Just hit me the next we play the Lakers Klay freakin Thompson will be active and available. Can't wait until they get healthy so we can stomp those chumps
Cavaliers beat the short-handed Blazers 114-101. Despite the loss, Blazers made it a close game at certain point during the 4th quarter before the Cavs pulled away in the end. Plus, Cavs had to make five of their players play over 30 minutes.
Moody 31pts, 7 rebounds, +19 in 39 minutes. Only 5 of 15 on 3s, but that's almost as many as the Golden State Warriors team has made in each of the last couple of games.
Edit:
Weatherspoon: Monster game 32pts, 14 rebounds in 34 minutes but 7 turnovers and only 1 of 5 3s.
I wonder after his big G-League game if Quinndary will get more opportunities when with the big squad. Especially when they are resting players. I was looking forward to seeing him play against the Pelicans after his success on Christmas day, but his number never got called.
Everything that Daniel wrote is predicated on a top shelf Curry performing at a very high level. This is Steph's team, not Klay's or Draymond's. Without Steph playing at that level, we have seen a significant change in the Warriors play. If he doesn't return to that level, we still have a very strong team that will compete but that won't be the dominant one we saw through most of this season from the getgo. It's been mostly Curry that has carried the team and the impact of his crazy play and energy that confounds the league. Take that away and all bets are off. My main question is can this team survive without an MVP Curry? No one else will provide the high scoring night in and night out as Curry is able to do. No one can move off the ball like Curry does and execute from anywhere on the court. Poole? Not on your life can he be compared, at present. Wiggs and Klay are great support players but neither are dominant offensive juggernauts ala Curry providing the kind of comeback energy and execution that Steph has been known for. He's a very special player and the synergy offered by the others is dependent on his dominance.
In a sense, this is not a great team because it is built around one player. Everybody waiting and expecting Steph to execute. No one is capable of stepping up and carrying the team in his absence. No rim protector, no scoring threat from Dray, Poole's inconsistency, Wiggs cool relaxed game. Looney's lumbering. Too many areas of weakness are showing without the dominant Curry. We do have good D, though, and that is where the emphasis and results will show without the great one. If we can maintain that D and begin to build more without reliance on Steph, we'll have a much better chance at a ring. Splash Bros can't have a missing Bro. Just can't.
Since we don't have a game today, seems like as good a time as any to revisit my preseason predictions. (I only predicted the Western conference because like hell I knew anything about the East.)
Short version: my predictions still look pretty good; I underestimated the Grizzlies, the Clippers have looked weirdly bad for unknown reasons, and the Blazers and Nuggets have both had particularly nasty injuries; everyone else is pretty close to where I thought they'd be.
Suns. Prediction: 1. Current: 1 (=). What I said about them before: "They have the hunger of being underestimated, the frustration of just barely missing the championship, the advantage of youth (except for CP3), and a lot of continuity from last season."
Warriors. Prediction: 3. Current: 2 (+1). What I missed: How smoothly Bjeli, OPJ, and GP2 would fit into the rotation, and how impressive Mike Brown's revised defensive schemes would be.
Jazz. Prediction: 2. Current: 3 (-1). They're right on track with what I expected: the ultimate regular-season 3&D team. Them being down 1 in the rankings is more about the Warriors exceeding expectations than any shortcoming on Utah's part.
Grizzlies. Prediction: 9. Current: 4 (+5). What I missed: They're hotter, healthier, and more cohesive than the teams they leapfrogged. Really solid teamwork, and Ja has grown even more than I imagined.
Mavericks. Prediction: 7. Current: 5 (+2). What I said about them before: "I'm expecting last year's pattern of streaky feast-or-famine games to continue." That's certainly been the case. I also questioned their rotation past Doncic, and to their credit guys like Jalen Brunson have clearly made a step up to get the Mavs this high even through injuries and covid outages.
Lakers. Prediction: 6. Current: 6 (=). What I said about them before: "It's unclear how a team with such a strong inside presence but so few outside shooters will fit into the modern NBA... Still, if the remaining cast stays healthy, Ye Olde Lake Show should coast to a playoff seed."
