2023-2024 General NBA Season Thread

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

I don't hate this for Atlanta or Toronto. Siakam is the kind of + defensive player that needs to be around Young, and the Young/Murray partnership hasn't exactly been great. For Toronto, I don't think the fit is perfect (Murray hasn't played well next to Young, how's he gonna look starting next to Quickley), but replacing a soon to be free agent with a borderline all-star signed at reasonable money through 2027 is a pretty good idea for a team that will always have trouble attracting free agents.

It makes some amount of sense for TOR from a financial POV but make almost 0 sense from a basketball POV. TOR is supposedly giving the ball to Scottie Barnes and I presume they want to make IQ as happy as can be so he will re-sign with them - what are they going to do with Murray?

Maybe they think that Murray will help them punt this season and save their draft pick (top 6 protected) and I know they don't want to lose Siakam for nothing (like FVV and Kawhi and basically Lowry) but I would think they should be able to get a better basketball fit. Frankly, I think I'd rather have LaVine than Murray. (Obligatory DARKO comparison below.)

 

[InstaFace]

The Olynyks save a dog
Utah Jazz player Kelly Olynyk and wife found dog then found her owner - The Washington Post

What a great story. On Christmas Day, of all days!

 

[radsoxfan]

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

 

[DavidTai]

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

I'm kinda leaning towards usage difference on Atl... the assists guy is Trae, the rebound guy is Capela. He's not dominating the floor the same way because the team isn't geared torwards pad-statting for Murray in those areas. Maybe see if he breaks out in those categories when they're both out?

 

[HomeRunBaker]

The Olynyks save a dog
Utah Jazz player Kelly Olynyk and wife found dog then found her owner - The Washington Post

Hijack alert!

We found a dog two months ago, couldn't find the owner and now have a family addition.

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

Trae is a terrible dance partner with him since he isn't getting initiate and create as he was next to Derrick.

Edit: What @DavidTai said.

 

[DeadlySplitter]

View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1744904438119055376

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

Hijack alert!

We found a dog two months ago, couldn't find the owner and now have a family addition.





Trae is a terrible dance partner with him since he isn't getting initiate and create as he was next to Derrick.

Edit: What @DavidTai said.View attachment 76325

That’s fucking awesome dude!! Back in 2002 when my brothers enlistment in the army ended, him and his wife moved back up to MA from Ft. Bragg the week of Christmas. Halfway up 95 they come across this terrified and filthy little white terrier mix of some kind. They did the same as you and brought her home and we loved that little turd for the next ~10 years.

That’s a gorgeous new best friend you’ve got yourself there.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Marcus calling for ISOs vs Kyrie in the first half of the Grizz @ Mavs .

I think the Ja-less Grizzlies are now a LP team for sure. They may not win many games going forward but they are now very much a team of grinders who will still give everyone they are playing a handful.

Smart is one of the leading Memphis scorers tonight. Expect more of the same going forward.

 

[the moops]

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

Rumor that SAS is interested in Murray. Would be awesome if they get him back for far less than the 3 firsts and a swap

 

[benhogan]

Knicks win by 28.

5th straight win since OG joined.

There are a bunch of teams that will eventually start breathing down the Bucks' neck

 

[Auger34]

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

Based off of last year (his dust ups with random people like Paolo Banchero, bumping the ref in the Celtics series) I think Murray is pretty immature…and I think Trae is one of the worst players to play with if you’re a 2 guard. Ball dominator, terrible defender, not a ton of effort off ball in any scenario.

I think it’s a combo of those two. I think he’d be a good fit in NYK though. Seems like a guy that needs a strong infrastructure and more of a hardass as a coach

 

[benhogan]

Murray is shooting better from 3 this year but wow that 9 ast/8 reb a game thing from a couple years ago on the Spurs was certainly not sustainable.

His advanced stats have collapsed as well, but even his basic stats are just nothing like what got him traded for that boatload of picks recently.

Effort? Usage difference on Atl? Fluke season on SaS?

do one of your DARKO specials with Derrick White and Murray.

Dejounte was getting All-Star nods, but DARKO knew better

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Rumor that SAS is interested in Murray. Would be awesome if they get him back for far less than the 3 firsts and a swap

Murray would be a nice get (back) for the Spurs given the rest of that absymal roster around Wemby.

 

[RorschachsMask]

View: https://twitter.com/jaytatum0/status/1744919615812096097

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

View: https://twitter.com/jaytatum0/status/1744919615812096097

And now Smart is out for the game with a hand injury. Perhaps longer by the looks of it (ice wrapped on it while on the bench). The Grizz are putting it on the Mavs in Dallas 103-83 going into the fourth.

 

[the moops]

and I think Trae is one of the worst players to play with if you’re a 2 guard. Ball dominator, terrible defender, not a ton of effort off ball in any scenario.

