SR – NBA Free Agency 2020: Top 10 Players Staying and Going

SR – NBA Free Agency 2020: Top 10 Players Staying and Going

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by | Nov 16, 2020 | Featured, NBA, uncategorised

With the NBA season officially set to begin on Dec 22, 2020, and the Free agency and The NBA Draft happening this upcoming week it’s important to remember exactly what players are available in this unique offseason and how the NBA could look drastically different come the 2020-21 season. This year’s free-agent market is not quite as top-heavy but it does have some names that will surprise ppl if they land in the right spot. Let’s look at the Top 30 Free agents that could potentially change the NBA landscape as we know it. 

  1. Anthony Davis (player)
  2. Brandon Ingram (restricted)
  3. DeMar DeRozan (player)
  4. Andre Drummond (player)
  5. Gordon Hayward (player)
  6. Danilo Gallinari
  7. Mike Conley (early termination option)
  8. Fred VanVleet
  9. Montrezl Harrell
  10. Davis Bertans
  11. Christian Wood
  12. Malik Beasley (restricted)
  13. Serge Ibaka
  14. Bogdan Bogdanovic (restricted)
  15. Jordan Clarkson
  16. Goran Dragic
  17. Carmelo Anthony (player)
  18. Tristan Thompson
  19. Evan Fournier (player)
  20. Aron Baynes
  21. Derrick Favors
  22. Marc Gasol
  23. Jerami Grant (player)
  24. Tim Hardaway Jr. (player)
  25. Wesley Matthews
  26. Marcus Morris
  27. Paul Millsap
  28. Kelly Olynyk (player)
  29. Dario Saric (restricted)
  30. Dwight Howard

Last Year Kawhi Leonard took up much of the free agency headlines and threw the NBA into a frenzy as he made his way off a 2019 NBA Championship in Toronto to LA when he teamed up with Paul George for the Clippers. A blindsided deal that seemingly happened overnight for the NBA created the title odd favorite. This year, don’t expect to see find that same excitement in free agency, in fact just get ready for teams to either add key piece/s to gear toward a championship or teams to show you they are just trying to rebuild. The excitement will be there, you’re just going to have to look for it. 

Free agency is set to start on November 20 at 6 pm ET and teams will be permitted to contact free agents or their representatives at that time. Players will be allowed to officially sign contracts with teams starting Nov. 22 at 12:01 p.m. ET. As we have already seen this week, trade negotiations are already starting. Players and teams are positioning themself for free agency. It’s important to remember through all of this what teams are really gearing up to get certain free agents and what teams are just gearing up for something completely different than what we saw a season ago. 

To understand where each player realistically might end up it just has to do with the amount that player is valued to make in this year’s market and the terms of their contract either being restricted or not. Instead of getting too deep into trying to explain that all that, what is more, important to know going into free agency week are the Top 10 FA most likely to stay where they are and the top 10 most likely to be on the move. So let’s break it down.

 

Top 10 Most Likely to Stay:

  1. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers – Davis did decline his option for the upcoming season however it’s most likely just to get a few more dollars from the lakers in a new contract. It would be hard to see AD leaving the Lakers and Lebron as they are coming off the duo’s first season and championship together.
  2. Fred Vanvleet, Toronto Raptors – Vanvleet has already made it clear stating he wants to get paid this offseason. Rightfully so, the man played a huge role in the Toronto Raptors 2019 and the franchise first-ever NBA title. Without ever really having to pay Kawhi the raptors do have some money to play around with and it is going to come down to paying either Vanvleet or Ibaka and in most cases where I would say you pay for the size, I think Fred and the Raptors are more on the same page with this one. Expect the Raptors to pay their guy.
    Fred VanVleet is on fire in the playoffs ever since his son was born - Business Insider
  3. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans – The former #2 overall pick has seemed to find a home in New Orleans. Appearing as an All-Star for the first time in his career this season there is no reason that New Orleans wouldn’t match any contract offer any team comes to him with. Look for the Pelicans to offer B.I a contract close to a max before any team can even try to get him.


