2022-2023 NBA Game Thread

Sam Ray Not

Sam Ray Not

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That sweet baby hook in the top clip was basically the game winner, too. And in the middle clip, I love how Kispert half-attempts a contest and then goes, “oh shit, he’s lefty?” (Not that he stood a chance either way).

The other player of the game to me (exhibition game alert) was DiVincenzo. 9 pts on 3-4 fg, 7 boards, +9 in 16 minutes. Already looks like *such* a natural in Kerrball. Almost reminds me of picking up Iguodala in 2013-14 in terms of the stout D, high hoops IQ, and all around “winning glue” he brings whenever he’s on the floor. Bravo, Bob Myers.
 
BigMike

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Big thing with Wiseman is maybe he will never be the top 5 in the league at C which his physical talent and tools suggest he could be. Even if he is just a top 20-25 guy at C , that is a huge impact on the Warriors in the short term
 
JakeRae

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Simmons actually showing up for Brooklyn is a big deal. The Nets remain loaded with talent and a restored Simmons should fit really well with Durant and Kyrie. Between Kyrie and Simmons the roster is a powder keg that’s been doused in lighter fluid, but if they can somehow thread the personality needle, the talent and how well it should fit together is scary.
 
lovegtm

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JakeRae said:
Simmons actually showing up for Brooklyn is a big deal. The Nets remain loaded with talent and a restored Simmons should fit really well with Durant and Kyrie. Between Kyrie and Simmons the roster is a powder keg that’s been doused in lighter fluid, but if they can somehow thread the personality needle, the talent and how well it should fit together is scary.
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I've always been really bullish on Simmons, but I admit it had started to look like his head was completely broken. If he's back, and Joe Harris is back, that is some serious talent...with the personality caveats you mention.
 
lovegtm

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the moops said:
Those were hardly bricks. Maybe the 2nd one, but the first one just barely rimmed out
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You are correct, although it's rarely a good sign for a player's FTs when people are debating the semantics of "bricked".
 
Jimbodandy

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lovegtm said:
You are correct, although it's rarely a good sign for a player's FTs when people are debating the semantics of "bricked".
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Being willing to dunk the ball is already an improvement over when we last saw him. He attempted six field goals. It's progress.

I didn't see the game, but "free and easy Simmons" is a huge asset to that team on both ends even if he shoots like shit from the stripe.
 
Fishy1

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Jimbodandy said:
Being willing to dunk the ball is already an improvement over when we last saw him. He attempted six field goals. It's progress.

I didn't see the game, but "free and easy Simmons" is a huge asset to that team on both ends even if he shoots like shit from the stripe.
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Absolutely. Most importantly, he brings All-NBA defense to a team that needs it badly. They'll be much more competitive this year in the regular season. They need KD to stay healthy and Irving to stay on this planet, but if that happens, they'll be great on offensive and tough defensively.
 
Jimbodandy

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Fishy1 said:
Absolutely. Most importantly, he brings All-NBA defense to a team that needs it badly. They'll be much more competitive this year in the regular season. They need KD to stay healthy and Irving to stay on this planet, but if that happens, they'll be great on offensive and tough defensively.
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I've always thought that he's a bit overrated defensively, but he's obviously very good. And they definitely need it.

Brooklyn's defense last year was middle of the pack, but that's a bit misleading IMO. Their offense was pretty damn good, which hid some of their defensive shortcomings. A long, opportunistic defender will help plug some of those holes and take some load off the scorers.
 
Kliq

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Haha, any expectation of Simmons that is anything more than him sitting on the bench in a wacky outfit is likely to be met with disappointment. I'll admit, it's a positive step to see him actually playing in an exhibition game with the Nets, but are we really going to do this "If Simmons is right, then the Nets...." again?
 
Smokey Joe

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One of the things that Nick Friedell talked about in the Lowe post podcast about the Nets is Simmons tendencies depending on the importance of the game involved. He noted that he became more and more avoidant and likely to disappear as the pressure ratcheted up leading to events like the one that ended up with him leaving the 76ers.
So Simmons had a good preseason game.woo-hoo.
 
Jimbodandy

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Kliq said:
Haha, any expectation of Simmons that is anything more than him sitting on the bench in a wacky outfit is likely to be met with disappointment. I'll admit, it's a positive step to see him actually playing in an exhibition game with the Nets, but are we really going to do this "If Simmons is right, then the Nets...." again?
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I don't think that anyone thinks that he's "right". But he's super long on D, can handle the ball, and can pass. Those are three things that his current team really can benefit from. Unless he goes on strike again, it's a pretty significant development. It's baffling that one would think otherwise.
 
Fishy1

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Jimbodandy said:
I don't think that anyone thinks that he's "right". But he's super long on D, can handle the ball, and can pass. Those are three things that his current team really can benefit from. Unless he goes on strike again, it's a pretty significant development. It's baffling that one would think otherwise.
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Yeah, I wasn't trying to say anything more than that. He's still a headcase on a team with another terminal headcase, so they've got two huge barriers to overcome in that regard. I wouldn't bet on them being terribly competitive come playoff time, fwiw. Thanks for the back-up.
 
