November 2nd - New Orleans Pelicans @ LA Lakers - 4-2

[MichaelMcNamara]

My point is that injuries and the right matchup(s) can get you to the WCF but still not make you a "contender" IMO. Heck, that first Lebron year when he made it to the Finals vs the Spurs---- he made it all the way to the Finals and I wouldnt have called that team contenders

[hornetsrebirth]

Ya know, I've heard it said many times that one play isn't the reason you lose a game. And that may be true. But 1 play can definitely WIN you a game. And DD had TWO chances to do just that. I'm sorry but rookie, vet, or whatever to miss TWO FT's and only needing ONE is inexcusable. It makes EVERYTHING that happens after that MOOT.He makes 1 FT and who cares what Trey or anybody else does after that . While you can't say that DD lost us the game , you can say he didn't win it with TWO chances to do just that

It is said that when a plane crashes its not because something went wrong. An airplane wont crash if one thing fails, it takes multiple unexpected failures simultaneously for it to crash. DD missing two FTs, coach Green not having the rebounders in for the missed FT, Trey’s bonehead mistake in coverage, it all had to happen for the plane to crash.

[luckyman]

Herb was ready to go, had no pain and they chose to sit him out.
BI has been side lined for 2 weeks for concussion and this has already been discussed on here that BI is overly cautious with his injuries.

Having players that are durable would help to use the 'contender' word on here.
So yes choosing to sit both players out is an excuse as to why they lost for some.
You don't know 100% they would have won with both Herb and Brandon playing.

And you know these things about their injuries as fact how?

BI and Herb are both highly impactful players. To say they wouldn't have won given what we know about the outcome of that game is pretty illogical crazy stuff. Like we know CJ wouldn't have shot 10-27 because there is no way he takes 27 shots with BI on the floor.

I'll just let you be.

[luckyman]

Klay is playing tonight. I'm not sure if he is playing b2b games this year yet.

He sat the back end of their b2b last week.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Klay likely wont play tomorrow. Pels should be sizeable favorites and should get that W

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

And you know these things about their injuries as fact how?

BI and Herb are both highly impactful players. To say they wouldn't have won given what we know about the outcome of that game is pretty illogical crazy stuff. Like we know CJ wouldn't have shot 10-27 because there is no way he takes 27 shots with BI on the floor.

I'll just let you be.

I don't. Just what I have heard from people I assume to be reliable posters.

Look I am 99.9% sure they would have won if they played as the Pels are clearly the better team, but my original post was about how ppl on here believe the team are contenders.
Mainly the same people who over react in a loss.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Klay likely wont play tomorrow. Pels should be sizeable favorites and should get that W

GSW are currently losing to Orlando, if the Pels lose tomorrow with a full lineup what will the cool aid drinkers say about this one?

[MichaelMcNamara]

Warriors about to move to 0-5 this year on the road. We will be at full strength, Klay likely out tomorrow and Steph played 39 mins tonight

No excuses tomorrow

[MichaelMcNamara]

LOL- Hold that thought. Warriors might steal this one. Magic might pull a Daniels here

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

LOL- Hold that thought. Warriors might steal this one. Magic might pull a Daniels here

and they didn't, they will be extra pissed for tomorrow.

I'd rest Steph also.

[luckyman]

I think Klay plays tomorrow. Warriors have to be feeling kinda desperate at this point. That was a bad loss.

Meanwhile nice to see Jalen Suggs have a good 26/9 game.

[MichaelMcNamara]

A champion does not feel desperate in early November under any circumstance. Unlike fans of a team that always loses, they play the long game

[luckyman]

Champions are made of human beings. Not NBA2K my players.

When they feel they are not playing up to their standard, they respond no matter what time of year it is.

Champions dont take consecutive L after L with a smile like "meh...it's too early...let's go get daiquiris when we touch down in nola"

[The Dud]

You guys are arguing about the wrong thing. The smart thing to do after Dyson missed the first FT would have been to call timeout

Have Fred talk to Dyson and then got the other four together and said to aggressively go after the offensive board and if there was a miss, foul the rebounder. Now, they are going to the line and shooting TWO with 1 second left

I see you suffer from the dreaded "overthinking" disease. Question is...will you eventually go crazy, because of it...or would you go crazy...if you DID NOT
have it? I decided years ago, a true "overthinker"...would go insane...if he EVEN attempted to stop his overthinking.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I see you suffer from the dreaded "overthinking" disease. Question is...will you eventually go crazy, because of it...or would you go crazy...if you DID NOT
have it? I decided years ago, a true "overthinker"...would go insane...if he EVEN attempted to stop his overthinking.

No, I just know coaching. And I know not coaching. And Willie didnt coach at the most important time of the game last night. He assumed the job was done. And I bet he doesnt do that again.

[The Dud]

No, I just know coaching. And I know not coaching. And Willie didnt coach at the most important time of the game last night. He assumed the job was done. And I bet he doesnt do that again.

