NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[Kanyewest]

Beal mostly invisible against Minnesota. Anthony Edwards has been great. Gobert also.

Cleveland has a lot of talent. I don't think Orlando has enough experience yet to make it by them. Cleveland/Boston should be fairly competitive, I think. Hoping so anyway.

Booker was the one who didn't do his job in the suns game.

[9 and 20]

Embiid nasty dunk and then the nasty knee buckle. Looked real bad.

[nate33]

Man it is such a joy to watch the Denver Nuggets play basketball. A perfectly-built roster.

[badinage]

And to think, we could have had the architect. What was the reason Tim Connelly didn’t come back again? Money, right? Leonsis didn’t want to pay him what he was worth?

And Connelly has now done it again, with the Timberwolves. Remarkable.

Pretty great that Denver is led by Calvin Booth, one of our old guys. He might not be the architect, but he’s the tweaker. And he’s made a lot of good moves.

Nate, what makes you say it’s a perfectly-built roster? What do you see as the shrewdest moves they’ve made over the past few years? Aaron Gordon really surprised me; I never imagined he would have flourished as a PF next to Jokic. Did anyone?

[Silvie Lysandra]

And to think, we could have had the architect. What was the reason Tim Connelly didn’t come back again? Money, right? Leonsis didn’t want to pay him what he was worth?

And Connelly has now done it again, with the Timberwolves. Remarkable.

Pretty great that Denver is led by Calvin Booth, one of our old guys. He might not be the architect, but he’s the tweaker. And he’s made a lot of good moves.

Nate, what makes you say it’s a perfectly-built roster? What do you see as the shrewdest moves they’ve made over the past few years? Aaron Gordon really surprised me; I never imagined he would have flourished as a PF next to Jokic. Did anyone?

Gordon in terms of skillset and body is kind of perfect for Jokic (highly switchable long athletic forward on defense, rimrunner + stretch 4 on offense who can create a tiny bit, the question was would Gordon buy in.

I could see Kuzma excel in that role for his next team if he chooses to.

[nate33]

And to think, we could have had the architect. What was the reason Tim Connelly didn’t come back again? Money, right? Leonsis didn’t want to pay him what he was worth?

And Connelly has now done it again, with the Timberwolves. Remarkable.

Pretty great that Denver is led by Calvin Booth, one of our old guys. He might not be the architect, but he’s the tweaker. And he’s made a lot of good moves.

Nate, what makes you say it’s a perfectly-built roster? What do you see as the shrewdest moves they’ve made over the past few years? Aaron Gordon really surprised me; I never imagined he would have flourished as a PF next to Jokic. Did anyone?

I think that every player in the starting 5 is maximized to the best of their ability, but they haven't invested unnecessarily on skillsets they don't really need.

KCP is an excellent defender and catch-and-shoot player, but he can't create off the bounce at all. That weakness would be a problem on many teams, but Denver recognized that they don't need any shot creation from their SG position so they invested in KCP who provides the spacing and defense they need at an affordable cost (because of that weakness in shot creation).

Their sharpest move was recognizing that Aaron Gordon could be a best as an uber-role player 5th option who just focused on defense, protecting the rim, rebounding and cutting instead of the inefficient shot creation he tried to do in Orlando. Gordon is probably the best defensive 4 in the league, which is exactly what Denver needs alongside Jokic.

[closg00]

Clippers punishing the Cavs w/o Kawhi Leonard

[nate33]

Zubac is abusing Gafford. Just backing him down over and over. As we all know, Gafford, while being an amazing rim protector in help defense, is a bad post defender who lacks the lower body strength to contend with the bigger 5's in this league.

[closg00]

Zubac is abusing Gafford. Just backing him down over and over. As we all know, Gafford, while being an amazing rim protector in help defense, is a bad post defender who lacks the lower body strength to contend with the bigger 5's in this league.

Zach Edey's agent is smiling

[doclinkin]

Zubac is abusing Gafford. Just backing him down over and over. As we all know, Gafford, while being an amazing rim protector in help defense, is a bad post defender who lacks the lower body strength to contend with the bigger 5's in this league.

Zach Edey's agent is smiling

Got here before me. What I have been saying. In the playoffs having an unstoppable Godzilla in the paint can be a significant weapon.

[closg00]

Zubac is abusing Gafford. Just backing him down over and over. As we all know, Gafford, while being an amazing rim protector in help defense, is a bad post defender who lacks the lower body strength to contend with the bigger 5's in this league.

Zach Edey's agent is smiling

Got here before me. What I have been saying. In the playoffs having an unstoppable Godzilla in the paint can be a significant weapon.

Absolutely, which is why OKC is rumored to be ready to grab him as-high as 12th.

[dobrojim]

I'm not going to try to claim I had foresight about Jaquez but I will say I was confused how
little people talked about him. The more I see him play (how he plays), the more I think duh, of course he's
going to do well.

[doclinkin]

Zach Edey's agent is smiling

Got here before me. What I have been saying. In the playoffs having an unstoppable Godzilla in the paint can be a significant weapon.

Absolutely, which is why OKC is rumored to be ready to grab him as-high as 12th.

Yeah I think the latest he falls is Toronto at 17. Hometown kid would sell a container ship of merchandise. League's biggest bobblehead doll.

[penbeast0]

Gordon in terms of skillset and body is kind of perfect for Jokic (highly switchable long athletic forward on defense, rimrunner + stretch 4 on offense who can create a tiny bit, the question was would Gordon buy in.

I could see Kuzma excel in that role for his next team if he chooses to.

If I really thought Kuzma would buy into that role, he wouldn't have a next team but would be a Wizard for life. He and Avdija both focused on defense, stetching the floor, slashing when face guarded, and playmaking from the forward spot would be a fine pair. Of course, I don't think Kuzma is planning on sacrificing his offense for defense but maybe for a team with established scorers like a Milwaukee he might. Or at least, maybe they think he might.

[nate33]

Crazy end to the Knicks game!

This is the first Knicks team I've ever rooted for. You gotta love these guys.

[gesa2]

Absolutely brutal for the Sixers. Living on MDs Eastern shore they’re my second team these days. Thought Hart pushed Maxey over in the last minute but the Sixers have to be able to get the ball in cleanly there and not depend on a call.
Whole game was almost 90s level physical

[tontoz]

Lakers lost a heartbreaker as well, up 20 in the 3rd and lose on a buzzer beater.

I was trying to sleep but woke up to catch the ending and it was sweet.

[9 and 20]

Embiid is really hard to root for, and the Knicks have some lunch pail type dudes. But still, a Knicks loss means another Stephen A rant, fake rage or not, and I need those to drop every now and then.

Beal looks mediocre, paid like a super duper star.

Gaff has fallen off since hitting 50 shots in a row or whatever. Not doing great. But love what Dallas has going - watching Luka is great.

Denver, same thing. Watching Jokic and the Nuggets is just fun.

[closg00]

Absolutely brutal for the Sixers. Living on MDs Eastern shore they’re my second team these days. Thought Hart pushed Maxey over in the last minute but the Sixers have to be able to get the ball in cleanly there and not depend on a call.
Whole game was almost 90s level physical

Playoff level games are often physical battles of grit and determination, I always keep that in-mind when I looked at draft prospects, I wonder how-many teams are scheming to get Edey....

[dckingsfan]

Gaff has fallen off since hitting 50 shots in a row or whatever. Not doing great...

Maybe he is going to be a regular season guy that gets you into the playoffs... but not a playoff guy?

Okay, small sample size against one team.