Zimbra Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 The Starters (nee The Basketball Jones) celebrated their 10 year anniversary yesterday with a really long retrospective podcast. Most interesting tidbit is that they tried to hire Tom Ziller to edit the blog, but he wouldn't leave Sacramento so they got Kerby instead. Anyway, the whole thing is worth a listen if you're in to that kind of deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Brian, what are your thoughts on Zach Lowe's comments regarding Drummond's issues: Drummond isn't as good on defense as he should be, and privately, the Pistons wish he would play harder. He reaches instead of sliding his feet; leaps late for shots he has no chance to block; and takes off-kilter angles defending the pick-and-roll. Still, he's a fearsome leaper, a more frightening deterrent than Vucevic or Monroe, and his hands are so quick, all that reaching nets nearly two steals per game -- a killer mark for a big man. The entire article is a great read but I found that the most interesting piece. And the section on Davis/Pelicans' team D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I think he's twenty-two, was one of the rawest prospects I've ever seen when they drafted him, and his improved every year. The complaints are valid, but given that he's already the best rebounder in the NBA, arguably the best finisher on the pick and roll, and is starting to find s low post game, and is a decent shot blocker and surprisingly excellent at stealing the ball... I'm willing to live with bad footwork on defense, terrible passing out of the post, etc. Because I think he's gonna keep getting better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 (Also, on his Marcus Morris point: I think eventually it's going to be Stanley Johnson at the three and Marcus at the four with Reggie/Drummond/KCP in clutch time. Stanley just isn't quite ready yet.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 And Kemba Walker dropped 52 in a double overtime win. UCONNNNNN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Rockets fouling intentionally five times to start the third so they can play Hack-a-Andre/make him sit down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 11-30 so far from the stripe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Fuck you Houston. DEE-TROIT BASKETBALL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Parsons was great tonight. T-Wolves always hang tough, but they need more experience for these close, late games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Someone must've hypnotized Gordon Heyward to make him be Steph Curry tonight at MSG as he literally could not miss, including tying the game at the end of regulation with 3 ft's after an incredibly stupid foul by Porzingis. Thankfully Knicks won in OT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Apparently, getting their asses kicked in Detroit was the wake up call Golden State needed. I'm so sorry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Apparently, getting their asses kicked in Detroit was the wake up call Golden State needed. I'm so sorry. GSW vs. San Antonio on Monday. Legitimate question: When was the last time there were two teams this good in one season? I don't think it's hyperbole to say these are two all-time great teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 So, Fred... Fred lost that game against GSW 6 minutes in. If you go 1-20 from 3 you're not going to win anyways I guess, but he took Rose out at 12-11 halfway through the 1st. Rose had 10 of those points. Score at the end of the first? 35-17. Snell, Mcdermott and Mirotic were right on schedule last night by the way They each play well 2 out of every 10 games and this was one of those 4 other games. I miss Mike Thugleavy so much. It's hard to complain about Pau, who had an awful game, because he is usually so consistent. His stats are still somehow empty even though we need every single point and rebound.. Anyone catch that sequence where Bogut snagged 2 offensive rebounds on the same possession? If I could, I would GIF that play just so you all could see Pau. The dude is standing in the paint right below the FT line THE WHOLE TIME. Like, his feet didn't move even though GSW had 3 shots in that stretch. Incredible. What's worse is that attitude rubs off on guys who don't have the "I'm an old 7 footer" excuse. Ok. That's enough negatives for one day. Let's look at this shiny graphic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 GSW vs. San Antonio on Monday. Legitimate question: When was the last time there were two teams this good in one season? It won't show up in the records because Miami was coasting and it was a short season, but OKC and Miami in 2011-2012. Maybe not as consistently great as either of these teams, but I would say they were similarly unstoppable in peak form. Of course OKC went on to make that super tough Perkins vs. Harden vs. cap penalty decision. Wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 The Heat and Spurs years were awesome. Both teams coasted a lot but that's fine. But I think th Spurs now are the best they've ever been with Aldridge and especially Leonard. And Golden State would run the Heat all over the place. Miami's trapping defense was insane but the Dubs have one of the all-time best collection of ball handlers. I think that's what they do better than anyone ever -- they have like seven guys who can bring the ball up the floor, including Green and Bogut. That's just sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 ESPN ranked the top 10 players of all time for each position. I think the most interesting ranking was having Dirk above Sir Charles at PF. First was Timmy, then they had Malone, followed by Dirk at 3 and