Everything NBA 2020-21

[golden]

Blake Griffin can barely move these days, but he could be an interesting bench big for the Raps, if he gets the buyout. High IQ, great passer with 3-pt range. His defense was never great, even in his prime, but he might be able to re-invent himself as a smallball C.

[KeonClark]

Blake Griffin can barely move these days, but he could be an interesting bench big for the Raps, if he gets the buyout. High IQ, great passer with 3-pt range. His defense was never great, even in his prime, but he might be able to re-invent himself as a smallball C.

How did that sentence start and end so differently

[golden]

How did that sentence start and end so differently

lol. Trying to talk myself into believing there's a solution out there for our center position fiasco. Damn, Ma Fuzzy.

[KeonClark]

lol. Trying to talk myself into believing there's a solution out there for our center position fiasco. Damn, Ma Fuzzy.

Yep, damn ma fuzzy. DanH's numbers had no answer for his intangibles. Locker room spirit, multiple teams with deep playoff runs, 29 years old going on 43, and the one Raptor who wouldn't hesitate to punch a big motherfucker in the face for getting out of line.

I'm not in that room, but I'm pretty sure Serge and Kyle were the 2 leaders of this team, in different ways. Too much Kyle too often is too much.

[MixxAOR]

[golden]

Yep, damn ma fuzzy. DanH's numbers had no answer for his intangibles. Locker room spirit, multiple teams with deep playoff runs, 29 years old going on 43, and the one Raptor who wouldn't hesitate to punch a big motherfucker in the face for getting out of line.

I'm not in that room, but I'm pretty sure Serge and Kyle were the 2 leaders of this team, in different ways. Too much Kyle too often is too much.

It's probably no coincidence that Kawhi and PG seem a lot more locked into the regular season this year with the Clips, and we aren't hearing any foolishness out of the mouths of Pat Beverley and Lou Will. Clippers and Lakers are co-favorites to win it all, IMO.

[S.R.]

Man the East really sucks. Boston and Miami lose again. Indiana had to go to O/T to beat Minny. Raptors actually lost to Minny. Bucks have lost 4 in a row, and will lose a 5th tonight

This covid season is just crappy all the way around. Nobody seems to give a sh!t lol.

I'm not surprised re: Miami - last year was a mirage. They were a middling playoff team that went on a tear in a weird bubble environment. Good for them, but Jimmy Butler and the Gang is not a contender year in and year out. We already know that, Butler's an established vet whose been on several teams. He's a clear second level star.

I am surprised Boston is still struggling. They have no reason to be really, they've had injuries but even with guys back they haven't been playing consistently well. But therein lies the ever elusive hope re: youth. "Next year will be even better because these guys are young." Will it? Sometimes you hit a ceiling and don't just keep improving - as a team or individual - for 7-8 straight seasons. You end up being Blake Griffin etc. That will happen to some of these young stars in Philly, Boston, etc. They won't all hit their theoretical peak. Maybe that's happening in Boston? Counterpoint - it's another weird COVID season and some players/teams struggle with that more than others.

Then there's the Bucks - did teams figuring them out in the playoffs finally translate into the regular season? Don't need to wait for the playoffs to gameplan for the Bucks, the blueprint's so well established everyone's ready for it in the regular season? Next thing they'll try is a coaching change. Probably not until the offseason though, it'll depend on how the playoffs go.

[S.R.]

Blake Griffin can barely move these days, but he could be an interesting bench big for the Raps, if he gets the buyout. High IQ, great passer with 3-pt range. His defense was never great, even in his prime, but he might be able to re-invent himself as a smallball C.

He'd absolutely be worth taking a mulligan on if he's bought out, but never as a trade target. His contract is horrendous.

[KeonClark]

He'd absolutely be worth taking a mulligan on if he's bought out, but never as a trade target. His contract is horrendous.

Even then I say nah. Chris Boucher is a better player. Blake will want his minutes on name recognition alone. I've heard sketchy things about his attitude.

Stick a fork in Blake, he's done.

[G__Deane]

Jimmy Buckets and Bam both had triple doubles last night for Miami

[LJ2]

I'm not surprised re: Miami - last year was a mirage. They were a middling playoff team that went on a tear in a weird bubble environment. Good for them, but Jimmy Butler and the Gang is not a contender year in and year out. We already know that, Butler's an established vet whose been on several teams. He's a clear second level star.

