Around the NBA (4.0) *Non-Celtics Talk*

[Curmudgeon]

The Sixers are going to miss TJ O'Connell in a big way.

[Parasite]

If Kawhi does sign with Lakers, I think we would match up well against them. Lebron would be the most difficult individual matchup but our weak C rotation wouldn’t be such a liability. We would have a lot of talented bodies to throw at Kawhi. Similar to how our teams could hang with GSW. Of course, as currently constructed we would get swept by Bucks if we even made past first round.

[robdog_5]

If Kawhi does sign with Lakers, I think we would match up well against them. Lebron would be the most difficult individual matchup but our weak C rotation wouldn’t be such a liability. We would have a lot of talented bodies to throw at Kawhi. Similar to how our teams could hang with GSW. Of course, as currently constructed we would get swept by Bucks if we even made past first round.

We'd destroy Lakers. Tatum would dunk all over Lebron. Its clear that's why he went west after Tatum scarred him

[cloverleaf]

If Kawhi does sign with Lakers, I think we would match up well against them. Lebron would be the most difficult individual matchup but our weak C rotation wouldn’t be such a liability. We would have a lot of talented bodies to throw at Kawhi. Similar to how our teams could hang with GSW. Of course, as currently constructed we would get swept by Bucks if we even made past first round.

AD says hello?

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Bobby on the Raptors forum asking if there's any media parked near the ACC or Bay Street. Kawhi about to poop on the Lakers on the 4th of July. Lol.

[Kefa461]

kd and ki deserve each other good luck in that locker room

[Green89]

Still thinking Clippers for Kawhi.

[Slartibartfast]

Not usually an insider, but I have it on good authority to expect fireworks tonight.

[sam_I_am]

If Kawhi does sign with Lakers, I think we would match up well against them. Lebron would be the most difficult individual matchup but our weak C rotation wouldn’t be such a liability. We would have a lot of talented bodies to throw at Kawhi. Similar to how our teams could hang with GSW. Of course, as currently constructed we would get swept by Bucks if we even made past first round.

AD says hello?

AD is great and will kill us, but our bigs won’t be physically destroyed by him because he is only 250 lbs. I would argue that KD Golden State had a far greater talent edge over IT Celtics....and we matched up well. I never said we’ll beat them....but we’ll give them a good game because of depth at wing. No other team in NBA besides Bucks will match up as well at wings.

[Triple7]

AD says hello?

AD is great and will kill us, but our bigs won’t be physically destroyed by him because he is only 250 lbs. I would argue that KD Golden State had a far greater talent edge over IT Celtics....and we matched up well. I never said we’ll beat them....but we’ll give them a good game because of depth at wing. No other team in NBA besides Bucks will match up as well at wings.

Come on! Giannis destroyed our bigs last year and he’s 240 lbs. Are you serious about that? AD, kawhi and Lebron would destroy us inside. We don’t have a rim protector. We don’t matchup well with the lakers if kawhi goes there. No team will. If they are healthy come playoffs, its game over.

[Triple7]

Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) Tweeted:
Bol Bol is on this flight to Vegas and he’s in coach so hopefully someone does the right thing and at least gives the man an exit row

God job nuggets

[sam_I_am]

AD says hello?

AD is great and will kill us, but our bigs won’t be physically destroyed by him because he is only 250 lbs. I would argue that KD Golden State had a far greater talent edge over IT Celtics....and we matched up well. I never said we’ll beat them....but we’ll give them a good game because of depth at wing. No other team in NBA besides Bucks will match up as well at wings.

Come on! Giannis destroyed our bigs last year and he’s 240 lbs. Are you serious about that? AD, kawhi and Lebron would destroy us inside. We don’t have a rim protector. We don’t matchup well with the lakers if kawhi goes there. No team will. If they are healthy come playoffs, its game over.

AD is great defensively, but his offense is far more finesse than Giannis. Do you even watch?

Agree to disagree. Kawhi/Lebron devastates entire NBA but we can match up better than most mainly due to outstanding wing depth and advantage at PG - better than teams better than us. Not saying we can contend....neither could IT led Celtics.....yet they gave 73 win GSW and their title team the following year more trouble than any other team.

[Triple7]

AD is great and will kill us, but our bigs won’t be physically destroyed by him because he is only 250 lbs. I would argue that KD Golden State had a far greater talent edge over IT Celtics....and we matched up well. I never said we’ll beat them....but we’ll give them a good game because of depth at wing. No other team in NBA besides Bucks will match up as well at wings.

