Around the League Discussion - 2018-2019 (Playoffs)

[Kobblehead]

How do we have 3 centers that can defend in the post, pass, and hit free throws and some teams don't have any?

[76ciology]

The only western playoff big you need to defend in the post is Nurkic. And with the Portland backcourt, he doesn't get that many touches to put in serious work, anyway.

They'd be better off getting a switch defender like Noah. He's way more useful than Dwight in defending the star scorers that play on the ball on playoff teams out West.

Jokic?

[Kobblehead]

Jokic?

He doesn't strike me as the type of dude I need to load up on post defenders to defend. Yet. Maybe that changes in the next couple of years.

We just saw Portland take Denver to 7 games despite having the worst defensive C in basketball (Kanter) and a guy with the body of a prepubescent boy (Collins) defending him. Jokic got his (27 ppg), but he didn't dominate the matchup like you thought he might. And like I said, Portland was in it the whole time.

[Negrodamus]

Doesn't Jokic spend a lot of his time on the perimeter? I, admittedly, didn't watch a whole lot of Denver this year, but in the playoffs, it looked like he was living on the perimeter hunting for assists.

[Sixerscan]

He’s not Embiid but he still posts up a fair amount, gets 3 o boards a game. He’s not late stage Sam Perkins or anything.

I’m high on Denver this year (no pun intended). They weren’t impressive in the playoffs, but I think a lot of that was basically everyone on the team besides Millsap having zero playoff experience, and going against two pretty good veteran teams.

I just think their young guys will be better next time around and also think Jerami will really help them. They don’t really have a lot of obvious weaknesses. Open question of whether they have enough top end talent though.

[Kobblehead]

Imagine how ridiculous Denver would be in a couple years if both Michael Porter and Bol Bol pan out.

[LloydFree]

He’s not Embiid but he still posts up a fair amount, gets 3 o boards a game. He’s not late stage Sam Perkins or anything.

I’m high on Denver this year (no pun intended). They weren’t impressive in the playoffs, but I think a lot of that was basically everyone on the team besides Millsap having zero playoff experience, and going against two pretty good veteran teams.

I just think their young guys will be better next time around and also think Jerami will really help them. They don’t really have a lot of obvious weaknesses. Open question of whether they have enough top end talent though.

They don't.

[Kobblehead]

It feels like Gary Harris became a bad asset all of the sudden.

[LloydFree]

It feels like Gary Harris became a bad asset all of the sudden.

That's what happens when you're an undersized SG, that can't run the point. Better be hitt'n them threes...

[Kobblehead]

Plus, the Big 10 defensive player of the year is not much of a defender at the NBA level.

[Sixerscan]

Steps the US team needs to take to win the WC:

1. Cut all of the Celtics
2. Get Mitchell comfortable in his natural position as 6th man

[Kobblehead]

Marcus Smart and Donovan Mitchell can't stop Patty Mills in a takeover sprint?

[76ciology]

Who is Lakers third best player after Bron and AD? Danny green? Dwight?

[76ciology]

What is going to take Tatum’s game to the next level is being more relentless in driving to the rim and settling less on mid range jumpers.

Same can be said to a lot of players like Josh Richardson and Jrue Holiday. I guess its easier said than done

[Kobblehead]

Who is Lakers third best player after Bron and AD? Danny green? Dwight?

Are you blatantly disregarding Kuzma because he's not well-rounded?

I still think his production is too overwhelming to ignore. I think he's pretty easily their third best player.

[Kobblehead]

What is going to take Tatum’s game to the next level is being more relentless in driving to the rim and settling less on mid range jumpers.

Same can be said to a lot of players like Josh Richardson and Jrue Holiday. I guess its easier said than done

It's a tough year to put an emphasis on slashing to the rim. Replacing Horford with Kanter pretty much destroys their spacing.

[Sixerscan]

Who is Lakers third best player after Bron and AD? Danny green? Dwight?

I would say Green unless he falls off a cliff. There just aren't that many two way wings. Kuzma gets points but I don't think he does it in a way conducive to winning, and it's unclear what his value is if he's not scoring points.

[Kobblehead]

Danny Green was soooo bad for the Raptors last year.

We gotta stop calling him a 2-way player. He can't dribble or score and when his shot isn't falling (like the last 45 playoff games of his career), he becomes an outright offensive zero.

[Sixerscan]

Even when his shot isn't falling he has serious gravity which gives more space to everyone else on the team, and he's a good flexible defender. He has a role and he plays it well. Every contending team could use a guy like him, as opposed to Kuzma who doesn't really have an obvious role on a top team.

That being said, Green being their 3rd best player is less about him being awesome or something and more about the Laker's limited roster after their top two.

[Kobblehead]

An argument for Green over Kuzma just strikes me as disingenuous.