NBA Season 2024-25

[Phantom255x]

Embiids first game back and he logs 36mins. Surprised he played that much.

Because 5 minutes after the game ended, they announced he's not playing tonight 

[Who]

Philly looking a bit weak.

I like their Big 3 but I am not sure about their supporting cast. I liked Caleb Martin. He is a loss. Jared McCain was a shining light but he is out for the season. Their supporting cast looks dodgy without them.

Starters

G - T Maxey
G - Q Grimes = well below average starting SG
F - K Oubre = well below average starting SF
F - P George
C - J Embiid

Q Grimes has been a borderline rotation player on 3 teams now - Knicks, Pistons, Mavs. Oubre is a bench player masquerading as a starter.

Bench

G - Lowry = middle of the pack backup PG to below average
G - E Gordon = middle of the pack backup SG
F - Justin Edwards = below average backup SF
F - Yabusele = average to above average backup PF
C - Drummond = middle of the pack backup C

A lot of average aging role players on that bench. 3/5 are old men. Yabusele is the only role player I am somewhat high on. Justin Edwards a 3rd stringer.

[Who]

Portland on a surprising (strange) streak with 9 wins in their last 10 games. They have a solid 8 man rotation now.

G - A Simmons, Scoot Henderson
G - D Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe
F - Toumani Camara
F - Jerami Grant
C - D Ayton, Rob Williams

D Clingan is playing but playing less. More minutes to the veteran centers. D Banton probably next in line for court time getting around 14-15mpg.

Portland now 22 wins 29 losses. I had them as a bottom 5 team at the start of the season. They are doing far better than I expected.

Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are giving the team a major lift off the bench. A lot of quickness. A lot of offense. Scoot is on a heater at the moment shooting 40+% from three since New Years. I am sure that won't continue and looks to be a factor in their upturn in form. Shaedon Sharpe adding 17ppg splitting time between being a starting SG and a 6th man. Explosive athlete & scorer. Not that efficient though.

Lot of defensive versatility with Avdija, T Camara and J Grant. 3 quality centers in Ayton, Timelord and Clingan.

I am surprised they are not struggling more on offense. Anfernee Simmons more of a combo guard than a PG. Not much playmaking in that starting unit. They are 4th lowest in assists per game as a team. They also have the 4th highest amount of turnovers. Bad combo. They are doing well to overcome that.

Their SRS is -4.62 points per 100 possessions which would rank 5th worst in the league. More in line with my preseason expectations than their current W-L standings.

[Who]

D Fox debut with the Spurs on now. Playing Atlanta.

Spurs starting CP3 & D Fox in the backcourt. Vassell played SF so a three guard alignment. H Barnes at PF. Wemby at center. Super skilled starting 5. Lots of firepower.

No Sochan in the starting unit. Off the bench. Champagnie off the bench. S Castle off the bench. Keldon Johnson. Tough 9 man rotation. Strong bench unit.

[Goldstar88]

Spurs are going to be a problem.

[Who]

Every time I have watched San Antonio this season, I have been shocked by how much Harrison Barnes has declined athletically. He looks slow and chunky. Doesn't change directions well.

32 years old.

Edit: Plus, he keeps reminding me of Kurt Thomas. That Spurs #40 jersey. Chunky body. Not as chunky as Kurt! But still chunky. Awkward body movement. Looks nothing like the athlete H Barnes was in recent years.

Feels like H Barnes put on too much muscle to the detriment of his quickness & athleticism. Looks heavy.

[Who]

I love Sochan's defense.

Reminds me so much of Dennis Rodman. Phenomenal combination of high level strength, length, lateral quickness, and agility. With good size. Excellent effort & focus on D too.

His feet are superb. Sliding. Changing angles. Cutting off lanes for the ball-handler. That quickness combined with that level of strength is an amazing combination. Strong enough to battle centers. So light on his feet changing directions for a guy his size. Never off balance either. Strong sturdy defensive stances.

Then he wears Rodman's number for San Antonio and has those weird colourful hairstyles. It is like being back in the mid-90s. Bizarro world.

[tazzmaniac]

Embiids first game back and he logs 36mins. Surprised he played that much.

Because 5 minutes after the game ended, they announced he's not playing tonight 

Sixers said at the beginning of the season Embiid wouldn't be playing B2Bs.  Funny the focus on his minutes rather than his triple double in his 1st game back.   

[ozgod]

Spurs clinging to a 4 pt lead

[Who]

Spurs disorganized on defense.

For all Wemby's defensive talents, I don't feel like he is a good communicator. San Antonio always underachieves defensively relative to their defensive talent. There is no veteran voice there organizing the defense and keeping guys in position.

Wemby just tries to let his freakish size & athleticism bail out defensive miscues rather than playing solid fundamental D ... and demanding the same of his teammates.

[Phantom255x]

Spurs might blow this, and I took them -4.5 

[Who]

Jovic just spent the first 20secs of the shot clock trying to beat Eric Gordon off the dribble. Why is a 6-10 PF trying to beat a 6-3 combo guard off the dribble? And why is he taking 20secs and multiple PnRs before giving up on the task? Dumb basketball.

Jovic has been having a good game otherwise. That guy has real talent if he can ever figure things out. Develop a reliable outside shot and learn when and where to do what. So undisciplined offensively. Skilled but undisciplined.

[Goldstar88]

Fox in his debut for SA: 24pts, 13ast, 5rebs, 3stls. 11-22 from the field.

Spurs gave up zero rotation players in that trade. 

[Who]

I respect the heck out of Miami. They just keep competing regardless of what noise is around. Injuries, Jimmy's drama, trade talk ... doesn't matter. They just keep working hard.

They let last night's game get away from them in the final minutes of Q4. I hope they finish off Philly here tonight.

[Goldstar88]

The Chicago Bulls and guard Lonzo Ball agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday.