The 2017-2018 Around the NBA thread

[Russ Smith]

I think it depends on the player. Gordon was flawed but he's always been a max effort guy and coachable.

If he plays the 4 primarily and can sustain his jumpshot he could be a dangerous all around Player. Still 22.

Yeah my issue with Gordon has always been that he doesn't want to play the position hes' best at. I first saw him play as a freshman in HS, I lived about 15 minutes away from Mitty I saw him several times in HS, he was always a freak athlete, much more athletic than Drew, but he always had this thing where he wanted to be a guard.

Arizona tried to play him at the 3 because that's what he wanted but after Ashley got hurt, Gordon became the 4 and was a better player. Then he gets to the NBA and same thing he wants to be a 3, they signed several bigs and put him at the 3. It sounds like they're finally playing him at the 4.

he's a very smart kid, plays hard, defends, rebounds, he's just never been a good shooter and he's done one personal coach after another trying to improve that and it looks like he's finally got that ironed out.

 

[Russ Smith]

Meanwhile in a game where he didn't shoot well, had only 6 points, missed a chunk of the first quarter due to 2 quick fouls, Lonzo Ball once again put up 10 assists, 8 boards had 1 steal 1 block and at least 2 other times knocked the ball away from Wall on drives that went out of bounds off Wall. and in 40 minutes he put up a +13, the highest plus/minus on the team.

Not a vintage game for him and his shooting is still struggling, 32% so far for the year, but as Mark Jackson said last night you can see why the coaches love him, even when his shot is not falling he does so many other things that help you win and "he doesn't kill you with mistakes." 36 assists to 12 turnovers over 4 games.

Last night Kelly Oubre was doing the Patrick Beverly role bumping and pushing Ball repeatedly, Luke Walton kept complaining about it and eventually later in the game Oubre was woofing at another Laker and got a T.

 

[Chaplin]

Ball would be so much more likable if his dad wasn't around.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ball would be so much more likable if his dad wasn't around.

The simple truth.

 

[Russ Smith]

Ball would be so much more likable if his dad wasn't around.

Yeah and the media is just showing Lavar way too much.

You just have to separate the 2 of them, Lonzo is nothing like his dad.

 

[elindholm]

Lonzo is nothing like his dad.

Genetically, that's quite unlikely.

 

[BC867]

Genetically, that's quite unlikely.

I don't know. You never know if a kid is going to take after his Dad or his Mom in temperament. Or neither. Or a grandparent.

I am more concerned about a kid's environment. Usually based upon his peers. But, in this case, having to consider appeasing his overbearing
Dad to some degree. As they say blood is thicker than water.

 

[Ronin]

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[JCSunsfan]

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I watch this guy play and I keep wanting to look away. I am expecting some sort of compound fracture at any moment because of those long limbs and the way they fly around.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

There was an interesting read on ESPN about how the Bucks built their team on long players. The idea being that height, while great, wasn’t as important as length bc with the length they could disrupt every pass in a game. I believe they said “no more strikes” or “no more fastballs” meaning that passes had to be looped over outstretched arms or at funky angles which in turn leads to either turnovers, delaying a shot for help defense to arrive, or taking a shooter out of rhythm bc they had to adjust an indirect pass. I love this concept. I would think that Booker, JJ, Chriss, and Bender meet the long concept but I’m uncertain. Any know their respective wingspans?

 

[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[elindholm]

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Three-way with Denver and Phoenix? The Nuggets have Jokic, so they're not in the market for a center. Bledsoe to Denver, Something to Philadelphia, Okafor to Phoenix. More or less.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Three-way with Denver and Phoenix? The Nuggets have Jokic, so they're not in the market for a center. Bledsoe to Denver, Something to Philadelphia, Okafor to Phoenix. More or less.

I think Philly would give us Okafor for a second round pick--all by itself.

Mirotic would be an interesting pick up.

 

[3rdside]

There was an interesting read on ESPN about how the Bucks built their team on long players. The idea being that height, while great, wasn’t as important as length bc with the length they could disrupt every pass in a game. I believe they said “no more strikes” or “no more fastballs” meaning that passes had to be looped over outstretched arms or at funky angles which in turn leads to either turnovers, delaying a shot for help defense to arrive, or taking a shooter out of rhythm bc they had to adjust an indirect pass. I love this concept. I would think that Booker, JJ, Chriss, and Bender meet the long concept but I’m uncertain. Any know their respective wingspans?

