NBA 2022-23 Part 2: Everyone Scores 50

[Kingspoint]

What a great win for Portland tonight.

They lose Nurk 2 minutes into the game to a leg injury.

They are down 17-5 to halfway through the first.

They lose Grant to a concussion protocol at Halftime.

Simons leaves early in the 3rd w/ 4 fouls.

Dame has a 7-pt play, he hits a 75-footer at the end of the 3rd that just missed the shotclock, and the Blazers get a huge monkey off their back ending an 8-game road losing streak, and they do it against a very good Memphis team. Chauncey went with 4 Guards most of the 2nd Half, a combination of Dame, Payton, Sharpe, Ant and Hart. Watford played significant minutes and did very well. He hasn't this season. Little isn't as aggessive as he needs to be and Chauncey removed him for it. Little has hit about 55% from "3" since his return on about 2.5 attempts per game.

Eubanks was very good tonight. Their Defense was much better tonight than their 28th-ranked Defense over the last 2 weeks (#1 ranked Offense thanks to Dame). Wins they have had lately have been fools gold because of their lack of Defense, simply riding the hot stretch of Lillard during this time. Tonight's game was different, though, and shows some hope.

Outstanding game tonight on both ends of the floor.

[Kingspoint]

Tari Eason has 12 Offensive Rebounds in 19 minutes with 3 minutes to play vs OKC in a tight game.

What great picks of Sengun and Eason for the Rockets.

[SteelSD]

Geez. Orlando. Young, healthy, and with a great deal of length threw another scare into Philly after taking the W on Monday. Again, the Magic were solid on closeouts before the Sixers broke through in the second half, but continued to frustrate Philly to the tune of 18 turnovers. Orlando used their size again to take the offensive rebounding battle and put up nine more shots. Had they been any better at all from deep (6-38, 15.8%), the Magic would have taken another one from the Sixers.

Interesting plan for Orlando. They appear to be using "Toronto" methodology- going with a lot of length across the court while relying on their size to occupy passing lanes, close out on three-point shooters, and frustrate opponents into turnovers- turning them into easy transition points. Really good energy and with a few more reliable shooters, it might pay off.

[Kingspoint]

Wow! Curry missed a wide-open 15-footer and uncharacteristically left 5 seconds on the clock in a tie game. Now MIN has a chance to win it.

Go T-Wolves!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Minnesota needs a Point Guard.

- - - Updated - - -

Geez. Orlando. Young, healthy, and with a great deal of length threw another scare into Philly after taking the W on Monday. Again, the Magic were solid on closeouts before the Sixers broke through in the second half, but continued to frustrate Philly to the tune of 18 turnovers. Orlando used their size again to take the offensive rebounding battle and put up nine more shots. Had they been any better at all from deep (6-38, 15.8%), the Magic would have taken another one from the Sixers.

Interesting plan for Orlando. They appear to be using "Toronto" methodology- going with a lot of length across the court while relying on their size to occupy passing lanes, close out on three-point shooters, and frustrate opponents into turnovers- turning them into easy transition points. Really good energy and with a few more reliable shooters, it might pay off.

No Jonathan Isaac tonight, either. Banchero shot them out of victory.

[Kingspoint]

That should be a foul on Poole. His arms came down and did not stay straight up. Instead a foul was called on MIN. Not right. And, then Russell is out of the game five seconds later on another foul. I actually think it's a good thing. Russell's decisions at the end of regulation weren't good.

[Kingspoint]

Need Edwards to take over this game the last 1:43.

He did.

And, then Naz Reid with the OMG! to finish it.

Super night from Naz Reid. I can't believe MIN is thinking of trading Reid.

[Betterread]

Need Edwards to take over this game the last 1:43.

He did.

And, then Naz Reid with the OMG! to finish it.

Super night from Naz Reid. I can't believe MIN is thinking of trading Reid.

Yeah, Naz’s finish was bodacious. Wish he had made the two open threes he missed before that dunk. He’s going to be a free agent next year and he will demand and get a big multi year offer. Twolves probably won’t be able to afford him.
The Twolves played like crap, but I guess you don’t need to be your best to beat the champs on the road this year. They whined about the officiating all game even though I thought they got a lot of soft calls. Ant did a lot of whining also. It was Fface Malloy.

[Revering4Blue]

I was thinking it was insurance for Isaiah Jackson, letting Jackson bloom properly, while setting him up to be the Starter in 2025-26, and a 28-minute rotational player in 2024-25. Big guys always take longer to blossom.

Oh, I don’t really have an issue with the Turner extension, especially since it’s only for two years. It’s just frustrating to see Jackson receiving more than token minutes only when Smith, who has been largely a disappointment this season, is sidelined. Ditto for Goga, who only plays when Turner is out, and barely sees the floor.

