The Around The NBA Thread

[Andi Obst]

The Clippers still have no idea how to defend Luka, but Luka is probably going to have to play 42+ minutes a game for the rest of the series if Kawhi and George continue to play like they did yesterday. Luka was +3 in his over 38 minutes, the Mavs lost by 10.

Porzingis is just sad to watch right now. Non-factor on offense, getting targeted/abused on defense as he did all season. His complete inability to punish a mismatch is maddening.

I think it’s a 50/50 series after last night.

[TheStig]

Whoever told Rose to bulk up that ridiculous amount will forever be on my **** list.

I think it had to do with the beating he was taking in the lane. He wasn't very good at drawing the foul. He'd avoid the contact and try to finish. Then he'd get really fouled when he was fouled. Someone should have taught him to draw fouls better and keep lean.

[Michael Jackson]

Whoever told Rose to bulk up that ridiculous amount will forever be on my **** list.

I think it had to do with the beating he was taking in the lane. He wasn't very good at drawing the foul. He'd avoid the contact and try to finish. Then he'd get really fouled when he was fouled. Someone should have taught him to draw fouls better and keep lean.

That’s exactly what it was. He got fouled harder than anyone I can remember. He also fell horribly. Iverson knew how to land Rose just fell every which way. Look at the Dwight Howard fouls on Rose and you know why he tried to get stronger, but what he needed to do was exactly what you said, he needed to learn how to get fouled better. He is now getting it but he needed that info 9 years ago.

[TheStig]

Whoever told Rose to bulk up that ridiculous amount will forever be on my **** list.

I think it had to do with the beating he was taking in the lane. He wasn't very good at drawing the foul. He'd avoid the contact and try to finish. Then he'd get really fouled when he was fouled. Someone should have taught him to draw fouls better and keep lean.

That’s exactly what it was. He got fouled harder than anyone I can remember. He also fell horribly. Iverson knew how to land Rose just fell every which way. Look at the Dwight Howard fouls on Rose and you know why he tried to get stronger, but what he needed to do was exactly what you said, he needed to learn how to get fouled better. He is now getting it but he needed that info 9 years ago.

To his defense, the 3 ball wasn't as big, the court wasn't anywhere near as spread with Noah and Boozer out there and they weren't calling fouls like today. He's become a better shooter and the game has changed to help pgs more. I think he'd have been an even bigger beast today.

[Michael Jackson]

I think it had to do with the beating he was taking in the lane. He wasn't very good at drawing the foul. He'd avoid the contact and try to finish. Then he'd get really fouled when he was fouled. Someone should have taught him to draw fouls better and keep lean.

That’s exactly what it was. He got fouled harder than anyone I can remember. He also fell horribly. Iverson knew how to land Rose just fell every which way. Look at the Dwight Howard fouls on Rose and you know why he tried to get stronger, but what he needed to do was exactly what you said, he needed to learn how to get fouled better. He is now getting it but he needed that info 9 years ago.

To his defense, the 3 ball wasn't as big, the court wasn't anywhere near as spread with Noah and Boozer out there and they weren't calling fouls like today. He's become a better shooter and the game has changed to help pgs more. I think he'd have been an even bigger beast today.

Agreed. Actually in today’s game a backcourt of Rose and Gordon would have feasted. He was still insanely reckless with his contact. Ja plays a little like that too but Rose took more contact in the air than anyone maybe including iverson. AI found a way to usually fall on his butt though where Rose hit the deck every which way.

[TheStig]

That’s exactly what it was. He got fouled harder than anyone I can remember. He also fell horribly. Iverson knew how to land Rose just fell every which way. Look at the Dwight Howard fouls on Rose and you know why he tried to get stronger, but what he needed to do was exactly what you said, he needed to learn how to get fouled better. He is now getting it but he needed that info 9 years ago.

To his defense, the 3 ball wasn't as big, the court wasn't anywhere near as spread with Noah and Boozer out there and they weren't calling fouls like today. He's become a better shooter and the game has changed to help pgs more. I think he'd have been an even bigger beast today.

Agreed. Actually in today’s game a backcourt of Rose and Gordon would have feasted. He was still insanely reckless with his contact. Ja plays a little like that too but Rose took more contact in the air than anyone maybe including iverson. AI found a way to usually fall on his butt though where Rose hit the deck every which way.

The what could have been of the Rose/BG backcourt. I was so bummed when he didn't take the deal and then the Bulls wouldn't take his acceptance after the deadline. I always felt that team with BG instead of Korver could have done so much better in the ECF.

[Andi Obst]

The DDV injury hurts, mostly because they’re just not a very deep team and it probably means we’ll get some Teague minutes, but I think the Bucks have a real shot at beating the Nets.

The Heat weren’t good, but to destroy them like that was still impressive after what happened last season IMO.

[Andi Obst]

Bryn Forbes outscored Jimmy Butler in the series btw.

[Michael Jackson]

The DDV injury hurts, mostly because they’re just not a very deep team and it probably means we’ll get some Teague minutes, but I think the Bucks have a real shot at beating the Nets.

The Heat weren’t good, but to destroy them like that was still impressive after what happened last season IMO.

The Nets are going to get eaten up in the paint by Giannis. The whole bucks team will be able to score, but so will the Nets. Can their offense out gun their defense... that is the question. Bucks surely have a good chance beating BKN. It should be a great series.

[Michael Jackson]

To his defense, the 3 ball wasn't as big, the court wasn't anywhere near as spread with Noah and Boozer out there and they weren't calling fouls like today. He's become a better shooter and the game has changed to help pgs more. I think he'd have been an even bigger beast today.

Agreed. Actually in today’s game a backcourt of Rose and Gordon would have feasted. He was still insanely reckless with his contact. Ja plays a little like that too but Rose took more contact in the air than anyone maybe including iverson. AI found a way to usually fall on his butt though where Rose hit the deck every which way.

The what could have been of the Rose/BG backcourt. I was so bummed when he didn't take the deal and then the Bulls wouldn't take his acceptance after the deadline. I always felt that team with BG instead of Korver could have done so much better in the ECF.

Yeah BG and Rose would have been near impossible to defend. They also would have been easy to score on, but with BG’s offense maybe you don’t get Boozer and get a better defender at PF or Taj gets his chance at starting sooner. Then between Rose, BG, Butler and Deng you could find a trade for someone to put you over the top. Even without a trade you have Butler in when you need D and BG when you need to score based on matchups. Korver was fine but Gordon would demand more coverage and open things up more for Rose and the whole team. Ah well... Lebron should thank his lucky stars that all the bad fortune fell on the Bulls because his road to getting to the finals would not have been easy. Shame with BG it didn’t work out well for him or the Bulls.

[HomoSapien]

We should monitor the Heat in the off-season. You don't get swept in the first round after being in the finals and return without any significant changes. Dragic may not have his option picked up...and if it is, he'll almost certainly be used as a trade chip. Same with Iggy.

That said, I really think we should keep an eye on what happens with Butler. There's a good chance that Shams' report of friction between he and the coaching staff/team was real and that's only going to be exacerbated by a sweep. It won't help things either if Jimmy's being a dick while playing meh. I think they'll likely try and make it work for one more year, but with Jimmy you never know.

If Jimmy is shopped, we expect that his trade value will be lower than it's ever been in part because he's older but more importantly because he's been traded so many times now. A deal around Coby or PWill and matching salaries could potentially be a competitive offer at that point.

[HomoSapien]

Also, remember last year when several vocal posters said they'd rather have Tyler Herro than Zach LaVine?

[MrSparkle]

Also, remember last year when several vocal posters said they'd rather have Tyler Herro than Zach LaVine?

Yeah , me!

I'm also a firm believer that most these guys are humans, and prone to year-to-year surprises and changes.

That said, Kawhi, Lebron, Durant and Luka are not human.

Herro crapped the bed to be frank.

[dice]

The Clippers still have no idea how to defend Luka, but Luka is probably going to have to play 42+ minutes a game for the rest of the series if Kawhi and George continue to play like they did yesterday. Luka was +3 in his over 38 minutes, the Mavs lost by 10.

Porzingis is just sad to watch right now. Non-factor on offense, getting targeted/abused on defense as he did all season. His complete inability to punish a mismatch is maddening.

I think it’s a 50/50 series after last night.

the porzingis acquisition was a major mistake. they pay him big money for the next 3 seasons. he's still got upside, but the injury risk is substantial as well. you just don't gamble like that when you've got a piece like luka to build around

[dice]

We should monitor the Heat in the off-season. You don't get swept in the first round after being in the finals and return without any significant changes. Dragic may not have his option picked up...and if it is, he'll almost certainly be used as a trade chip. Same with Iggy.

That said, I really think we should keep an eye on what happens with Butler. There's a good chance that Shams' report of friction between he and the coaching staff/team was real and that's only going to be exacerbated by a sweep. It won't help things either if Jimmy's being a dick while playing meh. I think they'll likely try and make it work for one more year, but with Jimmy you never know.

If Jimmy is shopped, we expect that his trade value will be lower than it's ever been in part because he's older but more importantly because he's been traded so many times now. A deal around Coby or PWill and matching salaries could potentially be a competitive offer at that point.

there is zero chance that coby white and pat williams are the core of a deal for jimmy butler. not unless one or both of them blossoms first. and it would probably require jimmy to start to slip...which is why bulls management didn't want to gamble on maxing him out in the first place!

[CobyWhite0]

It's a hard pass for me on Jimmy.

Young Jimmy would have been the perfect #3 next to Zach and Vuc - but Hollywood Jimmy clashes with everyone everywhere, and frankly his resume doesn't give him the right to act like MJ toward everyone around him.

[HomoSapien]

We should monitor the Heat in the off-season. You don't get swept in the first round after being in the finals and return without any significant changes. Dragic may not have his option picked up...and if it is, he'll almost certainly be used as a trade chip. Same with Iggy.

That said, I really think we should keep an eye on what happens with Butler. There's a good chance that Shams' report of friction between he and the coaching staff/team was real and that's only going to be exacerbated by a sweep. It won't help things either if Jimmy's being a dick while playing meh. I think they'll likely try and make it work for one more year, but with Jimmy you never know.

If Jimmy is shopped, we expect that his trade value will be lower than it's ever been in part because he's older but more importantly because he's been traded so many times now. A deal around Coby or PWill and matching salaries could potentially be a competitive offer at that point.

there is zero chance that coby white and pat williams are the core of a deal for jimmy butler. not unless one or both of them blossoms first. and it would probably require jimmy to start to slip...which is why bulls management didn't want to gamble on maxing him out in the first place!

The last time he was traded, he was traded for Josh Richardson, Whiteside, and a 1st round pick. The time before that he was traded for Covington and Saric. His trade value is only going to keep getting worse, so I do believe that White/Williams would be a competitive base for a trade.

[FecesOfDeath]

General Soreness is more likely to end up in Sacramento than Chicago.

[DASMACKDOWN]

I cant say I am surprised the Heat lost. Im more surprised how they were swept. That first game was neck and neck till that Middleton jumper. But after that it was a laugher.

I think its more an indication of how flukey the playoffs were for the Heat in the bubble. They really had no business making the finals last year. This season sort of proved it.

[dice]

We should monitor the Heat in the off-season. You don't get swept in the first round after being in the finals and return without any significant changes. Dragic may not have his option picked up...and if it is, he'll almost certainly be used as a trade chip. Same with Iggy.

That said, I really think we should keep an eye on what happens with Butler. There's a good chance that Shams' report of friction between he and the coaching staff/team was real and that's only going to be exacerbated by a sweep. It won't help things either if Jimmy's being a dick while playing meh. I think they'll likely try and make it work for one more year, but with Jimmy you never know.

If Jimmy is shopped, we expect that his trade value will be lower than it's ever been in part because he's older but more importantly because he's been traded so many times now. A deal around Coby or PWill and matching salaries could potentially be a competitive offer at that point.

there is zero chance that coby white and pat williams are the core of a deal for jimmy butler. not unless one or both of them blossoms first. and it would probably require jimmy to start to slip...which is why bulls management didn't want to gamble on maxing him out in the first place!

The last time he was traded, he was traded for Josh Richardson, Whiteside, and a 1st round pick. The time before that he was traded for Covington and Saric.

the last time he was going to leave anyway as a free agent. the time before that he forced his way out

yes, if jimmy forces his way out of miami and chicago is inexplicably an acceptable destination for him, his trade value would indeed be quite low