AROUND the NBA: ATL Jumps from #10 to #1 in Lotto| Pistons Mull Firing GM

[SleepingHero]

I have no idea why we weren’t going after him. Actually I do, the idea is Dwight Powell. Biyombo would be a good fit playing behind Lively because he has a similar skillset.

The Mavs don't have a roster spot for him at the moment, that is why. They could waive Markieff Morris sure, but the Grizzlies also gave him 5mil with their hardship exception.

Mavs could have used the rest of their TP-MLE at 5.4 mil to beat that offer but that would've put them into the tax. That's a 20+mil payout that Cubes is foregoing for Biyombo of all guys.

Is Biyombo worth that?

[dirkfansince1998]

TYRESE MAXEY TONIGHT: 50 POINTS 7 REBOUNDS 5 ASSISTS 3 BLOCKS 62% FG 7/11 3PM SPECIAL.

https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/statu...9813101813

[dirkfansince1998]

Rockets beat the Nuggets. Nuggets and Mavs both 8-2.

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/statu...9813101813

There is a serious argument that Harden was holding Maxey back. Dude is flourishing being the guy next to Embiid.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Clippers sold their soul to the devil trading for Harden, who haven't won a game since. While the Sixers look like one of the best teams in the league winning 8 straight, and are 8-1. Maxey had a career high 50 tonight and Embiid chipped in 37 in a 137-126 win over the Pacers.

---

Rockets beat the Nuggets. Nuggets and Mavs both 8-2.

Rockets have won 6 straight. The Udoka effect.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

@ShamsCharania

Sources: 76ers G/F Kelly Oubre Jr. sustained broken ribs and an assortment of bruises and cuts to his body after being struck by a car in Philadelphia on Saturday night. Oubre fortunately avoided more serious injuries, but will now miss significant time.

Big loss. He was playing well for them.

[DanSchwartzgan]

OK, raise your hand if you had Denver, Dallas, Minnesota and Houston as the top four in the west at this point in the season.

[SleepingHero]

Watching Portland vs. Lakers right now and Nico was so spot on with the Thybulle target. Dude would've fit in SO well here. We all know his defense but his rebounding is so key for Portland.

DJJ has definitely filled the role that was planned for Thybulle but damn I wish Portland didn't match.

[Jmaciscool]

OK, raise your hand if you had Denver, Dallas, Minnesota and Houston as the top four in the west at this point in the season.

I don't want to brag, but I correctly predicted 25% of that top 4 before the season started.

[SleepingHero]

Originally a 2-way guy, now has a full contract, Portland's Skylar Mays is so good. He's playing like a vet of many years and is destroying D'Lo head to head right now. 15pts, 12asts, 7-11 shooting from a rookie!

[HoosierDaddyKid]

OK, raise your hand if you had Denver, Dallas, Minnesota and Houston as the top four in the west at this point in the season.

I had Denver for sure, possibly Minnesota because they showed signs last year they would be pretty good. But Dallas and Houston, no. Both were making changes to their roster.

[SleepingHero]

https://streamable.com/vofq0l

Ant Edwards with one of the most vicious posters of the year.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

No one other than Steph has scored 20 points in a game for the Warriors this season. That’s nuts

Edit: apparently Dario Saric had one 20 point game

[dirkfansince1998]

Ausar Thompson has a long way to go as a scorer (especially shooter) but as far as motor and effort plays go he is a special talent.

3+ offensive rebounds in his first 11 career games. That ties the longest streak to start a career in NBA history.

Ausar Thompson ranks 5th in the NBA with 100 REB, 2nd with 40 OREB, T-4th with 19 BLK and T-17th with 13 STL. He is the only NBA player to reach such minimums this season. Thompson has the most blocks and fifth-most rebounds through 10 career games in franchise history.

Most offensive rebounds by a player in their first 11 career games since 2000: 46 — Ausar Thompson 42 — Dwight Howard 41 — Blake Griffin

[MFFL]

Why didn't we have this Porzingis?

Celtics’ success won’t always translate to points for Kristaps Porziņģis and that’s OK
https://archive.is/gABtO#selection-311.0-311.86

[Chicagojk]

Ausar Thompson has a long way to go as a scorer (especially shooter) but as far as motor and effort plays go he is a special talent.

