AROUND the NBA:

[Chicagojk]

The two marquee franchises are at an interesting spot.Boston looks primed to be the favorite to come out of the east. What a freakin amazing season from them. Even in a weakened east, I never thought they would be where they are now. Now they have Tatum back! There are other contenders but to me they are the clear favorite.

The lakers on the other hand look set at 4 or 5, with a ton of injury questions. Now after an awesome march, Laker fans are wondering if the season will end in another whimper and early first round exit again.


The season rally needs to be shortened. The end of the season seeing rush plus a long playoff is brutal to injuries. This playoffs looked awesome but already you have a Cade injury, Luka injury, Reaves injury, Wemby dinged. We are not even at the brutal playoff push yet. The injuries have been a big issue the last few years and it looks primed to impact the playoffs again.

[Chicagojk]

Don’t give the jazz any ideas

https://x.com/haterreport/status/2041772...19981?s=61

[KillerLeft]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4842...reaves-mri


Mavs dispute JJ Redick's claim.

It's pretty sad that I 100% feel like the Lakers and Redick are telling the truth in this situation.

[cow]

It's pretty sad that I 100% feel like the Lakers and Redick are telling the truth in this situation.

Kind of crazy that we went from one of the best medical staffs to whatever this mess is.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

You wanna talk scary? Can you imagine if the Spurs had landed #1???
They could've sported a lineup of Fox, Castle, Flagg and Wemby. They could've played your 85 year old Aunt Sylvia at SF and still won 10 straight championships.

But nevermind. Coop is ours!!!

[Knutsen]

You wanna talk scary? Can you imagine if the Spurs had landed #1???
They could've sported a lineup of Fox, Castle, Flagg and Wemby. They could've played your 85 year old Aunt Sylvia at SF and still won 10 straight championships.

But nevermind. Coop is ours!!!

And then imagine for a second Coop wasn’t ours - would there be any hope left for the next 10 years being a Mavs fan after seeing how the AD disaster ended?

[ballsrchr]

And then imagine for a second Coop wasn’t ours - would there be any hope left for the next 10 years being a Mavs fan after seeing how the AD disaster ended?

Ah man.  I don't have to imagine 10 years of Mavs mediocrity (or worse).  I've already experienced it.  I'm still here.  The problem is--I may not have 10 years left.  So Cooper Flagg, the new GM, and the team they will build now is my last hurrah.  They've got to get it right this time.

Of course...I might be one of those super agers...in which case I have plenty of time!  But I still choose to back a super team...a dynasty...a Mavs Dynasty.  Pie in the sky?  I hope not...

[Chicagojk]

And then imagine for a second Coop wasn’t ours - would there be any hope left for the next 10 years being a Mavs fan after seeing how the AD disaster ended?

Yeah it would have been brutal.  I think I would have left.  I tried to leave after the Luka trade but I found the Mavs was too much in my blood.  I still really need to overlook things outside of the Luka trade that I am not a fan of with the organization.  I do think a season without coop would have driven me away.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

And then imagine for a second Coop wasn’t ours - would there be any hope left for the next 10 years being a Mavs fan after seeing how the AD disaster ended?

I experienced the 90's Mavs. It was awful.  The fact that the Mavs were the worst professional sports team of the decade wasn't what was bad.  It was that the picks and talent that fans suffered to get were horrifically mismanaged. As bad as Nico is/was, I'd argue that Keith Grant was just as bad as a GM. In fact, I could write a book on just his tenure and how dumb his "logic" was.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/IraHeatBeat/status/2042327...71091?s=20


When it rains, it pours for Embiid..

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/YahooSports/status/2042311425360531736


If you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin..

[Winter]

Interesting read about the pace of NBA games.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4841...plications

The slower teams frequently have the best records. Faster teams generally the worst.

[Chicagojk]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW8DUyFFH...aGw0ajhhaw==

[Scott41theMavs]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW8DUyFFH...aGw0ajhhaw==

He hates the Mavs.

[Chicagojk]

He hates the Mavs.

Kon has been on his podcast twice this year.    Kon has had a amazing year.    If things go to plan, Cooper is a guy to lead teams to a championship.  Kon can be a #2 for a championship team.

I think the race is close and don't really get the sniping by Mavs twitter folks about Coop is 100% of the rookie of the year.  I think Simmons makes good points and I agree with them.    I think the ROY could go either way.  It should be razor close imo.

[numnuts23]

And then imagine for a second Coop wasn’t ours - would there be any hope left for the next 10 years being a Mavs fan after seeing how the AD disaster ended?

Was thinking about that the other day.  Just playing the what if game

We probably draft Carter Bryant or Walter Clayton Jr.

I'm guessing Dallas does not trade AD for pennies on the dollar and even with the injuries, likely signs him to an extension....as there isn't any reason to get the cap space and quickly move into a new window.  

Kyrie likely comes back this year and AD plays more in the second half....pushing Dallas likely into the mid 1st again this coming offseason.  
Your basically hoping that AD and Kyrie stay healthy and fighting for a play in spot the next couple seasons, with no draft capital or cap space.

[michaeltex]

Interesting read about the pace of NBA games.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4841...plications

The slower teams frequently have the best records. Faster teams generally the worst.

Makes sense. If a team can't play efficiently in the half court, then they don't compete well into the playoffs. Make the other team expend energy defending and limit the number of possessions your team has to defend.

It's a reason why Luka-led teams have a chance regardless of their positioning. 

Excited about the incoming draft picks, but I hope they don't contribute to an "8 seconds of less" mindset.

[Winter]

Makes sense. If a team can't play efficiently in the half court, then they don't compete well into the playoffs. Make the other team expend energy defending and limit the number of possessions your team has to defend.

It's a reason why Luka-led teams have a chance regardless of their positioning. 

Excited about the incoming draft picks, but I hope they don't contribute to an "8 seconds of less" mindset.

I sort of interpret all that to mean "a bad team playing fast can occasionally win." And "A bad team playing slow may never win, and may be unwatchable"

[michaeltex]

Sooooo.... now that there are only 2 games left for everybody and the playoff seeding is pretty much set, a lot of teams will "rest" their stars and starters before the playoffs start.

So these teams are willing to bench or scratch healthy, or at least playable, starters and accept the loss. But if a lower ranked team does similarly, in search of improved lottery odds, it risks getting a significant fine?

I thought that the anti-tanking movement's main goal was to insure that the best possible product was put on the court to maximize value for the fans. Isn't one as bad as the other? Your best possible players aren't playing, even though they are available, but one instance risks a penalty while the other is condoned as good management? Why is there a distinction now and not in January when SAN rests Webby and others on a B2B?

I'm trying to be agnostic with the question, but emotionally I want DAL to lose the last two and beat MEM to the #6 spot and if the team was set for their playoff series, I'd want to rest/protect them ahead of the post-season.

Edit: OKC/DEN game for 4/10 has 17 players on injury report. Case in point.