The Swamp

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Wed Jan 16, 2019 8:51 am ...another Harden step back 3.

Basketball really is a lot more interesting with motion, post play and defense. Pretty clear 3s are about 0.2 points too valuable for the good of the game.

defenses are better than they've ever been in NBA history and a large part of the Warriors' success hinges on how good they've been defensively in addition to their outside shooting.

but why am I even engaging with you on this

High-scoring games with dudes making baskets during the flow of the game are lame. I'd love to see the 1994 NBA Finals replayed where no one scores more than 90 or so points in a 7-game series. At least with that we got to see Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon shooting free throws.

By the way, I'm admittedly not a big NBA fan, but I thought the Celtics were supposed to be storming to five straight conference titles with LeBron out of the conference. What happened there?

Oh they haven’t had the playoffs yet

It was so boring watching a player score 115 points in two games.

Scores should pretty much be around 90-120. Average 105 is all good with me. Granted it was OT but teams shouldnt really be sniffing 150 in a competitive game. Sometimes the NBA can get a bit monotonous (if still impressive) with their ability to hit open shots and that was before the 3 point explosion. Some of the fundamental structures of the game are being strained by the modern players. You really cant move back the baseline 3 anymore and thats the best shot in hoops now. The other solution would be to adjust the scoring but no one wants to deal in decimals. They just need to free up defenses to be a bit more impactful. Id say physical but Brian has identified the worst offensive basketball since the 1970s and wrongly or rightly that was defined by physical play so folks are still skittish. Id bring back the hand checking to make teams move the ball but thats just me loving DJ.

Nah, I'm good. Last night's game was ridiculously entertaining even though my team choked leads twice.

Celtics dont look good but they do look good when guys sit out. I still like them over the next few years but they need to consolidate talent into a few less spots and not sure its in their interest to do that this year. If Horford makes it though the playoffs and maybe one guy gets dropped by injury or trade theyll have got a decent shot at a finals. But yeah. Disapointing so far.

The two ABC nationally televised games yesterday had pretty wild finishes. Paul George seriously bailed out Westbrook and Schröder for their bad foul and turnover in the final 20 seconds. And Harden and Gordon were huge down the stretch in Houston’s comeback. Debate the asthetics of his game all you want but what Harden is doing this season is amazing. I’ve never seen a team whose offense was so reliant on one guy and the Rockets still have the second most efficient offense in the league. The last 3 games, Harden has averaged 53.3 points scored, without scoring on a single assisted field goal. That’s almost unfathomable.

I can't watch the replays of bad injuries, but Oladipo had a really nasty one tonight against the Raptors.

The Pacers broadcast team was saying dislocated kneecap, but I didn't get a good view of it from my phone. It really sucks for Vic to go down. With the defense playing so well the Pacers were going to cause lots of problems. Especially with any type of home court advantage. Hopefully the MRI comes back clean and no structual damage. Get him so rest and just hope the other guards can carry the load and Myles keeps beasting in the lane.

duff wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:48 pm The Pacers broadcast team was saying dislocated kneecap, but I didn't get a good view of it from my phone. It really sucks for Vic to go down. With the defense playing so well the Pacers were going to cause lots of problems. Especially with any type of home court advantage. Hopefully the MRI comes back clean and no structual damage. Get him so rest and just hope the other guards can carry the load and Myles keeps beasting in the lane.

When I was in high school, I dislocated my kneecap. It snapped out then back into place right away, but then it swelled up and I got water-on-the-knee (also known as Osgood Schlatter's). Couldn't walk too well for a month.

James Harden has scored 261 points over his last 5 games. All of those points are unassisted.

He’s a stunning offensive player. And I hate watching him play. I know that’s isn’t woke. Just doesn’t do it for me.

Joe K wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:14 pm James Harden has scored 261 points over his last 5 games. All of those points are unassisted.

That last sentence is mind-boggling.

Pacers done. Boo.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:32 pm

As you can imagine, I lost my shit at this play.

Getting Paul back next week and Capela back before March. Faried has stepped in very well and will be a nice option off the bench in the playoffs.

Embiid is 2nd to Harden in usage rate, but closer to Jrue Holiday at 46th

ETA: Giannis is 2nd to Harden in percentage of team free throws made but closer to De'Aaron Fox at 27th

Pruitt wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:23 pm I can't watch the replays of bad injuries, but Oladipo had a really nasty one tonight against the Raptors.

Ruptured quad tendon. Fucking fuck fuck fuck.

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:32 amGetting Paul back next week and Capela back before March. Faried has stepped in very well and will be a nice option off the bench in the playoffs.

