NBA Season 23-24

[TheMarathonContinues]

Kuminga has really come on. I was hoping he would have been an un the radar trade target for us ala Derrick White. Then I checked in to see how he was doing and thought "Yup, no way they consider moving him"

Yeah Kuminga is taking off. At some point Warriors are going to part with Klay and Draymon. Pods and Kuminga will be fit replacements for them.

 

[Jayinem]

Not a knock on Kyrie because I think he's a great player, but I was thinking about it, has anyone ever had as many great teammates as him? Lebron, KD and Luka? That's pretty great. You could even throw in Harden if you want.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Not a knock on Kyrie because I think he's a great player, but I was thinking about it, has anyone ever had as many great teammates as him? Lebron, KD and Luka? That's pretty great. You could even throw in Harden if you want.

He is a player that needs to be a #2 to win. He had a chance to be a #1 in Boston and we went to the ECF without him and got swept in the 2nd round with him. Doesnt make players better, and will shoot you out of big games if he is your best player.

He is terrifying as a #2 though

 

[Jayinem]

He is a player that needs to be a #2 to win. He had a chance to be a #1 in Boston and we went to the ECF without him and got swept in the 2nd round with him. Doesnt make players better, and will shoot you out of big games if he is your best player.

He is terrifying as a #2 though

Yeah I agree, he gets a pass because he was young but before Lebron went back to Cleveland those teams were awful as him being the #1 guy and then again in Boston he failed as #1 guy like you said. He is meant to be a #2 guy as you said.

I really thought Cuban was just throwing crap at the wall to see if it sticks when the Mavs traded for him but they finally found a way to make it work with him and Luka despite neither playing any defense. Surround them with defenders who can rebound and just score a little. They've now won 7 in a row.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Paul worked well with TJD and had a feel for his game, but when he went down, so did his overall output.

Along with Saric, that's decent size. Obvious they were looking at the draft as they really had to think hard about getting rid of trade bait and takers during trade deadline.

There still might be an athletic big or 2 at #19 depending on their strategy.

It’s a great point about Paul playing with TJD. Paul is a throwback PG that thrives when playing with a good power forward:

 

[jterrell]

Not a knock on Kyrie because I think he's a great player, but I was thinking about it, has anyone ever had as many great teammates as him? Lebron, KD and Luka? That's pretty great. You could even throw in Harden if you want.

Didn't you answer yourself in the ask?
Both LeBron and KD??

LeBron: DWade/Bosh/Shaq but old Shaq/Kyrie/AD all hall of famers and a revolving door of former stars like Melo who latch on for one last run.
Steph: Bash Bro/KD/Draymond feels light.
KD: Harden x2/Russ/Steph and Klay, Draymond, Kyrie, Book, CP3

Kyrie only actually played with KD for 87 total games. KD arrived injured and sat a year. Kyrie was out with the vax craziness.
Harden was fat and on the strip club circuit but guess he is at least a big name.
Kyrie won titles with LeBron then ran away from him....
And we shall see what he can do with Luka tho again they are playing precious few games together thus far.

As a Mavs fan Kyrie has been a surprisingly good teammate and citizen but his body is not a big one and he does get dinged up and have to miss a lot of games.
Dallas has a good team now and is very dangerous but I'm not sure Kyrie can stay healthy for 27 games plus a deep playoff run.

 

[jterrell]

Yeah I agree, he gets a pass because he was young but before Lebron went back to Cleveland those teams were awful as him being the #1 guy and then again in Boston he failed as #1 guy like you said. He is meant to be a #2 guy as you said.

I really thought Cuban was just throwing crap at the wall to see if it sticks when the Mavs traded for him but they finally found a way to make it work with him and Luka despite neither playing any defense. Surround them with defenders who can rebound and just score a little. They've now won 7 in a row.

Luka is a slightly plus defender. Metrics rate him very high in post defense and on ball due to steals where ranks 7th in the league right now and deflections where he ranks top 10 as well. His issue is being pig-headed and taking plays off or arguing with the ref missing full possessions like a petulant child. And of course, just being worn down from playing too many minutes on very shallow teams.
But a big part of why they are winning now is how hard he is playing on defense.
Luka isn't a guy that ignores the noise; he hears the complaints about his conditioning and defense and addresses both every post-game show essentially.
His overall hands, IQ and rebounding are all going to add up to a solid defender even as he lacks foot speed.
He's never going to be the Glove but he absolutely can defend in team schemes both on ball and in the post.

Kyrie is just small. As the league has gotten bigger that is an issue he has to deal with, but his quickness is very much still there, and he gives defensive effort.
Luka and Kyrie need Lively inside that's for sure. Those 3 have the highest on/off scores of any trio in the NBA this year. Sadly, it hasn't been all that much they have played together as Kyrie and Lively have both missed a large handful of games.

 

[jterrell]

He is a player that needs to be a #2 to win. He had a chance to be a #1 in Boston and we went to the ECF without him and got swept in the 2nd round with him. Doesnt make players better, and will shoot you out of big games if he is your best player.

He is terrifying as a #2 though

Every BOS fan has a right to feel ripped off by Kyrie.
That is more than fair and looking from afar most fans across the league would have agreed.

