Exclusive Official Around the NBA: November 2022

[julius]

Not sure where to put this but i think this is a bunch of bs. We own the tie breaker. We have to e same record, so shouldn't we be in second , not phoenix????

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I would assume it defaults to division leaders for this "ranking"

 

[wizenheimer]

Not sure where to put this but i think this is a bunch of bs. We own the tie breaker. We have to e same record, so shouldn't we be in second , not phoenix????

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lol...angst for the win!

Phoenix leads their division; Portland doesn't. If the playoffs started right now, Phoenix would be 2nd seed, Portland 3rd

besides that, Phoenix comes before Portland alphabetically.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

lol...angst for the win!

Phoenix leads their division; Portland doesn't. If the playoffs started right now, Phoenix would be 2nd seed, Portland 3rd

besides that, Phoenix comes before Portland alphabetically.

Thought they changed that rule on a division leader after Portland was the 3rd seed with a worse record about 5-6 years ago?

 

[wizenheimer]

Thought they changed that rule on a division leader after Portland was the 3rd seed with a worse record about 5-6 years ago?

yes, if it's a two-team tie. But it's a 3-team tie right now with PHX-PDX-DEN:

 

[illmatic99]

Shams: https://theathletic.com/3779973/2022/11/09/nets-hire-jacque-vaughn-head-coach/

The Nets changed course from their initial plan to hire Udoka due to several factors, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the decision-making told The Athletic. These factors include an investigation and due diligence process by the Nets into the suspended coach taking longer than initially expected, the outcry after word of their plan became known to people outside and inside the organization and the short- and long-term question marks around the team’s ability to contend in the Eastern Conference as a result of the indefinite suspension of Irving.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Not sure where to put this but i think this is a bunch of bs. We own the tie breaker. We have to e same record, so shouldn't we be in second , not phoenix????

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Thought someone posted that we don't have the 3way tiebreaker.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Thought someone posted that we don't have the 3way tiebreaker.

Its divisional phoenix leads theirs and that supersedes our owning the tiebreaker.

 

[42N8Bounce]

It wouldn't be interesting to see if drafting has gotten better or worse (based on something like PER or win shares by draft slot?) with the advent of combines and analytics.

If you use WS as a basis for sorting, here's a look at the drafts from 1999 - 2018:



For example, Luka Dončić was drafted 3rd, but has the best WS of the 2018 draft. That would be a 2 dev (3-1). Trae Young was drafted 5th, but has the 2nd best WS of the 2018 draft. That would be a 3 dev (5-2). Add up the top 30 player deviation, and you have the number shown in the graph above. Essentially, if every player was drafted exactly as their WS productivity, it would be 0.

Looking at the above graph, I'd say the GMs are not improving on how they draft.

 

[handiman]

Looking at the above graph, I'd say the GMs are not improving on how they draft.

Indeed, it looks like a nearly flat trend line. However, how much of that is due to averaging pluses and minuses?

Also, is '99 far enough back to predate the "combine" era?

 

[42N8Bounce]

Indeed, it looks like a nearly flat trend line. However, how much of that is due to averaging pluses and minuses?

Also, is '99 far enough back to predate the "combine" era?

It’s the absolute value, so the pluses and minuses add rather than cancel out.

Yeah, I wanted to go back far enough to include enough data to see a trend. It looks like to me all of the analytics and advance data hasn’t really improved the drafting accuracy of the GMs.

 

[handiman]

It’s the absolute value, so the pluses and minuses add rather than cancel out.

Ah, never mind then. Yeah, it basically looks like a dartboard approach would yield the same "improvements" as have any technical changes the front offices have made.

 

[OneSport3]

The Timberwolves are terrible and they screwed their future with the Gobert trade.

 

[Hoopguru]

Utah beats Atlanta!

 

[BankTeller]

The Timberwolves are terrible and they screwed their future with the Gobert trade.

My ultimate hope is KAT asks out eventually.

 

[B-Roy]

please take cj out. please

CJ fucking sucks my god

Changing my flair

Holy shit CJ

What an ugly possession. CJ is just infuriating tonight

edit: this year

Cj be doing all that dancing shit for nothing

I’d legit would rather have Dyson every single minute of this game over whatever CJ is doing tonight

CJ behind the back to out of bounds

CJ...

CJ needs to sort his shit out, he's looked so, so bad this year. Needs to get his shot falling obviously but wtf was that.

Very glad we don't have to pull our hair out anymore.

 

[Cugel]

t-wolves perplex me. They have 3-4 excellent starters, but with zero chemistry. It was most likely one of the worst trades in a long time. Not only is the fit terrible but they mortgaged the farm to get Gobert. They will have to do something if they cant turn it around by the deadline.

 

[Strenuus]

Very glad we don't have to pull our hair out anymore.

This makes me so so so so happy.

 

[illmatic99]

Very glad we don't have to pull our hair out anymore.

watch him absolutely destroy us tomorrow

 

[handiman]

My ultimate hope is KAT asks out eventually.

KAT has been a consistent element in their awful results, and he's always shown disinterest in half the game (defense), so unless you're banking on much of his makeup changing with better leadership around him, that's a pretty underwhelming ultimate hope.

Come to think of it, has Minnesota built a roster entirely of one-way players? I know they love to acquire ex-Blazers, but it's almost like they've taken Olshey roster construction to the extreme.

 

[MickZagger]

Utah beats Atlanta!

Weird that the Jazz have played 2 more games than any other team

 

[wizenheimer]

Very glad we don't have to pull our hair out anymore.

CJ is certainly not an elite shooter; but he's also not as bad a shooter as he's been so far this year. I think CJ is dependable in one way and that is he will always regress, or progress, to his norms. His norms define him, not his hot streaks. He won't continue to shoot this bad; in the last 9 games he's scored 168 points on 174 shots.

