2020-21 NBA Season Discussion

[Doctor MJ]

If Wiggins didn't have the hype of a #1 draft pick behind him, making people be overly-invested in his potential, he'd been out of the league by now...

There's plenty of guys in the NBA that can average over 20 ppg given the right opportunity... **** Tyrese Maxey who nobody even knew who he was until yesterday can average 20 ppg if that's what his team asks him to do and he's not getting an absurd amount of money to do it either...

Agreed with all this.

I find it really interesting how badly a hyped prospect has to disappoint before his bubble pops. It's not the case that it's impossible to lose it right away - ahem, Anthony Bennett - and there are other guys who are bad enough that they never get the super-big contracts - Beasley, Mayo - but then there are the guys who do just enough.

The guy who "surfs" this line perfectly is Harrison Barnes. There's a guy who at this point continues to get paid a semi-star level amount because a) that's what his going rate was best on his prospect status and b) he proved himself useful for great teams. It's a good career, but dude's going to end up making a lot more than, say, Danny Green or Shane Battier, and this is not deserved.

Wiggins is a guy whose bubble is on the edge of popping. If his time in GS ends up as a failure, I think it's going to be hard for anyone to have faith he could be valuable for any team.

Tangent: I can't tell you how amusing it would be if Barnes ended up back in GS traded for Wiggins. Not saying this is realistic, but I think the Warriors would be grateful to have Barnes right now.

[MisterHibachi]

Great game alert: Clippers and Bulls in a tight game entering the 4th with LaVine (9/14 from 3) and Kawhi (7/8 from 3) both with 30+ through 3 quarters.

[MisterHibachi]

How is Batum so good now wth

[MisterHibachi]

LaVine is an insane scorer. He needs some help out there. Wolves would be completely different if they kept him over Wiggins.

[therealbig3]

LaVine is an insane scorer. He needs some help out there. Wolves would be completely different if they kept him over Wiggins.

He's like stupid underrated. Like Booker was for years in Phoenix before his team actually got some talent and they started winning some games.

Lavine has been buried on awful teams like Minnesota and Chicago, but has developed into a really good player with a nice all-around game, I think he could help a bunch of the contenders around the league, for a fraction of the price James Harden would cost (obviously he's not as good as Harden, but if a team is looking for a combo guard who can score a bunch of points, handle the ball, and has good size, you can get Zach Lavine and not gut your team of all their depth and draft picks in the process). Chicago fans have also been saying that he's not a bad defender anymore and is actually at least average on that end of the court, with the potential to be good.

Unfortunately, nobody will take notice until he's on a team that isn't atrocious.

[MisterHibachi]

LaVine is an insane scorer. He needs some help out there. Wolves would be completely different if they kept him over Wiggins.

He's like stupid underrated. Like Booker was for years in Phoenix before his team actually got some talent and they started winning some games.

Lavine has been buried on awful teams like Minnesota and Chicago, but has developed into a really good player with a nice all-around game, I think he could help a bunch of the contenders around the league, for a fraction of the price James Harden would cost (obviously he's not as good as Harden, but if a team is looking for a combo guard who can score a bunch of points, handle the ball, and has good size, you can get Zach Lavine and not gut your team of all their depth and draft picks in the process). Chicago fans have also been saying that he's not a bad defender anymore and is actually at least average on that end of the court, with the potential to be good.

Unfortunately, nobody will take notice until he's on a team that isn't atrocious.

He's definitely not a bad defender anymore. He's average and has size, so he's not eaten alive on that end anymore. He would be so great as a third guy on a contender. He's blinding fast, can shoot from anywhere and finish at the rim. Very underrated. He's not the passer that Booker is so I don't think he's better than him, but he's not far.

[Fadeaway_J]

LaVine is an insane scorer. He needs some help out there. Wolves would be completely different if they kept him over Wiggins.

The sad thing is, even at the time they traded him he looked like the better player (to me at least).

[HeartBreakKid]

LaVine is an insane scorer. He needs some help out there. Wolves would be completely different if they kept him over Wiggins.

The sad thing is, even at the time they traded him he looked like the better player (to me at least).

He was absolutely.

They just didn't want to believe that Wiggins wasn't their savior.

[GSP]

As much hype as Wood has gotten this season his defense is horrible

[MyUniBroDavis]

As much hype as Wood has gotten this season his defense is horrible

I feel hes D was good but hes gonna struggle against certain matchyps, havent been watching closely tho

[GSP]

As much hype as Wood has gotten this season his defense is horrible

I feel hes D was good but hes gonna struggle against certain matchyps, havent been watching closely tho

He was icing a few pick and rolls and just gave strolls to the rim. It was bizarre

[MyUniBroDavis]

Lou Williams is basically unplayable at this point if he's not scoring. The Clippers' bench is a mess and the first thing they need to do to fix it is move on from him. If they get blinded by sentimental loyalty, he will ruin the season like Doc and Trez did last year.

The clippers D hasn’t been great so far, is it a effort thing or is it a legit problem do you think?

Lue is a lot better than doc in playoff adjustments from his cavs days at least, he’s closer to top 5 than average in that regard I’d say, although we’ll see if that was him or bron this year

[Texas Chuck]

It's worth pointing out that every team save one that LaVine has ever been on has been better with him off the court than on. Including in small sample size, this one. At some point we need to realize that just putting up points on good efficiency doesn't make you a high impact player. Anyone recall Kevin Martin?

Blaming Zach LaVine on his teammates? Nah. Yeah his teams have sucked, but he's been a major reason why.

[Rich Michmond]

How is Batum so good now wth

His situation in Charlotte and now is basically the same as Boris Diaw's. They stopped caring at one point and failed to play a major role for a mediocre team, but they turned the corner when they actually got to play for something meaningful and behind the stars. Even their role on a contending team is the same.

[RCM88x]

It's worth pointing out that every team save one that LaVine has ever been on has been better with him off the court than on. Including in small sample size, this one. At some point we need to realize that just putting up points on good efficiency doesn't make you a high impact player. Anyone recall Kevin Martin?

Blaming Zach LaVine on his teammates? Nah. Yeah his teams have sucked, but he's been a major reason why.

I feel like everyone who actually pays attention knows he's not a positive impact guy but he puts up numbers and has flashy highlights and plays for the Bulls so I guess he gets hype, I don't get it though.

[GSP]

Beal has to be a top 5 scorer in the league. His game is just so smooth and very few weaknesses if any from a skill perspective. Handle, offball scoring, shoot from anywhere, terrific finisher, foul drawer etc

Ive noticed Beal tends to have his most impressive scoring performances against the best defenses too

47 on .60ts and 55 on .73ts against the Bucks last season
42 on .60ts against Jazz
44 on .72ts against Celts
41 on .61ts against Magic
36 on .66ts against Sixers
38 on .74ts against Heat

this season so far hes had as efficient 31 and 60 against Philly who were #1 at the time. 41 against Celts, now 34 .65ts against Phoenix who were top 5 in defense before this game. Bridges is prolly a top 5 perimeter defender in the league and he torched him and got him in foul trouble

it was said last season but its alltime criminal he wasnt an allstar last season

[bondom34]

It's worth pointing out that every team save one that LaVine has ever been on has been better with him off the court than on. Including in small sample size, this one. At some point we need to realize that just putting up points on good efficiency doesn't make you a high impact player. Anyone recall Kevin Martin?

Blaming Zach LaVine on his teammates? Nah. Yeah his teams have sucked, but he's been a major reason why.

I feel like everyone who actually pays attention knows he's not a positive impact guy but he puts up numbers and has flashy highlights and plays for the Bulls so I guess he gets hype, I don't get it though.

It's the D'Lo phenomenon. It happens to almost any player with a flashy handle who can score on any efficiency.

Honestly I think guys in general who fit that prototype get a bit of a bump no matter their standing.

[kayess]

This season's gonna get cancelled or postponed eventually, right?

No way their protocols are good enough if in week 3 there's this many guys out. Bubble (lol) or bust

[bondom34]

Don't know if they do but protocols seem somewhat out of whack and this was bizarre to read:

https://theathletic.com/2315781/2021/01/11/nba-covid-19-testing-protocols-basketball/

Data are limited, making it difficult to precisely define “close contact;” however, 15 cumulative minutes of exposure at a distance of 6 feet or less [over a 24-hour period] can be used as an operational definition for contact investigation. Factors to consider when defining close contact include proximity (closer distance likely increases exposure risk), the duration of exposure (longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk), whether the infected individual has symptoms (the period around onset of symptoms is associated with the highest levels of viral shedding), if the infected person was likely to generate respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting), and other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors).

The league’s contact tracing primarily focuses on the first definition of close contact, which requires a player to spend at least 15 minutes within six feet of another individual who tests positive. The league has used Second Spectrum player tracking data to establish that players, on average, spend no more than five or six minutes within six feet of another player during any given game. It technically falls within the CDC guidelines.

But the CDC guidelines are approximations set forth for average circumstances. Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and infectious disease physician, is concerned the league has applied them without consideration for the extraordinary circumstances of an actual NBA game. “That guidance is probably not applicable in those situations,” he says.

So they really didn't think it made a difference? Seems like sort of a big thing to slip past.

[Homer38]

What the league or the Nets need to do with the situation of Kyrie?