But I can also tell you he does more in the Dallas community than anyone else on the team.
And he has been a true joy here happily playing 2nd fiddle to Luka and becoming a plus locker-room presence.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Statistically, the best two 19-year-old NBA seasons were by Luka and LeBron.
Wemby is on pace to join that group.
We have seen both play out now and the Spurs need to stack some future assets around Wemby while letting him acclimate to the culture and the league.
LeBron was good too fast and the Cavs never had enough to get over the hump so he left for Miami.
Luka was too good too fast and the Mavs likewise fell short and had to do a tank year that only luck salvaged with Lively being much better than a typical mid round guy.
Both guys get immense pressure to win it all every year.
They need(ed) the bodies around them and the time to mature.

Wemby was robbed of an All-Star appearance. I miss the days when only the fans voted. Kobe getting in as a teenager and squat numbers.

There is not a single player on the Spurs that I wouldn’t trade to help boost one supporting cast, and that includes Vassell.

Starting to wonder how much of RC Buford’s success was Sam Presti and these other guys who have left and since built some rosters with their first round picks. This is the team that found T Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Manu and others mid-1st or later and this is the best talent we can provide around Wemby? Only thing that makes me feel good is none of those players I listed came out strong their first year or two. There were definitely flashes, though.

 

[Jayinem]

Mavs have to play on the road the next 4 games including @Boston @Cleveland and @Indiana (stars soon) I'd be happy with 2-2.

 

[Jayinem]

Kevin Garnett says Lebron is on the juice.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Andrew Wiggins gone again with an unexplained “personal matter.” This is a problem.

 

[jterrell]

This has been well known.
A personal trainer with large ties to LBJ as in co-owning a business with his wife was swept up in the Biogenesis stuff.
One of his OG friends Mims was also caught but using personally not as a dealer.

It is also just that people who have used PEDs know what to look for and LBJ has all the classic signs.
Balding, acne on the body, head size increase, unnatural physique especially at age
He is almost certainly using HGH and various new isotopes. An example of 1 (that he does not need) of which is the ever-popular GLP-1 drugs that cause massive weight loss.
But even Mark Cuban has said he wouldn't regulate the HGH usage for NBA athletes as it likely just makes the league more money.

I don't think it should leave him besmirched at all.
These athletes have the money to be blood-tested daily and to maintain proper levels of everything.
Doesn't change that he started out with an insane genetic advantage just because he has maxed that out with PEDs.
BUT we never want to promote these things to kids who have NONE of those things and instead are just killing themselves..

 

[Manwiththeplan]

This has been well known.
A personal trainer with large ties to LBJ as in co-owning a business with his wife was swept up in the Biogenesis stuff.
One of his OG friends Mims was also caught but using personally not as a dealer.

It is also just that people who have used PEDs know what to look for and LBJ has all the classic signs.
Balding, acne on the body, head size increase, unnatural physique especially at age
He is almost certainly using HGH and various new isotopes. An example of 1 (that he does not need) of which is the ever-popular GLP-1 drugs that cause massive weight loss.
But even Mark Cuban has said he wouldn't regulate the HGH usage for NBA athletes as it likely just makes the league more money.

I don't think it should leave him besmirched at all.
These athletes have the money to be blood-tested daily and to maintain proper levels of everything.
Doesn't change that he started out with an insane genetic advantage just because he has maxed that out with PEDs.
BUT we never want to promote these things to kids who have NONE of those things and instead are just killing themselves..

His hair line has been receding almost since he was a rookie, he just hid it behind a head band. I don't know if he's using, but using balding as an excuse for a 40 year old man is crazy

 

[TNCowboy]

Mavs got rode hard and put up wet tonight. Celtics are nasty.

 

[AyeAtey]

Andrew Wiggins gone again with an unexplained “personal matter.” This is a problem.

Just when he was getting it together again. Hope his absent is definitely less than the last time.

Moody has picked up some slack, but then, there goes quality "bench" personnel, which has been a big plus.

Warriors playing better, but here comes the Celtics and the Bucks.

Nice too seeing Paul back on the court bringing back some sanity.

 

[VaqueroTD]

What do you guys think about the rumor of the trade of Trae Young from the Hawks? Supposedly, the Spurs could be a landing spot. Spurs have some of their picks from the DeJounte Murray trade which are going to be great values if Atlanta gets rid of Young. If he can’t get along with Nate McMillan, I don’t think he would do well with Pop either. He doesn’t know how to play much defense either, which would probably drive Pop up the wall.

 

[darthseinfeld]

What do you guys think about the rumor of the trade of Trae Young from the Hawks? Supposedly, the Spurs could be a landing spot. Spurs have some of their picks from the DeJounte Murray trade which are going to be great values if Atlanta gets rid of Young. If he can’t get along with Nate McMillan, I don’t think he would do well with Pop either. He doesn’t know how to play much defense either, which would probably drive Pop up the wall.

Spurs would probably be sending Atlanta's picks back. Atlanta isnt giving Young away. And they probably arent trading him. If he isnt getting along with McMillan, they'll just fire McMillan. Coaches, especially ones like McMillan, dont win those power struggles

 

[TNCowboy]

 

[Roadtrip635]

I love the reemergence of the big man, Jokic, Embiid, KAT, Gobert, Giannis, AD, and now Chet and Wemby and even the occasional Bol Bol sighting.......

As a Spurs fan, I've watched almost every game and have thoroughly enjoyed watching Wemby play. As much hype that was around him, it's crazy to say that not only has he lived up to the hype, but is exceeding it. He keeps doing things I've never seen a player of his size ever do and he's just scratching the surface, he's either breaking records or putting up stat lines haven't seen seen since the likes of Robinson, Shaq, Kareem, Hakeem etc.