#Beverley D'Angelo

[geekynerfherder]

'National Lampoon's Vacation' by Boris Vallejo.

[buckeyeinthebluegrass]

Some might call me crazy but even as a young man, I preferred Ellen(Beverley D'Angelo)over Mary(Nicolette Scorsese).

Both are beautiful women, but Ellen had much more sex appeal.

What do you think?

[egrgegr]

湖人戰績不理想　總管：只怪Westbrook不公平

洛杉磯湖人在2021年8月大手筆交易來明星後衛Russell Westbrook，球迷們期待這位大三元製造機與LeBron James、Anthony Davis的搭檔能讓球隊一飛衝天，但上季最終他們只有40.2%勝率表現，未能闖進季後賽，本季戰績也不佳。

為此不少球迷批評Westbrook的表現，日前《ESPN》記者Dave McMenamin甚至說，有「消息來源」認為Westbrook就像湖人休息室裡的吸血鬼，讓全隊生氣全無。但今天（12日）湖人總經理Rob Pelinka表示：「把過去1年半歸因在1名球員身上，真的不公平。整個陣容都必須要一起做到，沒有收到效果的時候，就要去修復。」

有部分評論認為，根本從一開始就不該交易來Westbrook，但Pelinka表示：「所有球隊偶爾都會冒險做出交易，在做出Westbrook交易時我們希望的是這能讓我們有能爭冠的隊伍。我們沒有達成這個目標，那就必須轉向修正。」

交易大限前湖人做出多筆交易，包括送出Westbrook、Kendrick Nunn、Juan Toscano-Anderson、Damian Jones、Thomas Bryant、Patrick Beverley等球員以及1個首輪選秀權，換回D'Angelo Russell、Malik Beasley、Jarred Vanderbilt、八村壘、Davon Reed、Mo Bamba等球員。

Pelinka相信，這些交易也讓他們為今年夏天的自由球員市場做好準備：「我認為深入去看的話，你幾乎可以將此看成『自由球員市場前』的動作，我們很刻意地計畫這些動作，為7月提供一些機會。我想對湖人國度來說，這真的是令人興奮的時刻。」

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[drewbarrymorewildthing]

[thealmightyemprex]

So watched Fairy Tale Theatres Sleeping Beauty

1.One of the best casts in the series :Bernadette Peters ,Christopher Reeve , Beverly D'Angelo,Rene Aubejonios ,Carol Kane and George Dzundra ! Only cast that tops it is Boy Who LEft Home to Find Out About the Shivers with Peter Macnicol ,Christopher Lee,Dana Hill ,David Warner ,Vincent Price ,Jeff Corey and Frank Zappa

2.The scene with the fairies is hilarious

3.Rene Auberjonois is fantastic and funny as the king

4. Carol Kane is a great actress but the voice she uses is a bit odd

5.Beverley D'Angelo is BRILLAINT as the evil fairy .She is hamming it up and it is so fun to see her as a villain

6.Is there a more perfect casting then Christopher Reeve as a handsome courageous prince ?Also fun to see him double casted as a cowarldy jerk of a prince

7.I was initiallly confused by Bernadette Peters as the princess as I often associate her with fairy tale villains like the Witch in Into the Woods or the Stepmother in Cinderella ,but she is wonderful in this ,one of the best princesses in the show

8.Peters sings cause I think its against the law for her not to sing

9.The battle against the evil fairy giantess is actually really cool and I imagine scared some 80's kids

10.This episode is good, but it is weirdly horny .Theres a lot of sexual jokes . Hardly the first episode to have them but noticible here

Overalll probably my fourth favorite episdoe of the show

@ariel-seagull-wings @princesssarisa @metropolitan-mutant-of-ark

[vidadepsicopata]

NBA roundup: D'Angelo Russell scores 37 as Wolves get by Grizzlies

NBA roundup: D'Angelo Russell scores 37 as Wolves get by Grizzlies

D’Angelo Russell scored 23 of his season-high 37 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:23 remaining, as the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the Memphis Grizzlies 119-114 on Thursday in Minneapolis. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which has won eight of its past 11 games. Malik Beasley finished with 17 points and Patrick Beverley added 13.…

[jobinterviewghost]

Career-best from Mills clips LA wings | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT

Australian Patty Mills hit a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 116-113 to snap a four-game skid. Dejounte Murray added 21 points, Rudy Gay had 16 points, LaMarcus Aldridge 14 points and Keldon Johnson a career-high 11 rebounds for the Spurs on Tuesday. They led by 24 in the first quarter and withstood an onslaught by Kawhi Leonard in the third before nearly blowing their lead in the fourth. The Spurs tied a franchise record with 20 3-pointers. "It was a mentality we came out with on the defensive end. It has nothing to do with shooting the ball," Mills said. "Playing team defence like that fuels the fire and confidence for everyone to be able to play with the same sort of energy." Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and had 10 assists. He had 11 points in the third, when Patrick Beverley made three 3-pointers, and the Clippers closed within one. Nicolas Batum had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Beverley finished with 20 points. The Clippers were without Paul George, who tweaked his ankle in Sunday's win over Phoenix. They sorely missed his averages of 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. The Spurs opened the fourth with a 12-2 run that restored their lead to double digits. Mills hit three 3-pointers in a row to extend San Antonio's lead to 111-96. But the Clippers kept clawing. They closed the game on a 17-5 run despite Leonard scoring just two points in the fourth quarter, when his shot from the right side with five seconds left missed. The Clippers scored 40 points in the third to pull to 85-84. Leonard had 11 points and Beverley hit three 3-pointers to help them rally from 19 down at halftime. The Spurs opened the second quarter with an 18-3 run that pushed their lead to 54-30. Five players scored, led by Murray with five points. Leonard scored the Clippers' final 11 points. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points in three quarters as the Brooklyn Nets cruised to a wire-to-wire 130-96 victory over the Utah Jazz in New York. The Nets played without Kevin Durant, who will be out for at least a week due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Irving made his first nine shots, shot 12 of 19 overall and made five 3-pointers as the Nets shot 55.9 per cent. He also added six rebounds, five assists and three steals while reserve Caris LeVert added 24 for the Nets. Aussie Joe Ingles had three rebounds, two assists and seven points during his 23 minutes for the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points for Utah while Anthony Davis and LeBron James each bagged 26 points to rally the Los Angeles Lakers to a 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jovic, 35 points) beat the Timberwolves 123-116, with D'Angelo Russell's 33 the best for visiting Minnesota. In the final match on Tuesday, home team Portland Trail Blazers went down 111-108 to the Chicago Bulls. Australian Associated Press

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January 6 2021 - 5:16PM

Career-best from Mills clips LA wings

Australian Patty Mills hit a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 116-113 to snap a four-game skid.

