Around the NBA - 2024-25 Season Continued

[HopelessKnick]

Y'all are completely underestimating OKC. I do expect them to struggle here and there and it won't be easy but they'll get to the finals and they won't lose more than 5-6 games doing so.....they are an incredibly complete basketball team with stellar defense, szie and athleticism lead by the MVP...they are going to come through...

[HopelessKnick]

Brief question regarding NBA league pass: There are two options --I can either buy the "rest of the season package" at roughly 90 Dollars or the monthly package which would result in roughly half the price since there are only 2 months left really.

Am I correct to assume that if I start it on the 19th of April it would run 2 months from then....meaning until the 19th of June? Or would it be running for only April + May? Does anybody know?


BTW kind of uncool that they don't have any live games....for me it doesn't bother me that much because I usually tend to watch the games the next morning/day anyways but for someone wanting to watch playoff games live the package is entirely unattractive...those locally blacked out games become available 3days!! later? And they wonder why interest/viewership is down...

[Chanel Bomber]

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

I think shooting guard is the hardest position to find truly great, impactful players at and it's why there are so few greats relative to the other positions, it's basically Jordan, Kobe, Wade and West as the ultimate 2 guards that you could win with, by far the shallowest of all the positions in terms of hall of famers.

Booker is just another in the long line of really good but not great shooting guards that people think can win, but ultimately can't.

Big of you to recognize MJ Burks legendary impact

[Gravy]

For years I said I would’ve fired Thibs to take Bud. But I don’t think I would do it anymore. There’s no way you should miss the playoffs with Booker and KD. Thibs has done more with less talent

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

I think Booker is a great player but the position of pg potentially elevates a team more than the other positions. Like as great as Wemby already is, his team is still bad without a top pg to steer everything.

[Montmorencie]

Y'all are completely underestimating OKC. I do expect them to struggle here and there and it won't be easy but they'll get to the finals and they won't lose more than 5-6 games doing so.....they are an incredibly complete basketball team with stellar defense, szie and athleticism lead by the MVP...they are going to come through...

For a reason. They are 2-2 against Denver, 1-1 against new Lakers (and would have been 0-2 if it wasnt for Luka's ejection), 0-1 against new Warriors, 2-2 against Wolves and 2-2 against Rockets.

And they are young, they are trying extra hard, they are focused against scrub teams in a loose environment during the regular season. We've seen great regular seasons teams crumble way too many times.

This team is offensively potent and they rely heavily on a great individual iso performance + good referee whistle to get him free throws. In playoffs the teams they couldn't even dominate in regular season will tighten their defense and the free throws SGA is getting will decrease.

They are doomed if they face Warriors first round, if they avoid them, they are out second round against either of the Nuggets or Clippers.

[Chanel Bomber]

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

I think Booker is a great player but the position of pg potentially elevates a team more than the other positions. Like as great as Wemby already is, his team is still bad without a top pg to steer everything.

I don't think it's about position, but about gravity.

Not a lot of PGs have led their teams to championships (Curry, Thomas, Magic in the last 40 years). You expand to playmakers and you have a much longer list (Bron, Jokic, Bird in addition to the aforementioned).

But what all these guys plus the others that led championship teams (Wade, Dirk, Duncan, Giannis, Hakeem, Jordan, Shaq, Kobe) have in common was elite gravity (or strong gravity with elite defense).

[NoDopeOnSundays]

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

I think shooting guard is the hardest position to find truly great, impactful players at and it's why there are so few greats relative to the other positions, it's basically Jordan, Kobe, Wade and West as the ultimate 2 guards that you could win with, by far the shallowest of all the positions in terms of hall of famers.

Booker is just another in the long line of really good but not great shooting guards that people think can win, but ultimately can't.

Big of you to recognize MJ Burks legendary impact

[dakomish23]

Is Dirk’s championship run the best we’ve seen this millennium?

https://youtube.com/shorts/WAUwtQs5jHk?si=SmUuBvLVvv8IhuTL

[Guano]

For years I said I would’ve fired Thibs to take Bud. But I don’t think I would do it anymore. There’s no way you should miss the playoffs with Booker and KD. Thibs has done more with less talent

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

You're right but you're also wrong.

It's always fck cp3

[MrDollarBills]

So apparently Coach Bud asked Bradley Beal to be the Jrue Holiday of the Suns and Beal took it terribly

I mean I get it. Holiday is a 2x NBA champion and a winner. That's a tough thing to ask someone who never gave a sh*t about anything other than padding his 20ppg average to keep getting contracts.

[spree2kawhi]

Y'all are completely underestimating OKC. I do expect them to struggle here and there and it won't be easy but they'll get to the finals and they won't lose more than 5-6 games doing so.....they are an incredibly complete basketball team with stellar defense, szie and athleticism lead by the MVP...they are going to come through...

For a reason. They are 2-2 against Denver, 1-1 against new Lakers (and would have been 0-2 if it wasnt for Luka's ejection), 0-1 against new Warriors, 2-2 against Wolves and 2-2 against Rockets.

And they are young, they are trying extra hard, they are focused against scrub teams in a loose environment during the regular season. We've seen great regular seasons teams crumble way too many times.

This team is offensively potent and they rely heavily on a great individual iso performance + good referee whistle to get him free throws. In playoffs the teams they couldn't even dominate in regular season will tighten their defense and the free throws SGA is getting will decrease.

They are doomed if they face Warriors first round, if they avoid them, they are out second round against either of the Nuggets or Clippers.

I would not go as far as saying they are doomed, but as I’ve said all year, I don’t believe OKC or Cleveland are remotely as strong as they’ve looked during the regular season. I could see both teams flame out specifically due to what you pointed out here. I’m certainly not intimidated and like our chances in any playoff series. Boston is a real challenge, and they are deeper than us, but Tatum and Brown have never struck me as the toughest players in the world either.

This league is now one of parity, which makes most of these panicking posters’ expectations or their whining about “Mikalikina” and “0-10” seem all the more hilarious to me. IMO that’s soft and self-serving more than anything. If Brunson brings the cohones, we can win any series. Note that I’m not saying “every”…

[RHODEY]

Is Dirk’s championship run the best we’ve seen this millennium?

https://youtube.com/shorts/WAUwtQs5jHk?si=SmUuBvLVvv8IhuTL

Easily imo.

[MrDollarBills]

Steve Nash gives Tim Hardaway, Isiah Thomas and Kenny Anderson their flowers.

[dakomish23]

Jonas Valančiūnas has been in every single play-in tournament

[dakomish23]

This is pretty awesome. Pre teen Jokic with some older guy (dad?) telling him he will be drafted in the NBA & be the best player in the world. Also included is young Giannis, LeBron, Kobe

And LaMelo

One of these is not like the others

https://youtube.com/shorts/EeBi7EjP6yU?si=QN0wcnnQp7kdSC4z

[Chanel Bomber]

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

You're right but you're also wrong.

It's always fck cp3

Ok but fck KD always > fck CP3

I will weaponize a sworn enemy in CP3 against him and that's just the way it is.

#principles

[Clyde_Style]

That roster isn't that talented, they have too many holes, and Booker took a massive step back on defense this season. KD is still an impact player, but he's old so some nightas the icy hot is working and other nights it's not. The Booker stats without KD are the most troubling of all, because he's turned into a sieve on defense, he had 121.2 DRTG when KD was off the floor.

Easy to miss the playoffs when your best player is 37.

I've spent most of my adult life hating on Chris Paul, and he has choked on several occasions in the playoffs, which is hard to feel sorry for considering how much of a deek he is on the court.

But I now see his career in a different light, and it's now pretty clear to me he was the driving force behind Phoenix's run to the Finals.

He was past his prime but still a greater player than Booker, which partly explains why Phoenix have been so mediocre since he left.

Booker's a greater scorer and a ceiling raiser but he's not this massive difference-maker he's made out to be. He doesn't make a profound impact on the game. Chris Paul did.

I think shooting guard is the hardest position to find truly great, impactful players at and it's why there are so few greats relative to the other positions, it's basically Jordan, Kobe, Wade and West as the ultimate 2 guards that you could win with, by far the shallowest of all the positions in terms of hall of famers.

Booker is just another in the long line of really good but not great shooting guards that people think can win, but ultimately can't.

Add Pearl to your list. He's was an amazing SG who would take over games if required, but played consummate team ball. He won a chip.

If Pearl was playing today, he'd be the best SG in the league, though I concede that would hardly be a world beating accomplishment due the current state of SG's in the NBA at present if Booker, Irvine and Mitchell are the current elite.

[Montmorencie]

Is Dirk’s championship run the best we’ve seen this millennium?

https://youtube.com/shorts/WAUwtQs5jHk?si=SmUuBvLVvv8IhuTL

Easily imo.

Greatest run ever, not just in this millennium. Given the teams he faced and his roster with washed up Jkid, Tyson Chandler, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and the Lebron stopper? Hell this roster worse than 2007 Cavs.

Ye, some runs might have been individually better but this was by far the greatest. Not even close.

[Wildcat]

Hawks are overdue a fire sale. Anyone on that team worth looking into?

[Guano]

Well well well

Another one of meLo's fav choking in the playoffs