PG Pacers Game 3: Loss

[MiltownMadness]

Bobby is a 6th man being asked to do too much.

Brook Lopez is a 7 foot tall pool noodle. Tired of this **** with him.

Brook is here to play next to Giannis, their situations are not different. Both of them are being asked to do too much. Even 3 years ago he (Brook) was a 20-25 minute playoff guy. We both know Brook works as someone who uses his huge body to box out so others can get boards, demonstrated by bobby with near 20. This does not work as well when you don't have an ultra athletic alien roaming the court

[paulpressey25]

Yes, we’re in a worse position because we’re a year older and we have a worse head coaching situation. Not exactly rocket science here.

And if you agree we are in a worse situation, then we are in agreement.

And I think it will take some excellent GM work to get us back to contenders versus a mediocre GM. This team needs a Marques/Junior/Harvey for Terry Cummings/Pierce/Hodges type deal

ETA: that was the deal that pivoted us into a few more years of relevance in the mid-1980’s by identifying younger players and fleecing a dumb organization.

[Be Here Now]

The key is that any mediocre GM should be able to turn this around in one offseason when you already have the foundation of Dame/Giannis.

This. John Hammond did most of the heavy lifting with regards to the building blocks of the franchise (Giannis and Mids).

Horst has made some good moves over the years, but when you have a top 5 player most of these moves present themselves to you. He's as mediocre as it gets and it's time for him to go back home to Michigan.

[MiltownMadness]

Yes, we’re in a worse position because we’re a year older and we have a worse head coaching situation. Not exactly rocket science here.

And if you agree we are in a worse situation, then we are in agreement.

And I think it will take some excellent GM work to get us back to contenders versus a mediocre GM. This team needs a Marques/Junior/Harvey for Terry Cummings/Pierce/Hodges type deal

Like a year ago from now? We are in a way better situation. Can't be understated how good the timing of the Jrue trade was. The writing was on the wall that he was a sinking ship

Dame will be ultra valuable for the next 2-3 years, lets see how we use that.

[Neuromancer56]

Yes, we’re in a worse position because we’re a year older and we have a worse head coaching situation. Not exactly rocket science here.

And if you agree we are in a worse situation, then we are in agreement.

And I think it will take some excellent GM work to get us back to contenders versus a mediocre GM. This team needs a Marques/Junior/Harvey for Terry Cummings/Pierce/Hodges type deal

ETA: that was the deal that pivoted us into a few more years of relevance in the mid-1980’s by identifying younger players and fleecing a dumb organization.

The good news is after last night we could still sell high on Khris. As much as I love the guy, he's probably what it's going to take to get some younger athletic guys with talent.

[MiltownMadness]

Khris will never be traded as long as Giannis is on the team, and I don't see why you would trade him. He is an awesome playoff guy and his value is mediocre at best, he is an easy keep. Get younger on the fringes and insert 2-3 younger legs who can give you playoff minutes. The development of AJJ + 2 new additions could very well be enough

Dude gives us his heart putting up 40 on a bum ankle and fans talk of trading him the next day. Cruel world man

[msiris]

Not exactly the Jordan flu game, but we should remind ourselves that Middleton scored 42 in a game in which it appeared he would not be able to go because of an ankle.

So we can look pass the game before?

[Neuromancer56]

Khris will never be traded as long as Giannis is on the team, and I don't see why you would trade him. He is an awesome playoff guy and his value is mediocre at best, he is an easy keep. Get younger on the fringes and insert 2-3 younger legs who can give you playoff minutes. The development of AJJ + 2 new additions could very well be enough

Dude gives us his heart putting up 40 on a bum ankle and fans talk of trading him the next day. Cruel world man

The other option is to trade Dame which I'm not opposed to. Getting better on the fringes isn't enough. You've seen what the Packers do, they are willing to part ways with all kinds of beloved vets, and somehow they just keep getting younger & better. Our problem is that we've done whatever it takes to keep Giannis happy rather than doing whatever it takes to get better.

The only players that are off the table for me are Giannis and AJJ. We need to get younger and faster at the core. If this series isn't telling us that I don't know what will.

[Neuromancer56]

Let's think the unthinkable. Giannis' game is almost strictly based on athleticism. Players like that do not age gracefully. Their production quickly falls off a cliff. See Westbrook. Should we sell high on Giannis?

[MiltownMadness]

Khris will never be traded as long as Giannis is on the team, and I don't see why you would trade him. He is an awesome playoff guy and his value is mediocre at best, he is an easy keep. Get younger on the fringes and insert 2-3 younger legs who can give you playoff minutes. The development of AJJ + 2 new additions could very well be enough

Dude gives us his heart putting up 40 on a bum ankle and fans talk of trading him the next day. Cruel world man

The other option is to trade Dame which I'm not opposed to. Getting better on the fringes isn't enough. You've seen what the Packers do, they are willing to part ways with all kinds of beloved vets, and somehow they just keep getting younger & better. Our problem is that we've done whatever it takes to keep Giannis happy rather than doing whatever it takes to get better.

