Around The NBA : 2024-25 Season

[Hangtime84]

HOU is pretty much the AK 9 good players format, their top scorer is more or less a young Lavine. This year's Lavine was actually far more efficient than Jalen. They won last night's game with just 1 guy scoring hero-ball style, and the rest of the team playing gritty physical basketball and turning into a 90s playoff game.

Although HOU did have a lot of top picks (#2, #3, #4, #4) to make it work. Quite a difference when our "good players" are Terry & Phillips.

Houston imo saw our first attempt to rebuild but did it better.

They stayed patient and used their cap space to gather assets with experience. They over paid but lucked out with brooks and grab an experienced pg with FVV.

I hope Chicago continues to stay the course. They need to continue to hit on draft picks with players who can contribute right away and add on hitting on G leaguers. There’s guys there that are better than Terrys or Philips of the world.

As much as their picks have been good (Really Sengun, the others one could argue have been just ok), I attribute a lot of HOU's success to the FVV and Brooks signings.

I would completely agree with that. Brooks being the most standout imo his offensive production has increased incredibly.

[kodo]

HOU is pretty much the AK 9 good players format, their top scorer is more or less a young Lavine. This year's Lavine was actually far more efficient than Jalen. They won last night's game with just 1 guy scoring hero-ball style, and the rest of the team playing gritty physical basketball and turning into a 90s playoff game.

Although HOU did have a lot of top picks (#2, #3, #4, #4) to make it work. Quite a difference when our "good players" are Terry & Phillips.

Houston imo saw our first attempt to rebuild but did it better.

They stayed patient and used their cap space to gather assets with experience. They over paid but lucked out with brooks and grab an experienced pg with FVV.

I hope Chicago continues to stay the course. They need to continue to hit on draft picks with players who can contribute right away and add on hitting on G leaguers. There’s guys there that are better than Terrys or Philips of the world.

As much as their picks have been good (Really Sengun, the others one could argue have been just ok), I attribute a lot of HOU's success to the FVV and Brooks signings.

Back when the Lowe Post was around, they were saying they were hearing from offices around the league that Houston was the model for rebuilding teams not OKC because they exactly didn't hit massive home runs in drafting, like getting an MVP at #11 and young all star at #12.

Jalen Green is good, but they passed on Mobley.
Jabari is good, but they passed on Jalen Williams.
Amen is great, but pales to getting #1 in the Wemby draft.
Sheppard, who knows.

Even without incredible drafting they still put together a good team and feels more repeatable than OKC. And yeah I think the FA signings were a huge part of that instead of going pure rookies.

[CROBulls]

Somebody here compared Jalen Green with Lavine. Jalen Green had better post season game than any Lavine did in his entire career. He already surpassed him even if tommorow he walks out of the league because he wanna raise some kids with multiple baby mamas.

Again some guys are just born to be at highest stage playing for the highest stakes. And Jalen Green realized after game one what needs to be done at this stage to be a winner. He is there now.

[drosestruts]

Somebody here compared Jalen Green with Lavine. Jalen Green had better post season game than any Lavine did in his entire career. He already surpassed him even if tommorow he walks out of the league because he wanna raise some kids with multiple baby mamas.

Again some guys are just born to be at highest stage playing for the highest stakes. And Jalen Green realized after game one what needs to be done at this stage to be a winner. He is there now.

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[CROBulls]

I am sorry. I wanted to say playoffs. Not playins. I dont legitimize in any way shape or form this Jerry Reinsdorf's pipe dream milking event.

[drosestruts]

I know the cast of characters is different but I find it interesting that Golden State's post trade deadline record is used in support of why they're a championship contender, but the Bulls post trade deadline record is often dismissed as a team just winning against resting or tanking teams.

We're both playing games on the schedule in February, March, and April - yet one team it's meaningless and the other team it's evidence of ability to contend.

[ChettheJet]

Pelicans will not retain Gar Forman.

Things may be looking up in nawlins.

[Dan Z]

I know the cast of characters is different but I find it interesting that Golden State's post trade deadline record is used in support of why they're a championship contender, but the Bulls post trade deadline record is often dismissed as a team just winning against resting or tanking teams.

We're both playing games on the schedule in February, March, and April - yet one team it's meaningless and the other team it's evidence of ability to contend.

You said it yourself: cast of characters.

GSW is a team of vets who have either won championships or gone on deep playoff runs. When they got Butler people wanted to see how the team gelled and they did well.

The Bulls are a young team with little to no playoff experience. Nobody expected anything from them and ultimately it didn't matter much.

[drosestruts]

I know the cast of characters is different but I find it interesting that Golden State's post trade deadline record is used in support of why they're a championship contender, but the Bulls post trade deadline record is often dismissed as a team just winning against resting or tanking teams.

We're both playing games on the schedule in February, March, and April - yet one team it's meaningless and the other team it's evidence of ability to contend.

You said it yourself: cast of characters.

GSW is a team of vets who have either won championships or gone on deep playoff runs. When they got Butler people wanted to see how the team gelled and they did well.

The Bulls are a young team with little to no playoff experience. Nobody expected anything from them and ultimately it didn't matter much.

To the point I would say the argument should be "with Steph, Jimmy, and Green this team is a threat in the finals. They all come with loads of post-season success, blah blah blah blah"

But that's not what podcasters, or NBA today people or anyone else say. The first thing they bring up in their record.

It's just another example of the inconsistency for me. Don't cite the Warriors record as proof of anything if the Bulls record is meaningless. To me, you can't have it both ways.

[Dan Z]

I know the cast of characters is different but I find it interesting that Golden State's post trade deadline record is used in support of why they're a championship contender, but the Bulls post trade deadline record is often dismissed as a team just winning against resting or tanking teams.

We're both playing games on the schedule in February, March, and April - yet one team it's meaningless and the other team it's evidence of ability to contend.

You said it yourself: cast of characters.

GSW is a team of vets who have either won championships or gone on deep playoff runs. When they got Butler people wanted to see how the team gelled and they did well.

The Bulls are a young team with little to no playoff experience. Nobody expected anything from them and ultimately it didn't matter much.

To the point I would say the argument should be "with Steph, Jimmy, and Green this team is a threat in the finals. They all come with loads of post-season success, blah blah blah blah"

But that's not what podcasters, or NBA today people or anyone else say. The first thing they bring up in their record.

It's just another example of the inconsistency for me. Don't cite the Warriors record as proof of anything if the Bulls record is meaningless. To me, you can't have it both ways.

Its meaningless because nobody seriously thought the Bulls were going anywhere.

Yes, the Warriors with Butler did well to end the season (the same time the Bulls did well), but people wanted to see how well Butler did with his new team. That then gives them an idea as to how they might do in the playoffs.

[drosestruts]

I am sorry. I wanted to say playoffs. Not playins. I dont legitimize in any way shape or form this Jerry Reinsdorf's pipe dream milking event.

I actually think the pressure of a one game play-in is probably higher than the 2nd game in the playoffs in which the visiting team already stole homecourt advantage and their 2nd best player exists early with an injury.


Zach did all of that against Barnes, Siakam, and Poeltl.

Who was guarding Green last night?

[JimmyButler21]

Caruso: 12 MP, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PFG, 0-0 FT, +30.

He'll make a big play in a win at some point

And this is a game where trading Giddey for Caruso was a winning move for the Thunder

[Chi town]

Caruso earned his keep tonight

[kodo]

I know the cast of characters is different but I find it interesting that Golden State's post trade deadline record is used in support of why they're a championship contender, but the Bulls post trade deadline record is often dismissed as a team just winning against resting or tanking teams.

We're both playing games on the schedule in February, March, and April - yet one team it's meaningless and the other team it's evidence of ability to contend.

Well much tougher conference. GS was 14 games above .500, two more W's and they would have been a 3rd seed in the West.
Bulls couldn't even finish .500.

That being said Chicago should have won that play-in game, it's only the 2nd time the 10th seed won a play-in and it was an opponent the Bulls beat 3-0 prior. Just an epic collapse by every player not named Giddey and Donovan.

[Andi Obst]

Caruso: 12 MP, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PFG, 0-0 FT, +30.

He'll make a big play in a win at some point

And this is a game where trading Giddey for Caruso was a winning move for the Thunder

For the Thunder, the move was always going to be a big win. They replaced a guy that didn't fit in and got close to the end of his rookie deal with one of the best role players in the league. The Bulls took a risk (we'll see how it works out eventually), but for the Thunder it was a safe move.

And good for AC, man. He deserves to be on a team that actually plays for a chip.

[Ice Man]

OKC's mama never told it that it's impolite to play with one's food.

[Ice Man]

Also, while I don't want to get too much into rehashing the Bulls' season, it's not true Bulls only got wins against teams that didn't care, during their late-season runs. After the ASG, the Bulls had victories over -

Orlando
Miami
Indiana
Kings
Lakers
Nuggets (no Jokic)
Lakers
Miami

Yes, not a murderer's row, but all those teams were playing to win.

[sco]

Also, while I don't want to get too much into rehashing the Bulls' season, it's not true Bulls only got wins against teams that didn't care, during their late-season runs. After the ASG, the Bulls had victories over -

Orlando
Miami
Indiana
Kings
Lakers
Nuggets (no Jokic)
Lakers
Miami

Yes, not a murderer's row, but all those teams were playing to win.

I think other teams on that list were also missing key guys.

[Ice Man]

I think other teams on that list were also missing key guys.

Hmmm, well, by that measure the Bulls with Lonzo were nothing much, since most of their wins came against lottery teams or teams that were missing at least one key starter.

[DuckIII]

OKC's mama never told it that it's impolite to play with one's food.

If they have a serious series before the NBA Finals I will be shocked. No one out west can even slow them down in my opinion.