RealGM

BigSlam wrote:

Snidely FC wrote:Ha ha Zach Lowe zeroing in on Dwayne Bacon's refusal to pass the rock

Will Dwayne Bacon please pass the ball
I have a soft spot for Bacon's junior-varsity Joe Johnson midrange game. He has a combination of physicality and old-school smooth that is rare today. It's not his fault the Orlando Magic were forced to start him until Wednesday, or that Orlando's offense has gone in the toilet since a fool's-gold 6-2 start.

Some fall-off was coming, but injuries to Evan Fournier and then Markelle Fultz -- atop the absence of Jonathan Isaac -- left Orlando without a critical mass of creative punch, even with Nikola Vucevic enjoying (another) career season.

But it would not fry Bacon to pass, like, once. Few fringy role players have ever suffered from this sort of tunnel vision.

Bacon has 13 dimes in 15 games. He has assisted on 5% of Orlando baskets while on the floor. It is historically rare for a wing to record such a low assist rate. He looks off open teammates, and ignores mismatches:

About 80% of Bacon's drives have ended with him shooting, the highest share in the league, per Second Spectrum.

You can't hog like this when you're shooting 41% and barely producing free throws.

Never understood the love some posters had for Bacon.

His "head down, plough forward, no plan B or C" approach was something I called out very early and could not stand.

Its hilarious to me that Clifford got Orlando to sign him and then gave him a starting spot. Also lol for basically doing the same thing with MCW, albeit in a reserve role.

I'd love to see Derrick Rose get an opportunity to actually start again.

Knicks are sitting really pretty right now to be honest.

They have 70 Million in cap space this summer and two first round picks this summer. They could easily sign a couple of better free agents to go along with this young core.

Quickley
Barrett
Tobbin
Randle
Robinson
Knox
Rivers

geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

i was on the fence before but its obvious how sports is really downplaying how hard some guys are effected

Michael Porter Jr is alot better than I thought he would be at this point. Dude is averaging 17ppg on 24 minutes while hitting 55% from the field and 49% from three as well as 80% from the line. He does more than just score as well, averaging 7 rebounds a steal and a block a game. Per 36 dude is averaging 23 and 9.

i love seeing Houston go on a winning streak after getting rid of Harden

penquin11 wrote:Michael Porter Jr is alot better than I thought he would be at this point. Dude is averaging 17ppg on 24 minutes while hitting 55% from the field and 49% from three as well as 80% from the line. He does more than just score as well, averaging 7 rebounds a steal and a block a game. Per 36 dude is averaging 23 and 9.

I really thought he'd flop.

yosemiteben wrote:

penquin11 wrote:Michael Porter Jr is alot better than I thought he would be at this point. Dude is averaging 17ppg on 24 minutes while hitting 55% from the field and 49% from three as well as 80% from the line. He does more than just score as well, averaging 7 rebounds a steal and a block a game. Per 36 dude is averaging 23 and 9.

I really thought he'd flop.

I figured he'd be a great player if his back held up.

We will see how that goes.

Diop wrote:i love seeing Houston go on a winning streak after getting rid of Harden

Stephen Silas is the man

Liver_Pooty wrote:

yosemiteben wrote:

penquin11 wrote:Michael Porter Jr is alot better than I thought he would be at this point. Dude is averaging 17ppg on 24 minutes while hitting 55% from the field and 49% from three as well as 80% from the line. He does more than just score as well, averaging 7 rebounds a steal and a block a game. Per 36 dude is averaging 23 and 9.

I really thought he'd flop.

I figured he'd be a great player if his back held up.

We will see how that goes.

I'm rooting for him. He's the star on my all fragile NBA team right next to Derek Rose (who also is a per36 animal).

Also on Derek Rose I'm convinced that if he is allowed to start he is going to put up all-star numbers. I think we could see a late career renaissance like we saw with Grant Hill- but at an even higher level.

Liver_Pooty wrote:

Diop wrote:i love seeing Houston go on a winning streak after getting rid of Harden

Stephen Silas is the man

He's so good with point guards, I wish we still had him in Charlotte to work with LaMelo.

Anyone notice Frank the Tank flirt with the triple double the other night? 12/13/8.

Graham for Kaminsky.

MPM wrote:Anyone notice Frank the Tank flirt with the triple double the other night? 12/13/8.

Graham for Kaminsky.

I wouldn't mind Frank back here but I am pretty sure he hates the Charlotte franchise at this point.

Chapelchilla wrote:

MPM wrote:Anyone notice Frank the Tank flirt with the triple double the other night? 12/13/8.

Graham for Kaminsky.

I wouldn't mind Frank back here but I am pretty sure he hates the Charlotte franchise at this point.

