[Mick]

It's hard to tell if the IST made games on a first Friday of November more compelling for players and fans. Particularly in the West, the teams are so good from top to bottom, that all the games are important if you want to make the playoffs or play-in.

Of seven games, six were within 7 pts, five were within 5 pts, and three were within 2 pts, including Warriors 141, Thunder 139, as they improved to 4-0 on the road so far.

Just when the Warriors were #1 in the NBA in FG% D, they get absolutely torched, giving up an unfathomable 60% FG and 50% from 3, but still found a way to win because they got 6 more more O boards than Thunder, and Chris Paul even though 0-6 FG, had 13 assists and 0 turnovers!

Yes, Kuminga scored 19 in 22 minutes, but 2 rebounds?!?!?!?  He and Wiggins - who did have 4 O boards - combined for 7 rebounds in 49 minutes. That is just simply inexcusable. Now granted, OKC shot a crazy FG%, so there weren't as many opportunities, but still. I'm really getting bothered by their lack of rebounding. If Curry can nab 8 in 31 minutes, Wiggins and Kuminga can get more than 7 in 49 combined.

Point differential is going to be the #1 tie breaker for the IST, and total points will be the 2nd tie-breaker, so there will be no garbage time or pulling punches in these games during the first few rounds of games.

The Warriors are 8th in the NBA in rebounding, but not because of the guards or the Big Four veterans (except Looney). Leader in rebounds per minute are Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jerome Robinson (14.4), then Looney (13.4), then Dario Saric (12.7), then guard Brandon Podziemski (12.5). 

Then a big dropoff to guard Cory Joseph (9.0).

Then another big dropoff to Draymond and Steph (6.5 and 6.4), then another dropoff to Kuminga, Moody and Chris Paul, all between 5.1 and 5.5.

Then another dropoff to 6'2" GRP2 and 6'6" Klay Thompson (4.4 and 4.3), with 6'7" Andrew Wiggins by far at the back, with 3.7. In other words, he's getting rebounds at about 1/4th the rate of rookie TJD.

[Mick]

It's hard to tell if the IST made games on a first Friday of November more compelling for players and fans. Particularly in the West, the teams are so good from top to bottom, that all the games are important if you want to make the playoffs or play-in.

Of seven games, six were within 7 pts, five were within 5 pts, and three were within 2 pts, including Warriors 141, Thunder 139, as they improved to 4-0 on the road so far.

Just when the Warriors were #1 in the NBA in FG% D, they get absolutely torched, giving up an unfathomable 60% FG and 50% from 3, but still found a way to win because they got 6 more more O boards than Thunder, and Chris Paul even though 0-6 FG, had 13 assists and 0 turnovers!

Yes, Kuminga scored 19 in 22 minutes, but 2 rebounds?!?!?!?  He and Wiggins - who did have 4 O boards - combined for 7 rebounds in 49 minutes. That is just simply inexcusable. Now granted, OKC shot a crazy FG%, so there weren't as many opportunities, but still. I'm really getting bothered by their lack of rebounding. If Curry can nab 8 in 31 minutes, Wiggins and Kuminga can get more than 7 in 49 combined.

Point differential is going to be the #1 tie breaker for the IST, and total points will be the 2nd tie-breaker, so there will be no garbage time or pulling punches in these games during the first few rounds of games.

The Warriors are 8th in the NBA in rebounding, but not because of the guards or the Big Four veterans (except Looney). Leader in rebounds per minute are Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jerome Robinson (14.4), then Looney (13.4), then Dario Saric (12.7), then guard Brandon Podziemski (12.5). 

Then a big dropoff to guard Cory Joseph (9.0).

Then another big dropoff to Draymond and Steph (6.5 and 6.4), then another dropoff to Kuminga, Moody and Chris Paul, all between 5.1 and 5.5.

Then another dropoff to 6'2" GRP2 and 6'6" Klay Thompson (4.4 and 4.3), with 6'7" Andrew Wiggins by far at the back, with 3.7. In other words, he's getting rebounds at about 1/4th the rate of rookie TJD.