NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[queridiculo]

It's really great to see Bobby Portis playing so well.

Funny that he wasn’t good enough to the Wizards for them to want to retain him, yet Bucks fans love him on a much better team.

How is that the case? Why?

He was a subpar starter with the Wizards that couldn't defend, didn't manage to perform consistently on offense and was looking for a contract north of $16 million a year.

He's a backup on the vet minimum for the Bucks that rebounds and can knock down 3s.

Not bringing back Portis was the absolute right choice to make, but that doesn't mean that the version that's playing for the Bucks wouldn't be a valuable contributor for the Wizards.

I suspect that any team that commits considerable long term money to him in free agency is likely going to regret that decision, he's miscast in a featured role.

[payitforward]

It's really great to see Bobby Portis playing so well.

Funny that he wasn’t good enough to the Wizards for them to want to retain him, yet Bucks fans love him on a much better team.

How is that the case? Why?

Well, for starters, he's shooting the 2 better, & he's shooting the 3 better. He's scoring more points on fewer possessions, so that his TS%, which was 53% for us (lousy), is now just under 60%.

Then too, he's also getting more defensive boards, more offensive boards, turning the ball over less, getting more steals, & fouling less.

Good for him! Maybe he's figured it out -- I hope so....

[payitforward]

(Portis is)... a backup on the vet minimum for the Bucks that rebounds and can knock down 3s....

This is not quite accurate -- not that it matters, really, but we might as well give the kid his due.

Portis is on a 2-year deal. He's making @$3.6m this year & has a player option for $3.8m. He's shooting the 2 pretty well too, not just the 3. He's having by far -- by a huge lot -- his best year!

But, this certainly is accurate!

...Not bringing back Portis was the absolute right choice to make....

[dobrojim]

And unless he is an remarkably quick healer, any chance ATL has is likely diminished,
probably a lot. This message brought to you by Capt Obvious.

Sometimes the obvious turns out to be wrong. Or non obvious things like
Giannis getting hurt rear their heads. MIL seemed to be rallying, or showing signs
(as per Marv, who btw, is clearly off his game although still better than many)
when Giannis went down. Whether they would have prevailed, who know?
Both series got more interesting after the last game.

Unclear to me which team, down a superstar leader, has the advantage.

[doclinkin]

And unless he is an remarkably quick healer, any chance ATL has is likely diminished,
probably a lot. This message brought to you by Capt Obvious.

Sometimes the obvious turns out to be wrong. Or non obvious things like
Giannis getting hurt rear their heads. MIL seemed to be rallying, or showing signs
(as per Marv, who btw, is clearly off his game although still better than many)
when Giannis went down. Whether they would have prevailed, who know?
Both series got more interesting after the last game.

Unclear to me which team, down a superstar leader, has the advantage.

It's Atlanta's depth vs Coach Bud's acumen.

[Kanyewest]

Clint Capella is now questionable as well.

[gambitx777]

Chris Paul going goku on they asses.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

[Dat2U]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

[gambitx777]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

Definitely, like honestly for real we made a bold move adding Russ and if it wasn't for Scott brooks that might have pushed us to ten more wins. Honestly 10 more isn't crazy we might be still alive right now with a better HC that's not out of the realm of possibility. So, a couple bold moves could push us to the next level for sure.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

[Ruzious]

Clint Capella is now questionable as well.

Wow. With the compressed nature of the season, I guess we should have expected a rash of injuries. This series is crazy - with the tension as well as the injuries.

[Ruzious]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

I sure didn't. Notice Crowder is one of those guys who does whatever it takes to win. He'll look bad with bad teams, but he always fits well on good teams.

[Dark Faze]

Clint isn't too bad off, he'll be back. The question is how well Trae can play when he's back.

If he looks good I give them a sneaky chance to overcome Phoenix tbh.

[80sballboy]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

I sure didn't. Notice Crowder is one of those guys who does whatever it takes to win. He'll look bad with bad teams, but he always fits well on good teams.

Crowder is one of the most underrated players in the league. Love his D and his confidence to make open shots. How the hell is he only 30?

