2022-2023 NBA Season Thread

[fightinfunbags]

I mean the clear point here is you can build a team around Jokic. Embiid? I’m not sure and to this point he has not proved that to be true. Jokic led his team without their two best players all season to the playoffs.

Embiid is rare for averaging 30 ppg for a big in today’s game while putting up 20 shots.
Is that more rare than Jokic throwing dimes like a PG?
No considering it’s never been done in the history of the game.
We have never seen a player like Jokic and if you add in the lack of athleticism…the two guys that come to mind are Sabonis and Divac and Jokic is like 3.0 version although Sabonis in his prime was pretty damn good

Where the fuck is this evidence that you can build a team around Jokic? A bubble Western Conference Final appearance?

 

[CitySushi]

You saw every minute of that Warriors Nuggets series. Are you telling me the Warriors didn’t screen constantly to get him isolated on a switch for a guard dribble drive?

They attacked him relentlessly. But that's not because Jokic was the weak point of the defense. It's because attacking the center, not just Jokic, is optimal for the Warriors offense. The Warriors don't have any interior play, yet they are always high up on the list on points in the paint. That's because their guard play drags bigs away from the hoop for back cuts and slashers.

Also they attacked Jokic to get him in foul trouble too. He had 5 fouls in two of the 5 games they played and 4 in another. They attack him to tire him out too. Energy spent on defense takes away from his abilities on offense.

You're trying so hard to paint it as black and white, but as in everything in basketball, there's nuance and context.

 

[fightinfunbags]

They attacked him relentlessly. But that's not because Jokic was the weak point of the defense. It's because attacking the center, not just Jokic, is optimal for the Warriors offense. The Warriors don't have any interior play, yet they are always high up on the list on points in the paint. That's because their guard play drags bigs away from the hoop for back cuts and slashers.

Also they attacked Jokic to get him in foul trouble too. He had 5 fouls in two of the 5 games they played and 4 in another. They attack him to tire him out too. Energy spent on defense takes away from his abilities on offense.

You're trying so hard to paint it as black and white, but as in everything in basketball, there's nuance and context.

That’s the opposite of what I present. I understand the nuance you cite and that’s why I argue on behalf of the value of the two way player. The best that can be said of Joker in that regard is “Not retarded on the defensive end” anymore.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Where the fuck is this evidence that you can build a team around Jokic? A bubble Western Conference Final appearance?

We have less of a timeline for Jokic. It’s in black and white throughout Embiid’s career.

Jimmy Butler takes Miami to the Finals yet Embiid can’t win with Jimmy and Ben. Now he has Harden. What more do you need to give the guy…your whole logic presented is Jokic is a stat stuffer but evidence proves it’s actually the opposite. Jokic is a team player and Embiid is not. Not a true leader as well.

You point out Embiid’s weaknesses and how he can’t lead this team but yet you are vouching for him for MVP bc you think his defense is the difference in the conversation? That doesn’t make much sense.

 

[fightinfunbags]

We have less of a timeline for Jokic. It’s in black and white throughout Embiid’s career.

Jimmy Butler takes Miami to the Finals yet Embiid can’t win with Jimmy and Ben. Now he has Harden. What more do you need to give the guy…your whole logic presented is Jokic is a stat stuffer but evidence proves it’s actually the opposite. Jokic is a team player and Embiid is not. Not a true leader as well.

You point out Embiid’s weaknesses and how he can’t lead this team but yet you are vouching for him for MVP bc you think his defense is the difference in the conversation? That doesn’t make much sense.

They lost game 7 on a bucket that rattled off the rim four times! Haha. GTFO. The Sixers were the best team that Raptors team saw (Warriors got beat up by injury). I have questioned whether you can build around a 5 in the modern NBA. That applies to Jokic as well. What has he actually done for you to be pronouncing him to be a champion, bwahahaha!

 

[Wamu]

RIP former Celtics player & coach Chris Ford.

He's part of NBA history. He hit the very first 3-pointer on 10/12/79.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Hate to see it happen, but if Jokic wins again...meh..so be it.
It's not the end of the world.

NBA MVP odds tracker: Nikola Jokic the new favorite as Nuggets lead West, Ja Morant rising

We take a look at the latest NBA MVP odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.

dknation.draftkings.com

Ftr: I'm rooting for either Tatum, Embiid or Luka....and my dark horse is Ja.

