The Official NBA Season Thread: NBA Cup Night

[Moheezy]

That quote is nice and all but the Lakers crowd been on it this playoffs. They were going crazy against the Grizz. People think Lakers fans are like Miami and show up late, but nah, they’re passionate as hell.

Lakers crowd didn’t get to experience the 2020 championship and the 2021 year had limited capacity. The staples/Brypto crowd at full capacity in the semifinals will be lit.

They not kicking people out for standing up during the game either

CJ is talking from experience...he missed the playoffs so he wouldn't know.

 

[aepps20]

As much as I hated pre-championship Bud, I gotta admit he's been doing better the last couple of years. This series was incredibly bad, but his brother died during the series. How much of that is attributed to him mourning. My grandmother died last month and for a couple of days, I was just staring blankly to the screen during work.

Was he even in the hot seat this year?

Sorry for your loss fam

 

[Moheezy]

I agree but blowing those leads was on the actual players. If most of Giannis’ game is getting to the free throw line how can you win with him missing 13? There is nuance to their first round loss. I thought Bud should’ve been gone during their championship run and if not for going up against an equally average coach in Monty he probably would. My biggest issue with the firing is not just the brother thing but Giannis has never been held to the same standard as other superstars. His much acclaimed post game interview if given by Lebron, Kawhi or even Steph would be universally panned as “loser talk” or not having “Mamba Mentality “. We destroy guys for not stepping up and guarding the other top players in crunch time but Giannis keeps getting a pass and always blames it on the coach for why he doesn’t step up. Same thing happened in the Durant toe three series. Media was begging him to defend Durant but he didn’t and blamed the system and Bud. He did the same thing against Jimmy.

I agree. Everybody loves Giannis, heck, I love Giannis, but after this series, he shouldn't be in the top 3 player conversation. He needs to earn his way back.

 

[noblekane]

the slander of both teams isnt as bad as previous years. thats actually a good thing

 

[ballinsam23]

I think the Bud firing was justifiable. Bud didn't really make many adjustments. Played the same drop coverage, causing the worst offensive team to have some real easy 3s. Same mistakes Thibs is doing btw.

Didnt double Jimmy, didn't have Giannis on Jimmy also hurt them throughout the series.

Also, maybe the Bucks organization believes there are better candidates available now than previously.

 

[Mark Antony]

Damn, actual day 1 Warrior fans

 

[titang545]

Jay williams not good enough to be taking shots at Javale. need to call him out for that take. He singled that man out

Man Jay another tragedy of what could have been if he never got on that motorcycle.

Jay Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Jay Williams. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

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In the minority but…….. firing Bud is kind of a bush league move…….

Bud as on borrowed time ever since that championship. Literally the Mike McCarthy of the NBA, looking lost and consistently being outcoached.

Joined ALA the day after Kobe's last game

Started packing up when LeBron joined, and left after his second season on the team.

 

[ill steelo]

You can tell Kerr was less than pleased with the decisions guys were making freelance.

This is how you end up with stuff like GP & Dray standing side by side


You still want that free flowing offense that they have but just a little more structure.

So, no more Dray/Looney or GP + a big lineups. 4 shooters on the floor at all times.

And most important of all: the adjustment we all called out, Steph Curry on the ball, high PnR over and over and over.

The only adjustment you will ever have for this is hoping the corner shooter is broke, or the Warriors have Draymond/Looney running endless DHOs like they did in G1.

Said another way - Steve Kerr’s coaching & Bob Meyers roster construction are the only defenses you have against this.

The Lakers will trap/hedge/hard show the Curry PnR’s in G3, which will leave the corner man unguarded every single time.

Maybe the Lakers live with Wiggins/J.Green shooting WIDE open practice jumpers. That would be a poor defensive concession from Darvin Ham. Wiggins is also gonna be cutting at least half the time, & unlike J. Green he can finish the lobs.

Ham will also ask AD to occasionally switch this outright. Which will create a whole other host of issues when Steph gives it up & starts running around.

Rui is a flamethrower right now so Ham is extending his minutes and he will also have at least 1 of D’Lo/Reaves out there. There will be breakdowns & miscommunications tracking Steph all over the floor.

If the Warriors continue to rebound & relentlessly run after every Laker shot make or miss, initiate offense with 19-20 on the shot clock in the halfcourt, they just can’t be guarded consistently.

Kerr also left Steph in when AD got his first half rest Little things like that go a long way. Easy +8 run right there. In a tighter game Ham may be compelled to not sit AD in the 2nd half, and we saw how gassed he was at the end of G1.

So a lot to like after that one if you’re the Warriors. I should’ve put something on Steph assists props. As an observer sometimes the adjustments jump off the screen but you never know if the team will actually implement it Credit to Kerr.

Similar to the Warriors after G1, the biggest adjustments for the Lakers are going to be offensively. There’s a lot they can & absolutely will do differently. Which is another post.

Long winded way of saying, take the over for G3

 

[dman14]

i am in the minority, but i think mike bud is a good coach. he's shown that he improves a franchises when he arrives.
there are plenty of worst options that bud

 

[trynafeelmink]

As much as I hated pre-championship Bud, I gotta admit he's been doing better the last couple of years. This series was incredibly bad, but his brother died during the series. How much of that is attributed to him mourning. My grandmother died last month and for a couple of days, I was just staring blankly to the screen during work.

Was he even in the hot seat this year?

Honestly with Bud it's 50/50 for me, i vividly remember everyone thinking he was gonna get the boot the year the Bucks won, That championship gave him more leeway there.

I knew the writing was on the wall when Giannis publicly questioned the lack of adjustments tho

 

[addict4sneakers]

And most important of all: the adjustment we all called out, Steph Curry on the ball, high PnR over and over and over.

The only adjustment you will ever have for this is hoping the corner shooter is broke, or the Warriors have Draymond/Looney running endless DHOs like they did in G1.

Said another way - Steve Kerr’s coaching & Bob Meyers roster construction are the only defenses you have against this.

 

[HIM]

Becuase yall claim that he is... Not a hard concept to grasp

Tall Paul George is GREAT when he’s playing aggressively and to his full potential. Problem is you can’t count on him to do that every night. Or even every other night.

 

[ballinsam23]

AD is only 30?!?!

I thought he was like 34 the way hes playing. He's still considered in his prime. Thats wild.

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

As much as I hated pre-championship Bud, I gotta admit he's been doing better the last couple of years. This series was incredibly bad, but his brother died during the series. How much of that is attributed to him mourning. My grandmother died last month and for a couple of days, I was just staring blankly to the screen during work.

Was he even in the hot seat this year?

first and foremost my condolence for grandma fam.

tbh i don't blame bud
he had that boy bobby portis balling out his mind
i think he puts players in positions to maximize their potential
he squeezed life outta the lopez guy
giannis playing like a bum

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

AD is only 30?!?!

I thought he was like 34 the way hes playing. He's still considered in his prime. Thats wild.

brah, on the pelicans he was a young young player dominating which is why charles predicted he will run the league in a few years

 

[WASHED KING]

AD's problem is if he doesn't get going offensively he doesn't engage elsewhere either, then it spirals.

 

[xxpizzo]

ill continue to say it whenever you not cutting hair (pretty sure thats what you do)

EYE love when ill steelo does his NBA breakdowns in here

some of the best intel/reads on here by far

 

[JD617]

I agree. Everybody loves Giannis, heck, I love Giannis, but after this series, he shouldn't be in the top 3 player conversation. He needs to earn his way back.

He's still one of the league's best players despite the flameout. I don't think there are 3 players that are definitively better. The part I disagreed with was when people were calling him the best player in the league by far. It's that "by far" part that I can't say I agree with. He has flaws like the other players in the best in the league convo.

 

[tay1]

AD's problem is if he doesn't get going offensively he doesn't engage elsewhere either, then it spirals.

He doesn’t know how to play when he gets doubled. His lack of playmaking ability also hinders him.

 

[lovehateself]

someone gotta tell AD to put his big boy pants on

 

[Coupé It]

I think the Bud firing was justifiable. Bud didn't really make many adjustments. Played the same drop coverage, causing the worst offensive team to have some real easy 3s. Same mistakes Thibs is doing btw.

Didnt double Jimmy, didn't have Giannis on Jimmy also hurt them throughout the series.

Also, maybe the Bucks organization believes there are better candidates available now than previously.

All these things are true…

But I think they also fired Bud to appease Giannis.

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

He's still one of the league's best players despite the flameout. I don't think there are 3 players that are definitively better. The part I disagreed with was when people were calling him the best player in the league by far. It's that "by far" part that I can't say I agree with. He has flaws like the other players in the best in the league convo.

lebron curry and jokic>>

 

[D StaXX]

As much as I hated pre-championship Bud, I gotta admit he's been doing better the last couple of years. This series was incredibly bad, but his brother died during the series. How much of that is attributed to him mourning. My grandmother died last month and for a couple of days, I was just staring blankly to the screen during work.

Was he even in the hot seat this year?

Sorry for your loss bro. My grandpa died last year and I swear it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with. There were times the days just ran. I didn’t give a **** about work at all.

 

[friscostylez]

the way y'all typing you would have thot dubs barely squeezed out the W

 

[tay1]

the way y'all typing you would have thot dubs barely squeezed out the W

the way ya'll typing you would have thot dubs would be up 2-0.