AROUND the NBA:

[bubbler86]

How are the Suns this bad?  I have watched them, they are awful.  Mavs are 2-8 in the last 10 games and the Suns have gained 1 game of them in standings per Locked on Mavs.  They have a really tough schedule coming up.  They don't even own their pick this year.    It is just shocking having both KD and Booker that the rest of the roster is that poor.  Hopefully it is a flashing light warning to the Mavs paying three guys top money.

Makes one question the KD to Mav's theory.  If Luka had a bad team, they would not look as bad as the Suns, who have 2 1/2 supposed stars.

[bubbler86]

His coach says he may be doubtful for the rest of the Conference Tournament.

Makes sense in that the ACC tourney does not mean much especially this year.

[Chicagojk]

The nuggets followed up a very uninspiring win against a depleted lakers team with a loss at home to Washington. Rough. IT was a back to back, but for goodness sake it is Washington.

If I am the Lakers or Warriors, I just want to be healthy and on the other side of the bracket with OKC. The west outside of OKc seems wide open. If I am either team, Denver, Houston or Memphis does not scare me at all.

[omahen]

The nuggets followed up a very uninspiring win against a depleted lakers team with a loss at home to Washington.  Rough.  IT was a back to back, but for goodness sake it is Washington.

If I am the Lakers or Warriors, I just want to be healthy and on the other side of the bracket with OKC.  The west outside of OKc seems wide open.  If I am either team, Denver, Houston or Memphis does not scare me at all.

While I do agree Lakers (if healthy) could be considered as favorites against anyone but OKC in the West, each series will be far from easy. Lets say a team finishes as 2nd seed. This likely means Minnesota in the first round and one of Denver/Memphis/GSW in the second round. Each of these teams is capable of winning two or more games in a series. By the time you reach the West finals, you are already tired.

[Scott41theMavs]

While I do agree Lakers (if healthy) could be considered as favorites against anyone but OKC in the West, each series will be far from easy. Lets say a team finishes as 2nd seed. This likely means Minnesota in the first round and one of Denver/Memphis/GSW in the second round. Each of these teams is capable of winning two or more games in a series. By the time you reach the West finals, you are already tired.

Poor, poor Lakers.

I'm sorry, I love Luka, but I just cannot root for the yellow and purple.

[Scott41theMavs]

C'mon, Luka, good daddies let their sons win once in a while. Your old team needs this.

[cow]

Poor, poor Lakers.

I'm sorry, I love Luka, but I just cannot root for the yellow and purple.

Root for DFS then!

Let's go, Purple and Gold!

[Scott41theMavs]

Egad, please no KD this summer.

[cow]

The worse KD plays, the less assets Nico will have to spend to land him. All according to plan.

[omahen]

Lakers with awesome defense on KD and Booker and they got lucky the other guys didn't hit a bunch of wide open threes. Luka and Reaves with great games on offense. If Lakers second center (Koloko) could put in those easy chances they gave to him, it would be a blow out victory.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The nuggets followed up a very uninspiring win against a depleted lakers team with a loss at home to Washington.  Rough.  IT was a back to back, but for goodness sake it is Washington.

If I am the Lakers or Warriors, I just want to be healthy and on the other side of the bracket with OKC.  The west outside of OKc seems wide open.  If I am either team, Denver, Houston or Memphis does not scare me at all.

Just because those teams don't scare you, doesn't mean they can't beat you. If any of them get on a roll, they can definitively send any team home early. Houston and Memphis are young teams with not much playoff experience, so that may factor in.  Denver has experience, as long as they don't play Minnesota. Good teams will lose games they should win during the season, but the playoffs are different.

[SwisherPrice]

Grimes is a star!

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Grimes is a star!

He's breaking out just like Brunson did when he left. Career high 46 pts and 13 rebs. He's had two 40 pt games, and four 30 pt games since he's been there.

[Chicagojk]

Grimes is a star!

Well he may make me eat my words that he is not an 18 point a game scorer on a good/great team. LOL.

I saw that Grant Afseth reporter says Nico has not made any public comments with the Grimes trade.   His lack of comments is a fireable offense.  It is just going to get worse.   The players get the questions after every game.  Does he not understand that the longer he doesn't talk, the worse it will get?   Does he realize that any public interview he does for the rest of his life, the Luka question is going to come up?   

I never saw the polish in his interviews.  Although, after the Lively pick and PJ and Gafford moves.  Heck even adding Grimes, Klay and Marshall this summer, you would hope he was just awkward with the media.    Now with the PR disaster, you realize he just isn't up for the job.

The trade is already a loss for the mavs imo.    Although they need a point person.    If that is not Nico, it needs to be someone else.    The lack of comments is a failure of epic proportions.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Well he may make me eat my words that he is not an 18 point a game scorer on a good/great team. LOL.

I saw that Grant Afseth reporter says Nico has not made any public comments with the Grimes trade.   His lack of comments is a fireable offense.  It is just going to get worse.   The players get the questions after every game.  Does he not understand that the longer he doesn't talk, the worse it will get?   Does he realize that any public interview he does for the rest of his life, the Luka question is going to come up?   

I never saw the polish in his interviews.  Although, after the Lively pick and PJ and Gafford moves.  Heck even adding Grimes, Klay and Marshall this summer, you would hope he was just awkward with the media.    Now with the PR disaster, you realize he just isn't up for the job.

The trade is already a loss for the mavs imo.    Although they need a point person.    If that is not Nico, it needs to be someone else.    The lack of comments is a failure of epic proportions.

I mean with all due respect CJK, what's he supposed to say to the media and the fans? That he F'd up?  That'll never happen.

[omahen]

Not really around the NBA, but really interesting. European most trophied coach Obradovic discusses with football (soccer) coach Bilic. Obradovic is european equivalent of Popovic. Both guys were also top level players in their sport and went coaching ways after their retirement. A lot of knowledge and smart things from two very expirienced and mature guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55s86hFm19E

[Chicagojk]

This dude just keeps gettting better. To be honest, I was really hoping on Lively type jump this year. Zubac has always been good, but he keeps improving.

Ivica Zubac's Last 9 Games: 22.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.6 OREB, 3.1 APG, 1.1 BPG on 65.7% FG

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

I said it the day after the Grimes larceny... In relative comparison the Grimes trade is worse than the Luka trade.

Kidd has to take about 40% of the blame for it. He was giving Klay, Din, and Naji all more minutes.

[Scott41theMavs]

Going to bed soon... but I note that Phoenix and Portland are both poised to win their games, and San Antonio won tonight. With no floor leader, the Mavs are going to (successfully!) finish with the third-worst record in the West. Too bad about the damned East, or they could really improve their draft odds.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Jimmy Butler saga has torpedoed Miami's season. They've blown big leads heading into the 4th quarter all year, as was the case last night. They lost to Detroit on a buzzer-beater 3 from Cade Cunningham, after Detroit trailed most of the game. This is the first time Spoelstra has ever lost nine straight games.