Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #3

[Repeat 3-peat]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

[HomoSapien]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Believe it was to keep Giannis. Though the Bucks lack of playoff success since they won the title are due to injuries between both Middleton and Giannis. Now Bucks have no draft assets.

[Ice Man]

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

I get it. The team was getting older and was already 2 years away from its title. A legit reason to think that maybe the squad needed a jolt. Even more important, as Repeat says, Giannis had management by the, ahem, stones. Make a move or lose him.

But yeah. In hindsight, that was the end of the line. I wrote the day that Griffin was fired that a coaching change made no difference, in fact the Bucks were playing better than I expected under him. Their day has passed. Yep. I got that one right. (I don't always, not by any means.)

[dumbell78]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Most knowledgeable ppl knew it was a stupid move by Milwaukee. The blabber mouths on ESPN ate it up as usual.

Dame and Jrue are similar in age, but their games and physiques are radically different. Jrue can easily slide over and play a bigger position because of his strength/size. This will age well for him. Dame will always be a PG and he couldn't guard a chair in his prime years let alone now and moving forward.

Jrue has no ego and just excels in his role; he is fine with whatever you need him to do and doesn't need the ball to impact the game. What a colossal mistake by Milwaukee.

[kodo]

Believe it was to keep Giannis. Though the Bucks lack of playoff success since they won the title are due to injuries between both Middleton and Giannis. Now Bucks have no draft assets.

Yep, Giannis signed a 3 year extension less than 30 days after the trade. And it was surprising because everyone expected him to wait til this summer where an extension would be worth a lot more money ($234M vs $186M).

There's no way the Lillard trade wasn't related to the extension.

[DASMACKDOWN]

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

I get it. The team was getting older and was already 2 years away from its title. A legit reason to think that maybe the squad needed a jolt. Even more important, as Repeat says, Giannis had management by the, ahem, stones. Make a move or lose him.

But ultimately the joke is on them though.

Somehow people equate, resigning and giving a huge deal = happiness.

So far in recent years, its proven not to be the case. NBA players want their cake and eat it too. There is absolutely nothing stopping Giannis from still being a malcontent next season. They might still end up ultimately trading him because that team will eventually age out. That means they accomplished nothing since the title. They gave in to all his demands and got them to the same place.

But in their case now, they just made a rival a mainstay atop the Eastern conference probably for another 2-3 seasons. They have to deal with them also the Knicks who look like they will be a top 1-2 seed next year if things pan out.

I can honestly say at this rate, figuring the 8th seed and the 3rd seed was separated by 3 games, they could legit be fighting for the play-in.

[DASMACKDOWN]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

Game 1 was KP
Games 2 was Jrue.

Brown and Tatum can still steal the FMVP if they just go off in one of these games.

But as of now I would rank it

#1 Jrue
#2. Brown
#3. Luka
#4. KP
#5 Tatum

[RedBulls23]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Idk, Jru was pretty bad in the playoffs last year.

Shot 36% from the field and got clowned by Jimmy. Bucks figured their overall defense could make up for Lillards lack of.

And maybe it could have if Giannis doesn't get hurt.

[HomoSapien]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Believe it was to keep Giannis. Though the Bucks lack of playoff success since they won the title are due to injuries between both Middleton and Giannis. Now Bucks have no draft assets.

For sure, and of course he resigned quickly after the trade but I think this is also on Giannis. He, himself, should have been more in Jrue's corner. They had the best record in the entire NBA his final season there. Yes they were upset in the first-round by the Heat and a godly Jimmy Butler, but I think they should have retooled around their starting five rather than messing with the chemistry that had made them so successful.

[HomoSapien]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Idk, Jru was pretty bad in the playoffs last year.

Shot 36% from the field and got clowned by Jimmy. Bucks figured their overall defense could make up for Lillards lack of.

And maybe it could have if Giannis doesn't get hurt.

He actually shot 40% from the field, which obviously isn't that good but is more respectable than 36%. In a "bad" playoff performance, he averaged 18 ppg, 8 apg, 6.6 rpg, and a steal. Who knows, the Bucks could rebound next year and be the team to beat in the East with a more focused Lillard.

[Jeffster81]

RIP Jerry West.

[kyrv]

RIP Jerry West.

Dang, first non-Bulls player I liked. Quite a history and in the HoF for 2-3 things. RIP

[The Explorer]

Statement from Michael Jordan:

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith read aloud a text from Jordan live on First Take.
"I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry's passing. He was truly a friend and a mentor. Like an older brother to me," Jordan wrote. "I valued his friendship and knowledge. I always wished I could've played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate. I admired his basketball insights. He and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game. He will be forever missed. My condolences to his wife, Karen, and sons. Rest in Peace, Logo."

[League Circles]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

I can't say I've watched a ton of Lillard, but I wouldn't have ever necessarily called him better than Jrue. Defense is half the game, and Jrue is way, way better at it.

[Dresden]

Another giant in the basketball world passes away- Walton last week, this week Jerry West and Chet Walker. I barely remember Jerry West from his playing days, but he was the epitome of what a guard was supposed to be back in the 60's. He and Oscar Robertson- take your pick, two of the best to ever play the position.

Jerry West had a very difficult childhood too, which he's been open in talking about, which I salute him for. I believe he had a pretty abusive father, and that left a mark on him throughout his life that he struggled to overcome. He said at one time, he used to sleep with a shotgun under his bed in case he had to defend himself from his father. Maybe he channeled that trauma into his incredible drive to excel on the basketball court.

[kyrv]

Jrue is 100% the FMVP for me heading into game 3. His all around game has been elite. The defense is just legendary, one of the best ever.

Yes, Brad Stevens is incredible at team building.

I just don't understand how Milwaukee let him go. I get that Lillard is great and everything, but Milwaukee won a championship with him and got to see how vital he was to their success every day... and still they underrated his impact. Jrue is 33, but I still think this is a move that we look back on as one that closed Milwaukee's championship window.

Believe it was to keep Giannis. Though the Bucks lack of playoff success since they won the title are due to injuries between both Middleton and Giannis. Now Bucks have no draft assets.

That's what I recall, Giannis was the reason.

I have severely underrated Jrue, until recently, apparently Giannis did also.

They need a good coach, not a what's up doc, not sure the window is closed but they don't seem to have much margin for error.

[MrSparkle]

Well, they got the job done in the prior series, but our boys DJJ/Gafford showing their uselessness when you need offensive production to hang with high-scoring opponents. Nobody on that squad can hit a 3P to save their life beyond Kyrie/Luka.

[dumbell78]

Its been a rather disappointing Finals. I was hoping for some great competitive play for 6-7 games. Thankfully we had the WC 2 and Finals to enjoy.

[kodo]

It's mind blowing to me that they leave one of Jaylen or Tatum wide open unguarded on so many possessions. I can see if you screw up a defensive possession, but it happens so regularly for multiple games now it must be the actual gameplan. It's extra puzzling because for the entire game, either Horford or Tillman was on the floor who you can cheat off of. But no, they'll pull the extra defender from Tatum or Brown and make sure Tillman is locked up.

Jason Kidd just may not be a championship coach. Ironically, Carlisle's Pacers even without Haliburton played Boston tougher.