2023-2024 NBA Thread

[Blueobelisk]

Omg I watched some of the HOU NOP game today and I can't fucking wait for Sunday day games again. I don't like watching basketball late at night but Sunday/Saturday afternoons would be perfect for it.

[Pendulous]

Here you go Blue https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1...045100034?s=21

New York is parting ways with President Steve Mills, league source tells ESPN.

[Blueobelisk]

Hmmmmm. I wonder if that would fix things. Maybe?

[Pendulous]

Denver on the road, second game of a back-to-back, with only seven active players. One of those players is playing hurt, another went 0-13.

How the holy fuck do you lose to that?

[PokeKitty]

Omg Raptors almost lost to the Pacers, 12 win streaks.

Tomorrow let see if they win again!

Im wondering how far deep in the playoffs will this team go without Kawhi.

[xskarma]

D'Angelo Russel era in Golden State already over. Traded him to Minnesota.

Going to be an interesting final 90 min to the Trade Deadline I think.

[StillMcfuu]

Morris went to Clippers, that's a big veteran player who will definitely improve the Clips even more. Surprised Lakers haven't made any moves, I think ultimately they are too locked up with their current roster. I think a Kuz/Morris trade would have benefited both teams. My real thoughts on the Lakers is they don't have everything they need to win a chip and holding on to a guy like Kuz might not work out in this year or the next for that chip run.

The DLo trade... I don't think that will work out for GS but Wiggins will at least be a fun guy to watch for them. Minnesota on the other hand, rumor has it (Mike Korzemba with actual evidence) Devin Booker will demand a trade to Minnesota in the off-season... and that's a fucking scary, very young big 3. The pick and roll between Kat and DLo is going to be great. Ohh and Kat is an actual 3 threat and will get the D out the paint for DLo to get off his floater game, which he hasn't really been able to do with GS roster. I'm still a bit pessimistic for them because that front office is best described as a mess.

Thoughts on Rockets dumping Capella? He is a very good player and well... People are saying they are going more small ball, but reality is they are just going more Harden offense, which we know is a disaster in the playoffs.

I'm not even sure who to say is going to be in the finals this year, both West and East. On the West I think the Clips look the strongest, especially after getting Morris, but I worry about their behind the scenes chemistry. In the East... I still have doubts about playoff Giannis and him not getting locked down again, the Celtics, Heat, and Sixers all have very strong defenses. I think this Bucks team is better than last year though, so I'll still pick them for the Finals. The only thing I am certain of is Embid will get Corona Virus and be non-existent in important games.

[StillMcfuu]

The Sixers need help. They didn't actually look like they gave a shit until 1:30 left in the game.
It was a stark contrast to the Bucks who played every possession like it was the Finals. Giannis is easy MVP right now.

Sixers need AI. They need heart and soul.

[-aiko-]

Jazz struggling. Difficult schedule though.


Has Kyrie still not played a game?

[Espo]

The Sixers need help. They didn't actually look like they gave a shit until 1:30 left in the game.
It was a stark contrast to the Bucks who played every possession like it was the Finals. Giannis is easy MVP right now.

Sixers need AI. They need heart and soul.

Fit issues aside, the Sixers still can be good. They've beaten most top teams in the NBA (save Clips/Rockets). But it's all at home, where they look like a juggernaut. They're a damn lottery team on the road.

That said--it's why I agree with you. There is just something mentally off about the team that causes that kind of swing. Embiid is hot & cold mentally--one night he's dominant and happy, the next he's lethargic and shooting 30%. Simmons goes from aggressive to passive seemingly quarter-to-quarter. You're spot on in the comparison to the Bucks. Giannis looks like he wants to ram the ball down your throat every single possession-he's a killer. The Sixers lost that with Jimmy.

I'm still holding out some hope though. The Robinson and Burks trade could be really good (great fits for their needs right now--reminds me of a better version of the Ilyasova/Belinelli trade a few years back). And the playoffs will slow things down in a way that favors them. But Shaq and Charles said it well last night--the Sixers are soft. If they first-round exit, I'm going to overreact and say they just need to blow it up and build a team that fits. Hard to believe they've potentially squandered all of the riches that Hinkie gave them.

[Blueobelisk]

All Star game is this weekend. I put it and a few other games in the coming month(s) on my calendar. Although I have no idea who even is in the All Star game.

[-aiko-]

https://streamable.com/zpdeq

Nothing but net.

