|
NBA
Jan 29, 2020 19:03:12 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Jan 29, 2020 19:03:12 GMT
Certainly not all of the discussion has been “Kobe is the GOAT,” but there was enough—especially from active players, e.g. younger people—saying that unequivocally that I felt like looking into it to double-check my suspicions. But yes, you are also right in noting that because of the timing, of course the praise will be effusive. If your cranky old uncle dies, you don’t say “finally; I hated that old coot,” but rather you talk about how you’ll miss him, how good a person he was, etc. That kind of charitable perspective seems the right approach. (That’s also why I wanted to be sure to note I wasn’t trying to tear down Kobe, either. He was obviously brilliant.) Like you, Kobe grew on me over time—and largely for the same reasons. As a teenager who forced his way out of Charlotte before he even suited up, then seemed to show no respect to his elders, I was totally opposed to Kobe. In fact, he was among my least favorite players for his first few seasons. But when it became obvious how smart he was, how dedicated he was, how skilled he was, how tenacious he was, then even when I resented his late-career refusal to acknowledge reality, I had to give him kudos. My Mt. Rushmore, though, still doesn’t include him. I think it would be Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar.
|
|
|
NBA
Jan 30, 2020 13:52:40 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Jan 30, 2020 13:52:40 GMT
SJS, it seems that maybe the 76ers’ backcourt/shooting shortcomings could be solved relatively easily with one of their own assets: I happened to notice a little rumor-blurb that teams are asking the Sixers about Vasilije Micic, the 6-6 Serbian guard they drafted in the 2nd round in 2014 who now plays with Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Micic was always a promising prospect—I recall having looked at video of him back then and liking him (though I am always a sucker for big guards…)—but he is playing like one of the best players outside the NBA. He is averaging 14.2 ppg (53.5 2pt%, 39.8 3pt%, 96.4 FT%), second on the team to Shane Larkin’s 21.6, and a team-high 5.8 apg. At 26, he might be in that sweet spot where he could join the NBA and contribute at a peak level for several years. Hopefully minimal transition and development required, since he’s a mature player, and yet he’s young enough that it’s not a now-or-never situation (as has been the case with some Europeans who came over late, such as Sarunas Jasikevicius, Ibrahim Kutluay, Antoine Rigadeau, and Milos Teodosic, for example).
|
|
|
NBA
Jan 30, 2020 14:36:25 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 30, 2020 14:36:25 GMT
I didn't see that rumor concerning Vasilije Micic, but it doesn't surprise me. The Sixers appear to have basically forgotten about him; I never even hear his name mentioned in the media. That being said, the Sixers have two guards, Trey Burke and Raul Neto, with expiring contracts, so you never know. Elton Brand and Brett Brown seem to like Furkan Korkmaz as a shooting guard. He can get hot from the 3, but his defense needs work. And, when Josh Richardson went down (again) with a hamstring injury, they even brought up Shake Milton, who actually has played well. Milton is also 6'6'' and can fill several roles at guard.
I haven't jumped on the Shake Milton bandwagon, but this is one Sixer who I really like - Matisse Thybulle. I think he's gonna be a player. His specialty is defense, but he also has some offensive skills. His shooting is starting to improve, including from the 3. But it just seems like whenever he's inserted in the lineup, the team perks up and starts to play shut down defense; he gives them a spark.
