Around the NBA (Non-Bulls) Thread - 2023-2024 Season

[BNB]

Brunson is playing out of his mind but he is small at 27. No way you trade Luka and build around him. No way. Mavs maybe should have kept him but Kyrie is the most disrespected player in the league.

Sure, he's small at 27, but Luka isn't that much younger at 25, and he's slow and isn't a good defender. Everyone has their limitations.

But, IMO, Luka is starting to get himself in that same tier of guys we talked about earlier... The ones who may put up nice numbers, but don't do much as far as actually help winning games. Guys like Melo, Love, Beal, etc. Luka seems like, in order to actually win meaningful games, he needs someone else to take charge. This is like KAT and Ant. KAT was a nice player before Ant arrived, but Minny did nothing with him. Insert Ant, and KAT becomes more dangerous and they're actually winning. Brunson IS the guy who takes charge and wins you the game.

Maybe things change, but that's how I'm starting to feel with Luka. Very talented and skilled, but just isn't THAT guy.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Sure, he's small at 27, but Luka isn't that much younger at 25, and he's slow and isn't a good defender. Everyone has their limitations.

But, IMO, Luka is starting to get himself in that same tier of guys we talked about earlier... The ones who may put up nice numbers, but don't do much as far as actually help winning games. Guys like Melo, Love, Beal, etc. Luka seems like, in order to actually win meaningful games, he needs someone else to take charge. This is like KAT and Ant. KAT was a nice player before Ant arrived, but Minny did nothing with him. Insert Ant, and KAT becomes more dangerous and they're actually winning. Brunson IS the guy who takes charge and wins you the game.

Maybe things change, but that's how I'm starting to feel with Luka. Very talented and skilled, but just isn't THAT guy.

Now...I'm not saying you're wrong entirely, but we must also recall it is basically impossible for one player to do it alone. Perhaps it does make sense that the last time the Mavs did something, Luka had some help in the form of Brunson, and now they have a chance to do something outside the first round again (and maybe OKC stomps them, but too early to say yet) and Luka again has help in Kyrie. It is also possible these guys thrive next to Luka due to the intense pressure he puts on the defense, making it way easier for these other guys to take over. Or maybe he just ain't all that. One could argue this is the most talented group the Mavs have put together around Luka, so we'll see.

 

[BNB]

Now...I'm not saying you're wrong entirely, but we must also recall it is basically impossible for one player to do it alone. Perhaps it does make sense that the last time the Mavs did something, Luka had some help in the form of Brunson, and now they have a chance to do something outside the first round again (and maybe OKC stomps them, but too early to say yet) and Luka again has help in Kyrie. It is also possible these guys thrive next to Luka due to the intense pressure he puts on the defense, making it way easier for these other guys to take over. Or maybe he just ain't all that. One could argue this is the most talented group the Mavs have put together around Luka, so we'll see.

But that's the thing... Brunson is showing that he didn't thrive BECAUSE of Luka. He seems to be getting better and better as the main guy with no other stars around him.

And I'd never hold a poor team against a player. Obviously, 1 great player among garbage isn't enough to make noise. But Luka hasn't really played with garbage. Maybe they're not the best supporting cast, but I feel like they tend to fall short because Luka tries to play hero ball too often and fail.

But I'm starting to get that same feeling I got with Melo and others I mentioned. I could end up being wrong, but I think if Luka ever wants to legitimately compete for championships, he'll need to be okay with playing the role of Robin. And with Luka's game, that would be difficult for him to do since he needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

 

[clonetrooper264]

But that's the thing... Brunson is showing that he didn't thrive BECAUSE of Luka. He seems to be getting better and better as the main guy with no other stars around him.

And I'd never hold a poor team against a player. Obviously, 1 great player among garbage isn't enough to make noise. But Luka hasn't really played with garbage. Maybe they're not the best supporting cast, but I feel like they tend to fall short because Luka tries to play hero ball too often and fail.

