NBA2K Remix: Retro Stars in the Modern Era

[studbucket]

Quote: Originally Posted by trekfan

Bird could do that, I think he may actually end up being a PF in this era -- a deadly stretch 4 who can pummel smaller ones and downsize. He played some PF earlier in this IRL career with the Celtics, his first couple of years, and was good at it too. If he were to go up a spot, that would necessitate me moving Chriss (he just doesn't have the bulk to play center full-time, IMO), and I'd need to fill in the SF spot with someone new from free agency/trades, or take Winslow or Powell and shift them into the starting lineup (moving Anunoby if needed). I'm not against that at all and that's a valid possibility --my only problem with it is that if I moved Bird up, he'd face Giannis on the regular (nominally a PF) and other tall/stretchy PFs that would still rank as better athletes than him and I worry he'd lose some effectiveness. Bird's such a throwback at SF, able to use his power to get into the post, that many of the 3-D wings can't handle him on the lowblock. There are a lot of variables at play this offseason, and I'm eager to get there, lol.

I was thinking more about this at lunch today, and the lack of lateral quickness makes sense. Frankly, is his best comp in the league someone like Khris Middleton? OK athlete, but very smart player, uses size and smarts effectively on both ends? I mean, Khris' teammates joke that he can't dunk.

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

I was thinking more about this at lunch today, and the lack of lateral quickness makes sense. Frankly, is his best comp in the league someone like Khris Middleton? OK athlete, but very smart player, uses size and smarts effectively on both ends? I mean, Khris' teammates joke that he can't dunk.

If Middleton was a fiercer competitor and had a killer mentality, yeah, I could see that comp. I was actually thinking more of an uber-James Johnson type -- someone who could go 3 or 4, play up or down, isn't the best at either but he's REALLY GOOD at what he does and understands the intricacies of the game. Middleton is good comp too.


Bird definitely can play in this era, I'm just not sure where is his best spot; that's really the defining question of his career in this league, where can he thrive the longest? The answer is up for debate.

[trekfan]

The High Post: Murray Leads Spurs Past Dallas

By Sam Gray

The Dallas Mavericks were sitting 10th in the West, above .500, but still trying to find the perfect lineup to maximize their unique talent in Doncic and Porzingis, while the Spurs entered the game a bit creaky — the month of January has not been kind, as the Spurs started out on a three-game losing steak and have altered small win streaks with losing streaks since. But this game represented a chance to correct the narrative that the Spurs were figured out against a team many predicted would be title contenders in Dallas.

The first quarter proved to be a roller coaster of emotions for San Antonio. Clad in their white camouflage uniforms, the Spurs were celebrating the nation’s military — a tradition for San Antonio based on the history of David Robinson (Navy) and Popovich (Air Force) and the two’s continued support for those branches. Dallas jumped out to a big early lead as they fed Doncic and watched as Luka lit up the Spurs defense.

Coach Vanderbilt called an early timeout as the Spurs had fallen down 15-4 early in the first and looked to be totally lost on the defensive end.

“We were pressing way too hard,” said Vanderbilt after the game. “We were getting taken advantage of and we needed to settle down, take a breath, and play through whomever was open.”

Who was open in the first? Larry Bird. Bird called his number repeatedly in the first quarter, hitting three consecutive triples to bring the Spurs back from the dead as Dallas could not guard him. The big shots energized the team and the crowd, and San Antonio managed to close the gap to just three at the end of the first, down 32-29.

The Spurs cranked up the defensive intensity in the second and fed Murray next, as Bird was getting doubled; Dallas dared anyone else to score and Murray answered the call, slicing through the Dallas defense and locking down Luka as Dallas put up an abysmal 16 point quarter.

In the third, the Spurs saw Dallas make a run, closing the gap to just three before Vanderbilt put the ball in Murray’s hands; Murray consistently got good shots and made many of them, making Dallas pay at the line or from deep as the Mavericks got stuck in a tug-of-war, as the lead the Spurs had would not be relinquished. Murray was a defensive nightmare for Dallas as whatever player he was switched on seemed to struggle shooting, and the Spurs exited the quarter up 11 points.

The fourth saw the Spurs pour it on as Murray was still rolling and Bird made his presence felt with some big mid-range jumpers; Dallas collapsed and the Mavs waved the white flag with four minutes to go, down by 20, and getting embarrassed. The Spurs subbed in their bench unit and continued to score while Dallas looked like it was ready to go home.

After the game, the Mavericks refused to answer any postgame questions and called a team meeting.

When told about the meeting, Bird quipped, “Maybe they’re trying to find out who left their defense back at the hotel.”

Around the NBA:

The Thunder got great news as CP3, Steven Adams, and Dennis Schroeder all agreed to contract extensions with OKC; the Thunder have locked them up on reasonable deals and OKC still has quite a bit of cap space to play with thanks to CP3 taking a solid discount. The Thunder could be big players in free agency — specifically, they could be targeting the Greek Freak if the Bucks fail to win a title this season and Giannis entertains offers in free agency (where anything is possible).

The Knicks made the first deal of trade season as the trade deadline approaches.

The Bucks make a play for winning now and maybe in the future, as they trade for Mitchell Robinson. Robinson doesn’t have the range of Lopez, but is more efficient and more defensively sound, though they had to pay a steep price with a lightly protected 2022 1st. Milwaukee is making the move now to show Giannis they’re serious about winning this year, but this may end up being a short-sighted panic trade for a Bucks organization fearful that their prized superstar is going to bolt next year. The Knicks are expected to entertain further offers for players on their roster, but no one else is generating much buzz — New York is likely stuck with some of the players acquired in the previous regime.

[studbucket]

10 points in the 4th is a disaster for the Mavs. Wow.

And the Bucks trade - I'd be worried about how Robin Lopez feels about all this after he went to Milwaukee to play with his brother.

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

10 points in the 4th is a disaster for the Mavs. Wow. And the Bucks trade - I'd be worried about how Robin Lopez feels about all this after he went to Milwaukee to play with his brother.

Yeah, the Mavs got LOCKED DOWN in the 4th. We are the best defensive team in the conference, something I've never been before; usually my teams are all offense, average defense, but we've got a real balanced squad here.



Robin Lopez picked up his player option for 5M last summer and has played all of four minutes all season, so he may hate it but if he wants a ring, he'll suck it up. The Bucks can cut him if he makes a stink, lol.

[studbucket]

I forgot you were 1 year in the future That changes the Lopez dynamic a bit.


It's fun being a great defensive team, glad you have that in SA. Do you double-down on that in the draft?

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

I forgot you were 1 year in the future That changes the Lopez dynamic a bit. It's fun being a great defensive team, glad you have that in SA. Do you double-down on that in the draft?

In the 2021 draft, I may end up trading out truthfully -- I am not seeing a lot of players in my projected range I want. It depends on how the draft shakes out, but I feel like trading that pick (and maybe a prospect) for bench help is the way to go ... or a new starter if I need to switch Bird to PF.

[kibaxx7]

Loving Bird in the camo uniform.