2019-2020 NBA Season

Shadowlight

Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
3,882
Several things. First that was funny when PC came out in full honky mode. Looked like a beach dude as Bucky noticed he was channeling Buddy Harrelson. Then he promptly gets screwed with one judge giving him an 8. Dwayne Wade?

And I am not stiff to the point where I can't laugh at a white player once in a while when the Greek Freak was holding the ball and they said if PC injures him going up for a dunk they will cut him immediately.

Even though he won't win he made his mark. I don't think I have ever seen a dunk like his second one. The angle looked too cramped and he had a couple of false starts but not only did he nail the dunk he touched the ball off the backboard before he dunked it. That is phenomenal hang time. He received all tens for that one. I am still trying to process that tap the backboard move. Wow.

Pat did us proud.
 

Shadowlight

Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
3,882
They are bitterly complaining in the booth especially Kenny Smith ( a real annoyance) that Aaron Gordon didn't win or at least tie. His power dunks were impressive but I thought the winner Jones had more aesthetically pleasing to the eye dunks. And Pat I thought had the most distinct dunk of the night. Who the hell can tap the ball against the backboard and still flush it down?

That chick in the suit interviewing the players on the court ( Kristen Ledlow) looks hot as hell.

I don't plan on watching the all star game Sunday. It is yet another useless pro sport all star exhibition as the players go up and down the court in a bore fest.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
Pat Connaughton had a 44 inch vertical when he was at the NBA Combine a few years ago. That is the 3rd highest vertical leap ever measured at the NBA Scouting Combine!
Here is his first dunk in the nba dunk contest.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
Here is Connaugton on his 2nd Dunk and he got robbed from the finals. Best dunk of the night right here. He missed the finals by 1 points with very biased judges!
 

Tannehill17

Mentor
Joined
Dec 29, 2012
Messages
1,375
Location
Miami FL
This entire All Star Game is one giant blackfest. They were running down the history of Chicago and you would think the entire city was made up of nothing but black people.
 

BeyondFedUp

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
4,468
Location
United States
Luka playing lights out, once again...
 

Shadowlight

Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
3,882
Luka had a big game last night but I will raise you one.

I have been watching the Celtics games ( I get every game on cable) closely for the last month plus and Gordon Hayward has been coming on like gangbusters. Last night he was virtually flawless. He scored 29 points ( 13 in the decisive 3rd quarter) on 12-17 from the field. He went 2-4 from three and scored on pull ups, drives to the basket and even flushed it down. As usual his floor sense was superb as he handed out 6 assists and pulled down 5 boards to go along with 2 steals. Worth mentioning his teammate C Daniel Theis had a career game with 25 points and 16 rebounds.

All of this begs two questions? Is Gordon all the way back from his injury two years ago? And has he reclaimed the title of best white NBA player in the game?

Hayward still suffers from a type of lag which happens more frequently after the Celtics play a cluster of games. During these spells Gordon's shot doesn't fall as easily and he seems sluggish. But those moments are less frequent than last season and if anything he seems to be leaping as well or better than anytime in his career. He is finally getting his legs back after LeBron James deliberately snapped his ankle in two during the first game of the 2017 season.

So who is the best white player in the game so far this season? Talk about a neat barroom argument?

Some might consider big men like Sabonis, who is having a break out season or Jokic. I think most would reflexively answer Doncic who will be just 21 in a few days. If you were starting a franchise today Luka would clearly be the first pick. But for now I believe the best white player this season is the 29 year old Hayward.

At first flush Luka seems to be the man. He is averaging 29 plus points a game and throwing down triple doubles like they grow on trees. Dallas doesn't have great overall talent but with Doncic in charge they are firmly entrenched as a playoff team with a 34-22 record.

Hayward is averaging nearly 18 points a game but a closer look at their comparative stats is interesting. Doncic averages over 20 shots a game whereas Hayward averages just 13 plus. Hayward is shooting a career high 51% from the field and 39.5% from three. He is also hitting free throws at an 86% clip. Luke is shooting over 46 % from the field, 32.7 from three and 76% from the free throw line.

Luka is the better rebounder at 9.6 to Hayward's 6.7. He also has him beat in assists with 8.6 to 4.1 but that stat is deceptive. Luka is averaging over 4 turnovers a game and Gordon is only turning over the ball at a 1.7 % clip. I also give the defensive edge to Hayward due to his experience.

While it is true the Celtics have a better overall roster they are a sturdy 39-16 for the year. To be fair Gordon doesn't have to do as much as Luka due to being on a better team but there is still something to be said for a player's ability to seamlessly integrate and help his teammates perform at a high level. It is called the art of winning and it is an underrated tool when talent gurus examine individual players. This notion of course is foreign to the many black ball hogs that are littered throughout the league. Former Celtic Kyrie Irving, who is out for the season with an injury, is a prime example of a ball hog who makes his team worse.

Makes for an interesting discussion and while Luka's career arc is just starting and looks enticing for the time being I think Hayward has regained the mantle of best white player in the game. And when he is firing on all cylinders he is easily one of the smoothest looking talents in the NBA.
 
Last edited:

ramicackle

Guru
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
245
Location
California
Last night Doncic, Porzingis, and Kleber combined for 83 points, 14 assists, and 23 rebounds in the win for Dallas.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
Luka had a big game last night but I will raise you one.

I have been watching the Celtics games ( I get every game on cable) closely for the last month plus and Gordon Hayward has been coming on like gangbusters. Last night he was virtually flawless. He scored 29 points ( 13 in the decisive 3rd quarter) on 12-17 from the field. He went 2-4 from three and scored on pull ups, drives to the basket and even flushed it down. As usual his floor sense was superb as he handed out 6 assists and pulled down 5 boards to go along with 2 steals. Worth mentioning his teammate C Daniel Theis had a career game with 25 points and 16 rebounds.

All of this begs two questions? Is Gordon all the way back from his injury two years ago? And has he reclaimed the title of best white NBA player in the game?

Hayward still suffers from a type of lag which happens more frequently after the Celtics play a cluster of games. During these spells Gordon's shot doesn't fall as easily and he seems sluggish. But those moments are less frequent than last season and if anything he seems to be leaping as well or better than anytime in his career. He is finally getting his legs back after LeBron James deliberately snapped his ankle in two during the first game of the 2017 season.

So who is the best white player in the game so far this season? Talk about a neat barroom argument?

Some might consider big men like Sabonis, who is having a break out season or Jokic. I think most would reflexively answer Doncic who will be just 21 in a few days. If you were starting a franchise today Luka would clearly be the first pick. But for now I believe the best white player this season is the 29 year old Hayward.

At first flush Luka seems to be the man. He is averaging 29 plus points a game and throwing down triple doubles like they grow on trees. Dallas doesn't have great overall talent but with Doncic in charge they are firmly entrenched as a playoff team with a 34-22 record.

Hayward is averaging nearly 18 points a game but a closer look at their comparative stats is interesting. Doncic averages over 20 shots a game whereas Hayward averages just 13 plus. Hayward is shooting a career high 51% from the field and 39.5% from three. He is also hitting free throws at an 86% clip. Luke is shooting over 46 % from the field, 32.7 from three and 76% from the free throw line.

Luka is the better rebounder at 9.6 to Hayward's 6.7. He also has him beat in assists with 8.6 to 4.1 but that stat is deceptive. Luka is averaging over 4 turnovers a game and Gordon is only turning over the ball at a 1.7 % clip. I also give the defensive edge to Hayward due to his experience.

While it is true the Celtics have a better overall roster they are a sturdy 39-16 for the year. To be fair Gordon doesn't have to do as much as Luka due to being on a better team but there is still something to be said for a player's ability to seamlessly integrate and help his teammates perform at a high level. It is called the art of winning and it is an underrated tool when talent gurus examine individual players. This notion of course is foreign to the many black ball hogs that are littered throughout the league. Former Celtic Kyrie Irving, who is out for the season with an injury, is a prime example of a ball hog who makes his team worse.

Makes for an interesting discussion and while Luka's career arc is just starting and looks enticing for the time being I think Hayward has regained the mantle of best white player in the game. And when he is firing on all cylinders he is easily one of the smoothest looking talents in the NBA.


Good analysis but it's Luka Doncic hands down. He will do things even the great Larry Bird struggled to do. He just barely turned 21 a few weeks ago. Think about that and let it register. This is
historic what he is doing. He has taken a very bad Dallas team and turned them into a championship contender. He goes toe to toe with Lebron, Giannis A, Harden and others. It's really not
even close and I do love Gordon Hayward. I just have to be honest. We are seeing greatness at such a level it's hard to even being to comprehend. Enjoy it brother.

