Random NBA Observations 2020 - 2021

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

That series doesn't see 7 games if Grant starts over MPJ from the getgo. Jazz are a solid squad but do you trust any one on that team to be Spida's number two night in and night out in the offs? The Jazz are essentially the same team they were last year except Mitchell continuing to improve and a healthy Bogdanovic in their lineup. Their culture and roster consistency made the lack of training camps lightwork for them, which allowed them to start strong and stay strong. Their ceiling is determined by Gobert which is what fukks them. He can't handle elite big men and he can be countered by going small. The Jazz only go as far as Don can carry them

As good as the Jazz have been this year, I still think they are a legit #2 option short of being a true contender. Bogdanovic and Conley are good as all, but not #2 options. I guess their plan is to have Conley, Bogdanovic and Clarkson combine to be a #2 option since they don't have the cap space to go get someone else. Frankly, I think Spida is overrated, but I can't deny how he always seems to pick up the pace during the 2nd half of the season. I need to see how he does in a playoff series (outside of the bubble) before I fully change my opinion about him.

Now when it comes to Denver, I think MPJ and not Gordon is the X-Factor in the entire NBA playoffs mainly as I think that Gordon is essentially what Grant was for them last year. If MPJ steps up his level of play in the playoffs, then I think they can legit make the finals this year.

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

The more I think about the Suns future at point guard, the more I'm pissed they didn't draft Haliburton. CP3 would have been the perfect mentor and the transition to the next Suns guard would have been smooth.

I wonder how far that CP3 trade was in the works as the deal went down a couple of days before the draft. I get why they went with the pick that they did, but they also likely didn't expect the CP3 to perform this good and potentially opt out of that last year. Thus potentially creating a hole at PG again.

They should throw the bag at him, but it might not be enough to keep him as other teams will have bread as well. Might have to outbid everyone else and hope that him being the NBPA President makes it hard for him to leave money on the table.

 

[Smoking With Cigarettes]

Who guards big wings too? O Neale is the best perimeter defender and he is 6 4

They do a good job by committee but yeah I feel this way too. The Jazz just picked a really bad year to be the best team in the west because shyt is deep this season and the playin tournament could cause a couple bad scenarios for them. They have 4 bad options staring at them

-The very unlikely chance they gotta see LAL first round but thats worst case scenario for any team out west
-Matching up with Curry and the Warriors. Warriors are definitely beatable due to their roster but Steph Curry is a great enough player to cause them issues. Jamal Murray ate them up last season because of his offensive creativity, I'd hate to see what Curry could do
-Matching up with Luka and the Mavs. Mavs are a really weird hot and cold squad but Luka would give them fits. Luka gave the Clippers issues last season and they had the bodies to throw at him
-Matching up with Dame and the Blazers. Blazers are a really weird sleeper team. In theory the Jazz are built to contain a team like the Blazers but Carmelo is still really good at abusing mismatches. If he's efficient it can pose a lot of issues

Ranked the scenarios in the order of difficulty they'd pose but honestly more than anything I just don't think the Jazz's 3pt shooting holds up past the first round. I've been very critical of them for a few years now though so if they prove me wrong I'll be sure to give them their flowers

 

[Primetime]

That series doesn't see 7 games if Grant starts over MPJ from the getgo. Jazz are a solid squad but do you trust any one on that team to be Spida's number two night in and night out in the offs? The Jazz are essentially the same team they were last year except Mitchell continuing to improve and a healthy Bogdanovic in their lineup. Their culture and roster consistency made the lack of training camps lightwork for them, which allowed them to start strong and stay strong. Their ceiling is determined by Gobert which is what fukks them. He can't handle elite big men and he can be countered by going small. The Jazz only go as far as Don can carry them

To say one team would've won in less games if the coach was smarter.. every team has that excuse.

But since UTA went up 3-1 after DM dropped 51 in game 4; with Grant playing 35m and fouling out... and Game 7 Grant started, played 35m, scored 3 points... and it came down to a missed Conley gw 3... i'd say the series doesn't see 7 if Murray doesn't drop a heroic 50 in game 6 to keep DEN alive.. regardless of how Grant's same ol 35 mins were distributed (he started gm 6 and Utah still led after Q1).

If we're talking trust and ceilings... every series DEN has won in the last 2 years no matter how great or shytty the team, they always find themselves in a 7th game. In a sense, DEN will only go as far as their own mental midgetry will allow.. and Murray has been a mental midget for half the season. Why would a series with them vs UTA or PHO be assumed different until proven otherwise?

 

[Primetime]

As good as the Jazz have been this year, I still think they are a legit #2 option short of being a true contender. Bogdanovic and Conley are good as all, but not #2 options. I guess their plan is to have Conley, Bogdanovic and Clarkson combine to be a #2 option since they don't have the cap space to go get someone else. Frankly, I think Spida is overrated, but I can't deny how he always seems to pick up the pace during the 2nd half of the season. I need to see how he does in a playoff series (outside of the bubble) before I fully change my opinion about him.

