Around the NBA: 2020-21 Season

Andi Obst · Post #201 » by **Andi Obst** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:56 pm

I would pay to not have Wiggins on my team. Negative basketball IQ, hasn't learned anything since he was a rookie. Just terrible.

Every year you have people talking themselves into the idea that this is the year Wiggins breaks out. It's not happening. He sucks.

ZOMG · Post #202 » by **ZOMG** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:58 pm

Little Nathan wrote:I would pay to not have Wiggins on my team. Negative basketball IQ, hasn't learned anything since he was a rookie. Just terrible.

You just knew he was gonna settle for that crappy contested 3pt shot at the end.

ZOMG · Post #203 » by **ZOMG** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:10 pm

Must be a nice feeling seeing defenses sag 15 feet off of your $228 million man.

FranchisePlayer · Post #204 » by **FranchisePlayer** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:14 pm

Cassidy Hubbarth might be the best this game has to offer...

Post #205 » by **HomoSapien** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:19 pm

GS should dangle Wiseman/Wiggins for Harden. Seems like the quickest way to get back into the championship hunt. Then they could sign someone like Noah or Taj to shore up their front-court.

FriedRise · Post #206 » by **FriedRise** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:22 pm

GS getting blown out in their first two games. They're gonna come out firing vs us on Sunday.

TheGOATRises007 · Post #207 » by **TheGOATRises007** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:24 pm

HomoSapien wrote:GS should dangle Wiseman/Wiggins for Harden. Seems like the quickest way to get back into the championship hunt. Then they could sign someone like Noah or Taj to shore up their front-court.

Why would Houston ever do that deal?

Andi Obst · Post #208 » by **Andi Obst** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:29 pm

Which Western Conference teams are the Warriors definitely better than? OKC for sure. But after that?

It's going to be a rough year for them.

Andi Obst · Post #209 » by **Andi Obst** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:29 pm

HomoSapien wrote:GS should dangle Wiseman/Wiggins for Harden. Seems like the quickest way to get back into the championship hunt. Then they could sign someone like Noah or Taj to shore up their front-court.

I need about a million firsts on top if I'm Houston.

MrSparkle · Post #210 » by **MrSparkle** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:35 pm

ZOMG wrote:
MrSparkle wrote:I think PG passing is the great misconception of the post-70s NBA. Big men and tall wings are better, more elite passers; it was established in 1980 with Bird and Magic, complimented with Sabonis, Pippen, Kukoc... and further cemented with Lebron, Durant, Luka, Kawhi, Jokic, Simmons. These guys make effortless assists into the paint.

The only way for a PG to dominate with the pass is if they are also able to score and run the fast-break at an elite level, like Kidd, Rondo, Nash and CP3. Lonzo looks like a slow contemplative player; his feet are stuck in molasses. LaMelo at least shows explosiveness and zero-hesitation attack, which resembles the former. NOP may have done the right thing with that Jrue trade, but you can tell they miss him.

That's a pretty interesting point, but it has a major flaw. A PG is not supposed to "dominate" with the pass. The occasional highlight passes are a side effect of the main job.

So what is the main job?

Managing the offense and getting the ball to the right guys at the right time. This is something that Coby White has zero talent for. You don't have to be flashy - but you do have to be effective and the ball can't stick to your hand.

Coby is no PG, but the fact that he's not doesn't make him a good SG either. Nothing about that side of his game pops. He's quick but not elite quick. A pretty good shooter, not a great one. Doesn't have length or jumping ability. Has one go-to move, the stepback, which is becoming predictable.

Again, seeing the kid play perhaps his worst game ever ... it's reasonable to give him a chance to hit a few lows and see how he recovers.

I didn't see the ball sticking to his hands. He was trying to make pass plays, but got smacked by ATL's defense, and absolutely scorched by Trae. Basically emotionally crumbled in-game. Not like it all came down to him; easiest guy to blame, of course.

There was one situation that summed it up for me; he manned up on Trae after another turnover and wanted to play some lock-down defense after a bad play, he and Lauri were put in a PnR by Trae. Lauri switched without telling Coby anything and Coby ran right into the screen-setter, had the wind knocked out of him. So much for getting back with a strong effort.

Basketball can be a brutal sport, because at a certain point, you really are only as good as your teammates, even though it very much appears to be a "superstar" sport. Case in point, this second Steph Curry smackdown happening in a row. I think the superstar 6'6-6'10 wing can get away with the 1-man show, but every small-guard and Big superstar needs help on both ends. Here we go with a second straight poor start out of Portland, despite IMO having the best PG in the league. Jokic would be a walking ****-show if he played with Lauri, Zach and Arci. And even then, who remembers that 06 Kobe season, and 2018/19 Lebron?

