BIG 61 & WTF in Rip CIty

Dame dropped 61 BIG ones on the Warriors inside Moda Center on MLK day (Jan. 20). Absurd! He literally willed them to victory. It was impressive and clutch. Lillard was flame-throwing threes. Some were deep, others were really deep. Some were dribble up, pull-ups. And a couple were game saving step backs. The degree of difficulty on his final three of regulation was incredibly high to say the least. Also, he didn't miss a free throw.

Lillard played so hard that you could visibly see his fatigue. Regardless, he did what his team needed him to do. It was an unselfish 61, if that even makes sense. Just saying that 61 points can be got, in an unselfish manner, is as impressive as the raw point total is. It was a show of true leadership.

Stat line: 61 pts, 17/37 fg, 16/16 ft, 11/20 3fg, 10 rb, 7 ast, 45 min, only 2 to's

°°°°°°°°°°°

Three nights later against Dallas, at home (Jan. 23), Dame lit it up again. This night however would be different. Stotts made some highly questionable coaching calls. He gave too many minutes to the new guys. Even if Ariza was hitting shots. Swanigan should not have been playing (23 minutes!). He looked lost on both ends of the floor, sometimes even running in circles on defense. Yikes. What happened to Nasir Little? Why can't he get run? During the game against Golden State Simons and Trent Jr. each played over 40 minutes in a victory. Now they get their run shortened, what gives?

Stotts even rolled out a lineup featuring Whiteside and Swanigan. That poor decision led to clustered spacing for the Blazers. Boxing out was problematic, offensive rebounds neuter teams. The pairing of two bigs was a questionable tactic, and frankly it didn't work. Overall the Trailblazers lacked organization on both sides of the ball, often looking jumbled on offense. There was poor spacing through most of the first three quarters, further hampered by the lack of flow and on court chemistry. These decisions lay at the feet of the coach!

Lillard looked pissed. Peeps were out of position as Dame found himself in tough situations, it was too unfamiliar for everybody. He couldn't rely on continuity (again, because Stotts wasn't doing him any favors with the lineups). Damian battled through it, skillfully making the right play against double teams that occurred as high as half court. Keeping in mind that CJ was out with an ankle sprain. I couldn't help but feel for Dame. 

The Blazers began the second half lethargically. Lillard hit from deep, as if to say, 'fxck it, I got to do this myself.' Then he canned another from way downtown. It was necessity at that point. Two non-calls, one on a three and another on a crafty drive, stymied his inferno. 

Dame yam'd on Porzingis in the fourth. Unfortunately, Swanigan couldn't even imagine how to guard Kristaps on the other end, which resulted in a put-back dunk and a long three. Why was the new undersized center guarding the 7'3" guy down the stretch? Ask Stotts. Dallas' bench put the game away as Portland was running on fumes.

Lillard scored 40 on an effort drive that should've drawn a whistle. He somehow summoned the will to attack and scored again. Two free throws and his last driving layup gave him 47. Dame subbed out after receiving a tech. He was visibly frustrated, rightfully so, and the refs weren't doing him any favors. A reoccurring theme on the night. 

Look, Dame's a beast. He's one of the toughest covers in the NBA, as is his opponent. Luka's a BOSS. He's gifted, crafty, intelligent and bigger than most primary ball handlers not named LeBron. I root for Dončić, he's humble and he's the future. I just wish Dame had a coach like Carlisle—adaptive, creative, and able to make in-game adjustments. Dame needs help badly! I mean, 108 points in 87 minutes, c'mon!

Statline: 47 pts, 16/28 fg, 7/7 ft, 8/15 3fg, 6 rb, 8 ast, 42 min

Only in the NBA,

80choices

NBA | Wrap Up

Dame Time?

Averages in 71 games played: 26.3 pts 4.5 trb 6.7 ast | 24.4 per 11.2 ws

I'll confess up front, I've been a Damian Lillard fan since his rookie year and forever sold after his ROY speech. I have another think piece question; is Damian Lillard the best true point guard in the NBA? Simply put, he controls the game. He gets his guys involved and has the ability to take over a game. He's fearless, willing to take the gut-check shots. His IQ and in-the-gym range make for a lethal combination. His Physical skills are better than most of his more heralded peers, other than Westbrook. And there in lies some of the conversation. Who is still a traditional point guard?

Westbrook is a point guard in name, his game is more along the line of a 2-guard who also happens to triple double with a high usage rate. He's a modern Big O. Curry's an alien but his stature makes him the point. However, on his team everyone shares the ball, so he feels more like a shooter than a traditional one. His gravity strikes fear. We've all seen it, Iggy and Dre initiate much of the Death Star's action, sometimes KD, sometimes Steph. It's Curry's shooting that makes it all go, or in others words, makes the defense have to both stretch and stay connected to he and Klay. And that's the idea, who is the point guard on a team like Golden State? We've never seen anything like them. It's basketball symbiosis. They have three of the deadliest players, each able to bust defensive schemes even when they aren't touching the ball. It's nuts how defenders have to stay attached to three separate snipers while still thinking help and containment. It's an F'ing cheat code to the tune of five straight Finals. Kyrie is a shot maker to the Nth degree. As good as his stats and advanced analytics are, I think I'd rather have Dame. First of all he's a better team mate, which goes a long way to being the one. Second, he has a better physical skill set, and is probably a better defender. I realize Kyrie has hit an all time onion shot. Still, Dame is a more stable presence, a consistency that has repeatedly taken his squad into the playoffs, which is no easy chore out west. It'll be six straight appearances this year. Ask LA fans if they'd like Dame. Ask Boston too for that matter.

If you add in Lillard's durability and juxtapose it against the injuries that have bitten the three players mentioned above, the debate is legit. My apologies to the rest of the point guards in the NBA, but I think those are the top four. Dame's got a blue collar mentality and a willingness to do it the old way—with his guys, his team. I'm a fan. He has plenty of swag, yet remains humble. He grinds. He's better than good. And he may just be the best true point guard in the NBA.

Luka Lone Star
Averages in 68 games played: 21 pts 7.6 trb 5.8 ast | 19.4 per 4.6 ws

Luka's patient, to score, probe, or pass. He's a rookie who comes in playing chess, instead of connect four (sorry Rondo). He's also got the guile of a veteran, like when he gets someone on his backside and just keeps them there CP3-like. The major difference is, he has size. Coupled to his skill, strength and craftiness, his potential appears to be limit free. He has an almost old-school game, but with new-school abilities. In a nutshell, he does what he wants, which is a trait very few rookies ever attain. The things he's shown in year one just heightens the imagination for what's in store. There's a new sheriff in Big D, it's Lone Star, Luka Lone Star. Giddy up.

All NBA

6G's = Harden & Dame (1st Team) Curry & Westbrook (2nd) Beal & Kemba (3rd)
6F's = Giannis & PG (1st) KD & LeBron (2nd) Kawhi & Blake (3rd)
3C's = Embiid (1st) Jokic (2nd) KAT (3rd) {bold=locks}

Awards
MIP - Pascal Siakam, D'Angelo Russell ... Bojan Bogdanović, Derrick Rose, Montrezl Harrell
COY - McMillan, Doc, Bud, Malone, Joerger
ROY - Luka, Trae, Ayton ... whomever
D-POY - PJ Tucker, Rudy Gobert, Giannis, PG, Jrue Holiday/Pat Beverley,
6MAN - Sweet Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Domantas Sabonis, Dennis Schröder, Derrick Rose
MVP - Harden, Giannis, Jokić, Dame, PG (in that order)
^ Harden (69 games) - 36.5 pts, 6.5 trb, 7.6 ast | 30.5 per 13.1 ws | 40+ points 19x, 50+ points 6x,
61 points 2x

The Run Down
The playoffs are around the corner. It's still a bit blurry in terms of first round match ups. It'll come into focus as the west battles for seeding. The east is shaping up to be perhaps even more intense, as four or five teams have legitimate aspirations for conference supremacy. What happens next is any body's guess. I'll go out on a limb (just kidding) and predict Toronto vs The Death Star. Dark Side in six. Here's to hoping for a Finals that has new blood from both conferences. One can wish right? Only in the NBA.

eightychoices.

PS. all stats were up to date as of games played through 3/24/19 

NBA | ZINGer

The Unicorn & Luka Lone Star do Dallas |
Dallas made a trade out of nowhere for a Latvian Unicorn, well done Mavericks. Their youth, style of play and limitless upside, feed my imagination. I already find my self cheering for Luka, even if he plays in Dallas. Now he has a 7'3" dead eye shooter who can also defend at the rim. They really are the perfect pairing. The sets Carlisle can orchestrate with these two on offense should be dynamic. This will be fun to watch.

Lebron & La La Land

He missed 17 games after being the fourth seed on Christmas night. The Lakers went 6-11 in his absence. Now he's back, sort of. They won his first game back 123-120 against the Clippers in overtime. (LeBron's line: 40 min. 24 pts. on 9/22 shooting, 14 rbs. 9 ast.) And apparently he was at about 80 percent. Then he sat out against Golden State on February 2nd. Prompting me to believe that a trade is inevitable. Hopefully he didn't re-aggravate his injury.

How bad was he hurt? Did he want to see what this team looked like without him? Did he need to get a prolonged break before making a herculean effort to lead this team into the playoffs? Will he rally these troops? Will the Lakers get help? Will they get a superstar? Does LeBron want AD? Yea, duh. Will he get AD? Chaos is a basketball storm that James can thrive in. We'll have to wait and see if the Lakers can weather it as well. 

Rocket Fuel up?

James Harden had 61 at The Garden, he also played outstanding against the Raptors on January 25th. Harden has usurped Giannis as the MVP leader in my opinion. He's first in WARP (PG is #2 -3pts behind!). James is also the first player since Jerry West (1965) to record 600 points, 100 assists and 100 rebounds in a month. The Beard accomplished that feat in January while also averaging 43.6 points/game for the entire month. I hope Capela, his screen and roll partner, regains his high level of play prior to the injury. I say this because, Harden and Capela could put a strain on Golden State when targeting Steph and Boogie in the pick and roll, should they meet in the playoffs.

Processing
Joel Embiid is a beast. Most teams do not have an answer for him when he's at his best. The Process  has already amassed 30 points and 10 rebounds 20+ times this season. He's a legit threat to raise his team out of the east. He doesn't get destroyed, he does the destroying.

Danny Green is an advanced stats darling and one hell of a team mate. He was not just a throw in, especially if he stays in Toronto. Danny's a big part of the Raptors success, both with and without Kawhi on the court. Obviously no one knows what Leonard is thinking, but it's probably safe to say that Green knows him best while in Toronto together. 

NBA lore is becoming undone. Superstars are available. The player movement since Cleveland somehow did the impossible is outlandish. Take a breath; Durant joined the Death Star, Kyrie went to Boston, so too did Hayward, Butler was traded twice, Paul George went to OKC, Chris Paul to Houston, Blake was shipped to Detroit, Kawhi's in Toronto, Boogie's in The Bay and LA got LeBron, all serious stars. You could also mention Carmelo and Wade, Isaiah Thomas being dealt like a card, the draft day swaps that have led to Luka mania, and now the trade for Kristaps. Any way you slice it, superstars are available. You no longer have to select first in the draft to score Anthony Davis. To say that superstars are rarely available is purely a myth.

Another NBA concern has to be the request of those stars wanting to be moved. Even more harmful may be how players are leveraging this pressure earlier and earlier. What happened to just riding out your contract a la Durant or LeBron? Is it better to get dealt or do the dealing? Can you hurt your team more, or help them, when communicating the disinterested party's concerns? I find this to be an intriguing topic, one with no perfect answer to fit so many scenarios.  

WWSD
What would Steph do? What would Steph be, by himself, on a sub .500 team? What would his game look like without Klay, and then KD's, gravitational pull? Without Green's defense and play making proficiencies? With no bench mob of Iggy and Livingston? No Kerr to keep all of their orbits whirring and in sync, and still organic? A team perfectly built to hide any of his flaws and accentuate all of his otherworldly skill—on offense and on defense? The Warriors are too perfect. The NBA is in trouble.

What if he were on Atlanta or Cleveland? What if he was just double teamed on every half court action? What if he was denied all game without the fear-inducing concern of his team in Oakland? How much more would he be exposed on defense? Could he do what James Harden is doing? Could he drag a team to a playoff spot in the east, let alone the west? What if Steph was all by himself like Kemba? Could he do what Dame's done in Portland? Could he elevate Milwaukee to the best record like Giannis has done this year with coach Bud? It's a great what if?

I'm not sure what he looks like as the lone star on an NBA team. I'm just not as sure. His team is the super-est of super teams, Durant made it so. Is he as singularly dominant on a team outside of Golden State? Their collection of selfless and cohesive talent is spectacular. Which is why the Death Star's sights are set on the competition. I suspect it's a foregone conclusion that they win.

Disclaimer: I think Curry is the best shooter of all time, he's alien in skill and talent. This is a thought-piece meant for discussion after attending a Blazers game where Dame didn't play against Atlanta. Portland struggled with the Hawks despite CJ McCollum recording his first triple-double. Steph's missed 11 games this year. When Curry misses games, the Warriors are not desperate like most teams are when their lead star is out. They may look and be different, but come on.

Only in the NBA...

eightychoices.

NBA | Hot Takes

The NBA is just too good. It feels so much different, so much better than the No Fun League. Pace in the NBA destroys MLB, I know, apples to oranges and I do love playoff baseball. Yet our collective attention seems destined to gravitate toward basketball, soccer, or even hockey. The constant movement in those sports is magical. It's captivating. And that's the point, the greatest target for consumption and consumerism is our attention, our eyes. The Association has had mine since the 80's. Below are a handful of takes from around the NBA. Beginning with the last question I posed over a week ago. Who would you trade Luka for?

 Luka Dončić

Honestly, who would you trade Luka for? He's already a seasoned rookie who can pass and see angles that 15 year veteran point guards will never make, plus he can launch deep step-back 3's or drive to the hoop without fear of the moment. He's the real deal and he's on a rookie contract with an owner who has shown to be loyal (Dirk). Really, who would you trade him for? Luka's perhaps the best rookie since LeBron. 

To be honest, I'll say, Giannis or Anthony Davis, maybe. If you knew you were getting them for their entire prime starting now, sure. It would still be difficult to make that trade. You could argue LeBron or Kevin Durant with their stratospheric apexes. But they're both in their 30's and would demand serious coin, as well as other team-wide concessions and considerations. If a trade involving those two occurred it would be shortsighted. That leaves James Harden, Curry, Kawhi and Paul George. All amazing talents, who combined to the four mentioned above, comprise eight of the top ten talents in the NBA. And I probably wouldn't trade for any one of them straight up. It's beyond perplexing, I know. 

His legend is growing and he's certainly made Dallas both competitive and relevant. Regardless of recent injuries or trade talks, Luka may be so good that Carlisle and Cuban are lured into making the playoffs. A lot of us would like to see the Mavericks make a move before the deadline. I also understand if they don't want to risk future cap flexibility or roster construction. Dončić's capabilities, coupled to his limitless ceiling and playing style, make him one of the most desirable young stars to play alongside. He is the future, as well as the Maverick's biggest asset in recruiting future free agents to Dallas. The Luka star shines bright in the Lone Star State.

ATL = WTF

You know who Atlanta would trade Luka for? Trae Young, yikes. I know it's unfair, but those two will be linked in perpetuity. Even if the Hawks got an additional pick, I don't care, have they taken notice of Luka? Let's make this quick. What is the front office doing in Atlanta? And how long do they get?

Minnesota Timberwolves

I want the Wolves to be good, I really do. Please Minnesota find a way to fully utilize Karl-Anthony Towns. He is a transcendent talent of offense. I've even watched him handle the Warriors. He cannot be stopped if you unleash the beast. I just railed on the Atlanta front office, is Minnesota's any better? Their situation might beam some light at the end of the tunnel, but that's only because they have Towns. Even with last year's playoff appearance the Timberwolves have been a mess since KG was traded to Boston. 

I'm totally behind Saunders as the interim coach, it's perfectly fine. With that said, if Minnesota is to have a heart beating identity, they need to look for their next leader in a more progressive way. My short list of most desirable would look like this: Shaka Smart, Jay Wright, Chauncey Billups, everyone else. The thorniest issue for the next leader of the wolf pack will be what to do with Wiggins?

I'm going to go to the dark side for a minute. The Timberwolves owner is of the old guard so to speak. His NBA investment is worth about a billion dollars. If the team and the city of Minneapolis aren't careful, the Wolves could just as easily be relocated to Seattle. The Pelicans aren't the only small market team with a young talented big man and empty seats. I feel bummed to type this, but those are the two most likely teams to relocate. Who are the other possibilities? I've been to Sacramento, their new arena is the best in the NBA. Milwaukee just unveil their modern arena which will keep them put. Detroit's not going anywhere, plus they have multiple titles. Maybe the Magic, but they too have a recent, big money arena. The Target Center is not the greatest regardless of the renovations. I'm not sure of Minnesota's attendance numbers over time, but it's probably ranks near the bottom. Their best draw is the training, practice and health facilities they recently built with Mayo Clinic. Taylor could cash in his NBA chips and further stockpile for his heirs, at his age he may want out. I for one want the Timberwolves to always be in the Twin Cities. 

Rocket Fuel

James Harden is unREAL

Harden is in really rare air. His current ballistics performance is only rivaled by Kobe's selfish 2006 campaign in which he played one against five and MJ's ridiculous year in '88. Those are three of the best offensive showings ever by shooting guards. What's crazier is that Harden is doing it at the most efficient rate of all time. He has the two highest efficiency ratings for players with a +30 usage rate. He's led the NBA in free throws for five straight years. During his last two intergalactic rocket shows, where he scored 57 and 58, not one of those baskets came via assist. Think on that.

James Harden is the best offensive player in the Association right now. What he's doing is unreal. I normally don't dig the super iso heavy play, but I find myself cheering for Harden. He single handily beat the Warriors a few games back, even with the refs spotting them 15 feet out of bounds. It's been fun to watch him blast off on opponents. It doesn't matter who guards him or what type of defense is thrown his way. Fun fact; he's run more iso plays than any other team, not player, team. Whoa. I want him to silence his playoff critics. After all, Atlas shouldered the world, he's only shouldering the Rockets. Keep on keep'n on. Take note other solo superstars. 

The Field or GSW?

The teams and the talent in the western conference is stupid. At the top of the heap is the Death Star in Golden State. It doesn't matter that Draymond gets to bark, curse and stomp at officials. It won't stop this year's parade if KD leaves. Who cares if Klay loves his hand too much. I won't be less persuaded when they show off Cousins. Plus they have that guy named Curry. THEY ARE STILL THE FAVORITES. If someone asks me the field or Golden State, I'm taking the Warriors, even if they're not my team. Like the Death Star, they destroy worlds. Amidst all the fresh buzz in the NBA, and rightfully so, the Finals will have the same conclusion. Case study number one, the beat down they gave the Nuggets in Denver (51 in the first quarter, c'mon). Unless I just reverse jinxed them. Nah, that's not even possible, because in the not too distant future they will open their money factory on the water in San Francisco. The present is the future.

Only in the NBA,

eightychoices.   

NBA | What 2 Watch 4

The NBA's regular season is nearly half over or close enough for most teams to assess the action fairly. The western 9 and 10 seeds would be 6th and 7th in the east. There are 12 teams out west with a plus point differential, only seven eastern squads can claim that. However, the east's top five teams do possess high end talent. As the year progresses I'll try to keep hitting on some hot topics. In the meantime, here's what to watch for in the NBA.

