I Love This Game! NBA 2022-23

[Johnnie]

And it's in this moment when I get the sinking feeling that the Celtics aren't winning it all this year.

[Giff]

Fred VanVleet is now my favorite non-Rockets player.

[A_B]

Another incident with Ja from last year comes to light. Yes, he's "protecting" his family again, but ffs, bringing a group of men to a high school volleyball for the word bitch is well, a bitch move.

[HaulCitgo]

Durant thing real or somehow preferred? Warmups? I'd sooner shorten the season for him but we sure ballers can play with anyone?

[DSafetyGuy]

Durant thing real or somehow preferred? Warmups? I'd sooner shorten the season for him but we sure ballers can play with anyone?

I think Durant can play with anyone. It's in large part a function of him being an elite scorer and very good wing defender as opposed to a primary ball handler because what he does can easily blend in. This is not to say someone like LeBron, Giannis, or Jokic couldn't, but what Durant's on-court role is helps make it easier. And he's so good at that he does, it tilts a lot of things on the floor for the benefit his teammates.

In the three games Durant suited up for Phoenix, Devin Booker averaged 36 points per game on 56% FG and 50% from three (25 FGA per game). It's obviously very small sample and Booker is a tremendous scorer, anyway, but Durant's presence just opens up the entire offensive end.

Durant averaged 26.7 points on 69% FG (nice) and 53.3% from three (14 FGA in under 33 minutes per game). His production was pretty pedestrian in a couple comfortable road wins (under 28 minutes in those two games), but had 37 points on 17 shots in 40 minutes in a road win at Dallas. Based on that usage, he's just trying to fit in as a complimentary scorer (at least until he and the team get comfortable), as well as a secondary/tertiary ball handler/creator, and is still preposterously good.

[Johnnie]

Gilbert Arenas is hysterical.

[Shirley]

Can you name the all-time leading scorer for each franchise? I only got 20.

https://www.sporcle.com/games/Epicnelso ... nts-leader

[DaveInSeattle]

Is this bad? This looks bad...

[DSafetyGuy]

There was a lot of teammate-on-teammate sideline shoving today.

And Jaden McDaniels punched the wall in the tunnel, then immediately clutched his hand. Reports are out saying it is fractured.

[DSafetyGuy]

But, something funny happened, too.

[Ryan]

Wild box scores today for NBA addicts. Udonis scores 24, bringing his season total to 27. Pritchard with a triple double, one of 4 Celtics with a career high in points today. 20-9-9 for Mac McClung. Dom Barton (a 19-year old Spur rookie from the Elite team that I’ve never heard of) with a 21-19 game. Buddy Boeheim got a rebound.

[Rex]

There was a lot of teammate-on-teammate sideline shoving today.

And Jaden McDaniels punched the wall in the tunnel, then immediately clutched his hand. Reports are out saying it is fractured.

Wouldn’t want to be the team they beat today.

[Ryan]

Wild box scores today for NBA addicts. Udonis scores 24, bringing his season total to 27. Pritchard with a triple double, one of 4 Celtics with a career high in points today. 20-9-9 for Mac McClung. Dom Barton (a 19-year old Spur rookie from the Elite team that I’ve never heard of) with a 21-19 game. Buddy Boeheim got a rebound.

Hang on I didn’t even see the Grizzlies.

[Pruitt IV]

And I think I read something about him recently getting mixed up in fighting minors and shit too. Just weird behavior.

Dude's off his rocker right now.

Ja Morant accuses teen he punched of slander and battery in countersuit

Morant’s countersuit alleges that the scandal, which spread through the media, could cost Morant millions of dollars in “super max” contract bonuses if he is not selected for an all-NBA team, a postseason honor for the league’s top players. Morant’s bonus is worth $39 million.

[wlu_lax6]

Wizards fire Sheppard and will be looking for a new GM but are keeping Wes Unseld Jr.

[DSafetyGuy]

Wizards fire Sheppard and will be looking for a new GM but are keeping Wes Unseld Jr.

New GM, whoever it is, will need a handy scapegoat.

[wlu_lax6]

Wizards fire Sheppard and will be looking for a new GM but are keeping Wes Unseld Jr.

New GM, whoever it is, will need a handy scapegoat.

Wiz are in NBA purgetory....too good to get a difference maker draft pick and too bad to build excitement...and DC is not the draw for free agents. And the Wiz have not drafted well or committed to playing good defense. Those problems are not unique to the most recent GM or any of the last 1/2 dozen coaches.

[mister d]

[A_B]

Those in charge of the sacking have been sacked. We apologize.

[brian]

I’ll have to find the post but I absolutely called the Spurs winning the lottery back last fall.

[sancarlos]

The search function is your friend.

Three comments:

1) It feels inevitable that the Pistons will somehow climb to respectability enough to either make the playoffs or at least the top of the lottery, denying them a chance to add either Wembayama or Henderson to what is shaping up to be a very solid core with Cunningham/Ivey. I would bet even money on them finishing between 9th and 11th in the lottery, which would take a minor miracle to move up to top two.

2) Does any team have a non-protected first-round pick being conveyed to another team? This year of all years would be the stupidest time to allow that to happen.

3) You better know that the Spurs are gonna win the lottery and get Wembayama because that's what they do -- roll snake eyes every 10-15 years and get a generational talent. They're like the Oilers except they take the generational talents they get (Robinson, Duncan) and actually win with them.

[brian]

Thanks. Point #3 seems remarkably timely.

[Ryan]

I’d point out that Duncan was actually 26 years ago but I think that would just bum us all out

[mister d]

Vic Dunkin'?

[brian]

Wembayana’s career ending after being shot by some Texan exercising his “Stand Your Ground” rights after seeing a 7-foot-5 Black guy near his car in some mall parking lot seems inevitable.