2023-24 NBA Regular Season: Notes/Tidbits/Updates etc.

[JayBirdHawk]

31 minutes ago, kg01 said:

If he gets excuses then everyone gets excuses so no one gets excuses. 

It's notta phase, hillbilly.  It's him. 

The other excuse now is that he needs a better #2 than Kyrie .....they were designated the best backcourt just last week. Things change quickly. 

[kg01]

5 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The other excuse now is that he needs a better #2 than Kyrie .....they were designated the best backcourt just last week. Things change quickly. 

I saw some fans calling them the best backcourt in finals history and such.

We were also told how great(sic) Lively was so I can't wait til 'they' turn on him next.

Anyway, we all know he'll get the JoeLLLL treatment and be injured(sic) ... unless dey win. 

[Hawkmoor]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

@Hawkmoor I got this AHF, composed but ready to rip it.  

Me knowing whats coming after Kyrie's performance so far:

 

 

[kg01]

1 minute ago, Hawkmoor said:

Me knowing whats coming after Kyrie's performance so far:

 

 

Nah, gotta keep peacockin' regardless of results.  Well, in those instances it's not peacockin', it's 'being kagey'. 

[AHF]

6 minutes ago, Hawkmoor said:

Me knowing whats coming after Kyrie's performance so far:

 

 

He is an elite shooter and a very nice #2 when someone else is the primary focus of the defense.  Boston has unusual depth but even so Kyrie will get better.  He just isn't the #1 the guys who call him the most skilled player in NBA history think he is. 

[Hawkmoor]

25 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The other excuse now is that he needs a better #2 than Kyrie .....they were designated the best backcourt just last week. Things change quickly. 

Ok, now that I took my Kyrie punch from @Spud2nique its time to analyze this coonery with the Mavericks.  First, Kyrie is averaging 14 points per game in two games.  Thats half of Luka's production of 31 points per game.  Thats not gonna get it.  They NEED Kyrie averaging 20 points per game. Too much pressure was on Luka. Its highlighted by the fact that the other Mavericks are horrible on offense.  I've seen enough of Lively's non offensive game.  He might be worst than Capela with fumbling the ball.  I cringe when any Maverick shoots the ball outside of Luka or Kyrie.  Josh Green is soo bad he will dribble AWAY from the bucket ala Ben Simmons to avoid wide open layups.  Washington is about the only one that I say "maybe" it will go in when he shoots the ball.

When I look at the Mavericks across the board the Hawks have better offensive players as a whole.  The difference is the Mavericks have a better and bigger backcourt (Luka's height is a problem for guards) and better team defense.  Defense is what Lively, Green, Washington, at times Luka and Kyrie can do.  The problem with the Celtics is the Celtics, like the Hawks, have better offensive weapons across the board but also bring some of the best defense in the league to the table with it.  You combine that with their length and excellent defensive schemes and you have a problem.  They are just a better team than the Mavericks.  They pressure the ball (Luka was wore out by the time the 4th quarter came along) and disrupted Kyrie who was funneled to BIG help which altered a lot of his shots.  The Celtics not only pressure the ball but they keep someone on the "nail" to prevent the ball handler from escaping on ball pressure on the wing.  Its looking like this series is over and the Keltics (not a misprint) are gonna have their 18th world championship.

Edited June 10 by Hawkmoor

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, kg01 said:

I'm not watching the Finals since these teams aren't all that good or compelling.

Went to a restaurant with my special lady friend and game was on, she sat with her head to the back of the tv so I could watch.

 

I stood up, went on her side and sat next to her and we dined side by side like one of those couples. She said, “no NBA finals” I said, “you’re more important to me than any finals.”

Long story short…

 

Thanks Luker!  

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, bleachkit said:

He's playing with injuries.

Oh no! No excuse league we’re in. Sounds like an excuse to me. Ima throw that ish out for you. No excuse zone here .

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

If he gets excuses then everyone gets excuses so no one gets excuses.

Great minds let’s tag team! 

[Spud2nique]

30 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

The other excuse now is that he needs a better #2 than Kyrie .....they were designated the best backcourt just last week. Things change quickly. 

If Luka had MJ, it would be over! OVAAAA I SAY!! 

[hawkman]

1 minute ago, AHF said:

He is an elite shooter and a very nice #2 when someone else is the primary focus of the defense.  Boston has unusual depth but even so Kyrie will get better.  He just isn't the #1 the guys who call him the most skilled player in NBA history think he is. 

