2023-2024 General NBA Season Thread
- Thread starter BigSoxFan
- Start date
All trying to chase the C's.Siakam went off.
Damn all these EC teams are getting better
-The Knicks grab Anunoby
-Pacers add Pascal
-Heat trade for Terry Rozier
-The 76ers have a bunch of assets to go get Dajounte Murray
and the BUCKS bring in DOC!!!
The East is loaded, though hopefully not loaded enough that Round 1 will be an issue for the 1 seed. The top 6-7 teams are pretty tough, though Round 2 is always tough anyway. Getting the 1 seed this year is shaping up to be really massive.
I think that the Celtics are highly, highly likely to get the #1 seed, but I'm not convinced it's that massive.
The #1 seed is pretty likely to end up playing Miami or Orlando, neither of whom are easy outs. Then, in the 2nd round, you are going to have one of NYK/Milwaukee/Cleveland/Philly regardless. Those teams are all very tough, and I'm not confident saying I'd rather play NYK or healthy Cleveland than Milwaukee or Philadelphia.
I care a lot about the regular season from a habits perspective, and developing an identity and chemistry. Wrt seeding, the past few years have shown that to be less and less relevant. All about matchups and health.
The ideal situation for the Celtics in my opinion if they get the #1 seed is Milwaukee/Philly 2/3 and Miami 6, putting all three of those teams on the opposite side of the bracket. In that scenario, Cleveland/Knicks are 4/5, so the Celtics would have a grueling second round, particularly versus the Knicks, but only facing one of the the Bucks/76ers/Heat in the playoffs would be ideal.
They've got the same fundamental problem that they had before: Jalen Brunson is not a top 10 player, nor can he impersonate one for any length of time. They'll win a ton of regular season games, but without that top end talent, it's close to impossible to win 3-4 rounds of playoff series against quality opponents. Add in that it's a Thibodeau coached team (known for going all out in the regular season, not being able to play any harder/better in the playoffs), and despite the improvement, there's still a pretty hard ceiling on this team that doesn't exist for the Bucks and Sixers.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39390119/curry-hints-battle-vs-ionescu-all-star-weekend
By far the most likable superstar in the NBA
By far the most likable superstar in the NBA
Yeah, I might just be way, way more skeptical than most about the Bucks and Sixers.
I'd much rather the C's face Miami over the Knicks. Maybe it's my green-tinted glasses, but I think this iteration rolls the Heat. The C's are just bigger and better on both sides of the floor. Even last night when the Heat were shooting lights out through the first three quarters, they still struggled to get within 10.
Knicks 2023-24
vs. .500 or better 9-17
vs. below .500 19-0
That is the definition of a Thibs regular season team for you.
Expecting Celtic's HOME court to be a line in the sand for this group.
Wow, I think people in here are failing to draw the distinction between a team being good and a team being a threat to this Celtics team in the playoffs. Yes it would be nice to face all bad teams in the playoffs, but I will happily settle for facing good teams that aren't real threats like Cleveland and NY.
Philadelphia and Milwaukee are threats, Milwaukee because they have Giannis and Philadelphia because of the chance that Embiid has improved enough to make up for his playoff weaknesses (or per his apologists, the chance he is healthy in the playoffs for the first time ever).
Miami shouldn't be a threat, but at this point I just want nothing to do with that team ever again.
If the Celtics can get through the first two rounds without facing one of those three teams I will be thrilled. At that point they just need to beat teams that they should beat. If this team loses to Orlando, Cleveland, or NY then they don't deserve to win.
Philadelphia and Milwaukee are threats, Milwaukee because they have Giannis and Philadelphia because of the chance that Embiid has improved enough to make up for his playoff weaknesses (or per his apologists, the chance he is healthy in the playoffs for the first time ever).
Miami shouldn't be a threat, but at this point I just want nothing to do with that team ever again.
If the Celtics can get through the first two rounds without facing one of those three teams I will be thrilled. At that point they just need to beat teams that they should beat. If this team loses to Orlando, Cleveland, or NY then they don't deserve to win.
All Knicks stats from before they got Anunoby are irrelevant IMO, it’s a wildly different team.
I don’t think anyone is stopping a healthy Celtics team but the Knicks have been playing unbelievably well since they got OG, 11-2 including 30+ point blowouts of PHI and DEN (Jokic’s biggest loss ever last night).
I don’t think anyone is stopping a healthy Celtics team but the Knicks have been playing unbelievably well since they got OG, 11-2 including 30+ point blowouts of PHI and DEN (Jokic’s biggest loss ever last night).
Depends a lot on Jimmy Butler. Obviously, he's not playing very well right now - but will he turn it up in the playoffs?
NYK last 13: 3 wins against contenders (MIN, PHI, and DEN); two losses to playoff teams (DAL and ORL), and wins over teams that are currently 11th or below in conference standings: CHI, WAS (twice), PDX, MEM, HOU, TOR, and BRK.
After the ASB, they have @PHI, BOS, DET, NOP, GSW, @CLE, ATL, ORL, and PHI (twice) before going on a west coast trip. The should give us some indication of how far they can get.
Yep, fully agreed, and they badly need a bench scorer to replace Quickley. One of those two losses was without Brunson (10-1 with both Brunson/OG, the one loss by 4 in DAL), the point differentials have been off the charts.
They’re not as good as those teams yet, but there’s an argument to be made that they could contend without a mega star if they fill out their bench with one more scorer.
I was just emphasizing that they reflect Thibs approach.
