Top Teams biggest improvements so far

[benhillboy]

17 minutes ago, Atlantaholic said:

The Heat are the most overrated of the bunch by a country mile. Jimmy is getting older, Bam seems to have peaked, and their big addition is a 35 year old PG who is already visibly in decline, and they just tied the rest of their cap to a spot up shooter, personally I think they are a play in team next season.

I’m the biggest Butler fan there is but you’re right, he and Kyle certainly ain’t getting any younger.  If anything they weakened the Bucks for us snagging Tucker.  He was only a 119/ 110 rated player for the Bucks in the playoffs, how do you let that walk for $4 mil?  
 

If Oladipo can stay healthy and they can move Bam to the 4 (Dedmon certainly ain’t getting that done) they’ll be a problem but that’s a lot of “ifs.”  The Hawks are equipped to compete even with another rash of injuries.  I think Delon Wright will be a poor man’s SGA with this roster. The media doesn’t know it but we’re arguably in the best shape in the East.  I don’t care nothing about the Nets they look for Jeff Green and Joe Harris to be the “adults in the room.”

Edited August 3, 2021 by benhillboy

[Atlantaholic]

2 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

I’m the biggest Butler fan there is but you’re right, he and Kyle certainly ain’t getting any younger.  If anything they weakened the Bucks for us snagging Tucker.  He was only a 119/ 110 rated player for the Bucks in the playoffs, how do you let that walk for $4 mil?  
 

If Oladipo can stay healthy and they can move Bam to the 4 (Dedmon certainly ain’t getting that done) they’ll be a problem but that’s a lot of “ifs.”  The Hawks are equipped to compete even with another rash of injuries.  The media doesn’t know it but we’re arguably in the best shape in the East.  I don’t care nothing about the Nets they look for Jeff Green and Joe Harris to be the “adults in the room.”

The Nets will obviously be a wild card. If the big three are healthy (and their egos don't implode) down the stretch, they are winning against anybody in either conference, but like you said, that's a big if. 

[benhillboy]

https://stathead.com/basketball/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&player_id1=wrighde01&player_id2=gilgesh01
 

Per 36 almost identical outside the FT attempts and 3 point %.  He has a controlling, deliberate pace on offense like SGA while also speeding up the opposing team on defense hence his great ratings.  I like the 62 game sample size playing versus starters.

[txsting]

23 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

https://stathead.com/basketball/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&player_id1=wrighde01&player_id2=gilgesh01
 

Per 36 almost identical outside the FT attempts and 3 point %.  He has a controlling, deliberate pace on offense like SGA while also speeding up the opposing team on defense hence his great ratings.  I like the 62 game sample size playing versus starters.

I was thinking the same thing earlier today.  Think you nailed this.  What a great trade, Kings always there for us.

[txsting]

2 minutes ago, txsting said:

I was thinking the same thing earlier today.  Think you nailed this.  What a great trade, Kings always there for us.

Really, really need Cam and Kevin to be bucket getters on that second unit, especially if we're running without Lou.  That's my only concern tbh.

[gurpilo]

On our East competition

Miami - Got better, but does it work? Starting 5: Lowry, Oladipo, Butler, Tucker, Adebayo, good defense, bad floor spacing. Bench: Nunn, Herro, Robinson, Bjelica, Dedmon. Good floor spacing, bad defense. I don’t know, the fit is still a question mark for me.

Milwaukee - same, Portis and a work fill the role of Tucker.

NY - they change Bullock for Fournier. Some pieces are still young, I think they will improve a little.

Bulls - I like the team and fit. Ball/Lavine/Williams/Markkanen/Vucevic, bench is weak with White, Caruso, Young, 

Charlotte - They could be a problem.

Boston, Nets, stay about the same, Boston need to find a PG. I think this 7 are the playoff teams with Atlanta.

On the west I like what NO has done, don’t like Lakers squad.

[gurpilo]

hace 8 minutos, txsting dijo:

Really, really need Cam and Kevin to be bucket getters on that second unit, especially if we're running without Lou.  That's my only concern tbh.

A 2nd unit of Wright/Huerter/Reddish/Gallo/Dieng is not a problem offensively, I think they can score easily. A lot of floor spacing and good passing.

[AHF]

1 hour ago, Atlantaholic said:

Yup, though if Lebron and AD remain healthy and play like they did a couple years ago they'll be contenders. Basically it's two top 3 players on the same team, and in basketball that's enough to win regardless of what else you trot out there. If they lose either one for any extended amount of time or if they aren't 100% when the playoffs roll around it will get laughable though. 

The interesting thing is to see how Westbrook fits in.  He took more shots than Durant and Harden when he played with them because he is such a ballhog that even when paired with obviously better, more efficient options on offense he still can't stop chucking the ball.  Is he going to play third option to AD and LeBron or do his normal ball hogging play?  

It makes more sense when LeBron is off the floor and there is more basketball to go around to have Westbrook then do his more normal ball dominant play but when all three are on the floor it is going to be very interesting.  

I do agree that with LeBron and AD healthy, that team should be contenders with little more than decent roleplayers around them.

[Atlantaholic]

Just now, AHF said:

The interesting thing is to see how Westbrook fits in.  He took more shots than Durant and Harden when he played with them because he is such a ballhog that even when paired with obviously better, more efficient options on offense he still can't stop chucking the ball.  Is he going to play third option to AD and LeBron or do his normal ball hogging play?  

