2020-21 Around the NBA Thread

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
Helps them on defense. A ton.

Makes them tougher in the playoffs easily as Smart is a Swiss Army Knife on defense.

they need a star they don’t need better role players. Marcus Smart isn’t going to make Dame happy and don’t blame Dame at all.
 

WhyAlwaysMe

ASFN Lifer
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Posts
3,037
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Earth
they need a star they don’t need better role players. Marcus Smart isn’t going to make Dame happy and don’t blame Dame at all.

I think Dame is good enough to carry a massive offensive usage on high efficiency. What he needs is roster construction to cover for his weaknesses. Smart is a good enough open shooter and secondary playmaker next to a deadeye like Lillard. On defense he is massively valuable in a playoff setting: him and Covington would instantly vault Portland’s wing defense into the top5 of the league. Norm Powell is a good fit next to those pieces as well.

McCollum is a star and they’re capped right now. He is now a great playmaker and his skill set, high volume good efficiency is redundant with Lillard’s better skill set in the similar player type.

If I was Olshey I would first offer McCollum for Smart and Williams. That would be highway robbery.

Lillard
Smart
Powell
Covington
Nurkic

Simons
Williams

Is a really dynamic and balanced team. Nurkic would have acres of space on the short roll, surrounded by shooters who can all put the ball on the floor and make a play (exception RoCo) and Williams would absolutely feast alongside Lillard in pick and roll with his elite vertical spacing.
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
I think Dame is good enough to carry a massive offensive usage on high efficiency. What he needs is roster construction to cover for his weaknesses. Smart is a good enough open shooter and secondary playmaker next to a deadeye like Lillard. On defense he is massively valuable in a playoff setting: him and Covington would instantly vault Portland’s wing defense into the top5 of the league. Norm Powell is a good fit next to those pieces as well.

McCollum is a star and they’re capped right now. He is now a great playmaker and his skill set, high volume good efficiency is redundant with Lillard’s better skill set in the similar player type.

If I was Olshey I would first offer McCollum for Smart and Williams. That would be highway robbery.

Lillard
Smart
Powell
Covington
Nurkic

Simons
Williams

Is a really dynamic and balanced team. Nurkic would have acres of space on the short roll, surrounded by shooters who can all put the ball on the floor and make a play (exception RoCo) and Williams would absolutely feast alongside Lillard in pick and roll with his elite vertical spacing.

1 CJ is not a star let’s get that straight right now and I don’t think anyone considers him a star.

Let me know how your Iverson 76ers work out in the 2021 NBA.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,115
Reaction score
60,422
Harden out for Game 1 with a hammy.

these playoffs are a war of attrition at this point. Last healthiest team standing probably wins.
 

dscher

ASFN Icon
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Posts
12,864
Reaction score
7,772
Location
Mesa, AZ
Harden out for Game 1 with a hammy.

these playoffs are a war of attrition at this point. Last healthiest team standing probably wins.
I was thinking the same.. some decisions on scheduling will have to be made I'd assume at some point.
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,555
Harden out for Game 1 with a hammy.

these playoffs are a war of attrition at this point. Last healthiest team standing probably wins.

No team can match the talent of the Nets but the circumstances have not been in their favor. They're almost like an all star team - all talent, no cohesion. They just haven't practiced or played together enough to match their talent level. The Bucks may well beat them especially if Harden isn't there or up to speed.
 
OP
OP
JCSunsfan

JCSunsfan

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 24, 2002
Posts
21,754
Reaction score
6,138
Harden out for Game 1 with a hammy.

these playoffs are a war of attrition at this point. Last healthiest team standing probably wins.
Hmm. Harden came back this year fat and out of shape. Then he injured his right hammie and now he injures it again. Amazing how these things come back to bite you in the butt.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
This appears to be the play where Harden was injured.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

WhyAlwaysMe

ASFN Lifer
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Posts
3,037
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Earth
1 CJ is not a star let’s get that straight right now and I don’t think anyone considers him a star.

Let me know how your Iverson 76ers work out in the 2021 NBA.

Lillard is better than Iverson, for starters.

Norm Powell and Smart are better than anyone Iverson had. McKie, Eric Snow? Lol. Nurkic better, too.

And roster construction around a superstar just led to a team winning 73 games in a season. No, Klay isn’t a star. Look his numbers up in 2015 and he’s worse than CJ now.
 

WhyAlwaysMe

ASFN Lifer
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Posts
3,037
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Earth
Blake is so bad. Fake hustle scrub. Cannot wait to see Bucks send these lame Nets packing.
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
Lillard is better than Iverson, for starters.

Norm Powell and Smart are better than anyone Iverson had. McKie, Eric Snow? Lol. Nurkic better, too.

And roster construction around a superstar just led to a team winning 73 games in a season. No, Klay isn’t a star. Look his numbers up in 2015 and he’s worse than CJ now.