That was actually meant as a compliment. Sharpest guy I know is a stone cold "overthinker"...on EVERY subject. Drives others crazy at times but the guy wouldn't have it any other way. EVERY coaching staff of all major sports needs a designated overthinker...worth his/her weight in gold...since 99.9% of the head coaches are lacking in this area. Things just happen too quickly...for most decision makers to handle, on the spot.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I would agree, except there was a foul. Teams had to walk across the court, settle in before the first FT. Plenty of time to consider what to do if the kid misses the first one. Had two timeouts. No downside to taking one and giving yourself another 90 seconds to think it over. He had time.

Overthinking to me is: Answer is obvious, you get to it... and then keep thinking, needlessly, past the answer. I don't think I do that. And I dont think Willie would have been guilty of doing that if he took a TO after the first miss. His job is to put the team in the best position to win. He thought the game was already over. He wont make that mistake again

[Upper Decker]

Yeah, and watch Naji on the play. If he attacks the glass and hammers Lebron over the back on the touch, no way Lebron has time to call timeout. And if you put Jonas over Lebron, even more so.

At least coach it. If Refs choose to award the timeout over the foul, so be it. The point is that you have to coach every second of the end of a game, account for every outcome. We assumed the guy would make 1 out of 2. I bet if the same thing happens again, they will do it different but Willie is still in the learning phase and losses that should be wins happen in that phase

That's a good point. They should have been more prepared for that final 1.3 seconds.

[ml wave]

I would agree, except there was a foul. Teams had to walk across the court, settle in before the first FT. Plenty of time to consider what to do if the kid misses the first one. Had two timeouts. No downside to taking one and giving yourself another 90 seconds to think it over. He had time.

Overthinking to me is: Answer is obvious, you get to it... and then keep thinking, needlessly, past the answer. I don't think I do that. And I dont think Willie would have been guilty of doing that if he took a TO after the first miss. His job is to put the team in the best position to win. He thought the game was already over. He wont make that mistake again

Not saying you're wrong, but can you imagine the complaints about icing your own shooter if he misses the 2nd FT after the TO?

[luckyman]

Just realized they had just subbed Dyson in for that last Laker possession in regulation.

And took Zion out who had just knocked down 2 big free throws to take the lead.

Painful.

[The Dud]

I would agree, except there was a foul. Teams had to walk across the court, settle in before the first FT. Plenty of time to consider what to do if the kid misses the first one. Had two timeouts. No downside to taking one and giving yourself another 90 seconds to think it over. He had time.

Overthinking to me is: Answer is obvious, you get to it... and then keep thinking, needlessly, past the answer. I don't think I do that. And I dont think Willie would have been guilty of doing that if he took a TO after the first miss. His job is to put the team in the best position to win. He thought the game was already over. He wont make that mistake again

"Overthinking" is good...imo. That particular word is perhaps NOT the one I should have used in this instance. Obviously, your suggestion would be the best way to proceed and assuming you had come across this "solution" in the past, it required very little thought on your part. It's just built-in for you, at this point. I doubt Willie has as much built-in stuff as you do.

To me, an overthinker is a person that takes questions we run across daily...and goes through a meticulous process of analysing EVERY possible solution to that question, before reaching his conclusion. Luckily, once he decides on the proper course of action for a particular circumstance, it's basically locked-in and as a result he doesn't have to think about it again. He's covered ALL the bases already. Needless to say, if you wanna change the mind of a solid overthinker...you better pack your lunch...and bring some top notch logic to your side of the discussion.

IMO...overthinking is both a curse and a blessing. Quite useful but irritating, to most other "normal" people. A far more valuable trait is the "quickthinker". These guys are few and far between. They can come up with an ORIGINAL solution on the spur of the moment, in the heat of the battle. Not sure how it works...but their brain is just capable of operating on afterburners when needed...a totally different speed, than normal folks. I've run across a couple of them over the years...amazing people
and I've found you have to be in their physical presence to truly understand their "speed" advantage.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Not saying you're wrong, but can you imagine the complaints about icing your own shooter if he misses the 2nd FT after the TO?

Remember, part of the plan was to have Dyson talk with Fred - the God of shooting. The guy who fixes everyone. Who can do no wrong. Which reminds me….why isn’t Fred getting any heat for those two misses? If Dyson makes two with the Pels down 1, I bet Freddy would’ve got all the praise, no?

[AusPel]

Dyson is at 67% from three over the last 1 games

He was fairly rubbish before that

Fred deserves a lot of credit

[ml wave]

Dyson is at 67% from three over the last 1 games

He was fairly rubbish before that

Fred deserves a lot of credit

Lol...and 3s are obviously worth more than FTs so it makes sense that's his priority.

[luckyman]

Just bumping this as to why you foul


Last night in the Mavericks/Nets game KD could have tied the game with 5.6 seconds left by making 3 free throws. He is a career 89% free throw shooter. Had made 62 in a row.

He made the 1st and missed the second. Had to miss the 3rd to get the rebound and try to tie.

I don't care who the player is, always foul and make them earn it with all that pressure on. Thats much better odds than some rhythm 3 for a shooter.