The Clippers are 5th in the league in DefRat. Today they replaced George and Bev with Shamet and Derrick Walton Jr in an afternoon game against Memphis. Not exactly the recipe for an intensity filled NBA game.Clippers play 0 defense. They need real improvements to this roster.
There's no universe where the Grizzlies should put up 140 on you at home.The Clippers are 5th in the league in DefRat. Today they replaced George and Bev with Shamet and Derrick Walton Jr in an afternoon game against Memphis. Not exactly the recipe for an intensity filled NBA game.
I wonder how much they will take out on the Knicks tomorrow. What's up with all these early afternoon starts in LA?
I was trying to figure out how the Pelicans closed an 8-point deficit with less than 4 seconds left, but I think I got you (it was the Pels who were up 4).Brandon Ingram is having an All-Star level season putting up a 25/7/5 line...…..but tonight the Kings were up 4 with 5 seconds to go and he fouled Bjelica on a 3 to complete a 4-point play.
Edit: Redick just bailed him out with the win at the buzzer.
Ooooops meant Pels.I was trying to figure out how the Pelicans closed an 8-point deficit with less than 4 seconds left, but I think I got you (it was the Pels who were up 4).
Poor Kings...
The win was even more impressive for the Hawks, because they did it without Collins, who's still out after landing hard against the C's the other night.Wow, Pacers drop one to Hawks on B2B. The Hawks look kind of frisky with Collins and Huerter back.
Trae Young became first ATL player to score 30 in a half since Stephen Jackson in 2004. And Vince became first NBA player to play in 4 decades.The win was even more impressive for the Hawks, because they did it without Collins, who's still out after landing hard against the C's the other night.
Thanks in part to this absurd and-1:MaMo went off for 38, but Clippers do win 135-132.
You must be too young to remember David Thompson, who at 6-4 could reach the top of the backboard.Zach LaVine said that he would "be more likely" to do the dunk contest if he is in the ASG, which is a fantastic way to leverage fan voting to get you in the ASG. LaVine is currently fifth in voting for guards.
LaVine is the best pure leaper I think I have ever seen at the NBA level, along with Gerald Green.
Well I also understand hyperbole.You must be too young to remember David Thompson, who at 6-4 could reach the top of the backboard.
I have a hard time believing their r is any science to back up their claims. I grew up playing on a (hard) dirt court in my backyard and in my prime could barely touch halfway up to the net. Genetics and training......not buying the DCT (dirt court theory) at all. Most of the thick legged players I've seen played closer to the ground (myself included) so I'm guessing that genetically that would be a hindrance to a great verticle compared to a long and lean muscle.Well I also understand hyperbole.
That isn't to say Thompson isn't one of history's great leapers. He grew up playing on dirt courts which he always attributed to developing his vertical, same as Jordan later did. The thing about a lot of these guys are that they don't necessarily have crazy developed calves or quad muscles; guys like LaVine and Green have skinny, twig legs, but they just had a god given gift to fly off the floor.
I mean, you can clearly see Gentry and Ball try calling for timeout when Ingram gets the rebound and get ignored. Gentry says in the same presser he didn't get an explanation for that.Alvin Gentry's post game presser comments are Gold!! Complaining that Ingram got fouled at the buzzer on a hard drive to the basket...…"We did what we were supposed to do. We took it hard to the basket." Uh, no you dumbass that is exactly what you are NOT supposed to do because we know that officials swallow their whistles on these plays. What you are supposed to do on a final possession when you have a long athlete who can get off his jumper off the dribble against anyone is what Paul Pierce made a career of doing......not "taking it hard to the basket."
If I could wager on who would post this, I would finally have enough to upgrade from my flip-phone.
That would be me, naturally, but that's cos I kinda know what I'm talking about where GS is concerned (at least relatively speaking, haha). The Warriors from top to bottom loved Quese, who at age 22 was having a really good season:Who was it talking up the value of the Warriors junk bench players about a month ago? I don’t have the desire to search but for those wondering how many draft picks Marquese Chriss will fetch......he was waived tonight before he was even done with his post-game spread.
darn, that probably takes Looney and WCS off the POI list for the C's center depth/injury insurance fetish I have going...That would be me, naturally, but that's cos I kinda know what I'm talking about where GS is concerned (at least relatively speaking, haha). The Warriors from top to bottom loved Quese, who at age 22 was having a really good season:
14.9 points on .561 TS
11.0 rebounds
3.8 assists
1.2 steals
1.8 blocks
Other players this season averaging 14-11-3 per 36 in over 600 minutes played: Giannis, Towns, Embiid, Jokic, Sabonis, Vucevic, Adebayo, Adams, Love, Plumlee. That's the complete list.
Literally nobody wanted to waive him (and apparently there was much internal debate in the FO about his waiving); but as I noted, there was an impending roster crunch with the pro days on Lee's and Bowman's two-way contracts coming to an end, the hard cap tying their hands, and Chriss the only player on the team without a guaranteed contract. There were plenty of other guys who had been much less good than Chriss, but they were all on guaranteed deals that would have required trading.
In any case, it's a straw man that I thought the Ws could get draft picks for him. Just the opposite: I saw the writing on the wall with his contract status and brought him up as a potentially great, cheap C option on the Celtics if/when he had to be cut loose. I still think he's that — pretty comparable to Daniel Theis in that he's a bit undersized for a C, but a really skilled overall player (decent-to-good shooter, passer, rebounder, shotblocker, and reasonable switchable). With more athleticism and upside than Theis. Go get him!
Yeah, earlier in the season WCS was the guy I was hoping they'd move instead of Chriss, but he's been playing much better of late — looking much less clueless on both ends as he acclimates to Kerr-ball, and even consistently blocking shots for the first time in his NBA career (which is weird, cos he killed it as a shotblocker at Kentucky). He's also the team's only seven-foot "true C," while they're pretty stocked with skilled PF-types in Green, Paschall, Spellman, Looney, and young Smailagic. And he has a cheap $2.3M player option for next season, which you wouldn't think he'll pick up as a 26 y.o. athletic seven-footer, but given the fallow market for true centers these days, you never know.darn, that probably takes Looney and WCS off the POI list for the C's center depth/injury insurance fetish I have going...
maybe Chriss is the answer to all my prayers? I guess its never too late to find religion
I don't mean to give you a hard time, but you brought him up saying he'd "hard to pry":In any case, it's a straw man that I thought the Ws could get draft picks for him. Just the opposite: I saw the writing on the wall with his contract status and brought him up as a potentially great, cheap C option on the Celtics if/when he had to be cut loose. I still think he's that — pretty comparable to Daniel Theis in that he's a bit undersized for a C, but a really skilled overall player (decent-to-good shooter, passer, rebounder, shotblocker, and solidly switchable). With more athleticism and upside than Theis. Go get him!
Isn't it a head-scratcher? Once Baynes broke Steph, the Warriors season has turned into one big tryout/tank for a top pick. You'd figure with those stats Chriss would have earned his way on, unless WCS is in their plans for future seasons? SRN was pretty concerned about this roster crunch happening and wanted WCS sent elsewhere weeks ago.I don't mean to give you a hard time, but you brought him up saying he'd "hard to pry":
Alternatively, you guys would love Marquese Chriss, who at age 22 is fully blossoming and is good at pretty much everything (passing, shooting, FT shooting, screening, rolling, finishing, rebounding, switching, shotblocking, e.g.) with surprising toughness and high hoops IQ to boot. He has basically stopped trying to be a finesse KD 2.0 guy, and is embracing his role as a rugged, switchable modern-day big man. But I'd guess Myers and Co. see what they have in him, too, so he might be harder to pry.
D'oh, you got me; I should have checked my actual wording. Of course at that point, I thought WCS was a mildly negative asset who the Ws were looking to move, so "might be harder to pry" was relative. I wasn't looking to receive any kind of a real asset for either of them. But all the praise I heaped on Chriss still applies!I don't mean to give you a hard time, but you brought him up saying he'd "hard to pry":
Alternatively, you guys would love Marquese Chriss, who at age 22 is fully blossoming and is good at pretty much everything (passing, shooting, FT shooting, screening, rolling, finishing, rebounding, switching, shotblocking, e.g.) with surprising toughness and high hoops IQ to boot. He has basically stopped trying to be a finesse KD 2.0 guy, and is embracing his role as a rugged, switchable modern-day big man. But I'd guess Myers and Co. see what they have in him, too, so he might be harder to pry.
Chriss is an UFA, and the Warriors don't have bird rights on him. There's very little value to developing an asset like that (similar to like, Hezonja and the Knicks last year).Isn't it a head-scratcher? Once Baynes broke Steph, the Warriors season has turned into one big tryout/tank for a top pick. You'd figure with those stats Chriss would have earned his way on, unless WCS is in their plans for future seasons? SRN was pretty concerned about this roster crunch happening and wanted WCS sent elsewhere weeks ago.
Guess it shows just how slow the trade market is and lack of demand there is for back-up 5s.Chriss is an UFA, and the Warriors don't have bird rights on him. There's very little value to developing an asset like that (similar to like, Hezonja and the Knicks last year).
WCS is a quality player now meanwhile. I know he carries downsides, but I can see a team giving up a 2nd for him to help down the stretch, or to help with an injury. Given neither guy is under contract, I'd rather keep the guy who has potential trade value this year.
Between Melo and Paul it was a big night for the alumni of the 2002 Under-17 AAU National Champion Greensboro Gaters! I'm sure Reyshawn Terry and Justin Gray had big nights in their YMCA games tonight as well.Carmelo with the game winner against Toronto. Thanks, Melo!
Till he lost the ball with the chance to win at the end of regulation. But yeah, he is beasting. He is putting on a spectacular show tonight.Good god, Chris Paul is so freakin good at playing this game of basketball. Singlehandedly leading an OKC comeback down the stretch with 16 in the 4th, getting anything he wants offensively and using his savvy awareness to draw silly fouls.