|
|
|
NBA
Jan 30, 2020 15:08:58 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Jan 30, 2020 15:08:58 GMT
Shake Milton is interesting to me as a prospect. But he’s not a guy who would be getting many minutes on a contending team in a perfect world. His talent seems legit, so it’s a matter of what he can be as an NBA player. I’d love to see him getting 20 minutes a night on the Wolves or some similar team. But on Philadelphia, it’s unfortunate. I really like Thybulle, too, but he can’t play without more shooters around him. It’s a shame because he and Ben Simmons would make the best defensive backcourt in the NBA, bar none. But neither of them is respected shooting the ball. Thybulle has definitely been the more willing of the two, and he has his moments. But I’ve seen him at other times where that shooting is just terrible! If he can double his 3-point output without losing any accuracy (currently a respectable .369 3pt%) and dramatically boost his abysmal 2pt% (.413 overall 2pt%, including .182 FG% from 3-10 feet and .286 10-16 feet), he’d be a star—even if he only scored, say, 12 ppg. The conundrum reminds me of our Ricky Rubio years. I LOVE Rubio, but especially when he was unwilling to shoot, it hurt the team. And it meant that we couldn’t really play another defense-oriented player, or even post-oriented players, just because of the spacing requirements of the modern league. When we would be rolling with Pekovic and Kirilenko along with Rubio, it was awfully tough on Love and Kevin Martin, for example. (Granted all of those guys were hurt all the time, so they weren’t on the court together much…) I think his past few years, Rubio has been more valuable to Utah and Phoenix because he will shoot the ball, and sometimes he makes it. Guys like that don’t have to be great or even good shooters, but they have to be willing and adequate.
|
|
|
NBA
Jan 31, 2020 13:45:37 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jan 31, 2020 13:45:37 GMT
Hey now, looks like Shake Milton doesn't care for our doubtful attitudes. 27 points (7-12 FG, 5-9 3pt, 8-10 FT), 5 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl, only 1 TO, and a (team-high) +8 on the evening.
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 1, 2020 14:44:53 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Feb 1, 2020 14:44:53 GMT
“Sixers insider” Jon Johnson (maybe SJS knows him?) reports Philly is focusing on Sacramento wing Bogdan Bogdanovic or former 76er Robert Covington of Minnesota. Either would be a great addition and make far more sense than Derrick Rose. One wonders what Minnesota could get back for Covington. I meant to say, yesterday I heard Minnesota's asking price to Philly for Covington: Matisse Thybulle and a 1st-round pick. I can see why Philly has not made the move. Covington would help, but that's a lot to give up!
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 1, 2020 14:53:36 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 1, 2020 14:53:36 GMT
“Sixers insider” Jon Johnson (maybe SJS knows him?) reports Philly is focusing on Sacramento wing Bogdan Bogdanovic or former 76er Robert Covington of Minnesota. Either would be a great addition and make far more sense than Derrick Rose. One wonders what Minnesota could get back for Covington. I meant to say, yesterday I heard Minnesota's asking price to Philly for Covington: Matisse Thybulle and a 1st-round pick. I can see why Philly has not made the move. Covington would help, but that's a lot to give up! For a second I wasn't sure if you were joking. Are you joking? Matisse Thybulle is a potential star. Right now he could start for several teams in the NBA. AND a 1st-round pick? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah... Covington's a nice player, but I wouldn't be surprised if his best days were already behind him.
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 1, 2020 15:06:23 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Feb 1, 2020 15:06:23 GMT
Nope, not joking, that's really the reported asking price.
As a Wolves fan, I'm all for it, but a grounding in the real world means I can't help but laugh, either. I mean, OK, I'm also up for trading Jarrett Culver for Luka Doncic, even-up!
Thybulle is going to be a clear DPOY kind of player at worst, barring injury. A 1st is a 1st, not chopped liver. This, for a player who is versatile and hard-working, with an infectious attitude, the ability to hit 3s an defend, but who is also 29 years old and who will be your fourth or fifth option?
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 1, 2020 15:25:15 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 1, 2020 15:25:15 GMT
Obviously you're much more on top of the Robert Covington situation than I am, but I have to wonder why the Wolves would want to keep him - NOW. When Minnesota made the trade for Covington (and Saric and Bayless), they were trying to make a legitimate move as a contender. Now, it appears that they've shifted gears and are in more of a rebuilding mode. When Covington returns next season, he'll be a 30 year-old guard coming off knee surgery. I suppose he could serve as a mentor to younger acquisitions because of his playing style and character, and he'll help to win a few games to stop the bleeding along the way. But by the time the Wolves are ready to contend again, Robert might (will?) be in decline.
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 1, 2020 15:58:16 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Feb 1, 2020 15:58:16 GMT
I think, at least from the local beat writers, that the Wolves are clear they need to move on from Covington for exactly the reasons you said. Yes, he is a great vet to have around, a productive player, immaculate character and leadership. I can't say how much I've enjoyed watching him play.
But he's a role player whose contributions on the court are the sort that put good teams over the top. And he's not going to improve over time at his age. So it makes sense for plenty of reasons why a young, terrible team might be smart to move on, as well as why it might be more appealing for him to do so. So I think that conclusion has been reached by all involved.
The thing I keep hearing is, the Wolves know that the entire league knows that this is the case. And so they don't want to be taken advantage of. That's why we hear things like Thybulle AND a first; or De'Angelo Russell for Covington and the unappealing Gorgui Dieng contract (which would basically be saying Covington is BETTER than Russell and thus Golden State would be willing to take on Dieng). It's just absurd right now.
But I'm sure they know that, and are trying to make a point. It IS going to be interesting to see how it ends up. I believe Thursday is the trade deadline, so we'll know soon enough.
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 4, 2020 18:03:51 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Feb 4, 2020 18:03:51 GMT
And as the trade deadline approaches...NYK fire key decision-maker Steve Mills. Granted, he deserved it. But seriously, this franchise. Makes me feel not quite as bad about my home team.
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 4, 2020 18:42:57 GMT
Post by B.E. on Feb 4, 2020 18:42:57 GMT
There was some talk of trading Morris to a contender for assets and then resigning him this summer. Apparently, that is not Morris' preference (he wants to stay), but we'll see. I hope this firing signals that the Knicks aren't going to make any drastic moves at the deadline, but anything is possible with the Knicks!
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 4, 2020 18:44:41 GMT
via mobile
Post by Kapitan on Feb 4, 2020 18:44:41 GMT
Woj reports that the Wolves are currently working on a 3-team trade with Atlanta and Houston with the hopes of either turning it into a 4-teamer, or otherwise finding a way to get D’Angelo Russell in a subsequent trade. As of now, the keys are: - Houston would get Robert Covington - Atlanta would get Clint Capela - Minnesota would get two 1st round picks and an expiring contract Obviously the idea then is that Minnesota sends multiple 1sts along with something or someone to Golden State for Russell. I wonder what that would be: Wiggins, the expiring, some combination of younger, good prospects (e.g. Okogie, Culver)…
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 4, 2020 23:32:27 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 4, 2020 23:32:27 GMT
I see that Karl-Anthony Towns isn't enamored with this year's All-Star selections...
|
|
|
NBA
Feb 4, 2020 23:46:10 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Feb 4, 2020 23:46:10 GMT
I see that Karl-Anthony Towns isn't enamored with this year's All-Star selections... It took a moment of reflection for me to avoid responding with something less than classy or charitable toward KAT.
But here's the cleaner version of what I'd say. KAT is playing terrible defense, missed over a dozen games with a bruised knee, and has led his team to precisely NINE wins in the 32 games he has played so far. When the team played without him, they weren't much different (6-17).
You can sum it all up with one play from the LAC game. Towns took a dribble or two down the lane and dunked it home, then flexed his biceps and shouted in triumph. Pat Beverly took off down the court, received an outlet, and scored in early offense / semi break. Conversely, when he misses, he pauses to complain to the refs. (Literally every time.) Either way, the result is the same: he doesn't even try to run back on defense.
Karl Anthony Towns talks a good game about leadership, hard work, respect, and all that. But he has been praised inordinately his entire career, only recently beginning to receive criticism for VERY real flaws in his game. If he wants to be an All-Star, how about fucking trying on defense every now and again?
(Whoops, I got riled up again at the end...)
|
|