Matas Progress Tracker

[Muzbar]

McClungs dunks were all push off dunks. Kinda stupid how everyone just ignores that, like they did to Aaron Gordon in the Lavine contest. I guess as long as it looks cool it doesn't matter if you are pushing off to get extra height and hangtime?

I thought Castle should have won for doing legit dunks.

I don’t get it. What did he push off of?

The floor. When he jumped...

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

McClungs dunks were all push off dunks. Kinda stupid how everyone just ignores that, like they did to Aaron Gordon in the Lavine contest. I guess as long as it looks cool it doesn't matter if you are pushing off to get extra height and hangtime?

I thought Castle should have won for doing legit dunks.

I don’t get it. What did he push off of?

The floor. When he jumped...

Knew this reply was coming.

I am genuinely curious as to what RagingBull means though.

[Axl Rose]

If you notice he had a guy holding the ball the same way on every dunk. When he grabs the ball he is using that as a way to push off. It's kinda sly but it does make his dunks more gimmicky once realized.

[Muzbar]

If you notice he had a guy holding the ball the same way on every dunk. When he grabs the ball he is using that as a way to push off. It's kinda sly but it does make his dunks more gimmicky once realized.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IJtVaw-0f-c?si=yvvJl7mCH_Htgewt

Yeah, I'm not seeing what you're seeing, especially on the car dunk...

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

If you notice he had a guy holding the ball the same way on every dunk. When he grabs the ball he is using that as a way to push off. It's kinda sly but it does make his dunks more gimmicky once realized.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IJtVaw-0f-c?si=yvvJl7mCH_Htgewt

Yeah, I'm not seeing what you're seeing, especially on the car dunk...

I see it a bit. Not on the car dunk. McClung clearly scoops the ball out of the guy’s hands on that one. On dunks two and three, however, the holders stabilize the ball on their head and neck as if they’re bracing for McClung’s weight.

It doesn’t diminish the dunks for me. Vaulting off the ball couldn’t have bought him more than an inch or so. And then grabbing and dunking the ball you used to pushed off strikes me as a ridiculous feat of coordination.

[GoBlue72391]

McClungs dunks were all push off dunks. Kinda stupid how everyone just ignores that, like they did to Aaron Gordon in the Lavine contest. I guess as long as it looks cool it doesn't matter if you are pushing off to get extra height and hangtime?

I thought Castle should have won for doing legit dunks.

Legendary hating. The dude somehow waited until he was mid air to start spinning, among other things, and it's not good enough.

[Muzbar]

If you notice he had a guy holding the ball the same way on every dunk. When he grabs the ball he is using that as a way to push off. It's kinda sly but it does make his dunks more gimmicky once realized.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IJtVaw-0f-c?si=yvvJl7mCH_Htgewt

Yeah, I'm not seeing what you're seeing, especially on the car dunk...

I see it a bit. Not on the car dunk. McClung clearly scoops the ball out of the guy’s hands on that one. On dunks two and three, however, the holders stabilize the ball on their head and neck as if they’re bracing for McClung’s weight.

It doesn’t diminish the dunks for me. Vaulting off the ball couldn’t have bought him more than an inch or so. And then grabbing and dunking the ball you used to pushed off strikes me as a ridiculous feat of coordination.

That's really how they should be holding it, I didn't actually see any pushing off on either of those dunks.

[dougthonus]

Whether a push off occurred or didn't occur, I probably would have given the second round to Castle. No way do I give all those dunks 50s from McClung. Effectively four versions of "I jump high, over things, and dunk with two hands.".

They're all good, but didn't feel like much variety and mostly relied on small guy advantage. Castle's first round was pretty mediocre, so I'll give McClung the four dunk advantage on the night though.

[Evil_Headband]

I'd like to see the dunk contest treated more similarly to how scoring works in gymnastics or diving. The dunk should be submitted beforehand and given a degree of difficulty. Then the judges rate the execution which gets multiplied to the degree of difficulty.

[Muzbar]

Whether a push off occurred or didn't occur, I probably would have given the second round to Castle. No way do I give all those dunks 50s from McClung. Effectively four versions of "I jump high, over things, and dunk with two hands.".

They're all good, but didn't feel like much variety and mostly relied on small guy advantage. Castle's first round was pretty mediocre, so I'll give McClung the four dunk advantage on the night though.

I agree with this opinion.

Mac's dunks were impressive (especially the car one), but they were pretty much all the same gimmick. Castle at least showed more creativity with his dunks and didn't need any props to do them.

