# NBA 2020-21 Season: The Year After the Most Bizarre Year **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [December 24, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779 "2020-12-24T00:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/41 "2021-02-17T19:19:52Z")
Boucher is almost getting 14 points a game averaging 23 minutes. Pretty impressive. Lowry, Siakam and VanVleet play much more. Hollis-Jefferson is doing okay with Minnesota but it looks like Toronto picked the right horse. If Baynes and Davis get going than the team could be a contender… the team is highly dependent on Siakam, who seems fairly focused. This was a worry of mine - that frustration would outweigh that - but the team still has some tenacity. Might they make the second round? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/42 "2021-02-17T23:18:43Z")
(heh - in case there isn’t enough Raptor coverage here 😃) I like how a rising Boucher has at least _somewhat_ filled the void of Gasol and Ibaka. Their absences obviously will never be _fully_ filled, of course, and Bainsy sure hasn’t met that challenge convincingly (although defensively he’s still a contributor). The fact alone the Raptors have had the second-best win/loss record in the east since game 10 reassures me enough that they’ll finish, I predict, fourth in the east this season. _Still_ blown away by the east’s mediocrity - last week only _three_ out of _fifteen_ teams were above .500, while this week that’s only slightly improved. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/43 "2021-02-17T23:37:26Z")
Not sure if this is going to be the tale of the tape for the rest of the season (yes I realise that was a jumbled metaphor), but in the last four defeats (in a row) Antetokounmpo has gone 33.5 ppg, 60% shooting, 13 rebounds and seven assists, and not even _that_ can carry the team. I’ll bet he won’t play out his entire contract in Milwaukee. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/44 "2021-02-18T00:17:39Z")
According to this, Boucher is in the top sixty - better than Zion… > **[The Best NBA Players, According To RAPTOR](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/nba-player-ratings/)** > > Our ratings use play-by-play and player-tracking data to calculate the value of every player in the NBA, updated daily. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/45 "2021-02-22T02:32:49Z")
The 76ers are a good team (leading the East) but the Raps have been playing great ball against them. It looks like they will win this one and bring their record to 16-15. Not the best start, but they lost six of their first seven. And they won without Lowry. Boucher, Anunoby and Freddy looked good. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/46 "2021-02-22T21:01:44Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Their absences obviously will never be _fully_ filled, of course, and Bainsy sure hasn’t met that challenge convincingly (although defensively he’s still a contributor). Baynes has been SO bad offensively that he has been the worst player on the team, and by a wide margin. A center shooting 41% would be much better off never shooting at all, which means never playing at all. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/47 "2021-02-23T00:05:42Z")
(heh, not quite sure if you were disputing or augmenting, there) Indeed, if his offense had been _at least_ as good as his defense - being very vocal and protecting the rim - then he’d be a much more worthwhile contributor. Looking forward to Boucher becoming an absolute block-monster. Heh - he has the funniest-looking throwing mechanics - the way he pulls way back before releasing the ball. (also kinda funny - Lebron, last year, doing a double-take at Boucher, and going “who is this kid”?) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/48 "2021-02-23T00:30:11Z")
Baynes has not been great, but two years ago you might have said the same about Anunoby. It might surprise you to learn Nick Nurse is a better NBA coach than I am. Maybe he’ll find a way to make him work. If not, at least there’s Boucher. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/49 "2021-02-23T02:12:35Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Baynes has not been great, but two years ago you might have said the same about Anunoby. Aron Baynes is 34. Two years ago, OG Anunoby was 21. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/50 "2021-02-23T04:30:59Z")
Fair point. Still, if anyone can bolster Baynes… ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/51 "2021-02-23T23:48:17Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > It might surprise you to learn Nick Nurse is a better NBA coach than I am. Whooshed me - no idea what this means. As with many pro athletes that get to “that stage”, Marc Gasol, 40, is returning to his roots to play for Barcelona. Six-time allstar, three-time Olympic medalist for Spain, two-time champion with the Lakers, a career average of 17 points and 9.2 rebounds, and awesome drunk during the parade. To think - _20 years ago_\* he was Rookie of the Year. \*huh - just found out that the average length of an NBA career is 4.8 years - don’t know why I though it would’ve been longer. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/52 "2021-02-23T23:56:09Z")
That’s impressive. I didn’t know that was the average NBA career length either. It’s fair to say Gasol improved considerably at 3 pointers his last couple years in Toronto. It’s also fair to say that _both_ of Nurse’s assistant coaches were poached to become head coaches of other teams - namely the Pacers and Timberwolves. I’m not saying Nurse can get Baynes to improve. But he has a better shot at it than I do. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/53 "2021-02-27T19:02:57Z")
Why are the Utah Jazz playing so well this year, with basically the same team from last year? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/54 "2021-03-05T03:29:56Z")
Raptors with a tight loss against Boston, so now 17-19. Without Anunoby, Siakam or VanVleet still had some very respectable play from Boucher and Davis. A slow start but so am beginning to feel this team will make it to the second round of the playoffs. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/55 "2021-03-05T12:04:33Z")
All-Star Team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant have selected their squads, and LeBron’s drafting prowess remains, as usual, exemplary. **Team LeBron** _Starters_ F LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors G Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets _Reserves_ G Damien Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers G Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers G Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns G Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics F Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers F Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers C Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz **Team Durant** _Starters_ G Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets G Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards F Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers _Reserves_ G James Harden, Brooklyn Nets G Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans G Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls F Julius Randle, New York Knicks C Nikola Vučević, Orlando Magic G Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz LeBron’s starting five gives the Dream Team a run for their money. They should win this game pretty easily. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/56 "2021-03-05T12:30:02Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > LeBron’s starting five gives the Dream Team a run for their money. They should win this game pretty easily. And if they do, they deserve to. Only an idiot picks Kyrie Irving over Stephen Curry, teammate or no. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/57 "2021-03-06T02:11:22Z")
Devin Booker of Team Durant is injured, and G Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz has been named as his injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/58 "2021-03-13T19:21:43Z")
Nice to see Lillard put on a shooting show. That swish from backcourt was amazing, and then his traditional last second bucket from half court. Also nice to see Anfernee Simons win the dunk contest. He’s the first Blazer to ever win it. Portland’s poor defense continues to haunt them. They should not have lost that last game against Phoenix, but they showed that they really cannot consistently defend against a hustling team. And it’s the same story every damned year. I don’t know if it’s crappy coaching or if the players are just doing whatever they please out there, but something’s gotta give. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/59 "2021-03-17T16:47:33Z")
Okay folks, I just watched the wildest 4th quarter of basketball I think I’ve ever seen. After 42 minutes of lackluster play, and trailing by 17 with 6 minutes left in the game, Portland launched a blitzkrieg against a dominant New Orleans team. They scored 16 unanswered points in four minutes. I had given up on Portland in the third quarter and was reading a book with the TV on in the background. All of a sudden it’s a one-point game. With 24 seconds left, down by three, Blazers fouled Ingram, who unbelievably missed both free throws with 7 seconds left. Blazers took possession, NO fouled Lillard, who sank both shots to make it a one point game. Again un-fucking-believably, NO flubbed the inbound pass, giving POR possession. Lillard launched a two that missed but was fouled in the attempt. He again sank both shots, giving POR a one point advantage with 1.2 seconds on the clock. NO threw a long bomb to Williamson, but he was bothered by Covington enough to where he missed his last second try. Lillard finished with 50 points. Unreal. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779/60 "2021-03-18T05:43:07Z")
[Former NBA center Shawn Bradley paralyzed as result of bike accident](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31082101/former-nba-center-shawn-bradley-paralyzed-result-bike-accident). The news was just reported but the accident happened in late January. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2020-21-season-the-year-after-the-most-bizarre-year/928779.md?page=4)