"If you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it"
-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
-
Congrats to the winners of the 2023 Smog Awards!
Sports 2021-22 NBA Season
- Thread starter phoopes
- Start date
Sad ending, but happy the Celtics got this far. We’ll be back I’m sure!
This was overall very boring playoffs to me. After all of the intriguing narratives going into this, we somehow ended up with "warriors win lol". Oh well, congrats to the Warriors and their fans and hopefully we won't have every other team completely fall apart or become injured when they're finally expected to do something.
what are you talking about the odds of the warriors winning the chip this year was like 1:50
Nobody expects the Warrior to win. The conversation was all Nets, Lakers, Bucks, Suns etc
Russell Westbrook is this generation’s Allen Iverson.
Westbrook refuses to make any real changes to the way he plays the game. His entire mentality is about force and explosion. It’s a lot like if The Incredible Hulk had ballhandling skills of a point guard. He has extreme tunnel vision but once he makes up his mind, he almost always scores the ball. He’s always been turnover prone throughout his career, but his athleticism would sometimes offset the points lost in turnovers by the points scored in the paint.
The problem is, once your athleticism wanes, as does your production on the court. There has been very little change in Russell Westbrook’s style if you rewind back a decade. If you can’t jump as high or leap as far, then you are shooting more contested shots, you lose a pop in your step defensively, and your decision-making is twice as important because now you’re not the most athletic on the court. You have to maximize your spots more often, and Westbrook simply hasn’t been a player to ever think about his style changing.
It may have to do with his beef with Durant. Durant could simply not win with Westbrook no matter how much better Durant steadily improved throughout the years, but something tells me Westbrook’s triple double the year after Durant left was a show of anger. Anger at Durant’s feelings about his game and joining the enemy possibly just to prove a point. Perhaps on some level Westbrook does not see himself inferior to the likes of Durant. He just has that much pride. Changing his style of play in order to win would still be a loss because it'd be admitting Durant was right about him. It'd be admitting Harden and George were right about him too. Players simply want to leave this man.
And that just might be why he refuses to change to the point of firing his agent. He’s willing to risk being stuck at the value of a veteran’s minimum contract. The Lakers heard his complaints about the coaching, then fired that coach so fast he heard it in a press conference before the organization could even tell him. Then, they hire a new coach in Darvin Ham who sings nothing but praises for Westbrook. He has great ideas and ways he could fit into a contending team. All it would literally take is for Westbrook to play more like a Gary Payton or Jrue Holiday. Westbrook still didn’t want to play.
To be fair, it is hard to play with LeBron. Wade, Davis, Irving, Love; plenty players have shown on and off periods of struggling when trying to play with LeBron James. It’s just hard to play with a guy who has such a high usage and requiring specific shooters and defenders. Everybody on some level must change the way they with him. LeBron picked out Westbrook because he thought he could change him. Westbrook simply refused; and I refuse to believe it’s a matter of him not being able to. We all know he has one of the highest motors and energy probably in NBA history. If he really put his mind to it, he could become one of the best point guard defenders of all-time. With his body and energy, there’s no way you can say he couldn’t be the best defender on the court if he was motivated enough to dedicate his body to it.
But he won’t. Because it would mean he had to change his way to get a ring, and he’d rather get the ring his way. Even if it costs him millions. Even if it costs him a championship. Even if it costs him his one and only agent he ever had. Just like Iverson, he too was a polarizing player garnering hate and love. He too was known for playing with swag and heart. Finally, he too, would only reach one finals, play with a scoring champion and not live up to expectations as a team, decline in production consecutive years with waning athleticism, and end up on 4 or 5 teams in a short period.
Westbrook refuses to make any real changes to the way he plays the game. His entire mentality is about force and explosion. It’s a lot like if The Incredible Hulk had ballhandling skills of a point guard. He has extreme tunnel vision but once he makes up his mind, he almost always scores the ball. He’s always been turnover prone throughout his career, but his athleticism would sometimes offset the points lost in turnovers by the points scored in the paint.
The problem is, once your athleticism wanes, as does your production on the court. There has been very little change in Russell Westbrook’s style if you rewind back a decade. If you can’t jump as high or leap as far, then you are shooting more contested shots, you lose a pop in your step defensively, and your decision-making is twice as important because now you’re not the most athletic on the court. You have to maximize your spots more often, and Westbrook simply hasn’t been a player to ever think about his style changing.
