#ANYWAY 2 etc etc. good night everybody throw us into the sun if we show up again before tomorrow (in like 10 hours from now)

[queer-omens-in-the-archives]

Engaged in touching grass today (figuratively; visited an offline friend) and it was nice. There was a cat even (literally the chillest chonky white-orange I have ever seen). I recommend the experience.

[lovetorn]

Life Was A Willow [Part 3]

Witch Hunter!Dream x Witch!Fem!Reader

Part 1 Part 2

Summary: It's always been hunters vs. witches, right? Not anymore.

Word Count: 3k+

Warnings for Part 3: swearing & cute fkn shit

A/N: the final part, i'm weak :,) anyways, enough sap, i hope you guys enjoyed this series as much as i did writing it. i've been working on it for a long ass time and it's finally finished. thank you for everything, the feedback etc. it means so so much !! i hope you guys like the final part even though it’s a little rushed !!!

“Are you sure this is a good way to do it?” Dream asks, nearly running into Y/n as he turns around. “I don’t want to force this idea on people, they won’t like it.”

The witch nods, pushing the flyers into his chest. “We’ve talked about this Dream; we’re not shoving it down their throats. They can choose how to act when they see the posters.”

Dream grabs onto the papers as Y/n backs away, spinning to collect her sunhat and basket. “Let’s go!”

Making their way from the abandoned cottage, which they made their own little space, they walk towards the castle and small surrounding village. Y/n and Dream walk closer than usual, their hands brushing lightly. Birds chirp and fly around them, their singing lifting the spirits of the pair that stroll below them.

“Have you told Sapnap yet?”

Dream rolls his eyes and sighs deeply at the mention of his best friend. “No. I know how he gets with shit like this, so, I guess he’ll have to wait like the rest of the kingdom.” Y/n nods silently in reply and looks up at the blue skies.

“What do you think the moon is thinking right now?” Her question confuses Dream. “In relation to what we’re doing, of course.”

“I’d imagine he’s happy that we’re doing it—we’re making peace, aren’t we?” His answer pleases Y/n as he hoped it would. He hasn’t really thought about it before.

“I agree! I talked with him last night and he told me good things are coming.”

Dream looks at her incredulously. “You talked to the moon?”

“Of course I can. I’m a witch. What else am I supposed to do when he sits there in the sky? Ignore him?” A small smirk plays on her lips. Dream is unsure whether or not she’s messing with him but chooses to believe her, considering everything he’s learnt recently.

They walk further, nearly entering the kingdom village when a grey bunny hops onto the path and Y/n’s eyes nearly pop out of her head. “Honey!” Her voice is dripping with it.

Dream furrows his eyebrows when he sees she’s speaking to the rabbit. “What? You can speak to animals now?”

The rabbit’s nose twitches while Y/n approaches it, its eyes glistening in the sunshine. “Yes.”

“Why don’t you tell me any of this? It’s cool.”

Y/n shrugs. “You never ask.”

Dream squints at her, watching as she runs her hand over the animal’s soft ears. He inches closer, catching the rabbit’s eye. Its body freezes at the sight of a human and Y/n coos, it’s okay, he’s my friend. Dream tilts his head and squats next to Y/n, reaching his hand out for her to take. Her fingers are gentle when she holds it, pulling him closer so he can pat the bunny. Its fur is softer than he thought and he melts when it stares at him with its big eyes. Awww, Dream breathes. He feels Y/n’s gaze on him before he blushes.

“Dream—”

Suddenly, the tranquil moment is cut with the kingdom bell and the bunny rushes away, ducking into a line of bushes. The pair jump at the sharp noise, Dream’s hand still sits softly in Y/n’s. He wonders what she wanted to say.

“We should go.” She whispers and Dream nods once, but neither one moves to leave. The sun beats down on his neck and Y/n’s hat sits sideways on her head, probably from when she ran towards the rabbit. Dream blinks and decides to leave it, she looks cute.

“Yeah, uh, let’s go.”

The walk through the gates goes smoothly, nobody suspects a witch amongst them as they walk in the crowd.

“Here.” Y/n points at a wooden lamp-post and Dream agrees. The first poster goes up and while they walk away, they hear mumbling from behind them. Craning his neck back, Dream sees people surrounding the poster already; some nod and some curse, but overall, it looks positive.

He leans down to Y/n’s ear. “I think people are going to show up.”

His breath on her ear and the rasp of his voice causes a shiver to go down Y/n’s spine. She turns her head to look at him and sees how close he is, and smiles. She hopes so.

—

“Citizens of Grogington, the war between magic kind and humans has gone on for far too long! Today, we will be presenting the idea of a truce between the two groups.”

Turns out, the entire kingdom showed up for Y/n and Dream’s proposal. The pair stand on a low podium in front of the castle and stare out into the sea of people. Dream spots Sapnap in the middle of the crowd, with the rest of the hunters, and could almost cry when he sees him smile and throw a thumbs up. Y/n stands next to him, her hand dangerously close to his. Her gaze drops to Wilbur who stands in the front row with Niki, despite the complaints from many people behind him—she nearly laughs at the height difference between him and the humans. But, Y/n feels a twinge of guilt when she watches him smile at her before he encourages her to continue.

The presentation continues and nobody leaves and everybody watches with intent. Y/n throws a glance at Dream while he’s explaining the truce and its outcomes. Her heart leaps into her throat when he notices and continues to turn his head to look at her too.

Although there will be a few people against the idea, the majority of the kingdom is keen on peace and that’s all they need to begin the revolution.

After the proposal, Dream helps Y/n off of the podium, her hand placed gently in his. “Dream!”

At the sound of his name, his real name, Dream smiles. George. There’s a patter of footsteps and then Dream is being jumped on by the Prince. Y/n giggles as she watches Dream wrap his arms around his best friend. “I can’t believe you would do this! You're crazy!”

Dream’s laugh is loud and Y/n wishes she could listen to it all day. Dream puts George’s feet back on the ground before he turns to her. “George, this is Y/n.”

Mischief swirls in the Prince’s eyes as his gaze lands on the witch. “Oh, I know. You’ve told me everything about her: the way her eyes look brighter in the moonlight and how her lips are the same colour as cherries—oomph.”

Dream darts his eyes at George, narrowly, his hand placed over his mouth. “Ha, ha, shut up!”

Y/n feels her cheeks heat up and she covers her smile with her palm. “That’s sweet.”

“That’s what he says about your laugh—stop!” George’s voice is muffled but Y/n still hears him and she gets giddy.

“Dream~” She sings. Dream’s cheeks are on fire and he swears the tips of his ears have burst into flames.

George still remains next to him. “Ok, I won’t embarrass you anymore, big man. You can remove your gross hand off my face now.”

Dream drops his arm and watches George hold his hand out for Y/n to take.

Y/n places her fingers in his and swoons when he brings her knuckles to his lips. Dream gets antsy when he notices Y/n giggle.

“Ok! That’s enough flirting, George.” Dream snatches Y/n’s hand from him and holds it by his side. George giggles from beside him.

“Dream, who doesn’t want to be kissed by the Prince?” She teases, reaching up to squeeze his cheek between her fingers. Dream rolls his eyes and swats her hand off his face.

“Dream!” Another voice interrupts them.

“Hey, Sap!” Although he’s excited to see his other best friend, Dream’s tone is wary. “What did you think of the presentation?”

Sapnap’s expression melts to one of awe. “Man, I loved it. I actually came over to apologise for everything I’ve said about it in the past and you know that I love you, and George, and I know I can be a bit of an idiot when it comes to things like this, but—” George slaps his shoulder.

“Ouch! Okay, okay. I’m sorry for being an entitled dick, and I fully support anything you want to do, Dream. You’re my best friend and I cannot let some outdated opinion be a burden to our friendship.”

Dream swears he feels his chest open up and admit the brightest light you’ve ever seen. His heart almost bursts at the sweet look on Sapnap’s face and tackles him into a hug. “Thank you, man.”

Dream unwraps his arms and sighs loudly. “Sapnap! This is Y/n, Y/n is this Sapnap.” Y/n raises her hand to wave at him, her smile beaming but mischievous.

“I know her already, she tied me to a tree,” He laughs, reaching his hand forward. Y/n giggles, shaking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you properly and not when you’re using your cool witch powers to lift me off the ground.”

Y/n nods, her smile still shining. Dream’s heart rate skips as he looks at her. Her face is like the sun. He could stare at her all day and not care about the risk of going blind.

“Yes, Snapmap. I can call you that now, we’re friends!”

The group collectively laugh and they bid goodbye to George and Sapnap. Y/n turns to Dream. “I’m so happy they’re on board with it.”

“Of course George would be. I’m a little surprised about Sapnap, but, nonetheless, I’m ecstatic.”

Y/n takes his hands and brings them up to her mouth. “I’m so happy, Dream.” She places soft kisses on his fingers and then his knuckles. He watches in awe as she does so.

“Hey, Y/n!” Their moment is cut short as Dream twists to see a tall man and a girl walking towards them.

“Wil! Niki!” She releases Dream’s hands and circles around him to embrace the pair in a hug. “Did you like it?”

Her voice wavers slightly and Dream picks it up. Niki nods excitedly. “Yes! Oh my gods, Y/n!”

Niki’s enthusiasm rubs off on Y/n and she almost forgets Wilbur is standing next to her, he’s so silent. She’s nervous about his response.

Looking up at Wilbur, Y/n sees a soft smile on his cheeks. He pulls her into a hug immediately and Y/n wants to cry. “Thank you.” He whispers.

“You’re welcome.” She murmurs into his ear, and his grip tightens around her. Y/n knows why he’s thanking her but doesn’t elaborate to the others when they pull apart.

“We just wanted to come to say hello before we went back home,” Niki says, raising her hand to wave at Dream.

“Oh! This is Dream,” Y/n motions towards him and Wilbur nods once in greeting. “He did most of this, you should be thanking him. I was simply there to observe.”

And although the other two don’t read deeply into the reply, Dream’s eyes cast down to Y/n at her suggestive comment. The pairs bid goodbye to each other and then Y/n spins back to him again.

“Observing, hm?”

A cheeky grin splits her face into two.

—

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

Y/n grasps Dream’s hand and stares up at the large double doors that lead to the Great hall in the castle. Placing his other hand on the door, Dream pushes. The doors swing open and on the other side of the room sits the King. The man looks large in his throne, his dark hair long and crown placed lopsided on his head.

The pair bow before him and then return to their usual heights. The King squints at them and then a smile breaks out. “Dream!”

The blonde lets out a laugh. “Good morning, your Highness.”

“Oh, stop with the titles. I’m James to you, young man.” The King waves his hand around. Dream exhales and steps closer, his hand coming loose from Y/n’s.

“I—We called this meeting to ask for your approval for the possible truce between humans and magical kind,” Dream appeals, holding his breath when he finishes. The King turns his chin up.

“And what has brought this on, Dream?” Dream sighs deeply and takes another step forward.

“I have recently learnt about some of my family history and it has changed my view. My views now pose the same as George’s.” He says apprehensively, fidgeting with his fingers. Y/n stands behind him, chewing on her lip in silence, confused about his recent learning. The King squints again, his glare hard.

“And why do you believe this is a good idea? Hm? What benefits will this bring the kingdom?” He seethes and Y/n screws her eyes shut. She wants to leave, she shouldn’t even be in the castle.

Dream fumbles his words before the witch speaks up. “Your Highness, I believe that peace between your kind and mine will—”

“You brought a witch into my castle?” The King yells incredulously. Dream winces and turns to look at Y/n. But he is surprised when he sees her with a neutral expression.

“Yes, he did. Because he knows that you won’t listen to a human on issues that are only a threat to you. Did you see the citizens of this kingdom when we proposed the idea to them? They were ecstatic, to say the least—”

“Enough. Dream, please enlighten me on the benefits, I’ve been waiting far too long.”

Dream glances at Y/n again and faces the King. He must propose points that appeal to him. “James, don’t you see? A truce between the kinds will be economically beneficial since you won’t have to pay for services that are only implemented to harm magical kinds, like hunters. And the wellbeing of the Kingdom will enhance greatly from the lifted stress of not having to worry about potential dangers—”

“Yes, but those potential dangers will now be inside the Kingdom walls.”

“I understand, James, but if there is peace, then those dangers won’t be a threat anymore.”

“Yes. All we want is peace.” Y/n says, her voice soft from where she stands. Dream steps backwards and reaches back for Y/n’s hand.

King James brings his hand up to rub his chin, his glare is still cold on Y/n. “Kids like you will be the death of me. Even my own son will give me a heart attack before I’m 50.”

Dream smiles. “So, that’s a yes?” The King sighs and drops his gaze to the floor.

“I guess it is. But, if there is any harm placed on my people, there will be bloodshed. Understood?”

Y/n looks up at Dream as they both grin. He looks down at her and their eyes shine with joy and tears.

“Thank you, Sir. I will make you proud.” Dream exclaims, his voice full of excitement and appreciation.

“You always make me proud, son.” The King smiles warmly at Dream before he nods. “Now, go, you have a Kingdom to celebrate with.”

The village roars with cheerful shouts and whistles. As cliche as it is, it's a perfect summer’s day, and it’s not too hot. Magical-kind had been wary at first, entering the kingdom grounds, but soon warmed up when the humans would throw arms over their shoulders and laugh with them.

“Let me down, you fucking crazy duck! Is that what you are? A fucking duck?” A whining voice yells, although there’s a twinge of joy in his words. Quackity has a cheeky smile on his face as he flicks his hand around, messing with some of the younger humans. One of them, named Tommy, has quite the mouth on him, which earns him up in the air, upside down.

His friend, Tubbo laughs from beside the wizard in question. Karl sits behind them, a spell-book in his lap, shaking his head when Tommy’s feet finally land on the ground. “Longer!”

“No~!”

“Tommy! Yes! You’re annoying, so this is what you get!”

The young boy groans again when he feels his body lift off the floor.

The village is alive and full of flashy, bright colours, but, upon the top of the hill in the distance, sits a couple.

The juice from the strawberry dribbles slowly down Dream’s chin. His cheeks blush as Y/n giggles and she reaches her hand out to catch the juice with her thumb, her cheeks heating up too.

The pair had decided their first date would be a picnic on the grass hill that overlooks the kingdom instead of attending the festival. Y/n brought a red and white checkered blanket and a vanilla cake, and Dream brought a basket of snacks and other desserts from the Castle. He had tried convincing Y/n that he didn’t overpack and that he ‘was just a hungry boy’, to which Y/n laughed and told him to shut up.

On their journey there, Dream had pulled a bunch of baby’s breath flowers from the basket he was carrying and shoved them in Y/n’s hand. The action made the witch giggle as she watched him blush. “Thank you, Dream. I love them.” She had said, smiling at him from behind the flowers—the sight made Dream’s heart leap.

Upon arrival, they set up their spot and sat down amongst the ankle-high grass and sparse wildflowers. The sun was light on their skin and the wind blew softly as the pair laid down and watched the clouds pass whilst talking about everything and nothing; Y/n would point out a cloud and say it looked like a goose, and Dream would disagree and say it was shaped like a cabbage, and then they would argue about how the other was wrong and vice versa for a while. They spoke of their childhoods and eventually, Y/n would bring out a book from who knows where and start reading to Dream—who was more than happy to listen to her talk for hours. The two moved from opposite sides of the blanket to right next to each other, Dream’s head on Y/n’s shoulder as she read.

Now, as late morning turns to late noon, the bright blue sky swirls into a fusion of pinks and oranges and then morphs into indigo as the sun dips beyond the horizon—a perfect end to a perfect date.

Dream drops his head to the floor in an attempt to hide his red face. The strawberry juice from Dream’s lips now stains Y/n’s thumb as she moves her hand to cup his cheek, and watches his eyes flutter closed. She traces his scar lightly and her gaze flickers to his lips.

