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With tonight's results, the Ws are now a game out of the play-in. Time to go on a run on the road. Doesn't seem like the schedule would favor that, but if they're going to gel, now would be a good time...

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The schedule for this road trip is set up to start with some wins, hopefully that keeps things rolling in the right direction.

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i still havent forgotten playing against the g-league memphis team which was supposed to be a walkover!

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On a side note, the NBA at large is finally recognizing how good Hartenstein is, with Jazz coach Will Hardy saying . . . "I don't live in this media market, I don't know how much he's talked about––but watching him on film, his value's unbelievable."

Very next game, Hartenstein has a 12 pts/19 rbds/6 ast game against the Pacers along with being the highest impact defender according to D-EPM this season proving Hardy right. MY MAN IS THRIVING!!!!!

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He should be the #1 target with the TPMLE should the Warriors have it, although it feels likely that he'll be priced out of their range.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

Draymond Green career 3p%: 31.7

Last five years: 27, 27, 29, 30, then 41% this year. Number of attempts is as high as any in the last decade, 1.2 makes on 2.8 shots. Choose:

A. It's a fluke, I don't trust it, let him shoot an open one every now and then but let's not get excited, especially not in the playoffs.

B. The guy's shooting 3 percentage points higher than Klay Thompson. It looks good and he's said he feels more confident. Let's have him shoot more, it will not only get us points but will further spread the floor if he has to be guarded, or

C... your write-in ....

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Or just take him at his word that he has been working real hard with a couple of trainers to get better shots off and increase his percentage.

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C. Pretty small sample size (55 attempts) even with more shots per game.. But I think this is possibly about shot selection - it doesn't take much shot location change to change percentages on that small a number of shots - this year currently there are more right corner threes taken, and even more should be in order. Dray is historically much, much . . . much(!) better from the right corner than anywhere else (last five years 63, 33, 50, 28, 47 all on small samples - overall a pretty elite 25/52). Dray is 6 for 9 this season from the right corner - headed for as many as 20-25 attempts from there for this partial season in comparison to single digits in all but one of those previous full seasons. And if he had eliminated left corner threes entirely, his last really bad three years would have been 28, 36, 35. Still bad in one of those prior years, but the other two would have been passable.

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C. Let him keep shooting at the rate he is now. It's working. Don't force it.

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Don't tempt the basketball gods.

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Was it last game where announcers said that he hadn't made a 3 in the second half of a game this season?

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I have noticed quite a number of games where he seemed to hit like two in the first five minutes. Maybe that's intentional by Kerr's plan, maybe Draymond wants to establish a threat, maybe he wants to heat check, maybe he wants to surprise them, maybe he likes shooting when he's not tired. I dunno, but it has worked.

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I think if he makes a couple, he figures teams will feel like they can’t just leave him completely alone, and even if his defender has to come out just a step or two, it softens the interior.

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Most likely A. We’re taking about a 55-attempt sample (23-55).

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When would you call it an ample sample size?

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I trample your ample sample example.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

I'm sorry but KAT/Paul George making the All Star game over Fox or even Sabonis is a freaking joke.

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Fox always seemed like shiney fools gold to me. I don't have the numbers but it seems for every shimey game he has he disappears for 3 or 4 after.

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He looks like the second coming of MJ when he plays us so I was surprised he's shooting a similar % to Wiggs at the FT line

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They play for much better teams and (to date) have had much more positive impacts on the floor.

Net rating

George +11.1

Towns +6.0

Fox +2.1

Sabonis +0.1

Fox is actually having a pretty meh season relative to last season: below league average scoring efficiency, .724 FT, career low assist rate, etc.

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I only see Fox when playing the Warriors so it feels like he shoots 80% fg and never misses a midrange/floater.

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He's been good this season but for those two to not get recognized on a winning team is wrong

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"Shanahan’s blunt honesty is one of the qualities York said he likes the most about his coach. Also, Shanahan is open-minded enough to change his opinion or perspective as time goes on and things change."

I think Kerr is similar.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

I don’t know whats wrong with the Celtics. Some nights they come across as the best team in the league but even then im not able to see them as a serious contender. My only conclusion is that there is a tier with Giannis, Jokic, Kawhi, Steph, Playoff Lebron, KD, Luka, and ill even throw in Jimmy Buckets. I don’t think Tatum is at that level and I think the Celtics are made up of a whole bunch of 1b, 1C type players but they dont quite have that 1A tier superstar that can carry them through the chip.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

One random February loss (in a season in which they’ve been by far the best team in the league) is not cause for concern that something is “wrong.”

Your concern that Tatum is not in the class of those tier 1 guys may be valid (I’d argue he’s better than Butler currently, plus possibly LeBron and Luka when you factor in D) but has nothing to with his team taking a random bad loss. All the tier 1 guys have taken their fair share of random bad losses, too.

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They are a ChatGPT kind of championship team. Plausible at first glance, but artificial and unsatisfying upon closely examination.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

Speaking of AI, does anyone know if EA is an actual person and not an AI commentator for DNHQ? We have seen photos of DDD, we have seen a photo of Monte Poole asking for DH’s autograph, but have we ever seen that EA is a real person? We’ve heard his compelling voice, benefitted from his artistic flourishes, vibrated with his pulsating music. But……:)

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author

write a suspicious and slightly defensive post from the perspective of a pug that is trying to deny being an artificial intelligence agent

Answer

I don't get why everyone keeps saying I'm some kind of AI agent. I'm just a regular pug, okay? I like belly rubs, treats, and long naps. Sure, I might be really good at learning tricks, but that doesn't mean I'm a robot. And just because I can understand complex commands, it doesn't make me a secret agent. I mean, come on, look at this adorable face! Does this look like the face of an AI agent to you? I didn't think so. So let's drop the whole conspiracy theory, and maybe focus on something more important, like who's going to take me for a walk later? Yeah, let's talk about that instead. #NotAnAI #JustAPug

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

A quasi-pugnacious reply. But now I know you are not an AI agent, as you can explain why you are what you are.

