NBA In-Season Tournament 2023 Discussion and Gamethread

[InstaFace]

Sorry to interrupt the Draymond Thread, but there's tournament games again tonight!

The mega-lineup:

---
Bucks at Hornets, 7 p.m.
Knicks at Wizards, 7 p.m.
76ers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Pistons at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.
Celtics at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Kings at Spurs, 7:30 p.m.
Magic at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Nuggets at Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Suns at Jazz, 10 p.m.
Lakers at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
Rockets at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
---

That HOU-LAC nightcap looks pretty juicy. I might enjoy that with a whiskey or two.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

Sorry to interrupt the Draymond Thread, but there's tournament games again tonight!

The mega-lineup:

---
Bucks at Hornets, 7 p.m.
Knicks at Wizards, 7 p.m.
76ers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Pistons at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.
Celtics at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Kings at Spurs, 7:30 p.m.
Magic at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Nuggets at Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Suns at Jazz, 10 p.m.
Lakers at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
Rockets at Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
---

That HOU-LAC nightcap looks pretty juicy. I might enjoy that with a whiskey or two.

Agreed that Rockets-Clips is probably the game of the night, with Nuggets at Pelicans hot on its heels. Pels are maybe the most mercurial team in the league so far. Can't figure them out at all.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Agreed that Rockets-Clips is probably the game of the night, with Nuggets at Pelicans hot on its heels. Pels are maybe the most mercurial team in the league so far. Can't figure them out at all.

A punctured lung is part of that story.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Hot take alert: was anybody else struck by this part of Kerr's comments in particular?
[emphasis added]
This struck me as tossing a weird element into the conversation. Is Kerr implying some sort of therapy is needed here?. Does the coach has deeper concerns about Draymond's mental health?
Or maybe this kind of rhetoric has become reflexive when these kinds of episodes emerge -- something people expect to hear.
Or maybe Kerr is suggesting (in a subtle way) that Draymond is some sort of victim here?
Might be a nothingburger. To me, it sounded like a vague and vaguely insidious thing to add.

Is there really much doubt that Draymond could use some mental health therapy? Kerr's words here are the only thing we should take at face value this week after all of the nauseating back and forth Coach-speak PR.

 

[NoXInNixon]

That HOU-LAC nightcap looks pretty juicy. I might enjoy that with a whiskey or two.

I have a hard time watching games between two teams I both root against.

 

[Tony C]

I have a hard time watching games between two teams I both root against.

My sentiments exactly -- looking forward to the game, but I'll just be hate-watching rooting for both to suck. One of the teams will lose, so a partial win (and loss) is guaranteed -- I'm a glass half-full type, so I'll take as a good thing.

Disagree with this wholeheartedly.

Draymond 100% runs on emotion. I agree with that. He’s also a bully and the outbursts of emotion turn to physical acts because he knows that there will be no comeuppance from it.

You don’t think the Gobert choke was done specifically because it was Rudy? I mean, most people think that he’s been waiting to do that because he doesn’t like Rudy and he knew that no one would stop him.

I see a guy who is emotional, a bully and constantly trying to see what he can get away with or what line in the sand he can cross. If someone clocked him, I can almost guarantee the stomping and choking would end (same with the laying his feet on people and all of the other bullshit he tries)

That the target here was Rudy and that Rudy apparently was correct that Draymond has a record of getting tossed in games in which Curry is absent lends credence that there's some calculation here. God knows...impossible to psychologize from the outside, but sure seems to have a combo of being mentally unbalanced, on an emotional edge at all times, and crafty and calculating (Dray is clearly smart as hell). Will leave to him and his therapist to figure out the interplay, but Bunt Single is not wrong that Kerr's comments about his mental health seemed both pointed and on-point.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

A punctured lung is part of that story.

Oh, damn, I had somehow missed that!

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I claim no inside knowledge of how things work with the Warriors but I live in market. My sense is that the main reason the Warriors haven't moved on from Draymond is his relationship/production with Steph. I don't get the sense they have ever loved his over the line behavior but perhaps its wrong.

I am a bit surprised that this seems out there - IMO Steph is clearly the most powerful person in that organization outside of ownership. Do you really think Kerr has more than or even an equal say as him?

Maybe Kerr is an enabler but to me Draymond's cover is coming straight from his long time teammate. If Steph wasn't willing to put up with it, I think Draymond would be disappeared pretty fast.

oh, I don’t think saying Steph is important is controversial at all. I read you, perhaps wrongly, to be suggesting Curry was an enabler and Kerr not. And my response to that is the coach always matters, even if not always the most.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Oh, damn, I had somehow missed that!

To be fair, the NBA news cycle seems to be hourly so its easy to miss. We've had a ton of stories including the Oubre, Draymond and Beal stuff since then.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

That HOU-LAC nightcap looks pretty juicy. I might enjoy that with a whiskey or two.

Is that in addition, or in lieu of, the whiskey or two while watching the Cs?

 

[InstaFace]

Is that in addition, or in lieu of, the whiskey or two while watching the Cs?