I am surprised Boston is still struggling. They have no reason to be really, they've had injuries but even with guys back they haven't been playing consistently well. But therein lies the ever elusive hope re: youth. "Next year will be even better because these guys are young." Will it? Sometimes you hit a ceiling and don't just keep improving - as a team or individual - for 7-8 straight seasons. You end up being Blake Griffin etc. That will happen to some of these young stars in Philly, Boston, etc. They won't all hit their theoretical peak. Maybe that's happening in Boston? Counterpoint - it's another weird COVID season and some players/teams struggle with that more than others.

Then there's the Bucks - did teams figuring them out in the playoffs finally translate into the regular season? Don't need to wait for the playoffs to gameplan for the Bucks, the blueprint's so well established everyone's ready for it in the regular season? Next thing they'll try is a coaching change. Probably not until the offseason though, it'll depend on how the playoffs go.

I'm a bit surprised Boston is struggling as well, but I think Kemba is still injured and the really misss Smart's all world defense at the point of attack. They aren't that tough without a Morris or Smart out there.

[S.R.]

I'm a bit surprised Boston is struggling as well, but I think Kemba is still injured and the really misss Smart's all world defense at the point of attack. They aren't that tough without a Morris or Smart out there.

Yeah you know what else has happened over the past couple off seasons - they've gotten far thinner. They've let guys go, confident that Brown and Tatum are going going to really step up this year, finally (every year). Losing Gordon Hayward for nothing is a big deal for a team trying to get from the 2nd/3rd round to the 4th, you don't lose talent like that and still make a jump like that. Also we can spin locker room issues any which way, but just in terms of NBA talent/asset, Kemba is a big step down from Kyrie. On-floor, he's even a pretty big step down from their peak IT year. They keep losing help and just expecting Tatum and Brown to win more anyway, because....they're young so they should be a lot better this year (said every year)?

Their recent peak was 17-18, 55 wins and game 7 of the ECF, lost to Lebron. That Celtics team had 8 guys scoring in double digits. This year's team? 4 guys (and 1 of them's been injured half the season). Their rotation is full of guys you and I would absolutely not be able to pick out of a lineup.

[planetmars]

Yeah you know what else has happened over the past couple off seasons - they've gotten far thinner. They've let guys go, confident that Brown and Tatum are going going to really step up this year, finally (every year). Losing Gordon Hayward for nothing is a big deal for a team trying to get from the 2nd/3rd round to the 4th, you don't lose talent like that and still make a jump like that. Also we can spin locker room issues any which way, but just in terms of NBA talent/asset, Kemba is a big step down from Kyrie. On-floor, he's even a pretty big step down from their peak IT year. They keep losing help and just expecting Tatum and Brown to win more anyway, because....they're young so they should be a lot better this year (said every year)?

Their recent peak was 17-18, 55 wins and game 7 of the ECF, lost to Lebron. That Celtics team had 8 guys scoring in double digits. This year's team? 4 guys (and 1 of them's been injured half the season). Their rotation is full of guys you and I would absolutely not be able to pick out of a lineup.

Boston has a large TPE that they got from the Hayward sign and trade with Charlotte. Around $28.5M. That's a big chunk of money they can use this year to add to their roster. If it takes a bunch of picks and/or prospects they could right this ship a little bit.

Boston has flubbed on a lot of draft picks.. so trading some of them may not be a bad idea.. but Ainge loves his picks, so who knows?

[The Great One]

Remember all the DeRozan is not clutch narrative here? lol. Looks like he's one of the most clutch players in the league since 2013.

The Spurs btw are in 6th place with DeRozan leading the way in the TOUGH western conference. He should be an all star.

[S.R.]

Remember all the DeRozan is not clutch narrative here? lol. Looks like he's one of the most clutch players in the league since 2013.

The Spurs btw are in 6th place with DeRozan leading the way in the TOUGH western conference. He should be an all star.

I don't really miss DeRozan and his flaws on this team, but I sure do respect him as a man and a player. As a player he's had nothing but doubters his whole career and his ability to produce & constantly evolve in a positive direction is amazing. Guy's basically a point forward now anchoring an increasingly successful WC playoff team, helping bring up the young guys. His 6.9 APG would be #1 on the Raptors rn, ahead of both our point guards. Who saw that coming from the raw kid who could jump and dunk but didn't even have a handle or a shot yet?