2023-24 NBA Thread

[pwaldo]

Yeah the East contenders have basically lowered the bar (aside from the Celtics) to the point that the Cavs and Knicks are real postseason threats to reach the NBA Finals. Out west I really wouldn't count out anybody in that top 10 yet though I think for a bunch of teams you would have to imagine a big stretch to have some of them reaching the NBA Finals. I think it will really come down to the first round pairings. If you get Clippers-Nuggets and Suns-Lakers in the first round that is going to eliminate a lot of top contenders right off the bat. So with the right path I could see the Mavericks making the NBA Finals this year. Not likely but I wouldn't count them out yet with Luka.

[WilyWestbrook0]

All-Star weekend is upcoming. Not sure how much I'll watch other than any McClung dunks that might make the Tube, and maybe the 3 pt contest.

It's funny to read about all the criticism of the All-Star game proper last year as allegedly the worst ever; I watched it and thought it was about typical for what the game had become in the last decade, which was mainly a light hearted dunk and 3 point fest with very little competitiveness. Yeah it was often corny, but it's been that way for awhile. But apparently Michael Malone and a lot of others had enough and decided that was the last straw and it needs to just be entirely fixed. I mean, in a sense I'm glad they want to try and fix it and make it more competitive like it was in the 1990s and early 2000s, but at the same time, we're in an era where everything is run and move and shoot so you can't play as much physical defense anyway, so is it realistic to expect the games to be like they were 20-30 years ago? I don't even know if there's some kind of happy medium they can achieve there. I only sporadically watch the game itself as it is; historically I've always followed the dunk and 3 pt contests more. Maybe I'll watch and see if it's really changed this year, but I won't be surprised if it's more or less the same old that it's been for 5-10 years.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Ok I tuned in, but this was a terrible weekend all around. I turned the game off at halftime. The dunk contest was awful; McClung wasn't as good as he was last year, but he won because his competition was atrocious. The skills competition was overlong and repetitive. The only things I really enjoyed were the 3 pt shooting contests.

[pwaldo]

I don't think I've ever watched an NBA All Star game. Jordan, Bird/Magic, Shaq didn't care. There really was never a point to it and they can't do anything to make me watch one. Never missed a dunk contest or 3 point contest for a period though until they basically made them meaningless. I even remember watching those MTV jock jam basketball games with the 10 point / 25 point shot thing all the time though. Can' remember if any active NBA players played in it but that wouldn't work now either.

[WilyWestbrook0]

LOL, I remember Jock Jam and watched it a few times back in the 1990s. Antonio Daniels made a reference to it in a game last year, which was really funny as I wondered how many people actually remembered it.

What the NBA probably needs to do is completely overhaul the All-Star weekend like the NFL did with the Pro Bowl recently.

[pwaldo]

LOL, I remember Jock Jam and watched it a few times back in the 1990s. Antonio Daniels made a reference to it in a game last year, which was really funny as I wondered how many people actually remembered it.

Yeah I don't think the average age of an NBA fan is old enough to even remember that. I always watched the basketball one and the baseball one they had. Basketball one was way better but now I"ll have to check youtube to see if anybody uploaded these from old VHS tapes or something.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I almost woke my toddler up when Max Strus hit this amazing game winning shot tonight:



From 59 feet, it's the second longest game winner ever recorded.

He hit five total three-pointers in the fourth quarter to help the Cavs come back from a double digit deficit. Really an amazing performance; glad I got to see it.

[Theodor Madison]

So about the Wembanyama hype...he certainly looks to be the most versatile and skilled player I've seen at his height. But there's really no precedent in NBA history for a player his size having longevity. The taller a person is, the more injury-prone. I think Rik Smits is the only player 7-4 and taller who had a relatively long and healthy career. Ralph Sampson, a player Wembanyama is often compared to and also similar height, was a great talent, but had just three healthy seasons and was pretty much done by age 30. Yao Ming, a player I remember well from the 2000s, was 7-6 and also didn't have a long career -- only four fully healthy seasons, and seven statistically significant ones at 40 games or more. Sampson and Ming were both pretty much done by 30. Most players of more typical height (6-7 or so) can play well into their 30s -- look at LeBron. Almost all the all-time greats were still very good and relatively healthy at 30-35, but no player of Wembanyama's height has ever had a dominant career lasting that long. If he were more of Kareem's height (7-2), I'd have less concern, but I really question whether he can play great for an extended number of years at 7-5. If he does, it will be unprecedented in league history.

I agree with you an all you said about tall, lanky players. Not many have done well. like Kareem, Smits.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I do hope Wembanyama can be the exception. He's been on a roll lately and it's very impressive to watch how he's been developing already in just his rookie season. He's gotten his percentages up and has shown an increasingly competitive spirit in recent games. I'm seeing signs of what Kevin Garnett might have looked like if he were a few inches taller and had a 3 point shot, and Garnett was an amazing player -- to be like him, but even better, would make Wemby a first ballot HOFer easy if he can stay healthy and the Spurs start winning games. For now, I'm just enjoying the process and wish him the best in the future.

As for the rest of the league, how about Boston's 50 point beatdown of the Dubs? It's Boston's third 50 point blowout this season, which I believe I read was an NBA record. Curry missed all nine of his 3 pointers and had just 2 baskets on the night; probably his worst game as a pro (has he ever NOT made a 3 point shot in a game?). I know it's just the regular season, but Boston has been the top team in the league overall for quite some time now. They should easily make the ECF again. I think their only real competition out East again will be the Heat, who always cruise in the regular season only to lock down in the playoffs. I'm still not sold on the Bucks even though they're finally starting to play better with Doc. They already miss Jrue's perimeter defense in the regular season; that will only get amplified in the playoffs. And the Cavs just don't have the toughness, or New York the playoff experience, or Philly the health (Embiid won't really have the time to get back in full playoff shape by the time he returns, IMO).

I predict we'll see a Celtics/Nuggets Finals.

[Theodor Madison]

Though the Celtics have top record, I worry they won't get out of the conference finals if they meet a team like the Heat. Celtics can't live on the three pointers. Nuggets are tough no matter what. would like to see the Nuggets come out of the West, if not the Clippers.
Hope the Celtics win it all but that is what I said last year.
Wanted the Forty niners, to win it all this and last year, how did that Go?