2024-25 NBA Season

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm a fair weather San Francisco fan, so I hadn't watched the Warriors much until they acquired Jimmy Butler. Since he is apparently a big star (superstar???), I wanted to see how he helped the Warriors who were having lots of trouble keeping their record above 500. I vaguely remember watching him play against SU way back in the BEC (he is one of the few active links back to those days).

Its been interesting. If I didn't know anything, and didn't listen to the announcers, it would have taken me a long time to realize that he is a star, because he is not the focus of the team, he doesn't generate huge stats, and just doesn't stand out. What I have come to realize, watching him the last 4 games, is that he is simply good at everything: shooting, handle, awareness, poise, toughness, getting a basket when the team needs it, and making teammates better. He also has a lot of Judah Mintz in his ability to drive and draw fouls and he is a very good FT shooter. I don't like that he pushes off defenders with his off arm, but this is just accepted in the NBA today and many do it. Anyways, interesting to see that he has made the Warriors much, much better.

Just today, I saw that he is getting $48 million a year from the Warriors - wow!!!!

He's a weird dude but the guy competes and elevates his teammates. Butler is one of my favorite guys in the NBA when he's focused on basketball. He gives the Warriors some edge, and not fake guy energy like Draymond.

 

[jordville]

Webb was the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, but he won’t be eligible now that he on the shelf for the year. This moves Jaren Jackson up to be the new favorite. If he wins it, he’ll get the super max to be the highest paid player. Weird.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Webb was the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, but he won’t be eligible now that he on the shelf for the year. This moves Jaren Jackson up to be the new favorite. If he wins it, he’ll get the super max to be the highest paid player. Weird.

Jackson has had a great year and stayed healthy. Morant has been rather pedestrian when he actually plays

 

[jordville]

Jackson has had a great year and stayed healthy. Morant has been rather pedestrian when he actually plays

Don’t disagree that JJ is very good to great. Just doesn’t seem like a highest paid player in the league great.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Don’t disagree that JJ is very good to great. Just doesn’t seem like a highest paid player in the league great.

Don't disagree but either is Jaylen Brown, IMO.

JJ has been much better than very good this year as well. Where he plays has something to do with it as well. He's probably going to be ALL NBA this year as JB was a couple years ago when he got the max, a deal is a deal

 

[Newhouser]

Detroit has something good cooking. Monty Williams should be embarrassed.

 

[Eric15]

The team of the year so far is Detroit without question. They went 14-68 last season and for a while there was a chance they could end up with the worst record in league history. One year later they’re a solid 25-24.

Pistons are now 33-26 and could possibly be hosting a playoff series.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Phoenix has to be the most disappointing team in the NBA this year. I understand they're terrible defensively, but I do not remember a team having two of the top 10 scorers in the league finishing under .500 ever. Terrible loss last night against one of the worst teams in the league.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Phoenix has to be the most disappointing team in the NBA this year. I understand they're terrible defensively, but I do not remember a team having two of the top 10 scorers in the league finishing under .500 ever. Terrible loss last night against one of the worst teams in the league.

Agreed. The trade for Beal was horrendous as he is just going to ride it out with the no trade clause. I watched the game last night, they looked like they have pretty much checked out. Zion was fantastic last night FWIW. He's been great the whole month of February and this is usually right about where he gets hurt again

 

[Eric15]

Phoenix has to be the most disappointing team in the NBA this year. I understand they're terrible defensively, but I do not remember a team having two of the top 10 scorers in the league finishing under .500 ever. Terrible loss last night against one of the worst teams in the league.

I feel like whenever teams try to throw together a hodge-podge of alpha scorers (i.e. any team that James Harden or Paul George has played on in the past decade) it just never seems to work out.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I feel like whenever teams try to throw together a hodge-podge of alpha scorers (i.e. any team that James Harden or Paul George has played on in the past decade) it just never seems to work out.

Agreed, classic example of a new owner trying to do too much. The team had a nice run prior to him taking over but in hindsight the new owner should have probably gotten his feet on the ground before making a couple of wild trades talking heads will say " when you can get KD, you make that deal" but at what cost?

They are in salary cap hell as well and looks like will be trading KD this summer

 

[Newhouser]

How many players have a no-trade clause like Beal? and he was a good player when he signed that deal but on what planet did he have the clout to get that in his deal?

 

[jncuse]

Phoenix defensive rating is #27 in the league. Even if you have the best offence in the league, being #27 in defensive efficiency caps you at being perhaps as high as the 10th best team in the league.

Phoenix offence is not #1. Its #10.

If you are going to go with a "3-headed" star group, I have felt back as far as the Heatles, that you need one guy who gladly accepts less usage (so the offence is not just "my turn") and you need one of the three that excels in the more dirty aspects of offence and defence, and is willing to put more energy on defence. I feel with most of these teams 3+3=5

Phoenix is clearly not the team that solved the issue.

 

[Eric15]

Most games with 9+ threes in NBA history:

Steph 45
Dame 14
Klay 12

 

[jncuse]

How many players have a no-trade clause like Beal? and he was a good player when he signed that deal but on what planet did he have the clout to get that in his deal?

He was an good player, but closer to OK than great.. The thing is even the worst teams in the league score 92-97% of the total points of the best teams in the league (if they are normal pace. Washington was a very high pace which inflated things more. You are going to get guys that put up great stats on bad team -- the challenge is determining whether those players are great, fairly good or just OK, and its not always easy to determine.

 

[Eric15]

I swear these exact teams are in the play-in tourney in the East literally every single season.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The curse of Luka continues for Dallas. Nasty looking knee injury for Kyrie last night.


Edit: ACL tear just announced.

 

[shandeezy7]

I swear these exact teams are in the play-in tourney in the East literally every single season.

View attachment 250064

100% and at least one of them is always a laughable amount under .500. The play-in is such a joke when half the league already makes the playoffs anyway.

 

[upperdeck]

I saw the Haliburton 4 pt play.. Not sure where the foul was though

 

[Newhouser]

OKC impressive last night. Chet and Hartenstein on the floor together has potential. Two different ways to play, Cs bombing threes, OKC making up that disparity at the line. Fun game.