ATL - LMA retires with heart issue - pg 78

M-C-G · Post #1061 » by **M-C-G** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:10 am

How many years do you need to watch this team built around Giannis before people realize we do not play with a traditional PG role? Like at all. We literally just jettisoned the guy we paid to be the PG with the second unit because it didn’t work. Good or bad, PG isn’t a real thing with this team right now.

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Baddy Chuck · Post #1062 » by **Baddy Chuck** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:27 am

M-C-G wrote:We literally just jettisoned the guy we paid to be the PG with the second unit because it didn’t work.

I mean it did kinda work, he just sucked.

smauss · Post #1063 » by **smauss** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:01 am

I've been watching/following the NBA for almost 50 years. It has just been progressively getting more obvious that there are only a few west coast and east coast teams that matter. You teams with short term success, even mini dynasties but only temporary cuz we all know who the real dynasties are. Compounding matters now the inmates are in charge of the asylum, but nobody cares as long as the owners and league get theirs too. Frankly, I'm tired of being an interested pawn in their game and can find less frustrating and more fair to spend time following.

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stillgotgame · Post #1064 » by **stillgotgame** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:19 am

BigO wrote:If Austin Rivers to the Bucks is true, I've lost all respect for Horst. Rivers isn't a point guard, is one of the most inefficient players in the league, has a weak handle and can't play defense. Jeff Teague is the right move. Tell me what Rivers has that Sam Merrill doesn't.

Please tell me what Horst did to get your respect to begin with? He sure looks like the owners’ pawn to me.

WRau1 · Post #1065 » by **WRau1** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:22 am

Is there a reason not to like LMA? He's going to ruin this whole "all of my least favorite players being on BKN" thing they got going on.

Post #1066 » by **humanrefutation** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:41 am

Austin Rivers has been one of my least favorite players in the league for years now. I really really hope we look elsewhere.

Post #1067 » by **humanrefutation** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:46 am

M-C-G wrote:How many years do you need to watch this team built around Giannis before people realize we do not play with a traditional PG role? Like at all. We literally just jettisoned the guy we paid to be the PG with the second unit because it didn’t work. Good or bad, PG isn’t a real thing with this team right now.

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This is kind of a weird take. If anything, the lack of dynamic play from a PG has been a problem for us, especially in crunch time playoff situations where you need a floor general who can get the best shots for our key players. Giannis hasn't shown the consistent ability to do that with quality defensive opponents, and too often defaults to running into a wall. Khris definitely hasn't shown that we can count on him not to dribble it off of his legs.

Jrue could be a difference maker in that regard, and I think having a quality ball handler to back him up should be a priority pickup.

BigO · Post #1068 » by **BigO** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:09 am

humanrefutation wrote:Austin Rivers has been one of my least favorite players in the league for years now. I really really hope we look elsewhere.

I really can't think of a worse all around player who has stuck around the league for so long. Rivers does not do anything well-defend, rebound, dribble, shoot or pass. This is all about his name.

JayMKE · Post #1069 » by **JayMKE** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:52 am

This is a weird amount of hate for Rivers, I just don’t feel that strongly one way or the other. I think he’s better than Forbes but I think Forbes is a scrub who belongs in China so that isn’t saying that much.

Plossum · Post #1070 » by **Plossum** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:37 am

Rivers is a bit like Gary Neal: Pretty awful for the most part but can go off every now and then and win you a game.

We may as well get him if there aren't any other options.

blazza18 · Post #1071 » by **blazza18** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:52 am

Rivers has some some good moments but is overall pretty eh. Don't care either way.

WeekapaugGroove · Post #1072 » by **WeekapaugGroove** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:06 am

Unfortunately I think Drummond will look good on the Lakers. Bigs who play with LeBron get some easy lobs. Someone will probably be dumb enough to give him a big contract next summer too.

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skones · Post #1073 » by **skones** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:45 am

Rivers is 2nd in the entire league in isolation scoring this season at 1.42 PPP while being 16th in the league in frequency of possession. Last season he was 17th in the league in isolation scoring amongst those with 1 or more possession per contest at a frequency that was third in the league. That's the reason he's being looked at. His skill is specialized and it's a weakness for us in the playoffs.

Post #1074 » by **Ruzious** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:15 am

skones wrote:Rivers is 2nd in the entire league in isolation scoring this season at 1.42 PPP while being 16th in the league in frequency of possession. Last season he was 17th in the league in isolation scoring amongst those with 1 or more possession per contest at a frequency that was third in the league. That's the reason he's being looked at. His skill is specialized and it's a weakness for us in the playoffs.

