2022-23 NBA Regular Season Thread

[JasonEvans]

Well, the off-season is officially done and the regular season begins tonight.

Not to be confused with the Dukies in the NBA, this thread is for other NBA stuff not directly related to Duke players.

I know exactly how to kick it off... with this video from 2011 celebrating the past and present of the league. Sure, it is more than a decade old, but if this does not make you excited for pro hoops, I don't know what will.

The back half of this video is some of the greatest editing of basketball highlights that I have ever seen. The Magic to Kobe moment at the 1:33 mark will melt your brain...

[DavidBenAkiva]

Adam Zagoria reports that 25 Blue Devils appear on opening-night rosters in the NBA, including Jack White for the Denver Nuggets.

[plimnko]

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/if-the...ings/20525791/

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Adam Zagoria reports that 25 Blue Devils appear on opening-night rosters in the NBA, including Jack White for the Denver Nuggets.

Uh. Wow. Impressive list.

[Steven43]

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/if-the...ings/20525791/

Coach K retires from coaching because he is 75 years old, wants to spend more time with his family and friends, and wants to enjoy the rest of his life without the daily pressure and stress, not to mention the constant travel, of coaching basketball. And so he’s going to jump right back into the game and become head coach of the Lakers — and thus have even more stress and travel than before as well as a significantly longer season — AND move across the country away from his family??

How does this idea make any sense whatsoever?

[DavidBenAkiva]

Coach K retires from coaching because he is 75 years old, wants to spend more time with his family and friends, and wants to enjoy the rest of his life without the daily pressure and stress, not to mention the constant travel, of coaching basketball. And so he’s going to jump right back into the game and become head coach of the Lakers — and thus have even more stress and travel than before as well as a significantly longer season — AND move across the country away from his family??

How does this idea make any sense whatsoever?

It makes sense when you consider that Coach K has essentially become clickbait. The sports media parses everything he says looking for some kind of quote they can take out of context. There was this ESPN headline about how Coach K had "specially requested" that Duke be in the Chicago regional for the NCAA Tournament. Well, it turns out every team with a chance of being a 1 seed gets asked for their preferred placement. Someone at ESPN thought it would be a good headline to make it seem like Coach K was trying to pull strings. This is approach the UNC fans have taken to K to turn him into some sort of evil villain.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Coach K retires from coaching because he is 75 years old, wants to spend more time with his family and friends, and wants to enjoy the rest of his life without the daily pressure and stress, not to mention the constant travel, of coaching basketball. And so he’s going to jump right back into the game and become head coach of the Lakers — and thus have even more stress and travel than before as well as a significantly longer season — AND move across the country away from his family??

How does this idea make any sense whatsoever?

I suspect this is a nothing burger. But, I also bet that this will be trotted out anywhere a team is underperforming. Just wait to see if the Nets falter out of the gate - K to coach Kyrie? Or New Orleans - reunite with Ingram and Zion?

It'll be a storyline. I imagine it is all nonsense.

However, I am **SURE** that K would have less of an itch if he had walked off after cutting down the nets.

[Phredd3]

However, I am **SURE** that K would have less of an itch if he had walked off after cutting down the nets.

Hopefully the only itch K will be scratching will be Mickey's.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Hopefully the only itch K will be scratching will be Mickey's.

Or the new dog...

[Steven43]

I suspect this is a nothing burger. But, I also bet that this will be trotted out anywhere a team is underperforming. Just wait to see if the Nets falter out of the gate - K to coach Kyrie? Or New Orleans - reunite with Ingram and Zion?

It'll be a storyline. I imagine it is all nonsense.

However, I am **SURE** that K would have less of an itch if he had walked off after cutting down the nets.

I vividly recall K cutting down the net at the Chase Center in San Francisco after Duke won the 2022 West Regional. 😉

I would bet that is, and will remain, a cherished memory for him.

[superdave]

Champion: Bucks
MVP: Embiid or Giannis
Rookie: Paolo
Sleepers: Memphis, New Orleans
Flopper: Brooklyn

This should be a fun season. I am all in on the Giannis didnt like losing because Khris Middleton got injured narrative. He's about to be 28, so still on the front end of his prime years.

Here's hoping for good health for the Duke guys.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Champion: Bucks
MVP: Embiid or Giannis
Rookie: Paolo
Sleepers: Memphis, New Orleans
Flopper: Brooklyn

This should be a fun season. I am all in on the Giannis didnt like losing because Khris Middleton got injured narrative. He's about to be 28, so still on the front end of his prime years.

Here's hoping for good health for the Duke guys.

You missed the most important selection. Who wins the Victor sweepstakes?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Champion: Bucks
MVP: Embiid or Giannis
Rookie: Paolo
Sleepers: Memphis, New Orleans
Flopper: Brooklyn

This should be a fun season. I am all in on the Giannis didnt like losing because Khris Middleton got injured narrative. He's about to be 28, so still on the front end of his prime years.

Here's hoping for good health for the Duke guys.

I'm fascinated to watch New Orleans. Zion needs a statement year to beat back all the narratives from last season. They have some very interesting pieces if they can stay healthy and work together.

Of course the Nets are fascinating for similar reasons, but seems 50/50 whether it can work.

[DukieInBrasil]

Uh. Wow. Impressive list.

agreed. Embedded in what you correctly identified as impressive is that 16 of the 25 are full-time starters, 6th men, and/or occasional starters, that's 64% of the total. So not only is Duke getting players in the league at a high rate, most of them are well above-average players. Additionally, 4 of them have been or are right there on the edge of being All-Stars and/or All-NBA players (Ingam, Irving, Tatum, Williamson).

[Steven43]

Brogdon has played fewer than a minute while Smart has played 9. I wonder if Brogdon is only going to be a 15-18 min per game backup. Was that the plan all along?

Yes, I know the season has just started, but I’m just wondering if that was the plan all along. Anyone have any insight?

[Steven43]

Well, it looks like Brogdon may have answered my question tonight, playing 24 minutes (to Smart’s 36) and looking quite good while doing it.

Big win for the Celtics to start the season against a title-contending 76ers team.

[tommy]

Steven you will be happy to know the Lakers look awful tonight. Even with Lebron doing everything possible, the team just isn’t very good.

[Steven43]

Steven you will be happy to know the Lakers look awful tonight. Even with Lebron doing everything possible, the team just isn’t very good.

Thanks for the update, Tommy. Is Anthony Davis not playing well? I’m expecting him to have a bounce-back season. Hopefully, he slimmed down some during the off-season. I thought he had become too muscular and heavy, perhaps taking away a bit from his agility, quickness, and second-jump ability. I’m not even going to ask about Russ. 😉

To be fair, the Lakers were thrown into the lion’s den tonight. Golden State is loaded with talent and has the confidence of a champion. Not many teams could have ventured into San Francisco’s Chase Center and come out with a win.

[tommy]

Thanks for the update, Tommy. Is Anthony Davis not playing well? I’m expecting him to have a bounce-back season. Hopefully, he slimmed down some during the off-season. I thought he had become too muscular and heavy, perhaps taking away a bit from his agility, quickness, and second-jump ability. I’m not even going to ask about Russ. 😉

To be fair, the Lakers were thrown into the lion’s den tonight. Golden State is loaded with talent and has the confidence of a champion. Not many teams could have ventured into San Francisco’s Chase Center and come out with a win.

It was a tough assignment for the Lakers, I agree. But they shot 10 for 40 from 3 and had 21 turnovers. The Warriors didn’t even play that well, gave up a significant run that cut it from 27 to 12 but kept the Lakers at arms length without much trouble.

Davis wasn’t bad. He ended up with 27 and 6 but still doesn’t have the kind of lift and explosiveness he had as a younger player. Most of his points were within a few feet of the basket. He really doesn’t shoot it well from distance anymore.

The Laker roster just isn’t that good. After the big 3 — and Westbrook has his well documented issues — who is this new blood that’s supposed to be invigorating this team? Kendrick Nunn? Pat Bev? Lonnie Walker? Come on.

The west is so tough. LeBron is simply amazing and will will these guys to more wins than this roster deserves. But they’re not an upper echelon team IMO. The Warriors basically toyed with them tonight. Just a much better, and much deeper, team.

[bundabergdevil]

How on earth did Green not get suspended for some games? Smdh.