Around The NBA: 2019-20 RESTART

[BigUps]

I could be imagining this, but it feels like the refs are so much better in the bubble than in arenas.

[dumbell78]

I could be imagining this, but it feels like the refs are so much better in the bubble than in arenas.

lol and they just screwed Dallas with a terrible ejection.

[kodo]

Thad's rep around the league was as a defender when we signed him. In that respect he worked out, the Bulls made major defensive improvements and Thad was one of our best defenders.

The bigger question marks were why we signed yet another big in Kornet and kept defense only small guards like Shaq who is completely redundant with Dunn, versus keeping wings like Luwawu.

[MrSparkle]

Luka is basically Klay meets Curry in Lebron’s height/weight class. I don’t know anybody who could’ve possibly played better against this Clippers defense and even done an admirable job on the other end.

As dysfunctional as LAC looked at times, with their full roster... their depth chart is a mile ahead anybody elses. Lou and Harrell are big.

[Repeat 3-peat]

Doncic with 42 points in his playoff debut, an NBA record.

[PrimzyBulls81]

Year in, year out, im suprised how bad refs are in NBA lol

[JohnnyTapwater]

jeez.... You just better be able to score in this league. PERIOD.

[TheSuzerain]

jeez.... You just better be able to score in this league. PERIOD.

Yeah and our core was 27th in the league in offense.

It's time to clear the deck.

[Andi Obst]

Luka is incredible, but he can't beat the Clippers by himself. They desperately need someone who can give them any kind of secondary creation, that has to be THE priority on their off-season agenda. Tells you a lot when a playoff team misses Jalen Brunson pretty badly.

[kodo]

I liked Doc's in-game adjustments on this one. He told the Clippers to stop helping on defense, which is something that's definitely abnormal for most coaches, especially Bulls coaches.

He basically saw that the only guy capable of scoring on his man with a live dribble was Luka, and when the Clippers helped on D Luka was finding open shooters hitting for 3. Doc told everyone to stay home and just give Luka the 2. End result is that Doncic scores 42 on 60% shooting, but only had 3 assists for the entire 2nd half. Dallas only scored 13 points in the 3rd. None of Luka's teammates other than THJ had more than 5 made field goals for the entire game.

That was some simple but effective veteran coaching. Must be a nice luxury to have a coach with experience.

[MrSparkle]

Magic looking entirely alright, while missing their biggest "names" (Gordon, Isaac, Bamba). I feel like they'd do themselves a great favor just dumping and moving on from Aaron Gordon. He's such a low IQ, awkward tweener (worst of both worlds) type: low IQ, low FG%, moderately high-usage (for a low-skilled PF), poor defense. They look much better just running all their athletic role-players. I'm a Vuc fan. Still think he's a solid target if Bulls were to buy. But it looks like Bamba is gonna be an unreliable injury project with low upside.

All this said, Bucks look rusty as hell.

[Andi Obst]

I'm a Vuc fan.

I remember having a Vuc debate with you some time ago. Gotta admit, he's making me look stupid today.

[Grodoboldo]

Man, I still don't understand that Bledsoe contract. He's a good player, but his fit in this Minny team is precarious. Hill would be perfect in his prime, but he clearly lost a step or two.

[MrSparkle]

Man, I still don't understand that Bledsoe contract. He's a good player, but his fit in this Minny team is precarious. Hill would be perfect in his prime, but he clearly lost a step or two.

Well, I was no fan of Bledsoe, nor the Middleton contract. MIL was stuck in that Rose Bulls / Lebron Cavs predicament -- 1 superstar formula, do you overpay the mediocre 2nd/3rd options to keep your MVP happy or do you plan long-term/smart and jeopardize the present #1 seed, contender hopes? I'm not sure why there wasn't a bigger incentive to keep Brogdon and off-load others, but I imagine Giannis had input on the situation. The stars didn't align for them, just like HOU in 2017. Instead of building on their growing success by adding, HOU was stuck with several terrible FA ultimatums (Paul, Capella, Ariza, Gordon) - overpay and subtract. So Bucks had the same problem - obviously Middleton is not a max player, but he got $178m. LudiKhris, but you don't want to upset Giannis by letting him go and risking a decline.

IMO Milwaukee's been bargain bin shopping ever since that Jabari ACL debacle, so it's impressive/lucky that they ever even assembled a 12-man rotation. Personally while they did pretty well, I feel Indiana (for example) did better with the "hand they were dealt" (injuries to stars). MIL got a little too trigger-happy with dealing their FRPs and resigning middle(ton) talent. Puns all intended.

[MrSparkle]

I'm a Vuc fan.

I remember having a Vuc debate with you some time ago. Gotta admit, he's making me look stupid today.

Heh I'm losing track of COVID time, but I think it was little less than 2 weeks ago.

But yeah, he's a good center. I think offensive centers actually age really well, contrary to perception. I'll defend the Pau Gasol signing to the end; yeah we took a defensive hit, but without him, I don't think we make it to 6 games in the second round. A center who can shoot, pass, screens, and hits the 6'11+ length mark.. they stay relevant. With Vac's salary declining, he's just a decent bargain. This game 1 performance alone takes him off the buy-low market.

[MrSparkle]

Jimmy Butler is such a good player. Bulls/Wolves/Sixers FOs/ownerships should('ve) all been fired for their mismanagement of his services. Of course Gar is gone, and Thibs kind of under deservedly was fired for Taylor's blunders, but sheesh. Jimmy is simply a monster basketball player. Sure, he's not Kawhi, but he's like 15ft behind in terms of all-around production. Brand is a fool for not bowing to Jimmy and asking him what he needs to resign the max in PHI (i.e. replace Brett Brown, trade Simmons, etc.).

[Jimako10]

Jimmy Butler is such a good player. Bulls/Wolves/Sixers FOs/ownerships should('ve) all been fired for their mismanagement of his services. Of course Gar is gone, and Thibs kind of under deservedly was fired for Taylor's blunders, but sheesh. Jimmy is simply a monster basketball player. Sure, he's not Kawhi, but he's like 15ft behind in terms of all-around production. Brand is a fool for not bowing to Jimmy and asking him what he needs to resign the max in PHI (i.e. replace Brett Brown, trade Simmons, etc.).

Philly is that guy who wins the lottery and ends up broke in 5 years and everyone wonders how they were able to lose millions. They had an embarrassment of riches and are proceeding to light all of their assets on fire.

[Dresden]

I watched Philly/Bos last night- it was a close game until the very end, although BOS lead most of the way. But Philly was without their second best player, and they still played them tight. They have some talent on that team- Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson, Matisse Thybulle, Al Horford. Add Simmons to that mix, and I'd like to see how they fare v. Boston, or other top teams in the East.

[Dresden]

How about the ORL upset of MIL today???

[ImSlower]

Wait, Hayward got hurt... again? I swear this has happened so many times his entire career that I never seem to remember if he's actually currently playing, or perhaps had one hot month awhile back but is out for the year again, or if he's off to a slow start just coming back from some other thing.

He's a bit like Jaime Garcia was for the Cardinals - a pitcher with some of the absolute best stuff in the game. Apparently, anyway, since at any point in his career he was either just coming off a huge injury, or right about to get another one. I feel bad for Hayward, who seems like a great dude. I honestly hardly remember what his play is like on court.