NBA - The upside down

[Calibandar]

10 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

 

I'm not saying they're going to trade him, just that there's been speculation that they might. I think in their dream scenario they keep him, he's still awesome and somehow they get that 14% shot at Wemby. If they do get him I hope Chet comes back and is what some think he can be because it would be utterly hilarious to watch them get 20 blocks a night.

 

 

I really want them to get a high pick this year so the dream scenario is that SGA is benched ( for whatever reason, valid or not) and they drop in the standings. Last night another unnecessary win in Washington, stop it already 

 

 

[David Selig]

9 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Bol did flash a lot. Bamba though, I wrote here when he was drafted that I was super high on him. Haven't followed his career much in detail, but it's very surprising to me that his career averages are what they are.

He is worse than his stats show, resigning him was a mistake, even though it's effectively only a one year deal. He's much worse defender than you'd expect from a guy with his height and reach, his defensive IQ is low, his motor is one of the worst in the league, he sets the worst screens I've ever seen and he does nothing on offense except chuck 3s.

[Proudfeet]

14 hours ago, Calibandar said:

Yes I put the Kings above them in the sense that they are consistently average. That is all.

With regards to Houston, in 2019-2020, Houston and OKC finished 4th and 5th in the league.

Since then, both teams have tanked for a full 2 seasons with Houston having the worst record 2 years in the west back to back, and Houston is looking hopeless again this year. 

They average about 30 wins a season and managed to crack top 10 in their conference once (9th) in the last fifteen years. They are not average. At all. This isn't hard, half the teams make the playoffs, they don't.

Even if the Rockets are last for the next 3 years, they're still better than the Kings.

In case you forgot what you wrote.

23 hours ago, Calibandar said:

I feel like there are other teams that are more in the " bad teams tends to stay bad" column, such as Detroit, Orlando, Houston, these teams have been bad for several seasons now.

Two is not several. And three is barely there.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, David Selig said:

He is worse than his stats show, resigning him was a mistake, even though it's effectively only a one year deal. He's much worse defender than you'd expect from a guy with his height and reach, his defensive IQ is low, his motor is one of the worst in the league, he sets the worst screens I've ever seen and he does nothing on offense except chuck 3s.

That's a bummer to hear. It just happens sometimes. I'd still make the same pick if I ran the Magic at the time.

[BigFatCoward]

Simmons looking like his old self. He's a dick, but I don't actively want him to be poorly. 

[Calibandar]

23 hours ago, Proudfeet said:

They average about 30 wins a season and managed to crack top 10 in their conference once (9th) in the last fifteen years. They are not average. At all. This isn't hard, half the teams make the playoffs, they don't.

Even if the Rockets are last for the next 3 years, they're still better than the Kings.

In case you forgot what you wrote.

Two is not several. And three is barely there.

You miss my point. I mention the Kings as one of the teams mired in mediocrity year over year, and name them in the vein with Knicks, Hornets, Wizards. Obviously the Rockets are a more succesful franchise.

The Rockets have already tanked hard 2 seasons and are doing it once again this year. My point was that if OKC is being singled out by Tywin as a bad team that keeps tanking, then Houston is in fact even worse because they are doing it now for a 3rd year straight ( as is Orlando, and Detroit).

[DMC]

4 minutes ago, Calibandar said:

My point was that if OKC is being singled out by Tywin as a bad team that keeps tanking, then Houston is in fact even worse because they are doing it now for a 3rd year straight ( as is Orlando, and Detroit).

What you seem to be willfully ignorant about is this is also the 3rd straight year OKC is tanking.  They traded Paul before the 2020-21 season and went on to post a 22-50 record - one game ahead of Orlando and two games ahead of Detroit.

[Proudfeet]

27 minutes ago, Calibandar said:

The Rockets have already tanked hard 2 seasons and are doing it once again this year. My point was that if OKC is being singled out by Tywin as a bad team that keeps tanking, then Houston is in fact even worse because they are doing it now for a 3rd year straight ( as is Orlando, and Detroit).

I don't read half of Tywin's posts. I have him on ignore. 

Anyway, being amongst the worst teams doesn't necessarily mean you are tanking, being in the bottom four is a very narrow definition of bad, and so far, "several" seasons is a stretch. Not to mention that the other mediocre teams you grouped the Kings with have made the playoffs while the Kings haven't, and barely have been close for one season.

If you're talking about bad teams staying bad, the Kings are the prime example. The Wolves would be next, except that they broke through recently. Detroit and Orlando should be grouped with the Knicks, Hornets and Wizards. Houston should not register yet. 

I'm not sure what is so hard to understand. Is it bad, several or staying? 

[Calibandar]

3 hours ago, DMC said:

What you seem to be willfully ignorant about is this is also the 3rd straight year OKC is tanking.  They traded Paul before the 2020-21 season and went on to post a 22-50 record - one game ahead of Orlando and two games ahead of Detroit.

Well I'm not ignorant about it, they just dont seem to be tanking this season  

Which is what I want them to do.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

This is a complete joke:

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/35053281/spain-overtakes-usa-no-1-spot-fiba-men-hoops-rankings

Send us your best, Spain, and we'll send you are D team and crush their faces in.

