Around the League: Week 4 11/16-11/22

[Ring_Wanted]

Scary thought: LeBron James is not the top player.

[Indy]

For the first time ever, Tim Duncan didn't get a rebound in a game.

It took over 1300 games.

[Sunsfan4life]

I will never for my life understand what Sacramento did this off-season.

That trade with Philly is something that will haunt their franchise for years. Just so they could chase Wes Matthews??????

The deal with Rondo is a lose-lose situation for them. If he does well he walks next year and if he is a trainwreck then he obviously hurts a team who made it clear they wanted to win now. It just made no sense whatsoever what they did...

[Ring_Wanted]

Chased one name, expense-ish role players and hoped that Karl and Cousins were civil.

Too little, apparently. Ill conceived.

[Ring_Wanted]

random guilty pleasure: Evan Turner.

[carey]

I think Chris Bosh would do really well on this team. The problem is Miami is one of the top defensive teams in the league and I think they are the 2nd or 3rd best team in the East right now behind the Bulls and Cavaliers. I think they are built for the playoffs more than the Hawks are. That's a long way of saying that it's unlikely they would move Bosh for Markieff even if you included other assets.

The Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade back-court is pretty awful so far this year. Goran is averaging 11 points on just under 42% shooting. There's no space in the lane for Goran to operate with Whiteside taking up all that real estate. If you need a reminder he is on a 5/$85M contract.

Brandon Knight is on a 5/$70M deal, and is currently averaging 22 points on 45% shooting and 42% from 3. Just for the sake of comparison.

The Pacers are a pleasant surprise. They are 8-2 in their last 10. George is playing great, scoring 25 a game and has a PER of 24. I think Monta Ellis has been a bit of a bust though. Scoring a career low 13ppg on 40% from the field. He was very good in Dallas. Carlisle is fantastic coach that gets the most out of his players.

[carey]

https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/668271406283624448

[SDC]

I have been watching the NBA for over 40 years and I have to say, with apologies to Larry Bird, Jerry West, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Steve Nash, that Stephen Curry is the best pure shooter I've ever seen. You just never think the guy is going to miss.

steve nash needs Pick and Rolls to get his shot off. or be switched up against an immobile center.

i've never seen indiana run an isolation play for reggie miller. strictly catch and shoot.

bird is clutch, but there are more efficient shooters out there (who are not as clutch).

cant comment on west.

steph curry has the quickest release off the dribble. milos teodosic probably the second quickest.

[DrSublime]

did (re: Kristaps Porzingis) anyone else see his dream shake the other day? this dude has the potential to be the best player in the NBA in a few years, bar none.

[Split T]

I loved kristaps, it was really close between him and towns for me on best player in draft. Never understood the project label associated with him either. He was producing against better competition last year than anyone in the draft. He's still surpassed my expectations for how good he'd be this early. It looks like it's gonna come down to him and towns for ROY. They both look fantastic.

[carey]

I loved kristaps, it was really close between him and towns for me on best player in draft. Never understood the project label associated with him either. He was producing against better competition last year than anyone in the draft. He's still surpassed my expectations for how good he'd be this early. It looks like it's gonna come down to him and towns for ROY. They both look fantastic.

[youtube][/youtube]

Running left handed hooks, right handed hooks, turn around jumpers, spot up 3s, dunks, put-backs... all to go with 7 blocks including one on Harden that basically won the game.

[specialsauce]

Clearly, I was way, way off on him. No Zarko, Tskitishvili. He's gonna be great.

[Ring_Wanted]

did (re: Kristaps Porzingis) anyone else see his dream shake the other day? this dude has the potential to be the best player in the NBA in a few years, bar none.

I did. But if I am not mistaken, that's not the Dream Shake, right? When I think about the DS it always comes to mind the kind of fake that others like Rondo have used too. Anyway, sick move.

[EDC]

Running left handed hooks, right handed hooks, turn around jumpers, spot up 3s, dunks, put-backs... all to go with 7 blocks including one on Harden that basically won the game.

Those running hooks were pretty insane. Does he make those consistently?

[carey]

I have no idea. I'm sure as the hype builds there will be more Knicks games nationally televised & we will find out.

[DrSublime]

did (re: Kristaps Porzingis) anyone else see his dream shake the other day? this dude has the potential to be the best player in the NBA in a few years, bar none.

I did. But if I am not mistaken, that's not the Dream Shake, right? When I think about the DS it always comes to mind the kind of fake that others like Rondo have used too. Anyway, sick move.

it was pretty close

[pickle]

how's his defense though? the blocks are nice and a lot of his rebounding come from sheer length... but i wonder if he could really stick with his man on defense and have gobert type impact on that end.

[pickle]

with all the talk of how the west is a stronger conference, there are currently 11 teams in the east with records above 500 and 5 from the west (with 2 more at 500)... i know it's early in the season and all, but it's already looking like my pre-season predictions are shot.

[ShelC]

The thing with Porzingis is that he's got the advanced moves down. The hook shots, dribble drive and pull up, turn and fadeaway. His percentages are down because he's been adjusting to the game and the offense and team but his moves are legit. He knows what he's doing and now his shots are falling with some regularity. Even early the year, he'd miss open 3s that looked like they were going in. Now they're falling. It wasn't that he was taking bad shots or that his jumper was broken or his form was no good. He just needed the reps and familiarity within the offense of where his shots were coming from. Now, he's getting the ball in the spots he likes, his teammates and coaches are recognizing those spots and they're running some offense thru him. It's just been about getting those reps in games. But it's not like he's just throwing up wild shots and getting lucky. It's very much the opposite, very under control. It definitely looks like he's been practicing some KG, Smits, Hakeem, Dirk, and Duncan shots and moves over the years. Scary.

Defensively, he won't ever be a lockdown perimeter defender because he's just too tall. But he knows angles and spacing, and his own body, so he's got a good feel for how much space to give a guy on the perimeter, while still being able to use his length to disrupt a jumper. In the post, he's definitely not the strongest guy, but is very tough and understands leverage and positioning well enough to hold his own most times. He'll get even better as he gets stronger. And he's instinctive defensively around the basket, know when to go for the block and when to try and block the shot. He's been a little overaggressive so fouls have been a problem, but that'll get better with time.

He's definitely the main reason to watch the Knicks right now. They have a solid team you can root for, for once. But he's a guy worth watching, even if it means putting up with some Melo-ball for stretches at a time.

[Mori Chu]

It's amazing how much it changes the trajectory of a franchise when you completely nail just one draft pick.