I think the thing is that Murray is not a 2. He is not a good enough shooter, can't really defend up, and is best driving and kicking and taking midrangers. He is a PG, and that is the main reason it's not working out in ATL

 

[timelysarcasm]

Grant Williams went -20 in only 7 minutes of play tonight which seems almost impossibly bad.

 

[InstaFace]

And now Smart is out for the game with a hand injury. Perhaps longer by the looks of it (ice wrapped on it while on the bench). The Grizz are putting it on the Mavs in Dallas 103-83 going into the fourth.

If they don't have Ja playing for them, it's pretty easy to root for the Grizzlies. Impressive win tonight.

Meanwhile, the Lakers appear curious about, and open to, losing at home to the Raptors. Toronto by 2 at halftime.

 

[chilidawg]

Grant Williams went -20 in only 7 minutes of play tonight which seems almost impossibly bad.

0's across the box score, except for 1 TO and 1 PF.

 

[chilidawg]

Meanwhile, the Lakers appear curious about, and open to, losing at home to the Raptors. Toronto by 2 at halftime.

Thad Young starting for Toronto, I didn't even realize he was still in the league. Always liked his game.

 

[DavidTai]

0's across the box score, except for 1 TO and 1 PF.

I soured on Grant's game last year when he was trying to expand his repretiore, but I think some of his current play is is being amplified by his recent ankle sprain. He was never the most mobile guy to begin with, and it feels like anything that reduces his mobility has a far, far more detrimental effect on his game than others.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

That’s fucking awesome dude!! Back in 2002 when my brothers enlistment in the army ended, him and his wife moved back up to MA from Ft. Bragg the week of Christmas. Halfway up 95 they come across this terrified and filthy little white terrier mix of some kind. They did the same as you and brought her home and we loved that little turd for the next ~10 years.

That’s a gorgeous new best friend you’ve got yourself there.

Appreciate it. Little over 20 years ago when I lived in NC I found two puppies within a year of each other, both on the street, and they lived to 14.5 and 16.5 years. German Shepherd mix and beagle mix. Street dogs are the Best dogs.

Oh and Marcus Smart hit a 3 tonight with a dislocated shooting finger and didn't even realize it until he began celebrating.

 

[jon abbey]

Knicks win by 28.

5th straight win since OG joined.

NY is +102 in those 5 games, including MIN and @PHI. Anunoby himself is +111 in 166 minutes, NY a -9 in the other 74 minutes. NY has been up by at least 20 at halftime three games in a row, fun to watch.

OG is starting to figure out a place in the Brunson/Randle dominated offense also, he has been a difference maker on D from minute 1.

 

[jon abbey]

NY allowed 127.6 PPG in the 5 games before they got Anunoby, unable to compensate for the loss of Mitchell Robinson. They have allowed 97.4 PPG in the 5 games with OG A.

 

[benhogan]

0's across the box score, except for 1 TO and 1 PF.

Grant is rounding into shape. Quite literally.

Chipotle platinum card reactivated

 

[soxhop411]

Edit: This may be the best post game rant by a coach this year in ANY SPORT (and may not be topped!). I present you the post game rant from Raptors coach Darko Rajaković. Who did not hold back in going after the officials and the NBA after the Lakers shot 23 free throws (to Toronto's two) in the 4th quarter. In what turned out to be a 1 point loss
View: https://streamable.com/f2mon9
“If they had to win tonight, just let us know next time so we don’t show up for the game”

so many good quotes from him in this vid

 

[timelysarcasm]

This may be the best post game rant by a coach this year (and may not be topped!). I present you the post game rant from Raptors coach Darko Rajaković. Who did not hold back in going after the officials and the NBA after the Lakers shot 23 free throws (to Toronto's two) in the 4th quarter. In what turned out to be a 1 point loss
View: https://streamable.com/f2mon9
“If they had to win tonight, just let us know next time so we don’t show up for the game”

so many good quotes from him in this vid

Oh man, he went in and I am here for it. I wonder what the fine is going to be for that one, guessing it will be substantial. Worth it.

I would have loved this from Joe last night, but I understand that's just not his style.

 

[patinorange]

This may be the best post game rant by a coach this year (and may not be topped!). I present you the post game rant from Raptors coach Darko Rajaković. Who did not hold back in going after the officials and the NBA after the Lakers shot 23 free throws (to Toronto's two) in the 4th quarter. In what turned out to be a 1 point loss
View: https://streamable.com/f2mon9
“If they had to win tonight, just let us know next time so we don’t show up for the game”

so many good quotes from him in this vid

That is fantastic.

