2023-24 NBA Season Discussion

[penbeast0]

Similarly, most dirty work guys like a Paul Silas or Bill Bridges were also capable of scoring when they had to. Just that wasn't their usual job. Guys like Ben Wallace who literally had no offensive game have always been a rarity. Most of the big physical PF types were go to scorers in college who took on a role to be more effective as a pro. Heck, even Shane Battier, one of the more scoring light 3 and D types of old was the primary offensive threat at the #1 college in the nation before becoming a defensive specialist as a pro. That's always been the way of things.

[parsnips33]

Wiggins looking a little 2022ish as of late

[Texas Chuck]

Wiggins looking a little 2022ish as of late

Nah. He just believes Luka can't guard him (he's right ) and he's always aggressive on offense against Dallas. He wasn't doing anything special defensively. Refs were just letting both sides play super physical. On most nights Luka shoots 20+ FT's with the contact he was drawing. But fun game. Liked the refs letting them just go hard.

[rk2023]

Is it just me, or would I still want no part of GSW / Lakers - if I’m a top team in the West (with the exception of Denver, who would roll through either)?

That said, they obviously have to make the playoffs.

[Texas Chuck]

Lakers scare me a lot less than Golden State--for Dallas specifically anyway.

[TheGOATRises007]

Is it just me, or would I still want no part of GSW / Lakers - if I’m a top team in the West (with the exception of Denver, who would roll through either)?

That said, they obviously have to make the playoffs.

Still not buying the Warriors personally. Albeit, their late season surge has been mildly impressive. I don't really trust Draymond to not blow a fuse during an important game. I still think Klay has declined a lot and even Curry has declined a bit. And I don't think Kerr's coaching the past 2 seasons has been great.

I'd want no part of the Lakers though if I'm OKC or Minnesota. It'd be a grind-fest and you could argue the Lakers could have the 2 best players in the series vs both teams(depends on how SGA does in the playoffs).

[rk2023]

Is it just me, or would I still want no part of GSW / Lakers - if I’m a top team in the West (with the exception of Denver, who would roll through either)?

That said, they obviously have to make the playoffs.

Still not buying the Warriors personally. Albeit, their late season surge has been mildly impressive. I don't really trust Draymond to not blow a fuse during an important game. I still think Klay has declined a lot and even Curry has declined a bit. And I don't think Kerr's coaching the past 2 seasons has been great.

I'd want no part of the Lakers though if I'm OKC or Minnesota. It'd be a grind-fest and you could argue the Lakers could have the 2 best players in the series vs both teams(depends on how SGA does in the playoffs).

I understand that, though their win streak has been rather impressive - even with some terrible spurts and Kerr losing some of his fast-ball as a coach. That feeling of inevitability when GSW is up near 10 is a lot lesser nowadays, and I am on board with agreeing Klay and Steph have declined some. A lot of what GSW can do here on out does depend on Draymond not being a ****. It just depends on their front-court and what you get from Wiggins, Kuminga, and Trayce. I’m high on their skillset as a trio - so that could be influencing my thoughts. Still think the Lakers are a better matchup for themselves than vice versa (if they don’t try to injure AD), but I could see the Warriors stifling the Kings and Suns in a winner take all.

[parsnips33]

Is it just me, or would I still want no part of GSW / Lakers - if I’m a top team in the West (with the exception of Denver, who would roll through either)?

That said, they obviously have to make the playoffs.

Still not buying the Warriors personally. Albeit, their late season surge has been mildly impressive. I don't really trust Draymond to not blow a fuse during an important game. I still think Klay has declined a lot and even Curry has declined a bit. And I don't think Kerr's coaching the past 2 seasons has been great.

I'd want no part of the Lakers though if I'm OKC or Minnesota. It'd be a grind-fest and you could argue the Lakers could have the 2 best players in the series vs both teams(depends on how SGA does in the playoffs).

I understand that, though their win streak has been rather impressive - even with some terrible spurts and Kerr losing some of his fast-ball as a coach. That feeling of inevitability when GSW is up near 10 is a lot lesser nowadays, and I am on board with agreeing Klay and Steph have declined some. A lot of what GSW can do here on out does depend on Draymond not being a ****. It just depends on their front-court and what you get from Wiggins, Kuminga, and Trayce. I’m high on their skillset as a trio - so that could be influencing my thoughts. Still think the Lakers are a better matchup for themselves than vice versa (if they don’t try to injure AD), but I could see the Warriors stifling the Kings and Suns in a winner take all.

Lol it's actually reversed this season, I'm never more nervous than when we are up double digits

Team looks much better than earlier in the season which gives me reason to hope but it's all an uphill battle at this point

[TheGOATRises007]

Still not buying the Warriors personally. Albeit, their late season surge has been mildly impressive. I don't really trust Draymond to not blow a fuse during an important game. I still think Klay has declined a lot and even Curry has declined a bit. And I don't think Kerr's coaching the past 2 seasons has been great.

I'd want no part of the Lakers though if I'm OKC or Minnesota. It'd be a grind-fest and you could argue the Lakers could have the 2 best players in the series vs both teams(depends on how SGA does in the playoffs).

I understand that, though their win streak has been rather impressive - even with some terrible spurts and Kerr losing some of his fast-ball as a coach. That feeling of inevitability when GSW is up near 10 is a lot lesser nowadays, and I am on board with agreeing Klay and Steph have declined some. A lot of what GSW can do here on out does depend on Draymond not being a ****. It just depends on their front-court and what you get from Wiggins, Kuminga, and Trayce. I’m high on their skillset as a trio - so that could be influencing my thoughts. Still think the Lakers are a better matchup for themselves than vice versa (if they don’t try to injure AD), but I could see the Warriors stifling the Kings and Suns in a winner take all.

