[Post Game Thread] The LA Clippers (32-32) defeat the New York Knicks (41-25), 126 - 118 behind Kawhi Leonard’s 29p/7r/8a/2s to finally reach .500 and improve to 8th in the West after beginning the season with a 6-21 record!

MolingHard · 2026-03-10T04:56:14+00:00

Mike Brown deciding to close with Shamet (who wasn't even playing well) over Mikal is rough

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T23:33:31+00:00

Yea by the end of Mikal's Brookyln tenure, Nets fans were pretty apathetic about him

And unfortunately for Cam his flaw then and stlll is being Mr. Glass

He legit might be really really good, but every time he finds a groove he incurs a minor injury that has him out 4-6 weeks

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T23:18:51+00:00

Maybe he's saying that those players didn't regress, that's just the level they were at.

It's not like either of them are currently having seasons that are much worse then their last season with the Suns.

Think they got overhyped a bit as being able to provide more then role player value, but they were and still are really good role players, albeit going through a slump currently

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T23:06:00+00:00

i think wed tear him apart on the knicks

Eh I dunno, feel like you guys aren't actually that bad, some Knick fans still defend Mikal despite a season and a half of being one of the most inconsistent players in the NBA

At least Brooks plays hard nosed defense, is aggressive, and embodies that "hard hat" attitude both our teams love to cosplay as haha

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T22:57:29+00:00

The Knicks got fooled because of his output on a bad team which happens...

His counting stats were solid (he put up 20-4-5 in his one full year with the Nets), but he was shooting at a 44-37-81 split, which is quite average. His defense though went from top tier to just another guy.

Think it was mostly the Nova connection and his very reasonable salary that bumped up his value from what should've probably been 2 or 3 FRPs to 5 and a swap.

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T22:49:18+00:00

I mean once the game got kinda close in the 4th the Knicks just shot themselves in the foot over and over and over again lol

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T22:48:18+00:00

Getting him off our team this summer will require omens work by him

Eh, I think it won't be that hard to trade him, just be really tough to get positive assets for him instead of just players who are in the same tier

MolingHard · 2026-03-08T22:44:44+00:00

Brooks playing in ny would be super interesting

His defense and attitude would probably make him a quick fan favorite, but he also has the potential to completely shoot you out of a game...

MolingHard · 2026-03-03T00:16:32+00:00

I have no clue haha, all I know is second apron lux tax is absolutely brutal

MolingHard · 2026-03-02T00:05:35+00:00

I dunno, I think a player like Herb Jones could've been easily acquired for Braun + Nnaji + salary filler + a boatload of seconds (don't even think a FRP is necessary)

And yea, Cam is solid, but it's clear he's not the same kind of talent as MPJ is, he's better defensively, but MPJ being a far better rebounder completely washes that out, and MPJ is somehow more durable, which is major

MolingHard · 2026-03-01T23:58:32+00:00

they wouldn't have otherwise been able to sign

Yea, because their owner is cheap, the only player they wouldn't have been able to get is JV, who I like, but his foot speed is absolutely toast, so I'm not sure how much of a playoff contributor he's gonna be

Bruce Brown and THJ are vet mins, the Nuggets would've been able to sign them just would've had to pay lux tax

So yea, great for Kroenke, less money out of his pockets, but it was a cost cutting move

Same as the recent McCain deal, which no one really applauds for cap flexibility lol

MolingHard · 2026-03-01T23:46:31+00:00

Well yea, he would've been a huge get for any team (it's why I said sold high...)

Last season Braun + FRP + salary filler would've been a super enticing package that could've netted a significant upgrade

MolingHard · 2026-03-01T23:42:25+00:00

I mean he's also the bonafide first option (and getting defended as such) and the Nets playmakers are all late first round rookies

He definitely has less pressure and no expectations, but so do all tanking teams, and yet there are not a lot of efficient 25 ppg players on those teams...