Not sure where you find that, but if it's true, it's a complete fluke. He's not a good iso player from what I've seen the last 9 years. And his overall stats are almost all significantly negative - and worse than Forbes.

skones · Post #1075 » by **skones** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:43 am

Ruzious wrote:
skones wrote:Rivers is 2nd in the entire league in isolation scoring this season at 1.42 PPP while being 16th in the league in frequency of possession. Last season he was 17th in the league in isolation scoring amongst those with 1 or more possession per contest at a frequency that was third in the league. That's the reason he's being looked at. His skill is specialized and it's a weakness for us in the playoffs.

Not sure where you find that, but if it's true, it's a complete fluke. He's not a good iso player from what I've seen the last 9 years. And his overall stats are almost all significantly negative - and worse than Forbes.

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/isolation/

17-18, 13th in the league at 1.06 PPP (21.8% FREQ which ranked 8). 18-19, 17th in the league (25.1% FREQ which ranked 3rd). I don't know how that's a complete fluke when you've got three and a half seasons of data that support it. Austin Rivers can suck, and still have a skill that he's reasonably good at. Both things can be true. Rivers can certainly create for himself off the bounce, his problem is having the IQ to know where and when he actually should.

JayMKE · Post #1076 » by **JayMKE** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:06 pm

If his name was Austin Crawford I think there would be a lot less hate from some and for all the talk about the Jerry Stackhouse pick up people seem to forget that most people hated the pick up or how he was one of the most inefficient chuckers of all time.

jschligs · Post #1077 » by **jschligs** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:28 pm

I don’t know why people are arguing whether or not Rivers is better than Forbes. We’re bringing this player to be end of bench emergency, not replace Forbes.

M-C-G · Post #1078 » by **M-C-G** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:10 pm

humanrefutation wrote:
M-C-G wrote:How many years do you need to watch this team built around Giannis before people realize we do not play with a traditional PG role? Like at all. We literally just jettisoned the guy we paid to be the PG with the second unit because it didn’t work. Good or bad, PG isn’t a real thing with this team right now.

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This is kind of a weird take. If anything, the lack of dynamic play from a PG has been a problem for us, especially in crunch time playoff situations where you need a floor general who can get the best shots for our key players. Giannis hasn't shown the consistent ability to do that with quality defensive opponents, and too often defaults to running into a wall. Khris definitely hasn't shown that we can count on him not to dribble it off of his legs.

Jrue could be a difference maker in that regard, and I think having a quality ball handler to back him up should be a priority pickup.

I'm not arguing that a PG couldn't be beneficial, I am saying playing a 2 at the 1 seems to be the way Bud wants to do things. Or at the minimum he is okay with having DDV, Middleton, Jrue, Giannis be the guys playing the 'PG'.

BigO · Post #1079 » by **BigO** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:15 pm

JayMKE wrote:If his name was Austin Crawford I think there would be a lot less hate from some and for all the talk about the Jerry Stackhouse pick up people seem to forget that most people hated the pick up or how he was one of the most inefficient chuckers of all time.

Actually, just the opposite. If his name was anything but Rivers, he'd have been out of the league for several years. I will admit, he is dislikeable, because he carries himself like he's a star and always has, yet he's just bad.

Post #1080 » by **humanrefutation** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:56 pm

M-C-G wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
M-C-G wrote:How many years do you need to watch this team built around Giannis before people realize we do not play with a traditional PG role? Like at all. We literally just jettisoned the guy we paid to be the PG with the second unit because it didn’t work. Good or bad, PG isn’t a real thing with this team right now.

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This is kind of a weird take. If anything, the lack of dynamic play from a PG has been a problem for us, especially in crunch time playoff situations where you need a floor general who can get the best shots for our key players. Giannis hasn't shown the consistent ability to do that with quality defensive opponents, and too often defaults to running into a wall. Khris definitely hasn't shown that we can count on him not to dribble it off of his legs.

Jrue could be a difference maker in that regard, and I think having a quality ball handler to back him up should be a priority pickup.

I'm not arguing that a PG couldn't be beneficial, I am saying playing a 2 at the 1 seems to be the way Bud wants to do things. Or at the minimum he is okay with having DDV, Middleton, Jrue, Giannis be the guys playing the 'PG'.

I mean, I think that's possibly a product of circumstance rather than one of choice.

There are strategic advantages to having multiple guys bringing the ball up, especially when trying to exploit mismatches. But it would be nice to be able to turn to the old standby to initiate a more complex set when the defense is trying to lock you down in crunch time.

I'm hoping Jrue can be that guy. But Teague would be nice, too.