Are they just going to use Faried as Capela's back-up? His offensive game is an ill fit for their style, otherwise, unless Harden iso-ball continues all season.

Holy shit - the end of this Raptors-Rockets game.

ETA: Fucking pass the ball Leonard!

Pruitt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:35 pm Holy shit - the end of this Raptors-Rockets game.

ETA: Fucking pass the ball Leonard!

That final play looked like a designed iso for Kawhi all along and no one else was really like looking for a pass. They got the switch they wanted with Harden on him but Harden is a sneaky decent defender when he engages on that end (which admittedly isn’t that often considering his superhuman offensive workload).

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:18 pm He’s a stunning offensive player. And I hate watching him play. I know that’s isn’t woke. Just doesn’t do it for me.

Harden might be the craftiest player I’ve ever seen, and I like the Rockets, but I understand the frustration with his style of play. He’s basically hacked the NBA rulebook to gain every available edge. I didn’t even notice this until Nate Duncan pointed it out on Twitter but Harden’s latest trick is that he’s realized that NBA refs let offensive players initiate contact with their forearm, as long as they don’t extend their arm. He was doing this constantly against the Raptors’ defenders tonight. It’s not a move many basketball players would even think to do, especially if on the perimeter, but Harden is a genius-level rules manipulator.

Anyone that's ever played an ounce of defense is very familiar with the forearm hand check. Was damn near written into the rules a few years back. Dude is not some sort of innovator with that. Perhaps if guys would engage at the other end they would become better all around players.

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Sat Jan 26, 2019 11:13 am Anyone that's ever played an ounce of defense is very familiar with the forearm hand check. Was damn near written into the rules a few years back. Dude is not some sort of innovator with that. Perhaps if guys would engage at the other end they would become better all around players.

How is Siakam, who’s a very good defender, supposed to stop this by engaging?

Wait. How is it that not an offensive foul? I see your point in finding the ref loophole, but, still, he initiated contact to push the guy away...foul

NBA superstars don't commit fouls!

EdRomero wrote: ↑Sat Jan 26, 2019 1:04 pm Wait. How is it that not an offensive foul? I see your point in finding the ref loophole, but, still, he initiated contact to push the guy away...foul

I agree with you that it should be a foul. My point about the loopholes is that Harden figures out how certain acts like that are officiated (which may be very different from how they should be officiated) and then exploits it to the maximum degree.

You're right in that Harden seeks to exploit the rules. I'm just saying it's not innovative to use something on offense that defenses have been using for a long time. Skills and techniques learned in one area can be used in another area and that's why well rounded players are more desirable.

The answer on defense is the same technique. If defenders could hand check, even with a bent arm then a strong defender could fight off that offensive hand check with a defensive arm off his own and continue to get a hand up on the inevitable step back. Of course under the new rules he would be called for his defensive hand check but not the offensive player. Now even I might not enjoy the guy with the ball hand fighting his defender but it would certainly make Harden give it up.

My take is that Rich Paul is obviously trying to get Davis to the Lakers before the trade deadline to stave off the increasingly likely possibility of a LeBron-free postseason. But the Lakers young guys suck (see: 6-10 record without LBJ) and it would be organizational malpractice for the Pelicans to trade Davis before the deadline instead of waiting until the offseason to get an offer from the Celtics.

I'm just assuming he will go to the Warriors for a second-rounder and then somehow sign an extension that lets them keep all their other main guys.

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:13 am I'm just assuming he will go to the Warriors for a second-rounder and then somehow sign an extension that lets them keep all their other main guys.

I figure he goes to Pats for a fifth round pick.

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:13 am I'm just assuming he will go to the Warriors for a second-rounder and then somehow sign an extension that lets them keep all their other main guys.

It’s actually one of the worst kept secrets in the NBA that the Warriors covet Davis. But I don’t see how an offseason trade could work unless they get assurances that Durant is staying and then send Klay Thompson to the Pelicans. I don’t think the Pelicans would be satisfied with a deal where Draymond is the centerpiece.

Ah, but that's where the Knicks come in and trade the Zion pick for a declining Green.

Rex wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:31 am Ah, but that's where the Knicks come in and trade the Zion pick for a declining Green.

Yeah but you have to hit the lottery. No one does that without knowing. I'd ask for porzingis.

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:47 pm

Rex wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:31 am Ah, but that's where the Knicks come in and trade the Zion pick for a declining Green.

Yeah but you have to hit the lottery. No one does that without knowing. I'd ask for porzingis.

Knicks should go all-in on landing Davis in a trade and Durant in free agency. If that means giving up Porzingis and/or their top-5 pick, so be it.

Pelicans will be in Vegas within three seasons. No way they're getting a new arena without a star of Davis's caliber.