East is so bad the Bucks are now the 6th seed.

[L.Kizzle]

Earlier this week, the Bucks were battling with the Sixers at the bottom of the standing. The Bucks are now in a 3 game tear and have climbed of the ladder to the 6th spot.

[Axe]

It may look bad or trash for the fans. But for the players who want to secure playoff spots without having to win a significant amount of games over other fellow eastern teams, i'm guessing it's favorable for them. Maybe some of them might even end up making the playoffs with losing records just like before lol. Unlike the very tight and stacked west where winning at least 50 can only be good for the final spot sometimes.

[Real Men Wear Green]

The struggles of the Bucks, Sixers, and Pacers are a lot of the reason why the East is looking bad so it stands to reason that when one of those teams puts a run together get that rise in the rankings. If Giannis is truly an elite player and Dame is still a great scorer they shouldn't be a sub-.500 team.

[Axe]

The struggles of the Bucks, Sixers, and Pacers are a lot of the reason why the East is looking bad so it stands to reason that when one of those teams puts a run together get that rise in the rankings. If Giannis is truly an elite player and Dame is still a great scorer they shouldn't be a sub-.500 team.
Idk but i think the bucks' struggles also has a lot to do with doc's incompetent coaching and the absence of middleton as well. Although they look like they're already starting to claw back somehow.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Idk but i think the bucks' struggles also has a lot to do with doc's incompetent coaching and the absence of middleton as well. Although they look like they're already starting to claw back somehow.

My post wasn't about blaming anyone. I know lots of you hate Doc, fine. I was only pointing out that a team with two Allstars, one of whom is capable of leading the league in scoring and rebounding and being the DPoY then having a losing record after a while season should not be possible.

[Meticode]

My post wasn't about blaming anyone. I know lots of you hate Doc, fine. I was only pointing out that a team with two Allstars, one of whom is capable of leading the league in scoring and rebounding and being the DPoY then having a losing record after a while season should not be possible.

It is possible though to an even higher degree.

Lakers did this just two years ago in 22-23. The first 17 games of the season they started 6-11 and started the season losing 10 out of their first 12 games. They started the season 0-5 with LeBron and Davis playing in almost all those games together. Davis is on the same tier as Giannis. If he's not he's slightly under him, LeBron is far and away a better player overall than Lillard.

[Real Men Wear Green]

It is possible though to an even higher degree.

Lakers did this just two years ago in 22-23. The first 17 games of the season they started 6-11 and started the season losing 10 out of their first 12 games. They started the season 0-5 with LeBron and Davis playing in almost all those games together. Davis is on the same tier as Giannis. If he's not he's slightly under him, LeBron is far and away a better player overall than Lillard.

That year James played 55 games and Davis played 56. Davis is rarely a serious mvp candidate because he misses too many games. And James had some big injury that had him limping around even when he did return.

But even with that the Lakers were 43-39 that season.

They did have a losing record in 21/22 but that year Davis played 40 games and James played 56. If Giannis and Lillaird misses a ton of games like that them sure they will stink but that's not something I'm counting on with those two just yet it's not Kawhi situation.

[Meticode]

That year James played 55 games and Davis played 56. Davis is rarely a serious mvp candidate because he misses too many games. And James had some big injury that had him limping around even when he did return.

But even with that the Lakers were 43-39 that season.

They did have a losing record in 21/22 but that year Davis played 40 games and James played 56. If Giannis and Lillaird misses a ton of games like that them sure they will stink but that's not something I'm counting on with those two just yet it's not Kawhi situation.

I want to make it a point that I'm not talking about the whole season. We don't know how this season will turn out for the Bucks. I'm just speaking of the first 17 games so far. I made it a point to say the first 17 games. You were vague basically stating "after a while" into the season.

Also, you never mentioned anything about MVP. You said "capable" of leading the league in scoring, rebounding and being DPoY. To me Davis qualifies in all those arguments. Top 10 in DPoY voting 5 times, Top 10 in MVP voting 4 times. Number two in scoring this season in the league, number seven in rebounds. Consistently a 26/12/2 block player. If Davis isn't in the same tier which he probably isn't, he's still right there when he's on the court.

My whole point is it is possible for two players of that caliber to be sub.500. Davis and LeBron did it that year for a large portion in the beginning of the season and they played in almost all those games together. No less than Giannis and Lillard missing games this season so far.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Also, you never mentioned anything about MVP. You said "capable" of leading the league in scoring, rebounding and being DPoY. To me Davis qualifies in all those arguments. Top 10 in DPoY voting 5 times, Top 10 in MVP voting 4 times. Number two in scoring this season in the league, number seven in rebounds. Consistently a 26/12/2 block player. If Davis isn't in the same tier which he probably isn't, he's still right there when he's on the court. If a guy can lead the league in points and rebounds and win DPoY is that that different from being a strong MVP candidate?

[Meticode]

If a guy can lead the league in points and rebounds and win DPoY is that that different from being a strong MVP candidate?

Of course, but it's a moot point since you said "capable" of doing such a thing plus Giannis has never lead the league in rebounds or points ever. Like I said, Davis has the capability to do all those things. He's in the conversation.

Plus,

Davis+LeBron > Giannis+Lillard and the Lakers started with a worse record in their start to the season.

I'm just saying it's possible for those types of caliber players to have sub .500 starts at the minimum. It's happened.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Of course, but it's a moot point since you said "capable" of doing such a thing plus Giannis has never lead the league in rebounds or points ever. Like I said, Davis has the capability to do all those things. He's in the conversation.

Plus,

Davis+LeBron > Giannis+Lillard and the Lakers started with a worse record in their start to the season.

I'm just saying it's possible for those types of caliber players to have sub .500 starts at the minimum. It's happened.

To clarify: I meant to write "whole season, " not "while season."

Giannis working on his fifth season averaging over 29 points and his 8th season in a row over 10 rebounds. He has one season averaging 13.6 rebounds. Whether or not someone else averages a point more or another half a rebound he is fully capable of leading the NBA in those categories. Davis may have that capability as well but as a Laker he has yet to produce on that level in a season where he stayed reasonably healthy. If he can keep up his current output for 65+ games this will be the first season he has been a real mvp candidate as a Laker.

It is possible for a player that caliber to be on a losing team when they are a solo star but I can think of no examples of an mvp candidate big playing a reasonable number of games with a start perimeter player where the team ended up bad. I'm not even sure it's happened in my lifetime. I have only heard of Kareem winning MVP on a bad team and I don't hear anyone mention any other star on that team playing with him.

[L.Kizzle]

Now the 5th seed.

[RRR3]

I want to make it a point that I'm not talking about the whole season. We don't know how this season will turn out for the Bucks. I'm just speaking of the first 17 games so far. I made it a point to say the first 17 games. You were vague basically stating "after a while" into the season.

Also, you never mentioned anything about MVP. You said "capable" of leading the league in scoring, rebounding and being DPoY. To me Davis qualifies in all those arguments. Top 10 in DPoY voting 5 times, Top 10 in MVP voting 4 times. Number two in scoring this season in the league, number seven in rebounds. Consistently a 26/12/2 block player. If Davis isn't in the same tier which he probably isn't, he's still right there when he's on the court.

My whole point is it is possible for two players of that caliber to be sub.500. Davis and LeBron did it that year for a large portion in the beginning of the season and they played in almost all those games together. No less than Giannis and Lillard missing games this season so far.
Davis is absolutely not on the same tier as Giannis. Giannis could be argued as the best player in the NBA.

[ImKobe]

Davis is absolutely not on the same tier as Giannis. Giannis could be argued as the best player in the NBA.

He is right now. 31+ pts in 9 out of the 16 games and he's averaging 30 on 63.8%TS.

[pandiani17]

I like that. I hope the Sixers also get their act together so the East gets more entertaining.

[Meticode]

Davis is absolutely not on the same tier as Giannis. Giannis could be argued as the best player in the NBA.

I don't disagree. As I said, or a right behind Giannis as far as tier-related. As it stands right now at this very moment...

Giannis
32.4 PPG
11.9 RPG
6.4 APG
1.4 BPG
0.6 SPG
60.8% FG%
21.4% 3P%
60.2% FT%
62.4% TS%

Davis
30.1 PPG
11.1 RPG
2.8 SPG
1.9 BPG
1.3 SPG
55.6% FG%
40.6% 3P%
78.1% FT%
63.8 TS%

[Meticode]

I like that. I hope the Sixers also get their act together so the East gets more entertaining.

I honestly don't see it happening. I don't think Embiid will be healthy majority of the season if not the rest of the season. It's going to be just like it was with the Clippers with Paul George. People talking about how they have so much time to get playing time together. Then as that time widdles away because all three of their best players can't stay on the court consistently together, that time will run out.

What I can't understand is what the hell happened to Embiid? In the post season last season Embiid grinded through injury and played hurt. He played in the Olympics and looked better. Not 100%, but much better. Now he's totally regressed and looks worse than he did in the playoffs health-wise.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Olympic Embiid contributed but he looked unathletic. He definitely wasn't right, even though he started in more games Davis was clearly more useful to the team. He should have taken the whole summer off.

[Meticode]

Olympic Embiid contributed but he looked unathletic. He definitely wasn't right, even though he started in more games Davis was clearly more useful to the team. He should have taken the whole summer off.

It's almost like it's starting to be a rich-man's Andrew Bynum story we're witnessing with him.

[GOBB]

The struggles of the Bucks, Sixers, and Pacers are a lot of the reason why the East is looking bad so it stands to reason that when one of those teams puts a run together get that rise in the rankings. If Giannis is truly an elite player and Dame is still a great scorer they shouldn't be a sub-.500 team.

It’ll be a story to write if sixers make a run. Schedule in Jan has I believe 17 games with 5 back to backs. And in Feb 5 back to backs. With the new playoff format sixers probably have a chance at a play in. I’m torn if I wanna see them go for that. Or shoot for a top draft pick (secretly root for losses). I don’t see sixers shutting embiid down unless something crazy happens on or off the court. For fun if season ended today sixers are only 3gms behind Atlanta who has the 7 seed and 4gms behind Miami/milw. Guess we will find out how sixers end the 2024 schedule.

[GOBB]

It's almost like it's starting to be a rich-man's Andrew Bynum story we're witnessing with him.

Don’t exaggerate.

[Real Men Wear Green]

It’ll be a story to write if sixers make a run. Schedule in Jan has I believe 17 games with 5 back to backs. And in Feb 5 back to backs. With the new playoff format sixers probably have a chance at a play in. I’m torn if I wanna see them go for that. Or shoot for a top draft pick (secretly root for losses). I don’t see sixers shutting embiid down unless something crazy happens on or off the court. For fun if season ended today sixers are only 3gms behind Atlanta who has the 7 seed and 4gms behind Miami/milw. Guess we will find out how sixers end the 2024 schedule.

Sioux can make the run they need to make if Embiid gets Berkley. Unfortunately I have no idea if/when that happens and I don't have confidence in having him limp along for 2 games a week or however it ends up working out.