Part of it is on Coby to talk on defense, but how about MVP Rose? From what we know, he was fairly mute. Sure helped having Thibs, Noah, Taj, Kurt, Boozer, Bogans, Deng and Brewer talking all the time screaming "ice, screen, switch!" I'm not comparing Coby to Rose, he's obviously not an elite prospect, but at a certain point, if every detail in the game that is OUT of his control is about 10x harder than it should be, he's not really allowed to bring his best traits to the court.

Look on the bright-side; 9p & 7a with 3 to is not bad for rock-bottom. It's on-par with Sato's season average and better than LaMelo's game.

My opinion is the exact same 3y from this day; a team that starts Lauri, Zach and a slow-footer like Wendell is 2 (if not 3) defensive liabilities too many. I believe that you are allowed 1 defensive liability per playoff team, and if he's a liability, he better be bringing Jokic/Luka/Curry-level offense.

It is insane to me that we are blaming offensive execution for a loss to a team that scored 81 points on 67% in the first half. Considering we got blown out plenty of times with Dunn at PG, I really don't subscribe to PG leading a defense. It sure helps when they have a strong defensive awareness, but it is virtually impossible for PGs to change the game as an on-ball defender. Otherwise, Marcus Smart, Kris Dunn and Shaq Harrison would be perennial all-stars, not considered undersized defensive specialists on the wings.

Andi Obst · Post #211 » by **Andi Obst** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:39 pm

You know the game is over when Giannis' brother comes in.

cjbulls · Post #212 » by **cjbulls** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:42 pm

Eddy_JukeZ wrote:
HomoSapien wrote:GS should dangle Wiseman/Wiggins for Harden. Seems like the quickest way to get back into the championship hunt. Then they could sign someone like Noah or Taj to shore up their front-court.

Why would Houston ever do that deal?

Because who else wants Harden and at a better price. #2 overall pick is a good start. Although his fit with Wood is questionable long term.

cjbulls · Post #213 » by **cjbulls** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:45 pm

We saw it with LeBron. Now with Curry. Superstars on their own cannot win on terrible rosters.

Well, except prime LeBron maybe

MrSparkle · Post #214 » by **MrSparkle** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:47 pm

Anybody else feel like Kerr might resign at some point? The Warriors are a rebuild with $190m (Klay) baggage at this point, not to mention Dray and Wiggins are some of the worst values in the league.

Absolutely no reason not to explore Dray and Curry's markets at this point.

Post #215 » by **HomoSapien** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:47 pm

Eddy_JukeZ wrote:
HomoSapien wrote:GS should dangle Wiseman/Wiggins for Harden. Seems like the quickest way to get back into the championship hunt. Then they could sign someone like Noah or Taj to shore up their front-court.

Why would Houston ever do that deal?

I mean, come on man. Go ahead and disagree with it, but don't act as if you cannot fathom the suggestions.

MrSparkle · Post #216 » by **MrSparkle** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:50 pm

Wiseman is 4/4 from the arc for the season. :lol:

Looking forward to the Bulls/Warriors showdown this Sunday.

Indomitable · Post #217 » by **Indomitable** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:57 pm

I miss the fans in the stands.

Andi Obst · Post #218 » by **Andi Obst** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 10:01 pm

Indomitable wrote:I miss the fans in the stands.

Maybe I'm just used to it after this crazy year, but I really don't notice the difference anymore. Only thing that annoys me is when teams try too hard with that fake fan noise.

Dresden · Post #219 » by **Dresden** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 10:06 pm

FriedRise wrote:GS getting blown out in their first two games. They're gonna come out firing vs us on Sunday.

they're going to be terrible this year without Klay, and with Draymond not the player he used to be.

Dresden · Post #220 » by **Dresden** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 10:07 pm

MrSparkle wrote:Anybody else feel like Kerr might resign at some point? The Warriors are a rebuild with $190m (Klay) baggage at this point, not to mention Dray and Wiggins are some of the worst values in the league.

Absolutely no reason not to explore Dray and Curry's markets at this point.

I think what's holding them back is they just built this new stadium, and sold a lot of high priced season tickets with the promise that they would not be rebuilding. So they're going to do everything they can to squeeze the most out of this core.