    Pelicans reportedly have 'every intention' of re-signing Brandon Ingram - ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

  4. Demar Derozan, San Antonio Spurs – Demar initially declined his option from the Spurs and it had everyone thinking he was going to get traded, and like we do so often when thinking about DeMar DeRozan lead us to think where he could help. Now although the Lakers did seem like a viable option for the 4-time all-star the money doesn’t make sense. With declining his 27 million dollar option I think the only place he ends up is back in San Antonio. He may even take less to give him the option to be tradeable this year to a potential better contender.
    Lakers odds of landing DeMar DeRozan this season, revealed - Lakers Daily
  5. Montrez Herrell, Los Angeles Clippers – We all know things didn’t go as planned for the Clippers this year but Trez was one of this team’s most pleasant surprises. Averaging 18 pts and 7 rebs off the bench this year was enough for Herrell to win 6th man of the year. With that type of value, it would be crazy to see the clippers just let him go.
  6. Andre Drummond, Clevland Cavaliers – The All-Star center told ESPN, “Yeah, it’s going to be hard to give up, so you can count on me being in Cleveland still. I definitely will be in Cleveland.”
  7. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings – it’s the kings they need the most talented players they can get and he plays well with Buddy Hield and D’Aron Fox.
  8. Danillo Gallinari, Oklahoma City Thunder – Thunder looking to rebuild, one of the most reliable shooters and screeners in the league to help space floor and create with whatever young guys they throw out there with him.
  9. Carmelo Anthony, Portland Trailblazers – Started a playoff game for the team last year and fills a void they need.
  10. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks – Need reliable wings to play with Luka and Kristaps. Proved his offensive efficiency and two-way player ability last year.  

 

Top 10 Most Likely to Go:

  1. Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics – Hayward has been thrown around in trade rumors since the departure of Kyrie Irving. But his 34 million guaranteed makes him untradeable. He has just not played up to what the Celtics needed him to be when they signed him to the deal they did. Whether it is the injury or the changing teams around him Hayward just seemed to never find a real groove for the Celtics.

    NBA Trade Rumors: Knicks Ready To Swoop In On Hayward, Await Celtics Decision

  2. Serge Ibaka, Toronto Raptors – This could be an interesting offseason for Ibaka. We have already seen The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers come out in expressing interest in the big man. It will be interesting to see what type of money Ibaka wants or if he wants to compete for another ring. I could see him taking a pay cut to potentially go to the Lakers or Nets and compete while he is at this good of a point in his career still.

    Serge Ibaka wants to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors

  3. Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz – Clarkson proved he is still an elite scorer and 3 point shooter last season for his time with the Jazz. He still has instant offense, and when put around the right offense he can create his shot taking pressure off some of the guys around him. Oddly enough, Jordan Clarkson just seems like one of the players the Knicks are going to drastically overpay this free agency and I don’t see Clarkson turning it down. Especially if the Knicks don’t hit with one of the top guys they want and do as poorly in the draft as always they will sign Clarkson late for a lot.
     Utah Jazz: Midseason grades for Jordan Clarkson
  4. Goran Dragic – Dragic showed his value this postseason and while it’s hard for me not to see Miami re-signing Dragic, I just believe that they will make a push for other free agents and try to make trades that may involve Dragic being an assent for them in either the draft or as they try to acquire a different piece.

  5. Tristan Thompson, Clevland Cavaliers – If the Cavs pay Drummond I don’t see Thompson and Drummond becoming the Cavs duo of the future, and with teams like Warriors, Bucks, Suns, Lakers, Celtics, and Heat all looking for bigs it makes sense for Thompson deciding parting ways with the Cavs.

  6. Marc Gasol, Toronto Raptors – With showing that he is a championship-caliber center still with the ability to stretch the floor It almost makes perfect sense to me why Marc Gasol should end up in Golden State. He has the potential to stay and make the money he wants in Toronto but he’s at this point in his career Gasol knows what he brings to the table and wants to be on the best team he can play for. We will see if that ends up being the Raptors.
  7. Paul Milsap, Denver Nuggets – With the emergence of Michael Porter Jr. the Nuggets won’t need the same production from Milsap and if they do resign Jerami Grant (which they should) Milsap becomes even less key of a piece.

