The NBENFANT Thread (NBA): 2023-2024 Edition!

DusterBuster · Post #241 » by **DusterBuster** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:15 am

GreenRiddler wrote:Man Devin Booker fell off a cliff this year.

He was starting off the season like he may have a breakout year. He's putting up ok stats, but his shooting percentages are kinda terrible.

Shem · Post #242 » by **Shem** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:55 pm

Nice throwback:

Watch on YouTube

Clipsz 4 Life · Post #243 » by **Tim Lehrbach** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:29 pm

Shem wrote:Nice throwback:

Watch on YouTube

Yeah, that game was crazy. The video is needlessly hard on the Blazers fans in attendance. I think the issue was less with Nelson's argument that he shouldn't have to put an injured player in the game, but with the fact that he was screaming at the referees over it. I get that he wanted to protect his players, but it was nobody's fault, least of all the refs, that the rules are as they are or that he and his squad were in a tough spot.

Masterfully · Post #244 » by **Masterfully** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:25 pm

Damian is on pace to lead the Blazers in Win Shares for the 4th time. The last player to do that was Wicks back in the 70's. Guys that did it 3 times: Aldridge, Roy, Wallace, Porter, Drexler, Vandeweghe and Paxson.

However, CJ has really closed the gap and if Lillard gets hurt again I would expect CJ to lead the team in WS this year.

Also, Portland's current defensive rating is the worst in franchise history...

Wizenheimer · Post #245 » by **Wizenheimer** » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:50 pm

Masterfully wrote:Damian is on pace to lead the Blazers in Win Shares for the 4th time. The last player to do that was Wicks back in the 70's. Guys that did it 3 times: Aldridge, Roy, Wallace, Porter, Drexler, Vandeweghe and Paxson.

However, CJ has really closed the gap and if Lillard gets hurt again I would expect CJ to lead the team in WS this year.

Also, Portland's current defensive rating is the worst in franchise history...

Dame would have to miss about 12 more games if my math is right....might not be. CJ had a giant jump in usage with Dame out and the raw winshare numbers are a minutes and usage based stat. If Plumlee played as many minutes as CJ he'd have a lead in winshares

Dame still has a huge lead in winshares/48, .170 vs .128.

GreenRiddler · Post #246 » by **GreenRiddler** » Sat Jan 14, 2017 12:34 am

GreenRiddler wrote:http://stats.nba.com/players/pullup/#!?sort=PULL_UP_PTS&dir=1

Something I have been tracking since last season, been interested in this since McCollum blew up last year. Turns out he is one of the best shot creators and scorers off the dribble that lead to a jump-shot.

This year he is 4th in PPG off pullup jumpshots (Shots taken after at least 1 dribble and outside the paint) behind Westbrook CP3 and DDR at 8.6ppg and is 3rd in terms of FG% on those shots for the top players at 44.8% so far this year. A big reason why DDr is so good this year is cause he improved that shot of his...by a whole lot this year (Was bottom of barrel last year). He and Chris Paul are the only people averaging more PPG on this type of shot with a higher percentage than CJ (45 and 45.1% ). As for EFG% since they take more 3 pointers on this type of shot it makes sense that Lowry and Paul shoot a higher EFG% on such shots at 55% and 53% compared to McCollums 50%

Some players who are know as deadly shooters off the dribble are anything but this year (Curry 31.7%FG and 41%EFG Harden34.8%FG and 46EFG% Lillard 36.5%FG% and 45.1%)

Interesting because last year McCollum finished 4th in pts per game aswell at 8.4ppg behind Curry, KD and Paul. Shooting a better FG% on such shots than KD but lagging behind Curry and CP3 and a better EFG% on those shots than Paul, but behind KD and Curry.

The reason I point this out is cause that is some damn good company he finds himself in, also I find shooting off the dribble as a tough thing to defend when you tighten the screws. Think about it, how many times has Durant made a tough shot off the dribble only to make defenders and coaches on the sideline throw their arms up in the air...or Curry or CP3 (who has been doing so for a decade).

You can always raise the curtain on drives and shots at the rim given the right personnel and proven system, but shooting off the dribble via eclectic moves is not only an aesthetically pleasing aspect of basketball, but also a time honored tradition on courts around the world. McCollum along with those players is world class in that regard.

Finally the National media picks up on this.

[url]
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18461666/zach-lowe-10-things-like-featuring-cj-mccollum-jumpers-nba[/url]

Not a low percentage shot if you're the best in the league at it.

zzaj · Post #247 » by **zzaj** » Fri Jan 20, 2017 5:49 am

Starters for the Allstar game just announced...

