Official NBA 2012-2013 Season Thread

[IATT]

Isn't KD the second scoring options on this year's thunder team?

Durant needs to grow some balls then if he's tired of bring second. He doesn't even run his own team

Lol @ tired of being second but standing there with his mouth shut watching Russ jack up 10 more shots a game than him.

people conveniently say these things..

1) this was the first year that westbrook averaged more shot attempts per game than durant.. westbrook averaged 18.7 shots per game this season and durant averaged 17.7

2) obviously, that doesnt factor in free throws attempted per game (which negates the shot attempted which drew the foul).. durant averages 9.3 free throws attempted per game to westbrook's 7 per

3) in the 4th quarters this season, durant averaged 5.4 shots along with 3.1 free throws.. westbrook averaged 3.8 shots and 2.4 free throws attempted

http://www.nba.com/advancedstats/

 

[do work son]

numbers are nice, but they don't tell the whole story. there's this certain aggressiveness russy seems to display, that KD shows in spurts

 

[JD617]

[h1]Chris Paul's buzzer beater: How it happened and did he get away with a foul?[/h1]
By Mike Pradaon Apr 23 2013, 10:39a

Chris Paul's buzzer beater to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies was one of the more difficult ones in recent memory. With Tony Allen hounding him the entire way, Paul got right, slipped by him going toward the rim and lofted a really difficult shot over the outstretched arm of Darrell Arthur to give L.A. a 2-0 series lead.

That's the simple version of what happened on that last-second play. Here's the video:

Now, here's the more in-depth version.

In contrast to some of the hero ball we saw late in the game, the Clippers actually had a plan on their last-second foray. Rather than simply inbounding the ball to Paul and getting out of his way, the Clippers threw it in to Jamal Crawford and tried to have Paul screen for him before getting the ball.





The goal is to get the Grizzlies to switch, putting Mike Conley on Paul rather than Allen. This would be a more favorable matchup for L.A., even though Conley is known as a decent defender.

For an instant, it looked like the play worked.



But Allen, alert as usual, scampers back to Paul, ruining L.A.'s plans. It's now on Paul to make a move to beat arguably the best perimeter defender in the league.



Here's where things get interesting. Allen pressures Paul all the way out to halfcourt, and does a fantastic job of doing so. With Allen right in his grill, Paul needs to do something to get separation. What he does blurs the line between legal and illegal.

Observe:



This is a light push-off, so I don't see how it could be called. This one below is also a light push-off, if anything at all.



But this third one? This is the one that will be scrutinized for the next 48 hours.



From this angle, it's clear Paul launches off Allen with the help of that arm in his chest. Here are two closer looks.





Using that bit of separation, Paul floats into the lane and hits this impossible shot over Arthur's outstretched arm.



That's how Paul made the shot. It was an incredible play by an incredible player, no doubt.

But let's get back to the foul issue. As you saw above, Paul seemed to push off using his left hand to create the separation from Allen to get to the second level of defense. In addition to that, Blake Griffin appeared to hold Arthur down low, preventing him from contesting the shot as soon as he could have.



By the letter of the law, those are fouls. I can understand looking at those two screenshots and being upset if you're a Grizzlies fan. I'm also not especially sympathetic to the principle that referees should swallow their whistles on last-second plays, because what is a foul in the first 47 minutes and 30 seconds should also be a foul in the last 30 seconds.

But you also can't look at those two plays in a vacuum without considering how the game was being called. With so much gray area in foul calls, the most important thing is to remain consistent. Down the stretch, the referees were letting both teams play. Frankly, Memphis benefited from that.

For example, this was not called a foul on Zach Randolph:



This, too, was not a foul.



There was also this play:



And this play:



Finally, while Allen was probably victimized by a push-off, he also did this on Paul's buzzer beater.



Swallowing the whistles was therefore a key reason why the Grizzlies rallied in the fourth quarter. Those complaining about Paul's push-off can't have it both ways. Either both teams got away with a ton of fouls, or the refs did the right thing letting them play.

I'm not sure where I stand on that issue, but it's clear Paul's buzzer beater wasn't tainted.

 

[ill steelo]

Fair article

 

[hypebeast5]

Its obvious it was a pushoff but its playoff basketball so eh

 

[iheartboost]

Yeah I def think KD needs to be more assertive. He'll win a ring I think though... just not this year lmao.

Not possible when you have Westcrook jackin up hail marys.

 

[shoeking2101]

Man, I remember in Conley's second year in the league I doubted he would even be in the league right now. He looked scared. Never took the ball to the hole. Shaky handle, and a less than reliable jumpshot.

So cool to see Mike progress the way he has. He's a terrific, solid pg. Has completely succeeded my expectations of him. Knockdown shooter with the ability to finish in the paint with either hand efficiently, I love his game now.

 

[djexpanium]

Isn't KD the second scoring options on this year's thunder team?

Durant needs to grow some balls then if he's tired of bring second. He doesn't even run his own team

Lol @ tired of being second but standing there with his mouth shut watching Russ jack up 10 more shots a game than him.

people conveniently say these things..

1) this was the first year that westbrook averaged more shot attempts per game than durant.. westbrook averaged 18.7 shots per game this season and durant averaged 17.7

2) obviously, that doesnt factor in free throws attempted per game (which negates the shot attempted which drew the foul).. durant averages 9.3 free throws attempted per game to westbrook's 7 per

3) in the 4th quarters this season, durant averaged 5.4 shots along with 3.1 free throws.. westbrook averaged 3.8 shots and 2.4 free throws attempted

http://www.nba.com/advancedstats/

Besides that, Westbrook avg. 23.2 pts on 43.8% FG shooting while Durant avg. 28.1 pts on 51% FG shooting.  So much for a 2nd option.

numbers are nice, but they don't tell the whole story. there's this certain aggressiveness russy seems to display, that KD shows in spurts

I think Westbrook needs more controlled agression.

 

[iheartboost]

Accurate article.

It happens, I'm sure game 3 will be pretty much the same, fouls called, some not. This is the best IMO 1st round series, most physical and entertaining to watch.

 

[victor page]

Besides that, Westbrook avg. 23.2 pts on 43.8% FG shooting while Durant avg. 28.1 pts on 51% FG shooting.  So much for a 2nd option.

I think Westbrook needs more controlled agression.

 

[IATT]

numbers are nice, but they don't tell the whole story. there's this certain aggressiveness russy seems to display, that KD shows in spurts

i do think they do tell the whole story.. i just think people inturrupt the narrative incorrectly.. or people just ignore the numbers, because they want to soooo badly believe whatever it is they want to believe

does westbrook make mistakes, sure.. does he take stupid shots, sure

do i believe durant should get more shots, obviously.. granted i dont think people put enough blame on durant for passing up on a number of shots (if they are being critical of the number he presently gets/takes)

but i also dont believe that durant getting more shots has to come at the expense of the shots that westbrook currently takes.. as i've said ad nauseum in this thread, i would rather the shots that get taken by fisher and perkins per game go elsewhere (unless perkins is within 2 feet of the rim i dont want him shooting.. and passing to him is always risky)

westbrook essentially attacks other teams early to make things easier for ALL of his teammates later on (getting the thunder in the bonus.. forcing defenses to focus on him, thus leaving teammates open).. think of all the fouls he draws when he is driving to the rim

 

[rrlegend]

Man, I remember in Conley's second year in the league I doubted he would even be in the league right now. He looked scared. Never took the ball to the hole. Shaky handle, and a less than reliable jumpshot.

So cool to see Mike progress the way he has. He's a terrific, solid pg. Has completely succeeded my expectations of him. Knockdown shooter with the ability to finish in the paint with either hand efficiently, I love his game now.

 i really thought mike conley would be dj augistine status now. kudos to him for proving me wrong. 

 

[JD617]

[h1]The potential end of the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph era[/h1]
By Tom Zilleron Apr 23 2013, 11:00a

The inescapable undertone of Memphis' 2-0 playoff deficit is that this may be the last we see of Zach Randolph in a Grizzlies jersey.

Zach Randolph's professional revival in Memphis is the stuff of legend. Exiled from Portland, an embarrassment in New York, forgotten in L.A., Z-Bo came to the Grizzlies and immediately became an All-Star-level player. (He, in fact, made the All-Star Game in his first season in Memphis.) Once considered among the most overpaid players in the NBA, he earned -- yes, earned -- a fat extension. He, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Rudy Gay got the team into the league's upper echelon; in 2010-11, they even beat the Spurs in the first round and took the unbelievable Thunder to seven difficult games. With Z-Bo and Gay healthy this season, Memphis could go even higher, even further.

Instead, Gay never actually recovered from his cursed 2011 shoulder injury, looked more like a cap liability every day and was traded to the starstruck Raptors. But Z-Bo has also struggled after his knee injury last season. Like Gay, the post-injury drop in efficiency is starting to look something like permanent. Randolph is 31. He's due $34.3 million over the next two seasons. That's superstar money. His post-injury production suggests he is an above-average, sub-star player.

Basically, he's not unlike Rudy Gay ... who Memphis traded in January.
######## END SNIPPET ########
With the Memphis front office becoming more reliant on advanced metrics due to the role of Jason Levien and hire of John Hollinger, Z-Bo could become the next man on the outside. And if this playoff series continues down the path it's on -- with the Clippers up 2-0 heading to Tennessee -- we could be looking at a real overhaul. I would say two things about Lionel Hollins with respect to this thought stream: he has not endeared himself to his new bosses with commentary on the Gay trade and the statistic bent in general, and he has not exactly won popular favor in this series.

