NBA Season 2024-25

[Atzar]

Westbrook is such a loose cannon.  He'll always make plays but it's completely random who those plays will benefit, lol. 

Also Strawther has given Denver a sorely-needed unlikely lift.

[Yuckabuck33]

SGA flops so much, he's a lock to win MVP. (See 2023, Embiid, Joel.)

[blink]

Is it just me, or does SGA get away with a lot of push offs with his left arm?   It is like he does it every time he drives.

[Atzar]

Is it just me, or does SGA get away with a lot of push offs with his left arm?   It is like he does it every time he drives.

He definitely does, but honestly that's a staple in pretty much every ball-handlers arsenal these days.  To my eye it looks like they let most of the shoulder-shoves and elbow-shoves go but usually blow the whistle if the player pushes with the hand.

[Yuckabuck33]

"Isaiah Thomas (Boston version) put up those insane numbers in RS and then struggled in the playoffs."

Injury will do that. And a 50 piece is struggling?

[Goldstar88]

Nuggets should just go to Jokic underneath on every possession to finish the game.

[blink]

Is it just me, or does SGA get away with a lot of push offs with his left arm?   It is like he does it every time he drives.

He definitely does, but honestly that's a staple in pretty much every ball-handlers arsenal these days.  To my eye it looks like they let most of the shoulder-shoves and elbow-shoves go but usually blow the whistle if the player pushes with the hand.

I know that JB does it too sometimes.   But with SGA it feels like it is just every single time he drives to the right.   It feels like JB gets called on it sometimes and SGA never gets called on it.

[Who]

Strawther's 8pts late in Q3 were huge. Two 3s and a cut leading to a layup.

OKC managed those Strawther minutes badly. He is a terrible defender. DEN wouldn't play him in the last round because Harden & Kawhi matchup hunted him so badly during the regular season. That is what SGA should have done.

Instead SGA let DEN off the hook. If you let Strawther off the hook on defense, he can hurt you on offense. He is a very good shooter. DEN have a lack of wing shooting in this series. You do not want to give them that weapon.

Not to mention it would have given SGA some easy driving opportunities. Strawther doesn't have the lateral quickness to deny SGA driving lanes.

[Atzar]

Have a game, Strawther.

Really fun series. OKC should win G7 at home (assuming nothing too crazy happens here) but man, putting the executioner's sword of your season in Jokic's hands is a terrifying prospect. 

EDIT:  Denver being loose with the ball down the stretch here.  Not quite over yet.

[Goldstar88]

Jalen Williams is 3-16 and has 6pts. He?s scored 20pts or more 1 time in this series. Definitely not playing like a legitimate #2 option.

[blink]

no better way to decide this Denver - OKC series than a game 7.   what a series.   Denver winning gives me a little hope for the C?s.  Denver got a bit shaky at the end but got the win.

[Who]

That was a strange Q4.

Denver went small to start the period. They played A Gordon as their center but sat MPJ who is his usual big man partner in the 2nd unit if they do not play a center. Instead they played P Watson (6-7 skinny wing) at PF alongside Strawther, Westbrook and J Murray. So only A Gordon to provide any length / interior defense / rebounding.

OKC also went small. They played one legit big in Hartenstein but then surrounded him with 4 guards. SGA, A Wiggins, Caruso, Cason Wallace. So failed to exploit any size advantage opportunities created by Denver.

OKC then made a stranger decision when they took off Hartenstein and brought on J-Dub deciding to play without any big men. They went with J-Dub at center alongside 4 guards. It did not work at all. It didn't up their scoring while negative their size / defense. And put them in a deeper hole.

They came back with Chet and Hartenstein around 8min mark. No Jaylin Williams. I do not understand them going away from Jaylin. He has been terrific for them these last 2 games. OKC was struggling to score. Struggling to make jump-shots. So next decision was to take Hartenstein out and go small with Chet as the sole big. Chet has height and length but no bulk. He is physically over-powered by both Jokic and A Gordon giving DEN advantages.

All those decisions allowed DEN to play in their comfort zone.

[Who]

SGA and J-Dub caused spacing problems for OKC.

It reminds me of the 2011 Miami Heat. When Miami tried to play big with Chris Bosh at PF alongside a center (Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony). The dodgy outside shooting of Wade & LeBron caused spacing issues which allowed people to clog up the lanes. They had to drop the extra big man and go small in order to ensure permanent spacing for Wade & LeBron to drive.

The spacing problems for OKC are predominantly their stars. J-Dub obviously had a bad shooting game tonight. Only 3-16 FGA. But SGA was reluctant to take any shot outside of 15-17 feet. I don't think he took a shot beyond 15 feet in the entire 2nd half. With neither guy hitting outside shots, it puts a huge amount of pressure on the other 3 guys.

This is where Hartenstein is having some difficulty. He doesn't shoot beyond 10-12 feet floaters. If those 2 stars are not hitting outside shots, then you got 3 guys who aren't making jump-shots. This is why Jaylin Williams as a floor spacer is helping their offense. Plus he is their best and most physical defender on Jokic. So he helps on defense too.

[Phantom255x]

Yikes. Gordon now doubtful for Game 7 with a hamstring strain. Tough for DEN

[Goldstar88]

Wt