Jayhawks in the NBA 2020/2021 edition

[Deleted User 289]

I think it was illy that said Oubre's trade would show that he's better than Wiggins.

Again, goes back to the "Wiggins hasn't played like some other #1 picks, therefore he's terrible."

Yeah, he hasn't played like LeBron or Tim Duncan so he's terrible.

He also hasn't played like Fultz, or Bennett, or Oden or Kwami Brown.

One of the problems with Wiggins and why some/many people consider him to be an NBA bust is that some of those people watched him have a COLLEGE game where he had 41 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 blocks and then followed it up his very next game and produced 30 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block - against Marcus Smart.
I myself was guilty of having extremely lofty expectations of him and believing he would be a probable NBA "super-star" after witnessing that feat.

[ousdahl]

For the record, I don’t consider Wiggins a “bust.”

I just optimistically think his career has another dimension yet.

For instance, I think he’s capable of averaging more career rebounds per game than Steph Curry.

And playoff success would be awesome too.

[Deleted User 89]

Illy’s back!

lol

my first thought as well

[Deleted User 863]

[Deleted User 289]

Games played 1/9/21

Embiid - DNP Back
Graham - 32 min, 1-6 fg, 1-5 3pt, 5 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 3 to, 9 points

[randylahey]

[Deleted User 289]

Boogie was ousted soon after for a foul on LeBron.

[Deleted User 289]

Praise for Wiggy!

[Deleted User 863]

Wiggins with 4 blocks tonight against the raptors. Lead the team with 17pts on a night when Curry was ice cold. Warriors had a 10pt lead with 9min left before going cold and letting raptors back in it. Warriors just hit 2 free throws with 3 seconds to win by 1 after a coaches challenge was unsuccessful by raptors on the foul.

Reason #357 why +/- is not a good indicator of anything meaningful....even as the leading scorer wiggins had a team worst -10 +/-.

[TDub]

Coaches challenge? We playin football?

[Deleted User 863]

Coaches challenge? We playin football?

new nba rule.

[CrimsonNBlue]

When Wiggs plays well, GS is a sneak-in playoff team. When he doesn't, they are pretty bad.

Oubre's light is completely off. Wonder how long they wait for it to flip.

[Deleted User 289]

Sorry for today's delay. Had an early doc appointment.

Games played 1/10/21

Dotson - DNP CD
MCMorris - 25 min, 3-8 fg, 3-5 fg, 7 reb, 11 points
Dok - DNP CD
Jackson - 14 min, 0-5 fg, 0-3 3pt, 2 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 points
Svi - 15 min, 1-9 fg, 1-8 3pt, 2 stl, 1 blk, 3 points
MKMorris - Ejected after 3 min, 1 reb, 0 points
Wiggins - 34 min, 7-17 fg, 3-10 3pt, 2 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk, 17 points
Oubre - 29 min, 5-14 fg, 1-6 3pt, 6 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 12 points

[Deleted User 863]

When Wiggs plays well, GS is a sneak-in playoff team. When he doesn't, they are pretty bad.

Oubre's light is completely off. Wonder how long they wait for it to flip.

Oubre is just missing shots. Other than that he hasn't been nearly as bad as his box score looks.

They're also sort of using him to guard whoever they don't want Steph matched up on. His defensive versatility and ability to guard smaller PGs is useful for them since they don't really look to have steph play defense for all of his 35min per game.

Now that Draymond is settling back into the fold i think it'll help Oubre. They're all just getting comfortable. Wiseman has looked pretty impressive early on in his rookie season. Steph has had a few good games but some awful ones too, so he appears to still be knocking some rust off.

I don't know if i expect them to make the playoffs yet, but with the playoff play-in tournament for those bubble teams they definitely have a chance.

Locks:
Lakers
Clippers
Nuggets
Mavs
Jazz
Suns

Then i still think houston will figure it out and move into the lock category...and Portland, probably the Pelicans have better or similar quality rosters top to bottom as the Warriors. Spurs are strange. Roster isn't great, but they're looking decent. It'll be close. Even Sacramento hasn't looked terrible even though they're 4-6. I don't think OKC Memphis or Minnesota have any chance. West is pretty stacked.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think I've watched probably 4+ Warriors games this season and it's much more than missing shots with Oubre. He's just completely out of sorts and getting into no man's land on offense, but I do agree that it just looks like being uncomfortable. His problem is more the business side: GSW is not an organization that's going to wait around on a guy they traded for. Steph is 32 years old.

That lock list is too long, imo. Lots of same quality of teams in the middle.

[Deleted User 863]

I'd be shocked if one of those locks misses the playoffs without having a major injury.

Roster wise the Mavs are probably the worst of the locks, but they have Luca and have been looking good and winning games even without their 2nd best player (Porzingas). He is questionable for tonight but should be back this week.

[Deleted User 289]

Games played 1/11/21

Graham - 35 min, 7-15 fg, 2-8 3pt, 2 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 1 to. 19 points
Embiid - 23 min, 8-17 fg, 1-4 3pt, 11 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 24 points

[Deleted User 289]

When Wiggs plays well, GS is a sneak-in playoff team. When he doesn't, they are pretty bad.

Oubre's light is completely off. Wonder how long they wait for it to flip.

Oubre is just missing shots. Other than that he hasn't been nearly as bad as his box score looks.

They're also sort of using him to guard whoever they don't want Steph matched up on. His defensive versatility and ability to guard smaller PGs is useful for them since they don't really look to have steph play defense for all of his 35min per game.

Now that Draymond is settling back into the fold i think it'll help Oubre. They're all just getting comfortable. Wiseman has looked pretty impressive early on in his rookie season. Steph has had a few good games but some awful ones too, so he appears to still be knocking some rust off.

I don't know if i expect them to make the playoffs yet, but with the playoff play-in tournament for those bubble teams they definitely have a chance.

Locks:
Lakers
Clippers
Nuggets
Mavs
Jazz
Suns

Then i still think houston will figure it out and move into the lock category...and Portland, probably the Pelicans have better or similar quality rosters top to bottom as the Warriors. Spurs are strange. Roster isn't great, but they're looking decent. It'll be close. Even Sacramento hasn't looked terrible even though they're 4-6. I don't think OKC Memphis or Minnesota have any chance. West is pretty stacked.

Help me out.
How/why do you feel a team that would NOT be a playoff team today - is a "lock" to make the playoffs?

[Deleted User 863]

Because Denver has finished top 3 the last 2 years and didn't magically start to suck with nearly the same roster. Conference finals last year. Conference semis the year before.

Murray has had a slow start to the year. Porter Jr just got sidelined due to covid protocols. But Jokic is a beast and they will finish top 5 in the conference most likely.

It's 10 games into the season. They're only 2.5 games out of first place. I am not too worried about current standings yet. Lakers Clippers and Suns are better than them, but that's it (from west) imo.

[pdub]

Russ Westbrook 178th in PER.
Over 5 TO/s per game.