Nuggets. Prediction: 5. Current: 7(-2). What I said before: "Jokic is a form of basketball nirvana all on his own, so they shouldn't fall too far behind." What I missed: It's more about what Denver missed, which is a lot of dudes.
Clippers. Prediction: 4. Current: 8 (-4). What I missed: This team has had rough luck with injuries, but even when guys have been there they just haven't played well. A notable example: Reggie Jackson is their highest minute-getter this season, but his 3P% dropped from 43% last season to 33% now.
Timberwolves. Prediction: 10. Current: 9 (+1). What I said before: "The talent on the team, with KAT, DLo, and Edwards, should be enough to put them higher up in the rankings than they'll actually climb, and that's because I still have so many questions about the basketball culture in Minnesota."
Spurs. Prediction: 12. Current: 10 (+2). What I said before: "The dependable Spurs organization somehow dragged last year's roster to a 10th-place finish, but I think even Pop's legendary hand will have quite a challenge steering this roster into a playoff appearance."
Kings. Prediction: 11. Current: 11 (=). What I said before: "They have talented up-and-coming guys like Fox and Haliburton plus established guys like Barnes and Hield, but I just can't see how it comes together into a complete package."
Trail Blazers. Prediction: 8. Current: 12 (-4). What I missed: If anything, their defense is worse under the new coach. Lillard's abdominal strain and mega-slump from 3 (currently around 32% for the season!!) plus CJ's collapsed lung have tanked Portland's normally dependable good-but-not-great squad.
Pelicans. Prediction: 13. Current: 13 (=). What I said before: "Zion has been derailed by injuries enough times that I'm starting to lean into the idea that he was over-hyped as a draft pick."
Thunder. Prediction: 15. Current: 14 (+1). What I said before: "The biggest question is whether team even gives their up-and-coming players a chance to win games." Turns out they've gotten a few of them and done pretty well for a team that also set a new NBA record for worst loss ever.
Rockets. Prediction: 14. Current: 15 (-1). What I said before: "The post-Harden/D'Antoni rebuild is already off to a quick start, though their best options are still too green to do much more than scare or surprise some teams." I'm still laughing at their 7-game win streak, including a win over the with-Harden-no-KD Nets.
Checking scores while watching Bucks vs Nets. Would really appreciate the Raptors giving the Jazz their 11th loss not their 29th win, especially with all of Utah's stars sitting.
I like the team that Klay is about to join. Just not a fan of some of the rotations. Would like to find a middle ground, where they don't lean so far into defense that it hinders success on the other side of the court. I believe Klay will help with that. So excited for him!
Hoping the Dubs bounce back Sunday and start a nice win streak.
Besides the Warriors, what teams across the league would you like to see grow into perennial contenders. How about another 4 years of GSW vs CLE in the finals???? hahaha However, is there a version of PHO that is good beyond CP3? DEN will always be fun with Jokic. Doncic and Dallas???? buh-bye. You bore me. I will always root for a good regular season Mormon team. Make room for Ja, Rasta Man Unite. In the West, GSW, Memphis, Denver and Phoenix (and Utah, okay) should be pretty solid for the next 5 years. I like where CLE is headed. Hurray for DeRozan and CHI town. MIL will be a problem. The Nets beat out the Clips and LAL for most despicable.
Liked this article: https://www.thereporter.com/2022/01/07/how-a-step-back-has-helped-andrew-wiggins-make-a-big-leap-with-warriors/
Gave more insight into the workings of GSW to a non-basketball player like me.
Moses Moody career G-League stats (per 36, 187 total minutes).
29.1 pts on .613 TS
6.7 rebounds
1.7 steals
1.2 blocks
At age 19. He’s no Jacob Evans (career 9.2 points per 36 on .484 TS in the G-League).
