2020-21 Around the NBA Thread

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I’d say the best team in the league, that has every motivation to win and who has maintained the best record in the league despite missing their best player for weeks losing to a hapless Kings team that has nothing to play for is pretty close to impossible.

but dreaming’s free.

That "hapless" team has won 6 of their last 8 games. They have plenty of motivation in playing spoiler which is not uncommon for teams out of the playoff hunt at the end of the season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That "hapless" team has won 6 of their last 8 games. They have plenty of motivation in playing spoiler which is not uncommon for teams out of the playoff hunt at the end of the season.

3 of those wins against OKC and who was one of the losses to? The Jazz.

BY 50.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

BY 50.

Even more motivation for them to go for the upset. They will come out highly motivated and that will likely lead to a competitive game. They may not get the upset, but I would bet they will at least give themselves a chance.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Even more motivation for them to go for the upset. They will come out highly motivated and that will likely lead to a competitive game. They may not get the upset, but I would bet they will at least give themselves a chance.

Motivation means squat when you’re not good and the other team is the best in the league. signature bet who wins? You seem pretty confident.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Motivation means squat when you’re not good and the other team is the best in the league. signature bet who wins? You seem pretty confident.

LOL. Show me one time where I said the Kings would win...

I am simply stating that it's not crazy to think they could win that game..

 

[Hoop Head]

Not sure how the tiebreakers work but if the Kings win out and we beat the Spurs in both games they'll tie for 10th. So the Kings do have something to play for.

 

[Ronin]

I believe that the Kings are eliminated from the playoffs.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Not sure how the tiebreakers work but if the Kings win out and we beat the Spurs in both games they'll tie for 10th. So the Kings do have something to play for.

Sac is ellimnated

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Laker's could surpass the Blazers. They are currently tied at 30 losses and the Blazers only remaining game is against Denver. That could easily be a loss and with 2 Lakers wins they would snag the 6th seed.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Laker's could surpass the Blazers. They are currently tied at 30 losses and the Blazers only remaining game is against Denver. That could easily be a loss and with 2 Lakers wins they would snag the 6th seed.

all depends if Denver has anything to play for. If they don’t (and there’s not much difference between 3 and 4 seed), they could get their guys rest before playoffs. But they could just as easily be content with facing the weakest of the top west teams with Dallas in the first round. Knocking the Blazers back and taking the third spot sets them up for a Lakers first round matchup. I’m guessing they’d be okay playing Dallas instead.

also word out of LA is LeBron likely doesn’t play the back to back. So key will be beating Indiana which is a moderately tough road game.

but yeah... bug Denver and... gasp Laker fans.

 

[Proximo]

all depends if Denver has anything to play for. If they don’t (and there’s not much difference between 3 and 4 seed), they could get their guys rest before playoffs. But they could just as easily be content with facing the weakest of the top west teams with Dallas in the first round. Knocking the Blazers back and taking the third spot sets them up for a Lakers first round matchup. I’m guessing they’d be okay playing Dallas instead.

also word out of LA is LeBron likely doesn’t play the back to back. So key will be beating Indiana which is a moderately tough road game.

but yeah... bug Denver and... gasp Laker fans.

If I am Denver I don't want the 3rd spot. Would much much rather stay in the bracket where the best teams are Utah and themselves, and stay away from the Suns, Lakers, Portland and the Clippers.

Lakers probably going to lose to Indiana tonight anyway.

I think best chance for Suns is if Utah loses to Sacramento.

 

[GatorAZ]

You wonder how much the Lakers care about seeding. As the 7th seed they’re in regardless and won’t have HCA in any series anyway.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If I am Denver I don't want the 3rd spot. Would much much rather stay in the bracket where the best teams are Utah and themselves, and stay away from the Suns, Lakers, Portland and the Clippers.

Lakers probably going to lose to Indiana tonight anyway.

I think best chance for Suns is if Utah loses to Sacramento.

agreed.

 

[Hoop Head]

You wonder how much the Lakers care about seeding. As the 7th seed they’re in regardless and won’t have HCA in any series anyway.

As the 7th seed they aren't in, they have to take part in the play-in. I can see the Lakers wanting to avoid playing an extra game.

 

[Raindog]

The NBA does need to do something about this (in particular) and the free reign on offense (in general). It has gradually been turning into the equivalent of MLB with the juiced baseball (or the roid era, before it), where offensive records are fairly meaningless at this point.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...otions-to-draw-fouls-in-offseason-per-report/

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

As the 7th seed they aren't in, they have to take part in the play-in. I can see the Lakers wanting to avoid playing an extra game.

This

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The NBA does need to do something about this (in particular) and the free reign on offense (in general). It has gradually been turning into the equivalent of MLB with the juiced baseball (or the roid era, before it), where offensive records are fairly meaningless at this point.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...otions-to-draw-fouls-in-offseason-per-report/

I hope they do something about it. I watched the Trae young video in that article and I could only stomach 3 or the 8+ minutes of watching what I consider the dumbest move on the court. If he did that in a pickup game no one would want to play with him.

 

[Sunburn]

I hope they do something about it. I watched the Trae young video in that article and I could only stomach 3 or the 8+ minutes of watching what I consider the dumbest move on the court. If he did that in a pickup game no one would want to play with him.