“Y/n,” Dream whispers into the wind. Y/n almost doesn’t catch it. “You know how I told you I nearly didn’t make it when I was born.”

Y/n nods and remains silent as a sign for him to continue. “It wasn’t a miracle at all.”

“What do you mean?” She asks him, her voice soft too.

“My father was a wizard,” The news startles Y/n; she wasn’t expecting that. “And my mother told me that he died because he was defending us from magic, not that he was killed for having magic.”

“Dream…”

“So I just assumed that magic was bad because it killed my father—and I guess in a sense, it did, but not in the way I thought.” Y/n is speechless as she listens to Dream talk, although his voice remains just above a whisper the entire time.

“So that’s why you want the truce? So other children don’t lose a parent like you did?” Dream nods, an outline of a smile gracing his cheeks.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”

“Dream, look at me,” She whispers. Dream lifts his head slightly to meet her eye, his enchanting eyes reflecting the orange and pink fire in the sky. She runs her hands down his neck and down to his chest.

“Dream,” Y/n mumbles again, her nose brushing Dream’s lightly. His heart beats quickly and he hopes she can’t feel it through his white buttoned shirt where her hands lay. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that.”

Y/n tilts her chin up in an attempt to meet Dream’s mouth. He laughs breathlessly as their lips bump together, the kiss not really being a kiss yet.

“Just kiss me.” He teases, leaning further back.

Y/n sighs, her eyes closing in annoyance at his antics. “Dream, seriously. I want to kiss you.”

And soon their lips are meeting in a soft pash. There are no fireworks, no goosebumps; just airy headaches and the feeling of finally relieving the ever-growing anticipation of revelling in each other. Y/n smiles, her teeth clanging with Dream’s. He laughs again, pulling her body flush against his.

“I can’t believe it took me this long to make you mine,” He mumbles against her lips.

Y/n visibly cringes. “Gross.”

Dream giggles at her reaction and pushes his lips back onto hers. Y/n pulls away abruptly.

“Wait, does that mean you can do magic?” She asks, her eyes wide with wonder and curiosity.

Dream shrugs one shoulder. “I’ve never tried, but I’m sure if I got the right training from an amazing, gorgeous, intelligent teacher, maybe I could learn.”

Y/n scrunches her nose up and swats his shoulder. “Shut up.”

Dream laughs shortly before he dips his head back down to her lips, his knuckles brushing her cheek lightly. The wind around them picks up slightly and Y/n feels static on her skin before she opens her eyes, turning her head to see glitter falling from Dream’s fingers. “Oh my god.”

Feedback is always appreciated xx

[natromanxoff]

Queen live at Elland Road in Leeds, UK - May 29, 1982 (Part-2)

Fan Stories

“We got a coach from my home town (about 2 hours from memory) and drank an ocean of lager on the way, by the time we got there we needed the toilet so badly we could have exploded! We got into the stadium and waited for the first band of the day. Soon enough a not very well known (to me) American band came on called Heart. They weren't bad but did nothing for me. Then came The Teardrop Explodes who tried and who I reckoned did quite well despite the flying bottles of liquid being hurled at them from the crowd. After them was Joan Jett complete with Blackhearts who got the crowd going with "I Love Rock'n'Roll" mainly because Brian appeared at the side of the stage with his daughter to have a look. Eventually after a long wait the stage lights dimmed and a strange cranking sound started up and then you were suddenly aware of the drum beat to Flash thumping out and spotlights chasing around the stadium. This went on for a minute or so and the excitement was unbearable. All of a sudden in an explosion of smoke, lights, guitars, drums... Brian, John and Roger are there blasting out the opening part of The Hero. Seconds later in a gleaming white leather jacket out runs Freddie and it begins... A moment I will never forget along with many others from Queen shows since and before it. I can't say which show was my favourite as I loved them all but that moment WAS Queen, the sheer power, the anticipation, the fantastic musical ability and above all else the way they gave people what they crave more than anything... wonderful memories.” - whiteman

“29th May 1982 - a really nice warm day. We only lived a few miles away so walked down to Elland Road - I can't believe it - Queen live in my home town at the home of the greatest football team in the country (well maybe not now!). Got to the ground early and were allowed in by security, such a relaxed atmosphere. Saw band's soundcheck - great! So hot sun, never went behind stadium roofs. Got best suntan I have ever had! Heard Teardrop Explodes - not bad. Then you are aware of the beat of flash thumping out around the stadium, the smoke rises and bang - they are on! The greatest gig I have ever seen from the greatest live band in history. God bless you, Brian, Roger and John. Rest in peace, Freddie - we will never forget.” - Michael Quine

“This was my second ever gig, the first being Rory Gallagher the year before (I am sure I once read that Rory was one of Brian May's favourite guitarists). Anyway, being only 14 and not yet in the habit of getting off my face at gigs,I can remember that day very clearly. I am convinced I saw someone throw a hamburger at Julian Cope (Teardrop Explodes were going down like a lead balloon), and just as Julian was opening his gob to sing, he CAUGHT IT IN HIS MOUTH. A huge cheer went up, then they stomped off. Somebody, possibly Queen's manager, came on and told everbody to behave. I also remember a fan getting on stage and Freddie expertly rolling him off the stage. I didnt like the Hot Space album much but was chuffed they were still a hard rock band. I bought the next edition of Kerrang mag and the write up of the gig said STUNNING. Great memory.” - Edwin

“I was 15 years old in 1982 when I attended my first ever concert. Fortunately for me, it was QUEEN's show at Leeds AFC ground in the North of England. I remember when my ticket arrived in the post, possibly 2-3 months before the concert, as was often the case in those days. I stuck my ticket on a cork notice board in my bedroom and could barely contain my excitement over the coming weeks. Every morning, I would wake up and look at the yellow ticket, wishing the days away. I imagined everything that could go wrong would. Queen would cancel the gig, I would break my leg, the family pet would die on the morning of the concert and it would be too insensitive of me to go, the transport wouldn't turn up or would break down, there would be a pile up on the motorway, I'd lose my ticket en route, etc, etc. As it turned out, May 29th 1982 was a hot and sunny day, perfect weather for an outdoor gig. I was CRAZY about Queen and had been since the age of 9 but I really didn't know what to expect on that day. Myself and three friends took a coach organised by my Dad's company from Lancashire across the M62 motorway to Leeds. Our excitement began to really take a hold when we arrived at the football ground and we followed the droves of people towards the turnstiles. To me, this was something on a really big scale and I could already hear the hum of the crowd inside. Not really believing that we were actually about to witness a Queen concert, we found our seats on the West Stand, offering a great view of the stage. I remember marvelling at Queen's new lighting rig and the equipment that adorned the stage, shining in the afternoon sunshine. The ground was almost full at this point and the pitch was heaving with people. The atmosphere was relaxed as people bathed in the sunshine. I remember two guys climbing the fence from the stand and attempting to get a better spot by running into the crowd and losing themselves on the pitch. Their efforts were in vain however as they were quickly located and ejected back into the stand by two security guards. We bought some black Hot Space tour shirts (I wore mine with pride until it literally fell apart) and a programme from a vendor inside the ground and waited for the first band to take the stage. A guy near us shouted and punched his way through Heart's set and then left just as they vacated the stage. Obviously not a Queen fan! The Teardrop Explodes suffered at the hands of the Queen congregation and found themselves battling against a shower of bottles and assorted missiles. Other than that, I don't really remember much about the support bands. I think that Bow Wow Wow were billed to play (an odd choice) but I can't recall if they actually turned up. No matter, we were about to witness what is still one of the best gigs I have ever attended.

As the dusk descended upon us, the giant floodlights were extinguished one by one and the memory of the roar that followed still sends shivers down my spine. Dry ice drifted across the heads of the crowd on the pitch as the intro tape of Flash thumped out of the PA and the strange 'grating' noises added to the recording created a foreboding atmosphere. Two of our party were on the pitch and to this day remember their chests thumping in unison to the powerful rhythm. A sea of hands clapped in perfect time to the beat. To me, this was already an amazing experience. And then the big moment. Freddie, resplendent in dazzling white made his entrance to The Hero and the blaze of the lights. An apt number to start with. Before he had even sung a note, the audience were locked tightly in the palm of his hand. Such an entrance, such a showman. "You're a F***in amazing crowd", he exclaimed after the first rush. The beginning of the gig is, in truth, my strongest memory of the show itself. In particular, the "Flash!!!" vocals cutting through the night air with so much volume. I recall being shocked at the sheer power of Queen's performance and the clarity of the huge sound they harnessed. Morgan Fisher's keyboards during 'Action This Day' sounded bright and hypnotic. Freddie's intro to Fat Bottomed Girls caused quite a response too; "the bigger the t*t the better it is!". I also remember the follow spots darting wildly over the crowd during 'Tie Your Mother Down' and everybody going crazy. Oddly enough (and this is something I still swear by to this day), I was in a Maths lesson at school the following Monday and I swear I had a flashback of this and could actually 'hear' the music being re-played in my head. It was a weird moment and life was never quite the same again. We talked endlessly about our experience for months to come and one of my biggest regrets is not jumping on a train to attend the filmed Milton Keynes show a week later. Having been to so many gigs since, I can honestly say that there is nobody who has been able to top Queen live; I was lucky enough to see the band five times between 1982 and 1986, including Wembley Stadium and their last show at Knebworth. I think that my personal favourite was their performance at the NEC in Birmingham on 'The Works' tour in 1984. People were literally stood there with open mouths, unable to believe how good they were. Leeds is definitely up there too. I recall Brian May stating that he thought it was one of their best performances ever. I can't argue with that Mr May. I've often wondered if an audience shot cine film or even just photographs exist from the Leeds gig. It would be a dream come true to see my memories come to life again.” - Keith Lambert

“I can't believe it was 30 years ago that I attended my first ever gig at Elland Rd Leeds in 1982. I was 17 years old at the time, I was into Queen when I first heard seven seas of rhye, which was so different to all the other stuff around at the time. I'd heard them live on tv, and had Live Killers. Also I used to buy bootleg cassettes of all of their tours from 74 onwards. But nothing could prepare me for that day. They should have played this gig at Old Trafford Manchester, my home town, so I was gutted when the residents opposed it. Tickets were very easy to come by, believe it or not, cos Queen were not seen as a relevant band at that time. Also touring the Hot Space album didn't seem to excite anybody. So, Billy no mates had to go on his own, haha. My memory is a bit hazy, but I will try my best. I got to the ground about 1pm, and was lucky enough to have a pitch ticket. I got right to the front, well about 10 yards from the stage, slightly off centre and to the right. If I told you I never moved from that spot all day and never spoke to anyone, would you believe me? One of the reasons for this is the rivalry between Manchester and Leeds, also I was only a kid, haha. Not sure who was first on, probably Teardrop Explodes, Julian Cope, I remember while they were throwing bottles at him, picked one up and started hitting himself with it and stretching his arms out saying he was an Argentinian bomber or something. It was during the Falklands war, remember. Then Heart came on, not really my cup of tea, and I had a lie down on the tarpaulin and tried to go to sleep. Then Joan Jett, who was better than the rest, but not really exciting. During the band changes, I remember the roadies polishing Roger's drum kit and climbing up ropes and those threepronged lights, which before I saw them move I thought they were cameras. Queen took ages to come on. From my recollection and I might be wrong, they didn't come on until 10pm and went off around Midnight. I heard later that they got fined so much per minute for being late on stage but they wanted to wait until it was dark for the lighting rig to take effect. If you watch the Bowl DVD you will notice it was light when they came on stage there. But that was being filmed by Channel 4. But it was absolutely pitch black when they came on stage at Leeds. Then the floodlights went off, smoke started to appear and strange noises started, which I can't describe, sorry. Then Flash's Theme started, it was loud, very, very loud. I knew they were supposed to be loud and this was the part that scared me. The ground was thumping, the bass just pumping away. The these 'cameras' flicked into life, with men on them. The intro seemed to last for a very long time. Then BANG Brian appears with the first chord of The Hero and a flash of the biggest white light I've ever seen and will never forget and the absolute loudest noise I have ever heard just hit me. The intro was quite in comparrision to this. When I play Live at the Bowl, I tend to repeat the intro and The Hero, virtually every time, because it was definitely a life changing experience for me at that moment, just incredible. Then Freddie appeared in brilliant white again, I was that close, I swear His hair seemed blue because of the mass of white lights. His voice, so loud, so clear, honestly, I can't describe that moment properly. I heard Freddie swear, saw Roger spitting, quite a lot, over his drum kit and onto the stage, I was bewildered.

When they did Play The Game and also Somebody To Love, when Freddie was doing the intros for them and it will sound strange to those that weren't there, but I didn't know what the songs were. I thought they was new unreleased songs. The reason was they was so loud, It kind of deafened you and then kind of sunk in what they were about to play. Then the rest of the gig flew by and I was singing my head off. Everyone was, but you could only hear Queen. Again my memory may be wrong, but I read afterwards that Queen had paid for residents to move out of their homes for the day. These houses were monitored and they said that the sound was like Concorde flying 10 feet over your head... Yep I will buy that. For all that and for all the bad things said about it, The Works tour, which I went to all the 4 origional England gigs they had planned, was the best tour they ever did. The set list was fantastic and the lighting rig was incredible. Not as loud, I also add. I also saw them in Manchester, 86. They had to be off stage by 10pm and noise levels had to be adhered to. I was too far awy to see them and the screens didn't come on because it was too light. Also I couldn't here them properly. I've watched the mMagic Tour gigs on DVD etc, but for me, that was the poorest tour they ever did. So that's it, hopefully some of you can confirm my bad memory, or say I'm wrong. Hopefully not bored you all. But it was the greatest musical experience I ever witnessed and I am proud I was there.” - Paul Wakefield

Part-1

(x)

[shyrose57]

Brothers anon, sorry I've been gone for a while. To be honest I found out about Pokémon Uranium and I've been playing it non-stop for the last few days. And now I have a massive brain fart and can not remember a certain event in the story for the life of me for some reason. I know it happened I just don't know what happened. 

14: They'd both roll into a ball and if you throw them fast and hard enough it'll be like playing bowling! It happens when their all asleep, and about a month after Foolish. It happens because while everyone else is sleeping, Ranbob isnt, as he just cant sleep. So he's sat just outside the cave they stopped in, staring at the stars. When Raq sneaks up behind him, originally he planned to get Ran by using a mix of posion and slowness, but upon seeing Ranbob he takes advantage and gets him instead. So he shots him with a slowness/fatigue arrow and when Ranbob eventually falls asleep, he comes and gets him. Because he wants Ran though he leaves a message in enderian, then takes Ranbob to a camp with a few other hunters. 

Ran is pissed and acts impulsively, though his anger is used to mask the desperation, horror, and sadness he feels. Everyone else  are also mad yet scared, and are stuck between immediately going to help or taking time to come up with a plan. Specifically between Watson, Isaac, and Benjamin wanting to wait to come up with a plan. And Grievous, Cletus, and Jackie wanting to immediately go rescue him. While Charles focuses more on making sure Ran doesnt run off without anyone else...which he does anyway. They eventually settle on planning but that's ruined when Ran runs off and everyone has to scramble to wake up and follow after him. 

They get him back within a week actually so very fast. They get him back by Ran running off to the camp he had seen remains of eailer (it looked like a often camped at spot so it makes sense to check there) and since he got there at night no one saw him. Which gave him a chance to look around and find where Ranbob was. By the time the others caught up to him, the sun was rising and he was running to hide in the forest. They spend the next day observing the camp and what everyone does, then that night they launch a suprise attack where Ran manages to grab his brother and run away. Though he does get shot. 

