Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #2

[Ice Man]

Because his production has been minimized in the playoffs.

Perhaps that will be an ongoing problem. But if OKC wants to move a 21 year old who averaged 18/9/7 this season per 36, I'd be happy to take a flier. Yes he's not a great shooter or particularly efficient scorer, but he has been improving on both accounts.

[Ice Man]

I feel like in the reg season this would have been called a foul, Okoro's hips collide with Tatum on the shot. But in the playoffs it's just incidental contact.
https://thehighlow.io/video/ids?ids=248Tsj

Truth is, the playoffs referees are not only letting bumping and hip checks slide by, being rationalized as "incidental contact," but there has even been a fair amount of hand checking. Defenders are putting their arms out on the perimeter, with few calls being made. Whatever memo was sent out by the league, it was a strong one.

[Jcool0]

Josh Giddey is traded this off season, book it. They probably should have traded him last season though.

Why

Because his production has been minimized in the playoffs.

Because they aren't playing him. He only played in 12 minutes the last game, maybe its a match up thing with Dallas? I agree they will probably look to off load him this off season. He was to good last season to trade. For whatever reason he seems to have regressed this year. Probably needs the ball more and wont get that on OKC.

[drosestruts]

what a choke by Dallas. Gotta make your free throws. 11 missed free throws in the game.

Also the whole team interview thing OKC does annoys me for some reason that I'm unable to describe. Perhaps I just hate fun.

I still think Dallas wins this.

Pretty bad game by a lot of players on both sides.

Good second round so far overall.

[ChiefILL53]

Giddey is definitely getting traded. I'd take a flier on him for his handling abilities. He's basically a big PG that cant shoot but has been improving. Have him be the main ballhandler with coby playing offball and sharing duties.

[2weekswithpay]

Haliburton's defense is awful. It's disappointing that someone with his size is a complete sieve. The Knicks were putting him in screening actions on almost every possession.

[League Circles]

If Thibbs gets this Knicks team to the ECF he might be the best coach of all time. Not trying to trash them, but IMO it's really hard to argue that their talent matches their success, which is a testament to Thibbs.

[dumbell78]

Jokic doing Jokic things on mvp night no less. Just a monster. Still looking for MPJ, anyone see him?

[Ice Man]

Jokic doing Jokic things on mvp night no less. Just a monster.

Jokic is Thanos. Which explains my TNT crew comments on another thread. Shaq tells Jokic he should not be this year's MVP. Other people's reactions are, well I don't know what their reactions are, but they're not mine. MIne is "This show is too dumb for me to waste my time." So I don't watch.

Perhaps harsh, but you can't deny that anybody who claims that Jokic should not be the MVP is either trolling or having trouble understanding the game of basketball. Those are the only two choices.

I often dog Stacey but in fairness Stacey never says stuff like that.

[_txchilibowl_]

Giddey is definitely getting traded. I'd take a flier on him for his handling abilities. He's basically a big PG that cant shoot but has been improving. Have him be the main ballhandler with coby playing offball and sharing duties.

Sounds like you just described Ben Simmons.

[ChiefILL53]

Giddey is definitely getting traded. I'd take a flier on him for his handling abilities. He's basically a big PG that cant shoot but has been improving. Have him be the main ballhandler with coby playing offball and sharing duties.

Sounds like you just described Ben Simmons.

I disagree. Simply cuz Ben never showed confidence in his shooting outside of summer open runs at the local gym, let alone improved shooting spits. At least giddey will still shoot it lol.

[DASMACKDOWN]

Jokic doing Jokic things on mvp night no less. Just a monster.

Jokic is Thanos. Which explains my TNT crew comments on another thread. Shaq tells Jokic he should not be this year's MVP. Other people's reactions are, well I don't know what their reactions are, but they're not mine. MIne is "This show is too dumb for me to waste my time." So I don't watch.

Perhaps harsh, but you can't deny that anybody who claims that Jokic should not be the MVP is either trolling or having trouble understanding the game of basketball. Those are the only two choices.

I often dog Stacey but in fairness Stacey never says stuff like that.

There really isnt any reason why he shouldn't be other than voter fatigue. I think we all would have been fine with SGA or others winning. But basically its one of those if he wins, you say cool. Its never "he doesn't deserve it". When someone is that dominant, its sort of irrefutable.

To me only Embiid and Jokic are the two players teams cant do anything about. You can actually wall Giannis. Hard but that is a strategy. With Embiid and Jokic, you only hope they have bad games. In Embiids case, hope he isnt 100% healthy. Which unfortunately is every playoff series.

[ChiefILL53]

I think Jokic shoulda won last year, but they gave it to Embiid due to voter fatigue. My theory is this year it was a strong case that SGA shoulda won it, but the voters gave it to Jokic to make up for Embiid's win.

[sco]

I can't believe the Knicks are winning playoff games with solid play out of journeymen that have thrived under Thibs. Leon Rose deserves GM of the year. I mean I was pining for both Brunson and Hartenstein, but I never saw Hart and Donte stepping up like this. Add in what they've gotten out of Precious, Bogey and Burke - sorta amazing.

[Ice Man]

I think Jokic shoulda won last year, but they gave it to Embiid due to voter fatigue. My theory is this year it was a strong case that SGA shoulda won it, but the voters gave it to Jokic to make up for Embiid's win.

The two cases for SGA are -

1) Voter fatigue
2) He led a team that was greatly improved

In terms of conventional statistics, Jokic was runaway better than anybody in the league, except for pre-injury Embiid. Basically, giving SGA the award this year would be like giving Barkley the award in '93. Mike was the best player but you know, you can't give it to him forever.

My guess is that Jokic won't win another MVP Award, because the voters will move on and find a reason to give it to somebody else. But he will be the best player for a while yet.

[ChiefILL53]

I think Jokic shoulda won last year, but they gave it to Embiid due to voter fatigue. My theory is this year it was a strong case that SGA shoulda won it, but the voters gave it to Jokic to make up for Embiid's win.

The two cases for SGA are -

1) Voter fatigue
2) He led a team that was greatly improved

In terms of conventional statistics, Jokic was runaway better than anybody in the league, except for pre-injury Embiid. Basically, giving SGA the award this year would be like giving Barkley the award in '93. Mike was the best player but you know, you can't give it to him forever.

My guess is that Jokic won't win another MVP Award, because the voters will move on and find a reason to give it to somebody else. But he will be the best player for a while yet.

Im acutally really happy Embiid wasnt eligible for the award cuz that woulda been an annoying convo and I hate that he won last year cuz he begged for it and really only had better points and blocks than Jokic. Jokic absolutely deserved it, unlike what Shaq said (which is crazy levels of hating I hope to never reach...and I'm a hater lol), but I wouldnt have been mad at SGA winning due to mainly what he did for the OKC team.

[drosestruts]

So......

Anyone else get DeMar DeRozan vibes from SGA?

Guy just put up 34 points in a crucial game 4. No 3's. Pretty much all mid-range jumpers.

I see lots of comments about how you can't win in the modern NBA if your best player doesn't shoot 3's

Well Shai doesn't shoot 3.

He is even more efficient than DeRozan on 2-point field goals which is super impressive cause I feel like DeMar is automatic from there.

Shai dishes out one more assist per game on average.

They seem to play a very similar style - and it's successful for OKC. As a team they attempt and make 2 more 3's a game than us.

Chicago has its issues - for me DeRozan as been far from the top of that list, and I feel like OKC's success led by SGA kind of shows that it is possible for your best player to be of a midrange heavy, non 3-point shooting archetype

[drosestruts]

As a Bulls fans it's sacrilegious but I'm loving this playoff run by the Knicks.

I threw a lot of pity parties for our Bulls who played most of the season with over $70m in cap in street clothes.

Well the Knicks are one game away from the Conference Finals and are doing it without Anunoby, Robinson, Bogdanovic, and Randle which is about $80m in cap and 4 of their 5 highest contract players.

Their entire front court on paper is Anunoby-Randle-Robinson and all 3 are out. And they're blowing out the Pacers by 20+ points.

Do you think Mikal Bridges is sad watching all his college teammates playing together in the same city on a different team that's wildly more successful?

Anunoby + what?? for Bridges this offseason? Complete the Nova Knicks!

[Ice Man]

So......

Anyone else get DeMar DeRozan vibes from SGA?

Guy just put up 34 points in a crucial game 4. No 3's. Pretty much all mid-range jumpers.

I see lots of comments about how you can't win in the modern NBA if your best player doesn't shoot 3's

Well Shai doesn't shoot 3.

He is even more efficient than DeRozan on 2-point field goals which is super impressive cause I feel like DeMar is automatic from there.

Shai dishes out one more assist per game on average.

They seem to play a very similar style - and it's successful for OKC. As a team they attempt and make 2 more 3's a game than us.

Chicago has its issues - for me DeRozan as been far from the top of that list, and I feel like OKC's success led by SGA kind of shows that it is possible for your best player to be of a midrange heavy, non 3-point shooting archetype

I agree in principle, although I would add that although SGA plays a similar style to DDR, he is meaningfully better at it. Thus, SGA is good enough to be a contender's #1 option, while DDR is not. He needs to be either the #2 or (better yet) the #3. But otherwise, yeah. DDR's style isn't a problem. Surround him with more talent, and sure he could win a ring.

[Ice Man]

I routinely downplay the importance of NBA coaches, because when fans rate coaches they do on on trivial items like substitution patterns and matchups and when the coaches use their timeouts. But ... on occasion, coaches really DO matter, because they get inside their players' heads and motivate them to a frenzy, to the point where the team would walk off a cliff, if the coach asked.

Thibs, Knicks, 2024. An absolute knockdown coaching job.