Chuck at 4. I'd think Barkley's rebounding would definitely give him an edge because they scored the same PPG and Chuck's shooting percentage is noticeably higher (obv because of difficulty of shots/distance). Plus, you'll never see Dirk run the court like Barkley did for the 76ers and Suns. This is not to demean Dirk's awesome career, but I just can't fathom picking Dirk ahead of Charles fucking Barkley. If it's the championship argument, that '93 Suns team was great and gave one of the best teams of all time a helluva run for their money. Barkley joked the other day that he wasn't any good defensively but that's not true. While Nowitzki is probably a little underrated for his contributions in his own end, he wasn't nearly as good as Barkley. I thought Dirk would probably have a higher playoffs WS/48 but they're identical at .193. Chuck's career efficiency rating is a tad higher. What do you have to say? I'll admit that Barkley was one of my favourites growing up (though I was too young to see his best days in Philly), but I've always held Dirk in very high regard too. They also had Rodman behind Pau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I think the whole "6th all-time in scoring" plus the title pushed Dirk ahead of Chuck. I want to talk about how MAYOR ZAZA was 15,000 votes away from being an All-Star starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Tim Duncan is not a power forward. Even Pop eventually admitted that. He's a center on a team that sometimes used/uses a two center lineup. But looking at those four, Barkley loses out when you take longevity into account. Timmy, Mailman and Dirk all continue/continued to pay fantastic ball for over 15 years. Sir Charles was basically a walking injury his last three or four years. Dirk is still the centerpiece to a really good offense today, at roughly 93 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Tim Duncan is not a power forward. Even Pop eventually admitted that. He's a center on a team that sometimes used/uses a two center lineup. But looking at those four, Barkley loses out when you take longevity into account. Timmy, Mailman and Dirk all continue/continued to pay fantastic ball for over 15 years. Sir Charles was basically a walking injury his last three or four years. Dirk is still the centerpiece to a really good offense today, at roughly 93 years old. Barkley is a guy we probably don't remember well enough, he was essentially a 6'4" fat power forward who was flat out unstoppable. There will never be another Charles Barkley. He's also the player who I think is the most interesting, "what if they played now?" guy. If it was something emphasized when he was in the league I think he would have been a devastating stretch 4. He is always talking about how basketball now isn't as good as it was when he was playing, but he'd have been better in this era than probably any other. How would you possibly defend him, if he had developed a reliable 3 point shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Barkley was fucking amazing in his prime, no question about that. One of my favorite guys growing up. But even if you definitely think he was better than Dirk, do you want the 12 or so good Barkley years more than the 17 from Dirk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Wasn't Barkley playing alot at the 3 in Phoenix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I'll take the 12 great Barkley years. Players played less time in his era, conditioning was not really a focus when he came into the league, they were just happy you weren't on cocaine. Dirk has been great, but Barkley is probably one of the 5 most unique players ever. Dirk is the evolutionary Arvydas Sabonis(Fuck, I wish he would have been in the NBA longer), he was a big guy who could play on the perimeter like a small guy. Barkley was the size of a portly shooting guard, could run the floor like someone 50 lbs. lighter, but could rebound with someone 6 inches taller. He was one of the first true inside out players in the league, he was a great post player a really good perimeter player and the most devastating player on a fast break ever. Can you imagine trying to stop him from getting to the rim if you couldn't hand check him? Can you imagine him being as chubby as he was then if he played now? Wouldn't he have been forced to develop a 3 point shot? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Pistons got their asses kicked tonight, but Andre had 19-22. His ninth 20+ rebound game, still more than the rest of the league combined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydneybrown Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 So I feel old on a regular basis anyway. But Jesus Christ, as I write this, it's about to be TEN YEARS since Kobe scored 81? Can someone hurry up and invent something to make time stop going so fast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 GSW vs. San Antonio on Monday. Legitimate question: When was the last time there were two teams this good in one season? It won't show up in the records because Miami was coasting and it was a short season, but OKC and Miami in 2011-2012. Maybe not as consistently great as either of these teams, but I would say they were similarly unstoppable in peak form. Of course OKC went on to make that super tough Perkins vs. Harden vs. cap penalty decision. Wait... Until the Spurs hit the wall against OKC, it was the Spurs and Bulls who were the favorites to win it in 2012. They both had 50 wins in a shortened season. In fact the Spurs were in the midst of a 20 game win streak at the end (reg season and playoffs) until the Thunder took them out in 6, winning 4 straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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