OT: 2019-20 NBA Discussions

[XXtwindad]

Dubs over Rockets? Not sure that is says anything about the Dubs, but I definitely think there's something in there about the Rockets. I think Harden is set to go down as this era's Stockton/Malone.

Also Clips over Lakers and Sixers over Bucks. More interested in thoughts on the latter. Can Embiid and Horford make Giannis a mere mortal. Huge fan of Horford, so that's a subplot I'm interested in...

[Jaybee]

I didn’t watch Dubs-Rox because I figured it would be a blowout the other way, and you know, it’s Xmas and my kids wanted to play. Looking at box scores and highlights this AM though, it’s pretty clear that Houston is going to have to find a reliable way to punish trapping Harden at mid-court. I would think that Russell Westbrook 4 on 3 with shooters around him would do this, but yesterday he basically shot them out of the game. Harden also has an annoying habit of basically not moving once he gives up the ball out of the trap, meaning the 4 on 3 quickly becomes 4 on 4 or 4 on 5.

Sizers-Bucks was interesting. Embiid seems to be the one person in the league that Giannis doesn’t want to (or thinks he can’t) dunk all over, and you could see his tentativeness. Embiid was a monster yesterday, and if Philly can get 16 games like that out of him this summer, they could absolutely win a title. I do see some possible adjustments for Milwaukee, like matching Brook Lopez to Embiids minutes, using Giannis as a roll man instead of ball handler in PNR, and maybe giving Embiid the ****s again.

I don’t really care about LA basketball, except to say that these two teams will be in the WCF and the Clips are much more suited for the playoffs than the Lakers as presently constructed.

[FlashUNC]

Clips are deeper and more versatile. I wouldn't be shocked if Houston managed to sneak by the Lakers in some West Semis matchup though.

Not exactly a given for the Lakers given how top heavy they are and LeBron is beginning to nurse what seems to be a nagging groin injury.

Lakers will have to make a move come deadline time. Rondo can't be your third option on offense.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Clips are deeper and more versatile. I wouldn't be shocked if Houston managed to sneak by the Lakers in some West Semis matchup though.

Not exactly a given for the Lakers given how top heavy they are and LeBron is beginning to nurse what seems to be a nagging groin injury.

Lakers will have to make a move come deadline time. Rondo can't be your third option on offense.

LeBron injury aside, I think it's really telling that PG had a bad game and Kuzma had a great game and the Lakers still lost.

It's 2020 almost. Can't believe Rondo is even a rotation player for a title contender which is both a compliment to Rondo and an indictment of the Lakers front office.

[FlashUNC]

Rondo's ability to create for others is still incredible, but unfortunately it's not 2009 and you need a point who at least has the threat of outside shooting. Davis is a bigger perimeter threat.

[Jaybee]

Oh, and let’s kill instant replay. It is ok for sports to have human imperfection in them.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Oh, and let’s kill instant replay. It is ok for sports to have human imperfection in them.

The NBA's found a decent balance with it I think. It's not as onerous and intrusive as the NFL and generally they seem to get it right with it -- was the shooter's foot on the line, who touched it last, etc.

Sucks for LeBron, but they got that call right.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

The NBA's found a decent balance with it I think. It's not as onerous and intrusive as the NFL and generally they seem to get it right with it -- was the shooter's foot on the line, who touched it last, etc.

Sucks for LeBron, but they got that call right.

I guess we will agree to disagree then.

For the first 46 minutes, that ball is out on Beverley. This makes sense, his actions caused the ball to go out. For the last 2 minutes, we use hi-def frame by frame to determine that LeBron may have touched it with a sliver of his fingernail and the call is different. And I think anything longer than 20 seconds is onerous when we are talking about interrupting the game. Part of the joy of basketball is that it proceeds relatively quickly.

[FlashUNC]

It ain't the action, it's who touched it last. Beverly got it on the gather enough for LeBron to lose it at the top.

They got it right there. Refs weren't perfect, the Davis call on the layup was weird, but LeBron got worked by Beverly on that final possession. Makes Westbrook's claim that Beverly is washed a bit premature I think.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

It ain't the action, it's who touched it last. Beverly got it on the gather enough for LeBron to lose it at the top.

They got it right there. Refs weren't perfect, the Davis call on the layup was weird, but LeBron got worked by Beverly on that final possession. Makes Westbrook's claim that Beverly is washed a bit premature I think.

I know that LeBron touched it last. I just think it's weird that for the previous 46 minutes of the game, that call always goes for the offense, yet for the last two minutes, we get technology involved so we can parse it beyond the limits of human perception.