I suspect they’ll also force-feed Theis minutes once he his healthy as they’re trying to win now. And again, their ceiling - unless they outbid everyone for Anunoby, which is possible - is winning the play-in tournament for the right to be flicked away in the first round. In any case, I will posit more minutes for Jackson, with his ability to switch out and guard on the perimeter, which none of their other bigs can do, should be playing more if the objective is to win now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Betterread]

Need Edwards to take over this game the last 1:43.

He did.

And, then Naz Reid with the OMG! to finish it.

Super night from Naz Reid. I can't believe MIN is thinking of trading Reid.

Yeah, Naz’s finish was bodacious. Wish he had made the two open threes he missed before that dunk. He’s going to be a free agent next year and he will demand and get a big multi year offer. Twolves probably won’t be able to afford him.
The Twolves played like crap, but I guess you don’t need to be your best to beat the champs on the road this year.
GS had 71 pts in the first half and 39 in the second.

[Kingspoint]

Oh, I don’t really have an issue with the Turner extension, especially since it’s only for two years. It’s just frustrating to see Jackson receiving more than token minutes only when Smith, who has been largely a disappointment this season, is sidelined. Ditto for Goga, who only plays when Turner is out, and barely sees the floor.

I suspect they’ll also force-feed Theis minutes once he his healthy as they’re trying to win now. And again, their ceiling - unless they outbid everyone for Anunoby, which is possible - is winning the play-in tournament for the right to be flicked away in the first round. In any case, I will posit more minutes for Jackson, with his ability to switch out and guard on the perimeter, which none of their other bigs can do, should be playing more if the objective is to win now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I understand Theis is ready to play in the next game and that Indiana has no interest in trading him (in other words, they won't play him to showcase him like the Rockets have with Eric Gordon the last few games). Is that true?

Stotts learned almost everything he knows from Carlisle. Stotts has always insisted that if you jack up enough "3"'s you can win a game. Does Carlisle go that route? (noticed that MIN, different subject, got up 50 tonight without Gobert in the lineup...as SteelSD mentioned, ORL couldn't hit a brick wall and continued to take them, missing 32 of 38)

What type of style does Carlisle (and Pritchard, and I assume they are on the same page) want this team to play?

[Kingspoint]

Yeah, Naz’s finish was bodacious. Wish he had made the two open threes he missed before that dunk. He’s going to be a free agent next year and he will demand and get a big multi year offer. Twolves probably won’t be able to afford him.
The Twolves played like crap, but I guess you don’t need to be your best to beat the champs on the road this year.
GS had 71 pts in the first half and 39 in the second.

The reason I mentioned that MIN needs a PG is because a quality PG would not have resulted in Edwards going 0-4 in the 4th Quarter and not getting to the foul line. While Russell scored 29 points tonight, he only had 2 Assists. That's terrible and it's exactly what the Offense looked like when he was running it...everybody else stand around and watch. I think I'd rather have Edwards play Point until they get the right PG to play next to him.

[Betterread]

The reason I mentioned that MIN needs a PG is because a quality PG would not have resulted in Edwards going 0-4 in the 4th Quarter and not getting to the foul line. While Russell scored 29 points tonight, he only had 2 Assists. That's terrible and it's exactly what the Offense looked like when he was running it...everybody else stand around and watch. I think I'd rather have Edwards play Point until they get the right PG to play next to him.

I agree, and would add that they need a PG who is a good perimeter defender.

[KoryMac5]

Walker Kessler continues to be the steal of the draft 18 pts and 14 rebounds the other night while shooting 80%. He also had 7 blocks...woof...

Another reason the Gobert trade is an epic win for Ainge.

[Revering4Blue]

I understand Theis is ready to play in the next game and that Indiana has no interest in trading him (in other words, they won't play him to showcase him like the Rockets have with Eric Gordon the last few games). Is that true?

Stotts learned almost everything he knows from Carlisle. Stotts has always insisted that if you jack up enough "3"'s you can win a game. Does Carlisle go that route? (noticed that MIN, different subject, got up 50 tonight without Gobert in the lineup...as SteelSD mentioned, ORL couldn't hit a brick wall and continued to take them, missing 32 of 38)

What type of style does Carlisle (and Pritchard, and I assume they are on the same page) want this team to play?

Theis is questionable for tonight’s game against the Lakers. We’ll see.

While they’re certainly capable of stringing five wins or so together once Haliburton returns, they still lack long term solutions at wing - not true guards. IMHO, that should be the focus at the deadline or offseason at the latest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Revering4Blue]

I agree, and would add that they need a PG who is a good perimeter defender.

Idea: Reid and Moore Jr. to Brooklyn for Sumner and Sharpe?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk