Domantas Sabonis thread

[Toruko]

As a traditional board- center JV has less value in the NBA because the court has more space and JV is too slow for open space but I would really say that for NT the strength and space he covers he has more value than Sabonis at least this was the case in the last 3-4 tournaments.

[Svajunas]

So what? Only an idiot at this point would suggest that JV is on par with Sabonis.

[Shawshank]

12 times Valanciunas vs Sabonis played in nba league

Jonas 26min 14,6pts+11reb+2asist
Domas 28min 14,1pts+10reb+6asists

[Shawshank]

Jonas as in most previuos matchups defend Domas well.

Valanciuans is bad defender in open space and defending long shots vs skilled and good shooters.

But inside defence he is good. Sabonis bully ball isnt working versus Jonas and Zion and with jumpshots Domas wont score alot.


Thats main reason why Domas looks like 2 diffrent players in regular and playoofs.His offensive skills is too one sided and next step for him show he can effective when inside lane is defended well

[Shawshank]

1960s all teams was running and gunning,no teams using difficult playsets thats why Russell and Chamberlains could grab 25-30rebounds shots was let go without too much thinking.

Where long playing sets and pace went down was in 1990s and 2000s atleasd acording to my eye test.In half of games teams wasnt scoring 100pts,all teams was playing 2 huge dudes together that could make shots only from inside and lane was full of bodies compared to today.

Leading scorer of 1998 Jordan with 28pts average would be 9th or 10th in 2023 nba.

2004 Pistons won championship rarely even scoring 100pts.Today every night some team scorers 130-140pts.All rules was changed for offence players advantage from 2010s.

Nba didnt wanted to see 2004 Nets vs Pistons playoofs games anymore that use to end 78-74.


Thats why compare offensive numbers of 1990 and 2000s player to 2020s not really fair. To get 10 rebounds in 1990s/2000s for some guard it was a miracle,today some guard does that every night.

[Straight forward]

Rebounds FG and FT attempts this season: 44.0 89.0 22.7
Rebounds FG and FT attempts in 60-61 season: 73.3 109.4 37.4
That's roughly 1.3 times less possesions these days

1960-61 NBA Season Summary | Basketball-Reference.com
2023-24 NBA Season Summary | Basketball-Reference.com

Interesting. I always feel a bit robbed not having proper picture of such players like Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Bill Russel. Or Lithuanian Paulauskas.

[LuDux]

And it probably shows how much of a beast Chamberlain was. In the era when there been much less possessions he was putting up that.

Rebounds FG and FT attempts this season: 44.0 89.0 22.7
Rebounds FG and FT attempts in 60-61 season: 73.3 109.4 37.4
That's roughly 1.3 times less possesions these days

1960-61 NBA Season Summary | Basketball-Reference.com
2023-24 NBA Season Summary | Basketball-Reference.com

[Serbian_Layup]

SL, I get what you mean about those records. The game became very offensively minded, so many possessions per game, so many points, rebounds, assists. And yet I think that 19/12/7/60% club will still be very private. It's really hard to be in that club. FOA, if you are going for +20ppg, it's really hard to have 60%. Sabonis averaging 19-21ppg is just spot on to go after this. Then to reach 12rpg in the season is really really hard. We can see that only 3 players ATM are capable to do that, it's Jokic, Sabonis, Gobert. And you still have to add 7 freakin' assists.

Jokic and Sabonis can do it. But no-one else really can, even in today's game. Embiid is relatively close, but not exactly there, specially in terms of FG %. Sengun won't be able to rebound as well. And so on and on. And it probably shows how much of a beast Chamberlain was. In the era when there been much less possessions he was putting up that. On the other hand, overall level could be much lower than these days. It's always hard to measure 60s or 70s.

Listen, I'm not trying to minimize what Sabonis has accomplished so far, because it's very impressive. However, we had a chance to see Russell Westbrook and his historical triple double seasons. At that time everyone was amazed, rightfully so. But what do you think about that record right now, when you saw how little sense he has to play a meaningful half court basketball in the playoffs? That doesn't seem that much impressive right now, more like meaningless stat padding. I'm not saying Sabonis is stat padding, he is excellent team player, those regular season records are nice, testament to how good one player is, but means little and won't be much appreciated if it doesn't translate to playoffs.