Length is the defensive king - and hardly hurts offence - I wrote a big post about this elsewhere last year.

Some guess work, some memory, some research

Booker 6'8" - not long
JJ 6'9.5" - not long
Chriss 7'0" - not long
Bender 7'2" - not that long

Antekounmpo - 7'4" very long
Maker - 7'3" long
Brogdon - 6'10" - long

3rd side - 6'11" - long


With 'long' generally meaning 'wingspan well in excess of your height', noting that the taller you get the more 'excess wingspan' starts to decline as taller players tend to have narrower shoulders relative to height.

Worth mentioning the wingspan freaks:

- Scottie pippen - 7'3"

- Ben Wallace - 7'2"

- alonzo mourning - 7'6"

- kawhi Leonard - 7'3 (which is why I hate the josh Jackson comparison, they're two completely different animals)

- Rudy Gobert - 7'9"


I've been saying for a while that you could do worse than looking for 'excess wingspan' when drafting - which seems to be exactly what milkwaukee are doing - as worst case scenario you're more likely to get someone who's at least solid on the defensive end.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JCSunsfan]

Length is the defensive king - and hardly hurts offence - I wrote a big post about this elsewhere last year.

Some guess work, some memory, some research

Booker 6'8" - not long
JJ 6'9.5" - not long
Chriss 7'0" - not long
Bender 7'2" - not that long

Antekounmpo - 7'4" very long
Maker - 7'3" long
Brogdon - 6'10" - long

3rd side - 6'11" - long


With 'long' generally meaning 'wingspan well in excess of your height', noting that the taller you get the more 'excess wingspan' starts to decline as taller players tend to have narrower shoulders relative to height.

Worth mentioning the wingspan freaks:

- Scottie pippen - 7'3"

- Ben Wallace - 7'2"

- alonzo mourning - 7'6"

- kawhi Leonard - 7'3 (which is why I hate the josh Jackson comparison, they're two completely different animals)

- Rudy Gobert - 7'9"


I've been saying for a while that you could do worse than looking for 'excess wingspan' when drafting - which seems to be exactly what milkwaukee are doing - as worst case scenario you're more likely to get someone who's at least solid on the defensive end.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Long can be long for the position you play as well. Bender at SF or PF is long.

I am 5-9 with a 6-2 wingspan. Not long.

 

[PDXChris]

I think Philly would give us Okafor for a second round pick--all by itself.

Mirotic would be an interesting pick up.

Honestly, Mirotic is way over paid now. Hot garbage with no heart. Maybe a swap.of Okafor for Mirotic would be good for both players.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Length is the defensive king - and hardly hurts offence - I wrote a big post about this elsewhere last year.

Some guess work, some memory, some research

Booker 6'8" - not long
JJ 6'9.5" - not long
Chriss 7'0" - not long
Bender 7'2" - not that long

Antekounmpo - 7'4" very long
Maker - 7'3" long
Brogdon - 6'10" - long

3rd side - 6'11" - long


With 'long' generally meaning 'wingspan well in excess of your height', noting that the taller you get the more 'excess wingspan' starts to decline as taller players tend to have narrower shoulders relative to height.

Worth mentioning the wingspan freaks:

- Scottie pippen - 7'3"

- Ben Wallace - 7'2"

- alonzo mourning - 7'6"

- kawhi Leonard - 7'3 (which is why I hate the josh Jackson comparison, they're two completely different animals)

- Rudy Gobert - 7'9"


I've been saying for a while that you could do worse than looking for 'excess wingspan' when drafting - which seems to be exactly what milkwaukee are doing - as worst case scenario you're more likely to get someone who's at least solid on the defensive end.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Disappointing measurements for our guys in that respect.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Davon Reed is long. Seven foot wingspan at guard.

 

[Errntknght]

Orlando is drubbing the Spurs 74-44... SA shooting 28% from the field

 

[Russ Smith]

Warriors were 1-18 from 3 until 2 late ones in the first half. Trail Wizards by 14 at the half inOakland.

now the big news, Draymond and Beal ejected, Draymond for 2 T's, Beal for a T and presumably fighting. Washington missed a shot, Draymond was boxing out Beal, who hit him in the back, Draymond did a little business to the stomach(not really a punch but a blow) and then Beal hit him in the back of the head and got him into a headlock. Green wouldn't let go took him down out of bounds into the crowd.