In the aftermath Ran is poisoned with the same stuff his currently barely lucid brother is, and barely manage to get them to a safe spot. Where the others eventually find them and take to watching over and eventually grabbing them and running futher away. And when their finally in a safe spot and the brothers are awake and left alone, theres a bit of a heart to heart between the two that allows each to tell their side of things, and opens tons of doors for them. The heart to heart ends with them both apologizing and hugging, and at a later time (not sure when yet) during the night they comfort eachother and end up sleeping next to eachother. 

-------------

Not super often, but it comes into play for little stuff. Like the entire group is just mining when Ranboo just runs into a gaint vein of emeralds. Oh yes, he actually walks into a lake to get something he dropped when suddenly he's in extreme pain. And while the others treat his burns his brother is just silently disappointed that he didn't know he couldn't go into water. Ran knows well enough to avoid it from his time alone, Ranbob after the above accident tries to avoid water but forgets at time, while Ranboo will avoid water he also is the kind of person to just step into water because he can (its like that moment in one of his streams where they where talking about lactose intolerance people and how they just chug milk because they refuse to let natural selection take them.). 

Stealing items (which will get them almost killed), hiding things from people, the typical putting their bedroll over a hole, pushing Phil into water and running from him when he emerges pissed, etc. 

They have 3 main ones 1. Something malfunctioned with Karl's time traveling watch and sent all of them back to a time already visited, and because of the malfunction the watch as almost completely broke, leaving them stuck until its fixed. 2. Dream is behind it since he's in both worlds and found a way to break the time barrier and sent them back so they wouldn't get in his way. 3. God hates them. 

They do! Because they are stuck in the future. And because everything else that used to cause the anger and sparks the fights are gone now, and any current existing spite or problems between people are put on hold so they can find out how to escape. And with those factors out of the way they manage to actually talk and get to know eachother. 

I like to think that Techno and Phil have never gotten along with Dream (the only reason Techno ever worked with Dream is because it was for a common goal/interest, and it took more priority than killing eachother), and want to kill him for multiple reasons (Tommy, Wilbur, Ranboo, Fundy, etc) and will gladly take any excuse to kill him. The fact Dream went this far to harm this many people makes them disgusted and determined to finally follow through and kill him. There no real start to the ire between them all, they just never liked Dream from the start and all he's done has done nothing but depend it. Brfore knowing their reasons for being hesitant, their mad that Tubbo and Karl are even hesitanting in killing Dream. But after their explanation for their hesitation, everyone actually freezes and realizes, "Oh shit their right." And instead start to plan to find a soild way home first that won't collapse on them, then kill Dream. Which is easier said than done. 

He said what I said last time with the Technoblade stuff. But he also just kinda yelled at them about how Ran needs to stop ignoring evidence and how Ranbob needs to stand up for himself. He also empathizes that they need to think of how the others view this all, how it affects them, how they focused solely on themselves and now need to start focusing on others. 

Also you got a cat? May I see cat or no?

Pokemon are always awesome. Is the game any good? But good to have you back, Brothers Anon.

14: They could make a game out of it, when they're bored. Ill-advised, but certainly an interesting time!

Why does Raq know Enderian? How's Ranbob's time at the camp, if he's even aware of it, since you said he's out of it? Ran gets shot? If Ranbob's barely lucid, how does it effect Ran? How does that go, with both of them out of it?

They hug? Does Ran admit he was worried? Do they do this when they're more lucid, or no? How's the morning after this whole show go?

-----------

Can you imagine how everybody feels? They're mining for hours, Ranboo, five minutes in, comes out with half a stack of emeralds. The confusion, the bewilderment. Beautiful.

Ranbob: Oops, dropped something.

Water: *burns him*

Ranbob: *shocked pikachu face*

*Months later*

Ranbob: Oops, dropped something-

They just? Walk into water sometimes? Good lord, their poor groups. Imagine having to try and keep your endermen friends from taking a tip purely out of spite.

It sounds like these guys have more of a death wish than anything. Pushing Phil into water is just asking to die.

Pfft. God hates them? Who proposed that one? Hilarious image that invokes. They're all just sitting in a circle, throwing out ideas, very tired. Someone throws out theory number three. Everyone agrees immediately.

Very nice! Are we getting more found family here?

This implies Techno to be fairly closer with the mentioned people, if he's angry with Dream for what was done to them. What's his relationship with them all in this AU?

How does that whole thing go, with them originally being upset with Karl and Tubbo? Is it something that just comes out immediately, and is quickly resolved, or is it something that rolls out over the course of a few days?

Ranboo has very good advice, but also, like? Mr. Typically And Possibly Literally Spineless telling his descendant to stand up for himself? How did his group react to that?

Here is the kitty in question, Muff.

She's very energetic, but she plays a bit rough, and keeps gnawing on my fingers.

[strangesmallbard]

part 2 of my ideal s13 episode concepts, assuming yaz is the sole companion:

(they’re getting Very Long, so i may go back and fill out the original concepts!)

13.6 - The Angels Take Los Angeles: the vibe is very stylized, kitschy hollywood meets the ominous high stakes of the weeping angels. ep begins with yaz tardis skyping ryan, saying thirteen has been weirdly distant again. thirteen overhears, decides that they need some FUN. they wind up in roughly 1998. montage w/ music of: selfie at the hollywood sign, buying souvenirs at the big farmer’s market, the star walk (and thirteen listing every celebrity she’s met,) and finally, the griffith observatory, where they see a planetarium show. thirteen laments that they came before the samuel oschin planetarium was built, yaz leans in & whispers that’s alright, i’ve got the real thing anyway.

the day winds down, yaz decides to broach the doctor’s Mardy Mood when suddenly, thirteen sees a sculpture that definitely wasn’t built by sculptors during the depression era. they discover the angels want something stored in the observatory—a power source. thirteen is caught in grief and manages to explain more about the ponds than just “the angels are very dangerous, trust me.” yaz devises the plan that traps the angels. with help from an interning grad student who knows the building, they save the day together.

back in the tardis, thirteen apologizes for being cagey. they have a good conversation about friendship, support, and boundaries. when yaz goes to sleep, thirteen nearly calls the shadow proclamation to turn in the power source, but hesitates. she takes out her mysterious device.

final shot: a familiar figure watches the parked tardis from a distance, wistful & contemplative. she taps the vortex manipulator on her wrist and vanishes.

13.7 - Ice Age........2! yaz and thirteen on an alien planet experiencing an extinction event. the tone is contemplative, not too heavy. bright blue tones. icy landscapes. yaz brings up the possibility of global warming, but thirteen isn’t sure that’s happening this time. it’s important to note: they’re wearing giant parkas & thirteen has a backpack in the shape of a smiley face.

they wind up on a science base run by humanoid aliens. one of the scientists, a stern older woman, is a famous guest star. she advises them to move on: the scientists have exhausted all options. they’re having an “end of the world party” before the last transport arrives to them to a spaceport colony. the scientists invite yaz & thirteen to join; both are incredulous that the team is just giving up.

yaz joins the party to get more info while thirteen snoops around the base. they play card games; something similar to DDR, play music, eat dehydrated food. she offers them a new pair of eyes, and they vehemently turn her down. she learns about how a red giant stole their first planet and how this one will become uninhabitable despite their efforts. she also learns about this team-turned-family; old and young, with diverse backgrounds. when they talk excitedly about their spaceport plans, yaz is taken aback.

meanwhile, thirteen is searching for answers. we can hear the party in the other room. she tests (eats) the soil, she tests the ice. she finds an anomaly and the shot cuts to the tardis; thirteen in front of her mysterious device, carefully siphoning from the power source the angels wanted in 13x6. she shows yaz her plan excitedly. the sun, yaz, it’s too far away. if we use this to nudge the planet’s coordinates just a bit to the left, that’ll buy them time.

yaz is thrilled at first, but then hesitates halfway through planning. do they have that time? i mean, how will that affect their timelines?

thirteen is teetering on the edge of timelord victorious; this time, however, there’s no explosions or loud background music. just muffled party chatter and thirteen, tense at the shoulders. she goes: she’s run through the diagnostics, of course she has! yaz couldn’t possibly understand, this will buy time and won’t impact the timeline significantly. this will work.

yaz looks right at thirteen, asks if this is about gallifrey, what happened when she left the fam. i was there, doctor. i saw it burning. thirteen is still tense, her hands are fidgeting. it’s not the same, yaz. when we can help, we do.

yaz paces. she looks out the window. shot cuts outside to the still, icy cold planet. it’s silent. back inside: yaz sits next to her. i know it’s not, but. i’ve saved earth plenty with you. and i know these kinds of endings. i used to...not care if my own world ended before.

thirteen is startled out of timelord victorious mode. she’s awkward again, but her hands are still. her eyes are deep-set, serious. there’s no universe without yaz. she squeezes her hand and softly says i didn’t know. i’m sorry.

yaz squeezes her hand back, accepting her apology. they talk about her past a bit; the urge to keep moving forward despite overwhelming emptiness. it’s hard to celebrate something like that, she thinks aloud. maybe this is what they need to move on. maybe this is why we’re here this time, so someone else remembers.

in thirteen’s responding stare: this isn’t gallifrey. this isn’t the timeless child, sacrificed to build the timelords. quieter than usual but definitive, almost stern, thirteen says this time, everybody lives. she powers down the lab, pockets the power source, and lets yaz lead her back into the party.

montage of the party: raucous & weighty, a wake. thirteen is subdued at first, until someone challenges her to DDR. yaz challenges her next. they listen to stories about the planet, about their families. someone challenges thirteen to shots until they realize alcohol doesn’t really affect her. montage winds down into thirteen by the open sun roof, talking to guest star about the sun anomaly. 

guest star laughs, not unhappy at all. of course we found it! can’t do too much about bloody gravity, can we, traveler?

lasts shot of the party scene: thirteen watching yaz—curious, a bit affectionate, now that the lights are dim and no one can bear witness—before turning her head up to the stars. we see a flash of timelord victorious before her expression becomes oddly serene. that’s us. a couple of travelers. 

as the scene ends, the camera pans out; beautiful shot of the tardis on a sheet of ice, underneath double moons.

the next morning; yaz rushes into the tardis with an idea. the transport vehicle arrives for the team; yaz exchanges goodbyes. the doctor bounces around the console, finishing the idea: a digital time capsule that will survive nearly anything the universe throws at it. they give it to the Stern Lady Guest Star, who is bemused; she asks where they’ll bury it. yaz suggests they carry it with them.

second-to-last shot: thirteen and yaz helping the transport leave. buttons to push, etc. they wave. they watch the transport leave the atmosphere; low, but hopeful music playing. huddled together in their parkas, thirteen takes a deep breath. after a few seconds, yaz gestures with her head to leave.

last shot: wide view of the landscape, music still playing; we see two figures following their own footsteps back home to the tardis. 

we hear slightly muffled voices: think i could go for some good weather, how about space florida?

you know, i’m sort of feeling sheffield, 2021. tea at mine? dad isn’t cooking, i promise.

oi, i like your dad’s cooking. it...

fade-out.

13.8 - “Yasmin” - found footage style, we follow yaz making video diaries ostensibly for her sister to watch later. the tone starts out light: first shot is her bedroom, and we follow her all the way to the games’ room. she points to a wii remote. i beat her at mario kart yesterday, don’t let her say otherwise. (today it’s Yaz’ TARDIS.)

she enters the console room where thirteen is tinkering, goggles on and a bit greasy. there’s banter. for a moment we see thirteen as yaz sees her: hair askew, bright smile, glowing in the light of the tardis, engine grease on her cheekbone. there’s a “you’ve got something on your nose” moment.

then, of course, someone in need of help pings the tardis. well, the doctor. she gets a text that says “help us, doctor,” which is all sorts of curious. yaz flips the camera to herself and says: “alright sonya, you ready for this?” while the doctor gives a cocky grin to the camera. the tardis leaves the time vortex with a great jolt, the opening credits run.

they land in front of a rickety farm house. the gate swings, ominously. a cow moos. the camera takes the scene in; thirteen pops up to give trivia about the era, which is.....earth, approximately 2014. britain.

yaz makes a face at the camera before they open the door.

the house seems regular, aside from abandoned; there’s a plate of molding food on the table. an outfit laid out on a bed, covered in cobwebs. scans turn up a “particle curiosity” in the air, but no one who could have sent a text message.

they decide to spend the night in the house, just in case. thirteen puts up sensors. they sit next to each other on the couch; yaz sets the camera on the table and there’s some planning before the camera abruptly goes dead.

we pick up later into the night—yaz is asleep. thirteen pulls a blanket over yaz; the footage starts skipping strangely, lines and shadows and distortions. she offers apologies to sonya; the censor picked up something and she’s modified the camera.

just as thirteen starts to awkwardly smalltalk about dimensional fragmentation camera censors, there’s a piercing shriek, more distortions. yaz wakes up; there’s scrambling and then: a face, screaming, glowing blue eyes.

the genre abruptly careens into found footage-style horror. yaz gets the figure to chase her around the house, nearly taunts it, until thirteen can hold it off with a Barrier that won’t last. yaz and thirteen argue about their mutual appetite for recklessness, thirteen’s duty of care, yaz’s protectiveness. the camera is abandoned, viewing them from an odd angle. it catches thirteen’s hand reaching for yaz, pulling back before yaz notices.

through clues in the house & rebooting an abandoned iphone, they discover what happened in this house. a young woman, a teacher—vivacious and funny if her texts are anything to go by—moved into this house ten years ago. then, she vanishes without a trace.

thirteen recognizes the date she disappears but doesn’t know why. the figure breaks in, forcing them down into the basement. there, they happen upon a gruesome sight that shocks thirteen: a powered down toclafane from the simm!master arc in s4.

she realizes that the date corresponds to the original paradox—and realizes that the creature is the vestiges of the young teacher, trapped by dark matter in a paradox that shouldn’t exist anymore. yaz mentions she used to have a nightmare about the orbs as a young kid every night for a week.

there’s Plot Stuff as they figure out how to fix the paradox for good. turns out, the creature is mad at the doctor, but thirteen won’t shoulder this burden for the master. he orchestrated that and thirteen did the best she could. she’s too angry to connect; it’s yaz who connects to the young woman left in the creature. who wanted her own adventures. she’s afraid of dying for good. yaz says she’s sorry, and the creature believes her.

the camera is abandoned on the table. the distortions have stopped. the sun rises. there’s a fast forward and yaz & thirteen are at the kitchen table, drinking “coffee.” (it still tastes good, anyway.) the aftermath of an argument. they mention the master. before the camera dies again, thirteen asks yaz if she has any new nightmares. she’s soft.

the last scene: yaz and sonya curled up together on the bed. sonya is shook. yaz is like, yeah i told you it was a lot. but sonya is shook because she had the same nightmare as a kid too. she asks if the doctor meddles too much, if they’d all be safer if she weren’t around. 

yaz contemplates. she says: nothing in the universe is safe. she can’t save everyone, neither can i. but we try. and i feel safe with her. in more ways than one.

sonya teases yaz about a crush. yaz goes “no way!” but looks briefly devastated.

before they fall asleep, yaz remembers something. she asks sonya if she can borrow her phone. 

ending credits: found footage of thirteen singing taylor swift on the tardis, doing some repairs with her greasy goggles on. yaz laughs.

[flauntpage]

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake

I watch a lot of basketball. And when I'm not doing that (or eating, sleeping, reading, sitting in front of an unintentionally funny horror movie, etc.), there's a good chance I've fallen into something NBA-related on my laptop, whether it be a beautifully-written profile, stretch of game film, or a statistical database.

It is virtually impossible to absorb all the NBA has to offer, but digestible morsels of information usually find their way into a notebook that migrates between my coffee table and nightstand. (I have two shoeboxes under my bed that are literally overflowing with random thoughts on the NBA extracted over hundreds of hours spent in front of my TV/iPad/cell phone.) Some of it is complete nonsense ("Why did Frank Vogel grow a beard?"). Some of it is useful.

