NBA Season 2024-25

[johnnygreen]

Bill Kennedy gifts the game to the Rockets at the end. Officials taking over yet again. SMH.

I didn't see the game, but saw the play in question. I'm sorry, but Curry's bone headed play was far worse than the foul call. Golden State is up one with 12 seconds remaining and had 9 seconds left on the play clock. Why did Curry should a three with that much time left on the play clock? Even if shoots with one second left on the play clock and misses, another 1-2 seconds will come off the game clock and Houston is left with 2 seconds tops.

[Phantom255x]

I could see Philly leapfrogging Brooklyn or Chicago, but otherwise have we already determined the East playoff + play in teams? Feels like it. Charlotte has regressed, Toronto and Washington still blow, and Detroit doesn't seem "quite there" yet either. I expect ATL + IND to remain in the mix, maybe even battle with Miami for the 6 seed and avoid the play-in.

The Top-4 to me feels set in stone. Even with MIL playing well lately I think those are the four best in the East assuming health. I'd probably even consider Orlando the 2nd best East team if Franz + Banchero come back healthy later and they keep it up.

[Goldstar88]

 

Brad Rowland: Quin Snyder today on Trae?s defense: Trae has, I think, taken pride in how he defends, particularly on individual matchups, whether he?s switched on to somebody. One of the biggest things for him has been, even when he?s in help situations, getting involved on the defensive glass. via Bluesky

[Goldstar88]

The Heat agreed on Friday to trade veteran center Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers, a league source confirmed to the Miami Herald. In exchange, the Pacers agreed to swap 2031 second-round picks with the Heat ? with Miami getting the more favorable selection in the swap. ? via Miami Herald

[Goldstar88]

Embiid looks so slow out there. Yikes 

[Who]

The Lakers are terrible without LeBron. They are not even a .500 team without him.

They have 8 turnovers in 8 minutes already. They cannot create anything on offense. They have no ball-handling. They have no playmaking. So easy to defend. Their starting backcourt is Gabe Vincent & Max Christie. No offense.

Their only hope is D'Angelo Russell has one of those rare games where he gets hot and goes for 25-30pts 5-7ast. How do you not start D Russell when you are without LeBron? You only got two credible ball-handlers in D Russell and A Reaves. You need at least two on the floor at all times. You cannot afford to leave just one out there and especially not A Reaves who is a secondary ball-handler not a primary creator. How can you pick such a bad starting lineup?

[Who]

Redick took D Russell out for his 2nd foul. Now they are running out there:

G: A Reaves
G: M Christie
F: Knecht
F: C Reddish
C: Koloko

I mean, Reaves is the only ball-handler there? Put pressure on him and take it out of his hands ... nobody else can create anything.

The defense knows exactly who will be the creator and who to load up on. Reaves is good at playing off of people. Not having an entire defense focused on him.

10 turnovers in 10 minutes.

11th turnover in Q1. A lucky kick-ball stopped a 12th turnover in the final possession.

[Who]

Indy were running a tiny lineup out there late in Q3 with 4 guards and a PF at center.

G: McConnell
G: Haliburton
F: Nembhard
F: Mathurin
C: Obi Toppin

It worked for awhile because Philly was tiny too. They played one big in Drummond with four small players.

G: Maxey
G: R Council IV
F: K Martin Jr
F: Oubre
C: Drummond

Drummond caused them some problems. Then Toppin tried to forget about rebounding and just box out Drummond. Nobody else on Indiana was good rebounding so Philly kept getting offensive boards. A 9-0 run. A 15pt lead down to 6pts.

Then Indy changed by taking out Toppin and running Jarrace Walker at center but also brought back Siakam to help him out. Still tiny.

Ricky Council IV has looked good. Physical aggressive guard. Attacks the rim. Attacks off the dribble. Pursues loose balls & rebounds. Defends. He has got some talent. I don't know how well he can shoot the outside shot but he does a lot of other things that are interesting. Looks like Philly has a player there although their backcourt is already overcrowded so opportunities will be hard to get.

[Who]

Now it is the 76ers turn to go small. Embiid left the game late Q2 after getting an arm to the face. I did not see what made it serious but he did not return. Philly resting Drummond now so PG13 is at center.

G: Maxey
G: J McCain
F: K Martin Jr
F: Oubre
C: P George

Toppin just killed them on one possesion attacking the offensive glass. No rebounding. In fairness, Oubre has double digit rebounds tonight. He has gone to work.

[radiohead]

Philly looks disjointed. Everyone wants to get their shot. Even when Embiid was playing he barely touched the ball in the post.

[radiohead]

Santi Aldama is really playing at a high level for Memphis. He?d be a perfect fit for Joe?s system.

[Who]

Interesting Wemby stat from the game.

Wemby was shooting 22% 3PT% up until Nov 09 (first 10 games). Since then (only 9 games due to missed games), Wemby is making 4.3 threes per game which ranks #2 in the league tied alongside Steph Curry. Wemby is taking 11.3 threes per game for 38.2% 3PT%. 11 threes out of 21 overall FGAs.

[tazzmaniac]

Now it is the 76ers turn to go small. Embiid left the game late Q2 after getting an arm to the face. I did not see what made it serious but he did not return. Philly resting Drummond now so PG13 is at center.

G: Maxey
G: J McCain
F: K Martin Jr
F: Oubre
C: P George

Toppin just killed them on one possesion attacking the offensive glass. No rebounding. In fairness, Oubre has double digit rebounds tonight. He has gone to work.

Embiid has a sinus fracture.   

[Who]

Portland choked that game away. They were up 105-88 with 8:30 to play. Then San Antonio went on a 24-4 run until the 2 minute mark. San Antonio up 3. A bit of back and forth for 2 min. Looked like it was headed for OT but Spurs pull it out at the end. Jerami Grant bit an upfake by Wemby and gave him 2 FTs to win the game.

Collapse city.

[Redz]

Portland choked that game away. They were up 105-88 with 8:30 to play. Then San Antonio went on a 24-4 run until the 2 minute mark. San Antonio up 3. A bit of back and forth for 2 min. Looked like it was headed for OT but Spurs pull it out at the end. Jerami Grant bit an upfake by Wemby and gave him 2 FTs to win the game.

Collapse city.

I was actually watching the progress of that game on my phone.  I've been doing these foolish 10cent round robin parlays and needed Portland to make it a net positive.  I was obsessing over that 25 cent gain potential like it was a Game 7 overtime. 

Gambling is awesome!  (I do love that I can get the same addictive rush out of a 10 cent bet as I would betting my paycheck though).