Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #2

[dumbell78]

Denver getting thrashed, Minny is just playing with super confidence right now. They actually amped up the pressure in game 2.

[Jeffster81]

Knicks are so much fun to watch.

The downfall of this franchise started with firing Thibs. I still remember all you jerks posting that Hoiberg dancing gif when he was hired. Whose dancing now?

For now. They are not good enough to win more than a round or two. I think Thibs has a Conference Finals ceiling as a coach but one who probably one who won't get over the hump and win a title.

[Charlesareed]

Knicks are so much fun to watch.

The downfall of this franchise started with firing Thibs. I still remember all you jerks posting that Hoiberg dancing gif when he was hired. Whose dancing now?

For now. They are not good enough to win more than a round or two. I think Thibs has a Conference Finals ceiling as a coach but one who probably one who won't get over the hump and win a title.

I sure remember that dancing gif by Fred hoiberg

[DuckIII]

I’m sure Murray being a little gimpy helped, but that game by Minny is the most comprehensive team defensive execution I have seen in years. And without Gobert.

I have to admit, I don’t watch Minny except in highlights or when they play the Bulls. This is true of most NBA teams for me. But it really cost me with Minny. I knew they were very good and rising, but I was clueless. I had no idea their defense was this good. What a performance.

Warms my heart. I now love them.

P.S. The pro-Knick officiating better evaporate quick before Game 2 or it’s going to get ugly. That was a travesty.

[sco]

Man, those Knicks can really get those wins down the stretch. As you guys may remember, they are my 2nd fav team, living in the region as I do. I gotta say their guys give me the same fan feelings as those Rose/Noah teams, and Thibs is still Thibs...but man, he still overplays the sh*t out of his starters - the man is like a drag-racer, just pedal to the metal (which is fine until you realize it's the indy 500).

[Red8911]

Knicks are so much fun to watch.

The downfall of this franchise started with firing Thibs. I still remember all you jerks posting that Hoiberg dancing gif when he was hired. Whose dancing now?

It was the right call to move on from Thibs at the time but yeah they hired the worst guy possible to replace him so in the end it didn’t work out for the bulls.

[Michael Jackson]

I’m sure Murray being a little gimpy helped, but that game by Minny is the most comprehensive team defensive execution I have seen in years. And without Gobert.

I have to admit, I don’t watch Minny except in highlights or when they play the Bulls. This is true of most NBA teams for me. But it really cost me with Minny. I knew they were very good and rising, but I was clueless. I had no idea their defense was this good. What a performance.

Warms my heart. I now love them.

P.S. The pro-Knick officiating better evaporate quick before Game 2 or it’s going to get ugly. That was a travesty.

That defense is just insane. It is not just that Murray is gimpy they perimeter defenders swarm and lock down Jokic and he has no where to move. It’s insane.

[Michael Jackson]

2020 draft: Wolves got Ant, McDaniels and Reid who was not drafted.

Suckers. We got PWill!

[DASMACKDOWN]

I’m sure Murray being a little gimpy helped, but that game by Minny is the most comprehensive team defensive execution I have seen in years. And without Gobert.

I have to admit, I don’t watch Minny except in highlights or when they play the Bulls. This is true of most NBA teams for me. But it really cost me with Minny. I knew they were very good and rising, but I was clueless. I had no idea their defense was this good. What a performance.

Warms my heart. I now love them.

P.S. The pro-Knick officiating better evaporate quick before Game 2 or it’s going to get ugly. That was a travesty.

And we beat that team twice only the Bulls.

But I will say this. Last year the TWolves got the coals raked over their backs about the Rudy trade. Now after a season, everyone is singing their praises.

If they do WCF or Finals or Title, you got to hand it to their GM for the vision. Because it worked.

[DASMACKDOWN]

2020 draft: Wolves got Ant, McDaniels and Reid who was not drafted.

Suckers. We got PWill!

I still cringe at paying McDaniels 27 mil though.

[Michael Jackson]

I’m sure Murray being a little gimpy helped, but that game by Minny is the most comprehensive team defensive execution I have seen in years. And without Gobert.

I have to admit, I don’t watch Minny except in highlights or when they play the Bulls. This is true of most NBA teams for me. But it really cost me with Minny. I knew they were very good and rising, but I was clueless. I had no idea their defense was this good. What a performance.

Warms my heart. I now love them.

P.S. The pro-Knick officiating better evaporate quick before Game 2 or it’s going to get ugly. That was a travesty.

And we beat that team twice only the Bulls.

But I will say this. Last year the TWolves got the coals raked over their backs about the Rudy trade. Now after a season, everyone is singing their praises.

