Now Ja is about threatening to kill randos on twitter with a certain kind of ammo.
NBA 2021-2022
- Thread starter elmo
- Start date
What
Ja is such a fun player to watch, immensely talented, but you’re right. His style of play doesn’t make others around him better.
Now obviously he is very young still and will only get better but he needs to learn how to control the game and that’s a skill that very few can master. Hopefully he works on that part of his game because it’s enjoyable seeing small market teams do so well.
He needs to learn how to play defense too. By the stats Grizzlies are a bad defensive team with Ja playing and the best with him off the court.
Ja and the Grizzlies remind me a little of KD and the Warriors. There is no denying that both Ja and KD are great players but there was a definite period where the Dubs had a better record without KD than with him in the same way the Grizzlies posted a better record without Ja. If people remember,, the same discussion as to whether the Warriors were better with KD or without him also came up.
I think the answer is the same in both instances. When Ja and KD were/are playing for their respective teams, the other players often deferred to them. As time went on this got steadily worse for the Dubs to the point where if they needed a basket KD would iso to try and get it instead of sticking to the pass and move that had previously been so successful for the Warriors. When KD was out they went back to playing the old way and the record improved. With Ja and the Grizzlies, when he is on the floor the rest of the team almost become secondary and basically wait for him to do his thing. Even though he very often comes through this means that the rest of the team are often not playing to their best level. When he is out, the Grizzlies are much more of a "team" and everbody plays to the best of their abilities, hence great record.
Far too many people writing Ja off as the #1 guy on a championship team. It's probably true he won't get there but he could still take another leap.
Grizz have been worse when Morant was out in the playoffs though. Both in terms of +/- and net rating
And the dubs would have only the one ring without KD, the one they won against the Kyrie-Love less Cavs...
And the dubs would have only the one ring without KD, the one they won against the Kyrie-Love less Cavs...
You're really trying to tell me that a team that went 73-9 would not be in the running for another ring with or without KD. They only lost in 2016 because Curry was hurt. Then they got to the Finals without KD in 2019 and would have more than likely won that one as well if Klay hadn't got hurt as well.
As to Morant being the Grizzlies best player. I don't think there's any doubt that he is. But on the other side of the coin, the Grizz got mauled in game 3 with Ja playing, but destroyed the Dubs in game 5 when he was not. I do think the other players step up when Morant is out but to say they are better without him is IMTHO a step too far.
I think it's quite obvious that the Grizzlies are better off defensively without him.
Offense-wise, I think having him being so ball dominant makes it easier for teams to guard the Grizzlies. He's still young and I've no doubt he'll improve on that end.
He tweeted "It's free to see how hollows feel" at some random twitter hater, hollows being hollow point bullets. He followed it up with "i don't know nothing but slang iron, iann responding nomoe". Both tweets got deleted, probably after Ja's PR guy had a massive panic attack.
It is free to see how hollows feel though
Might cost a life
I do rate as Morant as the best player on the team by far but the concern is whether he makes players around him better. I do think experience plays a part in that though.
Basically, is he going to be Westbrook or Jason Kidd.
I think it's bs honestly. In what way does Ja not make his teammates better? Issue with Russ was he spent a good chunk of his career taking crunch time possessions away from KD, and then became too heliocentric. Ja's nowhere near that high usage, he's had massive 4th qtr explosions where he basically won them games, and is still only in his 3rd year. The Grizzlies downfall were a lack of experience, and Ja's injury ffs
Yeah two horrible players. Imagine if he had Westbrook's career. Or Jason Kidd, someone privileged to win a title on the back of Dirk's legendary run
This is a myth by the way
Tbf Kidd was one of the best PG's ever too
Is it? Well, makes my point even stronger then
It doesn’t though.
No one here is claiming that Ja won’t be considered a great player, all said and done. Westbrook won a MVP ffs. The question remains his style offensively and lack of effort defensively wins you Championships.
No one here is claiming that Ja won’t be considered a great player, all said and done. Westbrook won a MVP ffs. The question remains his style offensively and lack of effort defensively wins you Championships.
TouchéLife is priceless
Guessing that's a pisstake.
Kidd was one of those players that arrives and the squad immediately improves. He turned the mid-90s Mavs from laughing stock to competitive in his rookie year, a club that won 22 games in two years to 36 wins in his rookie season, and should have been leading them into the 2000s alongside Dirk* if not for Ross Perot Jr's ownership run destroying the budding trio of Kidd-Jackson-Mashburn (the first two were going to be broken up regardless due to off-court issues). Kidd later carried two woefully average Nets squads to back-to-back Finals appearances. He's one of the best PGs of all-time, whether not winning a title as the leading man or contributing to a title win as an aged veteran.
*It's possible Dallas is not in draft position to make the deal with Milwaukee for Dirk's draft rights if Kidd is in Dallas circa 1998.
So who's everyone pulling for in the 2 game 7s?
Me personally, I'm pulling for the Mavs because the Dubs would then have home court in the WCF. Also pulling for the Celtics because I don't think the Dubs match up against the Bucks size that well plus Khris Middleton would probably be back for the finals.
I'm actually hoping the Heat take down the winner of that series either way since I think the Dubs (if they can make it that far) would have the best chance against them. Not that I think it's going to be easy against anybody at this stage of the proceedings.
Me personally, I'm pulling for the Mavs because the Dubs would then have home court in the WCF. Also pulling for the Celtics because I don't think the Dubs match up against the Bucks size that well plus Khris Middleton would probably be back for the finals.
I'm actually hoping the Heat take down the winner of that series either way since I think the Dubs (if they can make it that far) would have the best chance against them. Not that I think it's going to be easy against anybody at this stage of the proceedings.
GIANNIS
and Phoenix
and Phoenix
I'm expecting Suns and Celtics to advance.
Still fancy the Bucks though, but it will be tough, can't rule them out though.
If Suns advance, you confident you can get over the line against them?
Not confident, no. But I do think the Dubs have a decent chance.
I will be cheering Phoenix and Milwaukee to win but won’t be that sad if Dallas and Boston win either to be honest. Especially Celtics have grown in my eyes massively over the course of this season and the playoffs.
Mavs and Celtics, for the same reasons.
Bucks with Middleton fit, are the team to beat.
Bucks with Middleton fit, are the team to beat.
Yeah same, either of the 2 teams I'd be fine with. I like booker and donic both so it's tough.
I prefer one of Suns or Boston to win it all, since both haven't won in a while.
If it has to be won by someone other than those 2, then Bucks again.
Suns haven’t won it since 1970s so it’s been a while indeed!
Mavs and Celtics, because my 198:1 bet that they'd meet in the finals would knock a fair chunk off my mortgage
If you lot won against Pool yesterday, I'd be rooting for you to get this.
But I wouldn't mind that finals either though, just don't see it happening though.
If you lot won against Pool yesterday, I'd be rooting for you to get this.
But I wouldn't mind that finals either though, just don't see it happening though.
Haha no worries mate and appreciate the kind words
- still smarting after losing another 0-0 on penalties to that lot.Agreed though that it's not necessarily likely - my reasoning at the time was that both teams had relatively efficient half-court offenses and extremely good defensive metrics, both indicators of playoff success. Also my dad's whole family is from Boston so I'm an extremely biased Celtics fan, which in February was the only justification for betting them to reach the finals!
Frankly I'm just glad to be in with a shout - really thought I was drawing dead after game 5 of Bucks / Celtics and/or when Luka picked up his calf injury in game 82. Winning the bet would be a tremendous case of house money coming through!
The physicality of the game is already off the charts. Hope the winner comes out without any players out for the ECF.
Bucks with 0 defensive fouls in the first quarter. Helped by the fact that Celtics busy shooting 3 after 3
Giannis is so fecking good
So torn who I want to advance here. Maybe and just slightly the Bucks as they are without Middleton and Giannis playing out of his mind and with three lungs in this series.
Torn here too. Whenever Celtics have the ball, I want them to score, but whenever Bucks have the ball I also want them to score
Celtics will get better, so not too worried I think the Bucks aren’t going to win this. Celtics to lose.
Torn here too. Whenever Celtics have the ball, I want them to score, but whenever Bucks have the ball I also want them to score
Yeah, strange feeling as usually I pick my side quite easily. At this point, I just wish it goes to some crazy ending to seal what is an amazing series.
It would seem if you get your way it's going to be an EXTREMELY high scoring game then.Torn here too. Whenever Celtics have the ball, I want them to score, but whenever Bucks have the ball I also want them to score
Is it just me or does Basketball fans have the most smug faces and celebrations than other sports?
Find it so funny that they can have such confident celebrations not knowing how it will end.
Find it so funny that they can have such confident celebrations not knowing how it will end.