Real Deal

I'm still here. Forever, lol.

Magic @ Pistons Wizards @ Pacers Cavs @ Raptors Bulls @ Heat Pelicans @ Nets Rockets @ Hawks Knicks @ Grizzlies Thunder @ Wolves Hornets @ Spurs Nuggets @ Jazz Mavs @ Suns Blazers @ Kings Lots of games on tap for tonight. Talk about all of them in here!

Sixers @ Celtics Lakers @ Warriors ------ Well, this didn't turn out too well for the Lakers. Didn't really keep it competitive, and the Warriors didn't play as good as they could've. Darvin Ham has a lot of work to do. And it looks like there may be a big Celtics/Sixers rivalry brewing. You can tell none of them like each other.

Who is your 2021-22 NBA MVP?

Man, I sure wish we had some activity on here. Smh. It might be time to bring out the shovel. These will change, I'm sure. I'm going to say that Barnes will sustain what he's doing, and as long as Herro stays the 6th man, he'll win it. If Miami finishes as the #1 defense, Bam will likely get the DPOY. The MVP race will be interesting, especially if the Bucks and/or Nets stay out of the top 3 (the Nets, especially). And Ja Morant is having an MVP year, and playing out of his mind vs. last season, where I felt he was a borderline all-star. MVP: Stephen Curry DPOY: Bam Adebayo ROY: Scottie Barnes MIP: Ja Morant 6MOY: Tyler Herro

Russ has been in a couple of trade rumors, but the biggest has been to the Lakers, who are looking for a point guard after talk of not wanting to pay Dennis Schroder. Of course, the rumor includes trading Kuzma, who has been in every trade discussion since his career began. But more importantly, how would Russ fit in with LeBron and AD? Westbrook is a ball-dominant, stat-piling firework that can dictate the tempo of a game and play with maximum effort for 48 minutes a night. But with that comes defensive lapses, bad shot selection, and frustrating possessions. If we look at crunch time, and FG%, he's one of the best (if not the best) in the NBA during the last five minutes of the game. That's a goo stat. But that doesn't tell how many bad turnovers he had in between his shot-making. Does the trade make sense for the Lakers? What do the Wizards need to get back, and how does this help them with Bradley Beal (keeping or dealing him)?

Losses to Nigeria and Argentina meant something after all, after their loss to France to open the Tokyo Olympics. It meant that Team USA is not a team, but a collection of players that play little defense, show little urgency, are far less physical than required, and take no pride in playing for their country. There are a lot of things wrong with USA basketball, IMO. Everything above, along with no leader? How can you expect to win gold when you can't defend or score against what the average NBA fan considers inferior talent?

Here's the official thread for Team USA basketball.

Alright, so we can debate the top PF's all day long, but in no particular order: Tim Duncan Dirk Nowitzki Karl Malone Charles Barkley Kevin Garnett These are usually the five that stand out the most on any top 10 list. Does Giannis make the top 5? Kevin McHale Bob Pettit Pau Gasol Elvin Hayes Dennis Rodman How about top 10? I think him leading the Bucks to the Finals, and winning a ring, obviously puts him in the top 10. However, averaging what he did against Phoenix (35/13/5) and hanging a 50-piece on the Suns in the close-out game to win it all? That was something amazing.

The answer is yes. Time to close it up!

Barnes? Yes, I would. I guess it just depends on player development, though. I'm not quite sure how that is in Toronto, Cleveland or Houston...really, their fans know more about it than I do. He just needs someone to stick him into the gym and work on his shot every day, and not an assistant that just tells him to go shoot, but one that can take a look at his form and tell him (show him) exactly what he's doing wrong.

Barnes should be drafted by the 5th pick. I don't see how Orlando passes him up for anyone else in this draft. Do I take him any earlier? Possibly, but it wouldn't surprise me, either. To me, it's funny that his first name is Scottie...because he can be SCOTTIE PIPPEN if he improves his jumper and FT shooting. He's around the same size, defends extremely well, and can run an offense as a point-forward. Yeah, that's a massive ceiling, and I'm probably the only person giving him that ceiling...but it's better than hearing a name like Ben Simmons. A while back, I think it was Tim Legler that said he plays a little like Draymond Green. That makes sense, also. I just don't know if you want to stick Barnes at the five and risk losing some of his abilities as both an offensive and defensive player. So, yes, he's a top five pick for me. I'm not taking him over Cade, though. Barnes would be a clear-cut #2, IMO, if it wasn't for him potentially being a Ben Simmons. Maybe Ben's current struggles actually hurt Barnes in this draft...that would be crazy.

Well, it sure didn't go my way, lmao. 1) Detroit Pistons - Cade Cunningham (going #1 no matter what) 2) Houston Rockets - Jalen Green 3) Cleveland Cavaliers - Evan Mobley 4) Toronto Raptors - Jalen Suggs 5) Orlando Magic - Scottie Barnes Top 5. I'd be shocked if Barnes doesn't go somewhere 2-5.

13 years ago!!!

So when this happens: Giannis - 32 PTS on 14/23 FG (61%), 9 REB, 6 AST Middleton - 29 PTS on 12/23 FG (52%), 7 REB, 5 AST Holiday - 27 PTS on 12/20 FG (60%), 4 REB, 13 AST The Bucks are nearly impossible to beat. That's damn near 90 points (88!) between their best three players, 38/66 shooting (58%). The scary part is, Phoenix shot 55/68/91 as a team. They were outrebounded by just 2 boards. They had only 8 turnovers (to Milwaukee's 11). The Suns had 9 steals and 5 blocks, and the Bucks only had 7 steals and 1 block. The Suns did everything they were supposed to do, other than just make a couple extra shots at the end of the game. That's it. And this was in Phoenix. Uh oh. I've still got the Bucks in 6. They are closing them out on Tuesday. I don't see how the Suns are going to win in Milwaukee, especially when Giannis smells blood in the water.

MVP (most valuable collective regular seasons): Kobe Bryant Playoff MVP (most valuable collective playoff games): LeBron James Finals MVP (most valuable collective Finals games): Shaquille O'Neal ROY (best rookie season): Luka Doncic MIP (most improved player from one season to another): Giannis Antetokounmpo COY (best coach): Phil Jackson DPOY-Frontcourt (best defensive player up front): Ben Wallace DPOY-Backcourt (best defensive player on the perimeter): Tony Allen Sixth Man (best sixth man): Lou Williams Best Team (if a playoffs were held, what team would win): 2001 Lakers All-NBA First Team (three frontcourt, two backcourt): Shaq, Duncan, LeBron, Kobe, Curry All-NBA Second Team (same as above): Dirk, KG, Durant, Wade, Iverson All-NBA Third Team (same): Joker, Giannis, Kawhi, Westbrook, CP3 Those All-NBA teams were tough. I left Nash off because CP3 is a better overall player, and he's in the Finals. I don't believe Nash deserved at least one of his MVP's, either. Westbrook had to appear on one of them, because the man has averaged a triple-double in FOUR seasons. I nearly put him over Iverson, but AI was unstoppable on offense and he carried a team to the Finals and had a huge Game 1 vs. who I consider the best team in the 2000's. And finally, Giannis is putting up record numbers in the playoffs, but I can't put him over Dirk and KG until he wins a ring. Outside of Iverson, all of my first and second teamers have at least one championship. The first team is loaded.

I'm curious to hear your MVP awards for the 2000's. Criteria is simple: current or retired players, playing from 2000-2021, and their play is collective, not specific to one season unless otherwise stated. So, the MVP is how valuable they were from 2000-2021, not their best single season. Candidates do not have to be prior winners of the award. Ex. your DPOY could be Marcus Smart. Michael Jordan meets the criteria as a member of the Wizards, but NOT his play from 1984-99, so his prime seasons do not count. Just an FYI. Any questions, ask away. MVP (most valuable collective regular seasons): Playoff MVP (most valuable collective playoff games): Finals MVP (most valuable collective Finals games): ROY (best rookie season): MIP (most improved player from one season to another): COY (best coach): DPOY-Frontcourt (best defensive player up front): DPOY-Backcourt (best defensive player on the perimeter): Sixth Man (best sixth man): Best Team (if a playoffs were held, what team would win): All-NBA First Team (three frontcourt, two backcourt): All-NBA Second Team (same as above): All-NBA Third Team (same): If you have any other ideas, add them!

LOL Battletoads. Yeah man, at least get Rose back. He's a big part of the Knicks' success in the second half of the season. Dude averaged 17 off the bench during that 12-1 run...19/4/5 on 48% FG (47% 3PT!) in the playoffs.

Yeah, funny enough, it's a team's youth that gives them the upper hand. You don't have a bunch of "old heads" (other than CP3, haha) who are too stubborn to change the way they play. I remember Nash wanting to run his seven-second offense in LA, with Kobe, Gasol and Dwight, and it wasn't going to work. He also needed to take just a few more shots per game, and let Kobe handle the ball at times, and he just couldn't do it. Right, and I get that. He missed a wide-open layup about 6 inches from the rim because he was tired. I'm just saying I'd like for him to attack more, even if it's giving him less shots than he's taking. I mean, if he's struggling all game, every game, then 20 shots is too many. I'd rather him go at CP3, maybe get up around 10 shots or more at the rim, and put pressure on Paul, or even get him into foul trouble. I don't know.

I will say that I believe the Bucks have figured out the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix just needs to sustain their offense and not get into foul trouble, and they should win their first ring. I'm still taking the Bucks in six.

Could be out anywhere from 9-12 months...so they COULD have him back by mid-April, in time for their playoff run (if they make the playoffs).

Well then...

Yep. Cleveland will probably go with Ziaire Williams, or something. And watch Ziaire gain about 60 pounds and turn into LeBron 2.0, just because I said that.

Yeah, Giannis is on an entirely different level than everyone else in the Finals, honestly. Middleton and Booker both had 40+ tonight, but Giannis' 26/14/8 was more impressive for me. He was out there bringing the ball up at times, and running the offense. And he's the defensive anchor. You hear a lot about Anthony Davis doing things like that, but very rarely GA because he's just so dominant inside. For me, this was it for Milwaukee. If they lost this one, they were done GM5 on Saturday. I'd like to see Holiday attacking the rim more. He's not hitting his jumpers (he's had three bad games this series, shooting-wise). He's obviously the elite perimeter defender on the Bucks, and he's a good rebounding PG, but if he's going to shoot 4-20, those shots need to go to someone else. Typically, he's a good shooter, but out of 21 playoff games this season, he's shot under 40% a surprising 11 times. He's a 50/39 shooter in the regular season. The Bucks have two more chances to win in Phoenix. Of course, they need one to win a championship. They better hope it's on Saturday, because I don't think they can win a Game 7 on the Suns' home floor.

Yeah, I doubt SGA is on the table. I've read otherwise, but I really doubt those rumors are true. Nowadays, there are only a handful of sources I trust. SGA's ceiling is a superstar, and if someone (the Thunder, or any team) can build around him and provide him with an all-star caliber teammate, he can be THAT guy. Suggs has a lot of potential, also. I can't say he can hit SGA's ceiling, but he can definitely be an all-star in this league if he plays his cards right.