Honestly watching the game the guy who started it again is Kelly Oubre who was taking cheap shots at Durant and getting the Warriors more and more ticked off. During the melee out of bounds Oubre came running in and appeared to hit Klay Thompson in the back of the head although he was telling Klay he was just trying to get people off.

Draymond needs to be able to control himself, the Warriors are already short handed tonight, having to play the 2nd half without Green is a big blow.

Side note, I'm wondering how long before someone puts Oubre on his back, this is the 3rd time I've seen him play this year and he's been involved in something like this in each game. he got a T in the Lakers game that started with a series of cheap shots on Lonzo Ball. It's really weird because so far he's one of the more improved players in the league, he's become a REALLY good 3 point shooter, and he's become a good defender, but he's got this habit of constantly bumping guys away from the ball with the sole intent of setting them off.

David West already took a shot at him tonight after one of his shots on Durant, it'll be very interesting to see what happens in the 2nd half.

But I repeat, the Warriors are not nearly as good this year, at least not yet.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Some night. Spurs, OkC, and the Warriors are all losing.

 

[Cheesebeef]

How many times does everyone get confused/excited about the best teams losing weird games at the beginning of the year before they remember these types of wins and losses seem to happen EVERY YEAR and by the end, it's the same teams at the top... and bottom for the most part?

 

[Hoop Head]

Warriors were 1-18 from 3 until 2 late ones in the first half. Trail Wizards by 14 at the half inOakland.

now the big news, Draymond and Beal ejected, Draymond for 2 T's, Beal for a T and presumably fighting. Washington missed a shot, Draymond was boxing out Beal, who hit him in the back, Draymond did a little business to the stomach(not really a punch but a blow) and then Beal hit him in the back of the head and got him into a headlock. Green wouldn't let go took him down out of bounds into the crowd.

Honestly watching the game the guy who started it again is Kelly Oubre who was taking cheap shots at Durant and getting the Warriors more and more ticked off. During the melee out of bounds Oubre came running in and appeared to hit Klay Thompson in the back of the head although he was telling Klay he was just trying to get people off.

Draymond needs to be able to control himself, the Warriors are already short handed tonight, having to play the 2nd half without Green is a big blow.

Side note, I'm wondering how long before someone puts Oubre on his back, this is the 3rd time I've seen him play this year and he's been involved in something like this in each game. he got a T in the Lakers game that started with a series of cheap shots on Lonzo Ball. It's really weird because so far he's one of the more improved players in the league, he's become a REALLY good 3 point shooter, and he's become a good defender, but he's got this habit of constantly bumping guys away from the ball with the sole intent of setting them off.

David West already took a shot at him tonight after one of his shots on Durant, it'll be very interesting to see what happens in the 2nd half.

But I repeat, the Warriors are not nearly as good this year, at least not yet.

I know this a general NBA thread and I appreciate a lot of what you post Russ but do we need recaps of Warrior games here? Why not start a Warriors thread in the Smack Shack like the Lakers thread there? Or start one in the Other NBA Talk sub-forums here?

The Lonzo stuff should be moved to the Lakers thread unless it's newsworthy, which 98% of what's posted about him in here isn't. There is a Lakers thread already made here...
http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/forum/threads/the-2017-18-los-angeles-lakers-thread.250276/

 

[Russ Smith]

I know this a general NBA thread and I appreciate a lot of what you post Russ but do we need recaps of Warrior games here? Why not start a Warriors thread in the Smack Shack like the Lakers thread there? Or start one in the Other NBA Talk sub-forums here?

The Lonzo stuff should be moved to the Lakers thread unless it's newsworthy, which 98% of what's posted about him in here isn't. There is a Lakers thread already made here...
http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/forum/threads/the-2017-18-los-angeles-lakers-thread.250276/

I honestly thought Smack Shack was for people talking smack?

This appears to be an around the NBA thread and I thought that's precisely what I was talking about, another NBA team?

If that's NOT the point of this thread I apologize but I've never seen anybody say that before.