This column is born from my notebook. Every week, I'll try to unwrap some unique angles from around the league. So, anyways, welcome! I hope after reading this you have just a little bit more insight into (and interest in) the NBA than you did before hopping over.

1. Introducing Philly's Giant Trio of Death

This was already mentioned in my preview piece about Dario Saric and the Philadelphia 76ers, but one of the most critical questions for Philly is whether Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Saric can share the floor. All three are taller than 6'10", with a rare combination of intelligence and technical skill that should theoretically allow them to thrive beside one another.

If they can space the floor (more on Simmons's ability to do that without a jump shot later), maintain some defensive versatility, and move the ball, there's no way to stop them. Size has long been the sport's most valuable element, and folding it into a group that's also able to adopt modern principles (quality three-point shooting, a modifiable pick-and-roll defense, etc.) would eventually give Philly an advantage over everybody else.

They've only shared the floor for 23 minutes in four games, but in that time the Sixers have outscored opponents by 27 points per 100 possessions while assisting two-thirds of their made baskets. They're zipping up the court, running offense through whoever has a mismatch, and, as expected, gobbling up all the rebounds in sight.

27 minutes of basketball hardly provides enough data to confirm that these three will one day take over the universe, but Sixers coach Brett Brown swapped Saric in for Jerryd Bayless at the start of the second half of their Monday night win over the Detroit Pistons. Obvious translation: This is the beginning of something very special.

2. Minnesota's Glaring Weakness

Between Karl-Anthony Towns dissecting defenses from any square foot of the court he pleases, Andrew Wiggins gliding like a condor, and Jamal Crawford momentarily propping up a lethargic offense like the ageless highlight reel he is, it's still hard to ignore Minnesota's obvious hole: the desperate need for another wing defender. Maybe two.

At the start of their thrilling victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, the Timberwolves started with Jimmy Butler on Russell Westbrook while Wiggins defended Paul George and Jeff Teague hid out on Andre Roberson. Taj Gibson—better suited as a backup center at this stage in his career—glued himself to Carmelo Anthony as best he could.

When Wiggins took a seat later in the game, Butler was forced to pick up George. Not all teams are able to deploy as many offensive weapons as the Thunder, but these assignments are still way too taxing for Butler all year long, and don't allow him to wreak havoc off the ball on offense as much as he could if the Timberwolves avoided a crossmatch by putting Teague on Westbrook and Butler on Roberson.

Minnesota showed some interest in P.J. Tucker over the summer, but didn't make a serious offer to acquire him. That's unfortunate. They're distinctly thin at arguably the most critical position in the league, and it's showing. When Butler missed Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers, his teammates put up one of the weaker defensive performances any team has had all season.

Games against the Pacers and Thunder are a small sample size, but we already knew that Crawford and Shabazz Muhammad aren't answers on the defensive end, while the Timberwolves' assembly of bigs aren't flexible enough to switch on the perimeter or even directly line up against teams that go small.

Minnesota's offense should still be good enough for a playoff berth, but unless they address their most glaring weakness before the trade deadline, winning a series will be an uphill battle. Including the two games Butler's missed, Minnesota's defensive rating is an atrocious 117.5 when he's not on the floor.

3. The Phoenix Suns!

Many accurate words have been written about the amusingly dysfunctional Phoenix Suns since the season started last Tuesday. It's fair to say they've momentarily snatched the Torch of Negligence from organizations that have proudly held it (the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers immediately spring to mind).

A couple nights before Eric Bledsoe submitted an early frontrunner for this season's most legendary tweet, I was in bed watching a game on my iPad when a random, half-serious thought popped into my head. I rolled over, opened my notebook, and scribbled down the following sentence: "Indirect way to gauge how hard a team is playing: Watch with sound off. That way you don't know if players are reacting to a ref's whistle or not."

I was watching the Suns.

4. Carmelo Anthony is a Walking "STOP THE PRESSES" Button

After their game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City's pace registered at 104.2 with Russell Westbrook on the floor this season. Given their success in transition and all the long-armed, turnover-cobbling athleticism they possess on the defensive end, that number is right in line with how the Thunder should try and play for the rest of the reigning MVP's prime.

"Hijack" is too strong a descriptor for what Carmelo Anthony has done to his new team's rhythm, but when he's in the game their pace drops to 100.7. Related to last year's numbers, the gap between Westbrook and Melo's individual pace represents the league's fastest and 10th fastest teams.

When Anthony has been off the floor this season, Oklahoma City transforms into a jumbo jet. Its pace shoots up to a whopping 105.6. When Westbrook sits, things molder at 96.1. The differential grows more stark when you look at how the NBA's Triple-Double King performs without Anthony on the court. His True Shooting percentage increases 16.4 percent despite his usage rising by 10 points. (The pace gap also dramatically widens, as one might assume.)

This is the fundamental struggle Oklahoma City needs to work through as they digest life with two score-first options who're more comfortable at different tempos. Anthony's usage is right in line with where it was the past two seasons, but his True Shooting is down, thanks to a dramatic dip in trips to the free-throw line and a whole bunch of misfires beyond the arc. Only four players in the entire league are averaging more shots per game.

Billy Donovan has more than enough talent to go around, but ensuring comfort for all three of his stars will take some time.

5. LaMarcus Aldridge: Still Good!

The general reaction after the San Antonio Spurs gave LaMarcus Aldridge a three-year contract extension was bemused fascination. Aldridge will be 33 next season, was not an All-Star last year, and is coming off a playoff run that saw his True Shooting percentage dip below .500. But the Spurs aren't dumb. They know this. They also probably realize that acquiring someone who can mimic his impact at a lower cost is going to be all but impossible during Kawhi Leonard's prime.

It turns out Aldridge is still a very good player, and while Leonard nurses a nagging quadricep injury, the five-time All-Star has quietly kicked off his 12th season looking like one of the league's 15 best players. The undefeated Spurs have turned to mush on both ends when he's on the bench, getting outscored by a team-low 21.6 points per 100 possessions. (They're +19.3 when he plays.)

According to Synergy Sports, just over a third of Aldridge's possessions have been post-ups, where he already ranks in the 96th percentile. The left block is his happy place, and all who've defended him see nothing but his picture-perfect turnaround jump shot whenever their eyes close. (Especially Miami Heat rookie Bam Adebayo, who was absolutely tortured on national television Wednesday night.)

It's unlikely Aldridge averages 26 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game for the entire year, but it's a promising start for a player who badly needed to reassert himself among the league's elite frontcourt weapons. The Spurs have been especially dominant with Aldridge at the five, in lineups that feature Rudy Gay or Kyle Anderson at the four. Just imagine how scary those lineups will be when Leonard—the freaking frontrunner for MVP—returns.

6. Bebe Nogueira...

...has multiple tattoos on his face and is a legend. This—more than the Raptors' modernized shot profile—is clearly the most important recent happening that's taken place in the general Toronto area.

Photo by John E. Sokolowski - USA TODAY Sports

7. The Dreaded Hot Seat

Earlier this week, the Suns fired Earl Watson, demonstrating it's never too early to toss your head coach into a guillotine. Comparing that situation with any other in the league is tough, though. There's only one Robert Sarver, and the stakes for Watson's dismissal were pretty low, given how unpleasant the team's roster is.

Firing a coach before Thanksgiving is never a good look, but it still got me thinking about whether any other coaches (beside the two most obvious candidates: Jeff Hornacek and Alvin Gentry) might have a single burner under their chair. It would surprise me if the coach I'm about to mention doesn't keep his job for the foreseeable future, but literally nothing can be ruled out in today's NBA.

The Denver Nuggets are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Sacramento Kings. Nothing about this is notably problematic, but expectations are a tidal wave that cease for no man, and with a cupcake road trip sitting on the horizon and a tricky home stand right after that, Mike Malone may find himself in hot water.

If Denver struggles against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks before the Miami Heat, Toronto, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Pepsi Center, will he have an opportunity to turn things around? Probably, yes. He should. Denver is the fifth-youngest team in the league, with a pair of inexperienced point guards (Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay) who are seriously struggling. Their offense is unexpectedly impotent.

It's way, way, way too early to point fingers or even be concerned about Denver's play (their defense is keeping opponents away from the rim and forcing a ton of mid-range shots!), but Malone may be on thinner ice than we think.

8. Centers are Officially Married to the Three-Point Line

Here's a list of centers who've already launched at least one three this year: Dewayne Dedmon (six), Jonas Valanciunas (one), Hassan Whiteside (one), Willie Cauley-Stein (two), Gorgui Dieng (four), Robin Lopez (five), Nikola Vucevic (19), Dwight Powell (12), Timofey Mozgov (three), Jusuf Nurkic (two), Jeff Withey (two), Al Jefferson (one), Derrick Favors (five), and a whole bunch who aren't listed primarily because they aren't that surprising.

Joel Embiid is 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more threes per game than all but five players in the entire league. Attempts aren't a sole indicator of any uptick when most of these players have only appeared in a few games, but three-point rates at the center position are skyrocketing across the board.

This is one of the most evolutionary subplots in the NBA right now, even if we all saw it coming.

9. When Spacing Doesn't Matter

Speaking of evolution and the three-point line, two of the NBA's most unique talents, Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are a couple earthquakes who can't really shoot. So far, Antetokounmpo's three-point rate is about half what it was last season (he's 1-for-6 in 154 minutes) while Simmons is 0-for-3 in his career.

But both have remained effective even when the ball isn't in their hands, and their respective coaching staffs have done a good job figuring out different ways to get them going from the weakside. It's only natural to sag off someone who isn't a threat beyond the arc, and that's exactly what teams do whenever Simmons and Antetokounmpo aren't dribbling around with transfixing dexterity.

To neutralize this defense, both teams have instituted quick hit actions that allow their freakish "guards" to get a running head start towards the basket against a perimeter defender who isn't in their path. For example, the Bucks will run a side pick-and-roll towards the middle of the floor with the sole intention of swinging it to Antetokounmpo on the opposite wing. He'll catch it in mid-stride towards the paint, and from that point your best defense is physical assault.

This catch-and-go action makes defenders think twice about helping at the nail, and instead forces them to clog up an open runway towards the rim.

10. Andre Drummond is Wiping Dirt Off His Shoulders

Not only is he shooting 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, but, more importantly, the 24-year-old appears to have shaved/waxed/lasered away his scraggly shoulder hair. Speaking as someone who's long been afflicted with this cosmetic impediment, shout out to Drummond for overcoming what was once an unscalable obstacle.

11. Blake Griffin is a Top-10 Player Once More

Remember Blake Griffin? He's hitting threes, demanding double teams on the block (if you cut he will find you), and can still Mount Olympus poor shot blockers who think they stand a chance. Rudy Gobert didn't even jump when he saw Griffin rumbling down the paint for a teeth-rattling facial earlier this week.

His offensive game is as complete and diversified as there is, averaging a cool 27, 10, and four while launching six threes per game. If (if!) he stays healthy, the Clippers may find themselves with the five seed, and Griffin may find himself returning to an All-NBA team.

12. John Wall Equals Mini Mutombo

John Wall is on pace to have one of the most impressive shot-blocking seasons a guard has ever had, per Basketball-Reference. Through his first four games, the 27-year-old blur has five blocks and six personal fouls. Solid. His block rate is the exact same as Dwyane Wade's during his age-27 season, too.

He was a demon in Washington's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, welcoming Markelle Fultz to the league by smudging his layup off the glass. But then he also showed how useful he can be later on against the Detroit Pistons, switching onto Tobias Harris, guarding him in isolation, then swatting his floater away while squared up in the paint.

So much is made about Wall's inability to knock down threes and space the floor. But it's his inconsistency on the defensive end that bars him from MVP conversations. If he excels on that end all year, and rolls his unparalleled combination of speed, strength, and length into one package at the point guard position, Washington's ceiling will rise a considerable degree.

13. The Ed Davisaissance!

Ed Davis's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers hasn't been great. Often injured, out of shape, or deemed ineffective in a league that has little use for big men who can't shoot, the guy looked spry on Tuesday against DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans, recording his first double-double since last February.

Photo by Jaime Valdez - USA TODAY Sports

Davis is slowly re-emerging as one of the NBA's top putback artists and has flashed vibrance as a roll man, putting the ball on the ground with one dribble and then going up strong at the rim. Noah Vonleh's looming return from a shoulder injury (he could be back as early as November 1st) may throw a wrench in Davis's minutes. But Terry Stotts will have a hard time keeping the 28-year-old out of his rotation.

14. The Spurs are Spursing

The Spurs have logged six minutes of crunch time so far this season (defined as when the scoring margin is five or below, with five or fewer minutes left in the game). They've yet to allow a single point in that time. Defensive rating: zero point zero, and it's way too early to call it unsustainable.

15. How Many Nets can be Helpful Players on a Good Team?

Last year, the answer to this question was between zero and two, depending on what you think of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. That number is slightly higher today, but a key difference is a serious downshift in age.

DeMarre Carroll stands out as the only legitimate late-prime candidate (though Trevor Booker is averaging 20.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes), with D'Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and maybe even Caris LeVert—who plays basketball like a bold character actor who isn't sure/doesn't care about the established tone in his scene—rounding out the list.

It's too early to say this with too much confidence, but if the Lakers don't land LeBron James or Paul George this summer, dumping Russell for Lopez and cap space will be viewed as a humongous mistake. He looks fantastic in Brooklyn, strutting through half-court sets with 9,000 percent more confidence than he had in his first two years.

He's getting to, and finishing at, the rim in ways that should quell some concern over whether or not he'd ever be able to test defenses in the paint, all while knocking down threes and conducting open-floor surges with a comfort previously unseen in his career. His pick-and-rolls are unhurried, and he's already picked up the nuance that is holding off a trailing defender while putting pressure on the sagging big.

Turnovers are high but that's fine. He keeps his head up, looks for cutters, and is still only 21 years old!

Meanwhile, Allen looks like his ceiling could be as one of the 15 most useful defenders in the league. He has a 7'6" wingspan, unteachable instincts on the perimeter, and a touch around the basket that, speaking as someone who doesn't watch college basketball and didn't get to see him at Las Vegas Summer League, is quite the pleasant surprise. The Nets may have at least two cornerstones already onboard.

16. Are LeBron's Minutes Already Cause for Concern?

He leads the league at 188 overall and is third with 37.6 per game.

17. Your Weekly Reminder that the Golden State Warriors are Unfair

Coming out of a time-out during Wednesday night's win over the Toronto Raptors, Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald looked at a Shaun Livingston, David West, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala quintet as they strode onto the floor and said "No team in the league can match this five."

Even though only three of Golden State's units played more than this exact one last season—they outscored opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 167 minutes—my immediate reaction was still to scoff.

Yes, this unit boasts a top-two player, extremely high intelligence across the board, like-sized defenders, and one of the greatest spot-up shooters who ever lived, but it doesn't have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, two transcendent figures who are most responsible for Golden State's unprecedented dominance.

It took me about five seconds to realize Fitzgerald was right. It's obvious and inconceivable at the same time: Golden State's eighth or ninth best five-man unit will blow your very best one out of the water. Welcome back, NBA!

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[amtushinfosolutionspage]

The Outlet Pass: Philly’s Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake

I watch a lot of basketball. And when I’m not doing that (or eating, sleeping, reading, sitting in front of an unintentionally funny horror movie, etc.), there’s a good chance I’ve fallen into something NBA-related on my laptop, whether it be a beautifully-written profile, stretch of game film, or a statistical database.

It is virtually impossible to absorb all the NBA has to offer, but digestible morsels of information usually find their way into a notebook that migrates between my coffee table and nightstand. (I have two shoeboxes under my bed that are literally overflowing with random thoughts on the NBA extracted over hundreds of hours spent in front of my TV/iPad/cell phone.) Some of it is complete nonsense (“Why did Frank Vogel grow a beard?”). Some of it is useful.

