OT: 2019-20 NBA Discussions

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Ugh. Watching last night's second half collapse in Game 2 of the Miami-Boston ECF, I was reminded of an amusing riff my wife & I developed over the years.

I learned to appreciate watching NBA games when I lived in Boston in the 1980s, during the heyday of the Bird-McHale-Parrish Big Three. And a phrase I developed from watching so many of those games -- and that my wife subsequently learned from me -- was, when your team is down 7 or 8 or 9 points with ~15 seconds left in the 4th quarter, "the Celtics could do it!"

Because they did, on so many occasions. It was especially fun watching replays of some of those classic games with the missus when she could finally see exactly what I was talking about. So for a number of years, whenever I was watching a basketball game and someone, anyone, was down 7 or 8 or 9 points with ~15 seconds left in the 4th quarter, my wife would walk into the room, look at the score and the clock, and yell "the Celtics could do it!"

In the past decade, my wife has modified that rallying cry; nowadays she yells "the Celtics could do it! oh, wait..."

Last night she didn't even have to say a thing.

Off the top of my head...the players who looked like an accountant in the neighborhood bar: McHale and Paul Mokeski. McHale was ganglier than hell. But, man, could he ball. Injuries prevented him from reaching full potential. Given full health, top 25-30 player of all-time.

[Jaybee]

What a gutting way to lose for Denver. That shot changed the series. I would've called it 55-45 for LA had Denver managed to pull it out. There's just no way, despite their history of comebacks, that they are taking 4 of 5 from the Lakers. Last night was their chance and Anthony Davis, 30% 3 point shooter, ripped it out of their hands.

[akelman]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

What a gutting way to lose for Denver. That shot changed the series. I would've called it 55-45 for LA had Denver managed to pull it out. There's just no way, despite their history of comebacks, that they are taking 4 of 5 from the Lakers. Last night was their chance and Anthony Davis, 30% 3 point shooter, ripped it out of their hands.

100% brutal. I'd add that AD had TWO huge 3s at the end of that game. And also, as important, that LeBron's/Vogel's clock management on the penultimate Lakers' play will turn out to be an underrated moment throughout these playoffs. Managing to get that shot for AD (the drive into the lane) while preserving a two-for-one opportunity on the clock was just great, great tactics.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by akelman

100% brutal. I'd add that AD had TWO huge 3s at the end of that game. And also, as important, that LeBron's/Vogel's clock management on the penultimate Lakers' play will turn out to be an underrated moment throughout these playoffs. Managing to get that shot for AD (the drive into the lane) while preserving a two-for-one opportunity on the clock was just great, great tactics.

It's simple - these guys are at the absolute pinnacle of sports in general. Not just their sport, but all sports. Maybe not cycling, which is hyper-specialized, but just about everything else.

[akelman]

Originally Posted by Louis

It's simple - these guys are at the absolute pinnacle of sports in general. Not just their sport, but all sports. Maybe not cycling, which is hyper-specialized, but just about everything else.

Totally agree. LeBron, who, for all of his freakish ability still to jump 40ish inches into the air at age 35, has lost at least half a step in the last few years. Nevertheless, he thinks the game better than any player in recent memory. I'm not even sure it's close. Like him or hate him, the guy's career increasingly demonstrates that being a world historically great athlete is about much more than physical dominance.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by akelman

Totally agree. LeBron, who, for all of his freakish ability still to jump 40ish inches into the air at age 35, has lost at least half a step in the last few years. Nevertheless, he thinks the game better than any player in recent memory. I'm not even sure it's close. Like him or hate him, the guy's career increasingly demonstrates that being a world historically great athlete is about much more than physical dominance.

Having a photographic memory helps.

[Jaybee]

I hope we all have someone who believes in us as much as Tyler Herro believes in himself.

[akelman]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I hope we all have someone who believes in us as much as Tyler Herro believes in himself.

Dude is ridiculous. Did you happen to catch the post-game interview? Rachel Nichols (married to the son of Mike Nichols, by the way) had to show him where to stand. And he has just the tiniest bit of peach fuzz on his chin. And yet, he thinks he's the best scorer in the league and plays like it often enough that he's genuinely dangerous. That the Celtics lost a coin-flip with the Heat for the right to draft him is the icing on the cake.

[Louis]

Wikipedia has him listed at 6' 5", 195 lbs. Dude needs to muscle-up a bit.

Other than that, if he can keep shooting the way he did against the Celtics, he has quite a future in the NBA.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by akelman

Dude is ridiculous. Did you happen to catch the post-game interview? Rachel Nichols (married to the son of Mike Nichols, by the way) had to show him where to stand. And he has just the tiniest bit of peach fuzz on his chin. And yet, he thinks he's the best scorer in the league and plays like it often enough that he's genuinely dangerous. That the Celtics lost a coin-flip with the Heat for the right to draft him is the icing on the cake.

He went 13th right? If we redid draft today, he’d be 3rd.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

He went 13th right? If we redid draft today, he’d be 3rd.

A more interesting and pertinent question: is Zion still first?

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

A more interesting and pertinent question: is Zion still first?

I take Ja, but it’s close. Lead ball handler that is an offense by himself is the most valuable commodity in the NBA. I don’t love either ones long term durability - Zion for bulk reasons that you’ve already referenced several times and Ja because he throws his body around in a way that reminds me a little too much of DRose.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Jaybee;2800971[B

]I take Ja, [/B]but it’s close. Lead ball handler that is an offense by himself is the most valuable commodity in the NBA. I don’t love either ones long term durability - Zion for bulk reasons that you’ve already referenced several times and Ja because he throws his body around in a way that reminds me a little too much of DRose.

Me too. Closest comp for me with JAMO is Iverson. He had a pretty lengthy career.

[akelman]

Welp, now the Nuggets have the Lakers right where they want them.

[FlashUNC]

If AD and LeBron continue to drop 60 combined, this won't be going much longer. And it'll be a short Finals too.