just didn't play enough games to justify putting them above Jokic IMO.

Jokic will win in a runaway.

Embiid has missed 19 games, no Nets obviously, Steph has 2 awards already and his team isn't much, GIannis will be skipped because he won the past 2 awards. LeBron got hurt, AD got hurt, Doncic is great but his team isn't, CP3 doesn't have the stats, Utah is a team success, and nobody from the Clippers is close.

Plus Jokic's stats are crazy good. I mean, 26/11/9, on a 65% TS? Come on now.

Everything you said is true. Healthy LeBron or Embiid could have won it. Giannis won't because of winning the past two and not being able to make anything in the post season happen. Steph started off too poorly and while he was on fire for a while just not enough for the whole season. I think Embiid wins though had he played more games, but that isn't the case.

[Leslie Forman]

I think Porter wouldn't be this good here so quick. Our team was dysfunctional and Boylen would have probably found the worst way to use him. I also think #7 was too risky. But I'm surprised there wasn't a deal to be made around the #21 and another asset. I think that's where you had to strike. Both he and SGA were really intresting prospects at that range.

He's basically a Lauri that isn't total donkey balls, so I don't see why that would have been the case.

To be fair to myself and the other skeptics around here, he isn't what he was actually billed as by all the people who were hyping him up in high school - he's not some next Durant or anything like that. He's really just one hell of a shotmaker and surprisingly good rebounder. Offensively he's a great pairing next to Jokic but defensively…ehhhhh

[Michael Jackson]

I think Porter wouldn't be this good here so quick. Our team was dysfunctional and Boylen would have probably found the worst way to use him. I also think #7 was too risky. But I'm surprised there wasn't a deal to be made around the #21 and another asset. I think that's where you had to strike. Both he and SGA were really intresting prospects at that range.

He's basically a Lauri that isn't total donkey balls, so I don't see why that would have been the case.

To be fair to myself and the other skeptics around here, he isn't what he was actually billed as by all the people who were hyping him up in high school - he's not some next Durant or anything like that. He's really just one hell of a shotmaker and surprisingly good rebounder. Offensively he's a great pairing next to Jokic but defensively…ehhhhh

I also think MPJ would have ignored Boylen and just went out and played how we wanted on this squad. He would have taken every shot that came his way.

[dice]

Fred calling it as it is. The play-in was supposed to make the regular season more important by giving .450 teams reason to try hard. But if anything, it has made organizations even more jaded. Perhaps because everybody knows that the four teams that come out of the play-in will almost certainly lose in the first round, all of them.

Then COVID-19 and the compressed schedule and the empty stadiums ... yeah, it's a cynical exercise. In my head, can hear the NBA execs counting until Game 72, which qualifies them for their TV revenues.

the players benefit just as much...financially, anyway

Also wasn't the play in thing collectively bargained? I'm hard pressed to see how they would be jaded over it? Doesn't make any sense.

van vleet may not agree w/ the decision, though, which would be perfectly reasonable from an individual perspective

[2weekswithpay]

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What a night for KPJ, the talent was always there just needs to stay out of trouble.

[TheStig]

I think Porter wouldn't be this good here so quick. Our team was dysfunctional and Boylen would have probably found the worst way to use him. I also think #7 was too risky. But I'm surprised there wasn't a deal to be made around the #21 and another asset. I think that's where you had to strike. Both he and SGA were really intresting prospects at that range.

He's basically a Lauri that isn't total donkey balls, so I don't see why that would have been the case.

To be fair to myself and the other skeptics around here, he isn't what he was actually billed as by all the people who were hyping him up in high school - he's not some next Durant or anything like that. He's really just one hell of a shotmaker and surprisingly good rebounder. Offensively he's a great pairing next to Jokic but defensively…ehhhhh

I also think MPJ would have ignored Boylen and just went out and played how we wanted on this squad. He would have taken every shot that came his way.

you don't think he'd get benched under Boylen?