Game 1: Hawks vs Nets - Wednesday, 12/30/20 | 7:30pm EST | YES

MrDollarBills · Post #201 » by **MrDollarBills** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:44 am

Paradise wrote:Some of these questions are so embarrassing.

“Did DeAndre break your back?”

I think she was joking though.

Post #202 » by **NyCeEvO** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:52 am

MrDollarBills wrote:
NyCeEvO wrote:Kyrie/Joe/TLC/KD/Allen finished the game.

That goes to show you who the coaching staff trusted to end it.

Let’s hope Allen keeps improving and gets even more minutes.

On the flip side, Levert is way too inconsistent to be considered anything close to a “3rd star”. If he can’t make shots consistently, he won’t be that valuable to this team.

I feel like our "3rd star" is on the shelf with a knee injury ngl. Spencer was going to figure it out and would have been a lethal weapon for us.

We didn’t have enough time to see Spencer adjust his game, but I’m still not convinced that having a 3rd ball handler next to KD & Kyrie is more valuable in the starting lineup than having another 3&D wing player. (If you think Dinwiddie could’ve transformed into a rich man’s TLC than I’d definitely take it, but I don’t think he would’ve been successful as a spot-up shooter.)

I think Spencer’s greatest value is/was that he’s a better lead guard and fill-in for Kyrie than Caris when Kyrie is injured/ needs to be rested.

I probably would’ve made sure that 2 of Ky, KD, and Spencer were always on the court, so that we’d have two elite penetrators on the court at all times. Then, just surround them with 3&D wings and agile big men.

I think that LeVert needs to get back to driving into the mid range. He's settling for way too many threes. Put the ball on the floor and get into the paint.

Are you referring to midrange pull-ups? Since he runs so many PnRs, I could see him being an effective midrange shooter off of those initial screens.

He usually tries to attack the basket for layups or dump offs when PnRs are successful and/or a someone has free lane to the basket after an off-ball cut to the basket. The issue I keep seeing come up is that defenses are collapsing on his drives well, and so he’s either forced to attempt a contested layup/fadeaway shot or try to find someone open around the paint. But if he stopped right after the initial screen and was open, a midrange jumper should be a consistently easier shot to make than many of the shots he’s throwing up.

The only 3s I have a problem with are the few stepbacks I’ve seen him take. He should know that he’s not consistent enough at making them to warrant taking them, and therefore should eliminate them from his game until he can make them regularly. The other 3s are usually wide-open ones, but he just bricks them.

Also, Allen needs to start. he's outplaying Jordan by a considerable margin and it's not even close.

At this point, the only wild reason I can fathom why Allen still isn’t starting (outside of politics) is that they believe Allen needs to be motivated in order to get constant improvement out of him lol. He’s played better and better in every game I’ve seen thus far. I thought he was great tonight. While he still drops the ball more than I’d like, he’s been more assertive on the offensive end and is passing better.

DJ only played 15 minutes tonight, his fewest for the season, while Allen played 24 minutes, his 2nd highest. I hope this is the start of a trend.

MrDollarBills · Post #203 » by **MrDollarBills** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:59 am

Read on Twitter

Oh LAWD. Collins caught a bad one!!

Karate Diop · Post #204 » by **Karate Diop** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:01 am

I've gone back and forth on this and I'm okay with DeAndre bring a token starter just to get Allen now minutes alongside LeVert, but Allen should definitely be closing every game over DeAndre...

Hopefully in the next game the referees let you breathe on Trae without getting called for a foul...

StepBackCrack · Post #205 » by **StepBackCrack** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:02 am

I made a JA thread lol. Really excited about this guy haha.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2035227

Post #206 » by **NyCeEvO** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:13 am

MrDollarBills wrote:
Paradise wrote:Caris hasn’t improved since he’s been in this league to be a 38-40% 3pt shooter and that’s scary. He’s getting into Raptor DeRozan territory

He doesn't need to be a 38%-40% shooter to be good. He needs to focus on his strengths and take clean looks from three. I feel like he's settling and chucking instead of driving hard into the paint for the easy pull ups.

I disagree. NBA.com stats shows that through his 1st 4 games, Caris averages 15.5 drives per game, which is 12th in the league and 2nd highest for any bench player. (Derrick Rose is the only other bench player who averages more at 19 drives per game.) He attempts a shot on about half of those drives (7.5 FGAs) but only makes 46.7% of them, which sadly is still way better than his overall FG% and 3PT% of 39% and 31% respectively.

I think because teams know that driving to the basket is the only thing he does well, they are collapsing the paint when he drives the ball so he can’t get clean looks.

Teams are giving him open 3s because he can’t make them consistently.

MrDollarBills · Post #207 » by **MrDollarBills** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:17 am

NyCeEvO wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:
Paradise wrote:Caris hasn’t improved since he’s been in this league to be a 38-40% 3pt shooter and that’s scary. He’s getting into Raptor DeRozan territory

He doesn't need to be a 38%-40% shooter to be good. He needs to focus on his strengths and take clean looks from three. I feel like he's settling and chucking instead of driving hard into the paint for the easy pull ups.

