4/7/21 | Charlotte Hornets @ OKC Thunder | 7PM CST

[bbms]

Prior today, there were only two teenagers in the history of NBA to score 20+ each, they were: Pokusevski and Maledon.

They repeated the record. Man, oh man.

[Dadouv47]

Read on Twitter

Coach D got jokes!

[Old Man Game]

Read on Twitter

Thunder twitter seems to think this is in response to Poku getting upset at a Maledon turnover, good to see Coach D call it out if that's the case

Damn I love Coach D. First time I ever liked a Thunder coach.

I used to actually like Scott Brooks. The tanking coach as it turns out isn't always great once he becomes a contending coach. Hopefully 1) we actually contend again at some point in the next several years, and 2) when that happens Coach D is actually up to the task.

[Old Man Game]

I like svi. He’s a keeper.

He’s more of an athlete than I thought.

This is sort of a terrible comp but he reminds me of a guy who could be a title team's DeShawn Stevenson or maybe James Posey. Like a sort of skilled but tough nosed dirty work type of guy.

[jake_swivel]

Prior today, there were only two teenagers in the history of NBA to score 20+ each, they were: Pokusevski and Maledon.

They repeated the record. Man, oh man.

Now it’s 25, tomorrow 30.

[jake_swivel]

Read on Twitter

Coach D got jokes!

Watch on YouTube

Here’s the video.

Since I mentioned that Poku could be annoying towards his teammates, I’ll also say that outside of his height and ball handling, his confidence may be his biggest asset. He clearly believes every shot he takes is going in and that matters a ton. Especially since it’s paired with willingness to pass, which means he’s not a straight gunner.
.

[ThunderBolt]

I think the whole interaction has more about Daignault than Poku.

[Old Man Game]

Read on Twitter

Coach D got jokes!

Watch on YouTube

Here’s the video.

Since I mentioned that Poku could be annoying towards his teammates, I’ll also say that outside of his height and ball handling, his confidence may be his biggest asset. He clearly believes every shot he takes is going in and that matters a ton. Especially since it’s paired with willingness to pass, which means he’s not a straight gunner.
.

Its really interesting. Compare him to Diallo, for instance, who at this same stage would literally try and score in 1 on 3 fastbreaks and stuff like that.

[jake_swivel]

I think the whole interaction has more about Daignault than Poku.

Go on.....

[ThunderBolt]

I think the whole interaction has more about Daignault than Poku.

Go on.....

It’s tough to balance being a players coach while still having the respect of the guys and being able. The window is right now for a guy like Poku. I don’t think coach could get away with doing that to Horford or even shai in year three.

I don’t think anything Poku has done is too concerning. When he got an earful from coach, he stood there and took it. That says a lot. If he had argued back, I would be much more concerned. However if Daignault doesn’t do that right now, next year might be too late. Look how quick the relationship with Trae Young and Lloyd Pierce went south. Right now we can chalk it up to Poku being a competitive, immature kid. In two or three years if left unchecked, it could become something else. Maybe it won’t.

I also think there are cultural differences that make fitting in harder.

[jake_swivel]

It’s tough to balance being a players coach while still having the respect of the guys and being able. The window is right now for a guy like Poku. I don’t think coach could get away with doing that to Horford or even shai in year three.

I don’t think anything Poku has done is too concerning. When he got an earful from coach, he stood there and took it. That says a lot. If he had argued back, I would be much more concerned. However if Daignault doesn’t do that right now, next year might be too late. Look how quick the relationship with Trae Young and Lloyd Pierce went south. Right now we can chalk it up to Poku being a competitive, immature kid. In two or three years if left unchecked, it could become something else. Maybe it won’t.

I also think there are cultural differences that make fitting in harder.

I see what you’re saying. I also don’t think it’s a huge deal. But if I was Maledon, having someone do that about me on television, I’d be real tempted to hold a grudge. I’d be tempted if it was a YMCA game. Those kinds of things can divide a locker room, and it’s been a pattern of behavior for him.

I’m glad Poku took it well, went back in the game and hit a few more shots. I’m also glad Daigneault made a joke in the presser that downplayed the situation. Socially aware all the way around from Daig.

Poku’s Serbian team coach also yelled at him in one of the FIBA games I watched after 5 first half turnovers and benched him for the rest of the game, so it’s not his first butt chewing. I think the whole thing was positive.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s tough to balance being a players coach while still having the respect of the guys and being able. The window is right now for a guy like Poku. I don’t think coach could get away with doing that to Horford or even shai in year three.

I don’t think anything Poku has done is too concerning. When he got an earful from coach, he stood there and took it. That says a lot. If he had argued back, I would be much more concerned. However if Daignault doesn’t do that right now, next year might be too late. Look how quick the relationship with Trae Young and Lloyd Pierce went south. Right now we can chalk it up to Poku being a competitive, immature kid. In two or three years if left unchecked, it could become something else. Maybe it won’t.

I also think there are cultural differences that make fitting in harder.

I see what you’re saying. I also don’t think it’s a huge deal. But if I was Maledon, having someone do that about me on television, I’d be real tempted to hold a grudge. I’d be tempted if it was a YMCA game. Those kinds of things can divide a locker room, and it’s been a pattern of behavior for him.

I’m glad Poku took it well, went back in the game and hit a few more shots. I’m also glad Daigneault made a joke in the presser that downplayed the situation. Socially aware all the way around from Daig.

Poku’s Serbian team coach also yelled at him in one of the FIBA games I watched after 5 first half turnovers and benched him for the rest of the game, so it’s not his first butt chewing. I think the whole thing was positive.

I actually didn’t see the whole thing. I heard Fisher say Poku was lucky he didn’t get a technical for slamming the ball and alluded to him being frustrated at himself. What did Theo do?

[cjmcallist]

Just watched the game this morning - Poku looked good. Maledon too. We could look back on this time without Shai and Dort as very beneficial for those two.

[jake_swivel]

I actually didn’t see the whole thing. I heard Fisher say Poku was lucky he didn’t get a technical for slamming the ball and alluded to him being frustrated at himself. What did Theo do?

Poku was calling for the ball and Theo didn’t pass to him. Turned it over instead.

[Mickey8]

It’s tough to balance being a players coach while still having the respect of the guys and being able. The window is right now for a guy like Poku. I don’t think coach could get away with doing that to Horford or even shai in year three.

I don’t think anything Poku has done is too concerning. When he got an earful from coach, he stood there and took it. That says a lot. If he had argued back, I would be much more concerned. However if Daignault doesn’t do that right now, next year might be too late. Look how quick the relationship with Trae Young and Lloyd Pierce went south. Right now we can chalk it up to Poku being a competitive, immature kid. In two or three years if left unchecked, it could become something else. Maybe it won’t.

I also think there are cultural differences that make fitting in harder.

I see what you’re saying. I also don’t think it’s a huge deal. But if I was Maledon, having someone do that about me on television, I’d be real tempted to hold a grudge. I’d be tempted if it was a YMCA game. Those kinds of things can divide a locker room, and it’s been a pattern of behavior for him.

I’m glad Poku took it well, went back in the game and hit a few more shots. I’m also glad Daigneault made a joke in the presser that downplayed the situation. Socially aware all the way around from Daig.

Poku’s Serbian team coach also yelled at him in one of the FIBA games I watched after 5 first half turnovers and benched him for the rest of the game, so it’s not his first butt chewing. I think the whole thing was positive.

I think both of players got used coach reprimanded them on the sidelines , I am sure they had much stricter coaches in Europe, European players are wired different in that way, because coaches have much more freedom in Europe and they yell at the players regularly. Its funny when media made big fuss about coach Izzo , pushing his player and yelling at him , thats regular occurrence in European basketball.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s tough to balance being a players coach while still having the respect of the guys and being able. The window is right now for a guy like Poku. I don’t think coach could get away with doing that to Horford or even shai in year three.

I don’t think anything Poku has done is too concerning. When he got an earful from coach, he stood there and took it. That says a lot. If he had argued back, I would be much more concerned. However if Daignault doesn’t do that right now, next year might be too late. Look how quick the relationship with Trae Young and Lloyd Pierce went south. Right now we can chalk it up to Poku being a competitive, immature kid. In two or three years if left unchecked, it could become something else. Maybe it won’t.

I also think there are cultural differences that make fitting in harder.

I see what you’re saying. I also don’t think it’s a huge deal. But if I was Maledon, having someone do that about me on television, I’d be real tempted to hold a grudge. I’d be tempted if it was a YMCA game. Those kinds of things can divide a locker room, and it’s been a pattern of behavior for him.

I’m glad Poku took it well, went back in the game and hit a few more shots. I’m also glad Daigneault made a joke in the presser that downplayed the situation. Socially aware all the way around from Daig.

Poku’s Serbian team coach also yelled at him in one of the FIBA games I watched after 5 first half turnovers and benched him for the rest of the game, so it’s not his first butt chewing. I think the whole thing was positive.

I think both of players got used coach reprimanded them on the sidelines , I am sure they had much stricter coaches in Europe, European players are wired different in that way, because coaches have much more freedom in Europe and they yell at the players regularly. Its funny when media made big fuss about coach Izzo , pushing his player and yelling at him , thats regular occurrence in European basketball.

I wish the nba was more like that. It would be a better product.

[Old Man Game]

We're understandably speculating here, but to the extent Coach D was saying something to have Theo's back for something that Poku shouldn't have been complaining about I would think the rest of the locker room would really respect that. Creates a culture of accountability. That's what everyone has always said about San Antonio. He held Duncan to the same standard as everyone else and Duncan took it so no one else could complain. Stephen Jackson brought that up on the All the Smoke Podcast RE: his time with the Spurs just a few weeks ago.