[downnola]

Fit issues aside, the Sixers still can be good. They've beaten most top teams in the NBA (save Clips/Rockets). But it's all at home, where they look like a juggernaut. They're a damn lottery team on the road.

That said--it's why I agree with you. There is just something mentally off about the team that causes that kind of swing. Embiid is hot & cold mentally--one night he's dominant and happy, the next he's lethargic and shooting 30%. Simmons goes from aggressive to passive seemingly quarter-to-quarter. You're spot on in the comparison to the Bucks. Giannis looks like he wants to ram the ball down your throat every single possession-he's a killer. The Sixers lost that with Jimmy.

I'm still holding out some hope though. The Robinson and Burks trade could be really good (great fits for their needs right now--reminds me of a better version of the Ilyasova/Belinelli trade a few years back). And the playoffs will slow things down in a way that favors them. But Shaq and Charles said it well last night--the Sixers are soft. If they first-round exit, I'm going to overreact and say they just need to blow it up and build a team that fits. Hard to believe they've potentially squandered all of the riches that Hinkie gave them.

Two of the biggest problems the Sixers have is that they let Butler go and signed Horford. Butler is the kind of player they needed and you can see how disorganized the team is without his leadership. Bringing in another natural center to play next to Embiid was a huge mistake. Luckily, they've been able to adjust the lineup with Horford coming off the bench and it seems to have made a real difference in their win vs the Clippers. I'm not convinced they've turned the page and are going to go on a crazy run because I think the issues with the team are deeper than that, but I believe they've mapped out a winning formula.

Maturity and ego are their biggest problems. Embiid needs to grow up. He's a child who pouts when he doesn't get his way and I don't think he comes to every game ready to play. He lacks heart and grit but makes up for it at times with talent. When he tries he's one of the best (if not the best) in the league. The inconsistency is infuriating and his attitude is horrible.

Simmons can be frustrating at times because he simply refuses to shoot despite being asked by his HC to do so. He makes up for that by being an incredible defensive player (DPOY frontrunner if you ask me) and his freakish athleticism. I think Horford coming off the bench puts less pressure on needing Simmons to shoot the ball from the outside, so we probably don't really need him to shoot from the outside.

Their win vs the Clippers was nice, but I'd like to see them get some results on the road before I think some of the problems have been solved with the lineup changes.

[xskarma]

Montrezz Harrell of all people is the one keeping the Clippers in this game. He's been crucial on a number of occassions now. Seriously weird.

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Clippers-Celtics to OT. Good game so far, but this is seriously going to fuck with my sleep schedule again.

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Apparently OT is going to be played and won or lost from the free throw line...

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Man, it's been the Tatum party here in OT. He's been cooking. Both defense and offense.

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Double OT it seems...

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Hayward just won us the game in 2OT. Almost invisible all game, but in 2OT he suddenly made all the plays.

[ramayana1423]

Was at the Celtics game last night, Marcus and Tatum combining for 70 and the Celts winning is my heaven.

[xskarma]

Was at the Celtics game last night, Marcus and Tatum combining for 70 and the Celts winning is my heaven.

Wow, now THAT is something to be jealous of. I mean, any random regular season game is whatever, but a double OT match up against one of the top 3 teams in the supposedly dominant west AND getting to see Tatum just dominate the first OT and showing the NBA he's arrived. That's some game to go to.

[StillMcfuu]

Its nice they have the corpse of lilwayne out for this half time show.

[xskarma]

Its nice they have the corpse of lilwayne out for this half time show.

I had the sound off through out. xD

[StillMcfuu]

I had the sound off through out. xD

You didn't miss anything. He sounded worse than he looked and there is a reason why Chance the Rapper is only a familiar sounding name and no one can actually name a song he was in.

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Simmons and Embid play harder in the Allstar game than for the sixers.

[xskarma]

I like that Ben Simmons has gotten the better of Embiid twice now in this 4th quarter.

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Man, blue team is getting heated in a game that ultimately only benefits charity. Pretty wild for an allstar game.

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Blue team are fucking whiny. Every foul that happens they immediately get heated with the refs. Must be cause they have Harden on their team

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That's a block, not a goal tend.

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It's not left Lebron's hand yet when Giannis already blocks it.

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Helluva play eitherway.

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Would be nice if Red team could score here so we end up with a next team to score wins.

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Kiiiiiiiiinda unfair that it ends on free throws, after 2 team mates make a timing/communication play.

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Ha, he missed the first one. Come on, choke the second one too! let it go to FG!


Ah bum, he made it.

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Well, definitely entertaining 4th quarter.