D. Gallinari is having a great year but here another guy that doesn't get talked about enough. Bojan Bogdanovic is averaging 21 pts a game for Utah! Outstanding player!

https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3593/bojan-bogdanovic
 
Last edited:

Old Scratch

Mentor
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
1,055
Luka had a big game last night but I will raise you one.
I noticed even last year you undersold Doncic.

He had such a leap in his 2nd year he's already in the conversation for not just the best white player, but the best player in the NBA period. Without his ankle injuries he was in the running with LeBron James and Giannis Attettettetetetetsdfjkaskdf as the league MVP and putting up a record high PER and some of the best advanced stats in league history.

The assist totals aren't misleading, he had at one point (and might still) the most potential assists per game the teammates around him simply were not converting. Now that Porzingis is starting to get consistently good those assist totals will rise. As early as next year Luka Doncic might be the consensus best player in the NBA, Hayward will never be that.
 

BeyondFedUp

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
4,468
Location
United States
Luka is a kid still to people but the brutha's are probably hating that he is "the man"!
 

Shadowlight

Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
3,882
Miami's Goran Dragic is coming off a nice five game stretch including a terrific game last night sealing the win against the Nets with a 19 point 10 assist effort. He also helped recently beat his fellow Croat young buddy Luka Doncic's Dallas team with a 16 point 5 assist box score.

Miami has been struggling of late so these last two wins were essential. Promising rookie guard Tyler Herro has been out for a long stretch with an injury but they also feature sharp shooter Duncan Robinson. They will need Herro down the stretch. I am sure White Lightening would agree.

But back to Dragic a real white rarity in the NBA. Standing at 6'3" he is basically both a point guard and a scoring guard and now at 33 he is coming off the bench. But unlike many white vets like JJ Redick or Kyle Korver, Dragic isn't just a "shooter." With his smooth athleticism, quickness and guile Dragic can handle the ball and drive to score or dish. A smart player too who usually plays on winning teams.

But looking back on his early years it looked like he would be yet just another white bench scrub. He averaged under 10 points his first five seasons and it wasn't until he was traded to Phoenix in 2012 that his career arc changed.

He has settled in nicely at Miami since 2014 and has been really solid this season averaging over 16 points and 5 plus assists a game. You figure at his age he is one of the team leaders at this point.

There aren't enough white players in the NBA his size who get to facilitate things and hang around like he has done for years now. Just a really good player who has often been overlooked. I've always been a big fan.

As mentioned in earlier above posts this Miami team is one to root for.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
ESDwqwmXUAAKTPg
Porzingis with the most monster stat line of the year! Over the last month he has played as good as any player in the nba. Luka is amazing but they need Porzingis to
be a championship team. This dynamic duo is so fun to watch. So happy for K.P. :)
 

Shadowlight

Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
3,882
Billed as the match up between the two biggest young stars in the game it was Luka vs Zion. If this was a boxing match it would have been a knockout by Luka.

Zion's box score is deceptive. He shot 50% and ended up with 21 points but he barely rebounded and had trouble shooting over the size of Kleber and sometimes Porzingis. He was glued to the paint the entire game and didn't impact things. The whole point of a burly (Zion is fat) player is to defensive rebound and so far in his early career Zion gets most of his rebounds on his own misses. They said he was tired since it was a back to back game but to me he looks one step away from the infirmary. Even his legendary lift wasn't on full display last night. I know it was just one game but too many red flags for Zion in my estimations. If one was building a franchise it is a no brainer to start with Luka over Zion despite the breathless media swooning over Zion's athleticism.

Dallas has some faults. Their perimeter defense is slack, they have no front court depth and other than Doncic they have no other ball handlers. They also need a versatile forward.

Doncic had 10 assists last night but seven turnovers and I think part of that is due to the fact he has to facilitate everything. Another adept ball handler would allow Luka to score easier baskets like back door layups something I don't see on this current team. They need to address that next season too.

They do have a couple of decent shooters in Hardaway and Curry. Doncic hit a key three pointer in overtime ( I watched the game up until OT) and he was 4-11 from behind the arc but he has struggled with the three pointer for weeks now and some suspect some of that is due to a bad thumb which he had X-rayed after this game?

But Doncic had 16 defensive boards ( that is clearing the decks) and scored 30 for the night and he pretty much dribbled wherever he wanted to on the floor. The media does mention Doncic as one of the top young players, this morning they listed him on top on ESPN but there are often digs at his athleticism. He is not a high flying speedster with lightening quickness but he is very mobile, has some quickness with the ball and can finish at the rim. I would say he is a better athlete than James Harden. And has better all around skills than Harden.

As White Lightening pointed out above Porzingis has been on a tear of late and last night he was once again showing glimpses of his old self. He had 5 blocks early and finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds. At one time KP was the next big thing but injuries have held him back. He has had a history of health problems so the biggest concern for Dallas is his health. But if he can play at full strength he has shown recently what a dynamic force he is and if Dallas can improve on the areas I listed above they could end up as title contenders in a year or two.
 

jacknyc

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 14, 2006
Messages
4,091
Miami's Goran Dragic is . . . Just a really good player who has often been overlooked. I've always been a big fan.

I've always liked Dragic too. As you said, a very good, versatile, and underrated player.

In thinking about the best white players in the NBA, they are virtually all European. The Europeans learn basketball fundamentals and skills, much more so than American players.
I think some kids should start looking to play overseas instead of college. They will learn more and their games will progress more quickly.
Not every kid is suited for that kind of transition, but some of the more determined ones might be.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
I've always liked Dragic too. As you said, a very good, versatile, and underrated player.

In thinking about the best white players in the NBA, they are virtually all European. The Europeans learn basketball fundamentals and skills, much more so than American players.
I think some kids should start looking to play overseas instead of college. They will learn more and their games will progress more quickly.
Not every kid is suited for that kind of transition, but some of the more determined ones might be.

Good point jacknyc. I agree and from a racial perspective it would help them too. So many U.S. teams are all black or nearly all black with alot of ball hogs. They actually can get to
contribute alot more playing pro ball in Europe, South America and even Asia. Especially Europe as they have the most talented leagues outside of the nba.

I am really pumped about Luka Doncic. We already saw Dirk Nowitzki become only the 6th nba player to score over 30,000 points in his career. Think about that? It's amazing. So Dirk
starting the wave and with players lilke Doncic who is a legitimate MVP Type Player for the next decade we could see this wave turn into a tidal wave. It tells european players they can be
the best and make alot of money. I expect more Doncic types in the future just like McCaffrey should help inspire more white kids here in our country.
 

Bucky

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Messages
9,097
Monster Game for Haynes! I've been watching the LA vs Milwaukee matchup. Bucks making a comeback to keep it close. Divencenzo is a future star. Has been silky smooth and efficient with 17pts off the bench. Pat has 5pts and 7reb.
 

white lightning

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 16, 2004
Messages
20,688
Monster Game for Haynes! I've been watching the LA vs Milwaukee matchup. Bucks making a comeback to keep it close. Divencenzo is a future star. Has been silky smooth and efficient with 17pts off the bench. Pat has 5pts and 7reb.

They really need to start Divencenzo. He is so athletic not to mention talented. I compare him to a more athletic Tyler Herro.
 

Bucky

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Messages
9,097
Commissioner Skeletor has just suspended the NBA Season. Apparently Black "Frenchman" Rudy Gobert has tested positive. The hysteria around Coronavirus is full speed ahead.
 

jaydeedubya

Newbie
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Messages
62
Commissioner Skeletor has just suspended the NBA Season. Apparently Black "Frenchman" Rudy Gobert has tested positive. The hysteria around Coronavirus is full speed ahead.

This is truly unprecedented. I’ve never in my lifetime seen hysteria like we’re seeing now over this Chinese flu. Oh wait....I seem to recall an election in 2016 that nearly rocked the world off its orbit....

But seriously...suspending the NBA season because one player tested positive? Good grief!!!
 

TomIron361

Mentor
Joined
Jan 23, 2017
Messages
691
This is truly unprecedented. I’ve never in my lifetime seen hysteria like we’re seeing now over this Chinese flu. Oh wait....I seem to recall an election in 2016 that nearly rocked the world off its orbit....

But seriously...suspending the NBA season because one player tested positive? Good grief!!!
That's all this is, an exercise in hysteria. That's what I said at a town meeting once, back when London had a plague epidemic (70k dead), the London mayor and council did what they could to maintain calm, nowadays, it's the government that keeps revving up hysteria.
 
Top