[BigFatCoward]

3 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

This is a complete joke:

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/35053281/spain-overtakes-usa-no-1-spot-fiba-men-hoops-rankings

Send us your best, Spain, and we'll send you are D team and crush their faces in.

None of the best players are American anymore, deal with it. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

3 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

None of the best players are American anymore, deal with it. 

Two best players aren't that's for sure with Giannis and Luka, but after that overwhelmingly most of the next best 25 players are from year and none of them are from Spain. Not sure if they even have a top 50 player which is what makes it a joke.

Holy shit, after using the Googles top 50 for any Spanish player was generous. Probs not even top 100. 

[Ramsay B.]

Bulls are awful. That draft pick might actually be decent, DMC.

Also lost 2 big parlay’s because Giannis goes 4-15 from the line and scoreless the last 10 minutes. Just needed 2 fucking points. Fuck you, DraftKings!

[DMC]

13 minutes ago, Ramsay B. said:

Bulls are awful. That draft pick might actually be decent, DMC.

I was very torn on who to root for tonight -- I want both the Bulls and Orlando to lose!  However, it's getting close to the point where I actually might have to start rooting for the Bulls to win because if they get a top 4 pick they get to keep it.

[BigFatCoward]

6 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Two best players aren't that's for sure with Giannis and Luka, but after that overwhelmingly most of the next best 25 players are from year and none of them are from Spain. Not sure if they even have a top 50 player which is what makes it a joke.

Holy shit, after using the Googles top 50 for any Spanish player was generous. Probs not even top 100. 

I was being flippant but the best 2 players last year weren't American either.

It is getting to the point now where USA v rest of the world would be a toss up, and would make much more sense for the all star game.  Just for the lols I would go with the below to start, not the best mix, but I want a team of giants. 

C - Gobert

PF - Embiid

SF - Jokic

PG - Giannis

SG - Luka

 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, BigFatCoward said:

I was being flippant but the best 2 players last year weren't American either.

It is getting to the point now where USA v rest of the world would be a toss up, and would make much more sense for the all star game. 

But you Eurocommies laughed when one of ours suggested an All-Star game in soccer. How the tables have turned.

Jokes aside though, I think you could make an argument that four of the best seven or eight players right now are from outside the US (Jokic and Embiid). There's just no way to fill out the rest of the roster.

 

[BigFatCoward]

3 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Jokes aside though, I think you could make an argument that four of the best seven or eight players right now are from outside the US (Jokic and Embiid). There's just no way to fill out the rest of the roster.

 

Almost all of the best players are forwards and centres. Luka and SGA would have to play a lot of minutes. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

6 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

Almost all of the best players are forwards and centres. Luka and SGA would have to play a lot of minutes. 

The funny problem is the US lacks big men. KAT, AD, Bam and Ayton are probably the best we got. Wings and guards though, eat your heart out.

That said, nobody is ready for the alien from France. 

[Argonath Diver]

4 hours ago, DMC said:

I was very torn on who to root for tonight -- I want both the Bulls and Orlando to lose!  However, it's getting close to the point where I actually might have to start rooting for the Bulls to win because if they get a top 4 pick they get to keep it.

I was super skeptical about the Vucevic trade from the get go, and never thought  DeRozan was a fit with LaVine. No one expected DDR to put up a ridiculously great individual season either. 

Lonzo Ball is incredibly important for this roster - his top tier on-ball defense helped hide LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevics collectively shitty defensive efforts. I'm baffled why AKME didn't sign any 3pt shooters when the entire sport is reliant on them now, and Ball was our best threat from deep. If he wasn't shooting an open 3, he was the exact facilitator Zach and Demar needed to cut down their ball pounding iso shit.

There's pages to rant about with the Bulls disaster of a re-rostering. It's not Lonzos fault his knee is made of cardboard, but in my opinion he is the most important player on the roster, due to deficiencies elsewhere. Someday I hope we get an actual explanation of his bone bruise turned 18 month debacle.

[Proudfeet]

11 minutes ago, Argonath Diver said:

Lonzo Ball is incredibly important for this roster - his top tier on-ball defense helped hide LaVine, DeRozan and Vucevics collectively shitty defensive efforts. I'm baffled why AKME didn't sign any 3pt shooters when the entire sport is reliant on them now, and Ball was our best threat from deep. If he wasn't shooting an open 3, he was the exact facilitator Zach and Demar needed to cut down their ball pounding iso shit.

That's interesting. Lonzo has never impressed me when I've watched him. He rotates well on defense, but he stalls rather than stop them. He never had the ball with the Lakers, passed it and went to spot up as soon as he passed half court on the Pelicans and when he's had opportunity to conduct a half court offense on the Bulls, it mostly involves him not being able to drive past anyone, barely attempting to even and is usually just dribbling in place waiting for people to get open and eventually handing it to DeRozan or LaVine and then spotting up. And his 3 point shooting was only good last year, so it's not sure how sustainable that is either.

He's a good serviceable player, but I never got the hype nor think he's worth the $20 million he's getting. I didn't realise that he's actually well regarded and important to a roster.