Around the NBA - 2024-25 Season Continued

[knicksNOTslick]

What is it with teams playing like azz whenever they face an opponent whose superstars are sidelined?

There's no scouting report or game film on how to defend a rag tag group of players who are all fresher and playing for their next contract/playing time. If they played the same team the next night on a B2B they'd blow them out.

If that is the case why don't teams sit their main guys in the playoffs to throw their opponent off?

Do you think a coach would gamble their career away for a dumb strategy like that? You also risk alienating your main guys when you sit them down in a playoff matchup where they're 100 percent healthy all because of a strategy to throw off your opponents and showing them you don't think the team can win a game legitimately.

[HopelessKnick]

I'm not mad we traded Grimes and Obi away. Both of them were given minutes their rookie season and Thibs actually played them. Even Grimes started for us until he lost the spot.

But I never liked the return we got for them. We held on to Obi too long. And we gave away Grimes for over the hill vets after we held on to him in the Mitchell negotiations. I know Ainge was asking for a lot but we should’ve gotten more for Grimes. Management has been good for the most part but these two were mismanaged assets.

I agree. For me the biggest minus in this Leon/Thibs era has been the trading away of draft picks for no great reason. Like in the 2022 draft we could have realistically drafted J-Williams, Duren, Eason or Kessler but we traded away the pick for essentially close to nothing. In 2021 we could have realistically drafted players like trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Sengun, Jalen Johnson.....some got picked one or 2 slots higher but most those picks were traded. If you look at it:

J-Williams, Duren, Eason, Kessler, Murphy, Herb Jones, Sengun, Jalen Johnson....that's a bunch of talent to miss out on and essentially you'd need multiple FRPs today to get any of them...most are untouchable. That's the main reason why I feel teams like OKC deserve the success more than we do unfortunately. Even if only one of those 8 guys was on the team today, our ceiling would be much much higher.

[knicks94]

There's no scouting report or game film on how to defend a rag tag group of players who are all fresher and playing for their next contract/playing time. If they played the same team the next night on a B2B they'd blow them out.

If that is the case why don't teams sit their main guys in the playoffs to throw their opponent off?

Do you think a coach would gamble their career away for a dumb strategy like that? You also risk alienating your main guys when you sit them down in a playoff matchup where they're 100 percent healthy all because of a strategy to throw off your opponents and showing them you don't think the team can win a game legitimately.

Not a dumb strategy when it has been working in the regular season. I believe that coaches are noticing this hence why they are resting guys during important games down the stretch.The Lakers were one stop away from beating Denver without Lebron and Luka. Denver beat GS without Jokic and Murray. The Pacers G League team beat the T Wolves. Who said that guys will be 100% healthy in the playoffs? Did you not see how banged up everyone was during last year's postseason? And superstars these days are not as eager to compete as they were 20 years ago. I don't think a guy like Lebron or Kawhi is going to throw a hissy fit if his coach gives him a day off in a playoff game.

[Clyde_Style]

As good as Grimes has played in the past few weeks he isn't a difference maker like Lebron James who can impact the outcome of the game by simply being on the floor. Nurse knows this and that is why he had no problem leaving him in the game despite the fact that he was the team's leading scorer.

I have to laugh at the memory of Melo supporters who would get all pissy and say his critics were just mad because he wasn't Lebron.

It was completely besides the point and the least convincing debating point of all time.

TBF I remember a number of people who argued that Melo would have a better career than Lebron based off their rookie seasons.

that's an entirely different memory even if someone said that too

[Iron Mantis]

I'm not mad we traded Grimes and Obi away. Both of them were given minutes their rookie season and Thibs actually played them. Even Grimes started for us until he lost the spot.

But I never liked the return we got for them. We held on to Obi too long. And we gave away Grimes for over the hill vets after we held on to him in the Mitchell negotiations. I know Ainge was asking for a lot but we should’ve gotten more for Grimes. Management has been good for the most part but these two were mismanaged assets.

I agree. For me the biggest minus in this Leon/Thibs era has been the trading away of draft picks for no great reason. Like in the 2022 draft we could have realistically drafted J-Williams, Duren, Eason or Kessler but we traded away the pick for essentially close to nothing. In 2021 we could have realistically drafted players like trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Sengun, Jalen Johnson.....some got picked one or 2 slots higher but most those picks were traded. If you look at it:

J-Williams, Duren, Eason, Kessler, Murphy, Herb Jones, Sengun, Jalen Johnson....that's a bunch of talent to miss out on and essentially you'd need multiple FRPs today to get any of them...most are untouchable. That's the main reason why I feel teams like OKC deserve the success more than we do unfortunately. Even if only one of those 8 guys was on the team today, our ceiling would be much much higher.

That's what happens when they let the Ogre run the show. Drafts get punted, development of youth gets bungled, contributing young players are sold for pennies on the dollar.