The Celtics have VERY solid defenders in Holiday, White, and Brown with Porzingis coming off the bench as well. They can afford to let Luka score some as long as they put the clamps on the rest of the team. They've pretty much neutralized his playmaking ability. He only had 1 assist in the first game which is highly uncharacteristic of him. Even with a triple double last game, he had 8 turnovers. If the Celtics had hit their normal number of threes last night, they would've run the Mavs off the court for the second game in a row. This is a nightmare matchup for Dallas. This is looking like a gentleman's sweep at best unless they figure something out.

[kg01]

8 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Went to a restaurant with my special lady friend and game was on, she sat with her head to the back of the tv so I could watch.

 

I stood up, went on her side and sat next to her and we dined side by side like one of those couples. She said, “no NBA finals” I said, “you’re more important to me than any finals.”

Long story short…

 

Thanks Luker!  

Nice!  Very well played, sir.  Very well played indeed.

(British accent) "... you're more import'nt than any finals, babes."

[15 minutes later]

Bow-chikka-wow-wow....

[AHF]

45 minutes ago, hawkman said:

The Celtics have VERY solid defenders in Holiday, White, and Brown with Porzingis coming off the bench as well. They can afford to let Luka score some as long as they put the clamps on the rest of the team. They've pretty much neutralized his playmaking ability. He only had 1 assist in the first game which is highly uncharacteristic of him. Even with a triple double last game, he had 8 turnovers. If the Celtics had hit their normal number of threes last night, they would've run the Mavs off the court for the second game in a row. This is a nightmare matchup for Dallas. This is looking like a gentleman's sweep at best unless they figure something out.

Matchups are key in playoff basketball.  Denver would have rolled Dallas and been a much harder matchup for Boston.  But Minnesota matches up very strong against Denver and very weak against Dallas.  So both Dallas and Boston end up with easier matchups because the defending champs had a bad matchup in the semi-finals.

Now Dallas does get to go back home and a playoff series doesn't really start until a team wins on the road so I'm not ruling them out just yet but Boston is a much harder matchup for the Mavs.

[AHF]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Went to a restaurant with my special lady friend

 

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

Nice!  Very well played, sir.  Very well played indeed.

(British accent) "... you're more import'nt than any finals, babes."

[15 minutes later]

Bow-chikka-wow-wow....

Little awkward for the wait staff but when opportunity knocks...

[hawkman]

22 minutes ago, AHF said:

Matchups are key in playoff basketball.  Denver would have rolled Dallas and been a much harder matchup for Boston.  But Minnesota matches up very strong against Denver and very weak against Dallas.  So both Dallas and Boston end up with easier matchups because the defending champs had a bad matchup in the semi-finals.

Now Dallas does get to go back home and a playoff series doesn't really start until a team wins on the road so I'm not ruling them out just yet but Boston is a much harder matchup for the Mavs.

Dallas has to get both of those games or this series is over. The Celtics didn't even shoot lights out last night and they still won in convincing fashion.

[KB21]

Wow!  Say what you want about the Hawks.  At least we aren't the f***ing Lakers right now.

[JayBirdHawk]

14 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Wow!  Say what you want about the Hawks.  At least we aren't the f***ing Lakers right now.

Not surprised. 

I said it was a ploy by LAL, so when JJ got the job, they'd be able to say they did their due diligence.

[bleachkit]

19 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Wow!  Say what you want about the Hawks.  At least we aren't the f***ing Lakers right now.

"Dan, you're gonna have to play Bronny. That's not negotiable." Now headed on first flight back to Connecticut. 

[KB21]

3 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

"Dan, you're gonna have to play Bronny. That's not negotiable." Now headed on first flight back to Connecticut. 

That's exactly what I thought.  These college coaches, they are used to running the show.  I didn't think Dan would take a back seat to James, and I'm betting he was told that they were taking Bronny.

[benhillboy]

I’d rather give Jrue his flowers than crap on Kyrie.  I always thought he was a bit overrated as a defender (many declared him best on the perimeter for a few years now) but no more.  When he’s matched with Kyrie he’s matching step for step which is incredibly hard, navigating most screens beautifully,, and using experience, film, and strength to kill all the ways Kyrie creates separation and finishes.  Then he’s facing White who is only a step below Jrue.

@AHF I don’t know how you can call full-strength OKC and Minny “favorable” matchups for Dallas.  Winning 56-57 games is hard af, us Hawks fans haven’t seen it in so long we’ve forgotten.

Edited June 10 by benhillboy

[kg01]

38 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Not surprised. 

I said it was a ploy by LAL, so when JJ got the job, they'd be able to say they did their due diligence.

Agreed.  A hidden benefit to this is it shows Woj for the tool and shill that he is.

And furthermore... wait, I'm not supposed to be talking to you since we got beef now.

@Spud2nique didju see burd made me read Bill Simmons?  We may need mediation or the next cul de sac bbq gonna be interesting ...