2022-23 NBA Season Discussion

[GSP]

Remember the time when people said that size isn't relevant anymore, you have to live with threes and you can't have a post player leading his way into the title? Well, I love Denver for shutting down this discussion for the final time.

Miami are way too small to defend Denver. It's not only a matter of Jokic, but they are losing the rebounding battle by massive amount and the Heat has no paint protector outside of Bam, who is forced to defend Jokic at all cost.

Of course, you can't rule out the Heat chances at this point, but it seems that their only hope for 3 next wins is to shoot threes above 40%... which isn't impossible for them in this run at all.

Who said you can't have a post player lead a team to a title? It just so happens that top-tier post players tend to be limited("good for a big") or bad at passing or ball-handling. Jokic is very obviously not.

I don't recall ever hearing size isn't relevant. Wasn't the 2020 Lakers title all about their size?

I still think back to 2015 and "how a jump shooting team can never win" when every team in the NBA is now a jump shooting team.

19 Raptors, 20 Lakers and 21 Bucks were arguably biggest team in league each season. Size was massive reason for them winning. 19 Raps hardest series was against 19 Sixers prolly only team that mightve been bigger and they won after Nurse went full colossusball w/ Lowry,Kawhi,Siakam,Ibaka,Marc.............If Nuggets win every team in this era so far wouldve had size as a massive reason for them winning w/ exception of Warriors..........We were maybe biggest team in Nba last year too and made finals starting Horford and Rob..........then Smart, Jaylen, Jayson........thats a gigantic lineup

[GSP]

Who said you can't have a post player lead a team to a title?

Go back to 2016-19 period and find so many posts about how post game is extinct and the future of basketball is all about shooting guards (not the position, the skill). You have been here for a year, I have been here for almost a decade.

freethedevil has been here for more than a year

[MyUniBroDavis]

Who said you can't have a post player lead a team to a title? It just so happens that top-tier post players tend to be limited("good for a big") or bad at passing or ball-handling. Jokic is very obviously not.

I don't recall ever hearing size isn't relevant. Wasn't the 2020 Lakers title all about their size?

I still think back to 2015 and "how a jump shooting team can never win" when every team in the NBA is now a jump shooting team.

19 Raptors, 20 Lakers and 21 Bucks were arguably biggest team in league each season. Size was massive reason for them winning. 19 Raps hardest series was against 19 Sixers prolly only team that mightve been bigger and they won after Nurse went full colossusball w/ Lowry,Kawhi,Siakam,Ibaka,Marc.............If Nuggets win every team in this era so far wouldve had size as a massive reason for them winning w/ exception of Warriors..........We were maybe biggest team in Nba last year too and made finals starting Horford and Rob..........then Smart, Jaylen, Jayson........thats a gigantic lineup

It’s crazy y’all didn’t win that finals lol, even though I had GSW winning

Tbh the Celtics roster is absolutely filthy

[MyUniBroDavis]

Who said you can't have a post player lead a team to a title?

Go back to 2016-19 period and find so many posts about how post game is extinct and the future of basketball is all about shooting guards (not the position, the skill). You have been here for a year, I have been here for almost a decade.

freethedevil has been here for more than a year

I know who she is but it’s not free lol

[OhayoKD]

Go back to 2016-19 period and find so many posts about how post game is extinct and the future of basketball is all about shooting guards (not the position, the skill). You have been here for a year, I have been here for almost a decade.

freethedevil has been here for more than a year

I know who she is but it’s not free lol

am not free, but i have freely copied and pasted their best work lol

[OhayoKD]

Ok I can rephrase that to he can be the best offensive player on a title team lmao

He wasn't even a comparable offensive player to torn-tendon Lebron. I suppose it's techincally possible, but we're probably entering KD-GSW territory in terms of help.

Hakeem?

AD

[MyUniBroDavis]

He wasn't even a comparable offensive player to torn-tendon Lebron. I suppose it's techincally possible, but we're probably entering KD-GSW territory in terms of help.

Hakeem?

AD

Well yeah current AD with the post play of kwame aint doing anything lol

[OhayoKD]

Hakeem?