Come on! Giannis destroyed our bigs last year and he’s 240 lbs. Are you serious about that? AD, kawhi and Lebron would destroy us inside. We don’t have a rim protector. We don’t matchup well with the lakers if kawhi goes there. No team will. If they are healthy come playoffs, its game over.

AD is great defensively, but his offense is far more finesse than Giannis. Do you even watch?

Agree to disagree. Kawhi/Lebron devastates entire NBA but we can match up better than most mainly due to outstanding wing depth and advantage at PG - better than teams better than us. Not saying we can contend....neither could IT led Celtics.....yet they gave 73 win GSW and their title team the following year more trouble than any other team.

If we had trouble guarding Giannis despite his lack of outside/perimeter shooting, how can you say we can defend AD, who can basically score inside and outside. I don’t think you’ve watched AD play at all. Same goes with overrating our wing players, who can’t even switch out to cover outside shooters. Middleton killed us remember? Not to mention, George hill and bledsoe attacking us inside without fear because we can’t rim protect. Now, with Tatum as our pf, hayward as our sf and kanter as our center, how do they defend lebron, kawhi and AD? You’re probably one of those who is bitter we didn’t get him, and try to downplay his talent. Would you also care to explain how are we deep at the wings? All i can see are a bunch of rookies, and players not even in the rotations last year.

[sam_I_am]

Come on! Giannis destroyed our bigs last year and he’s 240 lbs. Are you serious about that? AD, kawhi and Lebron would destroy us inside. We don’t have a rim protector. We don’t matchup well with the lakers if kawhi goes there. No team will. If they are healthy come playoffs, its game over.

AD is great defensively, but his offense is far more finesse than Giannis. Do you even watch?

Agree to disagree. Kawhi/Lebron devastates entire NBA but we can match up better than most mainly due to outstanding wing depth and advantage at PG - better than teams better than us. Not saying we can contend....neither could IT led Celtics.....yet they gave 73 win GSW and their title team the following year more trouble than any other team.

If we had trouble guarding Giannis despite his lack of outside/perimeter shooting, how can you say we can defend AD, who can basically score inside and outside. I don’t think you’ve watched AD play at all. Same goes with overrating our wing players, who can’t even switch out to cover outside shooters. Middleton killed us remember? Not to mention, George hill and bledsoe attacking us inside without fear because we can’t rim protect. Now, with Tatum as our pf, hayward as our sf and kanter as our center, how do they defend lebron, kawhi and AD? You’re probably one of those who is bitter we didn’t get him, and try to downplay his talent. Would you also care to explain how are we deep at the wings? All i can see are a bunch of rookies, and players not even in the rotations last year.

I feel like you are just being argumentative and condescending for no reason. However, I will play along. First let me state my opinions about that Laker roster and our own. Best case scenario as currently constructed is that we overachieve and win 48 games, get the 4 seed and barely make it to second round. That Laker roster with Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Kawhi and 8 G leaguers will decimate the rest of NBA. The only reason they only win 60 games will be lack of chemistry early in season and load management.

Giannis is a bull. He will single handedly kill our squad. Nobody on Lakers will manhandle our roster in the same way. As awesome as Lebron is, he liked to pass and take jumpers when he was 24 and now that he is 35 he is not going to relentlessly bully his way to basket against us. KD is a hell of a versatile shot blocking defender and although he can drop 40 on our guys as featured guy, he’s not a wrecking ball like Giannis. Kawhi is awesome but we have excellent options to match up with him.

What I am saying for the fifth time, is that a healthy Hayward, Brown and Tatum represents a depth of 2 way talent that most NBA teams won’t have. What I am saying is that we will match up better with Lakers as currently constructed than most teams that are even better than us. It is no more absurd to say that than it was to say that about the IT led Celtics versus a Golden State team that won a league record 73 games yet lost to Celtics in GS and needed two OT sessions to beat them in Boston.

You don’t have to agree. I am not saying Celtics are better than Lakers or that they would win a playoffs against them. I am saying the games will be more entertaining than the Bucks games will be just because our youth, pace and wing depth will help vs Lakers but will irrelevant against Giannis.

[soxfan2003]

I hope I am wrong but I am suspecting Leonard goes to Lakers and it is announced in the late afternoon. This keeps it out of the news cycle as much as possible. And if not Lakers, then Clippers. I am not ruling out Toronto completely but if he was going back there, I just think it would have been communicated sooner.

