Minnesota Sports Forum

Q12543 wrote:I love the informal poll about who would you rather have if starting from scratch, Stevens versus Giannis, then the author continues to rattle off other options and Stevens basically comes out on top with the exception of the existing top 5 or so players and a couple of the up and comers (including KAT). So in other words, he's worth a max NBA contract or damn near it!

That being said, the players had to execute. That is not an easy pass to make. It's not like Covington is a little guy. He's really not THAT much smaller than Horford. And then Horford proceeds to snuff out the Sixers last gasp chance with a steal at the other end. Who has been more valuable to the Celtics this year in particular: Al Horford or Brad Stevens? Now that is a difficult question in my opinion.

There was a stat on Twitter yesterday that Embiid's points per possession in the post in this series is like .533. In case you aren't sure that's REAAALY bad. Often when I have watched parts of this series I have seen Horford a number of times absolutely manhandle him defensively which honestly is impressive even if he is getting the benefit of the doubt being physical.

As for that scoring possession Horford has to hold off Covington also. That's an underrated thing for players posting up or getting the ball even on the perimeter. There are Wolves players that aren't too good at it. On defense the next possession Horford is able to get around Embiid to steal the ball. Embiid was in a tough position to hold him off because he was still coming back to the ball but that's an example of a guy like Horford knowing how to do some small things that matter.

I'm sure there are plenty of teams that would give up a ton to get Stevens as their coach right now. I would also. It's rare that those elected coaches become available once they have reached that status.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

Q12543 wrote:I love the informal poll about who would you rather have if starting from scratch, Stevens versus Giannis, then the author continues to rattle off other options and Stevens basically comes out on top with the exception of the existing top 5 or so players and a couple of the up and comers (including KAT). So in other words, he's worth a max NBA contract or damn near it!

That being said, the players had to execute. That is not an easy pass to make. It's not like Covington is a little guy. He's really not THAT much smaller than Horford. And then Horford proceeds to snuff out the Sixers last gasp chance with a steal at the other end. Who has been more valuable to the Celtics this year in particular: Al Horford or Brad Stevens? Now that is a difficult question in my opinion.

Random NBA fan: "Al Horford makes $28M for 13 ppg / 7 reb / 5 asts? WHAT????"

Any fan watching these playoffs: "Holy shit. Al Horford is so great. He's good at literally everything."

Yep...a complete basketball player. And usually able to elevate his game at crunch time. Yesterday he scored the final 5 points of OT, plus made a key steal. Just a marvelous overall player.

Stan Van Gundy, aka Ron Jeremy, is available.

Q12543 wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:Chris Paul....I may dislike him more than Harden at this point.

Some of those drives to the hoop by Mitchell....just nuts. He might be a bigger, more athletic version of Kyrie Irving when it's all said and done. He's just got all sorts of tricks up his sleeve when he's going down hill. What a draft pick by the Jazz.

I've disliked Chris Paul far more than Harden for a long time. As for Mitchell, he's definitely a lot quicker and more athletic than Kyrie. I'm not sure he's bigger and he's not yet at Kyrie's level as a perimeter shooter. No doubt it was a great pick. And remember that the Jazz traded up to get him. So they clearly had their eye on him and didn't just put their front office finger to the wind in choosing him from a bunch of others on their draft board. The three best picks in last year's draft at a level above all others were Mitchell, Tatum and Kuzma.

Right, Mitchell does need a more reliable outside shot. I think that will come. He's still just a rookie!

Now here is the bad news...Utah was one of those teams a lot of us sort of wrote off as "meh" for this year. Nope. These guys are going to be entrenched in the playoffs for many years to come so long as Gobert and Mitchell stay healthy. I think they probably need one more decent shot creator (Wiggins for Ingles anyone??? Utah says no I bet).

How about Thibodeau for Snyder? :) I'd include our first and second round picks this year. I'll bet the Jazz would say no to that. And that's pretty telling.

lipoli390 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:Chris Paul....I may dislike him more than Harden at this point.

Some of those drives to the hoop by Mitchell....just nuts. He might be a bigger, more athletic version of Kyrie Irving when it's all said and done. He's just got all sorts of tricks up his sleeve when he's going down hill. What a draft pick by the Jazz.

I've disliked Chris Paul far more than Harden for a long time. As for Mitchell, he's definitely a lot quicker and more athletic than Kyrie. I'm not sure he's bigger and he's not yet at Kyrie's level as a perimeter shooter. No doubt it was a great pick. And remember that the Jazz traded up to get him. So they clearly had their eye on him and didn't just put their front office finger to the wind in choosing him from a bunch of others on their draft board. The three best picks in last year's draft at a level above all others were Mitchell, Tatum and Kuzma.

Right, Mitchell does need a more reliable outside shot. I think that will come. He's still just a rookie!

Now here is the bad news...Utah was one of those teams a lot of us sort of wrote off as "meh" for this year. Nope. These guys are going to be entrenched in the playoffs for many years to come so long as Gobert and Mitchell stay healthy. I think they probably need one more decent shot creator (Wiggins for Ingles anyone??? Utah says no I bet).

How about Thibodeau for Snyder? :) I'd include our first and second round picks this year. I'll bet the Jazz would say no to that. And that's pretty telling.

So we give up picks for a coach that also had his team crushed by the rockets

Raptors swept and blown out in an ellimination game 4. Ouch. I feel bad for that team and it's fans. Honestly I don't know if they need to do anything drastic though. It's a good team and they have done well with young players. Keep building.

monsterpile wrote:Raptors swept and blown out in an ellimination game 4. Ouch. I feel bad for that team and it's fans. Honestly I don't know if they need to do anything drastic though. It's a good team and they have done well with young players. Keep building.

I disagree. I don't say it much but time to blow it up. If it wasn't this year when is it going to happen. They were the 1 seed. LBJ worst team vs this version of the Raptors. Celtics without their best 2 players. Sixers super young. And Casey switched up his coaching philosophy and where did that get them. Getting swept for the 3rd time in 4 years.

I honestly don't see a path. Lowry is going to start hitting the decline. Same with Ibaka. They have no cap space. They have no real upside young players even though they are all good (I do like OG though).

I know KOC mentioned a Wiggins/ Teague for Lowry/ miles/siakam trade. I wouldn't touch that trade if i'm the wolves.

The door was never going to be wider for the Raptors than this year. They are at least going to be the 3rd best team in the east at best going forward and if LBJ stays east they will be at best 4th. With the Pacers and possibly bucks and wizards nipping at their heels.

Not a big KOC guy but "BLOW IT UP!!!!!"

kekgeek1 wrote:

monsterpile wrote:Raptors swept and blown out in an ellimination game 4. Ouch. I feel bad for that team and it's fans. Honestly I don't know if they need to do anything drastic though. It's a good team and they have done well with young players. Keep building.

I disagree. I don't say it much but time to blow it up. If it wasn't this year when is it going to happen. They were the 1 seed. LBJ worst team vs this version of the Raptors. Celtics without their best 2 players. Sixers super young. And Casey switched up his coaching philosophy and where did that get them. Getting swept for the 3rd time in 4 years.

I honestly don't see a path. Lowry is going to start hitting the decline. Same with Ibaka. They have no cap space. They have no real upside young players even though they are all good (I do like OG though).

I know KOC mentioned a Wiggins/ Teague for Lowry/ miles/siakam trade. I wouldn't touch that trade if i'm the wolves.

The door was never going to be wider for the Raptors than this year. They are at least going to be the 3rd best team in the east at best going forward and if LBJ stays east they will be at best 4th. With the Pacers and possibly bucks and wizards nipping at their heels.

Not a big KOC guy but "BLOW IT UP!!!!!"

Something needs to happen in Toronto. I predicted a 30-point loss last night... and I was only sort of facetious with it.

They lost by 35.

Has a COY ever been fired before? It might happen this season. I don't know which one gets moved... Lowry or DeRozan... but one of them is gone for certain. And Toronto seems enamored with VanVleet anyway. I don't think they become irrelevant, they're still pretty deep... but this run has run its course. That was an embarrassing series for them.

And now Cleveland has its confidence and swagger back. It was inevitable. The East is a trainwreck.


Again.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

kekgeek1 wrote:

monsterpile wrote:Raptors swept and blown out in an ellimination game 4. Ouch. I feel bad for that team and it's fans. Honestly I don't know if they need to do anything drastic though. It's a good team and they have done well with young players. Keep building.

I disagree. I don't say it much but time to blow it up. If it wasn't this year when is it going to happen. They were the 1 seed. LBJ worst team vs this version of the Raptors. Celtics without their best 2 players. Sixers super young. And Casey switched up his coaching philosophy and where did that get them. Getting swept for the 3rd time in 4 years.

I honestly don't see a path. Lowry is going to start hitting the decline. Same with Ibaka. They have no cap space. They have no real upside young players even though they are all good (I do like OG though).

I know KOC mentioned a Wiggins/ Teague for Lowry/ miles/siakam trade. I wouldn't touch that trade if i'm the wolves.

The door was never going to be wider for the Raptors than this year. They are at least going to be the 3rd best team in the east at best going forward and if LBJ stays east they will be at best 4th. With the Pacers and possibly bucks and wizards nipping at their heels.

Not a big KOC guy but "BLOW IT UP!!!!!"

Something needs to happen in Toronto. I predicted a 30-point loss last night... and I was only sort of facetious with it.

They lost by 35.

Has a COY ever been fired before? It might happen this season. I don't know which one gets moved... Lowry or DeRozan... but one of them is gone for certain. And Toronto seems enamored with VanVleet anyway. I don't think they become irrelevant, they're still pretty deep... but this run has run its course. That was an embarrassing series for them.

And now Cleveland has its confidence and swagger back. It was inevitable. The East is a trainwreck.


Again.

More bad news...they don't have a draft pick in 2018 season because of deals for Miles and PJ Tucker.

Maybe you guys are right they need to do something. I could see them being willing to deal Lowry if they got a nice return since they could resign Van Vliet and also have Wright. He makes 30 million though so...that's a lot of money they have to take back to make a deal work. It will certainly make the offseason interesting. Maybe they make some sort of move to get better themselves.

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

kekgeek1 wrote:

monsterpile wrote:Raptors swept and blown out in an ellimination game 4. Ouch. I feel bad for that team and it's fans. Honestly I don't know if they need to do anything drastic though. It's a good team and they have done well with young players. Keep building.

I disagree. I don't say it much but time to blow it up. If it wasn't this year when is it going to happen. They were the 1 seed. LBJ worst team vs this version of the Raptors. Celtics without their best 2 players. Sixers super young. And Casey switched up his coaching philosophy and where did that get them. Getting swept for the 3rd time in 4 years.

I honestly don't see a path. Lowry is going to start hitting the decline. Same with Ibaka. They have no cap space. They have no real upside young players even though they are all good (I do like OG though).

I know KOC mentioned a Wiggins/ Teague for Lowry/ miles/siakam trade. I wouldn't touch that trade if i'm the wolves.

The door was never going to be wider for the Raptors than this year. They are at least going to be the 3rd best team in the east at best going forward and if LBJ stays east they will be at best 4th. With the Pacers and possibly bucks and wizards nipping at their heels.

Not a big KOC guy but "BLOW IT UP!!!!!"

Something needs to happen in Toronto. I predicted a 30-point loss last night... and I was only sort of facetious with it.

They lost by 35.

Has a COY ever been fired before? It might happen this season. I don't know which one gets moved... Lowry or DeRozan... but one of them is gone for certain. And Toronto seems enamored with VanVleet anyway. I don't think they become irrelevant, they're still pretty deep... but this run has run its course. That was an embarrassing series for them.

And now Cleveland has its confidence and swagger back. It was inevitable. The East is a trainwreck.


Again.

More bad news...they don't have a draft pick in 2018 season because of deals for Miles and PJ Tucker.

Maybe you guys are right they need to do something. I could see them being willing to deal Lowry if they got a nice return since they could resign Van Vliet and also have Wright. He makes 30 million though so...that's a lot of money they have to take back to make a deal work. It will certainly make the offseason interesting. Maybe they make some sort of move to get better themselves.

They're going to have to pony up to keep restricted FA VanVleet... and nothing I've seen indicates they're willing to let him walk. So why have $45 - $50M on the books at PG?

Lowry is due a whopping $64M for the next two years. Back to the proposed Wolves deal... it could make sense. Maybe. Short term. I don't see how Lowry is here after two years. He'll be 34. He's a small PG. And there are signs he's already tapering down into his late career slide.

Is there another young Raptors player that could be moved to Minnesota to give the Wolves more long-term flexibility/hope? I'm 99.9% certain that OG Anunoby would be completely off the table. Delon Wright? Poetl?

And if the Stat Geeks/Blog Boys finally win out in Canada... will DeRozan be made available? We've always compared Wiggins/DeRozan already. Will Toronto give up the more successful (but obviously flawed player who's hit his ceiling) for the younger version who's a local kid with untapped potential?