2022-23 Around the NBA Thread

[AzStevenCal]

Not to get too bogged down in arbitrary %s but the difference between a player of KD's caliber and even an All-Star level player is exponential even if the stat line is close. Bridges is my favorite player and I will be watching a lot of Nets games but I don't see him ever having the same type of impact KD has had when he played this year.

Now KD just needs to stay healthy for the next 2-3 years and close the deal on a title.

I agree. I expect Mikal to make a lot of all star games with Brooklyn or whoever and we're going to miss him for years to come. But he's never going to be a KD and the difference between a very good player and an all time great is dramatic.

 

[BirdGangThing]

This is an ignorant take. Would have kept Doug collins in Chicago and the buccaneers would’ve never won their first super bowl with this attitude.

When did Doug Collins win coach of the year or lead a team to the best record in the NBA? And the Buccaneers...?? lmao

 

[95pro]

WTF

Julius Randle in the 3pt contest...smh

 

[Mainstreet]

Love - absolutely. Even this season his advanced stats show he is an above average player.

I don't see any question about it. The Suns made that decision when they traded Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges for Kevin Durant.

Kevin Love provides depth at power forward and center.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I like Bridges and I am glad to see he had a great game. I also don't believe he will be repeating anything close to that very often. One of the issues with him was his lack of offensive consistency, and I expect that will continue to be an issue for him. Bridges is a nice complementary player, but isn't going to suddenly turn into an all-NBA guy just because he's getting more shots in Brooklyn.

And anyone getting on their "I told you so" horse at this point better be ready to eat some crow when both he and Durant are back to their normatives soon enough.

Yeah… not a lot of crowing after he crapped his pants missing an easy layup to beat the Sixers or when he put up a whopping 7 points in another loss in his first two games.

 

[Raindog]

I'm not sure if this is what you mean but yeah, I disagree with the line of thinking on Monty here. I don't believe he's really a player's coach or soft in any way. I think he's a religious martinet. It's precisely his way or the doghouse, a complaint that has followed him throughout his career.

Yep, Steve... I definitely get that vibe, too. I don't think Monty's decisions on who plays or how they are utilized always strictly has to do with performance. He definitely seems to play favorites, and guys go in and out of the doghouse with him based on seemingly arbitrary reasons.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I just watched the Mikal tape. Where was this when he was here? He had a little razzle dazzle on some of those drives. Even some bumps and finishes.

It’s like he was handcuffed here all this time. He looked like a completely different player. My guess is Monty wanted him to play a certain way.

No. He had Book. Mikal has always been a very conscientious role player. When he got to Brooklyn and looked around and realized that he is "the guy" on that team, and he is embracing it. Good for him. Doesn't make sense to go looking for people to blame. He is just now in the Booker role.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

When did Doug Collins win coach of the year or lead a team to the best record in the NBA? And the Buccaneers...?? lmao

Sorry you don’t seem to understand how a coach can take a team so far, be a good coach, have success, and not be the right guy to elevate that team to a championship.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

My post wasn't about the chances he's had to score big #'s, we all know his window was open and he just had started to increase his output on offense before he left.

But i'm talking about the way he played in those highlight clips. They are only highlight clips, but Bridges didn't play like that (meaning style/type) when he was here. Which is what i mean by he showed some razzle dazzle. Then he scored in ways we never saw; which is what i meant when he drove in, got the bump, and1.

Here he was just more reserved which is why i said Monty handcuffed him, so that is what i mean by maybe Monty wanted him to play a certain way.

But yes he's had his chances to get #'s and we were a bottom feeding team with him as our 1.

That's my thing with Monty, which is maybe what lead to the Crowder deal, is that it seems like he wants guy to present themselves in a certain way or behave in a certain way. AZSteve might understand what i am saying or inferring to. Its a bit difficult to explain for me.

Some of it was stuff that we have occasionally seen from him such as the mid range stuff, but some of it was his utilization. He wasn't just their number one option last night, but was being asked to handle the ball and actually run the offense quite a bit as well. I think that freed him up for more opportunities off the dribble.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Sorry you don’t seem to understand how a coach can take a team so far, be a good coach, have success, and not be the right guy to elevate that team to a championship.

No need to apologize

 

[95pro]

No. He had Book. Mikal has always been a very conscientious role player. When he got to Brooklyn and looked around and realized that he is "the guy" on that team, and he is embracing it. Good for him. Doesn't make sense to go looking for people to blame. He is just now in the Booker role.

No he didn’t have book. Book was injured. Doesn’t make sense to say he had book. He was in the booker role. They even said they ran the same plays they run Book but with Mikal in his spot while booker was out.

Now Mikal a week later pulls off moves I’ve never really seen him do and goes for 45.

 

[Bufalay]

WTF

Julius Randle in the 3pt contest...smh

Gonna be as funny as when Antoine Walker was in the contest

 

[AzStevenCal]

No he didn’t have book. Book was injured. Doesn’t make sense to say he had book. He was in the booker role. They even said they ran the same plays they run Book but with Mikal in his spot while booker was out.

Now Mikal a week later pulls off moves I’ve never really seen him do and goes for 45.

He didn't have Booker, he didn't really have much of anything around him for a good part of this season. Asking him to go from being a defensive specialist with a very limited offensive role to carrying a bunch of end of the bench type players is asking way too much IMO. And while his offense improved when DA returned and CP3 got up to speed, it took awhile for him to start holding his own as a primary scorer. He's never going to be a Devin Booker though, regardless of role.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

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Russell Westbrook staying in LA and going to the Clippers.

 

[Mainstreet]

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Russell Westbrook staying in LA and going to the Clippers.

Too bad the Suns couldn't have signed Reggie Jackson.

Westbrook to the Clippers might work.

 

[Proximo]

Too bad the Suns couldn't have signed Reggie Jackson.

Westbrook to the Clippers might work.

I doubt it. They are a mess of personalities that are likely to clash.

I don't think Westbrook works anywhere other than a losing team that he can play selfishly and nobody cares because he is actually one of the teams best options. He is certainly not that on the Clippers.

 

[Mainstreet]

I doubt it. They are a mess of personalities that are likely to clash.

If anyone can pull it off, it's Tyronn Lue.

 

[Mainstreet]

Meyers Leonard is signing a 10-day contract with the Bucks.

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[Cheesebeef]

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Russell Westbrook staying in LA and going to the Clippers.

Good. This won’t work.

 

[Mainstreet]

Patrick Beverley is expected to sign with the Bulls.

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[Hoop Head]

I thought Russ would go to Chicago but makes some sense to reunite with PG-13 in LA. He'll be better there than he was for the Lakers. I doubt he returns to form but he'll be surrounded by shooters and have a chance to rehab his career some with the Clippers.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Bulls are expected to shut down Lonzo Ball for the season.

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[JCSunsfan]

Patrick Beverley is expected to sign with the Bulls.

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This is good news.

 

[Phrazbit]

This is good news.

Nah, we play them again. I wish he’d gone somewhere we’re done with.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Nah, we play them again. I wish he’d gone somewhere we’re done with.

Just one game. At least there is no chance we would see him in a 7 game series.