But I'm starting to get that same feeling I got with Melo and others I mentioned. I could end up being wrong, but I think if Luka ever wants to legitimately compete for championships, he'll need to be okay with playing the role of Robin. And with Luka's game, that would be difficult for him to do since he needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

Nah I get it and was mostly just playing Devil's Advocate.

Personally though, I haven't really ever felt like Luka's supporting cast was all that great until after they made those trades this year. Like obviously yeah having Brunson two years ago is worth a lot (and it was that season that got him paid) and he had Porzingis as well in prior years (which didn't amount to much, plus the mandatory injuries), but outside of that it's a steep drop off imo. THJ has never impressed me...just a streaky shooter. He had Dinwiddie for the WCF run and that's probably the best teammate he had besides Brunson until Kyrie came. This is perhaps the first squad Luka has had where you look at the top 6-8 players and say that he has appropriate talent, relatively, at every spot.

Now let's turn it around and say that Kyrie is indeed the Batman for this team, if they have success maybe people have to put respect back on Kyrie's name.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Source: Pacers file complaint over 78 calls at MSG

The Pacers have submitted 78 plays to the NBA office that they felt went against them incorrectly during Games 1 and 2 against the Knicks, a source told ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[knoxville7]

Luka and Kyrie are a couple of lil bitches and that is why they aint making more noise. all the talent in the world, but soft as **** mentally

 

[SilenceS]

2 out of the 4 series tied 2-2. Kind of a fun playoffs.

Lets see how tonight goes. Celtics feel like the only one not going to go 6 or 7.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Mavs role players really showing up in this series. PJ Washington to me was mostly garbage shooting the ball all year, but turning up at the right time now. That Dallas defense looking pretty good too

 

[BNB]

Doncic and Irving choked this game away.

 

[knoxville7]

Doncic and Irving choked this game away.

Cuz they bitches

They are going to lose to the two guys that do that dumb fucking commercial

 

[bamainatlanta]

Doncic just had one of the most unimpressive triple doubles in playoff history.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Denver looks like they have weathered the Minnesota defensive storm

 

[SilenceS]

Denver looks like they have weathered the Minnesota defensive storm

Jokic went 8 for 9 on ISO with Gobert.

 

[Scoot26]

Denver looks like they have weathered the Minnesota defensive storm

Adjustments work.

Minnesota has to do their own now.

 

[BNB]

Adjustments work.

Minnesota has to do their own now.

Problem for them is that they have been making adjustments, but nothing is working.

 

[BNB]

OKC's inexperience and lack of size is really biting them this series. I never thought they'd make it to the finals, but figured they'd at least get to the WCF. At this rate, even with Kyrie and Luka not playing that great, they may not even get there.

 

[knoxville7]

OKC's inexperience and lack of size is really biting them this series. I never thought they'd make it to the finals, but figured they'd at least get to the WCF. At this rate, even with Kyrie and Luka not playing that great, they may not even get there.

Luka dropped a triple double last night lol

But agree on the inexperience of OKC hurting them.

 

[BNB]

This game is definitely being called in Minny's favor. Calls on Denver are mostly legit, but Minny is playing aggressive as hell and Denver isn't getting any calls.

 

[knoxville7]

This game is definitely being called in Minny's favor. Calls on Denver are mostly legit, but Minny is playing aggressive as hell and Denver isn't getting any calls.

Minnesota is pushing Denver’s shit in. Refs or no refs

Foul calls currently at 7-7 right now at almost halftime

 

[BNB]

Minnesota is pushing Denver’s shit in. Refs or no refs

Foul calls currently at 7-7 right now at almost halftime

For sure. They are definitely playing better tonight, and Denver is missing a ton of open shots too. At the time of my post, Denver had shot only 1 free throw, but there was so much contact on a lot of their shot attempts, but the refs let it go. Which I'm cool with in general, but it felt lopsided.

Murray is playing like complete ass for the 3rd time this series. Good chunk of it is Minny's defense, but he also looks like he doesn't know what to do when he has the ball.