This column is born from my notebook. Every week, I’ll try to unwrap some unique angles from around the league. So, anyways, welcome! I hope rafter reading this you have just a little bit more insight into (and interest in) the NBA than you did hopping over.

1. Introducing Philly’s Giant Trio of Death

This was already mentioned in my preview piece about Dario Saric and the Philadelphia 76ers, but one of the most critical questions for Philly is whether Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Saric can share the floor. All three are taller than 6’10”, with a rare combination of intelligence and technical skill that should theoretically allow them to thrive beside one another.

If they can space the floor (more on Simmons’s ability to do that without a jump shot later), maintain some defensive versatility, and move the ball, there’s no way to stop them. Size has long been the sport’s most valuable element, and folding it into a group that’s also able to adopt modern principles (quality three-point shooting, a modifiable pick-and-roll defense, etc.) would eventually give Philly an advantage over everybody else.

They’ve only shared the floor for 23 minutes in four games, but in that time the Sixers have outscored opponents by 27 points per 100 possessions while assisting two-thirds of their made baskets. They’re zipping up the court, running offense through whoever has a mismatch, and, as expected, gobbling up all the rebounds in sight.

27 minutes of basketball hardly provides enough data to confirm that these three will one day take over the universe, but Sixers coach Brett Brown swapped Saric in for Jerryd Bayless at the start of the second half of their Monday night win over the Detroit Pistons. Obvious translation: This is the beginning of something very special.

2. Minnesota’s Glaring Weakness

Between Karl-Anthony Towns dissecting defenses from any square foot of the court he pleases, Andrew Wiggins gliding like a condor, and Jamal Crawford momentarily propping up a lethargic offense like the ageless highlight reel he is, it’s still hard to ignore Minnesota’s obvious hole: the desperate need for another wing defender. Maybe two.

At the start of their thrilling victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, the Timberwolves started with Jimmy Butler on Russell Westbrook while Wiggins defended Paul George and Jeff Teague hid out on Andre Roberson. Taj Gibson—better suited as a backup center at this stage in his career—glued himself to Carmelo Anthony as best he could.

When Wiggins took a seat later in the game, Butler was forced to pick up George. Not all teams are able to deploy as many offensive weapons as the Thunder, but these assignments are still way too taxing for Butler all year long, and don’t allow him to wreak havoc off the ball on offense as much as he could if the Timberwolves avoided a crossmatch by putting Teague on Westbrook and Butler on Roberson.

Minnesota showed some interest in P.J. Tucker over the summer, but didn’t make a serious offer to acquire him. That’s unfortunate. They’re distinctly thin at arguably the most critical position in the league, and it’s showing. When Butler missed Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers, his teammates put up one of the weaker defensive performances any team has had all season.

Games against the Pacers and Thunder are a small sample size, but we already knew that Crawford and Shabazz Muhammad aren’t answers on the defensive end, while the Timberwolves’ assembly of bigs aren’t flexible enough to switch on the perimeter or even directly line up against teams that go small.

Minnesota’s offense should still be good enough for a playoff berth, but unless they address their most glaring weakness before the trade deadline, winning a series will be an uphill battle. Including the two games Butler’s missed, Minnesota’s defensive rating is an atrocious 117.5 when he’s not on the floor.

3. The Phoenix Suns!

Many accurate words have been written about the amusingly dysfunctional Phoenix Suns since the season started last Tuesday. It’s fair to say they’ve momentarily snatched the Torch of Negligence from organizations that have proudly held it (the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers immediately spring to mind).

A couple nights before Eric Bledsoe submitted an early frontrunner for this season’s most legendary tweet, I was in bed watching a game on my iPad when a random, half-serious thought popped into my head. I rolled over, opened my notebook, and scribbled down the following sentence: “Indirect way to gauge how hard a team is playing: Watch with sound off. That way you don’t know if players are reacting to a ref’s whistle or not.”

I was watching the Suns.

4. Carmelo Anthony is a Walking “STOP THE PRESSES” Button

After their game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City’s pace registered at 104.2 with Russell Westbrook on the floor this season. Given their success in transition and all the long-armed, turnover-cobbling athleticism they possess on the defensive end, that number is right in line with how the Thunder should try and play for the rest of the reigning MVP’s prime.

“Hijack” is too strong a descriptor for what Carmelo Anthony has done to his new team’s rhythm, but when he’s in the game their pace drops to 100.7. Related to last year’s numbers, the gap between Westbrook and Melo’s individual pace represents the league’s fastest and 10th fastest teams.

When Anthony has been off the floor this season, Oklahoma City transforms into a jumbo jet. Its pace shoots up to a whopping 105.6. When Westbrook sits, things molder at 96.1. The differential grows more stark when you look at how the NBA’s Triple-Double King performs without Anthony on the court. His True Shooting percentage increases 16.4 percent despite his usage rising by 10 points. (The pace gap also dramatically widens, as one might assume.)

This is the fundamental struggle Oklahoma City needs to work through as they digest life with two score-first options who’re more comfortable at different tempos. Anthony’s usage is right in line with where it was the past two seasons, but his True Shooting is down, thanks to a dramatic dip in trips to the free-throw line and a whole bunch of misfires beyond the arc. Only four players in the entire league are averaging more shots per game.

Billy Donovan has more than enough talent to go around, but ensuring comfort for all three of his stars will take some time.

5. LaMarcus Aldridge: Still Good!

The general reaction after the San Antonio Spurs gave LaMarcus Aldridge a three-year contract extension was bemused fascination. Aldridge will be 33 next season, was not an All-Star last year, and is coming off a playoff run that saw his True Shooting percentage dip below .500. But the Spurs aren’t dumb. They know this. They also probably realize that acquiring someone who can mimic his impact at a lower cost is going to be all but impossible during Kawhi Leonard’s prime.

It turns out Aldridge is still a very good player, and while Leonard nurses a nagging quadricep injury, the five-time All-Star has quietly kicked off his 12th season looking like one of the league’s 15 best players. The undefeated Spurs have turned to mush on both ends when he’s on the bench, getting outscored by a team-low 21.6 points per 100 possessions. (They’re +19.3 when he plays.)

According to Synergy Sports, just over a third of Aldridge’s possessions have been post-ups, where he already ranks in the 96th percentile. The left block is his happy place, and all who’ve defended him see nothing but his picture-perfect turnaround jump shot whenever their eyes close. (Especially Miami Heat rookie Bam Adebayo, who was absolutely tortured on national television Wednesday night.)

It’s unlikely Aldridge averages 26 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game for the entire year, but it’s a promising start for a player who badly needed to reassert himself among the league’s elite frontcourt weapons. The Spurs have been especially dominant with Aldridge at the five, in lineups that feature Rudy Gay or Kyle Anderson at the four. Just imagine how scary those lineups will be when Leonard—the freaking frontrunner for MVP—returns.

6. Bebe Nogueira…

…has multiple tattoos on his face and is a legend. This—more than the Raptors’ modernized shot profile—is clearly the most important recent happening that’s taken place in the general Toronto area.

Photo by John E. Sokolowski – USA TODAY Sports

7. The Dreaded Hot Seat

Earlier this week, the Suns fired Earl Watson, demonstrating it’s never too early to toss your head coach into a guillotine. Comparing that situation with any other in the league is tough, though. There’s only one Robert Sarver, and the stakes for Watson’s dismissal were pretty low, given how unpleasant the team’s roster is.

Firing a coach before Thanksgiving is never a good look, but it still got me thinking about whether any other coaches (beside the two most obvious candidates: Jeff Hornacek and Alvin Gentry) might have a single burner under their chair. It would surprise me if the coach I’m about to mention doesn’t keep his job for the foreseeable future, but literally nothing can be ruled out in today’s NBA.

The Denver Nuggets are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Sacramento Kings. Nothing about this is notably problematic, but expectations are a tidal wave that cease for no man, and with a cupcake road trip sitting on the horizon and a tricky home stand right after that, Mike Malone may find himself in hot water.

If Denver struggles against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks before the Miami Heat, Toronto, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Pepsi Center, will he have an opportunity to turn things around? Probably, yes. He should. Denver is the fifth-youngest team in the league, with a pair of inexperienced point guards (Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay) who are seriously struggling. Their offense is unexpectedly impotent.

It’s way, way, way too early to point fingers or even be concerned about Denver’s play (their defense is keeping opponents away from the rim and forcing a ton of mid-range shots!), but Malone may be on thinner ice than we think.

8. Centers are Officially Married to the Three-Point Line

Here’s a list of centers who’ve already launched at least one three this year: Dewayne Dedmon (six), Jonas Valanciunas (one), Hassan Whiteside (one), Willie Cauley-Stein (two), Gorgui Dieng (four), Robin Lopez (five), Nikola Vucevic (19), Dwight Powell (12), Timofey Mozgov (three), Jusuf Nurkic (two), Jeff Withey (two), Al Jefferson (one), Derrick Favors (five), and a whole bunch who aren’t listed primarily because they aren’t that surprising.

Joel Embiid is 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more threes per game than all but five players in the entire league. Attempts aren’t a sole indicator of any uptick when most of these players have only appeared in a few games, but three-point rates at the center position are skyrocketing across the board.

This is one of the most evolutionary subplots in the NBA right now, even if we all saw it coming.

9. When Spacing Doesn’t Matter

Speaking of evolution and the three-point line, two of the NBA’s most unique talents, Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are a couple earthquakes who can’t really shoot. So far, Antetokounmpo’s three-point rate is about half what it was last season (he’s 1-for-6 in 154 minutes) while Simmons is 0-for-3 in his career.

But both have remained effective even when the ball isn’t in their hands, and their respective coaching staffs have done a good job figuring out different ways to get them going from the weakside. It’s only natural to sag off someone who isn’t a threat beyond the arc, and that’s exactly what teams do whenever Simmons and Antetokounmpo aren’t dribbling around with transfixing dexterity.

To neutralize this defense, both teams have instituted quick hit actions that allow their freakish “guards” to get a running head start towards the basket against a perimeter defender who isn’t in their path. For example, the Bucks will run a side pick-and-roll towards the middle of the floor with the sole intention of swinging it to Antetokounmpo on the opposite wing. He’ll catch it in mid-stride towards the paint, and from that point your best defense is physical assault.

This catch-and-go action makes defenders think twice about helping at the nail, and instead forces them to clog up an open runway towards the rim.

10. Andre Drummond is Wiping Dirt Off His Shoulders

Not only is he shooting 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, but, more importantly, the 24-year-old appears to have shaved/waxed/lasered away his scraggly shoulder hair. Speaking as someone who’s long been afflicted with this cosmetic impediment, shout out to Drummond for overcoming what was once an unscalable obstacle.

11. Blake Griffin is a Top-10 Player Once More

Remember Blake Griffin? He’s hitting threes, demanding double teams on the block (if you cut he will find you), and can still Mount Olympus poor shot blockers who think they stand a chance. Rudy Gobert didn’t even jump when he saw Griffin rumbling down the paint for a teeth-rattling facial earlier this week.

His offensive game is as complete and diversified as there is, averaging a cool 27, 10, and four while launching six threes per game. If (if!) he stays healthy, the Clippers may find themselves with the five seed, and Griffin may find himself returning to an All-NBA team.

12. John Wall Equals Mini Mutombo

John Wall is on pace to have one of the most impressive shot-blocking seasons a guard has ever had, per Basketball-Reference. Through his first four games, the 27-year-old blur has five blocks and six personal fouls. Solid. His block rate is the exact same as Dwyane Wade’s during his age-27 season, too.

He was a demon in Washington’s season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, welcoming Markelle Fultz to the league by smudging his layup off the glass. But then he also showed how useful he can be later on against the Detroit Pistons, switching onto Tobias Harris, guarding him in isolation, then swatting his floater away while squared up in the paint.

So much is made about Wall’s inability to knock down threes and space the floor. But it’s his inconsistency on the defensive end that bars him from MVP conversations. If he excels on that end all year, and rolls his unparalleled combination of speed, strength, and length into one package at the point guard position, Washington’s ceiling will rise a considerable degree.

13. The Ed Davisaissance!

Ed Davis’s tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers hasn’t been great. Often injured, out of shape, or deemed ineffective in a league that has little use for big men who can’t shoot, the guy looked spry on Tuesday against DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans, recording his first double-double since last February.

Photo by Jaime Valdez – USA TODAY Sports

Davis is slowly re-emerging as one of the NBA’s top putback artists and has flashed vibrance as a roll man, putting the ball on the ground with one dribble and then going up strong at the rim. Noah Vonleh’s looming return from a shoulder injury (he could be back as early as November 1st) may throw a wrench in Davis’s minutes. But Terry Stotts will have a hard time keeping the 28-year-old out of his rotation.

14. The Spurs are Spursing

The Spurs have logged six minutes of crunch time so far this season (defined as when the scoring margin is five or below, with five or fewer minutes left in the game). They’ve yet to allow a single point in that time. Defensive rating: zero point zero, and it’s way too early to call it unsustainable.

15. How Many Nets can be Helpful Players on a Good Team?

Last year, the answer to this question was between zero and two, depending on what you think of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. That number is slightly higher today, but a key difference is a serious downshift in age.

DeMarre Carroll stands out as the only legitimate late-prime candidate (though Trevor Booker is averaging 20.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes), with D’Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and maybe even Caris LeVert—who plays basketball like a bold character actor who isn’t sure/doesn’t care about the established tone in his scene—rounding out the list.

It’s too early to say this with too much confidence, but if the Lakers don’t land LeBron James or Paul George this summer, dumping Russell for Lopez and cap space will be viewed as a humongous mistake. He looks fantastic in Brooklyn, strutting through half-court sets with 9,000 percent more confidence than he had in his first two years.

He’s getting to, and finishing at, the rim in ways that should quell some concern over whether or not he’d ever be able to test defenses in the paint, all while knocking down threes and conducting open-floor surges with a comfort previously unseen in his career. His pick-and-rolls are unhurried, and he’s already picked up the nuance that is holding off a trailing defender while putting pressure on the sagging big.

Turnovers are high but that’s fine. He keeps his head up, looks for cutters, and is still only 21 years old!

Meanwhile, Allen looks like his ceiling could be as one of the 15 most useful defenders in the league. He has a 7’6″ wingspan, unteachable instincts on the perimeter, and a touch around the basket that, speaking as someone who doesn’t watch college basketball and didn’t get to see him at Las Vegas Summer League, is quite the pleasant surprise. The Nets may have at least two cornerstones already onboard.

16. Are LeBron’s Minutes Already Cause for Concern?

He leads the league at 188 overall and is third with 37.6 per game.

17. Your Weekly Reminder that the Golden State Warriors are Unfair

Coming out of a time-out during Wednesday night’s win over the Toronto Raptors, Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald looked at a Shaun Livingston, David West, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala quintet as they strode onto the floor and said “No team in the league can match this five.”

Even though only three of Golden State’s units played more than this exact one last season—they outscored opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 167 minutes—my immediate reaction was still to scoff.

Yes, this unit boasts a top-two player, extremely high intelligence across the board, like-sized defenders, and one of the greatest spot-up shooters who ever lived, but it doesn’t have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, two transcendent figures who are most responsible for Golden State’s unprecedented dominance.

It took me about five seconds to realize Fitzgerald was right. It’s obvious and inconceivable at the same time: Golden State’s eighth or ninth best five-man unit will blow your very best one out of the water. Welcome back, NBA!

The Outlet Pass: Philly’s Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

[flauntpage]

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake

I watch a lot of basketball. And when I'm not doing that (or eating, sleeping, reading, sitting in front of an unintentionally funny horror movie, etc.), there's a good chance I've fallen into something NBA-related on my laptop, whether it be a beautifully-written profile, stretch of game film, or a statistical database.