AD

Well yeah current AD with the post play of kwame aint doing anything lol

That has been largely disputed during and since the Lakers postseason run

[MyUniBroDavis]

AD

Well yeah current AD with the post play of kwame aint doing anything lol

That has been largely disputed during and since the Lakers postseason run

I mean AD normally isn’t worse than a league average player at creating his own shot and finishing, bros hurt. He’s entire value offensively is being able to finish good opportunities on the move at an exceptional level, and the gravity he has as a roller, but bro stopped rolling hard and his touch was gone, and his self creation went from pretty solid in the post to absolutely horrific, bros foot is cooked till he gets surgery and I feel he might not

It’s like how Embiid ain’t evidence of it applying cuz he hurt too

[eminence]

MVP caliber guys who retired after a season that could reasonably be considered in their prime - Mikan, Russell, Magic, MJ x2. Anyone I’m missing?

[ronnymac2]

Despite Denver's ORTG plummeting from 124 in Game 2 down to a paltry 120 in Game 3, I haven't seen any worried posts about Miami's zone stymieing Denver's offense. I wonder why?

In all seriousness, great game by the Nuggets. Earlier in the playoffs, I remember thinking Braun belongs in the NBA getting reps for the future, but also that he absolutely sucks right now. He's been fantastic the past two games, on the biggest stage. Great job staying the course and improving.

Play of the game was the sweet post move by Jokic where he sealed about eight feet away, caught with two hands, faked dropping right, went left, and went straight up for the jump hook. I watched my favorite player Shaq and Tim Duncan kill teams with moves like that many years ago, and it's great to see that today from a guy following that lineage but with a new-school twist in his game.

Miami needs more out of Martin and the injured Strus. Butler was fine. They need those two wings to succeed. The fouls broke Gabe's rhythm; I expect a redemption game in Miami later tonight from him.

[AdagioPace]

Despite Denver's ORTG plummeting from 124 in Game 2 down to a paltry 120 in Game 3, I haven't seen any worried posts about Miami's zone stymieing Denver's offense. I wonder why?

In all seriousness, great game by the Nuggets. Earlier in the playoffs, I remember thinking Braun belongs in the NBA getting reps for the future, but also that he absolutely sucks right now. He's been fantastic the past two games, on the biggest stage. Great job staying the course and improving.

Play of the game was the sweet post move by Jokic where he sealed about eight feet away, caught with two hands, faked dropping right, went left, and went straight up for the jump hook. I watched my favorite player Shaq and Tim Duncan kill teams with moves like that many years ago, and it's great to see that today from a guy following that lineage but with a new-school twist in his game.

Miami needs more out of Martin and the injured Strus. Butler was fine. They need those two wings to succeed. The fouls broke Gabe's rhythm; I expect a redemption game in Miami later tonight from him.

yeah Spo's zone was crowned as winning move for the series a bit too soon, and you can't do much when you get outrebounded by almost 25 rebounds

[penbeast0]

Despite Denver's ORTG plummeting from 124 in Game 2 down to a paltry 120 in Game 3, I haven't seen any worried posts about Miami's zone stymieing Denver's offense. I wonder why? ....

Winning eliminates all problems.

[Ambrose]

Despite Denver's ORTG plummeting from 124 in Game 2 down to a paltry 120 in Game 3, I haven't seen any worried posts about Miami's zone stymieing Denver's offense. I wonder why?

In all seriousness, great game by the Nuggets. Earlier in the playoffs, I remember thinking Braun belongs in the NBA getting reps for the future, but also that he absolutely sucks right now. He's been fantastic the past two games, on the biggest stage. Great job staying the course and improving.

Play of the game was the sweet post move by Jokic where he sealed about eight feet away, caught with two hands, faked dropping right, went left, and went straight up for the jump hook. I watched my favorite player Shaq and Tim Duncan kill teams with moves like that many years ago, and it's great to see that today from a guy following that lineage but with a new-school twist in his game.

Miami needs more out of Martin and the injured Strus. Butler was fine. They need those two wings to succeed. The fouls broke Gabe's rhythm; I expect a redemption game in Miami later tonight from him.