  8. Wesley Mathews, Milwaukee Bucks – Wesley proved he’s a valuable stretch the floor guy and he is capable of guarding well at this point in his career. Because his game fits so well with Giannis is makes a lot of sense that he would stay but I think because of the playoff collapse the Bucks are going to try and shake things up a bit and it won’t include Wes. Wes Could sneak in with a contender like the Lakers, Nets, or Golden State for the right price.

  9. Aaron Baynes, Pheonix Suns – Baynes is another versatile big that a team could grab at a good value he’s a great pic and roll center that I could see ending up in a Golden State or Milwaukee depending on what each team does during the draft and before.

  10. Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers – Dwight is another center that will capitalize off off teams needing bigs this offseason.
    Whether the Lakers resign him or not I expect Dwight to be a competitor next year after showing his defensive capability in this past postseason. His ability to guard Jockic might just make a Golden state realize he is the center that would best help them return to form.  

Nov 16, 2020 No Comments
A True Boston Celtics Legend, Tommy Heinsohn, dies at 86

A True Boston Celtics Legend, Tommy Heinsohn, dies at 86

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by | Nov 12, 2020 | Featured, NBA, uncategorised

 

Tommy Heinsohn has been a huge part of the Celtics franchise since the moment he began his career as a player back in the 1950s. Heinsohn had an outstanding playing career for the Celtics as he was a part of the dynasties of the ’50s and ’60s. He won 8 championships with the Boston Celtics and made 6 all-star appearances. He averaged over 18 points and almost 9 rebounds a game over the course of his career earning himself a spot in the Basketball Hall Of Fame. After his playing career ended with the Celtics in 1969 he became the Celtics’ head coach, leading them to two more Championships in 1974 and 1976. He then furthered his career with the Celtics becoming the LEGENDARY color commentator his career for the Celtics in 1981. In all, Tommy Heinsohn was a part of all 17 Celtics Championships in his 60 years as a player, coach, and broadcaster.

“Celtics games will not be the same without Tommy, and he will be dearly missed by those who share his fervor for basketball,” said  NBA Commissioner Adam Silver via ESPN. The Celtics owner also weighed in stating that, “Tommy was the ultimate Celtic. For the past 18 years, our ownership group has relied hugely on Tommy’s advice and insights and have reveled in his hundreds of stories about Red Auerbach, Bill Russell, and how the Celtics became a dynasty. He will be remembered forever.”

 

 

Tommy was there for the start of the tradition of toughness and grit that we have all grown to know and love about Celtics teams. Later in his career, as a broadcaster, he coined the phrase “Tommy Points” which basically were the toughness plays that lead to winning. Things such as diving on a loose ball, securing a crucial rebound or making a go-ahead basket were all types of plays that Heinsohn in the game recaps would reward the “Tommy Point” to. He gave it this title because that’s who he was as a player. One of the toughest guys out there who did what he needed for the team to win. In fact, Heisohn embodied this grit and passion his whole career dating all the way back to his days at Holy Cross. He graduated from Holy Cross in 1956 as the school’s all-time leading scorer and after he was drafted by the Celtics there was no let down when he went on to win rookie of the year in his first season. He beat out teammate Bill Russell for the Rookie of the year that season and scored a crazy 37 points and 23 rebounds in the final game of the NBA finals against the St. Louis Hawks. Tommy just always delivered. Whether it was as a player, coach, or broadcaster you could tell how passionate about winning and then how that transitioned to his love for the Boston Celtics.

