(06-22-2025, 10:38 PM)SwisherPrice Wrote: I'm not worried about a "Thunder dynasty" - this Mavs team was built to stop them....with EITHER Luka or AD! And now you add Flagg to the mix...if PJ is a matchup nightmare for OKC then just imagine what Flagg will do against them

(06-22-2025, 10:38 PM)SwisherPrice Wrote: I'm not worried about a "Thunder dynasty" - this Mavs team was built to stop them....with EITHER Luka or AD! And now you add Flagg to the mix...if PJ is a matchup nightmare for OKC then just imagine what Flagg will do against them

(06-22-2025, 08:47 PM)HoosierDaddyKid Wrote: It should be confirmed that calf injuries lead to Achilles tears. If you have a calf injury you should not come back too soon. It happened to KD a few years back, and Dame, and Tatum just this year.

(06-22-2025, 10:47 PM)myconsumerclub Wrote: Well OKC the team we beat last year to win the west took advantage and won it all.

If Nico does not move guys at all and Luka and Grimes had remained and Kyrie and everyone else avoided injury and our team looked to add more talent at the TDL perhaps we would have won it this season knowing all we had to do was beat OKC again.

Assumed team members.
Starters Kyrie, Luka, PJ, Klay and Lively

Bench: Gafford, Naji, Grimes, Omax, B Will, Hardy, Exum, Din, Powell, Morris, Klieber

Now who could we have taken off the free agent pool and or maybe traded for to better augment this team so that we could at least beat OKC in a series?

(06-23-2025, 10:13 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: I feel so bad for Indiana and their fans.

Imagine being in game 7 of the finals, with a chance to win, and then BOOM, your chance to win evaporates and you find out your best player will miss all of next season.

(06-23-2025, 10:50 AM)cow Wrote: I'd be worried about more than just next season.  Maybe my line of thinking is out of date, but there aren't a lot of people that come back from that injury 100%.  Hali and Tatum have youth on their side unlike Lillard.  Hali having such a skinny build reminds me of KD in that regard and KD is one of the more successful returns from that injury.  None of them are mountains of men like a Boogie so that also bodes well, but the odds are still against them.  Hopefully the medicine and recovery around that injury just better now.  25 years old just makes my heart drop.

(06-23-2025, 10:59 AM)numnuts23 Wrote: The East is wide open next year.  I wonder if the Suns would have waited until after the Finals - do the Knicks make a better offer for KD and push for a title next season.  

The West just stays ridiculously difficult...heck, the state of Texas alone is ridiculous now.

(06-23-2025, 10:50 AM)cow Wrote: I'd be worried about more than just next season.  Maybe my line of thinking is out of date, but there aren't a lot of people that come back from that injury 100%.  Hali and Tatum have youth on their side unlike Lillard.  Hali having such a skinny build reminds me of KD in that regard and KD is one of the more successful returns from that injury.  None of them are mountains of men like a Boogie so that also bodes well, but the odds are still against them.  Hopefully the medicine and recovery around that injury just better now.  25 years old just makes my heart drop.

(06-23-2025, 11:24 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: To add to your concern, while Haliburton's build has similarities to Durant's, his game does not. Speed and quickness are paramount to his effective play, where as Durant was able to transition easily into his Dirk era game, seeing the rim at all times and getting any shot he wants with 1-2 dribbles, max. 

Side note: Timpf broke down in that trade video I posted yesterday how among all high volume shooters, Durant was still EASILY the best jump shooter and iso scorer in the NBA this season, and it wasn't remotely close. 

For Haliburton, this injury could be a real setback. As a fan of his, I'm pretty gutted.

(06-23-2025, 12:50 PM)SwisherPrice Wrote: Pacers are done...I expect them to tank next season. I wonder if they made that trade last week to get their 2026 pick back with this possibility in mind. We will see if the NBA can rig something good for them in the lottery

(06-22-2025, 10:49 PM)cow Wrote: I'd still look to move Chet if I were them and with their stash of picks, they could improve the team even more.  If Giannis does become available, I'd expect them to kick that tire as they can put together a package as compelling as anyone.

(06-23-2025, 11:24 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: To add to your concern, while Haliburton's build has similarities to Durant's, his game does not. Speed and quickness are paramount to his effective play, where as Durant was able to transition easily into his Dirk era game, seeing the rim at all times and getting any shot he wants with 1-2 dribbles, max. 

Side note: Timpf broke down in that trade video I posted yesterday how among all high volume shooters, Durant was still EASILY the best jump shooter and iso scorer in the NBA this season, and it wasn't remotely close. 

For Haliburton, this injury could be a real setback. As a fan of his, I'm pretty gutted.