# NBA 2022-23 Season **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [October 16, 2022, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311 "2022-10-16T00:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/122 "2023-02-09T13:29:02Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > To punt it bluntly. LeBron’s new record means absolutely nothing to me. Teams are commonly scoring 130 to 150 points a game now. It’s a run-and-gun, defense-is-a-joke league that resembles playground ball as much as it resembles organized basketball. > > His career shooting percentage is basically 50% which, although solid, is nothing remarkable. He just shoots and shoots, and he’s done it in the NBA since he was 18 years old. Unlike Jordan, his other major talent isn’t defense, it appears to be the art of flopping. This is a wild set of statements. In his prime, LeBron James was an elite defender who was named All-Defense 6 times and guarded everyone from Kobe to Tim Duncan to Chris Paul. Maybe not quite as good as Jordan, but hardly anybody ever was. James is also a gifted passer, one of the best who’s ever lived - there are only three players ever with more career assists, and one of them is nicknamed “The Point God.” And the numbers really don’t support the idea that James is some kind of gunner who shoots and shoots and shoots. He averages fewer field goal attempts and way more assists per game than Jordan did, or Kobe did, and that’s without accounting for the modern pace of play. And if .505 is a solid but unremarkable shooting percentage, then I don’t know what non-center’s is remarkable. Jordan (.510)? Kobe (.447)? Bird (.496)? If I had to choose between them, I’d pick Jordan over LeBron, and maybe Kareem, too. But LeBron James is and has always been just awesome at basketball, and he’s playing right now. It’s surprising to me how many people hate him so much - twenty years from now it’ll be cool to have watched him live. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/123 "2023-02-09T13:47:20Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > It’s surprising to me how many people hate him so much - twenty years from now it’ll be cool to have watched him live. It’s not surprising if you remember he is an egotistical self-promoter. Spoken to Shaq in an interview: “_Listen, big fella. Me personally. I’mma take myself,” LeBron said. “I’mma take myself against anybody that’s ever played this game. Everyone’s going to have their favorite. Everyone’s going to decide who their favorite is. But I know what I’ve brought to the table, what I bring to the table every single night.”_ “Every single night”; really? Then how come you lost 6 of the 10 Finals you’ve appeared in?! Let us not forget that we’re not talking about him being a “great” player. He obviously is one of the top players ever. We’re talking about the “greatEST” player, which means you finish, you always FINISH! No excuses. When MJ reached a Final, he won because that’s what you do if you are the “greatEST” player of all time. Oh, and another thing. MJ played in what is arguably the most physical period in NBA history. Hand checking and hard fouls were the rule. MJ never whined or flopped, he just won. Poor LeBron; after one game against the Pistons you’d have to sit him on the bench and give him a lollypop and a teddy bear. LOL ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/124 "2023-02-09T15:44:01Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Greatest of all time is basically down to Michael Jordan, Lebron James…maybe Kobe? Is there any other real contender? Michael, Magic, Larry, and the other “showtime” guys really made the game so much better, it’s hard to consider anyone before them as superior to today’s players. > [@JohnT](#): > > You really have to break it down into eras, that is true. But I don’t mind arguments for Kareem or Russell, given the proper caveats. I’ve always felt that in assessing GOAT status, basketball players should be broken into two separate categories: big men, and everyone else. Comparing Kareem with MJ isn’t fruitful IMHO. I also have this radical notion that GOAT is a tier, not a single player. MJ and LeBron are both GOAT-class players, as are a handful of other players. (As a coach once said when questioned about one of his players, “I don’t know if he’s in a class by himself, but I do know it doesn’t take long to call roll”) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/125 "2023-02-09T15:54:55Z")
Similar to Bill Simmons’s Basketball pyramid, where the top 13 players are at the apex (Russell, both MJ’s, Kareem, Bird, Wilt, Duncan, etc), then a middle row of 26, ending at Tom Chambers. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/126 "2023-02-09T16:04:45Z")
I hadn’t seen this, but yes. I would have dropped Duncan and West down and moved Shaq and LeBron up in that list (LeBron at 20!?!), then there are 5 big men GOATs, (Russell, Kareem, Wilt, Hakeem, Shaq) and 6 non-big men (Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kobe, LeBron, the Big O). Still very exclusive. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/127 "2023-02-09T16:20:49Z")
