Around the League: Week 9 12/10-12/16

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: New Orleans @ Boston 7:30 PM EST NBATv, Miami @ L.A. Lakers 9:30 PM EST NBATv
Tuesday: Portland @ Houston 8:00 PM EST NBATv, Toronto @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM EST NBATv
Wednesday: Oklahoma City @ New Orleans 8:00 PM EST ESPN, Toronto @ Golden State 10:30 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: L.A. Lakers @ Houston 8:00 PM EST TNT, Dallas @ Phoenix 10:30 PM TNT
Friday: Indiana @ Philadelphia 7:30 PM EST ESPN, Oklahoma City @ Denver 10:00 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: Utah vs. Orlando 5:00 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: None

NBA News

I thought all this stuff from the Tom Ziller newsletter on the Bulls was interesting so I'm posting it all including clickable links.

You know the Dead Coach Bounce, where a team has a game or three after their coach is replaced of really inspired basketball? The Chicago Bulls, uh, did not experience that. Instead of bouncing to surprising heights upon firing Fred Hoiberg and replacing him with Jim Boylen, the Bulls crashed through the ground and descended straight to the fifth level of Hell.

The Bulls lost to the Celtics at home by 56 points on Saturday -- tied for the worst home loss in NBA history -- with the starters getting pulled for good in the third quarter down 22. You need to know that Boylen is a tough guy. He critiqued the Bulls' conditioning upon getting the big job, and ran the team through two long practices with heavy conditioning already this week. He declared the team would have another one on Sunday, in the wake of a thoroughly embarrassing back-to-back.

The Bulls players, my friends, were not having it. So they basically mutinied, having a team meeting on Sunday and refusing to practice, with Zach LaVine and Justin Holiday leading the calls, per ESPN's Malika Andrews. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reports that players were planning to no-show completely on Sunday in protest, but Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez got players to show up to the facility and have a meeting.

This is a bell you can't unring, and the only thing that makes it highly likely that Boylen lasts all season is that the Bulls front office is guilty of gross incompetence and negligence. This is not how you build a young team, folks.

[Indy]

Well at least we aren't the laughing stock of the NBA for a couple days.

[ShelC]

You just knew Zavine and/or Parker were the guys making the calls to not show up.

[carey]

The last bit is confusing to me because honestly, I'm on Boylen's side here. They were out of shape and playing crap basketball. Much like the Suns. I've also thought the Suns would do better with a hard ass coach instead of Igor. I'd be pissed if I were a Bulls fans and my shitty ass team was going to no-show practice because it was hard.

[Cap]

Which player in the league is gettable with our current assets that would be better on our team than the current top 3 college players? Keep in mind you control draft picks for a long time.

If your question is assuming we're trading a top 3 pick? Not a single player in the league.

I should have assumed a top 5 pick to be safe, because if we finish with the worst record, we can't pick lower than 5.

I’m thinking you should have assumed a top 6 pick to be safe. We have legitimate competition for the basement.

[Indy]

Which player in the league is gettable with our current assets that would be better on our team than the current top 3 college players? Keep in mind you control draft picks for a long time.

If your question is assuming we're trading a top 3 pick? Not a single player in the league.

I should have assumed a top 5 pick to be safe, because if we finish with the worst record, we can't pick lower than 5.

I’m thinking you should have assumed a top 6 pick to be safe. We have legitimate competition for the basement.

That is probably true. We could go on even a little bit of a streak and end up being 5th or 6th worse in the league--that could mean we end up as low as 9 or 10. But we do have good luck picking 9th... We are basically batting a thousand there.

[Cap]

But we do have good luck picking 9th... We are basically batting a thousand there.

Not we. Jerry Colangelo.

[Indy]

But we do have good luck picking 9th... We are basically batting a thousand there.

Not we. Jerry Colangelo.

Stop bringing me down

[Split T]

At this point I’d be highly surprised if we finished anywhere outside the bottom 5. Can’t imagine more than 1 or 2 teams jumping us, so I’d say we are pretty locked into a top 7 pick.

[Shabazz]

De'Aaron Fox would look so good on this team.

[iLLmatic]

Well at least we aren't the laughing stock of the NBA for a couple days.

Yeah at least the spotlights off of us for now.

[Superbone]

De'Aaron Fox would look so good on this team.

Yeah, that's going to haunt us for a while, I'm afraid. Was watching the Kings broadcast last night and they were saying he might be an all-star this year. I thought that was going a little far.

[Split T]

De'Aaron Fox would look so good on this team.

Yeah, that's going to haunt us for a while, I'm afraid. Was watching the Kings broadcast last night and they were saying he might be an all-star this year. I thought that was going a little far.

Probably, but it’s not crazy. There might be a few spots open this year in the west somehow.

Curry, Harden, Lillard are locks at guard
Lebron, Durant, AD are locks at forward
Jokic is a lock at C

Still got 5 spots...PG13 and Westbrook are probably in.
Towns, Gobert, Harris, Conley, Fox. Who am I missing?

[The Bobster]

De'Aaron Fox would look so good on this team.

Yeah, that's going to haunt us for a while, I'm afraid. Was watching the Kings broadcast last night and they were saying he might be an all-star this year. I thought that was going a little far.

Probably, but it’s not crazy. There might be a few spots open this year in the west somehow.

Curry, Harden, Lillard are locks at guard
Lebron, Durant, AD are locks at forward
Jokic is a lock at C

Still got 5 spots...PG13 and Westbrook are probably in.
Towns, Gobert, Harris, Conley, Fox. Who am I missing?

Capela?

[Split T]

Can’t imagine Houston getting two all stars when they are out of the playoffs.

[Mori Chu]

I think Conley and Towns probably get those spots. I don't think Fox will be rewarded by the coaches yet.

[Split T]

I think Conley and Towns probably get those spots. I don't think Fox will be rewarded by the coaches yet.

Ya, if I had to guess right now:

Curry, Harden, James, Durant, AD
Lillard, Westbrook, George, Harris, Jokic
Conley, Towns

I feel like I might be forgetting someone though.

[Ring_Wanted]

I think Conley and Towns probably get those spots. I don't think Fox will be rewarded by the coaches yet.

Ya, if I had to guess right now:

Curry, Harden, James, Durant, AD
Lillard, Westbrook, George, Harris, Jokic
Conley, Towns

I feel like I might be forgetting someone though.

Draymond Green's stupid face, probably.

What if the fans vote Doncic in? Or coaches, if Dallas remains a plyoff team...

DeRozan/Aldridge if/when Pop straights that ship.

[Split T]

All possibilities. Maybe Jrue if the pelicans get rolling as well. Doncic better not make it though, he’s good but he’s not an all star.

[SDC]

russell westbrook is having a bad shooting year
https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... bru01.html

43/25/62