2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[Birdman]

And leave it to the Lakers to upstage the Finals

[Roy H.]

Parsons made a lot of money for being ridiculously mediocre.

Yep.  He was never amazing, but one injury did him in and I always got the sense that he didn't bust his ass to regain his form.

[RMO]

And leave it to the Lakers to upstage the Finals

Seriously.  It wasn't bad enough that two of the top stories yesterday on ESPN were already Lebron's best running mate and why a Kyrie-Lebron reunion hasn't happened and now this.

P.S.  I rarely go to ESPN for content but since I'm a sports masochist I've been eagerly awaiting their "Expert" Picks.

[No Nickname]

@RunItBackFDTV
Follow
“They do not like Porzingis in Dallas… Luka did not like playing with him, there is an actual beef there” 👀
@ChandlerParsons on Kristaps Porzingis playing his former team in the NBA Finals 🍿

Doncic actually denied this and basically clowned on Parsons too

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1d82nmy/mike_curtis_luka_doncic_laughs_when_asked_about/?rdt=35474

I definitely remember Porzingis and even Brunson had beef with Carlisle though. I sort of wonder if Dallas moving on from Carlisle also helped them among other things

Porzingis has basically said that he did not like playing with Luka, though. Probably because of this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-lbmsrMbJ0&pp=ygUebHVrYSBkb25jaWMga3Jpc3RhcHMgcG9yemluZ2lz

WOW!  I would hate playing with such a selfish guy like Luke was back then.

I'm not sure if he's the same player now.  Maybe he is. Maybe he's grown, and people just forget how limited his passing was back then (compared to now!).

But I wouldn't begrudge the Zinger for feeling like a rookie chucker like Luka wasn't the best fit.

[Roy H.]

@RunItBackFDTV
Follow
“They do not like Porzingis in Dallas… Luka did not like playing with him, there is an actual beef there” 👀
@ChandlerParsons on Kristaps Porzingis playing his former team in the NBA Finals 🍿

Doncic actually denied this and basically clowned on Parsons too

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1d82nmy/mike_curtis_luka_doncic_laughs_when_asked_about/?rdt=35474

I definitely remember Porzingis and even Brunson had beef with Carlisle though. I sort of wonder if Dallas moving on from Carlisle also helped them among other things

Porzingis has basically said that he did not like playing with Luka, though. Probably because of this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-lbmsrMbJ0&pp=ygUebHVrYSBkb25jaWMga3Jpc3RhcHMgcG9yemluZ2lz

WOW!  I would hate playing with such a selfish guy like Luke was back then.

I'm not sure if he's the same player now.  Maybe he is. Maybe he's grown, and people just forget how limited his passing was back then (compared to now!).

But I wouldn't begrudge the Zinger for feeling like a rookie chucker like Luka wasn't the best fit.

KP kept it classy:

“Not all of it was like not good,” Porzingis said of his time in Dallas, which included a pair of first-round playoff exits. “We had some good moments. We had some decent moments, but overall it just didn’t work for both sides. It wasn’t perfect. But I would say everything — teammates, locker room — I know at that time there were some rumors that there was something in the locker room. It was never like that. It was all just noise at the end. “It just wasn’t perfect for us playing together, and it didn’t work out. And that’s it. There’s no ill will, I don’t think from their side. For sure, [there is not] from my side. I don’t think there should be. It just didn’t work out, but I have nothing but love for Dallas and for my teammates and for everybody there.”

[bdm860]

Lakers making a push for Dan Hurley out of UConn.

Hurley at least considering it.

I think this is a better pick than going with JJ, but that Lakers position is going to be tough for anybody until they have a firm (realistic) direction.  Is LeBron staying or is he gone?

[Kuberski33]

Can't see the Lebrons/Davis buying into Hurley's schtick. Don't get me wrong, Hurley is a great coach, but he's young, has never played or coached in the NBA and would have to deal with those 2 ego's plus Bronny. I can't see it working unless the Lakers really are thinking long term. In that case blow it up and start over. Otherwise I think it's doomed to fail.

On the other hand, he may be trying to get U.Conn to fork over more $$ while at the same time letting the rest of the NBA know he's ready to jump for the right situation. To me that involves one with few veterans so he can establish his own culture.

[SparzWizard]

Can't see the Lebrons/Davis buying into Hurley's schtick. Don't get me wrong, Hurley is a great coach, but he's young, has never played or coached in the NBA and would have to deal with those 2 ego's plus Bronny. I can't see it working unless the Lakers really are thinking long term. In that case blow it up and start over. Otherwise I think it's doomed to fail.