My favorite thing about the Great Tommy Heinsohn was that he just never seemed to stop playing for the Celtics. In his days when he was the head color commentator for the Celtics, he captured the whole Boston Sports audience with his familiar Boston accent and the way he would passionately criticize players. The way Tommy would comment on players and situations was similar to the way a die-hard Celtics fan uncle yells at a TV during a game as if the players could hear them. Tommy just sounded like the Boston Celtics and will always sound like the Boston Celtics to me. Tommy influenced many Celtics fans in Boston to only listened and watch Celtics games on the local broadcast and radio networks even when they were are on major networks. It was the relatability, he came off as a fan just like the viewer/listener at home. Tommy highlighted the perspective of a Celtics coach and fan in his broadcasting, he was never neutral, he made it obvious he was riding for his Celtics. If you know anything about Boston sports fans….. they loved that. I loved that and I am personally going to miss hearing his voice call games. As long as I have been a Celtics fan I’ve associated his commentary voice with that parquet floor and loved the moments of games where I felt like the lead Tommy Heinsohn and I shared the same excitement for such a huge play or such a huge win. He was a true legend, professional, and most memorable of all Celtic and he will truly be missed. Rest Easy Tommy, thank you for all you’ve done.

 

Players and Coaches Weigh in on the Passing of Tommy Heinsohn Via Twitter:

Nov 12, 2020 No Comments
Top 20 Players in the NBA Bubble Playoffs

Top 20 Players in the NBA Bubble Playoffs

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by | Aug 17, 2020 | Featured, NBA

We made it NBA fans the 2019-2020 NBA playoffs have finally arrived! Its been a season unlike any other and getting to this point is an accomplishment in itself. The NBA has handled this season the best they could and credit to them because now we are in for what will be a great postseason. With the matchups set and games tipping off later this evening let’s take a closer look at the top 20 players that will be must-see TV as the journey to the finals begins.

Lebron James

 

Lakers Star Lebron James Adds Another Accolade to His Magnificent ...

Without a doubt, King James is number one on the list of the top 20 players in the bubble. Bottom line is his statistics speak for themselves, and if all you had to go by was his on-paper performance, there are very few to ever compare:

  • 4th all-time in total points at 32,543 (1st overall in the playoffs)
  • 10th all-time in assists at 8,662 (3rd overall in the playoffs)
  • 1st in overall playoff minutes played at 10,049
  • 1st in overall playoff steals at 419

 

King James has the most impressive playoff stats of anyone in the bubble in terms of career achievements in the playoffs and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Although he didn’t seem to be as aggressive as we all know him to be I expect Lebron to turn it up another level come playoffs as he always does. The King is eager for the playoffs to start and what separates LeBron from a lot of other greats is his will to win and his level of focus come playoff time. Ecpetd Lebron to be locked in and poised to put up big numbers in his first playoffs with the LA Lakers.

 

 Giannis Antetokounmpo

 

Giannis 'the Greek Freak' Antetokounmpo: The Nigerian migrant son ...

 

Another player with an incredible will to win is the reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo better know as the Greek Freak. Giannis Averaged 30 points 13 rebounds and 6 assist this season for the Bucks leading them to first place in the East. He has improved statistically in every category to follow up his MVP season and is now attempting twice as many threes as a year ago and shooting 5% better from distance. The Bucks matchup with the Magic who don’t seem to pose any real threat to the loaded Bucks. I expect Giannis to try to make a statement in the first round to set the tone for the playoffs that he is determined to get his team to the NBA finals.

 

Damian Lillard

 

Damian Lillard is Thriving, Even as the Trail Blazers Have ... 

 

Dame has easily been the best player in the bubble. Putting up back to back 50 + point games and achieving an accomplishment that only the great Wilt Chamberlin had done before in history speaks for itself. He’s also had the most pressure since entering the bubble because Portland wasn’t even in the playoff picture coming into the bubble. Dame led the Blazers to a 5-2 record in this restart and as if his determination and attitude in these games leading up to the playoffs we not enough now he gets to match up with the great Lebron James. This series will be a good one and even if the Blazers do go down one thing is for sure, Dame Dolla does not go down easy …

 

 

Kawhi Leonard

 

Working Out With That Man Change My Whole Life": LA Clippers ...

Kawhi hasn’t quite had as impressive of a season as last but similar to Lebron, his playoff rep speaks for itself. He’s spent a large portion of this year managing his minutes after playing so much in last year’s NBA playoffs and Finals. I’m confident that Leonard will return to his MVP caliber performances when these playoffs start because not only is he now much recovered from any nagging injuries because of the NBA’s hiatus but he’s also on the best team he’s ever been on and are the favorites to win it all. Kawhi doesn’t even have to do as much as he’s done in years past in trying to get to the finals but he’s defiantly going to need to be effective in the moment ts that the Clippers do need him to come up big and he’s shown in multiple playoff series that he can be relied on when he’s called upon in the playoffs.

