It’s not just that he hit the side of the backboard, but where he hit it from. It would have become a meme had the Lakers lost. To his credit, Russ kept digging and bailed the Lakers out.After hitting the side of the backboard on a three with 10 seconds left Russ gets an improbable steal and hits a 3 with 0.4 left to tie the game vs the Raptors.
Huge win for Cleveland. Hard to say it but Jokic cost the Nuggets the game down the stretch.The Cavs beating Denver goes a long, long way to keeping Brooklyn in the play-in.
While some of this is fair, some of it ignores the volume he put up in sophomore year.There were some warning signs on Nesmith. For one, his stock began falling before draft night, to the point where I think he was projected to go somewhere in the 20s by the time the big day came? Also, I remember wondering if he was essentially fool's gold. He had that run of great shooting from three, but it was in an injury-shortened season. His first year in college, he was a much more pedestrian .337. He looked like a small sample size bet waiting to go south. Still, if the shooting had been real, he would've been a nice get for sure. I suppose there's still a chance it is; he does have good form.
I mean I don’t know what those warning signs were prior to the draft. Nesmith didn’t fall in the draft even with the foot injury that shut him down. Leading up to the draft that fall (Covid delayed it) there were some whispers about him possibly cracking the Top-10 but I don’t recall any . He was flat out awesome that 2nd year at Vanderbilt. He held that team together and they were winning games and competing…..until he went down. That’s when the team went into a free fall especially offensively. I remember like it was yesterday as I was betting there Team Totals Under for a couple weeks straight after his injury.While some of this is fair, some of it ignores the volume he put up in sophomore year.
Freshman year he was 59/175 from 3 over in 32 games, 928 minutes.
Sophomore year he was 60/115 from 3 over 14 games, 500 minutes.
Combine the 2 years, and you get 119/290, .410.
He also has a really pretty stroke and after starting last year 3/16 from 3, he finished 37/92, .402. This year has been ugly but he also only has 95 3PA. His career numbers to date: 63/203, .310 from 3. Not great, but also not hard to turn around.
I'm pretty down on Nesmith, but not so much for his shooting. I'm down on him because in some ways he's like PP. If his shot isn't falling, he shouldn't be on the court. At least the effort and hustle is there.
That's the real question with the Nets, can/will they defend come playoff time? I'm skeptical that they can just turn it on.halfway through the 2nd, Nets on pace to put 131 on MEM.
Unfortunately on pace to give up 173
They did it in the Sixers game, the Mavs game, the Jazz game…..why wouldn’t you feel they would in the playoffs? Tonight is a classic letdown spot with the opponent missing their best player. They can still comeback and out score Memphis and/or clamp down in the 4Q but couldn’t expect them to come out dialed in on defense without Morant in the lineup.That's the real question with the Nets, can/will they defend come playoff time? I'm skeptical that they can just turn it on.
maybe, I think it depends on opponent. Durant certainly can and consistently has, and Kyrie can be decent. Also, they just need to not be horrific since man can they score.That's the real question with the Nets, can/will they defend come playoff time? I'm skeptical that they can just turn it on.
View: https://twitter.com/nbcswarriors/status/1506804574320955392View: https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1506799052146491393
Butler and Haslem apparently got into it.
Amazing the Jimmy Butler cycle... he gets there, people love him, oh he's a competitior, he's quirky....
2 years later: God I can't wait to not be on the same team as this asshole.
And no Morant, either.Kyrie/Durant combined for 78 and they lost by 12.
Are we sure this kind of stuff doesn't happen a lot in NBA locker rooms?The multiple videos of the Heat bench altercation are great -- Spo and Butler yelling at each other, Haslem yelling that he's going to "beat [Butler's] ass", and then Spo slamming a clipboard on the floor and continuing the argument with Butler.
View: https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1506809943659360263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
I'm sure you're right that it probably does happen a lot in locker rooms (there have been at least 2 incidents with the Celtics I can recall from the last two years where Marcus, PBOBS, and others were heard screaming and/or throwing things around the locker room). But it doesn't happen out on the floor very often.Are we sure this kind of stuff doesn't happen a lot in NBA locker rooms?
Butler is fortunate for the bubble, that run to the Finals really helped his reputation because if he didn't have that he'd be viewed as a surly guy that is super competitive but also kind of a loser.
He'd fit right in with the Lakers.If the Jimmy Butler honeymoon period is finally ending in Miami, I am here for it.
How many teams replace their star player with a starting caliber guy? Tyus Jones is going to get paid and be someone’s starting 1 next year.Grizzlies now 15-2 without Morant? How can writers justify having him top 5 in MVP voting?
Probably something to do with averaging an efficient 28 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast per game for a #2 seed, while putting up Twitter-breaking highlights every other night.Grizzlies now 15-2 without Morant? How can writers justify having him top 5 in MVP voting?
Ja is incredible, will get 1st team all nba. I just can’t don’t think someone should finish top 5 in MVP when their team is that good without them.Probably something to do with averaging an efficient 28 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast per game for a #2 seed, while putting up Twitter-breaking highlights every other night.
