NBA Season 2022-23

[tazzmaniac]

Across the league, teams have averaged 114.7 points per game.  That's up a whopping 4.1 pts from last season and 2.6pts from the 2020-21 season, which was the next highest in the modern era.  This season the Cavs had the best team defrtg of 110.6.  Last season, 11 teams did better.  The league average defrtg was 114.8.  The last 2 seasons it was 112.0 and 112.3.  Did the offenses get that much better this season or is it that the defenses are getting worse? 

Interestingly, this season was only the 9th highest scoring average.  All 8 higher scoring seasons were from the 60s with 61-62 season the highest at 118.8. 

[tazzmaniac]

Embiid has won his 2nd straight scoring title.  Last time that was done by a center was McAdoo winning 3 straight (1974-76).

He really needs to get out of second round. Approaching hallow accolades at this point. Do you think he can do it?

I think it is a bogus narrative.  4 of 5 playoffs making the semis is pretty good.  In 3 of those playoffs, Simmons was their 2nd best player so not championship caliber teams.  Last season with Harden playing through injury wasn't either.  2019 playoffs w/Butler was really their only championship caliber team. 

Embiid hasn't been healthy for any of his 5 playoffs.  How many players have had even one playoff where they had to wear a mask because of a broken face?  Embiid has had to do it twice.  Last season, I think the Sixers beat the Heat if Siakam's flying elbow hadn't broken Embiid's face.  They lost the 1st 2 games against the Heat without Embiid and then split the next 4 with Embiid wearing the mask.  In the 2019 playoffs, they beat Toronto, the future champs, if they had even a decent backup center.  Game 7: +10 in the 45m12s that Embiid played and -12 in the 2m48s that he didn't.  Then there's the 2020 playoffs where Simmons imploded against Atlanta in the semis.  Embiid has carried the Sixers to their most success since mid 80s.  I don't see how making a conference final changes anything.

If the Sixers were playing the Bucks in the 2nd round, I'd give them a 50/50 chance.  I don't think the Sixers can beat the Celts without some luck.  I'd give them a 1/3 chance.  They just don't match up well against Tatum and Brown.  Harden would need to play really well.  Doc would need to not screw things up. 

[celticsclay]

Embiid has won his 2nd straight scoring title.  Last time that was done by a center was McAdoo winning 3 straight (1974-76).

He really needs to get out of second round. Approaching hallow accolades at this point. Do you think he can do it?

I think it is a bogus narrative.  4 of 5 playoffs making the semis is pretty good.  In 3 of those playoffs, Simmons was their 2nd best player so not championship caliber teams.  Last season with Harden playing through injury wasn't either.  2019 playoffs w/Butler was really their only championship caliber team. 

Embiid hasn't been healthy for any of his 5 playoffs.  How many players have had even one playoff where they had to wear a mask because of a broken face?  Embiid has had to do it twice.  Last season, I think the Sixers beat the Heat if Siakam's flying elbow hadn't broken Embiid's face.  They lost the 1st 2 games against the Heat without Embiid and then split the next 4 with Embiid wearing the mask.  In the 2019 playoffs, they beat Toronto, the future champs, if they had even a decent backup center.  Game 7: +10 in the 45m12s that Embiid played and -12 in the 2m48s that he didn't.  Then there's the 2020 playoffs where Simmons imploded against Atlanta in the semis.  Embiid has carried the Sixers to their most success since mid 80s.  I don't see how making a conference final changes anything.

If the Sixers were playing the Bucks in the 2nd round, I'd give them a 50/50 chance.  I don't think the Sixers can beat the Celts without some luck.  I'd give them a 1/3 chance.  They just don't match up well against Tatum and Brown.  Harden would need to play really well.  Doc would need to not screw things up.

I know you like Embid, and I do, but it really isn’t a bogus narrative. If you want to be considered an all time great you need to at least make a conference finals. Even Garnett did that with the twolves.
Duncan
Mourning
Ewing
Robinson
Jokic
Nowistki

Any superstar big man that would be mentioned from last 20 years has at least made a conference finals and his teammates you mention like butler and simmons before his brain broke are a lot better than the second best players on some of these other teams. It’s put up or shut time for Embid if he wants to be an all time great. Harris, maxey, harden is a very solid supporting cast.

[Kernewek]

David Robinson is a weird inclusion, as he made the conference finals exactly once before Tim Duncan was drafted - at 29 years old in his sixth season. If anything, he's the closest contemporary to Embiid on your list.

In other words, in't it pretty easy to see Embiid on a championship team winning his first title in Robinson's situation - once the team drafted a better player and he was on the downswing of his career at 33?

[celticinorlando]

Starting to see a lot of talking heads say miami is going to upset Boston which is exactly why I don't think they do. Playing the Heat will get the Cs attention right out of the gate.

[Moranis]

Starting to see a lot of talking heads say miami is going to upset Boston which is exactly why I don't think they do. Playing the Heat will get the Cs attention right out of the gate.

I didn't want to play Miami, not because I thought Miami would win, but because Miami is a tough physical team and Butler could have a couple of mega games extending the series.  In other words, I thought Miami might make the 2nd round more difficult by wearing Boston out more.

[Vermont Green]

Starting to see a lot of talking heads say miami is going to upset Boston which is exactly why I don't think they do. Playing the Heat will get the Cs attention right out of the gate.

Yeah, I get the narrative.  Jimmy Butler is a great player.  Gets a lot of foul calls.  Very good in the clutch.  And Adebayo is good.  But after that, this team does not seem to have enough.  I am not sure they are actually better than ATL or TOR.  And with everyone talking about it, I agree, that should be getting the Celtics attention.

Kyle Lowry is not going to hold up and I am not sure about Oladipo.  Herro will have his stretches but he is not going to keep it up.  The Celtics have certainly shown that they can play down to any team so there is always a worry but I am not worried more about the Heat than any of the other play in teams.  They are all decent teams.

[liam]

Starting to see a lot of talking heads say miami is going to upset Boston which is exactly why I don't think they do. Playing the Heat will get the Cs attention right out of the gate.

Yeah, I get the narrative.  Jimmy Butler is a great player.  Gets a lot of foul calls.  Very good in the clutch.  And Adebayo is good.  But after that, this team does not seem to have enough.  I am not sure they are actually better than ATL or TOR.  And with everyone taking about it, I agree, that should be getting the Celtics attention.

Kyle Lowry is not going to hold up and I am not sure about Oladipo.  Herro will have his stretches but he is not going to keep it up.  The Celtics have certainly shown that they can play down to any team so there is always a worry but I am not worried more about the Heat than any of the other play in teams.  They are all decent teams.

Defense becomes more important in the playoffs and even though Maimi has some solid defenders they are a bad defensive team. We have the personnel to bust their zone.

[Phantom255x]

A series with Miami is all about mentality. The C's undoubtedly are a better team and have more talent than Miami. This was true last season. But last season's series went to 7 games because the C's let their foot off the gas pedal and blew Games 3 and 6 at home. It's like they walked into those games expecting easy home wins and instead sleepwalked throughout and lost. But we did beat Miami by double digits in Games 2 and 5 on the road (and also Game 7 on the road) which highlighted we were the superior team.

If the C's are serious, they should take care of MIA comfortably in 5 or 6. It's a good test for the C's, though they have to act like they mean business. If they just "play around" and let this become a series that goes 7, then that's inexcusable. Just come out firing out of the gate and overwhelm them early.

I do think Brogdon will help us potentially neutralize their zone defense. Him and Horford are the key there. But either way, MIA's defense has also been bad this season so we should score on them regardless. Just need to turn up the defensive intensity on our end.

[celticsclay]

David Robinson is a weird inclusion, as he made the conference finals exactly once before Tim Duncan was drafted - at 29 years old in his sixth season. If anything, he's the closest contemporary to Embiid on your list.

In other words, in't it pretty easy to see Embiid on a championship team winning his first title in Robinson's situation - once the team drafted a better player and he was on the downswing of his career at 33?

Oh Embid definitely could change this narrative my making a conference finals or especially even if a finals. I’m just saying it is more than time for him to get out of second round if he wants to be a truly great player. The problem I fear for him is that he may be a better regular season player than playoff player. For one, they seem to let post play get more physical in the playoffs without as many fouls called (some argument this is why we havent seen a lot of dominant centers on championship teams recently. In addition he has definitely been worn down in seasons past by the time he reaches the playoffs.

