April 7th - New Orleans Pelicans @ Brooklyn Nets - 22-28

[Pelicanidae]

He's actually marginally exceeded my expectations. He's not totally basketball dead. I could see him eventually busting out a 30 point game as he is. But...it would be because he got slightly hot from deep and made like five or six 3s.

But...if he's basically playing as good as he can ever play again? I wouldn't be shocked. When you're so tiny, losing what quickness and explosion you had is a death knell.

Yeah I could see there being an outlier scoring night here or there - you can get those from basically any NBA player regardless, remember the almighty Terrence Jones 36pt 11rbd game from a few years back?

But he's played two games for us so far.

Game 1: 10pts, 2asts - 4/13 from the floor, 2/6 from 3
Game 2: 11pts, 3asts - 4/12 from the floor, 1/6 from 3

So in his 2 games with us so far he is averaging: 10.5pts, 2.5asts, 0.5rbds per game on 32%FG (8/25) and 25%3PT (3/12). And he's been somehow probably the worst defender on the team in both of those games as well.

He's bad, flat out. Not sure why some people find that so hard to accept: like you say, it's what you expect when a 5'9 score-first player loses all of their burst. Sucks but it's true.

[KoMikaera]

NBA is trending towards a new type of boredom. 3 point shootouts dominated by superteams.

[PolishFan]

NBA is trending towards a new type of boredom. 3 point shootouts dominated by superteams.

Very true. I miss Oakley type battles. It’s too soft now but then I got happy when Hayes hit his three again

[Pelicanidae]

NBA is trending towards a new type of boredom. 3 point shootouts dominated by superteams.

The superteam critique I get but I've never understood the idea that lots of 3s = boredom.

Firstly, the fact that two teams might shoot a lot of threes says absolutely nothing about how they generate them. Teams play very different styles of basketball with very different types of creation and different offensive structures, and reducing them both down to ''they shoot threes'' is as silly as saying the 2001 Lakers and the 1979 Blazers were the same type of boredom because they both revolved around post threats.

Secondly, and this is personal opinion, the NBA has never been more exciting to watch than it is today. Go back and re-watch a game from like, 1995 or 2004 and be stunned by how painfully dull it is most of the time. The level of play today is so much higher than in the past, it's almost insane.

[13 - 3]

This is precisely the attitude you have to have atm I think.

Did anyone come into this game expecting a win, even assuming a good Zion performance? I hope not. So when you get a poor Zion performance as well, why is anyone even remotely surprised or upset that we get blown out? Anyone with a brain expected that.

Gamblers rejoice!

[13 - 3]

That's not what you were saying. You were saying he'd choose them over us especially. Those links say he'll choose Washington over ANYONE.

One is your fabricated deliberate parody and insult. The other is Beal saying the right things. And I'm sure he means it.

Just know Zion does not have to stay here forever. Apparently the fans in Brooklyn were chanting his name last night. Oh how the NBA would love him in a big market too.

[KoMikaera]

The superteam critique I get but I've never understood the idea that lots of 3s = boredom.

Firstly, the fact that two teams might shoot a lot of threes says absolutely nothing about how they generate them. Teams play very different styles of basketball with very different types of creation and different offensive structures, and reducing them both down to ''they shoot threes'' is as silly as saying the 2001 Lakers and the 1979 Blazers were the same type of boredom because they both revolved around post threats.

Secondly, and this is personal opinion, the NBA has never been more exciting to watch than it is today. Go back and re-watch a game from like, 1995 or 2004 and be stunned by how painfully dull it is most of the time. The level of play today is so much higher than in the past, it's almost insane.

I 'm not opposed to 3 point shooting as such, i'm talking about the preeminence of three point shooting in this era featuring the new superteams. I enjoy the modern game skill levels including improved shooting and old fashioned slam dunks are still cool. . As three point shooting becomes increasingly determinative of the outcome however it can trend towards a more one dimensional type of contest where grit and grind teams don't stand a chance which i personally think is a shame. And when superteams can surround the circle with KD, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, alongside a bunch of all star ring chasers they have an unfair advantage and I don't see how small market teams can be competitive, which makes it potentially boring for me supporting a small market team that exists as cannon fodder for the privileged. I'm hoping that Zion and the Pelicans can develop their own unique style and win, that would be immensely enjoyable.