Whilst Matas continually blew his first dunk attempt, I liked the idea of it and if he pulled it off he probably would have got a decent score. His second dunk was fairly meh however.

[RagingBull316]

https://youtube.com/shorts/IJtVaw-0f-c?si=yvvJl7mCH_Htgewt

Yeah, I'm not seeing what you're seeing, especially on the car dunk...

I see it a bit. Not on the car dunk. McClung clearly scoops the ball out of the guy’s hands on that one. On dunks two and three, however, the holders stabilize the ball on their head and neck as if they’re bracing for McClung’s weight.

It doesn’t diminish the dunks for me. Vaulting off the ball couldn’t have bought him more than an inch or so. And then grabbing and dunking the ball you used to pushed off strikes me as a ridiculous feat of coordination.

That's really how they should be holding it, I didn't actually see any pushing off on either of those dunks.

I see it on every one, your kidding yourself if you don't see it. Ask yourself this.... If he could do those dunks without pushing off, why would he need that guy holding the ball everytime? It would have looked more impressive if he jumped over the car without that guy there....but it wasn't possible without him pole vaulting off the guy.

Believing those dunks are real, is like believing pro wrestling is real and believing the Undertaker is actually lifting people up by their neck everytime he does a chokeslam....

[DASMACKDOWN]

McClungs dunks were all push off dunks. Kinda stupid how everyone just ignores that, like they did to Aaron Gordon in the Lavine contest. I guess as long as it looks cool it doesn't matter if you are pushing off to get extra height and hangtime?

I thought Castle should have won for doing legit dunks.

Nah bro that competition was over after the first dunk. Mac got hops for real. He didnt push off on any dunk.

[Muzbar]

I see it a bit. Not on the car dunk. McClung clearly scoops the ball out of the guy’s hands on that one. On dunks two and three, however, the holders stabilize the ball on their head and neck as if they’re bracing for McClung’s weight.

It doesn’t diminish the dunks for me. Vaulting off the ball couldn’t have bought him more than an inch or so. And then grabbing and dunking the ball you used to pushed off strikes me as a ridiculous feat of coordination.

That's really how they should be holding it, I didn't actually see any pushing off on either of those dunks.

I see it on every one, your kidding yourself if you don't see it. Ask yourself this.... If he could do those dunks without pushing off, why would he need that guy holding the ball everytime? It would have looked more impressive if he jumped over the car without that guy there....but it wasn't possible without him pole vaulting off the guy.

Believing those dunks are real, is like believing pro wrestling is real and believing the Undertaker is actually lifting people up by their neck everytime he does a chokeslam....

I guess a lot of people are kidding themselves, because I'm not the only one.

If he didn't have someone holding the ball then how would the ball be held? Levitation? Is the car a Transformer and holds the ball for him? C'mon man, the reason the people were holding the ball is because it's part of the gimmick (jumping over the person) and he never 'pole vaulted' off the guy in the car, that's ridiculous.

This sounds like someone arguing that the earth is flat by showing how a toy plane flies around a globe and saying "my plane didn't fly sideways or up or straight down" when flying to the other country.

[RagingBull316]

That's really how they should be holding it, I didn't actually see any pushing off on either of those dunks.

I see it on every one, your kidding yourself if you don't see it. Ask yourself this.... If he could do those dunks without pushing off, why would he need that guy holding the ball everytime? It would have looked more impressive if he jumped over the car without that guy there....but it wasn't possible without him pole vaulting off the guy.

Believing those dunks are real, is like believing pro wrestling is real and believing the Undertaker is actually lifting people up by their neck everytime he does a chokeslam....

I guess a lot of people are kidding themselves, because I'm not the only one.

If he didn't have someone holding the ball then how would the ball be held? Levitation? Is the car a Transformer and holds the ball for him? C'mon man, the reason the people were holding the ball is because it's part of the gimmick (jumping over the person) and he never 'pole vaulted' off the guy in the car, that's ridiculous.

This sounds like someone arguing that the earth is flat by showing how a toy plane flies around a globe and saying "my plane didn't fly sideways or up or straight down" when flying to the other country.

I mean if he can do that jump, why can't he jump with the ball in his hands like the other guys did? Why does it have to be held in the air at all on every dunk?

It's not like any of this matters, you have your opinion...I have mine.

Edit: I actually just read he made almost 3x his career earnings by winning the dunk contests....so after hearing that I'm happy he won it regardless of how he won it.

