A big +1 to Micah Adams' tweet on the "serious inflation with individual stats." I don't want a return to the days of Riley's Knicks, but the game has tilted too far towards offense, and as a result, guys going off for big games doesn't have the thrill that it used to.
In the 97-98 season, for example, there were three 50-point games: Karl Malone with 56 vs. the Warriors, Tracy Murray with 50 vs. the Warriors (hmm), and Shaq with 50 vs. the Nets. This year, there are nine already and we're not even at the halfway point of the season.
Add Luka’s 60-21-10 stat line and missed free throw answered prayer to the list. Regular season basketball doesn’t get much better. Maybe the most impressive part is he put up that many points with only two made shots beyond the arc. Crazy.
I would've been fine with simply redoing all the trophies, naming them is a bridge too far for me. Though I can't lie, it would be cool to get the MJ MVP trophy.
But as for as lasting 2022 moment, easy: Game 4 of the Finals—Steph's iconic performance saves their season (when I was starting to think Boston might go up [gulps] 3-1). And then the genuine tears of joy at the end of Game 6. Nothing is on that level.
There are statistical attempts to define "clutch" and some of them seem more useful than others, but it's usually been true that the mythology about "clutch" ends up being far more about the player's reputation than any relevant stat.
I don't think the best way to define clutch is statistically. Clutch is a state of mind. A spiritual summoning of skill and determination. Maybe let the players pick this one...who the baddest mofo you just don't want no parts of with the game/series/championship on the line? Who's the one man you want to get the ball to for the final shot? Ball don't lie.
I don't want to argue. Leave that for other sites. I'll just say that some players with clutch reputations are just the ones who take the most shots in clutch situations rather than being the ones who make those shots at a higher percentage. Also, this all leaves out the clutch assist, clutch rebound, and clutch defensive stop. I wonder if anybody has ever done stat research on clutch assists.
All apologies, no desire to argue either, just love to talk basketball! I believe in the eye test, the gut check, and that every generation throws a hero up the pop charts (that assist is from Paul Simon).
I do like the idea of the clutch assist! That's a conscious decision and an act of teamwork and trust and a lot tougher to measure.
- Celtics vs. Warriors. Upstarts vs. old guard. Steph dominating the Finals.
- Jimmy Butler in the EC Finals (and taking that transition 3)
- Covid forcing teams to play skeleton crews and call up deep G-Leaguers and former players.
- Giannis. And Middleton's playoff injury
- NBA on TNT's continued excellence. Charles Barkley: "When a guy's banging you..."
And personally, I saw Ja Morant play in person, and he's THE guy to see right now. He made several acrobatic scoop layups and dunks where he touched the sky, and the Pistons home crowd reacted the same way every time: "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....." A sound that was like, wow that was cool, but I'm bummed he's not on our team.
You have to wonder if the NBA office has a plan for future names/trophies or whether they have just kicked that can down to road for someone else to solve. Like the look of the new trophies though.
Sadly, the thing I will remember most is the sport's awkward and somewhat underwhelming reaction to various controversies. Especially Kyrie. My enthusiasm for the sport has dipped since he returned, and it just makes me sick that he will probably be an all-star. Though the mishandling of things in Phoenix is pretty awful. (All the kudos in the world to Nick Friedell and Baxter Holmes for not letting their stories rest.) Hard to feel like the sport really knows what to do when controversy arises.
On the court? The ascent again of Steph, above all else. The triumphant return of Zion. Those few moments now and again when Quickley and RJ and Grimes and the rest of the Knicks' young players do something special. Luka's one man band.
A big +1 to Micah Adams' tweet on the "serious inflation with individual stats." I don't want a return to the days of Riley's Knicks, but the game has tilted too far towards offense, and as a result, guys going off for big games doesn't have the thrill that it used to.
In the 97-98 season, for example, there were three 50-point games: Karl Malone with 56 vs. the Warriors, Tracy Murray with 50 vs. the Warriors (hmm), and Shaq with 50 vs. the Nets. This year, there are nine already and we're not even at the halfway point of the season.
Add Luka’s 60-21-10 stat line and missed free throw answered prayer to the list. Regular season basketball doesn’t get much better. Maybe the most impressive part is he put up that many points with only two made shots beyond the arc. Crazy.
I would've been fine with simply redoing all the trophies, naming them is a bridge too far for me. Though I can't lie, it would be cool to get the MJ MVP trophy.
But as for as lasting 2022 moment, easy: Game 4 of the Finals—Steph's iconic performance saves their season (when I was starting to think Boston might go up [gulps] 3-1). And then the genuine tears of joy at the end of Game 6. Nothing is on that level.
There are statistical attempts to define "clutch" and some of them seem more useful than others, but it's usually been true that the mythology about "clutch" ends up being far more about the player's reputation than any relevant stat.
I don't think the best way to define clutch is statistically. Clutch is a state of mind. A spiritual summoning of skill and determination. Maybe let the players pick this one...who the baddest mofo you just don't want no parts of with the game/series/championship on the line? Who's the one man you want to get the ball to for the final shot? Ball don't lie.
I don't want to argue. Leave that for other sites. I'll just say that some players with clutch reputations are just the ones who take the most shots in clutch situations rather than being the ones who make those shots at a higher percentage. Also, this all leaves out the clutch assist, clutch rebound, and clutch defensive stop. I wonder if anybody has ever done stat research on clutch assists.
All apologies, no desire to argue either, just love to talk basketball! I believe in the eye test, the gut check, and that every generation throws a hero up the pop charts (that assist is from Paul Simon).
I do like the idea of the clutch assist! That's a conscious decision and an act of teamwork and trust and a lot tougher to measure.
2022 highlights:
- Celtics vs. Warriors. Upstarts vs. old guard. Steph dominating the Finals.
- Jimmy Butler in the EC Finals (and taking that transition 3)
- Covid forcing teams to play skeleton crews and call up deep G-Leaguers and former players.
- Giannis. And Middleton's playoff injury
- NBA on TNT's continued excellence. Charles Barkley: "When a guy's banging you..."
And personally, I saw Ja Morant play in person, and he's THE guy to see right now. He made several acrobatic scoop layups and dunks where he touched the sky, and the Pistons home crowd reacted the same way every time: "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....." A sound that was like, wow that was cool, but I'm bummed he's not on our team.
You have to wonder if the NBA office has a plan for future names/trophies or whether they have just kicked that can down to road for someone else to solve. Like the look of the new trophies though.
Sadly, the thing I will remember most is the sport's awkward and somewhat underwhelming reaction to various controversies. Especially Kyrie. My enthusiasm for the sport has dipped since he returned, and it just makes me sick that he will probably be an all-star. Though the mishandling of things in Phoenix is pretty awful. (All the kudos in the world to Nick Friedell and Baxter Holmes for not letting their stories rest.) Hard to feel like the sport really knows what to do when controversy arises.
On the court? The ascent again of Steph, above all else. The triumphant return of Zion. Those few moments now and again when Quickley and RJ and Grimes and the rest of the Knicks' young players do something special. Luka's one man band.
Appreciate the input.