He has gotten some good praise.  I have not seen him play yet.  Unfortunately the Pistons are 2-9 and their roster appears to be a mess.  They have had some injuries but you were certainly hoping for an improvement to start the year.  Maybe they find a groove but it just appears to be a weird construction of a roster.

[omahen]

He has gotten some good praise.  I have not seen him play yet.  Unfortunately the Pistons are 2-9 and their roster appears to be a mess.  They have had some injuries but you were certainly hoping for an improvement to start the year.  Maybe they find a groove but it just appears to be a weird construction of a roster.

I think they still lack that alpha guy. A lot of people say Cunningham is modeling his game to Luka, but he has a long way to go to reach that. Very inefficient, lots of turnovers. Also, the team is very young. At some point they will have to make similar moves Houston did this summer. Overpay a couple of culture setting solid starter material vets. Bogdanovic is their only solid starter vet and he hasn't played yet this season.

[Nowitzki Way]

OK, raise your hand if you had Denver, Dallas, Minnesota and Houston as the top four in the west at this point in the season.

Denver yes.  
Dallas- didnt think would they would be a playoff team. Still think we settle in as a play-in team once its all over
Minnesota- Big time player in Edwards. Roster has length and athleticism to spare. I liked them as a riser
Houston- started off slow, but i really liked their off season.  They will be tough for us.

I think we all thought Phoenix would be in there instead of the Mavs, but injuries and lack of depth has killed them.

Clippers were a deep team before that ridiculous Harden trade. 

Golden State starting out so slow. Are they bored or are we finally seeing a decline?

Lakers? They have the making of a good team. But they cant seem to put it together. 

Memphis and Sacramento falling off this year, for different reasons. They were the #2 and #3 seed last year.

The West will still be a blood bath this year.  This will be so much fun to watch.  Who will get those bottom 2 or 3 spots in the playoffs, and then who gets left out?

[Scott41theMavs]

Denver yes.  
Dallas- didnt think would they would be a playoff team. Still think we settle in as a play-in team once its all over
Minnesota- Big time player in Edwards. Roster has length and athleticism to spare. I liked them as a riser
Houston- started off slow, but i really liked their off season.  They will be tough for us.

I think we all thought Phoenix would be in there instead of the Mavs, but injuries and lack of depth has killed them.

Clippers were a deep team before that ridiculous Harden trade. 

Golden State starting out so slow. Are they bored or are we finally seeing a decline?

Lakers? They have the making of a good team. But they cant seem to put it together. 

Memphis and Sacramento falling off this year, for different reasons. They were the #2 and #3 seed last year.

The West will still be a blood bath this year.  This will be so much fun to watch.  Who will get those bottom 2 or 3 spots in the playoffs, and then who gets left out?

What do you hate about this roster/team that makes you think it will be a play-in team?

[Nowitzki Way]

What do you hate about this roster/team that makes you think it will be a play-in team?

The lack of size mostly. Which accounts for all the points in the paint given up. The lack of rebounding. 

Our best big is a 19 year old rookie who the refs hate at the moment. The rest of the "bigs" are Powell (soft), Kleber (washed), Holmes (washed). 

We've already seen this being a huge problem in our two losses (Denver / Toronto). 

I'm not sold on the perimeter D being much better than the past either. But we seem to be improving in that area.

Then the injury factor. Luka and Kyrie have not been the healthiest duo in their careers. I think we can pretty much chalk up 15-20 games each season that these two will lose out on injury. Having one of them out really stretches the rotation.  Having both out at the same time for a long stretch would be a killer.

Lastly, i'm not a huge fan of the roster construction. We just don't fit the typical championship model. We seem to have ill-fitting parts. The lack of size is just the beginning. 

Of course, i hope i'm terribly wrong and we win 50+ games and get a top 4 seed.  I just see us more in the 40-42 win group, which is about par for a play-in game. 

And honestly there isnt much of a difference between a 50 win team and a 40 win team. Most of the difference is luck (avoiding injuries) and execution (coaching).  And now that i mention coaching, i'm not the biggest fan of Jason Kidd's in game coaching. I think he's great behind the scenes. I mean for the guys in the NBA now he's a legend.  An NBA champion and Hall of Famer. But he's not an X's and O's type coach.