GT: Nets @ Blazers - 3/23/2021 @ 10PM on YES

3pt_chucker · Post #141 » by **3pt_chucker** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:44 am

King: Harden
Knight: Jeff Green/Claxton
Jester: n/a

therealbig3 · Post #142 » by **therealbig3** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:45 am

Props to Blake too. He was big for us. His defense was impressive, and he contributed nicely on offense with smart passing and screening and timely buckets. Like our other big men, he was struggling to keep Kanter off the offensive glass, but he was overall a key contributor off the bench.

Now let's punt the Utah game and rest Harden. Another 40 minutes tonight.

Although how sick would it be to beat Utah on their home court, on the 2nd night of a back to back, without Kyrie or KD? Is there anything more demoralizing for them and for any other contender out there? Like, you STILL can't beat us? LOL.

Karate Diop · Post #143 » by **Karate Diop** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:54 am

One question... Why did we run the same inbounds okay three times in a row to end the game...?

therealbig3 · Post #144 » by **therealbig3** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:05 am

Nash also did a great job tonight btw. I'm tempted to change my Knight vote to him, maybe even my King vote.

LOUiS-D · Post #145 » by **LOUiS-D** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:16 am

fun game. surprised cj finished with 16, felt like he had negative points.

ian after dark "blondes have more fun", call of the night.

MGrand15 · Post #146 » by **MGrand15** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:21 am

Claxton has been a monster. He's not a big rebound guy yet but I feel like he grabs a bunch of them in traffic and really battles down there. His energy is just huge for the team. Such a luxury.

+/- isn't the most important stat but DJ has been a negative 7 games in a row. We've lost 1 game in that stretch. We really need him to step it up and get back to where he was pre-ASB. I love seeing Claxton close and seeing him develop. But at this point, Nash doesn't have a choice. DJ is just getting killed out there. We need him to be solid at least - or show that he can bang with big centers.

LOUiS-D · Post #147 » by **LOUiS-D** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:30 am

MrDollarBills wrote:I'm going to be blunt. James Harden shows up for this team every night. Kyrie takes time off, and KD has been plagued by injury and covid foolishness.

James Harden is the leader of this team and he will lead us to the championship. Respect him and love him

with the 40 combined games (out of a possible 88) for KD and Kai, it's a pretty safe to say without our King we'd be struggling for 500 and potentially be in a shambles with media vultures encircling. As far as insurance policies go, Harden is like you insured your 1980 Ford Pinto as a Bugatti.

sashaturiaf · Post #148 » by **sashaturiaf** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:42 am

MGrand15 wrote:Claxton has been a monster. He's not a big rebound guy yet but I feel like he grabs a bunch of them in traffic and really battles down there. His energy is just huge for the team. Such a luxury.

+/- isn't the most important stat but DJ has been a negative 7 games in a row. We've lost 1 game in that stretch. We really need him to step it up and get back to where he was pre-ASB. I love seeing Claxton close and seeing him develop. But at this point, Nash doesn't have a choice. DJ is just getting killed out there. We need him to be solid at least - or show that he can bang with big centers.

Where would we be without Claxton.

He's not big enough to be eating up boards but with his length, motor and quick hands, he's got those opposition bigs looking over their shoulders.

Openheimer · Post #149 » by **Openheimer** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:15 am

Harden is the best playmaker in the nba. Games like this shows his brilliance because if he is not going off for 40 there are other ways he can tear your heart out with his ability to run an offense

Papi_swav · Post #150 » by **Papi_swav** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:40 am

Harden is the 2021 MVP without a doubt. We would not be this great without him. Everybody stepped up. Green, Clax, TJ, TLC, Brown and Blake all chipped in on this win. This was a team win and we played some tough defense down the stretch. I love this freakin team man. Our west coast streak continues.

Paradise · Post #151 » by **Paradise** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:07 am

9-0 on the West Coast.

Whiskey Slick · Post #152 » by **Whiskey Slick** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:10 am

KING: The Beard
KNIGHT: Claxton & Uncle Jeff
JESTER: Kyrie (Picked the worst time to do this again, right after Nash admitted Harden needs a blow.)

That said, after unexpectedly beating Portland in Portland, unexpected because we are so short-handed, I would just give Harden the night off verses Utah, DNP, and if we lose, we lose.

We can't kill this poor guy. If we can steal this game without him, great. If not, so be it.

GTR11 · Post #153 » by **GTR11** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:30 am

MGrand15 wrote:Claxton has been a monster. He's not a big rebound guy yet but I feel like he grabs a bunch of them in traffic and really battles down there. His energy is just huge for the team. Such a luxury.

+/- isn't the most important stat but DJ has been a negative 7 games in a row. We've lost 1 game in that stretch. We really need him to step it up and get back to where he was pre-ASB. I love seeing Claxton close and seeing him develop. But at this point, Nash doesn't have a choice. DJ is just getting killed out there. We need him to be solid at least - or show that he can bang with big centers.

I wouldn't worry about DJ. Come PO time we will talk about how important he is and how we can save him for years to come as a back up.

He's washed up, he knows it by now. Allen and Nic made it obvious and Harden just let him know. Bro just let him east his mMLE as a back up, we all should fall back. He's ok back up for that money.

GTR11 · Post #154 » by **GTR11** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:34 am

LOUiS-D wrote:fun game. surprised cj finished with 16, felt like he had negative points.

ian after dark "blondes have more fun", call of the night.