It may not be fun to watch, or fun to play with, but it's very effective. The increase in efficiency produced is enormous. It would be dumb of him to stop doing it, and, frankly, it's dumb of players to not do the same. It might not help the game of basketball, but it helps your team put more points on the board. It's on the league to figure out a way to cut it out, but I'm not sure how they can. For example, Young is a master at getting a defender on his back as he drives, pulling up into his shooting motion, and having the defender's momentum create a foul. He does it purposefully, but it's undoubtedly a foul, and I'm not sure how the league can crack down on it.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

It may not be fun to watch, or fun to play with, but it's very effective. The increase in efficiency produced is enormous. It would be dumb of him to stop doing it, and, frankly, it's dumb of players to not do the same. It might not help the game of basketball, but it helps your team put more points on the board. It's on the league to figure out a way to cut it out, but I'm not sure how they can. For example, Young is a master at getting a defender on his back as he drives, pulling up into his shooting motion, and having the defender's momentum create a foul. He does it purposefully, but it's undoubtedly a foul, and I'm not sure how the league can crack down on it.

Well for starters when guys clearly go out of their way to initiate contact they should either call nothing or an offensive foul. Such as jumping backwards, forward or to the side in order to cause contact. Of course some of the calls in that video would stand regardless, but probably at least half of them could have either been a no call or even an offensive foul.

 

[Hoop Head]

Kind of ridiculous for Nash to call out Trae Young's antics when James Harden is just as bad, if not worse. I can only imagine how dull a playoff game between the Nets and Hawks could be with all the FT's for those two. It would easily set postseason records for FT attempts in a series.

I can't see how the league can counteract that either except when he pulls up in front of defenders so they run into him, those didn't make up many of the fouls shown either. He just seems to be really good at pulling up for a shot upon sensing contact. Sure, he does jump into guys but its not as bad as some other players I've seen over the years, it just seems to happens more frequently.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It may not be fun to watch, or fun to play with, but it's very effective. The increase in efficiency produced is enormous. It would be dumb of him to stop doing it, and, frankly, it's dumb of players to not do the same. It might not help the game of basketball, but it helps your team put more points on the board. It's on the league to figure out a way to cut it out, but I'm not sure how they can. For example, Young is a master at getting a defender on his back as he drives, pulling up into his shooting motion, and having the defender's momentum create a foul. He does it purposefully, but it's undoubtedly a foul, and I'm not sure how the league can crack down on it.

I agree, but it’s not just pulling up, he leaps backwards to a small extent. That’s not a basketball move. Nor is his pulling up while still behind his screener. When he goes into pick and role he pulls up while still behind his screener, not after he clears him. He does so bc he knows his defender will be right behind him and won’t think he would pull up there. Why wouldn’t he pull up there? Bc it’s a terrible shot trying to shoot over your own man in such close proximity. It’s not really basketball.

the goal of basketball is to outscore your opponent. On offense it is to score baskets. That means your goal is to get open enough to get good looks at the hoop. Fouls were put in place not as a means to give players another way to score, but rather to penalize defenders trying to gain an unfair advantage. Now players have realized they can use it as a scoring option instead of just trying to get open. So now it’s the offensive players trying to take advantage of a rule. Does it work? Yes. Is it within the rules? Yes. Is it ugly? Yes. I know I watch the nba to see guys who have skills I don’t possess. Guys who can get open based on speed, athletic ability, dribbling ability, or range. If I wanted to watch what Trae does with those stupid fouls I could watch bad ymca pickup games.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I agree, but it’s not just pulling up, he leaps backwards to a small extent. That’s not a basketball move. Nor is his pulling up while still behind his screener. When he goes into pick and role he pulls up while still behind his screener, not after he clears him. He does so bc he knows his defender will be right behind him and won’t think he would pull up there. Why wouldn’t he pull up there? Bc it’s a terrible shot trying to shoot over your own man in such close proximity. It’s not really basketball.

the goal of basketball is to outscore your opponent. On offense it is to score baskets. That means your goal is to get open enough to get good looks at the hoop. Fouls were put in place not as a means to give players another way to score, but rather to penalize defenders trying to gain an unfair advantage. Now players have realized they can use it as a scoring option instead of just trying to get open. So now it’s the offensive players trying to take advantage of a rule. Does it work? Yes. Is it within the rules? Yes. Is it ugly? Yes. I know I watch the nba to see guys who have skills I don’t possess. Guys who can get open based on speed, athletic ability, dribbling ability, or range. If I wanted to watch what Trae does with those stupid fouls I could watch bad ymca pickup games.

And that's the thing. The refs just have to stop rewarding shooters when they make a non-basketball move to manufacture a foul call. Pulling up short which can lead to contact is okay, it's a move a player might make even if there is no defender on his back, but the rest of that stuff has to be called on the offensive player. Just like they need to call all the contact offensive players are using to gain an advantage.

 

[Mainstreet]

And that's the thing. The refs just have to stop rewarding shooters when they make a non-basketball move to manufacture a foul call. Pulling up short which can lead to contact is okay, it's a move a player might make even if there is no defender on his back, but the rest of that stuff has to be called on the offensive player. Just like they need to call all the contact offensive players are using to gain an advantage.

I agree with this. I've never liked the idea the offensive player can create the foul. If a player pulls up short on his dribble, I think that's his right. Defenders shouldn't be riding their back. If they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar and come over the back, that's a foul.