It may have to do with his beef with Durant. Durant could simply not win with Westbrook no matter how much better Durant steadily improved throughout the years, but something tells me Westbrook’s triple double the year after Durant left was a show of anger. Anger at Durant’s feelings about his game and joining the enemy possibly just to prove a point. Perhaps on some level Westbrook does not see himself inferior to the likes of Durant. He just has that much pride. Changing his style of play in order to win would still be a loss because it'd be admitting Durant was right about him. It'd be admitting Harden and George were right about him too. Players simply want to leave this man.
And that just might be why he refuses to change to the point of firing his agent. He’s willing to risk being stuck at the value of a veteran’s minimum contract. The Lakers heard his complaints about the coaching, then fired that coach so fast he heard it in a press conference before the organization could even tell him. Then, they hire a new coach in Darvin Ham who sings nothing but praises for Westbrook. He has great ideas and ways he could fit into a contending team. All it would literally take is for Westbrook to play more like a Gary Payton or Jrue Holiday. Westbrook still didn’t want to play.
To be fair, it is hard to play with LeBron. Wade, Davis, Irving, Love; plenty players have shown on and off periods of struggling when trying to play with LeBron James. It’s just hard to play with a guy who has such a high usage and requiring specific shooters and defenders. Everybody on some level must change the way they with him. LeBron picked out Westbrook because he thought he could change him. Westbrook simply refused; and I refuse to believe it’s a matter of him not being able to. We all know he has one of the highest motors and energy probably in NBA history. If he really put his mind to it, he could become one of the best point guard defenders of all-time. With his body and energy, there’s no way you can say he couldn’t be the best defender on the court if he was motivated enough to dedicate his body to it.
But he won’t. Because it would mean he had to change his way to get a ring, and he’d rather get the ring his way. Even if it costs him millions. Even if it costs him a championship. Even if it costs him his one and only agent he ever had. Just like Iverson, he too was a polarizing player garnering hate and love. He too was known for playing with swag and heart. Finally, he too, would only reach one finals, play with a scoring champion and not live up to expectations as a team, decline in production consecutive years with waning athleticism, and end up on 4 or 5 teams in a short period.
Rest in Peace, Bill Russell
Bump for off-season drama
I like how things ended with Durant & Mitchell. The East is going to be really fun & competitive again.
Besides the Kyrie drama I never really understood why Durant would try to leave this Nets roster. Cause of the drama last year a lot of people seem to be acting like they’re not a top contender anymore, but they’ve got Durant, Simmons (if he plays), Kyrie, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Claxton, a couple other good players. That’s far & beyond the most shooting and ball handling we’ve ever seen around Ben Simmons. Durant & Kyrie are All NBA talents when healthy. That’s an insane team in my eyes, I think they’re right there with the Celtics & Bucks. I’m glad Durant is staying, it just made the most sense in this situation, even though I kinda wanted him on my Celtics.
I love the Mitchell trade for the cavs too. He’s an awesome player & their offense really needed a guy like him that can get buckets. But this trade is all about Mobley to me, the Cavs are betting that he is gonna be that guy & I think that’s the choice to make. Adding Mitchell on top of Garland & Allen is a great move to lock in a nice young core while Mobley’s still on his rookie contract. I’m super high on Mobley, I think he’s got top 10 player potential, at worst he’s a DOPY candidate every year he’s healthy. They’re probably a few years away before they’re title contenders but they’re set up to be competitive for years & super fun too.
Besides the Kyrie drama I never really understood why Durant would try to leave this Nets roster. Cause of the drama last year a lot of people seem to be acting like they’re not a top contender anymore, but they’ve got Durant, Simmons (if he plays), Kyrie, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Claxton, a couple other good players. That’s far & beyond the most shooting and ball handling we’ve ever seen around Ben Simmons. Durant & Kyrie are All NBA talents when healthy. That’s an insane team in my eyes, I think they’re right there with the Celtics & Bucks. I’m glad Durant is staying, it just made the most sense in this situation, even though I kinda wanted him on my Celtics.
I love the Mitchell trade for the cavs too. He’s an awesome player & their offense really needed a guy like him that can get buckets. But this trade is all about Mobley to me, the Cavs are betting that he is gonna be that guy & I think that’s the choice to make. Adding Mitchell on top of Garland & Allen is a great move to lock in a nice young core while Mobley’s still on his rookie contract. I’m super high on Mobley, I think he’s got top 10 player potential, at worst he’s a DOPY candidate every year he’s healthy. They’re probably a few years away before they’re title contenders but they’re set up to be competitive for years & super fun too.
