So far, so good for the USA!

Take aways from today:
1. KD changes everything. I now put the US gold medal chances up to 75%.
2. The decision to start the game by force feeding Joel Embiid was idiotic. He is the worst player on the team by far in terms of the international game. Loved seeing Davis replace him three minutes in.
3. I actually really dislike the starting unit of Embiid, James, Booker, Holiday and Curry. They just don't work together.
4. I hope the closing lineup will be Davis, James, Durant, Edwards, and the fifth does not matter. Maybe Booker. That lineup blows all other teams away. Edwards should play at least 30 minutes if winning is the only goal. He can initiate, shoot, rebound, run, defend, everything. He is the best guard in the tournament by a mile. Okay, maybe SGA would have something to say, but I would take Edwards.
5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.
6. I predict the game against South Sudan will be less close. Going on a limb.

Interesting that Tatum didn't even play in this game.

USA by 15 over South Sudan
(maybe we see Kuany Kuany for 2 minutes at the end?

Classic picture of 2K... I'm pretty sure I was at that game. I predict we will nearly double South Sudan's point total, unless we do a 360, which is two 180s, where we were way overconfident before the first game, then took it out on Serbia and are now way overconfident again. If I were Kerr, I'd tell the team "no creme brulee after the game if you give up 80 or more". They need to clamp this team down, defensively.

Agree
Looks like Duke is getting a good player. Duke is going to be tough

Big C said:

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Classic picture of 2K... I'm pretty sure I was at that game. I predict we will nearly double South Sudan's point total, unless we do a 360, which is two 180s, where we were way overconfident before the first game, then took it out on Serbia and are now way overconfident again. If I were Kerr, I'd tell the team "no creme brulee after the game if you give up 80 or more". They need to clamp this team down, defensively.

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

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6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

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6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

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Oakley would beat him up in the paint on every trip. That was how basketball was played. Today's game is much too soft.

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

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6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

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No way. Oakley is 60 years old.

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Oakley's got "old man strength".

Back to the subject at hand, assuming the USA was embarrassed by giving up 100 to South Sudan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that they hold 'em to under 75 this next game. Game Seven type defense for 40 minutes.

You got the over, or the under on that?

Big C said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

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6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

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No way. Oakley is 60 years old.

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Oakley's got "old man strength".

Back to the subject at hand, assuming the USA was embarrassed by giving up 100 to South Sudan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that they hold 'em to under 75 this next game. Game Seven type defense for 40 minutes.

You got the over, or the under on that?

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I got the over. The defense is not and will not be good. With KD the offensive firepower will carry the team. Or not.

Defense showed up in the first quarter! Starting Davis was long overdue.

sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

---

6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

---

No way. Oakley is 60 years old.

---

Oakley's got "old man strength".

Back to the subject at hand, assuming the USA was embarrassed by giving up 100 to South Sudan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that they hold 'em to under 75 this next game. Game Seven type defense for 40 minutes.

You got the over, or the under on that?

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I got the over. The defense is not and will not be good. With KD the offensive firepower will carry the team. Or not.

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You win. Er... we win! 103-86 final. USA defense did sort of put the clamps down, until garbage time.

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

---

6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

---

No way. Oakley is 60 years old.

---

Oakley's got "old man strength".

Back to the subject at hand, assuming the USA was embarrassed by giving up 100 to South Sudan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that they hold 'em to under 75 this next game. Game Seven type defense for 40 minutes.

You got the over, or the under on that?

---

I got the over. The defense is not and will not be good. With KD the offensive firepower will carry the team. Or not.

---

You win. Er... we win! 103-86 final. USA defense did sort of put the clamps down, until garbage time.

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My pregame prediction:

"USA by 15 over South Sudan"

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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concernedparent said:

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sluggo said:

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5. Jokic's passing was sublime. Magic/Bird level. It seemed like he was off, but he scored 20 points on 8 for 15 shooting.

---

6'8, 245 Charles Oakley would shut him down.

---

No way. Oakley is 60 years old.

---

Oakley's got "old man strength".

Back to the subject at hand, assuming the USA was embarrassed by giving up 100 to South Sudan, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that they hold 'em to under 75 this next game. Game Seven type defense for 40 minutes.

You got the over, or the under on that?

---

I got the over. The defense is not and will not be good. With KD the offensive firepower will carry the team. Or not.

---

You win. Er... we win! 103-86 final. USA defense did sort of put the clamps down, until garbage time.

---

By playing Davis and Adebayo instead of Embiid at least it was not 4 v 5. But the defense was nothing special. Perplexed that they don't switch screens. No zone, no trap, effort so-so. Curry was awful on both ends.

Kerr has established he will sit players. Could be important against Canada. Germany is the other team I fear.

Dwayne Wade is killing me. And he is encouraging his broadcast partner to keep up with him, which is even worse.

This is a good listen from The Athletic. Talks about player fits, rotations, DNPs, etc.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-usa-defeats-south-sudan-lauri-markkanen-latest/id1358187061?i=1000663972650

Expected win today over Puerto Rico. It would have been nice to mix and match some lineups that might be used during the elimination rounds, but that would make too much sense. Instead we got the line changes and rthe dismal starting lineup. Does it hurt Kerr like it hurts me to see Embiid dropping on all pick-and-rolls? Fortunately Puerto Rico could not shoot. Davis and Adebayo were switching all screens and locking up the Puerto Rico offense.

The matchups going forward are as good as they can be. Brazil in the quarters, the winner of Serbia and Australia in the semis, and probably either Germany or Canada in the finals. I am most scared of Germany. Daniel Theis is barely an NBA player but he will crush Embiid under international rules. And Dennis Schroder has no fear and can get hot.

I've thought Embiid has been terrible so far. This podcast provides some perspective on his performance. Also, I'd forgotten that last summer's team got worked because they had no size. Embiid was definitely brought in to address that deficiency.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-usas-gold-medal-march/id1358187061?i=1000664385092

philbert said:

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I've thought Embiid has been terrible so far. This podcast provides some perspective on his performance. Also, I'd forgotten that last summer's team got worked because they had no size. Embiid was definitely brought in to address that deficiency.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-usas-gold-medal-march/id1358187061?i=1000664385092

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I listened to the other podcast you posted, which beat up on Embiid. Maybe I will listen to this one too. My previous posts have been all about Embiid, because he will be key if they fail. When coaching decisions are based on other than winning it is difficult to watch.

I watched the World Cup last year. They did have Jarren Jackson Jr., who was similar to Davis and Adebayo in impact. But he had difficulty keeping out of foul trouble, and when he went out the defense fell apart. Size by itself is not helpful. It is size that can guard on the perimeter that is needed, and which this team has. Now they have to use it.

The earlier podcast was interesting in that it said Edwards was playing for the bench's approval. But I don't think that is bad. Edwards wants his peers to think he is the next Wade/Kobe/Jordan dominant wing. I think he is the best of his generation. He just turned 23 today.

JJJ always gets into foul trouble. That's easy to predict.

Agree that Embiid has been terrible. We'll see if his size helps them out in the medal rounds.

When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

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Do the French players also have to eat the poor food in the Olympic village and sleep in the poor accomodations?

oski003 said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

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Do the French players also have to eat the poor food in the Olympic village and sleep in the poor accomodations?

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The remaining teams are all at hotels, including the French. Not sure where that figures in.

sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

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I haven't really been watching the games. Is Curry at least opening up the floor by drawing defenders to him?

Anybody notice what types of defenses are mostly being played?

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

---

I haven't really been watching the games. Is Curry at least opening up the floor by drawing defenders to him?

Anybody notice what types of defenses are mostly being played?

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Yes, he opens up the floor. He also sets good screens. He is useful on offense even when he is not scoring a lot. His defense is not good.

Other teams generally play man-to-man.

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

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Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

---

I haven't really been watching the games. Is Curry at least opening up the floor by drawing defenders to him?

Anybody notice what types of defenses are mostly being played?

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If you have a subscription:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5681139/2024/08/05/stephen-curry-lebron-james-too-small-team-usa-offense/

Also a good read on some of the roster decisions made by Grant Hill.

When building Team USA's #Paris2024 roster, Grant Hill had one major concern: what if LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant couldn’t play to that level anymore?

But the exact opposite has turned out to be true.

✍️ @joevardonhttps://t.co/8kqH1A8Nes pic.twitter.com/U2kLy8ll4r

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 7, 2024

sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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Big C said:

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When's Steph Curry gonna bust out? I mean really bust out!

---

Maybe never. Took only 3 shots last game. Which was great, everyone else was feeling it. It could be he can't find his rhythm with so few shots. It could be the shorter 3-point line is messing with his shooting eye.

Nice semifinal match up with Serbia. They seem too slow to give the USA a game. Interesting the France beat Canada. Should be a great game against Germany. France seems to be way over-performing across sports in front of the home crowds.

---

I haven't really been watching the games. Is Curry at least opening up the floor by drawing defenders to him?

Anybody notice what types of defenses are mostly being played?

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Yes, he opens up the floor. He also sets good screens. He is useful on offense even when he is not scoring a lot. His defense is not good.

Other teams generally play man-to-man.

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is there less and less zone being played in college and international ball, what with the continuing ascent of the 3-point shot? (or has the three pointer long since reached its peak, internationally?)


Not really relevant to basketball at this level, but around the turn of the century, I played a number of days of pick-up / open-gym ball in France and they always played zone, which I had hardly ever done in pick-up. I suggested we go man-to-man and they looked at me like I was crazy (some French guys, mostly Europeans from various other countries).

Curry took 3 shots, including 0-1 from 3

Not sure why he doesn't take more shots, especially more 3s

He also hasn't had a lot of assists

Is there a site that shows the players stats for each game of the Olympics in one place (like they have for NBA and College seasons)?

He does look like he is enjoying the Olympic experience. Is this his first time?

I am enjoying the Olympics because it is THE true NBA All-Star game where players are actually playing hard on offense and defense, and it's not just a streetball highlight reel

HoopDreams said:

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Curry took 3 shots, including 0-1 from 3

Not sure why he doesn't take more shots, especially more 3s

He also hasn't had a lot of assists

Is there a site that shows the players stats for each game of the Olympics in one place (like they have for NBA and College seasons)?

He does look like he is enjoying the Olympic experience. Is this his first time?

I am enjoying the Olympics because it is THE true NBA All-Star game where players are actually playing hard on offense and defense, and it's not just a streetball highlight reel

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The team is getting better shots than if he forced threes. He took the right number of shots last game. He forced some shots in previous games, but there is no need for that. Any Curry shot is a good shot for the Warriors, but that is not the case with his great teammates. The team gets an open 3 or a layup on most possessions.

He has few assists because he is off the ball. Booker or Holiday are usually on the ball and LBJ is a secondary creator. Curry plays on the wing. When he comes off screens, and this team screens more than any USA team I have seen, defenders jump to him. Easy shots are rare.

It is his first Olympics. He seems a little sad on the court. I don't know how much he is enjoying it.

I did not find a game log, but here is good average stats: https://basketball.realgm.com/national/countries/1/United-States/stats

Thanks for the info and thoughts. Makes sense. His stats are by far the worst of any starters, and near the bottom of the entire team

Hope he has one game where he gets hot, or at least hits a couple threes

When I said he looks like he's having fun, I meant off the court watching other USA teams, engaging fans

On the court he doesn't get the ball nearly as much as on Warriors, and it's obviously not because of the coach

sluggo said:

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HoopDreams said:

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Curry took 3 shots, including 0-1 from 3

Not sure why he doesn't take more shots, especially more 3s

He also hasn't had a lot of assists

Is there a site that shows the players stats for each game of the Olympics in one place (like they have for NBA and College seasons)?

He does look like he is enjoying the Olympic experience. Is this his first time?

I am enjoying the Olympics because it is THE true NBA All-Star game where players are actually playing hard on offense and defense, and it's not just a streetball highlight reel

---

The team is getting better shots than if he forced threes. He took the right number of shots last game. He forced some shots in previous games, but there is no need for that. Any Curry shot is a good shot for the Warriors, but that is not the case with his great teammates. The team gets an open 3 or a layup on most possessions.

He has few assists because he is off the ball. Booker or Holiday are usually on the ball and LBJ is a secondary creator. Curry plays on the wing. When he comes off screens, and this team screens more than any USA team I have seen, defenders jump to him. Easy shots are rare.

It is his first Olympics. He seems a little sad on the court. I don't know how much he is enjoying it.

I did not find a game log, but here is good average stats: https://basketball.realgm.com/national/countries/1/United-States/stats

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You got your Curry game. Unfortunately nobody else got off the bus today.

Jokic is unbelievable. It's a good look every time it gets into his hands.

concernedparent said:

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You got your Curry game. Unfortunately nobody else got off the bus today.

Jokic is unbelievable. It's a good look every time it gets into his hands.

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There's a lot of time left, thankfully

That Jokic guy is so good he can probably play in the NBA

He's no Charles Oakley, though