 

 

Luka Doncic

 

Giannis: Luka Doncic among 'most talented guys I've played against'

 

Luka Doncic is must-see TV. I’m very excited to see him perform in a 7 game series. In arguably the best sophomore NBA season ever Luka plays with the poise of a 10 year NBA veteran. He has put up big numbers all year long and this year with an improved Mavericks roster they have found themselves in the playoff picture. He plays the game with such finesse and we just haven’t seen a player like him in the modern era. He plays so aggressively but is always under control. He’s a tough guard because he’s so good at getting his teammates involved that he’s not just a threat scoring-wise. I think the most impressive stat that stems from Doncic’s playmaking ability is the fact that this season they became the Most Efficient offense in NBA history, even ahead of the 73-9 Warriors team.

 

 

James Harden

 

NBA roundup: James Harden, Houston Rockets rally, top Dallas ...

The Beard has been sensational this year. The questions surrounding if he and Russell Westbrook could gel in their primes and get the Rockets into a position to make a run to the finals have been answered. Harden has shown that playing alongside a dynamic athlete like Westbrook again actually enhances his playmaking ability. The former MVP is really getting buckets this year and has even shown tremendous improvements with his ball-handling ability that was at a high level, to begin with. Harden has always gotten buckets in the playoffs but his play is cause for concern in the playoffs just because he has a history of going cold for a game or two. That cannot happen in the bubble if the Rockets hope to finally advance to the conference finals. He’s been shooting at a high volume but we all know the playoffs are about efficiency and that every possession matters.

Without Westbrook in Game 1 vs the Thunder expect Harden to go off! is he establishes some high volume scoring early in this series and can consistently put up his league-best 34 a game then The Beard and the Rockets will be really dangerous in this year’s Playoffs?

 

Nikola Jokic

 

Coronavirus: Nikola Jokic, two Suns players, four others test positive

Jokic is the best point-center in the league. Averaging 7 assists a game this year he is the reason for so much of the Nuggets success this year. Much like Doncic, he plays so under control and at such a controlled pace that he’s so difficult to guard. He’s a 7 footer with great touch around the basket, runs the floor well and can knock down the 3 ball consistently. There are not many like him in the NBA and far fewer as effective as he is. He’ll be a great asset in the playoffs because as I mentioned we know that in the playoffs every possession matters and Jokic already understands that. Jokic seems to try to get the easiest possible basket for the Nuggets every time down the floor and in their matchup with the Jazz which could really go either way having a star like Jokic is going to go a long way.

 

Paul George

 

Best Power Forward": Clippers' Paul George Reveals How a Star ...

There is no denying that Paul George is a top 10 talent in this league and no denying that he is a top 10 player in these playoffs but now its time for PG to really show that he can perform come playoff time. George has looked great when active this year for the Clippers. Although he’s doesn’t have to carry the load as much as he once did in Indiana and OKC because this Clippers team is so deep George will still have to perform at an all-star level on both offense and defense if this team is going to get to the finals. I expect big games from George early if the Clippers are going to establish they are truly a contender this year. He’ll need to have the type of playoffs he once had in Indiana when he was just a rising star for this team to advance. He’scapable of scoring in bunches and making it look easy and if he establishes this sooner than later the Clippers are going to be lethal.

 

Russel Westbrook

 

Reports: Russell Westbrook to miss start of first-round series ...

Westbrook will be out for the first game against his former team the Oklahoma City Thunder with a strained quad. There is no doubt that Houston will need him to be at his best for The Rockets to even advance past a talented OKC team that has found ways to win some big games this year. Hopefully, he returns after only one game without any lagging effects from the strain so that this team is at full strength in their quest for a championship.

The most impressive part of Westbrook’s play this year is his offensive rebounding. A highly underrated part of his game he has now capitalized on since the Rockets play small-ball lineups. He attacks the glass like an energizer bunny, its actually really cool to watch. He times up put back dunks like LeBron times up chase-down blocks. Looking forward to Westbrook getting back on the floor and giving it his all in his first playoffs with his new team.

