Post-Finals Ruminations

CONGRATS TO THE NUGGETS?

This feels like another one of those half-hearted congratulations because first of all, the Heat, imo, aren't even on the Nuggets level.  Miami may have taken the East, but in the grand scheme of things they aren't contenders.

Secondly, the team that should have given the Nuggets the most problem in the Playoffs, that being the Suns, were hobbled when they met.  Out of all the squads in the NBA, it's going to be most interesting to see that Phoenix does this offseason now that they're supposed to be waiving Chris Paul, as in who they're going to go out and pursue in his place.  With KD + Booker, it isn't like they actually have to chase another PG.  What they should rather be looking for is a player or two to compliment their stars, someone like Draymond I would argue, who could run the point if he has to but also can play any frontcourt position.  But what I personally believe is going to happen is the Suns going big-game hunting a landing someone, like a high-volume scorer, who doesn't fit.

There are also suggestions floating around that Bradley Beal may end up on the Heat.  That sounds like a perfect marriage to me, because everyone wants to know how Beal would look if he played for a contender, and the Wizards aren't serious for shit.  If they were, they would try to build on the fact that they one have the best frontcourts in the NBA.  But Kuzma is likely going to bounce anyway, and so it is with the Wizards, since like time immemorial.  Maybe the NBA will show them some love and let them win the draft next year.

I'm also one of the people who believe that the Nuggets may have a potential dynasty on their hands.  One thing you have to remember is that after themselves suffering from serious injury issues the last couple of years, this postseason they lucked out by rather facing two teams, the Timberwolves and Suns, who had notable health issues of their own, while this time around Denver were actually the healthy ones.  So that kinda stuff does matter, that the Nuggets got "lucky" this year by being healthy.  And if that trend continues, yeah, why not.  But I look forward to them making a notable addition their own this offseason, like while no one was else is looking.  And I still kinda advocate Mo Bamba going to this team, if they aren't going to play Thomas Bryant.

SHOUTOUT TO DOC RIVERS

Doc Rivers, who was recently fired, made some comments about Joel Embiid and the Beard.  And one thing he said that really stuck with me, that these players like Embiid and Ben Simmons and I guess you can also say Zion Williamson, like their careers are affected by the fact that after being drafted, they spend a year or two not playing.  Or as Doc put it, that "sets a tone", like they get mentally used to not playing.  And I thought that was pretty deep because it's easy for pundits, including myself, to like diss these guys for not being on the court.  But it takes an insider to know that there's actually psychological ramifications to being drafted (and paid) yet not being able to play for an extended period.  Like that would definitely begin to explain what appears to be Simmons' lackadaisical attitude.

FINALLY, A ZION TRADE?

That said, I questioned Zion Williamson's work ethic years ago, and I'm pretty sure that I stated at the beginning of this season that the Pelicans should think about trading him.  My argument is that either he or Ingram has to go, because they don't particularly play well together anyway.  But having both of them, since they're always injured, is sorta like insurance.  At any given time at least one of them is likely to be hurt, so it isn't like NO actually has the issue of them playing together anyway.  But that strategy isn't working well for them.

One big different between Williamson and Simmons is that when Zion plays, he always makes an impact.  So it would be kinda exciting to see him to go Charlotte, with LaMelo Ball.  Maybe the change of scenery would like invigorate him and do well for his health, if possible.  Also, if Miles Bridges comes back, then instantly the Hornets will have one of the most-athletics frontcourts in the league, one to be feared even.  But at this point, I'm not actually getting my hopes up in terms of Zion consistently playing.

Oh Sh*t! The Sixers

I know good basketball teams when I see them.  For instance, when I predicted that the Timberwolves would be the best team in the NBA this season, it ain't like I ever actually saw them play with Gobert beforehand.  And even now, you know what I mean?  Everybody's on D'Angelo Russell's ass as usual, but the bigger concern should be the KAT problem.

The Sixers are a good basketball team.  When the Harden/Simmons trade first happened, I felt the Nets got the best of that deal.  That wasn't me underestimating the Beard.  That was me acknowledging that he's lost at least two steps from his prime, and his mind hadn't caught up yet.  But lo and behold, catching up it has, thanks primarily I would say to Doc Rivers, a guru respectable enough to even get underneath the beard.