Dejounte Murray added 21 points, Rudy Gay had 16 points, LaMarcus Aldridge 14 points and Keldon Johnson a career-high 11 rebounds for the Spurs on Tuesday.

They led by 24 in the first quarter and withstood an onslaught by Kawhi Leonard in the third before nearly blowing their lead in the fourth.

The Spurs tied a franchise record with 20 3-pointers.

"It was a mentality we came out with on the defensive end. It has nothing to do with shooting the ball," Mills said.

"Playing team defence like that fuels the fire and confidence for everyone to be able to play with the same sort of energy."

Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and had 10 assists. He had 11 points in the third, when Patrick Beverley made three 3-pointers, and the Clippers closed within one.

Nicolas Batum had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Beverley finished with 20 points.

The Clippers were without Paul George, who tweaked his ankle in Sunday's win over Phoenix. They sorely missed his averages of 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

The Spurs opened the fourth with a 12-2 run that restored their lead to double digits. Mills hit three 3-pointers in a row to extend San Antonio's lead to 111-96.

But the Clippers kept clawing. They closed the game on a 17-5 run despite Leonard scoring just two points in the fourth quarter, when his shot from the right side with five seconds left missed.

The Clippers scored 40 points in the third to pull to 85-84. Leonard had 11 points and Beverley hit three 3-pointers to help them rally from 19 down at halftime.

The Spurs opened the second quarter with an 18-3 run that pushed their lead to 54-30. Five players scored, led by Murray with five points. Leonard scored the Clippers' final 11 points.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points in three quarters as the Brooklyn Nets cruised to a wire-to-wire 130-96 victory over the Utah Jazz in New York.

The Nets played without Kevin Durant, who will be out for at least a week due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Irving made his first nine shots, shot 12 of 19 overall and made five 3-pointers as the Nets shot 55.9 per cent.

He also added six rebounds, five assists and three steals while reserve Caris LeVert added 24 for the Nets.

Aussie Joe Ingles had three rebounds, two assists and seven points during his 23 minutes for the Jazz.

Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points for Utah while Anthony Davis and LeBron James each bagged 26 points to rally the Los Angeles Lakers to a 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jovic, 35 points) beat the Timberwolves 123-116, with D'Angelo Russell's 33 the best for visiting Minnesota.

In the final match on Tuesday, home team Portland Trail Blazers went down 111-108 to the Chicago Bulls.

[nathanryan357]

NBA TV Stream

After trailing by 12 points at half-time, the Clippers clawed their way back into the game to tie things up at the end of the third, before Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell dominated the fourth quarter to seal the win. NBA TV Stream Leonard recorded a game-high 35 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, on 11-of-19 from the field, 5-of-7 from the three-point line and 8-of-8 at the free-throw line as he set a new franchise record for most points in a Christmas Day game George added 17 points, while Harrell added 18 points and six rebounds off the bench to hand the Lakers their fourth-straight loss. NBA TV Stream With the Clippers leading by three points in the final 20 seconds, LeBron James had a chance to tie it up, but Beverley came up with the huge defensive stop as he rose up to shoot from beyond the arc, with the officials ruling the ball went out off James.

Beverley finished with eight points, nine rebounds, four assists and one steal, but his constant defensive pressure and intensity down the stretch, lifted the Clippers whenever they found themselves in a hole. NBA TV Stream Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, but got plenty of help from Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams and Paul George down the stretch, with the four of them combining for all 25 of the Clippers' fourth quarter points and 34 of their final 40 on the night. For all of the Clippers' star power, Patrick Beverley continues to show time and time again how valuable his hard-nosed contributions are to their success.

While LeBron finished with an impressive statline of 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, it was a rough night shooting the ball. James didn't connect on a field goal till midway through the second quarter. NBA TV Stream He shot 9-of-24 for the game, struggling against the defensive trio of Leonard, George and Beverley, going 2-of-12 from the three-point line. The 24-year-old provided a spark off the bench, scoring a season-high 25 points on 8-of-17 from the field and 4-of-9 from the three-point line. NBA Games Online Free Leading into today's busy schedule, not many had their sights set on the game between the Houston Rockets and the injury-riddled Golden State Warriors.

While Houston entered with All-Stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook in tow, Golden State was without the All-Star backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, though it did have former All-Stars in Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell suiting up. NBA TV Stream All things considered, it's safe to say that the Warriors performance did more than exceed expectations as they earned a 116-104 win over the Rockets. The Lakers are currently 21st in the NBA in bench scoring at 34.8 per game, but with Kuzma buiilding confidence in that role off the bench, his production will go a long way to easing the offensive burden on LeBron James and Anthony Davis over the course of the season.

[stepchain46-blog]

Ask Sam Mailbag: 06.28.2019

Brodie Larsh:

What realistic free agents would you like to see the Bulls end up with? Beverely and Noah seem like good fits for 1-2 year deals. Any non-max, "major" free agents you'd like to see them make a run at?

Sam:

As one of my correspondents wrote, this would be an ideal time for Noah to return with marijuana being legalized in Illinois. But, alas, probably not. How about Pau Gasol? There have been rumors about Taj Gibson, though more about that kind of reasonably paid (for the NBA) veteran with a strong work ethic and locker room attitude who would eagerly come off the bench and work with youngsters. Not that the Bulls are serious competitors, but they really aren't as far away as they seem. They were a 35-win team last season that won 22 games because of injuries first and then inertia later. They've pretty much got a legitimate starting five with Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter Jr. and Wendell Carter Jr. Perhaps Coby White before too long. Maybe Kris Dunn still? So they are not necessarily looking for starters. Yes, they would take Kawhi if he wanted to come for the $23 million available salary cap space. But it's also not like they are trying to jump from 22 wins. They would be if they were playing Wayne Selden, Rawle Alkins, Brandon Sampson and Timothy Luwawu-hyphen. But they are not. I'd be fine with Noah given his size and teammate friendly demeanor, though I get the sense he and Rose aren't high priorities.

