NBA Playoffs 2022

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Watching the Hornets struggle against the Hawks. Plumlee starts, Montrezl Harrell playing strong.

[Steven43]

Watching the Hornets struggle against the Hawks. Plumlee starts, Montrezl Harrell playing strong.

The loss of Gordon Hayward to injury probably didn’t help.

[Matches]

Hawks just had our number this year. We couldn’t defend them at all. The Hornets finally seem to be at least headed in the right direction - they need to add some depth and possibly a big. I’m hopeful Bouknight can develop a bit in the offseason; Borrego doesn’t seem to like to play rookies who aren’t named “Ball” but he’s done a good job bringing guys along.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

The loss of Gordon Hayward to injury probably didn’t help.

Hawks were missing John Collins. That didn't hurt nearly as much, apparently.

[wilson]

Hawks were missing John Collins. That didn't hurt nearly as much, apparently.

The Hawks are also now in their annual "oh yeah, we can actually play...how the hell did we get worked by the likes of the Trail Blazers and Pistons during the regular season?" phase.
They'd of course never admit it, but the Heat are surely rooting for the Cavaliers tomorrow night.

[JasonEvans]

The Hawks are also now in their annual "oh yeah, we can actually play...how the hell did we get worked by the likes of the Trail Blazers and Pistons during the regular season?" phase.
They'd of course never admit it, but the Heat are surely rooting for the Cavaliers tomorrow night.

There is a push among Hawks fans to say that Trae has become the best PG in the NBA. Here is how he ranks among all NBA PGs in various statistical categories this year:

PTS: 2155 (1st)
PPG: 28.4 (T-1st)
AST: 737 (1st)
APG: 9.7 (3rd)
PER: 25.48 (1st)
Win Shares: 10.0 (1st)
OFF Win Shares: 9.0 (1st)

He is also the first player in basketball history to lead both college and the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season.

The Heat are rooting hard hard hard for the Cavs (who are 3-9 over their last 12 games).

-Jason "despite it being a road game, the Hawks are a 2.5 point favorite in Vegas" Evans

[kshepinthehouse]

There is a push among Hawks fans to say that Trae has become the best PG in the NBA. Here is how he ranks among all NBA PGs in various statistical categories this year:

PTS: 2155 (1st)
PPG: 28.4 (T-1st)
AST: 737 (1st)
APG: 9.7 (3rd)
PER: 25.48 (1st)
Win Shares: 10.0 (1st)
OFF Win Shares: 9.0 (1st)

He is also the first player in basketball history to lead both college and the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season.

The Heat are rooting hard hard hard for the Cavs (who are 3-9 over their last 12 games).

-Jason "despite it being a road game, the Hawks are a 2.5 point favorite in Vegas" Evans

Must have also been the first player in basketball history to even play in college and the NBA in the same season.

(Just kidding, I’m just messing with you for how you worded that)

[Steven43]

There is a push among Hawks fans to say that Trae has become the best PG in the NBA. Here is how he ranks among all NBA PGs in various statistical categories this year:

PTS: 2155 (1st)
PPG: 28.4 (T-1st)
AST: 737 (1st)
APG: 9.7 (3rd)
PER: 25.48 (1st)
Win Shares: 10.0 (1st)
OFF Win Shares: 9.0 (1st)

He is also the first player in basketball history to lead both college and the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season.

The Heat are rooting hard hard hard for the Cavs (who are 3-9 over their last 12 games).

-Jason "despite it being a road game, the Hawks are a 2.5 point favorite in Vegas" Evans

Stats accumulation can be a very misleading measure of how valuable a player actually is. Russell Westbrook is the perfect example of this.

I’m more interested in efficiency, shot selection, smart assists versus simply totaling assist numbers, unselfish play, defense, and other things.

[CDu]

Stats accumulation can be a very misleading measure of how valuable a player actually is. Russell Westbrook is the perfect example of this.

I’m more interested in efficiency, shot selection, smart assists versus simply totaling assist numbers, unselfish play, defense, and other things.

Win shares (which Jason presented) is intended to be a composite measure of offensive and defensive value. Young has been REALLY good this year.

[Steven43]

Win shares (which Jason presented) is intended to be a composite measure of offensive and defensive value. Young has been REALLY good this year.

Yeah, I didn’t really intend to attack Trae Young. I think he’s a good player. I was just making a general comment.

[wilson]

...I’m more interested in efficiency, shot selection, smart assists versus simply totaling assist numbers, unselfish play, defense, and other things.

No quibbles here with the comments about Trae's defense...it's awful.
But he has improved vastly in your stated categories of smart assists, unselfish play, and shot selection. I'd still like for his shooting percentage to improve a bit more, but it has ticked up a solid and noticeable notch this year, and he's a much better distributor than when he came into the league. Last night was a great example of this...the Hornets doubled him through most of the first three quarters, and he passed the ball extremely well to open teammates, so that even when Trae had a poor shooting night, the Hawks had entirely put the game away by the end of the third quarter, and all 5 starters scored in double figures.
I don't know that I'd proclaim him the very best PG in the league, but he's certainly in the top tier (better than a lot of folks seem to inexplicably think), with additional room to improve.

[Steven43]

No quibbles here with the comments about Trae's defense...it's awful.
But he has improved vastly in your stated categories of smart assists, unselfish play, and shot selection. I'd still like for his shooting percentage to improve a bit more, but it has ticked up a solid and noticeable notch this year, and he's a much better distributor than when he came into the league. Last night was a great example of this...the Hornets doubled him through most of the first three quarters, and he passed the ball extremely well to open teammates, so that even when Trae had a poor shooting night, the Hawks had entirely put the game away by the end of the third quarter, and all 5 starters scored in double figures.
I don't know that I'd proclaim him the very best PG in the league, but he's certainly in the top tier (better than a lot of folks seem to inexplicably think), with additional room to improve.

I concur that Young has improved since he first came to the NBA. He’s a talented and exciting player, no doubt.

[JasonEvans]

I'm not sure how much some of you have watched Trae and the Hawks this year. I truly think he has gone from horribly, dreadfully awful on D to just mildly awful on D... and there are even some games where he gets really locked in and seems to be... dare I say it... average on D.

And his offense is absurd. It really isn't even about the scoring, it is his ability to put the defense in bad situations and then create opportunities for his teammates. If there was a "hockey assist" in pro basketball, Young's assist numbers would be really outrageous because the Hawks get a ton of buckets out of Trae getting the defense off balance and then the second pass finding a dude who is wide wide wide open.

Of, and that whole thing where he used to hunt for FTs by jumping into guys and the such, that's pretty much gone (the NBA has taken steps with officials to tamp down on it). Trae took 20% fewer FTs this year than he did last season... and managed to up his offensive win shares and ORTG this year versus last.

He's also among the 5 or so most watchable and fun players in the league.



What he does to the Knicks at the 7:00 mark is disgusting.

[Steven43]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ns-sources-say

Clippers are likely done. I was really looking forward to the game tonight. 😞

[tommy]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ns-sources-say

Clippers are likely done. I was really looking forward to the game tonight. 😞

"Play-In P"

[Steven43]

"Play-In P"

That’s cold🥶. And humorous.

[SouthernDukie]

That’s cold��. And humorous.

It may not be humorous going forward into these playoffs though. Remember, even with updated vax, anyone can test positive and (I assume) be out for one or more games. And with the latest variant beginning to make the rounds in the U.S., what happened to the Clippers may very well not be an isolated incident.

[Steven43]

It may not be humorous going forward into these playoffs though. Remember, even with updated vax, anyone can test positive and (I assume) be out for one or more games. And with the latest variant beginning to make the rounds in the U.S., what happened to the Clippers may very well not be an isolated incident.

I think you may have misconstrued what I was saying. I was laughing at Tommy’s “Play-in P” comment, not the ramifications of Covid.

[JasonEvans]

Woj says the NBA has fined Kyrie $50,000... probably for flipping off the Boston fans.

https://mobile.twitter.com/wojespn/s...77146738446337

[Skydog]

Woj says the NBA has fined Kyrie $50,000... probably for flipping off the Boston fans.

https://mobile.twitter.com/wojespn/s...77146738446337

I wish the NBA could fine fans who curse out players. Fans talking trash is fine but fans screaming obscenities from a few feet away is taking it over the line. But I wasn't raised in Philly or Boston so it may be a cultural thing...