Doc Rivers has that kind of head that if he tells you to do something on the basketball court, you're going to do it.  He just looks like he knows how to play basketball, and he's always had that face, like he could just bite you or some shit.  You don't hire former superstar guards to be head coaches; you hire guys like Doc Rivers.  Rivers played a whopping 15 years and descended from the 15pt/10ast per game range in his prime all the way down to like 4pts/1ast before he retired, but still he was a 'respected vet' in terms of being able to run an offense.  Melo deadass averaged 13pts last season, and he's not even in the NBA at the moment.

And even before getting Harden, the Sixers were just a damn formidable team.  Unlike every other contender in the NBA, it doesn't matter who on their roster is injured, because they can still win.  Tobias Harris is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA, which is like WTF?!  But even when Embiid's out, the Sixers be winning and shit.

Also, Tyrese Maxey is a young beast.  The reason I call him a beast is because he can probably score efficiently in more different ways than other small guard in the NBA, sorta like Tony Parker and shit.  And the reason I'm saying he's young is despite being that good, he still conceded to James Harden.  You know what I mean?  It's like he respected the coach and the vet type shit and was willing to take a step back.  At one point I was even like 'nah', you know what I mean.  But now it's like oh shit, it's working.

One last thing I must say is a couple of years ago when the Sixers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Hawks, I believe the NBA favored Atlanta in that series.  And right now, I'm not sleeping on the Nuggets or the Cavs or even the Grizzlies.  But dudes really have to look out for Philly, because air and square there's like no reason they can't win the championship.

CONCLUSION

Speaking of the Hawks, they're one of a few teams right now with so much talent that it could only be coached by a guru.  So as much as I love the Beard and Maxey and Melton and Milton and the entire gang, I think Rivers is the ex-factor.  You don't hear Embiid's name being mentioned in the MVP race these days.  But maybe, since he's like easily distracted and shit, that'll prove for the best.

James Harden = "A Scoring Magic Johnson"? (Wow)

It's only recently I came across that quote where Joel Embiid kinda dissed James Harden.  He didn't really diss him but just acknowledged what I've been saying for like a couple of seasons now, that the Beard has moved up an age group as a player.  What that means in more practical terms is that he's suffered through a major injury(ies), and unless a miracle (or maybe a whole lotta time off) his body is never going to ever be as fast as it was during his 2018 MVP campaign.  So he's sorta like D-Rose now, only fatter, and I would say also, it looks like, with worse ankles.  Yet with the NBA + media being what it is, it took a long time for others to realize this, and some viewers/analysts still haven't been able to swallow that pill.

See, the thing about the Sixers is that they're like the luckiest team in the NBA.  Sam Hinkie was a mad genius, so now it's like no matter how many bad rosters move they make, this team can never be garbage.  And what I mean by lucky is that they'd make these really high draft picks like Jahlil Okafor or Markelle Fultz, or even Ben Simmons for that matter, that don't really pan out.  And then they'd turn around and choose somebody all the way down with the 21st pick, like Tyrese Maxey.  And guess what?  If Ja Morant didn't exist, I'd probably be calling Maxey the best scoring PG in the NBA right now (no disrespect to Steph, who's like in a class of his own).

So James Harden playing a "scoring Magic Johnson" role, as Doc Rivers envisions, is theoretically possible.  Magic Johnson was a reluctant scorer, and his jump shooting form made Markelle Fultz look like Ray Allen.  But he'd shoot if he had to, and like shit would go in.

So it's like, imagine if James Harden was truly pass-first?  He has one of the best dribbles in the NBA, and he's also one of the best scorers in league history.  So if he really becomes pass first, it's like look out.  And the reason I mentioned Maxey earlier is because it's really his greatness that would allow Harden not to be preoccupied with scoring.  And the Sixers have other weapons also.  But Maxey's playing style, the fact that he's a guard and the fact that it would impossible for any defenses to ignore Harden, means he can be like Kyrie Irving, and Harden can take on a Simmons role.  It's like if you can take Ben Simmons' brain and put it into James Harden's body/history, that's exactly what the Sixers need right now, with this current roster.

CONCLUSION

This NBA season looks like it's going to be very competitive.  It's kinda like the post-Jordan era, when there's no straight-up king established, so a number of upstarts also smelled a chance.  Again, no disrespect to Steph, but that's how it been since the Lakers, led by Lebron, have fallen off - like there's no big dawg in the NBA to utterly fear these days.  So a lot of these superstar vets are going to have to make attitude adjustments if they want to win.  And what that usually entails is humbling themselves and shooting or dribbling less.