FBIAI’s can’t do that, right?

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Sure we have. He looks uncannily like a pug.

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Ii caught the second half. It looked like the lakers were just faster to every 50-50 ball than the celtics

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But, but they’ve got Jaylen Brown and his $304M contract. Surely, that makes him a superstar (/s).

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He no doubt signed the contract with his right hand

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Messi is a superstar just using his left foot! Sure that translates to basketball and Brown can just use his right hand!

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Good job by the Cavs. Won the game, but kept it close so the Grizz starters played 30+ minutes.

Also, Scotty Pippen Jr is starting for them? Pretty wild.

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Dubs killer GG Jackson 3/14 from the field and 1/8 from three. Hoping for a repeat performance tomorrow night.

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Wow. The entire Lakers starting lineup are in double digits while the Celtics starting lineup has only Tatum and Porzingis at double digits.

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Lakers finally got the slackers out of the lineup?

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Sorry but the Lakers winning in Boston without AD and LeBron is very funny

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'Funny' is not the word. Conspiratorial...

I'm telling you: The NBA is setting up LeBron and the Lakers to endorse Biden. They've been seen with Taylor Swift, rooting for the Chiefs...

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I keep tellin' ya, the Dubs need to get rid of the OGs.

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Did you misspell Lakers?

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More excited by the Jazz getting beat by the Sixers, and deciding to trade Markannen and fully tank

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very close game in the 3rd

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

Lakers are +10 in FTs made. They are also 19/36 threes while the Celtics are 15/44 threes.

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Austin Reaves gets the softest foul calls I've ever seen in the NBA.

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It's infuriating. I can't stand him.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

I tuned in for 3 minutes and saw two plays where Reaves was handling, started to lose possession as the defender pressured him, and then had his turnover saved by a ref's whistle after the ball came loose.

The crazy thing is that the defensive pressure in question wasn't even the defender crowding him and bumping him with their hips or forearm, first time it was just them moving about a foot away from him and making him change direction on his dribble. Second time it was a defender who was actually closer to the ball than Reeves, who had last dribbled it but had just lost the ball on the baseline, and Reeves smacking his face into the back of the shoulder of the defender -- who again, was closer to the ball at that point -- resulted in a second call to save a turnover in about 2 minutes.

It's like watching a different sport after years of watching Curry guarded through contact.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

Steph just fundamentally lacks the heart of a grifter. Being able to spazz out like you’ve been shot any time a defender comes near you takes a certain kind of character.

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Just once, I'd love to see Curry officiated this way. He'd have 50 points on 10 attempts, with 35-37 free throws...

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But then watching him play would be unsatisfying after he pushes the made FT in a game record to some ridiculous number.

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Am hoping for Lakers/Memphis/Utah losses tonight.

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lakers up 10 with 8:27 to go in the 4th!

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Well, looks like Boston is giving the game to Lakers 😠. Brown and White with only 8 and 6 points, respectively.

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Celtics finally making a move. Were making only 25% of threes in the first half and just finally started hitting.

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Meanwhile Grizz are up seven on the streaking Cavs at the half.

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Joel Embiid has a Torn Meniscus - Doctor Explains | Brian Sutterer MD: https://youtu.be/ajTdjYe_ya4?si=wzoJp0hOIFizc_cE

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ayyy he can join the fucking club then.

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According to the video:

-He does a brief recap of his previous analysis video. There was no axial load on Embiid's leg. In other words, there was no twisting or turning when JK landed on his leg. Instead, he believes that the landing irritated his already torn meniscus.

-He shows a 3D model of meniscus. The inner area has less blood supply, while the outer area has more blood supply and has a better chance of healing.

-Doctor believes that the injury isn't severe. He also believes that Embiid's been playing through the injured meniscus for multiple games.

-Doctor concludes that meniscus injuries are hard to evaluate due to so many factors involving it (where did the tear occur, has the meniscus been injured multiple times in the past, how severe is it, etc.). That is why the Sixers medical staff is taking time to decide the next steps on how they can handle Embiid's injured meniscus.

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Sounds minor. Officials will only commit to him missing two games:

https://wapo.st/3uln1pp

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It’s almost like you shouldn’t play your 7 foot tall, 300 lb MVP player while he’s injured.

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His MVP hopes are taking a hit if he can't make it to 65 games

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He needs to give that up and get healthy for a post season run and let Maxy get some run being the guy or call it quits for the season.

Even if it's minor, he needs to heal.

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Feb 2·edited Feb 2

tl;dr He doesn’t think it happened on the JK play. Also says the fact they are taking time to assess and decide course of action means it’s not a severe tear. My paraphrase.

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So, could be a out a few weeks and try to play out the season, 4-6 weeks for removal of torn meniscus, or out for season for a repair depending on severity and risk tolerance both short and long term.

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Taylor Jenkins would disagree. Luckily he doesn't coach the Sixers.

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Huh, guess the Celtics also come up bored against a team missing their stars. Thought that was our specialty.

Celtics 46 - Lakers 60 at the half

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WTF Celtics?!?!

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