2023-24 NBA Season Discussion

[OhayoKD]

Wolves offense is so bad. They were 16th rated offense and 24th in halfcourt rating for a reason. Their defense is basically their entire offense. If they cant force turnovers or stops at a league high clip they are very mid. Still many were confident theyd beat us in the finals just a week ago

Minnesota matches up much better against Boston than Dallas, but that's a moot point since it isn't happening.

Glad you can finally move on from Gobert bashing and find your next player to bash for the next decade after CP3 is past his prime and Gobert has racked up strong statistically arguments against your emotional tirades.

Delusional to think Minnesota matches up much better against us. Rudy is only a dominant defender in 1 scheme as a roamer. Mavs can take him out of it and us 5 out would have no problem w/ it either. Our offense is different but just as dominant in exposing his playoff flaws. Nuggets dont run their offense giving him same matchup problems that prioritize their entire defense.

Rudy is also an offensive liability against competent playoff defenses and hed get bodied by Al Horford and really on offense in general.

The mavs have shot way worse with rudy on the floor, have shot way worse vs rudy, and their offense has been way worse with rudy on the floor. This series is not the one to be using to argue against Gobert's value as a defender.

[Special_Puppy]

If the Mavericks win the finals, it would be the hardest finals path ever by average opponent SRS

[Special_Puppy]

Would like to keep track of if people's intuitions about how well a team matchups up against their opponent actually adds predictive value beyond conventional methods like SRS, etc.

[Outside]

Regardless of whether Kyrie is first ballot HOF, this is the best I've ever seen him play.

[Special_Puppy]

Regardless of whether Kyrie is first ballot HOF, this is the best I've ever seen him play.

I think that 2019 Kyrie was probably the best version of him on paper, but he went out very ugly in the playoffs so idk

[Colbinii]

If the Mavericks win the finals, it would be the hardest finals path ever by average opponent SRS

Both Timberwolves AND Oklahoma City had higher SRS than the sum of SRS the Celtics have faced so far.

Dallas has faced 3 teams clearly better than the best team the Celtics have faced (Kawhi-less Clippers not withstanding).

Game 1 could be interesting as the level of basketball Dallas plays is head-and-shoulders above anything Boston has faced thus far this season.

[Texas Chuck]

Regardless of whether Kyrie is first ballot HOF, this is the best I've ever seen him play.

He's been really really good. And somehow the opposite of the distraction he has typically been. I think his calmness really helps a team with such an emotional leader in Luka too.

[STTGLDRILL]

Regardless of whether Kyrie is first ballot HOF, this is the best I've ever seen him play.

He's been really really good. And somehow the opposite of the distraction he has typically been. I think his calmness really helps a team with such an emotional leader in Luka too.

AFAIK Kyrie is pretty beloved by most players and former players which was part of why you guys got him

Lukas said Kyrie is a guy he’s learned a lot from through this run too

Kyries matured I think and hes been a positive for that locker room

[STTGLDRILL]

If the Mavericks win the finals, it would be the hardest finals path ever by average opponent SRS

Both Timberwolves AND Oklahoma City had higher SRS than the sum of SRS the Celtics have faced so far.

Dallas has faced 3 teams clearly better than the best team the Celtics have faced (Kawhi-less Clippers not withstanding).

Game 1 could be interesting as the level of basketball Dallas plays is head-and-shoulders above anything Boston has faced thus far this season.

The Celtics have been the best team in the NBA for 3 years talent wise but they are allergic to the concept of winning and being clutch

Tatum may have the least aura of any MVP candidate in human history

[itsxtray]

If the Mavericks win the finals, it would be the hardest finals path ever by average opponent SRS

How does the Clippers basically playing without Kawhi factor into this?

[Outside]

Anthony Edwards has plenty of room to grow and become "that guy," but I don't think KAT will ever be good enough to be the number two guy on a championship team. You have to have passion and emotion to play at an elite level, but it must be balanced with poise and control. KAT doesn't have that, and I don't think he ever will. It's not a surprise that he has a reputation for underperforming in the postseason.

I appreciate Rudy's effort on the offensive end, but this series highlighted what he can't do that Lively and Gafford can. The Mavs duo can catch the ball, gather and finish, pass, and convert lobs, all things Rudy struggles to do.

Gafford and Lively and the best 50-50 center duo I can think of since Clifford Ray and George Johnson on the 1975 Warriors championship team. Gafford and Lively are going to be a problem for Boston.

[GSP]

Eminence looking like a Nostradamus. But yeah, on paper Kyle Anderson on Luka sounds stupid when you have McDaniels but in this match-up he just looks a lot more effective. He doesn’t get bumped around and it lets McDaniels play a more disruptive role off-ball.

Eh not really since it wasnt by benching Kat who was a game high +15. It was benching Conley really or the Jaden,Ant,Slowmo,Kat,Rudy lineup. Slomo on Luka didnt really work. Better than Jaden sure but the real difference was starting Jaden on Kyrie and Kat showing up for once

Yeah I was really just talking about the Slowmo on Luka adjustment. So much of Luka’s game is bully ball. He’s not gonna blow by anyone to get to the rim, he’s just gonna get a guy on his hip and plod his way there. Harder to do that against a guy that’s more your size than a guy you outweigh by 40 lbs. thought Ant also had good minutes against him for similar reasons.

So Slomo really couldnt guard him lol...

