Arena The NBA Thread

Nicely said @The Jedi in the Pumas I agree.

 

This Bucks-Lakers game has been incredible.

 

The AD that we’ve had for the past 2 weeks…. If we can keep him healthy… we might have a chance.

 

It clearly needs to be his team, he needs to be #1, and LeBron needs to play the smart veteran like Chris Paul in Phoenix. Looks like it's going that way by necessity.

 

Best win of this Laker season thus far; really like what's been developing lately, to say the least, especially with AD & Russ off-the-bench.

 

Last night's game OKC vs Minnesota. It was snowy in Minnesota, but the arena was full, love that the NBA is bringing in the fans. Golbert stupidly tripped Kenrich Williams early in the second quarter, got a flagrant 2 and had to leave the game. The third quarter was back and forth, fairly exciting fun to watch and the Thunder put them away in the fourth since they were already down KAT. I really like Minnesota's dance team. Not only is it co-ed they have some size beautiful women too. I'm really getting fed up with LA and NY and their all female skinny dance teams, it's not 1990 anymore and these are progressive cities. What is going on?

 

Anthony Davis is on a world tour of destruction.

 

Weird report from Shams, might be bs. Allegedly, McMillan wanted Trae Young to participate in shootarounds, then get treatment on his shoulder during the walkthrough before the game. Trae wanted to get treatment during shootarounds. McMillan allegedly told him he could come off the bench or stay home. Trae chose to stay home. Didn't show up to the arena. Never give someone an option you don't want them to take.

This doesn't even make sense. Why the hell would a coach be so adamant about a player participating in shootarounds over the walkthrough? The walkthrough is more important.

Well, it's McMillan, he has a history of being anal and getting on his players until he wears out his welcome. It's a strength, but by far his biggest weakness.

If true, this is a very bad sign. McMillan will stick around for a while, they just gave him an extension, but if they don't win, this is the beginning of the end. It means McMillan has lost Trae and Trae is choosing non-participation over compliance. It means Trae is flexing, counting on the front office choosing him over McMillan, which they will. McMillan can stick around by backing down, but he's already lost the war.

 

I read that too. Trae won't give into anyone. It's something I admire about him, but I don't think it's always a good thing. Atlanta has a good record I really hate to hear anyone on the team isn't getting along.

Knicks game was fun last night. Neither team broke 100 and Knicks won.

 

I agree with most of the points but….

Who does Nate McMillan think he is that he can order Trae to do… I mean anything? I mean I get that he’s the coach, but this is a player’s league and the only Coaches that are able to talk to star players like that are Star coaches.

Trae shouldn’t be a jerk to his coaches or his teammates, but this is kind of wild to hear from a head coach to his star player.

 

Going to play himself into an MVP/consideration for it, hopefully.

 

This was scary.

Hope he has a swift recovery.

 

I would put AD on the MVP watchlist. They were one of the worst teams in the NBA to start the season and he's carried them back into striking distance.

Booker has to be on the list, as well. CP3 has been out, Ayton wasn't giving them much, and they're still #1 in the West. He's upped his scoring to a career best 28 ppg on high efficiency.

Tatum has to be high on the list. They have the best record in the NBA and he has true superstar production. Donovan Mitchell is a sneaky candidate.

Then you have the usual suspects: Giannis, Luka, Steph, Jokic, Embiid, KD, and Ja.

Giannis and Ja are the only ones on that list with the record and the production. The Mavs are 12-11. The Warriors are 13-12. Denver is 14-9, but Jokic's scoring and rebounding are down quite a bit. He's still been great, his assists are higher than ever, but he has to beat MVP fatigue. Embiid has missed games, his rebounds are down, and they're 12-12. KD has produced, and I think he's been a good leader on the floor, but they're 13-12. If they end up in the top 4, he'll deserve a lot of credit for leading them through this mess.

There's still a lot of parity right now, things will clear up when teams start separating, one way or another.

 

Iverson's "practice?!" bit just came to mind regarding Trae Young.

 

ugh, that was a rough one.

 

It occurs to me that Jimmy Butler is in his fourth season with the Heat and they still haven't gotten another star to pair with him. They've been in the rumors for just about everyone, but they haven't landed anyone. He's 33 now and they've wasted three years of his prime.

 

They did go to the Finals though. And I think they somehow thought that Kyle Lowry was the missing piece as far as team composition and on paper he should’ve been. But injuries and kyle’s lackluster play even when healthy has held them back.

Lastly… every trade I remember them wanting to make involved giving up either Duncan or Herro or both.

 

considering that duncan can barely get on the floor for them now, trading him when his stock was high would have been a great move. hindsight is 20/20 and all that.

 

They got to the Finals, but they've always been outgunned during the Butler era. It's always been an uphill battle in terms of talent, with Miami relying on playing harder and moving the ball better. I mean, has anyone really thought of their roster as a complete, championship roster? As one of the most talented teams in the NBA? How could anyone, with only one star? They've always had to overachieve to win it all.

Lowry was old and used up when they got him, and they didn't give him a max contract. I don't think they thought of him as a star, just as someone who fits their culture. Tom covered Duncan. Herro is a nice, skilled player, and today's game is more about skill than ever, but they need a big upgrade over him. I'd have traded Herro without a second thought. Bam ain't that dude, either.

It's not that they can't win, it's that they haven't done what they should have done to max out their chances during Butler's early 30s. If they win, it'll be overachieving to a degree that only the Pistons and Raptors have this century, the latter because the Warriors imploded with major injuries.

 

Most of what your post I can agree with, except the trading Herro part.

He’s a star player. Not a superstar obviously, there’s levels. But Herro is a very good player.

Herro can easily average 20 PPG, 5 assists and surprisingly gets a good number of rebounds for a guard. Those players don’t just come along and unless you’re undoubtedly getting a superstar player in return, it’s not worth a trade.

 

Hell of a late game. Portland-Denver have a bit of a rivalry brewing. Glad I stayed up to watch. Not even Dame Time was enough.

 

What the actual F is Philly doing? Are you doing ok @A Chorus of Disapproval ?

How do you lose an 8 point lead with less than a minute to go and send it to overtime?

I mean, I saw the Warriors lose at Utah in that crazy game the other night, but the referees completely destroyed a perfectly fine game, so maybe justice was served there with Utah winning, but this is outrageous.

 

I ambled by ESPN's page and saw that the Sixers had the game well in hand with time running out. Guess that didn't work out.