It is virtually impossible to absorb all the NBA has to offer, but digestible morsels of information usually find their way into a notebook that migrates between my coffee table and nightstand. (I have two shoeboxes under my bed that are literally overflowing with random thoughts on the NBA extracted over hundreds of hours spent in front of my TV/iPad/cell phone.) Some of it is complete nonsense ("Why did Frank Vogel grow a beard?"). Some of it is useful.

This column is born from my notebook. Every week, I'll try to unwrap some unique angles from around the league. So, anyways, welcome! I hope after reading this you have just a little bit more insight into (and interest in) the NBA than you did before hopping over.

1. Introducing Philly's Giant Trio of Death

This was already mentioned in my preview piece about Dario Saric and the Philadelphia 76ers, but one of the most critical questions for Philly is whether Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Saric can share the floor. All three are taller than 6'10", with a rare combination of intelligence and technical skill that should theoretically allow them to thrive beside one another.

If they can space the floor (more on Simmons's ability to do that without a jump shot later), maintain some defensive versatility, and move the ball, there's no way to stop them. Size has long been the sport's most valuable element, and folding it into a group that's also able to adopt modern principles (quality three-point shooting, a modifiable pick-and-roll defense, etc.) would eventually give Philly an advantage over everybody else.

They've only shared the floor for 23 minutes in four games, but in that time the Sixers have outscored opponents by 27 points per 100 possessions while assisting two-thirds of their made baskets. They're zipping up the court, running offense through whoever has a mismatch, and, as expected, gobbling up all the rebounds in sight.

27 minutes of basketball hardly provides enough data to confirm that these three will one day take over the universe, but Sixers coach Brett Brown swapped Saric in for Jerryd Bayless at the start of the second half of their Monday night win over the Detroit Pistons. Obvious translation: This is the beginning of something very special.

2. Minnesota's Glaring Weakness

Between Karl-Anthony Towns dissecting defenses from any square foot of the court he pleases, Andrew Wiggins gliding like a condor, and Jamal Crawford momentarily propping up a lethargic offense like the ageless highlight reel he is, it's still hard to ignore Minnesota's obvious hole: the desperate need for another wing defender. Maybe two.

At the start of their thrilling victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, the Timberwolves started with Jimmy Butler on Russell Westbrook while Wiggins defended Paul George and Jeff Teague hid out on Andre Roberson. Taj Gibson—better suited as a backup center at this stage in his career—glued himself to Carmelo Anthony as best he could.

When Wiggins took a seat later in the game, Butler was forced to pick up George. Not all teams are able to deploy as many offensive weapons as the Thunder, but these assignments are still way too taxing for Butler all year long, and don't allow him to wreak havoc off the ball on offense as much as he could if the Timberwolves avoided a crossmatch by putting Teague on Westbrook and Butler on Roberson.

Minnesota showed some interest in P.J. Tucker over the summer, but didn't make a serious offer to acquire him. That's unfortunate. They're distinctly thin at arguably the most critical position in the league, and it's showing. When Butler missed Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers, his teammates put up one of the weaker defensive performances any team has had all season.

Games against the Pacers and Thunder are a small sample size, but we already knew that Crawford and Shabazz Muhammad aren't answers on the defensive end, while the Timberwolves' assembly of bigs aren't flexible enough to switch on the perimeter or even directly line up against teams that go small.

Minnesota's offense should still be good enough for a playoff berth, but unless they address their most glaring weakness before the trade deadline, winning a series will be an uphill battle. Including the two games Butler's missed, Minnesota's defensive rating is an atrocious 117.5 when he's not on the floor.

3. The Phoenix Suns!

Many accurate words have been written about the amusingly dysfunctional Phoenix Suns since the season started last Tuesday. It's fair to say they've momentarily snatched the Torch of Negligence from organizations that have proudly held it (the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers immediately spring to mind).

A couple nights before Eric Bledsoe submitted an early frontrunner for this season's most legendary tweet, I was in bed watching a game on my iPad when a random, half-serious thought popped into my head. I rolled over, opened my notebook, and scribbled down the following sentence: "Indirect way to gauge how hard a team is playing: Watch with sound off. That way you don't know if players are reacting to a ref's whistle or not."

I was watching the Suns.

4. Carmelo Anthony is a Walking "STOP THE PRESSES" Button

After their game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City's pace registered at 104.2 with Russell Westbrook on the floor this season. Given their success in transition and all the long-armed, turnover-cobbling athleticism they possess on the defensive end, that number is right in line with how the Thunder should try and play for the rest of the reigning MVP's prime.

"Hijack" is too strong a descriptor for what Carmelo Anthony has done to his new team's rhythm, but when he's in the game their pace drops to 100.7. Related to last year's numbers, the gap between Westbrook and Melo's individual pace represents the league's fastest and 10th fastest teams.

When Anthony has been off the floor this season, Oklahoma City transforms into a jumbo jet. Its pace shoots up to a whopping 105.6. When Westbrook sits, things molder at 96.1. The differential grows more stark when you look at how the NBA's Triple-Double King performs without Anthony on the court. His True Shooting percentage increases 16.4 percent despite his usage rising by 10 points. (The pace gap also dramatically widens, as one might assume.)

This is the fundamental struggle Oklahoma City needs to work through as they digest life with two score-first options who're more comfortable at different tempos. Anthony's usage is right in line with where it was the past two seasons, but his True Shooting is down, thanks to a dramatic dip in trips to the free-throw line and a whole bunch of misfires beyond the arc. Only four players in the entire league are averaging more shots per game.

Billy Donovan has more than enough talent to go around, but ensuring comfort for all three of his stars will take some time.

5. LaMarcus Aldridge: Still Good!

The general reaction after the San Antonio Spurs gave LaMarcus Aldridge a three-year contract extension was bemused fascination. Aldridge will be 33 next season, was not an All-Star last year, and is coming off a playoff run that saw his True Shooting percentage dip below .500. But the Spurs aren't dumb. They know this. They also probably realize that acquiring someone who can mimic his impact at a lower cost is going to be all but impossible during Kawhi Leonard's prime.

It turns out Aldridge is still a very good player, and while Leonard nurses a nagging quadricep injury, the five-time All-Star has quietly kicked off his 12th season looking like one of the league's 15 best players. The undefeated Spurs have turned to mush on both ends when he's on the bench, getting outscored by a team-low 21.6 points per 100 possessions. (They're +19.3 when he plays.)

According to Synergy Sports, just over a third of Aldridge's possessions have been post-ups, where he already ranks in the 96th percentile. The left block is his happy place, and all who've defended him see nothing but his picture-perfect turnaround jump shot whenever their eyes close. (Especially Miami Heat rookie Bam Adebayo, who was absolutely tortured on national television Wednesday night.)

It's unlikely Aldridge averages 26 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game for the entire year, but it's a promising start for a player who badly needed to reassert himself among the league's elite frontcourt weapons. The Spurs have been especially dominant with Aldridge at the five, in lineups that feature Rudy Gay or Kyle Anderson at the four. Just imagine how scary those lineups will be when Leonard—the freaking frontrunner for MVP—returns.

6. Bebe Nogueira...

...has multiple tattoos on his face and is a legend. This—more than the Raptors' modernized shot profile—is clearly the most important recent happening that's taken place in the general Toronto area.

Photo by John E. Sokolowski - USA TODAY Sports

7. The Dreaded Hot Seat

Earlier this week, the Suns fired Earl Watson, demonstrating it's never too early to toss your head coach into a guillotine. Comparing that situation with any other in the league is tough, though. There's only one Robert Sarver, and the stakes for Watson's dismissal were pretty low, given how unpleasant the team's roster is.

Firing a coach before Thanksgiving is never a good look, but it still got me thinking about whether any other coaches (beside the two most obvious candidates: Jeff Hornacek and Alvin Gentry) might have a single burner under their chair. It would surprise me if the coach I'm about to mention doesn't keep his job for the foreseeable future, but literally nothing can be ruled out in today's NBA.

The Denver Nuggets are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Sacramento Kings. Nothing about this is notably problematic, but expectations are a tidal wave that cease for no man, and with a cupcake road trip sitting on the horizon and a tricky home stand right after that, Mike Malone may find himself in hot water.

If Denver struggles against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks before the Miami Heat, Toronto, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Pepsi Center, will he have an opportunity to turn things around? Probably, yes. He should. Denver is the fifth-youngest team in the league, with a pair of inexperienced point guards (Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay) who are seriously struggling. Their offense is unexpectedly impotent.

It's way, way, way too early to point fingers or even be concerned about Denver's play (their defense is keeping opponents away from the rim and forcing a ton of mid-range shots!), but Malone may be on thinner ice than we think.

8. Centers are Officially Married to the Three-Point Line

Here's a list of centers who've already launched at least one three this year: Dewayne Dedmon (six), Jonas Valanciunas (one), Hassan Whiteside (one), Willie Cauley-Stein (two), Gorgui Dieng (four), Robin Lopez (five), Nikola Vucevic (19), Dwight Powell (12), Timofey Mozgov (three), Jusuf Nurkic (two), Jeff Withey (two), Al Jefferson (one), Derrick Favors (five), and a whole bunch who aren't listed primarily because they aren't that surprising.

Joel Embiid is 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more threes per game than all but five players in the entire league. Attempts aren't a sole indicator of any uptick when most of these players have only appeared in a few games, but three-point rates at the center position are skyrocketing across the board.

This is one of the most evolutionary subplots in the NBA right now, even if we all saw it coming.

9. When Spacing Doesn't Matter

Speaking of evolution and the three-point line, two of the NBA's most unique talents, Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are a couple earthquakes who can't really shoot. So far, Antetokounmpo's three-point rate is about half what it was last season (he's 1-for-6 in 154 minutes) while Simmons is 0-for-3 in his career.

But both have remained effective even when the ball isn't in their hands, and their respective coaching staffs have done a good job figuring out different ways to get them going from the weakside. It's only natural to sag off someone who isn't a threat beyond the arc, and that's exactly what teams do whenever Simmons and Antetokounmpo aren't dribbling around with transfixing dexterity.

To neutralize this defense, both teams have instituted quick hit actions that allow their freakish "guards" to get a running head start towards the basket against a perimeter defender who isn't in their path. For example, the Bucks will run a side pick-and-roll towards the middle of the floor with the sole intention of swinging it to Antetokounmpo on the opposite wing. He'll catch it in mid-stride towards the paint, and from that point your best defense is physical assault.

This catch-and-go action makes defenders think twice about helping at the nail, and instead forces them to clog up an open runway towards the rim.

10. Andre Drummond is Wiping Dirt Off His Shoulders

Not only is he shooting 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, but, more importantly, the 24-year-old appears to have shaved/waxed/lasered away his scraggly shoulder hair. Speaking as someone who's long been afflicted with this cosmetic impediment, shout out to Drummond for overcoming what was once an unscalable obstacle.

11. Blake Griffin is a Top-10 Player Once More

Remember Blake Griffin? He's hitting threes, demanding double teams on the block (if you cut he will find you), and can still Mount Olympus poor shot blockers who think they stand a chance. Rudy Gobert didn't even jump when he saw Griffin rumbling down the paint for a teeth-rattling facial earlier this week.

His offensive game is as complete and diversified as there is, averaging a cool 27, 10, and four while launching six threes per game. If (if!) he stays healthy, the Clippers may find themselves with the five seed, and Griffin may find himself returning to an All-NBA team.

12. John Wall Equals Mini Mutombo

John Wall is on pace to have one of the most impressive shot-blocking seasons a guard has ever had, per Basketball-Reference. Through his first four games, the 27-year-old blur has five blocks and six personal fouls. Solid. His block rate is the exact same as Dwyane Wade's during his age-27 season, too.

He was a demon in Washington's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, welcoming Markelle Fultz to the league by smudging his layup off the glass. But then he also showed how useful he can be later on against the Detroit Pistons, switching onto Tobias Harris, guarding him in isolation, then swatting his floater away while squared up in the paint.

So much is made about Wall's inability to knock down threes and space the floor. But it's his inconsistency on the defensive end that bars him from MVP conversations. If he excels on that end all year, and rolls his unparalleled combination of speed, strength, and length into one package at the point guard position, Washington's ceiling will rise a considerable degree.

13. The Ed Davisaissance!

Ed Davis's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers hasn't been great. Often injured, out of shape, or deemed ineffective in a league that has little use for big men who can't shoot, the guy looked spry on Tuesday against DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans, recording his first double-double since last February.

Photo by Jaime Valdez - USA TODAY Sports

Davis is slowly re-emerging as one of the NBA's top putback artists and has flashed vibrance as a roll man, putting the ball on the ground with one dribble and then going up strong at the rim. Noah Vonleh's looming return from a shoulder injury (he could be back as early as November 1st) may throw a wrench in Davis's minutes. But Terry Stotts will have a hard time keeping the 28-year-old out of his rotation.

14. The Spurs are Spursing

The Spurs have logged six minutes of crunch time so far this season (defined as when the scoring margin is five or below, with five or fewer minutes left in the game). They've yet to allow a single point in that time. Defensive rating: zero point zero, and it's way too early to call it unsustainable.

15. How Many Nets can be Helpful Players on a Good Team?

Last year, the answer to this question was between zero and two, depending on what you think of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. That number is slightly higher today, but a key difference is a serious downshift in age.

DeMarre Carroll stands out as the only legitimate late-prime candidate (though Trevor Booker is averaging 20.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes), with D'Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and maybe even Caris LeVert—who plays basketball like a bold character actor who isn't sure/doesn't care about the established tone in his scene—rounding out the list.

It's too early to say this with too much confidence, but if the Lakers don't land LeBron James or Paul George this summer, dumping Russell for Lopez and cap space will be viewed as a humongous mistake. He looks fantastic in Brooklyn, strutting through half-court sets with 9,000 percent more confidence than he had in his first two years.

He's getting to, and finishing at, the rim in ways that should quell some concern over whether or not he'd ever be able to test defenses in the paint, all while knocking down threes and conducting open-floor surges with a comfort previously unseen in his career. His pick-and-rolls are unhurried, and he's already picked up the nuance that is holding off a trailing defender while putting pressure on the sagging big.

Turnovers are high but that's fine. He keeps his head up, looks for cutters, and is still only 21 years old!

Meanwhile, Allen looks like his ceiling could be as one of the 15 most useful defenders in the league. He has a 7'6" wingspan, unteachable instincts on the perimeter, and a touch around the basket that, speaking as someone who doesn't watch college basketball and didn't get to see him at Las Vegas Summer League, is quite the pleasant surprise. The Nets may have at least two cornerstones already onboard.

16. Are LeBron's Minutes Already Cause for Concern?

He leads the league at 188 overall and is third with 37.6 per game.

17. Your Weekly Reminder that the Golden State Warriors are Unfair

Coming out of a time-out during Wednesday night's win over the Toronto Raptors, Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald looked at a Shaun Livingston, David West, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala quintet as they strode onto the floor and said "No team in the league can match this five."

Even though only three of Golden State's units played more than this exact one last season—they outscored opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 167 minutes—my immediate reaction was still to scoff.

Yes, this unit boasts a top-two player, extremely high intelligence across the board, like-sized defenders, and one of the greatest spot-up shooters who ever lived, but it doesn't have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, two transcendent figures who are most responsible for Golden State's unprecedented dominance.

It took me about five seconds to realize Fitzgerald was right. It's obvious and inconceivable at the same time: Golden State's eighth or ninth best five-man unit will blow your very best one out of the water. Welcome back, NBA!

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[flauntpage]

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake

I watch a lot of basketball. And when I'm not doing that (or eating, sleeping, reading, sitting in front of an unintentionally funny horror movie, etc.), there's a good chance I've fallen into something NBA-related on my laptop, whether it be a beautifully-written profile, stretch of game film, or a statistical database.

