moyemayhem

I’m also a big tennis fan, mostly on the men’s side. Alcaraz and Sinner are special, and as you said they will likely dominate for the next decade. I wouldn’t be shocked if they threaten Djokovic’s major record, which is crazy to say about 2 players that young. I am not too bullish on any of the American players competing with them outside of Shelton, who is a freak athlete and also happens to have some Indiana ties.

In Mitchell's 5 seasons in Utah, the Jazz won a total of 2 playoff series and simply weren't going deep into the postseason. With that said, I think the Jazz would have kept him if he was happy there.

I think you are leaving out a lot of context in Ainge’s time in Utah. The Jazz weren’t going deep in the playoffs with Gobert and Mitchell, and made a decision to reboot. Ainge was brought in to tear it down, and he did a really good job maximizing return in the process. Getting 4 first round picks for a guy making $40+ million a year that often doesn’t play crunch time in playoff games is a great deal. Mitchell didn’t formally ask for a trade, but it was understood that he preferred to be traded. Conley had a great career, but he’s not a difference maker anymore. They will be bad for a while, especially in the West, but they at least have the picks and front office now to turn it around.

Loved this quote from the article: "It’s impossible to know how Haliburton’s injury will affect the rest of his career, but the run he had should forever transform how he’s perceived. Moving forward, no one who believes he’s overrated can be taken seriously. On the contrary, true visionaries who inhabit unteachable selflessness do not grow on trees. Haliburton will have coaching staffs around the league begging their primary scorers to sacrifice a little bit more. The sales pitch writes itself: Pass, cut, move, screen, and push more often and defenses will have a much harder time slowing you down." Haliburton and the Pacers' playing style is not only a great teaching tool for coaches, but it's also the template for entertaining and aesthetically pleasing basketball. Here's to hoping their influence is strong and durable.

Not making an excuse, but Haliburton’s mobility was clearly affected by this latest injury. He couldn’t create separation like the previous games. Add in Dort and his pass first mentality and this is the result.

Scott Foster is not a good referee. Last night was the worst officiated game of the series. And yet, it’s still not why the Pacers lost the game. They were up 4 with 3 minutes left and proceeded to go 0-5 from the field and 1-4 from the line with a turnover thrown in. The Pacers got away from their flow offense and let the game slip away. That’s why they lost.

Doyel asked “How is it possible to not fight hard enough to win.” Siakam had the correct reaction. What a joke of a question. It’s as if Doyel doesn’t understand the human condition or how competition works.

Great win by the Pacers. They have a grit that is undeniable at this point. It really is a joy to watch them play. They are so unselfish, they have unique players that just fit together, the effort is consistent, and they are never intimidated. And it all starts with Haliburton who has a special basketball IQ that is clearly contagious. Such a fun team to root for.

Are we expecting Leal to get another year of eligibility and then hit the transfer portal? We’re still in the transfer portal thread right?

If we get desperate, I hear there is a big transferring out of Tatooine State named J.B. "Jabba" Hutt. He's got great size, but is pretty stationary. He can certainly be used to clog up the lane. but he'll need to work on his cardio if he wants to get meaningful minutes.

https://x.com/pitlessball/status/1919952218125427189?s=46&t=xHjmpvrXkRF0KKDD8jPdPQ

I think DDV did an admirable job filling the roster with solid players that fit his style this year. I doubt we are elite, but I think we can be a competitive tournament team and hopefully get a positive glimpse of what's to come. I'm hoping with Johnson, Clark, and Adams in place we can start pulling in top tier talent next year that fits DDV system.

Most considered Oladipo a raw toolsy kid when he was recruited. Great athlete with very limited skills.

If Duke, UK, and Indiana don't bother investing in the program and are bottom dwellers for 10+ years, the fans will go away and that jersey will lose its worth. I know the comeback will be that Indiana hasn't done anything the last 20 years, but the truth is we've still had better results than roughly half the teams in the Big Ten. We've had recurring moments of hope provided by preseason expectations, or a blue chip recruit, or a new coach. It's been ugly and the administration's competence is rightly questioned, but you can't say they aren't trying. If we don't invest in NIL that would be proof positive we aren't trying, and the fans will eventually disappear.

These comparisons can be tricky, but the Greek League has historically been far superior than the German League. The Greek league is very top heavy, with 2 dominant teams (Panathinaikos and Olympiacos) that are loaded with former/future NBA players and among the best in all of Europe. The rest of the teams in that league are considered a tier below. Panathinaikos are the defending EuroLeague champions (the basketball version of the Champion's League). Since 2000, the Greeks have won seven EuroLeague Finals, more than any other country in Europe over that period. For comparison, the German League has never produced a Euroleague champion (or runner-up). It is considered to have more overall league parity for what it's worth. Neoklis Avdalas, the Greek player who has garnered interest, is under contract with Panathinaikos but currently loaned out to a mid-tier Greek competitor. Being associated with Panathinaikos would imply he's probably a good prospect. EuroLeague - Wikipedia