Chris Paul

 

Chris Paul has found happiness with Oklahoma City Thunder - Sports ...

Chris Paul has shown that he’s still got a lot left in the tank and he’s still one of the best point guards in the game today. Putting up an impressive almost 20 a game this year isn’t even the best he has done for this young and talented Thunder team. What makes CP3 so great is his ability to give the players around him confidence and get the most out of everyone he plays with. He’s helped balance this Thunder team that was not predicted to do as well heading into this season. He’s solidified his role as the leader of this team but he’s also left room for the young and talented pieces of this team like Shai Gilgous- Alexander to flourish in his role. I expect CP3 to really come up big for this Thunder team and Matching up against the small ball Houston Rockets is something I can really see him exploiting.

 

 

 

Here is a look at the rest of the players in the top 20 heading into the Bubble Playoffs.

Donovan Mitchell

Three things that make Donovan Mitchell elite - SLC Dunk

Jayson Tatum

Duke basketball: Jayson Tatum finishes regular season nearly perfect

Philadelphia 76ers Need Joel Embiid To Be Joel Embiid, Warts And All

Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler Denies Rumor He Left 76ers Because of Tension with ...

CJ Mccollum

Why did CJ McCollum change his mind and decide to go to Orlando ...

Caris Levert

Brooklyn Nets: Examining the progress of Caris LeVert

Khris Middleton

Bucks' Khris Middleton out 3-4 weeks with left thigh contusionJaylen Brown

How China Changed Jaylen Brown - The New York Times

Kyle Lowry

Toronto Raptors Temperature: Siakam and Lowry are hot, the west is ...

TJ Warren

T.J. Warren is the Michael Jordan of the bubble - SBNation.com

 

 

 

Statistics and Photos all Courtesy of ESPN

Aug 17, 2020 No Comments
Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons Out Indefinitely

Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons Out Indefinitely

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by | Aug 9, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers announced this afternoon via ESPN that he will be leaving the NBA bubble to undergo surgery on his left knee. Simmons suffered a partial dislocation to his left knee cap against the Washington Wizards earlier this week. The purpose of the surgery is to remove a loose body in the left knee as a result of the dislocation. The 76ers have not yet ruled Simmons out for the season but according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there is still a chance he could return later if the 76ers were to make a deep playoff run.

 

 

Simmons injured his knee in the late 3rd quarter in the game against the Wizards. The play seemed pretty routine as Simmons secured the rebound dribbled it down the left side of the floor before making an entry past to Al Horford on the left block. The play ended in an offensive foul called against Al Horford but Simmons started to head back on defense with a limp before eventually stopping completely. He flexed the left leg a few times before knowing he could no longer continue to play and checked out of the game.

 

 

This was a very tough injury for Simmons. He had battled with back problems during the regular season before the NBA’s hiatus and used the past few months to really get back to full health. He suffered from nerve impingement in his lower back and when he went out with this injury in late February the Sixer’s only concerns were to get him back healthy for playoffs. The time off before the NBA’s return in Orlando was actually beneficial for Simmons as it gave him time to heal and gave the Sixers time to refocus.

 

 

The Sixers were 11-25 on the road this year, an NBA worst. Simmons’ injury was just one of the few problems they faced back earlier this year. The Sixers needed to make changes somewhere if they were going to get anywhere in the playoffs this year and it just didn’t seem to be clicking for this very talented squad.

Heading into the NBA bubble the Sixers emerged as an Eastern Conference dark horse. They were finally healthy, found some shooters to help the lineup offensively, and they didn’t have to play any more road games (all games played at Disney). All these things sounded good on paper, much like they did for this Sixers team before the 2019-20 season where many chose this team to make it back to the Eastern Conference finals. The problem however has been Philidepia’s inability to execute, too similar to players, and inability to close out games down the stretch.

The Sixers started off 2-1 with Simmons starting in the bubble but were still showing flashes of a team that had addressed some of their problems from before the season’s hiatus. However now without Simmons for most likely the rest of the season this team will really need to find all-star level production from somewhere on their roster. They faired well in their first game without Simmons last night getting a win againt the Orlando Magic after finally pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 108-101 victory.

