Makes the Celtics going into Dallas and snagging a road win look that much better
December 2019 General NBA Game Thread
- Thread starter Ale Xander
- Start date
Indeed. I would argue that this year, Boston is winning the games it would have lost with last year's squad. Their losses have been versus very good teams and/or bad match-ups and they have some impressive wins too including the one in Dallas.
Yeah, they have a lot of good wins, they're mostly spanking bad teams, and the losses against good teams have almost all been really, really competitive.
The poor health definitely makes them a worse team, but it's also great in that Tatum and Brown are getting lots of primary creator experience, and guys like Grant, Semi, and Wannamaker are getting tons of run.
Also, re Philly: it's really sad/revealing that a December game against the Celtics was Embiid's Superbowl.
Although Dallas has an unreal split this year: 8-7 at home and 11-2 on the road. So by playing them at home, the Celtics apparently got the easier matchup than the 76ers (at home) did last night.
If this continues their record is going to flourish. Other than 2 against Toronto, who will be missing Siakam, 11 of 12 are against teams with losing records.
the Jan 9th @ Philly and Jan 16th @ Mil will really be built up since the C's record should be fattened up.
Unfortunately, both those "important" TNT regular-season games are the 2nd games of a back-to-back. This means they will be arriving in those cities in the middle of the night.
Yeah, looking forward to lots of takes after those about how small the Celtics are. /s
Dinwiddie and Ice Trae put on a show tonight (on a lot of FGA btw). Damn if the Hawks aren't abysmal though...
More on the IT4 ejection. Fan "just wanted a free frosty" from trying to have him miss two free throws. Allegedly.
TOR squeaked out a win v DAL, which wouldn't be such a big deal except TOR was down 30 with a bit less than 3 minutes to go in the 3Q, which is kind of a big deal but maybe not a huge deal except tht TOR tied the game with just under 6 minutes left in the 4Q, whih means that TOR erased a 30 point deficit in approximately nine minutes.
I have no idea if that's a record of some kind but I don't think I remember a turnaround like this before.
I have no idea if that's a record of some kind but I don't think I remember a turnaround like this before.
biggest comeback ever is 36 by the Jazz vs the Nuggets. That was also in the 3rd quarter. No idea on the time. . Last year the Clippers came back from 31 down in the playoffs to beat the Warriors.
Speaking of the Clippers, they left the door open for the Thunder in OKC and are now down by four with ~1 min left
Guessing from the +/- that it was a line up of Lowry with RHJ, Chris Boucher, Malcolm Miller and Terrence Davis that brought them back. Good coaching?
And the Thunder win! 15-14 -- over 500 baby! Second game in a row with Gilgaeous-Alexander scoring more than 30. And Schroder so clutch these days....
Can someone clarify for me why Brogdon was able to move on to Indy after three seasons, instead of four, with the Bucks? Is it because he was a second round pick? Celts controlled Rozier, Smart and JB for 4 years, why weren't the Bucks able to control Brogdon? I assumed you'd have more control over a lower round pick.
Shai is making his leap and Schroder is also having his best all around season thus far. The Thunder have become a LP team off of those guys, the flashes shown by Bazley and the masterclass grifting by CP3.
I hope they keep everyone and make a run for the postseason but even if they move Paul and/or Adams or Gallinari, the young guys development still makes them fun.
I do, too. The arena isn't always 100% full these days, but it's still loud and raucus. OKC has fallen in love with this team.
The Nugs put up 128 points in LA to crush the LBJ-less Lakers by 24. AD goes for 32 points and a -13, and might have hurt his right knee. The rest of the starters score only 23 points combined, and only one other Laker was in double figures, Kuzma with 16 points on 15 shots and a -16.
1sr round picks have 4 years of control (plus other rights not germane to this discussion).
2nd round picks aren't ensured guaranteed money so rules are different. MIL signed Brogdon to 3/$3.78M deal after drafting him (third year not guaranteed) so contract expired and Brogdon was RFA.
Don't worry. Ive been told in this thread they're a well rounded team, top to bottom.
Not surprised, and this is the big mid/longterm risk for this team: if LeBron ages/starts to have injuries, they're stuck with no real path forward in terms of assets.
(Not saying this will happen.)
The Kings overperformed, but fired their coach, and now play slow and spend time trying to feed Richaun Holmes in the post. I don’t get it.
The Pelicans beat the Blazers in Portland tonight which was a bit of a surprise - New Orleans was 3-12 on the road, won only two times in their last 16 games and were 7-23 overall heading in while the Blazers have quietly climbed back into the eighth seed, going 6-4 in the last 10 games prior to this one. Unfortunately, when you go 4-29 from deep (Dame was 0-10 and McCollum was 2-10), its really hard to win.
Washed wings for sale. Get your washed wings!
