Around the NBA: 2021-22 Season Thread

[GTR11]

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[MrDollarBills]

Watching the Bucks and Celtics play make me think that unless there are substantial changes in personnel, attitude and coaching, we aren't beating either of these teams.

Giannis is a better player than Durant at this point. Tatum isn't too far behind

[gigantes]

Watching the Bucks and Celtics play make me think that unless there are substantial changes in personnel, attitude and coaching, we aren't beating either of these teams.

Giannis is a better player than Durant at this point. Tatum isn't too far behind

I only catch Bucks' games here and there, but just watching Giannis operate, and noticing how he's progressed over the years... just, damn.

Specifically, he puts so much damn pressure on a defense in every conceivable way, i.e. his really-sharp passing, quick decision-making, a load of height and physical strength, and then the snake-like athleticism & ability to finish in a variety of dominant ways. I'm kinda wracking my brain trying to think of someone like him, and I'm not sure there ever was such a player.

Well, I guess Shaq had the most similarities. Another very good big-man passer, altho probably not nearly as creative as Giannis, but better at purely bullying defenders. Still, Giannis is like this chain-wrestler who quickly, relentlessly probes for weaknesses until he finds what he's looking for. He doesn't loaf around like Shaq did a lot, and he can hurt you in far more ways. It's gotta be exhausting playing against him.

* Wilt might be a better comparison, but all I know is grainy footage

Indeed, someone on r/NBA yesterday was making the point that part of the reason the Bucks are so good as a team is because Giannis is sort of this inspirational warrior-type who his teammates love playing behind. I'm paraphrasing, and maybe that's off a bit, but it's hard to argue if I'm his teammate.

Nothing against Durant or most other superstars, but few play so intensely and dominantly.

Many posters also pointed out the last two days that Giannis is also so much cannier and more publicly pragmatic than someone like Embiid, who wasn't wrong in his public statements, but who probably never should have made them as the team leader. Giannis is really clever at putting things in terms of a joke or an anecdote, another way he's maybe underestimated.

/essay, bah

[TheNetsFan]

https://youtu.be/mYlhXCBug8Q

Biid definitely threw some bombs out there. Not going to lie guys. I'm a fan of his now. I've been shaky on it, but now I'm a fan of his.

Absolutely not. Embiid is a choke artist that consistently throws his teammates under the bus publicly. He's not a leader.

[MrDollarBills]

Watching the Bucks and Celtics play make me think that unless there are substantial changes in personnel, attitude and coaching, we aren't beating either of these teams.

Giannis is a better player than Durant at this point. Tatum isn't too far behind

I only catch Bucks' games here and there, but just watching Giannis operate, and noticing how he's progressed over the years... just, damn.

Specifically, he puts so much damn pressure on a defense in every conceivable way, i.e. his really-sharp passing, quick decision-making, a load of height and physical strength, and then the snake-like athleticism & ability to finish in a variety of dominant ways. I'm kinda wracking my brain trying to think of someone like him, and I'm not sure there ever was such a player.

Well, I guess Shaq had the most similarities. Another very good big-man passer, altho probably not nearly as creative as Giannis, but better at purely bullying defenders. Still, Giannis is like this chain-wrestler who quickly, relentlessly probes for weaknesses until he finds what he's looking for. He doesn't loaf around like Shaq did a lot, and he can hurt you in far more ways. It's gotta be exhausting playing against him.

* Wilt might be a better comparison, but all I know is grainy footage

Indeed, someone on r/NBA yesterday was making the point that part of the reason the Bucks are so good as a team is because Giannis is sort of this inspirational warrior-type who his teammates love playing behind. I'm paraphrasing, and maybe that's off a bit, but it's hard to argue if I'm his teammate.

Nothing against Durant or most other superstars, but few play so intensely and dominantly.

Many posters also pointed out the last two days that Giannis is also so much cannier and more publicly pragmatic than someone like Embiid, who wasn't wrong in his public statements, but who probably never should have made them as the team leader. Giannis is really clever at putting things in terms of a joke or an anecdote, another way he's maybe underestimated.

/essay, bah

The reads Giannis makes when the defense doubles him are so on point. Everytime he touches the ball he's either punishing the defense with his rim attacks or creating shots for others. He's absolutely unselfish and is humble enough to be coachable and play within Bud's system.

Hard to take KD and Kyrie seriously when you see guys younger than them doing all the right things and succeeding while they're out of the play offs.

[GTR11]

https://youtu.be/mYlhXCBug8Q

Biid definitely threw some bombs out there. Not going to lie guys. I'm a fan of his now. I've been shaky on it, but now I'm a fan of his.

Absolutely not. Embiid is a choke artist that consistently throws his teammates under the bus publicly. He's not a leader.

He kept it 100 though. No sugercoating anything, dropped entire organization under the bus .

Philthy definitely underachieving, saying Biid is a choker is a push though. He is Dirk 2.0, great player who needs help.

Huge mistake was breaking that Jimmy, Biid, JJ, Toby and Ben team. They were one unlucky bounce away from winning chip or being dynasty team. I think Biid is realizing it now and giving last chance to Philthy. I think him bouncing to Miami has legs to it. Add the fact they'll be looking to trade for spida, he's out.

[gigantes]

The reads Giannis makes when the defense doubles him are so on point. Everytime he touches the ball he's either punishing the defense with his rim attacks or creating shots for others. He's absolutely unselfish and is humble enough to be coachable and play within Bud's system.

Hard to take KD and Kyrie seriously when you see guys younger than them doing all the right things and succeeding while they're out of the play offs.

Hmm, I was going to try to go to bat for KD right there, but TBH his devotion to Kyrie's foolishness has been a truly awful look. Maybe Durant could be a better team-leader in general too, I don't know. Guess you'd have to be down in the trenches to make an accurate assessment.