Just hit me the next we play the Lakers Klay freakin Thompson will be active and available. Can't wait until they get healthy so we can stomp those chumps
Cavaliers beat the short-handed Blazers 114-101. Despite the loss, Blazers made it a close game at certain point during the 4th quarter before the Cavs pulled away in the end. Plus, Cavs had to make five of their players play over 30 minutes.
Moody 31pts, 7 rebounds, +19 in 39 minutes. Only 5 of 15 on 3s, but that's almost as many as the Golden State Warriors team has made in each of the last couple of games.
Edit:
Weatherspoon: Monster game 32pts, 14 rebounds in 34 minutes but 7 turnovers and only 1 of 5 3s.
I wonder after his big G-League game if Quinndary will get more opportunities when with the big squad. Especially when they are resting players. I was looking forward to seeing him play against the Pelicans after his success on Christmas day, but his number never got called.
Moody and Weatherspoon playing in the G-League right now
Everything that Daniel wrote is predicated on a top shelf Curry performing at a very high level. This is Steph's team, not Klay's or Draymond's. Without Steph playing at that level, we have seen a significant change in the Warriors play. If he doesn't return to that level, we still have a very strong team that will compete but that won't be the dominant one we saw through most of this season from the getgo. It's been mostly Curry that has carried the team and the impact of his crazy play and energy that confounds the league. Take that away and all bets are off. My main question is can this team survive without an MVP Curry? No one else will provide the high scoring night in and night out as Curry is able to do. No one can move off the ball like Curry does and execute from anywhere on the court. Poole? Not on your life can he be compared, at present. Wiggs and Klay are great support players but neither are dominant offensive juggernauts ala Curry providing the kind of comeback energy and execution that Steph has been known for. He's a very special player and the synergy offered by the others is dependent on his dominance.
In a sense, this is not a great team because it is built around one player. Everybody waiting and expecting Steph to execute. No one is capable of stepping up and carrying the team in his absence. No rim protector, no scoring threat from Dray, Poole's inconsistency, Wiggs cool relaxed game. Looney's lumbering. Too many areas of weakness are showing without the dominant Curry. We do have good D, though, and that is where the emphasis and results will show without the great one. If we can maintain that D and begin to build more without reliance on Steph, we'll have a much better chance at a ring. Splash Bros can't have a missing Bro. Just can't.
Since we don't have a game today, seems like as good a time as any to revisit my preseason predictions. (I only predicted the Western conference because like hell I knew anything about the East.)
Short version: my predictions still look pretty good; I underestimated the Grizzlies, the Clippers have looked weirdly bad for unknown reasons, and the Blazers and Nuggets have both had particularly nasty injuries; everyone else is pretty close to where I thought they'd be.
Suns. Prediction: 1. Current: 1 (=). What I said about them before: "They have the hunger of being underestimated, the frustration of just barely missing the championship, the advantage of youth (except for CP3), and a lot of continuity from last season."
Warriors. Prediction: 3. Current: 2 (+1). What I missed: How smoothly Bjeli, OPJ, and GP2 would fit into the rotation, and how impressive Mike Brown's revised defensive schemes would be.
Jazz. Prediction: 2. Current: 3 (-1). They're right on track with what I expected: the ultimate regular-season 3&D team. Them being down 1 in the rankings is more about the Warriors exceeding expectations than any shortcoming on Utah's part.
Grizzlies. Prediction: 9. Current: 4 (+5). What I missed: They're hotter, healthier, and more cohesive than the teams they leapfrogged. Really solid teamwork, and Ja has grown even more than I imagined.
Mavericks. Prediction: 7. Current: 5 (+2). What I said about them before: "I'm expecting last year's pattern of streaky feast-or-famine games to continue." That's certainly been the case. I also questioned their rotation past Doncic, and to their credit guys like Jalen Brunson have clearly made a step up to get the Mavs this high even through injuries and covid outages.
Lakers. Prediction: 6. Current: 6 (=). What I said about them before: "It's unclear how a team with such a strong inside presence but so few outside shooters will fit into the modern NBA... Still, if the remaining cast stays healthy, Ye Olde Lake Show should coast to a playoff seed."