[Triple7]

AD is great defensively, but his offense is far more finesse than Giannis. Do you even watch?

Agree to disagree. Kawhi/Lebron devastates entire NBA but we can match up better than most mainly due to outstanding wing depth and advantage at PG - better than teams better than us. Not saying we can contend....neither could IT led Celtics.....yet they gave 73 win GSW and their title team the following year more trouble than any other team.

If we had trouble guarding Giannis despite his lack of outside/perimeter shooting, how can you say we can defend AD, who can basically score inside and outside. I don’t think you’ve watched AD play at all. Same goes with overrating our wing players, who can’t even switch out to cover outside shooters. Middleton killed us remember? Not to mention, George hill and bledsoe attacking us inside without fear because we can’t rim protect. Now, with Tatum as our pf, hayward as our sf and kanter as our center, how do they defend lebron, kawhi and AD? You’re probably one of those who is bitter we didn’t get him, and try to downplay his talent. Would you also care to explain how are we deep at the wings? All i can see are a bunch of rookies, and players not even in the rotations last year.

I feel like you are just being argumentative and condescending for no reason. However, I will play along. First let me state my opinions about that Laker roster and our own. Best case scenario as currently constructed is that we overachieve and win 48 games, get the 4 seed and barely make it to second round. That Laker roster with Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Kawhi and 8 G leaguers will decimate the rest of NBA. The only reason they only win 60 games will be lack of chemistry early in season and load management.

Giannis is a bull. He will single handedly kill our squad. Nobody on Lakers will manhandle our roster in the same way. As awesome as Lebron is, he liked to pass and take jumpers when he was 24 and now that he is 35 he is not going to relentlessly bully his way to basket against us. KD is a hell of a versatile shot blocking defender and although he can drop 40 on our guys as featured guy, he’s not a wrecking ball like Giannis. Kawhi is awesome but we have excellent options to match up with him.

What I am saying for the fifth time, is that a healthy Hayward, Brown and Tatum represents a depth of 2 way talent that most NBA teams won’t have. What I am saying is that we will match up better with Lakers as currently constructed than most teams that are even better than us. It is no more absurd to say that than it was to say that about the IT led Celtics versus a Golden State team that won a league record 73 games yet lost to Celtics in GS and needed two OT sessions to beat them in Boston.

You don’t have to agree. I am not saying Celtics are better than Lakers or that they would win a playoffs against them. I am saying the games will be more entertaining than the Bucks games will be just because our youth, pace and wing depth will help vs Lakers but will irrelevant against Giannis.

Well i guess we just have a different take on how we match up against the lakers and the Bucks. We also have a different take on what depth is. For me, depth includes your bench players and not just your starters, which we currently don’t have. I get that brown, tatum and a healthy hayward are decent to good 2 way players, but if we don’t have bench players to replace them, then we are not deep in that positions. I also think we can match up better with the bucks just as long as we can defend the paint, all because Giannis can’t really shoot. He got exposed against the raps. We basically have the same wing players as last year, and we didn’t do a decent job defending the perimeter against the bucks. Middleton, bledsoe and goerge hill had a field day against our defense. If we can’t defend those guys, how are we going to defend against tier 1 players like lebron, kawhi and AD, who are good one on one players and all three can create for themselves. Lets just agree to disagree then!

[Floody100]

If we had trouble guarding Giannis despite his lack of outside/perimeter shooting, how can you say we can defend AD, who can basically score inside and outside. I don’t think you’ve watched AD play at all. Same goes with overrating our wing players, who can’t even switch out to cover outside shooters. Middleton killed us remember? Not to mention, George hill and bledsoe attacking us inside without fear because we can’t rim protect. Now, with Tatum as our pf, hayward as our sf and kanter as our center, how do they defend lebron, kawhi and AD? You’re probably one of those who is bitter we didn’t get him, and try to downplay his talent. Would you also care to explain how are we deep at the wings? All i can see are a bunch of rookies, and players not even in the rotations last year.

I feel like you are just being argumentative and condescending for no reason. However, I will play along. First let me state my opinions about that Laker roster and our own. Best case scenario as currently constructed is that we overachieve and win 48 games, get the 4 seed and barely make it to second round. That Laker roster with Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Kawhi and 8 G leaguers will decimate the rest of NBA. The only reason they only win 60 games will be lack of chemistry early in season and load management.

