Around the League - 2019-2020

[VDT]

What is worse is that Zubac has averaged 14 minutes per game. How can you use per36 and keep a straight face, knowing that the player in question has played so little? per36 is so flawed and yet people continue to use it.

Okay, forget about Zubac if you want.

Look at Harrell. He's got the raw minutes and production to go along with the theoretic ones. And he's one of the most switchable bigs in the NBA on the perimeter.

I just think if you're going to point to the Clippers bigs to being a reason they're not winning the title, you may be mistaken. Time will tell.

You should judge the players based on the particular matchup.

The fact that Harrell is switchable doesnt mean much for the Sixers because they dont really run pnr. What is important is how he matches up with Embiid.

In any case it still too early to say anything. We will need at least until the end of November to see how good each player is this year. Then we will have a better idea about where we stand.

Citing per 36 stats based on two or three games and limited minutes per game is not how it works. I am sure you know that.

[the_process]

The final play where Morant scooped back to Crowder for the winning 3 looked very similar to the final play when Villanova beat UNC a few years ago in the title game.

[Kobblehead]

Citing per 36 stats based on two or three games and limited minutes per game is not how it works. I am sure you know that.

I also posted their excellent career scoring production. You can't use sample size as a shield. These two guys have been productive scorers whenever they've been on the court their whole career.

[Kobblehead]

You should judge the players based on the particular matchup.

The fact that Harrell is switchable doesnt mean much for the Sixers because they dont really run pnr. What is important is how he matches up with Embiid.

I've addressed this. They'll throw a double team at him and exploit his already bad decision-making and composure on the ball facing pressure. The Clippers always have a handful of plus defenders on the court together and we have a spacing zero that makes it easy to abandon an assignment on.

[76ciology]

Once Kd is back 100%, they will be the clear team to beat in the east. That is unless Ben and Biid steps up their game.

[76ciology]

Ja Morant is a big time player

[Sixerscan]

You should judge the players based on the particular matchup.

The fact that Harrell is switchable doesnt mean much for the Sixers because they dont really run pnr. What is important is how he matches up with Embiid.

I've addressed this. They'll throw a double team at him and exploit his already bad decision-making and composure on the ball facing pressure. The Clippers always have a handful of plus defenders on the court together and we have a spacing zero that makes it easy to abandon an assignment on.

It's still better to have someone to handle him one on one for the most part without constant hard doubles the way the Raptors and Celtics attempted to do. Doubling the other teams' best player the same way every time is a gimmick that can get exploited over a 7 game series. He can find Simmons under the basket like he did in the Celtics game, Simmons can set a screen for someone else, Simmons camp out under the basket and grab tons of Oboards unimpeded, Simmons can stand in a place far away that doubling off him is impracticable, there's 20+ adjustments. There are fewer adjustments to be made against just great one on one defense.

And you can point out counters to those counters, but that's the point, it's an incredibly complicated game and you can't just be like "well this isn't an issue because of this very simple strategy" 8 months before it happens.

[VDT]

You should judge the players based on the particular matchup.

The fact that Harrell is switchable doesnt mean much for the Sixers because they dont really run pnr. What is important is how he matches up with Embiid.

I've addressed this. They'll throw a double team at him and exploit his already bad decision-making and composure on the ball facing pressure. The Clippers always have a handful of plus defenders on the court together and we have a spacing zero that makes it easy to abandon an assignment on.

The team had always spacing issues in the past years and Embiid found a way to be effective despite that and the double teams.

It is a flaw of the team and good coaches will seek to exploit it, but that's true for every team. I dont see any perfect team when i look around the league. The Clippers themselves are lacking size and playmaking, their best players have injury concerns and their best player is scoring mostly through mid range shots which are thought to be lower efficiency shots.

It's also one thing when you have a smart center with size like Gasol where you use a soft double team to counter Embiid's mobility advantage and it is a different ball game when you have a center that is giving up so much size like Harrell.

We will have to wait and see, Embiid needs to be dominant in the postseason and Simmons needs to become a more dangerous scorer. If they fail to do it it will be hard to win a title. Embiid in particular is in his prime years, if he fails to impose his will in the playoffs it will be a bad sign imo.

[eagereyez]

We are 2-0 and half the posts on this board are trashing Ben and Joel. You guys are something else man. Most of you deserve the 2002-2011 teams back.

Evaluate the team through a playoff lens.

So if every time anyone says anything about the Clippers I say "Well if they give up 130 points to the Suns they can't win anything" would that be helpful or productive?

The playoffs are 6 months from now, this is all still a step beyond preseason. Speaking of playoffs let's see Doncic or Young do anything there before we put them on Simmons' level.

We don't need to wait until results are in to say which players have better projections down the road. Making predictions about the future is part of what makes sports fun.

It is not absurd to predict that Doncic and Young will become better players than Simmons down the road. Or even as soon as this year. That said, it is still far too early to determine who is better right now.

[Kobblehead]

Once Kd is back 100%, they will be the clear team to beat in the east. That is unless Ben and Biid steps up their game.

When Durant is 100% healthy, how close does he get back to his peak form? I don't know if it's a given that he is still Kevin Durant.