Lol it's actually reversed this season, I'm never more nervous than when we are up double digits

Team looks much better than earlier in the season which gives me reason to hope but it's all an uphill battle at this point

Hope for what exactly though?

Surely you don't think the team can win a title?

[parsnips33]

I understand that, though their win streak has been rather impressive - even with some terrible spurts and Kerr losing some of his fast-ball as a coach. That feeling of inevitability when GSW is up near 10 is a lot lesser nowadays, and I am on board with agreeing Klay and Steph have declined some. A lot of what GSW can do here on out does depend on Draymond not being a ****. It just depends on their front-court and what you get from Wiggins, Kuminga, and Trayce. I’m high on their skillset as a trio - so that could be influencing my thoughts. Still think the Lakers are a better matchup for themselves than vice versa (if they don’t try to injure AD), but I could see the Warriors stifling the Kings and Suns in a winner take all.

Lol it's actually reversed this season, I'm never more nervous than when we are up double digits

Team looks much better than earlier in the season which gives me reason to hope but it's all an uphill battle at this point

Hope for what exactly though?

Surely you don't think the team can win a title?

Oh I'll happily settle for embarrassing Rudy Gobert or humbling the upstart Thunder.

Also not completely discounting anything until the fat lady sings

[TheGOATRises007]

Lol it's actually reversed this season, I'm never more nervous than when we are up double digits

Team looks much better than earlier in the season which gives me reason to hope but it's all an uphill battle at this point

Hope for what exactly though?

Surely you don't think the team can win a title?

Oh I'll happily settle for embarrassing Rudy Gobert or humbling the upstart Thunder.

Also not completely discounting anything until the fat lady sings

Fair enough, but the likelihood of a sub 5 SRS champion is extremely rare. And the league has never been this talented.

Would be the most miraculous title run ever. I don't foresee a Miami scenario repeating itself ever again(or at least not for a long time), and they still lost in the end too.

[penbeast0]

I'm hoping the other way. Rudy leads the TWolves to a ring with great defensive numbers (ideally over Boston just to rub it in) and we can finally quit hearing the "you can't play him in the playoffs" thing like we shut up the doomsayers for Giannis and (on the other side of the ball) Jokic.

Of course, they just give Anthony Edwards all the credit but it would be worth it anyway.

[parsnips33]

Holding my nose and rooting for the Lakers the rest of the way I want them out of that damn play-in bracket lol

[Dutchball97]

Hope for what exactly though?

Surely you don't think the team can win a title?

Oh I'll happily settle for embarrassing Rudy Gobert or humbling the upstart Thunder.

Also not completely discounting anything until the fat lady sings

Fair enough, but the likelihood of a sub 5 SRS champion is extremely rare. And the league has never been this talented.

Would be the most miraculous title run ever. I don't foresee a Miami scenario repeating itself ever again(or at least not for a long time), and they still lost in the end too.

The Nuggets are at 4.78 SRS at the moment, I don't think it's too unlikely we'll see a sub 5 SRS champ this season.

[mikejames23]

I wonder if Gobert finally gets his ring, so people stop blasting his playoff disappointments. Has a good cast, but I wonder if ANT delivers.

[Peregrine01]

I'm hoping the other way. Rudy leads the TWolves to a ring with great defensive numbers (ideally over Boston just to rub it in) and we can finally quit hearing the "you can't play him in the playoffs" thing like we shut up the doomsayers for Giannis and (on the other side of the ball) Jokic.

Of course, they just give Anthony Edwards all the credit but it would be worth it anyway.

I don't understand the hate for Rudy. I really think it comes down to the fact that he looks all gangly and weird out there so he's easy to make fun of.

[Colbinii]

I wonder if Gobert finally gets his ring, so people stop blasting his playoff disappointments. Has a good cast, but I wonder if ANT delivers.

I wouldn't really question if ANT can deliver. His Playoff stats in low-games are excellent.

[eminence]

PO matchups you'd like to see?

East:
Celtics vs Pacers - I want to see Boston catch a bit more of a break for a great season than catching a returning Embiid
Bucks vs Sixers - Could be our best chance to see Giannis vs Embiid
Magic vs Heat - Intrastate matchup
Cavs vs Knicks - See if Cleveland can show up this time around

Celtics vs Knicks
Bucks vs Heat

Celtics vs Bucks

West
Wolves vs Lakers - I'm cheering for the Wolves winning and the Lakers losing, a 2 for one is always a great deal
Nuggets vs Warriors - See if Jokic/Nuggets have figured out something for the matchup
Thunder vs Suns - Kinda the leftover one, but a nice young vs old match
Clippers vs Mavs - It's a classic at this point.

Wolves vs Mavs
Nuggets vs Thunder

Wolves vs Nuggets

Celtics vs Wolves

[tsherkin]

I wonder if Gobert finally gets his ring, so people stop blasting his playoff disappointments. Has a good cast, but I wonder if ANT delivers.

I wouldn't really question if ANT can deliver. His Playoff stats in low-games are excellent.

He's an interesting one. Over his 11-game sample, much better in the playoffs than in the RS. We'll see what happens, of course. He'll be going deeper this year if Minny is healthy, so we'll see how he holds up.

[Colbinii]

Sounds like the Bucks should have just kept Bud

Oh ok, guess this is the general board too now

Why? Because I think Bud is a good coach?

Doc Rivers has never been a better coach than Bud. Do you think he will this season?

You never responded.

Bucks are now 15-16 with Doc.

I get you think this is the "General Board" when different opinions than yours are shared.

What's your thoughts on the Bud/Griffin/Doc coaching carousel?