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

[kg01]

27 minutes ago, Afro said:

Lukas defense getting absolutely cooked on the tweeter makes my heart happy lol

Early birthday present ...

 

My point in posting this is simply to highlight that it's something people choose to ignore with some players and not with others.

And it's not like he has a size excuse ... 

Eta. Be sure to lock in for the 'whoops' starting at 30 seconds. 

Edited June 11 by kg01

[Afro]

9 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Early birthday present ...

 

My point in posting this is simply to highlight that it's something people choose to ignore with some players and not with others.

And it's not like he has a size excuse ... 

Eta. Be sure to lock in for the 'whoops' starting at 30 seconds. 

LOL that's exactly the tweet I'm talking about.

Its so beautiful. 

Will this defensive reputation stick like it does to Trae? Absolutely not, but I'm living in the moment. 

[kg01]

9 minutes ago, Afro said:

LOL that's exactly the tweet I'm talking about.

Its so beautiful. 

Will this defensive reputation stick like it does to Trae? Absolutely not, but I'm living in the moment. 

Odd that it doesn't because this has been his norm since day 1.

[kg01]

The interesting thing about all this is defensive analytics(sic) don't capture this.

So people use them to suggest he's 'net neutral' or w/e defensively.

What part of any of that suggests he's not killing his team on that end?

But, because defense can't fully be quantified, they'll not likely ever catch all of what's shown on those clips.

[Afro]

I'm hoping all these clips will at least inch him closer to the Harden comps he deserves. 

[macdaddy]

6 minutes ago, kg01 said:

The interesting thing about all this is defensive analytics(sic) don't capture this.

So people use them to suggest he's 'net neutral' or w/e defensively.

What part of any of that suggests he's not killing his team on that end?

But, because defense can't fully be quantified, they'll not likely ever catch all of what's shown on those clips.

I'll pile on cuz it's fun.  Watch him work for his 11 defensive rebounds.  

Video and Shotcharts | Stats | NBA.com

[Afro]

4 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I'll pile on cuz it's fun.  Watch him work for his 11 defensive rebounds.  

Video and Shotcharts | Stats | NBA.com

Two things. 

1. Buh gawd that's James Hardens intro music 

2. The modern NBA has ruined the triple double. 

[Afro]

And I don't use the Harden comps as a slight. Harden was a damn good player and a HOFer. 

But Lukas reputation is wildly beyond what Hardens was at any point. And its weird. 

Outside of the very obvious foul baiting Harden used to score 40 a night.....they play almost identically? 

But Luka is the great white hope and gods gift to basketball while Harden was a dirty foulbaiting ballhog who played 0 defense. 

[hylndr11]

Luka just has shit lateral ability needed for point of attack defence and perimeter def.

[bleachkit]

5 hours ago, Afro said:

And I don't use the Harden comps as a slight. Harden was a damn good player and a HOFer. 

But Lukas reputation is wildly beyond what Hardens was at any point. And its weird. 

Outside of the very obvious foul baiting Harden used to score 40 a night.....they play almost identically? 

But Luka is the great white hope and gods gift to basketball while Harden was a dirty foulbaiting ballhog who played 0 defense. 

That's only his reputation in retrospect, at the height of his powers Harden was revered and lauded. If he had won a title or two he would have cemented his status as an all time great. If Luka does not win a title in the next 3 to 4 years, then forces his way by trade to multiple different teams with no title at any spot, rest assured his shine will start to dim. Its not about race dont even go there.

Edited June 11 by bleachkit

[macdaddy]

3 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

That's only his reputation in retrospect, at the height of his powers Harden was revered and lauded. If he had won a title or two he would have cemented his status as an all time great.

100%.  8 years of all star selections, first team all nba and an mvp.  

[bleachkit]

1 minute ago, macdaddy said:

100%.  8 years of all star selections, first team all nba and an mvp.  

Forcing his way out, and then forcing his way out yet again, and yet again in multiple trades. Yea, that's not going to help your rep. 

[AHF]

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

Forcing his way out, and then forcing his way out yet again, and yet again in multiple trades. Yea, that's not going to help your rep. 

Especially when you aren't winning big after forcing your way out.

[Afro]

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

That's only his reputation in retrospect, at the height of his powers Harden was revered and lauded. If he had won a title or two he would have cemented his status as an all time great. If Luka does not win a title in the next 3 to 4 years, then forces his way by trade to multiple different teams with no title at any spot, rest assured his shine will start to dim. Its not about race dont even go there.

You could be right about the shine washing off of Luka, but comparing Luka to Rockets Harden... It's not the same. 

Yeah, Harden had star power. But he was nowhere near this untouchable. People criticized his play and play style a good bit. Even at the height of his powers. 

Again, I said I wasnt knocking Harden. 

But Luka has one of the most untouchable reputations that I can remember over the last 20 years? He gets almost zero criticism. For anything. Jokic might be the only other dude and that's moreso cause he has 2 titles and no one expected this from him. 

LeBron got farrrrrr more criticism during his time in Cleveland. I say Cleveland cause Luka has been around about as long now. Kobe was criticized. Every other star in the current era gets criticized. Not Luka though lol. It's weird. 

That's why I say he plays like Harden but has a vastly different reputation. I find it very strange. Harden got his flowers, but had his fair share of critics. If you listen to the media and majority opinion Luka can do no wrong. 

 

Edited June 11 by Afro

[kg01]

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

Forcing his way out, and then forcing his way out yet again, and yet again in multiple trades. Yea, that's not going to help your rep. 

Not surprised you have a sympathetic space in your cold dead heart for Harden.

I imagine he's a kindred spirit of yours or sorts, considering his off-court rep. 

Edited June 11 by kg01

[Afro]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

Not surprised you have a sympathetic space in your cold dead heart for Harden.

I imagine he's a kindred spirit of yours or sorts, considering his off-court rep. 

See a perfect example of what I'm talking about. And further proof they're the exact same person/player lol. 

Harden got criticized for his "off court" activities. 

Luka just gets called chunky and they pinch his cheeks like a grandma lol, even though it's clear he has a drinking/party issue like Harden. 

[bleachkit]

9 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Not surprised you have a sympathetic space in your cold dead heart for Harden.

I imagine he's a kindred spirit of yours or sorts, considering his off-court rep. 

He can party with the best of them, no question about it. 

[kg01]

14 minutes ago, Afro said:

See a perfect example of what I'm talking about. And further proof they're the exact same person/player lol. 

Harden got criticized for his "off court" activities. 

Luka just gets called chunky and they pinch his cheeks like a grandma lol, even though it's clear he has a drinking/party issue like Harden. 

There's definitely a more sinister slant for Harden while the other guy gets the 'boys will be boys', gee aw shucks, treatment. 

It's not nothin'.. 

7 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

He can party with the best of them, no question about it. 

He's famous for dropping 30's then dropping 1's later on that same night. 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

Harden

NOT IT 

KD is as soft as charmin.

 

 

[kg01]

Anybody wanna have their mind blown?

No, I'm not tryna get you to try shrooms with me.  That ship sailed without you blokes on it.  Anyways ...

There's a dude on fakegm tryna spin Luka's defense as him purposely getting beaten to avoid getting in foul trouble.

Another is saying him constantly getting blown by isn't inherently bad because they (BOS) might miss the subsequently created shot(s).

You can't make this stuff up.