If Im Frank I defnitely would. Dude probably is a solidified NBA starter now if we just didnt draft him. He's one of those dudes that always finds a way to contribute in his few minutes and who stats would indicate would make a pretty decent starter.

Frank had those good games for the hornets in-between all the bad ones. Look at his game log, not just the one good game he's had this year. Mostly stinkers.

penquin11 wrote:

Chapelchilla wrote:

MPM wrote:Anyone notice Frank the Tank flirt with the triple double the other night? 12/13/8.

Graham for Kaminsky.

I wouldn't mind Frank back here but I am pretty sure he hates the Charlotte franchise at this point.

If Im Frank I defnitely would. Dude probably is a solidified NBA starter now if we just didnt draft him. He's one of those dudes that always finds a way to contribute in his few minutes and who stats would indicate would make a pretty decent starter.

nah he's still a terrible defender, hes ok for spot minutes off the bench with occasional purple patches.

he did the same to us, good frank was good, bad frank was terrible. you never knew which one was going to turn up each game.

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:Frank had those good games for the hornets in-between all the bad ones. Look at his game log, not just the one good game he's had this year. Mostly stinkers.

for example, the only other game this season with >20 minutes playing time he got 2pts at 20%fg, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 5 fouls.

he is, what he is.

Liver_Pooty wrote:

yosemiteben wrote:

penquin11 wrote:Michael Porter Jr is alot better than I thought he would be at this point. Dude is averaging 17ppg on 24 minutes while hitting 55% from the field and 49% from three as well as 80% from the line. He does more than just score as well, averaging 7 rebounds a steal and a block a game. Per 36 dude is averaging 23 and 9.

I really thought he'd flop.

I figured he'd be a great player if his back held up.

We will see how that goes.

I watched the Nuggets Vs Jazz today.

I’d read that Porter Jr was bad on D, but my oh my what an understatement!!

He is disgusting on D!!

Like, zero effort at all. Literally stands there flat footed 99% of the time with heavy legs and doesn’t even get caught ball watching - he’s just not engaged....not even engaged enough to care about ball watching!

He’s all about it on the other end of the court when he demands the ball to try and score, but talk about all sizzle and no sausage.

It was a really small sample size (because I haven’t watched him much) but what I saw I did not like.

https://youtu.be/ZT_juJxAulM?t=413

Watch these two plays by MPJ on defense lol

The East
Boston depth is trash, like super trash. They have good depth at center, but other than that its horrible even with Tatum and Kemba back. Smart is about to miss a few weeks which is going to hurt them a ton. Jeff Teague and Javonte Green are about to be playing 20+ mins nightly.

Brooklyn is really good, just wait until they get two super good players in the buyout market. I heard Drummond might just get bought out? like wtf. They are going to win the East. I might go bet money on it now.

76ers are good, but I think they are still going to have same issues they always have in the playoffs. Who has the ball the last 3 minutes of offense in the playoffs. Adding Curry and Danny Green doesn't fix this issue. Really think they will regret not getting Harden.

Pacers are solid still and once they are full strength they will be a tough out in playoffs, but last year they got swept in first round by Miami, so I would be surprised if they make it out of the second round. They have to slowly build their playoff success over next 2-3 years.

Cavs I think are pretenders, especially if there is already talk about buying Drummond out. Sexton can't keep this pace all year. I feel them tanking soon.

Hawks are still not at full strength, interested to see them peak this year. Any chance they just say **** it and deal Collins at the deadline?

Knicks are going to run out of gas, Quickly is breathing life into them, but Randle and Barrett are playing way too many minutes. They really lack outside shooting. Obi Toppin is playing like 10 minutes a game right now.

Raptors have started to turn things around, Siakam is a guy that wouldn't shock me if he is dealt at the deadline for a massive package. Could see Golden State making a move for him, using the Twolves pick they are owed and Wiggins contract as filler in the deal.

Bulls are the Bulls.

Magic are typically Clifford team, he is going to get them in the hunt of 8th seed no matter if they are all healthy or are playing half their squad.

Heat have been without Butler for a long time and they have had Covid issues galore, no way they are 7-12 team right now.

Pistons suck, they should be trading Wayne Ellington, Rose, Delon Wright... everybody that can help a playoff team.

Wizards are 4-12 with two hall of famers. How does Scott Brooks get away with just having the worst defense in the league every year? Its like the bar is set so low, nobody expects the defense to ever improve?

My best guess for finish order as of today. Nets over Bucks. Lakers over Nets.
1. Nets
2. Bucks
3. Sixers
4. Pacers
5. Celtics
6. Heat
7. Hawks
8. Hornets
9. Raptors
10. Magic
11. Knicks
12. Wizards
13. Cavs
14. Bulls
15. Pistons