Most parity in the league in a while

[OneSport3]

This season has to have the most parity in a long time. There is no overwhelming favorite and a lot of underachieving teams (Nets, Sixers, Clippers, Lakers, Heat). The Warriors don’t look like the juggernauts of seasons past. The top team in the league is probably the Bucks. They’ve been playing well without Middleton.

Who knows, when GP2 comes back and Shaedon can continually improve through the course of the season, we might be able to make a deep run in the playoffs.

 

[MickZagger]

This season has to have the most parity in a long time. There is no overwhelming favorite and a lot of underachieving teams (Nets, Sixers, Clippers, Lakers, Heat). The Warriors don’t look like the juggernauts of seasons past. The top team in the league is probably the Bucks. They’ve been playing well without Middleton.

Who knows, when GP2 comes back and Shaedon can continually improve through the course of the season, we might be able to make a deep run in the playoffs.

i think if we can get a bonafide rebounding/shot blocking big to come off our bench and maybe a ball handling PG off the bench we could make a deep run.

We got abused big time on the boards even in the games we squeaked out

 

[blazerkor]

i think if we can get a bonafide rebounding/shot blocking big to come off our bench and maybe a ball handling PG off the bench we could make a deep run.

We got abused big time on the boards even in the games we squeaked out

If we have Ant then we don't need a ball handling backup PG. Ant is a high level starting PG. He's more effective at that position than he is as an SG but he does play team ball while playing SG so he doesn't cause the same problems as CJ did... I mean he hasn't yet in this limited sample size.

That backup big would be nice and even nicer if he was what you said and had a three point shot but Eubanks isn't a bad change of pace backup to Nurk. He held his own when he was in the game against Joker.

 

[wizenheimer]

If we have Ant then we don't need a ball handling backup PG. Ant is a high level starting PG. He's more effective at that position than he is as an SG but he does play team ball while playing SG so he doesn't cause the same problems as CJ did... I mean he hasn't yet in this limited sample size.

I don't think that's true. A 'high level starting PG' is going to have an assist rate over 30% and an assist/turnover rate well over 2.0 while leading a team to wins. Ant hasn't checked any of those boxes....yet. He may, eventually, but at this point he hasn't even elevated himself to a high level scoring guard, at least not if consistency is a component of that classification

I think he'll probably get to being a high level scorer. Not sure about the PG component though. What Ant absolutely has to do is elevate his FT Rate....a lot. He won't be high-level anything but a catch-&-shoot player if he doesn't

 

[blazerfan11]

I don't think that's true. A 'high level starting PG' is going to have an assist rate over 30% and an assist/turnover rate well over 2.0 while leading a team to wins. Ant hasn't checked any of those boxes....yet. He may, eventually, but at this point he hasn't even elevated himself to a high level scoring guard, at least not if consistency is a component of that classification

I think he'll probably get to being a high level scorer. Not sure about the PG component though. What Ant absolutely has to do is elevate his FT Rate....a lot. He won't be high-level anything but a catch-&-shoot player if he doesn't

A high-level catch-and-shoot player can be an important part of a championship team.
What is Klay Thompson's free-throw rate?
Ant does not absolutely have to elevate his free-throw rate for the team to win.

 

[wizenheimer]

A high-level catch-and-shoot player can be an important part of a championship team.
What is Klay Thompson's free-throw rate?
Ant does not absolutely have to elevate his free-throw rate for the team to win.

do you realize you just agreed with what I said?

 

[Pinwheel1]

I don't think that's true. A 'high level starting PG' is going to have an assist rate over 30% and an assist/turnover rate well over 2.0 while leading a team to wins. Ant hasn't checked any of those boxes....yet.

That might be tough to do (and unnecessary) if his teammates are dishing out dimes. I mean if you count Winslow as a PF last game, the position dished out 11 last assists. (Winslow and Grant) I love that especially when we generally have 3 good shooters on the floor.

 

[Wade Garrett]

For this season only, I say........
1- Appreciate Drew Eubanks....dude can play and is a very serviceable backup to Nurk. Drew does a lot of dirty shit that doesn't show in a box score. He is one of the dawgs on this team.
2- No trades. Period.
Let this cake cook. We haven't even seen GPII or Trendon..Let's see what they have for the entire year...2024 is THE YEAR any way.
3- Run DawgsRun!

 

[wizenheimer]

your format was screwed up, but I figured out what you wrote

I wasn't really speaking to Ant's overall talent/impact. I was talking about him not being a "high level" starting PG. he just doesn't pass the eyeball test for that, and he doesn't have the numbers

I think we know he's going to be a fairly elite shooter. But to expand from that he needs to get better at some other things like getting to the FT line. Ant's FT rate the last couple of seasons has been in the .130 range. Devin Booker's career mark is .320; Dame's is .336; Morant is .360

currently, Josh Hart has a better assist rate and assist/turnover ratio than Ant, and he's no PG

 

[Propagandist]

For this season only, I say........
1- Appreciate Drew Eubanks....dude can play and is a very serviceable backup to Nurk. Drew does a lot of dirty shit that doesn't show in a box score. He is one of the dawgs on this team.
2- No trades. Period.
Let this cake cook. We haven't even seen GPII or Trendon..Let's see what they have for the entire year...2024 is THE YEAR any way.
3- Run DawgsRun!

