2023-24 NBA Season Discussion

[ShotCreator]

This reminded me of game 1 of the 2017 Finals. GS just scouted the Cavs to perfection. They knew all their go-to sets, tendencies, played extremely physical and took away the first option of every instance and made the Cavs have to improvise. Then they sputtered.

I expect Dallas to adjust and light them up eventually but who knows how long it'll take for them to get used to the athleticism and aggression of Boston on D.

It took the 17 Cavs two games.

Can't believe they had this much success taking away Luka's playmaking game and only had Holiday on him at the end. They even showed and switched a ton.

[GSP]

This reminded me of game 1 of the 2017 Finals. GS just scouted the Cavs to perfection. They knew all their go-to sets, tendencies, played extremely physical and took away the first option of every instance and made the Cavs have to improvise. Then they sputtered.

I expect Dallas to adjust and light them up eventually but who knows how long it'll take for them to get used to the athleticism and aggression of Boston on D.

It took the 17 Cavs two games.

Can't believe they had this much success taking away Luka's playmaking game and only had Holiday on him at the end. They even showed and switched a ton.

Taking away lobs was the key. Dallas has been outscored by 3 damn near all playoffs but Lively and Gafford have been shooting like 70-80% combined or something ridiculous at the rim. They get like 20 lobs and despite losing 3pt battle by double digits most games Dallas get to clutch situations where Luka and Kyrie are just too much

Kps pick and roll and paint lob defense has been far better than any other centers Dallas has faced

this is prolly a 40,10,8 type of game for Luka if we didnt take away the lobs

[bigboi]

Sweep incoming. Tears will be delicious

[PaulieWal]

Sweep incoming. Tears will be delicious

I just don't get why you have to post in this antagonistic manner.

Your team had a great game 1 win. How about actually adding something to the discourse?

[ardee]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

[GSP]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

[Statlanta]

I trust that the Mavs have adjustments but I was definitely disappointed that Porzingis ran roughshod over their frontline and spooked their ball-handlers. The 1st quarter run when he checked in essentially ended the game.

[Colbinii]

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Yeah, it was amazing to watch because the level of basketball GSW played at in Games 1-4 was arguably the highest level of basketball ever, only for the Cavaliers to play at an even higher level in Games 5 and 6.

Then you had Game 7, which was the most tense basketball game I have ever watched.

[Dr Positivity]

KP is just an awesome player as a great defender with floor spacing and 20ppg, the injured KP version of the Celtics were overrated and getting by on no competition but he takes it to another level.

Kyrie had an "Anthony Davis doesn't show up" game to me.

[Peregrine01]

KP is just an awesome player as a great defender with floor spacing and 20ppg, the injured KP version of the Celtics were overrated and getting by on no competition but he takes it to another level.

Kyrie had an "Anthony Davis doesn't show up" game to me.

KP realizing that he can just shoot over dudes when he catches it in the midpost has been a game changer for him. In the past he would try to back his way down back to the basket and not get anywhere cause his center of gravity is so high. Keep the ball high and just shoot it lol. So simple and instantly made him a much better post player.

[parsnips33]

KP is just an awesome player as a great defender with floor spacing and 20ppg, the injured KP version of the Celtics were overrated and getting by on no competition but he takes it to another level.

Kyrie had an "Anthony Davis doesn't show up" game to me.

KP realizing that he can just shoot over dudes when he catches it in the midpost has been a game changer for him. In the past he would try to back his way down back to the basket and not get anywhere cause his center of gravity is so high. Keep the ball high and just shoot it lol. So simple and instantly made him a much better post player.

It kinda looks and feels wrong for a guy with that much of a height advantage to just shoot mid-range jumpers, but by God it was working last night

[Peregrine01]

KP is just an awesome player as a great defender with floor spacing and 20ppg, the injured KP version of the Celtics were overrated and getting by on no competition but he takes it to another level.

Kyrie had an "Anthony Davis doesn't show up" game to me.

KP realizing that he can just shoot over dudes when he catches it in the midpost has been a game changer for him. In the past he would try to back his way down back to the basket and not get anywhere cause his center of gravity is so high. Keep the ball high and just shoot it lol. So simple and instantly made him a much better post player.

It kinda looks and feels wrong for a guy with that much of a height advantage to just shoot mid-range jumpers, but by God it was working last night

Yeah. Goes to show how ridiculous conventional wisdom is. I wonder how much these guys get influenced by Shaq and Barkley yelling at them to stop shooting jumpers and to dunk lil dudes in the rim. They seem to forget that Shaq and Barkley have the two biggest asses in NBA history.

