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Release the Kraken

Release the Kraken

Well-Known Member
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/07/29/western-conference-power-rankings-mid-summer-edition

Did you see this? Jazz are at #3 behind Clips and Nugs. What stood out to me was how succinct but well reasoned these evaluations/predictions were. For example: after mentioning our less than stellar performance last season in games within five points in last five minutes, he points out Conley's exceptional clutch assist to turnover ratio and Bogey's exceptional clutch EFG %. After reading this I think I'm ready to go out and get some of that future's action going. Still.......Clips, Nugs, Lakers and Warriors don't scare me but I have to admit to having nightmares about the new look Rockets - spanked us two years in a row and now both MVPs back on the same team. All right, yeah and the Clippers and Lakers are a little scary as well.:eek:
 
Release the Kraken said:
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/07/29/western-conference-power-rankings-mid-summer-edition

Did you see this? Jazz are at #3 behind Clips and Nugs. What stood out to me was how succinct but well reasoned these evaluations/predictions were. For example: after mentioning our less than stellar performance last season in games within five points in last five minutes, he points out Conley's exceptional clutch assist to turnover ratio and Bogey's exceptional clutch EFG %. After reading this I think I'm ready to go out and get some of that future's action going. Still.......Clips, Nugs, Lakers and Warriors don't scare me but I have to admit to having nightmares about the new look Rockets - spanked us two years in a row and now both MVPs back on the same team. All right, yeah and the Clippers and Lakers are a little scary as well.:eek:
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Definitely way more concerned about the Clippers than anyone else in the conference (after some thought). The Rockets and Lakers have the most built-in variability to how they do, and sleeping on either would be unwise. That being said, part of that variability is their volatility and the potential for it to implode. If Westbrook doesn’t find his shot then they’re only marginally better, if not significantly worse (and considerably handicapped from improving via trade or draft since they got fleeced in dumping CP’s horrific contract).
 
Release the Kraken said:
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/07/29/western-conference-power-rankings-mid-summer-edition

Did you see this? Jazz are at #3 behind Clips and Nugs. What stood out to me was how succinct but well reasoned these evaluations/predictions were. For example: after mentioning our less than stellar performance last season in games within five points in last five minutes, he points out Conley's exceptional clutch assist to turnover ratio and Bogey's exceptional clutch EFG %. After reading this I think I'm ready to go out and get some of that future's action going. Still.......Clips, Nugs, Lakers and Warriors don't scare me but I have to admit to having nightmares about the new look Rockets - spanked us two years in a row and now both MVPs back on the same team. All right, yeah and the Clippers and Lakers are a little scary as well.:eek:
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I think the Clips are the only one that give me the sweats. Rustbrook has been on a decline the last few years and I don't think that situation improves in Houston. The Lakers will be the Lakers.
 
Regarding the Rockets, Schuhmann states: Plus, minutes will be staggered so that only one of Harden or Westbrook will be on the floor for about half the game. Having two of the top three guys in drives per game last season will put a ton of pressure on opposing defenses. Also, my feeling was that the Thunder could have gotten so much more out of that trade in terms of trade chips. As is, the Rockets didn't lose any key pieces in the trade, only a couple of first rounders and a couple of trade swaps. Praying that Nene and Faried don't resign - actually we could have used some of that muscle on our squad.

Though I'm sure the initial plan was to flip Paul, looks like OKC might be stuck with him for awhile.
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/07/thunder-chris-paul-trade-reports
 
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After thinking about it I'm more worried about matching up against the Lakers or Rockets than the Clippers. We tend to struggle more against teams who have great scorers but can also distribute than we do against pure scorers. Kawhi and PG are great scorers but neither are great playmakers. There is a good chance that team becomes Iso heavy. The Rockets have Harden and Westbrook who can score and pass. The Lakers have LeBron who can score and pass. I think the Clippers are better team than the Rockets and Lakers. But I also think we match up better against them.
 
SCS said:
After thinking about it I'm more worried about matching up against the Lakers or Rockets than the Clippers. We tend to struggle more against teams who have great scorers but can also distribute than we do against pure scorers. Kawhi and PG are great scorers but neither are great playmakers. There is a good chance that team becomes Iso heavy. The Rockets have Harden and Westbrook who can score and pass. The Lakers have LeBron who can score and pass. I think the Clippers are better team than the Rockets and Lakers. But I also think we match up better against them.
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The Clippers are a defensive juggernaut that will be the least-exploitable defense in the league since they project to have four five-position switchable players and arguably the best defensive PG in the game. They’ll also have ample spacing around two legit superstars.

The Clippers aren’t a superteam, but their two best players are as good or better than anyone else’s (especially since they are arguably the two best two-way players in the league) and the rest of their composition is near-perfect.
 
