NBA Season 2024-25

[keevsnick]

So apparently the Boston at OKC game coming up in at 3:30pm on an NFL Sunday and not on national TV.

This sort of thing is emblematic of the NBA's stupidity. OKC was great last year, expected to be a top contender this year, has the probable #1 or #2 MVP finisher in SGA and is playing the defending champs and this game can't go national?

At some point the NBA has to move beyond shoving Durant/Curry/Lebron down fans throats and actually try to grow the next generation of stars, or promote other markets beyond New York and LA. If its good basketball people will watch.

[Who]

Quickley came back from injury for Toronto. Put up 21pts and 15ast in his first game in 2 months.

Toronto beat Brooklyn by almost 20pts.

[No Nickname]

Phoenix just fell out of the play-in spots

Top 6 = OKC, MEM, HOU, DEN, DAL, LAC
Play in = LAL, MIN, SAS, GSW

Phoenix and Sacramento are just outside the play-in spots. San Antonio looks the only questionable team in the top 10.

Props to the Clippers for being in 6th place. No Kawhi. No PG13. Harden is doing a good job leading that squad.

Memphis when mostly healthy is a real dark horse threat. Last year their entire team was hurt and/or dealing with off-field drama (Ja Morant), to the point where they'd go into games with only 7-8 active players and a majority of them from the G-League just to fill-in. But that's a talented and pretty deep squad too

As I mentioned during Summer League, we should have jumped on the chance to sign Jay Huff.  He's been a phenomenal 3rd/4th big for them.

He's the anti-Luke Kornet.  He shoots threes and dunks, that's it. 

And he blocks shots. 

He's averaging 9pts in 15mpg and shooting 41% from three.

And like De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, Malcolm Brogdon, Sam Hauser, and Trey Murphy, he's another UVa kid.

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/4065731/jay-huff

[jpotter33]

Here in Ohio Cavs fans are already planning the June parade. Heard things like "This is the greatest team in the modern era", "This team moves the ball better than any team in history", "We are Boston from last year but on sterioids."


I keep telling them that they did this last season on a 17 game win streak only to lose in the playoffs. But they don't want to listen. That is the thing about Cleveland sports fans. Anytime the Tribe, Cavs or Browns have a little early success they go 0-100 and start talking immediate championship like it is a given.

I do not think the Cavs are built for the playoffs. I think they are overachieving for the 1 seed.

I am sure that the local fans are over-hyping the Cavs but I think the national fans are under-appreciating this team.  They are not the greatest anything in the modern era, that is for sure, but they are good team.  Like any team, they need to stay healthy.  Garland was not healthy last season and not quite 100% to start this season.  For the last 15 games, he is averaging 21 pts, 41 3P%, 6.5 assists.  Mitchell is still a star that can take over any game.  Mobley is emerging as well, again, last 15 games, nearly 20/10 with 48 3P%.  And they just got Max Strus back to give them even more bench scoring.

CLE does not have great wings but it seems that the trend is now guards and bigs.  OKC is the same.  On CLE, I am completely convinced on what they have in Mitchell and Garland.  Those are two really good players, better in my opinion than a lot of people seem to think.  Mobley seems to be the x-factor.  He has taken a leap, especially with 3-point shooting.  If he continues to play in the 20/10 range with 3P% around 40% (he is more like 18/9 and 43% from 3 right now for the season), this team is right there with anyone.

Their guards are small, no denying that.  Their DRtg (109.7) is about the same as BOS (109.0).  That is good for 8th best.  The small guards thing does not seem to be as big a deal as some think.  They are 2nd in the league for points off turnovers (OKC is first).  They are 8th lowest in opponents 2nd chance points.  Their defense does not seem that bad.

Granted, you?re also assessing these things in the regular season where they matter less. These kinds of defensive limitations get exposed in the playoffs over a series, especially when you play a team like the C?s that thrives on exploiting mismatches.

Also, I?ll keep harping on the fact that they?re getting a ton of luck on injuries and shooting variance - both ways. I think we?ll see these things even out over the rest of the season, and I think their offense will deflate some once the game slows down in the playoffs, too.

They're good, but I don't think they're the juggernaut that their record suggests.

I don't think they are a juggernaut either.  I don't think OKC is a juggernaut.  BOS probably isn't a juggernaut at this point.  OKC plays small, a center and 4 guards for the most part, and they have the best defense so far.  I guess the question in your mind is whether CLE can defend well enough to win a title, to beat BOS or OKC in a series.

Assuming that all teams are healthy (and healthy for BOS seems to be that Porzingis plays about half the time), I would still favor BOS over CLE or OKC in a series.  But I have CLE right there with OKC or anyone else.  So far this season, Boston's defense has been no better than Cleveland's defense.  CLE has been the best team in the league through 33 games (about 40% of the season).  They are legitimate.

CLE has been mostly healthy but Strus has missed a lot and Wade and Okoro have both missed some.  And yes, their 3-point shooting will probably recede some from the current 40.7%.  Mitchell, Garland and especially Mobley are all shooting above their career averages.

Agreed with all this. TP.

I think this year more than last year we really need KP. You can see how much of a difference he makes for our interior D when he?s out there.

[jpotter33]

So apparently the Boston at OKC game coming up in at 3:30pm on an NFL Sunday and not on national TV.

This sort of thing is emblematic of the NBA's stupidity. OKC was great last year, expected to be a top contender this year, has the probable #1 or #2 MVP finisher in SGA and is playing the defending champs and this game can't go national?