[Straight forward]

SL, I get what you mean about those records. The game became very offensively minded, so many possessions per game, so many points, rebounds, assists. And yet I think that 19/12/7/60% club will still be very private. It's really hard to be in that club. FOA, if you are going for +20ppg, it's really hard to have 60%. Sabonis averaging 19-21ppg is just spot on to go after this. Then to reach 12rpg in the season is really really hard. We can see that only 3 players ATM are capable to do that, it's Jokic, Sabonis, Gobert. And you still have to add 7 freakin' assists.

Jokic and Sabonis can do it. But no-one else really can, even in today's game. Embiid is relatively close, but not exactly there, specially in terms of FG %. Sengun won't be able to rebound as well. And so on and on. And it probably shows how much of a beast Chamberlain was. In the era when there been much less possessions he was putting up that. On the other hand, overall level could be much lower than these days. It's always hard to measure 60s or 70s.

[Toruko]

Jokic is the best player on the planet right now and surely not a comparison to Sabonis. He is surely the best European player of all time, we can say that even now.

[Serbian_Layup]

Yes, but Jokic failed with reblunding part last season, didn't reach 12rpg, and that crazy fact that only Wilt and Sabonis in NBA history had 19/12/7/60% still stand

Sure, my point was probably, that in his own version of greatness (his own niche) Sabonis success is stunning. We definitely shouldn't even compare Sabonis with Jokic, cause Jokic is like MVP of NBA for three years (de facto) now, and he most likely will win it again. It's just amazing that Sabonis may be among realistic candidates in MVP conversation. He won't win it, but just being among potential 3-5 realistic candidates is really insane.

I think this year he will have his best PO too. If he will be healthy. He already been there, he felt it, and he got even better. I think his last PO numbers 16,4/11/4,7 will increase to something like 22/12/7. My point was that in this stretch he's putting up superstars numbers. Can he play like superstar in PO, we'll be seen. Most importantly both Sabonis and Fox are really cooking. And Kings will be hard to stop.

Jokic had 11,8 rpg last season, if I'm not wrong. So he missed that criteria by 0,2 rebounds per game. And then, in that same season, only in playoffs, you see Jokic going for title averaging something like 30/14/9 on great efficiency. While Sabonis was nowhere close to those stats. This is not a diss on Sabonis because he is certainly top 5 center in the world, but you get the point what is really important and what should be looked at. Right now, there is a sick hyper production of stats coming out after literally every game. They can pull stats like that for any random player. This or that player scored that many points, rebounds or assists in 25 minutes and 40 seconds for the first time in history. I mean, it's becoming ridiculous and really taking value of the real stats. There are such stats about Jokic (and lot of other players) after basically every game, but I don't even try to track it.

I'm obviously into Kings very much ever since Vlade snd Peja made one of the most fun teams of all times. Whenever Kings make good team, they ste so fun to watch because of great offense. They would have won title in 2001 had there not been for that robbery against Lakers.

[Shawshank]

Domas was all nba player last season in regular season. For Domas he reached the point he cant prove nothing in regular season anymore,his next step is to show he can be good in playoofs againts scouted and directed game plans againts his weaknesses.


Its hard to be MVP candidate when you arent even most important player in your own team.

KIngs with Fox 6-1, without Fox 2-3 this season . Foxas averaging just 31,9pts 6asist 5 reb and with 51% 42% shooting splits

Kings was leading 2-1 in playoofs untill Fox broken his finger in Game 4 .After injury series have changed and Domas was dissapoitng as all nba player in that playoofs.


Domas at 27-28 this season this is Sabonis peak,clearly his best version.When brain and body goes together at maximum levels,but both Domas and Fox have to show in playoofs and finally win first playoofs series of their careers.

[Straight forward]

No, he can't because he already topped that efficiency (63% last season)

I have always liked Sabonis. He has very nice offensive skill set, especially for NBA game. However, it's not really justified to compare him to Jokic in terms of efficiency (or anything else to be honest). Jokic had 63% FG just last season on nearly triple double average. And when you know that Jokic is shooting a lot of threes, one legged shots, mid range shots, while Sabonis is just finishing around the basket, then the real difference between them is just enormous. There has never been a player (if we are talking about big men, or any player maybe when it comes to Jokic) who takes the type of shots that Jokic does with that kind of efficiency. It's not grateful to compare Sabonis to Jokic, they are in different tiers.

