2023-24 Around the NBA Thread

[CardsSunsDbacks]

They're on a winning streak but other than 1 of those wins being against the Nuggets, it isn't that impressive. They're 12-8 with Harden, which I wouldn't consider a big success. They also had a 5 game losing streak with Harden.

Keep in mind that they were finding their feet and chemistry when he first got there. Seems they are now starting to gel and that could be a scary proposition, assuming they can stay healthy.

 

[Hoop Head]

Keep in mind that they were finding their feet and chemistry when he first got there. Seems they are now starting to gel and that could be a scary proposition, assuming they can stay healthy.

The Clippers have always been a scary team provided they're healthy but they never are. PG and Kawhi are the best wing duo in the league. Russ is still a good PG, albeit not an All-Star, and now they added a volume scorer in Harden. The problem will be if they can stay healthy and how they defend in the postseason. Kawhi and PG are All Defensive team talent and Russ is competent. Harden is awful and he makes PG and Kawhi slide up into both forward roles, which isn't ideal. If Lue can figure out a way to make it work, they're a title contender but if he can't then no one can and they'll be an expensive mistake.

I'm not saying they can't make some noise but odds are against them given the health of PG and Kawhi, who will be the difference makers in the postseason. James Harden is the player version of D'Antoni. He'll put up gawdy numbers and get you lots of regular season wins but when defense becomes the key between advancing or going home, he'll be packing his bags.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The Clippers have always been a scary team provided they're healthy but they never are. PG and Kawhi are the best wing duo in the league. Russ is still a good PG, albeit not an All-Star, and now they added a volume scorer in Harden. The problem will be if they can stay healthy and how they defend in the postseason. Kawhi and PG are All Defensive team talent and Russ is competent. Harden is awful and he makes PG and Kawhi slide up into both forward roles, which isn't ideal. If Lue can figure out a way to make it work, they're a title contender but if he can't then no one can and they'll be an expensive mistake.

I'm not saying they can't make some noise but odds are against them given the health of PG and Kawhi, who will be the difference makers in the postseason. James Harden is the player version of D'Antoni. He'll put up gawdy numbers and get you lots of regular season wins but when defense becomes the key between advancing or going home, he'll be packing his bags.

Defense is not the reason his teams fail in the postseason, but that his offense often doesn't translate. Difference being that he doesn't even need to be the 2nd option on this team. They will be very tough to beat for anyone when healthy.

 

[Russ Smith]

Boy did I need that after watching UCLA embarass themselves and lose at home to CSUN.

Warriors come from behind force OT and then beat the Celts.

Great game from Jackson-Davis 10 points 3 blocks 13 boards plus 25.

I missed most of the game looks like I watched the wrong game

 

[Phrazbit]

Bulls season looked like it was on the brink of collapse, then Zach Lavine goes down... they reel off an 8-3 stretch against a brutal chunk of their schedule (seriously, look it up, their last month is insane).

Empty... stat... trash.

I can't wait to see how ruins their season by trading for him in the next few months. Thank god we are out of the running.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gabe Vincent of the Lakers will reportedly undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and miss 6-8 weeks.

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[Russ Smith]

Bulls season looked like it was on the brink of collapse, then Zach Lavine goes down... they reel off an 8-3 stretch against a brutal chunk of their schedule (seriously, look it up, their last month is insane).

Empty... stat... trash.

I can't wait to see how ruins their season by trading for him in the next few months. Thank god we are out of the running.

That's Zach in a nutshell great stats in games they usually lose. His defense is better than it used to be but still pretty awful.

 

[Russ Smith]

the refs in the Nuggets and Warriors game should be suspended in the middle of the game.

They don't call a foul when Jokic hammers Saric, Saric complains so next time down they call a phantom call on Jokic 2 FT's for Saric. Jokic then complains so running downcourt on offense with Saric guarding him, Jokic throws both hands up and the ref calls a foul on Saric, 50 feet from the rim giving Jokic 2 points.

The net result was 2 points for each team but they made 2 bad calls to make up for a missed call.

 

[Russ Smith]

The announcers just said it the Warriors guys have been saying it for weeks, Podz is a less athletic Ginobili type player. Not sure he'll ever be as good as Manu was but does so many things to help you win

 

[Russ Smith]

Joker is unreal, 18-18 on FT's and I don't think he's hit the rim once. He's having a "bad" game and still unguardable.

With Murray back healthy Denver has to be the favorite again, they might need some help off the bench before the trade deadline but their starting 5 is the best in the league IMO

 

[Yuma]

Joker is unreal, 18-18 on FT's and I don't think he's hit the rim once. He's having a "bad" game and still unguardable.

With Murray back healthy Denver has to be the favorite again, they might need some help off the bench before the trade deadline but their starting 5 is the best in the league IMO

I am old school, and the Champs are the Champs until dethroned. They do look good. They play like a team. Better than the sum of their parts.

 

[Russ Smith]

I am old school, and the Champs are the Champs until dethroned. They do look good. They play like a team. Better than the sum of their parts.

My thing is they're both huge, and they have shooting. Their smallest starter is Murray who's like 6'4". Very long, Porter Jr blocked Klay on a 3 twice, one for a layup. You just don't see too many teams that long and skilled.

 

[Yuma]

My thing is they're both huge, and they have shooting. Their smallest starter is Murray who's like 6'4". Very long, Porter Jr blocked Klay on a 3 twice, one for a layup. You just don't see too many teams that long and skilled.

We are still small compared to them, but you could see we did bring in a lot longer guys when you consider wing spans to try and match up with them. They definitely got the attention of our staff after that last playoff series.

 

[Phrazbit]

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We're #1!

 

[AzStevenCal]

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We're #1!

I would say that's due to the incredible gap between expectations and performance.

 

[Hoop Head]

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We're #1!

I think the "F The Lakers" motto on the Suns sub could sway the results of that quite a bit.

 

[Chaplin]

I would say that's due to the incredible gap between expectations and performance.

That is absolutely the reason. Is there a more angry fanbase at this point in the NBA? I don't think there is.

 

[elindholm]

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We're #1!

To be fair, we have the most to complain about.

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns fans expected things to be better under a rich owner who was handed a wealth of assets (all their draft picks), young talented players in Booker, Bridges Cam Johnson and Deandre Ayton.

They also had expiring contracts in Saric and Crowder.

The Suns even traded Chris Paul and Landry Shamet (who many considered to be negative assets) for a star in Bradley Beal.

Also, Phoenix hired a new head coach to replace Monty Williams.

No wonder Suns fans are frustrated. They expected things to be better, not worse.

Maybe things will get better. Maybe they won't.

To make things worse, the Suns are over the luxury tax threshold and their remaining first draft picks have low value until after the 2030 draft and those picks cannot be traded until draft day.

 

[nashman]

Suns fans expected things to be better under a rich owner who was handed a wealth of assets (all their draft picks), young talented players in Booker, Bridges Cam Johnson and Deandre Ayton.

They also had expiring contracts in Saric and Crowder.

The Suns even traded Chris Paul and Landry Shamet (who many considered to be negative assets) for a star in Bradley Beal.

Also, Phoenix hired a new head coach to replace Monty Williams.

No wonder Suns fans are frustrated. They expected things to be better, not worse.

Maybe things will get better. Maybe they won't.

To make things worse, the Suns are over the luxury tax threshold and their remaining first draft picks have low value until after the 2030 draft and those picks cannot be traded until draft day.

You really need to let it go. Everyone gets it you didn’t like the trade rehashing is just tiring at this point. Cam couldn’t stay healthy and Bridges was never gonna do what he is doing here period. People act like they didn’t give both of those guys time it’s not like they are 2nd year players! This team needed to make a move and they did. Of course they paid to much but that’s what happens when you want a HOF player and have zero leverage! The only conversation should be how to right the ship not rehashing the past that is never gonna change! And with Cams injury status he’s lucky to have gotten the contract he has, doubt the Suns would have given him that considering as soon as he earned a starting spot he couldn’t stay on the floor…

 

[Phrazbit]

Glad Ja took everything to heart.

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[ajcardfan]

Suns fans expected things to be better under a rich owner who was handed a wealth of assets (all their draft picks), young talented players in Booker, Bridges Cam Johnson and Deandre Ayton.

They also had expiring contracts in Saric and Crowder.

The Suns even traded Chris Paul and Landry Shamet (who many considered to be negative assets) for a star in Bradley Beal.

Also, Phoenix hired a new head coach to replace Monty Williams.

No wonder Suns fans are frustrated. They expected things to be better, not worse.

Maybe things will get better. Maybe they won't.

To make things worse, the Suns are over the luxury tax threshold and their remaining first draft picks have low value until after the 2030 draft and those picks cannot be traded until draft day.

I agree. Superstar teams mostly fail, unless LeBron is one of them. Building a team like it's a video game doesn't work in real life.

But it's done. We were so close to the top of the mountain. Now we are years away IMO. Typical Suns. Get close, and then fall apart in a couple of seasons.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think I will stick with cats.

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[Phrazbit]

I think I will stick with cats.

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Dog bites aside, that is the move we should have made years ago. I know we were rumored to be in the mix too. Adding him to the 2021 team... would have been a huge get.

The kind of "tinker, not tear up" move that IMO would have pushed us over the hump.

 

[Mainstreet]

Dog bites aside, that is the move we should have made years ago. I know we were rumored to be in the mix too. Adding him to the 2021 team... would have been a huge get.

The kind of "tinker, not tear up" move that IMO would have pushed us over the hump.

No doubt this is a player the Suns should have gone after. IIRC, he surprisingly had a lot of detractors on the forum.