So KD is fleeing the Nets, and the Lakers are dumping Westbrook, who can’t seem to fit in anywhere. These “superstar teams” don’t seem to work out very well. Even James can’t prod the Lakers into playoff competition. I see my old team, the Trailblazers, has once again done their classic move of getting rid of one of their best acquisitions (Josh Hart) in exchange for a possible high draft pick; in other words, dumping a guy who is integrated into the team for someone that will have to spend three years learning how to play in the NBA. At least they beat GS last night. The Wolves redeemed their embarrassing loss to Denver by whupping the hapless Jazz last night, even without Gobert, who seems to spend a lot of time on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/128 "2023-02-09T16:47:27Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > LeBron at 20!?!) It’s an old list you’re looking at, he now ranks LeBron at number 2. And Duncan won five titles with _Tony Parker_ as his best, most consistent #2. No way Duncan isn’t in the Pantheon. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/129 "2023-02-09T23:02:30Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Teams are commonly scoring 130 to 150 points a game now. That isn’t really “common.” Points per game are high now, but were actually higher during Wilt Chamberlain’s heyday; the all time peak was the 1961-62 season, which of course was the season Wilt scored fifty a game. It was only a tiny bit lower than it is now during Jordan’s peak; the nadir was the early 2000s. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/130 "2023-02-10T00:53:30Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > the nadir was the early 2000s. You can say that again. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/131 "2023-02-10T16:41:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I find this mystifying; I cannot imagine why anyone would want Irving. 99% of the time I don’t believe news stories about a guy being a locker room distraction but in Irving’s case, I’ll make an exception. The weird thing is that other players seem to love Irving. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/132 "2023-02-10T16:49:32Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The weird thing is that other players seem to love Irving. This struck me as wrong, so I did a little checking. I immediately came up with this articles: [**Kyrie Irving’s ‘Awful’ Relationship With Celtics Young Players**](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/details-are-coming-out-about-kyrie-irvings-awful-relationship-with-celtics-young-players/) You might have noticed what a wonderful season they are having without him. ---
**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 11, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/133 "2023-02-11T00:20:19Z")
Jakob Poeltl is back on the Raptors again, but in exchange for: - Khem Birch - 2024 first-round pick - 2023 second-round pick - 2025 second-round pick… Really? Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/134 "2023-02-11T00:51:04Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > This struck me as wrong, so I did a little checking. I immediately came up with this articles: > > [**Kyrie Irving’s ‘Awful’ Relationship With Celtics Young Players**](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/details-are-coming-out-about-kyrie-irvings-awful-relationship-with-celtics-young-players/) > > You might have noticed what a wonderful season they are having without him. Sure, but his Celtics stint was kind of his low point. You had KD back him up to the end and Lebron campaigning to get him on the Lakers after playing with him in Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2023, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/135 "2023-02-11T21:48:47Z")
The Poeltl trade absolutely mystifies me. Why would you give away a first round draft pick, even by itself, for Jakob Poeltl? I don’t get it. Even a protected pick. I don’t have a problem with the guy, he’s alright, but he’s been in the league a long time and has definitively proven he’s not the next Hakeem Olajuwon. He arrived yesterday and played badly as Toronto absolutely choked the game away. Maybe there’s something I’m missing here, but what is Toronto trying to do? If they do manage to limp into the play-in, they’re not actually going anywhere. Even if they win the play in round they’re gonna be annihilated in the first round by a real playoff team like Boston or Milwaukee. Oh, and Poeltl is a free agent after this season, and there’s no reason to think he has any special interest in remaining in Toronto. ---
**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 12, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/136 "2023-02-12T01:38:56Z")
If you figure it out, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/137 "2023-02-12T02:57:52Z")
I saw only one ❤ for the big O above. Oscar Robertson was a complete player. Averaged almost a triple double for his career. Played defense (Kobe - nah). I guess he’s too far back for most to remember. (Pepperidge Farm and I remember). ---
**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 15, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/138 "2023-02-15T19:47:54Z")
Says he scored thirty points, tying a record for most points scored without a free throw or three while getting at least five blocked shots. Which begs the question, what is the most useless statistic kept on file in any sports league? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/139 "2023-02-15T21:09:36Z")
Oh I bet someone has come up with something WAY dumber than that. Like how a guy did on Thursdays or something. Because everything is computerized and cross indexed now, technically, basically EVERYTHING is a stat. Do you want to know who led the NHL last year in even strength goals by a right handed shooter in November against Eastern Conference opponents? That’s a thing you can get. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/140 "2023-02-20T04:57:51Z")
What is going on with the All-star game? I thought it was always West vs East. It looked like two players(one was Lebron) were schoolyard picking teams. Is this new? What happened with this? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2023, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311/141 "2023-02-20T16:15:35Z")
I think the whole East vs West thing just led to unbalanced teams so they wanted to make things more interesting. I think its made things worse to be honest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nba-2022-23-season/973311.md?page=8)