2024 NBA Midseason Report: MVP, title contenders, and the next generation

#nba #nbapodcast #nuggets #76ers #thunder #joelembiid #nikolajokic #shaigilgeousalexander #lukadoncic #giannis #mvp #pacers #celtics #jaysontatum

[@neoxsupreme]

James Harden doesn't have noteworthy playoff experience? His Rockets were one quarter away from beating arguably the most stacked team in NBA history and going to the Finals in 2018. It took an injury to CP3 and the team's historically bad shooting night from deep to derail them. Harden has never missed the playoffs in his 15-year career.

[@chemicalhap]

Choking experience in the playoffs. I guess you could consider that "noteworthy".

[@chemicalhap]

The best player on the best team doing so much more than just scoring...but you know...eh i dont think Tatum cares about the MVP...i think its all about championship.

[@elizaschaeffer34]

If I told you there was a player in the league leading their team to the 2nd seed amongst all sorts of personnel and coaching setbacks, who is the first player in history to average 30+ on 60+% and he isn’t even on the mvp ladder or being discussed in the media, would you believe it? Well it’s true. It’s giannis. Again. Being ignored. 31/12/7 on 61% 70% from the line 65% true shooting plus a block and a steal since December for the 2nd seed in the east. 4th in triple doubles this season. Owns the 2 highest scoring games this season. But for whatever reason he doesn’t lead the race. Odd.

[@FSVR54]

allowed to travel and push off on every drive by the league. low skill player that's been propped up

[@chemicalhap]

2nd seed? Eh not really maybe 3rd seed. With that defense? Now the best player on the best team?...guess what that ain't Giannis.

[@Seven9_exchange]

Minnesota just beat the Clippers pretty handedly. They are not better than Minnesota.

[@davidng8870]

A win is a win there are no moral victories. But it’s a four point game without their starting centre, I don’t think you can say they definitely win a series against the Clippers. Both teams have holes. Clippers are a little small, missing a true 4. Some of the role players are flawed at their role, Powell is not a great defender, Mann lacks confidence in his shot, WB is a wildcard. Wolves I don’t watch like that but I think their offence is a little lacking. Ultimately it’s a subjective assessment as to what team construction you like better but if fully healthy I think Clips look more like what I expect a championship team to look like. A top 5-10 player, an all NBA level player and an all star, rather than quality across the board but no top ten guy. Good on both sides rather than elite on one side and average on the other. One center with ability to play five out rather than two bigs. Vets with experience contending rather than guys who have limited playoff experience. I think Minny presents challenges that will befuddle teams initially but that they might be worked out over a series

[@shaft9000]

So from one game without Zubac you've decided what's what...ohhhh-kay, believe what you want to :)

[@Zipperace]

Saying the Clippers have a better change to win it than the Wolves is an insane take

[@davidng8870]

It’s Vegas’s take as well

[@shaft9000]

wtf lol Minn has not won a playoff series in TWENTY YEARS...naw, kiddo. You are the one being goofy, most def.

[@Zipperace]

@@shaft9000 yikes

[@michaelhurt9779]

Russ and harden got just as much playoff success as anybody on Celtics other than jrue

[@shaft9000]

PG13 closed out the #1 seed Utah AND got 2 more games vs PHX in the '21 WCF ....with Reggie Jackson as the next-best player. He had the most 20+ scoring games in the Western conference playoffs while also averaging 29/10/5. For some reason, this bounce-back from the '20 playoffs is overlooked entirely, and often.

[@muddeer5383]

young is the most overrated player i’ve seen, and i’ve been watching nba closely since 1979. media hype and yt highlight culture went amok

[@collllllll]

Agreed!

[@k_hack9441]

To his credit, he shows up in the playoffs but yes, he cannot be your best guy. Maybe not even the 2nd best guy.

[@superdopehiphop]

⁠​⁠@@k_hack9441he did once, but overall not really. 40.2% FG% 29.7% 3P% 4.4 TPG Horrific defense

[@k_hack9441]

@@superdopehiphop horrible defense yes, but that’s him shooting too much also. That’s why he can’t be THE GUY but needs to be someone’s #2.

[@superdopehiphop]

@@k_hack9441 my point was that’s not really “showing up” in the playoffs overall if your efficiency/tpg/defense are all horrid to bad range. He did have a good ECF run though.

[@peterkrueger4531]

If you include LA and gsw because of who they are doesn't mean you do the same for MN it's really a new wolves team maybe not win it all but they are a better team than the 03/04 year

[@radezzientertainment501]

can we pls get some timestamps??

[@masterofthecraft1990]

MVP is not a race it’s Joel

[@elizaschaeffer34]

How? He misses 3 games every time he “goes on a tear”. He’s dodging games to maintain his stats. It’s gross. Other guys are doing what Joel does and playing every single game for a higher seed.

[@samuellittle7708]

Joel would be if there wasn’t was the 65 game eligibility requirement. Shai is gonna win it

[@elizaschaeffer34]

@@Mr.WayneJr30 it’s just my belief. I’m kind of a hater yes. I really feel like Joel gets a lot of special treatment. Refs give him more leniency on physicality that other players have a foul called against them for. I think it’s odd that he “sustained an injury” prior to Xmas but played the remainder of the game but then needed the entire road trip off. He took those games off. He values himself above his team. So yeah. I am a hater. I don’t like his entitled attitude.

[@elizaschaeffer34]

@@Mr.WayneJr30 17 straight games with how many rest days in between? Giannis is averaging a 31 point double double. Hes averaging 31/12/7 on 61% with 65%ts. On a higher seeded team. And he’s missed one game. Instead of taking games off bc he’s afraid he won’t be able to maintain his stats, he plays and contributes in anyway he can even if Hes facilitating more than scoring. SGA is also posting similarly impressive stats while not taking days off. Sorry but we moved on from the era of taking days off. All but embiid has moved on that is.

[@elizaschaeffer34]

@@Mr.WayneJr30 1. I never said he is rewarded FTs falsely. I said he gets away with flagrant and dirty plays. He gets away with DEFENSIVE physicality the same level of which his opponents are called for. This is literally undeniable and happens at least once every night he decides to compete 2. It’s not odd to feel it the next day no. But if an injury is severe enough to sideline a player for a week, he’d have felt that immediately & rested to maintain health rather than pushing to achieve statistical averages. You can disagree with me, it’s fine. But you 100% will NOT change my mind on Joel. I’ve don’t a lot of research and analytic work on embiid (contextual and statistical).

[@astropo]

Legs is right about tanking. Keep that same perspective when discussing dealing good players from so-so teams to contenders. It makes the contenders more fun but it makes the rebuilding team much, much less fun to follow.

[@tallen651]

A lot can happen before the trade deadline. What if a team get Dejounte Murray or if a team picks up Siakam and can get a big boost for playoff consideration.

[@joex222]

Minnesota is going to be underrated until they win it all. They almost won it last year, but Naz and Jaden McDaniels got hurt.

[@stefasaurus2476]

Almost won it last year lol. In that case Embiid almost won too

[@gnomechomsky2524]

They lost 4-1 in the first round last year, how is that “almost winning the championship” lol

[@joex222]

@@gnomechomsky2524 They only lost badly in one game against Denver. I can argue they beat Denver if those 2 were healthy.

[@gnomechomsky2524]

@@joex222 So if they just won 3more games against Denver, then 4 more games in the next series, and then 4 more games in the next series, then 4 more games in the next series, they would’ve won the championship. Therefore they almost won the championship. Right?

[@davidng8870]

Clippers almost won it last year too 😂 we also lost in five and got injured

[@drippington7967]

great conversation and analysis!