2021 NBA regular season thread

[shopson67]

If they bring him in, it will be for the same reason they signed Dwight last year. Defense (especially rim protection) and rebounding.

For comparison:

Whiteside is playing only 15 minutes per game and is getting 1.5 blocks and 6 rebounds.

Dwight played 19 minutes per game last year and averaged 1 block and 7 rebounds.

...and Cousins is getting .7 blk, 7.6 reb in 20 min while shooting 33% from 3

 

[shopson67]

Not sure about complete days off, but he has always said if he prepares to play in a game the amount of minutes don't matter to him.

Hasn't missed a game yet this season.

 

[shopson67]

If LeBron cant start winninig games without AD, Embiid is really going to solidify himself as MVP.

Only real risk for Embiid is if he sits out too many games. Right now he has already missed a handful- he cant miss too many more in a reduced season.

If Lebron plays all 72 and Embiid only plays 60, a tie breaker would go to LeBron.

i dont think we will be in a tie-breaker type situation- but if we are that could def. be the difference.

Lebron is more valuable and it isn't close IMO. Of course, he should've been MVP many more times already, so voter fatigue is already against him.

 

[shopson67]

How is it possible Blake griffin isn't dealt yet

$36M in salary with a player option for next season. That's about 4x the going rate for 12/6 at 36% from the field.

 

[shopson67]

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

Could have something to do with playing no defense and not leading his team anywhere until they brought in a HOFer in CP3.

 

[wildturkey]

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.

Beal has been a better player for awhile. Even when Washington was good back before Wall wrecked his Achilles, I always thought he was the better player on the Wizards, a true all star caliber player regardless of if the team is trash or not. And that's continued to this year. You can see the difference between how Beal and LaVine play that the stat sheets don't show. LaVine has largely been an empty calorie player. He's put up numbers similar to other all stars for a handful of years now but its just different. The impact compared to those other guys just isn't there. He has boosted his percentages and efficiency this year but its a shortened season. If it were a normal length season and he was doing that, sure. I'd be more comfortable putting him in. But I'm not rewarding that bump up in stats over a shorter period of time for guys like him and Randle when there's other guys out there that are just as deserving if not more that have I've seen do it for longer, even if its just a year or two longer. LaVine, Randle, and Vucevic shouldn't be in over guys like Sabonis and Bam, especially the latter two. If you want to toss the last spot to LaVine over the rest (Randle, Vucevic, FVV, Trae, Middleton, etc) I'd be ok with that.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Draymond predictably with a fantastic game. Curry with 37, in a game where the stingy Knicks D held them to 114 total. Too bad he can't carry a team though.

i absolutely think he is proving day in and day out he can carry a team to the 8th seed in the West! Maybe even 7!

 

[WiggyRuss]

Shumpert almost made it a month before getting released.

The guy was washed years ago. I have no clue why anyone thought he might help.

 

[tlance]

Beal has been a better player for awhile. Even when Washington was good back before Wall wrecked his Achilles, I always thought he was the better player on the Wizards, a true all star caliber player regardless of if the team is trash or not. And that's continued to this year. You can see the difference between how Beal and LaVine play that the stat sheets don't show. LaVine has largely been an empty calorie player. He's put up numbers similar to other all stars for a handful of years now but its just different. The impact compared to those other guys just isn't there. He has boosted his percentages and efficiency this year but its a shortened season. If it were a normal length season and he was doing that, sure. I'd be more comfortable putting him in. But I'm not rewarding that bump up in stats over a shorter period of time for guys like him and Randle when there's other guys out there that are just as deserving if not more that have I've seen do it for longer, even if its just a year or two longer. LaVine, Randle, and Vucevic shouldn't be in over guys like Sabonis and Bam, especially the latter two. If you want to toss the last spot to LaVine over the rest (Randle, Vucevic, FVV, Trae, Middleton, etc) I'd be ok with that.

You are right to a point. There are things he does that don’t correlate to good team basketball. Similar to the reasons I would knock Kyrie during his Cleveland days.

However, when you score as much as he does, as efficiently as he does, he is providing more than empty calories and providing positive value to his team, even if that value is less than his stats suggest.

To your point about Bam and Sabonis, I am fine with either player being in the game, but in a guard dominated world, I would much prefer to watch an super explosive and highly skilled guard averaging almost 30 per game than another big who will likely play 12 minutes or less.

And Lavine is deserving.

 

[WiggyRuss]

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

Cavs were playing an easy schedule to start the year and caught some teams sleeping.

Plus Larry Nance is a very good defensive player, and a team leader. Not a surprise that losing him is when the losing started.

The Cavs have missed more games to injury than any other team in the NBA beside the Bulls I think.

There are basically 5 players in the upcoming draft with top notch grades- Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, Green and Kuminga. If the Cavs had the #1 pick id actually lean towards Kuminga right now. Cunningham is certainly worthy of it- but Kuminga is a freak with a good work ethic and is exactly what the Cavs need.