Otherwise I don't know what else he can do, and it's an absolute miracle his body has held up so far after being chronically overplayed by Nash. 34yo to start next season, and he's still playing like this. It really is amazing.

I'm kind of tired of being so harsh on Marks lately, but one thing I hope he retroactively asks himself is-- if his 'grand plan' was indeed to win a title, then why did he sign two guys who bailed on a pair of championship teams and an elite team between them?

Seriously, so much of what they've done as a duo is to show that winning a title is certainly not their top priority. Guess it must be nice.

[MrDollarBills]

Udoka takes the Celtics to the East Finals in his 1st season.

Nash in his second season gets swept in the first round.

Joe Tsai is satisfied with this?

[therealbig3]

It’s freaking awesome seeing Dinwiddie play well and contribute to a winning team in a game 7 when they need him most.

Will always root for him. And it’s great seeing him bounce back from his ACL injury.

Should have kept him over Kyrie.

[therealbig3]

Lol, Kyrie and Durant going down in flames in a 1st round sweep in which they both played awful despite both being relatively healthy is 100% legacy damaging. Because neither one had actually proven they could win as the man on their own team, there was always the question of if they could do it without an MVP in their prime next to them…and they pretty much proved they couldn’t.

[MrDollarBills]

Lol, Kyrie and Durant going down in flames in a 1st round sweep in which they both played awful despite both being relatively healthy is 100% legacy damaging. Because neither one had actually proven they could win as the man on their own team, there was always the question of if they could do it without an MVP in their prime next to them…and they pretty much proved they couldn’t.

Yep. It's hard to take either of them seriously with the way they flamed out. They don't want to be coached, play team basketball and win. Nothing they've shown this season remotely suggests that.

Watching guys like Butler, Tatum, Giannis and Luka play makes me lose all respect for both of them.

This situation is going to get blown up at some point because as of right now i can't fathom this team winning with a mid 30s Durant and two basketcases like Kyrie and Ben. On top of not having a qualified coach at the helm.

[MrDollarBills]

Look at Jason Kidd coaching his team to the conference finals and this is WITH Luka missing games. Meanwhile Nash can't even adjust against a simple trap scheme with a healthy Durant and Irving.

I'm so sick

[gigantes]

Look at Jason Kidd coaching his team to the conference finals and this is WITH Luka missing games. Meanwhile Nash can't even adjust against a simple trap scheme with a healthy Durant and Irving.

I'm so sick

Oh, fluff that, Bill.
That's just too goldurn cynical for me, sane?

Let's forget the Nets, just for a little while.

The J's, Ime, Kidd... all that's what WINNING looks like.

[Gooner]

Udoka takes the Celtics to the East Finals in his 1st season.

Nash in his second season gets swept in the first round.

Joe Tsai is satisfied with this?

Nash has a lot of buddies in this club. He is cool with Marks, Tsai and KD. That's all the protection that he needs. I don't think you can win the championship with a buddy-buddy culture.

[gigantes]

Holy *^!@*&# fluffle-burgers, what a season by Luka, Kidd, and that team.

The past offseason, Luka's all but anointed by the press as the next MVP, then comes in out of shape and inefficient. Kidd is widely viewed as a 'turrible' coach, ripe for the chopping block ASAP. And now this...



Like... MAN... I can't remember the last time I've seen a duo outright mess with peoples' heads like this.

[Stone]

It is reassuring knowing the league has a good amount of young talent. I'd like to see a Celtics - Mavericks finals.

[MrDollarBills]

It is reassuring knowing the league has a good amount of young talent. I'd like to see a Celtics - Mavericks finals.

That's what I'm pulling for.

[GTR11]

Holy *^!@*&# fluffle-burgers, what a season by Luka, Kidd, and that team.

The past offseason, Luka's all but anointed by the press as the next MVP, then comes in out of shape and inefficient. Kidd is widely viewed as a 'turrible' coach, ripe for the chopping block ASAP. And now this...



Like... MAN... I can't remember the last time I've seen a duo outright mess with peoples' heads like this.

It's deja vu, last time it was same team led by Carlisle and Dirk. No one gave them chance until they spanked KD, Kobe and LBJ to win the chip.

[NetsWorld]

It is reassuring knowing the league has a good amount of young talent. I'd like to see a Celtics - Mavericks finals.

I don't know what's more embarrassing, Celtics winning a ring after decimating KD and the Nets or Steph winning another ring without KD. KD's dumbass got so comfortable with Kyrie that his reputation may be "temporarily" blemished by a potential second Curry ring without Mr. You know who I am. Good job Kevin, keep hooping for fun and let Kyrie do what he wants as us Nets fans have to endure this crap. Udoka/D'Antoni left this crapola of an organization because it was player driven. Proky seems quiet these days.

[MrDollarBills]

It is reassuring knowing the league has a good amount of young talent. I'd like to see a Celtics - Mavericks finals.

I don't know what's more embarrassing, Celtics winning a ring after decimating KD and the Nets or Steph winning another ring without KD. KD's dumbass got so comfortable with Kyrie that his reputation may be "temporarily" blemished by a potential second Curry ring without Mr. You know who I am. Good job Kevin, keep hooping for fun and let Kyrie do what he wants as us Nets fans have to endure this crap. Udoka/D'Antoni left this crapola of an organization because it was player driven. Proky seems quiet these days.

KD really let Kyrie tarnish his legacy.

To me, it would be more fun winning championships as opposed to just hooping for the hell of it, but that's what KD wants to do these days.

Three years, and absolutely nothing to show for it. He'll be 34 next season. Meanwhile, Giannis and Tatum aren't even near their peak levels. Luka just put the NBA on notice. You think a KD/Kyrie led team is beating any of these guys?

We're cooked