2024-25 NBA Thread

[pwaldo]

Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins:

Taylor Jenkins fired as Grizzlies coach after six seasons - ESPN

This is a very odd time for a firing given that they're playoff seeded in the loaded West. Must be something more behind the scenes that hasn't been revealed yet. This is unprecedented for a playoff team this late into the season, IIRC.

Weird move as I can't really think of any sport where a coach on a playoff team was canned this close to the playoffs. It isn't like they were playing that badly but they are one of the young teams that basically never moved to the next level

[WilyWestbrook0]

Thunder really putting everything together as the season end draws near. The Pacers just scored 162 against the Wizards but the Thunder are dominating them tonight and that's with several guys out injured. On pace to get their ninth straight win. This is in contrast to Cleveland, who's fallen apart lately and showing major weaknesses in defense (closing out on the perimeter) and struggling with physicality. The Cavs really need to address that or I don't think they can get past Boston in the playoffs.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Large brawl in Minnesota/Detroit game last night. 7 people ejected as it spilled into the crowd. No fans appear injured, thankfully.

Video of the incident:

Definitely will see some suspensions over this.

[Boinks]

That's pretty wild.

[pwaldo]

Thunder really putting everything together as the season end draws near. The Pacers just scored 162 against the Wizards but the Thunder are dominating them tonight and that's with several guys out injured. On pace to get their ninth straight win. This is in contrast to Cleveland, who's fallen apart lately and showing major weaknesses in defense (closing out on the perimeter) and struggling with physicality. The Cavs really need to address that or I don't think they can get past Boston in the playoffs.

I think at this point it would be a huge let down if the Thunder don't win a championship this year. They were probably the favorites going in and even after Chet got hurt and the season is almost over they look like the best team. The only catch is they are unproven and play in the west with playoff experienced teams like the Warriors and Lakers. I know some people think the Nuggets can give the Thunder a run but I don't see it and outside of a NBA push to get Lebron in the finals to face the Cavs I don't see how we don't get Thunder versus Celtics. The east is pretty much set at Celtics vs Cavs and there isn't much that can realistically stop the Thunder at this point so anything different will be pretty much a shock match up.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I think at this point it would be a huge let down if the Thunder don't win a championship this year. They were probably the favorites going in and even after Chet got hurt and the season is almost over they look like the best team. The only catch is they are unproven and play in the west with playoff experienced teams like the Warriors and Lakers. I know some people think the Nuggets can give the Thunder a run but I don't see it and outside of a NBA push to get Lebron in the finals to face the Cavs I don't see how we don't get Thunder versus Celtics. The east is pretty much set at Celtics vs Cavs and there isn't much that can realistically stop the Thunder at this point so anything different will be pretty much a shock match up.

I was just thinking about their expectations now that they're set to likely have the biggest positive point differential in NBA history for the regular season (beating their opponents by an average of 13 more points a game). They won't win 70 (Houston played them well last night, but they were at home, and OKC still won the season series 3-2) but they'll be close.

I remember prior to the season, the expectations were to make the Western Conference Finals. But since they've dominated so much this time around, yeah, I think they have to win at all this point or it will be disappointing. At the very least they need to make the Finals. But since they only lost once to an Eastern team this season (not counting the NBA cup loss to Milwaukee; they lost once to Cleveland), they should in theory be able to handle whoever comes out East as well, Boston included.

As you point out, they are unproven in the playoffs though, and I want to see how they handle playoff pressure with greater defensive physicality and more pressure on SGA. They were especially a terrible rebounding team in that Dallas series, but now they have I-Hart and Dallas doesn't have Luka anymore, so I think they can do better there. What I really think is the question now is how much the supporting cast will help out SGA. Can Jalen Williams step up? I do think their depth will help them a lot as a lot of the Western teams have loaded star teams but not a lot of depth, with Denver being perhaps the prime example. But still, the Thunder need to show they can do it in the playoffs. There are no more excuses this time around, so it's time for them to win.