I disagree. NBA.com stats shows that through his 1st 4 games, Caris averages 15.5 drives per game, which is 12th in the league and 2nd highest for any bench player. (Derrick Rose is the only other bench player who averages more at 19 drives per game.) He attempts a shot on about half of those drives (7.5 FGAs) but only makes 46.7% of them, which sadly is still way better than his overall FG% and 3PT% of 39% and 31% respectively.

I think because teams know that driving to the basket is the only thing he does well, they are collapsing the paint when he drives the ball so he can’t get clean looks.

Teams are giving him open 3s because he can’t make them consistently.

I stand corrected.

Paradise · Post #208 » by **Paradise** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:26 am

Read on Twitter

Post #209 » by **CalamityX12** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:27 am

Feels like we're not putting Levert in the best role to succeed.. forcing him to play a James Harden like game isn't ideal for him at the moment.

Like tonight, how did we not see any Cheese action?

StepBackCrack · Post #210 » by **StepBackCrack** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:35 am

Best 4 players on the current Nets in this order (just my opinion of course).

1. KD
2. Kyrie
3. Harris
4. Allen

This looks clear to me honestly. This is the core and it's a great exciting core. Vert will need to improve but so far, Allen is the 4th best player in this team imo. Hopefully Vert will adapt better eventually. Needless to say, I don't care much about who is the 4th best player on the team. I just want everyone to play their best. Allen is doing that at the moment and deserves a lot of credit.

ecuhus1981 · Post #211 » by **ecuhus1981** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:06 am

Paradise wrote:This team refuses to get stops or something.

It was all gas, no brake tonight, that's for sure. We can have such solid defensive displays, and then games like this show that we have a ways to go. At least our offense saved us, live and learn.

MrDollarBills · Post #212 » by **MrDollarBills** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:55 am

CalamityX12 wrote:Feels like we're not putting Levert in the best role to succeed.. forcing him to play a James Harden like game isn't ideal for him at the moment.

Like tonight, how did we not see any Cheese action?

Why would Cheese play tonight? He's the 3rd string PG and the main ball handlers are Irving, Durant, and LeVert.

Papi_swav · Post #213 » by **Papi_swav** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:24 am

I'm not worried about Levert, he shot 4-13 today which isn't horrible but he also had 8 assists, hes more than just a scorer. He will have stretches where he averages like 25 points in a 7 game stretch and we will all love him again. He just need to stop chucking up so much 3s, especially those step back 3s I can't stand that. He will figure it out, he just needs to keep attacking and get to his mid range and the paint, that's his bread and butter. He will be in the run for 6MOY.

Papi_swav · Post #214 » by **Papi_swav** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:26 am

MrDollarBills wrote:

Read on Twitter

Oh LAWD. Collins caught a bad one!!

Damnnn that boy is different. I love A.I but Kyrie is just next level, I think he has the best handles in history. Every game he has a highlight.

NetsJets · Post #215 » by **NetsJets** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:32 am

Caris needs shots to get going he’s very streaky. And it’s hard for him to get going when KD and Kyrie are taking the bulk of the shots. So unless he has it going early on he’s going to struggle. Kyrie struggled for the most of the game but he eventually got it going in the 4th.

Brooklyn91 · Post #216 » by **Brooklyn91** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:34 am

Read on Twitter

?s=21

StepBackCrack · Post #217 » by **StepBackCrack** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:59 am

Kyrie Irving is art. Period.

StepBackCrack · Post #218 » by **StepBackCrack** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:27 am

It's so amazing how Kyrie shook off a potential TERRIBLE night for him with one monster 4th quarter and he made it look so easy! What a beast. Most stars would lose confidence in such off nights and wouldn't be able to pull off such amazing 4th quarter performance. Kyrie is so special.

MGrand15 · Post #219 » by **MGrand15** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:32 am

IDK why LeVert is even in the conversation right now. Dude airballed his first 3 or 4 shots. All good looks. If you don't trust him to take wide open midrange or 3s, he might as well not be on the floor. He still ended up with 8 assists in 24 minutes. +11 for the game. Yes, he needs to shoot better and be more efficient. Any issues tonight were defensively against a very high powered offensive team making 3s at a crazy clip with role players.

Honestly, I think ATL is legit like Dallas was last year. I don't even think the defense was that bad mostly - ATL is just full of offensive talent.

KD is just insane. He's doing this and all year he's been missing shots inside he normally makes - those fadeaway floaters. I can't believe there's another level to this. Just ridiculous. This guy is just way too good.

akhan786 · Post #220 » by **akhan786** » Thu Dec 31, 2020 2:33 pm

Papi_swav wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:

Read on Twitter

Oh LAWD. Collins caught a bad one!!

Damnnn that boy is different. I love A.I but Kyrie is just next level, I think he has the best handles in history. Every game he has a highlight.

But how is that not a foul by John Collins? Slaps him straight across the body

We and Nash need to start more noise about how Kyrie is and has been officiated unfairly. He gets penalized for being one of the best dribblers/finishers in history.

He gets 2 FTA’s last night and somehow Trae gets 16 off of bulls*** like this?

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Nash has to protect Kyrie.