[Muzbar]

I see it on every one, your kidding yourself if you don't see it. Ask yourself this.... If he could do those dunks without pushing off, why would he need that guy holding the ball everytime? It would have looked more impressive if he jumped over the car without that guy there....but it wasn't possible without him pole vaulting off the guy.

Believing those dunks are real, is like believing pro wrestling is real and believing the Undertaker is actually lifting people up by their neck everytime he does a chokeslam....

I guess a lot of people are kidding themselves, because I'm not the only one.

If he didn't have someone holding the ball then how would the ball be held? Levitation? Is the car a Transformer and holds the ball for him? C'mon man, the reason the people were holding the ball is because it's part of the gimmick (jumping over the person) and he never 'pole vaulted' off the guy in the car, that's ridiculous.

This sounds like someone arguing that the earth is flat by showing how a toy plane flies around a globe and saying "my plane didn't fly sideways or up or straight down" when flying to the other country.

I mean if he can do that jump, why can't he jump with the ball in his hands like the other guys did? Why does it have to be held in the air at all on every dunk?

It's not like any of this matters, you have your opinion...I have mine.

Edit: I actually just read he made almost 3x his career earnings by winning the dunk contests....so after hearing that I'm happy he won it regardless of how he won it.

Because that was part of the gimmick, grabbing the ball from down low, mid-air, and then bringing it back up to the rim. Plus running and jumping without something in your hands is easier than trying to run whilst holding something.

Macs dunks were (mostly) impressive, but so were Castle's and he did it all without props.

I'm glad you agree that we have differing opinions, maybe next time don't passive aggressively try to make it seem like my opinion is overly crazy.

It's crazy he's made more money from the dunk comp than his professional playing career, probably because he's been in the G-league for so long and has barely played any NBA games.

[RSP83]

Yeah Castle's dunk were underrated. Castle's only fault is he didn't have more flair.

[Indomitable]

Yeah Castle's dunk were underrated. Castle's only fault is he didn't have more flair.

Castle will sign a 100 million dollar contract. He is doing fine.

[jnrjr79]

I see it on every one, your kidding yourself if you don't see it. Ask yourself this.... If he could do those dunks without pushing off, why would he need that guy holding the ball everytime? It would have looked more impressive if he jumped over the car without that guy there....but it wasn't possible without him pole vaulting off the guy.

Believing those dunks are real, is like believing pro wrestling is real and believing the Undertaker is actually lifting people up by their neck everytime he does a chokeslam....

I guess a lot of people are kidding themselves, because I'm not the only one.

If he didn't have someone holding the ball then how would the ball be held? Levitation? Is the car a Transformer and holds the ball for him? C'mon man, the reason the people were holding the ball is because it's part of the gimmick (jumping over the person) and he never 'pole vaulted' off the guy in the car, that's ridiculous.

This sounds like someone arguing that the earth is flat by showing how a toy plane flies around a globe and saying "my plane didn't fly sideways or up or straight down" when flying to the other country.

I mean if he can do that jump, why can't he jump with the ball in his hands like the other guys did? Why does it have to be held in the air at all on every dunk?

It's not like any of this matters, you have your opinion...I have mine.

Edit: I actually just read he made almost 3x his career earnings by winning the dunk contests....so after hearing that I'm happy he won it regardless of how he won it.

I think this report has since been corrected, because it was relying on Spotrac's numbers that don't include 2-way time.

[Jcool0]

Yeah Castle's dunk were underrated. Castle's only fault is he didn't have more flair.

If those were underrated so was this

Read on Twitter

[drosestruts]

What are your post-all star break expectations for Matas?

Matas started 4 games right before the All-star break and average 13, 3, and 2 on 51/25/69 shooting splits. He is a brutal -35.2 per 100 possesions as a starter, not all entirely his fault, but woof.

Does Matas's low rebounding numbers as the starting 4 have you looking differently at Patrick Williams low rebounding numbers when our starting 4? Is our starting 4 doomed to have poor rebounding numbers? Is it the system?


Right now 75% of his 2pFG and 98% of his 3-point FGs are assisted. I'd like to see more self creation from Matas.

If you're going to be a star in the league you have to be able to create and make your own field goals.

If the rest of the season doesn't matter from a winning perspective, which to me is clearly signaled by trading Zach. Let''s open up the playbook for important young players and let them show what they can do - and Matas has to be considered the most important young player.