NBA Thread

"Playoff Jimmy" is a top 10 player in the league. The idea this isn't an upgrade (if you are getting playoff jimmy) is absurd. The argument against is about health, motivation, age, durability - these are fair...but to suggest it isn't an upgrade is just silly.
 
In all fairness - this IS a risky trade for GSW and it's even riskier since they are reportedly going to extend him. But i guess they didn't view Wiggins as part of their future core and I don't think there are many (I guess outside of the Bay Area) who would argue that Butler isn't an upgrade over Wiggins.
 
Maybe it’s an upgrade on paper for people who don’t watch every minute of every Warriors game. Steph and Kerr didn’t want him. In the studio tonight Chris Mullin and Festus were confused and scrambling to put a positive light on it. Mullin is too nice and careful to say anything even borderline critical of a move like this, but his face said it all and Festus openly questioned the move.

This is not “Playoff Jimmy’s” or any Jimmy’s team, where he’s the best player and leader and has free reign. It’s Steph’s team, and a system team. Totally different dynamic from the ones where Butler flourished. Dude is a ball stopper who chews up the shot clock, about as anti-Warriors offensively as it gets. And that’s before you get to locker room culture.

Maybe he can adapt. But I’ll believe it when I see it.
 
“Curry added that he was going to watch Butler’s Miami film to see how he and the Warriors could help ease Butler’s transition to their style of play. Expect Butler to have some “free reign,” Curry said, but the longtime Warriors franchise star also noted that Golden State needed to “be ourselves too.””

This is not a guy excited about the move. This is a guy choosing his words carefully (as always) and trying to play the hand he’s been dealt.
 
duluoz said:
Maybe he can adapt. But I’ll believe it when I see it.
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With the grinder wins at NYK and home against a hot Detroit tonight, I’ve seen enough to happily eat some crow over my skepticism on the Butler trade. He has absolutely been able to adapt and be a connector, and has unlocked Steph again, who’s killing it lately. It’s not a your turn/my turn thing either, which had so many Warriors fans doubting the move. He’s fit into the offense well, and has only hunted shots at the right time, mainly to get to the line as a means of controlling game flow. That’s the one thing Wiggins didn’t do nearly well enough, his basketball IQ just wasn’t on the same level and he didn’t look to penetrate as much as he should’ve.

And not a single run-in with anyone so far, not even Dray. Though it’s still the honeymoon phase.

Will be interesting to see how things flow when Kuminga finally comes back, which will be anytime now. But that original apprehension has vanished thanks to the heater they’ve been on.

Butler doesn’t get all the credit though, since Buddy Hield has finally been more consistent shooting again, and Podziemski and Moody have been healthier and playing great on both ends, and Quinten Post has been a huge discovery as a stretch 5. Dude can’t miss, shooting 43% from 3 and taking the starting role. Things looking up in the Bay.
 
Nobody watching the playoffs I guess. It’s been a fantastic first round. Lots of grinders, crazy finishes.

Denver with a Lorenzo Charles finish earlier after a miraculous Clips 4th Q comeback fell short.
 
More great games, big comebacks, wire jobs, controversial calls, scuffles…
Gotta be the most exciting first round ever at this point. I can’t recall a better one.
 
Eastern Conference playoffs have been mostly a waste of time.

What JJ Redick did in game 4 was mind-boggling by any standards. I've read that most people around the Lakes are pretty happy with his coaching. Can't argue with the results. But playing 5 total players in the second half -- that's right, five players played 24 minutes in the second half for the Lakers -- I mean wtf? Let's consider some factors:

1. His best player is 40 and has the most minutes played in NBA history by a lot. He had already played 22 minutes in the first half.
2. His second best player is fat and out of shape, and also had a stomach virus about 36 hours before.
3. The iron five included no center, which meant that they had to defend the extremely physical Julius Randle and the Wolves' big men with a PF and 2 SFs -- Lebron, Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura. Obviously Lebron is capable of banging, but it's tiring and makes those 46 minutes seem even longer.

If only JJ Redick had any experience with playing a lot of minutes, and then getting some fatigue, and then not playing very well in key moments, and then getting bounced early on in a tournament his team was favored to win . . .
 
superrific said:
Eastern Conference playoffs have been mostly a waste of time.

What JJ Redick did in game 4 was mind-boggling by any standards. I've read that most people around the Lakes are pretty happy with his coaching. Can't argue with the results. But playing 5 total players in the second half -- that's right, five players played 24 minutes in the second half for the Lakers -- I mean wtf? Let's consider some factors:

1. His best player is 40 and has the most minutes played in NBA history by a lot. He had already played 22 minutes in the first half.
2. His second best player is fat and out of shape, and also had a stomach virus about 36 hours before.
3. The iron five included no center, which meant that they had to defend the extremely physical Julius Randle and the Wolves' big men with a PF and 2 SFs -- Lebron, Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura. Obviously Lebron is capable of banging, but it's tiring and makes those 46 minutes seem even longer.