However, CP3, whether it's because he's a bit of a douche and/or a great player, seems to will teams to victory. Especially in the regular season. If players would take his sh-t, he'd make a great coach down the road. As a player, I think he's one of the best point guards I've ever seen and I go back to Magic and Isaiah.

[nate33]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

The emergence of Aayton has been a revelation. He is no longer merely a rim-runner who can block a few shots. He's a legit force at both ends of the floor, and he has the agility to stay on the floor in a switching-scheme without being exploited. He's one of the 5 or 6 true centers in the league who doesn't get played off the floor in the playoffs.

[FAH1223]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

The emergence of Aayton has been a revelation. He is no longer merely a rim-runner who can block a few shots. He's a legit force at both ends of the floor, and he has the agility to stay on the floor in a switching-scheme without being exploited. He's one of the 5 or 6 true centers in the league who doesn't get played off the floor in the playoffs.

If Thomas Bryant got even average on defense plus a wing like Crowder/Craig, Rui stepping up and Russ not turning it over as much, we could make that leap in the East.

COULD.

But in reality, John Wall for CP3 + Gallo was the move to make in 2019.

[Illuminaire]

Did anyone anywhere think Phoenix would be in the NBA Finals this year by adding CP3 & Crowder to a 34-win team. Who says one or two bold moves can't put us in a similar situation?

They also added a healthy, lights-came-on-in-year-3 Deandre Ayton, who has been their 2nd most important player in the playoffs and is looking like the third best center in the entire league.

I don't think the Wizards have any young player who, even in the most optimistic of timelines, can make that kind of leap - and provide that kind of team wide impact.

Edit: Wrote this before seeing Nate already made this point. Doh.

[nate33]

They also added a healthy, lights-came-on-in-year-3 Deandre Ayton, who has been their 2nd most important player in the playoffs and is looking like the third best center in the entire league.

That's an interesting discussion. Where does Aayton rank among centers?

You have to put Jokic and Embiid ahead of him.

Davis is still better when healthy, but that's a big caveat. (And he doesn't play center that much.)

Would you rather have Aayton or Gobert? Aayton has made an impressive case. He didn't get played off the floor against the Clippers like Gobert did.

Aayton or Bam? Tough call. They're similar players in that both guys are so mobile that they can switch everything. Aayton is a better rebounder, but Bam is good enough offensively that you can run plays through him.

And that's really about it. I'd take Aayton over anyone else in the league.

[Ruzious]

They also added a healthy, lights-came-on-in-year-3 Deandre Ayton, who has been their 2nd most important player in the playoffs and is looking like the third best center in the entire league.

That's an interesting discussion. Where does Aayton rank among centers?

You have to put Jokic and Embiid ahead of him.

Davis is still better when healthy, but that's a big caveat. (And he doesn't play center that much.)

Would you rather have Aayton or Gobert? Aayton has made an impressive case. He didn't get played off the floor against the Clippers like Gobert did.

Aayton or Bam? Tough call. They're similar players in that both guys are so mobile that they can switch everything. Aayton is a better rebounder, but Bam is good enough offensively that you can run plays through him.

And that's really about it. I'd take Aayton over anyone else in the league.

I think Ayton has gone past Bam - because Miami was hurt by Bam refusing to look for his shot outside of 12 feet in the playoffs. The odd thing was - he's shown he can shoot well from 15 feet in - in the past. Maybe Bam makes those adjustments and goes ahead of Ayton again.

Brook Lopez is now the NBA's best center!

[nate33]

I haven't checked the stats or anything, but the "eye test" tells me that Okongwu is looking pretty good in Atlanta. I'm liking the minutes he is giving in these playoff games.

Man, Atlanta has a lot of young talent on that roster. Ideally, they consolidate a bunch of guys and try to land a disgruntled star. Could Kawhi be obtainable with some combination of picks, Collins, Reddish and Okongwu? That would be an easy contender: Trae, Bogdanovic, Hunter, Kawhi, Capela; with Huerter and Gallo off the bench.

[closg00]

Brook Lopez is now the NBA's best center!

I was like when I saw that stat line and was wondering who was guarding him, he absolutely feasted in the post.