2023-2024 NBA Thread

[Pendulous]

Jazz/Sixers game went into overtime, number one seed in the east and number one seed in the west. ESPN instead decides to air the Nets blowing out the Rockets, because of course they did.

[xskarma]

Jazz/Sixers game went into overtime, number one seed in the east and number one seed in the west. ESPN instead decides to air the Nets blowing out the Rockets, because of course they did.

But Pend, the DRAMA, James Harden against his old team. The intrigue, the scandals, THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW.

/s

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Toronto Raptors hit a bazillion clutch 3s, but Celtics managed to hold on and win. Thank fuck for that.

All Star break now.

[xskarma]

Actually watching the All Star Game stuff. 3 Point contest starting about now.

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Steph Curry is still the absolute best shooter ever. Shot like shit in the 2nd round of the 3point Contest to start and still finished it up hitting nearly everything and getting the win.

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It's a shame Kevin Durant can't play, but honestly, Team Lebron would have won this All Star Game pretty convincingly anyway I think. LeBron, for whatever faults you may ascribe to him, he;s a pretty savvy evaluator of talent and a good team builder. Not sure how you let him get Giannis AND Steph Curry AND Dame Lillard.

[StillMcfuu]

The NBA needs to either drop the Dunk contest, massively refresh its concept, or offer some kind of big reward/incentive and make it invitation only with requirements.

The only reason the guys that were in this contest are even in the NBA is because of covid and teams needing a swollen roster of g leaguers.

I have 2 thoughts on a change:
1. Open the contest to outside talent, make it a big reward to that talent. If NBA players want to join in to "defend their turf" then fine. But let talent actual come in and put on a show. Guys that jump high and get 5 mins of playing time aren't necessarily good dunkers, and since the crowd already doesn't give a shit about these guys, at least have the crowd know them for their dunks after the fact. Shit, they should let NCAA athletes in, could you imagine the profile a first rounder could get by winning the dunk contest before they make the league! Of course pay these guys for being there and putting on a show.

2. Massive incentives, make the dunk champion the face of the nba in some respects for branding. Make participating and winning a modifier to contracts, being an all-star already gets you a minimum contract, make the dunk contest, especially multi year participants, get a 500k/1m pay bump. Either through their team or have the nba pay them (such as the branding idea). Maybe have allstar break patches for players. Nothing huge, but dunk contest champion gets a little crown above the NBA patch on their jersey, skills and 3pt contest could do the same. This would also make their own merch sell better in the NBA store and make them more valuable. Special edition jerseys for the half year until the season is over. Not going to lie, this actual sounds like a pretty dope idea that helps the player and league, raising prestige of merch.

Idea 3. Fucking cancel the contest until guys are back asking to do it. I know Gordon or Lavine weren't massive stars when they were in the contest, but they were on the rise. These guys might not be in the league next year except for maybe Simon's.

[Pendulous]

Yeah it's kinda sad. I only watched the highlight videos after, but I was more excited for the three-point contest than the dunk contest, by a long shot.

[Logwyn]

Actually watching the All Star Game stuff. 3 Point contest starting about now.

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Steph Curry is still the absolute best shooter ever. Shot like shit in the 2nd round of the 3point Contest to start and still finished it up hitting nearly everything and getting the win.
.

S. Curry doesn't even break into the top 250 in FG% in the NBA.
https://www.basketball-reference.com...ct_career.html
He's 7th in 3pt%.

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The NBA needs to either drop the Dunk contest, massively refresh its concept, or offer some kind of big reward/incentive and make it invitation only with requirements.

Everything that can pretty much be done has been done as far as dunking goes. Unless you want that stupid crap like jumping off cars, with mascots riding piggyback, and other circus nonsense.

Maybe raise it to 11 or 12 feet and see who can do what can be done on 10feet?

[Espo]

S. Curry doesn't even break into the top 250 in FG% in the NBA.
https://www.basketball-reference.com...ct_career.html
He's 7th in 3pt%.

You aren't trying to compare his FG % to a bunch of players who make their living in the paint or post and take high percentage shots all day, are you? A quick glance at that list shows Shaq in the top 10--a man who can barely make a free throw. I can't even begin to describe how misguided that comparison is.

Not to mention just about everyone in the vicinity of Steph on 3 pt % is a role player/specialist who doesn't have anywhere near the heat on them that Steph does every night.

I kind of hope you're trolling if you think Steph Curry isn't one of the best shooters to ever play. Or maybe I've watched an alternate reality NBA over my life. Hitting the shots that Steph does, at the volume he does, with the attention he gets is generational.

[xskarma]

Some turn around for the Celtics these couple of days. They go from facing probably the worst team in the league, with half their team out (Rockets) to what might be the best team in the league right now (The Jazz).

Going to be interesting to see if we can put up a better fight than last time. At least we are home this time.

[Pendulous]

I can't wait to watch Donovan Mitchell go 9/27 again in a loss when his teammates were on fire.

[xskarma]

I don't get the Celtics. Lose a close one to the best team in the league right now, and then turn around and utterly shit the bed against the Cavs.

I said it last season after the playoffs ended for the Celtics that they were just way too inconsistent and their focus and winning determination were hot and cold.

It's been a short offseason obviously, but none of that seems to have changed, despite the fact both our star players now made the All Star team.

