NBA Season 2024-25

[CelticSooner]

If the game is close I'm basically taking Indiana at this point. Their bench just has to play OKC even to keep it that way.

[Goldstar88]

If Brad Stevens had the same aptitude for putting together a coaching staff as he has building a team roster, Rick Carlisle would be the Celtics head coach and we would be working on a repeat title right now.

You do realize that JT tore his Achilles and JB tore his knee, right? So probably not working on a repeat even if Carlisle was coaching.

[CelticSooner]

If Brad Stevens had the same aptitude for putting together a coaching staff as he has building a team roster, Rick Carlisle would be the Celtics head coach and we would be working on a repeat title right now.

You do realize that JT tore his Achilles and JB tore his knee, right? So probably not working on a repeat even if Carlisle was coaching.

Didn't Mazzulla sweep Carlisle last year? I forget? Regardless Indiana are way better this year compared to last year. Last year they didn't bother to play defense, well that obviously changed.

[Moranis]

I don't actually think Indiana is way better than last year. Boston is just a bad matchup for them.  The Pacers are up 2-1 because they are deeper than the Thunder and have 8 guys you can consistently rely on.  Boston was the same with better top end talent.  OKC has better top end talent but they aren't deeper.  They really only have 3 guys that you can consistently count on. Their other players like Dort, Caruso, Hartenstein, Wallace, other J. Williams, etc. can have big games, but you dont really know what you are getting on any given night .  SGA is just so good it doesn't matter against most teams, but we saw the Nuggets push them and now Indiana is as well (running all game and applying constant pressure) because they aren't 8 deep and their big 3 is more of a big 1 with a little 2.  They are very young and will get better, but they do need some better second tier players to develop into the dynasty so many are projecting.

[SparzWizard]

Great win for the Pacers. Just hoping this doesn't turn into a Warriors/Celtics 2022. The underdog team heading to Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead, but the rest was history. I like the Indy's deep bench though. Hope they pull it away!

[scaryjerry]

I don't actually think Indiana is way better than last year. Boston is just a bad matchup for them.  The Pacers are up 2-1 because they are deeper than the Thunder and have 8 guys you can consistently rely on.  Boston was the same with better top end talent.  OKC has better top end talent but they aren't deeper.  They really only have 3 guys that you can consistently count on. Their other players like Dort, Caruso, Hartenstein, Wallace, other J. Williams, etc. can have big games, but you dont really know what you are getting on any given night .  SGA is just so good it doesn't matter against most teams, but we saw the Nuggets push them and now Indiana is as well (running all game and applying constant pressure) because they aren't 8 deep and their big 3 is more of a big 1 with a little 2.  They are very young and will get better, but they do need some better second tier players to develop into the dynasty so many are projecting.

Haliburton didn?t even play in 2 of those games vs Boston last year and mathurin missed the whole series?so of course they?re better. They?re healthy.

[Redz]

Great win for the Pacers. Just hoping this doesn't turn into a Warriors/Celtics 2022. The underdog team heading to Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead, but the rest was history. I like the Indy's deep bench though. Hope they pull it away!

I?m full on pulling for the Pacers again.  I kind of checked out after the Knicks series but it?s hard to not root them at this point.

[Birdman]

Whoever win game 4 will win it all

[Moranis]

Tying into my last post if you combined the teams via draft I think you'd end up with more Pacers.  I just dont think the Thunder are as stacked as they were made out to be.

Obviously SGA is the best player by a wide margin, but i do think Haliburton and Siakam are 2 and 3. Then you get the Chet/JWill duo after that though you might take 3 or 4 Pacers before the next Thunder player.  I mean the choices are Nesmith, Turner, Nembhard, Mathurin, McConnell, Sheppard, and Toppin from Pacers and Dort, Wallace, Caruso, Hartenstein, Wiggins, and Joe from Thunder.  You'd take way more Pacers than Thunder from those groups.  So of the top 9 from each team, you'd probably have at 7 and maybe 8 Pacers in the top 12 (7 seems right with Dort and Caruso along with Nesmtih, Nembhard, Turner, Toppin, and Mathurin).