It's crazy to me that Russell Westbrook isn't starting over Curry. Westbrook is averaging 30/10/10 which nobody has done in, oh I don't know...50+ YEARS. Way more points, way more assists, way more rebounds than Steph.

I get that Curry is the current NBA darling and being called 'the greatest shooter of all time'. I get that the fans vote. What this just tells me is that Global Advertizing is a much bigger thing driving the NBA than I care to acknowledge.

JasonStern · Post #248 » by **JasonStern** » Mon Jan 23, 2017 9:28 pm

Read on Twitter

JasonStern · Post #249 » by **JasonStern** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:34 pm

Read on Twitter

Downtown · Post #250 » by **Downtown** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:12 am

Look at Cleveland and Lebron James complaining that he needs help, but they won the championship last year for goodness sake. Chicago has their two best players throwing their team mates under the bus in public. New York is a mess with their star and highest paid player unhappy and there's all the talk of trading him.

Things could be a lot worse for Portland. At least it seems they believe in each other. Now they have to prove to everyone they are still a competitive team, even if they are far from a contender. I'm glad Lillard is happy in his personal life but I don't want him too happy.

I like the Lillard that saw him missing out on the all-star voting, world championship team, and Olympic team, and going out there to prove a point. So I want him happy but angry at the same time. I want to see him put that chip back on his shoulder.

But I wonder if so many Blazers have signed big contracts they've all lost a bit of hunger, not just Lillard. That's something we'll never know.

zzaj · Post #251 » by **zzaj** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:32 am

Downtown wrote:I like the Lillard that saw him missing out on the all-star voting, world championship team, and Olympic team, and going out there to prove a point. So I want him happy but angry at the same time. I want to see him put that chip back on his shoulder.

Well you might get your wish now that he will be left out of this year's All Star Team...

Downtown · Post #252 » by **Downtown** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:01 am

Enes Kanter. What a dummy. They pay him $17mil and he does that.

DusterBuster · Post #253 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Jan 29, 2017 2:36 am

Steph acting like he just won a championship for hitting a half court shot at halftime of a game in late January.

Masterfully · Post #254 » by **Masterfully** » Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:25 pm

Portland is currently 23-31. Pretty shabby. In fact, they haven't been this bad after 54 games since 2007, when they were 22-32. 10 years ago!

JasonStern · Post #255 » by **JasonStern** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:24 pm

Read on Twitter

GreenRiddler · Post #256 » by **GreenRiddler** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:53 am

Apparently McCollum crossed over and then hit a shot over LA in practice and told him to shut up when LMA said it wasn't going in.

That quote about it being hard to take the DNP CDs when his girlfriend is in town had me rolling. That is so human and hilarious.

http://www.csnnw.com/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-break-rise-cj-mccollum-and-path-he-took-stardom

GreenRiddler · Post #257 » by **GreenRiddler** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:57 am

JasonStern wrote:

Read on Twitter

I hope fans giving him a hard time on Twitter doesn't change his mind. Teams have bad years. Last thing we need is Dame forcing a trade. tbh I wouldn't love giving him another 4-5 year contract at 31 as have some misgivings about his style of play being age friendly and I am not delusional about players playing on the same team forever. I just don't wanna lose him before that.

DusterBuster · Post #258 » by **DusterBuster** » Sun Feb 19, 2017 2:03 am

CJ's 3pt contest showing is kinda emblematic of the Blazers whole season.

Post #259 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Sun Feb 19, 2017 2:49 am

DusterBuster wrote:CJ's 3pt contest showing is kinda emblematic of the Blazers whole season.

I gotta take this L. It's my fault. I chortled at Matthews' 11 point performance. This was definitely a result of immediate karma.

zzaj · Post #260 » by **zzaj** » Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:05 pm

I'm starting to think that Houston could give Golden State a run for their money in the West. I watched the Hou/Min game last night and the Rockets 3pt shooting was just nuts. The team shot 58(!) 3 point shots and made 22 of them. 66 points off of 3 pointers. 38% from 3 as a team, which is below average for those players. 9 players in double figures. Rockets now have 5 of the top 10 3pt shooters in the NBA on their roster...

I think Golden State will still be the team to beat, obviously...but if the Rockets get hot to close out the year and are playing with swagger and confidence? You never know. The NBA hasn't ever had a team with that kind of consistent perimeter assault. Opposing defenses have to put so much energy into getting out to shooters that it completely opens up looks around the basket. It was crazy watching that game...it was like the mirror opposite of watching Knicks basketball ca. 1987.