Again, Z-Bo is 31, his production has declined since a knee injury a season and a half ago and he has the highest annual salary on the team. Marc Gasol is 28 with low mileage and looks fairly paid through 2015 as one of the league's elite centers. Mike Conley is 25 and looks fairly paid through 2016 as an above-average point guard. With Z-Bo on the payroll, it's going to be difficult to add much to improve this team or replace free agent to be Tony Allen, should he leave Memphis. The Grizzlies have $62 million on the books next season without including Allen or Austin Daye. That's over the cap, so the mid-level exception or a sign-and-trade would be the main free agency routes to roster improvement.

Dealing Z-Bo -- for talent, for cap space that can then be used on talent, for a pick who can hopefully develop quickly enough to keep Memphis relevant -- may become really attractive to a front office that has shown no hesitance in reforming the team how it sees fit. If the Grizzlies can't turn around this series, that result could become more of a foregone conclusion as we approach trade season.

 

[datznasty]

Hilarious Westbrook "jacking all types of wild shots, going 1 on 4, shooting hail marys" and whatever overused cliches have been used to describe the shot attempts he takes, he still shoots the same fg% of flawless, pass first, never mistake making Deron Williams who everyone keeps swearing is light yrs better than him (also outscores AND outassists him). People believe what they want to believe. Russ still assists KD more frequently than any other assist/scorer combo in the NBA (Chris Paul to Blake Griffin is 2nd). With 3 scoring titles and a narrow 2nd place finish, do people want KD to average 40 or something or even think it's possible or as simple as taking away shots from Russ?

 

[ballinsam23]

WOW lmao. The Cavs really did rehire Mike Brown.

 

[bhzmafia14]

Fair article on the foul. That's why I have no complaints about the fouls in the first two games.

I also agree with that ZBo article.

 

[Ja's 2¢]

WOW lmao. The Cavs really did rehire Mike Brown.

Mike Brown and the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently negotiating a contract that will make him the team's coach -- for the second time, according to league sources.

Brown and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had a Sunday night dinner meeting that went well, according to sources close to the situation.

Cleveland also reached out to Phil Jackson over the weekend, but Jackson's representatives told the team that Jackson has no interest in the Cavs' coaching job, sources said.

The Cavaliers have not reached out to anyone else, besides Brown and Jackson.

Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant also attended the meeting with Brown, which was held in Detroit.

Brown was expected to be a highly sought-after coach this summer, when several coaching positions are expected to be open.

But sources say he views the Cavs' position as one of the top jobs available, or potentially available, because of All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and the club's substantial amount of salary-cap space.

While the Cavs certainly were intrigued by Jackson, their contact with him was viewed more as due diligence, as they figured that Jackson would not be interested. Jackson is more interested in taking a front-office position with an NBA team, according to sources.

:x Dude didn't need the money. I would have let Gilbert eat **** before I ever rejoin a franchise that wrongfully fired me.

 

[antidope]

The only way Mike Brown can justify this is if he's now the highest paid coach.... ..

 

[do work son]

regardless of what the numbers indicate, your eyes can tell a fair share of it as well. just because russ goes 1 on 3 and attacks 3 defenders in the lane to draw a foul doesn't always mean it's a good shot. just a good result.

i'm not here saying he takes too many shots, or KD needs more shots. i just wish russy would be more judicious sometimes (that controlled aggression referenced above) and KD would assert himself a little more

 

[senorroboto2k5]

WOW lmao. The Cavs really did rehire Mike Brown.

Five year deal too.

We all know length doesn't matter in the end (a coach will get fired when they please), but it shows how much confidence they have in him as of right now.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

WOW lmao. The Cavs really did rehire Mike Brown.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

regardless of what the numbers indicate, your eyes can tell a fair share of it as well. just because russ goes 1 on 3 and attacks 3 defenders in the lane to draw a foul doesn't always mean it's a good shot. just a good result.

i'm not here saying he takes too many shots, or KD needs more shots. i just wish russy would be more judicious sometimes (that controlled aggression referenced above) and KD would assert himself a little more

Yep. Also assist numbers definitely don't mean anything. 

KD may have scoring titles and may get assisted by Russell (which, I mean come on, that's fairly obvious that Russell would assist him so much since the ball is in their hands 90% of every game) but that doesn't necessarily say anything about Russell's decision making.

I like Russ though. He's definitely been the second or tied for second best point guard (Parker) this year. He's definitely reigned it in. Hopefully he continues to do so moving forward.

 

[datznasty]

But when you assist a person literally more than anybody else assists anybody else in the NBA, that says something.

 

[antidope]

But when you assist a person literally more than anybody else assists anybody else in the NBA, that says something.

Man this is what I've been saying. Amongst all the "ball hogging" That Russ Wes does, he still somehow finds the time to feed KD more than any other player feeds someone. People really gotta give it up IDK what they want. Dude has a mismatch on like 27 other PGs in the league and with the ball always in his hands hes got the most opportunity to attack that.

Could he afford to pass to KD a bit more? Maybe. Is the way hes playing now wrong for the Thunder team? HELL NO

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

I will say that Deron's name has lost a bit of luster of the past few years. I don't think that many people really see him as the #2 PG anymore like they used to. I certainly don't think he's been anywhere near the level he used to be in Utah.