2021-22 NBA Season Discussion

[Colbinii]

embiid and jokic are so good that is insane

i honestly think they have as much talent as any all time great center (giannis too if you count hin as a big)

is insane how much center/bigs talent has risen since the early 10's when the best centers were noah, tyson Chandler and post prime howard

Don't forget Marc Gasol and old KG/Duncan/Dirk!

[falcolombardi]

the lebron at center experiment is crazy stuff, eerily reminiscent od the 2020 rockets or even the dirk at center all offense mavs

obviously unsustainable but fun while it works

[Outside]

the lebron at center experiment is crazy stuff, eerily reminiscent od the 2020 rockets or even the dirk at center all offense mavs

obviously unsustainable but fun while it works

Well, it worked against the Hawks, but the Hawks are terrible. They don't have anyone to make LeBron pay for being the big on D. They tried Capela, but he kept bringing the ball down so that LeBron could swipe down on it. Other than swipe-downs and being strong but immobile, LeBron doesn't have much else to offer in the post on D.

On offense, he's got his new Dirk one-leg step-back that he can do from a post entry pass, but otherwise, he's doing the same stuff he always does.

I haven't seen everybody, but the Hawks are one of the worst defensive teams I've seen.

[yoyoboy]

I have a feeling most people will have varying perceptions of who the starting All-Star guards in the East should be. Lot of competition.

DeMar DeRozan
James Harden
Trae Young
Darius Garland
LaMelo Ball
Jrue Holiday
Fred VanVleet
Zach LaVine
Jaylen Brown

[70sFan]

Shoutout to Steven Adams for having another rock solid starting season. Wasn't completely sure he still had it in him, but he's been a big part of the Memphis success so far.

Adams has been very solid on the new team so far. His passing and offensive rebounding give Memphis another dimension and he's hasn't been bad defensively so far.

I love watching him play. He's such a hard worker, even with limited skillset he became a very solid starting center. He also shows that offensive rebounding center can have value in modern league.

[70sFan]

embiid and jokic are so good that is insane

i honestly think they have as much talent as any all time great center (giannis too if you count hin as a big)

is insane how much center/bigs talent has risen since the early 10's when the best centers were noah, tyson Chandler and post prime howard

It's the best season for bigs (along with 2021) since at least 2005 (with Duncan/Garnett/Dirk/Shaq).

The funniest thing that people said 4 years ago that we won't see centers MVP anymore. Since then, all MVP candidates has been bigs (outside of Curry).

[AussieBuck]

embiid and jokic are so good that is insane

i honestly think they have as much talent as any all time great center (giannis too if you count hin as a big)

is insane how much center/bigs talent has risen since the early 10's when the best centers were noah, tyson Chandler and post prime howard

It's the best season for bigs (along with 2021) since at least 2005 (with Duncan/Garnett/Dirk/Shaq).

The funniest thing that people said 4 years ago that we won't see centers MVP anymore. Since then, all MVP candidates has been bigs (outside of Curry).

Plus Mobley looks like joining them in the near future. Might finally see Giannis v Embiid in the playoffs this season.

[GSP]

I have a feeling most people will have varying perceptions of who the starting All-Star guards in the East should be. Lot of competition.

DeMar DeRozan
James Harden
Trae Young
Darius Garland
LaMelo Ball
Jrue Holiday
Fred VanVleet
Zach LaVine
Jaylen Brown

I dunno if this is a hot take but Harden shouldn't be an all-star IMO. He'll get in due to popularity and name recognition but his play hasn't warranted.

As much as I want Jaylen in we don't deserve to have an all-star rep this year and he's been up and down himself

Demar, Trae, Fvv, Lavine, Jrue should be in IMO.

[Fadeaway_J]

I have a feeling most people will have varying perceptions of who the starting All-Star guards in the East should be. Lot of competition.

DeMar DeRozan
James Harden
Trae Young
Darius Garland
LaMelo Ball
Jrue Holiday
Fred VanVleet
Zach LaVine
Jaylen Brown

I'd go Trae and LaVine as starters either way, but having to consider DeMar at guard when he's really a forward is the only thing that makes it slightly tricky.

[eminence]

Is DeMar really listed as a guard? That’s dumb. I think I’d start Jrue/DeMar as of now.

Brown/Ball probably my first two off that list.

[cupcakesnake]

Shoutout to Steven Adams for having another rock solid starting season. Wasn't completely sure he still had it in him, but he's been a big part of the Memphis success so far.

Adams has been very solid on the new team so far. His passing and offensive rebounding give Memphis another dimension and he's hasn't been bad defensively so far.

I love watching him play. He's such a hard worker, even with limited skillset he became a very solid starting center. He also shows that offensive rebounding center can have value in modern league.

Pretty insane that Steven Adams basically guarantees your team is one of the best rebounding outfits in the NBA. It's a clear-cut floor raising skill on both tends (more extra possessions for your team, less for your opponents).

