Around The NBA : 2023-24 Season #2

[Ice Man]

The worst call in the NBA is when a defender leans forward and puts his face onto an attacker's chest, so that when the attacker raises his arms in a natural shooting motion, one of his elbows catches the defender in the jaw and an offensive foul is called. That happened in the first quarter of Game 2 in Denver- Minnesota, when Jokic had a basket called off. (Per the announcers, the contact was also faked, but that's immaterial to my point.) Just ridiculous. You can't enter a natural shooting motion, in a natural shooting situation, and because the defender put his face in the way instead of his hands it's an offensive foul?

Fortunately, it had no effect on the game result. Minnesota was winning that one regardless.

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[drosestruts]

health plays a role in every playoffs forever.

Have to think that the injuries to Luka and Jamal Murray are having the biggest impact at the moment. Both are playing hobbled and it's questionable whether they're helping or hurting their teams.

[Chicagoat]

Why did Arturas Karnisovas get alot of credit for building the nuggets team when Tim Connelly always had higher authority then him when they both worked at the front office for the Nuggets?

Result show this past few season, who really was the better talent evaluator and decision maker.

[MrSparkle]

Why did Arturas Karnisovas get alot of credit for building the nuggets team when Tim Connelly always higher authority then him when they were both worked at the front office for the Nuggets?

Result show that who really was the better talent evaluator and decision maker.

TBF Connelly took the job when Edwards, KAT, McDaniels and Reid were already on the roster, and they had already won 46 games.

He also had a few tradeable players (D'Lo, Vanderbilt, Beasley) and FRPs.

You still have to wonder if the Gobert was a good idea. I would still not make the trade in hindsight. If they do win their first ever ring, then yes - it will have all worked out (but it won't end well, when Gobert's expiring at $46M and Minny's still owing an unprotected FRP). But quite the risk - higher than the Vuc trade. Unfortunately for us, the risks backfired about as badly as possible (two young starting guards with knee surgeries/the younger of whom is probably retiring early, Vuc's total decline, Orlando getting really lucky with the #7 pick, Pat's injuries and lack of development, Lauri exploding after being traded).

If Edwards (or Gobert to a lesser degree) had needed knee surgery, then Connelly's situation would be arguably much worse than AK's (luxury tax, zero FRPs to trade until 2030, 2 declining/aging starters). Do recall too that Kessler was also moved in that deal. https://www.nba.com/news/jazz-wolves-rudy-gobert-trade That's bad GM'ing (that's currently working out).

All I see it is as an argument for risky overpay trades, sometimes working out. The Vuc trade was in that line of thinking. The problem was in the evaluation of just how bad (and unworthy of any trade pursuit) Vuc was. It would've almost been worse to poach him in unrestricted free agency on a max deal. Could you imagine him making beyond $35M if he tested the market / Chicago bid with a few teams? 4 years in, it appears AKME's big problems are talent evaluation. Lonzo, Coby, Ayo, Caruso are cute and all, but these are complimentary starters, not all-stars. Also, the complete lack of success bringing in talent at PF/C is really alarming. I remember at draft the press conference, AKME talked about Terry possibly having a future at PF. That's frankly alarming.

[madvillian]

health plays a role in every playoffs forever.

Have to think that the injuries to Luka and Jamal Murray are having the biggest impact at the moment. Both are playing hobbled and it's questionable whether they're helping or hurting their teams.

Luka could barely move last night. It was disappointing to see as I was hoping for a good series. It doesn't look like it will be one.

[Ice Man]

Luka could barely move last night. It was disappointing to see as I was hoping for a good series. It doesn't look like it will be one.

I was trying to think of a team had ever won an NBA title with its 2nd best player hurt. I could not remember one. When the best player is hurt .. forget about it. Winning even a single playoff series is unlikely.

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@6:10. Simmons discusses the best defensive teams "he's ever seen" pyramid. Top 3: 04' Pistons, 89' Pistons, 91' Bulls. Bill thinks this Wolves team can make it a discussion.

[MrSparkle]

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@6:10. Simmons discusses the best defensive teams "he's ever seen" pyramid. Top 3: 04' Pistons, 89' Pistons, 91' Bulls. Bill thinks this Wolves team can make it a discussion.

Man… best-ever discussions deserve to wait past game 2 of the 2nd round.

How about the 14-16 Warriors when they had prime Dray, healthy Bogut, Iguodala, etc.? Or the Duncan, Kawhi, Diaw, Spurs? Or that Bowen guy with prime Duncan? Or KG C’s & his cheerios?

[Repeat 3-peat]

Watch on YouTube

@6:10. Simmons discusses the best defensive teams "he's ever seen" pyramid. Top 3: 04' Pistons, 89' Pistons, 91' Bulls. Bill thinks this Wolves team can make it a discussion.

Man… best-ever discussions deserve to wait past game 2 of the 2nd round.

How about the 14-16 Warriors when they had prime Dray, healthy Bogut, Iguodala, etc.? Or the Duncan, Kawhi, Diaw, Spurs? Or that Bowen guy with prime Duncan? Or KG C’s & his cheerios?

He mentions those teams. The Wolves defense has been that special, if they win they'll be in the conversations.

[MrSparkle]

This Pacers/Knicks game is like the "coulda-been-Bulls" RealGM/Bulls-forum all-stars. The entire starting line-up has been on our minds at one point or another. For whoever says you can't build a contender without draft picks, this Knicks squad is definitely the answer to that... Although, admittedly they don't have OKC/MIN/DEN/BOS level talent... and AK has been more Isiah Thomas than whoever's led the past 3 years of Knicks decisions.

