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Knicks Morning News (2023.06.05)

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  • Knicks 2022-23 player review: Quentin Grimes – Posting and Toasting
    [news.google.com] — Monday, June 5, 2023 7:00:00 AM

    Knicks 2022-23 player review: Quentin Grimes  Posting and Toasting

  • Knicks 2022-23 player review: Quentin Grimes – msnNOW
    [news.google.com] — Monday, June 5, 2023 7:00:00 AM

    Knicks 2022-23 player review: Quentin Grimes  msnNOW

  • Knicks: Jalen Brunson doubles down on Josh Hart breast milk ire – ClutchPoints
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 10:58:00 PM

    Knicks: Jalen Brunson doubles down on Josh Hart breast milk ire  ClutchPoints

  • Eastern Notes: Hornets Workouts, Hawks Workouts, Nets’ Draft … – hoopsrumors.com
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 10:40:00 PM

    Eastern Notes: Hornets Workouts, Hawks Workouts, Nets’ Draft …  hoopsrumors.com

  • United States of Brunson: Knicks’ Star Named to US World Cup Roster – Sports Illustrated
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 8:58:00 PM

    United States of Brunson: Knicks’ Star Named to US World Cup Roster  Sports Illustrated

  • Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Nets’ Mikal Bridges to play for Team USA at 2023 FIBA World Cup – Yahoo Sports
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 8:21:00 PM

    Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, Nets’ Mikal Bridges to play for Team USA at 2023 FIBA World Cup  Yahoo Sports

  • BREAKING: Tyler Herro’s Final Injury Status For Heat-Nuggets Game 2 – Sports Illustrated
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 6:22:42 PM

    BREAKING: Tyler Herro’s Final Injury Status For Heat-Nuggets Game 2  Sports Illustrated

  • Former BYU Star Helps USA Win Silver At FIBA 3×3 World Cup – KSL Sports
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 5:29:07 PM

    Former BYU Star Helps USA Win Silver At FIBA 3×3 World Cup  KSL Sports

  • Spurs Envision Knicks Guard as Potential Mentor for Wembanyama: GM – Heavy.com
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 5:13:30 PM

    Spurs Envision Knicks Guard as Potential Mentor for Wembanyama: GM  Heavy.com

  • Heat exposing Jaylen Brown in Game 7 should convince Knicks to … – Daily Knicks
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 5:00:11 PM

    Heat exposing Jaylen Brown in Game 7 should convince Knicks to …  Daily Knicks

  • Kristaps Porzingis Gushes Over Knicks Amid Reunion Rumors – Heavy.com
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:57:33 PM

    Kristaps Porzingis Gushes Over Knicks Amid Reunion Rumors  Heavy.com

  • Copper Stopper: Liberty’s Winning Streak Ends in Chicago Fire – Sports Illustrated
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 4:08:41 PM

    Copper Stopper: Liberty’s Winning Streak Ends in Chicago Fire  Sports Illustrated

  • Knicks Land Raptors’ Pascal Siakam In Bold NBA Trade Scenario – NBA Analysis Network
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 2:31:45 PM

    Knicks Land Raptors’ Pascal Siakam In Bold NBA Trade Scenario  NBA Analysis Network

  • 2023 NBA Offseason Preview: New York Knicks – hoopsrumors.com
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 2:08:00 PM

    2023 NBA Offseason Preview: New York Knicks  hoopsrumors.com

  • Knicks: 2 free agents to avoid signing in 2023 NBA free agency – ClutchPoints
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 10:25:48 AM

    Knicks: 2 free agents to avoid signing in 2023 NBA free agency  ClutchPoints

  • Stay or Go: Should Knicks bring back Josh Hart? – Yahoo Sports
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 10:06:28 AM

    Stay or Go: Should Knicks bring back Josh Hart?  Yahoo Sports

  • Bruce Brown-Nets storyline more than enough to amuse Knicks fans – Daily Knicks
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 10:00:40 AM

    Bruce Brown-Nets storyline more than enough to amuse Knicks fans  Daily Knicks

  • Should Knicks make a play for Jaylen Brown? – AMNY
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 8:54:30 AM

    Should Knicks make a play for Jaylen Brown?  AMNY

  • 3 Stars Knicks should avoid like the plague if they become available – Daily Knicks
    [news.google.com] — Sunday, June 4, 2023 8:00:14 AM

    3 Stars Knicks should avoid like the plague if they become available  Daily Knicks

  • 88 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2023.06.05)”

    I thought Malone was a little over the top in calling out his team last night.

