NBA discussion

[SamH]

Maybe, I think it depends how good he can be. Must be very tough trying to play in LeBron's shadow like this. No wonder MJ's kids never went pro! Patrick Ewing jnr did but never really made the cut in the NBA. Obviously some kids are better than their dads (Steph, Klay for example!) but when the dad was a superstar its got to be a tough gig to come up behind that. Gary Payton II is doing pretty well in Golden State. I hope he does well and stays in the league as his old man is/was my all time favourite player!

[A tall man]

He'll never hold a candle to his old man probably forever in his shadow

[SamH]

What's also interesting is where their motivation and drove comes from. How many players have a backstory of growing up poor, in rough areas, using basketball as their way out to a better life? Probably at least half the league. So these kids born to millionaire dad's who have grown up in utter luxury, I have a lot of respect for them to work hard enough to make the NBA because I think it has to be tough to be that dedicated when you really don't need to be.

[milehigh]

Another triple double for Jokic overnight, his 16th of the season, as Nuggets defeat Sacramento in Denver.

I'd suggest that not only should Jokic be MVP again this season, but he is one of the best passers in the game.

[A tall man]

Hes definitely mvp calibre but hard to see past derozen for me

[SamH]

Yeah what DeRozan is doing is historic, he was already on the list with only Wilt, but now he's even left the great man in the dust. But not just this streak, his overall stats for the season, the back to back game winning 3s (and he's not even a 3 point shooter really) and the fact Chicago is atop the East. Denver is what, 6th in the West?

So right now for me it's DeRozan, Embiid and Jokic but we're having to split hairs to do it. A lot can still happen in the next few weeks! This is one of the more exciting mvp races we've seen for a while.

[Solly]

Really disappointing to see Milwaukee lose a decent lead against Brooklyn last night.

Once players have their rings I guess a lot of them just don't have the same sort of hunger that previously got them there.

And I really dislike Nets stacking the roster with the egos of Irving and Durant so hope they win nothing

[faz]

Don’t agree with that.Games I e seen there has been no lack of passion from them. Giannis can’t help but give 100%. He almost takes the all star game seriously!
br]Any team would take KD and Kyrie minus his oddities. KD ‘ I’m just a hoopper’ never comes across as having an over sized ego to me.
Personally I enjoy the smaller franchises doing well. Getting Kyrie and KD as free agents…. didn’t kill their long their long term future aka Lakers.
I’m delighted that Harden and Simmons are hopefully excited by their new teams and we can see them playing.
Fascinating year IMO

[Solly]

It's just certain people who get my goat in the NBA, primarily the ones who seem to be given disproportionate rewards for what they have achieved any time lately.

Look at Phil Jackson - massive achievements at the Bulls n Lakers but traded on the desperation of the Knicks n given the world n then made a bad place even moreso n ran off when the going got tough.

Doc Rivers is the same - overachieved in Orlando then given ridiculous power at the Clippers n now 76ers and still doesn't deliver!

And Durant has yet to show he can win unless he is surrounded by prime time players. Golden State n now the Nets- see how he would get on at lesser-stacked sides. Bandwagon ring-chaser!

[SamH]

I mean I think we all know what KD is, I'm apparently not 'allowed' to say it because its just sour grapes - but I think 90% of fans agree. When he lost that conference finals from 3-1 up against Golden State and then ran off to join them (they just won 73 games remember) it was the single biggest bitch move in NBA history. And for me that's why his 2 titles barely register, they mean so little. I dont think going to the Nets was as big a bitch move because he could have stayed put and won more rings (not accounting for the injuries GS have had) but we don't actually have to worry about what it means until he wins there and he hasn't yet.

For me it's James Harden though - he has quit on 2 teams now and has never really delivered. Again, perhaps a tiny bit of it is the bitterness that he wanted out of OKC (so we could say he quit on 3 teams really) because he wanted to be the man and have his own team - but in the 10 years since then, he hasn't even made the finals and has had more average seasons than great ones. What annoys me about that was that everyone thinks Sam Presti traded Harden and broke up this amazing big 3 of him, KD and Westbrook. Presti had no choice, Harden would have walked within a year as his contract was expiring and he'd made it clear he wanted to be the man and have his own team. Maybe there's nothing wrong with that, but he hasn't done anything and maybe, just maybe if he'd committed to playing with KD and Russ, they'd have had more shots at a title (2012 finalists, remember).