I had the KNICKS as an OVER on win total to start the season (with MIL as an UNDER)
They are definitely better since the OG acquisition, now that they have one of the best WING stoppers.
PLUS they have more ammo to make another deal, what are the rumors there?
One of the coolest things about the modern NBA is seeing players embrace the women's game. I would watch the shit out of that.
They really haven't used any ammunition yet, to be fair. Getting OG was two birds one stone. Quickley and RJ weren't great fits with this roster, especially Brunson and they didn't use any of their important picks to do it.
The rumors right now are they will use Fournier + picks + Grimes potentially to get a player like Brogdon. There are some options out there, with rumors floating about a Burks reunion (no thanks), Bruce Brown, Murray (not very hot rumors), and Brogdon of course. In the offseason is when they are expected to use their draft capital (something like 7 first round picks IIRC) to go after a top dog.
Damn, I love watching this this Knicks team battle. It really sucks that we can't see what they look like with a healthy Robinson.
They may not have enough top end talent to be champions, but they're fun.
They may not have enough top end talent to be champions, but they're fun.
As an aside, what Knicks do in summer is a pretty interesting question - they surely want to cash in those picks for a star, but....
1) it's not clear who will be available (that's not a statement no one will--just that it's hard to know for sure who it will be)
2) those picks are volume more than quality...which has a place, and value, but also means they can get outbid by several teams
3) they really don't need a big or a smaller guard so their targets are more limited
So I suspect they are going to end up deciding between holding pat (hoping guys come available, and eventually using picks) or taking a Siakam-like second level guy rather than an alpha. But no way to be sure, and they have a fun roster and (after a LOOOOONG time without) a strong management team so they'll be creative about all this
Maybe go the Brad + KP route?
Brad: spend those low quality 1sts to create an elite rotation of high-end roleplayers/not-quite all-stars.
KP: wait for a guy at the end of his deal to demand to come to NYC in a S&T/opt-in. Very doable with the quality of their roster and the energy around the team now.
I was thinking about this last night watching the Kings-Warriors. First, what a fun game! Second, I just love Curry..all class and so damn great. Also love Steve Kerr. That said, fucking despise Draymond Green and more than anything despise their fan base which is about the most entitled fan base in sports with the maturity of teenage cheer squads. So I often find myself split in two watching their games: halfway rooting for Curry and Kerry and halfway hate-watching the franchise as a whole.
And a random comment. Yes, the Warriors lost last night and yes they're down to 19-23. But with Kuminga developing, Podz a steal, that 2nd rounder Trayce whatever looking very solid...I wouldn't write them off. To me they have the stuff to be better than last year's squad. Maybe not a championship threat, but would I be shocked to see them in the Western semis or even finals? Not at all. (Same with the Lakers, btw -- type of vet squads with stud cores that get written off too easily. See the Lakers 2023 version.)
I love Steph but once again, if you dislike Draymond Green, his biggest enabler is not Kerr, its Curry. I get that it makes rooting for Steph complicated but its the most honest way to look at things.
If we didn't all already know, the Milwaukee situation tells you all you need to know about where power resides in these organizations. Curry can disappear Kerr pretty easily - Kerr cannot do the same to Steph. Similarly , I feel like If Curry was embarrassed or sick of Draymond, we would know. Kerr may or may not be but he has other masters to serve.
If we didn't all already know, the Milwaukee situation tells you all you need to know about where power resides in these organizations. Curry can disappear Kerr pretty easily - Kerr cannot do the same to Steph. Similarly , I feel like If Curry was embarrassed or sick of Draymond, we would know. Kerr may or may not be but he has other masters to serve.
Daniel Gafford wouldn't be a bad option for the Knicks as a back-up BIG
Their new GM isn't much better than the previous one
Something like 2 of the Knicks' fake Firsts + Fournier
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/274434/Wizards-Have-Mandate-To-Acquire-More-First-Round-Picks
Their new GM isn't much better than the previous one
Something like 2 of the Knicks' fake Firsts + Fournier
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/274434/Wizards-Have-Mandate-To-Acquire-More-First-Round-Picks
Three seconds on Lopez 10 seconds in for Bucks/Cavs. Drop coverage is back in Milwaukee baby.
Garrison Mathews got a tech while on the bench. His toe was on the white line while the players were on the other side of the court.
Odd to say for a team shooting around 60%, but really no one other than Luka should be taking a shot now. He is on fire.
View: https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1751070054366523621
Pacers getting Nesmith for 3/33 before the season was a fucking bargain. 22/7/3 with 2 blocks tonight. Shooting 47% from deep for the season, dude has become a legitimate flamethrower. Siakam has been an awesome fit for them, helps them put up some ridiculous numbers even without Hali.
Pacers getting Nesmith for 3/33 before the season was a fucking bargain. 22/7/3 with 2 blocks tonight. Shooting 47% from deep for the season, dude has become a legitimate flamethrower. Siakam has been an awesome fit for them, helps them put up some ridiculous numbers even without Hali.
Crazy to say but he could have easily had 80-90 tonight if we was really trying to max out. Maybe even more.
Hawks let Luka go 1 on 1 until he got 60, then started hard trapping. It was so bizarre lol, and Luka made them pay by finding other guys.
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Watching Luka aggressively not hunt his own shot there in the last 5 min of that game was amusing. He should have had another 5 assists in that span, tons of blown layups and wide open 3s he generated from Atl's ultra-trapping
3 more assists which he easily could have had, and it would have been a 70-point triple double. Is that good?
Luka looks like he's in terrible shape, but not many guys going 45 minutes at, like, 100% usage around the league.