Around the League: Week 1 10/16-10/21

[Cap]

Lin would be a great fit but I'm not sure how much he has left. 12 mil ending contract, so there'd be little risk but I wouldn't give up anything of value. Tyson and Chandler work.

chandler and the milwaukee pick for lin.

What? Nah, that's to much, imo.

milwaukee is going to be good this year, so the pick is going to be a late first rounder. Lin is perfect for this team. him and teodosic. and lonzo.

Is that enough PG depth tho??

Not if we want to make Vehicle Team Voltron.

[O_Gardino]

Lin would be a great fit but I'm not sure how much he has left. 12 mil ending contract, so there'd be little risk but I wouldn't give up anything of value. Tyson and Chandler work.

chandler and the milwaukee pick for lin.

What? Nah, that's to much, imo.

milwaukee is going to be good this year, so the pick is going to be a late first rounder. Lin is perfect for this team. him and teodosic. and lonzo.

Is that enough PG depth tho??

Asking the real questions.

[In2ition]

ESPN came out with their Power Rankings:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2500 ... ing-week-1

I am not sure about having Dallas above Phoenix though.

[JCSunsfan]

Those rankings look about right to me.

[Cap]

Are we really going to do this for the entire season? For their whole careers?!

Not unless you want to. I had some fun with the rankings of their debuts, so it seemed appropriate to add balance when their second games had the opposite results. I’m not sure why you’d extrapolate from that to “do this for the entire season.”

As is my habit with statistical quirks like this, I’ll keep doing it if the results remain interesting, but usually they don’t, so don’t worry about it. If Ayton’s back near the top of the leader board with his third game, I probably will mention it, so if you don’t like it, root against that happening.

For the record, I wasn't thinking of you personally even though I responded to your post. But I can see the board not letting it go and keeping a count. Unfortunately, these guys will probably be tied forever as our top two choices with our first ever #1 overall pick. If I'm being perfectly honest, I am interested in how Doncic is performing in the league too. However, I think we should let it go as to who we should have picked since it's a done deal and Ayton is ours. But it isn't this board's way to let things go as we all know.

Said I’d post about it if Ayton landed back near the top of the leader board, and he did.

Game 3: http://bkref.com/tiny/KiDlE

Ayton ties (with MCW) for 11th. Luka in a three-way tie for 80th.

Ayton is one of four players in history to crack GmSc 22 twice in his first three games. The other three: MCW, David Robinson and John Wall.

[iLLmatic]

I think I can settle with his career projecting David Robinson's

[Cap]

I think I can settle with his career projecting David Robinson's

The difference being that, in the one out of his first three games where he didn’t hit GmSc 22, Robinson put up a 21.5. Ayton put up a 0.0.

[O_Gardino]

I think I can settle with his career projecting David Robinson's

The difference being that, in the one out of his first three games where he didn’t hit GmSc 22, Robinson put up a 21.5. Ayton put up a 0.0.

Just a few pixels away from infinity. Cool.

[The Bobster]

I think I can settle with his career projecting David Robinson's

The difference being that, in the one out of his first three games where he didn’t hit GmSc 22, Robinson put up a 21.5. Ayton put up a 0.0.

The biggest difference being that Robinson was four years older when he debuted and had played four years of college basketball!

[Split T]

So Blake dropped 50 tonight. Denver and New Orleans stayed perfect. 20 and 9 from bagley, with 5 blocks in a loss to Denver.

[Flagrant Fowl]

So Blake dropped 50 tonight. Denver and New Orleans stayed perfect. 20 and 9 from bagley, with 5 blocks in a loss to Denver.

I saw most of the first half of Pistons/76ers. Blake looked phenomenal and played with a fire I haven't seen from him in quite a while.

Most of Bagley's numbers game in garbage time. Denver is really good but I think we already knew that.

[UglyTruth]

I really wish Ayton would get motivated by Bagley's block #s more than his pts or rebounds or anything else. Ayton has ONE block through three games this season.

That's just unacceptable of a player 7'0 tall with a 7'6 wingspan and the mobility that he has.

[Indy]

I really wish Ayton would get motivated by Bagley's block #s more than his pts or rebounds or anything else. Ayton has ONE block through three games this season.

That's just unacceptable of a player 7'0 tall with a 7'6 wingspan and the mobility that he has.

It feels like he is being told not to leave his feet on defense.

[ShelC]

I really wish Ayton would get motivated by Bagley's block #s more than his pts or rebounds or anything else. Ayton has ONE block through three games this season.

That's just unacceptable of a player 7'0 tall with a 7'6 wingspan and the mobility that he has.

It feels like he is being told not to leave his feet on defense.

I've thought the same thing watching him. It's the right way to play instead of jumping around chasing blocks and leaving your man open or getting caught with fouls. Stay solid, arms up and change the shot. What's lacking now is the awareness to adjust and re-direct on the next pass after he changes or discourages the shot. He stays flatfooted and is slow to react opening back up. Could be the speed of the game right now, his overall awareness and learning to stay on his toes to be quicker.

[Indy]

I really wish Ayton would get motivated by Bagley's block #s more than his pts or rebounds or anything else. Ayton has ONE block through three games this season.

That's just unacceptable of a player 7'0 tall with a 7'6 wingspan and the mobility that he has.

It feels like he is being told not to leave his feet on defense.

I've thought the same thing watching him. It's the right way to play instead of jumping around chasing blocks and leaving your man open or getting caught with fouls. Stay solid, arms up and change the shot. What's lacking now is the awareness to adjust and re-direct on the next pass after he changes or discourages the shot. He stays flatfooted and is slow to react opening back up. Could be the speed of the game right now, his overall awareness and learning to stay on his toes to be quicker.

Could be all of that, or that Booker lets his guy get by him on nearly every possession. When it isn't for an open jumper, that means Ayton has to rotate, which leaves the opposing center wide open to grab the changed shot and dunk on Ayton. And it doesn't help that Anderson and Ariza are awful defenders, too.

[Indy]

Not counting Ayton, our starting lineup gives up 117 points per 100 possessions. But they only score 101.5/100 possessions. Wow. I didn't realize it was that bad. Let's hope we start to turn it around tonight.

By the way, Ayton is the only starter to score more than he gives up, and it isn't close. 130 points/100 possessions on Offense, and 112 on defense. He is a plus 18. The next closest is Booker at a minus 6. Don't even look at Ryno's.

[ShelC]

Booker's definitely a issue on defense but we've known that and I don't know how much better he can get. Maybe the scheme will help, but I do think that if our PG and PF are better defenders it will go a long way. That's why I suggested Holmes next to Ayton, tho it will hurt spacing.

[Mori Chu]

I somehow watched most of that game (while playing let-baby-climb-all-over-daddy) and enjoyed seeing Blake's big performance. Good for Blake scoring 50 and beating Philly. I like Blake in general and don't want him to be done as an impact player in the league. The East will be more fun if the Pistons are decent and if Blake is putting up big numbers.

I also caught some of the Clippers/Pelicans game. Boban is such a bizarre specimen; can't take my eyes off of him when he's out there. Davis casually dropped 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks like it was nothing. If Giannis isn't the MVP, Davis is it.

[O_Gardino]

Not counting Ayton, our starting lineup gives up 117 points per 100 possessions. But they only score 101.5/100 possessions. Wow. I didn't realize it was that bad. Let's hope we start to turn it around tonight.

By the way, Ayton is the only starter to score more than he gives up, and it isn't close. 130 points/100 possessions on Offense, and 112 on defense. He is a plus 18. The next closest is Booker at a minus 6. Don't even look at Ryno's.

Which is why it's crazy to me that Warren has only gotten 23 minutes per game.

[ShelC]

Anyone care about Elfrid Payton? He's put up good numbers so far this season. I don't think he'd have been a great fit for our offense but I still would've taken him over our current situation.