I just feel like the Celtics probably need to fall flat on their face and have a moment in the offseason where their inner fire sparks and they decide that the inconsistency needs to be done.

It won;t be pretty and it means we wasted having Kemba on the team most likely, but this team needs a kick in the rear either from itself or from the front office.

SOMETHING needs to happen cause continuing like this is just frustrating to watch.

[Pendulous]

Everywhere I'm seeing is saying that they just give up in the fourth quarter for some reason. Which is consistent with what happened against the Jazz, game was close til then.

[xskarma]

Trade Deadline approaching. Not looking forward to it.

Celtics options are bad, except probably Harrison Barnes, and the Kings seem to not want to move him.

Celtics themselves are bad too and seemingly nothing is getting them out of the slump they are in this year. Not sure a trade will be of any help in that regard when there's really not any players out there that will make a meaningful difference compared to what we have on the roster.

All Celtics can do is change around 1 or 2 inefficient pieces for a minor upgrade at 1 position, and the effect on getting to the playoffs and playing to their potential will be negligable, I feel.

We'll see what happens I guess, but I think what this team needs most is a long break to get their heads straight and their energy right.

[xskarma]

Celtics ended up trading for G Evan Fournier and moving out C Daniel Theis, mostly to free up minutes for Robert Williams at C and to have more scoring off the bench, to help lessen the load on the starters.

The idea being that they can now always have at least 2 of Tatum/Brown/Kemba/Fournier on the floor for scoring and then still have quality bench minutes from Smart and the young guys. This should then in theory lead to better defense cause the starters are not constantly having to carry that load.

The downside to all this is that Fournier is an expiring contract, so we once again face uncertainty in the offseason to see if a player will stick with us at the end of their contract.

I'm not against signing back Fournier in the offseason if there's chemistry with the rest of the team and he fills his role like we expect him to, but worst comes to worst, we might also be able to do a sign and trade next offseason and create another TPE, basically starting this year's dance all over again.

We'll see how it works out. I'm not unhappy with the moves, but I also don't think it will make a meaningful difference with regards to this season. It's definitely an improvement for the future though.

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Celtics have the highest number of player minutes missed due to Covid this season.

Evan Fournier joins the team and before he can do anything, he gets added to the health and safety protocols.

Can't catch any breaks this season.

[Pendulous]

Lotta jazz things happened today. They're the first team to clinch the playoffs. No surprise with the best record. Yet it's bittersweet as Donovan Mitchell rolled his ankle. He's been on a tear lately, averaging something like 29 points since the all-star break. Also, Dwyane Wade is now part owner of the Jazz, for some reason. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...nts-hands-role

[StillMcfuu]

Lotta jazz things happened today. They're the first team to clinch the playoffs. No surprise with the best record. Yet it's bittersweet as Donovan Mitchell rolled his ankle. he's been on a tear lately, averaging something like 29 points since the all-star break. Also, Dwyane Wade is not part owner of the Jazz, for some reason. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...nts-hands-role

Its been an odd week or two, Mitchell will hopefully be back in fairly short order. With Murray going down, unless MPJ steps up and becomes the wing that everyone though he would turn into, Nuggets are going to struggle, probably by the second round. Who even knows whats happening in Laker-land. Suns are strong and looking stronger daily. I was dark horse calling for the suns to be in the playoffs last year, which they almost and probably should have made. This year I called suns in the playoffs , but nothing above 5-8. Suns, Jazz, Lakers ... I feel they all have equal chance to be in the finals. And that's not forgetting Portland who aren't even in their final form.

[xskarma]

In Celtics news: We are still constantly missing players due to Covid and Injury, but that's no excuse for the awful way the Celtics play at times. No excuse at all.

Jayson Tatum has been scoring decently, but in his last 4 games he;s turned it over 19 times. 19!

It's just inconsistent nonsense like that, that has the Celtics struggling week after week. We're tied for 6th in the East, and honestly, that's probably where we belong.

I forsee us being in the play-in game and probably winning and then getting up against some actually good team in the first round and just being inconsistent again and flaming out in like 5 or 6 games.

I'd love the Celtics to turn it on in the Playoffs, but when you have been inconsistent all year and were inconsistent in the Bubble last year too, then there's no reason to think you won;t be inconsistent in the playoffs again this year too.

I hope Celtics do well, but I'm also kind of looking forward to these guys getting a nice long off-season to think about everything that went wrong and how they can improve. They needed it before this season, and they sure as hell need it now.

[StillMcfuu]

They need to keep the crack pipe out of Draymond's hand until after the post game conference.

[Pendulous]

Big game Friday. With both Phoenix and Utah winning tonight (historic win by Utah, most points every in regulation in team history, widest margin of victory in team history), Suns are a game down in the west and can take the number one spot by beating Utah. Jazz won't have Donovan Mitchell again, and possibly won't have Mike Conley.

[Crissi]

The KP trade should be known as the THJ trade. what a performance.

[StillMcfuu]

The KP trade should be known as the THJ trade. what a performance.

KP is either the poster boy for the dangers of ACL injuries and how it affects physical and mental performance... or he is the poster boy for a good player on a bad team, performing really well relative to the talent vacuum he exists in.
I think the reality is it's a bit of both.