It is virtually impossible to absorb all the NBA has to offer, but digestible morsels of information usually find their way into a notebook that migrates between my coffee table and nightstand. (I have two shoeboxes under my bed that are literally overflowing with random thoughts on the NBA extracted over hundreds of hours spent in front of my TV/iPad/cell phone.) Some of it is complete nonsense ("Why did Frank Vogel grow a beard?"). Some of it is useful.

This column is born from my notebook. Every week, I'll try to unwrap some unique angles from around the league. So, anyways, welcome! I hope after reading this you have just a little bit more insight into (and interest in) the NBA than you did hopping over.

1. Introducing Philly's Giant Trio of Death

This was already mentioned in my preview piece about Dario Saric and the Philadelphia 76ers, but one of the most critical questions for Philly is whether Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Saric can share the floor. All three are taller than 6'10", with a rare combination of intelligence and technical skill that should theoretically allow them to thrive beside one another.

If they can space the floor (more on Simmons's ability to do that without a jump shot later), maintain some defensive versatility, and move the ball, there's no way to stop them. Size has long been the sport's most valuable element, and folding it into a group that's also able to adopt modern principles (quality three-point shooting, a modifiable pick-and-roll defense, etc.) would eventually give Philly an advantage over everybody else.

They've only shared the floor for 23 minutes in four games, but in that time the Sixers have outscored opponents by 27 points per 100 possessions while assisting two-thirds of their made baskets. They're zipping up the court, running offense through whoever has a mismatch, and, as expected, gobbling up all the rebounds in sight.

27 minutes of basketball hardly provides enough data to confirm that these three will one day take over the universe, but Sixers coach Brett Brown swapped Saric in for Jerryd Bayless at the start of the second half of their Monday night win over the Detroit Pistons. Obvious translation: This is the beginning of something very special.

2. Minnesota's Glaring Weakness

Between Karl-Anthony Towns dissecting defenses from any square foot of the court he pleases, Andrew Wiggins gliding like a condor, and Jamal Crawford momentarily propping up a lethargic offense like the ageless highlight reel he is, it's still hard to ignore Minnesota's obvious hole: the desperate need for another wing defender. Maybe two.

At the start of their thrilling victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, the Timberwolves started with Jimmy Butler on Russell Westbrook while Wiggins defended Paul George and Jeff Teague hid out on Andre Roberson. Taj Gibson—better suited as a backup center at this stage in his career—glued himself to Carmelo Anthony as best he could.

When Wiggins took a seat later in the game, Butler was forced to pick up George. Not all teams are able to deploy as many offensive weapons as the Thunder, but these assignments are still way too taxing for Butler all year long, and don't allow him to wreak havoc off the ball on offense as much as he could if the Timberwolves avoided a crossmatch by putting Teague on Westbrook and Butler on Roberson.

Minnesota showed some interest in P.J. Tucker over the summer, but didn't make a serious offer to acquire him. That's unfortunate. They're distinctly thin at arguably the most critical position in the league, and it's showing. When Butler missed Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers, his teammates put up one of the weaker defensive performances any team has had all season.

Games against the Pacers and Thunder are a small sample size, but we already knew that Crawford and Shabazz Muhammad aren't answers on the defensive end, while the Timberwolves' assembly of bigs aren't flexible enough to switch on the perimeter or even directly line up against teams that go small.

Minnesota's offense should still be good enough for a playoff berth, but unless they address their most glaring weakness before the trade deadline, winning a series will be an uphill battle. Including the two games Butler's missed, Minnesota's defensive rating is an atrocious 117.5 when he's not on the floor.

3. The Phoenix Suns!

Many accurate words have been written about the amusingly dysfunctional Phoenix Suns since the season started last Tuesday. It's fair to say they've momentarily snatched the Torch of Negligence from organizations that have proudly held it (the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers immediately spring to mind).

A couple nights before Eric Bledsoe submitted an early frontrunner for this season's most legendary tweet, I was in bed watching a game on my iPad when a random, half-serious thought popped into my head. I rolled over, opened my notebook, and scribbled down the following sentence: "Indirect way to gauge how hard a team is playing: Watch with sound off. That way you don't know if players are reacting to a ref's whistle or not."

I was watching the Suns.

4. Carmelo Anthony is a Walking "STOP THE PRESSES" Button

After their game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City's pace registered at 104.2 with Russell Westbrook on the floor this season. Given their success in transition and all the long-armed, turnover-cobbling athleticism they possess on the defensive end, that number is right in line with how the Thunder should try and play for the rest of the reigning MVP's prime.

"Hijack" is too strong a descriptor for what Carmelo Anthony has done to his new team's rhythm, but when he's in the game their pace drops to 100.7. Related to last year's numbers, the gap between Westbrook and Melo's individual pace represents the league's fastest and 10th fastest teams.

When Anthony has been off the floor this season, Oklahoma City transforms into a jumbo jet. Its pace shoots up to a whopping 105.6. When Westbrook sits, things molder at 96.1. The differential grows more stark when you look at how the NBA's Triple-Double King performs without Anthony on the court. His True Shooting percentage increases 16.4 percent despite his usage rising by 10 points. (The pace gap also dramatically widens, as one might assume.)

This is the fundamental struggle Oklahoma City needs to work through as they digest life with two score-first options who're more comfortable at different tempos. Anthony's usage is right in line with where it was the past two seasons, but his True Shooting is down, thanks to a dramatic dip in trips to the free-throw line and a whole bunch of misfires beyond the arc. Only four players in the entire league are averaging more shots per game.

Billy Donovan has more than enough talent to go around, but ensuring comfort for all three of his stars will take some time.

5. LaMarcus Aldridge: Still Good!

The general reaction after the San Antonio Spurs gave LaMarcus Aldridge a three-year contract extension was bemused fascination. Aldridge will be 33 next season, was not an All-Star last year, and is coming off a playoff run that saw his True Shooting percentage dip below .500. But the Spurs aren't dumb. They know this. They also probably realize that acquiring someone who can mimic his impact at a lower cost is going to be all but impossible during Kawhi Leonard's prime.

It turns out Aldridge is still a very good player, and while Leonard nurses a nagging quadricep injury, the five-time All-Star has quietly kicked off his 12th season looking like one of the league's 15 best players. The undefeated Spurs have turned to mush on both ends when he's on the bench, getting outscored by a team-low 21.6 points per 100 possessions. (They're +19.3 when he plays.)

According to Synergy Sports, just over a third of Aldridge's possessions have been post-ups, where he already ranks in the 96th percentile. The left block is his happy place, and all who've defended him see nothing but his picture-perfect turnaround jump shot whenever their eyes close. (Especially Miami Heat rookie Bam Adebayo, who was absolutely tortured on national television Wednesday night.)

It's unlikely Aldridge averages 26 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game for the entire year, but it's a promising start for a player who badly needed to reassert himself among the league's elite frontcourt weapons. The Spurs have been especially dominant with Aldridge at the five, in lineups that feature Rudy Gay or Kyle Anderson at the four. Just imagine how scary those lineups will be when Leonard—the freaking frontrunner for MVP—returns.

6. Bebe Nogueira...

...has multiple tattoos on his face and is a legend. This—more than the Raptors' modernized shot profile—is clearly the most important recent happening that's taken place in the general Toronto area.

Photo by John E. Sokolowski - USA TODAY Sports

7. The Dreaded Hot Seat

Earlier this week, the Suns fired Earl Watson, demonstrating it's never too early to toss your head coach into a guillotine. Comparing that situation with any other in the league is tough, though. There's only one Robert Sarver, and the stakes for Watson's dismissal were pretty low, given how unpleasant the team's roster is.

Firing a coach before Thanksgiving is never a good look, but it still got me thinking about whether any other coaches (beside the two most obvious candidates: Jeff Hornacek and Alvin Gentry) might have a single burner under their chair. It would surprise me if the coach I'm about to mention doesn't keep his job for the foreseeable future, but literally nothing can be ruled out in today's NBA.

The Denver Nuggets are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Sacramento Kings. Nothing about this is notably problematic, but expectations are a tidal wave that cease for no man, and with a cupcake road trip sitting on the horizon and a tricky home stand right after that, Mike Malone may find himself in hot water.

If Denver struggles against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks before the Miami Heat, Toronto, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Pepsi Center, will he have an opportunity to turn things around? Probably, yes. He should. Denver is the fifth-youngest team in the league, with a pair of inexperienced point guards (Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay) who are seriously struggling. Their offense is unexpectedly impotent.

It's way, way, way too early to point fingers or even be concerned about Denver's play (their defense is keeping opponents away from the rim and forcing a ton of mid-range shots!), but Malone may be on thinner ice than we think.

8. Centers are Officially Married to the Three-Point Line

Here's a list of centers who've already launched at least one three this year: Dewayne Dedmon (six), Jonas Valanciunas (one), Hassan Whiteside (one), Willie Cauley-Stein (two), Gorgui Dieng (four), Robin Lopez (five), Nikola Vucevic (19), Dwight Powell (12), Timofey Mozgov (three), Jusuf Nurkic (two), Jeff Withey (two), Al Jefferson (one), Derrick Favors (five), and a whole bunch who aren't listed primarily because they aren't that surprising.

Joel Embiid is 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more threes per game than all but five players in the entire league. Attempts aren't a sole indicator of any uptick when most of these players have only appeared in a few games, but three-point rates at the center position are skyrocketing across the board.

This is one of the most evolutionary subplots in the NBA right now, even if we all saw it coming.

9. When Spacing Doesn't Matter

Speaking of evolution and the three-point line, two of the NBA's most unique talents, Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are a couple earthquakes who can't really shoot. So far, Antetokounmpo's three-point rate is about half what it was last season (he's 1-for-6 in 154 minutes) while Simmons is 0-for-3 in his career.

But both have remained effective even when the ball isn't in their hands, and their respective coaching staffs have done a good job figuring out different ways to get them going from the weakside. It's only natural to sag off someone who isn't a threat beyond the arc, and that's exactly what teams do whenever Simmons and Antetokounmpo aren't dribbling around with transfixing dexterity.

To neutralize this defense, both teams have instituted quick hit actions that allow their freakish "guards" to get a running head start towards the basket against a perimeter defender who isn't in their path. For example, the Bucks will run a side pick-and-roll towards the middle of the floor with the sole intention of swinging it to Antetokounmpo on the opposite wing. He'll catch it in mid-stride towards the paint, and from that point your best defense is physical assault.

This catch-and-go action makes defenders think twice about helping at the nail, and instead forces them to clog up an open runway towards the rim.

10. Andre Drummond is Wiping Dirt Off His Shoulders

Not only is he shooting 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, but, more importantly, the 24-year-old appears to have shaved/waxed/lasered away his scraggly shoulder hair. Speaking as someone who's long been afflicted with this cosmetic impediment, shout out to Drummond for overcoming what was once an unscalable obstacle.

11. Blake Griffin is a Top-10 Player Once More

Remember Blake Griffin? He's hitting threes, demanding double teams on the block (if you cut he will find you), and can still Mount Olympus poor shot blockers who think they stand a chance. Rudy Gobert didn't even jump when he saw Griffin rumbling down the paint for a teeth-rattling facial earlier this week.

His offensive game is as complete and diversified as there is, averaging a cool 27, 10, and four while launching six threes per game. If (if!) he stays healthy, the Clippers may find themselves with the five seed, and Griffin may find himself returning to an All-NBA team.

12. John Wall Equals Mini Mutombo

John Wall is on pace to have one of the most impressive shot-blocking seasons a guard has ever had, per Basketball-Reference. Through his first four games, the 27-year-old blur has five blocks and six personal fouls. Solid. His block rate is the exact same as Dwyane Wade's during his age-27 season, too.

He was a demon in Washington's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, welcoming Markelle Fultz to the league by smudging his layup off the glass. But then he also showed how useful he can be later on against the Detroit Pistons, switching onto Tobias Harris, guarding him in isolation, then swatting his floater away while squared up in the paint.

So much is made about Wall's inability to knock down threes and space the floor. But it's his inconsistency on the defensive end that bars him from MVP conversations. If he excels on that end all year, and rolls his unparalleled combination of speed, strength, and length into one package at the point guard position, Washington's ceiling will rise a considerable degree.

13. The Ed Davisaissance!

Ed Davis's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers hasn't been great. Often injured, out of shape, or deemed ineffective in a league that has little use for big men who can't shoot, the guy looked spry on Tuesday against DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans, recording his first double-double since last February.

Photo by Jaime Valdez - USA TODAY Sports

Davis is slowly re-emerging as one of the NBA's top putback artists and has flashed vibrance as a roll man, putting the ball on the ground with one dribble and then going up strong at the rim. Noah Vonleh's looming return from a shoulder injury (he could be back as early as November 1st) may throw a wrench in Davis's minutes. But Terry Stotts will have a hard time keeping the 28-year-old out of his rotation.

14. The Spurs are Spursing

The Spurs have logged six minutes of crunch time so far this season (defined as when the scoring margin is five or below, with five or fewer minutes left in the game). They've yet to allow a single point in that time. Defensive rating: zero point zero, and it's way too early to call it unsustainable.

15. How Many Nets can be Helpful Players on a Good Team?

Last year, the answer to this question was between zero and two, depending on what you think of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. That number is slightly higher today, but a key difference is a serious downshift in age.

DeMarre Carroll stands out as the only legitimate late-prime candidate (though Trevor Booker is averaging 20.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes), with D'Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and maybe even Caris LeVert—who plays basketball like a bold character actor who isn't sure/doesn't care about the established tone in his scene—rounding out the list.

It's too early to say this with too much confidence, but if the Lakers don't land LeBron James or Paul George this summer, dumping Russell for Lopez and cap space will be viewed as a humongous mistake. He looks fantastic in Brooklyn, strutting through half-court sets with 9,000 percent more confidence than he had in his first two years.

He's getting to, and finishing at, the rim in ways that should quell some concern over whether or not he'd ever be able to test defenses in the paint, all while knocking down threes and conducting open-floor surges with a comfort previously unseen in his career. His pick-and-rolls are unhurried, and he's already picked up the nuance that is holding off a trailing defender while putting pressure on the sagging big.

Turnovers are high but that's fine. He keeps his head up, looks for cutters, and is still only 21 years old!

Meanwhile, Allen looks like his ceiling could be as one of the 15 most useful defenders in the league. He has a 7'6" wingspan, unteachable instincts on the perimeter, and a touch around the basket that, speaking as someone who doesn't watch college basketball and didn't get to see him at Las Vegas Summer League, is quite the pleasant surprise. The Nets may have at least two cornerstones already onboard.

16. Are LeBron's Minutes Already Cause for Concern?

He leads the league at 188 overall and is third with 37.6 per game.

17. Your Weekly Reminder that the Golden State Warriors are Unfair

Coming out of a time-out during Wednesday night's win over the Toronto Raptors, Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald looked at a Shaun Livingston, David West, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala quintet as they strode onto the floor and said "No team in the league can match this five."

Even though only three of Golden State's units played more than this exact one last season—they outscored opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 167 minutes—my immediate reaction was still to scoff.

Yes, this unit boasts a top-two player, extremely high intelligence across the board, like-sized defenders, and one of the greatest spot-up shooters who ever lived, but it doesn't have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, two transcendent figures who are most responsible for Golden State's unprecedented dominance.

It took me about five seconds to realize Fitzgerald was right. It's obvious and inconceivable at the same time: Golden State's eighth or ninth best five-man unit will blow your very best one out of the water. Welcome back, NBA!

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[flauntpage]

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake

I watch a lot of basketball. And when I'm not doing that (or eating, sleeping, reading, sitting in front of an unintentionally funny horror movie, etc.), there's a good chance I've fallen into something NBA-related on my laptop, whether it be a beautifully-written profile, stretch of game film, or a statistical database.