LeBron & The Lakers

All things in the NBA seem to begin or end with LeBron and even if they don't, they somehow do. His injury has zapped the buzz in LA, they're 2-5 in his absence. The Lakers played the Maverick's last night and a big second half helped them to take down Luka (more on him later). A couple of quick takes on the Lakers. Their defensive metrics are good and yet I'd like to see them utilize their youth, speed and length even more. Rebounding on defense is an aspect of concern with or without LeBron. KCP is their best catch and shoot guy for better or worse. They look good when they can get out and run. In the half court they should look to penetrate and kick more, it helps to set up the hockey assist swing pass if the initial catch and shoot option isn't there. Lastly, they're a poor free throw shooting team, hopefully that remedies itself. 

With all those topics and swirling trade rumors the Lakers were fourth in the west at 20-14 when LeBron had his Christmas day setback. Not too shabby when James is leading the way as the Lakers have had to also deal with injuries before his own. I'm left to believe this roster is not the one we will see after the trade deadline or once the buyout market rounds into form. One thing's for certain, LeBron and the Lakers will dominate the headlines no matter who's on the floor. Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker and AD are great stars to stir the drink with.

Atlantic Division (TOR, PHI, BOS)

With all due respect to Brooklyn and New York this is a three team division. Make no mistake the eastern finals could easily showcase an all Atlantic battle. I'm not totally sold on the fit in Philadelphia. Butler needs to get over himself which would probably help everyone. The other easy observation is the lack of team shooting, exacerbated by Simmons own inability to shoot. He is not the ideal fit for The Process and let's not kid ourselves, Embiid is the guy in The City of Brotherly Love. Markelle Fultz anyone? We'll have to wait and see what happens with the 76ers.

Which leads to Boston, what's wrong with the Celtics? I can't bring myself to fully throw Brad Stevens under the bus, but is some of this his fault? Could a couple of guys be playing better? Maybe Tatum shouldn't have worked out with Kobe to refine the long two (aka the worst shot in basketball). Maybe Jaylen Brown does feel isolated as a chess playing intellectual who always hears his name in trade rumors. Perhaps Kyrie will go James Harden or maybe he won't. What if he can't? Ah Boston, the team that had the post-LeBron puzzle solved. Perhaps it's them who needs the solving.

North of the wall has never looked so good. Kawhi may be a rental or he may take the Raptors to The Finals. Whichever story unfolds Toronto did what was best for the team. Kyle Lowry's injury is definitely a concern but the Dino's have looked good for the most part regardless of the lineup. They have depth, they know there systems on both sides of the ball and they have a potential MVP candidate. And yet our judgement of them, as well as their fate, will only come into focus once the playoffs have commenced.

GIANNIS

Antetokounmpo is otherworldly in his talents and intensity—he is both the high tech updated version and the old school. Can't shoot, who cares? He pretty much goes wherever he wants. When he is thwarted it just creates an even nastier highlight of him dunking on someone who tried. There's a tenacity to his game that makes me believe he will do anything to win when the chips are truly down. With the Bucks ascending hopefully his team will make a deep run in the playoffs so we can see him perform under heavy pressure. Milwaukee is currently atop the standings in the east. Giannis is obviously responsible for their success, but Coach Bud's new schemes have accelerated their play as well. Welcome to Giannis' world, it's party time, excellent.

AD in NOP ?

New Orleans slump to kick off another year with AD has been a surprise. I just figured they had figured something out at the end of last season and would further morph toward that type of team we saw against Portland in the playoffs. They have not been able to win enough games or stay healthy, a voodoo curse perhaps. There are few paths to fully righting this ship. One is if Davis can replicate his performance from the end of last year times two to the second power. Another could be the emergence, or more likely the arrival of, a third star to fill the scoring void if Holiday under performs or Davis simply plays human. The West is brutal 1 through 14 and unfortunately for the Pelicans they're on the outside looking in. Which leads all conversations to, "will he stay or will he go?" 

LUKA !!!

One question pretty much sums up how spectacular this young basketball Jedi has been:
WHO WOULD YOU TRADE LUKA FOR?

Only in the NBA,
eightychoices.