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Official 2020 NBA Offseason - First Half Season Schedule Out

Not so sure. I think they throw him a lot of minutes in the pre-season and then cut him way back in the regular season. I could see him on weeks long stretches with DNPs. I like the pick, but my limited understanding is that he's got to be a better shooter and revamp his defensive skills - remember he was mostly at the top of the 3-pt line in a zone when he was getting all those steals and earning Defensive POY awards.

I think it's the other way around. Zhaire seems to meed a lot more work.
 
That's not at all the read I get from the coaches. They're raving about his defense. Zhaire still very much needs to work on his game by comparison. Matisse is getting good shots and getting to the rim as well.

Hmmm. Really? Are you a 76ers fan and reading local content? I'm not being pithy, really. You are changing my fantasy draft board if true.

I believe I "saw"one story the other way around, but I can't even say if I read it - happy to be wrong, I don't have any skin in the game and was the one on here prior to the draft raving about Matisse for reasons on and off the court. I love this kid, and would be pleased if it is true. I may have absorbed too many draft day pundits insisting he would take a year or two due the type of zone defense he led in college and his lack of a consistent shot ...

Circling back around then, you are saying DO pay attention to minutes distribution in pre-season for the 76ers, as well as production, when it comes to Zhaire and Matisse?

I half expect Matisse to get some 3 month injury in the next week or two ... shut him down until the season!
 
The Sixers are trying to win it all this year. They aren't shutting anyone down they think can contribute.
 
Hmmm. Really? Are you a 76ers fan and reading local content? I'm not being pithy, really. You are changing my fantasy draft board if true.

I believe I "saw"one story the other way around, but I can't even say if I read it - happy to be wrong, I don't have any skin in the game and was the one on here prior to the draft raving about Matisse for reasons on and off the court. I love this kid, and would be pleased if it is true. I may have absorbed too many draft day pundits insisting he would take a year or two due the type of zone defense he led in college and his lack of a consistent shot ...

Circling back around then, you are saying DO pay attention to minutes distribution in pre-season for the 76ers, as well as production, when it comes to Zhaire and Matisse?

I half expect Matisse to get some 3 month injury in the next week or two ... shut him down until the season!

Yes, I am a Sixers fan and have paid super close attention in preseason. Last night was a good example, he was in the first two subs along with James Ennis. And he had three blocks, including a block that he then went coast-to-coast and scored. The Sixers Beat podcast is run by the Athletic guys who cover the Sixers, and they covered the first intrasquad scrimmage and raved about him, and the Philly Inquirer quotes coming out of that were telling too. Ben said he hated playing against him.

Brett says not to read anything into early minutes but also has heavily praised Thybulle and said Smith needs more time. I watched the first three quarters last night, and Smith (who didn't play in the first half) was kinda hidden when he did play in the second half.
 
The Sixers are trying to win it all this year. They aren't shutting anyone down they think can contribute.

RJ, I was kidding. This is why I asked Townie instead of you.

If I can trust you've actually been reading and collating a bunch of varying opinions before forming your own regarding Mattise/Zhaire which one plays more/more productive, I'm happy to take your COLLATED opinion too ...
 
Yes, I am a Sixers fan and have paid super close attention in preseason. Last night was a good example, he was in the first two subs along with James Ennis. And he had three blocks, including a block that he then went coast-to-coast and scored. The Sixers Beat podcast is run by the Athletic guys who cover the Sixers, and they covered the first intrasquad scrimmage and raved about him, and the Philly Inquirer quotes coming out of that were telling too. Ben said he hated playing against him.

Brett says not to read anything into early minutes but also has heavily praised Thybulle and said Smith needs more time. I watched the first three quarters last night, and Smith (who didn't play in the first half) was kinda hidden when he did play in the second half.

Cool. I thought Zhaire looked a bit heavy compared to his college film in SUMMER LEAGUE. I didn't watch the game and couldn't find Smith highlights ...