[ardee]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Blowouts don't make a series bad. People wax poetic about 2013 but forget that there were some lopsided games in that one too. Spurs win in game 3 in 2013 was bigger than any one margin from 2016.

[jalengreen]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Blowouts don't make a series bad. People wax poetic about 2013 but forget that there were some lopsided games in that one too. Spurs win in game 3 in 2013 was bigger than any one margin from 2016.

I mean do we really need to differentiate between one 36 pt blowout vs a 33 pt blowout followed by a 30 pt blowout lol

At the end of the day, what everyone wants is games to go down to the wire

2013 and 2016 finals both had a legendary game with a legendary ending, g6 and g7 respectively

2013 finals had g1 and g7 also go down to the wire, both ending with daggers with <30s left by a team up 2

2016 finals didn't have any such game beyond g7. Not every game was a blowout, granted, couple of those "this game is technically still winnable" with 3-5 minutes left type of games, but nothing that had you sweating in the final minute.

Don't get me wrong, narrative matters too. A 3-1 comeback against a 73 win team as the crowning accomplishment of the GOAT's career is something that matters. But tbh I don't see the point comparing Finals series like 2024 to 2016. Barring a 3-0 comeback, we are not going to see a narrative that's close to as compelling as 2016.

[parsnips33]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Ah, take me back to those good old days

[OhayoKD]

So far not the 2016 Finals repeat I was hoping for but then again that series started off kind of meh too and didn't get rolling till the second half.

I need a Luka/Kyrie 80 point combo night. Just please give it to me basketball gods.

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Ah, take me back to those good old days

You should find solace in the "steph single handedly beat this superteam" agenda

[GSP]

Eh this went similar to 16 finals game 1 actually. Livingston in the Kp role off the bench dominating......Livingston actually had 20,4,3 and only missed 2 shots

16 finals was incredible to follow live but its not really a great series objectively as far as game to game to go back to rewatch or anything. Its more drama narrative and comeback appeal along w/ Bron and Kyries performances down 3-1. Most the games in the series were blowouts not like any single game was anywhere close to game 7 in the other ones. Both teams had 30pt wins lol

Ah, take me back to those good old days

You should find solace in the "steph single handedly beat this superteam" agenda

Except he didnt. Jrue whos a way better player than Smart and specially Kp whos better than Williams both combined made us jump to this level. Neither of which were on the 22 team. I mean the 23 team was basically the same as the 22 team w/ a different head coach

[jalengreen]

Ah, take me back to those good old days

You should find solace in the "steph single handedly beat this superteam" agenda

Except he didnt. Jrue whos a way better player than Smart and specially Kp whos better than Williams both combined made us jump to this level. Neither of which were on the 22 team. I mean the 23 team was basically the same as the 22 team w/ a different head coach

Definitely true but shoutout Timelord, he hooped in those finals. He was an incredible defensive force, just couldnt stay healthy (think he was even playing hurt in the finals?). Obviously KP an upgrade anyway but i just remain impressed w Rob’s performance back then

[Special_Puppy]

Ah, take me back to those good old days

You should find solace in the "steph single handedly beat this superteam" agenda

Except he didnt. Jrue whos a way better player than Smart and specially Kp whos better than Williams both combined made us jump to this level. Neither of which were on the 22 team. I mean the 23 team was basically the same as the 22 team w/ a different head coach

I mean the main thing is that Steph's supporting cast in 2022 was pretty great. Wasn't a carry job at all

[Dr Positivity]

I felt like the Warriors in 2015 actually had a better defensive roster than teams like Grindhouse Grizzlies, Noah Bulls, George Pacers, etc. but they had more offensive style of play, so their DRTG while 1st in the league at the time wasn't putting up the best since 04 Pistons type numbers they could have if the same team played for Vogel or something. Their defensive talent is what allowed them to break the rules of fast teams not supposed to be that good on D.

Likewise Joe Mazz for whatever reason seems to be +ORTG and -DRTG to me, you can see this in the difference between 22 and 23 Celtics, the Udoka version had been dominant on D 2nd half of the year and then the 23 team was only 14th but 2nd best offensive team and was shooting the lights out. Likewise the 24 Celtics having the best offensive season ever playing Tatum and Brown ball is kind of ridiculous to me, however their defensive talent may be overall higher than their 3rd in the league ranking. They clearly have more defensive talent than the Wolves and Magic to me.