Post#84 » by nickhx2 » Tue Nov 7, 2023 6:22 pm
I think some of the takes here overtake the reality of the situation by several degrees here, on numerous fronts, but I feel like a few things are worth mentioning for the sake of discussion, if nothing else.
- Huge overreaction trying to be dismissive of lue by saying his "10 game sample size" is some kind of automatic failure. I mean what you guys are really doing is reaching for some way to devalue him and what he's doing. It was EXTREMELY obvious to anyone watching the first quarter that these guys had no feel for each other in the new lineup and they were all tip toe-ing on eggshells. They don't know what's going to work together, and if they don't then neither does lue. Does it not stand to reason that adding in a gigantic, new piece will require time to integrate? Does it not stand to reason that allowing for a fair amount of time in order to make the best evaluation possible is a much better thing to do than to not? Does it not stand to reason that is a legitimate reset that will require x amount of games before anyone knows what positive on-court functioning look like, let alone optimal? So yeah, i basically agree with everything mmm said. (That said, I will say his insertion of diabete at the end, and then basically just giving up on the game was perplexing/psychotic to me).
- Harden's bringing some good things, and some bad things. That much is evident, based off of his shot-making, his passing (really foreshadowed what he could do with zu early in the first), and his, uh, usual level defensive ability. I mean the ceiling for the team certainly goes up because it's those end-game situations where I feel like this team is capped out on what it can do, because we have thus far not found a way to get kawhi/pg into the right spots to let them do their thing. This much was evident when jordan clarkson (of all people) denied kawhi a decent enough look in the jazz game. And really all it was, was just being too far out, whereas if kawhi was able to be fed closer to the post or in whatever spots he fancies, it likely woulda been his typical easy for him, hard for everyone else, clutch as hell shot. Harden facilitates that, but of course there's a cost.
- Yeah... I mean i wasn't expecting much on the defensive side, and actually was a bit impressed with his attempted efforts earlier on in the game. But effort or not, you could tell the team was totally discombobulated (whether that was just due to him being brand new with no training camp or because he was james harden, or both, don't think i would be able to say with complete assurance). It was kinda to the point that i felt like i was watching last year's team with marcus morris's presence on the court, functionally allowing the defense to be caved in simply because he couldn't move. My hope is that it gets better with familiarity, and that lue will find ways to tactically integrate (hide) him somewhat - because this team moving and swerving and swarming on defense is a sight to behold, and the fact that we were doing that WITH westbrook as a big part of that is meaningful, and something we should NOT give up on. I fear that harden's presence won't allow us to do that any longer, but sure hope that they can find a way to keep at least some semblance of that defensive presence.
- PG: ya he made me mad. Big mad. What the ????????????????????? Dude gets literally one of the best passers in the game by his side, has been pretty much best player on the team for the start of the season, isn't doing any of the insane stuff he was doing for the past couple years, and now he goes back to that? Bro. Like seriously, BRO, come ON.
- I'm sad for MP. Hopefully he's just out for a couple months but getting carried off is clearly no good sign. Glad we have powell as trade bait, I guess. But who's even out there that makes sense?
Anyway, blah blah blah, we need more time, freak out or don't freak out if you want to, but seriously. Don't freak out because it's not worth it and it doesn't make sense.