2021 NBA regular season thread

[msgkings322]

After Boston fleeced them, who could have known that the Nets would build a championship caliber team before the Celtics?

Bought not built!

 

[msgkings322]

I'm sure he would but still disrespectful IMO

LeBron just tweeted this, that Booker is the most disrespected player in the league

 

[thunderc]

Levine’s year this far. 28.8 pts, 5.1 boards, 5.4 assists while shooting 51.8, 43.4 and 86.4. Not an all star seriously? Please.

 

[wildturkey]

You do realize the Bulls are playing pretty well this season right?

Better, but not by much. They've gone from barely above total ass to still below .500. It's not a gigantic leap and it has more to do with actually getting a decent coach than anything else. There's a ton of East teams all clustered together each with players that are better than LaVine and more impactful.

Not anymore man.

He has gotten a lot better.

Lavine and Randle are the two most improved players this year IMO. Both went from being empty numbers to legit star caliber leading man production.

Not saying they are championship caliber leading men, but both are worthy of being all stars.

Nope. Still largely a numbers guy. In certain situations, they even play better with him off the floor. He's raised a couple of his percentages, but he's still a pretty lousy defender. Also prone to fits of "gets mine" play too. He's not an all star. Especially in a year where there's actually a lot of guys up vying for limited slots. Hell, I'd take Trae Young over him even though Trae's got a similar whiff of empty numbers as well. Except the Hawks flat out suck when Trae isn't out there. Basically everything they do is thru him. He's more worthy than LaVine is. I'd take Fred Van Vleet as well. This is nothing more than a swell of support for LaVine because he's been around and guys like him. It happens. But he's still largely the same player he's been for years and no one gave a damn. He was on a tier below. He's still on that tier.

Also, to amend what I said earlier, I misread the reserves and didn't realize Bam was out. I'd have him in over the others, including Sabonis. Heat have been a mess thru various issues but Bam has been great, basically keeping them afloat.

 

[wildturkey]

Levine’s year this far. 28.8 pts, 5.1 boards, 5.4 assists while shooting 51.8, 43.4 and 86.4. Not an all star seriously? Please.

I'd be more impressed if you could spell his name right while looking up basic box score stats.

 

[tlance]

Better, but not by much. They've gone from barely above total ass to still below .500. It's not a gigantic leap and it has more to do with actually getting a decent coach than anything else. There's a ton of East teams all clustered together each with players that are better than LaVine and more impactful.



Nope. Still largely a numbers guy. In certain situations, they even play better with him off the floor. He's raised a couple of his percentages, but he's still a pretty lousy defender. Also prone to fits of "gets mine" play too. He's not an all star. Especially in a year where there's actually a lot of guys up vying for limited slots. Hell, I'd take Trae Young over him even though Trae's got a similar whiff of empty numbers as well. Except the Hawks flat out suck when Trae isn't out there. Basically everything they do is thru him. He's more worthy than LaVine is. I'd take Fred Van Vleet as well. This is nothing more than a swell of support for LaVine because he's been around and guys like him. It happens. But he's still largely the same player he's been for years and no one gave a damn. He was on a tier below. He's still on that tier.

Also, to amend what I said earlier, I misread the reserves and didn't realize Bam was out. I'd have him in over the others, including Sabonis. Heat have been a mess thru various issues but Bam has been great, basically keeping them afloat.

Lousy defender, but I disagree with the rest.

Seriously, what is the difference between Beal and LaVine this year?

I don’t see a whole lot. He has been fantastic.

 

[tlance]

@bksballer89

Just curious, what do you want the Celtics to do on that last possession?

They leveled him off the ball screen and forced a step back 3 from 28 feet contested by 2 defenders.

He is a 6’7 guard and one of the elite offensive players in the league. He is going to get that shot. If you are the Celtics, forcing a 33% 3 point shooter into a high difficulty attempt is a win for the defense.

 

[thunderc]

I'd be more impressed if you could spell his name right while looking up basic box score stats.

We got us a spelling bee champion here guys.

 

[bksballer89]

Just curious, what do you want the Celtics to do on that last possession?

Sometimes you have to make someone else beat you. Once they set that screen to try and get the switch then im trapping

 

[Gman]

@bksballer89

Just curious, what do you want the Celtics to do on that last possession?

They leveled him off the ball screen and forced a step back 3 from 28 feet contested by 2 defenders.

He is a 6’7 guard and one of the elite offensive players in the league. He is going to get that shot. If you are the Celtics, forcing a 33% 3 point shooter into a high difficulty attempt is a win for the defense.

I agree.

The Celtics played "good" defense that last possession... sometimes, a great player just makes a great shot... and that's the difference.

That said: Boston's problems go way beyond one possession or one game.

 

[bksballer89]

I agree.

The Celtics played "good" defense that last possession... sometimes, a great player just makes a great shot... and that's the difference.

That said: Boston's problems go way beyond one possession or one game.

At least kemba is looking better lately. Just lacking consistency

 

[Gman]

At least kemba is looking better lately. Just lacking consistency

Kemba has looked good. I've watched a few games recently... he is moving well, and making his shot better at the rim... he's just (still) missing a few more shots overall that he usually makes.

So... health/injuries isn't really the problem any more... (overall) the C's are in good shape with having guys available... the notable exception being Smart, of course.

But you would think that having Tatum, Brown and Walker at the helm... that would be enough to get W's in the regular season...

... apparently not. There's something wrong with the fit, or at least with the way the C's are currently playing. Too much ISO ball, IMO... the C's big three is (all too often) looking to score 1-and-1, rather than taking what the defense is giving them and having a true team offense.

It's just not winning basketball... even if all of Tatum, Brown and Kemba are very good individual offensive players.

 

[trojanfan12]

Sometimes you have to make someone else beat you. Once they set that screen to try and get the switch then im trapping

Yeah, the defense wasn't bad at all. But maybe a hard double to force him to pass would have been better.

 

[dtgold88]

Not anymore man.

He has gotten a lot better.

Lavine and Randle are the two most improved players this year IMO. Both went from being empty numbers to legit star caliber leading man production.

Not saying they are championship caliber leading men, but both are worthy of being all stars.

agree......as I'm sure you are aware sometimes people have their narrative on a guy and nothing will ever change it.

 

[tlance]

Sometimes you have to make someone else beat you. Once they set that screen to try and get the switch then im trapping

Yeah, I know he has made that shot before in that moment, but he really isn’t a great shooter yet. I think you live with that rather than giving an open look to a guy who is probably a better shooter percentage wise.

Different discussion if we are talking about Dame.

 

[dtgold88]

I disagree. Boston’s defense was terrific the last 2 minutes. Only quality look Dallas got was a corner 3 in transition from Brunson (which he missed).

Luka just made 2 really tough shots. That is what great players do.

Right? Hard to say a guy made a step back 25 footer because of bad D.

 

[dtgold88]

I agree.

The Celtics played "good" defense that last possession... sometimes, a great player just makes a great shot... and that's the difference.

That said: Boston's problems go way beyond one possession or one game.

sometimes fans just don't want to blame/credit the shooter. Great or lousy D only for them. If he misses then same fans - rightly - might say bad shot.

 

[dtgold88]

See this article @WiggyRuss or @Shanemansj13 ? Mostly directed at the critical Cavs' fans. Unfortunately while he starts as saying it's meant as an emotionless piece most critical fans are irrational/emotional and ignore all facts that refute their biased opinions...

Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent collapse doesn’t mean rebuild is failing: Chris Fedor

After an inspiring yet unsustainable start, the Cavaliers have fallen quickly, morphing into the league’s worst team -- a non-competitive trash heap that can’t even hang with the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder.

www.cleveland.com

 

[msgkings322]

See this article @WiggyRuss or @Shanemansj13 ? Mostly directed at the critical Cavs' fans. Unfortunately while he starts as saying it's meant as an emotionless piece most critical fans are irrational/emotional and ignore all facts that refute their biased opinions...

Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent collapse doesn’t mean rebuild is failing: Chris Fedor

After an inspiring yet unsustainable start, the Cavaliers have fallen quickly, morphing into the league’s worst team -- a non-competitive trash heap that can’t even hang with the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder.

www.cleveland.com

Unfortunately for Cavs fans, what you see this year is how it looks when a team that will never win another title ever again is in the process of not winning titles ever again.

 

[dtgold88]

Unfortunately for Cavs fans, what you see this year is how it looks when a team that will never win another title ever again is in the process of not winning titles ever again.

K