NBA 23/24:season

He doesn't pass the eye test though, imo. His footwork is slow and laboured, he's noticeably less efficient going to his left and he simply isn't quick enough to slide as required defensively. Finally, he shot two three point shots all year, zero in tournament play. This is after shooting zero three point shots the previous three years. Absolutely he dominates against this level of competition and imo he blew a hole last night in the draft projections I've seen where Clingan is ahead of him.

Like you can contextualise this in terms of last night's game. He got lobbed over twice in the second half where he just couldn't gather his feet and set to jump and challenge. As the second half wore on Clingan just hung on his right shoulder and forced him into tougher shots. He is able to work a lot in the college game one on one, where doubling him allows an easy pass out to an open shooter.

It isn't hard to understand why he is considered a later 1st round prospect. The demands of the NBA are completely different in terms of spacing, needing Centres to stretch out to defend the line, requiring centres to work offensively in the pick and roll. His athleticism is marginal in those contexts.

Don't hear what I'm not saying here - Edey is one of the greatest college players ever, and certainly the best player of the last 30 years. But it would be a misappropriation of a lottery pick to select him high in the 1st round. He absolutely could carve out a role in the NBA, where his size and touch around the rim allows rotational flexibility and the ability to pressure opponents out of small ball lineups. But it is highly highly unlikely he becomes a 25 min plus starter on a winning team.

finally down to the business end of the season. as a celtics fan the last month or so has been fairly boring.

While I think they will win their first round, the heat or 76'ers is a nasty first round

But nonetheless, very exciting final week. Denver losing the 1st seed arguably won't matter as I can see them having home advantage in the conference finals anyway. The Clippers and Mavs will be eyeing up that second round tie against the Thunder and thinking they can do something there.

Great hustle from the Suns last few weeks against a relatively challenging schedule (filled with teams still trying) to get the 6th seed and week off. The Pelicans losing four straight killed them, and the Lakers absolutely destroyed them last night. I would say a very disappointing outcome for New Orleans to end up in the Play In again.

Really can't see any of the West Play in 4 coming through and seriously challenging Oklahoma / Denver. For the Lakers and the Warriors, if they make it they make it with a lack of rest coming into the opener. While the Pelicans and Kings just don't look good enough to me, to win a series against either of the top two seeds.

In the East, the Knicks getting the second seed would have Embiid and Philly thinking they can do something, maybe, if they can win on Wednesday. I think the 8th seed is a death sentence mind, Boston are a superior outfit this year and should lack any sense of complacency.

Really struggling to see beyond Boston. Whereas the West seems genuinely open. Absolutely advantage Denver, but the Clippers and Mavs and Suns are all very good teams, equipped with enough fire power to last a series against anyone. I expect the best basketball over the next six weeks to all come from the West.

I agree it's a death knell, but I still think they want to win on Tuesday and forget any messing around of trying to lose and play Oklahoma instead. If you want to win a championship you probably have to play Denver anyway, so may as well try and do it when fresh, give it your best shot and whatever happens, happens.

Lakers beat the Pels to make the playoffs.

Golden State fall to Sacramento so they face off in NOLA for the 8 seed and the opportunity to lose to OKC.

Klay shot 0-10 😬

To Sacremento, that is. Sorry, asleep :)

Pour one out for the Warriors Dynasty. Incredible ~decade of great basketball, transformed the game and imo the 2017 version are easily the greatest single season team of all time.

Klay going out on 0 - 10 shooting is a monument to the cold stark reality of sport and the way in which time is always undefeated in the end.

Time to rebuild, Curry could have a couple of useable years yet.

So Klay is a UFA. Unless he's willing to take an incredibly team friendly deal with a significant pay cut, he's gone.

Paul is a team option for $30m, seeya.

Draymond is a tough one. Essentially three years left on his contract through his age 36 season. Could be a difficult player to trade in the offseason. He's still a good defender and cog guy. I do struggle to visualise him adding value to a contender on that deal elsewhere, all the same.

It's probably Klay and Paul gone, reducing 73m in salary and getting them below the first apron. Bit of chopping of role / depth guys also. Will leave them an ability to add someone on a mid range contract, and maybe another MLE type add. For this to be a very significant rebuild they need to find suitors for Dray or Wiggins or both…

Lifetime ban for Jontay Porter for betting on games including betting on his own team to lose.

Philly just about get past Miami, winning the honour of getting to face the Knicks in the first round.

Play-in games on Friday night now to determine the 1v8 matchup:

Boston vs Miami/Chicago

OKC vs NOLA/SAC

The people of Charlotte must HATE him. Played like he was a week away from retiring his whole time there and now he's still in the league 4 years on

I really like Jimmy but if Bulls have any chance to make layoffs, we could definitely do without Jimmy playing.

Denver have the Laker’s number in every which way. During this extended run of wins in succession (now a 9 - 0 run) there has been a sense watching the games that Denver have levers to pull in reserve each time.

Jokic / Murray > > LBJ / Davis at this stage of their careers, time catches up to everyone.

Then around that core disparity the Denver role players are way more consistent, being coached into more natural rotations and patterns. I honestly don’t fathom how Lakers win a game off them at this point.

Yeah D'Lo is the key, he got played off the court last year but I understand why they feel they need to stick with him. He was absolutely atrocious on Saturday, the box score doesn't do it justice. But the issue is trying to bring enough offensively at all times to make Jamal have to defend. If you have a Vando type out there or even a Dinwiddie / Vincent you can say that you have an on ball disrupter, but the real way to get at Murray is to make it so he can't hide off on the backside on D, with his hands on his knees.

But make no mistake about it, the Lakers are not bringing their best game. Really lacking in details defensively on Saturday:

I also can't stand Prince getting prioritised over Rui, he plays with such little physicality defensively and has no diversity in his offensive game. Rui cuts to the baseline effectively and really tries on D, has to be a better option.

In the end, the biggest problem is that Jokic just gets what he wants, how he wants and when he wants against the Lakers. Neither LeBron or Davis can guard him effectively, so it makes the rest academic. He languidly gets his 30+ point double double in the way that best suits Denver's specific needs on the night and that's that. All the ways in which this is a terrible matchup for the Lakers flows from that core reality.