This is also why I wouldn't mind seeing another Warriors title, if it happens. Curry, Klay and Green have all stayed put and never quit on the team during the last couple of duff seasons. Ok I think Green as a person is an idiot, and on the court can be a bit aggressive - but full respect for staying the course. I'd sooner see those guys win this year than the Nets or Sixers (though I would like to see Embiid get a ring!)

[SamH]

Meanwhile this has crept up on me - Pop is 1 win away from tying Nellie for the most wins all time by a coach. Obviously he's going to set that record and to think he has done it all with one team - utterly incredible. I know people talk about Phil Jackson and his rings but for me Pop is the GOAT. In much the same way MJ, not Bill Russell, is the GOAT player despite the ring count.

[SamH]

theanalyst.com/2022/03/wilt-chamberlain-100-point-game-60-years-later/

Great article about Wilts 100 point game, 60 years on. Do you think anyone else will ever beat this record?

[hayesboy]

I do not have anytime for the selfish antics of Kyrie Irving or Ben Simmons and to some extent guys like James Harden.
The current NBA seems to have a decent amount of very talented players who seem to have forgotten they play a team sport. That seems to manifest itself in them sitting out games to force trades or just putting their team in tight spots all season like Irving has.

I find it interesting that Durant seemingly has no issue with Kyrie only playing home games....yet clearly has an issue with Harden forcing his way out........yet seems happy to welcome Simmons who actually is like a combination of the worst of those two things (not to mention his offensive challenges and the fact he still cannot play!).

Westbrook is another interesting one. Is he unwilling or unable to modify his game to try and give the Lakers more of what they need? A lot of players say they are only about winning but would he come off the bench if that was what would help?

I would take the Bucks attitude any day. If they have a post championship hangover I'd say its more of a fatigue thing than a attitude thing.

[SamH]

Well then...so...oh my! Nets crush Sixers on their own floor. Very interesting indeed!

Now I see why they brought Simmons along and subjected him to the crowd - no one could understand why they'd do that but it motivated Durant and Kyrie, they really wanted to get this win for Simmons. Maybe if he wasn't there, they don't have that same desire, at least not so much (I'm sure KD wanted to stick it to Harden though). I really hope they meet in round 1 of the playoffs now. Great odds on there being fights, suspensions, etc for that series!

Meanwhile are folk talking about Phoenix yet? Or are we still doing the whole Warriors/Lakers/Nuggets thing? I mean ok everyone now knows the Lakers are done, at least. But no one seems to be talking about the Suns, but look how far in front they are for the top seed! When CP3 comes back they're odds on favourites to return to the finals, surely? I hope they play Memphis along the way, that would be a fun series.

[hayesboy]

I hope that somehow the Nets have to play Toronto so Kyries decision is brought once more into sharp focus as he won’t be able to play any of the games…..

Equally it will put Simmons squarely in the spotlight and he will need to earn his corn.

Will be fascinating.

Harden was terrible in that game but the beef between KD and Embiid was great to watch.

Too many friends and not enough rivalries in the modern NBA

[hayesboy]

Funny...I was told the NBA thread was a hive of activity compared to the site that shall not be named......yet Lebron posts two 50+ games in a week, KAt goes for an incredible 60 ( on 7-11 3 pt shooting) and the man who believes the world is flat and wafting incense around pregame improves his performance also drops 60.........and not much interest.

Not a fan of Kyrie the man but that bloke can play. He's also making a very good case for what would happen to the quality of the games were there to be less of them. Not playing at home is suiting him down to the ground, even if it could seriously hurt the Nets playoffs and championship hopes.

If I recall rightly Lebrons two scoring outbursts came either side of him sitting out 1 or 2 games as well?

Hopefully the NBA thread picks up along with some other topics on this forum. Otherwise may as well just rename it the BBL Forum so that it does what it says on the tin.

[milehigh]

Part of the issue is that with NBA games played in the early hours, UK time, not many in the UK get to watch many games, and our membership follow many different teams.

[SamH]

Out of interest Hayesboy, who told you that? What was your user name at the site that shall not be named?

[hayesboy]

It was you actually Sam.

[SamH]

Not sure I remember commenting specifically about the NBA - what's your bev user name, I'll check the messages.