The first time I watched Braun in the postseason I thought man this dude can absolutely defend but is a complete nothing on offense. If he could consistently give them a few buckets a game he'd be really helpful. Well, he's done that recently. If he can get to his college 3pt% (38% career) he's going to be a really good 3&D guy who can attack a bit.

[HeartBreakKid]

MVP caliber guys who retired after a season that could reasonably be considered in their prime - Mikan, Russell, Magic, MJ x2. Anyone I’m missing?

If you're defining reasonable as still MVP caliber then I think Wilt Chamberlain qualifies. I don't think 73 Chamberlain is that far off from some of those guys.

[Heej]

Jokic's defense is what it is. It's not flashy and looks worse than it actually is because there's gonna be a few possessions where guys punch it on him or blow by him. But in totality his motor, positioning, hands, and rebounding are gonna wear teams out more than they can wear him out. He's basically at big man 2018 Curry level for me. Good luck tryna outscore this guy if your only plan is to try and go at him on defense. His motor is better than yours and the rumors of his defensive demise are greatly exaggerated.

It's not easy scoring on him for a whole game. You'll break containment and get easy buckets here or there vs him because he's not an elite defensive player but he's a lower case g great defensive player imo. As far as being able to fit in a championship level defense with other solid defenders.

But man, is this not like at bare minimum a top 10 peak we're witnessing right now? Murray's definitely taking pressure off him but mannnn this is crazy what we're seeing. Is this a sub mt Rushmore peak??

I think we may just be looking at one of the GOAT peak when he is playing at this level. This isn't an "in the moment" statement either. I never had Giannis, Kawhi, Curry in that tier.

Here are his statistics in the post-season:

30.5/13.4/10.1 with 3.5 turnovers, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks, 54.6/47.0/80.0 splits.
.311 WS/48, 13.4 BPM [9.7 OBPM]

Thank you lol I feel like I'm being a hysterical prisoner of the moment but I haven't seen someone feel this inevitable in a long time. Nor have I seen someone since Prime LeBron consistently have what I'd call a "bad" game and their production would be a career night for other franchise players in the NBA lol

[Heej]

Who said you can't have a post player lead a team to a title?

Go back to 2016-19 period and find so many posts about how post game is extinct and the future of basketball is all about shooting guards (not the position, the skill). You have been here for a year, I have been here for almost a decade.

Nah I think the more nuanced takes about bigs and post play at the time centered around how well the big can punish switches on the block and the offensive glass. I agree that I don't think it was seen as an integral part of winning compared to shooting the way it was back in the day, but I can't really say I think that Jokic's post play matters more than the Nuggets' overall shotmaking right now either.

[Heej]

Despite Denver's ORTG plummeting from 124 in Game 2 down to a paltry 120 in Game 3, I haven't seen any worried posts about Miami's zone stymieing Denver's offense. I wonder why?

In all seriousness, great game by the Nuggets. Earlier in the playoffs, I remember thinking Braun belongs in the NBA getting reps for the future, but also that he absolutely sucks right now. He's been fantastic the past two games, on the biggest stage. Great job staying the course and improving.

Play of the game was the sweet post move by Jokic where he sealed about eight feet away, caught with two hands, faked dropping right, went left, and went straight up for the jump hook. I watched my favorite player Shaq and Tim Duncan kill teams with moves like that many years ago, and it's great to see that today from a guy following that lineage but with a new-school twist in his game.

Miami needs more out of Martin and the injured Strus. Butler was fine. They need those two wings to succeed. The fouls broke Gabe's rhythm; I expect a redemption game in Miami later tonight from him.

Didn't they win Game 2 by 1 point. I don't think anyone thought it "stymied" their offense to any significant degree . Maybe if Miami had more elite defensive forwards. I think it's more impressive that they were able to hang with a bunch of obvious targets on defense and successfully protect them. Any other coach with the same personnel loses Robinson Love and maybe Strus due to them getting hunted off the floor, but Spo has kept them engaged as viable chess pieces amidst what looks like one of the better offensive onslaught teams in years.

[OhayoKD]

bam and butler playing a combined 82-minutes to trail 10-points at home is not a great sign

[Basileus777]

Bruce Brown is closing out a finals series.