I’m a jazz fan so this off season has been heart breaking but I’m excited to see what Donny can do for the cavs.
the jazz got a lot of picks and Colin section which is pretty cool definitely going into a rebuild tho.
the front office of the timberwolves is reallydumb lol. They gave up their future for Rudy gobert when they already have a elite big man. I think it’ll give off 2016 pelicans energy with boogie and Davis.
I'm really interested to see if Ben Simmons will accept a slightly more off-ball role as a point forward-type player. Allow Kyrie and KD to initiate the offense and then let Simmons rebound defend and be a passing hub in the post in a Draymond-esque role.
Also I'm happy the Celtics didn't get KD. I don't like the drama that seems to always surround him and losing Brown would have sucked. I think the Celtics will be fine if they can just improve themselves and keep Brogdon healthy, as he seems like a perfect fit in the defense and provides another playmaker on offense too.
I think the move for Gobert was definitely an overpay and definitely a less conventional fit, but for a team that has been in such an odd place for such a long time I'm happy to see that they're at least trying something to get the ball rolling. Plus they can always try to move him in the near future, even if they get back a bit less than what they paid for him. Plus, KAT is already good and Anthony Edwards looks like he's poised for an All Star season, so I don't think they really limited their ceiling by trading for Gobert.
Bump.
Coach Ime Udoka is out for his scandalous ways (or so we are told). Chaos in Boston? I think this puts Bucks clearly back at the top of the East.
Perhaps Ben Simmons, Durant, and Irving will all play for Brooklyn to challenge.
Coach Ime Udoka is out for his scandalous ways (or so we are told). Chaos in Boston? I think this puts Bucks clearly back at the top of the East.
Perhaps Ben Simmons, Durant, and Irving will all play for Brooklyn to challenge.
as a celtics fan, bucks are definitely favorites (and were before this)
biggest thing we lose without udoka is the personality management he was really skilled at, mazzula has been with this team for a while so i don't think they will have an issue on the playmaking side of things. Robs health is much more important and likely to be a make or break for this teams title aspirations compared to anything else. Having such a shallow depth at bigs to start the season (grant will and 37 y/o al) is really worrying and i guess we're either playing serious small ball or hopefully picking up one of those washed bigs just to eat up some minutes. also tatum is very underrated by nba general fanbase now after playing hurt but he has always been a slow starter which could mean we're in for a really rough ride at least through the new year.
obvs im biased but i have a hard time imagining any scenario where brooklyn's season is a success. they would not worry me at all in a playoff series. miami is in a similar situation to us imo where they have the capabilities to win the east but they would need a lot to break right (bam stepping up offensively, age not affecting them, struss or robinson being able to play consistently, pf depth) to make a deep run. philly is the most interesting wild card to me, if harden looks like houston harden and embiid stays healthy (big IF) then they could be a serious threat and i could totally imagine them winning the east in a best case scenario.
if i was gonna rank the east teams in tiers, i think it'd be something like
1. bucks
2a. celtics, heat
2b. philly, nets
3. toronto, cle, chicago, atlanta
biggest thing we lose without udoka is the personality management he was really skilled at, mazzula has been with this team for a while so i don't think they will have an issue on the playmaking side of things. Robs health is much more important and likely to be a make or break for this teams title aspirations compared to anything else. Having such a shallow depth at bigs to start the season (grant will and 37 y/o al) is really worrying and i guess we're either playing serious small ball or hopefully picking up one of those washed bigs just to eat up some minutes. also tatum is very underrated by nba general fanbase now after playing hurt but he has always been a slow starter which could mean we're in for a really rough ride at least through the new year.
obvs im biased but i have a hard time imagining any scenario where brooklyn's season is a success. they would not worry me at all in a playoff series. miami is in a similar situation to us imo where they have the capabilities to win the east but they would need a lot to break right (bam stepping up offensively, age not affecting them, struss or robinson being able to play consistently, pf depth) to make a deep run. philly is the most interesting wild card to me, if harden looks like houston harden and embiid stays healthy (big IF) then they could be a serious threat and i could totally imagine them winning the east in a best case scenario.
if i was gonna rank the east teams in tiers, i think it'd be something like
1. bucks
2a. celtics, heat
2b. philly, nets
3. toronto, cle, chicago, atlanta