2021 into 2022 OFFSEASON News and Notes

[AHF]

1 minute ago, macdaddy said:

Isn't this the Ja strategy though?   It worked for him.  Morant been telling people for 2 years that he's as good or better than Trae and now people think they are equal somehow when it's  not really even close.   

Eh, I don't think Ja is talked about like Trae is but when talking about the best young players with him, Luka, Zion, etc. Ja should be in the conversation.  Ja got into the conversation with his play, not with his mouth.  

Trae - Playoffs

28.8 ppg, 9.5 apg, 2.8 rpg

Ja - Playoffs

30.2 ppg, 8.2 apg, 4.2 rpg

Herro - Playoffs

14.9 ppg, 3.4 apg, 4.8 rpg

Huerter - Playoffs

11.1 ppg, 2.8 apg, 3.8 rpg

 

[macdaddy]

5 minutes ago, AHF said:

Eh, I don't think Ja is talked about like Trae is but when talking about the best young players with him, Luka, Zion, etc. Ja should be in the conversation.  Ja got into the conversation with his play, not with his mouth.  

Trae - Playoffs

28.8 ppg, 9.5 apg, 2.8 rpg

Ja - Playoffs

30.2 ppg, 8.2 apg, 4.2 rpg

Herro - Playoffs

14.9 ppg, 3.4 apg, 4.8 rpg

Huerter - Playoffs

11.1 ppg, 2.8 apg, 3.8 rpg

 

I"m not convinced.   That's 5 playoff games for Ja and 4 of them are loses.  Those scoring numbers are way over his season averages.   For the season 25/9 vs 19/7  is Trae vs Ja.  That's a pretty huge difference over the course of a season.   Neither were great shooters but Ja was worse than Trae.

I"m not trying to knock Ja and i don't have an issue with him talking but to say that Ja has been close to as good as Trae to this point is really stretching it.   But there are a lot of folks trying to equate them not just Ja himself. 

 

 

[AHF]

23 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I"m not convinced.   That's 5 playoff games for Ja and 4 of them are loses.  Those scoring numbers are way over his season averages.   For the season 25/9 vs 19/7  is Trae vs Ja.  That's a pretty huge difference over the course of a season.   Neither were great shooters but Ja was worse than Trae.

I"m not trying to knock Ja and i don't have an issue with him talking but to say that Ja has been close to as good as Trae to this point is really stretching it.   But there are a lot of folks trying to equate them not just Ja himself. 

 

 

That is fair.  While the big difference statistically is really the points piece (with Ja having a much higher FG% but lower TS% due to 3pters and FT), Trae is on a different level from Morant.  I do think Ja a great young player, though.  I'd be thrilled to have him if we didn't have Trae.  But he isn't in the MVP conversation and guys like Luka and Trae should be.  The gap between them is probably clearest in the advanced metrics.

I'd say that Ja is probably closer to Trae (i.e., when I think about what he has to improve to close that gap) than Herro is to Ja (where I don't see any set of circumstances where he could close that gap).

[kg01]

51 minutes ago, AHF said:

That is fair.  While the big difference statistically is really the points piece (with Ja having a much higher FG% but lower TS% due to 3pters and FT), Trae is on a different level from Morant.  I do think Ja a great young player, though.  I'd be thrilled to have him if we didn't have Trae.  But he isn't in the MVP conversation and guys like Luka and Trae should be.  The gap between them is probably clearest in the advanced metrics.

I'd say that Ja is probably closer to Trae (i.e., when I think about what he has to improve to close that gap) than Herro is to Ja (where I don't see any set of circumstances where he could close that gap).

I think you, aka White Chocolate, are closer to Herro than he is to Trae.

You keep doin' your rain dance, WC...

[Gray Mule]

Having the highest rated player - with the very high scoring % isn't always the best.  Example:

Luka Doncic is usually rated by the NBA people higher than Trae Young.  When ask, "Who would you pick to build a new NBA team around," Luka came in far ahead of our own Trae.  

Yet, look at where the two teams ended up in last season's play off.

So, the real question becomes, "Is it better to have a higher rated player or one who leads his team to meaningful wins?"

[AHF]

5 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

Having the highest rated player - with the very high scoring % isn't always the best.  Example:

Luka Doncic is usually rated by the NBA people higher than Trae Young.  When ask, "Who would you pick to build a new NBA team around," Luka came in far ahead of our own Trae.  

Yet, look at where the two teams ended up in last season's play off.

So, the real question becomes, "Is it better to have a higher rated player or one who leads his team to meaningful wins?"

And because basketball is a team game, this is a little more complicated question than just a head to head comparison.  (Before last year, a lot of bad analysis was done to dismiss Trae's abilities under the rationale of "his team doesn't win.")  I don't have much criticism for either of those two young men.  Both have been revelations.  Atlanta won 41 games in the regular season and Dallas 42 games last year.  Dallas went down in 7 games to the WCF Clippers who enjoyed a full 7 games each from Leonard and George.  (The NBA finalist Suns took 6 games to beat the same Clipper but without Kawhi Leonard.)

The only eyebrow raising I'm doing with Luka is whether there is a problem with him given the turnover of some good people in Dallas and the disconnect between him and Porzingis whereas I'm confident that Trae is good teammate and great for the franchise.

[kg01]

In news that should surprise no one who was aware that he had a broken foot, per Shams, Zion will miss the start of the season.  Being re-evaluated in 2 weeks, no timetable for return.

Shams' tweet quotes perennial liar, David Griffin.  The same guy who, at the press conference where he admitted the injury happened, wagged his smarmy finger at everyone and said this was no big deal.  Said it was only a big deal to folks that weren't already aware he broke it (well, duh).

I'll repeat what I've been saying the past few years, being 280 lbs is not conducive to a long basketball career.  Something's gotta give.  If he doesn't lose weight, the thing that's gonna 'give' is his body.

[RedDawg#8]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

In news that should surprise no one who was aware that he had a broken foot, per Shams, Zion will miss the start of the season.  Being re-evaluated in 2 weeks, no timetable for return.

Shams' tweet quotes perennial liar, David Griffin.  The same guy who, at the press conference where he admitted the injury happened, wagged his smarmy finger at everyone and said this was no big deal.  Said it was only a big deal to folks that weren't already aware he broke it (well, duh).

I'll repeat what I've been saying the past few years, being 280 lbs is not conducive to a long basketball career.  Something's gotta give.  If he doesn't lose weight, the thing that's gonna 'give' is his body.

Facts. I'll take it a step further.

Being 280, but but only 6-6, and the most special aspect about your game being explosiveness and athleticism

Add that together and it's a recipe for disaster.

Joel and Jokic are 280, but are around 7 feet and don't rely on pure athleticism. Even that is rough on Embiid's body but he has managed to get better at taking care of his body.

Now shrink all that mass into a 6-6 frame that is a high flyer like Vince Carter. Aint no way that can hold up.

[Spud2nique]

 

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[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

Just now, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

Good for Goodie! He plays hard I hope he makes it.

[JayBirdHawk]

3 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Good for Goodie! He plays hard I hope he makes it.

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

The season is 7 days away!  All the Squawkers - Let's go!

Needs a @kg01 gif post.

[ATLHawks3]

2 hours ago, kg01 said:

In news that should surprise no one who was aware that he had a broken foot, per Shams, Zion will miss the start of the season.  Being re-evaluated in 2 weeks, no timetable for return.

Shams' tweet quotes perennial liar, David Griffin.  The same guy who, at the press conference where he admitted the injury happened, wagged his smarmy finger at everyone and said this was no big deal.  Said it was only a big deal to folks that weren't already aware he broke it (well, duh).

I'll repeat what I've been saying the past few years, being 280 lbs is not conducive to a long basketball career.  Something's gotta give.  If he doesn't lose weight, the thing that's gonna 'give' is his body.

Funny how he said that and gave season ticket holders the impression he'll be ready at the start of the season. Shady guy.

Edited October 14, 2021 by ATLHawks3

[JayBirdHawk]

3 hours ago, kg01 said:

In news that should surprise no one who was aware that he had a broken foot, per Shams, Zion will miss the start of the season.  Being re-evaluated in 2 weeks, no timetable for return.

Shams' tweet quotes perennial liar, David Griffin.  The same guy who, at the press conference where he admitted the injury happened, wagged his smarmy finger at everyone and said this was no big deal.  Said it was only a big deal to folks that weren't already aware he broke it (well, duh).

I'll repeat what I've been saying the past few years, being 280 lbs is not conducive to a long basketball career.  Something's gotta give.  If he doesn't lose weight, the thing that's gonna 'give' is his body.

[kg01]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The season is 7 days away!  All the Squawkers - Let's go!

Needs a @kg01 gif post.

It'll be a series probably.  If I don't get banned or atleast get a stern talking-to, I haven't done my job.

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Even if you factor in the 19 one being touched up, yikes, the guy has no jawline now.

[hazer]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

That’s fiddy pounds

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, hazer said:

That’s fiddy pounds

https://yarn.co/yarn-clip/1a3f6bdb-1940-467d-9280-56ac2d19076f

[AHF]

8 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

[marco102]

 Trouble already brewing with the Celts.