I'd wonder if his 'refusal' to moderate his shot volume and usage is going to start rubbing teammates the wrong way

FGA/game:

CJ McCollum 19.4
Zion Williamson 17.6
Brandon Ingram 17.0
Jonas Valančiūnas 10.1
Trey Murphy III 8.6
Herbert Jones 8.2

TS%:

Trey Murphy III .675
Jonas Valančiūnas .607
Brandon Ingram .586
Zion Williamson .574
Herbert Jones .524
CJ McCollum .497 (12th on the team)

that was before his 3-13 tonight

 

[BankTeller]

KAT has been a consistent element in their awful results, and he's always shown disinterest in half the game (defense), so unless you're banking on much of his makeup changing with better leadership around him, that's a pretty underwhelming ultimate hope.

Come to think of it, has Minnesota built a roster entirely of one-way players? I know they love to acquire ex-Blazers, but it's almost like they've taken Olshey roster construction to the extreme.

Yeah, I’m definitely banking on our leadership helping him change. Of course we’d have to do our due diligence on him—if he can’t commit to becoming a better rebounder and at least trying on defense, don’t trade for him.

We’re really going to need to work out the kinks in our zone defense, but I do see signs of encouragement. Also, at this point, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that Nurk getting switched onto guards hasn’t been as scary as I imagined. I think that if everything around Nurk on defense perfects itself eventually, you could plop KAT in Nurk’s place and probably get the same results. Rebounding would be the one concern, but that’s gonna be on Dame to reach out and see if he could commit to that part of the game. Bur are guys here that rebound well who can help him. Walker will become a rotational player who can really rebound eventually, and a guy like Josh Hart will need to be re-signed. If Nas isn’t in a trade for KAT, he’s gonna really help rebounding as well.

Offensively, Dame + KAT is Dame + Aldridge on steroids. KAT could pick and pop everyone to death, but I really hope he could punish guys down low going against opposing benches. Dame + Sharpe + Hart + Grant + KAT does sound like a contender in my head. And with guys like GPII, Nas, Watford, and Walker on the bench, I think there is enough defense throughout the roster that his defense won’t be an issue.

 

[wizenheimer]

Yeah, I’m definitely banking on our leadership helping him change. Of course we’d have to do our due diligence on him—if he can’t commit to becoming a better rebounder and at least trying on defense, don’t trade for him.

We’re really going to need to work out the kinks in our zone defense, but I do see signs of encouragement. Also, at this point, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that Nurk getting switched onto guards hasn’t been as scary as I imagined. I think that if everything around Nurk on defense perfects itself eventually, you could plop KAT in Nurk’s place and probably get the same results. Rebounding would be the one concern, but that’s gonna be on Dame to reach out and see if he could commit to that part of the game. Bur are guys here that rebound well who can help him. Walker will become a rotational player who can really rebound eventually, and a guy like Josh Hart will need to be re-signed. If Nas isn’t in a trade for KAT, he’s gonna really help rebounding as well.

Offensively, Dame + KAT is Dame + Aldridge on steroids. KAT could pick and pop everyone to death, but I really hope he could punish guys down low going against opposing benches. Dame + Sharpe + Hart + Grant + KAT does sound like a contender in my head. And with guys like GPII, Nas, Watford, and Walker on the bench, I think there is enough defense throughout the roster that his defense won’t be an issue.

I think there are only 2 C's in the NBA worth more than 30M/year: Jokic & Embiid

no fucking way is KAT worth 55M/year but that's what he'll be making on his 4 year extension

 

[BankTeller]

I think there are only 2 C's in the NBA worth more than 30M/year: Jokic & Embiid

no fucking way is KAT worth 55M/year but that's what he'll be making on his 4 year extension

You could be right, holy crap I thought he was making $36m/year not $55m/yr.

Oops ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[SIeepwalker]

So are the Jazz for real or what

 

[PDXFonz]

Mavs are dog water

Luka is overrated, yes, I said it…

Dude IS NOT a winner

I’m sure some are going to say it’s his team and not him. Swap Dame with Doncic and the Mavs are better, Blazers are worse.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I wouldn't trade for KAT. He's a bad pairing with Lillard or Simons let alone both.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Mavs are dog water

Luka is overrated, yes, I said it…

Dude IS NOT a winner

I’m sure some are going to say it’s his team and not him. Swap Dame with Doncic and the Mavs are better, Blazers are worse.

Well, that's certainly an opinion.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Mavs are dog water

Luka is overrated, yes, I said it…

Dude IS NOT a winner

I’m sure some are going to say it’s his team and not him. Swap Dame with Doncic and the Mavs are better, Blazers are worse.

Blazers were 2-2 without Lillard. Mavs would be one of the worst teams in the NBA without Luka.

You could make an argument that Lillard in many ways is better than Luka, and yes you could argue Lillard ultimately contributes more to winning. Others could make many arguments the other direction.

Ultimately their both clear elite stars in this game. Personally I'd put Luka a bit above Dame mostly just for his physical size, as well as his youth which gives him more potential to improve. I don't believe Luka can really be overrated when he's a clear top5 player in this league.

If your saying Luka is not a winner then surely Dame isn't either. Luka at 23 carried his teams to the WCF last year winning a game. 32 year old Lillard never has.

 

[MickZagger]

Mavs are dog water

Luka is overrated, yes, I said it…

Dude IS NOT a winner

I’m sure some are going to say it’s his team and not him. Swap Dame with Doncic and the Mavs are better, Blazers are worse.

Lol he generates a lot of haters. He carried a scrubby cast to the western conference finals last year. Seems like a winner to me