If only JJ Redick had any experience with playing a lot of minutes, and then getting some fatigue, and then not playing very well in key moments, and then getting bounced early on in a tournament his team was favored to win . . .
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East hasn't been “mostly a waste of time” IMO, but not nearly as good as the West. The Pistons/Knicks series has been a LOT of fun, with the last three games decided by a total of 9 points, and Detroit a no-call away from tying the series 2-2. That last game was one of the best of the playoffs, which is very high praise. Super fun game.

Boston/Orlando has been very chippy, if not very pretty. Bucks started to show life, but Lillard is a crushing blow all around. Feel terrible for him.

Regarding Redick, shocker — the guy’s still a prick. His smug disdain for everyone is palpable (except Luka, lebron, Austin, and of course bronny), including his bench, and especially the media. It was partly a stunt, and based on the 3rd Q before they apparently ran out of gas, it almost worked. But it was also partly a message to his bench, to the media, and to the front office that he doesn’t have enough to win, and hey everyone look at what drastic measures he has to resort to, waaaah.
 
duluoz said:
East hasn't been “mostly a waste of time” IMO, but not nearly as good as the West. The Pistons/Knicks series has been a LOT of fun, with the last three games decided by a total of 9 points, and Detroit a no-call away from tying the series 2-2. That last game was one of the best of the playoffs, which is very high praise. Super fun game.

Boston/Orlando has been very chippy, if not very pretty. Bucks started to show life, but Lillard is a crushing blow all around. Feel terrible for him.

Regarding Redick, shocker — the guy’s still a prick. His smug disdain for everyone is palpable (except Luka, lebron, Austin, and of course bronny), including his bench, and especially the media. It was partly a stunt, and based on the 3rd Q before they apparently ran out of gas, it almost worked. But it was also partly a message to his bench, to the media, and to the front office that he doesn’t have enough to win, and hey everyone look at what drastic measures he has to resort to, waaaah.
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1. I forgot about Det-NYK. Have only been watching sporadically and that series hasn't been on. You're right.
2. Boston-Orlando isn't a real series. Orl won one game lucky, and they won't win again. It's hard for me to care about any games in a series that was over before it started.
3. You're reading A LOT into bench management in a single half of a single game.
 
superrific said:
3. You're reading A LOT into bench management in a single half of a single game.
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Maybe. It’s possible it was just a miscalculated gamble that didn’t pay off.

But as calculated as Redick is, I see more to it than that. I see it as a gamble with a safety net — if it works, it’s “brilliant” and historic. If it doesn’t, he claims his hands were tied and he had no better alternative… and it highlights the roster needs.

But either way, it’s a clear sign of disrespect for the bench. It can’t do much for locker room chemistry. You think those guys want to go to war for you after you just humiliated them in historic fashion?
 
Keeping up with results and catching a few games here and there

But still haven't been watching this season for whatever reason

I am looking forward to the 2nd round matchups
 
duluoz said:
Maybe. It’s possible it was just a miscalculated gamble that didn’t pay off.

But as calculated as Redick is, I see more to it than that. I see it as a gamble with a safety net — if it works, it’s “brilliant” and historic. If it doesn’t, he claims his hands were tied and he had no better alternative… and it highlights the roster needs.

But either way, it’s a clear sign of disrespect for the bench. It can’t do much for locker room chemistry. You think those guys want to go to war for you after you just humiliated them in historic fashion?
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I don’t think I was too far off with this assessment of how Redick managed the bench in that series. That historic second half was followed by using Maxi Kleber, who hadn’t played in months due to injury. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t effective.

That’s another move that could be questioned as inexperienced, a total reach, etc. And don’t get me wrong, Redick has shown plenty immaturity. But these moves were because things were slipping away and he wanted to send a clear message to the front office that he doesn’t have the pieces he thinks he needs. Even if he couldn’t come right out and say it. But he lost that locker room in the process, and there are big questions to contend with in the offseason.

In either case, bahahahaha lakers and lebron and Luka and Redick, and I hope Cancun has a jet ski with training wheels waiting for bronny 😎
 
I love that the Warriors gutted out a long tough series with their backs squarely against the wall, and what an effort by Steph and Jimmy in that second half to bring it home after lousy first halves by both. I don’t love that it required a total anomaly of a game by Buddy (he was out of his mind — 33/3/3 on 12-15, 9-11 from 3, no turnovers and fantastic D on FVV)… And I don’t love that Steph seems pretty worn down already and has a monstrous looking shooting thumb, that the dirty f’ing rockets took aim at all series long. Scumbags.

But I still like their chances to get by the Wolves. It’ll be tough, they’re very confident right now. And more rested.
 
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