Do you blame the LA nightlife?
Steph after the game on the failed breakaway opportunity:
“I was going to try something really nice I’ve never tried before”
Today’s Panels:
First Half Only:
Hall of Famer Jackie MacMullan (Second Half Only):
First Half
Monologue: The NBA is a better place when Embiid is feeling chippy
To say that things have worked out is an understatement:
It’s important to note that Embiid wasn’t dominant at everything yesterday. Here’s what ran on the jumbotron:
His performance led to Sixers Head Coach, Brett Brown to wonder why he isn’t more of an MVP candidate
This is a sport that is better off with Joel Embiid having fun like that. Heck, it’s a better sport with Joel Embiid in it. Period.
Why does Embiid upset so many other players?
“Not all players are built to handle trash talk” – T-Mac
“He is one of those guys that can talk trash and he backs it up and he’s going to continue. You want to try to get an edge on the guys that you’re playing against. He does a great job of that because it gets these guys riled up and they can’t play under those types of pressures” – T-Mac
“He tells the truth. That’s why people don’t like it. He wants you to come back at him. He thinks it’s fun” – Lowe
“He doesn’t care who he talks trash to” – T-Mac
“Absolutely” – T-Mac on whether Embiid is on the echelon of trash-talking
“Someday, someone is going to get him and it’s going to be someone that’s he gone at before and it’s going to be an explosion in the arena” – Lowe
Klay Thompson’s…
Jan. 2015: NBA-record 37 points in a quarter!
Dec. 2016: Career-high 60 points (on 12 dribbles; via Second Spectrum)
Oct. 2018: NBA-Record 14 threes in a game
Last night: Made 10 consecutive threes to start game (Ties NBA record)
What scares you most about Warriors right now?
“Klay seems to have found his shot. When he finds his shot, you can forget about winning the game” – T-Mac
“When Draymond Green gets a rebound and roars up the court and those guys are all around him, that’s when you’re like ‘we’re totally helpless.’ That Draymond Green has been back for the last 2-3 weeks. He’s at DPOY level. That guy is the soul of the team” – Lowe
“Draymond looks like himself again” – Lowe
Steve Kerr-Jordan Bell heated exchange mean anything?
Kerr after the game:
“Emotions fly in a game. It’s no big deal” – T-Mac
“Let’s move on. The Warriors are fine” – Lowe
January 22, 2010 – Derrick Rose with the thunderous dunk on Goran Dragic!
Anniversaries; 13 years ago today: Kobe dropped 81
Jalen Rose was responsible for 18 of Kobe’s 81 points
Hope; More terrifying?
Giannis hitting 3s:
Giannis dunking:
Replays; Is Russ even crankier this year?
Selfishness; Impressed with Kyrie’s passing lately?
Effort; Corey Brewer an underrated flopper?
Moving on…
Where does Melo go from here?
Got traded to the Bulls, but will not play for them, Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
“If it’s not the Lakers, I don’t know where it’s going to be” – Lowe
“Portland Trail Blazers. If you put a guy like him coming off their bench and providing offense, he can get you 16-20 points coming off of their bench. He can be a threat for them and some of that pressure off of these two guys [Damian Lillard & CJ McCollum]” – T-Mac
“His best fit would be with a developing team that maybe didn’t have to win right now or wasn’t even trying to win right now. People in the locker room like him. He can go out and take all the shots he wants” – Nichols
Second Half
The Jump’s Trade Deadline Buyer/Sellers board!
Which teams should move into Buyers column?
“Pelicans. They’re desperate to keep Anthony Davis, which means they’re desperate to make the playoffs, to add talent” – Lowe
“Pelicans. They need to surround AD with some pieces. He’s too talented to be wasting his years away in New Orleans without being able to compete for a championship” – T-Mac
“Blazers. They just kind of keep hitting the road block in the playoffs. Maybe they’ll put their 1st round pick in play and get something extra on the wing” – Lowe
“Blazers. Melo can help these guys get to the next level. They need a bonafide pure scorer. He is that other guy” – T-Mac
Which teams should move into Sellers column?
“Grizzlies. They are almost unrecoverable territory now in this season. At some point, you need to at least have a conversation” – Lowe
“Grizzlies. Marc Gasol, they need to go ahead and wash their hands with him and get some value” – T-Mac
“Heat. They have too many guys. They can barely find minutes for Wayne Ellington. Dion Waiters is back. They’ll sniff around” – Lowe
“Heat. There’s too many guys at the same position” – T-Mac
“Magic. They have some valuable guys on their team that they can get some great asset pieces back. It’s just not working out” – T-Mac
“My favorite fake trade in the whole league is can we somehow get Nikola Vucevic onto the Lakers? They need more shooting and a better center. He checks both boxes. They really, really want to make the playoffs” – Lowe
Zach Lowe’s NBA-All Star Selections
Spoiler alert: LeBron is not a starter!
Hall of Famer, Jackie MacMullan joined the panel!
The Jump’s Trade Deadline Buyer/Sellers (Cont’d)
Celtics:
“They should be off the board. They want to stand pat. They’re banking that Gordon Hayward, by May, becomes either the version he once was or close enough to it. If they do that, that’s like making the best trade you could” – MacMullan who thinks the Celtics shouldn’t be buyers or sellers at the deadline
“I wouldn’t make a move if I we’re these guys. They are such a deep team. I like their chances. They picked it up over the last couple weeks and can only get better” – T-Mac
Celtics join the Warriors for teams that won’t be making a move at the trade deadline. Plus…this is T-Mac’s Finals matchup, with the Celtics winning it all!
“Danny Ainge has been lusting for AD longer than any other player” – MacMullan
Green: “They would love for us to break up” (Via Ohm Youngmisuk) | Would it be good or bad for league for Warriors to break up?
“This is great for the league. We need some parity” – T-Mac
“Why should you reward the New York Knicks for decades of ineptitude? I’m sorry. That’s not how this country works” – MacMullan who disagreed with T-Mac on KD possibly coming to New York next summer when he’ll be a free agent
“The greatest part about this dynasty is the way they did it: Through the draft, not with high lottery draft picks” – MacMullan
“I like this dynasty. I want it to continue, I love the way this team plays. This is basketball at it’s best. Keep them right where they are” – MacMullan
“This was the best thing that could have happened to us” – MacMullan on the Green-KD feud in LA and how it turned them around
January 22, 2005 – Allen Iverson with the no-look pass, behind his back, to Andre Iguodala who dunks it home vs the Magic!
Fan banned
Sources: Mavs banned fan who heckled Beverley (Via Tim MacMahon/ESPN)
Young and gifted
Luka Doncic becomes 2nd teenager ever to record a triple-double (Markelle Fultz)
“He was mad because he didn’t shoot the ball well. 6-17 from the floor. That’s the kind of guy we want having triple doubles. He cares about his shooting percentage” – MacMullan
Luka Doncic fined $10k for “kicking” ball Saturday
Corey Brewer taking Pippen’s advice on guarding Harden too seriously?
Brewer on his strategy to guard Harden before the game:
Here’s what Pippen said on The Jump OT:
“James is playing at a high level right now. You have to do that. You have to be a pest. Agitate him. Do everything you can to get under his skin” – T-Mac
“The best way to get James is up here [points to her head]. He beats himself. Nobody else beats him” – MacMullan