 

[NYCSox]

The league is clearly hell bent on dragging the Lakers corpses into the playoffs.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

I think that's the first time I've heard Darko talk - I think it's pretty cool the NBA has become so international that one of the 30 head coaches is a dude who was born in Serbia and got a degree in basketball coaching from the Belgrade Basketball Academy. What an interesting path to an NBA head coaching job. Dude must just LOVE basketball.

Of the four big North American sports, even five with soccer, football is really becoming more and more of an outlier with how few international players there are. Other countries just don't really dig it, it seems.

 

[lovegtm]

I think that's the first time I've heard Darko talk....

Not ever using articles ("a" or "the") really adds to the rant intensity.

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

Oh man, he went in and I am here for it. I wonder what the fine is going to be for that one, guessing it will be substantial. Worth it.

I would have loved this from Joe last night, but I understand that's just not his style.

I looked at the replay of the "offensive foul" from the negated 3-point screen, and am surprised AD didn't go on the injured list from the sniper bullet he took.

Other than Scottie Barnes becoming the "face of the league", great rant there.

 

[ifmanis5]

There is something very satisfying to see all your priors confirmed by a legitimate third party. Mostly, thank you.

 

[bigq]

I feel for Rajaković. I didn’t watch the game but it does feel unfair. I wonder where 23-2 FT disparity in the 4th quarter ranks among the most lopsided in the final quarter of a close game. @Brand Name

 

[joe dokes]

Not ever using articles ("a" or "the") really adds to the rant intensity.

Except for "crap." ("It was a complete crap.")

 

[HomeRunBaker]

I feel for Rajaković. I didn’t watch the game but it does feel unfair. I wonder where 23-2 FT disparity in the 4th quarter ranks among the most lopsided in the final quarter of a close game. @Brand Name

Fun rant. I thought I was listening to a FIBA presser.

The "23 Free Throws" are gonna be thrown around all day by the media with zero context. 19 of those 23 took place in the final 3:59 when the Lakers began hunting mismatches in the half court set.

* 8 of them occurred in the final :24 when Toronto was fouling intentionally.

* 2 were the result of a Toronto flagrant foul, so that's 10 of them initiated by the Raptors.

* 2 were from the Quickley on AD switch

* 1 from AD's And1 after the Barrett switch

* 2 from the Reaves on the Thad Young switch

* 2 from Siakam being the biggest Raptor on the floor trying to defend AD.

 

[128]

Fun rant. I thought I was listening to a FIBA presser.

The "23 Free Throws" are gonna be thrown around all day by the media with zero context. 19 of those 23 took place in the final 3:59 when the Lakers began hunting mismatches in the half court set.

* 8 of them occurred in the final :24 when Toronto was fouling intentionally.

* 2 were the result of a Toronto flagrant foul, so that's 10 of them initiated by the Raptors.

* 2 were from the Quickley on AD switch

* 1 from AD's And1 after the Barrett switch

* 2 from the Reaves on the Thad Young switch

* 2 from Siakam being the biggest Raptor on the floor trying to defend AD.

I didn't see the game, but from the coach's comments it seems he was as pissed about the calls his guys didn't get as the calls the Lakers got.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Hijack alert!

We found a dog two months ago, couldn't find the owner and now have a family addition.



View attachment 76325

Great friends; I'm jealous! They look to get along like my cat and dogs used to.

do one of your DARKO specials with Derrick White and Murray.

Dejounte was getting All-Star nods, but DARKO knew better

Interesting perspective. Murray cratered and then came back but has cratered again. Maybe SAS just sold high on him.

 

[bigq]

Fun rant. I thought I was listening to a FIBA presser.

The "23 Free Throws" are gonna be thrown around all day by the media with zero context. 19 of those 23 took place in the final 3:59 when the Lakers began hunting mismatches in the half court set.

* 8 of them occurred in the final :24 when Toronto was fouling intentionally.

* 2 were the result of a Toronto flagrant foul, so that's 10 of them initiated by the Raptors.

* 2 were from the Quickley on AD switch

* 1 from AD's And1 after the Barrett switch

* 2 from the Reaves on the Thad Young switch

* 2 from Siakam being the biggest Raptor on the floor trying to defend AD.

Thanks for the detail. Agree that context is important. 8 fouls in 24 seconds seems nearly impossible. The high volume of fouls and the differential is going to get a lot of attention.

 

[Brand Name]

I feel for Rajaković. I didn’t watch the game but it does feel unfair. I wonder where 23-2 FT disparity in the 4th quarter ranks among the most lopsided in the final quarter of a close game. @Brand Name

I have something almost as good for you here as a bonus! The final four minutes were 19-0 for the Lakers in free throws. That's the largest disparity in the last four minutes since Miami's 19-0 over Utah on November 9, 2010. That game was also the first-ever home loss for the Heatles, coming in overtime.