There will be plenty of rumors once the bidding starts Sunday, and we've already heard a few like Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, and apparently anyone who ever played for the Pacers, Malcolm Brogdon, Patrick Beverley, Tyus Jones, Julius Randle, and many more to come. The problem the Bulls have is their salary cap amount of about $23 million after apparently getting approval to remove the $3 million for Omer Asik because of injury. The Bulls are not in the major bidding for the top free agents like Leonard, Jimmy Butler, the various injured Warriors and Kemba Walker (by the way, whoever thought the six foot, shoot first and defenseless point guard would be a $150 million player? So there's always hope.). Then comes the $20-some millions guys like D'Angelo Russell and perhaps Brogdon and Randle, though the latter probably is too small to team with Markkanen. The Bulls seemed to indicate their priority was to divide up the total and an exception among two or three players. So that could require having the market set, which means a player like, say, Collison may wait to see what Joseph gets. Then he says I'm better than him, so I should get 50 percent more. But they don't know now. If a player signs early, he guarantees a salary, but then maybe he prices himself too low. But if he waits, perhaps the chairs all are filled and he has to settle for less. It makes for so many unknowns that the Bulls could sign two players July 3. Or maybe no one until August. With almost 200 free agents, this could last awhile.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-mailbag-06282019

[sportsv]

在薩諾斯失去無限寶石以後：2018-19 金州勇士八大關鍵事件回顧（下）

文／ 小狼

關鍵事件五：激昂的號角，「我是杜蘭特」發言

例行賽末的杜蘭特幾乎走入了休養生息狀態，變成了「傳球前鋒」。最後十三場比賽他場均只出手12.5次，拿下18.8分。雖有6.8次的場均助攻，但在得分端顯得有些過度輕鬆寫意。

例行賽是沒差的。但這樣的狀態也延續到與快艇的首輪季後賽中。在貝佛利(Patrick Beverley)的緊貼防守之下，前兩場系列賽他平均只出手12次，發生6次失誤。包含一場勇士的「31分被逆轉秀」。

後來在採訪中的 " I'M KEVIN DURANT" 著實說出了他逆勢反彈的決心。後來就是38分、33分、45分、50分，然後勇士送走了快艇。

那一句話至關重大，確立了金州勇士在這個季後賽依然是超級反派角色。來襲的洛杉磯展現了渴望，讓看似無敵的衛冕軍開始掌握主動權，重新整軍做出反擊。

更多最新 NBA 精選好文：

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湖人 VS. 快艇誰能勝出？洛杉磯雙雄陣容戰力分析

下一季的未來之星！夏季聯盟最佳十人 Top 6-10

關鍵事件六：杜蘭特的傷退，勇士逆流而上

勇士五年三冠的故事裡，有四年離不開休士頓。也可以說火箭是勇士近年在西區最大的死敵了。今年兩隊在第二輪提前碰頭，前四戰打成二比二平手，對決的故事依然讓大部分的人津津樂道。

第五戰第三節是關鍵，勇士看上去就快要浪費上半場建立的雙位數領先，同時杜蘭特拉傷了小腿，提前退場。這個系列賽開始有了懸念。

那是勇士球迷開始有「我們可能拿不了今年冠軍」念頭的時刻。

好在浪花兄弟於最後14分鐘接管了比賽：在那之前僅14投4中的柯瑞，後來9投5中拿下了16分，湯普森也挹注7分。如果沒拿下第五戰，那個系列賽很可能就被休士頓帶走。

在當時看來，那是浪花兄弟的經典系列賽，當然也包含了第六戰。

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《2019 FA》Tyus Jones 是灰熊今夏最關鍵的一偷嗎？

關鍵事件七：杜蘭特「跨越盧比孔河」的選擇

「一邊是風險，一邊是失敗，你選哪個？」機會之神如此問你。

在勇士的隊醫給出「足以復出」的信號時，我不相信有哪個超級球星會在球隊陷入1-3的大比分落後時，選擇留在河的這一頭不跨出那一步。

杜蘭特肯定也曾經陷入巨大的焦慮。羅馬人稱這樣的時刻為"Discrimen"，意思是非常危急與痛苦的關鍵時刻，那一刻的選擇可能扭轉他的一生。

當杜蘭特選擇踏上總冠軍賽第五戰的賽場，社群的反應體現了奧克蘭人在那一刻是真正需要他的。然而就在他連續投進三記外線之時，危險的降臨仍悄然無息。

後來的故事大家都知道了，時間太接近，回顧依然揪心。

是的，季後賽多數時候仍是鋒線球員的舞台。在與暴龍的系列賽中，不論隊上的頭號球星是誰，誰又要搶下最有價值球員，勇士的關鍵就是在杜蘭特身上。

他最後選擇站在球隊這邊，而不是只考慮自己，只是結果不如預期罷了。

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關鍵事件八：湯普森的傷退，最後一盞燈熄滅

前面七個事件已經大略點出了今年度勇士的聲勢走向。

失去杜蘭特的第五戰，伊古達拉(Andre Iguodala)跳了出來、李文斯頓(Shaun Livingston)跳了出來，他們都命中了一些整個賽季很少在進的球。儘管雷納德(Kawhi Leonard)的表現多麼鬼神，柯瑞和湯普森也在最後一分鐘收下了比賽。

該說「不幸中的大幸」嗎，勇士將比賽勉勉強強拖進了第六場，勝利的曙光還是在的。但湯普森那一扭後，幾乎確定勇士即將輸掉比賽。

這個事件就是今年度籃球之神給勇士熄滅的最後一盞燈了。

延伸閱讀： 只為關鍵而生！Klay Thompson 季後賽巔峰時刻 Top 5

職業聯盟確實體現了諸多電影情節的美好，但也揭露了現實面，這或許就是人生寫照。

現實中的金州勇士，沒有完全如電影劇本一樣的完美璀璨，於再一次的1-3落後下完成逆轉，奪下三連霸。或是讓杜蘭特重現諸多神蹟，如喬丹在1997年的流感之戰、1988年湯瑪斯(Isiah Thomas)腳踝扭傷後超級英雄般的戰役等等。

確實，使用無限寶石已經讓整支勇士兵團的體質負荷超過了極限，他們將再也付不起偉大成功的背後代價#註2。

賽季結束了。不論贏或輸都結束了，來年會是新的開始。

註2：此代價除了生理上的傷病以外，還有體制上的薪資上限與奢侈稅問題。

杜蘭特做出了另一個「跨越盧比孔河」的選擇，河的另一頭是他傷後嶄新的一生。當柯瑞及勇士諸將們得知他即將流浪到下一站，也只能給予祝賀，期許杜蘭特每一個所到之處都是他的宇宙#註3。