Jimbodandy

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Fishy1 said:
Yeah, I wasn't trying to say anything more than that. He's still a headcase on a team with another terminal headcase, so they've got two huge barriers to overcome in that regard. I wouldn't bet on them being terribly competitive come playoff time, fwiw. Thanks for the back-up.
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Oh I agree. I'm not a gambler, but I think that only a long-shot speculator would put title money on them. Durant is an odd duck, Kyrie is nuttier than squirrel poo, and Nash seems woefully incapable of making sense of the egos. Agreeing that Ben will make the 82 easier though. If all Ben does was deflections on D and bringing the ball over halfcourt against ball pressure, that's a huge help to this team. Basically, "availability".
 
benhogan

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Jimbodandy said:
Oh I agree. I'm not a gambler, but I think that only a long-shot speculator would put title money on them. Durant is an odd duck, Kyrie is nuttier than squirrel poo, and Nash seems woefully incapable of making sense of the egos. Agreeing that Ben will make the 82 easier though. If all Ben does was deflections on D and bringing the ball over halfcourt against ball pressure, that's a huge help to this team. Basically, "availability".
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Precisely. I know it was 4-0 in the playoffs, but those games were still close

The Nets variance gives me more pause than some random 7 or 8 seed

Talent wise they are more of a threat than the Heat
 
Jimbodandy

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benhogan said:
Precisely. I know it was 4-0 in the playoffs, but those games were still close

The Nets variance gives me more pause than some random 7 or 8 seed

Talent wise they are more of a threat than the Heat
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Agreed. Talent up the wazoo.

I know that the groupthink is that coaching isn't that important in this league (and that's probably right), but that team really needs a steady hand. Not sure that they have one. And it might matter.
 
terrynever

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Jimbodandy said:
Woohoo! Terry is back. FWIW, I'm more worried about the Sixers than the Nets this year. Embiid should be odds on favorite for league MVP this year.
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They almost killed me last spring but hope always returns in October. Harden is thinner. Morey has brought his Houston binkies to Philly. What could go wrong?
 
Jimbodandy

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terrynever said:
They almost killed me last spring but hope always returns in October. Harden is thinner. Morey has brought his Houston binkies to Philly. What could go wrong?
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Building a team with Harden as your second fiddle is a lot more viable. Any hope here is not misplaced. They could be really good.
 
HomeRunBaker

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lovegtm said:
I've always been really bullish on Simmons, but I admit it had started to look like his head was completely broken. If he's back, and Joe Harris is back, that is some serious talent...with the personality caveats you mention.
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Me too. His lack of perimeter shooting has always been overblown as he uses it to take advantage of bad defense which allows him into the paint with his dribble.
 
Euclis20

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HomeRunBaker said:
Me too. His lack of perimeter shooting has always been overblown as he uses it to take advantage of bad defense which allows him into the paint with his dribble.
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The real problem isn't his lack of perimeter shooting (that's the potential difference between him being top 25 and top 10), it's that he's incredibly unreliable (both in terms of actually showing up to play AND completely disappearing late in the playoffs). Additionally he was drafted 6 years ago, and offensively he's still the exact same player. There is no big leap coming.

Far better that he play than not, and he can be a huge help to Brooklyn for most of the year...but as Draymond Green would say, he's an 82 game player. He was 25-73 from the FT line in the 2021 playoffs. His problem will remain a problem, until it's not.
 
HomeRunBaker

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Euclis20 said:
The real problem isn't his lack of perimeter shooting (that's the potential difference between him being top 25 and top 10), it's that he's incredibly unreliable (both in terms of actually showing up to play AND completely disappearing late in the playoffs). Additionally he was drafted 6 years ago, and offensively he's still the exact same player. There is no big leap coming.

Far better that he play than not, and he can be a huge help to Brooklyn for most of the year...but as Draymond Green would say, he's an 82 game player. He was 25-73 from the FT line in the 2021 playoffs. His problem will remain a problem, until it's not.
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Meh I don’t worry about that long term. Nearly all players in their early 20’s struggle come playoff time. I question his work ethic and whether he wants to make a leap or not bc he has the skills to do so. This season will be very telling.
 
Euclis20

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HomeRunBaker said:
Meh I don’t worry about that long term. Nearly all players in their early 20’s struggle come playoff time. I question his work ethic and whether he wants to make a leap or not bc he has the skills to do so. This season will be very telling.
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There's struggling, then there's whatever happened with Simmons against Atlanta. He was so awful from the FT line and tentative offensively that he was nearly unplayable. And then he took a whole year off. This stuff didn't happen in his 1st or 2nd season, this was year 5 (and his 3rd trip to the playoffs).

I agree that this season will be very telling. If he wasn't out of excuses before, he certainly is now.
 
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