On the other hand, he may be trying to get U.Conn to fork over more $$ while at the same time letting the rest of the NBA know he's ready to jump for the right situation. To me that involves one with few veterans so he can establish his own culture.

Sounds similar to Brad Stevens where he never coached NBA but only in college. Except the difference is CBS didn't have much egos to manage (Rondo in his first 1.5 year?) while Hurley has to put up with GM LeBron and Davis.

[Vermont Green]

Kevin O’Connor: Dan Hurley said this yesterday on the Mike Francesca Podcast: “I do aspire one day, if the right NBA situation were to come along, to really testing myself…where an organization wants a tone setter to come in and instill a culture with young players and an organization that wants to pursue championships.” Hurley has never been shy about these NBA aspirations, and in this interview he brought it up on his own without Francesca even asking about it. Interesting timing. Hurley signed a 6-year, $32.1M deal with UConn last year. I’d imagine any contract with the Los Angeles Lakers would far exceed that, realistically over $10M annually. – via Twitter KevinOConnorNBA

Contracts for coaches seem to mean so little.  I wonder if the contract actually says that he can get out of it if he gets an NBA offer.

[Vermont Green]

Evan Sidery: Dan Hurley’s contract with UConn shows only a $1.875 million buyout, if he left for an NBA team.  If Hurley ends up leaving for Los Angeles, the Lakers would pay UConn that amount. pic.twitter.com/J5HF6T8Dlp – via Twitter esidery

Chump change....

[No Nickname]

Can't see the Lebrons/Davis buying into Hurley's schtick. Don't get me wrong, Hurley is a great coach, but he's young, has never played or coached in the NBA and would have to deal with those 2 ego's plus Bronny. I can't see it working unless the Lakers really are thinking long term. In that case blow it up and start over. Otherwise I think it's doomed to fail.

On the other hand, he may be trying to get U.Conn to fork over more $$ while at the same time letting the rest of the NBA know he's ready to jump for the right situation. To me that involves one with few veterans so he can establish his own culture.

Hurley is 51. That's not young.

There are only five coaches age 56 or older in the NBA right now.  Budenholzer is 54.

[No Nickname]

@RunItBackFDTV
Follow
“They do not like Porzingis in Dallas… Luka did not like playing with him, there is an actual beef there” 👀
@ChandlerParsons on Kristaps Porzingis playing his former team in the NBA Finals 🍿

Doncic actually denied this and basically clowned on Parsons too

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1d82nmy/mike_curtis_luka_doncic_laughs_when_asked_about/?rdt=35474

I definitely remember Porzingis and even Brunson had beef with Carlisle though. I sort of wonder if Dallas moving on from Carlisle also helped them among other things

Porzingis has basically said that he did not like playing with Luka, though. Probably because of this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-lbmsrMbJ0&pp=ygUebHVrYSBkb25jaWMga3Jpc3RhcHMgcG9yemluZ2lz

WOW!  I would hate playing with such a selfish guy like Luke was back then.

I'm not sure if he's the same player now.  Maybe he is. Maybe he's grown, and people just forget how limited his passing was back then (compared to now!).

But I wouldn't begrudge the Zinger for feeling like a rookie chucker like Luka wasn't the best fit.

KP kept it classy:

“Not all of it was like not good,” Porzingis said of his time in Dallas, which included a pair of first-round playoff exits. “We had some good moments. We had some decent moments, but overall it just didn’t work for both sides. It wasn’t perfect. But I would say everything — teammates, locker room — I know at that time there were some rumors that there was something in the locker room. It was never like that. It was all just noise at the end. “It just wasn’t perfect for us playing together, and it didn’t work out. And that’s it. There’s no ill will, I don’t think from their side. For sure, [there is not] from my side. I don’t think there should be. It just didn’t work out, but I have nothing but love for Dallas and for my teammates and for everybody there.”

If I was Porzingis in those scenes with Luka, I would have been screaming "Pass the effing ball" after the third time he ignored me if I was wide open.

I'm surprised Porzingis didn't say anything at all on all of those plays.  That's a class individual for sure.

But maybe he did say something in the locker room.  A more mature response, but one that would lead to friction.

[Roy H.]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ex-nba-player-delonte-west-215314408.html

[liam]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ex-nba-player-delonte-west-215314408.html

I feel so bad for him. He gave his all as a Celtic. Just so sad to see...

[Goldstar88]

 

Mike Curtis: Asked Kyrie Irving if the reception from the fans either met or exceeded his expectations tonight and how it affected him: “It’s basketball at the end of the day…I thought it was going to be a little louder in here, but I’m expecting the same things going into Game 2.” pic.twitter.com/Kea3v1fpZU – via Twitter MikeACurtis2