NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[dobrojim]

BOS now knows playoff MIA (Butler, Bam and Spo) are a real thing.
I know PHL won a game up there too but MIA just loves to prove doubters wrong.
That said, BOS has an outstanding team so they could still win the series.

[closg00]

Un-drafted players Max Strus and Gabe Vincent started for Miami, Caleb Martin was another un-drafted contributor coming off the bench.

[gambitx777]

The heat do a wonderful job getting these undrafted dudes who work. Give credit to the HC too for knowing when to play these guys .

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

[nate33]

Spo might honestly be the greatest coach of all time. It's either him, Popovich or Phil Jackson.

[bsilver]

Red Auerbach has to be included. Used to hate it when he lit up his victory cigar. Especially after beating my Minneapolis Lakers. After retiring he used to do a coaching clinic at half time of televised games. Very interesting.

[badinage]

Spo might honestly be the greatest coach of all time. It's either him, Popovich or Phil Jackson.

What do you think it is that he does? Both with regard to motivation, vision, philosophy and in-game strategy?

[badinage]

my Minneapolis Lakers

Wow, bsilver. That’s a lifetime of basketball you’ve seen.

Share some stories of those teams?

And I remember Red lighting up a stogie and putting in — whatsisface? Kevin McDonald? That goes beyond trash talk on the court — puffing a big fat cigar, puffing it with obvious relish, while your team sends in the clowns with two minutes to go.

Red was beyond compare. And also as a GM — just a brilliant exec.

His series at halftime … I remember some of those. The ones with Pete Maravich especially. The most incredible ball-handler of his day, and probably any day. Go take a look, people — punch in: Auerbach Maravich dribbling skills. Breathtaking.

[nate33]

Spo might honestly be the greatest coach of all time. It's either him, Popovich or Phil Jackson.

What do you think it is that he does? Both with regard to motivation, vision, philosophy and in-game strategy?

That's just it. He is great at everything. His overall strategies are elite at utilizing the talent available in the best way possible. His in-game adjustments are elite. His player motivation is elite. His player development is elite.

[payitforward]

Un-drafted players Max Strus and Gabe Vincent started for Miami, Caleb Martin was another un-drafted contributor coming off the bench.

An object lesson, to be sure.

4 undrafted players
1 #30 pick
1 #14 pick
Plus, the 37 year old Kyle Lowry, 35 year old Kevin Love & 30 year old Cody Zeller -- all more or less discards.

Really shows you critical it is to have high draft picks, huh?

[bsilver]

my Minneapolis Lakers

Wow, bsilver. That’s a lifetime of basketball you’ve seen.

Share some stories of those teams?

And I remember Red lighting up a stogie and putting in — whatsisface? Kevin McDonald? That goes beyond trash talk on the court — puffing a big fat cigar, puffing it with obvious relish, while your team sends in the clowns with two minutes to go.

Red was beyond compare. And also as a GM — just a brilliant exec.

His series at halftime … I remember some of those. The ones with Pete Maravich especially. The most incredible ball-handler of his day, and probably any day. Go take a look, people — punch in: Auerbach Maravich dribbling skills. Breathtaking.

The Celtic bench player I remember is Jim Loscutoff, who some considered to be the Celtic "hatchet man". He looked the part, but was a good guy.

The first NBA game I saw on TV was the Minn. Lakers. Elgin Baylor was amazing, so began rooting for the Lakers. Unfortunately most of the TV broadcasts from that era have not survived. Only older folks remember Baylor's moves. Like Dr J, he was doing things no one had seen before.

[AFM]

This board is boomer Central.

I did piss next to Bobby Dandridge once.

[montestewart]

This board is boomer Central.

We prefer Generation W. For the WIN!

I saw Rick Barry play for the Washington Capitols. Can't remember too much about it other than he was the best on the court that day, and they won. I think Larry Brown was on that team too, before he became a fashion icon.

[montestewart]

Red Auerbach has to be included. Used to hate it when he lit up his victory cigar. Especially after beating my Minneapolis Lakers. After retiring he used to do a coaching clinic at half time of televised games. Very interesting.

They used to beat up on my Tri-Cities Blackhawks too. Team long gone, Tri-Cities long replaced by Quad-Cities. It's as if it never happened and I'm making it up. Damn you, Red Auerbach!

(Full disclosure: Auerbach was a great admirer of Wes Unseld's game, and an Auerbach relative was a friend of a friend, and he used to throw us Bullets tickets that were apparently from Red Auerbach's allotment, so Auerbach's OK by me. )

[Silvie Lysandra]

Spo might honestly be the greatest coach of all time. It's either him, Popovich or Phil Jackson.

Spo is really good and absolutely elite right now but 2 rings with the talent (peak LBJ + prime Wade) he had is really mid compared to those guys (Phil has the same amount of rings with a Kobe + Gasol core that Spo has with a LeBron/Wade core) I will say that the Heat basically pulled off the same "no tanking at all costs" strat the Wizards attempted and he's a big reason why. It helps when the 76ers pick Ben Simmons over Jimmy Butler though.

