Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Gonna be awkward as hell when both in season tourney finalists are in the play in game
Assuming they finish that high.
Lake Show is one Warriors' hot streak away from the 11 seed.
Gonna be awkward as hell when both in season tourney finalists are in the play in game
Man this is place deader
this is all set up perfectly for the raptors to beat the celtics tomorrow night, then lose to the pistons by 30 on saturday.
Watching that game last night, I have no idea how that Pistons team has lost 28 straight.
I know they are extremely young, but there's a decent amount of talent. You'd think they'd fall into a couple of wins.
this is all set up perfectly for the raptors to beat the celtics tomorrow night,
Nikola
yessssssssssssssssssssss...
yea they were decidedly average last year, and i don't see any reason for them to be anything more than average again. the east is a seven team conference - and atlanta's not one of the seven. they have good coaching - so, hey, sure, they could maybe add 3 to 4 wins and end up at 44/45 wins. but a few injuries could easily have them lose 4 to 5 more and end up at 36/37 wins.
so, uh, yea. they're an average team - and a break here or there could send them a bit higher or lower than average, but not by much.
KP changed his game considerably . When he was with the Knicks - the Unicorn days - he played almost like a 7'4" small forward. He tried to do that again when he first came back with Dallas - but legs that long aren't meant to take the abuse that goes with being a slashing wing. (take note, Chet and Wemby)
offensively he'll do a lot of scoring from the high post (he's not a guy who buries you in the block), and can be very dangerous in screen/roll action - either as a roller or as a pick and pop guy. he's become VERY efficient on the offensive side.
defensively - he'll protect the rim, but can also be an absolute liability in the same area that he excels at on offense - defending on pick and rolls on the perimeter. it'll be something teams look to expose in the playoffs for sure. bazooka joe will have to figure that out (or will it be the Celtics new "consultant" that ends up being the guy to figure it out? )
i'd be very worried about his legs - while also thinking that his odds of staying healthy are better now because of the changes he's made to his game. but still, to paraphrase Jeff Ament, seven three is a long way to fall.
if he can stay healthy Boston is as good as anyone and should absolutely challenge Milwaukee for the east.
two years ago Cleveland was the sneaky team that caught people by surprise with their defense - and then added a star player the next offseason.
brooklyn is that team this year.
re: Strus - i don't put a lot of stock in Miami Heat guys who end up on other teams being able to replicate what they did in Miami (we'll come back to that when we TALK LAKERS).
Is Evan Mobley ready to take the next step? if the answer is yes? Cleveland could be very scary - not Boston/Milwaukee scary, but a dark horse team that could contend if either of the top two suffer big injuries.
if Mobley isn't? then they're likely a 45 to 50 win team that maybe can get out of the first round (but probably won't).
as long as they have the best player in the NBA on their roster - which they do - they are the favorites to repeat. nothing anyone in the west did this offseason moves the needle far enough to beat this team.
they didn't just win the title - they dominated their way to the title. the disrespect shown to them is crazy. they beat minnesota in a gentleman's sweep. they beat phoenix 4 games to 2 with all four wins being in double digits. they curb stomped the Lakers, and finished it off with another gentleman's sweep of Miami.
they are the best team in the NBA.
maaaaybe? but probably not. i wonder if Klay will be moody since he hasn't gotten his extension. CP3 will be fine - and if he's coming off the bench this could actually extend his career and allow him to finally be healthy in the postseason. they'll need Kuminga to finally make a jump - and it looks like he may have done that if you go by the preseason - but time will tell.
the issue with poole - more than anything locker room related - was that he was redundant. they didn't need his scoring - that wasn't the issue for them. their bench looks much better, and much more "warriors" like - ball movement, defense.
if all things break they could be among the teams with a shot - if denver falters (i.e. Jokic or Murray get hurt)
i'm tired of talking about the what if's of this team. and i'm tired of talking about james harden in general. blah.
let's start by saying that cam reddish sucks. everyone's waiting for him to be a good player, but he's on, what, his fourth team already? in four years?
i'm also a bit tired of hearing about Austin Reaves. like - come on. he's a nice role player - but they're talking about him in LA like he's somehow the third star.