Thybulle just screams better Thabo Sefolosha with a better offensive game. In other words, I fully expect him to be an NBA starter, maybe not quite all-star level, but kind of a Michael Cooper type of player - one who will still be playing in the NBA in 15 years ... just have no honest idea how long it takes to get there and if that opportunity is going to come in Philly.
 
Unless Matisse is trade bait for a stud FA come trade deadline (a la Shamet last year for Harris) he'll definitely get his shot for the Sixers. His offensive game needs to come around a lot more than his defense. His defense looks legitimately NBA ready. He's got some ups too.

Smith lost 50 pounds when he had his freak allergy accident and almost died. There's tape of him in the gym with a damn tube still in him from the hospital. He's a very hard worker, but getting him back up to speed is going to take time. I suspect if he's a little bigger now than college that's not because of lack of being in shape; he's been trying to put that weight back on for a while now. I think there's a chance he's always a shell of the player he had the potential to be.
 
Zion is ridiculous

his body and his athleticism don’t even make sense
 
Christ, just clicked a yahoo article that was based on a 3 minute interview Steve Kerr did which I thought was good. Saw there were 1073 comments and clicked on them. Please tell me that only Trump supporters are the ones that like making internet comments because jesus christ those are brutal to read.
 
Half the folks who make those comments have painted on hair and drive Vans covered in laminated Breitbart articles and trump stickers. Call this my internal poll.
 
Not saying anything unique here, but the Mavs are going to be fun to watch this year w/ Doncic and Porzingis.

Watched Pelicans/Bulls the other night because I was stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do... Was definitely impressed by Zion. I think my opinion is that he'll be a very good NBA player, but probably not a superstar until he can develop a right hand and a better jump shot. I've heard a lot of "he won't be able to push around or out-athletic NBA guys", but I actually think he will. Will be fascinating to watch his development over the next couple of years, provided he doesn't suffer a horrific "too athletic" injury.

And that's probably the last you'll hear from me on the NBA until the playoffs. Enjoy the season!
 
the one thing about watching Zion that night was that he looked kinda short
 
ATS, although I'd agree with you about needing a right hand to be successful 98+% of the time. Zion's freakish physical ability can overcome that like Manu overcame it for more than a decade. When Manu got the ball, my friend and I would yell, "He's going left" and he'd go left and score. Zion could do the same. But I do agree with you that he needs to add a jumper and improve his FT shooting.

Juice, he does look short. But Barkley did OK and he was much shorter than Zion. I've stood next to Chuck a couple of times. If he's a hair over 6'4, it would be a lot.
 
ATS, although I'd agree with you about needing a right hand to be successful 98+% of the time. Zion's freakish physical ability can overcome that like Manu overcame it for more than a decade. When Manu got the ball, my friend and I would yell, "He's going left" and he'd go left and score. Zion could do the same. But I do agree with you that he needs to add a jumper and improve his FT shooting.

Juice, he does look short. But Barkley did OK and he was much shorter than Zion. I've stood next to Chuck a couple of times. If he's a hair over 6'4, it would be a lot.

Yeah, I guess when I say he needs a right hand, I just mean he needs to get better at dribbling overall. I don't mind that he always finishes with his left hand... I think that's pretty normal. But if his game is going to be predicated mostly on getting to the rim, one power dribble with his left hand isn't going to cut it long-term.

Again, I think he's going to be very good... Probably not deserving of all of this hype he's getting, but I understand why it is happening. He's fun.
 
He's deserving of the hype as he puts butts in the seats and sells shit. Luckily, he seems to have his head on straight and understands he's got a long way to go.

It also seems like Ja Morant has got his shit together as well.

The NBA better start thinking about how make two giant talents more accessible considering where they play.
 
It isn't like Anthony Davis got buried on the terrible Pelicans teams. He was still a superstar getting exposure. I think what they try and do is when a big team is in New Orleans they go out of their way to make it a national game. Same with Memphis. That plus getting them into All-Star weekend meaningfully is really all teh league has responsibility for. Everything else is on their teams and the players' management.
 
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