But I agree, the negative on-off (-2.0 points per 100) is a bizarre, and disqualifying for MVP, imo, even if it's largely bad luck.
By advanced stats, you can actually make the case Darius Garland is having a slightly better season.
Never did find a way tonight though. C's don't do that shit.They did it in the Sixers game, the Mavs game, the Jazz game…..why wouldn’t you feel they would in the playoffs? Tonight is a classic letdown spot with the opponent missing their best player. They can still comeback and out score Memphis and/or clamp down in the 4Q but couldn’t expect them to come out dialed in on defense without Morant in the lineup.
Except the Nets did. And then they went and blew it. Check out their 3rd quarter. They even took the lead.Never did find a way tonight though. C's don't do that shit.
Never did play any D though, just out scored them for a quarter. Winning quarters doesn't count in the NBA. And the current version of the C's haven't done that for months.Except the Nets did. And then they went and blew it. Check out their 3rd quarter. They even took the lead.
C's did that shit plenty during the earlier half of the year.
Jimmy Butler is the definition of “fake tough guy”. He definitely can talk shit back to Spo but when Haslem steps in he only has something to say when there’s a wall of people between them…..View: https://twitter.com/nbcswarriors/status/1506804574320955392
Heat need to be on high alert to see if Rachel Nichols shows up for an after practice interview tomorrow
Whoa, just looked that up. I usually have a good mental record of who's getting paid how much, but didn't realize Jimmy is getting $48M/year for his 34-36 seasons. Oof.At least Butler is only owed about 180 million for the next 4 years.
What's the "DeMar DeRozan argument," again?Oh no...the DeMar Derozan argument...it's happening again!
Somewhat related: I'd be curious to hear how Terrynever or other Sixers fans/observers feel about offering James Harden a seventy gazillion dollar extension for his age 33-37 seasons. Seems like they kind of have to, given the all they went through to acquire him; and he's a better player than Butler. But given his questionable body/conditioning, I'd think that contract has a good chance of being one of the worst in the league within a year or two.Whoa, just looked that up. I usually have a good mental record of who's getting paid how much, but didn't realize Jimmy is getting $48M/year for his 34-36 seasons. Oof.
For years DeMar DeRozan's teams played better when he was on the bench then when he was on the court. That led to a longstanding debate among people in the Port Cellar on whether DeMar was a mediocre NBA player, or if he was actually good. This season he managed to kind of put that argument to rest, but I fear we will be moving on to Ja Morant in the future.What's the "DeMar DeRozan argument," again?
I'm fine giving Ja his due, despite the on-off, as long as people stop trying to put him in the same tier as Tatum. Defense matters.For years DeMar DeRozan's teams played better when he was on the bench then when he was on the court. That led to a longstanding debate among people in the Port Cellar on whether DeMar was a mediocre NBA player, or if he was actually good. This season he managed to kind of put that argument to rest, but I fear we will be moving on to Ja Morant in the future.
I think the scale is pretty different.For years DeMar DeRozan's teams played better when he was on the bench then when he was on the court. That led to a longstanding debate among people in the Port Cellar on whether DeMar was a mediocre NBA player, or if he was actually good. This season he managed to kind of put that argument to rest, but I fear we will be moving on to Ja Morant in the future.
Sixers fans I know are happy the end-of-game issues with Simmons are gone. It’s easier for Doc to coach, too, without worrying about Ben. As for Harden, yes, they have to sign or extend him. Morey won’t have it any other way. So the real question is whether Harden can remain motivated for three or four more years. And we know his history. Harden needs to think long and hard about how he wants to close out his career. I read one speculative story that Harden might give a discount but that’s nonsense.Somewhat related: I'd be curious to hear how Terrynever or other Sixers fans/observers feel about offering James Harden a seventy gazillion dollar extension for his age 33-37 seasons. Seems like they kind of have to, given the all they went through to acquire him; and he's a better player than Butler. But given his questionable body/conditioning, I'd think that contract has a good chance of being one of the worst in the league within a year or two.
I doubt it, since Ja’s awesome, and I’d expect his on-off numbers to reflect that in the years to come. A one-year sample of on-off data for a 22 year old player may mean next to nothing. Could be that Ja’s bad defense diminishes his overall impact; or that Tyus Jones and Melton are sneaky-awesome; or that the five-man units they play in are affecting their on-off numbers; or some combo of the above mixed in with a lot of statistical noise. In any case, not necessarily predictive of anything.For years DeMar DeRozan's teams played better when he was on the bench then when he was on the court. That led to a longstanding debate among people in the Port Cellar on whether DeMar was a mediocre NBA player, or if he was actually good. This season he managed to kind of put that argument to rest, but I fear we will be moving on to Ja Morant in the future.
Yeah, a couple of people. In this thread.So no one is going to talk about Jimmy Butler trying to kill Spo yesterday? And then Udonis trying to kill Jimmy?