Opener:
Panel:
T-Mac, Jermaine O’Neal starting a sports agency, per Marc Stein/New York Times
“I am not going to be an agent. I am the owner of the agency and advisor with the agency. I think 80% of the kids that are in our league look just like me. I want to be able to give them the information they need and who are two better people to give them that information to help them with their journey that they’re about to get into?” – T-Mac
Clippers defeat Magic 99-90 in 1st exhibition game:
Which team do you trust most at this point?
“To win it all, my preseason pick was the Clippers. But there’s uncertainty with the Lakers & Clippers. Giannis is on a mission, these guys are motivated, they’re not dealing with any distractions other than what every other team is dealing with down in the bubble and I am confident they can get to the Finals”
“LeBron’s leadership and ability to manage players is going to be a winning way here. He is that X Factor that can really lead his team to a championship”
Continuing the countdown to the restart of the NBA season, here is…
#7 – Bojan Bogdanovic GW catch-and-shoot 3 at buzzer!
It’s back! A game of…
T-Mac: Something
“To have Jokic as your PG at 7 feet, good luck with matching your PG up against that guy. They lack shooting, but the athleticism and the size, they can do some damage to a team. I don’t know if that can work long term but short term, I like it. I’m very intrigued by that lineup”
Pippen: Nothing
“Jokic has been playing the point guard position for pretty much his whole career for the Nuggets. They’re just really playing with the cards that they’ve been dealt. With them having injuries to [Gary] Harris and guys of that nature, they have to fill in with some bigger players. This is a small ball game. Don’t expect this to last”
“I’d love to see this Denver lineup go up against Houston’s small ball, micro ball lineup” – Nichols
Lou Williams on fake crowd noise:
Pippen: Nothing
“When I played in the game, it was really all about having roadkill. When you’re on the road, you don’t really hear the crowd. The noise won’t play a role here”
T-Mac: Something
“I fed off of the crowd. I loved being on the road & 20,000 fans screaming at you and I loved to shut them up. I hear that noise. They’re not going to get that down there. I think it’ll help. I don’t know how much with them pumping the crowd noise through the speakers. But I doubt those guys are paying any attention to that since there’s no physical fans”
“I’m curious if we’re gonna get fake crowd noise heckling” – Nichols
T-Mac: Nothing
“This is a young team, but they have good leadership in Jrue Holiday and JJ Redick, they have an All-Star in Brandon Ingram. I’m not surprised that they are playing this way without him because of the additions that they made through that trade of Anthony Davis. Once they get Zion back, this team is going to be extremely dangerous. He makes them a complete team, makes the game a lot easier for Ingram and and Lonzo Ball and those guys”
Pippen: Everything
“When Zion gets back, we have another competitive team out on the West coast”
“We assumed Zion was gonna be great because of his potential, but we didn’t know [because he didn’t playing at the beginning of the season]” – T-Mac
“The Pelicans are unpredictable” – Pippen
’99 Spurs say no such thing as “Asterisks” by Jackie MacMullan
More fun clips from the NBA Bubble:
T-Mac’s biggest concern for Bucks:
“As great as Giannis is, he’s still inconsistent with knocking down an outside jumper. He’s surrounded by guys that can make outside shots, but I think when when it all comes down to winning big games and advancing in the playoffs and trying to make that Finals run, Giannis is going to have to be consistently taking those shots from the outside and knocking them down”
Historic Harden
Per ESPN Stats & Information: Harden has clinched 3rd straight season averaging 30 PPG (1st since MJ)
Nugget from @ESPNStatsInfo: James Harden (34.4 ppg) could go scoreless in the 8-game seeding schedule and still average 30 per game this season. He'll be the first player to score 30 per in three straight seasons since Michael Jordan did so in seven consecutive years (1986-93).
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 22, 2020
“I am impressed to some degree. Winning basketball is what it’s all about. It’s a huge accomplishment itself, But I want to see some title chasing. I want to see some finals opportunities” – Pippen
“I’m impressed too. To put up those type of numbers, you got to think the durability, the condition you have to be in and the focus every night. That’s tough to do” – T-Mac
LeBron & KD on the Washington football team
“This is a little bizarre on the name” – T-Mac
“They should let the fans return the old merchandise and get half of their money back” – Pippen