At some point the NBA has to move beyond shoving Durant/Curry/Lebron down fans throats and actually try to grow the next generation of stars, or promote other markets beyond New York and LA. If its good basketball people will watch.

Yeah, I was initially thinking the OKC game was the normal Sunday matinee game that they usually start after Christmas until I saw Matt Moore going ballistic over this nonsense on X and LockedOn. It?s pretty ridiculous.

And as much as people want to argue against it, the NBA and the media are some of the biggest culprits to blame for the ratings/popularity. They need to stop jamming the old guys down our throats and make room for the next room of superstars and teams to drive the league. And as for the media, it?s almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. They talk so much about ?the end of this era? and how there?s ?no young stars to replace? the old guard that it actually puts this into the mind of viewers when it?s just simply untrue. There are tons of young, marketable stars that are just not being promoted enough because the NBA is so caught up with sucking up the last bits of the old guard.

[Phantom255x]

In other news, Heat losing by 16 to the Pacers and Jimmy Butler according to my Heat friend isn't even trying lol. Only has 2 points and very little effort apparently. Like it looks obvious he's simply doing cardio. Maybe he's gonna force his way out.

[jpotter33]

So OKC got LAC without Harden tonight, too.

I swear, we're getting shafted with the injury luck this year - including our own injuries, our opponents' injuries, and the injuries our main competitors have and face in their opponents. Perhaps this is Karma for all the Eastern Conference injuries we benefitted from last year. It's almost like we sold our soul for health last year and we're paying the piper this year.

[Phantom255x]

Truly is amazing how Caleb Martin always torches us but whenever I see him play another team he does nothing and misses everything 

[Phantom255x]

In other news, Heat losing by 16 to the Pacers and Jimmy Butler according to my Heat friend isn't even trying lol. Only has 2 points and very little effort apparently. Like it looks obvious he's simply doing cardio. Maybe he's gonna force his way out.

Yep, the relationship is done there.

https://x.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1875017054538895692?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet&mx=2

Jimmy Butler is not happy. "What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball." He said "probably not" when asked if he could get his joy back with the Heat.

Also Shams JUST tweeted that Butler has officially requested a trade from Miami and he is willing to go anywhere else instead of playing for Miami.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1875033040466203040?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[Goldstar88]

Embiid is so slow out there. Conditioning is terrible.

[Goldstar88]

Six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has indicated to the Miami Heat he wants the team to trade him, league sources told ESPN.

Butler does not plan to furnish the Heat with a list of favored destinations, sources told ESPN. He is open to playing anywhere other than Miami and believes he can make any team a contender -- no matter where he is moved. He does plan to take part in all team activities and will plan to do whatever the Heat ask of him during this process, sources said.

[SparzWizard]

In other news, Heat losing by 16 to the Pacers and Jimmy Butler according to my Heat friend isn't even trying lol. Only has 2 points and very little effort apparently. Like it looks obvious he's simply doing cardio. Maybe he's gonna force his way out.

Yep, the relationship is done there.

https://x.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1875017054538895692?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet&mx=2

Jimmy Butler is not happy. "What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball." He said "probably not" when asked if he could get his joy back with the Heat.

Also Shams JUST tweeted that Butler has officially requested a trade from Miami and he is willing to go anywhere else instead of playing for Miami.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1875033040466203040?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Pat Riley must've done a number to him this offseason. It's a shame, Butler carried that team esp in 2021-2022

[Who]

I don't think J Butler will be traded. Too hard to match salaries. He makes so much money. Heat over the cap and limited by what they can take back. Likely trading him to a team who is also limited by what they can take back making a narrow financial margin for a trade in terms of matching salaries. Made even more difficult by his high wages of $50+mil.

He will be a FA in the summer. He can leave then.

[Who]

In other news, Heat losing by 16 to the Pacers and Jimmy Butler according to my Heat friend isn't even trying lol. Only has 2 points and very little effort apparently. Like it looks obvious he's simply doing cardio. Maybe he's gonna force his way out.

Jimmy has had a couple of games like this this season.

Pacers = 9pts 4ast 2reb in 27min
Pelicans = 9pts 4reb 2ast in 25min
Raptors = 11pts 5ast 4reb in 29min
Hornets = 6pts 4reb 3ast in 25min
Magic = 3pts 5ast 4reb in 26min

Knicks = 15pts 4reb 4ast in 37min
Suns = 15pts 7reb 3ast in 37min

So out of his 21 games played (missed 11 due to injury), Jimmy has had 4 games with under 10pts and an 11pt game. 5 games with 11pts or less. Almost 25% of his games this season. It is not like he is filling up the boxscore in rebounds or assists in those games either.

Not to mention the missed games with Jimmy missing a third of the season thus far. And probably 25-33% of the season each year for the last 4-5 years. 

Looks a lot like decline to me.

No longer able to consistently put in All-Star performances. More up and down. A lot of nights he does not look like Miami's best player. Bam or Herro do. Jimmy taking a backseat.

Then the other nights he is like old Jimmy and plays brilliantly.

[Who]

D'Angelo Russell with 11pts 12ast to lead the Nets to a win over the Giannis & Lillard Milwaukee Bucks.

The Nets are going to start winning again after adding this guy. They had created an effect tank season after dumping Schroder. Now they are back to winning too much to get a top 5-7 pick. Probably be in the 7-12 range.

Not worth it in order to gain a couple of 2nd rounders.