The only players that are off the table for me are Giannis and AJJ. We need to get younger and faster at the core. If this series isn't telling us that I don't know what will.

I think the time may come to trade Dame but it won't be next season. This big 3 will be nasty with 2 seasons of cohesion and a stable coaching situation I'm telling you. These are all guys who step up tremendously in the playoffs

[el_chupacabra]

Let's think the unthinkable. Giannis' game is almost strictly based on athleticism. Players like that do not age gracefully. Their production quickly falls off a cliff. See Westbrook. Should we sell high on Giannis?

Sure, we can sell him off for draft picks and then get the next Giannis.

[MiltownMadness]

Not exactly the Jordan flu game, but we should remind ourselves that Middleton scored 42 in a game in which it appeared he would not be able to go because of an ankle.

So we can look pass the game before?

What? Dude had 2 season ending injuries in the 1st quarter and still came back to give us decent minutes

[JayMKE]

Giannis game isn't strictly based on athleticism and his production is at an all time high, it would be dumb to trade him and this franchise would never live it down. Trading Dame, Khris, Brook is easy, they aint winning ****. Dame isn't leading this team to **** on his own, he can score but that's not enough and his production is quickly falling.

[MiltownMadness]

Giannis game isn't strictly based on athleticism and his production is at an all time high, it would be dumb to trade him and this franchise would never live it down. Trading Dame, Khris, Brook is easy, they aint winning ****. Dame isn't leading this team to **** on his own, he can score but that's not enough and his production is quickly falling.

Wow really going out on a limb there, Dame can't win a ring on his own. Astute observation

Production quickly falling while carrying a team on his back during a playoff series where we are underdogs, interesting analysis.

[skones]

Let's think the unthinkable. Giannis' game is almost strictly based on athleticism. Players like that do not age gracefully. Their production quickly falls off a cliff. See Westbrook. Should we sell high on Giannis?

Not something the franchise would ever consider, but at some point, Giannis will be both the franchise guy and boat anchor to a team going nowhere. We probably have 3 good years left. A rebuild on the fly would have to be clinical.

[ShootingtheJ]

Yes, we’re in a worse position because we’re a year older and we have a worse head coaching situation. Not exactly rocket science here.

And if you agree we are in a worse situation, then we are in agreement.

And I think it will take some excellent GM work to get us back to contenders versus a mediocre GM. This team needs a Marques/Junior/Harvey for Terry Cummings/Pierce/Hodges type deal

Like a year ago from now? We are in a way better situation. Can't be understated how good the timing of the Jrue trade was. The writing was on the wall that he was a sinking ship

Dame will be ultra valuable for the next 2-3 years, lets see how we use that.

Agree. The only disappointment is the work around the edges, but I'm encouraged by the development of AJG and AJJ. We have our core intact, have 2 worthwhile picks in the next draft, and our only free agents are has beens we'd like to replace.

All of this, plus we might win the title if we get through round one.

[Milbucks96]

Let's think the unthinkable. Giannis' game is almost strictly based on athleticism. Players like that do not age gracefully. Their production quickly falls off a cliff. See Westbrook. Should we sell high on Giannis?

It’s about an 8 inch difference in height and length and factoring in position I don’t think you need to.
I do think a serious tendon or muscle injury would affect Giannis a lot more than we like to admit, and I think a loss of athleticism due to age would have a similar effect, but I think we have about 2 years before we have to worry about that one so I don’t see a point in trying to dump him.

[ShootingtheJ]

Let's think the unthinkable. Giannis' game is almost strictly based on athleticism. Players like that do not age gracefully. Their production quickly falls off a cliff. See Westbrook. Should we sell high on Giannis?

He's the best ball handling 7 footer ever. He's incredibly skilled. His game will age terrifically, because he won't get any shorter.

[Milbucks96]

I enjoy a realistic discussion about the inevitable rebuild and/or Giannis trade haul but I don’t think this season has made me think that’s happening this offseason as **** as it has been. Seeing Khris and Dame still be really good (against some solid one on one defenders, and a full court press) this series has been really encouraging to me.

I’m pissed that they’re probably about to bow out in the first round again but I think they’ll be better next. But maybe I’m wrong and they suck or the owners get tired of paying for 1st round exits and blows it up. We’ll see.

[MiltownMadness]

And if you agree we are in a worse situation, then we are in agreement.

And I think it will take some excellent GM work to get us back to contenders versus a mediocre GM. This team needs a Marques/Junior/Harvey for Terry Cummings/Pierce/Hodges type deal

Like a year ago from now? We are in a way better situation. Can't be understated how good the timing of the Jrue trade was. The writing was on the wall that he was a sinking ship

Dame will be ultra valuable for the next 2-3 years, lets see how we use that.

Agree. The only disappointment is the work around the edges, but I'm encouraged by the development of AJG and AJJ. We have our core intact, have 2 worthwhile picks in the next draft, and our only free agents are has beens we'd like to replace.

All of this, plus we might win the title if we get through round one.

Hate to say it but we probably win that game yesterday if we traded Bobby for Grant Williams, and that would've been an awful trade. I think Bobby is the guy who you use to insert athleticism if this doesn't work out.