About superstar level, playoffs is the only measurement about someone's true value. Sabonis would have to step up in the playoffs and prove to be that kind of player. When it comes to NBA, regular season is one thing, playoffs is something completely different. And we know that Jokic somehow is like 30-40% better when tough gets going in the playoffs. Jamal Murray for example has never been even an all star. But let me tell you this, when playoffs comes I would take him instead of at least half so called all star players. Sabonis is great but he has to step up in the playoffs before making him a superstar. Even Embiid has struggled big time to perform in the playoffs.

Yes, but Jokic failed with reblunding part last season, didn't reach 12rpg, and that crazy fact that only Wilt and Sabonis in NBA history had 19/12/7/60% still stand

Sure, my point was probably, that in his own version of greatness (his own niche) Sabonis success is stunning. We definitely shouldn't even compare Sabonis with Jokic, cause Jokic is like MVP of NBA for three years (de facto) now, and he most likely will win it again. It's just amazing that Sabonis may be among realistic candidates in MVP conversation. He won't win it, but just being among potential 3-5 realistic candidates is really insane.

I think this year he will have his best PO too. If he will be healthy. He already been there, he felt it, and he got even better. I think his last PO numbers 16,4/11/4,7 will increase to something like 22/12/7. My point was that in this stretch he's putting up superstars numbers. Can he play like superstar in PO, we'll be seen. Most importantly both Sabonis and Fox are really cooking. And Kings will be hard to stop.

[Serbian_Layup]

Sabonis is sensationally good ATM as Kings trashed Mavs. Superstar level. For the first time in his career he put up crazy numbers 3 games in a row. At least 27ppg and averaging 29,3ppg in this stretch and putting up ridiculous numbers in last 6 games and all 6 wins, with or without Fox. Incredible 71% from the field. He's on some serious GOAT mode. It's insanity that there's only Wilt Chamberlain and Sabonis (no-one else literally) who had 19pts, 12rbs, 7as, 60% FG seasons in NBA history. And Sabonis is doing this for another year. No-one in basketball is able to do it but Sabonis. Not even Jokic who can't reach that FG %. Jokic is off course better player, but that alone shows unique and dominant niche that Domas occupied and no other human being can.

His career turning out to be sensational. Becoming All Star looked like extreme success knowing how he looked in Youth basketball. Now he became All NBA guy and emerging as legitimate, realistic contender of MVP title. Simply one of the best ballers in the game today.

https://twitter.com/kfippin/status/1725322424726810779

No, he can't because he already topped that efficiency (63% last season)

I have always liked Sabonis. He has very nice offensive skill set, especially for NBA game. However, it's not really justified to compare him to Jokic in terms of efficiency (or anything else to be honest). Jokic had 63% FG just last season on nearly triple double average. And when you know that Jokic is shooting a lot of threes, one legged shots, mid range shots, while Sabonis is just finishing around the basket, then the real difference between them is just enormous. There has never been a player (if we are talking about big men, or any player maybe when it comes to Jokic) who takes the type of shots that Jokic does with that kind of efficiency. It's not grateful to compare Sabonis to Jokic, they are in different tiers.

About superstar level, playoffs is the only measurement about someone's true value. Sabonis would have to step up in the playoffs and prove to be that kind of player. When it comes to NBA, regular season is one thing, playoffs is something completely different. And we know that Jokic somehow is like 30-40% better when tough gets going in the playoffs. Jamal Murray for example has never been even an all star. But let me tell you this, when playoffs comes I would take him instead of at least half so called all star players. Sabonis is great but he has to step up in the playoffs before making him a superstar. Even Embiid has struggled big time to perform in the playoffs.

[Straight forward]

Sabonis is sensationally good ATM as Kings trashed Mavs. Superstar level. For the first time in his career he put up crazy numbers 3 games in a row. At least 27ppg and averaging 29,3ppg in this stretch and putting up ridiculous numbers in last 6 games and all 6 wins, with or without Fox. Incredible 71% from the field. He's on some serious GOAT mode. It's insanity that there's only Wilt Chamberlain and Sabonis (no-one else literally) who had 19pts, 12rbs, 7as, 60% FG seasons in NBA history. And Sabonis is doing this for another year. No-one in basketball is able to do it but Sabonis. Not even Jokic who can't reach that FG %. Jokic is off course better player, but that alone shows unique and dominant niche that Domas occupied and no other human being can.

His career turning out to be sensational. Becoming All Star looked like extreme success knowing how he looked in Youth basketball. Now he became All NBA guy and emerging as legitimate, realistic contender of MVP title. Simply one of the best ballers in the game today.

https://twitter.com/kfippin/status/1725322424726810779