Around the League: Week 7(11/29-12/5)

[Mori Chu]

Poor Lopez. Hard to come back 100% from an injury like that.

[pickle]

Memphis is doubling up OKC at the half right now, SGA out in concussion protocols...

[The Bobster]

Final score - Memphis 152, OKC 79

[pickle]

Biggest winning margin in history IINM...

[LazarusLong]

previous record beat-down was Cavaliers over the Miami Heat in 1991 ... 148-80

[Charlie Smithy!]

Final score - Memphis 152, OKC 79

Largest lead of the game? 78 points.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Final score - Memphis 152, OKC 79

Largest lead of the game? 78 points.

But how many future first round picks do they have?

[The Bobster]

Memphis - a winning record, a 73-point win and still a negative point differential for the season! (-0.8)

[Split T]

Memphis - a winning record, a 73-point win and still a negative point differential for the season! (-0.8)

I have noticed Memphis gets blown out a lot…this massive win is crazy to me…maybe they’re better without Ja…nah it’s just the Thunder.

[LazarusLong]

Look at the Thunder's starting lineup tonight ... underwhelming, to say the least.
Who's the #1 option ... Lou Dort? Ty Jerome?

[Split T]

I never watched a lot of Laker games and don’t watch the Bulls…Is Caruso really this good of a defender? I don’t recall him actually doing much against the suns. Seemed like he didn’t deter Booker all that much. Feel like every other team we faced in the playoffs had better defenders,(besides the joke that was the Nuggets defense) so I guess just Clippers and Bucks. But Jrue was definitely more impactful and so was Beverley. Caruso had about the same impact I remember Terrence Mann having. He couldn’t really defend Booker either.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Caruso has been better than last year and I think he's playing at a 1st Team All-Defense level so far.

Also, can anyone really defend Booker anymore?

[pickle]

I don't think Caruso got the minutes on the Lakers to really matter, and their stars obviously overshadowed.

On the Bulls, it's not just him, but he is getting around 30 mpg this year and his presence, along with Lonzo, and Lavine's commitment on that less glamorous end, has made things more difficult for opponents. I don't watch them enough to say this conclusively, but he is maybe a bit like Stewart on defense, always giving 100% effort during the regular season, which by itself is enough to be worth a few points per game. He also has very quick hands and is an excellent point of attack defender who makes everybody else's job much easier. If we are talking video game terms, his pure defensive rating may not be through the roof, but he seems to have that Defensive Anchor attribute to his game.

[Split T]

Caruso has been better than last year and I think he's playing at a 1st Team All-Defense level so far.

Also, can anyone really defend Booker anymore?

The best I’ve seen do it are:

1. Matisse Thybulle
2. Jrue Holiday
3. Patrick Beverley

[Shabazz]

One guy I’d love to poach from a losing situation, probably even more than Thad, is Robert Covington.

[pickle]

He's not a particularly strong one on one defender, though his help defense and length is useful. Not sure that you could use him as a small ball five so much...

[Flagrant Fowl]

[Split T]

Houston used him at the 5 when they gave up on all Centers that one year. He does provide a little rim protection which is nice. Just a catch and shoot guy on offense. Think he could most definitely fill the Torrey Craig role.

[Suns_Dave]

I never watched a lot of Laker games and don’t watch the Bulls…Is Caruso really this good of a defender? I don’t recall him actually doing much against the suns. Seemed like he didn’t deter Booker all that much. Feel like every other team we faced in the playoffs had better defenders,(besides the joke that was the Nuggets defense) so I guess just Clippers and Bucks. But Jrue was definitely more impactful and so was Beverley. Caruso had about the same impact I remember Terrence Mann having. He couldn’t really defend Booker either.

Booker exposed him in the playoffs, which I believe was a driving factor behind LA letting him go. He's been stellar so far with Chicago, and LA wants a do-over on that offseason.

[ShelC]

On the Thad Young situation