Nòmades D'en Ricky. The Grey Havens.

[JonFromVA]

List of players capable to run after Trae Young and Lou Williams one game to end up guarding Sabonis at the post at every switch the game after:



End of the list.

Hah, I wouldn't put it past Marcus Smart.

[El Hespiritu]

Smartacus lacks La Mar size and weight so he only guards Bigs when frontal p'n'roll defense forces him.
Udoka (like Brad Implicator before) rather prefers sending some Jay to switch Centers.

J.B. sent La Mar to get Sabonis after each indirect screen designed to free him elsewhere at court.
They were baiting Pacers into a 'fake mismatch'.

Worked nicely.

[El Hespiritu]

Most value lost For H&S Protocols (no shampoo pun intended) according ESPN

Cleveland Cavaliers
1,110 minutes lost (3rd in NBA)
2.6 WARP lost (1st in NBA)

[PharmD]

Missing Ricky, watching this classic

Watch on YouTube

[El Hespiritu]

At least we still have La Mar.

[El Hespiritu]

RR II first minutes as a CLECau were unimpressive but hopeful.
He didn't look specially good at shooting or defense but he sorta knew to run team plays with little to none team practice.

Now that's impressive.

Best possible RRondo (I don't mean that 'PO Rondo' stuff... just his sustainable best level when he's healthy, gets in rhythm and motivated enough) should be a modestly efficient scorer, a proficient defender (even tough at times) and one of few NBA guards alive who can actually rule the whole tempo of a game.

Supposed Garlandas does't take a major step right now (unlikely; he did yet a Big Deal Step and got himself into AS level... will be hard enough to mantain so we cannot ask him to grow HOF level same season), Cleveland's chances to make some NOISE at post-season will hugely depend if we can see best version of RR II.

I think we could had have that NOISE with best version of RR I but water under the bridge.

I'm not expecting Klay to be particularly determinant tonight... I'd even put him in minutes restriction. It's good enough to see him healthy and playing again.

And still Gwarriors are strong candidates to best NBA team right now with or without him.

Winning them would be not properly a miracle but certainly some surprise.

Addendum: we waived Tacko to keep Goodwin.
Can't say that makes me happy but I know it's bussiness and decisions and I don't dislike BuenaVictoria.

[El Hespiritu]

You all know I love La Mar.
More than any of you or even more than all of you altogether.

That said:

If La Mar is your best player at court on a given game, either you're playing against a weak team or you're having big problems.
Humongous.

I'll put this game into the RR I out + RR II still figuring out bag of blame and I'll move on.

[JonFromVA]

If La Mar is your best player at court on a given game, either you're playing against a weak team or you're having big problems.

Draymond Green nearly won 2016 finals MVP because our defensive strategy was to ignore him (and other Warriors) out at the 3pt line so we could help against players who were actual threats.

JBB can go with defense over floor spacing and we can try to grind out wins, but our rebounding has to get better and we have to eliminate turnovers. Not to mention, but the grit & grind Grizzlies (JBB's model?) were also very good at creating turnovers and grabbing offensive rebounds.

[El Hespiritu]

Are you actually buying La Mar?

YAAAAASSSS!!!

[El Hespiritu]

Rudyless Utah Jazz played Bogy at PF...

... and Royce O'Neal at the Center.

Obviously isn't working.

[El Hespiritu]

La Mar Stevens

23 pts / 7 rbs / 1 ast
75% 2p
50% 3p
Defensa Spida Mitchell

I TOLD Y'ALL!!

[toooskies]

La Mar Stevens

23 pts / 7 rbs / 1 ast
75% 2p
50% 3p
Defensa Spida Mitchell

I TOLD Y'ALL!!

He might not give Okoro the starting spot back.

[El Hespiritu]

Knowing J.B., Kokoro will be starter again in the very moment he be available.

[JonFromVA]

Knowing J.B., Kokoro will be starter again in the very moment he be available.

I wouldn't worry about his minutes if he continues to produce 20 & 10 night in and night out ... but until that happens, of course Isaac would return and start. Lamar is just starting to match what Isaac had been producing, they have similar measurables; but Stevens is 3.5 years older.

Also Isaac's ability to guard smaller players is more valuable at SG than Steven's ability to guard larger players.

[El Hespiritu]

I don't actually visualize J.B. offering starter spots based on 20-10 or years + months + weeks + since birthday.

My personal take based just in this season's games is La Mar not being less valuable than Kokoro when team must defend teams with smaller players at (theoretical) SG position but you see it otherwise and that's perfectly respectable.

I just know J.B. a bit, so my money is on Kokoro being starter again in the very moment he be available (Addedit: ...and out of minutes restriction).

And I'm not saying that's neither the right nor the wrong call, mark you.
Just I don't think those are the reasons.

[JonFromVA]

Mostly JBB really likes Isaac Okoro and that's more than enough short of Isaac playing tragically bad or LaMar playing incredibly good.

[El Hespiritu]

CLECaus At Eastern Conference:

2nd in wins
1st in net rating
1st in defensive rating
1st in avg. score differential
1st in opponent scoring
1st in interior FG% allowed
1st in secondary/potential assists
1st in paint scoring
1st in +/-
1st in win streak



Bulls with neither Lonzo nor Zach.
Alex Caruso in.

We still miss La Mar and RRondo.

If we play tough enough, we'll win.

[El Hespiritu]

CLECaus 104 - Bulls 117

I remember they mic'ed some PHX Suns huddle during last PO, in a game where the opponent was over-hustling Phoenix.
These were Monty Williams' words:

-No way they're playing tougher than us!
We can take they nailing shots, we can take they doing great plays...
BUT NO DAMNED WAY THEY'RE PLAYING TOUGHER THAN US!!

J.B. could use it.

[El Hespiritu]

Prestigious W against reasonably healthy Bucks.

RRondo still hesitant in game command but defending decently at least.
We all knew shooting ain0t his best skill.

Amor & Ce Dios are our underdog All Star.
They both alone are more productive than the entire second unit lineups from half the League.

TweedleDean holds forth decently in absence of Laurita.
Shout out to EDavis professionalism, manning up and doing well last game just to return for garbage time today.

Everything good saving those scary minutes when Garlandas starts moving like a robot and putting his hand over his kidneys, making J.B. to call for substitution and/or preventive Time Out.

It's happening more often game after game.

[JonFromVA]

My first thought was we were seeing the end of our miracle season. Don't know what they did for him in the locker-room, but he seemed good as new when he came back out until he twisted and irritated his back again on a layup. Then they fixed that!

Cudos to the bench for not becoming as instantly depressed as I was seeing that, and stepping up big time while he was out; and cudos to JBB for getting the guys to adjust and stop the 3pt barrage the Bucks opened the game with as well as counter Giannis's one man assault on the hoop.

I just hope Darius doesn't seriously hurt his back trying to play through whatever is going on with his back. I'm sure all the amateur physicians will be chiming in soon enough whether this looks more like some sort of muscle issue or disc problem. If this is the usual disc impinging on a nerve, he can in theory play through the pain that causes while getting physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the disc to try to keep it contained ... but it could take a long time.

Maybe someone who attends the games can comment, but I haven't noticed Kevin doing anything special to cope with his back this season. Maybe he's finally in a good place with it? If so, it took years.