2022-2023 NBA Thread

Vintage

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Or the tank for Wembanyama thread, depending on your preference.

What story lines you following?

I’m a Bulls fan, so I’m praying Patrick Williams develops into something - but likely doesn’t.

Kind of curious to see the Banchero/Suggs combo in Orlando. I didn’t follow preseason…
 

CalPolyTechnique

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Dubs put the Lakers to bed.

This may be the deepest Warriors team I remember from top to bottom.

Also, putting my hot take on record: Moses Moody > J. Kuminga
 

jterrell

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Biggest storyline to me is how wide open the league is.
About 10 legit title contenders and then a glut of tankers.
Going to be quite an interesting season as we go I suspect.


BOS is interesting, talented and deep. Just not sure how much they lose with the Coach being out.

Can the Clippers remain healthy for 2 months?

Is LeBron happy to go out like Kobe? Ride the LA lifestyle into oblivion or will he force the team to trade him.
For all the Russ talk it's AD that has been the insane massive bust since the title run.

Denver rebounding to contender status or again fraught with injury?

Do Mavs have enough around Luka to get a home playoff series?

Who gets the top overall pick?
 

darthseinfeld

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Biggest storyline to me is how wide open the league is.
About 10 legit title contenders and then a glut of tankers.
Going to be quite an interesting season as we go I suspect.


BOS is interesting, talented and deep. Just not sure how much they lose with the Coach being out.

Can the Clippers remain healthy for 2 months?

Is LeBron happy to go out like Kobe? Ride the LA lifestyle into oblivion or will he force the team to trade him.
For all the Russ talk it's AD that has been the insane massive bust since the title run.

Denver rebounding to contender status or again fraught with injury?

Do Mavs have enough around Luka to get a home playoff series?

Who gets the top overall pick?
Not having Udoka is going to be interesting. The defensive adjustments he made in the 2nd half of the season are the key reason we went on a run. However Brogdon as an ancillary scorer could be an equalizer. Especially if they keep him running the 2nd team
 

darthseinfeld

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Or the tank for Wembanyama thread, depending on your preference.

What story lines you following?

I’m a Bulls fan, so I’m praying Patrick Williams develops into something - but likely doesn’t.

Kind of curious to see the Banchero/Suggs combo in Orlando. I didn’t follow preseason…
Its too bad Holmgren is going to miss the season, I was really curious to see how he translated to the pros. Especially after summer league
 

Vintage

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Not having Udoka is going to be interesting. The defensive adjustments he made in the 2nd half of the season are the key reason we went on a run. However Brogdon as an ancillary scorer could be an equalizer. Especially if they keep him running the 2nd team

I like Brogdon; I liked him back in the UVA days.

He’s an excellent addition if he can stay healthy.

Boston is poised for another deep run; I don’t think they have a let down year.
 

darthseinfeld

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I like Brogdon; I liked him back in the UVA days.

He’s an excellent addition if he can stay healthy.

Boston is poised for another deep run; I don’t think they have a let down year.
He is a good fit. He has the size and defensive chops they like from a PG. His offense would have been a real tonic for us last playoffs. He has had some injury issues, but maybe role the he will play here may help if they can keep him minutes under 30 a game
 

darthseinfeld

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Or the tank for Wembanyama thread, depending on your preference.

What story lines you following?

I’m a Bulls fan, so I’m praying Patrick Williams develops into something - but likely doesn’t.

Kind of curious to see the Banchero/Suggs combo in Orlando. I didn’t follow preseason…
If Williams and Ball can stay healthy, I think you guys will be far more viable in the playoffs. Ball has been getting a reputation as a defensive anchor in the back court since leaving LA, and while I haven't seen alot of Williams play, I remember him getting a reputation as a rookie as a strong defensive wing. You have have some strong offensive players, getting those defenders back makes you guys a better playoff team
 

Vintage

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If Williams and Ball can stay healthy, I think you guys will be far more viable in the playoffs. Ball has been getting a reputation as a defensive anchor in the back court since leaving LA, and while I haven't seen alot of Williams play, I remember him getting a reputation as a rookie as a strong defensive wing. You have have some strong offensive players, getting those defenders back makes you guys a better playoff team

Williams has some physical tools - but he’s passive and is hindering his development. At this point, a rotation player is looking like his ceiling. He was the #4 pick in a weak draft - so, it’s not totally surprising.

The Bulls ceiling is probably a second round wait. DDR had a stellar first game, but it’s hard to expect that he’ll be able to do that every night. It’s a flawed team with lack of assets to improve (ie; picks).

Ayo looks good though.

They did what they needed to do - put together a playoff team and hope you can land a big fish. There’s only a few ways to build a team and every year, there’s only a handful of teams that are legitimate contenders.
 

Vintage

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That’s interesting to note. I don’t watch many Lakers games….

But this team is constructed poorly. Westbrook and Davis surrounding LeBron isn’t a solution. The spacing is off - hell, collapse on Westbrook completely.

I understand the idea of acquiring talent and then figuring out how to play it/ trade for pieces that fit better later, but it seems like they are going to roll into the season with the same core. Or maybe they can’t find a trade partner.

Westbrook and LeBron are a terrible fit. Westbrook is almost useless when LeBron had the ball.
 

jterrell

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That’s interesting to note. I don’t watch many Lakers games….

But this team is constructed poorly. Westbrook and Davis surrounding LeBron isn’t a solution. The spacing is off - hell, collapse on Westbrook completely.

I understand the idea of acquiring talent and then figuring out how to play it/ trade for pieces that fit better later, but it seems like they are going to roll into the season with the same core. Or maybe they can’t find a trade partner.

Westbrook and LeBron are a terrible fit. Westbrook is almost useless when LeBron had the ball.
I called that last year. Was a terrible job of roster building.
But AD playing poorly is on him. He has to shoot it better as he did in the bubble.
Was called a top 5 player in the league and likely was for that short bubble stay.

But he hasn't been a top 50 player since. --injuries and performance both derailing him.

Lakers added a bunch of centers and Russ for some reason last year. Was just a wild roster building exercise that leads me to think letting Agents run things is not great longer term.

Lakers challenge is Russ is the worst contract in the league. Teams want 2 firsts just to take him.
But even if you do that you have LeBron on the slow decline and AD who has put together a few elite stretches but has largely underwhelmed.
As LeBron ages the pieces you can put around him matter more and the Lakers have less options to get them.

And of course there is the always deep West to contend with.
Best course for Lakers would prolly be to trade LeBron and get the princely (no longer kingly, HA) return.
AD brings less to the late and Russ is a negative asset. Nothing else really moves the needle for anyone.
Too good and old to full on tank but not good enough to really contend.
 

darthseinfeld

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I called that last year. Was a terrible job of roster building.
But AD playing poorly is on him. He has to shoot it better as he did in the bubble.
Was called a top 5 player in the league and likely was for that short bubble stay.

But he hasn't been a top 50 player since. --injuries and performance both derailing him.

Lakers added a bunch of centers and Russ for some reason last year. Was just a wild roster building exercise that leads me to think letting Agents run things is not great longer term.

Lakers challenge is Russ is the worst contract in the league. Teams want 2 firsts just to take him.
But even if you do that you have LeBron on the slow decline and AD who has put together a few elite stretches but has largely underwhelmed.
As LeBron ages the pieces you can put around him matter more and the Lakers have less options to get them.

And of course there is the always deep West to contend with.
Best course for Lakers would prolly be to trade LeBron and get the princely (no longer kingly, HA) return.
AD brings less to the late and Russ is a negative asset. Nothing else really moves the needle for anyone.
Too good and old to full on tank but not good enough to really contend.
I do wonder if there is a bad salary out there they can take back in a Westbrook trade that would fit Lebron well. I know Kyrie was the hope for both fans of the Lakers and soap operas, but it seems that ship has saled
 

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Very good game between Warriors and Nuggets. Nuggets were ON and had the lead for most of the game, taking command end of the 1st qtr, then as high as 20, but Warriors fought back nicely slowly chopping away in the 2nd half.

124-119 with 20.1 secs to Draymond at the line for 2 and makes both. On the inbound Bones gets trapped, throws it wildly under the basket to Poole who lays it in. Then comes the play of the game. Jokic inbounds and tosses it 3/4 court, catches Thompson napping, Brown slams it in, 126-123. 13 to go.

Thompson misses a 3 with 9 left, game over after Jokic make 2 FT's.

Early excitement in the NBA.
 

jterrell

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I do wonder if there is a bad salary out there they can take back in a Westbrook trade that would fit Lebron well. I know Kyrie was the hope for both fans of the Lakers and soap operas, but it seems that ship has saled
Kyrie wasn't ever a real deal.
Nets weren't doing that trade unless they could move KD first for the richest haul in NBA history.
If they had accomplished that they might have taken 2 firsts and sent a bad contract out for Westbrook just to buy him out.

Lakers leaked over and over as always but no one was biting.
The cap space doesn't help them so a buy-out seems unlikely but the chemistry is trash.
They just lack overall talent so really shouldn't trade any future picks anyways.
 

ghst187

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Its too bad Holmgren is going to miss the season, I was really curious to see how he translated to the pros. Especially after summer league

ditto. Thunder needed his help too if he was going to amount to anything. Now, looks like they could be in the running for a top pick again.
 

rags

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Anyone notice what the Mavs did to the Grizzlies last night? 137-96. Everything was working last night.
 

jterrell

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Anyone notice what the Mavs did to the Grizzlies last night? 137-96. Everything was working last night.
Home openers are ugly and the Grizz had a few guys out but Dallas has dominated Memphis with Luka for a few years now.
Not a great match up for Memphis.

Dallas has played the top 2 seeds from last year's WC to start the season and looked good thus far even as they blew the PHX game on the road.

Christian Wood gives Dallas a legit 2nd scorer who can create for himself and get his shot off at will.
Dallas keeps 3 plus defenders on the floor at all times so can defend well in general.
McGee and Wood add to Dallas length and rebounding which were major issues last year.

They will have to feel out the proper rotation and role for everyone and likely get a trade deadline style move to clean up that rotation but look to me like 3-4 seed.
 

darthseinfeld

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ditto. Thunder needed his help too if he was going to amount to anything. Now, looks like they could be in the running for a top pick again.
Wouldnt be a bad thing. Wembanyama could be a 'chise player. I dont know if you guys have that yet. Alexander is excellent, but he might be a #2 on a good team. That might be what Holmgren ends up being as well
 

ghst187

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Wouldnt be a bad thing. Wembanyama could be a 'chise player. I dont know if you guys have that yet. Alexander is excellent, but he might be a #2 on a good team. That might be what Holmgren ends up being as well

agree
 
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