Now when it comes to Denver, I think MPJ and not Gordon is the X-Factor in the entire NBA playoffs mainly as I think that Gordon is essentially what Grant was for them last year. If MPJ steps up his level of play in the playoffs, then I think they can legit make the finals this year.

Fully healthy, i'd say there's only 3 contenders: BK, LAL, LAC.

It doesn't matter what MPJ does if the three aforementioned teams are on their shyt. But with how unpredictable this season has been, if a team catches momentum from 3 like the Heat did in the bubble.. or nagging injuries are still nagging (or worse), then everything gets thrown up in the air. Which is why seeding can still be crucial when it comes to path of least resistance.

 

[Thavoiceofthevoiceless]

Fully healthy, i'd say there's only 3 contenders: BK, LAL, LAC.

It doesn't matter what MPJ does if the three aforementioned teams are on their shyt. But with how unpredictable this season has been, if a team catches momentum from 3 like the Heat did in the bubble.. or nagging injuries are still nagging (or worse), then everything gets thrown up in the air. Which is why seeding can still be crucial when it comes to path of least resistance.

Outside of BK, I think Denver has the firepower to be LAL and the LAC. You forget that Denver beat them last year and are a better team this year. MPJ is locked in offense and defense and can essentially fill the void as the #1 offensive option if needed. People forget that he was the #1 pick prospect coming out of the draft and would have been #1 if it wasn't for the back injury. The question comes down to how fast can their core mature.

I should also mention and I have said it previously, that I don't believe that AD is coming back this season because of his injury. Even if he did come back, I don't think they can win without him at 100% as Drummond ain't it and Gasol isn't either.

 

[Smoking With Cigarettes]

To say one team would've won in less games if the coach was smarter.. every team has that excuse.

But since UTA went up 3-1 after DM dropped 51 in game 4; with Grant playing 35m and fouling out... and Game 7 Grant started, played 35m, scored 3 points... and it came down to a missed Conley gw 3... i'd say the series doesn't see 7 if Murray doesn't drop a heroic 50 in game 6 to keep DEN alive.. regardless of how Grant's same ol 35 mins were distributed (he started gm 6 and Utah still led after Q1).

If we're talking trust and ceilings... every series DEN has won in the last 2 years no matter how great or shytty the team, they always find themselves in a 7th game. In a sense, DEN will only go as far as their own mental midgetry will allow.. and Murray has been a mental midget for half the season. Why would a series with them vs UTA or PHO be assumed different until proven otherwise?

Grant starting had nothing to do with his offensive contributions and everything to do with MPJ not getting abused every trip down the floor by Clarkson and Spida. That's not something you're going to be able to pull up from box score totals but I'm sure there's tons of articles devoted to how thoroughly Mike got roasted in that series. And that bolded is laughable because that's like me saying if Klay doesn't black out in game 6 of the 2016 WCF the Warriors don't make the finals. Or that the Spurs were a missed Ray Allen 3 away from winning the title in 2013. These things are obvious. The Nuggets needed Murray to go in and he went in. If Murray doesn't black out in the 4th quarter of game 2 vs the Spurs in 2019 then the Nuggets lose that series. You could easily say if Murray doesn't score 40 in game 7 vs the Clippers they lose. Murray is a big game play, it's what he does

Your second paragraph is confusing me. Denver is mental midgets because they've played 4 game 7s and won 3 of them? What does that make the Jazz since they blew that 3-1 lead? And Murray is a mental midget because he started the season streaky even though he's now heating up and is a proven playoff performer? The Jazz might hold the number 1 seed but they lost last year to the Nuggets in the playoffs and they ran back the same roster. Jokic busted Gobert's ass last year and he's only improved this year. MPJ isn't as much as a defensive liability as he was and he's been on fire for over 20 games. What changes have you seen from the Jazz that make you think if they run it back that they'd be the favorites? The only thing working in their favor is the Nuggets don't have Gary Harris to throw at Don but it they still have Dozier and Barton

As far as the Suns go they're a pretty even team with the Nuggets IMO. Outside of the Lakers they'd be the Nuggets worst matchup because of how Denver struggles with their guards

 

[CantStop]

14 fta to 0 in the first quarter

are the special guest referees pitbull and rick ross

foh the nba is a joke

 

[Primetime21]

This fukkin fakkit KCP

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

Did anybody see that move Luka put on Bobby?

 

[thaKEAF]

lakers

 

[krazykid18]

Victor can't be nigerian...always injured

 

[Justise M]

Oliadipo stay injured

 

[93 til]

 

[choc_cardigan]

Is Webber high