Giannis is a bull. He will single handedly kill our squad. Nobody on Lakers will manhandle our roster in the same way. As awesome as Lebron is, he liked to pass and take jumpers when he was 24 and now that he is 35 he is not going to relentlessly bully his way to basket against us. KD is a hell of a versatile shot blocking defender and although he can drop 40 on our guys as featured guy, he’s not a wrecking ball like Giannis. Kawhi is awesome but we have excellent options to match up with him.

What I am saying for the fifth time, is that a healthy Hayward, Brown and Tatum represents a depth of 2 way talent that most NBA teams won’t have. What I am saying is that we will match up better with Lakers as currently constructed than most teams that are even better than us. It is no more absurd to say that than it was to say that about the IT led Celtics versus a Golden State team that won a league record 73 games yet lost to Celtics in GS and needed two OT sessions to beat them in Boston.

You don’t have to agree. I am not saying Celtics are better than Lakers or that they would win a playoffs against them. I am saying the games will be more entertaining than the Bucks games will be just because our youth, pace and wing depth will help vs Lakers but will irrelevant against Giannis.

Well i guess we just have a different take on how we match up against the lakers and the Bucks. We also have a different take on what depth is. For me, depth includes your bench players and not just your starters, which we currently don’t have. I get that brown, tatum and a healthy hayward are decent to good 2 way players, but if we don’t have bench players to replace them, then we are not deep in that positions. I also think we can match up better with the bucks just as long as we can defend the paint, all because Giannis can’t really shoot. He got exposed against the raps. We basically have the same wing players as last year, and we didn’t do a decent job defending the perimeter against the bucks. Middleton, bledsoe and goerge hill had a field day against our defense. If we can’t defend those guys, how are we going to defend against tier 1 players like lebron, kawhi and AD, who are good one on one players and all three can create for themselves. Lets just agree to disagree then!

Oh for god sake put this in another forum. This forum is dedicated to what Kawhi updates are, not some boring argument on who ‘matches up with who better’

[sam_I_am]

If we had trouble guarding Giannis despite his lack of outside/perimeter shooting, how can you say we can defend AD, who can basically score inside and outside. I don’t think you’ve watched AD play at all. Same goes with overrating our wing players, who can’t even switch out to cover outside shooters. Middleton killed us remember? Not to mention, George hill and bledsoe attacking us inside without fear because we can’t rim protect. Now, with Tatum as our pf, hayward as our sf and kanter as our center, how do they defend lebron, kawhi and AD? You’re probably one of those who is bitter we didn’t get him, and try to downplay his talent. Would you also care to explain how are we deep at the wings? All i can see are a bunch of rookies, and players not even in the rotations last year.

I feel like you are just being argumentative and condescending for no reason. However, I will play along. First let me state my opinions about that Laker roster and our own. Best case scenario as currently constructed is that we overachieve and win 48 games, get the 4 seed and barely make it to second round. That Laker roster with Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Kawhi and 8 G leaguers will decimate the rest of NBA. The only reason they only win 60 games will be lack of chemistry early in season and load management.

Giannis is a bull. He will single handedly kill our squad. Nobody on Lakers will manhandle our roster in the same way. As awesome as Lebron is, he liked to pass and take jumpers when he was 24 and now that he is 35 he is not going to relentlessly bully his way to basket against us. KD is a hell of a versatile shot blocking defender and although he can drop 40 on our guys as featured guy, he’s not a wrecking ball like Giannis. Kawhi is awesome but we have excellent options to match up with him.

What I am saying for the fifth time, is that a healthy Hayward, Brown and Tatum represents a depth of 2 way talent that most NBA teams won’t have. What I am saying is that we will match up better with Lakers as currently constructed than most teams that are even better than us. It is no more absurd to say that than it was to say that about the IT led Celtics versus a Golden State team that won a league record 73 games yet lost to Celtics in GS and needed two OT sessions to beat them in Boston.

You don’t have to agree. I am not saying Celtics are better than Lakers or that they would win a playoffs against them. I am saying the games will be more entertaining than the Bucks games will be just because our youth, pace and wing depth will help vs Lakers but will irrelevant against Giannis.