註3：杜蘭特做出選擇以後，於本人的Instagram貼文寫道：「我在城市與國家中流浪。不論我去到何方，宇宙都會在我身旁。」

為解除薪資的艱鉅壓力，金州團隊忍痛交易走了伊古達拉，並且揮棄了李文斯頓，間接宣告漢普頓五小的「超級球隊」時代正式走向終結。

另外，考辛斯追隨了他在紐奧良的前隊友們，庫克(Quinn Cook)也完成了他從小的夢想#註4。

註4：庫克的爸爸在生前是超級湖人粉。穿上湖人球衣某種程度對庫克來說也算是圓一場夢。

他們倆都到了洛杉磯，與詹姆斯(LeBron James)和戴維斯(Anthony Davis)聯手。

金州勇士整支球隊五年三冠的核心已被拆解泰半，但主軸柯瑞、湯普森、格林是不變的。杜蘭特的離開也沒有變成全然的絕望，這為勇士帶來了22歲的全明星羅素(D'Angelo Russell)，這即使不是勇士的最佳解，也算是全新的氣象。

「他會和浪花兄弟、格林搭配得宜嗎？」

「魯尼會是勇士五號位的最佳解嗎？」

「柯瑞會再次奪下MVP嗎？勇士會打進季後賽嗎？」

在這個慌亂的夏天以後，諸多的問號開始浮現。

/

薩諾斯完成了他的晚餐，在小屋裡獨自吃著。他輕輕撥開一張對摺的，和女兒的合照，看著看著流下淚來。後來復仇者沒有再找他，他和他毀滅的世界繼續共存。

我想像《終局之戰》另一個平行時空是這樣的，如此地無聊。

破壞與創造、未知與選擇、犧牲與成就。我們可以說，現實更像是薩諾斯完成他崇高理想後的那個世界。而時間只會繼續向前推進。

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[everymovie2020]

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Date watched:  13 October 2018

I've had this sitting on my computer for months and finally I was like, "You just need to watch it."  So I did.

And then I realised that I've definitely seen it before at some point in my life, because I remembered how frustrated I was by it (and still am!).

Here's the other thing – I think I've said this before at some point in my reviews, but I really don't like Chevy Chase.  I don't get the Chevy Chase thing, at all.  He's no Martin Short, that's for sure.

I'm not really interested in rehashing the plot of this one because it's fairly obvious, right?  They're driving across country and shenanigans happen.  There's a gratuitous shot of Beverly D'Angelo's boobs. Chevy Chase goes skinny dipping with Christie Brinkley.  Jane Krakowski is but a mere baby in this movie (and a casual reference to child molestation as well?  Ah, the 80s).

I can't believe this movie has FOUR SEQUELS.

[lakersworld]

Hoopshype.com - Projected Top 30 point guards for 2017-18 _ 1. Stephen Curry, Warriors 2. Russell Westbrook, Thunder 3. Chris Paul, Rockets 4. John Wall, Wizards 5. Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers 6. Isaiah Thomas, Celtics 7. Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers? TBD 8. Kyle Lowry, Raptors 9. Mike Conley, Grizzlies 10. Goran Dragic, Heat 11. Kemba Walker, Hornets 12. Eric Bledsoe, Suns 13. Ricky Rubio, Jazz 14. Jrue Holiday, Pelicans 15. George Hill, Kings 16. Patrick Beverley, Clippers 17. Jeff Teague, Timberwolves 18. Markelle Fultz, 76ers 19. Lonzo Ball, Lakers 20. Jamal Murray, Nuggets 21. Malcolm Brogdon, Bucks 22. Dennis Smith, Mavericks 23. Dennis SchroEder, Hawks 24. Reggie Jackson, Pistons 25. Patrick Mills, Spurs 26. Derrick Rose, Cavaliers 27. Elfrid Payton, Magic 28. Darren Collison, Pacers 29. De’Aaron Fox, Kings 30. Jeremy Lin, Nets _ *D'Angelo Russell presumably starting at shooting guard.

[christywhitley]

Video: Watch D'Angelo Russell Drop 27 of 44 Points in 4th Quarter vs. Kings

Video: Watch D’Angelo Russell Drop 27 of 44 Points in 4th Quarter vs. Kings

Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll

Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year

Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine

LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books

Young’s Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka

LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album

Wade’s #OneLastDance…

[rakelpinheiro-blog]

Supertime dos Warriors nasceu pela competência que falta nos rivais, não por dinheiro

Golden State Warriors, atual campeão da NBA

Kevin Durant acertou 14 dos 20 arremessos que tentou no Jogo 5 da decisão da última temporada NBA. Sempre que o Cleveland Cavaliers ameaçava incomodar a liderança do Golden State Warriors, o ala aparecia para castigar no ataque e fazer a vantagem continuar fora de alcance naquela partida que definiu o título.

Os 39 pontos naquela oportunidade p ajudaram a confirmar o prêmio de MVP das finais e coroou um primeiro ano especial no novo time. Os Warriors contrataram Durant como agente livre em julho de 2016 e alcançaram um nível ainda mais alto em quadra, mas já eram um time muito forte antes disso.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson e Draymond Green foram peças importantes no título de 2015 e no vice do ano seguinte. Os três não só continuam entre os titulares como foram "all-stars" na última temporada.

Todos eles chegaram ao time via Draft e foram escolhidos fora do Top 5 no recrutamento em seus respectivos anos. Curry foi o sétimo em 2009. Thompson, o 11º em 2011. E Green só teve seu nome chamado na 35ª posição em 2012.

Curry, por exemplo, foi selecionado depois de Hasheem Thabeet e Jonny Flynn, que não estão mais na NBA -- e já há algum tempo. Thompson veio depois de nomes como Jan Vesely e Jimmer Fredette, que também foram tentar a sorte fora dos EUA, e Bismack Biyombo e Derrick Williams, que continuam na liga, mas que não passam de reservas com espaço limitado nos times em que atuam.

No caso de Green, essa lista é muito mais extensa, naturalmente. E dos 34 nomes chamados antes dele em 2012, só três chegaram a virar "all-stars": Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard e Andre Drummond.

Isso significa que os outros times tiveram a chance de contar com esses jogadores antes, mas os Warriors tiveram o mérito de enxergar talento em cada um deles e desenvolvê-los ao ponto de torná-los a base de uma equipe que hoje domina a NBA.