If he does come back like his old self, I agree. Nobody in the East can win a playoff series against the Nets. Especially if the Bucks and Sixers are content with what they have and are no longer star hunting.

[Kobblehead]

It's still better to have someone to handle him one on one for the most part without constant hard doubles the way the Raptors and Celtics attempted to do. Doubling the other teams' best player the same way every time is a gimmick that can get exploited over a 7 game series. He can find Simmons under the basket like he did in the Celtics game, Simmons can set a screen for someone else, Simmons camp out under the basket and grab tons of Oboards unimpeded, Simmons can stand in a place far away that doubling off him is impracticable, there's 20+ adjustments. There are fewer adjustments to be made against just great one on one defense.

And you can point out counters to those counters, but that's the point, it's an incredibly complicated game and you can't just be like "well this isn't an issue because of this very simple strategy" 8 months before it happens.

I'm not convinced it's all that complicated. Maybe that's a reductionist perspective on my part. All the checks, counters and mismatch stuff is fun discussion, I just don't think it's as important.

My whole Sixers/Clippers argument comes down to the Clippers have Leonard, George and even Williams that can go on the ball and takeover a game in the halfcourt and the Sixers have nobody.

For the Bucks and Sixers to be relevant in my playoff lens, I need to see crazy step up from Tobias Harris in Philly and one or both of Khris Middleton/Eric Bledsoe in Milwaukee.

Giannis and Joel are great all around players, but they don't have the talent or skillsets to drive a championship run (imo).

[Sixerscan]

Evaluate the team through a playoff lens.

So if every time anyone says anything about the Clippers I say "Well if they give up 130 points to the Suns they can't win anything" would that be helpful or productive?

The playoffs are 6 months from now, this is all still a step beyond preseason. Speaking of playoffs let's see Doncic or Young do anything there before we put them on Simmons' level.

We don't need to wait until results are in to say which players have better projections down the road. Making predictions about the future is part of what makes sports fun.

It is not absurd to predict that Doncic and Young will become better players than Simmons down the road. Or even as soon as this year. That said, it is still far too early to determine who is better right now.

I’m not responding to someone’s projection, Im responding to the attitude that one’s projection is going to be right and acting like saying there is uncertainty, not even disagreeing, is akin to saying the sky is purple. Doesn’t really make sense with such limited inputs, with which team is going to win the title and even more so with projecting teenagers.

[Kobblehead]

I’m not responding to someone’s projection, Im responding to the attitude that one’s projection is going to be right and acting like saying there is uncertainty, not even disagreeing, is akin to saying the sky is purple. Doesn’t really make sense with such limited inputs, with which team is going to win the title and even more so with projecting teenagers.

Do we really need to sit on the fence and watch things play out before we can passionately declare the Clippers the overwhelming favorite? Barring injury or a major trade by another team, they look beyond reproach, when projecting out to the playoffs.

[Negrodamus]

I'd love to see the Thunder beat the Rockets in Houston tonight.

[Kobblehead]

Ya'll see Jaxon Hayes debut?

Man, this kid is going to be a problem once he fills out his frame.

[LloydFree]

This Bulls challenging for the playoffs movement is going to die hard. Already played 4 of the worst teams in the league and they're 1-3. A bunch of over-rated talent on that roster.

[Sixerscan]

This Bulls challenging for the playoffs movement is going to die hard. Already played 4 of the worst teams in the league and they're 1-3. A bunch of over-rated talent on that roster.

The fact that the Bulls are easily the least disciplined team the league should give Boylan a hint that all his nonsense doesn't work.

[LloydFree]

This Bulls challenging for the playoffs movement is going to die hard. Already played 4 of the worst teams in the league and they're 1-3. A bunch of over-rated talent on that roster.

The fact that the Bulls are easily the least disciplined team the league should give Boylan a hint that all his nonsense doesn't work.

Lack of discipline is to be expected. They're very young. The problem is GarPax don't know how to draft. Top 10 picks every year, and zero potential stars. Atlanta just started they're rebuild, and they already have two future All-stars and a multiple legitimate starters.

[Sixerscan]

This Bulls challenging for the playoffs movement is going to die hard. Already played 4 of the worst teams in the league and they're 1-3. A bunch of over-rated talent on that roster.

The fact that the Bulls are easily the least disciplined team the league should give Boylan a hint that all his nonsense doesn't work.

Lack of discipline is to be expected. They're very young. The problem is GarPax don't know how to draft. Top 10 picks every year, and zero potential stars. Atlanta just started they're rebuild, and they already have two future All-stars and a multiple legitimate starters.

Well they're led by Lavine who isn't that young at this point and is still a total rock head.

[LloydFree]

The fact that the Bulls are easily the least disciplined team the league should give Boylan a hint that all his nonsense doesn't work.

Lack of discipline is to be expected. They're very young. The problem is GarPax don't know how to draft. Top 10 picks every year, and zero potential stars. Atlanta just started they're rebuild, and they already have two future All-stars and a multiple legitimate starters.

Well they're led by Lavine who isn't that young at this point and is still a total rock head.

That is true.