Throughout the game Nic was keep switching into him and CJ just chuck bricks. Youngish one did good tonight even though CJ just got back.

GTR11 · Post #155 » by **GTR11** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:35 am

Whiskey Slick wrote:KING: The Beard
KNIGHT: Claxton & Uncle Jeff
JESTER: Kyrie (Picked the worst time to do this again, right after Nash admitted Harden can really use a blow.)

That said, after unexpectedly beating Portland in Portland, unexpected because we are so short-handed, I would just give Harden the night off verses Utah, COMPLETELY, and if we lose, we lose.

We can't kill this poor guy. If we can steal this game without him, great. If not, so be it.

Chill.

Whiskey Slick · Post #156 » by **Whiskey Slick** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:14 am

GTR11 wrote:
Whiskey Slick wrote:KING: The Beard
KNIGHT: Claxton & Uncle Jeff
JESTER: Kyrie (Picked the worst time to do this again, right after Nash admitted Harden can really use a blow.)

That said, after unexpectedly beating Portland in Portland, unexpected because we are so short-handed, I would just give Harden the night off verses Utah, COMPLETELY, and if we lose, we lose.

We can't kill this poor guy. If we can steal this game without him, great. If not, so be it.

Chill.

I am chill. I just don't want James playing back-to-back nights right after Nash flat-out admitted he's concerned about playing James too many minutes. I don't think Nash should feel pressured to change his mind because Kyrie decided to go AWOL again. IMO this game tonight verses the Jazz is not as important as getting James the night off. That's not to suggest we should tank the game. Our second team is better than most first teams, especially with Claxton coming on, so there's a chance we can steal it even without James. Granted it's a slight chance, but IMO giving James the night off, then another before Detroit, is even more important.

Whiskey Slick · Post #157 » by **Whiskey Slick** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:25 am

GTR11 wrote:
MGrand15 wrote:Claxton has been a monster. He's not a big rebound guy yet but I feel like he grabs a bunch of them in traffic and really battles down there. His energy is just huge for the team. Such a luxury.

+/- isn't the most important stat but DJ has been a negative 7 games in a row. We've lost 1 game in that stretch. We really need him to step it up and get back to where he was pre-ASB. I love seeing Claxton close and seeing him develop. But at this point, Nash doesn't have a choice. DJ is just getting killed out there. We need him to be solid at least - or show that he can bang with big centers.

I wouldn't worry about DJ. Come PO time we will talk about how important he is and how we can save him for years to come as a back up.

He's washed up, he knows it by now. Allen and Nic made it obvious and Harden just let him know. Bro just let him east his mMLE as a back up, we all should fall back. He's ok back up for that money.

Word has it if Drummond is bought out he's choosing the Lakers, but the Lakers don't have the MLE and the other exception (forgot what it's called?) we received for losing Dinwiddie, so we can definitely offer him more money than the Lakers who have neither.

That said, we have to ask ourselves the question, do we essentially want to glue DJ to the bench after all he's given us this year, which may not be a lot but it's all he has, he's giving us 100% of what he has left, and he's not a bad backup Center as Claxton is clearly emerging as the #1. The other players seem to really like DJ too.

There's no doubt Drummond can give us more as a combo 5 with Claxton, especially as a rebounder, but do we want to disrupt the chemistry at this point?

MrDollarBills · Post #158 » by **MrDollarBills** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:03 pm

3pt_chucker wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:
3pt_chucker wrote:
Because when they are the floor, it makes everything soooo much easier in the last 2 mins.

Harden is the only one who is always available though

KD and Kyrie have ceded control to Harden over this team. They will make for good spot up shooters in the playoffs

Haha, this is def an overaction. I get being frustrated with their injuries but KD will def be the main scorer when back.

And Harden will be setting him up.

Whiskey Slick · Post #159 » by **Whiskey Slick** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:35 pm

MrDollarBills wrote:I'm going to be blunt. James Harden shows up for this team every night. Kyrie takes time off, and KD has been plagued by injury and covid foolishness.

James Harden is the leader of this team and he will lead us to the championship. Respect him and love him

Agreed. I shudder to think where we would be without that Harden trade, considering the length of time we lost KD and Kyrie essentially having a license to go AWOL anytime he feels like it, and he's not shy about using if not abusing the privilege. THANK GOD for James Harden.

As I said elsewhere, if it's true that Bradley Beal can be had for the right price, I would offer the Wizards a one for one swap, Kyrie for Bradley Beal. I won't argue Beal has more talent and is the better player. Despite leading the league in scoring, IMO Kyrie is the better talent and player ... but Bradley Beal is a bit younger and an elite SG in his own right. That said, a wise man once said the most important "ability" in pro sports is "availability".

In that respect there's NO DOUBT Beal is the more reliable of the two.

Incidentally Beal had his best game of the season this year when he dropped 60 Points on the 76ers.

MrDollarBills · Post #160 » by **MrDollarBills** » Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:12 pm

MGrand15 wrote:Claxton has been a monster. He's not a big rebound guy yet but I feel like he grabs a bunch of them in traffic and really battles down there. His energy is just huge for the team. Such a luxury.

+/- isn't the most important stat but DJ has been a negative 7 games in a row. We've lost 1 game in that stretch. We really need him to step it up and get back to where he was pre-ASB. I love seeing Claxton close and seeing him develop. But at this point, Nash doesn't have a choice. DJ is just getting killed out there. We need him to be solid at least - or show that he can bang with big centers.

Last night was Claxton's best performance on the boards I feel like. He was hauling in everything.