Ninguém mais na liga conseguiu fazer algo parecido. Olhando para todos os quintetos iniciais das equipes para a temporada 2017/18, alguns outros também reúnem três atletas adquiridos pela própria equipe no Draft ou na noite do recrutamento. Mas nenhuma equipe com três jogadores do tipo viu esses três virarem estrelas.

Oklahoma City Thunder e Washington Wizards, por exemplo, são outros times que têm entre os titulares jogadores que selecionou ou que adquiriu na noite do Draft. Mas só Russell Westbrook, no Thunder, e John Wall, nos Wizards, chegaram a virar all-stars.

Veja abaixo a lista com os quintetos iniciais de todos os times da NBA. As escalações levam em consideração a maneira como as equipes devem começar o campeonato e, portanto, exclui atletas lesionados que vão levar um tempo para voltar.  Entre parênteses, o número de jogadores obtidos via Draft.

Golden State Warriors - Zaza Pachulia, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson e Stephen Curry (3 - Green, Thompson e Curry)

Oklahoma City Thunder - Steven Adams, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Andre Roberson e Russell Westbrook (3 - Adams, Roberson e Westrbook)

Washington Wizards - Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, Otto Porter, Bradley Beal, John Wall (3 - Porter, Beal e Wall)

Denver Nuggets - Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Wilson Chandler, Gary Harris e Jamal Murray (3 - Jokic, Harris e Murray)

Philadelphia 76ers - Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Robert Covington, JJ Redick e Markelle Fultz (3 - Embiid, Simmons e Fultz)

Milwaukee Bucks - John Henson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Tony Snell e Malcolm Brogdon (3 - Brogdon, Antetokounmpo e Henson)

Los Angeles Lakers - Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle e Brook Lopez (3 - Ball, Ingram e Randle)

Phoenix Suns - Tyson Chandler, Marquese Chriss, Josh Jackson, Devin Booker e Eric Bledsoe (3 - Chriss, Jackson e Booker)

Los Angeles Clippers - DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, Danilo Gallinari, Austin Rivers e Patrick Beverley (2 - Jordan e Griffin)

Portland Trail Blazers - Jusuf Nurkic, Al-Farouq Aminu, Moe Harkless, CJ McCollum e Damian Lillard (2 - McCollum e Lillard)

Boston Celtics - Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum e Kyrie Irving (2 - Brown e Tatum)

Toronto Raptors - Jonas Valanciunas, Serge Ibaka, CJ Miles, DeMar DeRozan e Kyle Lowry (2 - Valanciunas e DeRozan)

Utah Jazz - Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles, Rodney Hood e Ricky Rubio (2 - Gobert e Hood)

Charlotte Hornets - Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams, Michael-Kidd Gilchrist, Jeremy Lamb e Kemba Walker (2 - Kidd-Gilchrist e Walker)

Dallas Mavericks - Dirk Nowitzki, Harrison Barnes, Wesley Matthews, Seth Curry e Dennis Smith Jr (2 - Nowitzki e Smith Jr)

Detroit Pistons - Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris, Stanley Johnson, Avery Bradley e Reggie Jackson (2 - Drummond e Johnson)

Orlando Magic - Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, Terrence Ross, Evan Fournier e Elfrid Payton (2 - Gordon e Payton)

Atlanta Hawks - Dewayne Dedmon, Ersan Ilyasova, Taurean Prince, Kent Bazemore e Dennis Schroder (2 - Prince e Schroder)

New York Knicks - Enes Kanter, Kristaps Porzingis, Doug McDermott, Tim Hardaway Jr e Ramon Sessions (2 - Porzingis e Hardaway Jr)

Sacramento Kings - Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield e George Hill (2 - Cauley-Stein e Labissiere)

Chicago Bulls - Jerian Grant, Justin Holiday, Paul Zipser, Nikola Mirotic e Robin Lopez (2 - Zipser e Mirotic)

Minnesota Timberwolves - Karl-Anthony Towns, Taj Gibson, Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler e Jeff Teague (1 - Towns)

Houston Rockets - Clint Capela, Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, James Harden e Chris Paul (1 - Capela)

Cleveland Cavaliers - Kevin Love, Jae Crowder, LeBron James, JR Smith e Derrick Rose (1 - James)

San Antonio Spurs - Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green e Patty Mills (1 - Leonard)

New Orleans Pelicans - DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Dante Cunningham, Jrue Holiday e Rajon Rondo (1 - Davis)

Memphis Grizzlies - Marc Gasol, JaMychal Green, Chandler Parsons, Ben McLemore e Mike Conley (1 - Conley)

Indiana Pacers - Myles Turner, Thaddeus Young, Bojan Bogdanovic, Victor Oladipo e Darren Collison (1 - Turner)

Brooklyn Nets - Timofey Mozgov, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, DeMarre Carroll, Caris LeVert e D'Angelo Russell (1 - Hollis-Jefferson)

Miami Heat - Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Dion Waiters e Goran Dragic (0)

[sportsv]

輸了比賽、贏了未來！季後賽首輪最大贏家：洛杉磯快艇

文／ Ken

「他是終極武器！我看過不少偉大的戰役與演出，而這場就是其中一個。」這晚， Kevin Durant 半場狂轟 36 分，全場拿下 50 分，繼前一戰 45 分後，再度締造生涯新高，於季後賽歷史上留名。Steve Kerr 這番話毫無疑問是在稱讚 Durnat，其實卻也在說明今年的快艇有多麽不可思議。

西區龍頭勇士，首輪碰上第八種子的快艇，眾外媒包含我，都是一面倒認為是 4-0 橫掃。比較好一點的評語則認為，快艇能偷到一場，所以猜 4-1，但就是沒人敢猜 4-2。Durant 必須連續兩場轟下 45、50 分勇士才得以晉級，4 場勝場的平均勝分高達 17 分，乍看之下是一路虐到底，實質上卻讓衛冕軍嚇出一身冷汗。

快艇表現得太好了！輸了系列賽，卻成為季後賽首輪的最大贏家。證明了自己，贏了未來。沒有創造老八傳奇，卻也在不被看好的情況下拼到第六戰，其中 31 分大逆轉讓人見識到這支隊伍的鬥志。第五戰再下一城更證明即便勇士沒有大意，他們也有實力扳倒這支強權。

Durant 入選 10 次全明星賽，快艇球員總和則為 0。季後賽勁旅中最菜的布魯克林籃網，都還有 D'Angelo Russell 的一次，唯一能比慘的就只剩主將 Victor Oladipo 因傷報銷的溜馬吧？

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首輪橫掃之後，公鹿隊的挑戰才正要開始

回顧整個系列，Game 1 算是最符合大眾預期的結果，勇士以 121-104 大勝。早早拉開差距，儘管快艇祭出戰術放給 Cousins、Draymond Green 砍外線，Kevin Durant 更在 Patrick Beverley 的防守之下，被肢體接觸搞到有些惱火，但當 Stephen Curry 一球在手，快艇防守陣線很快就分崩離析了。不僅讓他攻下全場最高的 38 分，還有 7 次助攻。

第二戰你可以說是一場意外，31 分大逆轉，就當勇士大意吧？這場比賽讓快艇聲名大噪。 Lou Williams 一人獨得 36 分是關鍵，緊要關頭將英雄球交給菜鳥 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander，接著再傳給另外一名菜鳥射手 Landry Shamet。如果只有 Lou 一人展現神蹟，是無法與擁有四名明星的勇士對抗的，但快艇證明，他們還有兩名菜鳥連線，以及一票好手。

Game 3 勇士重新振作，快艇慘輸 27 分。其實這場比賽才是真正的轉捩點，快艇喚醒一頭沈睡的野獸，勇士開始認真應戰。當戰線延長，年輕的快艇球員也獲得更多學習機會，不斷在吸收經驗。這一戰，勇士大量的肢體碰撞徹底阻斷快艇的進攻節奏。可是當戰線延伸到 Game 4，球迷開始發現，勇士想贏球不再那麼容易。

Doc Rivers 針對防守替換不斷再調整，甚至改變 Lou Williams 與 Montrezl Harrell 執行擋拆的位置，最後還將 Ivica Zubac 徹底冷凍，改拉拔 JaMychal Green 擔任先發中鋒。到了最後四場比賽，季末在板凳的 Jerome Robinson 都成為替補要角。快艇靈活的變陣與板凳優勢，從這一戰才開始發揮。

第五戰，快艇靠著實力贏下比賽，正面與勇士對轟比分，大幅降低 Curry 的破壞力，整個系列賽甚至把 Klay Thompson 守成沒存在感的普通射手，這都是戰略成功的標誌。可惜第六戰，勇士再次認真，找到封鎖 Lou 的方式，阻斷快艇拿手的擋拆進攻。細看比賽內容，快艇絕非一面倒的霸凌，是真的有機會將戰局延伸至第七戰。

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快艇擁有的優勢並不多，可是相對於勇士我們能掌握主動權。此說法並非說勇士被動是負面意涵，而是說只要維持過往的水準，勇士本來就能輕鬆取勝。快艇則必須主動出招，更加積極得調整戰術與打法，才能撼動衛冕軍。最困難的地方在於，老練的勇士連續多年打進季後賽，什麼樣的花招都見過，可是 Doc Rivers 就是持續調整，球員也都在學習。

整個系列 SGA 表現最讓人驚艷，被放投三分球的時候，勇敢出手。從第三戰被肌肉碰撞搞到有些神隱後，重新拾起擅長的中距離，運用身高與臂展在攻守兩端欺負勇士的老將們。系列賽六場平均 13.7 分 3.2 助攻，命中率沒有下滑太多，投籃命中率 45.9%、三分線 35%。另一名新人 Shamet，則在賽事後半段扛起防守 Curry 的職責。兩名菜鳥在與勇士的對抗中，獲得的經驗值與成長是有目共睹的。

想想今年夏天，留住原班人馬後，快艇至少能增添一名全明星球員。也許不是 Kevin Durant 或者 Kawhi Leonard，即便只是 Jimmy Butler 都讓人無限幻想。當 Game 6 的下半場，快艇數度將比分拉回 12 分左右時，我心中總是浮現如果有人能跟 KD 來個互轟，又或者如果我們運氣好一點，KD 沒這麼扯，會不會快艇早在備戰第七戰了呢？

從交易 Blake Griffin 到 Tobias Harris，快艇不斷累積、汰換籌碼，最終獲得這群球員。Shamet、SGA、Robinson 三名菜鳥都在季後賽有亮眼表現，Lou 與 Harrell 則是替補王牌，這些球員下個賽季都還在球員名單中，很難不對他們抱持高期望，特別是還擁有 5000 萬以上的薪資空間時。

這一切不只是選秀眼光，也不是運氣。而是「文化重塑」的一環。除了熟知的顧問 Jerry West，快艇先是拔除 Doc Rivers 的人事權，接著球團雇用《運動畫刊》資深記者 Lee Jenkins 作為研究總監，助理教練也逐漸汰換，例如引進暴龍上季的大功臣 Kalamian。再加上老闆 Steve Ballmer 從微軟帶來的管理哲學，現在他們以全新的邏輯在經營球隊。

「LA. Our way」是快艇本季的標語，原句出自於老闆 Steve Ballmer 的一段訪問，「我不會只是坐在那，然後下命令說我們學他們一樣好了，或者打造一支跟XXX很像的隊伍。我們要用自己的方式。」

快艇贏了未來，不是因為有優異的新人，更多是管理層的操盤。「比起擺爛，他們試著讓事情轉好。」正如 Steve Kerr 賽後對於快艇的評價，他們沒在擺爛的。Jerry West、Doc Rivers 總是在訪問時說，他們的目標還是季後賽，你相信嗎？我也曾經懷疑過，但好險最終一路相挺到最後。就像 Game 2 一樣，即便背負多少歷史共業，被譽為洛杉磯另一支球隊，又或者過去季後賽有多失敗，甚至一場比賽落後 31 分，快艇都沒有放棄。一場比賽、一整個賽季都是。

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[junker-town]

The actual top 100 NBA players of 2017

So who actually belongs on a top-100 list today? I put together a list with input from SB Nation’s writers.

As we endeavor to embarrass our future selves predict who will be the best NBA players in 2021 this week, it seemed appropriate to flash back to the last time we pulled this nonsense engaged in this exercise. Back in 2013, a collection of SB Nation NBA writers predicted who would be the top 100 players in 2017.

It is now 2017. So let’s find out how we did back then.

Of course, to help us determine that, we need to have some sort of idea of who the actual top 100 NBA players of 2017 are. This is somewhat controversial, but we do not present the list solely for the purposes of arguing. (We do that elsewhere on this website.)

This list was only developed as a way to learn from our predictions of four years ago. What types of players did we overvalue or undervalue? What is the actual difficulty in predicting players’ futures — assessing how players will age, how they will develop, who will get injured?

