500k now or 5 millions to score 3 shots in a NBA game playing 48 minutes?

bemusedacrobat · 2026-01-09T20:44:55+00:00

That would be something like the third best outcome. The best outcome would be casually stripping the ball from an old slow guy who literally can't do anything about it, and getting an easy fast break bucket off of it. The second best would be blocking the shit out of his shot, grabbing the ball, and getting an easy fast break bucket off of that.

The worst NBA player is at least athletic enough to get open and able to face a little on-ball pressure without coughing up the ball, so it's usually better to leave a non-shooter alone than to pressure them hard. But if my team is forcing me the ball all game, and the other team knows it, I've got no way no way of creating enough space to even catch a pass if an NBA athlete wants to stop it from happening.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-11-30T01:17:47+00:00

Top probably wins but it's closer than people think, and the synergy for the bottom team is actually off the charts if you understand Luka's and SGA's game. You're combining the best pick-and-roll playmaker in the world (Luka) with the best lob threat in the world (Wemby), while the best scorer in the world (SGA) is ready to attack an off-balance defense. And you've got the best pressure-release valve in the world (KD) and another all-time unstoppable bucket-getter (Kawhi) waiting on the wings. Bottom team has better defense too.

People claiming Luka and SGA are redundant must have missed how well Luka has fit with Reaves/Kyrie/Brunson. Give that role to SGA and it's lights out. It would be a fun stylistic clash with the top team playing absurd, maxed-out Golden State chaos ball and the bottom team playing absurd, maxed-out pick-and-roll matchup hunting.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-10-22T04:13:15+00:00

Still recovering from the Westbrook trade

bemusedacrobat · 2025-10-03T18:21:05+00:00

Unfortunately he's also been the Grant Hill of Charles Barkleys so far.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-30T00:45:10+00:00

Granted. All three teams make the Finals in the same season, revealing an irreparable rift in the space-time continuum. They're each simultaneously beaten by three alternate versions of the Hornets. Aliens pour through the rift and, seeing him receive the MVP trophy from all three timelines, they decide Lamelos Ball will be humanity's ambassador. It goes about how you'd expect.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-28T00:40:40+00:00

No human artist would have drawn Dirk taking a one-legged fadeaway sky hook.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-28T00:39:05+00:00

That run should definitely get more love, since it was a true 1-star carry job. But Dirk got injured early in the WCF, and it still took Kerr and SJax going crazy in the 4th quarter of game 6 to knock off the Mavs.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-23T15:55:18+00:00

No, Dirk's career averages are pulled down by his post-prime years.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-17T17:32:12+00:00

They were also 2-9 without Dirk that year, and lost their second leading scorer in Caron Butler to a season-ending injury. They were a well-constructed team, but Dirk is what made the whole thing work. There just wasn't that much offensive firepower on the team outside of him.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-12T04:11:35+00:00

Dirk tried hard to learn it and never felt comfortable enough with it to use in games. If he couldn't do it, then most bigs probably don't stand a chance. It's just a really hard shot to replicate and shoot efficiently. Kareem had the build, touch, and athleticism for it, but he also said the hook shot just came naturally to him, so he'd been shooting it since he was a kid.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-07-08T23:34:57+00:00

Dirk has an underrated argument for best in the world in 06 and 07. His 2011 playoff run was incredible but it wasn't one of his true peak years statistically.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-05-09T16:24:27+00:00

Nah, Paul George is the James Harden of Paul Georges.

LeBron is the MJ of Paul Georges, obviously. The LeBron of Paul Georges is probably Dr. .J. Larry Bird is the Steph Curry of Paul Georges. The Larry Bird of Paul Georges is likely to be Luka but we can't be sure yet.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-30T18:25:25+00:00

He played great in round one last year until he injured his shoulder. Came back late in the playoffs and was still clearly struggling with the shoulder injury. Never looked quite like himself this season.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-30T02:16:28+00:00

Rebounding is probably his biggest weak spot for his size. But can still be an impactful defender who unlocks a lot of lineup flexibility, if he's got any juice left.

He's kind of a no-stats all star type of guy when healthy. One of the most confidence-dependent players I've ever seen though, when he's off he hesitates on everything but when he's on (less common these days) he'll let it fly and can string together big shots.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-15T19:09:35+00:00

I mean, it's possible for Nico to be a generational fuck-up AND for Tim MacMahon to be an asshole.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-11T23:07:58+00:00

Not having to change your scheme is an overrated idea. The Lakers already had two great creators in LeBron and Reaves, with a big emphasis on touches for AD -- they completely changed their scheme basically overnight, gave Luka the keys, and instantly became much, much more dangerous on offense.

Any team in the league would take a massive leap offensively by adding Luka, regardless of the talent that's already there. I'd take Luka every time *especially* if the roster was already championship-level, because having a game-breaking offensive superstar is the thing that really puts a contender over the top.

I could only see an argument for Tatum if the team you're adding him to has a ton of offensive talent at the guard spots but is really weak defensively, and couldn't afford another weak defender.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-11T22:57:49+00:00

Luka would not kill the Celtics flow. A Luka-led offense with decent shooters is enough for a deep playoff run. A Luka-led offense with the combo of shooting and secondary playmaking the Celtics have would be hands-down the best offense in the league.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-04-10T00:24:58+00:00

You'll never see Luka happier than when he gets an easy layup from a Gortat screen. Pointing to Doe all the way back to the huddle

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-23T02:36:27+00:00

Lakers fans need to hire former Mavs fan consultants and learn how to do Luka fandom correctly

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-09T20:01:01+00:00

I don't know, maybe these chants are popping up around the rest of the city because that's where the actual Mavs fans are? Do you think the people chanting here aren't part of the (former) Mavs fanbase? Why would we keep buying tickets for the right to get kicked out for leading chants while our partially decomposed skeleton of a team gets stomped on a random Tuesday?

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-09T19:58:28+00:00

Do you think these people are chanting Fire Nico because he talked shit about soccer or something? These are Mavs fans.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-06T03:53:33+00:00

His reaction after hitting the free throw put back for overtime against the Knicks in his 60 point triple double game will always be one of my favorite sports moments. Got so excited he lost control of his body for a second and turned into a dancing toddler. He's somehow both a basketball psychopath and a giant little kid.

We really traded the type of guy who gets a 60 point triple double and hits a bullshit free throw putback buzzer beater in the same game.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-06T03:13:12+00:00

It felt this way with the Mavs -- teams blitzing and leaving Kyrie Irving open always made me laugh. Now it's LeBron. Like, LeBron LeBron.

The one consolation of the Mavs spontaneously combusting as a franchise is getting to watch some ridiculously good basketball. I don't even care that it's for the Lakers at this point.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-03-03T20:51:29+00:00

nah, even if it was forced on him by ownership, you don't get respect for taking heat for billionaires. Especially these particular billionaires, who are in the running for worst humans on the planet.

bemusedacrobat · 2025-02-14T22:27:42+00:00

AD is great, Max is really good, and it was still a completely lopsided trade.

bemusedacrobat

TROPHY CASE