Why would I drink whiskey while fapping? Would kinda defeat the purpose imo.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Why would I drink whiskey while fapping? Would kinda defeat the purpose imo.

Maybe after?

 

[InstaFace]

Maybe after?

I guess it's possible we'll pull our starters by the start of the 4th quarter.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Kings @ Spurs is spicy!!!

 

[benhogan]

Ice Capades doing an encore performance in the Smoothie Center

Any word on Jaylen?

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

Interesting wrinkle in this Spurs-Kings game: Kings went right to the whistle even though the game wasn't in doubt because the point differential matters. Huerter goes in for a layup at the buzzer to give them a 9-point win instead of 7. Would have been dribbled out two possessions prior if not the tourney.

 

[OnWisc]

This Utah floor is horrifying.

 

[DeadlySplitter]

View: https://twitter.com/BigKnickEnergy_/status/1725702262087979325

 

[DavidTai]

Trae Young is incredulous.

View: https://streamable.com/mobxai

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

This Utah floor is horrifying.

This is actually my favorite floor by far (favorite of a batch of shitty courts to be fair). Two different shades of purple which is actually close to team colors. No solid color with the exposed wood "racing stripe" which looks odd. Avoids the severe arena lights glare that the dark green, dark blue or black floors have.

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

Trae Young is incredulous.

View: https://streamable.com/mobxai

That is great. He's gotta be like 'I weigh a buck fiddy and don't play defense. You damn well know that's a flop.'

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

If a person wants to see the court for an Ime Udoka team, they have to grind on defense.

 

[azsoxpatsfan]

Absurd shooting display in this Phoenix-Utah game. 19/32 combined from 3, 75-75 at the half. Also that refs announcement of the review was weirdly animated

 

[Euclis20]

Durant with an absolutely monster game: 38/9/9 on 22 shots (only 2 free throws) in 33 minutes, just one turnover. Phoenix isn't exactly setting the world on fire (6-6), but Durant has been as good as ever.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Detroit has lost 10 in a row. That was a franchise that desperately needed Wembanyama. That draft lottery will always be their version of Duncan in ‘97.

 

[snowmanny]

One way to make me care about the in-tournament is to have the Lakers start off 3-0 with LeBron going off as if he plans to win the thing. Screw that.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Are the floors designed (with the huge single color sections) for virtual advertising? That occurred to me when seeing the "Bentley University" ads on the Toronto floor during last night's Celtics game.

Regardless, it is a bad look for the NBA to rush out potentially unsafe floors at the same time it is trying to crack down on load management.

 

[benhogan]

Detroit has lost 10 in a row. That was a franchise that desperately needed Wembanyama. That draft lottery will always be their version of Duncan in ‘97.

Yep, 5th consecutive season of complete patheticness from the MotorCity.

They needed Wemby luck to give them hope, not Troy Weavers calculated decisions.

 

[benhogan]

Regardless, it is a bad look for the NBA to rush out potentially unsafe floors at the same time it is trying to crack down on load management.

Good point

It was an ice rink at several games last night. I like the Tournament but the FLOORS!!!!! Maybe they can design something safer, and more appealing to the viewer in Vegas.

Can't imagine the Players Union is thrilled with NBA Floor Operations.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

Jaylen, for one, is not pleased:

 

[Red Averages]

If a person wants to see the court for an Ime Udoka team, they have to grind on defense.

He’s certainly known for his grinding D mentality.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Jaylen, for one, is not pleased:

View attachment 73977

That would be Jaylen Brown, Executive VP of the Players Union.

 

[mikeford]

View: https://twitter.com/BigKnickEnergy_/status/1725702262087979325

This is Ricky Davis bad night type shit. Good lord.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

That would be Jaylen Brown, Executive VP of the Players Union.

Yeah it sounds like Jaylen is speaking for everyone and not necessarily himself.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Sorry if this was posted before but I'm just seeing Lowe's article on how the floors came to be: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38772965/how-bold-new-nba-season-tournament-courts-came-fruition.

Really need to do something about them.

 

[CoffeeNerdness]

Shouldn't Draymond be suspended for five tourney games since it happened during one? Costing his teammates a chance at half a million bucks would have put a bit of extra umph on the suspension. If you got two red cards during Champion's League play you don't sit out your next club match. It only makes sense for the five games to be tourney games.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Sorry if this was posted before but I'm just seeing Lowe's article on how the floors came to be: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38772965/how-bold-new-nba-season-tournament-courts-came-fruition.

Really need to do something about them.

Thanks for posting this. Most interesting to me were these were mostly “used” floors being repurposed, I didn’t think that was an option but it is probably more common than we know.

 

[benhogan]

Sorry if this was posted before but I'm just seeing Lowe's article on how the floors came to be: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38772965/how-bold-new-nba-season-tournament-courts-came-fruition.

Really need to do something about them.

Thanks for posting. If the NBA wants to play with colors, look, logos, etc go nuts BUT they need to fix the slippery floors immediately. If that means using the regular season floors, and adding a few out-of-bounds TIPPED TROPHY stickers like they do in the playoffs so be it. Come back next year with a better-executed floor plan if they love it so much

ALSO I can't imagine shooting with the glare of that Toronto floor. Utah had a light purple floor with a more matte finish which I found to be more pleasing to watch and maybe an easier place to shoot (a complete guess on my part)

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

He’s certainly known for his grinding D mentality.

We're here all week. Try the fish and be sure to tip the wait staff.

 

[the moops]

Durant in the two in-season tourney games averaging a cool 38/9/7 while shooting 71.4% from three

 

[radsoxfan]

Yep, 5th consecutive season of complete patheticness from the MotorCity.

They needed Wemby luck to give them hope, not Troy Weavers calculated decisions.

Cade shooting 40% from the floor, 30% from 3, 5 TO per game, and mediocre D. Career true shooting % of 50%. Still a negative DARKO player in year 3 (though one mostly lost due to injury).

If this is anything remotely resembling the player he will become, the Pistons are in deep trouble.

 

[benhogan]

Cade shooting 40% from the floor, 30% from 3, 5 TO per game, and mediocre D. Career true shooting % of 50%. Still a negative DARKO player in year 3 (though one mostly lost due to injury).

If this is anything remotely resembling the player he will become, the Pistons are in deep trouble.

At least Detroit City has Dan Campbell & Amon-Ra St. Brown (great name) to hang their hat on. Go Lions!

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2023/11/16/23964511/amon-ra-st-brown-to-be-featured-in-quarterbacks-netflix-sequel

 

[InstaFace]

That is great. He's gotta be like 'I weigh a buck fiddy and don't play defense. You damn well know that's a flop.'

I think it took Trae half a second of wondering "did they just call something on me" to realize that, nope, they didn't - the guy just fell over backwards, for no apparent reason, and once he hit out of bounds, the official called it a turnover. They're both cracking up.

My 7 year old will occasionally just be trying some creative acts of balancing on her feet and sometimes just randomly fall over while standing around. She's not a professional athlete, though.

 

[InstaFace]

Are the floors designed (with the huge single color sections) for virtual advertising? That occurred to me when seeing the "Bentley University" ads on the Toronto floor during last night's Celtics game.

Regardless, it is a bad look for the NBA to rush out potentially unsafe floors at the same time it is trying to crack down on load management.

Last night in Toronto was the first time I agreed with the criticisms of the floors - the contrast with the Raptors players was just too low, it was visually a mess. The dark gray can be fine, but it needs to contrast with the players more. That, and the fact that the floor was, uh, lower-friction than ideal.

Still love the concept, but the execution, specifically with Toronto's floor, was just outright bad. And I've consistently been a fan of what they're trying to do.

 

[SteveF]

There's an interesting series of articles about surface friction/traction testing that starts here. It's a bit technical, but the long and short of it is that the tests used are a bit questionable (pendulum skip test with a load of 2-5 lbs when friction/traction responses aren't necessarily linear under load -- and basketball players aren't exerting 2-5 lbs of force) and that court performance may deteriorate both more, and more quickly, with age than we might suspect.

 

[benhogan]

There's an interesting series of articles about surface friction/traction testing that starts here. It's a bit technical, but the long and short of it is that the tests used are a bit questionable (pendulum skip test with a load of 2-5 lbs when friction/traction responses aren't necessarily linear under load -- and basketball players aren't exerting 2-5 lbs of force) and that court performance may deteriorate more and more quickly with age than we might suspect.

back in the 80s, Syracuse Univ played on a rubberized Tartan floor in the Carrier Dome. It had the opposite effect of the ice rink last night, it was very "sticky" no sliding. It led to knee and ankle injuries and the school changed to a wood floor after 2 seasons.

Here is the floor from the good ole days:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLxOrzM-NUo

 

[benhogan]

Jaylen Brown and KP commenting on FloorGate

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V3kMWlRJ44

 

[Remagellan]

I think it took Trae half a second of wondering "did they just call something on me" to realize that, nope, they didn't - the guy just fell over backwards, for no apparent reason, and once he hit out of bounds, the official called it a turnover. They're both cracking up.

My 7 year old will occasionally just be trying some creative acts of balancing on her feet and sometimes just randomly fall over while standing around. She's not a professional athlete, though.

FWIW, the play occurred on Atlanta's in-season tourney special court. So maybe it was just another incident of a player slipping on these courts, rather than an attempt to draw a foul.

 

[NomarsFool]

View: https://twitter.com/BigKnickEnergy_/status/1725702262087979325

I don’t watch any non- Celtics basketball, so I’m not at all knowledgeable on Poole, but I see quite a few young kids with Poole jerseys and I find it puzzling. Is there some reason for this? Like does he play video games on Twitch or do something else to capture the hearts and minds of young basketball fans BESIDES play basketball, because I don’t get it.

 

[NomarsFool]

FWIW, the play occurred on Atlanta's in-season tourney special court. So maybe it was just another incident of a player slipping on these courts, rather than an attempt to draw a foul.

During one of the Celtics games they were talking about how the floor surface is exactly the same as the regular surface, it’s only the underside that is different- but there seems to be a lot of discussion about the floors being slippery. What’s the real scoop?