Rui - i watched him up close and personal for 3 years. what i saw was a guy who would always show you JUST enough to be enticed about his potential, while never actually ever reaching that potential. to borrow a very played out phrase - the dog, it ain't in him. maybe LA & lebron can bring it out of him. but i have my doubts. what he did last year lines up exactly with what he did with the Wizards. He'd look amazing one day, and then disappear for a week. his percentages and advanced stats actually went DOWN when he came to LA. to me he's always been fools gold, and i think that's exactly what he'll be in LA. he might drop 30 on opening night, and then put up 3 games in a row of 8 points. but the 30 will get everyone fired up about how good he could be. pass.
which brings us to LeBron and AD. the lakers will be as good as the health of those guys. you betting the house on that? didn't think so.
i have a huge shrug at the loss of Vincent and Strus. The Heat create guys like that in their sleep.
I don't see a regression - because let's be real - they were the 8 seed last year. They made a big run in the playoffs when Playoff Jimmy came out - but they were a decidedly average team all year (another reason why buyers should beware when signing their big playoff performers - hi Lakers, Cleveland).
Herro is healthy - so that will help. Jovic is a guy to keep an eye on... can he finally start contributing? he looked good in FIBA. thomas bryant feels like the perfect miami player. he's incredibly active and plays with a ton of energy, and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder over not getting any time in LA or Denver. Jaime Jaquez also looks like a tailor made Heat Culture guy.
i don't think Miami has the assets to make a big trade - they don't have enough draft picks. but they'll be fine. they're not as good as Boston or Milwaukee, but they weren't last year, either. they just got hot at the right time.
It's a Boston / Milwaukee conference. Everyone else is playing for the ability to move in to the ECF if someone (Giannis, Tatum, Lillard, Brown) gets hurt.
I feel like Milwaukee is slightly better - but a lot of this will come down to health. conceivably the heat will be taken off of Middleton - allowing him to be healthier down the stretch. but it's also possible that Middleton is just cooked. what he is able to provide will be the difference between Boston and Milwaukee.
they need to make this the Anthony Edwards show - and i think they know that. don't be shocked if KAT is traded.
speaking of...
more of the same, unless they can figure out a way to swing a trade to upgrade Randall. That very well could be KAT. I don't buy the Embiid rumors that started today. Daryl Morey isn't doing that. But KAT/Minnesota? Yea I can see that happening.
When Obi Toppin is decidedly MEH in Indiana and the Knicks are again a top 6 team in the east, maybe - just maybe - Knicks fans will give Thibs the credit he deserves.
But probably not.
man i have no idea what Morey is doing. Just take what you can get. They'll be BETTER without Harden. But, well, Morey has to be the smartest guy in the room at all times. He's putting Nurse in a bad spot.
Embiid has two to three years left before that body becomes a ticking time bomb. Philly needs to make a move now, trust that Maxey is a future stud, and see what they can do. But ultimately? Yea - Embiid will likely ask out this offseason after another playoff run where he shits the bed and disappears in the clutch (only he won't be able to blame Ben Simmons or James Harden this time. Maybe it'll be Tobias Harris' fault).
the teams with the most assets to give in an offseason Embiid trade are the Knicks and OKC. But i don't see Morey trading him to New York, and OKC doesn't need him. So I have no clue where he might end up. Miami doesn't have the draft picks. Utah?
i get that trading Ayton added to their all around depth - but Nurkic is cooked (as is Gordon).
Bradley Beal hasn't been a facilitator, nor has he been a guy who plays off the ball, since the last time John Wall was healthy. and now they want him to be their point guard? good luck. he also hasn't played help defense in 5 years. maybe he can turn on a switch now that he's with a team that should be good - but i have my doubts. and he's already hurt and apparently isn't playing tonight.
look they can be good because KD Is that guy. but they got smoked by Denver. smoked. is adding Beal and losing all depth at center really going to close that gap? if brad plays help defense against Denver in the playoffs the way he played here for the past 5 seasons he's going to get absolutely eaten alive.
they're very much like the Nets with KD, Kyrie and Harden. they COULD put it together, but probably won't - and even if they do, probably won't be able to stay healthy.
If you figure Memphis will slip a little.. Phoenix and Golden State are question marks, but if you assume they'll both see a 3 to 5 game bump to the positive? that puts Sacramento pretty much in the same general position they were in last year.
they absolutely need to defend better to be taken serious come playoff time. i don't think they didn't anything to fix that.
there are a lot of "good" teams in the west - maybe only one great one, but a lot of good. a 3 game drop off - which isn't crazy, could all of a sudden see them going from the 3 seed to battling to avoid the play in.
feel this is a separate question and will move to the bottom - because there's one team in particular from below that could become a major player in the west this year...
the Hornets have the feel of a team that SHOULD have enough talent to improve, but probably won't.
