Even when Kawhi was out they were top 4 in west a while ago. Cant believe they dropped to 11th a few days ago.
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- Thread starter zitothebrave
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Even when Kawhi was out they were top 4 in west a while ago. Cant believe they dropped to 11th a few days ago.
jpx7
Very Flirtatious, but Doubts What Love Is.
I think you mean 10th (big gap between top-ten and bottom-five in the West); but it’s a shock nonetheless, even with Kawhi still out, given that Popovich seems to work his wizardry with whatever cast he has. Still, if I had to predict, I’d say they’re still the likeliest to snag one of the final two spots out of the group of SAS, DEN, UTA, and LAC.
chop2chip
Well-known member
There also isn’t any real difference between 10th and 4th in the West. They could go back to 4th with one good night and everybody else losing.
West is just strange this year.
chop2chip
Well-known member
If you look at schedules, I don’t think that’s necessarily true. They have one of the toughest SOS from here on out and when one third of the league is tanking that’s actually significant.
jpx7
Very Flirtatious, but Doubts What Love Is.
I hadn’t investigated upcoming SoS—was just betting on Pop.
chop2chip
Well-known member
I know this sacreligous to say, but how sure are we Pop is still this great innovator? Sure, he was among the first to embrace the corner 3 and euro-style offenses, but that's basically everyone at this point. If you watch a San Antonio game this year, its a lot (too much) Pau and LMA in the post. I'm sure if the roster had more shooting things would be different, but its not like Pop didn't have significant input w.r.t. the roster.
Overall, he's still likely a top 5 coach (maybe the best depending on your opinion of Stevens), but I don't think the gap between he and your coach is all that big. The worst part of analytics is that its forced every team to copy the same template.
jpx7
Very Flirtatious, but Doubts What Love Is.
Unfortunately the gap between Popovich and Fred Hoiberg is several gulfs and a moderately-sized bay.
chop2chip
Well-known member
Hahaha... meant to say average coach. Hoiberg might be #30
Losing Roberson really hurt the team. When he was playing that 5 man unit was destroying teams. But in the end I don't see George staying and the Thunder dynasty that never was will be over.
Pop had Duncan/Ginobli (who is severely underrated). Parker was good as well but its really about those two guys. Kawaii is great as well.
No coach is great without great players and will get exposed quickly when that talent level diminishes.
They've been real interesting since getting brewer. He's such a meh player but basketball is so much about 'fit' and it really works with him in that lineup.
chop2chip
Well-known member
Really impressive win yesterday by OKC.
I think we are a point where you have to consider the West three teams deep with the way Portland is playing. Depending on how the season ends, you could make the argument that OKC and Utah could upset one the big teams too.
Seems like in general there is going to be much more variation in the playoffs this year, which is good because the NBA has suffered some from predictability.
I think we are a point where you have to consider the West three teams deep with the way Portland is playing. Depending on how the season ends, you could make the argument that OKC and Utah could upset one the big teams too.
Seems like in general there is going to be much more variation in the playoffs this year, which is good because the NBA has suffered some from predictability.
chop2chip
Well-known member
I mean... not really... you said a lot back then. Adams is a really good player, easily a top five center. But if we wanted to dig up all of the chicanery you spewed from those days we can could have far more interesting discussions.
For every Steven Adams, there is a Mitch McGary, Josh Huestis, Cam Payne, etc.
Never said crazy things about huestis. That's insanity. Mcgary would have been a good player but he was too interested in getting high. Payne was an injury.
But I also called things like bulls shouldn't trade Butler for love. Lowry was a better player than Melo 10 years ago. Durant was going to be the second best player in the NBA during his rookie season. And so many more.
Ultimately, I was destroyed for even suggesting Adams would be a good player. He is an absolute beast. Harden trade still but at least they got adams.
chop2chip
Well-known member
To be honest, I can hardly recount much of what we debated back then. I know there was a long running Harden vs. Klay thing, but I am fairly certain that debate was with [MENTION=154]Heyward[/MENTION]
What's sort of interesting, albeit less fun, is that analytics has forced everyone's opinions to converge. We no longer debate whether a player is good. We all sort of understand intuitively what makes a player valuable or not. Even younger players, its been fairly obvious that Andrew Wiggins is a below average to average player, whereas five years ago he would have been polarizing. Then you have someone like Harden that everyone basically understood to be excellent, but the debate of that excellence was fierce. Now, we all basically know how to value his ability to get to the line and the stigma surrounding isolation offense is gone since its become an efficient form of offense with all of the modern day spacing.
tl/dr: modern day basketball is fun to watch, but its killed this thread lol
What they really need to do is change the point structure. You can't have the three ball worth 50% more than the 2 point shot. It's sacrilege but for the betterment of the game they should make 2s worth 3s and 3s worth 4s.
Again, probably never going to happen but the game has shifted way too far on the pace and space.
Btw, you remember the Towns vs. Okafor arguments? Those were good times.
Again, probably never going to happen but the game has shifted way too far on the pace and space.
Btw, you remember the Towns vs. Okafor arguments? Those were good times.
chop2chip
Well-known member
I do sincerely hope you remember I was always very strongly on the Town's side of that debate. It was our dear friend BRule that had this Okafor obsession.
Ironically, his Knicks were saved from Okafor by Philly and he got Porzingis. Can you imagine if Philly drafted Porzingis to go with Embiid and Simmons?
It's going to be an all-time great what-if
chop2chip
Well-known member
I think basketball is still at the point where I am fine with current value of shots, but I can definitely foresee the day where the balance gets completely out of whack.
I think the easier, less sacrilegious solution is to move the three point line back. The league's already done this once before and it would give a lot more space for interior players. But at that point you have to expand the court and I'm not sure how feasible that is.
I think the easier, less sacrilegious solution is to move the three point line back. The league's already done this once before and it would give a lot more space for interior players. But at that point you have to expand the court and I'm not sure how feasible that is.
They'll never expand the court since it will reduce revenues. The game is exciting as hell right now so I can't complain all that much but I do miss the big man that can catch the ball with his back to the basket and pass on the double. At this point I don't think we ever see it again.