2021 NBA All Star Game (State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia. 7th March)

[jod23]

Can’t defend, can’t play without the ball. Needs to mature and learn how to be a better teammate and team player.

Oh for sure. He's miles away from the finished article. Thing his averages were lower last season and was actually an All Star starter IIRC.

Good to see Sabonis come in as the injury replacement though, dudes a baller.

 

[Scotland]

Sabonis is a jet. 21 and 11 for the season and his team's best player. Only 24 too. A baby in NBA terms.

The top Euro players (I know he was born in the US and went to college in the US) are great at the intangibles. A lot of star local players get by on athleticism and/or talent in college then have to adapt once they get to the NBA. I don't know about anyone else but I love watching guys come into the NBA that add something different. Jokic, Luka, Embiid, Steph... even KD and Giannis don't really fit the mold. 7 foot centres getting triple doubles every other game and/or shooting 40% from 3. Love it.

 

[jod23]

Sabonis is a jet. 21 and 11 for the season and his team's best player. Only 24 too. A baby in NBA terms.

The top Euro players (I know he was born in the US and went to college in the US) are great at the intangibles. A lot of star local players get by on athleticism and/or talent in college then have to adapt once they get to the NBA. I don't know about anyone else but I love watching guys come into the NBA that add something different. Jokic, Luka, Embiid, Steph... even KD and Giannis don't really fit the mold. 7 foot centres getting triple doubles every other game and/or shooting 40% from 3. Love it.

His Dad was ubelievable and many reckon if he came to the NBA sooner, he'd be in possible GOAT talks.

 

[BigBreakfast]

Sabonis is a jet. 21 and 11 for the season and his team's best player. Only 24 too. A baby in NBA terms.

The top Euro players (I know he was born in the US and went to college in the US) are great at the intangibles. A lot of star local players get by on athleticism and/or talent in college then have to adapt once they get to the NBA. I don't know about anyone else but I love watching guys come into the NBA that add something different. Jokic, Luka, Embiid, Steph... even KD and Giannis don't really fit the mold. 7 foot centres getting triple doubles every other game and/or shooting 40% from 3. Love it.

Chip off the old block. Footage is scarce but Dad woukd have been a monster in the NBA if he came earlier. Watch old Olympic footage.

 

[Scotland]

I remember Arvydas from the 90s. Massive lump of a human. Could seriously play. Not often you see a guy that is 30 in the ROTY race.

 

[BigBreakfast]

 

[peternorth]

 

[Scotland]

Those guys are no Hamadou Diallo or Derrick Jones Jr.

 

[BigBreakfast]

Could be a case of “who dat?” Or in years to come “Oh that guy, did he actually go in the dunk comp.”

Who cares, the Dunk comp is old and tired.

 

[Scotland]

The two Aaron Gordon dunk contests were epic.

With all due respect to LaVine, Gordon and Jones Jr they aren't/weren't superstars of the NBA.

I like to look back with rose coloured glasses at all the superstar dunk contests from the 90s, but in reality there weren't many.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I remember Arvydas from the 90s. Massive lump of a human. Could seriously play. Not often you see a guy that is 30 in the ROTY race.

The Joker is a great comparison to papa Sabonis

 

[Scotland]

The Joker is a great comparison to papa Sabonis

I remember Arvydas as more of a traditional big man. He was 7'3 and 280lb so a solid human.

Joker looks like a guy that you wouldn't expect to be successful in the NBA. A bit like Angus Brandt who played for the Wildcats. Big and skillful enough for the NBL, but there are 6'10+ guys in the NBA like Giannis. His passing is elite and his handles and shooting are great also. His stat line this year looks made up for a centre. 27 points, 11 boards, 8.5 assists, 88% from the stripe and 41% from 3 on 3.8 attempts.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I remember Arvydas as more of a traditional big man. He was 7'3 and 280lb so a solid human.

Joker looks like a guy that you wouldn't expect to be successful in the NBA. A bit like Angus Brandt who played for the Wildcats. Big and skillful enough for the NBL, but there are 6'10+ guys in the NBA like Giannis. His passing is elite and his handles and shooting are great also. His stat line this year looks made up for a centre. 27 points, 11 boards, 8.5 assists, 88% from the stripe and 41% from 3 on 3.8 attempts.

Fair points. Sabonis was touted as the best passing big to have played in the NBA (even for so brief a period), until the Joker came in to his own of course.

 

[peternorth]

Let us wonder together how Sabonis would go in todays game with spacing, 3 pt shooting a premium etc. He paints a picture with slight of hand and would dissect players like a carving knife through christmas turkey (thats not dry).

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Let us wonder together how Sabonis would go in todays game with spacing, 3 pt shooting a premium etc. He paints a picture with slight of hand and would dissect players like a carving knife through christmas turkey (thats not dry).

#moist

 

[peternorth]

And now your NBA Rising Stars participants

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

And now your NBA Rising Stars participants

Cavs snubbed here nahnah

Also Coby White?

 

[nahnah]

Cavs snubbed here nahnah

Also Coby White?

Yeah cavs always get snubbed, Sexton didn’t get picked both years so not surprised Edwards got in over Garland

 

[fidstar]

LeBron killed the draft.

 

[DT_35]

How TF is Covington in the skills challenge? bloke doesn’t have ANY skills

 

[jod23]

Mike Conley getting a career achievement award.

Listen I love Mike Conley but 16.1ppg and 5.7apg is not an All Star for me.

 

[peternorth]

Mike Conley getting a career achievement award.

Listen I love Mike Conley but 16.1ppg and 5.7apg is not an All Star for me.

Thanks for being a good bloke award.
Demar derosen surely

 

[jod23]

Some people can feel immensely snubbed right now haha.

I cant wait for another injury so that Brad Wanamaker can make the All Star team.

 

[fidstar]

Mike Conley getting a career achievement award.

Listen I love Mike Conley but 16.1ppg and 5.7apg is not an All Star for me.

He's arguably as big a reason as anyone that the Jazz are where they are. Jazz are +11pp 100 possessions better when he is on the floor (only Rudy is better than him and he's miles in front of third who is +5). They are slightly better than average when he's not on the floor. That's insane for someone off the bench.

Without him, Jazz are around the 4th seed. Same as last year.

 

[jod23]

He's arguably as big a reason as anyone that the Jazz are where they are. Jazz are +11pp 100 possessions better when he is on the floor (only Rudy is better than him and he's miles in front of third who is +5). They are slightly better than average when he's not on the floor. That's insane for someone off the bench.

Without him, Jazz are around the 4th seed. Same as last year.

Yeah I understand he's huge for them, he's still not an All Star though.