Steven Adams' teams and their rebounding numbers
2022 Memphis: #1 rebounding, #1 ORB%, #7 DRB%
2021 New Orleans: #3 rebounding, #1 ORB%, #2 DRB%
2020 OKC: bad rebounding team. Adams played with 3 point guards and Danilo Gallinari. Noel and rookie Bazley only other bigs.
2019 OKC: #2 rebounding, #3 ORB%, #7 DRB%
2018 OKC: #5 rebounding, #1 ORB%, #16 DRB%
2017 OKC: #1 rebounding, #1 ORB%, #3 DRB%
2016 OKC: #1 rebounding, #1 ORB%, #17 DRB%

[Goudelock]

It's the best season for bigs (along with 2021) since at least 2005 (with Duncan/Garnett/Dirk/Shaq).

The funniest thing that people said 4 years ago that we won't see centers MVP anymore. Since then, all MVP candidates has been bigs (outside of Curry).

We've come a LONG way since DeAndre Jordan made the All-NBA 1st Team at center. Those were some dark days and I'm glad we've seen a rebirth of the center position in the last five years or so. This year's PF/C All-NBA team is going to be a bloodbath and I love it.

Speaking of bigs, I wonder if LeBron gets listed at F or C when the balloting comes around? Especially if Anthony Davis keeps missing extended time on the court.

[falcolombardi]

It's the best season for bigs (along with 2021) since at least 2005 (with Duncan/Garnett/Dirk/Shaq).

The funniest thing that people said 4 years ago that we won't see centers MVP anymore. Since then, all MVP candidates has been bigs (outside of Curry).

We've come a LONG way since DeAndre Jordan made the All-NBA 1st Team at center. Those were some dark days and I'm glad we've seen a rebirth of the center position in the last five years or so. This year's PF/C All-NBA team is going to be a bloodbath and I love it.

Speaking of bigs, I wonder if LeBron gets listed at F or C when the balloting comes around? Especially if Anthony Davis keeps missing extended time on the court.

in fairness, deandre jordan shouldnt have been all nba first team either, at minimum draymond and marc were more deserving imo, then maybe al horfors for third team

if derozan is still listed as a guard for all star selections then lebron will probably be still listef as a forward

remember the all nba teams wiggle with positions a bit to get as many superstars in the teams as possible, they will change player positions as needed (to a degree) in all nba teams

[falcolombardi]

Read on Twitter

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[yoyoboy]

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Great work from Ben as always. Loved the video, especially the analysis of his playmaking. I will say I’m a bit higher on Garland’s defense than Ben is. DG ranks 8th in the league in D-RAPM and 40th in the league in Luck Adjusted D-RAPM and while it is noisy and I don’t quite view him as a great defender just yet, I do think his communication on that end, decent activity in the passing lanes, and from my eyes this season good rotations for the most part (though the video shows him being hit or miss there) make him at least pretty solidly neutral value on that end this season. Of course playing with a back line of Allen and Mobley helps, but in 196 minutes with Garland on and both Allen and Mobley off, the Cavs have a 101.7 DRTG, which would rank 1st in the league. Aware it’s a limited sample size though. And then in 487 minutes with Garland on and just one of Mobley-Allen on, the Cavs have a 108.2 DRTG, which would rank 13th in the league. Combined, you’ve got a decent sample of the Cavs having the equivalent of the #3 defense in almost 700 minutes with Garland on and without both of Mobley and Allen on the floor.

Beyond those three when you look at the rotation, the Cavs play guys like Lauri, Love, and Cedi who range from liabilities to below average, Okoro and Rubio who are decent defenders but nowhere near All-Defensive Team guys, Stevens and Wade who are middling, and then Sexton (before he went down) and Windler who are bad. So it would be pretty difficult for the Cavs to manage such a good DRTG in all those minutes with just Allen, just Mobley, or neither of them if Garland was also on the floor and acting as a huge liability on that end imo.

[falcolombardi]

on the topic of ben Taylor i recently read his write up on karl malone which was cool, learned some thinghs about a player i was unifamiliar with.... but some of his reasoning still makes me want to pull my hair out

"he couldn’t sustain lone-star scoring heights with the best of them, but there’s only so much value in a role like that anyway" i mean if he was able to do that the jazz may have won 1 or 2 championships. i wouldnt call that nothingh...2003 spurs may disagree too, or 2011 mavs or any other team that won with a lone star floor raising their offense

is essentially the same reasoning with which he
more or less handwaves away duncan biggest advantage over garnett (floor raising a offense in playoffs as first scoring option )

he makes his philosophy strongly about acumulative championship odds added, but seems to disregard how often champions and contender are 1 superstar with moderate offensive talent around and mostly defenders and role players

[Goudelock]

Watch on YouTube

If I was trying to draw up the perfect young player for this Lakers team on a minimum contract, it would Malik Monk. His shooting and energy and athleticism is something they sorely need. I'm gonna guess he's going to get a nice 30mil deal in FA after the season.

[falcolombardi]

Watch on YouTube

If I was trying to draw up the perfect young player for this Lakers team on a minimum contract, it would Malik Monk. His shooting and energy and athleticism is something they sorely need. I'm gonna guess he's going to get a nice 30mil deal in FA after the season.

Kelly oubre if he didnt have star reputation and contract (for some reason) would be other guy that fits perfectly there

[eminence]

Man, Sabonis just worked the Jazz without Gobert.

42 pts on 22 FGA.

[Peregrine01]

Man, Sabonis just worked the Jazz without Gobert.

42 pts on 22 FGA.

Lance and Sabonis. The new premier pick and roll tandem in the league.