[dice]

after the vuc trade i predicted the magic would make a conference finals before the bulls. you can guess what the feedback was

I was one of them Dice... And I hate it more and more everytime I doubt you...

Getting Paolo Banchero with the #1 pick would be the reason they might someday make a conference finals not anything to do with the Bulls trade. And speaking of that... Wagner in game 7 was 1-15 (0-5 from 3) for 6 points.

it had more to do w/ the bulls moving toward a stuck position and the magic resetting a few years in advance of the likely bulls rebuild

[Ice Man]

I don't remember this many playoff injuries back in the day. Man, it's a shame. The Bucks missed Giannis and then Dame for a few games, which killed their changes. Now that Luka is dinged Dallas is toast. Minny was likely to beat Denver anyway but it surely will with Murray hobbled. And the Knicks at least might have pushed Boston, at least somewhat. But with no Randle, no Robinson, and now OG hurt (we will see for how long), that pretty much ruins whatever chances they had. And of course Miami was dead in the water with Butler out.

Oh and I forgot Kawhi. Man, that's a lot.

[MissileMike]

lol thibs played Hart for all 48 minutes tonight... DiVincenzo had 44 minutes...

[nomorezorro]

This Pacers/Knicks game is like the "coulda-been-Bulls" RealGM/Bulls-forum all-stars. The entire starting line-up has been on our minds at one point or another. For whoever says you can't build a contender without draft picks, this Knicks squad is definitely the answer to that... Although, admittedly they don't have OKC/MIN/DEN/BOS level talent... and AK has been more Isiah Thomas than whoever's led the past 3 years of Knicks decisions.

i don't like to be a hindsight-y "why didn't you sign [one specific player who turned out to be good]" kind of guy, but it's really hard not to do that with isaiah hartenstein. a young dude with great advanced stats who was very obviously in the mold of the facilitating center that donovan favors (and ak does as well?), who went for significantly less for the MLE, and instead we decided to allocate an equivalent amount of money to three fringe rotation guys with limited upside

if you don't have the eye to find a guy that random message board posters were coveting via the advanced scouting of "looking at his ws/48," then what good are you as a talent evaluator

[kodo]

This Pacers/Knicks game is like the "coulda-been-Bulls" RealGM/Bulls-forum all-stars. The entire starting line-up has been on our minds at one point or another. For whoever says you can't build a contender without draft picks, this Knicks squad is definitely the answer to that... Although, admittedly they don't have OKC/MIN/DEN/BOS level talent... and AK has been more Isiah Thomas than whoever's led the past 3 years of Knicks decisions.

Building a team through FA has always been possible and even the best option ... for NY & LA teams, and then recently Miami as Pat Riley went there to make it Laker East. The Brooklyn thing imploded but they did draw KD & Kyrie, so getting the stars was not the issue.

It's not like any other team could have offered more money and signed Brunson in FA, he was going to stay in DAL or sign in NY. He only allowed meetings in FA with those 2 teams, and he even held those meetings in NY.

I think after the Curry Warriors are all broken up and they have cap space again, GS might be another team that could actually sign stars, but still this road just isn't an option for most teams. And the Chicago org is one of "all those other teams" no matter what we think of the city.

[dumbell78]

Yeah, the injury bug starting to put a damper on these games now. NYK may end up playing 4 guys at this rate.

[ImSlower]

Thibs is just bonkers. Everyone shortens their rotations in the playoffs, sure. But man, 48 minutes for Hart is wild. Even Jordan took a couple minutes to refresh.

[Dan Z]

This Pacers/Knicks game is like the "coulda-been-Bulls" RealGM/Bulls-forum all-stars. The entire starting line-up has been on our minds at one point or another. For whoever says you can't build a contender without draft picks, this Knicks squad is definitely the answer to that... Although, admittedly they don't have OKC/MIN/DEN/BOS level talent... and AK has been more Isiah Thomas than whoever's led the past 3 years of Knicks decisions.

Building a team through FA has always been possible and even the best option ... for NY & LA teams, and then recently Miami as Pat Riley went there to make it Laker East. The Brooklyn thing imploded but they did draw KD & Kyrie, so getting the stars was not the issue.

It's not like any other team could have offered more money and signed Brunson in FA, he was going to stay in DAL or sign in NY. He only allowed meetings in FA with those 2 teams, and he even held those meetings in NY.

I think after the Curry Warriors are all broken up and they have cap space again, GS might be another team that could actually sign stars, but still this road just isn't an option for most teams. And the Chicago org is one of "all those other teams" no matter what we think of the city.

I think if the Bulls had better ownership, and did a better job of promoting the team after the dynasty, they'd do better in that regard. But one thing Chicago will always deal with is winter weather. Some people seem to think we live in Antarctica.

[kulaz3000]

Thibs is just bonkers. Everyone shortens their rotations in the playoffs, sure. But man, 48 minutes for Hart is wild. Even Jordan took a couple minutes to refresh.

It's all great now because they are winning, but if one of his key players goes down at some stage in these playoffs, because he has overplayed them in a game he didn't need to, the same criticism is going to laid out on Thib's all over again. He just can't help himself come playoff time.

That all said though, the Knicks are the perfect Thib's team, and they are filled with really likeable players, and a fun gritty, tough team to root for. It's a shame that we (the Bulls) are so far removed from being a competitive team like the Knicks, which just flat out annoys me.