[FAH1223]

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[montestewart]

Seems like the real game discussion is in the Rui thread.

The Nuggets have never won a championship. Have never even been to the finals. And they are an ABA team (only former-ABA Spurs have won an NBA title). Adding on to the Nuggets being likable, fun to watch, and having the best player alive, that's plenty of reason to root for the Nuggets, which I have since the Kings were knocked out. Hoping for a Nuggets - Heat finals, two teams that are fun to watch and show how far you can go with only one true superstar helping the rest of the team shine.

[nate33]

Un-drafted players Max Strus and Gabe Vincent started for Miami, Caleb Martin was another un-drafted contributor coming off the bench.

An object lesson, to be sure.

4 undrafted players
1 #30 pick
1 #14 pick
Plus, the 37 year old Kyle Lowry, 35 year old Kevin Love & 30 year old Cody Zeller -- all more or less discards.

Really shows you critical it is to have high draft picks, huh?

I think one of Miami's greatest strengths is that their two foundational players (Bam and Jimmy) aren't only good players, but they are extremely versatile players who can fill several roles. That versatility, coupled with the genius of Spoelstra, allows them to maximize the talent of lesser players and put them in a position where they can succeed because Bam and Jimmy cover the flaws in their games.

Kevin Love was no longer a starter in this league because he doesn't have a natural position. He is too slow to guard forwards, and he is not long enough or athletic enough to be a rim protector at the 5. But put him alongside Bam and he can guard slow centers while Bam still protects the rim. Suddenly, he is a playable starter.

Gabe Vincent isn't really a PG. He is just a small shooting guard who plays pretty good D. On a normal team in need of a PG to run the offense, he wouldn't get it done. But Miami just runs the offense through Jimmy and Bam and the problem is solved.

Also, on defense, the versatility of Bam as either a drop coverage rim protector or a switch-everything wing allows them to play multiple styles. And Butler can guard 1 through 4.

[dobrojim]

LOL at JVG and Mark Jackson last night for first calling out the players for constant whining
(which is always true) but then for the whining they started doing when the Flagrant was called
after review. First they couldn't decide if there was a wind up and then they ignored the fact
that there was a blow to the face. Javie, who once tossed Bullets mascot, calmly explained
it. Even then they weren't really buying it. That said, that pairing (JVG, MJ) , along with Breen,
have grown on me. They can be funny at times. And there are more annoying and/or sillier
guys that are national broadcasters.

PS - not completely sold on Porter and Aaron Gordon but they don't have to be that good.
They could well be good enough. Jamal Murray is much better than I remember from before he
got hurt and missed last season.

Oh and just to stir the pot and be outrageous (for PiF),
Rui >>>> Brandon Clarke
(no I didn't consult advanced stats and am only being half serious or less)

[nate33]

I like Denver and Miami the most. But the number 1 goal here is to prevent Lebron from winning a championship. For that reason, I am rooting for Boston to defeat Miami. I think Miami is just too small to handle LA.

[Kanyewest]

Un-drafted players Max Strus and Gabe Vincent started for Miami, Caleb Martin was another un-drafted contributor coming off the bench.

An object lesson, to be sure.

4 undrafted players
1 #30 pick
1 #14 pick
Plus, the 37 year old Kyle Lowry, 35 year old Kevin Love & 30 year old Cody Zeller -- all more or less discards.

Really shows you critical it is to have high draft picks, huh?

I think one of Miami's greatest strengths is that their two foundational players (Bam and Jimmy) aren't only good players, but they are extremely versatile players who can fill several roles. That versatility, coupled with the genius of Spoelstra, allows them to maximize the talent of lesser players and put them in a position where they can succeed because Bam and Jimmy cover the flaws in their games.
,

Gabe Vincent isn't really a PG. He is just a small shooting guard who plays pretty good D. On a normal team in need of a PG to run the offense, he wouldn't get it done. But Miami just runs the offense through Jimmy and Bam and the problem is solved.

Also, on defense, the versatility of Bam as either a drop coverage rim protector or a switch-everything wing allows them to play multiple styles. And Butler can guard 1 through 4.

I agree it works with Miami because Butler and Bam run the offense. Although I suspect Vincent would work at least as a rotation player theoretically on more teams like Denver (Jokic), Lakers (LeBron). Even with Washington Vincent would work quarters 1-3 with Beal/Kuzma running the offense although I suspect they would need someone like Lowry to close out games as opposed to Vincent.

I agree that Bam has made up for the deficiency of some players like Kevin Love. Although Cleveland did have Evan Mobley who is at least a similar version of him defensively. I suspect thouh Love's limited role in the offense with perhaps acquisition of Mitchell lead to him wanting out (although I do recall he was dealing with some injury to his shooting hand). Maybe also he's gotten in better shape with the strict requirements set up by Riley.

Also to PIF's remarks, Lowry isn't really a discard even though he's been written off, Miami did give up Precious Achuiwa and Goran Dragic and they are paying him $28 million this season. He is starting to look like Raptors Lowry again in the playoffs.