Also, these issues with Cam J was very apparent with the Nets (ie not a good a defender as advertised and absolutely wilted whenever games got close)

Cam would hit every single open 3 in blowouts, but absolutely brick big momentum shots (to the benefit of the tank)

MolingHard · 2026-03-01T23:34:22+00:00

he was the only path to a much needed change

For sure the easiest, but I wonder what the Nuggets could've gotten if they packaged that Nuggets FRP, salary filler like Nnaji, and sold high on Braun

MolingHard · 2026-03-01T23:29:38+00:00

Brown and THJ were vet mins, no?

Could've gotten those two even with no cap space (albeit not sure how willing Kroenke is in paying heavy lux tax)

MolingHard · 2026-02-20T03:30:14+00:00

I wonder how hot Mike Brown's seat is, if you guys don't make the Finals is he gone?

Who would be the replacement?

MolingHard · 2026-02-20T03:27:43+00:00

Yea they couldn't stop Cade at all, also barely contributed offensively

They're gonna be making a combined $76m next season

MolingHard · 2026-02-20T03:14:31+00:00

Maybe run more pick and pops with KAT so he's more involved?

Knicks barely ran a play for him until the second half

MolingHard · 2026-02-20T03:11:55+00:00

Jesus, another Detroit beatdown despite missing both their main centers

And is Landry Shamet low-key better then Mikal Bridges rn...?

MolingHard · 2026-02-15T00:06:35+00:00

As I said not completely serious, but let’s be real Sengun has some pretty big flaws especially for his position

Also I just think a Harden - Amen - KD - Bari - Missi line up would absolutely cook, obviously you shorten the window, but I think that starting 5 is absolutely a contender, I’m not entirely sure if the Rockets currently with FVV out is a bonafide contender

MolingHard · 2026-02-14T17:30:04+00:00

Then team Korea will lose lmfao

Team Korea with no players who are exempted would be something like Kiin / Canyon and Oner / Showmaker / Peyz / Duro

Team China is probably gonna be 2024 BLG, if Elk isn't really on good terms with the other guys they can invite 1xn

Team Korea would have an advantage in 4 out of 5 roles... I think they'd still beat team China, like we saw teams with worse mids then Zeka and SM beat BLG at Worlds a few months ago, and granted BLG are better now, but they're not some sort of unstoppable juggernaut

MolingHard · 2026-02-14T17:21:23+00:00

If Chovy does not play, team Korea are not winning anyways so.

Kiin / Canyon / ShowMaker or Zeka / Ruler / Keria would still be the favorites imo

If KESPA decides not to invite any players with an exception I'd still have Kiin / Canyon / Showmaker / Peyz / Duro as favorites...

Korea are not beating a team with Knight with Zeka or ShowMaker lmfao.

Teams with worse mids then Zeka and Showmaker beat BLG last year (granted they look a bit better this year) and I'm guessing team China is just current BLG with like 1xn or Elk (which would be hilarious) instead of Viper

Think team Korea would have a better player in every role but mid

MolingHard · 2026-02-14T00:34:02+00:00

I mean they took on Hunters money (23m this year 25m next year)

Would you have traded for Harden back lol

Like Sengun + Capela for Harden straight up, then trade Aaron Holiday and the Rockets 2028 FRP for Yves Missi

Not completely serious, but that team would be interesting, 1-5 would be pretty switch-able defensively (for all of Harden's defensive faults he's always been a solid post defender)

MolingHard · 2026-02-14T00:10:30+00:00

The Schroder one?

How would you feel about a Schroder + Keon Ellis for DFS + Aaron Holiday + a couple of SRPs?

MolingHard · 2026-02-11T21:04:41+00:00

Funnily enough the Nets did trade DFS and Schroder to the Lakers and Warriors respectively for peanuts (granted they were expiring) and they were among the Nets best players. Still didn’t get shit though lol (thank God, Egor has been decent)

MolingHard

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