NBA 2020-2021 Season Thread

[Phantom255x]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.phillyvoice.com/joel-embiid-latest-injury-news-update-mri-left-knee-injury-wizards-game-doc-rivers/amp/

Embiid with potentially scary injury. Nothing is certain on who will be healthy going into the playoffs. Hope he is ok as he has been a beast this year but no Embiid and No chance for Doc.

The East still goes through Brooklyn.

But the team that was poised to stop them best...too bad, Embiid with a potential scary injury.

Per Woj and Ramona Shelburne:   Philadelphia Sixers star Joel Embiid's MRI showed no structural damage to his left knee, just a bone bruise. ACL and meniscus are fine. No timeline yet on a return.  Could miss 2 weeks.

That's good to hear. Embiid is an MVP frontrunner this season and to his credit, he's looked a lot better in terms of conditioning and stamina than in recent years. When you consider the state of the East, PHI should be wise and let Embiid take as much time as he needs. Not saying you keep him out until the playoffs, but if he needs a month, let him take it. PHI will still basically be guaranteed a Top-3 seed and are likely to remain 1 or 2 unless MIL gets red hot soon.

[footey]

Watching Nets-Pistons game last night, Harden and Kyrie set up DeAndre Jordan for 7 alley oop dunks (7/8). 

Rob Williams is very underutilized. As much as we enjoy his 2-3 dunks a game, he should be getting 6-7 a game.  (thank goodness for Peyton Pritchard).

Harden and Kyrie are so good at taking it to the hole and setting Jordan up for these easy buckets.

Jaylen threw a very poor pass to Rob vs the Nets, it was embarrassing. I recall numerous other times where he did a poor job of setting Rob up. He has so much to go to improve as a passer.

I doubt Tatum has ever tossed an alley oop pass  to Rob after picking up the double team off penetration. A few fast breaks, and that's it.

I'm singling out Tatum and Brown because their usage is so high.  They are our top 2 dogs. Just like Kyrie and Harden are for the Nets (until Durant returns).  They need to get better in this area.  These are such easy buckets, man. Leaving points off the board.

[Phantom255x]

The NBA this season just feels top-heavy. In no particular order, the only teams with an actual chance of winning it all is MIL, BKN, PHI (if Embiid's healthy), LAL, UTAH, LAC. That's basically it.

Credit to what the Suns are doing, but I don't think they'll be a real threat after the first round in the West. And besides that, it's just a ton of middling/mediocre teams. Maybe 1 or 2 teams surprise as we sometimes see, but otherwise it just feels there's only 5 real contenders this season in the NBA.

And also, a lot of the buyouts and FA's will probably choose those 5-6 teams anyways. Griffin already did. Cousins likely will too. So could a guy like PJ Tucker or Aldridge if they are bought out.

[RodyTur10]

The NBA this season just feels top-heavy. In no particular order, the only teams with an actual chance of winning it all is MIL, BKN, PHI (if Embiid's healthy), LAL, UTAH, LAC. That's basically it.

Credit to what the Suns are doing, but I don't think they'll be a real threat after the first round in the West. And besides that, it's just a ton of middling/mediocre teams. Maybe 1 or 2 teams surprise as we sometimes see, but otherwise it just feels there's only 5 real contenders this season in the NBA.

And also, a lot of the buyouts and FA's will probably choose those 5-6 teams anyways. Griffin already did. Cousins likely will too. So could a guy like PJ Tucker or Aldridge if they are bought out.

So only a handful of legit contenders, but isn't that always the case?

Vegas currently gives the teams the following chances of winning:

LA Lakers, Brooklyn 23%
LA Clippers 15%
Milwaukee 9%
Utah 8%
Philadelphia 5%
Denver, Boston, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas 2%
Indiana, Portland, Toronto 1%
Rest total 4%


They give Boston 2,1% (8th best) chance of winning, but when the TPE won't be used before the deadline I expect that chance to drop.

By the way, if I had to bet I'd put money on Brooklyn (and Milwaukee, Utah, Denver) with those odds.

[Phantom255x]

The NBA this season just feels top-heavy. In no particular order, the only teams with an actual chance of winning it all is MIL, BKN, PHI (if Embiid's healthy), LAL, UTAH, LAC. That's basically it.

Credit to what the Suns are doing, but I don't think they'll be a real threat after the first round in the West. And besides that, it's just a ton of middling/mediocre teams. Maybe 1 or 2 teams surprise as we sometimes see, but otherwise it just feels there's only 5 real contenders this season in the NBA.

And also, a lot of the buyouts and FA's will probably choose those 5-6 teams anyways. Griffin already did. Cousins likely will too. So could a guy like PJ Tucker or Aldridge if they are bought out.

So only a handful of legit contenders, but isn't that always the case?

Vegas currently gives the teams the following chances of winning:

LA Lakers, Brooklyn 23%
LA Clippers 15%
Milwaukee 9%
Utah 8%
Philadelphia 5%
Denver, Boston, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas 2%
Indiana, Portland, Toronto 1%
Rest total 4%


They give Boston 2,1% (8th best) chance of winning, but when the TPE won't be used before the deadline I expect that chance to drop.

By the way, if I had to bet I'd put money on Brooklyn (and Milwaukee, Utah, Denver) with those odds.

Interesting. I am a tad surprised LAC has 15% while PHI has just 5% and even Utah is at just 8% considering they have been the best team this season (not saying they definitely are, but standings-wise they have been).

Either way, they basically are saying the Top-6 teams have about a 85% chance of winning it all, and the field has a 15% chance. I guess my own thought was the Top-6 would have between a 90-95% chance to win it all based on odds. Small difference though, and yeah some things will depend on the trade deadline too.

Ultimately it could come down to seedings and matchups. But the WCF is likely between 2 of LAC/LAL/UTAH, and ECF between two of BKN/PHI/MIL

[Goldstar88]

In 32 mins, Rudy Gobert had 24pts and 28 rebs against the Warriors today. [dang]....

[GreenCoffeeBean]

In 32 mins, Rudy Gobert had 24pts and 28 rebs against the Warriors today. [dang]....

Yeah and he was 8-10, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 0 turnovers, and that's cool and all but he was 0-0 from 3 point land. /sarcasm

[tazzmaniac]

In 32 mins, Rudy Gobert had 24pts and 28 rebs against the Warriors today. [dang]....

Yeah and he was 8-10, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 0 turnovers, and that's cool and all but he was 0-0 from 3 point land. /sarcasm

Neither of you mentioned that the Jazz lost the game to the Warriors. 

[GreenCoffeeBean]

In 32 mins, Rudy Gobert had 24pts and 28 rebs against the Warriors today. [dang]....

Yeah and he was 8-10, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 0 turnovers, and that's cool and all but he was 0-0 from 3 point land. /sarcasm

Neither of you mentioned that the Jazz lost the game to the Warriors.

Wins schmins, losses schmosses. This is just a video game.

[liam]

Refs and Scott Foster messing up the end of Nets/Knicks.

[liam]

Thibs has to be coach of the year.

[footey]

Knicks playing Nets tough. Have chance to tie game with 5 seconds left.

Turnover ends game.  Too bad.

[liam]

Knicks playing Nets tough. Have chance to tie game with 5 seconds left.

Turnover ends game.  Too bad.

Randle got jobbed on that travel call Kyrie clearly hit that ball. Can the refs get some glasses?

[liam]

Scott Foster wins another one.

[gouki88]

Thibs has to be coach of the year.

Monty Williams and Quinn Snyder are both right there too