Well i guess we just have a different take on how we match up against the lakers and the Bucks. We also have a different take on what depth is. For me, depth includes your bench players and not just your starters, which we currently don’t have. I get that brown, tatum and a healthy hayward are decent to good 2 way players, but if we don’t have bench players to replace them, then we are not deep in that positions. I also think we can match up better with the bucks just as long as we can defend the paint, all because Giannis can’t really shoot. He got exposed against the raps. We basically have the same wing players as last year, and we didn’t do a decent job defending the perimeter against the bucks. Middleton, bledsoe and goerge hill had a field day against our defense. If we can’t defend those guys, how are we going to defend against tier 1 players like lebron, kawhi and AD, who are good one on one players and all three can create for themselves. Lets just agree to disagree then!

You make solid points - hopefully we never find out who is right and Kawhi plays for Toronto!

It’s one thing to know GA has no jump shot but it’s quite another to force him to use it. Shaq in his hey day had nothing but a dunk shot and I saw him shoot 20-24 against Celtics - all back board rocking dunks. That same team somehow used to match up with MVP era KG pretty well. Giannis is like a Shaq against our front court - if you can’t stop him from attacking the rim and dunking or setting up 3’s, it’s game over. If you can, he has nothing to fall back on ..... yet..... he’s only 23 and getting better every year.

[Triple7]

I feel like you are just being argumentative and condescending for no reason. However, I will play along. First let me state my opinions about that Laker roster and our own. Best case scenario as currently constructed is that we overachieve and win 48 games, get the 4 seed and barely make it to second round. That Laker roster with Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Kawhi and 8 G leaguers will decimate the rest of NBA. The only reason they only win 60 games will be lack of chemistry early in season and load management.

Giannis is a bull. He will single handedly kill our squad. Nobody on Lakers will manhandle our roster in the same way. As awesome as Lebron is, he liked to pass and take jumpers when he was 24 and now that he is 35 he is not going to relentlessly bully his way to basket against us. KD is a hell of a versatile shot blocking defender and although he can drop 40 on our guys as featured guy, he’s not a wrecking ball like Giannis. Kawhi is awesome but we have excellent options to match up with him.

What I am saying for the fifth time, is that a healthy Hayward, Brown and Tatum represents a depth of 2 way talent that most NBA teams won’t have. What I am saying is that we will match up better with Lakers as currently constructed than most teams that are even better than us. It is no more absurd to say that than it was to say that about the IT led Celtics versus a Golden State team that won a league record 73 games yet lost to Celtics in GS and needed two OT sessions to beat them in Boston.

You don’t have to agree. I am not saying Celtics are better than Lakers or that they would win a playoffs against them. I am saying the games will be more entertaining than the Bucks games will be just because our youth, pace and wing depth will help vs Lakers but will irrelevant against Giannis.

Well i guess we just have a different take on how we match up against the lakers and the Bucks. We also have a different take on what depth is. For me, depth includes your bench players and not just your starters, which we currently don’t have. I get that brown, tatum and a healthy hayward are decent to good 2 way players, but if we don’t have bench players to replace them, then we are not deep in that positions. I also think we can match up better with the bucks just as long as we can defend the paint, all because Giannis can’t really shoot. He got exposed against the raps. We basically have the same wing players as last year, and we didn’t do a decent job defending the perimeter against the bucks. Middleton, bledsoe and goerge hill had a field day against our defense. If we can’t defend those guys, how are we going to defend against tier 1 players like lebron, kawhi and AD, who are good one on one players and all three can create for themselves. Lets just agree to disagree then!

You make solid points - hopefully we never find out who is right and Kawhi plays for Toronto!

It’s one thing to know GA has no jump shot but it’s quite another to force him to use it. Shaq in his hey day had nothing but a dunk shot and I saw him shoot 20-24 against Celtics - all back board rocking dunks. That same team somehow used to match up with MVP era KG pretty well. Giannis is like a Shaq against our front court - if you can’t stop him from attacking the rim and dunking or setting up 3’s, it’s game over. If you can, he has nothing to fall back on ..... yet..... he’s only 23 and getting better every year.

I hope he signs with the raps, or better, go to the clips. Glad that the warriors dynasty is done, but this potential superteam is something different. Kawhi and AD is still young and could dominate for years. I agree that even without a jumpshot, Giannis could still be unstoppable. That’s why i want our team to be packed with 7 footers that can defend. The more the better. Guys like theis are unplayable against the likes of Giannis and embiid. What worries me more if kawhi joins the lakers, is that Giannis might want to form one of his own when his contract is up.

[Green89]

If Kawhi leaves Toronto, we'll know that he only played there because he had to.