We share those learnings in a separate piece. Here, we just lay out the top 100 players of 2017 to use as our baseline for that effort. In parenthesis: our projected rankings for these players four years ago.

Enjoy.

Here’s how the #101of2021 countdown works. Read this before yelling at us.

Here’s the full #101of2021 list as its unveiled.

100. Rodney Hood (NR)

Hood probably would have been 30 spots higher if this list had been made in 2016. Basketball is weird.

99. Julius Randle (14)

Randle remains one of the most divisive young players in the NBA. His free agency is coming up soon and should be educational.

98. Andre Roberson (NR)

It’s hard to know where to rank defense-only players given the fact that defense is undervalued and easier to purchase on the market. But Roberson is such a good defender that he definitely belongs in the top 25 percent in the league.

97. Wilson Chandler (NR)

Wilson Chandler quietly puts up solid numbers in Denver when he’s healthy and not playing in China. Keep in mind that being the No. 97 player in the league puts you on what would be 20th team All-NBA. Coming in here is a compliment for sure, but it’s not that high of a compliment.

96. Ryan Anderson (67)

Anderson’s contract is gnarly — too gnarly to move, in fact -- but he’s quite a productive and useful player.

95. Robin Lopez (NR)

Lopez is a good defender who offers high-efficiency, low-volume offense. Quite a useful big man in today’s NBA.

94. Will Barton (NR)

Microwave bench scorers who don’t demand to start are valuable.

93. Zach Randolph (NR)

He still gets buckets and rebounds well into his 30s.

92. Jonas Valanciunas (18)

Valanciunas has never really put it all together -- I am among those who swore he’d be an All-Star someday -- but as with Lopez and others, he does enough to be quite useful at worst.

91. D'Angelo Russell (NR)

This is some projection to be sure, but Russell has a few tools that should serve him well, even if never becomes the star the Lakers originally saw him becoming.

90. T.J. Warren (NR)

One of my favorite young players in the league.

89. Nerlens Noel (25)

The less we talk about Nerlens Noel at this point, the better.

88. Jae Crowder (NR)

We’re not really considering contracts in this exercise. If we were, the ultra-affordable Crowder would be even higher. As it is, he’s a valuable wing defender and shooter who fits into a role. That’s so useful.

87. Pau Gasol (NR)

Gasol’s status is debatable at this point. But even though he’s a major minus on defense at this stage of his career, he gets buckets and rebounds. He can still pass like a maestro, too.

86. Khris Middleton (NR)

This may be too low for Middleton, a classic three-and-D who serves the defense-first Bucks quite well.

85. Dirk Nowitzki (NR)

Dirk is still doing it.

84. Enes Kanter (52)

Kanter would have been a prime player in the ‘90s or early ‘00s. These days, he’s a value reserve scorer and rebounder. You still need good reserves in the NBA!

83. Trevor Ariza (NR)

A leggy, energetic and smart defender who is just perfect for the Rockets’ frenetic style (provided it continues to be frenetic under the yoke of Chris Paul).

82. Joe Ingles (NR)

Slow Mo Joe is a cerebral, skilled forward who can shoot and pass quite well. He should take on extra importance with Gordon Hayward gone.

81. Dwight Howard (15)

There’s a serious argument to be made that Howard doesn’t belong on this list. But I value interior defense and rebounding enough to find him a spot.

80. Robert Covington (NR)

Covington is one of the best success stories in the NBA.

79. Cody Zeller (86)

Zeller has largely met expectations in Charlotte. I’m not sure there’s another leap up for him, but he’s already solid.

78. Aaron Gordon (92)

Someone, please, for the love of the Basketball Gods and all that is holy, figure out how to use Aaron Gordon in the NBA.

77. Zach LaVine (NR)

Someone, please, for the love of the Basketball Gods and all that is holy, let Zach LaVine come back as bouncy as ever.

76. Jabari Parker (26)

Someone, please, for the love of the Basketball Gods and all that is holy, don’t let Jabari go out like Brandon Roy. We’ve been hurt too many times.

75. Steven Adams (NR)

While I am concerned about the loss of the mustache, I remain confident Adams will bounce back from a down year to provide strong supplemental scoring and plenty of rebounding and defense for the Thunder.

74. Danilo Gallinari (64)

Gallo is an extremely competent scorer, and scoring matters a great deal in the NBA.

73. James Johnson (NR)

What a career twist in Miami!

72. Andre Iguodala (NR)

Still D.R.E.

71. Serge Ibaka (19)

The Serge Ibaka Drop-off has been greatly exaggerated. He was one of the most valuable Raptors down the stretch of last season, and his defense remains key.

70. Jeff Teague (76)

I don’t know exactly why the Wolves paid Teague so much more than what Ricky Rubio would have cost, but that doesn’t mean Teague is bad. He’s a good scorer and able to fit in around more talented teammates.

69. Dion Waiters (73)

Praise be the Clutch God, the King of Onions, the Master of Daggers.

68. Tristan Thompson (55)

Flexible defense from your big man is still highly important, as is rebounding.

67. Ricky Rubio (30)

Defense and passing are really important skills for a point guard, it turns out.

66. Reggie Jackson (NR)

Jackson is a tough player to rank. This grade requires you to believe the Jackson that led Detroit to a good record and playoff berth two years ago is the real Jackson. We’ll see.

65. Markieff Morris (NR)

Morris made quite a nice role for himself on a good Wizards team. We’ll see if his twin can do the same on the hated Celtics.

64. Victor Oladipo (44)

Oladipo isn’t equal value in a trade for Paul freaking George, but we shouldn’t hold that against him. He’s a solid two-way two guard in a league full of them.

63. Nicolas Batum (61)

Batum didn’t actually have a down year after signing his big contract, and 15-6-6 is nothing to sneeze at.

62. Dennis Schroder (74)

You never know. Being freed from the shackles of having a role on a good team could be wonderful for Schroder’s numbers.

61. Nikola Vucevic (69)

Vooch puts up numbers on a mystifying Orlando team.

60. Gary Harris (NR)

Harris is quickly climbing the two-guard rankings. There aren’t many you’d rather have at this point.

59. JaMychal Green (NR)

It’s hard to know whether Green is a product of Memphis’ morphing system or whether he’d be this good anywhere.

58. Patrick Beverley (NR)

Perhaps the best defender at point guard in the league, and a reliable shooter. His fit in Los Angeles will be fascinating. He’s not really a Doc Rivers type.

57. Eric Gordon (47)

Gordon stayed healthy in 2016-17, and that’s always been the only thing holding him back. He’s a dynamo scorer who can shoot and get to the rim.

56. Jrue Holiday (23)

He has to learn how to properly feed Anthony Davis and Boogie Cousins. If he does, Holiday should be just the third banana New Orleans needs.

55. Dwyane Wade (60)

Dwyane Wade at 60 percent is better than most two guards at 100 percent.

54. Evan Fournier (NR)

Efficient, young 17-point scorers don’t grow on trees!

53. Tobias Harris (41)

Lost in the Pistons’ disaster season is the fact that Harris continues to be a really solid NBA forward.

52. George Hill (NR)

I’m not sure how Hill will succeed in Sacramento -- or what success would even look like there — but he proved his worth in Utah last year.

51. J.J. Redick (NR)

Trust the Process.

50. Myles Turner (NR)

Perhaps Turner deserves to be much higher on this list. He should get a big bump in usage rate this season. Let’s see how he deals with those extra possessions on offense.

49. Carmelo Anthony (33)

In the top-100 list in our hearts, Hoodie Melo is No. 1.

48. Otto Porter (97)

Porter will get extra scrutiny because of his enormous contract, but ignoring the money, he was incredibly valuable for a good Wizards team last season.

47. Avery Bradley (78)

How much losing Bradley hurts the Celtics will be an interesting plot line to follow this season.

46. Clint Capela (NR)

The perfect center for James Harden and probably Chris Paul.

45. Brook Lopez (17)

When do they build the Brook Lopez statue in Brooklyn?

44. Joel Embiid (NR)

Is 44 Embiid’s rank in today’s NBA, or the number of games he’ll play next season? Your call.

43. Goran Dragic (NR)

Dragic was a key engine behind Miami’s shocking run to the edge of the playoff race. He’s goooood.

42. LaMarcus Aldridge (21)

Aldridge has been a relative disappointment in San Antonio, but he’s still among the better power forwards in the NBA.

41. Harrison Barnes (40)

There are 24-30 All-Stars in any given season, depending on injuries. So consider that Barnes is just a bit outside that range. He’s not Kevin Durant, and he’s not really modern wing in the sense that he can’t draw fouls or get to the rim, but he’s pretty good.

40. Al Horford (37)

Horford had a slow start with Boston, but he quickly became a key cog and fan-favorite.

39. Andre Drummond (3)

I don’t even want to start talking about this.

38. Hassan Whiteside (NR)

The Instagram King and 20-10 machine!

37. Kevin Love (11)

It’s going to be really interesting to see how Love is featured in a post-Kyrie world.

36. Eric Bledsoe (46)

Bledsoe had one of the best quiet seasons in the league in 2016-17. His talents are being shrouded in bad Phoenix.

35. Devin Booker (NR)

Booker is also in Phoenix, but his spectacular offense is able to pull attention because of the gaudy numbers.

34. Kristaps Porzingis (NR)

Porzingis is already the best Knick (Hoodie Melo plays for no one), and he had an All-Star case a year ago. Odds are he gets there this season.

33. Andrew Wiggins (8)

The divisive Andrew Wiggins. Twenty-three points on not-inefficient shooting, though?

32. Kemba Walker (96)

Kemba!

31. C.J. McCollum (NR)

Just need a little more defense and a trade to the East to get him onto the All-Star team.

30. Bradley Beal (38)

Health and a new coach unlocked the Bradley Beal experience for all to enjoy. Keep it up.

29. Mike Conley (51)

Still the most underrated player in the NBA, seven years running.

28. Marc Gasol (35)

If he weren’t on the wrong side of 32, he’d be a few spots higher.

27. Paul Millsap (91)

Ditto Millsap, who should nonetheless be a solid influence in Denver’s revamped attack.

26. DeAndre Jordan (100)

Jordan took a huge step forward in Blake Griffin’s absence last year, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares without Chris Paul running the show.

25. DeMar DeRozan (NR)

The mid-range god.

24. Kyle Lowry (NR)

You wonder how Lowry feels about the Cavs-Celtics point guard swap. Does Lowry see a path through either or both teams now?

23. Nikola Jokic (NR)

Jokic had the fastest rise in reputation I think I’ve ever seen.

22. Blake Griffin (10)

Griffin is divisive. I think he can still be a top-10 player if he’s in a good place mentally. Still, I don’t know where his head is. No. 22 seems safe.

21. DeMarcus Cousins (22)

Incredible numbers and everyone will be watching him.

20. Isaiah Thomas (NR)

Note that I ranked Thomas one spot below Irving before the blockbuster trade. The gap is larger taking the future into account; I’m looking only at a moment in time. I do think Jae Crowder makes up that gap in this moment in time, and I believe the other assets close the longer-term gap as well.

19. Kyrie Irving (6)

But still, Kyrie is better right now.

18. Gordon Hayward (80)

Hayward hasn’t played with a point guard like Kyrie since his very early days in Utah (Deron Williams). It might be a wild adjustment.

17. Rudy Gobert (NR)

Defense matters.

16. Klay Thompson (83)

And so does shooting.

15. Damian Lillard (42)

Dame is probably a top-5 most exciting player to watch.

14. Draymond Green (NR)

New Pippen remains an absolute treasure on the overpowered Warriors.

13. Chris Paul (16)

The fit in Houston could be awkward while CP3 and James Harden figure things out, but CP3 always figures things out.*

(* Applies only from October to mid-April.**)

(** Sorry, that was rude.)

12. Paul George (13)

Paul George!

11. John Wall (20)

John Wall!

10. Jimmy Butler (58)

JIMMY BUTLER!

9. Karl-Anthony Towns (NR)

I’ll be shocked if Towns isn’t an All-Star and first team All-NBA center. He’s here.

8. Giannis Antetokounmpo (79)

Future MVP.

7. Anthony Davis (7)

FUTURE MVP. (What a huge season for A.D.)

6. Russell Westbrook (4)

Current MVP.http://ift.tt/2y6Gebr

5. James Harden (9)

Eternal MVP bridesmaid.

4. Kawhi Leonard (24)

Legitimately in the running for the best player in the world.

3. Stephen Curry (12)

Greatest shooter ever by a substantial margin.

2. Kevin Durant (1)

Neck-and-neck for Greatest Player Alive status.

1. LeBron James (2)

... but LeBron is still the king. And maaaybe the G.O.A.T.