The Thunder have a very Lebron 1st stint Cavs feel to them

[Who]

If Brad Stevens had the same aptitude for putting together a coaching staff as he has building a team roster, Rick Carlisle would be the Celtics head coach and we would be working on a repeat title right now.

He should be a Celtic. He played here. He belongs here. They should have done everything possible to bring him back here.

[Who]

Free throw attempts by player

OKC

SGA = 26 FTAs
J-Dub = 24 FTAs
Chet = 13 FTAs
Caruso = 11 FTAs

Indy

Siakam = 21 FTAs
Mathurin = 19 FTAs (only 20mpg)
Nembhard = 11 FTAs
M Turner = 10 FTAs

Hali = 0 FTAs


J-Dub doing very well. Getting to the line almost as much as SGA. The top 4 OKC guys vs top 4 Indy guys are +13 in FTAs. OKC as a team has 87 to Indy's 69. So the top four guys account for 13 of the 18 FTA gap.

Mathurin's ability to get to the foul line is incredible. That guy is a wrecking ball taking it to the rim. He has a career 41% FT rate (FTA/FGA). Amazing he ranks so highly while playing only 20mpg in this series. 15pppg in 20mpg in this series.

[gift]

i just realized that OKC shot 45% from three last night. they've lost two games with Dort going 5-9 and 4-5 from three.

[Who]

i just realized that OKC shot 45% from three last night. they've lost two games with Dort going 5-9 and 4-5 from three.

I was looking at some series stats. Both teams are shooting 39-40% from 3 through the first three games.

OKC 35 for 88 for 39.8%
Indy 41 for 106 for 38.7%

Shooters doing their job.

The OKC role players have been sharpshooters.

* Dort 10-17 3PTA
* Caruso 7-14 3PTA
* A Wiggins 5-9 3PTA
* I Joe 3-5 3PTA (only 22min, 7mpg)

Cason Wallace is the only guy not making his 3s from their supporting cast. He is 0-6. Their stars do not shoot the 3 as well. Chet only 1-10. J-Dub 3-11. SGA doing well at 5-13.


Indy's shooting looks different. Nesmith is a standout at 8-17 3PTA. The rest of the guys are doing regular things. Hali 9-23 for 39%. Toppin 6-16 Nembhard 4-12 M Turner 4-14 Sheppard 2-6 Siakam 2-8. Mathurin 3-5 McConnell 2-3 low volume shooting. Nesmith is hot and Hali is shooting well but the rest of their guys haven't gotten hot yet.


Interesting to see Lu Dort lead all players in 3PT makes. He has improved his shooting so much since his early years. A real threat nowadays.

[Redz]

i just realized that OKC shot 45% from three last night. they've lost two games with Dort going 5-9 and 4-5 from three.

I was looking at some series stats. Both teams are shooting 39-40% from 3 through the first three games.

OKC 35 for 88 for 39.8%
Indy 41 for 106 for 38.7%

Shooters doing their job.

The OKC role players have been sharpshooters.

* Dort 10-17 3PTA
* Caruso 7-14 3PTA
* A Wiggins 5-9 3PTA
* I Joe 3-5 3PTA (only 22min, 7mpg)

Cason Wallace is the only guy not making his 3s from their supporting cast. He is 0-6. Their stars do not shoot the 3 as well. Chet only 1-10. J-Dub 3-11. SGA doing well at 5-13.


Indy's shooting looks different. Nesmith is a standout at 8-17 3PTA. The rest of the guys are doing regular things. Hali 9-23 for 39%. Toppin 6-16 Nembhard 4-12 M Turner 4-14 Sheppard 2-6 Siakam 2-8. Mathurin 3-5 McConnell 2-3 low volume shooting. Nesmith is hot and Hali is shooting well but the rest of their guys haven't gotten hot yet.


Interesting to see Lu Dort lead all players in 3PT makes. He has improved his shooting so much since his early years. A real threat nowadays.

Dort has always been a favorite of mine.  Love "max out" players.

[slightly biased bias fan]

The Sixers have engaged with the San Antonio Spurs about potentially moving up to the No. 2 pick, per Mike A Scotto.