    Denver played like they think they are the much better team, were in complete control of the game, and could put Miami away any time they wanted….until suddenly they were down 12 late. Oooops!

    They have the better team, but now they put themselves in a position where they have to win in Miami even though they are not a particularly good road team.

    I’m not sure who to blame for that loss, but they were not mentally prepared to play a team like Miami that’s going to scrap and fight until the bitter end. It’s the finals, not a pre season prep game.

    Good coaching by SPO allowing Jokic to pile up points but reducing his assists out to the 3 point shooters.

    but they were not mentally prepared to play a team like Miami

    neither were The Bucks, the Celtics or us LOL.

    I don’t mind if the Heat win because I do think it invalidates our success this season and shows that we are closer to the top than some might think.

    But I gotta push back on the idea that the Heat hatred is just because Riley faxed in his resignation. The Heat are also responsible for the brawl that basically cost us one of our best chances at a championship in the 90’s.

    “The Heat are also responsible for the brawl that basically cost us one of our best chances at a championship in the 90’s.”

    I sort of remember it as being initiated by Charlie Ward. Whatever, I blame Knicks ownership as much as Riley so no grudges here. And since then, Riley has had nothing to do with us being a clown show laughingstock. It is 100% self-inflicted.

    because I do think it invalidates…

    Swifty have you turned into E?

    So I’m warming up to the idea of doing business with the Wizards re: KP. If we reacquire KP in a reasonable value trade, I’d be kind of excited. He played his ass off this year and maybe he is getting past his injury concerns. Fleecing them is probably less realistic with the hires of Winger and Schlenk in the FO, but maybe they go full rebuild and see KP and his “expiring” as something to be cashed in while it still has some value…

    I certainly would prefer trading assets for KP over trading even more assets for KAT.

    “I certainly would prefer trading assets for KP over trading even more assets for KAT.”

    I agree in principle with this….KAT will command a much higher price, maybe more than Spida. He would be the end of the road for team-building purposes, and there’s no way that I see a legit contender emerging from that mix.

    KP at the right price offers some hope for building further. Obviously you’d want to send out one of Mitch or iHart. I don’t have a strong preference but Mitch makes more sense to send out salary-wise. Then maybe an unprotected 2024 first and one of our protected picks (Washington’s own?) and filler. There will probably be competition out there so maybe that’s not enough, but I wouldn’t go much higher than that. It seems like a DeJounte-level asset swap, so something in that price range at most…

    Anyway, I doubt that either our FO or the Wizards are interested, but I’d be intrigued if there are rumblings.

    The Heat are also responsible for the brawl that basically cost us one of our best chances at a championship in the 90’s.

    Not only were none of these players on that team, a lot of them weren’t even born yet. Blaming them for throwing Charlie Ward into the 3rd row is like blaming the cast of Sex in the City for blowing the Game of Thrones finale.

    Well, I personally couldn’t care less about validation for the Knicks run, it was great as it is for me even if Miami got swept, I don’t get that argument at all. Do the Lakers unexpected run to the WCF somehow gets worse if Denver loses? Why?

    I hate Miami for far more reasons than just a fax machine, so I’ll root against them, it’s pretty simple.

    because 3pt shooting gods bestow not just makes and misses but also the game by game timing of makes and misses, i reran the results of all 20 miami playoff games assuming:

    -miami shot league average (36.1%) from 3 (ie not their 34.4% reg season with tyler herro as their best shooter) in the game on their actual attempts

    -opponent shot the lower of league average if they were better than that in the regular or their regular season % if they were worse (that’s just us) on their attempts.

    -i assumed 20% orb rebound rate on new misses and 1.15 ppp on those new possessions, or the reverse if there were new makes.

    here are the new outcomes:

    bucks series goes from 4-1 to 2-3.
    knicks series goes from 4-2 to 4.5 to 1.5 (half due to new OT game)
    boston series goes from 4-3 to 2-5
    denver series goes from 1-1 to 0-2

    doesn’t mean it’s all luck. not all 3 pt shooting variance and variance timing is luck. and the implied ceteris paribus is an oversimplification. but also…

    I’m pretty neutral on this series. I found myself rooting for Miami last night, if only because I want to see a long series with lots of drama and I tend to root for underdogs. OTOH I hate all things Florida these days due to the political landscape down there. OTOOH, I really admire Spo and the Heat’s roster is quite rootable, while guys like Aaron Gordon and MPJ just don’t do it for me.

    I was mad at Pat Riley for leaving us in the 90s. Now I’m mad we didn’t let him take over.

    We had absentee ownership back then. Ironically if Dolan had been in charge sooner, he likely would have been attracted to Riley’s star power and allowed him to push Checketts and Grunfeld out.

    It’s kind of a downer that with ptmilo’s new outcomes, we not only still lose but actually lose even worse than we did in reality. 🙁

    It sure didn’t seem that way while watching it, though. Their 3-point shooting was unfair.

    Not only were none of these players on that team a lot of them weren’t even born yet.

    Haslem was playing HS basketball in Miami before going to UF and later getting drafted by the Heat, he should therefore count

    Blaming them for throwing Charlie Ward into the 3rd row is like blaming the cast of Sex in the City for blowing the Game of Thrones finale.

    LOL, so you don’t get how rivalries work?

    Haslem was playing HS basketball in Miami before going to UF and later getting drafted by the Heat, he should therefore count

    Specifically during the brawl I should add

    I was mad at Pat Riley for leaving us in the 90s. Now I’m mad we didn’t let him take over.

    +100%. He went to a team with 1 good player in Glen Rice and replaced him with Alonso Mourning and Tim Hardaway. And that was in his first season.

    Though we did get JVG as HC and a 1st round pick out if it.

    “….doesn’t mean it’s all luck. not all 3 pt shooting variance and variance timing is luck. and the implied ceteris paribus is an oversimplification. but also…”

    I think the variance is most apparent in the Heat’s regular season 3pt%. In 2021-22, they were #1 in the NBA in 3pt%. This past year, they were #27. In both years they were #9 in 3PAr and they had virtually the same personnel, so it is likely that their offensive game plan didn’t change very much. Seems like they just got back to where they should have been with some overcorrection. Their current playoff 3PAr is actually slightly less (.392) than it was in the regular season (.408).

    Here is the year-to-year change in regular season 3pt% for their higher volume 3pt shooters:

    Max Strus: -.060
    Gabe Vincent: -.034
    Duncan Robinson: -.044
    Tyler Herro: -.021
    Kyle Lowry: -.032

    So for me, the question becomes: which is more reflective of who the Heat players listed above really are as 3pt shooters?

    I would argue that they are who they have been in this playoff run and that the regular season was anomalous. There’s probably some variance on the positive side, but nothing stands out as outlier-ish beyond maybe Caleb Martin, and even he shot 41% for the entire 2021-22 season.

    So sure, if they shot “league average” then the results would have been different, but I don’t think they are “built” to shoot league average in the playoffs. They are clearly comfortable with their offense and have shown that level of comfort consistently, both at home and on the road. They’re not jacking up 50 3’s and living or dying with the results like this year’s Celts or the Harden Rockets. They are mixing it up, shooting comfortable shots, and confidently knocking them down under pressure.

    so you don’t get how rivalries work?

    I get how they work, I just think they are a pointless waste of time and are the fundamental root of most problems that humanity faces.

    It’s kind of a downer that with ptmilo’s new outcomes, we not only still lose but actually lose even worse than we did in reality. 🙁

    Both offenses were so bad it just seemed like they hit a lot of 3s

    We’re also hurt because pt is using our below average 3p% while crediting MIA with a league average %(but that does seem kinda fair as they all seemed to underperform during the season)

    But MIA shouldn’t get credit against us because the other teams don’t funnel 😁

    darulessays:
    June 4, 2023 at 09:44
    Sleepy finals so far, and the media is not crowning anyone yet. I think Miami will have a stronger sense of urgency in game 2 tonight, but Denver won’t feel overconfident. Probably a closer game, with the Nuggets still winning.

    It looked like Denver did get to the game overconfident, but ultimately they couldn’t deal with the pressure in the 4th. I think we’re going to hear a lot in the media about their “manhood” in the next couple of days.

    I get how they work, I just think they are a pointless waste of time and are the fundamental root of most problems that humanity faces

    In real life? Sure. In sports? Come on!

    Did the Heat get back to where they should be with some overcorrection? Or did Spo, Butler and the Heat just gaslight the entire association for the entire regular season LOL.

    Leon needs to stay away primadonas like KP who only show up on contract year and don’t love the game. He’s been a paycheck and prestige guy his whole life. Not about team or winning and we’re supposed to believe he’s a changed man and discovered basketball Jesus. Please, give me a break. It’s why Luka ran him out of town. Thankfully, Leon has Brunson to give him the inside scoop.

    Pat Riley model of finding disrespected Dawgs who have been hardened by life is the most consistent way to build teams. NBA is full of incomepetent leaders to consistently make mistakes. Pat picked up John Starks from a grocery store and Anthony Mason to replace a 20ppg spoiled almond milk talent named Charles Smith. Doc Rivers, Anthony Bonner, Xman, these man embodied grit.

    We have two top dawgs like Brunson and Hart followed by by a pack of Mitch, iHart, Deuce, Grimes who love to compete. Need more of these types of players.

    I’m conviced that if RJ and Randle didn’t get picked 3 and 2 overall but instead got picked in late teens or twenties, they would have had much better careers already. It’s just human nature.

    This is why a fair but tough coach is nedded for both RJ and IQ development. Bench RJ when he doesn’t defend or doesn’t make the pass when he gets into the paint but forces a shot or turns the ball over. Force him to improve his catch and shoot threes during offeason and during the season. It’s maddening to learn as a fan that he changed his shooting pocket and form during playoffs of his 4th NBA season.

    Next time IQ takes a stupid shot or dribbles for 20 seconds straight bench him. It doesn’t matter if it goes in. Forget, “IQ is my guy”…this is hurting his development.

    Humans don’t change their behaivors unless they are forced to and we hate it and the people that make us go through this process at the time but usually, we very grateful and appreciate them when we look back after the change.

    Basketball, and every sport for that matter, is also a pointless waste of time that changes absolutely nothing about my real life too, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about it.

    As far as I know, every sport league, association, or overseeing body has creating and fostering rivalries as a top priority. And I don’t think that is a bad thing at all. I like the Olympics medal table, when the Giants play the Eagles, the Yankees play the Red Sox, Federer played Nadal, Ohtani pitched to Trout, and the recent MJ v LBJ debate.

    I think the Heat had injuries on and off all season and weren’t playing their best basketball. So you have to take their regular season stats with a grain of salt and even look at more long term data for the 3 point shooting. They’ve probably had a little positive luck in the playoffs, but they are also moving the ball really well and getting high quality shots now because they are playing better as a team.

    So…
    Who’s ready for a ’23-’24 rotation of
    C- Mitch, Hartenstein
    PF- Randle, Sims/Roby(match-up based)
    SF- Hart, Grimes
    SG- LaVine, Quickley
    PG- HIM, Deuce

    I have a feeling that this is the likely next step. Is offense- particularly in the clutch- worth a step back in defense and wing size? I mean..you can probably sell me on that scenario because it gives Thibs more of what he wants on offense and another good crunch time player to help Brunson in tight games. But holy shit would opposing guards eat against us

    I think if RJ had been picked in the 20s he would have made a fraction of what he will make.

    IQ should be a very rare and special two-way player in this league. Advanced Analytics back and exceed the eye test.

    It’s a shame that he doesn’t start for Grimes and he’s now likely to be pigeoned into a “microwave bench player” for his entire career and ends up somewhere between a JJ Barrea and a Terrence Ross with a Jamal Crawford best case scenario.

    His work ethic is obviously elite, just lacks sharp mental focus with the ball in his hands. Its odd because he’s both focused and engaged on both ends of the floor when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. It’s like he relaxes when dribbling and this explains his ice vains and big shot taking.

    If Thibs didn’t love, coddle and enable him so much baecasue he’s just “a young kid” mentality, -IQ would have a chip on his shoulder, clean up his game and be a perenial all-star talent.

    I could live with KP, Randle, OG, Brunson, and Grimes.

    That team is going to score, rebound, defend the perimeter well enough, have enough size, and still have KP to help in the paint. KP is not going to defend the P&R as well as Mitch. Teams may try to target KP/Brunson, but they were not terrible in Dallas together and throwing an elite defender like OG into the mix with Grimes will help.

    People are forgetting that Brunson and KP played together in Dallas and seemingly got along quite well. They fit together better than KP/Doncic or Donic/Brunson. The former turned KP into a glorified max salary floor spacer and the latter took the ball out of Brunson’s hands too much and didn’t allow him to do as much as he was capable of.

    Both are thriving away from Doncic where they can do their own thing.

    Doncic is a good partner for very good spot up 3 point shooters that don’t want or need to do much else on offense because he can get them consistent great looks.

    holy shit did i mess that up. sorry — multitasking. here are the actual adjusted results.

    bucks was 4-1 would have been 2-3 (game 1 and 4 would have flipped).

    us was 4-2 would have been 3-3 (game 1 and 6 flip to us, game 2 and 6 both go from us winning to OT, presumed split).

    boston was 4-3 would have been 1.5 – 5.5 (game 1 , 3 (!?) and 7 flip to bos, game 2 flip from bos W to OT).

    denver is 1-1 would have been 0-2.

    So for me, the question becomes: which is more reflective of who the Heat players listed above really are as 3pt shooters?

    I would argue that they are who they have been in this playoff run and that the regular season was anomalous. There’s probably some variance on the positive side, but nothing stands out as outlier-ish beyond maybe Caleb Martin, and even he shot 41% for the entire 2021-22 season.

    bridge too far. vincent is leading them in 3pt makes and seems to be shooting over his head. martin has been an up and down 3pt shooter, so his best year isn’t too convincing. if you take the career averages of their shooters and weight them by playoff attempts, you literally get an expectation of 36.15%, almost exactly league average for the regular season. if you look at the “quality” of their actual playoff shots on synergy or wherever (catch and shoot, wide open, etc) it get somewhat worse, and you’d expect a bit below 36%. i think the 39.2% in the playoffs is at least as anomalous as the 34.4% regular season for this particular bunch. of course, this includes missing herro, which is also a form of bad luck.

    but that’s a well worn discussion the elides the important contribution i meant to make to the literature here before fucking it up. yes, miami has had 3 pt fortune/variance/greatness from their own shooting and their opponents. but that shooting difference would have resulted in far “extra” net wins if you distributed the variance naively, the joint timing of the variance has really amped up the effect.

    Personal feelings aside, we should view the KP possibility like any other opportunity and see if he can be had at a price that makes sense for us.

    I’m pretty wary for a simple reason–he hasn’t been healthy during the playoffs for the majority of his NBA seasons. That’s kind of a different beast than just being generally injury prone. Underscoring the painfully obvious, you need to have reasonable confidence that your best players will play in the playoffs.

    Also:

    Sources: Kyrie Irving has reached out to Lakers star LeBron James in attempts to see if James would come to Dallas. Irving is a free agent this offseason.— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 5, 2023

    Kyrie is so weird, man.

    …Federer played Nadal, Ohtani pitched to Trout, and the recent MJ v LBJ debate.

    These are individual rivalries between contemporaries, not inane team rivalries that are based on 30 year old emotions over a 2nd round playoff game. It’s not even like the Heat went on to win what would have otherwise been the Knicks title (like the Spurs and Suns). Their season lasted two extra weeks, losing in 5 to one of the greatest teams in the history of sports. To carry toxic feelings from that is self-defeating. Sure, sports aren’t real-life, but sports emotions are real-life emotions. Try rooting for this Heat team, you might just enjoy it!

    The Kyrie thing is hilarious. The chances of LeBron winding up in Dallas are less than zero, for a half-dozen reasons.

    Why the heck would Lebron leave Mandeville Canyon? Just hilarious that Kyrie is so clueless.

    That was a strange one last night. I felt that there were a bunch of big swing calls that made a difference. Two dumb KCP fouls made a big difference. Michael Porter’s defence made a difference. And Jokic taking the scoring load on himself and passing a bit less appeared to make a difference.

    I don’t know, not sure my priors have changed. But the Heat are better than their SRS.

    i think i understand what PT wrote… and yes the heat have benefited from good 3pt shooting… but they’re also simultaneously benefiting from their opponents not being hot from 3…. opponents are shooting 32.6% this playoffs which is way below the heat regular season mark and would mark as the league’s best within the last 8 seasons… and with our own lease on ISM the last couple of years… we should know by know that most of that is variance/luck…

    it takes about 750 3pt’ers to ‘normalize’… so you can last an entire playoffs shooting and defending shots that might seem crazy that would normally seem not possible…. and that’s sort of what the heat are doing… and if you don’t believe that they’re doing this with jimmy butler basically hurt since game 1 of our series… and hasn’t had anything resembling a good jimmy game since….

    The key thing with 3 point variance is the degree to which it vitiates the idea that you need a superstar to win a championship. (Which then in turn impacts the entire idea of “purgatory,” etc.)

    Secondarily and necessarily related is the degree to which “superstardom” incorporates three-point efficiency or talent. During the “you need a superstar to win a championship” era, the key factor driving all of that was the notion of superstardom being primarily driven by being able to give the superstar the ball, particularly at key moments, and the other team not being able to stop him no matter how many bodies they throw at the problem or how hard they try. (Think Jordan and Kobe as the apex examples.) If superstardom is now materially more a function of three-point efficiency, that changes the entire calculus. (Not that those people aren’t rightly called superstars, but more so the shrinkage in the way superstardom can be dependably leveraged, particularly in big games or big moments.)

    (In terms of overall aesthetics, I’m not a big fan of playoff games and series now seemingly revolving around ISM and three-point shooting contests involving a lot of meh secondary players — but that’s an entirely different point.)

    We should be celebrating today, June 5th is a great day in Knicks history.

    it ain’t that hard – just do what donnie do…i still relish in the wins, the losses barely touch me anymore…

    tell em donnie: it’s fucking science, man…amplify joy, minimize angst, equals happier ride…

    Big yes on KP — sorry Geo!! — he’d fit perfectly. Health obviously a concern.

    The point of sports rivalries is to channel nationalistic and tribalistic energy away from “real life” and wars. The empirical question of whether it’s “worked” — the organized sports era is only about 140 years old or so — is an open one.

    If it did work, then obviously we wouldn’t particular bemoan any silly excess. Better some Dodger fan doofus clocking a Giant fan in the Dodger Stadium parking lot than, say, Britain and France versus Germany in machine gun nests in Flanders or Verdun.

    Knicks Film School posted a substack making the case for reacquiring KP as our new starting C. I do enjoy me some Mitch, but KFS makes a good case that KP can open up the offense in ways MitchRob can’t. Yeah, you’ll lose some important rebounding, but his 3ball threat and his assist numbers makes me ponder some.

    I get his exit left a bad taste. Maybe he has matured since his Knicks/Mavs days. Far from impossible.

    Leon needs to stay away primadonas like KP who only show up on contract year and don’t love the game.

    I think it’s a bit too far to say definitively that he doesn’t love the game. But the contract year thing… taking that gamble intrigues me when it usually wouldn’t. And this is why:

    JK47 has laid out the challenge for a good team to make that next step to contender. And while I agree, I’ve also made the case before that in a wide-open NBA, the gap between “real good team” and “title contender“ isn’t nearly as wide as usual. If you’re looking at Denver and especially Miami and think we’re close to both (and I do), I would take a look at a star guy who is in a contract year on the gamble that the “contract year” production could potentially put us over the top.

    ceteris paribus

    i had to look that one up, wasn’t sure if it was a math term or not, i guess it sorta is…i like it when i need to google something, someone wrote…

    first monday in a long long time i woke up unemployed…i’m trying to see it as a positive in my mind, that’s taking more effort than supposed…be thankful, breathe, go slow…it still though causes the ground to shift beneath my feet…

    it’s such a weird sensation, not that unfamiliar though, not like free falling or anything, more like an earthquake kinda feeling…unsettling…

    thankfully no vertigo…when i was researching this stuff, one thing that became very clear – if an individual is experiencing vertigo – no muy bueno…

    shit, my big task for the day is walking the dog, beautiful overcast weather outside, and taking a shower, eat food…yeah, i can do that…maybe throw in some elder scrolls…yeah, that sounds like the ticket…

    hope everyone’s day is moving along smoothly…

    ha, i think milo triggered me a bit cuz he sounded busy at work…slow down milo, slow down 🙂

    When I reflect on why it is I spend so much time following professional sports despite having no tangible personal stake in the outcomes whatsoever, I usually arrive at the conclusion that it’s fun to get really passionate about things that ultimately don’t really matter.

    Lord knows I spend a ton of time and energy worrying about things with monumental stakes e.g. whether my clients will get evicted, the state of the country, the warming planet, etc etc etc. It’s nice to care a lot about something I can laugh about if it doesn’t go my way.

    All this to say, sports rivalries are fun as long as everyone involved has some damn perspective. I have some cousins who are Red Sox fans and we usually do karaoke bets on playoff series (i.e. loser has to sing Sweet Caroline/New York, New York depending on the outcome).

    Little things like that are great. Just don’t tie too much of your mental health up in the performance of athletes you will never meet.

    The key thing with 3 point variance is the degree to which it vitiates the idea that you need a superstar to win a championship. (Which then in turn impacts the entire idea of “purgatory,” etc.)

    Good post and a topic worth thinking about, but maybe a bit overstated in this particular case. Both the Heat and the Nuggets have a blue chip superstar. As wild as the Heat’s 3PT shooting has been, they still don’t sniff this level of success absent Butler who has hit 24 total threes throughout the playoffs.

    I don’t think we’ll ever reach a point where a team full of 3PT gunners can go on this kind of run. You need a guy(s) who can generate decent enough looks to avail yourself of 3PT variance luck.

    the organized sports era is only about 140 years old or so

    what?!??

    i’d say, similar to language, combat and commerce that community competitions have taken place since like tens of thousands of years ago…

    ancient aliens tells me so…

    i’d say, similar to language, combat and commerce that community competitions have taken place since like tens of thousands of years ago…

    Or at least the Mayans (a few thousand years)

    what?!??

    i’d say, similar to language, combat and commerce that community competitions have taken place since like tens of thousands of years ago…

    ancient aliens tells me so…

    Human civilization has only been around for 6000 years. But idk, maybe 2 wandering tribes would get together once a year and see who could kill the biggest elephant or whatever.

    Greek Olympics were 2000-3000 years ago.

    What kind of contract is KP expecting, though? Like, I’d take him back for the MLE.

    If we pay any guy this summer based on what they would have made before this CBA, we’re fucked.

    IQ – not getting paid
    Josh Hart – whatever money he thought he was worth at the trade deadline is moot
    Free agents like KP – better come cheap

    (I think Brook Lopez is an MLE guy now, btw.)

    @wojespn
    The Phoenix Suns are hiring Jazz associate GM David Fizdale as an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN. Suns made a significant financial play for Fizdale and drew upon his history with new coach Frank Vogel and GM James Jones. Fizdale is a former HC with Knicks and Grizzlies.

    Guess we know where Kevin Knox is signing in the offseason!

    KP played like a bona fide star last year. He’s getting paid.

    Not sure how Fiz keeps getting jobs but good for him

    Maybe he’s a genuinely good assistant who’s just wildly in over his head as the top guy? LeBron swears by him. But, yeah, good riddance.

    Phoenix doesn’t need Xs and Os with that lineup and Vogel. Fiz-magic is worth more in a place like that.

    During the season KP was quoted as saying he’d be willing to take less money per year to get an extension. He’s no dummy. He’s know he’s still an injury risk and wants to lock in more money.

    IMO he was rushed back from injury in his final year in Dallas. He was slowly working his way back into shape when he was traded. He finished that year with the Wizards playing some of the best offensive basketball of his life when he was finally unleashed and healthy. He was mostly healthy again this year and played even better. He only played 65 games, but he sat out the last 6 because they were tanking. So call it 70.

    My impression is that he been mostly healthy for awhile now, is stronger than he used to, a better and smarter shooter around the basket and in mid range, and more mature.

    On the downside I’d say he’s lost a step of athleticism and quickness on the defensive end probably partly because he’s bigger and partly from the injuries, but he’s not a huge liability. He’s still not quite strong enough to handle the toughest Cs and has quarters/games where his energy is subpar. He’s still better at the beginning of games than at the end. I think it’s a stamina issue.

    Overall I think he’d be a great fit on offense to add another weapon and open the floor. On defense, I’d really like to add another wing defender (like OG) to make up for the loss of Mitch’s defense.

    Strat –

    Fuck Marry Kill.

    Frank. Phil. KP

    Lmfao

    Also curious to know

    I doubt KP is getting the max, but he’ll get a good haul with incentives for games played

    Frank. Phil. KP

    Easy to me. Fuck Frank, cuz he’s cute. Marry Phil, since he’s older than the hills and will kick soon and leave me money, and in the meantime we can get high all the time. Wouldn’t marry KP the way he treats women, so I guess it’s kill him.

    A prima donna that spends half of the time injured? Sign me up, that’s the way to build a contender!

    This was KP’s “healthy” year and he missed 20% of the season.

    I mean, he did play well last year, and we’re going to have to get creative to improve the team. If KP played like that again for us for 65 games, then stayed healthy for the playoffs, maybe we’d have something cooking, but “if” is doing a lot of lifting in that sentence.

    Thanks Donnie! As usual I’ve spent too much time today re-watching LJ’s 4pt play and highlights of Game 7 vs Indiana in 1994.

    Why the heck would Lebron leave Mandeville Canyon?

    For starters, it’s a fire hazard. One road in and one road out. He probably can’t even get insurance on his place these days.

    Furthermore, his stalker, Draymond, moved into the canyon this year too, right next to the entrance, making things a little too homey.

    Finally, James Van Der Beek recently relocated from LA to Texas, and LeBron has always done was VDB does.

    I say he’s a Mav by August.

    If you made a list of “most likely neighborhoods in Los Angeles to get completely wiped out by a fire,” Mandeville Canyon would be way up there. I lived close to the Station Fire in Pasadena in 2020, and since then I have a “no living in fire zone” policy. Nothing with the word “Canyon” in it.

    Yeah, my best friend lives on lower Mandeville. She showed up at my house in the middle of the night once because embers were raining down on her from a fire over on Kenter. It’s a minor miracle that Mandeville survived that night. Especially those upper Mandeville houses that are 3 or 4 miles up the road with no back route out.

    Seems like only a matter of time before the Getty burns down. Lots of close calls

    I only know Lebron lives there because a buddy lives slightly up the road. I knew it was a dicey spot but wow that sounds extreme.

    Living in a country plagued by fires each and every summer, unless it’s a rainy year, a moment in which they declare that the “new plan” is very good… oh, dumb governors i have on that matter! But as i was saying, as a person that lives in Portugal i understand the huge problem it is when i watch California burn, and also Australia sometimes (where’s dtrickey, btw, has he been in touch since the new website?). And people that think it’s possible to do better, clearly hasn’t been near one of these fires from recent years. The climate change is real and for the fight to stop fires it is a complete disaster. I agree, we probably should move on from some areas where the risk is too high. Here in Porto i live by the mountains nearby, and yeah once in a while i think about moving although we aren’t having a lot of fires around here, but it only takes one fire that gets out of control…

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