If they do WCF or Finals or Title, you got to hand it to their GM for the vision. Because it worked.

It was a pretty crazy trade and honestly Gobert was not great in the playoffs for Utah but that had more to do with structure and Minny as you said had a vision. Too bad Flip can’t see this. Also a shame that Glen Taylor is screwing ARod.

[prolific passer]

2020 draft: Wolves got Ant, McDaniels and Reid who was not drafted.

Suckers. We got PWill!

I still cringe at paying McDaniels 27 mil though.

Every team needs that good to great draft to help put it all together and 2020 was the one for the wolves.

Bulls will have that..... probably not.

[kodo]

Gobert trade was still a bad trade in isolation IMO, Minny's performance has really more to do with Ant, KAT, Naz Reid. You can replace Gobert with a usable 7 footer like Nic Claxton or Gafford and get mostly the same results without giving up the four 1st rounders.

Still credit is due for Minny to go Twin Towers in the smallball era. They disrupted instead of following what everyone else is doing.

[MrSparkle]

Ant and the Wolves in general are definitely the type of team that comes around and disrupts a whole of analytics and formulas the NBA's been leaning on for the past decade. They are about as pre-2010 as it gets, except they can also shoot the 3P at a good rate.

One thing to note is Edwards' playoff efficiency is WAY up from the regular season. When you have a single guy doing that, I think the whole team rallies behind that level of confidence. It worked for MJ, young D. Rose, and Jimmy until this injury. We all know that the rest of the team, while deep with nice chemistry and well balanced, we know KAT/Gobert/McDaniels/Conley aren't some kind of unstoppable force.

This is the 3rd year in a row where Edwards' PER and TS have significantly shot up come post-season. So yes - in the NBA, 1 guy can make all the difference. But it helps tremendously that he's very likable and charismatic. Seems like the teammates love him, and when you've got teammates who'll sacrifice to follow you, then everything falls in line.

[Michael Jackson]

Gobert trade was still a bad trade in isolation IMO, Minny's performance has really more to do with Ant, KAT, Naz Reid. You can replace Gobert with a usable 7 footer like Nic Claxton or Gafford and get mostly the same results without giving up the four 1st rounders.

Still credit is due for Minny to go Twin Towers in the smallball era. They disrupted instead of following what everyone else is doing.

Gafford would fair just fine but Gobert I think honestly inspires more and has the hardware and rep as a defensive elite. It is kinda like when Caruso is on the floor it seems like everyone plays D harder. Claxton or Gaff don't have that gravity. They are skilled enough and now that the culture is set in motion they absolutely could step in and fill the role but getting from the A to B I think you needed a Gobert. Still a gross overpay but Utah well Spida specifically, was wrong that Gobert is a problem in the playoffs. Having a strong backcourt defensively and him able to roam helps him a lot where he had to do everything in Utah on that end.

[ChicagoStrong]

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[DASMACKDOWN]

Ant and the Wolves in general are definitely the type of team that comes around and disrupts a whole of analytics and formulas the NBA's been leaning on for the past decade. They are about as pre-2010 as it gets, except they can also shoot the 3P at a good rate.

One thing to note is Edwards' playoff efficiency is WAY up from the regular season. When you have a single guy doing that, I think the whole team rallies behind that level of confidence. It worked for MJ, young D. Rose, and Jimmy until this injury. We all know that the rest of the team, while deep with nice chemistry and well balanced, we know KAT/Gobert/McDaniels/Conley aren't some kind of unstoppable force.

This is the 3rd year in a row where Edwards' PER and TS have significantly shot up come post-season. So yes - in the NBA, 1 guy can make all the difference. But it helps tremendously that he's very likable and charismatic. Seems like the teammates love him, and when you've got teammates who'll sacrifice to follow you, then everything falls in line.

So basically he is pulling a Jimmy Butler.

The only difference is the Twovles have been good all season. Whereas for Miami they have been basically a .500 team the last few years but Jimmy going crazy made them play like a #1 seed.

[Michael Jackson]

This playoffs is a pretty nice middleground. Still a lot of 3pt spamming but much more defense and contact being allowed. Seems like this would have been the natural evolution if GSW didn't break the mold and the copycats followed.

[The Box Office]

Rudy Gobert is 4x Defensive Player of the Year. Easy to replace, but extremely difficult to replicate.

[Ice Man]

One thing to note is Edwards' playoff efficiency is WAY up from the regular season.

Yes, that is the difference. In the regular season, Minnesota was just another very good team. Great defense, deep, athletic, but missing an offensive superstar. But with Ant playing like the Second Coming of Jordan, the Wolves have everything.

And they're going to need it, with the way that both OKC and Boston are looking.