Nuggets. Prediction: 5. Current: 7(-2). What I said before: "Jokic is a form of basketball nirvana all on his own, so they shouldn't fall too far behind." What I missed: It's more about what Denver missed, which is a lot of dudes.
Clippers. Prediction: 4. Current: 8 (-4). What I missed: This team has had rough luck with injuries, but even when guys have been there they just haven't played well. A notable example: Reggie Jackson is their highest minute-getter this season, but his 3P% dropped from 43% last season to 33% now.
Timberwolves. Prediction: 10. Current: 9 (+1). What I said before: "The talent on the team, with KAT, DLo, and Edwards, should be enough to put them higher up in the rankings than they'll actually climb, and that's because I still have so many questions about the basketball culture in Minnesota."
Spurs. Prediction: 12. Current: 10 (+2). What I said before: "The dependable Spurs organization somehow dragged last year's roster to a 10th-place finish, but I think even Pop's legendary hand will have quite a challenge steering this roster into a playoff appearance."
Kings. Prediction: 11. Current: 11 (=). What I said before: "They have talented up-and-coming guys like Fox and Haliburton plus established guys like Barnes and Hield, but I just can't see how it comes together into a complete package."
Trail Blazers. Prediction: 8. Current: 12 (-4). What I missed: If anything, their defense is worse under the new coach. Lillard's abdominal strain and mega-slump from 3 (currently around 32% for the season!!) plus CJ's collapsed lung have tanked Portland's normally dependable good-but-not-great squad.
Pelicans. Prediction: 13. Current: 13 (=). What I said before: "Zion has been derailed by injuries enough times that I'm starting to lean into the idea that he was over-hyped as a draft pick."
Thunder. Prediction: 15. Current: 14 (+1). What I said before: "The biggest question is whether team even gives their up-and-coming players a chance to win games." Turns out they've gotten a few of them and done pretty well for a team that also set a new NBA record for worst loss ever.
Rockets. Prediction: 14. Current: 15 (-1). What I said before: "The post-Harden/D'Antoni rebuild is already off to a quick start, though their best options are still too green to do much more than scare or surprise some teams." I'm still laughing at their 7-game win streak, including a win over the with-Harden-no-KD Nets.
Checking scores while watching Bucks vs Nets. Would really appreciate the Raptors giving the Jazz their 11th loss not their 29th win, especially with all of Utah's stars sitting.
I like the team that Klay is about to join. Just not a fan of some of the rotations. Would like to find a middle ground, where they don't lean so far into defense that it hinders success on the other side of the court. I believe Klay will help with that. So excited for him!
Hoping the Dubs bounce back Sunday and start a nice win streak.
Besides the Warriors, what teams across the league would you like to see grow into perennial contenders. How about another 4 years of GSW vs CLE in the finals???? hahaha However, is there a version of PHO that is good beyond CP3? DEN will always be fun with Jokic. Doncic and Dallas???? buh-bye. You bore me. I will always root for a good regular season Mormon team. Make room for Ja, Rasta Man Unite. In the West, GSW, Memphis, Denver and Phoenix (and Utah, okay) should be pretty solid for the next 5 years. I like where CLE is headed. Hurray for DeRozan and CHI town. MIL will be a problem. The Nets beat out the Clips and LAL for most despicable.
Sorry, my freestyle is a little rusty. LOL
Forget the headband, I want Klay to wear his Captain's hat. Anyone know the NBA rules for head apparel?
Steph vs KD captaining the All Star Team selections is going to be SO fun.
https://www.nba.com/news/first-fan-returns-nba-all-star-voting-2022
Klay back next game, Wiseman in full contact practice and probably back by Feb. 1, and Curry breaking out of his slump make the future bright(er).
Not sure if anyone posted this yesterday but:
> On TNT, Chris Haynes reports: "Kawhi Leonard is actually ahead of schedule in his rehab and that a return this season is a strong possibility."
https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson/status/1479290271879684100