[Donoghus]

David Robinson is a weird inclusion, as he made the conference finals exactly once before Tim Duncan was drafted - at 29 years old in his sixth season. If anything, he's the closest contemporary to Embiid on your list.

In other words, in't it pretty easy to see Embiid on a championship team winning his first title in Robinson's situation - once the team drafted a better player and he was on the downswing of his career at 33?

Oh Embid definitely could change this narrative my making a conference finals or especially even if a finals. I’m just saying it is more than time for him to get out of second round if he wants to be a truly great player. The problem I fear for him is that he may be a better regular season player than playoff player. For one, they seem to let post play get more physical in the playoffs without as many fouls called (some argument this is why we havent seen a lot of dominant centers on championship teams recently. In addition he has definitely been worn down in seasons past by the time he reaches the playoffs.

I think that's been much more of an organizational failure than on him. You can only do so much as one player (see late 80s Jordan for example).  The Process failed them.   For the most part, they've been getting eliminated by teams that were just plain better than them. 

[SparzWizard]

A series with Miami is all about mentality. The C's undoubtedly are a better team and have more talent than Miami. This was true last season. But last season's series went to 7 games because the C's let their foot off the gas pedal and blew Games 3 and 6 at home. It's like they walked into those games expecting easy home wins and instead sleepwalked throughout and lost. But we did beat Miami by double digits in Games 2 and 5 on the road (and also Game 7 on the road) which highlighted we were the superior team.

If the C's are serious, they should take care of MIA comfortably in 5 or 6. It's a good test for the C's, though they have to act like they mean business. If they just "play around" and let this become a series that goes 7, then that's inexcusable. Just come out firing out of the gate and overwhelm them early.

I do think Brogdon will help us potentially neutralize their zone defense. Him and Horford are the key there. But either way, MIA's defense has also been bad this season so we should score on them regardless. Just need to turn up the defensive intensity on our end.

It's simple really, if they can't beat a team like Miami in round 1 then they didn't deserve the Finals. They gotta act like each game is a Game 7. We got Brogdon this time and a much more improved D. White, and more added experience to JT and JB.

[slamtheking]

A series with Miami is all about mentality. The C's undoubtedly are a better team and have more talent than Miami. This was true last season. But last season's series went to 7 games because the C's let their foot off the gas pedal and blew Games 3 and 6 at home. It's like they walked into those games expecting easy home wins and instead sleepwalked throughout and lost. But we did beat Miami by double digits in Games 2 and 5 on the road (and also Game 7 on the road) which highlighted we were the superior team.

If the C's are serious, they should take care of MIA comfortably in 5 or 6. It's a good test for the C's, though they have to act like they mean business. If they just "play around" and let this become a series that goes 7, then that's inexcusable. Just come out firing out of the gate and overwhelm them early.

I do think Brogdon will help us potentially neutralize their zone defense. Him and Horford are the key there. But either way, MIA's defense has also been bad this season so we should score on them regardless. Just need to turn up the defensive intensity on our end.

It's simple really, if they can't beat a team like Miami in round 1 then they didn't deserve the Finals. They gotta act like each game is a Game 7. We got Brogdon this time and a much more improved D. White, and more added experience to JT and JB.

we've heard the team talk all offseason and during this season about how they won't take getting to the finals for granted and they're driven to win it this year.  we'll see if that's really the mentality they have this postseason or if they go back to sleepwalking through a lot of the games.

[heyvik]

I would have LOVED to see GS get the #5 seed - setting up a first round matchup vs PHO.

Great for storylines and headlines - Curry/Thompson vs old teammate - Durant/Paul.

[Vermont Green]

It is interesting that MIA has the worst NRTG (-0.5) of 4 east play in teams, but the most wins.

I say bring on MIA.  Think what it will do to our confidence if we can play well against them and knock them out.  All year long we have played better against good teams.  We will probably play better against MIA than ATL as MIA is perceived as the better team (I am not sure they really are, but don't tell the Celtics players).