An NBA-obsessed newsletter for the info-craved basketball mind.

10.30.18

  Written while listening to Ice Cube's It Was a Good Day

It happened again

Klay Thompson is making this normal. In the 2014-15 season, he dropped 52 points in 32 minutes of play. The following season, he upped the ante and hit 60 points in just 29 minutes. In last night’s 149-124 win over the Bulls, he did it again, and he broke his teammate’s record. He hit an NBA record 14 threes on 24 attempts (which wasn’t efficient enough for his dad). He finished his night with five minutes left in the third quarter, dropping 52 points, one more than Steph Curry put up last week. Before the game, he was 5-of-36 from deep. And he only held the ball for 96 seconds the entire game. No one else has scored 50-plus in 30-or-fewer minutes once in a career, let alone twice. Insane.If you were watching (or saw the highlights), then you too saw that this was practice for him -- although the Bulls played defense more like it was a morning shootaround. Every shot was so pure and smooth out of his hands. A hot-handed Klay Thompson is a true pleasure to watch.Here’s the record breaking three, in a headband:We’ll see you again next year when he drops another 50-plus through three. But hopefully it won't be for the Warriors. 

Speaking of records...

Because the Warriors also have three other superstars on the team, they dropped 92 points in the first half, the second most in a first half in NBA history. It really puts into perspective how incredible 107 -- the record, set in 1990 by the Suns against the Nuggets -- in a half is. The Warriors, one of the most stacked teams ever, can’t beat a record set by average ballers like Cedric Ceballos and Kenny Battle.Here’s a fascinating snippet from an old New York Times article published the day after that historic game that shows you just how absurd that game was:

"Oh, my God," bemoaned an elderly man, "what has happened to the game?"As the updates continued, speculation arose that the National Basketball Association's first 200-point game was possible before the night was over.It didn't happen, but several league records were smashed as the Suns overwhelmed the Nuggets, 173-143, in Phoenix. The loss left Denver, which has allowed its opposition an average of 153 points a game, with an 0-6 record.

It transcends time: NBA players didn’t care about defense in the beginning of the season then, and they sure don’t now.[Here’s the box score from that record breaking Suns game if you’re intrigued]

Is Ty Lue just the beginning?

Ty Lue was finally put out of his misery over the weekend. He got the axe, and he’s going to cash in on the $15 million owed to him simply by not working. The Ringer looks at how the Cleveland Cavaliers can make the best of a bad situation:

The Cavs are a team split by generational regimes. Rookie Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, and Larry Nance Jr. are young pieces that point toward the future. Lue, however, was distinctly of the LeBron era. So are Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and J.R. Smith—the veterans that are supposed to help Cleveland compete in a weak Eastern Conference. So much for that.The old-guard players do have value, though, and it feels like the natural step after showing Lue the door is for the Cavs to punt on this season and get as much value in return for their players that could help actual playoff teams. Maybe I’m underestimating Dan Gilbert, but firing Lue and making Drew interim head coach will almost certainly not spark the Cavs into turning it around. It’s time for the fire sale.

Keep reading here.

 Must See Dunk

Anthony Davis, over Brooklyn’s Jarrett Allen last friday:

  Quick Hits

• With Saturday’s win over the lakers, Gregg Popovich became the 5th coach in NBA history to reach 1,500 wins.

• In case you forgot just how filthy Donovan Mitchell is, here’s a reminder.

• This strange Trae Young play feels like you’re actually watching a 2K replay.

• One of the weirder Russell Westbrook photoshoots you’ll ever see.

• Somehow Boogie is still finding ways to get ejected.

• The Milwaukee Bucks are 7-0 after beating a Kawhi-less Raptors last night. They are the last undefeated team in the league, and the first Milwaukee team to go 7-0 since 1971.

• Knicks coach David Fizdale invited Rasheed Wallace to a Knicks practice to toughen up some of the youngsters.

 Concrete Reads

• The Wizards are starting their annual meltdown early this season [The Washington Post]

• DeAndre Jordan suddenly can’t miss free throws. How did that happen? [SB Nation]

  Podcast Pick

• Zach Lowe and Woj discuss, among other things, what got Ty Lue fired in Cleveland [ESPN]

Three games to see next

Tonight, NBATV / Reddit

Tomorrow, Reddit