Around the League: Week 8 12/9-12/15

[carey]

Nationally televised games this week

Monday: -
Tuesday: -
Wednesday: L.A. Clippers @ Toronto 7:00 PM EST ESPN, New Orleans @ Milwaukee 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Thursday: Philly @ Boston 8:00 PM EST TNT, Portland @ Denver 10:30 PM EST TNT
Friday: L.A. Lakers @ Miami 7:00 PM EST ESPN, L.A. Clippers @ Minnesota 9:30 PM EST ESPN
Saturday: San Antonio @ Phoenix 5:00 PM EST NBATv, Brooklyn @ Toronto 7:30 PM EST NBATv
Sunday: New York @ Denver 8:00 PM EST NBATv

NBA News

Found this funny.

Oh, Trae Young, you sweet, sweet superstar. What have you done?

Let's set the stage. The Atlanta Hawks entered Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat a disappointing 6-17 -- disappointing not because the Hawks are supposed to be good, but because improvement is not really apparent on the team beyond Trae Young himself. Atlanta recently came off a 10-game losing streak that included four 20-point losses, two of which were by at least 47 points. Kevin Huerter has been hurt. John Collins is suspended for PEDs. Cam Reddish and De'Andre Hunter have not been top rookies. The Hawks hadn't had a win over a good team in a month, when they beat the Nuggets on Nov. 12.

With the Hawks up 115-111 with a minute left, Young threaded a gorgeous pass to an open Alex Len for a dunk, putting Atlanta up six with 59 seconds left. It's Young's ninth assist. He celebrates, saying "It's over" and doing the hand motions a la Vince Carter in the dunk contest.

You know, of course, by the fact that I'm writing about it that it was not in fact over.

In the next 30 seconds, Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler drained back to back threes to tie the game. The Heat trapped Young when he got the ball in the final minute, and his teammates couldn't hit shots. Overtime. The Heat scored the first 16 points of the extra frame. Ballgame.

How did Trae react after the game? With a "Welp" and some FML emojis, of course. Jimmy Butler rubbed it in on Instagram, as well.

Never change, NBA. Never change.

Dame Lillard first person essay on growing up in Oakland: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us ... everything

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have finally proven they can be franchise players: https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/12/10 ... ht-on-time

LeBron James is a genius passer, and it’s solving every Lakers problem: https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/12/10 ... rs-offense

KOC's trade season primer (Suns briefly mentioned as Portland's competition for Love along w/ the Nuggets): https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/12/1 ... -covington

Spencer Dinwiddie’s all-star play for the Nets without Kyrie Irving is no fluke - https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/12/9/ ... g-all-star

Fixing The Knicks Shouldn’t Be This Difficult: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/fi ... difficult/

[Indy]

Thanks, as always Carey. Hope you are feeling better.

[Nodack]

I know it’s not basketball but...

MLB removing marijuana from list of banned substances
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing ... substances
Major League Baseball (MLB) announced Thursday that marijuana will no longer be considered a banned substance for players and that it will begin testing players for opioids, cocaine and other drugs.

[Indy]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

[Cap]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

[Mori Chu]

Glad to hear it. Marijuana should be legal throughout the country and should not be a banned substance for athletes. In fact it is of great help to many of them for managing pain without becoming addicted as with opoids.

[3rdside]

Glad to hear it. Marijuana should be legal throughout the country and should not be a banned substance for athletes. In fact it is of great help to many of them for managing pain without becoming addicted as with opoids.

And doesn't decay the body like booze does..

[Indy]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

[specialsauce]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

Let the police, police.

If it doesn’t give you a competitive advantage, then who cares from a sports standpoint. You’re not the law.

[Indy]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

Let the police, police.

If it doesn’t give you a competitive advantage, then who cares from a sports standpoint. You’re not the law.

Exactly. Does the NBA randomly drug test all employees and owners for other drugs? Of course not. Just the players.

[specialsauce]

Good for them. And honestly, why test for anything except performance enhancing drugs? I don't get the need for some employers to test for "illicit" drugs, but not "test" for other illegal activity.

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

Let the police, police.

If it doesn’t give you a competitive advantage, then who cares from a sports standpoint. You’re not the law.

Exactly. Does the NBA randomly drug test all employees and owners for other drugs? Of course not. Just the players.

However, as long as it is against the employers policy, using any drugs (regardless of legality) is a heroic act of stupidity and risking discipline from the league (talking to you Ayton).

[Indy]

In the case of a business with employees of high public visibility (like professional athletes), it impacts the business’s public image. Their contracts have various clauses about moral, legal and safe behavior. The drug policy happens to be a rather straightforward one to enforce with testing.

It makes sense to drop marijuana as it becomes both legal and socially accepted. It also makes sense to ban the worse stuff.

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

Let the police, police.

If it doesn’t give you a competitive advantage, then who cares from a sports standpoint. You’re not the law.

Exactly. Does the NBA randomly drug test all employees and owners for other drugs? Of course not. Just the players.

However, as long as it is against the employers policy, using any drugs (regardless of legality) is a heroic act of stupidity and risking discipline from the league (talking to you Ayton).

Love the description.

[specialsauce]

Meh. I don't buy it. Why is using drugs less moral than speeding? I don't think 'morality' should be legislated by employers, especially employers that are given exemptions to operate as a monopoly.

Let the police, police.

If it doesn’t give you a competitive advantage, then who cares from a sports standpoint. You’re not the law.

Exactly. Does the NBA randomly drug test all employees and owners for other drugs? Of course not. Just the players.

However, as long as it is against the employers policy, using any drugs (regardless of legality) is a heroic act of stupidity and risking discipline from the league (talking to you Ayton).

Love the description.

[JeremyG]

James Harden is averaging 39.3 points per game. That has only been done twice in NBA history, both by Wilt.

[specialsauce]

James Harden is averaging 39.3 points per game. That has only been done twice in NBA history, both by Wilt.

Who cares he’s a cheater

[Democritus]

Kings and the Wolves both lost tonight...Minnesota is done for the season I guess...Our team really has a chance for a breakout this year. Too many losers in the West. OKC and the Kings are our competitors for that 8th place. CP 3 will injure himself... and the Kings...well they are the Kings...

[In2ition]

Seems like OKC has made most of their vets available in a trade and expect to tank, imo.

Minnesota, unless they shore up their backcourt, are a bit of a fraud.

It feels like the Kings are a threat though.

[ShelC]

Kings still aren't playing with Fox either.

[Split T]

I think Kings and Suns will get those spots. Blazers might sneak up there. I think Thunder will trade whoever they can(Adams, CP3, Gallo). Not worried about Wolves, we are better than them.

[ShelC]

Kings's loss to the Knicks was as bad as ours to the Grizz, so that's helpful. Blazers will scrap but I don't think Melo's their answer. Still think the Mavs are overrated.