It makes more sense when LeBron is off the floor and there is more basketball to go around to have Westbrook then do his more normal ball dominant play but when all three are on the floor it is going to be very interesting.  

I do agree that with LeBron and AD healthy, that team should be contenders with little more than decent roleplayers around them.

Yup, but also worth noting that AD looked pretty disinterested all of last season even when healthy, then you have Lebron literally quitting with an entire two games to go in a playoff series, and you have to wonder if even healthy you will get the same type of impact you got from them two years ago. Westbrook, continues to be one of the most overrated players of all time. I was a massive fan of Westbrook when he broke out in OKC but it's been amazing how he has become the PG version of Josh Smith with terrible defense. He has 38% on a mind boggling 23 shot attempts his last 29 playoff games, and around 26% from 3pt line while turning the ball over 5 times a game with 0.01 Win shares TOTAL over that span. Last year he ranked 188th in WAR and 200th in Net Raptor. Unless he reinvents his game, what will end up happening if AD and Bron are healthy is that he will see his minutes plummet in favor of a replacement level PG who won't eat up touches while being spectacularily innefficient.

[txsting]

1 hour ago, gurpilo said:

A 2nd unit of Wright/Huerter/Reddish/Gallo/Dieng is not a problem offensively, I think they can score easily. A lot of floor spacing and good passing.

Defensively elite, compare to any other 2nd unit.

[Sothron]

3 hours ago, Diesel said:

I won't lie... I like some of the moves that Detroit has made.  I don't think it moves them in Contention but

Kelly Olynk will be good to go with Cade Cunningham.  Jerami Grant, and Killian Hayes.   Bring along Siddiq Bey and Josh Jackson and they have a good young team.   Again not in contention, but I don't think that they are tanking either. 

 

I don't disagree that they've done some nice things but they are not going to be in a playoff mode next season. To me that's tanking even if you aren't expressly out losing games on purpose. Call it rebuilding if you want but its the same thing: lots of losses and no chance of playoffs.

[ATLHawks3]

The Bulls are looking quite formidable, I'm not gonna lie.

[gurpilo]

Well, a lineup of Ball, Lavine, Derozan, Markkanen, Vucevic is good although defense is a questionmark. 2nd unit is very poor right now specially on the frontcourt. Let's see how they finish the team

[Spud2nique]

8 hours ago, sillent said:

The Bulls have improved and may make a playoff leap this year and even surprise some teams similar to how we did last year. 

They are doing well, I’m pissed lol.

5 hours ago, gurpilo said:

Bulls - I like the team and fit. Ball/Lavine/Williams/Markkanen/Vucevic, bench is weak with White, Caruso, Young, 

Ya

36 minutes ago, ATLHawks3 said:

The Bulls are looking quite formidable, I'm not gonna lie.

Ya

20 minutes ago, gurpilo said:

Well, a lineup of Ball, Lavine, Derozan, Markkanen, Vucevic is good although defense is a questionmark. 2nd unit is very poor right now specially on the frontcourt. Let's see how they finish the team

Ya

[Spud2nique]

Hey @kg01 come kick my Bull lovin a$$! 

[sillent]

I can definitely see the Bulls, Pacers and Hornets putting their names on the playoffs list. I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland "surprises" or is in the playin either.

76ers and Knicks better watch out. I can see the Celtics holding up and of course us the Bucks, Brooklyn and even the Heat.

[AHF]

48 minutes ago, gurpilo said:

Well, a lineup of Ball, Lavine, Derozan, Markkanen, Vucevic is good although defense is a questionmark. 2nd unit is very poor right now specially on the frontcourt. Let's see how they finish the team

I'm not nearly as impressed by the Bulls' lineup as you guys.  That is a great offensive lineup but a dismal defensive lineup.  Other than Ball, all of those guys are probably in the bottom 25% of defenders for their position (and some probably in the bottom 5% or 10%).  Vucevic is the only plus rebounder and there is a good chance that not one of them averages more than 1 steal or 1 block per game (none of them did last year).  All of them other than Markkanen (who is a terrible rebounder for a PF) need the ball in their hands a lot to be effective.  

Here are what those USG% look like for last year:

Lavine 31%

Vucevic 28.2%

DeRozan 26.1%

Ball 20.5%

Markkanen 20.2%

 

Notice that adds up to 126%.  Going to be an adjustment to find out how to share those touches.

[sillent]

19 minutes ago, AHF said:

I'm not nearly as impressed by the Bulls' lineup as you guys.  That is a great offensive lineup but a dismal defensive lineup.  Other than Ball, all of those guys are probably in the bottom 25% of defenders for their position (and some probably in the bottom 5% or 10%).  Vucevic is the only plus rebounder and there is a good chance that not one of them averages more than 1 steal or 1 block per game (none of them did last year).  All of them other than Markkanen (who is a terrible rebounder for a PF) need the ball in their hands a lot to be effective.  

Here are what those USG% look like for last year:

Lavine 31%

Vucevic 28.2%

DeRozan 26.1%

Ball 20.5%

Markkanen 20.2%

 

Notice that adds up to 126%.  Going to be an adjustment to find out how to share those touches.

I got a good feeling Markkanen might be making his way to Texas (San Antonio/Dallas).

Edited August 3, 2021 by sillent