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I didn’t watch Dubs-Rox because I figured it would be a blowout the other way, and you know, it’s Xmas and my kids wanted to play. Looking at box scores and highlights this AM though, it’s pretty clear that Houston is going to have to find a reliable way to punish trapping Harden at mid-court. I would think that Russell Westbrook 4 on 3 with shooters around him would do this, but yesterday he basically shot them out of the game. Harden also has an annoying habit of basically not moving once he gives up the ball out of the trap, meaning the 4 on 3 quickly becomes 4 on 4 or 4 on 5.

Sizers-Bucks was interesting. Embiid seems to be the one person in the league that Giannis doesn’t want to (or thinks he can’t) dunk all over, and you could see his tentativeness. Embiid was a monster yesterday, and if Philly can get 16 games like that out of him this summer, they could absolutely win a title. I do see some possible adjustments for Milwaukee, like matching Brook Lopez to Embiids minutes, using Giannis as a roll man instead of ball handler in PNR, and maybe giving Embiid the ****s again.

I don’t really care about LA basketball, except to say that these two teams will be in the WCF and the Clips are much more suited for the playoffs than the Lakers as presently constructed.

There’s one other guy Giannis will shy away from, and who has contained him.

Horford.

This team was built to beat the Bucs in the playoffs. If healthy, I think it will. The Bucs guy who could bust things up for philly is Bledsoe.

I thought that they’d match up perfectly against the Lakers, but a contributing Dwight Howard changes that dynamic dramatically.

No one is going to want to play Dallas in the playoffs. It was obvious that team was a comer, but they’re already here. Still liking the clippers when all is said and done.

Pacers could make noise. Miami and Boston are paper tigers.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Aaron O

There’s one other guy Giannis will shy away from, and who has contained him.

Horford.

This team was built to beat the Bucs in the playoffs. If healthy, I think it will. The Bucs guy who could bust things up for philly is Bledsoe.

I thought that they’d match up perfectly against the Lakers, but a contributing Dwight Howard changes that dynamic dramatically.

Still liking the clippers when all is said and done.

"Winning" follows Horford around like cologne. Wonder why?

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

"Winning" follows Horford around like cologne. Wonder why?

Great leader. Great work ethic. Adjusts to the system around him. High IQ. Versatile skill set. Hope like hell JoJo is listening and watching, because Horford is the consummate NBA professional.

Really love Horford, even if we did overpay. I saw that move as similar to Toronto getting Gasol specifically to counter Embiid (and it worked).

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I guess we will agree to disagree then.

For the first 46 minutes, that ball is out on Beverley. This makes sense, his actions caused the ball to go out. For the last 2 minutes, we use hi-def frame by frame to determine that LeBron may have touched it with a sliver of his fingernail and the call is different. And I think anything longer than 20 seconds is onerous when we are talking about interrupting the game. Part of the joy of basketball is that it proceeds relatively quickly.

My favorite Sf Chron columnist Bruce Jenkins on his hopes for replays:

"Over the summer, the league decides to dismantle the replay process. Gone, forget about it, no “reviews” at all. This won’t happen, but honestly: How often have you said to yourself, “Just stay with the call. Live with it. Move on.” These endless delays are a blight on the rhythm and flow of a game, often completely destroying a team’s momentum. It’s evident the league will never advance beyond a tedious process of communication that appears to have been lifted from the 1970s."

He also called out Miami as the biggest threat to Milwaukee. Honestly, I hadn't looked at the standings in awhile. It was shocking to me that Miami has the third best record in the league. Spoelstra has to be a shoo-in for COY.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

My favorite Sf Chron columnist Bruce Jenkins on his hopes for replays:

"Over the summer, the league decides to dismantle the replay process. Gone, forget about it, no “reviews” at all. This won’t happen, but honestly: How often have you said to yourself, “Just stay with the call. Live with it. Move on.” These endless delays are a blight on the rhythm and flow of a game, often completely destroying a team’s momentum. It’s evident the league will never advance beyond a tedious process of communication that appears to have been lifted from the 1970s."

He also called out Miami as the biggest threat to Milwaukee. Honestly, I hadn't looked at the standings in awhile. It was shocking to me that Miami has the third best record in the league. Spoelstra has to be a shoo-in for COY.

Miami has benefitted from a couple things.

First, the general NBA fan thinks this is Jimmy Butler and a bunch of nobodies, but Bam Adebayo is a legit top 30 talent who no one really talks about.

Second, their schedule has been relatively soft so far - will get much harder after the AS break.

Spoelstra should always be on the short list for COY.

The East 2-6 is extremely interesting. You could convince me of any order of those teams in the final standings, and you could also convince me that any one of them could beat any other team in a 7 game series.