After the top 5- at least right now- there is a drop off. Usually one or two guys do impress through the tourney and make their way into the top group- but as of right now- it looks like there are 5 true blue chip prospects in this draft and 3 of them are wings. The Cavs need one of those 3.

 

[WiggyRuss]

my revised top 5 right now- that i am sure will change:

1. Kuminga
2. Suggs
3. Cunningham
4. Green
5. Mobley

 

[msgkings322]

i absolutely think he is proving day in and day out he can carry a team to the 8th seed in the West! Maybe even 7!

Since LeBron is the only guy who can carry a team farther alone, congratulations you just proved Steph isn't as good as LeBron. Add this to your long list of shitty takes.

 

[Wamu]

Since LeBron is the only guy who can carry a team farther alone, congratulations you just proved Steph isn't as good as LeBron. Add this to your long list of shitty takes.

Oh cut wiggy some slack. If you ignore all the nonsense he spews he's really very unbiased.

 

[dtgold88]

my revised top 5 right now- that i am sure will change:

1. Kuminga
2. Suggs
3. Cunningham
4. Green
5. Mobley

I do wonder what Cavs would do if Cunningham is clear BPA to them. Cannot say I've watched him more than a couple times to know if he can be more than a PG. I think IF clear BPA they'd take him. No doubt Kuminga more position of need for them.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Since LeBron is the only guy who can carry a team farther alone, congratulations you just proved Steph isn't as good as LeBron. Add this to your long list of shitty takes.

its gross that he has "won" 2 mvps.

Like Nash- it was more based on the overall team than being a force of nature on the court.

Hes no Shaq or LeBron or Kobe or Duncan etc....some of which only one 1 MVP.

its why I said i think its kind of a joke he won 2 mvps. i think of multi-time MVP winners of being able to do exactly what Curry cant.

 

[dtgold88]

Cavs were playing an easy schedule to start the year and caught some teams sleeping.

Plus Larry Nance is a very good defensive player, and a team leader. Not a surprise that losing him is when the losing started.

The Cavs have missed more games to injury than any other team in the NBA beside the Bulls I think.

There are basically 5 players in the upcoming draft with top notch grades- Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, Green and Kuminga. If the Cavs had the #1 pick id actually lean towards Kuminga right now. Cunningham is certainly worthy of it- but Kuminga is a freak with a good work ethic and is exactly what the Cavs need.

After the top 5- at least right now- there is a drop off. Usually one or two guys do impress through the tourney and make their way into the top group- but as of right now- it looks like there are 5 true blue chip prospects in this draft and 3 of them are wings. The Cavs need one of those 3.

I really don't get the angst so many of our fans have (at least in forums I check out) toward Altman. I mean, the last 2 drafts he picked 5th with a bottom 5 record. I like Garland and fine with Okoro (too early), but team might be a bit better with Zion/Morant and/or Ball.

They are playing with 4 of their top 5 front court players and 3 of their best defenders (1 by choice).

This part was so true.....
"This is a rebuild. It’s Year 3 of a long-term plan. There are no shortcuts. LeBron James isn’t coming back to save the franchise -- again.

The Philadelphia 76ers won 47 games combined over three years, with their win total dropping each season, all the way to 10 wins in 2015-16. Year 4 wasn’t cause for beaming pride either, as they won 28 and finished with the Eastern Conference’s second-worst record. That pile of losses didn’t mean there was no hope, no bright spots. The Phoenix Suns had four years of futility and a couple lottery misses until finally making positive strides last year. The Sacramento Kings have been rebuilding for the better part of a decade. The Atlanta Hawks are a year ahead with their attempted turnaround and have Trae Young. Still, they also have just three more wins this season than the free-falling Cavs."

 

[msgkings322]

its gross that he has "won" 2 mvps.

Like Nash- it was more based on the overall team than being a force of nature on the court.

Hes no Shaq or LeBron or Kobe or Duncan etc....some of which only one 1 MVP.

its why I said i think its kind of a joke he won 2 mvps. i think of multi-time MVP winners of being able to do exactly what Curry cant.

Oh really? Name a player besides LeBron who can get a team to the finals without significant help. I'll even help you, Olajuwon. That's pretty much it (Iverson had the GOAT coach)

 

[CitySushi]

It's funny how Wiggy keeps continually shitting on the one championship the Cavs have and discounting it as an accomplishment and doesn't even realize it.

 

[msgkings322]

It's funny how Wiggy keeps continually shitting on the one championship the Cavs have and discounting it as an accomplishment and doesn't even realize it.

Trolls often get caught in contradictions. He was hyping up all the Cavs players and when I said "I guess they might be a borderline playoff team then" he reversed and said no they suck. Our favorite troll Dorian posted about how Harden should have easily won the title last year with Chris Paul, and then minutes later on how he'll never win a ring.

Wiggy has his agenda and it blinds him, so yes he is devaluing the Cavs with his endless Curry critique.

 

[bksballer89]

Heat 2nd half schedule looking nice!!!