 

 

The notable performance in this game was Alec Burks who put up 22 points 4 reb and 2 assists. Burks is a very capable scorer and although in a different way than Ben Simmons it would be huge for this team if he could consistently produce around 20 points a game for this team just to take the offensive pressure off of Joel Embiid. Regardless the loss of Simmons will pose its greatest problems for this team come playoffs and with 4 games left until they start the Sixers will have to prepare for playoffs without their All-Star.

 

Aug 9, 2020 No Comments
TJ Warren Can’t Be Stopped In The NBA Bubble Restart

TJ Warren Can’t Be Stopped In The NBA Bubble Restart

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by | Aug 5, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

We have seen some high-quality basketball out of the NBA’s restart, games have been extremely competitive and relatively high scoring making them very exciting to watch.

There have been some pretty impressive individual offensive performances in these first 3 games in Orlando, but none better than a man by the name of Tony Warren Jr. of the Indiana Pacers. TJ Warren leads the bubble in scoring with 119 points in 3 games (39.7 PPG). He’s shooting 65.3 FG% and 60.9 3P%, while also having a bubble-best +59 +/-.

Warren has undoubtedly been the best player for the Pacers in the return. He has led every game in points and helped Indiana improve to 3-0 in the bubble. Warren’s offensive surge is much needed for this team who is without their only All-Star in Domantas Sabonis. They were going to need someone to really step up and take more of an offensive responsibility and it turns out TJ is that player for them. The consistency in how Warren is scoring the ball is what stands out the most. Warren had definitely shown flashes in his ability this season prior, but he’s not just showing flashes, he’s putting on demonstrations.

 

 

 

 

 

Warren scored 32 Points on Tuesday night against the Orlando Magic with 21 coming in the first half while Shooting %100 from the field…yeah he didn’t miss a shot. He was 3-3 from 3 in the first half Tuesday night against the Magic, ultimately leading them to the 120-109 Victory for the Pacers.

Warren has led the Pacers to become one of the hottest teams in the Orlando bubble and now is being held to the standard of some former all-time great Pacers. After he erupted for 53 points in his career-high on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers, Warren now holds a Pacers scoring record. Think about how impressive this is for a moment after considering this is a franchise that had Reggie Miller, who is a top 5 three-point shooter of all time. As mentioned, Warren has tallied 119 points in those three games, tying the team record for most points in that span. This record is shared with another all-time great Pacer in Jermaine O’Neal.

 

 

At 6’8 Warren has displayed he can score the ball on all three levels. He has done a tremendous job of getting to the spots he wants on the floor to score. He’s really been able to score in whatever way he’s wanted in this three-game stretch. everything seems to be clicking offensively and it that means, even more, when you’re as versatile of a player as Warren is. Because he shoots the ball so well and has been shooting even better in Orlando, he is able to get a lot of his points simply in the flow of the Pacer offense. The rhythm he gets in just in there offense has really seemed to open up his game and you have to Give Pacer Head Coach Nate McMillian credit for this as he has put TJ Warren in situations within the offense to make high percentage plays offensively. He’s been in the pick and roll, isolated on the wing, posted on the block, and has even set an occasional pick and pop screens but defenses have not had an answer for Warren.

 

 

There is no telling how long TJ Warren will be able to keep playing at the level he is at. With the condensed bubble schedule I certainly hope we see it for at least the rest fo the Indiana Pacers season as I’m sure they do too but there is really no telling. Some of Warren’s bubble emergence has had a little “Linsanity” vibe to but that would really discredit his play from this past year which was very notable. He averaged 19.7 points per game this year before the bubble and as crazy as it is for him to scored 53 points in an NBA game its never been that he hasn’t been capable. Warren has really taken advantage of the absences of Sabonis. As long as he is out, The Pacers to keep going to him to find their offense.

“The ball is finding him and he’s knocking down a high percentage of his shots,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “(He’s) just really efficient.”

https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1291050339853053954?s=20

 

 

Aug 5, 2020 No Comments