NBA Finals

[davisxcole]

Jalen Brunson is a freak just as much as wemby is, he is 6’0 and absolutely put the spurs to bed in that final qtr absolutely insane.

(idc about the efficiency) 

[Jceciliano98]

1-4 they match up perfectly with the spurs. Kat isnt gonna stop wemby but he aint chet hes gonna get his points and boards thats the major difference. 

[harveycmd]

A 7'5" guy should not shoot 6-21. That's why all this talk about Wemby becoming the best player ever is way too early. He's the best player now. If doesn't stop thinking he needs to play like he's 6'5", he's not going to be the best player ever. Not even close. Still like the Spurs to control the series. 

[TTaylor2135]

Everyone better than Brunson till it's time to be better than Brunson 💰.. I think this is going to be a great series and may go the distance. I grew up in Jersey so I watched Dylan Harper a bunch and man is that guy a dawg. Lot of toughness and skill for a rookie. 

 

[harveycmd]

I can think of more than a few defenders in NBA history that could lock down Brunson and light up the Knicks at the other end at the same time.

[Gerry Hamilton]

Knicks guard defensively are a great matchup with the Spurs ... I picked Spurs, but don't love it

Way too many people talk like Stephon Castle is going to be a terrific player. I think the Spurs need to take the ball out of his hands much more than they do. Dylan Harper needs to be the initiator on this team. Castle is a 30-31% three-point shooter, misses too many reads/too slow to see the read off bounce in mid range (Anyone with ball in his hands that much will average 7-8 assists with Wemby), etc... it shows up against the best competition. 

In fact, I would strongly consider moving him in off season because the more he has the ball, the more it's setting back where the Spurs need to go in the future with Dylan Harper. Castle is a solid player, plays hard, but he's not instinctive with ball in hand. Spurs are trying to appease him on O and make him something he's not going to be. 

[harveycmd]

5 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Knicks guard defensively are a great matchup with the Spurs ... I picked Spurs, but don't love it

Way too many people talk like Stephon Castle is going to be a terrific player. I think the Spurs need to take the ball out of his hands much more than they do. Dylan Harper needs to be the initiator on this team. Castle is a 30-31% three-point shooter, misses too many reads/too slow to see the read off bounce in mid range (Anyone with ball in his hands that much will average 7-8 assists with Wemby), etc... it shows up against the best competition. 

In fact, I would strongly consider moving him in off season because the more he has the ball, the more it's setting back where the Spurs need to go in the future with Dylan Harper. Castle is a solid player, plays hard, but he's not instinctive with ball in hand. Spurs are trying to appease him on O and make him something he's not going to be. 

All this would be a mute point if Wemby were just a little tougher. 

[Herbapapi]

7 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Knicks guard defensively are a great matchup with the Spurs ... I picked Spurs, but don't love it

Way too many people talk like Stephon Castle is going to be a terrific player. I think the Spurs need to take the ball out of his hands much more than they do. Dylan Harper needs to be the initiator on this team. Castle is a 30-31% three-point shooter, misses too many reads/too slow to see the read off bounce in mid range (Anyone with ball in his hands that much will average 7-8 assists with Wemby), etc... it shows up against the best competition. 

In fact, I would strongly consider moving him in off season because the more he has the ball, the more it's setting back where the Spurs need to go in the future with Dylan Harper. Castle is a solid player, plays hard, but he's not instinctive with ball in hand. Spurs are trying to appease him on O and make him something he's not going to be. 

While I agree to an extent I think the bigger issue is Fox. The amount of money they are paying him and the inconsistency he plays with will be a bigger issue for this team moving forward. He disappears for long stretches on offense and doesn’t do anything on defense. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

8 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

All this would be a mute point if Wemby were just a little tougher. 

Disagree. Castle's limitations would still show up

I think they are going to set back Dylan Harper to a certain extent with Castle in his current role

Spurs have decisions to make on the roster after season to work to maximizing for the future IMO

[harveycmd]

1 minute ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Disagree. Castle's limitations would still show up

I think they are going to set back Dylan Harper to a certain extent with Castle in his current role

Spurs have decisions to make on the roster after season to work to maximizing for the future IMO

Castle's limitations wouldn't affect the outcome of the game as much if Wemby was tougher. Ship out Castle. Won't matter until Wemby develops an inside offensive game that takes advantage of his physical attributes.

[Gerry Hamilton]

8 minutes ago, Herbapapi said:

While I agree to an extent I think the bigger issue is Fox. The amount of money they are paying him and the inconsistency he plays with will be a bigger issue for this team moving forward. He disappears for long stretches on offense and doesn’t do anything on defense. 

I don't think their backcourt pieces fit together - in terms of three guys that are ball in hand players, and Harper is going to easily be the best long term. They need to hand the ball to him starting next year, and build the team around him and Wemby. They have some good complementary pieces that know their role (Champ being one). The problem with a guy like Castle ... he will never be accepting of what he truly is as a player, and the role he should play. That dude will not be accepting of it IMO. 

This a great growth year for the Spurs, and probably answers some big questions for their decision makers. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

Just now, harveycmd said:

Castle's limitations wouldn't affect the outcome of the game as much if Wemby was tougher. Ship out Castle. Won't matter until Wemby develops an inside offensive game that takes advantage of his physical attributes.

Think about where we truly are ... Wemby is 22, and put up 26, 12 and 3 in his first NBA Finals game... with opponents turning away from the paint because of him more than any other team. 

I think Wemby is tough. Totally disagree. He's also a totally different player than any of us have ever seen ... a very very unique body type.

But what some people want Wemby to be ... the Spurs aren't going to play him how/where his body is going to get beat up IMO. That dude will never stay healthy playing in the paint area/posted up and taking a physical beating. Maybe more as he gets older, but no chance right now. 

He's 7-5+ with very long limbs ... if guys are always leaning on him and players are always falling into him ... he's never going to stay healthy. IMO, the goal is to keep him healthy. He's the best player in the world because of how he affects both ends of the court. But he's not going to be if he's injured. 

[Paul L]

32 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Knicks guard defensively are a great matchup with the Spurs ... I picked Spurs, but don't love it

Way too many people talk like Stephon Castle is going to be a terrific player. I think the Spurs need to take the ball out of his hands much more than they do. Dylan Harper needs to be the initiator on this team. Castle is a 30-31% three-point shooter, misses too many reads/too slow to see the read off bounce in mid range (Anyone with ball in his hands that much will average 7-8 assists with Wemby), etc... it shows up against the best competition. 

In fact, I would strongly consider moving him in off season because the more he has the ball, the more it's setting back where the Spurs need to go in the future with Dylan Harper. Castle is a solid player, plays hard, but he's not instinctive with ball in hand. Spurs are trying to appease him on O and make him something he's not going to be. 

Castle has as many assists for the opponent as he does for his team. 

[harveycmd]

1 minute ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Think about where we truly are ... Wemby is 22, and put up 26, 12 and 3 in his first NBA Finals game... with opponents turning away from the paint because of him more than any other team. 

I think Wemby is tough. Totally disagree. He's also a totally different player than any of us have ever seen ... a very very unique body type.

But what some people want Wemby to be ... the Spurs aren't going to play him how/where his body is going to get beat up IMO. That dude will never stay healthy playing in the paint area/posted up and taking a physical beating. Maybe more as he gets older, but no chance right now. 

He's 7-5+ with very long limbs ... if guys are always leaning on him and players are always falling into him ... he's never going to stay healthy. IMO, the goal is to keep him healthy. He's the best player in the world because of how he affects both ends of the court. But he's not going to be if he's injured. 

If he truly can't stand up physically because of his long limbs, then all this talk about him being the greatest ever is silly. To be the greatest, you must be able to play over a long period of time and handle the rigors of the game.

Even so, this is just a speed bump in the series unless the Spurs simply choke, which they haven't to this point. 

If Harper is the long term PG, then Fox needs to go too. Trade Fox and Castle for a SG and a physical PF that can protect Wemby. A "protected" Wemby can't be that great.

[Gerry Hamilton]

4 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

If he truly can't stand up physically because of his long limbs, then all this talk about him being the greatest ever is silly. To be the greatest, you must be able to play over a long period of time and handle the rigors of the game.

Even so, this is just a speed bump in the series unless the Spurs simply choke, which they haven't to this point. 

If Harper is the long term PG, then Fox needs to go too. Trade Fox and Castle for a SG and a physical PF that can protect Wemby. A "protected" Wemby can't be that great.

I remain the same on Wemby I've always been. 

He's going to be the best player/talent I have seen in my lifetime in basketball ... but he won't stay healthy long enough to have that type of career when people look back on it in 25-30 years. 

I just don't see a way a 7-5+ guy that plays both ends of the floor like he does can stay healthy over the long haul. We have just never seen a body type like this that is a great player. 

But that doesn't mean he's not a great player in the time he plays for me. He truly can/already is the best player on both ends of the floor a lot against the best players in the world at 22. 

But I just don't see an all-time great career because guys play 15-20 years. But I guess time will tell. 

[harveycmd]

1 minute ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

I remain the same on Wemby I've always been. 

He's going to be the best player/talent I have seen in my lifetime in basketball ... but he won't stay healthy long enough to have that type of career when people look back on it in 25-30 years. 

I just don't see a way a 7-5+ guy that plays both ends of the floor like he does can stay healthy over the long haul. We have just never seen a body type like this that is a great player. 

But that doesn't mean he's not a great player in the time he plays for me. He truly can/already is the best player on both ends of the floor a lot against the best players in the world at 22. 

But I just don't see an all-time great career because guys play 15-20 years. But I guess time will tell. 

If that is true, perhaps the best way to describe it is that he could reach a higher peak than anyone to this point, but he will likely lack the longevity to be among the all time greats.

I've said he's the best in the world now too, but much of the media talk about him being the best at 22 is hyperbolic. There are multiple all-time greats who had multiple titles at age 22, and who were the best players in the world at age 21 or 22.

[Shmatt]

The Spurs to me mostly need another darn big, gotta find a way to improve that 4 spot at least. Teams with big depth and Size have had the Spurs number. Think trading one of Fox and KJ this off season could be interesting. I’d only like to trade Castle if we get a crazy haul for him. Even though they had their struggles as a unit Spurs wouldn’t be in the Finals without Fox, Harper and Castle. Long term fit is a potential concern but no need to blow it up after one year just yet.

Also shout out to Champagine