[GSP]

Anthony Edwards has plenty of room to grow and become "that guy," but I don't think KAT will ever be good enough to be the number two guy on a championship team. You have to have passion and emotion to play at an elite level, but it must be balanced with poise and control. KAT doesn't have that, and I don't think he ever will. It's not a surprise that he has a reputation for underperforming in the postseason.

I appreciate Rudy's effort on the offensive end, but this series highlighted what he can't do that Lively and Gafford can. The Mavs duo can catch the ball, gather and finish, pass, and convert lobs, all things Rudy struggles to do.

Gafford and Lively and the best 50-50 center duo I can think of since Clifford Ray and George Johnson on the 1975 Warriors championship team. Gafford and Lively are going to be a problem for Boston.

Its actually pathetic a rookie like Lively is already a better offensive player and more smart and skilled then Rudy. Lively is really really good for a rookie but hes not Wemby or Chet or anything like that

Rudy might be the best screener in the league but thats really the only thing he brings on offense. Even on the offensive glass big wings like Pj often get the better of him not to mention when guys like Deandre or Clint Capela abused him on the boards. Screening and catching wide open lobs for a dunk is really all he can do. Cant beat mismatches when teams put guards on him, cant score in any way onball, cannot make plays or pass at all, some of the worst hands youll see from a big man

[Outside]

Regardless of whether Kyrie is first ballot HOF, this is the best I've ever seen him play.

I think that 2019 Kyrie was probably the best version of him on paper, but he went out very ugly in the playoffs so idk

He's better defensively than I've ever seen him. Not that he's great on that end, but he's engaged and a step ahead compared to what I've seen from him before, proactive rather than reactive.

Offensively, he's got a complete game, willing to use his skills to set up his teammates or take on the primary scoring load when needed, but even more, I don't see him standing away from the play, checked out of the action, which was something he used to habitually do.

He has great chemistry and communication with his teammates on both ends.

Whether it's because he's matured, he finally has a great fit with this group, he meshes well with Jason Kidd and the coaches, or a combination of those, he's actually a guy I'm rooting for now. That's never been the case before.

[jalengreen]

My post of being stunned the Celtics would win the chip is very very silly in hindsight now. They are seriously loaded(and I was hyping them up in this thread during the RS about their RS dominance).

Very excited for the finals. Rooting for the Mavs. I think they have to split in Boston to have a good chance.

If I was betting money, I'd pick the Celtics in 6.

I am calling Celtics in 7. I think Luka and Kyrie just win a game each and then you get one crazy game from the role players.

In a vacuum Tatum and Brown are better than Kyrie at this point but his ability to make tough shots and take over games in a 7 games series is up there with anyone. I am expecting a couple of game 5 2016 GSW type of duo performances from Luka and Kyrie this series.

I'm not as hopeful for Kyrie this series, feels like he's gonna have a hard time with how much the Celtics have to throw at him defensively. I also expect the Celtics to do their best to tire him and Luka out on the other end

[Outside]

So much depends on whether the Celtics can hit their threes.

[GSP]

Elgee hasnt posted a vid on Thinking Basketball in 6 days..... Last one made it seem like he felt Wolves defense would adjust to the Mavs but they couldnt. With his criticisms of heliocentric offenses i wonder how he feels now?

[STTGLDRILL]

Elgee hasnt posted a vid on Thinking Basketball in 6 days..... Last one made it seem like he felt Wolves defense would adjust to the Mavs but they couldnt. With his criticisms of heliocentric offenses i wonder how he feels now?

Heliocentricism was always a stupid argument based on people wanting there to be an evolution in basketball that was never there

Curry became the poster guy against it and it’s clear they should feed him more

[rk2023]

Elgee hasnt posted a vid on Thinking Basketball in 6 days..... Last one made it seem like he felt Wolves defense would adjust to the Mavs but they couldnt. With his criticisms of heliocentric offenses i wonder how he feels now?

There was a pod about the Mavs going up 3-0, plenty of Luka and Kyrie praise in it

[STTGLDRILL]

Anthony Edwards has plenty of room to grow and become "that guy," but I don't think KAT will ever be good enough to be the number two guy on a championship team. You have to have passion and emotion to play at an elite level, but it must be balanced with poise and control. KAT doesn't have that, and I don't think he ever will. It's not a surprise that he has a reputation for underperforming in the postseason.

I appreciate Rudy's effort on the offensive end, but this series highlighted what he can't do that Lively and Gafford can. The Mavs duo can catch the ball, gather and finish, pass, and convert lobs, all things Rudy struggles to do.

Gafford and Lively and the best 50-50 center duo I can think of since Clifford Ray and George Johnson on the 1975 Warriors championship team. Gafford and Lively are going to be a problem for Boston.

Its actually pathetic a rookie like Lively is already a better offensive player and more smart and skilled then Rudy. Lively is really really good for a rookie but hes not Wemby or Chet or anything like that

Rudy might be the best screener in the league but thats really the only thing he brings on offense. Even on the offensive glass big wings like Pj often get the better of him not to mention when guys like Deandre or Clint Capela abused him on the boards. Screening and catching wide open lobs for a dunk is really all he can do. Cant beat mismatches when teams put guards on him, cant score in any way onball, cannot make plays or pass at all, some of the worst hands youll see from a big man

Ben Simmons vs Rudy Gobert in a competition of how many times does it take to score on trae young would go crazy