View: https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1209319191351824384?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1209319191351824384?s=20
Lakers 9-6 against teams that would make the playoffs as of today, and 15-0 against the rest. 11 point differential average in the six losses, and only the Indy loss a two possession or less point differential. Lakers in a three game tailspin as they entertain a prickly relative in their home tomorrow for Christmas, with LBJ dealing with a thoracic muscle strain and AD a balky knee after slipping on a wet spot against Denver. Hopefully for James, this Christmas in LA is better than the last one. The Clippers, sans Paul George, beat the Lakers by 10 in the season opener. The Lakers are on a three game skid, and the Clips are 2-3 in their last five
Celtics 7-6 against playoff teams, and 13-1 against everyone else, the one loss being the potential buzzer-beater that rimmed out in Sacto. 5.g differential in the losses, with only the opening night one not close (two possessions or less differential). Boston has beaten the Raps in their home opener, and has won three in a row. After winning five in a row, Toronto dropped one in OT at the Pacers.
Celtics 7-6 against playoff teams, and 13-1 against everyone else, the one loss being the potential buzzer-beater that rimmed out in Sacto. 5.g differential in the losses, with only the opening night one not close (two possessions or less differential). Boston has beaten the Raps in their home opener, and has won three in a row. After winning five in a row, Toronto dropped one in OT at the Pacers.
Maybe there is an agent connection to get Holmes some numbers to fool a team into thinking he’s some hidden treasure.
View: https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1209516110200131585?s=20
If they're really going to do the in-season tournament thing (I'm not a fan), I think giving a #5-10 pick to the winner would be a really cool dynamic. Long-term team-building the most unique aspect of NBA basketball (because of the outsized impact of stars), and this would be a way for good teams to get a long-term edge on their rivals without cheapening the regular season and playoff seeding.
If they're really going to do the in-season tournament thing (I'm not a fan), I think giving a #5-10 pick to the winner would be a really cool dynamic. Long-term team-building the most unique aspect of NBA basketball (because of the outsized impact of stars), and this would be a way for good teams to get a long-term edge on their rivals without cheapening the regular season and playoff seeding.
Just think if Holmes wasn't forcing up all those ill-advised shots, he may improve on his .693 TS%, .662 eff FG% or his 132.7 off rating. Maybe he's drawing a few extra FTs where he's shooting 82%.
Richaun has had a better BPM then Tristen Thompson for 4 consecutive seasons, then again he doesn't have Rich Paul overhyping him.
Have to hand it to Klutch for fooling some of the people all of the time OR using Lebron leverage to exact absurd contracts
This is the motivated Embiid that should terrify the East. I'm not convinced he will stay this way until/in June, though.
He was pretty damn motivated against Toronto last year. They just got killed in the minutes he rested. Embiid is going to get up for it when it matters imo.
69-48 at the half. This is why the "OMG but muh Milwaukee NET RATING" stuff pisses me off so much. The NBA is about matchups and gameplanning during big games and series. Those 25-point wins against Orlando don't mean shit when a team has the personnel in Embiid, Horford, and Simmons to lock down Giannis.
(This goes for the Celtics too by the way--they're going to have an awesome net rating this year if healthy, but there are still some bad playoff matchups for them.)
And now watch Giannis go off for 40 in the 2nd half and make me look like an idiot.
(This goes for the Celtics too by the way--they're going to have an awesome net rating this year if healthy, but there are still some bad playoff matchups for them.)
And now watch Giannis go off for 40 in the 2nd half and make me look like an idiot.
Philly beat Bucks at their own game in the first half. Made 11 3s to 6 for Milwaukee. Embiid dominated everyone, including Giannis. And when he sat, the 76ers extended their lead.
It could all turn around quickly because that’s the nature of today’s NBA. Shooting dictates everything.
It could all turn around quickly because that’s the nature of today’s NBA. Shooting dictates everything.
The key was that Milwaukee wasn't generating tons of the quality 3s they usually do, because the Sixers match up so well with Giannis.
Philly was definitely unsustainably hot, but their D was very, very real.
There is a big slug of "play-off Rondo" to Embiid's playing in a national TV game. His lack of consistent focus is his one constant that keeps him from being a fucking monster.
Not just in his head--he's playing him well. Giannis can't shoot 2s outside of 3 feet, and Embiid can keep him from getting there.
The plot thickens in the East. Bucks are not invincible, by a long shot. Boston needs to make maybe one move to be the best. Philly can be everyone’s worst matchup. Maybe they begin to jell in the middle third of the schedule? Toronto seems thin. Pacers hope to get Oladipo back in late January.
Bucks, Celts and 76ers. Gonna get me through the winter.
Bucks, Celts and 76ers. Gonna get me through the winter.
Watching this game is making me less inclined to want the Celts to trade for a center. Milwaukee has all the beef you want to match up with Embiid, and it just doesn't matter. You need speed, help at the right times, and good rotations to beat him imo. You need Marcus Smart.