So Klay Thompson who has multiple 50 point games and even a 60 point game and a 3 point contest champion isn’t as good as CJ?

Draymond has a defensive player of the year award

Iggy, Barbosa, Bogut, Livingston

you are going to sit here and with a straight face try to compare this Blazers roster with the Golden State championship run rosters

I can’t even take this serious
 

WhyAlwaysMe

ASFN Lifer
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Posts
3,037
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Earth
So Klay Thompson who has multiple 50 point games and even a 60 point game and a 3 point contest champion isn’t as good as CJ?

Draymond has a defensive player of the year award

Iggy, Barbosa, Bogut, Livingston

you are going to sit here and with a straight face try to compare this Blazers roster with the Golden State championship run rosters

I can’t even take this serious

Klay has 11 games with more than 40
CJ has 8. Shorter career, too.
Last 6 years, CJ averages 22ppg on 56% TS, and Klay averages 21ppg on 57% TS. CJ is a better playmaker. They are comparable on offense. Klay’s advantage is that he is versatile and good on defense.

3-pt shooting champion? Lol

Of course their roster was better. You’re making my point: roster construction was key. Steph around a great short roll playmaker in Dray, who could be versatile on defense, along with shooters and defenders is optimal.

I’m not saying the Blazers would be 73 win good, but they could be consistently high 50s with Dame and elite roster construction, without another clear #1 type player.
 

95pro

ASFN Icon
Joined
May 10, 2007
Posts
11,934
Reaction score
3,569
Should have been a 5th foul on Durant to end the 3rd. I hate the nba sometimes
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,555
Lillard is better than Iverson, for starters.

Norm Powell and Smart are better than anyone Iverson had. McKie, Eric Snow? Lol. Nurkic better, too.

And roster construction around a superstar just led to a team winning 73 games in a season. No, Klay isn’t a star. Look his numbers up in 2015 and he’s worse than CJ now.

Klay in addition to being one of the best offensive weapons in the league was an excellent defender too and that team was far more than just a superstar plus role players. I agree on Lillard versus Iverson though, Dame is much better but some of that is the way the game is played today.
 

WhyAlwaysMe

ASFN Lifer
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Posts
3,037
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Earth
Klay in addition to being one of the best offensive weapons in the league was an excellent defender too and that team was far more than just a superstar plus role players. I agree on Lillard versus Iverson though, Dame is much better but some of that is the way the game is played today.

I agree. Klay’s overall versatility and fit, as opposed to his “star” traits (which CJ mostly shares), are why the Warriors were so deadly. Klay is a weapon on offense that opponents cannot exploit on defense. He is, in a way, similar to Ayton: he has a major skill on offense and you cannot target him on defense. Ayton is mega valuable in the playoffs because he has no leaks.
 

95pro

ASFN Icon
Joined
May 10, 2007
Posts
11,934
Reaction score
3,569
Griffin was doggin it in Detroit. Also looks in better shape now.

still hate the guy
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
24,248
Reaction score
16,393
Location
The Giant Toaster
Klay in addition to being one of the best offensive weapons in the league was an excellent defender too and that team was far more than just a superstar plus role players. I agree on Lillard versus Iverson though, Dame is much better but some of that is the way the game is played today.

I’d love to see peak AI play in the current NBA or current Curry play 20 years ago.
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,555
I’d love to see peak AI play in the current NBA or current Curry play 20 years ago.

AI would have to change his dribble a little but I suspect if 3 pointers were a priority he'd practice them more often (career 31%). As long as it's not a team "practice", he'd probably be willing.

Curry would still be a very good player, regardless of era, but the game today is better suited for him than any other era.
 

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
24,248
Reaction score
16,393
Location
The Giant Toaster
AI would have to change his dribble a little but I suspect if 3 pointers were a priority he'd practice them more often (career 31%). As long as it's not a team "practice", he'd probably be willing.

Curry would still be a very good player, regardless of era, but the game today is better suited for him than any other era.

I don’t think Iverson’s 3pt shooting would change much but the shooters around him would make things a lot easier. There’s plenty of guys who played in both eras who just never improved their shooting; Kobe, Wade, Rose etc.
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,555
I don’t think Iverson’s 3pt shooting would change much but the shooters around him would make things a lot easier. There’s plenty of guys who played in both eras who just never improved their shooting; Kobe, Wade, Rose etc.

Maybe you're right but the shot just wasn't prioritized even when Rose was winning his MVP so players were less likely to seriously work on their range. And taking that long 3 with a high percentage would open up the court for Iverson, more than offsetting the advantage he'd lose if they called his crossover illegal.

Kobe and Wade didn't really play in this era IMO, the league takes more than twice as many 3's now as they did in Wade's rookie year. Plus they were near the end of their careers when the rules (or interpretations) were altered to more closely protect the outside shooters and to discourage contact that restricts movement on the perimeter.
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
534,829
Posts
5,246,680
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top