It is virtually impossible to absorb all the NBA has to offer, but digestible morsels of information usually find their way into a notebook that migrates between my coffee table and nightstand. (I have two shoeboxes under my bed that are literally overflowing with random thoughts on the NBA extracted over hundreds of hours spent in front of my TV/iPad/cell phone.) Some of it is complete nonsense ("Why did Frank Vogel grow a beard?"). Some of it is useful.

This column is born from my notebook. Every week, I'll try to unwrap some unique angles from around the league. So, anyways, welcome! I hope rafter reading this you have just a little bit more insight into (and interest in) the NBA than you did hopping over.

1. Introducing Philly's Giant Trio of Death

This was already mentioned in my preview piece about Dario Saric and the Philadelphia 76ers, but one of the most critical questions for Philly is whether Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Saric can share the floor. All three are taller than 6'10", with a rare combination of intelligence and technical skill that should theoretically allow them to thrive beside one another.

If they can space the floor (more on Simmons's ability to do that without a jump shot later), maintain some defensive versatility, and move the ball, there's no way to stop them. Size has long been the sport's most valuable element, and folding it into a group that's also able to adopt modern principles (quality three-point shooting, a modifiable pick-and-roll defense, etc.) would eventually give Philly an advantage over everybody else.

They've only shared the floor for 23 minutes in four games, but in that time the Sixers have outscored opponents by 27 points per 100 possessions while assisting two-thirds of their made baskets. They're zipping up the court, running offense through whoever has a mismatch, and, as expected, gobbling up all the rebounds in sight.

27 minutes of basketball hardly provides enough data to confirm that these three will one day take over the universe, but Sixers coach Brett Brown swapped Saric in for Jerryd Bayless at the start of the second half of their Monday night win over the Detroit Pistons. Obvious translation: This is the beginning of something very special.

2. Minnesota's Glaring Weakness

Between Karl-Anthony Towns dissecting defenses from any square foot of the court he pleases, Andrew Wiggins gliding like a condor, and Jamal Crawford momentarily propping up a lethargic offense like the ageless highlight reel he is, it's still hard to ignore Minnesota's obvious hole: the desperate need for another wing defender. Maybe two.

At the start of their thrilling victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, the Timberwolves started with Jimmy Butler on Russell Westbrook while Wiggins defended Paul George and Jeff Teague hid out on Andre Roberson. Taj Gibson—better suited as a backup center at this stage in his career—glued himself to Carmelo Anthony as best he could.

When Wiggins took a seat later in the game, Butler was forced to pick up George. Not all teams are able to deploy as many offensive weapons as the Thunder, but these assignments are still way too taxing for Butler all year long, and don't allow him to wreak havoc off the ball on offense as much as he could if the Timberwolves avoided a crossmatch by putting Teague on Westbrook and Butler on Roberson.

Minnesota showed some interest in P.J. Tucker over the summer, but didn't make a serious offer to acquire him. That's unfortunate. They're distinctly thin at arguably the most critical position in the league, and it's showing. When Butler missed Tuesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers, his teammates put up one of the weaker defensive performances any team has had all season.

Games against the Pacers and Thunder are a small sample size, but we already knew that Crawford and Shabazz Muhammad aren't answers on the defensive end, while the Timberwolves' assembly of bigs aren't flexible enough to switch on the perimeter or even directly line up against teams that go small.

Minnesota's offense should still be good enough for a playoff berth, but unless they address their most glaring weakness before the trade deadline, winning a series will be an uphill battle. Including the two games Butler's missed, Minnesota's defensive rating is an atrocious 117.5 when he's not on the floor.

3. The Phoenix Suns!

Many accurate words have been written about the amusingly dysfunctional Phoenix Suns since the season started last Tuesday. It's fair to say they've momentarily snatched the Torch of Negligence from organizations that have proudly held it (the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers immediately spring to mind).

A couple nights before Eric Bledsoe submitted an early frontrunner for this season's most legendary tweet, I was in bed watching a game on my iPad when a random, half-serious thought popped into my head. I rolled over, opened my notebook, and scribbled down the following sentence: "Indirect way to gauge how hard a team is playing: Watch with sound off. That way you don't know if players are reacting to a ref's whistle or not."

I was watching the Suns.

4. Carmelo Anthony is a Walking "STOP THE PRESSES" Button

After their game against the Pacers on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City's pace registered at 104.2 with Russell Westbrook on the floor this season. Given their success in transition and all the long-armed, turnover-cobbling athleticism they possess on the defensive end, that number is right in line with how the Thunder should try and play for the rest of the reigning MVP's prime.

"Hijack" is too strong a descriptor for what Carmelo Anthony has done to his new team's rhythm, but when he's in the game their pace drops to 100.7. Related to last year's numbers, the gap between Westbrook and Melo's individual pace represents the league's fastest and 10th fastest teams.

When Anthony has been off the floor this season, Oklahoma City transforms into a jumbo jet. Its pace shoots up to a whopping 105.6. When Westbrook sits, things molder at 96.1. The differential grows more stark when you look at how the NBA's Triple-Double King performs without Anthony on the court. His True Shooting percentage increases 16.4 percent despite his usage rising by 10 points. (The pace gap also dramatically widens, as one might assume.)

This is the fundamental struggle Oklahoma City needs to work through as they digest life with two score-first options who're more comfortable at different tempos. Anthony's usage is right in line with where it was the past two seasons, but his True Shooting is down, thanks to a dramatic dip in trips to the free-throw line and a whole bunch of misfires beyond the arc. Only four players in the entire league are averaging more shots per game.

Billy Donovan has more than enough talent to go around, but ensuring comfort for all three of his stars will take some time.

5. LaMarcus Aldridge: Still Good!

The general reaction after the San Antonio Spurs gave LaMarcus Aldridge a three-year contract extension was bemused fascination. Aldridge will be 33 next season, was not an All-Star last year, and is coming off a playoff run that saw his True Shooting percentage dip below .500. But the Spurs aren't dumb. They know this. They also probably realize that acquiring someone who can mimic his impact at a lower cost is going to be all but impossible during Kawhi Leonard's prime.

It turns out Aldridge is still a very good player, and while Leonard nurses a nagging quadricep injury, the five-time All-Star has quietly kicked off his 12th season looking like one of the league's 15 best players. The undefeated Spurs have turned to mush on both ends when he's on the bench, getting outscored by a team-low 21.6 points per 100 possessions. (They're +19.3 when he plays.)

According to Synergy Sports, just over a third of Aldridge's possessions have been post-ups, where he already ranks in the 96th percentile. The left block is his happy place, and all who've defended him see nothing but his picture-perfect turnaround jump shot whenever their eyes close. (Especially Miami Heat rookie Bam Adebayo, who was absolutely tortured on national television Wednesday night.)

It's unlikely Aldridge averages 26 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game for the entire year, but it's a promising start for a player who badly needed to reassert himself among the league's elite frontcourt weapons. The Spurs have been especially dominant with Aldridge at the five, in lineups that feature Rudy Gay or Kyle Anderson at the four. Just imagine how scary those lineups will be when Leonard—the freaking frontrunner for MVP—returns.

6. Bebe Nogueira...

...has multiple tattoos on his face and is a legend. This—more than the Raptors' modernized shot profile—is clearly the most important recent happening that's taken place in the general Toronto area.

Photo by John E. Sokolowski - USA TODAY Sports

7. The Dreaded Hot Seat

Earlier this week, the Suns fired Earl Watson, demonstrating it's never too early to toss your head coach into a guillotine. Comparing that situation with any other in the league is tough, though. There's only one Robert Sarver, and the stakes for Watson's dismissal were pretty low, given how unpleasant the team's roster is.

Firing a coach before Thanksgiving is never a good look, but it still got me thinking about whether any other coaches (beside the two most obvious candidates: Jeff Hornacek and Alvin Gentry) might have a single burner under their chair. It would surprise me if the coach I'm about to mention doesn't keep his job for the foreseeable future, but literally nothing can be ruled out in today's NBA.

The Denver Nuggets are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Sacramento Kings. Nothing about this is notably problematic, but expectations are a tidal wave that cease for no man, and with a cupcake road trip sitting on the horizon and a tricky home stand right after that, Mike Malone may find himself in hot water.

If Denver struggles against the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks before the Miami Heat, Toronto, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Pepsi Center, will he have an opportunity to turn things around? Probably, yes. He should. Denver is the fifth-youngest team in the league, with a pair of inexperienced point guards (Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay) who are seriously struggling. Their offense is unexpectedly impotent.

It's way, way, way too early to point fingers or even be concerned about Denver's play (their defense is keeping opponents away from the rim and forcing a ton of mid-range shots!), but Malone may be on thinner ice than we think.

8. Centers are Officially Married to the Three-Point Line

Here's a list of centers who've already launched at least one three this year: Dewayne Dedmon (six), Jonas Valanciunas (one), Hassan Whiteside (one), Willie Cauley-Stein (two), Gorgui Dieng (four), Robin Lopez (five), Nikola Vucevic (19), Dwight Powell (12), Timofey Mozgov (three), Jusuf Nurkic (two), Jeff Withey (two), Al Jefferson (one), Derrick Favors (five), and a whole bunch who aren't listed primarily because they aren't that surprising.

Joel Embiid is 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more threes per game than all but five players in the entire league. Attempts aren't a sole indicator of any uptick when most of these players have only appeared in a few games, but three-point rates at the center position are skyrocketing across the board.

This is one of the most evolutionary subplots in the NBA right now, even if we all saw it coming.

9. When Spacing Doesn't Matter

Speaking of evolution and the three-point line, two of the NBA's most unique talents, Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are a couple earthquakes who can't really shoot. So far, Antetokounmpo's three-point rate is about half what it was last season (he's 1-for-6 in 154 minutes) while Simmons is 0-for-3 in his career.

But both have remained effective even when the ball isn't in their hands, and their respective coaching staffs have done a good job figuring out different ways to get them going from the weakside. It's only natural to sag off someone who isn't a threat beyond the arc, and that's exactly what teams do whenever Simmons and Antetokounmpo aren't dribbling around with transfixing dexterity.

To neutralize this defense, both teams have instituted quick hit actions that allow their freakish "guards" to get a running head start towards the basket against a perimeter defender who isn't in their path. For example, the Bucks will run a side pick-and-roll towards the middle of the floor with the sole intention of swinging it to Antetokounmpo on the opposite wing. He'll catch it in mid-stride towards the paint, and from that point your best defense is physical assault.

This catch-and-go action makes defenders think twice about helping at the nail, and instead forces them to clog up an open runway towards the rim.

10. Andre Drummond is Wiping Dirt Off His Shoulders

Not only is he shooting 72.2 percent from the free-throw line, but, more importantly, the 24-year-old appears to have shaved/waxed/lasered away his scraggly shoulder hair. Speaking as someone who's long been afflicted with this cosmetic impediment, shout out to Drummond for overcoming what was once an unscalable obstacle.

11. Blake Griffin is a Top-10 Player Once More

Remember Blake Griffin? He's hitting threes, demanding double teams on the block (if you cut he will find you), and can still Mount Olympus poor shot blockers who think they stand a chance. Rudy Gobert didn't even jump when he saw Griffin rumbling down the paint for a teeth-rattling facial earlier this week.

His offensive game is as complete and diversified as there is, averaging a cool 27, 10, and four while launching six threes per game. If (if!) he stays healthy, the Clippers may find themselves with the five seed, and Griffin may find himself returning to an All-NBA team.

12. John Wall Equals Mini Mutombo

John Wall is on pace to have one of the most impressive shot-blocking seasons a guard has ever had, per Basketball-Reference. Through his first four games, the 27-year-old blur has five blocks and six personal fouls. Solid. His block rate is the exact same as Dwyane Wade's during his age-27 season, too.

He was a demon in Washington's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, welcoming Markelle Fultz to the league by smudging his layup off the glass. But then he also showed how useful he can be later on against the Detroit Pistons, switching onto Tobias Harris, guarding him in isolation, then swatting his floater away while squared up in the paint.

So much is made about Wall's inability to knock down threes and space the floor. But it's his inconsistency on the defensive end that bars him from MVP conversations. If he excels on that end all year, and rolls his unparalleled combination of speed, strength, and length into one package at the point guard position, Washington's ceiling will rise a considerable degree.

13. The Ed Davisaissance!

Ed Davis's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers hasn't been great. Often injured, out of shape, or deemed ineffective in a league that has little use for big men who can't shoot, the guy looked spry on Tuesday against DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans, recording his first double-double since last February.

Photo by Jaime Valdez - USA TODAY Sports

Davis is slowly re-emerging as one of the NBA's top putback artists and has flashed vibrance as a roll man, putting the ball on the ground with one dribble and then going up strong at the rim. Noah Vonleh's looming return from a shoulder injury (he could be back as early as November 1st) may throw a wrench in Davis's minutes. But Terry Stotts will have a hard time keeping the 28-year-old out of his rotation.

14. The Spurs are Spursing

The Spurs have logged six minutes of crunch time so far this season (defined as when the scoring margin is five or below, with five or fewer minutes left in the game). They've yet to allow a single point in that time. Defensive rating: zero point zero, and it's way too early to call it unsustainable.

15. How Many Nets can be Helpful Players on a Good Team?

Last year, the answer to this question was between zero and two, depending on what you think of Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. That number is slightly higher today, but a key difference is a serious downshift in age.

DeMarre Carroll stands out as the only legitimate late-prime candidate (though Trevor Booker is averaging 20.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per 36 minutes), with D'Angelo Russell, Jarrett Allen, and maybe even Caris LeVert—who plays basketball like a bold character actor who isn't sure/doesn't care about the established tone in his scene—rounding out the list.

It's too early to say this with too much confidence, but if the Lakers don't land LeBron James or Paul George this summer, dumping Russell for Lopez and cap space will be viewed as a humongous mistake. He looks fantastic in Brooklyn, strutting through half-court sets with 9,000 percent more confidence than he had in his first two years.

He's getting to, and finishing at, the rim in ways that should quell some concern over whether or not he'd ever be able to test defenses in the paint, all while knocking down threes and conducting open-floor surges with a comfort previously unseen in his career. His pick-and-rolls are unhurried, and he's already picked up the nuance that is holding off a trailing defender while putting pressure on the sagging big.

Turnovers are high but that's fine. He keeps his head up, looks for cutters, and is still only 21 years old!

Meanwhile, Allen looks like his ceiling could be as one of the 15 most useful defenders in the league. He has a 7'6" wingspan, unteachable instincts on the perimeter, and a touch around the basket that, speaking as someone who doesn't watch college basketball and didn't get to see him at Las Vegas Summer League, is quite the pleasant surprise. The Nets may have at least two cornerstones already onboard.

16. Are LeBron's Minutes Already Cause for Concern?

He leads the league at 188 overall and is third with 37.6 per game.

17. Your Weekly Reminder that the Golden State Warriors are Unfair

Coming out of a time-out during Wednesday night's win over the Toronto Raptors, Warriors play-by-play announcer Bob Fitzgerald looked at a Shaun Livingston, David West, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala quintet as they strode onto the floor and said "No team in the league can match this five."

Even though only three of Golden State's units played more than this exact one last season—they outscored opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 167 minutes—my immediate reaction was still to scoff.

Yes, this unit boasts a top-two player, extremely high intelligence across the board, like-sized defenders, and one of the greatest spot-up shooters who ever lived, but it doesn't have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, two transcendent figures who are most responsible for Golden State's unprecedented dominance.

It took me about five seconds to realize Fitzgerald was right. It's obvious and inconceivable at the same time: Golden State's eighth or ninth best five-man unit will blow your very best one out of the water. Welcome back, NBA!

The Outlet Pass: Philly's Big Boys, Slow Food Melo, and the Return of Good Blake published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv