NBA 2020-2021, Let the Season Begin

[Danno]

Golf clap for Russell Westbrook breaking the Big O's triple double record.

I know he's an inefficient player and a polarizing one, and maybe not as great as the stats say, but it's still insanely impressive to do what he has done.

[Danno]

I think he was, especially when you factor in his defense vs Tatum’s. Feels like Stevens is going to get canned this year.

Tatum's defense is pretty damn good, and this year at least, Jaylen's D hasn't been as good as in the past. Still, he has been great all year long and it's a hudge loss for the Cs.

Stevens isn't getting canned.

[Self Jupiter]

Tatum’s effort on D feels proportionate to how well his shot is falling on a given night. JB puts in a more consistent effort IMO.

I don’t think Stevens deserves to get canned and I think it would send a bad message to the team if it happens, but this team is hard to watch and it’s Boston and usually something has to give.

[54-46]

Do the Celts still hear Stevens? Do they need different/more forceful leadership from their best players? What’s behind the malaise?

[teleee]

Damn that Curry guy is good at basketball.

As much as I hate the play in game crap, hope it gives the Jazz a chance to get well

Yea Curry is pretty good at the round ball. I am with you, if the Jazz can get Mitchell and Conley back healthy they are a completely different team. I am shocked they have managed to stay in first place without them.

Sucks to see the C's be such a dumpster fire this year, I enjoyed watching them the last couple. I cant see Stephens being ousted, but they obviously need some adjustments. Never thought I would say it but they miss Hayward.

[MultiVerse]

If the Jazz keep the 1-seed, the Lakers end up as the 7-seed, and the Clippers/Nuggets stay where they are then the Jazz are on the opposite side of the bracket as the Lakers, Clippers, and the Suns. In that scenario the Jazz either avoid all three teams entirely or at worst until the conference finals.

On the other hand the Lakers might prefer facing the Jazz or the Suns instead of the Clippers in the first round...

[Danno]

Do the Celts still hear Stevens? Do they need different/more forceful leadership from their best players? What’s behind the malaise?

If you read all the pundits, that's been the constant question all season long, what's the problem?

My hot take is that a) they have very little quality depth, a lot of young guys who either aren't very good or don't know how this is all supposed to work or both, which has been compounded by terrible amount of injuries/covid, b) they had very high expectations and failing to meet those expectations has been a negative feedback loop, c) Kemba has been hurt and very inconsistent and they really needed him more than they realized, d) losing Hayward was a bigger loss than most expected, both in terms of his play on the court and (probably) the professionalism and leadership he brought, and e) as good as Tatum and Brown are, this is the first year where everyone was looking to them to be not just the best players on the court but the unquestioned leaders, and it seems like they were prepared for the former but maybe not the latter.

I think Stevens deserves some blame for all of this, there's lots of blame to go around (Ainge too), but the path forward is to let him and all of them grow and learn from this, it isn't to blow it all up. If they suck next year, then it might be time.

[Self Jupiter]

Do the Celts still hear Stevens? Do they need different/more forceful leadership from their best players? What’s behind the malaise?

It seems like they’ve tuned him out, or at least go in and out of having tuned him out. Especially in the first half of games. I won’t claim to know what’s behind the malaise, but some of the local media and many fans seem to think a former NBA player might be able to command the room better, akin to the way Doc Rivers appears to have done that in Philly. But that doesn’t absolve the way the players have handled this season. Finding a veteran player who has enjoyed success in the league that could teach the young guys how to be better pros could be another option. No idea who that player is.

[TahoeJ]

Golf clap for Russell Westbrook breaking the Big O's triple double record.

I know he's an inefficient player and a polarizing one, and maybe not as great as the stats say, but it's still insanely impressive to do what he has done.

Somehow Westbrook is the league's most overrated and underrated player at the same time. It's weird.

As for Brad Stevens... I think he's a good coach, but maybe at some point both he and the Celtics just need a change of scenery?

Also, I'm a fan of the play-in tournament. Typically the last 2 weeks of the season are somewhat boring and this thing has engaged way more interest. It's fun.

[Danno]

Somehow Westbrook is the league's most overrated and underrated player at the same time. It's weird.

As for Brad Stevens... I think he's a good coach, but maybe at some point both he and the Celtics just need a change of scenery?

Also, I'm a fan of the play-in tournament. Typically the last 2 weeks of the season are somewhat boring and this thing has engaged way more interest. It's fun.

Agreed on your first point.

As to the second, I think it would be WAY premature to can him, given all the other issues with this team. And he'd be unemployed for about 3 seconds.

And yes, exactly on the play in, it plus the reforming of the lottery really has made the NBA season mostly tank-free, and has generated a lot of excitement and intrigue during a time when it's usually super boring.

[54-46]

Dubs with a gutty win over Suns. Curry looked tired on B2B. Scoring race tightens a little

[cinnepa]

Somehow Westbrook is the league's most overrated and underrated player at the same time. It's weird.

As for Brad Stevens... I think he's a good coach, but maybe at some point both he and the Celtics just need a change of scenery?

Also, I'm a fan of the play-in tournament. Typically the last 2 weeks of the season are somewhat boring and this thing has engaged way more interest. It's fun.

Maybe about Steven's but isn't this a D. A
inge problem? He put the team together.

[54-46]

D on Steph LMAO

[Danno]

Maybe about Steven's but isn't this a D. A
inge problem? He put the team together.

Danny deserves as much if not more credit for this shittastic season. But he isn't getting fired either.

[The Reverend Floater]

Zers over Jizz? Who woulda thunk?

[BobMc]

Most of the Jazz analysts? Donovan and Conley out, Blazers playing well. Yeah, it wasn’t a surprise.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Zers over Jizz? Who woulda thunk?

Ingles was extra whiney.

[Woodsy]

the Knicks made the playoffs

[riser4]

Moar Marcus Smart.

[altasnob]

Gut punch of a loss for the Blazers last night. Lillard with 11 lay ups in the game and they still lose. They still can lock up 6 seed, and send the Lakers to the play in, with a win over Denver on Sunday.

The NBA has most teams ending the season at 6 pm Sunday. So the Blazers, Clippers, Nuggets, Lakers, and Dallas will all be playing at the same time Sunday with something to loose. So everyone will have to play hard (at least until they start scoreboard watching in the 4th quarter). Suns play early on Sunday so the Jazz-Suns 1,2, could be decided before the Jazz tip off at 6. But most likely Suns will win out so Jazz will have to play hard in their last game as well.

The 7th seed in the play in gets fucked and is given very little advantage over the 8th seed. They need to make so 8 must beat 7 twice to move into 7th seed.

[54-46]

Idea for 7: make it so that if 7 is 2+ games ahead of 8, then they’re in. (And 8-9 play and 10 drops out)

If 7’s record isn’t so much better than 8, then maybe they don’t deserve more than the current advantage.

Dubs vs. Grizz on Sunday for 8th. Both teams should be resting key guys on Friday.

If Beal doesn’t play rest of reg season, and Curry doesn’t play Friday, then Curry needs 10 points Sunday for scoring title.

[Danno]

7 gets home court advantage right? That seems about appropriate to me, 7 isn't inherently so much more of an accomplishment that it deserves more against the 8, IMO.

[SkiCougar]

If the Jazz keep the 1-seed, the Lakers end up as the 7-seed, and the Clippers/Nuggets stay where they are then the Jazz are on the opposite side of the bracket as the Lakers, Clippers, and the Suns. In that scenario the Jazz either avoid all three teams entirely or at worst until the conference finals.

On the other hand the Lakers might prefer facing the Jazz or the Suns instead of the Clippers in the first round...

i'm down with this, the nba would hate it but i'd like to see the jazz in the conf and nba finals or suns, anything but the LA teams, they get enough coverage as is.

[BmillsSkier]

What better way to end a disappointing season by bringing back Anderson Varejao, who hasn't played in the NBA since 2017.

What a junk show.

[TahoeJ]

7 gets home court advantage right? That seems about appropriate to me, 7 isn't inherently so much more of an accomplishment that it deserves more against the 8, IMO.

Plus it makes the competition for the 6th seed so much more interesting. I don't think any team that's a 7 or 8 seed really has anything to bitch about, although there should probably be some kind of "games back" clause. Like 5 or 6 games perhaps to protect against something really goofy happening.