[pwaldo]

I remember prior to the season, the expectations were to make the Western Conference Finals. But since they've dominated so much this time around, yeah, I think they have to win at all this point or it will be disappointing. At the very least they need to make the Finals. But since they only lost once to an Eastern team this season (not counting the NBA cup loss to Milwaukee; they lost once to Cleveland), they should in theory be able to handle whoever comes out East as well, Boston included.

Yeah I have no fear that they can't held the east opponent. The issue was always what the teams in the west would do to stop them. And remember this is all while they missed Chet for a big chunk which in theory should have hurt them but you look at their record and just go wow what would they have accomplished with a fully healthy team. But that doesn't always happen so like I said the Lakers adding Luka and the Warriors adding Butler are really the only threats to them barring a horrible injury or choke job. You have to respect the Warriors with Butler in a playoff series but the only way I think the Lakers topple them is if the league tries to tilt the scales because they don't want a Cavs Thunder match up from happening. Anything else I don't think they really care. Lakers Cavs Lakers Celtics and Thunder Celtics is all a win for them. Now if the league goes that route or it is even close enough for them to do that is another thing but I'm always wary of them pulling stuff from the Blazers/Lakers and Kings/Lakers days. So once the Thunder get by them and just have somebody out east to face I think they should be able to wrap up a championship pretty easily. It isn't like the Celtics have that much more NBA Finals experience and while I don't want to discount what the Cavs have done this season the east was again terrible and I can't really gauge the quality versus the west. I mean if you had all the teams in one large division most of the east teams would be a joke.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Yeah I have no fear that they can't held the east opponent. The issue was always what the teams in the west would do to stop them. And remember this is all while they missed Chet for a big chunk which in theory should have hurt them but you look at their record and just go wow what would they have accomplished with a fully healthy team. But that doesn't always happen so like I said the Lakers adding Luka and the Warriors adding Butler are really the only threats to them barring a horrible injury or choke job. You have to respect the Warriors with Butler in a playoff series but the only way I think the Lakers topple them is if the league tries to tilt the scales because they don't want a Cavs Thunder match up from happening. Anything else I don't think they really care. Lakers Cavs Lakers Celtics and Thunder Celtics is all a win for them. Now if the league goes that route or it is even close enough for them to do that is another thing but I'm always wary of them pulling stuff from the Blazers/Lakers and Kings/Lakers days. So once the Thunder get by them and just have somebody out east to face I think they should be able to wrap up a championship pretty easily. It isn't like the Celtics have that much more NBA Finals experience and while I don't want to discount what the Cavs have done this season the east was again terrible and I can't really gauge the quality versus the west. I mean if you had all the teams in one large division most of the east teams would be a joke.

Good call on Lakers and Luka being a threat. They're totally embarrassing the Thunder today. Definitely a wake-up call for OKC to figure some things out as the playoffs near.

[pwaldo]

Good call on Lakers and Luka being a threat. They're totally embarrassing the Thunder today. Definitely a wake-up call for OKC to figure some things out as the playoffs near.

Yeah I don't see anybody in the East as a threat to the Thunder but the Lakers and the Warriors at least are going to be a hurdle for the Thunder to have to get by before a title is looking safe for them.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Nuggets fire Coach Michael Malone, less than two years after he coached them to their first championship:

Nuggets fire coach Michael Malone, won't extend GM Calvin Booth - ESPN

I really do not understand these late season coach firings on playoff bound teams out West. The Grizzlies one was bad enough, but the Nuggets? No one can come in there and take over and expect to lead that team to a title on such short notice. Sounds like they've given up on even trying for another title this year. I guess they think Jokic just doesn't have the supporting cast to beat the Thunder, Lakers, or Rockets? Still, such an awful thing to do to the guy who's been such a great coach for them for years. Just no decency for these teams to even wait until after the season before firing anymore. I hate this trend.