The ogre hates young players and the idea of drafting and having to patiently develop them.

Youth are cheap production that could end up blossoming into more. For example, Obi, whom we gave away for nothing, is averaging more PPG than anyone on our bench, and doing it on high efficiency.

Dump the ogre and bring in a modern coach.

[3toheadmelo]

Maybe the pacers will finally be able to find a taker with his Maurice Ndour game.

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[Jalen Bluntson]

If that is the case why don't teams sit their main guys in the playoffs to throw their opponent off?

Do you think a coach would gamble their career away for a dumb strategy like that? You also risk alienating your main guys when you sit them down in a playoff matchup where they're 100 percent healthy all because of a strategy to throw off your opponents and showing them you don't think the team can win a game legitimately.

Not a dumb strategy when it has been working in the regular season. I believe that coaches are noticing this hence why they are resting guys during important games down the stretch.The Lakers were one stop away from beating Denver without Lebron and Luka. Denver beat GS without Jokic and Murray. The Pacers G League team beat the T Wolves. Who said that guys will be 100% healthy in the playoffs? Did you not see how banged up everyone was during last year's postseason? And superstars these days are not as eager to compete as they were 20 years ago. I don't think a guy like Lebron or Kawhi is going to throw a hissy fit if his coach gives him a day off in a playoff game.

It's a dumb strategy if you don't bother playing the bench all year and expect to get results. We have seen it over and over every year. Thibs doesn't play his bench until he burns through his starters and needs to expand his rotation. We have seen a few players come in and save his ass after being glued to the bench. Then we have seen him bench healthy players who can score like Guano or Obi. Thibs sucks at minutes distribution and utilizing his bench. Thinking he would do something like this as a strategy is crazy talk. He coaches one way and one way only. It was probably killing him waiting for Mitch. He had no answer for anything on defense at all without him. Good luck out there fellas, I can't coach a new scheme so, live or die we will never change.

[god shammgod]

Maybe the pacers will finally be able to find a taker with his Maurice Ndour game.

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Are motherf*ckers still trying to convince themselves that obi toppin is any good on this godforsaken site ? Jesus

[3toheadmelo]

Maybe the pacers will finally be able to find a taker with his Maurice Ndour game.

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Are motherf*ckers still trying to convince themselves that obi toppin is any good on this godforsaken site ? Jesus

Yep. It’s the same crowd that’s always on the wrong side of history and doesn’t know ball

[Iron Mantis]

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[Guano]

This is Stockholm syndrome

We're free of these scrubs yet you guys can't quit em.

[3toheadmelo]

This is Stockholm syndrome

We're free of these scrubs yet you guys can't quit em.

You know Obi sucks when iron is spamming highlights from his one only good game from this season everyday on every page of this thread

[Guano]

This is Stockholm syndrome

We're free of these scrubs yet you guys can't quit em.

You know Obi sucks when iron is spamming highlights from his one only good game from this season everyday on every page of this thread

It's not just obi, it's all of em. Fck them kids. Even iq - I like his game and feel bad for his health issues but at that price and on that team - dead to me.

As for the others - fck the Raps/pacers/6ers I have nothing but ill will for all my ex. May they suffer and never know prosperity

[Iron Mantis]

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[3toheadmelo]

This is Stockholm syndrome

We're free of these scrubs yet you guys can't quit em.

You know Obi sucks when iron is spamming highlights from his one only good game from this season everyday on every page of this thread

It's not just obi, it's all of em. Fck them kids. Even iq - I like his game and feel bad for his health issues but at that price and on that team - dead to me.

As for the others - fck the Raps/pacers/6ers I have nothing but ill will for all my ex. May they suffer and never know prosperity

I agree, I fw grimes but I don’t care that much about him either anymore. Mainly just post him to anger the barbz.

We wouldn’t be much better with them kids so idc. Should’ve traded all of em for Donovan Mitchell lol

[Jalen Bluntson]

This is Stockholm syndrome

We're free of these scrubs yet you guys can't quit em.

You know Obi sucks when iron is spamming highlights from his one only good game from this season everyday on every page of this thread

It's not just obi, it's all of em. Fck them kids. Even iq - I like his game and feel bad for his health issues but at that price and on that team - dead to me.

As for the others - fck the Raps/pacers/6ers I have nothing but ill will for all my ex. May they suffer and never know prosperity

Word. In the other thread I posted we miss our boys. People have been bringing them up all season.

[Iron Mantis]

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[Chanel Bomber]

Robot +0.3 epm
Grimes -0.1 epm
Obi -2.3 epm

Donovan +4.5 epm

[MrDollarBills]

"Ball don't lie!!! Ball don't lie!!!"

"I got 20 and you talkin bout Ball don't lie"

One of my favorite things about the game's global expansion is hearing Euro players talk trash like Black players do

[Iron Mantis]

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