The fact that Drew Eubanks tops any list surprises me.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

For this season only, I say........
1- Appreciate Drew Eubanks....dude can play and is a very serviceable backup to Nurk. Drew does a lot of dirty shit that doesn't show in a box score. He is one of the dawgs on this team.
2- No trades. Period.
Let this cake cook. We haven't even seen GPII or Trendon..Let's see what they have for the entire year...2024 is THE YEAR any way.
3- Run DawgsRun!

I feel this way as well. Teams take time to blend. This one might be special?

 

[MickZagger]

I hope some of these ‘super teams’ keep digging themselves a big hole record wise they gotta dig out of.

 

[e_blazer]

your format was screwed up, but I figured out what you wrote

I wasn't really speaking to Ant's overall talent/impact. I was talking about him not being a "high level" starting PG. he just doesn't pass the eyeball test for that, and he doesn't have the numbers

I think we know he's going to be a fairly elite shooter. But to expand from that he needs to get better at some other things like getting to the FT line. Ant's FT rate the last couple of seasons has been in the .130 range. Devin Booker's career mark is .320; Dame's is .336; Morant is .360

currently, Josh Hart has a better assist rate and assist/turnover ratio than Ant, and he's no PG

In my view, using numbers to compare high-level starters with those of a guy who's come off the bench behind CJ for nearly all of his career is pretty much an apples and oranges endeavor. Throw in the fact that he's been used in more of a combo guard role rather than being slotted as either a PG or SG and it really makes for an incomplete and inaccurate view. Ant certainly has holes in his game, but he also has some star-level shot-making ability. This year, now that he's out from behind CJ's shadow, should be when we get a clearer view as to what his ceiling is. I would be ecstatic if we can see by the end of the year that the post-Dame future of the Blazers' backcourt, whenever that occurs, looks to be secure in the young hands of Simons and Sharpe.

 

[e_blazer]

I hope some of these ‘super teams’ keep digging themselves a big hole record wise they gotta dig out of.

It looks more and more that the "super team" label attached to the Lakers, Nets and, maybe, the Clippers could be more aptly changed to the "has beens".

 

[Wade Garrett]

The fact that Drew Eubanks tops any list surprises me.

That doesn't surprise me.

 

[THE HCP]

That doesn't surprise me.

The fact that he isn’t collecting carts in the COSTCO parking lot surprises me. Anything he does out there is gravy FAMS.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

That doesn't surprise me.

Team player and hard worker. He will contribute. Dawg!

 

[Wade Garrett]

The fact that he isn’t collecting carts in the COSTCO parking lot surprises me. Anything he does out there is gravy FAMS.

LOL!
Wrong. But, funny.

 

[THE HCP]

LOL!
Wrong. But, funny.

Love his work ethic. Good dude. Local success story.

 

[tlongII]

Eubanks is a Beav and played his prep ball at Sandy. I like the guy of course.

 

[Wade Garrett]

Eubanks is a Beav and played his prep ball at Sandy. I like the guy of course.

I think he went to Reynolds.
In fact, I know he did. That's why I always call him "Neighbor" when I see him.

 

[tlongII]

I think he went to Reynolds.
In fact, I know he did. That's why I always call him "Neighbor" when I see him.

You’re right. He grew up in Sandy.

 

[BigGameDamian]

We’re elite and every other team is in our rear view. Your right about the parity it the NBA though.

 

[Eastoff]

2- No trades. Period.
Let this cake cook. We haven't even seen GPII or Trendon..Let's see what they have for the entire year...2024 is THE YEAR any way.

There are too many guards and not enough bigs. There just had to be a trade; it makes too much sense

 

[mook]

This season has to have the most parity in a long time. There is no overwhelming favorite and a lot of underachieving teams (Nets, Sixers, Clippers, Lakers, Heat). The Warriors don’t look like the juggernauts of seasons past. The top team in the league is probably the Bucks. They’ve been playing well without Middleton.

Who knows, when GP2 comes back and Shaedon can continually improve through the course of the season, we might be able to make a deep run in the playoffs.

The Warriors really do seem to have some problems. The last time Curry played 70 games in a season was 7 years ago--is going to be able to pull it off this year at the age of 34? Jordan Poole kind of feels like an overpay at this point.

It's funny how after the way Phoenix flamed out last year I've kind of written them off, but there they are with the best record in the West right now.

I don't know if "parity" is the right word to use, though. I think things are just kind of murky right now--in another 15 games or so a couple of true contenders will emerge in the West. I didn't think Portland would be on that list, but a lot of things seem to be going our way right now. We'll see?

 

[TBpup]

Let's see what out record is after this road trip and then we should have a little better idea of this team has a legit shot of going deep in the playoffs.

Nice start, but only 2 road games so far and a couple of conn flip games. One very good win (Denver) and one bad loss (Miami).

 

[tykendo]

For this season only, I say........
1- Appreciate Drew Eubanks....dude can play and is a very serviceable backup to Nurk. Drew does a lot of dirty shit that doesn't show in a box score. He is one of the dawgs on this team.
2- No trades. Period.
Let this cake cook. We haven't even seen GPII or Trendon..Let's see what they have for the entire year...2024 is THE YEAR any way.
3- Run DawgsRun!

I'm feeling that way too. It's a gut feeling that something special is brewing. Enjoy the ride, and hope for a more healthy team going forward.