Wish we were rated lower tbh
 
NUMBERICA said:
The Clippers are a defensive juggernaut that will be the least-exploitable defense in the league since they project to have four five-position switchable players and arguably the best defensive PG in the game. They’ll also have ample spacing around two legit superstars.

The Clippers aren’t a superteam, but their two best players are as good or better than anyone else’s (especially since they are arguably the two best two-way players in the league) and the rest of their composition is near-perfect.
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I think their defense will be top 5 but I don't think it's the least exploitable. They'll guard the perimeter very well. But they have virtually no rim protection.
 
TheStormofWar said:
I think the Clips are the only one that give me the sweats. Rustbrook has been on a decline the last few years and I don't think that situation improves in Houston. The Lakers will be the Lakers.
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I dont get the Lakers to the finals hype. I mean, sure the LeBron/AD pick and roll is historic (on paper), but the Lakers defense is going to be atrocious outside of AD

Sent from my SM-G965U using JazzFanz mobile app
 
SCS said:
After thinking about it I'm more worried about matching up against the Lakers or Rockets than the Clippers. We tend to struggle more against teams who have great scorers but can also distribute than we do against pure scorers. Kawhi and PG are great scorers but neither are great playmakers. There is a good chance that team becomes Iso heavy. The Rockets have Harden and Westbrook who can score and pass. The Lakers have LeBron who can score and pass. I think the Clippers are better team than the Rockets and Lakers. But I also think we match up better against them.
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I think you make a legitimate point. My feeling is that no other players in the NBA get such favorable calls as Lebron and Harden. Sure they know how to exploit the defense and use the rules to their favor, but I think it might have more to do with the fact that they are Superstars and do a lot of Iso. Superstars sell tickets in this league and ever since David Stern took over from Larry O'Brien in 84, his business strategy was to create International Sport's Icons. At one point he even copped to a double standard in Sport's Illustrated saying that nobody pays to see the Stars foul out.
Disgraced Official Tim Donoghy made a lot of noise that reflected poorly on NBA strong arm policies, along with surveys that showed the average fan didn't think everything was on the level, but superstars in this league still get preferential treatment.
 
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I feel like I've said this the last 4 of 5 seasons or whatever, but I'm legit the most excited for a season to start now than in ages. Maybe since Memo and Boozer were signed as FAs.

Getting two guys who are at their floor solid players, and IMO near all-star worthy, is phenomenal. Not to mention they fit this system like a glove in theory.

Only 2.5 months to go!
 
Kyoto said:
I dont get the Lakers to the finals hype. I mean, sure the LeBron/AD pick and roll is historic (on paper), but the Lakers defense is going to be atrocious outside of AD

Sent from my SM-G965U using JazzFanz mobile app
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Kind of reflective of what Schuhmann said about them in the Power Rankings, but still a little wary with AD, Lebron, Rondo, Danny Green, Kuzma, Bradley, KCP, McGee and Dudley.
 
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Release the Kraken said:
I think you make a legitimate point. My feeling is that no other players in the NBA get such favorable calls as Lebron and Harden. Sure they know how to exploit the defense and use the rules to their favor, but I think it might have more to do with the fact that they are Superstars and do a lot of Iso. Superstars sell tickets in this league and ever since David Stern took over from Larry O'Brien in 84, his business strategy was to create International Sport's Icons. At one point he even copped to a double standard in Sport's Illustrated saying that nobody pays to see the Stars foul out.
Disgraced Official Tim Donoghy made a lot of noise that reflected poorly on NBA strong arm policies, along with surveys that showed the average fan didn't think everything was on the level, but superstars in this league still get preferential treatment.
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LeBron gets an unfair whistle. Nothing like Harden.
 
Does anyone else feel like the Sixers are in a great position to make it to the Finals but in a terrible position to win the Finals? I think the big lineup they've built should work very well against Giannis and the Bucks who are really their only eastern conference competition realistically. But I can't see that lineup working against the Clippers, Jazz, Lakers, Rockets, Warriors. Maybe not even the Nuggets.
 
Worrying about our ranking is like worrying about Snyder’s corpse count. I mean, who gives a flying **** how many notches his stiletto has?

The Clippers will not be a top 3 defensive team without a rim protector. For that to happen, they would gas their top two players by January.

In the playoffs, they will be good. But they’re not stopping our starting five.
 
SCS said:
Does anyone else feel like the Sixers are in a great position to make it to the Finals but in a terrible position to win the Finals? I think the big lineup they've built should work very well against Giannis and the Bucks who are really their only eastern conference competition realistically. But I can't see that lineup working against the Clippers, Jazz, Lakers, Rockets, Warriors. Maybe not even the Nuggets.
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The sixers are my favorite to win the east, but they would struggle against most western teams as long as Ben Simmons cant shoot.

Sent from my SM-G965U using JazzFanz mobile app
 
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