Bulls are big "blow it up at the deadline" candidates. Vucivec only makes 18 million this year, 20 next, 21 the year after. that's a very reasonable contract in today's NBA (which is absurd, but stil).
derozan is in the last year of his contract. caruso's deal is only partially guaranteed next year.
lavine is the question mark. his 40ish million dollar deal will be tough to trade. but yea - i can see them dealing off the other two.
EKTD.
Everything Kyrie Touches Dies.
nope. they're still in the basement. maaaaybe if things go wrong in Charlotte they might be the second worse. but they're very not good.
i don't get the brooks thing. the number one thing they needed was maturity and accountability - which, ok sure - vanvleet. but brooks? he's just an older version of what they already had - immature and unprofessional. udoka should help there in some regards - but, uh, he's also the guy who got fired for sleeping with the wife of a celtics executive.
they might be better - but brown, yea - he's not with Jokic of KD anymore, and Toppin is as over-rated as they come.
they're well coached, and haliburton is good. so we'll see.
yep.
the Thunder will be a top 6 team in the west and avoid the play in. SGA is a top 10 player in the league. the sky is the limit with this team - and they have all the assets in the world to make a trade if a start unexpectedly pops free.
i thought they'd compete for the playoffs last year... they DID get close towards the end of the season, but yea - i think they're a play in team this year. Paolo and Franz are studs.
portland hasa lot of pieces that contending teams are going to want come trade deadline. if they're smart they collect a ton of firsts and go full in on the rebuild. no half measures.
they're bad. really bad.
but he's good. really good.
the question isn't how good will he be. he's going to be VERY good. the question is whether or not he can stay healthy doing the things he does with that frame. touched on it with Porzingis earlier. the human body isn't mean to be able to play as a guard at that size. if he stays healthy he's a future top 10 player and potentially a top 3 player. but it's a huge if. it's literally the only question with him. his skill is not in doubt.
every time i think toronto is tanking they make the playoffs. so who knows. Barnes didn't make as big of a jump last year as expected - but his development is key to what they do. Siakam seems destined to be traded (hello OKC). nothing Masai does would surprise me. so if toronto's all of a sudden in the mix for a playoff spot will i be shocked? no. but it seems like a year to break things down and collect assets... especially if you think you can build around Barnes.
i don't think Utah being good will be a surprise. But i don't think they'll be as good as they looked at times last year. they traded some of those guys off at the deadline. We'll see if Kessler has another level to get to. Markannen is who he is - he's good, but i don't think he has another level left. they're still another year or two away - but they do have a TON of assets to be players if they so desire.
yes. they're not tanking.
when OKC traded Russ away - everyone expected the full tank job. but they didn't. they actually surprised people and made the playoffs. THEN they traded CP3 and Paul George and went full tank. they got all those picks AND they got SGA out of the deal.
the guys in charge of the Wizards now are cut from that cloth. it's a weaker draft this year. they're not going full tank. at least not yet.
the beal no trade clause kept them from getting the haul that the old regime SHOULD have gotten for him 3 years ago. so to do this right - they need assets. they have a TON of tradable contracts. they have a ton of veterans on this team that can help establish a good culture now, and be used as trade pieces later. this year is not the tank year.
now 2024-25 - when boozer and cooper flagg are on the draft board? THAT is the tank year. that's the year to go all in and try to get that top 3 pick - and i believe that's the plan.
the folks in charge now know what they're doing. the previous folks did not.
honestly? i think they'll win around 35 games this year. the same as last year, actually - but will be a lot more fun in getting to the same result. they'll run more, play better defense, and have some young kids who you can actually get excited about.
to that note... Bilal Coulibaly is a stud. he has all nba defensive player written all over him, especially given that he's still just 19 years old.
Chet is the obvious choice here. Scoot Henderson should get every opportunity to put up numbers. Cam Whitmore looked great in the preseason and could be a sleeper. Walker's got an NBA ready body and won't be relied upon to score.
Look for TNT to move to Tuesday night only and Amazon to grab Thursday nights (starting after the NFL regular season ends).
Disney/ESPN/ABC will be the question. They want it back - but will have competition from Comcast/NBC/Peacock. What Disney ultimately ends up doing with ESPN will be a big player here.
But the league will get a motherload of cash from Amazon (or Apple or YouTube).
The new rules around players, ya know, actually playing in games is specifically aimed at the TV deal.
Look for a big global streaming rights package, too.