 

[Wamu]

Hate to see it happen, but if Jokic wins again...meh....so be it. It's not the end of the world.

NBA MVP odds tracker: Nikola Jokic the new favorite as Nuggets lead West, Ja Morant rising

We take a look at the latest NBA MVP odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.

dknation.draftkings.com

Ftr: I'm rooting for either Tatum, Embiid or Luka....and my dark horse is Ja.

I think the only way he 3-peats is if he finishes the season averaging more than 10.0 assists. He does that and he'll become the first C to average a trip-dub for an entire season. The insane thing is he's not that far off. 25.0/11.0/9.8

 

[fightinfunbags]

Hate to see it happen, but if Jokic wins again...meh..so be it.
It's not the end of the world.

NBA MVP odds tracker: Nikola Jokic the new favorite as Nuggets lead West, Ja Morant rising

We take a look at the latest NBA MVP odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.

dknation.draftkings.com

Ftr: I'm rooting for either Tatum, Embiid or Luka....and my dark horse is Ja.

Bill Russell won it three times in a row. Each year the Celtics finished first in the East and won the NBA championship. Larry Bird won three in a row. 2 NBA championships one finals loss. Jokic would be looking at a 3 seed, a 6 seed, a first round gentleman’s sweep one year and a real sweep in the 2nd round the next.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Thunder -4 tonight.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Is this even possible?

LOL.

 

[DJ Fieri]

I mean the clear point here is you can build a team around Jokic. Embiid? I’m not sure and to this point he has not proved that to be true. Jokic led his team without their two best players all season to the playoffs.

Embiid is rare for averaging 30 ppg for a big in today’s game while putting up 20 shots.
Is that more rare than Jokic throwing dimes like a PG?
No considering it’s never been done in the history of the game.
We have never seen a player like Jokic and if you add in the lack of athleticism…the two guys that come to mind are Sabonis and Divac and Jokic is like 3.0 version although Sabonis in his prime was pretty damn good

Sabonis in his prime wasn't in the NBA though.

 

[thunderc]

Thunder -4 tonight.

Hope you are right

 

[bksballer89]

Eh not hating, Embiid should have won one of the last 2 in my opinion.

You are going to have to work hard to look dumber than this, I mean real hard. 13 out of a total of 67 MVPs have been white, and that’s leaving in the early years when most players were white. You are being racist for no reason. Bird was a top 5 all time player, period.

Yeah this race card he continues to play is really embarrassing

 

[fightinfunbags]

Yeah this race card he continues to play is really embarrassing

Like picking a Cowboys Giants NFC Championship game embarrassing?

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Bill Russell won it three times in a row. Each year the Celtics finished first in the East and won the NBA championship. Larry Bird won three in a row. 2 NBA championships one finals loss. Jokic would be looking at a 3 seed, a 6 seed, a first round gentleman’s sweep one year and a real sweep in the 2nd round the next.

Okay. I'm not arguing with any of that.
But if he does go on to win it again, like I said...meh...not the end of the world.
And besides...I've listed 4 others who I'd prefer instead.
Either way...no skin off my nose.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Clippers have been getting shots. They just haven’t gone down. They don’t look as tough defensively as I’ve seen them in the past.

They are reputation defenders.

It has rarely actually translated on the court.

Fuck ‘em.

The mediocrity of this 100 mil dollar tax team is ridiculous.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Okay. I'm not arguing with any of that.
But if he does go on to win it again, like I said...meh...not the end of the world.
And besides...I've listed 4 others who I'd prefer instead.
Either way...no skin off my nose.

Jokic will be just two MVPs away from Michael Jordan and he’ll have three times as many as Shaquille O’Neal.

 

[fightinfunbags]

They are reputation defenders.

It has rarely actually translated on the court.

Fuck ‘em.

The mediocrity of this 100 mil dollar tax team is ridiculous.

That’s your staff then. In the NBA a lot of defensive success comes from scheme, rotations, value system/priorities, etc…

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

1. Why would you ever think I give a fuck about people agreeing with me?
2. People in NBA media go gah gah over white players that can dominate in a sport that is primarily black now. It's why Nash gets 2 MVPs. It's why Joker gets 2 MVPs. It's why Bird won 3 in a row.

Bro, Bird?

That”s 10k steps too far.

You can’t use a consensus top 12 player of all times as a symbol of tokenism.

Also, even if any of this were true, how is it different from what the media did with Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters?