133 Comments

Listen, I don’t like LeBron any more than your average Dubs fan. But I see an important argument for his GOAT status: LeGM distinguishes himself by managing his legacy - his transition from his younger unstoppable self to the older, savy technician of the game we see now.

LeBron was smart enough to anticipate his own gradual but inevitable decline, and procured a solid, younger #2 to complement and compensate for his areas of decline. AD is doing the tough work in the paint as a 1b, letting Lebron conserve energy so he can be selective with his drives and powerful plays.

His work on the court is increasingly at point position - setting the table and playmaking for others. This is another way to conserve energy, by using a supporting cast as ‘appendages’ of his own game.

And Lebron anticipated the wear and tear of driving hard to the cup all game. So he developed an ability to take more 3s and midrange shots. And it turns out, his size and skill translate to a solid shooter, unbothered by smaller players. Fewer drives to the rim and more energy conserved for more meaningful moments in the game.

LeBron has one thing that many GOAT candidates don’t seem to have: a plan to maintain greatness: by gathering a #2 and enough role players to perform his work. And by adapting his game to play at the point more often, shoot more and drive less, managing his minutes to allow for peak performance saved for specific games or 4th quarters and clutch moments.

We all love Steph more than Lebron, but this is one area where Lebron is winning the GOAT debate.

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We’ll have to see what Steph transitions too once he starts to decline to decide who did it better.

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1. Hi there, Night Night!! 👋

2. As long as we’re debating Steph v LeBron in GOAT terms (even if we ultimately give it to LeBron) I think we’re giving Steph the respect he deserves. A lot of the mainstream pundits still think Steph v Kobe is a debate (or just flatly labor under the illusion that Kobe is better…)

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Joel Embiid Caught Cheating!

JxmyHighroller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NW-Dg7dwkE

Instead of Hack-a-Shaq it's No-Foul-Joel! I'm sick of all this ref/foul talk...Wait, who are we playing tomorrow?

Edit: I added the article sited in the video if anyone is interested.

Do NBA Superstars Really Get All the Calls? (2019)

What can the NBA Last Two Minute Reports tell us about referee biases and superstar calls?

https://medium.com/sportsraid/do-nba-superstars-really-get-all-the-calls-basketball-referees-bias-last-two-minute-reports-star-treatment-18123c6d46dd

"Compared to stars, superstars are over 20% more likely to be advantaged (i.e. receiving an incorrect foul calls), while only 3.9% more likely to be disadvantaged (i.e. incorrect no calls on an actual foul).

Overall, the referees tend to swallow their whistle (make incorrect no-calls) at a relatively even rate across all player groups, but are more likely to give lenient foul calls to superstars on offense*."

*Every Superstar expect Stephen Curry**

** I added that* bit in

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If you don't think that last 2 min report is NOT biased I got a bridge to sell ya.

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Just watched it. So Steph clearly isn’t a superstar? I don’t think I can stomach the Philly game tomorrow. 🤮

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I want to be entertained. Foul out the whole active roster in the first three quarters by being really physical. No intentional fouls, but no easy buckets.

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Looney, FRP for Clayton?

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Claxton?

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Yah. Typo

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

So, Jovan Buha, The Athletic beat writer for the Lakers wrote articles like clockwork last year that this was the game where the Lakers turned the corner, to where it almost became a running joke. Sure enough, after the game Sat, he did it again, with an article whose title ended with " Is this the breakthrough?" After tonight, I think we can say, uh, no, but look for the same article theme in a few weeks after another Lakers win.

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That's pretty similar to the comments here at DNHQ. Every time we win one, hope springs forth that this is the turnaround point. Then we lose again. Oh well.

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Yep, I have that reaction too, but I'm not a writer for a national publication, who is supposed to be unbiased.

Heck, I get excited when they lose a (another) close game, if we only had this one other thing (injured player, player fully back up to speed, etc.) we definitely would have won and then we'd be 73-9 instead of 18-23 or whatever we are.

His headline today is: "Are the Lakers good or bad? Depends on the night." That also seems familiar.

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I actually get pretty hopeful every time we have a lead in the fourth quarter ... only to get the football pulled away at the last minute once again.

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Yes I think of Lucy Van Pelt pulling the football away from Charlie Brown too.

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She was a van Pelt? Charlie brown’s tormentor was German?

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

So, there’s this article out about how Kerr wants to make a rule change cuz he keeps getting frustrated by the ref using “illegal guarding position”. Steve, you have to use that information in how you coach your players and design your plays to get defenders into illegal guarding position and then run into them. Stop playing to the spirit of the law while it’s being legislated to the letter…

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Latest epi of the Ringer NBA show, Raja Bell and Logan discuss the game, the Steph-LBJ history, and more interestingly, basketball scoring culture, Specificity, it’s trickle down effect on youth basketball, and how it’s created so many scoring >> winning players, and that NBA coaches have to then teach fundamentals on how to play winning basketball to rookies.

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Haven't looked at the standings in a while and holy crap... we are so far behind even for the play in tournament....

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I check them twice or three times a day… calculating who plays against whom and who we need to win or lose. Same result though: we are far behind. ☹️

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Forgive me, I'm a little new here, but what are these "Standings" you are speaking of??

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If anyone has not heard Eric Collins, the Charlotte Hornets commentator yet, "THIS IS FOR YOU!!!!"

Hornets announcer but he gets increasingly more unhinged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8LXz43stc

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The "OHHHHH NNNOOOOOOOOO" on Steph's buzzer beater is a masterpiece

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HUM-DIDDLEY-DEEEEE

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“Chicken salad… delux!”

Loved this

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

I feel like there is a similarity to Purdy with curry (kinda rhymes but wasnt planning it) when evaluating their impact.

First and less importantly, they don't look like killers but they are. Don't let their stature decieve you.

Secondly and more importantly, the both function as offensive multipliers. At their best, it's not that they beat you on their own, but with the right system facing them is devastating.

For curry, it's his gravity. For Purdy, it's been his poise and elite decision making.

Purdy obviously isn't "curry" level but it will be exciting to watch him develop.

Considering he is only going into year 3 next season, I wonder if he will focus on adding a few scrambles for yards every game. Pair that with his accuracy in non-rainy games and you have potentially an elite QB.

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Are you saying some might call Purdy ... underrated?

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Lol, that's another way to describe offensive multipliers.

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Paul and Moody for Ben Simmons

James Herbert

@outsidethenba

ben simmons in 18 minutes tonight: 10 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, no turnovers, 5-5 FG, +25

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works in the trade checker but statistically results in 3 fewer wins for the Warriors and adds $3m to their base salary obligations. That said, even not being much of a Simmons fan, I'd do this trade but the Nets almost certainly wouldn't and I don't think the Warriors ownership would really want to take on that contract for a player with a history of back problems.

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The Nets would probably love to get off of Simmons. He doesn’t play. If they don’t have to give up an y assets and they get another potential two way wing along with a non dinwiddie point guard that they can choose to be off the contract next year, they might blink.

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

Nah. How about Poole, Wiseman, JK, Moody, and two future 1st round picks for Simmons?

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Y'know I'd prefer this one to a lot of other trades. Hella rough cap hit for the next year though.

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That's OK. We'd have to throw in JK, Wiggs and picks too.

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Yeah that sounds more realistic and less appealing.

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Wait … tell me this whole subthread is comedy? JZ’s proposed trade is laughably terrible for the Warriors, imo. CP3’s expiring contract alone is worth much more than Ben Simmons on his contract. BKN is the one who needs to br “throwing in” valuable young assets to make it even.

From a basketball perspective: why on earth would the Warriors, who have too many non-shooters to begin with, trade two of their best shooters (and two of their highest character guys) for a much worse shooting, far less reliable, far less motivated version of Draymond?

This sounds like JZ tripling down on his weird long-held Moody hate. But again, maybe I’m missing the comedy angle…

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you forgot to mention the history of back problems unless you are including that in reliability. In any event, I can't see the Warriors adding to their luxury tax problem when they traded Poole, who was making a heck of a lot less, to try to get out off it.

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All that, too!

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But… that’s what makes it realistic

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Happy to admit I was wrong about Podz. But those of us who were on the Cam Whitmore train are looking slightly less dumb, at least.

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Check his stats against Podz. Plus, he never starts. 16mpg and scores more than Podz. How does a player like him find his rhythm? I was a Whitmore supporter but I'm happy with Podz. Apples and Oranges. You can never have too any players with a nose for the ball and an agressiveness that creates chaos.

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Rooting for the Blazers to play a tough game tonight and wear out the Sixers. SEGABABA for Portland who had a close game with Chicago yesterday, but they are mostly young guys, so hopefully they aren't going to just fade out tonight. Blazers still missing Sharpe, and it looks like Joel is still out dealing with knee soreness, but I'm sure he's just resting so he can drop 60 tomorrow night. Tobais and Maxey also listed a questionable, so yeah, they'll all be well rested for the game they care about. Sigh.

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Maxey and Embiid to come back fresh tomorrow for national TV game, sigh

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In today's episode of "Weird But Cool thing On The Internet", here's an insanely catchy meshing of "You'll Be Back" from the hit musical Hamilton and Akin Ka Nalang (a hit song by a Filipino band).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUR-zp8mqVs

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Haha, pretty cool. I've been watching a lot of "If song X were written by Y" (human renditions, not AI renderings - I try to stay away from those) YouTubes lately, which are a fun way to waste 3 or 4 minutes.

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Like: AI, Make a highlight clip of Charles Barkley playing like Steph Curry 😂

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I think you'd break the algorithm

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The Round Mound of Downtown

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Ben Simmons is playing! 1-1 shooting, but no three pointers yet. Would be nice if the Nets can handle the Jazz, but man it sucks to have to be out here rooting for the 7th to 10th place teams in the West to lose just so we have a shot at the play-in.

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SeaDubs tonight at 5.

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Lost by one point, these guys really are learning how to play like the big team.

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author

Sea Dubs bit of news. https://www.threads.net/@gleaguewarriors/post/C2sz7e7P6tM

>

Congratulations Javan Johnson for earning a spot in the 2024 NBA G League Up Next Game! 🏀🎉

>

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

I think we need a DNHQ Next Up game.

A contest of equal parts:

1. Advanced stats analysis.

2. Punning

3. Cookie baking (for the lair).

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And Haikus!

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Who?

I watched a lot of Sea Dubs games in the last month or so and don’t remember seeing this guy. Main guys……Donovan Williams, and Spenser, yes. Jackson Rowe and Santos, yes. Burk and Collins, yes. Lester and Jerome, yes. Davis and Garuba, yes.

What am I missing about Javan Johnson?

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Jan 30·edited Jan 30

Anyone know what happened to Jayce Johnson? He looked good (G-League good, not saying they should sign him to the big team), but then next time I watched a game he was gone. I haven't found any news about him, not sure if he got hurt, traded, or something else.

Edit: checked again, I guess he's on Motor City now. Was there a trade? I didn't see any notes about a transaction. Guess they freed up minutes for Uzman, which I won't complain about.

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author

I’m not sure why JJ is such a fan favorite, but he was voted in by fan vote: https://gleague.nba.com/up-next

Last year, Gui Santos was voted in the same way.

I haven’t followed JJ closely, but I think of him as okay at everything, medium sized, medium speed.

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R. A. S. B. P. M

10, 2, 1, 3, 12 Rowe. 33

7, 3, 1, 1, 26 Williams 33

2, 5, 0, 0, 11 Johnson. 28

Points: Spencer 15. Davis 31. Garuba 13

Sorry, I do not understand plus/minus, but tonight’s breakdown confirms my overall impression of what I’ve seen over the last month plus. Guess other fans know more than I do about Javan Johnson.

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Maybe you're mixing up Javan Johnson with Donovan Williams?

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DW is my favorite player on that team. Unlike the Warriors games, I listen to the announcers at the Sea Dubs games, so I’m pretty clear when they say Donovan Williams just hit a three. But anything is possible. I will check tonight.

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Maybe you’re confusing Donovan Williams with Jamison Williams.

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