More directly to your ask: Last one in the 4th bigger than 21 in difference? More recent than you'd think. 29 to 7, or 22, by the Spurs in October 2022, in what wound up a three-point San Antonio win. This link is pretty good to show teams with the most Q4 FTA too if you're curious on the more macros of it all.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Interesting perspective. Murray cratered and then came back but has cratered again. Maybe SAS just sold high on him.

View attachment 76345

I wonder how this looks if Dejounte was in Derrick's role here while Derrick gets to watch Trae do his thang in Atlanta?

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I have something almost as good for you here as a bonus! The final four minutes were 19-0 for the Lakers in free throws. That's the largest disparity in the last four minutes since Miami's 19-0 over Utah on November 9, 2010. That game was also the first-ever home loss for the Heatles, coming in overtime.

More directly to your ask: Last one in the 4th bigger than 21 in difference? More recent than you'd think. 29 to 7, or 22, by the Spurs in October 2022, in what wound up a three-point San Antonio win. This link is pretty good to show teams with the most Q4 FTA too if you're curious on the more macros of it all.

You are the closest thing we have to a National Treasure.

 

[HowBoutDemSox]

Here’s the shot chart for the fourth quarter of the Raptors/Lakers game. It certainly seems like the Raptors went to the paint a fair amount, though I didn’t watch the game and don’t have a sense of how aggrieved they should feel about any particular play not being called a foul:

Spoiler

 

[jmcc5400]

Hijack alert!

We found a dog two months ago, couldn't find the owner and now have a family addition.

Late to the party, but what a gorgeous dog, HRB. Congrats!

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Thanks for the detail. Agree that context is important. 8 fouls in 24 seconds seems nearly impossible. The high volume of fouls and the differential is going to get a lot of attention.

Think it's 8 FTs which is 4 fouls, not 8

 

[bigq]

I have something almost as good for you here as a bonus! The final four minutes were 19-0 for the Lakers in free throws. That's the largest disparity in the last four minutes since Miami's 19-0 over Utah on November 9, 2010. That game was also the first-ever home loss for the Heatles, coming in overtime.

More directly to your ask: Last one in the 4th bigger than 21 in difference? More recent than you'd think. 29 to 7, or 22, by the Spurs in October 2022, in what wound up a three-point San Antonio win. This link is pretty good to show teams with the most Q4 FTA too if you're curious on the more macros of it all.

Outstanding. It is not surprising that LeBron James has been on the winning side of both games where in the final four minutes his teams' benefited from 19-0 FT disparity. Rajaković said as much in his rant and it's true - stars get the calls is a real thing in the NBA.

Think it's 8 FTs which is 4 fouls, not 8

Thanks. Reading comprehension is a real thing too.

 

[benhogan]

I wonder how this looks if Dejounte was in Derrick's role here while Derrick gets to watch Trae do his thang in Atlanta?

Murray scored more but Derrick was always slightly better when they played together on SAS. I figured DARKO would confirm this since +/- On-Off correlates well.

As soon as White developed into a 40% 3pt shooter the last 2 seasons it became a landslide (along with playing on the C's)

Frankly, I'm a little surprised ATL/Quin Snyder are this terrible. I thought they had a good playoff series against Boston last year and would feed off that. BUT they are clearly behind that EC secondary pack (Pacers, NYK, MIA, Cavs, Magic).
Wonder what the owners' kid is going to do next? Too bad Brad/Zarren can't turn them over.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Outstanding. It is not surprising that LeBron James has been on the winning side of both games where in the final four minutes his teams' benefited from 19-0 FT disparity.

Err, MIA somehow lost the game even though they had a 47-21 FTA disparity over UT.

 

[bigq]

Err, MIA somehow lost the game even though they had a 47-21 FTA disparity over UT.

I need more coffee.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Frankly, I'm a little surprised ATL/Quin Snyder are this terrible. I thought they had a good playoff series against Boston last year and would feed off that. BUT they are clearly behind that EC secondary pack (Pacers, NYK, MIA, Cavs, Magic).
Wonder what the owners' kid is going to do next? Too bad Brad/Zarren can't turn them over.

You and Zach Lowe, who almost assuredly lost a bet about ATL.

Part of it, I understand, is that they really missed Jalen Johnson. The other part is that a lot of teams ahead of them got better either through acquisition or internal growth (BOS, MIL, MIA, IND, PHI with Maxey making a jump, and ORL, to name the obvious ones) and they didn't get better.

I also don't think the really evaluated the team correctly since the miracle run to the ECF. They came in 9th in the conference the next year (43-39); 8th (41-41) last year after getting rid of McMillan; and they are currently 12th. Sure Trae can get hot and cause some problems for maybe a series but it's hard to imagine anyone looking at this team and seeing it as a legit contender (for multiple seasons).