2023-24 NBA Season Thread

[rifleman69]

Originally Posted by Corporal Lance

It upsets me that early-days George Steinbrenner 2.0 is making decisions for the Knicks. It upsets me that his business dealings, and hence contracts, are linked to his stupid Sphere in Las Vegas. It upsets me he threw a drunk Charles Oakley out. And his band sucks. Rant ended.

You don't like JD and the Straight Shot? We boo'd him out of the building during an Eagles concert that was rescheduled before covid. Apparently he's good friends with Henley. Would have been a better lounge act.

[daeve]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Like Memphis a couple of years ago, they've gotta prove that they can get it done in the playoffs before people start believing in them.

Defending well in the regular season, when teams only have a day to prepare for you and only play you 2-4 times a season is VERY different than defending well when you are playing the same team in a 7-game series and the opposing coach has plenty of time to figure out how to exploit your weaknesses.

There's a reason that Gobert is a career 3-7 in the playoffs and has never made it to the conference finals, and that's because opposing playoff coaches/teams have figured out how to draw him out away from the basket and make him defend in space.

And neither KAT or ANT are known for being high-effort defenders....

Have you watched Ant lately? This is simply not true. They also gave Denver the best run out of anyone last year. They have carried that defensive momentum into this season and it's paying off, even KAT has been way more engaged than in the past.

[jcardstore]

I don't trust Rudy in a playoff series.

Once you pull him out of the paint and have 7 games to scheme around him, he's cooked. I'll believe it when I see it

[daeve]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I don't trust Rudy in a playoff series.

Once you pull him out of the paint and have 7 games to scheme around him, he's cooked. I'll believe it when I see it

I'm not saying they're Finals-bound, but as someone who wants to see another Denver run, they're the scariest CF opponent to me.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by daeve

I'm not saying they're Finals-bound, but as someone who wants to see another Denver run, they're the scariest CF opponent to me.

Don't sleep on OKC.

Minny played Denver well last year for sure but man, the Thunder are a total wild card.

Their offense is near god tier at times and pair that with a potentially scary series defense.

They're young so probably don't have what it takes to win multiple series' but I wouldn't be shocked if they did

and I think they are a tougher matchup in theory for Denver

[Nomad]

Nice to see JJJ and the Grizz doing the heavy lifting against a demoralized 76ers, who may be looking at a play-in at best scenario.

[yiguiri2002]

Sengun with a chance at a 20-20-15 triple double. Needs 1 of each.

[ninjacookies]

Houston was a fun story for about 6 weeks.

Now they enter the same precarious territory over 50% of the league finds themselves in. Out of the basement and into mediocrity. Good enough to not draft high and not good enough to attract a championship piece.

JG's absolutely the odd man out now. They're just rolling him out until that cheap rookie contract expires.

[oshmeehan]

Sickening. This is like watching a Warriors home broadcast on ESPN

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

Houston was a fun story for about 6 weeks.

Now they enter the same precarious territory over 50% of the league finds themselves in. Out of the basement and into mediocrity. Good enough to not draft high and not good enough to attract a championship piece.

JG's absolutely the odd man out now. They're just rolling him out until that cheap rookie contract expires.

I thought preseason they would be lucky to hit 30 wins. They are gonna get there in March.

They have a very good coach, a franchise cornerstone and no "bad" contracts (I think Brooks is but the league think otherwise and FVV is there for only two more seasons so it doesn't count).

They are probably one of the Top 10 teams on the rise. They are just missing the toughest piece of the puzzle - a max player. It won't be easy but at least there's hope.

[ninjacookies]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I thought preseason they would be lucky to hit 30 wins. They are gonna get there in March.

They have a very good coach, a franchise cornerstone and no "bad" contracts (I think Brooks is but the league think otherwise and FVV is there for only two more seasons so it doesn't count).

They are probably one of the Top 10 teams on the rise. They are just missing the toughest piece of the puzzle - a max player. It won't be easy but at least there's hope.

Sengun is great, but not sure if he's a 'franchise cornerstone' yet. In the same way that guys like Bam and Sabonis stuff the stat sheet in every category but peaked early in their careers. If he can ever transcend into that Jokic level in terms of overall came control on a consistent basis, then absolutely.

Definitely an improvement over last year, but in reality they're still a middle of the pack squad. No better than the Kings, Pacers, or any of those other 'twitter trending' teams of yesteryear. Now that they've finally broken out of purgatory and into the fresh stream of mainstream media consciousness...it's going to be an uphill battle.

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

Sengun is great, but not sure if he's a 'franchise cornerstone' yet. In the same way that guys like Bam and Sabonis stuff the stat sheet in every category but peaked early in their careers. If he can ever transcend into that Jokic level in terms of overall came control on a consistent basis, then absolutely.

Definitely an improvement over last year, but in reality they're still a middle of the pack squad. No better than the Kings, Pacers, or any of those other 'twitter trending' teams of yesteryear. Now that they've finally broken out of purgatory and into the fresh stream of mainstream media consciousness...it's going to be an uphill battle.

I think he's gonna be slightly better than both of them but you can argue that they are both franchise cornerstones. They just need to be the 1b to someone else's 1a. Bam was 2 wins from a title.

I think the Kings have hit their ceiling. Their two best players are 28 and 26, unless they get the next Maxey in the draft, they are done. Pacers are in a better spot, but their young guys don't have the upside the Rockets one have.

[ninjacookies]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I think he's gonna be slightly better than both of them but you can argue that they are both franchise cornerstones. They just need to be the 1b to someone else's 1a. Bam was 2 wins from a title.

I think the Kings have hit their ceiling. Their two best players are 28 and 26, unless they get the next Maxey in the draft, they are done. Pacers are in a better spot, but their young guys don't have the upside the Rockets one have.

Fair. Though Indiana moved on from Sabonis even after his triple double breakouts. Franchise cornerstones are more guys I consider as almost irreplaceable. Alperen's certainly trending the right way.


Indiana has one of the worst team defenses and shoot a gazillion treys. They're just the EC reincarnation of the 22-23' Kings. Don't overthink it.

[rhigh2390]

Trayce-Jackson has been impressive on Giannis tonight

[oshmeehan]

Wait, the Warriors recognized Bob Myers tonight? Hopefully there is more about that on Sportscenter

[ninjacookies]

AD will forever be the throttling point to the Fakers' upside.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Trayce-Jackson has been impressive on Giannis tonight

Agreed.

Tonight was the Warriors showing that the loss to Boston on Sunday was an aberration.

Amazing what an extra day's rest will do for you at this point in the season.

Nine different Warriors hit 3's, and eight different Warriors blocked shots.

Warriors win by 35 even though Milwaukee didn't get called for their first foul until the 6:25 mark of the second quarter.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Trayce-Jackson has been impressive on Giannis tonight

Shockingly, TJD leads the Warriors in both WS/48 (.195) and PER (21.3)....he's relegated Saric to the bench, and is in the process of doing the same thing to Kevon Looney.

Warriors really nailed it in the draft this year with Podz and TJD....

Using WS/48, TJD is the most effective player in this year's draft, which is pretty good for a guy picked 57th! And Podz is 6th.....

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Shockingly, TJD leads the Warriors in both WS/48 (.195) and PER (21.3)....he's relegated Saric to the bench, and is in the process of doing the same thing to Kevon Looney.

Warriors really nailed it in the draft this year with Podz and TJD....

Using WS/48, TJD is the most effective player in this year's draft, which is pretty good for a guy picked 57th! And Podz is 6th.....

I've loved what I've seen from him in the few times I've watched him. High energy and work horse. Kuminga is also really fun to watch. Lightning quick and can jump out of the gym.

[yiguiri2002]

Lakers fall to 10th after tonight's loss.

The current home stretch is gonna be key for them. Only 1 away game in the next 8 and it's in Sacramento. If they want to avoid the play-in, they need to go at least 6-2.

[ninjacookies]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

Lakers fall to 10th after tonight's loss.

The current home stretch is gonna be key for them. Only 1 away game in the next 8 and it's in Sacramento. If they want to avoid the play-in, they need to go at least 6-2.

Fossil misses any time and it's curtains.


Not sure what it was but the fact he went directly to the locker room wasn't good.

[sportzluvr1]

Once Houston actually has shooters, look out.

So many Sengun dimes (especially out of the double team) are wasted on a bricked jumper or 3.

Sengun, Jabari, Cam, Amen are the foundation of this build and if you can’t see the progress + potential of their young core you simply aren’t watching their games…which i totally dont blame you if you dont.

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

Fossil misses any time and it's curtains.


Not sure what it was but the fact he went directly to the locker room wasn't good.

At some point, luck is gonna run out.

If your 3 best players (who are either injury prone or old) are projected to play 2500 minutes (or close to that), numbers most likely will catch up to you, either now or in the playoffs/in.

[jcardstore]

Lakers are cooked. They weren't good anyways.

I vote to ban all Lakers talk for the rest of the season

[oldgoldy97]

KAT torn meniscus. Naz time.